CAMELOT FANTASIES

Great article Lady TT, thanks for sharing.

General, I think it is going to be more of the same, meaning Djokovic with almost a free ride to do what he wants. 

Who can challenge him?  Murray looked like a lost puppy dog against Novak in their match in Shanghai.  Novak showed him the way back to the dog house.  Tsonga may have beaten Rafa, but it doesn't say a whole lot these days, and he had almost nothing left in the final to even make Novak get out of 2nd gear.  There is only 1 youngish player, Nishikori, in the top 10, and he is too brittle to make more than the occasional noise.  Raonic, Dimitrov have gone backwards, either due to injury or something else.  The young players like Kyrgios, Coric, Kokkinakis are clearly not ready yet.  Sure Wawrinka is a threat on slower courts, but it's not often. Then there are Rafa and Roger.

Rafa is convinced that he just has anxiety sometimes, but that it is much better lately, and there is nothing wrong with his mental strength or physical fitness.  But when I see him repeatedly lose in 3 set matches, this time to Tsonga, or from 2 sets up in the US Open to succumb in 5 sets to Fabio Fognini, I think there might be either some delusion at work or just talk for the press and public.

Federer took too much time off after the USO. He should have learned from last year in Shanghai, where he was very rusty and got very lucky and barely won against Mayer in the 2nd round, before going on to take the title.  This year he didn't get so lucky, and Ramos finished him.  Stefan Edberg told Roger a year ago that too long a rest at his age is not good.  It's too hard to get back into match fitness, mentally and physically.
But Roger wanted time off to vacation after the US Open and his Davis cup matches.  Not sure why.  Since Wimbledon, he played 5 matches in Cincy, 7 matches at the USO and 2 singles in Davis Cup. 14 matches in over 3 months.  No wonder he was/is rusty.  He has to know he was goofing off too much.  Well, he's 34, and for the last year and a half has been practically the only one holding Djokovic at bay, along with occasionally Wawrinka when the mood strikes him, and his family of 6 has needs also, so who would say he's not entitled?  But the reality is that it just makes it tougher for him.  Vienna offered him a wildcard.  Many people thought he should take it to get some additional match play.  But he instead chose to go to Dubai and practice in the heat.  Maybe his back was bothering him.  That's another thing that can happen when you don't play regularly at his age.  So many top tennis players have had to end their careers with back trouble.

We'll see what happens in Basel, Paris, and the World Tour Finals.

But one thing is certain.  Roger, Rafa, and Nole won't be taking much time for training hard this winter on clay or anything else.
Instead, they've all been lured to play in that IPTL - International Premier Tennis League - basically an exhibition league, from December 2nd to 20th, and of course it is on Hard Courts.  I hear Rafa may be getting 1 million a match, probably Federer and Djokovic as well. 

Here is Rafa's promo for the IPTL Manilla swing (they play in Manilla, Japan, Singapore, Dubai, and New Delhi).


It's all about money these days General. These guys are going to get as much money as they can, while they are still healthy enough to play and then take their hundreds of millions and live like kings.  Why should we worry?  Apologies if I sound a bit cynical... oh well, 'tis the Rant and Rave thread, no?

Respectfully,
masterclass

pete samrpas was right and so were we here at Camelot general masterclass:


Rafa is just sailing into the sunset. he chased appearance fee and a few points to qualify for London. for what? just money. he could never win it even when he was playing his best tennis and had all his fitness and all his physicality.


Rafa walked away from the fight long ago and many of his fans simply do not realize it.



he is no match for the top players and he is certainly no match for Djokovic. Federer is aging and andy does not have a forehand.


Djokovic is going to take whatever he wants. seeing a weakened and resigned Rafa he sees a chance to go after 15 majors which will place him #2 in history.


Djokovic is out to surpass both Rafa and Sampras and he can kill both birds with a single stone.


Rafa does not care to fight. people are just going to have to wake up and realize that. he absolutely refuses to work hard and fight.

it is all cosmetic talk and cosmetic practice sessions because he and his team has to do that for the sponsors and to keep their stock price high.




I am afraid it is over. not only no more slams for Rafa but he will find it hard to win a single 500 level event. that means no masters level events either.





only way out of this is go get on clay and also start putting in the very hard and long yards on the fitness front.