CAMELOT FANTASIES

You said it General. 

I still have hope for #10 at RG this year.  But he has to abandon hard court play.  He's changed his game too much to try and produce on hard courts, and now I think it has confused him. He doesn't seem to know whether to play up near the baseline or back a few meters.  In that last set his forehands were not making it to the service line, just inviting Verdasco to bash away.

I'm going to be even more drastic.  Forget Hard courts for the next 6-7 months.  Rafa should skip Indian Wells and Miami.  I know he likes going to IW to stay with his buddy Larry Ellison, and play golf, but clay is the only solution to get his game solid again.   

Play as much as he can in South America, Quito or Buenos Aires, then Rio and avenge the loss against Fognini - another player Rafa used to own.

Skip IW and Miami.  Get more miles on clay in practice and work on fitness.  Come back fresh in Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Rome and be ready for Roland Garros.

Hard court play is just useless now for him. 

And yes, exhos were unnecessary, even if he made a million a match.  He has all the money he needs.  What he doesn't have are the physical tools.

Even the commentators noticed today how big Rafa's shorts looked on his legs and said he's lost a lot of muscle mass from his legs.

Respectfully,
masterclass

he has lost significant muscle mass general.


his fitness and his supreme physicality is a huge part of his game. I can assure you that it is not rocket science. but some people at other boards are so confused.


I played a similar game. it was a heavy topspin game. I rode bikes for 100 miles at a time and I often went on runs of 10 mile of longer after practicing for 6 hours.


in fact I never hit the practice courts without hitting against a wall for 2 hours first. I even lifted weights as I was driving out on the road. I kept 20 pound dumbbells handy in my car.


you know about vilas and muster. immense physicality and massive fitness. and what about borg.


rafa simply refuses to put in the work: both on the practice courts and on the fitness front.



he is not confused general. he just doesn't care to win anymore.



there is nothing we can do about it. Agassi warned about this nearly 6 years ago and I warned against this even longer.

this was going to happen. now it is just too tall of a mountain to climb even on clay.

he has one chance left and it will come in 2017. he has to get back to his roots and try to make something happen on clay in 2017.


he does not have the fitness and the physicality to win in 2016. you cant develop that overnight. it will take 9 months of very hard work.


he just does not have any fire in his belly. the relentless will to win is gone. I don't know how you get around that.