Author Topic: The Truth's Rant And Rave Show: Now In Progress (Read 66894 times)

Clay Death · « **Reply #900 on:** May 08, 2014, 09:06:00 pm »

highlight reel from the Rafa vs Jarkko battle:

thetruth · « **Reply #901 on:** May 09, 2014, 10:36:17 am »

Today's highlight reel should be better. Flashes of the old Rafa, today.

I wonder if it's because he's so comfortable against Tomas, or he's actually been working on the things you and masterclass have talked about.

Clay Death · « **Reply #902 on:** May 09, 2014, 01:30:08 pm »

Rafa can play a lot better. He is still not fully trusting of his backhand.

he can also return better.

berdych was playing well so it is still a great effort by Rafa.

thetruth · « **Reply #903 on:** May 11, 2014, 06:59:40 am »

Quote from: Clay Death on May 09, 2014, 01:30:08 pm

Rafa can play a lot better. He is still not fully trusting of his backhand.

he can also return better.

berdych was playing well so it is still a great effort by Rafa.

Where would you gauge his level at? He played better against Batista-Agut, I think. At least I saw more great gets than I had been seeing. I like Batista's game. I have been watching him for awhile now. Just one more Spaniard to add to the Armada.

But, several things stick out. This was a new experience for Agut and he still did well. Which makes me wonder how Rafa will do against an in-form Kei. Although, Kei didn't play that well, IMO.

It was hard to really watch the match, as Ferrer just gets on my last nerve. He is so darn pedestrian, a backboard with no guile. Does he ever strategize on court instead of just being a backboard? I think he is the most frustrating top tenner ever. I mean all he does is hit the ball back. He doesn't have a big shot, so what is he doing, willing to stay out their all day? Sheesh.

Anyway, I'm hoping Rafa takes the title. He needs it.

Clay Death · « **Reply #904 on:** May 11, 2014, 08:12:27 am »

rafa said a couple of days back that he doesn't like hitting too many backhands. you can see just see it. I can understand that he has far greater trust in his forehand but these players are playing close to the baseline and they can take the ball early off either wing.

nadal gives him too much space for them to work with when he gives up the control of the center. he is just not as fast as he used to be. you cant count on those near impossible gets anymore.

he has one hell of a backhand. it is one of the best in the world. he just has to trust it more and give it chance to get in the groove in any one given match.

he also runs around his backhand as much as possible on the returns. that also gives them too many opportunities. they all have big serves these days.

nadal just has to hold his ground and trust his backhand.

thetruth · « **Reply #905 on:** May 11, 2014, 04:33:54 pm »

Quote from: Clay Death on May 11, 2014, 08:12:27 am

rafa said a couple of days back that he doesn't like hitting too many backhands. you can see just see it. I can understand that he has far greater trust in his forehand but these players are playing close to the baseline and they can take the ball early off either wing.

nadal gives him too much space for them to work with when he gives up the control of the center. he is just not as fast as he used to be. you cant count on those near impossible gets anymore.

he has one hell of a backhand. it is one of the best in the world. he just has to trust it more and give it chance to get in the groove in any one given match.

he also runs around his backhand as much as possible on the returns. that also gives them too many opportunities. they all have big serves these days.

nadal just has to hold his ground and trust his backhand.

Hm, it sounds so simple. According to you, it isn't that his BH is defective, it's more like it's rusty from disuse?

The remedy therefore sounds simple as well. Practice, practice, practice.

Why won't he use it? Did someone spook him by taking that play away? The last time I remember him using it frequently was at the 2013 USO, it worked rather well then, but suddenly he put it back in the bag, rarely to be seen again.

Oh dear, this man will be the life of me, if I allow him to get on my nerves. I've got too much going on. I just cant. I'll have to let him figure it out on his own.

Clay Death · « **Reply #906 on:** May 11, 2014, 07:04:23 pm »

well he has his 27th masters shield but he has a lot of work ahead of him.

I will feel so much better once he snatches rome and RG. I am going to call it a great year for rafa after that.

Clay Death · « **Reply #907 on:** May 12, 2014, 12:09:21 am »

check these headlines:

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/tennis-nadal-wins-madrid-title-nishikori-retires-195947948--ten.html

I wonder how many other headlines read the same way. it is unfortunate the way the match ended.

it is a brutal sport and becoming more and more demanding with each passing year.

that is why players are working hard on the fitness front to try to insulate themselves from injuries as much as possible.

I know nishikori will be ok with some rest but I remain worried about Rafa. he is just not working hard enough on the things that he has to work on and it is showing this year in his matches.

I am most alarmed with the drop in his fitness. usually his physical fitness alone is enough for him to wage a good war against his opponents. it allows him to put up a good fight.

he looks slow and sluggish out there. also you can just look at him. he has lost some muscle mass.

his shots don't quite have the zing/pace/mustard on some days.

Clay Death · « **Reply #908 on:** May 12, 2014, 01:44:52 pm »

Rafa is in rome already.

hopefully he will hit the practice courts hard today.

lets go Rafa. vamossssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss.

make it happen in rome.

Clay Death · « **Reply #909 on:** May 12, 2014, 07:29:08 pm »

I found this at tennis.com:

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2014/05/springing-eternal/51418/#.U3FmamdOWpo

thetruth · « **Reply #910 on:** May 13, 2014, 12:35:43 am »

Quote from: Clay Death on May 11, 2014, 07:04:23 pm

well he has his 27th masters shield but he has a lot of work ahead of him.

I will feel so much better once he snatches rome and RG. I am going to call it a great year for rafa after that.

I'm glad he got his 27th Masters title, but disappointed in his performance. It doesn't help that he's not correcting his mistakes.

I don't know what to make of this, TBH.

thetruth · « **Reply #911 on:** May 13, 2014, 12:37:36 am »

Quote from: Clay Death on May 12, 2014, 12:09:21 am

check these headlines:

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/tennis-nadal-wins-madrid-title-nishikori-retires-195947948--ten.html

I wonder how many other headlines read the same way. it is unfortunate the way the match ended.

it is a brutal sport and becoming more and more demanding with each passing year.

that is why players are working hard on the fitness front to try to insulate themselves from injuries as much as possible.

I know nishikori will be ok with some rest but I remain worried about Rafa. he is just not working hard enough on the things that he has to work on and it is showing this year in his matches.

I am most alarmed with the drop in his fitness. usually his physical fitness alone is enough for him to wage a good war against his opponents. it allows him to put up a good fight.

he looks slow and sluggish out there. also you can just look at him. he has lost some muscle mass.

his shots don't quite have the zing/pace/mustard on some days.

He looks horrible. Unmotivated, and even confused at times. Something isn't right with him. He seems like a shell of himself.

thetruth · « **Reply #912 on:** May 13, 2014, 12:39:55 am »

Quote from: Clay Death on May 12, 2014, 01:44:52 pm

Rafa is in rome already.

hopefully he will hit the practice courts hard today.

lets go Rafa. vamossssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss.

make it happen in rome.

I'm not confident in Rafa right now, and unfortunately, I am bracing myself for two losses in a row.

I wish it weren't true, but if he loses on the big stage, that might motivate him to kick his own butt in gear.

Right now, I can only shake my head at his play.

thetruth · « **Reply #913 on:** May 13, 2014, 12:45:33 am »

Quote from: Clay Death on May 12, 2014, 07:29:08 pm

I found this at tennis.com:

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2014/05/springing-eternal/51418/#.U3FmamdOWpo

I definitely don't believe he'll beat Novak, even if Novak's wrist isn't 100%. He's just lacking something, and I can't put my finger on it. I actually don't have a theory, which is rare.

Clay Death · « **Reply #914 on:** May 13, 2014, 08:59:22 am »

nadal is his own man. he believes in doing things his way.

if I can narrow this down to just one thing, I would say its the drop in fitness.

he has let his fitness take a hit this year. seems like he decided to take a bit of mental and physical vacation since the last u.s. open. and he has never really recovered from that.

and then the back injury at the worst possible time hit.

he is just not as fast and as strong as he used to be. for that reason they are able to get to his shots and he is not able to get to their shots.

by giving them 1/2 the court and by playing mostly forehands, the element of surprise does not exist at all.

you can do only 2 things with that forehand hit from his backhand corner: you can go inside out or you can go down the line. his positioning gives it away. they know where he is going most of the time.

not much time left. if anybody can fix some of this, he can. all he has to do is bag rome and RG and a lot of these issues will go away temporarily anyway.

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Author Topic: The Truth's Rant And Rave Show: Now In Progress (Read 66894 times)

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