CAMELOT FANTASIES

Quote from: masterclass on June 16, 2015, 12:50:42 pm

Yep. Another super post general.  I guess I forgot bike training might put too much stress on the knees for him. Swimming is probably the way to go.

Here is something I just saw on ESPN general that is making me wonder...

    ESPN Staff
 
Rafael Nadal says he is not focused on winning grand slams this year and has set his sights on qualifying for the ATP World Tour Finals at the end of the season.

Nadal suffered just his second ever defeat at the French Open last month when Novak Djokovic knocked him out in the quarter-finals, but he has made a blistering start to the grass court season by winning his first title on the surface since 2010 at the Mercedes Cup.

After falling to No.10 in the rankings, his next target is a place back in the top eight and at the O2 Arena in November. "That's my main goal," the 29-year-old said. "Winning grand slams or not, I have won enough in my career. Fourteen is enough.

"Right now, I am the No.10 in the world and I only played six months, with half of them being very bad. But I am sure that I'm going to keep trying.

"I have the motivation and I feel my mentality and my body are ready for it. Then, if I'm able to play the full season, I hope to finish in a good position on the rankings and then have the chance to start 2016 stronger."
------------------------------------------

What do you make of this general?  That stunned me when he said, 14 slams is enough.  Hard to believe that he would have that perspective. Do you think he is just taking pressure off himself?

Respectfully,
masterclass

It's not weird to me. So much depends on someone's mindset. I would never be battling to be, stay, or hankering after the number one spot or trophies. I can't even say if I admire that. At some point we get sated. I know I do, and I can truly understand how he feels. In the end, what's the point? There will just be someone who comes behind you to take all your "glory" away.

Look at Pete. Everyone thought he would have a record that stood forever, but in just a few short years it was eclipsed. If I was in a competitive sport I would only be comparing my achievements to myself, not someone else. So, if I started a career and did well, I would be satisfied. Maybe that's what many people don't understand; contentment.

I don't think Rafa had dreams to be the greatest. I think he just wanted to play the game, but then all the titles, the money, the status came along, but is that really how you should define yourself as a player?

I actually respect him more for saying that. Nothing that we do will stand the test of time. Fifty years from now, when we're not here people may not even remember this era. Who talks about Renfrow now? Nobody.

Everything we do on earth is temporal. People, IMO, tend to make much ado about nothing.

As a fan I can only be grateful for the last decade of superb tennis. But, if he's not feeling it right now. I'm OK with that too. First and foremos I want my player to be happy, not just on the tennis court, but in his life.

I know it's weird, but I really don't like the idea of competition. I don't get the point of it. I only want to be happy. Bettering my fellow man just doesn't appeal to me. It never has.

Quote from: thetruth on June 16, 2015, 01:19:58 pm

Quote from: masterclass on June 16, 2015, 12:50:42 pm

Yep. Another super post general.  I guess I forgot bike training might put too much stress on the knees for him. Swimming is probably the way to go.

Here is something I just saw on ESPN general that is making me wonder...

    ESPN Staff
 
Rafael Nadal says he is not focused on winning grand slams this year and has set his sights on qualifying for the ATP World Tour Finals at the end of the season.

Nadal suffered just his second ever defeat at the French Open last month when Novak Djokovic knocked him out in the quarter-finals, but he has made a blistering start to the grass court season by winning his first title on the surface since 2010 at the Mercedes Cup.

After falling to No.10 in the rankings, his next target is a place back in the top eight and at the O2 Arena in November. "That's my main goal," the 29-year-old said. "Winning grand slams or not, I have won enough in my career. Fourteen is enough.

"Right now, I am the No.10 in the world and I only played six months, with half of them being very bad. But I am sure that I'm going to keep trying.

"I have the motivation and I feel my mentality and my body are ready for it. Then, if I'm able to play the full season, I hope to finish in a good position on the rankings and then have the chance to start 2016 stronger."
------------------------------------------

What do you make of this general?  That stunned me when he said, 14 slams is enough.  Hard to believe that he would have that perspective. Do you think he is just taking pressure off himself?

Respectfully,
masterclass

It's not weird to me. So much depends on someone's mindset. I would never be battling to be, stay, or hankering after the number one spot or trophies. I can't even say if I admire that. At some point we get sated. I know I do, and I can truly understand how he feels. In the end, what's the point? There will just be someone who comes behind you to take all your "glory" away.

Look at Pete. Everyone thought he would have a record that stood forever, but in just a few short years it was eclipsed. If I was in a competitive sport I would only be comparing my achievements to myself, not someone else. So, if I started a career and did well, I would be satisfied. Maybe that's what many people don't understand; contentment.

I don't think Rafa had dreams to be the greatest. I think he just wanted to play the game, but then all the titles, the money, the status came along, but is that really how you should define yourself as a player?

I actually respect him more for saying that. Nothing that we do will stand the test of time. Fifty years from now, when we're not here people may not even remember this era. Who talks about Renfrow now? Nobody.

Everything we do on earth is temporal. People, IMO, tend to make much ado about nothing.

As a fan I can only be grateful for the last decade of superb tennis. But, if he's not feeling it right now. I'm OK with that too. First and foremos I want my player to be happy, not just on the tennis court, but in his life.

I know it's weird, but I really don't like the idea of competition. I don't get the point of it. I only want to be happy. Bettering my fellow man just doesn't appeal to me. It never has.

Well said, and I understand that mindset Lady TT, and it's not weird to me either.  I know a lot of people that don't really like the competition thing.  But for a sport like tennis, and a player like Rafa, I'm pretty sure he has said many times that the feeling of competition is the most important thing to him, what he likes the most on the court, win or lose, though he'd rather win, of course.  But I also know that eventually all athletes lose motivation, ambition, desire to compete at the top level, whether because of family, other interests, injury, decline of their game, or whatever reason, they eventually stop to do other things, and Rafa certainly can afford to.  There comes a tipping point eventually.   It's always a sad day for a fan when it happens, but Rafa fans have a lot to be happy about, and should be happy for him to move on when that time comes. 

I guess some of us though get disappointed when we feel it has come too early. But it's hard to actually be in that person's shoes, isn't it?   The great Bjorn Borg, for all practical purposes left the tour at 26 years old, and most of the tennis world was stunned and begged for him to return, even his competitors. But inside people saw it coming. He was upset with the tour bosses for requiring that he play in x tournaments, when he didn't feel he had to.  He got death threats at his final US Open, and had to be whisked away by security soon after the match.  He had won 6 Roland Garros and 5 Wimbledons and many more top tournaments.  I guess he reached a point where he had had enough. It happens.

Mind you, I don't think anyone should write off Rafa just yet.  He is too great a player to write off before he calls it quits.  Wasn't it Sampras a few years ago that had not won much in a while, had gone down to something like #17 in the rankings, and then just went out and won the US Open before retiring?  Never write a great player off.

Respectfully,
masterclass

Quote from: thetruth on June 16, 2015, 01:19:58 pm

Quote from: masterclass on June 16, 2015, 12:50:42 pm

Yep. Another super post general.  I guess I forgot bike training might put too much stress on the knees for him. Swimming is probably the way to go.

Here is something I just saw on ESPN general that is making me wonder...

    ESPN Staff
 
Rafael Nadal says he is not focused on winning grand slams this year and has set his sights on qualifying for the ATP World Tour Finals at the end of the season.

Nadal suffered just his second ever defeat at the French Open last month when Novak Djokovic knocked him out in the quarter-finals, but he has made a blistering start to the grass court season by winning his first title on the surface since 2010 at the Mercedes Cup.

After falling to No.10 in the rankings, his next target is a place back in the top eight and at the O2 Arena in November. "That's my main goal," the 29-year-old said. "Winning grand slams or not, I have won enough in my career. Fourteen is enough.

"Right now, I am the No.10 in the world and I only played six months, with half of them being very bad. But I am sure that I'm going to keep trying.

"I have the motivation and I feel my mentality and my body are ready for it. Then, if I'm able to play the full season, I hope to finish in a good position on the rankings and then have the chance to start 2016 stronger."
------------------------------------------

What do you make of this general?  That stunned me when he said, 14 slams is enough.  Hard to believe that he would have that perspective. Do you think he is just taking pressure off himself?

Respectfully,
masterclass

It's not weird to me. So much depends on someone's mindset. I would never be battling to be, stay, or hankering after the number one spot or trophies. I can't even say if I admire that. At some point we get sated. I know I do, and I can truly understand how he feels. In the end, what's the point? There will just be someone who comes behind you to take all your "glory" away.

Look at Pete. Everyone thought he would have a record that stood forever, but in just a few short years it was eclipsed. If I was in a competitive sport I would only be comparing my achievements to myself, not someone else. So, if I started a career and did well, I would be satisfied. Maybe that's what many people don't understand; contentment.

I don't think Rafa had dreams to be the greatest. I think he just wanted to play the game, but then all the titles, the money, the status came along, but is that really how you should define yourself as a player?

I actually respect him more for saying that. Nothing that we do will stand the test of time. Fifty years from now, when we're not here people may not even remember this era. Who talks about Renfrow now? Nobody.

Everything we do on earth is temporal. People, IMO, tend to make much ado about nothing.

As a fan I can only be grateful for the last decade of superb tennis. But, if he's not feeling it right now. I'm OK with that too. First and foremos I want my player to be happy, not just on the tennis court, but in his life.

I know it's weird, but I really don't like the idea of competition. I don't get the point of it. I only want to be happy. Bettering my fellow man just doesn't appeal to me. It never has.

Well said, and I understand that mindset Lady TT, and it's not weird to me either.  I know a lot of people that don't really like the competition thing.  But for a sport like tennis, and a player like Rafa, I'm pretty sure he has said many times that the feeling of competition is the most important thing to him, what he likes the most on the court, win or lose, though he'd rather win, of course.  But I also know that eventually all athletes lose motivation, ambition, desire to compete at the top level, whether because of family, other interests, injury, decline of their game, or whatever reason, they eventually stop to do other things, and Rafa certainly can afford to.  There comes a tipping point eventually.   It's always a sad day for a fan when it happens, but Rafa fans have a lot to be happy about, and should be happy for him to move on when that time comes. 

I guess some of us though get disappointed when we feel it has come too early. But it's hard to actually be in that person's shoes, isn't it?   The great Bjorn Borg, for all practical purposes left the tour at 26 years old, and most of the tennis world was stunned and begged for him to return, even his competitors. But inside people saw it coming. He was upset with the tour bosses for requiring that he play in x tournaments, when he didn't feel he had to.  He got death threats at his final US Open, and had to be whisked away by security soon after the match.  He had won 6 Roland Garros and 5 Wimbledons and many more top tournaments.  I guess he reached a point where he had had enough. It happens.

Mind you, I don't think anyone should write off Rafa just yet.  He is too great a player to write off before he calls it quits.  Wasn't it Sampras a few years ago that had not won much in a while, had gone down to something like #17 in the rankings, and then just went out and won the US Open before retiring?  Never write a great player off.

Respectfully,
masterclass

Quote from: Clay Death on June 17, 2015, 06:32:32 pm

I have been thinking.



I looked at that match point again. against dolgopolov.



I have a funny feeling that in the back of his mind and in his heart of hearts he did not really want to go on in this event.



for any number of reasons. one might be that he does not really feel ready to challenge the top guns.


he just finished losing to both andy and wawrinka. wawrinka was here and lost only today.

another reason is that he did not really want to expend the mental and physical capital since it is in limited supply at the moment.


and then there was his stupid doubles which takes away some focus from his singles.


he could have won this tournament with a little bit of preparation.


all he had to do was believe in himself a little more and put in the practice time.


and of course some work on the backhand and the return of serve would have gone a long way.

he wants out of here to go back to Mallorca and come back a little fresher and a little stronger.



bottom line: I think, in looking at the overall picture at queens, he again did not show up with proper preparation and better focus.

and again he decided--in his heart of hearts-that it was better to not worry about winning it.


there were 500 points for grabs here. he could have snatched up those points.


that was a very short inside/out forehand he hit and then he took a little stroll to the net to get passed easily.


he was up 4-2 in the decider on the slick grass. 2 games and the match was in his pocket.


another factor which is tied into this is that he wanted out. he is a bit worn out. as I said, he did not feel like spending the limited physical and mental capital to go all the way here.


now the silver lining is that at least he is healthy. so he escapes this event with no injury.



he has never been like this before. he never went to RG to defend his crown this year. that was his last stand and he walked away from it.

now he says slams are not important.


about 2 months back he said that he would at least like to get past Sampras with 15 majors.



he can still make it happen. he is an all time great and there is still little bit of time left.



all this lost belief is a direct result of his absolute refusal to work very hard and very long in practice and on the fitness front.


which in turn is a function of lost focus. he lost his relentless will to battle and win.



now I am not sure what is going to happen at Wimbledon.


the title there is surely going to one of the following:


1. murray
2. Federer
3. djokovic
4. wawrinka




I was hoping rafa would put in the preparation to perhaps sneak into the final. he just does not believe in himself because his game has dropped so much and there is not sufficient fitness and physicality.

Great post.

It's mind-boggling in a way, but then again, not so much. He just does not seem to have the passion for the game that we're accustomed to seeing. The weird thing is, it's been like that all year. Maybe he's tired of the injuries too. It's one thing when you've caused injury to yourself, but it's a whole different ball of wax when you had all the freak injuries that he had last year. Psychologically that can be more devastating than regular injuries, because they come out of nowhere and it can feel like the universe is against you.

The back seized up in Australia. I saw it in the warm up. I was like uh oh, something's wrong. Then there was the wrist or something, the appendix, it was weird. He had a Haas like year in 2014, inexplicable injuries. That's hard to overcome.

I understand because last year was like that for me too. Strange things happened without cause. One day I had a headache, I don't usually get headaches. Matter of fact I'm usually throwing away that kind of medicine because it expires. But this one night my head was pounding and in desperation I took an Advil, that's right , something as simple as that.

Thankfully, I had a procedure planned and went to the hospital that morning. I can only thank God that I had that appointment, because when I got there my left kidney failed; out of nowhere. I was stunned because I had no symptoms, no pain, no nothing. Within a half an hour the right kidney failed and they had to rush me upstairs into a room.

They couldn't find a reason why it happened when I had just been at the doctor's office two days earlier and was tested. My kidneys were great. And then one of the doctors said, "Did you take an Advil?" I was shocked, why was he asking me that? It seemed so bizarre. Initially, I didn't remember taking it, because I might take a pain reliever once every five or ten years.

I had to stay in the hospital for a month while my body stabilized, but even in that I was never in any pain. The scary thing is that there is no warning.

After all the freak occurrences Rafa had last year, I understand. Even when you return to health, there is a fear that something else is coming around the corner. It's hard to motivate yourself during these periods, because in the mind you feel that once you get up, you're going to get knocked back down.

The latest freak occurrence I had. After all of these years I found out that I can no longer eat Doritos. Can you believe that? When I'm eating them I feel fine. But about twenty minutes later my heart starts racing and my blood pressure goes through the roof.

It doesn't make sense. I have been healthy all my life and the doctors still swear that I am in good health, but these things keep happening. My Nurse Practitioner was getting so frustrated, because there is no logical reason that these things happen.

I seriously think that's what's happening with Rafa. There is a reason, known only to him that he has about 10% of the passion for the game. He's made a lot of decisions like the one you listed above since his comeback, and until he shakes that off...