CAMELOT FANTASIES

general masterclass you nailed it: it is not about tony at all.

it is about rafa. he has to decide how much he wants it.



they better bring in a world class fitness expert that specializes in the sport of tennis.


and get on the damn clay at the same time.




I see exactly zero point in first round or 2nd round losses in Canada, in cincy, and then again at flushing meadows.



what is that going to prove.

general hercules, news out of Bastad in the last day is that the Swedish Open tournament director is holding a wild card for Nadal and they are talking to him.

": I saved a wild card for special surprises like this. We will of course pay him a sum, but he has such a large market so we can take the discussion later in this case, says Swedish Open's tournament director Christer Hult."

We should know more on Monday...

----

So many pundits like McEnroe talking about Nadal axing Toni Nadal. McEnroe is just trying to stir the pot and get attention.  I'm almost sure it will never happen. Uncle Toni might walk away at a point of his own choosing but he won't be railroaded out, and neither will Nadal fire him.  I don't think this is an Uncle Toni problem.

Now what I think would be a great move is for Nadal to hire not a coach but a new physio trainer and for the team to put an emphasis on recovering his fitness.

If I could get Muster's physio I would.  No matter the cost of tearing him away from Djokovic, if he is still with him.  Or somebody like him.

But again, Rafa has to want it.  I think he has two choices if he wants it enough.  Get out there and play in some clay events, or don't play but train hard.

Respectfully,
masterclass

Excellent post as usual, masterclass. For whatever reason, Rafa is just not feeling it right now. And don't tell the general this or he might blow a gasket, but after his loss Rafa was back in Mallorca partying. This is so weird, but further proof that Rafa does what he wants to do.

And no, he's not firing Toni, nor would I, but he does need a world class physio to return to fitness. Will he do it? The signs don't seem promising.

Rafa's words seem to be placebos. The reality is that he doesn't seem to care. A strange time for it, but it is what it is.

Federer was asked by reporters what he thought was wrong with Nadal:

"He has a lot of hard work to do.  Especially in practice."

Roger's obviously reading Camelot. 

Respectfully,
masterclass

Why that dirty little rat (In my best Cagney impersonation).

Wouldn't it be awesome if he did, though?

Quote from: masterclass on July 05, 2015, 05:47:08 pm

general hercules, news out of Bastad in the last day is that the Swedish Open tournament director is holding a wild card for Nadal and they are talking to him.

": I saved a wild card for special surprises like this. We will of course pay him a sum, but he has such a large market so we can take the discussion later in this case, says Swedish Open's tournament director Christer Hult."

We should know more on Monday...

----

So many pundits like McEnroe talking about Nadal axing Toni Nadal. McEnroe is just trying to stir the pot and get attention.  I'm almost sure it will never happen. Uncle Toni might walk away at a point of his own choosing but he won't be railroaded out, and neither will Nadal fire him.  I don't think this is an Uncle Toni problem.

Now what I think would be a great move is for Nadal to hire not a coach but a new physio trainer and for the team to put an emphasis on recovering his fitness.

If I could get Muster's physio I would.  No matter the cost of tearing him away from Djokovic, if he is still with him.  Or somebody like him.

But again, Rafa has to want it.  I think he has two choices if he wants it enough.  Get out there and play in some clay events, or don't play but train hard.

Respectfully,
masterclass

Excellent post as usual, masterclass. For whatever reason, Rafa is just not feeling it right now. And don't tell the general this or he might blow a gasket, but after his loss Rafa was back in Mallorca partying. This is so weird, but further proof that Rafa does what he wants to do.

And no, he's not firing Toni, nor would I, but he does need a world class physio to return to fitness. Will he do it? The signs don't seem promising.

Rafa's words seem to be placebos. The reality is that he doesn't seem to care. A strange time for it, but it is what it is.

his words and his team's words are for public consumption and for the sponsors.



he does not have the drive anymore. he lost his relentless will to fight and win on the battlefield.



he is just not working. it is just that simple.



of course we called it at Camelot over 2 years ago.



he was headed for this decline after that big u.s. open win in 2013. he chased $10 million for all those meaningless exos in south America and then with diminishing fitness he started chasing the #1 rank. we knew it was going to lead to injury. we knew his body would hit the wall and it did.


for what? now he is not even playing top 100 tennis. at the current rate he will get there soon enough.


pretty soon he wont be able to win any matches.



injuries and appendicitis only expedited the decline. he stopped caring about clay. his reckless disregard for clay cost him his career.


clay is the wellspring from which he flows.




he won outside of clay because he was able to dominate them on clay. clay gave his ground game life. clay gave him the belief, the confidence, and the momentum.  and also fitness which he worked hard on off the courts also.

serena should be the ultimate motivation for Rafa.



he is just not looking to follow the lead.



I don't watch him play anymore because I know what he is capable of. he is showing up horribly unprepared time and again.



I cant bear to watch him like this.





we have his matches and we will get more. we will just have to re-live his glory years over and over again for life.

his 9 RG crowns will just have to keep us going.



he was pure magic on the court at this best. his movement was second to none and he produced the impossible time and again on the court.


he held the world on the edge of their seats when he competed and battled to win.




there is only about 3% chance that he can win another slam at the current rate.



only about 3% chance that he can bring his fitness and physicality to a level where he can go out there and fight them to the death again.



I really don't see that happening. he has lost nearly 80% of his ground game and 50% of his once supreme fitness and physicality.


right now he has no serve, no return, and terrible movement. I don't know how he can overcome all that.


it will take 8 months of immense hard work and 100% focus. there can be exactly zero distractions.

he would have to let the outside world go for about 8 months and just work on his game and his fitness.

It is incredible how so many of his fans think he is in a slump.


He is one of the greatest ever to lift a racquet.

He just does not care to work anymore.


Rafa is his own man. Nobody can tell him what to do.

I know if I got paid $41 million a year to play tennis and work on fitness I would be doing it 8-9 hours a day.


He only had to do it for 2-3 more years.


He could have taken it easy after that.


I just can't see the bloody point in letting them all walk right over you.

It is incredible how so many of his fans think he is in a slump.


He is one of the greatest ever to lift a racquet.

He just does not care to work anymore.


Rafa is his own man. Nobody can tell him what to do.

I know if I got paid $41 million a year to play tennis and work on fitness I would be doing it 8-9 hours a day.


He only had to do it for 2-3 more years.


He could have taken it easy after that.


I just can't see the bloody point in letting them all walk right over you.

He may just be tired and wants to enjoy life for a change. But he loves the sport so he'll be back. Once he gets this wanderlust out of his system I think it'll be all guns blazing, but for right now, he needs this time. Nothing about his demeanor says that he's devastated. I honestly think he needs this, just like Serena and Fed did.

Both of them spent a year trying to figure what the game meant to them and if they wanted to continue. They found out that the sport was in them and re-dedicated themselves for the end times. I see no difference.

They also both endured the "Federerer and Serena" should retire" sentiments. What I don't get is, what's the difference?

Andy has lost 10 in a row now to Djokovic.


Has to be disheartening.


He has to find a way to turn this around.