CAMELOT FANTASIES

order of play:

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/scores/current/shanghai/5014/daily-schedule

it took 2 hours and 44 minutes to get rid of aging Karlovic.

he seemed excited after the match. good to see him get a little excited again.


nobody has any answers for djokovic. Rafa is the only one who can challenge him but he has a lot of hard work ahead of him.



it is going to be a long road back. the key is going to be getting back to his old dominating self on the red clay Europe in 2016.


and that is assuming he really wants to challenge Djokovic and get back in a position to chase history again.



he simply has to be able to dominate them on the red clay in order to challenge them on other surfaces.

it took 2 hours and 44 minutes to get rid of aging Karlovic.

he seemed excited after the match. good to see him get a little excited again.


nobody has any answers for djokovic. Rafa is the only one who can challenge him but he has a lot of hard work ahead of him.



it is going to be a long road back. the key is going to be getting back to his old dominating self on the red clay Europe in 2016.


and that is assuming he really wants to challenge Djokovic and get back in a position to chase history again.



he simply has to be able to dominate them on the red clay in order to challenge them on other surfaces.

Quick Fact: Did you know that Karlovic is now the ace leader in the history of the ATP Tour? He passed Ivanesevic a week ago. Karlovic is a nightmare to play especially when his serve is on. He hit some good volleys, but Rafa handcuffed him a lot last night. Rafa also had a great night passing.

Not to mention that was a tough first round match. His second match is tough too. He also has Wawrinka if it goes according to projections, so this is a pretty rough draw.

Rafael Nadal: ´Some opinions were disrespectful. I won´t be disappointed if I don´t win any Grand Slam´

Tennis - The Spaniard talks about his difficult season, criticism, possible solutions and goals for 2016 ..

Rafael Nadal  17 Oct 2015 - 22:30 / by Gatto Luigi /

http://www.tennisworldusa.org/Rafael-Nadal-Some-opinions-were-disrespectful-I-wont-be-disappointed-if-I-dont-win-any-Grand-Slam-articolo27151.html

Very long and interesting interview by Rafael Nadal to Marca.com . The Spanish spoke about his nightmare season, about the criticism and the possible solutions to come back like before.

'The plan is to work and we are doing it a little bit different way than before. We're trying to find things that can help us to start the year having some chances. I'm happy for how I'm training and I hope the results will arrive. We're training on specific things we didn't take care in the last years: stay more inside the court, lose less meters. I already did it in Beijing and in Shanghai even if things didn't go perfectly. But I think that from now to the end of the year I've time to continue and to refine changes'.

'I didn't lose mental strength. I lost control of myself, of my emotions. I've more anxiety than the normal. I didn't lose mental strength because I'm working as always, actually more than before. I'm motivated and I work more because my body allows me to do it. How can I explain this anxiety? It's a series of circumstances. For many years I played under pressure. Last seasons have been complicated in terms of injuries. In 2012, when I was playing very well, I injured myself and I came back in 2013. That year was incredible but was fatal in terms of my physical state, I was playing always with so much pain. In 2014, when it looked like I was playing better, I had first the wrist, then the appendicitis and evertything contributed to raise my anxiety and make me feel like I have no control of my nerves when I was on court. I worked hard to find a solution and I found it. That allowed me to enjoy my practice and especially my matches".
'This year I had anxiety problems that didn't allow me to enjoy tennis, but there were also important matches that could have changed the dynamics. Am I far away do it? No, I am not. In Rio I was very close to reach the final and I lost a match that I shouldn't have lost against Fognini. I won Buenos Aires, I came to Indian Wells with good feelings and I lost into the quarter-finals against Raonic after having had three match points. I had the chance to reach a Masters 1000 semifinal with Federer and things may have changed. Then in Miami I suffered from anxiety against Verdasco. I started off well on clay in Montecarlo. Barcelona was a disaster. Once again I didn't have  control of myself'.

'In Madrid I played a great tournament, and after coming back fit in Rome, into the quarter-finals, I lost against Wawrinka after being up 6-2 in the tie-break. Moments make things complicated. At Roland Garros I faced Djokovic and, despite the improvements, my level wasn't good enough. I won Stuttgart. In Queen's, where I had to be consistent, I came back to lose against Dolgopolov. I played very bad in Wimbledon but I didn't have control of my mind there. Before US Season, I won Hamburg. Against Feli, I lost 7-6 in the 3rd set. At US Open, I was up 2 sets to zero and 3-1. I analyze the year with all these misfortunes and I see that I'm fifth in the Race'.
For the first time Nadal responded to all criticism that have been said about him: 'Am I "dead"? I don't know If I'm already done, but I'm not very concerned about it. I go on my way, at the end these are all opinions and everyone is entitled to have his own opinion. Somebody is wrong, others says right things. It's part of life in general. Everyone has opinions and especially when you're on TV. They all are valid, but always when come with respect. And sometimes that lacked'.

In some press conferences Rafa said that journalists asked him the same thing over and over again: 'I said it in the right way. I didn't feel hurt or I never understood something in the wrong way. The reality is that many beatiful things happened to me during over these years and right now I am hearing some bad things, but that is not a problem to me. I know who I am and I know what I did. And I know what I have to do to keep going. When you try everything, you can't feel obliged to do more. Sometimes I say that all the opinions are valid if they're respectful'.
After losing in Wimbledon against Dustin Brown, John McEnroe said that Nadal should change coach. Rafa accepted different opinions as far as "people don't criticize more than the normal. When you've a good attitudine, you can say that a player is playing bad or is finished, but always with respect. When I retire I imagine that Toni to be in my box

And what if his fellow countryman Carlos Moya will enter in his team? "I've a very good relationship with Carlos and his opinions are and will be always valid. I don't know what will happen in the future. Things are this way and I'm happy. Nowadays I believe in what I have and I continue with what I have. I believe that me and my group are doing the things well. I do what I can do. I lived beatiful moments and now the bad ones have come, I accept that. It's not a tragedy and I think that I'm on the right path to come back to play at a high level. What type of level? I don't know. Will I come back to win a Grand Slam? I don't know. But I say also that, whetever happens, the most important thing is to be satisfied with myself, which is my case'.

Should he ask help to a psychologist? 'Well, if I hire a psychologist for my private life, I would not have to say it publicly. I never spoke about personal things publicly. I've a public life which is the sport one. Personal things are only for me. I wanna have a private life and If I hire a psychologist, I would do it for my private life.'

He is thinking about the next season, about Australian Open 2016: 'I don't know If I'll be at 100% in Australia, the world doesn't finish here. But if I keep practicing this way, in the next season things could go  in a different way. Physically and mentally I feel better.Immediately after Melbourne, I will play Rio de Janeiro on clay and I will not defend the title in Buenos Aires. Technically I am playing only Rio, then I don't know if what we'll do'.

In London 2012, at the Olympic Games, was also scheduled to be the flag bearer for Spain at the opening ceremony. Would he like to do it again in Rio 2016? 'It doesn't depend on me, but I could be the flag bearer, I would like to. I lost many important tournaments due to injuries compared to other rivals that haven't withdrawn from Grand Slams, Masters or Davis Cup Finals. But the Worst thing was to skipping London. First of all because Olympics take place every 4 years, and then because being Spain's flag bearer gave so much hope'.

Does he think that despite winning 14 Major, 4 Davis Cup Titles and Olympics Gold Medal, he has to play 3 Davis Cup ties to be elegible to play in Rio? The Spaniard must play another tie and could still not play at the Olympics. 'Someone makes up the rules and these are there to be respected. I don't know well how rules work to qualify. The reality is that for some reason from 2012 I couldn't compete in Davis and I didn't play much ties due to injuries. There was also a bad environment and due to this we find in this situation (Spain is in Group I)'.

Spain has to line up one mixed doubles at Olympics. Would you like to play it with Garbine Muguruza? 'Yes, I would like to do it, but it's still far away. It's not official that I will play men's doubles with Fernando Verdasco. We started to play together some tournaments beginning in Montreal and now we'll see what happens'.

Rafa doesn't plan to become father in short time instead of Federer, Djokovic and also Murray on February: 'I don't think that my son will watch me playing, it's not in my plans. It's not something that would fascinate me. Everyone take his time. I'm a very familiar person, I like children, but for me having a family means have a more stable life. And now it's not like this since I travel a lot'.
Will it be a disappointement if he does't win another Grand Slam title? 'It can't be a disappointement after having won 14. If my career finishes today, it would be a career that I have ever dreamed of. It still allows me to keep enjoying tennis, I enjoy it right now.'

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

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

I don't think it's being cynical at all masterclass. These are mere men not mortals who have put their time in on the courts for all of their lives. It is not for them to live up to our expectations. They are entertainers, nothing more. Whatever each of them want to do is OK with me. At some point when all of your needs are met it's hard to continue to be motivated.

If the only goal in sight is being "The Greatest" it is a sad goal. No one will ever attain that elusive title. All of that talk about the greatest is futile, IMO, as you can't measure across generations, technology, and nutrition. Fortunes change on a dime and that's the way life is.

A few years back no one pegged Novak to hit double digits, but he did in amazing fashion, and just like he did, someone can come behind him and usurp him as well.

I guess I'm just a fan. I don't get into the accolades, the records, the statistics or any of that stuff as I find it meaningless. I watch tennis for entertainment purposes only and could care less about legacies. It's their life and if they want to chase money as their careers wind down, that's fine by me.

Strictly tennis,

The Truth.

thank you for sharing that article general britbox.


I am getting ready for sleep now. I am not sure what to think right now.



by all my calculations--and I made mine 3 years ago--he is spent force.


he brought the world down with his game and his fire and his fight.


but I am afraid now it is over. we all have to live with that. I am not really sure I can to be honest with you.



I keep saying that anyway. I am not happy with Rafa. he is forever my player as are players like vilas, muster, laver, emerson but I am not happy with him.

he walked away from the sport. he could have achieved so much more. certainly 2 more RG crowns.


and that would have been a lot for anybody to overcome. I don't think anybody is going to catch Roger but Djokovic is going to catch both Rafa and Sampras with a single stone.


and that is the mistake Rafa made. he packed his bags too early.



it would have been tough to keep dominating but he had it in him to snag 2 more RG crowns. that is a lot to leave on the table.