Great blog, Cheryl! I agree, Rafa likes few things better than confounding expectations. Well, shiny trophies, great records, playing tennis, improving his game...and partying with friends and family in Mallorca. And Central Park, he likes that, wish Johnny Mac had pursued that a bit. Bet Rafa would have said, with a straight face, "because of the grass".

Great blog Cheryl. But I want to say, I am a Federer fan, and I wanted Rafa to complete his career slam. He's a deserving champion and joy to watch. His iron will and determination deserves to be rewarded and I respect him for all what he added to tennis along with Roger. Congrats to him and all his fans, you gotta be really proud.

congratulations for another good blog..nicely written cheryl...:)

Rafa shines :) he does indeed ... nice blog Cheryl.

As a working artist I'm often asked to work in differnet kinds of mediums ... that new challenge can seem overwheming at times, sometimes even objectionable. It takes tremendous confidence, focus and I think a real optimism about life to pursue that kind of goal.
I hope that Rafa can continue to find new challenges and we are allowed the great gift of watching it happen ... I'll be there.

Cheryl, this is one of your best articles yet! (Sorry I have a newspaper background so I tend to use the term "article" rather than blog).
Great job in pointing out one of the things that bothers me the most, that word "just" before "clay court player". As if becoming the dominating force on clay was somehow easier than doing so on any other surface.
Another thing that bothers me is that some people assume that Grass is the natural next step, or the closest thing to clay. Not true, clay and grass are just as different as any two surfaces can be, but RAFA is able to do well on both. You don't see all the clay court experts automatically getting to the Wimbledon finals.
By the way, thanks for using the right terminology, A lot of people, including Wikipedia often refer to Majors as "grand slams". Even "grand slam titles" is not correct, despite its common use, and the fact that we all know what we mean when we say it. Bud Collins keeps trying to get us all to use the correct terminology:
The 4 big tournaments are called "Majors".
Winning all 4 Majors is a "Career Slam"
Winning all 4 Majors in one calendar year is a "Grand Slam"
http://www.tennisgrandstand.com/archives/1676

With apologies to Rafa who doesn't like people to bring up this subject:
The GOAT discussion is opened up again.

Roger and Rafa now stand in a very special spot among all-time greats.

Laver? 3 of the Majors were on grass, and there were only 5 "Masters" (Big tournaments, equivalent to the Masters of today). Also half of the top players played 2 majors and the other half played the other 2.

Borg? Never won the US Open

Sampras? Never won Roland Garros

Agassi? One less Major than Rafa, 8 less than Roger

Connors? Never won Roland Garros, also one less Major than Rafa, 8 less than Roger.

Of course much of this depends on how much you value the career slam vs. total number of majors won; how much you value the Golden Slam (Only Rafa and Andre); Total masters (Rafa tops all), etc., etc.
As you can see, Roger Federer still is the dominant figure, but Rafa is now definitely in the mix.

Great read Cheryl, but after my many threads making the same points you have made above, I can finally say, I rest my case.

perhaps your best blog cheryl, really enjoyed it ! well done :)

grafight, i dont believe there exists a single GOAT but yes rafa has entrenched himself in that category now..he is going to earn a lot more i am sure !

Thank you, Cheryl, for another great article: everything told so clearly.

Another "impossible" thing Nadal has achieved relates to the health of his knees. Back in 2005 / 2006 his nay-sayers were already writing on various blogs that he was not going to last more than another year, or at most two. Not only is he still playing strong tennis now, but he has found various solutions to his knees' tendinitis (shorten pints, improve his serve, get prp treatments, etc.)

He has surpassed my expectations so many times now that the only thing I expect is that he will surpass them again, multiple times.

Oh good. I was waiting for someone to come up with a blog here as a tribute to Rafa's golden slam. Well done Cheryl. I think most of us actually knew Rafa will win the uso at some point. What i didnt see coming is that he would do it in such a dominant fasion. Specially in the final. The way Djoko was playing was Scary good!! He made rafa EARN every point. I confess i was not ready to see THIS Rafael Nadal before the tournament started. Everybody talks about the serve... but wasnt just the serve! Its the same way as Rafa himself used to make joke-- he has now become a "Specialist" on this courts.

On another note, I'm guessing part 2 will be on Djoker. plz let it be on djoker...

ekattor - it will indeed be on Nole. I was so impressed with him this tournament, I feel like he deserves his own blog.

Nadline - you have a severe case of the "I told you so's". Might want to have that checked out. :D

And thank you all for your kind words. Sometimes these blogs are quickly written...and some like this one take time. :)

Tks Cheryl for this blog. Rafa has always been dismissed by many as just a clay courter. They refuse to give him credit or acknowledge his achievements on other surfaces and keep shifting the goal post in the hope that Rafa will not reach it. I think many of these people dislike Rafa as they think he plays unorthodox and ugly tennis, a direct opposite to Fed's classical and beautiful tennis.

I'm so glad that no matter how they shifted the goal post, Rafa always find a way to reach it, and in the process serves out generous portions of humble pies to this fellas who shifted the goal post, "thanking" them for motivating him into reaching new career highs time after time!

Nadline - you have a severe case of the "I told you so's". Might want to have that checked out. :D

cherylmurray , 9/15/10 7:51 PM


But you can't deny that I was whistling against the wind when I tried to point that Rafa should not be written in favour of Murray because it was assumed that Rafa was no good on the USO type of h/c. My final statement in response to our last conversation on the subject was - 'We'll see." Maybe you should just acknowledge that I have been proved right. Lol

Nole deserves a mention here. He really plays like the no.2 player in the world, just behind Rafa, the no .1 player. I predicted a Rafa/Nole final and I'm so glad that both of them didn't disappoint, especially Nole. Nobody gave him a chance in this USO but I thought he played well enough to reach the final, beating Fed along the way.

Congrats to all Rafa fans here for Rafa getting and earning his Career Golden Slam! Amazing!

Great Blog Cheryl!!!

Echoes my sentiments exactly!!!

---about the significance of the Career Golden Slam---

The Olympics tenniscourts were made of the same material as the courts of US Open - DecoTurf. Rafa has lately & repeatedly reminded it in his intreviews. Winning the Olympic tennis gold medal gave Rafa a lot of confidence that he was capable of winning US Open too. He made it happen. Rafa is now one of only two male players (with Andre Agassi) in history to have achieved a Career Golden Slam. Impressive!

"I guess there are a few tennis fans who are disgusted with the Career Slam."

Oh well.
*smirks quietly*
*tries to go back to being cool about it like Rafa*

Only one thing, Cheryl - Rafa's, like only Andre's before him, is not just a Career Slam, but a Career Golden Slam.


Any other FEDAL fans here dying to see Roger and Rafa play in the Olympics 2012?
:-)

cheryl,

Well, I am NOT going to say I told you so. My comments about Rafa here have been read by all. People know where I stood regarding the fact that Rafa did indeed have a good shot at winning the USO, for the very reasons that you mentioned in what was another great blog.

Never say never when it comes to Rafa! If I had the time, I would look up the post in which I made this statement. I am sure that I said it more than once. Anyone who has watched Rafa should realize that the higher the mountain, the tougher the climb, the mor determined he will be to triumph over it.

I was sick to death of this whole business of Rafa being a "one-dimensional" player. Pete Bodo even wrote a blog about it after the clay court season. It was more of the same old propagand and tired cliches about how Rafa is "just" a clay court player. I went ballistic and sent him an e-mail, as well as posting a scathing reply in his blog. He must have really gotten it handed to him, because he mentioned the many e-mails he got telling him off for his comments about Rafa. This was said just earlier this year! Even after Rafa had won Wimbledon and the Australian Open! Unbelievable!

I have a feeling that we will not be hearing this nonsense anymore. Rafa's win at the USO finally answered the doubters, naysayers and disbelievers. He won it with an exclamation mark, punctuating his win with some of the best pure tennis I have seen him play in that fourth set.

I love Rafa's brand of tennis. I love his beautiful footwork, like he is almost dancing across the court. One minute he's over there and the next he almost seems to fly to get to the other end of the court. There is poetry and grace and brilliance in Rafa's tennis. There is also brute strength and power. Then there is that wicked cross court backhand that he somehow pulls off when he is practially off the court and completely out of position! How does he do it, many ask? Is it magic? No, just great tennis from a young man with the heart of a warrior and a will to win that is as unbending as steel. Then Rafa surprises with a delicate and sublime volley at net, showing some beautiful touch. Finally, the forehand in all its blinding fury, destroying anyone in its path with pinpoint accuracy and a tantalizing spin that will make it drop right on the line just when you think it will be out!

These are the reasons why I love Rafa's tennis, why I love him, why I am happy beyond measure that he has finally conquered this most challenging of the slams. Now there will be no "buts" before one speaks about Rafa, not "only this" or "if only".

Rafa has answered his critics and haters and done it in a blaze of glory. The best news of all is that he is only 24 and not done yet! :)

very well said NNY...bodo has done a complete 360 now...he is heaping praise on rafael....

peter bodo=chameleon

.......... TOO good CHERYL!

I never ever doubted that Rafa would win the USO, what I didn't know was that he would win it so emphatically, dropping just one set in the whole tournament to 5.7, and only dropping his serve twice in the first 6 matches.

Perhaps if people had given him more slack and not completely writen him off as a no hopper for the USO title, he would not have gone into overdrive in his preparations, allowing him to arrive with all the ammunition anyone could need in his kit bag. He probably would have won it anyway, but not so emphatically.

Everyone expected the Rafa from USO 2009, 2010 Toronto and Cincy, what they didn't know was the the Rafa they would play at the USO had had the mother of all makeovers which he kept under wraps to be unveiled at Flushing Meadows. Infact not all of it was disclosed from Rnd 1, he slowly peeled off the wrapping paper, round by round to reveal the whole box of tricks in the final. How brilliant is that!

This was a revelation to all watching, and I don't think he's done yet, there is a lot more in that kit bag to be revealed later. He has set his sights on the WTF, and I dare say, this time, no one will dare doubt him. He might not pull it off, but he'll give it a darned good try.

VAMOS!

Everyone ignored Rafa, everyone ignored Djokovic. I remember posting on VB that Nike has dressed Rafa to win - that outfit was sending out a statement. Be wary. However, the commies, didn't like to move out of their comfort zone - only JMac said it after Wimbledon. When asked he said Rafa would win. Everyone else was blinded by the combined, weak glares of Federer and Murray. Each of which extinguised at the first real challenger. You have to laugh. Rafa has done it, and done it in a way so convincing that there really is no room for doubt.

Here is a link of Rafa's post title time in NY if you haven't seen it:

http://rafaelnadal.com/content/rafamania-hits-big-apple

To show the measure of the man and his modesty, he paid tribute to Nole and when asked how many times he had played Roger, he said he couldn't remember, but it was always a pleasure to play Roger, the best in history. Anyone else would have been there with "we have played 21 times and I have beaten him 14 times."

VAMOS!

A favourite moment ... Rafa/Nole love :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0CLCCAwKZI&feature=player_embedded

nice moment smr...i posted the same video in another thread...im trying to push it to over 500 posts over there..:)

Excellent blog cheryl,thats a tribute to a great champion. He now has the golden slam at the slender age of 24. Who knows what he can achieve..

:) vrael ... OK I will post further favourites over there to try and break the 500 mark.

Well said NNY. I always said that Rafa plays beautiful tennis. There is more than one way of playing tennis and it doesn't mean that non classical styles, unorthodox styles have to be ugly tennis.

Yes, the beauty of Rafa's tennis lies in his footwork, the way he moves on different surfaces. He glides on the clay surface like he was skating; he moves around the grass surface like a snake on grass, zigzag across the grass court so quickly and smoothly, and he sprints around the hard courts like a top class sprinter (I loves watching the slow motion replay of him dashing across the court from the baseline towards the net, he bent his head, clench his fists, and runs with full speed, what a sight!). And yes, the combination of brute force with pin point accuracy from his forehand, his flat and lethal cross court back hand, his deft touches around the net, and his incredible passing shots, all make for awesome viewing pleasures. What's not to like about his brand of tennis?

Congratulation on yet another classic Cheryl blog. But I agree with Grafight: blog is a demeaning name for Cheryl's contributions to this site. I love the way she takes what people are thinking, saying, or even writing on the threads, and weaves it all into a beautifully crafted, thought-provoking, sustained piece of writing.

lucky: you left out the feline prowling between points and the way, like a panther, he breaks into a trot when he sniffs blood in the air.

Has anyone seen any footage of Rafa's appearance at Niketown with McEnroe?

grafight check the nearing-500-posts article. :)

@ed251137 , 9/16/10 3:10 PM

Like a Black Panther - that's what I thought when Rafa ran and jumped in his black outfit.

Great read! I am so thrilled that Nadal won and he totally deserves the Golden Slam. More importantly, no more "Nadal will never win the US Open" declarations by so-called tennis experts.

Link to JohnnyMac interview http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7G__yC4SVvA

thanks for the link!

Cheryl-
Brilliant! I got chills with your blog.

Its interesting that you brought up the fact that a Career Grand Slam has been achieved by two players in two consecutive years. Now something tells me that if you put both Roger and Rafa in a different era, the chances of that happening would have been astronomically lower.

Nevertheless, you have to say the way Rafa achieved it was way more impressive than how Federer won the French. I still can't get my head round how that panned out.

samprallica: the world and Roger knew his chances of winning RG were zero unless Rafa was hobbled or nobbled. Nevertheless, he deserves credit for making four consecutive finals between 2006-2009. There is a certain ironical symmetry in that it was Soderling who stopped Rafa in '09 and Federer in '10, both at the QF stage.

rafa was stopped in the 4th round ed.....that sad sad day...

but what you say is correct...the symmetry lies in the fact that he beat one guy only to face the other and lose in the finals....poor soda can....not that i care for him...;)

congratulations Nadal

To tennis bloggers who don?t particularly care for his brand of tennis - who cares what you think? Please stop writing blogs about Nadal.

Love this old video...I am sure everyone here has seen it many times..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CvCxCnOC7Q

teenaged rafa....:)

his forehand was a force even then....its a bit different now...the follow through...more whip-like

Hewitt won 7-6(2), 7-6(5),? 6-2....rafa game him a fight..:)

nadline: whose said he will ALWAYS lose to Andy on hard?? That is as foolish as saying Andy will ALWAYS lose to Rafa/Fed?Novak/Delpot etc. on hard.

deuce , 9/18/10 3:41 PM

deuce, since you asked, this is what I was referring to, it's not a figment of my imagination:

Ricky:

Semifinals
Andy Murray over Rafael Nadal 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(4), 6-3. The bottom line is that Murray is simply too good for Nadal on a fast hard court. Nadal will keep it close, as he always does, but the Scot is going to prevail.



Cheryl:

Semifinals
Andy Murray over Rafael Nadal 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(4), 6-4. Nadal will want this win very badly, but I think that Murray might just be too good on this surface. Expect a massive fight from the Spaniard, but it just might not be enough. There is some possibility that Nadal could pull it out, but don't count on it.

nadline: Ok so you're specifically to the predictions. While I agree that there is an implication in Ricky's words, that Andy "always" beats Rafa, there certainly isn't in Cheryl's. But surely, Rick's had to eat his words now? And for me, it feels like your knocking Andy fans like alex and me who can both dream but are also very realistic and also Andy himself, who cannot help what people write about him.
Rafa's had a glorious year, I don't begrudge him that at all but I still don't see why fans can't just enjoy that without bringing Andy up at all. It very much feels like kicking someone when they're down.

No I'm not knocking you, cheryl suggested that I have a problem with her picking Andy, and I was responding to her, that it's not just picking Andy against Rafa, it's the way Rafa was put down, as if no matter what, he would never beat Andy on h/c.

I am going to keep a calm head from now on, and not get too upset with some of the things people say no matter what Rafa achieves, so much reluctance to give him some credit, just a little bit, not much for someone as great as him wouldn't go amis, just a little bit of respect, and less of the negative. It doesn't really matter how he is perceived, by quite a few commentators, it's what he does that matters.

It took Rafa to win the USO before people finally accepted that he can actually play on h/c, despite 9 previous titles on the surface, including 1 GS.

Sorry, 'amiss' - double 's'

Delpo with only 7 titles to his name including just 1 GS and no Masters, gets far more respect than Rafa with 42 titles, including 9 GS and 18 Masters, and is World No 1 for the 2nd time in 2 years, and has been in the top 2 for however many consecutive years.

I agree with you Nadline, Rafa definitely doesn't (didn't?) get the respect he deserved. Hopefully that changes. But I also think that the commentators have very short memories with respect to all the players, and are so-o-o quick to write players off if they have a few problems, and consider them great if they have a few good weeks.

nadline, puhleaze ... enough. You are NOT the only person at this site who thought Rafa would win the US Open. So Cheryl and Ricky chose Andy ... I think they realize their mistake. Rafa had NEVER got past the semi-finals in NY ... no matter what the circumstances ... to not pick him was not an unreasonable choice. Enough.

With apologies if this tribute video has already been posted on TT and I havent spotted it - some great editing and lovely music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0XY8fZR9PM

vrael, 9/17/10 5:56 PM: Gosh, I had forgotten it was as bad as that. After that nightmare moment when he went down like a wounded animal I blocked the rest of 09 RG from my mind. Simply couldnt bear to watch any of the other matches.

In this website, the bloggers are the greatest veteran tennis purists ? they are in awe of the great natural genius of Roger and Sampras and are unfortunately, not impressed, to say the least, of ?defensive? tennis of the Spanish Amanda, including Rafa. The endurance, precision prerequisites, defensive-offensive supreme virtues of the clay-court players rarely, if at all, find much appreciation here (why playing clay court is the superb tennis, the most challenging of all? Want to appreciate Rafa more? Sorry, you have to search somewhere else, one good example is here: http://tennisworld.typepad.com/thewrap/2009/04/the-eyebrows-have-it.ht ml
).

Here at tennis talks, most often, you can only find provocative blogs against Rafa, time and time again (excuse my ignorance, I can?t find anywhere worse than here).

Here, you have blogs accused Rafa?s respect to Roger as false modesty; blogs who said they cant help but root for Rafa?s opponents simply because Rafa?s shots are too powerful and brutal to watch; blogs who take hats off to Djokovic for his efforts in losing US Open final while Rafa?s win can only earn a tip of the hat; blogs who, despite Rafa has completed a career Grand Slam, ?don?t care about Rafa?s brand of tennis at all? ? these bloggers ? apparently they do not appreciate Nadal for what he deserves. These blogs, while pretending to be impartial, always openly and subconsciously downplaying, subtly undermining Nadal?s accomplishment and sportsmanship. It may be, because, Rafa fails to play tennis as effortless, as beautiful, as Roger; because, Rafa is not a natural genius as Roger; because, Rafa?s ?brand of tennis? cannot satisfy the greatest tennis purists-bloggers here.

As Roger openly admitted he did not plan to watch the US Open final 2010 because he was not in it ? to bloggers whose eyes are for Roger and Roger only ? to save your trouble, please do exactly the same: stop watching and writing about Rafa. These pretentious blogs about Rafa without any true, heartfelt appreciation are boring, waste of space, pain in the neck for Rafa?s true fans too. We have enough. THANK YOU!

and for anyone who really appreciate Nadal, here is how: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/rafael-nadal-asserts-his-place-at-to p-of-world-sport/story-e6frf9if-1225925571271

regguid,

You sound awfully familiar, however, your screen name is not familiar to me. You wouldn't possibly be maxi trying to get in more digs at Rafa under yet another new name? Hmmm!

regguid, please don't try to confuse people here. What you said is not true, most of us here appreciate Rafa and many are Rafa fans. Please leave us alone to appreciate our Rafa. If you want to talk about Fed and his greatness, please do so in the Fed threads. I'm sure there are many in this forum. Thank you in advance for leaving us alone!!

regguid...stop trolling around....you are the only waste of space here..

regguid...your link directs to steve tignor's blog.....its a must read for rafans

http://goo.gl/p6c2

nadline, puhleaze ... enough. You are NOT the only person at this site who thought Rafa would win the US Open. So Cheryl and Ricky chose Andy ... I think they realize their mistake. Rafa had NEVER got past the semi-finals in NY ... no matter what the circumstances ... to not pick him was not an unreasonable choice. Enough.

smr , 9/18/10 10:27 PM


I was responding to cheryl, who suggested that I just simply had a problem with her choosing Andy over Rafa, explaining that I have no problem with that at all, just the way in which it was done.

You must learn not to jump into conversations when you don't know the root of a posting, so please, you have no right to gag me, as I have no right to gag anyone on this site.

smr, this is my last word on this subject -

the only reason I posted the predictions above, was because deuce implied that I was wrong in suggesting that anyone had ever said Andy would ALWAYS beat Rafa on h/c, so I had to prove it. I, like everyone else do not want to be misunderstood, and if people suggest that I have no basis for saying things, I have to to prove that that is not the case.

If you have to jump in on other people's conversations, please acquaint yourself of the facts first, because accusing me of not letting go.

The problem Nadline, is that you seem to be expecting some sort of apology from me because I didn't pick Nadal to win the Open. The thing is that I *don't* apologize. I was wrong, certainly, I fully admit to that. But given Rafa's form coming into the tournament (and Murray's for that matter), I feel like it was a fair pick.

It wasn't as though I wrote a nasty blog on how Nadal would never win the US Open....

cheryl, no I'm not. I was trying to explain that I do not have a problem with who anyone picks per se I was just talking about the reasons. Anyway it's history now.

hmmm...clearly a mis-read from me then. sorry about that.

nadline, I don't in any way feel as though I was jumping into a conversation ... I have read all the posts. There has been little else from you in the past little while. I was just fed up. Completely allowed by the way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCLxrkT8eTI&feature=player_embedded#!

great vid...brought some tears

smr, if you are fed up with my posts, you have every right not to read them, that's what I do with subjects that don't interest me, because I don't feel I have the right to tell people what they can write about, or how long they can express themselves about any subject.

@vrael , 9/20/10 7:00 AM
I have watched the beginning part of that video many times during more than last 2 weeks. I have seen this part separately, it lasts until 1:30. It's one of my favorite videos about Rafa. Ruthless on the court and friendly off the court - it's so true! Many reporters, writers, interviewers have pointed out these characteristics of Rafa.

@Augustina08
"relentless"..."ruthless"...."unforgiving"....certainly apt words for rafa

How many different ways are there to say "wow" anyway?

best article written in tennis history.
i agree 100%.

cheryl just got the compliment of the decade..:)

PETE SAMPRAS

"Nadal is just an incredible athlete. Mentally and physically he?s as strong as anyone I?ve ever seen" Sampras said. "He?s just 24. Mentally and physically if he stays strong, he?ll win as many majors as anyone"
Arguably, he?s the player of his decade, he and Roger.

?I wouldn?t count Roger out by any means,?? Sampras said. ?Week in and week out, I don?t necessarily see him being as consistent as he used to be. He?s accomplished so much, but the motivation gets tougher as you get older.??

?The media, they want the champion of the U.S. Open and Wimbledon to be an American. I don?t see that happening any time soon,?? he said. ?Roger and Nadal, they are clearly a level beyond anyone else.??

http://rafaelnadal.com/content/not-only-great-champion-hes-great-perso n

victor hanescu's comment was the best

Relentless Rafa is already in Thailand. He is enjoying a holiday in company of his family and friends before competition, which starts on Sept.27. [Rafa's homepage, September 20, 2010]

"Nadal and Djokovic did the dance perfectly. Rafa fell to the ground, having accomplished one of the greatest achievements in the sport. When he got up, his face was stoic. He knew Djokovic's pain -- he's been there before. Their embrace was genuine. It was sportsmanship at its finest. For as good a loser as Djokovic was, Nadal was just as good of a winner."

Chris Chase, Yahoo Sports blogger

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/463701-rafael-nadal-will-stay-t ennis-number-one-for-a-long-long-time

............................. .Nadal won the tournament in historic fashion. His bigger serve won him lots of free points, and he was broken on serve the fewest number of times EVER at the US Open in winning the title. He came within one set of being the first to win the Open without losing a set in 50 years.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/463701-rafael-nadal-will-stay-tenni s-number-one-for-a-long-long-time

....................Only Nadal has the game now to win on all surfaces, and not just to win but dominate, and that is how he will keep the No. 1 ranking for years to come.

?Players said Rafa could never win on hardcourt because he played too much topspin, he?s too physical,? said Nadal?s uncle and coach, Toni Nadal. ?And now I believe there?s not much that the players he plays against can argue with.?

Nadal sud really try to win all 4 slams next year.

with his improved serve, he has a great shot at the AO. French and Wimbly are his preferred surfaces. hope he maintains a good schedule so that he is fit for the US Open as well.

He really needs to make the next 2 years count - win 5-6 slams, if he wants to break Fed;s haul of 16.
After that there will be a gradual decline in his level as seen in the careers of other top players of the past.

VRAEL, thnx for sharing pete's words ..i wsa waiting for his words nd this is the first time pete has praised rafa's status as one of the best in the game :)

player of the decade title along with roger is as big a compliment u can ever get !

atul1985, 9/21/10 9:23 PM I really dont think Rafa SHOULD try do anything other than what gives him satisfaction. He has now ticked all the boxes. He badly wanted to win a USO because that was the title that had eluded him. He has his career Golden Slam. And he is overwhelming the No.1 in the world and looks like remaining so in the foreseeable future.

Personally I dont believe he is that interested in the record books: and I doubt very much wanting to break Federer's record for number of slam matters is on his agenda. As for the GOAT discussion - a title fabricated by the tennis press and argued ad infintitum on tennis blogs - it does matter to Roger we know but as Rafa says "we'll have to wait and see what happens by the end of my career".

What motivates Rafa is playing his best tennis and lifting that trophy each time he enters a tournament. He himself put it very simply not long ago: if you do that then the rest follows.

ed251137, 9/22/10 8:03 AM,

Yes! The voice of reason and common sense! Well said!

We shouldn't get carried away with ourselves and our personal wish list for Rafa. This was a truly astounding achievement for a player so young. Now he has taken his place among the elites in the sport. He is among only six other players to have completed the career grand slam. He will have his place in history.

With or without all the records, whether or not he breaks Fed's record for number of slams, the world will remember him. He will do down as one of the greatest players ever in the history of tennis. It's not a contest! Only to the Fed fans is it of such great importance to have ALL the records, everything, the most this and the most that. We are NOT Fed fans! They started all this GOAT rubbish.

Rafa will and should set his own goals. He knows what is important to him. For now, he has that weight off his back, that whole - he'll never win the USO - now gone forever! This will free him to think about what he wants to do with his career. At his young age, it's hard to think about your place in history when you are done playing. For now Rafa is happy, enjoying life, playing the best tennis of his young life and just having a ball. I say let him enjoy it! God knows he has earned it.

To think that people online were writing his obituary earlier this year! Maybe that will put everything in its proper perspective. We have been given a great gift - seeing an extraordinary comeback from a young man who has had more than his share of trials and tribulations.

Let's just be thankful that Rafa is playing tennis and we are privileged to witness it.

Yup, so proud and happy to be a Rafa fan. Never in doubt that Rafa will come back strong from his trials and tribulations, and show the world what he is made of. Well done Rafa!!

We have often talked about the wise head on his young shoulders. No amount of fame, adulation, money, or accolades have ever turned his head. He has no interest in the trappings that go with being a world class sportsman earning mega bucks and through it all he has remained grounded - anchored by a close knit family and friends away from the media circus. He is, to use an overworked cliche, his own man.

But I wonder how many times he would have been hurt and puzzled by the snide remarks, the bitching, and the condescending put-downs that came his way. One cant help but think he must be feeing a certain amount of satisfaction in hearing and reading the fullsome praise from people who were previously reluctant to acknowledge his talent. But why, oh why did it take so long for the rest of the tennis world to realise what we his fans have always known.

Exactly ed, I don't know what it is about Rafa that makes people so reluctant to give him due credit for his talents, even now, there are people who will tell you that it's not so much his talents or technique, it's just his determination and guts that win him all these titles. They will tell you that other players who have not achieved anything close to Rafa, are much more talented than him, implying that he is just an average player who is very determined. I think that is a shame, because if anyone believes that Rafa's techniques as a tennis player is not really the bed rock of his successes, that other player are much better than him but are only lacking in guts, then I give up.

I think all this mud slinging and put downs must surely get to him, but that must spur him on to get even better and better to give people no room to criticise him, but they will always find something.

As U. Toni says: Players said Rafa could never win on hardcourt because he played too much topspin, he's too physical, And now I believe there's not much that the players he plays against can argue with? All the h/c put downs, anyone would think that he went out in the first or second round of every h/c tournament, no one would believe that he actually had 9 titles including a GS on the surface even before the USO.

Rafa doesn't talk the talk, he walks the walk. I don't know how else you can manifest talent other than to bring home the bacon. Guts alone cannot do it.

@nadline , 9/22/10 5:15 PM
Actually, I like to think that Rafa has succeeded because of his talent and HARD work. Talent, dedication, passion, hard work - these qualities have made Rafa a success.

Stephen King, American writer, has said, <<Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.>>

Nadline, certain people have always loved to cut down Rafa's technique, style, way of playing. They cannot accept that a style DIFFERENT than another certain someone, is also successful, as proven by Rafa's title count and his H2H against certain players.

You can have all the talent in the world, but if you don't have brains to use it correctly (which Rafa obviously has been using it correctly), then you will go nowhere. Tennis is not just a physical game, it is a mental game, so a top player needs both aspects to succeed.

@Augustina08,

Thanks for sharing that quote from S King!!...He hit the nail right on the head!

Its like someone not studying for an exam and expecting to excel through shear guts and determination!!!!!!!!.................absolute rubbish!!

You cleary need a balance of both talent and brawn!!! Its like Andy Murry, he has the skilll but no brawn...........hence his empty trophy cupboard!!................Rafa has both......................in abundance!!!!!!!!!!

VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!

Some people are just hopeless Rafa haters, who believed Rafa can serve 135mph serves because he was on drugs or steroids! Can someone be on anything for just two weeks and his serves becomes so lethal? We see he wasn't able to serve that well in Toronto and Cincy.

Some people on another website even suspected that Rafa was on something as he was even more powerful physically than in 2008. From what I observed, Rafa was at his physical peak in 2008, and I think we agreed during the clay season that Rafa wasn't as fast or as powerful as he was in 2008 but he was tactically better and hence he won all the clay masters plus RG this year. What do you guys think? Is Rafa back to his physical best and is he now better than when he was in 2008? I certainly feel that he lose some physical power but compensated for that with improvements in his skills.

It's just ridiculous to suspect Rafa, when others are hitting even harder than Rafa, one example Sod. Fed during his prime can also hit powerful shots, it's not like Fed was hitting some powder puff shots all along. Anyway Rafa is such a 'freak', the way he hits his forehand with so much spin, it's a miracle that he didn't injure his arm or his shoulder, others doing so may have their arms falling off in no time.

I'm kinda thinking out loud here, but it could be the contrast between the 'off-court' charming, modest, good natured Rafa and the fearsomely competitive player who cuts down his opponents ruthlessly and shows no mercy is what actually gets up peoples' noses. In other words, you cant be that nice and successful too.

in answer to your question lucky. I would say he is back to his physical best circa 2008 but he now harnesses that power and conserves energy which gives the impression that he is not as powerful or as fast. I think it is deceptive because when it comes to the big crunch points he still unleashes the lethal power and lightening speed of old.

I think ed, that he can still summon that kind of power and speed when required but he couldn't do it consistently throughout a whole match over five sets. In other words the sustainablility of his power and speed, I suspect could not match that of 2008, when he was physically at his peak. After his injury last year, I'm not sure he still can sustain that kind of level. He has to cut down on his schedule to be at his physical best level for this USO. In 2008, he played 16 events ( of course exited some early like Rotterdam n Rome) and still reaches the semi of USO, and without that lethal serves that he has at this USO.

Uncle Toni even mentioned about changing Rafa's racket later on to compensate for his loss of power when he gets older. It seems that Toni is already foreseeing Rafa's loss of physical power soon.

Why do people not question the likes of Almagro and Mahut, who no one could call physically powerful by any stretch of the imagination, but can hit powerful serves at will. It's all to do with technique, if you hit on the specific thing you need to do, it all clicks into place.

I don't know how Rafa put up with all this bile against him, he must have a strong personality not to crack under the put downs, doubts, criticisms, lack of appreciation, reluctance to give him his due as the most talented player around at the moment.

When Rafa is on court, commentators are usually in awe of him, the oooohs! and aaaaarhs! are always in abundance, some of his shots are purely out of this world, but there are people who will calmly tell you that Murray is more talented than Rafa, and I don't recall any sublime tennis ever played by Murray that people are in awe of. Yes, Murray may have all the tools in his box, but that depends on what those tools are capable of doing, Rafa's tools are not just for keeping the ball in play, until someone else makes a mistake, so let's give Rafa his due here.

Give praise where praise is due.

Lucky, in my mind it is not a question of diminished stamina which is the cause of less speed and power - or as you suggest his ability to sustain his former level over five sets has been reduced. The decision to alter the brutal physicality of his game was a conscious one forced upon him by the toll it was taking on his body and the certain knowledge that his career would be short-lived if he didn't do so - which was something many pundits had been predicting for a number of years. Either way, what we are now seeing is a Mark II Rafa with new weapons in his armoury.

Onwards and upwards :-)

Ok ed, Rafa may be back to his best physical level like in 2008, but be a lot wiser in the way he plays, ie more aggressive, shortening points and makes full use of his new weapon-his serve, so that he no longer plays the attritional style of tennis that in the past has led to damages to his knees. So far, he wasn't really being pushed that much in the slams this year, (post AO), saved for the two five sets matches at Wimbledon, all credit to him for being able to raise his game to another level and winning three slams in one season. I hope no more injury for Rafa. BTW, is he supposed to go for another round of treatment for his knees at the end of the year?

@luckystar , 9/23/10 11:25 AM
I post the link to an article at the site of TV of Rafa's homeland, written in the end of July, 2010. If You use Google to translate it, You can read: <<The treatment he has received during this month to his knees also requires him to go step by step . /---/ Although there is still one last session will wait until end of season.>>

http://ib3noticies.com/20100728_91221-rafa-nadal-carrega-piles.htm l

@nadline , 9/23/10 10:23 AM
---Rafa...as the most talented player around at the moment---

It seems that I feel a word "talented" differently than You. (English is not my native language).
My feeling is: talented = gifted (ability given by nature).
It seems that You mean: talented = skilled (ability earned through practice).

Good point Augustina, but people can have different degrees of talent and depending on that, is how much that talent can be developed with nurture. I believe that Rafa must be the most naturally talented for that talent to have been nutured to the player he is today. Raw talent can only get anyone so far, it has to be nutured.

Thanks Augustina for the link.

Interesting topic about talent and skill. Skill can be acquired through practice. Talent is given by nature. Without talent, skill may be acquired but may need longer period of practice. With talent, the practice period will be shortened.

When Fed become TMF, everyone said he was a gifted player with natural talent as he had all the shots in the book. Now they are saying the same thing about Murray, as Murray seem to have all the shots in his book too. What about Rafa? When Rafa burst into the scene at age 15/16, he was a raw unpolished gem. He was gifted with all the physical abilities but he didn't have all the shots in the book. As he grew up and evolved as a player, he also added many shots into his book. Till now, at age 24, he is still adding tools into his tool box. So the question is: Is Rafa as talented as Fed or Murray? Or did Rafa acquire all his skills through hard work and not because he is talented (or as talented as Fed)?

Many Rafa haters would view him as not talented but relying on his physical abilities to do the job. I'm sure Rafa fans would say otherwise. The argument will continue no end until Rafa retires from tennis! Both sides will never agree so no point arguing. The most important thing for Rafa fans is to see Rafa ends up as one of the legends in tennis, comparable to Borg, Laver, Sampras and Fed.

As there is no way of measuring talent, and no way of measuring technical ability, like they have boxes to tick in ice skating, on criteria that have been agreed by people who know what they are talking about, I think, any comparison about these two atributes in tennis, can only be measured by results, otherwise it's just a matter of opinion and taste, and there is no accounting for those

In my opinion, the person with the most achievements age for age, ticks all the boxes.

There is no question that all top 100 (or top 500) female and male tennis players are *very* talented and they have all also worked hard to get that high among the many thousands of talented players who have also worked hard to try to become professionals. Of course some players are super-talented by nature. But then comes ... hard work which better be combined with smart ways of doing the hard work... and good coaching... and all that makes up mental toughness which is a combination of that above... and more factors to boot. It is much of all of the above and perhaps some undefinable quality that makes the rare very great champion.

There is no question that Federer was born with a great gift but he also worked very hard, working on all his weaknesses until they became a strength. And one of the most incisive quotes from Nadal is his recent one: "I don't go to the practice court to practice. I go to the practice court to learn."

Just yesterday I gave a speech about Nadal at my local Toastmasters club. I mentioned that while life gave him a lot (a body that could become very athletic, a great coach, etc.) Nadal really *took* what was given to him... and took it all the way.

chlorostoma-you are absolutely right. A lot of super talented players underachieve because they think that success will come to them naturally. They dont try to put in the hard work to achieve success in the first place. (eg Gasquet,Gulbis,Nalbandian etc) My theory is that most underachievers see tennis as a job,so they dont care mcuh about fufilling their potential. Now my bet is that most greats like nadal and federer see tennis as a passion, so they strive to achieve their very best in their careers. Thatis where i think the difference in mindset comes from.

Famous quote applies to sport: success is 90% persperation, 10% inspiration.

Rafa is one blessed guy, for he has an uncle who is able to see the talent in him, take the responsibility of training and disciplining him, and nurturing his talent and help him to realize his full potential. The fact that Rafa, at age 24, has already achieved so much in his tennis career and still has the capacity for improvement, says a lot about both Rafa's talent and also about Uncle Toni's ability as a coach and mentor.

I think we are in broad agreement but the main thing is he is back on track and taking better care of his body! I believe there is a third treatment scheduled but not sure when. He will want to be fit for O2 but I'm not sure how long the recuperation period is after the transfusion. Cant remember the details but I do remember Uncle Toni saying at one tournament 'it is too soon for us' suggesting that Rafa had rushed the recuperation.

I am off on holiday for two weeks now, so you may only see me here intermittently.

Have a great holiday, ed.

Yeah Ed, enjoy........after all, you worked hard with Rafa to win the USO, so in my mind you deserve it!!..........lol!!!!!!!!!!!!

ed: my good wishes for a grand holiday too. C u soon :)

Uncle&coach Toni Nadal is of the opinion that the key to success of his nephew Rafa is hard work.

Translation of an article through Google.
<<Coach Rafa Nadal, his uncle Toni Nadal, recognizes that the key to bring his nephew to win the Grand Slam with only 24 years old is hard work, as it has been very demanding for get to the Spaniard a solid number one of the world .
"I've always been very critical of my nephew. It is better to overestimate the critical lighten it. I never accepted excuses Rafael to justify their defeats. What makes the difference is hard work. He who thinks best to win something is a fool," said in an interview to supplement 'XL Semanal '. The coach knows that his pupil respect their authority. "I am your uncle, and that is decisive. He was raised and all life, and it seemed fine. If a child, because to succeed, you give carte blanche to 17 years, it is normal that after 24 is an idiot. It is not the case of Rafael, and do not tell you what to do," he adds .
/---/ The basic work was done between 8 and 17. Then and was let go. The sport is a issue mental, create you the need, desire, all that intensity, it is basically in his youth," he adds .
Toni Nadal saw very early that his nephew had the makings of a champion and it was dedicated to take your career to the age of ten. "Not because I think of live tennis, because I do not charge a cent for training my nephew, but because the family situation allowed," he says . The keeping of 's career Nadal has not caused any problems with their parents, ensuring they are"quiet"because things are "going well" while specifying that no one has quit his job because of the success of Olympic champion. "His father works harder than before, and dealing with their affairs and those of his son," he said. >>
http://www.marca.com/2010/09/23/tenis/1285252157.html?a=187445ab9d0e1565e5242207db94c331&t=1285321777

Enjoy your vacation, Ed!

Augustina, that is a very worthwhile interview to read. Thank you!

I remembered that this year, Rafa has achieved one more Slam - a Clay Slam. So, totally he has completed three Slams: a Clay Slam, a career Slam and a career Golden Slam.

So true Augustina and he is one of 2 for Golden (Agassi), one of 7 for career and I believe the only one for the Clay Slam. Pretty good numbers for someone who is only 24.......well, pretty good numbers for anyone player of any age to be honest!

yeah!!

Thx Augustina ... I also read the spanish article (I'm spanish) ... don't want to be mean but your translation skills, like Rafa's tennis' prowess, still have a little room for improvement ;)

@Shireling , 9/25/10 3:05 PM
It's not my translation, it's Google's - a machine translation. I have significantly more room for improvement in my Spanish language skills than Rafa in tennis. I know only one word in Spanish - vamos. Could You translate the article correctly ?

Golf legend Nicklaus behind Nadal's style - coach


MADRID ? US golf legend Jack Nicklaus is the inspiration behind world number one tennis ace Rafael Nadal's trademark powerful serve, the tennis player's coach and uncle said on Sunday.
"I saw a video by Jack Nicklaus that changed my vision. In it Nicklaus said: 'First strike far, then we will think about getting the ball inside," Toni Nadal said in an interview published in daily newspaper ABC.
"I said to myself: 'This man must be right'." That is what I applied with Rafael. First strike hard, then we will get the ball inside," he added.
Toni Nadal, 49, who has been Rafael's coach since the player was four, said hard work was behind his nephew's success.
"You either have talent or you don't. But what makes the difference is hard work," he said.
"Since he was a child I set a long-term goal for him: to be a great professional. In life you have to have hope to advance."
Earlier this month Rafael became the seventh man in history -- and the youngest at 24 -- to achieve a career Grand Slam as he earned his first US Open title.
The ATP has said he is set to finish as the world's number one this year for the second time in three years.

Rafa and Roger paint self portraits with tennis balls to be auctioned at the Barclays WTF:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-1315276/Juan-M artin-del-Potro-dodge-Rafael-Nadal-paintballing-king.html?ito=feeds-ne wsxml#ixzz10dZOpS11

@nadline , 9/26/10 9:36 PM
---'It was fun to create my portrait and a bit of a challenge to put the balls on the silhouette,' said Nadal---

Rafa looks satisfied with his masterpiece. He has placed paintball-shots quite well. The shots, which missed the silhouette are not far from it.

Hey Augustina08,

Here's my attempt to better Google's machine translation of the related article:

The least clear part was that about Tony's remuneration... hope this is understandable and helpful :)

So, Uncle Tony speaking:

I've always been very critical with my nephew. Better to exaggerate critics than to judge them lightly. I never accepted excuses from Rafael when he lost. What makes the difference is hard work. 'He whom things himself better from having won something is an idiot' ? he affirms in the supplement to the #XL Semanal'.
The coach knows that his pupil respects his authority. "I'm his uncle, this is a key factor. He has been educated as such all his life and he agreed to it from the beginning. Take a kid and give him "carte Blanche" at 17 just because he's winning, the normal thing to happen is that he becomes an idiot at 24. This is not Rafael's case, now he doesn't need to be told what to do (he adds).
Tony doesn't believe flattering to be a necessary element for a professional competitor.
"Poor player his he who needs constant praise" adds uncly Tony whilst giving due importance to the mental preparation given to the 5-times RG winner.
"In my opinion there's this fundamental principle: Control. Of the situation, of the ball, of each thing one does". To Rafael, I would often say ? 'the strike never comes before the thought' ? the foundation of all our efforts was carried out between ages 8-17. After that, it was just following up. Professional sport is a mental thing. To build in him this level of self-demand, this drive, all this intensity ? this is basically done in his early years" (he adds).

Zero salary

Uncle Tony soon realised that his nephew had the makings of a champ and because of this he committed himself to manage his (Rafa's) career from age 10. "Not because I wanted to live off tennis, since I don?t make a cent from training my nephew, but because our family situation allowed for it"?.. (I skip some filling)?

He also says that Rafa has always been very humble and reminds of an anecdote when he reproached Rafa the fact of having eaten a hearty meal made out of sea-food.
He told him "at your age you ought to be eating a hamburger"
Lastly he rejoices at the relationship that Rafa has with his great rival (Roger) : "it was always clear to Rafa ? a rival is only such in court".

About my last post,
Sorry for the question marks, it's to do with UK qwerty vs US qwerty - we spaniards struggel with US fast keyboards :)

Hi,
I had a question about the ATP ranking system. I know this is not related to the blog post, but this is a blog that has attracted a lot of comments, so I thought my comment would be read! Anyway, the question is, why doesn't the ATP take into account the quality of opponents played while deciding the rankings?

For instance, Rafael Nadal won this US Open, beating only one top 5 player, i.e Nole. del Potro won last year beating Nadal and Federer. So, del Potro's victory, in my opinion would be a superior one because he faced tougher players. Why isn't this being considered. Or has this been tried and rejected?
I can see the flaws in this system..but comments are invited!

One flaw = if a so called 'superior' player is injured then you get less points.
But an even bigger one, I guess linked to your misunderstandings of the nature of a ranking system = these 'superior' players are namely so just because of the very nature of this ranking system. You see? how can there be 'top 5 players' if you don't include some sort of ranking system?
Your argument isn't sustainable.

@firozjehangir , 9/27/10 2:14 PM

Your line of thought is totally flawed.

Rafa beat the man who beat the man who beat Murray, then he beat the man who beat Federer, how many more top players did you want him to beat. The seeding system means that the top 4 seeds will not meet each other until the SF, and the top 10 cannot meet each other until the Qtr Finals (the last 8), so what's your case? Do you want the 4th seed to meet the No 1 seed in the last 16?

Players earn their seeding, so the lower ranked players have to beat the top players to go through the draw, that how Rafa and Roger started life, they did not start off being Nos 1 & 2 in the world. Rafa made it from No 51 to No 2 inside a year, it's the same system for everyone. When Rafa came on the tour, he had to beat the likes of Agassi and Federer to make his way up.

firozjehangir,
The thing is, Rafa couldn't beat himself as the No 1 seed, he couldn't beat Federer, the No 2 seed, because Nole had already done that, nor could he beat Murray, or Sod, or Davy, or Berdych because they had already lost to better players on the day. So are you saying that no lower ranked player should have the chance to play in the SF and final? What exactly are you saying?

firozjehangir,

So if Federer had beaten Delpo last year instead of the other way round, should that not have counted as much as Delpo beating him, because Delpo was seeded 6, when Delpo had already beaten the No 3 seed, and proved that he was perfectly capable of beating the No 1 seed?

firozjhangir,

One example for you is French Open 2009. Roger did not beat Rafa, Novak or Murray in winning the crown. Federer beat Soderling at the final who is seeded 25. Does that mean Roger's French Open Crown is no worth at all because he didn't beat any of the top 4? So you decide now which one is much worthy, Rafa's US Open which he took it against No. 3 Novak, or Roger's French Open which he took it against No. 25 Soderling?

COMEBACK FIROZ and reply !!!

nadline, my guess is that, firoz was trying to diminish US Open crown of Rafa, the usual suspect.

Exactly Raindrops. How can you make a case that Rafa did not beat the No 1 seed to win the USO, when he was the No 1 seed, and he beat the No 3 seed, who beat the No 2 seed?

People will try every which way to diminish Rafa's achievements.

firozjehangir,

Rafa is the 2010 USO champion, deal with it!!!!!!

By firozjehangir logic, maybe they should just let the Nos 1 & 2 seeds play in the final, and let everyone else play for 3rd place downwards.

don't be so harsh on him.. hihihihi, just because what he proposed didn't make much sense - you have to admit that the atp point-rankins system is on of the toughest (if not the toughest) to maintain in any professional sport :)

@Shireling , 9/27/10 1:52 PM
The sentence "Professional sport is a mental thing" remind me of another Toni Nadal's interview. I think, Rafa is very lucky guy to have uncle&coach who is such a good sport philosopher.

<<Tennis Magazine: How do you explain that you Nadals have such strong minds?
Toni Nadal: I think that a lot has to do with upbringing. One of the key elements that's instilled on us is that in life, you have to face difficulties head-on. You can't think like a child that everything is beautiful. There will always be problems and you need to take them on. In tennis, like in life, you have to accept your mistakes, realize that you have to learn a lot in order to do less and you have to put in the necessary work to get there. This is what we've always done with Rafa. From when he was little, I made it so that things didn't always go smoothly. So, unlike other kids today, he has learned that things don't always happen the easy way, not right away. We had to deal with a lot of problems together like his serve which was really not good at the start. That's a key ingredient in sports, no? Tennis means hitting the ball back and forth over the net, there is no other signification. However, tennis becomes a passion when you measure the mental effort it requires, when you sum up all the difficulties you've encountered and when you gradually, step by step, start to rise above these obstacles. This is a good summary of Rafa's career. Whatever happens in the future, I can assure you that he'll leave a happy and satisfied man with all that he has accomplished. >> [Toni Nadal's Interview to Tennis Magazine (France), no. 413, 2010 ]

Well..I didn't expect to get bashed around like this..no matter..I wasn't proposing a system outright..agreed, I hadn't thought it through fully..but I just felt that if, say, del Potro wins against Soderling..it should carry more value than, say, del Potro winning against Thiemo Bakker..that's all..
I have absolutely nothing against Nadal..ok I used to hate his guts because he used to kick Federer's butt every time..but ever since 2009 Aussie Open final he has found a place in my heart..I totally love his attitude on court..so that ain't true..it merely wasn't too prudent of me to choose an example that may have indirectly "diminished" Rafa's US Open achievement..hence the del Potro - Sod - Bakker example this time :)..expecting backlash from their fans now..

No worries, firozjehangir.

You must admit that there is too much Rafa bashing going on. Anyway, you can see that your logic is flawed.

I know..you have fanatics of Rafa and Fed on this website..which is why I never posted on this website before..it's fun to read the comments at times though :) some people come up with really imaginative arguments!

firozjehangir, the atp website always includes the rank of the player that has been beaten along the way ... so it is an important stat; but it probably relates more to how lower ranked players are faring rather than the upper echelons of the tennis ranks.

yes..I get it..I guess it's probably not correct to describe tennis in too quantitative terms..you should simply sit back and enjoy I guess!

I think it's the fanatics who keep the debate going, wouldn't it be boring if everyone agreed and supported every player.

A fan is a fanatic, no?

What I enjoy most are the TV commentators, who start of telling everyone that they know who is in great form etc, and who is going to make which round, who will make the final and who will win, and I just love watching the recordings, just to see at which point they begin to back pedal, as things begin to unfold.

nadline,
Are you a librarian or an account keeper or archivist of some sort in your professional life? :)
I'm just saying cause you're so good at flipping back the pages and spotting the one who 'threw the stone' ? :)
(I'm one of those who said Nadal would never win the USO - shame on me!)
You're right by saying that a fan is a fanatic - etymologycally speaking - fanatics belonged to temples and were inspired by their Gods, Rafa is nothing short of one, isn't he? :)

Shireling, I am an accountant by profession, but I have also been blessed with an incredible memory, and can see in my mind's eye where something was written a long time after, so it's easy for me to track things down. I still remember who said what about what years later.

I knew it! :)
Well, keep up the vigilante watch - many people around here have this 'weathercock syndrome' and suddenly become fans of their former hated ones claiming to have been pretending all along.... very convenient and kind of lame too....
Thx nadline

@ firozjehangir,

"I have absolutely nothing against Nadal..ok I used to hate his guts because he used to kick Federer's butt every time..but ever since 2009 Aussie Open final he has found a place in my heart"

At least you are brave and frank enought to admit it, and I understand...............as a Rafa fan, it there comes a time when a player beats Rafa consistently enough, there is no doubt I WILL be pissed and hate him too!!!.........but i hope that day never comes........lol!!!!

Given current form, I don't see that happening. Although it isn't impossible. I'm sure nobody expected Nadal to have such a lop-sided record against Federer when Federer was in his prime. The only person who could perhaps have done that was del Potro on hard courts, but now, after his injury, I'm not so sure. Rafa rules right now, undeniable fact!

Even on hard court, Rafa vs Delpo H2H is close and will be close in future, even without Delpo's injury. Rafa simply moves better than Delpo, and now has his improved serves to help him, has the stamina to outlast Delpo, I don't see Delpo dominating over Rafa on any surface. Seriously, when Rafa is healthy, do people still believe that Delpo can beat Rafa 6-2, 6-2, 6-2?? From now on, I can see Rafa opening up a good lead over Delpo in H2H; it may become 8-4 in Rafa's favor in no time. Fat hope that Delpo will become Rafa's nemesis. Fat hope indeed!!

It really pissed me off that out of nothing other than Delpo's incredible fortune of having to meet Rafa during Rafa's weakest moments and took advantage of that, and Fed's 'incompetency' at the FO of dispatching Delpo quicker than five sets, that caused people to place Delpo on the pedestal as if he is the new 'Fed' or the new 'savior' of tennis. To even think that he can challenge Rafa at RG really make me see the desperation in some people of wanting a nemesis for Rafa, even on Rafa's favorite surface. Again fat hope that that will happen, we see how well Rafa handled someone like Sod at RG this year. Maybe Delpo needs to beat Sod, Nole and Fed first on clay, before he can even be compared to Rafa, don't talk about beating the King of clay!!

Before Rafa's knee injuries which started in the spring of last year and stomach tear during the USO, he used to dismiss Delpo in easy straight sets. OK Delpo has improved, but so has Rafa, and it would be interesting what happens next time they meet.

If Delpo is the best Fedfans can do in identifying Rafa's nemesis, then Rafa doesn't have too much to worry about. They tried Soderling, but have given up on that, even Berdych starred in that role for a while, even though he has not taken a set off Rafa in their last 8 meetings. Oh, there was also Tsonga, that proved to be nothing but a flash in the pan.

Of course I wasn't identifying Rafa's nemesis. I thought he might've done well. Just a thought, not a wish!
I do wish Rafa would come to the net more often because I've felt that he is quite difficult to pass! And he is a superb volleyer. Something he is not given a lot of credit for.