Sienna, lol.

It would be great to see Roger and nadal go at it in grass again.

Who wouldn't want Nadal to play at their venue? Queens' loss is Halle's gain.

So do the players sign contracts for multiple years? I thought they just informed tournaments on a year to year basis.

^^^The top players do because the tournaments need to know they are commited so that they can market the tournaments.

http://tennis.com/articles/templates/news.aspx?articleid=15318&zoneid= 25

http://tennis.com/articles/templates/news.aspx?articleid=15289&z oneid=25

http://www.10sballs.com/2011/12/02/mcenroe-is-concerned-ab out-novak-djokovic%E2%80%99s-fitness/

Peoplejustb do not follow what is going on. Look at the difference in mental prep and confidence. Rafa believes he will be replaced in top 4 by Juan Martin (who else whas he tokking bout?)
Fed believes he has a shot at #1. He just keeps ushing himself forward setting himself in position to....

Even Mc sees the inevitable about Djokers game.

It is there.

.

Uhmmmm, more than likely Rafa was refering to the old man being replaced Sienna. Do you know who I speak of when I say the "old man?"

Yep the one who hands out bagels like they where Xmas presents.

True, he's still capable of serving up a few, but he's also gagged on a few as well. But your right, that's the one I speak of. Roger dropped from 2-4 this year, and more than likely will be the first to drop from the top four. But I like Roger's attitude this year. Last year he was saying #1 was the only ranking that mattered, not he says he's just happy to be in the top 5. Next year he'll probably be happy to be in the top 10. Which again, is a good thing.

I think Fed has a great attitude. He says that he will just be happy to be in the top five. I think he has accepted that he is not going to dominate the game, but is more than happy to be playing competitive quality tennis at this stage of his career.

Fed has his goals. We know he has not made a secret of wanting to win an Olympic singles gold medal. He would also love to win another slam.

Rafa also has his own goals. He will not be playing DC next year, so that he can concentrate on defending his Olympic gold medal, also wanting to win RG again and break Borg's record with a seventh title.

Rafa has a lot more to accomplish in this sport and I am so glad that I will be able to watch him do it!

Nothing to add, NNY. It's such a pleasure to be able to read the writings of a fellow fan who watches our game so closely and just point and go "What you said." :-)

In Paris masters Berdych plays for over 3 hrs to beat Murray and then Fed beats him the next day..thats okay..Berdych is not tired ..

Tsonga slogs t out in the semis and has to paly Roger the next day in Paris Masters finals..thats okay..Tsonga is not tired

David Ferrer has to play 3 sets against Berdych and then face federer within less than 20 hrs..but thats okay..Ferrer is not tired

Tsonga has to play 2nd and get 7 hrs less rest than Fed to recuperate for WTF finals..but thats okay

Rafa has to play 5.5 hrs to beat Verdasco in AO 2009 and still with 1 day less rest has to play Fed in the final..yet he beats him..but thats okay..Rafa is not tired..

In short when Fed reaps advantages galore due to fatigue of his opponents time and again and due to advantageous playing time/scheduling , thats okay..but if DElpo had to go 5 against Ferrer..with a good 42 hour break in between..its a factor that helps Rafa

Just cant understand peoples double standards here..how I wish people just stripped their double standards and get real for Gods sake..

Also how often will a Fedfan keep on incessantly posting about Rafa every day indicating whats wrong with him..This is nothing but crazy obsession..I mean its like 'I love you like I hate you' syndrome..cant do without denigrating a person but still the person is so damn important in your scheme of things

And where on earth did Rafa say hell drop out of No 4..He just said Delpo has a good chance...hesure has..If he could climb up to 11 from 500 this year..why cant he from 11 to 4 next year if he plays well?

After beating Juan Martin Del Potro in a long four-set match to clinch the Davis Cup for Spain, Rafael Nadal says that the Argentine might be able to reach the top of the game in 2012.

"Del Potro has a very high level as a player," he told reporters of the 2009 U.S. Open champion. "It's all relative. For a long time he was giving incredible shots that nobody else can do. He will be a very good player. It's clear that he's a candidate for No. 1. He will be amongst the first four players in the world next year. He's a very complete player. He doesn't have any cracks in his game. He's very solid. He will be unstoppable next year if the [wrist] injury allows him."


And Rafa just played him twice this year..He knows Delpo has the forehand, backhand, serve to blow people off the court and hecan blow any of the Top 4 on HIS day..he hasto ofcourse be more fit and mentally strong

sanju, don't waste your breath. Some people are finding it hard to eat their humble pie after predicting that Rafa would lose the DC for Spain.


Vamos, The King of Clay

I dont recall saying anything like that. I said it was carnaval.
So obviously Rafa agrees with me otherwise he would not retire from the event definitive.

Sienna you are even more naive than the average FedTard fan. You seem to have got very excited about federer winning a few masters titles in 2011, where are the slam wins that would back up your theory that he'll come out on top in 2012?? You are clueless, however I can't be too hard on you, it seems reasonable to attach greater importance than usual to Fed's recent wins considering how rarely Fed has challenged for the titles this year.

Will if was the only one then you would be right. But you just have to visit a few tennisites and all the articles pile up where Fed has been put up a notch in the poreview of 2012.

It matters litle what you say or think will happen.It matters more how the players feel and let me say one thing. Fed is feeling real good about himself. More so then lastyear and I can tell you another thing. Nadal has admitted after WTF that he has lost passion and is not so motivated anymore.
Djokovic has said that he is spent and totally of the boil.

This is exactly theopeningFed was seeking and at the start of 2012 it cannot be placed in a better position for him. Wether it will or will not happen that is to be decided on the court but all indices point towards a TMF year whetter you like or not.

Come on Sienna..............surely you need to give Fed more credit that that!!! I mean, with Rafa losing passion for the game amd Nole off the boil is the only chance that Fed can regain the number one in ure mind?!!!......u cant possibly think that!!!!...............however, i really cant see Federer getting close to being number 1 with the likes of Murray, DelPo, Rafa and Nole for the whole of 2012. Things are never going to get easier for Fed........but at least he still wishes to give it a try and I do admire him for that!!!

Monalysa,

Thank you for pointing out the illogic in this argument that Fed will magically once more ascend to the top. If I was a Fed fan, I would be expressing my confidence that he can take on a strong Nole and resurgent Rafa and also a Murray who has come on strong of late, and beat them. However, look at the argument we are getting - Fed will win because Nole is tired or not on his game, and Rafa has supposedly lost his passion for good. I guess this type of thinking would mean that Murray has no chance because he has not yet won a slam.

It's positively bizarre to see a Fed fan state that he will win because none of the other players are up to the task. Now that is setting the bar extremely low! Why not say that Fed can beat them at their best? Because it's not true anymore?

Hmmm. Food for thought.

Oh, we will remember. You can be sure of that. It is all being duly noted. When it doesn't happen, then you will be held to account for all of the shameful putdowns of the other top players in order to build up Fed as though he is going to come back and dominate the way he did in the past.

It's not a tragedy to get older in this sport. It happens to all of them. Fed wants to continue playing and be competitive have his chances to win titles. Good for him. But please don't insult the rest of us by pretending that the other top players are just going to fall apart or disappear.

The way Rafa played at the DC final, not bad for a guy who has 'lost' passion for the game! One victory over Rafa and I see a particular Fed fan becoming so happy that she is pronouncing the return of TMF. 'The old man' also did the same thing the previous year and yet he finished 2011 having worse results than the previous year. 'The old man' only takes advantage when the others are out injured or tired or 'lose interest', at least that's what
perpetuated by his usual resident 'Rafa hating' fan, what a shame that his own fan thinks that 'the old man' can only beat the other top four guys when they're not at their best. Well by doing so at least she recognizes that there's no way 'the old man' can beat them when they're at their best! At least she gets this point right!

lucky,

I see that you also have picked up on this belief that Fed will dominate because the other top players will fall apart! I hope and expect to see Rafa go out there in 2012 and take it to Nole at his best! No way do I want a subpar Nole. No excuses!

You notice that we are not the ones who are trashing the prospects of the other top players. I expect Murray to regroup and come out strong after being forced to pull out of London due to injury. He seems hungrier than ever. After a nice rest, Nole should be ready to defend all those points from last season. I believe that Rafa will work on his game with Uncle Toni and make sure that he is healthy and ready for the new year.

Also, we should not forget Delpo. He looked to be in great form in the DC final. But he needs to improve his fitness so that he doesn't run out of gas in long matches. We also have Berdych ending the year playing well. We don't know about Sod. Ferrer has played stellar tennis all year.

I think we will be in for some great tennis in 2012. To the new year and more brilliant matches!

I will be leaving you people to bath yourself in the Rafachronicles . But remember you were warned by me.
Sienna , 12/8/11 12:22 AM


Is that a threat or a promise? Oh please keep to your word; it will wrap up 2011 very nicely for me topped up with Rafa wining the last match of the year.

Sienna wished that Rafa would lose the DC Cup for Spain and even went as far as saying that Monaco would beat him. Of course she won't admit to it now.

Bye Sienna, it's NOT been nice knowing you.


Vamos The Passionate One

Newcombe about rafa:

''With Rafa, it's like the heavyweight champion of the world that's never been knocked out, and suddenly, gets knocked out six times within the space of six months by Djokovic,'' said Newcombe.

''He doesn't have the same self-belief any more. All of a sudden he's having to face things, questions, that he's never doubted. So it's a question of can he get his head around this whole thing, and come back to where he was?''


I think he is quite right it's all about self belief!!

I think that Newcombe's analogy is actually naive and simplistic. Nadal has overcome mental and physical problems before on this scale. There is no reason to believe that he can't again. Nadal has been K.O'd before Djokovic started beating him in Finals, and you better believe that Djokovic's form will dip and Nadal's will raise this coming year.

I just dont quite understand this fixation with Novak beating Rafa. Whats is so new here? Its true............it was customary for Rafa to beat Novak............and then the tides turned and Novak rightly so raised his game and started beating Rafa! Isnt it the same situation with Rafa and Fed, except that its a little worse. Rafa has always been able to beat Fed consistently but Fed has never been able to raise HIS game and beat Rafa like Novak was able to do. However, that still did not stop Fed from loving the game and being able to win GS and titles, knowing how it took a toll on Fed when Rafa kept on having his number, but Fed still persevered and has beaten Rafa quite a few times since......................and so what!!!!

So why now is it that Rafa will all of a sudden vanish, melt, evaporate bcos he has a nemesis?!! Fed didn't, and with Rafa well known for his warrior spirit..........why would he?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...........................or is it that some of us just wish he would?!!!!!!!!!!!!.........................fat chance!!!!

VAMOS "The lack of self-belief, lack of passion, all done for" One!!!!!.....hehehe!!!!

Seriously, Fed turned the H2H against Rafa on clay? That must be the greatest joke on earth! Fed can't even do that in his best year 2006, what's the hope of him doing that thereafter? Common sense tells us it's not going to happen, only a diehard Fed fangirl would dream about that, and has the audacity to say it out loud here at TT. Funny what fandom can do to a person, causing her to live in her dreamland day in day out! The only reason Fed had a positive H2H against Rafa in 2007, and mind you the difference was only one match, was that Rafa can't win five out of five clay tournaments played during the clay season between April to beginning of June, due to the compact schedule without that period.

In 2005 and 2006, Rafa played four tournaments from MC to RG, winning all of them. From 2007 onwards, he played mostly five clay tournaments during the same period, but always losing one of them at least( in 2009 he lost twice, at Madrid and RG; and 2011 he lost at Madrid and Rome). In 2007 he lost in the final at Hamburg, in 2008 he lost in the R2 at Rome. In 2010 he played four tournaments and winning all of them. So, I'm not surprised that someone would take advantage of Rafa after he played for consecutive two or three tournaments on clay. The important thing is for him to win the FO and so far it's only in 2009 that he failed to do so.

Rafa has been very successful at MC and Barcelona. He was undefeated at both venues, and MC was a full Masters event before 2009, so it was against a competitive field. Even in 2009, both Fed and Nole were there too and Nole reaching the final and lost to Rafa. Rafa lost twice at Rome and Madrid since 2005 and of course we know he lost once at the FO.

Not 'without that period' but rather 'within that period'.

^^^^^^^^^^phew, an honest voice!!

Thx rafaisthebest. ;)

Thanks willmw101 for your objective post! Well said!

@willmw101 , 12/9/11 11:34 AM

The voice of reason has spoken.

bleck
, 12/9/11 11:58 AM

nice try, bleck, won't work....................of course you know my comment was directed at willmw101
, 12/9/11 11:34 AM

why has my post been deleted??

It was too reasonable mate, you gotta crazy it up a bit! ncjdnhvufdhvkfdkvn!!!!

^^^^^ WHAT DOES ANY OF THIS MEAN!?!?

How are my posts the ones being deleted when Sienna's posts are incomprehensible trash?!?

My apologies for missing some of Sienna's posts. I deleted many of them, but we've had all kinds of server problems today and I'm not on my game. I think I've gotten most of the lunacy now.

http://blogs.tennis.com/tennisworld/2011/12/men-by-the-numbers.html#co mments

Interesting blog by bodo. and as one of the comments pints out: Rafa has no business being #2 in the world with such a poor ist serve points won stat, this just shows what a warrior Rafa is. Once the point is in play, Rafa wins it invariably. Surprisingly, his 2nd serve won stat is pretty high...........I always thought Rafa's 2nd serve was his achilles heel..............


As for Roger's stats, confirm what we have always suspected: his serve always bails him out.

I don't know if we'll ever see a Fedal match at Halle. They'll probably both have to reach the finals first (likely being the 1st and 2nd seeds), and I think only once has Rafa ever made the final of Queens.

@cherylmurray , 12/10/11 4:11

Thanks, Cheryl.

Some people operate on the proverb - 'when the cat is away, the mice will play'. They work out when you are not around then take the liberty to break the code of conduct. Of course, by the time you catch up with them, their posts have had the desired effect and they don't care that they get deleted then. The only solution is to delete the account of persistent offenders.

Rafa and Uncle T read the TT posts:

2 days ago message on Rafa's facebook wall, "working on my serve"
A day ago message on Rafa's facebook wall, "working on my backhand"

Vamos.....................on to Oz 2012!!!!

Cheryl why was my post deleted? It wasn't offensive.

´"WHAT DOES ANY OF THIS MEAN!?!?

How are my posts the ones being deleted when Sienna's posts are incomprehensible trash?!?"

Thx cheryl. You should just eleminate all posts from willmw101. Don't even bother reading them. I haven't read them for a while and you deleted them so that means they must be garbage.

Keep up the good work. ;)

willmw101 - I think I got rid of it because it was off-topic (honestly, I deleted so many posts yesterday, I don't remember them all). It's nigh impossible to keep order around here if every single comment section turns into a Rafa-Fed war. I try to keep the comments at least somewhat vaguely related to whatever the article is about. Yours isn't the only one that was deleted for this reason.

A deleted comment isn't always a slap on the wrist. And bleck, it doesn't mean "garbage". Sometimes it just means I'm trying to keep the comments on point. Obviously this is an exercise in futility, but I feel I must at least try.

willmw101-just messing around cause you got a post deleted and you were being reasonable and well you know, Cheryl explained it!