The 8 time champion and the clay court GOAT faces an interesting opponent in the semifinal. Andy Murray has tools that could/should make him hard to beat on clay. Murray is fit, he is one of the fastest players on tour and he has one of the top service returns on tour. The best analog…
Category: Rafael Nadal
Tennis Power Ranking 2014: Post Madrid & Rome – Nole Rising
After the injury marred Madrid final, I had no idea how to rank my Top 10 so I did the cowardly sensible thing and waited another week. So here is a Double Masters 1000 Power Ranking Extravaganza. 2014 Power Ranking #6 – Madrid and Rome (Roam If You Want To) Novak Djokovic – Nole answered questions about…
Roman Gladiators: Nadal vs. Djokovic XLI Prediction
Anytime #1 and #2 meet to decide a big tournament things are special. This one has the potential to be even bigger than special. Novak Djokovic is #2 in the world and has beaten #1 Nadal 3 consecutive times winning 6 consecutive sets. A win on clay over Nadal would propel Djokovic into Paris with…
Rome 2014: Dimitrov vs. Nadal Prediction
Grigor Dimitrov vs. Rafael Nadal Rafa has had some strange results on clay this year. Still, title in Madrid and Rio make Rafa the most successful player on dirt to this point in 2014. Rafa’s dominance is such that losing sets to Simon, Youzhny and Murray appear to many as signs of weakness. I think…
GOAT Confusion – Say What?
Roger Federer says there is no GOAT because players from different eras had different priorities etc. Pete Sampras says Federer is the GOAT for now, but that his head-to-head vs. Rafa is an issue. Andre Agassi says Rafa is the GOAT even if he once said Federer was the GOAT. John McEnroe says that Rafa…
Nishikori vs. Nadal Prediction
Nishikori is in the Top 10 Melbourne, Miami, Barcelona and Madrid prove Kei Nishikori belongs in the top 10. His talent and recent consistency have Nishikori taking advantage of a year of upheaval in the tennis pecking order. Michael Chang’s influence as coach has to be lauded as well. Nishikori could become King of Spain…
Nadal vs. Bautista Agut will give us some Data
Nadal vs. Spain in 2014 Rafael Nadal’s clay court losses to David Ferrer and Nicolas Almagro along with his near miss vs. Pablo Andujar have raised some questions. Spaniards had generally wilted in front of Nadal, but in 2014 they have pushed back against their numero uno. Roberto Bautista Agut has had a bit of…
What if Rafa Got Bored?
Down Goes Nadal?!?! Rafael Nadal is an absurd 277-12 on clay since 2005. 2 of those 12 losses have come over the past two weeks. Unlike, Rafa’s 2011 Madrid and Rome losses to Novak Djokovic neither of these losses came against men with Grand Slam titles or in the championship match. Make no mistake…
March Madness: Nadal vs. Djokovic Preview and Prediction
Rafael Nadal (1) vs. Novak Djokovic (2) After Nole ended 2013 with a huge winning streak, dreams of Djokovic winning his 5th Australian Open title setting up a battle with Rafael Nadal in Paris seemed tantalizingly close. Instead, Stan Wawrinka beat both Nole and Rafa in Melbourne and 2014 has been a year without a…
Masters Miami 2014: Nadal vs. Berdych Prediction
Semifinals Rafael Nadal (1) vs. Tomas Berdych (7) I think Berdych could win this match, but my guess is that a Rafa-Nole collision is on the horizon. Berdych’s chance is to play first strike tennis and take control of points off of his serve and his return. If Rafa serves well enough, I think he will get his…
Tennis Abides: Dan Martin on Tennis and Life 