Tennis

[Hardy]

only BIG and FAT no sense here is talking about a player past his prime after turning 25

Djokovic before 2011 wasn't a factor at all in majors, he won one AO and another couple of finals played, he lost in slams to likes of Berdych, Tsonga, Kohlschreiber, Melzer, Tommy Haas, Roddick, not only to Federer and Nadal, so it's totally the opposite, prime Federer and your so called injury free Nadal never faced in these years prime Nole, this is why Nadal had so good h2h with him in the first part of his career. Then what happened, Djokovic changed his diet after 2010 because he was diagnosed with gluten intolerance, Vajda fixed his serve that was destroyed by Todd Martin (I bet you don't know anything about these details right?) and from 2011 to 2016 in majors he lost only to Nadal, Federer, Murray and Wawrinka, reaching slam final left and right, smashing Nadal several times even on his best surface, so his explosion has nothing to do with this idiotic injury narrative, he just peaked later than Nadal, after all every player can have different career trajectory. Peaked Nole is simply a better player than every Nadal's version outside of clay and there is nothing you can do about that.

By the way the only fact that you call scrubs players like Roddick, Hewitt or Safin says everything about your (in)competence in tennis. Del Potro, Murray, Hewitt got career ending injuries, not a dude that he's 33 and still able to run like a madman around the court for almost 5 hours.

[Leo_Messi]

You can deny all the facts repeatedly from now on until judgement day. It won't change the reality. A pre-injury Nadal won 10 Grand Slams in the span of 5 years before he turned 25 years old! Became the youngest Career Grand Slam winner of the big 3. Won more (significantly) Grand Slam finals against Federer across ALL surfaces during that period. Utterly dominated Djokovic as well.

Understand for the 100th time that a prime pre-injury Nadal is a different beast compared to the current Nadal. He has had a resurgence (which the entire tennis world is praising for a reason) in his 30's and that is why he has won more Grand Slams in history in his 30's than anyone else.

Besides his athleticism, power, and never-die attitude was always the most superior of the big 3.

Ridiculous to be able to acknowledge that say Federer had a certain prime but the same troll, is unable to recognize that Nadal had a prime as well and that prime was prior (NATURALLY) to his serious knee injuries.

You know what, it is pointless to discuss this with you as you are living in your own little bubble.

BTW speaking about the trophy haul, besides the Grand Slams, Nadal has 2 Olympic goals as the only of the big 3, only one to have won individual gold as well in singles, record number of ATP Masters Tour 1000 tournaments (says it all), a record 4 Davis Cups, world cup for teams, (Federer and Djokovic have only won once), highest win percentage of any single male tennis player in the Open Era, dominating (utterly) arguably the hardest Grand Slam to win (French Open), only of the big 3 to have won Grand Slams continuously since 2005. Only missed winning a Grand Slam in 2015 and 2016 and that due to struggling with injuries.

BTW let's not even forget the depression Nadal began to suffer from in 2011 when his parents were having a divorce (later reconciled)

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/te...-and-soul.html

https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/...atening-injury

https://www.nytimes.com/video/sports...dals-knee.html



This is a guy that has been out for over 24 + months due to injury (nobody else in the big 3 compares) with serious knee injuries that many experts talked about as career ending and for him never to return to anywhere his previous level, let alone being able to win the most Grand Slams's of anyone else in his 30's (to date) and to being just 1 Grand Slam away from equaling a 5 year older Federer and 2 from surpassing him.

No bones 'bout it, Rafa is an absolute beast. Specially in this era of longer baseline rallies and his spin-heavy chase-defense style, and topping that off with crazy schedules and not enough recovery time, it's actually a miracle he doesn't get more sidelined by injuries. In this aspect (freak physique), he and CR are similar but transposing their technical abilities cross-sport, in all impartiality, CR gets nowhere close to the Humbalito Bull.

For me, Roj's tennis is poetry in motion. So fluid it makes water seem like concrete. His effortless style also is much less taxing on his body, which allows him to play at the highest level to this day. Out of this world!

And every now and then, you get distortions in the matrix like the space shaman Dustin B vs Rafa 2015 W round 2 bout.

yaaa maaaaan!


dayyyuum you gotta miss the variety! basically, since ATP lowered the speed limit and homogenized play with their ball rule (bigger, slower, less tightly-wounded type 3 balls for the faster courts and the faster type 1 ball on the slower courts) and tournaments making it even worse by adjusting their surfaces ie. grass comp and cut in Wimbledon = higher bounces, more sand mixed into the paint in US open slowing down the ball ...

they all play and feel way too similar and you see much less serve-volley quick points a la Pistol Pete.

The recent US Open final against Medvedev was another such "strange meeting". Medvedev has to have the most unorthodox style of any of the upcoming talents around. Not his last Grand Slam final for sure.

Good story.

Whole world knows he's a madridista and he was seen crying at the Bernabeu when RM won the title years ago. I wouldn't actually mind him being a RM fan (Federer is too IIRC) if his whole family wouldn't be cules and he wouldn't be a black sheep in the family.

Anyway, as I've said I don't actually care about Rafa or men's tennis (I like some women players but still not enough to watch matches dominated by the Williams brothers in last decades) in general, I'm just tired of seeing Rafa's face (which is very punchable BTW ) every day in spanish media (yeah, I know why but still) the same as I was with Neyboy the whole summer.

He is as much a madridista as some of the culés here. He is first and foremost a fan of Spanish football. No madridista (genuine) would be watching Barça several times in person, always praising us or watching Atlético de Madrid while wearing their scarf. As for crying, the guy has a tendency to get emotional easily. Without googling, you are probably referring to Real's game against his hometown club (RCD Mallorca) in 2007, when they won 3-1 after being down 0-1 to clinch the title on head to head games against us.

So Federer turns out to be a madridista? Some users world in this thread is shattered.

I don't think Rafa's face is punchable. That I feel is much more the case with Federer who was always the "darling" of the establishment. Just look at the cringeworthy relationship with him and Prince William and his wife. Always preferred Nadal (being my favorite) and Djokovic over what I consider the false personality of Federer IMO. Nadal and Djokovic are much more genuine IMO and much funnier guys.

[snowy]

Of course he's the Darling, he was breastFed yeah I know it's cheesy but hey it's Gruyère [însert FedXpress laugh]

The recent US Open final against Medvedev was another such "strange meeting". Medvedev has to have the most unorthodox style of any of the upcoming talents around. Not his last Grand Slam final for sure.

Cool hand Med? Yasssssss! Epic battle with Rafa. These guys are True Grit monsters.

He's an interesting character that one. Mix of your friendly neighbourhood Mr. Rogers, Top Ace Iceman and this good'ol dude

he keeps that same facial expression win or lose xD

[Centauri B]

only BIG and FAT no sense here is talking about a player past his prime after turning 25

Djokovic before 2011 wasn't a factor at all in majors, he won one AO and another couple of finals played, he lost in slams to likes of Berdych, Tsonga, Kohlschreiber, Melzer, Tommy Haas, Roddick, not only to Federer and Nadal, so it's totally the opposite, prime Federer and your so called injury free Nadal never faced in these years prime Nole, this is why Nadal had so good h2h with him in the first part of his career. Then what happened, Djokovic changed his diet after 2010 because he was diagnosed with gluten intolerance, Vajda fixed his serve that was destroyed by Todd Martin (I bet you don't know anything about these details right?) and from 2011 to 2016 in majors he lost only to Nadal, Federer, Murray and Wawrinka, reaching slam final left and right, smashing Nadal several times even on his best surface, so his explosion has nothing to do with this idiotic injury narrative, he just peaked later than Nadal, after all every player can have different career trajectory. Peaked Nole is simply a better player than every Nadal's version outside of clay and there is nothing you can do about that.

By the way the only fact that you call scrubs players like Roddick, Hewitt or Safin says everything about your (in)competence in tennis. Del Potro, Murray, Hewitt got career ending injuries, not a dude that he's 33 and still able to run like a madman around the court for almost 5 hours.

Djokovic is definitely GOAT level along with Rafa (Roger a little bit behind) but what I want Djokovic fans to acknowledge is that the Wimbledon semi-final of 2018 was a scandal. Anyone who knows anything about tennis can understand 100% why.
@Leo_Messi very well said.

[KingLeo10]

Djokovic and Fed in the semis, Nadal probably soon to follow.

Big 3 keeps running a train on the younger generation(s).

[Richard.H]

The nextgen has been such a massive disappointment in tennis. These players are mental midgets and cannot face the pressure of the big stage. At this rate, Federer could probably reach qf/sf of each grand slam until he’s 45. Djokovic will probably finish with 25 grand slams if these young players continue sucking

[Andrew M]

The nextgen has been such a massive disappointment in tennis. These players are mental midgets and cannot face the pressure of the big stage. At this rate, Federer could probably reach qf/sf of each grand slam until he’s 45. Djokovic will probably finish with 25 grand slams if these young players continue sucking

It could be that with advancements in sports science, nutrition and recovery that these elite players can continue until their 40s at the highest level. I'm not convinced that it's due to mental brittleness that the younger players can't compete, but simply because they don't have the ability.

[Richard.H]

It could be that with advancements in sports science, nutrition and recovery that these elite players can continue until their 40s at the highest level. I'm not convinced that it's due to mental brittleness that the younger players can't compete, but simply because they don't have the ability.

If what you say is true, same would apply to other sports.

[KingLeo10]

The nextgen has been such a massive disappointment in tennis. These players are mental midgets and cannot face the pressure of the big stage. At this rate, Federer could probably reach qf/sf of each grand slam until he’s 45. Djokovic will probably finish with 25 grand slams if these young players continue sucking

Big 3 are simply 3-4 standard deviations above anything the remainder of the players on tour can muster up, and a whole SD ahead of past legends. Simply too much ability compounded by championship mentality (55 GS between them lmao).

[Andrew M]

If what you say is true, same would apply to other sports.

Messi and Ronaldo have had as much longevity at the top, it's just a team sport. If you have the ability, fitness and motivation you can stay at the top into your mid 30s these days. Fed, Djok and Nadal are arguably the best players in the history of tennis

[KingLeo10]

Messi and Ronaldo have had as much longevity at the top, it's just a team sport. If you have the ability, fitness and motivation you can stay at the top into your mid 30s these days. Fed, Djok and Nadal are arguably the best players in the history of tennis

Something interesting I've thought about is the reinforcing effect of modern media. The micro analysis of every action/performance/achievement/loss on a 24/7 media cycle probably helps a little in keeping those at the top on their toes.

Of course, it could just be individual make up and Messi/CR7/Big 3 just have an insane level of motivation outside of reinforcement.

[Hardy]

Thiem today

[KingLeo10]

Damn, DjokoGOAT did a number on Fed.

[utility73]

Close but no cigar. But he keeps getting closer.

And congrats to the great Djokovic.

[Sailor Mars]

Djokovic's 17 majors are more impressive than Federer's 20 considering the competition Djokovic has faced.