Where Is Toni?/Ask Kim Thread

I haven't seen world's most famous uncle for some time, I'm almost missing him!

He's with Nadal in Miami.

Miami must be important for Nadal.

Any more news on his ankle?

He may play, but not at 100% if he does.

I have another question:

"You know, I am not saying [choking] didn’t happen in the past because happened, but happened for a very small—for one point, two points.
But at the same time, still playing with too much nerves for a lot of moments, in important moments, still playing with a little bit of anxious on that moments.

I have been able to control my emotions during, let’s say 90 percent, 95 percent of the matches in my career—something that today is tougher, to be under self-control."


How does a die-hard Nadal fan understand this?

I a not a fan but I think this nervousness comes from the fact Nadal can't control the time anymore. He is asked to play at everybody else pace..and that is making him very nervous cause he knows his main strength is seriously affected if he cannot absorb enough o2 between points.

It was very obvious during the Verdy match. He was desperate to find that extra time needed to refill his extra red cells.

Those little details can make such a player win or lose...cause fitness is his main, if not only, strength.

Why on earth have they put choking in brackets in the quotation, when he didn't say that ?

Tenez, when Nadal came back in 2013, he put in some effort to cut down the time between points, and I can't remember but in one of the Masters 1000 he won they measured the average and he had cut down the time between points from previous years.

Unfortunately it's a Nadal hater's fantasy that somehow now he's stronger than ever before but only doing worse because of the time between points (although he's taking basically as much time as he was between points in 2013).
If you were objective in any way, you could see that simply doesn't reflect reality; the reason he's losing is because he's slower and more prone to errors because he's declining.

Tenez gave his view, you still haven't given yours, Kimmy.

And try to avoid the word "decline" if you can...what do you think is making Nadal lose confidence?

He is not injured as far as we know.

I did answer, I think he's getting worse because he's slower and more prone to errors (because of age).

Obviously with that, he will also lose confidence (unless he is delusional and doesn't think he's getting worse)

He is only 28, not 82!!!!

What makes you think he is slower?

noleisthebest wrote:He is only 28, not 82!!!!

What makes you think he is slower?

I watch his matches, and compare to matches played now, and he seems to be slower on the defence.

Don't you think that other players are hitting the ball harder and faster?

It's not just Nadal you need to look at.

He is still difficult to beat, Verdasco played a brilliant match in order to win.

How do you see him for clay season?

I'm looking at him and his speed, for example back in the day he used to chase down drop shots incredibly well, these days he always seems to be way off the pace for chasing drop-shots.

I think Nadal will be ok for the clay season, I see him reaching the quarter finals or semi finals in every event, but not more than that.

Kim Jong-Un wrote:I'm looking at him and his speed, for example back in the day he used to chase down drop shots incredibly well, these days he always seems to be way off the pace for chasing drop-shots.

I think Nadal will be ok for the clay season, I see him reaching the quarter finals or semi finals in every event, but not more than that.

yep..probably beaten by young Ferrer or Lopez!

Firstly you can have different players decline at different rates at different ages.
Secondly if you have two players who are both past their prime, the chances of an 'upset' is greater- as the fact they're past their prime means each player is more inconsistent.

Cowan saying that Dolgo's eye hand coord is amazing...and I agree.

oops wrong thread....never mind.

Kim Jong-Un wrote:Firstly you can have different players decline at different rates at different ages.
Secondly if you have two players who are both past their prime, the chances of an 'upset' is greater- as the fact they're past their prime means each player is more inconsistent.

Of course!

Toni:

"He is training well, but on the court, he hasn't the strength of mind that he had before, but I hope it comes back. I think he needs a win to regain confidence. I hope that things will change in Montecarlo. If you lose, you can't have confidence. He lost the match against opponents of low rank, and this is the first time that he has had a problem of this type," Toni Nadal said of Nadal's quandary via Tennis World USA.

I think it's a matter of relaxation. I am sure he will be fine at the end, sooner or later. If he doesn't do well in Monte Carlo, he will try again in Barcelona, or he will try again in Madrid. We are at a bad time, but I think Rafa will continue up to 29, 30 and 31 years."
Francisco Roig, who served as Nadal's second coach, also agreed to Toni's evaluation that it mat take time for Rafa to have the same kind of confidence in his game. Still, the coach is also confident that Nadal will overcome this setback and return to elite level thereafter.
"Before he won or lost, he felt the rhythm of the match. Now he feels that the game does not depend by him and therefore does not take the lead. The rivals think they can win, and he thinks that he can lose. He is worried because his confidence is minimal," Roig said in an interview via Tennis World USA.

Rafa has always had motivation and hunger, but the decline of the great players passes through the very mental plane. First he used to win with pain. Now he doesn't hurt, but this return after so much inactivity is more normal than extraordinary in 2013."

Toni:

"He is training well, but on the court, he hasn't the strength of mind that he had before, but I hope it comes back. I think he needs a win to regain confidence. I hope that things will change in Montecarlo. If you lose, you can't have confidence. He lost the match against opponents of low rank, and this is the first time that he has had a problem of this type," Toni Nadal said of Nadal's quandary via Tennis World USA.

I think it's a matter of relaxation. I am sure he will be fine at the end, sooner or later. If he doesn't do well in Monte Carlo, he will try again in Barcelona, or he will try again in Madrid. We are at a bad time, but I think Rafa will continue up to 29, 30 and 31 years."
Francisco Roig, who served as Nadal's second coach, also agreed to Toni's evaluation that it mat take time for Rafa to have the same kind of confidence in his game. Still, the coach is also confident that Nadal will overcome this setback and return to elite level thereafter.
"Before he won or lost, he felt the rhythm of the match. Now he feels that the game does not depend by him and therefore does not take the lead. The rivals think they can win, and he thinks that he can lose. He is worried because his confidence is minimal," Roig said in an interview via Tennis World USA.

Rafa has always had motivation and hunger, but the decline of the great players passes through the very mental plane. First he used to win with pain. Now he doesn't hurt, but this return after so much inactivity is more normal than extraordinary in 2013."

http://www.marca.com/2015/03/31/tenis/1427755758.html

That interview was from a few days ago, Toni was saying Nadal is losing confidence, he did not say the rest of the tour was getting better.

Roig, his secomd coach said that in the highlighted paragraph.
He's the one trying to bring Nadal closer to base-line.

So I'm afraid we were right and you were wrong

Interesting that Toni sees Nadal playing till 30, 31.

He didn't mention doubles wheelchair tennis either...

Toni and Roig said the similar things, and they never mentioned the tour as a whole getting better.

Of course they did, you just don't want to see it as it doesn't suit you.


You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink....

No, they did not say anywhere the level of the game has improved, they were just talking about Nadal's issues.
They may think you're right, but they did not explicitly say so.

noleisthebest wrote:. Now he feels that the game does not depend by him and therefore does not take the lead. The rivals think they can win, and he thinks that he can lose. He is worried because his confidence is minimal," Roig said in an interview via Tennis World USA.

Yep..exactly that. Nowadays he feels that the close matches he was then able to win thanks to his amazing fitness are now out if his control as other players have caught up physically.