Can Rafa Defend His US Open Title?? (Page 1 of 2)

Don't blame him - you wouldn't  be confident if you've been overshadowed and outmatched like that. If Federer hadn't knocked out Nole in RG, Rafa probably would've lost that battle as well. He's going through the same thing Roger went through a few years ago at a much earlier age.

Just thought of something interesting:

1 - In the 1981 Roland Garros, Bjorn Borg, who was 25 at the time, won his last ever Grand Slam.

2 - In the 2011 Roland Garros (30 years later), Rafa Nadal, who was 25 at the time, won his last GS so far.

1 - In the 1981 US Open, Bjorn Borg, who was 25 at the time, lost in the final to McEnroe (who reminds me of Nole). This was Borg's last GS final ever.

2 - How will Rafa do in the 2011 US Open, where he'll be 25, like Borg...

If history repeats itself, Rafa will go on to the finals of this year's US Open, up against Nole, win the first set, lose the next 3. And it will be his last GS final EVER!!!!!!!!!!

PS. Borg's birthday is on the 6th of June, Rafa's is on the 3rd.

Wait!!! Let me finish you Rafa lovers... Oi!!! Who threw that?!?! Was it you Don? I've got my eye on you... well, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, I am personally hoping history will NOT repeat itself and Rafa will go on to win many more Grand Slams. Happy Don?!?!?!?!?!

Last edited by CrossCourt (Aug. 22, 2011 4:51am)

Whoa whoa whoa, easy CC!  I'd hardly say Nadal, and his four Masters and  Wimbledon final, is in decline.   

Having said that, I don't see him in the final at the U.S. Open this year.  That has nothing to do with the length of his career, I just can't see him performing spactaculary on the hard courts in both halves of the season every  year that he does have left.

Last edited by Wolmas (Aug. 22, 2011 5:30pm)

Yep I'm with you Don...3 or 4 for me...he won't surpass Fed's record and reach 17 now IMO!!
I'm picking he will do well to surpass Sampras 14!

Last edited by Tono-YODA-CHAMP-Wimbledon (Aug. 22, 2011 9:38pm)

Yeah, I think 13, 14 - maybe 15 slams could be his finished resume.  It could also be 12, which would only be third all time.

Yeah I think he'll be in the mix for another three years.  Maybe in two he'll need to take some tournaments off and sacrifice his rankings a bit.  If he can keep his legs healthy for May and June, I'd like to see him win 9 or 10 Roland Garros titles, and another couple Wimbledons.   That's what I'd like to see Nadal do, not what I think he'll do.

Last edited by Wolmas (Aug. 23, 2011 2:36pm)

Hope you are correct about Fed Scotty it would be great to see him win ONE more major and do it in style too!

Fed will never beat Rafa at RG.  If Fed makes the RG final he will lose to Rafa. 

Hard courts are another story.  I agree with Scotty about that.  If Fed makes another hard court final, he'll win.

Grass, not likely.  This is not the same grass surface Fed used to dominate on.  It is slower and the bounces are more consistent, and both are bad for Fed.  There are better players on this kind of grass IMO.

True.  Terrible year for Rafa.  Truly.

So bad a year that he actually lost more than once on clay!  Sick.  However, he did once again win RG and Monte Carlo.  Some things never change (or change very slowly, anyway).

Last edited by Don (Aug. 24, 2011 3:42pm)

I'd be surprised to see Rafa win another 5 or 6 Scotty..he probably has at least another one or two French Opens still left in him I think...when he hits 27 years of age I think he will start to get owned more by the bigger hitters on the scene.
Even Roland Garros could become tough for him to win...most top name players start to wane around 29-30 but I think Rafa will be a few years sooner than that bcoz of his style of play...lets assume he doesnt win the 2011 US Open then he probably has another 8-10 Slams before his body starts to fail him more and more...if he wins almost half of them he will be doing well IMO...that will get him up to around 14 with Pistol Pete which would be a great effort and much deserved....I guess the key with Rafa will be keeping his body healthy otherwise he may not even challenge Pete's 14.
It's already getting intruiging watching the slow and slight demise of The Fed Express so if we have to watch his nemesis "Rafael Nadal" go through the same thing it will be rather sad...lets hope its not for a few years yet.

P.S. If Rafa happens to win the upcoming US Open then his year will end up being another great one for him!!

Rafa's career since 2009 has been unpredictablely full of highs and lows due to health, personal issues, confidence level, etc.  Right now, I think Nadal's confidence is not too high and he played a very tight match with Verdasco and lost subsequently to Mardy Fish in Cincinnati.  It is very conceivable that Nadal may be knocked out earlier than many people expect.  Then again, Federer is still being outhit by the big hitters (most recently in Berdych in Cincinnati) and Djokovic may be physically (if not mentally) too taxed to make a full run.  So, if Nadal can build his confidence with a strong start and keep rested, perhaps he can go all the way.  At this point though, I would put Federer as a favorite ahead of Nadal.  This is perhaps the best opportunity for Murray to bag that elusive major title.

Sigh......here we go again...all those Andy Murray disciples singing his praises yet again on the back of another Masters 1000 victory...remember he also lost recently in Montreal to MR Anderson!!!
I wouldn't be too quick to jump on board the Murray train guys...and CrossCourt...as for Murray having no mentally-related doubt that's what I think of that comment!!
He is yet to prove that he has what it takes to win a GS, he is definitely good enough and should have a good tournament but unless he plays more aggressively in the bigger matches then he will continue to be the bridesmaid I feel.

Last edited by Tono-YODA-CHAMP-Wimbledon (Aug. 26, 2011 6:42am)

I find the very idea that Rafa Nadal has a mental problem of some sort ridiculous.  Rafa has had physical problems that have limited his ability to practice and play.  He'll be fine.  His form has not been good, but he'll play his way into the tourney.  He comes in as the co-#2 favorite (with Fed) behind Djokovic according to Courier, who isn't exactly an idiot.  Rafa's in with a chance. 

IMO if Nole loses the tourney, though, it will be because of his shoulder and not because of any other reason.