Best decision Rafa. Rest up and sock it to them in the WTF!!!!

November 3rd, 2011 at 11:17 am

That’s a very strange decision! He hasn’t played any tournament in a month, he is not injured, and he skips the last warm-up tournament (a masters series event) leading the Masters in London??? Very strange!

November 3rd, 2011 at 1:55 pm

Not very strange. He didn’t play Paris last year either.

November 3rd, 2011 at 2:43 pm

@michael: in agreement. Rafa’s done the right thing here. Rest, relax, practise and then throw the kitchen sink at the WTF. Win it- brilliant, if not, rafa realistically should have 2 more genuine chances to do so. If he never wins, well so what, it’s a small price to pay when you already have 10 slams in the bag. Rafa seems to have sight firmly set on the 2012 season and so it should be. Other than WTF, there really is nothing left for him to play for in the remainder of this season.

November 3rd, 2011 at 2:53 pm

brando i agree for rafa to win a wtf would be great, but certainly not the end of the world if he doesnt,those finals are very open for any of the top 8 players to win,take davey 2 years ago,i somehow doubt rafa would swap that for any of his 10 grand slams,he has not got much to prove really otherwise,a wtf is the only thing left that he needs to complete his already impressive resume.

November 3rd, 2011 at 6:05 pm

I would love for Rafa to win the WTF at some point, but frankly, I will be surprised if he does. I’m sure he’s also focused on the Davis Cup final. I know it’s on clay in Spain, but I’m sure Rafa doesn’t expect beating Delpo to be a walk in the park!

November 4th, 2011 at 12:15 am

^ Exactly what I was thinking re: Davis Cup Lulu. And Rafa will want to win there & then, and stamp his authority on the clay, over both Delpo and Nalby, even Monaco, all very good players. I think the DC must be important to him; I know he’s won it at least two times (?) before, but still, it could be a great springboard for next season.

Thus, I am not entirely convinced, Brando, that “Other than WTF, there really is nothing left for him to play for in the remainder of this season.”

November 4th, 2011 at 12:20 am

good decision by rafa. I wonder why he played tokyo/shanghai. he should have chosen valencia/paris instead. it’s good to rest-up, but it aint such a good idea to come cold-turkey to WTF. then again, it worked for rafa last year, so i guess that shouldn’t be a problem with rafa’s experience. and ofcourse he has DC after. so, all considered, good call.

November 4th, 2011 at 1:05 am

Kam Retnasami, his decision is not strange. He is scared of Novak Djokovic. If he loses again, 7th time, it would be a great step down for his confidence. He needs more time to recover of 7 straight loses to world’s best player.

November 4th, 2011 at 8:06 am

@Treehugger. Rafa is not scared of the Djoker. Wary maybe, but not scared. Big difference!!!!!

November 4th, 2011 at 10:31 am

@TreeHumper:

Yes he is scared. He is scared of a player who he has beaten 16 times, 5 in a row himself, has 10 slams to the others 4, and of an opponent who recently said that whilst he is the world no.1 it shall take time for him to reach a standing on the same level as rafa or roger.

Treehumper, rafa has as much chance as anyone going forward in beating nole, based on the fact that he has won the most against him, just the past 8 months strongly suggest things are in nole’s favour. But then again 12 montbs ago it 16-7 in rafa’s favour. So who knows what’s going to happen going forward, but if history tells us 1 thing it’s certainly not that rafa is afraid of a challenge.

November 4th, 2011 at 11:19 am

well said brando.

November 4th, 2011 at 11:23 am

Treehugger, Treehumper, etc…..hilarious post name LOL…..

November 4th, 2011 at 1:16 pm

Brando, you’re talking about the past. Nadal was the best player last year but this year he’s in the shadow of a man who has the best season in tennis history. You said it was 16-7 12 months ago. Yes, but now is 16-13, and that is the scary part for Nadal. No one has beat him five times in a row in his career and Djokovic did it 6 times, so I’m sorry if I offended you, but you have to accept the fact that Nadal isn’t best player anymore.
In support of this assertion I point out a statement of his uncle after losing Wimbledon: Rafa does not have a problems, his only problem is Novak Djokovic!

November 5th, 2011 at 3:36 am

@ treehumper: no need to apologise. To say rafa is not the best atm is pointing out the obvious. It’s easy to accept and unnecessary to point out. BUT to claim that rafa is scared of djokovic as you did in your original post smacks of ignorance.

November 5th, 2011 at 5:52 am

Just calling me Treehumper instead of TreeHugger, showing that you’re offended. Anyway, when I said he’s affraid of Djokovic, I thought that he’s affraid of another defeat to Nole because he needs time to recover of 6 defeats this year. If he suffers another one, it will be very hard to him to enter 2012. clearheaded.

November 5th, 2011 at 6:10 am

treehugger—then he should skip london too? As he could suffer another defeat in the semifinals or final to him? (assuming he gets to that stage, which based on his post us open performance is not a sure thing; that Novak will be there is stating the obvious)

November 5th, 2011 at 8:30 am

I’m sure in one thing – Rafa doesn’t want to meet Nole in this year anymore. We’ll just have to wait and see.

November 5th, 2011 at 8:33 am

I didn’t see the match today, but I understand Nole is suffering from a sore shoulder and went out to Nishikori. Maybe this would be the perfect time for Rafa to meet Nole.

November 5th, 2011 at 9:02 pm