It’s Official, Rafael Nadal Will Not Play The US Open

it’s official-jamie’s psychic’s prediction of nadal winning the US Open this year was completely wrong.:P

On a more serious note, I am sorry for nadal and his fans. Hope he bounces back soon.

August 15th, 2012 at 11:45 am

This is a shame. Tennis is more exciting when all the members of the “Big 4” are there.

August 15th, 2012 at 11:49 am

This is starting to sound really serious… Nadal pulled out of the Olympics and now pulls out of the entire summer hard court season. Wishing him a speedy recovery and hoping we get more details about what’s wrong with his knees.

August 15th, 2012 at 12:01 pm

It is more exciting with top 4.
But as it stands nadal probably is not gonna reach the second week sothey made the withdrawing.
They were 100% certain he was not gonne reach super saturday .
Tennis will deal with it it slways does.

August 15th, 2012 at 12:08 pm

Wow. This just stinks. I really hope Rafa recovers (whatever the problem may be) and gets back to playing tennis soon. I guess I’ll focus my cheering energies on the WTA and Serena for now. As for the ATP, maybe this USO will be Murray’s time for a breakthrough.

August 15th, 2012 at 12:45 pm

Lulu Ditto i feel just as gutted as you,shame we both live on opposite sides of the world,as i would otherwise sugest going out for a drink together lol,agree about Murray been a Brit would love for him to bag his 1st GS,and after what happened at the olympics,he is now more than capable of beating Fed or Nole in best of 5 set matches IMO.

August 15th, 2012 at 12:55 pm

Nadal should not have announced his USO withdrawal in the middle of Cincinnati, because this is now going to distract fans and players, and take the news away from the Cincy tournament trying to recover from the Olympics. There was absolutely no urgency for Nadal to make the announcement today — he could have waited until Monday to make the announcement. Nadal has a publicist, so it’s possible they chose the middle of a Masters tournament to make the announcement for maximum publicity impact.

I’m sorry for Nadal’s fans, but I expect him to be back by Australian Open next year, unless he has full-blown osteoarthritis (this is unlikely, otherwise it would have been caught by earlier scans). A Spanish site reported that Nadal did go for his injection therapy after Wimbledon, so it’s possibly that this therapy is no longer working for him. If so, Team Nadal may temporarily be out of options and are looking for another medical solution.

It’s now a possibility that Nadal will take a hiatus, possibly shutting down for the remainder of the year. If he uses the time to make radical changes to the way he runs, to try out different shoe-orthotic setups, and find a better medical solution to help his knees, etc. then this hiatus may be better for him in the long run. He could also use the time to try out new racquet and string technologies as well as to change his game radically.

This hiatus may work out best for him: Nadal could regain No. 1 next year if he can attack the 2013 season, giving it everything from the Australian Open. He probably realized there was minimal chance of him regaining No. 1 in 2012 season after his early loss at Wimbledon — and with Federer, Djokovic, Murray and Delpo still playing at a high level. After all that hard work Rafa put in to take back the entire clay season this year, he was surly hoping to win Wimbledon to regain the No. 1 ranking — so it was probably a huge disappointment he lost so early.

With Nadal, there is no telling what his camp is up to — whether he’s staying away because of an actual injury or because he does not feel at his invincible best to win a big title. Nadal once took a four-month hiatus from 2005 Madrid to 2006 Rotterdam because of a foot injury: in the middle of the hiatus (mid November 2005), Rafa actually showed up at the Shanghai Tennis Masters Cup (WTF), presumably to play to gain points over the injured Federer (Roger was recovering from torn ankle ligaments). But Federer unexpectedly showed up in Shanghai — and then Rafa withdrew claiming his foot had not healed enough. It’s unlikely that Nadal would have flown to China in the first place if his team did not think he could have beaten everybody not named Federer. But when Federer was ale to play, poof, Nadal went back into hiatus.

August 15th, 2012 at 1:02 pm

“I am very sad to announce that I am not ready to play the US Open in NY.”….because? Is it the knee I assume?

Well, some of us long timers here discussed way back that Rafa’s body type, and style of play was going to wreak havoc on his body, and now it has. However, it is a sad day. Too bad Rafa hope you come back , your beefy buns will be missed by ladies young and old.

August 15th, 2012 at 1:04 pm

Hi Alison,

I agree, a drink would be lovely! Unfortunately, there are not enough people like you on this site and there are far too many jerks who take every opportunity to trash Nadal. Perhaps Nadal announced his withdrawal from the USO as soon as he was certain he would not play so that his fans wouldn’t go planning expensive trips to New York, only to have him not appear??? I still enjoy tennis without Rafa, but I just don’t feel the same emotional investment.

August 15th, 2012 at 1:10 pm

@dave:

STFU!!!

August 15th, 2012 at 1:23 pm

sorry for this news, lulu and alison : (
very sad news, really.

but we never did know the extent of time the prp injections would continue to be effective.

hopefully, they’ll get him rehabilitated; perhaps come up with a new treatment and plan.

August 15th, 2012 at 1:27 pm

This is sad news indeed. Please, let us not talk of timing of the announcement. Nadal is free to announce it any time he wants. He has that right. I am sure though that some people will find fault whatever time Nadal chose to announce it anyway.

August 15th, 2012 at 1:36 pm

nadalista Says:
@dave:

STFU!!!

August 15th, 2012 at 1:23 pm

What a moronic respons!

Few people here can see what is happening. Dave is just providimng the necessairy background onfo we need to judge the current situation with Nadal.
Nothing new under the horizon.

If you can add and count then it is quit easiley to figure out.
Nadal gains nothing by playing and losing in first weeks of slams.
I know Murray went through some patches after another finals loss. But he picked himself up at next slam. Rafa losing like that at WImbly, olympic, 2masters and 2nd slam in a row in the first week. That would definitely set questions to his elite status and possible caution all advertising company who want to deal with rafa longterm.

HE IS A BUSSINESS PEOPLE! WAKE UP.

August 15th, 2012 at 1:38 pm

Good post Dave….

However, I don’t think Nadal gets back from this one that easily. Next year he will be 27 – that’s over the hill for ANY tennis player. By this time, Borg was long retired, Sampras could barely win Wimbledon, Even Fed started losing non clay slam finals again.

With a resurgent Murray, Djoke going strong, Fed still with something left him, and younger players like Delpo and Raonic really making a push (not to mention the chance of an odd upset from players like Tsonga), Nadal is not likely to get to anywhere near 17 slams now.

And at this age, he can’t retool his game significantly. Some changes here and there, but that’s it. And remember, his body already has more miles than perhaps any tennis player his age. He also started pretty young (his first French title was when he was barely 20). 7 intense seasons have finally taken their toll.

I don’t think he will play again till the AUS open. Most of the remainder of the season is on fast indoor courts where he anyway doesn’t stand a chance.

I hope we see a new young champion emerge in 2013.

August 15th, 2012 at 1:40 pm

Nadal now definitely drops to No. 4. Maybe he drops to 5 by the end of the year….

August 15th, 2012 at 1:41 pm

This virtually guarantees Delpo a spot at the YEC in London. Ye ye!

August 15th, 2012 at 1:43 pm

I may actually shut it down for the year. We have to wait and see.

August 15th, 2012 at 1:47 pm

This is sad new, for his fans and for tennis in general. Get well soon Rafa.

And to his fans here, Kimberly Lulu, alison, Brando, metan, mem, etc – hopefully he will bounce back from this and come back refreshed and ready to roll.

August 15th, 2012 at 1:49 pm

So if Federer loses in Cincy it’s because he’s distracted? Man that is too funny.

August 15th, 2012 at 1:49 pm

*news

August 15th, 2012 at 1:50 pm

But this definitely sucks. For Nadal and for tennis. I also think Nadal will probably just shut down for the rest of the year. There really isn’t much point in him coming back during the indoor season where he’ll have a hard time gaining any momentum or confidence. But come Australia, hopefully, he’ll be back firing on all cylinders. Given some of the performances Nadal has produced in New York the last few years, this is a real shame.

August 15th, 2012 at 1:52 pm

Yes @ Dave. STFU!!

August 15th, 2012 at 1:53 pm

i dont agree that it is bad for tennis.

The real battle for #1 was not including Rafa. and this opens potentially a door for a new player to enter. Delpo only wants to get a peak in and he will be better of.

It makes a big deal if he needs to beat only 1 or 2 top players or 2 or 3 that is so big for him.

August 15th, 2012 at 1:53 pm

i dont agree that it is bad for tennis.

The real battle for #1 was not including Rafa. and this opens potentially a door for a new player to enter. Delpo only wants to get a peak in and he will be better of.

It makes a big deal if he needs to beat only 1 or 2 top players or 2 or 3 that is so big for him.

August 15th, 2012 at 1:53 pm

“i dont agree that it is bad for tennis.”

I don’t remember anyone asking for your opinion.

August 15th, 2012 at 2:00 pm

Awww…poor chap as soon the clay season ended he went on a hibernation.He knew he was not gonna win in Olympics,Rogers Cup,Cincy and so on on becoz of hard court play where he is no longer good enough to win.(Read his last non clay championship win was USO 2010.)

he can be healed may be some drugs will help.ahem ahem

August 15th, 2012 at 2:01 pm

Thanks Conty nice to see you posting again BTW,and completely agree,unfortunate as this is Rafas knees have always been his undoing all through his career(sigh),however it is what it is, just hope he bounces back soon.

August 15th, 2012 at 2:02 pm

The comments of some of Federer’s fans cannot hide their glee over Nadal’s ailment. Talk about schaudenfraude. I hope this does not bite them back in their behinds because if Federer fails to win tournaments where Nadal is not entered,like the US Open, I am sure the Nadal fans will pounce back on them. I could not blame them. You reap what you sow.

August 15th, 2012 at 2:07 pm

“Nadal has a publicist, so it’s possible they chose the middle of a Masters tournament to make the announcement for maximum publicity impact.”

What would be the benefit to Nadal of “maximum publicity impact”?

August 15th, 2012 at 2:10 pm

@Brando,Alison-Sorry for you guy, it really sucks and try to ignore speculations people posting.He’s got a bed knee and thats it!He can not play at top level like that ( when people see him on a golf course does not mean he can run 5 with Nole!) and he wants to come backready 100%.Anyway,try to enjoy US Open

August 15th, 2012 at 2:15 pm

Noogie and sienna. Two big fat lumps of Dutch Gouda.

August 15th, 2012 at 2:15 pm

Sad news for Rafa, his fans and tennis. :(
noogie: What the heck’s with the personal insults?

August 15th, 2012 at 2:15 pm

@Polo: yes, and the battle for least mature fans will continue if and when we reach that point.

***
It’s pretty unfortunate that Nadal won’t be around to play at all this summer. Tournaments are better off when the best can all show up, and he has shown us time and again that he’s one of the best competitors out there.

I’m wondering at this point whether he’ll try to gear up for a fall push, but I just can’t see him deriving much confidence out of a schedule, should he play in the fall, that consists mostly of indoor hardcourt tournaments, historically his worst surface. Assuming he gets fit by some point in September, though, I suppose he won’t have much of a choice but to give those tournaments a good shot. As it stands, he’s about to lose another 1,380 points, which will put him at 7,515 going into the fall. Murray will slide up to #3, although possibly only temporarily, since he’s defending quite a bit between now and Shanghai (Cincy, Bangkok, Tokyo, and a semi showing at the Open).

August 15th, 2012 at 2:19 pm

@sienna;

STFU!!

August 15th, 2012 at 2:26 pm

Hi everybody!

Long time no… read?

Don’t know if I will be able to post until September, have to travel tomorrow… so just to congratulate my dear Fed fans from this site for their patience and unshakable belief in their champ, and congratulate to the few AM fans for the great result he achieved. Fandom is a strange country, but the joy we feel when our favs win is sometimes quite magic. Finally, I also hope that Rafa will recover soon.

So… hope to chat with all of you in the nearest future.

August 15th, 2012 at 2:28 pm

Polo Says:

August 15th, 2012 at 2:07 pm

As if Nadal fans were praising Fed head over heels when he won the Wimbledon.

August 15th, 2012 at 2:33 pm

@nadalista@Mark

You St..!

Dave has a right to express himself and last I checked his comments are more tasteful and intellectual than most posters.

Mark your killing this website. Nadal can take a break, and so can you. Seriously, what the hell are you still doing here?
Nadal is out so just leave. Your a bad mouthed kid and I can only feel sorry for your Mother for doing such a terrible job in raising you. You have no manners what so ever…your the kinda of drag we would of thrown into the Colosseum not to long ago. Your a disgrace to Nadal fans and to tennis, a jealous creature comprised of hate.

Mark I would compare you to a hyena but I would be doing them an insult.

August 15th, 2012 at 2:43 pm

And I’m not saying there are no foul mouthed pathetic Fed fans either…I wont mention names.

Its the Nadal fans who should put them in there place. At least do it in a civil manner for the benefit of all the readers.

August 15th, 2012 at 2:46 pm

Polo some of us are above such childishness,tit for tat whats the point?as a Rafa fan i only look for my favorite to succeed not for his rivals to fail,domination in the sport is a today thing,but not always a tomorrow thing,whats happening to Rafa can happen to any player,nothing lasts forever,tennis like any sport can be very fickle that way,fans of any players should think about that when spreading such hatred IMO.

August 15th, 2012 at 2:47 pm

mat4, said hi on the Cincy thread. Hope all is well.

August 15th, 2012 at 2:48 pm

John. Fed must be very proud to have you as his fan. Pfffffffft

August 15th, 2012 at 2:53 pm

@alison

fans of any players should think about that when spreading such hatred IMO.

Agreed, one would think fans could show each other just a fraction of the respect the players show for each other, but alas its not to be.

August 15th, 2012 at 2:53 pm

Terrible news.
I have been optimistic to this point, but skipping the USO after this much time off already is a terrible sign. I am with Skeezer in that I kind of expected something bad for a long time, not just because of his style as Skeeze mentioned, but because from very early in his career he’s had knee-timeouts and then other problems. If you look at promising athletes that exhibit chronic injuries in their early twenties, they almost never get over it- maybe Shaq the exception? But Rafa has been so consistent over the last couple years, I really thought he would be the exception. That he could continue to be knocked down and get back up. I expected a huge comeback from this break. But now missing the Olympics, two masters and the USO, I am beginning to really worry for his career.
I’m a big Federer fan, but I always liked Rafa and I love most Rafa-Fed matches, despite my guy losing most of them. I looked forward to another act in their rivalry. I hope we get it.

August 15th, 2012 at 2:56 pm

Nadal’s season ended when FO was over – when was the last time he won ANYTHING outside of clay? Tokyo 2010. That might as well be his last tournament win outside of clay.

And not just clay. Nadal needs RED clay to win. We all know what happens to him on blue clay, even at home courts – he turns black and blue.

I think he figures he can’t compete well outside of clay, so might as well drop out rather than being “Rosoled” again.

Good way to preserve H2H against other players!! Just play them on clay!!

August 15th, 2012 at 3:00 pm

It is too early to come to any conclusion about Rafa’s season. In the absence of any credible report, it is pure speculation as to how serious his situation is. Only some days back, there were reports of him being back on the practice courts. He also was apparently practicing for the Olympics before the sudden withdrawal. Rafa is the kind of player who thrives on confidence and momentum on non-clay surfaces. The shocking loss to Rosol and its aftermath appears eerily similar to the 2009 RG loss to Soderling. I think he will not only be back but he will be a strong contender in the indoor season. He will be fresh and rejuvenated and the rest of the field will be not. Very few indoor surfaces are really quick or low-bouncing nowadays.

Rafa is probably in the last quarter of his peak prime and I expect him to play at a very high level for some more time. A lot of people have learnt over the years that they wrote Rafa off at their own peril. This guy dominated the clay season and barely lost the AO final. He was a finalist at eight(winning five) of the last ten majors. Such a champion will likely be a big contender even beyond his peak prime. Writing him off now appears a touch silly at this moment.

August 15th, 2012 at 3:01 pm

Thanks Courbon i really wish you posted on here more often,your one of the nicest,fairest and most unbiased posters on this forum,i cringe when i read some posts,but others like yours,Janes,Contys,Skeezers,make me smile,as you all look for the positives even in negative situations,not that i mind constructive critisism,theres not a lot of point been here otherwise,its just the haters i have no time for.

August 15th, 2012 at 3:02 pm

I see Chuck Norris is up against Andy Murray. Wonder if he will do Cincy proud.

August 15th, 2012 at 3:03 pm

@john;

STFU!!

August 15th, 2012 at 3:04 pm

There has been no gloating whatsoever.

There isno injury. Rafas current level of play is not up to standards with that is required for top 4. player.
So his team decided to withdraw from all the fast surface tournements.
The proof is easy and can be found anyware but mostly with his last match . Helost and wasnot injured . yes maybe inthe brain section because he tried to fight with his opponent.
Only later Rafa came out with a half baked story of his knees.

August 15th, 2012 at 3:07 pm

Wow I see Tennis-x has really turned into a war zone. Miss the days this wasn’t a place for foul language and childish insults.

August 15th, 2012 at 3:08 pm

^I second that!!

August 15th, 2012 at 3:09 pm

Where is mem???

August 15th, 2012 at 3:10 pm

@alison: I agree. There’s too much hatred in some of these posts that detracts from the fun of the game. The competition among these players is what makes it so much fun for us. Our particular favorites would not shine without the others.

August 15th, 2012 at 3:12 pm

John yeah both sets of fans are as bad as each other TBH,its supposed to be a a thread about Rafas USO withdrawal,and the next thing you know,it gets turned into a Fedal warzone(sigh) pathetic.

August 15th, 2012 at 3:17 pm

I agree with the hatred which is put up by some dissapointed fans.
Try to maintain some dignity in trying to explain the choices of team rafa.
There is no need to attack other posters who clearly have a clear view of the sitution.

August 15th, 2012 at 3:22 pm

STFU and Pffft!. Top words (?) of the day.

Can we just give the Rafa fans some room to vent here? This is a very tough lost for them, imagine if it was your fav. I know some of you think it is well deserved mud thrown back at some Rafa fans( like Mark cheering for anyone to win at Wimby to knock out Fed ) but the damage is done here with Rafa being out and his future is an unknown at this point. For me, I would rather have Rafa playing healthy and Fed kickin his @ss!
Vamos Rafa get well soon!

August 15th, 2012 at 3:38 pm

Skeezer nice post.

August 15th, 2012 at 3:45 pm

Sean Randall: “He still has a month before the Davis Cup tie on clay against the U.S.”

Davis Cup, even on clay, should be the last thing that Nadal should bother about (and ATP 250 events as well). In any case, I believe Nadal said after winning DC last year that he would not play DC this year.

I’d like to see the Davis Cup re-formatted into an Olympics-like tournament held every four years, so that every two years we have the Davis Cup and then the Olympics.

******

Trufan: Thanks. You have a point. Even Federer had a hard time getting over his mono and back injuries at age 26/27 in 2008. It’s probably going to be harder for Nadal to overcome these physical setbacks going forward.

But I also think mental is important — and I don’t see Nadal quite at Borg’s precipice just yet (even though I suspect Nadal, given his mental intensity on court, is prone to temporary emotional downs occasionally).

Strange as this may sound, I think many Federer fans would like to see Nadal win a few more slams and perhaps regain the No. 1 ranking for one more year — rather than fizzle off at age 26.

******

Let’s now put Nadalista and Mark opposite each other:
nadalista Says: STFU!!!
Mark Says: STFU!!
Nuff said, lol.

August 15th, 2012 at 3:45 pm

STFU and Pfffffffft are appropriate words for some of the fedthugs here!

August 15th, 2012 at 3:49 pm

Sienna i completely agree everyones entitled to an opinion,however everyones also entitled to disagree with that opinion if they so wish,so i should listen to your own advice there if i were you,3 words spring to mind about the attacking other posters and not spreading hatred,POT,KETTLE AND BLACK.

August 15th, 2012 at 3:50 pm

Skeezer
I agree with your plea , but your wrong about the not being healthy part .
there is absolutely not a clear indication he is really injured.
Also his statements are a little dubious about what is wrong. he is not ready completely different statement as to injury statement.

August 15th, 2012 at 3:52 pm

Alison agreed, atleast people should try to maintain some dignity.

August 15th, 2012 at 3:57 pm

Yes Skeez Great post

@alison

I think one should attack posters for there bad behavior but that doesn’t mean their player deserves the same treatment.

Why should Nadal be bad mouthed because Mark prowls the form’s and attacks Fed?

In the same way why should Fed be bad mouthed cause some nutty Fed fans, running circus laps around here, are shouting insults at Nadal?

August 15th, 2012 at 3:57 pm

Mark says:

“STFU and Pfffffffft are appropriate words for some of the fedthugs here!”

@Mark: actually, they’re not. The former is shorthand for a pretty inappropriate string of words that only someone lacking a better vocabulary or ability to articulate reasonable, non-emotional reactions would use. The latter is the phonetic spelling of a noise that one makes.

If you’d like to engage either the subject of this post or any of the actual posters here in real discussion, I’d encourage you to do so with other, more choice “appropriate words.”

I continue to be amazed at how some of the posters here resort so rapidly to emotion and anger when someone else suggests something s/he doesn’t like about their favorite player.

August 15th, 2012 at 4:00 pm

Its a sad state of affairs to say the least.

August 15th, 2012 at 4:02 pm

http://blog.oregonlive.com/tennis/2012/08/rafael_nadal_and_his_haters.html

August 15th, 2012 at 4:03 pm

@dave’s wisdom:

1. Rafa’s decison to withdraw from the Olympics was tactical, to prepare fro USOpen (seem to remember some so-called Rafans agreeing with this).

2. Rafa announces his withdrawal from USOpen during Cincy tournament to spite other players (read: Roger)

Can’t wait for his next dissertation where he will tell us Rafa’s withdrawal from USOpen was tactical………..to prepare for Oz2013.

Geez……………

August 15th, 2012 at 4:05 pm

My link above especially for fedthugs. @ Dave . I believe you are an admirer of Douglas Perry.

August 15th, 2012 at 4:07 pm

People we should try to stay civil.
But it would be strange to tell people what to do or what not to do.
Just give your view of tennis and of posters in a civil way.

August 15th, 2012 at 4:08 pm

@the mind reels;

Actually, STFU is shorthand for………STFU.

August 15th, 2012 at 4:08 pm

nadalista,

Lol!

Now, if u excuse me, I’m going to STFU.

August 15th, 2012 at 4:28 pm

@tmr

Just trying to make light of the situation. Your post was fine :) and mark is the Father of inappropriateness! The kettle is coffee black.

August 15th, 2012 at 4:31 pm

Rogerrafa,

Go back to AUS open 2010. Fed won that. At that time, Fed had reached 18 of the previous 19 slam finals, had won 3 of the previous 4 slams, narrowly missing the 4th to Delpo. He was ranked No. 1 in the world. And no injuries. However, he was 28.5 years old. At that time, nobody would have dreamt that over the next 9 slams, he will only reach one final (that too French), without winning any.

Point is – players don’t stop winning smoothly. The decline is ALWAYS sudden. Look at Borg in 1980, then Borg in 1981. Look at Mcenroe in 1984, then Mcenroe in 1985. Look at Wilander in 1988, then Wilander in 1989. And so on…

Heck, look at Federer in 2007, then Federer in 2008. At the start of the AUS open in 2008, Fed had won 11 majors in the last 4 years – a record. He won only 1 out of the next 5. At the end of 2007, Fed was 26+ in age. EXACTLY WHAT NADAL IS NOW.

Fed had mono, Nadal has his knees. Time doesn’t stop for anyone.

The difference is – Fed is a superior all court player than Nadal , with a much less physical game. Fed has won a total of 5 slams (out of a possible 19) since end of 2007. In all likelihood, Nadal will fare much worse, given intense competition from Djoke and Murray (both younger than Nadal by 1 year), and a few even younger strong players like Delpo and Raonic (both tall, both strong servers, both with two handed backhand – they neutralize Nadal’s moonball to the backhand).

So expecting Nadal to be back in full force, EVER, is wishful thinking.

He’ll most probably win another French title. Maybe squeak out another major. Maybe yet another French. But that’s it.

August 15th, 2012 at 4:32 pm

BTW, expecting Fed to win another slam is also wishful thinking. He might, JUST MIGHT, squeak out 1 more if he gets lucky, either at the USO or at Wimbledon – but that’s it. He will end his career at 17 or 18.

Nadal will probably end his career at 13 or 14.

Now, if you slap on 6 (or maybe 7?) YEC for Federer (versus zero for Nadal) on top of that, and nearly 300 weeks at No 1, it isn’t even close…..

August 15th, 2012 at 4:35 pm

@skeezer: all good.

August 15th, 2012 at 4:37 pm

Let’s get all the excuses on the table in one post. I opted out of the US Open because

1)I am afraid of drug tests
2)I need time to prepare for Australian Open 2013
3)I am mentally recovering from the loss to Rosol
4) Uncle Toni sends me to Siberia because of my Wimbledon loss
5) Resting before the next big thing (exo with the Djoker)
6) I am expected to give birth in 2 months..paternity/maternity leave
7) Spain is so poor, they can’t afford to pay my tickets to the US
8) The Spanish PM has me on “begging duty” to raise cash for Spain
9)Paul Gasol has kidnapped me
10) I am home to enjoy the loss to be suffered by the Arrogant One in the weeks to come.
11) My single father is about to get divorced.
12) Now, that I have conquered the clay court, I won’t quit until my playstation game is improved as well
13) Due to my generous nature, I want to give others a chance to win grandslams (Mr.Lady Forehand, this one is for you)
14) I have reached middle age

Did I leave anything out?

August 15th, 2012 at 4:57 pm

Humble Rafa,

one more:

15) Mr Lady forehand is no longer Mr. Lady forehand – so no easy semi victory for me, no?

August 15th, 2012 at 5:06 pm

Mr Lady forehand is no longer Mr. Lady forehand
—
I am sure if I give him one look, he would choke. Trust me. He needs a super choker or a really old guy in the final to win a slam. It can happen.

August 15th, 2012 at 5:08 pm

@Humble Rafa: new specs needed old man, blurred vision probably, nostalically looking at yesterday. Bless.

August 15th, 2012 at 5:12 pm

pardon me dear rafa fans but i had to lol at most of HR’s list. absurdly funny.

pretty clever, HR ; )

and i’ll remember your post, August 15th at 5:08 pm :D that is, when Muzza wins his 1st GS, hehehehe….

August 15th, 2012 at 5:19 pm

Perfect opportunity for Murray to cash in and win his first slam. Roger’s age is showing, and with nadal out, then Novak and Murray will become the only two players to win the slams. It’s such a shame that things have become so easy for Murray and Djokovic.

I hope that if Roger can’t win then perhaps Ferrer, who’s such a hard worker, can win the USO, or it would be nice for one of the Americans (not Young) to win on their home turf, just like people want for Murry to win on his home ground.

Peeps, looks like tennis is entering a temporary weak era.

August 15th, 2012 at 5:34 pm

Only a deteriorated nadalfan can come up with the term weakera.they use it in order to pull down Fed.
There really are no weakera around in tennis.
Its a myth.
Fed will revenge his olympis loss for his second slam of the year

August 15th, 2012 at 5:54 pm

@ trufan

“The decline is ALWAYS sudden”

That is why it is so difficult to predict when the decline will start. We are always wiser after the event. I will, therefore, give Rafa at least two more years to see if your and others’ prediction about his decline turn out to be true. I will salute this clairvoyance then without any hesitation. I also don’t agree that the decline is “ALWAYS sudden”. For example, Sampras’ was not so sudden. Borg had a mental burnout and Mac and Wilander are extremely exceptional examples of sudden decline. Roger set the bar so high that anything less appeared a decline. I think his decline has been much more gradual. It also depends, I guess, on how you define a decline.

I can see your logic but I don’t think Rafa has reached that stage yet. He is only 26 although I concede that his body has more wear and tear at this age than probably any other player. However, had this situation arisen at, say, the age of 29, I would have been much more concerned about his future. I also think Rafa’s ability to handle power players has improved considerably. I was also responding more to comments which wrote Rafa totally off. I think a lot of Rafa fans will be very happy with 14 majors. I also think that, at this stage, you are more likely to be correct about Roger’s major tally than Rafa’s which could increase or decrease depending on his fitness. Roger, at 31, seems to have almost reached that stage. About Rafa, we will see.

August 15th, 2012 at 6:02 pm

None of us knows what’s wrong with Rafa. I’m sure he’ll be back. This long absence is too bad, but he’ll be back. Maybe he learned his lesson from 2009, when he (arguably) returned from injury too early (whether hoping to stay no. 2, or not) and had a lackluster few months. Or maybe the knees are worse this time.

Anyway, Rafa fans: don’t let the idiots and haters here get you down.

August 15th, 2012 at 6:09 pm

Here is a article that gets quotes from players past and present on Rafa, and there 2 cents….

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/tennis/story/2012-08-15/rafael-nadal-knee-injury-long-term-health/57076314/1

August 15th, 2012 at 6:11 pm

I’m surprised that nobody draws the important conclusion for the next three grand slams:

– Djokovic or Federer will have to beat on Saturday Murray and then beat the other or Murray on Sunday. Unless a premature elimination, the draw will be super unbalanced at US Open. It will be mission impossible for one of the two and a clear path for the other…

– Science fiction: at next Australian Open, we can see a quarter final between one of the big three against Nadal (in best case scenario!).

– Super science fiction: at next French Open, we could have a second round Nadal / Federer when Nadal will be out of the top 50 and will try to come back! hahaha

Obviously, I don’t take into account the hypothesis (not so unrealistic) that Nadal decides to end his Tennis career.

August 15th, 2012 at 6:37 pm

BTW, does anyone know if the players have won their challenge against US television to avoid super Saturday and following Sunday? Probably not…

August 15th, 2012 at 6:39 pm

Last point to my previous post, just imagine that Federer could have to beat Del Potro, Murray and Djokovic on Friday/Saturday/Sunday to win US Open…

August 15th, 2012 at 6:40 pm

Gregoire, even if Nadal sits out every single tournament from now until the French Open, his 2000 points from that will keep him in the top 16 (current no. 16, Dolgopolov, has 1905 points). So your second-round match-up is much more than “science fiction.” (And just his clay season points – MC, Rome, and Paris – would keep him in the top eight until Monte Carlo. This is assuming he zeroes every single tournament until then.)

The AO quarterfinal matchup is not so impossible. After the USO, Rafa will be pretty close to Ferrer and even Tsonga. Ferrer is quietly having his best-ever season, and might well pick up another 1000+ points in the fall season (but it’s no guarantee – he was a Shanghai finalist last year, so there is a chance to lose many points as well). Tsonga of course could gain points or lose them. So unpredictable. :)

Anyway, it all depends, obviously, on when Nadal returns to the tour. I would be surprised if he’s out so long he falls to no. 5, barring something truly extraordinary (e..g, Ferrer making the USO final!).

August 15th, 2012 at 6:49 pm

@Eric, good analysis for the 2000 points. But as you implied, my science fiction is not so science fiction.

August 15th, 2012 at 6:52 pm

@GG

Sadly no chamge this year :(

August 15th, 2012 at 6:52 pm

Sienna Says:
Only a deteriorated nadalfan can come up with the term weakera.they use it in order to pull down Fed.

——
You talking about my comment on the weak era? FYI, I’m not a Nadal fan, and not a deteriorated any kind of fan. How about reading my comment again, before you jump to conclusions.
FYI, tennis is weak with Nadal out and Fed’s inconsistencies. This is where Murray and Djokovic can cash in and win everything.

Fed, at 28, would not let DelPotro keep him 4.5 hours on the court, and even if he did play for so much time, would have been able to bounce back. This 31 Y/o Fed can’t do that, he needs more rest. The match with Murray was more Fed’s to lose than Murray to win, becoz Fed didn’t have the energy to take it to Murray.

You need to cool it with the insults and pay more attention before you write.

August 15th, 2012 at 6:59 pm

Terrible news for Rafa and ALL tennis fans!

big tournies are not the same without him

hope he takes the time to get the best treatment and make some major adjustments so that this doesn’t happen again!

August 15th, 2012 at 6:59 pm

A very wise decision Rafa….wish you a speedy recovery….

However, I highly recommand you take the whole season off…

We all will miss you surely….God Speed….

August 15th, 2012 at 7:05 pm

Actually, what’s interesting is that for 2011 and 2012, the historical ranking data shows 2000 points lands you at 15-17th place (roughly). But if you go back in time (I am talking 2009 here, not 1990 or something), 2000 points can be much lower in the rankings. In the middle of 2009, 2k points puts you at no. 20; but at the beginning of the season it’s only no. 29! If you go back to the middle of 2007, 2000 points ( which is 1000 points in the ranking system of the time) is likewise 29 again. The same is true in 2006: 2000 points gets you around no. 32.

So to sum up: an imaginary player with 2000 points at the end of the 2011 season would have been ranked 14 (just above Roddick, as it happens). At the end of 2005, such a player would have been no. 30 (just ahead of Monfils!).

Now, obviously, there are some complicating factors that might nuance this a bit, but in principle it’s intuitively obvious that 2000 points buys you more now than in 2005 because the top 4 or 8 players are more dominant. Instead, the 2011 year-ending top 4 possess 38,775 points, as compared to the 2005 year-ending top 4 with 34130 (as adjusted, again, for the doubling of points after 2008). That’s an increase of about 14%. Compare the top 8 players and it’s much less striking – just a few percent.

The bottom line is something we already all know perfectly well: the top four we have now are extremely dominant. So much so, in fact, that they have a huge effect on the distribution of points all the way down through the entire pro rankings. (The 2005 world no. 50’s points would be good enough to land him at 26 now — that’s because lower-ranked players got further in more events in 2005.)

This also has implications for the weak/strong era arguments. If anything, pro tennis looks by the numbers to have a weaker bench now than in 2006. But that would be to misunderstand the numbers, because what it actually means is only that the top four in 2011 are better than in 2005. Unfortunately, because tennis ranking doesn’t provide a way to gauge anything other than tournament performance, statistical analysis of broad patterns like this shouldn’t reveal anything much about relative skill levels of the field at large. It’s only because the top four are so much better than the rest of the field now that the point distribution shows anything. (Of course, someone who actually knows anything about statistics might disagree. I’d love that!)

August 15th, 2012 at 7:24 pm

Thanks Alison,thats very sweet of you.I work a lot,so I have little time left for blog.Also very often there is so much stupidity and heatred writen here that I close my laptop quick…its a shame because there is a number of people that I like, including you.You like my posts, because you are same as me-you like tennis and have a respect for this incredible sportsman.Speak to you soon

August 15th, 2012 at 7:29 pm

@Eric Very relevant analysis! I don’t think that statistic can help you more because the “sampling rate” is too low. You would need dozens of big-four eras to start computing interesting things I think.

August 15th, 2012 at 7:32 pm

Well, actually it only started with me being curious about how stable the 2000 point – 16th rating ‘peg’ is. It’s quite stable for 2012 and 2011, but falls to around 20 for some parts of 2010. (not that I looked at every week, of course… this is just my impression, but anyway it certainly shouldn’t change quickly.) Then it really falls away in 2009 and earlier. Basically, if you look at the 2011 year end rankings, there’s Djokovic, and then a ways behind him, Rafa, Roger, and Murray. Then there’s another 2500 points before you get to the no. 5 (Ferrer, of course). But what’s crazy is that the 2005 year end rankings are just: Federer, and then a ways behind him (4000 points), Nadal, and then 3500 more to Roddick, and then just over 1000 to Lleyton and the rest of the field dropping off in small intervals. It’s just actual mathematical confirmation of the Big Four trope, not that any were needed.

The problem isn’t though the lack of lots of big-four eras. I don’t care about big-four eras. My point is that while the ranking points distro can reflect dominance by a small cabal at the top, it doesn’t really have anything to say about the strength of the overall field.

Consider a much simplified tour with ten tournaments. You get 2 points for winning a final, 1 point for reaching a final, and 0 for anything less. Say Schmederer wins 6 tournaments, finals in 2, and 0s in the others; that’s 14 points. If this is 2005, the remaining 12 trophies and final appearances are spread out among, say, eight players. But in 2011, the top four dominate 19 out of the 20 final slots. Just being that other guy puts you right behind in the rankings, whereas in the 2005 version, maybe there’s a guy or two have a final appearance or two AND a win. It’s much more evenly spread out.

BUT, you obviously can’t conclude that the rest of the field sucks, on average, just because they’re being shut out, whereas in 2005 the field was way better because they were getting to lots of finals. It’s the statistics-defying presence of the big four that’s soaking up the points for everyone else. That’s all I’m saying: the tennis ranking system doesn’t let you compare skill very well.

August 15th, 2012 at 7:45 pm

On the other hand, it’s perfectly possible to evaluate the weak era arguments in other ways. For example, figure out what players where usually around spots 10, 20, 30, 40 in the years you want to compare, and then decide if you really think one year’s players were better or worse at tennis than the others. No math needed. :)

August 15th, 2012 at 7:53 pm

Er, forgive all the typos.

August 15th, 2012 at 7:54 pm

Now… back to writing about ancient Greek law. Ah, procrastination.

August 15th, 2012 at 7:55 pm

Interesting thoughts Eric – definitely the top four have been super dominant in recent years. I posted an article last week which noted that since mid-2010, between them they have won EVERY single masters 1000 and slam. It’s crazy. At least there are four of them sharing the spoils, but I’d certainly be happy to see players like Ferrer, Gasquet, Tsonga, Delpo etc winning some masters 1000 events anyhow. That said, it’s up to them to do it. They have to figure out a way to break through, to improve their games or tactics so they can win. Frankly, I expect it has to happen soon, right? I think so. Who knows? Maybe at Cincy we’ll have a new winner.

August 15th, 2012 at 8:17 pm

Jane, wow, that’s crazy. I didn’t see your post or that article – actually, if I had thought about it, I don’t remember anyone else winning a Masters for a long time, but it’s still just crazy.

Back in 2010, Soderling, Roddick, and Ljubicic won Masters; Davydenko was the only non-big-four winner in 2009. The big four also occupy more than half, 19/33, of the Masters runner up slots since the beginning of 2009, it turns out. So yeah: they’ve got a lock on the biggest point payouts.

I wouldn’t expect that to change any time this week. Roger, Andy, and Novak look amazing. (I’m interested to see the Djokovic-Davydenko showdown, though!)

August 15th, 2012 at 8:39 pm

Has anyone noticed this:

2007 USO Final: Federer beats Djokovic
2008 USO SF: Federer beats Djokovic
2009 USO SF: Federer beats Djokovic
2010 USO SF: Djokovic beats Federer
2011 USO SF: Djokovic beats Federer
2012 USO Final: Djokovic beats Federer?

Funny if it happens.

August 15th, 2012 at 9:42 pm

nadalista: “dave’s wisdom”

That’s the only part you got right, lol.

Obviously you, like Mark, suffer from a chronic comprehension and BS problem.

First, your chronic comprehension problem. nadalista: “1. Rafa’s decison to withdraw from the Olympics was tactical, to prepare fro USOpen (seem to remember some so-called Rafans agreeing with this).”

– Everybody can read my wise post, which wisely began with: “Nadal is either going for a hail mary win at the US Open or, less likely, is shutting down for the year…” In case, you don’t understand what it means, shutting down for the year means skipping all tournaments from US Open to World Tour Finals.
http://www.tennis-x.com/xblog/2012-08-09/10433.php#comment-309358

– And more wise posting from wise dave: “We’ll see what happens at the US Open. Until Nadal actually withdraws from US Open, I still believe that he will focus on US Open, Shanghai and World Tour Finals this year. Only if he doesn’t show up for US Open or loses early, there is a possibility he might shut down until Australia.”
http://www.tennis-x.com/xblog/2012-08-14/10461.php#comment-313212

Second, your BS problem. nadalista: “2. Rafa announces his withdrawal from USOpen during Cincy tournament to spite other players (read: Roger)”

– What you said is monumental BS. Now that I’ve said that what you said is BS, prove that you’re not a queen of BS by proving to us that what you said is true. Otherwise you will forever be a queen of BS.

*****

Mark: “I believe you are an admirer of Douglas Perry”

– Obviously not as much as you since you are quoting his latest articles within hours of its release, lol.

– Oh, now I see what you wanted us to read in your link. It’s Douglas Perry’s summary of you: “I’ve also encountered fans who truly despise Rafa’s great rival, Roger Federer. They find him all too pleased with himself. To me, Federer comes across as rather down to earth for a megamillionaire who has won more major titles — a whopping 17 — than anyone else in tennis history. Still, I kind of get where his haters are coming from. There is no angst in Roger Federer; he got rid of every last trace of it — along with his ponytail — around the time he won his first Wimbledon. This is hard for some fans to take. Thanks to Ilie Nastase and John McEnroe and Andre Agassi and Jennifer Capriati, we became accustomed to self-loathing tennis stars. We reveled in their psychic pain. Their tirades and destructive behavior made us feel better about ourselves. They may be richer and more talented than we’ll ever be, but that doesn’t make them happy.”

– My, my. I didn’t realize you are a poor, untalented self-loather with destructive behavior. Yes, it explains you. :)

August 15th, 2012 at 9:51 pm

trufan, would be funny if Nadal ends his career at 13 slams. An unlucky number for an unlucky player.

August 15th, 2012 at 9:52 pm

Eric, have you considered the ranking points changes that took place in 2009 being one of the causes? It didn’t just double the points, it weighted them more heavily towards the winner.

August 15th, 2012 at 10:07 pm

Forehand_lob, actually, no. I thought they only doubled them. Darn, that totally throws everything off. (I thought the last major redesign of the tour structure was well before 2005 and only the point totals were doubled after 2008…)

Ok, scratch everything I said above, although I strongly suspect the effect is still present…

August 15th, 2012 at 10:21 pm

Dave,

No one can deny your rationale, only in words like “STFU” and “Pffft!” do you seem to get in response. Bummer. Keep the Faith.

August 15th, 2012 at 10:29 pm

[…] today Rafael Nadal officially withdrew his name from the US Open tournament. Nadal’s absence from the Open will be his […]

August 15th, 2012 at 10:41 pm

skeezer: It’s because of deep faith that the “STFUers” and the “Pfffters” remain a tiny minority.

August 15th, 2012 at 11:28 pm

Alok
funky dude you are.

A 28 year oldFed would not be on court for 4 1/2 hour?
What a dumb remark. I belief Fed was exactly 28 when he islost us open final againstDelpo .
So he would have been happy to stick around for three days and beating him .

O wait usopen has set 5th breaker and wimbly / olympus not.

August 15th, 2012 at 11:56 pm

Maybe you are funky dude but wanted to say funny .
The Fed at 28 thing was a bit dumb of you.

August 16th, 2012 at 12:07 am

Maybe he has a tear and is not telling anyone, and had or needs surgery?

August 16th, 2012 at 12:07 am

Alok
You are right. I hope an American wins USO, it’s home soil after all.

August 16th, 2012 at 12:45 am

@Dave,
Nadal should not have announced his USO withdrawal in the middle of Cincinnati, because this is now going to distract fans and players, and take the news away from the Cincy tournament trying to recover from the Olympics. There was absolutely no urgency for Nadal to make the announcement today,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I couldn’t believe that’s yours, you are old enough and are very inteligent, you could think twice before posted,,,, I am so disappointed,

Imo, rafa did this for the sake of his fans like me who had bought the uso ticket, so the fans will know he won’t be there . Lucky he said so , I don’t buy the air ticket and book the hotel.

But I agree with you said about his way of playing tennis, its really taken toll into his body, if he wants to continue, he needs to change the style.

I am sooooo sad coz he is just 26.

August 16th, 2012 at 1:27 am

@Sienna, not here to argue, just to talk tennis. How abolut trying to limit the insults?

I don’t much care for your comments that my remark was dumb. Glad to see you realized that a 3 set match didn’t have a tie-breaker. If it was a slam, Fed would not have had to play so many games in the third set, only in a 5 setter. The match with Delpo at the USO was not 3 sets.

August 16th, 2012 at 2:25 am

Alok please where did i insult you?

To say a comment you made is dumb doesnot mean you are.

Lets face it in order to make a point you brought in 28 yo Fed never needing 4 1/2 hr to beat delpo .
That is stupid because 28 yo Fed LOST a slam final.
Dont you see the irony of your remark.

August 16th, 2012 at 2:47 am

@Gregoire Gentil, if Delpotro,or possibly Tsonga but not so sure about him, gets to USOpen semis it would not, IMHO, be so lop sided.
Nobody should be writing Rafa off. And whether u like his tennis or not, surely u can’t deny he is a very charsimatic player.

August 16th, 2012 at 3:17 am

“charismatic” even…*sighs*

August 16th, 2012 at 3:17 am

Dave, Dave, Dave. Yr post Aug 15 9.51 pm. As usual cherry picking what you want to read and quote. Why don’t you quote the paragraphs pertaining to Nadal? The article was mainly about him with a few words thrown in about fed which you chose to quote. The article is there for all to read. Shame on you!

August 16th, 2012 at 4:07 am

Mark. Mark. Mark. Shame on you actually. What exactly is it that dave has done wrong. You are obsessed with Federer, not rafa. Why dont you look into the fact that Rafa isnt playing and provide the tennis fans here with some insight into what is going on rather than coming across as a peeved elderly person? You just dont enjoy life do you? Always complaining.

August 16th, 2012 at 4:14 am

madthing. My post was addressed to dave. Since when have you become his spokesman? I am sure if he wants to respond to my post he will do so in his usual 1000 lines. You want some insight into what is going on? Are you really interested in Rafa’s injury problems? If you are scan his fan sites and you will get all the insight and information you need regarding his injury problems which are huge at the moment. Or you can just continue fawning over fed. I couldn’t care less what you do!!

August 16th, 2012 at 4:29 am

Ahhhh Queen! You have always had a way with words. Commiserations to your fav.

August 16th, 2012 at 3:43 pm

using the word “rationale” and dave in the same sentence is oxymoronic! LOL……

August 17th, 2012 at 5:25 am

OMG…….there are people on this site who actually think @dave’s long-winded nonsense is worthy of responding to, let alone reading?

Personally, I just see his name and skip over the post. You do not need to read/listen to a person’s nonsense to tell him/her to STFU…….

Where Rafa is concerned: @dave, STFU.

August 17th, 2012 at 5:30 am

Dave totally nailt the Nadal enigma this week.

Yesterday uncle T came out of hibernation and suggested that nadal is trying to get ready for Davis Cup semi final. So there goes the nonsense of the injury.

He is just through with the fast courts.

August 17th, 2012 at 5:48 am

Eric, yeah, I think it should have been more controversial than it was, but I don’t think players realized what it would do. The 2008 points can be found on this page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATP_Rankings

August 17th, 2012 at 6:59 am

Now it looks like he is doubtful for DC, despite Unc Toni’s BS talk about playing it

Per Rafa

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/17/us-tennis-nadal-idUSBRE87G0J520120817

August 17th, 2012 at 11:16 am

Btw here is a very good article on Rafa. Hope it cheers up the Rafa fans :)

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/17/sport/tennis/tennis-rafael-nadal-mallorca/index.html

August 17th, 2012 at 11:18 am

Skeezer, thanks for those links, you are so sweet today, hahaha!

August 17th, 2012 at 11:31 am

[…] which is a fat pad impingement in his left knee (read more here). The injury has now forced him out of the US Open and he says he will only return when the knee is 100% […]

August 17th, 2012 at 12:09 pm

I really don’t see why you are talking about federer when it’s an article about nadal injury !! and to people critisizing about nadal winning only in clay season ! who did eleminated roger federrer this year in the AO also and to people who said nadal is afraid of facing federer let me remind you that nadal won 18 match against roger and roger only 10 !! if it wasn’t about his injury i bet nadal would have done a great hard court season regarding the high level tennis he played in the AO !! it doesn’t matter if champions like Nadal Federer Djokovic Murray ETC loses .The point that matter is that you need to cheer really high to your idols and respect other player regardless of their fans in order to enjoy tennis !! sorry for the bad english but anyway i think you all get my opinion !! I could write much more lines but i think you will get bored and just dont read my comment lol

August 23rd, 2012 at 8:43 pm