Rafael Nadal Loses In Shanghai, Hints His 2016 Season Could Be Over

Hope he shuts it down. He doesn’t do well usually this time of the year anyway. Heal up , get that wrist right.

October 12th, 2016 at 12:59 pm

Nice to see someone who keeps their dignity when they lose ….

October 12th, 2016 at 1:00 pm

If his wrist is still injured, I agree that he should shut down his season. He has about 1000 points to defend the rest of the year – not something that he couldn’t make up in the early part of next year if he gets to a good start.

October 12th, 2016 at 1:08 pm

Rafa: “Sometimes to keep competing is not the answer”…..I agree with him on this especially if the wrist is still worrisome. His first match in Beijing he was hitting so hard and winning some awesome points, played lights out! The next match he won but didn’t play as well as the first match and the third match was terrible. Then today was even worse imo…..He better lay off and get that wrist rehabilitated and be fresh for 2017. His confidence level is way down simply because he is not competing at the level that it takes to win. I don’t want to sound too negative but unfortunately doubt if he ever will……but sounds like he is not ready to give up on himself so I won’t either!! VAMOS!!

October 12th, 2016 at 1:27 pm

As an ardent fan, I agonize over your results in recent times.
You need to give your body enough time to heal. Perhaps you need to
use the rest of the year to rest and heal. Is it possible you practice too much? Why not try something new, like a consultant to give another point of view. An outsider may see what is not obvious to your uncle and the team. Why are you so resistant to other opinion?
With rest and the proper adjustment, we know you are capable of returning to winning.

October 12th, 2016 at 1:28 pm

Okiegal:

“but sounds like he is not ready to give up on himself so I won’t either!! VAMOS!!”

Excellent. Can’t you send that fortifying message to his facebook?

And kudos to CV.

October 12th, 2016 at 2:09 pm

@J-Kath….Great idea! I had never thought of doing that. We are FB friends, I am just one of a millon and I am sure he would personally acknowledge it! Yeah, right!! Lol!

October 12th, 2016 at 2:29 pm

Gals im on FB too ….

October 12th, 2016 at 2:44 pm

Willow, I tried to locate you and did not have any luck…..try to friend me please. I am still on Byron’s account….. Byron Rowsey. Hope you have better luck finding me than I did you!

October 12th, 2016 at 3:13 pm

Nadals finished he should retire his win/loss record is been severely damaged, retire Rafa you’ve had it

October 12th, 2016 at 4:54 pm

Rafa is a good guy, and a class act. I hope he gives himself time to rejuvenate physically and mentally and has a couple of good years left in him. Tennis needs him.

October 12th, 2016 at 5:58 pm

This really is a good idea at this point. He still seems to be injured, thinks he needs rest, and the remaining tournaments are indoors.
Poor Rafa, as I said yesterday, has 2 titles won indoors, and 67 outdoors. I like to think of Rafa as an all-court player but that is by surfaces. 2-67 is about as lopsided as you can get with a player the quality of Nadal. If we are honest, his miserable career results indoors is a negative mark on him – not really n all-court player.
One of those indoors wins was (I think) in Vienna back in 2004 or so and the other recently in RIO when I believe he was the only Top 10 player besides an injured David Ferrer that showed up.

October 12th, 2016 at 9:18 pm

Wrist never heals fully. Never. Especially past 30. Nadal is also done, like Fed. Question is how far Djokovic can go, or is he also on the slide now – after all he will be 30 too, next May.

October 12th, 2016 at 10:20 pm

Feel sad for Rafa, as the time passes looks like less and less likely that fhe will have his last hurrah:(
Once upon a time smart poster named mat4 said that he is afraid that Rafa and Nole will destroy and they are destroying each other in their matches against each othe, it looks like he was right. In Nole case it is delayed effect.

October 13th, 2016 at 2:09 am

^^ Have a cawl, and you’ll feel better ;)

October 13th, 2016 at 3:07 am

P.S. Am sorry for Rafa too, even if I hated him a few years ago when playing against Nole on clay..

October 13th, 2016 at 3:11 am

VP,

I am just having big Welsh breakfast atm, I’ll do cawl for the lunch, btw the breakfast girl is stunning, pity I am not 20 years younger;)

October 13th, 2016 at 3:32 am

Lol WB,

You are having a girl for breakfast????

October 13th, 2016 at 3:35 am

It did sound like that, blame my English…though I wouldn’t mind if that is the case;)
She is just serving the breakfast.

October 13th, 2016 at 3:38 am

:) Enjoy your breakfast

Golden boy is out, but Mischa made it. Am glad for him.

October 13th, 2016 at 3:48 am

Looks like Popiscle is being sucked up and spit out – so who was worried about Novak’s game? They can take their thumb out of their mouth.

And aha – Wogboy’s still alive and kicking – the Welsh haven’t got to him yet.

October 13th, 2016 at 4:23 am

J-Kath- He may win, but there is still a problem with Novaks game-his serve is not fast at all.Second serve-155km/h, last year-170km/h.First serve similair-about 15km/h less fast…
Good returner like Andy or Wawrinka will exploit that…

October 13th, 2016 at 4:47 am

Courbon bearing in mind hes not actually played for a while, maybe just a bit rusty, how are you BTW good to see you here ? ….

October 13th, 2016 at 4:55 am

Hi Willow, well I’m sick at the moment ( nothing serious ) so I have a chance to watch tennis during the day.
He maybe rusty, returnig is not bad, return balls bit short but I guess that will improve.Serve is still concern-indicates shoulder problem…hopefully that will also improve.
Sorry about Nadal-I think he needs to have a break and do some serious change to his game ( unless there is physical problem that we do not know about it…).Hope he gets back..I like the guy…

October 13th, 2016 at 5:24 am

Courbon i too am not feeling great, with a sore mouth from extensive dental work yesterday, anyhow enough about me, and i hope you get well soon, anyhow Novak will play himself into form, and he seems pretty relaxed, with Nadal well its dissapointing to see a great champion going this way, but not entirely unexpected anymore, and i have no expectations one way or the other, played brilliant last week against Lorenzi and Manarino, then crap against Grigor who isnt the best returner no disrespect, so just goes to show how bad Rafa was serving, maybe the wrist is still an issue, personally id prefer he shut down for this year, which all in all was never his stongest suit anyway, and get prepared for next year, what i dont want is for him to retire, as i still love to watch him play win or lose, excuse the long post ….

GET WELL SOON LOVE WILLOW ;-)) ….

October 13th, 2016 at 5:41 am

Thanks for the info. Courbon and Willow. See Milos is out…hope the rot isn’t contagious.

October 13th, 2016 at 5:42 am

Come on Andy, the player i root for in the event of Nadal going out, my second favorite, the player that always was my second favorite, and not the Nadal fan that turned into a Murray fan(atic) when Nadal lost, hopefully this fits the written criteria on this forum, on been able to actually have a second favorite, BLESSED BE FROM WILLOW ;-)) ….

October 13th, 2016 at 6:00 am

Thank you Willow.
J-Kath-Andy looks good.Not many serves IN but apart from that, he is good form.Favorite of the tournament, for sure

October 13th, 2016 at 7:21 am

Courbon Andy does indeed look very good, however i did make the mistake of saying he was currently the best player on tour which upset Wogboy, although i have said Nole has been the best player all year a gazillion times, so im careful now about what i do say ….

October 13th, 2016 at 7:27 am

I love it (and chuckle) when Willow says she’s careful about what she says – she’s just too honest for some.

Coubon: I was surprised at how easy Andy won – I thought Pouille was going to be a tough wee Frenchie to tame….
That said, not counting on him to win against Nole who will steadily get back into his zone.

October 13th, 2016 at 8:09 am

J-Kath lol (AHEM) Novak is currently the best clay court player in the world, but Rafa is the best clay court player ever ;-P ….

October 13th, 2016 at 8:35 am

Ahem back, me dear. Don’t know that there is a best clay player other than Rafa….he is still active and how many FO’s has he lost recently – 2 ?

I’m diving in and out at moment – can’t waste too much time on tennis although I’d like to – but am still keen to see if Stan gets thru…..seeyah.

October 13th, 2016 at 9:32 am

So Joe-W, Nole and Andy sent the young whippersnappers, pretenders packing. Not happy to go to a tennis retirement home quite yet then.
Gael and Stan kicked out tho. So much talent but so inconsistent both.
Saw younger Master Zverev have a massive, racquet smashing fest quite worthy of Baggy’s from years ago. Seems a bit of a diva to me. Come back naughty Nick!

October 13th, 2016 at 10:00 am

Stellar picking Margot 😉😎

October 13th, 2016 at 11:16 am

Lol jalep, y so far ahead of me in Shanghai I am (s)hanghaing my head in shame.

October 13th, 2016 at 11:45 am

I’m serious, Margot. Not that I liked seeing Rafa lose to Troicki, but YOU called it. You picked that to happen.

My rose tinted glasses again. I keep thinking Rafa has one more hot streak. My gosh, I can’t believe I picked Stan the Man over dear Andy. What the f@#$? 👍 good bracket work this week LOL

October 13th, 2016 at 12:53 pm

@Jalep – you gotta remember that Stan is usually not hot for more than 2 tournies in a row. One title, one final, and then out a week with injury…he was bound to lose early. Plus Simon is a pesky opponent for anyone just back from an injury break.

October 13th, 2016 at 1:23 pm

So true, RZ. I don’t know Stan all that well. And wasn’t remembering. Actually I pay more attention to WTA and know what Donna Vekic is doing –(lost first round in Tianjin and was right back in Shanghai for Stan. But my WTA Brackets were worse than ever.

Margot made some very good picks for Shanghai and WTA. I’m not sure about Tsonga winning the title tho. But maybe 😄 I picked Nole over Stan. Andy is looking the best, I think.

Rafa…I’m in denial. I still pick him deep all the time. Being in denial and having the many opinions I do, doesn’t help my picking. :)

October 13th, 2016 at 4:51 pm

Jalep id love to believe your right on another Rafa hot streak, we have a saying where i work, “the impossible i can do, but miracles take a bit longer ” LOL ….

October 13th, 2016 at 5:44 pm

Good one, Willow ;)

I’m flatly in denial about Rafa being done and Dimitrov’s winning streak lasting long. For starters…the list of denial goes on and on…

October 13th, 2016 at 6:19 pm

jalep: Tsonga was a c**p shoot pick, alrighty. As far as the others go:
Thought Andy would be knackered, not sure about state of Nole’s game and Rafa looked as if he’d lost his mojo? So who was left? Why, totally reliable and consistent Monsieur Tsonga that’s who. Lol!

October 14th, 2016 at 8:03 am

Thanks for the kind words guys. I will be back next year, hopefully in better form.

Hope I can make Uncle Toni’s dreams come true next year.

October 15th, 2016 at 12:04 am

J. Kath, Thanks for the acknowledgment.

I am of the opinion that Nadal over practice, over train, putting additional pressure on his already overworked and injured body.
With the necessary adjustments in the various areas, am, sure he is capable of winning more comptitions

October 15th, 2016 at 1:50 pm

CV.

You are welcome. PS: Are you new to Tennis-X threads?

October 15th, 2016 at 1:56 pm