Nadal has already passed - by a mile - the expiration date that even the most optimistic pundit had predicted based on his style of play. Far lesser taxing styles have suffered greater and more devastating injuries. Heard of Haas?
Granted some clowns are more prone but EVEN that cannot cover enough terrain to accommodate the brutal way Nadal moves on the court. AND he has been doing that - without change - for 13 freaking years.
Don't think ANY tennis player - past, present or future - can string together just a year with that kind of punishment.
Besides, he has paid EXTREMELY dearly for the breaks his injuries have demanded. There has to be some kind of consensus on at least 20 Slams if Nadal had not withdrawn while in full flight. His return and amazing results considering you are forcing a 'standing still' plane to go airborne again is MAINLY the result of that 'deprivation' and realization of where he should have been if not for the hiatus.
If you total the time off, it could easily reach maybe three seasons - in his prime AND while dominating.
Translation: This kind of abuse over 13 freaking seasons is justification enough for the injury time outs. Heck, it's incredible that he is still on the tour when maybe even medical professionals had him done @ age 26 - at best. Heck, he WAS 'done' at least couple of times only to resurface with even deadlier results.
From the chart it appears he has had 13 injuries in 13 years. That may not be excessive if you account for all the factors that are in play from within and from outside his control.
Bottom line: There may be a convincing case for the injuries being legit rather than part of some premeditated conspiracy. What is however suspect is ambiguity accurately reporting the problem coupled with maybe the time taken for recuperation.
Really? Give me a freaking freaking break!!!!!! Geeeeezzzz!!!!!
Posted by: Kitty | 08/02/2014 at 04:34 PM
When it comes to being "legit", Nadal has lost all credibility, in my view. And the proof is not in the photographic evidence, or the rumours of failed drug tests, or even the speed of his serve (although all of those things point in the same direction regarding drug use).
When the ATP has a testing programme that lacks the transparency and consistency of other sports, yet fails to make the changes necessary to improve effectiveness, there is no credibility there. And as long as Therapeutic Use Exemptions are not made public, it's no mystery that Nadal returns to the ATP tour with fantastic results. Whether he's doping within the rules or outside of it, the ATP is complicit in his doping, and expect fans to assume that the sport is clean. But between the shenanigans of Nadal and a few other players whose performance raises eyebrows (like Ferrer, the 32-year-old smoker with the grinding game who never seems to slow down), that's a pretty tall order.
Posted by: Clifford | 08/02/2014 at 05:02 PM
Age doesn't matter for Nadal, he can play as long as he and his family still enjoys the travel. His playing style may not be the most economical, but he has given absolutely no indication that the end might be near.
Posted by: O | 08/02/2014 at 06:41 PM
...although two different non-knee injuries within a 7-month span
is definitely a breaking of new ground for him.
Posted by: Gary Moser | 08/02/2014 at 08:20 PM
As a result, he's playing less. He's practicing.
Posted by: O | 08/03/2014 at 07:06 AM
posted on tennis.com by tamaskee
OK, since the same programme seems to be rebroadcast here, I cannot help but provide my impression of what we're seeing:
Super intelligent fan #1: Faker! Buttpicker! Doper! Crotch grabber! Cheater!
Super intelligent fan #2: Every time Rafa is injured he's abused like no other human being ever. He's such a martyr, but at the same time super strong, but abused, but a warrior, but mistreated worse than Jesus, but a champion of epic proportions, but hated so much because he wins, but adored so much because he wins...
Super intelligent fan #3: Without Rafa there is no tennis!
Super intelligent fan #4: Hahaha! Good for Novak! Easy pass! Hahaha!
Super intelligent fan #5: Rafa is going on his usual extended break to gather strength. What a fake.
Super intelligent fan #6: Just another silent ban for doping during clay court season.
Super intelligent fan #7: Stop hating Rafa you hater, he wins because he overcomes adversity and tweaks his game, you just hate him because you cannot stand him winning, if he weren't hurt he'd kick your ass too you whiny sniveling hater!
Super intelligent fan #8: None of this matters, no one beats a healthy Rafa, so stop hating.
Super intelligent fan #9: Thank goodness I won't have to look at him playing with his bottles for a while. What a loser, playing with water bottles! How old is he anyway?
Super intelligent fan #10: Oh, bummer. I won't see if he finally picks his nose too. I have 10:1 odds and a good bet riding on it. Crap.
Super intelligent fan #10: Novak is a douche bag who wants to be loved so bad. He's a gorilla pretending to be a tennis player. Yes, I know this is about Rafa injury but I cannot stand the haters who hate so much. If you need to hate anyone, hate the chest beating brute who works so hard wanting to be loved. You hater.
Super intelligent fan #2: Oh, one more thing. There's really no point responding to all this stupidity. But I will do it anyway. Rafa is the most abused man on the planet. So many haters. So sad. Isn't it though? Everyone just hating Rafa for being the most amazing warrior, super human being perfect in every way.
Super intelligent fan #12: One more time, just one more time...
Super intelligent fan #2: Oh, BTW, if you cannot say anything nice about someone, then keep stewing in your troll swamp, you troll.
Super intelligent fan #13: Novak is so classless. Rafa is injured, and Novak troll fans go into abuse mode, and Novak doesn't do a damn thing about it. Just a classic case of WantingToBeLovedSoBadly.
Super intelligent fan #12: One more time, just one more time...
Super intelligent fan #14: @Super intelligent fan #12 Oh shut up already, you troll!
Super intelligent fan #15: I love tennis! Isn't tennis great? So glad that pusher Nadal is out of commission. I am just a lover of tennis. Tennis, tennis, tennis... so graceful, some players are, but not Nadal. He's a buttpicking pusher. Tennis, tennis, tennis... Ah! Oh!
Super intelligent fan #16: Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah... (this would be me).
By tamaskee 3 days ago
Posted by: Anne | 08/03/2014 at 09:55 AM
What... nothing about his "obvious" (but hidden) sexual preferences? That's usually first.
Posted by: sperry | 08/03/2014 at 07:33 PM