Some (all?) players have memorable quotes they wished they had never expressed - aloud.
Roddick: "I am getting closer to solving Federer".
Federer: "Yeah, I lost early in this tournament. But then I have more time to prepare for the next one". He has said that - what - after EVERY early Slam (tournament?) loss now?
Djokovic: "Everybody say Nadal is unbeatable @ Roland Garros. I say, he is beatable".
Nadal has one he wished he had not even THOUGHT of - forget actually blurting it out loud - in public.
What is it?
HINT: It's related to 2019 AO final.
2nd HINT: The quote is about Djokovic.
First correct answer = Wall Of Fame listing.
Winner / Correct answer: Monday, Feb 4, 2019.
I need to brush up on how to engage in long rallies !
Posted by: nick | 01/30/2019 at 10:45 PM
how about
"If I don't believe that I can be competitive, and when I mean competitive, is fighting for the things that I fought for during the last 10 years, I will be probably playing golf or fishing at home,"
Posted by: stella | 01/31/2019 at 04:56 PM
In June 2018 -
"Having family? I don't know, things are not easy to be predicted. At this age, I thought that I would have already been a former player and that I would have started a family', said Nadal, adding that he may think about becoming a father when he really retires from tennis."
Posted by: Veglia | 02/01/2019 at 10:19 AM
HINT: It's about Djokovic. Geeeeezzzzzzzz!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Tennis Planet | 02/01/2019 at 04:00 PM
Correct answer:
Nadal said the following (paraphrasing) when Djokovic was at the BOTTOM of his slump:
"Djokovic will return to top form - soon".
Posted by: Tennis Planet | 02/04/2019 at 04:23 PM
https://metro.co.uk/2018/05/09/rafael-nadal-convinced-novak-djokovic-will-return-best-form-despite-latest-setback-7533793/
Posted by: Tennis Planet | 02/04/2019 at 04:53 PM
TP, these are getting difficult. Even Veglia (arguably the best returner in the history of the sport) in getting aced.
Posted by: Alpha | 02/04/2019 at 05:30 PM
I guess the point is that these are hard, hence you get famous for solving :) But yes, getting more difficult to figure TP out. Although I still think the 12 break points was the right/better answer to the previous HoF. But TP is both the linesman and the Hawk Eye and the chair umpire, so ...
We haven't had 2019 predictions, or I missed them?
Posted by: Veglia | 02/04/2019 at 06:36 PM
This HOF is also inconsistent. The other predictors had to eat crow. Nadal was (unfortunately for him) right.
Posted by: Alpha | 02/04/2019 at 07:58 PM
WOF getting impossible. I came back as it was worth a try but it's pointless. Other answers were better than TP's . Waste of time really
Posted by: stella | 02/07/2019 at 11:01 AM
The days when he gave helpful hints like this "D_o__vic will ret__n t_ t_p f__m - s___" is long gone, humanity is officially lost.
Posted by: O | 02/07/2019 at 03:51 PM
This one was REALLY bad --- I recall seeing any number of tennis-media-people flat-out predicting that
unless Novak's elbow surgery was a total bust, there was no reason whatsoever that he should be down-for-the-count;
that it was just a matter of time before he got "match-tough" and "regained full confidence" yada, yada, yada.
So, in that regard, any prediction Rafa might have made was just band-wagoning at best.
Posted by: Gary Moser | 02/07/2019 at 03:52 PM
TP becoming absolutely indecipherable --- one of the Signs Of The Impending Apocalypse, for sure! :->
Posted by: Gary Moser | 02/07/2019 at 03:53 PM
Could it be that Nadal was doing what Gary Moser does with his betting?
Meaning he was so scared with the prospect of Djokovic returning to form that he thought he could jinx it AND add even more pressure on Djokovic to 'return' - while 'enjoying' the possibility of being correct - by publicly releasing the thought.
All this while hoping, wishing and praying it NEVER happens.
Translation: He 'wins' - either way.
Posted by: Tennis Planet | 02/07/2019 at 04:59 PM
In 2020, there will be a not previously known solar vortex that will bring the whole planet to temperatures at 100 K. All living things except a few eels will be instantly frozen and lost. The eels proceeded to eat all manufactured stuff and return earth to a green planet.
Posted by: O | 02/07/2019 at 05:25 PM
(1) "scared" is such an ugly word...and totally inapplicable to yours truly.
I'm just trying to assuage what for me would be DISAGREEABLE OUTCOMES with that all-time favorite: COLD HARD CASH!
[ One of my favorite aphorisms: "Money talks and bullshit walks!" ]
(2) Mind-readers don't exist.
Which means that Gary Moser isn't one.
And which also means that TP isn't one.
So...we are all free to "could it be" to our hearts content [ wouldn't have it any other way! :-> ].
Posted by: Gary Moser | 02/07/2019 at 05:59 PM
So...should this HELP or HINDER the re-election of Orange Crush?
Posted by: Gary Moser | 02/07/2019 at 06:01 PM
If should help but he's turned into one of the eels.
Posted by: O | 02/07/2019 at 06:15 PM
This is why I'm still here.
Posted by: Bettyjane | 02/07/2019 at 07:44 PM
Exactly. It would have been so idiotic to say "Djokovic will never return to form", for reasons that now are quite clear but even then weren't hard to grasp. Why would annyone bet against such a talented player who has beaten Federer and Nadal 50 times? He is just too good.
Posted by: Bento | 02/08/2019 at 04:13 PM
BENTO
Greater the certainty of the 'undesirable' outcome (Djokovic returning to form) occurring, higher is the 'urge' to bet 'for' it - to 'psychologically' protect one's psyche when it actually happens - while leaving little room for your expectations and hopes (that he will NOT return to top form) to run wild.
Posted by: Tennis Planet | 02/08/2019 at 04:26 PM
I am soooo lost.
Posted by: alex | 02/10/2019 at 05:10 AM