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<blockquote data-quote="An Tarbh" data-source="post: 239583"><p><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Gay-Guy @ Jan 23 2009, 12:52 AM) <a href="http://index.php?act=findpost&pid=372754" target="_blank"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div></p><p>That bloody Spaniard is just too good...amazing player last couple of years. As much a fan of Federer I am I have to take a bow to Nadal.</p><p></p><p>Nadal was not a left hander originally BTW...he was told at a young by his coach to become one so that his natural right arm would support his backhand as a leftie. Now how good is that for a player to learn to play tennis with his un-natural hand? Anyway have you seen some of the winners he hits with his backhand? Simply amazing! Players like Federer are at a loss hitting cross court to Nadals backhand because he returns them two handedly with the ferocity of a forehand. So which side do you pick on then? His coach was good enough to see that Nadal would not make it as a serve or volleyer (Sampras)...nor even as a chaser (Hewitt). He could see that Nadal would never make it simply on serve returns (Aggassi). So instead he developed Nadal to have no weak side by playing as a leftie...his left forehand is a powerful stroke and his left backhand is supported by his natural right hand. Therefore Nadal is the perfect baseline player....once he gets involved in a basline battle he has an advantage over his opponent. Federer has started losing to him (and everyone else) when the Feds service game went downhill as Federer with all his skills cannot match Nadal. Federer often plays a backhand slice when hitting it cross sourt which even though Federer plays it better than anyone else it is a weaker shot compared to the harder to hit backhand topspin. The problem is Federer can get caned by a leftie when he plays that shot as it is hitting it to the lefties forehand...and in Nadals case it is WHAM BAM! I have seen a few times Federer pummel a shot down to Nadals backhand only to see Nadal hit a semi topspin snap shot right back past him...and the look on Federers face is the look of someone who had seen something unreturnable just get returned. Then you get Fed playing Nadal on clay and with Nadal being lighter...well what you get is a thrashing.</p><p></p><p>Nadal does not have a killer serve and volley game...nor does he have the best return of serve. This is why Nadal sometimes loses to guys who have an on fire Pete/Goran type day OR who have killer serve returns. You can pretty much tell in a tight match ifNadal is gonna win or lose by how long the rallies are. If they are long baseline rallies then Nadal will have an advantage...but if the game is just serve and point....or serve return and point...then Nadal is in an area where he is weak. Pretty much Pete Sampras would have beaten him consistently with his rockets and point ending volleys though it would be something similar to his record with Aggasi. All the world needs to beat Nadal is someone who really serve well consistently. Federer lost his ability to serve 2 years ago and has struggled ever since.</p><p>[/b]</p></blockquote><p></p><p>I'd disagree with Nadal not having the best return of serve, for me he's right up there with Murray on that regard. As far as Federer's backhand is concerned he may well use the slice a fair bit but his one handed backhand is one of the best in the game. You only have to look at the Wimbledon final where Federer was serving unbelievably well yet Nadal was consistenty threatening to break serve throughout the match, it was only in the tiebreaks where Federer had no problems.</p><p>[/QUOTE]</p>
[QUOTE="An Tarbh, post: 239583"] <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Gay-Guy @ Jan 23 2009, 12:52 AM) [url='index.php?act=findpost&pid=372754']<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/url]</div> That bloody Spaniard is just too good...amazing player last couple of years. As much a fan of Federer I am I have to take a bow to Nadal. Nadal was not a left hander originally BTW...he was told at a young by his coach to become one so that his natural right arm would support his backhand as a leftie. Now how good is that for a player to learn to play tennis with his un-natural hand? Anyway have you seen some of the winners he hits with his backhand? Simply amazing! Players like Federer are at a loss hitting cross court to Nadals backhand because he returns them two handedly with the ferocity of a forehand. So which side do you pick on then? His coach was good enough to see that Nadal would not make it as a serve or volleyer (Sampras)...nor even as a chaser (Hewitt). He could see that Nadal would never make it simply on serve returns (Aggassi). So instead he developed Nadal to have no weak side by playing as a leftie...his left forehand is a powerful stroke and his left backhand is supported by his natural right hand. Therefore Nadal is the perfect baseline player....once he gets involved in a basline battle he has an advantage over his opponent. Federer has started losing to him (and everyone else) when the Feds service game went downhill as Federer with all his skills cannot match Nadal. Federer often plays a backhand slice when hitting it cross sourt which even though Federer plays it better than anyone else it is a weaker shot compared to the harder to hit backhand topspin. The problem is Federer can get caned by a leftie when he plays that shot as it is hitting it to the lefties forehand...and in Nadals case it is WHAM BAM! I have seen a few times Federer pummel a shot down to Nadals backhand only to see Nadal hit a semi topspin snap shot right back past him...and the look on Federers face is the look of someone who had seen something unreturnable just get returned. Then you get Fed playing Nadal on clay and with Nadal being lighter...well what you get is a thrashing. Nadal does not have a killer serve and volley game...nor does he have the best return of serve. This is why Nadal sometimes loses to guys who have an on fire Pete/Goran type day OR who have killer serve returns. You can pretty much tell in a tight match ifNadal is gonna win or lose by how long the rallies are. If they are long baseline rallies then Nadal will have an advantage...but if the game is just serve and point....or serve return and point...then Nadal is in an area where he is weak. Pretty much Pete Sampras would have beaten him consistently with his rockets and point ending volleys though it would be something similar to his record with Aggasi. All the world needs to beat Nadal is someone who really serve well consistently. Federer lost his ability to serve 2 years ago and has struggled ever since. [/b][/quote] I'd disagree with Nadal not having the best return of serve, for me he's right up there with Murray on that regard. As far as Federer's backhand is concerned he may well use the slice a fair bit but his one handed backhand is one of the best in the game. You only have to look at the Wimbledon final where Federer was serving unbelievably well yet Nadal was consistenty threatening to break serve throughout the match, it was only in the tiebreaks where Federer had no problems. [/QUOTE]
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