Nadal and Gulbis

[Moralspain]

Gulbis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IxWc8MYKug

Nadal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veirps-fSvM

no comments needed, if i was Gulbis i would hire Rafa as a coach.

PS: I know this was time ago but you know...you're watching "how to get girls to kiss you" (Vitaly) video on youtube and you end finding a tennis video..

[Ali-Iqb93]

Never heard the whole interview before.. But I do agree with each and every word with what rafa said..

[Murderface84]

2 things:

1) wow, for once Rafa is telling it like it is and not giving canned, BS public-relations style answers. Good to hear what he REALLY THINKS and I respect him even more because he's absolutely correct!!

2) Gulbis sounds like a spoiled little douchebag.

K enough said

[Uchiha Muss]

I wholeheartedly agree with Na.. no Gulbis. It's like he said, he was the better player in the 1st set, he was the better player in 2nd set, 3rd. Better in overall.
Nadal: Normally, not always, best player win (Gulbis). Nadal was just lucky that day. If I remember correctly gulbis had like 50 errors and nadal something like 13. That explains the whole match in one sentence. One sided battle but nadal wins, just like how he gets lucky and got lucky in the past. My definition of "Luck" may differ.

P.S. ATP 29 should set up Alliance of ANAM (Anti-nadal Angry Men). Djokovic can be the president. Nadal's nighmares (soderling, darcis) can be guests.

[Moralspain]

With all my respect you know nothing about tennis , this sport is not only based on aces and winners.

[djarvik]

Well, I think Gulbis got under Rafa's skin a bit

If you didn't see the match - here are the highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXO9xilnngM

In tennis, it is not important to be the "better player" in the match, it is important to score the last point. Period. So Rafa's comments are irrelevant, just as much as Gulbis's are. One is being himself, as always, the other just seems a bit pissed, passive aggressive, with a creepy smile. Gulbis was not hitting hard on all shots, otherwise he would lose way faster. Just as Rafa was not always pushing....he did counter at times. Different strategy that's all.

One thing is for sure, if you saw the match, the assessment that Gulbis made is spot on. He was the better player majority of the time....but to beat Rafa, the champ, you need to win important points, something he simply does not do well. Sure you can say that "winning important points" shows that Rafa was a better player, I can't argue with that. Bottom line, as always with Gulbis, its all about how he plays...not the opponent, such is the faith of an aggressive strategy he employs.

Winners/UE
59/50 for Gulbis
13/19 for Nadal

Total points won: 97 Gulbis - 94 Nadal

This WAS a clay court match.

[Uchiha Muss]

With all my respect you know nothing about tennis , this sport is not only based on aces and winners.

Seriously? Are you for real? So you respect my idea but also casually tell me that I know NOthing about tennis. You're funny

For me big hitters and explosive strokes with perfect aces is a nice entertainment.
I'm not gonna argue about my tastes against yours but still, to tell a person that he knows nothing about tennis in a tennis forum is an unheard paradox.

[Moralspain]

With all my respect you know nothing about tennis , this sport is not only based on aces and winners.

Seriously? Are you for real? So you respect my idea but also casually tell me that I know NOthing about tennis. You're funny

For me big hitters and explosive strokes with perfect aces is a nice entertainment.
I'm not gonna argue about my tastes against yours but still, to tell a person that he knows nothing about tennis in a tennis forum is an unheard paradox.

you misread my post mate, i said "with all my respect" which doesn't mean i respect your ideas, it just means that i'm saying you something with all my respect... meaning that i do respect you as a person.

FYI, this is not a tennis forum, just a topic about tennis, most of the guys here are just xbox/ps3 gamers.

Big hitters are a nice entertainment, yes i agree, Gulbis is a great showman, but he needs to improve a lot to become a great tennis player.

PS: Don't take me seriously though,i guess you don't know me yet, if you are too harsh with Rafa you'll get these replies

[Ali-Iqb93]

One is being himself, as always, the other just seems a bit pissed, passive aggressive, with a creepy

I believe you mean gulbis was the one pissed with a creepy smile and rafa being himself.. Really I have never seen rafa being himself and giving such an honest opinion before.

[djarvik]

I mean the opposite, Gulbis being himself and Rafa being pissed a bit.

[Uchiha Muss]

I mean the opposite, Gulbis being himself and Rafa being pissed a bit.

Oh he was pissed, all right. I saw it again when he played against Janowicz. No normal play. Double faults, insane kick serves that nadal had to jump with his forehand even though he was waaay behind the baseline like usual.
Awesome dropshots by janowicz and big forehand. Nadal just had to run forward and backward with so much anger. Anyone could see it in his face.

He was definitely annoyed. Luckily for nadal jerzy failed simple smash just like djokovic and nadal won. But that's not the important part. Nadal hates big hitters. It's probably me but whenever I watch big hitters against against Nadal I feel like nadal is being bullied.

Delpo Berdych Isner Gulbis they all wait for high bounce and smash silent strikes. No grunt involved. Nadal returns with effort that you can clearly hear. I enjoy seeing that.

[Murderface84]

All those guys are quite a bit taller than Nadal.

Also if Nadal isn't a big hitter I don't know who is???????????????

Are we watching the same Nadal??? The guy whose forehand is like a goddamn avalanche crashing down on you???

[djarvik]

The guy whose forehand is like a goddamn avalanche crashing down on you???

Nice description.....considering the spin after the bounce

....that makes Gulbis 6-1 set on Clay (almost a bagel) that much more impressive. Rafa's forehand (when hit offensively) is likely THE hardest to return, not just because of power, but because of how much "work" he puts on the ball. Damn....that thing just wants to slide off your strings.

He improved his approach to hard courts and his game overall, he is being more offensive with every year. I can clearly see the commitment to semi-transform from a defender to a true offensive player. His Serve+FH is likely the most reliable play in tennis right now.

[Florian]

Nadal is way more offensive now than Djoko or Murray on hard court, probably since he checked the roaster from ITST where he's now a baseliner.

[djarvik]

Once again, ITST controls the tennis world! Quick, lets make Murray retire! ....or lets invent and injury or something..