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Why Rafael Nadal Is No Longer Invincible on Clay
Published: April 24, 2015
Not anymore.
Fognini, too often a volatile performer, collected the match point with all the emotion of a routine workout. And we know better than to suspect that he has reformed into a Roman stoic.
It’s a stark contrast to the ways opponents used to praise the heavens and fall down in utter disbelief. At the 2012 Madrid Masters, Fernando Verdasco fell on his back as if he had been shot, relishing in his triumph upon blue clay. Following victory at the 2013 Monte Carlo Masters, Novak Djokovic let out his primal bellow, arms stretched to the side as if he had defeated Zeus.
Fear Factor Missing
Make no mistake about it. Nadal is still a great player on clay, and the favorite against anyone on clay not named Djokovic. He will win more clay-court championships and flash legendary reminders of the past decade. He might even win another French Open title or two.
But his opponents don’t fear him the way they once did. Patrick Mouratoglou said as much a few weeks ago (h/t Peter Bodo for ESPN):
For some years there wasn't a player who thought he could beat him on clay; they all went on the court already defeated. Now things are sure to change.
Technically Impatient
The change has been subtle, the erosion perhaps obscured by issues like injuries, rust, surgery, fatigue, age, equipment shifts and searches for confidence. This has not been a drop off a cliff but it has been a decline.
“I didn't have enough power or speed on my forehand. I didn't have control of the points with my forehand,” Nadal bluntly said in his press con...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis
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