Has Rafael Nadal's decision to withdraw from the Shanghai Masters added fuel to the speculation that he may not last long in the playing circuit?
Is his injury a kind of an omen? Indeed, will he ever fully recover to achieve the form which has seen him dominate Men's tennis?
Right now his decision comes as a setback and disappointment to him as well as his scores of fans scattered all around the world. Truly the Masters Cup has lost some of its competitive sheen. I do not mean to be offensive to the rest of the players, but with due credit to the others, Rafa is Rafa!
If Federer and Nadal's games are to be compared irrespective of the fact that both play as differently as chalk and cheese, it would project into an even broader light how much Nadal has over-taxed his body.
Even in comparison to his next set of rivals like Murray and Djokovic, who are almost in the same age bracket, the level of strain on the body is grossly apart.
Although he has notched five Grand Slam victories to date, it is a well-established truth that Nadal has had to fight not only his opponents but also himself. In doing so, he has put his body into terrible disrepair.
Thus, with the lethal backlash of Federer waiting and the looming presence and the threat of Murray and Djokovic right behind him, will the stubborn Nadal scale new heights in the next season?
The new season is barely two months away and it is common knowledge that Rafa is not nearly as formidable in the Australian Open. With this recent injury, he appears to have hampered his chance of scoring a point there yet again.
But the test of fire lies not down under, but in a place where he has been unofficially betrothed. The clay court is where everyone will be expecting him to perform. Whether or not he will display the same power and stamina next season will be a main concern not only for him but for his fans.
The year will unfold in its own course, but right now, as his injury darkens every hope pinned on him, all that's left is to wait and watch and hope that the saying "every cloud has a silver lining" is true in this case.
9 comments Last one added 7 months ago — Leave a Comment
rose thomason 8 months ago
I am so tired of hearing predictions and negative attitudes from people like this writer who assume Nadal won't be able to play tennis for very long due to his style of playing.
Nadal is a true athlete and a phenomenal tennis player. Like all athletes he can get tired or injured. Look at his year!
Give Nadal the credit he is due and find a more positive way to conduct journalism instead preying on the negative.
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Rohini Iyer 7 months ago
hie rose....i am not anti nadal....though i am a fan of federer i do feel that nadal is a great player all i that am saying is how will his perforamnce in the next season...because this season's hectic pace has finally taken a toll on him....
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Rohini Iyer 7 months ago
also rose, i want to tell you that i also want nadal fit and raring to go in 2009. and also if you may, please tell me where i have robbed him of his deserving credit. at present i don't think i have done that and if i have ignorantly done so, please i apologise to only to you but also to his countless other fans.
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Cindy Hopcus 8 months ago
I agree with Rose! Let's face it, Nadal is not the first or last tennis player to have tendinitis. It is not career ending nor is it unusual for someone who has played as much tennis, and at the level as Nadal has this past season. Roger Federer went out with a sore back "issue", but I don't see your article on how the former number one is ready for his cain and a blanket!
Let's hope that the new ATP president and his cabinet of player advisors can come up with a much more positive ATP season and we the fan's will get what we want, incredible matches, healthy players and a healthy bottom line for the ATP! Viva Nadal!
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Rohini Iyer 7 months ago
hie cindy,
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Rohini Iyer 7 months ago
sorry cindy that comment got posted before i could continue further, but yes i agree with you when you say that the atp seasin this year was very hectic.
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J.A. Allen 7 months ago
Hi Rohini - I missed this one yesterday! I think Rafa and his camp as well as his legion of fans hope that this time off will rejuvenate the over-taxed Nadal. One would expect that at age 22 he is not finished by any stretch of the imagination. The retirement is more a reflexion of the ridiculous scheduling of major players than of Rafa's fitness.
I am sure we will see him back fighting to retain his number one ranking as best possible in 2009. But your raise interesting points and some worthy discussion! Congratulations on another great article! jaa
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Rohini Iyer 7 months ago
thanks jaa for appreciating my article. thats exactly the point. when you see the scheduling of the recent masters, there was hardly any time for players like nadal and federer for a break. it was a continous loop and we see the ultimate effect of it. and yes i too hope rafa rejuvenated for the next season. he has so much to fight for.
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tennisfan2 7 months ago
"The year will unfold in its own course, but right now, as his injury darkens every hope pinned on him, all that's left is to wait and watch and hope that the saying "every cloud has a silver lining" is true in this case."
Thank you for that. We are all hoping he will have a great rest before the 2009 season. Tennis without Rafa would be dark indeed.
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