This really irratates me.Everytime he falls short.He just got obliterated by Gonzo,the last time by Youzny,always by Berdych and Blake.I mean can he not be better on hardcourts.He really is one a dimensional claycourter.

Nonetheless,he is great on clay but this year he will get beaten on the red stuff.I now really believe that Federer will win the French Open this year!

A touch harsh, but the statistics are beginning to support the view that he relies too much on Clay for his current status in the game.

He has now been a top player for 2-3 years. Of his 17 tournament wins only 4 were on hardcourts - 3 in the Annus Mirabilis of 2005 (Fed was not in the draw for any of those tournaments) and 1 in Dubai in 2006 when he did beat Fed.

It feels as though the other top players have worked him out on hardcourts and are not intimidated by him.

The pressure is building up on him for the Clay Court season where he has to defend his exceptional points haul if he cannot make points up on the hardcourts.

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I doubt whether he can change his game plan successfully. I am actually quite "worried" about his career from now. How can he catch up with an aggressive game when his competition started when they picked a racket up? Can we see him outplay Blake, Gonzo, Djoko, Berdych now at their own game? I doubt it. I even think it is impossible. Yes he can make winners as well but if we thought Gonzo and Gasquet were unconsistent, wait for Nadal once he starts attacking. Besides, his opposition will love the extra pace, especially Federer.

So what is he left with? In my view bettering his old game, still pretty pacy, but find a bit more length and cut the errors. he will always be at the mercy of a good attcker having a good day but that is the nature of his game, on the other end in a best of 5, he would always remain a huge danger (if he were to play like he was 6 months ago. The only problem with this solutin is that his body might not last too long and this is why i am "worried" in terms of his career. Either way you look at it, I don't see much solution.

Not the most tactically astute player at the moment ! So many players know how to play him now.Gonzo was brilliant though .

Hi Darky to be honest it is better to wait for the results of the two US master of the season, i.e. the Pacific and Miami: After that we will be able to evaluate exactly his value on hard..

In any case this is a bad news for Rafa :whistle: : the AO surface was the most "easy" one among the hard court for him and I have really the feeling he has lost a good opportunity to break through...

But once again, I want to see him at the Pacific and in Miami..Might be (after the first round of the Davis Coup) he will be able to be back...But I guess it is a BIG MIGHT BE...

Final remark: Gonzo :ok: is really a great man...Really happy for him: I hope he will be able to reach the final. :rolleyes: ..

Yeah , I am 'worried' too and agree that he's between a rock and a hard place* on the faster surfaces now. And the injury factor /mental burnout are also looking more likely in the next few years.

*No pun intended

Absolutely - and he is apparently not content with being a claycourt wonder, so if he cannot make it on hardcourts it may affect his claycourt form too.

Here the post match interview of Nadal:

HERE

Well it seems he was not a 100% Rafa...As I said in another thread we cannot exclude that he was tired after the match against Murray: Given his type of game Rafa need all his power :P to performe in aprticular outside clay...So, once again, wait and see: Give him two additional chances at the Pacific and in Miami ;)

He mightnt do well at Wimbledon again either .Gonzo will be a big threat there this year if he plays like that :)

Hmmm...I tell you a funny thing, I watched the Gonzo v Nadal match but only up until 2-1 to Nadal in first set. From opening exchanges I actually feared the worst for Gonzo, who looked nervous, and bit slow out of the blocks - how things changed from then onwards though!

Sounds like Gonzo performed great - good mix of power, subtlety and tactical nous - the Gonzalez/Stefanki partnership looks like a match in heaven. I tipped Gonzo to win this match, but didn't think it would be so one-sided.

I have mixed feelings about Nadal's prospects on hardcourts. The defeat today looks very damaging, and he really does seem to struggle against the power players. On the other hand, I've felt he's made improvements in his serving and his volleys, and become a more rounded player in that respect. Its the depth of shot, and too much topspin against power players which is still cause for concern though.

Federer will be glad though - he has a convincing record against all 3 other remaining players in the draw, and an on-form Nadal would arguably have given more problems than those three.

TV we are sounding like monks waiting for the I dont know what in a monistery.We said last year,lets wait for the hardcourt season.And what happened,the same thing that happened today.I do believe that he is really inbetween a rock and a hard place and really doesnt know where to go!David cup is on clay so go figure!

Mark my words,expect Roddick to be Federers biggest challenge this year and expect him to be number 2.Nadal is over.Its a bit prsumptious but its becoming more reality than anything else!

I agree about Roddick away from Clay - but you cannot say that Nadal is over yet. Even if he merely keeps his form on clay he is still a great player. I for one think he will suffer a bit on clay this season - but only when against the best. I don't expect him to get a clean sweep of the big clay tournaments for the third year running this year - but he won't necessarily fall at RG.

I fully agree with Barry here :ok: : For the analysis of Rfa's results on hard it is too early; I said let's wait Darky at least a couple of months.

For the clay: Far to be sure that this guy is over..Expect him confirming his pass season..

Might FED will be able to win RG (I hope :pray: :pray: so) but he will have to play against Nadal in the final..I continue to believe that he will be still the No2 when the RG drawn will be done :rolleyes:

I don't see Roddick settling in the number 2 position more than any other guys out there. Many pretenders, only one number 2 spot though.

I just credit Gonzalez for playing a great match. Despite what some want to believe about the weakness of this "era", I think it's just incredibly tough to dominate today, because there are so many tough players. Blake looked in very good form here, before he got blitzed by Gonzo, and Nadal just got blitzed by the same in-form player.

You've now got Fed, Roddick, Haas and Gonzo in the semis. So much for the young guns. :rolleyes: But these are all class players and are relative veterans who (with the exception of Federer) seem to be just getting back to their best form.

The Murrays, Berdychs, Gasquets, etc. may have their day, but not this time.

Gonzo :bow:

I've always wondered if he was going to live up to his reputation and now he's done it :D

If Gonzo and Fed should win both their semis then look out Fed ;)

In total agreement. Gonzalez is the dark horse here and I reckon should they meet in the final it will be a VERY TOUGH match for Mr. Federer.

That's what I think and am hoping for yet a lot seem to think there will be no contest without Nadal. Judging by his performances over the last couple of days, Fed would have trashed him in 3.

Yup, Nadal has played some great matches in the earlier rounds, but I still don't think he was playing at a high enough level to trouble Federer (only my opinion). Gonzalez, however, is playing at a level that I think could at the very least take a set from Fed and, who knows, win? I could be very wrong. This is assuming Feds can get past Roddick. That semi is hopefully going to be a cracker!

Gav

Nick, this is exactly the point I made in another thread (see the one 'in defence of Robredo and Davydenko). Many people (myself included) have been bigging up the new wave of players, yet they have been firmly put in their place by Robredo, Davydenko and Gonzalez at this Australian Open.

This is well said :clap:

Always the talk of the youngsters and what it boils down to in the end is experience.They all have been firmly put in their place.Nadal at this stage is somewhat feeling like a veteran!Dont know if you guys understand what I mean by that!

We talk about the youngsters cause the youngsters can do very well in best of 3s. Different story in the Slams. Best of 5s. Tennis is becoming so physical that it has an almost analogy with the Tour de France. you would not expect a 20yo to win the Tour, so now don't expect a 20yo to do well in slams.

Well done to Haas, Davy, Gonzo and Roddick indeed. However pulling winners out of Nadal's short balls and pulling them out of Fed's, Haas or Roddick's FHs will be a different matter.

I will go with Fed all the way, there. I don't think he'll drop a set. Well maybe one ....

That might be Fed's challenge to motivate himself here. I don't think he's ever won a slam without dropping a set. :)

I just finished watching the match as I taped it. Sad for Nadal. Great for Gonzo. I thought he would win. His coach has really helped to improve his game. I suggest to Rafa that he hire Stefanki in the future once he's done with Gonzo or someone of his calibre because his hc record is really hurting right now and I can't see how it will improve under his Uncle. I also like the fact Gonzo has improved with age, not the other way round. Gives me hope for Rafa to improve too. I knew nothing about Gonzo before I saw him in Toronto - so impressive by taking a set of Fed in the semi - and now he's one of my favourites. However, he crumbled and faded against Fed in Madrid and Basel after starting reasonably strong and I think the same thing will happen in the final here. I expect Fed not to lose one set in this whole tournament. Of course, I hope I'm wrong. I'd love to see Gonzo win.