Why Is Nadal An underdog Tomorrow?

[tailmypicks]

Davy is serving very poorly.....he maybe able to overpower nadal with his shots but with that serve and nadal's superior returning skills davy is not the play. I think nadal's knees are fine and the only problem is his reluctance to attack......nadal as a dog has lost once, i don't think this happens consecutively.

[KingRevolver]

I've never seen King give up this type of chalk on any play. That says to me that Djokovic is money in the bank. All in.

You're jinxing me, Papper!

But you're right, I hardly play chalky picks. I'm a doggy guy- as you know.

[whatsgood5]

I was wondering the same thing myself. But that being said, I don't really know shit about tennis other than Nadal/Federer are gods (at least according to ESPN). I'm still gonna put a little bit on Nadal Though.

[twister]

I wish I knew something about tennis. Apparently it is a very easy sport to make money with. Especially the WTA.

[whatsgood5]

I wish I knew something about tennis. Apparently it is a very easy sport to make money with. Especially the WTA.

Im with ya man...hard as hell to learn about it when there's only key matches on TV and usually only Federer, Nadal, or the Williams chicks on ESPN highlights.

[KingRevolver]

Soderling looking good early on.

0-5 against The Joker. I finally bet a chalky tennis pick and of course I'll probably lose.

Let's pick it up, Joker!

[Tsonga]

would not be suprised at all to see davy knock out nadal...he is extremely fast and will move nadal around the court with ease. Nadal will have to play great to knock off Davy...which could happen...but Davy should get the win.

[Wilforth]

Solderling, hold it. I have you for the upset. Just stay calm and finish the job.

[treed]

Interesting read from Davy's presser after loss to Djoker. Couple of topics - 1) Breathing problem???? Do you think this will be an issue? 2) Sounds like he has a good pulse of the Group and it seems he doesn't think much of Nadal on this surface.

Q. You were in control of the match for quite a long time. What happened at 4 All in the second?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Just, yeah, losing concentration. Start to have problem with my body, but just call doctor. That's was cannot forget still in my mind few more games. That's was I start to lose in the third set my serve, and was difficult come back. You know, always need to every point fighting, try to win. It's not so easy.
Q. What was the problem? Why did you call for the doctor?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: How explain is already like three weeks, I start to play in indoor after Shanghai. I have problem with my breathing. I really already was see doctor in three different countries. It's really have some problem. You know, I cannot realize now what has happen and from where is coming. Some doctors say maybe asthma, some say maybe allergy, some say bronchitis. I really don't know what's really now. That's was, in indoor, feeling now, I losing already. If you see all three matches what I lose last in three sets, that's was feeling is happen like this.
Q. Who do you think is the toughest player in your group? Is it Rafa, Soderling, or Djokovic?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: If you see like from last week, I think Djokovic is favorite because he won Paris Bercy. Soderling now beat Nadal. Is not really favorite. It's like we'll see for next match how I play against Nadal. But now, yeah, I think Soderling is toughest guy in the group, because how he beat Nadal, he played very well.
Q. What's the game plan for Wednesday's match? What do you have to do in order to win that match?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I not think about yet. You know, just finish my first match. We'll see tomorrow with practicing. We'll see how I feel after this match, tomorrow. Really physically I feel okay, not so really tired. Lose my match from tired physically. Three hours I can run. Against Nadal, also running three hours. We'll see how I play, what I can do in the match.
Q. Even though you haven't had time to think about it, you've already seen him play since he came back from his injury. Have you seen anything different, any new weakness, something you can attack that he didn't have before the injury?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: You know, between clay court and indoor is different. Sometimes he is pretty fast for him. That's was he losing control. He cannot control from baseline always. That's was I think he from baseline is pretty fast. That's was for him is very difficult.

[treed]

Nadal presser.....

Q. Straight sets today, but a close match. Do you think the loss was more to how you played or how he played?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I think I didn't play really bad. I played okay. But in the important moments, I didn't have this necessary calm, no? So I had few mistakes. I play shorter in the important moments. That reason he beat me, no? He is a big player in this surface, so is difficult. If you are not completely calm and playing very well in that moment, it's really difficult to win, and today I didn't play in this way in that moments.
Q. What do you feel you're lacking at the moment? It's more confidence or technical problems?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I think, you know, I said 100 times, but is the true, no? The second half of the year was difficult for me, and probably I lost little bit this necessary out of confidence and this necessary calm in that moments. But I am working really hard to come back at my best level. I think I'm not far away from my best level. But I need little bit more confidence and more calm in that moments, no? So I don't know, this year is going to be extremely hard to finish really well. But I gonna work very hard to start next year very good. I believe in myself, that I can come back playing really well next year.
Q. What do you think of Soderling's chances on this surface during this tournament?
RAFAEL NADAL: Everyone has his chances here, no? The best eight players of the world, so anything can happen. Everybody has chances.
Q. You're speaking as if you were not thinking anymore of No. 1. Is it true?
RAFAEL NADAL: If you think. I think the chances I have are not here, not to be No. 1. If you want to still talk about me be No. 1, I can, but I think is not the right moment (smiling). My level right now I think is not to be No. 1, no? My level is to be still fighting and practicing hard to be ready as soon as possible to compete another time with equal conditions with everybody, no? Going on the court, with the full confidence in myself against everybody, that's what I'm working, no? I think I am working really well, practicing to improve different things on my game, like every year I did. Is normal, the sport is like this. Sometimes you have some best moments; sometimes you have little bit worse moments. This probably is one of these moments for me right now. Just accept and work to improve the situation.
Q. How did the court feel today?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, it's okay. The court is okay, no? Not big bounce. But the court is not really fast. It's normal. It's okay.
Q. You said you lacked a bit of calm. Physically are you a hundred percent back after the injury problems?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, I'm very well. I am very well. Thank you.
Q. By the sounds of it, you'd be quite happy to see the end of this year, 2009, and get started for 2010. Is that the way you're feeling?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no. Probably I not happy to finish this year, no? I am not tired. I had a long time outside of competition. So, no, for me the season, this year, the first year, the season, I am not feeling tired and I don't want to finish the season. But the season finish this week. For us, the Davis Cup final next week. That's what is. I know to be ready next year, I gonna have one month, and these two matches maybe more (smiling). I have this one week of year, one week of Davis Cup, and after, one month of practice in Mallorca. That's what I have to recover my hundred percent level to start next year with good level and chances to win in every place that I play, no?
Q. What went wrong today for you?
RAFAEL NADAL: I said. It was the first answer question. You didn't hear?
Q. No.
RAFAEL NADAL: Okay, I repeat. I think I didn't play really bad. But in the important moments, I didn't have this calm, this necessary calm, to win these matches against the best players of the world, no? And this confidence, that moment, that's what was wrong today.
Q. Besides those reasons, do you think Soderling is now a player that doesn't fit so well to your game, because you lost the last two matches against him?
RAFAEL NADAL: Maybe. You never know, no? I think this is not my feeling, but you never know. Can be. I think if I am playing well, I gonna have good chances to beat him in the future.
Q. I know it wasn't a particularly happy experience, the match today. What do you think of the conditions in the stadium, the support of the British crowd?
RAFAEL NADAL: Very well, no? I think the atmosphere was unbelievable. Is doing a good work, the tournament is. All the time the full court, so that's very nice for the tennis, that's very nice for the players, very nice for everything, no? The conditions are good. Only the weather conditions can improve. Doesn't affect on the game (smiling). But the tournament is really nice, and I happy to live this experience here in London. And, sure, the crowd was really nice with me all the time.

[treed]

Nadal presser.....

Q. Straight sets today, but a close match. Do you think the loss was more to how you played or how he played?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I think I didn't play really bad. I played okay. But in the important moments, I didn't have this necessary calm, no? So I had few mistakes. I play shorter in the important moments. That reason he beat me, no? He is a big player in this surface, so is difficult. If you are not completely calm and playing very well in that moment, it's really difficult to win, and today I didn't play in this way in that moments.
Q. What do you feel you're lacking at the moment? It's more confidence or technical problems?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I think, you know, I said 100 times, but is the true, no? The second half of the year was difficult for me, and probably I lost little bit this necessary out of confidence and this necessary calm in that moments. But I am working really hard to come back at my best level. I think I'm not far away from my best level. But I need little bit more confidence and more calm in that moments, no? So I don't know, this year is going to be extremely hard to finish really well. But I gonna work very hard to start next year very good. I believe in myself, that I can come back playing really well next year.
Q. What do you think of Soderling's chances on this surface during this tournament?
RAFAEL NADAL: Everyone has his chances here, no? The best eight players of the world, so anything can happen. Everybody has chances.
Q. You're speaking as if you were not thinking anymore of No. 1. Is it true?
RAFAEL NADAL: If you think. I think the chances I have are not here, not to be No. 1. If you want to still talk about me be No. 1, I can, but I think is not the right moment (smiling). My level right now I think is not to be No. 1, no? My level is to be still fighting and practicing hard to be ready as soon as possible to compete another time with equal conditions with everybody, no? Going on the court, with the full confidence in myself against everybody, that's what I'm working, no? I think I am working really well, practicing to improve different things on my game, like every year I did. Is normal, the sport is like this. Sometimes you have some best moments; sometimes you have little bit worse moments. This probably is one of these moments for me right now. Just accept and work to improve the situation.
Q. How did the court feel today?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, it's okay. The court is okay, no? Not big bounce. But the court is not really fast. It's normal. It's okay.
Q. You said you lacked a bit of calm. Physically are you a hundred percent back after the injury problems?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, I'm very well. I am very well. Thank you.
Q. By the sounds of it, you'd be quite happy to see the end of this year, 2009, and get started for 2010. Is that the way you're feeling?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no. Probably I not happy to finish this year, no? I am not tired. I had a long time outside of competition. So, no, for me the season, this year, the first year, the season, I am not feeling tired and I don't want to finish the season. But the season finish this week. For us, the Davis Cup final next week. That's what is. I know to be ready next year, I gonna have one month, and these two matches maybe more (smiling). I have this one week of year, one week of Davis Cup, and after, one month of practice in Mallorca. That's what I have to recover my hundred percent level to start next year with good level and chances to win in every place that I play, no?
Q. What went wrong today for you?
RAFAEL NADAL: I said. It was the first answer question. You didn't hear?
Q. No.
RAFAEL NADAL: Okay, I repeat. I think I didn't play really bad. But in the important moments, I didn't have this calm, this necessary calm, to win these matches against the best players of the world, no? And this confidence, that moment, that's what was wrong today.
Q. Besides those reasons, do you think Soderling is now a player that doesn't fit so well to your game, because you lost the last two matches against him?
RAFAEL NADAL: Maybe. You never know, no? I think this is not my feeling, but you never know. Can be. I think if I am playing well, I gonna have good chances to beat him in the future.
Q. I know it wasn't a particularly happy experience, the match today. What do you think of the conditions in the stadium, the support of the British crowd?
RAFAEL NADAL: Very well, no? I think the atmosphere was unbelievable. Is doing a good work, the tournament is. All the time the full court, so that's very nice for the tennis, that's very nice for the players, very nice for everything, no? The conditions are good. Only the weather conditions can improve. Doesn't affect on the game (smiling). But the tournament is really nice, and I happy to live this experience here in London. And, sure, the crowd was really nice with me all the time.

[treece]

Denko took care of Nadal pretty quickly.

[Sam Odom]

Trap

Yup , Rafa isnt who he was. May never regain his old form , his body can't take it

[treece]

He should take a year off.

[Sam Odom]

He should take a year off.

He is 23yo , wealthy & famous! Why not?

99% of us would and never go back to competitive Tennis. Think of the Parties & Puss he can have

[morocca]

paid to rig

[HeeeHAWWWW]

Davy beat a fit Nadal in Miami last year by a similar scoreline (62 64). It's a bad matchup for Nadal on hard court cos fo the early flat-hitting, just as Nalbandian is (a 70% and overweight Nalbandian almost beat Nadal in IW this year, had something like 5mps but choked).