Acapulco

[stotty]

Really? Well, ATP has him ranked 130, which I believe is just about on the cusp of making a living playing tennis, which can't be all bad

https://www.atptour.com/en/players/s.../ke64/overview

And this: "Peaked at No. 2 in junior rankings on 27 January 2014. Posted 105-37 record on ITF Junior Circuit from age 13 to 16 with wins over fellow #NextGenATP players Lee, Opelka, Rublev, Santillan, Tiafoe, Tsitsipas and A. Zverev. Grand Slam junior runner-up in singles at 2014 Australian Open and 2014 Wimbledon, and in doubles at 2014 Wimbledon w/Rublev. Ended junior career with 2014 Orange Bowl titles in singles and doubles w/Mmoh."

Here is the thread from 8 years ago: https://www.tennisplayer.net/bulleti...er/2451-koslov

Amazing how time flies on the forum.

We were well aware of his impeccable junior record. It was transitioning that was the concern.

It will be interesting to see if he can climb any further up the rankings. As you say, he is on the cusp.

[stotty]

One thing beyond obvious in the Nadal Medvedev match, the Nadal forehand by far the best shot on the court. Medvedev better movement by far at this point in their careers, better serve, better backhand(to me). Nadal has only the forehand advantage, which is huge, better overhead, better volleys.

I think that's the beauty of tennis. You weigh up the armoury and assume a player might win based on the fact he has two weapons more than the guy. But so many other things come into play. Nadal may not have as good a serve as many players, but how many long deuce games have you seen him eventually win because the righty can't break him off the ad side, because his lefty serve is a real asset in that situation despite the fact it isn't the biggest. I wonder how many of those long deuce games he might have lost had Rafa been a righty?

Another thing is when you look at Roger's game you wonder how he could ever lose. He has the most talent and widest repertoire by a huge margin, yet he has been roundly beaten by numerous players with far less arrows in their quiver.

I think this is what make tennis so interesting and keeps us all watching.

[jimlosaltos]

Here is the thread from 8 years ago: https://www.tennisplayer.net/bulleti...er/2451-koslov

Amazing how time flies on the forum.

We were well aware of his impeccable junior record. It was transitioning that was the concern.

It will be interesting to see if he can climb any further up the rankings. As you say, he is on the cusp.

Thanks! Great thread. Really interesting.

[stroke]

I think that's the beauty of tennis. You weigh up the armoury and assume a player might win based on the fact he has two weapons more than the guy. But so many other things come into play. Nadal may not have as good a serve as many players, but how many long deuce games have you seen him eventually win because the righty can't break him off the ad side, because his lefty serve is a real asset in that situation despite the fact it isn't the biggest. I wonder how many of those long deuce games he might have lost had Rafa been a righty?

Another thing is when you look at Roger's game you wonder how he could ever lose. He has the most talent and widest repertoire by a huge margin, yet he has been roundly beaten by numerous players with far less arrows in their quiver.

I think this is what make tennis so interesting and keeps us all watching.

Nadal's serve certainly not one of the best in tennis, but it does seem to have an unusually high level of action/spin. I remember Agassi commenting one time about the amount of action on the Nadal serve.

[jimlosaltos]

Nadal's serve certainly not one of the best in tennis, but it does seem to have an unusually high level of action/spin. I remember Agassi commenting one time about the amount of action on the Nadal serve.

Indeed. Check out the 12th photo in TPN's Tour Portrait of Rafa. His palm is facing not toward the side, but almost up toward the sky. For a man that is so muscular, he has to be extremely flexible to get that long-axis rotation. Only player I've seen rotate his arm further is John Isner.

https://www.tennisplayer.net/members.../rafael_nadal/

[stroke]

Nadal vs Norrie observations. Nadal a much better forehand, much more action on the serve. And a much much better overhead. And Nadal has a nice drop shot. Norrie does not appear to have a drop shot.

[stotty]

Nadal vs Norrie observations. Nadal a much better forehand, much more action on the serve. And a much much better overhead. And Nadal has a nice drop shot. Norrie does not appear to have a drop shot.

What was it you once called Norrie? Nadal lite? Good way to describe him.

There is only one man who can beat Nadal at the FO, but as it stands right now he won't be playing. Expect Nadal to be on 22 slams by late afternoon on 5 June.

[stroke]

What was it you once called Norrie? Nadal lite? Good way to describe him.

There is only one man who can beat Nadal at the FO, but as it stands right now he won't be playing. Expect Nadal to be on 22 slams by late afternoon on 5 June.

I agree, but I do think Alcaraz is next. To me, other than Novak, no one else has a realistic chance to beat Nadal at RG. And yes ha, I did call Norrie Nadal lite.

[stotty]

I agree, but I do think Alcaraz is next. To me, other than Novak, no one else has a realistic chance to beat Nadal at RG. And yes ha, I did call Norrie Nadal lite.

I hope so because Alcaraz is exciting. He can do brilliant drop shots off both wings. He has the best drop shot out there from what I saw when he played Schwartzman earlier in the week.

[jimlosaltos]

I hope so because Alcaraz is exciting. He can do brilliant drop shots off both wings. He has the best drop shot out there from what I saw when he played Schwartzman earlier in the week.

Wild card is Thiem, assuming he starts out healthy at Indian Wells. He has beaten Rafa 6 times with 5 on clay. I'm not saying I favor him, I'm saying he shouldn't be discounted if -- IF -- he is healthy and has time to get tournament ready.

[stroke]

I hope so because Alcaraz is exciting. He can do brilliant drop shots off both wings. He has the best drop shot out there from what I saw when he played Schwartzman earlier in the week.

I feel like the drop shot is a huge component of beating Nadal at this point in his career. Obviously, his movement is not close to what it was in his prime, but it seems to ne this is by far most evident when his opponent plays a good drop shot.