Is anyone fed up with Nadal's use of dishonest tactics to win? I lost all respect for him after Hamburg.?

Question

Why do you think Federer was voted "sportsman of the year"? Because he is a gentleman and doesn't resort to ridiculous tactics in order to win a match, i.e., intimation, illegal coaching, abusing time between points, etc., etc. If anyone is a "sore loser" it was Nadal when he was down 5-1 at Hamburg and "conveniently" used a medical time out.

Answer 1

its not a tactic he needed medical attention he probably just didn't pick the right time to get it, feder isn't perfect either despite what most people think, he used to cry when he lost when he first came on scene. I'm sure if he had a problem with rafa taking the medical timeout we would've heard about it, after all we all heard about his false uncle toni side coaching complaints at rome last year

Answer 2

nope i am not tired of nadals gamanships.... he is the best clay court player of today.. no questions asked..

and fedex  chokes agains't him on the clay.... don't just blame nadal

Answer 3

I think this whole question is laughable really. Anyone in the professional world of tennis, including Roger Federer (who has the upmost respect for Rafael Nadal) will tell you that Rafa is one of the most honest and fair players on the tour.

Answer 4

Get over yourself.  Nadal is one of the most honest, hard-working, genuine guys on the tour, according to his peers.  When he calls for the trainer, I have no doubt that it's for a legitimate reason, because he always gives 100% for every shot, and that takes its toll on him physically.  The only possible "gamesmanship", if you can even call it that, is that he takes a very long time between points when he's serving, but he gets called for it by the umpires.  If Federer allowed the medical timeout to get in his head and make him blow a 5-1 lead, then that's his own fault.  He's Federer, the supposed greatest of all time, and he lets that bother him?  Weak!

Answer 5

'Nadal is a very physical player.  He plays long and hard.  He also doesn't give up even when he is down.  For him to use a medical time-out, convenient or not, is something to be applauded because it shows that he can also recognize his body's limits.

There are tennis rules against taking too long in services.  It's not the player's fault if they don't get penalized.  I think Nadal is more weird than dishonest because of the pre-service rituals that he has.  It's more out of habit because he does it all the time regardless of who he is playing.

Nadal would only be intimidating if his opponent gets intimidated.  Otherwise, his fist-pumping and glares wont mean anything.  He's just an intense player.  If his actions get interpreted as intimidating, then it's the other player's problem.  Why worry about Nadal's on-court actions when you have to think of your game plan to beat him?

Illegal coaching?  Hmmmm...  I don't know anything about this.  Can someone enlighten me?

I've never thought of Nadal as a sore loser because he always compliments his opponents whether he wins or loses.

Answer 6

I'm a 100% Fed fan but I love Rafa too and I disagree with what your saying. Nadal doesn't use any kind of tactics and he certainly didn't use any kind of games at Hamburg, they guy was playing with an injury and needed a break, you've got to understand that in tennis you have to take breaks and Rafa did nothing wrong.Rafa is a total warrior is always playing with knees taped up and blisters on his feet, give the guy a break. I love Fed but he lost that 5-1 lead himself and Roger himself took responsibility for losing the match. He has always praised Rafa for his amazing playing ability on clay as has Rafa always praised Roger for being one of the greatest players ever, they respect and admire each other. Roger couldn't blame anybody but himself for losing in Hamburg anyway and Roger didn't blame Rafa for his loss so neither should anyone else. Why does everyone keep bringing this up, that match was done and over with weeks ago.

Answer 7

Hmm...interesting...just to address Rafafananda, I dont think Roger would complain about anybody using those tactics, because as #1 it is assumed that you would not be affected by them. Whether Nadal was showing gamesmanship calling the time out then? NO. Was he trying to distract Federer, maybe. I think even if he did, Federer should have remained focussed, or at least tried to. I had a guy play me some tennis last night, and he did the same thing, and I couldn't somehow get back in the game, but I'm no Federer.

In the end, it is each player for himself, so off the court Nadal could be as nice and friendly, on the court, it is a totally different scenario, he wants to win. I am not sure if he is that low as to employ cheating tactics, like Djo, but some of his actions makes you raise an eyebrow. That's why Federer will be admired, and I will name him the best.

But to Nadal's credit and Federer's fault, it wasn't the first time that Nadal came back from deficits on Federer. Fed man needs to remain focussed

Answer 8

hello,again,Elisabeth: we meet for a second time this afternoon and SURPRISE!!! It is for the same question.Could it be because you did not like the answers you got(support for rafa greatly outnumbered any tepid complaints)? But,I am very much afraid that you have run in to the same thing again. You will just have to come to terms with the fact that on this point you are in a very miniscule minority. Even most Fed fans concede that Rafa is not that person you are trying to make him seem(or that person you really believe to be so bad).

Of course you have a right to your opinion but couldn't you possibly consider that all of us might not be so terribly wrong? Maybe you just got up one morning on the wrong side of bed and looked crosseyed at Rafa and have never been able to get over it.

I really do believe that you are mistaken in your assessment of Rafa and his motives..

That clenched fist "c'mon" gesture was never meant to intimidate. It's a purely juvenile expression of "Wow! Hey! Did you just see what I did? I can't believe it!"...or when the going is tough ,he uses it to encourage himself!! not to intimidate others. You are reading his body language all wrong.

Have you ever heard an interview with him in Spanish? He must be one of the politest,mildest-mannered kids around. Even the New York Times did an article about how amazingly polite and sweet mannered he was for a tennis star! In his English interviews he can't always express himself so well and maybe you haven't been able to see this quality.

He IS compulsive about things during his match,that's true, but I doubt that it is done to upset anybody. Those players are under so much pressure on court that each of them has developed strategies over the years to help themselves deal with their nerves. Almost all the players have some quirk like this or another.

He plays in all the great tournaments where there are no lack of referrees and judges who could call him out on what you see as rule breaking(taking too much time;getting coached). That's what all those people are there for. If they don't call him on it,why should I take a rival fan's word for it? When he has been admonished(hardly ever), he has accepted the penalty or the admonition. He never indulges in racket breaking or throwing. You can tell he cares and respects others on and off the court because he has really tried to cut down on a lot of his more annoying habits. Most Nº 2 players would just take the attitude "oh sod them;I'll do what I want".

He is not the only player to take time out for an injury. Anyway,in last year's Wimbledon Rafa did it when he was winning and Federer was really hot and flustered. That time out gave Fed the time he needed to reconnect and get his game together. Did you complain then about Rafa's time out? I doubt it.

I can't understand some fans. Both Rafa and Federer never stop saying how much they like and admire each other. Federer does not say these things about Rafa. How can you? I agree that Fed is a real class act and a gentleman so you should take your cue from him!

Good luck to you and the players you support and may the best man win!

I

Answer 9

I really do wonder at times when fed fans will run out of new excuses for his losses... I guess never!

Anyway's, Rafa took that timeout at 5-2 after reducing the # of breaks to 1. And, incase you are not aware Rafa came back from 4-0 down at Monte Carlo in the 2nd set and from 5-2 down in the 2nd set at Hamburg as well. So, please stop giving lame excuses. Rafa also came back from 3-0 down against Nole in the semi's. He was serving 0-3 15-40 down and then managed to come back. Speaks a lot about his abilities on clay doesn't it? No, but some people will always always look for lame excuses to defend fed and discredit his opponent.

Max B, obviously you don't read right... did u read the OP's question? The OP started this thread, not Rafa Nadal. Obviously this OP is a big fed fan and may be a regular poster around here who likes to create these new id's and just talk sh*t about Rafa. And, similar posts were created by lots of people right after the Hamburg final (all or most of whom were fed fans). May be you need to shuddup Mr. Tennis Savant?

Answer 10

I am not "fed up" with his tactics to win but I have always noticed them. A lot of people jump on Novak because he bounces the ball for a little bit too long and quits matches too often. But yes Rafeal has some intimidating tatics. Running around the court jumping up in down infront of your opponent is very intimidating. He pumps his fists in an arrogant way and has just some bad traits.

Answer 11

It has nothing to do with Fed fans or not. Nadal himself commented that he felt he probably took the injury time out at the wrong moment, and htat it was rather unfair. So, shuddup to "tennis is best" who obviously has no tennis know how. Thus, Rafa said it, not Fed Fans.

Nadal does use too much time, and has sped up his between serve times and cut back his superstitous rituals. Both he acknowledged. Also cut back on the butt picking. I don't think he does it to sabatog a game, which is why he doesn't get flack like Novak gets (who's antics are extremely suspect).

Federer is the only one who has beat him on clay. Ferrer won a W against him when Nadal had to retire.

Answer 12

he is one of the honest people i know....

Answer 13

Hi Elizabeth, unfortunately I have to disagree with you on your comments about Rafa. Do note that I am a big RF fan, however don't believe that Rafa's actions were to throw Roger from his game and lead. Rather than restate my thoughts, please refer my post at the following thread:

http://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/ind...

Don't be so quick to judge Rogers 5-1 lead as a guarantee that he would have won that set had it not been for Rafa's time out -- go back to Monte Carlo in the second set in particular...no time out, or stalling tactics there.

Cheers, Krav

Answer 14

he does that alot, he clearly was fine but took a time out coz he knew he was in trouble, it is annoying when a play does that, the atp can not really do anything about that, it is up to good sportsman to respect ur opponent and not abuse the system, nadal has done this numerous times and some other  players that i can not remember

Answer 15

first, i'm not a fan of any of these two guys.- (just in case, heh)

now....i don't think what he did in hamburg was dishonest. true, he does take waaaaaaaay too much time in between serves, but if the umpire doesn't give him a warning (he's not the only one that does it, and i do think this should be corrected by the umpires).-

for the other things you mentioned everybody does it, and about the 5-1 thing, that one was fed's mistake, you can't lose a set when you're winning 51.-

and one more thing, fed's not such a great sportman, read his declarations after he lost against murray in dubai, that wasn't very polite...

Answer 16

Dishonest tactics ?! Im afraid i disagree with you entirely. Rafa is an amazing sportsman and his never resorted to your apparent ``tactics`` to win any match. Your really out of line for this question. Your a sore loser and just mad because your precious Roger lost fair n square yet again to the king of clay. As for #1Novak, im shocked at what you said, the things you listed are simply not tactics but Rafa showing his emotions when he`s on the court, he pumps his fist when he gets an awesome point its exciting for his fans and is good he is able to express himself like that. The running back of the court its one of his character traits, he always does that every single match ever since he joined the tour. Seriously these arent tactics. He by no means pumps his fist with arrogance. What about Novak thumping his chest shouting ``iam king`` or that thing he does with his finger viciously points out with it, or his ball bouncing (which i can accept however seems to get worse when he`s losing) thats very off putting for his opponent. Soooo I reckon both you ladies have got your knickers in a twist and should rethink what player really uses tactics to win on court...Rafa or Novak ? Hmm

Even Roger Federer knows Rafa isnt like that he respects him an awful lot !!! Its shocking the amount of people who pick on Rafa for that once incident in hamburg he didnt have a ``serious`` injury thank god, but his hamstring was tightening up he needed a good massage off his trainer he was playing the world #1 for friggin sake Rafa knows he must be 100% at his best to beat him and with the long match against Novak the previous day it had taken its toll on his body a little. Rafa did the decent thing called for the trainer when had just got a break back...... So rafa doesnt use tactics on the court, he`s a true fighter and has the highest respect for all players each and every single one he plays whether its the #1 or 400th ranked in the world. He is a gentlemen just like Roger and is very very mannerly person. I think ive said my piece and stick by every word, you are simply talking rubbish.

Tennisier....Why do you always address me in your questions? Why do you have to bother with me ? Cant you just read my opinion and be done with it why do you always have to comment on what i say ?