Should Nadal change his defensive baseline game to an attacling one when playing on grass and hardcourts?

Question

I noticed nadal still employ the clay court game even when playing on hardcourts and grass. Sometimes he stays way back the baseline and trying to return the shots of his opponents. But look what federer did to him in the Tennis Masters Cup 2007 and the semifinals at the Aussie open where tsonga beat him handily using their net and attaking game. Should he use a serve and volley technique and attack the net most often?

Answer 1

Come on, do be serious, grasscourts have slowed down tremendously over the years, nadal needs to keep doing what he's doing, and he's sure to win wimbledon soon!

Answer 2

he should play attacking

Answer 3

He can change it a LITTLE BIT, but he seems to be doing fine with the way he's playing. He attacks when he needs to, and out-rallies all of his opponents until they get tired. It's gotten him to the finals of Wimbledon for the past two years, and he missed shots last year that could have given him the match and the title. He can, but for now he shouldn't. If he loses at Wimbledon this year, he definently should. Not on clay though! He's doing just fine! =)

Answer 4

Before I answer your concern, lets correct the question.  It appears you are saying, "Nadal has a baseline game that

is defensive".  Having coached 3 players top 60 in the world over the past 7 years, there is nothing that Nadal hardly does from the baseline that is not offensive.  Statistics recently showed individual players "rpm" as they hit forehands and backhands, with Baghdadis being No. 2, Safin No. 3, and so

on, all approximately 1,100, 1,088, rpm's or in that neighborhood.  Nadal was No. 1 off both sides at over 1,400 rpm's.  When they combined that with the mph they each hit, which they also looked at as well, Nadal was again at the top.  My point is this, because he hits a hard ball with a great deal of topspin, it is not defensive by any means.  On the flip side of the coin, just because you come to the net does not constitute, you are attacking.  The game has changed as a result of technology/rackets, at the 07' us open,  only 26% of the time did players come to the net.  Players do serve a bit harder with the new technology, but returns and groundstrokes have increased dramatically.  In my book, Nadal is very offensive at the baseline.  Now your question.

No.  I am not a big Nadal fan but those two examples are not enough to warrant him changing his style of play according to the surface.  Plus Nadal is a grinder, he relishes playing the long hard point, that is his forteit, not to mention  his volley suck.