Was nadal playing a psychological battle?

Question

Yes, he won, and bloody h**l he was pleased about it, but sometimes i got the opinion that he was playing it more as a psychological battle. bouncing the ball all the time and the totally over the top grunting.

i get the feeling he was taught that way (seeing as hes been training since he was 4), so he doenst know any different, but it just seemed so much like he was trying to s***w up federers concentration all the time.

Federer seems like so much more of a genuine tennis player. he served straight away and was generally quite quiet, almost as if he was trying to prove a point!

anyone agree? PS im not a hardcore tennis fan so im not taking sides at all, and good on nadal for winning the championship. im jsut telling people what i observed and would like some opinions!

Answer 1

yes it was very much a psychological battle especially as nadal at match points in the 4 th set and then they were converted into set points for federer...

they were both determined, and were fighting untll the end.. they had alot to prove...

it could have gone either way...

Answer 2

Dont forget the butt-picking and the fist-pumping!  However, I don't think it's meant to distract his opponents.  If his opponents get distracted, it's their loss.  

Nadal's grunting is not over- the-top.  Have you seen Sharapova play?  Her shrieks are way too distracting, and I'm not even on the other side of the court.

Answer 3

Hmm, that's an interesting question. I think that match could have gone either way, really. I think in the end they were playing merely on nerves, you could see that. And Roger was out there giving his heart out with the pressure of 6 in a row, defeding his title blah blah blah. Nadal pounds on those courts, with nothing to lose really and he had an opportunity and he took it.

Answer 4

every player has their own playstyle. nadal is someone who tends to make his opponent make an error rather than making a winner. roger is more aggresive, i think...

if i'm not mistaken, roger made about twice more unforced error than nadal. while roger made about twice more winners than nadal.

in my opinion, it is okay to grunting. many players do that. as long as not like sharapova...

i think it was a psychological battle. i never thought roger would come back after 2 set deficit...

what a magnificent battle!

Answer 5

Rafa seems to play at the physical edge.

If you exert yourself to the max, you make some noise. Tennis, weightlifting, working out......etc.

As an avid/advanced tennis player I can tell you. When you grunt/make noise, it's because you are releasing energy and being focused. Feeling free.

Answer 6

but i just suppose its how Nadal has been taught, plus it seems that Nadal has some sort of OCD and everything has to be done in a set order or he may feel uncomfy...Although everybody has an opinion on what people think, but IMHO i think that Nadal had no intent in throwing Federer off, it was mainly a fair game and he deserved what he achieved x

Answer 7

No, I don't think he was doing that at all.  It's the way Rafa always plays, whether it's in the first round of a tournament or a final.  If Federer was bothered he could have complained but at the end of the day it's up to the umpire.  He was the better player in the end and it showed.  Soooooo glad he won - well done Rafa!! xx