it amazes me how everyone doubts Nadal, a man with 21 grand slams, 13 Roland Garros,and a record of 110-3. What else does he need to do? It's the same every year, "no one expected it"
it is so impossible...what Rafa does, that I think the experts don't want to go with him over and over ...feeling like ...this can't happen again, can it? Rafa, a superhuman athlete, is obviously from Mars or someplace not of planet Earth. And then we throw in what a genuinely fantastic human being he is...OMG, can I like adopt him? Truly, a one of a kind person, we will never again see in sports. Any genre of sports.
Agreed. I get tired of hearing this crap every tournament. Nadal is Nadal and no one can take that away from him. Despite his injuries, he has strong mental strength. He can will himself to win. How many times have we all seen him come out of a match which he was just a point away from losing. Rafa's fans know who he is and what he is capable of. Nadal Is A Champion!
Well when he is 45 years old, it won't matter if he won 35 grand slams, eventually the age will be too much and he won't be the favorite in a given match regardless of the surface. People were thinking maybe (almost) age 36 was getting there against the current world number 1 (admittedly about the same age) on a winning streak and had beaten Nadal last year and physically outlasted him last year, all legitimate thoughts but maybe miscalculated this time. And also after seeing an example of Nadal struggling against Auger-Aliassime in the literal round before that, then imagining Djokovic, an even better player, might pose even more problems. I would rather have some doubt based on those factors rather than have unquestioned allegiance to anyone, even Nadal on clay. What you are saying would probably apply to 80-90% of the top 30 or so, that generally you assume he will pull through against almost any good player on this surface, but against Djokovic, you can't get away with too much. Djokovic is no slouch after all. Even Nadal himself said something like "if you think you can't lose, you're arrogant." I am probably botching the quote but it was something about not getting cocky. So he would probably apply a lot of this terrible "doubt" to himself, to keep himself honest, rather than lie to himself to build up overconfidence. Obviously he is willing to find the strength to overcome those doubts and his ability to do that is what makes him special.
Buddy no body have doubt about Nadal.All respect and appretiation to Nadal.Nadal was better because Novak did not use its chanses.And he did not play on its level like he did 2021.
It’s easy. Nadal makes everyone doubt him, himself. He is the king of excuses, without sounding like the king of excuses. It’s always the «fighting spirit» with Rafa, but never with anybody else. He has mastered this technique. I know he has his problems, but he makes it sound like be is about to retire every year, but still he somehow wins slams after slams. It doesn’t add up, for me.
Great analysis, as usual, Gill. Impressive that you are able to produce this so promptly after the match has finished. Keep up the great work. You truly do add value. Very well done.
@@GillGross HI. YOU EXPERIENCED WHAT G.O.A.T. STATUS DOES FROM TIME TO TIME. IT COMES OUT OF ITS SHELL AND EATS YOUR NUMBER 1 FOR BREAKFAST. MENTAL STRENGTH IS PART OF RATING A PLAYER, GOAT. NOLE FANS AND CASUALS FORGET THAT SLIGHT DETAIL WHEN COMPARING THE TWO. NOVAK'S MENTAL STRENGTH IS WEAKER THAN MOST FANS THINK. IT'S A BIT OVERRATED. HE FLIPS OUT AND LOSES TRACK TOO EASILY. THAT'S WHERE THE GOAT STATUS OF NADAL COMES AHEAD.
Interesting how you blame Novak more for his loss,than you do not giving credit to Nadal, for FORCING novak into compromising positions and adjusting better. As you described, Nadal serving to Novaks back hand, forces Novak to flip out mentally, trying to get those tough returns in on the line. Give credit to Nadal for placing the serve in the right spot, to frazzle Novak's brain, so he misses the return. Novaks weakness as a number 1 player, is simply his mental strength contrary to the nonsense otherwise that he has a strong mental approach, He flips out too much loses concentration. that first set was embarrassing. HEALTHY NADAL = G.OA.T.
First time watching this channel and yes adding value is a great term for it. Gill goes into way more microdetail than the pundits and former pros do in their television commentary and analysis.
I was very impressed with Nadal’s game today. There were little blips but honestly his aggression was amazing whenever he had the opportunity and he defended the second serve very well.
Nadal learned to do one thing. He was sending slow balls to the backhand side of Djokovic so that Djokovic has to generate pace from that side, which he couldn't do for 4 or 5 hours. Every time Nadal was hitting hard on Djoker's forehand side and Slow on backhand side. So that both Djokovic's forehand and backhand were neutralised. Because no one can redirect with their forehands and generate pace with backhands through out the match with consistency. By asking Djokovic to generate pace on backhand side, Nadal put enoromous pressure on right hand and made it difficult to serve for him the later stage of the match. That was quite evident in the fourth set. Nadal was slicing to Djoker's backhand side. I think if he uses the same strategy in Semis, Zverev's serve percentage will be dropped like anything. He simply will slice to backhand again. I'm expecting one tight set and two easy sets for Nadal in the next match. May be like 7-5,6-3,6-2.
@@wastefellow7166 Interesting commentary, I didn't notice the dichotomy of speed in Rafa's shots to Djoker's FH vs BH but you may be on to something. I agree that Djokovic has always preferred redirecting high-pace shot off his BH; he's not as comfortable with slow slices coming into that wing and having to create the power and direction on his own. I guess it's harder to create both pace and direction at the same time. Rafa used the tactic well against him in the USO final 2013, as did Medvedev in the USO final 2021.
@Ismahim Niazi @Ismahim Niazi Apart from the the pace difference Nadal used few other things as well. He was sitting on his forehand side so that Djocovic was left with high risk down the line or drop shots on his backhand. Anything coming to forehand side was getting dispatched by Nadal. Djokovic had no chance for cross court backhand in this match.
When I watched the match again, Djokovic was looking uncomfortable while serving. I think That is because Nadal was protecting his backhand on Djokovic serve. He was failing to paint the centre line when serving from duece court and failing to penetrate through forehand while serving from ad court. For a set and a half, most of the balls unreturned by Nadal were actually easily returnable. Djokovic serve was completely ineffective. I have to see how he won the second set and leading in the fourth.
@@wastefellow7166 Good point, since when Djokovic goes down the line with backhand, unless its an absolutely perfect shot that paints the line, Nadal has many ways to get it back. He sometimes hits it back up the line with spin and pace, often going behind Djokovic and this is a very good shot for him to use. The other is the more common backhand cross court which if he hits deep enough makes it difficult for Djokovic to be aggressive on the next forehand. The slice is used too occasionally. So Nadal has different ways of resetting the point back to neutral or turning defense into outright offense, whereas Djokovic on clay isn't really to the same (as effectively) when Nadal goes up the line with his forehand.
@@joshuaj.2108 well there was nothing much Rafa could do on those three points. Novak hit two fantastic serves and hit a phenomenal return winner. On the last point Novak plays a more neutral point hoping for an opening but Nadal wins this final mini battle of mental strength
@@justusbeweel1109 I hate when ppl just sit in the armchairs and determine what a player should have done or how a player could've won without really taking their time to understand the dynamics of the situation. These guys are great athletes but at the same time they ARE human. They are not perfect and can't win them all. Rafa was up 6:1, he had 5 chances to win, it came in the fourth and he took it. What more can u ask for? Sigh!!
I appreciate all the insights, Gill! So it wasn't just my imagination but Rafa surprisingly looked the fresher of the two, considering he'd been on court 2 hours longer. To me, Djokovic's body language at the end of the 4th set suggested he wasn't yet mentally prepared to go to a 5th.
Gill and many experts had questions regarding Nadal's endurance.. After AO open heroics and his 4th round win over FAA here. Nadal once again showing he is the GOAT
Just question Nadal’s ongoing ‘injury narratives and now the latest is that he could be playing his last match’ - and then the miraculous recoveries ... oh please
What he is on is the question. Comes back after no playing for 6 monts and win the Australian Open, where he hasn't won in 13 years. Outlasting much younger opponents at 35+ with endless stamina? Something looks fishy.
So happy for nadal. Its been a while since nadal looked that good in a match. Every movement of his looked smooth and confident. He didn't seem tentative for the most part which he has been guilty of to me for the past few months. The main key of this match was Nadal's forehand down the line. He pretty much had control of the rally the second he took the forehand down the line. The instance he became passive and returned the forehand cross-court, it was almost always advantage Novak. That was one of the reasons novak won the second set to me. Novak hammering the ball cross-court did not give nadal time to set up so nadal would go back cross-court again.
I thank u Gill for an objective analysis. I am such a huge Rafa fan it’s hard for me to review the matches objectively. I need ppl like Gill to point out the nuances of strategies & calculus so I understand the why(s) of how a match turns out. & what to expect going forward. Thank u Gill. Vamos Rafa!!!
I love that people think they can predict whether fatigue will be a factor. Djokovic came into this match fresh as can be, having not played for most of this year and not dropped a set all tournament. Nadal came in with so much tennis in his legs, and a tough 5 setter with Felix. Who looked more fatigued in the end? Fatigue is weird, it doesn’t follow logic. Sometimes the more battle-tested player is less tired, sometimes the one with fresher legs lasts longer.
@@jeffreykaufmann2867 Dude you’re doing exactly what I was making fun of in this comment. None of us, including Nadal, know how he’s gonna feel on Friday, fatigue-wise. Djokovic headed into this match having not dropped a set, yet he looked more tired than Nadal did by the end of the fourth set.
Novak is clearly the fitter and more athletic player at this point in their careers . But I still that Rafa is still the player with the best endurance by far, even at this age, I haven’t seen him run out of gas in a fifth set, ever. Like gill pointed out for Rafa it’s more about can he sustain that pain for 5 sets rather than can he can for 6 hours. Another thing I want to point out Novak’s defense heavily relies on extreme leg bending with makes someone fatigue sooner than running and sliding like Rafa does.
I'd almost thought of Djokovic winning this match as a foregone conclusion and I was thrilled by Nadal's victory. What dedication to winning! I wonder whether Djoko thought he could make Rafa run, the way he did last time. And I wonder whether Rafa's being 'in the zone' today is partly a matter of luck or whether it's only about dedication or whether it's dedication plus the right tactics. Anyway, Gill, your analysis is illuminating.
Novak knew Rafa might get to 22 slams with this loss and now even worse losing H2H to Rafa at slams (at least not GS Final, but Novak losing H2H there too).. so much history on the line..
Yep, especially since this was an opportunity for him to win the triple career grand slam, being the heavy favourite against everyone left in the field. The head to head is now 30-29 as well, which is less important than slam count but imagine if Nadal pulls ahead there. Its difficult since Djokovic owns him on hardcourt now but who knows.
@@pdcdesign9632 I wonder if Nadal will skip Wimbledon this year?. Novak won three slams last year. Can't believe that a 36 year old Nadal has the chance to do the same thing.
@@pdcdesign9632 True Nadal has been better there in recent years and it is a very physical tournament. I just want Nadal to stay healthy and I believe if he does then he can really have a good tilt at the US Open, possibly Wimbledon too (if he plays).
Retrospectively, main difference between 2021 and 2022 was the nadalian foot … last year it happened during the match, this year the problem had appeared in the previous tournament, and was addressed before RG. By the way he played with a numb foot, and beat an in-form Djokovic, that is mind blowing ! 😱
@@pdcdesign9632 “When it comes to preparing to play tennis’ super-geniuses, you dream about playing Roger Federer, even in defeat delighted at the chance to tell all how great it was to be dissected with such grace. You can practice for Novak Djokovic, as there are many near-facsimiles available who play the Serb’s brand of crisp, attrition-based tennis. But nothing-no lefthander, no topspinner, no warrior-can prepare a player for what is to come versus Nadal. “I’ve never seen someone so locked in,” said Tiafoe.”
I always feels Nadal is the greatest among those 3... Because Nadal with all thos injuries if he is 21... What if he was like Novak in injury point of view! Nadal easily could have 24-25... When Nadal is fully fit he is unbeatable especially in Roland Garros
I absolutely agree with everything you said. You are right when you say that Djokovic looked tired in the 4th set, when we notice with the "naked eye" it seems so. But I don't think the cause of his fatigue was physical, but mental. I think that he was overcome by pressure in the end and that the fatigue was mental and it manifested itself physically. It seems to me that Novak entered the match very badly and tightly, his body language was not like the one from the semifinals in 2021. Therefore, my thesis is that if Djokovic was mentally fresh and with less stress, he would be physically fresher. In other words, I think that the problem is not physical, and that he will be able to play for 4 hours in the future, if he stays fresh and strong mentally.
As a student of English language etymology, I can tell you it is a good thing to make up your own sayings. I like “Through the moon” even better than “over the moon.”
@@VelhaGuardaTricolor He did, but it's a nice expression. He does make the occasional mistake though. I think he has described a match as 'occuring' and he's made other mistakes too, but I do like "through the moon".
Great summation as always, Gill. I was suspicious of the general consensus that Djokovic was better-prepared to handle the long game if it came down to a test of endurance. Rafa proved in Australia that his lungs and legs are as good as ever; his only fitness concerns were skeletal rather than cardiovascular. Whereas, by contrast, the couple of times Djokovic has been pushed since his return (against Davidovich Fokine at Monte Carlo, and against Rublev in Belgrade) he was running on fumes after three hours.
@ Stephen Fuller, that's interesting ure take on Rafa's fitness -- skeletal as opposed to cardiovascular. Never heard anyone put it that way before. And I agree 😀
Wow! You say it like it is. Goran and Novak have a different definition of fitness claiming Novak was ready for a long physical battle and he could play for 10 sets. Thanks so much for this insight.
great analysis as always gill. I was getting shades of the 2013 USO final. Man, that down the line rocket forehand and concussive two handed backhand both crosscourt and down the line. Plus superb all court play. 👑👏👏👏
@@jeffreykaufmann2867 well they are 8 years older now 😉😄, so 54 stroke rallies are out. But I meant Nadal's groundstrokes and his attacking play especially his forehand.
Yes. When Rafa lost the 2nds set and came out all guns blazing with his attacking Forehand...i was almost reminded of the 2013 US Open final and was feeling good of his chances of victory. He didn't prove me wrong.
Today was a bittersweet day at the French. We were treated to one very good match by the youngsters and a great match by two legends. However, the results were less than desirable. Nadal showed once again why he is rightfully the king of clay and what a gutsy win by Zverev to get his first top 10 win at a slam. Had Alcaraz advanced, I'd have given him the edge to beat Nadal and take Roland Garros. Now that both the Spanish prodigy and Tsitsipas are out, this is Nadals to lose and I suspect that he will lift #22.
@@buzzfunk While I agree Zverev is very tough to break if he serves well, his first serve win % throughout the tournament has been 85%, 68%, 86%, 53%, 74%. The two above 80 were against Ofner and Nakashima. The 53% against Zapata Miralles. Some of those are very good numbers but we have to remember Nadal is statistically the best returner on tour and Zverev's 2nd% has not been very impressive. Having said all that it should be prove to be a tough match, which is how I think Nadal will approach it. Zverev's height and backhand is also something Nadal has to watch out for, I don't think the usual pattern on attacking the righty backhand is as effective on Zverev as it is on other players. Luckily he just had a match playing against the greatest backhand in the history of the sport in Djokovic so that probably prepared him well.
@@bloat1235 nadals the heavy, heavy favorite. zverev has literally nothing to lose which will make him dangerous, and after beating djokovic nadal will be surging with confidence. it should be fun, i think the logical pick is nadal in 4
Unforced errors and he struggled to finish pretty much sums up Novak's evening. Rafa was just amazing if he keeps playing like that no one can stop him
"Because of his physicality" my ass, but keep underestimating his tennis as many have done since the beginning, it's a delight watching him proving the likes of you wrong 😂😂😂
@@rt0935 I am a Rafa fan jackass… I am not under estimating his tennis, I am just surprised with his physical level in these 2 5 setters. For me those were key aspects that I was not expecting him to be better than his opponent at
I find not enough Rafa fans have faith in Rafa EVEN at RG!! It's quite shameful and I'm included!!! U NEVER c a Novak fan undermine Novak's chances in ANY match. Even though they feel his chances might be slim but they still have faith in their man bcoz they know he is a great player- #1!! Rafa fans? No!! But this time, I gave my Rafa the edge bcoz I felt that not only does Rafa have a great record at RG but he is supremely talented and definitely has what it takes to take down Novak. Y should I believe otherwise?!! Shame on u Rafans!! Just a crying shame!!
Rafa improves H2H record to 11-7 at slams, best of 5 against Novak, including winning H2H in 9 GS Finals. He came back down 5-2 and 4-1 in set 4...Rafa still has to reach 22 slams, but he played in less slams than Novak. I can't imagine if Rafa were injury free, his career..
looks to me like Raph today has several things going on in his favour: hunger; physical stamina; playing on clay; no bad luck with injury is thus far on his side; his experience; his tenacity mentally; he is figuring out novacs defects like a sniper; he is controlling centre; he is relaxed; he is super fast; he is meticulously accurate; he has a winning strategy against novacs which is to apply all of the above; and as you say his dominance in the centre is plainly obvious, which he is able to do because of all the above factors; plus the biggest factor i think is his singular courage; who else compares with that; plus he has Paris eating out of his hand. he is v v at home in Paris. full credit to Djoko; he brings out the absolute best in RN; and with nadal the best is always yet to come; he is a mountaineer that never gives up; you are right about the tie breaker, it was a thriller; there was history there today in that match; epic; djoko looks a bit like Bjorn BOrg in terms of his endurance, but that was not going to be enough against a better player on the day; and so tennis won today big time; that was a match i will go over again with a fine tooth comb to study ; i really got a lot out of your comments Gill, very astute observations; nadal was from the first ball at his peak; he was super ready; whereaas i think Djoko got the fright of his life, having already verbally and publically proclaimed victory prematch; he just put too much pressure on himself; this also is a major factor differentiating the two, the humble factor; nadal exposed all the weaknesses in Djoko today; the next two matches are going to be sensational if not heart stopping; go raphael !! you are going to do this; your momentum is gathering, peaking; the more relaxed you stay now, the more focused you will be each match hence; you. are my favourite athlete in sport, period. what ever happens, happens.
Gill, I wish the world knew how much of a tennis genius you are. You were the only one saying night sessions don’t necessarily favor Djokovic - even though EVERY tennis pundit was saying the night favors Novak. I will be an avid follower for life.
@@thebobbysisters Thinking Novak is more likely to win, after he won last time, does not in any way make one a fool. I would say you're foolish to say that.
I think Rafa played huge mind game before match up . May be he intentionally made request knowing it was a night match due to broadcasters and he has edge in night match and Nole.
In last several GS, Nadal's form gets peak as the tournament progress. Rafa does not need to play 2 consecutive tournaments before the GS. Rafa and his team needs to be smart about his schedule to save his longevity.
Rafa could have let up in the 4th set and tried to win the decider, but he made the right decision in going for the win in the 4th since it spared his body another punishing 5 setter.
@@semgonzales5430 True. Bold move by Rafa since he had to win three games in a row and then a tie break which would be difficult for Rafa against any top player, but especially against Novak. He needed to play impeccably and he needed Novak to falter.
Aboslutely. I remember peeking at the score (I couldn't bring myself to watch the match after that second set) and saw that Nadal was behind, and I remember thinking, "Nadal you broke him twice in the first, you can do it again and finish with this thing now". He didn't break him twice, but still won.
Loved your pre match analysis about this game. Just like you said, the night session didn't hamper the forehand or the backhand of Rafa when it's compared to Djokovic. He couldn't hit through Rafa and it was him that found it hard to settle in those night session. Thanks for the insights.
at 3:0 in the 4th you could see he cracked physically and as soon as that happened rafa pounced raised his level and never looked back, incredible grind down of the djoker. great win 22 on the cards now !!!
I think the FAA match actually helped Rafa find his 5 setter level, whereas this was the first time Novak has played a fourth set this whole year. Rafa's fourth round actually tested him and prepared him to go the distance, but Novak's instead built up a false confidence that came crashing down against the King of Clay. Novak just looked out of it at times, completely lost the plot when he yelled shut the fuck up to the crowd like Big Baby Shapo and started blaming/smacking the net cord for his problems. It was kind of pathetic at times, didn't look like himself out there. Definitely worrying, especially considering he won't be #1 anymore and Rafa will likely be at 22 by next week. This year's AO could legitimately turn out to be the death knell of his chances to hold the GS record as more and more kids start contending, hopefully not but it's a serious possibility now.
Remember he still has Wimbledon coming up and honestly at this point it seems only Nadal can challenge him, being the only uninjured player right now to have made a Wimbledon final (minimum) and beaten Djokovic on grass and it remains to be seen if he even plays Wimbledon. Actually writing that I just remembered Murray, who is currently picking up some impressive form on the grass (albeit a challenger). I wouldn’t mind a Murray miracle win at Wimbledon tbh.
@@bloat1235 I think FAA is a real contender given how he's been looking lately. He had something like 12 aces against novak on clay in Rome, could seriously cause him some trouble and potentially knock him out. Plus, even if Novak prevails he's not getting any points while dropping 2000, making him regaining no 1 this year almost impossible.
Yes, completely agree. Finally someone bringing up the whole AO situation as a factor. I think people are really neglecting the kind of an effect that missing the first part of the season has. Not being at AO is a huge detriment, and not necessarily in terms of obtaining his form (which he has shown he has), but in terms of negatively affecting his mental during the most critical points (against Nadal especially) at Rolland Garros. Just the thought of Nadal getting to 22 slams if he loses is monumental and can really have detrimental effects. The fact that Novak was able to bring it back after losing the first set and being down two breaks in the second is actually kind of insane, considering the circumstances. The goat debate has seriously been hit due to the AO debacle, because being banned from a tournament is not the same as being injured. Tennis is what loses the most ultimately. I just hope the AO situation doesn't have lasting effects on Novak's mental in future matches.
How can you say Nadal is objectively better than Djokovic when the Spaniard is supposed to win in his house? Get back to me when Nadal does this against Djokovic at the AO and Wimbledon. How can you say Rafa is the goat when he: - Is way behind in weeks at number 1 - Has 0 World Tour Finals titles to Djokovics 5 - Has less masters than Djokovic - Has less yearend number 1's - Never beat Djokovic at the AO(Novaks house) and Djokovic beat Nadal twice at Roland Garros - Never won 4 consecutive slams like Djokovic did and never won the golden masters Moreover, the slam race would probably be tied if Djokovic was not deported from the AO. You must research the facts before making statements like that.
@@parthkulkarni3468 That has nothing with the match, but a rebuttal to your logical fallacy of thinking "Nadal beat Djokovic at RG, so that must make him the goat".
I'm no math whiz but the numbers are simple. Nadal at 105-3 is virtually unbeatable at RG. People don't understand the simple numbers. He never loses. If you look at baseball, there isn't a single pitcher in his career who comes remotely close to Nadal's record.
Yup. As much as I was rooting for Novak, I never bought into the story that he was the favorite coming into the match. 17+ years of Nadal's dominance at RG has taught me a few things!
Actually Djokovic wanted to show the world that he can dominate Nadal on forehand vs forehand duel. He thought his forehand spin would create problems to Nadal.
I was feeling very down and then Rafa won the QF! He's my second choice to win. My third choice is anyone but Djokovic, so I am reasonably happy. But I would so vastly prefer for the semi to be Alcaraz vs Nadal... Here's hoping Nadal will be able to handle Zverev and knock him out in the semi. Still, I predicted Djokovic and Tsitsipas would both be out by the QF's and that happened. It will be interesting to see who prevails in the bottom half of the draw. My prediction is Rublev but honestly it could be any of the remaining four players.
Nadal’s backhand was key. Didn’t break down like last year. Hitting with depth. Anyway it amazes me that people still bet against this guy even though he lost to djokovic last year.
I never doubted that he could beat Djokovic. My only doubt was going through Djokovic + Alcaraz + Tsitsipas to win the title. Now that Alcaraz and Tsitsi are out of the way, #22 is a sure thing for the Spaniard.
@@ruckfules9441 Correction. He beat 3 top 10 players. The Zverev retirement does not count as bring beat. Moreover, Ruud is one of the weakest top 10 players in the history of the sport.
The mission for Rafa on defense: do not give Novak a sitting forehand on the deuce court. The mission for Novak on defense: do not give Rafa a sitting forehand ANYWHERE. That is always true at RG at ANY temperature given both of them are healthy.
Nadal may not be retiring. But it's a miracle he's played with this injury for as long as he has (since 2004). At 36 and on, it's becoming untenable. Bringing doctors to tournaments doesn't sound great. There is a life after tennis and he deserves to be healthy. Whether he wins this tournament or not, does he need to do/prove anymore.
Evan, I agree. I believe Rafael will play 1 more year (2023 with the US Open being his last major); I’m not so sure if the foot condition becomes worse the more he plays, especially at his age. I don’t want Rafa to do long term damage to the foot which would make life a little harder. Golf awaits him!😎
That's a bunch of BS that he's playing with injury and yet come out and play like he's never injured...idk how u his fans buy all the BS but offc u are his fans
@@RFazor I agree with you as well. My understanding is, Rafa will need an operation to stabilize the foot condition. However, after the operation he will not be able to play tennis or hardcore sports again. Sadly appears the end is near for him and his companion Roger Federer.
I think he prefer to die first with his name written in history permanently.. he started getting better of djoker pretty late and he will fancy his chances everywhere else
People need to stop underestimating rafa at rg Phillipe chartrier court He is so consistent on clay... it's ridiculous His groundstrokes/serve/movement are made for clay
The level in the first two sets was in a league of its own. Just shows how good these legends are. I was amazed. It’s like all of a sudden all the unforced errors from the FAA game went away
Novak will be absolutely kicking himself for the start to that third set . Rafa left the court composed himself and came back with his game face on. Novak had all the momentum , for some reason didn’t leave the court , stayed out there and waited and played a poor service game and handed the initiative back to Nadal . Nadal was the better player and deserved the win in the end but Novak had his chances in all 4 four sets and I think that will weigh on his mind for a while . Why people keep doubting Nadal here is beyond me at this point though it’s hilarious. The zverev match should be and intriguing one though he had the weapons to cause Nadal some real issues great mover Great backhand , and when the serve is firing he’s tough tough to beat on any surface , still fancy Rafa but it certainly isn’t a gimmie
Great analysis, but the reason why Nadal surprises us is because somehow we continue to underestimate him. For some reason we (even some Rafa fans) want to think that Nole is the better player. The truth is Nadal didn't need to correct anything from the 2021 match against Nole. He was looking great until his body broke down. We just have to come to terms that Novak is simply not a better player than Rafa. When healthy and in good form, the two are frankly dead even. I would give the edge to Nadal based on the fact that he has a higher conversion rate. But the fundamental thing is to cure ourselves of the notion that Novak is the better player. He is not.
I respectfully disagree with you. Djokovic played the same way he played in 2021 and Nadal played even better. However, Djokovic had some luck on his side in 2021. 1. The match like yesterday was played under the lights which btw makes things difficult for Nadal's game on Clay. 2. Last year the humidity percentage was much higher and temp was around 52-56 degree Fahrenheit which made the balls heavier and as you know when balls get heavy they don't spin and it favored Djokovic's flat play. (You can check one of the old RG final where Nadal and Djokovic played under rain for 1-2 games Djokovic was clearly getting and the match was postponed to monday and Nadal won that RG. Yesterday, the humidity percentage was much lower compared to last year and the temperature was above 60 degree and allowed Nadal put the top spin on the balls. If 2021 was played in natural conditions (without the lights) Nadal would have won the match in 4 sets. Wimbledon and RolandGarros - I hope they get away with night matches and closed rood nonsense for these two tournaments.
How can you say Nadal is objectively better than Djokovic when the Spaniard is supposed to win in his house? Get back to me when Nadal does this against Djokovic at the AO and Wimbledon. How can you say Rafa is the goat when he: - Is way behind in weeks at number 1 - Has 0 World Tour Finals titles to Djokovics 5 - Has less masters than Djokovic - Has less yearend number 1's - Never beat Djokovic at the AO(Novaks house) and Djokovic beat Nadal twice at Roland Garros - Never won 4 consecutive slams like Djokovic did and never won the golden masters Moreover, the slam race would probably be tied if Djokovic was not deported from the AO. You must research the facts before making statements like that.
@@jacobschmidt2709 First, I did not say that Rafa is objectively better than Novak. I said they both have to be considered better than Federer based on Stats and accomplishments... That said, let me just answer some of your claims. - You said the Slam count would be even if Novak didn't get deported at AO. Well, we simply don't know that. Nadal defeated Medvedev, the man who had just beaten Novak at USO and considered by many to be the best hard court player in the world. And judging by how Nadal just beat Novak at RG when most considered him to be the underdog, I have every reason to think he would've beaten Novak...I could also make the case that if it weren't for injuries, including the 2021 RG semi-final, Nadal would be farther ahead in the slam count...but no matter. This is all speculation - You said Nadal never beat Novak at AO. Well, they've only met there twice. Also, keep in mind that Nadal has beaten Novak in every other slam, not just RG. He actually has a wining record - 2v1 - against him at the US open. - Nadal has 2 Olympic gold medals. Novak has none - Nadal has the highest winning percentage of all time at 73.2% - highest GS finals conversion rate 21/29 - Highest slam win to participation rate. NADAL 21/63, Novak 20/66. - he is the first and I think only player to win four Grand Slams without dropping a set Very easy to find Stats for Rafa. With all that, I'm only saying that I would give Nadal the edge in the GOAT conversation, but the debate between him and Novak is ongoing. I'd say the fairest assessment would be to call them even for now.
Valy I agree with you that Djokovic is not the better player, especially on clay. Nadal is better on clay even though the Djoker is good enough to challenge Rafa & beat him from time to time. Now re 2021, I think Rafa's body did break down, but whether Djoker's tactics helped that happen, or whether Rafa's foot was killing him from the get go is hard to say. Djoker did play a great match in 2021 & I agree with Gill's analysis re the wide forehands to Rafa's backhand giving Nole the edge last year. I do think Rafa needed to change tactics & he hit the ball up the line way more on both sides & then used his forehand & higher margin for error with his topspin to neutralize the Djoker. Djoker is now better than Rafa on a hardcourt but elsewhere h2h it is in Rafa's hands on clay if he plays close to his best & can go either way on grass.
Nice analysis Gill. Note: Nadal's forehand DTL has been a key against Djokovic since far before 2018. It's always been Rafa's single greatest weapon against Novak and the general barometer for how confident he is and how close to his peak he's playing. IMO it's one of the key factors - if not the most important - behind his biggest wins against his prime rival, especially when he went 6-1 against him in 2012-13. It was also hugely on display in his FO 2014 final win.
Watched the first two sets on a video projector at a friend's here in Paris, a real treat. Had intuition that Djokovic would pull this out as he has done so many times, was very disappointed when I saw the result this morning. Two amazing warriors, Nadal has proven yet again what an incomprable beast he is. I am hoping to see Djokovic-Nadal final at Wimbledon. As for the GOAT conversation, for me the Big 3 are all GOATs, but I'd give a slight edge to Novak and Rafa fighting for the top spot, Federer clearly securing the 3rd spot.
As I was watching the match I kept thinking how right you were about the conditions. Novak was crushing the ball and usually deep and Nadal just kept getting it back. It eventually caused Novak to go for even finer margins. That lead to more errors. I agree somewhat on the endurance. I was waiting for Nadal to fade and it looked like it was happening at 5-2. I think for Novak it was as much emotionally as physically. He just couldn't believe he wasn't winning with as well as he was playing and hitting. Against anyone else on that day and that court, Djokovic wins in straights easily. It got to him. It's what he does to just about everyone else. Very impressed with Nadal and what he did. I would expect this will cause Rafa to break down again for quite a while after the FO.
I would say Nadal gets bullied more in heavy conditions. Especially when he is struggling with his serve. When he is on his game, very hard to beat regardless of conditions.
often these days Nadal can actually hit through heavier conditions better than opponents. Nadal has more power than Djokovic. This is a bit different on HC with a lower bounce, however. But on clay the heavy conditions aren't bad for old-Dal. Remember that arguably Nadal the last few years is more consistent on quicker surfaces than clay
I think you are correct about the slow conditions not necessarily favouring Djokovic. The slowness certainly helps Nadal hit his forehand up the line, which for me, is Nadal's signature shot. Djokovic, if not physically certainly was mentally fatigued in the 4th set. He wasn't necessarily building the point anymore and was pulling way the trigger too early.
But still how you analyse the 2nd set..may be conditions were starting to be a bit heavier and nadal took some time to adjust to these heavy conditions
I watched the replay missing half the match. Came straight to your channel for the analysis. Things did not go as many of us thought regarding these top-half quarterfinals! Novak seemed strange; the tactics not working (more due to his opponent), endurance failing,. impatience clearly conspicuous. And the opposite for Rafa! Boy he was in warrior mode! Rafa was looking like he could have gone another set and maybe have won in the fifth anyway. Even better, won in straights nearly up a double break in the second. How ironic Djoko spent less time on court than Nadal and he was tired! And playing at night was no problem for Rafa, like idk people thought it would be. Looking forward to the semis.
Wow two timely videos/great analysis in a day! Thank you so much Gill for your passion and expertise!! Nadal played superb!! I am superstitious and thought this is meant to be for Alcaraz not to meet Nadal in the next round and not to make It hard for Nadal fans who are also Alcaraz fans. Alcaraz will continue to learn and improve and be ready for the next RG!!
Exactly. It's good that Alcaraz lost because I support him and it would be harder for me as a fan to see my all time idol and the future favorite player go at each other.
Hi Gill, I do respect your analysis alot but I think you sounded rather biased on this analysis. Appears you are disappointed Nadal won and you were predicted wrong. Your main focus is what Novak Djokovic didn't do. Note until now Novak had a cup cake draw and I think Nadal's match was his first real test. My main take; never underestimate a dude who has won Roland Garros 13 times. Nadal has proven just like in 2020, lack of good results in tune up events to Roland Garros doesn't matter. Nadal played a tactical game and deserves the credit
The same story every year everyone underestimate Rafa and he always proof them wrong. When people eventually gonna understand that Rafa is the favourite RG even with one leg? like seriously
13:50 I don't know either Gill, it was so annoying, too many times happened yesterday... He had 4 UFE in TB + that point with wide-open court + last point where he had control until last shot.
Gill Gross you are too much Novak centric.. You are too biased towards Novak & can't accept him losing to Rafa.. Yesterday & even on 2020 Rafa posted two devastating performances but your analysis always rests on how bad or mistakes Novak played..not abt the extraordinary shots, perf of Rafa 🙄
Actually some analysts say Nole's return was bad. That's opposite to what I saw: Nole returned pretty well, especially in the 2nd and the 4th set. It's a general problem for him: Rafa is able to deal with this return better than anyone. Often when Nole returned on the line in front of Rafas feet, he was still able to neutralize with a deep forehand himself.
Nadal was the steadier and physically stronger player, but Djokovic definitely lost the plot of keeping Nadal in backhand jail. I was stunned to see Djokovic willingly go to Nadal's forehand so often as the match progressed.
Very high level from Rafa, but it just shocked me the way Novak came out of the long break between the 2nd and 3rd sets. Novak went on a 6 to 1 run in terms of games in the 2nd set, but then in the 1st game of the 3rd set looked completely winded. The 3rd set was gone in a flash after Novak worked so hard to come back in the 2nd set. It has become obvious to me that Novak was never completely back to 100% even with the Rome results. Novak’s form was overrated from a fitness perspective going into this, and this match showed it. But all credit to Nadal for showing up big time. Gill I like that you describe this same sort of deficiency from Novak starting in the 3rd set.
I completely agree. Novak never looked like the stronger player physically after the 2nd set, even when up in 4th. Then his focus and intensity completely nosedived at the end of the match.
Great analysis once again, Gil ! Yet Rafa's magic continues to confound you. You picked Medvedev to win the AO final, and Djokovic to win this QF. What gives ?
Gil is perhaps the only loser Fed fanboy still calling Nadal "RAPHAEL" when the whole world knows and simply calls him RAFA. LOL I also get a feeling he rather be a Djoker fan than a Rafa fan since Nole was beating up on his idol Federer's during past prime years and we all know Rafa was owning Fed in his prime years.
@@pdcdesign9632 as a huge Rafa fan, don't be toxic. Gil is the best content creator we tennis fans have right now and he has always given his objective analysis on players/matches. Stop being an immature fanboy.
real deal analysis !! Rafa's move of tournament was aggressive short backend diagonal from wrist which surprised everyone.. last year that deep kind of ball he usually back with backend slice making longer rallies
Thanks Gill, very insightful analysis. It would be awesome if you could sprinkle in match highlights to more effectively articulate your points, especially in regards to strategy. I was also wondering why Djokovic stopped attacking Rafa’s BH in latter sets; also not sure why fatigue would prevent him from doing so.
This loss must have been so very painful for Jokoweak as he came to the match with a huge confidence having beaten his opponents so very convincingly from the 1st round up to this historic quarterfinal. And things went exactly as the last year of semi final wherein jokoweak got stronger in the 2nd set n was so very close to grab the 4th set leading 2 - 0 n then 5 - 3 n had 4 match points which Nadal nullified one by one in a so very heartdrumming moments. Not to mention the statement Jokoweak made the day before the match that he had so very good chance to beat the injured Nadal who had longer n more grueling matches leading to this historic quarter final. You can imagine how the loss affected Jokoweak as he didn't talk to his coach for a period of 5 days after the heartbreaking demise. Alas, Nadal did Nadal things as he often does to prove his worth n love for tennis.
I can only hope Nadal has enough fuel left in the tank (and health) for the upcoming match against zverev and a potential final. This is not a negative or doubtful comment for those who might be confused.
He has 2 days rest...so as long as the foot remains okay, I think he can recover... The 2 rest could not have come at a better time though... Exactly like after the Shapo match at AO...
@@kathym.2511 learned nothing? I’m a Nadal fan, I’m just saying it’s not easy to recover from back to back 4 hour matches at 36 years old, especially one that finishes in the early morning. I’m not being negative or doubting Nadal, simply being hopeful so you don’t need to be so negative.
Impressive analysis! I enjoyed it. I thought the same thing with Nadal’s endurance yesterday and in 2022 in general. It’s been the key thing that I think continues to surprise his opponents this season. His 1st serve percentage against Novak to me gives him the greatest chance. 70% is probably the mark Rafa has to hit going forward.
It would have been good for Djokovic to have had some tougher opponents before the quarterfinal, Rafa's level was too high compared to what Novak had faced untill their match. On the other hand, Rafa's match against FAA probably gave him a much needed confidence boost. Just my två öre....
it amazes me how everyone doubts Nadal, a man with 21 grand slams, 13 Roland Garros,and a record of 110-3. What else does he need to do? It's the same every year, "no one expected it"
it is so impossible...what Rafa does, that I think the experts don't want to go with him over and over ...feeling like ...this can't happen again, can it? Rafa, a superhuman athlete, is obviously from Mars or someplace not of planet Earth. And then we throw in what a genuinely fantastic human being he is...OMG, can I like adopt him? Truly, a one of a kind person, we will never again see in sports. Any genre of sports.
Agreed. I get tired of hearing this crap every tournament. Nadal is Nadal and no one can take that away from him. Despite his injuries, he has strong mental strength. He can will himself to win. How many times have we all seen him come out of a match which he was just a point away from losing. Rafa's fans know who he is and what he is capable of. Nadal Is A Champion!
Well when he is 45 years old, it won't matter if he won 35 grand slams, eventually the age will be too much and he won't be the favorite in a given match regardless of the surface. People were thinking maybe (almost) age 36 was getting there against the current world number 1 (admittedly about the same age) on a winning streak and had beaten Nadal last year and physically outlasted him last year, all legitimate thoughts but maybe miscalculated this time. And also after seeing an example of Nadal struggling against Auger-Aliassime in the literal round before that, then imagining Djokovic, an even better player, might pose even more problems.
I would rather have some doubt based on those factors rather than have unquestioned allegiance to anyone, even Nadal on clay. What you are saying would probably apply to 80-90% of the top 30 or so, that generally you assume he will pull through against almost any good player on this surface, but against Djokovic, you can't get away with too much. Djokovic is no slouch after all.
Even Nadal himself said something like "if you think you can't lose, you're arrogant." I am probably botching the quote but it was something about not getting cocky. So he would probably apply a lot of this terrible "doubt" to himself, to keep himself honest, rather than lie to himself to build up overconfidence. Obviously he is willing to find the strength to overcome those doubts and his ability to do that is what makes him special.
Buddy no body have doubt about Nadal.All respect and appretiation to Nadal.Nadal was better because Novak did not use its chanses.And he did not play on its level like he did 2021.
It’s easy. Nadal makes everyone doubt him, himself. He is the king of excuses, without sounding like the king of excuses. It’s always the «fighting spirit» with Rafa, but never with anybody else. He has mastered this technique. I know he has his problems, but he makes it sound like be is about to retire every year, but still he somehow wins slams after slams. It doesn’t add up, for me.
I just want to let everyone knows how happy I'm. I'm just exploding in joy
Mee tooo
Great analysis, as usual, Gill. Impressive that you are able to produce this so promptly after the match has finished. Keep up the great work. You truly do add value. Very well done.
Much appreciated!
@@GillGross HI. YOU EXPERIENCED WHAT G.O.A.T. STATUS DOES FROM TIME TO TIME.
IT COMES OUT OF ITS SHELL AND EATS YOUR NUMBER 1 FOR BREAKFAST.
MENTAL STRENGTH IS PART OF RATING A PLAYER, GOAT.
NOLE FANS AND CASUALS FORGET THAT SLIGHT DETAIL WHEN COMPARING THE TWO.
NOVAK'S MENTAL STRENGTH IS WEAKER THAN MOST FANS THINK.
IT'S A BIT OVERRATED.
HE FLIPS OUT AND LOSES TRACK TOO EASILY.
THAT'S WHERE THE GOAT STATUS OF NADAL COMES AHEAD.
Interesting how you blame Novak more for his loss,than you do not giving credit to Nadal, for FORCING novak into compromising positions and adjusting better. As you described, Nadal serving to Novaks back hand, forces Novak to flip out mentally, trying to get those tough returns in on the line. Give credit to Nadal for placing the serve in the right spot, to frazzle Novak's brain, so he misses the return. Novaks weakness as a number 1 player, is simply his mental strength contrary to the nonsense otherwise that he has a strong mental approach, He flips out too much loses concentration. that first set was embarrassing.
HEALTHY NADAL = G.OA.T.
Well said and I echo that - appreciate you Gill!
First time watching this channel and yes adding value is a great term for it. Gill goes into way more microdetail than the pundits and former pros do in their television commentary and analysis.
I was very impressed with Nadal’s game today. There were little blips but honestly his aggression was amazing whenever he had the opportunity and he defended the second serve very well.
Nadal learned to do one thing. He was sending slow balls to the backhand side of Djokovic so that Djokovic has to generate pace from that side, which he couldn't do for 4 or 5 hours.
Every time Nadal was hitting hard on Djoker's forehand side and Slow on backhand side. So that both Djokovic's forehand and backhand were neutralised. Because no one can redirect with their forehands and generate pace with backhands through out the match with consistency.
By asking Djokovic to generate pace on backhand side, Nadal put enoromous pressure on right hand and made it difficult to serve for him the later stage of the match. That was quite evident in the fourth set.
Nadal was slicing to Djoker's backhand side. I think if he uses the same strategy in Semis, Zverev's serve percentage will be dropped like anything. He simply will slice to backhand again. I'm expecting one tight set and two easy sets for Nadal in the next match.
May be like 7-5,6-3,6-2.
@@wastefellow7166 Interesting commentary, I didn't notice the dichotomy of speed in Rafa's shots to Djoker's FH vs BH but you may be on to something. I agree that Djokovic has always preferred redirecting high-pace shot off his BH; he's not as comfortable with slow slices coming into that wing and having to create the power and direction on his own. I guess it's harder to create both pace and direction at the same time. Rafa used the tactic well against him in the USO final 2013, as did Medvedev in the USO final 2021.
@Ismahim Niazi @Ismahim Niazi Apart from the the pace difference Nadal used few other things as well.
He was sitting on his forehand side so that Djocovic was left with high risk down the line or drop shots on his backhand. Anything coming to forehand side was getting dispatched by Nadal. Djokovic had no chance for cross court backhand in this match.
When I watched the match again, Djokovic was looking uncomfortable while serving. I think That is because Nadal was protecting his backhand on Djokovic serve. He was failing to paint the centre line when serving from duece court and failing to penetrate through forehand while serving from ad court.
For a set and a half, most of the balls unreturned by Nadal were actually easily returnable. Djokovic serve was completely ineffective. I have to see how he won the second set and leading in the fourth.
@@wastefellow7166 Good point, since when Djokovic goes down the line with backhand, unless its an absolutely perfect shot that paints the line, Nadal has many ways to get it back. He sometimes hits it back up the line with spin and pace, often going behind Djokovic and this is a very good shot for him to use. The other is the more common backhand cross court which if he hits deep enough makes it difficult for Djokovic to be aggressive on the next forehand. The slice is used too occasionally. So Nadal has different ways of resetting the point back to neutral or turning defense into outright offense, whereas Djokovic on clay isn't really to the same (as effectively) when Nadal goes up the line with his forehand.
Best tiebreak from Rafa in a looooong time.
Other than not converting on 3 of the match points which was nerve racking.
Thank goodness it was 6-1.
@@joshuaj.2108 well there was nothing much Rafa could do on those three points. Novak hit two fantastic serves and hit a phenomenal return winner. On the last point Novak plays a more neutral point hoping for an opening but Nadal wins this final mini battle of mental strength
@@joshuaj.2108 novak saved all of those points with great shots, nadal didn’t choke a single matchpoint . That return at 6:3 was ridiculous .
@@justusbeweel1109 I hate when ppl just sit in the armchairs and determine what a player should have done or how a player could've won without really taking their time to understand the dynamics of the situation. These guys are great athletes but at the same time they ARE human. They are not perfect and can't win them all. Rafa was up 6:1, he had 5 chances to win, it came in the fourth and he took it. What more can u ask for? Sigh!!
Gill was right regarding the evening conditions being overrated- loved watching Rafa dance to the Night Fever!
Love that last line. Rafa was indeed dancing to the night fever while his doubters were having their Jaws dropped. Incredible stuff.
I appreciate all the insights, Gill! So it wasn't just my imagination but Rafa surprisingly looked the fresher of the two, considering he'd been on court 2 hours longer. To me, Djokovic's body language at the end of the 4th set suggested he wasn't yet mentally prepared to go to a 5th.
That's the PEDs
Exactly. Normally he fires himself up by a meriad of things, but the only thing we saw was that net-"slap", and after that a tired looking expression.
Gill and many experts had questions regarding Nadal's endurance.. After AO open heroics and his 4th round win over FAA here. Nadal once again showing he is the GOAT
Goat of clay
@Apolo Supernova And eight slams and an Olympic Gold Medal off clay ain't bad, either.
Just question Nadal’s ongoing ‘injury narratives and now the latest is that he could be playing his last match’ - and then the miraculous recoveries ... oh please
If Rafa is GOAT of clay,
Then no one deserves a GOAT title on a surface other than clay
What he is on is the question. Comes back after no playing for 6 monts and win the Australian Open, where he hasn't won in 13 years. Outlasting much younger opponents at 35+ with endless stamina? Something looks fishy.
So happy for nadal. Its been a while since nadal looked that good in a match. Every movement of his looked smooth and confident. He didn't seem tentative for the most part which he has been guilty of to me for the past few months. The main key of this match was Nadal's forehand down the line. He pretty much had control of the rally the second he took the forehand down the line. The instance he became passive and returned the forehand cross-court, it was almost always advantage Novak. That was one of the reasons novak won the second set to me. Novak hammering the ball cross-court did not give nadal time to set up so nadal would go back cross-court again.
I thank u Gill for an objective analysis. I am such a huge Rafa fan it’s hard for me to review the matches objectively. I need ppl like Gill to point out the nuances of strategies & calculus so I understand the why(s) of how a match turns out. & what to expect going forward. Thank u Gill. Vamos Rafa!!!
It is no rocket science to understand Nadal energy level dipped that's why Djokovic saved bagel and straight set victory 😎😎😎
Why I love tennis demonstrated today! However, I am also a die hard Rafa fan!
I love that people think they can predict whether fatigue will be a factor. Djokovic came into this match fresh as can be, having not played for most of this year and not dropped a set all tournament. Nadal came in with so much tennis in his legs, and a tough 5 setter with Felix. Who looked more fatigued in the end? Fatigue is weird, it doesn’t follow logic. Sometimes the more battle-tested player is less tired, sometimes the one with fresher legs lasts longer.
AO 2022 final all over
Medv was hell tired
Nadal won his first three matches in Straight Sets so one tough match shouldn't make him tired. And with two days of rest he'll be ok on Friday.
@@jeffreykaufmann2867 Dude you’re doing exactly what I was making fun of in this comment. None of us, including Nadal, know how he’s gonna feel on Friday, fatigue-wise. Djokovic headed into this match having not dropped a set, yet he looked more tired than Nadal did by the end of the fourth set.
@@SJ-di5zu You may be Right.
Novak is clearly the fitter and more athletic player at this point in their careers . But I still that Rafa is still the player with the best endurance by far, even at this age, I haven’t seen him run out of gas in a fifth set, ever. Like gill pointed out for Rafa it’s more about can he sustain that pain for 5 sets rather than can he can for 6 hours. Another thing I want to point out Novak’s defense heavily relies on extreme leg bending with makes someone fatigue sooner than running and sliding like Rafa does.
I'd almost thought of Djokovic winning this match as a foregone conclusion and I was thrilled by Nadal's victory. What dedication to winning!
I wonder whether Djoko thought he could make Rafa run, the way he did last time.
And I wonder whether Rafa's being 'in the zone' today is partly a matter of luck or whether it's only about dedication or whether it's dedication plus the right tactics.
Anyway, Gill, your analysis is illuminating.
He was making Rafa run. Rafa had to dig deep.
Of course it's also the right tactics. When Novak and rafa play each other its obvious they know each other's tactics from the inside
Yeah Clearly the 13 TIME Champ was "Lucky" . Just hear yourself bro !! The fact you even brought that word up is just AGhhhhh
I thought the same; I was duped again! Not anymore!
People forgot Nadal Fordham has improved very well
Novak knew Rafa might get to 22 slams with this loss and now even worse losing H2H to Rafa at slams (at least not GS Final, but Novak losing H2H there too).. so much history on the line..
Yep, especially since this was an opportunity for him to win the triple career grand slam, being the heavy favourite against everyone left in the field. The head to head is now 30-29 as well, which is less important than slam count but imagine if Nadal pulls ahead there. Its difficult since Djokovic owns him on hardcourt now but who knows.
@@bloat1235 Nadal still has an edge if they play at US Open. Rafa loves that type of surface and the crowd is always good for Nadal.
@@pdcdesign9632 I wonder if Nadal will skip Wimbledon this year?. Novak won three slams last year. Can't believe that a 36 year old Nadal has the chance to do the same thing.
I don't think Novak's kid will be cheering for Nadal on Friday.
@@pdcdesign9632 True Nadal has been better there in recent years and it is a very physical tournament. I just want Nadal to stay healthy and I believe if he does then he can really have a good tilt at the US Open, possibly Wimbledon too (if he plays).
Retrospectively, main difference between 2021 and 2022 was the nadalian foot … last year it happened during the match, this year the problem had appeared in the previous tournament, and was addressed before RG.
By the way he played with a numb foot, and beat an in-form Djokovic, that is mind blowing ! 😱
Pin point accurate !
The intensity hit you through the screen. I had friends who had to take a break. G.O.A.T. tennis is the best!
No kidding. These 2 guys Rafa and Nole always take it to a whole different level the rest of the players can only imagine.
@@pdcdesign9632 “When it comes to preparing to play tennis’ super-geniuses, you dream about playing Roger Federer, even in defeat delighted at the chance to tell all how great it was to be dissected with such grace. You can practice for Novak Djokovic, as there are many near-facsimiles available who play the Serb’s brand of crisp, attrition-based tennis.
But nothing-no lefthander, no topspinner, no warrior-can prepare a player for what is to come versus Nadal. “I’ve never seen someone so locked in,” said Tiafoe.”
@@angelmatos9143 that gave me chills
@@angelmatos9143 goosebumps
@@angelmatos9143 Wow, just wow!! Taifoe said that?!!!😃
I always feels Nadal is the greatest among those 3... Because Nadal with all thos injuries if he is 21... What if he was like Novak in injury point of view! Nadal easily could have 24-25... When Nadal is fully fit he is unbeatable especially in Roland Garros
Rafa committing to hitting the forehand down the line more than in 2021 I think was the biggest difference-maker.
+ weather
I absolutely agree with everything you said. You are right when you say that Djokovic looked tired in the 4th set, when we notice with the "naked eye" it seems so. But I don't think the cause of his fatigue was physical, but mental. I think that he was overcome by pressure in the end and that the fatigue was mental and it manifested itself physically. It seems to me that Novak entered the match very badly and tightly, his body language was not like the one from the semifinals in 2021. Therefore, my thesis is that if Djokovic was mentally fresh and with less stress, he would be physically fresher. In other words, I think that the problem is not physical, and that he will be able to play for 4 hours in the future, if he stays fresh and strong mentally.
Couldnt have imagined Nadal's win but he did it..so happy..
Zverev likes being an underdog ,he will be very dangerous for Rafa ..
Lets see..
Who couldn't? Who's happy? LOL
Nadal will play better on Friday and it will be 6°C warmer.
This RG is full of upsets....Tsitsipas to Rune, Med to Cilic, Sinner injury... now Novak is out.
Huh whys that? He beat Novak a few times. And vice versa. It was really 50/50.
@@mishkosimonovski23 Novak losing to Nadal isn't an upset
As a student of English language etymology, I can tell you it is a good thing to make up your own sayings. I like “Through the moon” even better than “over the moon.”
I think he just mixed involuntarily "through the roof" with "over the moon".
@@VelhaGuardaTricolor He did, but it's a nice expression.
He does make the occasional mistake though. I think he has described a match as 'occuring' and he's made other mistakes too, but I do like "through the moon".
@@adrrda6091 me too!☺🎾
Great summation as always, Gill. I was suspicious of the general consensus that Djokovic was better-prepared to handle the long game if it came down to a test of endurance. Rafa proved in Australia that his lungs and legs are as good as ever; his only fitness concerns were skeletal rather than cardiovascular. Whereas, by contrast, the couple of times Djokovic has been pushed since his return (against Davidovich Fokine at Monte Carlo, and against Rublev in Belgrade) he was running on fumes after three hours.
@ Stephen Fuller, that's interesting ure take on Rafa's fitness -- skeletal as opposed to cardiovascular. Never heard anyone put it that way before. And I agree 😀
Wow! You say it like it is. Goran and Novak have a different definition of fitness claiming Novak was ready for a long physical battle and he could play for 10 sets. Thanks so much for this insight.
great analysis as always gill. I was getting shades of the 2013 USO final. Man, that down the line rocket forehand and concussive two handed backhand both crosscourt and down the line. Plus superb all court play. 👑👏👏👏
The Rallies were longer in 2013 and that's a faster Court.
@@jeffreykaufmann2867 well they are 8 years older now 😉😄, so 54 stroke rallies are out. But I meant Nadal's groundstrokes and his attacking play especially his forehand.
Yes. When Rafa lost the 2nds set and came out all guns blazing with his attacking Forehand...i was almost reminded of the 2013 US Open final and was feeling good of his chances of victory. He didn't prove me wrong.
Today was a bittersweet day at the French. We were treated to one very good match by the youngsters and a great match by two legends. However, the results were less than desirable. Nadal showed once again why he is rightfully the king of clay and what a gutsy win by Zverev to get his first top 10 win at a slam. Had Alcaraz advanced, I'd have given him the edge to beat Nadal and take Roland Garros. Now that both the Spanish prodigy and Tsitsipas are out, this is Nadals to lose and I suspect that he will lift #22.
Agreed. However, dont count out Sascha. When he has a good serve day, it will be very tough to break him. Mentally rafa is def stronger. So we'll see.
@@buzzfunk While I agree Zverev is very tough to break if he serves well, his first serve win % throughout the tournament has been 85%, 68%, 86%, 53%, 74%. The two above 80 were against Ofner and Nakashima. The 53% against Zapata Miralles. Some of those are very good numbers but we have to remember Nadal is statistically the best returner on tour and Zverev's 2nd% has not been very impressive. Having said all that it should be prove to be a tough match, which is how I think Nadal will approach it. Zverev's height and backhand is also something Nadal has to watch out for, I don't think the usual pattern on attacking the righty backhand is as effective on Zverev as it is on other players. Luckily he just had a match playing against the greatest backhand in the history of the sport in Djokovic so that probably prepared him well.
@@bloat1235 nadals the heavy, heavy favorite. zverev has literally nothing to lose which will make him dangerous, and after beating djokovic nadal will be surging with confidence. it should be fun, i think the logical pick is nadal in 4
I had written Nadal off. Now I'm reminded about why I love him so much.
Unforced errors and he struggled to finish pretty much sums up Novak's evening. Rafa was just amazing if he keeps playing like that no one can stop him
Just like in the AO final, I thought nadal would loose because of his physicality. Yet, he wins both matches because of his physicality
His mental strength was even more important. His AO performance was truly amazing.
"Because of his physicality" my ass, but keep underestimating his tennis as many have done since the beginning, it's a delight watching him proving the likes of you wrong 😂😂😂
@@rt0935 I am a Rafa fan jackass… I am not under estimating his tennis, I am just surprised with his physical level in these 2 5 setters. For me those were key aspects that I was not expecting him to be better than his opponent at
I find not enough Rafa fans have faith in Rafa EVEN at RG!! It's quite shameful and I'm included!!! U NEVER c a Novak fan undermine Novak's chances in ANY match. Even though they feel his chances might be slim but they still have faith in their man bcoz they know he is a great player- #1!! Rafa fans? No!! But this time, I gave my Rafa the edge bcoz I felt that not only does Rafa have a great record at RG but he is supremely talented and definitely has what it takes to take down Novak. Y should I believe otherwise?!! Shame on u Rafans!! Just a crying shame!!
Wow! Another classic from these 2. Each had periods of absolutely incredible level. So impressed with the Nadal forehand as usual
Rafa improves H2H record to 11-7 at slams, best of 5 against Novak, including winning H2H in 9 GS Finals. He came back down 5-2 and 4-1 in set 4...Rafa still has to reach 22 slams, but he played in less slams than Novak. I can't imagine if Rafa were injury free, his career..
The injuries are part of his career.
If Djokovic and Nadal played each other as many times at the AO as the French Open and vice versa, Novak would lead the slam head to head.
@@jacobschmidt2709 Y do u talk like that as if ure Nostradamus?!!! You DON'T know that!!!
@@jacobschmidt2709 If 2 Slams were on clay instead of hardcourt we would not even debate who is the GOAT.
@K Totci Yes, sure!! Like the same way you KNEW Rafa was going to beat Novak today, right?!!! 🙄
looks to me like Raph today has several things going on in his favour: hunger; physical stamina; playing on clay; no bad luck with injury is thus far on his side; his experience; his tenacity mentally; he is figuring out novacs defects like a sniper; he is controlling centre; he is relaxed; he is super fast; he is meticulously accurate; he has a winning strategy against novacs which is to apply all of the above; and as you say his dominance in the centre is plainly obvious, which he is able to do because of all the above factors; plus the biggest factor i think is his singular courage; who else compares with that; plus he has Paris eating out of his hand. he is v v at home in Paris. full credit to Djoko; he brings out the absolute best in RN; and with nadal the best is always yet to come; he is a mountaineer that never gives up; you are right about the tie breaker, it was a thriller; there was history there today in that match; epic; djoko looks a bit like Bjorn BOrg in terms of his endurance, but that was not going to be enough against a better player on the day; and so tennis won today big time; that was a match i will go over again with a fine tooth comb to study ; i really got a lot out of your comments Gill, very astute observations; nadal was from the first ball at his peak; he was super ready; whereaas i think Djoko got the fright of his life, having already verbally and publically proclaimed victory prematch; he just put too much pressure on himself; this also is a major factor differentiating the two, the humble factor; nadal exposed all the weaknesses in Djoko today; the next two matches are going to be sensational if not heart stopping; go raphael !! you are going to do this; your momentum is gathering, peaking; the more relaxed you stay now, the more focused you will be each match hence; you. are my favourite athlete in sport, period. what ever happens, happens.
Gill, I wish the world knew how much of a tennis genius you are. You were the only one saying night sessions don’t necessarily favor Djokovic - even though EVERY tennis pundit was saying the night favors Novak. I will be an avid follower for life.
@@thebobbysisters Thinking Novak is more likely to win, after he won last time, does not in any way make one a fool.
I would say you're foolish to say that.
I think Rafa played huge mind game before match up . May be he intentionally made request knowing it was a night match due to broadcasters and he has edge in night match and Nole.
In last several GS, Nadal's form gets peak as the tournament progress. Rafa does not need to play 2 consecutive tournaments before the GS. Rafa and his team needs to be smart about his schedule to save his longevity.
As soon as Novak realised Rafa was fit or semi fit, he knew right away that he is done!
True!
And playing with a numb foot! Absolutely insane from Rafa.
Nadal Is A Champion. Stop doubting his physical and mental skill. You should know better, Gill Gross!
Rafa could have let up in the 4th set and tried to win the decider, but he made the right decision in going for the win in the 4th since it spared his body another punishing 5 setter.
It still looked like a 5-setter because it went to a tie-break
@@semgonzales5430 True. Bold move by Rafa since he had to win three games in a row and then a tie break which would be difficult for Rafa against any top player, but especially against Novak. He needed to play impeccably and he needed Novak to falter.
Aboslutely. I remember peeking at the score (I couldn't bring myself to watch the match after that second set) and saw that Nadal was behind, and I remember thinking, "Nadal you broke him twice in the first, you can do it again and finish with this thing now". He didn't break him twice, but still won.
@@Sbudre 🤣😂🤣 how many coward Rafa fans are there on the planet?!!!! I did the same thing! teehee!!
@@nicolegabriel5928 we love him too much lol. It's insane.
Loved your pre match analysis about this game. Just like you said, the night session didn't hamper the forehand or the backhand of Rafa when it's compared to Djokovic. He couldn't hit through Rafa and it was him that found it hard to settle in those night session. Thanks for the insights.
at 3:0 in the 4th you could see he cracked physically and as soon as that happened rafa pounced raised his level and never looked back, incredible grind down of the djoker. great win 22 on the cards now !!!
I think the FAA match actually helped Rafa find his 5 setter level, whereas this was the first time Novak has played a fourth set this whole year. Rafa's fourth round actually tested him and prepared him to go the distance, but Novak's instead built up a false confidence that came crashing down against the King of Clay.
Novak just looked out of it at times, completely lost the plot when he yelled shut the fuck up to the crowd like Big Baby Shapo and started blaming/smacking the net cord for his problems. It was kind of pathetic at times, didn't look like himself out there. Definitely worrying, especially considering he won't be #1 anymore and Rafa will likely be at 22 by next week.
This year's AO could legitimately turn out to be the death knell of his chances to hold the GS record as more and more kids start contending, hopefully not but it's a serious possibility now.
Novak might not be allowed to play at the Next A.O if there's another Covid Wave.
Huge agreement there & well said.
Remember he still has Wimbledon coming up and honestly at this point it seems only Nadal can challenge him, being the only uninjured player right now to have made a Wimbledon final (minimum) and beaten Djokovic on grass and it remains to be seen if he even plays Wimbledon. Actually writing that I just remembered Murray, who is currently picking up some impressive form on the grass (albeit a challenger). I wouldn’t mind a Murray miracle win at Wimbledon tbh.
@@bloat1235 I think FAA is a real contender given how he's been looking lately. He had something like 12 aces against novak on clay in Rome, could seriously cause him some trouble and potentially knock him out. Plus, even if Novak prevails he's not getting any points while dropping 2000, making him regaining no 1 this year almost impossible.
Yes, completely agree. Finally someone bringing up the whole AO situation as a factor. I think people are really neglecting the kind of an effect that missing the first part of the season has. Not being at AO is a huge detriment, and not necessarily in terms of obtaining his form (which he has shown he has), but in terms of negatively affecting his mental during the most critical points (against Nadal especially) at Rolland Garros. Just the thought of Nadal getting to 22 slams if he loses is monumental and can really have detrimental effects. The fact that Novak was able to bring it back after losing the first set and being down two breaks in the second is actually kind of insane, considering the circumstances. The goat debate has seriously been hit due to the AO debacle, because being banned from a tournament is not the same as being injured. Tennis is what loses the most ultimately. I just hope the AO situation doesn't have lasting effects on Novak's mental in future matches.
Time and again, some tennis pundits need a reminder of why Rafa is the GOAT.
Goat of clay
Oh yeah.
How can you say Nadal is objectively better than Djokovic when the Spaniard is supposed to win in his house? Get back to me when Nadal does this against Djokovic at the AO and Wimbledon. How can you say Rafa is the goat when he:
- Is way behind in weeks at number 1
- Has 0 World Tour Finals titles to Djokovics 5
- Has less masters than Djokovic
- Has less yearend number 1's
- Never beat Djokovic at the AO(Novaks house) and Djokovic beat Nadal twice at Roland Garros
- Never won 4 consecutive slams like Djokovic did and never won the golden masters
Moreover, the slam race would probably be tied if Djokovic was not deported from the AO. You must research the facts before making statements like that.
@@jacobschmidt2709 whatever helps you cope with the loss, mate. Peace.
@@parthkulkarni3468 That has nothing with the match, but a rebuttal to your logical fallacy of thinking "Nadal beat Djokovic at RG, so that must make him the goat".
I'm no math whiz but the numbers are simple. Nadal at 105-3 is virtually unbeatable at RG. People don't understand the simple numbers. He never loses. If you look at baseball, there isn't a single pitcher in his career who comes remotely close to Nadal's record.
Yup. As much as I was rooting for Novak, I never bought into the story that he was the favorite coming into the match. 17+ years of Nadal's dominance at RG has taught me a few things!
109-3 according to google.
@@pdcdesign9632 110-3 after today's match against Nole
@@tirthankarsarkar4206 Correct you are. Even more reason never to think someone will beat him.
110 wins, and only in three he needed the fifth set.
KING OF CLAY...LOOKED PRETTY GOOD.
Actually Djokovic wanted to show the world that he can dominate Nadal on forehand vs forehand duel.
He thought his forehand spin would create problems to Nadal.
Lmao and got manhandled by Nadal.
Rafa's forehand is lethal
I thought so too at times. After all Novak has a huge chip on his shoulder and is quite an arrogant person.
Thanks!
Thank you!
What an amazing breakdown Gill, you're my go to tennis expert. Thank you
I was feeling very down and then Rafa won the QF! He's my second choice to win. My third choice is anyone but Djokovic, so I am reasonably happy. But I would so vastly prefer for the semi to be Alcaraz vs Nadal... Here's hoping Nadal will be able to handle Zverev and knock him out in the semi.
Still, I predicted Djokovic and Tsitsipas would both be out by the QF's and that happened.
It will be interesting to see who prevails in the bottom half of the draw. My prediction is Rublev but honestly it could be any of the remaining four players.
Whose your 1st choice?
@@jeffreykaufmann2867 Carlos Alcaraz
@@jacobschmidt2709 not a bad one.
@@jeffreykaufmann2867 I’m confused too
A lesson for all tennis experts to learn that " Dont ever ever bet against Rafael Nadal at the FO!!!"
Gill, you predicted that the cool conditions might benefit Rafa because Djokovic would have a tougher time hitting through Nadal. Great prediction.
He also predicted Novax would win. LOL
Did you hear Courier, jokingly, say Rafa may request the final to be played at night if he gets there. Lol.
I thought he predicted night condition would favour djoko 😎😎😎
He said novak would win lol
@@pdcdesign9632 Lmao hahahahahah
Brilliant analysis
Nadal’s backhand was key. Didn’t break down like last year. Hitting with depth. Anyway it amazes me that people still bet against this guy even though he lost to djokovic last year.
He wasn't hampered by his foot this time.
They just don't want to see the reality: RAFA IS THE GOD OF ROLAND GARROS.
I never doubted that he could beat Djokovic. My only doubt was going through Djokovic + Alcaraz + Tsitsipas to win the title. Now that Alcaraz and Tsitsi are out of the way, #22 is a sure thing for the Spaniard.
@@jacobschmidt2709 He still beat four top 10 players in FAA, Novak, Zverev and Casper which is no ordinary feat to win the title.
@@ruckfules9441 Correction. He beat 3 top 10 players. The Zverev retirement does not count as bring beat. Moreover, Ruud is one of the weakest top 10 players in the history of the sport.
The mission for Rafa on defense: do not give Novak a sitting forehand on the deuce court. The mission for Novak on defense: do not give Rafa a sitting forehand ANYWHERE. That is always true at RG at ANY temperature given both of them are healthy.
My first time with you, Gill; am thankful for you - you're teaching me a lot. Thanks.
Nadal may not be retiring. But it's a miracle he's played with this injury for as long as he has (since 2004). At 36 and on, it's becoming untenable. Bringing doctors to tournaments doesn't sound great. There is a life after tennis and he deserves to be healthy. Whether he wins this tournament or not, does he need to do/prove anymore.
Evan, I agree. I believe Rafael will play 1 more year (2023 with the US Open being his last major); I’m not so sure if the foot condition becomes worse the more he plays, especially at his age. I don’t want Rafa to do long term damage to the foot which would make life a little harder. Golf awaits him!😎
Rafa loves the sport more than his foot.
That's a bunch of BS that he's playing with injury and yet come out and play like he's never injured...idk how u his fans buy all the BS but offc u are his fans
@@RFazor I agree with you as well. My understanding is, Rafa will need an operation to stabilize the foot condition. However, after the operation he will not be able to play tennis or hardcore sports again. Sadly appears the end is near for him and his companion Roger Federer.
I think he prefer to die first with his name written in history permanently.. he started getting better of djoker pretty late and he will fancy his chances everywhere else
People need to stop underestimating rafa at rg Phillipe chartrier court
He is so consistent on clay... it's ridiculous
His groundstrokes/serve/movement are made for clay
The level in the first two sets was in a league of its own. Just shows how good these legends are. I was amazed. It’s like all of a sudden all the unforced errors from the FAA game went away
Rafa went on a rampage at the end like he did in entire fo 20 final
GOAT.
Novak will be absolutely kicking himself for the start to that third set . Rafa left the court composed himself and came back with his game face on. Novak had all the momentum , for some reason didn’t leave the court , stayed out there and waited and played a poor service game and handed the initiative back to Nadal . Nadal was the better player and deserved the win in the end but Novak had his chances in all 4 four sets and I think that will weigh on his mind for a while .
Why people keep doubting Nadal here is beyond me at this point though it’s hilarious. The zverev match should be and intriguing one though he had the weapons to cause Nadal some real issues great mover Great backhand , and when the serve is firing he’s tough tough to beat on any surface , still fancy Rafa but it certainly isn’t a gimmie
Thanks for the analysis Gill. Really really hoping you post this to your podcast as well.
I watched the whole game and didn't even think about some of the tactics you mentioned. Great video!
Honestly, I was surprised when it looked like Novak was eying a little tired come the 3rd, and not Rafa!
Great analysis, but the reason why Nadal surprises us is because somehow we continue to underestimate him. For some reason we (even some Rafa fans) want to think that Nole is the better player. The truth is Nadal didn't need to correct anything from the 2021 match against Nole. He was looking great until his body broke down. We just have to come to terms that Novak is simply not a better player than Rafa. When healthy and in good form, the two are frankly dead even. I would give the edge to Nadal based on the fact that he has a higher conversion rate. But the fundamental thing is to cure ourselves of the notion that Novak is the better player. He is not.
I respectfully disagree with you. Djokovic played the same way he played in 2021 and Nadal played even better. However, Djokovic had some luck on his side in 2021. 1. The match like yesterday was played under the lights which btw makes things difficult for Nadal's game on Clay. 2. Last year the humidity percentage was much higher and temp was around 52-56 degree Fahrenheit which made the balls heavier and as you know when balls get heavy they don't spin and it favored Djokovic's flat play. (You can check one of the old RG final where Nadal and Djokovic played under rain for 1-2 games Djokovic was clearly getting and the match was postponed to monday and Nadal won that RG. Yesterday, the humidity percentage was much lower compared to last year and the temperature was above 60 degree and allowed Nadal put the top spin on the balls. If 2021 was played in natural conditions (without the lights) Nadal would have won the match in 4 sets. Wimbledon and RolandGarros - I hope they get away with night matches and closed rood nonsense for these two tournaments.
@@sandyr4450 doesn't seem like you're disagreeing with me all that much...I didn't comment about the conditions.
How can you say Nadal is objectively better than Djokovic when the Spaniard is supposed to win in his house? Get back to me when Nadal does this against Djokovic at the AO and Wimbledon. How can you say Rafa is the goat when he:
- Is way behind in weeks at number 1
- Has 0 World Tour Finals titles to Djokovics 5
- Has less masters than Djokovic
- Has less yearend number 1's
- Never beat Djokovic at the AO(Novaks house) and Djokovic beat Nadal twice at Roland Garros
- Never won 4 consecutive slams like Djokovic did and never won the golden masters
Moreover, the slam race would probably be tied if Djokovic was not deported from the AO. You must research the facts before making statements like that.
@@jacobschmidt2709
First, I did not say that Rafa is objectively better than Novak. I said they both have to be considered better than Federer based on Stats and accomplishments...
That said, let me just answer some of your claims.
- You said the Slam count would be even if Novak didn't get deported at AO. Well, we simply don't know that. Nadal defeated Medvedev, the man who had just beaten Novak at USO and considered by many to be the best hard court player in the world. And judging by how Nadal just beat Novak at RG when most considered him to be the underdog, I have every reason to think he would've beaten Novak...I could also make the case that if it weren't for injuries, including the 2021 RG semi-final, Nadal would be farther ahead in the slam count...but no matter. This is all speculation
- You said Nadal never beat Novak at AO. Well, they've only met there twice. Also, keep in mind that Nadal has beaten Novak in every other slam, not just RG. He actually has a wining record - 2v1 - against him at the US open.
- Nadal has 2 Olympic gold medals. Novak has none
- Nadal has the highest winning percentage of all time at 73.2%
- highest GS finals conversion rate 21/29
- Highest slam win to participation rate. NADAL 21/63, Novak 20/66.
- he is the first and I think only player to win four Grand Slams without dropping a set
Very easy to find Stats for Rafa. With all that, I'm only saying that I would give Nadal the edge in the GOAT conversation, but the debate between him and Novak is ongoing. I'd say the fairest assessment would be to call them even for now.
Valy I agree with you that Djokovic is not the better player, especially on clay. Nadal is better on clay even though the Djoker is good enough to challenge Rafa & beat him from time to time. Now re 2021, I think Rafa's body did break down, but whether Djoker's tactics helped that happen, or whether Rafa's foot was killing him from the get go is hard to say. Djoker did play a great match in 2021 & I agree with Gill's analysis re the wide forehands to Rafa's backhand giving Nole the edge last year. I do think Rafa needed to change tactics & he hit the ball up the line way more on both sides & then used his forehand & higher margin for error with his topspin to neutralize the Djoker. Djoker is now better than Rafa on a hardcourt but elsewhere h2h it is in Rafa's hands on clay if he plays close to his best & can go either way on grass.
Nice analysis Gill. Note: Nadal's forehand DTL has been a key against Djokovic since far before 2018. It's always been Rafa's single greatest weapon against Novak and the general barometer for how confident he is and how close to his peak he's playing. IMO it's one of the key factors - if not the most important - behind his biggest wins against his prime rival, especially when he went 6-1 against him in 2012-13. It was also hugely on display in his FO 2014 final win.
Watched the first two sets on a video projector at a friend's here in Paris, a real treat. Had intuition that Djokovic would pull this out as he has done so many times, was very disappointed when I saw the result this morning. Two amazing warriors, Nadal has proven yet again what an incomprable beast he is. I am hoping to see Djokovic-Nadal final at Wimbledon. As for the GOAT conversation, for me the Big 3 are all GOATs, but I'd give a slight edge to Novak and Rafa fighting for the top spot, Federer clearly securing the 3rd spot.
Gill . Novak has found a tactic to beat rafa on clay 🤣🤣🤣🤣
😂😂
As I was watching the match I kept thinking how right you were about the conditions. Novak was crushing the ball and usually deep and Nadal just kept getting it back. It eventually caused Novak to go for even finer margins. That lead to more errors. I agree somewhat on the endurance. I was waiting for Nadal to fade and it looked like it was happening at 5-2. I think for Novak it was as much emotionally as physically. He just couldn't believe he wasn't winning with as well as he was playing and hitting. Against anyone else on that day and that court, Djokovic wins in straights easily. It got to him. It's what he does to just about everyone else. Very impressed with Nadal and what he did. I would expect this will cause Rafa to break down again for quite a while after the FO.
I would say Nadal gets bullied more in heavy conditions. Especially when he is struggling with his serve. When he is on his game, very hard to beat regardless of conditions.
often these days Nadal can actually hit through heavier conditions better than opponents. Nadal has more power than Djokovic. This is a bit different on HC with a lower bounce, however. But on clay the heavy conditions aren't bad for old-Dal. Remember that arguably Nadal the last few years is more consistent on quicker surfaces than clay
I think you are correct about the slow conditions not necessarily favouring Djokovic. The slowness certainly helps Nadal hit his forehand up the line, which for me, is Nadal's signature shot. Djokovic, if not physically certainly was mentally fatigued in the 4th set. He wasn't necessarily building the point anymore and was pulling way the trigger too early.
But still how you analyse the 2nd set..may be conditions were starting to be a bit heavier and nadal took some time to adjust to these heavy conditions
I watched the replay missing half the match. Came straight to your channel for the analysis.
Things did not go as many of us thought regarding these top-half quarterfinals!
Novak seemed strange; the tactics not working (more due to his opponent), endurance failing,. impatience clearly conspicuous. And the opposite for Rafa! Boy he was in warrior mode! Rafa was looking like he could have gone another set and maybe have won in the fifth anyway. Even better, won in straights nearly up a double break in the second. How ironic Djoko spent less time on court than Nadal and he was tired! And playing at night was no problem for Rafa, like idk people thought it would be. Looking forward to the semis.
Wow two timely videos/great analysis in a day! Thank you so much Gill for your passion and expertise!!
Nadal played superb!! I am superstitious and thought this is meant to be for Alcaraz not to meet Nadal in the next round and not to make It hard for Nadal fans who are also Alcaraz fans. Alcaraz will continue to learn and improve and be ready for the next RG!!
I’m happy Alcaraz lost 😂 I don’t think GOATdal could beat him with injured foot. Alcaraz is too fast and hits hard. Bad combo for Rafa right now.
Exactly. It's good that Alcaraz lost because I support him and it would be harder for me as a fan to see my all time idol and the future favorite player go at each other.
You had to eat crow didn't you :). You predicted Nadal would lose to Djoker in QF.
Hi Gill, I do respect your analysis alot but I think you sounded rather biased on this analysis. Appears you are disappointed Nadal won and you were predicted wrong. Your main focus is what Novak Djokovic didn't do. Note until now Novak had a cup cake draw and I think Nadal's match was his first real test. My main take; never underestimate a dude who has won Roland Garros 13 times. Nadal has proven just like in 2020, lack of good results in tune up events to Roland Garros doesn't matter. Nadal played a tactical game and deserves the credit
The same story every year everyone underestimate Rafa and he always proof them wrong. When people eventually gonna understand that Rafa is the favourite RG even with one leg? like seriously
Gil is always sore when Rafa wins. Makes it fun to watch him make excuses.
Thanks Mr. Gross. This analysis was excellent, unbiased, full of depth and entertainingly presented.
Great data analysis and interpretation. Really enjoy your work. This is good to the sports. Well done! 😘
My heart was pumping...
Vamos Rafa !
13:50 I don't know either Gill, it was so annoying, too many times happened yesterday... He had 4 UFE in TB + that point with wide-open court + last point where he had control until last shot.
Its always good to be an underdog. Vamos Rafa
Excellent game analysis!!!
Gill Gross you are too much Novak centric.. You are too biased towards Novak & can't accept him losing to Rafa.. Yesterday & even on 2020 Rafa posted two devastating performances but your analysis always rests on how bad or mistakes Novak played..not abt the extraordinary shots, perf of Rafa 🙄
VAMOS NADAL A POR LA 22 Y 14 RG💪
2 Tennis Gods battling for the victory. EPIC!!!
Absolutely love your commentary 🙏🙏🙏
I love your podcast Gill. Thank you for your efforts!
Actually some analysts say Nole's return was bad.
That's opposite to what I saw: Nole returned pretty well, especially in the 2nd and the 4th set. It's a general problem for him: Rafa is able to deal with this return better than anyone. Often when Nole returned on the line in front of Rafas feet, he was still able to neutralize with a deep forehand himself.
This game was a good lesson for Djokuvicc, never underestimate your apponent.
What an ignorant statement! Novak never underestimates Nadal ! Or any opponent for that matter. You obviously don't watch Novak's matches much.
Great analysis! Thanks
Nadal was the steadier and physically stronger player, but Djokovic definitely lost the plot of keeping Nadal in backhand jail. I was stunned to see Djokovic willingly go to Nadal's forehand so often as the match progressed.
Very high level from Rafa, but it just shocked me the way Novak came out of the long break between the 2nd and 3rd sets. Novak went on a 6 to 1 run in terms of games in the 2nd set, but then in the 1st game of the 3rd set looked completely winded. The 3rd set was gone in a flash after Novak worked so hard to come back in the 2nd set. It has become obvious to me that Novak was never completely back to 100% even with the Rome results. Novak’s form was overrated from a fitness perspective going into this, and this match showed it. But all credit to Nadal for showing up big time. Gill I like that you describe this same sort of deficiency from Novak starting in the 3rd set.
I completely agree. Novak never looked like the stronger player physically after the 2nd set, even when up in 4th. Then his focus and intensity completely nosedived at the end of the match.
@@wildlive1296 how in living hell can he not maintain good form for 6 months is just beyond me. And he played all clay tournaments. Plus dubai
Great analysis once again, Gil ! Yet Rafa's magic continues to confound you. You picked Medvedev to win the AO final, and Djokovic to win this QF.
What gives ?
Gil never picked Nole to win this one, weirdo. Maybe, Meddy for AO, but that was not to be. 😂🤣
Gil is perhaps the only loser Fed fanboy still calling Nadal "RAPHAEL" when the whole
world knows and simply calls him RAFA. LOL
I also get a feeling he rather be a Djoker fan than a Rafa fan since Nole was beating up
on his idol Federer's during past prime years and we all know Rafa was owning Fed in his prime years.
@@pdcdesign9632 Nadal’s family call him Rafael. Most Spaniards observe culture and tradition.
@@pdcdesign9632 as a huge Rafa fan, don't be toxic. Gil is the best content creator we tennis fans have right now and he has always given his objective analysis on players/matches.
Stop being an immature fanboy.
Excellent analysis.
real deal analysis !! Rafa's move of tournament was aggressive short backend diagonal from wrist which surprised everyone.. last year that deep kind of ball he usually back with backend slice making longer rallies
It's Roland Garros not French open. Please change the title.
Thanks Gill, very insightful analysis. It would be awesome if you could sprinkle in match highlights to more effectively articulate your points, especially in regards to strategy. I was also wondering why Djokovic stopped attacking Rafa’s BH in latter sets; also not sure why fatigue would prevent him from doing so.
very nice break down
This loss must have been so very painful for Jokoweak as he came to the match with a huge confidence having beaten his opponents so very convincingly from the 1st round up to this historic quarterfinal. And things went exactly as the last year of semi final wherein jokoweak got stronger in the 2nd set n was so very close to grab the 4th set leading 2 - 0 n then 5 - 3 n had 4 match points which Nadal nullified one by one in a so very heartdrumming moments. Not to mention the statement Jokoweak made the day before the match that he had so very good chance to beat the injured Nadal who had longer n more grueling matches leading to this historic quarter final. You can imagine how the loss affected Jokoweak as he didn't talk to his coach for a period of 5 days after the heartbreaking demise. Alas, Nadal did Nadal things as he often does to prove his worth n love for tennis.
Nadal is coming from behind better now than any time in his career.
I can only hope Nadal has enough fuel left in the tank (and health) for the upcoming match against zverev and a potential final.
This is not a negative or doubtful comment for those who might be confused.
Have u learned nothing?
Fuel ain’t what worries me, just health.
He’ll be fine lol no point arguing against it lmao
He has 2 days rest...so as long as the foot remains okay, I think he can recover...
The 2 rest could not have come at a better time though...
Exactly like after the Shapo match at AO...
@@kathym.2511 learned nothing? I’m a Nadal fan, I’m just saying it’s not easy to recover from back to back 4 hour matches at 36 years old, especially one that finishes in the early morning. I’m not being negative or doubting Nadal, simply being hopeful so you don’t need to be so negative.
Impressive analysis! I enjoyed it. I thought the same thing with Nadal’s endurance yesterday and in 2022 in general. It’s been the key thing that I think continues to surprise his opponents this season. His 1st serve percentage against Novak to me gives him the greatest chance. 70% is probably the mark Rafa has to hit going forward.
It would have been good for Djokovic to have had some tougher opponents before the quarterfinal, Rafa's level was too high compared to what Novak had faced untill their match. On the other hand, Rafa's match against FAA probably gave him a much needed confidence boost. Just my två öre....
Good point! I meant to mention that in my comments.
What’s the book on the shelf with a picture of Nadal and Djokovic from the 2012 Aus Open Final?
The greatest tennis matches of all time by Steve Flink. Highly recommend.
@@GillGross Thanks Gil! Love your videos keep up the good work!
2 VERY WELCOME DAYS OFF!!!!!
Just 🗣 VamosRafa!!!👏👏👏