Can Nadal get to ten majors and beyond?
Posted by tennisplanet on July 15, 2008
Well, if he has mastered Wimbledon and Roland Garros is a virtual lock for at least his 26th birthday, that’s two majors per year for four years which is eight. Eight plus five should get him 13, if he does nothing on hard courts.
Even if you give him just one per year and nothing beyond his 26th birthday, he is still with nine. That’s more than Agassi, Connors, Lendl and McEnroe. Only thing that can stop him from getting there appears to be his health. No human is even close to denying him what now appears inevitable.
But if he recovers physically, is able to win majors past his 26th year and can win on hard courts, he can easily surpass No. 14. Federer has to aim for much higher if he wants his major record to remain sacred for years, if he can first pass Sampras, that is.
Unlike Federer who had to struggle to get his fifth straight title at Wimbledon, Nadal’s journey at Roland Garros appears to be getting easier if this year’s finals scoreboard is any indication. Barring any physical hurdle, Nadal should realistically end up with at least seven Roland Garros titles – all straight.
That’s awesome, considering how long the old record stood alone. Now two players in the same era are about to tear it down, barely ten years apart from when it was done by Sampras for the first time. It has lot to do with the conviction a precedent unleashes. Now No. 14 is the new benchmark, like 8 was few years ago.
By the time Federer and Nadal are done, it may move up even higher, essentially guaranteeing the birth of the next superstar of tennis.
Rock said
It is difficult to break down Rafa on clay than Roger on grass. 10 majors is a given if he aleast sticks with one French Open a year for 5 years. Anything beyond this is a bonus, as people would like to say it, rather than giving credit to Rafa and his achievements.
jewessnewton said
I believe it is highly unlikely. I’ll go with 8-9. His style of play will suffer drastically with the loss of a quarter step, or so, so I don’t think he will be winning two majors a year too many years. The guy is peaking and deteriorating as I type. I do think he has a shot at being the number one player in the world for a month, or two, but that’s all. Nadal is an old 22.
Bettyjane said
“Barring any physical hurdle” is huge here TP. And of course on paper it seems so effortless to achieve these goals. Nadal always cruises on clay, therefore he will continue to cruise on clay. Probably, but not definitely. He could hiccup along the way. That’s why they have to play the matches. The thing that we can never foresee is the next big name, or big enough name to derail Nadal’s goals. Would we have really foreseen him winning Wimbledon when he started out. And with Nadal, I’m as curious about his exagerrated shoulder motion which helps him generate that topspin, creating health issues as dire as his knee problems.
I do agree about the benchmark going up even higher. And if the tour keeps tweaking equipment and surfaces . . .
sean said
Who knows and who cares! I’ll tell you one thing: if his knees are giving him problems now it ain’t going to get any easier for Nadal and that is a certainty!
m said
Speaking of superstars, TP — if you haven’t already caught it, Rafa is also having a heavenly body named after his heavenly body.
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/showsports.aspx?id=SPOEN20080056818
Larry said
Prior to 1968 open tennis, players like Budge, Gonzalez and Laver turned pro so couldn’t approach Emerson, who had rich family and could retain amateur standing, record of 12. Pancho would have won 20.
Jim said
Yeah, maybe if Nadal gets new knees every year or so. But its difficult with his style of play to continue that when he gets older.
Dee said
Well, He might. Every one was talking about federer’s chances at FO and never thought it would be nadal who would grab Wimbledon against Federer. He might win a grand slam if he wins US and australian open or does it have to be in one calender year? He is capable so does federer.
Deep South Girl said
Gosh, Larry–I LOVE your tile. Of particular delight is your set of wavy legs. The color ain’t bad, either. Reminds me of a swimming pool.
JoshDragon said
I think that Nadal could easily win over 10 majors. He’s already half way there.
Anonymous said
I keep having this feeling that nadal will eventually fracture or otherwise badly injure his knee and that federer will gain a french open win out of it.
idk it just doesn’t seem like the kind of feeling you want to have about the world number 1. i like nadal. that is of course the only possible way federer will ever win a french open.
Duncan D. Horne said
Well I personally don’t think Nadal will reach double figures. He’s just too injury prone and now we have seen him lose at his beloved Roland Garros in 2009 to Robin Soderling. It just shows to highlight that as much as Nadal can dish out beatings and power-play, he’s not too keen on opponents using the same tactics against him (i.e Soderling at French Open 2009; Del Potro at U.S. Open 2009) He doesn’t have any plan ‘b’ because he only has that one style of play – power.
His knees are most certainly not going to get any better with his all-action style of play, and now he knows that he can lose at Roland Garros too, so there is no Slam in which he knows from the start that he can win it.