Nadal's unbelievable backhand slice vs. Juan Martin del Potro, Miami Masters 2007.mp4

[futuramaishot]

that looked like a tap out of reflex and it still produced a good spin on the ball. Too pro =)

[Zoso666]

My goodness, Del Potro used to move way better when he wasn't famous

[andres1963]

I have watched Nadal for some time now and realized that this guy sometime does not even celebrate his own incredible shots... I guess he is just trying to get the match over as fast as possible and do not even pay attention at how great he is doing it. Incredible :)

[chinospot]

the decisive volley?? the ball bounced before he hit it !!

[xxDreamChaserxx]

aww it was cute when he used to wear those headbands and capris.

[infiniteobscure]

lol he loos like TOMMY from power rangers

[splash2011UPLOAD]

What the hell is that thing on Nadals head?!

[TransformiceHelping]

00:15 to skip intro

[TheAbbanddonn]

@explodingpimp Totally agree.

[MysteriousStealthMan]

@explodingpimp yes, thats why i have grown up and respect both Nadal and Federer now. I respect how Nadal can put insane topspin on the ball everytime, and his speed. I respect Federer's Classy shots, and perfect form. eventhough I will always root for Federer in every match that he plays in, I respect Nadal just as much. these two players, inspired me. :D

[cougher989]

@explodingpimp

I agree, they shouldn't be compared. But Nadal is better HAHA

[Crisstti]

Beautiful.

[funfor1life]

Lovely reaction

[chrism216]

damn not only he made that insane point, but he bageled del potro with it! ouch!

[lolipedofin]

Lendl won 8 titles out of 19 Slam finals he contested, it shows he often fails it in the big stage, just like Andy Murray right now, someone who often criticized for his mental meltdown in finals. With his talent Roger should be able to win more in his youth, something that Roddick and Hewitt were capable of. I even remember an interview about one of his 1st round loss. He was brimming with confidence, but then he started questioning himself and blew the match.

[hieutiee]

The saddest thing about all of the discussion about Federer below is that there is even a fucking discussion about Federer on a Nadal only video. GTFO Federer trolls. You make Federer look bad. and you as well Nadal trolls. You make Nadal look bad.

[madskillz903]

Lol Rafa looks like a pirate in the vid.

[ronnyrohan]

@SkeksisBestSongEver

Noone is saying that Rafa has no skill! God, if he has no skill and has still won 9 slams, he's got to be the finest player ever! He has superb skills, talent and now he has added every aspect that he previously lacked into his game. It's just that Roger is a once in a lifetime player whose skill is unparalleled and that is a fact accepted by almost all tennis greats.

[xridethelightningx]

ohhhh... nadal did the federer flick

[fierte]

@ronnyrohan compared to nadal, even federer appears textbook-ish. no fault of his. he is perfect and that is boring. federer being better than nadal in all departments is a bit reaching isn't it? federer is not the returner that nadal is. federer is a tennis player, nadal is an athelete. Federer is a tennis aspirant's idol. Nadal is sport itself. They are different things. Also, he always improves. But I try to desist comparisons until the end of their careers. failed tho coz of damn fangirlism.

[ghlover2001]

@fierte this is one of the best summarizations of these 2 players i've seen on youtube. they r constantly compared and i don't get why. they're so diff't in almost every aspect. also, we can only put them side by side when both have stopped playing and even then, what's the point? i studied classical music and the way i see it, fed is mozart but nadal is beethoven. it came easy for mozart (he was a genius), but bethoven had to work hard to create a masterpiece. both produced unforgettable music.

[fierte]

@ghlover2001 i also find it irritating that every player is compared to someone before. there was conners, borg, lendl and jmac. then there was pete. then there was federer and now nadal. each is carving something new and keeping tennis alive. i don't see why anyone has to perform like another. i love nadal because he is so different. there is nothing predictable about his game. his "moonballing" (as people claim) days are over. you have to be biased to not see it. keep tennis alive.

[fierte]

@ronnyrohan i don't mean to purposely dissent but it has been said even by the tennis commentators that Nadal is one of the few that can change his gameplan mid game as per the opponent. Now that is not exactly programmed is it? that is in the moment. and as @faeaki7 pointed out, that is passion for the sport. and the beauty of Nadal's game is not in looking perfect. its the heart he puts in and the fluidity with which he plays. sometimes, it feels as if he is what tennis is supposed to be.

[ronnyrohan]

@fierte

I think there isn't any fluidity in Nadal's game. It's ugly, jerky and boring in my opinion! Perfection on the other hand is what elates me! I have no doubts about either player's standing in the sport, but Federer is the tennis greats' idol. I don't think Nadal 'is' the sport or a better athlete than Federer. Not a chance. :)

[tetelung]

@ronnyrohan agreed a bit till i heard the better athlete part..and nadal's game is very mechanic not ugly..u shud watch alot more tennis 2 beef up ur tennis terms i guess

[ronnyrohan]

@tetelung

I think you need to buy a brain to understand all that I'm saying...

[tetelung]

@ronnyrohan i think you should buy a life 

[ronnyrohan]

@tetelung

Oh I have a life thank you very much... It's obvious that you need to get one...

[neilnriley]

@fierte i like to think of them this way. To me, Federer is certainly the artist of the two of them, his strokes are very fluid and graceful. Rafa (my favourite of the two), to me is like a chemist, trying out new things, adding shots, taking away shots. Changing the grip slightly on his serve only 2 days before the U.S. Open was genius and added 10 mph to his serves. No one else would have the balls to do that right before such an important tournament.

I

[xnqmap]

@fierte Nadal's game is not exactly what you call "fluid"...

[faeaki7]

As I said agree to disagree, a computer programme? thats more like Davydenko!!! Nadal has beautiful movemernt esp on grass and oozes passion!!! what a diabolic comment, *shakes fist*

[ronnyrohan]

@faeaki7

Nadal is an awesome player no doubt but he has nothing 'beautiful' in his game! Like I said, he is preprogrammed to track down balls, hit his topspin forehand, slice his serve wide, make no unforced errors & grunt like a dying buffalo! Davydenko? pfft... Nadal is the machine! It's truly an insult to all things beautiful if you say he has beauty in anything that he does! yecch!

[bananatree1234567]

@ronnyrohan I get what you're saying. I personally like Nadal more than Federer, because Nadal works so hard for every point. I'm not implying that federer doen not, but you know, Nadal is fast as hell and everyone knows that he can get almost any ball back. I do agree with you that nadal is like a machine, but you can see that as "perfection" as well, he works as hard as he can to be the perfect (i.e. unbeatable) tennis machine. But yeah, federer's tennis is true beauty and technique

[ronnyrohan]

@bananatree1234567

I absolutely agree that Rafa is a phenomenal player and I adore him as well. It's great to have personal favourites. Everyone can't relate to the same person because everybody's needs are different. But perfection is one word that does not fit the Spaniard. :)

[hieutiee]

@ronnyrohan "perfection is one word that does not fit the Spaniard." To me, you are absolutely wrong but everyone is entitled to his own opinion. :)

[faeaki7]

Again I disagree, Federer has a marvelous flat forehand but is he quicker, no, and is his defence better, um no! if I had to praise Federer in catogories I would praise his attacking game not his defense game and of course his serve, for this he is the master... but not in all aspects. Nadal is unique in many ways. But we could spend forever agreeing to disagree couldn't we.?

[ronnyrohan]

@faeaki7

Well in my opinion, he's better in EVERY single department! I've been following both of them since they began winning slams! There truly is no comparison between them. And that is not a knock on Nadal, he's a wonderful player. He just is too much like a computer program. :(

[lolipedofin]

@ronnyrohan Did you post this video just so you can troll?? Fine, you are Federer's fans... But to close your eyes on what made Nadal one of the all time greats, that's just ignorant. Yes, I'm a Nadal's fan, but I can and have to admit that perhaps nobody will ever dominate the game like Federer ever again, not even Nadal. How could you say that Federer's better than Nadal in every department?? If so, then how can he chalk a negative record against a teenage pretender when he was at his prime?

[ronnyrohan]

@lolipedofin

Firstly, I adore Nadal! I agree that Nadal will go down as one of the game's greatest players when he's done. I can understand that you disagree with my opinion, but that's the deal with opinions, eveybody has a right to their own. I have watched both Roger and Rafa religiously for the past 6 years and that is the conclusion I have come to. Roger at his prime was better in every department, on every surface according to me, but has an immense mental block against Rafa.

[lolipedofin]

@ronnyrohan Ok, I respect your opinion, although given your comments about nadal, i find it hard to believe that you adore him and even if I might never be able to change your opinion, let me say some of mine.

When Nadal played Federer on Clay, he was an up and coming teenager, Fed was on his prime, yet Fed never beaten him once in RG, Rafa is better on Clay. Rafa had a heart of steel, his mental fortitude is second to none. No one has topspin like him, and he is tactically brilliant.......etc.

[ronnyrohan]

@lolipedofin

I absolutely agree with your conclusion that "Rafa had a heart of steel, his mental fortitude is second to none. No one has topspin like him, and he is tactically brilliant.......etc." He is a phenomenal player and a wonderful guy. He is also immensely talented otherwise he would not be able to master all the he has. In short he is a very good role model to have. :)

[lolipedofin]

@ronnyrohan Great that you agree... but then, wouldn't you agree that Federer was better in every department was an overstatement?? Look, he is a damn awesome living legend, and I'm not saying this as in to provoke you, but to say that he is better in everything is just harsh on Nadal. There are some aspects that Nadal are no match to Federer, some are vice versa, but for most of it, I just think that they play differently.

[ronnyrohan]

@lolipedofin

Neither do I intend to get on your wrong side, but could you please name the aspects that Nadal has that are no match for Roger? I can't think of any... I will give you my reasoning if I disagree with your choices. :)

[lolipedofin]

@ronnyrohan I'm not actually upset, just perplexed. What I said in 2 previous post actually. His mental strength is definitely stronger than Fed. His (and his team) tactical nous are brilliant. If only Federer are better in this 2 point, He wouldn't be as vulnerable as he is right now... He is used to dominate his opponent with his sheer talent, He could step up without a definite game plan and still blow his opponent away, Now that he is body start to giving up, he lacked the ability to...

[lolipedofin]

@lolipedofin ...to dig deep and outplan his opponent. Nadal is definitely stronger than Fed on Clay, even the man himself said that, I can quote it if you want. His court coverage and defensive game is slightly better. Physically, he is stronger as well, both are also kind of a double edged sword for his knee. I can't say a lot on technical issue, as both had a totally different game, but I honestly think, Nadal's recent backhand slice (which he does single handedly) is better than Fed's.

[ronnyrohan]

@lolipedofin

Roger's court coverage was spectacular when he was at his best and that is why people were so stunned because he always seemed to be where the ball went earlier than expected. The reason this 'Rafa is a better mover' has come about is because one can 'see' him running and sweating it out while Roger did similarly outrageous defending but because of his ease and balletic movement, people think it must be an easy retrieval. Your statements are unresearched. Too bad.

[lolipedofin]

@ronnyrohan That speaks volume about his mental frailty... It shows against Nadal, he allowed Nadal to get into his head (mental), and failed time and time to came up with a game plan to play Nadal (tactic), someone that he knew had a bad match up with him. While Nadal, he has no one that can mentally edged him. Djoker is doing that at the moment, but we'll see whether he can maintain that....

[lolipedofin]

@ronnyrohan As for Roger's court coverage, I never said he was bad at it. In fact he was one of the best. He had the most graceful and efficient footwork and movement on the court. Nadal is just simply better. Yes he is not as efficient as Roger, that's why he injured his knee often, but he has the speed, stamina, and never say die attitude to reach balls that others can't reach, including Roger.

[ronnyrohan]

@lolipedofin

"Slam titles are not a reflection of their mental quality, it's a combination of their overall skills, luck and depth of the field during the era when they play."

What the hell are you talking about? In the end, a slam is all about mental strength. Why else do you think that grand slams are considered the ultimate test? Only the mentally strongest player at that particular moment can succeed and rack up slams. Rafa is great because he has 9 slams. You really don't know anything...

[lolipedofin]

@ronnyrohan No. slams is combination of everything, and mental quality is a part of it. How do you explain Roger's failure to win slams early on? He was 23 before he started fulfilling his promise, proving his incapability to cope with the occasion back then. Ivan Lendl is a great example, a legend with 8 slams, he often faltered at the finish line. He lost 4 slam finals before he won his 1st, and went on to collect 'only' 8 out of 19 finals. He is a great player, but he is mentally weak.

[ronnyrohan]

@lolipedofin

Every player matures at a different stage to another. That is why Ivan and Roger went on a tear later on after not being very good match players in their early years. Mental strength is the central part of winning a slam and it has to be developed gradually. People are born with talent but only endless hard work forges their mental makeup. This is what the greatest players say and they have lived it throughout their professional lives.

(P.S - 8 slams = mentally very strong!)

[lolipedofin]

@ronnyrohan Nadal? Since his youth he was already exceptional. He never let the occasion get the better of him. His first meeting with Fed, Roger was just christened as the new number 1, he let loose and doesn't let anything faze him and eventually beat Roger on Hard Court. His first ever Rolland Garros, he won it. With Rog's talent he could have won a lot more in his youth, and everyone knew that. When he cried after AO final, it shows how sometimes he can let his emotion get the better of him.

[ronnyrohan]

@lolipedofin

You seem to want to bring down all of Roger's achievements in an attempt to prove Rafa's supremacy. Go ahead, please do so. I'm not interested in arguing brainlessly when you fail to understand even the simplest points that I make. I'm sure you have won many slams and therefore you can pronounce negative judgment on the greatest player of all time. Freak out and have a great time doing so. 'Bandar kya jaane arak ka swad.'

[lolipedofin]

@ronnyrohan Have you been reading my comment? I've done my share of praising Roger.... Look, I've never said that Nadal is better than Federer, but your statement that Federer is better in EVERYTHING is an awful overstatement and an insult to Nadal. Yes, in a lot of things Roger is better than Rafa, but in some, Rafa is better, but mostly they are simply different. That is how the rivalry blossomed into one of the best the world has ever seen....

[ronnyrohan]

@lolipedofin

How can you say Rafa is mentally stronger than Roger? Let him get past 16 slams first, only then can anyone say that he's mentally stronger! By the way, this talk of Roger not having a plan is nonsense, of course his talent is unmatched, but that is not the reason that he would win seemingly so effortlessly. His mind is the one of the sharpest in tennis history, according to the greats and winning so many slams without a coach is testimony to that. He has lost that focus now...

[lolipedofin]

@ronnyrohan Slam titles are not a reflection of their mental quality, it's a combination of their overall skills, luck and depth of the field during the era when they play. Roger had his first Slam at his late 23, something that should have come much earlier when you consider his talent. In 2002, a year before his breakthrough, He was felled at the first round of both Wimbledon and French Open, when a year before he reached QF, he even won wimbledon the year after..

[dkong13able]

@ronnyrohan i think just the sheer pace at which Nadal has improved says something. When he first came on tour his backhand was weak; now everyone is afraid of getting passed by it. His net game was miserable; he goes and improves and plays doubles to get better. Can't win on hardcourts; develops a lower ball on his backhand slice and flattens his forehand. I think just his ability to produce such vigorous spin and pin federer on his backhand is something that roger can't match rafa in....

[ronnyrohan]

@dkong13able

I've said earlier that Rafa is phenomenal. Every improvement that he has made speaks volumes about his commitment and character. Also, as mentioned earlier by me, Roger has a an obvious mental block against the Spaniard and that is the main reason for his poor record. I don't buy this lefty topspin forehand into the single-handed backhand story, and although it might have a little bit of truth in it, this story is to add spice to their meetings.

[faeaki7]

Nadal is so different from Federer in style I doubt it, its more about quick reflexes and strong rist action, I wish Fed fans would get over their obsessiveness! and leave Rafa alone.

[ronnyrohan]

@faeaki7

Ofcourse his style is very very different to RF. But there's no way he has quicker reflexes or a stronger wrist than RF. There's only one master...

[gabe228]

that's federer-like 1 handed wrist-work

[ronnyrohan]

@gabe228

It's good that he is atleast learning something from the greatest!

[onguy3n]

Haha nice one.