That was a charade of a match from Ruud - he basically gifted the match to Nadal. Nadal for example hit a career-record best stat of 93% on first serve points won lol (and he has had a long career). Ruud's own average first serve speed was almost 20 kph reduced from his last two matches. He loses a break at exactly 6-5 in both sets.... I would not have been happy to have bought a ticket to that.
Best news of the week for Rafa is that his abdominal tear seems to have healed, because he’s back serving at full speed. He actually hit 16 aces, which is more than I can remember him serving in a long time. And the fire is back in his eyes! If he’s healthy, he’ll be a contender at the Australian Open no doubt.
@@PraveenKumar-vp4sn you need not forget total major finals/GS H2H which includes US open lead too of Rafa on Djoko. Both are legends so respect and dont compare.
In the first 2 matches he lacked the intent to go for the shots was playing it more safe with high percentage, today it felt different ball was flying of the racket and more importantly the forehand down the line is a good indicator of his confidence.
Nah. Ruud was never a threat of beating top players in the first place. Casper was always easy fodder for the Spaniard. Nadal is 36 years old with a broken body. 2022 was Nadals final hurrah and the AO win was a miracle of sorts. Rafael is done winning slams. It was a great career while it lasted.
@@jacobschmidt2709 bruh what? He made it to the Wimbledon SF beating Fritz with an abdominal tear lol what are you on about with hes done winning slams
Sairam. Agreed. I’ve never seen such hate from people like Jacob. Rafa is number 2 in the world, won two slams and would have been 1 if they counted the points from his Wimbledon semi which he didn’t even get to play. It was on paper an outstanding year minus the injuries. Yet people like Jacob have nothing but toxic energy to spread. He clearly hates Nadal yet he like most other haters still watch his videos only to bash him. I’d like to think a normal human being who loves tennis can enjoy a video highlight and say well played or even nothing. In life, these haters must be some of the saddest, emptiest people out there.
I think it´s the first time I root for a tennis player because he seems to be a very nice and polite person (apart from a great player). Sport needs more people like Ruud.
Agreed. This was exactly the finish Rafa needed. Everyone else has been playing all fall. Rafa has 1 match coming in. To suddenly play on lightning quick courts against the best, he said it best himself, it was not looking good, but he’s try his best. He was 100% accurate. He needs a year without an injury to mess him up. The positive is he should be fresh because he really didn’t get to play much and he mostly peeked at the slams.
@Wave-Not really. He can play more matches and still lose to flat, hard hitting players on an indoor court. The surface simply does not suit his game.He stepped up his game today merely because he was playing in Ruud a player who doesnt hit flat strokes, but hits big loopy forehands with a poor backhand.
@@wave1468 Im not disagreeing with your position that he doesnt play many indoor tournaments, so its. therefore irrelevant. But rather the fact that he will never be as dominant indoors, as he is on other surfaces. Ruud was the perfect opponent for him today to get a win and his mojo back (partly).
Agreed. Full respect to Ruud as a true sportsman who earned his right at a semi. He will be very tough to beat. Novak surely has to be the big favorite at this point though unless Tsitsipas can elevate or Felix raises his level. This could be easy pickens for Novak, but I wouldn’t count Casper out!
That was a charade of a match from Ruud - he basically gifted the match to Nadal. Nadal for example hit a career-record best stat of 93% on first serve points won lol (and he has had a long career). Ruud's own average first serve speed was almost 20 kph reduced from his last two matches. He loses a break at exactly 6-5 in both sets.... I would not have been happy to have bought a ticket to that.....
@@huzcer A 7-5 7-5 match being called a "charade" by a Djokovic fan, lol... I can bet those 16 aces Nadal hit were also gifted by Ruud, according to you
@@tennisradu did you watch the match. lol Nadal hits a career best ever 93% first serve in points won vs a top 10 player. Ruud didn't even move for many serves. that's a career best number of aces for a 2 set match also. all these career bests over a 20 year career for a guy who isn't ever a noted great server lol. and his first serve in % wasn't even hugely high lol Ruud drops his own average serve speed by a massive 20kph for the whole match. are you really that stupid? really? lol maybe you are. if you actually saw the match and still think that then - WOW?
His game style is not eye pleasing at all ffs 🤣🤣🤣 he’s hardly under control of any shot, he is mostly just putting the balls back in by running around like a monkey in the hopes of his opponent making an error
Yea except for his pre- shot routine where he scratches his ass, grabs his balls, picks his nose, wipes his forehead & on & on lol and its as irritating as watching Garcia' s regripping his club 25 times before he hits the shot, must be a spanish thing or something lol
when rafa is returning that good , then you know he is back to normal the fear of losing ,,,,destroyed him in the last 2 matches he defeated himself,, mentally he was out from the start,,,,,,he bounced back very well
@@avinashrockstar los fans d Nadal aceptamos sus derrotas perfectamente i sabemos q ja no és un jovenzuelo, pró vosotros parece q no aceptais q Djokovic sigue el mismo camino xq tampoco és un jovenzuelo, lo q no podeis soportar és q sobre todo Nadal le gane, envidiosoooos!! Así és q id haciendos el ánimo q a los dos les qda poco d carrera, no solo a Nadal, NADAL KRACK 🎾💪💪💪🇪🇦💞
@@avinashrockstar to be honest, the level Nadal and Djokovic have produced over 2 decades have made it hard for their fans to see them lose because they are so invincible
BIG CONGRATULATION, Rafa….you deserve it…Vindication game for you. Casper Ruud is such a great man, very humble and great player now - excellent! God bless his heart.
A problem Rafa has with the atp finals is that normally he starts tournaments playing poorly and then as rounds go by, he improves considerably. Thats not a problem in any other tournament, since the first rounds are against weaker opponents. But it is a problem here since he plays against the best of the world from square one.
It's also the lack of matches he has indoor, cause he plays very rarely on this surface... After USO he always takes longer breaks until the end of the season. Djokotards and other people forget 2 years ago, he was one game away from defeating a Medvedev who was on fire back then. 😁
@@The-zk2rl I hear you... its not really anything to do with lack of indoor matches. Its the fact that RN's game simply doesn't translate to indoor hard courts. Its not that complex. He can't generate the spin he desires and he also has less time on the ball and it comes flatter and lower at him.Ingredients that really thwart his best game.
One is the fact indoor isn't his best surface, another fact is the stupidities Djokovic fans say that "he's weak, he's bad" and whatever. I want to remind you two years ago he was one set away from beating the actual champion. In 2019, he beat the edition champ as well. The difference, though, is he can sleep VEEERY well at night being aware of the fact he can't win everything unlike others...
@@duncan3932 Not just that. He needed few matches after injury comeback. He has a good shot at AO next year. And Novak won't be having an easy draw so anything can happen.
Nah. Ruud was never a threat of beating top players in the first place. Casper was always easy fodder for the Spaniard. Nadal is 36 years old with a broken body. 2022 was Nadals final hurrah and the AO win was a miracle of sorts. Rafael is done winning slams. It was a great career while it lasted.
@@Blue-ik8ij There's no way rafa can beat nole at the AO dude. Look at 2019 AO as an example. Nadal destroyed everyone up until the final where he got owned by djokovic. Nole is almost as dominant at the AO as rafa at the FO. His best chance is if Novak somehow loses before they meet but that's highly unlikely.
@@yussepig6629 Did you even watch the match - I doubt it. That was a charade of a match from Ruud - he basically gifted the match to Nadal. Nadal for example hit a career-record best stat of 93% on first serve points won lol (and he has had a long career). Ruud didn't even try to go for many serves. Ruud's own average first serve speed was almost 20 kph reduced from his last two matches. He loses a break at exactly 6-5 in both sets.... I would not have been happy to have bought a ticket to that rubbish. complete sham lol. anyone fooled by this is an idiot.
Heck yeah, great to see Rafa hitting on the rise for winners, and serve and volleying, makes points faster and easier if well set up, and could help him stay competitive and still win majors as he ages
Not sure how much we can read into this victory considering that Ruud probably finds it really difficult to play against his idol...however, as a Rafa fan, can't help but notice that he was serving well and coming forward frequently. Good signs for Australia. A fit Rafa will be a contender.
I wish more Rafa fans had a brain like you. Not only is Rafa his idol but this match meant absolutely nothing for Ruud. I don't understand what the point of this and Djokovic vs Medvedev match is for...
not if he has to face djokovic. in 2019 nadal destroyed every opponent before the final, losing 0 sets and holding his opponent to single digit number of games in every match except one. then he won only 7 games in the final against djokovic.
Not just difficult, he finds it impossible. I wouldn't be surprised if Nadal ends his career never having lost to Ruud. There's respect and then there's self-respect. Ruud seems to _like_ losing to Rafa. Sheesh.🙄
Not sure if you've seen the news but Djokovic will be playing. So Nadal can skip AO and prepare for RG which is only grandslam he''s capable of winning at this stage of his carrer
Did you even watch the match - I doubt it. That was a charade of a match from Ruud - he basically gifted the match to Nadal. Nadal for example hit a career-record best stat of 93% on first serve points won lol (and he has had a long career). Ruud didn't even try to go for many serves. Ruud's own average first serve speed was almost 20 kph reduced from his last two matches. He loses a break at exactly 6-5 in both sets.... I would not have been happy to have bought a ticket to that rubbish. complete sham lol.
Great Rafa, it shows that he lacked bit training and a little more time, but when he plays his excellent tennis and great quality appear again. A gentleman next to Ruud, very educated and sporty, players needed. Nadal will always be the GOAT.
lol That was a charade of a match from Ruud - he basically gifted the match to Nadal. Nadal for example hit a career-record best stat of 93% on first serve points won lol (and he has had a long career). Ruud's own average first serve speed was almost 20 kph reduced from his last two matches. He loses a break at exactly 6-5 in both sets.... I would not have been happy to have bought a ticket to that absolute rubbish!
Rafa should feel better after this victory on indoor hard courts. This should give him boost for next year Australian open. All the best. We want rivalry should go on.
Props to Nadal for upping his game(most notably his serve) in the final match and getting a victory. Granted it goes without saying that Ruud was never a threat of beating top players in the first place. Casper was always easy fodder for the Spaniard. Nadal is 36 years old with a broken body. 2022 was Nadals final hurrah and the AO win was a miracle of sorts. Rafael is done winning slams. It was a great career while it lasted.
Рік тому
@@yussepig6629 most likely none more than what he had won. Prime Nadal couldn't even compete on Wimbledon because of Fed and Novak, and grass court was never suitable for Rafa's gameplan
I feel like if Nadal started his tournament against Ruud and won that match, he would have gained more confidence and maybe made the semis. That's obviously a reach but you never know.
Nah it's all about the playstyle rudd is a player who engages in rallies and that's the worst thing you can do against nadal unlike what faa or fritz do , they are aggressive player who try to end the point immediately ( and yeah rudd made some silly errors today)
@@guneetsingh7923 playstyle is important but the biggest differences between his match today and those losses is nadal service, he served a lot better today and it is crucial on such fast surfaces
@@kristheone1 you don't think because you are dumb he is not strong enough to defeat Nadal simple. If A player lose purposefully he is not winning this year at all He is going to lose semifinals 7-5 7-5 If he is not serious he will lose in earlier than that that's it he is against Big 3 player OK so shut up
Great to see Rafa end with a win. You can tell he felt more comfortable, also played a lot better. He obviously just needs more high quality matches under his belt. Also, perhaps Ruud wasn't going100% as he did not need a win ( I'm not saying that was the case, just a subconscious thing maybe, maybe not) but still great to see nonetheless. Love both of those players, high class and nothing but respect at all times.
Nadal clearly outplayed him. Everyone disrespects Nadal when he plays bad. At least when he has a performance like today, where he hit 16 aces and 39 winners, give him the respect he deserves
Exactly, i was expecting Ruud to win to 2:1, i've even bet on Nadal/Ruud (1st set/match) option for 6,00odds... Ruud could've been better, i've no doubt, but even if i lost i not really angry. Finally Nadal win a match on this event.
How can he be ruthless to his mentor!. The best example of his respect was the French open 2022 final.. same time this is a shame on Ruud fans including me..
Nadal ,muchas felicidades tu ERE el mejor que Dios te bendiga un salud y mucho amor❤ya irá poco a poco recuperándose de tu cuerpo recuerda que la salud es los primero no lo olvida de, te queremos😘❤❤🇩🇴
1 ace in the FFA match, 16 ace in this match. I have not seen Nadal throw 16 aces in a 2-set match, even in a 5-set match. If he had thrown this serve in the first 2 games, he would have been the leader of the group now.
That’s the best Rafa has played in over 4 months. He looked decisive and his serve seems to be coming back. Still, his record since Wimbledon is a paltry 4 wins and 5 losses! A very topsy-turvy year for Rafa being out of action for many weeks at a time on 3 separate occasions due to cracked ribs, foot and abdominal muscle tear. He still managed 4 titles including 2 Slams! The worst he can finish the year is No. 3 which means 18 CONSECUTIVE years finishing in the Top 10! Rafa still has ways to go in the next 6 weeks to be at full strength for AO and possibly an ATP 250 tournament beforehand in Australia. The exhibition matches against Ruud will help Rafa from November 23rd to December 1st but he needs more tune-up matches in December.
hope to see him in future and also the beast . The new gen had to suffer a long and now the aging pathed the way for them, but still impressive what this old guys deliver
I am both happy and sad to see rafa nearing the end of his career. I really remember when he firsr came up the tour, with his sprint up the net during warm up, below ankle shorts and sleeveless top. Amazing.
@@josephinebos8325 hombre no eran tan largos,😂 pró estaba espectacular, sobre todo con las camisetas sin mangas, siempre m ha gustado, aúnque los envidiosos d turno también le criticaban por eso
Props to Nadal for upping his game(most notably his serve) in the final match and getting a victory. Granted it goes without saying that Ruud was never a threat of beating top players in the first place. Casper was always easy fodder for the Spaniard. Nadal is 36 years old with a broken body. 2022 was Nadals final hurrah and the AO win was a miracle of sorts. Rafael is done winning slams. It was a great career while it lasted.
Nadal needs to adjust his tactics at this stage of his career and strive to be more aggressive and come forward to shorten the points. With his volley skills he can make this work.
You have to love Rafa's drive; although this was a dead rubber he gave it is his best. Also good for his psyche I think, closing the season with a very solid performance against a world-class player. A shame he arrived to the tournament so under-cooked; had he the recent match play of the other top 8 and arrived in good form, he had a shot at proceeding. Good luck to Ruud in the semis!
Some people say than Ruud gave Nadal this win!I don't agree!But neverthless it is Ruud who won the green group and maybe saved his energy resources for the semis!Nadal was great in this match!:)))
Ruud did not give everything he had for this game. Two points confirm this: a) he idolizes Nadal and is part of his school; b) he is already in the semifinals, he does not want to get burned playing to his full potential. The mix between both: he doesn't have to play to his full potential against his idol, therefore, unconsciously or consciously, he lowers the tension to win. This match is not a sign that indicates anything about Rafa Nadal's upcoming season. Sorry.
Yep. Ruud was never a threat of beating top players in the first place. Casper was always easy fodder for the Spaniard. Nadal is 36 years old with a broken body. 2022 was Nadals final hurrah and the AO win was a miracle of sorts. Rafael is done winning slams. It was a great career while it lasted.
FenomeNadal partido de Rafa! esta superficie siempre se le complica, sea porque es demasiado rapido o la maquina como dice el tarda en calentar, felicitaciones!
Good to see rafa ends it with a win... Now i hope Rudd wins the title, i mean 2 grand slam finals but got unlucky with that. So hope at least he wins this. Such a class player
Did you even watch the match - I doubt it. That was a charade of a match from Ruud - he basically gifted the match to Nadal. Nadal for example hit a career-record best stat of 93% on first serve points won lol (and he has had a long career). Ruud didn't even try to go for many serves. Ruud's own average first serve speed was almost 20 kph reduced from his last two matches. He loses a break at exactly 6-5 in both sets.... I would not have been happy to have bought a ticket to that rubbish. complete sham lol. anyone fooled by this is an idiot...
That is sport Nadal increase his level against Ruud mostly which made him win now he can take rest and enjoy with new born child and focus on 2023 season ☺☺ by the way Djokovic is back he is playing Australian open next year
Whenever rafa wins his fans say that he has recovered from injury. And whenever he loses they say " seeems Rafa is not 100% yet fully fit yet ". Shameful delusional fans. They do not want give oppnent the credit.
Weird concept the fact that your last match played on a tournament was a victory but you are eliminated. And the guy you defeated is not eliminated hehe.
It was a incredible performance by Rafa. His play looked a lot better then the fist matches. He just needs more time on the tour to perform well. Yes Ruud was already through but I think a professional always wants to compete and win. Rafa isn’t finished, if he’s fit, he can be as strong as Nole.
Best of Nadal's three matches for sure, he looked a lot less pensive or hesitant with his shots. Now with that said Ruud to me looked a half step slow, he just didn't seem to be playing as well as he has been. Not sure if it's unintentional and due to him winning his group, or if he intended to take it easy this match and save it for the next one. Either way he just didn't seem himself in this match to me at least.
What people don't realise is that Rafa could play like this because Ruud plays with so much topspin on his forehand, which makes the ball bounce higher and go slower, which gives Rafa time to get to his FH, that has been one of the bests in the history of tennis.
Well he said in the first defeat that he needed more time in this court to adapt faster. Here we see what he meant. although Casper was probably not giving his best like it was a final.
Nadal unlocking super saiyan mode.... If he stays healthy AO23 will be an hell of a tournament with Djokovic, Alcaraz, Medvedev, Nadal all playing together.. Hope they become eventual semifinalists...
Two weaknesses in rafa's game. 1. His return. He misses very easy returns into the net ... OFTEN 2. Lack of depth on his shots. Not all the time but ive noticed in the matches he loses he's not hitting deep. The issue i have with rafa is he's always looking to put heavy topspin on the ball. Most of the time he ends up hitting short like the shot here: 0:48 . This creates a perfect sweet hitting spot for the opponents and they take advantage like rudd does on 0:50. I wish rafa would start to hit the ball flatter. Theres no point hitting crazy topsin on fast surface... it actually benefits the oponent when they find that the ball is bouncing a bit higher on a low-bouncing court. It also benefits taller oppponents like Taylor Fritz. Hitting crazy top spin with power also wastes a lot of energy. At this age if rafa changed his game it would suit him. He already hits flat in practice so i dunno why he continues to go for short topsin balls.
I feel like Ruud gave this match to Nadal since he is already qualified for the Semifinals with his 2 previous wins. He didn't want to make Nadal feel bad by losing 0-3 at the year end tournament.
Blah blah blah stupid excuses only you feel because you have hatred towards others who can't respect other ruud lost because Nadal played better than him on that day OK keep your mouth shut and see how he will lose in semifinals itself
Out of Atp finals, with a smile and a win AND still nr 2 in the world at 36 years old. That takes some doing, kudus to Rafa. 💫
Delightful! 🎾🍾❤️
That was a charade of a match from Ruud - he basically gifted the match to Nadal. Nadal for example hit a career-record best stat of 93% on first serve points won lol (and he has had a long career). Ruud's own average first serve speed was almost 20 kph reduced from his last two matches. He loses a break at exactly 6-5 in both sets.... I would not have been happy to have bought a ticket to that.
Amazing achievement indeed 🥴💀🤡but the only problem is that the doper will always be 2nd best😆
@@niksmoret2744 and rapevak will always be fourth after Sampras
@@niksmoret2744 Rafa the REAL GOAT
He came back a million times. He’ll come back again.
Best news of the week for Rafa is that his abdominal tear seems to have healed, because he’s back serving at full speed. He actually hit 16 aces, which is more than I can remember him serving in a long time. And the fire is back in his eyes! If he’s healthy, he’ll be a contender at the Australian Open no doubt.
😂😂😂. Novak is playing AO this time. Stop living in delusional world. Claydal will be relevant only during clay season from 2023.
@@PraveenKumar-vp4sn you need not forget total major finals/GS H2H which includes US open lead too of Rafa on Djoko. Both are legends so respect and dont compare.
@@PraveenKumar-vp4sn djoko$h!t is gonna get destroyed and ur gonna cry thinking about ur daddy Novax 😂👎
Yes, Rafa served really well in this match, certainly much better than in his matches against Fritz and Auger-Alisasime.
@@PraveenKumar-vp4sn troll
In the first 2 matches he lacked the intent to go for the shots was playing it more safe with high percentage, today it felt different ball was flying of the racket and more importantly the forehand down the line is a good indicator of his confidence.
Nah. Ruud was never a threat of beating top players in the first place. Casper was always easy fodder for the Spaniard. Nadal is 36 years old with a broken body. 2022 was Nadals final hurrah and the AO win was a miracle of sorts. Rafael is done winning slams. It was a great career while it lasted.
@@jacobschmidt2709 what will you say if he wins Fo again ?
@@jacobschmidt2709 bruh what? He made it to the Wimbledon SF beating Fritz with an abdominal tear lol what are you on about with hes done winning slams
Sairam. Agreed. I’ve never seen such hate from people like Jacob. Rafa is number 2 in the world, won two slams and would have been 1 if they counted the points from his Wimbledon semi which he didn’t even get to play. It was on paper an outstanding year minus the injuries. Yet people like Jacob have nothing but toxic energy to spread. He clearly hates Nadal yet he like most other haters still watch his videos only to bash him. I’d like to think a normal human being who loves tennis can enjoy a video highlight and say well played or even nothing. In life, these haters must be some of the saddest, emptiest people out there.
Because Ruud was not giving his all. He is already through. Why risk an injury by playing your best in a meaningless match?
Vamos Rafa. Time to get ready for next season. You still got it champ!
I think it´s the first time I root for a tennis player because he seems to be a very nice and polite person (apart from a great player). Sport needs more people like Ruud.
The more matches he gets the better he will play simple, he stepped up his game today and he'll most likely do the same next year
Agreed. This was exactly the finish Rafa needed. Everyone else has been playing all fall. Rafa has 1 match coming in. To suddenly play on lightning quick courts against the best, he said it best himself, it was not looking good, but he’s try his best. He was 100% accurate. He needs a year without an injury to mess him up. The positive is he should be fresh because he really didn’t get to play much and he mostly peeked at the slams.
@Wave-Not really. He can play more matches and still lose to flat, hard hitting players on an indoor court. The surface simply does not suit his game.He stepped up his game today merely because he was playing in Ruud a player who doesnt hit flat strokes, but hits big loopy forehands with a poor backhand.
@@paulhussey8981 He plays 2 indoor events a year, that's irrelevant to the rest of the season
@@wave1468 Im not disagreeing with your position that he doesnt play many indoor tournaments, so its. therefore irrelevant. But rather the fact that he will never be as dominant indoors, as he is on other surfaces. Ruud was the perfect opponent for him today to get a win and his mojo back (partly).
@Matej Juhás He plays better when he has matches so he's obviously going to play better once that happens especially if he knows it
I’m a Djokovic fan but I’ve to admire Nadal’s never say die fighting spirit and the ability to rebound.
Ruud lost the match with a smile on his face. This guy is an incredible human being.
He lost with a smile because he already qualified....
He's coached in Spain. He learned it there
Agreed. Full respect to Ruud as a true sportsman who earned his right at a semi. He will be very tough to beat. Novak surely has to be the big favorite at this point though unless Tsitsipas can elevate or Felix raises his level. This could be easy pickens for Novak, but I wouldn’t count Casper out!
He is just Nadal dog. That's big secret
Good for him he will only win the lost with a smile on his face trophy
If only Rafa played like this earlier in the week, but oh well, what matters is that he's improving with each match heading into 2023 with momentum.
exactly my thoughts, exactly.
That was a charade of a match from Ruud - he basically gifted the match to Nadal. Nadal for example hit a career-record best stat of 93% on first serve points won lol (and he has had a long career). Ruud's own average first serve speed was almost 20 kph reduced from his last two matches. He loses a break at exactly 6-5 in both sets.... I would not have been happy to have bought a ticket to that.....
@@huzcer A 7-5 7-5 match being called a "charade" by a Djokovic fan, lol... I can bet those 16 aces Nadal hit were also gifted by Ruud, according to you
@@tennisradu did you watch the match. lol Nadal hits a career best ever 93% first serve in points won vs a top 10 player. Ruud didn't even move for many serves. that's a career best number of aces for a 2 set match also. all these career bests over a 20 year career for a guy who isn't ever a noted great server lol. and his first serve in % wasn't even hugely high lol Ruud drops his own average serve speed by a massive 20kph for the whole match. are you really that stupid? really? lol maybe you are. if you actually saw the match and still think that then - WOW?
No, I didn't watch the match, thanks God to sososomosomoso for analyzing the match for me!!!
Rafa is a joy to watch , clean technique , genius .
His game style is not eye pleasing at all ffs 🤣🤣🤣 he’s hardly under control of any shot, he is mostly just putting the balls back in by running around like a monkey in the hopes of his opponent making an error
Yea except for his pre- shot routine where he scratches his ass, grabs his balls, picks his nose, wipes his forehead & on & on lol and its as irritating as watching Garcia' s regripping his club 25 times before he hits the shot, must be a spanish thing or something lol
when rafa is returning that good , then you know he is back to normal
the fear of losing ,,,,destroyed him in the last 2 matches
he defeated himself,, mentally he was out from the start,,,,,,he bounced back very well
Defeated himself? No credit to the other players
@@black_nebula Thats the problem with his fans. They couldn't accept failure.
@@avinashrockstar los fans d Nadal aceptamos sus derrotas perfectamente i sabemos q ja no és un jovenzuelo, pró vosotros parece q no aceptais q Djokovic sigue el mismo camino xq tampoco és un jovenzuelo, lo q no podeis soportar és q sobre todo Nadal le gane, envidiosoooos!! Así és q id haciendos el ánimo q a los dos les qda poco d carrera, no solo a Nadal, NADAL KRACK 🎾💪💪💪🇪🇦💞
RUUD gave him the match. He was saving himself obviously
@@avinashrockstar to be honest, the level Nadal and Djokovic have produced over 2 decades have made it hard for their fans to see them lose because they are so invincible
Rafa jugaba sin angustias de perder. Parecía más sano que nunca. Ojalá vuelva a ser el de siempre.
BIG CONGRATULATION, Rafa….you deserve it…Vindication game for you. Casper Ruud is such a great man, very humble and great player now - excellent! God bless his heart.
A problem Rafa has with the atp finals is that normally he starts tournaments playing poorly and then as rounds go by, he improves considerably. Thats not a problem in any other tournament, since the first rounds are against weaker opponents. But it is a problem here since he plays against the best of the world from square one.
It's also the lack of matches he has indoor, cause he plays very rarely on this surface... After USO he always takes longer breaks until the end of the season. Djokotards and other people forget 2 years ago, he was one game away from defeating a Medvedev who was on fire back then. 😁
@@tennisradu Thiem would have made quick work of Rafa on the finals anyways.
@@tennisradu 😏 All this excuses for someone who has never won it. Make it make sense please.
@@The-zk2rl I hear you... its not really anything to do with lack of indoor matches. Its the fact that RN's game simply doesn't translate to indoor hard courts. Its not that complex. He can't generate the spin he desires and he also has less time on the ball and it comes flatter and lower at him.Ingredients that really thwart his best game.
One is the fact indoor isn't his best surface, another fact is the stupidities Djokovic fans say that "he's weak, he's bad" and whatever. I want to remind you two years ago he was one set away from beating the actual champion. In 2019, he beat the edition champ as well. The difference, though, is he can sleep VEEERY well at night being aware of the fact he can't win everything unlike others...
I admire Caper Ruud like his looking great playing Rafa. What a big ❤️ man you've become!
Nadal fired 5 consecutive aces in this match.
Incredible sportsmen, great friends and fantastic human beings!
Rafa will come back more power than ever in 2023, he will give everything on court 🤩🤩🤩
@Ashutosh Vernekar nope, we all know he hates fast indoor courts, when he’s outdoors he will be able to compete with the best
@@duncan3932 Not just that. He needed few matches after injury comeback. He has a good shot at AO next year. And Novak won't be having an easy draw so anything can happen.
Nah. Ruud was never a threat of beating top players in the first place. Casper was always easy fodder for the Spaniard. Nadal is 36 years old with a broken body. 2022 was Nadals final hurrah and the AO win was a miracle of sorts. Rafael is done winning slams. It was a great career while it lasted.
@@jacobschmidt2709 cry more
@@Blue-ik8ij There's no way rafa can beat nole at the AO dude. Look at 2019 AO as an example. Nadal destroyed everyone up until the final where he got owned by djokovic. Nole is almost as dominant at the AO as rafa at the FO. His best chance is if Novak somehow loses before they meet but that's highly unlikely.
That's Rafel Nadal, using his core, believing in his body. Hope to see him again doing his stuff again on the clay swing next year.
Rafa The Great. Get well and ready for the next season.
for two clay court grinders, there were some beautiful touch shots and volleys here
You don’t know much about tennis if you think they are grinders
@@yussepig6629 Did you even watch the match - I doubt it. That was a charade of a match from Ruud - he basically gifted the match to Nadal. Nadal for example hit a career-record best stat of 93% on first serve points won lol (and he has had a long career). Ruud didn't even try to go for many serves. Ruud's own average first serve speed was almost 20 kph reduced from his last two matches. He loses a break at exactly 6-5 in both sets.... I would not have been happy to have bought a ticket to that rubbish. complete sham lol. anyone fooled by this is an idiot.
Rafa playing competitive tennis at this age is already something incredible, man is a living legend.
lol.. compare him Novak's tennis level this week, same age. You people are so delusional 😂
@@vm4473 Novak is 1 year younger and has less grands, lets see how novak handle the young players with 36
@@vm4473 Nadal defeated four top ten players to win his 14th French Open at age 36. How many 36 year old male players have won a Slam dumbass?
Nadal ends the year with the dub, nothing else I could ask for
Heck yeah, great to see Rafa hitting on the rise for winners, and serve and volleying, makes points faster and easier if well set up, and could help him stay competitive and still win majors as he ages
Grande Rafa. Todavía algún añito más y algún éxito más. Gracias GOAT. 4 títulos, 2 GS y entre los 8 mejores otro año más. Y va para 20.
Not sure how much we can read into this victory considering that Ruud probably finds it really difficult to play against his idol...however, as a Rafa fan, can't help but notice that he was serving well and coming forward frequently. Good signs for Australia. A fit Rafa will be a contender.
I wish more Rafa fans had a brain like you. Not only is Rafa his idol but this match meant absolutely nothing for Ruud. I don't understand what the point of this and Djokovic vs Medvedev match is for...
not if he has to face djokovic. in 2019 nadal destroyed every opponent before the final, losing 0 sets and holding his opponent to single digit number of games in every match except one. then he won only 7 games in the final against djokovic.
Not just difficult, he finds it impossible. I wouldn't be surprised if Nadal ends his career never having lost to Ruud. There's respect and then there's self-respect. Ruud seems to _like_ losing to Rafa. Sheesh.🙄
Not sure if you've seen the news but Djokovic will be playing. So Nadal can skip AO and prepare for RG which is only grandslam he''s capable of winning at this stage of his carrer
@@pekillas2593 Nadal can win any GS. he has 22, the MOST.
Tu primer partido como padre.buen regalado a Rafael júnior no lo había pensado hasta el año q viene campeón,y gracias por este magnífico 2022.
So happy for Rafa! Great match!
A healthy in-form Rafa playing aggressively is a sight to behold. Dusted himself off and finished strong.
Looking forward to seeing these two in Brazil next Week!
Da Number Speak itself ! VAMOZZ RAFA
Smiling from ear to ear watching this
Did you even watch the match - I doubt it. That was a charade of a match from Ruud - he basically gifted the match to Nadal. Nadal for example hit a career-record best stat of 93% on first serve points won lol (and he has had a long career). Ruud didn't even try to go for many serves. Ruud's own average first serve speed was almost 20 kph reduced from his last two matches. He loses a break at exactly 6-5 in both sets.... I would not have been happy to have bought a ticket to that rubbish. complete sham lol.
Rafa playing outstanding today
Looks deadly when he is playing like this
Well played Rafa keep it up!
Great Rafa, it shows that he lacked bit training and a little more time, but when he plays his excellent tennis and great quality appear again. A gentleman next to Ruud, very educated and sporty, players needed.
Nadal will always be the GOAT.
lol That was a charade of a match from Ruud - he basically gifted the match to Nadal. Nadal for example hit a career-record best stat of 93% on first serve points won lol (and he has had a long career). Ruud's own average first serve speed was almost 20 kph reduced from his last two matches. He loses a break at exactly 6-5 in both sets.... I would not have been happy to have bought a ticket to that absolute rubbish!
Friendly match for Casper, he still plays against big 3 (2 remaning by the way) like a fun. Great person Ruuuuuud
I'm so happy for you Rafa, wish you have a great year in 2023.
Rafa should feel better after this victory on indoor hard courts. This should give him boost for next year Australian open. All the best. We want rivalry should go on.
If Rafa defends AO will be 7 HC slams! If he could just be fit for Wimbledon for once, how many he would have won ?
@@yussepig6629 2023 will be last best chance for rafa to keep his gs tally well above novak. If he fails to do so novak will eventually follow him.
Props to Nadal for upping his game(most notably his serve) in the final match and getting a victory. Granted it goes without saying that Ruud was never a threat of beating top players in the first place. Casper was always easy fodder for the Spaniard. Nadal is 36 years old with a broken body. 2022 was Nadals final hurrah and the AO win was a miracle of sorts. Rafael is done winning slams. It was a great career while it lasted.
@@yussepig6629 most likely none more than what he had won. Prime Nadal couldn't even compete on Wimbledon because of Fed and Novak, and grass court was never suitable for Rafa's gameplan
@Thai Loc: seriously ? He beat them both at Wimbledon. In fact he beat Federer at his peak @ Wimbledon in 2008, which Novak couldn’t do 😂❤️
I feel like if Nadal started his tournament against Ruud and won that match, he would have gained more confidence and maybe made the semis. That's obviously a reach but you never know.
I don't think Ruud went all out because he was already in the semifinal. He wouldnt have wanted to play 3 sets and feel burnt out for the knockouts
Nah it's all about the playstyle rudd is a player who engages in rallies and that's the worst thing you can do against nadal unlike what faa or fritz do , they are aggressive player who try to end the point immediately ( and yeah rudd made some silly errors today)
@@guneetsingh7923 playstyle is important but the biggest differences between his match today and those losses is nadal service, he served a lot better today and it is crucial on such fast surfaces
@@kristheone1 you don't think because you are dumb he is not strong enough to defeat Nadal simple. If A player lose purposefully he is not winning this year at all
He is going to lose semifinals
7-5 7-5
If he is not serious he will lose in earlier than that that's it he is against Big 3 player OK so shut up
@@kristheone1 players will try to win all OK Medvedev did it in 2020
If he gets tired and exhausted quickly tennis sport is not for him OK
Great to see Rafa end with a win. You can tell he felt more comfortable, also played a lot better. He obviously just needs more high quality matches under his belt. Also, perhaps Ruud wasn't going100% as he did not need a win ( I'm not saying that was the case, just a subconscious thing maybe, maybe not) but still great to see nonetheless. Love both of those players, high class and nothing but respect at all times.
aside from injuries, confidence is one of the determining factors in rafas game....thats why he needed more matches
What a Legend.
Rafa is great to watch. Incredible.
Casper Ruud probably have Nadal a bit too much respect today, wasn't ruthless enough on the key points in both sets
He needs to conserve for the knockouts considering he has qualified already
Nadal clearly outplayed him. Everyone disrespects Nadal when he plays bad. At least when he has a performance like today, where he hit 16 aces and 39 winners, give him the respect he deserves
To me it looked like he is tanking his serve game at 5-6 first set
Exactly, i was expecting Ruud to win to 2:1, i've even bet on Nadal/Ruud (1st set/match) option for 6,00odds...
Ruud could've been better, i've no doubt, but even if i lost i not really angry. Finally Nadal win a match on this event.
How can he be ruthless to his mentor!. The best example of his respect was the French open 2022 final.. same time this is a shame on Ruud fans including me..
Nadal ,muchas felicidades tu ERE el mejor que Dios te bendiga un salud y mucho amor❤ya irá poco a poco recuperándose de tu cuerpo recuerda que la salud es los primero no lo olvida de, te queremos😘❤❤🇩🇴
Casper always smiling no matter win or lose
1 ace in the FFA match, 16 ace in this match. I have not seen Nadal throw 16 aces in a 2-set match, even in a 5-set match. If he had thrown this serve in the first 2 games, he would have been the leader of the group now.
That’s the best Rafa has played in over 4 months. He looked decisive and his serve seems to be coming back.
Still, his record since Wimbledon is a paltry 4 wins and 5 losses! A very topsy-turvy year for Rafa being out of action for many weeks at a time on 3 separate occasions due to cracked ribs, foot and abdominal muscle tear. He still managed 4 titles including 2 Slams! The worst he can finish the year is No. 3 which means 18 CONSECUTIVE years finishing in the Top 10!
Rafa still has ways to go in the next 6 weeks to be at full strength for AO and possibly an ATP 250 tournament beforehand in Australia.
The exhibition matches against Ruud will help Rafa from November 23rd to December 1st but he needs more tune-up matches in December.
Rude you were a disgrace…you didn’t even try,whereas Novak was magnificent in an equally “dead” rubber!
hope to see him in future and also the beast . The new gen had to suffer a long and now the aging pathed the way for them, but still impressive what this old guys deliver
I am both happy and sad to see rafa nearing the end of his career. I really remember when he firsr came up the tour, with his sprint up the net during warm up, below ankle shorts and sleeveless top. Amazing.
'Below ankle' LOL
@@josephinebos8325 hombre no eran tan largos,😂 pró estaba espectacular, sobre todo con las camisetas sin mangas, siempre m ha gustado, aúnque los envidiosos d turno también le criticaban por eso
Tnx rafa❤for 2023❤
Props to Nadal for upping his game(most notably his serve) in the final match and getting a victory. Granted it goes without saying that Ruud was never a threat of beating top players in the first place. Casper was always easy fodder for the Spaniard. Nadal is 36 years old with a broken body. 2022 was Nadals final hurrah and the AO win was a miracle of sorts. Rafael is done winning slams. It was a great career while it lasted.
Rafa is a legend !
Descansa, guerrero, te lo mereces! 🤙🏻🔚👁🗨❤️💛
Nadal's volley are really good !!! And he serve&volley more and more !
Bravo rafa..
Vamos RAFA!!!
Nadal needs to adjust his tactics at this stage of his career and strive to be more aggressive and come forward to shorten the points.
With his volley skills he can make this work.
And if he can only get that 2010 USO lefty serve back, he will kick anyone's behind including Nole.
You have to love Rafa's drive; although this was a dead rubber he gave it is his best. Also good for his psyche I think, closing the season with a very solid performance against a world-class player. A shame he arrived to the tournament so under-cooked; had he the recent match play of the other top 8 and arrived in good form, he had a shot at proceeding. Good luck to Ruud in the semis!
A great win for Rafa!
Casper remains too much in awe of his idol!
i just came home from this, i was there and it was great!!
Some people say than Ruud gave Nadal this win!I don't agree!But neverthless it is Ruud who won the green group and maybe saved his energy resources for the semis!Nadal was great in this match!:)))
Nadal es todo un guerrero eliminado jugó como una final👍👍👍
Casper Ruud will find it hard to hurt Nadal beacuse of his BK its get high and short in the court and Nadal can attack it
He is in amazing shape, and just handed Fritz a chance on a silver tray for this evening.
Ruud did not give everything he had for this game. Two points confirm this: a) he idolizes Nadal and is part of his school; b) he is already in the semifinals, he does not want to get burned playing to his full potential. The mix between both: he doesn't have to play to his full potential against his idol, therefore, unconsciously or consciously, he lowers the tension to win. This match is not a sign that indicates anything about Rafa Nadal's upcoming season. Sorry.
Yep. Ruud was never a threat of beating top players in the first place. Casper was always easy fodder for the Spaniard. Nadal is 36 years old with a broken body. 2022 was Nadals final hurrah and the AO win was a miracle of sorts. Rafael is done winning slams. It was a great career while it lasted.
The king is back 😎😎
home
@@AzadementS yes but only for Now ahaha
FenomeNadal partido de Rafa! esta superficie siempre se le complica, sea porque es demasiado rapido o la maquina como dice el tarda en calentar, felicitaciones!
Very nice for the 2 players
Good to see rafa ends it with a win... Now i hope Rudd wins the title, i mean 2 grand slam finals but got unlucky with that. So hope at least he wins this. Such a class player
Would be funny if Ruud wins title and the only one to beat him is Rafa 😂
Did you even watch the match - I doubt it. That was a charade of a match from Ruud - he basically gifted the match to Nadal. Nadal for example hit a career-record best stat of 93% on first serve points won lol (and he has had a long career). Ruud didn't even try to go for many serves. Ruud's own average first serve speed was almost 20 kph reduced from his last two matches. He loses a break at exactly 6-5 in both sets.... I would not have been happy to have bought a ticket to that rubbish. complete sham lol. anyone fooled by this is an idiot...
@@yussepig6629 pues si, la verdad és q m gustaria q ganara Ruud
There is zero chance that Ruud beats Djokovic.
Nice to see Uncle Toni in the box again
Ha Ha Ha Ha!
Classic Rafa. It takes a lot of matches for Rafa to see the brilliance of his genius.
Win or lose, Rafa is incomparable.
Ruud is too nice.
Casper was able to defeat Taylor & Felix...but not to Nadal who previously lost the matches to these two players before...
Funny sport ain’t it lol
That is sport Nadal increase his level against Ruud mostly which made him win now he can take rest and enjoy with new born child and focus on 2023 season ☺☺ by the way Djokovic is back he is playing Australian open next year
Fire Game from both🔥🔥🔥🔥
Ruud has too much respect for his big idol. Still, good match from both.
King is back 👌
Whenever rafa wins his fans say that he has recovered from injury. And whenever he loses they say " seeems Rafa is not 100% yet fully fit yet ". Shameful delusional fans. They do not want give oppnent the credit.
Rafa Nole and Federer supermen of their age
The KING is back
Incredible
Weird concept the fact that your last match played on a tournament was a victory but you are eliminated. And the guy you defeated is not eliminated hehe.
1:36 Nadal dancing in his game💞
It was a incredible performance by Rafa.
His play looked a lot better then the fist matches. He just needs more time on the tour to perform well.
Yes Ruud was already through but I think a professional always wants to compete and win. Rafa isn’t finished, if he’s fit, he can be as strong as Nole.
VAMOS! RAFA.👋👋👋
The box! you opened it, WE CAME!
Best of Nadal's three matches for sure, he looked a lot less pensive or hesitant with his shots. Now with that said Ruud to me looked a half step slow, he just didn't seem to be playing as well as he has been. Not sure if it's unintentional and due to him winning his group, or if he intended to take it easy this match and save it for the next one. Either way he just didn't seem himself in this match to me at least.
He played very clumsily ; the returns were just returns.
What people don't realise is that Rafa could play like this because Ruud plays with so much topspin on his forehand, which makes the ball bounce higher and go slower, which gives Rafa time to get to his FH, that has been one of the bests in the history of tennis.
16 aces? After an abdominal strain?When was the last time he got that much in?
This win is a great preparation for next year. Badly needed psychological boost for Rafa after 4 successive losses.
I thought Age is catching up on Rafa. I also think retirement is a must but with this level of performance. I think he deserves a chance. 🙌👏
Well he said in the first defeat that he needed more time in this court to adapt faster. Here we see what he meant. although Casper was probably not giving his best like it was a final.
In my opinion (i could be wrong) , the opposition was weak. 🙏
@@JohnAbraham1987i agree casper doesn't have the mental strenght against the goats yet. I don't know if he gets star struck as Rafa is his child idol
Still a pleasure to see Nadal play, even though hes far from his prime.
Nadal unlocking super saiyan mode....
If he stays healthy AO23 will be an hell of a tournament with Djokovic, Alcaraz, Medvedev, Nadal all playing together..
Hope they become eventual semifinalists...
I think Ruud held back today, cause of his semi final.. Who knows, just my feeling
agarrando confianza de a poco vamos fiera
Two weaknesses in rafa's game.
1. His return. He misses very easy returns into the net ... OFTEN
2. Lack of depth on his shots. Not all the time but ive noticed in the matches he loses he's not hitting deep. The issue i have with rafa is he's always looking to put heavy topspin on the ball. Most of the time he ends up hitting short like the shot here: 0:48 . This creates a perfect sweet hitting spot for the opponents and they take advantage like rudd does on 0:50. I wish rafa would start to hit the ball flatter. Theres no point hitting crazy topsin on fast surface... it actually benefits the oponent when they find that the ball is bouncing a bit higher on a low-bouncing court. It also benefits taller oppponents like Taylor Fritz. Hitting crazy top spin with power also wastes a lot of energy. At this age if rafa changed his game it would suit him. He already hits flat in practice so i dunno why he continues to go for short topsin balls.
Nadal is the 2nd best returner of all time though. Behind djokovic. Though Nadal is for sure greatest returner on clay
Very nuanced analysis
I feel like Ruud gave this match to Nadal since he is already qualified for the Semifinals with his 2 previous wins. He didn't want to make Nadal feel bad by losing 0-3 at the year end tournament.
Blah blah blah stupid excuses only you feel because you have hatred towards others who can't respect other ruud lost because Nadal played better than him on that day OK keep your mouth shut and see how he will lose in semifinals itself