Rafa's road to 100

[ponchi101]

Rafa now stands at 91 total tournaments. It seems he has a good chance of reaching and passing Lendl for #3 in the ATP.
But will he reach 100 tournaments? To me, with him it is always his injuries. Plus he is already 36. It would mean 4 tournaments this year (doable, as he already has 2 and the clay season has not started) and 5 more next. But it is not a sure thing.

[ti-amie]

None of us stans thought he'd be doing what he's doing now this year. I voted that he would reach 100 but how I have no idea.

[skatingfan]

Rafa now stands at 91 total tournaments. It seems he has a good chance of reaching and passing Lendl for #3 in the ATP.
But will he reach 100 tournaments? To me, with him it is always his injuries. Plus he is already 36. It would mean 4 tournaments this year (doable, as he already has 2 and the clay season has not started) and 5 more next. But it is not a sure thing.

Nadal's actually got 3 titles so far this year - he also won the warm-up in Melbourne before the Australian Open.

[meganfernandez]

Rafa now stands at 91 total tournaments. It seems he has a good chance of reaching and passing Lendl for #3 in the ATP.
But will he reach 100 tournaments? To me, with him it is always his injuries. Plus he is already 36. It would mean 4 tournaments this year (doable, as he already has 2 and the clay season has not started) and 5 more next. But it is not a sure thing.

Nadal's actually got 3 titles so far this year - he also won the warm-up in Melbourne before the Australian Open.

I'm guessing yes. I don't think that metric motivates him, but I think he's still passionate and in one piece, so he's a favorite in about every tournament he enters. My god, he's beating Medvedev on hard court!

[Jeff from TX]

Rafa now stands at 91 total tournaments. It seems he has a good chance of reaching and passing Lendl for #3 in the ATP.
But will he reach 100 tournaments? To me, with him it is always his injuries. Plus he is already 36. It would mean 4 tournaments this year (doable, as he already has 2 and the clay season has not started) and 5 more next. But it is not a sure thing.

Nadal's actually got 3 titles so far this year - he also won the warm-up in Melbourne before the Australian Open.

I'm guessing yes. I don't think that metric motivates him, but I think he's still passionate and in one piece, so he's a favorite in about every tournament he enters. My god, he's beating Medvedev on hard court!

True, but I wonder how much the invasion affected Medvedev's mind. I can't imagine Svitolina really being able to focus on tennis given the situation in Ukraine.

[ponchi101]

I don't believe ANY of them when they say "Oh, I don't care about such and such achievement". Be it being #1, or the Slams record, or more MS1000 tournaments. These guys, which to me include the old guard (Sampras, Agassi, Lendl, etc) simply have a super competitive drive in them. I remember Sampras playing his butt out at the end of 1998 so he would finish the year as #1, and then he was unable to play the Aussie in 1999.
The one thing that I believe they really don't care much about is the money. That they have settled. But inside, and not even deep, you can see that they have that drive, in a positive way. You can see it in Roger, still talking about coming back. And when the drive is over, it is truly over, like when Wilander finally was unable to muster any desire to win.
I mean, you just don't "I am not interested in my achievements anymore" and go play Acapulco as Rafa did. And you can rest assured that Novak is at home, wanting that #1 spot back. It is their nature, and they have shown that for almost two decades now. Part of their greatness, I guess.

[ponchi101]

...

True, but I wonder how much the invasion affected Medvedev's mind. I can't imagine Svitolina really being able to focus on tennis given the situation in Ukraine.

Very true, and the reason I did not take her in Monterrey for ATW. For a player used to grind out matches, knowing that after finishing the match she may come off the court to some bad news that truly affect her negatively, I don't know how she will be able to focus on court.

[meganfernandez]

I don't believe ANY of them when they say "Oh, I don't care about such and such achievement". Be it being #1, or the Slams record, or more MS1000 tournaments. These guys, which to me include the old guard (Sampras, Agassi, Lendl, etc) simply have a super competitive drive in them. I remember Sampras playing his butt out at the end of 1998 so he would finish the year as #1, and then he was unable to play the Aussie in 1999.
The one thing that I believe they really don't care much about is the money. That they have settled. But inside, and not even deep, you can see that they have that drive, in a positive way. You can see it in Roger, still talking about coming back. And when the drive is over, it is truly over, like when Wilander finally was unable to muster any desire to win.
I mean, you just don't "I am not interested in my achievements anymore" and go play Acapulco as Rafa did. And you can rest assured that Novak is at home, wanting that #1 spot back. It is their nature, and they have shown that for almost two decades now. Part of their greatness, I guess.

You might be right. I think Rafa is interested in achievement, yes, but not records. I believe him when he says that. He probably got a nice appearance fee to play in Acapulco and likes playing there and just truly loves to compete and thought it would be good prep for Indian Wells and Miami. I assume he's staying here and not going back to Spain before IW, so he might like the schedule. You think he played Acapulco get closer to 100 titles? Maybe.

I don't know about money, either. Laver Cup tickets are exorbitant (and Roger benefits from this) and top players take appearance fees that could go to the purse for struggling players. I think they care about money in some way, even if they aren't counting their dollars on their yachts - plus, agents get a cut and such, so their income isn't just for themselves, which might affect their greed.

[Improbabledream]

Rafa now stands at 91 total tournaments. It seems he has a good chance of reaching and passing Lendl for #3 in the ATP.
But will he reach 100 tournaments? To me, with him it is always his injuries. Plus he is already 36. It would mean 4 tournaments this year (doable, as he already has 2 and the clay season has not started) and 5 more next. But it is not a sure thing.

Surer thing than the sun coming out tomorrow. I think he passes connors. Hopefully federer can challenge him... it would be the one thing federer could still boast to have. Of course that is probably fantasy.

[jimrim]

I am a fan of Rafa and it is normal that I am sure that he will reach and pass 100 tournaments !



By the way, besides tennis, I love and study astrology, and according to the Cancer compatibility chart, I knew that my best couple is Taurus

[JTContinental]

I say yes as long as his body holds up--it does appear to be deteriorating quickly

[ponchi101]

I started this early in the year. And then, it has been two or three injuries. So I switched my vote; I no longer think he will do it.
I think he will save and train as hard as possible for one last RG. And that will be it.

[ti-amie]

I started this early in the year. And then, it has been two or three injuries. So I switched my vote; I no longer think he will do it.
I think he will save and train as hard as possible for one last RG. And that will be it.

Sadly I agree.