Is The Tour Catching Up To Nadal?

Every player has patterns. The great ones win consistently because they usually can execute so well that it doesn't make much difference if their opponents know what's coming or not.

Some of the all time greats have had very simple game plans. Borg would rip heavy topspin until you made a mistake or fatigued. His game was only vulnerable to a superb net player and only John McEnroe was good enough.

Pete Sampras would hold serve by using his incredible serve and then try to break with his fairly flat, attacking game. On his backhand he would just try to neutralize and bide his time.

Rafael Nadal likes to wear his opponents down with his heavy lefty topspin. He doesn't like to come to the net and likes to grind away.

I think the other players on the tour maybe getting wise to Nadal's patterns. They may be overplaying his lefty topspin shots so that they are better prepared for them.

In addition, a number of pros who have beaten Nadal consistently like James Blake and Thomas Berdych like to step into Nadal's groundstrokes and rip flat balls back to him -- often winning the point outright.

Nadal also has certain patterns on his serve. I wrote about this after the Wimbledon final this year against Roger Federer and I thinks it makes for interesting reading.

You can read my analysis of the Wimbledon 2006 final between Nadal and Federer by following this link: Federer versus Nadal In The Wimbledon 2006 Final

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