Nadal gambles on heavier racquet

Hey bladegunner,
we're on absolutely same wavelength!
I was just going to write up on the same topic....
I read the news on tennis.com :

http://www.tennis.com/articles/templates/news.aspx?articleid=15563&zoneid=25

have no idea how it's going to work out for him: he obvioulsy think the way to beat Nole is to blow him off the court and/or war him out, no wonder his shoulder has been crying with all the extra weight.
It's one thing to practice with a new heavier racquet, but how it's going to hold under hours of brutal groundstrokes....mmm...not sure how wise the move is healthwise, cold be costly.
I can't wait to see the "new" plan B...

Also, interesting what both players appear to have been working on during this short off-season:
Nole was honing his groundstrokes, particularly those usedin points shortening: inside out forehand, volleys and slices for new approach.
Nadal has gone the opposite way:
get bigger, stronger, bludgeon the opponent to death....can he kind of mix it up and do something tennis-like and more imaginative, rather than just be more and more physical. I man what on earthi is he planning to achieve with a heavier stick!!?? He'll be finished before USO...

sorry for my typos, will pay more attention, in the above post it was SLICES FOR NET now new APPROACH....

I think he wants to give some bite to his serve. fair enough, his serve is by far the weakest in the top 10. However, the question is, how comfortable will he be with these few extra grams of weight?

I think he made a mistake in not starting with the new racket after the US open. You just can't afford experimenting with a new racket in a major (ok, just before a major).

Having said that, I think he should have done that a lot earlier. He has the strength to handle a heavier racket and it just might be too little too late for him. Federer has the heaviest racket of the top 4 and I think it shows in hios serve.

I think it's more than a few grams, the new racquet explains the new shoulder woes.

I also don't agree it's for the serve (only). If it was just the serve he woudld've done it ages ago.

The thing that puzzles me a lot is what happened to Nadal's serve after USO 2010?

I have no idea what happened to his serve after US open 2010. I can't believe it's to do with his technique - you just don't forget how to serve, do you?

However, he admitted after US 2011 that his serve gave an advantage to Djokovic.

His new racket, in my view, is to try to correct that. His shoulder is a bit of a smoke screen, he lost his US open final because of poor serve and exhoustion, having to chase all those line shots by Djoko.

Can't wait for AO to see how will it work for him. I always thought Djoko was a more complete tennis player than him, regardless.

I didn't realise shoulder woe was anything USO related, I thought it was "new"; I don't take any of thoee injury announcements seriously any more to be honest.
Remember the week knees years...
Anyway, the 2010 USO serve I'm referring to is the 130 mph that I don't remember him serving ever either before or after that USO, he mentioned he changed the grip for it, but I doesn't sound convincing especially as it brought him great results, why did he get rid of it?

Hmmm... I can see where you going with this.... I don't know. We'll probably never know. Generally, I don't mind players doing whatever they are doing as long as it's within the rules. Nadal strikes me as an honest guy and I would be surprised if he did anyting outside the rules. Just my hunch, really. Then again, what do I know?

"Hmmm... I can see where you going with this..."

no, you don't! I'm genuinely interested in the answer, not insinuating any illegal stuff.
I don't know if you existed on the old bbc 606, but I have no trouble speaking my mind ...
I dislike Nadal's tennis and on-court antics (taking his time deliberately in the chair while the player, umpire and everyone else waits for him at the net), and have rarely watched his matches, I even skip large chunks of his matches against Nole, I really don't enjoy the physicallity of it, so, I don't have a clue about how this big serve came about for 2010 USO and then never returned.
I do play a little and my serve is very natural and intuitive, most reliable shot, in fact. I never fiddled with it or tried to improve (my level is pretty basic, anyway), I reckon is the most difficult shot to work on, because it's so originally intuitive.
That particular aspect got me intrigued how one can just turn the speed on just like that and then kind of leave it.
My only explanation is that it caused him some injury.
I just though you may have known more about it.

No, I don't know more about it but I'm sure you heard about Yanick Noah's comments about the spanish players. A few forums around raised the issue as well. In fact, there were a few concerns raised from both Novak's and Federer's fans.

Personally, I don't wish to believe in it.

Unlike you, I like Nadal. I think he has a human side to him, unlike Federer. I suppose, that is why Djokovic likes him better too, although he has about the same head to head agaist both.

yes, I was on the old 606 boards too. In fact, very much doubt there is anyone 'older' here, as I was on bbc 606 board under the same name since 2002. I remember the days when 'Magic Roundabout' and 'Masterlivers' roamed the 606 board. True, mostly contributed to football forum, but made a few contributions to tennis as well, especially since Djoko's rise. He is a compatriot of mine.