Exactly! I remember watching this match in 2016 and being amazed at how many 100+ mph forearms he shot at Rafa! On that day, no one could have kept up with Verdasco . . . .
Amazing match by Verdasco! The intelligence and creativity for serve, forehand and backhands is amazing! How quick he moved, how precise and THE RETURNS!!! absolutely amazing! Let's stop comparing Verdasco to others, he's a GREAT challenge to everyone.
The reason that Djokovic and Federer is always one step ahead of Nadal on hard courts is the first serve,Nadal's first serve after 2011 totally changed and that made him struggle a LOT more on hard courts against hard court players,even though his results are satisfactory he still suffers too much,and this could be a lot less if his first serve were just like in 2010,he need some aces,free points,Djokovic it's the best return EVER,Nadal will never win against him again on hard without making some aces.
There's that but I think it's also Nadal's forehand. His backswing is to big for a hard court and Novak uses that by hitting flat backhands croscourt which forces Nadal to hit a shorter ball and the point is over.
Verdasco was a strange player. Here he won Nadal for the third time in their last four matches. Including different surfaces. Not too long before he was swearing in Spanish in challenger tournaments.
Lack of confidence was the reason. He had an amazing 2013, then 2014 got injured after Wimbledon and then started 2015 terrible. That lack of confidence was seen even in 2017, but since 2018 he's fine.
@@NLLeFa lol he had an excellent 2017. More better nd consistent than 2018 or 2019. Think about it..AO, maybe IW, Miami, one of his most dominant clay seasons, USO, Beijing nd Shanghai all under his belt had it not been for fed in God mode. 2018 or 19 doesn't come close
@@samarthadhikari4830 Lol no. 2017 Nadal doesn't come close to 2018-19 in terms of confidence. His level was high, no doubt, but he wasn't confident. He lost to Shapovalov, Querrey etc which won't happen in 2018-19. Let alone losing 4 times to Federer which was unimaginable few years ago.
@@NLLeFa had he played fed outside clay more in 18-19 he would hv lost in similar fashion as evident from their 2019 Wimbledon clash. Rafa was in blistering form in wimby 2019 nd many thought he wud destroy fed. But fed counters rafas game so well now due to the larger frame proving his 2017 wins were no fluke. Rafa wud have had a similar fate on other non clay courts had they met the past two years. Rafafans hv excuses for his 2017 losses against fed but I see none for his 2019 Wimbledon loss except one...' he didn't play well' rolf
@@samarthadhikari4830 2019 Nadal beats 2019 Fed on hard courts. On grass is different, as are indoors. Fed is better. The racquet bullshit is long gone. If there was something , he wouldn't have lost so many consecutive matches to Djokovic. Plus, Federer changed the racquet in 2014 and lost in straight sets to Nadal in AO 2014. Even Dimitrov has beaten him now.
Is this one of the best first round matches in Grand Slams? Discounting Nadal's play at the end of the fifth it is top notch quality match, worthy of a semis.
For me this is rafa's lowest moment as a tennis player, i remember then i really thought it was the end for my favorite player but like always he never gives up, and now he is just one major away from fed, how quickly things can change.
Verdasco performance is actually amazing. Incredible powerful forehands
Exactly! I remember watching this match in 2016 and being amazed at how many 100+ mph forearms he shot at Rafa! On that day, no one could have kept up with Verdasco . . . .
Radiyas 13 If only Verdasco was consistent he could easily remain in top 10 every year!
@@chadsknnr federer could have
he is a doper
The revenge for Verdasco (AO 2009 was heartbreaking)
This was actually his third win in their last four matches against Nadal. Madrid, Miami, Australia.
2009 was the SF. So it must have hurt a lot more
Verdasco my hero. I wish i had seen this live. No idea what i was doing to have missed this.
Same here
Amazing match by Verdasco! The intelligence and creativity for serve, forehand and backhands is amazing! How quick he moved, how precise and THE RETURNS!!! absolutely amazing!
Let's stop comparing Verdasco to others, he's a GREAT challenge to everyone.
verdasco is on drugs. illegimite win
This is the most powerful hitting I’ve ever seen from a player. Verdasco’s racket in this match was firing up!
Also rafa worst season.. otherwise verdasco won't stand a chance ..a loss to nole in final before this match affects rafa mentally
I remember this match, was so happy for Verdasco avenging his 2009 loss
First time ever Rafa lost in the AO R1
Still rafa miles ahead than Verdasco career
@@Laland_1196no shit sherlok
4 incredible returns at the end to close it out 💪
After seeing this, even the most ardent Nadal supporter would have felt that retirement was close. He proved all of us wrong. Yet again.
GOAT
It was Moya that brought Nadal out of retirement. Otherwise, the Spaniard would have been done.
@@jacobschmidt2709 You're right. It was all Moya, Nadal had nothing to do with it.
Revenge of 2009 AO semis :)
hes a doper sprry to burst your bubble
Thanks for uploading
Verdasco's forehand is my favorite of all time. I find it technically perfect.
The reason that Djokovic and Federer is always one step ahead of Nadal on hard courts is the first serve,Nadal's first serve after 2011 totally changed and that made him struggle a LOT more on hard courts against hard court players,even though his results are satisfactory he still suffers too much,and this could be a lot less if his first serve were just like in 2010,he need some aces,free points,Djokovic it's the best return EVER,Nadal will never win against him again on hard without making some aces.
There's that but I think it's also Nadal's forehand. His backswing is to big for a hard court and Novak uses that by hitting flat backhands croscourt which forces Nadal to hit a shorter ball and the point is over.
Nadal won more hard court slams after 2011 than he did before it.
Carlos moya has helped him serve better.
@@ilija7224 of course when he is since 2009 in his prime is the time longer from 2011-23 then 2009-10.....What a nonsense your coment
@@lukijanbugarski3476exactly bro, that’s literally the design fault in Nadals game that no one realises
Verdasco with Djokovic mental would be unstoppable
Full match link is amazing game !
Some of the best shotmaking I've ever seen.
Gonzalez level power from Verdasco
Verdasco forehand technique is like a lefty alcaraz. So good
This is verdasco’s best match what a win
I couldn't even remember this match !! As Rafa says "people only remember what you won"
15:43
Verdasco was a strange player. Here he won Nadal for the third time in their last four matches. Including different surfaces. Not too long before he was swearing in Spanish in challenger tournaments.
Imagine drawing on fire Verdasco in the R1 of a Slam as the #5 seed.
He had the the talent, not the believe. Verdasco should have been a better rated player in his prime. He is lefty with an incredible forehand.
Nadal serve was so poor then, and weight of shot wasn't as powerful. such different level compared to now
Lack of confidence was the reason. He had an amazing 2013, then 2014 got injured after Wimbledon and then started 2015 terrible. That lack of confidence was seen even in 2017, but since 2018 he's fine.
@@NLLeFa lol he had an excellent 2017. More better nd consistent than 2018 or 2019. Think about it..AO, maybe IW, Miami, one of his most dominant clay seasons, USO, Beijing nd Shanghai all under his belt had it not been for fed in God mode. 2018 or 19 doesn't come close
@@samarthadhikari4830 Lol no. 2017 Nadal doesn't come close to 2018-19 in terms of confidence. His level was high, no doubt, but he wasn't confident. He lost to Shapovalov, Querrey etc which won't happen in 2018-19. Let alone losing 4 times to Federer which was unimaginable few years ago.
@@NLLeFa had he played fed outside clay more in 18-19 he would hv lost in similar fashion as evident from their 2019 Wimbledon clash. Rafa was in blistering form in wimby 2019 nd many thought he wud destroy fed. But fed counters rafas game so well now due to the larger frame proving his 2017 wins were no fluke. Rafa wud have had a similar fate on other non clay courts had they met the past two years. Rafafans hv excuses for his 2017 losses against fed but I see none for his 2019 Wimbledon loss except one...' he didn't play well' rolf
@@samarthadhikari4830 2019 Nadal beats 2019 Fed on hard courts. On grass is different, as are indoors. Fed is better.
The racquet bullshit is long gone. If there was something , he wouldn't have lost so many consecutive matches to Djokovic. Plus, Federer changed the racquet in 2014 and lost in straight sets to Nadal in AO 2014. Even Dimitrov has beaten him now.
Verdasco is the most beautiful player 😀😀
Is this one of the best first round matches in Grand Slams? Discounting Nadal's play at the end of the fifth it is top notch quality match, worthy of a semis.
Better forehand than Gonzalez?
verdasco=DOPER
For me this is rafa's lowest moment as a tennis player, i remember then i really thought it was the end for my favorite player but like always he never gives up, and now he is just one major away from fed, how quickly things can change.
Vamos rafa
Verdasco was NO JOKE on that day, though. I remember nothing but fastballs coming off Fernando's racquet, and Rafa couldn't keep up . . . .
@@chadsknnr rafa was injured
@@sachinnadal2021 hmm . . . .
@@chadsknnr and verdasco beats an injured bull
Verdasco is a bully
Vamos rafa
Rafa losing 6 games in a row, rare!
Win by Luck lost in Second Round LoL
Bravo Verdaa!!!!!! Osveta za 2008/9 god... :)))
It looks like Rafa was using Luxilon original strings here..
I wish Verdasco would have won that 2009 AO semis…
He would have been beaten by Federer in the final 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.
Отомстил
Unbelievable how Verdasco played Better Than ao sf 2009 and Nadal played like crap
Nadal deserves to lose. Such a classless cheat
He was vastly outplayed in This match, he played like crap nothing to be compared to his amazing ao sf in 2009
Nadal lost, yes!
Djokobitch is scared of rafa
Why Djokovic should be scared of Nadal? He beats him most of the times recently. Nadal should be scared of Djokovic
I really dont like Djoker, but you are right carlos!
@@pekingente88 not you , everybody hates djokobitch because djokobitch is a bully
@@sachinnadal2021 I dont hate him
24 vs 22