Facebook Social Button Twitter Social Button Follow Us on InstagramYouTube Social Button
NewsScoresRankingsLucky Letcord PodcastShopPro GearPickleballGear Sale

Popular This Week

Sinner on Rome Loss: I Am Closer Than I Expected Sinner on Rome Loss: I Am Closer Than I Expected
Gauff Hopes for Third Time Luck at Roland-Garros Gauff Hopes for Third Time Luck at Roland-Garros
Watch: Musetti's Magical Soaring Backhand Overhead Watch: Musetti's Magical Soaring Backhand Overhead
Ruud on Facing "A wall that shoots hundred-mile-an-hour balls at you" in Rome Ruud on Facing "A wall that shoots hundred-mile...
Five Things We Learned From New Book on Rafa Nadal and Roland-Garros Five Things We Learned From New Book on Rafa Nadal a...
Draper: "I Don't Want to Be Normal" Draper: "I Don't Want to Be Normal"
Sinner and Saint: World No.1 Visits Pope Leo at the Vatican Sinner and Saint: World No.1 Visits Pope Leo at the ...
Net Notes - A Tennis Now Blog

Net Posts

Industry Insider - A Tennis Now Blog

Industry Insider

Second Serve - A Tennis Now Blog

Second Serve

 

Video: Nadal’s Anti-Tweener Lob in Rio



During last night’s 6-4, 6-1 victory over Thomaz Bellucci in Rio, Rafael Nadal came up with the perfect solution to Bellucci’s near-perfect drop-lob combo: A boring, non-show-stopping, run-of-the-mill lob!

Video: Rafa Parties at Carnival with Guga and David Ferrer

Notice how we didn’t say ‘tweener lob? That’s because Rafael Nadal was born to make wise shotmaking decisions that carefully weigh the percentages. Showboating? That’s for video games and carnival dancing, which we all know now that Rafa can do as well.

But on this occasion it was a simple, effective and not jaw-dropping turn-around lob that got Nadal a point. It wasn’t pretty, but man was it effective.

Nadal will next face fellow Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta in the second round in Rio.

Posted: