Andre Agassi has made one fairly attention-grabbing commentary about Rafael Nadal's recreation as the previous eight-time Grand Slam champion is urging the Spaniard to tear it on his backhand shot as a result of he would completely like to see what occurs.
All through his total profession, Nadal has had a fairly robust backhand and it has at all times been a serious weapon within the 22-time Grand Slam champion's recreation. However it’s nothing in comparison with Nadal's forehand, which has at all times been absolutely the No. 1 within the Spaniard's recreation.
Whereas in Las Vegas for the Netflix Slam between Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, tennis icon Agassi acknowledged that the Spaniard's forehand shot is fairly astonishing but in addition added he would have liked to see what would have occurred if the 37-year-old had been ripping the ball on his backhand over time.
Rafael Nadal© Getty Photographs Sport – Chris Hyde
“One factor I’d have liked to seen with Rafa over time is that if he gave himself the inexperienced mild to let his backhand fly. I actually imagine we’d be speaking about one of many biggest backhands that ever performed the sport," Agassi mentioned, by way of Tennis Majors.
"However as an alternative he can so do a lot together with his forehand, he can achieve this a lot with controlling the purpose with proportion. He’s always making the choice: why do one thing when you don’t have…I believe it would assist him rather a lot if he at the least releases the beats on the backhand aspect as a result of when he amps it up there’s not a ball he can not hit with it.
"It’s a powerful wing. Let it go for a couple of video games. That’s what he does within the warm-up.”
Agassi provides his tackle Alcaraz's recreation
Since retiring, Agassi has been fairly low-key and he hasn't been seen round many tennis tournaments or spoken too many instances. However throughout the Netflix Slam – the place Agassi served as a commentator for the Nadal and Alcaraz match – the tennis neighborhood received an opportunity to listen to what the American tennis icon thinks of the 20-year-old Spaniard who has taken tennis by storm during the last two years.
“I actually love his recreation on the transfer, when he’s in flight, the dynamics and his means to make use of the geometry and the tempo he can inject," Agassi mentioned.
"I do get a bit of involved for him generally when he’s on the static aspect. When his ft don’t have to maneuver as a lot generally he doesn’t know the place to direct that vitality and he will get set a bit of too early, not fairly the identical conviction on his photographs when he may be answerable for the purpose.”
Carlos Alcaraz© Getty Photographs Leisure – Candice Ward
Agassi says Alcaraz is actually not a completed product but
Being a two-time Grand Slam champion at 20 and having been ranked on the world No. 1 spot a number of instances already just isn’t one thing that many tennis gamers have on their resume. However Alcaraz is amongst those that have managed to attain main success very early and all the things is pointing towards the 20-year-old engaging in many extra success earlier than strolling away from professional tennis.
Whereas Alcaraz already has a fairly full recreation and that's probably the most spectacular issues about him, Agassi says there are completely methods for the two-time Grand Slam champion to get higher and additional develop his recreation Particularly, Agassi thinks that discovering what's his greatest energy and counting on that in the important thing and essential moments may assist Alcaraz rather a lot.
“Once I take a look at Alcaraz’s means to carry such an upside, he’ll wrestle with conserving the reins on and never essentially having to do greater than he must, within the majority of his matches," Agassi mentioned.
“All greats determine what their recreation is constructed on they usually depend on that within the greatest moments. I nonetheless query if Carlos has discovered what he’s going to depend on to create that constant stress for his opponent that provides him the best proportion of locking one thing down. He would possibly serve, volley he would possibly his first ball drop, he can do all of it.
“He’s going to seek out it, he’s solely 20. It’s going to be lovely when he does. I hope it’s quickly and infrequently.”
Carlos Alcaraz© Getty Photographs Sport – Cameron Spencer
In the meantime, Nadal and Alcaraz are actually each set to compete in Indian Wells. For each Nadal and Alcaraz, will probably be an official return from damage.
After sustaining a muscle tear in his first post-surgery event in Brisbane, Nadal is about to play his first post-injury event in Indian Wells. On the opposite aspect, Alcaraz can also be able to play after rolling his ankle and retiring injured in opposition to Thiago Monteiro in Buenos Aires two weeks in the past.
In Indian Wells, Nadal begins in opposition to Milos Raonic whereas No. 2 seed Alcaraz has a first-round bye.
