“Rafa showed signs of returning to form last fall. Then Doha happened, AO loss, and a less than brilliant SA swing. Making the SF at IW was a big confidence boost – I didn’t expect him to beat Nole there. Disappointing how Rafa went out in Miami but clearly he’s rolling in confidence now! I’ve watched his MC matches.”

Not picking on X or anyone, but I’m continually astounded by this odd fluidity of confidence with Nadal. Does he have bad months? Does he have some kind of condition?

No other “champion” has played like this and been celebrated like this. The injury excuse is bullshit. This is a very strange case of sensitivity, anxiety. . . Is he some kind of idiot savant?

And if you think I’m a hater, you’re feelings are hurt. I just want to hear someone rationally explain why his level is like a baby’s diaper – scary bad or crisp and clean.

I wrote that on a discussion board, responding to a comment and the tennis universe in general. Congratulations to Nadal for overcoming a bunch of soft-brained blockheads, but a win is a win. La Decima, as I said a long time ago, even in his state of top-100 level tennis, is at stake and manifesting itself.

Two things are disturbing.  The totally bizarre world that is Nadal tennis (see my comment above for further indication of what I am referring to), and the absolute shit show that is the ATP.

There is something so inherently wrong with the ATP right now, aside from Nadal.  Sure, Murray is echoing the obvious concerns. The inequality is the cause. The top of the sport has NEVER been so grossly insular. Drugs and the rest of the corruption stem from this inequality. Simple cause and effect.

But all eyes are on the clay and this very peculiar case of Nadal. I can see why I turned a bit from the sport back in ’09 or so. It’s a circus, this guy. His is not a case of class, of the highest levels of this sport that we have enjoyed through the years. He’s a clay court specialist, which I have been saying for years, more recently to absolutely obliterate the Fed/Nadal H2H. Nadal is practically a circus act. Folks, I’m not trying to be some kind of hater.

The baby’s diaper metaphor works. That’s not the case of Laver, Borg, Lendl, Mac, Sampras, Roger or Nole, et al. These unexplained highs and lows (it’s not injury) are reminiscent of some kind of personality disorder. What’s equally bizarre is the tour has no answer to these bouts of madness.