Best pictures of the week.
Happy weekend, Rafanatics.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
The Soul Of Rafael Nadal
From Down The Line we get a link to a Rafa's interview by L'Express.fr.
Such a poignant, revealing interview. How does the French do it? Here's the article translated to English.
Some choice quotes:
Such a poignant, revealing interview. How does the French do it? Here's the article translated to English.
Some choice quotes:
Rafa On...
A landscape that creates the dream
I was 4 years old when my father raised me on a fishing boat to take me to the other side of the island. The land to the sea .. There is nothing more beautiful. When I stopped tennis, I buy a boat to spend the rest of my days. This will be a motorboat. I love the speed.A meeting that you hope
Roger Federer. Small, I was a dream: I was at the foot of a huge mountain and I looked at the top. When I beat Federer in January, in Melbourne, in the final of the Australian Open, I felt excitement animal. But then I felt an emptiness and a loneliness indescribable, as if I had no other purpose. For me Federer is still the No. 1 worldwide. I want to meet again on the court. I know it can beat me.A revolt
Success will not change my life. My room is still the same, my friends are guys I met at school, my girlfriend is a friend of my sister. Holidays in Monaco or St. Barth I'm not interested.
SEO MIAMI: Post Quarterfinal Presser
[vodpod id=ExternalVideo.805584&w=425&h=350&fv=]
His presser antics are the best. What on earth is he doing? Babe, lemme buy you some cottonbuds.
After Rafa's video, go check Potro's presser.
That "of course" just melted my cold cold heart. Note to self: stop lusting after younger men.
Rafa's presser transcripts here.
Del Potro's presser transcripts here.
RAFANATICS Chatbox
Just to let y'all know, if somehow you missed the big red box on the sidebar, I'm trying out a chatbox for the blog.
We'll see if it actually gets used frequently. Aside from that, you guys tell me if you like it/don't like it, box too big, needs to be somewhere else, etc etc.
XOXO,
Babz
We'll see if it actually gets used frequently. Aside from that, you guys tell me if you like it/don't like it, box too big, needs to be somewhere else, etc etc.
XOXO,
Babz
SEO MIAMI: Potro Sends Rafa Packing
Gangly Kid beat Rafa 64, 36, 76(3).
Who would imagine that when the draw was released that Rafa would be playing some of his hardest match against players we initially thought would not give him any sorts of challenges? Frederico Gil and Roger's BFF gave him a run for his money, and now Potro actually has beaten him.
Kudos to the awesomely gangly kid. I thought he was gonna take more time to mature, much less beating the #1 player on the way, but then again Rafa did the same to Roger just a few short years ago. Potro showed up to the match not only with his cojones, he brought an extra pair. Even if he did not bring the spare, I suspect any number of the Argentinians in the stands would cut theirs off and lend it to him. It certainly felt like a matter of country honor than just a simple tennis match. But really, he played amazing today. Many times it looked like he was gonna roll over and die - but on this day, he didn't. That's what makes a winning tennis player. I hope he will carry it well to the future.
Although, without taking away credit from the three players, Rafa was not himself this week. He was missing forehands (I KNOW! Disaster right?), hitting long shots and short balls. Dare I say this... Okay I'll say it. All week long his matches look like he's just going through the motion. Even in Indian Wells he looked so freaking tired on interviews, and finally it is showing on the courts of Crandon Park. I really do not want to read too much into things, but earlier this year he was asked whether he is tired (before Rotterdam I think) and he answered that he is "always tired". That's not a good thing to say. That's not a good outlook for Dick or Jane, much less a sportsmen, a #1 in the world who's famous for playing so intensely he is out of gas by the last slam. I personally think he must be exhausted - physically and mentally.
To me the match was played in awful conditions - I'm talking about the linejudges, the umpire, the very noisy spectators. I'm fine with noisy spectators but they have to know when to shut up. The linejudges missed some very obvious faults that even I could see from my tiny window of live stream. The umpire even overuled one call which was out, and Rafa did not challenge. Another incident from the linejudge and Rafa again did not challenge. Very disappointing quality of play from the officials. So many wrong calls, so many was let go. It could have changed the tone of the match entirely as some happened on crucial points - but in tennis one point behind is a lightyear away. Water under bridge and all that.
So next up for Rafa is Monte Carlo. I understand that he has a lot of points to defend there, so no hope of him missing it. After that, Barcelona, then Rome, then Madrid. Boy, just envisioning it makes me tired. I wish he would let go one of the three, as After RG he'll go straight for Queen's. We know he'll try his best to win that, and by all rights he should, he had a fantastic run there last year. Not an easy run, but awesome nonetheless. He won over a very in form Nole - if you did not watch it, do get ahold of it somewhere. After Queens it will be Wimby and hell will freeze over before he will allow himself to play badly there. After Wimby he is usually on a decline to the rest of the season. I guess we'll see what happens this year.
One thing I do hope will happen is that he gets some. Freaking. Rest. Rafa, you need it. If you haven't realized it by now I don't know what to think of you.
Did anybody actually read that? One of these days I have to put up some kind of pop quiz for you my fellow Rafanatics. I have to say, I'm very glad I don't get to write any more serious stuff until Monte Carlo. I'm tellin' ya, all this serious stuff sucks a girl's fun juice dry. Lord, how I made that sound dirty I've no idea.
See you in Monte Carlo, Rafa.
Who would imagine that when the draw was released that Rafa would be playing some of his hardest match against players we initially thought would not give him any sorts of challenges? Frederico Gil and Roger's BFF gave him a run for his money, and now Potro actually has beaten him.
Kudos to the awesomely gangly kid. I thought he was gonna take more time to mature, much less beating the #1 player on the way, but then again Rafa did the same to Roger just a few short years ago. Potro showed up to the match not only with his cojones, he brought an extra pair. Even if he did not bring the spare, I suspect any number of the Argentinians in the stands would cut theirs off and lend it to him. It certainly felt like a matter of country honor than just a simple tennis match. But really, he played amazing today. Many times it looked like he was gonna roll over and die - but on this day, he didn't. That's what makes a winning tennis player. I hope he will carry it well to the future.
Although, without taking away credit from the three players, Rafa was not himself this week. He was missing forehands (I KNOW! Disaster right?), hitting long shots and short balls. Dare I say this... Okay I'll say it. All week long his matches look like he's just going through the motion. Even in Indian Wells he looked so freaking tired on interviews, and finally it is showing on the courts of Crandon Park. I really do not want to read too much into things, but earlier this year he was asked whether he is tired (before Rotterdam I think) and he answered that he is "always tired". That's not a good thing to say. That's not a good outlook for Dick or Jane, much less a sportsmen, a #1 in the world who's famous for playing so intensely he is out of gas by the last slam. I personally think he must be exhausted - physically and mentally.
To me the match was played in awful conditions - I'm talking about the linejudges, the umpire, the very noisy spectators. I'm fine with noisy spectators but they have to know when to shut up. The linejudges missed some very obvious faults that even I could see from my tiny window of live stream. The umpire even overuled one call which was out, and Rafa did not challenge. Another incident from the linejudge and Rafa again did not challenge. Very disappointing quality of play from the officials. So many wrong calls, so many was let go. It could have changed the tone of the match entirely as some happened on crucial points - but in tennis one point behind is a lightyear away. Water under bridge and all that.
So next up for Rafa is Monte Carlo. I understand that he has a lot of points to defend there, so no hope of him missing it. After that, Barcelona, then Rome, then Madrid. Boy, just envisioning it makes me tired. I wish he would let go one of the three, as After RG he'll go straight for Queen's. We know he'll try his best to win that, and by all rights he should, he had a fantastic run there last year. Not an easy run, but awesome nonetheless. He won over a very in form Nole - if you did not watch it, do get ahold of it somewhere. After Queens it will be Wimby and hell will freeze over before he will allow himself to play badly there. After Wimby he is usually on a decline to the rest of the season. I guess we'll see what happens this year.
One thing I do hope will happen is that he gets some. Freaking. Rest. Rafa, you need it. If you haven't realized it by now I don't know what to think of you.
Did anybody actually read that? One of these days I have to put up some kind of pop quiz for you my fellow Rafanatics. I have to say, I'm very glad I don't get to write any more serious stuff until Monte Carlo. I'm tellin' ya, all this serious stuff sucks a girl's fun juice dry. Lord, how I made that sound dirty I've no idea.
See you in Monte Carlo, Rafa.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Words Of Wisdom
"It's very hard to play well every day. One day you play well, one day not..."
This video is after the match against Gil Frederico.
Seems like he has been saying the same thing over and over again to many reporters and in many interviews. Probably gets tired that he has to analyze and account for every single second of his matches.. Dudes, don't you get it? Some days are just bad days. But he is Rafa Nadal, so his bad days are probably pretty good days for most tennis players.
Does he realize he's being taped? Why's he so relaxed? Not as if I'm complaining.
video via Nadal News
This video is after the match against Gil Frederico.
Seems like he has been saying the same thing over and over again to many reporters and in many interviews. Probably gets tired that he has to analyze and account for every single second of his matches.. Dudes, don't you get it? Some days are just bad days. But he is Rafa Nadal, so his bad days are probably pretty good days for most tennis players.
Does he realize he's being taped? Why's he so relaxed? Not as if I'm complaining.
video via Nadal News
Thursday, April 2, 2009
SEO MIAMI: Roger's BFF Made Rafa WORK!
Sounds like I missed a hell of a match. From Twitter observations, apparently the linespeople were terrible (as they have been quite a few times this week), Stan had a great strategy, and Rafa was making a lot of mistakes. But he did counter that with a lot of great shots. He won the match 76(2), 76(4).
Watch this:
That was some inspired lob. I really have to download the match somewhere. Hey, not as if we have Tivo here in the third world!
I guess in pictures the match would be like this:
Watch this:
That was some inspired lob. I really have to download the match somewhere. Hey, not as if we have Tivo here in the third world!
I guess in pictures the match would be like this:
One more time:
Potro is up next for Rafa. I don't see that match being anything but boring, but who knows right? Maybe Potro will finally show up to a match against one of the top 3 (or 4 or 5) with some cojones.
video via GOTOTENNIS
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