Rafael Nadal urodził się 3 czerwca 1986 roku w mieście Manacor na Majorce.Hiszpan swoją zawodową karierę rozpoczął w wieku 15 lat, rok 2001.Gra lewą ręką, chociaż jest praworęczny.Jest to tenisista charakteryzujący się niesamowitą grą w defensywie i piekielną szybkością.Wrażenie robi jego forehand, który jest uważany za jeden z najlepszych forehandów w rozgrywkach.Do jakiegoś czasu słabszym punktem gry Nadala był backhand, który z czasem stał się o wiele lepszy i również z prawej strony potrafi zdobywać masę punktów.Widać również poprawę w serwisie Hiszpana, który nie jest zbyt szybki, jednak charakteryzuję się precyzją, stąd niewiele asów w meczach Hiszpana.Widać poprawę również w grze przy siatce, jednak woleje nie są mocną stroną Hiszpana, więc za często go przy siatce nie widujemy.Obecnie numer 1 na świecie.
Rafa ze względu na swój defensywny styl gry największe sukcesy odnosi na nawierzchni ziemnej.Swój pierwszy turniej wygrał w 2004 roku w Sopocie.Przełomowym sezonem w karierze młodego Hiszpana był sezon 2005, w którym odniósł 11 turniejowych zwycięstw, w tym jedno wielkoszlemowe podczas turnieju na kortach imienia Rolanda Garrosa (Clay).Dzięki temu awansował na drugą pozycję w rankingu ATP i stał się największym kandydatem do zastąpienia ówczesnego numeru 1, Rogera Federera, z którym już w tym sezonie stoczył 2 pasjonujące pojedynki.Sezon 2006 nie rozpoczął się najlepiej, bo z powodu kontuzji nie mógł zagrać w Australian Open, jednak wygrał turniej w Dubaju i kontynuował swą serię zwycięstw na nawierzchni ziemnej.Obronił tytuł podczas Rolanda Garrosa i dotarł do finału na Wimbledonie(oba finały z Federerem).W Masters Cup dotarł do 1/2.Sezon 2007 był równie dobry jak 2006, z tą różnicą, że przegrał pierwszy mecz na ziemi, zakończyło serię 81 wygranych spotkań tej nawierzchni.Obronił tytuł na Roland Garros i dotarł do finału na Wimbledonie.
Rok 2008 uważa się za najlepszy dla Rafaela, a sezon jeszcze trwa.Imponujące wyniki Hiszpana dały mu pierwsze miejsce w rankingu, co przerwało dłuuugie liderowanie w rankingu Rogera Federera.Sezon rozpoczął od finału w Chenai i osiągnął 1/2 w Australian Open.Niestety nie udało się obronić tytuły podczas turnieju w Indian Wells, jednak osiągnął 1/2 po drodze pokonując Jamesa Blake'a i był to jego pierwszy pojedynek wygrany z tym tenisistą.Następnie dociera do finału w Miami, gdzie pokonuje go Nikola Davydenko.Od następnego turnieju następuje już dominacja.Rafa wygrywa swój pierwszy turniej w sezonie 2008 podczas Mastersa w Monte Carlo i tuż po tym turnieju jedzie do Barcelony, gdzie odnosi kolejne zwycięstwo.W Rzymie odpada sensacyjnie w 2 r( 1r. wolna ) jednak Hiszpan był zmęczony i potrzebny mu był odpoczynek.Tydzień później wygrywa Mastersa w Hamburgu, gdzie obronił pozycję numer 2 na świecie.Następnie wygrywa wielkoszlemowy Roland Garros, gdzie nie traci nawet seta.Niesiony sukcesami na ziemi Rafael wygrywa turniej w Queens Clubie rozgrywany na trawie, gdzie pokonał między innymi Karlovica, Roddicka i Djokovica.Niesamowita seria trwa podczas Wimbledonu, gdzie w finale ogrywa Rogera Federera po niesamowitej batalii(mecz ten jest uznawany za najlepszy finał w historii) i przerywa serię zwycięstw Szwajcara na Wimbledonie.Zwycięstwo to podbudowało go do kolejnych sukcesów i już podczas następnego mastersa niepokonany Rafa od Hamburga wygrywa w Toronto i dochodzi do 1/2 w Cincy.Już wtedy było wiadomo, że obejmie pozycję lidera.Później jedzie do Pekinu na igrzyska olimpijskie, gdzie zdobywa złoto i swój 8 turniej w sezonie oraz 31 w karierze.US Open trwa ;)
Olimpiada to był Jego 31 tytuł w karierze ;)
Vamos RAFA !
Rafa jest moim ukochanym tenisistą...
Niesamowita charyzma, wola zwycięstw...
Może nie zawsze tak grał jak dziś, ale o nim zawsze mawiano, że kiedyś będzie nr.1...
I co?
Jest i cały czas to potwierdza....:D
Mam jakiś gorszy dzień, że jak zrobię jakiś dobry uczynek to może mi przejdzie :D
Pochwalę Nadala :mrgreen:
Rafa to zawodnik, który mnie "prześladował" już od 16 roku życia - denerwowało mnie, ze gość jest w moim wieku i jawi się jako wielki talent. Pózniej wyrosłem z tej dziecinnej zazdrości, ale od kiedy mój Roger zaczął zbierać bęcki od Rafy to znowu Hiszpan wpadł do worka moich mniej ulubionych zawodników.
Jest wiele słów, którymi można by go opisać. Dla mnie jest on przede wszystkim graczem bardzo zjawiskowym.
Dużo rzeczy się na to zbiera, głównie mam na myśli wiek, osiągnięcia i skalę postępów jakie ten facet czyni.
To w jaki sposób poprawił poszczególne elementy gry to nic w porównaniu do tego co zrobił ostatnimi czasy podczas turniejów na trawie. W ciągu 3 lat z gracza przeciętnego, który przegrywał z Alexem Waske czy Gillsem Mullerem nie tylko doszedł do finału najbardziej prestiżowego turnieju świata, a został Mistrzem gry na tej nawierzchni, ogrywając samego Rogera Federera.
Można wiele o Nim mówić, ale to co zrobił ostatnimi laty w grze na trawnikach to jest idealny wyznacznik skali Jego talentu. Do tego argumentem jest fakt, jak trudną nawierzchnią jest grass.
Jedną z rzeczy, jakie mnie fascynują w tym zawodniku, jest odpowiedź na pytanie - Jak u licha (?!), będąc człowiekiem naturalnie praworęcznym, potrafi tak grać lewą ręką , na takim poziomie.
Nieprzeciętny talent + wujek Toni :mrgreen:
Gdzieś kiedyś widziałem filmik, jak Toni ganiał małego Rafaela, żeby przekładał rakietę do lewej ręki.
Jak tylko wujek sie odwrócił to niesforny Rafa natychmiast łapał "paletkę" do prawej dłoni. ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXriIRPmQqU
Lingwista :D
Nr1 to wielkie wyróżnienie i zwięczenie mojej ciężkiej pracy. Czekałem na tę chwilę najdłużej w historii, ale warto było
RAFAEL NADAL
Madryt - 13.10.2008r.
Rafael Nadal otrzymał pierwszą nagrodę jako nr1 - organizatorzy turnieju w Madrycie wręczyli mu szklaną paterę z napisem "world #1".
Gratulacje dla Rafy i Jego fanów, w załączeniu pod spodem zdjęcie Nadala z ową nagrodą, tak dla Niego charakterystyczne :)
Wszystkiego dobrego :)
DUN I LOVE napisał:
Nr1 to wielkie wyróżnienie i zwięczenie mojej ciężkiej pracy. Czekałem na tę chwilę najdłużej w historii, ale warto było
RAFAEL NADAL
Madryt - 13.10.2008r.
Rafael Nadal otrzymał pierwszą nagrodę jako nr1 - organizatorzy turnieju w Madrycie wręczyli mu szklaną paterę z napisem "world #1".
Gratulacje dla Rafy i Jego fanów, w załączeniu pod spodem zdjęcie Nadala z ową nagrodą, tak dla Niego charakterystyczne :)
Wszystkiego dobrego :)
To prawda. Chłopak jest naprawdę cierpliwy i uparty. Gratulacje Rafa i ciesz oczy fanów jak najdłużej swoją grą.
Graty Rafa :)
Mimo porażki w dramatycznym meczu z Gillem Simonem wynik drugiego półfinału, w którym w pokonanym polu został Roger Federer dał Rafie oficjalnie tytuł najlepszego tenisisty na świecie roku 2008 i przerwał czteroletnią hegemonię Szwajcara na tym "stanowisku". Rekord Samprasa 6 kolejnych sezonów jako nr 1 zostaje zatem niezagrożony. Szczere gratulacje dla Hiszpana, który przełamał w tym roku wiele stereotypów i pokazał, że w sensie siły mentalnej jest absolutnie najmocniejszym zawodnikiem globu. Wielkie brawa :):)
Galeria sław :
1973: Ilie Năstase
1974: Jimmy Connors
1975: Jimmy Connors
1976: Jimmy Connors
1977: Jimmy Connors
1978: Jimmy Connors
1979: Björn Borg
1980: Björn Borg
1981: John McEnroe
1982: John McEnroe
1983: John McEnroe
1984: John McEnroe
1985: Ivan Lendl
1986: Ivan Lendl
1987: Ivan Lendl
1988: Mats Wilander
1989: Ivan Lendl
1990: Stefan Edberg
1991: Stefan Edberg
1992: Jim Courier
1993: Pete Sampras
1994: Pete Sampras
1995: Pete Sampras
1996: Pete Sampras
1997: Pete Sampras
1998: Pete Sampras
1999: Andre Agassi
2000: Gustavo Kuerten
2001: Lleyton Hewitt
2002: Lleyton Hewitt
2003: Andy Roddick
2004: Roger Federer
2005: Roger Federer
2006: Roger Federer
2007: Roger Federer
2008: Rafael Nadal
Oczywiście przyłączam się do gratulacji. Chyba nawet najbardziej zagorzały Federasta przyzna, że Hiszpan absolutnie na to zasłużył - najlepszy gracz w tym roku, a Jego brak wśród tych, którzy byli nr1 uczyniłby z tej statystyki coś bezsensownego :)
Graty :)
DUN I LOVE napisał:
Oczywiście przyłączam się do gratulacji. Chyba nawet najbardziej zagorzały Federasta przyzna, że Hiszpan absolutnie na to zasłużył - najlepszy gracz w tym roku, a Jego brak wśród tych, którzy byli nr1 uczyniłby z tej statystyki coś bezsensownego :)
Graty :)
Świetnie ujęte sedno sprawy Dawidzie. :D Dla Rafy, wielkie brawa :applause:
Brava Rafi :* zasluzyles sobie na to :)
http://www.atptennis.com/1/en/2008news/nadal_askmen.asp
Pokłosie bycia nr1 - pozytywnie :)
Zdecydowanie zgadzam się z powyższymi opiniami. Mój ulubiony z pośród Hiszpanów zasłużył na bycie numer 1, wykazał się w tym roku wszechstronnością wygrywając na różnych nawierzchniach. Poprawił wiele elementów w swojej grze, coraz lepiej operuje backhandem, całkiem dobrze radzi sobie przy siatce i rzadziej gra zza linni końcowej kortu. W tym sezonie było też całkiem dobrze jeśłi chodzi o kondycję no ofc oprócz Mastersa w Rzymie, nawet w końcówce sezonu Rafa dobrze się trzyma w odróżnieniu od wcześniejszych lat. Co mnie bardzo cieszy znów wróciła ta jego radość z gry, okazywanie zadowolenia po każdym wygranym punkcie, czego troche mi brakowało w sezonie 07. Ten sezon natomiast choć jeszcze się nie skończył na pewno dostarczył przynajmiej mi wiele wzruszeń i emocji.
Gratki Rafa i powodzenia w Paryżu.:good:
GALERIA PUCHARÓW Rafy :
2004:
#1) Sopot
R32 Hanescu, Victor (ROU) 88 6-4 6-4
R16 Di Pasquale, Arnaud (FRA) 272 6-2 6-4
Q Squillari, Franco (ARG) 154 6-3 6-4
S Mantilla, Felix (ESP) 110 7-5 6-1
W Acasuso, Jose (ARG) 105 6-3 6-4 
Sezon 2005
#2) Costa Do Sauipe
R32 Acasuso, Jose (ARG) 55 7-6(1) 6-3
R16 Calatrava, Alex (ESP) 86 6-3 6-3
Q Calleri, Agustin (ARG) 60 6-2 6-7(5) 6-4
S Mello, Ricardo (BRA) 56 2-6 6-2 6-4
W Martin, Alberto (ESP) 61 6-0 6-7(2) 6-1
#3) Acapulco
R32 Calatrava, Alex (ESP) 81 6-4 6-4
R16 Ventura, Santiago (ESP) 77 7-6(7) 6-2
Q Canas, Guillermo (ARG) 12 7-5 6-3
S Puerta, Mariano (ARG) 74 6-4 6-1
W Montanes, Albert (ESP) 95 6-1 6-0
#4) TMS Monte Carlo
R64 Monfils, Gael (FRA) 106 6-3 6-2
R32 Malisse, Xavier (BEL) 38 6-0 6-3
R16 Rochus, Olivier (BEL) 42 6-1 6-2
Q Gaudio, Gaston (ARG) 6 6-3 6-0
S Gasquet, Richard (FRA) 101 6-7(6) 6-4 6-3
W Coria, Guillermo (ARG) 9 6-3 6-1 0-6 7-5 
#5) Barcelona
R64 Bye
R32 Muller, Gilles (LUX) 64 6-0 6-2
R16 Hrbaty, Dominik (SVK) 25 6-1 6-2
Q Calleri, Agustin (ARG) 99 6-2 3-0 RET
S Stepanek, Radek (CZE) 22 7-5 6-2
W Ferrero, Juan Carlos (ESP) 58 6-1 7-6(4) 6-3
#6) TMS Rzym
R64 Youzhny, Mikhail (RUS) 26 6-0 6-2
R32 Hanescu, Victor (ROU) 85 6-1 6-1
R16 Canas, Guillermo (ARG) 13 6-3 6-1
Q Stepanek, Radek (CZE) 17 5-7 6-1 6-1
S Ferrer, David (ESP) 25 4-6 6-4 7-5
W Coria, Guillermo (ARG) 11 6-4 3-6 6-3 4-6 7-6(6) 
#7) ROLAND GARROS
R128 Burgsmuller, Lars (GER) 96 6-1 7-6(4) 6-1
R64 Malisse, Xavier (BEL) 46 6-2 6-2 6-4
R32 Gasquet, Richard (FRA) 31 6-4 6-3 6-2
R16 Grosjean, Sebastien (FRA) 24 6-4 3-6 6-0 6-3
Q Ferrer, David (ESP) 21 7-5 6-2 6-0
S Federer, Roger (SUI) 1 6-3 4-6 6-4 6-3
W Puerta, Mariano (ARG) 37 6-7(6) 6-3 6-1 7-5 
#8) Bastad
R32 Monaco, Juan (ARG) 66 6-1 6-1
R16 Martin, Alberto (ESP) 50 6-2 6-4
Q Ferrero, Juan Carlos (ESP) 31 6-3 6-3
S Robredo, Tommy (ESP) 20 6-3 6-3
W Berdych, Tomas (CZE) 42 2-6 6-2 6-4
#9) Stuttgart
R64 Bye
R32 Armando, Hugo (USA) 167 6-1 6-2
R16 Verdasco, Fernando (ESP) 58 6-3 6-2
Q Zib, Tomas (CZE) 57 6-2 6-1
S Nieminen, Jarkko (FIN) 66 6-2 7-5
W Gaudio, Gaston (ARG) 13 6-3 6-3 6-4
#10) TMS Montreal
R64 Moya, Carlos (ESP) 32 6-3 6-7(7) 6-3
R32 Mello, Ricardo (BRA) 56 6-1 6-2
R16 Grosjean, Sebastien (FRA) 34 6-4 6-4
Q Puerta, Mariano (ARG) 11 6-3 6-1
S Mathieu, Paul-Henri (FRA) 63 6-4 7-5
W Agassi, Andre (USA) 7 6-3 4-6 6-2 
#11) Pekin
R32 Wang, Yeu-Tzuoo (TPE) 100 6-2 6-4
R16 Gimelstob, Justin (USA) 95 5-7 6-4 6-4
Q Wessels, Peter (NED) 115 7-6(3) 6-2
S Ferrero, Juan Carlos (ESP) 23 6-4 6-4
W Coria, Guillermo (ARG) 8 5-7 6-1 6-2
#12) TMS Madryt
R64 Bye
R32 Hanescu, Victor (ROU) 42 7-6(5) 6-3
R16 Robredo, Tommy (ESP) 17 6-2 6-4
Q Stepanek, Radek (CZE) 14 7-6(9) 6-4
S Ginepri, Robby (USA) 21 7-5 7-6(1)
W Ljubicic, Ivan (CRO) 12 3-6 2-6 6-3 6-4 7-6(3) 
Sezon 2006
#13) Dubaj
R32 Mathieu, Paul-Henri (FRA) 34 6-7(5) 6-1 6-2
R16 El Aynaoui, Younes (MAR) 211 W/O
Q Henman, Tim (GBR) 49 7-6(1) 6-1
S Schuettler, Rainer (GER) 98 6-4 6-2
W Federer, Roger (SUI) 1 2-6 6-4 6-4 
#14) TMS Monte Carlo
R64 Clement, Arnaud (FRA) 56 6-4 6-4
R32 Lisnard, Jean-Rene (MON) 154 6-4 6-1
R16 Vliegen, Kristof (BEL) 57 6-3 6-3
Q Coria, Guillermo (ARG) 9 6-2 6-1
S Gaudio, Gaston (ARG) 8 5-7 6-1 6-1
W Federer, Roger (SUI) 1 6-2 6-7(2) 6-3 7-6(5) 
#15) Barcelona
R64 Bye
R32 Lopez, Feliciano (ESP) 38 6-4 6-2
R16 Navarro, Ivan (ESP) 164 6-4 6-2
Q Nieminen, Jarkko (FIN) 20 4-6 6-4 6-3
S Almagro, Nicolas (ESP) 57 7-6(2) 6-3
W Robredo, Tommy (ESP) 15 6-4 6-4 6-0
#16) TMS Rzym
R64 Moya, Carlos (ESP) 33 6-1 2-6 6-2
R32 Volandri, Filippo (ITA) 46 6-1 6-2
R16 Henman, Tim (GBR) 70 6-2 6-2
Q Gonzalez, Fernando (CHI) 9 6-4 6-3
S Monfils, Gael (FRA) 35 6-2 6-2
W Federer, Roger (SUI) 1 6-7(7) 7-6(5) 6-4 2-6 7-6(5) 
#17) ROLAND GARROS
R128 Soderling, Robin (SWE) 50 6-2 7-5 6-1
R64 Kim, Kevin (USA) 116 6-2 6-1 6-4
R32 Mathieu, Paul-Henri (FRA) 32 5-7 6-4 6-4 6-4
R16 Hewitt, Lleyton (AUS) 14 6-2 5-7 6-4 6-2
Q Djokovic, Novak (SRB) 63 6-4 6-4 RET
S Ljubicic, Ivan (CRO) 4 6-4 6-2 7-6(7)
W Federer, Roger (SUI) 1 1-6 6-1 6-4 7-6(4) 
Sezon 2007
#18) TMS Indian Wells
R128 Bye
R64 Clement, Arnaud (FRA) 53 6-3 7-6(3)
R32 Verdasco, Fernando (ESP) 33 6-4 6-4
R16 Ferrero, Juan Carlos (ESP) 23 6-1 6-1
Q Chela, Juan Ignacio (ARG) 31 7-5 7-5
S Roddick, Andy (USA) 3 6-4 6-3
W Djokovic, Novak (SRB) 13 6-2 7-5 
#19) TMS Monte Carlo
R64 Bye
R32 Chela, Juan Ignacio (ARG) 22 6-3 6-1
R16 Vliegen, Kristof (BEL) 52 6-1 6-1
Q Kohlschreiber, Philipp (GER) 59 6-2 6-3
S Berdych, Tomas (CZE) 14 6-0 7-5
W Federer, Roger (SUI) 1 6-4 6-4 
#20) Barcelona
R64 Bye
R32 Vliegen, Kristof (BEL) 53 6-1 6-2
R16 Johansson, Thomas (SWE) 73 6-1 6-4
Q Starace, Potito (ITA) 72 6-2 7-5
S Ferrer, David (ESP) 16 7-5 6-1
W Canas, Guillermo (ARG) 28 6-3 6-4 
#21) TMS Rzym
R64 Bye
R32 Bracciali, Daniele (ITA) 125 6-4 6-2
R16 Youzhny, Mikhail (RUS) 16 6-2 6-2
Q Djokovic, Novak (SRB) 5 6-2 6-3
S Davydenko, Nikolay (RUS) 4 7-6(3) 6-7(8) 6-4
W Gonzalez, Fernando (CHI) 6 6-2 6-2
#22) ROLAND GARROS
R128 Del Potro, Juan Martin (ARG) 59 7-5 6-3 6-2
R64 Cipolla, Flavio (ITA) 227 6-2 6-1 6-4
R32 Montanes, Albert (ESP) 50 6-1 6-3 6-2
R16 Hewitt, Lleyton (AUS) 16 6-3 6-1 7-6(5)
Q Moya, Carlos (ESP) 26 6-4 6-3 6-0
S Djokovic, Novak (SRB) 6 7-5 6-4 6-2
W Federer, Roger (SUI) 1 6-3 4-6 6-3 6-4 
#23) Stuttgart
R32 Waske, Alexander (GER) 135 6-1 6-1
R16 Kohlschreiber, Philipp (GER) 37 6-3 6-3
Q Monaco, Juan (ARG) 29 6-1 6-3
S Lopez, Feliciano (ESP) 84 6-1 7-5
W Wawrinka, Stanislas (SUI) 50 6-4 7-5
Sezon 2008
#24) TMS Monte Carlo
R64 Bye
R32 Ancic, Mario (CRO) 55 6-0 6-3
R16 Ferrero, Juan Carlos (ESP) 24 6-4 6-1
Q Ferrer, David (ESP) 5 6-1 7-5
S Davydenko, Nikolay (RUS) 4 6-3 6-2
W Federer, Roger (SUI) 1 7-5 7-5 
#25) Barcelona
R64 Bye
R32 Starace, Potito (ITA) 45 6-4 6-2
R16 Lopez, Feliciano (ESP) 35 6-4 6-3
Q Chela, Juan Ignacio (ARG) 37 6-4 6-2
S Gremelmayr, Denis (GER) 85 6-1 6-0
W Ferrer, David (ESP) 5 6-1 4-6 6-1
#26) TMS Hamburg
R64 Bye
R32 Starace, Potito (ITA) 47 6-4 7-6(6)
R16 Murray, Andy (GBR) 14 6-3 6-2
Q Moya, Carlos (ESP) 12 6-1 6-3
S Djokovic, Novak (SRB) 3 7-5 2-6 6-2
W Federer, Roger (SUI) 1 7-5 6-7(3) 6-3 
#27) ROLAND GARROS
R128 Bellucci, Thomaz (BRA) 76 7-5 6-3 6-1
R64 Devilder, Nicolas (FRA) 148 6-4 6-0 6-1
R32 Nieminen, Jarkko (FIN) 26 6-1 6-3 6-1
R16 Verdasco, Fernando (ESP) 23 6-1 6-0 6-2
Q Almagro, Nicolas (ESP) 20 6-1 6-1 6-1
S Djokovic, Novak (SRB) 3 6-4 6-2 7-6(3)
W Federer, Roger (SUI) 1 6-1 6-3 6-0 
#28) Queens Club
R64 Bye
R32 Bjorkman, Jonas (SWE) 102 6-2 6-2
R16 Nishikori, Kei (JPN) 113 6-4 3-6 6-3
Q Karlovic, Ivo (CRO) 22 6-7(5) 7-6(5) 7-6(4)
S Roddick, Andy (USA) 6 7-5 6-4
W Djokovic, Novak (SRB) 3 7-6(6) 7-5 
#29) WIMBLEDON
R128 Beck, Andreas (GER) 122 6-4 6-4 7-6(7)
R64 Gulbis, Ernests (LAT) 48 5-7 6-2 7-6(2) 6-3
R32 Kiefer, Nicolas (GER) 32 7-6(3) 6-2 6-3
R16 Youzhny, Mikhail (RUS) 17 6-3 6-3 6-1
Q Murray, Andy (GBR) 11 6-3 6-2 6-4
S Schuettler, Rainer (GER) 94 6-1 7-6(3) 6-4
W Federer, Roger (SUI) 1 6-4 6-4 6-7(5) 6-7(8) 9-7 
#30) TMS Toronto
R64 Bye
R32 Levine, Jesse (USA) 123 6-4 6-2
R16 Andreev, Igor (RUS) 26 6-2 7-6(1)
Q Gasquet, Richard (FRA) 12 6-7(12) 6-2 6-1
S Murray, Andy (GBR) 9 7-6(2) 6-3
W Kiefer, Nicolas (GER) 37 6-3 6-2 
#31) IO Pekin - singiel
R64 Starace, Potito (ITA) 74 6-2 3-6 6-2
R32 Hewitt, Lleyton (AUS) 38 6-1 6-2
R16 Andreev, Igor (RUS) 23 6-4 6-2
Q Melzer, Jurgen (AUT) 51 6-0 6-4
S Djokovic, Novak (SRB) 3 6-4 1-6 6-4
W Gonzalez, Fernando (CHI) 15 6-3 7-6(2) 6-3 
18.8.08 - Rafa nr 1 światowego tenisa :)
Przejrzałem tę galerię i moje uznanie dla tego czlowieka jeszcze bardziej wzrosło - taka masa różnorakich sukcesów, wspniałych wyników i wszystko to w wieku 22 lat (!).
Respekt :)
DUN I LOVE napisał:
Przejrzałem tę galerię i moje uznanie dla tego czlowieka jeszcze bardziej wzrosło - taka masa różnorakich sukcesów, wspniałych wyników i wszystko to w wieku 22 lat (!).
Respekt :)
Rzeczywiście, biorąc pod uwagę wiek Hiszpana, lista jego zwycięstw jest imponująca, tym bardziej, że blisko 60% z nich, została odniesiona w turniejach z najwyższej, tenisowej półki WS i TMS.
Do pełni szczęścia, brakuje mi w galerii fotki Rafy z Pucharem Davisa.
2004 Puchar Davisa z reprezentacją Hiszpanii
Proszę :)
Dzięki Dawidzie, jak zwykle, jesteś niezawodny. Swoją drogą, czy ten puchar nie jest piękny ?.
Vamos! dla wszystkich drużyn biorących udział w rozgrywkach i Vamos! dla wszystkich chłopaków, którzy grają dla swojego kraju.
Kolejne wyróżnienie dla Rafy:
http://www.tennis.com/news/ticker.aspx
Rafael Nadal has been named one of GQ's Men of the Year, under the tag "Court King." Others on the list include Barack Obama ("Game changer") and Michael Phelps ("Golden Boy"). Roger Federer was named to the list last year.
Rafael Nadal Królem returnu !
http://www.tenisklub.pl/?req=news&newsId=5371
Specjalnie to chyba nikogo nie dziwi. Facet, który w defensywie odbija ekstremalnie trudne piłki, w odbiorze serwisu też radzi sobie znakomicie.
2008 rok Rafa zakończył ze znakomitym bilansem 82-10. Stał się tym samym członkiem grona graczy, którzy osiągnęli pułap 80 wygranych gier w sezonie.
Kolejno : zawodnik - bilans gier w roku - ilość tytułów
2008 - Rafael Nadal - 80-10 - 8
2006 - Roger Federer - 92-5 - 12
2005 - Roger Federer - 81-4 - 11
2001 - Lleyton Hewitt - 80-18 - 6
1996 - Yevgeny Kafelnikov - 80-25 - 4
1995 - Thomas Muster - 86-18 - 12
1993 - Pete Sampras - 85-16 - 8
1985 - Ivan Lendl - 84-7 - 11
1984 - John McEnroe - 82-3 - 13
Australian Open - Nadal: No pressure on me
Rafael Nadal has begun the new year feeling no pressure after a sensational 2008 season.
"I don't feel like I have to defend anything and I start this year from zero again. I'm 22 years old and have won five Grand Slams, 12 Master Series titles, an Olympic gold medal and
I'm world number one - that keeps me calm," Nadal said in an interview ahead of next week's Australian Open.
"Seven years ago if somebody had said to me you will win those titles over your career I would have signed for it immediately."
During the past 12 months, the Spaniard lifted his fourth successive French Open crown, ended Roger Federer's five-year reign as Wimbledon champion, won Olympic gold in Beijing and climbed to the top of the world rankings.
Nadal's dream year came to an abrupt end, however, when he was sidelined with tendinitis in his right knee.
Despite that setback and a slow start to the 2009 season, Nadal is not worried about defending his titles or ranking points.
"I've won the Olympics and at Toronto, Madrid, Montreal and Indian Wells on hard courts. They are all big tournaments and I beat the same people I'm playing in the slams at these tournaments," said Nadal.
"I will continue to fight, improve and try and get to the final in Australia and try to win."
While Nadal became the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to complete the Roland Garros-Wimbledon double in the same year, the fact remains that he has never progressed beyond the semi-final of a hardcourt major.
Nadal, who lost in the last four at the 2008 Australian and US Opens, said his past successes on hard courts were proof that he could break his duck on Melbourne Park's Plexicushion surface.
Nadal's 2008 will perhaps be best remembered for the match, described by pundits as the greatest ever seen, when he punched a mighty hole through Federer's aura of invincibility by beating his Swiss rival in the longest and most nerve-jangling final at Wimbledon.
The Spaniard survived two rain breaks and an astonishing Federer fightback to claim a sensational 6-4 6-4 6-7 6-7 9-7 victory as dusk fell over the All England Club in early July.
However, it was last June's French Open triumph which was Nadal's sweetest victory of the year. The irrepressible Spaniard enhanced his reputation as arguably the greatest claycourt player when he swept aside Federer with embarrassing ease, dropping only four games.
"All the people talk about Wimbledon but maybe they forget about Roland Garros, which was an amazing tournament for me because I played my best tennis there last year," he said.
"Winning Wimbledon for the first time in such an incredible final against Roger was special but Roland Garros was very important for me."
His season ended prematurely when he was forced to retire from the Paris Masters in late October with the knee injury, which ruled him out of the Masters Cup and Spain's Davis Cup final victory in Argentina.
"Spain has a very good team whether I am there or not but it was tough to miss the final. At the same time I was happy for the guys and for myself because I played in the quarter and semi-finals," added Nadal.
Although he said having an injury "is never good", Nadal was glad that he had time to spend with friends in Mallorca, improve his golf and enjoy some fishing during his enforced break.
Despite a slow start to 2009, highlighted by defeats to Andy Murray and Gael Monfils at Abu Dhabi and Doha, Nadal believes it will not be long before he rediscovers his best form.
"I was out of competition for 2-1/2 months but have trained hard and hope to find my best level as fast as possible. I feel if I find my best tennis I always have a chance to win important tournaments and hopefully that will start in Australia," he said.
With Novak Djokovic and Murray now pushing Nadal and Federer hard, the Spaniard was looking forward to a new golden age in tennis.
"It was great when Pete (Sampras) and (Andre) Agassi were around and for the last few years it's been fun with the rivalry between Roger and me but now there are a few more young guys around, which will make it a very, very interesting season," said Nadal.
See the Australian Open LIVE from the opening match on January 19 through to the final on February 1 on the Eurosport Player. Access LIVE action each day from up to five different courts in Melbourne and catch up on the big games through video on demand. Click on the link under the picture to subscribe.
Reuters
(eurosport.com)
No i Rafa otwiera dorobek turniejowy w tym sezonie :D
Sezon 2009
#32) Australian Open
R128 Rochus Christophe (BEL) 75 6-0 6-2 6-2
R64 Karanusic, Roko (CRO) 92 6-2 6-3 6-2
R32 Haas, Tommy (GER) 79 6-4 6-2 6-2
R16 Gonzalez, Fernando (CHI) 14 6-3 6-2 6-4
Q Simon, Giles (FRA) 8 6-2 7-5 7-5
S Verdasco, Fernando (ESP) 15 6-7(4) 6-4 7-6(2) 6-7(1) 6-4
W Federer, Roger (SUI) 2 7-5 3-6 7-6(3) 3-6 6-2
Mam pytanie do sympatyków Rafy (Ania ?). Czy ten uraz prawego kolana to to samo co spotkało Hiszpana w listopadzie? Czy może wtedy był problem z lewym kolanem. Pytam się, bo nie śledzę aż tak dokładnie kariery Hiszpana. Dzięki za odpowiedź.
DUN I LOVE napisał:
Mam pytanie do sympatyków Rafy (Ania ?). Czy ten uraz prawego kolana to to samo co spotkało Hiszpana w listopadzie? Czy może wtedy był problem z lewym kolanem. Pytam się, bo nie śledzę aż tak dokładnie kariery Hiszpana. Dzięki za odpowiedź.
Trudno odpowiedziec na to pytanie. Rzeczywiście uraz dotyczy tego samego, prawego kolana, co w końcówce ubiegłego sezonu, ale czy jest równie poważny, tego na razie nie wiadomo. Sam Hiszpan, w wywiadzie po meczu wypowiada się dośc optymistycznie:
"Murray just played better today," Nadal said. "I tried but couldn't give anything more in the third set."
"I don't think that this injury will be a serious problem, for sure it is not the same as last year."
"It was an option not to finish the match, but that is not a good way to finish a final, not for me not for Andy and not for the crowd."
Nadal said he did not sustain the injury during the final but that it had got worse during the week.
"I will have a week now before I play Dubai and don't expect a problem so after all I had a great week in a strong tournament, with a spot in the final after good matches against Bolelli and Tsonga," Nadal said.
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/15022009/ ... title.html
Czas pokaże, jak poważna jest ta kontuzja i jak wpłynie na plany startowe Rafy.
ATP Tour - Nadal: I need a rest
World number one Rafael Nadal has said all he needs is some rest to recover from the knee problem that hampered his performance in the World Indoor Tournament final in Rotterdam.
Nadal lost 6-3 4-6 6-0 to Andy Murray on Sunday with his right knee causing him greater discomfort than the Briton's ankle complaint.
"It isn't the knee, it's lower down. It's a strain on a tendon that above all else stops me from serving well, but we are almost certain there won't be any problems," Nadal said.
The Spaniard is due to compete in Dubai next week and after that he has Spain's Davis Cup opener against Serbia in Benidorm starting on March 6.
"It won't be a problem for the Davis Cup," he added. "It's just a question of having a little rest. I also expect to be in Dubai but we shall see.
"The season has just started but I have already played a lot of games in a short space of time. It's a problem of muscular fatigue."
(eurosport)
ATP Tour - Nadal out of Dubai
World number one Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the Dubai tournament to continue his recovery from a knee complaint.
"I am very disappointed not to be able to compete in Dubai but the doctor has advised me to stay home and rest after the pain in my knee in Rotterdam last week," the Spaniard said in a statement on his website.
"It's nothing to be worried about but it needs some rest. I ask my fans and the tournament organisers to understand and I am sorry for this. Dubai is one of my favourite tournaments and I have always played there.
"I expect to be back in competition the following week for the Davis Cup tie in Benidorm against Serbia and then for Indian Wells and Miami after that."
Nadal's knee problem surfaced during the World Indoor Tournament final in Rotterdam when he was beaten 6-3 4-6 6-0 by Scotland's British number one Andy Murray.
The next day Nadal, speaking in Madrid, added that he had a problem with a tendon just below his knee but was not worried about it.
Spain's Davis Cup opener against Serbia starts on March 6.
(eurosport)
A tu jakby co po Polsku:
Lider światowego rankingu tenisistów, Hiszpan Rafael Nadal, nie wystąpi w nadchodzącym turnieju ATP w Dubaju.
- Jestem bardzo rozczarowany faktem, że nie wystąpię w Dubaju. Lekarz doradził mi żebym został w domu i odpoczął po urazie kolana, jakiego nabawiłem się podczas imprezy ATP w Rotterdamie - poinformował Nadal.
- To nic poważnego, ale muszę odpocząć. Proszę moich fanów i organizatorów imprezy o wyrozumiałość. Dubaj jest moim ulubionym turniejem i zawsze chętnie tam grałem. Przewiduję, że powrócę do rywalizacji na pojedynek w Pucharze Davisa z Serbią, a później w Indian Wells i Miami - dodał tenisista rodem z Majorki.
Hiszpan zaczął odczuwać ból w kolanie podczas finału turnieju ATP w Rotterdamie. Przegrał wówczas z Andy Murrayem
Tenisowy.com
Nadal: mam małe szanse na Wielkiego Szlema
Numer jeden tenisowego rankingu ATP World Tour Hiszpan Rafael Nadal mimo doskonałej formy nie wierzy, by mógł powtórzyć wyczyn Australijczyka Roda Lavera i sięgnąć po Wielkiego Szlema - zwycięstwa w czterech najbardziej prestiżowych turniejach: w Melbourne, Paryżu, Londynie i Nowym Jorku.
Nadal przyznał, że trudno gra mu się na twardej nawierzchni, takiej jak w turnieju US Open w Nowym Jorku, czy Australian Open w Melbourne. Hiszpan zaskoczył dziennikarzy takim wyznaniem, bo zwyciężając na twardej nawierzchni w Melbourne w 2009 roku uczynił pierwszy krok do osiągnięcia Wielkiego Szlema.
Laver, z rąk którego Nadal odebrał 1 lutego puchar za zwycięstwo w Melbourne, był ostatnim zawodnikiem w historii tenisa, który sięgnął po Wielkiego Szlema. Laver dokonał tego równo 40 lat temu - w 1969 roku.
- Mam małe szanse na Wielkiego Szlema. Teraz tenis jest inny niż 40 lat temu i trudno o powtórzenie sukcesu Lavera. Wówczas grało się na dwóch rodzajach nawierzchni: trawie i mączce, teraz mamy twarde korty - powiedział 23-letni Nadal, który przypomniał, że nigdy w karierze nie zdołał wygrać na kortach w Nowym Jorku.
- Zwycięstwo w US Open jest moim celem. Bardzo chciałbym mieć to trofeum w swojej kolekcji, ale wiem, że o sukces w Nowym Jorku będzie bardzo trudno - podkreślił Nadal.
onet.pl
#33) Indian Wells 2009
R64 Michael Berrer 6-2 6-1
R32 Dmitry Tursunov 6-3 6-3
R16 David Nalbandian [14] 3-6 7-6 6-0
1/4 J.M. Del Potro [6] 6-2 6-4
1/2 Andy Roddick [7] 6-4 7-6
F Andy Murray [4] 6-1 6-2
ATP Tour - Nadal wins ATP award
World number one Rafael Nadal was named the 2008 Player of the Year at the ATP World Tour awards.
The award came after a remarkable season in which the 22-year-old became the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win the French Open and Wimbledon titles back-to-back.
The Spaniard's main rival, Roger Federer, picked up the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship prize for a record fifth successive year.
Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was voted the most improved player and Japan's Kei Nishikori was the newcomer of the year.
(eurosport)
Nadal: jestem podekscytowany
Lider światowego rankingu ATP, Hiszpan Rafael Nadal, z przyjemnością wrócił do Europy po niezwykle męczącym miesiącu gier na kortach twardych w USA.
Nadal zwyciężył turniej ATP Master Series w Indian Wells, pokonując w finale Andy Murraya oraz niespodziewanie odpadł w ćwierćfinale turnieju ATP Master Series w Miami po meczu z Juanem Martinem Del Potro. Teraz zawodnik z Majorki liczy na to, że odpocznie, by w następnym tygodniu rozpocząć przygotowania do turnieju ATP Master Series w Monte Carlo, który rozpocznie się w niedzielę wielkanocną.
- Tuż po skończeniu Indian Wells miałem tydzień treningów w Miami. Po tym jak wróciłem z Australii, brałem udział w turnieju w Rotterdamie zaledwie 3 dni później. Następnie Puchar Davisa, więc to dość wyczerpujące - powiedział Nadal.
Jednak hiszpański gwiazdor zapewne wkrótce odzyska wigor, gdyż rozpoczyna się jego ulubiona część sezonu - zmagania na kortach ziemnych w Europie. - Muszę znów przystosować się do gry na mączce. Muszę być w stu procentach na to mentalnie i fizycznie gotowy. Najważniejsze to pokazać się z jak najlepszej strony w Monte Carlo, Barcelonie, Rzymie i Madrycie - przyznał.
- Jestem bardzo szczęśliwy z powodu powrotu na moją ulubioną nawierzchnię. Jestem podekscytowany możliwością gry na mączce, możliwością grania dobrych spotkań - zakończył czterokrotny triumfator wielkoszlemowego French Open.
onet.pl
W tym sezonie to będzie miazga na clayu, mogę sporo postawić że jeśli Rafa nie zagra maratonu jak przed rokiem i odpuści któryś turniej to nie straci seta na ceglanej nawierzchni.
ATP Tour - Nadal to play at Queen's
World number one and defending champion Rafael Nadal has confirmed his intention to play at Queen's in June.
Nadal, who has won the French Open, Wimbledon, an Olympic gold medal and Australian Open over the past 12 months, joins Britain's Andy Murray in signing up early to play at Queen's which starts on June 8.
The Spaniard said he was looking forward to it.
"It is nice to come back to a place where you are the last champion," he said. "To arrive as the last champion is going to be a really nice experience."
Nadal won last year's title against Novak Djokovic 7-6 7-5 and then went on to triumph in an epic Wimbledon final, beating Roger Federer in a match former champion John McEnroe described as the greatest ever played.
He also became the first player to win the French Open, Queen's and Wimbledon in the same year and says he still cannot believe he was able to leave the clay courts of Roland Garros with the trophy, arrive the following day in London, and switch surfaces so successfully.
"It was amazing," Nadal said. "It was totally unexpected for me to win after winning at Roland Garros. I arrived and all I had was one day to adapt to grass. But I played really, really good tennis. I played relaxed, without pressure and I played really well."
Nadal then went on to beat Federer 6-4 6-4 6-7 6-7 9-7 in the longest Wimbledon final and says he recently watched a recording of it for the first time.
"I remember I had a lot of nerves the night before the match," he said. "And then, during the match there were a lot of emotions.
"In the beginning, I had the match (under control) and I had match points. But he came back very good in the third and fourth sets and had the break point in the fifth set at 4-3.
"He had his chance there. I saw the match on TV for the first time last week. It was really amazing."
(eurosport)
#34) Monte Carlo 2009
R64 BYE
R32 Juan Ignacio Chela 6/2 6/3
R16 Nicolas Lapentti 6/3 6/0
1/4 Ivan Ljubicic 6/3 6/3
1/2 Andy Murray[4] 6/2 7/6(4)
F Novak Djokovic[3] 6/3 2/6 6/1
Dodam, że jest to już 14 tytuł Masters rafy i rekordowy, 5 z rzędu, zdobyty w Monaco.
Najwięcej wygranych Mastersów w historii:
17 - Agassi
14 - Nadal, Federer
11 - Sampras
Jeszcze w tym roku Rafa wyjdzie na prowadzenie tej klasyfikacji...
Bez przesady. Na clayu racjonalnie patrząc zgarnie jeszcze tylko Madryt, ewentualnie jeden Masters latem w USA, na jesieni nie wierzę by dał radę coś wygrać.
Fakt, że od jakiegoś czasu Rybak nie jest już rybakiem, napawa mnie niebywałym smutkiem :( Musiałem się gdzieś wyżalić. :cry:
Robertinho napisał:
Fakt, że od jakiegoś czasu Rybak nie jest już rybakiem, napawa mnie niebywałym smutkiem :( Musiałem się gdzieś wyżalić. :cry:
:zdziwiony: :* :P
W ogóle Rafa zakrył swoje zabójcze pachy w tym sezonie.
Jakaś zmiana image'a.
Podzielam smutek Roberta.
asiek napisał:
Jeszcze w tym roku Rafa wyjdzie na prowadzenie tej klasyfikacji...
W tym roku, w mojej opinii, co najwyżej wyrówna wynik Agassiego. Aby pobić rekord musiałby wygrać jeszcze 4 mastersy a to wydaje się mało prawdopodobne. Od stycznia gra na najwyższych obrotach stąd zapewne odpuści sobie jesienne mastersy, jak to zazwyczaj bywało.
Latem pewnie też obu nie wygra, na pewno wyprzedzi Federera jeszcze wiosną. Jednak na 18 tytuł TMS trzeba będzie poczekać do 2010 roku.
ATP Tour - Nadal coach unhappy
Rafael Nadal wrapped up a fifth consecutive Monte Carlo Masters title and is overwhelming favourite to make it five-in-a-row at the French Open, but his uncle and coach Toni is still not happy.
World number one Nadal enjoyed a 6-3 2-6 6-1 victory over Novak Djokovic in the final to equal the record of five titles set by New Zealander Anthony Wilding a century ago.
He is now 23-1 in clay court finals, with his only loss coming at Hamburg in May 2007 to Roger Federer and has pulled level with the Swiss with 14 Masters crowns.
Uncle Toni however wants more.
"He played a good third set, but it's obvious he must play better than this week," said Nadal senior.
"He was missing a little confidence in his game and you could see that his serve was incredibly weak. But it's the first tournament on clay this season for him and I hope that with some more matches, it'll get better.
"We know that there's a lot of work to do before Roland Garros. But he still won. It's a very important tournament for us and to win for a fifth time is incredible."
Nadal, who now has a 139-4 winning record on clay since 2005, insists that thoughts of a fifth French Open triumph are at the back of his mind with the Barcelona and Rome Masters to come in between a return to Paris.
"I'm not thinking about Roland Garros yet, I'm focused on Barcelona and Rome - there are more important tournaments before Paris," said Nadal.
"It's unbelieveble to win five titles in Monte Carlo. If I had to pick one Masters Series to win before the season it would be here.
"I felt well physically and mentally on the court."
Djokovic, the world number three, praised Nadal's clay court power.
Nadal's next task is to bid for a fifth consecutive title at the Barcelona Open.
The Spanish star, from the island of Mallorca, considers the city something of a second home, with his past title runs at the Real Club proving real crowd-pleasers for the Catalan public.
Nadal last lost at the venue in the 2003 second round, going out to Alex Corretja, current clay court coach of Andy Murray, the man he defeated in the Monte Carlo semi-finals on Saturday.
Barcelona is part of another ambitious spring schedule for the world number one, who is tuning up for his assault on a fifth straight French Open triumph at Roland Garros from May 24 by playing four out of five weeks.
And despite dominating on the surface, the reigning Wimbledon, Paris and Australian Open champion warned: "I haven't played to my level on clay yet, I'm still not at my best.
"So I have to improve if I want to have chances."
(eurosport)
atptennis.com
Proszę bardzo, jakich dwóch wiernych fanów ma Rafa, nie mogą się wręcz doczekać aby wkleić kolejnego newsa o swoim zawodniku :)
hhahahahaa xD
Nasze oddanie Rafie jest ledwie marnym cieniem Twojego oddania Novakowi. :D
Ciekawa wypowiedz JuJu o Nadalu.
http://video.eurosport.pl/tenis/henin-f … ideo.shtml
Trudno się nie zgodzić..
COA napisał:
No i Rafa w 1/2, wynik swoją drogą za wysoki, Denko zasłużył na więcej niż te 5 gemów.
Janie, 90% Nadala na cegle kończy się za wysokim wynikiem. Rywale się mobilizują, grają znakomicie, ale przegrywają wyraźnie. Dlaczego? Bo nie potrafią skończyć gema (tudzież Rafa im nie pozwala) przy swoich przewagach. O ile przy po 40 grają na maksa i czasami się udaje, o tyle wygrać przy GP jest sztuką masakrycznie trudną.
Ja tam się z tym wcale nie zgadzam. Styl gry Nadala w połączeniu z właściwościami jego ukochanej nawierzchni determinuje taki, a nie inny obraz spotkań. Ten wyrównany przebieg jest bardzo pozorny. Pamiętasz Dawid mecz Nadal-Montanes na RG 2007? Tam niektóre gemy trwały po 15-20 minut, było po naście równowag i przewag. Czy to znaczy, że tamten mecz był faktycznie wyrównany, a Monatesa to gracz porównywalny klasą do Rafy?
Tu najzwyczajniej na świecie nie da wygrywać z taką lekkością i swobodą jak wygrywał Federer, a kiedyś Sampras na trawie i szybkich sztucznych nawierzchniach i to nic Rafie nie ujmuje. Na cegle trzeba wszystko wybiegać, wyorać w długich wymiach, a potem często nie ma się sił na decydujący cios. Nadal dominuje przede wszystkim dlatego, że jest nawydolniejszy, nie ma większych zapaści na tle fizycznym.
Cały jego tenis jest skonstruowany na taką grę, rotowany serwis, rotowane uderzenia z głębi kortu, to przecież nie są zagrania do kończenia "na raz", tylko do stopniowego maltretownania i wyniszczania przeciwnika, właśnie po to by w kluczowych momentach nie miał ani siły, ani ochoty nic mu zrobić. Zwykle mecz jest w miarę równy, dokąd rywal Hiszpana ma dużo sił, potem stopniowo je traci i wynik zaczyna iść w jedną stronę.
To właśnie jest istota gry na czerwonej mączne i na tym polega mistrzostwo Nadala na tej nawierzchni. Te wyniki dokładnie oddają faktyczną różnice między nim a resztą, a długie wymiany, gra na przewagi, to wszystko wynika z tego, na czym grają.
To w takim razie pojawia się pytanie skąd u Nadala tak ogromna przewaga nad innymi? Bo ludzie rodzą się z różnymi predyspozycjami, ale nie słyszałem o takiej co się nazywa "nadludzka kondycja".
Robertinho napisał:
Ja tam się z tym wcale nie zgadzam. Styl gry Nadala w połączeniu z właściwościami jego ukochanej nawierzchni determinuje taki, a nie inny obraz spotkań. Ten wyrównany przebieg jest bardzo pozorny. Pamiętasz Dawid mecz Nadal-Montanes na RG 2007? Tam niektóre gemy trwały po 15-20 minut, było po naście równowag i przewag. Czy to znaczy, że tamten mecz był faktycznie wyrównany, a Monatesa to gracz porównywalny klasą do Rafy?
Tu najzwyczajniej na świecie nie da wygrywać z taką lekkością i swobodą jak wygrywał Federer, a kiedyś Sampras na trawie i szybkich sztucznych nawierzchniach i to nic Rafie nie ujmuje. Na cegle trzeba wszystko wybiegać, wyorać w długich wymiach, a potem często nie ma się sił na decydujący cios. Nadal dominuje przede wszystkim dlatego, że jest nawydolniejszy, nie ma większych zapaści na tle fizycznym.
Cały jego tenis jest skonstruowany na taką grę, rotowany serwis, rotowane uderzenia z głębi kortu, to przecież nie są zagrania do kończenia "na raz", tylko do stopniowego maltretownania i wyniszczania przeciwnika, właśnie po to by w kluczowych momentach nie miał ani siły, ani ochoty nic mu zrobić. Zwykle mecz jest w miarę równy, dokąd rywal Hiszpana ma dużo sił, potem stopniowo je traci i wynik zaczyna iść w jedną stronę.
To właśnie jest istota gry na czerwonej mączne i na tym polega mistrzostwo Nadala na tej nawierzchni. Te wyniki dokładnie oddają faktyczną różnice między nim a resztą, a długie wymiany, gra na przewagi, to wszystko wynika z tego, na czym grają.
Hmm. Dla mnie mistrzostwo Nadala polega na genialnym połączeniu defensywy i ofensywy na tych kortach. Ze wskazaniem na defensywę, bo to właśnie ona odbiera jego rywalom siły i wiarę w końcowy sukces. Przygotowanie fizyczne też, ale ja bardziej podkreśliłabym zaangażowanie Hiszpana w grę. On po prostu kocha rywalizację, nie ma znaczenia, czy gra przy 0 -40, czy 40 - 0, nie odpuszcza żadnej piłki.
Fed-Expresso napisał:
To w takim razie pojawia się pytanie skąd u Nadala tak ogromna przewaga nad innymi? Bo ludzie rodzą się z różnymi predyspozycjami, ale nie słyszałem o takiej co się nazywa "nadludzka kondycja".
No nie żartuj. Są ludzie z naturalnymi predyspozycjami do pewnych rodzajów wysiłku, większą wydolnością od innych. A pamiętajmy jeszcze, że Nadal, podobnie jak np Hewitt w bardzo młodym wieku zaczął intensywne treningi fizyczne, z kolei Federer dopiero mając jakieś 19 lat zaczął mocno pracować nad stroną atletyczną.
anula napisał:
Hmm. Dla mnie mistrzostwo Nadala polega na genialnym połączeniu defensywy i ofensywy na tych kortach. Ze wskazaniem na defensywę, bo to właśnie ona odbiera jego rywalom siły i wiarę w końcowy sukces. Przygotowanie fizyczne też, ale ja bardziej podkreśliłabym zaangażowanie Hiszpana w grę.
Piszesz innymi słowami dokładnie to samo co ja, tylko trochę od innej strony. ;) Przecież taka gra defensywna jest możliwa wyłącznie dzięki jego wytrzymałość. W grze na wyniszczenie to ona decyduje. Co po woli walki, kiedy zdychasz po trzech wymianach? Czy Djokovicowi brakuje determinacji? Nie, ale po prostu ma dużo gorszą kondycję. Zwyciestwo ducha nad materią jest możliwe, ale tylko na krótką metę.
A Nadal może grać tak 4-5 godzin nawet.
Chyba wszyscy piszą bardzo podobnie, tylko używają innych sformułowań :)
Pamiętasz Dawid mecz Nadal-Montanes na RG 2007? Tam niektóre gemy trwały po 15-20 minut, było po naście równowag i przewag. Czy to znaczy, że tamten mecz był faktycznie wyrównany, a Monatesa to gracz porównywalny klasą do Rafy?
Nie, to znaczy nie mniej, nie więcej, że wtedy Montanes grał znakomity mecz i z każdym innym rywalem ugrałby więcej gemów niż z Nadalem.
A spotkanie pamiętam doskonale, niecodziennie zdarza się na początku gema wyjść do sklepu, wrócić, zrobić obiad i po jego zjedzeniu wrócić przez ls, by ujrzeć, że ów gem dopiero się skończył :D Był tam taki gem, co trwał chyba z 30 minut i wcale w tej chwili nie przesadzam.
Na cegle trzeba wszystko wybiegać, wyorać w długich wymiach, a potem często nie ma się sił na decydujący cios.
I o to mi chodziło. Sposób gry na cegle, jak i charakter samego Rafy (o którym pisała Ania) sprawia, że to tak wygląda i tak przekłada się na wynik. Dlatego od dawien dawna uważam, że przespanie początku meczu (niewykorzystywanie szans na początku, kiedy Nadal nie wszedł w mecz) w lwiej części przypadków jest gwarantem wyraźnej porażki. Wczorajszy mecz był klasycznym przypadkiem. Kola grał rewelacyjnie pierwsze gemy, swoje wygrywał do 0, przy nadalowych miał bp. A że dla Rafy to nie różnica ile jest w danym gemie to i cały czas grał swoje, wszystko na poczet kolejnych partii meczu. Taki przebieg będzie miał miejsce tak długo jak długo rywale będą czuć presję, prowadząc 40-15 w gemie. Oni, nie sam Nadal mimo, że musi bronić np 2 Bp. Tak wielka jest jego przewaga na tej nawierzchni i to na każdym polu, tenisowym i mentalnym.
To właśnie jest istota gry na czerwonej mączne i na tym polega mistrzostwo Nadala na tej nawierzchni. Te wyniki dokładnie oddają faktyczną różnice między nim a resztą, a długie wymiany, gra na przewagi, to wszystko wynika z tego, na czym grają.
I właśnie dlatego z nim można grać znakomicie i przegrać 1-6 2-6. W przypadku meczy z innymi rywalami takie rzeczy rzadko się zdarzają, no chyba, że 2-6 2-6 to to samo co 4-6 4-6, z punktu widzenia rozmiarów porażki oczywiście ;)
Bo ludzie rodzą się z różnymi predyspozycjami, ale nie słyszałem o takiej co się nazywa "nadludzka kondycja".
Tylko, że Ty nieustannie porównujesz znakomitego, wyczynowego sportowca do zwykłego człowieka. Nadal jest tak wytrenowany, że on po 2-3 godzinach gry dopiero się rozkręca, podczas gdy zwykły człowieka padałby wtedy na twarz. To co robi, ile i jak gra, jest nieprawdopodobne, ale też bez przesady. Przeanalizuj jego kalendarz z lat poprzednich. Notorycznie grywał systemem marzec - wrzesień, jak nie marzec - lipiec. Po tym czasie przychodził kryzys i wcale tak dużo nie grał. Już pomijam stały okres wakacyjny, gdzie po US Open w najlepszym wypadku 2 razy pojawiał się na turnieju tenisowym. Ten sezon to chyba pierwszy rok, gdzie od samego początku gra na najwyższych obrotach, co i tak w dużej części wynika z faktu, że odpoczywał dużo dłużej przed nowym sezonem niż reszta stawki. Mógł i odpocząć i dużo inaczej ułożyć makrocykl treningowy przed nowym rokiem.
Pewnie, że jednym z czynników jest podejście Nadala. Można mówić, że Nadal już teraz nie gra ciągle na maxa, ale jednak prawie zawsze gra, a już na cegle niczego nie odpuszcza, zwłaszcze że tu można złapać każdą piłkę. No jednak inni tak nie robią, gra na jedno przełamanko to kanon w ATP.
Nadal tak nie robi, z jednej strony z powodu swojego charakteru, z drugiej bo mu się to zwyczajnie opłaca. To co już pisaliśmy, konieczność wydzierania z gardła każdej piłki strasznie deprymuje i zniechęca, nie mówiąc o tym, ile odbiera sił.
Robertinho napisał:
Tu najzwyczajniej na świecie nie da wygrywać z taką lekkością i swobodą jak wygrywał Federer, a kiedyś Sampras na trawie i szybkich sztucznych nawierzchniach i to nic Rafie nie ujmuje. Na cegle trzeba wszystko wybiegać, wyorać w długich wymiach, a potem często nie ma się sił na decydujący cios. Nadal dominuje przede wszystkim dlatego, że jest nawydolniejszy, nie ma większych zapaści na tle fizycznym.
Przecież Federer nie raz i nie dziesięć wygrywał mecze na clayu poniżej godziny tracąc po kilka punktów przy swoim podaniu,zresztą nie on jeden. Więc wg mnie to nie jest sprawa nawierzchni a stylu gry.
Tylko, że Ty nieustannie porównujesz znakomitego, wyczynowego sportowca do zwykłego człowieka.
A co do jego wydolności, to nie rzecz w tym że porównuje jego możliwości kondycyjne do zwykłych ludzi, ale do innych wyczynowych sportowców którymi są zawodowi tenisiści, i dziwi mnie, że tak dominuje nad stawką graczy , którzy także cechują się wyższą od przeciętnego zjadacza chleba wytrzymałością.
Predyspozycje i mordercze treningi. Kiedyś takim zawodnikiem był Hewitt, jak grali 5 setów, można była w ciemno stawiać, że Lleyton umęczy rywala. Czasem trafia się ktoś zdecydowanie najlepszy w danym elemencie. Przykładowo Rod potrafi serwować 30-40 km/h szybciej niż inni zawodnicy jego wzrostu.
I to nie wina Nadala, że Federer postanowił się spaść, a Djokovic to przykład osobnika o marnych predyspozycją do długotrwałego intensywnego wysiłku. :P
Przykładem, jak dużo daje mocny trening, jest Murray. W ciągu roku z gościa, który miewał problemy z oddychaniem, zrobił jeden z wytrzymalszych graczy.
Robertinho napisał:
Predyspozycje i mordercze treningi. Kiedyś takim zawodnikiem był Hewitt, jak grali 5 setów, można była w ciemno stawiać, że Lleyton umęczy rywala. Czasem trafia się ktoś zdecydowanie najlepszy w danym elemencie. Przykładowo Rod potrafi serwować 30-40 km/h szybciej niż inni zawodnicy jego wzrostu.
I to nie wina Nadala, że Federer postanowił się spaść, a Djokovic to przykład osobnika o marnych predyspozycją do długotrwałego intensywnego wysiłku. :P
Przykładem, jak dużo daje mocny trening, jest Murray. W ciągu roku z gościa, który miewał problemy z oddychaniem, zrobił jeden z wytrzymalszych graczy.
Nie wiem ile w tym prawdy, ale spotkałam się z komentarzami, że Djoko ma problemy zdrowotne ( najczęściej pojawiają się spekulacje o astmie ). Jeżeli jest w tym choć ziarenko prawdy, to tylko Serba podziwiać za dotychczasowe wyniki. Postęp u Murraya widać gołym okiem; to prawda, że zdecydowanie poprawił kondycję, tyle tylko, ze nie potwierdził tego jeszcze w najważniejszych turniejach WS. Wszystko przed nami. Nadal oprócz znakomitej wytrzymałości ma w zestawie szybkość, gibkość, refleks, antycypację, cierpliwość i technikę na wysokim poziomie. Samą wytrzymałością niewiele by zdziałał, bo w tenisie jeden atut nie wystarczy.
Z tym Murrayem to nie można jeszcze mówić hop, ponieważ nie zagrał do tej pory pełnego sezonu bez żadnego urazu,wycofania itp. Pozatym ma nieporównywalnie gorsze wyniki w WS od Djokovicia. Sorry za offtop
Tak, ma to wszystko, ale inni mają technikę, taktykę, antycypację i czucie na podobnym, a nawet lepszym poziomie. Mówiąc o jego przygotowaniu fizycznym, nie miałem na myśli tylko wytrzymałości, ale i inne cechy które wymieniłaś.
Pewnie, że elementy motoryczne nie są jego jedynymi atutami i w porównaniu do sezonu 2005 i latania pod bandami jest wielki postęp, ale to one tworzą różnicę między nim a resztą. Weźmy jego wielkie mecze poza cegłą(bo tam jego topspinowe uderzenia dają sporą przewagę). Finał Wimbledonu -5 setów, półfinał AO - 5 setów, finał AO - 5 setów. Widziałem wszystkie te spotkania i taka ilość biegania, jaką zafundowali mu Federer i Verdasco, każdego innego by powaliła. A już 1/2 AO to było morderstwo. Żaden inny zawodnik nie wygrałby tego meczu grając w taki sposób jak Rafa(taki Monfil by po godzince padł), a Nadal dał radę, a potem wytrzymał kolejny ciężki mecz.
Z tym Murrayem to nie można jeszcze mówić hop, ponieważ nie zagrał do tej pory pełnego sezonu bez żadnego urazu,wycofania itp. Pozatym ma nieporównywalnie gorsze wyniki w WS od Djokovicia. Sorry za offtop
Proszę uważać na off-topy i nie odbiegać od tematu. Post bez wzmiance o Rafie jest w tym wątku niemal zbrodnią :D
#35) Barcelona 2009
R32 Gil 62 62
R16 C.Rochus 62 60
QF Nalbandian w/o
SF Davydenko 63 62
F Ferrer 62 75
No i tu też mi przyszło na myśl, że w zasadzie nie ma recepty na ogranie Rafy, trzeba trafić na jego gorszy dzień i tyle. Bo JCF zwyciężył Nadala, grając jeszcze bardziej po Nadalowsku niż on sam, ale to zasługa w 98% niedyspozycji młodszego z Hiszpanów. Istnieje opinia, że zwycięstwo nad Rafą gwarantują nieustanne winnery- ale przecież oglądając 1/2 AO ja przecierałem oczy ze zdumienia, jakie bomby w narożniki zagrywa Verdasco, mnóstwo z nich było wyciąganych przez Nadala,jednak ostatecznie najcześciej to Nando wygrywał tego typu wymiany. A nawet i dzień konia nie wystarczył. To samo Del Portek, zawodnik 10 klas gorszy od top 4 a jednak udało mu się pokonać nr.1, nie grając nic powalającego.
Brawo Rafa!Oby tak dalej!
Rafa ma wielką okazję zgarnąć wszystko na clayu w tym sezonie :D
Skoro już jesteśmy przy cegle to jest dziś Rafa wygrał po raz 24 z rzędu na tej nawierzchni a od początku sezonu 2005 ma nieprawdopodobny rekord 142-4 na clayu. Bez wątpienie warto taki wynik odnotować.
Niesamowite. Chyba nikt nigdy nie zdominował rozgrywek na jednej nawierzchni w takim stopniu. A razem ile ma zwycięstw na wszystkich nawierzchniach?
jaccol55 napisał:
A razem ile ma zwycięstw na wszystkich nawierzchniach?
368.
Sorry, za niedopowiedzenie. Miałem na myśli wygrane turnieje. :)
A swoją drogę to ciekawe, że nawet takie statystyki ktoś prowadzi. 368, do końca roku dobije do 450.
Jaccol, wszystko masz w statystykach w profilu zawodnika na stronie ATP :)
http://www.atpworldtour.com/tennis/3/en … %2C+rafael
Już nic więcej nie piszę. :stupid:
DUN I LOVE napisał:
Skoro już jesteśmy przy cegle to jest dziś Rafa wygrał po raz 24 z rzędu na tej nawierzchni a od początku sezonu 2005 ma nieprawdopodobny rekord 142-4 na clayu. Bez wątpienie warto taki wynik odnotować.
Ciekawe statystyki.
165-14 Nadal’s career record on clay (a winning percentage of 92.1)
139-4 Nadal’s record on clay since 2005, a 97.2 winning percentage
- The four losses:
to Gaston Gaudio in the quarterfinals of Buenos Aires in 2005 (0-6, 6-0, 6-1)
to Igor Andreev in the quarterfinals of Valencia in 2005 (7-5, 6-2)
to Roger Federer in the final of Hamburg in 2007 (2-6, 6-2, 6-0)
to Juan Carlos Ferrero in the second round of Rome in 2008 (7-5, 6-1)
81 Number of consecutive clay-court matches Nadal won from April 2005 to May 2007, an all-time record
- The next longest winning streak is 53 matches, set by Guillermo Vilas.
- Nadal's streak was ended by Roger Federer in the 2007 Hamburg final. It’s the only time that Nadal has lost a clay-court final.
- Since then, Nadal has won 44 of his 45 clay-court matches. In total, Nadal has lost two of his last 127 matches on clay.
23 Number of clay-court titles Nadal has won
Only three players in the Top 25 have beaten Nadal on clay: Roger Federer, David Ferrer and Fernando Gonzalez.
- Federer beat Nadal on clay in Hamburg in 2007; Nadal has won all four of their matches on clay since, including a 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 obliteration in the 2008 Roland Garros final.
- Ferrer beat Nadal on clay in Stuttgart in 2004; Nadal has won all five of their matches on clay since.
- Gonzalez beat Nadal on clay in Stuttgart in 2003; Nadal has won all three of their matches on clay since, without dropping a set.
Only two players in the Top 25 have a winning record against Nadal: David Nalbandian and James Blake; neither has played the Spaniard on clay.
- Nalbandian hasn't beaten Nadal since 2007; Nadal won their last match (at Indian Wells in 2009).
- Blake hasn't beaten Nadal since 2006; Nadal won their last two matches (at Indian Wells and Miami in 2008).
--compiled by Ed McGrogan; statistics as of April 22, 2009
Fragmenty artukułu z:
http://tennis.com/features/general/feat ... ?id=171634
http://tennis.com/features/general/feat ... ?id=171634
anula napisał:
139-4 Nadal’s record on clay since 2005, a 97.2 winning percentage
Czyli po 4 wygranych w Barcelonie ten rekord wynosi aż 143-4. Tym bardziej niesamowity wynik.
Procent skuteczności po prostu nie do wiary.
Potworna dominacja, o ile można zrozumieć brak porażek Feda na trawie, bo to bardzo specyficzna nawierzchnia i wielu zawodników sobie z nią po prostu nie radzi, to przegranie 4 spotkań na dość uniwersalnym podłożu jest nie do pojęcia. Zakładając , że Rafa będzie dominował jeszcze przez następny sezon, to wyśrubuje taki rekord,który młodzi adepci tenisa będą oglądać przez szybę w ramce w Akademii Tenisa.
#36) Rzym 2009
R64 BYE
R32 Andreas Seppi 6/2 6/3
R16 Robin Soderling 6/1 6/0
1/4 Fernando Verdasco 6/3 6/3
1/2 Fernando Gonzalez[12] 6/3 6/3
F Novak Djokovic[3] 7/6(2) 6/2
Bombardiero mnie ubiegł :( :D
To 15 masters Rafy, czym wyprzedził On Federera i powoli dobiera się do skóry Agassiemu:
17 - Agassi
15 - Nadal
14 - Federer
16 pewnie w Madrycie.
DUN I LOVE napisał:
Bombardiero mnie ubiegł :( :D
.
xDDDDDDDDD
Choć raz :P
:/
Ja też chciałem w końcu wpisać jakiś tytuł , żeby nie odstawać od Duna w swojej sympatii dla Rafaela.
Wywiad z Rafą po wczorajszym finale:
http://www.tennistv.com/page/TennisTV/T … 80,00.html
Hiszpan nie zostanie (przynajmniej na chwilę obecną) pierwszym w historii graczem, który w 1 roku wygra wszystkie 3 mastersy na cegle.
Wczoraj miał szansę jako 1 dokonać tej sztuki, podobnie zresztą jak w roku 2007. W obu przypadkach na drodze stawał Roger Federer.
Ale oni sobie stają na drodze :P
http://www.barclaysatpworldtourfinals.c … lifies.asp
Rafa jako pierwszy tenisista zakwalifikował się do ATP World Tour Finals
Magazyn DEUCE o tym czy można pokonać Nadala na Roland Garros :
http://www.atpworldtour.com/tennis/5/en … /nadal.asp
Skoro już odświeżamy ten wątek to Rafa odniósl dziś swoje 30 zwycięstwo na kortach Rolanda Garrosa. Nadal ma niewiarygodny bilans gier na paryskich kortach, 30-0 !
Respekt Rafa.
31.05.2009 - Nadal za burtą RG!
Rozstawiony z numerem pierwszym Rafael Nadal odpadł w 1/8 finału wielkoszlemowego turnieju tenisowego na paryskich kortach ziemnych im. Rolanda Garrosa (z pulą nagród 16,15 mln euro).
Hiszpan nie sprostał Szwedowi Robinowi Soederlingowi (nr 23) przegrywając 2:6, 7:6(7-2), 4:6, 6:7(2-7).
Nikt nie spodziewał się, że niepokonany od czterech lat w turnieju Rolanda Garrosa Nadal w czterech setach zostanie pokonany przez 25. rakietę światowego tenisa. Hiszpan już w swoim debiucie w Paryżu w 2005 roku sięgnął po zwycięstwo i również w tym roku był typowany na faworyta.
Na trzy dni przed swoimi 23. urodzinami tenisista z Majorki przegapił szansę by stać się pierwszym w historii zawodnikiem, któremu udałoby się triumfować na paryskich kortach pięć razy z rzędu.
onet.pl
Mam pytanie. Jak widzicie Nadala na trawie ? Zdąży wypocząć i przygotować formę?
Wszystko zależy od tego czy Nadal jest w stanie zażegnać kłopotom fizycznym , jakie mu ostatnimi czasy doskwierają. Jeśli będzie na trawie prezentował się tak jak przeciwko Soderlingowi, to trudno oczekiwać by doszedł nawet do 1/4 finału Wimbledonu. Zauważmy, że Hiszpan ma jedynie tydzień wypoczynku przed Queens, a biorąc pod uwagę jak dużo już ma Rafa w nogach, 7 dni wydaje się o wiele za krótkim okresem na regenerację, nawet dla tak mocnego zawodnika.
Hmm za duzego pola manewru Rafael nie ma . Kwins klub i Wimbledon musi zagrać , a pózniej winien wziąść mały rozbrat z tenisem . Czy zrobi wynik w turnieju Wimbledońkim ? Na pewno celuje w obrone tytułu , i moim zdaniem szanse na to ma , ale to za wczesnie by coś wyrykować ;)
Tako rzecze Fibak :
(...)Niewykluczone że to koniec wielkiego Nadala . koniec epoki tenisistów uderzających z dużą rotacją pod góre . Nawet tu na Roland Garros . Przy mniejszych i lżejszych piłkach które wprowadzono w tym roku dominować zaczną bijący płasko i bardzo mocno . Trudniej bedzie sie bronic nawet takiemu geniuszowi defensywy jak Nadal . Po turnieju w Madrycie zatracił pewnośc uderzeń , grał zbyt krotkie piłki , popelniał zbyt wiele błedów , zrobił sie nieco wolniejszy .
Na korcie Philippe Chatriera widzielismy czlowieka , ktory bezradnie patrzyl na wujka , gasł i kurczył się na naszych oczach . Aż w końcu - co strasznie mnie smuci , bo ja i moja rodzina szalejemy na jego punkcie - stał sie zwyczajny . W dodatku nie przegral z Federerem , lecz ze szwedem ktorego - czego nie ukrywa - szczerze nienawidzi .
Czy Robin Soderling to bohater ? Nie , to po prostu ktoś kto przetarł szlak, pokazał że dziś - nawet na mączce - mozna calkowicie zdominować Rafę . Ten mecz będzie zachętą dla innych . Prysł mit niezwycięzonego Nadala , skończyly sie spotkania przegrywane w szatni . Nie zdziwie się jesli teraz lider światowego rankingu ATP odpadnie w drugiej czy trzeciej rundzie Wimbledonu , a pózniej zacznie slabe wystepy na kortach twardych . Byc może nadchodzi druga era Federera , byc może pierwszą rakietą świata zostanie Andy Murray(...)
Sydney napisał:
Tako rzecze Fibak :
(...)Niewykluczone że to koniec wielkiego Nadala . koniec epoki tenisistów uderzających z dużą rotacją pod góre . Nawet tu na Roland Garros . Przy mniejszych i lżejszych piłkach które wprowadzono w tym roku dominować zaczną bijący płasko i bardzo mocno . Trudniej bedzie sie bronic nawet takiemu geniuszowi defensywy jak Nadal . Po turnieju w Madrycie zatracił pewnośc uderzeń , grał zbyt krotkie piłki , popelniał zbyt wiele błedów , zrobił sie nieco wolniejszy .
Na korcie Philippe Chatriera widzielismy czlowieka , ktory bezradnie patrzyl na wujka , gasł i kurczył się na naszych oczach . Aż w końcu - co strasznie mnie smuci , bo ja i moja rodzina szalejemy na jego punkcie - stał sie zwyczajny . W dodatku nie przegral z Federerem , lecz ze szwedem ktorego - czego nie ukrywa - szczerze nienawidzi .
Czy Robin Soderling to bohater ? Nie , to po prostu ktoś kto przetarł szlak, pokazał że dziś - nawet na mączce - mozna calkowicie zdominować Rafę . Ten mecz będzie zachętą dla innych . Prysł mit niezwycięzonego Nadala , skończyly sie spotkania przegrywane w szatni . Nie zdziwie się jesli teraz lider światowego rankingu ATP odpadnie w drugiej czy trzeciej rundzie Wimbledonu , a pózniej zacznie slabe wystepy na kortach twardych . Byc może nadchodzi druga era Federera , byc może pierwszą rakietą świata zostanie Andy Murray(...)
Nigdy nie miałam W. Fibaka za jakiś szczególny autorytet tenisowy mając na uwadze jego wypowiedzi i "proroctwa" na temat tenisitów i ich gry. Trochę śmiech mnie ogarnia jak czytam takie za przeproszeniem farmazony. Zwłaszcza człowieka, który grał w tenisa zawodowo. Można się odrywać od rzeczywistości, ale stracenie z nią kontaktu, zakrawa na ironię.
Wszystkiego Najlepszego w dniu 23 urodzin. Życzę Mu tego, żeby był szczęśliwym człowiekiem. :heart:
Wszystkiego Najlepszego Rafa!
Dużo szczęścia, zdrowa(przede wszystkim) i duzej liczby wygranych turniejow.Zostan takim czlowiekiem jak jestes i walcz zawsze do konca.Vamos!
Również życzę Rafie wszystkiego najlepszego :)
Swoim zwyczajem przypomnę Jego osiągnięcia w dniu 23 urodzin. :)
Ranking: 1
Wygrane Turnieje/finały: 36/10
Turnieje TMS: 15/5
Turnieje WS/finały: 6/2
Zarobki: $24,910,508
Najlepszego Rafa. :)
Nadal withdraws from Queen's
Champion Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from next week's Wimbledon warm-up tournament at Queen's Club with a knee injury.
The Wimbledon champion has been struggling with knee problems and has been advised to rest by doctors.
"I am very disappointed to not be able to come this year to Queen's, defend the title I won last year," said Nadal, whose four-year Roland Garros reign was ended last Sunday by Robin Soderling.
"I have been having some problems in the past months with my knees, that's no secret, which did not allow me to compete always at 100 per cent.
"I need to work with my team to recover well, work on my physical condition to be at my top form and get ready for the grass to play at Wimbledon."
eurosport.yahoo.com
Oho zaczyna się..
Wujek Toni: Występ Rafy na Wimbledonie niepewny
Artykuł po hiszpańsku:
http://www.elpais.com/articulo/deportes … idep_7/Tes
DUN I LOVE napisał:
Wujek Toni: Występ Rafy na Wimbledonie niepewny
Artykuł po hiszpańsku:
http://www.elpais.com/articulo/deportes … idep_7/Tes
A po polsku na "eurosport.pl" ;D
http://www.eurosport.pl/tenis/rafa-moze … tory.shtml
Nie dobrze by się stalo gdyby jednak nie byl zdolny zagrać , no ale cóz być moze taka absecja bylaby swoistą terpia wstrząsową dla mozgów układających mu kalendarz .
Teraz widać jak na dloni że granie Rotherdamu i tylu turnieji na mączce bylo potrzebne Rafie jak yorkowi kaganiec .
Rafa is in Barcelona undergoing medical tests
Monday, June 8th 2009
As mentioned by Toni Nadal in the media, Rafa is in Barcelona today and tomorrow (Tuesday) undergoing medical tests on his knees. We will inform through this website the results and his participation at Wimbledon.
Thanks for all your support.
rafaelnadal.com
Rafa jutro, w Barcelonie, przejdzie badania swoich kolan. Od ich wyników zależy Jego występ w Wimbledonie.
Wimbledon - Nadal still hopeful for Wimbledon
Defending champion Rafael Nadal has said he will do all he can to shake off a knee injury and be fit for this year's Wimbledon
The world number one was forced out of this week's traditional Wimbledon warm-up tournament at Queen's Club with tendinitis and said he faced two tough weeks of recuperation before Wimbledon gets underway on June 22.
"I will give 200 per cent to be at 100 per cent for the most important date in world tennis and the tournament that has always excited me the most," the Spaniard said after tests in Barcelona.
"I have been playing with pain in my knees for several months and personally I cannot continue like this," he added.
"The pain was limiting me physically in certain movements which meant I was also suffering mentally. I will not take to any court, and certainly not the Wimbledon centre court, unless I know I am 100 per cent."
After his shock defeat to Robin Soderling at the French Open nine days ago, Nadal said he had been advised to rest by doctors and pulled out of Queen's in London, where he was also defending champion.
He said he would have physiotherapy in the coming days and Spanish tennis federation doctor Angel Ruiz Cotorro said the treatment would include anti-inflammatory drugs and muscle work.
Nadal has blamed his injury problems on what he calls the overloaded tennis calendar and last season missed the season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai and Spain's Davis Cup victory over Argentina.
He said he would travel to London on June 16.
(eurosport)
http://www.rafaelnadal.com/nadal/en/new … -june-16th
Rafa jedzie do Londynu, ale jeśli nie będzie w 100% gotów to nie zagra.
Zagra czy nie zagra, Nadal w Wimbledonie?
http://video.eurosport.pl/tenis/wimbled … ideo.shtml
Rafa dotarł do Londynu:
Rafa landed in London today at around 1:00pm (Spanish time), together with his uncle and coach Toni Nadal, his physiotherapist, Rafel Maymó and his childhood friend, who sometimes travels with him as a hitting partner, Tomeu Salva.
Once settled into the same house that saw him leave London last year as the Wimbledon champion, Rafa had a short break, followed by a long - and not so intense- training session that went on for almost 3 hours at the Wimbledon Aorangi Park tennis Club.
There will be more news tomorrow.
Rafael Nadal looks set to defend title after warm-up at Wimbledon, Nadal came through practice session, declaring: 'I feel well'
Rafael Nadal appears likely to defend his Wimbledon title next week after successfully coming through a three-hour practice session at Wimbledon yesterday. The world No1's fitness has been in doubt because of knee trouble but he finished the session by declaring: "I feel well."
Nadal played without strapping to his knees as he practised with Bartolomé Salva, his Spanish hitting partner. He is expected to step up his preparations for Wimbledon, which begins on Monday, by playing at an exhibition grasscourt tournament at the Hurlingham Club in London tomorrow and on Friday.
The 23-year-old pulled out of last week's event at Queen's Club, which was won by Andy Murray, as he received intensive treatment on his knees. His assessment of yesterday's extensive practice was: "Not perfect but OK."
Bjorn Borg believes wounded pride as well as the knee injury could hinder Nadal's defence of his Wimbledon title. The Swede, a five-times champion at the All England Club, thinks the world No1's confidence has been dented by his failure to win a fifth consecutive French Open. Nadal's fallibility may be good news for Murray, with Borg tipping the Scot or Roger Federer to triumph.
Borg believes that shock fourth-round defeat at Roland Garros at the hands of Robin Soderling, coupled with his knee problems, mean Nadal will "not go all the way" at Wimbledon this year.
"He did not play at Queen's this year, and I do not know if his injury is serious or not, but mentally he has not done it this year," said Borg. "He has been playing long matches and winning most of the claycourt events, but coming into Paris he lost against the Swedish guy and was very disappointed after that."
Had Nadal triumphed at this year's French Open he would have been the first player to win the tournament five years in succession, a winning streak one longer than Borg achieved in 1978-81. "For him to win five in a row was a big goal for him. I'm sure he was very disappointed when he went home after Paris. That defeat took him many days to get over," said Borg, speaking at the HSBC Champions of Wimbledon launch event at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
Borg has his doubts that Nadal's troublesome knees will withstand the rigours of next week's major. "He has to be fit at Wimbledon if he wants to go all the way. I don't think he will go all the way this year," he said. "He is a dangerous player because he is the best in the world, but what happened in Paris and then the injury, I am picking Murray or Federer."
Having won the French Open six times in total and Wimbledon five years on the trot before his retirement at the age of 26, Borg can recognise a player with a game geared for success on any surface and he was effusive in his praise for Britain's No1. "He can play on all kinds of surfaces and I was very impressed with what he did on the claycourt surface. I don't think he was ready to win Wimbledon last year but it is a different story now."
Nadal zagra mecz pokazowy z Hewittem:
Rafa has confirmed that he will play an exhibition tomorrow at the Hurlingham Club with Lleyton Hewitt, - who also accepted the invitation from the organisers of the event – as his opponent.
“It will be good to play tomorrow to get a better idea of how I feel on court, playing at a higher level than I would normally play during training.”
Today, Rafa had another 3-hour training session at the Wimbledon Aorangi Park Club, but never really reached the intense rhythm you would normally reach for a session as long as that. “It was 3 hours, but I took it easy, I didn’t put any pressure,” said Rafa.
Wimbledon - Nadal loss increases Wimbledon doubts
Champion Rafael Nadal's Wimbledon participation still hangs in the balance after his first outing on grass this season did not go according to plan.
The world number one, troubled by a knee problem since being knocked out of the French Open in the fourth round last month, struggled with his movement during an exhibition match against Australian Lleyton Hewitt, which he lost 6-4 6-3.
"Rafa is having difficulties bending his knees and it (seems) that his various treatments are not enough," his coach and uncle Toni Nadal said.
Asked if the Spaniard would turn up to defend his title on Monday at the All England Club, he added: "I don't know, we have to wait for tomorrow".
The 23-year-old will decide whether to play at Wimbledon after taking part in a second exhibition match against Stanislas Wawrinka at the Hurlingham Club on Friday.
Although Nadal opted to test his fitness at Hurlingham his body language did not look too encouraging as he went through the motions during the one hour 20 minute encounter.
As Toni Nadal urged him to "bend down" to the ball during the second set, the Spaniard appeared to mutter, "I can't".
The match had started promisingly for Nadal as he stepped on court without wearing any support around his troublesome knees.
In his first service game, which lasted four deuces and eight minutes, he bent low to flick a volley winner and also ran around court during a 17-shot rally.
But as the contest progressed, Nadal and his camp began to get more and more worried.
By the time the match finished, Nadal looked world weary and barely resembled the man who ended Roger Federer's five-year reign at Wimbledon last July.
(eurosport)
Rafael Nadal przegrał w czwartek w pokazowym meczu w Hurlingham Club w Londynie z Lleytonem Hewittem 4:6, 3:6. Jak donoszą agencje, Hiszpan zaprezentował się marnie i szanse na jego występ w londyńskiej dzielnicy SW19, czyli w Wimbledonie, raczej zmalały, a nie wzrosły.
W drugim secie trener i wujek Nadala Toni pokrzykiwał "Schodź niżej do piłek", na co Rafa miał odpowiedzieć "Nie daję rady".
Po meczu Wujek rzekł tak: "Rafa is having difficulties bending his knees and it seems that his various treatments are not enough".
Nadal ogłosił, że ma problem z kolanami tuż po porażce w Paryżu z Robinem Soderlingiem. Wygląda na to, że im bliżej Wimbledonu, tym choroba "kolanowa" Hiszpana się pogłębia.
Coś czuję, że Rafa w Londynie nie zagra. Ostateczną decyzję ma podjąć w piątek. Zaczynam podejrzewać, że Nadal przyjechał na pokazówkę do Hurlingham nie po to, by sprawdzić swoją formę, ale pokazać całemu światu, że formy nie ma i usprawiedliwić rezygnację. Ale obym się mylił.
Źródło: blog Jakuba Ciastonia
Wimbledon bez Nadala, to jak bułka bez masła. Nie mniej Rafael grający w Lonydnie bez formy, to też nie jest dobra droga. Chyba się wycofa, a tym samym ułatwi piętnasty triumf w Wielkim Szlemie Federerowi.
Nadal withdraws from Wimbledon
Rafael Nadal has announced he will not defend his Wimbledon title.
The world number one and top seed had said after the French Open that he would not play Wimbledon if he was not 100% and so it has come to pass.
"I’m here and I'm just not 100%. I'm better than what I was a couple of weeks ago but I don’t feel right," Nadal told a packed press conference on Friday evening at the All England Club.
"To not play Wimbledon is one of the toughest decisions of my career."
After suffering a shock defeat in the French Open to Robin Soderling, Nadal received treatment on his knees in Barcelona and skipped the tradition Wimbledon warm-up at Queen’s in an effort to be fit for The Championships. He was diagnosed with tendinitis in both quadriceps tendons as well as a small amount of fluid on the kneecaps.
"I tried everything. I didn't feel terrible but also not close to my best. When I enter a tournament my goal is winning and my feeling right now is I'm not ready to win.
"It's very painful for me but I can't play at the tournament this year. It's tough but it is what it is."
Nadal's absence will cause a reshuffle in the men’s singles draw. Nadal's place will be taken by fifth seed Juan Martin Del Potro. Del Potro's place will be taken by the 17th seed James Blake. Blake's place will be taken by Jose Arguso of Argentina and a lucky loser will fill Arguso's spot.
Nadal revealed that he had been playing with considerable pain and he didn't know how long he would be out of tennis. But he said he expected to fully recover from his knee problems and that he would have a "long career".
"I played with some problems on the on the knee for the last few months. I've been making efforts to play week after week. The truth is that sportsmen always play with pain and don't know where the limit is, where you can get to. I think I reached that limit now.
"I will work very hard to comeback as soon as possible. One of the problems is I’m thinking more about the knees than what is happening on court and it’s very difficult to play like that."
When Nadal was asked about his many fans and how disappointed they would be that he was not appearing at Wimbledon, the 23-year-old replied: "no more than me".
Nadal also said he was not concerned that his absence would open the door for Roger Federer to reclaim the number one world ranking. "If I lose the number one ranking I’m going to accept it like the four years I was number two and work hard to improve and recover."
wimbledon.com
A tu po Polsku:
Rafael Nadal wycofał się z turnieju na kortach Wimbledonu. Hiszpan nie wyleczył na czas kontuzji kolana .
- Niestety w tym roku nie jestem w stanie zagrać na Wimbledonie - Nadal powiedział na konferencji prasowej.
Hiszpański tenisista zmagał się z kontuzją od czasu sensacyjnego odpadnięcia w 1/8 Finału French Open, kiedy uległ Robinowi Soderlingowi. Nadal sprawdzał formę przed Wimbledonem w dwóch pokazowych meczach. Oba przegrał i zdecydował, że nie wystąpi na kortach z najstarszą tenisową trawą świata.
- Jest to jedna z najtrudniejszych decyzji w mojej karierze, ale łatwiej było ją podjąć, ponieważ nie jestem gotowy do gry na 100 procent - przyznał Rafael Nadal, trzeci tenisista w historii, który nie będzie bronić tytułu. - Nie czuję, żebym był gotowy na siłach zagrać w tak ważnym turnieju, jakim jest Wimbledon. Próbowałem wszystkiego. Z całych sił trenowałem, żeby złapać optymalną formę. Dziś był mój ostatni test. Nie czułem się fatalnie, ale to nie jest to, na co mnie stać - stwierdził.
eurosport.pl
Szkoda znowu nie bedzie pojedynku Roger vs Rafa a na Wimbledonie byloby to najbardziej mozliwe.
http://www.marca.com/2009/06/20/tenis/1245512658.html
Lekarz Rafy zapewnia, że Hiszpan będzie w pełni gotowy do gry za ok 3-4 tygodnie.
DUN I LOVE napisał:
http://www.marca.com/2009/06/20/tenis/1245512658.html
Lekarz Rafy zapewnia, że Hiszpan będzie w pełni gotowy do gry za ok 3-4 tygodnie.
Zdaniem dr. Cottoro, Rafaelowi zabrakło dwóch tygodni, aby być gotowym do wystepu w Wimbledonie. Myślę jednak, że nie tylko kontuzja jest przyczyną takich decyzji Rafy. Prawdą okazały się informacje hiszpańskiej prasy o separacji rodziców Hiszpana. Musi to być dla niego straszny cios, bo z wypowiedzi Rafy wynika, że rodzina była jednym z ważniejszych fundamentów jego życia. Myślę, że dla każdego dziecka, nawet takiego w wieku 23 lat, rozpad małżeństwa jego rodziców jest rzeczą straszną. Mam nadzieję, że Rafa odbuduje się psychicznie po tych ciężkich ciosach i wróci na korty z dawną energią.
Też o tym słyszałem, niech zdrowieje i wraca. A coś mu jeszcze wypadnie po Wimblu?
Takie przejścia rodzinne to bardzo przykra sprawa, oby wszystko odbyło się spokojnie i dyskretnie. Jednak dla mnie trochę dziwne jest łącznie rozwodu rodziców z wycofaniem się z Wimbledonu. Nie był w formie z powodu zdrowia, to nie zagrał, a mieszanie tego w złym świetle stawiałoby te przedturniejowe podchody, no bo jeśli uważał, że też mentalnie nie jest w stanie w pełnie się angażować, to po co "sprawdzać formę" w pokazówce?
Rafa musi podleczyć kolana i wrócić do pełnych obciążeń treningowych, o innych kwestiach dywagować nie będzę, bo wpływ takich rzeczy na formę sportową to kwetia indywidualnego podejścia każdego człowieka.
Robertinho napisał:
Takie przejścia rodzinne to bardzo przykra sprawa, oby wszystko odbyło się spokojnie i dyskretnie. Jednak dla mnie trochę dziwne jest łącznie rozwodu rodziców z wycofaniem się z Wimbledonu. Nie był w formie z powodu zdrowia, to nie zagrał, a mieszanie tego w złym świetle stawiałoby te przedturniejowe podchody, no bo jeśli uważał, że też mentalnie nie jest w stanie w pełnie się angażować, to po co "sprawdzać formę" w pokazówce?
Rafa musi podleczyć kolana i wrócić do pełnych obciążeń treningowych, o innych kwestiach dywagować nie będzę, bo wpływ takich rzeczy na formę sportową to kwetia indywidualnego podejścia każdego człowieka.
Żeby osiagnąć sukces w turnieju, zwłaszcza takim jak Wimbledon, trzeba być i fizycznie i mentalnie przygotowanym na 100%. Na wycofaniu Rafy, zdecydowanie zaważyła ta pierwsza sprawa. Hiszpan jest cholernie ambitny i to raczej w tym upatruję powodu jego przyjazdu do Londynu i udziału w pokazówkach. Jak sam powiedział, gra z bólem, to dla niego codzienność; jedyne czego nie wiedział, to gdzie jest dla niego ta personalna granica wytrzymałości. Ciało powiedziało dość i to wszystko. Dlaczego sądzę, że sprawy rodzine miały wpływ na Hiszpana ?. Bo dla mnie nie da się wyjść na kort i zostawić poza nim wszystkich spraw, które są dla człowieka ważne. Chyba, że jest się całkowicie otępiałym emocjonalnie człowiekiem. Rafa na takiego nie wygląda, a zestawienie wiadomości podawanych przez prasę i jego występów na korcie układaję się w dość logiczną całość.
Rafael Nadal's knee problem 'may force him to end his career early'
Rafael Nadal announcing he will not be able to defend his Wimbledon title this year. Photograph: John Voos/Reuters
The injury that forced 2008 champion Rafael Nadal to pull out of this year's Wimbledon may put an end to the 23-year-old's career, according to sport scientists. The Spaniard has suffered with tendinitis of both knees since the age of 21 and leading tennis coach Sven Groneveld said yesterday that he has never known a player to be so badly afflicted with the injury so young.
"I think he is quite a unique case," said the coach of Ana Ivanovic and Fernando Verdasco. "It's bad enough for him not to play and defend the title. It must be very, very hurtful, besides the pain in the knees."
Nadal said pulling out of the Championships two days before he was due to open play on Centre Court was the "worst decision" of his career and it is likely the patella tendinitis contributed to his relinquishing of the French Open crown for the first time in five years.
Sean Corvin of Premier Training, the health and fitness educator, speculated that the world No1's knees are those of a 33-year-old. "A large number of athletes may have retired early because of this condition and some may be performing at a lower level because they can't tolerate the heavy training," he said.
The six-times grand-slam winner is being treated with oral anti-inflammatory medication as well as physiotherapy and progressive muscular exercises, but irreversible damage may have been done at a young age and Groneveld believes the prevalence of hardcourts is a factor.
"When kids play on hard surfaces from a young age, it has something to with their growing, [which] increases the chance of getting it," said the Dutchman. "During the growth it is not good to play on hard surfaces."
The prospect of playing the gruelling kind of match that Tommy Haas concluded against Marin Cilic yesterday with a victory that took four and a half hours must have been a factor in Nadal's decision to withdraw.
Już kiedyś były spekulacje na temat końca kariery pana Rafy.
Faktem jest, że Nadal z roku na rok coraz bardziej dąży do wyeksploatowania swojego organizmu. Teraz nastąpił kres.
I tak myślę, że wkrótce Hiszpan powróci na kort. Pewnie za jakiś miesiąc.
Aj tam bredzenie; wszczepią mu w kolanka komórki macierzyste(jak Pudzianowi w zerwany biceps i totanie zniszczone kolana) i za pół roku będzie jak nowy.
Gdyby tak było, to by sportowcy grali do 60 roku życia.
Każdy się spodziewał, że kiedyś kolana Nadala doprowadzą do takiej sytuacji, i tak nadludzkim osiągnięciem jest granie tak długi okres czasu przy nieprawdopodobnym obciążeniu owych stawów.
Czy to koniec Hiszpana? Trudno powiedzieć, według mnie Rafa będzie w stanie jeszcze grać w tenisa, ale uważam ,iż dojdzie do powolnego obniżenia lotów, według mnie na dzień dzisiejszy szanse na wygranie przez Nadala jeszcze jakiegoś Szlema w karierze są niewielkie, chyba , że specjaliści doprowadzą do jakiegoś biologicznego cudu.
To apropo teorii o 20 Szlemach Rafy.
Ta gałąź medycyny się dopiero rozwija, zabiegi przeprowadzane są od niedawna, mając status terapii eksperymentalnych. 20 lat temu zerwanie więzadeł krzyżowych to był dla piłkarza wyrok sportowej śmierci, dziś wielu znanych zawodników gra po takich zabiegach i to bardzo dobrze(np Xavi, Andrea Pirlo i wielu innych).
Więc jeszcze Nadala nie skreślaj. Oczywiście każdy zabieg operacyjny to pewne ryzyko i kilka miesięcy przerwy, ale moim zdaniem dalsze leczenie zachowawcze(które trwa już ponoć od sezonu 2007 i stosowano wszelkie znane metody, jak krioterapia, pole magnetyczne, laser) może nie przynieść oczekiwanych rezultatów i problem( w tym silny ból) będzie wracał ze zdwojoną siłą po kilku turniejach.
Nadal will miss Spain's Davis Cup tie against Germany
MADRID, June 30 (Reuters) - Rafael Nadal was left out of Spain's Davis Cup squad on Tuesday for their World Group quarter-final against Germany.
The world number one has been struggling with tendinitis in his knees since being knocked out of the French Open last month and was forced to miss Wimbledon.
Spain captain Albert Costa called up Fernando Verdasco, Tommy Robredo, David Ferrer and Feliciano Lopez for the match on clay in the Puerto Banus bullring in Marbella on July 10-12.
(Writing by Mark Elkington, editing by Tony Jimenez. To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
Nadal Targets Montreal Return
Reigning ATP World Tour Champion Rafael Nadal is targeting his return to tennis at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Montreal, beginning 10 August. The Spaniard is the defending champion at the Rogers Cup, having defeated Nicolas Kiefer in the final last year. He also triumphed in Montreal in 2005 with victory over Andre Agassi.
The 22 year old was not able to defend his grass-court titles at The Queen’s Club or Wimbledon due to knee tendinitis. At the time, the Mallorcan said: “To not play Wimbledon is one of the toughest decisions of my career. I have some time now to recover and will work very hard to return as soon as possible.”
Speaking to Matt Dickson of The Daily Mail though, Nadal’s spokesman Benito Perez Barbadillo confirmed that the Spaniard is expected back on the practice courts within the next few weeks. He is currently doing pure fitness work, while having treatment on the tendinitis in his knee.
“The plan is still very much that he plays in the Montreal Masters beginning on August 10. He is entered into it and that is what will happen if things go as we think they will,” said Perez-Barbadillo.
With his return to the court, Nadal will also look to win back the No. 1 spot in the South African Airways 2009 Rankings. The Spaniard’s 46-week reign atop the Rankings came to an end on Monday as Roger Federer reclaimed the No. 1 position after clinching his 15th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon.
http://sport.onet.pl/1,16,11,58486741,1 … AT=1248732
Na temat onetu mam jednoznacznie negatywną opinię, ale czy to co pod tym linkiem zostało napisane (śmierć przyjaciela rafy) jest prawdą? Ma ktoś jakieś informacje?
DUN I LOVE napisał:
http://sport.onet.pl/1,16,11,58486741,156340897,92204,0,forum.html?TEMAT=1248732
Na temat onetu mam jednoznacznie negatywną opinię, ale czy to co pod tym linkiem zostało napisane (śmierć przyjaciela rafy) jest prawdą? Ma ktoś jakieś informacje?
Z oficjalnej strony Rafy.
Manacor, Spain - July 7th 2009
This morning I woke up with one of the worst news anyone can receive. I heard about the death of our friend Mathieu Montcourt. I am still under shock for this. I can't believe it.
I knew Mathieu since we were kids. We competed together at all the events at an international level there is since you are a kid: Les Petit As, Copa Borotta, etc. and of course afterwards once becoming professionals,.
When someone like this disappears, when something like this happens, you really know where we are and the relativeness of winning or losing a tennis match, of not competing at an event or anything else. This is the loss of a guy who was only 24 and that was sports person. He won't be playing with us again.
I would like to send my most deep and sincere condolences to his family, to his friends and to the French fans.
Mathieu, Rest in peace.
Rafa Nadal
Aha, to faktycznie widziałem.
Dzięki :)
Jeszcze trochę mojej prywatnej statystyki na temat pobytu Rafaela Nadala na pozycji nr1 w rankingu:
Ilość tygodni jako #1: 46
Rozegranych turniejów: 13
Wygranych turniejów: 5
- WS - 1
- TMS - 3
- 500 - 1
Finałów: 7 (5 wygranych)
Bilans meczy: 57-8
46 tygodni Rafy na szczycie dają mu 11 miejsce na liście wszech czasów:
...
10. Jim Courier 58
11. Rafael Nadal 46
12. Gustavo Kuerten 43
...
Nadal to 24 #1 rankingu ENTRY od czasu jego wprowadzenia w latach 70.
JULY 14 | 2009
RAFA UNDERWENT MED EXAMS TODAY. WILL RESUME PRACTICE ON MONDAY AND WILL PLAY MONTREAL
Rafa Nadal underwent further medical tests today in Barcelona. He is slowly recovering from his injury and will resume practice next Monday July 20th. He will back in action in Montreal where he is the defending champion.
Rafa travelled to Barcelona yesterday and underwent medical exams to see the evolution of the insertion tendinitis of both Quadricipitals Tendons through an MRI and radiography under the supervision of his doctor Angel Ruiz-Cotorro.
"The evolution of his injury is positive and the player will continue with his physiotherapy and muscular work and will resume his tennis activity in a progressive way starting next Monday July 20th, estimating his return to competition on August 8th at the Montreal event," said Angel Ruiz-Cotorro, Rafa's doctor.
Rafa will travel back today to Manacor to continue with his recovery plan and will resume his tennis practice next Monday.
Rafa Nadal: "I am happy with the way the tests went and with the positive evolution of the injury as the doctors said. I am really looking forward to practicing again and to do what I like to do the most: to play tennis. The event in Montreal is important and I expect to be there fit to play. Until then I need to continue to work on my recovery and practice well."
http://www.rafaelnadal.com/nadal/en/home
Jak informuje storna internetowa, Rafa dziś rozpoczął treningi po przerwie spowodowanej kontuzją. :D
http://www.tenis.net.pl/rafael-nadal-wz … ningi/5447
Rafael Nadal wznowił treningi po przedłużającej się kontuzji więzadeł w dwóch kolanach. wraca do gry.
“To była tylko mała dawka ćwiczeń, bez zbędnego obciążenia. Tak tylko, by zobaczyć jak się czuję i jak miewają się moje kolana. Wciąż muszę bardzo uważać, za tydzień będę wiedział trochę więcej” - napisał na swojej stronie internetowej Hiszpan.
Rafa zdaje się być bardzo ostrożny. Dziś w radiu słyszałem Jego wypowiedź, gdzie zaznaczył, że nie będzie się śpieszył z powrotem na korty. Powiedział mniej więcej tak: "Liczę na powrót w Montrealu, ale jak nie będę w 100% zdrowy to poczekam. Kiedyś już wróciłem zbyt wcześnie i kontuzja szybko mi się odnowiła".
Mi się wydaję, że będzie Hiszpanowi bardzo trudno przygotować dość dobrą formę na Montreal, jednak kontuzja okazała się bardzo poważna.
Szczególnie, że mówimy o powrocie na najgorszą dla kolan nawierchnię-hard. To może być bardzo bolesne dla jego stawów, także można powiedzieć, że Nadal fatalnie "trafił" z urazem.
Kilka filmików, wywiadów z Rafą, po powrocie do treningów.
http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/07/2 … ce-courts/
Wujek Toni o braku presji na Rafie, jeżeli chodzi o odzyskanie pozycji #1 w rankingu:
With Rafael Nadal set to return to court next month in Montreal – along with Federer, Djokovic, Murray and the rest of the Big Boys – people are already wondering if Rafa’s angling for the No. 1 ranking. The sage Uncle Toni Nadal tried to dampen expectations, speaking recently over Spanish radio as reported in Marca (google translation.)
“‘The important thing is to go slowly, see how it evolves and recover completely,’ said Toni, who confirmed that Nadal is still not 100%.”
“Asked about the possible pressure that his ward may have to recover the number 1 position he lost to Roger Federer, Toni said that ‘there is no such pressure. Rafa will return with the intention of going step by step, tournament by tournament and adding points.‘”
Toni also thanked fans for “The show of affection received by all. Watching the Davis Cup on television, we saw the signs encouraging Rafa in Marbella. He and I are very grateful for that.”
Ja mogę tylko napisać- nareszcie wraca! W jakiej formie, to temat na długą dyskusję, pewnie i tak bezowocną, bo wszystko wyjaśni się, gdy Nadal zagra pierwszy mecz. Mam takie poczucie, że te kilka tygodni dobrze na niego wpłynęło i wróci zdolny staczania do najtrudniejszych pojedynków.
http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis … eturn.aspx
Chyba jednak występ Rafy nie jest pewny, sam Hiszpan twierdzi że zobaczy jak to będzie-czyli 50 na 50.
Mądrze gada Rafa. Chyba wyciągnął wnioski i nie chce na siłę przedwcześnie wracać. Jak z kolanem nie będzie Ok to nie powinien się śpieszyć, zwłaszcza, gdy weźmiemy pod uwagę tolerancję hard na Jego kolana, w ogóle na kolana graczy :)
No ale być może to takie gadanie, czas pokaże jak to się potoczy. :)
To samo, z nieco innych źródeł ;)
http://eurosport.yahoo.com/29072009/58/ … eturn.html
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid= … iYoPgUxIUo
Nadal buys into housing market
Nadal buys into housing market while Philippoussis tries to sell While Rafael Nadal will soon be comfortably settled into a chic holiday home he ecently purchased in the Dominican Republic, real estate matters are taking the opposite turn half a world away for former player Mark Philippoussis.
Nadal has lent his name to a resort on the Caribbean island awash with Spanish investment money. The complex where he will now be able to pass his holiday while on the far side of the Atlantic includes all of his favourite things: golf courses, tennis courts and beaches.
The project is conveniently located 45 minutes from the Santo Domingo international airport.
Wujek Toni ostatecznie potwierdza start Rafy w Kanadzie:
World's No. 2 Spanish Rafael Nadal will be present at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Montreal to start next week after he was sidelined for more than two months.
Rafael Nadal is expected to return to courts at the Masters 1000 Montreal after he was sidelined for two months and a half due to an injury that, apart from leaving him out of Wimbledon, made him lose the World's Number One at the hands of Roger Federer.
"Rafa will play in Montreal. That's good news for us," said Toni Nadal in some statements for Radio Marca, but highlighted "he won't be at his best."
Rafael Nadal's main objective is to start getting ready for the U.S Open, the last Grand Slam of the season, which begins at the end of August and is the only Major title the Spaniard has not claimed.
http://www.sport.pl/tenis/1,96961,68745 … ledow.html
Nadal przyznaje się do błędów
Grałem za dużo, nie umiałem przestać, dlatego moje kolana nie wytrzymały - mówi w wywiadzie dla hiszpańskiej telewizji Rafael Nadal, który 9 sierpnia w Montrealu ma zagrać po raz pierwszy od sensacyjnej porażki we French Open
Nadal zabrał głos po niemal dwóch miesiącach milczenia. Spędził je głównie na Majorce, gdzie pod okiem lekarzy i fizjoterapeutów leczył stany zapalne ścięgien w obu kolanach. Hiszpan w tym czasie stracił prowadzenie w rankingu ATP na rzecz Rogera Federera. Przyznał, że kontuzja to jego własna wina. - Kolana bolały mnie właściwie od początku sezonu na czerwonej mączce [czyli od kwietnia] - powiedział Nadal. Mimo bólu zagrał cztery wyczerpujące turnieje: w Monte Carlo, Barcelonie, Rzymie i Madrycie. Trzy pierwsze wygrał, a w ostatnim uległ Rogerowi Federerowi w finale. - Nie wiedziałem, kiedy przestać. Powinienem lepiej słuchać własnego organizmu. Występ w Madrycie był po prostu błędem - wyznał 23-letni Hiszpan, który przez uraz nie wystąpił m.in. w Wimbledonie, gdzie miał bronić tytułu.
Nadal zaczął już normalne treningi, ale podkreślił, że prawdziwym testem będzie wystąp w Montrealu. Na pytanie, czy wierzy w udany powrót, odparł, że wciąż ma mnóstwo wątpliwości. - Muszę zobaczyć, jak spiszą się moje kolana na pełnym obciążeniu w czasie meczu. To wciąż zagadka - stwierdził Nadal. Rozwiał też spekulacje, jakoby długa przerwa w startach wynikała z sytuacji rodzinnej - rodzice Hiszpana są od niedawna w separacji. - To nie miało znaczenia, chodziło wyłącznie o kolana. Moja rodzina zawsze mnie wspierała - podkreślił.
Hiszpan wróci na kort wcześniej od Rogera Federera. Szwajcarowi, który nie gra od Wimbledonu, urodziły się w poprzednim tygodniu bliźniaczki i przed US Open (31 sierpnia) wystąpi najwyżej w jednym turnieju.
http://communities.canada.com/montrealg … ourts.aspx
Rafa hits the practice courts
Rafael Nadal arrived at Dorval airport just as Wednesday night turned into Thursday morning, and was testing out the stadium court at the Rogers Cup around dinnertime Thursday.
After watching Nadal practice for nearly two hours yesterday one thing’s for sure: the Rafa fans will see this week could be a shadow of the Rafa they’re used to.
Hopefully a lot of it was jet lag, general stiffness after a long flight from his hometown of Manacor, Mallorca.
He didn’t look very good – and he wasn’t pushing it.
Nadal’s coach and uncle, Toni Nadal, isn’t with him. He used surrogate coach Francisco Roig as a hitting partner.
For the first hour and half, it was mostly forehands, a few backhands. Even after an hour, Nadal was still spraying the ball all over the place.
If he asked Roig (left) once, he asked him a hundred times: “Was it out?”
Most often, it was.
Or it was in the net.
He was getting pretty aggravated about it, too, although there no racquets were tossed in anger.
Nadal did not test his battered knees yesterday, which were not taped. He moved more than two steps to hit a ball maybe two dozen times in all. When he did, he looked awkward – particularly when he was practicing returning serves on the deuce side of the court, moving towards his right to hit a backhand.
A couple of times, he grabbed those sore knees.
Until last week, there was doubt that Nadal would show up for this tournament – his first since a surprising loss to Swede Robin Soderling at the French Open more than two months ago.
He didn’t grant any interviews yesterday. But in an interview on Spanish television last week, he waffled about whether he would be here; clearly, even though he was only practicing with Uncle Toni, it wasn’t going too well.
Three days ago, Toni Nadal said on Spanish radio that Nadal would show, but warned not to expect much. “It’s another thing to know what standard he will be at. I imagine he won’t be in very good condition,” he said. “He has been training but without really pushing it very much. To see what form he’s in we’ll have to see how he copes in a proper match.”
On his web site yesterday, Nadal said that he was basically starting from scratch, and that the tournaments in Canada and the U.S. would be “very complicated.”
He also said that for nearly two months, he had been undergoing five hours of treatment – every day.
All that doesn’t sound too promising, does it?
But the main thing is that he’s here. You know the competitor in him won’t allow anything less than full effort.
It will be a challenge, because as a Masters 1000 event, the level at the Rogers Cup is extremely high. Nadal could get someone like Lleyton Hewitt, or rising American Sam Querrey, or the hot Tommy Haas, or the huge-serving Ivo Karlovic in his very first match.
After about an hour and 45 minutes, Rafa called 'No Mas.' He headed back to his chair, tossed the racquet onto the bag, and that was pretty much it.
He outlasted the daylight on Uniprix Stadium court, although the last part was spent in animated conversation with his team. We're guessing it was about futbol.
We’ll see how Nadal looks today, when he hits the practice courts with Gilles Simon this morning.
Montreal - Monday, August 10th, 2009
During an interview today, Rafa Nadal spoke about the challenge he faces in this week’s Montreal Masters Series Tournament in Canada where his “only goal is to train hard and play well here. I know it will be almost impossible (to win)," he said.
When asked about his chances at the US Open, Rafa explained: "The Open? I'll be fresher, sure. Better? I don't know. It is coming fast and I don't have a big preparation. I will do what I can”.
"But it's impossible to think about the Open. You are talking about the Open, I'm talking only about being fit and recovering from my injury 100%.
"When that happens and I feel confident on court and have some matches under my belt and am playing much better then I'll think about playing with my best condition at the US Open.
"I have to keep working on court. We will have to see in a few weeks what my condition is. I don't know how many weeks I'm going to need."
rafaelnadal.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nge5tuWn … r_embedded
Fajny filmik Nike, o tym dlaczego Rafa gra lewą ręką. Strasznie fajny, polecam. A a a jeżeli już go ktoś wcześniej wrzucił, to z góry przepraszam ;)
Z tym myciem zębów to przesadzili trochę, trzeba być ułomnym żeby nie umieć szczotkować słabszą reką.
No ale to chodzi o to czym mu się robi to naturalniej, nie ? Tak samo przykład z podrzucaniem jakiegoś przedmiotu.
Dobra, odświeżam temat swojego idola :D
Nadal's knees survive first test in Montreal
By Steve Keating
MONTREAL (Reuters) - Rafael Nadal's tender knees passed their first test when the Spaniard returned to action on Monday in a doubles win at the Montreal Masters.
Sidelined for more than two months with tendonitis in both knees, Nadal looked fit and showed no signs of pain as he teamed up with coach Francisco Roig to beat Serbian duo Novak Djokovic and Dusan Vemic 7-5 6-4.
"It's great to be back and I had a lot of fun playing with Francisco," Nadal told reporters. "A win is a win and doubles is fun and important so I am happy about the way it went today.
"I am really looking forward to playing singles on Wednesday."
It was a positive first step in what is expected to be a testing comeback for the 23-year-old Spaniard, who opens defense of this Montreal crown with a second round clash against either compatriot David Ferrer or Serb Viktor Troicki.
Playing his first event since being stunned in the fourth round of the French Open on May 31, much has changed for Nadal as rival Roger Federer took his French Open and Wimbledon titles along with the world number one ranking.
Montreal, August 14th, 2009
Rafa Nadal made a significant step forward towards total recovery by beating German Philipp Petzschner in straight sets, 6-3 6-2, in the third round of the Montreal Masters Series Tournament yesterday.
"The movements were a little bit better, but I need more matches to get the rhythm," said the tournament's defending champion, "I moved a bit better but sometimes my positioning wasn't perfect".
"I need to adjust the legs and feet more to play some shots. But I'm very happy because I'm in the quarter-finals, which is more than I expected when I came here. I have one match and a half right now and I expect to be ready for (today)."
Talented Argentine Juan Martin del Potro (who is in superb hardcourt form after winning the Washington Classic last week), will be waiting for Rafa Nadal in what would be their 6th career meeting.
So far, Rafa’s got the advantage with 4 victories against 1, however, before you get too excited, it is Del Potro who won their last match in Miami.
“I am not the favourite for sure, but [regardless of] the result, it's going to be a good experience for me”.
“Juan Martin [has] a good serve, and good shots from the baseline. So, you know, I know he's a very tough opponent for me”.
Their quaterfinal match is the 2nd evening match on Center Court, which means it won't start before 8:00pm (local time).
rafaelnadal.com
He may have lost to Juan Martin del Potro today 7-6, 6-1, but Rafa Nadal knows very well that his trip to Montreal has been a great success. Not only did he reach the quarterfinals and second round of doubles, but most importantly, he’s back doing what he loves doing most.
“I [am] very happy with [the way] I played the first set, no? My best level after the injury, and I was playing very good, I think. So very happy about the match today,” were Rafa’s first comments after the match.
“I had big chance [when we were] 5/2. I played a great point at 6-2, but he hit a good lob shot”, he said trying to explain his feelings about the close encounter in the first set. “I had big chance to win it. So that's a very positive thing for me. I'm very happy about that”.
Rafa will travel to Cincinnati tomorrow where he will continue with his plan to concentrate on his health first above anything else. The good news is that “The knees are very good, so that's very good [for me].”
rafaelnadal.com
Dobrze było, coraz lepiej z meczu na mecz i z piłki na piłkę, ważne że kolana zdały egzamin.Po takim okresie czasu całkiem niezły występ.Następne turnieje będą lepsze.Vamos!
EDIT:
A więc stało się:
17.08.2009
Rafael Nadal spada na 3 miejsce rankingu entry.Po raz ostatni Hiszpan zajmował tą pozycję 24.07.2005.Tak więc przez ponad 4 lata w czołowej dwójce.Gratulacje ;)
Oby wrócił tam jak najprędzej :D
Bombardiero napisał:
A więc stało się:
17.08.2009
Rafael Nadal spada na 3 miejsce rankingu entry.Po raz ostatni Hiszpan zajmował tą pozycję 24.07.2005.Tak więc przez ponad 4 lata w czołowej dwójce.Gratulacje ;)
Oby wrócił tam jak najprędzej :D
Przykład Rafy pokazuje, jak wszystko w tenisie szybko się zmienia. Wystarczyły 2 miesiące, a zawodnik dominujący w rozgrywkach najpierw spadł na 2, a teraz na 3 miejsce w rankingu.
Trochę starsze info, ale chyba nikt go nie wrzucił:
Fundacja Nadala ufunduje szkołę tenisa!
Fundacja Hiszpana Rafaela Nadala, aktualnego lidera rankingu tenisistów ATP World Tour, sfinansuje powstanie szkoły tenisa w Indiach - The Nadal Tennis School.
Powstanie ona we wrześniu w stanie Andhra Pradesh, w południowych Indiach, a będzie prowadziła zajęcia do czerwca przyszłego roku. Jest to wspólne przedsięwzięcie fundacji Nadala oraz Vincente'a Ferrera.
"Do tej pory do uczelni zapisały się 123 osoby. Szkoła będzie przeznaczona dla dzieci powyżej ósmego roku życia" - powiedział Ferrer.
tenisowy.com
DUN I LOVE napisał:
Bombardiero napisał:
A więc stało się:
17.08.2009
Rafael Nadal spada na 3 miejsce rankingu entry.Po raz ostatni Hiszpan zajmował tą pozycję 24.07.2005.Tak więc przez ponad 4 lata w czołowej dwójce.Gratulacje ;)
Oby wrócił tam jak najprędzej :DPrzykład Rafy pokazuje, jak wszystko w tenisie szybko się zmienia. Wystarczyły 2 miesiące, a zawodnik dominujący w rozgrywkach najpierw spadł na 2, a teraz na 3 miejsce w rankingu.
Kontuzja przyszla w najgorszym momencie. Przed dwoma Szlemami, gdzie bronil 4000 pkt + jeszcze 500 za Queens Club i 800 za olimpiade. W dodatku rywale bardzo dobrze wykorzystali jego nieobecnosc i dzieki temu odskoczyli Nadalowi wyraznie.
Wywiad z moim ulubionym zawodnikiem :D
US Open - Rafael Nadal Q&A
Over the past 10 weeks Rafael Nadal had little choice but to put his feet up and relax at home in Majorca while his rivals chased after the biggest prizes in the sport.
Instead of defending his cherished Wimbledon crown, Nadal had to nurse his sore knees and became an expert on how to overcome the effects of tendinitis.
Following his enforced break, the six-times Grand Slam champion made his comeback earlier this month in Montreal, where he sat down to have a chat with Reuters to discuss his rehabilitation, the crammed ATP schedule and his hopes for the US Open, which begins at Flushing Meadows on Monday.
Q: The US Open is only Grand Slam event that you have yet to win. How does it feel going in to the tournament, especially since you were out of action for more than two months with your knee injury?
A: I think I am going to have more options in the next few years. The important thing is to feel confident with my knees and when I feel confident with my knees, I'm going to be able to practise harder and find my best performance as soon as possible. It's tough to say if I am going to be ready 100 per cent for the US Open. It's normal, isn't it, because after a long break and major injuries, it's difficult to be ready. But I will try.
Q: How does it feel to be back on court after the long break you had to take because of the tendinitis you suffered in your knees?
A: It seems like my knees are much better. But you never know. I have to play at the top level to see how it affects my knees.
Q: Are you taking any special precautions to make sure you don't suffer a repeat of this kind of injury again?
A: I was watching my knees with the doctors and yeah I underwent a lot of treatment. I don't know exactly what precautions I can take but I learned something about this injury and that can be important information for the future.
Q: How far do you think this is going to affect your long-term career?
A: Not at all. I wasn't in good condition when I arrived at two important tournaments of the season - Roland Garros and Wimbledon. But otherwise I am okay. I am very happy to be back on court, excited and motivated to work hard to try and play my best tennis as soon as possible. After a few months outside of competition, it's always very tough to come back after an injury but I am working hard to be ready.
Q: How much is the ATP Tour and its schedule to blame for what happened to you? Do you think the way the calendar is packed with tournaments puts a lot of pressure on players?
A: Well, it's clear that the calendar can't be perfect for everyone but I think that we - the players, the ATP - are working hard to try to develop the best possible calendar for the players and for the tournaments. I think that everyone knows that starting on January 1 and ending on December 5 is too long of a calendar but it's not easy to fix because there are many tournament interests at play and everything is very difficult and you can't scorn any tournament. We must try to find the best possible solution that more or less pleases everyone.
Q: What needs to change?
A: Things need to change. What is bad about the calendar is not just that is starts on January 1 and ends on December 5. I believe the bad thing about the calendar is how it is made and obligates you to play tournaments all year. If you want to achieve the most you can (and) go as high up (in the rankings) as you can, you have to play from the start to the finish because there are important tournaments from the beginning to the end.
Q: After your incredible win at Wimbledon last year, how much did it hurt you not to be able to defend your title this year?
A: It was always really tough. It is always really tough to lose a tournament or miss a tournament for injury, you know. But the truth is, I wasn't ready to play in Wimbledon. So I feel very bad but that's the thing. I didn't feel ready. I will come back next year.
Q: Three months ago you were the defending champion at three Grand Slam events and the world number one. Now you only have the Australian Open title in your possession and are no longer ranked number one, has that changed your outlook going into the US Open?
A: I am not number one right now but I always say the same thing. My motivation and aspiration is the same, being number one or being number five. So that's the truth. And my goal is the same - it's to always be happy playing, it's to enjoy the game and improve always. That's what I work on - improving my tennis. And to be happy playing because if I'm not happy playing, it's very difficult to play well. I need to have the right attitude. I am going to play the next tournaments with the same aspiration and motivation as last year. Doesn't matter.
Q: At the US Open you have the chance of becoming only the seventh man ever to win all four Grand Slams. Do you think about that at all? Does that weigh on your mind, the possibility and what that would mean for you?
A: Not right now, no. Right now I am only thinking of my knees and am trying to find my best performance as soon as possible.
Q: You are obviously thinking of short term goals right now, but getting back to the number one spot, is that a long term goal for you?
A: No, not right now. I was very happy to be number one for almost a year. But, no my goal is to be competitive, to try and win important tournaments. That's my goal and if it's like this then I am going to have my chances to be number one another time but my important goal is to try to perform well to win important tournaments, not to be number one.
Q: Was this break good in any way for you? Did you enjoy taking time off from the game?
A: It was tough because with this injury I couldn't move a lot. So the doctors told me to relax and I am a very productive person. I like to always be active and playing a sport, and well, I did important things like travel around Majorca in a boat. It was unbelievable. Very nice. But mostly, I didn't do much because I had to be on the sofa more than ever. I was going through more than five hours of treatment everyday.
Q: So it feels good to be back in action again?
A: Sure. It's always a pleasure being in tournaments. Very happy to come back to the tour and I expect to be able to play my best tennis in the next weeks.
Q: Although Roger Federer won the French Open and Wimbledon titles this year, some people said his victories might be devalued because he did not beat you at the two tournaments. What is your opinion on this?
A: The important thing is to win the tournament. It doesn't matter who you win against in the final. For me a win against Roger is always very, very special but I would love to win any Grand Slam against someone in the final. It doesn't matter who the rival is.
Reuters
http://www.eurosport.pl/tenis/us-open/2 … tory.shtml
Nadal: Zwycięstwa z Federerem są bardzo ważne
Zamiast bronić tytułu na kortach Wimbledonu, Rafael Nadal zmuszony był leczyć kontuzję. Stał się przy okazji ekspertem w tym, jak przezwyciężyć jej skutki. Zwycięzca sześciu wielkoszlemowych turniejów wrócił na kort w tym miesiącu w Montrealu, gdzie znalazł chwilę na wywiad duży dla agencji Reuters.
US Open to jedyny turniej wielkoszlemowy, którego jeszcze nie wygrałeś. Jak się czujesz, biorąc pod uwagę fakt, że z powodu kontuzji nie grałeś przez ponad 2 miesiące?
- Myślę, że w najbliższych latach będę miał jeszcze kilka okazji, by wygrać. Teraz najważniejsza rzecz to całkiem wyleczyć kontuzję, gdyż wtedy można więcej trenować i łatwiej jest wrócić szybko do najwyższej formy. Trudno mi powiedzieć, czy na US Open będę gotowy na 100 procent. To przecież normalne. Po długiej przerwie spowodowanej poważną kontuzją, ciężko jest się dobrze przygotować. Ale będę się starał.
Jak się czujesz, wracając na kort po długiej przerwie spowodowanej kontuzją kolan?
- Moje kolana czują się już znacznie lepiej. Jednak nigdy nic nie wiadomo, muszę zagrać najlepiej jak umiem, by zobaczyć, jak to się na nich odbije.
Czy przyjmujesz jakieś leki, by uniknąć podobnej kontuzji w przyszłości?
- Lekarz przebadał moje kola i przepisał mi wiele lekarstw. Nie wiem dokładnie, co mogę teraz zrobić, ale ta kontuzja wiele mnie nauczyła.
Jak bardzo może odbić się to na twojej karierze?
- Wcale. Nie byłem w dobrej formie w czasie dwóch ważnych imprez tego sezonu – na French Open i Wimbledonie. Ale teraz czuję się już dobrze. Cieszę się z powrotu na kort, mam motywację do ciężkiej pracy i postaram się zagrać mój najlepszy tenis najszybciej, jak się da. Ciężko jest wrócić po kilku miesiącach nieobecności, ale pracuję nad tym.
Jak bardzo zawinił terminarz ATP? Czy uważasz, że rozplanowanie turniejów stawia zawodników pod presją?
- To jasne, że kalendarz nie będzie idealny dla każdego, ale wszyscy ciężko pracują by ułożyć taki terminarz, który byłby jak najlepszy dla zawodników i dla samych turniejów. Myślę, że wszyscy zdają sobie sprawę z tego, że kalendarz rozpoczynający się 1 stycznia i kończący się 5 grudnia, jest za długi, ale przecież wielu organizatorów chce mieć u siebie turniej ATP i trzeba to jakoś pogodzić. Konieczne jest rozwiązanie, które usatysfakcjonuje obie strony.
Co trzeba zmienić?
- Zmiany są konieczne. To, że kalendarz rozpoczyna się 1 stycznia i kończy 5 grudnia, nie jest jego jedyną wadą. Moim zdaniem, terminarz jest źle ułożony i niepotrzebnie obliguje zawodnika do gry przez cały rok. Jeśli chcesz osiągnąć najwięcej, na ile cię stać, i wspiąć się w rankingu najwyżej, jak możesz, musisz grać od początku do końca, ponieważ ważne turnieje są przez cały rok.
Czy bardzo żałujesz, że nie mogłeś w tym roku bronić tytułu, który zdobyłeś po tak pasjonującej walce?
- Zawsze ciężko jest opuszczać turniej z powodu kontuzji. Prawda jest taka, że nie byłem gotowy do gry na Wimbledonie. Tak więc było mi żal, ale nie czułem się odpowiednio przygotowany. Wrócę za rok.
Trzy miesiące temu byłeś obrońcą trzech tytułów wielkoszlemowych i zajmowałeś pierwsze miejsce w światowym rankingu. Teraz masz tylko tytuł Australian Open i już nie jesteś numerem jeden. Czy to zmieniło nastawienie, z jakim pojedziesz na US Open?
- Nie jestem numerem jeden, ale zawsze powiem to samo: Moje motywacja i ambicje pozostaną zawsze takie same, niezależnie czy będę numerem jeden, czy numerem pięć. Taka jest prawda. Mam jeden cel – cieszyć się grą i robić postępy. Nad tym pracuję – nad polepszeniem mojej gry. Kiedy nie sprawia mi ona przyjemności, trudno jest grać dobrze. Muszę być pozytywnie nastawiony. Będę grał w następnym turnieju tak samo zmotywowany jak rok temu. Nie ma różnicy.
Na US Open, jako siódmy tenisista w historii, staniesz przed szansą zdobycia wszystkich czterech Wielkich Szlemów. Czy w ogóle o tym myślisz? Czy zastanawiasz się nad taką możliwością i co ona by dla ciebie oznaczała?
- Nie. Teraz myślę tylko o moich kolanach i o jak najszybszym powrocie do optymalnej formy.
Oczywiście, to są twoje najbliższe cele, ale czy powrót na pierwsze miejsce w rankingu jest twoim celem długoterminowym?
- Jeszcze nie teraz. Miałem szczęście być numerem jeden prawie przez rok. Obecnie moim celem jest grać i wygrywać ważne turnieje. Kiedy to mi się uda, będę miał szansę znów zostać liderem rankingu. Teraz jednak chcę zaliczać dobre występy, wygrywać większe turnieje, a nie być numerem jeden.
Czy ta przerwa ci się przydała? Czy korzystałeś z niej?
- Moja kontuzja uniemożliwiała poruszanie się. Lekarze kazali mi odpocząć i teraz jestem w pełni sił. Lubię aktywnie spędzać czas i uprawiać sporty. Robiłem przez ten czas fajne rzeczy: opłynąłem łódką Majorkę. Było niesamowicie. Bardzo miło. Ale tak naprawdę nie byłem w stanie zrobić wiele więcej, gdyż musiałem leżeć częściej, niż zwykle. Codziennie przechodziłem przez ponad pięć godzin rehabilitacji.
Czyli cieszysz się, że wracasz do akcji?
- Oczywiście. To przyjemność grać w turniejach. Cieszę się z powrotu i w następnym tygodniu chcę grać jak najlepiej.
Chociaż Roger Federer wygrał w tym French Open i Wimbledon, niektórzy powiedzieli, że te zwycięstwa znaczą mniej, ponieważ nie pokonał ciebie w tych imprezach. Co o tym sądzisz?
- Najważniejsze to wygrać turniej. Nie ma różnicy, kogo pokonujesz w finale. Dla mnie każda wygrana nad Rogerem jest bardzo ważna, ale cieszyłbym się każdym finałem Wielkiego Szlema. Nieważne, kto jest rywalem.
US Open - Expert optimistic over Nadal fitness
Rafael Nadal's recovery from tendinitis in both knees appears to be progressing so well that he could be back at peak fitness for the US Open, according to a sports injury specialist at the University of California.
The Spanish world number three said in June he had been playing with pain in his knees for nine months and was out for 10 weeks before making his return at this month's Montreal Masters.
He fell in the last eight to Juan Martin del Potro but went one round better at the Cincinnati Masters, losing in the semi-finals to Novak Djokovic.
The pain had gone and he said the result was even better than he hoped for going into the final Grand Slam of 2009 starting on August 31, the only one to elude him.
"Nadal is a younger player so he certainly has a bigger capacity to heal," said Anthony Luke, an associate professor and director in Primary Care Sports Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.
"He's definitely competitive which is a great sign," he added. "I do think he has a chance to be at his peak at the US Open and his rhythm and performance should continue to improve as long as the knee doesn't give any setbacks."
Luke said Nadal's specific knee problems were particularly common among tennis players because of the amount of stopping and starting and also afflicted basketball players and other jumping athletes.
Nadal's physical style of play, which relies on power and athleticism in contrast to his more graceful rival Roger Federer, puts him more at risk, Luke added.
"Rafael Nadal is pure power and plays the game at 100 per cent intensity so each match he is putting so much more pressure on his tendons," Luke said.
"In his favour are his athleticism and his conditioning, which are outstanding. If anyone can come back from something like this it's a guy like Nadal.
"He's obviously very motivated and disciplined with his training and this will help in the healing process."
In very serious cases, surgery would be attempted to strip away scar tissue on the tendon, but Nadal's reasonably rapid recovery without the need to go under the knife suggested his problems were not especially serious, Luke said.
"You wouldn't want to resort to surgery early on because you would be traumatising the tendon," he said.
"If he can recover without it's much better and indicates his injury is less serious."
The best-of-five sets matches at the US Open will present an additional challenge to Nadal's recovery and he remained cautious after the Cincinnati event.
"We will see how I am physically to play the five set matches," he said.
"I know when I am playing well I can play at this level. But you only can win against these top players when you are playing your best tennis."
Reuters
I'm coming to U.S. Open to win, declares Nadal
Two months on the sidelines nursing tendinitis in both knees will not derail Rafa Nadal's bid for the only grand slam to elude him, the Spanish world number three said as the U.S. Open kicks off in New York.
"I am not scared," the 23-year-old Mallorcan told Spain's El Pais daily. "I was out for two months and then (this month) I got to the quarter-finals at the Montreal Masters and the semis at the Cincinnati Masters.
"I know that here (at the U.S. Open) a quarter-final or a semi would be a very good result but I am coming to win," added the six-times grand slam winner.
"When I retire nobody will remember if I get to quarters or semis."
Australian Open champion Nadal said his first-round match against Frenchman Richard Gasquet, who is making his return after a ban for inadvertently taking cocaine, could be very difficult.
"He has the potential of one of the very best and if he has a good day it will be a very tough match," he said.
"Although I know that if I play well I have a chance to beat Gasquet and a great deal more."
(Reporting by Iain Rogers, editing by N.Ananthanarayanan)
The wait is over. Rafael Nadal makes his eagerly-anticipated return to grand-slam tennis at the US Open starting on Monday.
The former world No 1 missed two months of the season to recover from tendinitis in both knees and in that time Roger Federer won Wimbledon and Andy Murray became the world No 2, with the Briton establishing himself as the leading challenger to Federer for the US Open title.
Rafa made his tour comeback at the Montreal Masters event earlier this month and looked more like his old self despite losing to Juan Del Potro in the quarter-finals. The six-times grand-slam winner went a stage further at the Cincinnati Masters (right), but was convincingly beaten by Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals.
Can Rafa go one better at Flushing Meadows? Find out as he keeps you up to date with daily notes on how he's feeling, what he's doing and who he's been seeing.
Nadal ma kontuzję, ale nie chce o tym mówić
23 tysiące kibiców na korcie Arthura Ashe'a zamarły, gdy w trakcie meczu 3. rundy Rafael Nadal poprosił o pomoc medyczną. Położył się obok kortu, nakrył głowę ręcznikiem i oddał w ręce masażysty. Coś nie w porządku było z mięśniami brzucha Hiszpana. Nie wiadomo co, bo Nadal nic nie chce mówić.
- Domyślam się, że wszyscy chcieliby rozmawiać o tej kontuzji - powiedział na początek konferencji prasowej. - Ale mi to się nie uśmiecha. Nie chcę o tym mówić - wyjaśnił. Nadal za wszelką cenę chciał się skupić na meczu. Mimo kontuzji stosounkowo łatwo poradził sobie z rodakiem Nicolasem Almagro 7:5, 6:4, 6:4.
Dziennikarzy bardziej niż zwycięstwo interesowały problemy zdrowotne tenisisty z Majorki. Naciskany, by powiedział coś więcej, Nadal jeszcze raz grzecznie przeprosił. - Nie chcę rozmawiać o kontuzjach. Przepraszam. Trochę jestem zmęczony rozmawianiem o tym - odparł.
Nadal ma dość, bo dopiero co wrócił na korty po kontuzji kolan. Z uwagi na ich przeciążenie wycofał się nawet z Wimbledonu, gdzie miał bronić tytułu wywalczonego przed rokiem. - Jestem na Flushing Meadows, by pokazać się z jak najlepszej strony. Wygrałem w trzech setach, więc jestem szczęśliwy. To samo będę chciał powtórzyć w przyszłej rundzie. To wszystko - stwierdził.
I zapewnił, że ani myśli o wycofywaniu się z US Open. - Chcę grać dalej. Nikt by nie chciał tracić kolejnego wielkiego szlema - zauważył.
eurosport.pl
http://www.reuters.com/article/sportsNe … 2520090908
Rafael Nadal zagra w 1/2 PD.
Rafa przed meczem z Gaelem:
FOURTH ROUND: RAFA NADAL VS GAEL MONFILS
New York, September 8th 2009
Rafa Nadal will square off against Frenchman ‘entertainer’ Gael Monfils in the fourth round of the US Open this Tuesday evening in front of a sold-out Arthur Ashe Stadium. The players will battle for a place in the quarterfinals in what will be their sixth career-meeting.
“He’s always a tough opponent, no? A very, very fast player with a good serve. Very athletic. So it’s going to be a very difficult match,” Rafa said about his opponent after beating Nicolas Almagro in the third round, "Anyway, I'm here to work hard and try my best all the time," he concluded.
Head to head the two players, who are roughly the same age, have played 5 matches with Rafa taking down 4. The single victory that Monfils has against Rafa however is fairly recent as it took place in Doha (a hardcourt event) this year in the quarters of that tournament.
The athletic Gael Monfils will be a big challenge for Rafa, especially when it comes to winning over the crowd’s support. The e 23-year-old from France (seeded 13th at the Open), constantly interacts with the public during matches, screams more than your average tennis player, and gyrates on every challenge replay, depending if the outcome is in his favour or not. Rafa, of course, it’s used to this, so he will know how to handle the pressure.
Expect this match to be very, very entertaining!
Vamos Rafa!
Rozstawiony z numerem trzecim Hiszpan Rafael Nadal pokonał Francuza Gaela Monfilsa (nr 13) 6:7 (3-7), 6:3, 6:1, 6:3 w czwartej rundzie tenisowego turnieju wielkoszlemowego US Open w Nowym Jorku (z pulą nagród 21,6 mln dol.).
Po spotkaniu doszło do niecodziennego zdarzenia. Na kort wbiegł mężczyzna, który... pocałował w policzek siedzącego na krześle i zmieniającego koszulkę Nadala. Kibic został aresztowany przez policję.
"Generalnie, to zdarzenie nie stanowi dla mnie problemu, człowiek zresztą był bardzo miły, powiedział, że mnie kocha i pocałował" - przyznał Nadal, który całą historię obrócił w żart.
W ćwierćfinale Nadal zagra z Chilijczykiem Fernando Gonzalezem (nr 11), który wygrał z innym francuskim zawodnikiem Jo-Wilfriedem Tsongą (nr 7) 3:6, 6:3, 7:6 (7-3), 6:4.
:lol:
Tutaj całe zajście:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmZ7JkCl … re=popular
Rafie chyba się spodobało :D :P
BACK TO NO.2 AND THROUGH TO US OPEN QUARTERFINALS
New York, September 8th 2009
Rafa Nadal held off a strong challenge from France's Gael Monfils on Tuesday evening to win 6-7 6-3 6-1 6-3 and book a place in the quarterfinal round of the US Open where Chilean Fernando Gonzalez will be waiting for him.
Not only did Rafa manage a tremendous win at the last Grand Slam of the season, but also -to the happiness of millions of his followers-, he will overtake Andy Murray in next week's ATP rankings as world No.2.
"I'm improving every day after two months of stopping," Rafa said. "It's not easy coming back but I'm very happy with quarter-finals in Montreal and semi-finals in Cincinnati and quarter-finals here is much better than I expected."
During the match, Monfils certainly brought the best out of Rafa with his athleticism and willingness to fight for every point.
He played some extraordinary tennis to take the opening set but soon realized Rafa was going nowhere. In fact, there was no signs of ‘The Matador’ ever giving in. The pair exchanged breaks continuously and played punishing rallies that left Gael exhausted while Rafa - still full of energy-, hit the kind of form that has taken him to six Grand Slam titles.
"He's unbelievable. Sometimes you think you've won the point and the ball is coming back another time and another time and another time", Rafa said about his opponent, "He's a very good player and I had to play really well."
Looking back, it was a very successful night for Rafa and an even greater evening for an excitable spectator who managed to give the champ a peck on the cheek after breaching courtside security when Rafael was getting changed.
"For me it wasn't the problem. The guy was really nice," a jovial Rafa told reporters before explaining what this victory meant to him. "For sure it's an important match for the confidence. I'm in the quarter-finals, so that's very good news and very good result for me."
Vamos Rafa!
Rafa replies: My Olympic gold medal is very precious to me
Do you wear sunscreen? Sia
RN: Not normally
When you play on grass, you stand much closer to return serve, and you don't try to run around to hit a forehand on serve returns. Why don't you apply these same tactics on the fast US Open court? Kal Hadi
RN: The bounce is different so you have to be ready in a different way.
I told my Mallorcan boyfriend that you are always very polite and respectful and that you have never broken a tennis racquet. He laughed and said there is no way that you have never ever smashed a tennis racquet. Have you ever broken one? Niamh, Ireland
RN: I have never smashed it or broken it on purpose.
Do you also take the vitamin supplement you take before every match when you practice? Cheenie, Philippines
RN: No, never
I am curious as to where you have placed your Olympic gold medal. Is is displayed nicely or being protected by a sock or something? Rebecca, Los Angeles
RN: At home. It is very precious to me. Special place for sure
Do you think you can be a good tennis teacher or coach? Is that something that you imagine for the future, either with kids or adults? Mathilde, France
RN: I am not sure about that. I don't see myself in the future as a coach but you never know...
Picking up the right ball to serve: do you choose it always on the same basis, or does it depend upon the sort of serve you are trying each time? Julio, Madrid
RN: It depends what you are looking for such as fast serve or slower.
Were you a good student when you studied in school? Have you been criticised by your teacher? What was your reaction to it? Lulu
RN: Not a very good one I have to say. But I wasn't bad either.
Do you think there's any resemblance between Uncle Toni and the tennis player Jesse Witten? Kilana
RN: I really don't think so although some people told me.
I saw maria sharapova hit a forehand with her right hand and then pass her racquet to her left hand and stretched to hit a forehand with her left hand on the opposite side of the court. is that something you have considered trying, or is it too unnatural now to try to use your right hand for a forehand, even when the ball is out of reach for your backhand shot? Lisa, Ohio
RN: No, I don't think about this. I am cool with my forehand and my double handed backhand
That fan was funny - although I didn't like his kiss!
Hello everyone,
Hope you all are good. I am great and feeling very good. Yesterday it was very late when I posted my blog. I think that it is the first time ever I have done it after coming back from the tournament so late. I ended up going to sleep after 4 am. It is quite late even for a Spaniard... Specially if you are a tennis player and have to play.
Many people asked me today about yesterday's match. I said to everyone who asked me that I found I played better, starting to feel good. But when I was elaborating on my game I was immediately cut and asked not about the match but about the incident of the guy jumping on court and kissing me and everything you've seen on TV.
To be honest, I didn't see the guy coming. I'd just taken my shirt off to change it when I saw a guy coming to me, kissing me and saying that he loved me... Then I saw the security jumping to him. I didn't think it was important, not serious, and tried to stop the security at some point to leave the guy. You can actually read my lips saying "it's OK". Not that I know a lot of English to explain to them that it was OK, that he was cool and that for me it was OK. Not that I liked the kiss... :-)
So I didn't really give too much importance to it. I just thought, as I say it was funny.
I understand that the tournament's security got nervous, but I was cool with it. As a matter of fact, when I was in the locker room, one of the main guys of the tournament, David Brewer, came to the locker and asked me if I was OK and if the guy had hurt me. I told him I was fine and to please not to do anything to the guy. Jokingly I said "One fan I have tonight - please leave him". I was told that the guy was going to be prosecuted (I think it is the correct way to say it). Hope he is OK.
I understand it is a delicate issue but I have to say that this tournament really takes good care of me. They are really, really nice with me and have lots of attentions with me and my team. From my side no complaints whatsoever, on the contrary I have to thank them for everything they do. Maybe the only complaint is the scheduling... We'll talk another day about that...
Hope this whole thing is taken positively and no one suffers for something like this.
So thanks US Open staff for everything.
Goodnight and, er, good morning
Hi everyone,
It is really late tonight but decided to write a few sentences since I am still with no sleep, meaning I can't fall asleep, because of the match. It is 3.30 am here in NY and we got back at 1.45am from the site. This is what I say about the last night match at the Open. Always so late. The problem is to go to sleep.
I had dinner with my team in the room and got the treatment and massage I always take at night before going to sleep. I am not saying it is a big disadvantage but it definitely doesn't help. Maybe I will be able to sleep at 4 and I will go to the tournament site at 11.30 or 12 since I am practicing at 1 or 1.15 pm.
Tomorrow I promise I'll write a longer one.
Good night and good morning everybody.
Rafa
Rafa replies: I wasn't a big fan of Michael Jackson
Tennis commentators always have suggestions about what type of strategy players should use. Do they ever tell you in person? Cindi
RN: hahahaha, no they don't.
Do you get any time on tour to read and if so what is your favourite book? Aneeqa
RN: Yes, I get some time to read. I don't have any favorite book to be honest. I have liked many though.
Were you ever a fan of Michael Jackson's music and if so, what is your favorite MJ song? Dia, New York
RN: Not a big fan. Liked some songs but not a big fan.
If there was one thing you could change in the world today, what would it be? Z Young
RN: Wars. For sure that would be the #1 thing
What things would you like to have if you were left alone in an island without anybody? Heba Abdel-Aziz
RN: A boat to come back. I culd also use it for fishing :-)
It makes sense that you support Mallorca as it is your hometown and your uncle played for them twice during his career. As for Real Madrid, I don't understand why you support the rivals of Barcelona - the team your uncle played for. What made you become a fan of Real Madrid? Sean, New Jersey USA
RN: I was a fan of Real Madrid since I was a little kid, before my uncle played for them. The years he played there I was supporting them.
Among the four grand-slam centre courts, which do you find the most intimidating? Brahma
RN: Depends on the round I suppose...
I would love to know more about the tennis school that your foundation is opening in India. Where exactly will it be? Shama
RN: IT is not my foundation. My foundation is helping the Vicens Ferrer foundation with the work they've doing there for years.
I'd like to know who the is the most famous person you have met? Iulia
RN: The King of Spain
In your post-match interviews you often refer to the specifics of individual points in a match; you recall the exact score and the details of the shots you played, which I find truly remarkable. Do you have an excellent memory for other things too, or is it just in tennis? Sammy
RN: I have a pretty good memory I have to say. Not only in tennis.
If you could win only one more tournament, which one would it be? Katy
RN: This week for sure the US Open
Po przeczytaniu takiej ilosci artykulow chyba zostane kolejnym fanem Rafy :] I jeszcze...
Rafa replies: Will I star in a film with Will Smith ...
You're always very diplomatic in public. Are you like that at home? Emma
RN: Am I diplomatic? I am the same at home.
There was a funny rumour that you were going to be in a Steven Spielberg film alongside Will Smith, is that true? Cedrine
RN: Completely false.
In previous US Opens when you stepped in the court you could hear "Matador" by the Cadillacs. Now I hear Bon Jovi and La Oreja de Van Gogh. Did you pick those tunes? Maria, Argentina
RN: More or less. Long story and it is very late tonight. I did ask to NOT put matador, and my PR guy knows I like Bon Jovi and La Oreja...
Do you sometimes miss being able to walk down the street freely and not get tons of attention and screaming fans running after you? Brian
RN: I walk freely, no worries.
I see you as the perfect man, but is there something about yourself you would like to be different? Mary, Australia
RN: Some... But won't tell you.
When Andy Roddick lost a really tough match against Isner, did you seek him out or text him? I'm just curious how you and other players handle defeat in a grand-slam tournament. Holly
RN: No, I didn't text him and did not see him since I was at my hotel. I get along well with Andy but we are not that close. Maybe because of my bad English.
What's the most lavish thing you have bought since becoming a pro? Zeeshan Yousuf
RN: I don't know what lavish means...
Have you decided yet if you are playing in the Davis Cup? Val, U.K.
RN: Yes I will
I saw your outfits always have electric colours. Who comes up with the colours ideas? Angela
RN: Nike and I chose them with them. I like colours.
What language do you use when you are with Andy Murray? I have heard he learned Spanish when training in Barcelona. Amel
RN: English although I know he understands Spanish. He can also speak a little bit.
Would you ever like to have your own tournament like the Djokovic family have in Belgrade? Kim
RN: I don't think so but you never know.
http://www.sport.pl/tenis/1,96961,70207 … iecie.html
US Open: Kibic Nadala będzie miał proces za wtargnięcie
Noam U. Aorta wybiegł z trybun na Arthur Ashe Stadium krótko po północy zaraz po tym, jak Nadal awansował do ćwierćfinału, pokonując Gaela Monfilsa. Aorta wbiegł na kort, uściskał i pocałował Hiszpana, gdy ten zmieniał koszulkę poza boiskiem. Potem kibicem zajęli się porządkowi.
- Dla mnie to nie problem. Facet był naprawdę miły - relacjonował tenisista. - Powiedział "kocham cię" i mnie pocałował.
Prokurator Richard Brown nazwał to jednak "szczególnie kłopotliwym" zdarzeniem, bo doszło do kontaktu fizycznego Aorty z Nadalem. Brown przypomniał, jak w 1993 r. kibic w Hamburgu dźgnął w plecy Monikę Seles.
23-letni mieszkaniec dzielnicy Queens zostanie oskarżony o przestępstwo wtargnięcia trzeciego stopnia i przeszkodzenie w wydarzeniu sportowym. Grozi mu rok więzienia i 5 tys. dol. grzywny.
Nadal looks to go around Grand Slam block
Just six weeks back on tour after contending with tendinitis in his knees, Rafael Nadal is attempting to achieve a historic feat – going around the block at all the Grand Slams.
It took arguably the greatest player ever, No. 1 Roger Federer, almost six years to win majors at the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open, and if Nadal raises the crown for the first time in New York on Sunday, it will have only taken him four and half years to achieve the feat.
Yet Nadal, who won the French Open crown four times from 2004-2008, grabbed the 2008 Wimbledon title and earlier this year won his first hardcourt major at the 2009 Australian Open, isn’t looking that far ahead -- not when he’s contending with an abdominal muscle injury.
The nails-tough lefty Spaniard looked terrific is wearing down Gael Monfils 6-7, 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 in the fourth round and now confronts a familiar foe, Fernando Gonzalez, whom he is 6-3 against and had beaten four straight times, but whom he has lost to twice on hardcourts.
But don’t tell the Spaniard that he should cruise to the final, because young Croatian Marin Cilic upset second seed Andy Murray.
“My draw is the same,” Nadal said. “I play quarterfinals against very tough opponent like Gonzalez, and I'm not thinking more than this. He played an unbelievable all match against Tsonga. Very good tennis, unbelievable forehands, so I know him very well. He knows me very well. I have to play aggressive. If he gets the control of the point with his forehand, it's almost impossible beat him. So I have to play inside, play aggressive, and makes him feel not comfortable in every shot.”
With that said, Nadal will be favored against the veteran Chilean, and even though his potential semifinal foes, Cilic and the ultra powerful No. 6, Juan Martin del Potro, might be ready to break through to a Slam final, Nadal has to be given the edge there too, as in the last four years, no player outside of Federer has proven to be as mentally tough as the never-say-die, and rarely-say-cramp Spaniard.
“He's only one for me who is very tough physically. He can put me maybe out of the line,” said the super athletic Monfils. “Roger is pretty quick, he's not like long rally like Rafa, because will never give up like easy, and Roger sometimes is not running.”
Outside of his injury, which the sportsmanlike Nadal doesn’t want to talk about because he feels that if he loses it will be seen as a cheap excuse, the Spaniard’s main concern coming into the event was his lack of match play.
In 2008 alone, when he put together his incredible summer run, which not only included the French Open and Wimbledon titles, but the Toronto crown and the Olympic gold medal, he was playing week in and week out and was used to knowing when and where to pull the trigger.
But last year, when arrived in New York he had played 34 matches from Roland Garros on (winning 33 of them) and by the time he reached the semifinals against Murray , he was worn out. That may be one of the reasons why US Open is only Slam crown that eludes him.
"No excuses about being very tired," Nadal said. "Only last year a little bit because I arrived totally destroyed in semifinals. But for the rest of the years, I didn't play well because I didn't play well. But every year I play a little bit better. I did semifinal last year. I didn't win, but semifinals always is a positive result, and I'm here to try to improve."
Coming into the tournament, the 23-year-old Nadal was pleased that he was fresh for the first time and he contended that if he could elbow his way through the first week, that his rhythm and confidence during the big moments would return. He showed that against Monfils and now he just might be ready to display the same near perfect form that brought him to spectacular five set wins over Fernando Verdasco and Federer in Australia.
In order for Nadal to win the tournament, he’s going to have to take much the same approach that led to him to the title Down Under. That includes serving big and very accurately so his second serve isn’t vulnerable to attacking players, dictating with his heavy left-handed forehand, not shying away from launching his slapping two-handed backhand deep, taking some risks with his returns and closing at the net on short balls.
Without question, it’s Nadal’s tireless legs and steely defense that will win him the majority of his points, but it’s his willingness to go on offense in critical moments that may tell the tale as to whether he can match Federer’s feat at all four majors.
“The rest of the tournament I know gonna be very difficult,” he said. “I have to enjoy it. I must to play very aggressive and the best tactically if I gonna have chances to continuing win any match.”
usopen.org
http://timesonline.typepad.com/rafael_n … y-off.html
Rafa replies: musical of my life is a long way off
What would you think about a musical based on your life and would you take part in it?
Mar
RN: Didn't come to my mind. Not sure it would be an interesting topic.
You were saying that late night matches meant your sleep patterns were disrupted. How much sleep do you prefer to have when you are in competition?
Angela, UK
RN: 8-9 hours
Did you attend many classical concerts growing up (since your grandfather was an orchestra conductor)?
Robin
RN: Not that much. I did go to see Placido Domingo the day before I went to Montreal and I really liked it.
Can you enjoy the crowd cheering for you, or are you too focused on the match? Also, which tournament has the craziest fans?
Leslie, US
RN: I sure do. It is very important to have the crowds supporting. To the second question probably NYC but in a good positive way!
How much do your personal feelings against your opponents affect your game?
Eva, Minneapolis
RN: IT is hard to play either a friend or someone you like less...
Thank you for stopping to sign autographs on Monday. What would you like your fans to do to pump you up and help you win this tournament?
Alma, NY
RN: It's going to have to be next year.
Having already won six grand slams, do you think you may one day be able to reach the record set by Roger Federer (whichever number that ends up being)?
Paul
RN: I am only thinking on my next tournament to be honest.
Could you explain a bit what the player council discusses? Is it only about the players (schedules) or also about fans, tickets etc?
Chloe
RN: Those are internal discussions and I prefer not to talk about it for obvious reasons of loyalty to the people meeting there.
Have you ever hit yourself in the head with your forehand follow-through? It looks like you barely miss smacking yourself every time!
Lauren, Canada
RN: You are right... but I never did.
Jest :D Temat Rafy znowu działa :D
Loss to Del Potro will help me improve my game
Hello and goodbye to all,
It has been great being able to be with you all these past two weeks. In the end I left NY on the final Sunday but unfortunately it was not after playing the final. The semi-final match was not the best I've played and that loss will help me think about some things and hopefully keep improving. I wasn't really there yesterday. The other guy simply played much better than me and I feel I am not playing at that level needed to win a major.
Lots of people asked me about my injury and also if that affected my game. The truth is that I didn't play well and there is no excuse whatsoever for the defeat. He played better and deserved to win. Now I am flying back home and also would like to get my abdominal muscle checked. It doesn't look too good since I am in pain when serving but hopefully it is nothing serious.
I didn't want to talk about the injury during the US Open. There were several reasons for that: 1) I didn't want to give any extra information to my rivals. In the end I am playing, I knew I was going to go out and compete and there was no reason why to say I'm injured. 2) for respect to my opponent. I wouldn't feel too good if someone who says publicly that he is injured beats me and 3) I didn't really want to stop and wanted to play no matter what. I didn't want it to be checked after I did the last one a week before the tournament started.
Now I am back and will do everything to get it checked.
Once again many thanks for this opportunity of writing the blog and I hope to be back with you all soon.
Rafa
http://www.eurosport.yahoo.com/21092009 … -open.html
Nadal nie zagra w Tajlandii.
Nadal withdraws from Thailand Open
Spanish world number two Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from next week's Thailand Open as he continues to struggle with a stomach injury.
The Thailand Open will be held from September 26 until October 4 in the suburbs of Bangkok with a top prize of $608,500 (£376,000).
"Nadal has informed organisers that he has an acute rupture of the right abdominal muscle and would like to withdraw from the Thailand Open," Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand president Suwat Lipatapanlop said.
It is the second time that Nadal has withdrawn from the tournament after pulling out in 2007 with a knee injury.
Suwat said he was disappointed but the tournament would still feature reigning champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France, French world number ten Gilles Simon and two-time Grand Slam winner Marat Safin of Russia.
Nawet na onecie o tym napisali :D
Jules napisał:
Nawet na onecie o tym napisali :D
Aż się pofatygowałem tam sprawdzić :D
Kłopoty zdrowotne Rafaela Nadala
Drugi tenisista rankingu światowego Rafael Nadal wycofał się z udziału w przyszłotygodniowym turnieju ATP w Bangkoku. Powodem absencji Hiszpana w tajlandzkich zawodach jest kontuzja mięśni brzucha - poinformowali organizatorzy.
Zgodnie z zaleceniami lekarzy 23-letni Nadal zostaje w Hiszpanii, co oznacza, że nie dojdzie do skutku także jego urlop na wyspie Krabi (Tajlandia). Będzie pauzował dwa-trzy tygodnie.
Z powodu urazu Nadal, mistrz olimpijski z Pekinu, nie zagrał w półfinale Pucharu Davisa przeciwko Izraelowi (4:1).
Coś tam na US Open widać było że ma z brzuchem kłopoty. Ale tak zastanawiam się czy to oby na pewno o to chodzi... Grał wszakże intensywnie przez cały miesiąc więc bardziej był na jego miejscu wolał odpocząć- poza tym tak intensywna gra może sprawić odnowienie się urazu jaki go przez ały czerwiec i lipiec dręszył, czyli kolano. Wg mnie to jest główny powód dla którego nie gra. No chyba że rzeczywiście to co piszą na interii jest na tyle poważne, ale coś mi się nie chce w to wierzyć.. :P
oj bo Nadal jest już takiej klasy zawodnikiem, że powinien brać przykład z Federera czyli luźniejszy kalendarz. 4 Szlemy, wszystkie Masters, i kilka tych klasy 500. Nadal za bardzo się męczy, bo im więcej turniejów tym łatwiej o kontuzję. Lubię Nadala choćby dlatego, że mecze Nadal- Federer to po prostu kino domowe :D
Z mięśniami brzucha rafy już wszystko OK. Rafael wróci do gry w przyszłym tygodniu w Pekinie, później wystąpi w mastersie w Szanghaju.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/art … gD9B1OOUG1
Nadal gets medical clearance to resume playing
BARCELONA, Spain — Rafael Nadal has recovered from an abdominal injury and made himself available for Spain's Davis Cup final against the Czech Republic in December.
Nadal said in an e-mail that medical tests he had in Barcelona on Wednesday showed his stomach muscle had healed. He hasn't played since losing in the U.S. Open semifinals to eventual champion Juan Martin del Potro.
Nadal plans to resume playing at next week's China Open, before traveling to the Shanghai Masters, the Paris Masters and the ATP World Tour finals in London.
Defending champion Spain hosts the Czechs from Dec. 4-6.
Nadal also voiced his support for Madrid's 2016 Summer Olympics bid, which is being voted on Friday with Rio de Janeiro, Chicago and Tokyo the other contenders.
Bardzo cenię Nadala za ekspresję i niesamowite topspiny z końca kortu, jednak wg mnie Rafa gra za dużo i jego organizm nie wytrzymuję przeciążeń powinien zmienić kalendarz występów, a przykład powinien wziąć z Federera
Shanghai, October 14, 2009
"I'm not sure if I'm playing my best at the moment," said Rafa after the match. "I think I could do with quite a few matches in a row to get back my confidence and get back to my top level".
"It's always hard to play against James because he always goes for his shots. I served well and I started well but he came back into it at the end and I had to fight for the win in the final set."
He will now meet fellow Spaniard Tommy Robredo, the 14th seed, who saved three match points in the second set tie-break to defeat qualifier Florian Mayer of Germany 4-6 7-6 (10-8) 6-4.
rafaelnadal.com
:D
Niezłe wyniki Lorda z Top 8 od kontuzji
Del Potro 6-7 1-6, 2-6 2-6 2-6
Djokovic 1-6 4-6
Dawidienko 6-7 3-6
0-4 w meczach, 0-9 w setach.
True number two.
Fed-Expresso napisał:
Niezłe wyniki Lorda z Top 8 od kontuzji
Del Potro 6-7 1-6, 2-6 2-6 2-6
Djokovic 1-6 4-6
Dawidienko 6-7 3-6
0-4 w meczach, 0-9 w setach.
True number two.
Na MTF trwają spekulacje, czy Rafa powinien skończyć sezon. Chyba to zbyt brutalne. Finał Mastersa zrobił. Od czołówki regularnie obrywa, ale koniec sezonu to okres niespodzianek. Nie wiadomo, kto co będzie grał. Zawsze może pojawić się niespodziewana szansa na udany finisz.
Nadal Appears On Cover Of Sports Illustrated China
Spaniard Rafael Nadal appears on the front cover of the Chinese-language edition of Sports Illustrated this month. The former ATP World Tour World No. 1, who captured the singles gold medal at the Beijing Olympics in August 2008, features in a nine-page profile for the magazine.
Nadal, who is competing at the Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 Presented by Rolex this week, expressed his desire to regain No. 1 in the South African Airways 2009 ATP Rankings but is happy to be competing again after overcoming knee tendonitis injuries that forced him to miss two months of the year, including Wimbledon.
“I still have a chance [this year] but I must stay healthy,” said the 23-year-old Mallorcan. “My goal is to work hard, to play good tennis and stay healthy. That is always my goal. I enjoyed it when I was World No. 1, but I also enjoy competing at tournament when I am World No. 2.
“I feel happy to have won six Grand Slam titles and I will try my best to get more, but I know it is very difficult. When I won my first one [at 2005 Roland Garros] I didn't know if I could win a second title. If I do not have a healthy body, I won’t be able to regain the World No. 1 ranking and further Grand Slam titles.”
Nadal, who has already qualified for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in November, has won five titles this year including the Australian Open.
DUN I LOVE napisał:
Fed-Expresso napisał:
Niezłe wyniki Lorda z Top 8 od kontuzji
Del Potro 6-7 1-6, 2-6 2-6 2-6
Djokovic 1-6 4-6
Dawidienko 6-7 3-6
0-4 w meczach, 0-9 w setach.
True number two.Na MTF trwają spekulacje, czy Rafa powinien skończyć sezon. Chyba to zbyt brutalne. Finał Mastersa zrobił. Od czołówki regularnie obrywa, ale koniec sezonu to okres niespodzianek. Nie wiadomo, kto co będzie grał. Zawsze może pojawić się niespodziewana szansa na udany finisz.
No jasne, może od razu niech karierę kończy, 23 lata, najwyższy czas... Nadal żeby wygrywać z najlepszymi musi trenować o wiele ciężej niż reszta czołówki, a od maja ze wzgledu na zdrowie nie jest w stanie i stąd taka gra. On nie może teraz odpuścić, bo tymi punktami ratuje sobie tyłek w przyszłym sezonie. Do obrony będzie od groma punków, począwszy od AO, przez amerykańskie Mastersy(do Rotterdamu chyba już go nie zagna, choć cholera w sumie wie :] ), po wszystko na cegle do Madrytu wlącznie. Jeśli znowu by zagrał z takim samym powodzeniem we wszystkich tych turniejach, to tym razem może się nie skończyć na leczeniu zachowawczym; zapewne tym razem wreszcie coś odpuści, więc nie chcąc lecieć w rankingu musi zawczasu nabić trochę punktów; lepszej okazji niż teraz nie będzie, zwłaszcza że na TMC może wyłącznie zyskać.
DUN I LOVE napisał:
Finał Mastersa zrobił.
No zrobił, tylko weźmy pod uwagę okoliczności.
FedEx a co chodzi z tym nazywanie Rafy Lordem? Co się stało z poczciwym Rybakiem? :(
Fed-Expresso napisał:
DUN I LOVE napisał:
Finał Mastersa zrobił.
No zrobił, tylko weźmy pod uwagę okoliczności.
No ale finał jest finałem. Okoliczności nie mają nic do tego. Każdy by chciał robić wyniki przy pełnej obsadzie i topowej formie wszystkich graczy, ale to jest przecież niemożliwe. Rafa jest dobrej myśli:
Nadal: Titles will come soon
World number two Rafael Nadal is convinced he will start winning titles again soon, despite coming up short in the Shanghai Masters final.
On the comeback trail after knee and abdominal injuries, the 23-year-old Spaniard reached the semi-finals in Beijing last week and lost 7-6 6-3 to Nikolay Davydenko on Sunday.
"I just can say I am going to work hard to be at my best as soon as possible and I am not seeing myself very far off that," said Nadal, who plays the Paris Masters and World Tour Finals in London before rounding off his season with the Davis Cup final.
"I would love to have a title, but if I am still playing like this in Paris and London, it's difficult, sure," he added.
"The best players are there. But in Paris I expect to have another chance to play a good tournament. And if you are there all the time semi-finals, final, you're going to win.
"I don't know when, but you're going to win."
Nadal started the year by winning five of the first 10 tournaments, including his sixth grand slam title at the Australian Open.
After his win at the Rome Masters in early May, however, he has failed to clinch another as the injuries took their toll. Nadal said Sunday was the first time since his return that he had competed with a top player at 100 per cent.
"This is a loss but it is a positive loss," he said. "I expect to be here for a long time and play without problems for a few more years."
Reuters
I Rafa ma rację.Z turnieju na turniej prezentuje się coraz lepiej i momentami widać przebłyski dawnej gry.Wczorajsza porażka to też efekt świetnej gry Davydenki, nie zapominajmy o tym. Nadal ma to do siebie, że jego tenis opiera się na niesamowitej regularności, którą ćwiczy przez cały rok.Potrenuje i znowu będzie grał jak wtedy gdy odnosił największe sukcesy, a przynajmniej taką mam nadzieję.Co do rezultatów to będą tak one wyglądać, jakaś 1/4, czy 1/2 w Paryżu (a to wcale nie są złe wyniki) i nie wiadomo czy wyjdzie z grupy w Londynie, bo tam grają najlepsi.I tak jak Dawid pisze finał to finał, nikt nie kazał Soderlingowi czy Verdasco odpadać.Aż się boję pomyśleć jakie byłby komentarze jakby przegrał w 1/4, a nie wczoraj w finale.
Kontuzja pojawiła się w najmniej odpowiednim momencie, gdy Rafa wszystko wygrywał, teraz widzę że wielu myśli, że będzie grał tak jak przed kontuzją od razu po powrocie.Aha i true number two przynajmniej zrobił 1/2 US Open, wygrał AO w tym roku i 3 mastersy, a poza tym osiągnął jeszcze 2 finały mastersów.Pozycja chyba jak najbardziej zasłużona.
No więc właśnie to uporczywie staram się tłumaczyć, Nadal to nie Sampras, który wygrał Wimbledon z rozwaloną kostką, ani Fed który dokonał tego samego z uroczą oponką na brzuchu; Rafa musi być w 100% formie atletycznej żeby skutecznie rywalizować z najlepszymi.
Trzeba dać mu trochę czasu, być może aż do przyszłego sezonu. W tej chwili priorytetem jest zdrowie, niezbędne by trenować z pełną intensywnością.
Kalendarz Nadala na 2010:
:|
Po cholere ja sie zapisywalem po kalendarz Feda? :zal:
No ja właśnie czekałem na pojawienie się tego z decyzją. Muszę tylko zobaczyć foty z czerwca i lipca. :D
A Rafa sobie ostatnimi czasy grał w golfa, m.in z Sergio Garcia. Hiszpan potwierdził, że nie zagra w Valencii, a powrót na kort planuje na Paryż-Bercy.
RAFA GETS THE 'REAL' DEAL FROM GODO TOURNAMENT
Barcelona, October 23, 2009
Being a Five-time champion is something very few players achieve in their life; now, imagine doing that 5 years in a row! Amazing right?
Well, only the greats in history have been able to achieve that and Rafa Nadal, a member of RCT Barcelona since his early childhood and number two in the world right now is one of those privileged to belong to that select club.
No one has been like him since the tournament started in1953. For this reason, tournament organizers have awarded him with a full size replica of the sterling silver ‘Conde de Godo’ trophy.
"Everything that happened to me in the past few years has been nothing short of special, winning five times in Barcelona is unthinkable,” said Rafa at the award ceremony. “For me this is the most important tournament after the four Grand Slams and Masters Series events. This is a tournament with tradition and playing here is always different…It is where I feel at home. This trophy will be kept in a very special place in my house. "
Rafa z Pucharem, jaki otrzymał na swoją wyłączność. Jest to replika trofeum, jaki przypada Triumfatorowi turnieju w Barcelonie.
A jeżeli interesują Was avatarki i banerki z Rafą :D to koniecznie zajrzyjcie tutaj:
http://www.rafaelnadal.com/rafaforum/fo … thread,699
You think you can beat Rafa?
Mallorca, October 26, 2009
Watch Rafa participate in the International Olympic Committee's 'The Best of Us Challenge', where Olympic athletes are challenging YOU to compete against them in some truly unique events.
In this video, Rafa shows you how he can pick up more tennis balls than you can in 30 seconds. But if you want to prove you can do better than him, visit 'The Best of Us Challenge' official website to take on his challenge.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiAhUmk8 … r_embedded
Fajny filmik :D .Potraficie pokonać Rafę? xD
Nadal: "After Roland Garros, I spent a month out of the world"
The Spaniard is sincere about what happened this season. He admits that injuries and his parent's divorce affected him. He says that he will never achieve what Federer did because he doesn't have his talent.
Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal has admitted that, at Roland Garros, he played at his "worst" moment, both morally and physically.
"Morally and physically I arrived at Roland Garros in my worst moment," said Rafael Nadal during a lecture held at the Fundación Mapfre hours before receiving the prize Ritz 'Spanish Universal' Independent Foundation.
I think the results this part of the year are better than I expected.
Tennis player from Manacor said that he lost at RG because he got "bad knees. It affected me," he said.
"After Roland Garros I spent a month out of the world. I was in my house. Besides the injury my parents divorced, but nevertheless, I think the results this year are better than expected" he said.
The number two tennis player was asked about what he has learnt from Swiss Roger Federer, and the Mallorcan tennis player said his ability to "improve" over time. "Since the first time I played against him in Miami in 2004, he has improved and that's what I've learnt from him," said Nadal, who is "convinced" that he's not going to get everything what Federer did because he doesn't have his "talent".
The Spanish player also referred to the Spanish public, that "always behaved great" with him and he has received "exceptional affection" wether win or lose. "That makes me proud, because it means I've done things right. They want you to win and things go well for me, it means they appreciate me," said Nadal.
RAFAEL NADAL UNIVERSAL SPANIARD 2009
Rafa Nadal will receive tomorrow Thursday 29th of October at 5:00pm (local Spanish time) in the 'Fundación de Mapfre' Auditorium, the 'Universal Spaniard 2009 Award', given to him by 'La Fundación Independiente' for his successful sporting career and excellent civic behaviour.
The organization described Rafa as "an excellent example for our society. Specially for our youngsters."
The celebration will honour all kind of athletes who have excelled not only in their profession but most importantly, in their determination to help project Spain's name across the world through hard work, sportsmanship and good values.
After the press conference you will be able to follow the event 'online' through 'www.fundacionindependiente.com' or 'www.mapfre.com'. The chat, which has been named: 'Rafa Nadal. Talent and Values: An educational challenge', will explain the keys to his success.
The chat will start at 6.00pm (local Spanish time), and will count with the participation of Rafa, Carlos Costa and Santiago Alvarez de Mon, (an IESE professor).
Rafa Shoots 'Matrix' TV AD
Santander, October 31st, 2009
Rafa Nadal will spend this weekend in Santander (accompanied by members of his family) where he plans to play a golf tournament at the Pedreña golf club today, Saturday.
BANESTO'S NEW TV AD
All day yesterday, in hall No.3 of the Bilbao Exposition Center (BEC), Rafa shot a TV commercial for Banesto (The bank that represents him). The ad, called 'The Matrix', was closely watched by Ana Patricia Botin, president of the entity.
During filming, Rafa ran from side to side of the set chasing imaginary balls and not even his signature Babolat racket had strings. The aim, as they explained, was to achieve the show-motion effect that you see in the scenes when Keanu Reeves fights.
With Rafa, they think, it will be even better, more spectacular, since cameras (placed on the set of filming as the backbone of a triceratops), will show the movements of the tennis player from a 360 º angle: A complete view of the muscular champion. The technique has been called, very appropriately, 'instant bullet'.
During lunch, at the Gloria Zierbena restaurant, Rafa signed some autographs and took photos with fans, always smiling and grateful to them for their affection. There is no doubt his greatness goes way beyond his skills on a tennis court.
Vamos Rafa!
Nadal: Time Is On My Side
Skeptics say the wear-and-tear of his physically-demanding style of play could contribute to a short shelf-life at the top of tennis for Rafael Nadal and eventually cut short his career, but the second-ranked Spaniard plans on sticking around for several years.
A knee injury sidelined Nadal for two months, preventing him from defending his Wimbledon title and a strained abdominal slowed him in his US Open semifinal loss to Juan Martin del Potro, but Nadal believes time is on his side.
In an interview with CNN Asia, Nadal says people often overlook the fact he started playing the pro tour consistently at age 16 and believes his seven-year pro career is proof he has time on his side.
"Everybody can have his own opinion, but you know what? I am 23 years old and a lot of people finish their career at 29, but I started at 16 so I have seven years of career and I am not finished," Nadal tells CNN in an interview he conducted in Shanghai last month. "I expect to be here and I hope to be here for a long time. I've had a few injuries this year and had a very difficult year. But the last five years I was the No. 1 or No. 2 player, who played al ot of matches and I was there all the time."
In past interviews, Nadal has pointed to the 11-month scheduled as the source of players' physical pain and has suggested the ATP should shoulder the blame when highly-ranked players lose early in an event or withdraw.
"I think that when a player loses in the first round or pulls out — and they get criticized — the tournament should ring these people [the ATP] and tell them that it is their fault," Nadal said in a past interview. "I have had some email conversations with these people but it is true that they end up doing what they like and I am getting tired of it all."
In the new CNN interview, Nadal says the demands of the weekly Tour have prompted him to schedule his own breaks for rest and recovery.
"Tennis is a hard sport, a very, very tough mental sport because you play a lot of matches during the season and you have to be ready every week," Nadal tells CNN. "So you need to be very focused all the time — 100 percent physical and mental — if you want to have chances to have a good result. Sometimes you feel you need to stop. I played every week for a long time and I forgot I had to stop for an injury."
Clay-court king Nadal edged resilient rival Roger Federer, who fought off three championship points, to dethrone the five-time defending champion with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-7(8), 9-7 triumph in the 2008 Wimbledon final that spanned four hours, 48 minutes and will remain embedded in the minds of many as a match for the ages.
The six-time Grand Slam champion said the Wimbledon win was the most meaningful match of his life.
"(It) was amazing. A lot of emotions in the match," Nadal tells CNN. "Was a really important match for me. One of the most important matches of my career — if not the most (important). It always was a dream for me to win Wimbledon one day, to play well at Wimbledon My feeling was (in the) 2007 final I really had chances to win. When I lose that final (it) was really, really hard for me. When I lose (in general) I am angry, but after a few hours I am (OK). I am sad especially more sad to play bad than to lose. If I am playing okay and I lose the other one plays better and that's it... The second (Wimbledon) final I feel I don't know if I will have another chance. My feeling on grass...(it) always seems strange to me. I was playing probably the best tennis of my career (in the 2008 final). I thought before the match, that it's my time. I have to win today."
Nadal became the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win the Roland Garros and Wimbledon double in 2008. It is a feat Federer duplicated this season.
Nadal Looking To Close 2009 On High Note
ATP World Tour No. 2 Rafael Nadal will open his BNP Paribas Masters campaign against fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro Wednesday, as he looks to end a title drought dating back to his triumph at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia (d. Djokovic) in Rome at the start of May.
Nadal is looking for a return to top form at the close of 2009, following six months marred by injury. The Mallorcan suffered his first-ever defeat at Roland Garros in the fourth round (l. to Soderling) before enduring an enforced break from the tour due to knee tendonitis, which left him unable to defend his title at Wimbledon.
However, the 23 year old has consistently performed well since his return to action at the Rogers Cup, despite an abdominal strain suffered during the summer, and is optimistic he can have a strong finish to his campaign.
“I [have] never thought about that (not having won a tournament since May),” said Nadal. “In normal conditions (without injury), I [have] played two tournaments in the past six months. I played one semi-final (at the China Open) and one final (at ATP Masters 1000 Shanghai, presented by Rolex) in normal conditions. With not very good conditions, I played quarter-finals in Montreal, semi-finals in Cincinnati and semi-finals in US Open. So the results are doing very well.
“I'm not playing on clay and not playing in small tournaments, so it's more difficult to have victories in these big tournaments. You have to be full of confidence, you have to be playing really well, and anyway, I had a good result. I know for this year it’s going be very difficult to win another title. But I have the chance in the Davis Cup final, and I’m going to try to help my team to win the Davis Cup,” added the Manacor resident, who will lead Spain in its bid to win a fourth Davis Cup title against Czech Republic in Barcelona next month.
Nadal has won a staggering 15 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles, just two short of all-time leader Andre Agassi, including three trophies this season. However, the Spaniard has yet to add the Paris (Bercy) crown to his collection, coming closest in 2007 when he lost to David Nalbandian in the final.
“This tournament is always difficult, and this kind of surface is the most difficult of the year for me,” admitted Nadal. “But I always try my best to still improve and to play better and better. This year, I lost a little bit the rhythm in the middle of the season, because I had the injuries. But [it’s] tough to play after being injured. When I came back, I broke (sic) the abdominal, so it was a difficult second half of the year. But I’m going try to finish as good as possible.”
Despite his injury struggles, Nadal has still enjoyed another stellar season, winning five tour-level titles, and, along with Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, is one of three players to have won at least 60 tour-level matches. The reigning ATP World Tour Champion will have his work cut out for him if he is to retain his year-end title, and will need strong showings this week and at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London if he is to overtake Roger Federer and finish the year at No. 1 in the South African Airways 2009 ATP Rankings.
Nadal nears possible return to No. 1
Nadal nears possible return to No. 1 Rafael Nadal could be poised to sneak back the No. 1 ranking from Roger Federer by the end of next week's World Tour Finals without a fighting reaction from the Swiss.
Nadal's performance at the Paris Masters has boosted the Spaniard's chances of seizing back the status he took from Federer in the summer of 2008 but lost in 2009 during his run of midseason injuries.
With Federer out of Paris to Frenchman Julien Benneteau in the second round, a Sunday title for Nadal would leave him just 305 points adrift of the Swiss with the London year-end date starting next Sunday
"My motivation is Paris right now, not No. 1, not London," said Nadal. "London will be very important, but my motivation is at this tournament. I go day by day. I have very good practice the three weeks before in Mallorca. In a week we will see what gonna happen in London.
"No. 1 I think is almost impossible. I have to win here if I want to have any chance, but we will see. That is stupid to talk right now."
RAFA EYES 400TH WIN – Nadal is attempting to become the ninth active player to win 400 singles matches in his career. If he wins Saturday, he will have recorded his 400th victory in 487 matches, the fastest of any active player on the ATP World Tour. Here are the active players who have won 400 or more career matches:
1) Roger Federer 676
2) Carlos Moya 573
3) Lleyton Hewitt 520
4) Andy Roddick 507
5) Fabrice Santoro 470 (retiring in 2009)
6) Tommy Haas 459
7) Marat Safin 422 (retiring in 2009)
8 ) Juan Carlos Ferrero 421
Tu i Tu dostępny jest ciekawy wywiad z Rafą. Hiszpan wypowiada się w nim również na tematy niezwiązane z tenisem, takie jak wojna, czy spojrzenie na świat. Na razie poza hiszpańską wersją nic nie znalazłem, więc tekst jest jedynie przerzucony przez translator.
Rafael Nadal, speaking to the Guardian, on his physical and mental challenges this season: "My parents' divorce made an important change in my life. It affected me. After that, when I can't play Wimbledon, it was tough. For one month I was outside the world.
"I am OK now but you need time to accept. And it's more difficult to accept when you are outside home and don't know what's happening. At least the injury gave me time to be with my friends and family.
On his first-ever loss at the French Open: "I played with less calm. One of the reasons was the pain in the knees. And I was down because of the divorce. Soderling played really well and he beat me. But I wasn't ready, mentally or physically..."
Nadal: Doszedłem do siebie dzięki kontuzji
- Każdy ma gorsze momenty. Pechowo dla mnie mój kryzys przypadł na najważniejsze turnieje w roku. Byłem wtedy w najgorszej formie - przyznał Rafael Nadal. Hiszpan, który jako jeden z nielicznych ma patent na ogrywanie Rogera Federera, powoli staje na nogi po serii bolesnych ciosów.
Na kryzys Nadala nałożyło się kilka rzeczy. Zaczęło się od korespondencyjnego pojedynku z Federerem na French Open. To Nadal był wtedy na topie i wydawało się, że nie odda łatwo prowadzenia w światowych rankingach. Hiszpan odpadł z Robinem Soederlingiem w 1/8 finału i nastąpił efekt domina.
Po pechowym Wielkim Szlemie w Paryżu dał o sobie znać organizm Nadala, który zaczął odmawiać posłuszeństwa. Hiszpan, który zawsze słynął żelaznej kondycji, stwierdził, że jest przemęczony i że musi odpocząć. Nie wytrzymały kolana tenisisty i konieczna była przerwa od kortów.
Tymczasem Federer zaczął nabierać tempa. Wygrał Rolanda Garrosa, do swojego dorobku dołożył jeszcze siódmy z rzędu triumf na Wimbledonie, który był dla niego rekordowym piętnastym tytułem wielkoszlemowym.
- To były dla mnie bardzo trudne chwile. Nie mogłem grać na Wimbledonie, który jest moim ulubionym turnieje. Przegrałem też w Paryżu i na dodatek miałem problemy osobiste. To wszystko spadło na mnie w jednej chwili - powiedział Nadal.
Problemy osobiste odcisnęły na Hiszpanie największe piętno. Tenisista z Majorki wielokrotnie podkreślał, jak wielki wpływ na jego karierę miała rodzina. Dlatego rozwód rodziców był dla niego pigułką nie do przełknięcia.
- Rozwód rodziców bardzo zmienił moje życie. Miał ogromny wpływ. Wtedy też nie mogłem z powodu kontuzji grać w Wimbledonie. Przez miesiąc byłem wyłączony z życia - wspomina.
Wszystko, co najgorsze, ma za sobą. Teraz jako druga rakieta świata przymierza się do World Tour Finals. - Wszystko ze mną OK. Potrzeba czasu, by zaakceptować niektóre rzeczy. Zdecydowanie trudniej zaakceptować coś, gdy jesteś poza domem i nie wiesz, co się dzieje. Kontuzja dała mi czas, który mogłem spędzić z moimi przyjaciółmi i rodziną - wyjaśnił.
rusty Hewitt napisał:
Tymczasem Federer zaczął nabierać tempa. Wygrał Rolanda Garrosa, do swojego dorobku dołożył jeszcze siódmy z rzędu triumf na Wimbledonie...
Coś komuś wiadomo na temat odebrania Rafie tytułu na Wimbledonie? ;)
Taki poziom. Zamiast dokładnie sprawdzić to się wklepuje taką głupotę. Przykre to, ale typowe dla wielu polskich serwisów informacyjnych.
Rafa’s back in London. Send him your questions
Rafael Nadal has endured a mixed year which began with victory at the Australian Open before Roger Federer claimed his Wimbledon and French Open titles and world No 1 ranking during his recovery from tendinitis. The six-time grand-slam winner is now 100 per cent fit and ready to take on the best in the world in the ATP World Tour Finals at London's O2 Arena. He blogs here daily during the tournament. Don't forget to ask him a question
Rafael Nadal missed his annual trip to Wimbledon in the summer due to tendonitis but he is now fit, well and ready for action in the ATP World Tour Finals at London’s O2 Arena, where he will also be blogging daily and answering your questions.
The world No 2 is aiming to finish 2009 on a high after a topsy-turvy year that has seen him win the Australian Open, lose the French Open final to Roger Federer, unable to defend his title at the All England Club due to injury and therefore watch helplessly as Federer claimed his No 1 ranking.
The top eight players in the world are competing at the O2, although Andy Roddick has been replaced by Robin Soderling.
Nadal faces Soderling, Novak Djokovic and Nikolay Davydenko in Group B, while Group A comprises Federer, Juan Martin del Potro, the US Open champion, Spain’s Fernando Verdasco and Andy Murray.
Get your questions into Rafa now and he will start responding from November 22, when the tournament begins.
Rafael Nadal: 'For everybody there are tough moments. This year, mine came'
Rafael Nadal talks about the personal and physical problems that have disrupted his season as he prepares to head to London for the ATP Tour World Finals
The Guardian, Tuesday 17 November 2009
Rafael Nadal plays in London next week for the first time since his epic victory over Roger Federer in the 2008 Wimbledon final. Photograph: Ian Langsdon/EPA
In a discreet corner of an elegant hotel in Paris, Rafael Nadal remembers his part in one of the most public displays of sporting pain this year. On 1 February, in Melbourne, Nadal had just won his sixth grand slam tournament by once again beating Roger Federer in another epic clash between the world's two best tennis players. It seemed as if Federer had finally cracked when, his mouth crumpling, he just managed to get the words out: "God, it's killing me."
Federer then cried openly, as Nadal consoled his vanquished opponent. The young Spaniard had already done his best to help Federer by saying to him, with real compassion, "Remember you are a great champion and one of the best in history – and you will beat Pete Sampras's 14 titles for sure." In his obsessive pursuit of Sampras's record number of grand slam victories, Federer had crashed into the muscled wall of Nadal. And yet, touchingly, Nadal felt such sympathy for the man whose dream he kept ruining. "For sure," he says earnestly in Paris. "He always did a very good job for our sport and he is a nice person. I have spent the most important moments of my career playing against Roger – and the same is for him, too, playing against me. So we have a big respect and, off the court, we have a very good relationship."
Nadal has won 13 of their 20 matches and, most tellingly, five of his seven grand slam finals against Federer. In Melbourne, surely he thought he had the definitive mental edge over Federer? "No. For everybody there are tough moments. Unluckily for me, this year mine came when I arrived at the most important tournaments in the worst possible condition. You always have some ups and downs and, in that moment, Roger was a little down. But he was down in the final. It was not like he was losing in the second round. And the rest of the year he has had a lot of good moments."
Next week, at the O2 Arena in London, they will both play in the ATP World Tour Finals – when the top eight men gather for one last lucrative tournament before their brief winter break. Much has changed since Australia; the remainder of 2009 saw Nadal down and hurting while Federer was up and soaring into history. After struggling with a recurring knee injury, and his shock semi-final defeat to Robin Soderling at the French Open, Nadal was forced to withdraw from Wimbledon and spend 10 weeks at home in Manacor in Mallorca. It seemed as if fate had intervened and, in order to help Federer fulfil his destiny, removed Nadal from his path.
Federer overcame his French Open neurosis to win his 14th grand slam while, three weeks later, he achieved his record-breaking 15th victory at Wimbledon. "It was a hard moment for me," Nadal admits. "I can't play Wimbledon and it's my favourite tournament. I also lost at Roland Garros and I have a few personal problems. So everything coming together made it hard."
Nadal's gaze remains steady as he recounts the source of that turmoil. "My parents' divorce made an important change in my life. It affected me. After that, when I can't play Wimbledon, it was tough. For one month I was outside the world."
Nadal looks terribly young amid that quiet admission. "I am OK now," the 23-year-old says of his parents' divorce, "but you need time to accept. And it's more difficult to accept when you are outside home and don't know what's happening. At least the injury gave me time to be with my friends and family."
Severe tendinitis and the collapse of his parent's marriage undermined Nadal's composure at Roland Garros. "I played with less calm. One of the reasons was the pain in the knees. And I was down because of the divorce. Soderling played really well and he beat me. But I wasn't ready, mentally or physically, this year."
Nadal's return to London will spark inevitable memories of Wimbledon – for he last played tennis here when defeating Federer in the 2008 final in a match many considered the greatest ever. The Spaniard hesitates at that grand judgment. "I don't know if the level of tennis is the best ever," he says of a match so badly affected by rain. "But if we are speaking about what it means to me, then probably it is my greatest moment."
In the midst of excruciating tension, as he and Federer were dragged off court in the fifth set, Nadal retreated to the locker room to eat a banana and calm his coach and uncle, Toni. "I said to Toni, 'I think I'm going to win and if I lose it will be because Roger plays well – not because of me. I don't want to make any mental mistakes.'"
It almost sounds as if enjoyed that test of his character? "I was suffering a little bit!" Nadal laughs. "But the year before I lost to Roger in the fifth set. It was hard for me to lose when I had three or four break points in that fifth set [which Federer won 6-2]. What killed me was that second break. If I lose 6-3 or 6-4 with one break I accept. But I was angry with myself to lose that second break. That made it seem as if I wasn't ready mentally."
Like Federer in Australia, Nadal broke down after that 2007 defeat – and his uncle spoke of him "crying like an animal" that night. "It was tough," Nadal concedes. "I cried because you never know if you'll have another chance to win."
These gut-wrenching reactions from Nadal and Federer illustrate why their rivalry is so consuming – and yet their empathy lends the best kind of humanity to a sporting battle. "It's important to have people around you with enough confidence to say if you are not acting in a good way. Normally, when you are at the top, people say everything is fantastic. Probably in that moment it is what you want to hear but it's best to be reminded how to act properly."
His words contrast with Andre Agassi's claims in his recent autobiography that, despite winning eight grand slams, he "hated tennis" and sought refuge in crystal meth. Nadal raises an eyebrow. "I think it's impossible to be on the circuit 15 years and hate tennis. I always saw Andre playing with motivation and passion."
Have Agassi's confessions damaged tennis? "It's a big thing for the ATP. I understand if he was depressed he might have taken something so I don't want to criticise Andre for taking crystal meth. But everybody must be treated the same. Just because he is Andre Agassi he should not escape sanction. Tennis is a hard sport. There is a lot of competition all year and you play alone. Mentally and physically it is one of the toughest sports – but that's no reason to take these products [drugs]."
Tennis's year-round schedule also does not allow its star players to recover between seasons. "I completely agree," Nadal exclaims. "Maybe you could have nine months where it is obligatory to play and three months where you are free not to. In those three months there could be tournaments – but not decisive tournaments which affect your ranking. But we have the sponsors to consider. The ATP want to do it but I think it's going be better for the next generation than us."
Considering that grinding circuit, and the intense physicality of his tennis, many pundits believe Nadal has only a few years left in the game. Is he angered by those gloomy forecasts? "No, it doesn't bother me. People forget I started [professionally] at 16. And this is my fifth straight year in the top two. I'm not thinking about stopping yet, but most players start at 20 and if they finish at 29 nobody will say they've had a short career. If I finish at 25 I'm going to have had the same career as them. People will say it's a short career, but I don't agree."
Is it possible to imagine himself still playing in five years? "I can't say yes or no. You never know. I'm going to play as long as I can and, right now, I feel motivated to finish the year well – and to win the Davis Cup for Spain [against the Czech Republic] next month. The 02 will be tough because indoors is the most difficult surface for me. But I will try my best in London."
Andy Murray, who replaced Nadal as world No2 for a few weeks during the Spaniard's long injury break, will be fired up in front of a British crowd. Yet Novak Djokovic, who beat Nadal in straight sets in the Paris Masters on Saturday, having also defeated Federer the previous week, is the hottest player in tennis.
Nadal, however, places Murray on an equal footing with the Serb. "In my opinion Djokovic and Murray are still a little bit better than [world No5 and US Open champion] Juan Martín del Potro. Murray has not won a grand slam yet, but his results are better than Del Potro's."
Will Murray win a grand slam? "I think he can. Any player who is No3 in the world will have a lot of chances to win a grand slam. He's only 22, and so he will improve."
After the most difficult year of his career Nadal himself is still driven by a simple purity of purpose. It underpins both his ferocious dedication to tennis and his winning humility off court: "I always work with a goal – and the goal is to improve as a player and a person. That, finally, is the most important thing of all."
Nadal says No. 1 doesn’t matter
The round table pre-Final player interviews took place on Friday in London. Tennistalk was there to hear Rafael Nadal state his mission for the World Tour Finals.
The last ATP tournament of the year will start on Sunday, with most of the top 8 in the field. Andy Roddick, who earned a spot at No. 6 will miss the event due to injury. World No. 2 Rafael Nadal can take back the No. 1 ranking that he earned last summer with a tournament victory in London.
The practical 22-yea-old is not focused on that No. 1 ranking, however. When questioned about whether ending the year at No. 1 was his main motivation, the Spaniard said, "London will be amazing, the stadium is very nice. The rest of the things? Number 1 or Number 3 doesn’t matter. My goal is to play my best tennis." When pressed on the matter again, Nadal said, "If I win the tournament, it doesn’t matter to me if I am number 10."
Nadal went on to add that with the top 8 players in the world, he could "lose every match or win every match. We will see what happens."
Nadal’s first match of the Finals will be against Robin Soderling on Monday afternoon.
http://www.tennistalk.com/en/news/20091 … 99t_matter
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Rafa has no idea of his career longevity
Rafael Nadal will try and not peak too soon prior to Spain's key Davis Cup final against the Czech Republic when he competes in the ATP season wrap-up starting Sunday in London.
The world No. 2 is looking no further than his Monday afternoon re-run of the Roland Garros fourth round when he opens group play against Swede Robin Söderling.
"I feel motivated to finish the year well and to win the Davis Cup for Spain," he told London's Guardian. "The 02 (site of the World Tour Finals) will be tough because indoors is the most difficult surface for me. But I will try my best in London."
Nadal, shaken this season by his career-first loss on clay in Paris and his displacement on No. 1 by Roger Federer - plus a run of injury worries which forced him to miss his Wimbledon title defense - said he has no idea how long his career will last.
"People forget I started at 16, this is my fifth straight year in the top two. I'm not thinking about stopping yet, but most players start at 20 and if they finish at 29 nobody will say they've had a short career.
"If I finish at 25 I'm going to have had the same career as them. People will say it's a short career, but I don't agree. I'm going to play as long as I can."
WORLD TOUR MASTERS MEDIA DAY
Paris, November 20, 2009
“I’m in perfect shape, both mentally and physically,” Rafa said this Friday at a Media day in London for the Masters Series tournament, which starts this Sunday. “I’ve had the best end of the season in my life.”
“I am close to my absolute best. I am playing well,” he continued. “And this situation, getting to play against the best players in the world, is perfect for me.”
Rafa’s first match will be on Monday against rival Robin Soderling (who qualified for the event as an alternate after Andy Roddick pulled out of the event),however, it is Novak Djokovic who might cause more problems in his group. Rafa insists the third-ranked Serb is playing the best tennis of his life, but also knows he has to concentrate on Robin first.
“If I play my best tennis, and he plays like he did (in Paris), it’s going to be almost impossible [to beat him]”, Rafa said about Soderling.
rafaelnadal.com
Nadal presser Nov 23, 2009
The following is the press conference given by Rafael Nadal following his loss to Sweden's Robin Soderling.
Q. Straight sets today, but a close match. Do you think the loss was more to how you played or how he played?
RAFAEL Nadal: Well, I think I didn't play really bad. I played okay. But in the important moments, I didn't have this necessary calm, no? So I had few mistakes. I play shorter in the important moments. That reason he beat me, no?
He is a big player in this surface, so is difficult. If you are not completely calm and playing very well in that moment, it's really difficult to win, and today I didn't play in this way in that moments.
Q. What do you feel you're lacking at the moment? It's more confidence or technical problems?
RAFAEL Nadal: No, I think, you know, I said 100 times, but is the true, no? The second half of the year was difficult for me, and probably I lost little bit this necessary out of confidence and this necessary calm in that moments.
But I am working really hard to come back at my best level. I think I'm not far away from my best level. But I need little bit more confidence and more calm in that moments, no?
So I don't know, this year is going to be extremely hard to finish really well. But I gonna work very hard to start next year very good. I believe in myself, that I can come back playing really well next year.
Q. What do you think of Soderling's chances on this surface during this tournament?
RAFAEL Nadal: Everyone has his chances here, no? The best eight players of the world, so anything can happen. Everybody has chances.
Q. You're speaking as if you were not thinking anymore of No. 1. Is it true?
RAFAEL Nadal: If you think. I think the chances I have are not here, not to be No. 1. If you want to still talk about me be No. 1, I can, but I think is not the right moment (smiling). My level right now I think is not to be No. 1, no?
My level is to be still fighting and practicing hard to be ready as soon as possible to compete another time with equal conditions with everybody, no? Going on the court, with the full confidence in myself against everybody, that's what I'm working, no?
I think I am working really well, practicing to improve different things on my game, like every year I did. Is normal, the sport is like this. Sometimes you have some best moments; sometimes you have little bit worse moments. This probably is one of these moments for me right now. Just accept and work to improve the situation.
Q. How did the court feel today?
RAFAEL Nadal: Yeah, it's okay. The court is okay, no? Not big bounce. But the court is not really fast. It's normal. It's okay.
Q. You said you lacked a bit of calm. Physically are you a hundred percent back after the injury problems?
RAFAEL Nadal: Yeah, I'm very well. I am very well. Thank you.
Q. By the sounds of it, you'd be quite happy to see the end of this year, 2009, and get started for 2010. Is that the way you're feeling?
RAFAEL Nadal: No, no. Probably I not happy to finish this year, no? I am not tired. I had a long time outside of competition. So, no, for me the season, this year, the first year, the season, I am not feeling tired and I don't want to finish the season. But the season finish this week. For us, the Davis Cup final next week. That's what is.
I know to be ready next year, I gonna have one month, and these two matches ‑ maybe more (smiling). I have this one week of year, one week of Davis Cup, and after, one month of practice in Mallorca. That's what I have to recover my hundred percent level to start next year with good level and chances to win in every place that I play, no?
Q. What went wrong today for you?
RAFAEL Nadal: I said. It was the first answer question. You didn't hear?
Q. No.
RAFAEL Nadal: Okay, I repeat.
I think I didn't play really bad. But in the important moments, I didn't have this calm, this necessary calm, to win these matches against the best players of the world, no? And this confidence, that moment, that's what was wrong today.
Q. Besides those reasons, do you think Soderling is now a player that doesn't fit so well to your game, because you lost the last two matches against him?
RAFAEL Nadal: Maybe. You never know, no? I think this is not my feeling, but you never know. Can be. I think if I am playing well, I gonna have good chances to beat him in the future.
Q. I know it wasn't a particularly happy experience, the match today. What do you think of the conditions in the stadium, the support of the British crowd?
RAFAEL Nadal: Very well, no? I think the atmosphere was unbelievable. Is doing a good work, the tournament is. All the time the full court, so that's very nice for the tennis, that's very nice for the players, very nice for everything, no? The conditions are good. Only the weather conditions can improve. Doesn't affect on the game (smiling).
But the tournament is really nice, and I happy to live this experience here in London. And, sure, the crowd was really nice with me all the time.
Q. Did you think about the match you played at Roland Garros at all today? Did that make you want to beat him any more?
RAFAEL Nadal: No. I said 100 times, I don't believe on revenges, nothing of this. Every match is a different match. I went on court, try my best what I did all my life. I didn't thought, no one second, on the Roland Garros match. Is completely different conditions. The moment is completely different, too. So doesn't affect nothing, the Roland Garros match.
World Tour Finals - Nadal admits struggle for confidence
Rafael Nadal admitted he needs to rediscover his composure when facing crucial points and said he was short of confidence in his bid to claim the season-ending World Tour Finals crown in London.
The Spaniard lost his opening match 6-4 6-4 to Sweden's Robin Soderling, who only qualified for the event at the O2 Arena as a replacement for the injured US star Andy Roddick.
World number two Nadal insisted he was not playing badly, but was not at his very best having suffered injury problems in recent months.
"The second half of the year was difficult for me, and probably I lost a little bit of this necessary confidence and calm," he said.
"But I am working really hard to come back at my best level. I think I'm not far away from my best level. But I need a little bit more confidence and more calm.
"This year is going to be extremely hard to finish really well. But I'm going to work very hard to start next year very good. I believe in myself, that I can come back playing really well next year."
Australian Open champion Nadal admitted he was unlikely to overtake Switzerland's Roger Federer as the best player in the world.
"My level right now is not to be number one," the Mallorcan said.
"My level is to be still fighting and practising hard to be ready as soon as possible to compete another time. Going on the court, with the full confidence in myself against everybody.
"Sport is like this. Sometimes you have some best moments; sometimes you have a little bit worse moments. This probably is one of these moments for me right now. I just accept it and work to improve the situation."
Besides the World Tour Finals - in which he must also face defending champion Novak Djokovic and Russia's Nikolay Davydenko in Group B - Nadal is also due to play in the Davis Cup final from December 4-6, in which Spain host the Czech Republic in Barcelona.
"I had a long time outside of competition. I am not feeling tired and I don't want to finish the season," the left-hander said.
"I have this one week, one week of Davis Cup, and after, one month of practice in Mallorca. That's what I have to recover my 100 per cent level to start next year with a good level and chances to win in every place that I play."
Four-times French Open champion Nadal had his 31-match winning streak at Roland Garros broken by Soderling last May, who is the only man ever to beat Nadal at the French Open.
And the Swede repeated the upset with a tidy performance at the former Millennium Dome, at times giving the 23-year-old the run-around on the indoor hard court.
"I didn't play really bad. I played OK," Nadal said.
"But in the important moments, I didn't have this necessary calm. So I had a few mistakes. I played shorter in the important moments.
"If you are not completely calm and playing very well in that moment, it's really difficult to win."
Top 10 newcomer Soderling said he was thrilled to beat Nadal again.
"It feels better to beat the world number two rather than the world number 200. I always enjoy beating good players rather than lower-ranked players," he said.
"I managed to play really well in the important points, which is something I think you have to do if you want to beat the top guys.
"I played a lot of big matches this year, and I played well. I beat a lot of good players. So I'm sure I improved that part of my game."
Questions for Rafa: What would I like for Christmas? World peace
Do you think that the ATP will ever have a realistic schedule for players and a decent off season?
Stephanie Thomas
RN: I hope so. We are working with them closely. We'll see.
What’s most important in your career now, ranking or longevity?
Hanne K, Norway
RN: The most important thing right now is to play good. Then clearly to win titles is the most important thing. The ranking comes with that.
Why do you use the slice so much during a match? I saw this especially in your last few matches and personally I don't think it's a good idea.
Alexandra
RN: It depends on the surface you play. Here in indoor you try to do that to break the rythm of the other player. However let me tell you I would love to simply hit big points... Simply not possible.
What do you think of the crowd being in the dark at the O2 and all the focus on the court?
Lisa, London
RN: Funny, you are right. I think the court and the stadium looks really great.
Will you be watching El Clasico on Sunday?
Nick Clarke
RN: ABSOLUTELY!!! :-)
Do you do any meditation or visualisation to help you focus and prepare for matches?
Juliette
RN: Nope.
If you only could wish for one thing for Christmas what would it be?
Anna
RN: No wars!
Why didn't you challenge that call when you thought you had hit an ace against Soderling?
Alice
RN: The umpire told me he'd seen it clearly out... If he was so sure I didn't challenge. My team told me afterwards they'd received sms from friends watching TV and telling me it was in... Too bad.
I noticed you were hitting the ball a lot more flat on hardcourts early in the season (very successfully) but now I see you are using a lot of topspin again. Why this change in tactic
Javidan
RN: Simply trying to play better. I would love to hit it like I was at the beginning of this year!
http://timesonline.typepad.com/rafael_n … enko-.html
I'm still alive and looking to get back on track against Davydenko
Hello everyone,
Many thanks for all your support messages. They are really important to me. Many of you might be wondering how do you feel after a defeat and not going back home.
Normally when you lose a match in a tennis tournament, you leave home or if you are in the middle of a tour far away from home, stay to rest one day and move to the next one.
Here it is different. I lost yesterday but you can say I am still alive. I have been practicing today hard and I am really looking forward to that match tomorrow. Davydenko is a very difficult player, who isn't here, right? But he beat me the last time we played only a few weeks ago in Shanghai.
On a personal level, I took some time this evening and went to see the Champions League football match between Barca and Inter at a Sports Bar here in London with my team. Food? so, so...
World Tour Finals - Nadal slump raises concerns
It seems hard to believe that only six months ago Andre Agassi was predicting Rafael Nadal would complete a calendar Grand Slam in 2009.
Agassi's statement proved to be the kiss of death for Nadal's season as instead of emulating the feat last achieved by Australia's Rod Laver 40 years ago, his winning run instantly dried up and he failed to win a title since May.
The year that started with much promise when he captured the Australian Open crown before adding another four titles in the space of 14 weeks, ended with a whimper on Wednesday as he became the first player to be eliminated from the ATP World Tour Finals.
Two straight set defeats means the Spaniard has no chance of progressing any further in the elite eight-man event even if he beats Novak Djokovic in his final round robin match on Friday.
Despite his barren spell over the past six months, he had arrived in London with a realistic chance of grabbing the year-end top ranking from French Open and Wimbledon champion Roger Federer.
But Nadal barely looked like a man capable of climbing to the summit of his sport in his match against Nikolay Davydenko on Wednesday and he said reclaiming the world number one ranking had not been his top priority this week.
"I didn't come here to be number one. It wasn't my goal because I'm not playing well enough to be number one right now," he said after his 6-1 7-6 defeat by Davydenko.
"If I'd won the Masters (ATP Finals), I would have arrived at next week's Davis Cup (final against the Czech Republic) with more confidence. I would prefer to get there in my best moment and I'm working hard to get my confidence back."
Lack of confidence is what Nadal has struggled with ever since his four-year reign at the French Open was abruptly ended by Robin Soderling in the Roland Garros fourth round.
He then missed the defence of his Wimbledon title as he tried to overcome a bout of tendinitis and returned to the tour in August, though has failed to dominate as he once did.
While other top players like Federer and Djokovic look forward to taking a break from the rigors of the tour, Nadal has no intentions of putting his feet up during the off season.
"I've had enough breaks this year. Too much, in my opinion," he smiled about his eight-week absence from the tour.
"I'm ready to practice hard. I have motivation to play my best tennis. When you have this goal and you have this motivation, doesn't matter if you are tired or not. So I am ready to start practicing and to start playing in 2010.
"I don't know how far I am from my best. The important thing is when this change happens, I'll be ready for it."
Nadal: Moje baterie się wyczerpały
- Czasami trzeba je po prostu wymienić - mówi Rafael Nadal. Hiszpan był chłopcem do bicia w kończącej sezon imprezie World Tour Finals, ale z trzech porażek w trzech meczach nie robi tragedii. Odczuwa nawet ulgę, bo wreszcie kończy się jego najgorszy sezon w karierze.
- Moje baterie się wyczerpały. Czsami się kończą i trzeba po prostu kupić nowe - stwierdził drugi zawodnik na światowych listach.
Nadal ma za sobą fatalny sezon, choć jeszcze do maja mógł śmiało mówić, że rok 2009 należy do niego. Wszystko załamało się jednak na Roland Garros. Hiszpański tenisista zaskakująco odpadł z Robinem Soederlingiem, potem doszły problemy ze zdrowiem i z rodziną. Nadal potrzebował dużo czasu, by stanąć na nogi. Wydawało się, że do pełnię swoich możliwości pokaże w ostatnim akordzie sezonu.
Do Londynu Nadal pojechał jednak nieprzygotowany. Zabrakło też chęci, bo sam Hiszpan przyznał, że na finał sezonu udał się bez wiary w zwycięstwo. Dlatego porażkami z Robinem Soederlingiem, Nikołajewm Dawidienką i Novakiem Djokoviciem nie był specjalnie zmartwiony.
- Tylko treningiem można wrócić na najwyższy poziom. Robię to przez całe życie i będę robił dalej - zapewnił Nadal.
Pytania do Rafy: Mój główny cel w sezonie 2010 to kolejne zwycięstwo w Wimbledonie.
Rafa,do you cook dinner by youself? And how do you think of your cooking?
Xiao Hu, from China
RN: No, that I only do during Wimbledon and a very few times at home. I am limited but the few things I do are really good.
There is snow on the hills where I live. Do you like snow and have you ever skied?
Miles
RN: No I have not.
Dear Rafa!
I know, that it not the most important in your game, the main thing - that your victories. It is simply interesting to know: Will You return to the short sleeves and long shorts next year?
Thank You, Best of luck!!
With love, your fan Paolina
RN: No, that's part of the past and maybe the long term future, but not any time soon.
I know you already help a lot of people with your Foundation, and I wondered if you would ever like to be a Politician in the future to try and make the world a better place? Or someone like our Princess Diana used to be, she was nicknamed the "Queen of Hearts" as she helped a lot of people and brought good causes to the attention of the public.
You would make a wonderful "king of Hearts" as you are so compassionate and people would listen to you. (I would vote for you if I could!)
Besos y abrazos
Juliette Westbrook-Finch (England)
RN: No, I won't be a politician. I would definitely try to make the world better in my own particular way of helping but not via politics. Youa re very kind to compare me with Princess Diana, but I don't think I am anywhere close.
Hola from Puerto Rico!! So, I was wondering: every time I've seen you on tv or your pictures, I have never seen you wearing any sunglasses. Do you ever wear sunglasses or do you just don't like using them? Also, if you don't wear them, don't you get nasty headaches from having the sun in your eyes all the time (because you're outdoors a lot of the time)?? Thank you and Vamos!!!
Yaritza from Puerto Rico
RN: I do wear them but not very often, you are right.
So much press is written about you and your game- do you ever read any of it, or would that be too frustrating? I'm specifically talking about the sports pages, such as The Times, Marca and Espn?
Gill Leone, London
RN: I do read a lot of what's in the internet. I simply have my own opinion and it is interesting to read what other people think. I only ask for respect and those you mention normally have respect with me and what I do.
Rafa, if you had to choose one Slam you wanted to win most in 2010, would you want to defend the Australian Open, reclaim your thrown from Roland Garros, win back Wimbledon or complete a career slam at the US Opens?
Anthea Yeung xxx
RN: Any of the four, but give me Wimbledon again... would be amazing!
Hi I come from Greece and tennis here is not a very popular sport yet, of course the last years more and more people become interested in it, but I think that is considered yet a sport just for few, for an "elite".That is very disappointing...Did you ever consider tennis that way, as a sport for people of a certain social status?
Liana
RN: No, I never did. I don't think it is this way in Spain where I grew up.
Over the years you've lessened your on-court rituals. Do you think you can play without them in the coming years?
Manahil, Pakistan.
RN: I hope so... :-)
Sezon 2009 w liczbach
Ranking: 2
Tytuły: 5 (AO, IW, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Rzym)
Finały: 3 (Rotterdam, Madryt, Szanghaj)
Bilans spotkań: 66-14
Zarobki: $5,414,604
AO - Triumf
RG - 4 Runda
WM-
US -1/2
Nadal wastes no time in starting 2010 training
Nadal wastes no time in starting 2010 training Rafael Nadal will start 2010 work this week, with no time to waste as he tries to forget the disappointment caused by a pair of lengthy injury absences this past ATP season.
The No. 2 is was boosted by a Davis Cup title for his nation at the weekend over the Czech Republic. And there should certainly be no motivation problems as he resumes his regime on the island of Mallorca.
"I'm not changing my plan, I don't want to make the mistakes of the past season", said the four-time French Open winner who lost at Roland Garros for the first time in his career six months ago and was unable to defend his Wimbledon title due to knee injuries.
The Spaniard has admitted that he made a huge error by cramming in too many clay events last spring - with the tipping point his insistence of playing in the Madrid Masters.
After winning a marathon semi-final over Novak Djokovic, he ran out of puff a day later when he lost the final to Roger Federer, with the Swiss also going on to lift the Roland Garros for the first time.
"That was my biggest mistake. I had the knee problem but decided to play it anyway, since it was in Spain and meant something special to me", said Nadal.
Stary artykuł, wypowiedź Nadala z QC 2008 ,gdzie stwierdził, że na trawie gra swój najlepszy tenis.
Nadal serves up an ominous warning: I play my best tennis on grass
Rafael Nadal has ominously declared that he plays his best tennis on grass.
The Spaniard claimed his fourth French Open title last week on the clay of Roland
Garros and is yet to win a major away from Paris.
Despite being considered a clay court specialist Nadal hit back at claims made by
former Wimbledon champion Michael Stich that he is not capable of winning at SW19
this year.
He said: “I know the grass is a difficult surface for me but I probably play my best tennis on this surface. It is important to play well on every surface and Wimbledon is a very important tournament. I am still young and have to continue to improve.
“I have four Grand Slams already and I want to have more, if it’s possible, on a different surface.”
Nadal pointed to last year’s final against world No1 Roger Federer, who edged a five-set classic, as proof he can adapt to the quicker surface.
“My best memory of playing on grass is at the same time the worst - the final last year at Wimbledon,” said Nadal, who faces Japan’s Kei Nishikori at Queen’s today.
“I played an unbelievable match but at the same time I lost a good chance to win my
favourite tournament.”
Nadal delighted with winning end to season
Spain's Davis Cup final win over Czech Republic provided Rafael Nadal with the group therapy he craved at the end of a testing year.
"This was the end to the season I needed," Nadal said after Spain completed a 5-0 whitewash of the Czechs to win the Davis Cup for the fourth time since 2000.
"Winning again is a great feeling and a major achievement, particularly considering the problems I've had.
"Being able to enjoy this with my team mates and receive all the support from the crowd has been terrific over the three days."
Victory marked a perfect end to a season that started in equally glorious fashion for Nadal, with his triumph at the Australian Open.
However, his season was spoiled by a knee injury which forced him to miss the defence of his Wimbledon crown and had commentators wondering if his career had already peaked.
Back on clay, there were signs in his win over Tomas Berdych on Friday that his confidence was returning. The winners were fizzing off his racket once again and he looked sharp in a 6-3 6-4 success against Jan Hajek on Sunday.
The six-times grand slam winner revelled in the warm support of the crowd at the Palau Sant Jordi and he even gave the silver salad bowl trophy a triumphant bite during the presentation.
"There have been great moments and not so great moments but I can't say this has been a bad year," the 23-year-old said.
"I won my first grand slam tournament on hardcourt, three Masters and Barcelona. At the start of the year I would have accepted that.
"Now we have the Davis Cup and we should keep in mind that it's going to be very difficult to win again.
"I've always said you have to savour the moment when you win things. One day you can just stop winning so you have to make the most of it. It's been a while since I won a trophy."
Nadal will take no more than a couple of days off before beginning his preparations for next season.
He said there were no plans to do anything differently this year and pledged to continue fighting to get back to peak form.
"You have to accept that in life there are always problems and work to overcome them," he said.
"It's what I've always done and I'm going to carry on."
400 zwycięstw Rafy w ATP Tour
Umknęło to naszej uwadze, ale ogranie Berdycha w 1 meczu Finału PD to był zwycięstwo nr 400 Rafy Nadala w ATP Tour. Obecnie ma ich już 401 (po ograniu Hajka). Gratulujemy ;)
Ward, Nadal’s practice partner
Ward’s own has changed during his rehabilitation, since Greg Rusedski, the former British No 1 and 1997 US Open finalist, took a genuine interest in his career. It started as an introduction at the National Tennis Centre but has moved on markedly from there.
During the O2 event, when Ward would hit with Nadal, Rusedski was spotted retrieving balls on the court dressed in his television commentator’s suit. Although their partnership is part-time because of Rusedski’s commitment to spot talent for the LTA, Ward has seen the benefits already.
But this is not entirely a one-sided affair. Nadal is seeking the court coverage to help to search for that little edge before another annual onslaught on mind and body, but Ward has reason to need as much time honing his game as the next man, regardless of his status. Having missed the last four months of the year with glandular fever that caused his ranking to plunge to No 273, he must begin the new year totally energised.
World number two Rafael Nadal has admitted that top players struggle to reach their targets due to the demanding ATP schedule.
The Spaniard has endured a fairly disappointing 2009 in which Roger Federer replaced him as world number one and he battled to overcome a recurring knee injury.
The 23-year-old, who contributed to Spain's Davis Cup victory earlier this month, is now training for 2010 and will get his new season underway with an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi before he turns his attention to defending his Australian Open title.
""I have been training for some time,"" said Nadal.
Rafael Nadal in 'better shape than last season'
World number two Rafael Nadal believes he is in better shape for the start of the 2010 tennis season than he was this year despite having a relatively short time to prepare.
Rafael Nadal returns the ball against Czech Republic's Jan Hajek during the four match of the Davis cup final between Spain and Czech Republic at palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona
Nadal, who was plagued by knee and stomach injuries during 2009, helped Spain to a crushing victory over Czech Republic in the Davis Cup final in early December and has had only three weeks to train for the new season.
"My preparation has been short but good and three weeks later I am ready to start again," Nadal told Spain's As sports daily.
"I believe that this year (season) I'll arrive in a bit better shape than at the start of last season."
Nadal completed his preparations for 2010 with a two-hour training session on Tuesday and a set against Mallorcan compatriot Carlos Moya, which he won 7-5, before flying to Abu Dhabi where he will take part in an exhibition event.
After competing in the Qatar Open at the beginning of next month, he will seek to defend his Australian Open title in Melbourne.
He said he was especially looking forward to the challenge of recapturing his French Open title in June after his four-year reign as champion was ended in last year's fourth round by Swede Robin Soderling.
"The results will be what they are but right now my hope is to win everything," he told As.
"Because that's impossible you have to try to do what is possible in each tournament.
"If you have reached the semi-finals of almost every tournament without playing well, which is what happened to me (last season), when you are feeling better and maintaining a rhythm sooner or later your luck will change."
Nowy Aero promowany przez Nadala:
Nadal Looking Forward To Season Start
ATP World Tour No. 2 Rafael Nadal flew to Abu Dhabi from Mallorca on Tuesday afternoon, declaring he is fit and ready for the fast-approaching 2010 season.
The Spaniard, who completed his training block with a practice set against countryman Carlos Moya on Monday, will face David Ferrer on Thursday in the semi-finals of the Capitala World Tennis Championship, an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi.
Nadal’s official web site reported that the Mallorcan was very “happy” with the work he has done in December, despite having had little time to recuperate after Spain’s Davis Cup final victory over Czech Republic at the start of the month.
“Before travelling at the beginning [of the season] you always feel a bit lazy, especially when I haven’t had much time for myself as I’ve been training all the time,” Nadal is quoted as saying on a Mallorcan television channel.
“I did get the chance to be with my friends for a couple of days and I’ve spent some time with my family, so I’m really looking forward to the beginning of the season where I hope to regain my level of competition bit by bit.”
Following his appearance in Abu Dhabi, Nadal will journey to Doha, where he will contest the Qatar ExxonMobil Open, an ATP World Tour 250 tennis tournament which begins Monday 4th January.
“You always have to take one day at a time and I really hope that both the exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi and the tournament in Doha will give me the practice and confidence I need to play the Australian Open at the highest level,” said the reigning Australian Open champion.
Adu Dhabi Exo
RAFA WINS FIRST TOURNAMENT OF THE YEAR IN ABU DHABI
Rafa Nadal got 2010 off to a perfect start as he beat Robin Soderling 7-6(2) 6-4 in the final of the Abu Dhabi exhibition tournament this afternoon.
Rafa started the match on a high note and comfortably held serves to push the opening set into the deciding tie-break. With a dominant performance, he won the set by 7 points to 3.
The second set saw a service break in the sixth game when Rafa got the better of the Swede. However, Soderling bounced back immediately and broke the world No.2 to get back on serve. Finally, in the eleventh game, Nadal broke Soderling's serve one more time to begin 2010 with a title.
After the victory, Rafa took a minute to recognize Soderling's efforts. “I want to congratulate Robin for everything he achieved last season. He has an incredible potential and it makes sense to see him amongst the world’s top 10 players”.
“It is very important for me to begin the season winning. It’s been a real a difficult battle to win a tournament in the last six months and it’s never easy to compete against the best in the world all the time, but I will be giving it my all this year. For the moment though, it’s very important to start off the year with a title,” said the champ at the trophy ceremony.
Soderling, who’s enjoyed a wonderful few months, also took the opportunity to praise Rafa. “I’ve played three good matches at this tournament but Nadal played really good today and got a well deserved victory.”
Rafa now heads to nearby Doha for the official curtain-raiser on the men's tour with the Australian Open less than three weeks away. He will participate as the second seed of this event, where he reached the quarterfinals last season.
Nadal wygrał pokazowy turniej
Rafael Nadal wygrał pierwszy turniej tenisowy w 2010 roku. Drugi w rankingu ATP Hiszpan pokonał w finale pokazowych zawodów w Abu Zabi Szweda Robina Soederlinga 7:6 (7-3), 7:5.
W ten sposób tenisista z Majorki zrewanżował się Skandynawowi za ostatnie dwie porażki - w 1/8 finału French Open w maju 2009 roku i meczu fazy grupowej turnieju masters pod koniec listopada w Londynie.
– To bardzo ważne, by sezon rozpocząć od zwycięstwa. Ostatnie sześć miesięcy nie były dla mnie zbyt udane - skomentował Nadal, który od poniedziałku rozpocznie zmagania w dobrze obsadzonym w turnieju ATP Tour w Dausze (z pulą nagród 1,024 mln dol.).
Nadal set to miss Dubai tennis tournament
Tennis superstar Rafael Nadal has said that he is likely to sidestep next month's Dubai Tennis Championships amid a busy 2010 schedule.
Nadal, who won the Capitala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi on Saturday after beating Robin Soderling, said he will look to use the break to rest.
“I don’t think [I’ll play in Dubai],” said Nadal after defeating Soderling 7-6, (7-3), 7-5 at Zayed Sports City International Tennis Complex.
“It depends if I have very bad results in Doha, Australia and Rotterdam [in the coming month], then maybe, but it’s not on my calendar," he said in comments published by Emirates Business on Sunday.
Robertinho napisał:
Plaga światowego głodu chyba atakuje Majorkę, bo Nadal coraz mniejszy :| , ale gra dobrze i dość agresywnie wreszcie.
Jakbyś choć troche uważał na biologii to wiedziałbyś ze z wiekiem spada w organizmie ilość odpowiedzialnego za budowe mięsni - testosteronu :P Cóż Rafa się starzeje , i nam czas się przyzwyczaić że juz nigdy nie będzie wyglądał jak po treningach z Marines ;)
Hmmm, z punktu widzenia kulturystyki to najlepszą masę buduję się po okresie dojrzewania czyli +- ponad 21 rokiem życia.
Według mnie na anatomiczne tłumaczenia spadku masy jest sporo za wcześnie.
Fed-Expresso napisał:
Hmmm, z punktu widzenia kulturystyki to najlepszą masę buduję się po okresie dojrzewania czyli +- ponad 21 rokiem życia.
A jeśli ktoś baaaardzo wcześnie zaczął ?
Sydney napisał:
Robertinho napisał:
Plaga światowego głodu chyba atakuje Majorkę, bo Nadal coraz mniejszy :| , ale gra dobrze i dość agresywnie wreszcie.
Jakbyś choć troche uważał na biologii to wiedziałbyś ze z wiekiem spada w organizmie ilość odpowiedzialnego za budowe mięsni - testosteronu :P Cóż Rafa się starzeje , i nam czas się przyzwyczaić że juz nigdy nie będzie wyglądał jak po treningach z Marines ;)
Jakbyś uważał na biologii, widziałbyś, że poziom testosteronu nie zaczyna spadać w wieku 23 lat. :P
Co z tego że chudszy, jak bije mocniej niż jak był umięśniony :P
Defeated Nadal can't decide on state of game
Defeated Nadal can't decide on state of game Rafael Nadal is fighting the demons after losing the Doha final to Nikolay Davydenko, who accomplished the rare feat of beating both Roger Federer and Nadal at the same event.
The Spaniard, who will begin his defense of the Australian Open title a week from Monday, is putting on a brave face despite admitting this week that he remains plagued by doubts about his game.
Nadal's last title came on clay in Rome more than eight months ago.
"I had the match in my hands a few times in the third set and the second set, with two match points," the world No. 2 said of his 0-6, 7-6(10-8), 6-4 loss to the Russian who knocked out Federer in the quarters.
"I must be happy that I played against one of the players with the best performance on the tour and I was playing better than him during a lot of the match.
"Sure, it's better to win, especially when you have the chance. But, that's tennis and probably this match I needed a little bit more calm. But playing at this level I am sure I'm going to win a title.
"I don't know if I will win in Australia, but I think I'm in a very, very good way."
Just a few days earlier, the four-time French Open champion whose 2009 was torpedoed by injury, admitted that things were not so rosy.
"I've had a lot of problems in the head, I've had under-confidence - but that's life. You have to accept problems and you have to come back. I am trying. We will see what happens in the next six months."
Nadal admits he's far from favourite in Melbourne
Despite his status as holder, Rafael Nadal knows he heads into the Australian Open a distinct underdog to Roger Federer and other contenders vying for the title at the first major of 2010.
Winning the Davis Cup six weeks ago may have been a tonic, but for the Spaniard, reality could start to set in again as early as the first round of the Grand Slam. Australian opponent Peter Luczak, a competent journeyman, will have the stadium on his side and one misstep from Nadal could mean an early disaster.
"For sure, I'm not the favorite," said the world No. 2 as he completed preparations which began two days after the Davis Cup triumph, stopping only for Christmas day.
"On hard court there are a lot of very good players. Being No. 2, I'm not the maximum favorite, but I am one of them. But it doesn't matter. The important thing is who plays better on the court. We will see what happens next two weeks."
Nadal admits he barely had a day off from the end of Spain's Davis Cup title last month and the start of his off-season practise.
"Last year I finished December 7 and I had only two weeks and a half to train. I practised very hard - I think was a very good work."
Nadal remains convinced at a dozen or more players have legitimate chances. "I'm here to play my best every day, trying my best in every match. I'm ready to practise tomorrow and to try to play a good first round. We will see what's gonna happen."
Przed AO - Wywiad z Rafą.
An interview with:
RAFAEL NADAL
Q. Does it make you wonder that you're the defending champion yet you're not considered the favorite?
RAFAEL NADAL: What the question?
Q. You're the defending champion.
RAFAEL NADAL: I understand.
Q. You're not considered a favorite, Federer is. Does that disturb you or worry you?
RAFAEL NADAL: For sure not, no. For sure, I'm not the favorite. For sure on hard court there is a lot of very good players. I think being No. 2 of the world, probably I am not the maximum favorite, but I am one of these ones.
So, sure, first of all, doesn't matter. Is like every year when I arrive to Roland Garros, everybody talk I am the favorite, no? Finally important thing is who plays better on the court.
I know you have to write who is the favorite and you like to talk about that, but only thing is who plays better on court. And we will see what happens next two weeks.
Q. On this court surface, is it any different for you? Do you like this surface?
RAFAEL NADAL: Is nothing new for me. The surface is the same, like all the years. It's hard court, normal hard court. So I had good results here. I have very good results, I had bad results.
If I play well, I gonna have good chances to have a good result.
Q. Does it feel special to be back, having had such a fantastic tournament last year?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, sure. Anyway, if I won last year, being here in Australia is probably the easiest Grand Slam of the year. The organization, the people always was very nice with the players and with me for sure.
I feel very good here all the time, no? I spended one week before the tournament here. Was perfect.
Q. So how is your condition? Are you ready to win again?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know, no? I am ready to practice tomorrow and to try to play a good first round. We will see what's happen.
Q. You've had your fair share of injuries in the last 12 months. The previous year Roger was coming into this season from a similar perspective. Is there something you can take out of that confidence‑wise to know you can come back from injuries so dramatically?
RAFAEL NADAL: I didn't have bad results last five months, no? I didn't win. I didn't have perfect results. But I played. I was there all the tournaments.
Sure, is true, playing against the top players I didn't have a very good results. But I was playing not very well but not bad. So just a little bit more.
I started the season really well, playing really well there in Abu Dhabi and Doha. That the way. I try to play like this. If I play like I played there, I'm not worried.
Q. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you had one day break after the Davis Cup final, then you were back on the practice court.
RAFAEL NADAL: I had one day, one day. We finished at 7th, at 9th I was practicing.
Q. Over Christmas, did you practice Christmas Day?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. Christmas Day. 24th yes. 25th, no, party.
Q. So it was really hard work all through the off‑season?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah. Last year I was injured. I had more time to practice. This year I finished 7th and I had only two weeks and a half. I did all in my hands practicing physically, and on court very hard. I think was a very good work.
Q. Are you able to practice as hard now as you ever did with your knee problem?
RAFAEL NADAL: With what?
Q. The way the knees are now, are you able to practice 100% just like you used to?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah. You can watch me to practice (smiling). You can come.
Q. After the ATP Tour Finals, you mentioned you need a little bit of time to recharge the batteries and find some confidence. Do you think you've done that since?
RAFAEL NADAL: The confidence? The only way to have confidence is winning matches, winning important matches, no? So I did there in Abu Dhabi and I did there in Doha. So I think I am in the really right way.
But, you know, that's needs a little bit more time. But, you know, the life change in nothing, in a few things, and I am ready to change. I am ready to try to play my best tennis, I think.
I don't know here, but I think I am playing well. I think I am playing much better than what I did last four months.
Q. Is it the hardest to win now a Grand Slam because of the strength and depth on the men's tour, do you think?
RAFAEL NADAL: Easier now than how many years ago?
Q. Five years ago. Three years ago.
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. I don't know. I'll let you know after three years (laughter). I don't know. Sure, my feeling is always was very good players. That's true right now. Is young players, new generation. But always happen the same when new generation came, no? First two years of the new generation, always seems like going to change the world.
Happen the same when started with Hewitt, Nalbandian, Ferrero, Federer, Roddick, Coria. Happen the same at this time. So right now is a new generation. We will see what's happen. But for sure is interesting and are very good players.
Q. You and Roger have won I think 14 of the last 16 Grand Slams. Who do you think is the real threat here?
RAFAEL NADAL: We will see what's happen. I don't know. A lot of players can win right now, I think. I don't want to say everybody. But, yeah, like 12 players, 13 players have a good chance, gonna have a good chance.
Q. What do you make of your draw? How hard do you think the draw is? Maybe you could play Andy Murray in the quarterfinals if you both play well.
RAFAEL NADAL: We will see, no? I play first round against Luczak. I never talk about quarterfinals before. Remains four matches for quarterfinals. We will see what's happen before.
So I am here to play my best every day. Always just with humble and trying your best in every match you gonna have the chance to play this match.
Rafael Nadal pays respect for Aussie battler Peter Luczak
THEY have shared boardrooms, but never a court. In their brief friendship, Rafael Nadal and Peter Luczak have focused on business, primarily player welfare.
The pair regularly sit around the same table as ATP World Tour player council members.
Nadal is one of three men - the others are Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic - representing players ranked from one to 50. Luczak combines with Fernando Gonzalez and Michael Berrer to protect the interests of players ranked from 51 to 100.
But it will be business of a different kind tonight at Rod Laver Arena when world No. 78 Luczak squares off against defending champion Nadal.
Nadal, winner of six majors and an Olympic Games singles gold medal, expects no quarter from Victorian Luczak - a man he respects immensely.
"Yes, I saw him play a few times, not in the last year, but I saw him play before," Nadal said yesterday after a practice session with fellow Spaniard Tommy Robredo.
"Peter is a good player from the baseline, a hard player. He's a good fighter, so it will be a tough match. I know Peter. He is in the council. He's a nice guy. It's going to be an interesting and good match."
Nadal has not won a tournament since May. He was then sidelined for two months with knee problems. He returns to Melbourne Park, bidding to become the first player since Federer in 2007 to win consecutive Open titles.
"For sure, I'm not the favourite," Nadal said.
"On hardcourt, there is a lot of very good players. I think being No. 2 of the world, probably I am not the maximum favourite. Important thing is who plays better on court. And we will see what happens next two weeks.
"I started the season really well, playing really well there in Abu Dhabi and Doha. If I play like I played there, I'm not worried."
Nadal's prizemoney earnings stands at more than $29 million; Luczak's earnings sits just below $1 million. Nadal has won 36 titles, including four French Opens, a Wimbledon and Australian Open; Luczak is yet land an ATP crown.
But Nadal is taking nothing for granted. "He's a good player," he said.
Nadal flexes some muscle
Defending champion Rafael Nadal has overcome a spirited challenge from Australia’s Peter Luczak to move into the second round of Australian Open 2010.
The world No. 2 appeared sluggish in the opening stages of the match and was forced onto the back foot by Luczak’s powerful groundstrokes, but settled and ultimately prevailed 7-6(0) 6-1 6-4.
It was an unfortunate draw for Luczak, who entered the tournament in career-best form and ranked world No. 70, just six spots shy of his career-high mark.
He seemed determined to impose his game on the Spaniard in the opening passages of play, cracking his forehand with great power and depth and surprising Nadal with his take-no-prisoners approach.
Nadal appeared slightly off his game, missing the mark with his usually reliable groundstrokes and passing shots and playing shorter in the court than his opponent.
The Spaniard said he was prepared for a tough battle against the Australian No. 2.
“Playing the first round of one Grand Slam, you know, you know always the first round is a little bit more nervous and you have to start. First rounds are always difficult to play very well,” he said.
The first break of the match appeared imminent in the seventh game when Nadal moved ahead 15-40. Undoubtedly buoyed by the support of the vocal home crowd, Luczak saved both break points and eventually won the game with a brilliant inside-out forehand.
The Australian took that momentum into the eighth game, triumphing after an epic struggle that featured six deuces and five break points before Luczak earned the decisive break on his sixth attempt.
Predictably, as Luczak served for the set, Nadal raised his level. The forehand that had been missing the mark was suddenly a potent force, and the Spaniard broke back.
It was a missed opportunity that Luczak would come to rue. Nadal had clearly settled into the match and was looking far more comfortable during rallies. He leveled proceedings at 5-5, and the set progressed to a tiebreak.
From there, Nadal dominated, racing through the breaker without the loss of a point before snaring five consecutive games to open up an unassailable lead in the second set. Although Luczak restored some credibility to the scoreboard with a service hold in the sixth game, Nadal held to establish a two-sets-to-love lead.
Nadal said that he was assisted by Luczak’s mistakes in the tiebreak.
“Peter was playing really well in the first set. I was playing (with) shorter (depth) than usual. I played with more mistakes. So late in the tiebreak he had three mistakes, so he helped me. And I was serving well, so I won the tiebreak,” he said.
“After that I started to play longer, I started to play more aggressive, so I started to play more my tennis.”
It looked grim for Luczak as Nadal quickly led 2-0 in the third set. But against the tide, the Aussie held his serve to reignite the increasingly subdued crowd.
Games went on serve for the rest of the match, yet Luczak never looked like breaking his illustrious opponent during that time.
Nadal served out the match in the 10th game, progressing to the second round in just over two-and-a-half hours.
“Winning in three sets is good news, so very happy to be in second round,” Nadal said.
The second seed will meet the winner of the match between Slovakian Lukas Lacko and Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer in the next round.
Konferencja po meczu I r.
Q. What are your thoughts after the game?
RAFAEL NADAL: Happy. Happy always starting Grand Slam. Winning in three sets is good news, so very happy to be in second round.
Q. What were your thoughts maybe through the first set, because it didn't look like it was all going to be as easy as you thought it might have been.
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I never thought it was going to be an easy match before going on court. And, sure, playing the first round of one Grand Slam, you know, you know always the first round is a little bit more nervous and you have to start. First rounds are always difficult to play very well.
So I thought gonna be a tough match. First set was tough. Later was easier.
Q. Did you step it up in that tiebreak? Did you find something in that tiebreak and go on with it from there?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I think, well, Peter was playing really well in the first set. I was playing shorter than usual. I played with more mistakes.
So late in the tiebreak he had three mistakes, so he helped me. And I was serving well, so I won the tiebreak. After that I started to play longer, I started to play more aggressive, so I started to play more my tennis.
Q. What is the difference, when you say you started to play longer, more aggressive? Is it just confidence and getting more belief in the second and third sets?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, when you relax a little bit. The first set I had the chances for the breakpoint. One breakpoint I played well, but I had the passing shot mistake to the net, very close, and he played well.
So you start always. I said before, a little bit more nervous than usual. When you win first set you relax a little bit more, you can play more your game, no?
I think I did. I was playing really well, practicing before in Doha and Abu Dhabi, too. I think I'm always in the right way. I told you before, when you relaxed, you have the chance to play more your tennis.
Q. How was the crowd?
RAFAEL NADAL: Always is nice. The atmosphere here always in Australia is special. The crowd are emotional. I played few matches against Lleyton, too, here. Against an Australian, he has big supporters.
Q. Were you having some problems with your shoes or the grip on the court sometimes?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. I think the problem my shoes was a little bit more used than what I thought before the match. I was slipping a little bit more. I gonna change for next one, new ones.
Q. A bit old, were they, the shoes?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no, wasn't old. But here the court, yeah, I started to play with the new shoes two days ago, but the court here is aggressive. Behind the foot was thinner than what I expected.
Q. And the fingers?
RAFAEL NADAL: The blister.
Q. Are you in favor of this World Cup of tennis that people are talking about?
RAFAEL NADAL: We will see. We will see what's going on. I think ATP wants to do something. Sure, World Cup with all the players, best player of the world and playing for your country, with good organization and a big event, for sure I am in favor.
Q. You seem a bit slimmer than last year, a bit lighter.
RAFAEL NADAL: Can we bring scales tomorrow? Everybody ask me the same. If we bring something here, I gonna put... I have the same weight than last year. I weigh the same five years ago. I didn't change.
Q. After the match, Jim Courier was asking you about last year, reflecting on the semifinal, the final. Coming back to Melbourne, have you been thinking about that a lot?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I am thinking about try to play good tournament. Sure, when I walk around and I see my picture there, being on the floor, so always is a very nice memories.
You know, was one of the more emotional victories of my career, semifinals and final. So always when you come back in a big event like this, you remember the matches.
Q. Is it an advantage having the feature match at night now being the earlier match? You know when your starting time is going to be.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, sure is good if you have exactly the time what you're gonna play. But it's true we play indoors, too.
But anyway, I am happy to finish. I feel lucky to finish my match today. That's important. I was a lot of times in the other situation than the rest of the players. Is not easy wait all the day to play.
Blog Rafy z AO/ odpowiedzi na pytania fanów.
SUNDAY, January 17: HELLO everyone! I'm back in Australia, back at the Oz Open and I have to say the tournament could have not started better.
We know the main draw is only starting tomorrow - by the way I am playing at 7pm local time - but to me the main draw started with the Hit for Haiti.
How did that happen? I was in the Player's Restaurant yesterday morning and received a text message from
Roger. I thought it was a great idea from Roger and replied saying count me in and thanks!
So today we have played something that I think was really nice. The goal to raise money, the court completely full, some great players there trying to entertain everyone, with microphones while playing, playing around mixed with women, Jim Courier up there as a chair umpire.
Lots of joking around and, most importantly, lots of money raised for the cause in Haiti!. I think it was fantastic and I have to say I had a great time.
Believe me also that I didn't understand all the words and jokes ... you know ... my English is not that good, so I have to say I struggled a lot of the times to understand.
Like when Roger was tossing the racquet and Jim asked me: `Rafa up or down?` and I understood Rafa up and down and started jumping! :-)
Not easy, believe me. But again, the whole thing was for a good cause and I am thankful to Roger for thinking about me and thank everyone who came or saw it on TV.
Mostly thanks to all those who contributed and so I also encourage all of you to contribute.
So, thanks again this year for being there. I will be posting every day until the end of 'my' tournament. I hope I can get a lot of posts in...
Tomorrow I'll talk more about the tournament, how I got here, when, and how's everything for me. Today it was the day for Haiti!
Thanks. Rafa
Q: RAFA, How many kilometres or miles do you think you travel throughout the year? Do you keep track?
Sia, Canada
RAFA: This is a very good question. I actually will count them this year since I haven't done it before. I do know we travel a lot around the world a couple of times!
HI, Rafa, from Spain I'm sending you my best wishes for this AO.
Next days I'm not going to sleep if it's necessary for to watch your matches. What do you think about your draw's side? Good look!
Rosi Carrasco, Madrid
Many thanks. At least tomorrow you will be able to see the match at 9am since I am playing 7pm here. My side of the draw is difficult - as it is the other one.:-)
RAFA, you recently played tennis on a magic carpet with Federer in Abu Dhabi. How was that experience?
Also, if you could own a magic carpet and fly anywhere in the universe, where would you go and who would you take?
I would love to fly to the top of a rainbow and I would take my family and you and your family along with me!
Vamos Rafa at the Australian Open! You can do it!
Z Young of Saudi Arabia
ACTUALLY, it was in Doha. It was fun and knowing it was only a promotional thing we knew we didn't have to run much. :-)
I would take that carpet to the Balearic Islands in Spain.
BAD luck in Doha against Davydenko but I thought you played very well throughout the tournament.
What parts of Davydenko's game do you find the most difficult to deal with?
Alex Logan. Los Angeles
HE is a very solid and consistent player. Difficult to find a spot to attack him and he is someone who counter attacks very well. A very difficult player and very experienced.
WHAT/who inspires you the most to continue playing so well even when times get tough?
Jack Tu, Glen Waverley
I LOVE the competition, I love the sport and I love to play tennis. This is the main thing.
I AM a huge Federer fan and would like to ask, how do you feel on the court when you play him? And how is playing Fed different to playing other tennis players?
Danielle, Melbourne
WHEN I am on the court I am OK. I know I have in front of me one of the best, if not the best player ever, and it is something special always.
He is a great champion and a great guy too. The matches with him have something special also because they are normally finals.
I ADMIRE your style of tennis and also your personality. Many fans and audience enjoy watching you and even critics appreciate your contribution to the world of tennis.
I just can see you volunteering in person or participating in disaster relief works such as in Haiti? Would you do it if you have the opportunity or would you prefer a different kind of charity work?
Aliah Kassim, Malaysia
THANKS a lot. We did something nice and at the same time fun for everyone. IT was Roger's idea and I thought it was great. Let's hope we were able to collect a lot of money to help the people there.
EVERYONE has a guilty pleasure. Can you tell us yours? (music, food, TV shows, etc).
Meriko, Washington DC
I HAVE many but I can say i burn the calories afterwards. I like chocolate, sometimes junk food.
WOULD you like to be a tennis coach or a life coach or even do TV programmes to teach a wider audience when you stop playing?
Juliette Westbrook-Finch, UK
I don't really know. For sure tennis is my world and I will do something related to it. But i guess I am too young still to know what I will enjoy doing in the future.
HI Rafa. It's great to see you back playing well and congratulations on your results so far this season!
My question is, depending on the surface, roughly, how many pairs of trainers do you get through in a grand slam? Especially as you cover a lot of ground during a match! Good luck for this year!
Amelia Hurrell, UK
During a Grand Slam on hard court around seven or eight pairs.
IF you had to choose, do you prefer to win at Roland Garros or Wimbledon?
Anyway, I wish you to win both and hope to see you in Paris!
Pauline, France
I would be happy with either one, but i have to admit that Wimbledon was something special.
HI Rafa. How do you estimate your chance in Australian Open.
Vard Grig, Russia
I have a chance but so do other seven or eight other players, if not more.
IF you were given the choice to win one of the Grand Slams in 2010, which one would you pick?
Myra, Netherlands
Any of them. Believe me. It is the truth.
RAFA, watching you playing this year it is clear that physically you are as strong as you could possibly be, but are you equally strong mentally? Good luck in Australia!
Luis Muniz, Spain.
I think i am in good shape so hopefully things will be good.
WHERE is your favorite city to play?
Lorena, Miami
Paris is a place I always enjoyed very much, because of the city. It is something special.
WHAT Do you feel like you must do in order to successfully defend your Oz Open title?
Haley Dickey, Tennessee
There are a lot of different things that have to come together. one of them is to play well and have my confidence back.
RAFA, you really are the nicest guy in the universe! Is there anything that makes you really mad? What is it? Please tell us!
Mary Robinson, Cincinnati.
Many thanks. I am sure I am not. There are a lot of things that get me upset and mad.
RAFA, the style of game you play is very physically demanding on your body.
Do you think you will have to make a couple of adjustments to your game to ensure your longevity on the tour?
Pippen, Melbourne.
I try, believe me.
RAFA, As a fan I always enjoy your comeback from saving match points!
What do you usually tell yourself when facing a match point? How do you handle the pressure?
Anderson Chan, Hong Kong
That is something you work since you are a kid. I always give 100 per cent every point and a match point is also a point so that's the secret.
RAFA, in a recent interview Federer said he sleeps for 11-12 hours a day. How many hours a day do you sleep?
Good luck in your first round match against Luczak!
Zay Young, Saudi Arabia.
I sleep eight or nine.
AS your popularity and experience on the tour has grown, your obligations have increased - promotions, sponsors, being on the ATP Players' council, etc. Is it sometimes difficult to enjoy the game when you are so busy with the business side of the things?
Beth Miri
Wywiad z Rafą po zwycięstwie Hiszpana z Lacko w 2 rundzie AO
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Apart from the win, what did you like about your game today?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I think I played serious match. I think I played the match what I need to play. Winning 6‑2, 6‑2, 6‑2 is a really good news.
Q. You weren't overextended?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think I did well, no? I was playing, moving well in the beginning without mistakes, having with the control of the ball.
No, I think I played right way. Very good match, yeah.
Q. Did he surprise you sometimes with some of his shots?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no, no. Everybody plays really well. No, no. I never feel surprised. Someday, yes. But, sure, everybody can play really well. And he's young player, aggressive player. Sure, he can play really well.
No, didn't surprise me.
Q. Do you think you played better than against Luczak the other night?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, well I played with more relaxed, no? Second round always is easier to play. You are more adapt to the conditions and everything. Always the debut is more difficult, no? I think I improved a little bit. I can still play a little bit longer, but that's it.
Q. Davydenko told us yesterday he never wants to be really famous like Federer or you. How do you feel about being so famous?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I think you are or you are not. You want or you don't want, that's not an answer, no? You are or you are not. That's it, no?
I feel okay, no? I like my life. I'm feel very lucky to be where I am. And, sure, I work in my hobby. So not everybody can say the same. So I feel very lucky person.
Q. After your knee problems last year, how close do you think you are to full fitness now?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, I am okay. I am very good. No, no, I don't have any problem.
Q. Last year the first part of your season was exceptional. A lot of people thought you could realize the Grand Slam. Then you had injuries. This year before the tournament, there were many questions about what you can do, having lost against a lot of top‑10 players. How do you deal with that? Were you sad? Do you read about that?
RAFAEL NADAL: I didn't connect to Internet. Normally I didn't read a lot about myself. But, no...
Q. Is it difficult for you?
RAFAEL NADAL: Difficult what?
Q. One year ago you were a king, and this year will you win. Many questions about you.
RAFAEL NADAL: You made the questions.
I feel very happy what I did in this sport. I still having really happy with what I am doing. With 23 years old, having 15 Masters 1000 and six Grand Slams is more than what I expected all my life. So everybody can tell, but these titles are as home, so nobody gonna take me these titles.
Sure, everybody can talk, but I still working as much as I can to be in the top. And, sure, there is lot of very good players. But, you know, I always do all in my hands, and nobody can ask me more than when I do all what I can do.
Q. You were ranked No. 2 for so long, then got No. 1. Last year you won your Grand Slam title, losing your No. 1 ranking to Roger. Now you're No. 2 again. What is more important, getting the No. 1 ranking or winning more Grand Slam titles?
RAFAEL NADAL: Anything gonna be perfect (smiling). Sure, no, for me right now my goal is try to be in third round of Australian Open. That's my goal right now. We will see what's happen.
First, about No. 1, you are No. 1 or you are not No. 1. Can't be a goal. Is not possible have your goal to be No. 1 because if you're not winning important tournaments, you're not going to have any chance to be No. 1.
So my real goal right now is just try to be competitive in every tournament that I gonna play, and feel when I go on court I can win against everybody. So that's my goal, no?
If you talk me about the ranking, I was for the last five years top two all the weeks, no? So be No. 2, No. 4, No. 5 doesn't affect myself a lot. Sure, be No. 1 is a little bit different, but the rest doesn't matter. Only thing is be competitive to win titles.
Q. You're very popular here with the crowds. Do you find Australian crowds push you and you feel the love from the crowds other than your home?
RAFAEL NADAL: I always feel really well here, no? I played amazing matches in the past since the first time when I arrived here against Hewitt. Second time what I came back, I lost against Hewitt in five sets. And the crowd always was really nice with me, no?
The crowd here is special that they show a lot his emotions, and is nice going on court here. I just can say thanks.
Q. You seem to take a lot of time signing for fans.
RAFAEL NADAL: I did in all the place. If they support me or if they didn't support me.
Q. Roger had a tough match yesterday against Andreev. Did that surprise you about how tough that match was? Do you prefer to have these tough matches initially so you get challenged and build on that momentum?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I prefer win straight if is possible, no (smiling). No, but I didn't surprise. Everybody plays really well. Maybe you are more surprised than the players, because the players know every match is really difficult.
Del Potro lost a set, too, the first round. Everybody can win everybody, and the level is really close. In one match, everything can happen.
Wywiad po meczu III r.
Q. How have you pulled up after that long match?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, the most important thing is I won, so I happy for that. I am less happy about my game, what I was practicing.
But, yeah, you know, everybody have not very good days. I think I played much better the fourth set than the rest of the sets. The second sets, few moments I played well, too. But the first set and the third, I played bad.
Yeah, I need to play a little bit more aggressive for next matches.
Q. Anything in particular you think you need to work on?
RAFAEL NADAL: Just play a little bit more aggressive, play a little bit longer with the forehand and backhand, and that's it, yeah. Play more aggressive and longer; everything is easier like that.
Q. He seemed to attack your serve, especially your second serve. Are you worried about that?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. I was serving 145, 150 lot of times. So is not bad second serve. A lot of players, when play against the top players, play more aggressive than usual. So is nothing to do about that, no?
The balls, if they are with confidence, the ball goes in, like few moments today for Phillipp, is difficult to stop. Is difficult at the same time do this thing all the match.
Q. How was your confidence tonight?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think I started slow. I started little bit slower than usual. Later I save lot of breakpoints in the first set. First set I didn't feel playing really well. But after that I played much better the second. And in the third I started terrible, no?
I had big chance with Love‑40 to break back. If I did, yeah, that was very important game in the third, no? And in the fourth, he played well, and I think I played much better.
Q. Does that match help you going into the rest of the tournament, that you improved?
RAFAEL NADAL: I hope so. You never know, no? You never know. I hope so.
I am ready to play well, but I have to wait.
Q. What about your next opponent, Karlovic? How do you approach that match?
RAFAEL NADAL: Always a really difficult opponent, no, because the match is decides in a few points. So the thing is very be concentrate with my serve all the time and try to convert the small opportunities that I can have on the return. That's it.
Q. Did the heat affect you at all? Do you prefer playing earlier?
RAFAEL NADAL: Doesn't matter for me. I happy with everything.
Q. Do you spend time tomorrow analyzing this match or do you immediately look at the next one? What do you take from it as you move on?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, analyze this match today. Tomorrow is practice and try to practice well to get good confidence for the next match, no? I talk with my coach already in the locker room. Maybe we will talk a little bit more later. But that's it. Tomorrow is another day.
Q. What level do you think you need to get to feel confident? Do you need to beat a top-10 player again?
RAFAEL NADAL: Top-10 player again? What do you say?
Q. What do you need to accomplish to get your confidence? What kind of level of player do you have to beat before you are fully confident again?
RAFAEL NADAL: I am confident. The season is long anyway. If I lost here next round, I gonna have a chances to play well during all the season. So Australian Open is very important tournament, but is not the end of the world.
You have a lot of time to get your full confidence, to play well. So I am there all the weeks fighting, try my best. When you are there all the time, finally you do.
Q. You played some amazing shots tonight. The volley after the pickup, some running passing shots. Do you surprise yourself sometimes with your shots?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, yes, no? Few ones, no? The forehands, surely I surprise. But I like this shot, running with the passing shot with my forehand. But, yes, the point that give me the second set, outside the net, yes, was one of the best forehands in my life probably.
Q. Who chose your orange shirt?
RAFAEL NADAL: Myself and Nike.
Q. Do people like it? Have you had good feedback about it?
RAFAEL NADAL: You can ask the people.
ao.com
Oświadczyny na korcie! "Nadal, ożenisz się ze mną"?
Hiszpański gwiazdor jest obiektem pożądania wielu kobiet. Jedna postanowiła to wykrzyczeć!
Mecz II rundy Australian Open. Rafael Nadal spokojnie punktuje Słowaka Lukasa Lacko (wygrał
mecz 6:2, 6:2, 6:2).
Nagle z trybun pada:
Hey, Nadal! Will you marry me?
Tenisista się uśmiechnął, ale propozycji nie przyjął :)
http://sportfan.pl/artykul/14903/oswiad … sie-ze-mna
Można też tu obejrzeć całą sytuację :)
Desperatka :D Ten Rafa to jednak ma powodzenie , no praktycznie co szlem ktoś Go kocha :D W sumie szkoda troche że ta sympetyczna psychofanka nie ulokowała uczuć w innym grajku . Jestem pewny że taki Fernando Gonzalez kontynuowałby przedstawienie :mrgreen:
Rafael Nadal: The day I beat Moya at soccer
THURSDAY, January 21: Hello everyone. The highlight of my day today? Me and Juan Monaco defeating Moya and Marc Lopez playing soccer at the PlayStation!
I know it sounds bad saying this for many reasons ... because tennis is why we are here and that is the priority, because it is not nice to promote your own victories, because Moya is older than me and ... but it was such an important match, so much tension in it and everything that I had to mention it!
Moya is known for being the best but Monaco and I are a magic team! We even had spectators in my room: Carlos Costa, my father, Rafa Maymo, Benito, Tuts ... they had to go down to the lobby and "pay" by doing push ups! Too funny!
For the rest, a good day with a nice practice with Marc Lopez in the morning. Had lunch at the tournament site and then back to the hotel.
Not much to tell today. Still excited about the PlayStation match and, seriously now, thinking a lot about tomorrow's match.
Hope it goes well!.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/rafa- … 5822517942
W linku można przeczytac odpowiedzi Rafy na pytania od fanów.
Konferencja po meczu 4r AO10:
An interview with:
RAFAEL NADAL
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Are you playing as well as you would like to at this stage, with a view to playing the final? Is your form to your liking?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, sure. I started the season well. You know, today the match is probably one of the most difficult matches to play well because is without rhythm all the time.
So the victory is the only thing in this kind of match, no? I did. I think I returned aggressive. When I had a chance to touch the ball, I did well. So I happy for that.
Q. How difficult is it to imagine where the serve is coming? You study the serve of an opponent before or you guess.
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no. You try to see where he put the ball, where he tosses the ball. But you know a lot of times he change, so... I thought was there, and was there (indicating the other side).
So just, you know, is like a penalty. You go to one place.
Q. You always play every point very strong. Against that kind of player, is it more important, every point is more important, than any other player?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, sure, no, because first thing, if you lose one time your serve, probably you lose the set. And second thing, when you return, you have to be focused, hundred percent focused all the time, because you have to wait your chance. If he had some mistake with the first serve, try to be there all the time. Or if you can return well a few first serves is the only chance to have the break, no?
If you are not focused all the time, is impossible.
Q. How were you feeling at the start of the third set?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, I was a little bit unlucky in the end of the second set, in that game, with two nets and one return, strange return. Anyway, I had mistakes in that game.
Later, he was playing a little bit better, no? But I was there and just wait my chance, be focused on my serve, try to not have more mistakes in my serve, and wait the chance on the return. I think I was returning really well when I had the chance to touch the ball.
Q. Andy was pretty impressive tonight. Do you feel like this is a really big test for him, where he can play you when it really matters instead of in smaller tournaments? Is this a big moment whether he can stand up or not?
RAFAEL NADAL: For him?
Q. Yes.
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't think Andy have to show nothing to nobody, no? He have enough results to be confident of win a Grand Slam or win everything. No, for me is not a test for him, no? He can win, he can lose. But, anyway, he gonna have a lot of chances to win a Grand Slam, and he gonna do for sure.
Q. Is it a more difficult test for you than you would like at this stage of the tournament?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. That's the draw, no? No, I happy. The important thing, I am in quarterfinals, losing only two sets. I think I am okay. And I have to play better next match if I really want to have chances to win. That's what I gonna try. Is one of the more difficult players to play against, Andy. I have to play my best tennis.
Q. What do you think of your record against top‑10 players over the last eight months?
RAFAEL NADAL: Let me know what do you think?
Q. You tell us.
RAFAEL NADAL: The numbers are the numbers. So probably is not the best moment in my career against the top 10, no? But two weeks ago I was one point away, no?
Q. Is it an issue with confidence at all?
RAFAEL NADAL: You know, you have some up and downs in your career. And probably the last eight months or six months, I had more problem than usual with my knees, later with the abdominal. And I don't know what's gonna happen after tomorrow.
But, you know, I am here to fight. Nobody can ask me more when I try all my best all the time, no? So, you know, if I lose another time in two days, I gonna try in next tournament. If not, next. And if not, next.
So the important thing is don't have loses against the players that you have to win. So I did very well that last eight months, too. I didn't had bad loses outside of top‑10 players. So when you are there all the time, finally you win.
Q. Which would you prefer, for you to win the Australian Open or for Spain to win the World Cup?
RAFAEL NADAL: What kind of question is that? Is no chance to answer this question, no?
I think, yeah, first of all, is yourself, so after is your team. And the Spanish team for sure is very important for me. But I think is one of the more strange questions I answered in my life.
Q. You spoke about your knees giving you trouble. How are you physically? Are you fine for right now at this stage?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, I'm perfect, yeah.
Q. You talked about Murray being a very difficult opponent. What is the hardest part about playing Andy Murray?
RAFAEL NADAL: First thing is he is very good. Yeah, he's one of the most talentest players on tour. He can play offensive, he can play defensive. He can do a lot of things during the same match. So that's a most important thing.
Later, he's a big player and he's a winner. Yeah, is important. Is very important player.
Konferencja po 1/4 AO:
Q. Could you let us know what the condition is, what the latest story is with the knee. It's very unusual for you to stop during a match.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, well, is not a lot of history because was during the match. Was in the end of the second set in one drop. And I feeled similar thing to what I had last year.
And, yes, after that I can't go down after that, no? So was impossible to win the match. When I have the chance to play, I never retired. Anyway, like I know I going to lose like I did in Rotterdam like last year. I say sorry to Andy for that.
I felt pain still there without no one minimum chance to do nothing, the same time is hard for me be five more games there without try nothing, no? So I don't know if I still playing can go worst or something. So I said, well, no repeat the same mistake like I had last year. I go to the limit, but not cross the limit, no?
Q. Was that the most aggressive he's played against you?
RAFAEL NADAL: Andy played really well I think. I think he's at unbelievable level, no? That may be with how I did too. I think my level was very high today, too. I had big chances. I had big chances to win both sets. And I think against probably the player who is playing better right now, I was very close.
So I go out from this tournament very happy about my level because the perspective is much better right now than two or three months ago, no, when I lost in the Masters Cup. All the matches, in that matches, I didn't see one no way to play again my tennis. Now I am playing another time at my best level. Today I think was amazing match first two sets. Both, I think we played really well. And I have the chances.
He served ‑‑ his serve was unbelievable with my chances, with the 30‑All, with the Love‑30, with the breakpoints. Just congratulate him because he's doing really well, and I think he gonna has a big chance to win this tournament.
Q. Is it the same sort of injury?
RAFAEL NADAL: I say before yes.
Q. Does it feel worse or the same?
RAFAEL NADAL: Worst?
Q. Does it feel as bad as it did last year?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know, no? Is happen few minutes ago, no?
Q. It happened the end of the second set?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes.
Q. You were talking about your level of play today. When do you think you last played as confidently and as well as you were doing for the first two sets?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think last time was here last year.
Q. Here last year?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah. Because after that I played well few matches in Indian Wells. But after that started the pain. And after the pain, I didn't play bad, but far away from this level, no? I worked a lot at home. Lot of months working to play at this level now.
For sure for me is little bit disappointing have the pain on the knee because I think I am very close to start winning these important matches, no? And I think I gonna do soon.
Q. Are there any changes you're going to make to your training style or your playing style?
RAFAEL NADAL: Don't start, guys, with these questions right now. I think is not the right moment. I think I changed the style to play. If you see my matches 2005 or 2004, 2006, I run a lot compared to now, no?
So today I played against one of the best players of the world, and I think I wasn't run more than him. So I played aggressive. I played having the control of the point, a lot of the time with the forehand and the backhand, too, returning aggressive. If you see my matches three years ago, that's didn't happen, no?
Remember, we are playing on hard courts. Probably in this surface I have to play my best tennis, like today, if I really want to have chances to win. If not, then the opponents, there are really good players, and Andy's unbelievable. He's playing really well. You know, with these matches, I think I was very close today. But just little bit more calm when I had the break.
Q. How confident can you be that your knee problems are going to suddenly stop?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I worked a lot. I didn't have lot of problems for the last six months. And today is the first time, no? I felt something when I think is a bad movement. But is not, you know, because the knee is tired or has been a bad movement or gesture.
No, I think going to be okay.
Q. You know what it takes to win this tournament. You won it last year. What will it take for Andy to win it?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I think for sure he has a big chance, no? I think is a very good chance for him. First thing, he's playing really well. And second thing, he's already in semifinals. So is only two matches away.
Every Grand Slam is special and every Grand Slam is important to win. For Andy, I think he deserve to win his first Grand Slam, and he gonna do it.
Q. Are you worried how long your knee might keep you out?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no.
Q. You don't think it will keep you out for a long time?
RAFAEL NADAL: I repeat: I said before, I think is impossible to me to know after half an hour.
Q. Apart from the serve, what was Andy doing particularly well tonight that perhaps you hadn't seen before in past matches?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I think he played more aggressive than what he did the last matches. He did really well. He was serving really well in important moments. He played aggressive. He played aggressive with both shots, forehand and backhand. He went to the net a few times, serve and volley.
So I said before the match, no, he's a very complete player. He has a lot of chances to do it during the match, and that's very important because you have different options when the match is complicated. You have different options to do.
ao.com
Nadal: "On zagrał niewiarygodny mecz"
Drugi ćwierćfinał Australian Open panów zakończył się w dość nieprzyjemnych okolicznościach. Rafael Nadal poddał mecz z powodu kontuzji prawego kolana przy stanie 3:6,6:7(2),0:3 dla Murray'a.
Nocny pojedynek Murray'a z Nadalem był niesamowity, tenisiści grali bardzo efektownie. Publiczność na Rod Laver Arena mogła się cieszyć niesamowitym tenisiem przez dwie i pół godziny.
Wspaniałe widowisko zepsuła kontuzja Rafael Nadala, która dręczyła go przez cały 2009 rok. Nadal powiedział, że nie chciał grać z kontuzją, co było błędem w tamtym roku.
"Stwierdziłem, że nie mogę grać z kontuzją, jak w tamtym roku. Wtedy ból się nasilał i było jeszcze gorzej" powiedział Nadal. "Przepraszam Andy". - dodał Hiszpan kierując słowa do Murray'a.
Przez cały mecz Murray grał bardzo dobrze. Cały turniej okazuje się być dla Brytyjczyka bardzo dobry, widać, że jest bardzo dobrze dysponowany.
Następnym przeciwnikiem Murray'a będzie Marin Cilić, który pokonał Roddicka.
"Z mojej strony mogę powiedzieć tyle: grałem naprawdę dobrze i zasługuję na ten półfinał "powiedział Murray.
Nadal zgodził się, opisując poziom Szkota jako "niewiarygodny".
"Andy grał naprawdę dobrze", powiedział Hiszpan, obrońca tytułu Australian Open.
W trzecim secie Nadal pomimo medycznej pomocy, nie zdołał dokończyć meczu i poddał spotkanie przy stanie 3-0 dla Murraya.
Ponieważ Nadal nie obroni punktów sprzed roku, kiedy to triumfował w tej imprezie, numer 3 rankingu ATP, Novak Djokovic najprawdopodobniej awansuje na drugie miejsce. Hiszpan może także spaść jeszcze niżej, wszystko zależy jak spisze się Andy Murray w pozostałych swoich meczach.
W skrócie
- Murray zaserwował 13 asów, Nadal jeden.
- Murray zdobył 77 procent punktów, po pierwszym serwisie.
- Nadal wykorzystał tylko dwie szansy na przełamanie Murraya, a miał ich w meczu aż 12.
- Murray zdobył 79 procent punktów przy siatce.
Melbourne: smutny koniec Nadala
Nie było wielkiego widowiska, na jakie wszyscy w Melbourne się szykowali. Andy Murray grał jedno z najlepszych spotkań w życiu, ale Rafael Nadal z każdą minutą gasł w oczach, aż w końcu zgasł całkowicie, poddając mecz przy stanie 3:6, 6:7(2), 0:3. Powód ten sam, który zepsuł Hiszpanowi pół poprzedniego sezonu, czyli problemy z kolanami. Wielki sukces odniósł Marin Cilić, który pokonał po pięciosetowej batalii Andy’ego Roddicka i o finał zagra właśnie z Murrayem.
Przykro było patrzeć na bezradnego Rafaela Nadala. Rafaela Nadala, który od początku meczu był inny niż zwykle. Zachowywał się aż za spokojnie, sprawiając wrażenie mało aktywnego, przybitego, nieobecnego. Nawet charakterystyczne „¡Vamos!” było dziś cichsze i jakby bez przekonania. W trzecim secie stało się jasne, dlaczego. Jednak do tego momentu kibice na Rod Laver Arena nie tracili wiary, że 23-latek z Majorki „zaskoczy”, włączy szósty bieg i się ożywi, sprawiając, że spotkanie stanie się o niebo atrakcyjniejszy.
Już pierwsza piłka meczu, wygrana przez „Rafę” efektownym stop wolejem, była postrzegana jako zapowiedź tego, co będzie się działo dalej. Nierozegrany jeszcze Murray szybko stracił swoje podanie i pozwolił rywalowi wyjść na prowadzenie 2:1. Jednak od tej chwili cztery kolejne gemy padły łupem Szkota. We wszystkich walka była zacięta, a Nadal miał wiele szans, aby ponownie przełamać przeciwnika. Przy stanie 2:5 Hiszpan wreszcie przerwał złą passę, a chwilę potem miał następne break pointy. Znów je zmarnował, a raczej Murray w świetnym stylu je obronił, kończąc seta.
W drugiej partii obaj tenisiści wygrywali swoje podania do stanu 3:2 dla Nadala. Szkot zachwycał mądrością gry, spokojem i umiejętnością opóźniania uderzenia do maksimum, czym kompletnie zaskakiwał rywala. To on był bardziej aktywny, to on notował więcej uderzeń kończących i to on prowadził grę. Co jakiś czas sam wpadał we własne sidła, kiedy próbował zbyt efektownych zagrań, a czasami Nadal popisywał się genialnymi odbiciami, do których przyzwyczaił nas przez lata. Takich sytuacji było jednak jak na lekarstwo i mimo że gra była równa, można było odnieść wrażenie, że jeśli ktoś ma zdobyć przewagę, to tym kimś może być tylko Szkot. O 21:20 czasu miejscowego z okazji Australia Day – święta państwowego w Australii – nad Melbourne rozbłysły sztuczne ognie. Kilkuminutowy pokaz fajerwerków przerwał mecz przy stanie 3:2 dla Hiszpana, a po powrocie na kort, Szkot nieoczekiwanie stracił swoje podanie. Dekoncentracja trwała tylko chwilę, bo Murray od razu odrobił stratę. Przy stanie 5:5 miał kolejne szanse na przełamanie przeciwnika, ale Nadal wyszedł z opresji. Jednego break pointa obronił w niewiarygodny sposób, odbijając wolejem potężne minięcie Szkota. Na niewiele to się zdało, bo w tie breaku przegrał już wyraźnie.
Trzeci set trwał krótko. Już po kilku minutach Nadal w trakcie gema usiadł na swojej ławeczce i poprosił o wizytę lekarze. Maść i masaż nie pomogły na tyle, aby Hiszpan mógł odżyć w tym spotkaniu. Przegrał własne podanie i, mimo że chwilę potem miał okazję na odrobienie strat, przegrał też kolejnego gema. Z dalszej gry zrezygnował i ze smutkiem w oczach opuścił Rod Laver Arena.
Kontuzja kolan to uraz, z którym „Rafa” zmaga się już od dłuższego czasu. Wielu ekspertów nie wróży Hiszpanowi nic dobrego w kolejnych latach, twierdząc, że wobec stylu gry Nadala jego stawy kolanowe są już wyeksploatowane do granic możliwości. Te same problemy zniszczyły 23-latkowi pół poprzedniego roku. Teraz problemy pojawiają się już na początku sezonu, co jeszcze gorzej rokuje na przyszłość.
W drugim ćwierćfinale kolejną emocjonującą pięciosetówkę stoczył Andy Roddick. Jednak tym razem przegraną. Fantastycznie dysponowany Marin Cilić pokonał go 7:6(4), 6:3, 3:6, 2:6, 6:3. Amerykanin od początku nie grał w Australii rewelacyjnie. Dziś notował słabą, jak na niego, skuteczność pierwszego podania i nienajlepiej radził sobie z podaniem przeciwnika. Wycieczki do siatki w wykonaniu Roddicka tylko w nieco ponad 50% kończyły się sukcesem. Chorwat był aktywniejszy, notując 63 uderzenia kończące przy 53 niewymuszonych błędach. Posłał też 20 asów i wykorzystał 5 z 13 break pointów. Dla Cilicia to pierwszy w karierze półfinał turnieju wielkoszlemowego. Do tej pory jego najlepszym osiągnięciem był ćwierćfinał zeszłorocznego US Open.
Rafael Nadal keeps his dignity despite worrying exit from Australian Open
He welcomed us at the start of his press conference and thanked us at the end of it. Rafael Nadal may have surrendered on the court - something he simply will never get his head around having to do - but he did not surrender his dignity off it.
It is because the defending champion and world No 2 is so universally respected that his decision to pull up in the third set of the Australian Open quarter-final against Andy Murray with an injury was greeted with such poignancy.
How much Nadal is hurting, only he knows but the images of him on the big screens on Rod Laver Arena as he diagnosed the hurt before the trainer reached him, spoke more than even he could. This could be serious.
Nadal has not been right for a while now and how ironic that this should happen to him when he was playing his best tennis since last year’s epic five-set final victory over Roger Federer.
So, was this a recurrence of an old injury, or the onset of a new one? “[There] is not a lot of history because [the injury] was during the match,” Nadal said. “It happened at the end of the second set in one drop. And I felt a similar thing to what I had last year. After that I can’t bend down. When I have the chance to play, I never retire. I go to the limit today, but did not cross it.
“Andy played really well. I think my level was very high today, too. I had big chances to win both sets. And against probably the player who is playing the best right now, I was very close. I go out from this tournament very happy about my level because the perspective is much better right now than two or three months ago when I lost all three matches in London [in the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals]. Now I am playing another time at my best level. Just congratulate him [Murray] because he’s doing really well, and he has a big chance to win this tournament.”
Injured Nadal vows not to repeat 2009 mistakes
Injured Nadal vows not to repeat 2009 mistakes Rafael Nadal says he's learned from his errors of 2009 when he pushed a right knee problem too hard and paid the price my crashing out of the French Open and missing his Wimbledon title defense.
The Spaniard is hopeful of a quick return after being forced to quit in the third set of his Australian Open quarterfinal against Andy Murray, with the Brit reaching the semis after a 6-3, 7-6, 3-0 win.
Nadal says he won't repeat the past: "I said (I would not) repeat the same mistake like I had last year. I go to the limit, but not cross the limit."
The Spaniard is entered in the Rotterdam event starting in 12 days, a date which he might not now be able to keep. He lost the Dutch final last year to Murray feeling a similar kind of pain.
But Nadal said that he feels he can heal the problem without the loss of much court time. "I leave this tournament very happy about my level because the perspective is much better right now than two or three months ago when I lost in the Masters Cup (London year-end event).
"I didn't have lot of (knee) problems for the last six months. I felt something from I think was a bad movement. This not because the knee is tired. I think this is going to be OK."
Knee check to decide Rafael Nadal's injury action
A MEDICAL examination in Barcelona this week will reveal the extent of Rafael Nadal's right knee injury.
The Spanish world No. 2 is confident he will be cleared of serious damage.
Nadal, 23, said he was unconcerned over his long-term future.
"No, I think going to be OK," he said after retiring mid-match against Scot Andy Murray in the Australian Open quarter-finals on Tuesday night.
"I didn't have lot of problems for the last six months. And today is the first time, no?
"I felt something when I think is a bad movement. But is not, you know, because the knee is tired or has been a bad movement or gesture."
Nadal bristled at suggestions he would have to further modify his training and playing style.
"Don't start, guys, with these questions right now," he said.
"I think is not the right moment. I think I changed the style to play. If you see my matches 2005 or 2004, 2006, I run a lot compared to now, no?
"So today I played against one of the best players of the world, and I think I wasn't run(ning) more than him.
"So I played aggressive. I played having the control of the point, a lot of the time with the forehand and the backhand, too, returning aggressive.
"If you see my matches three years ago, that didn't happen.
"Remember, we are playing on hardcourts.
"Probably in this surface I have to play my best tennis, like today, if I really want to have chances to win.
"If not, then the opponents, there are really good players, and Andy's unbelievable. He's playing really well.
"I think against probably the player who is playing better right now, I was very close."
Nadal's ranking will suffer significantly because of his failure to defend the Open title.
But the Spaniard said he was satisfied over the quality of his form.
"I go out from this tournament very happy about my level because the perspective is much better right now than two or three months ago," Nadal said.
"When I lost in the Masters Cup (ATP World Tour finals in London) all the matches, I didn't see one way to play again my tennis.
"Now I am playing another time at my best level.
"I think (it) was (an) amazing match first two sets (against Murray).
"Both, I think, we played really well. And I have the chances."
Nadal has not won a title since Rome in May.
Team Nadal will wait and see on latest knee niggle
Rafael Nadal's camp refuses to worry too much about the knee niggle which stopped the Spaniard in his tracks during his Australian Open quarter-final loss to Andy Murray.
Instead, Team Nadal has headed back to Spain for an MRI and medical consultation to determine what the problem might be. "Why should we worry now," said Nadal's uncle and coach Toni. "Lets' wait four or five days until we know exactly what it is."
The senior Nadal called the problem which caused his nephew to quit in the third set "something going on in there (knee), something that wasn't there before."
But both he and Rafa have called it "not a serious problem."
"Something felt wrong and it was the right decision to retire."
Nadal's medical tests will determine whether he plays from February 8 at the indoor ATP 500 event in Rotterdam.
Rafael Nadal nie zagra przez co najmniej miesiąc.
Rafa nie zagra w Rotterdamie, wstępna diagnoza mówi o miesiącu przerwy i niema pewnym jest brak Hiszpana także w meczach 1 rundy Pucharu Davisa, na początku marca. Występy w Indian Wells i Miami stoją natomiast pod znakiem zapytania. - podaje dziennik "Marca".
Źródło: http://www.marca.com/2010/01/28/tenis/1264681216.html
Moim zdaniem powinien nie wracać już na hard wiosną. Przy takim stylu gry i takich problemach ze ścięgnami kolan to droga do karierowego samobójstwa. Celem nr1 Nadala jest chyba odzyskanie RG i w mojej opinii powinien solidnie wypocząć, wyleczyć uraz i przygotowywać się do odzyskania korony na cegle.
Tego właśnie się obawiałem. Też mi się wydaje, że powinien odpocząć, spokojnie się wyleczyć, bo granie z nie do końca wyleczoną kontuzją nie przyniesie obrony punktów i może na jeszcze dłużej go wykluczyć z gry. Wszystko wskazuje na to, że ten uraz będzie się za nim ciągnął do końca kariery, ale mam nadzieję, że się mylę. Oby udało mu się przede wszystkim wyzdrowieć, a później przygotować formę i powrócić w wielkim stylu, bo tenis bez Nadala to jednak nie to samo.
Widać, że forma czysto tenisowa była w Doha, lecz moim zdaniem zbyt intensywnie trenował w tej miesięcznej przerwie między sezonami, a z tego co wiem to trenował cały grudzień i teraz przyszło mu zapłacić za to właśnie taką cenę. Teraz pozostaje tylko życzyć szybkiego powrotu do zdrowia.
Odpuszczenie IW i Miami w przypadku Rafy to jedyna słuszna decyzja.Trzeba mieć na uwadze to ,że hard jest nawierzchnią,po której poruszanie się obciąża kolana i zamiast lepiej to w przypadku Rafy byłoby gorzej.W tej kwestii zgadzam się z Dunem.
Z drugiej strony jest kwestia utraty dużej ilości (ponad 1000) punktów za IW i Miami,ale punkty te mógłby nadrobić dobrym wynikiem na Wimblu i zwycięstwem w RG,rankingiem przecież zdrowia nie podtrzyma.
Sytuacja przeze mnie przedstawiona może okazać się zbyt...optymistyczna.
Rafael Nadal może nie zagrać podczas RG.Zdaniem lekarzy słynny Hiszpan może pauzować od 3 do nawet 6 miesięcy.
Injury could dash Rafa's dreams of more French Open glory
RAFAEL NADAL could miss at least the French Open because of the recurring knee tendinitis that caused his retirement from the quarter-final against Andy Murray.
Melbourne doctor Peter Brukner described chronic tendinitis as one of the most difficult sports injuries to treat. He expected the four-time French Open champion to be sidelined for up to six months, which would rule him out of Roland Garros, starting on May 24.
The second seed's Australian Open title defence ended three games into the third set of his match against Murray, his movement compromised after a dash to chase down a drop shot late in the second set. Nadal has a long history of knee problems, having been sidelined for nine weeks in last year. The injury compromised his French Open campaign and kept the then world No.1 out of Wimbledon last year.
''Tendinitis can be career-threatening, certainly,'' Brukner said. ''It might be that this is just a minor flare-up and it settles down reasonably quickly, but the worry is that he might need an extended period out of the game, given that the nine weeks didn't really seem to do the trick. He might need three to six months out of the game.
''Tendinitis can take a long time to treat, and that's obviously something that these guys don't tend to have, and the fact that it hasn't responded is a concern. It's actually almost better to break a bone. The tendon becomes degenerative, and you have to start the healing process again because they don't heal by themselves. And you have to hope that they can deal with the incredible loads that the Nadals of this world place on them; tendons aren't designed for these sorts of loads.''
Nadal's spokesman, Benito Perez Barbadillo, said the Spaniard had woken to continuing knee pain yesterday and would have medical tests on his return to Spain.
Nadal said post-match that he had felt ''a similar thing to what I had last year'', after sprinting to the net.
Yet Nadal said he remained optimistic the worst of his knee issues were behind him. ''I worked a lot. I didn't have lot of problems for the last six months,'' he said. ''And today is the first time, no? I felt something when I think is a bad movement. But is not, you know, because the knee is tired or has been a bad movement or gesture. No, I think going to be OK.''
Since his Australian Open triumph a year ago, Nadal has not competed at a grand slam tournament injury-free, but he took umbrage at suggestions that he would need to modify his demanding style of play.
''Don't start, guys, with these questions right now,'' he said. ''I think is not the right moment. I think I changed the style to play. If you see my matches 2005 or 2004, 2006, I run a lot compared to now, no?''
DUN I LOVE napisał:
Sytuacja przeze mnie przedstawiona może okazać się zbyt...optymistyczna.
Rafael Nadal może nie zagrać podczas RG.Zdaniem lekarzy słynny Hiszpan może pauzować od 3 do nawet 6 miesięcy.Injury could dash Rafa's dreams of more French Open glory
RAFAEL NADAL could miss at least the French Open because of the recurring knee tendinitis that caused his retirement from the quarter-final against Andy Murray.
Melbourne doctor Peter Brukner described chronic tendinitis as one of the most difficult sports injuries to treat. He expected the four-time French Open champion to be sidelined for up to six months, which would rule him out of Roland Garros, starting on May 24.
The second seed's Australian Open title defence ended three games into the third set of his match against Murray, his movement compromised after a dash to chase down a drop shot late in the second set. Nadal has a long history of knee problems, having been sidelined for nine weeks in last year. The injury compromised his French Open campaign and kept the then world No.1 out of Wimbledon last year.
''Tendinitis can be career-threatening, certainly,'' Brukner said. ''It might be that this is just a minor flare-up and it settles down reasonably quickly, but the worry is that he might need an extended period out of the game, given that the nine weeks didn't really seem to do the trick. He might need three to six months out of the game.
''Tendinitis can take a long time to treat, and that's obviously something that these guys don't tend to have, and the fact that it hasn't responded is a concern. It's actually almost better to break a bone. The tendon becomes degenerative, and you have to start the healing process again because they don't heal by themselves. And you have to hope that they can deal with the incredible loads that the Nadals of this world place on them; tendons aren't designed for these sorts of loads.''
Nadal's spokesman, Benito Perez Barbadillo, said the Spaniard had woken to continuing knee pain yesterday and would have medical tests on his return to Spain.
Nadal said post-match that he had felt ''a similar thing to what I had last year'', after sprinting to the net.
Yet Nadal said he remained optimistic the worst of his knee issues were behind him. ''I worked a lot. I didn't have lot of problems for the last six months,'' he said. ''And today is the first time, no? I felt something when I think is a bad movement. But is not, you know, because the knee is tired or has been a bad movement or gesture. No, I think going to be OK.''
Since his Australian Open triumph a year ago, Nadal has not competed at a grand slam tournament injury-free, but he took umbrage at suggestions that he would need to modify his demanding style of play.
''Don't start, guys, with these questions right now,'' he said. ''I think is not the right moment. I think I changed the style to play. If you see my matches 2005 or 2004, 2006, I run a lot compared to now, no?''
:rozpacz: :rozpacz: :rozpacz:
Znowu zwrot. Na chwilę obecną Nadal ma pauzować ok 4 tygodni. Tak więc powinien być gotowy na marcowe spotkania Pucharu Davisa.
Źródło: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/t … ?eref=sihp
Nadal ma kontuzję. Czeka go przerwa
Rafael Nadal ma lekkie naderwanie ścięgien w prawym kolanie i nie będzie mógł trenować przez dwa tygodnie. Hiszpan nie wystąpi w turnieju w Rotterdamie, który odbędzie się w przyszłym miesiącu.
Nadal poddał wtorkowe spotkanie z Andy Murray’em w ćwierćfinale Australian Open.
23-letni Hiszpan w piątek przeszedł dokładne badania w Barcelonie. Teraz Rafael będzie przechodził rehabilitację, a do treningów ma wrócić za dwa tygodnie. Nie wystąpi w turnieju w Rotterdamie, który rozpoczyna się 8 lutego.
Tak jak powiedziałem po meczu w Melbourne, wiedziałem, że uraz nie jest taki sam jak ten, który odniosłem w zeszłym roku - powiedział Nadal. - Czuję się ogólnie dobrze, ale myślę tylko o tym jak długo potrwa moja rehabilitacja. Jestem rozczarowany, że nie wystąpię w Rotterdamie. To jest turniej, który chciałem wygrać, bo rok temu byłem tego bliski. Nie martwię się o mój ranking. Chcę po prostu czuć się jak najlepiej - dodawał hiszpański tenisista.
Nadal przez problemy z kolanami pauzował w poprzednim sezonie prawie dwa miesiące.
http://www.eurosport.pl/tenis/australia … tory.shtml
Co news, to inna informacja...
Nadal wycofał się z Rotterdamu.
Nadal Forced To Withdraw From Rotterdam
Spaniard Rafael Nadal is expected to return to competitive tennis in four weeks, following a knee injury sustained against Andy Murray in the Australian Open quarter-finals.
The World No. 2 has been forced to withdraw from the 37th ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament, which begins Monday, 8 February in Rotterdam.
Fans attending the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament can still expect a quality line-up at the ATP World Tour 500 tennis tournament, with World No. 3 Novak Djokovic, No. 6 Nikolay Davydenko and Australian Open semi-finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga all in contention in the 32-man field.
Last year, Nadal reached the final in Rotterdam, finishing runner-up to Murray in three sets. The Spaniard confirmed that the injury is not the same one he suffered last year, which kept him sidelined during Wimbledon, and hopes to be back on court competing at the highest level again soon.
“I feel good and I am only thinking now of recovering well,” said the 23-year-old Nadal. “My main goal right now is to get ready again and fit to play the upcoming events once I am able to compete. It is a big disappointment for me not to be able to play at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam this year since it is one of the best tournaments on the ATP World Tour and next year I will do everything to be there. It is still one of my goals to add my name to the Ring of Champions in Ahoy.”
“We have been in constant contact with Rafael and his management over the last couple of days,” said tournament director Richard Krajicek. “Today they have informed me that, despite earlier positive outlooks, he will not be recovered in time for his participation in Rotterdam. Medical examination showed that the recovery will take longer than originally anticipated.”
Nadal to miss Rotterdam due to 1 month injury halt
Rafael Nadal faces a month of rest and therapy for his injured knee right, forcing the four-time French Open winner to miss next month's ATP event in Rotterdam.
Nadal's doctors in Barcelona advised that he will need two weeks of rest followed by more tests and physiotherapy on the knee he injured during a quarterfinal loss to Andy Murray this week at the Australian Open.
"As I mentioned in Melbourne after my match and at the airport as I landed in Spain, I know this is not the same injury I suffered last year," said Nadal, who also hurt his knee at the French Open last May and was unable to defend his Wimbledon title.
"I feel good and I am only thinking now of recovering well. My main goal is to get ready again and fit to play the upcoming events once I am able to compete.
"It is a big disappointment for me not to be able to play at the ABN AMRO World Tennis in Rotterdam this year since it is one of the best tournaments on the ATP.
"It's not important for me the ranking issue and losing a few spots, that's normal when you are not able to compete.
"For me it is more important to play well again and to have the good feelings on the court that I had in Abu Dhabi, Doha and also at the Australian Open where I played at the highest level."
Under the recovery timetable, Nadal's participation in Spain's home Davis Cup tie March 5-7 against Switzerland remains uncertain.
Aussies are 'simply amazing': Rafael Nadal
SPANISH tennis player Rafael Nadal bids Australia good-bye, after a disappointing end to his Australian Open campaign.
Hello everyone,
I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye and thanks. I had a great time during my stay in Melbourne.
It is obvious I would have loved to be there today, writing this blog from my Melbourne hotel room waiting for the final.
But this year it was not meant to be. I really felt great during my stay in Australia.
The people there are simply amazing, it's one of the nicest countries in the world.
Starting with the tournament organisers, the player services people who never get mentioned at speeches on court, the tournament director, the crowds and also Ian, the driver assigned to me during tournament, a really nice person who was always there trying to help.
I am happy and sad at the same time. Happy because I felt I was playing really well. Against Andy Murray I probably played at highest level I've managed in the past 12 months.
He was better and deserved to win, but I felt I could have won either of the first two sets.
There was a couple of matches at Indian Wells last March where I also played at that high level, but not much more last year.
But I was sad in Melbourne because, unfortunately, I had to retire and everyone knows I hate to do that.
Haven't done it much in my career, but I thought I could not go any further and the injury could get worse. On top of that, Andy was too good that day for me.
So, I have written this post on the plane back to Spain. It's a long trip and I had time to think and time to analyze everything. I am going to go and get checked by my doctor in Spain.
I imagine a lot of people are speculating about me, and my knee, creating doubts... it is normal, we know that. Sometimes there is simply too much speculation.
Anyway, I am looking forward to coming back to Melbourne next year. Many thanks to all. Rafa.
Rafa answers your questions:
Q: Rafa, Do you know anything about Australian rules football. Have you ever seen it played, and what do you think of it? Mark, Melbourne
Rafa: I do, actually I watched some the other day on TV. Lot of fun.
Q: Rafa, I used to play tennis but I quit when I was 13 to follow dance instead. Can you dance or even move your body to beat of the music? Tisca Rajiv, Melbourne
Rafa: I am a good latin music dancer, but not much more.
Q: When the ball hits the net cord and bounces over the net for a winner, players always wave in apology. Do you really feel sorry or is it just a polite tradition? Genevieve
Rafa: Both things.
Q: Rafa, When you have French comments on your facebook page, do you zap them or does someone translate them to you? Denise, Quebec, Canada
Rafa: Sometimes I do, because I don't really understand French. I already struggle with English most of the times.
Q: Hi Rafa, I'm a huge fan of Richard Gasquet and yourself, and I thought the way you stuck up for him last year was great. I know you two used to play as juniors, so I was wondering who usually won those matches?
Rachel Low, Melbourne
Rafa: He beat me some times and he was definitely my biggest rival at that age. Great player and a nice guy too.
Rafael Nadal wows local boy Ben Mitchell with hit-out
AUSSIE up-and-comer Ben Mitchell is smashing them on his home courts and could soon be doing the same on the pro circuit.
The brother of Home and Away star Luke Mitchell, Ben aced his way through to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open junior championships.
And what better way to prepare for the big stage than to hit the court with former Australian Open champ Rafael Nadal?
In a bid to hone his skills, the young gun had a practice session with the Spanish tennis ace this week.
"He hits the ball so heavily, it's amazing," Mitchell said.
"I was just concentrating so much on getting the ball back.
"We didn't really chat much, it was only afterwards that I thought, `Wow, I just hit with Nadal'."
Nadal w domu, nie wiadomo kiedy wróci na kort
Turniej w Indian Wells (od 8 marca) to najwcześniejszy termin powrotu do rywalizacji Rafaela Nadala. W poniedziałek spadnie na czwartą pozycję w rankingu ATP. Jego otoczenie wyklucza, że kontuzja jest następstwem problemów zdrowotnych z ubiegłego roku.
W ćwierćfinale Australian Open przeciw Andy'emu Murrayowi broniący tytułu Nadal skreczował w trzecim secie. To był jego dziesiąty mecz w sezonie. Rok temu problemy zaczęły się nieco później: w lutym, kiedy wyraźnie cierpiący Hiszpan wytrwał do meczbola, także przeciw Murrayowi, w finale turnieju w Rotterdamie.
- Nigdy nie popełnię już tego błędu - mówił w Melbourne. - Dojdę do swojego limitu, ale go nie przekroczę - tłumaczył. W czwartek dotarł do Barcelony, gdzie w centrum medycznym CIMA pod okiem osobistego lekarza Ángela Ruiz-Cotorro przeszedł rezonans magnetyczny.
Teraz wraca do domu w Manacor, na Majorce. - Wyniki badań będą znane w ciągu kilku dni, ale nie jestem zaniepokojony - mówił na lotniku El Prat w stolicy Katalonii, gdzie przybył razem z ojcem, Sebastianem. - Mam zastrzyk i w ciągu tygodnia, albo nawet mniej będzie po wszystkim - przekonywał.
Ale oto wydano oficjalny komunikat, który mówi, że pod koniec drugiego seta z Murrayem zawodnik nabawił się "mało poważnej" kontuzji prawego kolana i że zostanie w domu tak długo, jak nie będzie zdrowy. Zatrudniony przez hiszpańską federację dr Cotorro sprecyzował natomiast, że chodzi o naderwanie w końcowym przyczepie ścięgna mięśnia czworogłowego.
Według doktora rehabilitacja (fizjoterapia) potrwa cztery tygodnie, co już wymazuje Nadala ze wszystkich startów zaplanowanych na luty. A miał wtedy wystartować w Rotterdamie i Dubaju. Można zakładać także, że nie wystąpi w I rundzie Pucharu Davisa, którą Hiszpania rozegra (przeciw Szwajcarii) w dniach 5-7 marca w Logroño.
Oszczędza ciało, zmienił styl gry: jest bardziej agresywny, szybciej stara się kończyć wymiany. Szybkość w powrocie po kontuzji nie jest wskazana, nawet jeżeli będzie tracił kolejne punkty i miejsca w rankingu. Ostatni turniej, w Rzymie, wygrał na początku maja 2009.
Według doktora rehabilitacja (fizjoterapia) potrwa cztery tygodnie, co już wymazuje Nadala ze wszystkich startów zaplanowanych na luty. A miał wtedy wystartować w Rotterdamie i Dubaju. Można zakładać także, że nie wystąpi w I rundzie Pucharu Davisa, którą Hiszpania rozegra (przeciw Szwajcarii) w dniach 5-7 marca w Logroño.
Rafa od początku nie planował startu w Dubaju, Panie Redaktorze. ;)
01.02.2010 - Rafa numerem 4 rankingu Entry.
To najniższa pozycja rankingowa Hiszpana od 23.05.2005, kiedy to zajmował 5 pozycję w ATP Entry Ranking.
Nadal recovery 'going well'
Rafael Nadal is recovering well from his latest knee injury, his coach and uncle Toni Nadal has told Eurosport.
The world number four was trailing Andy Murray 6-3 7-6(5) 3-0 in the Australian Open quarter-finals when he was forced to retire because of a minor tendon tear in his right knee.
Injury-hit Nadal dropped two places in the world rankings after his failure to defend the Australian Open, but Toni insists that the latest setback can be overcome with rest.
"Rafa's knee is getting better," Toni said. "The recovery is going pretty well.
"From the stands I first advised him to call the physio and then to retire since it was obvious to me he couldn't keep playing.
"Retirement was the right decision to take at that time."
Injuries have played a big part in Nadal's career since his sterling 2008 season, when he won the French Open and Wimbledon on the way to wrestling the world number one ranking from Roger Federer.
"If we go throughout his career, you can tell me he's got some physical problems," agreed Toni. "But tennis is a very aggressive game and injuries are normal things to happen.
"Now Rafa has some problems on his foot, so he needs special insoles to correct the footstep.
"Apart from that we are all very happy with how things are going on so far."
Toni also seemed unconcerned about Nadal's drop down the rankings, saying that Grand Slam wins are higher on the list of priorities for the Spaniard.
"Everybody would like to remain at the very top of the ATP rankings, but at the end of the day what tennis players want is to win tournaments," he said.
"Now, we are just focusing on getting Rafa back fighting for the Grand Slams."
Rafa set to get back to practice after resting troubled knee
Rafael Nadal is due to back on court Monday at home in Manacor on the island of Mallorca after resting an injured right knee under doctor's orders.
The Nadal camps says it's too early to tell if the return to tennis means the No. 4 will be able to play Spain's Davis Cup tie against Switzerland in early March.
Nadal will step onto a court for the first time since retiring during his quarter-final match with Andy Murray last month at the Australian Open. His goal will be get fit in time for a title defence in California from March 10.
Spanish media reported the confirmation from the player's coach and uncle Toni Nadal, speaking with fans online. "Rafa will return at Indian Wells (starting the week of March 8 where he has a title to defend)."
Tio Toni said the possibility of playing in champion Spain's Davis Cup tie is still to be decided. "It will depend on how his injury situation evolves and what the doctors think," said the senior Nadal.
"Everything is going as planned," said the uncle.
Despite the ranking fall of the one-time No. 1, the Spaniard's camp insists that ATP numbers are much less important than regaining fitness. Nadal is still looking for his first title since last spring on clay in Rome.
Nadal fit again and raring to go
Rafael Nadal has shaken off the knee injury that forced him to abandon his Australian Open title defence last month and is confident of making a successful tour return at Indian Wells in March.
The world number three, who practised on an indoor court near his home in Mallorca on Monday, told Reuters the tendon had healed in his right knee and he was working to get back to the same level of fitness he reached at the start of the year.
"Right now, this week and these first few days back, it's a matter of taking things slowly," Nadal said after his first training session of the month.
"I think things are progressing very well," added the 23-year-old Spaniard. "I have been working with the appropriate machines to help the tear heal as quickly as possible and also done a lot of physical work in the gym."
Nadal's latest injury setback forced him to withdraw from his quarter-final against Briton Andy Murray in Melbourne in January and he also pulled out of last week's Rotterdam event.
He said he was in solid mental shape and was planning to return to the tour to defend his title at the Masters Series tournament in Indian Wells, California where he also won in 2007.
"It's a tournament where I have almost always played well," Nadal said. "Let's see what happens.
"It's the first event I will have played for a month and a half and it's always more difficult to start like that. I am hoping to play well and build confidence for a strong start to the claycourt season."
Doubts have been raised over Nadal's ability to stay free of injury, in part due to a playing style which relies heavily on power and athleticism.
Nadal said he had no doubt he could coax his body back to peak fitness.
"I think I was there during the first month of the year," he said. "I think I am working well enough to get there again.
"That's sport. You never know when you start (your career) and when you finish."
The six-times Grand Slam winner said he was not considering taking the kind of prolonged break that could help him permanently correct some of the physical problems that have plagued him in recent years.
"I am very content with what I am doing and I feel very lucky to be playing tennis," said Nadal.
"I am not planning right now to do anything else than dedicate my life to playing tennis."
Davis Cup champions Spain begin the defence of their title at home to Switzerland on March 5, the week before Indian Wells, but Nadal said he was unlikely to be available for the tie in Logrono.
"It could be a bit early to come back," he said. "I'll see how things go for me physically but I would need to be ready in about a week and a half and I think that taking things slowly would be more prudent."
Looking ahead to the French Open in May, Nadal said he would not feel any different going into the claycourt Grand Slam despite having his four-year reign as champion ended last year.
"As always I will be excited about playing a good tournament and trying to win," he said.
"I don't think it changes anything not being champion. Of course you're not going to win Roland Garros every year."
Asked about the prospects of Murray winning a maiden Grand Slam after final defeats by Roger Federer at the US Open and in Australia, Nadal said: "I think he is a very complete player and he has very few weaknesses.
"If someone who can get to number three in the world is not capable of winning a Slam then I don't know who is."
Murray climbed above Nadal into third place after the Australian Open but slipped back to fourth in Monday's rankings.
Rafa Nadal nie zagra w Pucharze Davisa i powróci na korty w pierwszej połowie marca, w Indian Wells.
Nadal will bypass Davis Cup to make Indian Wells return
Nadal will bypass Davis Cup to make Indian Wells return Rafael Nadal looks set to make his return to tennis in mid-March as he defends his Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells.
The Spaniard has been off the ATP since experiencing more knee pain and retiring in his Australian Open quarter-final with a small tear against Andy Murray.
In the interim, he has rehabbed the right knee and after a hit this week indoors on his home island of Mallorca, was able to further finalise his return schedule.
The 23-year-old Spaniard seems to be ready to miss holder Spain's Davis Cup first round March 5-7 at home against Switzerland, with the visitors to be without Roger Federer.
Nadal told Spanish media that he is aiming for Indian Wells in the California desert from March 10, adding that he's pleased with his progress.
But while a rest of perhaps months might help massively in curing his chronic knee problems, Nadal said that a pause of that length is not in his plans. He missed more than two months over last summer and was unable to defend his Wimbledon title after losing with his injury in the French Open fourth round.
http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis … Gypsy.aspx
Rafa wystąpił w muzycznym wideo Shakiry xD
No proszę jaki model się znalazł :D Czyżby szukał alternatywy dla tenisa? Ale zdaje mi się, że to nie jego branża..
Na stronie Eurosportu natknąłem się jeszcze na takie coś:
Zdaniem dziennikarzy niektórych tabloidów Rafael Nadal i Shakira są parą. Hiszpański tenisista miał poznać sławną piosenkarkę w Zjednoczonych Emiratach Arabskich. Świadkowie twierdzą, że między dwojgiem naprawdę iskrzy i nie chodzi tu wyłącznie o klip, który latynoska para miała okazję razem nagrać.
rotfl
http://www.dailymotion.pl/video/xcdfd9_ … cial_music
Pocałował! Pocałował! :jupi:
Widocznie bardzo pożądana scena, skoro strażnicy praw autorskich robili już swoje. ;P
Szkoda tylko, że piosenka taka kiepska. :] Ale to już nie wina Nadala, tylko pieśniarki. :D
A co z Xiscą ?
Ale babiarz z Rafała :o
Costa concerned about injured Nadal
Spanish Davis Cup coach Albert Costa is concerned about the mental game of Rafael Nadal as the jinxed ace battles continuing problems due to his chronic knee problems.
Nadal is out of next weekend's Davis Cup World Group tie in the north of the country against Switzerland - which is also missing Roger Federer.
But 2002 French Open winner Costa says that Rafa is being weighed down by doubts on his long-term fitness.
"He is worried about his physical state but he’s working every day to get better,” said Costa of the star who last competed in the Australian Open when he had to retire hurt in the quarter-finals against Andy Murray.
“Until last year at Roland Garros and the (fourth-round knee) problems, he had achieved everything,” said Costa. "It’s normal, after 22 years and winning everything, to have some down time.”
Nadal is working at home on the island of Mallorca to come good in time for his title defence at the Indian Wells Masters from March 10 in California.
Robertinho napisał:
Szkoda tylko, że piosenka taka kiepska. :] Ale to już nie wina Nadala, tylko pieśniarki. :D
Piosenka rzeczywiście nie najwyższych lotów, ale za to jakie wrażenia wzrokowe !. :galy:
Wow !. Całkiem udany debiut Rafy, nawet bardziej niż udany.:P
Nadal ready to re-join tennis at Indian Wells
World No. 3 Rafael Nadal looks to make his first tennis appearance since the Australian Open in Indian Wells next week.
With Roger Federer working to be fit after a lung infection for next week's start of the Indian Wells Masters, there's news from the Rafael Nadal camp, with the Spaniard keen to return to action after
a month and a half away.
Nadal has been resting and rehabbing a knee injury which forced him to quit against Andy Murray at the Australian Open in January.
He posted on his Facebook page with news of his progress, citing a goal to come back and defend his title in the Californian desert.
Nadal and Federer are expected to front up for a Hit for Haiti 2 earthquake benefit a week from Friday at Indian Wells along with Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi. The charity event is a re-run of one
instigated by Federer the day before the Australian Open.
Nadal Sends Shakira Video To The Top
Interest in Rafael Nadal's appearance in Shakira's latest music clip has sent the music video 'Gypsy' soaring to the top of the charts. Shakira's latest release from her She Wolf album tops Billboard.com's weekly list of Top 10 videos.
Billboard writes: Shakira might "steal your clothes and wear them," but all is forgiven with her new music video for "Gypsy," in which the Colombian firebird looks hotter than ever. Shakira braves the desert with (shirtless) tennis heartthrob Rafael Nadal and plays the harmonica, but we're pretty sure that's not what catches his eye.
The clip was shot in Barcelona and Shakira recently spoke about working with Rafa: "Shooting this video with Rafa was a great experience, he is very sweet and made it easy and fun,” said Shakira. “He and I have so much in common -- starting out so young in our respective careers and traveling the world -- I felt this would translate the spirit of the lyrics in the song and I was thrilled he wanted to be a part of it."
Nadal said: "It has been a great experience and I had a lot of fun doing it. I had some time in between tournaments and preparation and could not miss this opportunity. “Shakira, as always, was spectacular. Working with a woman as charming as her, well, it makes it a lot easier to tell the truth. It was great, very easy, she’s really sweet and that always makes the hours go by faster."
Rafa pocałował w końcu coś innego niż rakietę, no proszę, zostałem mile zaskoczony:))):P
Nadal keen to make an impression with Indian Wells return
3/10/10 4:19 AM | Johan Lindahl
Nadal keen to make an impression with Indian Wells return Rafael Nadal will get back on court this week for the first time since the Australian Open in January.
After more than six weeks off the ATP since quitting the Australian Open with knee pain, Rafael Nadal is keen to finally make a return as he defends his title at the Indian Wells Masters from this week.
The former No. 1, now third in the world, told Spanish media that training and rest have got him fit again, with his desire riding high as he gets back on the ATP court. "I've been training hard for three weeks," said the former king of clay who will face a stern test this month on North American hardcourts.
"We've worked during the pre-season to recover the form which I had when I arrived in Australia. I feel strong and my knees do not hurt. I just want to compete."
Nadal will be joined in a comeback by Roger Federer, who has been in California since late last week after recovering from a lung infection.
Nadal won his last tournament title in Rome last May but says he is only concerned about his health and not his ranking. The Spaniard could face a major slide in the list if he does not defend a majority of the thousands of points he earned last spring on cement and clay.
"The most immediate goal is to play well during the American hardcourt season," he said. "I have 1,000 points to defend at Indian Wells as defending champion. But the main idea is to play well."
Nadal will get a chance for a light hit-and-giggle on Friday in California when he is due to participate in the Hit for Haiti 2 charity fundraiser for earthquake victims along with Federer, Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Steffi Graf and Martina Navratilova.
Nadal commits to playing Queen's ahead of Wimbledon
Rafael Nadal plans to dethrone Andy Murray as Queen's Club champion after confirming he will play in the pre-Wimbledon tournament in London in June.
The Spaniard has not played on grass since beating Roger Federer in the 2008 Wimbledon final, due to a knee injury.
"This year there is even more motivation because I could not defend my titles last year."
The world number three is in action in Indian Wells on Saturday after two months out with another knee problem.
In the Spaniard's absence last year, Murray defeated James Blake to clinch his first grass-court title at the Aegon Championships at Queen's while Federer beat Andy Roddick to collect his sixth Wimbledon crown.
Nadal added: "No-one was more disappointed than me that I couldn't play because I love those tournaments.
"It was an amazing feeling to win Queen's in 2008 and then to fulfil my dream by winning Wimbledon.
"To not defend my Wimbledon title last year was one of the toughest decisions in my career, but this is a new year and now I have the chance to go back to England and to compete on the grass again."
The Aegon Championships, which are live on BBC Sport, run between 7-13 June.
Nadal believes he can recapture dominance
Rafael Nadal says the small tear is his right knee has healed and intimated that in good health, he could quickly regain his once dominant form.
At the Australian Open, where he was forced to retire in a hotly-contested match against Andy Murray in the quarterfinals, the third-ranked Spaniard felt that he was in position to pull off the victory and was a real threat to defend his title.
“My feeling was I ready to win,” Nadal said. “I was believing I can win the tournament there. I had the chance against Andy, had break in the first, break in the second, and I was playing at very good level. Both players played really well, and I feel like I was at the top the whole time.”
The Indian Wells defending champion believes that all he needs is a few months of consistent play and his level will return. He cautioned the public not to be too concerned about his future as he’s only 23 years old.
“I think my feeling the level is much better now,” he said. “If I am healthy, just play the tournaments that I have on the schedule, I have good chances.”
Nadal added that he’s planning on playing a full clay court schedule this year -- Monte‑Carlo, Barcelona, Rome, Madrid and Roland Garros -- but it appears that if he’s tired or hurt, he might be willing to skip Madrid.
“The only thing what I did, what I changed two times, I didn't play in Hamburg [now the week of Madrid]. But I really don't want to change if it's possible.”—Matthew Cronin
Jakby kogoś interesowało, to ruszyła w końcu strona Nadala w nowej oprawie graficznej.
http://www.rafaelnadal.com
Moim zdaniem poprzednia szata graficzna wyglądała dużo lepiej. ;)
Nadal shrugs off Ljubicic loss
Rafa Nadal described his stunning semi-final loss to Ivan Ljubicic as an "accident", and felt he had been playing close to his best at the Indian Wells ATP tournament.
The Spanish world number three was upset 3-6 6-4 7-6 by the big-serving Croat at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden after he had squandered three break points in the sixth game of the second set to lead 4-2.
"That was an accident today," Nadal said after failing in his bid to win a third title at Indian Wells in four years. "That's my feeling, because I was playing (well) enough to win the tournament.
"It was an important accident, and I have to learn to try to play more aggressive next time, try to convert the opportunities.
"But for the rest, nothing to say, no? I was feeling I was playing better than probably ever on this court."
Left-hander Nadal was playing his first tournament on the ATP circuit since shaking off the knee injury that forced him to abandon his Australian Open title defence in January.
Saturday's loss to Ljubicic, only his second defeat by the Croat in seven career meetings, left him with a win-loss record this season of 12-3.
"Since I start 2010, I was playing at my best," the 23-year-old Spaniard said. "I was playing at my best all the time.
"On hardcourts, I won when I came with big confidence, when I was playing unbelievable. This year, I play at all the tournaments really well.
"Only in Australia, the first two matches I didn't play like my best, but against Murray I was playing fine," added Nadal, who was forced to withdraw from his Australian Open quarter-final against Briton Andy Murray in Melbourne.
"This tournament I was playing very good, having very good victories, beating a very difficult opponent like (John) Isner, and later against a very good (Tomas) Berdych.
"So I happy about how I did here. I am playing at my best level. I know that. But just not today."
Some of Nadal's disappointment was soothed later in the day when he and compatriot Marc Lopez upset top seeds Daniel Nestor of Canada and Serb Nenad Zimonjic 7-6 6-3 to win the men's doubles title.
"For Marc and me, it was an amazing week and a dream to win the title here," Nadal said.
"After losing an important singles, the victory in doubles makes me happy. Always is nice to win the tournament, no?"
http://eurosport.yahoo.com/21032010/58/ … -loss.html
:boisie:
Jaśnie pana słowo własne; teraz to już sam nie wiem, śmiać się, czy bać się? :o No, ale poczekajmy do Miami i Monte Korolo, może tam odpali jakąś bombę.
Takie tam gadanie.
Sezon na cegle wszystko zweryfikuje. Nawierzchnia ziemna jak wiadomo to jego żywioł, więc tam powinien dominować. Jednak jeżeli będzie u siebie przegrywał to znaczy że z nim coś jest nie tak, tzn. że nie ma już tego "starego Nadala".
DUN I LOVE napisał:
Takie tam gadanie.
Nie wydaje mi się. To nie Hewitt który opowiadał bajki o celowaniu w Szlemy bez żadnego związku z rzeczywistością. Albo czuje się dobrze i jest przekonany że gra lada chwila "zaskoczy", albo jest naprawdę kiepsko i zdecydował się na autosugestię; w każdym razie bez powodu tego nie mówi.
Rafael Nadal wziął w obronę Tigera Woodsa
Rafael Nadal wciąż podziwia Tigera Woodsa, uważając jednocześnie, że media nie postąpiły słusznie upubliczniając szczegóły prywatnego życia amerykańskiego golfisty. - Powinniśmy oceniać Tigera przez pryzmat jego dokonań sportowych, a nie życia osobistego - zaznaczył hiszpański tenisista.
- Pierwsza myśl, która w całej tej sprawie przychodzi mi do głowy, to marny stan, w jakim znajduje się całe społeczeństwo - zaznaczył Nadal na łamach hiszpańskiego dziennika "Marca". - Ja wciąż go podziwiam za dokonania w sporcie. Dla mnie jest on wzorowym sportowcem. Życie osobiste Tigera powinno być tylko i wyłącznie jego sprawą - dodał.
Po publicznym rachunku sumienia, którego byliśmy świadkami w ostatnich miesiącach, Woods powróci do gry w golfa już podczas kwietniowego U.S. Masters.
- Śmieszne jest to, że wszyscy ci, którzy najmocniej go krytykowali, chcą teraz, by jak najszybciej powrócił do gry. Sport naprawdę Tigera potrzebuje - zauważył czwarty tenisista rankingu ATP Tour.
Confident Nadal 'Feeling Great'
Rafael Nadal is ready to make a hard charge at the Sony Ericsson Open title after saying that he passed his comeback test in Indian Wells with flying colours. Before stepping out at the BNP Paribas Open, Nadal had not played since the Australian Open, where he retired in the third set of his quarter-final with Andy Murray. But after a semi-final run in Indian Wells and claiming the doubles title with fellow Spaniard Marc Lopez, Nadal said that he is full of confidence heading into the Sony Ericsson Open.
“I am feeling great. I was fast, I was aggressive, I was moving very good in Indian Wells. I was very happy how I played. I was playing at my best level during the tournament.”
Oddly enough, Nadal said the only part of his body giving him trouble at the moment was his wisdom teeth. “ I have to take out all, but not now,” Nadal said. “I didn't practise for a few days. I started to practise yesterday afternoon. I’m hoping it be better today and tomorrow.”
Nadal is a two-time finalist at the Sony Ericsson Open and has reached the quarter-finals or better three consecutive years. In 2004 he announced his potential to the world with a shock straight-sets win over Roger Federer in the third round. Federer had his revenge in a gripping five-set final the following year and in 2008 Nadal lost to Nikolay Davydenko in the final.
At a media conference yesterday Nadal revealed that he enjoys playing doubles and says that it benefits his singles game.
“I play because in these tournaments these are very long tournaments, and you have day off almost after every match you win; the doubles is like a practice for me,” he said. I don't practise, I play doubles. So I still in competition and you have to play every day, change the situation. But having the day off is easier, and I play with a friend and I enjoy. [Doubles] improves the volley. I improve the aggressive return, so I do a lot of things."
Seeded No. 4 at this event, Nadal will open his campaign against the winner of German qualifier Rainer Schuettler and big-serving American Taylor Dent. The Spaniard is seeded to meet Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarter-finals and Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals.
Nadal planuje grać w Madrycie.
Istniały obawy, że Rafa Nadal opuści turniej w Madrycie, w celu odpoczynku przed RG. Hiszpan uspokoił jednak Iona Tiriaca i zapowiedział, że Madryt wciąż jest w Jego kalendarzu startów na okres ceglany 2010.
Źródło: http://www.tennistalk.com/en/news/20100 … n_for_clay
Rafa motivation rising heading into clay
Rafael Nadal is far from discouraged as the clay season approaches despite his second Masters 1,000
exit in a row, a loss against Andy Roddick in Miami.
For the Spaniard, life begins anew in a week in Monte Carlo. "I'm feeling really well playing in all the surfaces," said the Spaniard who will move back to third in the world on the ATP.
"I had a positive (spring) American hardcourt season. I'm happy for that. I'm playing well, I had very good matches in these two tournaments," said Nadal.
"That's the positive thing. The worst is that I lost two semi-finals in three sets. But if you are there, you are going to have your day. You're going to win one day. I'm happy with how I am doing."
"But I'm happy for everything. I started the season well, I'm playing well. Maybe on clay I'm going to have more chances," said the four-time French Open champion who lifted 2009 clay titles in Monte Carlo,
Barcelona and Rome.
The 23-year-old said that hardcourts at Indian Wells and Florida give him confidence that his game
is heading in the right way as he bids to end a title drought stretching back to last May in Rome.
"I'll just keep working like this, keep improving. Two semi-finals in a row, in the first two Masters 1000s of the season for me is positive."
Rafael Nadal będzie nosił ochraniacz na szczękę!
Król cegły od najbliższego turnieju będzie nosił specjalny ochraniacz na zęby.
Podczas wymian rafa zaciska mocno zęby, stąd chcemy chronić Jego zęby
- głosi informacja ze sztabu hiszpańskiego tenisisty.
Źródło (po katalońsku, ale z załączonym filmikiem) :
http://ib3noticies.com/20100407_61616-r … -punt.html
Przykład graficzny:
:D
Heh, ochraniacz na zeby. Tego jeszcze w tenisie nie bylo :D
Ciekawe czy z ochraniaczem da się jęczeć? :o Mam nadzieję, ze to jakieś jaja, rybaki jakoś przebolałem, ale milczący Rafał? :o
ale jaja, nie uwierze az zobacze na meczu:)
Wujek zabronił walić rakietą w kort, to będzie boksował rywali za to, że mają czelność go ogrywać. Szczęka na wypadek jakby ktoś ustał pierwszy cios i chciał oddać.
Spokojnie, w najbliższych turniejach nie będzie ku temu powodów. :D Soda by się na bank na boks z Rafą pisał, ale niestety właśnie się z Korolo wycofał. :D
Nadal kitted out with elite 525,000 sport watch
Rafael Nadal has joined Roger Federer as a high-end watch product spokesman as the rich get richer at the top of tennis.
But Spain's clay king certainly has his Swiss rival's Rolex beaten on price, with Nadal swinging away while wearing a new limited edition timepiece valued at a massive $525,000.
Nadal has teamed with elite Geneva watchmaker Richard Mille and is now sporting a jewel weighing just 20 grams, a complex set of see-through inner workings and a strap made from polycarbonates.
Only 50 of the watches will be made by the house of the master craftsman, with Nadal wearing No. 027 Tourbillon in each of his matches.
The deal with Nadal is the company's first in tennis after signing Ferrari F1 driver Filipe Massa.
Nadal: I'm almost back to my best
Rafael Nadal believes he is close to hitting the form to end his 11-month title drought, no co-incidence given his recent record at the Monte Carlo Masters.
The world number three bids for a record sixth consecutive win in Monte Carlo, happy with his performances so far this year after an injury-hit start.
A recurring knee injury forced Nadal to retire from his Australian Open quarter-final against Andy Murray in January but he has since reached the semi-finals of the Indian Wells and Miami Masters tournaments.
"I have played well in all the tournaments this year. I haven't won yet, but I was in contention all the time," Nadal said after a light training session at the Monte Carlo country club on Monday.
"In Indian Wells, I was playing a very good tournament. I played a terrible match in the semi-final, but I played the rest of the matches at a very high level. And in Miami, too, I played well."
The Spaniard, a six-times Grand Slam winner, said his mindset this year was different to the second half of 2009.
"Last year, the last six months, if I didn't have bad results with semi-finals, one final in Shanghai, quarter-finals in other tournaments... I felt I was not ready to win important tournaments," Nadal said of his injury-blighted season.
"But from the start of the year, I have felt ready."
Back on clay, Nadal senses a first tournament victory since his last in Rome in May 2009.
"I think it's always going to be a little bit more easier on clay for me," he said.
Nadal will start his Monte Carlo Masters campaign with a second-round match against Argentine Eduardo Schwank or Dutchman Thiemo De Bakker.
#37) TMS Monte Carlo 2010
R64 BYE
R32 Thiemo DeBakker 6/1 6/0
R16 Michael Berrer 6/0 6/1
1/4 Juan Carlos Ferrero[9] 6/4 6/3
1/2 David Ferrer[11] 6/2 6/3
F Fernando Verdasco[6] 6/0 6/1
Nareszcie!! Brawo :D .Vamos Rafa!!!!
Warto wspomnieć, że to już 16 turniej Masters wygrany przez Nadala, czym Hiszpan wyrównał osiągnięcie Rogera Federera i jest już tylko 1 tytuł od Andre Agassiego.
Najwięcej wygranych mastersów:
17 - Agassi
16 - Nadal, Federer
11 - Sampras
No to vice-mistrzem turnieju można nazwać JCF. :D
Brawo Rafa !
Warto też dodać, że Nadal to pierwszy zawodnik w erze Open, któremu udało się wygrać ten sam turniej w 6 kolejnych latach. Gratulacje. ;)
DUN I LOVE napisał:
Warto też dodać, że Nadal to pierwszy zawodnik w erze Open, któremu udało się wygrać ten sam turniej w 6 kolejnych latach. Gratulacje. ;)
Czekam na powtórkę w Barcelonie.:P
Niezły wynik, tym bardziej, że to w końcu MS.
Nikt nie umie zatrzymać Nadala w Monte Carlo
Rafael Nadal został pierwszym tenisistą od 1968 roku, który sześć razy z rzędu wygrał jeden turniej. Hiszpan osiągnął to pokonując bez trudu w finale turnieju w Monte Carlo swojego rodaka Fernando Verdasco 6:0, 6:1.
Nadal wysłał do rywali ostrzeżeni, że w majowym French Open będzie bardzo mocny. Turniej na kortach ziemnych w Monte Carlo przeszedł jak burza. - Czuję się tu jak w domu. Od dawna nie miałem tak dobrego tygodnia jak ten ostatni. Ten wynik jest niewiarygodny. Bez dwóch zdań to mój ulubiony turniej - powiedział uradowany Hiszpan, który w poprzednim sezonie zmagał się z uciążliwymi kontuzjami.
Ostatni turniejowy triumf wywalczył aż 11 miesięcy temu, co dla zawodnika tej klasy może być rozczarowujące. Wpływ jednak na taki, a nie inny stan rzeczy miały właśnie owe kontuzje, a zwłaszcza problemy z kolanami. Lepszego momentu na powrót do formy Nadal nie mógł sobie wymarzyć.
W maju rusza French Open, jedyne wielkoszlemowe zawody w sezonie, odbywające się na ceglanej mączce. Hiszpański tenisista na tej nawierzchni czuje się najlepiej. Oprócz tego chciałby zapewne powetować sobie szybkie pożegnanie się z tym turniejem w ubiegłym roku.
Nadal Forced To Withdraw From Barcelona
Rafael Nadal has announced his decision to withdraw from the Barcelona Open BancSabadell – 58th Conde de Godó Trophy, organisers confirmed Monday. The Mallorcan player will hold a press conference at the tournament, which commenced earlier today, at noon on Tuesday in order to explain the reasons behind his decision.
In a message relayed by his communications manager, Rafael Nadal declared, “I am really sorry not to be able to play in Barcelona, more than any other tournament, but this year after the win in Monte Carlo my body is asking me to rest. I repeat that I’m especially sorry not to play there, because I would like it to be understood that it really is that way, because it is played in my club and it is my home tournament.
"I want to extend my thanks in advance to the members of the club, the organisers of the tournament, and all of the fans for their understanding. Tomorrow I will be in Barcelona and will be available for the organisers.”
“We wish Rafa the best of luck," said Albert Costa, the director of the Barcelona Open BancSabadell – 58th Conde de Godó Trophy. "We know that this has been a difficult decision for him to take. A player also has to know when to listen to his body. But the tournament has only just begun and we have a week of the best tennis ahead of us. Rafa’s withdrawal is a pity but the tournament will go on and will continue strongly and with a great draw."
“The Real Club de Tenis Barcelona-1899 wants to recognise everything that Rafa Nadal has done for the tournament, and also for the club. We will always be grateful and we wish him all the best,” added Albert Agustí, President of the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona.
Sixth seed Tomas Berdych has also withdrawn from the tournament with a right ankle injury. But the prestigious event still boasts seven Top 20 players: Robin Soderling, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Fernando Gonzalez, Fernando Verdasco, Juan Carlos Ferrero, David Ferrer and Tommy Robredo. Additionally, two-time Grand Slam champion and former two-time ATP World Tour Champion Lleyton Hewitt is competing.
Nadal odpuszcza
Rafael Nadal wycofał się z rywalizacji w Barcelonie. Jak wyjaśnił, jego organizm potrzebuje odpoczynku. - Jestem przemęczony, nie ma sensu, bym teraz startował. Muszę odpocząć i to jest w tej chwili najważniejsze - powiedział tenisista.
Nadal says Barca pullout just a precaution.
Rafael Nadal said that withdrawing from his home Barcelona Open was done with the good of his clay court season in mind, adding that over-playing was what led to his injury downfall last spring.
"Playing three weeks in a row nonstop is not appropriate for me," said the No. 3 as he explained his decision after winning a record sixth straight title in Monte Carlo.
Nadal said that missing Barcelona - he promised to return next year due to a slight modification in the ATP calendar - is painful for him. "To not play here is a big blow for me. This is my tournament, my club and my home. This clay also suits my game very well.
"We have talked about how tough matches are, I had to do what is best for me," said the four-time French Open champion.
Nadal added that his decision is purely defensive and said he is not suffering with injury. A year ago, he won Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Rome over three consecutive weeks, then crashed out in the Madrid semi-finals and Roland Garros fourth round as a result of knee pain.
"I had a year or so with many problems, and although today I feel great and playing perfect after winning Monte Carlo, I don't want to repeat the injury problem. My goal is to be physically fit and able to compete. I can play and train without problems now, so I know I can get some good results."
He plans to resume next week at the Rome Masters.
Simon znowu atakuje. :D
Nadal form ominous for rivals
Watching Rafael Nadal at the Monte Carlo Masters was like going back two years when he was unbeatable on clay.
He was the best player in the world then and last week he got way clear of anything anybody could get remotely close to in Monte Carlo.
I have to admit I never thought I'd see him play such dominant tennis again, even on clay. But I'm so pleased he is. Rafa's a great guy and I know the injuries have frustrated him immensely, but to see him playing with such great joy and exuberance was fantastic.
Incredibly, his forehand looked even better than it did two years ago and the damage he was able to do against some of the best performers in the world was awesome.
It seems that even with the likes of Nadal and Federer, confidence plays a big part in their games. Once things began to click for Rafa, he again started to believe in the inevitability of victory. He seemed to be having the time of his life and it was terrific to watch.
That kind of form is hugely ominous for the other players. They cannot afford to think like this, but Rafa's performance in Monte Carlo was so impressive, the clay court season already looked over on Sunday evening.
Indeed, the others' best chance of winning something on clay this season appears to be when Rafa isn't in attendance, like in Barcelona this week.
When I was talking about Kim Clijsters the other week, I said that players need to play as much as they can in the build-up to Grand Slams to get their fitness and form together, but Rafa is an exception to that rule.
Rafa takes so much out of himself even in such ludicrously easy wins as in Monte Carlo. The sheer physicality of his game is of a different dimension to anybody else.
The danger with Nadal is that having played so well in Monte Carlo he would overdo it in Barcelona. He's a fiercely patriotic man, and he would have loved to have played - and given his all - in his home tournament.
His camp have had a long think and they've decided discretion is the best way forward. It's the right decision if it means he will be able to give 100 per cent at Roland Garros.
I seriously hope the decision was taken purely on the basis that he has to rest. If it is anything worse that has ruled him out, it would be a real shame, given his emphatic victory in Monte Carlo. Let's hope that's not the case.
Let's just wait and see if he plays Rome and Madrid. If he does, it will be great news for anyone who will be watching, but it cannot be good news for his rivals.
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/tennis/si … icle/2534/
Uciekaj Rafa, uciekaj!
Nadal oddał hołd Samaranchowi.
Nadal Pays Tribute To Samaranch
Former ATP World Tour No. 1 Rafael Nadal has paid tribute to Juan Antonio Samaranch after the former International Olympic Committee president died of cardiac arrest Wednesday. Just days before his passing, 89-year-old Samaranch had watched on television countryman Nadal beat fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco in the final of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters.
In a statement on his web site, Nadal said: “It’s a very sad day for Sports because Juan Antonio was sports; he was one of the most important figures in Spanish sport as well as worldwide.
“He was always very special to all athletes, and I can say this because personally, he was always very close and nice to me. He was a kind person who always showed me a lot of sympathy and support. It is a great loss and we will miss him.”
Nadal returned to Barcelona today to serve as a pall bearer at Samaranch’s funeral.
The Associated Press reported that Samaranch’s health deteriorated shortly after watching the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters final on TV. "He watched Nadal's match - he loved tennis - and after the game he wasn't feeling great so we decided to come (to the hospital) around 6 or 7 at night,” his son, Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., told the Associated Press. “Then he collapsed. They stabilised him but he never came out. And that was the last time he was conscious."
Beating Nadal on clay the hardest thing in the history of tennis
If anyone had doubts, Rafael Nadal confirmed at the Monte Carlo Masters what already should have been obvious. He is more dominant on clay than any male player on any surface – ever.
How could you look at his path of destruction last week and draw any other conclusion? His jaw-dropping set scores read 6-1, 6-0, 6-0, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3, 6-0, 6-1. He lost 14 games in 10 sets, the fewest for anyone in the open era.
Before Monte Carlo, the story on Nadal was his 11-month title drought dating back to the Italian Open in 2009. With that stat in his rearview mirror, the next time the number 11 becomes significant for him might be when he wins Monte Carlo for the 11th year in a row. He already is up to six, another open-era record, and has lost one set there in the last three visits.
His victims this year – including fellow Spaniards Juan Carlos Ferrero in the quarters, David Ferrer in the semis and Fernando Verdasco in the final – hardly constituted a murderer’s row. But they should not have been road kill, either.
A resurgent Ferrero won two tournaments and reached the final of a third on the South American clay-court swing earlier this year. Ferrer has won five career titles on clay. Verdasco was coming off a 6-2, 6-2 semifinal demolition of Novak Djokovic, who had won 37 of his last 39 matches on clay when Rafa was not the opponent. Djokovic blamed allergies for his tepid performance, but he may have been allergic to another beat-down by Nadal.
The numbers are mind-numbing. Nadal won 81 consecutive matches on clay from 2005 to 2007, shattering Guillermo Vilas’ tour record of 53. After losing to Roger Federer in the final of Hamburg, he immediately snapped off another 31-match streak.
Before losing to Robin Soderling last year, he had won his first 31 matches at Roland Garros while dropping only seven sets.
At age 23, he has won 26 clay-court titles – the seventh most all-time – and 23 of the last 27 clay events he has entered.
Never has there been this perfect a marriage between skill set and surface. Nadal’s relentless intensity, his incredible speed and his unprecedented high-bouncing forehand topspin make him impossible to beat on clay when he is playing well and nearly impenetrable when his game is off.
The obvious reply to Nadal’s clay-court brilliance is the grass-court supremacy of Federer, who won an ATP-record 65 consecutive matches on the blades from 2003 to 2008, but it’s not the same.
Federer played Wimbledon five times before becoming champion. His last two Wimbledon-final victories have gone five sets, and he failed to break serve 37 consecutive times before winning his epic final with Roddick last year.
Plus, there’s the sticky issue of whether Federer is even better than Nadal on grass right now. Nadal ended Federer's aura of invincibility in the 2008 Wimbledon final after having break points in the fifth set of their 2007 final before fading at least in part due to a knee injury.
Nadal also won Queen’s Club on grass in 2008, taking down Roddick and Djokovic in straight sets in the semis and final. After skipping the grass in 2009 with another knee injury, he will enter Queen’s Club this June with an 18-1 record in his last 19 matches on the surface – the same as Federer.
If Federer's dominance on grass falls short of Nadal's nastiness on clay, no one else compares.
Pete Sampras on grass? He won Wimbledon seven out of eight years from 1993 to 2000, but he lost at Queen’s Club five times in that span to the likes of Grant Stafford, Jonas Bjorkman and Mark Woodforde. The difference between him and Nadal is Rafa’s all-consuming desire at every clay-court event.
Bjorn Borg on clay? He won Roland Garros six of the eight times he played there, and his scorelines in 1978 and 1980 were Rafa-like, but he won five five-setters in Paris. Nadal has yet to play a five-setter there.
When Nadal burst on the scene, he intimidated his opponents on clay with his endurance and persistence, getting every ball back until their will to win crumbled. These days, he blasts one forehand winner after the other without sacrificing any of the defensive abilities he had as a teenager.
Heaven help the rest of the tour if he stays healthy all spring.
Nie jest to może Simon "True Number One" Reed, ale kierunek podobny. Jakiś tam Sampras i jego śmieszne 7 Wimbledonów, co to przy Rafale. :D
Uncle Toni: Top spot not a priority for Rafa
Nadal has dropped to third in the rankings, behind Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, after knee problems disrupted his 2009 season.
The Spaniard looked to have regained his old dominance on clay when he blew away his challengers to win a record sixth consecutive Monte Carlo Masters title earlier this month.
But he pulled out of last week's Barcelona Open to have a rest before defending his title at the Rome Masters this week.
"I suppose we'll play a little less," Nadal's coach and uncle Toni Nadal said before the 23-year-old begins his Rome campaign against Philipp Kohlschreiber on Wednesday.
"(The decision to miss Barcelona) was also related to the need to prepare for the upcoming season, which is hard, and avoid having problems with Wimbledon and Roland Garros."
Nadal, four times a winner in the Paris major, suffered his first ever defeat at the French Open last May and was then forced to miss the entire grass-court season with tendinitis in his knees.
"The important thing for Rafa is not the ranking, but to be in good shape for every tournament he takes part in, to know that he has the chance to win the tournaments he takes part in," said Toni.
"This is more important than the ranking for him. Naturally, if on top of this, he has a good ranking, so much the better."
Toni dismissed the idea that his nephew needed to change his style of play to make it less physical and reduce the demands on his body.
"I don't see this. He doesn't have an excessively physical game," he said.
"This story comes from when Rafa was 17, 18 years old. I don't think his game is just physical. It's a game suited to spin. If you look at the matches, I don't think he runs more than his rivals."
Reuters
#38) TMS Roma 2010
R64 BYE
R32 Phillipp Kohlschreiber 6/1 6/3
R16 Victor Hanescu 6/4 6/2
1/4 Stanislas Wawrinka 6/4 6/1
1/2 Ernests Gulbis 6/4 3/6 6/4
F David Ferrer[13] 7/5 6/2
Mastersy: Nadal wyrównał osiągnięcie Andre Agassiego.
Rafael Nadal, wygrywając, turniej Masters w Madrycie, odniósł swoje 17 turniejowe zwycięstwo w tego typu elitarnych imprezach. Wyrównał tym samym osiągnięcie Andre Agassiego, który do tej pory miał najwięcej wygranych eventów z serii Masters.
Najwięcej wygranych Mastersów w historii:
17 - Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal
16 - Roger Federer
11 - Pete Sampras
Podczas imprezy w Madrycie Nadal stanie przed szansą pobicia rekordu. ;)
Gratulacje. ;)
Liczylem na szybciutki wpis najwierniejszego fana . :D
Nadal Captures Record-Equalling 17th Masters 1000 Trophy.
World No. 3 Rafael Nadal won a record-equalling 17th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title Sunday when he overcame fellow Spaniard David Ferrer 7-5, 6-2 in a rain-hit final at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome.
At the age of just 23, Nadal has drawn level with the retired Andre Agassi, who has held the record of 17 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles since winning his last of the coveted shields in Cincinnati in 2004, aged 34. Roger Federer is in second place with 16 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles.
Nadal won his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title at the age of 18, when he defeated Guillermo Coria in the 2005 Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters final. Two weeks ago he became the first player in the Open Era to win a tournament title for six straight years when he crushed Fernando Verdasco in Monte-Carlo to claim his 16th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title. Overall in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 action, he has compiled a 175-35 match record and has a 17-6 mark in finals.
As the winner, Nadal received 1000 South African Airways 2010 ATP Ranking points and €434,000, while Ferrer, who finished runner-up in his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final, earned 600 ranking points and €203,000 in prize money.
With two ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles to his name already in 2010, Nadal has made a strong early claim for a place in the elite eight-man field at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, to be held at The O2 in London from 21-28 November.
In his post-match interview after defeating Fernando Verdasco in the semi-finals Saturday, Ferrer said his game plan against Nadal would be to play “very aggressively” and the high-risk tactic from the Valencia resident made for a very competitive first set in the pair’s 14th meeting.
The score was level at 4-4 in the first set when the light drizzle that had been a constant accompaniment fell harder and play was suspended for the first time. On the resumption, Ferrer held for a 5-4 lead before putting Nadal under pressure with a 30-0 lead on his Davis Cup teammate’s serve. With the confidence of a 10-3 career lead over Ferrer, though, Nadal quickly turned the situation around, holding serve before converting his sixth break point chance on the Ferrer serve for a 6-5 lead.
Aggressive play off Nadal’s second serve earned Ferrer his only break point of the match as the No. 3 seed served for the set, but the left-hander quickly alleviated the threat with a swinging serve out wide and went on to close out the one-set lead.
Looking to build on his lead as the weather began to worsen once more, Nadal took advantage as Ferrer went for too much in his bid to dictate the points and as the right-hander over-hit a backhand, Nadal secured a 2-1 lead.
At that point, play was once again halted due to rain and it was over an hour and a half later before the players were called back to court to finish the match. Keen to not delay any longer, Nadal went for yet more aggression when play resumed and the pressure told on Ferrer in the seventh game. Two double faults from the right-hander proved costly as Nadal clinched a 5-2 lead and, ruthless as ever, Nadal quickly sealed victory on serve after one hour and 44 minutes.
"After the rain, the court was slower and of course Rafa is in form, especially in difficult moments and it's difficult to beat him," said Ferrer. "But I was pleased with my game."
Nadal won the Rome title for the fifth time, having previously triumphed in 2005-2007 and last year with victory over Novak Djokovic in the final. He holds a 27-1 event record.
World No. 17 Ferrer, who leads the ATP World Tour with a 23-4 clay-court mark in 2010, was bidding for his second title of the season. During the Latin American “Golden Swing” in February he finished runner-up to Juan Carlos Ferrero in the Buenos Aires final, before avenging that defeat a week later with victory in Acapulco. He came into Rome on the strength of back-to-back semi-final showings in Monte-Carlo (l. to Nadal) and at the Barcelona Open BancSabadell (l. to Verdasco).
"This is the first time with a Masters 1000 final in Rome and I am happy with that," said Ferrer. "I am happy with my season this year; it is important for me and for my confidence for my next tournaments."
DUN I LOVE napisał:
Rafael Nadal, wygrywając, turniej Masters w Madrycie, odniósł swoje 17 turniejowe zwycięstwo w tego typu elitarnych imprezach.
Dun, nie przyznawaj Rafałowi z góry zwycięstwa w Madrycie :P
Mój błąd. ;)
Nadal Ties Agassi Titles Record
ATP stats and information guru Greg Sharko looks at the numbers behind the stories of the ATP World Tour in his regular column, 'Shark Bites'.
Rafael Nadal captured his 17th career ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title Sunday in Rome, tying Andre Agassi’s record which he held since 2004. Nadal accomplished the feat in his 52nd ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament in a span of less than eight years while the American needed 84 tournaments to reach that mark in 14 years.
Nadal’s Finals (17-6)
Nadal is the only player to reach nine different tournament finals. Of the current nine tournaments the only final he has not reached is Cincinnati where he has a 9-6 match record. His most successful tournaments have come in Monte-Carlo and Rome where he’s won 11 titles and compiled a 61-2 match record. Overall, he’s won six different ATP Masters 1000 tournaments.
Tournament Finals
W-L Match
W-L
Monte-Carlo 6-0 34-1
Rome 5-0 27-1
Indian Wells 2-0 26-4
Canada (Montreal/Toronto) 2-0 18-4
Madrid 1-1 16-6
Hamburg* 1-1 11-2
Miami 0-2 21-7
Paris 0-1 9-3
Shanghai 0-1 4-1
* No longer ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tourn.
Note: His six losses in finals came to three players – Roger Federer (three times), Nikolay Davydenko (twice) and David Nalbandian.
Agassi’s Finals (17-5)
Agassi is the only player to win seven different tournaments, leading the way with Miami (six titles) followed by Cincinnati and Canada (three each). He won ATP Masters 1000 titles 14 years apart – 1990 Miami and 2004 Cincinnati – that is the longest span between first and last titles.
Tournament Finals
W-L Match
W-L
Miami 6-2 59-10 +
Cincinnati 3-0 31-10
Canada (Montreal/Toronto) 3-1 35-10
Paris 2-0 14-4
Indian Wells 1-2 36-15 +
Rome 1-1 15-7 +
Madrid 1-0 7-1
+ Also won matches before 1990
Note: Agassi’s last ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final came in 2005 in Montreal where he lost to Nadal. All five of Agassi’s final losses came to Top 3 opponents – Pete Sampras (twice), Stefan Edberg, Marcelo Rios and Nadal.
All-Time Match Wins Leaders (since 1990)
While Agassi is the all-time leader with 209 match wins, Nadal owns the best match winning percentage (.833). Since capturing his first ATP Masters 1000 title in 2005, Nadal has an outstanding winning percentage of .860 from 2005-’10.
W-L (Pct.) Titles
1) Andre Agassi 209-73 (.741) 17
2) Roger Federer 205-63 (.765) 16
3) Pete Sampras 190-70 (.731) 11
4) Rafael Nadal 175-35 (.833) 17
5) Andy Roddick 141-57 (.712) 5
Year-by-Year Breakdown
Nadal
Tournament Match W-L Finals W-L
2010 – 4 18-2 2-0
2009 – 9 34-6 3-2
2008 – 9 32-6 3-1
2007 – 9 31-6 3-2
2006 – 7 23-5 2-0
2005 – 6 28-2 4-1
2004 – 5 5-5 0-0
2003 – 3 4-3 0-0
Agassi
Tournament Match W-L Finals W-L
2006 – 1 1-1 0-0
2005 – 5 16-4
(w/o not a loss) 0-1
2004 – 5 16-4 1-0
2003 – 3 9-1 1-0
2002 – 6 21-3 3-0
2001 – 7 12-5 2-0
2000 – 6 8-6 0-0
1999 – 6 16-5 1-0
1998 – 7 16-7 0-1
1997 – 4 0-4 0-0
1996 – 6 16-4 2-0
1995 – 6 23-3 3-1
1994 – 7 19-5 2-1
1993 – 4 9-4 0-0
1992 – 6 9-5 1-0
1991 – 6 4-6 0-0
1990 – 6 14-5 1-1
Nadal'sback ni form to winfifth Rome Masterrs
RAFAEL Nadal kept focus through two rain delays to beat fellow Spanish player David Ferrer 7-5 6-2 for his fifth Rome Masters title in six years.
Having won the Monte Carlo Masters two weeks ago to end an 11-month title drought, Nadal improved to 10-0 on clay this year and provided another signal that he is back to dominating on his preferred surface after a series of injuries.
"I didn't play at the level I did in Monte Carlo but I'm still winning and that's the important thing,'' Nadal said.
"Winning the tournament in Monte Carlo losing 14 games doesn't happen every week. That's not usual.
"I'm probably more happy winning without playing (my) best. It was more of a mental thing.''
In contrast to his emotional celebration in Monte Carlo, Nadal was comparatively subdued upon winning in Rome, simply raising his hands over his head and letting out a big smile before calmly walking to the net to shake hands with Ferrer.
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Nadal showed no sign of fatigue after pulling out a long, three-set win over Ernests Gulbis in the semifinals on Saturday.
The win enabled Nadal to match Andre Agassi's record of 17 Masters Series titles. Agassi achieved the feat at the age of 34, though, while Nadal is only 23.
Top-ranked Roger Federer, who was beaten by Gulbis in the second round, is third in the list with 16 Masters Series titles.
"It's important to have the motivation to want to keep improving. That's the main thing,'' Nadal said. "That's how it's been all my career, all my life, and I still do it.
"I love to play tennis. I love the competition.''
This tournament is an important warmup for the French Open, which starts May 23. Nadal won four consecutive titles at Roland Garros before being stunned by Robin Soderling in the fourth round last year in Paris.
Nadal's only loss in Rome came against compatriot Juan Carlos Ferrero in the opening round two years ago, when he was slowed by a foot blister. No other player has won more than three titles at the Foro Italico.
Nadal has now won his last seven meetings with Ferrer, who was playing in the first Masters Series final of his career.
Ferrer indicated that he was affected by the rain.
"Maybe the court was slower and I had problems to (end) the points,'' Ferrer said. "Of course Rafael had good chances in the important moments. It's difficult against him but I'm happy with my game.''
The match was suspended for an hour due to rain with Ferrer serving at 4-4 in the first set. Ferrer maintained his concentration when the players came back out and held serve to take a 5-4 lead.
But Nadal broke at his next opportunity when Ferrer's forehand clipped the top of the net to end a long rally.
Nadal didn't face a break point until he served for the first set, and he saved it with a well-positioned serve out wide that Ferrer returned long. On the next point, Nadal moved Ferrer from corner to corner and then rushed forward to put away an easy volley.
On his first set point, Nadal hit another solid first serve and Ferrer's reply sailed long.
Nadal broke again in the third game of the second set, and the match was then suspended again for 1 hour, 45 minutes - causing many fans to head home.
When the players came out again, Ferrer hit a costly double fault and followed that with a loose forehand wide to hand Nadal another break and let him serve out the match.
http://www.larazon.es/noticia/6929-toni … ejor-nivel
(po hiszpańsku: Wujek Toni potwierdza start Rafy w Madrycie).
Nadal chasing history in Madrid
Rafael Nadal remains on course to earn an 18th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 shield this week, as he tops the bottom half of the draw at the Mutua Madrileña Madrid Open. The World No. 3 enters into the tournament as the second seed.
Rafael Nadal will be looking for his third clay-court Masters trophy this season. The 23-year-old has returned to top form this spring, having pocketed a record-breaking 6th Monte-Carlo crown (def. Verdasco) and his fifth title in Rome (def. Ferrer).
Nadal has captured 17 Masters shields heading into Madrid, currently tied with 8-time Grand Slam champion and former World No. 1 Andre Agassi. The Mallorcan won the Mutua Madrileña Madrid Open over Ivan Ljubicic in 2005. Nadal finished runner-up to World No. 1 Roger Federer in 2009.
With the absence of World No. 2 Novak Djokovic, Nadal leads the bottom half of the draw as the No. 2 seed, directly behind defending champion Roger Federer and just ahead of World No. 4 Andy Murray. Reigning US Open champion and 2009 Madrid semifinalist Juan Martin Del Potro will not compete in Madrid, as he continues to struggle with a wrist injury.
Seeded players located in the Mallorcan’s quarter are No. 7 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, No. 12 Gael Monfils and No. 13 John Isner. Additional competitors include: Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, Fabio Fognini, Philipp Kohlschreiber and Stephane Robert.
After a first-round bye, Nadal is scheduled to face either Andreas Seppi or qualifier Oleksandr Dolgopolov Jr. With safe passage into the third round, Nadal would face likely opponent Isner, who made his first clay-court final in Belgrade. Should he progress further into the tournament, the World No. 3 looks to a possible quarterfinal meeting with Tsonga or Monfils. Nadal controls the head-to-head with both Frenchman at 5-1.
http://www.tennistalk.com/en/news/20100 … _in_Madrid
Nadal admits Federer Estoril exit a surprise
Rafael Nadal is loathe to speak - except in glowing terms - of Roger Federer. But pressed, the Spanish second seed admitted his rival's semi-final loss at the weekend in Estoril was a bit of a shock to the system.
"I don't like to talk about the rest,but Roger losing is a real surprise," said the four-time French Open winner. "He has lost other times. But he remains a dangerous player. it was an early clay-court match so anything can happen. I didn't watch any of Estoril so I cannot say much more."
Nadal cannot spend too much energy on Federer's problems after the Swiss player's French Open title defence was thrown off-schedule as his straight-set loss in damp Portuguese conditions to Spanish clay-court journeyman Albert Montanes, now the winner of the last two Estoril editions.
Nadal will also remember his lost in the Madrid final to Federer, who went onto win a first Roland Garros title three weeks later.
Nadal shrugged off they possibility that he can advance closer back to the No. 2 ranking with the illness absence of Novak Djokovic, saying he never thinks of his game in those terms. He has other problems on his mind.
"Playing at this altitude makes things more complicated," said Nadal, last year's losing finalist to Federer. "I think all of the matches here will be a matter of life and death."
Nadal won't be distracted by rankings
With two titles in his pocket from two clay events Rafael Nadal can't get excited about moving closer to ailing Novak Djokovic and the ATP No. 2 ranking.
The former No. 1 and four-time French Open winner says he's barely noticing the points chase, with Djokovic missing the Madrid Masters with breathing problems due to spring pollen.
Nadal said he is only focusing on the tournament to hand and will let the points fall where they may in the jockeying behind Roger Federer in the table. "I've won in Monte Carlo and Rome, two of the most important tournaments for me," said the Spaniard. "This has given me the extra calm I needed - it has also given me two Masters 1000 titles, and they are very special."
Nadal will have to go better than his final of 2009 which he lost to Federer to start thinking of rising; Djokovic will be losing semi-finalist points from 2009 by not playing at this edition.
"I'm not concerned whether Djokovic is here or not. I think it's much more negative that he's not here, especially for the tournament and for the event.
"Whether I'm No. 1 or No. 2, we're not quite halfway through the year. I'm keeping my feet on the ground and working like always. My objective is to play day by day and continue to play as I am playing. We'll see what happens."
ATP Madryt: plejada gwiazd wspiera Nadala
Rafael Nadal jest nie tylko znakomitym tenisistą, ale również sympatycznym człowiekiem, o czym wielokrotnie można było przekonać się śledząc karierę hiszpańskiego tenisisty. Nie dziwi więc, że podczas turnieju ATP w Madrycie z trybun kortów dopingują go największe gwiazdy sportu i show biznesu.
Nadal słynie ze swego zamiłowania do drużyny piłkarskiej Realu Madryt. Hiszpan gdy tylko może, stara się wspierać Królewskich dopingiem podczas meczów na Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. W drużynie ze stolicy ma także wielu przyjaciół, zarówno wśród byłych jak i obecnych piłkarzy tego klubu.
Podczas trwającego w Madrycie turnieju ATP Nadala wspierają z trybun kortów byli zawodnicy Blancos, Ronaldo oraz Zinedine Zidane a także obecny kapitan Królewskich Raul Gonzalez. Poza tym kciuki za Hiszpana trzymają podczas każdego z meczów gwiazdor Portland Trail Blazers Rudy Fernandez, piosenkarka Paulina Rubio a także super modelka Bar Rafaeli.
Nadal Regains No. 2 Ranking; Closes On Masters 1000 Record
Rafael Nadal will return to No. 2 in the South African Airways 2010 ATP Rankings after coming from behind to defeat Nicolas Almagro 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 Saturday to reach the final of the Mutua Madrilena Madrid Open.
The Spaniard will now challenge for a record ATP World Tour Masters 1000 trophy, and look to become the first player to win all three clay-court ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles in the same year, when he faces either defending champion Roger Federer or fellow-Spaniard David Ferrer in Sunday’s final.
It was not without a fight, though. Nadal was given his toughest test of the week by Almagro, who is only the second player this year to have taken a set off Nadal on his preferred clay.
Looking to overturn a 0-5 record against Nadal on the day he contested his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semi-final, Almagro exchanged breaks with Nadal in the opening two games before racing to 4-1 lead courtesy of controlled, attacking tennis that kept Nadal stationed well behind the baseline and forced errors from the left hander.
Nadal was able to recoup one of the service breaks in the sixth game and looked set to draw level when he created two break points in the 10th game, but Almagro showed great strength of mind to win the next four points and close out a one-set lead.
Almagro had two break point chances in the third game of the second set to build on his lead, but Nadal was able to alleviate the danger and it proved the catalyst for a wave of intensity and an upturn in form for the Mallorcan, who went on to win four of the next five games to level the match at one-set apiece.
An early service break to love in the deciding set then set Nadal on his way to a sixth successive victory over Almagro, the left-hander breaking serve for the second time in the set in the eighth game to close out victory in two hours and 15 minutes.
"At the beginning I was playing like I should have played all along," reflected Nadal. "I managed to be very aggressive, and was taking Rafa’s games to the limit. On one of the sides it was difficult to play because of the wind going against you, and that’s when he broke me. I think when it was at 15/40 (in the third game of the second set) he played a huge point when he hit an ace. In fact it was the only ace he hit in the match. Those are the moments when he plays his best tennis. I have to keep working as I have been and approaching the matches as I have been, and hopefully in the future I’ll be able to beat Rafa, which I haven’t managed to do so far.
"I’ve played at a very high level throughout the week," added the Murcia native. "I’ve managed to make it beyond the quarter-finals of a Masters 1000 for the first time. I’ve pushed the best clay-court player in the world to the limits of his game; it was my first semi-finals and it was here at home. There are a lot of positive things about it all. I have to keep on working and doing things like I’ve been doing and hopefully I’ll be able to repeat it and improve on my results."
The 23-year-old Nadal is looking to win the Madrid title for the second time, having triumphed over Ivan Ljubicic in a fifth-set tie-break in 2005 when the event was held indoors on hard court. He finished runner-up to Federer in the final last year, in the tournament’s first year on clay at the Caja Magica.
It will be the first time since the beginning of the Australian Open on 18 January that Nadal as been ranked No. 2 and it guarantees the Manacor native the second seed placement at Roland Garros.
Nadal wraca na tak charakterystyczne dla siebie miejsce. Jutro zagra o rekord w ilości wygranych mastersów.
Na dzień dzisiejszy sytuacja wygląda tak:
17 - Agassi , Nadal
16 - Federer
11 - Sampras
#39) TMS Madryt 2010
R64 BYE
R32 Oleksandr Dolgopolov Jr 6/4 6/3
R16 John Isner [15] 7/5 6/4
1/4 Gael Monfils[12] 6/1 6/3
1/2 Nicolas Almagro 4/6 6/2 6/2
F Roger Federer[1] 6/4 7/6(5)
To 18 masters Rafy, czym Hiszpan pobił rekord wszech czasów, jeżeli chodzi o ilość wygranych turniejów tej rangi. Nadal został też 1 graczem w Open Erze (być może w ogóle), który wygrał w 1 roku wszystkie 3 ceglane mastersy.
Najwięcej wygranych Mastersów w historii:
18 - Rafael Nadal
17 - Andre Agassi
16 - Roger Federer
11 - Pete Sampras
Graty Rafał.
18 mastersów Rafy:
Monte Carlo x6
Rzym x5
Madryt x2
IW x2
Canadian Open x2
Hamburg x1
I to wszystko tuż przed 24 urodzinami. ;)
Brawo Rafa :D
Niesamowite osiągnięcie. Wyniki przyszły w najbardziej odpowiednim momencie. Na dodatek powrót na 2 pozycję w rankingu :)
Oby tak dalej!
Potrzebne to zwycięstwo z Fedem, jak i w całym Madrycie było jak nigdy chyba Rafie, przypływ pewności siebie przed RG niesamowity, ponadto wymazuje nieco obraz fatalnego bilansu z czołówką w ostatnim czasie. Jeśli zdrowie dopisze, na RG strata seta będzie wydarzeniem, bo i forma powinna zwyżkować.
Rafa's Record 18
http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/DEUCE- … -1000.aspx
French Open - Nadal relaxed despite tricky draw
Rafael Nadal was relaxed despite being handed a potentially tricky draw for the French Open at Roland Garros, which starts on Sunday.
The world number two is hot favourite for the tournament after demonstrating superb form throughout the clay court season, and was happy to practise on a sunbathed centre court while defending champions Roger Federer and Svetlana Kuznetsova made the draw for the second Grand Slam of the year.
Nadal, beaten for the first time at Roland Garros last year, is in the same half as fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco and third seed Novak Djokovic of Serbia.
Following a first-round match against Frenchman Gianni Mina, the Spaniard could meet Australian Lleyton Hewitt and big-serving Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia before a possible quarter-final against Verdasco and a semi-final clash with Djokovic.
Nadal refused to look beyond his first-round opponent. Asked who were his main rivals for the May 23-June 6 tournament, he said: "First round, no? I play against a wildcard from France and that's my toughest opponent now."
Nadal, wearing a white cap back to front, practised for more than an hour on centre court, looking relaxed as he punished his sparring partner with his trademark forehand winners in front of his uncle and coach Toni Nadal.
Nadal won't be slowed by weight of elite watch
There could be no stopping Rafael Nadal despite the fresh "weight" of a his new 20-gram, $500,000 watch as the Spaniard takes aim at a fifth title from six appearances at the French Open.
Nadal said that his new contract with Geneva watchmaker Richard Mille - he will wear the limited edition RM 027 tourbillon during matches - will at least help him with timekeeping. "Now I'll be able to control the time between points," said the notoriously slow server.
Nadal relaxed this week, playing a round of golf with his girlfriend at home in Mallorca before heading to Paris. His recent win over Roger Federer for the Madrid title gives him a 15-0 clay record this season after winning every major warm-up event.
The Spaniard says that past fitness problem are now no longer a topic of conversation. "I don't want to speak of my knees," he said of the problem which led to his fourth-round downfall in Paris a year ago against Swede Robin Soderling.
"I showed in Madrid that I was very close to my best tennis. If I'd not been, there was no way I could have played as I did. It's impossible to be tired before the start of Roland Garros. Right now, I'm having a dream season. I've been preparing for weeks, my level has been high. But now I'm even more relaxed."
The Rafa Renaissance
Following a year fraught with emotional and physical challenges, Rafael Nadal has emerged with renewed hunger and heads to Roland Garros stronger than ever.
For most young men the teens and early 20s are a time of trial-and-error. That’s even true for tennis players. No less a man than Roger Federer did not ripen into full tennis maturity until the summer he turned 22.
Rafael Nadal was a great exception. Nadal was wise beyond his years from the get-go. At 15, he turned pro. At 17, he beat Federer the first time they played and became the youngest man to reach the third round at Wimbledon since the great Boris Becker. At 18, he helped pace Spain to a Davis Cup victory.
And yet, all that was prologue to his epic. At 19, not only did Nadal win the French Open the first time he played it – a feat not accomplished in Paris for more than 20 years – he won it the first four times he played it.
“For Nadal, life was nothing but trial-and-success”
Forget trial-and-error. For Nadal, life was nothing but trial-and-success, aided by tons of hard work and an exquisite competitive temperament. One year ago, Nadal held the titles at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the Australian Open. Heading into last year’s French Open, to predict that anyone but Nadal would win Roland Garros was unthinkable, inspiring conjecture that he could earn a calendar year Grand Slam – and perhaps, better yet, remain immune to the laws of vocational and competitive gravity that inevitably affect even the greatest champions.
Then came the hiccup.
Gulp one: Robin Soderling ending Nadal’s 31-match French Open winning streak with a remarkable four-set victory.
Gulp two: tendonitis in his knee that forced Nadal to withdraw from Wimbledon.
And then, a cascade – pummeled in the semis of the US Open, forced to exit mid-match in the quarters of the Australian Open.
Weaving its way through Nadal’s on-court life were personal woes. Important as family is for anyone, in Nadal’s case, family was no mere component. Though Nadal’s father Sebastian and mother Ana Maria were often visible at his matches, their presence was minimal, showing none of the intrusive signs often shown by zealous parents of aspiring players. The tennis business of Rafa was left in the hands of another family member, his uncle Toni Nadal. Though a great many tennis players relocate, Nadal continues to base himself near his family in Mallorca.
NadalBut last year, Sebastian and Ana Maria were divorced. For anyone, traumatic. For a kindly Catholic boy such as Nadal, the trauma was exceptionally painful. In most of his public comments, Nadal is usually as frugal about revealing his inner life as he is in making unforced errors. Certainly he’s a friendly speaker, as earnest in his desire to improve his English as his tennis game. But again, it’s Nadal’s tennis that speaks most eloquently on his behalf.
In the recent case of his family, though, Nadal speaks quite candidly. Says Nadal, “My parents’ divorce made an important change in my life. It affected me. After that, when I can’t play Wimbledon, it was tough. For one month, I was outside the world. I am OK now, but you need time to accept. And it’s more difficult to accept when you are outside home and don’t know what’s happening. At least the injury gave me time to be with my friends and family.”
According to Allen Fox, an ex-pro and psychologist, “Going up is a lot of fun. Going down is not. So now we’ll see how well he can take it. But you can tell from how Nadal’s been his whole career that he’s a high quality kind of person and competitor.”
The poet T.S. Eliot once called April “the cruelest month.” Since Eliot died two decades before Nadal was born, he obviously had no idea that in the Spaniard’s case, the exact opposite is true. By early April of this year, Nadal had gone nearly a year without claiming a singles title. He’d taken off all of February while recovering from the persistent knee injury that had forced him to withdraw at the Australian Open. He’d lost in the semis of each of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami, his attrition-based playing style vanquished by the more offensive-minded Ivan Ljubicic at Indian Wells and Andy Roddick in Miami.
“For one month, I was outside the world”
But even in defeat, Nadal’s innate optimism revealed much. Following the loss to Roddick, he said, “Yes, just keep working like this, keep improving. You know, two semi-finals in a row, first two Masters 1000 of the season for me is positive. If you are there, you gonna have your day. You're gonna win one day.”
Once he arrived 10 days later in Monte-Carlo, his attitude translated into action. For all Nadal has accomplished on other surfaces, put him on clay and it’s a whole other ballgame. On hard courts, on indoor, on grass, he must take more risk – and his opponents are rewarded for their aggression. But the tables turn on clay. As Tennis Channel commentator Justin Gimelstob says, “It’s all in Rafa’s favour. To beat him on clay you have to take chances – and for him it’s all about high-margin tennis.” Indeed, everything from Nadal’s superb movement to massive lefty topspin forehand and penetrating backhand makes him extremely effective on clay.
It was vintage Nadal in Monte-Carlo. Over the course of five matches he gave up a scant 14 games. His last three wins took him through the heart of his homeland. In the quarters he took out resurgent 2003 French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero, 6-4, 6-2. In the semis versus the formidable grinder, David Ferrer, Nadal raced to a 6-2, 6-3 victory in 75 brisk minutes. In the final he came up against Spain’s other notable left-hander, Fernando Verdasco. Off the heels of an impressive 6-2, 6-2 thumping of World No. 2 Novak Djokovic, Verdasco’s confidence was high. Nadal pounded Verdasco into dust, 6-0, 6-1. Said Verdasco, “If Nadal plays like this, no one will beat him.”
Having won Monte-Carlo for a record-setting sixth straight time – in the Open Era, no man had ever won any title six straight years – and earned his first singles title in 351 days, Nadal was elated. “When you win a tournament, very emotional tournament for me like Monte-Carlo, is a dream for me. Win sixth time for me is unbelievable. I never expect something like that.”
NadalTwo weeks later came another win at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Rome. Once again Nadal was thoroughly in command, only challenged by a three-set semi versus Ernests Gulbis. If Nadal had any pain, it certainly never revealed itself as he made his fifth run through Rome in the past six years.
The Rafa Renaissance continued at the spring’s third Masters 1000 tournament, this time in Madrid. A year ago, Madrid had commenced his undoing, most notably in the wake of Nadal’s four hour and three-minute long semi-final victory over Novak Djokovic. A depleted Nadal lost the next day’s final to Federer. But this time, the two playing each other for the first time since then, Nadal emerged the victor, 6-4, 7-6 to earn a record-setting 18th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title – amazingly by the age of 23 (Andre Agassi won his 17th at 34).
In taking a 14-7 career lead versus Federer, Nadal displayed all the skills that make him so great on clay – not just speed and his spin, but also his ability to come up with great shots at big moments, be it an angled reply to a drop shot, a firm volley and yes, luckily, at match point a service return that took such an odd bounce that Federer wiffed the response. Said Nadal following the match, "Beating Roger is always a special occasion. It’s always a very difficult match. And of course winning at home is very special against anyone. So beating him at home is amazing; it’s a dream for me. For me it’s a dream to have won the three [tournaments] before Roland Garros. I want to enjoy that now and we’ll see what happens in two weeks.”
The word international TV commentator Robbie Koenig created to describe what the Spaniard does on clay is, “Phenomi-Nadal.” As Nadal sees it, “I think is more important than the surface is the tactic on court. You have more chances. You can attack, you can defend. Is important to be very regular. Is very important don’t have a lot of mistakes. No mistakes when you are offensive and no mistakes when you are defensive.”
“People say he was so great two years ago… I think he is playing better now”
According to Ferrer, his victim in the Rome finals, “What happens depends on Rafa, not me. He never seems to miss, he never gives you free points. People say he was so great two years ago… But I have played him twice in the past few weeks and I think he is playing better now.”
And now, Nadal’s confidence boosted once again by a flawless spring on the clay courts, he arrives at Roland Garros primed for a first: the hunger for redemption, to recapture a throne he held – and lost to a man with whom he has a history of competitive tennis and emotional rancor. Says Nadal of last year’s Roland Garros loss, “I played with less calm. One of the reasons was the pain in the knees. And I was down because of the divorce. Soderling played really well and he beat me. But I wasn’t ready, mentally or physically.”
This year it’s quite different. Nadal has come through the most challenging period not just of his career but of his life. There has been the pain in his body and even deeper, the pain in his heart. But once again he has drawn on a vast resource – his work ethic, the drive of his Uncle Toni and most of all, his distinctive positive energy – to redirect himself back into the thick of things.
The philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “If you strike a king, you must kill him.” Having been struck – but not killed – in 2009, the king of clay is more ravenous than ever.
RG 2010 - wywiad z Rafą po zwycięstwie w 1 rundzie
THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.
Q. Can you tell me what was your reaction, your feeling on court for the first match this year? You had lost last year. What was the feeling, in general?
RAFAEL NADAL: I played really bad. (laughter.) That was today.
I was practicing really well all the days, but I played very well three tournaments. But, you know, first day here is always a little bit more nervous than usual.
I think I played bad, but I won anyway, without problems, so that's always important and positive thing. But I think I can do it much ‑‑ a lot of better, much better next round.
Q. What did you know about your opponent before the match? What do you think of his game?
RAFAEL NADAL: Not much. I didn't know nothing before the match. I think he's a good player. He can play well in the future, but you never know. Sure, he has good potential with good serve and he's fast. That's very important.
And later from the baseline I think he can play well, but we will see. Sure, how old is him?
Q. 18.
RAFAEL NADAL: When you have 18 and you can play, so for sure he gonna has his good chances to be in the tour very soon.
Q. Did you ask other players about him before, or did you just play?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I didn't ask a lot, no? I know him a little bit. I asked a few ones, but I didn't ask a lot. I didn't know a lot about him before.
Q. Coming into this tournament, everyone says that you are the man to beat. Basically it's gonna be you winning the fifth title. What do you think about that? Are you the clear favorite of this tournament?
RAFAEL NADAL: You didn't ‑‑ you wasn't here the first day in the press conference, no? No, because every day is the same question.
For me I told is the fifth year in a row I answer the same question, no? For me, the favorite or no favorite ‑‑ I know you have to write something ‑‑ but the only favorite is the players who gonna be in the final next Sunday, no? Or after two Sundays, no?
But right now is very difficult to speak about the favorite. I know sure I am one of the players that if I play my best tennis I gonna have chances to play good tournament, but a lot of players think the same than me, I think.
Q. Were you disappointed not to play on the central court, or do you think you would have been even more nervous?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no, no. The nervous for me doesn't matter to play in the center court or in the court 16. For me, the nervous is because of first round of Roland Garros. Always the feeling is a little bit more different, and I have to pass this day.
I remember the four times that I won here. I always had first matches really bad matches, no? For me, I'm not worry about that. That's the true.
For me was a little bit surprised to be nervous like this, because for moments ‑‑ other the years I didn't practice well before the tournament because I was a little bit more nervous to play here, but not this year.
I practiced really well, so probably I hope is only a little bit accident today. But I think I am playing enough well. Not play in the center court for me doesn't matter. I play where the organization want me to play, and if I win matches, I gonna have the chance to play there.
Q. Your uncle Toni was a little critical about the crowd here last year when you went out. Did you feel that they were supportive to you today?
RAFAEL NADAL: You can ask my uncle, not me. (laughter.)
I didn't criticize. I didn't say nothing against them, the crowd. Not one time. You can ask Toni.
Q. But today...
RAFAEL NADAL: I played against the French. When I played Madrid, the crowd support me. That's normal thing on the sport, and that's good for the sport.
Q. How was it for you today? Was it easy? Have you been surprised by Gianni Mina?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, wasn't easy. Never easy. I was surprised, no? I was more surprised about myself than him, because he's a good player, a young player, and always young player have good potential and nothing to lose in big match like today.
So for him is a perfect history and the perfect moment, I think, no? But I play worse than I thought before the match, but that's happen. (Smiling.)
THE MODERATOR: Questions in Spanish, please.
Q. I had the impression that the balls were lighter. Could you practice on center court?
RAFAEL NADAL: I practiced two days on center court. I don't know about the balls. I think they were perhaps a wee bit heavier. Well, of course they were new balls, but I practiced two days really well. There was no problem with the balls.
I managed to win or to go through three tournaments with the same balls, no problem.
Q. You've just said that you played badly. Can you tell us why technically?
RAFAEL NADAL: I played poorly because I made a lot of unforced errors. Ball was not doing what I wanted to do. I didn't play well. That's the truth. That's why I couldn't play my game as usual.
I did things in such a way that I couldn't play well compared with what I usually do. It's true. I'm a bit nervous or stressed. You know, it's the first round. The first round is always difficult on this tournament.
But I know I have to refocus and calm down and move forward. I think I will have no problems in continuing and moving forward.
Q. Tell me if I'm wrong, I think I remember that you didn't really play well during three games.
RAFAEL NADAL: No, he won a number of games, that's true, because I didn't play well. I made a lot of unforced errors. I think I didn't really serve well and I was playing too much from the baseline and I couldn't really move around the way I wanted to because I was too nervous.
I was playing shorter balls or shots. I didn't have time to change directions when I needed to, so this is one of the reasons why his game was made easier.
But each time, as I say, my first round I played badly.
Q. I think I read somewhere that you had practiced and you had trained...
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, this is what I said. Well, I was asked if this week would prepare for Roland Garros, and I answered, Okay. It's not the week in Rome like this week is a practice before Roland Garros. Rome is a full‑fledged tournament just like Roland Garros is.
This being said, practice is not just three days. It's about training and practicing all the time. I was ready for Roland Garros. Three days will not suffice.
Q. After today, after this experience, what do you think you should do to impose your style?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think I should continue playing the way I've played for a while now. Today unfortunately I couldn't really play the way I wanted. I was a bit tense, more than usual.
To tell you the truth, I feel really at ease when I practice, so I should hit more strongly and I should let myself go for these shots.
Q. Recently you've talked about the work you had to put in to reach this level and to live up to your own ambitions. I suppose that at your age, you're 23, this is good. By that I mean this is very positive. You're very young. Still, though, in addition to this there is motivation plus all the other tournaments you've won. What are your motivations?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I'm almost 24, absolutely. I'm always, always motivated; otherwise it would be a pity if I had no more dreams at 23 or 24. I'm very competitive, and my ideal is to be the best. Not against the others, but I want to be better compared with my own self.
You know, last year I had some problems. I was injured. It was a bit complicated. This was truly a challenge for me to catch up and to reach my best level. This is a genuine personal satisfaction.
When I win Roland Garros or Monte‑Carlo, I'm so happy. It's happiness which is immediate, but it's the climax of a series, a streak of events and tournaments. Of course I'm very happy. If I win Roland Garros, of course I'll be very happy.
If I lose, I'm aware that at least I'll have done my best. I think that last year helped me considerably to move forward.
Q. What is it that you have to do to win? Because you said you didn't play well and you were nervous.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I don't know. I think there was a difference of games and levels between myself and my opponent. It's the first time for him, you know, playing at this level. I think there's some stress.
He could have played really poorly, but, well, maybe he didn't play his best tennis. I think that if it had been a tougher opponent I would have played better. Maybe I thought I had enough leeway to play this way, and this is it. It's the way it is.
Q. Next round is against Zeballos. Do you know him? Does he play as a left‑handed player?
RAFAEL NADAL: I know him a little because I have friends who know him. I was told he serves pretty well, that he hits very strongly. Therefore, I have to be more regular and more consistent.
I'll see if I can read his game, but we'll see in the future. I trust I'll play well. I'm quite prepared for this. Well, at least to try and win the match.
Q. What about the circumstances in general, or the weather conditions, rather? In Madrid it was sometimes warm or cold. What do you prefer?
RAFAEL NADAL: The sun. I love the sun. The sun is like happiness. When it's a bit like a dull‑type of weather like this, I don't really like this type of weather. When I play tennis I'd rather play in the sun.
The ball bounces higher. When it was really sunny, I can tell you the balls are a lot lighter. Today it was a bit heavier, so I didn't play really well.
Q. I'd like to know something out of curiosity. Has it happened to you to be faced with a player who serves that strongly?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no, usually when people play on my backhand, no problem, because I play backhand, and I can play crosscourt. He didn't do this, but he's young. Young players have their own shots that are a bit novel shots.
So he played on my forehand, as well. So anyway, I know him well.
Q. Usually you play one day out of two. One day every other day. How are you going to manage this time off?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I'm really happy in Paris. I have colleagues at the hotel. We enjoy it. Paris is so pretty. We walk around. Tomorrow I'll be free. I'll walk around. And.
Like having a day off to unwind, to calm down, to sometimes watch tennis, as well, and to just relax and enjoy it.
Well, of course, I'll practice for one hour or one and a half hours.
Oto jak wyglądały treningi Rafaela przed RG:
Rafa potu rwące odmenty
Przemienił w tenisowe argumenty
Trenował póki sił mu starczyło
Aby w Paryżu zwycięstwo było
:D
Ask Rafa: what was it like to work with Shakira?
I am wondering how it was to make a music video with Shakira? Would you consider doing more videos?
Elainaa B
Rafa: It was long, very long. I started at 8am, leaving the hotel, and finished the recording at 3am! I think it was a great experience and I thank Shakira for giving me this opportunity. I am not sure I will do a music video again, but as I always say, you never know.
How do you expect the tennis fans of Paris will receive you this year?
Luis Muniz
Rafa: I am always happy to be here. I was always treated very well so I expect - as a matter of fact I can say it is this way - I am being treated very well.
If you had to spend 24 hours locked in a room with one other member of the top five, who would it be and why?
Fay Holland
Rafa: We already meet for many hours with the player council members, including three of the top ten players in it... I think it is already enough :-)
Would you like to be Spain's Davis Cup captain in the future? You seem to be good at motivating your-team mates.
Jan, Surrey
Rafa: I suppose so, but it is something I haven't thought about. I think more now about playing...
What is your expectation for Roland Garros ?
Evanise, Brazil
Rafa: I am here to try to win although we know it is difficult.
If you played soccer for a living, what position would you want to play?
Westney
Rafa: Forward for sure. That's also where I used to play when I was very young.
During Australia Open this year when you were blogging to your fans, you answered my question about whether or not you would attend Serbia Open. At the end you said "Hvala" (which means thank you in Serbian). I was wondering who taught you that and do you know any more words in Serbian?
Marina, California
Rafa: No, that's all I know. I think it was Benito who taught me that. He also works with Novak so he knows a few words.
Do you think Spain will ever host a grand-slam tournament? Or do you think four slams a year is enough for the players?
Lisa Grebe, Pennsylvania, USA
Rafa: I have no idea. It would be great, that's for sure.
I recently spent my birthday watching you win in Rome. What are your plans for 3 June?
Clare
Rafa: I hope I am still here in Roland Garros and if so I am sure we will go out for a special dinner
How long has Rafa Maymo been your physio for? How did you meet him?
Sarah
Rafa: More than three years now. In September it will be four! I met him in Manacor, my home town and also his.
RG 2010 - wywiad z Rafą po zwycięstwie w 2 rundzie
Q. You said against Mina you don't play well. Do you think today you play well as you want to play?
RAFAEL NADAL: Oh, I think I improved a little bit. I improved a little bit. I played a little bit better. But sure, not perfect, no?
But sure, is a little bit of improvement. That's always important to play a little bit better every day, no?
So I did. Today I happy for the victory. Never easy. He's a good player. He's a young player and he's coming well. So it's a good win for me, and I'm happy for that. But I hope to keep improving.
Q. What would be the difference in your tactics, the way you play compared from 2005 the first year you played here to now? How would you say your game has changed on the clay?
RAFAEL NADAL: I forget. I think I improved. 2005 I think I played well. Probably not here I played here some matches well and others not that well. But I think I am serving better, I have a better backhand, a little bit better forehand, too. I have the position on court much better than 2005.
Probably I am running like I did in 2005, 2006, no? I can win a lot of matches without run crazy all the time, so that's a big improvement.
Q. You obviously had problems coming into Roland Garros last year. Could you compare how you're feeling now after a couple of games and compare it to the same stage last year?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no, impossible to compare, no? I answered these questions a lot of times, and, you know, is very difficult to compare every year. The conditions are different.
But you never know what's happened this year. Last year I arrived one of the favorites, too, and I lost. That's difficult to compare.
Q. I have a question on the balls.
RAFAEL NADAL: The what?
Q. The balls.
RAFAEL NADAL: Ah.
Q. Do you choose the balls in a different manner? Do you prefer to keep the ball if you win the point, or you change?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I never play two points with the same ball, no. No, no. I don't like. Is slower.
Q. I was just watching Djokovic play. I didn't see your match. Do you try to serve and volley maybe one, two, three times? If you do, is it for surprise, and do you do it on the first or the second serve? Which do you think is better? Just to try to surprise, to use the serve and volley?
RAFAEL NADAL: I am not doing.
Q. But why would you not do it one, two, just to surprise your opponent?
RAFAEL NADAL: We'll see. We will see if I did. I did a few times. Not here yet, but, you know, my idea is not before the point, matter my idea is never gonna have serve and volley. I never gonna have desire. Not here on clay.
But if I serve one good serve outside, good slice to the backhand of the opponent, I see if I see I can go, I go. But it doesn't happen yet here. I am not serving that well. (Smiling.) Not yet. I need to serve a little bit better next match.
Q. If I could, I'd like to ask you a difficult question.
RAFAEL NADAL: Very difficult? Gonna be difficult to answer.
Q. Right, exactly. Roger recently said that on clay you don't need a volley or serve. You just need legs, an incredible forehand, and backhand. You can be competitive even with a very incomplete game. What are your thoughts on that?
RAFAEL NADAL: Everybody has his every guy's free to have his own opinion. No, I think probably a lot of years ago when you play with the slower balls, with the slower racquets, you know, with the small racquets and you can't have a winner, was very difficult to have a winner, probably.
But in my opinion now, in the sport is important to think how to win the match. Probably in very fast surfaces that's not happen, because you can have one serve and one forehand. That's the only that's the only way for the moment, one serve or one volley, only one serve.
Here you can play with more tactics. You can change your style. You can play attacking; you can play defending; you can go to the volley; you can play with the baseline.
So you have many options to do, and I think that's nice for the sport, too. I think every surface has difficult things. But sure, have a good forehand, good backhand, good legs and good movements, that's not an easy thing.
Q. And if you had to, in terms of being an athlete, athleticism between clay courts, hard, and grass, where do you need to be the best athlete? How would you rank them in terms of being an athlete?
RAFAEL NADAL: You can be a good athlete on every surface. For me, doesn't matter that moment, no? Sure, if the court is very fast, you don't need to be you don't need to have unbelievable physical performance, no? You not gonna have very long points.
In the rest of the surfaces, you have to be fit. You have to be fast and you have to be an athlete to be in the top position. Not one player in top 100 is not fit.
Q. When you were No. 1, were there extra mental pressures? We always talk about your physical, sure, but were there mental pressures?
RAFAEL NADAL: If you are No. 1?
Q. When you were No. 1, yes.
RAFAEL NADAL: No, less. No, no. Sure, no not. For me, I never thought about that. Probably I was more relaxed when I was No. 1, because I won a lot in that year. I won Australia not Australia well, I was in I was No. 1 when I won Australia; I won Olympics; Roland Garros; Wimbledon.
So I was very relaxed, because nothing to I won a lot, and that gets a lot of pressure out.
THE MODERATOR: Questions in Spanish.
Q. In London you said you were not at your best tennis, but you said that with practice you would be able to reach this level, your best, that is, but you're not far from this.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, let's face it. I don't know if I'm playing my best tennis today, but I think I have almost reached this level for several months. I don't think that much has changed. I feel good this year. And what are you referring to? 2008?
I don't know. I think I've played really well throughout the year here. That's true, that's not yet my best tennis. But if you look at the season in general, I think that my level is more or less the same. My level is good, and I've worked hard on this.
I've always practiced, believing that I could improve. Every day I practice, every match I play, I focus very much on the aspects I have to improve so as to reach the level I'd like to reach.
Then I try and reuse this experience during the matches I play. That means you have to practice a lot and gain confidence. I think that I have worked hard for a long period of time. And then, you know, when we work a lot, when we practice a lot, when we're very positive, when we're highly motivated, then after a while things go on nicely.
If it's not nicely, at least you're satisfied because there's nothing you could reproach yourself with.
Q. What do you think about this very rainy day? Do you think we would need to have a roof, just like they have at Wimbledon, so that we're less subject to weather conditions?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, rainy days happen. Everybody was probably bothered. You were bothered. I was staying in the cloak rooms and the match was canceled. Then it rained again, and I was bothered. I didn't know if I had to stay or if I would practice later during the day.
But then we thought we will have a rest. It was not easy, because I'm not used to doing this. Then they covered the court. It's better for the players. It's better for TV channels, as well. So yes, I would say I'm in favor of a roof.
Q. I'd like to pick on this question. Would you like Roland Garros to stay in Paris? Would you like to move?
RAFAEL NADAL: Where?
Q. Would you like Roland Garros to stay here?
RAFAEL NADAL: As I said before, I think that Roland Garros has a long standing history, which is here. I think that Roland Garros should remain here, because here we can breathe the history of tennis within these walls.
It's very important, whereas if we move elsewhere, maybe the site is going to be bigger, we're going to lose part of our soul.
Q. The other day when you played a match you said, I didn't really play well. What do you think about today and how you played?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I played better today. I played better than the other day. I didn't really play badly. I wouldn't say this was an exceptional match. It was a normal type of match.
I didn't have enough rhythm. He was a lefty, and he wanted to change the pace with dropshots. But sometimes I had the impression I was playing well or very well, mainly when it was 3 2 during the second set. And then 6 2, 3 0, I think I was playing very well during all of these games. But then at the end I lost my concentration.
Q. During the first match you had opportunities to break. You only lost or dropped four points on your serve. During the second set it was 1 1; you could have broken then. What did you feel? What about your serve?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I think I changed my serve strategy at that moment. We discussed this in the locker rooms before we started getting on the courts.
I thought I should have more first serves in, and then if it's a second serve, I should hit the ball more strongly so as to dominate.
With the second serve it's always more complicated. So I think I have a good percentage of first serves, and I should put some spin into the ball so that the ball would bounce very high. And also, I should work on my forehand.
I was gaining confidence except for the very last two or three games. But anyway, otherwise it was okay.
Q. When the press conference started, Hewitt and his opponent Istomin were playing their fifth set. What do you think about this?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know Istomin at all, and I've never played against him. I've not seen him play. I know he's on the tour. I know he's played really good matches, but I've not seen him play.
Whereas Hewitt, I know him well. It's the fifth set, so that means Istomin is really playing well. That's an excellent match for him. We know Hewitt. He's a very dangerous guy and he plays at a very high level. He's going to do his best to win, of course.
Q. What do you think about the balls and the court compared with two years ago?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, the balls are the same. I think so. Monte Carlo, Barcelona, all this was okay. I don't know about Barcelona, but Madrid and then Monte Carlo. There's a difference, a slight difference.
But let's be careful about one thing: Let us not change the balls between the tournaments. It makes things more difficult for us. At least this time any matches played on clay were played with the same balls. Well, if it's a sunny day, that's okay. The problem is that when it's wet, the balls are heavier.
Q. Can you tell us what you think about your opponent today? He's Argentinian, and he's a bit more than 20, I think. He played here during the second round against you, Zeballos. What do you think about him? Do you think he has great potential?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think he's 24. I think he's probably 44, so he's well ranked. He's not been on the tour for a very long time, so he's improved quite a lot, and we'll see what happens in the future.
His forehand is really good. He serves well, as well, and this is very important on quick courts. He's got a very good slice, as well. He's a very good all court player.
RG 2010 - wywiad z Rafą po zwycięstwie w 3 rundzie
Q. I have a different question for you. Everyone in tennis loves Roger, respects Roger. He is said to be the best of all time. Yet two out of every three times you play him, you win. You've won six of the last seven times. Who's a better player?
RAFAEL NADAL: You like this. You are focused on the Roger thing, eh? (laughter.)
Yesterday with the clay. Today with the if somebody says I am better than Roger, I think this person don't know nothing about tennis. That's my answer.
Q. How so?
RAFAEL NADAL: Why?
Q. Yeah.
RAFAEL NADAL: So you don't know nothing about tennis.
You see the titles of him and you see the titles of me? It's no comparison. So that's the answer. Is difficult to compare Roger with me now, because he has 16 Grand Slams; I have 6. Masters 1000, yeah, I have more than him. But for the rest of the things the records of Roger is very, very almost impossible to improve.
Q. Still, it is interesting when you step out on the court...
RAFAEL NADAL: What?
Q. Still, it is interesting, Rafa, when you step out on the court...
RAFAEL NADAL: (Through translation.)
Sorry, I interrupt you. What's the question? Sorry.
Q. The question is: Still, for the fans, it is interesting when you step on the court with him, you usually win.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I am No. 2 in the world for five years, so I think I am a good player, too. Sure, I can beat him. No. 2 can beat No. 1. That's the thing. It's not a lot of difference between No. 2 and No. 1 or between No. 1 and No. 10. That's the tennis, and the tennis very close, the level, all the time.
But I can beat him, yes. The same time, the thing is I beat him a lot of times on clay. I beat him on other surfaces, too. But the most of the times I beat him on clay, so I played with him more times on clay than on the rest of the surfaces.
Q. How do you feel at this point in the tournament? Do you feel like you always feel at the French Open coming into the second week, physically and mentally?
RAFAEL NADAL: Physically I'm fine. I don't have any problems, so I happy for that.
Mentally, too. I am with a lot of allusion to play well and to play a good tournament here. And I am doing, you know. I defend my points already, so I think now is all to win.
Q. You will follow the World Cup for football, especially Spain?
RAFAEL NADAL: Sure. I love the football, yeah? I know we won 3 2 today.
Q. Spain is your favorite to World Cup?
RAFAEL NADAL: For me, yes. But for the rest, for the Brazilians, it's gonna be Brazil, and for Argentines, Argentina. That's football, no? And gonna be difficult to say something.
I think we have my opinion is we have the best team, but in one competition that all decides in one match. Gonna be very difficult to say something, because just little thing can change the rest of the match.
Q. If you could predict the opening round against Switzerland, what will the score be?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, here we are better. (laughter.)
Not in tennis, but here we are better. That is no comparison to.
THE MODERATOR: Questions in Spanish.
Q. On the subject of football, on Monday Mourinho is going to sign to join the Madrid team. What do you think about him and his charisma?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I'm no one here to talk about other people's choices. As a trainer, he's always been a good trainer. He's always done a good job. We'll see.
And also, I think this is simply a follow up of what has been taking place in the last few years.
Q. Can we go back to tennis? We've seen you happier here than when you were on the court. You seemed to be fairly tense. You weren't happy?
RAFAEL NADAL: I was a little bit worried. The weather conditions weren't very good. I don't know. The weather conditions can make for a difficult match.
I saw the clouds gathering. When I walked on the court, I looked at the sky, and I kept looking at the sky because I really wanted to wrap up this match. I did not want to continue playing this particular match tomorrow.
I really want to have tomorrow off to take a break, and also to work. In the first set I believe I played well, then I believe I had a bit of a dip. The second wasn't so good, but the third one, until 6 3, I played well, really well.
I had to play against the wind, I played the whole match really well. I was very comfortable with my forehand, my backhand, but there was the wind. Because of the wind, you know, Hewitt takes the ball really early, and so the ball came to my side fairly low.
Sometimes I had trouble catching the ball because I was playing against the wind. But those were my main difficulties. In spite of all these difficulties, I felt fairly comfortable.
Q. Such a wet day and rain threatening, are you still with your 25 25 strings, or are you going to change?
RAFAEL NADAL: I play 5.5; 26 in Madrid; 25 here. I decided to go for 25.5. I did ask myself the question before the match, but already I had already four racquets at 25.5, and I thought, I'm not going to change everything.
Q. (Question off microphone.)
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, the balls were heavier, and therefore, the fact also that there was no sun, that the courts were slightly wet. This all made for heavy conditions. The balls were heavy, so these conditions were not favorable.
Because the spin that I like to give to the ball simply does not work in those conditions, and Hewitt plays really flat.
Q. Several times we saw you looking at your racquet.
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I only looked at my racquet once, because I took a backhand and I hit the ball. I hit the racquet, sorry, against the ground, and I thought maybe I had broken it. I checked it, but it wasn't broken.
I looked at the frame simply to check for a crack. In Spanish I don't know how to say this, but in my language, in Mallorcan, we say cruit (phonetic.) It's a kind of a crack. (laughter.)
Q. Can you say a few words regarding your next opponent?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, he's top level opponent. I think in 2008 he went really deep into the tournament. The last time I played him he was very difficult. He's a clay specialist. He has recently beaten he has just beaten Ljubicic, so he is quite confident.
It's going to be very difficult, and it will also be a test for me to check my level of tennis.
Q. Three Spaniards reaching the fourth round this level in the tournament. Is that a surprise for you?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, it was a surprise, the fact that Juan Carlos lost. I could not watch his game, so I can't really make any judgments. But I'm quite surprised that he lost. I saw him he lost the first few sets, and I saw him sort of coming back into the match, but apparently he didn't come back.
And also, I think that David played in a Kamikaze way, and it was difficult for him to stop on time. David played too flat. As I said, the weather conditions today are not favorable. He had a very good serve. That, I noticed.
RG 2010 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 4 rundzie
Q. You beat Bellucci two years ago in three sets, and today again in three sets. Was it more difficult today, and in what way?
RAFAEL NADAL: I didn't remember exactly, no? But that match was a tougher one in the tournament for me in 2008. That's the true, no?
I don't know. But, you know, my feeling was I was closer to lose a set or something like this in 2008 than today.
But the score was closer this time.
Q. Are we going to have a Nadal/Federer final, or don't you let yourself think that far in advance?
RAFAEL NADAL: I am in quarterfinals. I am very happy to be here, and you will have Nadal/Almagro, sure.
Q. What made this kid so difficult? Because he was left handed?
RAFAEL NADAL: Was difficult, but was in three sets, so every match is completely different. Sure, every match is difficult in fourth round of one Grand Slam. In Roland Garros every matches can be very, very difficult.
Bellucci is a very good play, especially on clay. Good serve, good forehand, good backhand, too.
Q. His opponent was good, too.
RAFAEL NADAL: What?
Q. His opponent was good, too.
RAFAEL NADAL: I played probably my best match today in the tournament.
Q. There are certain shots that can change a match. When you played your backhand pass at 5 All, did you think that was a moment when you established yourself in the match and maybe he was a little upset and perhaps he went down a bit?
RAFAEL NADAL: Was very important moment, because I lost the serve two times. So I had the match under control set and 3 2, 40 15 I think I remember. Playing well in that moment. I had two mistakes: one net outside and another one long.
But without play bad, playing two good points. After that, everything was difficult. Sure, in the 5 All was the key of the match, because after that I gonna serve in the 6 5 with the wind. (In Spanish.)
Q. Between Verdasco and Almagro, for instance before the they played the match, do you have a preference on, Oh I would like to play this or that player, whoever wins, or you don't care about who's going to be the next point? Do you sometimes have preferences on the next round, I would rather play this or that person?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, first thing, I didn't have any preference before because I didn't play, so I was focus only on me. To try to play against Verdasco Almagro, sure later you never know. Believe me.
I don't know if I don't care, but I don't know which one I prefer, I think. Both players are good players. Gonna be very good match.
Q. Can we say that after the Soderling match of last year, this has like made you be even more careful than ever before with the earlier rounds, before the final that you're accustomed?
RAFAEL NADAL: No.
Q. Same?
RAFAEL NADAL: Same.
Q. You always play your matches at a certain level of intensity. It's always very strong. Do you think it's possible to win this title or win any Grand Slam playing at anything below your best intensity?
RAFAEL NADAL: For me?
Q. For you or for anyone, but for you.
RAFAEL NADAL: I think some players can play some moments more relaxed because they have the serve and they can play a little bit with that, no? But not for me.
Sure, I can play a few games if I have the match under control probably a little bit more relaxed, but not normally not.
I try my best every day. I think every day a little bit better here in this tournament, and that's because I am very focused all the time to improve.
I go on court and try my best in every point. That's what I try.
THE MODERATOR: Questions in Spanish.
Q. This was probably a very important victory for you, I suppose. Last year you managed to reach this level, but now you're going to go even further.
RAFAEL NADAL: It's an important victory if you look at the points, that's true. But I knew he was a very tough opponent. It was a very important match for me. I succeeded well because I managed to play even better. I could shoot into the balls the way I wanted to, mainly the backhand shots, but also my forehand.
Unfortunately, my shots were a bit too short. I wanted to have longer and deeper shots. I wanted to improve this. Sometimes, you know, these details are such that the opponent could take this opportunity so as to dominate the game. It's better to have deeper balls so as to dominate the game.
I think I served better today than any other day, and I'm very satisfied because I think I've improved. I've not yet dropped a set. Well, a set, yes. But no, no, I have not yet dropped a set.
The most important thing is that I won my match.
Q. You're going to play against Almagro. He won a set in Madrid against you. What do you think about this?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, it's going to be very difficult, because the way he plays is really excellent. He's managed to maintain the same level here in the tournament. It's going to be complicated; he's going to be very aggressive. It's normal. He knows how to do this.
And as far as I'm concerned, I'll try and play my way and do my best. I'll do my best so that he feels a bit uncomfortable.
Q. Do you think you could say something about his serve, because you played in Madrid not long ago against him?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I can tell you his second serve is really very good, but there's nothing special about it. The ball bounces back really high. Okay, it's a good serve. Not bad.
In general, his first service and even the second serve are good, are excellent, one of the best servers in the world.
Q. This is your 200th victory on clay. That gives you a total of 98% of victories on clay. This result is even better than Bjørn Borg's. What do you think about this?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I don't really think that much about it, but it's really good. What I'm thinking about is practicing tomorrow morning, and of course today's match and tomorrow's training and practicing, and then the following matches. All these statistical data, you know, as I've said before, as I'd like to repeat, are quite valid when you've finished your career, but not before.
There's never one day when I think, Oh, okay that's my 200th victory or umpteenth victory. No, I don't think in these terms. We never know when these statistics are still valid or if they're going to continue to be as good.
Now, I can tell you that from the year 2005 onward my statistics have improved, but I never really think about this very much.
Q. I have the impression that this was an easy match. You've not really suffered. Is it something you deserve, or is it due to the opponent and the way he played?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, the match was not easy. It was a very difficult match. Now we've reached quarterfinals, which means a good tournament for most of the players here.
My objectives are still very high and very demanding. All matches are complicated. All players are difficult to play against. It's very important for me, you know, considering what's happened to me in the past months.
I couldn't win last year, as you know, so it was very difficult. I wanted to tell you this, because for 11 months now I've not really won that many matches. I know what it means to win a tournament.
Q. Despite your excellent results, despite the fact that you've not yet lost any sets, you're not boasting about it. You're not that happy.
RAFAEL NADAL: What do you want me to say? Do you want me to jump and shout?
Of course I'm very happy. I'm still in the tournament. I've reached the quarterfinals. But then, you know, this is a press conference, so I'm quite normal. I try and be myself, and this is it.
I'll start jumping when I've won the tournament. For the time being, it's only the quarterfinals. My objective is you know, I'm very demanding and like to be here, but I like to continue and move forward and do my best.
Q. Robin Soderling is ready. He is going to fight back strongly. So what about Soderling's chances? What are the odds?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't really know. He has chances, I think. I think he's not the favorite, but I think he can win. I think he's not yet lost a set. I think he's going to play well.
We can say the same about Federer. I think it's been his 23rd or 24th semifinals. He's not going to lose this, I think.
Q. Well, the second set was very difficult for you. Bellucci made your life harder. Could you tell us more about this, how the end of the set ended?
RAFAEL NADAL: I had the impression I was dominating the court and I had taken control, but sometimes I was playing against the wind. It was very difficult. It was not really the wind. It was a slight breeze.
The other day it was so windy that it was difficult to play when the wind was blowing in your back, but today as well it was difficult. When we were at 3 2, 40 15, I played excellent points. It was a bit difficult at that moment.
But otherwise, I can't really explain this 4 2. I could have had a tighter match. But as you know, what's done is done. We can't play the match again. Bellucci plays really well.
I can tell you he played really well on the points that I gave him, more or less. He took advantage of this. It was a bit complicated for me sometimes.
Q. What seems to be a bit of a paradox is that the only man who could perhaps win Roland Garros could become No. 1 again.
RAFAEL NADAL: If I were No. 1, I would be very happy. But what is important to me is to play well, to play a good match, and, of course, to win the tournament.
And if I am No. 1 or No. 2, never mind. It doesn't really matter. Last year my level was not excellent. I don't really want to think about this. It's only quarterfinals. I'd like to win the tournament.
Now, whether I want to be No. 1 or not is a different thing. To be No. 1 I think I should play a good tournament and reach the finals. We'll see. We'll see what's going to happen next.
If I reach semis, we'll see. In this case I might be No. 1. But if I don't reach the finals, then I think that Federer would be the favorite. Because as you know, the second half of the year is better for my opponents because the other surfaces are more difficult for me compared with clay.
As you know, if it's a hardcourt or other surfaces, the other players play at a high level. But this is pure speculation.
Rg10: 200 zwycięstw na cegle Nadala.
Rafa, po wczorajszym zwycięstwie nad Belluccim, odnotował swoje 200 zwycięstwo na kortach ziemnych w zawodowej karierze.
Gratulacje. ;)
Nadal liczy na powtórkę sprzed dwóch lat
Rafael Nadal, w przeddzień swoich 24. urodzin, przystąpi do ćwierćfinałowego meczu z Nicolasem Almagro z nadzieją powtórki sprzed dwóch lat. Hiszpanie spotkali się w 2008 roku w tej samej fazie French Open, a Nadal zmiażdżył rywala tracąc w trzech setach zaledwie trzy gemy.
Dla rozstawionego z numerem drugim w tegorocznej imprezie tenisisty, cały turniej sprzed dwóch lat zakończył się czwartym w karierze triumfem. Dodatkowo Hiszpan w żadnym meczu nie przegrał nawet jednego seta!
W ostatnich dwóch pojedynkach tej pary, 21. obecnie na liście ATP Almagro również przegrywał, choć w obu przypadkach urwał po secie bardziej utytułowanemu krajanowi. Mimo wyraźnej dominacji w dotychczasowych starciach Nadal nie zakłada, że kolejne zwycięstwo przyjdzie łatwo.
- Będzie bardzo ciężko, bo Nicolas gra tutaj fantastycznego tenisa - zarzeka się Nadal. - Udało mu się do tej pory utrzymać wysoki poziom przez wszystkie mecze turnieju. Wszystko się może dla mnie skomplikować, bo będzie grał bardzo agresywnie. On doskonale wie, jak to robić.
- Ze swojej strony będę starał się grać to, co potrafię najlepiej. Będę w ten sposób wywierał na nim presję i postaram się zachwiać jego pewnością siebie - zapowiedział Hiszpan, który w czwartek będzie obchodził swoje 24. urodziny.
Jeśli dzisiejszy ćwierćfinał przebiegnie po myśli Nadala, w meczu o finał zagra najprawdopodobniej z turniejową "trójką" Novakiem Djokoviciem. Rywalem Serba w pojedynku o półfinał jest najniżej sklasyfikowany spośród pozostających we French Open Austriak Jurgen Melzer (27. na liście ATP).
Nadal Battles Past Almagro Into SFs; Keeps Alive No. 1 Dream
Four-time former champion Rafael Nadal came through his toughest test so far at Roland Garros on Wednesday, winning his seventh straight match against fellow Spaniard and No. 19 seed Nicolas Almagro with a 7-6(2), 7-6(3), 6-4 victory to extend his perfect 2010 clay-court record to 20-0.
Nadal, who celebrates his 24th birthday on Thursday, hit four aces and 34 winners for victory in two hours and 33 minutes. He won 12 of 16 points on approach to the net and converted two of six break point opportunities.
If the Spaniard goes on to capture his fifth title in the French capital on Sunday, he will regain No. 1 in the South African Airways 2010 ATP Rankings for the first time since June 2009. Nadal's rival Roger Federer, the defending champion, lost to No. 5 seed Robin Soderling on Tuesday evening.
Almagro practiced with 1995 Roland Garros titlist and fellow left-hander Thomas Muster prior to the match, and the former World No. 1 appeared to have inspired the Murcia resident when he burst into a 3-0 lead largely due to forehand potency and gutsy serving to save two break points in the second game. But Nadal recovered, hitting successive forehand winners for his first service break in the fifth game before levelling the scoreline at 3-3 with a hold to 30.
The pressure continued to mount on Almagro, when Nadal peppered his single-handed backhand with heavily top spun groundstrokes. At 5-5, 30/40, Almagro held his nerve to hit a forehand winner to save one break point. But four unforced errors cost the 24 year old in the tie-break, with Nadal winning four straight points from 3-2 to clinch the 58-minute opener.
Neither player challenged on serve through the first eight games of the second set. Nadal found himself in trouble when he lost four straight points from 40/15 at 4-4, but saved a break point with a well-placed serve. Heading into a second tie-break, both players had won 76 total points. Nadal hit four straight winners to move into a 4-0 lead, which proved insurmountable for Almagro who lost the 53-minute set when he hit committed a backhand error.
Almagro kept fighting in the pair's fifth clay-court meeting, but at the business end of the third set, Nadal set up three break point opportunities. At 4-4, 0/40, Almagro hit his second successive backhand wide to gift Nadal the break. Nadal wrapped up his 36th win in 37 matches at Roland Garros when Almagro hit a backhand wide on his second match point opportunity. It was his 21st straight victory against a fellow Spaniard (67-10 lifetime).
Nadal improved to a 36-4 match record on the season. The Mallorcan is attempting to become the first player to complete the "clay slam". He has already lifted three ATP World Tour Masters 1000 trophies at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters (d. Verdasco), the Internazionali BNL d'Italia (d. Ferrer) and the Mutua Madrileña Madrid Open (d. Federer) in the past couple of months.
Almagro, who converted one of two break point opportunities and committed 44 unforced errors, lost his 17th consecutive match against Top 5 opposition (1-18 lifetime). The World No. 21 dropped to a 28-14 season mark.
Rafael Nadal kończy dziś 24 lata. Wszystkiego Dobrego. ;)
Ranking: 2
Ilość tygodni jako #1: 46
Wygrane Turnieje/finały: 39/12
Turnieje TMS: 18/6
Turnieje WS/finały: 6/2
Zarobki: $29,821,044
Wszystkiego Najlepszego i dużżżżżżżżżżżżżo zdrówka Rafa !:heart:
Najlepszego ! :)
Wygraj to RG !
RG 2010 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w ćwierćfinale
Q. Last year you had a tough game against a Swede, Robin Soderling. Yesterday he won over Roger Federer. Were you surprised over the way he won that game?
RAFAEL NADAL: Sure, no, for me Roger was the favorite, but Robin played unbelievable. I think his serve was very difficult to return, the first serve and the second serve, too, was very hard.
And from the baseline, all the balls, he touch all the balls. He's 100%, I think, and most of the ones was very close to the lines inside. It's very difficult to win against Robin when he is play like this.
Q. If you will meet him this year again, do you feel that you have a big revenge to take out on him?
RAFAEL NADAL: I never think about revenges. And I am in semifinals against Melzer. Will be very difficult match. So I am focused on that match right now, no?
I gonna tell you that right now. When I go on court, I don't think if I lost last time is gonna be revenge. I never go by this way. I think that's if you think of that, you think this way, your mind is not 100% calm to think what you have to do.
Q. It seemed to me in the first point of the second tiebreak you served and volleyed.
RAFAEL NADAL: You like it today, no?
Q. Yeah. Is that fun for you? All the thinking, is this the right time? Should I try now? Is that enjoyable to think of all the tactics?
RAFAEL NADAL: I gonna repeat the same like last time: I am not thinking I gonna do serve and volley before the serve. But if I see the serve is good and the opponent was like this, I have the chance to go inside?
Today I served much better the rest of the days, especially the slice serve, so I had the chance to go inside a few times, and I did well.
Q. When you do that, is there a satisfaction because maybe it's very clever, very smart that you surprise your opponent?
RAFAEL NADAL: I am satisfaction because I won a point (Smiling.)
Q. How pleased were you with your focus throughout the match today, Rafa? Because Nicolas was hitting a solid, clean ball for most of the match. You have to stay very strong.
RAFAEL NADAL: I started terrible. I started the beginning of the match terrible. I threw all the balls outside. I have a chance in the 2 0. I played little bit better that game, but Nicolas give me the chance himself because he had some mistakes, too.
But after that, was very difficult to play against him, because I came back very soon with the 3 All. So that was very important for me in the first set.
After that was very difficult to have a break on him because his serve is hard, and he was playing very hard from the baseline, touching the ball very well, long with the backhand, with the forehand, and quite difficult, no?
You know, I was a little bit nervous to play as long as I really would like to play. I really wanted to play a little bit longer, but I can't today. But is because of the opponent too, no?
So I am very happy how I played the tiebreaks. I played very aggressive, very focused, and in important moments I think I played better than the rest of the match. That's a very good news, no?
Q. Do you prefer to play Soderling or Federer on clay?
RAFAEL NADAL: I prefer to play that match, because if I have to play that match, well, will be because I am in the final. So for me it doesn't matter the opponent, because I think about my part of the draw.
I know how difficult this is be in the final of Grand Slam, and the player who gonna be there will be the more difficult. If it's Roger, it's Roger. If it's Soderling, it's Soderling.
But I repeat: For me, the thing is be there. When I am in semifinals, it's very good news for me. But remain a lot of work to be in this time final, and a very difficult opponent.
Q. You're facing the Austrian Jurgen Melzer in the semifinals. What do you know about him, and what do you expect?
RAFAEL NADAL: He's playing unbelievable. He played against David Ferrer, I saw him in the match. Last round against who? Gabashvili really was difficult match, too, because Tiemuraz was playing really well, too.
And today is a big comeback against Djokovic playing high level. I saw him in the end of the match playing very aggressive, serving well.
So will be very difficult opponent. If he's in semifinals, is because he's the best of his draw.
Q. Does playing a left hander pose you any different problems?
RAFAEL NADAL: Always is a change a little bit the tactics and a little bit the game. But he's the third one for me in this tournament. I don't hate to play against left handers. I like.
Q. Someone was telling me that you changed your strings in December, January maybe. Are you playing with different strings now this year?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, the black. I had before yellow.
Q. Is it just the color or is it...
RAFAEL NADAL: No, it's totally different string, yeah.
Q. Have they helped the spin, or does it provide more difference for you?
RAFAEL NADAL: Maybe. I think it's easier to feel the ball. Probably feeling the ball better more times than before, so that's maybe is very important help.
Seems like the ball stays more time on the racquet, so is easier to have the control. I changed the string in December, yeah.
Q. Are you going to celebrate your birthday tomorrow? Because, well, at least this year you're here. Last year you went home and relaxed. But this year you have time.
RAFAEL NADAL: I gonna celebrate during the day, not during the night, I think. I gonna have time at Mallorca to celebrate the birthday during the night (laughter.)
Q. When you're watching Roger last night, are you hoping maybe he will win because he's No. 1, you're No. 2, you're very close, you're the best players so you like the best players to win? Or are you hoping maybe he doesn't win because maybe it makes it easier for you?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, the true is I always love to see the best players win, because I know that the loses for the best players are harder than for the rest.
For example, I sure if I lost today against Nicolas was much harder for me than for him if he lose today. Sure, for everybody is hard to lose, no?
But, well, if I have to say seriously what I prefer to play against, for me, I not thinking this way. We think about the ranking. Sure is better if Roger lost, no? But, you know, I always say the same. I believe if you are No. 1 or you are not No. 1, you can't be all the time thinking about No. 1.
We will see the end of the season what has happened.
THE MODERATOR: Questions in Spanish.
Q. That was a very difficult, very tough match, wasn't it, at the beginning, and it was hard?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, it was hard all the time. Well, not at the beginning. It was rather easy at the beginning, even for him.
I think that, yes, it was a difficult match, especially from a mental standpoint. I had to return well, and I had the feeling that I was not capable of playing the way I wanted because he was so powerful. I had to be very careful on the serve because I could make mistakes, and this is what I did.
At the beginning I lost my serve, and then I managed to win his serve and not to allow him to break me. When I really needed to play my best tennis, I had the opportunity of doing that.
So I'm very happy I played this match in three sets, because it was very difficult.
Q. In the Melzer/Djokovic match, there were 28 match points, and for you just a few match points. So it was very tight, very close.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, that's a quarterfinal of a Grand Slam. I mean, you can't get an easy match. It's very rare you can get a rather easy match. But those who make it to quarterfinals, they deserve it. They play very good tennis.
So I managed to win, because there were some tiny differences on the tiebreak. So I played better. He had a beautiful game, but I managed to serve well today. And if I won this match, it's thanks to his mistakes.
Q. It's been a long time you've not had a warning from the umpire for the time you take, and at 5 4, did you talk about it with Carlos? Was it about time?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I talked to Carlos because well, on the first one to accept this, because if I deserve it, I deserve it. And I think this put a bit of pressure on me, and then I had to play with pressure.
But these are the rules, and I understand the rules. So if I need a warning, and if I deserve it, I deserve it. They told me already I was a bit slow and taking a bit too much time.
I said I would improve, and at 5 4 in the second set I had this warning because I was taking a bit too much time. I was a bit too slow.
I thought I was being very fast. I didn't even take the time to wipe my face. I need a bit of time to think, and I had the feeling that I was, you know, too much aware of the time. I didn't want to be fined or to get a penalty point. I was making big efforts to be as quick as possible.
But I couldn't be any quicker, honestly. I think the second warning was not a warning I deserved. But, well, okay. I have a watch. I could have watched it. I didn't. (laughter.)
Q. Last year Soderling beat you, and he plays very well; yesterday he won to Federer. So he looks like this giant eater. What do you think about him, and has your perception about him changed?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I think that he's more solid from a mental perspective. He's won many matches, so he's capitalized with regards to confidence. He had a very good game level, but he lacked confidence. Now he has that confidence.
And that was strange his ranking was not that good when you consider his level. And in Spain, Fernando Verdasco, that's a similar case. We know he has huge potential, but at one stage well, you know he plays exceptional tennis, but it's a bit late now. He's 26.
Whereas Soderling, well, he started slightly earlier, and he is a great player.
Q. You're in semifinals. That's obviously very important for you. I do realize you're not thinking about the final and being No. 1.
RAFAEL NADAL: It's not I'm not thinking about it. That's the way it is.
My objective is to make it to the final, and then if I come out No. 1, fine. But, you know, it's a long year, and it's probably not Roland Garros that's going to decide it.
But that's not my objective. I want to be focused on each match, and I've seen that my next opponent is very solid. I've seen him play, and all I can well, some of you might think it's a surprise he makes it to semifinal.
But trust me, if he made it to the semifinal it's because he played extremely well. He has an extremely good level, and he is a very dangerous player.
What else can I tell you? Well, I'll try and do my best. I'll try and be positive. In any case, I'll be No. 2 after this tournament. We'll see later.
I think I played better than Murray, Djokovic, so maybe I'll score more points for the ranking. But my ranking will also depend on the final outcome of this tournament. Then we'll see. But I know I have scored many points so far.
Najlepszego Rafa, przede wszystkim zdrowia :D
Wygraj RG i zostań numerem 1, fajny prezent sobie sprawisz! Vamos! :)
Najlepszego Rafa. :)
Finał z Söderlingiem? Nie myślę o rewanżu
W czwartek kończy 24 lata. Ma na koncie sześć tytułów wielkoszlemowych - o jeden więcej niż Roger Federer w chwili kończenia tego wieku. Rafael Nadal jest na prostej drodze do kolejnego triumfu w Roland Garros. Jego bilans na kortach ziemnych jest lepszy od dokonania Björna Borga, sześciokrotnego mistrza turnieju w Paryżu.
W dniu urodzin Nadal nie zagra. - Będę świętował, ale w czasie dnia. Gdy wrócę na Majorkę, wtedy zamierzam świętować nocą - śmiał się na konferencji po zwycięstwie w ćwierćfinale nad Almagro. W piątek jego rywalem w walce o finał będzie Jürgen Melzer (ATP 27), którego pokonał w obu bezpośrednich pojedynkach.
- Ci, którzy dochodzą do półfinału w Wielkim Szlemie, zasługują na to, bo grają dobrze w tenisa - powiedział Nadal w kontekście swojego Austriaka. Melzer będzie trzecim leworęcznym rywalem Rafy w jego szóstym meczu w Paryżu. - Zawsze przeciw takim trzeba zmienić odrobinę taktykę i trochę grę. Lubię grać przeciw leworęcznym - powiedział. Sam jest praworęczny, ale na korcie używa lewej dłoni. To pomysł wujka-trenera Toniego, który przed laty pomyślał, że używając drugiej ręki jego mały podopieczny będzie miał więcej możliwości.
W finale może dojść do rewanżu z Robinem Söderlingiem za ubiegłoroczną porażkę w 1/8 finału. - Nigdy nie myślę o meczu w kategorii rewanżu. W ogóle nie myślę o finale, bo czeka mnie bardzo trudny mecz z Melzerem i na nim jestem skupiony. Gdy wychodzę na kort, nie myślę o tym, że przegrałem z danym rywalem ostatni mecz. Jeśli myślisz w ten sposób, twoja głowa nie jest w stu procentach spokojna, by myśleć o tym co musisz robić - przyznał.
Söderling także według Nadala rozwinął się w porównaniu z poprzednim sezonem. - Jest bardziej solidny z punktu widzenia mentalnego - tłumaczył Hiszpan. - Wygrał sporo meczów, więc nabrał pewności siebie. Już wcześniej prezentował bardzo dobry poziom gry, ale brakowało mu właśnie pewności. Dziwne było, że jego ranking nie jest tak wysoki, na jaki wskazywałby poziom tenisowy. W Hiszpanii podobnym przypadkiem jest Fernando Verdasco - wyjaśnił.
Ewentualny triumf w Paryżu będzie miał też inny wymiar: Nadal po roku znów zostanie liderem rankingu. - Myślę o tym i oczywiście, że lepiej dla mnie, że Roger przegrał. Ale gdy jesteś numerem jeden, albo nim nie jesteś, nie możesz cały czas o tym myśleć - powiedział Rafa.
Federerowi źle nie życzy. - Zawsze chcę oglądąć najlepszych, którzy wygrywają. Porażki są dla najlepszych zawodników trudniejsze niż dla reszty. Gdybym przegrał z Nicolásem [Almagro], byłoby to gorsze do zniesienia dla mnie niż dla niego jest porażka ze mną - powiedział.
Od tego sezonu Nadal używa nowego naciągu w rakiecie. Kolorystycznie, zmienił się z żółtego na czarny. Technicznie, pozwala Majorkańczykowi łatwiej czuć piłkę. - To ważna pomoc. Wygląda na to, że piłka dłużej pozostaje na rakiecie, więc łatwiej ją kontrolować - wytłumaczył.
W Paryżu gra w zegarku wartym ponad pół miliona dolarów. Ale w meczu z Almagro nie kontrolował czasu, bo dostał ostrzeżenie od sędziego za przedłużanie wznowienia gry. - Ale ok, mam zegarek, mogłem sprawdzić czas - przyznał. - Szczerze jednak nie mogłem się szybciej wyrobić, nie zdążyłem nawet wytrzeć twarzy. Myślę, że na drugie ostrzeżenie nie zasłużyłem - stwierdził.
Rafa's blog: a Happy Birthday in Paris
Hi everyone,
Short one today since I need to go to sleep in 10 mins max (it takes me more than that to write this blog...)
Had a great time today. It was my birthday and I have to say that I have received a lot of congrats from many people. Already this morning during breakfast, my family and my team were there and wished me all the best. Some jokes from Toni, and from my father on how old I am starting to become...
Then I got to the stadium and during practice lots of people were there wishing me the best and even singing the Happy Birthday song in English, French and Spanish. Also at the press center where I went to blow out candles. As I said yesterday, it's much better this year than last year at home... Nice to do it at home but in a few years hopefully...
I am going to the tournament tomorrow at 10.30 am already and have the warm up hit at 11.30. Let's see how it goes.
Many thanks to all for all the messages today.
Thanks.
Rafa
Nadal feels for Federer
French Open: Rafael Nadal has mixed feelings about Roger Federer’s French Open demise as he faces up to being the overwhelming favourite for his fifth Roland Garros title.
For the first time in his career, Nadal will not need to beat his arch-rival to lift the Coupe des Mousquetaires after the world number one’s shock quarter-final exit at the hands of Robin Soderling.
Second seed Nadal accepts the absence of Federer makes his task easier but he also empathises with the Swiss, who he feels may be the only other player to feel the pain of defeat as keenly as he himself does.
“The truth is I always love to see the best players win, because I know that the losses for the best players are harder than for the rest,” said Nadal, who suffered his first ever defeat at Roland Garros last year.
The Spaniard, who will usurp Federer as world number one if he wins Sunday’s final, added: “Sure, it is better if Roger lost.
“But, I always say the same: I believe if you are number one or you are not number one, you can’t be thinking all the time about being number one.”
Nadal’s title odds shortened further last night when third seed Novak Djokovic threw away a two-set lead to lose a marathon match against Jurgen Melzer, who will now face the the Spaniard in tomorrow’s semi-finals.
Nadal has won both his previous meetings with Melzer in straight sets but knows the 29-year-old is in the form of his life, having also disposed of David Ferrer.
“He’s playing unbelievably,” said Nadal. “He played against David Ferrer — I saw him in the match.
“A big comeback against Djokovic, playing a high level. I saw him at the end of the match playing very aggressively, serving well.
“If he’s in the semi-finals, it is because he’s the best of his draw.”
Austrian Melzer had never before been beyond the fourth round of a grand slam in 31 attempts.
But the 22nd seed has nothing to lose against Nadal, who has now won his last 20 matches.
One man Melzer could turn to for advice on how to topple the king of clay is Soderling, who will line up against Tomas Berdych tomorrow hoping to secure his place in a second successive final.
Soderling has won his last two matches against Nadal, the first famously at Roland Garros last year. However, he did suffer a comprehensive defeat in his last meeting with Berdych, losing 6-2 6-2 at this year’s Miami Masters.
Pointing out he won their previous match just as emphatically, the fifth seed said: “I know every match is a new match, and he’s played great this year.
“He’s a dangerous player when he’s playing good.”
With this being his first grand slam semi-final since finishing runner-up last year, Soderling would appear to favour clay as a surface, even though it seems at odds with his natural game.
“I think I kind of like the slower surface a little bit more than the really fast ones,” he said. “When I serve like this and when I’m feeling like I’m hitting the ball well like this, I think maybe clay is my best surface.”
Berdych, who has never before gone this far in a major, also played down the significance of his April victory over Soderling.
“The score looks quite easy,” he said. “That’s just how it looks on paper.
“I won that match, and so it could be kind of a small advantage. But here we’re going to play best of five sets, semi-final of a grand slam.
“That’s a different position for me because he already reached it last year.
“I will just stay with my game as much as I can and try to profit from my strokes.”
Tenis - Roland Garros - Nadal w finale! Zagra z Soderlingiem
Rafael Nadal w trzech setach 6:2, 6:3, 7:6 (8:6) pokonał Juergena Melzera w półfinale French Open. W niedzielę w decydującym meczu zagra z Robinem Soderlingiem.
Będzie to rewanż za czwartą rundę zeszłorocznego turnieju, gdy Nadal doznał ze Szwedem swej jedynej porażki na kortach Rolanda Garrosa. Teraz może się chwalić i tak niesamowitym bilansem 37 zwycięstw, jedna porażka!
W piątek Melzer postawił opór Nadalowi tylko w końcówce trzeciego seta, gdy ze stanu 3:5 doprowadził do 6:5. Później Hiszpan się przebudził i doprowadził do tie breaka. W nim decydująca była akcja przy stanie 6:5, gdy obiecujący atak Melzera otarł się o taśmę i zakończył stratą punktu. Nadal wygrał dwie kolejne piłki i cały mecz.
We wcześniejszej fazie Hiszpan rozprawiał się z Melzerem dużo szybciej. Dość powiedzieć, że mecz trwał dwie godziny i dziewięć minut.
- Muszę pogratulować Juegenowi, który zaliczył wspaniały turniej i postawił mi twarde warunki. Meczu z Soderlingiem nie potraktuję jako rewanżu. Chcę po prostu wyjść na kort i zagrać jak najlepiej - powiedział po piątkowym półfinale Nadal.
To może być jednak tylko zasłona dymna. Każdy kibic tenisa wie, że mecz ze Szwedem będzie dla Nadala szczególny. To od zeszłorocznej porażki zaczęła się czarna seria Hiszpana. Po niej grał coraz gorzej, stracił pozycję lidera rankingu ATP. Do tego złapał kontuzję i zdołował się rozwodem rodziców. Rewanż na Soderlingu byłby więc dla Nadala symbolicznym zostawieniem tych kłopotów za sobą.
Wywiad po awansie do finału RG2010
Q. So the first two sets played pretty well, had it under control. Then you went to serve it out that last game, got broken at love, and then it got a little up and down and dramatic at the end, no?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, I think I played my best match today here in Roland Garros, 2010. Sure, first two sets, for a moment I played really well. With my serve I played all the time well. With the forehand, too. With the backhand I am playing better and better every day, but I can improve a little bit more.
The third set I had completely under control, 5 3, Love 30, so I thought I have the chance to finish there. Because I was playing well and I played good two points in the first two points.
But I had some mistakes, and in the 5 4 I played a terrible first point. I played forehand down the line, three meters outside. I was a little bit nervous after that.
In the end of the match was important the game of 6 5, because I played really serious game to go to the tiebreak, and the in tiebreak I think I played better and I played well.
I had just one double fault. That's the only point that I'm not happy. But I can't say nothing against about myself, because I am serving pretty well all the match.
Q. Do you think Melzer improved? Were you surprised by his performance today, because you beat him rather easy?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I think Jurgen is a very talented player. He can play at very high level. He did these two weeks. Just congratulate him, because he amazing two weeks, amazing tournament here. Very, very difficult opponents, like David Ferrer, Djokovic.
So it's a very, very complete tournament, no? So, sure, if he plays at this level he can beat against almost everybody, or everybody.
Q. What do you think about meeting Robin Soderling now?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, difficult match, no? He's playing well. He did very good tournament, and today he came back to win a very good match. So he's very, very dangerous player, no? He's one of the best of the world. And, yeah, sure is gonna be a really difficult match.
Q. You have played him a couple of times, and you had some psychological battles. How would you describe your relationship to him?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't have nothing to say about the relationship. For me, the relationship with him was normal. I had a little bit more tension than usual match in Wimbledon match 2007?
Q. 8.
RAFAEL NADAL: 8, no. No, no.
Q. 2007.
RAFAEL NADAL: 7?
Q. Well, it doesn't matter.
RAFAEL NADAL: 2007? Yes, it matters. (Laughter.)
2007, but after that, no, I didn't have not one problem with him. I think he's doing well, and at the same time he improves his level of tennis. He improve his level of kind of person, no? I think he improve his personality the last year.
Q. How?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think he say more times hello to the rest of the yeah, I am speaking serious. I am speaking in the positive way, not in a negative way. Sure.
Q. He didn't say hello earlier?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think he was very shy in the beginning. I think so, no? But I think he improves a lot. For sure for me is good to have a player like Robin playing at this high level in the tour.
It's a different kind of game, and, sure, he's a special one. Because the serve, his very flat shots, are very impressive.
Q. Is it possible just to give an impression of your game this year here at Roland Garros as opposed to your game at this time last year?
RAFAEL NADAL: Is impossible to compare, because last year I was in the swimming pool in Mallorca. Sure.
Q. Well, maybe your approach to this championship this year as opposed to your approach last year.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah. Well, I think probably I didn't play today I played well, but before today I didn't play my best Roland Garros if we speak in terms of what I feel on court.
But I played my best clay court season before Roland Garros. That's for sure, no? Last year my feeling was I won in Monte Carlo, Barcelona, and Rome, but probably is difficult to understand. It was difficult to understand for me too how I won that tournaments because I felt I didn't play well.
So probably was because the dynamic was very positive, very positive since the beginning of the year. I arrived on clay and I won for that reason, but not for tennis, I think. And when I arrived here and I found opponent that push me to the highest level, I wasn't ready to win.
Q. I know you don't see the match against Robin on Sunday as a chance for revenge, but is it nice to have him over the other side of the net again just to show him that you're pretty useful yourself on the Philippe Chatrier court?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no, no. I want to seriously I prefer to play against Tomas the final, because I won against him the last six times. That's the true.
I play against Robin, gonna be a difficult match. I never believe on revenges. I believe on try my best in every moment, and if I lose, I lose, and congratulate Robin because he did better than me.
But I go on court trying to play my best tennis and thinking about Roland Garros, not thinking about Robin, Tomas, or another one.
You know, for me, doesn't exist revenge in not one match, and especially we talk about final of Roland Garros.
Q. You have so many strong points to your game. What would you say would be the one or two greatest strengths that you bring to the court?
RAFAEL NADAL: Today?
Q. No, overall.
RAFAEL NADAL: Always?
Q. Yes.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I had always a good forehand, and probably the mobility. Probably the mind was, the character was important to improve and to come back after difficult situations, no?
So I think the important thing is the positive mentality that I have. Sure, all the time I want to be better and I want to improve my tennis. I want to improve my shots. I want to improve my position on court.
So in the end the thing is I think the most important thing for me is always I work a lot to be a better player. I think that's my better shot.
Q. I know you say frequently that every match is important, every tournament is important. But after what happened last year, how much do you strongly desire to get your title back here?
RAFAEL NADAL: You know, I'm very happy today because I was pretty nervous before the tournament. I was nervous during all the tournament, but today was before the match I was a little bit more relaxed because I was already in semifinal, so I did a good tournament.
And after the match is the day that I am more happy, no? Because I am there. I am at the last match. I am what I dreamed it to be long time ago.
Right now anything can happen. I can lose, yes. But I arrived there. I arrived to the right in the right conditions, physically and mentally.
So that's for me the positive thing. For me, the last year the harder thing wasn't lose. The harder thing was arrive to probably the most important part of the season in my worst conditions possible.
I was always a little bit nervous about being ready to play in this moment that I need to be to be ready to play my best. I did. I am there. I did all well to try to win.
If Robin play better than me and beat me, I had a very good clay court season. That's what I can say.
Q. Do you think that Soderling and Berdych, they are playing different tennis, more flat, less topspin, less slice, hitting the ever hardest? And still they are successful on clay, which wasn't used the way to be before. What do you think about that change in tennis or in clay courts, these kind of results?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no, no. I no 100% agree on that. If we talk about the clay court season, Berdych or even Robin wasn't the best players during the all clay season. The clay season is not only Roland Garros. We have to talk about Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Rome, Madrid.
I think the court here it probably easier for these kind of players. This year I think the court is more slippery. Is difficult to be strong on the court.
That's very positive thing for these kind of players, because is difficult to move well. And for the players, for the specialists on clay, one of the most important things is the movements.
I think this year the court is slippery than the rest of the years. That's my feeling. For these kind of players, is easier to have winners.
Q. What conditions do you prefer on Sunday? Will it be like today sunny and hot or like a couple days ago when it was raining?
RAFAEL NADAL: Always sun.
Q. Always sun. Can you elaborate on that one, please?
RAFAEL NADAL: Why?
Q. Yeah.
RAFAEL NADAL: First thing because sun is energy (Laughter.)
Second thing, because everything is nicer with the sun than with the rain, wind, these kind of things.
Third point, because with the sun my ball is getting more topspin than with rain and with the other conditions.
So three points that I think.
Q. Just one more thing on Soderling. He takes the ball early; he tries to play flat; he tries to take control of the points. So for you, are the important things to play longer, move him around? Can you just talk about what you have to do to win that match?
RAFAEL NADAL: I have to play well. I have to play well. If I play well, I play long, I play to the side. So I just try to play, play, and play my best tennis. That's what I have to do.
If it's not like this, it will be almost impossible to win over Robin, because he's playing amazing level. He's very aggressive and it's very difficult to stop him.
I know how I have to play to beat him, but I'm not speaking about tactics. I have to play my best tennis, and that's what I gonna try to do.
Q. What about the possibility to become No. 1? Is it as important as to win the tournament, or what about this fact?
RAFAEL NADAL: Is another thing. But believe me, if I win on Sunday, gonna be the last thing that I gonna think. For me, the important thing is the tournament. I always told you before 100 times: For me, to be No. 1 wasn't the main goal for me. The main goal for me is be healthy, try to play healthy as long as I can, and I did this year.
For that reason, because I was healthy and I was ready to play few weeks in a row without problems, practice well, I gonna have my chance to be another time in the top.
But anyway, I'm No. 2. I'm happy where I am. Roland Garros is only one time. No. 1 still there for a few more months.
THE MODERATOR: Questions in Spanish, please.
Q. At one stage someone in the crowd collapsed. Was it a problem to you?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, when someone is sick and collapses, well, I'm very emotional, so it was a bit I was a bit afraid. I was a bit scared because I didn't know what happened.
Q. You were up 5 4, and some people say there is this fear to win with Sampras, with Federer.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I don't know for the others, but for me, yes, it's sometimes true.
Q. After 5 4, there was a reaction from the crowd, and the umpire had to ask the crowd to calm down. Can you comment on that?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, no. I think so far the crowd has been very correct with me. They've been very nice, and I think they come here to have fun, to watch tennis.
Q. Since you won your first Grand Slam to Gustavo Kuerten, the other finals were to Roger Federer. In these finals, it was more than just a rivalry between two great players. Do you think you'll have a different psychological approach to playing Soderling?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, it's a different final because I'm not playing the No. 1. I would usually play No. 1. It was against Kuerten the first time, but I think the approach is just the same.
I think I will be as happy or as disappointed if I lose to Robin or to any other player. I don't think this is going to change the way I'll approach the game, basically.
Obviously playing Roger Federer was something special, because we played many finals together. Well, that made me feel something special.
But this time, this year, we can feel it's going to be slightly different even before the final.
Q. You reached the final without losing one set. What can you say about that?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I think it's because I played my best tennis here in Roland Garros. I think I started off very well. I played longer shots. I was very aggressive on my forehand.
I was very careful playing on both sides, and I think my serve was excellent during all matches. So I'm quite satisfied.
The only negative point that I was leading and I ended up winning the third set 7 6. But these are very tense matches, anyway. We played a lot, and sometimes, I mean, you have to accept that you become nervous.
Q. You've been talking about being nervous over the last days, so is it quite normal to be nervous for these great finals, or is it special for you here?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, Roland Garros, as compared to other tournaments, Roland Garros is a bit special, especially for Spanish players. Obviously when we feel that victory is within reach, obviously we are slightly more nervous.
In the final in Australia we were nervous, too, but we also feel less responsibility as we do here. As I said, I think that was probably my worst day since the beginning of the tournament today, and that had an impact on my game.
I don't exactly understand what was going on, because I had good control over the match. So I don't understand what happened, but, you know, I was nervous at one stage.
The important thing is it's all over now. It's behind me, and I'm ready to play my next match at 100%. I'm very happy, very happy indeed, about my attitude all along the tournament.
Q. If there are any weather changes from now till Sunday, if it starts raining, if it's more humid, is it going to be in favor of Robin? Would you think that the weather is important for the final?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, ask Roger about it. I mean, when the court is humid and wet, the ball doesn't bounce back as high. It's much heavier, so it's more difficult to play.
But we're talking about a final here in Roland Garros. I'm not going to start wondering, My goodness, what's the weather going to be like? Are we going to have wind or sun?
Whether it's a sunny day or a rainy day, I will play my best tennis whatever the conditions.
Q. What do you fear most in Soderling's game?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, everything. He has a very complete game. It's very difficult to get a move, because his serve is very powerful, both on the first and the second ball. He's very aggressive from the baseline.
Sometimes he will play long, flat shots. So it's very difficult to make him run and move. Wherever he is, he strikes with a very powerful shot. He won easily to me last year. Obviously I was not at my top level last year.
I'll be up to 100% on Sunday, and I'll do my job. But if he wins, I'll congratulate him. You know, in tennis you can win and you can lose. I mean, it's like in all sports. There is a winner; there is a loser. So I'll be one or the other, but I'll take it as it comes.
Q. This year you won everything. Are you the early favorite, or would you share this spot as a favorite?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I think we're both favorites. We both made it to the final, so we both have a chance to win the final.
Of course it's not going to be easy for none of us, but I think it's going to be a tough final. It's going to be the best player win the final, so it's difficult to answer your question.
Q. You always make a very specific analysis of your matches because you see it very clearly. This is what makes a difference between guys like you and Federer and the others. I mean, they have a perfect clear vision of the match right after they walk out of the court.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I don't know, really. I've not spoken to anyone after the match. I mean, that's my vision, but maybe I'm mistaken.
Q. The record, Vilas' record that you beat, it was a nightmare. You always played at night. You had won Soderling. There was a storm and you were playing Soderling. Maybe it wasn't the same Soderling, but anyway, there was just Vilas and his girlfriend left watching you.
RAFAEL NADAL: That was more than a storm. That was almost a hurricane. I can't remember exactly how I played, but I remember it was a very difficult match. I won, but I remember the conditions were horrible. But I can't remember the result. I can't remember the score.
The wind speed was 70 kilometers per hour. It was in 2007, wasn't it? It was yeah, I think it was in 2007. It was after Ferrer in Rome.
I'd lost to Ferrer in Hamburg, so it was in 2007, and it cannot be Soderling. Sorry. I didn't play that many matches on clay. I lost in Valencia in 2005. Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Rome. What do you think? Do you think that was Soderling? I won 60 matches to Soderling since 2007? Come on.
Q. (Question off microphone.)
RAFAEL NADAL: No, in 2008 I didn't lose to Federer in Hamburg. It was in '07 in the semifinals.
Q. Okay. You must be right, then. Well, apparently there's not much momentum in his game. He strikes here and there, so what can you do to make some time? Do you need to have longer rallies?
RAFAEL NADAL: It's not a matter of momentum. It's because he hits in a very powerful way. It's not serve/volley, but his second serve is 190, 200 kilometers per hour. It's incredible.
Q. So what can you do against this?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, you can play long, make him move, make him run, and it's difficult of course. It's going to be difficult. There is always a solution, and I'll have to find it.
So a good serve, I agree with you. A good serve is key. I don't think he'll have many opportunities of winning my serve, but you never know.
Q. This match against Berdych, did you learn something from it?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, obviously it's a totally different style, so I don't think you can compare.
But at one stage Berdych, in the fourth set, was well, it was as if he was winning, and during the fourth set I thought he played extremely well.
Maybe he lacks a bit of experience to be able to and play a final here. You know, sometimes it's ever so close. He was slightly more nervous than Robin, and I think this is what made the difference.
But as I said, the most important thing is to go all the way to our limits, and then you see what happens.
#40) Roland Garros 2010
R128 Gianni Mina 6/2 6/2 6/2
R64 Horacio Zeballos 6/2 6/2 6/3
R32Lleyton Hewitt[28] 6/3 6/4 6/3
R16Thomaz Bellucci[24] 6/2 7/5 6/4
1/4 Nicolas Almagro[19] 7/6 7/6 6/4
1/2Jurgen Melzer[22] 6/2 6/3 7/6
F Robin Soderling[5] 6/4 6/2 6/4
Marcin, to już 40 tytuł. ;)
Nadal wraca na 1 miejsce w rankingu
Hiszpan od jutra rozpocznie 48 tydzień, dziś zamyka tydzień nr 47.
Stan na dzień 07.06.2010:
1.Pete Sampras (USA) - 286
2.Roger Federer (SUI) - 285
3.Ivan Lendl (CZE) - 270
4.Jimmy Connors (USA) - 268
5.John McEnroe (USA) - 170
6.Bjorn Borg (SWE) - 109
7.Andre Agassi (USA) - 101
8.Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) - 80
9.Stefan Edberg (SWE) - 72
10.Jim Courier (USA) - 58
11.Rafael Nadal (ESP) - 47
12.Gustavo Kuerten (BRA) - 43
13.Ilie Nastase (ROM) - 40
14.Mats Wilander (SWE) - 20
15.Andy Roddick (USA) - 13
DUN I LOVE napisał:
Marcin, to już 40 tytuł. ;)
Dobrze myślałem, źle wpisałem xD
Gratulacje Rafa, niesamowity cały sezon na clayu, odzyskanie RG, powrót na fotel lidera, BRAWO! :D
Brawo mistrzu :good:
Roland Garros odzyskany, nr.1 również. Wielki dzień Hiszpana, gratulacje.
ROLAND GARROS - Nadal Reclaims No. 1 Ranking With Fifth Roland Garros Title
In a remarkable Sunday for Rafael Nadal, the Spaniard won his fifth Roland Garros title, returned to No. 1 in the South African Airways 2010 ATP Rankings and became the first player to qualify for the season-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, after defeating Robin Soderling 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 in the final in Paris.
At the age of 24 years and four days, Nadal became just the second man in history to win five or more Roland Garros titles. Bjorn Borg finished his esteemed career with six titles on the Parisian clay. The Spaniard will subsequently return to the No. 1 spot in the South African Airways ATP Rankings for the first time since 22 June, 2009.
Victory for Nadal secured his seventh major title. Together with his five victories at Roland Garros in 2005-2008 and 2010, the left-hander also lifted the Wimbledon trophy in a dramatic finale in 2008 and won the Australian Open last year.
Nadal routs Soderling to regain French Open crown
Rafael Nadal crushes Robin Soderling in straight sets to win his fifth Roland Garros title on Sunday afternoon. Nadal also avenges his only previous loss at the tournament.
What a difference a year makes.
One year after surrendering his four-time stranglehold on the French Open title and tumbling from the No. 1 ranking, Rafael Nadal won No. 5 on Sunday afternoon and did at the expense of the man who halted his run in 2009.
Nadal cruised past Robin Soderling 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 in a one-sided final that lasted only two hours and 18 minutes. Soderling, now a two-time runner-up, became the first player to beat Nadal at Roland Garros with a fourth-round upset at last season’s event. Nadal not only captured his seventh Grand Slam crown, but he will also regain the No. 1 spot in the world on Monday.
Soderling vowed things would be different from his loss to Roger Federer in last year’s final in which he lost the opening set 6-1, but he once again came out slow. The Swede squandered the first break point of the match at 2-1 when he missed a backhand down the line that easily could have gone for a winner. Unable to shake off the disappointment, Soderling allowed Nadal to break at 2-2 when he failed to volley a passing shot that landed well in.
Nadal held on the rest of the way in set one, but not without a struggle. He saved two break points at 4-3, one thanks to a Soderling forehand error and the next with a service winner. The No. 2 seed then earned three set points on his opponent’s serve at 5-3 only to see Soderling battle back from a 0-40 deficit. Nadal finished the job one game later with a hold to 30, clinching a one-set lead when Soderling sprayed his 20th unforced error.
Soderling had more chances to get right back in the match when he seized three more break-point opportunities in the second game of set two. On two of the three break points, however, Nadal came up with spectacular defensive scrambles and eventually held for 1-1. That proved to be Soderling’s last-ditch effort, as he donated a love service hold at 2-2 to completely lose the plot. Nadal held serve the rest of the way—fighting off one more break point—for a commanding two-set advantage.
From there it was all over for Soderling, whose forehand let him down in the first game of the third, leading to another break. The world No. 7, who finished 0-for-8 on break points, never came close to getting back on serve. Nadal clinched the championship with a final love service hold at 5-4, capitalizing on his first match point when Soderling netted a backhand.
Nadal, who told Soderling during the trophy ceremony that it was his best performance of the season, finished with 28 winners and a mere 16 errors. Soderling fired 32 winners, but was baited into 45 mistakes by Nadal’s defense. Both men wrapped up their efforts with seven aces.
"Of course I was a little bit tired, but that's not why I lost," said Soderling. "Rafa was unbelievable. Maybe it would not have been enough even if I played my best tennis."
"It was a very important victory for me today," explained Nadal. "One of the most important of my career. I had to play my best match of the tournament to beat him. It was very emotional."
http://www.atpworldtour.com/BarclaysATP … inals.aspx
Rafa na 1 stronie, przy wejściu na witrynę ATP.
Rafa rules Roland Garros
June 06.2010, Paris, France
Rafa Nadal put on a dazzling display of tennis to beat Robin Soderling 6-4 6-2 6-4, and win his fifth Roland Garros, as well as regain the world number one spot.
It’s easy to understand why the new world No.1 collapsed on the dirt and broke down in tears as soon as he realized what had happened. Not only has he made another mark in history, but also, he he’s got back the thing that is most precious to him, his health.
Rafael has had a very emotional 12 months. He lost in the fourth round at last year’s French Open, missed out on defending his Wimbledon title, lost the No.1 ranking and suffered serious injury problems. Fast-forward to today and he looks unstoppable.
He now has seven Grand Slam titles to his credit and is 22-0 on clay this season, 203-16 in his career and an astounding 176-6 since 2005.
To add to this amazing feat, Rafa moves into second place in the all-time list of male winners at Roland Garros with five victories (one behind Bjorn Borg's record of six). A feat Rafa can equal if he stays healthy and competes next year.
THE MATCH REVIEW
Nadal took the first set 6-4 thanks to a glaring misjudgment from his opponent. Rafa secured the only break of the set when Soderling left a ball he thought was dropping long.
Soderling made the more impressive start, holding his opening two service games but failed to make the most of Nadal errors that gave him 30-40 in game four.
Nadal went on to fashion two break points in the next game, taking the second when Soderling left a cross-court backhand which dropped in.
The Swede was playing a high-risk game but began hitting more errors than winners. A Nadal double-fault gave Soderling two break-back points but was not able to capitalise and was unable to stop his opponent serving out the set.
There was a hint of a momentum change when Soderling had four break points in game two of the second set but Nadal was able to hold. The Spaniard then produced some incredible shot-making to break to love in the next, Soderling shaking his head in disbelief.
A double fault gave him the first of two double-break points in game seven. Soderling netted on the second and Nadal duly held to win the second set 6-2.
Come back soon to read full report!
Roland Garros. Nadal piąty raz Królem Paryża
Rafael Nadal w trzech setach (6:4, 6:2, 6:4) pokonał Szweda Robina Soderlinga i zwyciężył w finale Rolanda Garrosa. To już piąta wygrana Hiszpana na kortach w Paryżu, wcześniej udała mu się ta sztuka w 2005., 2006., 2007. i 2008. roku.
Wyrównana walka toczyła się tylko w pierwszym secie. Soderling, grający po raz drugi z rzędu w finale French Open, miał na początku nawet szansę na przełamanie Hiszpana. Ostatecznie jedyny break w tym meczu był dziełem Nadala i to on wygrał partię do czterech.
Druga partia toczyła się gem za gem tylko do stanu 2:2. Wtedy Nadal dwukrotnie z rzędu przełamał rywala i w 39 minut zakończył tą partię. - Grając tak jak dziś osiągniesz wszystko co będziesz chciał w tenisie - mówił po meczu Soderling.
Trzeci set zaczął się od kolejnego przełamania Hiszpana. Soderling od początku tej partii wydawał się być zmieszany, biegać do piłek zaczął dopiero pod koniec meczu. Nic mu to jednak nie dało, ponieważ Nadalowi wystarczyło zwyciężyć swoje podania.
- Dziękuję za doping wspaniałej paryskiej publiczności - powiedział po francusku w czasie ceremonii wręczania nagród Nadal. Jest to o tyle ciekawe, że w zeszłym roku, w przegranym przez niego meczu czwartej rundy z... Soderlingiem, publiczność była zdecydowanie po stronie Szweda i wygwizdywała Hiszpana.
Nadal po raz piąty wygrał Rolanda Garrosa i do rekordzisty pod tym względem, Szweda Bjoerna Borga, brakuje mu już tylko jednego zwycięstwa.
Tenis - Roland Garros Zemsta jest słodka, Nadal królem Paryża
Rafael Nadal po raz piąty wygrał French Open! W tym roku nie stracił nawet seta. W finale zmiótł z kortu Robina Soderlinga 6:4, 6:2, 6:4, z którym rok temu przegrał już w IV rundzie. Hiszpan zgarnął ponad milion euro i od poniedziałku będzie nowym liderem rankingu ATP. Wyprzedzi Rogera Federera.
Rok temu wydarzyła się rzecz historyczna. Rafael Nadal po raz pierwszy przegrał mecz w turnieju French Open. Poległ w IV rundzie z Robinem Soderlingiem. Była to ogromna sensacja, bowiem Hiszpan wygrał cztery poprzednie imprezy w Paryżu. Szwed doszedł aż do finału w którym okazał się gorszy od Federera.
Chyba nikt się nie spodziewał, że okazję do zemsty Nadal będzie miał już w tym roku. I to w finale. Co ciekawe po drodze do ostatniego meczu turnieju Soderling pokonał Federera. Jednak dziś nie miał żadnych szans.
Obaj tenisiści wygrywali swoje gemy do stanu 2:2. W tym momencie Nadal przełamał serwis rywala i do końca kontrolował przebieg seta wygrywając go 6:4.
W kolejnej partii znów wygrał gema przy serwisie Soderlinga jak było 2:2. Potem potwierdził swoją dominację i jeszcze na koniec przełamał Szweda. Było więc 2:0 w setach dla faworyta.
Soderling grał dziwnie usztywniony jakby pogodził się z porażkę. Niestety dla niego rozpoczął trzecią partię od przegrania własnego podania. Potem Nadal już tylko pilnował swojego serwisu i wygrał zasłużenie cały mecz 6:4, 6:2, 6:4.
Nadal zwycięzył w Paryżu już po raz piąty. Za wygraną zgarnął ponad milion euro. Hiszpan od poniedziałku zostanie nowym liderem rankingu ATP. Na tej pozycji zastąpi Rogera Federera.
Od następnego tygodnia tenisiści przenoszą się na korty trawiaste, aby zacząć przygotowania do Wimbledonu. Nadal zagra w turnieju w londyńskim Queens.
WYNIK:
Rafael Nadal - Robin Soderling 6:4, 6:2, 6:4.
Rafael Nadal beats Robin Soderling to claim fifth French Open title
Rafael Nadal brushed aside the challenge of Robin Soderling to claim his fifth French Open men’s singles title.
The world No 2 won in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 in two hours and 18 minutes to avenge his shock defeat by the Swede last year.
Soderling’s triumph in the fourth round in 2009 - he went on to lose to Roger Federer in the the final - was the only match Nadal has lost at Roland Garros and motivation enough for the Spaniard, if any were needed.
The pre-match weather forecast had been for storms, but the match began in bright sunshine and it was Soderling who was soon under a cloud when he dropped his serve in the fifth game of the first set and was unable to find a way to break back.
Soderling had four break points in the second game of the second set, but Nadal produced the famous fighting qualities that have made him almost unbeatable on clay and he fought back to hold.
Nadal produced some incredible shot-making to break to love in the next, Soderling shaking his head in disbelief and he soon dropped his serve again, not helped by serving a double fault to gift his opponent the first of two double break-points.
Nadal held to take the second set 6-2 and keep up his record of not having dropped a set all tournament.
There was no stopping the second seed and he duly closed out the match with a single break in the third to become only the second man to have won at least five French Open titles. Bjorn Borg has six, but if Nadal stays fit it should be a record he surpasses sooner rather than later.
French Open 2010: Rafael Nadal is world No 1 after Robin Soderling win
Rafael Nadal enjoyed one of his finest hours on the clay at Roland Garros to win a fifth French Open title and avenge last year's defeat to Robin Soderling.
The 24-year-old's 6-4 6-2 6-4 victory in two hours and 18 minutes ended any doubt over his status as the king of clay, gave him his seventh grand slam title and will see him overtake Roger Federer as world number one tomorrow. Time and again, Soderling thought he had Nadal where he wanted him on Philippe Chatrier Court today.
But the second seed would almost inevitably make him play one more shot or produce a sensational winner as he emulated his 2008 feat of winning the title without dropping a set. Much had been made in the build-up of the impact of the weather, and storms were forecast.
But the match began in bright sunshine, which would have pleased odds-on favourite Nadal.
Soderling, who avenged his own defeat in last year's final by beating Federer on Tuesday, made the more impressive start, holding his opening two service games – more than he managed at the same stage in 2009.
He failed to make the most of Nadal errors that gave him 30-40 in game four but had his opponent rattled when the Spaniard challenged a serve at 15-30 in the next, only for umpire Cedric Mourier to disagree.
Nadal nevertheless went on to fashion two break points, taking the second when Soderling suicidally left a cross court backhand which he thought was dropping long.
The Swede was playing a high-risk game but began hitting more errors than winners, summed up in game seven when he slumped from 40-0 and had to save two more break points.
A Nadal double-fault gave Soderling the first of two break-back points in the next but more mistakes from the fifth seed followed. The theme continued when he was serving to stay in the set, handing Nadal 0-40. He served his way out of trouble but was not able to stop his opponent serving out the set.
Dark clouds had begun gathering towards the end of the first set but the rain held off. There was a hint of a momentum change though when Soderling had four break points in game two of the second, the 25-year-old roared on by chants of "Robin, Robin, Robin" from a surprisingly partisan crowd.
But Nadal chased down the most forlorn of causes and was rewarded when he held. For his second straight match, the Spaniard was made to wait when a spectator required attention in game four, but he kept his composure. And he produced some incredible shot-making to break to love in the next, Soderling shaking his head in disbelief.
Nadal appeared to be everywhere at times but only had to stand still as a double-fault gave him the first of two double-break points in game seven. Soderling netted on the second and Nadal duly held to win the second set.
Support for Soderling was now becoming more muted and he tossed away his serve in the opening game of the third set with the air of a beaten man. He rallied to break-back point in the next but, once again, Nadal refused to yield. The set then went with serve, Soderling avoiding what could have been a fatal double-break when 30-40 down in game seven.
But Nadal was serving imperiously and held his nerve to seal a 6-4 6-2 6-4 before sliding to the ground in delight.
Nadal outclasses Soderling to take French open title
By Ben Rumsby, Press Association
Sunday, 6 June 2010
Rafael Nadal today produced another masterclass of clay-court tennis to win his fifth French Open title and avenge last year's defeat by Robin Soderling.
The Spaniard saved his best performance of the tournament - and arguably of the season - for the only man who had ever beaten him at Roland Garros.
The 24-year-old's 6-4 6-2 6-4 victory in two hours and 18 minutes ended any doubt over his status as the king of clay, gave him his seventh grand slam title and will see him overtake Roger Federer as world number one tomorrow.
Time and again, Soderling thought he had Nadal where he wanted him on Philippe Chatrier Court today.
But the second seed would almost inevitably make him play one more shot or produce a sensational winner as he emulated his 2008 feat of winning the title without dropping a set.
Much had been made in the build-up of the impact of the weather, and storms were forecast.
But the match began in bright sunshine, which would have pleased odds-on favourite Nadal.
Soderling, who avenged his own defeat in last year's final by beating Federer on Tuesday, made the more impressive start, holding his opening two service games - more than he managed at the same stage in 2009.
He failed to make the most of Nadal errors that gave him 30-40 in game four but had his opponent rattled when the Spaniard challenged a serve at 15-30 in the next, only for umpire Cedric Mourier to disagree.
Nadal nevertheless went on to fashion two break points, taking the second when Soderling suicidally left a crosscourt backhand which he thought was dropping long.
The Swede was playing a high-risk game but began hitting more errors than winners, summed up in game seven when he slumped from 40-0 and had to save two more break points.
A Nadal double-fault gave Soderling the first of two break-back points in the next but more mistakes from the fifth seed followed.
The theme continued when he was serving to stay in the set, handing Nadal 0-40.
He served his way out of trouble but was not able to stop his opponent serving out the set.
Dark clouds had begun gathering towards the end of the first set but the rain held off.
There was a hint of a momentum change though when Soderling had four break points in game two of the second, the 25-year-old roared on by chants of "Robin, Robin, Robin" from a surprisingly partisan crowd.
But Nadal chased down the most forlorn of causes and was rewarded when he held.
For his second straight match, the Spaniard was made to wait when a spectator required attention in game four, but he kept his composure.
And he produced some incredible shot-making to break to love in the next, Soderling shaking his head in disbelief.
Nadal appeared to be everywhere at times but only had to stand still as a double-fault gave him the first of two double-break points in game seven.
Soderling netted on the second and Nadal duly held to win the second set.
Support for Soderling was now becoming more muted and he tossed away his serve in the opening game of the third set with the air of a beaten man.
He rallied to break-back point in the next but, once again, Nadal refused to yield.
Nadal broke down after returning to his chair and once he recovered his composure, he was treated to a kiss from the Queen of Spain.
Addressing Soderling afterwards, he said: "Sorry Robin, but today I played my best match of the tournament.
"If not, it was going to be impossible to beat you."
Soderling, who also lost in straight sets last year, said: "I have to start by congratulating you, Rafa, on your fifth victory here.
"If you continue to play like this, you will have the chance to win many more.
"I enjoyed the two weeks here very much and I love this tournament.
"I will come back next year and hope it will be third time lucky."
To jedna z najważniejszych wygranych w mojej karierze
Rafael Nadal po dwóch latach znów triumfował w Roland Garros. Po wygranym finale ukrył głowę w ręczniku i zaczął płakać ze szczęścia. Dlaczego? Bo osiągnął coś, czego przed rokiem bał się, że może już nigdy nie osiągnąć. Wygrał ponownie turniej Wielkiego Szlema.
- Po finale rok temu zaczął się dla mnie ciężki okres, ale pracowałem bardzo ciężko żeby być znów tutaj. Byłem zdenerwowany bardziej niż zawsze przez ostatnie dwa tygodnie, bo wiedziałem, że jestem gotowy na wygraną. Byłem gotowy żeby grać na swoim najwyższym poziomie, grać ze spokojem i cieszyć się tą grą. To uczyniłem i dlatego dzisiejszy dzień jest dla mnie taki wyjątkowy.
Latem zeszłego roku Hiszpan leczył kontuzjowane kolana na Majorce. Nie wystąpił na Wimbledonie. Wrócił na US Open gdzie zawiodły go mięśnie brzucha. W Australii na początku roku znów były problemy z kolanem. Teraz wreszcie czuje się dobrze. - Nie miałem żadnych problemów zdrowotnych przez te dwa tygodnie, a to dla mnie bardzo ważne. Jeśli czuje się dobrze, mogę znów cieszyć się z tenisa i grać na swoim najwyższym poziomie.
Dziennikarze pytali Nadala także o to, czy ważniejszy jest dla niego siódmy wygrany turniej Wielkiego Szlema, czy też odzyskanie pierwszej pozycji w rankingu. - Najpierw French Open. To jest najważniejsza rzecz (wskazał na trofeum). Potem ranking. Byłem już numerem jeden i bardzo się cieszę. Jednak gdy płakałem po zakończonym meczu, nie myślałem ani trochę o rankingu.
Wygrana we Francji pozwoli Nadalowi bez jakiejkolwiek presji udać się na Wimbledon. Zanim jednak tenisista z Majorki zagra w kolejnym turnieju wielkoszlemowym, wystąpi w turnieju ATP 250 w Queens Club. -Jutro popołudniu będę już trenować w Londynie. Nie za długo, około 45 minut. We wtorek zagram debla razem z Marciem Lopezem, a w środę pierwszy mecz singlowy. Uwielbiam ten turniej i zawsze się tam dobrze czuje.
Dalej w przyszłość Rafa wybiegać nie chce. - Pozwólcie mi trochę się nacieszyć tą wygraną, bo ta chwila jest dla mnie wyjątkowa. Jutro będę w Londynie, to możemy zacząć rozmawiać o Wimbledonie. Po turnieju w Queensie udam się na kilka dni odpocząć na Majorkę i wrócę do Londynu na Wimbledon. Zrobię wszystko co w mojej mocy, żeby być jak najlepiej przygotowanym.
French Open - Emotional Nadal has his day
It has been a long journey back from the pit of despair for Rafael Nadal but he completed it in style on Sunday to win a fifth French Open title.
The 24-year-old Spaniard looks to be back to the level he reached in 2008 when he was invincible on the red dust of Roland Garros, and on Wimbledon's grass, and after a 6-4 6-2 6-4 defeat of Sweden's Robin Soderling he spoke of his feelings of relief.
Nadal broke down in tears after sprawling on the court when Soderling's errant backhand ended their two hour 18 minute contest as the emotions of the past 12 months poured out.
"Relief, joy. Joy certainly," Nadal said as he sat next to the Coupe des Mousquetaires that only Bjorn Borg has won more times. "It was a great personal satisfaction because of my family, my team, myself, all those who helped me be back.
"All tournaments I win give me huge satisfaction but winning a Grand Slam tournament here in Paris after I lost last year, because I was not well prepared and I had very low morale, is extra special.
"I'm back and I win. Maybe this is the tournament I most wanted to win."
Nadal said he arrived in Roland Garros a little anxious after last year's crushing defeat in Paris by Soderling began a near 12-month title drought which he ended in Monte Carlo.
"I was slightly more nervous than usual. I went through difficult moments," he said. "I've told you 100 times, but that was a difficult year for me the last year. After this tournament last year it was very difficult and I worked a lot to be here.
"I was very nervous during all the tournament because I knew before that I was ready to try to win another time. Luckily I did and today was a very special day."
Nadal will replace Roger Federer as world number one on Monday but he did not want to dwell on that. On Sunday, he simply wanted to celebrate another Roland Garros crown after a dazzling fortnight in which, like in 2008, he did not drop a set.
"Today I felt great physically," Nadal, who was watched by Queen Sofia of Spain, said. "I felt perfect mentally. My movement was much better than the rest of the tournament. I am very happy how I played today, I played with very good tactics.
"I love this place with all my heart, because it gave me so much joy. Winning here in Paris is ever so special.
"It's a huge pleasure. I'm very lucky, and I was very fortunate in life to have had the opportunity of experiencing all this at the age of 24.
"Never in my wildest dream would I have dreamt of such beautiful presents. Life has been very kind to me."
Nadal Celebrates At Disneyland Paris
The day after winning his fifth Roland Garros title, new World No. 1 Rafael Nadal celebrated at Disneyland Paris.
The 24-year-old Nadal, who became the first player to qualify for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, proudly displayed his Roland Garros winner’s trophy in front of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle and was congratulated by the heroes of the New Generation Festival on the main stage in the Disneyland Park.
The Mallorcan also spent time greeting fans and signing autographs before enjoying rides on his favourite attractions, such as “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “It’s A Small World”.
“It's a place I love,” said Nadal, on why he chose to celebrate his triumph at Disneyland Paris. “I often come with my family and I also intend to return very soon.”
atpworldtour.com
AEGON CHAMPIONSHIPS
Nadal Arrives To Hero's Welcome And Then Practices On Grass In The Rain
Barely 24 hours since lifting his fifth Roland Garros crown at the French Open on Sunday, the new World No.1 Rafael Nadal arrived in London for the AEGON Championships on Monday, and promptly started practicing on grass, in the pouring rain.
The Spaniard was mobbed by hundreds of adoring fans when his car pulled up at The Queen's Club. In the locker-room he was greeted with handshakes, pats on the back and even a small round of applause by the other players. Then he got ready to practice.
Moments later the weather, which had remained dry throughout the day, turned. Rain started falling, play on the Centre Court was suspended and a practice-session seemed impossible. Even the tennis nets were taken down.
Nadal wasn't worried. He just picked up his bag and made for the practice courts. Head Groundsman, Graham Kimpton, who has worked at The Queen's Club for more than 20 years and gets on famously with the players, was there. "You don't want to play, do you?" Kimpton asked, bemused. Nadal smiled, and nodded.
Kimpton laughed, and immediately ordered his team to put the net back up. The rain continued, but Nadal found his rhythm within seconds, swiping violent forehands and backhands at his hitting partner.
With the light fading and the rain unrelenting, Nadal called it a day after 20 minutes, satisfied that he was ready for the doubles match he will play with partner Marc Lopez on Tuesday, and his first singles match on Wednesday.
"I am very happy to come back to this very nice club and to be back on grass, which is one of my favourite surfaces," said Nadal afterwards. "The conditions were not easy to practice in today, and I want to thank the Tournament organisers very much for letting me - I know that it's not the best for the court, but for me it was very important to make contact with the new surface (grass). This is always a very important tournament for me, I won it in 2008, I love to be back at this club, and I am going to try my best."
Nadal and Lopez will face Rainer Schuettler and Janko Tipsarevic in doubles on Tuesday, and then the Spaniard will take on Marcos Daniel in singles on Tuesday.
Wojciech Fibak ponownie o Rafaelu Nadalu :P
http://www.polskieradio.pl/sport/posluchaj.aspx
Wywiad po 5 zwycięstwie w Roland Garros (po finale RG10)
Q. I think we could tell by your emotions afterwards that it was a really, really special day for you. How special was it?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah. Very important victory for me. I think one of the most important victories in my career, I think.
Yeah, I told you 100 times, but was a difficult year for me the last year. So after this tournament last year was a difficult year, and I worked a lot to be here. I was very nervous during all the tournament, because I know before that that I was ready to try to win another time, and I saw the chances there.
But the very positive thing is today I was ready to play. I was ready to play with calm and to try my best and to enjoy the match.
I did, and was a very special day.
Q. You got Roland Garros title again and return to No. 1 ranking. So right now, which is more important for you right now?
RAFAEL NADAL: For me, I told you too, no, yesterday and a lot of times, I think that for me it's Roland Garros. This is the most important thing for me, no? (Pointing to trophy.)
After the No. 1 is there, yes. But I was No. 1, and believe me, I am very happy. When I was crying after the match, the last thing I was thinking was on the No. 1.
The first thing is the title and all the hours I worked a lot to be here another time.
Q. Holding back that trophy that had been yours since 2005, and that desire to want to hold it back again after losing it last year, does that explain how you fought in the breakpoints that Soderling had? You didn't lose any break points. Did you put like extra, some super concentration on those points?
RAFAEL NADAL: I try my best in every point.
I am in the every week we have weekly, the players, and we have the statistics, and I am the No. 1 on break points saved of the year. So specialist. (Laughter.)
Q. You always defend very well, but today you are against a guy who has a very big game. Your defense seemed even better than at some times in the past. How did you...
RAFAEL NADAL: Was very difficult to play against Robin. I think he's a great player. But at the same time, very difficult to play against because he has a big serve, very flat shots are long from the baseline, very good shots from both sides, forehand and backhand, and is very difficult to control.
It's almost impossible to have the control of the points against him. Today I felt great physically. I felt perfect mentally, too. I run. My movements was much better today than the rest of all the tournament.
So I am very happy how I played today, because I play with very good tactic, I think, and the movements was at my best level today.
Q. You win so many titles. Why do you say this one is the most important?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I didn't say it was the most important. I say it is one of the most important.
Is important because is one of the most important because I had difficult year, and for some moments was difficult to accept the injuries and everything. You know, for moments you don't know if you are ready another time to compete, you are 100%.
At the same time, sometimes is a big frustration when you are in US Open and you broke your an abdominal one week before and you are in Australia and have to retire during the quarterfinals match.
So all these moments are difficult to accept. I was there all the time, and for that reason, today is a very, very special day for me.
Q. Two days ago you said you preferred a sunny day, like sun is energy for you.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah.
Q. But today is not very sunny day. It was rainy in the morning. So could you explain what kind of condition it was out there today?
RAFAEL NADAL: Maybe I had a mistake before to say I would love to have a sunny day. Maybe it was better to have a day like today, cloudy. I don't know. I don't know.
My feeling before the match was we have a sunny day with hot, the bounce gonna be bigger and gonna be easier for me to control his ball.
But in the same time, this year the court is more slippery than usual. With this weather, the court is more normal clay court, you know.
At the same time, I can run better. I feel more (through translation) stable on court than when the court is very dry. So that's the very important point for me today.
Q. What I think you said was that this was the most emotional moment of your career.
RAFAEL NADAL: No.
Q. No?
RAFAEL NADAL: I didn't say that. (Laughter.) I say it is one of the more important moments in my career. But no, final of Wimbledon was amazing; second title here was amazing, and the first one, too.
Q. When you won, did you feel that this was a triumph of all the hardships that you've experienced over this past year?
RAFAEL NADAL: The feeling is when you win you know how many hours you had on court, how many hours you was thinking and working to play your best tennis, how much time you wait to win another time a title.
For me was 11 months without win a title, so a lot of tournaments going back to home without a victory. A lot of moments, difficult moments, because in a few of these tournaments I had to retired for the problems.
So is difficult moments to accept I say before, and this, sure, it's very important for me. It was personal goal to be back at my best. So I did.
And for me, sure, the important thing is Roland Garros. But for me the biggest thing is the personal satisfaction to be here, to be here another time and to be at the top level.
Q. I don't want to move on too quickly, but can you confirm, when will you first step on a grass court, and how is this gonna help you with your preparations for Wimbledon?
RAFAEL NADAL: The title here? I didn't understand.
Q. Everything that's happened here...
RAFAEL NADAL: The confidence always is the most important thing. So winning here and winning the last 22 matches on clay is always very good preparation for grass.
So tomorrow in afternoon I gonna be practicing on Queen's for not a lot of time. For 45 minutes. Maybe I will love to play doubles on Tuesday there to prepare.
And later, sure, I gonna play, I think, singles on Wednesday. So I love this tournament. I love Queen's always. I enjoy a lot to be there. It's different tournament because you play in a club. That makes the tournament very special.
I am feeling great all the time there.
Q. Was there any point in the past year where you feared that you would not get back to this level of tennis? Did you fear that, you know, to yourself, Maybe I won't be there?
RAFAEL NADAL: Sure. I think everybody have doubts, have his doubts on himself, no? I am not an exception.
And, sure, for a moment when I worked a lot at home during all December, my feeling was I was in perfect conditions to try to win in Australia because I played really well in Abu Dhabi and in Doha, too.
And when I had to retire from there was very difficult moment. Go out of court in any tournament is very hard, especially in a Grand Slam.
Sure, the biggest or most important thing is not the match that you are losing the match, the harder thing is you gonna be another three weeks without practice at home recovering. So that's hard for me.
Q. When you were sitting on the bench today with the towel in your face, in the towel, what was going through your mind?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. I was there crying, but was really emotional moment for me. But probably is because of the situation. I didn't thought about a lot of things but the moment, and after, a lot of nervous, a lot of pression for me and a difficult year.
After you win this big title is, everything is you lose your tension. I don't know.
Q. Did you learn anything this season about how much is necessary to play before coming into Roland Garros, and how does your body feel now compared to previous years?
RAFAEL NADAL: I didn't understand the first thing.
Q. Did you learn something about how much you need to play before the French Open this year? Second, how does your body feel physically compared to the last few years coming out of this tournament?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no. You know, I played three tournaments before Roland Garros. That's the usual thing. In 2005 I play three, I think. Yeah, I played Monte Carlo, Barcelona well I played in Valencia, but I played Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Rome. I didn't play Hamburg. 2006, I played Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Rome. I didn't play Hamburg.
And 2007 and 8 years I played all four. But I don't know. It's depends of the moment. I think for me this year probably because I had a lot of problems on the knees, so I decided to play only three weeks.
But you never know in the future what's going on. And, sure, three tournaments the problem on tennis is you can't say, I gonna play three tournaments, because if you lose early you play five matches.
So is depends of the matches you play, no? If you win three, sure, it's enough. But if you lose in the first round, second, third round, this can't be enough of tournaments for me. So depends of the victories.
Q. Can you compare physically how you feel now versus last few years?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no, physically I feeling great. I didn't have any problems, so that's the most important thing for me. Because if I am healthy again, enjoy playing tennis, that's the main thing.
If you have problems, is impossible to enjoy and is very difficult to play at your best, because you have too many problems. If you think about the knees, you can't think about the ball.
You can play with pain, but not... (through translation) You have a pain that limitate your movements, is impossible to play at the best level.
Q. Because you weren't able to defend your title last year at Wimbledon, do you go in with the mentality that you are a defending champion because it's your first opportunity to go back? What sort of mentality will you go in now that you are once you again French champion?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, see the points I have, so everything is improve. No, no, I not going thinking about I was the last champion. Two years happen after my victory, so a lot of things change.
I gonna try my best like I did every year to arrive there in my best conditions. Last year wasn't possible. This year I gonna do the same like I did every year: play Queen's, have a few days at home, and before Wimbledon practice there. Wednesday I think I gonna arrive there.
And that's all. That's all. That's what I can say I gonna do. I gonna try my best every day to adapt to the grass as fast as possible.
Q. Do you feel like the best ever on clay now?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. No, I sure that the numbers are unbelievable for me, no? I never thought to have the chance to win this tournament, five titles, five times or Monte Carlo six or Barcelona five, I think, too, or Rome for me five.
For me, that's more than a dream. When I see these titles and these numbers, for me is amazing. I don't know how I did.
But first of all, you gonna be very arrogant if I say for myself I am the best of the history. Second thing, I don't believe I don't believe I am the best of the history. I try my best every day, and we will see when I finish my career. I not gonna be who decide if I am the best or not. You maybe, but not me, sure.
Q. Will you celebrate tonight, or what are the plans?
RAFAEL NADAL: Difficult to have a big celebration if you have to practice tomorrow. (Laughter.)
Q. No party?
RAFAEL NADAL: I gonna have time, eh? At the summer at home after Wimbledon, Mallorca is unbelievable celebration to do. (Laughter.)
THE MODERATOR: Questions in Spanish, please.
Q. Let me ask my question again. You spoke in French to the French crowd. Will you end up being a diplomate?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I'm not very smart with languages, but I have no shame talking in a language which is not mine. I was very shy, but I'm recovering from that. I have no problem with that. At the beginning I spoke very bad English. I could not understand anything, but I have improved.
As for French, I understand French pretty well. I can understand almost everything when they speak slowly, because it sounds like the Spanish and the language we speak in Mallorca, so I can try and speak it even if I speak it badly.
Q. Why would you bite the Cup each time? Is there a story behind that?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I did that in Monte Carlo for the first time during my first Masters, and then the journalists asked me to do it again for the picture. I do it just to please the photographers.
Q. The Spanish flag you were supposed to wear, were you wearing it today?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, it's a fan who gave it to me in Madrid, and he said it's going to be good luck.
Q. What kind of objectives do you have for Wimbledon?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think I'll be top seed in Wimbledon, because that's a tournament I am very comfortable with. But please let me enjoy this day before I start talking about Wimbledon. Please give me that time to savor the moment, because it's really a special moment for me.
Tomorrow when I start practicing in Queen's, then we can start talking about Wimbledon. But first, let me appreciate the day. I was very fortunate my friend Marc accepted to play the doubles with me. So I'll prepare to get ready for the tournament in Queens.
This is a big favor, because I don't think I'll be his best partner in doubles. But I'm very happy. I'll try and practice and spend as much time on the court this week to, you know, find my momentum on grass.
That's my objective. I'll try and arrive as prepared as possible to play my best Wimbledon ever.
Q. One of your major objectives was Roland Garros, and you won. Now, what's your second most important objective? Would it be to be No. 1 in the world, to win Wimbledon?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I think winning any other tournament would be better for me than being No. 1 in the world; winning at Wimbledon or the US Open would be incredible for me.
Q. You're back to your 2008 level. You even exceeded that. How far are you planning to go, and would you say that you're in the same shape as 2008 or better?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I don't like making comparisons. I don't want to compare, and I don't want to compare to 2008. I'm very happy about the way I play.
I'm very happy I can play. And as you all know, Roger Federer played very well and he was very happy he played in Australia and Miami, and it's just the same for me.
I'm just happy I can maintain my game at this level for as long as I can. And to achieve that, I need to be in very good health. So I do everything I cannot to get injured. That's how I can go through difficult moments.
You always need to learn from difficult moments to face the future.
Q. Could you explain your tears? Were you crying of joy?
RAFAEL NADAL: Relief, joy. Joy, certainly. It was a great personal satisfaction, because my family, my team, myself, all those who supported me and helped me be back...
Well, it's true that I played this tournament with more anxiety. I was slightly more nervous than usual. I went through difficult moments because I couldn't find, you know, my momentum on the court.
Then it was very emotional, you know, winning, and last week Astruch died. I was very sad. I couldn't attend the funerals, and this was a delightful woman. We miss her, and that was very sad for me.
Q. Can you tell us again the relationship you have to this clay here in Paris?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, how can I say? I mean, when I was a kid, I did not consider myself as a clay court specialist. But apparently since 2005, well, clay has been the surface of which I achieved the best results and which I best adapted my way to move and to play.
Apparently my game is perfectly suited to this surface. I love it with all my heart, because it gave me so much joy. Winning here in Paris is ever so special.
All tournaments I win give me huge satisfaction, but winning a Grand Slam tournament here in Paris, despite the fact I lost last year because I was not well prepared and I had very low morale last year, as well.
But this time I'm back. I'm back and I win. Maybe this is the tournament I most wanted to win.
Q. So you've equalled McEnroe and Wilander's record. Do you consider yourself as a great tennis player?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, that's exactly the kind of question I don't like, because then people say I'm arrogant, that I'm fat headed. What do you mean, being a great player?
As I said, I try to play my best tennis, to play my best game, to do everything I can. If figures and statistics say I've been a good player over the last years, well, I'll continue and play as best as I can to maintain those figures as long as I can.
As I said, it's a huge pleasure for me to be here in Paris. I am in Paris. I won in Paris. I'm very lucky, and I was very fortunate in life to have had the opportunity of experiencing all this at the age of 24.
Never in my wildest dream would I have dreamt of such beautiful presents. Life was very kind to me.
A man on the move, Nadal keeps improving
PARIS -- Rafael Nadal is a man on the move.
That's the way he plays tennis, scampering all over the court with endless energy, and the way he approaches his career.
As of Monday, he once again has risen to No. 1 in the rankings, overtaking Roger Federer. Nadal is the first man to win five French Open championships in six years. He owns seven Grand Slam titles overall.
And, don't forget, he is less than a week past his 24th birthday.
So how did Nadal plan to mark the occasion? A champagne-fueled party? An afternoon spent touring the City of Light? A few well-deserved days off?
Not quite. No, here was Nadal's schedule for Monday: the obligatory photo op with his latest trophy from Roland Garros, followed by a Eurostar train trip through the Channel Tunnel to London, followed by an evening practice session on a grass court.
He already is moving on and moving ahead -- thinking about Wimbledon, which begins June 21, and thinking about how he can get better.
"There are still a lot of things missing. I must continue to improve. To really be satisfied, I have to become the best tennis player of all time. That'd be really great," Nadal said Sunday evening, a few hours after completely dominating Robin Soderling to win the French Open final 6-4, 6-2, 6-4.
"That's why I try to progress every day. I try to improve my serve, my forehand, my backhand, even my volley," the Spaniard said. "That makes me happy."
Put simply, Nadal and his uncle, Toni, his coach since Rafael was 4, are never satisfied, no matter how good the guy's game appears to be.
To that end, Uncle Toni scours YouTube, looking for videos of top players in action, and then he makes his nephew watch and try to copy certain skills. One recent project involved studying the serve of Andy Murray, a two-time Grand Slam runner-up currently ranked No. 4.
"Murray," Toni Nadal explained, "has a very easy, good serve."
The older Nadal likes Murray's wrist action and wanted the lefty-playing Rafael to mimic it. But away from a tennis court, Rafael is right-handed -- watch him sign autographs after a match, for example -- and when he attempted to snap his left wrist, racket in hand, the new, Murray-like movement did not come naturally.
They've examined pieces of other players, too, including the footwork of 16-time Grand Slam champion Federer.
"We can look and watch his legs," Toni Nadal said.
All the work the Nadals put in, on and off the court, is part of the evolution of an elite player.
There are obvious changes, such as standing closer to the baseline than Nadal used to, and more subtle ones, such as to his serve, which is much more of an asset now than it once was.
On Sunday, Nadal saved all eight break points he faced and delivered the same number of aces, seven, as the taller, harder-hitting Soderling.
"His offensive capabilities have improved tenfold, and his serve has improved exponentially, and his court position. So he's gotten way better than he was five years ago, in my mind," Brad Gilbert, who used to coach Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick, said after Sunday's final.
"His game is more economical. His movement is still amazing, but he's playing a much (better) brand of offense, so that's why I think that he's better now than ever," Gilbert said.
It's the constant striving that helped Nadal snap an 11-month title drought that began in May 2009: He has won 22 consecutive matches and four tournaments in a row.
"He never takes anything for granted, and he'll tell you that he'll be nervous, probably, about his first-round match. And that's why he's so great," Gilbert said. "Nothing is a foregone conclusion, but to me, as long as he's healthy, he's going to have another six to eight good cracks at" winning the French Open, a title only Bjorn Borg, with six, captured more times than Nadal already has.
Gilbert's reference to Nadal's health is significant. His all-out style takes its toll, and could be one reason Nadal never has been past the semifinals at the U.S. Open, the final major tournament each season.
He was hampered by an abdominal muscle injury at Flushing Meadows in September, then quit during his quarterfinal against Murray at the Australian Open in January because of a bad right knee.
Tendinitis in both knees slowed Nadal last season, limiting him during his fourth-round loss to Soderling at the French Open -- the only blemish in a 38-1 career record at Roland Garros -- and forcing him to withdraw from Wimbledon instead of defending his 2008 title there.
In 2009, which Nadal called "a difficult year," he also was dealing with his parents' separation.
Both he and his uncle acknowledged Sunday they harbored doubts about whether Nadal would be able to regain his previous form. The recent run of success -- including winning all 21 sets he played at the French Open, capped by the masterful performance against Soderling -- showed that Nadal is, indeed, back.
Now he heads to England and its grass courts.
Nadal is entered in the Queen's Club tournament this week, and then will return to Wimbledon. He reached the final each of the last three times he competed at the All England Club, finishing runner-up to Federer in 2006 and 2007, then edging him 9-7 in the fifth set two years ago.
Looking forward, never behind, Nadal vowed Sunday: "I'm going to try my best every day to adapt to the grass as fast as possible."
Nadal wygrał na trawie pierwszy mecz od dwóch lat
Rafael Nadal w pierwszym od dwóch lat meczu na trawie pokonał Marcosa Daniela 6:2, 6:2. W czwartek Hiszpan zagra o ćwierćfinał londyńskiego turnieju w Queen's z Kazachem Denisem Istominem.
W niedzielę Nadal wygrał turniej French Open. Długo nie cieszył się tym sukcesem, bo już po trzech dniach miał pierwszy mecz w londyńskiej imprezie Queen's.
Przejście z kortów ziemnych na trawę nie sprawiło mu żadnych problemów, mimo że Nadal nie grał na tej nawierzchni od sezonu 2008.
W zeszłym roku Hiszpan stracił cały sezon na trawie. Po sensacyjnym odpadnięciu z French Open zrobił sobie przerwę na podreperowanie zdrowia. Nadal narzekał na przeciążone kolana i wrócił do gry dopiero w sierpniu, kiedy wszyscy przenieśli się na twarde korty.
- Cieszę się, że znów mogłem zagrać na trawie, bo lubię próbować różnych rzeczy. Gra na tej nawierzchni to zawsze wyzwanie, tak jakby od nowa uczyć się tenisowego rzemiosła - powiedział po gładkim zwycięstwie Rafa Nadal.
Pierwszy tenisista z rankingu ATP w pierwszej rundzie miał wolny los, a w drugiej bez kłopotów ograł 31-letniego Brazylijczyka Marcosa Daniela. Momentami sprawiał wrażenie, jakby bawił się z rywalem, a spotkanie wyglądało trochę jak trening Hiszpana.
Dzięki tej wygranej Nadal przedłużył wspaniałą serię na trawie do 13. zwycięstw z rzędu. Dobrą passę rozpoczął dwa lata temu, kiedy wygrał turniej w Queen's, a potem triumfował w Wimbledonie.
Nadal jest głodny gry, ale też pamięta o świętowaniu sukcesu sprzed kilku dni. Triumf w Paryżu będzie jeszcze miał okazję opijać. - Tym zwycięstwem będę mógł się nacieszyć dopiero po Wimbledonie - powiedział Nadal, zdradzając, że pojedzie świętować w swoje rodzinne strony na Majorkę.
Nadal calls for less hard-court tennis
No matter where Rafael Nadal goes at Queen's Club, there seems to be no hiding place for the popular Spaniard.
His troublesome knees denied British fans a chance to see Nadal in full flow last year as he ducked out of defending his titles at Queen's and Wimbledon.
Twelve months on and it seems that from the moment Nadal steps out of his silver courtesy car at Queen's, he has a large group of fans snapping at his heels.
Children are rewarded for their patience with a pat on their heads and in case the seven-times grand slam champion had any doubts about his skills on the tennis court, one little voice told him: "You're so good."
The Pied Piper of Queen's Club flashed his teeth at the observation but away from the crowd, the smile disappeared as he grumbled about the prolonged hardcourt season after making a winning comeback at Queen's on Wednesday.
"For me, the worst surface is hardcourt; not grass, not clay. Hardcourt is very difficult, is very, very aggressive for the ankles, for the knees, for the back, for everything," said the world number one, who was also forced to retire injured during his Australian Open quarter-final this year.
Unfortunately for Nadal, apart from the two-month claycourt swing which culminates with the French Open and the four-week run of grasscourt tournaments, the rest of the tennis calendar is predominantly made up of hardcourt events.
Since maintaining hard surfaces is more cost-effective than clay and grass courts -- which is why both the Australian and U.S. Open ditched the green lawn from their venues -- it is unlikely Nadal's observation will carry any weight.
"Seems like tennis is always moving to play more and more in these kind of (hard) surfaces but my feeling is it's always a big mistake because the grass is soft, the clay is soft, and the movements are more natural," said Nadal, who in 2008 became the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to complete the French Open-Wimbledon double.
"On hard you (play) all the time very aggressive. That's bad for the knees and for the ankles, for everything. I feel it worse when I play on hard and than the rest of the surfaces."
Nadal not impressed with return to No. 1 ranking
Rafael Nadal insists that returning to the No. 1 ranking at the expense of Roger Federer means almost nothing to him, with the top seed at Queen's club much more concerned with building his form on grass.
"Nothing special, it's nothing special for me," said the Queen's top seed and 2008 Wimbledon titleholder over Federer. "It's not a goal for to be No. 1. OK I'm No. 1 and yes, I'm very happy to be No. 1. But it's because I've done things well for the past year. I've had very regular results.
"In the second half of 2009, I wasn't able to win big events, but I was in the semi-finals and that was positive for me."
The Spaniard, now with four titles in 2010 - a fifth French Open an three Masters 1000s - said this season has been a dream compared to the last. "No. 1 is very good news, but what makes me more happy is to be healthy, compete at the top level - and for sure, win Roland Garros."
Dla miłośników statystyk:
Wczorajsze zwycięstwo było 24 z rzędu w tym sezonie
Ostatni raz Nadal przegrał na trawie z Federerem w 2007 roku od tego czasu jest niepokonany (ma 14 zwycięstw z rzędu)
Pośladki Nadala napędziły stracha kibicom
Rafa Nadal w czasie meczu 1/8 finału znienacka poprosił o pomoc fizjoterapeutę. Publiczność na kortach Queen's Clubu zamarła, ale okazało się, że Nadal jest tylko przewrażliwiony.
W trzeciej rundzie Nadal grał z Denisem Istominem. Po drugim secie, kiedy Uzbek odrobił straty, Hiszpan ni stąd, ni zowąd poprosił o przerwę medyczną.
- Coś mnie zabolało z tyłu nogi i chciałem się poradzić fizjoterapeuty - zdradził pierwszy tenisista na świecie. Wcześniej Nadal nie dawał żadnych oznak kontuzji, więc napędził kibicom niemałego stracha. Nie była to też zagrywka na wybicie przeciwnika z rytmu, który w tym meczu radził sobie nadspodziewanie dobrze.
Rafael Nadal chciał po prostu dmuchać na zimne. Z powodu kontuzji stracił cały poprzedni sezon na trawie. Wypadł z gry na kilka miesięcy i był to najczarniejszy okres w jego karierze. Nie chciał przechodzić po raz drugi tego samego koszmaru, dlatego zawołał specjalistę.
Masażysta w kilka minut rozmasował Nadalowi pośladki i po chwili Hiszpan był gotowy do dalszej gry. Z Istominem wygrał 7:6 (7-4), 4:6, 6:4 i awansował do ćwierćfinału tego małego londyńskiego turnieju, który darzy ogromnym sentymentem, bo wygrywa tu jak na zawołanie.
- Wszystko ze mną w porządku - uśmiechał się Nadal po meczu, dając jasny sygnał, że jego występ w tegorocznym Wimbledonie nie jest zagrożony. - Choć nie odpowiadała mi pogoda. Padało i wiał mocny wiatr. Wolę grać, kiedy świeci słońce. Mam nadzieję, że tak będzie w kolejnych meczach - zażyczył sobie tenisista z Majorki.
eurosport.pl
Koniec passy Nadala. Wybrał mundial?
W piątkowe popołudnie na kortach angielskiego Queen's Clubu zakończyła się zwycięska passa Rafaela Nadala. Lider światowego rankingu ATP przegrał w ćwierćfinale turnieju w Londynie z Hiszpanem Feliciano Lopezem (31. ATP) 6:7(5), 4:6 i zakończył serię 24 zwycięstw z rzędu.
Nie wydaje się jednak, aby niespodziewana porażka przyprawiła hiszpańskiego tenisistę o ból głowy. Po pierwsze, Nadal zyskał dzięki temu kilka dni na podładowanie baterii i zaleczenie wszelkich drobnych urazów przed Wimbledonem. A po drugie, zyskał możliwość śledzenie w telewizji meczów piłkarskich mistrzostw świata w RPA. "Mundial zawsze! Mundial zawsze!" - tak brzmiały pierwsze słowa Nadala wypowiedziane po przegranym spotkaniu z Lopezem.
- W szatni oglądałem początek meczu otwarcia - przyznał 24-letni Hiszpan. - Nie uda mi się zobaczyć spotkania Francji z Urugwajem. W tym czasie mam niestety zaplanowany lot. Nie mam jednak zamiaru opuścić pozostałych konfrontacji w RPA. Piłka nożna jest moim ulubionym sportem - dodał.
Ostatniej porażki w tourze Nadal doznał z rąk Andy'ego Roddicka w Miami (2 kwietnia). Jednak w piątek, mimo pierwszego przegranego meczu od ponad dwóch miesięcy, Hiszpan nie miał złego humoru.
- Moja gra naprawdę wyglądała dobrze. Szczególnie dobrze funkcjonował dzisiaj mój forhend. Żałuję, że w tie-breaku popsułem aż trzy piłki, stojąc na końcowej linii - wyznał "Rafa", który w Londynie zdołał wygrać dwa wcześniejsze pojedynki. - Cieszę się również, że nie dolegał mi dzisiaj ból pleców. We wczorajszym meczu z Denisem Istominem ból ten bardzo mi przeszkadzał. Szkoda, że przerwa pomiędzy Roland Garros a Wimbledonem jest tak krótka. Dwa tygodnie gry na trawie po wyczerpującym sezonie na ziemi, to stanowczo zbyt mało - zakończył
DUN I LOVE napisał:
Pośladki Nadala napędziły stracha kibicom
Rafa Nadal w czasie meczu 1/8 finału znienacka poprosił o pomoc fizjoterapeutę. Publiczność na kortach Queen's Clubu zamarła, ale okazało się, że Nadal jest tylko przewrażliwiony.
W trzeciej rundzie Nadal grał z Denisem Istominem. Po drugim secie, kiedy Uzbek odrobił straty, Hiszpan ni stąd, ni zowąd poprosił o przerwę medyczną.
- Coś mnie zabolało z tyłu nogi i chciałem się poradzić fizjoterapeuty - zdradził pierwszy tenisista na świecie. Wcześniej Nadal nie dawał żadnych oznak kontuzji, więc napędził kibicom niemałego stracha. Nie była to też zagrywka na wybicie przeciwnika z rytmu, który w tym meczu radził sobie nadspodziewanie dobrze.
Rafael Nadal chciał po prostu dmuchać na zimne. Z powodu kontuzji stracił cały poprzedni sezon na trawie. Wypadł z gry na kilka miesięcy i był to najczarniejszy okres w jego karierze. Nie chciał przechodzić po raz drugi tego samego koszmaru, dlatego zawołał specjalistę.
Masażysta w kilka minut rozmasował Nadalowi pośladki i po chwili Hiszpan był gotowy do dalszej gry. Z Istominem wygrał 7:6 (7-4), 4:6, 6:4 i awansował do ćwierćfinału tego małego londyńskiego turnieju, który darzy ogromnym sentymentem, bo wygrywa tu jak na zawołanie.
- Wszystko ze mną w porządku - uśmiechał się Nadal po meczu, dając jasny sygnał, że jego występ w tegorocznym Wimbledonie nie jest zagrożony. - Choć nie odpowiadała mi pogoda. Padało i wiał mocny wiatr. Wolę grać, kiedy świeci słońce. Mam nadzieję, że tak będzie w kolejnych meczach - zażyczył sobie tenisista z Majorki.eurosport.pl
Oczywiście tylko Djoković to szm*ta,faker, bałkański cheater.
Calm before Wimbledon storm for home-loving Nadal
Calm before Wimbledon storm for home-loving Nadal Rafael Nadal is spending a few days in the relaxing environs of his island home of Mallorca before venturing back to Britain for the stress of Wimbledon, which begins in a week.
"I feel ready to come back at home and to enjoy a little bit of my home and the family, the friends," said the world No. 1 after exiting in the Queen's club quarter-finals. "Since March I've not even spent a week at home."
Nadal, who will also be keeping an eye on the World Cup football during his brief respite of friends, family and food - plus golf - added: "It will be a positive thing for me to be there and to enjoy a little bit Mallorca weather and the island too."
The Spaniard's camp firmly believe that chilling out is the best preparation for the five-time French Open winner. "To be at home for a few days is very positive for Wimbledon," said Nadal.
"I'll go there (Wimbledon) with good motivation, I think. I'm gonna see the family and friends, have some dinner and maybe play some golf. When I get back (Wednesday) I'm going to have more time to practise and to adjust a little bit more the serve, a little bit more the backhand and the movements on the grass."
Nadal says second seeding at Wimbledon no problem
Rafael Nadal is back in London after a long weekend at home in Mallorca, with the world No. 1 Spaniard unconcerned about being seeded second behind six-time champion Roger Federer at Wimbledon.
Even referee Andrew Jarrett all but admitted there is nothing to separate the top two men in the game as the grass-court Grand Slam start Monday.
Nadal is taking his typical attitude of putting his head down and working as the Spaniard aims to do better than his nation's World Cup team, which lost to Switzerland in group play in South Africa.
"I'm very excited to be playing “at one of the most important tournaments of the year”, Nadal told his website before leaving Spain. "I want to play well and win more points" which would cushion his lead in the ATP rankings over Federer. "I'll do everything possible to train these next few days and get the best preparation possible."
Meanwhile Team Nadal will travel to Tokyo to play the October Japan Open for the first time, with Nadal headlining as top seed.
The Spaniard's presence will hopefully help out sagging attendance at the once-formidable event in the capital. Also entered are Andy Roddick and defending champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Łukasz Iwanek: Nadal mocny jak nigdy przedtem
Kto wieszczył upadek króla Rafaela Nadala w niedzielę 6 czerwca musiał być mocno rozczarowany. Oto leworęczny tenisista z Majorki pozbierał się po ubiegłorocznym upokorzeniu i wziął srogi rewanż na Robinie Söderlingu. To był prawdopodobnie najlepszy z jego występów w Paryżu.
Oglądając finał tegorocznego Roland Garros można było odnieść wrażenie, że Söderling nie był sobą, był dziwnie ospały, wolny, pasywny. Po obejrzeniu tego meczu na spokojnie po raz drugi zmieniłem jednak zdanie. To był najlepszy mecz Nadal w Paryżu! Gdy kolejne piłki, które w zamierzeniu miały być kończącymi wracały na jego stronę Söderling miał prawo poczuć się, jakby walczył z robotem. Miał prawo się zniechęcić, gdy Nadal przebijał na drugą stronę piłki, do których wielu by nawet nie ruszyło. Hiszpan był spokojny, pewny siebie, nie dał się wyprowadzić z równowagi, pokazał tenis dojrzały, dynamiczny, świetnie zorganizowany. To nie był Nadal z najlepszych lat, to był najlepszy Nadal, jakiego widziałem. Przeszedł przez cały turniej bez straty seta, mając nie wiele wahań, takich jak w końcówce trzeciego seta meczu z Melzerem. Był skoncentrowany, konsekwentny, po prostu niezniszczalny. Nikt nie mógł go ograć. Söderling był szybki, ale przy doskonałym Nadalu wydawał się wolny i ślamazarny, nieporadny.
Owszem, można zarzucić Szwedowi, że za szybko się poddał. Ale nie tacy pękali w starciu z leworęcznym tenisistą z Majorki na paryskiej mączce. Roger Federer w finale 2008 poniósł jedną z najbardziej upokarzających porażek w swojej karierze. Takie są współczesne realia, że zdrowy Nadal na ziemi jest póki co nieosiągalny dla nikogo. Jeszcze się taki nie pojawił, co byłby w stanie mu poważniej zagrozić. Söderling w zeszłym roku w IV rundzie był tylko jednorazowym wybrykiem będącym efektem kontuzji Hiszpana.
Nadal przeszedł do historii jako pierwszy tenisista, który w jednym sezonie wygrał trzy turnieje rangi Masters 1000 (Monte Carlo, Rzym i Madryt) oraz Roland Garros. Jednocześnie jest pierwszym, który wygrał trzy turnieje z serii Masters 1000 z rzędu. 22 wygrane spotkania, dwa stracone sety - oto dorobek króla kortów ziemnych, który odrodził się w wielkim stylu. Na 39 rozegranych spotkań w Roland Garros Hiszpan wygrał 38 ani razu nie musząc rozgrywać pięciosetówki (stracił w sumie siedem setów). Już po raz drugi przeszedł przez Międzynarodowe Mistrzostwa Francji (wcześniej w 2008 roku) bez straty seta. Jako pierwszy tenisista zdobył w Paryżu pięć tytułów w ciągu sześciu lat. W swoim dorobku Nadal ma już 18 tytułów w imprezach rangi Masters 1000 i jest samodzielnym rekordzistą (Andre Agassi zdobył ich 17). Poza tym pokonując w Paryżu w IV rundzie Thomaza Bellucciego odniósł 200. zwycięstwo na kortach ziemnych osiągając taki wynik jako najmłodszy tenisista w historii. W ciągu tych nieco ponad dwóch miesięcy za sprawą Rafy Nadala byliśmy świadkami wielu wydarzeń, których przez długie lata nikt nie przyćmi.
Ci, którzy zwiastowali, że pewna epoka się kończy, w tym Agassi, bardzo się pomylili. Nadal ma za sobą najlepszy sezon na ceglanej mączce. Bardzo dobrze zrobił, że tym razem zrezygnował ze startu w Barcelonie (choć sponsorzy mocno na niego naciskali) i dzięki temu zachował świeżość przez te ponad dwa miesiące.
Teraz jego kolejnym celem będzie odzyskać tytuł na Wimbledonie, którego nie mógł przed rokiem bronić z powodu kontuzji. W Queens Club w Londynie przegrał w ćwierćfinale z rodakiem Feliciano Lópezem ponosząc pierwszą porażkę po 24 kolejno wygranych spotkaniach. Ale kiedyś musiał przegrać, żaden tenisista nie jest w stanie wygrywać wszystkich spotkań. Nawet on, choć wydaje się niezniszczalny, jest tylko człowiekiem. Ta porażka nie powinna jednak odbić na jego dyspozycji podczas Wimbledonu, do którego przystąpi wypoczęty i grając tenis coraz lepszy technicznie (co roku widzimy, jak wzbogaca go o nowe zagrania, choć wydawać by się mogło, że jest już doskonały) po raz drugi może zostać królem All England Club. W dalszej perspektywie będzie chciał wygrać po raz pierwszy US Open. A za rok będzie walczył o szósty tytuł w Paryżu i wyrównanie rekordu Björna Borga. Mimo ledwie 24 lat, jakie skończył 3 czerwca, ma o co walczyć i nie spocznie, póki nie zrealizuje wszystkich swoich celów. Geniusz z Majorki zawsze dostaje to czego chce, na przekór wszystkim, którzy wróżą mu rychły koniec.
To był prawdopodobnie najlepszy z jego występów w Paryżu.
W tym roku z całą pewnością. :D
A cóż to za klakier, Skoop Malinowski reaktywacja?
W zasadzie powielenie treści z zagranicznych artykułów. Nadal jest niezniszczalny, przegrywa tylko jak ma kontuzję itp itd
Połowa tenisowego internetu składa się z tego typu publikacji. Oznacza to tyle, że faktycznie Nadal2008 to zero przy obecnym tenisiście z Majorki. :D
Bulldozer Nadal ready for SW19 tilt
Rafael Nadal crushed all in his path as he bulldozed through the clay-court season but only a full-tilt Wimbledon challenge next week will provide unequivocal proof that the Spaniard is back at the peak of his powers.
From the moment he turned professional Nadal has been too good for pretty much everybody on red dirt but it was his breathtaking ascent to Wimbledon champion in 2008 that marked him down as a player ready to end Roger Federer's domination.
After 2009 turned into a bad year, Nadal is now firing on all cylinders and has set his sights on reclaiming the title he was unable to defend 12 months ago through injury.
Six-times champion Roger Federer stands in his way, so too do American powerhouse Andy Roddick and Britain's Andy Murray, not to mention several other dangerous grass-court grazers.
All eyes will be on Nadal, though, to see if he can pick up where he left off in 2008 when he illuminated the Centre Court gloom to leave Federer shuffling off into the shadows.
There is no doubt that being denied the chance to defend his title last year by his aching knees was one of the lowest moments of Nadal's career.
"I'm not going thinking about I was the champion two years ago," Nadal said at Queen's Club last week where he won a couple of matches before losing to close friend Feliciano Lopez.
"A lot of things change. But like I did every year, I'll try to arrive in my best condition. Last year it wasn't possible. I'm going to try and adapt to the grass as fast as possible."
The prospect of Nadal and Federer coming face to face to contest a Grand Slam final again is mouth-watering, particularly as the pause button has been pressed on their rivalry.
Their recent meeting in the Madrid final was their first clash for a year and only their third duel since Nadal's stunning five-set victory on a near-dark Wimbledon Centre Court in 2008.
Nie ma to jak rzetelny, bezstronny "felieton" popełniony przez fana.
Wimbledon - Nadal eyes World Cup revenge
When Rafael Nadal sat down to watch Spain's opening World Cup match, he could not have anticipated a 1-0 defeat to Switzerland for his team.
Wimbledon may give him the chance to even the score, if he can snatch the title back from Roger Federer.
Swiss Federer took full advantage of Nadal's absence from the All England Club last year to win a sixth Wimbledon title but could find the fit-again Spaniard blocking his path to a record-equalling seventh.
Nadal, who could have followed his uncle Miguel Angel Nadal into professional football if he had not turned to tennis, practised at a blustery Wimbledon on Saturday and looked refreshed after an energy-sapping claycourt season.
"I saw (Federer) just a second ago here. I congratulated him for the football," Nadal told reporters. "We probably didn't play our best but we never should have lost that match. It was very bad luck, I think."
It was not the best omen for the 24-year-old Mallorcan but he is just glad to be back at the scene of arguably his greatest career moment - the intense, five-set cliff-hanger of a final in 2008 when he brought Federer to his knees.
"That title was probably one of the more emotional moments in my career because I worked hard all my life to improve my tennis on the other surfaces than clay," he said.
"(Wimbledon) has very nice memories and it's always a pleasure to be here in this very beautiful club," added Nadal, who lost to Federer in the 2006 and 2007 finals.
Nadal erased any lingering doubts about his knees with a superb, 22-match winning streak on clay, culminating in a fifth French Open title this month.
After winning two matches on grass at Queen's Club, Nadal lost to compatriot Feliciano Lopez which at least gave him a chance for a few days' sleep in his own bed back in Mallorca before he returned to London on Wednesday to prepare for Wimbledon.
Nadal said only time would tell whether his claycourt workload would take its toll but at least he will start Wimbledon firing on all cylinders.
"If you are fresh like ice but you are playing bad you're going to lose. If you are playing very well but you are too tired, probably you are going to have the chances to win a few rounds, but finally you are going to lose," he said.
"That's what happened for me in the U.S. Open in 2008. But I am not very tired; I don't know if I am fresh or not.
"After winning three tournaments, very important tournaments for me, and Roland Garros, you lose a little bit of attention for the moments but I hope to be ready to play well on Tuesday."
Nadal faces Japanese 20-year-old Kei Nishikori in the first round.
"He has amazing potential; I think he has enough potential to be in the top 10," Nadal said.
Nadal happy to be back at Wimbledon
Rafael Nadal is back at Wimbledon and loving every minute of his return to the place where he won what he calls "the most important tournament in the world" in 2008.
Nadal was unable to defend his Wimbledon title last summer because of knee problems, but any concerns about ongoing ability to play tennis at the highest level have been dismissed by his storming run through the clay court season - a run which brought him the titles in Monte Carlo, Madrid, Rome and then his fifth Roland Garros title in six years.
And how has that demanding spell left him as he prepares for Wimbledon? At the Queen's Club tournament immediately after Paris he lost early as he renewed acquaintance with grass. "I was the first week for me on grass after a lot of matches on clay," he said. "I tried my best but I had a little bit of a problem with my leg, so I was scared to run at 100 per cent. But now I am fine, I am perfect."
"This tournament [Wimbledon] is very special," he added. "This is true for everybody because it is the nicest tournament in the world. For me it was always a special ambition to play well here. I did that for three years and finally won. So to be here brings back very nice memories. It is always a pleasure to be at this very beautiful club. It is a very personal satisfaction to be here after a 2009 season which wasn't easy."
Asked what was most important as he prepared a new assault on Wimbledon, Nadal insisted, "Everything is important. If you are fresh like ice but playing bad, you're going to lose. If you are playing very well but are too tired, which is what happened to me at the US Open in 2008, you gonna have the chances to win a few rounds but finally you gonna lose. The clay season was a hard one for me this year, but I am not very tired and I hope to be ready to play well on Tuesday in my first match."
Following his early defeat at Queen's Nadal seized the chance to fly home to Mallorca for a short break. "I went to a party with friends, I played golf, I go to the beach." It was perfect, he claimed, except for indifferent weather on the last two days.
Now comes the opportunity to repeat what he says was "one of the most emotional moments in my career" when he defeated Roger Federer in the 2008 final. "I worked hard all my life to improve my tennis on surfaces other than clay. Winning the most important tournament in the world on the most difficult surface was very important for me."
As for improving on his already impressive total of seven Grand Slam titles, Nadal said, "I go day to day. I am not thinking about 16 Grand Slams and these crazy things, just about the first match here . I have seven [Slams] and that's more than I dreamed of five years ago. So I am already very happy about my career. But four months ago people were saying they didn't know if I would have another time at the top.
"Four months later, everything has changed. In your career you have a lot of good moments and bad ones. The important thing is to have enough motivation to keep working all the days with humility and trying to be a better player than before. I am going to try to continue doing this."
Nadal 2.0 is a more formidable foe
Rafael Nadal is someone else this year. The way I see it, he is Rafael Nadal 2.0. A year ago when he lost spectacularly in four sets to Robin Soderling in the fourth round of Roland Garros, one could see the spirit of the champion, but somehow the intensity was lacking.
His niggling injuries and broken family (the divorce of his parents) led the stones to be unturned. The French Open loss was followed with a no-show at Wimbledon and then a lean US Open led to a debacle of sorts for a man who until the summer of that year was peaking.
FIFA World Cup
This year he was forced to retire in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open, reached two credible semi-finals at Indian Wells and Miami and then he struck gold with the clay court season. Finally.
If there was something different about Nadal this year, it was his self-assured positive outlook on his tennis. He knew he had made his place in history, he had reached the number one position and that he was by far the best clay court player the game had ever produced, an ambition he must have set for himself in his formative years. Nadal 2.0 realised he had nothing to prove to others, he just had to enjoy his game.
This clay court season, like the others behind him, saw him set records. He began his clay campaign in Monte Carlo. Incredibly enough, he lost only 14 games in five matches to win the tournament for the sixth straight time, a feat no one has ever achieved in Monte Carlo or any other tournament. The Monte Carlo title was his first in a year and the first chapter towards redemption.
Two weeks later he lost only one set to Ernest Gulbis en route to the title at the Rome Masters, his fifth. This was yet another leaf for the record books and the second chapter in the tale of redemption.
His final pit stop came in Madrid. A year back he had won a marathon three set semi-final against Novak Djokovic but returned the next day to the courts without any steam and subsequently lost to Roger Federer in straight sets. The marathon semi-final was the longest three set match in the Open era and contributed heavily towards the loss.
This year things were different. He strolled through the tournament, dropping only one set in the semi-final to Nicolas Almagro, his second in the clay court season for the year and then thumped Federer in straight sets for the title.
Record books were brimming after this victory. No man had ever won all the three major tour titles before the French Open in the same year and neither did any one cross the landmark figure of 18 Masters titles at the age of twenty three. When Andre Agassi set the record of 17, he was thirty three. Chapter three of the tale of redemption left little room for any doubts as to who should win the French Open this year.
There was a lot of talk at the year's second Grand Slam regarding the return of the nightmare for Nadal. But in true champion fashion he swept through the draw without dropping a set. While Federer fell by the wayside to an inspired Soderling, Nadal kept his momentum, his signature composure and marched on. He showed little mercy for Jurgen Melzer, though he called him dangerous, and after a little drama in the third set, fixed a date with Soderling for the final.
The final saw a different Nadal. In the last four finals, he was exuberant, a certain flashy appeal stayed by him though his game was anything but that. This year the composure of his game took over him too. He was not demonstrative, maybe the match did not demand much out of him, but there seemed to be a sudden sprout of maturity in his on-court demeanour.
This match gave the tennis world a peek as to why he doesn’t lose too often on clay. Firstly, he needs to take more risks on other surfaces and this combined with his penchant for a passive aggressive game on those surfaces, leads to a higher loss ratio. But on clay it is a different story. He plays as if he owns the court and is loath to give up on any ball, be it the first or the last point of the match.
The reason Soderling lost was that he could not continue to hit four winners for every point to clinch it, against an opponent whose game actively revolves around getting every ball back in play till the platter comes his way.
Nadal's one dimensional slugfest game has changed hands with subtle court craft. The angles are deeper off both flanks, and combined with his retrieving qualities have added another missile to his game. His consistency has become lethal; hardly any errors come off his racquet on his best days. Against Soderling in the finals, his unforced error count stood at 18 while the Swede made as many as 45 in the three set encounter.
Asia Cup
A strong work ethic and a desire to excel that is still strong have contributed to his success. There is a marked improvement in his approach to the game because his pain, both physical and mental, has reduced if not vanished. The baggage of injuries is lessening and the stride is getting stronger.
The records are here to stay; they are imprinted in the sands of time forever. I confess I am not a follower of his game, being more partial towards the court craft of Roger Federer. But the fact remains that his game has become more potent than ever.
It would be fair to say that a few more French Opens may come his way, that Roger Federer should be content with a solitary title on the red clay and that the nearest rival needs to take his game to another notch if he wants to take even a set off this Red Clay Giant.
Welcome, Rafael Nadal 2.0! The tale of redemption stands tall and long live your reign
Wimbledon 2010 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 1 rundzie
Q. How did it feel to be back on Centre Court?
RAFAEL NADAL: Hello (laughter).
Sure, it's always special to play on this court. Very happy to come back to this tournament and play in probably the most beautiful and emblematic court in the world.
Q. Did it feel different after missing last year?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no. Just happy to come back. Always the feeling is amazing. Was amazing all the time come back here after the victory in 2008 always, sure, is a little bit more special.
Q. In your own mind, was this the start of the defense of your title, the title you couldn't defend last year?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't have to defend nothing, no one point. All the points are in positive for me in this tournament. I go day to day. For me was a very good victory today. Was difficult opponent, I think. And, sure, next round it will be very difficult against very dangerous serve like Robir Haase.
I don't feel like a defense of the title. Roger has to defend that. I have the chance to defend 2008. I didn't play for the knee. So that's the sport. Right now I gonna try my best.
Q. Was that as comfortable as you've felt on Centre Court? You looked straightaway into your groove.
RAFAEL NADAL: I played well. I think I played very good match. To be the first match here, I'm very happy.
Q. How long does it take you to fully adjust from the clay to the grass? How far in the tournament do you think it takes you to get to your peak on grass?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I think I am okay, no? Sure, every day is important. Maybe for the experience that I have here, if you win more matches, you can finish playing better than you start because in the end of the tournament you play similar than clay, no?
No, for me, first matches are very difficult. Always very important to pass. After that, I can start to play much better.
But I tell you, I am very happy how I played today. Was a very good match for me.
Q. What part of your game do you feel you have to adjust the most going from clay to grass?
RAFAEL NADAL: Is not one part of the game. Is the game in general, you know. Is the time of the ball, the way that you have to win the points, the serve. So that's the most important things, no? The movements.
So is a lot of changes, no? Is not the forehand or the backhand, no? Is a little bit more general the way that you have to play, no?
Q. Did you feel special memories on the court, Here I got the trophy, or, Here I lie on my back?
RAFAEL NADAL: I have enough work to think about two years ago. When I go on court, I think about the opponent and about play my best tennis. No, I don't have time to think about another things, no.
Q. What did you think of Spain last night?
RAFAEL NADAL: Much better, I think. Well, much better. I think the first day we had probably not our best match. But we didn't play bad. And we lost, no? We were, I think, very unlucky.
And yesterday we were unlucky, too, I think, because we had to win 5 0, not 2 0.
Q. Did you watch Roger's game yesterday?
RAFAEL NADAL: For moments. Not all the match.
Q. What did you think?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, it was close, so... Sure, always the first round I tell you is very difficult. Normally for him are easier than for the rest of the other players because he plays like his normal tennis here on grass. He needs to adapt his game less than the rest of the players.
But Falla is a great player. Well, he had his chance. I think he wasn't play his best tennis in the moment that he need to play his best tennis to win. You know, you play against probably the best of the history on this surface, and for sure going to be a very important win for his confidence, I think.
Q. Which one of his records do you think is his most impressive?
RAFAEL NADAL: Every one. Every one is amazing. If I have to say something, 23 semifinals in a row of Grand Slam.
Q. Why?
RAFAEL NADAL: Because is five years, almost six years, playing all four Grand Slams. You can have no one injury, no one bad day, so is amazing. That's my feeling, no? So 23 semifinals in a row, in my opinion, impossible to do it another time.
Q. John McEnroe was saying if you stay fit, he thinks you can get 12 or 13 Grand Slams, if not more.
RAFAEL NADAL: I have seven. Thank you to John. I have seven. I play Robir Haase the next round. I will see when I finish my career, no? I am very happy to have seven. That's more than what I dreamed a few years ago.
So, sure, for me I feel very lucky to be here another time. And to have seven Grand Slams already at home, keep fighting to play well. If I still playing well, if I still improving my tennis, I think I hope have more chances to win.
But the important thing always is the same: have enough motivation to keep improving, enough illusion to go every day when you wake up on court and practice at your hundred percent. That's the way. That's what I did all my life. I hope to keep doing for a long time. If not, I don't gonna have a lot of chances. Is very difficult to win every Grand Slam.
Q. You said the win today was the condition to play in front of the Queen on Thursday. You will be in front of her on Thursday. Is it a pressure or an extra motivation?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, believe me, just for me, is just can say a pleasure to have the Queen here in Wimbledon. That's very good for the sport. And for me is not an extra pression, for sure. For me, just an honor watch the Queen in the Royal Box. So I would love to have the chance to say hello to her, but that's it (smiling). That's it.
Q. You spoke about what you felt was Roger's most amazing record. Of your tremendous accomplishments, what do you think your best achievement is?
RAFAEL NADAL: 81 matches straight on clay. That's a lot.
Q. In a certain way is that showing consistency, day in, day out being able to raise your game even under bad conditions? Is that why you're proud of it?
RAFAEL NADAL: The 81?
Q. Yes.
RAFAEL NADAL: I think that's the most impressive of my record, this one. Because, you know, in a lot of matches you have difficult moments. And not all the tournaments, not all the matches you are playing well. That's for sure. And you still winning. You still winning very difficult matches.
81 is a lot. A lot of days finish the match with the victory. And for me, that's, well, very difficult to repeat, too.
Q. What was the moment that came closest to losing to break that streak? Did you have one moment where you were close to having that streak broken?
RAFAEL NADAL: In this 81?
Q. Yes.
RAFAEL NADAL: During this 81, I have matches close to lose?
Q. Which was the most?
RAFAEL NADAL: Lot. 3 0, 40 15, double break against Coria in the fifth set of Rome. Against Niemenen in Barcelona I have 6 4, 4 1. Against Roger in Rome, 4 1 in the fifth, 6 5 or 5 4, 15 40. So two match points.
Wimbledon 2010 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 2 rundzie
Q. It was a tough match for you. What were you feeling in the third set when he was getting so many aces against you?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, was very difficult match. I said the other day after the first round second round will be very difficult. Was like this.
Sure, I was playing well all the time. That's my feeling. But in the first set, 6‑5, 30‑Love, and he has a good return, one double‑fault, one mistake with my forehand, he had another good return, ended the set.
In the second I played well. In the third I play well, but something similar. I have the match under control, but later I saved Love‑30 in that game. I had a smash, I had not very bad smash, but he was there, and finally I lost the game another time with very good cross forehand for him. Unbelievable. And that had nothing to do with the return.
So just try to be there, try to be very concentrate, very focus with myself and fight all the time. That's what I felt in the third.
And in the fourth and in the fifth...
Q. Is the fact you came back from 2‑1 down give you more confidence than what you would have gotten from a straight‑sets victory?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I confident after the match. Before the match, I tell you I know he going to be a very difficult opponent, because he's a big server, difficult player. On this surface, is very difficult to stop him.
I'm very happy to be in third round because probably today was difficult.
Q. Going forward, does that give you a bigger boost than if it would have been a straightforward match?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no, I'm very happy to win in five sets. Everybody prefers to win in three, but is not possible a lot of times, especially in this surface because all depends on a few points.
Played probably four bad points in two sets and I lose both sets. That's the tennis like this. But mentally I think I was perfect in the fourth and in the fifth.
Q. You talked in Paris about the strings you're using, giving you more spin. Do you feel the same kind of effect here on the grass with the ball?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, always the same, no? The string can help you, but you are the person, you are the player, not the string. You play; the string doesn't play. That's my feeling.
Sure, the string can help you for moments, for maybe the string is better than the other one because give me the chance to feel the ball more time inside the racquet. That's give me a little bit more control. But that's my feeling, that you are the person. You lose, you win, not the string.
Q. Can you explain what happened this morning? Did you miss meeting the Queen? There's some suggestion you weren't there.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, was disappointing for me. But, you know, the Club knows, Wimbledon Club knows that before, because I have my routines before the match. I had a very difficult match, before the match, I know going to be a very difficult match. I had to practice around 12, so was impossible for me.
Seriously I thought the Queen was going to be in my match, and I would love to have the chance to meet her after the match. But wasn't possible because I think the Queen left before. For me was disappointing. I was excited to meet her. But was very important match for me, too.
Q. If you had known she wouldn't be there for your match, would you have gone to meet her?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no, because I have my routines. Before the match, is very difficult when you have ‑‑ you don't know when you gonna play, no? You have third match. But if some injury there, you are on court before.
I had the practice at that time, so was impossible for me to meet her at that moment, no?
Q. When do you prepare for the match during the day? Is it two hours before, three hours before, when you wake up?
RAFAEL NADAL: When I wake up, I try to wake up as late as I can when I play in the afternoon because if not, the day is too long for me. I try to want to sleep a little bit later when I'm not playing early in the morning, because I play a little bit later. Wake up, have a breakfast, go to practice one hour, something like this, 45, one hour, 50. After that I have quick lunch.
Just I was in the locker room always doing my tapes, having a shower, and preparing for the match, listen music.
Q. You've been in situations here at Wimbledon where your matches have been pushed back by rain or something where you've had to play day after day after day. For John Isner, after a match like this, do you think he has a competitive disadvantage coming into the next round after playing three days in a row and long matches?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, was amazing, first of all. Was amazing match. Just congratulate both of players because they did something amazing. Be focus around 10 hours, that's amazing, to not lose the serve in all that time, no? So just congratulate both.
After that, I think the winner of the match was lucky to not finish the match yesterday because today probably they have yesterday to recover, yesterday night. Today they didn't play as long as they did yesterday. So they still have one day: today and play tomorrow.
Sure is a little bit disadvantage, but would be worse if they finished the match yesterday night at 9 because they had to play today. They have more time now. But, sure, is not easy to win. They make history, I think.
Q. You said you wouldn't change your routine to meet the Queen. Is there anything or anybody in the world that would make you change your routine?
RAFAEL NADAL: You know, I am playing in Wimbledon. Is not a joke. I love this tournament. I have a lot of respect for the Queen. I have a lot of respect for this tournament. Always was my dream play here. Today is a match, is a match day for me, no? So I have my things to do, and I try to do my best what I think is the best to win the match, no? So not in that case.
Rafael Nadal wierzy w awans Hiszpanów
Tenisista Rafael Nadal jest przekonany o tym, że piłkarska reprezentacja Hiszpanii zwycięży w ostatnim grupowym meczu mundialu z Chile i awansuje do kolejnej rundy. Mecze grupy H zakończą fazę zasadniczą Mistrzostw Świata w RPA.
Hiszpanie po porażce ze Szwajcarią w pierwszym spotkaniu grupowym, muszą zwyciężyć z nieobliczalnymi Chilijczykami. Tenisista jest jednak spokojny o rezultat piątkowego meczu. – To będzie trudne spotkanie, ale jestem pewny, że zwyciężymy. Mamy kompletny zespół. Jest wspaniały bramkarz, Casillas, mamy też Xaviego, Iniestę, Fabregasa, Villę i Torresa – powiedział Nadal.
Występujący obecnie w Wimbledonie hiszpański tenisista nie potrafił za to wskazać zwycięzcy meczu między Anglią a Niemcami. – Anglia – Niemcy? To będzie bardzo wyrównane spotkanie – stwierdził krótko Hiszpan.
Royalty can't sway Rafa from iron-clad routine
Rafael Nadal's successful pre-match routine is so rigid that even the chance to meet Britain's Queen could force the determined Spaniard to alter the habits of a tennis lifetime.
The second seed and 2008 champion was not present in the receiving line of past and present tennis greats when Elizabeth II arrived at the clue on her first visit in 33 years.
Nadal, who had an afternoon match, was busily occupied with his everyday rituals, which do not change for anyone.
"I'm playing in Wimbledon, it's not a joke. I love this tournament," said the Spaniard, swell acquainted with the royals in his own country. "I have a lot of respect for the Queen."
"But I had a match, so I have my things to do. It was disappointing for me.
"Wimbledon club knows that I have my routines before the match. I had to practise around 12, so was impossible for me. I thought the Queen was going to be in my match, and I would love to have the chance to meet her after the match."
"But wasn't possible because I think the Queen left before. For me was disappointing. I was excited to meet her. But was very important match for me, too."
Nadal wins second straight five-setter
For the second consecutive match, Rafael Nadal comes back from two sets to one down to win in five. Nadal beats Philipp Petzschner on Saturday to reach the Wimbledon fourth round.
Rafael Nadal was tested again at Wimbledon, but he battled to a five-set victory just like he did against Robin Haase on Thursday.
Nadal outlasted Philipp Petzschner 6-4, 4-6, 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-3 on Saturday evening, booking a spot in the fourth round after three hours and 45 minutes. The world No. 1 struck 56 winners and just 18 unforced errors to set up a meeting with Paul-Henri Mathieu.
While Petzschner eventually gave Nadal a serious scare, the No. 33 seed got off to an extremely inauspicious start. He dropped serve in the opening game of the match, missing a routine backhand after saving three break points. Nadal served out the set from there without facing a break point, wrapping it up with a love service hold at 5-4.
Petzschner managed to stay within striking distance by fending off two break points at 2-2 in the second. At 5-4, the underdog German suddenly came up with love service break to level the match, clinching it with a perfect volley. Prior to that game, Petzschner did not have a single look at a break point.
Sustaining the momentum in style, Petzschner held all six of his third-set service games to force a tiebreaker. He gave away a quick mini-break but recovered for a 6-3 advantage. Nadal saved two set points on his own serve, but Petzschner seized a two sets to one lead by firing service winner out wide.
As he did against Haase, Nadal promptly erased the deficit by taking control the rest of the way. Sets four and five, though, were more entertaining than the scoreline suggests. Nadal took multiple injury timeouts for knee issues, got warned for coaching violations, and Petzschner retaliated by taking an injury timeout of his own for a hip problem.
Amidst all the antics, Nadal had little trouble in finishing off the proceedings. The second-seeded Spaniard saved one break point in the opening game of set five but cruised the rest of the way. A break at at 4-3 allowed Nadal to serve out the match, which he did at love.
"It was a very difficult match for me today," Nadal said afterward. "The serve of Philipp was unbelievable during almost the whole match. I'm very happy to be in the fourth round."
Nadal pulls out of Davis Cup tie against France
WIMBLEDON, England (AP)—Rafael Nadal says he will not play for defending champion Spain in next next month’s Davis Cup quarterfinals against France.
After winning his third-round match at Wimbledon on Saturday, the seven-time Grand Slam title winner said he will pull out of the July 9-11 Davis Cup matches in France.
He said his right knee has been bothering him, and he wants to make sure he is healthy when the year’s last major tournament, the U.S. Open, begins in late August.
Nadal says: “Is the Davis Cup a goal? Yes. But what I can’t do is go to the U.S. Open in bad shape.”
Nadal nie zagra w Pucharze Davisa.
http://www.lequipe.fr/Tennis/breves2010 … nonce.html
Hiszpan powiedział (tłumaczenie francuskiego usera MTF), że ból w kolanie czuje od Miami, a pojawił się on w trakcie meczu z Roddickiem (pewnie w połowie 2 seta :P). Rafa dodał, że nie chciał wtedy o tym mówić, żeby nie zostało to odebrane jako tłumaczenie swojej porażki z Amerykaninem. Podczas przerwy między MC, a Rzymem leczył uraz i to działało, ale chwilowo - było to za mało czasu, aby w pełni wyeliminować tę dolegliwość.
DUN I LOVE napisał:
Nadal nie zagra w Pucharze Davisa.
http://www.lequipe.fr/Tennis/breves2010 … nonce.html
Hiszpan powiedział (tłumaczenie francuskiego usera MTF), że ból w kolanie czuje od Miami, a pojawił się on w trakcie meczu z Roddickiem (pewnie w połowie 2 seta :P). Rafa dodał, że nie chciał wtedy o tym mówić, żeby nie zostało to odebrane jako tłumaczenie swojej porażki z Amerykaninem. Podczas przerwy między MC, a Rzymem leczył uraz i to działało, ale chwilowo - było to za mało czasu, aby w pełni wyeliminować tę dolegliwość.
Nadal stosuje metodę mezoterapii. Takiemu leczeniu (w sezonie ziemnym) , z dobrym podobno skutkiem poddano lewe kolano Hiszpana. Obecne dolegliwości Rafy dotyczą kolana prawego, które po Wimbledonie zostanie poddane takim samym zabiegom .
Wimbledon 2010 - Wywiad po zwycięstwie w 3 rundzie.
Q. Was it fair to be warned about coaching? You looked very angry.
RAFAEL NADAL: Sometimes, yes. Not today, in my opinion. But, yes, sometimes in the past Toni talk maybe too much. And when it happened, and the referee or the umpire give me an advice, and if it is continuing, later a warning.
But not today, in my opinion. Yeah, no.
Q. After your incredible clay court season, now 13 sets in one week in Wimbledon, how are you feeling right now emotionally and physically?
RAFAEL NADAL: Emotionally perfect. I fighted a lot last two matches. I think I played very good tennis. But I told before the tournament, the draw gonna be difficult. That's what happen when you play against these player that they have very good serve. So all decide in a few points and everything is very difficult, no?
Physical, I have a little bit problem on the right knee. But, you know, I have one day and a half to get recovered. I happy to be in the fourth round. For me it very good news, having very tough matches and in the end winning. So that's a very positive thing mentally.
Q. Do you think it's taken you longer to settle in because it's been two years since you've been on grass?
RAFAEL NADAL: No.
Q. You were saying something from the baseline to the umpire, shouting at him, gesturing at him. What were you saying to him?
RAFAEL NADAL: I was saying, We gonna talk with the supervisor later.
Q. And did you?
RAFAEL NADAL: Not yet.
Q. Will you?
RAFAEL NADAL: I will, yeah. I will because today for me wasn't ‑‑ Toni wasn't give me any tip. He was only supporting me. When he put me warning, he said positive, you know.
Q. How much are you worried about your knee? Is there a risk you should skip the Davis Cup tie after Wimbledon?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah. Well, sure, I am a little bit scared about the knee. But, you know, it happen. I had a treatment after Monte‑Carlo. So I had the problem. I didn't say nothing before, but you know, guys, how is everything. I had the problem against Roddick in the semifinals of Miami.
I don't like to say nothing in that moment because when you lose, always looks like an excuse. But I can say now I had the problem after I played in Monte‑Carlo with a little bit of pain on the knee, on the left knee, because that's what happened there.
After Monte‑Carlo, I didn't play Barcelona because I had to do a treatment, new treatment. You know, I tried to play the clay season perfect because in that moment the right knee was better than the left. But at the same time I know the knees are not hundred percent recovered. But playing on clay and maybe on grass, if is not very long matches, can work well.
But the last treatments I did between Monte‑Carlo and Rome was perfect. I didn't have no one more problem on the left knee. But just I did one time, and I need to do three times.
I didn't have time to do it at the right knee before because I had to play. The clay season was my main goal of the season. After here I gonna do it another time, no? My goals for me is a big disappointment not be in the Davis Cup on France, you know. Some confrontations, if you play at home against some country, maybe you cannot play this one. But playing in France for me is a very special confrontation and a very big motivation for me.
But I talked with the captain, I talked with the president of the Federation a few days ago, and I said, Guys, I never arrive to the US Open with my hundred percent of conditions. I had last year broken abdominal, two years ago playing crazy here. After Olympics, I did arrive very tired. And I really want to try to go there with my best chances, no, to play, to play my hundred percent.
So I need to do this treatment after here. If I play Davis Cup, I don't have enough time to recover and play tournaments, Cincinnati. Everything was perfect for me last few months, and I need to be ready to finish the season well. My goal is try to keep having the chance to be No. 1 for the rest of the season. That's gonna be difficult. But if you are not in hundred percent of condition, is going to be impossible.
Q. Philipp said you were running exactly the same before and after the timeout. He said you could have played another two or three sets. He said it was a clever timeout because it broke his concentration. What do you think about that?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, everything is fair to think what they want. I never call a treatment ‑‑ I never call the physio when I don't have nothing, not one time in my career. If I call the physio today, it was because it was bothering me a lot, the knee, no?
The last day, it starts a little bit, and I didn't call the physio because I can't resist that. But today I needed to take little bit time. I have the quadriceps muscle very tight and I need to relax it a little bit. Maybe with this relaxation, the knee works a little bit better.
That's why I called the physio.
Q. How bad is your knee right now? You said you're scared. What are you scared of?
RAFAEL NADAL: My knee is like this. I don't know how bad is my knee. My knee, I can finish the match. We will see how is going the next day. But, you know, I am here to try my best and to try to keep in the tournament and playing well, no? I am not thinking about scared or retired or something like this. That's not going to happen.
Q. You did say a little while ago you were scared. What does scare you about the knee, maybe long term if not for this moment?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no, I not scared, because I know what I have on the knee, is not something new, is something from the past. I know what I have to do to recover the knee. I didn't have time to do it before here. But after, I have the new treatment.
With the new treatment, the left knee works perfect. So when I going to do that to the right, hopefully that's going to be the same.
Q. What special treatment?
RAFAEL NADAL: For me I can't explain now, especially in English. Sorry.
Q. Can you finish the tournament? Do you feel physically strong enough you can really mount a challenge and beat Roger if the occasion comes?
RAFAEL NADAL: I play against Mathieu. Roger in the other part of the draw. I am focused on my part. I won a very important match for me today and I am focused on the next match against Mathieu and playing well. But Mathieu going to be very difficult match.
Q. Was there something with your arm as well that the trainer was looking at?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes. I called the physio because after one serve I felt something here. But I told the physio I don't want to take out the medical treatment. So Petzschner must know that, too.
I didn't want to have the treatment because I feel it a little bit better after the game. I feel something after one serve. I said to the umpire, Please call the trainer for the next changeover. I can finish the game playing well. When I finish the game, I feel it well, so I don't need the trainer.
Q. Even the best players are involved in tough battles early on. Is this because it's very hot and it's hard to break serve? Is there any other reason the best players are having trouble?
RAFAEL NADAL: It's because we are playing in a very difficult tournament. We're playing in a Grand Slam, the fastest Grand Slam of the world.
If you play against players when they have very good serve, is very difficult to break, break the serve of these players. After that, if you have two bad points with your serve, the match will be very difficult.
Q. We know you're a big football fan, looking forward to Spain and Portugal. What do you think about England and Germany tomorrow?
RAFAEL NADAL: Close. Going to be close. Going to be very nice match, I think. Disappointing for the World Cup have these very strong teams at the Round of 16. But that's the sport. We will see what's happen. But I going to be in front of the TV.
Q. With all the ways your game depends on your legs, the power you get from your legs, with all these problems with your knees, does that affect you at all on court? Do you think about it?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. I was perfect mentally for all the year, no? I think that doesn't affect to my mind. Sometimes in the past, yes, when I don't know exactly what happen. I know right now exactly what happen and what I have to do to pull out this pain.
So I gonna do it after this tournament and try my best on this tournament. I definitely going to have a break to change that I hope for a long time.
Q. The player you played today said there are a lot of players coming up here better than they used to be. They give you a good chase at the moment. Is that what you feel? Are the players that challenge you now at the moment, are they better than they used to be?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. Philipp has very good potential, very good serve, very good forehand, very good slice backhand. He served well all the time, and especially in the difficult moments.
So, no, I think the players are playing similar like always. But on grass, especially everything is more difficult.
Q. Can you clarify about how your arm feels now?
RAFAEL NADAL: The arm is perfect. Work perfect. Perfect. Perfect is perfect.
Nadal to skip Davis Cup for knee therapy
Medical treatment on his right knee will force Rafael Nadal to skip the Spanish Davis Cup quarter-finals tie against France in a fortnight as the world No. 1 works prepare for the demanding summer hardcourt season in North America.
With only one week of Wimbledon gone, the second seed has already announced that his schedule is changing. Nadal reached the fourth round, taking treatment on his knee during a grass win over German Philipp Petzschner.
Nadal says that his upcoming medical work is vital. "I'm a little bit scared about the knee. I had this treatment (on his left knee) after Monte Carlo. I didn't say anything at the time because when you lose it always looks like an excuse.
"It is a big disappointment not be in the Davis Cup on France. Playing in France for me is a very special confrontation and a very big motivation. I talked with the captain, I talked with the president of the Federation a few days ago, and I said, 'Guys, I've never arrived at the US Open in one 100 percent condition.'
"I need to do this treatment after here. If I play Davis Cup, I don't have enough time to recover and play (hardcourt) tournaments. Everything was perfect for me last few months, and I need to be ready to finish the season well.
"My goal is try to keep having the chance to be number one for the rest of the season. That's gonna be difficult. But if you are not in hundred percent of condition, it's going to be impossible."
Nadal said that the unspecified therapy last April helped his left knee and he is hoping it will work equally as well on the right one.
Nadal na trawie musi używać innych mięśni
Rafa Nadal z wielkimi kłopotami awansował do czwartej rundy Wimbledonu. Dopiero po pięciosetowym boju odprawił z kwitkiem Philippa Petzschnera 6:4, 4:6, 6:7 (5-7), 6:2, 6:3.
- To był bardzo trudny mecz - mówił po zwycięstwie mocno zmęczony Rafa Nadal, rozstawiony w Wimbledonie z dwójką.
Petzschner, pogromca Łukasza Kubota z poprzedniej rundy, napędził Hiszpanowi dużego stracha. Gorąco było szczególnie po trzecim secie, kiedy Niemiec wyszedł na pierwsze prowadzenie w meczu.
- Phillipp fenomenalnie serwował, dlatego musiałem trochę zmienić moją strategię w czwartym secie. W sumie wydaje mi się, że grałem dobrze. Martwi mnie tylko trochę długi sezon, bo rozegrałem już mnóstwo meczów - tłumaczył Rafa Nadal, który ma teraz dzień przerwy.
Eksperci zastanawiali się nawet, czy Nadal nie gra z jakąś kontuzją. Boris Becker miał jednak swoją opinię. - Nie wydaje mi się, żeby był kontuzjowany. Po prostu na trawie on musi używać innych mięśni niż na mączce - stwierdził były niemiecki tenisista, teraz wzięty komentator. - Dzień przerwy dobrze mu zrobi. W poniedziałek będzie już mógł stawić czoła całemu światu - dodał Becker.
W meczu o ćwierćfinał Wimbledonu Rafael Nadal sprawdzi Francuza Paula-Henriego Mathieu.
Wimbledon 2010 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 4 rundzie
Q. Is it fair to describe that performance as your best of the tournament so far from your point of view?
RAFAEL NADAL: I didn't understand.
Q. Was it your best performance in the tournament so far?
RAFAEL NADAL: Today? No, not in my opinion. No, I think I played really well. But I was playing well the last matches too. But the opponent was different characteristics, so for my game, probably was a little bit easier to play, no?
Because I have more rallies from the baseline. The serve was a little bit easier to return than the last two matches. I was playing well from the baseline the last days, but I didn't have the chance to play.
Q. You will play Soderling in the quarterfinal. What's the key to beat him on grass?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, sure, gonna be a really tough match. I think probably is one of the more difficult opponents that you can play on all surfaces today, but especially here. I think he's playing with big confidence, big serve, perfect flat shots and long from the baseline.
So he's playing great. Gonna be very difficult match for me I think. Hopefully for him, too. (Smiling.)
Q. Did you notice the police escorting a fan out at like the end of second set. I think you were waiting to serve when they were taking him out. Did you notice it at all?
RAFAEL NADAL: I didn't know. I didn't know. Sorry. I know nothing.
Q. Did you have any problems from your knee? If not, what did you do after the last game to make sure it was good for today?
RAFAEL NADAL: I tried my best, no? I take antiinflammatories. I did a lot of treatment with the physio, with the doctor.
Today it was better. I didn't feel pain today, but, you know, you never know. It's there, but wasn't the problem today. Hopefully gonna be fine for the next day, too.
Q. Prior to the match, it was announced that you were fined $2,000. What is your reaction to that?
RAFAEL NADAL: What's that?
Q. After the coaching accusation with your uncle from the last match, you were fined $2,000.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah.
Q. What are your thoughts about that penalty?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, that's the rules are the rules. I gonna speak with the person that I ‑‑ well, I already spoke with the person that I had to spoke. Nothing to say here.
Q. You've watched the World Cup you mentioned before during the week. What are your thoughts about whether there should be a replay rule video used in the World Cup?
RAFAEL NADAL: I completely agree with that. Yeah, was unbelievable the match of ‑‑ both matches of yesterday, especially the first one. England against Germany was ‑‑ well, first thing is the referee must see that, for sure, because it's half meter inside.
Second thing, if the referee don't see, have to do it, I don't know, you have to put Hawk‑Eye on something to see that. All the sports of world have technology, so football must have something soon, especially in this kind of competitions. World Cup is one time every four years, and the second goal of England must ‑‑ the goal was fair. After that, the match change completely. Maybe England can be in quarterfinals if that doesn't happen.
So change everything. I think that FIFA must change that, is my opinion.
Q. You did win against Robin Soderling a couple of weeks ago in France. What do you think will be the difference playing here on grass?
RAFAEL NADAL: I said before, I think the match is completely different. Nothing similar to play on grass than on clay. I think his game is good in every surface.
Probably is even more difficult stop him here, because the ball go faster and gonna be very difficult to return and difficult to stop him from the baseline.
But I gonna try.
Q. Yesterday was Sunday. Did you have a chance to relax? What did you do? Did you go into London?
RAFAEL NADAL: No.
Q. Just practiced?
RAFAEL NADAL: I only practiced 20 minutes, but I watched England, England/Germany. I did treatment in the afternoon with the doctor and with the physio. I watched Argentina/Mexico in the evening. I played a little bit video games and watch a film in bed and that's it.
Q. Those biscuits, are they the Mallorcan biscuits?
RAFAEL NADAL: That is the most important biscuit in Mallorca. That's my favorite. In every tournament I have 100 of these bags. Tomorrow I gonna give you one. You have to try. (Laughter.) Very good.
Q. Are you at all concerned about your knees for tomorrow's match, given you had to play back‑to‑back days, today and tomorrow?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't gonna play tomorrow.
Q. Excuse me. But are you concerned going forward that they're just gonna continue to get sore or sorer?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't have the control of my knees. I don't know what's gonna happen, no? I try my best to be ready. I tried my best after the last match to be fit for today. I did well.
Gonna be the same for after tomorrow. We will see what's happen. I am here to try my best even with pain on the knees or without pain of the knees. I gonna try my best in all the conditions.
Q. How has your relationship with Robin changed through the years?
RAFAEL NADAL: Every time I play against him you gonna ask me the same question. But I don't have any problem with Soderling. I had a little bit problem in this tournament few year ago. After that I never had any problem with him.
So sorry about your unfortunate World Cup exit. Me? The knees are fine
Hi everyone,
Hope you guys are OK. I am sorry (I really am) for England's defeat at the World Cup. I did mention here and at Wimbledon that I really likes this team. I think it has been very unfortunate what happened today. I mean that mistake from the linesman and the referee is something unbelievable. I don't understand why there is no way in football to have the 4th referee looking at a screen and saying to the main one what is going on. Just like the Hawk-Eye in tennis. Very simple, very easy.
With a mistake like this you are out of the World Cup, just like that! I don't think that's fair. The match could have changed a lot with that goal. Then Germany played better but thats a different story. Then later in the day Mexico was also affected by a mistake that everyone saw, even at the stadium itself! Unbelievable.
Anyway let's talk about tennis because as I say I am here to play tennis and to play at Wimbledon. Got some questions today after my practice about my knee. It's feeling better and I expect to be ready to play tomorrow.
I have always been a very fair player and yesterday when I called the trainer I really needed him since I was in pain. I know there has been some controversy because of that but I don't think it is fair. Like it was not fair the way the umpire gave me a warning for coaching. Toni was only saying to me to be positive and I don't think that's giving me any advice. So there you go. I am normally not commenting these things but I feel it was important to tell you about it.
Many thanks and I expect to answer your questions tomorrow.
Rafa
Questions for Rafa: should their be a fifth set tie-break?
Did you see the Isner/Mahut match? Do you think they might play all week? Sia Morris
RN: I saw a lot of it. Clearly not all of it. WHAT AN AMAZING MATCH!!!! I really congratulate both players for what they've done!!!
I am watching the Isner/Mahut match right now, and I am amazed that they are now at 52 games all in the fifth set. Do you think there should be a fifth set tie-break like at the US Open or should the players play it out like we are seeing? Traci
RN: No, no. I prefer it like this. We would have never seen something like this!!! What an effort!!!
Federer said before the tournament that his draw looks more easy than yours. Would you agree? Susanne
RN: I normally agree with Roger... :-)
What do you enjoy the most when playing Davis Cup for your country? Arlene McLean
RN: The fact that I am representing my country and also the fact that we are playing as a team.
Rafa, you clean?? What do you do - like dust, scrub the floors, clean the toilet...? Does your team help out? I guess big muscles help... Yours in astonishment, Emma.
RN: Hahhahaaha. This week a bit of everything... but not much, believe me...
Do you find it hard to get out of the habit of "cleaning the line" with your foot when you change from clay to grass? Sam
RN: That's a very good and funny question. Can't do it here so no habit like that here.
During your match yesterday John McEnroe said you had size 11.5 feet but wear size 10 trainers. Is this true? Why? Doesn’t it hurt? Sam Bastiman
RN: Not really. I have a special shoe size, that's why Nike does them custom fit for me. I am a 10.5 in any case...
What are your thoughts about the controversy with the French World Cup team? JoAnn Chu
RN: Not much, they have to fix it among themselves. It was strange though to see the players not practicing one day. Very strange.
Rafael Nadal gives himself needed bit of respite from knee problems
Rafael Nadal, the world No 1 who makes girls squeal just by strolling on to court, was not so flash, not so flamboyant, not so powerful in the setting sun yesterday evening. The Spaniard was simply economical in achieving a 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 fourth-round victory over Paul-Henri Mathieu.
In some ways, Nadal needed economy. In the previous round he had struggled with discomfort in his right knee and called the trainer on to court. His opponent, Philipp Petzschner, had wondered if Nadal really needed attention or was being “pretty clever”, but the No 2 seed has a welldocumented history of knee problems and it is that, more than any opponent, which most consistently threatens his impressive status in the game.
The 24-year-old had to miss out on defending his Wimbledon title last year because of knee injuries, so a stroll rather than a slog was required as his previous two matches had been five-set affairs that had visibly been draining for him.
In any case, this match was ripe for an economic approach. The head-to-head between these players makes for uncomfortable reading if you are French: Nadal now leads 10-0. This was their first meeting on grass and Mathieu is certainly a trooper, this being the 31st time he had attempted to reach a grand-slam quarter-final.
It was clear that he would fail again when, having held his serve in the opening game to love, he had the opportunity to break. Someone in the crowd shouted “wakey, wakey”. They were teasing Nadal, but the heckle had the effect of waking the underdog from any dreams of causing an upset — or even of shaking Nadal so early in the contest. Nadal held and the match panned out much as everyone expected it would.
“Every match has tough moments,” Nadal said of Mathieu’s two break points in that second game. Was it a trick of the light or was there an ironic smile on Nadal’s lips as he said that?Another reason for economy came in the form of Robin Söderling. The Swede waits for Nadal in the quarterfinals and although the Spaniard outclassed Söderling to take the French Open crown this month, he knows only too well that the No 6 seed can be more than a mere annoyance. Nadal had not lost in 31 matches on the Paris clay when Söderling came along and knocked him out at Roland Garros last year.
Söderling endured more than a touch of heavy weather yesterday before subduing David Ferrer, of Spain, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2, 3-6, 7-5, which must raise doubts about his ability to undermine Nadal. But the match will still be eagerly awaited, especially as Söderling had the audacity, at Wimbledon three years ago, to mimic the Spaniard’s habit of fiddling with the back of his shorts.
Although Nadal’s fitness was being questioned before his match with Mathieu, it was his opponent who needed treatment for a lower-back problem. Indeed, Mathieu has endured a season of troubled fitness and his ranking of No 66 is his lowest for five years.
No surprise, then, that when agility was required of the 2008 Wimbledon champion, he looked, compared to Mathieu, like a boy yet to know that knees can cause any kind of gyp at all. In the third game of the opening set the Frenchman attempted a repeat of a drop shot that had been successful a few minutes earlier, but this time Nadal scampered almost eagerly to the net and produced a neat lob to win the point. It was as if the five-times French champion was sneeringly telling his opponent not to underestimate his knees, even if their owner was taking it relatively easy.
After less than two hours, Nadal was serving for the match. He bowed out with an ace and grinned cheekily as the squeals rang out. It was economical but ominous for Söderling and those who lie beyond. His fans neatly folded their Spanish flags away, confident that they will be used several more times this week. Nadal, for his part, was more cautious. Söderling is in “unbelievable” form, he said, and it would be difficult for him to overcome the Swede.
Nadal knee fitness a day-to-day battle
Rafael Nadal is leaving the fate of his tender knees in the hands of the doctors and laps of the gods as the Spaniard continues his careful progression at Wimbledon.
The 2008 champion and second seed has reached the last eight, but said his right knee fitness is a day-to-day affair. Nadal is due to undergo a procedure after Wimbledon which reportedly involves injecting growth hormones in the knee as a medical recovery tool and which worked on his left knee two months ago.
"I don't have the control of my knees, I don't know what's gonna happen," said Nadal, who next faces French Open foe Robin Soderling of Sweden, "I'm trying my best to be ready. I'm here to try my best even with pain on the knees or without pain of the knees."
Nadal said that he is currently taking anti-inflammatories plus "a lot of treatment with the physio, with the doctor."
He said his weekend treatment worked fine for a win in the fourth round against Paul-Henri Mathieu. "I didn't feel pain, but you never know. It's there, but wasn't the problem today. Hopefully it's gonna be fine for the next day, too."
Nadal muddles through after umpire row
You want shocks? Day Nine gave you a huge shock, with Roger Federer's exit. You want excellence? Day Nine served up Novak Djokovic's virtuoso performance. You want plain peculiar? Look no further than Court One, where the much anticipated quarter-final between Rafael Nadal and Robin Soderling turned out to be a thoroughly strange encounter with both players profoundly out of sorts. Nadal barely turned up in the first set and did his best to throw away the third. Yet Soderling - tipped by many shrewd observers to take the title here - could not get into his game either, and somehow Nadal muddled through to win 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1.
Even the umpire had a bad day, and could at one point be seen staring into space, shaking his head in confusion at the string of events which befell him. Pascal Maria called out a Soderling ace which was clearly in, as the Swede's baffled challenge demonstrated, and later called the score wrong. Above all he got into a prolonged row with Nadal at the start of the second set. The Spaniard, having surrendered the first set, thought he had game point when a Soderling forehand was called long. But the Swede challenged successfully to stand instead at break point, which left Nadal aghast because he believed the point should have been replayed, as he strongly argued that he had only hit his backhand return into the net after the ball had been called out.
"Pascal," pleaded Nadal, first from the baseline and then marching towards the chair, "what are you saying? He [the line judge] says out, I hit the ball. No! No! Call the supervisor! I don't want to play this. What happened? Umpire, come on! No, Pascal. That's unbelievable."
Yet his disbelief appeared to subside as quickly as it appeared, and he abruptly gave up the fight to serve again. It was a wise investment of his energy, because he held serve with the kind of extravagant celebration befitting the rescue of half-a-dozen Championship points. Small wonder, perhaps, after a first set in which he was 5-0 down at exactly the moment that a tidal wave of noise drifted across from the Centre Court, announcing Tomas Berdych's defeat of Roger Federer. The defeat of one legend in a day is sufficiently overwhelming. The prospect of another had the Court One crowd looking a tad queasy.
Even when he was strolling to that 5-0 advantage in the first set, Soderling was hardly playing out of his skin. Nadal was the man who wasn't there, with the game for 4-0 particularly horrendous. But it was definitely telling that he recovered some respectability by surrendering the set 3-6 rather than anything worse - which was why regaining his composure after that row with Pascal Maria was so important.
Soderling, at 1-4 in the second, could be seen blowing out his cheeks, as if already knowing he was in deep trouble even though he was a set up. Perhaps even then he was feeling the problem with his left foot which prompted him to summon the trainer for a medical timeout at 4-5 in the third. By then he was a break down, thanks to his errors at 2-2. Yet when play resumed it was Nadal, serving for that set, who delivered what must have been one of the worst games of his entire career to level the score. The tie-break turned matters around again, with Nadal relatively untroubled, while the fourth set was a positive breeze for the Spaniard. It was all very odd, and his relief at the end was plain to see.
The statisticians will tell you that Nadal has never lost so many sets on his way to a Grand Slam final as he already has to get as far as Friday's semi-final. So he is having adventures, but he is still in the tournament. And that is, after all, more than some can say.
Wimbledon 2010: Rafael Nadal will do whatever it takes - but he can be beaten
For the four guys left in the tournament, this is a big, big chance.
Each of them will now be thinking that this is their year. They all knew that when Federer was at his best nobody could touch him, but the genius is out, and semi-finalists all have the same beliefs and the same chance.
The favourite on paper is Rafael Nadal, but that is only on paper. It will simply come down to who can perform best when it matters most.
Andy Murray, arguably, has the hardest task, in that he must come through his semi against Nadal, the world No 1.
However, he has an immediate advantage because he has beaten Nadal in the last couple of grand slams in which they have played each other, in New York in 2008 and Melbourne this year.
Murray knows how to play Nadal, and what is more he likes to play him.
In terms of strategy and tactics, Murray knows what he has to do – after all, these two have played each other 10 times.
Murray will know, for example, that he cannot wait for Nadal to control the baseline. He played a waiting game against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who was taking a lot of chances in the first set. On Friday he has to be the one taking chances.
Firstly, he has to stay aggressive, and serve big. You have to beat Nadal quickly, because the longer the match goes on, the less chance you have. Murray needs to come out swinging from the start.
His first serve was good against Tsonga, but he will need free points on it against Nadal. Likewise, he cannot be too defensive on the second serve. He has to take the initiative. He has to be the one who shoots.
Nadal will never be the best on grass, but he is a fighter. He is a real champion who knows how to win on the big occasions, and that cannot be underestimated. You have to beat him, because he is not going to give away that match.
Overall I think that his fitness is not a problem. As usual, a few players have called on the trainer or the doctor over the past 10 days, whether for physical reasons or just because they want to take a breather and bother the opponent.
Nadal has a history of calling the trainer more than once in a match, which just illustrates how he will do anything it takes to win the match – that means forehands, backhands and mind games – even if he sometimes gets warned for communicating with his Uncle Toni.
I do not believe that players should be able to get verbal assistance from their teams during a match – part of the drama in tennis is that it is a man-to-man contest.
You are by yourself, you have to figure out how you are going to win by yourself. But getting illegal coaching happens for sure. Whether or not Nadal resorts to this sort of gamesmanship, Murray not only has to be prepared for it, he has to keep cool.
Essentially, Friday's semi-final is not so much about strategy, but about the mental battle. For example, Nadal's whipped cross-court forehand, which kicks up high on a right-hander's backhand, actually plays into Murray's strength.
Both know that, and both are wonderful players who can hit great forehands and backhands. It is more about who is tougher, who wants it more.
If anything, it will be the occasion, attempting to reach his first Wimbledon final, that could stop Murray.
He has never been there before. Yet every year at this tournament he has gone one step further, so my feeling is that he will go through to the final, but it will take four sets at least.
It is his time, he just has to control his nerves.
Nadal nie dał szans faworytowi gospodarzy
Hiszpan Rafael Nadal pokonał w półfinale wielkoszlemowego Wimbledonu Szkota Andy'ego Murraya 6:4, 7:6(6), 6:4. Numer jeden światowego rankingu potrzebował do zwycięstwa zaledwie 142 minut. Jego finałowym rywalem będzie Czech Tomas Berdych, który pokonał w piątek Novaka Djokovica.
W piątek Nadal miał przeciwko sobie niemal całą widownię, która liczyła na to, że Murray (nr 4.) przejdzie do historii Wimbledonu jako pierwszy brytyjski triumfator od 74 lat. Ostatnim tenisistą gospodarzy, który tego dokonał był Fred Perry, a miało to miejsce w 1936 roku. Przed meczem Szkot wypowiadał się odważnie i zapewniał, że jest w stanie udźwignąć ciężar oczekiwań rodaków. Na korcie jednak tego nie było widać, bowiem inicjatywa w grze należała do Hiszpana.
- Miałem swoje szanse w każdym secie, ale nie udało mi się ich wykorzystać. O wyniku każdego decydowały właściwie pojedyncze piłki, w których rywal był lepszy. Na pewno nie grałem dzisiaj swojego najlepszego tenisa. Trochę zawodził mnie return i chwilami grałem za mało agresywnie, a Raffie nie można odpuścić nawet na chwilę. To zbyt dobry tenisista, żeby pozwolić mu złapać właściwy rytm - powiedział Murray.
Szkot dwukrotnie osiągał wielkoszlemowe finały - w 2008 roku w US Open i w tym sezonie w Australian Open. W obu wypadkach musiał uznać wyższość Federera.
W niedzielę Nadal stanie przed szansą zdobycia ósmego tytułu w jednym z czterech najważniejszych turniejów w sezonie. Pięć razy wygrał Roland Garros (2005-08 i w tym sezonie), a po razie Wimbledon (2008) i Australian Open (2009).
Nadal chociaż od początku czerwca prowadzi w klasyfikacji ATP World Tour został rozstawiony z dwójką. Zarząd All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club uznał bowiem, że na "jedynkę" bardziej zasługuje Szwajcar Roger Federer, sześciokrotny triumfator imprezy (2003-07 i 2009). Ten nie obroni jednak tytułu, gdyż odpadł w ćwierćfinale z Berdychem. Porażka tenisisty z Bazylei otworzyła Hiszpanowi drogę do drugiego londyńskiego tytułu. Pierwszy zdobył dwa lata temu, po nieoczekiwanej wygranej z Federerem 9:7 w piątym secie.
Wimbledon: Półfinał według Nadala jednym z najcięższych meczów w karierze
Rok temu finał Wimbledonu oglądał na sofie, sfrustrowany kontuzją kolan, która nie pozwoliła mu bronić tytułu. Teraz Rafa Nadal ma za sobą trzynaście kolejnych zwycięstw na londyńskiej trawie. Po półfinale czuje się nieco winny tym, że wyeliminował wielkiego faworyta gospodarzy.
Przy okazji meczu z Murrayem hiszpański lider rankingu, triumfator sprzed dwóch lat, spotkał się z Davidem Beckhamem. - Rozmawialiśmy przez pięć minut, ale znamy się już z Madrytu - mówi Nadal, który wiktorię nad Szkotem uznał za jeden z najtrudniejszych meczów
w swojej karierze.
Majorkańczyk zagra w niedzielę o ósmy wielkoszlemowy tytuł, drugi w Wimbledonie, gdzie w czwartym kolejnym starcie dochodzi do decydującej fazy. Do tej pory za każdym razem mierzył się jednak z Federerem. Teraz Berdych. Czech uznaje Nadala za swojego ulubionego zawodnika do oglądania na korcie. - Tomáš jest za dobry, by mnie tak podziwiać - przyznał nieco zmieszany Rafa. - Był najlepszy w swojej połówce drabinki, więc żaden rywal nie mógłby być w finale groźniejszy od niego. Mecz będzie bardzo trudny dla mnie i mam nadzieję, że także dla niego.
W piątek faworyt musiał być zadowolony ze swojej gry. - We wszystkich ważnych momentach, oprócz jednego (podwójny błąd serwisowy), spisałem się dobrze. Gdy gram
dobrze, to znaczy, że radzę sobie świetnie także przy decydujących punktach - powiedział. - Szkoda mi Andy'ego, bo Wimbledon to dla niego najważniejszy tytuł. Ale myślę, że wkrótce wygra imprezę Wielkiego Szlema. Ktoś kto był w finale w Nowym Jorku i Melbourne oraz notuje półfinały w Londynie, zasługuje na wielkie trofea.
Rafa walczy o czwarty tytuł w sezonie, po wywalczonych z rzędu triumfach na mączce w Montecarlo, Rzymie, Madrycie i Paryżu. Od trzech miesięcy nie ma już problemów ze zdrowiem, ale dmucha na zimne. - Nie mam kontroli nad urazami kolan. Nie wiem kiedy zacznie się ból, nie wiem kiedy się skończy - wyjaśnia. - Od początku tego sezonu czułem, że gram swój najlepszy tenis. Prawdziwą satysfakcję poczułem, gdy w Montecarlo w końcu wygrałem turniej.
Nadal in a league of his own
Rafael Nadal's victory over Andy Murray in the Wimbledon semi-final was the best individual performance I've seen in this tournament and possibly the best I've seen all year.
I was a little concerned about Nadal going into this match, and I know I'm not the only one; there were still some worries about his fitness and he hasn't always been at his best in the tournament so far.
However, there was absolutely no inclination about any injuries or lack of form whatsoever, and what Nadal produced was an unbelievable performance that was just fabulous to watch.
Murray on the other hand must be worried that a bit of a pattern is emerging. Every time he has got into a great position to win his first Grand Slam title he has then been beaten in straight sets.
First by Roger Federer in the final of the US Open and then the Australian Open, and then again here against Nadal.
I watched his press conference after the match and it was very hard to know what he was supposed to say as I don't think he could have done much differently in that match.
He served better than he has been doing, he came to the net more, he was forceful on the big shots, and he could easily have taken the second or third set.
The truth is though, that nobody in the world could have coped with Nadal on the form he showed in this match, and I include Roger Federer in that assessment.
For me, when fit, Nadal has been the best player in the world for the last three years.
If he can stay fit then there is no reason why he can't get very close to Federer's record number of Slam titles. That fitness issue remains a big if given his style of play, but when he plays like he did against Murray - he's in a league of his own.
++++
I was interested to see which Tomas Berdych would turn up against Novak Djokovic and he was again brilliant in reaching the final.
There just seems to be a lightness about him at the moment both in his touch and mentally.
Djokovic was outgunned and outplayed, and it is a strange quirk of fate that after this tournament the Serb will become world number two because in reality, I'm not sure I'd have him in my top five at the moment.
The final will be a new test for Berdych. If he freezes it could be a quick straight sets win for Nadal.
It is hard to know how the Czech will cope with the occasion because we have to remember that just a month ago he hadn't even been to a Grand Slam semi-final.
If he turns up though, Nadal will find it very hard to break Berdych's serve, and we could be in line for a good match.
However, even though Berdych has beaten Nadal before, the record stands at 7-3 in Nadal's favour, the Spaniard has won their last six meetings so any way you look at it, you have to make Rafa the big favourite.
Wimbledon 2010 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w półfinale
Q. Looked a little like 2008 again.
RAFAEL NADAL: I never like the comparations. No, every year is completely different. For me was amazing day, very important victory for me, one of the more difficult victories of my career because the opponent was playing well and I need really to play my best tennis to try to win.
I think, yeah, I am very happy. Today is very important day for me.
Q. Because of all of what you had to go through last year with the injuries, is it even more satisfying now that you're back here?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, that's past. But, sure, I said in Monte‑Carlo, Rome, Madrid, Roland Garros, sure, when you had tough moments and wasn't an easy year last year ‑ especially the second half of the year ‑ when you came back and when you still playing another time at your best, for sure I feel I playing at my best since the start of this season, since 2010 when I start.
But I didn't win a tournament since 11 months, and after I started to win in Monte‑Carlo. So for sure that's makes more special, because I worked a lot to be back playing my best tennis. I did, so that's very important personal satisfaction, no? Probably is when you have tough moments and you are another time are in the top, yeah, is more special.
Q. Does 2008 seem like a long time ago when you were here raising the trophy as the champion, or does it seem like yesterday to you?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. Two years. Well, the life is go fast. Since these two year a lot of things happen to my life. Is not very far, but at the same time I have two years with different things.
Q. You were behind 4‑2 in the last set and you weren't playing very well then. Suddenly you win the rest of the games as you became Rafael Nadal again. Did you have to wake up?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no. I felt a little bit tired after the second, after the second tiebreak. Was a lot of tension in that tiebreak in the last games of the second set.
When I started the third I lost a little bit my concentration and I felt little bit down. But that's happen at only one game. After that game, after the first game. But, you know, in grass, one break is almost the set.
After that game I felt another time well. But Andy served well and I didn't have lots of chances on the return. But when I had the chance, I did. So that was the most important thing of the match. I think of all important moments, just one double‑fault in the 5‑All in the tiebreak. But for the rest of the important moments, I played very well today.
Q. It will go down as a straight‑sets victory today, but how well did Andy Murray play?
RAFAEL NADAL: Andy's amazing player, so I don't know how well he played. You can answer him.
But when I play against him I always see the match very, very difficult, because he makes the very difficult things very easy. So he has a good serve, and the movements are unbelievable from the baseline, no?
He looks like he's always at the way that you're gonna play, so he's very difficult. For that reason I think it's one of the biggest victories in my career today.
Q. Was it fun meeting Beckham?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah.
Q. Did you talk a little soccer?
RAFAEL NADAL: I met him now just five minutes. Well, I know him from Madrid few years ago. And, sure, always is special meet with great sportsman like David.
At the same time, he's a big star outside of the stadium. But for me, what I admire a lot of him is when he's on the stadium, he fight like the best of them, more than the rest.
Q. Can you compare meeting the Queen of England and the King of British football?
RAFAEL NADAL: C'mon, guys. Sorry. I answer that few days ago. I explain what happened in that day. For me was disappointing didn't meet the Queen, for sure. But I have lot of respect for this tournament, and I have my routines on that day. Probably if I change the routines, I am not here today.
Q. Was it hard to recover from the double‑fault mentally?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, because I played a great point next point. But if Andy makes the serve and give me a set point was the set, so was important mistake. But I was lucky Andy missed the first serve, and later I had a chance to play the point from the baseline and I did well.
Q. What about Andy, you said to him after the match that he could win a major.
RAFAEL NADAL: I wished him best of luck for the rest of the season, and sorry for today. I know it was an important match for him I think because he play at home, and this is a chance for him to win probably the most important title for him win here at home in Wimbledon.
Just I felt sorry for him because he's a very nice person, very good person. I am sure he gonna win a Grand Slam very soon, because when you have final in US Open, final in Australia, semifinals here this year and the last year, you are there all the time. So one day you win. I am sure he gonna win. He deserve to win.
Q. How well aware are you that he's such a big fan of yours? He kept talking about you're his favorite player to watch.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, just can say thanks. He don't need to admire a lot of things of me because he's too good to admire me.
Q. Do you remember where you were the first Sunday of July last year? Did you watch the final?
RAFAEL NADAL: I watched at home, yeah, on the sofa.
Q. What are the recollections you have from that day? What else do you remember about the final last year, not being there?
RAFAEL NADAL: Just enjoying beautiful match. Was a very emotional match. I liked the tennis, so I enjoyed the match. I wasn't ready to be here, so my mind wasn't here.
Q. In view of Andy's skill, were you surprised that you were able to close this out in just three sets?
RAFAEL NADAL: Sure. When I came to the match I was with the focus. I know how tough gonna be the match. I never thought win in three sets.
But at the same time, I never thought win in three sets, win in four, win in five, or lose in three or lose in four. I just go on court and try to play my best tennis point by point. That's my style. I know I just need try play my best tennis. Only like this I going to have chances.
Q. Looking back now, does it surprise you you were able to complete this match so quickly?
RAFAEL NADAL: Sure. But he had few chances. This match is decides ‑‑ anyway, if was in three sets, this match is decide in very small things. If Andy makes this point and win the second set, maybe we are there. So everything can change in just one point.
Q. During the tournament we have found out from other players that they have been injured going into games. We found out after the game. Do you go into Sunday's final a hundred percent fit? Your knees are ready to go?
RAFAEL NADAL: I hope so. I don't know. I think I didn't have any problem for the last three matches. But the pain in the second and especially in the third match is not forgot. Can be there and can't be there in one moment, and I don't have the control of this.
But I am still working every day to try to be healthy like I was the last three matches. But this pain sometimes appears there, and is there. I don't know when it start and when it stop.
Q. Did you have a chance to watch your opponent in the finals?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, I watched almost all the semifinal.
Q. What do you think about Tomas Berdych?
RAFAEL NADAL: Amazing. He did amazing tournament. I think he played very good match against Federer; very good match today against Djokovic. He save difficult match against Brands. Yeah, he's the best of his draw, so for that reason he's in the final. No one opponent can be more difficult than Tomas to play this final.
Q. Your feelings about the matchup against Berdych in this particular match on grass, is there a style that you're expecting to see from him or what?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, Tomas is a very aggressive player, very good serve, very good flat shots from the baseline. So gonna be very, very difficult. Very difficult match. Is very difficult to stop him when he's playing well, and he's playing really well. So gonna be very difficult to play against him.
Q. If you have to give a technical explanation why you won today, do you think it's your forehand that was the big difference? Your forehand kills the point while Murray is a very good counterattacker, but it doesn't have the same power when you slow down the ball and you slice your backhand.
RAFAEL NADAL: When you win these matches, is always the same thing: is play well and the mental thing. Mental part is decisive, no? If we talk about the technique, I served well some moments. Most of the time my serve works well.
And, sure, my feeling with the forehand was very good during all the tournament, yeah. Forehand makes the difference.
Q. We've had three classic finals in a row here. Do you expect to give us a fourth one Sunday?
RAFAEL NADAL: Ah, three five sets? Yeah, we had 2007. I don't know. Sure, will be very difficult match. Will be very difficult match for me, and hopefully for him, too (smiling). I don't know.
#41) Wimbledon 2010
R128 Kei Nishikori 6/2 6/4 6/4
R64 Robin Haase 5/7 6/2 3/6 6/0 6/3
R32 Philipp Petzschner[33] 6/4 4/6 6/7 6/2 6/3
R16 Paul Henri Mathieu 6/4 6/2 6/2
1/4 Robin Soderling[6] 3/6 6/3 7/6 6/1
1/2 Andy Murray[4] 6/4 7/6 6/4
F Tomas Berdych[12] 6/3 7/5 6/4
:D
Londyńska trawa ponownie dla Nadala
Niespodzianki w finale Wimbledonu niewielu się spodziewało i jej nie było. Rafael Nadal po znakomitej grze pokonał Tomáša Berdycha 6:3, 7:5, 6:4. Dla Hiszpana była to druga wygrana w tej imprezie w karierze, a ósma w turnieju z cyklu Wielkiego Szlema.
Nadal pokazał wielką klasę. W każdym z trzech setów zaprezentował zagrania, które wzbudzały zachwyt widowni. Angielscy kibice od lat mocno trzymają kciuki za Rafę,. więc i tym razem nie było inaczej. Byli jednak tacy, którzy mieli nadzieję na niespodziankę. Zwłaszcza po tym jak w półfinale zawodnik z Majorki pokonał faworyta gospodarzy Andy Murraya.
Nic jednak z tego. Mimo to, że czeski 24-latek Berdych w ostatnich miesiącach spisuje się znakomicie, a w drodze do finału pokonał m.in. Rogera Federera, to w starciu z wielkim Hiszpanem nie miał wiele do powiedzenia. Trzeba przynać, że starał się z calych sił.
Początki wszystkich partii wyglądały podobnie. Obaj tenisiści wygrywali swoje podania, ale w końcu Nadalowi udawało się wykazać wyższość. W pierwszym secie dwa razy przełamal Czecha, w drugim raz, a w trzecim też raz. Thomas natomiast nie wykorzystał żadnej z czterech szans na wygranie gema przy podaniu Hiszpana.
Lider światowego rankingu zanotował 14. z rzędu wugraną na kortach Wimbledonu. Po raz ostatni przegrał tutaj w finale w 2007 roku. Wtedy to uległ Rogerowi Federerowi. Dwa lata temu wywalczył tytul, a w poprzednim sezonie nie startował z powodu kontuzji.
- To co stało się w niedzielę to spełnienie mojego marzenia. Grałem tu po raz czwarty w finale i po raz drugi okazałem się najlepszy. Wróciłem do formy po cięzkim sezonie i kontuzji, dlatego ta wygrana jest tak ważna. W zeszłym sezonie miałem problemy i nie wystąpiłem. Teraz wszyscy mi dopingowali nawet, gdy gralem przeciwko tenisiści gospodarzy. To wspaniały dzień - mówił Nadal, który kilka tygodni temu zwyciężył na mączce na kortach Rolanda Garrosa.
Kapitalny Nadal - TENIS - Wimbledon
- To były wspaniałe dwa tygodnie w mojej karierze. Nadal był dzisiaj bardzo solidny i naprawdę zbyt silny. On jest prawdziwym mistrzem i zasłużył na zwycięstwo. Wiele mi dał sukces w ćwierćfinałowym meczu z Federerem, dostalem dodatkowej mocy. Wszyscy z mojego zespołu, rodzina i trenerzy przyczynili się do moich ostatnich sukcesów - stwierdził za to Tomáš Berdych. Czeski zawodnik po raz pierwszy grał w finale turnieju z cyklu Wielkiego Szlema.
Wynik finału gry pojedynczej mężczyzn:
Rafael Nadal (Hiszpania, 2) - Tomas Berdych (Czechy, 12) 6:3, 7:5, 6:4.
Nadal Captures Eighth Major Crown
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal won his second Wimbledon title on Sunday as he mastered blustery conditions at the All England Club to defeat first-time Grand Slam finalist Tomas Berdych 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 in the final of The Championships.
The Spaniard has dominated the ATP World Tour since April, winning 31 of his past 32 matches, and came into Wimbledon having just won his seventh Grand Slam championship at Roland Garros (d. Soderling). He also achieved the Roland Garros – Wimbledon double in 2008, when he became the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to accomplish the feat.
The Manacor resident is the first Spaniard in history to win two Wimbledon titles. The only other Spanish winner at the All England Club is Manuel Santana, who lifted the trophy in 1966 (d. Ralston).
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“It’s more than a dream for me,” said Nadal. “It was always my dream to play on this court and today, to play a fourth final for me was amazing. I couldn’t be here last year but this year I came back and to have this trophy in my hands is more than a dream.”
“It was a great two weeks for me, but he was very strong today,” conceded Berdych. “He’s showed in the last few months that he’s really the champion and he just deserved to win today.
The 24-year-old Nadal, who regained the No. 1 spot in the South African Airways 2010 ATP Rankings from Roger Federer after his Roland Garros triumph last month, added a further 2000 points to his tally. He has already secured his place in the elite eight-man field at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, the year-end championships which will return to The O2 in London from 21-28 November.
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Nadal is one of six players to reach four successive Wimbledon finals, joining Boris Becker, Bjorn Borg, Federer, John McEnroe and Pete Sampras. The Mallorcan finished runner-up to Federer in 2006 and 2007 before lifting the trophy for the first time in 2008 by defeating his Swiss rival in the longest Wimbledon final in history in four hours and 48 minutes. He was forced to miss last year’s Championships due to tendonitis in both knees.
"Every one is really special," said Nadal, comparing his two Wimbledon finals. "Is difficult to say this one is more special. The other one was more dramatic, the way to win. So first title is always very, very special.
"For sure after not easy year for me. Be back at my favourite tournament of the world here and play well another time, and not only play well, so finish with the trophy is amazing for me. Was very difficult for me to be back at my best. I did, so is very important and emotional moment for me. I want to enjoy that."
Watch Post-Match Interviews: Nadal | Berdych
His defeats to Federer in the 2006 and 2007 Wimbledon finals are his only two losses in 10 Grand Slam finals. In addition to his two Wimbledon trophies, he has also won five Roland Garros crowns and lifted the trophy at the 2009 Australian Open (d. Federer).
The left-hander has now won 14 matches in a row at Wimbledon, and improved to a 40-8 match record on grass, the eighth-best tally among active players. He won his first grass-court title at The Queen’s Club (d. Djokovic) in 2008.
How The Final Was Won | Watch Highlights
The 12th-seeded Berdych was contesting his first major singles title after embarking on a tremendous run through the top half of the 128-man singles draw. He stunned top seed and six-time champion Federer in the quarter-finals, before ousting World No. 3 Novak Djokovic in Friday’s semi-finals.
“I want to congratulate Tomas because he is having an amazing season and had a very good tournament for today,” said Nadal. “I’m sorry for today but I wish him best of luck for the rest of the season.”
The Czech player has built further on the strong results he had already compiled this season. He defeated Federer en route to his second ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final in Miami (l. to Roddick) and reached his first-ever major semi-final at Roland Garros, following victory over World No. 4 Andy Murray in the fourth round.
The 24 year old was the first Czech player to compete in the Wimbledon men’s singles final since Ivan Lendl in 1987 and was looking to become the first champion from his country since Jan Kodes triumphed in 1973.
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“I hope this gives me a lot of confidence and some extra power to be stronger for next time and who knows what’s going to happen in the next few years,” said Berdych.
"I think the biggest difference between us was that when he got a chance, he just took it. He gave me one in the second set, one in the third set, and none of them I can bring it to my side and just made a break. That just shows how strong he is. I think it was just really about the small difference.
"It's really tough to find out some special tactic [against Nadal]. So my strategy was just concentrate for myself, start well and wait for some little chances. But, as I said before, he took it."
Berdych is projected to rise to a career-high No. 8 in the South African Airways 2010 ATP Rankings when the new rankings are released on Monday.
Nadal: It all comes down to desire
The huge forehand, the blinding court coverage, the unflinching focus are all part of the formidable Rafael Nadal armoury, but the Spaniard believes one trait stands above all when seeking success on grass - desire.
"The main thing I think is if you want to play well, you're going to find a way," said the Spaniard after crushing Tomas Berdych in straight sets for his eighth Grand Slam title and second at the All England Club.
Labelled in the past a claycourt specialist, a reasonable moniker given his five French Open titles at Roland Garros, the Mallorcan has now played in four Wimbledon finals, winning two of them.
Only the hardcourt major in New York is missing from his Grand Slam resume, and considering how well he has altered his game to reap huge success on the lawns of south west London, victory at Flushing Meadow should not be far away.
"If you really want to play well on one surface and you are a good player, I think in the end you are going to find a way. I think the good thing to play here on grass is the movement.
"I move well on this court, and that's very important part of the game. Sure, later my serve always was improving a little bit. (It) is important to play more aggressive (on grass) than the rest of the surfaces.
"But I tell you, the main thing is to really want to improve on every surface. On grass it's the main thing."
Tormentor in chief on the court, the perfect gentleman off it, Nadal did not for a moment suggest he was surprised by the margin of his victory over a man who had disposed of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in previous rounds.
"I don't expect anything before the match. I expect to play my best in every point and try to fight every point like the last.
"I just think about trying to go on court and trying to fight every point and play point by point."
Welcome to the Nadal era
Rafael Nadal's comfortable victory over Tomas Berdych came as no real surprise the way he is playing at the moment.
The Spaniard has proven himself to be the world's best player by some distance over the last two Slams and the rest are really an irrelevance at the moment.
I thought Berdych was a little nervous at the start and he didn't serve as well as he can.
I felt he had to win the first set to have any chance of winning the match and after he lost that, I was worried that he might capitulate a little bit.
To be fair, he did get it together in the second set and made things competitive but he was never going to be a match for Nadal.
Rafa got better and better as the tournament progressed, and I think he played his best match of the year against Murray in the semi-finals.
In many ways, I think he is more watchable on grass than on clay. Obviously he is more dominant on clay, but we get to see the other facets of his game when he is playing on grass and it is just so entertaining to watch.
I've been saying for the last 12 months or so that the level of the top four players in the game has been dropping and that is now more true than ever with Nadal being the one big exception.
At the moment, he is in a league of his own, and it is hard to really pick out anyone as being a clear number two.
Over the next 12 months the two big questions will be whether Nadal's knees hold up (and if they do he can continue to dominate) and also whether Roger Federer can bounce back to the top level and win another two or three Slams?
To do that there has to be a major re-appraisal of Federer's game and he has to consider where the sport fits in with fatherhood and being a husband.
His career is at a crossroads now, and we may have seen the best of him. I really hope I'm wrong, but over the last few months he has been little more than a passing number.
He has said before that he will play on until 2012 and nobody really doubted that, but it's hard to see him messing about at number seven or eight in the world.
I think it would be a great shame to see him go out at that level.
+++
Looking back on the Wimbledon championship as a whole, I think we had a superb first week but the tournament then fizzled out a bit in the second.
The opening week was really helped by Federer's and Nadal's early struggles and then of course you had the Isner v Mahut match that will live long in the memory.
In the second week though, you didn't have that one match that really captured the heart and the two finals were a bit disappointing.
The women's draw in particular never really came to life. It was great to see new names like Tsvetana Pironkova and Petra Kvitova do so well but I think the tournament could have benefitted from someone like Justin Henin or Kim Clijsters battling into contention.
When Serena Williams turns up to play though, she looks pretty much unbeatable and if she can stay hungry and injury free over the next few years, well....God help the opposition!
Tennis-Success on grass? You've got to want it enough - Nadal
The huge forehand, the blinding court coverage, the unflinching focus are all part of the formidable Rafael Nadal armoury, but the Spaniard believes one trait stands above all when seeking success on grass -- desire.
"The main thing I think is if you want to play well, you're going to find a way," said the Spaniard after crushing Tomas Berdych in straight sets for his eighth grand slam title and second at the All England Club.
Labelled in the past a claycourt specialist, a reasonable moniker given his five French Open titles at Roland Garros, the Mallorcan has now played in four Wimbledon finals, winning two of them.
Only the hardcourt major in New York is missing from his grand slam resume, and considering how well he has altered his game to reap huge success on the lawns of south west London, victory at Flushing Meadow should not be far away.
"If you really want to play well on one surface and you are a good player, I think in the end you are going to find a way. I think the good thing to play here on grass is the movement.
"I move well on this court, and that's very important part of the game. Sure, later my serve always was improving a little bit. (It) is important to play more aggressive (on grass) than the rest of the surfaces.
"But I tell you, the main thing is to really want to improve on every surface. On grass it's the main thing."
Tormentor in chief on the court, the perfect gentleman off it, Nadal did not for a moment suggest he was surprised by the margin of his victory over a man who had disposed of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in previous rounds.
"I don't expect anything before the match. I expect to play my best in every point and try to fight every point like the last.
"I just think about trying to go on court and trying to fight every point and play point by point."
The taste of victory
It was Breakfast at Wimbledon, the strawberries were ripe, the cream was flowing, but you can bet food was the last thing on Rafa Nadal's mind as he bit into the Wimbledon trophy for the second time in his career.
Rafa made his fourth Wimbledon final appearance on Sunday and for the world number one, victory never tasted so sweet. Rafa somersaulted his way into a straight set win over the 12th seed, Tomas Berdych, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4. He served at 67 percent, recorded 29 winners and tallied five aces for the day.
Berdych misfired early in the first, recording a series of errors, which led to three break points for Rafa. The Czech saved the first, but Rafa prevailed, snagging the second and capturing the break. Some sub-par serving from Berdych allowed Rafa to break one more time to seal the first set 6-3. Rafa had four aces, won 92 percent of his first serves and converted 50 percent of his break points.
Early in the second set Rafa had to defend three break points. He had five errors and two double faults in the first game, but regained his composure during the remainder of the set to bring it to 6-5. His powerful slicing forehand earned him three break points off Berdych's serve. Rafa capitalized on the first break point and stole the set late 7-5.
The third set all boiled down to each player's resolve. Both players had dramatically increased their serving percentages since the first set, and neither looked like he would break. At 5-4 with Berdych to serve, Rafa stepped up. He secured a break point off Berdych's serve and the 2008 Wimbledon champion became the 2010 Wimbledon champion. Rafa collapsed to the turf and treated the crowd to a somersaulting, fist-pump finish. His comeback was complete.
The Wimbledon champion will now set his sights on winning the only Grand Slam missing from his résumé — the US Open.
"[The US Open] is always real difficult tournament for me... is one tournament I really want to play well there... is one of my biggest goals for the rest of the year," Rafa said.
Vamos Rafa!
Nadal captures second Wimbledon title
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal secured his eighth Grand Slam championship on Sunday, after taking out an in-form World No. 13 Tomas Berdych in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4.
Rafael Nadal pocketed career title No. 41 Sunday afternoon, following his straight-set victory over Tomas Berdych. The 24-year-old Mallorcan came through the Wimbledon final without surrendering serve, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4, in two hours and 14 minutes of play. Nadal earned his fifth title of the season, adding to previous championship runs in Monte-Carlo, Rome, Madrid and Roland Garros. The World No. 1 extended his Grand Slam final record to 8-2.
Both players held serve comfortably at the start to 3-3. Berdych faltered in the seventh games, as he missed a handful of first serves. Nadal took a 4-3 break lead, after striking a winner off a second serve. Double set-point came at 5-3 for the World No. 1, who closed on a well-timed, second-serve return.
Berdych earned three break points early in set two, but failed to convert. A close second set held no additional break points until late in the set. Aided by a handful of unforced errors from the Czech, Nadal collected triple set-point at 6-5. After missing his first, the Mallorcan converted the second as Berdych pulled a forehand wide.
The World No. 13 reached break point at 1-1 in the third set, but came away empty-handed. Both men protected serve until the 10th game. Nadal showcased his trademark variety of shot to snag championship point at 5-4. The World No. 1 completed the match with a forehand cross-court blast for a winner.
“It’s more than a dream for me,” said Nadal. “It was always my dream to play on this court and today, to play a fourth final for me was amazing. I couldn’t be here last year but this year I came back and to have this trophy in my hands is more than a dream.”
Nadal ended the afternoon with 29 winners and four of 6 break points converted.
MŚ 2010. Nadal wygrał Wimbledon, teraz chce jechać na mundial
Zwycięzca Wimbledonu Hiszpan Rafael Nadal bardzo chciałby pojechać na mundial w RPA i zobaczyć, jak jego rodacy wznoszą zwycięski puchar. Nadal powiedział, że powinien teraz przejść kurację swoich kolan, ale być może wyruszy szybko na mistrzostwa świata, aby kibicować Hiszpanom.
Mistrzowie Europy zagrają w środę z Niemcami w półfinale.
- Bardzo chciałbym tam być, to mój ulubiony sport - powiedział tenisista po wygraniu swojego drugiego Wimbledonu.
- Muszę pomyśleć. Nie wiem, to bardzo daleko. Gdyby mistrzostwa świata były w Europie, to byłoby dla mnie dużo łatwiejsze. RPA to jednak bardzo daleka wycieczka, nie wiem - zastanawiał się.
- Powinienem teraz leczyć kolana. Muszę poważnie popracować, żeby być gotowym na amerykański sezon, więc nie wydaje mi się. Ale jeszcze zobaczę - nie mógł się zdecydować Hiszpan.
- Byłaby to jednak wielka przyjemność. Szaleję na punkcie futbolu, strasznie kibicuję naszej drużynie. Jestem w kontakcie z zawodnikami. Życzę reprezentacji wszystkiego najlepszego.
- Wygraliśmy piłkarskie mistrzostwa Europy, teraz jesteśmy w półfinale mistrzostw świata. A zatem to chyba nasze najlepsze chwile w historii tego sportu - dodał Nadal.
- Coś takiego bardzo trudno osiągnąć. Musimy zdawać sobie sprawę, jak to trudne i cieszyć się tymi chwilami, bo bardzo trudno będzie powtórzyć to pokolenie, które teraz mamy - zakończył tenisista.
Wimbledon 2010: champion Rafael Nadal still wants to improve on every surface
Rafael Nadal joked on Sunday night that he has become "a grass-court specialist", but in truth he is revealing himself as a genuine all-rounder.
Switching surfaces is always a tricky business, and few men have ever conquered Paris and London with such insouciance and style. Roger Federer, in 2009. Bjorn Borg, on three separate occasions. Julius Caesar, if you're allowed to bring an army.
Clay courts always used to be Nadal's safety blanket, but he has gradually extended his range around the colour spectrum. Having already won on the red earth of Roland Garros, the green grass of Wimbledon and the blue rubber of Melbourne Park, a first US Open title cannot be far away.
So how has Nadal introduced such variety to what was once a fairly monochrome game? "The main thing is to really want to improve on every surface," he said after the match. "For me, to play well on grass was always my dream, and to play here at Wimbledon was always a big goal.
"Movement is very important on grass," he added. "In the first week, it's very difficult to move here, very slippy. But in the second week, you can move better behind the baseline because it's like clay." Perhaps this explains why his biggest scares came early in the fortnight, against a pair of unseeded floaters by the names of Robin Haase and Philipp Petschzner.
Whatever the state of the court, Nadal – like all the best players – tends to raise his level as a tournament goes on. This year, he probably produced his best game against Andy Murray; that first set, in which he was guilty of just one unforced error, came as near to perfection as you will ever see.
Nadal was perhaps not quite as irresistible on Sunday, but an erratic performance from Tomas Berdych meant that he did not have to be. Indeed, the great man admitted after the game that he had been feeling the pressure of the occasion.
"I was a little bit more nervous than usual," said Nadal. "I was lucky on a few moments with the break-points, especially when he missed a backhand into the net. But if you are not nervous in the final of Wimbledon, you are not human."
Berdych denied that he had been overwhelmed by the occasion, but a first-serve ratio of just 48 per cent in the first set suggested an element of tightness. Asked what he had learned from the match, he replied: "It was a big experience just to step on the court and play my first Grand Slam final.
"It's so emotional that you have no chance to learn from any other matches. It's got to be this one. And the only way I can improve is to play more of these matches. The best thing is if I can play Rafa more because his biggest weapon is his left hand, and there aren't many players like that. It's really tough to find the right rhythm."
Nadal Back on Top at Wimbledon
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) -- The queen of England had the right idea coming to Wimbledon during the first week.
That's when the tournament produced most of its drama, while the final weekend stuck with a predictable script, thanks to Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams.
Nadal cemented his status as the world's No. 1 player Sunday, winning his second Wimbledon trophy, eighth Grand Slam championship and second major title in four weeks. He dismantled first-time Grand Slam finalist Tomas Berdych 6-3, 7-5, 6-4.
The top-ranked Williams, who won Wimbledon for the fourth time Saturday, eased through seven rounds without losing a set. Nadal had the more arduous journey, being pushed to five sets in rounds two and three while battling soreness in his right knee that subsided for his later matches.
He made winning the final look routine, deftly defusing Berdych's power and dominating pivotal points.
Nadal celebrated with perhaps the first Centre Court somersault in the history of a tournament that dates to 1877. Later, cradling the trophy under that talented left arm, he signed autographs outside the members' entrance to the All England Club.
The victory extended Nadal's winning streak at Wimbledon to 14 matches. The Spaniard won the title in 2008, then missed the tournament last year because of tendinitis in his knees.
''One of the toughest moments in my career, no?'' he said during the trophy ceremony. ''Amazing for me after a difficult year last year that I can be here.''
While the final weekend went as expected, with a sweep by the No. 1 players, the first week generated plenty of surprises to go with the queen's first Wimbledon visit since 1977.
Besides Nadal's close calls, there was a narrow escape for top-seeded Roger Federer, who was three points from defeat in the opening Centre Court match, and there was the longest match in tennis history. John Isner needed three days to beat Nicolas Mahut, winning the fifth set 70-68, creating such a sustained buzz Nadal was still talking about the match after his final.
''Unbelievable,'' he said. ''They show amazing good spirit for the crowd, for the young people, because the attitude was very positive and fighting a lot every point, like for 10 hours or 11 hours. Just amazing.''
Nadal's title run on the heels of his fifth French Open championship was plenty impressive, too.
In 2008, Nadal became the first player since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to sweep both majors. Federer pulled off the sweep last year, and now Nadal has done it twice.
''It didn't happen since Borg,'' Nadal said. ''Now last three years it happens. How crazy is the life?''
While Spanish players were long considered clay-court specialists who couldn't adapt to faster surfaces, Nadal spoke from the start of his career about wanting to do well at Wimbledon. Two years ago he became the first Spanish man to win Wimbledon since Manuel Santana in 1966, and now he's the first Spanish man to win it twice.
''To play here for me was all my life a big goal,'' Nadal said. ''If you really want to play well on one surface and you are a good player, I think in the end you're going to find a way.''
Nadal's zeal was evident before the final began. He walked onto the Centre Court lawn holding a racket, eager to start swinging.
The 12th-seeded Berdych upset Federer in the quarterfinals but couldn't duplicate that performance, and a handful of points were his downfall. Nadal converted four of six break-point chances, and saved all four break points he faced.
''The biggest difference between us was that when he got a chance, he just took it,'' Berdych said. ''That just shows how strong he is.''
The gap between Nadal and the rest of the men's tour widens. This week Novak Djokovic supplants Federer at No. 2 in the rankings, but the Serb hasn't reached a Grand Slam final since winning his only major title at the 2008 Australian Open. Federer, now No. 3, has gone five months without a tournament title since winning the Australian Open.
Nadal, meanwhile, is 31-1 with five titles since mid-April.
As the winner of eight major championships, he's tied with such greats as Andre Agassi, Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl, but Nadal still seeks a breakthrough at the U.S. Open. He has won other hard court tournaments, including the Australian Open, but his grinding style of play takes a toll on his body, especially his troublesome knees, and he has never been at a peak for the year's final major tournament.
He lost in the semifinals the past two years and has yet to reach a final. Barely two hours after his latest London win, he wasn't quite ready to start thinking about New York.
''For sure the U.S. Open is going to be one of my goals for rest of my career,'' he said. ''But right now it's to enjoy the beach, fishing, golf, friends, party and Mallorca.''
Rafael Nadal: Moja kariera jest piękniejsza niż marzyłem
Teraz golf, wędkowanie i imprezy na Majorce. Rafa Nadal po drugim tytule w Wimbledonie zbliżył się do wielkich postaci tenisa, ale nie mówi o próbie dorównania im. Hiszpan ma świadomość tego, że wygrywać będzie tylko zdrowy, dlatego przed świętowaniem przejdzie jeszcze zabiegi na kolanach.
- Jeśli chcesz grać dobrze, musisz znaleźć do tego drogę - powiedział półtorej godziny po finałowym zwycięstwie nad Berdychem. Nadal, już w wieku 24 lat najlepszy w historii zawodnik na kortach ziemnych, potrafi zachwycać także na trawie. - Moim dziecięcym marzeniem było, by grać dobrze w Wimbledonie. Spełniłem ten sen dwa lata temu, pokazując, że także Hiszpan może tu wygrać. Podstawą jest szybkie poruszanie się po korcie. Trzeba także grać znacznie bardziej agresywnie niż na innych nawierzchniach.
Nie chce na razie myśleć o US Open. - Ale to będzie mój cel przez resztę kariery - mówi o jedynym turnieju wielkoszlemowym, którego nie wygrał. - Teraz myślę o golfie, rybach i imprezach na Majorce - mówi. - Na razie czekają mnie jednak zabiegi na kolanach, bez czego nie będę mógł przygotowywać się do cyklu amerykańskiego.
Rok temu był w domu, sfrustrowany bezradnością, cierpiący na zapalenie ścięgien kolanowych. Bez gry oddał tytuł wimbledoński i powrócił do rywalizacji właśnie w cyklu amerykańskim, w Cincinnati. - Kiedy dotarłem na Majorkę po sezonie, zobaczyłem różnicę. Bez zdrowia by mnie teraz tu nie było. Na szczęście nie czuję już żadnego bólu.
Poddawane olbrzymim przeciążeniom kolana Rafy były obiektem rozpraw medycznych. Specjaliści nie dawali Hiszpanowi nadziei na długą karierę. Teraz jest jednak na szczycie, ale nie ukrywa, że zwraca o wiele większą niż wcześniej uwagę na zdrowie. - Zawsze trenowałem ze stuprocentową intensywnością, każdą piłkę uderzałem ze stuprocentową intensywnością. Jako dzieciak byłem szalony w tym względzie - tłumaczy.
- Moja kariera jest piękniejsza niż marzyłem - powiedział. Cieszy się z ośmiu wielkoszlemowych laurów i nie próbuje przewidywać, czy zdobędzie kolejnych osiem. Tak jak hiszpański sport, cieszy się tym, co ma. - Nasz sport jest w najlepszym momencie w swojej historii. Reprezentacja walczy o mistrzostwo świata, które jest marzeniem. Jestem w kontakcie z zespołem, ale z powodu leczenia nie polecę zobaczyć ich w ewentualnym finale.
Rafa zapowiedzią triumfu piłkarzy - prasa po wygranej Nadala w Wimbledonie
Hiszpański sport ma się wyśmienicie. Dziennik "Mundo Deportivo" w poniedziałkowym wydaniu umieszcza na czołówce duży tytuł "Bohaterowie!", a nad nim zdjęcia zawodników reprezentacji piłkarskiej, Rafy Nadala i motocyklisty Jorge Lorenzo.
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Nadala w madryckiej "Marce", która wyraża nadzieję: Wczoraj Rafa, w niedzielę La Roja (reprezentacja). Złota era hiszpańskiego sportu. Historia może się powtórzyć: w 2008 roku Hiszpania wygrała Euro, a tydzień wcześniej Rafa wygrał Wimbledon. Manolo Santana przypomina na łamach gazety: Rafa dwa lata temu powiedział mi, że nazwiska obu nas są już na tablicy zwycięzców.
Barceloński "Sport" pisze: Drugi tytuł w All England Club, ale bez agonii pierwszego. W kluczowych momentach Rafa potrafił zagrać z gracją. Jego precyzja była dewastująca. Nadala chwalą postaci hiszpańskiego sportu: Vicente del Bosque, Jaime Lissavetzky czy Conchita Martínez (Nie mam słów, by opisać to, co zrobił).
Według "El País" Nadal potęguje swoją legendę i zdobył Olimp. Dzięki czterem finałom z rzędu i dwom tytułom, Nadal zaaprobował turniej, który został znienawidzony przez całe generacje Hiszpanów. Bo gra
była za szybka, bo było wiele przerw deszczowych, bo organizatorzy nie respektowali rankingów - pisze największy hiszpański dziennik.
Po chwyceniu momentu, zwycięski Nadal wciąż się go trzyma - to tytuł w "The New York Times", który nawiązuje do znakomitej serii Hiszpana w tym sezonie. Trofeum zrobiło to, co rywale Nadala w Wimbledonie nie byli w stanie przez dwa tygodnie. Spowodowało łzy w jego oczach. (...) Nadal posyłał potężne uderzenia, jęczał i wykrzywiał twarz w zwyczajowe miny. Wyglądał normalnie, tylko grał
inaczej: bardziej narowiście, bardziej agresywnie, być może jak ulepszona wersja zawodnika, który wygrał turniej w 2008 roku.
"La Gazzetta dello Sport" zastanawia się, czy Nadal w wieku 24 lat może ustanowić dyktaturę taką, jak mistrzowie, którzy go poprzedzili. W tym wieku więcej tytułó wielkoszlemowych miał na koncie tylko Björn Borg. Jeżeli chcielibyśmy stworzyć klasyfikację wszechczasów, możemy powiedzieć, że w niewielu dyscyplinach sportu był tak zawzięty i zdeterminowany agresor jak on - pisze "Gazzetta", która informuje, że tak jak po turnieju w Rzymie Rafa podda się zabiegom oczyszczenia kolan z kolan (koszykarze zespołu Tau Victoria jako pierwsi zostali poddani tej praktyce medycznej).
Paryska "L'Équipe" krzyczy w poniedziałek dużym tytułem na pierwszej stronie Królewski Nadal!. W środku czytamy: Droga dla Nadala, co jest nawiązaniem do jego słów o znajdowaniu drogi do dobrej gry.
"Daily Telegraph" tytułuje swój dodatek sportowy Hiszpańskie złoto. Imperialny Nadal sięga po wimbledońską wiktorię. Boris Becker w swoim artykule pisze: Wygrywanie nie będąc w najlepszej
formie jest znakiem wielkiego mistrza.
Nadal: moc i chwała - to nagłówek w "The Independent". Dziennik pisze w komentarzu: Ten urodzony zwycięzca jest gotowy, by podążyć śladami Federera. Nick Bollettieri dodaje: Nadal ma talent, by zostać najlepszym w historii. O ile jego kolana będą w stanie.
Bombardiero napisał:
#41) Wimbledon 2010
R128 Kei Nishikori 6/2 6/4 6/4
R64 Robin Haase 5/7 6/2 3/6 6/0 6/3
R32 Philipp Petzschner[33] 6/4 4/6 6/7 6/2 6/3
R16 Paul Henri Mathieu 6/4 6/2 6/2
1/4 Robin Soderling[6] 3/6 6/3 7/6 6/1
1/2 Andy Murray[4] 6/4 7/6 6/4
F Tomas Berdych[12] 6/3 7/5 6/4
http://i48.tinypic.com/343kk1c.jpg
:D
Na szczęście to jego ostatni szlem w sezonie bo USO nie wygra.
Jacuszyn napisał:
Na szczęście to jego ostatni szlem w sezonie bo USO nie wygra.
Ciekawe, ze przekonany jest o tym gosciu, ktory prorokowal Federerowi wygranie wszystkich 4 turniejow Wielkoszlemowych w 2010 roku :)
Triumf Nadala
Hiszpan Rafael Nadal po raz drugi wygrał wielkoszlemowy turniej na trawiastych kortach w Wimbledonie (z pulą nagród 13,725 mln funtów)
Londyńska publiczność szybko zapomniała albo nawet wybaczyła Hiszpanowi, że w piątkowym półfinale wyeliminował Szkota Andy'ego Murraya, ostatnią nadzieję na pierwszy triumf tenisisty gospodarzy w imprezie od 74 lat. Jako ostatni dokonał tego Fred Perry w 1936 roku. Oklaskiwała sprawiedliwie obu finalistów, a w pewnym momencie z tłumu dobiegł na kort krzyk "kocham cię, Rafa", który wzbudził gromki śmiech w przerwie między gemami.
24-letni Nadal był wyraźnie zrelaksowany i raczej pewny swojej przewagi. Mocno koncentrował się na grze i uniknął większych błędów czy przestojów. Cały czas kontrolował rozwój wydarzeń na korcie i starał się wywierać presję na mierzącym blisko dwa metry rywalu przy returnie.
Berdych po raz pierwszy znalazł się w opałach w siódmym gemie, w którym pozwolił Hiszpanowi odskoczyć na 40:0 przy swoim podaniu. Obronił pierwszego "break pointa", ale przy drugim został skutecznie minięty, gdy biegł do siatki.
Ponownie stracił serwis w dziewiątym gemie, w którym obronił asem pierwszego setbola, ale chwilę później jego forhend trafił w siatkę. W ten sposób po 34 minutach Nadal wygrał pierwszą partię.
Na otwarcie drugiego seta Czech nie wykorzystał trzech - ze swoich czterech w całym meczu - "break pointów". Dalej obaj pewnie wygrywali swoje podania do stanu 6:5 dla Hiszpana, który w 12. gemie przyspieszył grę, a ryzykowne uderzenia piłek po liniach pozwoliły mu przełamać rywala. Tym samym rozstrzygnął trwającą 54 minut partię na swoją korzyść.
Także w trzeciej części finału wyrównana gra toczyła się niemal do samego końca. Ją również Nadal wygrał zdobywając "breaka" w ostatnim gemie. Po dwóch godzinach i 13 minutach wykorzystał pierwszego meczbola, po którym rzucił się na kort i zrobił fikołka z radości.
"Finał Wimbledonu jest zawsze moim marzeniem, a trzymając puchar mogę powiedzieć, że dostałem więcej. Tomas masz wspaniały sezon, więc przepraszam za dzisiaj, ale życzę ci powodzenia na resztę roku" - powiedział odbierając trofeum Nadal, który otrzyma również milion funtów premii.
24-letni Berdych przed miesiącem osiągnął pierwszy wielkoszlemowy półfinał na kortach ziemnych im. Rolanda Garrosa w Paryżu. W Londynie poprawił ten rezultat i jako pierwszy Czech od 1987 roku dotarł do wimbledońskiego finału (wówczas dokonał tego pochodzący z Pragi Ivan Lendl, choć grał już z amerykańskim paszportem). Niedzielny mecz z loży królewskiej oglądał Jan Kodes, jedyny triumfator z tego kraju (1973).
"To były dla mnie dwa wspaniałe tygodnie, ale on dzisiaj był zbyt silny. W ciągu ostatniego miesiąca po raz drugi udowodnił, że jest wielkim mistrzem i przyznaję, że zasłużył na to zwycięstwo" - powiedział Berdych.
Hiszpan chociaż od początku czerwca prowadzi w klasyfikacji ATP World Tour został rozstawiony z dwójką. Zarząd All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club uznał bowiem, że na "jedynkę" bardziej zasługuje Szwajcar Roger Federer, sześciokrotny triumfator imprezy (2003-07 i 2009).
Tenisista z Bazylei nie obronił jednak tytułu, wyeliminowany w ćwierćfinale przez Berdycha. Brak Federera w finale Nadal wykorzystał do zdobycia drugiego tytułu w Londynie. Pierwszy wywalczył dwa lata temu, po zaskakującej wygranej ze Szwajcarem 9:7 w piątym secie. W niedzielę zdobył ósmy tytuł w Wielkim Szlemie, w którym pięciokrotnie zwyciężał w Roland Garros (2005-08 i w tym sezonie) i raz w Australian Open (2009).
US Open - McEnroe: 'Animal' Nadal can win in US
So impressed by Rafael Nadal's second Wimbledon triumph, John McEnroe has described the Spaniard as an 'animal' who should complete his career Grand Slam of the majors at the US Open later this year.
His straight-sets win over Czech 12th seed Tomas Berdych at the All England Club was Nadal's eighth Grand Slam title win, and even though the world number one has never reached the final at Flushing Meadow he is clearly the man to beat in New York, said McEnroe.
"Nadal wants to win the US Open so badly," McEnroe told the ATP Champions Tour website. "It'd be hard not to pick him at this time even though he's never won it.
"The guy's just an animal; he's mentally and physically incredible and he can definitely do it if he's in this shape. The conditions in New York don't suit Nadal so well and he needs to make his body hold up.
"So I think after Wimbledon he is going to take some time off and get his knees recovered and then maybe not play too many matches before the Open."
After missing the defence of his title last year, Nadal's Wimbledon win catapulted him well clear at the top of the new rankings published on Monday with Roger Federer slipping out of the top two for the first time since 2003.
But the Swiss maestro's days of winning grand slams are by no means over, according to McEnroe.
"Federer's done so amazingly well that anything but a win is almost considered a bad tournament," said the seven-times Grand Slam winner.
"But he's won the Australian Open and been in two other quarters at majors this year, and almost any other player would love that.
"It's inevitable at some stage, when you've won 16 and you've broken every record that maybe you lose that will at certain times.
"I think Federer is going to win a couple more majors but you won't see him dominate the way he has before. He's a great enough talent and he has enough pride that he'll figure out a way to get a couple more Slams."
The US Open starts August 30.
Reuters
Power games: can Nadal seize his rival's crown?
As Federer falls in rankings, the World No 1 senses a chance to claim elusive US Open title
The guests at the Wimbledon Champions' Dinner in London on Sunday night had already finished their rare sirloin of beef and were well into the golden supreme of south coast halibut by the time the star of the show appeared.
It was just as well that Rafael Nadal had found time earlier in the evening, between a succession of post-match interviews, to wolf down a pizza margherita with mushrooms in the All England Club's media centre. A man of simple pleasures, the 24-year-old Spaniard had also favoured a choc ice over the champagne that was on offer in the locker room immediately after his victory over Tomas Berdych.
The bad news for Nadal's rivals, however, is that the world No 1 is still hungry, his appetite for success undiminished by his second triumph at what he calls his "favourite tournament in the world". His Wimbledon victory on Sunday was his 41st senior title and his eighth at Grand Slam level.
"I want to learn, to improve," Nadal said as he looked to the future. "The important thing is to work like I have all my life. Winning or losing can be decided by very small things, but you have to make opportunities for yourself."
Nadal's future always has to be hedged with provisos about his troublesome knees – he will take advantage of the break before his next tournament in Toronto in a month's time to undergo further treatment – but if he maintains his current rate of progress he will rewrite the record books. The Majorcan has won his eighth Grand Slam title at the age of 24 and one month; Roger Federer, who holds the record of 16 Grand Slam victories, won his eighth (at Wimbledon in 2006) when he was 24 and 11 months. But this year finds Federer markedly less than invincible – yesterday he fell in the rankings to world No 3 – outside the top two for the first time in seven years.
Historically, Federer may have held the advantage in his ability to excel on any surface, even if Nadal's brilliance on clay meant the Swiss did not complete his collection of Grand Slam titles until he finally won the French Open last year. Nadal has now won two grass-court Grand Slam titles and five on clay, but last year's Australian Open triumph remains his only success at that level on hard courts.
He has become known as the king of clay, though Nadal insists he has never seen himself like that. "When I was a kid I didn't feel like a clay-court specialist," he said. "I practised on hard courts and clay and I didn't play better on one or the other. On grass, the most important thing for me is to want to play well. If you want to play well and you're a good player, you will find a way to do it."
While Nadal has won nine titles on hard courts he has yet to reach a US Open final. Giving so much in the clay- and grass-court seasons has clearly affected his late-summer New York campaigns in the past: on the three previous occasions that he made the finals at both Paris and Wimbledon (2006, 2007 and 2008) he went out of the US Open in the quarter-finals, fourth round and semi-finals respectively.
Is there reason to believe he will do better this year? "It is very difficult," Nadal admitted. "I hope to be ready, to be healthy, because for the last few years I've had problems. Last year, I had abdominal trouble. Two years ago, I arrived at the semi-finals against Andy Murray totally exhausted, mentally and physically, after the Olympics and winning here at Wimbledon.
"This year things might be a bit different. Now the most important thing for me is to rest in Majorca, to enjoy the summer there and then have three weeks' practice at home, like a mini pre-season.
"I will try to work as I did in December, which was very good for me. I started the season playing my best tennis, though I didn't win because I wasn't calm enough or confident enough, even though my level was high enough to do it."
Yesterday's updated world rankings list provided confirmation of the gulf between Nadal and the rest. He is nearly 4,000 points ahead of his closest rival (2,000 points are awarded for triumph in a Grand Slam event) and already he looks certain to stay at the top for the rest of the year.
"It was never a big goal to be No 1," the Spaniard said. "To finish the season as No 1? Yes. That is a bit more of a goal. I am in a good position to do that. But what makes me happy is not being No 1, it is working hard."
As for other career targets, Nadal was typically modest. How many more Grand Slam titles did he think he could win? "I don't know. Maybe I won't win any more."
How much would breaking records mean to him? "It is important, but I am focused on improving my tennis. I am 24 years old and it is very difficult to say now where I want to be. It is very difficult to predict."
As for how long he expected to carry on playing, he was clear on one point. "If I wake up one day and I go to practise without any motivation to improve, then I will stop."
He added: "I love the competition, sport in general. I love to practise. You try your best in every moment. When I go to play golf I try to do my best. When I have a football match with friends and we play five-a-side I don't understand why not everyone is running. I don't understand sport like this. When I go to play I enjoy running, finishing the match tired after giving everything.
"It may just be a fun match with friends, but that's what I understand sport is about."
New world order: how the heavyweights emerge from wimbledon
Novak Djokovic: Now world No 2
The Serb may not have won another Grand Slam title since his 2008 Australian Open triumph but he has become a highly consistent performer. The 23-year-old moved up one place to No 2 in yesterday's updated world ranking list. In the last eight Grand Slam events, Djokovic has failed to reach the quarter-finals only once, while in making the semi-finals at Wimbledon he matched his best performance at the All England Club. Nevertheless, he will be disappointed to have lost to lower-ranked opponents – Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Jürgen Melzer and Tomas Berdych – at each of this year's Grand Slam tournaments. Hard courts usually bring the best out of Djokovic and he needs a good second half of the season to maintain his place. He has plenty of ranking points to defend in America over the next two months.
Andy Murray: World No 4
The Briton is yet to win a title this year, but his run to the semi-finals at Wimbledon suggested he has played himself out of the early-season dip that followed his excellent Australian Open campaign. In losing to Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals last week, Murray gave the Spaniard a better run for his money than Tomas Berdych did in the final. Although he did not make much of an impression at Indian Wells and Miami earlier this year, Murray usually performs well on American hard courts. He won the US Open junior title in 2004 and reached his first senior Grand Slam final in New York two summers ago. Nevertheless, he will need to avoid another post-Grand Slam slump. His next tournament will be in Toronto, where he will be defending the ranking points he earned by winning the title in Montreal last summer.
Roger Federer: World No 3
One Grand Slam title and appearances in the quarter-finals of the two other majors would be an excellent haul for anyone else, but by his standards Federer has not had a great year. He has not won a title since the Australian Open and his run of 23 consecutive Grand Slam semi-final appearances ended at the French Open. Yesterday, the Swiss fell out of the top two places in the world rankings for the first time since 2003. Having won last summer's Cincinnati Masters and reached the final of the US Open, he will drop further down the list if his indifferent form continues into the US hard-court season. Federer said injury problems were partly to blame for his Wimbledon form. He will welcome the chance to recuperate over the next four weeks, but his recent run casts doubts over whether he maintains his motivation.
And the rest...
The injuries suffered by Juan Martin del Potro and Nikolay Davydenko have left Robin Soderling (left) as the closest challenger to the big four. The Swede yesterday moved up to a career-high No 5 in the rankings and is breathing down Murray's neck. Tomas Berdych, a semi-finalist at the French Open and finalist at Wimbledon, has been the other significant mover this summer. Up to No 8 in the rankings, he now has to prove the last six weeks are evidence of a long-term improvement. Andy Roddick, Marin Cilic and Fernando Verdasco had Wimbledons they will want to forget, while Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has never rediscovered the level that took him to the 2008 Australian Open final. Of the others just below the top, Sam Querrey and John Isner will hope home advantage will help them on US hard courts.
Nadal: Power and the glory
Spaniard surges to victory at Wimbledon to underline his standing as the best in the world
By Paul Newman, Tennis Correspondent
If there were any remaining doubts as to who is the world's best player they were dispelled in emphatic fashion here yesterday. Rafael Nadal, having already reclaimed the world No 1 ranking from Roger Federer, succeeded the Swiss as Wimbledon champion with a crushing 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 victory over Tomas Berdych.
In winning his second Wimbledon crown and the eighth Grand Slam title of his career, Nadal never looked in danger against an opponent playing in his first major final. Nadal held serve throughout, while the hard-hitting Berdych dropped serve four times. Most crucially of all, the Czech was broken in the last game of all three sets.
It completed a remarkable comeback by Nadal, who missed Wimbledon last year because of a knee injury and had not won a title for 11 months until the start of the clay-court season three months ago. Since then, the 24-year-old Spaniard has swept all the major honours before him, including the French Open and Wimbledon.
James Lawton: Natural-born winner ready to follow in the footsteps of Federer
Nadal appeared able to raise his level at will. It was wonderful to see someone so in charge
only wimbledon can seize quite so hungrily, even hysterically, on the lost cause of an underdog and, naturally, most of the passion is reserved for the home-bred variety. Sooner, rather than later, though, this particularly supply runs out and maybe someone from the Czech Republic will do.
Tomas Berdych, who had played such an inspired tournament before Rafa Nadal appeared at the other side of the net, immediately announced his candidacy yesterday and the response was predictable enough.
Every sliver of hope was thus rapturously received. You might say this is all rather sweet but some will never really understand the point. They are the kind of people who tend to think that the highest of achievement, as represented by performers such as Nadal and Tiger Woods, is worthy of pretty much all available admiration.
Nick Bollettieri: Nadal has the talent to be the greatest of all time – but only if his knees are up to it
Rafael Nadal bounded up another couple of steps at the tennis pantheon yesterday, overtaking Johnny McEnroe in the number of Grand Slam singles titles he's now won (eight), looking ahead to see who else he can muscle past. The beef from Majorca is phenomenal, amazing. His movement is sensational, inexplicable. I'm going to need to get a slo-slo-slow motion replay version of some of yesterday's action to see what's going on with his feet. How he reaches some of the balls that he does defies belief. He has no right. But he gets there, time and again.
He's only 24. The limit to what he can achieve in the rest of his career will be determined only by whether his body allows him to continue. But he says that he's healthy, and with some careful scheduling of his season, why shouldn't he play on, at this level or something close to it, for another three, four, five years? There is no reason. Holy cow!
Could he even win another eight Slams to match Roger Federer's 16? It's utterly extraordinary that we can even pose the question. But it's not outside the realms of possibility. Rafa is one of the greatest and can go further.
Wimbledon 2010 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w finale
Q. Pau Gasol wanted me to say hola to you. Congratulations. Can you compare this to what he did, back‑to‑back Lakers championships and your own as well, two straight here at Wimbledon for you?
RAFAEL NADAL: Thanks a lot. Everything is difficult, and very difficult compare, two different sports, no? But I am in contact with him all the time. For sure to have unbelievable sportsman like Pau inside the court, inside the court and outside the court is very, very good for our country.
Q. Is it even more special for you to come back and win it a second time?
RAFAEL NADAL: Every one is really special, no? Is difficult to say this one is more special. The other one was more dramatic, the way to win. So first title is always very, very special.
And for sure after not easy year for me. Be back on my favorite tournament of the world here and play well another time, and not only play well, so finish with the trophy is amazing for me.
Just can say thank you very much all the organization, all the crowd, because when I am on the court what they make me feel is unbelievable.
Q. How does it feel to be so popular with the crowd here at Wimbledon?
RAFAEL NADAL: You know, probably is the best crowd of the world, no? More respect. They have a lot of respect for every player, I think.
If I speak about myself, was always amazing with me, the crowd, especially yesterday or two days ago when I played against Andy Murray, a British player. For sure the crowd support him, but the same time was supporting me a lot, no? That's unbelievable. Just can say thank you very much.
Q. Did you expect a different or tougher match from him?
RAFAEL NADAL: I cannot say the same because I don't expect nothing before the match. I expect play my best in every point and try to fight every point like the last. I don't think if I gonna have a very difficult match, I gonna lose, I gonna win. I don't think about this.
I just think about try to go on court and try to fight every point and play point by point. Not thinking any more of the next point.
Q. You had a lot of support from home, your girlfriend, parents, people from your club. Is that important to you?
RAFAEL NADAL: I have all the family, my team here, so, sure, is nice to have the friends here. Is always nice have your people around you.
Q. How have you changed your game to become so comfortable on grass where you now have two Wimbledon championships?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. The main thing I think is if you want to play well, you gonna find a way. So if you really want to play well in one surface and you are a good player, I think in the end you gonna find a way.
And play for me on grass always was my dream, and play here for me was all my life a big goal for me. So I think I have very good thing to play here on grass is the movement. I move well on this court, and that's very important part of the game.
Sure, later my serve always was improving a little bit. Is important play more aggressive than the rest of the surfaces, no?
But, sure, I tell you, the main thing is really want to improve in every surface. On grass is the main thing.
Q. How hungry are you regarding winning the US Open? How important is it for you to win the US Open, as well?
RAFAEL NADAL: Right now I'm very happy to win Wimbledon. Yeah (smiling). We gonna think about US Open in one month. Right now we just relax and enjoy for me this amazing season.
Was very difficult for me to be back at my best. I did, so is very important and emotional moment for me. I want to enjoy that. For sure, keep working to try to be in the US Open finally ready to try to win. But for sure US Open gonna be one of my goals for rest of my career.
But right now is enjoy the beach, fishing, golf, friends, party, and Mallorca.
Q. You're known for playing all the points with great intensity and focus. It seems on the critical points, like today at the breakpoints, you really focused, you lift your game. Can you talk about what you do on the big points.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, today I was a little bit more nervous than usual. I was a little bit lucky on few moments with the breakpoints. I had two good forehands, and later I have a rally with the slice backhand. So he finish missing the backhand to the net.
So I don't know. I just try my best in every moment, every practice, every point. Important thing is be there all the time. If you are there all the time, you are have more chances to save the breakpoints.
Q. You talked before about the importance of the movement. Even if you don't like to speak normally about injuries, you still run like a rabbit or a jaguar, it depends what kind of animal you think. How do you explain it? You talk about knees, this and that. Nobody is capable to run like you.
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I don't have any problem today. I didn't have any problem today, and for the last four matches I didn't have any problem. So that's all. Without healthy is impossible to be where I am today.
Q. Is there a special practice you do to be quicker than somebody else, to react?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. I think all my life I practiced with my high hundred percent of intensity in every ball in the practice.
So when I have only controls ‑‑ normally I never have controls, normal controls. I play every control like a point.
That's why I think today I am faster, no? Probably now I'm not practicing with the same intensity like when I was a kid. When I was a kid, I practiced, believe me, like crazy.
Q. Did you expect this kind of return?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. For sure, no. I gonna say another time the same. I go day by day, and I wake up every morning with the illusion to practice and to improve, with the allusion to play well another time.
So last seven months or six months of 2009 season I wasn't ready to play at this level. I was ready to fight, but not to play like I am doing now.
The positive thing in that seven months is I didn't lose in first round, second round, no? I wasn't ready to win, but I was there all the time, semifinals, quarterfinals, one time one final in Shanghai. So without playing well, I had not bad results. So that's very important for the confidence.
And when I finish the season 2009 and I went to Mallorca and I start to practice, well, you see the difference. If you play semifinals and quarterfinals, you see everything a little bit more easier, because without play well I was there.
So just keep working, be ready to work hard to be ready for 2010, and if I improve, I gonna have the chance another time to win.
Q. Today Lorenzo won in motorcycle. Spain is in the semifinal of the World Cup. You won here. What is so special in Spanish athletes? If Spain reaches the final, will you go there to see it?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I don't know. For the last two years we had amazing success on very important sports. So maybe is a little bit lucky, because is impossible to have one No. 1 like Pau Gasol, all the unbelievable players of the basketball in Spain.
Q. And Lorenzo?
RAFAEL NADAL: Sure, Lorenzo, Pedrosa, Contador. For sure, we won the Europa Cup with the football, and right now we are in semifinals in the World Cup. So we are in probably the best moment of our history in sport.
That's very difficult to do. We have to know how difficult is be there and enjoy these moments, because gonna be very difficult to repeat another generation like we have now.
Q. Will you go to the final, Cape Town?
RAFAEL NADAL: I have to do treatment right now on the knees. I have to have serious work, the same time to try to ready for the American season. So I don't think so. I gonna see.
But for me would be a pleasure to be there. I am a crazy fan of football, and for sure a big supporter of our team. I am in contact with the players. You know, I just wish the team all the best.
But if the World Cup can be a little bit closer, gonna be easier for me to be there.
Q. You surprised some people with your summersault at the end. Is that something you thought through or did spontaneously?
RAFAEL NADAL: I didn't thought nothing about that. That was my reaction that moment, no?
Q. Winning the French and Wimbledon back to back, it's been said, is the hardest thing in tennis. You've now done it twice. How special do you think that is as an achievement?
RAFAEL NADAL: It didn't happen since Borg, so now last three years it happen twice. So how crazy is the life.
Q. The way you played in the clay court season, to be able to transfer that to grass, how tough is that?
RAFAEL NADAL: Is difficult. For sure is difficult. But important thing is I repeat the same than before: have enough illusion to play after winning in Roland Garros, to play well on grass.
So after a few years for me, I know how important is the grass court season. And after winning in Roland Garros Sunday, I am practicing on Monday in Queen's because I know how difficult is to change and to adapt the surface. Every day is goal to be ready to play here in Wimbledon.
So is difficult, yes. But if you have experience in the past and you have lot of matches on grass in the past, that's gonna help you a lot.
Q. You mentioned you were a bit nervous. Was it different playing here? You played three finals against Roger. Was it different today playing as the favorite?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. If you are not nervous in the final of Wimbledon, you are not human, so...
Q. This year tennis fans remember this championship for your win, but also Isner and Mahut. What message do you have for them?
RAFAEL NADAL: I saw the match. Was unbelievable. Just can congratulate both players because what they did. They show amazing good spirit for the crowd, for the young people, because the attitude was very positive and fighting a lot every point, like for 10 hours or 11 hours, I don't know.
So was just amazing. Both players need to acknowledge, the rest of the people, especially the tennis people.
Thank you very much.
Jacuszyn napisał:
Na szczęście to jego ostatni szlem w sezonie bo USO nie wygra.
Tego bym nie był taki pewny. Rok temu grając jak wujek Toni zrobił semi, powstrzymał go dopiero grający tenis życia Portek. Teraz Portka nie będzie, za to może mu się trafić Fed, czyli Rafa dostanie finał podany na złotej tacy; tam zlany Soda/Berdych/Murray i tytuł dla Hiszpana. :]
Do US Open jeszcze bardzo daleko, ale wcale nie byłbym przekonany do Nadala i jego triumfu. Weźmy pod uwagę że ostatni Szlem w sezonie odbywa się w bardzo zaawansowanej części sezonu, a jak wiemy Hiszpan na finiszu jest już wykończony. Ponadto hard mu nie siedzi. W 2008 roku grał tenis życia, a i tak nie udało mu się wejść nawet do finału. Pewnie znowu wpadnie na kogoś w gazie w semi (oby Roddick :lol: ) i Rafi obejdzie się smakiem.
Bizon napisał:
Do US Open jeszcze bardzo daleko, ale wcale nie byłbym przekonany do Nadala i jego triumfu. Weźmy pod uwagę że ostatni Szlem w sezonie odbywa się w bardzo zaawansowanej części sezonu, a jak wiemy Hiszpan na finiszu jest już wykończony. Ponadto hard mu nie siedzi. W 2008 roku grał tenis życia, a i tak nie udało mu się wejść nawet do finału. Pewnie znowu wpadnie na kogoś w gazie w semi (oby Roddick :lol: ) i Rafi obejdzie się smakiem.
To prawda, że w drugiej części sezonu Rafa osiągał gorsze wyniki. W tym sezonie jednak, zwraca uwagę bardziej racjonalny kalendarz startów Hiszpana. Wygląda również na to, że znaleziono sposób na problemy Nadala z kolanami. Terapia jest ponoć skuteczniejsza niż te, które stosowano do tej pory i daje obiecujące wyniki. Rafa niezwłocznie po zakończeniu WS na trawie, podda swoje kolana "reperacji". US Open nie ma w tym roku 100% kandydata do koncowego sukcesu, choć ja powtórzę to, co napisałam w wątku o faworytach Wimbledonu "Forma jest bardzo przyzwoita, wyniki z ostatnich miesięcy najlepsze w karierze, przerwa na wypoczynek przed Wimbledonem ( teraz USO) jest, o nastawienie mentalne i motywację się nie boję, bo Hiszpan z pewnością da z siebie wszystko, zwłaszcza, że główni konkurenci grają zdecydowanie poniżej oczekiwań".
Na pewno bedzie głownym faworytem. Ze nigdy nie wygrał nie oznacza ze nigdy nie wygra! Powiedział ze USO to teraz jego głowny cel w karierze, wiec czemu nie ma tego spełnic odrazu? Znając Rafe juz mysli tylko o tym turnieju. Teraz oczywisice odpoczywa zasluzenie ale w glowie juz ma jasny cel.
Kto ma go powstrzymac? Ja nie widze zbyt wielu nazwisk:))
Widzu napisał:
Kto ma go powstrzymac? Ja nie widze zbyt wielu nazwisk:))
Hard, to nie grass czy clay.
Znajdzie się kilku takich, którzy mogą wygrać z nim na betonie. ;)
Nadal puts US Open thoughts aside after Wimbledon
Rafael Nadal was concentrating totally on his precious down time, with any thoughts on a first US Open title saved for another few weeks at the minimum.
"Right now I'm very happy to win Wimbledon," said the Spaniard after claiming his second title in three years on the lawns. "We're gonna think about US Open in one month. Right I'm just going to relax and enjoy for me this amazing season.
"For sure the US Open gonna be one of my goals for the rest of my career. But right now it's time to enjoy the beach, fishing, golf, friends, party, and Mallorca."
With five titles since mid-April, including the French and Wimbledon in his pocket and a comfortable lead over Novak Djokovic in the rankings, Nadal can afford to disengage from tennis for a few lazy days.
"It was very difficult for me to be back at my best. I did, so it's a very important and emotional moment for me. I want to enjoy that. For sure, I'll keep working to try to be in the US Open and finally try to win it."
Nadal to concentrate on training, not World Cup travel
Rafael Nadal is keeping the focus strictly on tennis, with the two-time Wimbledon champion saying he's unlikely to travel to South Africa should his nation reach the weekend's World Cup final.
With Spain due to face powerhouse Germany in a Wednesday semi-final, the tennis world No. 1 will be involved in his own battles with medical therapy on his right knee after winning his second title at the All England club from the past three editions.
"I have to do treatment right now on the knees. I have to have serious work to try to be ready for the American season. So I don't think so, I'm gonna see. For me would be a pleasure to be there. I'm a crazy fan of football, and for sure a big supporter of our team."
Nadal admitted that he might be tempted if the competition was not so far from Europe. "That would make it easier for me to be there."
Boris Becker: Rafael Nadel's mental strength makes him a true Wimbledon champion
Rafael Nadal was good yesterday, but not great. If he is honest with himself he would admit that he was not at his best.
He won not because he was much better than Tomas Berdych, but because he had been in that situation before, he knew what to do, and because he has a ‘B’ – or even a ‘C’ – game. He made a lot of unforced errors on his forehand, but what did he do? He took off some speed, played the ball into the middle, and put the pressure right back on Berdych.
But that, of course, is the key to winning a major tournament, and the reason that Nadal is such a great champion. It is impossible to play seven straight matches at your best. You do what is necessary to win each point, and it does not always have to be a magical forehand winner. That is what sets champions apart from finalists. Nadal finds a way to win — scrambling, fighting, putting the ball back one more time. It is not down to technique, but attitude, and it just goes to show the kind of player he is.
Still, I was disappointed by Berdych. I had expected more from him.
He was given a number of chances, especially in the second set, but he could not convert. We have been waiting for the big breakthrough from the Czech, and there was something in the air this time around, but it seems as though he still does not believe that he belongs at the peak of the game. The core essence of the result was that he was overwhelmed when it mattered, at the latter stages of each set.
It is understandable. The world does not watch you when you play in Milwaukee, but it watches you on the Centre Court of Wimbledon, and as a player you can feel it. Everyone around you is nervous, and whether good or bad, it effects you. Some players thrive on the big stage, others have to put themselves in situations like yesterday over and over again to learn from it and get better. Berdych has the game, now he has to get consistency, to be a regular player in the big finals.
Winning Wimbledon does not happen by luck. You have to earn it, and it starts with adopting the right game strategy. This has to be the first time in the history of a Wimbledon final that there was absolutely no serve and volleying.
It amazes me that Berdych did not come in behind his serve, because everyone knows that if you stay behind the baseline against Nadal, and get drawn into rallies, the chance of you wining is zero per cent. Why players are still doing it against him is beyond my imagination. Have they not done their homework? It has been like this year, after year, after year. Nadal has a very simple game plan, and when he is on form, his opponent has to adapt. If they do not, they will be beaten.
That is why Nadal has now won eight grand slam titles, and why he will go on to win plenty more. Roger Federer has 16, of course, and there is still a long way to go, but it is certainly possible that Nadal can catch him. Judging by the way that Nadal changed his schedule this year, not playing too many weeks in a row, it looks as if he has an eye on just that. To have a long career, to still be playing at the age of 28 or 29-years-old, that is what he has to do. Play less.
But he should not be thinking about breaking records, or even the US Open, right now. He has to savour the moment. He is the Wimbledon champion, the French Open champion, and the World No 1. If I was him, I would take a few weeks off, go back to Majorca and be with my girlfriend and my family and enjoy it. Because where he was coming back from, from his knee injuries, very few people still believed in him. He has achieved what they had thought was impossible.
Rafael Nadal udziałowcem Realu. Rodzinny interes?
Ośmiokrotny zwycięzca turniejów wielkoszlemowych, 24-letni hiszpański tenisista Rafael Nadal został udziałowcem przeżywającego kłopoty finansowe klubu piłkarskiego Real Mallorca. Jako asystent trenera będzie pracował tam jego wujek Miguel Angel Nadal.
- Pomoc Realowi Mallorca jest dla mnie sprawą honorową - przyznał Rafael Nadal, który urodził się w Manacor na Majorce, ale kibicuje piłkarzom Realu Madryt.
Szacuje się, że drużyna z Wysp Balearskich ma zadłużenie sięgające 85 milionów euro (104 miliony dolartów).
Niedawno szkoleniowcem Realu Mallorca został dawny reprezentant Danii Michael Laudrup. Jego asystentem będzie Miguel Angel Nadal, prywatnie wujek najlepszego tenisisty na świecie, a w przeszłości zawodnik słynnej Barcelony i uczestnik mistrzostw świata oraz Europy.
Kilka dni temu Rafael Nadal triumfował na kortach Wimbledonu, pokonując w finale Czecha Tomasa Berdycha. To jego ósme zwycięstwo w imprezie z cyklu Wielkiego Szlema. W Londynie wygrał poprzednio w 2008 roku.
W niedzielę Nadal będzie obecny na finałowym meczu piłkarskich mistrzostw świata Hiszpania - Holandia w Johannesburgu.
Rafael Nadal udziałowcem klubu Primera Division
Realu Mallorca ma nowe władze. Prezydentem klubu został Josep Pons, który zastąpił Mateo Alemany'ego. Jednym ze współwłaścicieli natomiast będzie numer 1 światowego tenisa, Rafael Nadal.
Zmiany we władzach ekipy z Balearów związane są z jej trudną sytuacją finansową. Ogrom długów sprawił, iż z obowiązkami pożegnali się dotychczasowi sternicy. Władztwo w Mallorce przejęła grupa osób, wśród których znajduje się Nadal. Nie będzie on jednak bezpośrednio korzystał ze swoich praw. Jego przedstawicielem w zarządzie będzie Fernando Martos, który jednocześnie przejmie posadę dyrektora ds. marketingu.
- Będziemy pracować bardzo ciężko, by godnie reprezentować klub i zapewnić mu stabilność na przyszłość - powiedział Pons.
- Pomoc Realowi Mallorca jest dla mnie sprawą honorową - przyznał Rafael Nadal, który urodził się w Manacor na Majorce, ale kibicuje piłkarzom Realu Madryt.
Co ciekawe, asystentem pierwszego trenera drużyny, Michaela Laudrupa został Miguel Angel Nadal, były piłkarz Barcelony, a prywatnie wujek Rafaela Nadala.
Spain should celebrate for a whole year, Nadal says
Tennis world number one Rafa Nadal said his Spanish compatriots' 1-0 World Cup triumph against Netherlands on Sunday was "unrepeatable" and should be celebrated for a whole year.
Keen soccer fan Nadal was at Johannesburg's Soccer City stadium to watch Andres Iniesta fire the Iberian nation to a first world title with a goal in the second period of extra time that gave the European champions a dramatic win.
"We have to celebrate this for a whole year because it will be very difficult to repeat," Nadal told Canal Plus television.
"This is a generation of players that will never be matched and they deserve this," the Mallorcan added.
He missed a Spanish Davis Cup defeat by France completed on Sunday to attend the final.
(Reporting by Iain Rogers, editing by Jon Bramley)
Spanish tourists mob hero Nadal in Zambia
Tennis fans in Zambia got an unexpected treat when Wimbledon champ Rafael Nadal turned up to do some sightseeing.
Rafael Nadal thrilled Spanish tourists at a five-star resort near Zambia's iconic Victoria Falls, with the tennis-and-football fans breaking into cheers and mobbing for autographs as the two-time Wimbledon champion made a sightseeing swing prior to the football World Cup final in Johannesburg.
Local media reported that Nadal, who skipped Spain's Davis Cup (losing) tie at the weekend in France, was surrounded by a happy group of his co-nationals at the Royal Livingston hotel, a five-star resort where suites go for $2700 per night.
Nadal took a trip to Livingstone on his way to Johannesburg for the final between Spain and the Netherlands at Soccer City.
Just like in post-match scenes, Nadal posed for photos with the masses, before making his excuses and hurrying off on a touristic jaunt. “I’m rushing for a helicopter flight,” said Nadal, who only decided at the last minute to fly 11 hours this week from Mallorca for the final after Spain qualified.
Local media said that Nadal took the sightseeing chopper ride and later visited the falls on foot before going on a boat cruise on the Africa Queen.
Q&A with Rafael Nadal
Shortly after he won his second Wimbledon title in June, Rafael Nadal met with a small group of reporters from international publications, including Sports Illustrated. Some outtakes from that Q&A session:
How much does history motivate you? Do you know, for instance, whose record you tied today?
The history is there for sure, being part of these players -- Connors, Agassi, Lendl -- it's amazing. Just an honor to be close to these players. But I am 24 years old and it's very difficult to talk about the history now, where I am. In my opinion the Grand Slams are not the only thing to value ... I don't have a lot of the information, but what Lendl did at the Masters was amazing. We have to see. We have to value different things, no? We have to see when I finish my career where I am. Right now I am very happy -- I never thought I can be here with 18 Masters 1000 and eight Grand Slams.
Does it mean anything to you that at the same age, you're ahead of where Roger Federer was with Grand Slams?
No, I think every career is different. For me, it's amazing winning here on grass, winning on hard court in Australia. I hope to do well at the U.S. Open for sure -- I've reached semifinals the last two years. For Roger, I think ... maybe it's easier than for me because I am especially [good] on clay and we have only one [clay-court Slam]. I can play very well on grass, too. But hard court players, they have more chances than the clay-court specialists. They have three. We have one. For sure I can play well on grass ... but the chances are less.
Do you still think of yourself as a clay-court specialist, even now that you've won two Wimbledon titles?
I don't feel like a clay-court specialist. Not now and not even when I didn't win [on other surfaces]. In 2005, I won in Montreal, very difficult. I won in Madrid [when it was an indoor event] on a very fast surface, too. I didn't play my best tennis at hardcourt or grass Grand Slams at that moment, but I was able to do it. I think I am a complete player. I can play well on all the surfaces. For me, the clay might be easiest but I am not a specialist on clay. I have five finals at Roland Garros. I have four here.
There are people who say Roger is over the hill, that he won't come to the top again. What's your opinion?
My opinion is that everyone said the same two years ago and after that he won in Australia, he won in Roland Garros, he won Wimbledon, he won the U.S. Open, so we will see what happens. Roger is good enough, he has enough experience. For sure it's difficult what he did the last seven, eight years, impossible to repeat for another player ... Roger is going to be there, I'm sure of it.
You talk about your difficulties, what is not easy for you. Is it more difficult to face problems on court or in your private life? Which, in your opinion, was the biggest problem you ever faced?
You're talking about the divorce of my parents?
No. Everything.
I think the tennis is only a game. You can lose. You can win. After that? In life, there are much more important things than tennis. I know that for sure ... I didn't have a lot of problems in my private life and I feel very lucky for that. But you always have things. For sure, the tennis right is an important pat of my life -- it's my work -- and I have a few health problems for the last few years, especially last year. But I feel lucky. Even then I felt, "You've won six Grand Slams, you've won a lot of titles. You're 23 years old. Be calm and be happy. What you have already is a lot."
Q: Do you believe in God? We see football players crossing themselves. You don't do that. Do you do praying?
A: It's hard to say, "I don't believe in God." I would love to know if God exists. But it's a very difficult thing for me to believe. I don't know. It's private and I don't want to speak about it, but I say, "If God exists, you don't need [to cross yourself] or pray." If God exists, he's intelligent enough to [do] the important things, the right things.
Can you describe glory?
The glory is being happy. The glory is not winning here or winning there. The glory is enjoying practicing, enjoy every day, enjoying to work hard, trying to be a better player than before.
Rafa has much to prove on hard courts if he is to be considered as one of the Greatest of all Time.
Just when most of Spain is getting ready for some holidays, Rafa and ‘Team Nadal’ just finished theirs. After two weeks of rest they are back to work to prepare the most difficult part of the season yet.
Rafa’s run during the American hard-court season has always been the most challenging for him, but this year (compared to previous years), Rafa has been very careful planning his schedule to avoid injuries and exhaustion. He is coming back full of energy ready to fight for the only Grand Slam trophy he’s missing, as well as compete at the highest level in the remaining 4 Masters Series 1000 events and ATP World Tour Finals.
But what exactly has Rafa done during his time off you may be wondering? He spent time at the beach and fishing with family and friends. As most people already saw on TV, he was in South Africa supporting Spain for the World Cup final and some of you may have seen him going to Vitoria, the place where he usually goes to recover his knees.
We hope this break gave Rafa all that he needed to face the upcoming tournaments in Canada, Cincinnati and New York (US Open).
Rafa returns on Thursday
After a deserved holiday, Rafa Nadal will begin training on Thursday for the last part of the season in America. The year so far couldn’t have been better for the world No.1. He ended the clay-court season with an impeccable record and 4 titles, and if that wasn’t already a great feat, he completed (a very short) but perfect grass season with a second Wimbledon title.
Rafa will be looking at improving his game and probably chance his strategy to suit the famously fast American hard-courts. His aim is to continue to improve his performance and hopefully win the one Grand Slam Title missing in his trophy cabinet. Before travelling to New York though, he has two Masters Series events to play.
The first stop will be at the Rogers Cup tournament in Toronto, (where he won the title twice, in 2008 and in 2005) followed by Cincinnati. Two crucial events that will help him face the Grand Slam of the season.
Whatever happens from now on though, Rafa has secured a place in the 2010 Masters event in London which features the best eight players of the world.
Summer break ends for Rafa
Just when most of Spain is getting ready for some holidays, Rafa and ‘Team Nadal’ just finished theirs. After two weeks of rest they are back to work to prepare the most difficult part of the season yet.
Rafa’s run during the American hard-court season has always been the most challenging for him, but this year (compared to previous years), Rafa has been very careful planning his schedule to avoid injuries and exhaustion. He is coming back full of energy ready to fight for the only Grand Slam trophy he’s missing, as well as compete at the highest level in the remaining 4 Masters Series 1000 events and ATP World Tour Finals.
But what exactly has Rafa done during his time off you may be wondering? He spent time at the beach and fishing with family and friends. As most people already saw on TV, he was in South Africa supporting Spain for the World Cup final and some of you may have seen him going to Vitoria, the place where he usually goes to recover his knees.
We hope this break gave Rafa all that he needed to face the upcoming tournaments in Canada, Cincinnati and New York (US Open).
rafaelnadal.com
Can Rafael Nadal sustain the number one spot?
Can Rafael Nadal sustain the number one spot?
As the 2009 season culminated, Roger Federer was sitting on top of the world with no real threat in sight. It was a year filled with injuries and disappointment for his foe Rafael Nadal.
The Spaniard was looking at a dark road ahead with his knee injury threatening to keep him off the courts for longer. However, no one could have predicted that the tables would turn so quickly in 2010.
The 2010 tennis season began much to the same tune of the previous year, however it all changed in a flash. Ever since Nadal’s win in Madrid, there was no stopping the Spaniard, whose re-emergence on the court became an ominous portent for the Swiss Champion.
Defying all odds, Rafael Nadal dethroned Roger Federer, just a week short of Federer equalling Pete Sampras’s record for being consecutively on the top spot.
Many tennis critics thought it was the end of the road for Nadal after he pulled out of Wimbledon last year. Some felt he may no longer have it in him to win any more grand slam titles. They thought he may not be able to even come close to Federer’s sixteen grand slam titles.
All those tongues stopped wagging when Nadal went on to win the French Open crown earlier this year and regained the top spot. Roger Federer was no longer invincible. His foe had returned. The hunger for victory led Nadal to win the French Open as well as Wimbledon this year, cementing his position at the top. Rafael Nadal had dropped to world number three last year, but this time around it seems very obvious that he will finish 2010 at the top.
Early on in Nadal’s career, he was known to be a clay court specialist. This title however can be moved aside now. He has proved his ability on grass with fourteen consecutive wins on the grass courts of Wimbledon. His two Wimbledon titles also put him in the elite group of the best grass court players of the twenty first century.
All these achievements at the tender age of twenty four means that he has a long road ahead with many milestones to achieve. Thus there have been many preconceived notions about the Spaniard and his ability to sustain his game for long periods of time.
Pundits felt his brutal game put too much pressure on his precarious knees which may be the cause for Nadal to have a short lived career. Nadal, however has learnt his lesson. His time off the circuit has taught him the important lesson of moulding his game around his physical abilities. He has done just that with a lot of élan.
In order to capitalize the time he has got left on the circuit, he has slowed down his game but on the other hand increased the accuracy and speed of his ground strokes; thus, prolonging the lifespan of his tennis graph.
This is not to take anything away from the brilliance of Roger Federer. He had spread a reign of terror for five long years, with no compatriot even coming close to him. He was in a league of his own.
During the years of his dominance it was certain that he would push aside any adversity with ease. Looking at the last two grand slams, it is now becoming evident that Roger Federer is not the player he once was. However, with Nadal back on track it seems the golden era for Roger Federer is now over. Men’s tennis now has a new face-Rafael Nadal. This is where the age of Nadal commences.
The next challenge for the Spaniard looms large. He has his eyes set on the hard courts of New York. Nadal has never won a US Open title and will be looking to capitalise on his momentum to add another feather to his cap. However, with the new avatar donned by Rafael Nadal it seems that the Spaniard is here to stay this time around.
Rafael Nadal krytykuje UEFA
Lider światowego rankingu tenisistów Hiszpan Rafael Nadal skrytykował UEFA za wykluczenie Realu Mallorca, którego jest udziałowcem, z Ligi Europejskiej. - Długi mają wszystkie kluby, więc należałoby zlikwidować te rozgrywki - podkreślił.
W ubiegłym tygodniu okazało się, że Real Mallorca nie otrzyma licencji na grę w Lidze Europejskiej. Powodem są kłopoty finansowe piątego zespołu minionego sezonu Primera Division. Komisja Kontroli i Dyscypliny UEFA poinformowała, że hiszpański klub nie spełnia kryteriów, na podstawie których dopuszcza się drużyny do europejskich rozgrywek. Według obliczeń ekspertów, zadłużenie klubu sięga 85 milionów euro.
- Jestem nie tylko udziałowcem klubu, ale przede wszystkim kibicem klubu i złoszczę się jak inni. Występ w europejskich pucharach miał być czymś wyjątkowym dla piłkarzy, którzy przecież solennie na to zapracowali postawą w lidze. Nie podano żadnych szczegółowych powodów wykluczenia z LE. Gdyby pod uwagę brano tylko sytuację finansową, to w ogóle należałoby zlikwidować te rozgrywki, bo wszystkie kluby mają długi - podkreślił tenisista.
Jego wujek - Miguel Angel Nadal, były piłkarz m.in. Barcelony - jest jednym z asystentów duńskiego trenera Michaela Laudrupa.
Nadal wciąż redukuje starty: nie gra, bo nie musi
Masters 1000 w Cincinnati (od 15 sierpnia) będzie jedynym turniejem Rafaela Nadala przed US Open (30 sierpnia), gdzie chce skompletować personalny Wielki Szlem. Hiszpan jest praktycznie pewny utrzymania na koniec sezonu pierwszej pozycji w rankingu.
24-letni Nadal, triumfator Roland Garros i Wimbledonu, po US Open myśli o grze
w Tokio, Szanghaju, Paryżu-Bercy i Masters w Londynie, co ustali liczbę jego tegorocznych startów na 16. W ogóle nie rywalizował w lutym, po zakończonym kreczem w ćwierćfinale Australian Open. Jego sztab uważnie dawkował także starty wiosną na europejskich kortach ziemnych, kiedy Rafa wziął udział tylko w czterech turniejach.
Pochodzący z Majorki już dziś najlepszy w historii tenisa specjalista od gry na mączce po ogromnych przeciążeniach kolan nabawił się w ubiegłym roku zapalenia ścięgien.
Cóż, mądra decyzja. Taka polityka stawia Nadala w roli żelaznego faworyta w dalszej części sezonu.
E:
Plotka. Nadal zagra w Toronto, oprócz singla weźmie udział także w turnieju deblowym, a parze z marcem Lopezem.
Rafael Nadal FACEBOOK UPDATE: Hello everyone! Just to say I'll be traveling to Toronto on Thursday. Marc Lopez is here in Manacor practicing with me for a couple of days. Last week was hard on practice and work. I'll tell you more soon.
DUN I LOVE napisał:
E:
Plotka.
Następnym razem sprawdzaj, zanim puścisz newsa w miasto. Tosz ja o mało zawału nie dostałem. :P
Robertinho napisał:
Tosz ja o mało zawału nie dostałem. :P
Ja też.
hahah no własnie:) żeby to było ostatni raz szefie:))
http://austrianindependent.com/news/Spo … with_Nadal
Thomas Muster jest bliski porozumienia co do pracy z Rafaelem Nadalem.
Prawie jak Fibak. :faja:
Rafa back to tennis in Toronto
Rafael Nadal has arrived in Toronto to prepare for his return to tennis at the Masters 1000 event.
Rafael Nadal has arrived in Toronto to prepare for his return to tennis at the Masters 1000 event. The 2005 and 2008 champion in Canada at a tournament which alternates between Toronto and Montreal, has not played since winning his second Wimbledon title more than a month ago.
Nadal is to feature at the draw ceremony, to be staged at the lakeside city's sky-scraping CN Tower. In addition,the world No. 1 will be playing doubles as he steps back onto hardcourt for the US Open run-up, part of an all-start pairing with No. 2 Novak Djokovic.
Nadal took treatment on his knee in the post-Wimbledon days, missing Spain's Davis Cup quarter-final loss. But despite best intentions, the football fanatic was unable to keep away from the World Cup final in South Africa, won for the first time by Spain with a defeat of the Netherlands.
Nadal To Double Up At Rogers Cup
Rafael Nadal says that his body is in ‘perfect condition’ ahead of the Rogers Cup and that his good health impacted his decision to team with Novak Djokovic in a high-profile doubles partnership at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event, which begins Monday. Speaking at the official draw at Toronto’s landmark CN Tower, two-time Rogers Cup champion Nadal said that he believed his body was capable of undergoing double duty in Canada next week.
“Last year I didn’t play because I had problems with the knee. This year I like the idea. Doubles is an important part of the game and you can improve lots of parts of your game. Playing with Novak will be positive. I am excited. He is one of the most talented players in the world. To have him in my half of the court will be a nice experience. I am feeling confident with my body. I am not thinking of my body, I am thinking about tennis. I am in perfect condition.
"After Wimbledon I did some prevention treatment [for my knees] and I stopped for three weeks. But then I started to practise a little more each day and I will continue to practice a little harder in the next few days.”
The Rogers Cup will mark the first time since 2003 that Nadal and arch rival Roger Federer will not be the top two seeds when they both played in the same tournament. World No. 3 Federer was drawn to play in the bottom half, where he could meet No. 2 seed Djokovic in the semi-finals.
Nadal, who won his first hard court title at the Rogers Cup in 2005, says that he is a much more accomplished all-court player since his breakthrough in Montreal. “I think I am more complete player than 2005. If I play well I will have a chance of having a good result on all surfaces. If play bad on any surface other than clay I won’t have a chance. The level between players is very close.”
Nadal is playing his first tournament since Wimbledon and is chasing his fourth consecutive ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title after he became the first player in history (since 1990) to make a clean sweep of the three clay-court Masters 1000 tournaments in Monte-Carlo, Rome and Madrid. The eight-time Grand Slam champion has won 31 of his past 32 matches, losing only to fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez on grass in the quarter-finals of Queen’s.
In his last two appearances on American hard courts back in March, Nadal reached the semi-finals of both ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami.
Rafa and Nole make doubles debut
August 09.2010, Toronto, Canada
The world's top two tennis players, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic will be making their doubles debut today when they meet Canada's Vasek Pospisil and Milos Raonic in the first round of the Toronto Masters Series on Monday night.
Pospisil and Raonic -two of Canada's young tennis hopes --teamed up to reach the doubles semifinals of the 2007 junior French Open.
"It's definitely going to be the biggest match of my career, the best experience of my career," said Pospisil, who moved from Vernon to Vancouver at age 12. "It's not every day you get to play on Centre Court, let alone against the No. 1 and No. 2 players in the world. It's really exciting."
Djokovic told reporters in Toronto that he's motivated for doubles this summer because of Serbia's Davis Cup success. Doubles, one of the five matches in a Davis Cup tie, can win or lose the series.
"I couldn't refuse the chance to play with Rafa," the world number two said Sunday of his world number one partner. "It will be an honour to play with him. I'm happy, and it's even a part of the history of tennis, that makes it even greater."
Not since Jimmy Connors was ranked first and Arthur Ashe was second when they played together 34 years ago have the top two singles players joined forces in doubles, the ATP said.
"Part of it is the fact that Davis Cup is a bit on my mind. I need to play as much doubles as possible," Djokovic said.
Speaking about his partner, Rafa also had great things to say. "This year I like the idea. Doubles is an important part of the game and you can improve lots of parts of your game. Playing with Novak will be positive. I am excited. He is one of the most talented players in the world. To have him in my half of the court will be a nice experience. I am feeling confident with my body. I am not thinking of my body, I am thinking about tennis. I am in perfect condition".
"I try my best in every tournament"
August 08.2010, Toronto - Canada
After fulfilling his draw ceremony commitments at the CN Tower, and later being flown back to the Rexall Center by a private helicopter for a 6 p.m. practice session, Rafa Nadal took to the courts for a late night hit with German Michael Berrer.
Rafa’s camp, led by intern coach Francisco Roig, were seen joking and enjoying the crisp Canadian air. Except for a few grimaces of disbelief by Berrer after being bludgeoned by Rafa’s backhand at the net, an eventful day for the world’s top player went over just as planned.
Speaking to the media, Rafa said he was “going to try my best in Toronto (without) thinking about the U.S. Open,” said the two-time Rogers Cup champ. “If I win here, it doesn’t mean I’m going to play a good U.S. Open. Every tournament is different and I try my best in every one".
“The thing is always the same. Play well or play bad. If I play well, I’m going to have a good chance to have a good result on every surface. If I play bad, on clay maybe I still have a chance but on the rest of the surfaces I don’t have any chance to play at the top level.”
“I feel good,” he said, noting he’s been stepping up practices at home after starting slowly about 10 days ago. “I’m feeling confident with my body and I’m not thinking about my body, I’m thinking about my tennis.”
DOUBLES DRAW UPDATE
Rafa and Nole will face Vasek Pospisil and Milos Raonic from Canada in the first round of the doubles competition.
See full doubles draw:
http://www.rogerscup.com/men/english/dr … g_7_10.pdf
RAFA MEETS CROSBY
August 08.2010, Toronto - Canada
Given that the tournament doesn't start till Monday, Rafa Nadal has a lot of free time to do some fun activities. A couple of days ago we saw him enjoy a helicopter ride to the Toronto Masters Series tournament site where he has been preparing for the start of the American hard-court season.
It's very rare to see Rafa fly in private Jets and get helicopter rides, but being world No.1 does mean he gets the occasional invitation and special visits from important people. Take this Sunday for example; Rafa had the chance to meet Sydney Crosby, who flew-in especially to see the Roland Garros and Wimbledon champion face to face.
Crosby is one of the best hockey players in the world and if you ask any Canadian, they will tell you he’s a hero as well. He’s responsible for helping Canada win the gold medal at the last Olympic Games after scoring the main goal.
They spent some time exchanging opinions about sports and discovered they had a lot in common.
US Open - Fitness behind Nadal's US failure
The US Open is the only Grand Slam that world number one Rafael Nadal is yet to win - and the Spaniard admits he has found it tough physically to raise himself at the end of the season.
The Open is held at the end of August, when Nadal, a clay court specialist, has often been feeling the strain of the season.
"There are a lot matches for me, a lot of tension in those three months, it's a very important part of season for me and I put everything in there. And after that, it's normal (to) go down," he said.
"In 2002 and 2007 I had problems with my knees... in 2008 I arrived perfect physically but destroyed mentally winning in Roland Garros, Wimbledon, Toronto, the Olympics. So it was crazy for me, a very hard season.
"And last year was another. I broke my abdominal in Montreal, so I played here in Cincinnati with a little bit broken abdominal and with every game, the tear, the abdominal got bigger.
"I finished the US Open destroyed, so for me it was amazing result getting to the semi-final last year," he said.
Nadal is targeting success at this year's event at Flushing Meadows but says he has no clue as to whether his current good form will lead him to finally claim the US Open.
"Every year is different. You can be playing very well here and you can arrive there and lose. You can be playing bad here and arrive there and start the tournament slow but get better and better every day and you can finish playing your best tennis and win.
"This year I started Roland Garros playing terribly and finally I played very well in the semi-finals and final and win.
"You can do everything perfect but that is not why you are going to win or going to be playing well in that moment," he said.
This year though he expects to be in peak physical condition when he gets to New York, a fact he finds somewhat amusing.
"Physically I'm perfect. Give me two weeks to break everything," he said with a laugh.
Reuters
Tennis-U.S. Open Nadal's best chance of career slam says McEnroe
This year's U.S. Open is world number one Rafael Nadal's best chance yet to complete a career grand slam by adding the one major title to elude him, according to John McEnroe.
"A lot of people, including myself, believe his best chance to win the Open is right now," four-times U.S. Open winner McEnroe said on Wednesday.
Nadal has shown formidable form in winning his fifth French Open and second Wimbledon crown in the season's two previous grand slams to go along with his 2008 Australian Open triumph.
The pounding, backcourt style has worn him down in the past and injuries have limited him at the end of past seasons, making it more difficult for him to shine on the hardcourts of Flushing Meadows, which severely test his troublesome knees.
Various factors now favoured Nadal in the tournament at Flushing Meadows starting on Aug. 30, McEnroe told reporters during a conference call.
"He's really tried to pull back. He's trying to win it," the former bad boy of tennis said. "He's playing just enough tennis so he has confidence and to intimidate the other players. He is also giving his body a break.
"Sometimes there's seven weeks between Wimbledon and the U.S. Open and sometimes there are eight. This year there's eight, and that gives him a chance to have five weeks off.
"It looks like a pretty promising situation for him."
The famed left-hander added that Nadal had improved facets of his game that enabled him to overtake five-times U.S. Open winner Roger Federer in the rankings and could swing the balance next month in New York.
"Why is Nadal number one?" said McEnroe. "I think because he volleys better, I think better than Federer now. He improved his serve. He took steps to make himself better." (larry.fine@thomsonreuters.com; +1 646-729-6291. Reuters Messaging: larry.fine.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net; For the sports blog Left Field go to: blogs.reuters.com/sport/))
Tennis-Nadal says must improve for chance at US Open
World number one Rafa Nadal, searching for his first U.S Open title, says he has to improve rapidly to have a chance of glory at Flushing Meadows later this month.
Nadal was knocked out of the Cincinnati Masters by Marcos Baghdatis on Friday, the Cypriot winning the quarter-final 6-4 4-6 6-4.
"My game can improve, that's for sure. It must improve if I really want to have chances to have some opportunity in a week or so in New York," Nadal told reporters after the loss.
The U.S Open starts on August 30 and Nadal has already targeted his backhand as his problem area.
"I have one week to keep working, keep practicing hard and that's what I am going to try -- to keep improving my confidence with the backhand," he said.
Nadal made 41 unforced errors against Baghdatis, including a surprising 22 on his stronger forehand, but he said that was probably due to him protecting his backhand.
"If my backhand improves all my game will improve," he said. "My movement is going to improve a lot because I won't have to cover the backhand with the forehand and so I will cover positions better on the court.
"I will also be able to make my first serve more calmly because if I miss the serve and he has a return then it will be no problem to play with the backhand.
"But, here, when he had a good return to the backhand, I always started the point in a very bad position... So I think the backhand changed all my game, because I had to make too many adjustments to save that shot.
"But I started to play the backhand with more confidence which is a positive for me," he added.
Nadal was a beaten semi-finalist at the U.S Open in 2008 and 2009.
Nadal heads to New York after Cincy upset
Rafael Nadal will forge ahead in his quest for a first US Open title starting in little more than a week after losing a Cincinnati quarterfinal with more than 40 unforced errors.
The top seed and world No. 1 went down to Marcos Baghdatis in a comeback after defeating the Cypriot in six previous meetings. "My game can improve, that's for sure," said the chastened Spaniard. "It must improve if I really want to have chances to have some opportunity in New York."
Team Nadal already has the obvious game plan lined up for next week at Flushing Meadows. "I have one week to keep working, keep practicing hard. I'm going to try to keep improving my confidence with the backhand. I'm playing well with the forehand, but with too many unforced errors. I need to be a little bit more consistent."
Nadal will take a short time away from his rackets before getting back into training. "I'll have two days off. I don't need to practice every day."
Nadal believes coaching can only go so far
Rafael Nadal was taking a few days off after exiting Cincinnati and preparing for a run at his first title within days at the US Open.
The Spanish world No. 1 was not picking up a racket until early in the week after travelling to New York. He will then met up with his longtime coach, uncle Toni Nadal, who prefers to take time off when his nephew plays North American events.
Spain's former ATP player Francesco Roig always fills in the gap, which is fine by Nadal. "I will have three days to train in New York, I'll train with Francesco and Toni arrives on Wednesday.
"It doesn't make a difference if Toni's here or not, the thing that make the difference is myself. It's always the same: I have the support of my team, And when I lose, it's my fault. And when I win, it's mine also."
The No. 1 said that all the coaching possible cannot make a huge difference once he steps onto court - at least in his case. "If the player wants to do it, the player can do it with any coach.
"The biggest work is when you are a kid, that's the more important work for the coach. You know what you have to do now. The coach can help you in few things for moments, but doesn't change a lot."
Rafa Nadal Primetime
Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer, John McEnroe, Maria Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka and Serena Williams lit up New York City on a stormy Wednesday evening thanks to
Nike’s Primetime Knockout event, which took place at Pier 54.
The iconic brand paired-up the biggest names in tennis with the hottest celebrities in the entertainment business for a head-to-head doubles match. Rafa and famous Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli may have lost their match against Victoria Azarenka and New York Giant Justin Tuck, but they made a very entertaining mix-doubles couple.
In the other doubles encounter, Maria Sharapova and Hollywood actor Bradley Cooper beat team Federer, which was made up by the world No.2 and Sami Ahmad of the New York Tennis League.
Vamos Rafa!
FRANCIS ROIG, PART OF THE TEAM
It’s not the first, nor the last time you will see Rafa Nadal in company of Francis Roig instead of uncle Toni as his coach. For nearly 5 years now, Francis has been the word No.1’s right-hand during the beginning of the American hard-court season while Toni enjoys his yearly family break.
During the tournaments in Cincinnati and Montreal, as well as the week prior to the US Open is usually the period when they work together. This year, Rafel Maymò and PR Manager, Benito Pérez-Barbadillo were also in the team supporting Rafa during these last 3 weeks and they are now in New York ready to support their No.1 man.
Francis Roig is 42 years old, he used to be ranked inside the top 60 players in the world and in doubles (his main discipline) he was able to win 9 titles in his career. He retired from professional tennis in 2010 and has been working with other players (like Alberto Berasategui, Albert Costa and Feliciano López) ever since.
At the moment, he is the Technical Director at the Barcelona Total Tennis Academy (BBT) where they focus on the development of players and tennis schools.
(www.barcelonatotaltennis.com)
Toni Nadal will arrive in the Big Apple today, but it’s still uncertain when he will hit the courts with his nephew, as it hasn’t stopped raining for two days in New York. On facebook, Rafa said yesterday that it’s been “difficult to get good practice like this”, however “It looks like today the weather forecast is better.”
Along with Toni, Rafa’s manager Carlos Costa will also be there for Nike’s 'Primetime Knockout Event’ this afternoon.
Vamos Rafa!
NYC, Get ready for Rafa
After two weeks of hard work, long matches and lots of training, Rafa Nadal will stay in Cincinnati for one more day to rest before he travels to New York on Sunday to prepare for his US Open campaign.
On Wednesday, August 25th, Rafa will be in Manhattan to promote Nike's 'Primetime Knockout Event' and as usual, Nike Tennis will light up New York City with an action-packed, star-studded show. They will pair-up biggest names in tennis with the hottest celebrities in entertainment for head-to-head doubles live from Pier 54 starting at 7PM EST.
Aside from Rafa, the event will also feature, Serena Williams, Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka, John McEnroe, Madison Keys and more.
On Saturday, Rafa, Roger Federer, Andy Roddick, Novak Djokovic, reigning US Open champion Kim Clijsters and wheelchair tennis superstar Esther Vergeer will all play together at 'Arthur Ashe Kid's Day' (A popular tennis and music festival, which includes interactive games, musical entertainment and tennis clinics) for some fun and laughter before the tournament starts.
Vamos Rafa!
Finding Spot in History Without Looking
Rafael Nadal greets questions about tennis history, specifically his standing in it, as if someone spiked his Gatorade with sour milk. This is perhaps his least favorite topic. His eyes narrow. His face contorts. He often appears offended.
Many believe Nadal has already secured his place among the sport’s greatest players. Competitors (like Andy Murray), coaches (like Paul Annacone) and commentators (like Brad Gilbert) labeled Nadal “one of the best ever” in recent interviews.
The disagreement comes from an unlikely source — Nadal himself. Inside a small room with a handful of reporters hours after he won Wimbledon in July, he dismissed the long-range implications of his eighth Grand Slam title.
“The history is there, for sure, it’s amazing,” Nadal said. “Just an honor to be close to these players. But I am 24 years old, and it’s very difficult to talk about the history now.”
His place in the game has changed even in the past three months. Nadal’s eighth major championship tied players like Andre Agassi, Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl.
Nadal reached No. 8 after 25 Grand Slam events, faster than all but Bjorn Borg (20) and well ahead of Roger Federer (29), the career leader in Grand Slam titles, with 16. For the second time in his career, Nadal also captured the French Open and Wimbledon in the same summer, something only Federer and Borg have done in the past 30 years.
Yet Nadal finds himself in a curious cycle. He disdains discussions about his place in the game, but the more he wins, the more he approaches history, the more he invites comparisons he does not want to make.
A title at the United States Open, the only Grand Slam tournament he has never won, where he has not even reached the final, would mark another big turn. Nadal would become the seventh man to record a career Grand Slam, and the first, since Rod Laver in 1969, to win the French, Wimbledon and the Open in a row.
“To do so at such a young age would be historical,” Gilbert said. “That’s special. That would take Nadal to a whole other stratosphere.”
But the Open has become for Nadal what the French Open once was for Federer — a hole in an otherwise glowing résumé, the last remaining shred of doubt. Nadal acts with deference to older players and seemingly has a singular focus. The glory, he said with a straight face, is in practice and improvement and hard work, clichés Nadal believes in.
He knows, too, how quickly perceptions change. In 2008, after capturing the French Open, Wimbledon and an Olympic gold medal in Beijing, Nadal reached his first career apex. But he lost in the semifinals of the United States Open, which Federer won. Then injuries reopened the door for Federer and sent Nadal tumbling from the top. Detractors said his physical style would inevitably shorten his career.
Yet here Nadal remains, two years later, his grip more firm than ever on the No. 1 ranking. At one point, he won 34 of 35 matches in 2010 until Murray bested him in the semifinals in Toronto earlier this month.
“Well, sure, is one of the best moments of my career,” Nadal said of that run. “Four months ago, everybody says, Rafa, I don’t know, never gonna be another time on top, and now I am the best. I’m back to playing my best tennis.”
Annacone, who once worked with Pete Sampras and Tim Henman and recently joined Federer’s training staff, described Nadal’s discomfort at debates about his standing as emblematic of his approach. He also called Nadal “a humble, graceful guy with a zest for living in the moment.”
Nadal’s approach remains simplistic — the next match, the next practice, the next point — built on an intensity that seems not to change.
“It really is a focused way of every day trying to get better,” said Justin Gimelstob, a retired pro and commentator for the Tennis Channel. “It’s a linear drive to carve out a focus absent any peripheral distractions.”
Where Nadal ends up among tennis greats depends largely on whether Federer or any younger players can push Nadal in majors; on Nadal’s ability to win at least one United States Open; and most important, on his health.
Over the past year, Nadal made changes to his schedule and style of play to better guard against the injuries that plagued him in 2009. For starters, he played fewer tournaments, receiving treatment for tendinitis in both knees during breaks in his playing schedule. He appeared to chase fewer balls sailing out of reach, conserving energy.
That should help him at the Open, where he played through fatigue or injury — sore knee in 2007, Olympic-related fatigue in 2008, abdominal strain in 2009 — in each of his last three appearances in New York. Nadal said recently that he felt “perfect” physically this year.
Nadal also increased his aggressiveness this year to better control and shorten points. At Wimbledon, ESPN graphics showed that he played a full meter closer to the baseline than in Paris. Where once Nadal seemed content to grind opponents into submission, he moved forward and attacked.
Tomas Berdych, who was beaten by Nadal in the Wimbledon final, said Nadal’s unmatched topspin made him a force on any surface, but the increase in aggression, the way he took the ball sooner, made him more dangerous on grass and hardcourts.
“When you have a lot of years on tour, you understand it’s impossible to win big tournaments without playing aggressive,” Nadal said. “Playing well or playing bad, I have to play aggressive. I must play aggressive.”
It is worth noting that although Nadal reached eight major championships at a faster pace than Federer, Federer won his next eight majors in only 14 tournaments, a stretch that will be difficult to duplicate.
Nadal holds a 14-7 record against Federer, and Nadal has won six of their last seven matches and each of their past three Grand Slam finals (Australian Open, 2009; Wimbledon, 2008; French Open, 2008). Yet even Nadal said during the French Open that people who compared him with Federer “don’t know nothing about tennis.”
Federer won the French Open last year in his 11th attempt, completing a career Grand Slam. Nadal has played the United States Open seven times, reaching the semifinals the past two years. He has had success on hardcourts, winning nine titles, including at the Olympics and at the 2009 Australian Open.
Gimelstob said he believed Federer and Nadal would each end up with 18 to 20 major titles, although he offered one disclaimer, Nadal’s health.
Darren Cahill, a former player turned ESPN analyst, noted that the men’s tour is as deep as it has ever been. Yet from Sampras to Federer to Nadal, one player has dominated long stretches. That speaks to the talent of those players, Cahill said.
“We’re in a lucky, enviable period of tennis,” he added. “In 20, 30, 40 years, we’ll look back and go, wow. We’re witnessing possibly the greatest player of all time. For sure, we’re witnessing the greatest clay court player who ever lived and possibly two of the greatest players ever, playing against each other, at the peak of their games.”
On this, most can agree. Except for Nadal, that is.
#1: Nadal w Top-10.
Rafael Nadal rozpoczął wczoraj swój 60 tydzień na fotelu lidera rankingu ATP, z 59 pełnymi tygodniami wyprzedził w klasyfikacji wszech czasów Jima Couriera (58 tygodni) i na tę chwilę zamyka czołową 10 tej statystyki. 24-letni Hiszpan będzie teraz gonił Panów: Edberga i Hewitta.
Najwięcej tygodni jako #1 (łącznie- Top10):
1.Pete Sampras (USA) - 286
2.Roger Federer (SUI) - 285
3.Ivan Lendl (CZE) - 270
4.Jimmy Connors (USA) - 268
5.John McEnroe (USA) - 170
6.Bjorn Borg (SWE) - 109
7.Andre Agassi (USA) - 101
8.Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) - 80
9.Stefan Edberg (SWE) - 72
10.Rafael Nadal (ESP) - 59
Nadal and the US Open: the reasons for failure
The US Open is curiously the only Grand Slam title the Spaniard has failed to capture. "Curiously" because if one was to choose a title to evade Nadal it would most likely be Wimbledon, primarily due to the dominance of Roger Federer on the turf, but also because the surface could, at first glance, be completely unsuitable to his style of play.
However this great champion found the technical solutions and tactics to impose himself there when nobody expected, after making London his priority.
The US Open continues to resist his advances. Here we analyze the reasons for, what can be called up until today, a failure.
The date of the US Open falls during a bad time for the Spaniard.
The first semester of every year is traditionally a busy time for the Spaniard. I'm not saying it's not the same for the other players, but I simply notice that Rafa plays and wins a lot more than the majority of the other players. From April to June he pulls together a run of extraordinary matches. Look at this year for example: consecutive wins in Monte Carlo, Rome, Madrid, Roland Garros, then Wimbledon. By July the Mallorquin is quite simply empty. The first half of the year has an affect on the rest of the season.
He suffers from an understandable détente.
It's always difficult for a player to reignite his form after achieving all his goals. That's the case for Rafa. Roland Garros is his tournament. Wimbledon is his second priority of the year. Since he has triumphed in both consecutively he is released from that pressure, consciously or unconsciously. As his determination and desire is what drives him understandably his efficiency on court is affected.
Rafa has to play a lot to find his rhythm.
After an intense first semester he takes a well-deserved break before starting work again to attack the second half of the year. He prepares with two weeks of training after which he must gain confidence by playing a lot of games. Unlike other players, the Spaniard feels an urgent need to play loads of matches. They give him a lot of confidence, essential for an anxious player such as Nadal, and allow him to find his timing and get a good feel for the game. Rafa is more part of the group of hard workers and big fighters, than those who rely on their talent as their principle weapon.
After his return to training the US Open arrives very quickly and Rafa often lacks good benchmarks to judge his form against.
By comparison he always starts the French Open with a minimum of three titles on clay under his belt. Before the Australian Open he can't play many matches, however he comes from five or six weeks of heavy work through which he finds a certain rhythm. On top of that, all the players are in the same boat and the general level of play is traditionally inferior to that on display at the US Open. In New York lots of players play their best tennis of the season, while Rafa looks for his.
The speed of the game hurts him.
The playing conditions at the US Open also have to be looked on as an element that undermines his efficiency there to date. Of the four Grand Slams, the US Open is the one where the speed of play is the most important. The surface and the lightness of the balls operate in tandem to accelerate the game with a low rebound. This Spaniard loves to control the rally, he loves to have time to prepare each return. That's how he plays his best tennis. Even when he faces opponents that speed up their game on their first two or three hits and aim for his right hand, he plays short and exposed. The surface therefore gives those opponents an advantage to his detriment. Moreover, the quality of his topspin shot with a very high rebound that speeds up on impact with the ground, allows him to put his game in place. The New York surface is less favorable for that aspect of his tennis.
He will end-up winning in New York.
Despite all those cited reasons as to why the US Open is the only Grand Slam to evade the Spaniard, I'm convinced that he will triumph there. Firstly because the Spaniard is an extraordinary competitor, and has always obtained what he wants through hard work and desire. Secondly, because although he lacks benchmarks from previous matches, this will gradually disappear as he makes his way through the tournament. Over five sets I'm convinced that the Spaniard will impose his enormous physique and aggression even though he will not play his best tennis. Tour after tour he shows his strength and if he fails to beat Roger, who has returned to his best this year, he will triumph here in the near future
Nadal sets sights on Career Slam in New York
Rafael Nadal makes his return to competition this week, topping a list of 128 players ready to chase Grand Slam glory at the US Open. The World No. 1 is set to begin the tournament as the top seed.
A determined Rafael Nadal will kick off his campaign at the 2010 US Open, intent to capture the only Grand Slam absent from his stellar resume. The famed New York event signals the final major tournament for the season.
Nadal continues his North American hard-court effort with a 52-7 season record. The 24-year-old Mallorcan will be heading back to work after reaching the last eight in Cincinnati. The World No. 1 fought his way into the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters before bowing out to Marcos Baghdatis in three sets.
Nadal leads the 128-player draw at the US Open, which includes: five-time champion Roger Federer, 2007 finalist Novak Djokovic, 2008 runner-up Andy Murray and 2003 title winner Andy Roddick.
The 24-year-old advanced to US Open semifinal last year, where he lost to eventual champion Juan Martin Del Potro in straight sets. The Argentine, still recovering from a serious wrist injury, is the lone top 10 player missing from the 2010 event.
The World No. 1 headlines a difficult quarter of the draw that hosts 8th seed Fernando Verdasco, 10th seed David Ferrer, 15th seed Ivan Ljubicic, 23rd seed Feliciano Lopez, 24th seed Ernests Gulbis, 29th seed Philipp Kohlschreiber and 31st seed David Nalbandian. Additional hard-court capable competitors in Nadal’s section are Gilles Simon, Alexandr Dolgopolov and Jeremy Chardy
Nadal opens his bid against Teymuraz Gabashvili of Russia in the first round. With passage through the opener, the reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion looks to a second-round clash with either Denis Istomin or Maximo Gonzalez. Should the Mallorcan move into round three, he faces his first seed in Kohlschreiber. If the World No. 1 progresses through the early rounds, he may take on an in-form Nalbandian or compatriot Verdasco.
This could be Nadal's year at U.S. Open
FLUSHING, N. Y. -- Rafael Nadal is going to win the U.S. Open one of these years. Everything about the 24-year-old Spaniard's career arc and relentless commitment suggests that will be so, even if Nadal won't say it himself.
Nadal is polite to the point of incredulity. The surest way to nudge him to act out of character the past few weeks has been to ask Nadal about his chances of winning his first U.S. Open -- the lone major he's never seized. All of a sudden, the people-pleasing side of Nadal vanished. That crooked little smile of his fell off.
Nadal was still unfailingly polite, understand -- he just refused to really answer U.S. Open questions before arriving in New York this week. The only tennis topic that makes Nadal even more uncomfortable is the suggestion that he's now a better player than Roger Federer. If you want to make Nadal really crazy, mention that.
"If somebody says I am better than Roger, I think this person don't know nothing about tennis," Nadal insisted two months ago, on his way to winning his fifth French Open title.
Then Nadal also won for the second time at Wimbledon.
Anyone notice a pattern here? Maybe it's time to consider what we've been construing as saint-like self-effacement in Nadal all this time is actually just him trying to put a small tourniquet on the pressure he's dealing with. It's one of the oldest tricks in the athlete's playbook. The things Nadal seems to protest loudest are what he yearns to accomplish most.
This year looks like Nadal's best chance to win the U.S. Open and become only the seventh man ever to finish off a career sweep of the four Grand Slams. Unlike other years, he's not going to arrive in Flushing hurt, exhausted or mentally fried. This time he took a five-week break after Wimbledon. He has played only seven matches since then.
Precedence screams that Federer, a five-time Open champ, is still the better hard-court player than Nadal. Federer's recent runner-up finish in Toronto and his title win in Cincinnati easily surpassed Nadal's semifinal and quarterfinal finishes at the same two tournaments.
Still, there are many reasons why Nadal will win the Open anyway.
For starters, the self-enforced break has seemed to help, not hurt, Nadal. That wasn't a given since he's such a workhorse. But Nadal seems to believe he played just enough matches in the past few weeks to sharpen his game without siphoning too much energy.
It should help. In 2007, when Nadal's knees were barking and he lost in the fourth round to David Ferrer in a match that dragged on till 2 a.m. -- a time only the late shift at Dunkin' Donuts could appreciate. Only now will Nadal admit he was mentally "destroyed" by the arrival of the 2008 U.S. Open after playing a packed schedule that included winning the Olympic gold medal in Beijing and his epic win over Federer for his first Wimbledon title, a match many people have called the best in the history of tennis. Nadal's 2009 Open chances were scuttled when, as he put it last week in his still-evolving English, "I broke my abdominal."
(He'd been plagued by a muscle tear for weeks.)
Nadal's career-long ability to evolve suggests he'll someday win the Open too. He never settled for being just another Spanish clay-court specialist, he worked until he became the best clay-court player of all time. Confronted with Wimbledon, he never surrendered to any of that self-defeating talk that so many players lapse into about being allergic to grass, and he's won twice. His best finishes at the U.S. Open are two semifinal trips, but he finally broke through on hard courts with his win at the Australian Open last year.
"How?" is the obvious question. Nadal's effort to answer that bodes well for his chances at the U.S. Open, too.
Nadal believes he now has a firmer grasp on why he does and doesn't win on hard courts more often. It isn't just that the U.S. Open courts are faster than some other hard-court tour stops. Two weeks ago in Toronto, Nadal admitted he's often been too indecisive when it comes to strategy -- when to play it safe, how to construct points and so on. But he's worked hard on perfecting the "feel."
"When you have lot of years here on the tour like I have now, finally, you understand [that it] is impossible to win big tournaments without play[ing] aggressive," Nadal said. "Playing defensive, you can win a few matches. But to have the chance to be in semifinals or finals is impossible playing defensive because finally you play against the best players of the world.
"[There] is no way that you can play two meters behind the baseline the first shot. ... If you lose the court, if you go three meters behind the [base]line, you have to play a very good shot. If not, they have the control of the point and is almost impossible to come back on the point. ... This is impossible to do all the match, no. ... So if I really want to have chances to win, I have to play aggressive. I must play aggressive."
Nadal hasn't failed at many things in his career once he's set his mind to accomplishing them. And so far, winning the Open hasn't turned into some full-blown neuroses for him like failing to win the French did for Pete Sampras, or how Bjorn Borg was haunted by not being able to win in Flushing.
Borg ultimately became so frustrated after losing the 1981 Open final and No. 1 world ranking to John McEnroe that he didn't even bother to take a shower or change after the match -- he just walked straight off the court, out of the stadium, and to a courtesy car that immediately took him to JFK Airport, where he caught a flight out of town. Three months later, Borg retired at 26. He couldn't take being second-best.
Nadal is the best player who hasn't won the Open since Borg. But he's never railed about the atmosphere in Flushing. Borg never seemed to make peace with all the chaos that comes with playing in New York.
Nadal got a little unlucky on Thursday when Murray, who just defeated him in the semis in Toronto, fell on his side of the draw.
The two of them could meet again in the Open semis. But Nadal is a far better closer at Slams than Murray (no majors) has ever been.
If Federer and Nadal then meet in the final, don't be surprised if this is finally Nadal's year.
For a change, Nadal says, "I feel perfect."
No one in the Open field can say they haven't been forewarned.
Johnette Howard is a columnist for ESPNNewYork.com. You can follow her on Twitter.
US Open 2010 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 1 rundzie
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Do you prefer to have a night like tonight to start a tournament: a very difficult match to get under your belt? Or would you rather play for an hour and 10 minutes and get it over with?
RAFAEL NADAL: I prefer play one hour and 10 minutes. Win easier, no? Everybody wants win easier. That's no excuse about that, no?
I think that no one wins easy, no? Roger did last night. Djokovic, very tough match today. Soderling five sets win yesterday.
So no one match is easy, especially in a big tournaments, no? The pressure's there. You play against players that they don't have much to lose, so they play aggressive. This is difficult to stop.
I had a difficult match, but I think I did play well.
Q. Did you feel like you played well other than the serve? Were you happy with all the parts of your game?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, my serve worked very well tonight. There have been a few aspects. The concentration was high all the time. The forehand is working well. The backhand is not that bad that I had last weeks. So improves a little bit. Just remains a little bit of this confidence to have a little bit more, you know, to improve a little bit that level, to go to the next step.
That's the only thing for me, to remain, to play with a little bit more aggressive, a little bit more calm. The basic things I think are in the really right way.
Q. You said on court you know you have to serve well to win here. Have you been working on that a lot this summer?
RAFAEL NADAL: All my life I worked a lot on my serve (smiling). Not this summer, no; all my life.
Q. When you go out in a first‑round match against a guy who could be dangerous, do you say, I don't want to play too crazy because maybe I can get into a bad situation, so maybe I'll play a little more safe and see what happens?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, is difficult go first round and play crazy and play aggressive and play like if you are playing the final, no, because you need this confidence during all the tournament to play like you do in one final, no?
So you go on court. I know Gabashvili very well. You go on court knowing he gonna play aggressive. He gonna go for the big shots. So I just tried before the match to think that I have to play regular all the time. I have to be very focused on my serve and I gonna have chances on the return in a few moments, no?
If I gonna be well with my serve, on the return for sure I gonna have my chances. I had, and I had a few terrible mistakes with the breakpoints. So I went for two tiebreaks. Is important for the confidence. I played well the two tiebreaks, I think.
Q. You were hitting 130 miles an hour on your serve. Is there a change on your serve, or it had to do with the conditions or what?
RAFAEL NADAL: And wait. Wait for the next one, I going for 135 (smiling).
No, I am trying to serve a little bit more like Wimbledon because the ball here is very soft. Is not getting a lot of topspin. I try to play a little bit more flat. And for that reason, I am serving faster, I think. That's it.
Q. Talk about playing Istomin. He's played pretty well the last few weeks.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, he's playing well. He had a very good tournament in New Haven. Yeah, sure is difficult opponent, good player. I played against him in the second round of Queen's. I had a very difficult match, 7‑6 in the third ‑‑ 7‑5 in the third.
Well, is really close than the match of today, I think. But he plays a little bit more calm than Gabashvili. So, I don't know, I just have to keep playing like I did today, a little bit more aggressive, a little bit more confidence. That's it.
Q. Are you as comfortable at this Grand Slam as you are at the others?
RAFAEL NADAL: Is the more difficult for me, especially I think because the ball. The ball is the more difficult thing for me because the ball I think is more easy to play that ball for the players when they have the flat shots, no? That's much easier for them than for the topspin players. That's the only thing.
But I won Olympics with this ball. I won in Beijing in 2005 with this ball. I can do it.
Q. You're about ready to unveil your new, big, flat forehand?
RAFAEL NADAL: That's almost impossible. The thing is play with topspin, but play very aggressive all the time, play with very high rhythm. That's the way.
Q. There's a doubles player here who is playing with a two‑handled racquet.
RAFAEL NADAL: I met him.
Q. Does that strike you as crazy?
RAFAEL NADAL: For me, yes (smiling). For me, yes. For me is no reason to play like this, yeah. Is add the complication on the game, you know.
US Open 2010 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 2 rundzie
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. It's early, but what would winning this tournament and also having the chance to win three straight Grand Slams mean to you?
RAFAEL NADAL: Doesn't matter if is straight or not straight for me. Just if any day I have the chance to win here, it would be a dream, no? But I told you now, I do not thought about win here now because this year I am five matches away, so is a lot. And if I come back another years, like I hope to come back a lot of more years, remain seven every time. So is very far. For me, just be here and have a chance to win the fourth is just unbelievable thing. When I was younger, seven years before or six years before or three years before, I never really thought I really can do that. So I am very happy what happen in my life, in my career, in all my career. So just enjoying that moment and trying to fight every ball because if there is any chance to win here, convert this chance.
Q. How much pressure is there, do you think, because this is the one you haven't won yet?
RAFAEL NADAL: You know, I gonna say what I think seriously. I don't think about win this tournament now. So probably the pression is going to be there any day if I am in the final. But before that remains too much to have the pression to win. I have the pression, like every Grand Slam. And, believe me, I have less pressure here than when I play in Roland Garros. So is completely different. And, you know, is like I need to play well a lot of matches. So remain a lot. I am not thinking about the victory. Maybe in any moment I think about the win here and complete the four Grand Slams, maybe, yes, is pressure. But seriously, for me I think about point by point and winning next match. So right now I am very happy to win today and think about Simon.
Q. How have you found the rhythm of your serve, because you're serving very well?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, Toni arrives and everything under control. No, seriously, I don't know. That's pretty strange, because I wasn't serve very well the previous days. I started to serve well one or two days before the competition. But the week of practice, I wasn't serve really well, no? I changed a little bit the grip, like five or six days ago, because I felt when I played against the wind I didn't have free points. So I needed that, no? So I tried to play the serve a little bit more aggressive. For the moment, it's working really well, so I going to try keep playing like this. And, sure, serve like this is a big confidence on my game.
Q. There was a lot of talk about a storm coming in and maybe you wouldn't get your match in tonight. Given your schedule, it's Friday, you're playing your second match, were you relieved to get the match in tonight so you can get your rest?
RAFAEL NADAL: If you play every day night, is no problem. The problem is if you play night, very late, after you play day. So is not a lot of rest, no? But that's the US Open, and they do what they think is better I think for everybody. I accept the rules. If I have to play second round on Friday, I play second round on Friday. No discussion of that.
Q. How fast would you say the court is, and how does it affect the time you have on your returns?
RAFAEL NADAL: Is fast, the court. Is faster the center than the practice courts, for sure. And, yeah, is not like Cincinnati. Cincinnati's faster than this. But is one of the fastest.
Q. How does it compare with Wimbledon, for example?
RAFAEL NADAL: Everybody talks about Wimbledon is very slow. Maybe because I won two times. (Smiling.) When I started to play on Wimbledon in 2003 or 2002, I don't remember, 2003 we are in 2010, so I played like eight Wimbledons. The speed of the court always was the same. That's my feeling. So there's no discussion Wimbledon is much faster than here. Is another sport than here. But I like the faster courts.
Q. It was a very exciting point when he went up 5 1. The crowd got into and you applauded, and then he didn't win another point in that tiebreaker. You play with passion. But when someone shows that emotion, do you lift your emotion accordingly?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, he fighted a good point. He played a great point. I had to win that point three times before. But he did well. Finally he was fast going for the dropshot and he pass me, no? Just was a tough point for me, because 4 2 or 5 1 going to the other place, to the other side, is easy for the wind, but is hard for me. But I think I stayed very well mentally in that moment. I was playing with big calm and big concentration. And finally I was a little bit lucky, for sure. Is impossible to come back from 5 1. I had a little bit lucky. But the concentration, I had a good point. It was a very important moment of the match.
Q. You saw how hard it was for Roger to complete the career Grand Slam, how long it took him to win the French Open. What thoughts did that give you about your quest to win the career Grand Slam?
RAFAEL NADAL: You are focus on this. Maybe for Roger was a big goal because he is the best of the history and he needed Roland Garros. He deserved Roland Garros because he did three finals, another semifinals. Seriously, for me, complete the Grand Slam at this moment is not a goal. For me the goal is try to improve my level, to play well the next match, and we will see what happen next Sunday, no? If I have the chance to be there, gonna be a chance for me to complete. But if not, remains a lot to be there. If not, I gonna come back home, try to keep improving to come back a lot of years here to try. For me is not an obsession and is not a real goal.
Q. What do you think your chances are to be the best in history, the way you've described Roger?
RAFAEL NADAL: For me? I never thought about that. I think I am not ready to be the best of the history. I think is not the right moment to talk about that, seriously. Because I have 24 and a half, a little bit less 24 and a few months years old so talk about the history when one player is playing is difficult, no? I am very happy, eight Grand Slams, Olympics, 18 Masters 1000. I am probably in one part of the history of tennis, no, so I am very happy with that. Now everything is to win. I don't know if I gonna have the chance to keep winning Grand Slams. I gonna try for sure. But be the best of the history is almost impossible.
US Open 2010 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 3 rundzie
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Are you feeling better about this place? You haven't done really too well here.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I did two semifinals in the past.
Q. Oh, yeas. That's not bad.
RAFAEL NADAL: For me that's not bad. (Laughter.)
Well, I think I am playing better, a little bit better, every day. So today was a solid match, I think. The serve is still good, so that's a very important thing.
From the baseline, I think my movements and my shots start improve, to be better every day.
Q. I'm writing a book on Marcelo Rios. Do you have any memory? Talk about him a little bit.
RAFAEL NADAL: Sorry, but I wasn't on the tour when he was on the tour.
Q. What about the way he played.
RAFAEL NADAL: If I say you something I gonna say some lies, because I didn't remember. So is better not say nothing.
Q. The improvements we're seeing in your serve, is this a result of a change in your technique or your motion, or is it more a matter of confidence and attitude?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, seriously, I wasn't serve -- I didn't serve very well in the previous tournaments. But I started to serve well the week before the tournament, a few days before the tournament start.
I changed a little bit the grip, but that's all.
Q. You haven't had a five-set match here yet, but you are 14-3 in fifth sets. Why do you think you're so good in them?
RAFAEL NADAL: 14-3? I don't know. (Laughter.) Every match is different. I don't know. The important thing is when you are in the fifth set, first thing be healthy, be in good form physically.
And second thing is be in the right position mentally, no? So that's the thing, the more important thing.
Q. Do you like best-of-five over best-of-three?
RAFAEL NADAL: Different. I don't know. I think for the Grand Slams is okay best-of-five. But, for example, for the other tournaments I think is better best-of-three. Because if not, gonna be an unbelievable season.
For example, for the Davis Cup, I think that can be a change, because three sets gonna be easier for all the players.
Q. Pete Sampras always said that Andre Agassi raised the level of his game and made him a better player. Do you feel that way a little bit about Roger, too? Does he raise your game more than any of the other players?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know if that was the right thing. But for sure if you have in front of you unbelievable player like Roger.
You know, for me the most important thing for me to copy of Roger, I think when he started to be No. 1, he always improves. So after two years being No. 1, he was better player than before. I think he improved during all his career. That's very important thing.
For me, that's something that I really need to do, too, no? So if I want to be here more years - I already have six in the top two - I was for the last six years in the top 2 because I always improved, too. That's my feeling.
And if not, well, you always lose something, maybe lose a little bit more the inspiration than when you start. So you have to work in other things. If you lose something for one part you have to improve for another part. So that's it.
Q. How much do you think about the importance of adding this slam to your résumé? How much do you think about that?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no. I think about the practice of tomorrow. If I say the serious thing, is that. That's the true. Is very far, the victory of this tournament.
I am in fourth round. That's good news for me - without losing a set - but remains a lot.
I am happy where I am, but is only fourth round.
Q. What parts of Roger's game has he improved over the past few years? What parts of your game have you improved?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, when I played against him in Miami 2003 and when I played against him another time, 2006, 2007, I think his serve improved a lot, his backhand improved a lot.
So that's probably for that reason he was the No. 1 for a long, long time.
Q. It's harder to take advantage of his backhand now?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know, because I didn't play him for - only one time in Madrid this year, no?
But I am not speaking in that way. I think the way that I speaking is for all the players probably when in 2003 he was very good. But anyway, everybody says he always had not very good backhand. But after that, he starts to improve and improve the backhand, having amazing slice backhand, very good topspin backhand, too.
So for sure every time is more difficult to play against his backhand, because he always try to find a solution with the slice, going to the net. So for sure he is always better and better.
Q. Simon said he was pretty anxious to get back to France to see his newborn son. Could you tell that he mentally checked out in the third set because he wanted to leave? What did you say to him at the net in the end?
RAFAEL NADAL: I just congratulate him because he is father now. For sure is good for him to come back home and see the son and everything. That's for sure gonna be nice for him. Just congratulate him for that.
Q. There was a report this afternoon that the other day you didn't want to take one of the transportation vans that had a picture of Roger. Can you describe what happened?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, well, if you know me, you know that I not gonna do. This is very stupid thing. I was in a van of the picture of Roger, both sides of the van, like 15 times these two weeks. (Smiling). So that's very stupid thing. That's never happen.
Speaking seriously, is better the other side. I want this car because is bigger, and I am more comfortable with this car than with the others. You can see the car of Roger's photo is there, is outside, is a van. So is much bigger than the other ones.
Roy know, the manager of the transportation, that I always want this car. So it was good.
Q. Did you get out of that car that had his picture or you stayed in it?
RAFAEL NADAL: I thought my English was better. (Laughter.)
I said I went with this car 15 times.
Q. Did you say you thought Davis Cup should be reduced to best-of-three?
RAFAEL NADAL: That's what I say before. For me, the Davis Cup is always too much for the players because is every year. That's something that maybe can change in the future.
But at the same time, for the players have three sets and not five can help a little bit for all the players.
Q. So far four Spanish people made it into the next round. Tommy still has a chance. Looks a little bit like Spanish Open.
RAFAEL NADAL: Already one Spanish player going to be in semifinals. That is positive news for us. Especially is very positive because I think, for the ball and for the court, is probably the most difficult tournament for us, no? So that is very important news for the Spanish tennis.
Just congratulate my friends. Best of luck for everybody.
Q. Why is this court the most difficult for you personally, and how have you begun to overcome that?
RAFAEL NADAL: For me, the ball. Not the court, the ball. The ball is softer than the rest of the balls of the tour. Is the ball that is getting less topspin. The ball stays lower than the other ones.
But I won Olympics with that ball. Seems like is not impossible for me to play with this ball, no? I did two semifinals. I won in Beijing 2008. But if I have to say something for me to change to play this tournament, gonna be the ball.
Q. So how confident are you at this point with that ball on this surface without having a US Open championship before?
RAFAEL NADAL: Maybe the same like when I was in fourth round. Happy to be in fourth round. For sure, the important thing for me is I played better today than two days ago; and two days ago I played better than five or six days ago.
So that's always important, and very good news be improving during the tournament. So that's what I did, and I need to keep improving if I want to have chances.
US Open 2010: this is Rafael Nadal's chance to break America
The Joe Six-Packs of New Jersey or Milwaukee tend to follow the US Open in the same way they do the American football season, not tuning in until the blimps are in the sky.
For many channel-flicking Americans, the NFL season starts with the Super Bowl and this fortnight at Flushing Meadows begins on the second Sunday, and that is why Rafael Nadal, for all his achievements across the tennis map, does not have the following in the United States that he does everywhere else he hits whippy forehands.
For the Ordinary Joes of America to truly care about this young man from the Mediterranean, to bother themselves with the world No 1, they first have to see him play, in which case he is going to have to reach his first final. And then he is going to have to win it.
Though Nadal’s training sessions here have as many ground-pass-holders pressed up against the wire as Roger Federer's, those gathered around his practice court are already a bunch of racket-heads, already tennis converts. The rest of America is not so fussed about a Majorcan who has already won eight slam titles, with five victories at the French Open, a couple at Wimbledon and one at the Australian Open, and who, after playing superb tennis to reach the quarter-finals in New York, looks better placed than ever to become only the seventh man to accomplish the career grand slam.
What an achievement that would be for Nadal to complete his collection at the age of 24, especially as it took Federer until he was 27 to tick them all off. Only in America would they wait until a tennis player has achieved the career grand slam, and won a ninth major, before taking an interest.
It seems as though some New Yorkers would prefer it if Nadal sounded a bit more enamoured with the city. Clearly, Nadal is happier playing in Europe than he is competing in the chaos and noise of New York.
Some players go out of their way to ingratiate themselves with the locals, talking at length about the pleasures of playing in front of “the best crowd in the world”, at “the best tournament in the world”, and what a joy it is to skip by the neon lights of Times Square at night. Nadal does not always go in for that crowd-pleasing, crowd-tickling stuff here, which is extremely refreshing. But that is not the main reason America has not taken to him yet; it all comes down to the fact that he has never been beyond the semis.
Nadal, who plays fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco in the quarter-finals on Thursday, dominated the European summer, winning on the clay of Roland Garros and the grass of the All England Club. Fast American cement plainly is not the best surface for Nadal, but it would seem as though there is every chance that this could turn out to be the summer when Rafa breaks America.
A couple of years ago here, he was exhausted after winning gold in Beijing as well as the French Open and Wimbledon, and he was not himself during his semi-final defeat to Andy Murray. Last summer, he was carrying an abdominal injury in his semi, and could not counter the power of Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro. This year, to echo what one former American player said of Nadal, he is not banged up as in years past.
Dressed all in black for his night matches, Nadal played magnificently to win a fourth-round match with countryman Feliciano Lopez and is yet to drop a set, or his serve, during this tournament.
While Nadal should be fairly fresh, Verdasco must be fraying around the edges after coming from two sets down against yet another Spaniard, David Ferrer, to win the fifth in a tie-break.
If Nadal does progress into the ‘Super Saturday’ semi-finals, he would ‘only’ have to beat Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka or Russian Mikhail Youzhny to reach his first final, when America would be watching.
US Open 2010 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 4 rundzie
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. How much of an advantage do you think you had just because Feliciano had never played on that court, had never played that late?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, he played in that court.
Q. Oh, I thought he said he had not.
RAFAEL NADAL: I remember very good match against Roger in this court few years ago. He won the first set.
Q. He talked about the advantage you had.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, sure, is difficult court to play. Is not easy. Is not easy for me, and I play almost every last year I played almost every day on this court. So I imagine for Feli is a little bit more difficult, no? But, yeah, finally is tennis court, yeah. Is true wind is more difficult on center court than outside courts. In my opinion, the center court is a little bit faster than the other ones. But that's all.
Q. Does the time of day make any difference? Is it harder to play it at 11:00 p.m. than 1:00 p.m.?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, but I am here, too, no? Feliciano, he started at 11:30, but I don't know what time, at 11:00, but I started, too. Doesn't make any difference.
Q. How important was it for you to jump out 3 Love in the first set and really set the tone?
RAFAEL NADAL: I didn't understand. (Through translation.) Well, the important thing is with 3 0 I have an important advantage to win the first set, and the first set is always very important. But at the same time, he had good chance to come back with 3 2, I think. No, 4 2, 4 3? I don't know. But he had another chance with Love 40 one game. So with two second serves he had two mistakes on the return of the two second serves, so was a big mistake for him in that moment. After that, I think my serve was working well all the time, so I had opportunities on the return. I convert not every one, but I convert the set, so it was enough.
Q. What's the scariest thing about Verdasco to you?
RAFAEL NADAL: Everything. He's a very complete player. He has all the shots and he's playing very well, no? Much better than he did last months, so gonna be very difficult match. I saw him play today, and I saw him play against Nalbandian the other day. He's playing very good tennis, so gonna be a very interesting match. I have to play aggressive, to play well. It not gonna be impossible, I think.
Q. Do you think you've got any edge just because of how long he spent on the court today?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I don't know. We don't know yet, no? We will see in one day and a half. I think we are fit enough to resist that. It was four hours?
Q. Four and a half.
RAFAEL NADAL: What? Four hours 23, so, yeah, was long, but I played in Australia five hours 15 minutes in semifinals, and I had to play the final one day later. So I was very tired, but I was ready. I think for sure he gonna be ready.
Q. You have not lost your serve or a set the whole tournament. When you're serving this well, do you feel your whole game lift?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. No, I think I am playing well, but I not playing yet at my highest level, but I am playing well. To be in quarterfinals of the US Open without lose a set and without lose a serve, two things must work really well: the concentration and the serve. Without these two things you gonna lose for sure serves, no? So both things was worked very good. I think every day I played a little bit better, no? The conditions some days are not easy, like today. The opponent is not easy, too, because the rhythm against Feli is not always the right rhythm to play good because he plays light, he goes to the net, very good serve. So I think I am playing better and better every day, and I had to play a little bit better this match.
US Open, prasa: Wujek Nadal a Angelina Jolie
Wujek jak skarb
Dlaczego Rafa Nadal spóźnił się na czwartkową konferencję prasową po zwycięstwie nad Fernando Verdasco? Bo się... golił. Nowojorski "Times" przedstawia sylwetkę Toniego Nadala: "Pierwszy i jedyny trener, widzi swoją pracę jako upewnianie się, że Nadal pokazuje swoją najlepszą twarz. Zadanie trzymania Rafaela na ziemi poza domem należy w dużej części do wujka Toniego. Ten jest jak artysta make upu, któremu powierza się twarz Angeliny Jolie". Toni, niezależny finansowo dzięki interesom biznesowym (restauracja, firma przemysłu szklanego, ostatnio udziały w klubie piłkarskim Mallorca) nie jest przez Rafę zatrudniany, nie pobiera za pracę z nim pieniędzy.
Według "Times" "Toni Nadal jest niechętny wywiadom, ale jego głos wydobywa się z ust Rafy". O samym zawodniku: "Jest jak hiszpański waleczny byk, parskający agresor, który stracił swój serwis tylko raz w 76 gemach jego ósmego Open. Poza kortem Nadal nie spuszcza głowy i szturmuje naprzód. Jest grzeczny w stosunku do ochroniarzy, z szacunkiem odnosi się do innych zawodników, przychylny dla fanów. Pocałował w policzek aktorkę i piosenkarkę Grace Jones, lat 62, w drodze do szatni". Wujek Toni największą satysfakcję ma nie wtedy, gdy syn jego brata gra dobrze w tenisa: - Więcej przyjemności czerpię wtedy, gdy mówią, że Rafael jest dobrym człowiekiem.
Nadal w gronie 8 wielkoszlemowych finalistów
Rafael Nadal awansował do finału US Open 2010. Hiszpan stał się tym samym 8 graczem w Erze Open, który zaliczył finały wszystkich imprez wielkoszlemowych.
Wcześniej tej sztuki dokonali:
Rod Laver
Ken Rosewall
Ivan Lendl
Stefan Edberg
Jim Courier
Andre Agassi
Roger Federer.
Gratulacje ;)
Rafa's Date With Destiny
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal reached his first US Open final on Saturday afternoon to keep alive his bid to become the seventh man in tennis history to complete a career Grand Slam.
The top-seeded Spaniard completed a comprehensive 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 victory over No. 12 seed Mikhail Youzhny of Russia in two hours and 13 minutes. Nadal has not lost a set and has dropped serve just twice in six matches at Flushing Meadows this year.
"For me it is a dream," Nadal told 23,000 fans on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court. "Now I am going to play for the first final in the biggest centre court in the world. I have tried for a lot of years. Thank you. You make me feel like home."
The 24 year-old is the second-youngest of six men to reach all four Grand Slam finals in the Open Era. If Nadal completes his set of major championships on Saturday, he would also be the second-youngest to do so after 1938 Grand Slammer Donald Budge, then aged 22. Budge made history 72 years ago today.
Both players got off to a tentative start, but Nadal converted the first of his two break point opportunities at 2-1 - when Youzhny served at 15/40 - with a forehand winner. At 5-2, Nadal ripped a forehand crosscourt winner past Youzhny, serving at 30-40, to clinch the 42-minute opener.
Nadal, who had taping re-applied to blistered toes on his left foot at 3-2 in the second set, broke Youzhny in the eighth game and served out to 15 for a two sets to love lead.
The match started to fall away from Youzhny when he hit a forehand wide at 30-40 in the third game of the third set. Having won a tough five-setter over No. 25 seed Stanislas Wawrinka in the quarter-finals, the Russian began to slow down in baseline rallies but continued to battle.
For only the second time in 90 service games, Nadal had his serve broken when he led 4-3. Youzhny converted his first break point opportunity since the fifth game of the first set with a smash winner. Nadal bounced back immediately in a hard-fought ninth game, before reaching his 11th Grand Slam championship final (8-2 overall) with a service hold to love.
On Sunday, Nadal will be looking to emulate fellow Spaniards Manuel Santana (1965) and Manuel Orantes (1975) as US Championships winners. He is the first Spaniard to reach the title match since former World No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero in 2003 (l. to Roddick).
As the winner of this year's Roland Garros and Wimbledon titles, he will also be bidding to follow Rod Laver, Pete Sampras and Roger Federer as the fourth man to three consecutive Grand Slam championships in the Open Era. The Mallorcan has a 20-match winning streak at major championships.
"Tough to say who is better than Rafa," Youzhny said. "I mean, he's No. 1 and he played really good tennis. I cannot say I'm really tired, but, yeah, [i] was not fast enough today. I was moving well, but my head was one step back of my hand and my legs."
US Open: Pierwszy nowojorski finał Nadala
Flushing Meadows w Nowym Jorku dla Rafaela Nadala to wciąż ziemia niezdobyta, ale teraz po raz pierwszy stanie tam do walki o tytuł. Lider rankingu w półfinale odprawił Michaiła Jużnego (6:2, 6:3, 6:4 w 2h13') i w niedzielę zagra z Novakiem Đokoviciem.
Nie udało mu się w 2008 roku, gdy - nie ukrywa tego - jego głowa po osiągniętych wtedy sukcesach była nie na miejscu. Rok temu mimo kontuzji mięśni brzucha także potrafił dojść do półfinału. Teraz w końcu przebrnął ten szczebel, odprawiając Jużnego, swojego pogromcę z ćwierćfinału edycji 2006. Stadion Arthura Ashe'a czekał, ale nie doczekał się pierwszego od Australian Open 2009 wielkoszlemowego finału Nadal-Federer.
Swoje pięć minut Jużnyj miał, gdy przełamał hiszpańskiego faworyta przy prowadzeniu tego 4:3 w trzecim secie. Reakcją Rosjanina, "jakby wyjętego z powieści Dostojewskiego", na break pointa było zdziwienie, które wyraził sympatycznym gestem z uniesieniem brwi. Publiczność wiedziała, że cudu mimo tego nie będzie i mocno dopingowała Michaiła przy decydującym punkcie, by ten choć o jednego gema przedłużył całą zabawę. Jużnyj wykorzystał drugi serwis Nadala do tego, by zdominować wymianę i po niewiarygodnej obronie Rafy zabrać mu serwis. To drugi taki przypadek w turnieju.
Jak to w tej edycji US Open bywa, Rafa okazał się po pierwsze efektywny przy podaniu (65% pierwszego, 78% punktów po nim zdobytych), po drugie bardzo poważny w wykorzystywaniu szans przy returnie (5/8 wygranych break pointów). Jeżeli wciąż czeka na ten swój zapowiadany najlepszy mecz, na który zbiera energię, to trzeba się spodziewać niezwykłego finału. Rafa (23 piłki skończone - 19 zepsutych) przy Jużnym sobie pobiegał, ale granice jego wytrzymałości są jeszcze daleko.
Nadal jest prawdopodobnie w najlepszej formie ze wszystkich faworytów Open. Forhendem na zewnątrz wywalczył przełamanie już na 3:1 w otwierającym secie, którego zamknął, gdy zepchnięty do głębokiej defensywy potrafił zagrać krosem genialnego passing shota obok skonsternowanego Jużnego. Rosjaninowi (miał break pointa tuż po pierwszym przełamaniu) nikt talentu nie odmawia, ale w półfinale Wielkiego Szlema zwyciężają najlepsi pod względem fizycznym i mentalnym.
Obrona, specjalność zakładu Nadala, może rywali doprowadzić do szewskiej pasji. Jużnyj od stanu 0-40 przy 3:4 w drugiej partii był w stanie tylko raz uderzyć piłkę tak, by nie dopadł do niej Rafa. Ten na prowadzenie 2-0 w setach wyszedł dzięki wolnym punktom, posyłając asa (drugiego z trzech w meczu) i wygrywający serwis.
Szybkie nogi pozwoliły Majorkańczykowi na to, by przy break poincie na 2:1 w trzeciej partii dojść forhendem (lewą ręką!) do drugiego serwisu zagranego w linię środkową. Jużnyj wyrzucił potem swój forhend i był w potrzasku. Powrót na 4:4 był odłożeniem wyroku, na wykonanie którego faworyt nie zamierzał długo czekać. Jużnyj popełnił podwójny błąd serwisowy, obronił break pointa wygrywającym serwisem, ale gdy sędzia już zapisywał mu przewagę, zakończył na taśmie i własnym polu akcję serw&wolej, a drugiej okazji Nadal nie zmarnował.
Nadal’s Uncle Is Heard From the Box
Rafael Nadal’s uncle, Toni Nadal, is also his coach. As I wrote in this profile, he keeps a low profile. The exception is during matches, when he has been known to coach his nephew from the players’ box, in violation of the rules.
Uncle Toni’s coaching has not gone unnoticed in the blogosphere or by Nadal’s opponents. After losing to Nadal in a five-set final in Rome in 2006, Roger Federer complained about Nadal receiving coaching from Toni Nadal during the match.
Federer said then, “He was coaching a little bit too much again today. I caught him in the act. I told him many times already, through the entire match in Monaco, but it seems like they don’t keep a close enough eye on him.”
At Wimbledon this year, Nadal received an official warning from the chair umpire for being accused of receiving advice from Tony Nadal during his five-set match against Philipp Petzschner of Germany.
Toni Nadal does not deny that he offers advice from the box. He says the rules against coaching from the box are antiquated and need to be changed. “I think all the sports make an evolution,” he said. “It’s not natural that you pay a coach and this coach travels to Australia and to New York to watch his player and he can’t say nothing.”
He said he was trying to curb his tongue — against his instincts — lest he become a distraction to Nadal.
“I say not too much,” he said with a smile. “Always I say things like ‘Come on’ or ‘Move your legs.’ I am not saying tactics. I don’t know how to win a match.”
US OPEN 2010: Rafael Nadal just one match away from career Grand Slam
Rafael Nadal will proudly reserve a place at the high table of tennis if he wins the US Open here this evening.
Nadal's arrival in his first US Open final, secured with a blistering 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 win over Mikhail Youzhny at Flushing Meadows yesterday, offers him the chance to put his name on the one trophy to have eluded him in his career.
Only six other men - Don Budge, Fred Perry, Roy Emerson, Rod Laver, Andre Agassi and Roger Federer - have won all four major championships in Melbourne, Paris, Wimbledon and the Big Apple.
The Spaniard, 24, illustrated his elation by reacting to Youzhny's final mistake, athletically jumping into the air and throwing a punch in mid-flight.
As Nadal accepted the acclaim of the crowd, he graciously acknowledged that he had been at work, enjoying himself, on a date in history with far more reaching consequences for the world.
'This is a special day for everybody and I offer my support to the victims of 9/11,' said Nadal.
Youzhny, 28, also paid his respects by wearing a black armband on the ninth anniversary of the day terrorists flew hijacked planes into the twin towers of the World Trade Centre.
America's national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner, was greeted with particular pride by the near-24,000 capacity crowd in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
But the people of this city, of this country, viewed it important nine years ago to go about their business as normal, and this anniversary was commemorated with a carnival of tennis on a day they call Super Saturday, involving two men's semi-finals and the final of the women's championship between Kim Clijsters and Vera Zvonareva, staged under floodlights.
Nadal's charm in victory established the perfect tone. He has created the summer of his dreams, winning the French Open, then Wimbledon with a game, and a personality, that has won admiration around the world.
And he has reached the final here without dropping a set in six matches. Such superiority gives him an opportunity to become the first player to win in Paris, Wimbledon and New York in the same summer since Laver accomplished the feat in 1969, the year the Australian, known as the Rockhampton Rocket, won the Grand Slam.
Nadal made light of Youzhny in 2hr 13min, to earn the luxury of being able to put his feet up to watch the second semi-final between Federer and Novak Djokovic, played late last night.
Nadal reclaimed the world No 1 ranking from Federer after he won the French Open for a fifth time at Roland Garros, in late May.
It has not proved to be a burden to him. He has run for every ball, and contested each point he has played from the moment he walked on to the premises; an object lesson for Andy Murray to absorb.
Talent alone, if not allied to an uncompromising work ethic, will go unrewarded while men like Nadal and Federer command the high ground in this game.
'I'm very happy,' Nadal said through the public address system. 'You make me feel every day like I am at home!'
US Open 2010 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w półfinale
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. What does it mean to you to get to the finals of the US Open?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, it's another step I think in my career, so for sure is a very important victory for me. Yeah, be in the final of the last Grand Slam of the year is something new, because I always arrived here with problems. I think I can say I did a very good tournament. Anyway, the result of tomorrow of course change a lot the result of the match of tomorrow. But I am very satisfied how I improved during all the tournament, because I didn't arrive to this tournament playing my best. That's a very important thing.
Q. I was wondering, with having to come back tomorrow, how important was it to get it over in three sets?
RAFAEL NADAL: Sure, always is important if it's three. If you have a match like I had in the semifinals of Australia a few years ago in 2009, I lost; I gonna lose for sure, no? But having three sets match and two hours, or a little bit more, of the match always is great, no? I gonna be in perfect conditions tomorrow, so that's very positive. We will see what happen.
Q. We don't know who's gonna get through here; Roger took the first set. Should he get through, people are saying this may just be the most important final in the Open era, if not in tennis history. I'm wondering what your thoughts are on that.
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't think is that important. That is for sure very important match, but is only one more match. So I think we played during both of our careers very important matches against each other. So for sure this one gonna be something new, because it's a different tournament. But for me it's not important, the match of tomorrow, than the final of Wimbledon 2008 or the final of Wimbledon 2007. That's my feeling.
Q. If it is Roger tomorrow against you, given your head to head record against him and the possibility of winning the career Grand Slam, earlier in the tournament you said, Roger is the greatest player ever in your mind. Do you feel as though you'll be on the path to be called the greatest player ever?
RAFAEL NADAL: (Through translation.) No. No, no, is another match, and I don't think about the victory of tomorrow. We will see what happen with Roger. I think Roger is playing great level, probably the better level of the year for sure. So will be very difficult if he's in the final. If he's not, for sure Novak gonna be very difficult, too. Anyway, we suppose I won that final, I win that final, I gonna say the same. I am not of the way to be the best of the history, because that's very far. I really don't believe I can arrive to the Roger's level, no? So I think what Roger did is something almost impossible to repeat. I go day by day, and just like this I gonna have a chance to keep having chances to win important tournaments.
Q. We know that you don't like to look too far ahead, either in matches or in tournaments, but did you have a special feeling about this Open in the past few months for any reason because of the issues, the career slam possibly, that sort of thing?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I know if I am healthy is probably the year I gonna arrive better, because the mentality is there, the head is there during all the year to have a good tournament here. But for me, the most important tournament of the year 2010 was Roland Garros. You know, for me that was the most important tournament for me. And after that I was big confidence for me won in Roland Garros another time, because was very hard lose in 2009. So after that, I think I relaxed a lot. I can play very well on grass, and I said yesterday probably in Toronto/Cincinnati the body, it goes down a little bit for sure with this tournament. In the beginning I started playing so so. Is normal because the confidence wasn't at my best after having not very good two tournaments in Toronto and Cincinnati. Toronto was okay, but Cincinnati the feeling wasn't great. So I worked a lot during the tournament to be back on my best level, no? The serve help me a lot on that, because that's give me a lot of confidence.
Q. Respectfully, in our sport, people love to talk about who is the greatest player of all time. In that conversation, do you think it should be based strictly on number of Grand Slams won, or do you feel there are other elements in it such as head to head?
RAFAEL NADAL: Head to head is not an element for me. Is a part of the statistics, but is not the decisive element. Even a Grand Slam is important element, but is not all on the tennis, because for me some things, more important things and more difficult things to do than win a Grand Slam. In my opinion, Roger won 16 Grand Slams already. But what he did, 23 or 24 semifinals in a row, that's something amazing. Is impossible to repeat, in my opinion. For me, what I did on clay the last six years in the previous tournaments, winning Monte Carlo six, Barcelona five, Rome five, and Hamburg one and Madrid another one. These previous places before Roland Garros is much more difficult to win than Roland Garros, because it's three sets, it's tournaments back to back, and you play against the best players since the first round. So in Roland Garros, Grand Slam, you normally can have a few rounds without playing above the top players, and that's can help you. And for the best players have the matches at five sets help us a little bit more, to have more time.
Q. Do you think Davis Cup or Olympics or Masters Series should be a consideration in the conversation?
RAFAEL NADAL: In the conversation, everybody is free to have his own opinion. (Laughter.) I am not one to say the steps, For that reason you are the best of the history. In my opinion, Roger is the best of the history, the best of the history that I ever see. I don't know Rod Laver, how it was in the past, because I wasn't in this world. (Laughter.) That's what I can say. The Masters 1000 I think is very important things, important tournaments, because you play against the best players of the world in every tournament. Is very difficult to win a Masters 1000 and Davis Cup for sure. But that's more difficult to say because you play by team, and you depends a little bit which team you have. Anyway, without the great team that I have in Spain, gonna be impossible have three Davis Cups already for me, no? So that's question about that. Olympics for sure is another thing. Olympics the most difficult thing to win, because you only gonna have one or two chances in your career. You have to be at the right moment at your best level.
Q. You said a moment ago that you thought Roger was playing the best tennis right now, of the year. Quite a few players in this press room in the last week have said that they think that he's playing the best tennis of his career. How much have you watched of his matches? Would you assess it as maybe the best of his career?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. I don't know. I think Roger was amazing during all his career. Difficult to say right now he's playing best tennis of his career. He's playing at probably his best level without losing a set and having great victories against very difficult opponents. So probably is playing at his best level, but he played at unbelievable level a lot of times.
Q. Roger said before the tournament began that he wanted to face you in the finals. How do you feel right now at this moment with that match going on and you're already there?
RAFAEL NADAL: I feel great. For me, is a pleasure be here, to be the first player to be in the final. For me, I said before it's not a dream, because a dream is to win the tournament. But is very, very important tournament for me be in the final. I told you before, is another important tournament in my career. Right now gonna be very difficult to have the title. But I gonna try my best. I would love to play against another player than Roger in the final, because he is the best. (Laughter.)
Q. The way you play and the way you move on the court, it's like you were in 2003, 2004. Do you think tomorrow will be easy if you play against Djokovic?
RAFAEL NADAL: I didn't understand the first part.
Q. The first part is just a commentary. The way you move on the court now, the way you were moving is like you were moving in 2003, 2004.
RAFAEL NADAL: Me?
Q. Yes. So do you think tomorrow will be easy match for you?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, first thing is no answer, because you already answered yourself. (Laughter.) And second thing, I don't know. You think gonna be an easy match for me? I don't think so. For me gonna be very difficult match.
Q. If you face Novak Djokovic, tell me about that match, what you think of Nole.
RAFAEL NADAL: I played against him a lot of times, so he is probably -- when he's playing well, probably is the player who can play at high level for moments, no? Because he can have winners from every part of the court. He serve, when he's serving well, help him a lot, because he can have very good serves. He's a very difficult opponent for me, especially I had a lot of loses against him in this kind of surface. I have victories, too, but I have loses. So he's a great player. I think he deserve to be in that final, too, because fourth time he's in that situation. Well, he was in the final one time, but another time in semifinals. He always is here. He's a very regular player. He had I think for his level not easy season, because for him his aspirations, I think, is win a Grand Slam title than winning a Masters 1000 title. He fighted every week and every week was there, but the final he didn't win. So he deserve be there, because his mentality is always very positive, and he's a great guy, great player for our sport. For sure, if I play against him, gonna be very difficult.
Q. If you do face Roger, how different would it be tactically than facing him on the other surfaces where you've already played him?
RAFAEL NADAL: I played against him on this surface a lot of times, too, so is not a big difference. I don't know the tactic, because every court is different. But he's always very similar, I think.
Q. What, if anything, do you remember about the way Juan Martin Del Potro beat Roger here last year in the final? If Roger is your opponent, is it possible for you to learn anything tactically from Del Potro's approach, or does that have no significance to the way you would play Roger here?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, that's -- no, I can learn about my victories in the past against him. I can't learn about the victory of Juan Martin Del Potro against Federer last year, because he's completely different style of player. Del Potro have unbelievable serve, very flat shots from the baseline. My style is a little bit different, so I can't play like Del Potro did last year. At the same time that my opinion, Federer that year, last year, had to win that final because he was winning playing unbelievable in the beginning. Have break in the second, so it was yeah, he had the match under control, and something happened in the end of second and everything change.
Q. When you were a little boy, which players did you most enjoy watching?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. I always enjoyed watching Carlos Moya. He's always very close to my village, so he was one of my favorite players, for sure.
Q. When you were on the court earlier, you acknowledged 9/11 and you talked about New York and how you felt embraced by the city. What prompted you to make those comments, and how has New York made you feel welcome?
RAFAEL NADAL: (Through translation.) Well, I think first thing, 9/11 was a big shock for everybody in the world. I remember everybody remember where they were at that moment, and I remember what happened that day and where I was. Yeah, was terrible shock for me, especially because I was in the top of the twin towers few months before. So, yeah, that's just the minimum thing that I can say, all the support for the victims and for the families for sure is always in my mind. When I came back after the disaster, in the first six years I always was there at Ground Zero every time watching that. So, yep, that's probably the most impact view that I had in all my life.
Q. Your serve, I mean, how much work have you put into the serve and how much has it made a change for you, the little changes that you made?
RAFAEL NADAL: Every day I explain, and probably today I didn't serve as good as I did during all the week. But I still served well, better than usual. I change a little bit the grip, and what I change especially is the position. Important thing is I know I have to serve well if I really want to have any day the chance to win here. So I always repeat this to myself. I worked a lot to serve well during all my career, and I have to keep working that hard. The serve at the point of today is good, but not enough. I don't have the control of the situation with my serve because every day is new for me, and I served already very good for the last six matches. We will see what happen tomorrow, but I don't feel I have completely defined the serve. So that's what I have to keep working on that way, because right now I think I am in the right way to finally serve well.
Q. When athletes win consistently and they reach the level you have, No. 1, they're very stubborn. They don't want to change anything. Why are you able to adapt and change things in your game even at the level you've reached?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think I changed the strings in the end of the season. So, yeah, you are in the top, but the things works very well, but can works better always and worse. But always you have a risk, and you have to -- I don't know. In English is not -- I am not inspired today. Only inspiration was on court. (Laughter.) Forget. (Laughter.)
Q. You've always been extremely hungry. You could have been the king of clay only, and you worked and worked to win Wimbledon. You could have done just that, and you worked and worked to do what you're doing on hard court. Does that hunger come from, I want to win everywhere, or is it just, I want to be the best I can be? Why is it you're always not satisfied?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, because I always thought I always can keep improving. That's why I am playing, to keep improving and to feel myself better player than before. I go to practice every day not to practice; I go to practice every day to try to learn something and to keep improving my level. I already won on hard, so that's not nothing new for me to win on this surface. But the conditions in every tournament are different, and I need to have more options to do to try to win against difficult players like today. Like in the past, I had a lot of problems against Youzhny in the past, because I was playing before two meters behind the baseline or three meters behind the baseline, all the balls higher with topspin, and he had always the chance to come inside. Now I can change the rhythm. I can play a slice backhand. I can serve, win a little bit more free points with the serve, and I can play more close to the baseline. So the position on court improved, the slice backhand improved, and it was important shot for me to stop the rhythm of that player. For sure the forehand always was good. The true, I think I am more close to the baseline now.
Rafael Nadal: Jeszcze nie spełnienie marzeń, ale kolejny krok w karierze
Po awansie do pierwszego w karierze finału międzynarodowych mistrzostw Stanów Zjednoczonych Rafael Nadal powiedział, że mimo stojącej przed nim w niedzielę szansy na skompletowanie personalnego Wielkiego Szlema, nie wierzy, by kiedykolwiek był w stanie pobić rekord Rogera Federera.
- To kolejny krok w mojej karierze - powiedział Nadal po zwycięstwie nad Michaiłem Jużnym. - Także coś nowego, bo zawsze przybywałem do Nowego Jorku z jakimiś problemami. Teraz mogę już powiedzieć, że mam za sobą bardzo dobry turniej, ale jutro [w niedzielę] może się to jeszcze zmienić. Najważniejsza sprawa jest taka, że byłem w stanie się ciągle poprawiać w ciągu tych dwóch tygodni, ponieważ nie wystartowałem tutaj w najlepszej formie.
- To nie marzenie, bo marzeniem jest wygranie turnieju - powiedział. - Chciałbym bardzo zagrać w finale przeciw komuś innemu niż przeciw Rogerowi, bo on jest najlepszy - śmiał się Majorkańczyk jeszcze przed rozstrzygnięciem drugiego półfinału. O Đokoviciu: - Jest bardzo regularnym zawodnikiem. Może pokonać każdego, gdy gra swój najlepszy tenis. Potrafi posyłać wygrywające uderzenia z każdej części kortu. Bardzo pomaga mu serwis. Nieraz przegrałem z nim na korcie twardym, choć na tej nawierzchni także go pokonywałem.
Ważne jest dla niego zwycięstwo w trzech setach. - Będę w finale w perfekcyjnej kondycji - przyznał. W sześciu meczach jako jedyny zawodnik nie oddał żadnej partii. Wiele na konferencji prasowej mówił o Federerze, choć to Novak Đoković będzie jego rywalem. - Naprawdę nie wierzę, że jestem w stanie dotrwać do poziomu Rogera - powiedział o rekordzie wielkoszlemowym Szwajcara. - On dokonał czegoś, co jest prawie niemożliwe do powtórzenia.
Ale także swoje sukcesy na kortach ziemnych Nadal uważa za coś, co zostanie w księgach tenisa. - W sześciu poprzednich sezonach wygrałem sześć razy w Montecarlo, pięć razy w Barcelonie i Rzymie, także w Hamburgu i Madrycie. Te turnieje przed Roland Garros są trudniejsze, dlatego że gra się do dwóch wygranych setów i trafia na najlepszych już od pierwszej rundy. W Wielkim Szlemie można mieć luźniejsze wcześniejsze fazy, a rywalizacja w pięciu setach z najgroźniejszymi daje większe szanse.
Nadal stwierdził, że w tym sezonie najważniejszym dla niego turniejem był Roland Garros. - Dzięki zwycięstwu tam zyskałem wiele pewności siebie, rok po ciężkiej porażce. Ten tytuł pozwolił mi na relaks. Grałem dobrze na trawie, ale w Stanach Zjednoczonych już tak sobie. Tutaj także nie zacząłem najlepiej, bo moja pewność siebie nie była tak duża po nienajlepszych występach w Toronto i Cincinnati. W powrocie na wyższy poziom bardzo pomógł mi serwis.
Nadal admits that his $525,000 watch was stolen from locker
A few weeks ago there were unconfirmed reports that Rafael Nadal's $525,000 watch had been stolen during the Rogers Cup tournament in Toronto, but there was never any official confirmation from Nadal that the timepiece had indeed been taken. During a visit to the ESPN announcing booth on Wednesday, the world No. 1 indirectly admitted that his custom-built Richard Mille watch was stolen.
Chris Fowler asked Nadal whether he was taking care of his new watch and Nadal, as is his fashion, bashfully responded that he's going to keep it on his wrist this time. This summer, he explained, he didn't wear the watch on the court and the decision proved to be unlucky. "No winner," he said, referring to his winless American hard-court season.
Nadal began wearing the half-million dollar watch at the French Open. Reports say it was taken during a night match in Toronto, but are unspecific about which one. Police say other players are not suspected.
It would be hard to sell Nadal's timepiece without drawing attention to the theft. Only 50 of the RM 027 Tourbillons were made.
Uncle Lends Steady Hand in Nadal’s Unsettled Life
It was nearing midnight at the United States Open on Thursday and Rafael Nadal was late for his postmatch news conference because he was in the men’s locker room shaving.
In the vainglorious world of professional tennis, there are worse breaches of civility than a 12 o’clock shadow. But Nadal, the men’s top seed from Spain, is his uncle’s nephew. And Toni Nadal, his first and only coach, views his job as making sure Nadal puts his best face forward.
Nadal, 24, has advanced to his third straight Open semifinal — without dropping a set — and is two victories from completing a career Grand Slam. He faces Mikhail Youzhny on Saturday.
On the court, Nadal is like a Spanish fighting bull, a snorting, charging aggressor who has lost his serve once in 76 games in this, his eighth Open. Away from the court, Nadal does not lower his head and charge ahead. He is polite to security guards, respectful of other players, accommodating to fans — cheek-kissing the actress and singer Grace Jones, 62, on his way out of the locker room.
The task of keeping Nadal grounded when he is away from home falls largely to Uncle Toni, as he is known around the tour. As jobs go, it is like being the makeup artist entrusted with Angelina Jolie’s face.
“I am happy when Rafael plays good tennis, but I take more pleasure when people say Rafael is a very good person,” Toni Nadal said. “For me, it is so much more important to be a good person.”
Nadal’s uncle is the one who steered him through his parents’ divorce; who acts as his coach and conscience. Toni Nadal grew up aspiring to play professional tennis and was among Spain’s top 50 players. Married with three children, ages 6, 7 and 9, he keeps such a low profile that television commentators who have interviewed Nadal say they know little about him.
Toni Nadal is reluctant to be interviewed, but his voice comes out of Nadal’s mouth during his news conferences. On Thursday night, Nadal tamed brutal weather and his quarterfinal opponent, the Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, with a 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 victory that was a triumph of will over wind.
Nadal produced 18 winners and had 16 unforced errors, but he was out of sorts when his uncle found him in the locker room. Toni Nadal said his nephew was obsessing over his inability to settle into a rhythm. He adjusted his attitude by stressing how beautifully he had handled the beastly conditions.
Nadal was asked by the news media to assess his performance and said, “Today I played — for the conditions — I think I played a great match against very difficult opponent like Fernando.”
At least twice in the match, Nadal raised his hand in apology to Verdasco — once after a bad challenge and the other after he pulled off a magician’s shot to win a point. His acts of sportsmanship pleased his uncle, whose favorite player growing up was Ilie Nastase, the former No. 1 from Romania whose tantrums often overshadowed his tennis.
“When Rafael was young, I thought he could be a good player but never did I want to see him be bad on the court,” his uncle said. “I wanted to make sure that didn’t happen.”
Nadal has talked about how tough a disciplinarian his uncle is, telling El País in an interview this year, “It’s pressure to go to practice and know that you have to do well because, otherwise, there will be problems.”
Toni Nadal is constantly reminding his nephew that his worst day on the tennis court is better than most people’s best day. He drove home that point after Nadal sported a long face throughout his first-round match against the 93rd seed, Teymuraz Gabashvili of Russia, who extended him to two tie-break sets.
After the match, his uncle talked to him about his demeanor. “I tell him you must be always grateful of the life,” Toni Nadal said. “I think one of the most important things I say always to Rafael is to have a good face. Because in this life, the ball going out is not a very big problem.”
Toni Nadal is in business with Nadal’s father, Sebastian, back in Mallorca, where they operate a restaurant and a glass and windows company. He said he can speak freely to Nadal because he accepts no money to coach him.
Nadal agreed, telling The Guardian last November: “It’s important to have people around you with enough confidence to say if you are not acting in a good way. Normally, when you are at the top, people say everything is fantastic. Probably in that moment it is what you want to hear, but it’s best to be reminded how to act properly."
In 2005, Nadal was No. 2 in the world, behind his longtime rival, Roger Federer, when he arrived in Shanghai for the season-ending event featuring the top eight players.
One night, Nadal, his uncle and his publicist, Benito Pérez-Barbadillo, decided to dine at their hotel’s rooftop restaurant. As Toni Nadal recalled, on the elevator ride up, Pérez-Barbadillo noticed that Nadal was wearing long shorts and told him that there was a dress code but that the restaurant would surely be willing to relax the rule. Toni Nadal said he turned to his nephew and said, “Rafael, you must go change.”
And Nadal did.
“When you think you are the king of the world,” Toni Nadal said, “you are really stupid in my opinion because in this life every person is important.”
José Higueras, a former pro from Spain who is a director of coaching for the United States Tennis Association, said that story “would describe Toni right there in terms of what’s right or wrong in his mind.”
At a tournament in Barcelona a few years ago, the organizers approached Nadal in the locker room after a match, Higueras said, and offered to arrange for him to slip out a back exit to avoid autograph seekers.
“Rafa said: No. No,” Higueras said. He left by the main exit and signed for everybody.
Higueras described Nadal’s relationship with his uncle as “very unique” and said, “I think Toni has made a great impact on Rafa tennis-wise and the way he conducts himself.”
#42) US Open 2010
R128 Teymuraz Gabaschvili 7/6 7/6 6/3
R64 Denis Istomin 6/2 7/6 7/5
R32 Gilles Simon 6/4 6/4 6/2
R16 Feliciano Lopez 6/3 6/4 6/4
1/4 Fernando Verdasco 7/5 6/3 6/4
1/2 Michaił Youzhny 6/2 6/3 6/4
F Novak Djokovic 6/4 5/7 6/4 6/2
Marcin jak zwykle niezawodny. :D
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Wielki Szlem: Rafa po raz 9!
US Open 2010 to już 9 wielkoszlemowy tytuł wygrany przez Nadala. Hiszpan tym samym "zapełnił" lukę jaka dzieliła kilku Panów z 8 tytułami z Billem Tildenem (10 szlemów).
Najwięcej wygranych szlemów w historii:
16 - Federer
14 - Sampras
12 - Emerson
11 - Borg, Laver
10 - Tilden
9 - Nadal
Rafa jest też pierwszym od 41 lat (od czasów wspomnianego Lavera) tenisistą, który wygrął w 1 sezonie 3 turnieje WS pod rząd, dodatkowo każdy z nich na innej nawierzchni, przynajmniej w teorii. :P
DUN I LOVE napisał:
Marcin jak zwykle niezawodny. :D
A myślałem, że nie zdążę :D
Brawo Rafa!
RAFA'S CAREER GRAND SLAM
http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/DEUCE- … -Slam.aspx
Nadal Completes Career Grand Slam With US Open Title
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal became the seventh man to complete the career Grand Slam, and the youngest to accomplish the feat in the Open Era at 24 years of age, as he defeated World No. 2 Novak Djokovic 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 on Monday to win his first US Open title.
Nadal, who achieved the Roland Garros-Wimbledon double this past summer, continued his stellar run of form at the majors as he became the first player to win three straight Grand Slam tournaments in the same season since Rod Laver won all four in 1969.
“I’m still 24. For me, it's a dream to have the career Grand Slam, but this is more a dream to have the US Open,” he said. “[It’s an] unbelievable feeling because I worked a lot all my life, in all difficult moments to be here, but I never imagined to have the four Grand Slams.”
The Manacor native, the third Spaniard to win the US Open (Manuel Orantes - 1975, Manuel Santana - 1965), collected his ninth Grand Slam crown, adding to his five on clay at Roland Garros (2005-08, 2010), two on grass at Wimbledon (2008, 2010), and one on hard court at the Australian Open (2009). He is the second player to win Grand Slam titles on three different surfaces at least twice, behind Mats Wilander.
“He has the capabilities already now to become the best player ever,” Djokovic said. “I think he's playing the best tennis that I ever seen him play on hard courts. He has improved his serve drastically. The speed, the accuracy, and of course his baseline is as good as ever. So he's a very complete player.”
After semi-final exits the past two years at Flushing Meadows, Nadal had made his way confidently through to the championship match – dropping serve just twice in 91 service games – and was looking to become the first player since Neale Fraser in 1960 to win the US Open title without losing a set.
Though Nadal’s date with destiny was delayed after rain pushed the men’s final to Monday for a third straight year, Nadal made a confident start to the championship match as he broke Djokovic. He dropped serve for just the third time during the US Open fortnight as the Serbian drew level at 2-2, but regained the lead as he converted on his sixth break point opportunity of the next game.
Nadal, who has a 106-1 win-loss record in Grand Slam play after winning the first set, played a loose service game early in the second set – broken at love to give Djokovic the 3-1 lead. The Serbian, who won a string of 11 points, looked poised to become the first player to force a set off of Nadal during the 2010 US Open but faltered as Nadal got back on serve in the seventh game.
The pair were locked at 4-4, 30/30, when rain suspended play shortly after 6pm. The match resumed at 7:59pm after a one-hour, 57-minute rain delay, and saw Djokovic come out the stronger of the two players. He broke the Spaniard for a third time to force a set off of Nadal for the first time during the 2010 US Open.
Djokovic was unable to maintain the momentum, however, with Nadal continually putting pressure on his serve. The top seed created 16 break point chances through the final two sets and converted on three of them (6 for 26 during the match). He claimed the victory in three hours and 43 minutes as his opponent’s return sailed wide on championship point.
Another historic feat occurred after rain interrupted a Monday men’s final 31 years ago. After a one-hour, 35-minute delay, with helicopters brought in to help dry the courts, Rod Laver donned spikes on the grass courts and clinched a four-set win over fellow Aussie Tony Roche – completing his calendar year Grand Slam.
Of the previous six to win all four majors, Laver was the only other left-hander to win all four and also the only other player to complete his set by winning the US Open.
Nadal has already secured his place in the elite eight-man field at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, which will return to The O2 in London from 21-28 November, and has set his sights on winning the year-end championships.
“My goal remains for me that the [Barclays ATP World Tour Finals] is probably the last big tournament that I didn't win,” he said. “That's true it’s the most difficult title for me to win because we play it indoors, and when indoor, indoor very quick surface, so gonna be always very difficult if we don't change that. But at the same time is a challenge for me to keep improving to have the chance to play well there and to have the chance to win, so that's what I’m gonna try this year.
“For me right now the next goal is try to finish the season much better than what I did in other years. The last part of the season always was difficult for me. Well, today it started to be less difficult, that's true. But I want to finish the season if it's possible with a good feeling.”
Djokovic had earned his place in the final by saving two match points to defeat Roger Federer in Saturday’s semi-final, reclaiming the No. 2 spot in the South African Airways 2010 ATP Rankings with the victory.
He said: “Maybe emotionally I was a little bit drained after the semifinal match, but I recovered. I had two days, and I was motivated to win this match, and this is one of the matches where the opponent plays better than you, and you just have to congratulate him and tell him, ‘You're better.’ That's it. I don't think I played a bad match overall. It was very good performance from my side. But whenever it was important, he was the one who was playing just too good.”
The 23-year-old Serbian, who finished runner-up to Federer in 2007 at the US Open, was attempting to collect his second Grand Slam title after winning the 2008 Australian Open.
US Open: Nadal kompletuje życiowego Wielkiego Szlema
Rafael Nadal po raz pierwszy w karierze wygrał US Open. W finale Hiszpan pokonał Novaka Đokovicia 6:4, 5:7, 6:4, 6:2 i ma już na swoim koncie tytuły we wszystkich wielkoszlemowych turniejach.
24-latek z Majorki stał się jednym z siedmiu tenisistów (obok Freda Perry'ego, Donalda Budge'a, Roya Emersona, Roda Lavera, Andre Agassiego i Rogera Federera), którzy wygrali wszystkie cztery wielkoszlemowe turnieje i dokonał tego jako najmłodszy z nich wszystkich. Wcześniej triumfował w Australian Open (2009), Roland Garros (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 i 2010) i Wimbledonie (2008 i 2010). Został też pierwszym mężczyzną od czasu Lavera (1969), który w jednym sezonie wygrał Roland Garros, Wimbledon i US Open.
Dla Đokovicia był to drugi finał US Open (w 2007 roku przegrał z Federerem). Serb pozostaje z jednym wielkoszlemowym tytułem, zdobytym w Australian Open 2008. Było to 22. spotkanie obu zawodników i po raz 15. górą był Nadal, jednak na kortach twardych nadal lepszy bilans posiada Đoković (7-4).
I SET. Już w pierwszym gemie Nadal przełamał Novaka: sprytnym slajsem bekhendowym wytrącił Serba z rytmu i ten wyrzucił bekhend poza kort. Hiszpan wykorzystał pierwszego break pointa za pomocą forhendu wzdłuż linii. W trzecim gemie pogromca Federera wybronił się serwisem ze stanu 0-30 (dwa asy, wygrywający), a następnie odrobił stratę breaka wyrównując stan seta na 2:2.
W piątym gemie Serb obronił trzy break pointy przy stanie 0-40, by chwilę później wygrywającym serwisem uzyskać szansę na pierwsze prowadzenie. Nadal krosem forhendowym doprowadził do kolejnej równowagi. Đoković odparł jeszcze dwa break pointy (jednego ładną kombinacją odwrotnego krosa forhendowego i woleja bekhendowego), ale gem ten padł ostatecznie łupem zawodnika z Majorki, który wykorzystał szóstą szansę popisując się forhendem wzdłuż linii. Kolejnego trzeciego własnego gema serwisowego Hiszpan rozpoczął od przegrania pierwszej piłki, ale nie dał się przełamać po raz drugi i prowadził 4:2. Do końca utrzymał serwis, w 10. gemie wygrywający forhend dał mu piłkę setową. Forhend Đokovicia wylądował poza kortem i 24-latek prowadził 1-0.
II SET. Początek należał do Đokovicia. Już w drugim gemie sprawił on problemy Nadalowi, od stanu 40-15 doprowadzając do równowagi (ładny drop-szot bekhendowy). Hiszpan wybronił się serwisem, ale w kolejnych trzech gemach na korcie dzielił i rządził Đoković. Serbowi przytrafiła się seria 11 zdobytych punktów z rzędu. W czwartym gemie przełamał lidera rankingu, a następnie także do zera wygrał podanie i prowadził 4:1. W tym czasie finalista z 2007 roku trafiał znakomicie forhendem, którym w decydującym momencie rozbił w półfinale Federera.
Ta seria jednak nie trwała długo. W siódmym gemie Serb nie wykorzystał prowadzenia 40-15 i pozwolił się rywalowi odrodzić. Hiszpan odrobił stratę breaka, dwa decydujące punkty zdobywając w efektowny sposób (kros forhendowy, oburęczny bekhend wzdłuż linii). W ósmym gemie wolej bekhendowy i as dały mu prowadzenie 40-0, Đoković wywarł na nim presję zbliżając się na 40-30, ale wygrywającym serwisem lider rankingu wyrównał na 4:4. W dziewiątym gemie bekhend wzdłuż linii dał zawodnikowi z Majorki prowadzenie 30-15, Serb wyrównał na 30-30 odwrotnym krosem forhendowym i w tym momencie rozpadał się deszcz i tenisiści musieli udać się do szatni.
Po dwugodzinnej przerwie Đoković wygrał dziewiątego gema po grze na przewagi decydujący punkt zdobywając wygrywającym forhendem. W 12. gemie Serb zadał decydujący cios w II secie. Federer po zaserwowaniu asa prowadził 30-15, ale przegrał trzy piłki z rzędu (drop-szot bekhendowy w siatce, bekhend wzdłuż linii Đokovicia), przy piłce setowej pakując bekhend w siatkę.
III SET. Już w trzecim gemie Nadal zaliczył breaka, po tym jak Đoković mając otwarty kort wyrzucił forhend. W kolejnych dwóch gemach serwisowych Serba Hiszpan zmarnował aż osiem break pointów (dwukrotnie prowadził 40-15). Jak przystało na wojownika, triumfator Australian Open 2008 nie dał za wygraną i w tak trudnych momentach zdobywał efektowne punkty za pomocą forhendu, stop-woleja czy wygrywającego serwisu. Pomimo zmarnowanych break pointów Nadal wygrał seta, bo nie dał się przełamać Serbowi ani razu. W 10. gemie Hiszpan od stanu 15-30 włączył turbo doładowanie i posłał asa oraz jeden wygrywający serwis.
IV SET. W pierwszym gemie Đoković obronił break pointa i dwoma wygrywającymi forhendami zapewnił sobie dobre otwarcie partii. W trzecim gemie Serb już się nie uratował, przy 15-40 popisał się bekhendem wzdłuż linii, ale przy drugim break poincie nie była jego sprzymierzeńcem siatka (forhend nie zmieścił się w korcie). W piątym gemie tenisista z Majorki dorzucił jeszcze jedno przełamanie. Coraz bardziej słabnącemu fizycznie Serbowi ambicja nie pozwalała się poddać i w szóstym gemie efektowną kombinacją dwóch bekhendów: po krosie i wzdłuż linii, uzyskał break pointa, ale w kolejnej wymianie wyrzucił forhend. Po długiej grze na przewagi górą był Nadal, który podwyższył prowadzenie na 5:1.
Dwa gemy później Hiszpan zakończył to spotkanie: Đoković od 30-0 wyrównał na 30-30, ale kolejne dwa punkty padły łupem lidera rankingu (minięcie bekhendowe, forhend Serba poza kortem) i po trzech godzinach i 43 minutach czystego czasu gry ostatni mecz US Open 2010 dobiegł końca.
Nadal zaserwował osiem asów, a przy pierwszym serwisie zdobył 71 proc. punktów. Đoković popełnił o 16 niewymuszonych błędów więcej (47-31) i miał mniej winnerów niż Hiszpan (45-49). Zawodnik z Majorki zmarnował 20 z 26 break pointów, ale sam dał sobie odebrać podanie tylko trzy razy.
Nadal A Man In A Hurry
Rafael Nadal has always been a man in a hurry, so it’s little surprise that he is now the youngest player in the Open Era, at just 24, to complete a career Grand Slam following his four-set victory over Novak Djokovic in the US Open final.
Nadal is redefining the way the game is being played and has earned the right to be included in the debate about who is the greatest player of all-time. Yes, he’s still seven Grand Slam titles shy of Roger Federer’s record haul of 16 – not that Grand Slam titles should be the only consideration – but it would be a brave observer to suggest the Spaniard won’t eventually approach or break Federer’s record, which may itself continue to grow in coming years. Nadal has won his nine Grand Slam titles in his first 26 appearances at the majors. By comparison, Bjorn Borg won nine in his first 22; Federer won nine in his first 30 and Sampras nine in his first 31.
Could it be just five months ago that Nadal was enduring an 11-month title drought before he began his clay-court campaign at Monte-Carlo? How things have changed! Between mid April and mid September Nadal won three consecutive Grand Slam titles at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open and became the first man ever to make a sweep of the three clay court ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles in the one season when he won Monte-Carlo (for the loss of just 14 games!), Rome and Madrid. His Madrid triumph, at age 23, earned him a record 18th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title, beating the 17th title that Andre Agassi won at 34 years of age.
At 18, Nadal was already giving every indication that he would one day be regarded as one of the greatest clay courters of all time, winning Monte-Carlo, Rome and (days after turning 19) Roland Garros. In all, in 2005 he won eight clay court tournaments among 11 titles – the most ever won in one season by a teenager.
But there we also signs in 2005 that Nadal was not a Spanish clay court stereotype. He won ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles indoors in Madrid and on a fast hard court in Montreal, where in the final he took out no less than Agassi, one of the greatest hard court players in history. When Nadal made a stunning run to the Wimbledon final in 2006 to prove his versatility on grass, the tennis world had all the proof it needed that Federer was not the only player capable of completing a career Slam.
That Nadal has won all four majors is not really a surprise, but the speed of his achievement perhaps is. Let’s not forget that Federer was 28 when he completed his career Slam at Roland Garros. And what a golden era for tennis to have these two all-time greats playing at the same time. There was a 30-year gap between Rod Laver winning his Open Era calendar-year Grand Slam in 1969 and when Andre Agassi completed a career Grand Slam in 1999. Tennis fans had to wait little more than one year for Nadal to clinch his career Slam after Federer did it in 2009 at Roland Garros.
What is the secret of his success? Many things, of course, but above all a unrivaled mental toughness and unrelenting determination to keep getting better. Once regarded as having little more than a handy serve, Nadal is now firing 135 mph cannons and proved during the US Open that he is one of the toughest players to break, dropping serve just twice en route to the final. Raised as a baseliner with extreme grips, Nadal has worked tirelessly to become one of the most reliable volleyers in the game. And let’s not forget the resilience he’s shown to recover from long-standing knee tendinitis, which kept him from defending his Wimbledon title in 2009.
Nadal's next missions are likely to be more like a marathon than a sprint: trying to top Federer's haul of 16 majors and perhaps Sampras' all-time mark of 286 weeks spent as World No. 1. But, at 24, time is on his side.
Rafael Nadal: Nie wyobrażałem sobie wejścia do panteonu Wielkiego Szlema
- Niesamowite uczucie. Myślę, że po raz pierwszy w karierze zagrałem bardzo, bardzo dobry mecz w tym turnieju. I to wtedy kiedy była taka potrzeba - powiedział po zwycięstwie w US Open Rafael Nadal, siódmy człowiek w historii z kompletem tytułów wielkoszlemowych w karierze.
Skompletowanie zwycięstw we wszystkich turniejach Wielkiego Szlema to spełnienie marzeń. - Ale bardziej marzyłem o samym wygraniu US Open - przyznał. - Pracowałem ciężko przez całe życie, ale nigdy nie wyobrażałem sobie, że zdobędę wszystkie tytuły wielkoszlemowe. Tym bardziej, że jak ciągle przyznaje, międzynarodowe mistrzostwa Stanów Zjednoczonych to najtrudniejszy dla niego turniej: - Z powodu warunków atmosferycznych, kortu, piłek, wszystkiego.
Uważany za najwybitniejszego w historii specjalistę od gry na kortach ziemnych, Nadal dwukrotnie wygrał Wimbledon. Kort twarde? - Mistrzem zostałem już w 2009 roku, kiedy triumfowałem w Australii - powiedział. Czy jest teraz lepszym zawodnikiem? - To kwestia pewności siebie. Jeżeli grasz dobrze i masz przekonanie o własnych możliwościach, jesteś o wiele lepszym graczem. Co innego gdy zaczynasz przegrywać, tracić pewność: jakbyś zapomniał jak się gra w tenisa. Ale to nie tak, bo naprawdę nie poprawiłem się za bardzo, na pewnie nie radykalnie, od ubiegłego roku.
Najważniejszą obok zdrowia przyczyną sukcesu w Nowym Jorku był serwis. - W Wimbledonie nigdy nie grałem źle, ale na trawie wiele zależy od poruszania się, co jest moją bronią. Wcześniej musiałem tutaj rozgrywać każdy punkt, ale serwis to zmienił. Serwis zrobił wielką różnicę w tym turnieju. To nie podanie trenował jednak najmocniej: - Od dziecka mocno pracowałem nad mentalnością.
Rywalizacja z Federerem
- Mówienie o tym, który z nas jest lepszy, jest głupotą. Liczba tytułów mówi, że Roger jest przede mną, więc to jest prawda. Myślę, że taka pozostanie przez całe moje życie - powiedział. - Dla mnie Roger był przykładem, przede wszystkim dlatego, że ciągle rozwijał się przez tok swojej kariery i to należy kopiować. Mamy różne style i nie sądzę, by to był dobry moment na rozmowę o hierarchii między nami.
Co Hiszpan robił w czasie niemal dwugodzinnej przerwy po przerwaniu pojedynku przy 6:4, 4:4, kiedy właśnie odrobił stratę przełamania i wyrównał stan drugiego seta? - To nie był dla mnie dobry moment na zejście z kortu. Po prostu wróciłem do szatni, wziąłem prysznic i założyłem jeszcze raz wszystkie taśmy i plastry. Jak grał bez ucieczką przed deszczem? - Zastałem, to czego oczekiwałem, czyli agresywnego, posyłającego piłki pod linię końcową Novaka. Ale zacząłem spotkanie znakomicie czując piłkę. Wiedziałem, że muszę utrzymać intensywność, walczyć o każdą piłkę i wchodzić w kort.
Teraz Masters
Jakie cele ma po wejściu do panteonu Wielkiego Szlema? - Mój cel przez całe życie był jeden: stale się poprawiać i czuć, że jest się lepszym zawodnikiem niż w poprzednim roku. Celem konkretnym jest teraz Masters, prawdopodobnie ostatni wielki turniej, którego nie wygrałem. Prawda jest taka, że to będzie najtrudniejszy dla mnie tytuł do zdobycia, go gramy w hali, na bardzo szybkiej nawierzchni, która jeśli się nie zmieni, zawsze będzie dla mnie przeszkodą w zwycięstwie w Masters. To jednak wyzwanie. Zmierzę się z nim w tym roku.
Nadal sam oświadczył, że nie jest tenisistą perfekcyjnym. - Najważniejsze to dalej serwować tak, jak w tym turnieju. To istotna zmiana dla mojej kariery, bo serwis przynosi wiele wolnych punktów - przyznał. - Mogę też grać agresywniej. Z większym spokojem przy odbiorze. Mogę poprawić wszystko: wolej, pozycję na korcie. Pod tym ostatnim względem zrobiłem postępy w porównaniu z poprzednim rokiem, ale nigdy za wiele: mogę wchodzić głębiej w kort.
Opinia o Đokoviciu: - Jego poziom jest nieprawdopodobny. Jestem przekonany, że wkrótce wygra US Open. Ma do tego odpowiednią grę. Życzę mu powodzenia, bo jest wielkim sportowcem, ale jednocześnie wielkim człowiekiem. Jego zachowanie po porażkach jest znakomitym przykładem dla każdego. Jednym z "highlights" meczu był serwis Nadala w trzecim secie przy 5:4, 15-30: - Zrobiłem coś, czego nie zrobiłem nigdy. Załatwiłem wszysko trzema uderzeniami: jednym asem i dwoma wygrywającymi serwisami.
Nadal Savors His Latest Role: All-Courts Player
On the planet’s tennis courts — be they clay or grass or the blue, cushioned acrylic of the United States Open — Rafael Nadal has answered all the big questions. But with the matches finally done in New York and Nadal’s career Grand Slam complete, the questions kept coming Tuesday.
They came on the morning television programs when Nadal, after a very late dinner and three hours of sleep, dragged himself out of bed and made the now traditional rounds. They came at Niketown on 57th Street from fans wearing “Vamos Rafa” T-shirts and from John McEnroe, who played master of ceremonies for an interview session inside that temple of conspicuous sports consumption. They came from Spanish newspapermen who wrote lists of queries in their spiral notebooks before meeting with the athlete who has become one of the symbols (and solaces) of modern Spain.
And finally, just before a hurried lunch and Nadal’s rush to the airport to fly home, the questions came inside a van with the storefronts of Manhattan rolling past and Nadal leaning back in his seat, looking wearier than he ever looked in Monday night’s four-set victory over Novak Djokovic in the Open final.
“This is the fifth set,” he joked in Spanish, mustering a smile. “You’re the last one.”
But rest will come soon enough for Nadal, and it will be repose untainted by regrets. At 24, he has become the seventh man to win all four Grand Slam singles titles. He has won the French Open five times, Wimbledon twice, the Australian Open once and now the United States Open.
The club’s other members are Fred Perry, Don Budge, Roy Emerson, Rod Laver, Andre Agassi and Roger Federer. But it is perhaps best defined by all the great players who do not belong, including Lew Hoad, Ken Rosewall, Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg and Pete Sampras, who never even reached the final of the French Open.
Nadal joined Agassi as the only men to have won the four majors, the Davis Cup and the Olympics. That Nadal has ticked all the boxes in the tennis era that was once Federer’s alone only magnifies the achievement. At the start of Nadal’s career, his game and proclivities gave him a natural advantage only on clay, but he has been talented enough, open-minded enough and driven enough to modify his tactics, even his technique, and close the gap on the game’s other surfaces.
Monday’s victory — fueled by powerful serves, suffocating defense and big variations in pace and spin — was merely the latest confirmation of his hardcourt prowess. He won the 2008 Olympic singles title on a nearly identical surface in Beijing and won the 2009 Australian Open on a very similar surface manufactured by the same company that produces the courts at Flushing Meadows.
“What matters most when you play a final is the victory, but what really gives you a deep personal satisfaction is to feel that you’ve become a better player because that’s the real product of the everyday work,” Nadal said. “Whether you win or lose in a given match can depend on the small things that you sometimes cannot control, but to feel you are a truly improved player when you go on a court and to know that it is the fruit of all your labor for many years is a big satisfaction.
“There’s so much competition at the moment, and what’s clear is either you get better or you’re dead. And I think the reason I improved is because if I had not improved, I would not be here talking to you about winning the U.S. Open. I had to do it.”
McEnroe, who never won the French Open or the Australian Open, said Tuesday that “I have never seen a guy who was that good already be able to improve that much.”
But there was more to the moment than that. Little more than a year ago, after Nadal was overpowered by Robin Soderling in the fourth round of the French Open and he missed Wimbledon because of knee problems, his ability to dominate again was justifiably in doubt. There was also the breakup of his parents’ marriage to digest. Then came January, when Nadal retired in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open against Andy Murray with more knee problems.
Eight months later, he is alone at the summit, the holder of three Grand Slam singles titles and all but assured of finishing the year at No. 1.
“People see the victories; they don’t see the obstacles,” said his uncle Toni Nadal, who has been his coach from the beginning. “Everybody has obstacles, but Rafa’s had his knees and his personal problems and physical problems of last year. I think all that only makes this sweeter for him. Rafa has an approach which is very important and that is even if things don’t come quickly, he continues to believe they are going to come, and he is ready to keep trying until they do.”
The progress has not been limited to tennis. He first came to New York in May 2001 with his family. For a week, he visited the city, including the World Trade Center, in anonymity, able to speak only a few words of English.
Nine years later, during this year’s tournament, he expressed in English his solidarity with the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks to the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium. And on Tuesday, after exchanging pleasantries in English with McEnroe, he headed into the street with his entourage, where dozens of people quickly spotted him, shouting “Rafa” and swarming him for photographs.
“Things change in life,” Nadal said later. “But I feel clearly much more at home in New York than in 2001.”
US Open - Nadal's US Open the talk of New York
Rafa Nadal was still beaming about winning the US Open when he spent his final day in New York on Tuesday, posing for photographs and appearing on the morning talkshow circuit, before heading back to Spain.
The world number one was taken on a whirlwind tour of Manhattan on Tuesday, showing off his new trophy to screaming fans in Times Square and on Fifth Avenue and being whisked around the television studios, before preparing to fly back home.
The 24-year-old was all smiles as he waved to the crowds then spoke with media after celebrating his 6-4 5-7 6-4 6-2 win over Novak Djokovic in Monday night's rain-delayed final at Flushing Meadows.
"Yeah, it's unbelievable for me. It's more than I ever dreamed about, that I ever thought I can do," he said.
"It's just an amazing feeling and I'm very happy to have my first US Open in my hands now."
Nadal was dressed casually in denim jeans and a navy blue polo shirt and looked remarkably fresh after managing just a few hours sleep from the night before because of all his media commitments after the final.
He said he had celebrated his victory by having a quiet meal with his family, including his coach and uncle Toni who had convinced him to focus on tennis.
"It was one of my frustrations when I was a kid," Nadal said. "I love the football, it was my passion. I would have loved to play football, but it's impossible to do everything.
"In football, I wasn't really good, I was a really normal player."
Nadal had already won Wimbledon, the Australian Open and French Open championships and by adding the one major title that had eluded him, he became just the seventh man to complete a career Grand Slam.
His achievement, at just 24, immediately reignited the debate about who is the greatest player of all but Nadal, wincing every time the subject is mentioned, remained reluctant to talk about it.
He has always maintained that Roger Federer, with a record 16 Grand Slam titles, is alone at the top of the mountain. Nadal has nine Grand Slam titles.
Federer won the US Open five times in a row from 2004-2008 and Nadal, who was once considered a clay-court specialist, said he was happy just to win once on the hardcourts at Flushing Meadows.
"I always saw this tournament as very far for me," he said.
"This tournament wasn't the best ... and that's very emotional for me."
Reuters
Nadal Makes Champion's NYC Media Tour
The morning after completing the career Grand Slam, World No. 1 Rafael Nadal made his way around New York City for the US Open champion’s media tour.
The 24-year-old Spaniard made a swing of the morning talk show circuit, with trophy in hand. He stopped by the Today Show to speak with Meredith Vieira, Ann Curry and Carl Quintanilla; made an appearance on Live with Regis & Kelly; and spoke with CNN’s Candy Reid.
Nadal also stopped in Times Square to pose for photos, and visited Niketown to meet fans and conduct one-on-one interviews with publications including The New York Times, El Pais, El Mundo, AP, and US Today.
Rafael Nadal: najwspanialsze chwile - galeria
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis … tures.html
US Open 2010: Rafael Nadal claims all of his dreams have come true in New York
Rafael Nadal hailed a dream win over Novak Djokovic in the US Open final which completed his career grand slam and cemented the world No 1's place in history.
Nadal had never won the title at Flushing Meadows and despite some outstanding tennis from Djokovic, the Spainard was just too good in every department for his opponent to stage a comeback.
Thrilled with the 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 win and to have completed his career grand slam, Nadal said: "(Winning the US Open) is more than I dreamt, just to arrive to the final was amazing and to have the trophy in my hands in a few seconds with my heart beating is going to be unbelievable.
"I played my best match in the US Open at the most important moment, so I am very, very happy for that, for sure.
"To win in here I think is the more difficult tournament for me to play, more difficult conditions to adapt, to adjust my game on this court, for the balls, for the court, for everything.
"I improved a lot since last year, but never is enough. I am not a perfect player, so everybody can improve."
Even with improvement, Nadal was loathe to speculate on whether catching Roger Federer was realistic.
Federer, 29, has a record 16 grand slam championships to Nadal's nine, but the Spaniard's victory at Flushing Meadows was extra special compared to his previous wins.
"I think talking about if I am better or worse than Roger (Federer) is stupid," he said. "Because the titles say he's much better than me, so that's true at that moment. I think that will be true all my life. We will see what happens in the future. I am not a genius."
Reflecting on the match with Djokovic during which he was pushed hard for three hours 22 minutes, Nadal added: "First thing, I would like to congratulate Novak and all his team for a great tournament, you're a great player and you're going to win this trophy very soon, I'm sure of that.
"I want to congratulate you for a great attitude after losing a Grand Slam final, that's a great example for the kids."
US Open 2010: adulation proves Rafael Nadal is beginning to conquer America
Everyone in that line was wearing a T-shirt with his name on the front, and the girls’ screams could well have carried all the way through Central Park and up into Harlem.
And it was not just the girls who could not control themselves, as John McEnroe could not either, telling Nadal: “Everybody loves you – on behalf of everyone here, can I just say thank you for being you.”
If that was a bit much from the New Yorker, there is no doubt that Nadal has taken the first step to breaking America. Though there is plenty of crossover here between those who enjoy Roger Federer’s game and those who appreciate Nadal’s, they each reach parts that the other does not.
Federer appeals more to corporate America, and to white-fence America. Nadal is more popular with those under 40, and it looked as though he disappointed a few of the girls here when he told them that he had a girlfriend and had been with her for five years.
Nadal had had just three hours of sleep before meeting his public, though that was not because he had been out all night partying; because of all his post-match commitments, there had been no time for that.
The world No 1, who sat on a stool with the trophy wedged precariously between his knees, said he would wait until he returned home, when he was with family and friends, before he properly celebrated becoming only the seventh man in history to win all four grand slams, “and sometimes when you go to a party in Majorca, you don’t come home until seven in the morning”.
Though Nadal could not select a favourite out of his nine slams, he did acknowledge the significance of this one, as it allowed him to finish his collection. “I thought that this grand slam would be very difficult for me to win, and maybe if I had not done it this year or in the next two years, it could have become an obsession, and that could have made it more difficult for me to do it,” he said.
“I never imagined that I would win all the four grand slams, but now I have, and so maybe in the future I will be more relaxed when I play.”
Nadal: Nie jestem najlepszy na świecie!
- Wiem, że stałem się częścią historii tenisa, ale nie uważam się za jednego z najlepszych na świecie. Poza tym nie wie, czy zdołam ponownie wygrać imprezę z cyklu Wielkiego Szlema - mówił jak zawsze skromny Hiszpan, który na ulicach Nowego Jorku prezentował trofeum US Open.
- Tak, to dla mnie niewiarygodne. To więcej niż kiedykolwiek marzyłem, nigdy nie myślałem, że to zrobię. To wspaniałe uczucie i jestem bardzo szczęśliwy, że mogę trzymać moje pierwsze trofeum na US Open w rękach.
- To było jedna z moich frustracji, kiedy byłem dzieckiem. Kocham piłkę nożną, to była moja pasja. Fajnie byłoby grać w piłkę, ale niemożliwe jest robienie wszystkiego na raz. W piłkę nie byłem specjalnie dobry, byłem normalnym graczem.
- Ten turniej nigdy nie był dla mnie najlepszy, dlatego wygranie go teraz jest dla mnie tak emocjonalnym przeżyciem - dodał 24-latek z Majorki. - Nie jestem pewny, czy uda mi się zbliżyć do rekordu Rogera Federera, który zwyciężył w 16 turniejach wielkoszlemowych. Teraz będę się przygotowywał do styczniowego Australian Open - mówił Rafa i jednocześnie przyznał, że chce dorównać Australijczykowi Rodowi Laverowi, który w 1969 roku odniósł cztery wielkoszlemowe zwycięstwa w jednym sezonie.
Nadal w 2010 roku okazał się najlepszy w Roland Garros, Wimbledonie i US Open. Triumf w styczniowym AO uniemożliwiły mu kontuzje.
Tenis. Rafael Nadal, człowiek, który nie stoi w miejscu
Rafael Nadal pokonał Novaka Djokovicia 6:4, 5:7, 6:4, 6:2 w finale US Open i został siódmym tenisistą w historii, który choć razy wygrał każdy turniej Wielkiego Szlema. - Z obwieszczeniem, że najlepszym graczem w dziejach był Roger Federer, trzeba poczekać - mówi Mats Wilander.
- Jesteś najlepszy na świecie i zasłużyłeś na tytuł - powiedział po finale z uśmiechem przegrany Djoković, który z niezniszczalnym Hiszpanem zagrał prawdopodobnie najlepszy mecz w roku, a być może jeden z najlepszych w życiu. Wystarczyło to tylko na wygranie seta. - Kosztowało mnie to mnóstwo pracy - wzdychał Nadal, który za pierwsze w karierze zwycięstwo w US Open dostał czek na 1,7 mln dol. Znacznie cenniejsze jest jednak to, że wielkimi krokami wchodzi do tenisowej historii.
Fred Perry (1935), Don Budge (1938), Roy Emerson (1964), Rod Laver (1962), Andre Agassi (1999), Roger Federer (2009) i Rafael Nadal (2010) - tak od poniedziałku wygląda najekskluzywniejszy klub tenisowy dla tych, którzy choć raz wygrali każdy z czterech Szlemów. 24-letni Nadal ma ich w sumie już dziewięć. Do pięciu tytułów w Roland Garros, dwóch Wimbledonów i Australian Open dorzucił brakujący Nowy Jork. Na męskiej liście wszech czasów Nadal jest siódmy, przed nim, z większą liczbą tytułów, są tylko: Federer (16), Pete Sampras (14), Emerson (12), Laver i Björn Borg (po 11) oraz Bill Tilden (10). Sampras nigdy nie wygrał jednak w Paryżu, Borg w Australii i Nowym Jorku, a Tilden nie zdobył ani Paryża, ani Melbourne.
Nadal jest najmłodszym zdobywcą czterech Szlemów od czasów Lavera, czyli odkąd tenis stał się zawodowym sportem. I pierwszym po legendarnym Australijczyku, któremu udało się zwyciężyć po kolei we French Open, Wimbledonie i US Open w jednym sezonie. Gdyby nie kontuzja kolan i mięśni brzucha na początku sezonu w Australii, być może Hiszpanowi udałoby się nawet skompletować klasyczny Szlem, czyli wygrać wszystko w roku kalendarzowym. Taka sztuka udała się dotąd tylko Laverowi i Budge'owi, ale w czasach, gdy tenis był znacznie wolniejszy i niemal zmonopolizowany przez turnieje rozgrywane na trawie. - Nadal ma jeszcze czas na klasycznego Szlema. Ma dopiero 24 lata - stwierdził po finale US Open 72-letni Laver.
Rozwój, adaptacja, zmiana...
- Cały czas się rozwijam. Nie stoję w miejscu. Wiem, że mój tenis wciąż może być lepszy. Słucham trenera, słucham rad, szukam dobrych rozwiązań - tłumaczy Nadal przyczyny swojego sukcesu.
Jeszcze trzy-cztery lata temu rzeczywiście trudno było sobie wyobrazić, by muskularny chłopak z Majorki, który poza szybkimi nogami miał niewiele do zaoferowania, mógł zostać najlepszym tenisistą świata. Dziś trudno uwierzyć, by mógł być nim ktoś inny. Nadal, którego hiszpańska prasa okrzyknęła po finale "sportową legendą", drugiego w rankingu ATP Djokovicia wyprzedza o blisko 5 tys. punktów! A swoje dziewięć tytułów w Szlemie zdobył jako zawodnik o rok młodszy niż Federer.
Dyskusja, czy Hiszpan jest od niego lepszy, znów odżyła. Dziś dominuje pogląd, że Federer to prawdopodobnie największy tenisowy talent, jaki się urodził. Z elegancką, efektowną grą, tenisem składającym się niemal wyłącznie z pięknych ruchów i uderzeń. Nadal jest z nim zestawiany jako wzór pracy nad sobą. Rozwój, doskonalenie, adaptacja - to napędzało od początku jego karierę. Na genialnego stratega i wizjonera wyrasta wujek Toni Nadal, który od dziecka trenował "Rafę". To on nauczył praworęcznego ośmiolatka grać lewą ręką, z perfidną świadomością, że w ten sposób będzie groźniejszy dla rywali, bo trudniej gra się z kimś, kto ma leworęczny forhend. Nauczył go też podkręcać piłki, bo tak gra się szybciej, ale jednocześnie bezpieczniej (podkręcona piłka lepiej "trzyma się" kortu). Kilka lat temu wydawało się, że wyżej niż seryjne zwycięstwa na najwolniejszej nawierzchni Rolanda Garrosa, "Rafa" już nie podskoczy. Wujek Toni i sam Nadal wykonali jednak tytaniczny wysiłek i powoli dostosowali się także do szybszych nawierzchni. "Rafa" schudł, żeby być jeszcze szybszym i odpierać ataki wysokich i mocno bijących piłkę zawodników. Zaczął grać agresywniej, żeby skracać wymiany. Stopniowo wprowadził wolejowe ataki przy siatce, co też pomaga na szybkich kortach. W 2008 r. nowa strategia zaczęła przynosić efekty, bo Nadal wygrał Wimbledon, zatrzymując w finale Federera. Rok później zwyciężył w Australian Open, znów bijąc Federera, który po finale płakał. Teraz w Nowym Jorku Hiszpan dokończył dzieła, a pomogła mu kolejna ewolucja - znacznie lepszy serwis, co okazało się kluczem do zwycięstwa z Djokoviciem. Serb w drugim i przez pół trzeciego seta grał bowiem rewelacyjnie, trafiał niemal wszystko. Nadal znacznie łatwiej wygrywał jednak własne serwisy, co w kluczowych momentach okazało się decydujące. Z większą swobodą mógł bowiem zaatakować.
- Odczuwam wielką satysfakcję, że udało nam się tak poprawić grę na twardych kortach. Poza serwisem ważne było też, że "Rafa" przysunął się do siatki, przestał grać za linią końcową - promieniał wujek Toni.
Psychicznie najmocniejszy
- Z obwieszczeniem, że najlepszym graczem w dziejach jest Federer, trzeba poczekać, aż Nadal skończy karierę - mówi Szwed Mats Wilander, siedmiokrotny triumfator Szlemów z lat 80. Poza tym, że Nadal wygrywa Szlemy szybciej niż Federer, ważne jest też, że Hiszpan bezdyskusyjnie dominuje w bezpośredniej rywalizacji nad 29-letnim Szwajcarem. Pokonał go 14 razy, przegrał tylko siedem. - Trudno być najlepszym w historii, gdy ktoś ciągle z tobą wygrywa, tak jak Nadal z Federerem - mówi Wilander. Przyczyn porażek Szwajcara z Hiszpanem większość ekspertów szuka w psychice. Nadal jest najsilniejszym mentalnie graczem od czasów Borga. Najlepiej gra pod presją. W finale z Djokoviciem, gdy pod koniec trzeciego seta praktycznie rozstrzygał się mecz, Hiszpan zaserwował trzy razy nie do obrony dokładnie w sam narożnik, gdzie krzyżują się linie. - Niewiarygodne, niemożliwe! - kręcił głową Djoković. Federer nigdy tak silny psychicznie nie był.
- Zastanawianie się, czy jestem lepszy od Rogera, jest głupie. Ma więcej tytułów, więc jest lepszy. Tak już zostanie do końca mojego życia - stwierdził Nadal. Zawsze skromny, nielubiący się wywyższać Hiszpan, zaznaczył, że najważniejszy dla niego jest udany powrót po kontuzjach. - Ostatni rok był dla mnie trudny. Prześladowały mnie urazy, miałem też problemy osobiste [rozwód rodziców], ale jakoś udało mi się odnaleźć. Mogę jednak grać jeszcze lepiej, da się jeszcze parę rzeczy poprawić - zakończył człowiek, który być może nigdy nie będzie najlepszym tenisistą w historii, ale na pewno nieprędko się zatrzyma, zmierzając po ten tytuł.
US Open - Tramlines: There's a new boss in town
Tramlines usually only lifts its head long enough on a Monday morning to bash out its thoughts on the previous week before returning to the business of watching up-and-coming youngsters intermittently trade forehand winners in Yemen.
But, with the promise of an extra five minutes added to a suddenly-granted lunch break and with the excitement of another Monday finish at US Open, TL decided to make an exception.
Late on said thundery Monday night in New York, Rafael Nadal made history.
The Spaniard was already world number one and the holder of the French Open and Wimbledon titles, but after overpowering Novak Djokovic, he also became only the seventh man in history to win all four Grand Slam titles in his career.
Nadal could also go on to be the holder of all four majors simultaneously, albeit not in the same calendar year, if he can win the Australian Open when that swings around again in January.
The stats just keep on coming and before the inevitable debates begin about whether or not the affable Spaniard can surpass Roger Federer's admirable records, it's worth pausing to take in the magnitude of Nadal's achievements.
Okay, is that enough time?
Nadal, at 24, has won three more Slams than Federer had at the same age. He also completed the career Slam at an age four years younger than when the Swiss champion did it.
Few would argue with the assertion that Nadal is the greatest clay court player in the world - a 39-1 win-loss ratio at the French Open is all you need to know to prove that. Not to mention 24 other clay court titles he's picked up over the past six years.
But can he go on to win more Grand Slams than Federer? In another five or six years' time, will there even be a debate about the Greatest Of All Time - or will the answer unequivocally be "Rafael Nadal, of course"?
If Nadal manages to stay fit, there's no reason why he can't challenge Federer's record of 16 Grand Slam titles.
But is that a big if?
Probably not. It's certainly nowhere near as big as it was a year ago. Since Nadal returned from the worst of his knee troubles last year, he has been on a mission to win the US Open. A mission he has altered his game for. This tournament alone he has displayed a much-improved serve, evidenced by the fact that he was broken just three times in New York. With that more potent first serve he picks up more free points, leaving his knees alone to focus on fewer points that need the ever-speedy Nadal to bounce around the court.
You can't argue with the results as Nadal not only reached his first US Open final, he also won the title for the first time.
All this presupposes that Federer won't win further Grand Slam titles, which Tramlines thinks is rubbish. But give Nadal a few more years and we could bear witness to swathes of records that stand for decades.
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As has so often been the case, the women's US Open final proved to be another disappointing affair with one of the players failing to produce their best tennis when it really mattered.
Tramlines doesn't want to take away from Kim Clijsters's achievement; in fact it believes that the Belgian very much deserves her title as queen of New York having won the previous two US Opens she has competed in.
But there is no questioning the fact that it was the most one-sided final in New York in 34 years, or that Vera Zvonareva, so impressive in her run to the final without conceding a set, mentally imploded after making a bright start to the match.
It was Zvonareva's second successive Grand Slam final; she was also trounced in the Wimbledon final two months ago. Yet the Russian appeared nervy and out of her depth in a match that could have been hers for the taking.
Rewind nine years and it was Clijsters on the receiving end of a Grand Slam final loss, the first of four that left fans wondering if the universally-popular Belgian would ever pick up a major title.
Despite enjoying a stint as world number one, Clijsters stumbled at the final hurdle once at the Australian Open, twice at Roland Garros and on one occasion at Flushing Meadows before she finally picked up her first US Open title in 2005.
But even after the Belgian had made her breakthrough in major tournaments she was talked about as being 'too nice' to win multiple tournaments, an argument only buoyed by Clijsters failing to win the Australian Open in 2006 or 2007 despite being the form player heading in the tournament.
Zvonareva can, and should, take heart from the words uttered by the ever-gracious Clijsters after the match.
When Clijsters says: "She has improved so much. Vera just keep it going, it will happen" - you know she means it wholeheartedly.
And the Belgian is right; Zvonareva is more than capable of winning a Grand Slam in the future if she can just produce the kind of tennis everyone knows she is capable of in the big matches.
Wywiad po zwycięstwie w US Open 2010
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Congratulations. It's a remarkable achievement what you did out there tonight and in such an impressive fashion with such great play. Now you have the career Grand Slam. Talk about what tonight means to you and this trophy means to you.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, well, just thank you very much, first thing. Yeah, it was amazing feeling. I think win against Novak is always very, very difficult, and the results say that lots of times, I lost against him. So I think for the first time in my career I played a very, very good match in this tournament. That's my feeling, no? I played my best match in the US Open at the most important moment, so I am very, very happy for that, for sure.
Q. In the career Grand Slam, though...
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, I know, for you, very important, that. (Laughter.) You know, I still 24. I have, I know, for me, it's a dream have the career Grand Slam, but this is more dream have the US Open. Is some moments unbelievable feeling because I worked a lot all my life, in all difficult moments to be here, but I never imagined have the four Grand Slams.
Q. Can you talk a little bit how you've improved your hardcourt game? Because obviously you started on clay and then you made a big adjustment for grass. What have you done to become a champion on hardcourts?
RAFAEL NADAL: I did, in 2009, I won in Australia, too.
Q. But you're better now.
RAFAEL NADAL: Maybe, or maybe not. I don't know. (Laughter.) Is part of the moment and part of the situation, no? And part of the confidence. So always when you are playing well and when you are in the right moment with big confidence, seems like you improved a lot. But, you know, there are moments when you are not playing that good, when you lose your confidence, you lose matches, and seems like you are not playing that good and you forgot to play tennis. It's not like this, and it is not like this I improved a lot since 2009. I think I improved my tennis a little bit but is not a radical change, no? Sure, to win in here in the US Open I think is the more difficult tournament for me to play, more difficult conditions to adapt, to adjust my game on this court, for the balls, for the court, for everything, no? In Australia, anyway, if it's hot, the ball, the bounce are higher. And in Wimbledon, is true I have to adjust a lot my game to play in Wimbledon, but in my opinion, play in Wimbledon for me always wasn't that bad, because one of the most important things on Wimbledon is the movements, and I think my movements are good to play well in that surface. The surface help me, because my serve was not that good, that I have today, and with less serve I can do it the same, the same to the opponent as what I have today at this tournament especially and with this serve and with the US Open. For that reason I think the hardcourt always was the most difficult surface to play good for me, especially with the serve because I have to play almost every point, and probably the serve make the big difference in this tournament.
Q. I think you're strong mentally keep point for completing Grand Slam. How you keep your mental so strong, consistent?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. I think my the practice is done a lot of years ago, so is not the moment now that I have. I am strong now because I think practice everything you can practice everything. I think the mentality, I practice it a lot, my mentality, a lot when I was a kid, so right now for me it is a little bit easier, I think.
Q. What do you think you have to accomplish to convince yourself that you're ahead of Roger, maybe the greatest ever?
RAFAEL NADAL: Remain a lot of titles, so that's no doubt about that, no? I think I am more than happy that with my titles, for sure I think is talk about if I am better or worse than Roger is stupid, because the titles say he's much better than me, so that's the true at that moment. I think will be the true all my life. But, sure, for me, always, always Roger was an example, especially because he improved his tennis I think during all his career, and that's a good thing that you can copy, no? So I try to copy this, and I know Roger and me are different, much different styles. Being better than Roger I don't think so is the right moment to talk about that, because I am I don't think that.
Q. What do you think the future of your rivalry is with him? How long do you think it will last?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. Well, now Novak is, too, but he has to defend a lot of points now in the end of the season now, Novak, too. He gonna have his chance to be win the year No. 2, Novak, too. But Roger is there, too, to finish No. 2. You know, we start every year, and a lot of new players and good players are there like well, not new, Novak and Andy are not new, Andy Murray, but always come new players, very good players. But for the last six years, Roger and me was we were No. 1 and No. 2, no? So that's probably a great rivalry since that six years. We will see what happens in the future. I am not a genius.
Q. Can you talk a little bit about today's rain delay, what you did during that time and what you told yourself about the match?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, well, the delay, it wasn't in the right moment for me, but just go back to the locker room, have a shower, and have all the tapes another time. That's what I did.
Q. What did you tell yourself about the match at that point?
RAFAEL NADAL: Nothing special, no? I think -- I thought before the match gonna be very difficult for me to win this match today, because the style of Novak is very difficult for me, because he play aggressive, he play very inside the court with very complete shots on the baseline, forehand and backhand, and difficult for me. But I started the match feeling the ball great, and for me what I said to myself is I did another time, so I can do it another time. So just be there, fight every point and try to play with high intensity all the time, so I know if I play with high intensely, put a lot of balls inside and play long. Finally, I think he can be more tired than me, so if the match is long, I think I gonna have a little bit of advantage, and that's what I thought before the match. But if he starts to play like he did in Paris, is true indoor is different, my level is completely different now than what I did in the Masters 1000 in Paris last year, but when he's playing at his best, he's very difficult to stop.
Q. I'm sorry we broke a tradition. Normally when the winner of the Grand Slam comes in the media room, everybody claps. We didn't do it tonight. (Applause.) Second thing, you're ahead of Roger being 24 years old of three Slams. I'd like to know, now that you lost only five times the serve in all tournament, only one set, what is your goal now? Because you won already everything, Davis Cup, Olympic Games, all the four Slams. Is the major goal to reach Roger or something else?
RAFAEL NADAL: Is very, very -- is too far. 16 for me is too far for me to think about that, no?
Q. So what else?
RAFAEL NADAL: My goal is all the time and all my life was the same, is keep improving and feel myself better player next year than what I felt this year. Being better player doesn't mean you gonna win more than you did, because win or lose sometimes is part of the moment and part of the confidence. But my goal remains for me that the Masters Cup is the big, yeah, probably the last big tournament that I didn't win. That's true is the most difficult title for me to win, because we play it in indoor, and when indoor, indoor very quick surface, so gonna be always very difficult if we don't change that. But at the same time is a challenge for me to keep improving to have the chance to play well there and to have the chance to win. So that's what I gonna try this year. For me right now the next goal is try to finish the season much better than what I did in other years. The last part of the season always was difficult for me. Well, today it started to be less difficult, that's true. But, yeah, I want to finish the season if it's possible with a good feeling.
Q. I spoke to Mats Wilander, and he said that you are the most improved player this year. You've won 21 matches and only dropped 2 sets. He says you're one hell of a special athlete. What could you do to improve since you've done so much with all these titles? How do you think you can improve?
RAFAEL NADAL: For me the most important thing is try to keep serving like I did during this tournament. I think that's if I can do it, this most of the times gonna be a big change for me and my tennis career, because if I have that free points that I had during all this tournament gonna be different for me. I can play more aggressive. I can play with more calm when I am returning. So can change a lot. So that's, for me, the first very important part to keep improving. After that, I can improve everything: volley, keep improving the volley, keep improving the position on court, being more inside the court. I improved a lot since last year, but never is enough. I am not a perfect player, so everybody can improve.
Q. Did you expect such good play from Novak in the second set?
RAFAEL NADAL: I expect everything from Novak because he's the No. 2 of the world, and his level is very, very high. I'm sure he gonna win this tournament very soon, no? Because his level is unbelievable, and I think he has the right game to win here and to win in almost every place, no, or in every place. So I wish him the best of luck, because he's a great athlete, but at the same time is a great, great person. When he lose, is not easy to do it what he do all the time when he lose matches. That's very positive for the sport and great example for everybody.
Q. You've achieved so much over these brief years starting maybe with the clay court streak and then winning in so many different circumstances. In the big picture, we sort of debate what are your greatest strengths. What do you think your greatest strengths are as a champion? Is it strokes or focus, willingness to make changes, attitude? What do you think are your two or three greatest strengths?
RAFAEL NADAL: What's my best thing? I think the mentality, attitude on court I think always was good for me. I am positive on court, and I fight all the time. But not the only thing. Positive attitude is not only fight on court. I think I was able to listen all the time to the coach and to have adjustments and to be ready to change things to be better and to improve. So probably that's was the best thing for me. If we talk about the game, for sure for me I think the best thing that I have is my intensity on court, no? When I am playing well, the intensity always is high. The rhythm is high. Sometimes yes but not always I have easy winners or with one shot winner, but I can have winners after three, four shots having a great rhythm all the time, no? So the focus on court I think was -- that's similar, no, the rhythm and focus. I can, I think, play at the same rhythm and the same level long time. So that's what I think my best thing is.
Q. He did a great job fighting off breakpoints. Did this make you nervous, or what did you think when he actually converted with so many great shots?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, on the statistics of the ATP I was No. 1 on breakpoints converted, so I think after this tournament I don't want to be No. 1 on breakpoints converted. Sure, because the second set I had big chance to go for the second break and decide the set before. I had to serve for the set with 5 4, and that's always dangerous. That's when I didn't convert any chance of the to do the second break. For sure was a little bit nervous for me, because especially on the 5 4 I have 15 30. So that was a very important moment, and at that moment I did something that I never did: three serves, one ace and two service winners. So that's the big experience for me, and believe me, that's good.
Q. Can you describe how much things have changed for you in the past 12, 15 months, whether you're surprised at how fast things have changed?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, the life change sometimes, no? Ten months ago seems like I never gonna be another time the same. Now seems I gonna be one of the greatest, so I don't think that's not that bad in that moment and not that good in this moment. So always is in the middle, I think, no? Last year I had a difficult year. Well, I had a great year because when you win a Grand Slam and three Masters 1000 you have a great year, but is true the second half of the year was very difficult for me, have some personal problems, home, and after, I have a lot of injuries, here the abdominal, before, the knees. So, yeah, wasn't an easy year. But is, at the same time, for sure, is not good have these moments but live these moments but at the same time, yes, because after that, when you come back, you are ready to (through translation) value how difficult is win titles and how difficult is be there all the time, no? When I came back and I started to win in Monte Carlo, you know, the emotion is completely different. So when you are winning and winning for a moments, you forgot how difficult this is do, is do it, no, is win tournaments no? So I didn't win a tournament for 11 months. I played for six months very bad. So after that, I think I was ready to come back in January of this year. I started the season playing really well, but the titles didn't came since I started in Monte Carlo, so was four months of playing well but hard moments, too. I was ready to win but without a victory. So I think I was I had great mentality at that moment.
Q. This is not a criticism, but what took you so long to get in here after you left the court? Were you celebrating with your family? Taking a shower? What were you doing that took you so long to get in here?
RAFAEL NADAL: What?
Q. To come over here. What took you so long? It's not a criticism. But what were you doing?
RAFAEL NADAL: Before?
Q. Yeah.
RAFAEL NADAL: I had the control antidoping, and saying hello, all the US Open staff and say thanks, everybody, for the organization, for the facilities that they give me, they give to me. After that, I was with the authorities, they came, thank you very much. Infanta, she came. Cristina, sorry. Cristina came. And the president of the Spanish Federation and the family. Just be out there for the family for a few minutes, and afterwards I was in the locker room organization, and having (through translation) planning? No. Organizing all the clothes. I have show in the locker.
Q. I know you don't like to compare, all right? You don't like to compare this and that and that, but you had so many celebrations, so many great moments in your career, and I saw you last this summer celebrating like if you were crazy when Spain won the World Cup in soccer. I'd like to know which is the emotion that really, you know, that causes you more joy in your life as being the most, the biggest that you never forget more than others?
RAFAEL NADAL: Every feeling is different and at the same time is good, no? Every victory is special, if we speak about my victories. Some ones are more than other ones. This one is very special for me, because is the last one remain. So when Spain won the World Cup was amazing. I was crying like like today, maybe, no? But is different feelings, but at the same time every feeling is unbelievable. But is very difficult to compare. Football is unbelievable. You know how big is football in Spain, or maybe you don't know, but we deserved that title. (Laughter.) We deserved that title a few years ago. Maybe you forgot. You forgot about the World Cup of '94 here? (Laughter.) (Motioning with elbow .) But we don't forgot. It was very emotional moment for us, for World Cup.
Soccer-Nadal gets standing ovation at Real Madrid game
New U.S. Open tennis champion Rafa Nadal was given a standing ovation by Real Madrid fans when he strolled out on to the Bernabeu pitch before their Champions League match against Ajax Amsterdam on Wednesday.
The Spanish world number one, a shareholder in Real Mallorca in his native Balearic Islands and a passionate Real Madrid fan, paused in the centre circle to watch footage of him lifting the trophy in New York on Monday on a big screen.
Wearing a dark suit and white shirt, he posed for photos before heading up to his seat to watch the Group G match.
The 24-year-old arrived in the Spanish capital on Wednesday morning after becoming only the seventh man to win all four grand slams and following a whirlwind round of public events and television appearances.
http://eurosport.yahoo.com/15092010/2/s … -game.html
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Nadal keeps his focus after career NY breakthrough
Rafael Nadal was the toast of New York after winning his rain-delayed final at the US Open to claim the trophy and complete his career Grand Slam.
The Spaniard spent the morning after doing the round of American talk shows in New York before flying overnight back home to Spain.
He will now have just over 10 days of down time before heading to the Thailand Open, from September 27, with Bangkok the start of a three-week run in Asia culminating with the Shanghai Masters 1000 in
October. He is also due to headline in Tokyo.
Nadal said that the realisation that he had won the Open and completed one of his career dreams was finally starting to sink in after his four-set defeat of Novak Djokovic. "The US Open is the most difficult tournament for me to play, it has the most difficult conditions to adapt to. I must adjust my game to the court, the balls, for everything."
The modest Spaniard who now owns nine Grand Slam titles is keeping his head down and focusing on improvement as his career goes from one high point to another.
"My goal has always been the same: to keep improving and become a better player next year compared to year," said the No. 1. he named London's year-end championships as his next major goal. "it's the last big tournament that I've not won."
"It's a challenge for me to keep improving to have the chance to play well there and to have the chance to win. That's what I'm gonna try this year. The last part of the season always was difficult for me."
US Open - Nadal: I'm not the 'Special One'
Rafa Nadal arrived back in Madrid on Wednesday after becoming only the seventh man to win all four Grand Slams and immediately dismissed the idea he was the 'Spanish Special One'.
The 24-year-old has been involved in a whirlwind round of public events and television appearances since capturing his maiden U.S. Open title by beating Serb Novak Djokovic in Monday's final.
Nadal, though, said he could not be classified as Spain's all-time greatest sportsman despite adding the season's final tennis Grand Slam to his five French Opens, two Wimbledons and one Australian Open championship.
"I think it's obvious I'm not," the left-hander said at Madrid airport after his overnight trans-Atlantic flight from New York.
"It would be tremendously arrogant of me. All athletes have their merits for what they have done in their particular sports."
World number one Nadal continued to display typical modesty when he apologised to reporters for the early news conference.
"I'm very grateful. I know it's a difficult time of day. I'm sorry," said the Spaniard, grinning from ear to ear and showing little sign of jetlag.
Nadal also explained the improved serve that surprised many pundits at Flushing Meadows.
"The truth is I was not serving very well in the tournaments leading up to the US Open," he said.
"I've worked hard on the service because it needed it. I decided to change my grip two days before the tournament, to make it (the ball travel) quicker especially when serving against the wind there always is on centre court at Flushing Meadows.
"It was a risk but I had to take it and it all worked out pretty well."
Nadal will now take a break from tennis and the Real Mallorca shareholder and football fan is planning to watch Real Madrid later on Wednesday.
He will be at the Bernabeu to see the self-proclaimed Portuguese 'Special One' Jose Mourinho's new team take on Ajax Amsterdam in their Champions League opener.
NADAL CLINCHES YEAR-END NO. 1 FOR SECOND TIME
For the second time in three years Rafael Nadal will finish as the No. 1 player in the year-end South African Airways ATP Rankings.
The 24-year-old Spaniard is the ninth player in the history of the South African Airways ATP Rankings (since 1973) to finish as ATP World Tour Champion at least twice. He and rival Roger Federer are the only players since 2000 to clinch the year-end No. 1 ranking in the week after the US Open. Federer did it in 2004 and '06.
Nadal said: "It has been an incredible season - one of my best ever, if not the best. Winning the US Open together with Roland Garros and Wimbledon, as well as the three back-to-back (ATP World Tour) Masters 1000s in Europe, was not easy. I worked very hard to get back to the top and it feels really good to know I will end the year as No.1."
See Nadal In London: Buy Tickets Now
Nadal will be officially crowned as the 2010 ATP World Tour Champion during a special ceremony at the season-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London, Nov. 21-28. Nadal and Federer are the first two players to qualify for the eight-man field. He is the third left-hander to finish No. 1 at least twice, joining Jimmy Connors (five times, 1974-78) and John McEnroe (four times, 1981-84).
On Monday, Nadal became the seventh man in history to achieve a career Grand Slam as he earned his first US Open title. He is also the first player to win three straight Grand Slam titles in the same year since Rod Laver won all four in 1969. Nadal is the youngest player in the Open Era to achieve a career Grand Slam. It was the Mallorcan native's ninth career Grand Slam crown and he is the second-youngest player behind Bjorn Borg to win nine Slam titles.
Nadal also joins Ivan Lendl and Federer as the only players to have held, lost and regained the year-end No. 1 ranking in the 37-year history of the South African Airways ATP Rankings (since 1973). Lendl held the year-end No. 1 ranking from 1985-87 and finished No. 2 in 1988 before reclaiming No. 1 in 1989. Federer was No. 1 from 2004-07, went to No. 2 in '08 and then returned to the top spot last year.
Nadal leads the ATP World Tour with six titles and a 59-7 match record in 2010. Since April he has won 43 of 46 matches, winning six of nine tournaments, including three consecutive ATP World Tour Masters 1000 clay court events (Monte-Carlo, Rome, Madrid) and his fifth Roland Garros title in six years. In July, he captured his second Wimbledon title in three years.
ATP WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONS (since 1973)
Year Player
2010 Rafael Nadal (Spain)
2009 Roger Federer (Switzerland)
2008 Rafael Nadal (Spain)
2007 Roger Federer (Switzerland)
2006 Roger Federer (Switzerland)
2005 Roger Federer (Switzerland)
2004 Roger Federer (Switzerland)
2003 Andy Roddick (U.S.)
2002 Lleyton Hewitt (Australia)
2001 Lleyton Hewitt (Australia)
2000 Gustavo Kuerten (Brazil)
1999 Andre Agassi (U.S.)
1998 Pete Sampras (U.S.)
1997 Pete Sampras (U.S.)
1996 Pete Sampras (U.S.)
1995 Pete Sampras (U.S.)
1994 Pete Sampras (U.S.)
1993 Pete Sampras (U.S.)
1992 Jim Courier (U.S.)
1991 Stefan Edberg (Sweden)
1990 Stefan Edberg (Sweden)
1989 Ivan Lendl (Czech Republic)
1988 Mats Wilander (Sweden)
1987 Ivan Lendl (Czech Republic)
1986 Ivan Lendl (Czech Republic)
1985 Ivan Lendl (Czech Republic)
1984 John McEnroe (U.S.)
1983 John McEnroe (U.S.)
1982 John McEnroe (U.S.)
1981 John McEnroe (U.S.)
1980 Bjorn Borg (Sweden)
1979 Bjorn Borg (Sweden)
1978 Jimmy Connors (U.S.)
1977 Jimmy Connors (U.S.)
1976 Jimmy Connors (U.S.)
1975 Jimmy Connors (U.S.)
1974 Jimmy Connors (U.S.)
1973 Ilie Nastase (Romania)
MULTIPLE ATP WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONS
Player (No.)
Pete Sampras 6
Jimmy Connors 5
Roger Federer 5
Ivan Lendl 4
John McEnroe 4
Bjorn Borg 2
Stefan Edberg 2
Lleyton Hewitt 2
Rafael Nadal 2
Rafa the toast of Spanish sport
Rafael Nadal's status ranks alongside Spain's World Cup champion footballers after the US Open title which completed a career Grand Slam for the world No. 1.
Nadal got a taste of the home adulation as he was given a standing ovation when he arrived for Real Madrid's Champions League match against Ajax Amsterdam at the Bernabeu stadium in the capital.
Nadal had flown in from New York after doing the American chat shows following his four-set win over Novak Djokovic. The top man in the game is also a stakeholder in his local Real Mallorca side.
Despite his new elite status in tennis, Nadal remains humble about the accomplishments on court which are drawing him closer to Roger Federer as the list of all-time greats is made. But Nadal is having nothing of that kind of talk.
"I have a lot of title to go," said the winner of nine Grand Slam singles crowns as he compared his total to that of Federer's 16. "I'm more than happy that with my titles, for sure. I think is talk about if I am better or worse than Roger is stupid, because the titles say he's much better than me, that's the truth at that moment. I think will be the truth all my life."
"Roger was an example, especially because he improved his tennis during all his career, that's a good thing to copy. Roger and me are different, much different styles. But being better than Roger - I don't think this is the right moment to talk about that."
jaccol55 napisał:
Bjorn Borg 2
Stefan Edberg 2
Lleyton Hewitt 2
Rafael Nadal 2
Jak to ktoś napisał na zagranicznym forum: "Nadal zrównał się z poziomem Hewitta". :D :D :D
Graty Rafa. ;)
Najbardziej nielubiany przeze mnie zawodnik.
Odczuwam do niego sporą niechęć. Nie tylko z powodu zwycięstw z Rogerem, ale przede wszystkim stylem gry. Mimo tego mam do niego szacunek, w pełni zasłużył sobie na te wszystkie zwycięstwa. Zaimponował mi skromnością, do tego młody, z sukcesami, z kupą forsy, a nadal mu nie odbiło.
Nadal po raz drugi w karierze zapewnił sobie miano #1 na koniec sezonu, tym razem 2010. Trochę ciekawostek:
Wcześniej Hiszpan był Mistrzem ATP w roku 2008. Rafa to 3 tenisista w Erze Open, który odzyskał #1 na koniec roku - wcześniej tej sztuki dokonali Ivan Lendl i Roger Federer.
Rafa zapewnił sobie zwycięstwo w sezonie ATP tuż po US Open i stał się 2 tenisistą w historii, któremu udała się ta sztuka. Przed nim dokonał tego tylko Roger Federer i to dwukrotnie, w latach 2004 i 2006.
Rafa's rise to world domination
All hail the new king of the courts.
Rafael Nadal fell to his knees under the leaden skies of Flushing Meadows on Monday after beating Novak Djokovic to be crowned US Open champion and firmly cement his place in the history books.
After two weeks of charming the New York crowds with brute force and devastating beauty, the 24-year-old Spaniard finally got his hands on the trophy that had eluded him for so long to become only the seventh man to complete the Grand Slam set.
Five titles on the Roland Garros clay, two on the Wimbledon grass and last year's victory at the Australian Open were signs of greatness in the making.
Nadal's 6-4 5-7 6-4 6-2 win over Serbia's weary number three seed meant the New York concrete had finally been conquered after seven years of trying. Sunday's downpours merely delayed his conquest.
"That's more than I dreamt," declared the man from Mallorca who had never previously got past the US Open semi-finals.
"For the first time in my career, I played a very, very good match in this tournament. I played my best match in the US Open at the most important moment."
It was a contest that Roger Federer, five-time champion in New York and loser to Djokovic in this year's semis, could not bear to watch.
The 29-year-old Swiss had already been replaced by Nadal at the top of the rankings and with the player boasting the deadliest and most powerful left arm in the business now more than halfway to Federer's haul of 16 Grand Slam titles, it could be argued the Spaniard is set to topple his arch rival.
Federer has up until recently been hailed by many to be the greatest. Nadal says any comparisons with him are "stupid". But the stats are compelling.
When analysing the duo's accomplishments at the same age, Federer secured the Slam sweep at the 2009 French Open aged two-and-a-half years older than Nadal's current age. Nadal has won 42 titles with Federer having won 33 when aged 24, while Nadal has won 82.4% of his matches, compared to Federer's 76.6% five years ago.
Bjorn Borg, US Open runner-up four times, was the only other man to bag nine major championship victories by 24.
Nadal first picked up a racquet aged four with his uncle Toni (who remains his mentor and coach) and after turning professional in 2001, won his first match on the ATP circuit in Mallorca to become the ninth player in the professional era to win an ATP match before his 16th birthday.
His first ATP title arrived in Poland in 2004, a year later he became the first man since Mats Wilander (1982) to win the French Open title on his debut and in the following year at Roland Garros, racked up his 54th consecutive clay-court win. His winning streak on clay would go on to reach 81.
His march to the top was relentless. A straights-set demolition of Federer ensured a fourth successive French Open crown in 2008 and a month later, the Swiss was toppled once again in a five-set epic as Nadal conquered Wimbledon's grass for the first time.
Federer was again on the receiving end eight months later in the Australian Open final as his Spanish nemesis powered his way to glory on Melbourne's hard courts in another belting five-setter.
The left-hander's rise has not been without its setbacks. The last year has been a monumental test, on and off the court, with knee tendonitis, abdominal pain, a knee injury and the break-up of his parents all proving major obstacles.
"The life changes sometimes," Nadal said in New York on Monday night. "The second half of the year was very difficult. Ten months ago seems like I was never going to be the same. Now seems it's going to be one of the greatest."
The true test of Nadal's greatness will be his longevity and being able to surpass Federer's 16 Slam crowns. His approach to this year's tournament at Flushing Meadows and his evolution from king of clay to king of concrete provides a glimpse of what the future may hold.
While the packed crowd on Arthur Ashe cheered their tearful new victor on Monday, Nadal admitted the US Open was the most difficult tournament to play in - having to adjust his game for the "balls, the court, everything, but especially the serve".
As well as the barrage of missiles firing at all angles from the baseline, his serve is now one of his crucial weapons.
Nadal's average serve speed increased from 107mph in 2009 to 119 this year, and through six rounds and 91 service games in the build-up to the Djokovic clash, he won 84% of his first-serve points and was broken just twice.
These could be worrying signs for anybody considering competing with the current Slam champion of three surfaces and last year's winner in Melbourne.
Djokovic, the only player to take a set off Nadal in seven matches at Flushing Meadows, said: "Nadal is proving each day, each year, that he's getting better. That's what's so frustrating. He's getting better each time you play him.
"He's so mentally strong and dedicated to this sport. He has all the capabilities, everything he needs, in order to be the biggest ever."
John McEnroe, a four-time champion in New York, had no doubt of Nadal's credentials in August when predicting Nadal's success at the US Open.
"The guy's just an animal. He's mentally and physically incredible," the American former world number one said.
More telling perhaps was Nadal's verdict that there remained room for improvement. He added: "I need to keep working on my serve and be more aggressive. I am not a perfect player. Everybody can improve."
Nadal kocha Real, a Real kocha Nadala
Od dawna wiadomo, że Rafael Nadal jest wielkim fanem madryckiego klubu. Przed środowym spotkaniem na Santiago Bernabeu z Ajaksem Amsterdam, kibice "Królewskich" uhonorowali 24-letniego mistrza US Open owacją na stojąco i trzyminutowymi brawami. Tenisista był bardzo szczęśliwy i wzruszony.
Niespełna 48 godzin wcześniej, Nadal pokonał w finale US Open Novak Djokovicia i tym samym wywalczył dziewiąty w karierze wielkoszlemowy tytuł.
Od razu po powrocie ze Stanów Zjednoczonych zameldował się na stadionie Santiago Bernabeu. Tysięce fanów zgotowało mu kapitalne przyjęcie. 24-letni Rafa przyjechał na mecz z ojcem. Reszta rodziny i sztab trenerski Hiszpana poleciał do Palma de Mallorca.
Rafa wyglądał bardzo elegancko. W pięknym garniturze dostał owację na stojąco, a spiker wyczytał wszystkie jego zwycięstwa wielkoszlemowe i nazwał go najlepszym tenisistą wszechczasów. Wygrał nie tylko każdy z czterech najważniejszych turniejów, ale także wywalczył złoty medal olimpijski. Teraz zawodnik będzie miał kilka dni wolnego, a potem udaje się do Azji na ostatnią część sezonu.
Szefowie Realu chcieli oddać hołd Nadalowi w ostatniej chwili przed rozpoczęciem spotkania, a więc po odtworzeniu klubowego. UEFA jest bardzo surowa wobec tego typu uroczystości i pozwoliła klubowi na uhonorowanie sportowca dopiero na dwadzieścia minut przed rozpoczęciem meczu.
Nadal wielokrotnie bywał na spotkaniach swojego ukochanego zespołu nie tylko przy okazji Ligi Mistrzów, ale także rozgrywek Primera Division. Podczas majowego turnieju ATP w Madrycie na pojedynkach Rafy bywali piłkarze "Królewskich", w tym m.in. Iker Casillas i Raul, który odszedł już z zespołu.
Uczestniczył także w charytatywnych meczach piłkarskich i tenisowych organizowanych razem z Realem.
Nadal serves up a timely treat for his uncle Toni
With less than a week to go before the US Open, Rafael Nadal was concerned. His backhand had been "terrible", he had been making too many unforced errors on his forehand and his serve had been ineffective. Opponents were regularly driving their returns to his backhand as the Spaniard tried to run round the ball and avoid playing it on his weaker flank.
After only two matches at Flushing Meadows, the world No 1's game had been turned around. He had not lost a set or dropped his serve and was striking the ball with more confidence, especially on his backhand. Everything had changed with the arrival in America of his uncle and coach, Toni Nadal, in the week before the tournament.
"Toni arrives and everything is under control," Nadal explained with a laugh after his second-round victory over Denis Istomin. "I started serving well one or two days before the competition, but in practice the week before it wasn't good.
"I changed the grip a little bit five or six days ago because I felt when I played against the wind I wasn't getting any free points. I tried to serve with a little bit more aggression. For the moment it's working really well so I'm going to try to keep playing like this. Serving like this gives me big confidence in my game."
Less than a fortnight later, Nadal became US Open champion and only the seventh man to win all four Grand Slam titles. In seven matches he dropped his serve only five times, a performance that only Andy Roddick has matched since such statistics were first compiled in 1991.
The extra power in his serve, helped by the change in grip, gave Nadal the confidence to serve with more variety and play with more aggression. His early successes on clay derived from his ability as a counter-puncher, but on other surfaces he has learned the need to attack more. Four of his last five Grand Slam titles – he has won nine in total – have been won on grass or hard courts.
Nevertheless, it was an extraordinary performance given both Nadal's hard-court form earlier in the summer – he lost to Andy Murray in Toronto and to Marcos Baghdatis in Cincinnati – and the conditions at the US Open. Many experts said the Mallorcan's heavily spun forehands, cracked with a huge arcing swing, would make it difficult for him to cope with the pace of the "unfluffy" Wilson balls off a surface that some consider to be quicker even than Wimbledon's.
Although Nadal agreed that his serve "probably made the big difference", he insisted after his victory that he had made no significant changes to his hard-court game, which he said was much as it had been when he won last year's Australian Open.
"Part of it is confidence," he said. "When you are playing well and your confidence is high, it seems like you've improved a lot, but there are moments when you're not playing that well, when you lose your confidence, you lose matches and it seems like you've forgotten how to play tennis. It's not like I've improved a lot since 2009. I think I've improved my tennis a little bit, but it's not a radical change."
Much of that confidence derives from his relationship with Toni, who has been his coach since he was four. When you watch their practice sessions, the respect and affection between nephew and uncle is clear.
Rafael, a tireless worker, plays and practises with unrelenting commitment. He said: "My goal all my life has been the same: to keep improving and make myself feel a better player next year than what I felt this year."
What does he see as his greatest strengths? "I think my mentality, my attitude on court has always been good. I am positive on court and I fight all the time. But that's not the only thing. I think I was able to listen all the time to my coach, to make adjustments and to be ready to change things in order to improve.
"If you're talking about my game, I think the best thing that I have is my intensity on court. When I am playing well, the intensity always is high. The rhythm is high. Sometimes you can hit easy winners, but I can hit winners after three or four shots by keeping a great rhythm all the time."
Nadal is already certain to finish the year as world No 1. Given that he has no titles to defend until next April, he is also likely to establish the biggest lead in the history of the world rankings. His current advantage of 4,880 points over Novak Djokovic, the world No 2, is only 310 short of the record, which Nadal himself established in May 2009, ahead of Roger Federer.
Nadal joins legends – but he has weapons to leave them behind
How rash we were to doubt him. When Rafael Nadal headed to Monte Carlo for the start of the European outdoor season in April, the biggest question was whether the Spaniard would ever rescale the heights. Having struggled to recover from his knee problems of the previous year, he had gone 11 months without winning a tournament and lost 12 of his previous 14 matches against top 10 opponents.
Five months later the question on everyone's lips is a very different one. Is the 24-year-old Spaniard on course to become the greatest player of all time?
It was little more than 12 months ago that the sport was acclaiming Roger Federer as the best in history after he became only the sixth man to win all four Grand Slam titles and overtook Pete Sampras' record haul of 14 major crowns. Nadal, however, not only expanded that elite group of men to seven with his memorable 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Novak Djokovic in the final of the US Open in New York on Monday night, but continued to outstrip his great rival in terms of the age at which he has reached his milestones.
At 24 years and three months (Nadal's current age), Federer had won six Grand Slam titles. Nadal has already claimed nine and has won the "career Grand Slam" three and a half years earlier than Federer did. He has also done it at a time when the Swiss has been at his peak.
"He has the capabilities already to become the best player ever," Djokovic said in the wake of Monday's final. "He's playing the best tennis that I've ever seen him play on hard courts. He's improved his serve drastically. There's his speed, his accuracy, and of course his baseline game is as good as ever.
"He's getting better each time you play him. He's so strong mentally and dedicated to this sport. He has lots of time if he holds on physically for the next five, six or seven years. He has the game now for every surface and he's won every major. He's proved to the world that he's the best at this moment. There's no question about it."
When Nadal won his fourth Grand Slam title – all of them at the French Open – two summers ago he was still regarded by some as a clay-court specialist. Winning on grass at Wimbledon a month later changed all that and when he added the Australian Open on a hard court in 2009 he completed the set of Grand Slam titles on different surfaces.
However, Nadal had never gone beyond the semi-finals of the US Open, where the conditions and the time of year – after a summer in which he had always given everything in the clay and grass-court seasons – always counted against him. Playing on hard courts also puts enormous stress on Nadal's suspect knees. This year careful management of the problem and a lighter playing schedule have brought him through the summer unscathed.
Nevertheless, it would be wrong to assume that he will overtake Federer just because he has achieved more at an earlier age. Nadal's all-action style of play puts much greater demands on the body – Federer is lighter on his feet and wins points more quickly through his more aggressive game – and it remains to be seen whether the Spaniard's knees will continue to hold up.
If adapting his game to win at Wimbledon was regarded as Nadal's greatest single achievement, the manner of his victory in New York represents an arguably finer triumph. The combination of a fast surface, intense heat and zippy Wilson balls make the conditions at the US Open arguably quicker even than at Wimbledon – and certainly not ideal for the big swing Nadal uses on his heavily top-spun forehands.
His serve, which had been a comparative weakness in the past, was also seen as a problem, but, remarkably, no US Open champion has been broken on fewer occasions since such statistics were first recorded 19 years ago. Having changed his grip just days before the start of the tournament, Nadal served with significantly more power and variety.
He equalled the record of Andy Roddick, who dropped his serve only five times in 2003, and would have beaten it had Djokovic not broken him three times. The Serb also stopped the Spaniard becoming the first player in the Open era to win in New York without dropping a set.
Nadal always believed that playing on grass actually helped to compensate him for his serve. "Even with not such a good serve it was just as effective at Wimbledon as my current serve has been here," he said. "I think hard courts were always the most difficult surface for me, especially on serve because I had to play hard to win every point. The serve probably made the big difference in this tournament."
He added: "If I can keep serving like this and have the 'free' points on my serve that I had during all this tournament it should be a big change for me. I can also play more aggressively and with more calm when I am returning. I can change a lot. I can improve everything: volleys, my position on court, being more inside the court. I've improved a lot since last year, but it's never enough."
Nadal said the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London in November was his big target for the rest of this year. "That's probably the last big tournament that I haven't won," he said.
The ever-modest Spaniard, who thought that winning the US Open was an even greater dream than winning all four Grand Slam titles, dismissed talk about being the greatest. "The number of titles Roger has won says he's much better than me and I think that will be true all my life," he said. "Roger has always been an example to me, especially because of the way he has improved his tennis throughout his career."
Nadal said that the second half of last year, when he had to cope with the break up of his parents' marriage and his injury problems, had been hard. "It wasn't an easy year, but at the same time when you come back after you've been through times like this you appreciate how difficult it can be to win titles," he said.
The world No 1 said that Djokovic's excellence had forced him to play his best match ever in New York. Djokovic's career seemed to have reached a plateau following his Australian Open triumph in 2008, but his rediscovered aggression, coolness under pressure (he saved 20 out of 26 break points against Nadal) and resilience have entrenched him firmly in the group of contenders for major honours. The 23-year-old Serb has reclaimed the No 2 spot in the world rankings from Federer, whom he beat in the semi-finals in the outstanding match of the tournament.
The sportsmanship Djokovic showed at the end, giving Nadal the warmest of embraces and hailing his greatness, underlined what a golden age this has become for tennis, both in terms of the ability and the grace of its leading men. For a British audience, the big hope is that Andy Murray can remain a part of that elite group. He is, after all, the only man to have beaten Nadal in a Grand Slam tournament this year.
How Nadal won his career Grand Slam
US Open
13 Sept 2010 (Age: 24): Defeats Serbia's Novak Djokovic 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 to complete the career Grand Slam in New York
French Open
5 June 2005 (Age: 19): Won as fourth seed for first of five titles at Roland Garros (also won in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010)
Wimbledon
6 July 2008 (Age: 22): Overcame Federer in a five-hour epic seen as one of the best-ever finals. Also won at SW19 this year
Australian Open
1 Feb 2009 (Age: 22): Left Federer in tears after another five-set marathon, winning in Melbourne at the fifth attempt
Seven wonders of world tennis: Career Grand Slams
Fred Perry (Eng)
Aus: 1934; French: 1935; Wimbledon: 1934, 1935, 1936; US: 1933, 1934, 1936
Don Budge (US)
Aus: 1938; French: 1938; Wimbledon: 1937, 1938; US: 1937, 1938
Rod Laver (Aus)
Aus: 1960, 1962, 1969; French: 1962, 1969; Wimbledon: 1961, 1962, 1968, 1969; US: 1962, 1969
Roy Emerson (Aus)
Aus: 1961, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967; French: 1963, 1967; Wimbledon: 1964, 1965; US: 1961, 1964
Andre Agassi (US)
Aus: 1995, 2000, 2001, 2003; French: 1999; Wimbledon: 1992; US: 1994, 1999
Roger Federer (Swit)
Aus: 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010; French: 2009; Wimbledon: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009; US: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
Rafael Nadal (Sp)
Aus: 2009; French: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010; Wim: 2008, 2010; US: 2010
Rafael Nadal's gladiatorial spirit puts the fallen sports stars to shame
"My name is Rafael Nadal Parera, commander of my legions of fans, general of the sport of tennis, loyal servant to my coach and uncle Toni, son to Sebastián and Ana María, and I will always be avenged, in this set or the next."
Apologies to Russell Crowe, but right now in the world of sport, Rafa Nadal is the gladiator. On court he plays like one. Off court it's as though he keeps a copy of Rudyard Kipling's If in his tennis bag. What an impressive young man he is.
Reputations of sports stars have recently been falling asunder almost by the day. First there was Tiger Woods, whose private life came apart and, by his standards, his game too. We have had the Pakistan fiasco which has put the very sport of cricket in jeopardy.
Wayne Rooney has followed John Terry and Peter Crouch into the tabloids and apparently three other top footballers would be joining them if it were not for some clever legal work.
Former world boxing champion Ricky Hatton is in rehab with drink and drug problems and current world champion David Haye's crass "gang rape" remark at the press conference for his forthcoming fight beggared belief.
In addition, the reputation of John Higgins, the former world snooker champion, was delivered a blow last week as he was fined and suspended by the sport's governing body for a lack of judgment after being caught in a newspaper sting.
Sporting role models are becoming a little thin on the ground. But at least we have Nadal, who plays his sport like a man with a serious grudge, ignoring setbacks, always dealing with the next point as if his life depended on it but never without respect for his opponent.
Watching him in the early hours of last Tuesday, becoming only the seventh male player to complete the full set of tennis grand slams, I was again in awe of how he dealt magnificently with Novak Djokovic, who had beaten him in their three previous encounters and had ended Roger Federer's challenge in the semi-final and who at times played brilliantly himself.
While Nadal is such an irresistible force on court, off it he comes over as a shy, self-effacing individual who only has good things to say about everyone. A cynic might well think he is a clever professional paying lip service to those he needs to, just as Tiger used to do, but I genuinely believe Nadal is one good guy.
Witness his interview on court after dispensing with the Russian Mikhail Youzhny in the semi-final. American interviewer Mary Joe Fernandez was wittering on with her 'how did it feels' and 'what does it means' when Nadal stopped her in her tracks. "I would like to say something else," he said.
"I would just like to pay my respects to all the people who lost their lives in the Twin Towers." He had not been prompted to do so, but he had not forgotten he had been playing on Sept 11. It was delivered in a language in which he is not yet quite totally at home, but it was classy and very moving and, of course, the New Yorkers loved him for it.
Sky's coverage of the US Open was top notch. It was held together in relaxed fashion by Marcus Buckland. He got the best out of Greg Rusedski and Annabel Croft, who always had good opinions, while the commentary of Mark Petchey and Peter Fleming was nicely understated. Unlike many in the business, they know when to let the pictures speak for themselves.
Once again Andy Murray disappointed us and, more importantly, himself. He has wins against Federer, Djokovic and Nadal but not when it matters most. He is undoubtedly a great player, at times producing the kind of bespoke tennis that even those three, with 26 grand slam wins between them, cannot match, but if ever a man needed an able sports psychologist, it is the 23-year-old Scot, for whom time will soon be ringing alarm bells.
There are occasions, when things are not going his way, when he reminds me of Harry Enfield's character Kevin. Murray needs a more gladiatorial spirit and someone other than mum to put their armour around him.
Nadal Confirms Queen's Club Return
Just a week after winning the US Open to complete the career-Grand Slam and guarantee the year-end No.1 ranking, Rafael Nadal has turned his attention to next year’s grass-court season by confirming that he will play in the AEGON Championships at The Queen’s Club in 2011.
Nadal, who became the first man to win consecutive French Open, Wimbledon and US Open titles since Rod Laver achieved the feat in 1969, is already looking forward to returning to the event that he won two years ago.
"I love playing at The Queen's Club because it is a traditional club,” said Nadal.
“Every time I have played there I have felt very welcome because of the British people and their support, and because of the tournament organisers who are so good at their job.”
Nadal has reached the Wimbledon final shortly after all four of his appearances at The Queen’s Club - he was the Wimbledon runner-up in 2006 and 2007, and the champion in 2008 and 2010. In 2009, he was injured and unable to play either event.
“After the French Open, it is very important for me to feel the grass under my feet as soon as possible,” added Nadal, who took to the practise courts in London within 24 hours of winning his fifth Roland Garros title. “I tried my best in every match this year (at The Queen’s Club) and was disappointed that I could not win the tournament but I reached the quarterfinals and it definitely helped me to feel ready for Wimbledon. I am looking forward to playing at both of these important events in 2011."
Chris Kermode, AEGON Championships Tournament Director, was delighted with the news.
“Rafa’s achievements over the past six months have been astounding, and we are thrilled that he has made such an early commitment to play at the AEGON Championships in 2011,” said Kermode.
“He has reached the Wimbledon final in all of the years that he has played at our event, and the way that he won the French Open last year and stepped straight out onto the grass courts to practise the following day showed just how much he wants to do well. He is hugely popular with all of our spectators, sponsors and staff and we look forward to seeing him next June.”
Lekarz zwraca uwagę Nadalowi na coś ważnego.
Rafael Nadal musi się nauczyć jak słuchać swojego ciała, jeśli chce zdominować tenisowy świata jak Roger Federer - powiedział lekarz hiszpańskiego tenisisty.
24-letni Hiszpan w tym miesiącu zwyciężył w US Open i tym samym skompletował wielkiego szlema. Jest dopiero siódmym zawodnikiem, który dokonał tej sztuki.
Ale jak na razie królem tenisa pozostaje Roger Federer, wyprzedzający Nadala o siedem zwycięstw w wielkoszlemowych turniejach. Po wygraniu US Open kibice na świecie zaczęli się zastanawiać, czy Hiszpan będzie w stanie dogonić lub ewentualnie przegonić Szwajcara. Umiejętności posiada odpowiednie. Gorzej ze zdrowiem, bo Rafael Nadal od lat ma problemy ze swoimi kolanami.
- On musi się nauczyć jak dbać o siebie, by trzymać się na wysokim poziomie przez wiele lat - powiedział dziennikowi "Marca" lekarz Nadala Mikel Sanchez.
Lider światowego rankingu zwrócił się do ortopedycznego specjalisty po Australian Open, kiedy poczuł silny ból.
- To niesamowite, że potrafił grać dalej z kolanami w takim stanie - dodał Sanchez, który leczył Rafaela Nadala serią zastrzyków z osocza, by pomóc w odbudowie ścięgien.
- Jeżeli będzie kontynuował grę w takim samym rytmie, istnieje ryzyko, że ścięgna znów ulegną urazowi. Podobnie może się stać z innymi ścięgnami, takimi jak Achillesa - wyjaśnia Mikel Sanchez. - Poddaje swoje ścięgna gwałtownej pracy, ponieważ dużo trenuje. Spędza na korcie mnóstwo godzin, gra dużo meczów i zawsze na 100 procent - tłumaczy.
- Jeśli ciało nie potrafi zregenerować tego, co zostało zniszczone, powstają kontuzje. Im bardziej agresywny jesteś, tym więcej kontuzji łapiesz. Im cięższe mięśnie nosisz, a on tak ma, jesteś bardziej podatny na urazy - mówił.
Sanchez musiał przekonać Nadala, by zrezygnował z udziału w tegorocznym turnieju w Barcelonie. Podkreślił jednocześnie, że tego typu decyzje Rafael Nadal będzie musiał w przyszłości podejmować sam.
- On musi zrozumieć, że im będzie starszy, tym większą równowagę będzie musiał zachować. Nie może próbować wygrać każdego turnieju w ciągu najbliższych 10 lat - zakończył Mikel Sanchez.
http://www.eurosport.pl/tenis/lekarz-o- … tory.shtml
U Nas tego jeszcze nie napisałem, ale dla mnie te wszystkie kontuzje Nadala są mocno przesadzone. Nie uważam, że ich ogóle nie ma, ale jak czytam te wszystkie straszne historie o stanie Jego kolan, a następnie zestawiam to z Jego ostatnimi wynikami to odczytuję to jako niezłą ściemę. 3 szlemy w 3 miechy z kolanami 50-latka, taa. :]
DUN I LOVE napisał:
Lekarz zwraca uwagę Nadalowi na coś ważnego.
Rafael Nadal musi się nauczyć jak słuchać swojego ciała, jeśli chce zdominować tenisowy świata jak Roger Federer - powiedział lekarz hiszpańskiego tenisisty.
24-letni Hiszpan w tym miesiącu zwyciężył w US Open i tym samym skompletował wielkiego szlema. Jest dopiero siódmym zawodnikiem, który dokonał tej sztuki.
Ale jak na razie królem tenisa pozostaje Roger Federer, wyprzedzający Nadala o siedem zwycięstw w wielkoszlemowych turniejach. Po wygraniu US Open kibice na świecie zaczęli się zastanawiać, czy Hiszpan będzie w stanie dogonić lub ewentualnie przegonić Szwajcara. Umiejętności posiada odpowiednie. Gorzej ze zdrowiem, bo Rafael Nadal od lat ma problemy ze swoimi kolanami.
- On musi się nauczyć jak dbać o siebie, by trzymać się na wysokim poziomie przez wiele lat - powiedział dziennikowi "Marca" lekarz Nadala Mikel Sanchez.
Lider światowego rankingu zwrócił się do ortopedycznego specjalisty po Australian Open, kiedy poczuł silny ból.
- To niesamowite, że potrafił grać dalej z kolanami w takim stanie - dodał Sanchez, który leczył Rafaela Nadala serią zastrzyków z osocza, by pomóc w odbudowie ścięgien.
- Jeżeli będzie kontynuował grę w takim samym rytmie, istnieje ryzyko, że ścięgna znów ulegną urazowi. Podobnie może się stać z innymi ścięgnami, takimi jak Achillesa - wyjaśnia Mikel Sanchez. - Poddaje swoje ścięgna gwałtownej pracy, ponieważ dużo trenuje. Spędza na korcie mnóstwo godzin, gra dużo meczów i zawsze na 100 procent - tłumaczy.
- Jeśli ciało nie potrafi zregenerować tego, co zostało zniszczone, powstają kontuzje. Im bardziej agresywny jesteś, tym więcej kontuzji łapiesz. Im cięższe mięśnie nosisz, a on tak ma, jesteś bardziej podatny na urazy - mówił.
Sanchez musiał przekonać Nadala, by zrezygnował z udziału w tegorocznym turnieju w Barcelonie. Podkreślił jednocześnie, że tego typu decyzje Rafael Nadal będzie musiał w przyszłości podejmować sam.
- On musi zrozumieć, że im będzie starszy, tym większą równowagę będzie musiał zachować. Nie może próbować wygrać każdego turnieju w ciągu najbliższych 10 lat - zakończył Mikel Sanchez.http://www.eurosport.pl/tenis/lekarz-o- … tory.shtml
U Nas tego jeszcze nie napisałem, ale dla mnie te wszystkie kontuzje Nadala są mocno przesadzone. Nie uważam, że ich ogóle nie ma, ale jak czytam te wszystkie straszne historie o stanie Jego kolan, a następnie zestawiam to z Jego ostatnimi wynikami to odczytuję to jako niezłą ściemę. 3 szlemy w 3 miechy z kolanami 50-latka, taa. :]
Ha! Ha!
Najzabawniejsze jest to, że na temat katastrofalnego stanu kolan Rafy najwięcej do powiedzenia mieli zawsze fani Rogera lub ludzie, którzy niewiele mieli wspólnego z obozem Hiszpana.:P:):)
Mało kto słuchał w tej sprawie samego zawodnika.
DUN I LOVE napisał:
U Nas tego jeszcze nie napisałem, ale dla mnie te wszystkie kontuzje Nadala są mocno przesadzone. Nie uważam, że ich ogóle nie ma, ale jak czytam te wszystkie straszne historie o stanie Jego kolan, a następnie zestawiam to z Jego ostatnimi wynikami to odczytuję to jako niezłą ściemę. 3 szlemy w 3 miechy z kolanami 50-latka, taa. :]
Spoko, jak nie wygra jakiegoś następnego ważnego turnieju, to i tak będzie "moralnym mistrzem", no bo przecież kolana...
Toni Nadal says Nicklaus golf advice helped shape Rafa
Rafael Nadal's aggressive tennis style can be traced back to golfer Jack Nicklaus, whose advice on tactics inspired the Spaniard's coach and uncle Toni Nadal.
The senior Nadal, who has guided his nephew on court since age four, credits a Nicklaus instructional video with shaping his training of the world No. 1.
"I saw a video by Jack Nicklaus that changed my vision," Toni Nadal told Spanish newspaper ABC. "In it Nicklaus said: 'First strike far, then we will think about getting the ball inside. I said to myself: 'This man must be right'." That is what I applied with Rafael. First strike hard, then we will get the ball inside."
That kind of thinking produced the go-for-broke style of the powerful Nadal, winner of three of the season's four Grand Slams.
Nadal also told the newspaper: "You either have talent or you don't. But what makes the difference is hard work. Since he was a child I set a long-term goal for him: to be a great professional. In life you have to have hope to advance."
Nadal heads the field this week in Bangkok at the start of three weeks in Asia on the ATP circuit. He and Roger Federer are the first two players to qualify for the eight-man season-ending ATP World Tour Championships in London in November.
Nadal Lends Hand To Million Trees Project
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal took part in Thailand’s ‘A Million Trees For The King’ project, planting a tree in honour of King Bhumibol Adulyadej on a visit to Hua Hin on Tuesday.
Nadal, the top seed at the PTT Thailand Open, took a quick charter flight to the royal beach town located 200 kilometres south of Bangkok to contribute to the campaign to reduce global warming.
“For me it’s an honour to part of this project,” said Nadal. “It’s a very good project. I want to congratulate the Thai people and congratulate the King for this unbelievable day. I wish all the best for this idea. It’s very, very nice.”
Nadal arrived in Thailand last Tuesday for his Bangkok debut, and spent time vacationing in Hua Hin ahead of the ATP World Tour 250 tennis tournament.
“I did a lot of things,” Nadal said, who took part in a religious ceremony with Buddhist monks on the beach over the weekend. “I was with friends. I was on the beach, very nice beach. We did water sports, we went to golf one time, we went [go-carting] another time. So we did a lot of things. We went there, having fun in Hua Hin and enjoying a lot.”
The 24-year-old Spaniard is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Wednesday and plays his opening match against Belgian Ruben Bemelmans on Thursday.
Tenis. Jak golfista wszech czasów zmienił styl Rafaela Nadala
Wiadomo już, dlaczego Rafael Nadal zaczął lepiej serwować. Wszystko dzięki golfiście wszech czasów Jackowi Nicklausowi
Toni Nadal, trener i wujek najlepszego obecnie tenisisty świata, opowiedział niedawno, jak to się stało, że bardzo poprawił się serwis Hiszpana, kluczowy podczas niedawnego triumfu w US Open.
- Zainspirował mnie Jack Nicklaus [golfista wszech czasów, wygrał 18 Wielkich Szlemów]. Oglądałem na wideo program, w którym Nicklaus wypowiedział zdanie: "Najpierw naucz się uderzać mocno, a potem zajmiesz się trafianiem w cel". I wtedy mnie olśniło! Rafa najpierw poprawił samą siłę serwisu, a dopiero potem wzięliśmy się do techniki. Robienie wszystkiego naraz nie miało sensu - powiedział wujek Toni.
http://www.sport.pl/tenis/1,64987,84742 … faela.html
:o :o :o :o
Nadal: Muszę grać jeszcze agresywniej
Rafael Nadal zapowiedział, że jego rywal we wtorkowym meczu pierwszej rundy Japan Open - Hiszpan Santiago Giraldo - znajdzie się pod ostrzałem atomowych uderzeń. Obecny numer jeden światowego rankingu uznał, że przyczyną porażki z Guillermo Garcia-Lopezem w Bangkoku był brak agresji w jego grze.
W półfinałowym meczu Thailand Open Nadal wykorzystał zaledwie 2 z 26 szans na przełamanie podania rywala.
- W tak krótkim czasie niewiele da się poprawić. Na pewno jednak w Japonii muszę zagrać zdecydowanie agresywniej. To nie będzie łatwy mecz. Nawierzchnia w Tokio jest bardzo szybka, a Giraldo jest piekielnie niebezpieczny - powiedział 24-letni tenisista z Majorki.
Czy 63. na świecie Giraldo rzeczywiście będzie w stanie stawić opór zwycięzcy trzech z ostatnich czterech turniejów wielkoszlemowych?
- Ten sezon jest dla mnie znakomity - przyznał Giraldo. - Przez cały rok prezentuję dobry poziom. W Australii miałem problemy z kolanem, ale zdążyłem już o nich zapomnieć. Moim celem jest poprawianie gry z każdym turniejem - dodał.
W Tokio tytułu sprzed roku bronić będzie Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, który na Nadala trafić może dopiero w finale.
#43) Tokio 2010
R32 Santiago Gilardo 6/4 6/4
R16 Milos Raonic 6/4 6/4
1/4 Dimitry Tursunov 6/4 6/1
1/2 Victor Troicki 7/6(4) 4/6 7/6(7)
F Gael Monfils 6/1 7/5
RAFA WINS 7TH TITLE OF THE SEASON
Less than 24 hours ago, the Spanish world number one had to salvage two spectacular match points against him to stay in the run for the Japan Open title. You fast-forward to the present, and Rafa sits comfortably at a press conference being interview by the world media on how he managed to beat No. 5 seed Gael Monfils of France 6-1, 7-5 in the final to claim the Japan Open tennis championships celebrated in Tokyo.
Rafa clinched the first set with a ferocious forehand down the line but Monfils, who survived a fright when he took an early tumble and turned his ankle, raised his game in the second.
Luck deserted him in the 11th game, however, a net cord giving Rafa break point and he nosed ahead 6-5 when a sliced return floated past Monfils and landed flat on the line.
Rafa delivered the knockout punch in the next game, a big serve to the body ending the match and giving this year's triple grand slam champion his seventh title of the year and his seventh victory (out of 8) over Monfils.
Rafa now heads to the Shanghai Masters -at the end of a three-week run in Asia- in confident form with a semifinal in Bangkok and a title in Tokyo. He has a bye in the first round and will play the winner of the match between Gilles Simon and Stanislas Wawrinka in the second.
You can check out the full draw here: http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2010/5014/mds.pdf
The Spanish winner, with an imposing 66-8 mark for the season, was appearing in his eighth final in 15 tournaments and improved to 7-1 in 2010 finals. This is also Rafa's 43rd career title and his seventh for 2010.
Rafa improved his ATP World Tour-best match record to 66-8 (35-7 on hard court) this season. The left-hander was playing in his second tournament since victory at the US Open, where he became the seventh man in ATP World Tour history to complete the career Grand Slam. Last week he reached the semi-finals in Bangkok (l. to Garcia-Lopez).
More soon...
ATP Tokio: 43. tytuł Nadala
Nigdy nie ma dość. Rafa Nadal wygrał w tym sezonie niemal połowę turniejów (7/15), w jakich wziął udział. W międzynarodowych mistrzostwach Japonii w Tokio lider rankingu pokonał w finale Gaëla Monfilsa (6:1, 7:5 w 1h17').
Pierwszy występ Nadala w Kraju Kwitnącej Wiśni przyniósł mu zwycięstwo, choć w półfinale dwa meczbole w starciu z nim miał Viktor Troicki. W tym roku turnieje ATP World Tour po obronie piłek meczowych wygrywali już Nikołaj Dawidienko (Dauha), John Isner (Auckland) oraz Sam Querrey (Belgrad i Los Angeles). Nadal po obronie czterech meczboli wygrał w ubiegłym roku w Indian Wells.
Tylko w półfinale Rafa, wielkoszlemowy mistrz z Paryża, Wimbledonu i Nowego Jorku, stracił seta. Nie odebrał mu go Monfils (nie miał nawet break pointa), który w siedmiu poprzednich starciach zwyciężył z Hiszpanem tylko raz, a w tych meczach przegranych wywalczył ledwie jedną partię (w tie breaku). Prezentujący w tym tygodniu nową fryzurę Monfils też po drodze do finału bronił meczbola (przeciw Andy'emu Roddickowi); to był jego jedenasty finał w Tourze (dwa tytuły), drugi w sezonie.
66 zwycięstw to teraz wyśrubowany przez Nadala rekord sezonu. Ponad połowę owych meczów 24-latek z Majorki wygrał na kortach twardych i okazuje się, że po latach zawodów będzie w końcu realnym kandydatem do triumfu także w Masters (21-28 listopada w Londynie). Najpierw jednak imprezy rangi Masters 1000: w Szanghaju (w II rundzie spotka się z lepszym z duetu Simon-Wawrinka) i Paryżu-Bercy.
Jeszcze jeden tytuł w tym sezonie i Hiszpania wyrówna rekord (20) Stanów Zjednoczonych z 1996 roku. Siedmiu rodaków Nadala wygrywało w tym roku turnieje premierowego cyklu.
Nadal. I wszystko jasne...
Nie było niespodzianki w finale turnieju ATP w Tokio. Rafael Nadal po raz siódmy w sezonie odniósł końcowy triumf. Tym razem ofiarą Hiszpana padł Gael Monfils, który przegrał w dwóch setach 1:6, 5:7.
Siedem triumfów, bilans spotkań 66-8 - oto jeden z najlepszych, o ile nie najlepszy sezon w karierze Rafaela Nadala. W niedzielę Hiszpan ponownie mógł cieszyć się z wygranej w turnieju ATP, tym razem w Tokio. Jego przeciwnik, Gael Monfils, nie miał prawie nic do powiedzenia.
W pierwszym secie Nadal wręcz rozstrzelał rozstawionego z "5" Monfilsa piekielnie mocnymi uderzeniami z końcowej linii, kończąc partię forhendem. Jednak w drugim secie Francuz, który przeżył chwilę grozy, gdy padł na kort łapiąc się za kostkę, zdołał nawiązać walkę. Najbardziej zażarty był 10 gem - właśnie wtedy Monfils pięknie odpowiadał na akcje Hiszpana, w tym serwisy.
Gra była wyrównana, ale wszystko zmieniło się, gdy dzięki slice'owi, Nadal wyszedł na prowadzenie 6:5. Od tego momentu Monfils był tylko statystą. Rafa zakończył mecz potężnym serwisem prosto w rywala, zdobywając swój 43. tytuł w karierze.
Za swój zwycięski debiut w Japonii Nadal dostanie 260 tysięcy dolarów. Okazało się, że na pieniądze jeszcze ciężej niż w meczu z Francuzem, musiał pracować tuż po spotkaniu, kiedy przez ponad 20 minut podpisywał się na wszystkim, poczynając od zdjęć i czapeczek, a na pluszowych misiach kończąc.
Czy istnieje możliwość zainstalowania na forum zegara odliczającego czas do zdobycia przez Rafę nieklasycznego Wielkiego Szlema?
Robertinho napisał:
Czy istnieje możliwość zainstalowania na forum zegara odliczającego czas do zdobycia przez Rafę nieklasycznego Wielkiego Szlema?
Może jakiś nowy wątek? :P Jest opcja widgeta, ale Ona odlciza czas do początku AO, a nie do 30 stycznia 2011. ;)
DUN I LOVE napisał:
Robertinho napisał:
Czy istnieje możliwość zainstalowania na forum zegara odliczającego czas do zdobycia przez Rafę nieklasycznego Wielkiego Szlema?
Może jakiś nowy wątek? :P Jest opcja widgeta, ale Ona odlciza czas do początku AO, a nie do 30 stycznia 2011. ;)
Dawidzie od kiedy to piszemy o opcji widgeta z wielkiej litery? :D To jakaś dziwna maniera za każdym razem pisać "on", "ona", "jego", a nawet "ja"(sic!) itp z wielkiej, nie mająca uzasadnienia w naszym języku, nawet jeśli mamy na myśli osobę, co dopiero jakąś opcję. :P
A odnośny wątek niezwłocznie założę. :o
Robertinho napisał:
Dawidzie od kiedy to piszemy o opcji widgeta z wielkiej litery? :D
Chora maniera, akurat tuaj znalazła zastosowanie zupełnie przypadkowo.
Nadal Believes Grand Slam In 2011 Is "Impossible"
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal believes his chances are slim of winning all four Grand Slam championships in one calendar year.
“I hope to have the chances to win four [major] titles next year,” said Nadal at the Shanghai Rolex Masters on Monday. “[But] for me, that is impossible. I will try to keep playing well… but the Grand Slam is not the case. That's for sure impossible, I think.”
Nadal won his fifth Roland Garros title (d. Soderling) in May, lifted his second Wimbledon trophy (d. Berdych) in July and became the seventh man in tennis history to complete a career Grand Slam by clinching his first US Open crown (d. Djokovic). He became the 2010 ATP World Tour Champion on 16 September.
When asked what the Spaniard attributes his stellar season to, the 24 year old said, “I was able to be almost all the time at my hundred per cent.
“Last year and the beginning of this was difficult and hard for me. So maybe for that reason I was able to push hard in all the tournaments, play with [one] hundred per cent of motivation and try [one] hundred per cent in every moment.
“If you are winning, you want to keep winning because you never know when this going to stop. So you have to do your best. When you are healthy, you have to enjoy the moments when you can because, for sure, the difficult moments are going to come back.”
Last week he picked up his 43rd tour-level title and seventh trophy of the year at the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo. But if his ATP World Tour rivals think he’ll let up towards the end of the year, they’d be wrong.
“Three tournaments remain for me,” he said. “Last effort, [a] last try to be as good as I can in the last three tournaments of the year.”
Nadal will end his year by competing at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at The O2 in London from 21-29 November. Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic have also qualified for the season finale.
Nadal wysiadł psychicznie i fizycznie
- Nie można zawsze wygrywać - stwierdził Rafael Nadal po sensacyjnej porażce z Juergenem Melzerem 1:6, 6:3, 6:3 w trzeciej rundzie Shanghai Masters. Numer jeden na świecie nie wytrzymał trudów ostatnich wyczerpujących tygodni, ale i całego sezonu.
Nadal trzy poprzednie mecze z Melzerem rozstrzygał na swoją korzyść. Tym razem nie był jednak w stanie. Dopiero w niedzielę z sukcesem zakończył Tokio Open, a turniej w Szanghaju był jego trzecim z rzędu.
- Ta porażka to żadne zaskoczenie. Nie grałem dobrze. Byłem wolny na korcie i robiłem więcej błędów niż zazwyczaj - opowiadał Nadal. - Jestem trochę bardziej zmęczony, zarówno psychicznie, jak i fizycznie - dodał.
Dostrzegł to też Austriak, który gdy tylko zwietrzył szansę, poszedł za ciosem i dobił rywala. - Po kilku gemach zauważyłem, że Nadal nie czuje się komfortowo - relacjonował Muelzer.
Rafael Nadal chyba ma dość sezonu. - Wszystko, co miałem zrobić w tym sezonie, już zrobiłem - stwierdził Hiszpan, który w tym roku wygrał French Open, Wimbledon i US Open i pozbawił Rogera Federera pierwszego miejsca na świecie.
W przeciwieństwie do zdarzeń z 2009 roku w tym sezonie kontuzje omijały Nadala szerokim łukiem. W końcu dały jednak znać o sobie problemy kondycyjne. Obecnie najlepszy tenisista na świecie cierpi przez napięty kalendarz. Okazuje się, że to zmora nie tylko kobiecego tenisa.
Nadal stops off in India to dedicate personal charity project
Rafael Nadal made a slight detour home from his autumn ATP Asian swing to dedicate a charity project in India funded by his foundation.
The world No. 1 had a hit with children over the weekend in Anantpur, where his charity will be opening a school in collaboration with a local organization.
"I'm really happy to be visiting and seeing the children who will study here," said Nadal, who played in Bangkok, Tokyo and lost in the third round of last week's Shanghai Masters to Austrian Jurgen Melzer.
"I hope this project will help them to get an education and have all they need. I hope to see those who will study here and have a new life when I return in a few years."
Nadal, with millions in the bank from his sport, has followed in the footsteps of other top names in the game, headed by Roger Federer, whose personal foundation does work with children in South Africa.
The aim of Nadal's school project is to offer education to lower-caste children in the area. It's partner is a charity working for four decades in the region with the underprivileged. Students will be able to study not only academic subjects but also follow their other interests including sport and the performing arts.
Nadal will take a break before resuming his tennis next month at the Paris Bercy Masters.
King Rafa inaugurates Nadal Tennis School in India
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal arrived in India late on Saturday night and inaugurated the Nadal Tennis School at the Anantapur Sports Village in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday. The tennis star quietly slipped in to the country unnoticed. The Spaniard was supposed to be in India for three days but had to cut short his trip after missing a flight and spent only a day at his newly-inaugurated academy set up in collaboration with Fundacion Vincente Ferrer (FVF), the Spanish arm of the Rural Development Trust (RDT), an Anantapur-based NGO.
He arrived in Bangalore late on Saturday night and drove down to Anantapur. The center court was inaugurated at 9.30am following which he interacted with a few children from the school and played tennis with them.
District collector of Anantapur Dr B Janardhan Reddy told DNA, “I had a chance meeting with him as I was close to the stadium and I even got to hit a few balls with him.”
The academy currently has three clay courts while plans are on to expand the place. He was accompanied by his mother Ana Maria Parera. Rafa will return home and get some much needed rest before the season-ending London Masters starting November 21.
Nadal nie jest najlepszym sportowcem świata i dobrze o tym wie
- Rafa nie jest dla mnie sportowcem numer jeden na świecie, ale jest na dobrej drodze do tego, by nim być - powiedział Manolo Santana o swoim wielkim następcy na tronie hiszpańskiego tenisa.Santana, czterokrotny mistrz wielkoszlemowy w latach 60-tych, jeszcze przed Erą Otwartą, w czwartek prezentował w pałacu Cibeles dziesiątą edycję Madrid Open, turnieju rangi Masters 1000 w bajecznym kompleksie Caja Mágica.
Według 72-letniego Santany Nadala nie należy uważać za najlepszego sportowca na Ziemi, bo jest wielu innych, którzy radzą sobie bardzo dobrze. Dwukrotny mistrz Roland Garros dodał, że: - Pierwszym, który zdaje sobie z tego sprawę jest sam Rafa
Nadal Voted Among World's Most Influential Men
Rafael Nadal has been voted the second most influential athlete in the world by readers of AskMen.com, which attracts more than 16 million monthly readers.
Nadal was voted 15th in AskMen's Top 49 Most Influential Men of 2010. The only other athlete to poll higher was New Orleans' SuperBowl-winning quarterback Drew Brees (6th). Nadal finished higher than NBA star LeBron James (17th), actors George Clooney (18th) and Leonardo DiCaprio (43rd) and even US President Barack Obama (21st).
The magazine says of Nadal: "Once considered “The King of Clay,” Nadal’s game has evolved into an all-encompassing barrage of lethal weapons: he’s capable of defeating anyone, anywhere, anytime. The man plays with reckless abandon, and we love him for it." (Read full Nadal tribute)
AskMen this week announced the results of their annual reader survey with Jon Stewart from The Daily Show claiming the No. 1 position after over half a million votes were cast. The 2010 list of influencers honors men who have broken convention across the worlds of business, politics, technology, media, entertainment and lifestyle. The magazine says: "These are not men who have chosen the traditional path to success, but who have nonetheless redefined the way we live today – and have clearly impacted the fans who voted for them."
“It seems that this year in particular, our readers have chosen unlikely influencers; guys who don’t always play by the rules, and in many cases, created their own norms in opposition to the current times,” comments James Bassil, Editor-in-Chief of AskMen. “Jon Stewart earned his title by speaking frankly, and in the process, successfully engaging millions of ordinary citizens in politics. This year’s top 5 - Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, and Kanye West are more than that – all found success in their fields by taking unconventional paths… by breaking the rules of their industries.”
The complete roster of this year’s Top 49 Most Influential Men, including profiles of each honoree, can be found at www.AskMen.com. In order, the top 15 are:
1. Jon Stewart
2. Bill Gates
3. Mark Zuckerberg
4. Steve Jobs
5. Kanye West
6. Drew Brees
7. James Franco
8. Elon Musk
9. Jose Mourinho
10. Graydon Carter
11. Stephen Colbert
12. Conan O'Brien
13. Jay-Z
14. Richard Branson
15. Rafael Nadal
Nadal Withdraws From Paris
Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from next week’s BNP Paribas Masters for medical reasons. The Spaniard will discuss his withdrawal when he appears on site in Bercy for a media conference on Sunday or Monday.
Nadal, who was a finalist at the BNP Paribas Masters in 2007 and a semi-finalist last year, has played 18 consecutive ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments and in 33 of the past 35 Masters 1000s. The Spaniard last played three weeks ago, when he fell to Jurgen Melzer in the third round of the Shanghai Rolex Masters.
Nadal, who has already clinched the year-end No. 1 South African Airways 2010 ATP World Tour Ranking after a banner year in which he won three Grand Slam titles, is next scheduled to play at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at London’s O2, from 21-28 November.
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Chyba coś musi być na rzeczy. Po USO jedzie do Azji grać 3 tygodnie pod rząd, a teraz po 3 tygodniach przerwy nie da rady grać w tenisa (nawet zatankować)?
Inna sprawa, że start w Finałach ATP bez żadnego turnieju przecierającego wcale nie musi oznaczać komfortu gry, przynajmniej w pierwszych meczach.
Rok temu też przesadził z grą (wiosna na clayu) i wiemy czym się to skończyło.Rafa ma pecha do WTF.
w 2005 roku musiał się wycofać.
w 2008 roku kontuzja wyeliminowała go z gry.
w 2009 roku po kontuzji nie wygrał meczu ze ścisłą czołówką.
w 2010 roku - kontuzja przed Paryżem (o ile prawdziwa) nie sygnalizuje niczego dobrego.
Jedynie w latach 2006-07 był w normalnej dyspozycji w WTF.
Nadal out of Paris Masters
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the last Masters 1000 of the year.
Rafael Nadal, the current title holder of the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open, has withdrawn from the Paris-Bercy Masters event scheduled for next week.
Nadal's camp has not as of yet stated a reason for the withdrawal.
Nadal contract for tourism could be on the line
Off-court drama looks to be bubbling for Rafael Nadal's camp.
The No. 1 player's reported 6-million-euro, three-year contract with the cash-strapped tourist board of his native island of Mallorca looks extremely shaky.
Spanish media report that the government funded tourism body is nearly 50 million euros in debt and would love nothing better than to reduce it's payments to the Spanish tennis idol. Criticism has also been leveled at the board for not using Nadal's image enough in tourism campaigns, including a spot shot on a yacht in the Med for 20,000 euros which has yet to be shown on television.
The smiling face of the four-time French Open champion is also missing from displays at the World Travel Market fair in London. The Nadal camp has been quoted as saying that tourism authorities want to terminate the contract but gave no hint as to what strategy the player's management might take in the sticky matter.
Nadal is due back in ATP action next week in Paris after sitting out the last three weeks cine Shanghai.
Ironically, Nadal is among nominess for the "Face of Travel" award in London, along with Arnold Schwarzenegger, David Beckham, Usain Bolt and Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickenson and others.
Nadal confident he will be ready for ATP Finals
PARIS (AP) -Top-ranked Rafael Nadal said Monday the shoulder injury that forced him out of the Paris Masters won't prevent him from playing at the ATP World Tour finals later this month.
Nadal told a news conference he has a small case of tendinitis in his left shoulder and that he withdrew from the final Masters tournament of the season to avoid risking a serious injury before the London event and next year's Australian Open.
Nadal said he will need one week of full training to be ready for the ATP Finals, which run from Nov. 21-28.
``I'm fine. I went to the doctor and he told me the injury could worsen if I was playing,'' Nadal said. ``This is the end of the season and all those matches took a toll on my shoulder.''
After winning the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open this season, Nadal is guaranteed to finish the year at No. 1. He has played in 33 of the past 35 Masters 1000 tournaments.
``It's disappointing not to be able to play here,'' said Nadal, who reached the finals in Paris three years ago. ``It's the last Masters 1000 of the year and for sure one of my favorites in the world. It was not an easy decision but I played all others Masters 1000 and all Grand Slams this season.''
The Spaniard added he is determined to ``play well in London on the most difficult surface for me, where it will be difficult for me to win.''
Nadal was eliminated in the round robin phase at last year's ATP Finals after losing his three matches without winning a single set.
``I will have a special motivation, and I'm going to give everything I can to play well here,'' Nadal said. ``I want to improve the image of last year. I'll try to win.''
Nadal, who has not played since a third-round defeat to Jurgen Melzer at the Shanghai Masters on Oct. 14, recently said he was feeling some fatigue from his successful season. But the 24-year-oold doesn't think changing his schedule would improve things.
``Playing less is almost impossible if you want to stay on top,'' Nadal said. ``After that, I think you can change a few things, but not many. It worked well for me in 2010 and I will more or less try to stick to the same program next year.''
Nadal: I will be fit for London
World number one Rafael Nadal expects to be fit for the ATP World Tour finals in London later this month despite withdrawing from this week's Paris Masters with a shoulder injury.
Nadal, who will end the year ranked number one in the world after winning the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open, is suffering from tendinitis in his left shoulder but said he will return to training this week.
"I am not worried at all about London," the Spaniard said.
"It was not an easy decision (to pull out of the Paris Masters) because Paris is a special city for me, but I have played all the season's Masters and grand slams."
"I will be back to practice soon... Before next Sunday."
Despite already having the year-end number one spot in the bag, Nadal will be determined to end the year in style in London's Docklands after a miserable performance when the tournament was staged there for the first time last year.
"I'm gonna do all in my hands to play well there," said Nadal, who lost all six sets he contested in the spectacular O2 Arena last year. "It's my goal to improve the image of last year in London."
However, Nadal hinted that his priority was to make sure he begins next year 100 per cent fit, unlike last year when he withdrew from the Australian Open mid-match against Andy Murray.
"If I have an injury now, it will be difficult to play at the beginning of the season next year," he said.
The ATP World Tour finals start on November 21.
Reuters
http://eurosport.yahoo.com/08112010/58/ … ondon.html
Uff, to dobrze, już myślałem, że go zabraknie. :huh: :p
NADAL EAGER TO IMPRESS IN LONDON
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal is keen to put the finishing touches on what has been an outstanding 2010 season by coming out on top at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in two weeks time.
The Spaniard has been forced to withdraw from the BNP Paribas Masters this week due to tendinitis in his left shoulder, but during a visit to the Palais Omnisports in Paris on Monday, assured media and fans that his injury would not be a concern at the season finale in London.
Nadal, who was advised by his doctor to rest and undergo intensive treatment for six to seven days before resuming practice, said: “For sure, for me [it is] disappointing not to be here. [It] is the last Masters 1000 of the year, and for sure one of my favourites of the world. So was not easy decision.
“This (the injury) is not a big problem, but I have to be careful, because if I had an injury now [it could] be difficult to play London and to play well in the beginning of the season next year. I'm not worried about London.”
The 24-year-old Nadal has enjoyed one of the best seasons in the Open Era, winning three major titles at Roland Garros (d. Soderling), Wimbledon (d. Berdych) and the US Open (d. Djokovic), where he became the youngest player to complete the career Grand Slam. He has also won three ATP World Tour Masters 1000 trophies and will finish as the year-end No. 1 in the South African Airways 2010 ATP Rankings.
The left-hander was the first player to qualify for the elite eight-man field at the year-end championships, following his triumph at Roland Garros, and is keen to lay to rest the demons of last year’s trip to London, when he arrived not at his physical peak following a succession of injuries and lost all three of his round-robin matches.
“I going to be with special motivation, with special allusion, and I'm going do all in my hands to play well there," said Nadal. "It is a goal for me to try to improve the image of last year in London. I think I am focused to try to do this.
“We will see what happens; I am focused on trying to play well there. [It] is probably the most difficult surface against the most difficult opponents for me, so probably is the more difficult tournament for me to win during the year. But I am here to try."
The Mallorcan will be joined at The O2 in London by Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Robin Soderling, with six players in contention to clinch the remaining three spots in Paris this week.
THE RETURN OF RAFA
DEUCE
Opponents beware. Rafael Nadal returns to The O2 restored to the World No. 1 spot and playing the tennis of his life.
Forget about 2009. Banish any thoughts of the Rafael Nadal you saw last year at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. This year, the imperious Mallorcan will arrive at The O2 looking to take care of some unfinished business. And he will do so as a player so dominant this season that he has been crowned on the clay of Roland Garros, the grass of Wimbledon and the hard courts of the US Open.
That’s a tribute to his chameleonic capabilities, to his will to adapt his game to different surfaces. That’s also a warning to the other players in the field. London’s calling and Nadal is here. This time, for real.
“This tournament,” the World No. 1 said before departing in 2009, “gives me the opportunity to see what I have to do to play better and to start the next year better. I see the way, what I have to do if I want to be more competitive on this kind of surface. I have to play more aggressive. After the serve, when I touch the first forehand, I have to attack more than what I did in these last months... I have to recover my forehand winner and my intensity and my rhythm on the forehand. For the rest, when I’m playing well with the forehand, the backhand is going to improve a lot.”
And with that, Nadal returned to his hometown of Manacor in Mallorca. Under the guidance of Toni, his uncle and coach; the counselling of Joan Forcades, his physical trainer; and the cares of Rafael Maymo, his physiotherapist, Nadal set about rediscovering himself and his game.
Things didn’t get off to a great start, at the Australian Open 2010, when he retired in the quarter-finals against Andy Murray and extended an 11-month streak with no titles. One could have been forgiven for wondering whether Nadal might recapture his best form again. Nadal didn’t. He got ready for the clay...and none could see what was coming. Not the tears. Not the titles. Not the superb success he earned blowing rivals off the court with his forehand, running down every ball and, in the end, surprisingly, changing the grip of his racquet to improve his only major weakness: service.
This was it: for the first time in the history of the game, a player won every major title available on clay (Monte-Carlo, Rome, Madrid and Roland Garros). Nadal then went to his cherished Wimbledon, the tournament he dreamt about as a little kid, and conquered it for a second time.
It didn’t end there, though. The day after winning at the All England Club, with the tuxedo he’d worn to the Champions Ball yet to be folded, he was already visiting his doctor to treat the painful tendonitis in his knees.
But there was no stopping Nadal by then. Not only did he continue playing – he won the US Open, becoming the seventh man in the history of the game to claim all four major titles and making himself the first to win Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open consecutively and on three different surfaces. It was an astonishing sequence.
This was the Nadal we were used to. But what’s behind the armour? What about the person that propels the champion?Nadal, the player who has won nine Grand Slam titles and an Olympic Gold, is afraid of darkness and tends to leave at least one light on when he is alone at home. Nadal, the cook that specialises in pasta; has opened a school for underprivileged children in India, where he flew this autumn; and has seen Miguel Angel, one of his uncles and a former Spanish international footballer, become a part of Mallorca’s training staff. Nadal, who always rents a house within walking distance of Wimbledon, loves Japanese food, playing with his PlayStation and listening to Spanish music. Family is what matters most to the World No. 1. Running in a close second is tennis.
Get ready. London’s calling, and this time the real Nadal is coming.
The View From Spain
- Juan José Mateo Ruiz-Gálvez, Sports feature writer, El Pais
Spain’s sport is living a Golden Era. Think about it: the national team won the World Cup this summer. Pau Gasol claimed his second NBA Champion ring with the LA Lakers. Fernando Alonso drives a Ferrari in the Formula 1 championship. And yet, Rafael Nadal, the World No. 1 tennis player, transcends all that.
Is he the best sportsman Spain has ever produced? That’s the discussion in the streets and the media. Is he an influential figure? Yes. Is he a role model for many? Yes. Is he a popular star, one that lives with the burden of being hunted by the paparazzi? Yes.
There is one thing that summarises everything. In 2008, Nadal was distinguished with the prestigious Principe de Asturias award. The reason? “His behaviour both in victory and defeat.” In other words: he was recognised as a valid role model for society, and an approachable one. Rafael Nadal is simply Rafa.
BARCLAYS ATP WORLD TOUR FINALS
Rafa Relishes Finals Task
London, England
Rafael Nadal will hope to record his first win at
The O2 when he faces Andy Roddick in his opening match.
Rafael Nadal will hope to record his first win at The O2 when he faces Andy Roddick in his opening match.
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal declared Friday that if he is to win the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals it will take a greater effort than conquering a Grand Slam.
The Spaniard, who has a 43-26 indoor record and just one ATP World Tour indoor title to his name, was speaking at the London Marriott Hotel County Hall when he admitted: “For me personally it is more difficult to win four matches against the Top 8 players indoors than to win seven matches in a Grand Slam on another surface.”
The 24-year-old Nadal is returning to the season finale a year after going winless in his three round-robin matches at The O2, but while he admits he cannot rule out a repeat result, he is optimistic that with his current form and fitness he can have a big impact in the elite eight-man field.
“When you are not playing well, when you feel not competitive, it’s not a nice feeling. But it’s part of sport. It could happen again, hopefully not. But I’m playing against the best players of the world in difficult conditions for me. So if you arrive here not playing your best tennis it can happen again and it happened last year. I’ve tried my best to change the situation this year. But if I am not playing my best tennis it is almost impossible for me to win matches on this surface.”
Nadal, who deemed his shoulder to be in “perfect” fettle after five weeks away from the courts, added that he could never have dreamed he would enjoy such a magnitude of success in 2010 following his injury troubles last year. Hard work and a determination to return to the top, he states, were the key.
“This time last year it was difficult to imagine something like this,” said the left-hander. “Sometimes sport can change just like that, though; well, with a lot of work before. I wasn’t playing well here last year, but I practised a lot and every day I woke up with the allusion to improve the situation and that’s what I did and finally the situation changed. To win three Grand Slams was something impossible to imagine for me, but it happened and I will just keep working hard to keep having chances to win tournaments.
“Everything was really emotional for me. Two key points were Monte-Carlo and Roland Garros, after that everything was a little bit less difficult. Because I won those two tournaments, the rest was possible.”
Nadal seeks improvement at ATP finals
LONDON (AP) -- Rafael Nadal describes the ATP World Tour Finals as one of the hardest tournaments for him to win.
But he shouldn't have much of a problem improving on last year's result. Nadal left London a year ago without so much as winning a set in three straight losses in the group stage of the season-ending event.
The 24-year-old Spaniard returns to London after a dominant year in which he won three Grand Slam titles and regained the No. 1 spot.
"When you are not playing well and you don't feel competitive, it's not a nice feeling, but that's part of sport,'' Nadal said Friday. "It can happen again. Hopefully not, but you're playing the best players in the world in the most difficult conditions of the year for me.
"I'll try my best to change the situation this year.''
Nadal sat out the Paris Masters last week with shoulder tendinitis, but says his body is "perfect'' ahead of his first match against Andy Roddick on Monday.
The eight-player tournament begins Sunday.
While Roger Federer chases a record-equaling fifth title at the end-of-season event, Nadal is still seeking his first on an indoor surface he describes as "not my specialty.''
"If I'm not playing my best tennis, it's almost impossible for me to win matches on this surface,'' Nadal said. "If it's clay, that changes the situation a little bit: I have more time, more chances. Here it's very difficult.
"The surface here is not very slow, not very fast, it's average, but for me the problem is the bounce. Sometimes the feeling is like the ball is dead. It's easier for me to play well when the ball has a bigger bounce, but that's the conditions.''
For that reason, Nadal, who also faces Novak Djokovic and Tomas Berdych in Group A, says his hardest opponent will be Roddick. That's because the American is his first opponent, and Nadal won't look beyond that match.
While the conditions may not be ideal, at least confidence shouldn't be a problem this time around. Since April, Nadal has won seven titles, including the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.
Victory in New York made him the seventh man to win all four Grand Slam titles in his career. By September, he had already tied up the year-end No. 1 ranking. Nadal's lead at the top is such that Federer conceded it will be "very difficult'' for him to reclaim the top spot next year.
"Last year, it was difficult to imagine doing something like that,'' Nadal said. "But sometimes the sport changes like this.
"I wasn't playing well last year but I practiced a lot and every day when I wake up, I wake up with the (hope) of changing the situation. That's what I did and finally it changed.''
Nadal said the turning point was winning in Monte Carlo, ending almost a year without a title, and then recapturing the French Open title.
"After that, everything was a little less difficult, I played with more calm, more confidence,'' he said. "Because I won those tournaments, the rest was possible.''
Winning the title London's O2 Arena would put the seal on a stellar season. After that, Nadal will have just a short break before he aims at another piece of history. A victory at the Australian Open would mean holding all four Grand Slam titles.
ATP World Tour No. 1 (based on South African Airways 2010 ATP Rankings)
Nadal Rafael Nadal : The Spaniard won seven titles, including three Grand Slam crowns in a row (Roland Garros, Wimbledon, US Open). At 24 years, 3 months, he became the youngest man in the Open Era and seventh man overall to complete a career Grand Slam with his first title in Flushing Meadows. He also became the first player to win three ATP World Tour Masters 1000 clay court titles (Monte-Carlo, Rome, Madrid) in the same season. He is the all-time leader with 18 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles. He compiled a 67-9 match record, his fourth straight season with at least 65 match wins.
Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award (voted by ATP players)
Rafael Nadal : Fellow players voted the Mallorca resident as the winner of the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award for the first time, breaking Roger Federer’s mark of six in a row.
ATP World Tour Finals: Rafael Nadal can raise the roof and end great debate
For someone who supposedly hated tennis, and hated it "with a dark and secret passion", Andre Agassi has a remarkable collection of trophies.
Perhaps The Man Who Hated Tennis loathed the sport the most when he won each of the four grand slams and a gold medal at the Olympics, or perhaps it was when he ripped through the field at the season-ending championships, or when he and his American buddies scored the Davis Cup.
For now, he is the only player to have won everything of note in the men's game. Over the next eight days in Greenwich, Rafael Nadal will be trying to emulate Agassi, as an end-of-year title would give him the full set.
In so many ways, Nadal is everything that Agassi wasn't: the Majorcan loves his tennis, he doesn't tend to look at ease in the arc-lights (though he did open up during a television interview in a South Bank hotel the other day to say he was scared of the dark, just a few minutes after Roger Federer had admitted to a fear of roller-coasters), and he has his own hair.
And Nadal was unimpressed with Agassi's disclosure in his autobiography that he took crystal meth, a highly addictive stimulant, and then lied in a letter to the men's tour to avoid a ban after failing a dope test.
For all that, if Nadal were to achieve what only Agassi has achieved before, by winning the ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 Arena, that would only provoke further debate that he is possibly the greatest player of all time. Nadal, whose last appearance on court in London ended with a celebratory forward-roll on the Wimbledon grass, has the opportunity to give himself a more 'complete' career than Federer.
It was after the world No 1 joined the career grand slam club, winning this year's US Open to become the seventh man in history and the youngest of the modern era to win all four majors, that many started to seriously consider whether he, not Federer, was the finest of all time.
Though Federer has done the career slam, and has won season-ending tournaments, his Olympic gold at the Beijing Games was from the doubles competition as Nadal was the singles champion, and he has never come close to lifting the Davis Cup with Switzerland. John McEnroe used to be unequivocal about Federer, yet last week he referred to the Swiss as only "one of the greatest players".
This has been a superb season for the trophy-chewing Nadal, as he munched on three grand slam cups, with victories at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and Flushing Meadows, so if he were to win in south-east London that would have the Roger-or-Rafa swingometer moving his way. "There's an argument that Nadal could eventually be considered the greatest player," said McEnroe.
Would Rafa have more chance of success if they sliced the top off the O2 Arena? Inside, the received wisdom on Nadal is that he struggles with a roof over his head, and there is no getting away from the fact that, of his 43 career singles titles, 42 have come at outdoor tournaments. You have to spool back five years, to the hard-court championships in Madrid in 2005, for the last and only time that Nadal won an indoor tournament.
By way of comparison, Andy Murray has won half of his 16 singles titles inside, which has everything to do with the different climates by the Mediterranean and in Scotland. It sounds as though the court this week is low-bouncing, which is not good news for Nadal, as he can have difficulties when "there is no life in the ball".
For Nadal, winning this tournament could be trickier than winning Wimbledon. Still, many were saying before this year's US Open that his game would adapt poorly to the cement of New York City, and look what happened there.
If Nadal can win on the fast concrete in America, he can win on a medium-paced court in Greenwich, low bounces or not.
"Maybe Rafa hasn't played his best indoors in the past, but he's capable of playing well anywhere," said Murray, who opens the tournament against Sweden's Robin Soderling this afternoon.
What matters most of all is how Nadal is physically. Last season, with his cranky knees, he failed to win a set in all three of his round-robin matches against Soderling, Nikolay Davydenko and Novak Djokovic.
There is a degree of concern this season about what state his game will be in, since he missed the last regular tournament of the calendar, the Paris Masters, after over-training and giving himself tendinitis in his shoulder.
His match against Andy Roddick will be his first for more than a month. Still, it would seem that he only missed the tournament as a precaution, as he reported here that his shoulder was "perfect".
No one is fretting about how Nadal's body will hold up, and on the cover of the December issue of GQ magazine, just above an image of the actor Robert Downey Junior, there is an invitation to turn inside for 'fitness training tips from Nadal'. That is not a feature you would have found yourself reading this time a year ago.
ATP World Tour Finals
The season-ending tournament is restricted to the best eight players in the world. The players are split into two groups with the top two from each group qualifying for the semi-finals on Saturday, with the final next Sunday.
Group A
* Rafael Nadal
* Novak Djokovic
* Tomas Berdych
* Andy Roddick
Group B
* Roger Federer
* Robin Soderling
* Andy Murray
* David Ferrer
Sunday: Murray v Soderling; Federer v Ferrer
Monday: Djokovic v Berdych; Nadal v Roddick
Moya: Nadal can be best of all-time
Carlos Moya knew Rafael Nadal was good when he first set eyes on his fellow Mallorcan as an 11-year-old but he never imagined the precocious young talent would become a serial winner of Grand Slam trophies.
Moya was speaking after bidding an emotional farewell to tennis on Sunday at on-court ceremony at the ATP World Tour Finals.
Nadal, who had hosted the presentation, received high praise from his compatriot, who said the world number one was now on the way to even surpassing the milestones achieved by 16-times Grand Slam winner Roger Federer.
"He's been an amazing player. He is an amazing player," the 34-year-old Moya, who was embraced on the O2 Arena's Centre Court by past and present players including Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, said.
"You know, knowing him for so long makes it special for me because the first time I met him, he was just 11, 12 years old.
"So he was a good prospect of being a good player but you never know what can happen. I realised he had something special, but could never think that he could be that good, to be honest.
"He's one of the greatest ever. But he's on his way to becoming, who knows, maybe the greatest."
Moya, the former French Open champion and the first Spaniard to top the ATP rankings in 1999, announced his retirement this week because of a long-term foot injury.
Nadal describes Moya as his mentor and the 24-year-old, who plays Roddick on Monday, was clearly emotional as he spoke of Moya's contribution to the sport.
"It's a sad day for me because I'm saying goodbye to a friend and tennis is saying goodbye to a great ambassador," the winner of nine Grand Slams said in front of thousands of fans who had just watched Murray's victory over Robin Soderling.
"He was the first Spaniard to be number one and he helped me a lot when I was a young player. I've missed him a lot this last year when he's not been on the circuit."
Moya said watching Nadal emerge had helped his own career in which he won 20 titles, including Roland Garros in 1998.
"Maybe I said a thousand times, but the same way I helped him, I think he helped me," Moya said. "When he was 13 or 14 we were practising together. I was near the top 10 and sometimes he was beating me during the practice.
"That made me think, that made me improve and evolve. You see a kid like this kicking your ass so you try to avoid that.
"So he made me improve and made me more positive.
"I cannot say that Rafa owes me anything at all. He deserves all what he's winning. Of course, aside from how good he is, he's a great person."
Finały ATP World Tour: Powrót po dłuższej przerwie nie jest już dla Nadala tabu
Rafael Nadal nie wszedł dobrze w mecz z Andym Roddickiem w pierwszej kolejce spotkań w grupie A Finałów ATP World Tour w Londynie. W odnalezieniu się na korcie pomogło mu doświadczenie z innych powrotów do dłuższej przerwie.
Przyznał, że nie zmienił nic w swojej grze, gdy po przegranym secie, w drugim stracił podanie: - Miałem trochę szczęścia. Taka prawda - mówił po zwycięstwie 3:6, 7:6, 6:4. - Ale trzeba też powiedzieć, że zacząłem mecz
nieco zdenerwowany. Po pięciu tygodniach bez gry. Walczyć przeciw najlepszym zawodnikom na świecie na najtrudniejszej dla mnie nawierzchni: pierwszy mecz w takiej sytuacji zawsze będzie dla mnie ciężki.
Za niezwykle ważny Nadal uznał pierwszy gem, w którym miał szanse (15-40) przy serwisie Roddicka: - Gdybym uzyskał wtedy przełamanie, byłbym w stanie grać później z większym spokojem, nawet jeżeli nie za dobre były moje gemy serwisowe. Mecz był generalnie wyrównany. Na początku popełniłem zbyt wiele błędów - tłumaczył.
Następny rywal: Novak Đoković w środę. - Gra fantastycznie - powiedział Rafa. - Rozegrał wielki mecz po południu. Muszę się znacznie poprawić, jeśli chcę mieć szansę na zwycięstwo z nim. Pozytyw dla siebie widzę w tym, że zacząłem swoje pierwsze spotkanie źle lub tak sobie, ale zakończyłem grając już o wiele lepiej. To zawsze dobre dla psychiki.
Dla głowy tenisisty startującego w Masters dobre jest także to, że nawet mimo porażki wciąż może pozostać w grze: - To trochę relaksuje - przyznał Nadal, który po raz pierwszy wygrał mecz w Finałach ATP World Tour, po trzech grupowych porażkach w ubiegłym roku. - W ostatniej części sezonu normalnie nigdy nie gram swojego najlepszego tenisa, to cały czas siedzi w głowie. Teraz muszę zagrać z odrobiną więcej energii, z odrobiną więcej pozytywnego nastawienia.
Nadal chce zbagatelizować sprawę kontuzji, która była oficjalnym powodem jego wycofania się z turnieju Masters 1000 w Paryżu-Bercy: - To nie była bardzo poważna kontuzja. Miałem lekkie zapalenie ścięgien w ramieniu. Musiałem zrezygnować z treningów tylko na kilka dni. Była obawa, że uraz się pogorszy gdy wystąpię w Paryżu, więc zadecydowałem, że tam nie zagram. To była ciężka decyzja. Ale jeżeli chciałem być zdrowy i móc zagrać tutaj, musiałem ją podjąć. Doświadczenie z pewnością pomaga, gdy musisz po dłuższej przerwie wrócić do tenisa.
Ceremonia wręczenia Rafie nagrody dla najlepszego zawodnika sezonu 2010. :-)
Rafa honoured by the ATP
"It is a big satisfaction to received the Sportsmanship Award, voted for by my fellow players; it’s very important for me," said Rafa as was presented with the ATP World Tour
No.1 and Stefan Edberg Sportstmanship Awards on Tuesday by the ATP Executive Chairman and President Adam Helfant on Centre Court at the Barclays ATP World Tour finals.
28.11.2010 - Rafa Nadal notuje swój pierwszy finał Turnieju Mistrzów. Tym razem przegrywa w 3 setach z Rogerem Federerem.
"I tried my best, but Roger was better than me"
Roger Federer has earned a three-set victory over Rafa Nadal to capture the championship at the ATP World Tour Finals. Federer posted a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 triumph on Sunday to claim the season-ending tournament for the fifth time in his career and Rafa, who captured three of the year's four Grand Slam events, will still hold the No. 1 ranking.
After the match, during the trophy ceremony, Rafa was crearly happy to have made it to the final. "I am very happy about [everything I achieved] all the week. [Beating] four top-eight players in the same week on a difficult surface for me. I think it's never happen in the past. So that's very good news for me."
The world No.1 won seven titles this season, including the "Clay slam" featuring wins at the Masters tournaments in Monte Carlo, Rome, Madrid and his fifth French Open. He followed that by winning Wimbledon, and topped it off at the U.S. Open.
By September, he had already qualified for the eight-player end-of-season tournament, and wrapped up the year-end No. 1 ranking.
"I hope ... " Federer began in his on-court speech on Sunday, before correcting himself. "I know I didn't spoil his vacation after this because he's had an amazing year, a year that any player dreams of."
Rafa, who became the seventh player in history to complete a career Grand Slam by winning this year's U.S. Open, described 2010 as not just his best year but also his "most emotional."
"When you spend 11 months without a victory, when you pass some difficult moments, you really know how difficult (it) is (to) win a tournament, how difficult (it) is be there, how difficult (it) is be competitive every week," Nadal said.
"So when I started to win the first time, first tournament in Monte Carlo, everything was more easier, no, because I pulled out all the pressure, all this anxiety. After that I started to play really well."
THE MATCH
Federer seemed to have all the advantages, with the match played on a surface that suits his attacking style and only 24 hours after Rafa's epic semi-final victory over Andy Murray.
The Spaniard's physical qualities are legendary but it quickly became clear he had not recovered fully as he watched Federer winners fly past him. The 29-year-old had registered 10 winners before Rafa had even managed one, and that finally translated into a meaningful lead in the eighth game when he nonchalantly whipped a backhand winner cross-court to move 5-3 in front.
Four points later Federer had the first set in his pocket, and Rafa waited for the second set where he played intelligently, conserving energy where he could, and levelled the match with just over an hour played.
Rafa seemed to up his intensity at the start of the decider but there was no doubt how badly Federer wanted the victory and, when he piled on the pressure again, Rafa had no answer. The second seed played a terrific point to break for a 3-1 lead and from there it was straightforward for Federer as he reeled off five games in a row to clinch victory.
Rafa refused to acknowledge the part his physical condition played in the defeat, instead choosing to heap praise on Federer.
"He played unbelievable. He was unplayable I think. I just [want to] congratulate him for his victory and another great tournament for him. He played unbelievable during all the week without losing a set, Roger is probably the more complete player of the world.”
“I’m not going to say I lost that match because I was tired", he explained in relation to his marathon victory over Andy Murray on Saturday. "I tried my best this afternoon, but Roger was simply better than me."
Vamos Rafa!
:-)
Wielki sukces Nadala mimo finałowej porażki
Rafael Nadal i Roger Federer, najwybitniejsi tenisiści w XXI w., po finale Masters spotkają się na korcie jeszcze dwukrotnie w tym roku. Tymczasem Hiszpan podsumowuje londyński tydzień, który przekonał go, że może sięgać po najważniejsze tytuły także w hali.Nadal nie zamierzał tłumaczyć finałowej porażki zmęczeniem. - Czuję, że przegrałem bo mierzyłem się z bardzo dobrym Federerem na jednej z jego ulubionych nawierzchni - powiedział. - Grał bardzo agresywnie. Miał wysoki procent pierwszego serwisu w ważnych momentach. Jest trudno grać przeciw komuś kto trzyma się blisko linii końcowej i chodzi do siatki. Nie chciał długich wymian z głębi, chciał być w korcie i być agresywny. Zrobił to nieźle, nie?
Pochwała dla szwajcarskiego przyjaciela-rywala: - Roger jest prawdopodobnie najbardziej kompletnym tenisistą na świecie. Gdy gra dobrze, trudno jest znaleźć na niego sposób. Tylko przez moment taki znalazłem - powiedział 24-letni lider rankingu. - Grał nieprawdopodobnie. Na początku był nieosiągalny. Miałem szanse dopiero w drugim secie i jakieś tam też w trzecim. Ogólnie rzecz biorąc był lepszy, ale ja ze swojej postawy także jestem zadowolony, bo jednak zdobyłem partię. Mogę mu tylko pogratulować tego, że zdobył tytuł tracąc tylko seta, grając niesamowicie przez cały tydzień.
"Federer, wraca nietykalny. Niszczy Nadala" - pisze w poniedziałek dziennik "La Gazzetta dello Sport", który w komentarzu mówi o pogłębiającej się różnicy między dwójką najlepszych dziś tenisistów a całą resztą. Nadal dotarł w tym sezonie do dwóch brakujących mu w kolekcji finałów wielkich turniejów: US Open i Masters. - Jestem zadowolony z tego fantastycznego tygodnia - stwierdził. - Pokonałem czterech zawodników z czołowej ósemki na trudnej dla mnie nawierzchni. Myślę, że nigdy wcześniej się to nie zdarzyło.
Barceloński "Mundo Deportivo" na pierwszej stronie zamieszcza informację o "wykończonym Nadalu", relację z Londynu tytułując "Terytorium Federera" i przedstawiając rzekomy plan Rafy zdobycia klasycznego Wielkiego Szlema w sezonie 2011 ("Następny przystanek, Rafa Slam").
Nawet poniedziałkowy klasyk ligi piłkarskiej Barcelona-Real nie zdjął Masters z czołówki sportowej największego hiszpańskiego dziennika, "El País". "Federer jest nieskończony" - czytamy w nagłówku. "Szwajcar zamyka rok łatwiejszym niż to przewidywał triumfem nad Nadalem".
W oficjalnych pojedynkach mierzyli się z Federerem 22 razy. Towarzysko, na cele charytatywne, zagrają 21 grudnia w Zurychu i dzień potem w Madrycie. - Cały czas utrzymujemy znakomite stosunki: nie zmieniło się to, bo czujemy do siebie wielki respekt. Ciągle jesteśmy blisko: w Radzie Zawodników, na korcie, grając mecze pokazowe. Nie myślę, by to była rywalizacja. W ważnych momentach wciąż jesteśmy razem, co sprawia, że te momenty bardziej się docenia.
Nie tylko pokazówki: grudzień będzie dla Nadala pracowitym miesiącem. - Już od jutra [poniedziałku], niemal codziennie aż do następnego poniedziałku muszę spełniać obowiązki sponsorskie, nakręcić spoty reklamowe. Tak będą wyglądały moje wakacje - śmieje się. Potem? - Treningi. W kolejny poniedziałek je wznawiam. To będą treningi pełne, aby już przygotowywać się do stycznia. Będę pracował podobnie jak w ubiegłym roku, kiedy do sezonu przystąpiłem na bardzo wysokim poziomie, choć niespokojny, gdyż byłem wtedy bez tytułu od dłuższego czasu. Jeżeli teraz wystartuje na podobnym poziomie, sytuacja będzie inna, ponieważ potrzebny spokój mam po tym prawdopodobnie najbardziej emocjonującym i najlepszym sezonie mojej kariery.
Pozostający przez jedenaście miesięcy bez turniejowego zwycięstwa Nadal przełamał się w kwietniu w Monte Carlo. - Cały czas myślałem tylko o skupieniu, by nie tracić dynamiki i poziomu, który uważałem za uprawniający mnie do myślenia o wygraniu każdego turnieju - wyjaśnił. Powraca do początku roku: - W Abu Zabi była tylko pokazówka, ale każdy chce się tam dobrze zaprezentować i był fantastyczny poziom. Potem w Dausze na otwarcie z Dawidienką zagrałem prawdopodobnie jeden z najlepszych setów w mojej karierze. Po tych dwóch turniejach powiedziałem sobie, że znów się liczę, znów gram dobrze, jestem gotowy do wygrywania i kolekcjonowania ważnych tytułów.
Rafa na tytuł poczekał jednak do sezonu na kortach ziemnych, także dlatego, że w styczniu przyplątała mu się kontuzja: - Było to dla mnie ciężkie do zaakceptowania, że musiałem opuścić Australię z urazem. Ale szczęśliwie zostałem wyłączony tylko na trzy tygodnie i gdy powróciłem w Indian Wells i Miami, znów prezentowałem bardzo wysoki poziom. To był klucz: czuć, że gra się dobrze, nawet jeżeli się nie zwycięża. To dlatego gdy w końcu triumfowałem w Monte Carlo, wszystko stało się łatwiejsze, bo zrzuciłem z siebie całą presję, obawę. Potem grałem już bardzo dobrze: Roland Garros bez straty seta, Wimbledon z wieloma trudnymi pojedynkami i w końcu US Open - wymienia, po czym się dowartościowuje: - By dotrzeć do dwóch wielkoszlemowych finałów bez straty seta, trzeba grać naprawdę bardzo dobrze, nie?
Jak jest przygotowany na presję związaną z oczekiwaniami powtórzenia wszystkiego co osiągnął? - To nie pierwszy taki sezon w mojej karierze. Nie ma dla mnie wielkiej różnicy czy wygrałem
w jednym roku trzy turnieje Wielkiego Szlema czy jeden. Gdy zaczyna się sezon, zaczyna się wszystko od nowa. Nie myślę o tym, że muszę obronić sto tysięcy punktów czy tylko tysiąc. W Australii czy już w Dausze mam zero punktów. Zaczynamy od zera. Pierwszym celem jest kwalifikacja do Londynu w przyszłym roku. Presja na mnie będzie wciąż taka sama, nieważne czy gram w Australii czy w US Open. Zamiarem zawsze jest dobra gra, próba zwycięstwa z każdym rywalem i dojście do finału.
Najgorsza doba w życiu Rafaela Nadala
Nie od dziś wiadomo, że lider światowego rankingu tenisistów jest wielkim fanem Realu Madryt. W poniedziałek musiał przegryźć gorzką pigułkę, a dzień wcześniej przegrał w finale turnieju mistrzów w Londynie z Rogerem Federerem.
Nadal miał bardzo udany sezon. Wygrał, trzy turnieje z cyklu Wielkiego Szlema: Roland Garros, Wimbledon i US Open.
Wydawało się, że w niedzielę w finale turnieju Masters w Londynie upora się z Rogerem Federerem. Dość niespodziewanie przegrał jednak w trzech setach.
Dzień później spotkała go kolejna niemiłą niespodzianka. Jego ukochany Real Madryt przegrał z Barceloną 0:5. To była trzecia taka porażka "Królewskich" na Camp Nou w dziejach.
- Trudno będzie zmazać tę porażkę na wiosnę. Z drugiej jednak strony takie mecze są co roku, więc będzie szansa na rewanż - powiedział lider światowego rankingu.
http://www.eurosport.pl/tenis/najgorsza … tory.shtml
Jak przeczytałem tytuł, to myślałem, że stało się coś złego. :P
NADAL CONTENDER FOR LAUREUS AWARD
Rafael Nadal has won seven
tour-level titles this season.
ATP World Tour No. 1 Rafael Nadal joins a host of world class sportsmen challenging for the prestigious 2011 Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award.
The 24-year-old Nadal, who won the Laureus World Newcomer of the Year Award in 2006, faces stiff competition from the likes of Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, Formula 1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel and footballers Lionel Messi, Diego Forlan and Andres Iniesta among others.
The names of the six Nominees for the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award will be announced in early January. They are voted upon by the Laureus Media Selection Panel. The winner, chosen by the Laureus World Sports Academy, will then be unveiled during a televised Awards Ceremony in Abu Dhabi on Monday, 7 February.
Nadal’s banner season has made him a strong contender to receive the award, which was won by Roger Federer between 2004-2007. The Spaniard won three seven tour-level titles, including three successive Grand Slam championships at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open. His victory at Flushing Meadows saw him become the seventh man to win the career Grand Slam. He finished the season as runner-up at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.
Nadal i jego symboliczny powrót
Miał już nigdy nie wygrać wielkoszlemowego turnieju. Problemy z kolanami miały być początkiem końca króla Rafy. Nic z tego. Wszyscy, którzy zwiastowali, że kariera Nadala zbliża się ku końcowi mocno się pomylili.
Kiedy w zeszłym roku w 1/8 finału Roland Garros doznał szokującej porażki z rąk Robina Söderlinga od razu eksperci i byli tenisiści (m.in. Andre Agassi) zaczęli bić na alarm. Upadek króla w jego królestwie. Kolana wykończą Rafę. Koniec hiszpańskiego mańkuta jest już bliski. Te i wiele innych opinii pojawiało się o Nadalu, a ich przekaz był coraz mocniejszy, gdy tenisista z Majorki opuścił Wimbledon, a do końca roku nie wygrał już żadnego turnieju. Jakby tego było mało fatalnie zaprezentował się w londyńskich Finałach ATP World Tour w trzech grupowych spotkaniach nie wygrywając nawet seta.
Początek sezon 2010 był dodatkową pożywką dla wyznawców teorii, że już za chwilę spadnie z głowy Nadala korona. Ten wydawać by się mogło niezniszczalny tenisista miał okazać się zwyczajnym śmiertelnikiem niezdolnym do wytrzymania narzuconych na siebie obciążeń, który po prostu przecenił swoje możliwości. Może ktoś inny miałby problem z przezwyciężeniem takiego kryzysu, ale nie Rafa. To było dla niego kolejne wyzwanie, które uwielbia. Kolejny bodziec do jeszcze cięższej pracy nad samym sobą. Wyciągnął wnioski z popełnionych błędów, ograniczył liczbę startów i za nim najlepszy sezon w karierze, choć pierwsze miesiące nie zwiastowały niczego dobrego. W Dausze doszedł do finału przegrywając z Nikołajem Dawidienką, ale już w Australian Open musiał poddać ćwierćfinałowy mecz z Andym Murrayem w trakcie III seta. Styczeń, luty i marzec były kolejnymi miesiącami, w których Rafa nie zdobył żadnego tytułu (nie potrafił nic wygrać od maja 2009). Ale król nie dał sobie odebrać berła i korony, od kwietnia zaczął bić rekordy, których nikt długo nie pobije. Wygrał wszystkie trzy turnieje rangi Masters 1000 na kortach ziemnych (Monte Carlo, Rzym, Madryt) oraz Roland Garros. W sumie 22 wygrane spotkania z rzędu i tylko dwa stracone sety - hiszpański matador powrócił w wielkim stylu. Po raz drugi w karierze przez Roland Garros przeszedł bez straty seta (wcześniej w 2008). Pokonując w Paryżu w 1/8 finału Thomaza Bellucciego odniósł 200. zwycięstwo na kortach ziemnych dokonując tego jako najmłodszy tenisista w historii. Jako pierwszy tenisista zdobył w Paryżu pięć tytułów w ciągu sześciu lat. Wygrywając w maju turniej w Madrycie zdobył 18. tytuł w imprezie z cyklu Masters 1000 i stał się samodzielnym rekordzistą (Andre Agassi wywalczył ich 17). Ale to już nie jest jedynie król kortów ziemnych, to już maszynka do wygrywania na wszystkich nawierzchniach.
Wygrał Wimbledon i po raz pierwszy w karierze US Open. Został w ten sposób siódmym w historii tenisistą, który skompletował personalnego wielkiego szlema. Mając 24 lata i trzy miesiąca, rozgrywając 26. wielkoszlemowy turniej w karierze przeszedł do historii jako drugi najmłodszy tenisista mający na swoim koncie dziewięć wielkoszlemowych tytułów (Björn Borg wygrywając Roland Garros 1980 miał 24 lata i dwa miesiące). Jest też pierwszym leworęcznym finalistą US Open od czasu Grega Rusedskiego (1997) oraz pierwszym triumfatorem od czasu Johna McEnroe (1984). Jest trzecim Hiszpanem, który wygrał US Open (Manuel Santana - 1965, Manuel Orantes - 1975). Dołączył też do Andre Agassiego, dotychczas jedynego zdobywcy Złotego Wielkiego Szlema (wszystkie cztery wielkoszlemowe turnieje i złoto olimpijskie). Został drugim tenisistą, który co najmniej dwukrotnie zdobył wielkoszlemowe tytuły na trzech różnych nawierzchniach (Mats Wilander). Przed nim trzy wielkoszlemowe turnieje z rzędu w jednym sezonie w erze otwartej wygrał jedynie Rod Laver, który zdobył klasycznego Wielkiego Szlema w 1969 roku.
Na zakończenie sezonu gigant z Majorki, dla którego nie ma rzeczy niemożliwych przełamał jeszcze jedną barierę. Po raz pierwszy zagrał w finale kończących sezon Finałów ATP World Tour (przegrał z Rogerem Federerem). Gra w hali ciągle pozostaje jego piętą achillesową, ale przy jego perfekcjonizmie i mierzeniu się z kolejnymi wyzwaniami można być pewnym, że i kończąca sezon impreza kiedyś padnie jego łupem.
- Najważniejsze to dalej serwować tak, jak w tym turnieju. To istotna zmiana dla mojej kariery, bo serwis przynosi wiele wolnych punktów. Mogę też grać agresywniej. Z większym spokojem przy odbiorze. Mogę poprawić wszystko: wolej, pozycję na korcie. Pod tym ostatnim względem zrobiłem postępy w porównaniu z poprzednim rokiem, ale nigdy za wiele: mogę wchodzić głębiej w kort - mówił po wygraniu US Open. On nie uważa siebie za tenisistę idealnego. Twierdzi, że ciągle tkwią w nich duże rezerwy, które pragnie z siebie wydobyć. Wielu może się to wydawać wręcz nienormalne, czego on może się jeszcze nauczyć, przecież jest chodzącym tenisowym ideałem! A jednak on siebie za takiego nie uważa. Rafa przez takie podejście chce swoim kibicom, ale także tym, którzy go nie ubóstwiają coś przekazać. Tenis jest jak życie, ciągle musimy dodawać coś nowego, ciągle musimy się czegoś uczyć i wyciągać wnioski z popełnianych błędów. Ciągle musimy się poprawiać i walczyć z przeciwnościami losu, bo przecież chcemy zmierzać w możliwie najlepszym kierunku. Tak właśnie powinno być, jeżeli chcemy pokonywać granice wydające się nie do pokonania, jeżeli nie chcemy się zatrzymać w rozwoju. Rafa na każdym kroku udowadnia nam, że nie ma rzeczy niemożliwych.
2010 w liczbach
Mecze: 81 (71-10)
Tytuły: 7
Finały: 2
Ranking: 1
Zarobki: $10,171,998
Nadal będzie reklamował bieliznę Armaniego
David Beckham, Kaká, ostatnio Cristiano Ronaldo. Do kolegów-piłkarzy będących twarzami (i nie tylko) kampanii reklamowych Armaniego dołącza Rafael Nadal, numer jeden światowego tenisa.
24-letni Nadal, mistrz trzech tegorocznych turniejów wielkoszlemowych, pojawi się od lutego na billboardach kolekcji wiosna-lato 2011, w liniach Emporio Armani Underwear (czyli bielizny, którą reklamowali poprzednio Beckhamowie i Ronaldo) oraz Armani Jeans.
Giorgio Armani, jeden z najsłynniejszych stylistów naszych czasów, pracuje regularnie ze sportowcami od 1996 roku, kiedy jego jeansy reklamował David James. Potem był cały szereg piłkarzy: Andrij Szewczenko, Luis Figo, Christian Vieri, Fabio Cannavaro, Thierry Henry, także pływak Filippo Magnini.
Informujący w piątek o porozumieniu Armani - Nadal dziennik "La Gazzetta dello Sport" cytuje słowa tenisisty, które wypowiedział w wieku 17 lat: - Jestem żałosny robiąc zakupy. Na szczęście trochę lepiej idzie mi na korcie.
Nadal będzie promował ubrania, ale praktycznie robi to już od dawna na korcie. Jest twarzą Nike, a jego bezramienniki i spodnie zakrywające kolana wyznaczyły trend w modzie tenisowej.
Nadal sets sights on Rafa Slam; rips ATP, IOC
Rafael Nadal says that winning the 2011 Australian Open is firmly on his mind and frightens him a little, as if he does so, he'll become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win four straight majors.
"I am very demanding of myself, but obviously this has been the best season of my career and I played my best," the Spaniard said on Spanish radio.
"It's bit scary to think that if I win in Australia I would close the circle of four Grand Slams in a row, but what's also scary is that I have already won three straight. I'm training and playing pretty well, but until I arrive in Australia, anything can happen. I will not deceive you, for me is a big dream to get there and try to play well and compete to reach the finals and once you're there anything can happen. It might be the only opportunity to win four straight because I am not Rod Laver, who did it twice. The truth is that it is a unique opportunity and as always I will get well prepared and try to play well every day."
Even though the ATP will reduce the calendar by two weeks in 2012, Nadal once again criticized the length of the season, saying that "schedule favors short careers" and that the people who are leading the sport are making a "big error" not to try to lengthen careers. "It's something that should change," he said. "We play with too much tension [and] play from January 3 until November 30 without stopping."
Olympic gold medalist Nadal also tore into the International Olympic Committee for not paying athletes from smaller sports who don't earn as much as pro athletes away from the games.
"Winning in Beijing was a beautiful moment for me, but you also realize the effort involved for all athletes," he said. "We are lucky that we have a spectacular circuit, and the basketball players have the same luck, but there are many athletes living on the edge and all they have is the dream of training each day to reach the Olympics. I think it's a great injustice that the International Olympic Committee gives so little reward to athletes who make all that effort. I think it should have to pay them much more...The IOC itself makes a veritable fortune and the least we could do is reward to all those athletes."—Matthew Cronin
WILL RAFA WIN HIS FOURTH STRAIGHT MAJOR?
Rafael Nadal will be looking to capture his
fourth straight Grand Slam title in January.
ATPWorldTour.com previews five storylines to watch during the 2011 season. In the fourth installment, we look at Rafael Nadal's quest to win a fourth straight Grand Slam title.
It hasn’t been done in 41 years, but Rafael Nadal has a chance to match Rod Laver’s feat of holding all four Grand Slam titles at one time when he goes for the Australian Open crown in January.
The Spaniard set the stage for the historic accomplishment with a showcase of dominance at the final three majors this season. He rolled to his fifth Roland Garros title without the loss of a set, won Wimbledon for a second time, and completed his Grand Slam set at the US Open - making him the first to win those three majors back-to-back since Laver completed his calendar year Grand Slam in 1969.
The 24-year-old Nadal said afterward: “For me, it's a dream to have the career Grand Slam, but this is more a dream to have the US Open. [It’s an] unbelievable feeling because I worked a lot all my life, in all difficult moments to be here, but I never imagined to have the four Grand Slams.”
Now Nadal has a realistic chance to hold all four titles at the same time when he enters Melbourne as the World No. 1. The only other time the Mallorcan topped the Australian Open draw, two years ago, he finished the fortnight as champion; he prevailed in a five-hour, 14-minute battle against fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco in the semi-finals before defeating Roger Federer in a five-set final.
Though he failed to defend his title this year when he retired in his quarter-final match against Andy Murray with a knee injury, part of a challenging 11-month stretch ahead of his turnaround in April, Nadal will return to the Australian Open with a much different mindset this time around.
“I’m gonna try to repeat the same like last year, that I practised all well in December and I arrived to the beginning of the season with very high level, but without calm [since I didn’t] win in a long time,” said Nadal. “My opinion now, if I arrive with the same level like last year in the beginning of the season, the situation can change, because the calm [is] going to be there after this probably more emotional and good season of my career.”
Federer had two opportunities to win a fourth consecutive major, clinching Wimbledon, the US Open and Australian Open back-to-back only to be denied by Nadal in the 2006 and ‘07 Roland Garros finals. Will he turn the tables and end his rival’s quest for history in the Australian Open final?
Nadal was the undisputed World No. 1 in 2010, but Federer proved to be the tour’s best player following the US Open, capping his season with victory over the Spaniard at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, and will head to Oz prepared to defend his title.
But should Nadal come away from Melbourne with his 10th major title, there’s no doubt that the next question will be whether he can complete a calendar year Grand Slam.
Nadal looking ahead to Australia
Rafael Nadal is slowing turning his mind back to tennis after less than a month of holidays, with his start coming for 2011 coming before New Year's in Abu Dhabi at an exhibition which also features Roger Federer.
But the Spanish No. 1 is beginning to focus on the enormity of his 2010 season and the chance that he could sweep to a fourth consecutive Grand Slam title should he win the Australian Open next month in Melbourne.
"It's bit scary to think that if I win in Australia I would close the circle of four Grand Slams in a row," Nadal told Spanish radio in an off-season interview. "But what's also scary is that I have already won three straight."
Nadal, beaten by Federer at the ATP season-ending event in London, said that while he's training in the off season, "until I arrive in Australia, anything can happen.
"For me it's a big dream to get there and try to play well and compete to reach the finals. Once you've gone that far, anything can happen. This (winning a fourth in a row) is a unique opportunity.
"I'll try to be well-prepared and try to play well every day."
Nadal gets a taste of competition this week when he plays Federer in a pair of charity exhibitions in Zurich and Madrid.
NADAL WINS BBC OVERSEAS SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR AWARD
Rafael Nadal is the eighth different
ATP World Tour star to win the BBC
Overseas Sports Personality of the
Year award since 1960.
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal won the BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year award in Birmingham, England, on Sunday night.
"For me it's an honour, thank you very much to the BBC for giving me this award," 24-year-old Nadal told BBC television in a pre-recorded video message. "It's just a dream being in the list of great champions to receive this award."
In 2010, the Spaniard won three Grand Slam championship titles at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open to become only the seventh man in tennis history to complete the set of all four majors. He also lifted three ATP World Tour Masters 1000 trophies in Monte-Carlo, Rome and Madrid.
His rival, Federer, praised Nadal, saying: "I think what Rafa has done at such a young age, so consistently, is quite phenomenal really and he's the best player by far in 2010."
Novak Djokovic, who was beaten by Nadal in the US Open final in September, added: "What's amazing about him is his mental ability to play continuously, each year better and better. He's actually improving. He's a real example of a tennis champion."
Other tennis stars to have won the BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year award include Rod Laver (1969), Arthur Ashe (1975), Bjorn Borg (1979), Jimmy Connors (1982), Boris Becker (1985), Andre Agassi (1992), Goran Ivanisevic (2001) and Federer (2004, 2006-07).
On 15 December, the Spanish tennis journalists association, the 'Asociación de Periodistas de Tenis (APT)', presented Nadal with their top award at a gala ceremony in the Heredad Segura Viudas.
Nicolas Almagro was awarded the most improved player award for two ATP World Tour titles this year and a year-end South African Airways 2010 ATP Ranking of No. 15.
This week, Nadal will join forces with Federer for two special exhibition matches in Zurich and Madrid to benefit the Roger Federer Foundation and the Rafa Nadal Foundation. (Watch the Nadal-Federer exhibitions live.)
Nadal najlepszym sportowcem Europy w 53. Ankiecie PAP
Hiszpański tenisista Rafael Nadal został zwycięzcą 53. Ankiety PAP na najlepszych sportowców Europy. Drugie miejsce w głosowaniu agencji prasowych zajął niemiecki kierowca Formuły 1 Sebastian Vettel, a trzecie chorwacka lekkoatletka Blanka Vlasic.
24-letni Nadal, zwycięzca trzech spośród czterech tegorocznych turniejów wielkoszlemowych, zgromadził 179 punktów i o 24 wyprzedził najmłodszego w historii mistrza świata Formuły 1, 23-letniego Vettela. Mistrzyni świata (Berlin 2009) i Europy (Barcelona 2010) w skoku wzwyż Vlasic otrzymała 114 pkt.
To drugie zwycięstwo Hiszpana w Ankiecie PAP. Poprzednio triumfował przed dwoma laty.
W tegorocznej ankiecie zgłoszono rekordową liczbę 68 sportowców - 48 mężczyzn i 20 kobiet - reprezentujących 29 dyscyplin. W gronie tym znalazło się dwoje reprezentantów Polski - Justyna Kowalczyk na 17. miejscu, a Adam Małysz na 47. Głosowali przedstawiciele 25 agencji prasowych.
Przed rokiem Nadal sklasyfikowany został na 26. pozycji. Triumfował wtedy po raz piąty szwajcarski tenisista Roger Federer. Poprzednio był najlepszy w latach 2004, 2005 (wspólnie z rosyjską tyczkarską Jeleną Isinbajewą), 2006 i 2007. Z czołowej dziesiątki w 2009 roku, w tej edycji ankiety ponownie znaleźli się Vlasic oraz francuski kierowca Sebastien Loeb.
Ankieta PAP jest organizowana od 1958 roku. Jej pierwszym zwycięzcą został Zdzisław Krzyszkowiak. W latach 1966 i 1974 pierwsze miejsca zajmowała Irena Szewińska. To jedyni polscy triumfatorzy plebiscytu.
Ankietę PAP pięciokrotnie wygrał Federer. Trzykrotnie zwyciężali: radziecki skoczek wzwyż Walery Brumel (1961-1963) i siedmiokrotny samochodowy mistrz świata Formuły 1 Niemiec Michael Schumacher (2001-2003). Oprócz Szewińskiej i Nadala dwukrotnie najlepsi w Europie byli: francuski alpejczyk, trzykrotny medalista z Grenoble w 1968 roku Jean-Claude Killy (1967-1968), belgijski kolarz Eddy Merckx (1969-1970), pływaczka z NRD Kornelia Ender (1973 i 1975), brytyjski lekkoatleta, a obecnie przewodniczący komitetu organizacyjnego Igrzysk XXX Olimpiady w Londynie w 2012 roku sir Sebastian Coe (1979 i 1981) i niemiecka tenisistka Steffi Graf (1988-1989).
W tegorocznej ankiecie najliczniejsze grono wśród zgłoszonych stanowili lekkoatleci - dziewięć osób. Po pięciu przedstawicieli miało narciarstwo klasyczne i tenis, po czterech piłka nożna, kolarstwo i biathlon, a po trzech pływanie, boks i sporty motocyklowe. Najwięcej sportowców pochodziło z Hiszpanii - 12.
Nadal znalazł się na 22 propozycjach agencji, sześć razy na pierwszym i pięciokrotnie na drugim oraz trzecim miejscu. Także dziennikarze 22 agencji głosowali na Vettela (cztery pierwsze i cztery drugie lokaty). Vlasic widzieli w czołówce przedstawiciele 19 agencji (raz na pierwszym i dwa na drugim miejscu).
Ankietę PAP dziesięciokrotnie wygrali tenisiści, a ich seria kolejnych zwycięstw trwa od 2004 roku, zapoczątkowana przez Federera i kontynuowana przez Nadala. W gronie laureatów znaleźli się także: Steffi Graf (Niemcy) w 1988 i 1989 roku, Stefan Edberg (Szwecja) w 1990, Martina Hingis (Szwajcaria) w 1997.
W 53. Ankiecie PAP głosowali dziennikarze agencji: AFP (Francja), Anadoluajansi(Turcja), ANP (Holandia), APA (Austria), Agerpres (Rumunia), Azertac (Azerbejdżan), Belta (Białoruś), BNS (Łotwa), BTA (Bułgaria), CTK (Czechy), DPA (Niemcy), EFE (Hiszpania), ELTA (Litwa), Fena (Bośnia i Hercegowina), HINA (Chorwacja), ITAR-TASS (Rosja), MTI (Węgry), NTB (Norwegia), SITA (Słowacja), STA (Słowenia), STT (Finlandia), Tanjug (Serbia), TT (Szwecja), Ukrinform (Ukraina) i PAP S.A.
Po raz pierwszy uczestniczyły agencje: Anadoluajansi, Azertac, Belta i Fena.
Wyniki 53. Ankiety PAP na 10 najlepszych sportowców Europy w 2010 roku:
1. Rafael Nadal (Hiszpania) tenis 179 pkt
2. Sebastian Vettel (Niemcy) Formuła 1 155
3. Blanca Vlasic (Chorwacja) lekkoatletyka 114
4. Marit Bjoergen (Norwegia) narciarstwo klasyczne 93
5. Anders Iniesta (Hiszpania) piłka nożna 85
6. Xavi Hernandez (Hiszpania) piłka nożna 81
7. Christophe Lemaitre (Francja) lekkoatletyka 62
8. Caroline Wozniacki (Dania) tenis 51
9. Simon Ammann (Szwajcaria) narciarstwo klasyczne 46
10. Sebastian Loeb (Francja) rajdy samochodowe 45
11. Lesley Snijder (Holandia) piłka nożna 35
12. Kim Clijsters (Belgia) tenis 25
13. Andreas Thordkildsen (Norwegia) lekkoatletyka 23
14. Carlo Janka (Szwajcaria) narciarstwo alpejskie 18
. Maria Riesch (Niemcy) narciarstwo alpejskie 18
16. Alberto Contador (Hiszpania) kolarstwo 17
17. Martin Kaymer (Niemcy) golf 16
. Witalij Kliczko (Ukraina) boks 16
. Magdalena Neuner (Niemcy) biathlon 16
. Justyna Kowalczyk (Polska) narciarstwo klasyczne 16
21. Roger Federer (Szwajcaria) tenis 15
. Jorge Lorenzo (Hiszpania) sport motocyklowy 15
23. Petter Northug (Norwegia) narciarstwo klasyczne 14
. Pau Gasol (Hiszpania) koszykówka 14
25. Władimir Kliczko (Ukraina) boks 12
26. Galina Mustafina (Rosja) gimnastyka sportowa 10
. Thor Hushovd (Norwegia) kolarstwo 10
. David Villa (Hiszpania) piłka nożna 10
29. Chetag Gaziumow (Azerbejdżan) zapasy-styl wolny 9
. Nadieżda Ostapczuk (Białoruś) lekkoatletyka 9
31. Marc Marquez (Hiszpania) sport motocyklowy 8
. Hasan Alijew (Azerbejdżan) zapasy-styl klasyczny 8
. Yanit Nevin (Turcja) lekkoatletyka 8
34. Edward Gal (Holandia) jeździectwo 7
. Martina Sablikova (Czechy) łyżwiarstwo szybkie 7
. Toni Elias (Hiszpania) sport motocyklowy 7
. Cebi Selcuk (Turcja) lekkoatletyka 7
38. Maja Maneza (Kazachstan) podnoszenie ciężarów 6
. Teddy Riner (Francja) judo 6
. Lee Westwood (W.Brytania) golf 6
. Arturo Casado (hiszpania) lekkoatletyka 6
42. Steffen Deibler (Niemcy) pływanie 5
. Katinka Hosszu (Węgry) pływanie 5
. Nuria Fernandez (Hiszpania) lekkoatletyka 5
. Dejan Zavec (Słowenia) boks 5
. Magnus Karlsen (Norwegia) szachy 5
47. Adam Małysz (Polska) narciarstwo klasyczne-skoki 4
. Jelena Isinbajewa (Rosja) lekkoatletyka 4
. Sven Kramer (Holandia) łyżwiarstwo szybkie 4
50. Siergiej Biezuglij (Azerbejdżan) kajakarstwo 3,5
. Maksim Prokopienko (Azerbejdżan) kajakarstwo 3,5
52. Ole Einar Bjoerndalen (Norwegia) biathlon 3
. Karolina Kostner (Włochy) łyżwiarstwo figurowe 3
. Daria Domraczewa (Białoruś) biathlon 3
. Camille Lacourt (Francja) pływanie 3
56. Peter Sidi (Węgry) strzelectwo 2
. Simona Krupeckaite (Litwa) kolarstwo 2
. Matej Kazijski (Bułagria) siatkówka 2
. Fernado Alonso (Hiszpania) Formuła 1 2
. Bilgin Erol (Turcja) podnoszenie ciężarów 2
. Alain Bernard (Francja) judo 2
62. Rafael Agiejew (Azerbejdżan) karate 1
. Aliaksiej Gryszyn (Białoruś) narciarstwo dowolne 1
. Anastazija Kuzmina (Słowacja) biathlon 1
. Fabian Cancelara (Szwajcaria) kolarstwo 1
. Jessica Ennis (W.Brytania) lekkoatletyka 1
. Mohammed Mo Farah (W.Brytania) lekkoatletyka 1
. Novak Djokovic (Serbia) tenis 1
Player of the Year: Rafael NadalEverything was better in the past. The statement can’t be true, but somehow it makes us feel better to believe it. And few people like to believe it as much as tennis fans. Wood racquets, slice backhands, serve-and-volleyers, even the profane bad boys and patchy Wimbledon grass of the 1970s — we long for all of it.
But if there was ever a time to put nostalgia aside and focus on the here and now, this is it. The pro game, and in particular the men’s pro game, is in the midst of what might be called the Extraordinary Age. From winning streaks to Channel Slams to majors collected to aces hit to hours played: What seemed unimaginable a few years ago has become routine. Who would have believed at the start of the last decade, when there was little order at the top of the ATP tour rankings, that over the course of five years two men would win 21 of 23 majors and hold the No. 1 and 2 positions for longer than any other duo in history? That one of them would own a record 16 majors while the other would win a record 93 straight matches on clay? And that they would each have earned a career Grand Slam, something that had previously been accomplished by just five other men?
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have lifted the sport in unique and very different ways — Federer with his artistry and elegance, Nadal with his passion and athleticism. In 2010, the sense of the extraordinary that they’ve created became contagious. At 28, Serena Williams continued her climb through the game’s historical stratosphere. She won her 12th and 13th majors, at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, respectively, which sent her past Billie Jean King on the all-time Slam list. But it was two less-than-legendary figures who gave us the most mind-boggling day of the season. Three days, actually: That’s how long it took John Isner and Nicolas Mahut to play their second-round match at Wimbledon. The two slugged serves at each other for 11 hours, 5 minutes, and 183 games; the fifth set alone lasted longer than any match in history. Pity the Frenchman: Mahut won more points in one match than anyone ever has—502 to Isner’s 478—but still took a loss.
That indelible 11-hour moment aside, the story of 2010 was the resurgence and eventual dominance of Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard had finished the 2009 ATP season at a personal and professional low point. After enduring multiple injuries and family problems, he’d lost all six sets he played at the ATP World Tour Finals in London. By March of 2010, though, there were signs of life in his beat-up body; he reached the semifinals in both Indian Wells and Key Biscayne. The dam finally burst in May, on the clay of Monte Carlo, where he stampeded through the draw to win his first tournament in 11 months. After the final point, Nadal dropped to the court in tears. He had the winning feeling back, and he wouldn’t let it go.
From that point through the U.S. Open, Nadal put on one of the great sustained performances in tennis history. He reclaimed the French Open without dropping a set, made quick work of Tomas Berdych in the Wimbledon final, and, serving more effectively than ever, surrendered just one set on the way to his first U.S. Open title.
Few top players have remained as committed to improving as Nadal. The former dyed-in-the-wool dirt-baller has moved up in the court, made himself a credible volleyer, and turned his serve into a bail-out weapon. Yet the 24-year-old has also retained the fearsome desire and competitive intelligence that have defined him since he was a teenager. Is Nadal the next Federer? It’s too early to say, of course, and if we’ve learned anything about their rivalry, it’s that whoever is being counted out is the person we should be watching.
For now, we’re watching Nadal. When asked about the future, the Spaniard’s characteristic reply is, “We gonna see, no?” We’re gonna see more Rafa, which is the best part of this story. The Extraordinary Age may just be getting started.
NADAL NAMED BEST SPORTSMAN IN SPANISH POLLS
Rafael Nadal has been selected
as Spanish Sportsman of the Decade
by his countrymen.
Rafael Nadal has been chosen as the ‘Spanish Sportsman of the Decade’ by Marca.com readers and as ‘Best Spanish Athlete of the Year’ by elpais.es.
Nadal won both polls by an overwhelming majority, beating other Spanish sporting icons such as Pau Gasol and Fernando Alonso.
In the Marca.com survey, which involved more than 50,000 Internet users, Rafa received 20,000 more votes than Pau Gasol (with 7,000 votes), while Fernando Alonso, in third position, accumulated 6000. Soccer stars Iker Casillas and Xavi Hernandez were also in the list, ranked fourth and fifth respectively.
Rafael Nadal doceniony w kraju
Rafael Nadal zbiera kolejne laury. Leworęczny tenisista z Majorki został wybrany sportowcem dekady w Hiszpanii przez czytelników portalu Marca.com, a także najlepszym sportowcem roku według strony elpais.es.
W obu plebiscytach Nadal wygrał z ogromną przewagą, za każdym razem pozostawiając w pokonanym polu dwie inne ikony hiszpańskiego sportu – koszykarza Paua Gasola oraz kierowcę Formuły 1 Fernando Alonso.
Na stronie Marca.com głos oddało ponad 50 tysięcy internautów. Tenisista zgarnął przeszło 20 tysięcy głosów, drugi Pau Gasol otrzymał 7 tysięcy głosów, a na najniższym stopniu podium uplasował się Fernando Alonso (6 tysięcy głosów). Dopiero na dwóch kolejnych pozycjach znaleźli się piłkarze – Iker Casillas oraz Xavi Hernandez.
Rafael Nadal w tym roku wygrał trzy turnieje wielkoszlemowych. W całej karierze ma na koncie 43 wygrane imprezy rangi ATP Tour, w tym dziewięć wielkoszlemowych. Po triumfie w tegorocznym US Open Nadal został najmłodszym tenisistą Ery Open, który skomplementował Wielkiego Szlema.
Plany startowe Rafy na 2011r.
Doha
Australian Open
Indian Wells
Miami
Monte Carlo
Barcelona
Madrid
Rome
French Open
Queen's
Wimbledon
Montreal
Cincinnati
US Open
Tokyo
Shanghai
Paris
London
http://www.tennis.com/articles/template … &zoneid=25
Ma mniej luk do wypełnienia, w porównaniu z Federerem. ;-)
Rok 2010 w zdjęciach
Rok w tenisie, czyli... Vamos Rafa!
1. Głowa ze stali
Od czasów lodowatego Szweda Björna Borga nie było gracza tak mocnego psychicznie. Nadal potrafił w finale US Open z Djokoviciem wygrywać gemy od stanu 0:40, serwując trzy asy w samą linię! Nigdy nie drży mu ręka, umie wydobyć się z najgorszych tarapatów - zwyciężał już w pojedynkach, w których bronił po cztery-pięć piłek meczowych. - Zawsze gra tak, jakby miał prędzej umrzeć, niż przegrać - powiedział kiedyś John McEnroe. Jak to robisz, że jesteś tak silny psychicznie? - pytali dziennikarze po US Open. - To trening, wszystko można wyćwiczyć - wzruszał ramionami Hiszpan.
2. Zabójcza lewa ręka
Nadal jest praworęczny - w tej ręce trzyma szczoteczkę do zębów, nóż, którym kroi kotleta, oraz długopis, gdy rozdaje autografy. - Jedyną rzeczą, jaką robię lewą ręką, jest gra w tenisa - mówi Hiszpan, który rakietę do lewej dłoni przerzucił jako ośmiolatek. Ta zamiana była jednym z najgenialniejszych pomysłów Toniego Nadala, wujka i trenera Rafy. Leworęczny Hiszpan stał się znacznie niebezpieczniejszy dla rywali. Mańkutów w tenisie jest po prostu dużo mniej (byli nimi m.in. Rod Laver i John McEnroe), a praworęcznym zawodnikom gra się z nimi trudniej, bo długo przyzwyczajają się do odwróconych uderzeń - forhend Nadala spada na rywali z bekhendowej strony, zupełnie inne są też kąty przy serwisie. Do tego dochodzi moc uderzenia - muskularna ręka Hiszpana potrafi rozpędzić piłkę forhendem do 140 km/godz., czyli do prędkości, z jaką Agnieszka Radwańska czasami serwuje.
3. Top-spin, czyli siekiera zamiast rakiety
Hiszpan nie uderza piłek z forhendu płasko, ale podkręca je mocno do przodu z awansującą rotacją. To tzw. top-spin, który po raz pierwszy wprowadził Börg w latach 70. Piłka uderzona przez Nadala obraca się wokół własnej osi średnio 3,2 tys. razy na minutę (jego rekord to 5 tys.)! Dla porównania Sampras i Agassi podkręcali piłki do 1,8 tys. obrotów, a Roger Federer osiąga czasem 2,5 tys. Top-spin definiuje styl Hiszpana - podkręcona piłka leci wysoko nad siatką i spada w bezpiecznej odległości przed linią końcową, co pozwala ograniczyć błędy. Z drugiej strony, kiedy piłka opada, przyśpiesza, odbija się wysoko i leci daleko, a rywale z trudem za nią nadążają. Dzięki temu tenis Nadala to jedyna w swoim rodzaju wybuchowa mieszanka obrony i ataku.
4. Nogi, sylwetka i zwierzęca siła
Nadal jest silny jak tur, a do tego piekielnie wytrzymały. Bez mrugnięcia okiem potrafiłby zagrać kilka czterogodzinnych meczów z rzędu. Zawdzięcza to katorżniczemu treningowi - podczas Wimbledonu jako jedyny nie przyszedł na spotkanie z Królową Elżbietą II, bo - jak stwierdził - zaburzało to jego rytm ćwiczeń. Potężną bronią są też nogi, które sprawiają, że obok Federera Nadal jest najszybszym graczem. Ale bywały też źródłem problemów - zapalenie ścięgien w kolanach sparaliżowało prawie cały 2009 r. Receptą było zmniejszenie wagi. Rafa w 2010 r. schudł o 2-3 kg, jego nogi dźwigają teraz mniejszy ciężar, a kontuzje zniknęły. Znów geniuszem taktycznym wykazał się trener Toni.
5. Serwis i bekhend, czyli rozwój
Sezon 2010 pokazał, jak wielkim atutem jest też determinacja - Rafa zacisnął zęby i bardzo poprawił dwa najsłabsze elementy swojej gry. Po pierwsze, zmodyfikował bekhend - to uderzenie stało się mocniejsze, bardziej płaskie i agresywniejsze (statystyki odbić piłki pokazują, że Hiszpan jest dwa-trzy metry bliżej siatki w porównaniu z poprzednimi latami). Po drugie, Hiszpan wzmocnił i udoskonalił serwis. - Zainspirował nas film o golfiście Jacku Nicklausie, który mówił, że najpierw trzeba się nauczyć walić mocno, a dopiero potem celować - opowiadał wujek Toni. Nadal nie zdobyłby US Open, gdyby nie lepszy serwis. Wreszcie uderzał piłki z prędkością powyżej 200 km/godz. i zaczął wygrywać swoje gemy do zera. Taka swoboda przy serwisie to klucz do sukcesu na twardych nawierzchniach.
Grand slammaster Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal is already one of the all-time greats of tennis. As he prepares to play here in
Abu Dhabi, we speak to the world No. 1 about winning and losing, and how his solid home
base in Majorca makes him the most grounded of sporting superstars.
Rafael Nadal is already one of the all-time greats of tennis. As he prepares to play here in Abu Dhabi, Helena Frith Powell speaks to the world No. 1 about winning and losing, and how his solid home base in Majorca makes him the most grounded of sporting superstars.
The world's No. 1 tennis player is far less imposing in real life than he is on the court. He is sitting on a leather sofa, wearing a rather lurid green top and white tracksuit bottoms, tapping away at his BlackBerry as I walk in for our meeting. When the PR person introduces us, he stands up, smiles and shakes my hand. I am slightly disappointed. I had expected to meet the Jonah Lomu of tennis, a player who has grown men quavering in their sponsored socks. But who I am confronted with is more like a teenager.
Having said that, he is a young man with an extremely impressive record. Rafael Nadal has won nine Grand Slam titles, the first one (the French Open) in 2005. And again in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, earning him the nickname, The King of Clay.
He won Wimbledon in 2008 and 2010, becoming only the second Spaniard to do so after Manuel Santana, 20 years before Nadal was born. He won the Australian Open in 2009 and the US Open in 2010. He also won an Olympic gold medal for Spain in Beijing in 2008.
Despite his success, he has stayed grounded. He is one of the most popular players on the circuit, in part due to his humility. He puts it down to his family and the upbringing he has had. When he was 14 the Spanish tennis federation was keen to send him for training in Barcelona, the heart of Spanish tennis. His family declined, preferring to keep him close. The gamble paid off, both in terms of the player (he joined the men's tour the following year, at the age of 15) and his personality. "However well you do, you have to realise that you are just another person," he says. "On the tennis court you may be different, you may be a star, but when you walk off the court you are not. It is very important to stay grounded.
"My will to win comes from my education," he adds. "Whether you are a tennis player, or whatever you do, education is the basis of everything."
Nadal's style of play has been described as aggressive, athletic and supremely defensive. Some say he "muscled" his way to the top of tennis, others call him one of the most intimidating players of the open era. With his 3,200rpm topspin (Roger Federer's is 2,500 and Andre Agassi's was 1,800), his capacity to cover the whole court and an attitude that never says die, he must be horrible to play against. And although his rivalry with Federer is the stuff of legend, you have to wonder if the Swiss player isn't thinking: "Why the hell did he have to come along?" Because without Nadal on the scene, he would undoubtedly have broken even more records.
Nadal first played tennis when his Uncle Toni (a former tennis pro) spotted that he had a talent for the game. At the time, Nadal was just three. As he grew older it became apparent that he was also an incredibly gifted footballer (his Uncle Miguel had played for Barcelona and Spain). At 12 he had to choose between the two; he went for tennis. Uncle Toni continued to coach him, and still does, although he has never been paid to do so.
"I always wanted to be a sportsman," Nadal says in his strong Spanish accent. "I wanted to be a tennis player or a football player and I am happy that I ended up doing what I always wanted to do." Would he encourage any future little Rafa Nadals to take up tennis? "Yeah sure, why not? It is a difficult life but things in life are normally difficult, there is nothing easy."
Nadal is also an excellent golfer and plays when he gets time off from tennis, which is hardly ever. He trains for four to six hours a day, every day. When he won the US Open he was asked how he was going to celebrate. He replied that celebrating is hard when "you know you have to train again the next day".
For Nadal, there seems to be time for tennis and home time; nothing else is as important. "Whenever I can I spend time with my family and friends at home. For me, that is simply the best, I enjoy every minute of it," he smiles. His girlfriend, Maria Francisca Perello is also from his hometown. The couple have been dating since 2006, but he won't talk about her. They apparently met when they were at school and given his outlook on life, it is hardly surprising he has picked a girl from his own backyard.
His secure background (despite his parents' divorce in 2009, which he has admitted affected him badly) helps him cope with the pressures of fame. "I don't really feel it too much, maybe because I come from Majorca and it's a quiet place. I go there as much as I can, but it's tough, I am travelling almost every week."
We speak shortly after his defeat at the hands of Federer at the ATP World Tour Finals in London. How upset was he about that? "Roger played great in London and there wasn't much I could do. I tried but I found the best Roger. But I wasn't really upset since I tried my best and gave all I had."
He says that losing in general still scares him. "At match point I get very nervous. In fact I am still nervous every time I go on court, because I am still scared of losing." He pauses and sighs. "Tennis is a terrible sport for that; one day you win but the next it is just like starting all over again. I suppose the one good thing about losing is that when you win you feel it more. Although I would prefer to win every time." He laughs, and comes across as an extremely affable and fairly easy-going young man. But he is a player who is famous for his mental strength and, despite his youth and congenial demeanour, I would definitely rather sit opposite him on a sofa than face him across a net. One gets the impression he is a rather different person on court.
But he is very much a star off court now too, despite his best efforts to deny it. His appearance in the Shakira video Gypsy, is compulsive viewing for more than just tennis fans. Soon he will join other sporting heroes David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo as the face of Armani Underwear and Armani Jeans for the Spring/Summer 2011 collection. One can only hope they find him a pair of underpants he won't be constantly adjusting. Does he enjoy this side of his career? "It's not that important to me," he says. "But I have done some things that have nothing to do with tennis but more as an experience in life."
Our time is up and I ask him if I can take his picture, obviously on the pretext that it is for my son. I inadvertently call him by his nickname, Rafa. I apologise. "That's fine," he laughs again. "Rafa works for me."
Both Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer will be playing at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship, which starts on Thursday in Abu Dhabi. Many consider their rivalry to be the greatest in tennis history.
The men have played each other 22 times, with Nadal winning 14 of their meetings. Seventeen of the matches have been tournament finals, including seven Grand Slam finals, of which Nadal has won five.
Their first match was in 2004, in the third round of the Miami Masters where Rafa (aged only 17 and then ranked 34 in the world) shocked everyone by beating Federer (who was then world No. 1) in straight sets. Their Wimbledon final in 2008 is generally regarded as one of the best tennis matches ever. It went on for four hours and 48 minutes, the longest-ever Wimbledon final. Nadal won the match and his first Wimbledon title by taking the fifth set 9-7.
At their last meeting, the ATP Word Tour Finals in London last month, Federer beat Nadal. Their next meeting could be here in Abu Dhabi. Tickets to the event, which sold out quickly last year, are on sale now at www.thinkflash.ae, or call 800-FLASH (35274).
RAFA ON ROGER "I am more than happy with my titles, and I think talk about if I am better or worse than Roger is stupid because the titles say he's much better than me, so that's the truth at that moment. I think that will be true all my life."
ROGER ON RAFA "It could get into my mind. I could start thinking, 'I can't play against this guy, his game doesn't suit me'. I could start accepting the fact that I have been losing against him, but that would be a bad thing for me to do."
The Nadal file
BORN: June 3, 1986, Manacor, Majorca, Spain. Still lives in Manacor
FAMILY: Mother Ana Maria Parera, father Sebastian Nadal and younger sister Maria Isabel
FIRST PICKED UP A TENNIS RACKET: When he was three years old; his uncle (and long-term coach) Toni was with him at the time and still is.
IS HE LEFT-HANDED? Only when he plays tennis. Uncle Toni converted him to a left-handed player, making him a more dangerous opponent.
NICKNAMES: The King of Clay, Rafa
BREAKTHROUGH: Came in 2002 when he won his first Association of Tennis Professionals match at just 15, making him only the ninth player to do so before the age of 16 in the open era. At the age of 19 years, one month and 22 days he became the third teenager in the history of the ATP computer rankings to reach the world No. 2 spot. The other two were Boris Becker and Björn Borg.
WHAT'S ALL THE TROPHY BITING ABOUT? Rafa started the biting habit as a teenager and it has now become one of his trademarks. He says he prefers biting trophies to kissing them.
DREAM MATCH: He would love to have played Borg. But he thinks the Swede would have won.
Wywiad z Rafą. Jeden z userów rf.com przetłumaczył go na język angielski. Wywiad został opublikowany w szwajcarskiej prasie.
"In Mallorca I'm just one of many"
Rafael Nadal is a tennis icon and the biggest rival of Roger Federer. On Tuesday both will meet each other in an exhibition match in Zürich.
Rafael Nadal, you are very popular in Switzerland. It's a pity that you don't play here usually. Why not more often?
Rafael Nadal: It is my first match here against Roger but I played in Basel in 2003 and 2004. I lost both times in the first round. You never know: Maybe I will be here again in the future. It is really exciting to play against Roger in his homecountry - especially for charity. That's the most important.
Have you ever been in Switzerland on vacation? Can you ski or snowboarding?
No, I have never been to Switzerland to take a rest. I don't have that much free time and when you are from Mallorca it is difficult to get enthusiastic about another holiday resort. When I have retired one day I have to try to go skiing even though I will be really bad in it.
You are going to play these two exhibition matches after a long season. Do you still have - or already again - energy?
I started practicing 13 days ago. So for me it is a part of the preparation for the next season. It's true that I didn't had that much vacation this year. But when I started to talk with Roger about this idea we both immediately agreed. It would be stupid to use tiredness as an excuse for these events.
You help disadvantaged and handicapped people with your foundation. What do you learn from encounters with them?
That all help of the world is still too less. We live in privileged countries and are privileged people. I would feel bad if I wouldn't help. I learn from those encounters - especially a few months ago in India - that they have nothing bot are happy nevertheless. I was very impressed about this. But I want to make them more happy.
Do you feel a pang of conscience because you earn so much money and live a luxury life?
When you have been to countries like India you don't give much on luxury, hotels and glamour. That's for sure. But those things have never been important for me before as well. I try to live a normal life.
When you talk about a normal life: Do you have attendants in Mallorca or do you go grocery shoppping alone?
Honestly said: I'm only one of many in Mallorca. And I like this. I live a normal life, have the same friends and not much has changed. Therefore I like to go home after tournaments. It's the perfect place to live. When someone is looking for me in Mallorca he will find me there. And that's the same for the rest of the world. I'm a 24 years old man who plays tennis, nothing more.
Do you notice that you are well received at press conferences with this attitude?
The only thing I want is to stay loyal to myself. I want to be myself. As normal as possible. I don't want to get well received by anyone on purpose. What I say is what I think. Nobody is telling me what I have to say on a pressconference. I'm normal and honest. That's what gets you closer to the people.
2010 has been your most successful season. You even played convincingly at the World Tour Finals. Have you learned from Roger Federer to schedule your year better, to make more rests and to skip the Davis Cup?
I learned a lot from Roger during my career, without a doubt. But in this case it was my body who taught me the lesson.
Many think that you can be able as the first player since Rod Laver to win the Grand Slam. Who or what can prevent you from this?
You have to make clear to the people that you don't win Grand Slams that easily. Every major tournament is a strenuous effort. The US Open in New York are the most difficult one for me. That won't be different in 2011. The conditions with the surface are quite complicated for my game. Honestly said I don't like to talk about that I aim for the Grand Slam. I live with the pressure but I do realize that such a feat is nearly impossible.
Are you at the peak of your career? It would be frightening if you could get any better.
I don't know. I feel great and had an incredible year. To be honest, I don't know if I will be able to repeat it.
For many people you are already a living legend. Some compare you with Roger Federer and say that you will become the best player in the history one day. Does this make you proud?
No, no. The numbers speak a clear language. It would be stupidity to say I would be better than Roger or that I could compare with him. He has 16 Grand Slam titles and I have 9.
But are his numbers reachable for you?
At the moment it's too far away to think about it. I just want to get better all the time. Roger has been a role model for me because he improved his tennis over the years all the time. He never stood stil even though he is meanwhile 29 years old. I don't know where I will be at this age.
You are very modest and don't like it to be compared with legends. Why?
Of course you like to hear it to be compared with the big players. But I have to take my racket and to prove myself all the time. Compared can be later on.
You and Roger are different characters. Does something combine you beside tennis? Are you friends or mostly brand colleagues and rivals?
There is a certain language barrier between us which is difficult to bridge. You just have to look at the video in which we promote the exhibition matches. We couldn't stop laughing. Once he hears Spanish it's over with him. Roger has always been good to me and I whink what's happening with us and what we managed to do is fantastic for the sport. Tennis has definitely profited because we are there.
Does the rivalry after a close match continue into the lockerroom?
No. The rivalry is just on the court. We both want to win. But when the match is over it would be absurd to have a bad relationship.
Oryginalne źródło: http://www.blick.ch/sport/tennis/das-ex … iew-162968
Po jakie pierniki on w tym Tokio zamierza grać?
Jacuszyn napisał:
Po jakie pierniki on w tym Tokio zamierza grać?
Pewnie podpisał umowę.
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Nadal został wybrany najlepszym sportowcem roku 2010 (wraz z Blanką Vlasic), według Międzynarodowego Stowarzyszenia Prasy Sportowej (AIPS).
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Mama Nadala plotkuje o synu
Dlaczego przed serwisem ciągle się drapie, kto jest w domu numerem 1, czego boi się Rafa - zdradza w wywiadzie dla "Marki" mama najlepszego tenisisty świata Ana Maria Parera.
Mama Nadala śmieje się, że ludzie często wręczają jej synowi większe, mniej obcisłe slipy. - Nawet nie wyobrażacie sobie, ile ich już dostał. Pewna pani proponowała mu od razu aż cztery. Skąd u Rafy wziął się nerwowy tik i drapanie przed serwisem? Myślę, że jego tyłek jest po prostu za duży - śmieje się pani Parera, która kiedyś nie pozwoliła mu pojechać na juniorski Roland Garros i Wimbledon. Uznała, że ważniejsza jest szkoła.
Lider rankingu ATP pozostaje królem na korcie, ale gdy wraca do domu, szybko przestaje być szefem. - Robi zakupy i wynosi śmieci. Nie jest jednak tak dokładny i uporządkowany jak wtedy, gdy gra. Tylko puchary są u niego zawsze we właściwym miejscu - dodaje Ana Maria, która kieruje fundacją syna i zapewnia, że nigdy nie chciała ingerować w jego świat.
- Rafa boi się ciemności i kocha maskotki przynoszące szczęście - opowiada.
Nawet w ojczyźnie jego wielkiego rywala Rogera Federera ludzie przyznają, że drobne słabostki czynią go jeszcze bardziej sympatycznym. - Fajnie, że na szczycie są właśnie tacy ludzie, a nie ci, którzy uważają się za bogów - piszą szwajcarscy internauci.
NADAL REACHES 5 MILLION FACEBOOK FANS
Rafael Nadal is a fan favourite
on the ATP World Tour.
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal has reached another milestone by registering more than 5,000,000 fans on his official Facebook page.
The Spaniard uses his Facebook page to update his fans, in both Spanish and English, about his news on and off the court and to share photos and videos.
Follow Nadal On Facebook
Nadal still has a little way to go before he catches up with rival Roger Federer, who has more than 5.6 million Facebook fans on his official page. Real Madrid footballer Cristiano Ronaldo sets the benchmark for athletes on Facebook with a staggering 17.2 million followers.
Former Manchester United midfielder David Beckham is approaching 6.8 million followers, while Nadal and Federer are closing on NBA star Kobe Bryant, who has just over 5.8 million fans.
Nadal named top sportsman by journalists
Nadal became only the fourth man in the Open era to claim a Career Grand Slam - after triumphs in the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open in 2010 - and picked up 16 per cent of the vote.
Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta finished second and third, respectively.
Croatian high jumper Blanka Vlasic picked up the women's award, ahead of skier Lindsey Vonn and tennis mum Kim Clijsters.
Vlasic, who was named IAAF World Athlete of the Year in 2010 and won the European Athlete of the Year trophy, won gold at both the World Indoor Championships and European Championships in the past 12 months.
She was also honoured by European sports writers earlier this year.
Spain were comfortable winners of the team of the year prize for their Fifa World Cup triumph in South Africa, claiming over 42 per-cent of the vote.
Canada's Winter Olympic winning hockey team claimed second while Brazil's volleyball team was third.
Best male:
1. Rafael Nadal (Tennis) 758 (16,32%)
2. Lionel Messi (Football) 695 (14,97%)
3. Andrea Iniesta (Football) 684 (14,73%)
4. Sebastian Vettel (Formula 1) 470 (10,12%)
5. David Rudisha (Athletics) 416 (8,96%)
6. Diego Forlan (Football) 229 (4,93%)
7. Ole Einar Bjorndalen (Biathlon) 208 (4,48%)
8. Manny Pacquaio (Boxing) 163 (3,51%)
9. Carlo Janka (Alpine Skiing) 152 (3,27%)
10. David Villa (Football) 149 (3,21%)
11. Wesley Sneijder (Football) 142 (3,06%)
12. Kobe Bryant (Basketball) 127 (2,73%)
13. Graeme McDowell (Golf) 66 (1,42%)
14. Jorge Lorenzo (MotoGP) 64 (1,38%)
15. Wladimir Klitscko (Boxing) 63 (1,36%)
16. Camille Lacourt (Swimming) 63 (1,36%)
17. Ondrej Synek (Rowing) 49 (1,06%)
18. Richie McCaw (Rugby) 40 (0,86%)
19. Selcuck Cebi (Wrestling) 34 (0,73%)
20. Dirk Nowitzki (Basketball) 33 (0,71%)
21. Sachin Tendulkar (Cricket) 31 (0,67%)
22. Muttiah Muralitharan (cricket) 8 (0,17%)
Best female:
1. Blanka Vlasic (Athletics) 884 (19,76%)
2. Lindsey Vonn (Alpine Skiing) 682 (15,25%)
3. Kim Clijsters (Tennis) 637 (14,24%)
4. Federica Pellegrini (Swimming) 415 (9,28%)
5. Aliya Mustafina (Gymnastics) 369 (8,25%)
6. Serena Williams (Tennis) 321 (7,18%)
7. Maria Riesch (Alpine Skiing) 293 (6,55%)
8. Evgeniya Kanayeva (Gymnastics) 200 (4,47%)
9. Francesca Schiavone (Tennis) 183 (4,09%)
10. Yuliya Efimova (Swimming) 138 (3,09%)
11. Elisa Santori (Gymnastics) 135 (3,02%)
12. Lauren Mitchell (Gymnastics) 114 (2,55%)
13. Yani Tseng (Golf) 102 (2,28%)
Best team:
1. Spain (Football) 1906 (42,36%)
2. Canada (Ice Hockey) 486 (10,8%)
3. Brazil (Volleyball) 453 (10,07%)
4. Red Bull (Formula 1) 433 (9,26%)
5. Internazionale (Football) 421 (9,36%)
6. Los Angeles Lakers (Basketball) 329 (7,31%)
7. New Zealand (Rugby) 289 (6,42%)
8. Russia (Greco-Roman wrestling) 108 (2,4%)
9. New Orleans Saints (American Football) 75 (1,67%)
Year in review: Glory for Nadal
A year that began with doubts over Rafael Nadal's body and continued with worries over Roger Federer's head ended with both men at the peak of their powers and promising some juicy new chapters of their rivalry in 2011.
The sight of the two greatest players of their generation jousting on opposite sides of the net at London's O2 Arena as the men's season came to a spectacular conclusion was a heart-warming one for fans the world over.
A paltry four meetings between the Spaniard and the Swiss in the past two years has left tennis followers feeling slightly short-changed but as the Australian Open looms both are eager to square off for the major prizes.
With Serbia's Novak Djokovic, fresh from leading his country to a first Davis Cup title against France, British shot-maker Andy Murray and Sweden's Robin Soderling posing genuine threats, the men's game heads into the new year in rude health.
Shame then that the women's game is in a state of flux.
Serena Williams won the 2010 Australian Open and then claimed a 13th grand slam title at Wimbledon before treading on broken glass in a Munich restaurant in July. She has not played since and the Tour needs her back.
Williams had been the dominant personality on the WTA Tour and her absence has left a vacuum that the new generation of baseline belters are not yet ready to fill.
Denmark's 20-year-old Caroline Wozniacki ended the year as world number one almost by default. All eyes will be on her to win her maiden grand slam title in Australia where a still-struggling Williams will not be defending her crown.
Vera Zvonareva reached the Wimbledon and U.S. Open finals but the Russian world number two could walk through most city centres without attracting a second glance.
With Serena injured and sister Venus now the other side of 30, 2011 could be prime time for Belgians Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin to regain a stranglehold on the game.
Clijsters retained the US Open title she won the previous year months after returning to the Tour as a mother and Henin, who also made a retirement U-turn to rejoin the Tour in January, reached the Australian Open final, losing to Serena.
Henin was tipped to take the French Open by storm and win a fifth title at Roland Garros but crashed in the quarter-finals to Australia's Samantha Stosur, her first defeat there since 2004.
Veteran Francesca Schiavone beat Stosur in a superb final to become, at nearly 30, the first Italian woman to win a grand slam singles title - stunning proof that women's tennis is no longer a playground for teenagers.
Schiavone completed a memorable year by helping Italy to a third Fed Cup title in five years.
The men's game is not flush with new faces either.
There are no teenagers in the top 100 but, thankfully, the quality of the cream at the top persists.
Nadal's year was simply phenomenal.
After ending 2009 short of confidence and form, with concerns about his knees, the 24-year-old Mallorcan caught fire during the claycourt season and blazed a trail back to the top of the rankings in devastating fashion.
In March, he slipped to fourth in the rankings, then, in May, he snapped an 11-month title drought by winning the Monte Carlo Masters for a sixth consecutive time -- demolishing Fernando Verdasco 6-0 6-1 in the final.
Suddenly the demons vanished and he swept to victory in Rome and Madrid before regaining his French Open crown with an emotional win over Soderling at Roland Garros.
Unstoppable, Nadal roared to a second Wimbledon title and then won the US Open for the first time, beating Djokovic in the final.
In doing so he became the youngest man to win a career slam.
Nadal's return to number one in the rankings coincided with Federer's crisis of confidence.
The Swiss was overpowered by Soderling on a soggy claycourt in the quarter-finals of the French Open, ending a run of 23 consecutive grand slam semi-final appearances.
Worse was to follow.
At Wimbledon, scene of six of his 16 grand slam titles, he almost lost to Colombian firebrand Alejandro Falla in the first round. Trailing by two sets in front of a disbelieving Centre Court crowd, the Swiss was at 4-4 0-40 down in the third before somehow digging himself out of a hole.
He admitted his escape was due to luck more than good play but there was no let-off in the quarter-finals when big-hitting Czech Tomas Berdych put him to the sword.
"It took me a little bit to get over not regaining the Wimbledon crown, not being in the Wimbledon finals for I don't even know how many years," Federer said.
"That was a bit of a different feeling. But my feeling was always that I was going to come back strong after Wimbledon."
Federer linked up with Paul Annacone, former coach of Pete Sampras and, while he lost to an inspired Djokovic in the U.S.
Open semi-finals having missed two match points, he quickly rebounded to go 23-3 in the final months of the season.
"I think the men's game is at an absolute high right now with a lot of exciting games being played, with a lot of respect," Federer looking ahead to 2011.
"I think having had me and Rafa both making the career grand slam already at a young age is great for the game. We're obviously playing not only for ourselves and beating the other guys, but also for history."
Rafa drugi raz z rzędu wygrywa turniej pokazowy w Abu Dhabi. W finale pokonał Szwajcara, Rogera Federera 7-6 7-6.
RAFA BEGINS 2011 AS THE ABU DHABI CHAMPION
Rafa Nadal has won his first (non-official) tournament of the 2011 season after beating Roger Federer 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3) in the final of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship this Saturday evening.
Rafa came back from 3-0 in the first tiebreaker to win the set helped by several unforced errors from the No. 2 Swiss, including a backhand that went wide and then a forehand long that gave the world No.1 the lead.
The second set was just as tight, with neither player able to break the other. Rafa used his much-improved served and his athleticism to gain the edge. He hit a cross court winner to go up 6-3 and then Federer hit a shot long to give the Spanish champ the victory.
Vamos Rafa!
The Last Word: ATP No. 1, Rafael Nadal
There was no debate: Rafa ruled tennis in 2010.
Best of 2010
Nadal completed the career Grand Slam and solidified his hold on the year-end No. 1 ranking when he won the U.S. Open, a tournament that up until this year formed a big question mark in his mind.
Worst of 2010
You don’t get to be No. 1 in the age of Roger Federer by losing second- or third-round matches, even occasionally, and especially in majors. So the loss to Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in the semifinals of Bangkok is the best we can come up with.
Year in Review
Nadal’s was a tale of going from excellent to superb to outrageous to supreme. Although he lost in the final in the first tournament he played (in Doha, to Nikolay Davydenko) and had to abandon his quarterfinal against Andy Murray in Australia because of physical issues (Nadal was down two sets when he quit), he posted a pair of semis at the big hard-court Masters 1000 events in the U.S. It was good prep work for the European clay, where once again he was beyond good. He won all four clay-court events he played, culminating with a fifth French Open title, and then bagged Wimbledon once again. But this was the year when he surmounted that final obstacle—the U.S. hard court summer circuit—with his magnificent win at Flushing Meadows. That he continued to play well in the fall helped confirm the feeling that Nadal is, finally and truly, a player for all seasons and all surfaces.
See for Yourself
Although Nadal had his serve broken (for only the second time in the entire U.S. Open) in his semifinal against Mikhail Youzhny, he put on a marvelous show, trotting out all the newfound variety in his game:
The Last Word
Nadal has the entire calendar to defend this year, but what the hail, he’s more or less accustomed to that. Back when he first conquered Federer at Wimbledon and then experienced a bit of a letdown (partly due to injury), it was fair to ask if he wasn’t the kind of player who’s better when he’s doing the chasing than when he’s being chased. So much for that theory. Nadal showed in 2010 that, barring the unforeseen, he’s going to continue piling up the titles and hounding Federer. I wouldn’t worry about a letdown in 2011; Nadal is the consummate professional and he’s on a mission.
—Peter Bodo
Nadal sets sights on historic Australian title
Spaniard in line to become first man since Rod Laver to win all four Grand Slams in a row
Rafael Nadal warmed up for the new season with the title at the Mubadala World Tennis
Championships in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
Abu Dhabi: Rafael Nadal won the Mubadala World Tennis Championship for the second consecutive
time and his form in Saturday's win over Roger Federer will certainly have pleased the world number one who now eyes a historic feat.
If Nadal wins the Australian Open, he will become the first man since Rod Laver to win all four Grand Slams in a row — a feat that hasn't been achieved since 1969 .
When Gulf News asked him if he felt any pressure with just the Doha event before the Australia Open, Nadal said: "No, for me it's not extra pressure. Now, for me its extra motivation".
Pressure is there
"Like always the pressure is there everyday to play well and keep winning matches and I don't think about winning Australian Open immediately," he said. "I will think about winning Doha next week and it will be important for me to put up a good performance there after that I will have one week to prepare Australia.
"You never know what's going to happen since it's going to be a very difficult tournament.
"I want to try my best but it's surely going to be very, very difficult," the world number one said.
The Spaniard said he would not be dwelling on the past, particularly on 2010 in which he won the French, Wimbledon and US Open titles after Federer took the Australian Open.
Nadal: This was the best year ever
The world's number one said 2009 was difficult, but he overcame the challenges
Tennis champion Rafael Nadal with tennis fans who played with him during the tennis coaching
clinic at Abu Dhabi International Tennis Complex at Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
Abu Dhabi: World number one Rafael Nadal who is on the brink of completing a Grand Slam if he wins the Australian Open in three weeks' time termed 2010 as the most fantastic year of his career so far.
After rival Roger Federer won the Australian Open early this year, Nadal won the remaining three Grand Slam events — French Open, Wimbledon and US Open — and starts another year with the Abu Dhabi event.
Speaking to reporters Nadal said: "For me 2010 generally was the most fantastic year. I am going to have a lot of memories of the year".
The Spaniard said it was also a huge year emotionally after coming back from injuries. "The year was really an emotional year for me. It was not easy for me in 2009. Lot of problems… injuries. But during the year I came back and played the best tennis of my life and was fantastic to come back at the highest level and become a better player. It was unbelievable for me," he said.
Commenting on the prospect of winning in Australia to complete a Grand Slam, Nadal said: "For sure it's a special thing. For me it's an important one for sure.
"That's what is I'm going to try. Grand Slams are special tournaments but to win a tournament in Australia is great. One game at a time.
"I will arrive there to play my best tennis and best players of the world play there. The first round is going to be very. very difficult. Four (Grand Slam events) in a row and to win have the special motivation to play in all the Grand Slam events".
Nadal, who was beaten twice in the year-ending Masters event in London by Federer, said he had been trying to improve and add to his game.
"Everybody have to do it in general because improving your game… that's motivation.
"I have worked a lot on the slice shot and my positioning on court.
"Also on my backhand, my serve but the main thing is I have to win more matches.
"I have to gain confidence and this is important to win matches.
"It does not matter if you are a better player than before but if you player better on the important tournaments it is great.
"My second serve, I need to keep improving though that is not the worst thing of my game," said Nadal as he sets out to register a Grand Slam.
Nadal said winning here in Abu Dhabi at the start of the year boosted his confidence.
"This is the perfect place to start the season and if you play well against the best players its important thing for your confidence for the season ahead. This tournament does not affect the Roland Garros, Wimbledon or US Open for sure. But if you start playing well here it can affect a little bit on the next tournament in Doha and maybe in Australia," he said adding that his experience in Abu Dhabi over the past has been great.
Nadal inspired, not psyched out, by Slam possibility
Rafael Nadal discusses the extra motivation he has going into the Australian Open.
After "walking on water" with rival Roger Federer as the pair hit briefly on a tennis court floating in the bay of Qatar, Rafael Nadal has revealed that he's loving the pressure which is building upon him as he aims for a fourth straight Grand Slam title this month.
The Spanish world No. 1 could become the first in four decades to win four majors on the trot (after Rod Laver in 1969) as he bids for a trophy at the Australian open starting in less than a fortnight.
Nadal and Federer had a soggy and wet-footed hit - the ball never touched the ground in the photo opportunity - on their floating court prior to the start of hostilities in the Gulf, where Federer won in 2005 and 2006 and Nadal lost in the final to Nikolay Davydenko a year ago.
"It's not extra pressure, for me it's extra motivation," said Nadal of his possibility of winning a fourth straight, the so-called Rafa Slam. "The pressure is everyday to play well and keep winning matches. I'm not thinking now about winning the Open, you never know what's going to happen, it's a very difficult tournament."
Nadal lost in the London year-end final against Federer to end the 2010 season, but has played his Swiss rival three more times in exhibitions in the month since then. The pair are seeded for a final in Doha at the weekend. "Health is the most important thing," said Nadal. "Without that, the rest of the things are just impossible."
Nadal to delay trip to Melbourne to recover
Rafael Nadal, who has been struggling with flu this week, lost 6-3, 6-2 to Nikolay Davydenko in the semifinals of Doha and says he will remain in the city for a couple of days before traveling to Melbourne.
"I stay here because I have to get healthy before I travel," he said. "Going by plane sometimes makes you worse. And at the same time I don't have anything to do right now in Australia."
Nadal said he knew during the first set he was in no condition to win the match. "I thought about retiring for a moment," he said. "I felt real bad, but, you know, is difficult for me to go off court. It's not nice for the crowd, not nice for the tournament, not nice for the opponent, too.
W dniu wczorajszym Rafael Nadal, w parze z Marcem Lopezem, wygrali turniej deblowy ATP Doha 2011. To już 7 deblowy tytuł w karierze Nadala i aż 3 w Doha. Wcześniej Hiszpan wygrywał tu grę podwójną w 2005 i 2009 roku.
GET READY AUSTRALIA, RAFA NADAL IS IN TOWN!
Rafa Nadal's bid to a record-breaking fourth consecutive grand slam at the Australian Open is back on track with the world No.1 set to commence training in Melbourne on Tuesday after recovering from illness.
RAFA ARRIVES IN MELBOURNE
Rafa has spent the past two days resting in Doha after being struck down by the flu, but he recovered, boarded a flight to Melbourne on Sunday night and arrived in Australia on Monday night, a week out from the start of the event.
"He will be fit to play and is already resuming practice on Tuesday," Rafa’s PR manager Benito Perez-Barbadillo told AAP.
Rafa felt so unwell during a 6-3 6-2 loss to Davydenko in Qatar that he contemplated retiring halfway through their semi-final.
He fought on but decided to push back his trip to Australia in order to aid his recovery.
"Going by plane sometimes makes you worse and at the same time I don't have anything to do right now in Australia," Rafa said on Friday. "With my condition right now I think the more reasonable thing to do is rest a few days and have less risk of injuries, less risk of everything."
After such a long fight and a proper night’s sleep, Rafa will begin his quest for a fourth straight major title with a practice session at Melbourne Park today.
Nadal gets started in Melbourne after delayed arrival
World No.1 Rafael Nadal began his quest for a fourth consecutive major title as he stepped out onto Rod Laver Arena under a closed roof in muggy conditions for his first training session at Melbourne Park, less than a week out from the start of the Australian Open.
The 2009 champion, who arrived in Melbourne on Monday night after recovering from illness in Doha, looked relaxed as he rallied with Spaniard world No.32 and good friend Feliciano Lopez. The 24-year-old Spaniard, changing from a purple shirt into a blue one after enjoying a break with his entourage, focused on his main weapon, his powerful forehand, and was often praised by Lopez when he hit a winner.
After losing to Nikolay Davydenko in the semifinals in Doha last week, Nadal decided to push back his flight to Australia and spent two days resting in the Qatar capital as dealt with his illness. Despite the loss, and having contemplated whether or not to retire from the match, Nadal bounced back with fighting spirit, teaming up with fellow Mallorcan Marc Lopez to clinch the doubles title in Qatar for a second time.
The Mallorcan native's bid for a record-breaking fourth straight major, also being described as the 'Rafa Slam', will commence next week at Melbourne Park.
Stan zdrowia Nadala się poprawia. Nie jest jeszcze super, ale z dnia na dzień coraz lepiej. Hiszpan powiedział, że podczas turnieju w Doha przyjmował antybiotyki.
WORLD No. 1 Rafael Nadal admits he is yet to fully recover from illness with the Australian Open only three days away.
The Melbourne Park title favourite practised with Victorian Peter Luczak on Rod Laver Arena on Thursday, but said he was still short of full health.
"I am better," he said.
"Last week, I had the difficult week in Doha.
"I was sick and had fever. Had to take antibiotics.
"Still not perfect, but I am improving every day, I think."
Asked to quantify his fitness levels, Nadal said: "Remain a little bit to be 100 percent, but hopefully we have a few more days and it's not gonna be problem."
The reigning French Open, Wimbledon and US Open champion said media reports that he had deliberately delayed his flight out of Qatar were wrong.
"I spent one more day in Qatar, but that was my plan," he said.
"I always did this.
"Otherwise it is too early to arrive here."
Nadal is top seed ahead of tomorrow's draw.
He is bidding to become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all four major titles at the same time.
Queensland's Laver held all grand slam crowns in the same season - a feat he accomplished twice.
Even if Nadal claims the Australian Open, it will not be recognised as a grand slam as the tournaments were not won in the same year.
heraldsun.com.au
RAFA'S ROOTS
DEUCE
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are great players and ambassadors for the sport.
To become a great, Rafael Nadal learned from former greats. Over the past six years the Spaniard has become a titan of the sport.
Champions in full bloom appear strikingly original. From the scintillating shot-making of Rod Laver, to the unwavering steadiness of Bjorn Borg, the counterpunching fury of Jimmy Connors, the touch of John McEnroe, the concussive brilliance of Pete Sampras and the silky-smooth prowess of Roger Federer, the man atop tennis’ steep pyramid displays an array of techniques, shots and manners that seem his and his alone."Nadal is like a guy hitting to you with two forehands. It's murder."
Behold Rafael Nadal. Among peers, the prospect of playing Nadal is frightening, his game summed up by Tennis Channel analyst Justin Gimelstob in two words: “absolutely brutal.” Among the public, Nadal-as-champion is endearing, everything from his sportsmanship to his competitive moxie cherished. As Connors says, “He works hard, goes about it the right way and you can tell when he goes out there and plays, nobody runs out to the baseline like he does.”
That Connors - like Nadal, a left-handed forceful baseliner with off-the-charts intensity - would make such a statement speaks to an overlooked aspect of Nadal’s game. When the champion commands the world, his game’s singular genius seemingly erases history. But as the saying goes, behind every tennis player there is another tennis player. And if in Nadal’s case the most public example of that premise is his uncle Toni, the strands and spins of Rafa’s strokes bear the marks of a great many others.
Step back from the planet Nadal currently presides over. Journey back in place and time to a Mediterranean island off the coast of Spain. Picture 10-year-old Rafa hitting one ball after another. Inside and outside the lines, the Mallorcan hangs on the words of an uncle with insights not just into tennis, but of broader topics that teach the boy about self-reliance, manners and even matters of esoteric philosophy. The boy is also inspired by another uncle, a world-class football player. The boy has already been playing tennis for six years, striking the ball with two hands off both sides.
At which point his uncle is struck by an inspiration from tennis history. Why not have the boy play left-handed? Left-handers may only comprise 10 per cent of the world’s population, but in tennis they have made a significant impact, Laver, Connors and McEnroe among the very best who have turned the tables on opponents with a distinctive vengeance. Though it’s hard to imagine when Toni Nadal had this idea he imagined it would yield a tennis superpower, certainly he tapped into something that could give the boy a distinct advantage. A page from the game’s past had been absorbed. With signature urgency, the boy, flexible in head, heart and body, applied his uncle’s suggestion."[Earn] struck it with this whip-like, bolo-like motion. No-one else hit the ball like that."
Of course at first this did nothing in shaping what Nadal struck from his right side. It hardly mattered if at age ten this was now called a backhand instead of a forehand. As a natural right-hander, young Rafa drew on the strength of his right hand to drive his body weight through the ball and fling the ball into play. Or at least that seemed one source of strength. Only well into his pro career would Nadal’s backhand reveal more textured dimensions.
The forehand was another matter. In the late ‘40s and early 50s, years before Toni Nadal, there was a touring professional named Carl Earn, a left-hander from Los Angeles who struck his forehand with a pronounced Western grip – a grip that at that point had been out of fashion for more than a quarter-century. Earn reached the quarter-finals of the 1950 U.S. Pro Championships, losing to Jack Kramer. According to one of Earn’s contemporaries, Hall of Famer Pancho Segura, “He struck it with this whip-like, bolo-like motion. No-one else hit the ball like that. The vicious topspin was deadly. It was a lot like Nadal’s stroke.”
Fast-forward 30 years and a more visible example emerges – one Toni Nadal likely saw. Along with Borg, left-handed Argentine Guillermo Vilas (pictured right) was one of the first players to primarily strike the ball with topspin off both sides from the baseline. His forehand was a forceful drive, the ball whipping and dipping in ways quite uncommon at the time. In the '90s another top-spinning left-hander emerged, Austrian Thomas Muster. Both Vilas and Muster had significant runs that earned them the unofficial crown as “King of Clay,” a title validated further when each won the French Open [at Roland Garros].
Meanwhile, on Mallorca, young Rafa was honing his own stroke. Toni Nadal of course knew about Vilas and Muster. But he also was aware that the boy would find his way to his own distinctive style. That such factors as lighter rackets and, in the late ‘90s, the emergence of new strings that aided the increased generation of spin, would all play a role in Rafa building a forehand that, while drawing without likely knowing it from Earn, Vilas and Muster, emerged as completely distinctive and incredibly effective."Nadal is able to defend from deep positions in the court because of his phenomenal ability to spin the ball."
According to John Yandell, researcher and publisher of the on-line tennis magazine Tennisplayer.net, “What distinguishes Nadal’s forehand from others on the tour is the consistently higher levels of spin he generates – both the topspin and the sidespin that makes it jump to the side after it bounces.” Yandell’s extensive research reveals that on the average, Nadal’s forehand spins 3,300 revolutions per minute (RPM) – and sometimes well past 4,000 RPM. Says Yandell, “His average forehand has about 20 per cent more spin on it than most others. His ability to spin the ball is related to his defensive capabilities. Nadal is able to defend from deep positions in the court because of his phenomenal ability to spin the ball.”
So this was the Nadal who at the tender age of 19 won Roland Garros the first time he played it and by the end of the year was ranked number two in the world: a self-made left-hander with a whopper of a forehand, a reasonable degree of competency on the backhand and a serve that ostensibly merely put the ball in play. Added to the strokes was yet another distinct set of elements that at one point were contradictory, but somehow found synthesis in Nadal’s makeup: the poise and sportsmanship of Borg, blended with the fire-breathing competitive makeup of Connors.
What’s amazing, though, is to see how Nadal has continued to enhance his game even upon climbing so far up the tennis mountain – and in the process, further tipped his hat to greats that preceded him even while he’s concurrently created his own distinctive playing style.
Yandell is fascinated by what he’s learned studying Nadal’s backhand. Says Yandell, “Everyone talks about the fact that being a natural right-hander gives him an advantage by using his right hand. That might be true. But what’s most interesting to me is the use of his left hand. The vast majority of pros hit the two-handed backhand with the dominant hand in a bent configuration. Nadal hits with both arms straight at contact. One of the very few players ever to do that was Andre Agassi – one of the best two-handers in history. When you hit with the dominant hand straight, it’s more similar to a one-handed backhand. It’s advantageous for hitting the ball early, on the rise, flat and hard. So Nadal is able to hit flatter, rocket-like lasers off the backhand side – a weapon of a different type than his forehand.” Segura’s belief is that, “Nadal is like a guy hitting to you with two forehands. It’s murder.”
And while the Nadal bazooka-like two-hander has similarities to the early-struck, time-robbing drives of Agassi and Connors, consider also his incorporation of the one-handed slice. If hardly elegant in form in the manner of such elegant slice backhands as those struck by Ken Rosewall or his fellow left-handed Spaniard, Manuel Orantes, Nadal’s willingness to deploy this shot shows a tactical awareness. In prior eras, the likes of Rosewall, Orantes and another lefty, John McEnroe, used the slice as a form of probe, foil, approach shot and defence. While a stretched Nadal will use the slice for defence, he is also wise enough to use it as a way of forcing his opponent to apply enough topspin to make the ball slow down and give Nadal a chance to run around his backhand and deploy his forehand."He's a student of the game. He appreciates the game."
The shot Nadal enhanced the most in 2010 was his serve. It’s an amazing evolution. Early in his career, Nadal’s delivery was often predictable and attackable – at least to those who dared take such a chance given how well he backed it up. In this case, he was much like Connors, who’s often considered to have had one of the worst serves ever of a world number one – but like Nadal, could also back it up with incredible counterpunching. In 2010, though, Nadal stepped near the realm of McEnroe – the world’s best serve for a good deal of his career. Nadal had altered his motion. With his shoulders, legs and hips more engaged, everything from the delivery’s speed to its variety picked up considerably.
Nadal has enhanced his game by drawing on so many aspects of what’s come before him. As Andy Roddick says about the Spaniard, “He’s a student of the game. He appreciates the game. I think he knows the history of the game.” It’s hard to imagine what more Nadal can bring to the court in 2011 and beyond. Increased serve-volley? Coming in on his returns? Further deployment of the slice backhand? But in Nadal’s hands, what may seem improbable one day could soon enough become business-as-usual.
Wywiad przed AO
Q. Could you let us know how you feel and how much practice you've been able to get in since you arrived in Melbourne?
RAFAEL NADAL: I'm feeling better. I think not perfect yet. But, yeah, seems like after what I had in Doha, when I practicing, I feel a little bit more tired than usual and sweating more than ever.
But the true is I'm better than few days ago. So that's very positive. I hope not going to be a problem for next Monday or Tuesday. I don't know yet.
So happy I am able to practice every day normal time. So is nothing special. I practiced like I did all my life.
Q. You said you didn't have a long break. Does it feel like the beginning or the end of the season, this tournament?
RAFAEL NADAL: For sure the beginning. We're in 2011. 2010 is past. For me is the beginning for sure, no? I didn't stop. But this year everything starts another time. So very happy to be here in Australia another time. Always very good news be here.
Yeah, is true, I didn't have a break. So hopefully if I have a good result here, I gonna have a few weeks after here.
Q. Do you feel any extra pressure going for the four slams in a row?
RAFAEL NADAL: For sure, no. That's true, maybe I only going to have this opportunity in my career. But not for that reason I going have the pression. The pression is like every Grand Slam, you want to play well in the important tournaments. And for me, have the fourth or not is something that is not in my mind.
What is in my mind is try to play well, try to start the season playing well another time, and we will see what's going on. It's very difficult to think about that when we didn't start the tournament, playing a very difficult tournament like this one.
Q. How do you explain that it hasn't happened for such a long time?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think is almost impossible. Is very, very difficult, no? The tennis is a very competitive sport and is not a lot of difference between players. So a lot of matches decides in a few balls. So for that reason is very difficult to have one player winning everything. That's the true.
So I think that's the reason.
Q. Can you tell us how special it would be, regardless, to be able to take out the four?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think is better if we continue with another questions because for me, seriously, I can't answer this question because I didn't imagine (laughter).
I think if that's happen, for sure for me I gonna be more happy to win in Australia because is the Australian Open more than is because the fourth in a row. That's hundred percent true.
Q. When Federer was in here earlier, he said you should be the favorite for the tournament because you won the last three Grand Slams. Do you feel the same way?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. For sure no. Yeah, every tournament is completely different. I gonna try my best to play well. And we will see what's going on, no?
But I feel if I play at my best level, I can have a chance to be in the second week, and there we will see what's happen, no? Every match will be really difficult, so I have to be ready for everything.
But I for sure am feeling less favorite than him and not more favorite than Djokovic, Murray, Soderling, these kind of players, no? So that's true. That's what I think.
Q. How is it possible that two players are dominating the circuit as you and Roger have the last years?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. I don't know. Well, he made a little bit more than me. That's the true. But I don't know. I think that's difficult. That's something gonna be not easy to repeat, but I don't know how is the tournaments. But in more than 20 Grand Slams, only two or three players won a Grand Slams, I think that's impossible to continue like this. I think that's not going to continue like this. We will see what's happen, no?
But there is a lot of good players, a lot of young players, and every year is more and more difficult.
Q. Your fellow No. 1 on the women's tour, Caroline Wozniacki, is coming into her first tournament as No. 1. Can you talk about the pressures coming into the first Grand Slam as No. 1?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't think she need my advice, no? But at the same time, seriously, for me doesn't matter if I'm No. 1, No. 2 or No. 5. When you arrive for play a tournament, the goal is to play well and try to play a good tournament, have a good result, and if is possible win. Doesn't matter if you are No. 1 or No. 5, the pressure is the same because in the end your goal is the same if you are No. 1 or if you are No. 5.
Q. Do you see her winning a Grand Slam in the very near future?
RAFAEL NADAL: I thought he [sic] will have a very good chance last year in the US Open. Was playing really well. Finally he [sic] lost in semifinals. Well see.
She is No. 1 of the world. For sure the No. 1 of the world has chances to win the important tournaments.
Q. You've won the US Open. Can you talk a little bit about the difference in conditions between this hard court tournament to the US Open and how do you play it differently tactically, or are they the same?
RAFAEL NADAL: I play what I can. Every tournament is different. In every tournament you have different feelings. Even during the tournament you can change a little bit because your feelings are changing, no? So US Open was a really special tournament for me last year.
In general, the conditions of Australia are a little bit more easy for me than US Open. The history says me that. The ball here is getting little bit more topspin, is a little bit slower. But seriously I start to think for me is better have faster courts or slower courts?
Q. A couple of quite famous players this year have changed their racquet, have gone to a new company. You've always been with the same racquet people. How big a gamble is it to change your racquet?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I have the option to do it a few years ago. But seriously I think is something difficult to do and is important decision because, yeah, maybe you win more money with another things, with a company, but if you lose little bit of your feeling and you lose little bit more than before, you are less happy than before. And is more important be happy than the money in general. That's what I feel.
Q. Rafa, Novak said after the US Open last year that he was really impressed how much you improved your serve. Is there a particular area in your game you look to improve this year?
RAFAEL NADAL: Always everything. But the serve, still to improve a lot. I think I am serving better, but never going to be enough, my serve.
Everything. You can play more aggressive. You can play more inside the court. You can go more times to the net. You can return little bit more aggressive. You can play longer. You can play more close to the lines.
In tennis you can improve all your career. So is something that I always tried when I wake up every morning and I go to practice. My goal is improve, not go to practice. That's why I am here, no? If someday I lost this feeling, maybe I don't gonna come back to this tournament.
Q. Rafael, away from the tennis, not at the tennis courts, what is different about the Australian Open for you, outside the tennis?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think the Australian Open probably is the easier Grand Slam for the players. The facilities are better than the rest of the tournament because you have everything very close, the hotel. The tournament always is improving, is creating new areas for the players. That's fantastic, no?
I think is a tournament is improving more every year. So just we can say thanks to the tournament. Seriously, for me, with me, the organization, the director of tournament was always fantastic. Just can say thanks very much because the support, they make me feel like home. Is one of the tournaments that I am always very happy to be back.
Q. You mentioned about your desire to keep improving all the time. Do you think because you and Roger have that mentality, you are taking men's tennis higher with you as well, that everybody now has to improve to even get close to you?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. I think every player improves normally because the player practice and the player keep improving I think all the career. So is important to know what you need to improve and how you gonna improve.
So I think the important thing is keep focus, keeping have the right illusion and motivation to improve your tennis even if you are on the top. And I think that's why Roger is on the top for long, long time, no? Is almost 10 years in the top of the rankings. That's why I think he improved a lot these years.
And myself I think, too. I can lose much more, and I can play a bad season this year. But I don't have any doubt because, win or lose, not depends only about how you play, depends about how you are mentally. Is a lot of facts can change between win or lose, no?
But I (indiscernible) I am better player this one than three or four years ago. So that's something that is important personal satisfaction. That's why I am practicing every day.
Nadal Feels No Extra Pressure Chasing “Rafa Slam”
Rafael Nadal is chasing his
second Australian Open crown.
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal goes into the Australian Open as the holder of the Roland Garros, Wimbledon and US Open titles. Should he lift the winner’s trophy for the second time on Rod Laver Arena in two weeks, the Spaniard would be the first player since Laver in 1969 to hold all four titles at one time. Would there be a more fitting place to mark such an achievement?
The 24-year-old Spaniard insists, though, that with history beckoning, he feels no extra pressure. “That's true; maybe I am only going to have this opportunity [once] in my career. But [it is] not for that reason I [am] going [to] have the pressure. The pressure is like every Grand Slam, you want to play well in the important tournaments. And for me, having the fourth or not is something that is not in my mind.”
World No. 2 Roger Federer, who was beaten by Nadal in the 2009 Australian Open final, acknowledged on Saturday how “incredible” the Spaniard’s past eight months had been – he has dropped only six sets in sweeping the past three Grand Slam titles – and labelled his rival the clear favourite for the title in Melbourne. Nadal was quick to disagree.
“I feel if I play at my best level, I can have a chance to be in the second week, and there we will see what happens. Every match will be really difficult, so I have to be ready for everything. But I for sure am feeling less favourite than [Federer] and not more favourite than Djokovic, Murray, Soderling, these kinds of players.”
There were worrying signs for Nadal fans as the Mallorcan struggled with illness during the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha in the first week of the season – although he fought through to reach the singles semi-finals (l. to Davydenko) and win the doubles title – but the left-hander declared himself nearly back to full health on the eve of the Australian Open.
“I'm feeling better. I think not perfect yet. [It] seems like after what I had in Doha, when I am practising, I feel a little bit more tired than usual and sweating more than ever. But the truth is I'm better than few days ago. So that's very positive. I hope [it’s] not going to be a problem for next Tuesday. So [I am] happy I am able to practise every day, normal time. So is nothing special. I practised like I did all my life.”
Nadal will open his Australian Open campaign on Tuesday against Brazilian Marcos Daniel.
Nadal walczy o Wielkiego Szlema
Dawni mistrzowie jak jeden mąż na zwycięzcę Australian Open typują Rafaela Nadala. Argumenty są różne, ale mianownik zawsze ten sam: Hiszpan za dwa tygodnie przejdzie do historii!
Przed turniejem w szwajcarskich mediach królują rozpacz i czarnowidztwo. - Alle gegen Roger (Wszyscy przeciwko Rogerowi) - alarmuje dziennik „Blick". Co rusz przytaczane są słowa tenisowych gwiazd, które w Melbourne wyżej oceniają szanse Rafy niż jego wielkiego rywala. John McEnroe, Stefan Edberg, Mats Wilander i Yannick Noah na wyścigi wyliczają przewagi lidera światowego rankingu. Wieszczą, że Federer nie obroni tytułu, a Nadal wygra czwarty kolejny turniej wielkoszlemowy.
Kto broni, a kto marnuje
Ich zdaniem o wyniku rywalizacji tytanów może zadecydować psychika. Tu tenisista z Majorki ma nad konkurencją wprost miażdżącą przewagę. To człowiek-skała, facet broniący meczboli i wychodzący cało z największych nawet opresji. Roger - mimo że wygrał do tej pory 16 turniejów wielkoszlemowych - jest inny. W trudnych momentach pęka, pod presją gaśnie w oczach, a z jego luzu, swobody, geniuszu zostają jedynie wspomnienia. Żadna z gwiazd nie marnuje tylu piłek meczowych co on, a do tego dochodzi jeszcze fatalna statystyka w meczach rozgrywanych „na pełnym dystansie".
- Im dłużej trwa spotkanie, tym trudniej pokonać Nadala. Z Federerem jest inaczej - tłumaczy McEnroe. Na udowodnienie tej tezy przedstawia bilanse: Hiszpan zwycięża w 82% spotkań zakończonych piątym setem, Szwajcar jedynie w nieco ponad połowie. W tym zestawieniu na liście wszech czasów zajmuje zaledwie 97. pozycję! O tym dlaczego, dowiadujemy się między innymi z finału Australian Open sprzed dwóch lat. Decydującą partię Federer zaczynał uśmiechnięty, pewny swego, skończył zaś rozedrgany i ze łzami w oczach. Podczas dekoracji z bezsilności rozpłakał się na ramieniu zwycięzcy.
- Wiecie, dlaczego kibicuję Rafie? - pyta Mats Wilander. - Bo jako numer jeden niesamowicie się rozwinął. Poprawił serwis, przyspieszył uderzenia, nauczył się grać na różnych nawierzchniach. Federer błyszczał, ale jego tenis cały czas wyglądał podobnie - komentuje.
- Nadal może wymazać z tabel większość jego rekordów - uzupełnia inny Szwed Stefan Edberg.
- Jeśli tylko będzie zdrowy, nikt nie dobierze mu się do skóry - uważa Noah.
No właśnie, tylko czy będzie? W Dausze Nadala dopadła ostatnio paskudna choroba, faszerowano go antybiotykami. Przełożył podróż z Azji do Australii, bo bał się, że z samolotu wyjdzie ledwo żywy. Wirus długo kradł mu siły...
Na antypodach zaczął delikatnie, od obowiązków poza kortem. Razem z szefami firmy KIA prezentował nową Optimę (ze sponsorem turnieju wiąże go długoletni kontrakt), a dopiero po dłuższej aklimatyzacji zdecydował się na bardziej intensywne treningi.
- Teraz czuję się już dużo lepiej, choć na pewno jeszcze nie jest idealnie. Bardziej się męczę, więcej pocę. Ćwiczę jednak tak jak zawsze - opowiada. I w swoim stylu przyznaje: - Jestem mniejszym faworytem niż Federer i nie większym niż Murray, Dżoković i Soderling. Żeby dotrwać do drugiego tygodnia imprezy, muszę grać na swoim najwyższym poziomie. Wtedy wszystko może się zdarzyć - tłumaczy.
Drugi plan Murraya
Z asekuracją chyba jednak przesadza. Na leczenie zostało jeszcze sporo czasu. Brazylijczyka Marcosa Daniela Rafa pokonałby nawet z wysoką gorączką. Schody zaczną się dla niego dopiero w drugim tygodniu. - Gdyby udało mu się zwyciężyć w czwartym kolejnym turnieju wielkoszlemowym, osiągnąłby coś niezwykłego nie tylko w skali tenisa, lecz całego sportu. Mam jednak nadzieję, że mu się to nie uda - szelmowsko uśmiecha się Andy Murray, który w poprzednim sezonie zniweczył plany Nadala. Teraz znów chce go zastopować, choć dookoła powtarzają, że projektu „zatrzymać Rafę" po raz drugi nie da się już zrealizować...
BARTOSZ GĘBICZ
AO 2011 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 1 rundzie
Q. Is it good to save energy for later or would you have preferred a tougher match?
RAFAEL NADAL: You never know, no? The worst thing is that he had an injury. He's for sure a really nice guy, really nice person. I really sorry for him. I wish him all the best for the recover. Hopefully is nothing really, really important.
But that's all what I can say. Save energy or not, I think the way that the match came doesn't make big difference, no?
Q. Were you generally happy with the way you were going anyway?
RAFAEL NADAL: Is difficult to say something, to say I played really well, I played bad. I think I played right. I played some good shots, some long shots. The serve can be a little bit better. Yeah, that's the only point that I think I can improve. I can improve in everything for sure.
But the only thing I feel I have to improve more if I want to play well here. So that's it. For the rest, forehand and backhand, I felt okay.
Q. What about the serve? What do you need to do that's different?
RAFAEL NADAL: If I know, I will do it before. I don't know. I will try to practice a little bit. I practiced already after the match a little bit. Hopefully going to be fine.
Q. So you say after the match you went straight to the practice courts?
RAFAEL NADAL: Only for serve. Half an hour for serve.
Q. You're winning a game like that 2 love and you can see your opponent is injured and hurting, does it enter your head to give an easy ball?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. For sure I am a professional and I try my best in every point, no? That's the best thing for respect the opponent in that situation. I think that's the best way, no? So sometimes if you do something and you let him win a game is worst, no?
I think he started the match injury. He tried his best during the match. He didn't want to retired. That says a lot of him. Not everybody's able to do this. So all the respect for him. And I think he did all in his hands, but he was really injured.
Q. Does a Grand Slam require a specific routine for you because it's two weeks and it could be a five set match sometimes? Do you have a special routine compared to other tournaments?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. I try my best in every tournament. Sometimes works well; sometimes not that well. I don't have a special routines in no one tournament.
Q. The fact that you have a day off between each match...
RAFAEL NADAL: The only thing is you have a day off. The day off, I don't know, you can relax. Little bit of swimming pool, that's all. Practice little bit. Not many things.
Q. I guess you're not too happy about the result of Real Mallorca last night against Madrid. Can you talk a little about the start of the season for Mallorca and how Michael Laudrup has influence on the team?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think for sure is not a positive result. Was 3 0. Mallorca is doing a great season. Is 27 points already. For us the main goal is keep in the first division, so we are in the really good way.
I think the coaches are doing a great job. The situation of the club one year ago wasn't ideal, the perfect one, so a lot of changes on the club. Not easy for the players, I think, and for everybody.
So if we know everything about that, the situation is much better than in the best dreams that we thought.
Q. How close do you follow Mallorca traveling around the world?
RAFAEL NADAL: I try to see all the matches always. Not today because I had to come here very early to practice because I played early. But I sure try to see every match. When I am in Mallorca, if I have the chance, I go.
Q. Who did you want to win if they're playing Real Madrid?
RAFAEL NADAL: Always depends of the situation. But my uncle is the second coach of Real Mallorca right now. For sure the family is the first thing.
And after, if my uncle is not there, always depends. If Real Madrid plays to win the league and Mallorca plays for nothing, I want Real Madrid to win.
If Mallorca plays to be in the first division and Real Madrid plays for not much, I want Mallorca to win. So always depends of the moment, of the season.
Q. How close do you think you are to your top form, and how many games do you think you'll need to play before you're at your best?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. I don't know where is my best level and what far I am from that. So I try my best every day. Sometimes you play well; sometimes you play a little bit worst. I can't say if I am playing at my best or not.
I think I am in the right way. We will see what's happen when I gonna play the next match.
Q. We're writing a lot about you going for four Grand Slam titles. Do you ever read any of the stuff that's written about you or do you deliberately try to ignore it?
RAFAEL NADAL: I never read a lot about me, so this is not an obsession. Seriously, the most positive thing that's talking about that is because I won the last three. The rest of the things doesn't matter, no, because I know how difficult is every tournament. I am not ready to think if I am ready to win this tournament or not right now, no?
So you have your job; I have my job. You can write what you think, and I gonna try my best every day to play well and to be competitive when I am on court.
But I never think about winning the four Grand Slams in a row because that's very far right now.
Q. You're a great fan of football. Do you also like Formula One? Did you watch Fernando Alonso when he was fighting for the championship in Abu Dhabi?
RAFAEL NADAL: I watch on the TV in Mallorca, yeah. Was tough day.
Artykuł z dnia wczorajszego, więc nie występują żadne wzmianki o wygranym dzisiaj spotkaniu z ulubieńcem gospodarzy.
Passing Shots
There’s a sense of renewal to the first week of a Grand Slam. Each day, various potential futures briefly announce themselves, before packing up their racquets and heading to the next far-flung stop on the circuit, not to be seen again for months. That’s been especially true in Melbourne this time around. Walking to the far corners of the grounds in search of fresh faces and new talent, you can see the sport beginning to repeat its own history. Nineteen-year-old Grigor Dimitrov is the Federer-esque high-flyer, Bernard Tomic is the crafty, junky Andy Murray wannabe, Bojana Jovanovksi is the next Serb star, Ricardas Berankis has his nose to the same grindstone as Nikolay Davydenko.
Whether of not any of these futures comes to pass is still very much up in the air, and that's the reason we keep watching from one “generation” of players to the next. We want, in the accelerated way of tennis, to find out who does what with their lives. In this game, we get to find out much more quickly than we do anywhere else. At 29, Roger Federer is already a lion in winter. Venus Williams is on her last legs at 30. Caroline Wozniacki better hurry up and do something already before she turns 21. Rafael Nadal is entering the prime of life at 24. Notice that Nadal measured his age yesterday as “24 and a half." Everything is compressed in a tennis career, every month a precious one not to be wasted. As soon as you start, the end is in sight.
Time is a jet plane, someone said, it moves too fast. It takes the ridiculous acceleration of pro tennis to remind us of that fact and make it visible. The stages of the cycle play out through the first week of a major, as the future inevitably runs up against the present. Jovanovski gave second-seeded veteran Vera Zvonareva a run yesterday, before experience and polish won out. Stan Wawrinka showed Dimitrov what professional-level consistency looks like. Berankis, on the other hand, caught another vet, David Nalbandian, on a weary-old-man day when he couldn’t recover. On Saturday, the generational drama will play out in a high-profile way inside Laver Arena, when Nadal takes on Tomic.
I can remember when, six years ago, in this same round and on this same middle Saturday, Nadal was cast in the Tomic role. He was also 18, and he was playing local hero and Top 5 resident Lleyton Hewitt. You could see Nadal had the tenacity and the consistency, but the confidence to break open points wasn’t there yet. (As he was for Federer, Hewitt was a sort of litmus test for Nadal; Rafa played him close a few times before breaking through and leaving him in the dust.) Nadal lost in three close, arduous sets.
Rafa, now in a very different role, was in an expansive mood yesterday. The idea of playing the prodigy of the moment brought out his nostalgic side. In the process, he summed up the bittersweet element of getting older in tennis. The things you desired—wins, Slams, rankings, recognition—bring as much anxiety as they do happiness.
He was asked, “When you were a teenager playing against the best in the world on your way up, how did you did you approach the games? What was your attitude?”
“Is much easier when you’re a teenager, I think," Nadal said, warming to the opportunity to wax philosophical. "When you have 17 or 18, everything is easier. You play with no pressure. You can win, you can lose, everything is fine. That’s a different mentality. You can play more aggressive. For everybody is the same history I think, no?"
Nadal smiled and fiddled with the top of the water bottle in his hand. He kept going. “When you arrive, you hit all the balls like crazy and without think, without pressure. When you are there [raising his hand to indicate a high level] you start to think a little bit more about you have to play this shot, you have to play another shot, I can’t lose this match, I have to win this match for sure.
"That’s little bit more problems. When you are coming up, you [make the] quarterfinals, perfect; semifinals, fantastic; you play final, very good; and if you win, is unbelievable. You lose in quarterfinals, you say, ‘Well, is good. Is not my tournament,’ but you are going back very happy at home.
"So that is different view and different perspective of the game. So the pressure is higher when you are in the top. Seems like it could be different, but believe me, that’s what happen.”
Nadal kept smiling; his teeth virtually glowed out from his tan face. He took a sip of water. He’s on top of the mountain at the moment, and it’s hard to imagine him anywhere else in the immediate future. But he knows, perhaps better than the rest of us, that the moment will pass. As a tennis player, he’s learned that fact early.
“The day of today, I am lucky. I have 24 and a half. I won what I win, what I won in the past, and that’s more than what I ever dreamed.”
Nadal shrugged. He’s fulfilled his dreams, but he also says that 10 minutes before his next match, he’ll be nervous again. Life goes on, nerves go on. For tennis fans and writers, there’s always a new generation to enjoy coming down the pike, forming before our eyes. The price of throwing yourself into the center of the arena is that you only have one shot; life is fantastic there, but it's over fast. Nadal will be anxious when he faces the new generation. Knowing him, it will drive him to keep the future at bay a little bit longer. He knows time is passing too fast to waste a day.
Coś dla Anuli. :)
http://zyciegwiazd.onet.pl/245689,0,raf … etail.html
AO 2011 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 2 rundzie
Q. Were you aware of who your opponent was today? Had you ever heard of him?
RAFAEL NADAL: About him? I heard about him, but I really didn't know how he play. Yeah, my uncle was watching the match the other day. He knows what he do better, what he do worse.
But, yeah, I think he's young. He can improve. He has to improve the serve, because with his tall he can serve much better.
Q. What do you take out of today's game, if anything? Is there anything that you can take out of it for the rest of the tournament?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think I played a solid match. A few mistakes with the backhand, that's all. The serve, my serve improved a lot since the first day. I think I was serving very well today. To the right, to the chair umpire, the sun was there and was very difficult for some moments.
But in general, I think my serve worked really well, so happy for that. Movement good; backhand good; having a few more mistakes than usual. I have to play longer with the backhand. Maybe have to play a little bit more aggressive, more inside the court.
But in general I am happy.
Q. Seems possible that you might have to play a young Australian in the next round, Bernard Tomic. What do you know about him?
RAFAEL NADAL: I know him. He's very young. He has very good potential to be in the top positions in the future. Well, he's playing well. He's winning two sets now. We will see who gonna win the match.
But anyway, both opponents going to be really difficult in third round of Grand Slam. No one opponent can be easy. I have to play well if I want to win against both of them.
Q. Is there anything harder about playing someone who is a local identity, if not a favorite?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, is good, no? I think is nice to have a young Australian coming well and having very good talent and very good future. So gonna be a nice match if that happen. So I'm excited to go on court and to try my best tennis, and for sure to try to win.
The crowd is always fantastic here anyway. If I play against local heroes, like I played against Lleyton a few years ago, the crowd was fantastic all the time. For sure the support is always with them, but always with very good respect for me, you know. I felt all my career very good here and the crowd was always supporting me, so for me is not a problem that.
Q. If you haven't have experience, it's not someone you played against a lot, what do you do to prepare yourself if you're a little unsure of the way he plays?
RAFAEL NADAL: If I play against Tomic?
Q. Yes.
RAFAEL NADAL: What can I say different? What can I do different? Practice little bit tomorrow, rest in the hotel, maybe going to the aquarium. I didn't go this year. I go every year. So that's all.
Q. So you're pretty relaxed about it?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, but I gonna be nervous, if you want, 10 minutes before the match and when the match start. But two days ago, before, if I start to be nervous two days ago, I have a big problem, I think (laughter).
Q. What did you think of Roger's match last night?
RAFAEL NADAL: Very nice match, I think. Very high level of tennis. I think Roger started the match playing very aggressive, very well. But always Simon is very difficult to beat, no? When he's playing well, he's fast. When the match is longer, he don't have mistakes. You need to play all the points really good to beat him.
Five set match, that's long time. You have to play well long time to beat Gilles. I think he had amazing comeback, two sets all. He had a good chance in the beginning of the fifth with Love 30, but I think Roger played very well the important moments, no? He played aggressive. He had good serves, very good cross backhands and good volleys.
Was a very good tennis match. Finally, I think Roger deserves to win because he was playing really well.
Q. Do you think it's harder these days for a young player to make headway in the game, to improve quickly enough to be at a standard to play the number of players there are in the game today, a young player, with so much pressure on them?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I think always happen that. When I arrived, since like is impossible to be in the top, because in that moment, all the players was very good and very young: Coria, Nalbandian, Roger, Lleyton, Roddick. A lot of ones in the top.
And when I saw the rankings, I say, Well, I don't know how I can be there, no? But finally you improve every year, you improve every day, you're going to have your chance, no? And that's what I tried.
Finally I did in 2005. So when I started to play well, I improved little bit my level, I think I was able to go there. And for sure this is difficult, but I think is the problem of the best today is I think we are still young. Del Potro is young. Murray, Djokovic, Soderling, Berdych, hopefully myself (smiling). We're still young. Hopefully we can be there for a long time.
But the tennis is very hard sport and is really difficult have a very, very long career, no? So you always gonna have problems. One injury, three months out. Another one, one month out. Another one is tired mentally. So everybody has his chance.
Q. You experienced what it was like to be a teenager on the way up playing against the very best. How do you think Bernard will feel if he does play you? How do you think he should approach the match?
RAFAEL NADAL: What he needs to do?
Q. What he would need to do.
RAFAEL NADAL: Play very bad, please (laughter). That's what I can say to him, so...
I don't know what he has to do, no? The first thing, he has to play well.
Q. When you were a teenager playing against the best in the world on your way up, how did you approach the games? What was your attitude?
RAFAEL NADAL: Is much easier when you are a teenager, I think. When you have 17 or 18, everything is easier. You play with no pressure. You can win, you can lose, everything is fine. That's a different mentality. You can play more aggressive. For everybody is the same history I think, no?
When you arrive, you hit all the balls like crazy and without think, without pressure. When you are there (indicating at a high level) you start to think a little bit more about you have to play this shot, you have to play another shot, I can't lose this match, I have to win this match for sure.
That's a little bit more problems. When you are coming up, you play quarterfinals perfect; you play semifinals fantastic; you play final very good; and if you win, is unbelievable. So when you are there, you play quarterfinals, say, Well, is good. Is not my tournament, but you are going back very happy at home.
So that is different view and different perspective of the game. So the pressure is higher when you are in the top. Seems like can be a different thing, but believe me, that's what happen.
Q. How do you deal with the high pressure because everybody expects you to win every game? How do you deal with this high pressure?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think I am in a different moment of my career. That's happened to me in 2006, 2007 perhaps, but not the day of today. The day of today, I am lucky. I have 24 and a half. I won what I win, what I won in the past, and that's more than what I ever dreamed.
So my moment is different. I am very happy about what I did. That's give me a lot of calm. I have probably less pressure right now, last year's season, winning a lot. I have to work hard every day. That's what I do: keep practicing with humble, illusion, and motivation for sure, waiting my chances, trying to find my chances.
But I have pressure, yes, but for sure less than when I was playing in 2006 and 2007.
AO 2011 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 3 rundzie
Q. There were some difficult moments out there tonight.
RAFAEL NADAL: Sure, yeah, especially in the second. Yeah, he's a kind of player that is very difficult to play against. His style of game is not easy to play.
He's good, no? He's a better play, and I think he will be better.
Q. What advice do you have for him? He's a talented young player who is just starting his career.
RAFAEL NADAL: I can tell you what I did. What I did is work all the time, to work with humble, illusion and motivation to be a better player, no? That's the only thing that I can say for sure.
Q. Cilic played a long game. Did you watch it?
RAFAEL NADAL: I watched it a little bit in the locker room before I went on court. So, yeah, he was playing really good. Was a good match of tennis. Yeah, was real emotional in the end. He finished the match playing really well. Going to be a real difficult match, I think.
Q. Do you feel like you played well tonight?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I don't think so. I didn't play well tonight. I played short. The movements wasn't the best. The position on court wasn't the best neither.
So the positive thing that the attitude was good all the time. That's true. Even with the 4 0, I keep fighting for the second. And for moments I did something good in the third. I went to the net more than before, so that's positive thing.
But I have to change a few things if I really want to have chances to win the next match, and I gonna do it.
Q. How long did it take you to understand his game? He doesn't play a very regular game.
RAFAEL NADAL: In general, the most difficult thing is he's a good player, no? So he won the first two matches against not easy players in straight sets. So is a difficult match. And is important victory for me. Even if I didn't play my best tennis, for me win in three sets, 6 2, 7 5, 6 3 is a very positive result for me. I'm very happy for the victory.
Is more important win matches when you are not playing your best than when you are playing your best, no? Yeah, is more difficult and the same time is have better value, I think, because when you are playing well everything is easier. When you're not playing that well, like today, the victory is more important.
Q. Talking about your attitude, if you play one bad point or a few bad points, how do you forget about those bad points?
RAFAEL NADAL: I have to play the next one, so... The only thing is try to not lose the concentration and just think positive to keep fighting all the time, no? So for that reason I was able to come back in the second and finally win without many problems.
If I lost that second set, if I don't fight for points after the 4 0, maybe we are playing right now.
Q. You weren't on court very long in the first two matches. Was it good to get a bit extra time and a bit of extra hitting and still get the win?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, is better win easier (smiling). But that's part of the game. Is impossible to win easy in this sport. All the players are really good. All the players are very competitive. That's normal, have a difficult matches like I have today. That's a normal thing.
Every day right now gonna be really difficult. The next match gonna be very difficult and I have to be ready to play my best tennis.
Q. You seemed to be sweating a lot early on, changed your shirt a few times. Were you feeling okay out there?
RAFAEL NADAL: I was perfect when I started the season in Abu Dhabi playing. I was playing perfect and I was feeling perfect physically. In Doha, I had that problem. I wasn't feel very well. Have fever and these things. Seems like after that my body is still not perfect. I am sweating more than usual. I am more tired than usual when I'm playing. That's what happen right now. That's the true.
Q. Was it a bit unusual having the crowd primarily against you?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't feel that. The normal thing was he's young, he's from Australia. Normal thing is have the crowd behind him. But I don't feel a lot that tonight. I think the crowd was real neutral. The crowd was supporting both of us.
The crowd here in Australia is always fantastic. I played against Lleyton. He's an idol here. It was when I was a kid little bit more than a kid, but when I had 17 and 18. The crowd was fantastic. Very respectful with both of us. Supporting Lleyton for sure, but supporting myself, too.
Tonight have something similar. Is always nice go on this center court. Atmosphere is always nice I think.
Q. You said you don't have a fever anymore, but the body is getting tired. Are you concerned in the next week the body might not be ready for five sets after five sets?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. Hopefully I gonna improve. I don't know. I don't know what's going on. I am doing all that I can. I am working, I am resting. I can't do more, no? If I don't feel perfect, it's not my fault. It's day of today. All I can say is keep fighting. I have the (indiscernible) here, my biscuits, for the problem maybe. If I eat more, maybe I am better next week.
Q. Do you think in the last year you have made more progress in your tennis game or in your English?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think in my tennis game for sure, no? Cannot be my English because I am not very inspired tonight. But I can
Nadal still recovering from earlier bout of flu
Rafael Nadal says he is still not 100 percent after coming down with flu in Doha. "Seems like after that my body is still not perfect. I am sweating more than usual. I am more tired than usual when I'm playing," he said after a tricky three-set win over Bernard Tomic in the third round of the Australian Open.
Nadal is unsure how quickly he will recover as the tournament progresses. "Hopefully I gonna improve. I don't know," he said. "I am doing all that I can. I am working, I am resting. I can't do more, no? If I don't feel perfect, it's not my fault. It's day of today. All I can say is keep fighting."
AO 2011 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 4 rundzie
Q. How are you feeling? Do you think you're fully recovered?
RAFAEL NADAL: Today I felt very good, no? I didn't sweat like the other days. So that's fantastic news for me. The better news is I played much better than the rest of the days.
I was able to play with high intensity, very good rhythm, playing more inside the court. So play more aggressive, changing rhythms with the slice and with the topspin, backhand. The serve worked better today.
So, in general, I think it was a very good match for me and very important victory. So very happy for everything.
Q. Do you have any idea as to why you didn't feel that good a couple of days ago? Is it a medical situation or just you didn't feel great?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think so. I don't know, no? I don't have more information than that, no? You see, I was sweating like crazy the other day. I play night session, too. So the conditions wasn't very different.
I say the other day, it's true, I playing better. When I play better, I play with a little bit more calm and with less anxiety. For that reason, I am anxiety less.
I say the other day, too, today in the practice, I didn't sweat like the other days, too. I sweat much less. Hopefully continue like this.
Q. Cilic just said he had some kind of trouble with the weather. How did you feel with the weather, with the cold? He said it was a bit cold for him. It suited you better than him.
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I didn't find that cold. Was normal condition. Is a night session. Not playing with the sunshine, so is normal conditions.
Q. I think he was saying that because it was cold and the ball wasn't bouncing as much.
RAFAEL NADAL: The ball is bouncing less?
Q. Yes.
RAFAEL NADAL: When is hot, the ball bounce higher.
Q. He was saying it was less.
RAFAEL NADAL: He must say the ball stays lower today.
Well, in general, I think is more positive for him than for me, no? I like the high bounce. And I think for my game is more positive if the bounce are higher. I can play with the topspin. Is easier for me to play. Seriously, for me, I don't know if he was a little bit tired of the other day, but I am very happy how I played. I played my best match here by far.
Q. We'd like to know, apart from winning, what do you enjoy most about being on court? Do you enjoy saving the breakpoints or hitting passing shots, hitting a winner?
RAFAEL NADAL: I enjoy the competition and I enjoy play well. I enjoy everything, no? I enjoy the moments that you have to do something to play well. You have to do something to change some situations. These kind of changes, mentality changes, I love that sometimes and other times it didn't work a lot and you can't enjoy.
Q. You've spoken before about the strength of Spanish sport generally. Is it special for you to play against David in a quarterfinal here?
RAFAEL NADAL: For me is not as special. For me is a very good news because one Spanish is going to be in semifinal, so that's fantastic for our country I think. Start the first Grand Slam of the season having one player in semifinal. That's good news.
I'm happy for him. He's playing good. He won in Auckland. He's in quarterfinal. Is going to be a very difficult match. I wish him all the best. Hopefully I can play my best tennis and have good chances to win. I don't know.
Q. You've seen a lot of him over the years, played against him a lot. You know each other's game pretty well.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, we know each other perfect. We played a lot of times against each other. At the same time we practiced a lot of times, no?
I think he's a fantastic player for a lot of years being in the top positions. That's very difficult to do, and he did. So all the respect for him. I know gonna be a really, really difficult match.
Q. Is playing David going to be a tougher test of your fitness and your health compared to the match today?
RAFAEL NADAL: We will see. I don't know. Cilic is a great player. He's a very tough opponent. Before the match, I was scared seriously. Well, scared in a good way because I know how good he can play. Only match against him I lost 6 1, 6 3 in Beijing. I have no chances. Is true it was a different situation for me.
But these kind of players is very difficult to play. David will be something different. We know each other perfect. He's very good. He's No. 7 or 6 in the world. You are in quarterfinals. In quarterfinals you can't have an easy match.
Q. You played many times more than five hours per match. What was your reaction when you heard that yesterday Schiavone and Kuznetsova played 4 hours and 44 minutes in just three sets?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, it makes it possible that there is not tiebreak in the third. Was a fantastic match, I think, no? Is good for the sport. Sure is a good show for the tennis world.
The worst thing, the winner can be a little bit tired. But I think she has today rest, no?
Q. Did you see any of that?
RAFAEL NADAL: I wasn't see. I wasn't see the match. But I heard about that. That's good. Is a good victory, and I congratulate Francesca.
Q. You were capable to come back after a long match with Verdasco and play well in the final. Many people were surprised. Do you think Francesca Schiavone can be strong enough to play Wozniacki, or you don't think it's possible?
RAFAEL NADAL: Why not, no? If I did, a lot of people can do it. We will see, no? Is very personal thing. At the same time, even the same person, you play a long match and you can be better or you can be worse, depending on the moment. For example, I played against Andy Murray here in 2007, I think. I played very long match in fourth round, Round of 16. I wasn't able to play in quarterfinals against González. It happened in 2009 against Verdasco, and I was ready to play a long final, no?
Depends of the moment. You never know.
Q. Do you find it distracting when everybody is calling out, I love you, Rafa?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I feel fantastic (laughter).
Q. Are you able to block it out?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I heard everything. But is nice (smiling).
Q. What about when the girls whistle at you and take pictures of you when you're changing your shirt?
RAFAEL NADAL: That's a very good feeling (smiling).
Q. Could you tell us more about this Armani campaign? Was it a good experience? What do you think of the pictures?
RAFAEL NADAL: Was a long experience, but very good experience, no? Is always nice to know different worlds. The fashion world is something that I didn't know before.
Yeah, was a good session of photos, long one. But hopefully the result are satisfactory, so... I worked very hard, seriously (laughter). So, yeah, was nice. A different experience and I enjoyed.
Q. Do you find you sexy on the picture?
RAFAEL NADAL: I'm not the right person to say. I always watch myself so so. But what do you think? Do you like it?
Q. Yeah, I do.
RAFAEL NADAL: I happy if I like it (smiling).
Q. You say it was long. How long were you one next to the other?
RAFAEL NADAL: Was different shootings. We talked enough about that in the past.
Q. Just a question about the Hawk Eye system. Is it difficult to know when to challenge and when not to challenge? How do you feel when you challenge and the result is that it's just in or just out or very close?
RAFAEL NADAL: That's part of the game, no? Is difficult to see sometimes. But sometimes is important point and you challenge. We'll see what's going on. When you see the ball, you are praying to have the positive result for you, no?
I think is a positive thing for the sport. I think the crowd enjoys the Hawk Eye. I think that's a good really good improve in the tennis world when the Hawk Eye came, no? I think is very positive and I enjoy because you have your chance. That's good.
No Sweat
We talk about a player’s form going into a tournament and try to predict the future from there. There’s not a whole lot else we can do. But you only have to look at the Rafael Nadal of two nights ago and the one who came out to Laver Arena for his match with Marin Cilic tonight to see how misleading those measurements can be.
From the first game, this was a different version of Nadal then the sweaty, anxious one who had been run across the baseline by Bernard Tomic. It wasn’t noticeable in the way Nadal hit the ball on Monday so much as it was in the energy he exuded. On the third or fourth point, before many people had even begun to focus on the match, he was already berating himself for moving back to hit a forehand, and that was on a point he won. After the next rally, Nadal did something I’ve never seen him do. He looked back into the full VIP section behind him, smiled, and said something. He was in good spirits. A few minutes later he broke serve and jabbed himself with a very early Vamos!
On Saturday, playing a local kid on a big occasion, Nadal had been nervous. And he didn’t shake those nerves until he was up two sets. Today he took a more proactive approach. He looked looser and more confident to me, but he made a point of saying afterward that he’d been nervous again. Cilic had won their only meeting, in straight sets last year indoors. “He’s a very dane-herous player,” Nadal said. But then he always says that, doesn’t he?
They must have been the good kind of nerves, because Nadal was moving well for inside-out forehands—usually a sign of how his confidence and aggression levels are—and at 3-1 and deuce he made one of the longest successful scrambles I’ve seen him make. He came charging from the behind the court on the ad side to dig out a drop shot near the net on the deuce side, and then send it skidding for a crosscourt angle winner for good measure. Another positive sign for Nadal fans: On important points on his serve, he was taking the initiative. He still doesn’t do that on break points, but of course it’s harder to grab control of a rally when you’re returning.
“This was my best match of the year so far here,” Nadal said afterward. He said he felt much better physically, and that he was much less drained—just what the rest of the guys in the tournament wanted to hear, I’m sure. “I played with very high intensity.”
The match was something like a typical Nadal encounter with Novak Djokovic, except that Cilic is simply not as good. A lot of it came down to whether the Croat could keep taking high topspin balls and knocking them off. The Tomic match had been a lesson in how tough this is to do for an extended period. The teenager seemed to pile up dozens of winners, many of them of the jaw-dropping variety, yet he was unable to win so much as a set. Djokovic himself has played half a dozen matches against Nadal where’s hit him off the court for long stretches and still lost because he just couldn’t do it enough. Cilic has the height to play Rafa, but not the timing. He missed at all the wrong moments. But it was always going to be tough with Nadal moving this well.
Best for Nadal was his serve. He made 73 percent of first balls, which is a winning number for him. As always, what was most impressive was his accuracy to spots. He worked the 6-foot-6 Cilic body relentlessly, but he did it to both the forehand and backhand sides, which takes precision. He also made a lot of first serves on important points. When it’s clicking, Nadal’s serve, in its way, is as effective as Roddick’s.
Or, as Rafa put it afterward, with admirable simplicity, “The serve is very important.”
This match came to a peak in the same place as the Tomic match, late in a close second set. Again it was Nadal's serve in this situation that made the difference. At 5-4, he went down break point, 30-40. For one of the few times all night, Nadal went down the T. He got a forehand on the next ball and put it away to make it deuce. On the next point, he served up the T again, and got another forehand. What a pleasant, and jealous-making, thing to be able to do: To save your best serve only for when you really need it, and then nail it each time. Nadal would eventually hold for the set and make the rest a formality. On every point from 30-40 down, he had maneuvered the rally so that he got an early look at a mid-court forehand. That’s pretty dazzling stuff from a tennis IQ perspective.
I’ll finish with a favorite moment that’s apropos of nothing other than itself. Two games earlier, serving at 4-3 in the second and 30-15, Nadal made his way to the net. Cilic looped a tricky high ball; it was neither a volley nor an overhead. Nadal jumped and hit what I'll describe as a flip-down forehand volley crosscourt. It didn’t come off the strings cleanly, but it went in, and in the direction Nadal meant it to go. Cilic chased it but came up a step short.
The shot had been an improvisation, and one that most players, including many pros, would have botched. Svetlana Kuznetsova hit a very similar shot 15 feet out when she was down set point in the first set against Schiavone. Nadal’s went in, and landed an inch out of his opponent’s reach. There’s tennis IQ; this was tennis DNA. There’s no way you can teach that shot.
Which is a roundabout way of saying that, for whatever it’s worth, Nadal’s in good form again.
Robertinho napisał:
Coś dla Anuli. :)
http://zyciegwiazd.onet.pl/245689,0,raf … etail.html
Doszłam już do siebie na tyle, że mogę napisać : dzięki.:-D
Bad Timing
The scene has played out the same way twice this week. A player is spotted in the tunnel leading into Rod Laver Arena before a night match. He’s there by himself, hopping a little, stretching a little, trying to stay loose. Frankly, he looks like he doesn’t know what to do. Everyone waits. The TV camera waits. The TV commentator who’s going to interview the players as they walk on the court waits. The public address announcer waits. Then a door opens and Rafal Nadal comes out of a room, presumably a bathroom, with his huge racquet bag over his shoulder and customary single Babolat in his left hand. The proceedings can begin.
Hold it, not quite yet. While the other player puts his bag down and walks out to meet the chair umpire for the coin toss, Nadal fiddles with various things, gets a tube of something out and sucks it down, takes a sip of something and then a sip of water, lines the bottles up just so, and for good measure wipes a towel over his arms, even though its hard to imagine what he’s done to start sweating at that point. While this is happening, the other player and the umpire say hello, then look at the court, then smile awkwardly. The player again tries to stay loose, but there’s really not much he can do. Finally, Nadal is ready. He runs out and starts jumping up and down in front of his opponent, who stares at his strings.
I first saw Nadal go through this routine on the Grandstand at the U.S. Open in 2003, when he was 16. He kept his opponent, the umpire, and the crowd waiting just as he does today. I remember thinking something like, “This is one willful kid,” There was something impressive about the way he went about his business on his own terms even then.
I’ve always been impressed, from a competitor’s standpoint, with the way Nadal controls the tempo of a match, even before the players take the court. It gives him a huge, if subtle, mental edge—“this match goes at my pace,” is the message. I’m not even sure how much of it is gamesmanship, and how much of it is just a ritual that he learned very early, and that he simply must perform now or risk thinking he’s jinxed himself out of the match. Nadal is a man of rituals and superstitions. This is a guy who, when he’s walking across the back of Laver Arena after toweling off, goes out of his way to step all the way through the Melbourne logo at the back of the court.
But I haven’t liked seeing those two players—Bernard Tomic and Marin Cilic—waiting in the tunnel for him, looking slightly forlorn. And as much as I admire Nadal’s competitive intelligence, I’ve never liked seeing his opponents standing out with the umpire, fiddling around, looking awkward. Tomic was asked about it after their match, and he said Nadal’s routine didn’t bother him, that the Spaniard just “has his thing.” No doubt there are other players who feel this way; Nadal was voted the winner of the Sportsmanship Award in 2010, which means his colleagues can’t be too annoyed by him.
That doesn’t include Robin Soderling, naturally. At Wimbledon one year, he refused to come out of the locker room until Nadal was ready to walk onto the court. Jurgen Melzer and Roger Federer, among others, have sat on the sidelines waiting for him to get his water bottles aligned before heading out for the coin toss. Cilic complained to the chair umpire on more than one occasion about Nadal's slowness on Monday. And Tomic took a conspicuously long time himself getting ready on the sidelines on Saturday. For a minute, it seemed that both players were never going to come off their chairs, and that the match would never be played.
Waiting it out is not really an effective strategy for combating Nadal’s tempo-control. If you’re sitting there twiddling your thumbs while he gets ready, you’re still playing at his pace. Is this unfair? A poll of the players would have to be taken to find out. How much do they mind it? Does it affect how they play? Do they wish they could invent their own, even longer pre-match ritual?
The next question is, What would you do about it, anyway? Do we want to start timing the coin toss, or the walk down the runway? What would the penalty be for going over those limits, considering that the match hasn’t even begun? If the players thought it necessary, I could see there being an unstated rule that when the chair umpire calls the two opponents for the toss, they have to be out there immediately.
Or I could see Nadal altering his rituals a little and taking less time, especially in the tunnel. Do what you need to do earlier. Eat your tube of whatever it is and sip your sips in the locker room. Have a lackey come out and put your water bottles in the right position for you before you get out there. When he was young and coming up, I admired Nadal’s willfulness and obliviousness to everyone but himself and his rituals. I still admire his competitive intelligence and ability to control his surroundings. But now that he’s No. 1, his pre-match stall session has started to seem like too much. It has started to seem like bad sportsmanship, from a guy who is a good sport in many other ways, and a guy I like for so many other reasons. There’s no need to make your opponents feel awkward before the match, Rafa. You know you can do that once it starts.
The High and the Low
In his pre-tournament press conference last Saturday, Rafael Nadal said that it was “almost impossible” to win four straight Grand Slams. He said this even though he came to Melbourne as the owner of three of those Slams. It turned out that he was more than right. For the 42nd consecutive year, it was impossible for a man to pull it off.
Another thing we know is that Australia Day is not Rafa’s Day. Last year he lost under the fireworks here to Andy Murray. This time it was to David Ferrer. Both times Nadal was hampered by an injury. Ferrer was impressive, no doubt about it, but this result is nothing but a bummer. We keep coming up short. A Federer-Nadal final seemed to be a sure thing at the U.S. Open. Didn’t happen. A semifinal lineup of the Big 4 seemed to be a foregone conclusion when the evening session began today. Foiled again. The sense of deflation won’t go away soon. It may last through the rest of the tournament. There’s a hole in it now.
We’ve heard for years that Nadal’s physical style will make his career a short one. There’s been no evidence of that yet. But it has led to injuries at inopportune moments. In the two majors before his loss to Murray here last year, he pulled out of Wimbledon and was shredded by Juan Martin del Potro when he had an abdominal tear. Nadal may not pay as much as we think for his style in the long run, but it has already cost him. In this way he is the opposite of his rival Roger Federer in one more way. Nadal is the fragile one, the human one, the one who pushes too far, the one you watch anxiously, waiting for the worst. It can happen any time.
“That’s part of the sport,” Nadal said as he stared at his thumbs afterward, his red jacket zipped up around his neck. He tried to avoid talking about his injury, and never named it. He said he was tired of losing when he had a “problem,” and didn’t want to seem like he was making an excuse. Most of the time, Nadal looked down absently. But there was one moment when his eyes became fixed. He was thinking. It looked to me as if the defeat, the disappointment, was registering.
“If I can accept both the high moments and the low moments,” he said, “then I can play my best again.”
High moments and low moments. You have to accept the latter in order to savor the former.
High moments and low moments: Isn’t that what Nadal gives us, too? More than any other legendary athlete I can think of, even as he’s winning, he holds out the possibility of disaster. He plays matches on razor’s edges and always seems one lunge away from his next injury. With every mad scramble across the court, he seems to be taking a day off of his career.
The flipside is that while Nadal knows that disaster is possible, hope is as well—not just excellence, but hope, which is deeper. When he won the French Open in 2006, he thought back to that January, when he had been forced to pull out of the Australian Open. Because of that, it became the French title that meant the most to him. Nadal runs the gamut of emotions; for better and worse, we run them with him. We, or at least, I, run that same gamut every day of my life anyway. Nadal is not an athlete I look to for perfection, for something above the normal run of humanity, the way you might look to Federer. I look to Nadal for the human, for the striving, for the victory that’s tinged with the possibility of defeat every step, lunge, and swing of the way. There's a reason he can win three straight Slams and yet still say that winning four straight can't be done. That's just life.
High moments and low moments: One can't mean anything without the other.
Nadal knows this, and those of us who write about and follow him understand it better because of him.
AO 2011 - wywiad po porażce w ćwierćfinale
Q. What can you tell us about the injury? What did David say to you at the end of the match?
RAFAEL NADAL: I can say nothing about the injury. Seriously, I would prefer don't talk a lot about the injury.
Tonight, first of all, I don't know nothing. Second thing, for respect to the winner and to a friend, I prefer to talk about the match. I think he played at a very high level. I just congratulate him and wish him all the best for the semifinal. I think he's doing a fantastic tournament. If he keep playing like this, he going to have a good chances.
What David told me at the net is for me and that's it.
Q. How emotional is it for you tonight?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, is a difficult day for me. I lost in quarterfinals another time. So I tried my best. I couldn't do more. Tonight I think I played against a great player, a great opponent. Today I really can't do more than what I did. So he played at a very high level, and I wasn't able to compete against him tonight.
Q. It's going to be difficult for us to write a piece without appreciating how well you could move. It seemed to us you couldn't move as well as you would like to have been moving tonight. Is that a fair statement?
RAFAEL NADAL: You see the match?
Q. Yes.
RAFAEL NADAL: So you are ready to write everything. I don't have to tell you about what I felt on the court because I tried my best all the time. But is obvious that I didn't feel at my best. I had a problem during the match, in the very beginning. After that, the match was almost over. So that's what I can say.
But you know what, for me is difficult come here and speak about. In Doha I wasn't healthy. Today I have another problem. Seems like I always have problems when I lose, and I don't want to have this image, no? I prefer don't talk about that today. If you can respect that, will be a very nice thing for me. Thank you.
Q. What was the problem, though?
RAFAEL NADAL: You are listening me? I can't tell you which problem I have. First thing, because I don't know. That's my answer.
Q. What you achieved in the last year was nothing short of amazing. Does this break your heart a little bit that it had to happen like this?
RAFAEL NADAL: The tennis career, you have higher moments and lower moments. I had almost all the time very, very happy moments and very nice moments in my career. That's part of the sport. Last year I was very lucky. I was healthy most of the year. I was playing unbelievable during all the year.
This year I did I think all the right things to start the season playing really well. And, seriously, I was playing like this in the first exhibition in Abu Dhabi. After that starts the problem. Was a difficult month for me, no?
That's part of the sport. Accept; keep working; try my best in the next tournament. That's what I can do.
Last year I had a fantastic year. This year the year just start. Last year in the beginning I had problems, too, and finally was the best season of my career. I think is almost impossible to repeat that. But remain a lot, and remain a lot to have hopefully really good moments, and at the same time, too, really negative moments.
So this is one of bad ones, one of negative moments. That's part of the sport. I think I am very, very lucky sportsman about what happened in my career. And I have to accept the fantastic moments that I had during a lot of years with the same calm that when I have problems. And if I am ready to accept both things with I think let's say everything the same, I going to be able to come back and play my best tennis another time.
Q. How do you think David will get on in the semifinals?
RAFAEL NADAL: He's playing fantastic. But I think he's not the favorite. But if he keep playing like this, hopefully he can have a good chance to be in the final or win the tournament. I would love. Is a fantastic person. Is a close friend of mine. So I wish him all the best.
I think that Andy is playing very good, too, but David is playing at high level, no? If he's able to keep playing like this, I think he gonna have a good chances. I hope that. I wish him all the very best.
Q. After what happened in Doha, coming here a little bit late...
RAFAEL NADAL: Coming late?
Q. You were ill in Doha and came to Melbourne a little bit late.
RAFAEL NADAL: I didn't came late. You are wrong. I was here one week before the tournament. Is more than enough.
Q. The question is, with you being ill in Doha, then what happened after the Tomic match, did you feel that maybe this tournament wasn't meant to be, wasn't destiny to win?
RAFAEL NADAL: I tried my best in Doha. Was a difficult week for me. Here, seriously, before the match of today I started to feel that I am playing much better and I am very healthy and don't have no problem in general. So I was happy about happened during the first week because I was through without being perfect.
I started the second week with a very good match against Cilic and improving my level every day. Seriously, I was practicing much better than in the beginning of the tournament, and I felt ready to play this quarterfinals. But wasn't the day.
Q. What will be your next tournament?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know yet. I have to think a little bit about everything and we will see what's going on in the next weeks.
Q. We appreciate your fair play, and we understand what you're saying. I just would like to know if you didn't have in front of you a friend of yours, would you have kept till the last ball and point to stay on court or would you have left a little before?
RAFAEL NADAL: I hate the retirements, so this wasn't the day. I did last year. I hate that moment. I didn't want to repeat that.
Q. The match against Cilic showed you were recovering well. Did you feel anything unusual the last couple days?
RAFAEL NADAL: I felt fantastic the last couple days. I practiced very good yesterday. I had a fantastic warmup today before the match. Only feeling that I can say was very positive. I started the second week, and when the second week started, everything was better and better for me: the health, sweat, the level of tennis. Everything was better and better.
Q. Earlier today Andy Murray said there's a number of guys on tour who on any given day can beat each other: yourself, Robin, Roger...
RAFAEL NADAL: I didn't understand.
Q. He said any one of the top six or seven players on any day can beat each other. Do you think after the year you had last year, our expectations of you are probably higher than yours, given the evenness of the top six or seven players?
RAFAEL NADAL: For me there are much more than six or seven on the tour that can beat everybody. I think is more than these few. In general, the expectations, I don't know which expectations you have about me. I have my ones. I have my goals. Probably we think different ways, no?
I live day to day with myself. You see everything from outside. I know how difficult is everything. Probably, you know, not exactly the same. This part is difficult, no? This part is very competitive. You have to have be in perfect conditions to win. The season is always crazy, very long. You can't have time to rest and come back to prepare perfect in a season. That's this game. Only the best players, only the more prepared players physically and mentally are ready to be here and to be in the top positions a long time.
My expectations, I said before the tournament, I said before the year start, is enjoy every day and practice hard every day with same illusion, humble and motivation that I did all my career. So that's my principal goal, in general, no?
I lost in quarterfinals today. We'll see what's happen in next tournament. I'll work hard to be ready.
Q. Can you tell us your feelings tonight compared to this time last year?
RAFAEL NADAL: Is different because last year was the knees. I had a problem, big problem, in the knee in the past. So was hard for me to have another time the same. I didn't see a solution in that. Is not the case.
I came last year after probably six, seven months really hard for me of injuries and of problems in general. So was a hard situation. This year everything is a little bit different. I have three more Grand Slams at home, a few more Masters 1000s and a few more tournaments.
I can say nothing wrong because I had a fantastic time last year. Not possible be all the time at hundred percent. Not possible all the time to have all the positive factors together to win in every tournament.
Last year happened in almost every one. This year we start with a little bit of unlucky. I gonna work hard to come back and to keep having chances and to compete against the best players and to keep being in the top positions of the ranking, so...
I love playing tennis. I love the competition. And I love, in general, the hard moments because you are ready to change the situation working hard, working every day with a goal and with illusion.
Q. You said your preparation was good for this year. Was the vacation long enough after London?
RAFAEL NADAL: The vacation long enough? No, one day is enough, you think? Never is enough. With this sport you never have vacations enough. This part is special for different things. This factor is one of the special things that makes the tour hard and difficult. Only the best players mentally prepared are ready to be here long time.
I said before, wasn't a problem of holidays, the start of the season. The only problem was a little bit of unlucky. In general, I had a virus. When you have a virus, your body goes down and you have more risk of everything. That's probably what happened. That's the simple thing.
Now we have to accept. I said 100 times. But the only thing I can say is, accept the situation and work to try to have another very good season.
Q. How did the fireworks display disrupt your rhythm?
RAFAEL NADAL: Nothing, nothing, no.
Rafael Nadal flies home for scans on injured hamstring
SHATTERED world No.1 Rafael Nadal flew back to Europe on Thursday night bound for scans on the hamstring strain that ended his grand slam dream,
Nadal had preliminary scans on his left leg at Melbourne Park immediately following an anguished 6-4 6-2 6-3 quarter-final loss to compatriot David Ferrer.
The scans showed Nadal had suffered minor damage, the result of injuring the leg in the first game of the match.
Nadal will be examined by doctors in Spain before committing to a tournament return.
The left-hander's bid to become the first man in history to hold all four majors since Queenslander Rod Laver in 1969 ended in tatters against Davis Cup teammate Ferrer.
Post-match, Nadal was reluctant to use the injury as excuse after retiring against Andy Murray in the corresponding round last year because of a knee injury.
The Mallorcan told Spanish reporters he did not want to discuss details of the injury out of respect for Ferrer.
But he was quoted by wire service EFE as saying in Spanish: "I know what I have. I have nothing important, it is a broken (muscle) fibre. I have the point perfectly located and I know what it is."
Nadal was adamant the injury played a minor part in the result, despite his obvious struggle.
"I would prefer (not to) talk a lot about the injury," he said.
"He (Ferrer) played at a very high level, and I wasn't able to compete against him.
"Seems like I always have problems when I lose, and I don't want to have this image, no?
"I tried my best all the time. But is obvious that I didn't feel at my best.
"I had a problem during the match, in the very beginning. After that, the match was almost over."
Nadal is still mentally scarred by last season's retirements and was determined, regardless of the cost, to finish the match against Ferrer.
"I hate the retirements, so this wasn't the day," he said.
"I did (retire) last year. I hate that moment. I didn't want to repeat that.
"Is different (this year) because last year was the knees.
"I had a problem, big problem, in the knee in the past.
"So was hard for me to have another time the same. I didn't see a solution in that. Is not the case (this time)."
Nadal reveals extent of injury
World number one Rafael Nadal damaged a muscle in his right leg during his Australian Open quarter-final defeat by Spanish compatriot David Ferrer and needs around 10 days to recover.
Nadal, who is recuperating at home on the Balearic Island of Mallorca, received scan results on Tuesday that confirmed the extent of the injury, he said in a statement.
"Doctors estimate a recovery period of about 10 days from today, February 1," the statement said.
The French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion, who failed in Australia in his bid to hold all four Grand Slams at the same time, should be fit for Spain's Davis Cup match against Belgium on March 4-6 and the Masters events in Indian Wells and Miami later that month.
Dobra wiadomość. Wydawało mi się, że kontuzja dotyczy lewej nogi. Zdrowiej i wracaj do gry Rafa.
Nadal set to back on court in a month
Rafael Nadal expects to be back on the court in a month after doctors in Spain said he would need 10 days to rest an injured leg muscle.
The problem cost him a quarter-final loss at the Australian Open and ended the dream of winning four consecutive Grand Slam titles.
"Doctors estimate a recovery period of about 10 days from today, Feb. 1," read a statement on his website. Nadal flew home to the island of Mallorca for scans and examination, with his doctors giving their positive verdict on the condition of his injured leg.
Nadal can likely be expected to play in the Davis Cup first-round tie with Belgium March 4-6 tie before flying to the US for the Masters 1000 events at Indian Wells and Miami.
#1: Rafael Nadal wyprzedził Lleytona Hewitta.
Hiszpański tenisista rozpoczął swój 82 tydzień przewodnictwa męskim rozgrywkom i tym samym wyprzedził Lleytona Hewitta w klasyfikacji wszechczasów, obejmującej okresy panowania poszczególnych graczy w rankingu ATP Tour.
Stan na dzień 31/01/2011
7.Andre Agassi (USA) - 101
8.Rafael Nadal (ESP) - 81
9.Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) - 80
Pełna statystyka:
http://www.mtenis.pun.pl/viewtopic.php?id=647
Nadal can overcome injury woe
Despite his premature loss at the Australian Open in Melbourne, Rafael Nadal is obviously very far away from giving up his number one ranking.
His achievement of even winning three Grand Slams in a row was an amazing streak.
His start to the season, his journey to the Australian Open, has been a struggle for him.
He had a virus in Doha, which hampered him both there and then for the first few rounds in Melbourne.
It may even have weakened him so much that it caused him muscles to give up, the tear in the thigh preventing him from playing at 100 per cent against David Ferrer.
But despite this, the Spaniard impressed again by his ability to win when he's not at his best.
He played brilliantly against Ernests Gulbis in Doha and again at the start of his Australian Open where he was sweating more than usual, proof maybe of a fever being still there.
More than ever, Rafa is showing how much of a huge champ he is.
But he's also showing that his only limit is his fitness, which once again gave up on him due to due to the tough challenge he asks of his body because of the way he plays.
But, compared with the past, I reckon that Rafa has grown up; he now plays a lighter schedule in order to protect his body, which is the most precious gift he has if he wants to remain at the top of the world rankings.
Nadal expects quick recovery
World number one Rafael Nadal expects to have recovered in 10 days from the leg injury that scuppered his attempts to win his fourth grand slam title in a row at the Australian Open.
Tests revealed the Spaniard ruptured the adductor longus muscle in his right thigh in his quarter-final clash with countryman David Ferrer in Melbourne last week. Nadal, who was looking to add to last year's victories at the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open, was clearly severely hampered by the problem and went on to lose in straight sets.
But a statement on Nadal's official website revealed the 24-year-old's absence should only be a short one and he is expected to be fully fit for his next scheduled event, Spain's Davis Cup clash with Belgium at the start of March.
Nadal Models For Armani
Rafael Nadal was photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott.
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal has been unveiled as the new face of Emporio Armani Underwear and Armani Jeans for the spring/summer 2011 collections. The Spaniard follows in the footsteps of international football stars David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Nadal is joined by actress, Megan Fox, in fronting the campaign. The ads, which will be published next month, were photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott.
“It was a good experience,” said Nadal. “It's always nice to know different worlds. The fashion world is something that I didn't know before. It was a good photo session, a long one. Hopefully the results are satisfactory. I worked very hard, seriously. It was nice. A different experience and I enjoyed it."
The 24-year-old Nadal recently failed in his bid to complete the “Rafa Slam” at the Australian Open, where he fell in the quarter-finals to countryman David Ferrer. The left-hander had been looking to become the first player since Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all four major trophies at one time.
NADAL NAMED LAUREUS WORLD SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
It is Rafael Nadal's second Laureus
Award. He also won the Laureus
Breakthrough Award in 2006.
Spain, the United States and Germany were the big winners at the 2011 Laureus World Sports Awards Ceremony in Abu Dhabi as each country collected two prestigious Laureus Awards.
Spain’s World No. 1 Rafael Nadal was acclaimed Laureus World Sportsman of the Year after his remarkable 2010 winning three Grand Slam events - at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open. It was Nadal’s second Laureus Award - he also won the Laureus Breakthrough Award in 2006.
Nadal also joined in the celebrations as the Laureus World Team of the Year Award went to the Spain World Cup Team following their victory in South Africa. The first time Spain, a powerhouse of European football, had won the FIFA World Cup.
American Kelly Slater received a warm reception from an enthusiastic audience as he was presented with the Laureus Action Sports Award for the third time, after winning a record tenth World Surfing Championship. Lindsey Vonn made it an American double by winning the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award after a stellar year in which she secured her third straight skiing World Cup and the Olympic Downhill gold medal.
German sport celebrated two Awards. Brilliant young golfer Martin Kaymer was presented with the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award after winning the US PGA Championship and finishing as No 1 golfer in Europe. While visually impaired skier and biathlete Verena Bentele was a popular winner of the Laureus Disability Award after capturing five gold medals in the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
The Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award went to Italy’s super competitive seven-times motor cycle world champion Valentino Rossi, who returned to the track just 41 days after breaking his leg.
There was a rapturous welcome for French football legend Zinedine Zidane, who received the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his remarkable career, and the Laureus Spirit of Sport Award was presented to the European Ryder Cup Team to mark their emotional win over the United States in October in a match which demonstrated great sportsmanship, golf played at the highest level and enormous and passionate galleries. The Laureus Sport for Good Award was presented to May El-Khalil, founder of the Beirut Marathon.
The Laureus World Sports Awards, which recognise sporting achievement, are the premier honours on the international sporting calendar. The winners, as voted by the Laureus World Sports Academy, the ultimate sports jury, made up of 46 of the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen of all time, were announced at a televised Awards Ceremony staged at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi hosted by double Oscar winner Kevin Spacey and attended by guests from the worlds of sport and entertainment.
Among the guests were Kevin Spacey, Morgan Freeman, Ronan Keating, Edwin Moses, Boris Becker, Rafael Nadal, Steve Redgrave, Merlene Ottey, Tony Hawk, Kip Keno, Nawal El Moutawakel, Gary Player, Mark Spitz, Frankie Fredericks, Colin Montgomerie, Ille Nastase, Tanni Grey-Thompson, Ion Tiriac, Marcel Desailly, Wladimir Klitschko, Zinedine Zidane, Dwight Yorke, Christian Karembeu, Luis Figo, Kelly Slater and Blanka Vlasic.
At the Awards Ceremony it was announced that Australian five-times motor cycle 500cc world champion Mick Doohan and five-times Olympic rowing gold medallist Steve Redgrave have been elected to the Laureus World Sports Academy.
The Laureus World Sports Awards was staged in Abu Dhabi thanks to the generous support of Aabar Investments PJS, Host Partner for the event. His Excellency Khadem Al Qubaisi, Chairman of Aabar, said: "Aabar is delighted to bring the Laureus World Sports Awards to Abu Dhabi once again. It is a great event and we hope that many of the world's leading sportsmen and women have enjoyed experiencing our Abu Dhabi hospitality. On behalf of Aabar, I would like to congratulate all the winners and wish every nominee continued sporting success in 2011."
Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates, offers a fascinating combination of the old and the new; a blend of Arabic hospitality and mystique where a mixture of culture and tradition come together against a backdrop of the most modern world-class infrastructure. Abu Dhabi is developing a reputation as a great sporting venue as host city for the FIFA Club World Cup, the Etihad Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix and the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, all highlights of the sporting calendar in the city.
Aabar Investments PJS is an investment company headquartered in Abu Dhabi. It invests in various sectors including aerospace, real estate, automotive and financial services. Its largest stakeholder is the International Petroleum Investment Company, which is wholly owned by the Government of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Proceeds from the Laureus World Sports Awards directly benefit and underpin the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation which supports 83 community sports projects around the world. Since its inception, Laureus has raised over €40 million for projects which have helped to improve the lives of more than one-and-a-half-million young people.
The Awards were announced in seven categories. The winners were:
Laureus World Sportsman of the Year: Rafael Nadal
Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year: Lindsey Vonn
Laureus World Team of the Year: Spain World Cup Team
Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year: Martin Kaymer
Laureus World Comeback of the Year: Valentino Rossi
Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability: Verena Bentele
Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year: Kelly Slater
There were three additional Awards: The Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to football legend Zinedine Zidane, the Laureus Spirit of Sport Award was presented to the European Ryder Cup Team, while May El-Khalil, founder of the Beirut Marathon, won the Laureus Sport for Good Award.
Nadal begins training with hamstring injury healed
Rafael Nadal has returned to training after his hamstring injury healed, with the Spaniard ready to resume the season with a likely Davis Cup date in early March.
Nadal made an appearance at the launch of the Barcelona clay event, which he won a record five times in succession from 2005, flying in from Abu Dhabi after winning the Laureus Sportssman of the Year award.
"I feel quite good, I'm going home to Manacor to begin training," the No. 1 told his Barcelona audience. "I'll start slowly, I don't want any setbacks."
Spain is due to face Belgium March 4-6, with the Indian Wells Masters to follow the next week. Nadal is recovering poise and form after losing in the Australian open quarter-finals to compatriot David Ferrer, missing a chance to hold all four Grand Slam titles at the same time.
Nadal admitted that he shed tears of frustration in defeat as he mourned in the Melbourne locker room. "I was crying in the locker room, I hate to go out of the tournament. From the third game I knew I didn't have a chance to win. David was playing fantastic and I wasn't able to run enough to rise to the level to beat him."
Rafa wznowił treningi. Przygotowuje się do marcowych spotkań w Pucharze Davisa.
NADAL RESUMES TRAINING; BEGINS DAVIS CUP PREPARATIONS
Rafael Nadal announced he would
return to training during the launch
of the 2011 Barcelona Open
BancSabadell in Barcelona on Tuesday.
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal is set to resume training at home in Manacor as he prepares for Spain’s upcoming Davis Cup tie with Belgium next month, according to the Spaniard's official website.
The Spaniard had been advised to rest for 10 days after suffering a left thigh muscle tear during his Australian Open quarter-final exit to David Ferrer, but after a consultation with his doctor, Dr. Ángel Ruiz Cotorro, in Barcelona on Tuesday, he has been cleared to start training again.
Nadal’s official website reports that the Mallorcan was in Barcelona on Tuesday afternoon as the guest of honour at the launch of the 2011 Barcelona Open BancSabadell, where he said, “I feel quite good, I am going home today (Tuesday) to Manacor to begin training on the courts. I am going to start training slowly, following a plan, so that there are no setbacks."
During the press conference, the 24-year-old Nadal also revealed the disappointment he felt at his Australian Open defeat, which denied him the chance to become the first player since Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all four Grand Slam trophies at one time.
“I was crying in the locker room,” said Nadal. “I [hated that I had] to go out of the tournament. Last year, I had to do it and it was something I didn't want to repeat. But from the third game I knew I didn't have a chance to win. David was playing fantastic and I wasn't able to run enough to rise to the level to beat him."
Nadal will have just over three weeks to regain full fitness before Spain faces Belgium in Charleroi from 4-6 March in the Davis Cup World Group first round.
NADAL DECLARES "SO FAR, SO GOOD"
Rafael Nadal resumed training exactly two weeks after suffering the injury during the Australian Open.
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal has resumed training at home on the island of Mallorca and assured the watching Spanish media that it is a case of so far, so good.
The Spaniard was given the all clear by his doctor in a visit to Barcelona earlier in the week, having spent 10 days undergoing physiotherapy and anti-inflammatory treatments for a left thigh muscle tear, suffered during his Australian Open quarter-final exit to David Ferrer last month.
Nadal’s official website quotes the Spaniard as saying to IB3TV, “So far, everything feels good. This is the first time back I can really assess how I feel as the previous days have been all about physical training. I need to follow a specific progressive training plan so that I can adapt slowly and get back to the same rhythm I had before this happened to me.”
“The important thing is not putting myself at risk. I want to take it slowly and then next week I can take it more seriously,” added Nadal, who, Marca reports, was keen to ease himself back into training and test out his shoulder and wrists after two weeks out of competition.
The 24-year-old Nadal is preparing to lead the Spanish Davis Cup team in its World Group first-round tie away to Belgium in Charleroi from 4-6 March.
Davis Cup - Nadal return set for Davis Cup
Spain captain Alberto Costa says that world number one Rafael Nadal will be back to action in time to face Belgium in the Davis Cup.
The three-day, best-of-five first round clash takes place in Charleroi from March 4-6.
Nadal has not competed since losing his quarter-final at the Australian Open against compatriot David Ferrer, having suffered a muscle tear in his right leg early in the match.
Ferrer will also be in the line-up for that clash, as will Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez.
"Having the number one and the best sportsman of 2010 in the side gives us stability," captain Costa said on Thursday.
"After the small injury he had in Australia he did the work needed to get back into training," Costa added. "He's coming back gradually and when he joins our training camp he'll be in perfect condition."
The winner of nine Grand Slams did not represent Spain in 2010, last turning out for the nation in the final of the 2009 tournament, which Spain won.
Spain have a winning record against Belgium in Davis Cup, triumphing on two of the three occasions that they have met in the competition.
Eurosport
http://www.pudelek.pl/artykul/30661/kob … o_zdjecia/
Wklejam, bo jest tam sporo zdjęć które być może zainteresują Anulę. :P
Robertinho napisał:
http://www.pudelek.pl/artykul/30661/kob … o_zdjecia/
Wklejam, bo jest tam sporo zdjęć które być może zainteresują Anulę. :P
Od razu przeszła mi zimowa depresja.:P Dzięki.:-)
Fajne te jeansy Rafy.:-D
Nadal Prepares To Spearhead Spain Davis Cup Campaign
Rafael Nadal last played for
Spain in the 2009 Davis Cup
final.
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal will return to action this week as he prepares to spearhead Spain’s 2011 Davis Cup campaign, beginning with a World Group first-round tie against Belgium in Charleroi.
Writing to his 5.6 million fans on Facebook, the Spaniard said, “Hello everyone. It's been a long time since I don't write you. You know I don't use internet when I am at home. I travelled today to Belgium to play the first tie of the Davis Cup.
“I have been at home all this time after the Laureus Awards. I have been practising and working with my sponsors, but also enjoying my time with my family and friends in Mallorca.”
The Mallorcan will represent Spain in the Davis Cup for the first time since the 2009 final. He is joined in the squad by last week’s Acapulco winner and World No. 6 David Ferrer, No. 9 Fernando Verdasco and No. 40 Feliciano Lopez.
Spain, a four-time winner of the prestigious Davis Cup trophy in the past decade, was without Nadal in 2010 and suffered a quarter-final exit away to France. Looking to beat them at the first hurdle this year is a Belgian team led by tour veterans Xavier Malisse and Olivier Rochus. The tie gets underway on Friday at the Spiroudome in Charleroi.
Rafa can't wait for Davis Cup start after injury absence
Eager Rafael Nadal arrived in Belgium at the start of the week to prepare for this weekend's Davis Cup first-round tie with the home team.
Spain's world number one has not played since losing a January 26 Australian Open quarter-final to compatriot David Ferrer, also named on the Spanish squad along with Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez.
After going dark for several weeks as he recovered from a thigh muscle problem, Nadal was back on his Facebook page to catch his fans up on his latest developments. "I spent all this time at home after the (February) Laureus awards," Nadal said. "I've been training and working with my sponsors but mostly enjoying my family and friends in Mallorca."
While Nadal is fit and ready, that's not the case for Gael Monfils, who will miss not only the French visit to an airport hanger in Vienna for the Davis Cup weekend first-round date against Austria, but is also now out of the opening Masters 1000 of the season at Indian Wells from March 9.
"Unfortunately I will not participate in Davis Cup or Indian Wells, it sucks," Tweeted the wrist injury victim who last played a San Jose semi-final on Feb 12, losing to Canadian Milos Raonic.
Nadal bidding for third Indian Wells championship
Nadal bidding for third Indian Wells championship World No. 1 Rafael Nadal makes his return to action at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells, set to headline a talent-flush field of 96 players. The Mallorcan won the title in 2007 and 2009.
Rafael Nadal heads into the 2011 BNP Paribas Open on a high note, after helping home country Spain to a 4-1 victory over Belgium in Davis Cup. The 24-year-old won both singles rubbers during the tie, having downed both Ruben Bemelmans and Olivier Rochus in straight sets.
Nadal has compiled a 9-2 season record, by virtue of a semifinal appearance in Doha a quarterfinal finish at the Australian Open. The World No. 1 looks to be healthy heading into Indian Wells, where he reached the final four in 2010 (lost to Ljubicic). He is twice a champion at the event, with title-winning runs put together in 2007 (def. Djokovic) and 2009 (def. Murray).
The World No. 1 has been placed in a competitive quarter of the draw that includes (6) David Ferrer, (11) Nicolas Almagro, (15) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, (19) Marcos Baghdatis (23) Albert Montanes, (27) Juan Monaco amd (28) Gilles Simon. Additional combatants in Nadal’s section are: Kevin Anderson, Marcel Granollers, Denis Istomin, Ivo Karlovic, Xavier Malisse and Adrian Mannarino.
After an first-round bye, the nine-time Grand Slam champion is slated to open his bid against either compatriot Pere Riba or a qualifier. Passage through the early rounds will set a possible round of 16 meeting with Monaco and a likely quarterfinal clash with Ferrer, who defeated his countryman at the Australian Open.
Nadal is located in the same half as both reigning Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic, who commences the tournament unbeaten in 2011, and 2010 Indian Wells runner-up Andy Roddick.
Nadal keeps goals short-term
Having suffered an ill-timed leg injury at the Australian Open in January, Rafa Nadal is reluctant to look too far ahead for the rest of this season.
The world number one was sidelined for 10 days after losing to fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in the Australian Open quarter-finals and has competed in only two Davis Cup matches since then.
Nadal is back in action at the Indian Wells ATP tournament, where he won the title in 2007 and 2009, and will launch his campaign against South African Rik de Voest in the second round on Saturday.
Asked by reporters what his goals were for 2011, the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open champion replied: "The goal is the match of tomorrow. That's the first goal, no? We will see.
"I felt I was in very good position to try to start this season very well. I felt perfect but I was unlucky in the beginning of the season, so I am just trying to find again the performance of the beginning of the season."
Nadal, bidding to become only the third man to hold all four Grand Slam titles at the same time, was stunned 6-4 6-2 6-3 by Ferrer in the last eight at Melbourne after suffering a leg injury early in the match.
"That's part of the game," Nadal said of his premature departure from the first grand slam event of the season.
"In the second game, I felt the leg. That's what happened. I tried to recover very fast and practise in Mallorca, so that's what I did. I played Davis Cup last week, and I'm here to try my best."
Nadal won both of his singles encounters in Spain's first-round Davis Cup tie against Belgium last week, describing his form there as "normal".
He was delighted to be back in the California desert at Indian Wells for the opening Masters Series event of the season at a venue he has long enjoyed.
"I don't have any reason to not play well here because I was playing really well before the injury and I came back," Nadal said.
"I need to adapt a little bit to this court, because I think the bounce is like crazy and the ball is very fast. But I always love this tournament, and I always played well in this tournament."
The Spanish left-hander was optimistic he could swiftly regain the form he displayed during his 2010 campaign where he won an ATP World Tour-leading seven titles in nine finals.
"The (season-ending Tour) finals in London I think was a very high level for me," Nadal said. "I have to try to be at this position another time.
"I'm trying my best every day practising. And for sure winning matches, if I am winning matches, everything is gonna be a little bit easier."
IW - pierwszy finał w 2011.
Rafael Nadal przegrał z Novakiem Djokoviciem w finale turnieju Masters-1000 w Indian Wells. Dla Rafy był to pierwszy finał w trwającym sezonie i 14 przegrany pojedynek w o tytuł w zawodowej karierze.
Rafael Nadal - przegrane finały (14)
2011 (1) ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells
2010 (2) Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, Doha
2009 (3) ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Shanghai, ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid, Rotterdam
2008 (2) ATP Masters Series Miami, Chennai
2007 (3) ATP Masters Series Paris, Wimbledon, ATP Masters Series Hamburg
2006 (1) Wimbledon
2005 (1) ATP Masters Series Miami
2004 (1) Auckland
NADAL PRAISES DJOKOVIC; LOOKING TO IMPROVE IN MIAMI
Rafael Nadal, a two-time runner-up at Crandon Park,
is hoping to make it third time lucky this year.
Rafael Nadal praised Novak Djokovic for his fine start to the 2011 season at the Sony Ericsson Open on Friday.
"I think he's a very complete player because he can play on all of the surfaces very good, and that's an advantage," said Nadal. "He started better than possible, so he's in a very good position.
"What he's doing well is he's playing with confidence. His level probably is not much higher than [it was] three years ago or two years ago or one year ago. I always saw him as fantastic player. His potential always was very, very high. Everybody knows how good is him, and he can do what he's doing now.
"My relationship with him always was fantastic. We are close. I think he's a funny guy."
Despite losing to Djokovic in the BNP Paribas Open final at Indian Wells on Sunday, Nadal feels that he can improve at Crandon Park, the venue of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament in Miami.
Nadal has a 21-7 Miami tournament record, which includes two runner-up finishes in 2005 (l. to Federer) and 2008 (l. to Davydenko).
"[I can improve] a lot of things. I think during the [Indian Wells] tournament I didn't play really good. It wasn't a good level for me. Semi-finals and final I improved my level of tennis, but during the final my serve worked terribly.
"So that's the first thing. I have to serve better if I want to have chances to compete against all the players. And from the baseline, seriously, I think I finished the tournament playing much better than the beginning of the tournament. So that's always a very positive thing."
With 18 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 trophies on his mantelpiece in Mallorca, Nadal has won at six different elite tournaments over the past six years. "I play every tournament with the same motivation," he said.
"[It] is impossible [to] win in every place. I just accept the challenge and try to play my best tennis. That's [the] only way to win the tournament where all the best players of the world are playing.
"I love the competition. Tennis is my sport."
Nadal plays Japan's Kei Nishikori in the Sony Ericsson Open second round.
Relaxed Rafa Not Feeling Pressure Of No. 1
Don’t tell Rafael Nadal that he’s under pressure to defend his hold on the No. 1 South African Airways ATP Ranking from hard-charging World No. 2 Novak Djokovic and No. 3 Roger Federer. Although more than 7,000 of his 12,630 points will fall from his ranking between now and the end of Wimbledon, the tough Spaniard sees the next three months as a period of opportunity rather than a time of worry.
“I don't feel that I have to defend the points,” Nadal said after reaching the fourth round at the Sony Ericsson Open. “I feel in every tournament that I am going to play I have the chance to win points, not to lose points.”
Last year Nadal embarked on a phenomenal run during April, May and June. He became the first player in history (since 1990) to win all three clay-court ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles in the same season in Monte-Carlo, Rome and Madrid. He also won a fifth Roland Garros title and continued on to complete the Roland Garros-Wimbledon double for the second time in three years.
In what was perhaps a subtle acknowledgment that he does risk losing the No. 1 ranking during the next three months to Djokovic – who has started the season with an astonishing 20-0 record – Nadal said that his focus was finishing the year at No. 1.
“I think about the [year-to-date ranking] more than the ranking. I know I'm No. 1 in the ranking right now, but in the [year-to-date ranking] I am No. 6 this year. I didn't play for a month. For me every year I start from zero. Right now I am No. 6, and I would love to play well in the next tournaments and have the chances to be in better position.”
Earlier in his visit to Miami Nadal took part in the global launch of Bacardi's Champions Drink Responsibly campaign in Miami Beach. “I am very happy to be part of the Bacardi family and part of this important message,” Nadal said. “It’s a fantastic campaign and for me to be part of it is a great honour.”
Click here to watch Rafa in the Champions Drink Responsibly campaign global launch video.
Miami - drugi finał w 2011.
Rafael Nadal przegrał z Novakiem Djokoviciem w finale turnieju Masters-1000 w Miami. Dla Rafy był to drugi finał w trwającym sezonie i 15 przegrany pojedynek w o tytuł w zawodowej karierze.
Rafael Nadal - przegrane finały (15)
2011 (2) ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells, ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami
2010 (2) Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, Doha
2009 (3) ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Shanghai, ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid, Rotterdam
2008 (2) ATP Masters Series Miami, Chennai
2007 (3) ATP Masters Series Paris, Wimbledon, ATP Masters Series Hamburg
2006 (1) Wimbledon
2005 (1) ATP Masters Series Miami
2004 (1) Auckland
Nadal przegrał swój 3 finał z rzędu (Londyn. IW, Miami). Dla Hiszpana była to 3 bezpośrednia próba zdobycia tytułu w Miami, 3 nieudana.
Rafa Ready For Clay Challenge
As he prepares to open his clay-court campaign at the Monte-Carlo Country Club in a week’s time, World No. 1 Rafael Nadal believes it will be nigh on impossible for him to repeat his remarkable achievement of 2010, when he won all three clay-court ATP World Tour Masters 1000 trophies before triumphing at Roland Garros.
“That's a once in a lifetime [achievement] to win every tournament on clay. Nobody else has done it in history, only myself last year. So it's difficult to imagine two years in a row [i] can repeat that,” said the Spaniard.
The 24-year-old Nadal goes into the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters after runner-up finishes at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells and the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami (l. to Djokovic both times) and is chasing a 19th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 trophy; he already holds the all-time record with 18 of the coveted titles. “For me, [I am] seriously happy about how I'm playing, happy about my level of this tournament,” said the left-hander. “Normally when I play well on clay I have a little bit more advantage, so let's see what's going on week in Monte Carlo.”
Nadal has a staggering 34-1 record at the Monte-Carlo Country Club, having won the title the past six straight years since reaching the third round on his 2003 debut (l. to Coria). Last year, he raced to victory for the loss of just 14 games in five matches. However, the Mallorcan believes his run in Monte-Carlo will come to an end eventually.
“Hopefully I [am] going to be playing well this tournament. This is important confidence for me. Let's try my best in Monte Carlo. First tournament of clay is always important. But it's not going to be perfect. I’m not going to win ten times in a row Monte Carlo. That's sure. I won six in a row. I am going to try my best for the seventh, but I know how difficult is every tournament.”
The Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters begins on Sunday, 10 April, and features seven of the Top 10 players in the South African Airways 2011 ATP Rankings, with Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, David Ferrer, Fernando Verdasco, Jurgen Melzer and Gael Monfils joining Nadal.
NADAL WELCOMED BY HSH PRINCE ALBERT II AT ROYAL PALACE
HSH Prince Albert II welcome Rafael Nadal
in a reception at the Palace of Monaco.
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal was invited to an audience with HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco at the Palace of Monaco on Sunday ahead of his participation at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters next week.
“Thank you for the invitation; it was an honour to come to the Palace of Monaco and a pleasure to meet with HSH Prince Albert II,” said Nadal. “He is a big supporter of the tournament and I want to thank him for everything.
“It is a pleasure to be back at one of the best tournaments on the ATP World Tour. I am very happy to be here, I’m practising hard and I am looking forward to play my first match.”
Two years ago, Nadal and World No. 4 Andy Murray played an exhibition match in the Palace square with HSH Prince Albert II in attendance. The Prince has also presented Nadal with the winner’s trophy at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters the past three years.
The Spaniard is chasing a record seventh consecutive title at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters and will open his campaign at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 clay-court tournament against either French qualifier Julien Benneteau or Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen.
Sesja dla Armaniego, specjalnie dal Anuli. :P
Dzięki Dawidzie za "coś dla oka".:):P
Zdjęcie nr 6 przepiękne.
Rafa Nadal: Prawie niemożliwe, ale tego dokonałem
Turniej w Monte Carlo, tam gdzie listę honorową otwiera jeszcze w XIX w. Reggie Doherty, legenda Wimbledonu, gdzie dwa tytuły zdobył Władysław "Dziekan" Skonecki, gdzie ważny przystanek do udziału w historycznym Masters zanotował Wojciech Fibak. Listę sław zamyka, ale tylko chronologicznie, Rafael Nadal - niepokonany przez 37 meczów. Za rok wróci tam po ósmy tytuł.
- To w Monte Carlo się wszystko zaczęło - powiedział lider rankingu po finałowym triumfie nad Davidem Ferrerem. - W 2003 roku przeszedłem kwalifikacje, wygrałem dwa mecze i po raz pierwszy znalazłem się w Top 100. To prawdopodobnie ten z turniejów kategorii Masters 1000, z którym czuję się najbardziej emocjonalnie związany.
Niedościgniony w rywalizacji na kortach ziemnych, Nadal zwraca uwagę na element, który czyni jego dokonania na Lazurowym Wybrzeżu jeszcze znaczniejszymi: - Tu grają przecież najlepsi tenisiści świata. A on ich wszystkich pokonał. W tej edycji wprawdzie zabrakło na starcie Novaka Đokovicia, ale wobec tegorocznej formy Serba należy spodziewać się jeszcze ich finałowych pojedynków w kolejnych turniejach na mączce (Madryt, Rzym i Paryż).
- Początek sezonu na kortach ziemnych jest dla mnie fantastyczny, a kolejne zwycięstwo tutaj bardzo szczególne - powiedział Nadal. - To było prawie niemożliwe, ale jednak tego dokonałem - mówił po zdobyciu 44. tytułu w karierze. Pierwszy wywalczył w Sopocie w 2004 roku. Najważniejszymi laurami są te w Wielkim Szlemie - w sumie dziewięć.
O finale z Ferrerem: - Miałem trochę szczęścia, gdy pojawiła się szansa na przełamanie w drugim secie: David popełnił kilka błędów, podwójny serwisowy i to bardzo pomogło mi zakończyć mecz. Czułem się trochę bardziej zmęczony niż zwykle. Takie spotkania jak wczorajsze [sobotnia z Murrayem] czy dzisiejsze wzmacniają fizycznie i mentalnie. Negatywna strona jest taka, że spędzając na korcie długi czas, będąc zmuszonym do biegania, jest to wielki wysiłek dla ciała. W wymiarze psychicznym może to być jednak pomocne w perspektywie kolejnych etapów sezonu na mączce.
W niedzielę wyczerpujący finał w Monte Carlo, teraz podróż wybrzeżem Morza Śródziemnego do Barcelony. Na kortach najstarszego klubu tenisowego w Hiszpanii Nadal zagra po dwóch latach - w ubiegłym sezonie zrezygnował z występu ograniczając kalendarz po rehabilitacji ścięgien kolanowych.
Ograniczenia były. Dziś cieszy się zdrowiem, a przynajmniej nie daje po sobie poznać, by ono szwankowało. - Taki terminarz sobie wybrałem i jestem z niego zadowolony - przyznał. - Czy się pomyliłem, zobaczymy w najbliższych miesiącach. Faktycznie gram jednak tylko trzy lub cztery turnieje poza tymi obowiązkowymi. Zagrałem jeden, by przygotować się do Australian Open, teraz będę w Barcelonie i muszę wystąpić w Queen's przed Wimbledonem. Nie gram 25 turniejów w roku. A w ogóle to nie chodzi o samą liczbę turniejów, ale meczów, w jakich się występuje: można odpadać w pierwszych rundach albo dochodzić do finałów.
O newralgicznym okresie sezonu: - Od Indian Wells do Wimbledonu to najważniejsza dla mnie część roku, decydujące cztery lub pięć miesięcy. Tym razem wszystko zaczęło się dobrze. Pozostaję pokorny, zmotywowany i pozytywnie nastawiony każdego dnia. To jedyna droga do tego, by grać na tym poziomie, ponieważ prawda jest taka, że nie grając perfekcyjnie wygrałem turniej. Mam coś do poprawy i ekscytuje mnie myśl, że spróbuję to poprawić.
Najlepszy zapewne w historii specjalista od kortów ziemnych, pięciokrotny triumfator Roland Garros, ma coś do poprawy. - Treningi przed turniejem nie były dobre - przyznał. - Zacząłem grać lepiej, gdy wystartowały zawody. Drugi mecz, przeciw Richardowi [Gasquet], nie był łatwy, a przeciw Ljubičiciowi trudno było o jakąkolwiek analizę, bo niesamowicie wiało. W półfinale i finale nie byłem w stanie grać cały czas na najwyższym poziomie, tylko kilka gemów. Gram nieco bardziej defensywnie. Jakoś łatwiej niż zwykle tracę koncentrację. To w moim przekonaniu jedyny minus.
Pytanie o to, czy wyobraża sobie siebie grającego w wieku 29 lat, czyli w wieku Federera. - Przestanę grać w tenisa, kiedy przestanę się łudzić, że jestem w stanie być lepszym tenisistą. A nie wiem kiedy to nastąpi. Nie wiem co będzie za miesiąc, ani za pięć lat. Zawsze trzeba myśleć o zdrowiu, by nie doznać kontuzji, tak jak przytrafiło się to Carlosowi Moyi [pierwszy hiszpański lider rankingu]. On naprawdę chce grać, ale ogranicza go zdrowie. Ja doceniam to co mam
Rafa zdobywa tytuł w MC po raz 7 z rzędu. ;-)
#44) Monte Carlo 2011
R64 Bye
R32 Jarrko Nieminen 6-2 6-2
R16 Richard Gasquet 6-2 6-4
QF Ivan Ljubicić 6-1 6-3
SF Andy Murray 6-4 2-6 6-1
F David Ferrer 6-4 7-5
Rafael Nadal został 1 tenisistą w Erze Open, który wygrał turniej tenisowy 7 razy z rzędu. Hiszpan poprawił tym samym wynik Guillermo Vilasa, który swego czasu triumfował w Buenos Aires w 6 kolejnych edycjach.
Wczorajszy sukces w Monte Carlo to 30 wygrany przez Nadala turniej na kortach ziemnych. Hiszpan wyrównał wynik Bjorna Borga.
1. Guillermo Vilas - 46
2. Thomas Muster - 40
3. Björn Borg - 30
3. Rafael Nadal - 30
5. Ivan Lendl - 28
Manuel Orantes - 28
Nadal wygrał swój 19 turniej z serii Masters-1000, poprawiając swój własny rekord:
19 - Nadal
17 - Agassi, Federer
11 - Sampras
Półfinałowe zwycięstwo Rafy nad Murrayem to był 200 wygrany mecz przez Hiszpana w turnieju z cyklu Masters-1000:
1. Roger Federer 234-71
2. Andre Agassi 209-73
3. Rafael Nadal 201-39
Więcej statystyk:
http://www.mtenis.pun.pl/viewtopic.php?id=909
:facepalm:
Miazga.
Nadal Not Concerned With Schedule
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal will have little time to celebrate his seventh consecutive title at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters. After defeating David Ferrer 6-4, 7-5 in Sunday’s final, Nadal’s attention quickly shifts to the ATP World Tour 500 event in Barcelona. The Spaniard opted not to enter last season but is riding a 24 match winning streak at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, earning five straight titles from 2005 to 2009.
The Majorcan has expended a great deal of court time in his past three tournaments, reaching the final at both ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events at Indian Wells and Miami before winning in Monte Carlo. Though he admitted he was weary after Sunday’s final, Nadal is optmistic at where he is right now. “During the match I was more tired than usual today. But in general it was positive,” the top seed said. “That's important because these kinds of matches, like yesterday, like today, improve your condition physically and mentally.”
“It’s negative because you spent a lot of time on court, you have to run a lot on court, it’s always tough for the body. But if you talk about [what it does] mentally and physically, that can help a lot for the rest of the clay season.”
Nadal intends to play three more tournaments leading up to the French Open. In addition to the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, he has two more ATP World Tour Masters 1000 clay-court events in Rome and Madrid.
Though he’s already proven his physical prowess, having played 17 matches in the past four weeks, the five-time Barcelona champion sees his participation at the tournament as an opportunity to maximize his points now to set himself up in a prime position later in the year. “Indian Wells to Wimbledon is the most [important] part of the season for me. These four or five months are decisive in my season,” assessed Nadal.
As for playing four events leading up to Roland Garros, the Spaniard is not fazed by the potential number of matches he could be involved in. “That's the calendar. That's where I have to play my best, where I have to defend a lot of points,” Nadal said.
“Every year I did a fantastic clay court season. I have to try to do it another time. With these four or five tournaments, if I am playing very well, I'm going to have the biggest chances to have enough points to try to be in the top position at the end of the year ranking. That's the top of my system in general. So I have to try… I am healthy now, so why not?”
Nadal will play the winner of Daniel Gimeno-Traver and Potito Starace in his opening match in Barcelona. Despite just winning in Monte Carlo, the World No. 1 is looking to enhance certain areas of his game. “I think I can improve a few things for next weeks,” disclosed Nadal.
“I am sliding less than usual on clay. It is easier to defend well when you are sliding, especially to the forehand. But I have two more days to practice for Barcelona. Let's see.”
Rafa Nadal wygrywając wczorajszy finał stał się czwartym zawodnikiem w całej historii tenisa, który wygrywał jeden turniej siedmiokrotnie z rzędu. Prócz niego taki wyczyn osiągnęli: Ken Rosewall (French Pro 1960-1966), Pancho Gonzales (US Pro 1953-1959) i Richard Sears (US Open 1881-1887).
Nadal: I must improve further
Rafael Nadal said he must try to keep improving his game after securing a seventh straight Monte Carlo Masters title at the weekend.
The world number one beat fellow Spaniard David Ferrer 6-4 7-5 in Sunday's final but explained he was still a little rusty on clay, his favourite surface.
"I'm pleased with how the first week (on clay) has gone," Nadal said at the Barcelona Open.
"I need to use the confidence from the first week to keep improving. I have to be more aggressive, to serve better and to finish off points more emphatically and with more authority."
After Barcelona, Nadal will compete in Madrid, Rome and then at the French Open in Paris, giving him three possible chances of a clash with in-form Serb Novak Djokovic.
The world number two has won 24 successive matches in 2011, including final victories over Nadal at Indian Wells and Miami, and a claycourt showdown between the two is eagerly anticipated.
It was put to Nadal that Djokovic rather than Roger Federer was now his main rival for the number one spot.
"He (Djokovic) has started very well and I congratulate him," said the five-times French Open champion.
"Roger and I have played many important matches, with great moments for each of us. The year is very long and he (Djokovic) is in a privileged position but unfortunately I have to worry about many others as well.
"I'm not invincible on clay. I have lost before and unfortunately I have plenty more games I will lose in the future. It has gone well for me in recent years but no one is perfect."
Reuters
Nadal: Evolution of a Champion
by Pete Bodo
Rafael Nadal's strategy for the spring now seems pretty clear. It's the age-old BTD approach: Bludgeon Them to Death. Early in this man's career, it was not only a reasonable option, but almost a necessary one. Nadal's skills on surfaces other than clay, while good (and better even then than most people acknowledged, or were willing to admit), suggested that he make the most of his opportunities on the red clay, where he is most effective.
Nadal staked out his base territory on clay in 2005 and 2006, by the end of which he was not yet 21 but in possession of two French Open and four red-clay Masters titles. But it isn't like Nadal was ineffective on other surfaces at the onset; not by any means. By the end of 2006 he had also earned a prestigious hard-court title (Canadian Open) and a runner-up trophy from Wimbledon. The triumphs were good indicators of both his imperial ambitions and the versatility of his game, or style.
Style and game are two different things, although easily confused as interchangeable. Nadal has demonstrated through his evolution as a champ how different they really are. Nobody, but nobody, looking at his game back when Nadal first began to make his mark thought it was anything but a set of tools lethally but almost exclusively suited for clay courts.
Nadal was the "next generation" clay-courter, a player who took the concept of building a game around the forehand to levels merely hinted at by the likes of Jim Courier. He was the evil spawn of some clay-court Grendel like Alberto Berasetagui (who actually hit his atomic forehand with the back or "wrong" side of the racket face), or two-time French Open champion Sergi Bruguera, who had comparably radical strokes and played from so far behind the baseline that he needed GPS to find his chair on the changeover.
Nadal's viciously spinning ball, hit with a wickedly-torqued, wrenching swing that threatened to yank his left arm from its socket, was made for punishing opponents on red clay. By contrast, the backhand, while solid enough, looked like something out of the emergency repair kit. If an opponent somehow found his way to that wing, the two-fisted, short-backswing backhand would stop the bleeding. With help from Nadal's feet, it would get the job done—the job being, getting Nadal back into position to dictate with his forehand from way over in the backhand court.
And then there was that serve. If anything helped prejudice observers against Nadal's all-court potential, it was the careful, almost ungainly way he hit his serve. He looked (and sometimes still looks) somehow out of balance, favoring his right side. The delivery has improved considerably; it's become a lot more accurate and precise without looking any different. Nadal is better now at darts.
Nadal's service action remains the least convincing part of his game, and it's the area where this whole business about Nadal really being a right-hander might be most significant, although I can't really tell you how. Watching him sometimes, though, I could be convinced that he's really a right-hander who for some reason has to serve lefty. Nadal certainly doesn't get that big, wide-swinging ad-court slice that has always been the lefty's signature—as well as most poisonous—weapon.
Nadal's game hasn't changed very much over the last few years. To me, the biggest difference is the improvement in his backhand. His recently-developed slice is something like a 4 or 5 on a scale of 10, but when you factor in the time it buys to help Nadal get back in position, or to re-set the rally to neutral, it moves up to a 7, maybe 7.5. The improvement in the two-hander is pronounced. Nadal's ability to play the shot out of a deep crouch, often going away with his back almost to the net (I'm sure you can conjure up the image) is remarkable.
Nadal gets incredible angles with that backhand now, but what I like most is how much more wristy it is; in addition to adding sting and snap, it allows himto hit sharper angles, which improve his counter-punching abilities on those occasions when he's backed into a corner, or getting jerked around the court. Not many players can get Nadal on a string, but one of them (Novak Djokovic) is playing the best tennis of his life and another (Juan Martin del Potro) is well on the way back after that wrist injury. Delpo's ability to dictate is unsurpassed because he can hit so such deep, penetrating groundstrokes.
As helpful as those evolutionary changes have been to Nadal, his all-around success is more a matter of his style, which is ultra-aggressive. Nadal hits fewer "rally" shots than any player in recent memory, although the most recent versions of Djokovic and del Potro come close. That's remarkable, when you consider how much he relies on topspin (which for Nadal is like a governor that keeps his engine from blowing up). Significantly, Federer is not in the company of these men in that department, except on those days when he's fully dialed in and confident. In some ways, Andy Murray and Federer are the least contemporary among the top players, with old-school elements ever-present in their games.
The results since last year's U.S. Open suggest that the very concept of the "rally" is endangered; it's all about the Big Ball now, and either ripping winners (or forcing errors through the effort), or vicious three- and four-shot combinations with the end of the point foreshadowed from the very first swing. No player who fits any standard definition of "clay-courter" could possibly survive in this environment, not at the highest level.
This helps explain why so many of the best players today are even more proficient on hard courts than on clay, where their games were developed. It's counter-intuitive, but the single most often-cited value of training on clay (developing consistency) is the one least called up or useful at the very top of the game. It's a little like the way some of the best artists are masterful at representational drawing but never do it.
Nadal is still best on clay, no doubt about it. But it's because his game is more old-school than his style. In Nadal, the benefits of aggression aren't manifested just in the way his game travels unexpectedly well from clay to hard and grass surfaces. It's part and parcel of everything he does. Consider this: Nadal and Djokovic played the same amount of tennis during this year's hard-court swing (the men played the finals at both Indian Wells and Miami); Nadal even complained that fatigue played a role in his loss to Djokovic on Key Biscayne.
Yet while Djokovic pulled out of Monte Carlo (official reason: sore knee), Nadal soldiered on. The stakes and conditions were certainly different—it's a lot easier to opt for a well-earned and thoroughly deserved rest when you've just won two Masters titles than when you've just lost in both finals. And we know all about Nadal's brilliant record at Monte Carlo, and the historic and statistical implications of its continuation.
But note that despite citing fatigue as an issue once again in the Monte Carlo final against David Ferrer, Nadal is still entered in Barcelona this week (you can check some of my further thoughts on that at my ESPN blog). I had to smile when I saw the headline at the ATP website: Nadal Not Concerned with Schedule. It calls for the sub-head: Perhaps We Shouldn't be, Either. . .
Discussing his win over Ferrer with the press, Nadal said: “During the match I was more tired than usual today. But in general it was positive. That's important because these kinds of matches, like yesterday, like today, improve your condition physically and mentally.
“It’s negative because you spent a lot of time on court, you have to run a lot on court, it’s always tough for the body. But if you talk about [what it does] mentally and physically, that can help a lot for the rest of the clay season.”
Aha. Now we’re onto something. It seems that Nadal’s marathon schedule is an aspect of training, rather than income-earning, ranking-points gathering, or even legacy-creating. I don’t think the physical conditioning to which Nadal alludes is as important as the mental tempering. In fact, it seems that Nadal is rolling the die a bit here, risking injury related to over-exertion (like that tendinitis he had in both knees back in 2009) and just plain over-use in order to reap the confidence-building rewards of that Bludgeon Them to Death philosophy.
This is the time of year when the rewards for pursuing that strategy, the one so ingrained in Nadal, are greatest. But the basic, aggressive style and mentality that makes Nadal so effective on clay pay dividends all year.
500 wygranych meczów Nadala w ATP!
Rafael Nadal, pokonując Ivana Dodiga w 1/2 finału turnieju ATP w Barcelonie, wygrał swój mecz nr 500 w zawodowej karierze. 24-letni Hiszpan został 2 najmłodszym graczem w historii, który osiągnął ten wynik. W chwili 500 zwycięstwa w karierze młodszy był tylko Bjorn Borg.
Graty! ;)
Bjorn Borg chyba w wieku 25 lat zakonczył kariere? Tak mi sie wydaje choc nie jestem pewien. Ciekaw jestem czy Nadal wygra jeszcze 2 turnieje na cegle w tym roku i jeden z nich to RG. Czekam na pojedynek z Novakiem w Madrycie lub Rzymie. Jak prześledze poprzednie lata to wydaje mi się że, jego zwycięstwo w Paryżu w tym roku jest zagrożone, jest strasznie nie stabilny i jak tego nie poprawi będzie kiepsko.
# 45) Barcelona 2011
1R: D.Gimeno-Traver (ESP) 6-1 6-1
2R: S.Giraldo (COL) 6-3 6-1
QF: G.Monfils (FRA) 6-2 6-2
SF: I. Dodig (CRO) 6-3 6-2
W: D.Ferrer (ESP) 6-2 6-4
Wygrywając finał w Barcelonie, Rafael Nadal został pierwszym tenisistą Ery Open, który triumfował przynajmniej 6 razy w dwóch turniejach.
Having won the ATP World Tour 500 clay-court tennis tournament five successive times from 2005-2009, Nadal became the first player in the Open Era to win two tournaments at least six times. Last weekend he defeated Ferrer in straight sets to win the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters crown for the seventh year in a row.
Rafa on clay - the incredible numbers
What's more to be said about Rafael Nadal on clay? Well nothing really, the stats speak for themselves, so rather than bleat on about another dominant week on the dirt from the world number one in Barcelona, lets instead look at the some of the key numbers behind his simply astonishing form on the surface.
34 - The number of matches on clay that Nadal has now won in a row; he has also had runs of 81 (April 05-May 07 - a record) and 33 (May 08-May 09) in the past. He is the only player in the Open era to have won at least 30 consecutive matches on clay three times.
186 - The number of matches Nadal has won on clay since 2005.
6 - The number of clay court matches Nadal has lost in that same period.
31 - The number of clay court finals he has won in his career.
2 - The number of clay court finals he has lost in his career.
2 - The number of players that have beaten Nadal more than once on clay (Roger Federer twice and Gaston Gaudio three times). Nadal holds a 10-2 record against the Swiss master on the surface, while all his losses to Gaudio came before 2005.
9 - The number of times Nadal has faced world number two Novak Djokovic on clay.
0 - The number of those matches Nadal has lost.
67 - The number of matches on clay in the month of April that Nadal has won in a row. His last defeat in April came in 2005 when he lost to Igor Andreev in Valencia.
1 - The number of matches he has lost at Roland Garros.
6 x 2 - Nadal is the only player in history who has won two different titles on six consecutive occasions (Barcelona, Monte Carlo). The latter of those titles he has actually won seven years in a row
24 - Perhaps the scariest statistic of all - Nadal's age - there is the potential for plenty more clay court titles to come.
The question Tramlines wants to put to you dear readers is this: Can we already declare Nadal the best clay court player ever?
He still has a few records to beat. He is only third on the clay court titles overall list (Thomas Muster had 40 and Guillermo Villas had 45), while Bjorn Borg has won one more French Open title than the Spaniard (six to five).
But forget emotions, forget personal preferences, can anybody realistically argue that Nadal, on top form, would be beaten by any man in history on clay?
Tramlines thinks it would be unlikely.
NADAL RECEIVES SAMARANCH PRIZE; BATTLE FOR NO. 1 SET TO RESUME IN MADRID
Rafael Nadal concedes that there is a strong chance he will lose the No. 1 South African Airways ATP Ranking to Novak Djokovic within the next few months, even if he repeats his perfect clay-court sweep through Roland Garros.
Speaking after being awarded the international Juan Antonio Samaranch Prize in Madrid, Nadal said that even winning ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles in Madrid and Rome the next two weeks and a sixth Roland Garros title may not be enough to hold the surging Serb at bay.
“Djokovic has a good chance of being No. 1 in the next two or three months,” said Nadal, who is the top seed in Madrid, which begins Sunday. “I could lose the No. 1 ranking even if I win nearly everything and this isn’t normal. He has very little to defend and I am defending a lot of points through to Wimbledon. For me, what is important, is the points at the end of the year.”
Last year Nadal won all three clay-court ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles and Roland Garros. He began this year's European clay-court season by winning his seventh consecutive title in Monte-Carlo, followed by a sixth title in Barcelona.
Nadal was honoured Thursday in Madrid as he received the Samaranch Prize in recognition of the success he has achieved in recent years and for the sporting values he has shown throughout his career.
Upon receiving the award, the 24-year-old Nadal said he felt “very proud” and was touched to receive a prize in Samaranch's name. The Mallorcan described Samaranch, the Spanish former President of the International Olympic Committee who died last year, as “a great ambassador, an extraordinary person, and it is to him that we sportsmen owe all the privileges we have.”
Albert Soler, the Secretary of State for Sport hailed Nadal as the “indisputable winner” of this prize, because he is “one of the most complete sportsmen and one of the best examples of fundamental sporting values.”
Nadal arrived in Madrid early, so as to watch the UEFA Champions League semi-final between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona at the Bernebeu on Wednesday evening, and on Thursday began his preparations for the Mutua Madrid Open.
The Mallorcan is riding a 34-match winning streak on clay and is looking to retain the trophy at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 clay-court event, where he defeated his great rival Roger Federer in the final last year.
There is the possibility of a much-anticipated match-up between Nadal and World No. 2 Djokovic in the final at the Caja Magica, but Nadal insisted on Friday that he was focussed only on his first opponent.
“Djokovic is absolutely not my concern, I can only face him in the final” declared Nadal of the Serbian, who has a perfect 25-0 record in 2011. “My concerns are always the first player I will face, my physical well being, and avoiding injury.”
The battle for No. 1 has been a well-documented topic this season, with Nadal, Djokovic and Federer the standout players challenging for the coveted year-end No. 1 spot in the South African Airways 2011 ATP Rankings. While Nadal acknowledged he was “very satisfied” with his start to the season, he was quick to point out Australian Open champion Djokovic is currently the frontrunner.
Looking ahead specifically to the Mutua Madrid Open, where he is a two-time former winner, Nadal said, “We’ll see what happens. I think I have played well in the past few tournaments, but every tournament is different. To play in Madrid, at home, is very special and I have in mind how much support I have received from this crowd; I can’t forget it.”
NADAL RECEIVES NATIONAL ACCOLADE
The national accolades continue to pour in for Rafael Nadal in Spain. On Tuesday in Madrid, the Spaniard was named as an honorary ambassador of the Marca Espana.
Upon bestowing the title upon Nadal, the Prince of Asturias Don Felipe described the Mallorcan and his fellow recipients as a source of inspiration for everyone and praised them for attracting investments and talent that will facilitate the growth of the economy and employment in Spain.
Other recipients of the accolade were: Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava, Antonio Garrigues, orchestral conductor Inma Shara, the Instituto Cervantes, the Vicente Ferrer Foundation and the Spanish national football team, which won the FIFA World Cup last year.
World No. 1 Nadal is in action as defending champion at the Mutua Madrid Open this week and opens his campaign on Wednesday against Marcos Baghdatis.
Rafael Nadal rozegrał wczoraj swój 5 z rzędu finał turnieju ATP, 4 z serii Mistrzów. Hiszpan przegrał 3 taki pojedynek, 3 z Nole Djokoviciem. Rafa przegrał tym samym 16 z 61 rozegranych do tej pory finałów. Była to jego druga finałowa porażka w Madrycie.
Rafael Nadal - przegrane finały (16)
2011 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid, ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami, ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells
2010 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, Doha
2009 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Shanghai, ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid, Rotterdam
2008 ATP Masters Series Miami, Chennai
2007 ATP Masters Series Paris, Wimbledon, ATP Masters Series Hamburg
2006 Wimbledon
2005 ATP Masters Series Miami
2004 Auckland
Już wkleiłem ten filmik do wątku Madrytu, ale jako że w przeciągu 3 dni tweener został wyświetlony ponad milion razy, wypadałoby uwiecznić go również w tym wątku. ;-)
Statystyki Nadala z meczów w Rzymie
Rzym 2011 - 6 finał Nadala w 2011 roku, 4 porażka. Hiszpan przegrał po raz 4 z rzędu mecz o tytuł w Nole Djokoviciem i zanotował 17 przegrany finał na 62, jakie rozegrał w swojej dotychczasowej karierze.
Rafael Nadal - przegrane finały (17)
2011 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rzym, ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid, ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami, ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells
2010 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, Doha
2009 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Shanghai, ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid, Rotterdam
2008 ATP Masters Series Miami, Chennai
2007 ATP Masters Series Paris, Wimbledon, ATP Masters Series Hamburg
2006 Wimbledon
2005 ATP Masters Series Miami
2004 Auckland
Nadal ma już na koncie 29 finałów turniejów Masters-1000, czym wyrównał wynik Rogera Federera.
Nadal expects a loss from Djokovic - sometime
Spanish world No. 1 Rafael Nadal weighs in on his fourth straight loss to Novak Djokovic.
Rafael Nadal is facing the biggest challenge of his clay tennis career as he tries to somehow stay ahead of hot rival Novak Djokovic, who beat him for the second week in a row in Rome to win a Masters 1000 trophy on clay.
The world No. 1 Spaniard and the No. 2 Serb will resume from Sunday when the French Open starts, with each tipping the other as the Grand Slam title favourite.
Nadal's biggest job is to try and regain his longstanding superiority. He smilingly says he's trying it all. “I’m doing everything I can, I can’t ask myself anymore now. I’m doing very well but one player is doing better than me. I am waiting every week to try solutions, so let’s see.”
He takes faith in the fact that it is “impossible” for Djokovic’s streak to continue ad infinitum. “I have to wait for my moment to win."
Nadal knows that Djokovic is playing out of his skin at the moment and has done so since last December. The man who forgot how to lose now owns seven titles from seven events in 2011.
"He's playing the best right now," said Nadal. "In the last few months he's been at a different level, he's doing amazing things. He's playing with a lot of confidence. I'm the second in the race. My goal is to be there the next time.
"The big champions are not just those that are able to win every week but those that are able to wait until the right moment," he said. "I've beaten him in the past but now he's beating me. There are always ups and downs in a career."
The evolution of Rafael Nadal: Part 1
Rafael Nadal has always sought to adjust his game to adapt to different conditions, and that is why he is a great champion.
This mental strength has seen him achieve things that no one believed he could, through masterfully turning around tough situations.
Physically, Rafa boasts amazing court coverage and endurance. Nothing seems to surprise him. He always strikes the ball with great power while the rotation speed has been measured as the fastest ever.
He always finds new challenges, new ways to compete: tennis, golf, football or video games, everything he touches immediately turns into a fight for victory. He does not sleep a lot, trains at full intensity and seeks hobbies to keep boredom at bay.
Every champion who has triumphed on all surfaces was forced to change his game to adjust to the conditions: tactically through working on sequences efficient on a certain surface, physically on the levels needed on that surface and mentally by learning patience, for example, or else the need to take the first opportunity to attack.
But the Spaniard has gone further than anybody before.
The main areas he has changed are his serve and forehand. Beside the strategy, the fitness or the mind, Nadal is the only one ever to have made a deep technical change to his motion in order to counteract tactical situations that were going against him.
This chameleon is always moving forward, looking to improve, making it difficult for his opponents to find an answer to him. Only his mental strength has remained stationary, so good was it to start with - he has the best ratio of wins in five-set matches of anybody still playing.
Phase 1: The Age of Innocence (until 2005)
Until his first triumph at Roland Garros, the young Nadal (pictured in 2003) was not thoughtful on technique, which he considered natural and instinctive. Nor was he or his uncle Toni worried about it; still in development, he was improving day by day, as shown by the evolution of his ranking.
This period allowed him to learn how to use his ability to become efficient. Every match played helped him learn how to behave in order to win, through solving the issues each rival brought to the table. Little by little, he also improved physically and his temper saw him achieve an out-of-this-world level of fitness.
Forehand:
This weapon displayed a lot of fluidity. It was the shot that allowed him to take the lead during points, enabling him to send his opponents all over the court. He found amazing angles with it and the quality of his topspin forced rivals to stand a long way from the baseline - meaning Nadal was safe from attack. His favourite shot was the short inside-out forehand which allowed him a great impact with the outcome - because of the speed generated by the motion - and also to keep an accurate position regarding the ball's rebound height. He used his right hand to prepare this motion, which ended in a big preparation loop.
Serve:
Following the great tradition of Spanish tennis, the serve is considered a minor shot, merely one that starts the point. At the start of his career, young Nadal was taken into this stereotype. He did not have many aces or winners. This did not play against him much because he mostly shone on clay, with his main goal being victory at Roland Garros. He used the slice a lot in order to get to his opponent's backhand and try to get back on his own forehand. Not feeling very comfortable with the serve, Nadal picked a rather shortened and compact preparation, directly armed, in a Roddick kind of way. His lack of power came from both a lack of speed generated by the head of the racquet, which stayed too parallel with the ground, and him not achieving enough forward motion.
The evolution of Rafael Nadal: Part 2
Phase 2: The Quest for Wimbledon (2005-2008)
Having won his first Roland Garros at 19 years of age, the young Rafa craved new achievements. His next ambition was Wimbledon - the tournament no one thought he could win. There were two main obstacles: the technical aspects of his clay game were not suited to grass, and the domination of Roger Federer on this surface, a man with all the technical and tactical weapons needed to master it.
Nadal took three years to win Wimbledon in 2008, during which time he hugely changed his technique to become more efficient. His No.1 rival Federer - who won the tournament every year between 2003 and 2007 - was playing fast, taking the ball early and used a choppy backhand a lot. This gave the Spaniard completely different angles to deal with, compared to clay.
Forehand:
Rafa struggled when attacked on his forehand. The big loop his arm took often made him late to the ball, so he had to play shorter and with more fragility. In order to improve his counter-attacking game, he shortened his preparation, keeping his elbow lower and speeding up the work of the racquet head - a technique often used to return an opponent's first serves. With this change he generated less speed, but better use of the speed of the ball made up for this.
Serve:
He had to find more power, knowing that aces and winners are mandatory if you are to succeed on grass. Plus, if he could convince his opponents that he was unreachable on his first serve, he could place more pressure on their returns. He had to find a way to gain speed, so he increased the falling distance of the racquet - however this solution did not work. Instead of giving more freedom to his wrist in order to send the head of the racquet higher, he raised his hand and also lifted his elbow far higher than the shoulder line. Technically this motion lacks accuracy, but it did give him more speed: a 184km/h average speed compared to 158km/h in 2003 testifies to this. Even if he remains some way off the efficiency he seeks, he reached his goal of winning Wimbledon.
Bonus:
Besides this technical work, Nadal tried to improve all areas of his game - and especially his backhand, adding the slice. This shot improved a lot but was still not crushing enough, sometimes putting him on the defensive afterwards. Playing doubles on a regular basis also helped him work on the shots he needs: the serve, the return and the net game. As years passed, he began to play more and more offensively.
Phase 3: Success on All Surfaces (2008-)
Far from being satisfied with his Wimbledon triumph, Nadal set new goals for himself. He had never won the US Open, but knew he would shine on all surfaces if he could find a more universal technique. The serve was still his biggest consideration as he had to bring it up to the level of the rest of his game; at Flushing Meadows, with faster, lesser rebounding courts than those in Australia, the serve can be decisive. On the forehand, he was now taking advantage of his shortened motion but also knew he had lost his ability to find angles such as the inside-out short ones.
Forehand:
In 2005, his preparation was higher and his loop bigger. His hand was level with his pectorals, whereas in 2011 it is lower, near the abdominal region. His elbow was also much higher in 2005, ending the head of the racquet a good 50cm higher. Also in 2005 the elbow was placed further from the body - in 2011 its position prevents the big loop.
Serve:
Comparison between 2008 and 2011 clearly shows that Rafa is back to using his 2005 motion. His elbow is lower than in 2008 when his hand was high above his head. He no longer trespasses over the shoulder line. His wrist is still 'broken' when he raises the arm, but he now succeeds in better raising the head of the racquet in order to gain speed. His toss is now higher and he strikes the ball when it hits its highest point, whereas before he was hitting it on the way down. And he is finally dealing better with the bodyweight transfer forward so he gains more power. The numbers speak for themselves: he increased his average speed on first serves from 184 to 190 between 2008 and 2010, while the number of aces follows a similar path, increasing from 210 to 310.
Bonus:
During all the work on his forehand, he lost some speed because it was generated by the loop. Therefore he sought another way of gaining it, improving the work of the wrist to whip the ball. Rafa's forearm now travels ahead of his hand, which is in turn ahead of the head of the racquet, perpendicular to his arm. With a whip-like action it makes up for the lost time, arriving with a lot of speed. This is what gives the shot its striking quality. A lab based in San Francisco measured that Nadal's topspin reaches a rotation of 3,200 turns per minute, compared with the 1,900 turns per minute of Agassi and the 2,700 turns per minute of Federer.
NADAL NAMED AMONG FORBES TOP 50 MOST POWERFUL CELEBRITIES
Rafael Nadal is bidding to retain
his Roland Garros trophy.
Rafael Nadal has been ranked No. 46 on Forbes Magazine’s annual list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Celebrities. The list has been published since 1999 and takes into account earnings, fame, and global exposure in the media.
Last year, the Spaniard earned an ATP record $10,171,998 in prize money alone, having won three successive Grand Slam titles at Roland Garros (d. Soderling), Wimbledon (d. Berdych) and the US Open (d. Djokovic).
The 24-year-old Nadal will look to retain his Roland Garros crown in the next two weeks as he contests the clay-court Grand Slam in Paris. The Mallorcan arrived in the French capital city on Wednesday to be one of the first players to practise on the Philippe Chatrier Court. “It’s very special arriving here because it’s the best clay-court tournament in the world and I’ve had so many great memories here,” said Nadal.
The main singles draw for Roland Garros will be made on Friday, with main draw play due to begin on Sunday.
French Open - Nadal to count on history in Paris
Rafael Nadal will rely on the Paris fear factor to overcome the scorching form of Novak Djokovic in his bid for a sixth French Open title.
For once, Nadal will not be the overwhelming favourite to win the season's second major, despite his terrifying presence on the Paris clay.
Nadal, whose brutal shot-making and experience at Roland Garros may still carry him through, has been beaten by Serb Djokovic in four successive finals this year.
"The big champions are not just those that are able to win every week but those that are able to wait until the right moment," the world number one said.
Nadal was speaking after losing again to Djokovic in last weekend's Rome final, stretching the Serb's 2011 record to 37-0 and leaving Nadal's grip on the top ranking in danger.
"I have to wait for my moment to win and I know that," said Nadal ahead of one of the most mouth-watering French Opens for years.
Djokovic's purple patch threatens to halt Nadal's charge to equal Bjorn Borg's six French Open crowns.
"I don't know how much good it brings to tennis, but it's good that someone else is able to win other than just (Roger) Federer and Nadal," said Djokovic. "It makes it more interesting."
Nadal has rarely been troubled on a Roland Garros court, losing only one match, in the fourth round in 2009 against Swede Robin Soderling.
"My first final in 2005, against (Argentine Mariano) Puerta, when he had a set point in the fourth. The 2006 final against Federer that comes down to a tiebreak," said the Spaniard, attempting to recall the odd scare.
"Also in 2006, against (Frenchman) Paul-Henri Mathieu, I had a very, very tough match. I don't remember another during which I felt I was in danger."
Nadal's top spin forehand and dogged tenacity on the demanding red clay could be key against Djokovic, who has had a tendancy to wear down, especially in five-setters.
However, that assumes Nadal will arrive in Paris in good physical shape, having almost been forced to pull out of the Rome Masters because of a virus.
"The most important thing is to arrive in the right conditions for the next tournament," the Spaniard acknowledged.
Nadal could feel the heat again if he is to meet Djokovic, who beat him in the Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid and Rome finals, on Centre Court on June 5.
Djokovic, justifiably for a man in the form of his life, remains quietly confident.
"I think Rafa is still right up there before anybody. I've never won Roland Garros, I've played a couple of times in semi-finals," said the Serb.
"Probably because I'm in the shape of my lifetime and playing the best tennis of my career I am one of the favourites, but Rafa has only lost one match there in his career."
Golf game boosts Nadal for French Open
Paris: Rafael Nadal is hoping that a few pars and birdies on the golf course might help him combat the growing menace to his world crown that represents Novak Djokovic.
The Spaniard sensationally lost to the Serb in the finals of the Madrid and Rome Masters, two key claycourt tournaments in the build-up to Roland Garros.
Suddenly, from being the outstanding favourite to add a sixth French Open crown to his collection, Nadal, as he freely admits himself, is the underdog.
He is also facing the possibility of losing his world number one spot to Djokovic who only needs to reach the final to achieve that milestone in his career.
But there has been no sense of panic from Nadal who headed home after his defeat in Rome to the Mediterranean island of Mallorca to take it easy catching up with friends and family and indulging in his new-found passion for golf.
"When you lose, you have to try and find a solution. You have to try and find different things," he said.
"Is like football no? For example Real Madrid lost 5-0 gainst Barcelona in the league and then they go to the next match and that one they play different tactically.
"In football it's easier to make big changes because you have 11 people. In the tennis ... it is much more difficult to make big changes. But always you can adjust a few things."
First things first
Nadal said he was already concentrating fully on his opening opponent — towering American John Isner who he described as being "one of these players that you prefer not to have in the first round". If he gets through that he could be heading for another matchup, in the last eight, with big Swede Robin Soderling who remains the only player to have beaten him at Roland Garros.
Djokovic's route to a maiden title at Roland Garros and the world number one ranking could be a hazardous one following yesterday's draw where he was placed in the same half of the draw for the second Grand Slam event of the season as Roger Federer.
Meanwhile, Maria Sharapova's victory in Rome last week has marked her out as a serious title contender but the Russian former world number one says Kim Clijsters is the player to beat. Belgian Clijsters was a major doubt for the tournament after injuring her ankle two months ago but has recovered in the nick of time.
RG 2011 - konferencja po zwycięstwie w 1 rundzie.
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/multi … 000dc.html
Rafael Nadal: Byłem bliski odpadnięcia
- W trakcie kariery ma się wzloty i upadki. Nie mówię, że jestem w fazie upadku, ale muszę dokonać pewnych zmian w mojej grze, bo rywale grają naprawdę dobrze - powiedział Rafael Nadal po pierwszym wygranym meczu w Roland Garros.
John Isner był bardzo bliski sprawienia niespodzianki i wyeliminowania obrońcy tytułu już w I rundzie. Ostatecznie jednak triumfował Hiszpan 6:4, 6:7(2), 6:7(2), 6:2, 6:4.
- Prowadziłem 6:4, 4:2. Nie grałem nadzwyczajnie, ale w I rundzie tutaj nigdy nie gram najlepiej. Miałem trudnego przeciwnika, ale byłem zadowolony z tego, jak grałem. Potem nagle straciłem przewagę, nie gram dobrze tie breaków, jestem w nich zbyt nerwowy, więc przegrałem seta. Grając przeciwko takim graczom, ciśnienie jest cały czas, musisz grać cały czas bezpiecznie - podsumował przebieg meczu Nadal.
- Złe z mojej strony było to, że na początku kontrolowałem mecz, a później tą kontrolę straciłem, przez co grałem o dwie godziny dłużej, niż powinienem. Popełniłem sporo błędów, ale byłem też zestresowany - dodał.
Nadal przyznał, że cały czas pamiętał, że w ostatnim secie nie może dojść do tie breaka. Dziennikarze zauważyli, że Isner ma dobry bilans w piątym secie, grywał już bardzo długie mecze. - Myślę, że ja również mam niezły bilans. To mój pierwszy tak długi mecz podczas Roland Garros. Nie znam dokładnych statystyk, ale myślę, że w pozostałych turniejach wielkoszlemowych mam dobre wyniki - skwitował Nadal ze śmiechem.
Nie obyło się również bez pytania o piłki: - Nie mam żadnych problemów z kontrolą tego rodzaju piłki, ale jest to duża zmiana wobec tych, którymi graliśmy ostatnio. Moim zdaniem ta piłka jest dużo lepsza.
RG 2011 - konferencja po zwycięstwie w 2 rundzie.
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/multi … 0013d.html
RG 2011 - konferencja po zwycięstwie w 3 rundzie.
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/multi … 00189.html
Nie mam linka do tego artykułu, dlatego wklejam treść. Smutną treść, szczególnie dla fanów Rafy, nigdy się tak nie uzewnętrzniał.
Nadal feels like he's been 'playing for 100 years'
Rafael Nadal says the tour's non-stop schedule is exhausting him and there are days when he sees playing tennis as a job, rather than a sport. The Spaniard added that all his playing years have taken a toll on him and that even with the shortening of the calendar this year, the season will still be too long.
"It's my ninth year on the tour, and its completely the same feeling every year," Nadal told reporters. "You don't have the chance to stop, never. I think for that situation we have a shorter career. So having a different model of ranking, of competition, I think we can have longer career, no? I [am] almost 25, but seems like I am playing for 100 years here on the tour. I didn't spend a weekend at home since the week of Davis Cup before Indian Wells. That's too much. Tennis is a very demanding sport mentally and physically. I won Roland Garros five times, but next Monday I am practicing on Queen's. So that's makes the career shorter for everybody.
"We have four Grand Slams, we have nine Masters 1000, and the year is 12 months. I know that they're gonna reduce two week but, seriously, is not enough. [We are not ] gonna have these changes for my generation, but hopefully for the next generations to have a better sports life. Because I think you need two months, two months and a half of rest at the end of the season. You have to practice. I never able to practice and to try to improve the things during the off-season, and that's something I think terrible....Sometimes it's like work. And, in my opinion, tennis is not work. It's passion."
Barty napisał:
Nie mam linka do tego artykułu, dlatego wklejam treść. Smutną treść, szczególnie dla fanów Rafy, nigdy się tak nie uzewnętrzniał.
Nadal feels like he's been 'playing for 100 years'
Rafael Nadal says the tour's non-stop schedule is exhausting him and there are days when he sees playing tennis as a job, rather than a sport. The Spaniard added that all his playing years have taken a toll on him and that even with the shortening of the calendar this year, the season will still be too long.
"It's my ninth year on the tour, and its completely the same feeling every year," Nadal told reporters. "You don't have the chance to stop, never. I think for that situation we have a shorter career. So having a different model of ranking, of competition, I think we can have longer career, no? I [am] almost 25, but seems like I am playing for 100 years here on the tour. I didn't spend a weekend at home since the week of Davis Cup before Indian Wells. That's too much. Tennis is a very demanding sport mentally and physically. I won Roland Garros five times, but next Monday I am practicing on Queen's. So that's makes the career shorter for everybody.
"We have four Grand Slams, we have nine Masters 1000, and the year is 12 months. I know that they're gonna reduce two week but, seriously, is not enough. [We are not ] gonna have these changes for my generation, but hopefully for the next generations to have a better sports life. Because I think you need two months, two months and a half of rest at the end of the season. You have to practice. I never able to practice and to try to improve the things during the off-season, and that's something I think terrible....Sometimes it's like work. And, in my opinion, tennis is not work. It's passion."
Dla mnie to nie jest smutne. To samo życie. Ktoś, kto tak intensywnie pracuje przez całe lata, musi się kiedyś wypalić. Zmęczenie jest rzeczą naturalną, zwłaszcza to, które się kumuluje. Prędzej, czy później taki moment musiał nadejść. Pisałam o tym gdzieś na początku tego roku. Życzę chłopakowi długiego odpoczynku i naładowania baterii.
W sumie nie powiedział nic nowego. Że jest ogólnie wymęczony, widać niemal na każdym kroku, natomiast co do tez ogólnych, ma oczywiście rację. To co się dzieje w tenisie zawodowym jest chore i w efekcie mamy armię niespełna 30 letnich kalek i pół-emerytów.
Nadal jest w jednej osobie największym beneficjentem i ofiarą homogenizacji nawierzchni. Z jednej strony ta transformacja podłoża w kierunku jednego, byle jakiego o średniej szybkości i wysokim koźle, pozwoliła mu na skompletowanie wszystkich szlemów oraz lwiej części turniejów poza nawierzchnią ceglaną z cyklu Masters 1000 czy 500. Z drugiej strony wymusiło to poniekąd grę przez cały rok na okrągło- w latach 90. Hiszpan raczej dość szybko żegnałby się z turniejami na klasycznej trawie otoczony armią graczy preferujących styl s&v, nie wspominając o grze na superszybkim amerykańskim hardzie, pojedynkując się z wybitnymi przedstawicielami amerykańskiego pokolenia na tym podłożu.
W efekcie, zamiast królować sobie na cegle do 28-29 roku życia, niespełna 25 letni człowiek przypomina wrak człowieka, kogoś mającego całkowicie wyniszczony organizm. Nie ulega wątpliwości, że Nadal zagra w swoim życiu jeszcze dobre turnieje, bez dwóch zdań jakieś znaczące triumfy odniesie, ale trudno oczekiwać by mógł trenować na 100% przez cały rok, koncentrując się w podobnym stopniu na każdej nawierzchni. Skutki takiej polityki startowej mogą być dla niego katastrofalne.
Fed-Expresso napisał:
Nadal jest w jednej osobie największym beneficjentem i ofiarą homogenizacji nawierzchni. Z jednej strony ta transformacja podłoża w kierunku jednego, byle jakiego o średniej szybkości i wysokim koźle, pozwoliła mu na skompletowanie wszystkich szlemów oraz lwiej części turniejów poza nawierzchnią ceglaną z cyklu Masters 1000 czy 500. Z drugiej strony wymusiło to poniekąd grę przez cały rok na okrągło- w latach 90. Hiszpan raczej dość szybko żegnałby się z turniejami na klasycznej trawie otoczony armią graczy preferujących styl s&v, nie wspominając o grze na superszybkim amerykańskim hardzie, pojedynkując się z wybitnymi przedstawicielami amerykańskiego pokolenia na tym podłożu.
W efekcie, zamiast królować sobie na cegle do 28-29 roku życia, niespełna 25 letni człowiek przypomina wrak człowieka, kogoś mającego całkowicie wyniszczony organizm. Nie ulega wątpliwości, że Nadal zagra w swoim życiu jeszcze dobre turnieje, bez dwóch zdań jakieś znaczące triumfy odniesie, ale trudno oczekiwać by mógł trenować na 100% przez cały rok, koncentrując się w podobnym stopniu na każdej nawierzchni. Skutki takiej polityki startowej mogą być dla niego katastrofalne.
Wrak człowieka.?:niedowierzanie:
W którym miejscu.?
Chłopak od dobrych kilku lat (6) jest w ścisłej czołówce graczy ATP. Wygrał kilkadziesiąt turniejów na wszystkich nawierzchniach, w tym spora część to turnieje WS i MS. Pobił kilka rekordów, toczył batalie o zwycięstwa z Rogerem Federerem, którego świat uznaje za jedną z największych gwiazd tej dyscypliny w całej historii tenisa.
Tylko w tym roku zagrał w w 6 finałach, z czego wygrał 2. Ma ludzkie, zwyczajne prawo być zmęczonym. Jedyną rzeczą jakiej mu w tej chwili potrzeba, to długa przerwa od tenisa i tego cyrku, łącznie z dodatkowymi, sponsorskimi i reklamowymi obowiązkami.
Rafa na wakacje. Dłuuuugie.:D
Co więcej pomyśl, co by się działo, gdyby Djoko nie wyskoczył z życiówką. Grający siano Nadal miałby pewnie na koncie już ze 4 wygrane Mastersy i pewnie leciał po szóste wygrane RG :D
Chciałbym, żeby każdy "wrak" tak grał, ATP byłoby piękniejsze.
robpal napisał:
Co więcej pomyśl, co by się działo, gdyby Djoko nie wyskoczył z życiówką. Grający siano Nadal miałby pewnie na koncie już ze 4 wygrane Mastersy i pewnie leciał po szóste wygrane RG :D
Chciałbym, żeby każdy "wrak" tak grał, ATP byłoby piękniejsze.
Niedawno chyba napisałeś że od USO gra do bani. :P Wyniki są niezłe, ale ciężko się patrzy na tegoroczne poczynania Hiszpana.
No ciężko się patrzy, aczkolwiek nazywanie takiej gry "wrakiem" to jednak przesada. 6 finałów z rzędu, Fedzior dwa razy obstukany - nie ma dramatu :P
Choć muszę uczciwie przyznać, że po zeszłym sezonie liczyłem na więcej.
Najbardziej boli mnie wtopa w Miami, bo tam mecz był z tych czterech najbardziej do wygrania... No nic tam, zniosłem jesień 2009, to zniosę i lato 2011 :D
robpal napisał:
......
Choć muszę uczciwie przyznać, że po zeszłym sezonie liczyłem na więcej.
Przesadziłeś.:)
Jakiś taki niezdecydowany ten Rafa... Najpierw narzeka, że jest zmęczony, a potem oświadcza, że jak przegra w ćwierćfinale RG to wraca do domu na piechotę... :mrgreen:
jaccol55 napisał:
Jakiś taki niezdecydowany ten Rafa... Najpierw narzeka, że jest zmęczony, a potem oświadcza, że jak przegra w ćwierćfinale RG to wraca do domu na piechotę... :mrgreen:
Zawsze może jeszcze zagrać jakąś pokazówkę, w Nikaragui, albo na Madagaskarze...
RG 2011 - konferencja po zwycięstwie w 4 rundzie.
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/multi … 001e8.html
Czy tak słaby Nadal może wygrać w Paryżu?
autor: Jakub Ciastoń
Rafael Nadal awansował do ćwierćfinału, ale choć darzę Hiszpana ogromnym szacunkiem i sympatią, uważam, że w tym roku będzie mu bardzo trudno obronić tytuł w Paryżu i wyrównać rekord sześciu triumfów Bjorna Borga.
Nie chodzi już nawet o to, że z drugiej strony drabinki szaleje Novak Djoković, który nie dość, że gra kosmiczny tenis, to jeszcze ma szczęście, bo po wycofaniu się Włocha Fogniniego, awansował już do półfinału.
Nadal jest w tym roku w Paryżu słabszy niż w poprzednich latach. Nawet w 2009 r., gdy miał kłopoty z kolanami i jedyny raz dał się ograć w IV rundzie Soderlingowi, nie sprawiał aż tak złego wrażenia, jak teraz.
W tym roku już w I rundzie Rafa musiał bić się przez pięć setów z Johnem Isnerem, mierzącym 206 cm Amerykaninem, który jednak - poza tym, że świetnie serwuje - nie jest jakimś wybitnym artystą kortów. Tymczasem Nadal zagrał z nim swój pierwszy w karierze (!!!) pięciosetowy mecz w Paryżu.
W II rundzie Nadal walczył zaciekle z Pablo Andujarem, o którym wcześniej mało kto słyszał. Spotkanie trwało 3 godziny i 18 minut i było czwartym najdłuższym (!!!) pojedynkiem Rafy na French Open (dłużej walczył tylko kiedyś z Mathieu, teraz z Isnerem i Puertą w finale z 2005 r.). Andujar w trzecim secie prowadził 5:1 i zmarnował siedem piłek setowych (!!!). Przez dwie pierwsze rundy Nadal spędził na korcie w sumie 7 godz. i 19 minut - o 4 godz. i 18 minut więcej niż Djoković i 3 godz. 57 minut więcej od Federera.
Potem Nadal mierzył się z kwalifikantem z Chorwacji Antonio Veiciem i jego rodakiem Ivanem Ljubiciciem. Oba te mecze wygrał w trzech setach, ale szczególnie w I secie z Ljubiciciem grał fatalnie. Jeden z dziennikarzy od lat śledzących Wielkie Szlemy napisał, że to „był najgorszy set jaki Nadal kiedykolwiek zagrał na French Open”.
Hiszpan się męczy, bo w opinii fachowców jego tenis stracił na jakości - jest bardziej pasywny, częściej zostaje z tyłu kortu, mniej ryzykuje, raczej czeka na błędy, niż stara się kontrować. Ogromnym problemem jest też serwis Rafy. Nadal znacznie poprawił podanie w zeszłym roku i w trakcie US Open Hiszpan serwował wprost genialnie. Właściwie można powiedzieć, że dzięki serwisowi wygrał tamtego Szlema. Przez całe US Open dał się przełamać rywalom pięć razy. Teraz pięć razy przełamał Nadala Andujar w jednym meczu!!!
Dlaczego Nadal gra bardziej pasywnie, dlaczego gorzej serwuje, czemu jego bekhend nie jest już tak groźny jak potrafił być w poprzednim sezonie? Nie wiadomo. Być może Hiszpan jest słabszy fizycznie. To teza o tyle prawdopodobna, że jego tenis zawsze był bardzo mocno uzależniony od 100 procentowej sprawności. Może coś go boli, jakieś mięśnie nie pracują tak, jak powinny? Czy zmęczył go niesamowity, wyniszczający zeszły sezon, w którym sięgnął aż po trzy Wielkie Szlemy?
Inna możliwość to psychika. Może Rafa - słynący dotąd ze stalowych nerwów - po zwycięstwie w dziewięciu Szlemach i w drodze po wyrównanie paryskiego rekordu Borga, wreszcie zaczął czuć presję? Pojawił się Djoković, a Rafa stracił pewność? Też możliwe. A być może inni nauczyli się lepiej czytać w sumie dość prostą taktykę Nadala, biorąc przykład z Djokovicia? A może wszystko to po trochu?
Najważniejsze, że sam Nadal dostrzega problem, bo na konferencjach prasowych mówi, że „za mało atakuje”, że „nie jest zadowolony ze swojej gry”.
Czy mimo tych wszystkich znaków, Nadal może w Paryżu jednak zwyciężyć?
Na pewno w kluczowym momencie zacznie pomagać mu instynkt wojownika. Rafa nie podda się, będzie walczył do upadłego, prędzej zacznie gryźć ziemię, niż odpuści. Ale czy to wystarczy? Dziś trudno w to uwierzyć.
RG 2011 - konferencja po zwycięstwie w ćwierćfinale.
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/multi … 0023f.html
Rafael Nadal kończy dziś 25 lat. Najlepsze życzenia. ;)
Osiągnięcia w dniu ćwierćwiecza:
Ranking: 1
Tytuły/Finały: 45/17
Szlemy: 9/2
Mastersy: 18/10
Zarobki: $40,052,402
12 wielkoszlemowy finał Nadala!
Wczorajszy solenizant (skończył 25 lat) jutro zagra po raz 6 w finale Roland Garros, a już po raz 12 w finale turnieju wielkoszlemowego. Nadal ma znakomity bilans gier o tytuł w najważniejszych imprezach tenisowych świata: 9-2 (2 porażki z Federerem w Wimbledonie).
25-latek z Manacor zanotował 7 finał z rzędu, dotychczas w 2011 bilans jego pojedynków finałowych jest jednak ujemny: 2-4 (4 porażki z Djokoviciem).
Roland Garros: Nadal okrasił 25. urodziny szóstym finałem
Rafael Nadal po raz szósty w karierze awansował do finału wielkoszlemowego Roland Garros. Rozstawiony z numerem pierwszym Hiszpan pokonał (6:4, 7:5, 6:4 w 3h17') w półfinale Szkota Andy'ego Murraya (ATP 4) i w niedzielę zmierzy się z Rogerem Federerem.
Poczynając od 2005 roku Nadal, aktualny lider światowego rankingu, pięciokrotnie triumfował w międzynarodowych mistrzostwach Francji. Na swojej ulubionej paryskiej mączce od piątku legitymuje się niesamowitym bilansem gier: 44-1, a jedynym jego pogromcą okazał się przed dwoma laty Robin Söderling. Jeśli Hiszpan zwycięży także w niedzielnym finale, to wyrówna osiągnięcie najlepszego szwedzkiego zawodnika w historii, Björna Borga, w liczbie wywalczonych tytułów na kortach im. Rolanda Garrosa.
Jeszcze przed piątkowym pojedynkiem z Nadalem Murray zapowiadał, iż postara się zaprezentować swój najlepszy tenis. Szkotowi z pewnością nie można odmówić ogromnej woli walki, tym bardziej że przystąpił do tego meczu z niewyleczoną kontuzji prawej kostki. Tenisista z Dunblane miał jednak mimo wszystko swoje szanse, lecz nie wykorzystał aż 15 z 18 wypracowanych break pointów. Z kolei obchodzący swoje 25. urodziny Hiszpan sześciokrotnie przełamał serwis reprezentanta Wielkiej Brytanii. Lider światowego rankingu był również lepszy pod względem liczby kończących uderzeń (34-30) oraz popełnił mniej niewymuszonych błędów (31-40). Nadal poprawił na 11-4 bilans bezpośrednich gier z Murrayem, pokonując młodszego od siebie o rok Szkota po raz czwarty na mączce.
Początek pierwszego półfinału należał do najwyżej rozstawionego w turnieju zawodnika hiszpańskiego. Nadal od stanu 1:1 wygrał cztery kolejne gemy, dwukrotnie przełamując serwis Murraya. 24-latek z Dunblane nie poddawał się: odrobił stratę jednego breaka oraz wypracował dwie szanse na wyrównanie w dziesiątym gemie. Pochodzący z Majorki lider światowego rankingu nie dał sobie jednak wyrwać prowadzenia i przy trzecim setbolu zakończył tę partię.
W drugiej odsłonie przewagę przełamania jako pierwszy także uzyskał Nadal, zdobywając breaka w piątym gemie. Kolejne trzy gemy padły jednak również łupem odbierających i dopiero w dziewiątym na prowadzenie 5:4 wysunął się Murray. Szkot w kolejnym gemie nie ugrał ani jednego punktu, a następnie po raz trzeci w secie stracił swój serwis. Z takiego prezentu błyskawicznie skorzystał Rafa, który gemem wygranym "na sucho" wyszedł na prowadzenie 2-0 w meczu.
Przegrana w poprzedniej partii wpłynęła na Szkota negatywnie już na początku trzeciego seta. Murray stracił serwis już w pierwszym gemie, co okazało się brzemienne w skutkach. Wypracował co prawda jeszcze kilka okazji na powrót do gry, ale Hiszpan nie oddał już prowadzenia do samego końca. Wyraźnie skoncentrowany na tym, aby utrzymać własne podanie, Nadal wygrał 10. gema do zera i mógł cieszyć się z awansu do finału.
RG 2011 - konferencja po zwycięstwie w półfinale.
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/multi … 00282.html
Raczej ułamek konferencji :)
Tu jest pełny transkrypt: http://www.rafaholics.com/2011/06/rg-ra … esser.html
#46) Roland Garros 2011
R128 John Isner (USA) 6-4 6-7(2) 6-7(2) 6-2 6-4
R64 Pablo Andujar (ESP) 7-5 6-3 7-6(4)
R32 [Q] Antonio Veić (CRO) 6-1 6-3 6-0
R16 Ivan Ljubicić (CRO) 7-5 6-3 6-3
QF [5] Robin Soderling (SWE) 6-4 6-1 7-6(3)
SF [4] Andy Murray (GBR) 6-4 7-5 6-4
F [3] Roger Federer (SUI) 7-5 7-6(3) 5-7 6-1
To już 10 wielkoszlemowy tytuł Nadala, 6 w Paryżu. 25-letni Hiszpan wyrównał wynik Bjorna Borga, który także 6 razy triumfował na kortach im. Rolanda Garrosa. Nadal, z 10 szlemami, dogonił Bila Tildena na liście wszech czasów.
Najwięcej tytułów wielkoszlemowych:
1. Roger Federer - 16
2. Pete Sampras - 14
3. Roy Emerson - 12
4. Rod Laver - 11
4. Bjorn Borg - 11
6. Bil Tilden - 10
6. Rafael Nadal - 10
8. Andre Agassi - 8
8. Ivan Lendl - 8
8. Fred Perry - 8
8. Ken Rosewall - 8
Graty, osiągnięcie w wieku 25 lat imponujące.
DUN I LOVE napisał:
25-letni Hiszpan wyrównał wynik Bjorna Borga, który także 6 razy triumfował na kortach im. Rolanda Garrosa.
Nadal: Trudne chwile uczyniły triumf wyjątkowym
Za Rafaelem Nadalem jeden z najważniejszych i zarazem najtrudniejszych turniejów w karierze. Mimo słabego początku i pięciosetowego boju z Johnem Isnerem w pierwszej rundzie, Hiszpan zdołał po raz szósty wygrać French Open, wyrównując rekord Bjoerna Borga, i obronić prowadzenie w rankingu ATP.
W przeciwieństwie do 2008 roku, gdy wygrywał na kortach Rolanda Garrosa bez straty choćby seta, wywalczyć tytuł w obecnym sezonie było zdecydowanie trudniej. Dość powiedzieć, że już w pierwszej rundzie Rafa musiał stoczyć pięciosetowy horror z Amerykaninem Johnem Isnerem.
- Rafael był bardzo nerwowy - przyznał wujek i trener tenisisty, Toni.
Nadal pojawił się w Paryżu z dwoma wygranymi turniejami w kieszeni (Barcelona i Monte Carlo), ale i z przegranymi w finałach w Madrycie i Rzymie z Novakiem Djokoviciem.
- Prawdziwy Rafa to Rafa przegrywający i wygrywający. Rafa grający dobrze i Rafa cierpiący na korcie - powiedział Nadal na pomeczowej konferencji prasowej.
- Spójrzmy prawdzie w oczy. Jeden i drugi to ten sam Rafa. Najważniejsze jednak, że nie raz byłem w stanie odmienić sytuację na korcie i zachować pozytywne nastawienie, które mi to umożliwiło - dodał.
Nie obyło się jednak bez bólu i strachu. W pierwszym secie finału, przy stanie 5:2 dla Federera, Hiszpan musiał bronić piłki setowej. Dopiero seria siedmiu wygranych gemów z rzędu sprawiła, że to Rafa na dobre przejął w tym meczu inicjatywę. Jednak zwycięstwo przyszło dużo trudniej niż w finale z 2008 roku. W tamtym sezonie Nadal stracił w całym turnieju ledwie 41 gemów.
- Trudno powiedzieć, bym nie był zadowolony ze zwycięstwa. Aby wygrać turniej tej rangi, trzeba naprawdę grać bardzo dobrze. Czasem dużo cenniejsze jest trofeum wywalczone w bólach. W 2008 roku grałem najlepiej w karierze, ale po końcowym zwycięstwie nie czułem się jak triumfator Rolanda Garrosa. Wygrywanie meczów, w których wychodzi się z trudnych sytuacji jest wyjątkowe. Takie zwycięstwa lepiej smakują - uzasadnił Nadal.
Nadal: Ciężko pracowałem, żeby być w tym miejscu
Szóstym triumfem w Paryżu Rafael Nadal wyrównał osiągniecie legendarnego Bjoerna Borga. - To zaszczyt, że jestem do niego porównywany - podziękował tenisista z Majorki.
Rekord pod względem liczby zwycięstw Rolanda Garrosa dzierży Max Decugis, który wygrywał aż osiem razy, ale dokonał tego na początku poprzedniego stulecia, gdy turniej w Paryżu nie był imprezą tak globalną co teraz.
Nadal w niedzielę wywalczył szósty triumf w Paryżu i pod względem zwycięstw jest na drugim miejscu ex aequo z Bjoernem Borgiem.
- To dla mnie bardzo ważne, ale najważniejsze jest, że wygrałem Rolanda Garrosa - powiedział Nadal. - Ciężko pracowałem, żeby być w tym miejscu i żeby znów tu zagrać. To honor, że jestem porównywany do Borga - dodał.
Nadal w Paryżu wygrał sześć razy, a jego konto wielkoszlemowych zwycięstw uzupełniają dwa tytuły na Wimbledonie i po jednym w Australian Open i US Open.
- Nie jestem najlepszym tenisistą w historii, ale jestem wśród najlepszych i to mi wystarcza - powiedział skromnie.
Pod względem zwycięstw w turniejach wielkoszlemowych Nadala dystansuje Roger Federer. Szwajcar wygrywał je 16 razy.
Nadal Becomes Second Player To Qualify For 2011 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals
Rafael Nadal has qualified for the year-end finale seven straight years.
Following his win on Wednesday at the AEGON Championships at The Queen’s Club in London, Rafael Nadal, who captured his sixth Roland Garros crown in seven years on Sunday, has become the second player to qualify for the 2011 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.
Nadal’s 6-4, 6-4 win today over Australia’s Matthew Ebden at Queen’s means the Spaniard now counts sufficient South African Airways 2011 ATP Rankings points to ensure himself a place among the world’s Top 8 singles players at the season finale in London. The 25-year-old Spaniard joins Serb Novak Djokovic as the first players to qualify for the event, to be held November 20-27 at The O2 in London.
“It’s always a pleasure to play in London. It’s a fantastic city and The O2 stadium is one of the nicest indoor stadiums in the world. It was a fantastic tournament last year for me, playing in the final, with very emotional matches. I’m very happy to be qualified and to come back again this year,” said the Mallorca native.
Nadal, who tied Bjorn Borg’s record of six Roland Garros titles, is the top seed in this week’s AEGON Championships at the Queen’s Club in London. The Spaniard has reached a career-best seven consecutive finals (3-4 mark) on the season heading into this week’s grass court event at The Queen’s Club.
This is the seventh straight year Nadal has qualified for the year-end finale. Last season he reached his first final, losing to rival Roger Federer in three sets.
Nadal has ranked No. 1 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings for 99 weeks, including the past 53. He first became No. 1 on Aug. 18, 2008 and he held the top spot for 46 weeks.
Nadal defends Federer over Halle pullout.
Rafael Nadal can see the perfect logic in Roger Federer's late withdrawal from this week's Halle event, with the Spaniard also admitting to fatigue but carrying on as top seed at Queen's club, London.
Federer copped a verbal flailing from the distraught Halle tournament boss, who complained that he had a private jet and maid service lined up for his drawcard who has won the event five times. Federer had listened to his body, deciding to rest this week and make the June 20 Wimbledon start after private practise and not matches after losing to Nadal in the five-set french Open final.
"I'm very tired and I'm here but probably he's the same, tireder than me and he lost the final," said Nadal. "It is tough is mentally, the next day to start practise on grass. I think it's not fair criticise him."
While Nadal admitted that that the loss of a major player on the eve of an event can be a huge blow for organisers "It's not fair from the tournament of Halle, in my opinion. Roger was very important in that tournament. He won few (five) times. But in my opinion, a great champion like Roger, if he doesn't go to Halle this year he's not playing because he cannot play.
"He feels it's dangerous for injuries, it's dangerous for his mental part. It was a mistake from the tournament, in my opinion."
Zdaje się, że w tym tygodniu stuknęła Rafie "setka" :)
robpal napisał:
Zdaje się, że w tym tygodniu stuknęła Rafie "setka" :)
Tak, uprzedziłeś mnie. ;)
Rafael Nadal już przez 100 tygodni zasiada/ł na tenisowym tronie, dziś rozpoczął 101 tydzień 'panowania' w męskich rozgrywkach. Już tylko 1 tydzień dzieli go od Andre Agassiego i 9 od Bjorna Borga.
6. Bjorn Borg (SWE) - 109
7. Andre Agassi (USA) - 101
8. Rafael Nadal (ESP) - 100
9. Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) - 80
Pełna statystyka:
http://www.mtenis.pun.pl/viewtopic.php?pid=32209#p32209
Nadal eyes another Channel Slam
LONDON -- But for three days' difference, they were born exactly 30 years apart. They have won six French Opens apiece. After establishing awe-inspiring dominance on clay, both managed to buck the conventional wisdom and transfer their particular brand of tennis -- an impenetrable baseline game, mental toughness and physical fitness -- to other surfaces.
And if defending Wimbledon champion Rafael Nadal can win the tournament again in two weeks' time, he and Bjorn Borg will have two more things in common: 11 Grand Slam titles and three "Channel Slams" -- the once-rare feat of winning the French Open and Wimbledon back-to-back. Borg won the double a remarkable three times in 1978-80, and it was not done again until Nadal pulled it off in 2008. Roger Federer then did it the following year, and Nadal repeated in 2010.
Borg sees his and Nadal's cross-Channel feats as all the more impressive because they have to go uphill, so to speak -- transition from their best surface to a less comfortable one in just two weeks.
"I always had problems the first couple rounds, my first or second round of Wimbledon," the Swedish legend observed a couple of years ago." If I survived those matches, then I started to play good tennis. I think it's a similarity to me and Nadal. He has a little bit more difficult [time] than Federer coming to Wimbledon.
"Federer has a different type of game, so he can get used to the courts, to the grass courts, much easier than Nadal, or for instance me, too. I had a lot of problem in the beginning."
Although their on-court personalities are very different, the career parallels between Borg and Nadal are still striking, and they have particular resonance at the moment because Nadal is pulling alongside Borg, poised to overtake the great Swede.
Should Nadal pull off the Channel Slam again this year, he will have matched just about every one of Borg's significant achievements except the Swede's five straight Wimbledons, and he can point to his U.S. and Australian Open crowns as substitutes -- two titles Borg never won, rarely playing the Australian and being continually thwarted at the U.S. Open.
There is also another, more negative subtext. This was also the period when Borg, frustrated by losses to John McEnroe at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, would start to lose his drive for the game, then abruptly quit at the age of 26.
Earlier this season, cracks began to show in Nadal's armor for the first time as he was defeated by Novak Djokovic in four consecutive finals -- including two on clay.
"I am almost 25, but seems like I am playing for 100 years here on the tour," he said at the French Open one day, quite out of nowhere. "You don't have the chance to stop, never, you know. I think for that situation, we have a shorter career." Later, in the press room, someone remarked, "He's sounding like Borg."
It was grounds for pause, even though Nadal improved his form and his mood and went on to win the French Open. As he hoisted the trophy for a record-tying sixth time, just two days after his 25th birthday, it was difficult to imagine its being his last. Yet few imagined that Borg's sixth title in 1981 would be his last.
But surely not. This is one parallel Nadal seems determined to avoid. "I feel 25," he was insisting by the end of the French Open.
At Queen's last week, Nadal was clearly tired but was cheerful with the media. Erratic with exhaustion, he lost to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarterfinals, then headed home to Mallorca for a few days of relaxation and fishing -- first calling the tournament director on his way home to apologize for not doing better. Nadal and Borg have the same rigid professional discipline, but off the court, Nadal's lifestyle is far more sedate than Borg's.
In any case, concerns about the length of Nadal's career have never centered on his desire but on his physical health. Apart from a badly timed injury at the Australian Open, the Spaniard has been strikingly healthy for the past 12 months. He seems to have found a technique that keeps the chronic tendinitis in his knees at bay. There have been no reports of the problem since last spring and summer, when he underwent PRP (platelet-rich plasma) treatment on his knees, a process that involves injecting the patient's blood into the injured area to hasten healing.
This long stretch of fitness has allowed Nadal to rack up majors at a quick pace. Coming into the French Open last year, he was tied for 21st on the all-time list with six Slam victories. After winning four in the past 13 months, he has leaped to No. 6, and his next victory would put him tied at No. 4 with Borg and Rod Laver. Federer, on top of the list with 16 Grand Slams, will then be in sight.
But even as his legend grows, Nadal does not have quite the same aura of invincibility he did a year ago. Like Borg with McEnroe and Jimmy Connors, he has one rival, Djokovic, breathing down his neck and another, Federer, who refuses to be fully left behind. If he fails to defend his Wimbledon title, Nadal will lose his No. 1 ranking to Djokovic.
Yet instead of feeling more pressure as history beckons and the pack moves closer, Nadal believes the French Open victory will allow him to relax for the rest of the season -- one major is in the bag.
And finally, after 10 major wins, the stubbornly modest champion is prepared to acknowledge that he is one of the giants of the sport. "[One] should be humble, but not silly," he told Spanish newspaper El Pais. "With 10 titles, are you among the best in history? Yes. It's a big personal satisfaction."
Still, that was as far as he would go. "I am not the best player in history," he told reporters after the French Open. "I am one of the best. That's true. That's enough for me."
But if Nadal can carry on where Borg left off, the conversation will not stop there.
NADAL PLAYS DOWN REPEAT OF 2010
Rafael Nadal cut a relaxed figure
as he practised at Wimbledon over
the weekend.
On the eve of his Wimbledon campaign, World No. 1 Rafael Nadal has ruled out a repeat of his astounding success in 2010. Last year, the Spaniard became the first player to win three consecutive Grand Slam championships in a season since Rod Laver in 1969 when he won Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open back-to-back.
Nadal comes into his title defence at Wimbledon fresh from retaining his Roland Garros crown, but believes the quality amongst the Top 4 is such that it will be nigh-on impossible to win all three once again.
"Last year is, in my opinion, very impossible to repeat: three Grand Slams in a row," said Nadal. "So this year I am very happy about what's going on the season. But to repeat what I did last year is something that I for sure don't think.
"I think we are playing well. I think Novak [Djokovic] had a fantastic season. The first six months was really unbelievable. Roger [Federer] had a very good season, and especially at this last tournament in Roland Garros played fantastic. Andy [Murray] had a fantastic clay-court season, and he arrived at Queen's and he won the tournament. It’s going to be always a big challenge. But I love to play on grass. I love to play in this fabulous place. So I am excited to be back here."
The 25-year-old Nadal also reveals he envies the home support that British favourite Murray receives at the All England Club, where he is bidding to become the first homegrown male to win the singles title since Fred Perry in 1936. Nadal defeated the Scot in his second attempt at the Wimbledon semi-finals last year.
"The pressure is tough, but at the same time, the support is high," said Nadal. "So I prefer have this pressure than don't have this pressure. For sure it is very special [to] play at home. But when you go on court and see all the crowd supporting you it is something very, very emotional and very special. I would love to have this feeling."
Two of Nadal’s 10 Grand Slam championships have come at Wimbledon. He won the title for the first time in 2008 in one of the greatest-ever finals when he defeated Federer 9-7 in the fifth set after four hours and 48 minutes. The Mallorcan explained that it was the opportunity to be a part of epic sporting moments that continues to inspire him.
"When you see some emotional moments on the TV in different events around the world, tough situations, that's inspiration. And just to have the chance to live one of these moments in my sport, that's something really, really exciting for me.
"So my inspiration is every day. For me I love to play big matches. I love to play in big stadiums like here, historic stadiums like Wimbledon. So for me, tomorrow I start playing the first match of the tournament in the Centre Court; for me is a dream. Seriously, that's my inspiration, trying to live these moments."
No more pressure for Nadal
Rafael Nadal is probably feeling a bit mentally tired at the moment. He had to conjure something special to win the French Open, and that effort may have cost him something in the short term. Going from Paris straight to Queen's is inhuman - never more so than when you've won at Roland Garros.
He urgently needed a break from competition. As soon as he feels fresh again mentally, he will begin to realise how much he has accomplished, and that will fill him with confidence.
The French Open is the biggest goal of his season, and Nadal was rocked by the idea that the tournament could get away from him this year. By winning it, a weight has been lifted.
I think he dealt with the pressure pretty well. By telling the media he was playing badly and wouldn't be able to win the event he managed to drag expectations back to a reasonable level - and of course, in the end he won.
Come Wimbledon, Nadal will find his aggression, his length, and his touch once again.
The only obstacle remaining for him is Novak Djokovic. I'm not talking in terms of the world ranking - the Spaniard is already convinced that he'll lose that top spot - and mathematically it's almost sure to happen in the next couple of months. The real issue is that despite the French Open win, he hasn't solved the issue of how to beat the Serb in a match.
The feeling of helplessness, the sense that he cannot find a way to victory - it's a problem Rafa has never had against any opponent before.
Djokovic has the answer to Nadal's best weapon - he can prevent Rafa from causing mayhem with the forehand. In contrast to Roger Federer, Nole is not troubled on the backhand when he has to play from above-shoulder height, and when Nadal is refusing to trade diagonally (his backhand against Djokovic's forehand) he goes for a neutral shot and more often than not Djokovic's power punishes him.
I've pointed it out before, but by taking balls so early Djokovic also doesn't suffer against Nadal's topspin, and because he's prepared to play a little further forward in the court he deprives Rafa of time. Novak's forehand is neutralising Rafa's forehand - and his backhand neturalises Nadal's.
That leaves Nadal at a tactical dead-end - and with Djokovic possessing very few flaws, Nadal's search for an answer is harder than ever.
But maybe the fact that Nadal already has the prize he wants - the French Open - he might just find that answer without the pressure on his shoulders.
Three-Slam only a dream for Nadal
Top seed Rafael Nadal has injected what he believes is a dose of realism into the hyped-up Wimbledon run-up, saying that winning three Grand Slam titles as he did in 2010 is surely an impossible repeat.
Nadal is trying to tamp down expectations as he enters his title defence at the All England club, facing the possible loss of his No. 1 ranking through various combinations of finishes by chasing rivals Novak Djokovic and six-time Wimbledon winner Roger Federer.
"We can dream about a lot of things, for me (three 2011 Slam titles) is a dream. I know how tough, how competitive is this sport," said No. 1 Nadal, who ran the table with singles titles last season at the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.
"Last year is, in my opinion, very impossible to repeat: three Grand Slams in a row. This year I'm very happy about what's going on the season.
"But repeat what I did last year is something that I for sure don't think (is possible). I've done very well the first six months. I lost a few finals, but I was in all the finals. I won three, and I won Roland Garros.I'm here forget about the past.
"This tournament is always going to be a big challenge," he said of Wimbledon. "But I love to play on grass. I love to play in this fabulous place, so I'm excited to be back here.
Wimbledon 2011 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 1 rundzie
R. Nadal bt M. Russell 6 4, 6 2, 6 2
Q. You never got to defend your first Wimbledon title. You finally got that moment of walking out first on Centre Court as defending champion. How did it feel?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, fantastic. Seriously, I never played in a court like this. Was a big emotion be the first player to play in this fabulous court. So seriously was a very, very exciting feeling.
Fantastic how see the court in the really, really perfect conditions. So, yes, very, very happy for everything.
Q. Your final in 2008 against Federer is remembered as one of the greatest games ever. But this year there's a lot of talk about the top four seeds all being very equal, Murray, Djokovic and Federer. Who do you see as your biggest opponent?
RAFAEL NADAL: My biggest opponent is Sweeting now. I am focused on my part of the draw. I'm focused on myself. To play against Andy or Djokovic or Federer only can be in the final, against Andy in the semi-finals.
So remain a lot for that. So let's talk about today. Let's talk about tomorrow. Not let's talk about in 10 days or 12 days, because I don't know if I am here or I am fishing in Mallorca. You never know what's going on in a tournament like this.
So happy about the victory in the first round. Especially happy how I played in the second and the third set.
Q. You responded to his breaking your serve in the first set very vigorously. Were you surprised that he took that game?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think he started playing very well, I think aggressive, having good returns. I started, in my opinion, trying to play too fast in the beginning probably. I had few mistakes with the backhand, with the forehand. So he had the break.
But after that I started to change a little bit more the rhythm with the slice, trying to play a little bit longer points, try to hit the forehand when I had the chance. I think I did well after that first moment of the first set.
My level in general I think was very positive, no?
Q. What opportunity did you have yesterday to watch the U.S. Open golf, and have you had any communications with Rory since he won?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. I for sure text him a message. You know how when you win a tournament like this how many messages you have on the phone.
Anyway, he did amazing. He played solid yesterday, doing what he had to do all the time, no mistakes. So mentally, we talk about the level of the golf, well, only Tiger a few times. Saw one player play like this.
Was perfect, in my opinion, round of golf, every day, yesterday. Because after the nine holes, he played solid all the time with no mistakes. Is tough when you have to be solid and you don't have to do mistakes.
When you have to play aggressive, you know what you have to do is probably sometimes easier, but when you have to defend the advantage, you start to play a little bit more defensive. Sometimes can be dangerous. And he did perfect. He managed the moments perfect, in my opinion.
Q. He said he's going to be here next Monday. What are your thoughts on him being here and being in the Royal Box?
RAFAEL NADAL: Hopefully have the chance to congratulate him in person.
Q. In the last eight years you're the only player to win Queen's and then go on and win Wimbledon. How important do you think it is to get a win on grass before you come here, or is it not that important?
RAFAEL NADAL: For sure is important. I did in 2008. I won in Queen's and after I won here in Wimbledon. But I heard before that was a long time without a player. How many years?
Q. 2002, Lleyton Hewitt.
RAFAEL NADAL: Oh, 2002 Lleyton Hewitt did it. I thought it was more.
No, for sure I prefer to win a tournament before I start Wimbledon than don't win a tournament. If not, is stupid say another thing.
Different tournaments. But for sure if you win in Queen's, you have chance to win here for sure, little bit more because the confidence, because everything.
Q. How nice was it for you to see your mother and father sitting in the Royal Box in the front row?
RAFAEL NADAL: Too many beautiful things to saw my mom and my dad in the Royal Box. For sure can just say thanks to Wimbledon, to the people who organize this fantastic tournament to invite my mother and father to the Royal Box. I think for them was a great experience. So, yeah, everything in general was very, very nice today.
Q. You have two free nights before your next match. Will you stay in your apartment, or do you think you'll go out in London?
RAFAEL NADAL: Two free nights?
Q. Two nights before your next match.
RAFAEL NADAL: Like always. Always is the same. Is a Grand Slam. Always you have two nights before your next match, no?
Q. But will you stay in your apartment or go out?
RAFAEL NADAL: I didn't have time to plan what I gonna do. I don't know. I will talk with my team. If they want to go out not for a party, if they want to go out for the dinner in London or they want to stay at home, for me doesn't matter. Everything is fine for me.
Q. What are your thoughts on your next opponent? You mentioned that's the only match you're thinking about now.
RAFAEL NADAL: I played against him two times this year, one time in Australia, one time in Indian Wells. He had a fantastic comeback today, so probably he arrives to the match with good confidence.
I think he's a good player, no? I saw him winning matches around the tournaments. He's playing better and better every time.
We will see. I have to play my tennis. I have to play aggressive like every day. That hopefully will be enough. If not, congratulate the opponent.
'Excited' Rafa Enjoys Wimbledon Opener
Nadal won his 15th straight
match at Wimbledon Monday.
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal opened his Wimbledon title defence Monday with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Michael Russell to win his 15th straight match at the All England Club. Nadal said that he relished the honour of walking onto the most famous tennis court in the world as defending champion.
"[It] was a big emotion being the first player [this year] to play in this fabulous court," said Nadal, who was able to walk out as defending champion for the first time, having been sidelined in 2009. "So seriously [it] was a very, very exciting feeling. [It was] fantastic to see how the court is in really, really perfect conditions.
"I'm happy about the victory in the first round, especially happy how I played in the second and the third sets. I started, in my opinion, trying to play too fast in the beginning probably. But my level in general I think was very positive."
In a comprehensive performance, Nadal rallied from an early 2-4 deficit in the first set as he won 70 per cent of his service points, and claimed 50 per cent of points on return, breaking the American seven times in 10 opportunities. He displayed his proficiency at the net, winning 13 of his 16 approaches to take the encounter in one hour and 58 minutes.
The win saw Nadal improve his undefeated record in first-round matches at Grand Slam events to 29-0. After retaining his Roland Garros crown two weeks ago with victory over Roger Federer, the 25-year-old Nadal is bidding to equal Bjorn Borg’s record of winning the Roland Garros – Wimbledon double three times. He also won the two tournaments back-to-back in 2008 and 2010.
In the second round, the Mallorcan will play American Ryan Sweeting, who came from two sets down to defeat Spaniard Pablo Andujar 3-6, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(1), 6-1. The 23 year old recorded just his third victory in a Grand Slam championship main draw.
Nadal Reaches Out To Golf Young Gun McIlroy
Nadal opened his Wimbledon title defence in front of his parents, who sat in the Royal
Box Monday.
Roger Federer and Tiger Woods have had a long-standing friendship, but there’s a new tennis-golf comradeship on the block. World No. 1 Rafael Nadal reached out to young golf sensation Rory McIlroy, who roared to his first major title on Sunday, claiming the US Open by eight strokes. “I texted him a message,” the defending Wimbledon champion said Monday. “He did amazing. He played solid yesterday, doing what he had to do all the time, [with] no mistakes.”
The Mallorcan met McIlroy at last year’s US Open and the two have forged a great companionship. An avid golfer and regular follower of the sport, Nadal has a standing invitation from McIlroy to play at St. Andrews whenever their schedules permit.
The budding friendship isn’t surprising, as the two share similar trajectories in their sports; both were highly touted during their junior/amateur days and broke through for their first major titles at considerably young ages. Nadal was 19 when he won his first Roland Garros crown and McIlroy, who recently turned 22, is the youngest major golf champion since Woods won the 1997 Masters at Augusta National at 21 years of age.
Nadal, one of the most resolute athletes on the planet, praised the Northern Ireland native’s ability to remain steadfast throughout his final round of play. “When you have to play aggressive, you know what you have to do is probably sometimes easier, but when you have to defend the advantage, you start to play a little bit more defensive,” explained Nadal. “Sometimes it can be dangerous. He managed the moments perfectly, in my opinion.”
A two-time winner at Wimbledon, Nadal had his first opportunity to open the tournament as the defending champion Monday after missing out in 2009 with a knee injury. Both his parents were present in the Royal Box for the occasion, something the 10-time major champion cherished. “Too many beautiful things to say [about] my mom and my dad [being] in the Royal Box,” the 25 year old said. “Thanks to Wimbledon, to the people who organise this fantastic tournament to invite my mother and father to the Royal Box. I think for them it was a great experience. Everything in general was very, very nice today.”
McIlroy plans to be at Wimbledon next Monday, and like Nadal’s parents, has been invited to sit in the Royal Box. “Hopefully I will have the chance to congratulate him in person,” Nadal said.
The top seed will next play Ryan Sweeting, a player he’s defeated twice this season, dropping just eight games in five sets of play. The American overcame a two-sets-to-love deficit against Pablo Andjuar to notch his first win at the All England Club. “He had a fantastic comeback today, so probably he arrives to the match with good confidence,” assessed Nadal. “I saw him winning matches around the tournaments. He's playing better and better every time… I have to play my tennis, play aggressive like every day. That hopefully will be enough.”
Wimbledon 2011 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 2 rundzie
R. Nadal bt R. Sweeting 6 3, 6 2, 6 4
Q. You must be very pleased with how you played today.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, I think I was playing well. I was playing well the first two sets, and especially the beginning of the third. I think I was playing aggressive and with good feelings. But 2 1, 40 Love, I had a few mistakes. And, yeah, he break me back. And after the match was tougher and closer then.
Q. Was that because he started playing better or do you think your level dropped a little bit?
RAFAEL NADAL: I had a few mistakes. Two volleys at that game. So I felt playing very well in that situation, serving much better than the beginning.
No, after that game he started to play more aggressive. He had very good points, very good shots, was dangerous match for me.
In general, I think I did good.
Q. Did you feel any difference in the conditions, playing under the roof?
RAFAEL NADAL: More humid conditions inside. And I don't know if for this change because the atmosphere inside the court with the roof is more humid or because was raining before the match or something.
But seems like the court is a little more slippery than usual, the left part of the opponent's place of the royal box.
Q. In Paris you got to renew your rivalry with Roger in a final for the first time in a while. What else is going on this year is it seems some people think there's another rivalry emerging for you with Novak Djokovic who defeated you four times this year. Do you think this rivalry thing is something that players think about or something that just journalists think about?
RAFAEL NADAL: I cannot talk for the rest of the players. I can talk for myself.
You know, I always say the same: that you feel the rivalry at the end of the season. We will see who gonna be my rival or with which rivals I gonna compete to finish No. 5, No. 6 of the world, or No. 1 or No. 2.
Depends how I played during the season. In September I can tell you who is my rival at that moment. Today my rival is every day my opponent and myself, too, because I have to do well in every tournament in every match. To play against Novak, I only can play against him in a final.
Is true I played already four finals with him this year. But Roger was there all the time, semi-finals. And finally he played a final of Roland Garros, beating Novak in semi-finals.
I understand you have to write, you have to create histories. That's part of your job. But, you know, we will see, no? With Roger, we had a big rivalry probably because we played against each other in finals of Grand Slams, in finals of important matches for both of us, for a lot of years.
With Novak is happening the same. We talked about Novak this year, but Novak for the last four years stays at the No. 3 of the world. He wasn't No. 25. He was there inside this rivalry, no?
And when everybody talk about the rivalry of Roger and me, Novak was there. I consider Novak like a rival. Andy Murray, too.
The thing is not always between two. I think is a lot of players there, and especially the top four had great years the last few ones. Between Andy, Novak, Roger and me, we played probably the biggest matches the last couple of years.
Q. The difference with Roger, though, was that you were deemed to be in the ascendancy. If you look on the Wimbledon website today, the most popular story is you being toppled as No. 1 if you don't win this tournament and that you may be a man in decline. Do you feel like a man in decline?
RAFAEL NADAL: Me?
Q. Yes.
RAFAEL NADAL: Maybe. But I won Roland Garros two weeks ago. I don't forget (smiling). Maybe you or the website yes.
After winning Roland Garros, two weeks later is a little bit fast to say I am. You can say that maybe next year, but probably now is a little bit dangerous to say that.
But, no, you know, is my seventh year without be out of the top two. Is a lot of years. Probably I started to be decline, but hopefully not. Maybe they are right. I don't know.
Q. Did it feel slightly odd today to be playing indoors with a roof on when everyone else was playing outdoors in sunshine?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, that's something strange. But they told me they gonna open the roof. But after the last minute, they told me they predicts a shower. Never comes. We gonna close the roofs.
A new experience for me, a good experience. But the tournament is outdoor, is not indoor. And I prefer to play outdoor.
Q. How do you look at Michael Laudrup's first seen in Mallorca?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, the goal was convert. We still in the first division. I think they did well. A lot of changes in the club. Last year, a lot of new players, new president, new people managing the club. So wasn't an easy situation, and I think they did well. They did enough points to be in the first league next year.
So I think with the team that we had, we had a fantastic season, and I think the coach and the people who worked for the coach, with Michael and himself, they did a very good work for Mallorca. I am very happy with them.
Q. Did you get nervous in the end?
RAFAEL NADAL: More than nervous. Last day was terribly dangerous.
Q. You played Muller a few years ago in the second round and lost. You probably didn't expect to be playing him perhaps in the third round. What is your view of Muller, your memories of that match? How have you changed in your game and your belief in yourself since then?
RAFAEL NADAL: I played six years ago, seven years ago. Was a long time. But he beat me. So that's what happened.
He's a very dangerous player. Very sorry for Milos today, what happened to him. That's terrible for any player. I wish him all the best to recover fast.
You know, Gilles is a very dangerous player. He has a very good serve, good volley. He's especially very dangerous player in this kind of surface. So will be tough match for me. I have to be very focused all the time with my serve and try to convert the small chances that I can have on the return.
Q. In your spare time when you go home, are you still cooking in the evening to relax?
RAFAEL NADAL: Here?
Q. Yes.
RAFAEL NADAL: Seriously, this year, I cooked every day, every day for me or for the team. Toni have diet, so I don't cook for him. But for the rest of the team, I cooked almost every day.
Q. What's your specialty?
RAFAEL NADAL: A lot of things. No, very simple things. I do pasta.
Q. Are you as good a cook as you are a tennis player?
RAFAEL NADAL: Probably not.
Dobra wiadomość dla Amerykanów ;)
Tired Nadal cuts out Davis date in order to rest
Rest will take top priority for Rafael Nadal, with the Spaniard deciding to skip the July 8-10 Davis Cup quarter-final against the US in Andy Roddick's hometown of Austin, Texas.
Nadal informed Spanish newspaper AS that there is no way he can make it to central Texas for the date and will rest for up to three weeks at home in Mallorca to regain strength for the second half of the long ATP season.
Nadal has long been an outspoken critic of what many top players consider an overly crowded schedule. "The ITF is making a mistake to insist on this format and Davis calendar," said the Spaniard. "There is zero sensitivity to players."
The Wimbledon top seed has played nearly nonstop since March and is desperate for a decent break from the game. The Davis Cup date, which would require him to leave London only hours after any potential Wiimbledon final, will just have to be struck from his calendar.
"I will not be against the United States. The first thing is to be healthy, and now I have to stop," Nadal told the paper. "I can't be everywhere. Now, after finishing the first half of the season, I need rest. I need 15 or 20 days to get ready for the second part of the season."
Nadal said that his problematic knees are not the cause of the decision, saying he want to be ready for the US Open, the final major of the season from August 29.
Szkoda, liczyłem na mecz Roddick - Nadal w Austin. :D
Z drugiej jednak strony awans do 1/2 jeszcze bardziej prawdopodobny. ;)
Wimbledon 2011 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 3 rundzie
R. Nadal bt. G. Muller 7 6, 7 6, 6 0
Q. You've normally played on Centre Court. How did you find Court No. 1? A little slippery today?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no. I played in both courts all tournaments here. Nothing strange to play in No. 1 Court for me.
Q. How did it feel different from Centre Court?
RAFAEL NADAL: The Centre Court is always probably more special, but both courts are really, really nice.
No, the game don't change.
Q. Did you hurt your leg last night just before the rain came?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, little bit. I felt the leg little bit more tired than usual. I called the trainer for that. Today I still feeling little bit.
But this is not limiting my game. I can play with that without problems.
Q. It's the muscle rather than the knee?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, yeah, no. It's not the knee. Nothing of the knee. Just little bit the muscle, yeah.
Q. Are there any ways in which being a lefty is an advantage on grass? Today you played a fellow lefty, but...
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I answer this question one thousand times. The advantage is because there is not a lot of leftys on the tour. Maybe that's the advantage.
The thing that everybody say, Well, you have your forehand against the backhand of the righty. But the righty have the forehand against the backhand of the lefty.
The outside slice, outside serve against the backhand, the righty have the same on the deuce.
Seriously, the only thing is probably you play less times against leftys than righties. That's the only advantage.
Q. What was the challenge today playing against a fellow lefty?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, the challenge is playing against a player who served fantastic during all the match, in my opinion. But I was little bit lucky the first set yesterday because I think I only won three points before the tiebreak on the return, and I had two set points against.
In the second set today, it was very similar match, no? The set points again. But you decide the set in two balls.
I think I played solid mentally, and in the tiebreak I serve all my points with the first serve. I didn't play no one point with the second. When I had the chance to return, I won the point. I think I played a good point. For that reason, I am in the third round.
The third set, two sets to love, I am able to play with less pressure. I started to return unbelievable and to play at very high level, I think.
Q. What is the challenge of facing Juan Martin Del Potro?
RAFAEL NADAL: Always is a big challenge play against him, no? He's a very, very tough opponent. One of the best players of the world. He had an important injury last year.
His ranking for sure is much better than what the ranking says today. His level is much better than what the ranking says today.
In my opinion, he's top five of level normally, if we talk about level. When he's healthy, he must be in the top five of the ranking normally, no? So will be a very tough opponent for me. I know that. I'm not lucky to play against Del Potro in the Round of 16. But that's what it is, and I have to be playing my best tennis to try to win.
Q. What specifically about his game is so difficult?
RAFAEL NADAL: Everything. I think he has a good serve, very good shots from the baseline. He's complete. I think he's a complete player.
Q. Today's top players have it all: size, power, defence to offence, great on all surfaces. You might not want to answer this. But fans love to imagine how the top players of this era would match up against the great players of the past, like Pete with his serve or Andre with his baseline.
RAFAEL NADAL: Andre wasn't that far. I played against Andre. And Federer played against Andre Agassi. So you can prove that. Nothing new.
I don't know. The champions are champions in his era, in his part of his history. I don't know. Is difficult to compare the moments of tennis 15 years ago between now because the game changes. Not for that reason says the players of today are better than the players of 15 years ago, or the players of 15 years ago are better than today.
The only thing that I can say is before, in my opinion, the top four players didn't play as solid as today is doing. I think all the tournaments, even if there isn't a Grand Slam, is 1000, 500 points tournaments, top players are always there in the finals, semifinals, playing in the final rounds. Probably in the past, didn't happen that a lot.
That's probably because can be two things: is the courts are a little bit slower than before, so the best have a little bit more chances to play the points, and finally if you have more time to play, the best player have better chances to win.
Second thing is because the players of today have big rivalry, and they know if they don't play at his best in every tournament, going to be very difficult to be in the top positions at the end of the season. For that reason we have to be very focused mentally every week.
Q. And the players do really well on all surfaces today?
RAFAEL NADAL: That's easy to explain. That's very easy to explain. Before, the ranking was completely different. You played in tournaments, and the best 18 results counts for the ranking.
Today is not like this. Today you have to play four Grand Slams, nine Masters 1000, four 500, and two 250s. You have to play well on all surfaces, because if not, it's zero points. Before, a lot of Spanish players didn't come here because they know if they came here didn't make a big difference on the points.
Today all the players have to come here and play well here. If not, you have zero points on your ranking.
So the way that the ranking goes today affects on the players are more complete and are able to play well on all surfaces because they have to do. Before, all the players played a lot more tournaments on clay. A lot of Spanish players played all the season on clay.
Today, even if everybody talks I am a clay court specialist, I play four or five tournaments for a year.
Q. A couple of champions John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors said recently the rivalries today are too nice, too friendly, like between you and Roger or Djokovic. What do you think of that?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think is better. I think is better like this than another way. For the example for the kids especially, the education is special, something very, very important, I think.
And if the kids who are watching the matches here, who are following us, will see each other fight every week, discuss every week between each other, probably in the future they are going to have the same. In my opinion, is not a good way the world have to work.
This is the game. What happen outside of the court doesn't affect what's going to happen inside the court. So we can be talking in the locker room before the match. That's not going to have effect what gonna happen in 10 minutes when we are on the court. That's my opinion. Probably the opinion of the past champions, they have more troubles between each other. Is different. But for me the rivalry is only inside the court. Doesn't affect the rest.
Q. Is this the strongest Wimbledon field you've faced, the strength of the top four? Can you remember a stronger Wimbledon field than this at the top?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think you never know what's going on. The tournaments start with one field of everybody and finish with a different result. So seems like the best players are playing well. I don't know if I gonna win next round. So probably the rest of the players thinks the same.
Every day is different. Every day anything can happen. Novak, Roger, Andy are playing well. But the matches are not easy to win. I had two set points yesterday against. Andy yesterday had a tough match. He won in the tiebreak, 7 5, tiebreak of the fourth.
So the matches are close all the time. Is difficult to predict something. We will see what's going on.
Q. The Spanish Under 21 start playing in the final tonight of the Euro Championships. Are you going to watch and do you have a message for them?
RAFAEL NADAL: I talk with the coach, with the second coach, two days ago. I send them the best of luck for the final.
What time is the final?
Q. I'm not sure. I think 8:00 our time.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, for sure I going to be at home watching the match. I didn't have the chance to watch two days ago or three days ago because I was playing. But I watch the previous days. Today going to be an interesting match. We have fantastic team, I think.
Q. Do you remember watching when Roger beat Sampras here, and what do you remember about it?
RAFAEL NADAL: I didn't remember that. Sorry. I didn't see that match.
Q. What players excite you in Under 21s?
RAFAEL NADAL: It's hard to say one. We have a very nice team. It's difficult to say just one.
Nadal wins 4-set thriller over Del Potro
Rafael Nadal overcame a heel injury and spirited play from Juan Martin Del Potro to seal up an impressive round of 16 victory.
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal went more than 3 sets without securing a break of serve from Juan Martin Del Potro. That Nadal managed to take a 2-sets to 1 lead is a testament to the Spaniard’s ability to be rock solid on the big points.
Nadal had chances to break the Argentine’s serve in the opening set first one Del Potro’s serve at 4-5 and again with the Argentine serving to force the tiebreaker at 5-6. Unfortunately for the Spaniard, he injured his heel setting up set point and had to call for the trainer right before the tiebreaker.
The Spaniard looked hobbled in the beginning of the breaker. He went down 0-3 before rallying to draw level at 4-4. Del Potro was thoroughly disgusted at Nadal’s ability to keep up after the medical time out, and his frustration lead to some late errors that cost him the set.
Del Potro was the dominant player in the second set. Nadal, while starting to move better than he had in the tiebreak, was still not at 100%. Del Potro started blasting serves and managed to snag a break of the Nadal serve at 4-3 for the chance to serve out the set.
The third set was the crown jewel of the match. Del Potro had his own injury scare in the middle of the sixth service game. The Argentine slid on the slick backcourt and seemed to strain his hip. A quick trip off court and some treatment and Del Potro was back almost as good as new.
Both men played exquisite tennis as the third set neared another tiebreaker. There were no service breaks as the two men pummeled the ball from both the net and the baseline. Nadal constructed a near-flawless tiebreaker to take the 2 sets to 1 lead.
The loss of the third set tiebreaker seemed to take some of the wind out of Del Potro’s sails. The Argentine surrendered his only break of the match to give Nadal a 3-2 lead. The Spaniard got in a spot of trouble, going down 0-30 on his next service game, but clutch play allowed him to hold to consolidate the break. Nadal continued to play better as the match wound to a close and he held at 5-4 to love or the victory.
Nadal will take on American Mardy Fish in the quarterfinals.
Wimbledon 2011 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 4 rundzie
R. Nadal bt. J. Del Potro 7 6, 3 6, 7 6, 6 4
Q. How is your injury?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know yet. I have to check. I have to go to do an MRI. I don't know right now.
I felt really bad during I felt that the half of the first set. With the 6 5, I felt terrible, no? I felt that I broked my foot at that moment.
The point with the deuce, that point give me the set point, in that point I felt terrible, no?
I asked for the trainer at that moment when the game was done. I seriously didn't know at that moment the match, I didn't know that if I will have the chance to continue playing.
Q. Can you tell us how it happened or what happened?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know before because I started to feel little bit pain there during the first set. I said before, half of the set. But with the 6 5, I pushed hard with the forehand defending shot and crossed. I felt something that like crushed there in the back of the foot outside.
So I didn't know what was going on then.
Q. Did the pain stay with you for the rest of the match?
RAFAEL NADAL: The pain stay with me for the next points, for sure, and for all the match stays with me. But with the tape, I think we changed a little bit the direction of the support, and probably didn't hurt me much.
But to run to my forehand was very, very tough for me. I felt pain because I cannot push with the foot to defend my forehand. To go against my backhand wasn't a problem. I can run fast there. I can run fast in front of me. The biggest problem is when I had to defend my forehand.
Q. Is it the same injury you had in the last match?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no.
Q. Different?
RAFAEL NADAL: Completely different.
Q. How worried are you about Wednesday?
RAFAEL NADAL: I am happy today I am through. I thought that I never gonna win this match when it happened with the 6 5. I am very happy to be through, winning against one of the best players of the world. I think was a fantastic match. Was a very good level of tennis tonight.
And I'm worried, for sure. I'm going to do the MRI. We'll see what's going on. Tomorrow we will see. I cannot predict the future.
Q. Will you have the scan tonight or tomorrow?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know yet. I gonna check. I am checking with the doctors, with the physios. They are trying. We are trying our best to do it as fast as possible.
Q. Was part of the problem that you couldn't take any more tablets because you were full of tablets for the previous injury?
RAFAEL NADAL: Sorry?
Q. Had you taken medication?
RAFAEL NADAL: I didn't.
Q. Before the match for your other injury?
RAFAEL NADAL: I did, yeah.
Q. And you couldn't take any more during the match?
RAFAEL NADAL: I can, but with that pain I thought that's not gonna be the solution, so I didn't.
Some question about the match?
Q. Did you think the time violation warning was stupid?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think is always the same umpire to do this. So I don't know if is stupid or not. But the match today was quick. Wasn't this kind of matches that you have slow between points, you have very, very long points, and you are tired and you rest a lot between points. Wasn't my feeling.
I came here 100 times, and I said when the umpire give me time violation, I say, Well, if I was slow is my fault; it's not the fault of the umpire. I am the first one to recognize my faults when I do.
Happened in Roland Garros I think few weeks ago. Somebody give me a time violation. I say, Okay, yes, that's true, I was slow.
Was not my feeling today.
Q. Right after Wimbledon there's the huge Davis Cup competition. Do you think it is a problem having Davis Cup right after a Grand Slam? And why won't you be playing?
RAFAEL NADAL: The problem is the ITF, my opinion. They don't want to change nothing. They are never able to change nothing on the calendar, nothing in the format of the Davis Cup competition. And some thing they are doing bad, because the best player of the world, a lot of times we are not able to play.
So that's happen, they have to think what's going on, no? But they don't think nothing. They keep winning his money and that's it.
For me is hard not go to United States and play for my country. For somebody can think, Well, he only is think about himself. He is playing his own things. Doesn't matter about the Davis Cup. It's not my case.
I always try to play Davis Cup. For me is a really bad new not to be in USA defending my country. I love defend my country. But, seriously, ITF is not helping us nothing on that, and for me is an obligation to not go there.
I cannot be in every place. I cannot be competitive every week of the year. My body needs to rest. You know, I am here. Day before I had little bit pain here. Today I had pain on the foot. Few days ago the knee. So, you know, I played a lot of matches the last six months, especially last five months, four months. Is too much.
Seriously, is not possible be No. 1 or No. 2 playing Davis Cup every tie, be in all the places, be competitive in all the tournaments. Is not possible. I am not 18 anymore. I am 25. I am playing a lot of matches. I am lucky because I won a lot of matches, so for that reason I am playing that match, not because I am playing more tournaments than usual.
So for that reason I cannot be there. For me is tough. But for the ITF, doesn't matter.
Q. Juan Martin for the first time this year he was in the second week in Wimbledon. Some people said his grass court game wasn't very good. You really understood what a threat he was. Can you describe his game?
RAFAEL NADAL: Always is the same history. The same was with me two years ago when I lost in 2005 in second round against Muller. My game is not ready for grass.
After four years I played two finals, two champions. Here I am in quarterfinals.
He is young. He has an unbelievable potential. With this serve, he is always very competitive in these courts. And for sure the No. 4, 5 of the world winning Grand Slam titles, he's one of the favorites to win here. Why not? He has very good serve, very good shots from the baseline, and his volley looks good.
I don't see no one reason to think he not gonna play really well here.
Q. How much chance have you had to look ahead? Have you looked at the game of Mardy Fish very much?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, he's playing fantastic. I saw him a few not today. I was playing today, but I saw him a little bit against Robin Haase. He's playing at a very, very high level. He's very dangerous player, so I will try my best to be very competitive on Wednesday.
I need be at my hundred percent. If not, gonna be impossible against him. So I have to recover.
Q. How convinced are you you'll be fit for Wednesday?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. I told before, I cannot predict the future. I say today I had the pain. I felt something is a fresh injury. Let's see what's going on and let's see how the MRI looks.
And after, let's see if we have the chance to recover for Wednesday. I don't know.
Nadal Ready For Fish In Quarter-finals
Rafael Nadal is chasing
a third Wimbledon title.
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal will line up against Mardy Fish in the Wimbledon quarter-finals Wednesday after an MRI scan confirmed that he had not suffered a foot injury during a grueling four-set win over Juan Martin del Potro in Monday's fourth round.
Nadal released a statement on his Facebook page confirming the good news: "Yesterday after the match I went to take an MRI at a London hospital. During the match I thought I had something serious but as the match went through the pain got better and thankfully the tests don't show an injury. Today I will practice at 4.30 pm and I'll play tomorrow. Thanks all for the support."
Nadal has won the Wimbledon title in his two most recent appearances in 2010 and 2008 and finished runner-up in 2007 and 2006. After triumphing in Paris earlier this month, Nadal is attempting to complete the prized Roland Garros-Wimbledon double for the third time in his career.
To retain No. 1 spot in the South African Airways ATP Rankings on Monday, Nadal must win the Wimbledon title and No. 2 Novak Djokovic must not advance beyond the semi-finals. Under any other scenario Djokovic will rise to No. 1 for the first time in his career.
NADAL RECEIVES TWO ESPY NOMINATIONS
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal will look to become the first tennis player to win the ESPY for Best Male Athlete, nominated for the award alongside Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson.
The Spaniard, who claimed his 10th Grand Slam title last month at Roland Garros, also joins Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer as nominees for Best Male Tennis Player. Federer has dominated this category in recent years, winning it six straight times.
Fans can cast their votes online through 9 July, and winners will be revealed during the awards show hosted by Saturday Night Live's Seth Meyers on 13 July in Los Angeles.
Last year, John Isner and Nicolas Mahut won the ESPY Award for Best Record-Breaking Performance following their marathon match at Wimbledon.
Wyćwierkano właśnie, że z powodu kontuzji stopy po Wimbledonie Rafę czeka 5 tygodni pauzy.
Choć pojęcie "pauza" można różnie interpretować. Grać i tak nie będzie, pytanie czy to przerwa w treningach, czy po prostu w grze.
robpal napisał:
Wyćwierkano właśnie, że z powodu kontuzji stopy po Wimbledonie Rafę czeka 5 tygodni pauzy.
Choć pojęcie "pauza" można różnie interpretować. Grać i tak nie będzie, pytanie czy to przerwa w treningach, czy po prostu w grze.
Uraz nie zniknie. Gra na środkach przeciwbólowych i przeciwzapalnych. Przed meczem z Fishem dostał zastrzyk w stopę, który przez 5 godzin pozwalał mu nie odczuwać bólu. To samo będzie w meczu z Andym, a jak dojdzie do finału, to również w finale. Nie chodzi tylko o stopę. Odzywają się również kolana.
Kolana? Dopiero co mówił po meczu z Mullerem, że kolana są w porządku...
robpal napisał:
Kolana? Dopiero co mówił po meczu z Mullerem, że kolana są w porządku...
Wspomniał o tym podczas konferencji prasowej po meczu z JMP, przy okazji pytania o występ w Pucharze Davisa.
Wimbledon 2011 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w ćwierćfinale
R. Nadal bt. M. Fish 6 3, 6 3, 5 7, 6 4
Q. It looked like your foot was fine. Can you talk about how that felt today.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, very happy to be in semi-finals, first thing. My foot is not fine. But, you know, we are in quarter-finals of Wimbledon. Is an emergency, so I had to play. So we decided to sleep a little bit the zone of the foot to play the rest of the tournament, and that's what I gonna do.
For me is the last tournament in one month, or in one month and a half, so I have to try my best. Is always for me a dream play here in Wimbledon. I'm in quarterfinals and I had to do, and I gonna do for semi-finals, too.
Q. It's hurting you?
RAFAEL NADAL: When you sleep the foot you don't feel nothing.
Q. During the match.
RAFAEL NADAL: I told you. When you sleep the foot before the match, the anaesthetic is for five hours, so you don't feel nothing.
Q. You said after Del Potro that you were worried. Is that still the case now, that you are worried about your foot holding up for the rest of the tournament?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I'm not worried about my foot. I went to the hospital. I did the MRI. I did the echo here, the ultrasound here. We didn't see nothing real important. If you have something real important you have to go out of the tournament.
I don't have nothing really important. I have pain on the foot. I cannot run in perfect conditions without sleep the foot. But with the I don't know how exactly to say in English. Is strange for me. The anaesthetic there I don't feel nothing, I don't feel the pain.
Q. Now that you're not worried about the injury, you played freely today for the most part.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah.
Q. Moving on through the tournament, you can play your game without the worry?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah. I'm not worried about nothing now because I know what's going on. I know with that I don't gonna have pain. The previous match I don't know if I really had you know, I had a really difficult injury for me to pass in 2004 in the foot in Estoril.
Is completely different place. Is different history. But I felt something similar during the match of Del Potro. For that reason I was really scared.
But after when I did all the test and the test was positive for me, I am not scared because I know I have to try my best for the rest of the tournament. That's what I gonna do. And I'm ready to play.
Q. So today you feel like you played pretty well overall, very good at times?
RAFAEL NADAL: I play really well the first two sets. Probably I lost a little bit of intensity in the third. Playing in this kind of surface, especially here on grass, if you lost a little bit the intensity, you play less aggressive, is always very difficult, no?
And he did well. He started to play little bit more aggressive, and I was in trouble on the third, the beginning of the fourth, too, a little bit.
Q. What were your reactions to the Federer loss today?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I am sorry for him. He was playing really good tennis in Roland Garros three weeks ago, four weeks ago, and during this tournament I saw him play really, really well.
Today he was winning against a difficult opponent two sets to love, and my opinion playing very good tennis. I left. I didn't see the match. But you know how difficult is this surface, how difficult is everything. Because when you play against one player like Tsonga that he has this fantastic serve, you are under pressure all the time even if you are winning two sets to love, because you have a break, you have few mistakes with your serve, he has a break, probably he has the set. And that's every time.
So you play under pressure all the match. I cannot talk a lot more about the match because I didn't see the rest. I only saw the first two sets. So for him I think he deserved to be there.
Q. Your recent matches with Andy have been semi-finals and you have won them. What mental edge does that give you going into this one?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, every match is completely different. Every year is a different situation. Last year I beat him here in the semi-finals, but was very close match, even if was in straight sets. Second set he had a set point with his serve.
So, you know, the match will be very difficult for me. I think he's playing at very, very high level. We'll see what's going on. For me the last few months of Andy was very, very good. We will see what's going on in that semi-finals. Will be a big challenge for me, and I gonna try my best.
For sure I always enjoy playing these kind of matches. For me be in semi-finals is a very positive result, so very happy for that. Right now everything is to win. I have to enjoy the moment, play aggressive. Only like this I going to have any chance to be in the final.
Q. Is Andy a better player this year than he was at this time last year?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know.
Q. Both your Wimbledon matches you've won in straight sets against Andy. Is that a surprise? What difficult challenge will you expect from Andy?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think I played two fantastic matches against Andy. 2008 probably was a different situation because Andy started to play really well that year, but especially after that.
I think after that was the year he started winning in Cincinnati, after he won in Madrid. But before that he was there. Very, very good player for sure.
But last year was a real match. He was in the top conditions, the same conditions than me. Probably this year he has a little bit more experience. He's playing fine. He's playing very well, having final in Australia, semi-finals in Roland Garros, now semi-finals another time here.
So he's having a very successful season, in my opinion. So he's with big confidence. Anyway, the previous matches doesn't affect the match of Friday.
Q. You mentioned the two of you have been able to become good friends off the court. I wonder how often you saw him off the court and what kind of things you did together?
RAFAEL NADAL: Normally we play PlayStation outside the court when we are in the same hotels in the tournament. Now he really don't want to play more. He lost the last few times (smiling). Well, no, seriously. Well, seriously, that's true. He lost almost every time. He played with his friend Danny against Monaco and me, and we won.
Q. Did you meet the golfer Rory McIlroy when he was here?
RAFAEL NADAL: I met him yesterday. I talked with him half an hour in the locker room.
Q. Did you get invited to play golf with him?
RAFAEL NADAL: I hope so in the future. Any day when our agendas will be in the same moment free. So I would love to play golf with him. For me is an honour know him, and for sure it will be a dream for me play golf with him any day.
Q. Mardy Fish did not have a fantastic serving day today. Could you speak about what he did that was a challenge for you. Talk about how you thought Mardy played.
RAFAEL NADAL: I think Mardy improved his level, especially the last few years. And last year I think he had a fantastic season.
I have a question, sorry. In Cincinnati he played the final last year or he played the semifinal?
Q. The final.
RAFAEL NADAL: Final against Roger, no?
Q. Yes.
RAFAEL NADAL: So he's doing well. I think he's more solid player than few years ago, for sure. He's playing much better with the forehand than before. Because always he had a very good backhand and very good serve and good volley, but the forehand, in my opinion, he's hitting much better the forehand than before. And probably his movements are better than before.
So I think the mental part is important. Seriously, in the past he probably was little bit more irregular player. Now he's able to play more focus most of the time. In my opinion, his level in general improved a lot for that reason. I am always in trouble playing against him. I think everybody is in trouble playing against Mardy. He's a very good player.
Q. 2004 Estoril, before you became a big, big player, could you talk about what the foot injury was there.
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I had to stop for three months and a half.
Q. What was the foot injury?
RAFAEL NADAL: I had a stress fracture.
Q. So that's what it felt like two days ago?
RAFAEL NADAL: It's not the same place. I told you. Is a completely different place. I felt something similar, but I am lucky that is nothing like this.
Wimbledon 2011: 13 wielkoszlemowy finał Nadala!
25-letni tenisista z Manacor zagra w najbliższą niedzielę w swoim 5 wimbledońskim finale. Rafa wygrywał tę imprezę 2 razy: w roku 2008 i przed 12 miesiącami. Hiszpan przegrał mecze o tytuł przy Church Road w latach 06-07, kiedy na drodze stawał mu Roger Federer.
Rafael Nadal - 13 wielkoszlemowych finałów
(dotychczasowy bilans: 10 -2)
2005 - Roland Garros
2006 - Roland Garros, Wimbledon (porażka)
2007 - Roland Garros, Wimbledon (porażka)
2008 - Roland Garros, Wimbledon
2009 - Australian Open
2010 - Roland Garros, Wimbledon, US Open
2011 - Roland Garros, Wimbledon
Co ciekawe, gdy Federer grał swój 13-sty, wielkoszlemowy finał, miał identyczny stosunek zwycięstw do porażek, co teraz Nadal. Szwajcar wygrał swój trzynasty finał, pokonując podczas Wimbledonu przed czterema laty właśnie ... Rafaela Nadala.
E: Tak jak na szybko sprawdziłem, Pete Sampras chyba również. Ale to tak na marginesie :)
Tak, bardzo podobnie Fedi Rafa się pod tym względem 'dobrali'. Różnica jest taka, że Nadal jest w tym momencie rok młodszy od Federera z 2007 roku. ;)
Wimbledon 2011 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w półfinale
R. Nadal bt. A. Murray 5 7, 6 2, 6 2, 6 4
Q. You didn't look very much like the No. 2 player in the world today.
RAFAEL NADAL: For me, seriously, that's something that really doesn't matter a lot. You know, I said last year when I was No. 3 or No. 4. I said when I was No. 1 for me is not a big goal for me.
For me big goal is be competitive, be healthy. Be competitive every time when I am on court and try to be at my best in the important moments, no, in all the tournaments, because all the tournaments are important, no?
Yeah, today I lost the No. 1. I did lost the No. 1. One guy played unbelievable the first half of the year so he's the new No. 1. We just can congratulate him because what he did this first part of the season is something really impressive, really fantastic.
I am happy about how I did. I think in normal conditions I would be No. 1 or a lot of chances to keep being the No. 1 for me for a few more time, because my results are really good the first part of the season, too. But one guy did unbelievable, and congratulations.
Q. Zero unforced errors in the second set, two in the third, one in the fourth. How did you manage?
RAFAEL NADAL: Total seven, yeah, and 37 winners, so the statistics are really unbelievable. The true, I don't know. The statistics is something that we have to have a look about the statistics, but not everything is statistics, no?
In general, I think Andy played very, very high level especially the first set and the beginning of the second, too. Seriously I felt he was better player than me at that moment, so I just waited for my moment.
I felt that I am playing well the first set, too, but he was playing really good, really aggressive, serving really well. I was there all the time. I was little bit lucky I don't know exactly the first or second game of the second set with 15 30, he had an easy forehand in the middle of the court and he miss. He miss the shot long. So after that was probably the turning point of the match.
I think after that he had a bad game with his serve. He had 30 15, and he had unforced error with the forehand, double fault, and after he miss a smash.
After that, the match was close, because I was playing well, too. He lost probably little bit the intensity of the beginning. But that's true, play like he played in the first set is not easy. Is really difficult. He played really complete tennis.
After that I think I played little bit better than the beginning. I was playing well the beginning, but probably I improved little bit the level, and I played probably my best match this year here.
Q. Statistics are not important, but you played five finals in Wimbledon of the last five tournaments you played here. That is a great statistic. What do you think about that? Because only Borg, McEnroe and Federer have done it.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, it's something for me very important. Always Wimbledon was my dream. After is my 2003, 2005, and after five finals, so it's my seventh Wimbledon probably in my career. Seventh? Eighth?
Q. Seventh.
RAFAEL NADAL: Seventh, so... I never thought that I gonna be able to play five finals, so today is a very important victory for me and very happy for everything, no?
I think is a great effort after, you know, four years without a Spanish playing the semifinals or finals here. After the last five years well, not 2009 but in five years we were there, have a Spanish in the final, so that's a fantastic news for me, but I think for our country, too.
Q. Back in 1999 Agassi became No. 1 in the world and he had to play the final with Sampras and he but lost to Sampras. The next day Agassi was No.1 but Sampras was the Wimbledon champion. Would you like to see the same scenario?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes (smiling).
Q. When you walked out of the court you said you were sorry for Andy. How do you manage to be so competitive when you're on the court, and as soon as you are off the court you think with your heart about your competitors?
RAFAEL NADAL: I felt that during the court, too. I'm not a robot when I'm playing. I think.
Andy probably deserved to be Grand Slam winner. He's the best player without a title of Grand Slam that I ever see. So he deserve to be a champion of Grand Slam. Always he was there: final in Australia, semifinals Roland Garros, semifinals here another time. That's tough. I understand, no?
Is not easy for him be there all the time and finally he lost another time. But he's doing well. He's in the right way to win a Grand Slam. I always say the same. But that's what I feel, you know. I feel the reason is he needs little bit more lucky for moments and he will win. I still don't have any doubt on that.
Q. What are your thoughts about playing against Novak, and what do you think is the key to the match?
RAFAEL NADAL: The key is play really well and to wait the opponent don't have his best day. That is the key in these kind of matches, when you play against the best players of the world, you know.
His mental position over me today is probably a little bit better because he won the last four finals against me. And that's what it is. I'm here. I'm try my best. I think I'm playing well, really well.
We will see what's going on on Sunday, no? I will try my best. I have to play aggressive. I have to play with intensity, with rhythm. That's what I gonna try.
Q. What aspect of Novak's game will you find most challenging to overcome?
RAFAEL NADAL: Everything. Yeah.
Q. With Novak, do you think you have any advantage, perhaps even on this surface, more than clay against him? And do you think since you've been to this stage of the tournament before and he hasn't, that that might also be an advantage for you?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I don't have an advantage here more than clay. I am better player on clay than grass. That's the true.
Q. Maybe you're a better player on grass than he is on clay.
RAFAEL NADAL: You know what? Playing two semifinals and now the final, probably he's not a bad player on grass, too. That's my feeling. Yeah.
Q. You're obviously aware of the magnitude of your achievements. How often do you think of the number 16?
RAFAEL NADAL: Of what?
Q. Grand Slams.
RAFAEL NADAL: The number 16? I think about the number 10. That's what I have at home. That's what I'm able to see when I go back home in my bedroom. I don't have 11, I don't have 12, I don't have 15, or 16. 16 is very far. I believe the number is not gonna stop there. Roger will have more chances to win more.
Seriously, is not my goal. Disappointing is not my goal. But I am very happy about my 10. I gonna try my best to keep being competitive in important tournaments, and we will see in the next years what's going on. We'll see Sunday. We'll see in the future what's going on.
The career of Roger is probably impossible to repeat. You know, if you look of the history of tennis, he's the player with more Grand Slams in I don't know how many years of history of the tennis, 100?
Q. 125 this year.
RAFAEL NADAL: Is gonna be strange he's the player with more Grand Slams ever. Gonna be strange that three years, four years after one player win more than the best ever, no? So probably that's not gonna happen.
Q. You had issues with your foot earlier in the competition. Was that an issue at all today, and will it be in the final on Sunday?
RAFAEL NADAL: I talked about the foot the other day. I said how was the problem, how is my foot. Is exactly the same than a few days ago. I did exactly the same than in the previous match.
So I said two days ago I not worried about the foot. I know what's going on. I know with the treatment that I am doing to play I don't gonna have any problem. I don't feel nothing.
Q. This attitude of yours focusing on the competition and the preparation and the health, not so much on the numbers and the results, is that something that's always come that easy to you?
RAFAEL NADAL: Don't think about the?
Q. When you speak about not caring about numbers, results, and records, you talk about focusing being on competitive, preparation. Is it an attitude that's always been like that for you?
RAFAEL NADAL: Seriously, I care about records, I care about the statistics, and I care about the history of tennis, for sure. But, you know, is not the right moment for me to talk about that. I have 25 years old. I am playing.
And talk about the history when I don't know when my career is going to finish is probably something that is to talk. We will see when I finish my career where I am in the history of tennis. We will see what's going on.
Right now for me, my history is I am in the final of Wimbledon. Very happy for that. I will have a very difficult match on Sunday. Let's enjoy it. Let's try my best on Sunday. That's my history today.
The history of tennis, we'll have time to talk about it.
Q. There are many statistics in the game. Which ones to you are the most important?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know which way you are talking.
Q. Majors won, weeks at No. 1, Davis Cup.
RAFAEL NADAL: I am not a specialist on that, so we have to look around and see about different facts. In my opinion, for sure the Grand Slam is probably the most important thing.
But is a mistake think only about the Grand Slams, because the tennis is much more than four tournaments every year, you know.
For me the records of Roger are unbelievable. 16 Grand Slams are unbelievable. But he has a few probably more difficult things to do or more unbelievable things to do. I don't know. He have 23 or 24 straight semifinals in Grand Slams. That's really unbelievable.
In my opinion, for me is much more difficult win in the clay season Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Rome, Madrid, Hamburg a few years ago, than win Roland Garros. Seems like the most important thing is Roland Garros, is true.
But if we talk about the quality of tennis, is much more difficult win the other four than win Roland Garros. Probably that's for the history didn't count that much for the spectators.
But for the people of tennis and for the people who love this sport and who understand this sport from inside, everybody knows that's more difficult than win a Grand Slam.
You know, Andy Murray today didn't win a Grand Slam, but he's much more better player than a lot of player who won a Grand Slam in the past. That's the true.
Q. Your head to heads against your opponents, is that important?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't think so. Is another fact, but is nothing really decisive, in my opinion.
Q. Having your family, your mother, father, sister, does it help you to relax or does it change the focus in any way?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. For me seriously doesn't matter, no? I am happy to be with them here. They are supporting me here. They are with me during the day off. I like to be with people. I don't like a lot to be alone. If more people are here is a little bit more fun for me during the free hours.
So for me is always a pleasure have the family around, have my team around, the people who are close to me around me, because that's makes me happy. Seems like I'm more at home.
Q. How would you describe Novak's ability to defend, his movements around the court compared to some other players you've played against? Is he among the best, the quickest or...
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I think his game is really complete defending. When he attack, too. Probably he's defending a little bit better than previous years this year.
But in my opinion, his general game, his total game, is really complete: good serve, very good movements, very easy, his eyes are very fast, and he can go inside the court very easy playing very difficult shots. Very easy for him because he takes the ball very early.
In my opinion, his biggest ability is take the ball very early. That's something very difficult. Roger do very well, too. That's something very difficult, and they do very easy.
2011: 5 przegrany finał Nadala.
Rafael Nadal przegrał swój 5 finał w tym roku. Po raz kolejny uległ Novakowi Djokovciowi, tym razem w pojedynku o tytuł w Wimbledonie. Nadal zagrał 5 raz w finale przy Church Road, poległ po raz 3. Wszystkie finałowe porażki Hiszpana w WS pochodzą właśnie z tego miejsca.
25-latek z Manacor przegrał swój 18 finał w karierze, 3 w Wielkim Szlemie (pierwszy od Wimbledonu 2007). Przed wczorajszą porażką Nadal miał na koncie 7 kolejnych zwycięstw w wielkoszlemowych finałach.
RAFAEL NADAL - przegrane finał (18)
2011 Wimbledon, TMS Rzym, TMS Madryt, TMS Miami, TMS Indian Wells
2010 WTF Londyn, Doha
2009 TMS Szanghaj, TMS Madryt, Rotterdam
2008 TMS Miami, Chennai
2007 TMS Paryż, Wimbledon, TMS Hamburg
2006 Wimbledon
2005 TMS Miami
2004 Auckland
Rafa Ready To Bide His Time
Rafael Nadal rued his poor play
on the decisive points in the match.
Rafael Nadal acknowledged that he lost to the world’s best player when he fell to Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final. But the 10-time Grand Slam champion knows from experience that his chance will come again after losing to the Serb in their past five meetings.
“Seriously, I lost because I was playing against the best player of the moment, the best player of the world tomorrow,” said the Spaniard, who will lose his No. 1 ranking to Djokovic on Monday. “And when you play against these players and they are playing unbelievable, the normal thing is to lose. That's what happened the last few times.
“My experience says this level is not forever. Even for me, when I won three Grand Slams last year, my level of last year is not forever. Probably the level of Novak today is not forever. I am going to be here fighting all the time, waiting for my moment, waiting for my moment to beat him another time.
“The past five times wasn't my time. I am going to wait and I am going to try at the sixth [opportunity]. And if the sixth doesn't happen, then the seventh. It's going to be like this. That's the spirit of the sport.”
London Calling...Again: Buy Tickets To See Rafa & Novak At The Barclays ATP World Tour Finals
The 25-year-old Nadal, who also fell to Djokovic in the final of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments in Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid and Rome this season, admitted that those defeats affected him at crunch stages in the match and lamented his poor play on the big points in the final.
“I started the match without thinking [about those defeats]. But when you arrive to 5-4, these moments it probably affects a little bit. That's what happened, and that's why.
Read Match Report | How The Final Was Won | Watch Nadal Interview
“The most important thing, to win in matches here, to win tough matches like today, like two days ago [against Andy Murray], is to play well in the important moments. There are few points in the match that can change the match, and I didn't [play well] today.
“He's in the best moment of his career and I am in one of the best moments of my career,” continued the Roland Garros champion. “But it is still not enough for him. I have to play deeper. I have to play more aggressive. I have to have less mistakes. That's what I have to do. He played better than me. He played very, very, very high level for moments. For that reason he is the champion here.”
Wimbledon 2011 - wywiad po porażce w finale
R. Nadal def. by N. Djokovic 4-6, 1-6, 6-1, 3-6
Q. How would you describe the way Novak played today, especially in the second set?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I think he played very well in the second. Is difficult to describe.
But, anyway, he played better than me. For that reason he is the champion here. So I just can congratulate him. That's the true. He played very, very, very high level for moments, and I played a little bit lower than the previous days.
Q. Did his attacking force you to play short?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. I played short because I played short I think today. He's doing great. He's doing few things fantastic. But I had to play better to win, and I didn't today. I played little bit less aggressive.
And the most important thing, to win in matches here, to win tough matches like today, like two days ago, the most important thing is play well the important moments. There is few points in the match that can change the match, and I didn't today.
Q. After a match like this, we can think of many reasons for the outcome. Is it possible that one of them is Novak was able to handle your forehand better than the other players?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, when one player beat you five times is because today my game don't bother him a lot. Today probably against me he's playing better than my level. And find solutions, that's what I have to try and that's what I gonna try.
Anyway, seriously, I only lose matches this year against him. That's the true. When I was healthy, I only lost against him. That's the true. The rest of the matches, I don't want to count in Queen's, two days ago two weeks ago, three weeks ago, because is different conditions for me.
When I was hundred percent to play, I lost against him five times. The rest of the year I won almost every match. So I'm doing the things very well probably not against him. That's what I have to change.
Probably the mental part is little bit dangerous for me, because when I arrive to the 5 4, I played a bad game with 30 Love. When I arrived to 4 3 of the fourth set, I played another bad game with my serve.
That's what I say: to win these kind of matches, I have to play well these kind of points can change the match. When I had the breakpoint at the first set, at the first game of the fourth set, I didn't play well that point. That was a big moment for me. Because I came back after 6 1, start the fourth with a break can change everything.
I didn't play well these moments. That's what happened in Indian Wells, that's what happened in Miami, and that's what happened here. I? Don't want to count in Madrid and Rome because he played much better than me.
But these three times, that's what happened. And to change that is probably be little bit less nervous than these times, play more aggressive, and all the time be confident with myself. That's what I gonna try next time.
If not, I gonna be here explaining the sixth.
Q. How much of those four finals against Novak affected your confidence?
RAFAEL NADAL: I started the match without thinking on that. But that's true. When you arrive to 5 4, these moments probably affects a little bit. That's what happened, and that's why.
Q. You've lost to Novak five times this year.
RAFAEL NADAL: I know that. We were talking about that (smiling).
Q. Why do you think you can't beat him? Do you think there's a psychological reason?
RAFAEL NADAL: You are hear that? I just explained that.
Q. Is there a technical reason? Is he handling your topspin forehand better with his two handed backhand, taking it early?
RAFAEL NADAL: The game is easy. The game is not that difficult. So think about a lot of things will be a mistake, in my opinion. Don't think is how you playing well, how you not playing that well.
Is true we can analyze that my game is not bothering him. We have to find how I can bother him another time. I did in the past.
He's in the best moment of his career. That's true, too. I am in one of the best moments of my career. Still not enough for him. I have to play longer. I have to play more aggressive. I have to have less mistakes. Yes, that's what I have to do.
But start to think if his backhand or he takes the ball earlier, yeah, he's very complete player. He has good backhand, very good forehand, good serve. His movements probably are one of the best in of the world in this moment.
Seriously, I lose because I am playing against the best player of the moment, the best player of the world tomorrow, and I am the second. And when you play against these players and they are playing unbelievable, the normal thing is lose. That's what happened last few times.
My experience says this level is not forever. Even for me when I was last year winning three Grand Slams, my level of last year is not forever. Probably the level of Novak of today is not forever. I gonna be here fighting all the time, waiting my moment. I don't have to wait a lot, because I already won three tournaments this year and one Grand Slam. But waiting my moment to beat him another time.
I understand the sport like this. When one player is better than you, at this moment the only thing you can do is work, try to find solutions, and try to wait a little bit for your time.
Last five times wasn't my time. I gonna wait and I gonna try to a sixth. And if the sixth doesn't happen, to the seventh. It's going to be like this. That's the spirit of the sport.
Q. Emotionally, is this the most difficult defeat of your career?
RAFAEL NADAL: For sure not. C'mon.
Q. Which is?
RAFAEL NADAL: Is difficult to say now. You know, after playing eight finals this year, winning Roland Garros few weeks ago, play the final here cannot be the toughest lose of my career.
You know how is the toughest moment? When I am in Australia and I finish the match and I am injury; when in 2010 I have to go out of Australia with an injury, That is the toughest moment. That's the game: sometimes you win; sometimes you lose.
Three weeks ago I was winning in Roland Garros; today I was playing the final here and I lost. That's the sport. We started 128 players. One have to win. I was the second. Is a good result for me. For sure always the goals and the objective probably is win every time, but everybody lose. Nobody's winning everything.
But he going to lose in the future. I going to keep losing a lot of matches in the future. I gonna try my best in every moment. But for sure this is not the toughest loss in my career.
Jeszcze raz sprawdzono starannie stopę Rafy - nie ma w niej pęknięcia (groziło to 6 tygodniami pauzy).
Hiszpan ma być gotowy na Mastersa w Montrealu.
Nadal says no tennis reign lasts forever
Rafael Nadal makes no excuses for his Wimbledon final loss to Novak Djokovic.
Reports in the British press suggest that the Spaniard lost the Wimbledon final to Novak Djokovic while carrying a hairline fracture of his left heel, but Nadal's team has confirmed that the injury is not a fracture.
The former No. 1 - now down to second behind his Serb rival - made no mention of injury after his four-set loss. "He's in the best moment of his career, I'm in one of the best moments of my career," said the Spaniard.
"But that's still not enough (to beat) him. I have to play longer. I have to play more aggressive. I have to have less mistakes - that's what I have to do. I lost because I am playing against the best player of the moment, the best player of the world tomorrow, and I am the second."
The winner of ten Grand Slams is far from giving up hope. After all, nothing is forever in tennis. "My experience says this level is not forever. Even for me when I was last year winning three Grand Slams, my level of last year is not forever.
"Probably the level of Novak of today is not forever. I'm gonna be here fighting all the time, waiting my moment. I've already won three tournaments this year and one Grand Slam. But I'm waiting my moment to beat him another time."
