[caption id=”attachment_33702” align=”alignright” width=”150” caption=”Photo by Andrew Cowie/ AFP/ GettyImages”]
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(Late again, I know. One of these days I’ll get more than 5 hours a sleep a night…I swear.)
Articles:
- Wade: Nadal can surpass Borg - from espnstar.com
- French Open Preview: Does Rafael Nadal Have His Mojo Back? - by Justin Bergman (time.com)
- Jon Wertheim’s Mailbag - I totally agree with his comments in divisions and nastiness between fans.
- French Open 2012: Rafael Nadal keeps the human touch as he prepares to ascend to seventh heaven - by Oliver Brown (telegraph.co.uk)
- Nadal on track - by Benjamin Waldbaum (rolandgarros.com)
- Seven Doomed Men - by Pete Bodo (tennis.com)
Videos:
- iB3 report on Rafa’s practice session.
- Back stage with Rafa after his Rome win - lots of signing!
- Video of a statue. Thrilling, no?
- iB3 report on the wax figure.
- Practice video - looks like some backhand target practice. Another one.
Photos:
- Photos of waxy Rafa.
- Some of these photos are repeats of the above, some aren’t.
- Some Rafa pics in this flickr set.
Rafa does social media:
- Rafa shared a good new. The bad new is that doing so broke his site.
Tweets about Rafa:
A lot of people tweeted practice photos today:
- Hitting a backhand
- Waiting for someone to hit him a ball
- Hands on hips
- Talking to the press
- With a tot
- Being interviewed
- Weird Photoshop treatment
- Getting ready for Roland Garros
- Backhand
- Lovely black and white photo
Tweets from @davidjnadal today:
Toni Nadal: “No es diferente el encontrarte con Djokovic, Federer o Murray, por ejemplo. No tanta diferencia de llegar como 2 o como 3”
Toni Nadal: “A priori no encotrarte con Djokovic en unas hipotéticas semifinales es bueno, pero la realidad no hay muchas diferencias
…Es verdad que Rafel es uno de los que tiene más opciones, pero no el único”, dice Toni Nadal
Toni Nadal: “Siempre vamos a RG con reservas, porque hay muchos jugadores con opciones. Rafel sólo es uno de los aspirantes…
jugando de forma diferente y más agresivo. Y hasta ahora ha ido bastante bien”, Toni Nadal dixit
Toni Nadal sobre si Rafel está más cerca de Nole: “Este año ha cambiado un poco el tema. Ya en Australia estuvimos un poco más cerca de él
…y después ganó RG. Si esto lo hicimos nostros el año pasado, porque no lo puede hacer ahera él”, dice Toni Nadal
Toni Nadal: “El balance hasta ahora es muy bueno, pero tb es verdad que el año pasado Rafel había perdido dos finales contra Djokovic…
…en cuanto empiecen los partidos en Paris, lo de Roma se habrá olviado para todos”, asegura Toni Nadal
Más declaraciones de Toni Nadal a @IB3noticies : “Ir a RG después de una victoria como la de Roma es mejor, pero también es verdad que…
http://twitvid.com/TGNTG - Fijaros en el método Toni. Esterilla al fondo de pista y pide a @RafaelNadal reves largo. Que meta la bola en ella
Y sigue Toni Nadal: “Para nosotros es un balance muy bueno el no haber pedido ningun set en pista de tierra”. Más claro agua
Toni Nadal: “No, tres títutlos de tres torneos en tierra. El otro (Madrid) no cuenta. No era de tierra”
Toni Nadal atendió a @esportsib3tv via @MartaGFerrer . Marta le dice: “3 títulos de 4 torneos de tierra, buen balance..”. Atención a Toni…
@RafaelNadal viaja esta tarde-noche a París y mañana ya entrena en la terra de Roland Garros
http://twitvid.com/H0WZL - @RafaelNadal entrenó esta mañana en Manacor. Toni Nadal hizo incapié en el revés. Va un video
Nadal:”He superado una situación complicada.Pero si nos volvemos a ver,empezaremos de cero,como todos los partidos y puede pasar de todo”
“También es verdad que haber ganado a uno que te ha ganado siete veces, es un plus, de satisfacción personal”, ha dicho @RafaelNadal
…pero es más importante haber ganado en Montecarlo y Roma que haberlo hecho concretamentente a Djokovic. Lo importante son los torneos”
@RafaelNadal sobre Djokovic: “Le he ganado dos veces, venia de perder 7 veces seguidas y he ganado dos finales importantes…
@RafaelNadal: “Estoy haciendo una temporada de tierra muy buena y ahora viene el final y lo más importante. Ganar 3 de 4 es casi perfecto”
Rafel Nadal: “Prefiero llegar a RG habiendo ganado, pero nunca se sabe.Pase lo que pase allí habré ganado en Romaun torneo muy imp. para mi”
@RafaelNadal: “El año pasado llegué después de perder en Roma y en Madrid y después de empezar de manera complicada fue todo muy bien en RG
This mangles to:
Toni Nadal: “It is not unlike the meet with Djokovic, Federer or Murray, for example. Not come as much of a difference of 2 or 3”
Toni Nadal: “A priori encotrarte with Djokovic in a hypothetical semi-finals is good, but really not much different
It is true that … Rafel is one that has more options, but not unique, “says Toni Nadal
Toni Nadal: “We always go to RG with reservations, because there are many players with options. Rafel is only one of the candidates …
playing a different and more aggressive. And so far has been pretty good, “Toni Nadal dixit
Toni Nadal on whether Rafel is closer Nole: “This year has changed a bit the subject. Already in Australia we were a little closer to him
RG … and then won. If we did this last year Nostros because AHERA can not do it, “says Toni Nadal
Toni Nadal: “The toll so far is very good, but tb is true that last year had lost two finals Rafel Djokovic …
begin … as parties in Paris, the Rome will have forgotten them all “, says Toni Nadal
More Toni Nadal returns to @ IB3noticies: “Go to RG after a win like that of Rome is better, but it is also true that …
http://twitvid.com/TGNTG - Fijaros in the method Toni. Mat to the back of the court and asks @ RafaelNadal long way around. That goal the ball in it
And Toni Nadal continues: “We are very good balance for the failure to order a set in dirt track.” Clearer water
Toni Nadal: “No, three títutlos three tournaments on the ground. The other (Madrid) does not count. There was dirt”
Toni Nadal attended via @ @ esportsib3tv MartaGFerrer. Martha says: “3 of 4 tournament titles of land, good balance ..”. Attention Toni …
@ RafaelNadal traveling this evening and tomorrow to Paris trains at the Roland Garros terra
http://twitvid.com/H0WZL - @ RafaelNadal trained this morning in Manacor. Toni Nadal Frenk emphasized the reverse. Will a video
Nadal: “I have overcome a situation complicada.Pero if we turn to see, we start from zero, as all parties and anything can happen”
“It is also true that having won one who has won seven times, is a plus, personal satisfaction,” said @ RafaelNadal
but more importantly … have won in Monte Carlo and Rome have done concretamentente Djokovic. What matters are the tournaments “
@ RafaelNadal on Djokovic: “I’ve won twice, came to lose 7 times in a row and won two major end …
@ RafaelNadal: “I’m doing a very good clay season and now comes the final and most important. Win 3 of 4 is almost perfect”
Rafael Nadal: “I’d rather get to RG having won, but never sabe.Pase what happens there I will have won in tournament Romaun very imp. For me”
@ RafaelNadal: “Last year I got after losing at Rome and Madrid and after starting so complicated it was all very well in RG
Random:
- I just love stuff like this - super fun Adidas promo
[caption id=”attachment_32456” align=”alignright” width=”150” caption=”Photo by Beth Wilson”]
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Articles:
- The ATP picks the most memorable matches of 2012 - so far. What? Is our attention span so short we have to do lists like this just 3 months and 4 days into the year?
- Babolat has an online “Get Well” card for Rafa you can sign via Facebook.
Photos:
- @creamola_foam wants share something.
Tweets about Rafa:
The Roland Garros twitter let us know what’s at stake for the top 4 in clay season:
Clay court season kicks off this week ! Here’s the “deal” for the Big 4 @RafaelNadal @DjokerNole #Federer #Murray twitter.com/rolandgarros/s…
— Roland Garros (@rolandgarros) April 8, 2012
Too bad they got Rafa’s current points wrong. (They apologized later.)
Random:
- Sergiy Stakhovsky: Big earnings of tennis players are an illusion - a very interesting interview with Stakhovsky that touches on a lot of current ATP topics. He speaks freely and includes comments about the ATP Player Council. The article was originally posted on the Ukrainian website LB.ua. This is a version kindly translated to English by anna_tennisfan.
- Interview with Marc! who might have been hanging out with Rafa just a bit too long.
- A Team M&M giggler: La Bamba, Marc Lopez y Marcel Granollers.
- Making the 2012 Olympic Book: a little star - the latest entry on the tennis book for the Olympics.
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Toni gave an interview for SER Sports today. There’s an audio file here for those who understand Mallorquí (thanks @genny_ss). David J Nadal also tweeted some quotes from the interview:
Palabras de ToniNadal a @SerdepBaleares: “Rafel está en período de recuperación.Se ha hecho un tratamiento y hay que esperar unos días
Toni Nadal: “Tenemos que esperar unos días para volver a entrenar. Volverá a hacerlo el miércoles que viene y ya veremos como va”
“Tenemos que seguir el proceso marcado por el médico. La lesión requiere reposo y eso haremos”, dice Toni Nadal a @serdepbaleares
Toni Nadal: “Nos quedaran 6 o 7 días para preparar Montecarlo. Estará recuperado del todo pero iremos un poco justos de entrenamiento”
Más de TNadal a @serdepbaleares: “El problema de Rafel no viene tanto por jugar en según que tipo de pistas.Viene por las plantillas que usa
“TNadal: “Gracias a estas plantillas solventa una problema, pero también por culpa de ellas tiene otros problemas en otras partes del cuerpo
“Esta lesión la afrontamos con tranquilidad. Sabemos que estará bien en unos días”, Toni Nadal dixit sobre lesión de @RafaelNadal
Toni Nadal: “Empieza para nosotros la parte más importante de la temporada. Es donde Rafel tiene a priori más posibilidades de ganar títulos
Toni Nadal: “Para nosotros es básico estar en perfectas condiciones ahora. Seria muy malo no estar bien en este momento”
“De aquí a hasta el final de los JJOO viene 7 torneos muy importantes y seguidos y que estar a tope”, dice Toni Nadal a @serdepbaleares
T Nadal “La exigencia no viene por defender o no puntos,viene porque es el momento donde tenemos más opciones de ganar torneos muy important
Toni Nadal: “Los problemas empezaron en Indian Wells. Sabíamos que en Miami no acabaría el torneo. Después de Tsonga tuvimos que parar”
This mangles to:
Words ToniNadal to @ SerdepBaleares: “Rafel is the recovery period. It has become a treatment and wait a few days
Toni Nadal: “We have to wait a few days to resume training. Return to it next Wednesday and we’ll see how it goes”
“We must continue the process marked by the physician. The injury requires rest and we will do,” says Toni Nadal @ serdepbaleares
Toni Nadal: “We stay 6 or 7 days to prepare for Monte Carlo. Will be fully recovered but go a fair bit of training”
More TNadal to @ serdepbaleares: “The problem comes not so much by Rafel play as what kind of tracks. Comes by using templates
“TNadal:” With these templates solves a problem, but also because of them have other problems in other parts of the body
“This injury face it calmly. We know he’ll be fine in a few days,” Toni Nadal on injury dixit @ RafaelNadal
Toni Nadal: “It starts for us the most important part of the season. It’s where Rafel is a priori more likely to win titles
Toni Nadal: “For us it is essential to be in perfect condition now. Would be very bad not to be well at this time”
“From here until the end of the Olympics is very important and 7 tournaments in a row and be on top,” says Toni Nadal @ serdepbaleares
T Nadal “The requirement is not to defend or not points, is because it is the moment where we have more chance of winning tournaments very Important
Toni Nadal: “The problems began in Indian Wells. We knew that Miami would not end the tournament. After Tsonga had to stop”
[caption id=”attachment_32398” align=”alignright” width=”150” caption=”Photo by Nida Alibhai”]
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No April Fool’s joke from me…just a wee bit of lint. But the ATP did play a joke…and I have no idea how Andy and Tipsy kept a straight face during it.
Articles:
- Nadal visitará al doctor Mikel Sánchez en Vitoria - via diariodemallorca.es - thanks, genny_ss. From the mangle, it seems that Rafa’s been playing with sore knees for 9 months. (Oops. It’s been pointed out to me in the comments that the 9 months quote was related to the 2009 Wimbledon withdrawal. I need to work on my reading compression skills.)
- Rafa Nadal expone 6.000 puntos del ranking mundial entre Montecarlo y Wimbledon - by Ángel Rigueira (mangle)
- On a happier note, Marc López: “Sería un sueño jugar los Juegos Olímpicos” - an interview with Marc! (mangle)
Videos:
- Interview with Toni in Spanish.
Photos:
- Need a mood-lifter? Nida’s posted her photos from the last day of the 2011 Davis Cup final.
- I like this photo because it hasn’t been Photoshopped to death. They have somewhat human looking skin! I’m too lazy to look and see if it was in the original set of photos released. Besides, someone sent me the link and posting it helps flesh (no pun intended) out a lint post. There’s a few more in the gallery - click around.
- Rafa’s 2008 Olympics medal
Is Federer going to play at the exhibition in Real Madrid’s stadium? First it’s said he is, then no, he turned it down. (Which, I can’t blame him, it’s between two very important tournaments that are in the same place…why travel?) I’m guessing the answer is no and they don’t know who the other player is yet. Which begs the question - why announce it already?
I’m off to Palm Springs at the crack of dawn tomorrow. Play well with each other while I’m gone. I’ll be busy, but trying to keep an eye on you. Not as busy as I originally thought, because my friend in LA decided to take a temporary job in London instead of hanging out with me in the desert. The nerve! I’ll post when I can - excuse me if it’s not frequently. Feel free to help your fellow RafaFans out by posting links to articles, pictures, videos, etc, as comments to this post.
Articles:
- People of Influence: Number 7: Rafael Nadal - via thetennisspace.com
- USTA to move U.S. Open men’s final - by Greg Garber (espn.com)
- Viggo Mortensen admires a lot of people - including Rafa. (via boston.com)
Photos:
Rafa does social media:
- Rafa shares evidence that Roig has bad taste in shorts too.
Tweets about Rafa:
Sorry if this makes things scroll…but Rafa pics! :) (Thanks, Atch2)
NADAL JE T’AIME twitter.com/DahanMaxime/st…
— Maxime Dahan (@DahanMaxime) February 29, 2012
Me revoila avec mon sauceRafa twitter.com/DahanMaxime/st…
— Maxime Dahan (@DahanMaxime) March 1, 2012
RAFAEL NADAL twitter.com/DahanMaxime/st…
— Maxime Dahan (@DahanMaxime) March 3, 2012
