ARTICLES:
- Rafa Digs Deep (via ATP World Tour)
… When asked about the first set, Nadal said, “[It was] very tough. I think I played a great set. But the court is fast. His serve was huge. He came to the court with that determination to hit every ball by taking the ball earlier, hit the ball very quick [and] go for the big shots in every moment. So [it] was very difficult to stop him.
“[The] positive thing [was that] when he was playing well, I was playing well too. I was able to resist. If I was not playing well, I [was] going to lose that set. After that, I was able to maintain the level.”
- Has Golden Era of Men’s Tennis Ended with Nadal and Djokovic Battles? (via bleacherreport.com)
… Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic stand alone in men’s tennis. While the two superstars vie for the No. 1 ranking, the rest of the ATP has faded from relevant contention. The Golden era of great rivalries, brilliant tennis and compelling stories may have already ended.
- Carlos Moya Says Rafa Nadal Essential to Davis Cup Success Next Year (via stevegtennis.com)
… “I know that history has shown the top 10 players tend to miss the opening rounds,” Moya said in a presentation in Madrid on Thursday. ”There’s still time to talk [with Rafa]. He’s immersed in a fight for the top spot in the rankings now but later we’ll talk and see what he has in mind.”
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Rafael Nadal: what you might not know about the celebrated winner of the 2013 U.S. Open men’s singles! (via styletome.com)
… Some of the world’s most famous sports icons are known for their superior skills and record-breaking achievements on the court, field, track and in the arena. However, some of these stars shine so brightly in their sport that spectators don’t even notice their strange performance habits and routines. One of the most well known examples of this is Rafael Nadal.
VIDEOS:
- Nadal defeats Wawrinka to reach the semifinals at Shanghai 7-6 6-1 – Last Game! (via YouTube)
- Full Match: Nadal vs Wawrinka (via YouTube)
- Rafael Nadal Interview: The new world number one remarkable come-back (via YouTube)
- INTERVIEW: Rafael Nadal reflects on his victory over Stanislas Wawrinka on Friday and looks ahead to his Shanghai Rolex Masters semi-final against Juan Martin del Potro. (via YouTube)
- Shanghai 2013 Friday Hot Shot Nadal: With Stanislas Wawrinka at the net, Rafael Nadal turns defence into attack to earn Friday Hot Shot honours at the Shanghai Rolex Masters. (via YouTube)
- Shanghai 2013 Saturday Semi-finals Preview: Novak Djokovic will play Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Rafael Nadal faces Juan Martin del Potro in the Shanghai Rolex Masters semi-finals on Saturday. (via ATP)
PHOTOS: Rafael Nadal celebrates after defeating Stanislas Wawrinka in Shanghai