For the past few weeks, we’ve asked you questions and given you a ton of choices to make about Rafa’s fantastic year in review. We received a great response and hundreds of Rafans voted. While it was difficult to narrow down such an epic year to a few categories and moments, we can all agree that some things will just be the epitome of the year that was 2013, the return of King Rafa.
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What was your favorite on-court outfit?
This has been a season of hits and misses for Rafa and Nike. Some fans loved the outfits throughout the year, some thought that the look was boring and one dimensional. One definite hit, though, has been the short shorts. The two most popular outfits on our poll were, coincidentally, worn at the peak of the summer, and also at the peak of Rafa’s winning spree. And the winner is…
(M.Stockman/C.Brunskill – Getty Images, via C.Nguyen BTB)
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What was Rafa’s best tournament of 2013?
The answer should be easy: His favorite Grand Slam, the French Open. Sure enough, Rafa played one of the most memorable matches of his career there. This year, however, Rafa just lit up the outdoor hard courts, and it culminated at the US Open, a tournament he wasn’t the ‘favorite’ to win, but that he absolutely owned. If there was ever a Grand Slam Dunk, this was it. And 56% of you agree. Beauty.
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What was Rafa’s best match of 2013?
Like we mentioned earlier, Rafa played one of the most memorable matches of his career at Roland Garros this year. The match wasn’t a final, but rather, a semifinal in a final, against then No.1 Novak Djokovic. It was bite-your-nails-off, edge-of-your-seat exciting. It had us pacing, praying, screaming, while Rafa merely carried on, oblivious to our suffering, pointing fingers and biting his t-shirt. A whopping 60% of you picked the French Open semifinal as the best of the year. The US Open final, also against Djokovic, came in second at 34%.
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What was your favorite quote about Rafa?
People like to talk. There aren’t many active professional sportsmen, however, that get as much respect all-around as Rafa does. The quote that you chose as your favorite is…
“During the match, the thought that kept coming to my mind was that I was watching a genius. It’s like Chopin who was born to compose music. Nadal was born to win tennis matches.” — Wojtek Fibak, Novak Djokovic’s coaching consultant
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What was your favorite off-court outfit?
We know that Rafa looks good in anything he wears, so it was difficult to narrow down the choices for this category. Comments on the poll suggest precisely the same, with jeans being quite popular. The winner of the poll is:
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Picture of the year!
Can Rafael Nadal ever take a bad picture? The answer is NO. Whether he’s dripping in sweat on court, splashing about in the sea, drinking a strawberry milkshake, or caught sitting bored, there isn’t a single photograph of Rafa that cannot be justified for existing. So as far as photographs go, you’ve picked this to be Rafa’s picture of the year. Tada! We see a USO theme here!
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What would you like to happen for Rafa in 2014?
As for us, we want Rafa and his family to be healthy and happy, in 2014 and always. From the choices we gave you, you picked — complete a Calendar Slam (win all 4 Majors in 2014).
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Did you enjoy our Rafa Awards? Something amiss? We want to know! Comment please!
tu es le plus beau
I want him to win the Austrian Open 2014 that would be awesome! Can you imagine the match!!
I’ve said it before and I will say it again – I hope and pray that in 2014 you are healthy in mind and body. I hope that you are happy, content and very motivated to find out what you need to do to improve your tennis game. I hope and pray that you are confident, and able to have good concentration/and intensity so that you feel good about taking the ball early and not playing too far behind the baseline. I also hope and pray that you know in your heart that you can find a solution to any opponent’s game know matter who your opponent is. God bless you in 2014 and I hope you are victorious and win very much. Love you Rafa, Marylynn.
TE DESEO QUE SIGAS CON TUS TRIUNFOS, QUE SON MERECIDOS, QUE PASES MUY FELIZ NAVIDAD Y EMPIECES 2014 MUY FELIZ CON TU GRAN FAMILIA…Y…QUE PASA CON TU NOVIA, NO PIENSAN EN CASARSE?… VAMOS RAAAAAFAAAAA, AAAA GAAAANAAAR CAMPEOOOON, TE QUEREMOS¡¡¡¡¡¡..
Fabulous
Interesting! I like how Vamos Brigade does it!
Looking forward to see how other Rafans voted 🙂
Love Rafa!
Rafa is so great! Hope 2014 will be as great as this year! VAMOOOOOSSSS RAFA!!!!!
good health Rafa and your family..God grace and give you strenght to play TENNIS and have time with Xizca
Whatever you do, or you look like, you always look great and nice.
Wish you a successful year 2014, and keep move on in your career. <3
Loved the idea of Rafa’s awards and agree with all the results. Well done.
We wish Rafa a Very successeful year with many more trophies that may keep him being the number one…!!!! Health, and happiness because your happiness is also ours…!!!!
Happy Xms, Rafa, and THANK U for being what u are! May 2014 be as wonderful as this year!!! VAAAMOOOSSS RAAAAAFAAAA CAMPEOOONNN!!!!!!!!!!!