ARTICLES:
- Coaches’ reactions to the men’s singles final (via Roland Garros)
Toni Nadal: “At the end of the fourth set, Rafa was cramping up everywhere and he almost couldn’t go on. We really had to fire him up because we knew that if he didn’t win the fourth, he’d lose the fifth because Novak was stronger than him physically. At the end of the match, when he came up to me in the stands, he told me that we needed to get the doctor to come and see to him because he was really, really exhausted.”
- With “positive energy” and “the highest possible motivation” (via Gerry Weber Open)
“It’s an honour for me to be part of it. I arrive in Halle with the highest possible motivation.” Nadal will meet Germany’s Dustin Brown in his first match on Thursday. “That’s a dangerous draw,” said the 28-year-old from Majorca. “It’s not the perfect entry into the tournament because Dustin is such a tough opponent. You never know what to expect with him. He plays with a lot of inspiration, very aggressively. It’s going to be a really big challenge for me.”
- Time to Say Uncle (via tennis.com)
On Sunday, Rafa was widely praised for winning his 14th Grand Slam title. What went unmentioned was that his uncle had won his 14th Grand Slam title as a coach. We spend a lot of time wondering whether Rafa could one day be considered the greatest player of all time. But we might want to start asking another question: Is Toni Nadal already the greatest coach of all time?
- Rafael Nadal’s mind-boggling French Open dominance in one beautiful graphic (via USA Today Sport)
- Rafa Nadal: “Ver a la gente feliz me da mucha energía positiva” (via AS)
Hombre… a mí lo que sí me gusta es ver a la gente feliz. Mi carácter es que mientras a mi lado vea más gente feliz, pues más felices estamos todos. Ver a la gente feliz a mi alrededor es algo que transmite y que me da energía positiva.
Los amigos son los que están contigo habitualmente y los que conoces desde niño. Con Djokovic no tengo un roce diario. Pero puedo decir que es un buen compañero.
- Nadal, convertido en estatua de tierra batida (via ABC)
- Roger Federer: Happy for Rafael Nadal (via tennisearth.com)
“I was very happy for him because it’s tremendous what he proves on clay every year. You have to raise your hat to him. For me, it was clear before that he is the favourite. Now, everybody says that it was evident that he’ll win. But before it was said that he can’t play tennis anymore because he had lost on clay twice. Therefore, I think it’s nice that he proved them otherwise.”
- Roger Federer: “Todo el mundo dice ahora que era evidente que Nadal ganaría Roland Garros” (via 20minutos.com)
Me alegré mucho por él porque es tremendo lo que demuestra en tierra cada año. Tienes que quitarte el sombrero ante él. Para mí, estaba claro antes que era favorito. Ahora, todo el mundo dice que era evidente que él ganaría. Pero antes se dijo que no podía jugar más al tenis porque había perdido en tierra batida dos veces. Por eso, creo que está muy bien que les demostrase lo contrario.”
PHOTOS:
- Lucha de colosos en París (via El Pais)
- Las nueve victorias de Nadal en Roland Garros (via Terra)
Congratulation!!! Rafa I your you fan from 2005.Every Grand-slam or Other tournament I had watch on television. I am from Bangladesh here is not good tennis players, May be you are not heard this country name. I am also not a tennis player. I am Scientist of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Now I am doing my PhD degree in South Korea. As I saw last two years your stamina might be decrease so I want suggest you you must need more technical against player basis, improving services and stamina. As fan I want to see more win not only Roland-Garros but also others grand-slam. I expect that you will win more 20 grand-slam. Best of Luck Rafa. If I will met in life, It would be awesome for me.
thanks for the info.At one instance I noticed Rafa feeling really exhausted when I noticed his leg locked for a while,but I just kept praying and tried healing him with my prayers calling all the angels and saints and Mama Mary to sustain him till the end and make him win.And then came the big surprise,a double fault from Novak!Praise the Lord!My prayers and the prayers of Rafans all over the world have been answered!Thank you all our guardians in heaven for making us all happy!Vamos Rafa we love so much!
Congrats Rafa
Wow it’s like his family friends and rafans helped will him to the win for me I could tell he was exhausted but kept hoping and praying for him to win you have made my year rafa I truly love u and wish u best of luck for rest of the season
Rafa is a true champion. Proud to be a RAFAN! Vamos! 🙂
you once again showed all not only whay a good player you are but what a modest good guy you are eres nuestro campeón Rafa
omg! but he wasnt cramping or limping in any part of the match like how he was doing in the AO final 🙁 he was playing amazingly well ( yeah i know rafa is unique) but any details on HOW IS HIS PAIN NOW?
I taught I read that Rafa will not be in this tournament , that he withdrew. True or not?
I wonder how many more times Rafa has to win the FO before he is given the respect he deserves, he wasn’t the favourite to win, Novak was, and yet Rafa has now won 14 Grand slams, his 9th FO and his 5th consecutive win. and Novak yet to win at RG. No disrespect to Novak both of them are truly wonderful tennis players, great ambassadors for their countries and for the tennis world, and either one can beat the other at some stage, as they have both shown, but here at RG Rafa owns this court the “Phillipe Chatrier” as we are reminded every year, he is very much at home on this court, as he has proved time and time again. They were both totally exhausted, in the hot conditions which makes me wonder why the game wasn’t played earlier or later for cooler conditions. Surely Rafa is due to have his favourite court named after him the RAFA NADAL court definitely not RAFA GARROS.
Soooo wanted to know what he did say to toni. Hoping rafa recovered now and good luck tomorrow 🙂 and exactly that soooo glad he proved everyone 🙂 vamos rafa! X
Now you know 🙂