ARTICLES:
It’s been a long wait but Rafael Nadal finally landed his first European clay court title of the season and extended an 11-year record as he won the ATP World Tour 500 tournament in Hamburg Sunday.
The top seed beat Italy’s Fabio Fognini 7-5 7-5 in a hard-fought final lasting over two and a half hours.
- Nadal Beats Fognini For Hamburg Crown (via ATP World Tour)
“I lost the last two times against him, so I knew it was going to be a tough one,” said Nadal. “I think I had a great attitude the whole match, very positive, fighting for every ball. I had some tough moments on court, lost opportunities, but every time I came back and I kept fighting with the right mentality. I’m very happy for the victory. It is an important victory for me.”
“Now the hard-court season is starting, it’s a different story,” said Nadal. “But at the same time, I’ll keep going with the same mentality and this title helps to be a little bit more calm and add some points to my [Emirates ATP] Ranking to try to finish the year in the Top 8 again.”
- Nadal exacts Fognini revenge in Hamburg final (via AFP/Yahoo Sports)
Nadal has now won the Hamburg title twice after a previous success in 2008 — his last appearance — and has 47 claycourt titles.
“I had some cramps which wasn’t very pleasant,” said 29-year-old Nadal.
- Nadal recupera la gloria (via El Pais)
Resulta que en el momento de los discursos, Nadal se tiró la mano a la pierna derecha. “Vais a tener que traer una camilla para que pueda salir de aquí, estoy acalambrado”, dijo entre sonrisas.
Nadal entendió que debía madurar el partido, que no se acabaría por la vía rápida. La paciencia y la mentalidad ganadora habían regresado.
- Rafael Nadal claims 67th career title in Hamburg, but is he good enough to challenge for US Open? (via Eurosport)
Any title success has to be welcomed, and this should restore confidence to Nadal’s game that seemed to dissipate during Wimbledon. He will go to Flushing Meadows under the radar as fifth favourite for the US Open behind Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka. He is perhaps fifth of a ‘big five’ but at 12-1 must be worth a flutter for what he can be on top form. This is a man who has won the US Open in 2010 and 2013. Write him off at your peril.
- Rafael Nadal v Fabio Fognini: Hamburg Open final 2015 – as it happened (via The Guardian)
PHOTOS: Nadal downs Fognini to claim Hamburg title
VIDEOS:
Fabio to Rafa: “What do you want? Don’t break my balls! It’s always the same thing.”
“¿Qué quieres? ¡No me rompas los huevos!”. Fognini a Nadal. pic.twitter.com/6xg6yQrmRP
— Nacho Mühlenberg (@NachoMuhlenberg) August 2, 2015
- Fognini Barks at Nadal During Hamburg Changeover (via Tennis Now)
- Rafael Nadal cramps up during victory speech, laughs through it anyway (via SB Nation)
- Rafa Nadal and Fabio Fognini play fantastic rally in Hamburg final (via Sky Sports)
- Rafa Nadal serves with a big bee on his back (via Sky Sports)
- Nadal Discusses 2015 Hamburg Final Win Over Fognini
I was so proud of your win in Germany. I really believe you are on the right
Track. Patience in your progress. Steady climb will come and you will be back to a higher rank. I know you are anxious to improve. Believe in your self because I certainly believe in you. You have given our family many great hours watching you on the court
Thanks Elizabeth Howard ……. WOW how great …. good for you for being there witnessing Nadal’s very special win!!!! : ) : ) Agree, Rafa’s calmness & focus were outstanding & it was heroic of Rafa to display such patience & steadfast determination , continuously playing his game & earn a sweet victory!!!!!! : )
Viewing from home, pretty much one could see what you were describing…. both Rafa & the kind umpire had to put up w frequent unprofessional display of F irritated behavior ….. Not the first time F exhibits an outrageous lack of sportsmanship on the court & a good, constructive consolation for his future matches is in call here. I felt a sense of relief when the match was over…. & ever so pleased Rafa won!!!! : ) Thanks for your post! : )
I was in Hamburg and cheered on behalf of all Raftans. Great victory and the most pleasing aspect was his calmness under pressure. I feel that this is an important watershed in his getting back to top form. As for Fognini, many versions of the exchange. The version I was told is, that Fognini accused Rafael of slowing down play to frustrate him. Rafa did not respond initially but eventually told him that he (Fognini) was talking quite loudly as Rafael served at one particular time. That is true and as he could be heard from where I was seated behind Rafael’s serve. I do not think that Toni Nadal was causing any problems. Fognini is quite “daft” and his losing control had the adverse result. Rafael went back on court and taught him a lesson. Rafael got a great reaction from the crowd. Vamos Rafaaaa
Best man won,but it was very close,fog should control himself more,a very good player and a good match.
Rafa is a class act Fabio always love drama and attention he was losing and got upset blaming Tony ! Yeah he patted Rafa on his back but Rafa is human and has aright to give Fabio a cold handshake as well. Rafa is a champion in loss and win !
Not sure what that conversation was about, but it seems like Fognini was complaining about Rafa’s team in the player’s box. Apparently they were bothering the Italian during his service games. If that’s true, then Rafa should have stopped it immediately, or not have allowed it to begin with. That’s bush league stuff. Very unprofessional. Fognini is a good sportsman. He applauded several of Rafa’s shots today, and even gave him a pat on the back during the post-match handshake. I don’t speak Spanish, but the translation of their dialogue by Cristina does not reflect well on our favorite player. Come on Rafa, you’re better than that.
VAMOS!!!
Fog was complaining for everything. Uncle Toni was saying ‘vamos’ which is nothing bad but Rafa also heard things from Fog box but he didn’t complain about it. Fog is simply a bad loser and always like to make the show when he is losing. He also said that some shots of Rafa he considered ‘lucky’, lucky shots of the 9 RG Champion? come on, it’s ridiculous. Both are good friends but the Italian went too far this time
please lol, I love Fabio, he is a great player, definitely an entertaining character and a nice guy overall but he is NOT the greatest example of good behaviour on a tennis court. I find you quite quick to judge your “favourite player” without knowing anything about the situation and without understanding what they are saying…
“I find you quite quick to judge your ‘favourite player’.” Quite true, that statement. I find this poster’s statements to be tiresome. He labels himself a Nadal fan, but I have not found a single entry by this poster that is not duplicitous. It’s all fine and well to say you are “realist” when it comes to your fandom as opposed to following a rosy path of blind optimism, which seems to be his stance, and which quite frankly, appears to have an air of superiority to it that he likes to lord over the fans here who simply love Rafa because we do, but to make the comment above without seeming to possess the knowledge that every tennis fan should have by now that Fognini is a just a tool sometimes, and take Fabio’s side without giving benefit of the doubt to Rafa, who quite decidedly is not a tool, smacks of somebody who either is not really a fan of Rafa, or doesn’t know as much about tennis as he thinks he does.
http://indavideo.hu/video/ffrnhExchange_between_FF_and_RN_Hamburg_02_08_2015
It’s hard to tell what’s Fog complaining about, even though he speaks in Spanish throughout. I think I hear Rafa saying something inaudible at the beginning of the clip, maybe saying to Fog to talk about it in the lockerroom, going by Fog’s “in the locker? (at least that’s what I think he says), what do you want?”. Rafa says “you’re wasting your time, I told you…” and Fabio “yes, because he’s talking before the match, don’t bust my balls, if everytime he does always the same, always the same, always the same”. Rafa says something inaudible. Fabio answers “I told him before, when I was serving, not when you serve, and he hasn’t done it, and he hasn’t done it, don’t bust my balls”. Rafa points to Fog to go back to his seat, which Fabio does. You can hear the ump going “Fabio, Fabio” lol.
Anyway, not sure what the whole thing was about, but it seemed like Fabio was pointing at Toni in the audience?, who else could it have been?.
Then you can see Rafa say to the umpire, in English, “then in the locker room he’s hi hi everything is fine”.
i need someone to translate their conversation please
RAFA, LE ROMPISTES LOS HUEVOS A FOGNINI CON ESA TREMENDA ACTITUD Y CON ESA TREMENDA PALIZA QUE LE DISTES EN LA CANCHA,VOLVISTES RAFA ,HOLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.
Well said!
Fognini is just a clown. Enjoy your win Rafa! Vamos <3 <3 <3