ARTICLES:
“Yes. I couldn’t do this work if I thought that he couldn’t win more Grand Slams. No, no, no, I think that he can win more Grand Slams. He can win the Australian Open in January. And he can win Wimbledon, too. The last few years, Rafael arrives at Wimbledon and he loses early, and very fast. And, in Roland Garros, for sure, Rafael can win. In tennis, you need confidence to do things. It’s impossible to do anything without confidence. You can’t win any good tournaments if you think you cannot and you don’t believe.”
- Top 32: Rafael Nadal is ‘only’ No. 5, Nishikori has to be healthy (tennisreporters.net)
Look, in 2016, if he is much more confident, then he will be more aggressive. When he is facing the other best of the rest, he will get right in their face.
Nadal’s phenomenal lefty forehand can dominate anyone, but his backhand is still a little weak, especially down the line. His first serve has been strong enough, but he can be predictable. The same goes with his return and net play: he can be very effective, but as he says, that is only when he is feeling completely right.
- 2016 Preview: ATP No. 5 Rafael Nadal (tennis.com)
Best Case Scenario: Nadal is one of the game’s all-time greats. It took him longer than usual to find his form in 2015, but he located it in the end. In the past, his best has always been good enough to dominate. A fourth year-end No. 1 finish isn’t out of the question.
Worst Case Scenario: The fear is that 2015 was the first sign of his inevitable slowing. Nadal has always relied on his strength, speed and stamina, and none of those things are going to last forever. Last year, he appeared to turn a corner with his game half a dozen times, only to turn right back around again.
- Nadal: “El tenis aún me hace feliz” (El Pais)
Cuando han venido mal dadas, ¿ha notado más o menos apoyo de los aficionados y los suyos?
Rafa: “Generalmente siento el apoyo y el cariño de la gente. Soy una persona bastante familiar, mis amigos son mis amigos de toda la vida y tengo compañeros por todo el mundo. Realmente tampoco espero más de lo que hay, compañerismo y una buena relación. Yo sé quiénes son mis amigos y mi familia; fuera de esto, tengo muy claro qué le interesa a la gente de mí. No es el Rafa Nadal persona. El interés sobre ti es por lo que tú haces, no por ser Rafa Nadal, ciudadano de Manacor; es por ser Rafa Nadal, tenista, número x del mundo. Yo tengo muy claro por qué me quieren ver o por qué se interesan por mí. Es por lo que he hecho y por lo que he representado durante todos estos años, no porque yo, Rafael Nadal, sea una persona especial. Soy especial dentro de la pista, pero fuera de ella soy un ciudadano más, como cualquiera.”
- Rio Olympics: Spain’s Garbine Muguruza and Rafael Nadal could team up for mixed doubles (The Courier Mail)
With Olympic tennis gaining interest in the playing ranks which it once did not have, Nadal, the gold medallist in the men’s singles at the 2008 Olympics, has said he wants to play for three medals at the Rio Games in August.
Conchita Martinez, captain of both the Spanish Davis Cup team and Fed Cup side, said yesterday she would like to see Nadal and Muguruza team up at the 2016 Olympic Games as their country’s highest-ranked singles players.
PHOTOS:
- Rafa at the opening of the new Rafa Nadal Foundation Center in Palma de Mallorca
- #NadalEnInformeRobinson
VIDEOS:
Can’t wait for the tennis to start again in January .Good luck to Rafa in Australia hope this is the best year ever. Happy New Year to Rafa and his family and to all Rafa Fans x
Dear Rafa: Wishing you a very Happy New Year. Hoping that 2016 is a great year for you in every way – health, peace, love, joy to you in the new year and beyond. I hope and pray that you have one of your best tennis years ever. That would mean biting many trophies. God bless you Rafa. Love, Marylynn
Happy new year to Rafa and all Of his fans.
Shahin
Happy New Year and good luck for the new season! Vamos Rafa!
VAMOS Rafa ❤️🎾💪😊 Happy new year and all the best of luck for 2016 🍀😃⭐️😘
I am just so happy Rafa has his confidence back. When that happens, Rafa fires on all cyclinders with all his weapons.
Rafa did display top form at end of 2015 season and on the hard courts.
Just can’t wait for the 2016 season to begin. Best wishes and good luck in 2016!
Estoy de acuerdo con Tio Tonny pero para mi tu si eres especial como jugador y como persona porque pocos jugadores son tan humildes como tu y es por esa razon que te has hecho querer de la gente a ma de tus triunfos, Vamos Rafa
I believe in Toni’s opinion. He has always been very truthful. I think Rafa will come back strong. It sounds like a good idea to couple up Mugarusso with Rafa.
I hope he does well and believes as much in himself as all his fans always will.
Good Luck for 2016 Rafa!! hope you win many more Grand slams, have a Happy New Year!
VAMOS DEAR RAFA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) 🙂 ci….ci….ci…. Uncle TONI KNOWS what he is talking about when it comes to TENNIS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) His assessments and realistic views regarding your beautiful strong TENNIS are right on!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) I have a;always admired his TRUTHFULNESS & HUMBLE DIRECTNESS when describing your BLESSED TENNIS. YOUR FOURTEEN BRILLIANT GRAND SLAMS DEAR RAFA ARE MAGNIFICENT & MORE WILL BE YOURS with YOUR CURRENT FANTASTIC MOMENTUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) ci….ci…..ci…..ci…..ci…..&…. CI……. YOU ARE PLAYING BEAUTIFULLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) & YOU ARE FLYING TO THE VERY TOP A MATCH AT A TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOUR SOLID MUSCLES & GREAT SHAPE ARE FANTASTIC & SO IS YOUR IMPROVED SERVE, COURT MOVEMENT, SPEED & NET REACH…… ALL THERE FOR YOU!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) GOD BLESS YOU SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! INCREDIBLE ALL THE HARD WORK YOU PUT INTO IMPROVING YOUR GAME OVER THE YEARS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! KUDOS RAFA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) YOU ARE VERY SPECIAL & GIFTED PLAYER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : )
Uncle TONI IS THE BEST COACH EVER COACHING TENNIS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) & Uncle TONI happens to be also THE WISEST COACH EVER WITH RESPECT TO TENNIS KNOWLEDGE & GAME WINNING EFFECTIVENESS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) UNCLE TONI ‘S opinion about THE SPORT & your POWERFUL TENNIS & GRAND SLAM SUCCESS is PLATINUM GOLD…..& HE IS RIGHT KNOWING YOU HAVE MORE GRAND SLAMS AHEAD OF YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU ARE TOP TOP BEAUTIFUL PLAYER!!!!!!! YOUR AMAZING TENNIS DEAR RAFA IS AS POWERFUL & AS CURRENT & TOP AS EVER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) 2016 WILL BE A NATURAL CONTINUATION OF YOUR RECENT GRACEFUL RIDE & SUCCESSFUL WINNING. VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is so great to see you competitive & feisty & NO ONE OTHER PLAYER IN TENNIS HAS YOUR BRILLIANT DETERMINATION & PASSION and LOVE FOR TENNIS & WINNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ENJOY LOTS & LOTS OF FUN EACH DAY sweetheart & KEEP YOUR PHOTOS COMING!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE LOVE SEEING THEM!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : )
Lots of love & happiness and Felis La VIDA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : )
Cannot possibly even reply to fan love to the same extent, but I do believe and always have that Rafa will come back much better in 2016, you only have to see the last few months whether competition or exhibition, the passion and desire to win is back. Vamos Rafa 😀😄😄😌😺
Good luck for 2016. Vamos Rafa!!!