(AP) Right from the start, Rafael Nadal was running on empty.
He showed the effects of his long layoff from a wrist injury on Thursday, losing to Borna Coric 6-1, 6-3 at the Western & Southern Open.
He was sluggish and well off the mark on his shots and had a trainer visit between games to check his shoulder and elbow, which were feeling the effects of a lot of tennis at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and two days in Cincinnati’s heat and humidity.
After the match, Rafa said:
Too tired. Elbow, shoulder. Two and a half months without competing and especially without practicing, and to do what I did in the Olympics and come here – too much.
Borna didn’t give me many chances. He was playing his serve huge. I need to be in better shape to compete.
Rafael Nadal, from Spain, returns a serve during a match against Borna Coric, from Croatia, at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016, in Mason, Ohio. (AP Photo/Frank Victores)
Rafael Nadal, from Spain, serves during a match against Borna Coric, from Croatia, at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016, in Mason, Ohio. (AP Photo/Frank Victores)
MASON, OH – AUGUST 18: Rafael Nadal of Spain hits a return to Borna Coric of Croatia during a round three match on Day 6 of the Western & Southern Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 18, 2016 in Mason, Ohio. Coric defeated Nadal 6-1, 6-3. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
MASON, OH – AUGUST 18: Rafael Nadal of Spain hits a return to Borna Coric of Croatia during a round three match on Day 6 of the Western & Southern Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 18, 2016 in Mason, Ohio. Coric defeated Nadal 6-1, 6-3. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
MASON, OH – AUGUST 18: Rafael Nadal of Spain hits a return to Borna Coric of Croatia during a round three match on Day 6 of the Western & Southern Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 18, 2016 in Mason, Ohio. Coric defeated Nadal 6-1, 6-3. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
MASON, OH – AUGUST 18: Rafael Nadal of Spain hits a return to Borna Coric of Croatia during a round three match on Day 6 of the Western & Southern Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 18, 2016 in Mason, Ohio. Coric defeated Nadal 6-1, 6-3. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
MASON, OH – AUGUST 18: Rafael Nadal of Spain hits a return to Borna Coric of Croatia during a round three match on Day 6 of the Western & Southern Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 18, 2016 in Mason, Ohio. Coric defeated Nadal 6-1, 6-3. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
MASON, OH – AUGUST 18: Rafael Nadal of Spain hits a return to Borna Coric of Croatia during a round three match on Day 6 of the Western & Southern Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 18, 2016 in Mason, Ohio. Coric defeated Nadal 6-1, 6-3. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
Borna Coric, right, from Croatia, shakes hands with Rafael Nadal, from Spain, after defeating him at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016, in Mason, Ohio. (AP Photo/Frank Victores)
MASON, OH – AUGUST 18: Borna Coric of Croatia hugs Rafael Nadal of Spain following a round three match on Day 6 of the Western & Southern Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 18, 2016 in Mason, Ohio. Coric defeated Nadal 6-1, 6-3. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
Rafa missed two months because of an injured left wrist and returned to the courts in Rio, where he lost in the semifinals and won the doubles title.
The lack of matches showed in Cincinnati: Rafa double faulted five times and had 27 unforced errors. Coric surged ahead 4-0 in the second set and closed it out in an hour and 11 minutes.
Source: AP
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LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. IF IT TELLS YOU TO STOP TRAINING AND RELAX DO IT. THEN WHEN YOU FEEL RECOVERED GET A NEW TRAINER. FAMILY ARE IMPORTANT BUT A TRAINER WHO HAS NO LINK WITH YOUR FAMILY IS MUCH BETTER. THERE ARE MANY FORMER WORLD CHAMPIONS WHO WOULD APPRECIATE THE CHANCE TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR PROBLEMS. BORIS BECKER, JOHN MACKENROE ARE JUST 2. GO FOR IT RAFA AND WE WILL SEE A NEW, FITTER, HEALTHIER AND STRONGER PLAYER. I AM STILL YOUR OLDEST AND PROUDEST FAN..
Rafa says “I need to be in better shape to compete”. Really.??? That is an obvious understatement! Never mind commitment to tournament directors. Don’t be a martyr Rafa. If your body says NO then DON’T!!! Listen to your body. Listen to your fans. We know you want to make the end of year world tour finals in London but it’s not the end of the world if you don’t.
Loyalty to your uncle can only take you so far. Get someone else to join your team with a more objective view on things like John MacEnroe. He loves you. We love you!!!!😀😄😄
Hope you’re not right about Toni thinking this is not “manyl”, but my thoughts were right the same. Oh dear, I don’t know…
Btw. imagine they are reading what we are writing and analysing here. I’m sure they don’t, but if they did I wished the ground would open and swallow me up. I don’t want to be offensive, but all this storys around Rafa keep my thoughts occupied.
I’m off to work now.
Wrong placement. Should be an answer to Margos post in the bottom.
@Fedallica
Don’t worry about them reading about what his true fans are worried about. They will have to face reality, eventually. They have known since Rafa’s childhood that Rafa has suffered from phobias and OCD behaviors. When will they finally say the heck with everything, let’s get Rafa the professional help he needs. His parents need to step up to the plate as they seem to have the most influence over him.
RAFA ROCKS
Take Time off Rafa, have a good rest, at home in Mallorca, then come back refreshed and injury free, even god forbid you have to miss the U,S Open, It is not worth it if the injuries are still there Good Luck and Hope to see youj back well and fit very soon Vamos Rafa
Ok, so rafa played too many matches and has lack of match practice? I conclude that his brilliant team has failed him once again. Very smart, a downward spiral of 35 months goes on and still he stays with toni.
To much to soon Rafa , I’m in no doubt with rest you will be back in form in no time . Can’t wait.😂
Après 1 telle intensité des matches aux jo de Rio jusqu’à parfois 2 matches par jours 1 manque d entraînement suite à sa blessure du poignet rafa a subi le contrecoup à cinci ! ! Rien de bien étonnant donc à cette défaite à cinci ! Tout devrait rentrer ds l ordre avec 1 peu de repos et de l entraînement car rafa est 1 champion !!!! Vamos rafa 👍❤
I AGREE WITH TERESA, HE SHOULD REST AND TALK TO SOMEONE HE HAS DEMONS. SEEN THIS FOR A WHILE ..
SO RAFA GO HOME TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND STOP. DO NOT EVEN PRACTICE;;; ALL THAT HAS BEEN SAID TODAY SHOWS HOW MUCH YOU ARE LOVED THAT INCLUDES YOIUR BODY WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT YOU .SO PLEASE.. YOU NEED YOUR LIFE TO BE RESTFUL NOW FOR A WHILE GO HOME PLEASE BE WITH YOUR FAMILY AND LOVELY MARIA.BLESS YOUXXXXXXX
Even amateur athletes know rest is the most important component of any training program. You can’t perform if your body is exhausted. Rafa had to know he had no chance of getting anywhere in Cincinnati, the state he was in. Why did he even travel?
I love Rafa, I just don’t understand him.
I agree that he had to have known he was not ready for the W&S. One excuse for participating was that he didn’t want to go home. Another was that he wants to be eligible for the World Tour championships at year’s end. Both excuses are now moot because he was physically unable to sustain another tournament immediately after Rio.
Few understand Rafa, including me. His mom said he is full of paradoxes.
RAFA ROCKS
No gas left in Rafa’s tank. Pain in his shoulder, ankle, elbow, wrist……Rafa why didn’t you retire from the match after the first set instead of punishing your body like that? You must listen to what it’s telling you now more than ever! Managing your schedule sensibly is the key to your longevity!!!! Take a leaf out of Roger’s or Novak’s book. You have the heart of a lion and I truly admire your fighting spirit but common sense must prevail if you are going to have any chance of winning another slam.
Go and get some rest so that you can heal your body, mind and soul for the US Open. At least there you will get a day’s rest in between rounds. YOU WILL RISE FROM THE ASHES!! I’M WITH YOU ALL THE WAY. GOOD LUCK ❤️❤️❤️
Rafa you are simply MARVELLOUS to even have attempted to play in Cincinnati after such a gruelling week at the Olympics.
You know it is time to rest now.
You know that you can play unbelievably as you showed at the Olympics without so much practice.
So most important thing at the most is to completely rest and rehabilitate your wonderful body,
so you are fit and able for the US OPEN.
Love and PRAYERS,
AlaineXXSydneyXXAustraliaXX
don’t know why rafa played this.tournament
The poorest performance from rafa after long time …i want to forget this match
But it happens rafa after playing so much after injury
Rafa seems not mentally prepared for the match from the onset
Coric served great
rafa please work on ur returns …sometimes the opponent gets so much free points from this
I’m sad by this match
But keep practising
Please take rest now. See you at the US-Open. Vamos Rafa!!!
Rafa has the heart of a lion, but his body often lets him down. He keeps trying to compete, which is one of the many reasons we love him. I think many of us suspected that he would be too tired, but yesterday’s match surprised us. I guess his Olympic hangover took an extra day to sink in. I hope that he gets lots of rest and lets his wrist heal. He will always have the incredible memories of Rio for his entire life.
Andy beat Anderson big time: 6-3, 6-2. I wonder if he can make it to number one before year’s end.
Rafa never had to play in Cincinnatti but he did, now he can take a rest to be in better conditions in the USO even if he can’t reach the #4. If he is able to play well he will can go far
RAFAEL , I’M EXTREMELY SAD TO SEE YOU IN THIS STATE. 😯😯😯😯ALWAYS WANTING YOU TO BE INJURY FREE AND HEALTHY. YOU KNOW BEST WHAT YOU ARE DOING. BUT, MY HUMBLE REQUEST IS PLEASE GO EASY WITH YOURSELF. WE NEED YOU AROUND, DEAR, WITHOUT YOU ,TENNIS IS NEVER THE SAME.
PLEASE DO TAKE REST,🌛🌛🌛🌛🌛🌛 SO YOU FEEL FRESH FOR THE US OPEN.
YOU ARE A CHAMPION. 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, N STAY HEALTHY. 🍈🍉🍎🍏🍊🍋🍅🍇🍓🍒🍑🍓🍍🍑🍐🍉
LOVE YOU ALWAYS RAFAEL. 💙💙💙💙💙💔💓💜💖💖💖💖💛💚❤💟💞🌹
Love your sweet comments!
Great comments how I agree
Rafa has a never give up attitude even though his body is telling him “No No No”, he is fighting back with “Vamos Vamos Vamos”, so even the herculean efforts of a fight bull like Rafa are admirable, he is after all human and full of emotion. He needs some rest and relaxation time to come back stronger. I hope the 1 and the half weeks he has off with give him some needed rejuvenation and give his body some adequate time to recuperate. Hope to see a fresh Rafa there.
What he did at the Olympics was nothing short of amazing, bringing home another GOLD medal for his country so although he paid the price at Cincinnati for that Rio games triumph, I believe it was very well worth it. Cincinnati comes around every year and Olympics only once every 4 years. Rafa Rules so get rest and then Vamos!!!!!!!!!!!
Rafa has always set the bar so unbelievably high. Last week he won a gold with Marc Lopez
in men’s doubles. Yet he still makes it through to the 3rd round at this tournament as he did last year.
I look at it this way, he didn’t drop any ranking points. He broke even. All good.
On this same day, Stan, and Kei also lost. So what. These guys play week in and week out.
I rather see Rafa take some rest and be super rested and hopefully more recovered (if that’s possible) for the U.S. Open in 2 weeks. Look forward to seeing him compete after some
well-deserved rest. Always, with Rafa!
Instead of saying ” I need some more rest” Rafas answer is “I need to be in better shape to compete”. Instead of playing less, he now will announce to also play the the Laver Cup event which starts next year. This all is so Rafa-like. Diehard (and stubborn). It really should not be me criticising him as I love him, but sometimes it hurts to watch. I was afraid during the Olympic week that something like today is going to happen, and now I hope that it is really nothing very serious. Rollercoster-rides with Rafa.
We do not want to lose him for the rest of the season olny because he did not wanted to go home after Rio (I’ve read that he also said about his decision to play in Cincinnati: “I didn’t want to go home. I’ve been home enough the last 3 months.”).
Rafa, get well soon and please take a rest the next days!
Fedallica, I read that also about him playing W@S because he did not want to go home. Now I can’t find it but I found another stated reason for him playing in the W&S: so that he could play in the year end Tour, to be one of the eight in singles. I don’t know if these are rumors or if Rafa said these things.
When he is off tour we get little to no information about Rafa the tennis player, and when he is on tour the media take liberties in reporting things and writing out of context.
I guess now we are facing a dry spell since he is out of W&S. No news!!!! Crap!!!!
That’s true… now we’ll have another information- black hole, till the US-Open…
Since I’m back on Twitter, those Rafa- on tour days give me more information as I can get in a clear order. Would be great to see all his press conference – videos to, at least, get the information directly from himself. But I can’t find all of those press conference- videos.
On the other hand, Rafa himself (and not only the journalist) often gives inconsistent or confusing information. Like for example (in Paris) “I promise to only come back if the wrist is 100% healed” and some weeks later in Rio “if this is not the olympics, I would not yet compete.”
Agree with everything.
But most, if not all, interviews are in his own language when he is home. When I have listened to them I can make out only a few words. Unless someone translates them only those who speak his language understand.
Yes, he does give conflicting statements. But who knows what he is going through. He knows his time as a singles tennis player is drawing to a close. This could be very frightening.
He needs to rest up, make sure he is completely healed, and take stock of what he has to do to be the best that he can be. He has been playing tennis since the age of four. I cannot imagine the end of tennis for him. Neither can he.
RAFA ROCKS
Yes, exactly. And this is precisely why some part of me understands every irrational decision he takes about playing as much as possible, about living in the present, living all the thrill, as long as possible, no matter what. (The other part desperately screams “no, no, no, stop, Rafa, please rest!”).
Do not want to think about the end of his career, but I’m unable to stop this thought coming through my head, even more since that sad Australian Open final against Stan in 2014 .
I pray we’ll have him for 4-5 more years. But if this should happen without even more tragedy, it needs some considerated decisions from him and his team.
Just a note in relation to Rafa having access to adequate professionals, the Spanish health care system is ranked as one of the best in the world by the World Health Organization. Our head psychologists in the NHS are from Spain.
Hi Margo, it would depend on what the diagnosis was. If his rituals were down to OCD then his so called ‘time wasting’ becomes an issue. The tennis world would have the problem of either making allowances for a recognised condition and that player given special treatment i.e. extra time, if not they would be discriminating, refusing to recognise the condition or could even contend that he cannot play. Other players could contend that they find the problem distracting which affects their game detrimentally and, with diagnosis, this has to be taken seriously. Whilst the ‘rituals’ remains a simple idiosyncrasy of a player, then this is something other players would be expected to adapt to.
WOW excellent point! I was simply worried about his privacy.
I doubt it would come to that though because then the time rules of tennis would have to be revised. I don’t see that happening. His is not a physical disability. Your thoughts on this?
RAFA ROCKS
Fedallica, those are my thoughts too. He’s already thinking of competing rather than, what should be the usual reaction, to go away and lick the wounds and rest. I think the quote came from his post-match presser (I saw it somewhere on twitter). There was a time when Rafa wanted to get home as early as possible. I think resting his body, and slowing his mind down are too different things though. He will be forced to rest his body but cannot be forced to do the latter. He seems to be doing everything at speed; speaking, walking (which a reporter in Rio remarked on) and decision making. He is sweating profusely and ‘tic-in’ (which seems worse than ever) before he even picks a racket up – this must be mentally exhausting. He seems tetchier on court than what we’re used to seeing and less diplomatic and measured in his press conferences. We cannot get into his mind (excuse me if this offends – it is just my opinion) but there is something going on there which has been building up for a long time. He needs to see a psychologist or, at least, help with meditation or mindfulness techniques.
No Teresa, I agree. I was discussing this very same idea of things building up with Rafa to the extent that it became debilitating. How can anyone live with so many phobias, and OCD-type behaviors without becoming mentally exhausted.
I personally feel that as soon as he started exhibiting the many phobias, and the OCD behaviors as a child, his parents should have sought psychological help for Rafa. Who knows whether they did or did not.
These behaviors may have been borne out of a need to take control of stressful situations. I can only guess. I just pray that his current behavior you mention is due to fatigue.
RAFA ROCKS
I also asserted that since 2015 (or did it start in 2014, I’m not sure?) there seems to be more of this behaviour. It’s obvious that Rafa seems to be under a lot of tension most of the time. But the decision how to handle and live with those “strains” etcetera is something which everybody needs to decide for themselves, in my experience and opinion. Rafa was asked some months ago about this it in an interview he gave to spanish newspaper Elmundo, regarding the year 2015 when he had this anxiety on courts and spoke frankly about it. He answered he last went to see a psychologist when he was a child and could not sleep at night. Toni, when asked about the months that Rafa had this anxiety while playing, said that he will not speak with the press about this and if he had seen a psychologist would of cours not tell the press. That’s understandable. I do not think he went to see one but I have no idea. It would be good for him to find more ease, of course. But not easy to get constantly more peace of mind if this restlessness is part of your caracter.
Can’t express myself exactly way I would like to in my language.
Glad you too saw that interview with Toni. I am sure that Toni, Mr. Macho, feels it is not “manly” to seek a psychologist for help. Rafa has some deep rooted problems which may require more than just a sports psychologist. And, that would require Rafa to go outside of his close knit existence (family, team, et al.). Furthermore, if they did seek help, it would most likely have to be Spanish help, and not necessarily the “best” help. Let’s hope he gets it.
Well I am amazed! I had no idea he had seen a psychologist as a child for sleep problems! (he has said a few times he does not sleep much). I must find that article! My strong suspicion was, (after seeing the ‘Informe Robinson’ documentary) was that he had seen a psychologist. The reason I thought this was because he stressed that the ‘mania’ (his word) of pulling his trousers was something that ‘we cannot do anything about’ and spoke of the age it started of course. Now to know you ‘cannot do’ anything about something suggests a professional opinion. But, this is unlikely to be OCD, but a neurological problem (Tourette’s like) which is far more difficult to deal with. OCD is strongly associated with it. Like you, I have been very hesitant to write about these issues, but they have been coming up frequently in the press (and in interviews) so they know what people are speculating about. This was written recently by Matt Nicholas (The Modern Spectator). Excuse the long quotes:-
‘What happens when you aren’t able to find any correlation between the order in the world and the order you seek in your mind? [this is a reference to Rafa’s book] paralyzing anxiety, that’s what. He’s basically been trying to play tennis while suffering panic attacks.
‘To watch Nadal now is not only to witness the deterioration of an athlete’s skills and body over time, but also to worry about how he’ll process that deterioration mentally.’
‘Nadal has resisted consulting with psychologists or therapists of any kind, and instead has tried to cope with his on-court anxiety by rethinking and re-acclimating himself to what used to come naturally, which actually just seems like a DIY version of cognitive behaviour therapy.’
As articles go, it was insightful and not without sympathy. My overactive imagination cannot help thinking that if Rafa did have a formal diagnosis it could open a can of worms in the ATP.
Very interesting, Teresa, (as far as my english allows me to fully understand the Terms ;)) … will have to go over it again later.
The interview “Sufría un agobio interior. No controlaba la bola ni la respiración” is in spanish and still on elmundo.es homepage. I partly understood and partly translated it for myself with google translate. Here is the part I was refering to in my post above, sorry for not taking the time to translate now, as I’m at work.
P .Siempre se ha enfrentado a esas situaciones solo, las ha ido solucionando sin ayuda profesional. La figura del psicólogo es muy común en el tenis. ¿Nunca ha creído que podría serle útil?
R .Al psicólogo fui una vez cuando era pequeño porque me costaba dormir por las noches.
P .¿Qué edad tenía?
R .No sé, diez años o algo así. Pero no… También es un tema de hablar con la gente de al lado, estar cerca de la gente que te conoce bien. Uno puede tener ansiedad, pero también al final se va. En todo momento he pensado que las cosas iban a cambiar y a ir mejor. No tenía el control de la situación personal en la pista, y eso que entrenaba muy bien. Por mucha reflexión que me hiciera a mí mismo, ‘llevas no sé cuántos años aquí, has hecho todo lo que has hecho, ahora toca una época peor y no tiene ningún sentido tener ansiedad a estas alturas de tu carrera, cuando ya está prácticamente todo hecho’, aun sabiendo eso y teniéndolo muy claro en la cabeza, cuando llegaba el momento no conseguía tener el control. Pero, bueno, es mejor no seguir hablando de ello. Creo que lo he superado y que las cosas van mejor, ganando o perdiendo, pero al menos disfrutando dentro de la pista.
P .Los problemas del sueño no los resolvió del todo. Creo que todavía le sigue costando dormir alguna vez…
R .Dormir duermo bien a día de hoy [Risas]. No soy un gran fanático del dormir, toda mi vida me ha dado la sensación de que cuando duermo pierdo el tiempo. Pero también con los años he ido mejorando en eso y duermo mucho más que antes.
Teresa, why would a formal diagnosis “open a can of worms in the ATP?” I have read of other notables who have sought professional help without experiencing undue scrutiny. A diagnosis would be confidential.