- Nadal, Tomic to team up at Indian Wells | tennismash.com
The official acceptance list for the Indian Wells doubles draw was finalised on Monday, and an unusual pairing caught everyone’s eye.
Rafael Nadal and Bernard Tomic will team up for the first time and have used their singles rankings to gain entry into the field.
Both Nadal and Tomic have doubles rankings outside the top 100, but their ability to use their singles rankings – No.6 for Nadal and No.31 for Tomic – put them ninth-highest on the entry list with a combined ranking of 37.
- David Ferrer Hopes Uncle Toni Stays With Rafael Nadal | beinsports.com
“It did surprise me a bit,” Ferrer said. “I am pretty sure he will have his own thoughts and there is still a long way to go this year. Maybe what he thinks now will change at the end of the season. It would be sad not to have Toni on the circuit.”
… “It makes me so happy seeing Roger and Rafa back at their best level,” he said. “They give a lot to this sport and as a fan of tennis, I like to watch them. Besides, Rafa is a great mate and I have played almost all my career alongside him and Roger. So the longer they go, much better.”
- Uncle Toni and Rafa: A timeline of triumph | tennis.com
On his path to becoming one of the greatest to ever play the game, Rafael Nadal has had his uncle and coach, Toni Nadal, there with him every step of the way.
… It’s impossible to predict what will happen next in Nadal’s career, but there’s still a long season with Uncle Toni left to go, and no one can count him out on the Parisian clay.
Peter Fleming: “Rafa is a creature of habit – he needs structure – and I do think that he was caught off guard when Toni said ‘I’m not doing this next year’. I think Rafa probably took a little time to get accustomed to it but it’s an opportunity for growth.
“Carlos Moya, who grew up in Mallorca, and was Rafa’s idol growing up as a kid is now in the team as his coach and Francisco Roig has been there for many years on a part-time basis.
“It’s not like Toni’s job is really crucial to the team – I think it will be fine.”
The Swiss tennis great made the confession at the unveiling of the new tournament scheduled for Prague in September which will pit a Bjorn Borg-captained European team against John McEnroe’s rest of the world.
Federer, who beat Nadal in an epic five-set Australian Open final last month, admitted on Monday: “I’ve always wanted to play with Rafa… just because our rivalry has been so special.
Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic are still the top two men’s players in the world, respectively, and Roger Federer won his 18th Grand Slam at the Australian Open last month. But none of those players, in Boris Becker’s mind, are the favorites to win the French Open. Rafael Nadal is the man to beat in Roland Garros.
If you can’t wait to Tuesday to see Rafa go on tennis world website and type in Rafa Nadal where you can see Rafa practising in Alcapo to finding out he is opening a restaurant (Tatel) in Beverly Hills with Enrique Igleslas and Paul Gasoline to finding out that Uncle Toni told Rafas’s father Sebastian about his decision to stand down next season and automatically thought he would have told Rafa . Worth a look .
Hi Vy, thank you for the update , watched the link,didn’t understand what was being said but don’t you just love listening to Rafa speak in Spanish . I didn’t realise how fast their language was. Counting down the hours now to Tuesday and have my fingers crossed that this will be the first of many trophies Rafa win this year. Djokovic ! Who’s that(haha) piece of cake Rafa .
Maria (Siberia) that’s old news on this site . VY told us that yesterday . It’s really time for a name change again. Can’t wait to see what you come up with next (something a bit more original than Maria Siberia or Afghanistan ) but as always ,we’d see Hmmmm….
Hi Maria. Here’s a bit of the “new news” from Rafa’s today interview with his sponsor:
🎾 He decided to play Acapulco again this year as the previous two years he played there were great years to him (2005 and 2013) so he hopes this year will be great too. Kind of a good luck tournament to him. 🙂
🎾 About Djokovic’s sudden appearance in the draw, it’s the same answer he always gives: Good news because if they meet it means he’s in the SM or F.
🎾 And finally, uncle Toni! Because Toni is family and has always been there for him since he was 3, whatever Toni decides wil be fine with him. He only want the best for him.
So everything is still so “Rafa” and will always be. 🙂
Oh and here’s the link (in Spanish):
https://youtu.be/ny3x1w6mot0
Some Breaking News: Novak Djokovic has just secured wild card entry into Acapulco!!
As sure as hell, Nadal’s not gonna find this funny at all! What should Nadal do now?
Hmmmn….But as always, we’d see.
Rafa will go to Alcapulco and play as he was intending to play….Hmmmmmmmn What esle to you expect!
Else do you expect? I should be more careful when I’m using sarcasm! hmmmmmmmn !
Thanks maria. That was more than I knew.
I don’t know when his first match is but YB has put Tuesday . BTSport2 10pm
SkySpts2 and SkySptsmix start at midnight 27th
Is it right he doesn’t play till Tuesday Maria? I thoughr they would be early evening matches UK time? Are they late night?
Hi Susie, yes hopefully they will televise it and Rafa stays injury free so you will get to see him play. Have just been looking up the times for Rafas’s next tournament , looks like it’s going to be a late one again , I have found three channels that are showing it. Just have to make sure I record the right channel that’s showing his match
Hi maria. I go to the Czech Republic quite often as I love it there and was there last Sept so I thought why not when I heard the laver cup was going to be played there. Getting the tickets was traumatic but it’s done now. I’d take you with me if I could! But I’m sure it’ll be televised as it’s the 1st time it’s being played so look out for it. 22nd to 24th September.
That’s great news Susie , I’m green with envy