(AP) – Rafael Nadal advanced to the French Open semifinals for the 10th time when Pablo Carreno Busta retired from their match because of injury.
The fourth-seeded Rafa, a nine-time champion at Roland Garros, was leading 6-2, 2-0 when Carreno Busta stopped. It was not immediately clear what was wrong with Carreno Busta. The 20th-seeded Carreno Busta had taken a medical timeout after the opening set.
After the match, Rafa said:
I don’t know how many games I lost this year, but I really don’t care about this. I only care that I am in the semifinals.
The past few months, I have been playing very well. I have played good matches on the whole and now I am in the semi-finals.
Rafael Nadal of Spain looks on during mens singles quarter finals match against Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain on day eleven of the 2017 French Open at Roland Garros on June 7, 2017 in Paris, France. (June 6, 2017 – Source: Adam Pretty/Getty Images Europe)
Rafael Nadal of Spain plays a backhand during mens singles quarter finals match against Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain on day eleven of the 2017 French Open at Roland Garros on June 7, 2017 in Paris, France. (June 6, 2017 – Source: Adam Pretty/Getty Images Europe)
Rafael Nadal of Spain plays a forehand during mens singles quarter finals match against Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain on day eleven of the 2017 French Open at Roland Garros on June 7, 2017 in Paris, France. (June 6, 2017 – Source: Julian Finney/Getty Images Europe)
Rafael Nadal of Spain serves during mens singles quarter finals match against Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain on day eleven of the 2017 French Open at Roland Garros on June 7, 2017 in Paris, France. (June 6, 2017 – Source: Adam Pretty/Getty Images Europe)
Rafael Nadal of Spain looks on during mens singles quarter finals match against Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain on day eleven of the 2017 French Open at Roland Garros on June 7, 2017 in Paris, France. (June 6, 2017 – Source: Adam Pretty/Getty Images Europe)
Rafael Nadal of Spain looks on during mens singles quarter finals match against Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain on day eleven of the 2017 French Open at Roland Garros on June 7, 2017 in Paris, France. (June 6, 2017 – Source: Adam Pretty/Getty Images Europe)
Rafael Nadal of Spain looks on during mens singles quarter finals match against Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain on day eleven of the 2017 French Open at Roland Garros on June 7, 2017 in Paris, France. (June 6, 2017 – Source: Adam Pretty/Getty Images Europe)
Rafael Nadal of Spain looks on during mens singles quarter finals match against Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain on day eleven of the 2017 French Open at Roland Garros on June 7, 2017 in Paris, France. (June 6, 2017 – Source: Adam Pretty/Getty Images Europe)
Rafael Nadal of Spain in action during mens singles quarter finals match against Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain on day eleven of the 2017 French Open at Roland Garros on June 7, 2017 in Paris, France. (June 6, 2017 – Source: Julian Finney/Getty Images Europe)
Rafael Nadal of Spain looks on during mens singles quarter finals match against Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain on day eleven of the 2017 French Open at Roland Garros on June 7, 2017 in Paris, France. (June 6, 2017 – Source: Adam Pretty/Getty Images Europe)
Rafael Nadal of Spain looks on during mens singles quarter finals match against Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain on day eleven of the 2017 French Open at Roland Garros on June 7, 2017 in Paris, France. (June 6, 2017 – Source: Adam Pretty/Getty Images Europe)
Rafael Nadal of Spain leaves the court following victory in the mens singles quarter finals match against Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain on day eleven of the 2017 French Open at Roland Garros on June 7, 2017 in Paris, France. (June 6, 2017 – Source: Adam Pretty/Getty Images Europe)
Rafael Nadal of Spain leaves the court following victory in the mens singles quarter finals match against Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain on day eleven of the 2017 French Open at Roland Garros on June 7, 2017 in Paris, France. (June 6, 2017 – Source: Adam Pretty/Getty Images Europe)
Spain’s Rafael Nadal waves to spectators as as he leaves the court after his opponent Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta withdrew with an injury from their quarterfinal match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, in Paris, France. Wednesday, June 7, 2017. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Rafa will next face Dominic Thiem, who defeated defending champion Novak Djokovic 7-6 (5), 6-3, 6-0 in the quarterfinals.
Source: The Associated Press
“Different players weigh in on Nadal’s umpire complaint.”
Nole: There are some chair umpires that I remember in some matches that I wasn’t happy with how they did their job. But I never thought of requesting a chair umpire not to be a chair umpire in my matches.
“Players and the tour have acknowledged that such requests are common. But there seems to be agreement that top players should not get more influence than others.”
Roger: All players should be treated equally. The players understand that every request cannot be granted. ….you can make a request but it doesn’t mean you are going to get it. It goes back to the same thing that everybody is requesting things when they want to play.
Stan: I have already made such request over a short period of time for direct problems and issues I had with the umpire. So when the player makes such a request, it should be granted only if the umpire has made mistakes or faults. If it’s just because you don’t like the person, this request should not be accepted.
Jo-Wilfred: There is one umpire I have the feeling that each time I played with him there was something that happened, whereas most of the time nothing happens with the umpires. But that’s the way it is. If really they don’t get on and it creates major problems on the court, then it’s okay. But if it is because the umpire is not in his favor during the match but still follows the rules, then I do not understand.
Andy: The time rule is there for a reason.
[Tennis.com]
What makes Rafa’s situation so controversial is that his time violations have been an issue from the beginning of his career. Some players may feel there are rules for Rafa and different rules for everyone else. If the ATP is serious about applying the rules, it must be done equitably, and across the board.
RAFA ROCKS
It’s nothing new. That Ramos guy has a long history with Rafa. To the point Rafa had to openly said he was feeling like he was being targeted by that umpire, you know it’s most likely to be the case than it’s not.
The thing with that time violation (TV) he gave Rafa is, Bautista’s average time between serves was 23 seconds, only ONE second faster. Here’s the sreenshot:
https://s6.postimg.org/sk6748fr5/image.jpg
Rafa lost the point after losing his first serve and consequently faced a BP, but he brushed it off swiftly by winning the next 3 points in style. 😀
“Andy Murray was bemused by the chair umpire’s [Ramos] decision to give him a time violation when he was preparing to serve during his quarterfinal win against Kei Nishikori.
Murray was tossing the ball up when umpire Carlos Ramos gave it.”
‘It’s possible that I’m playing too slow. I don’t know because we don’t have the clock on the court, so it’s impossible for us to tell.
I have never had any issues with him before. I think he’s a very good umpire. It was just today. It was just strange how it came about.'”
[By the Associated Press]
Nole reportedly had a run in with Ramos this FO after hitting a “fake ball” at the umpire. I would have given him double the allowable violation.
[From the link within the above Associated Press excerpt.]
RAFA ROCKS
At the beginning of 2013, the ATP announced it was trying to crack down on violations of the 25-second rule, in response to the six-hour Australian Open final between Nadal and Djokovic the previous year. But here we have an umpire [Bernardes] who has actually applied the rule, only to be kept away from Nadal’s matches since.
The incident highlighted a fundamental weakness in a sport where the officials are effectively employed by the players. [The ATP is constituted as a 50-50 alliance between players and tournaments.]
[By Simon Briggs, 2015]
RAFA ROCKS
Correction: The entire Briggs’ excerpt should be in quotes.
Hi Rafa good luck you are playing very good tennis this year is yours vamosssssssssssssssssssss all the way you can do it🎾🎾🎾🎾👍👍👍👍😇😇😇😇❤️❤️❤️🇺🇸
Rafa sorry about your mate Pablo,
now all the best for the game against Dominic,
I pray you play really strong and aggressive and go hard for it,
Love and Prayers,
AlaineXXSydneyXXAustraliaXX
Congrats Rafa my boy. Get well soon Pablo. Continue ‘Rafa the Legend’ by emerging victorious tomorrow King of Clay! It’ll be a tough fight. The strong young Austrian Flying Horse n the famous young Spanish Raging Bull! Go Rafa Go Get Em. Vamos Rafa. God bless you. Your Aussie Abuela Nan Shirley. 🐂⏳👑🎈🎈💥💥😀😊😇
Both Novak and Rafa have both had a few problems with time violations from umpire Carlos Ramos this week now Andy is joining the list. Watching Andy/ Nishikori match on Eurosport1 and Andy is having words with the umpire.Commentator’s said Carlos had actually done Murray a favour as his annoyance about it had fired him up .Mats Wilander said Carlos Ramos does
get on Rafas’s case. He also went on to say that he saw Carlos Ramos taking photos with the fans and Mats words ” So I guess are you the umpire that Nadal never wants in the chair again, can I have a selfie please. I suspect Rafas’s not the only player who feels like that.
Unfortunately I couldn’t watch much today due to work. This reminds me of an occasion last year (don’t remember the tournament or umpire, sorry), where Andy got a time warning and proceeded to play like he’d had 10 cans of Red Bull. When he’s in the mood, that kind of thing works for him. I also recall (again don’t remember who) a player commenting about umpires wanting to be the centre of attention. Sounds like Ramos might have been the guy… erm you don’t have a job unless there are talented tennis players out there – get over yourself.
Anyway – if it happens to Rafa, I hope he doesn’t let it affect his game in a negative way. Rafa follows the harder but more satisfying path of being the decent, sporting human being… who still wins.
Do it your way Rafa! Vamos!!
Rafa juega agresivo tu ouedes eres el mejor, eres nuestro champion vamos por la 10ma. VAMOS RAFA
Rafa did not get a proper warm up to be ready for the fight at the semifinals. Hope he will come out blazing with a lot of offense and grab that crucial first set. I know Dominic will be extremely aggressive starting out as well. The first set will be an epic fight and I believe if Rafa is victorious, he will pull out the win in straight or at most 4 sets.
Go Rafa!
Wonder when Novaaaaaak will pick things up where he left them a year ago. This is not good Novaaaaaaaak! I mean, in all fairness, Rafa “threw away” some good years (yes, had he brought in Moya in the fall of 2014, things would have looked really differently in 15 and 16 for SURE), but we can say that Novaaaaaaaak threw away one full year now himself. Imagine how close he even came to winning US Open while he was not focused at all. This is the period that Federer waited for for 5 years. The moment both Novaaaaaak as well as Rafa weren’t at full strength. Wimbledon can basically be handed to Fed like this. It sickens me. Let Rafa then at least win La Decima.
jason,
I believe if nadal wins la decima he should go for a stunt at wimbeldon. He will be not the favorite at wimbeldon but the trophy in paris will lift him from pressure on not winning a grandslam. He wil have nothing to lose at wimbeldon you never know what result that can bring. The key between nadal and thiem will be the first set. So far this year everytime nadal wins the first set he wins the match. If nadal wins the first set against thiem i think nadal will win in four. If nadal loses the first set thiem will get more confidence and nadal will have difficulty turn it around. I dont see nadal coming back for two sets to love against thiem that is just too much even for nadal. So the first set is the key
According to Moyà, Rafa is definitely playing Wilmbledon. Have you heard something to the contrary?
RAFA ROCKS
Rafa’s match I watched on Eurosport was interrupted first by injury break then by the passing to Djoko match. I agree that Rafa does not receive the attention he deserves as no. 4. Seeing the end of the match on a Belgian channel, I could observe Rafa’s empathy with Pablo. What a kind person he is.
As for Djoko-Thiem it was more Djoko throwing the towel intimidated by Thiem than being beaten to a pulp as the match statistics would suggest.
WAMOS AGAINST THIEM RAFA, NO INTIMIDATION FROM HIM MUCH AS HE IS A TALENTED PLAYER.
REMEMBER NO ONE HAS YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS ON CLAY AND PROBABLY NO ONE WILL FOR A LONG TIME TO COME.
YOU ARE THE BEST AND NOT ONLY CLAY.
SO WAMOS WAMOS WAMOS
Congrats on reaching the semis, Rafa 👍🏻 Sorry for Pablo 😣 Hope he’s feeling better soon 🤗
Now on to the semifinals. – Go get it Rafa 😘 You can do it 🎾💪🏼 The best of luck champ – Do your magic 💫🍀🤞🏻❤️
VAMOOS!! 👊🏼🎾🌟
I am so sorry I could not see the match. Do you know what happened to Pablo.
Rafa, with all my respect, I don’t understand anything you said in the interviews. You are playing with your hair, you speak so fast and it is impossible to listen to you.
Sorry fans, we must tell the truth. Have no idea what he said. Don’t want any nasty e mails from you.
Hi Susana. – No nasty response from here 😊🌸 Guess Pablo retired because of a painful abdominal injury/sprain 😣 – As always Rafa showed much sportsmanship and compassion 🤗
I don’t understand much spanish either, but here the commentator translated it into danish – I’m from DK 🇩🇰 – and afterwards I have read it on “Tennis News” as well 😉
So disappointed have only seen Rafa play once and that was due to rain. I am a huge fan and have watched him for many many years. Once again his match with Busta was not televised as our programming began at 8AM and the match had already been played. Rafa is currently # 4 and should be given more exposure. He has well earned this.
Not the way Rafa wanted to win, but a win is a win – Sorry for Pablo. Now against Thiem. Be aggressive and go for it. You can do it. Vamos Rafa <3