Rafael Nadal is to warm up for Wimbledon with two exhibition matches at the Aspall Tennis Classic at Hurlingham. The event runs from Tuesday 27th – Friday 30th June 2017 and is the perfect warm-up to Wimbledon.
Other ATP players included in the line-up are World No. 1 Andy Murray, World No. 6 Milos Raonic, World No. 13 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, World No 14 Tomas Berdych, World No. 17 Lucas Pouille and World No. 252 Tommy Haas.
Joining them will be some of the sport’s favourite legends – former British No. 1 Greg Rusedski, two-time grand slam finalist Mark Philippoussis, former World No. 4 Thomas Enqvist, 1986 French Open finalist Mikael Pernfors and Mansour Bahrami.
UPDATED: Rafa will play two singles matches across the week; taking on Tomas Berdych on Wednesday 28th June and then Tommy Haas on Friday 30th June in his preparations for a third Wimbledon title. His last appearance at The Hurlingham Club was in 2014.
Rafa:
The Aspall Tennis Classic at The Hurlingham Club is a lot of fun and it’s always exciting to play in front of the UK fans, so I can’t wait to return this week. I’m working hard and enjoying every week as it comes, so this is the perfect way to get ready for Wimbledon.
Rafa’s high level of confidence, his great gift of intensity, and his ability to deliver on a 150% level gives him an edge over any opponent. He’s been shining all year and will continue to shine. He is on a mission to make up for lost time. He wants Wimbkedon and I trust he will not be denied.
RAFA ROCKS 150%
If Tweet is correct, Berdych won the match 6-3, 6-2. I don’t like this.
RAFA ROCKS
Not a great result, but first match on grass for a long time. I think we just have to consider it good practice.
You’re so right Sarah. Your comforting words are welcome. I guess I’m spoiled because of Rafa’s great winning scores.
RAFA STILL ROCKS FOR ME
Have a great match Rafa. FEEL THE GRASS.
RAFA ROCKS
Rafa is scheduled to play Berdych at 3:30pm local time. Please remember match times can change.
RAFA ROCKS
Rafa all the best for your exhibition matches and the first week at Wimbledon,
love and prayers,
AlaineXXSydneyXXAustraliaXX
Rafa said he is “optimistic,” not pessimistic. A champion such as Rafa has extremely high standards so anyone else’s 100% is Rafa’s 150%, as most people know.
His confidence is at a high level now, but as you can see from my earlier post he always has doubts; doubts about what he can accomplish, doubts about his greatness. He’s a humble guy. He will be fine at Wimbledon.
RAFA ROCKS
I hope the exhibition matches go well for Rafa ,and give him some confidence going into Wimbledon as it sounds as if Rafa hasn’t been that happy with his first practice week on grass in Mallorca , and doubting his game going into Wimbledon
Nadal: ‘My level is not sufficient to play Wimbledon the way I want to
‘My current level is not enough to compete the way I want in Wimbledon. I will practice for seven days in London, where I will play two exhibition matches that hopefully will be useful. I have not been playing on grass for two years and we will see if I will be at a good level.
I skipped Queen’s because I was returning from very tough months, but obviously I would have liked to be there because it would have been better.’ ‘I am aware that in the last years knees were a limit for me.
It didn’t allow me to play at a good level. You will have to see how they react, because here I adapted progressively, but next week I will have to step up and play against High level professional players. I am optimistic, I only hope to practice and compete free.’
For me it’s important to prepare well ahead of the first match. It would be fundamental to win first two round matches.’
Rafa, hopefully Wimbledon will be another feather in your cap , but whatever the outcome I know you will give 💯%, and what you have achieved this year has been over and above all expectations.
Per Aspall Tennis Classic, Rafa will play Berdych on Wed and Haas on Fri.
Hi YB, do you know if it is being televised?
Hi Maria, I couldn’t find any info on that, other than Tennis Channel in the US is not broadcasting it.
For anyone interested, Tennis Channel is showing the 2008 Final on Wed and Thurs night.
Thanks YB, it doesn’t look like it’s being televised in the UK either , which is such a shame when you have the two top seeds playing, I thought that might have swayed it . Will just have to wait another week to see Rafa.
IMG announced that David will play one match at Hurlingham but did not say against whom, nor the day.
RAFA ROCKS
Words of wisdom from Rafa:
“I have doubts every day but that’s good as it makes me work hard with more intensity. I have doubts today, I had doubts in the last three years, I will have doubts in a few days.”
“To win ten Roland Garos is magical.”
“At 4-1 in the third set I knew I was close. At 5-1, I thought probably I am going to win this. …..But I have come close before–in Australia this year and in 2012 in Australia. So my mentality was that I could not give Stan the chance to get back into the match.”
“If I win, I have chances to become No. 1–if I play well, why not?
[SuperSport, June 11, 2017, 21:34]
Is the exhibition match being televised?
i mean djokovic, Murray and federer
to me it comes to a couple things if rafa wants to win wimbeldon
– Serve well. He is going to need it against the returns of djokovic, nadal and off course federer
– Return well against the big servers
– move well. That is why i hope his knee will hold on grass
– Forehand cross court and down the line need to go well
– Net game. That means coming to the net. He needs to try to keep the rallys short
– Selfconfidence. The first matches will be important. If rafa gets through them easily his confidence on grass will be improved.
If Nadal gets through the first week he is going to be a contender for the title
The Sanish press says that Rafa will play one exhibition match against Ferrer, which I don’t think a good idea AT ALL. Murray, Berdych, Raonic, Tsonga or even Haas will be a much better preparation for Rafa. Can’t wait!
Sorry. Spanish.
David is known for his no quit attitude. IF he does play Rafa he may just up his game against a very fit Nadal. Why not a good idea for them to play each other?
But Ferrer is playing the Antalya Open this week. How could Rafa play an match with him?
Rafa get ready for Wimbledon good luck to vamossssssssssssssssssssssssss Champ.🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾👍❤️❤️
Congratulations to Feliciano Lopez on winning Queen’s. Well deserved. Both Feliciano and Marin played great, entertaining tennis! Apparently Rafa should be seeded 3 or 4 at Wimbledon, so he should be in the opposite side of the draw to Roger and would not play against him until the final.
Well done to fellow Spaniard and friend of Rafa’s 35 year old Feliciano Lopez who has just taken the title at Queen’s , so happy for him . Keep flying the flag for Spain Until Rafa conquers Wimbledon once more.
🎾💪🏼🇪🇸😊
Enjoy Rafa 🤗❤️ – L👀king forward watching you play 😍👍🏻
VAMOOOS!! 🎾💪🏼😘🍀🌟
Rafa is happy, healthy, fit and confident. That is so positive. I feel that he will do well in Wimbledon.
We do not know what conditions Carlos set out before he joined the coaching team, so let us keep the speculation to just that. Neither can we forget what Toni brings to the set up. He is the most successful coach in tennis history. Yes Carlos has added a new dimension to the set up.
Wishing Rafa every good wish in Wimbledon.
There is no speculation concerning what Carlos and Rafa agreed to before Carlos would agree to coach him.
There were three stipulations put to Rafa before Carlos would agree to join the team. One was nutrition, one was that Rafa would not play if there were even a hint of injury, and the third may have been scheduling. I posted from his interview shortly after Moyá came on board. The source material, as always, was included.
RAFA ROCKS THREE STIPULATIONS
“Rafael Nadal will enter Wimbledon mentally and physically fresh,” says coach Carlos Moyá.
Rafa took time off to visit Ibiza; he posted an Instagram pic of himself on his new Gocycle G3, and he has been training against local Spanish players on the grass courts of Mallorca, giving coach Moyá enough reason to be optimistic. “Rafa is listening to his body even though he wants to play. He has realized that health is the first thing.”
[Sai Mohan, ibtimes, June 24, 2017]
MOYÁ ROCKS
Moya seems to be a calming influence on Rafa, encouraging him to “listen to his body” which he hasn’t always done, persisting in playing when he obviously wasn’t fit to do so. I read that Moya agreed to become Rafa’s coach on the condition that if he was at all injured he stop playing. A very sound piece of advice for a 31 year old Rafa who cannot take the risks with his health that he did in his younger days.
Here’s hoping that Rafa’s knees hold out. It would be wonderful to see him lifting that Wimbledon trophy for a third time, but even if he gets through to the 2nd week it will be a big improvement from recent years and would greatly add to his points total since he did not play at all last year.
If he stays injury free I am optimistic that he will be number 1 before the end of the year, or sooner. If he achieves this, it will be for a fourth time. !! ( 2008, 2010, 2013. – 20017?? _)
Beverley, maestro of wisdom, “calming influence” is the phrase that has eluded me throughout my many Moyá posts.
There were three stipulations Rafa had to agree to in order for Carlos to join the team; one was change of nutrition regimen, one was that Rafa would not play even at the slightest hint of injury, can’t remember the third. Better scheduling?
Rafa has built up more muscle, Carlos explained, to better protect the joints. And nutrition has a lot to do with that. This is what makes me so hopeful for Wimbledon.
A lot more goes into winning a tournament, other than nutrition and muscle, but Rafa in his present form has a very good chance of winning his third Wimbledon title; confidence and fitness are the major contributors to help him do it.
RAFA ROCKS
Feel the grass and get into the groove sweet Rafa. Have fun and tell those knees of yours to behave because you have VERY important business to attend to.
Enjoy, stay confident and focused. I wanna see your poker face.🤗 Keep ’em guessing.
RAFA ROCKS
Margo, thanks for the compliment but I don’t know how ever I can live up to “maestro of wisdom”. I just write things as I see them – sometimes clearly, sometimes not.
Thanks for reminding me that Moya had given three stipulations to Rafa before agreeing to be his coach. I was just so relieved to see that Moya insisted that Rafa stop playing when there is any sign of injury that I forgot the rest.
Uncle Toni has been a wonderful coach, whom I always defended against those who wanted him gone, but I feel Moya brings that balance between Toni’s “tough love” approach and Moya’s more practical one. It is a balance which seems to be working well for Rafa.
Here’s hoping for a successful, injury free, Wimbledon for our hero.. !!
Hi Beverley, just now saw your response.
Stop it maestro, I’ve always enjoyed your posts because they are usually full of wisdom.
I apologize for making you think I was reminding you of the three stipulations. That was more for the many new “faces” here. Just in case they were unaware.
You got it so right, I feel, about “calming influence.” I have commented that Rafa seemed calmer but I did not stop to think that it is more likely due to the presence of Carlos.
Yes, Carlos is sooo smart for making the “do not play when injured” stipulation. When I first read that, I said Rafa is a man of his word and will abide by that agreement. I cannot express to you the joy that that stip brought me. To this day I think of it knowing that Rafa will not play if there is a hint of injury.
And yes to an injury-free and successful Wimbledon.🤗🌺
How’s the shoulder doing?
RAFA ROCKS
Hi, Margo, In answer to your query re. my shoulder, progress is slow ( possibly due to my age, although I never “think old” ). Still having physiotherapy but being able to drive again after so many months is a big bonus. Thanks for thinking of me.
Very happy news. Not being able to drive was a bummer for you, if I remember correctly.
RAFA ROCKS
Good luck and Vamos Rafa <3
Hi RAFA Fans, should Rafa’s knees stand without pain, I’m quite sure he will have the confidence to show himselfand us some great matches. His first serve and the daily % will be the key to see if he arrives the 2nd week. So lets stay patient, full of hope and push for our best player ever. Vamos muchachas y muchachos!!
Wanted him to participate in this. A great news. Rafa have fun n at the same time keep sharpening your skills.
Vamos
A good, fun way for Rafa to ease himself into Wimbledon.