A few photos from Rafael Nadal’s Tuesday practice session with his coach Carlos Moya at the Mallorca Open, where his uncle Toni is the tournament director.
PALMA DE MALLORCA, SPAIN – JUNE 18:Rafa Nadal arriving to train at Santa Ponsa tennis club during the WTA Mallorca tennis tournamenton June 18, 2019 in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. (Photo by Clara Margais/Getty Images)
PALMA DE MALLORCA, SPAIN – JUNE 18: Rafa Nadal stretch the knee during his training with his coach Carlos Moya at Santa Ponsa tennis club during the WTA Mallorca tennis tournament on June 18, 2019 in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. (Photo by Clara Margais/Getty Images)
PALMA DE MALLORCA, SPAIN – JUNE 18:Rafa Nadal trains at Santa Ponsa tennis club during the WTA Mallorca tennis tournamenton June 18, 2019 in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. (Photo by Clara Margais/Getty Images)
PALMA DE MALLORCA, SPAIN – JUNE 18:Rafa Nadal trains at Santa Ponsa tennis club during the WTA Mallorca tennis tournamenton June 18, 2019 in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. (Photo by Clara Margais/Getty Images)
PALMA DE MALLORCA, SPAIN – JUNE 18:Rafa Nadal trains with his coach Carlos Moya at Santa Ponsa tennis club during the WTA Mallorca tennis tournamenton June 18, 2019 in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. (Photo by Clara Margais/Getty Images)
PALMA DE MALLORCA, SPAIN – JUNE 18:Rafa Nadal trains with his coach Carlos Moya at Santa Ponsa tennis club during the WTA Mallorca tennis tournamenton June 18, 2019 in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. (Photo by Clara Margais/Getty Images)
epa07655673 Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal attends a training session at the Country Club in Santa Posa, Mallorca, Spain, 18 June 2019. Nadal prepares for the upcoming Wimbledon Championships. EPA-EFE/CATI CLADERA
PALMA DE MALLORCA, SPAIN – JUNE 18: Rafa Nadal trains with his coach Carlos Moya at Santa Ponsa tennis club during the WTA Mallorca tennis tournament on June 18, 2019 in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. (Photo by Clara Margais/Getty Images)
Sports Illustrated [SI.com] has added to the conversation about “empty seats” during a Slam. Following is an excerpt of an article about the 2018 French Open.
“This is an issue at every Slam, but this one [FO] especially. The grounds are absolutely packed with avid fans. The outer courts resemble subway cars at rush hour. You can miss multiple changeovers waiting for the restroom. And yet the big stadiums—the venues most often shown on television—are only fractionally filled. Part of this is the scheduling. (Where does it say that every French player with a pulse must play the big courts?) But part of this—and there’s a larger metaphor here, of course—is that the fat cats are indifferent about the corporate seats, while the real fans are priced out (or insufficiently well-connected.) Surely there’s a clever solution here…”
planet44blog, to stretch the knee simply means exercises to strengthen and help with flexibity of the tendons and muscles surrounding the knee.
As you can see from the photo, it doesn’t tell us much. Athletes routinely use different types of exercises for stretching the knees to try to avoid injury and keep the knees flexible. I trust that is what is going on here; prevention.
RAFA ROCKS
“prevention” — I like that word .. 🙂 Thanks
Really hope he is ok. Always a bad feeling when someone works on Rafas knee.
Great Prep Rafa…
Just look after your health Rafa
We are with you Rafa no matter what
Vamos Rafa #19 is coming
Last 10 slams
6 finals
2 semifinals
1 4th round
1 Quarterfinals
4 slams by Rafa
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
I just rewarded last year’s semifinal match against Novak . Rafa played well enough to win that match and I think the loss is a impetus for Rafa to successfully complete for this year’s Wimbledon title . I just hope that Rafa can stay healthy and not have to face Dustin Brown ! Vamos Rafa and let’s get this one !
jeffreytuller0325, I am hoping Rafa goes to Wimbledon with confidence knowing NONE of his opponents is invincible.
He said he came so close last year. Hopefully this year he can say “I did #3”. And if he wins Wimbledon it will also be #19.
Wishing him another Slam.
Rafa ROCKS
i agree . Rafa should fear no one and can beat all challengers . If he happens to face Dustin Brown , it would be Rafa all tge way !
Ok… with Rafa laying flat down, arms out, eyes closed…why is the trainer working on Rafa’s right knee?
I know , I know…he’s stretching it out…
Just gets me so nervous…
Those arms! Whoa! Hope you go sleeveless in London! Take care of yourself and be prepared to win, my hero!
Rafa always diligent as ever training and practicing to be better than yesterday always looking for small improvements that’s why he’s still winning GS and titles 18 years later fantastic Rafa you are simply the best!
Go Rafa. Wimbledon is coming!
Hi Rafa, good to see you out there! Sure hope you are not having knee, or any other, problems. Praying for good health for you.
What that mean stretch the knee
It means Rafa might be feeling something in the knee ..like stiffness….and so the trainer is doing different things like stretching his upper leg and massage in order to “stretch the knee” to alleviate whatever it is Rafa might be feeling…