Rafael Nadal

A page and forum to discuss all things Rafael Nadal.

Nadal 5

Current ranking: 14

Last result: Australian Open second round (lost to Mackenzie McDonald)

Next tournament: Roland Garros

69 Comments on Rafael Nadal

  1. Nadal doesn’t have mental problems.He never gives up.He simply can’t take the ball on the rise reliably,he can’t slice properly and he can’t volley very well.The problem for his style is that his legs can’t take him into position any longer.

    Reply

      • ha ha native is at her tricks again with stock phrases like “you do have a way with words” or you are cracking me up or thanks for setting the record straight or thanks for keeping it real……
        Well native you and your gang maybe hell bent on discounting Rafa but it is my opinion that Rafa is the GOAT. No doubt vr will describe my opinion as a joke or comical or delusional!!!

        Reply

      • Many tennis greats both past and present including McEnroe, Connors, Sampras, Agassi, Murray and Djokovic consider Rafa to be the GOAT. Only fed fans think GOAT is an absolute.

        Rafa is still the best.

        Reply

    • Hilarious!!! Native trying her hand at puns!!! Only thing is, it is not only a poor copy of hawkeye’s pun, it only makes native look, in vr’s immortal words, comical and delusional !!!! I am not Rafaisthebest!!! Too bad, guys, keep trying.
      What puzzles me is why you guys would think Rafaisthebest would need another moniker to be defender of the Faith? Why can’t she defend under her own moniker? When you thought I was carrie, yes, although you were wrong, it made sense for nadline to appear as somebody else. But in this case?
      If you guys want to continue making asses of yourself (in addition to what the creator had already done for you toward that end), it is ok by me. “’For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbours, and laugh at them in our turn?’” ( “Pride and Prejudice”). Just be cognizant that you appear even more comical than the Good Lord intended!!!

      Reply

  6. MADRID (AP) The newly appointed president of Spain’s tennis federation has moved to quell unrest among players by firing the Davis Cup captain and sports director.

    Fernando Fernandez-Ladreda Aguirre issued a statement Friday, a day after taking over as president, saying he had fired Gala Leon.

    Reply

  7. From Jon Wertheim’s SI Mailbag…

    How do you explain Nadal’s demise at Wimbledon? How do you go from reaching five consecutive finals (not including his 2009 injury absence) and winning twice, to not making it past the second round in three of the last four years? How do you go from beating Federer, Murray and Berdych, to losing to Rosol, Darcis, Kyrgios and Brown?
    —Gilad from Israel

    • It’s the difference playing with confidence and lacking it.

    #DingDingDingDingDingDingDing!!!!!!!

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    • It’s injury and bad luck coming up against big servers in the early rounds. Rafa has a target on his back. Brown said he just went for it, he knew it was a gamble but it would be no shame to lose to one of the greatest players of all time even if he lost 61 61 62.

      If Rafa wants a sports psychologist to help him I don’t think Toni will stop him.

      Rafa calls him Toni and everyone else calls him ‘Uncle’ Toni. 🙂

      Reply

      • Sorry, I should clarify that my comment was meant for hawkeye’s post @ 2:14 am.

        That just about sums up this situation and pinpoints the cause.

        Oh and Rafa has never needed to depend on luck, good or bad, to do what he has done in this sport. It’s said that someone who purports to be his biggest fan, would think that he has to rely on luck. 🙁

        Rafa needs help. I have not said that Toni has to go. I just think that a new person is needed for a different perspective. I don’t want to see Rafa looking the way he did after this latest defeat. He is suffering.

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  8. If Rafa insisted on keeping Uncle Toni as his main coach, I don’t think there’s much future in his tennis career. It’s apparent that Uncle Toni doesn’t know how to help Rafa retain his confidence, he’s been an expert in demeaning Rafa’s talent but has no clue how to pump up Rafa’s confidence. I am quite pessimistic, to be honest.

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  10. “Keep it real” is an innocuous expression for ‘those who think highly of Rafa are living in cloud cuckoo land.’

    “Thanks for setting the record straight” is a euphemism for ‘I agree that Rafa is not the best at whatever the subject under discussion is, even if the Fedex index says he is’.

    “Bravo” means ‘Glad you have the guts to stand up to Rafa defenders’.

    It wouldn’t be so bad if she ever agrees with anything positive about Rafa, but she simply jumps on any negative bandwagon going which is what irritates me and why I try not to read her comments. She is very hostile to anyone who sees Rafa in a positive light.

    Reply

    • nadline,

      See I can address you directly. Oh and thanks for reading my comments, even though you try not to read them. But you just had to do it, didn’t you! Love it!

      You have anointed yourself Rafa’s “best” fan and anyone who doesn’t go along with whatever you say, anyone who thinks for themselves here and says anything but worshipful praise of Rafa, is not a fan.

      There are no euphemisms for what I say, you just choose to distort and twist them for your own purposes. You have zero tolerance for independent thought. You are like a recording saying the same thing over and over – I am Rafa’s biggest fan, no one can say anything that is not hero worship about him, excuses must be made when he loses, Rafa must be defended even against other Rafa fans. LOL!

      I live in the real world. I am not the only one here who has noticed that you are not. You just think that Rafa needs luck and if he has bad luck then he loses. So who is disrespecting Rafa here?

      You may decide not to read this, you may decide to not address me by name and make your digs in a snide way, but you better be sure that I will say what I think even if that means praising another player. Rafa has been critical of his game and his interviews have been quoted showing just that. Yet you have decided in your infinite wisdom that no one here can ever do the same. Rafa has praised his rivals, yet you have decided in your infinite wisdom that no one here can do the same.

      You pretend to be Rafa’s biggest fan, but you do not act in the same way he does. You do not emulate your idol and that is a real shame. 🙁

      Reply

      • nativenewyorker7 says:
        July 4, 2015 at 3:11 pm,
        —Rafa has praised his rivals, yet you [nadline] have decided in your infinite wisdom that no one here can do the same.—
        ==========================
        –
        Someone has decided in his ‘infinite wisdom’ that posters here (on this site) can’t post any negative FACTS about Rafa’s rivals. 😆

        Reply

  11. hawkeye63 says:
    July 2, 2015 at 2:52 pm
    Del Potro was No. 7 in the world in 2010 after missing six months but you can believe that it’s another Rafa record if it helps you to sleep.
    ————————————————————————-
    Rafa was #1 after 7 months out or is that too positive to remember?

    Reply

    • augusta,

      You don’t need to keep defending nadline. She can do it herself.

      You also keep repeating the same mantra over and over. The problem here is that anyone who doesn’t go along with you, nadline and little “Mary” who had a lamb, are being attacked relentlessly.

      Just who is stopping you from hero worshiping and adoring Rafa to no end? I responded to something that nadline said, even though she didn’t have decency to address me by name. I answered her attacks against me by pointing out that I have the right to say what I want and that I consider myself a devoted Rafa fan just as she does and just as you do. I believe in saying what I think and believe. That is how I was brought up.

      I could go along to get along here. But I refuse to do that. I have a point of view. But you keep setting up this straw man argument by pretending that some here are stopping you from saying what you want. You are still here saying it. So please stop trying to promote this absurd argument. Nobody is preventing you from saying anything. Get over it!

      Reply

      • nativenewyorker7 says:
        July 4, 2015 at 3:35 pm,
        1) —that anyone who doesn’t go along with you…are being attacked relentlessly—
        2—Just who is stopping you from hero worshiping and adoring Rafa to no end?—
        3) —But you keep setting up this straw man argument by pretending that some here are stopping you from saying what you want. You are still here saying it.—
        =======================
        –
        1)That’s YOUR usual behaviour on this site – you keep attacking other posters for nothing.
        2) Certainly not the trolls.
        3) Yep, I am still here because I’m not afraid of the trolls.
        😆

        Reply

      • This is getting ” curiouser and curiouser” (Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass). If native and gang are not attacking nadline and augusta because they hero worship Rafa, then pray what, according to native, is the reason the gang of four have been harassing them for? I am interested in native’s revisionist history.

        Reply

    • augusta,

      You need to go back and read that truly tasteless rhyming poem nadline wrote. Then come back here and start telling me that I am the one doing the attacking. No one here deserves to have to come on here and read anything as gross or insulting or offensive as that!

      So I would be careful if I were you about throwing around the word troll. Trolls are people who write that kind of garbage that is meant to harass, instigate and threaten others.

      Reply

    • nadline,

      Yes, I prefer to live in the real world. I don’t live in a fantasy world. You can continue to live in your own imaginary universe. Good luck with that.

      Reply

    • Mary,

      Oh no, dearie! My goodness! You seem to have completely misinterpreted what I said! After you were accusing me and my friends here of not being real Rafa fans and tearing him down, all I said was – Rafa is the best! No caps! Just saying that surely you must agree that Rafa is the best! 🙂

      Have you been nipping at the cooking sherry too much these days? Tsk, tsk! You really should understand that what is written is what is meant and not look for hidden meanings. Feeling a bit paranoid these days? Concerned about all of us spending our days trying to figure out who you are?

      Hey, maybe you don’t even know anymore! Anyway, shame on you for not taking my comment at face value. If you stop looking for hidden meanings and conspiracies against you and the like, then maybe you will be a much happier person!

      Cheers! 🙂

      Reply

      • Wit and sarcasm do not come naturally to you, my dear native. Better leave such things to hawkeye.
        Take my advice and desist from such heavy footed attempts. Do what comes best to you i.e. play your games and be the Troll Nonpareil.
        From -Well meaning Mary

        Reply

    • Mary,

      Oh you are just so funny! LOL! You think that you have all the tricks up your sleeve and no one can touch you.

      Pride cometh before the fall!

      Keep it up! Love the comedy! You are making my day! 🙂

      Thanks again!

      Reply

      • Pride comes before a fall? native, why are you predicting vr’s fall? I thought he was your little lamb? I suppose for somebody as confused as you who doesn’t know the difference between rolling ranking and year end ranking or between rigged draws and rigged matches, trying to keep track of who is on whose side is somewhat taxing to the brain. Hilarious!!!! No need to thank me, thank yourself for the comedy!!!

        Reply

      • And is ” Just keep on trolling, trolling, trolling, trolling along!” the motivational song you composed for your gang? Good job!!!

        Reply

      • OMG! Mary gets attacked by NNY for saying:
        “Whether or not he [Rafa] is back, he will always be a hero at RG.” [July 6, 2015 at 12:57 am]
        What’s coming next?

        Reply

  14. Beating Rafa changes lives still; even after losing so much this year that’s why players go for broke against him.

    Reply

    • Hasn’t changed the lives of Rosol, Darcis, Kyrgios, Brown, Fognini, Raonic, Murray, Djokovic, Coric, Dolgopolov, Verdasco, Berdych, Ferrer, Feli, or Klizan all but two of which have beaten Rafa in the last year.

      Sounds like you’ve been doing some electric shock therapy yourself.

      Reply

      • Yes it has. They NEVER talk about them without referring to their victory over Nadal. That;s why Rosol was invitedto Boodles; they mention Murray’s victory over Rafa in Madrid at the begining of this match and Andrew Castle says taht’s why Murray was picked as favourite for Wimbledon. Krygios is famous for taht and even he thinks so because he has pictures of them shaking hands after the match on his website. The talk about players who have beaten Rafa ALLLLLLLLLLLLLL the time.

        Sod is dining on it even now also Stan.

        Reply

    • Mary,

      Like the devoted troll that you are, you always try to have the last word. I have made it my business to ignore you as much as possible, because your reason for being here is embarrassingly obvious. But I thought that it was time to have a little fun.

      Unfortunately, I find you way too predictable and boring. You just hurl the same old insults over and over in a rather desperate attempt to feel superior to the rest of us here.

      Oh and that song was just for you! I thought it was quite appropriate since that is all you seem to do here! 🙂

      Reply

    • Hurts to read this…people around me say it all the time…I start being quiet about Rafa’s future…I avoid watching tennis…I am suddenly silent when people talk tennis…my heart breaks every time they comment about Rafa’s losses…hope Rafa deals with his defeats better than we his fans…

      Reply

    • if what the article quotes is all that novak said on the matter, sorry but that was a very shallow statement, one anyone could have made … even someone who is not watching rafa’s matches at all.

      I don’t mean to criticize novak with this, he was being diplomatic and respectful in his answers and who are we to tell him to commit himself more with more possibly controversial statements. But then that’s just it: he said almost nothing, so don’t go thinking that this is all that novak undestands and think about rafa’s rather extreme situation.

      Reply

    • I really don’t know that Novak is saying much of anything in that article. What he thinks really doesn’t matter because it has no effect on what Rafa may or may not do. However, he did make the point that getting a new coach is a long term thing. It takes time for a new coach to get comfortable, understand all the nuances of the player’s game. Look at how long it took when Lendl came on board with Murray. They agreed that their partnership was going to take time to bring to fruition.

      Rafa does not have to get rid of Uncle Toni. I don’t think that’s going to happen and I don’t believe it has to happen. Novak added a new coach. He didn’t get rid of his original coach. What Rafa does is up to him. It’s his decision, so what the other top players may think is irrelevant.

      They interviewed Fed yesterday on ESPN after his match. They did ask him about Rafa and I thought he really didn’t say much either. The other top players are not going to say anything that could even remotely be considered derogatory about Rafa. They will express their concern and also say that he will be back. What else can we expect them to say.

      Reply

    • Sanju,

      I am trying to remember what Fed said in that interview. He said that he thought this match with Brown could be tough for Rafa, given that he beat him at Halle last year. Something about his kind of game being difficult. He was really speaking in banalities basically. He said at one point that he really doesn’t know what is wrong with Rafa. I thought he was being diplomatic and careful with his words. He really didn’t say much and I think that was by design
      .

      Reply

  19. …And as predicted by most of us, Dreddy Tennis loses in the next round. I can’t bear it…Rafa should still be in the tournament. #couldawouldashoulda ??

    Reply

  20. “Yet, unlike his Big Four colleagues, Rafael Nadal is very much a creature of routine and has rejected calls for change. From the perfectly lined up water bottles, to the careful run to the baseline avoiding the lines to start the warmup, Nadal has used his idiosyncratic routines to bring comfort on the court. In a way, it’s understandable. For such a natural athlete, Rafael Nadal’s game is anything but natural. Starting with the switch to his left hand as a youth, Rafa has marched the path to success by pushing himself to play against some of his most basic natural tendencies. It takes a lot of work, and a lot of discipline for him to make his game work at its highest level. When success requires that much struggle, surrounding oneself with the familiar softens the edges a bit.

    – See more at: http://www.changeovertennis.com/can-nadal-embrace-change-to-rediscover-form/#sthash.Kde9It6J.dpuf

    Can Nadal Embrace Change to Rediscover Form?

    http://www.changeovertennis.com/can-nadal-embrace-change-to-rediscover-form/

    Reply

    • July 5, 2015 at 1:31 pm.
      —Rafael Nadal’s game is anything but natural. Starting with the switch to his left hand as a youth—
      =========================
      –
      OMG! Every kind of writers are endlessly spreading this false story!
      That’s what Rafa said in his interview on Japanese TV in October 2010: “I only use the left hand for tennis and other sports. For everyday things, I’m right-handed. When I started playing, I used both hands to hit both backhand and forehand. When I was 3 years old, I didn’t have enough power so Uncle Toni taught me to do that. After that, when I was about 9 or 10 years old, I had to use only one side, and it became that it was NATURAL to use my left hand.”

      Reply

    • I think this article is interesting in discussing Rafa’s idiosyncracies. Borg was much the same. I didn’t know that until I watched that great documentary McEnroe/Borg: Fire and Ice. That is where I learned that Borg would sleep in the nude at night with the temperature set the same all the time, that he would take the same route to the venue all the time, that he would sit in the same chair at Wimbledon and use the same towel. So he had his rituals, too. Rafa didn’t invent this. Rafa once said that it helps to keep his mind clear.

      There has been much made about Rafa being disrespectful to his opponents by making them wait at the net to start the match. But he is deliberate about going through all his little rituals and isn’t trying any gamesmanship tactic, as has been alleged.

      I always thought it came easily to Borg. But that documentary showed that he worked hard and practiced like a demon to be the most physically fit player and his rituals were part of his mental toughness.

      I happen to think that what Rafa has done on the court is not easy. He made it look so, but I do think it requires intense concentration and focus. I agree with the sentence in that article that Rafa’s game takes a lot of hard work and discipline to make his game work at its highest level.

      Reply

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