Rafael Nadal headlines quarterfinal Friday in Beijing as he goes up against Fabio Fognini. David Ferrer and Richard Gasquet, meanwhile, have a rematch of a U.S. Open five-setter on their hands.
Fabio Fognini vs. (2) Rafael Nadal
Nadal and Fognini will be meeting for the third time in their careers when they do battle in the quarterfinals of the China Open on Friday afternoon. Both of their previous encounters came this season during the clay-court swing; Nadal prevailed 6-1, 6-3 in Rome and 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-4 in the third round of the French Open. Amazingly enough, the second-ranked Spaniard has been even better on hard courts in 2013. He is a perfect 24-0 on the surface following straight-set wins in Beijing over Santiago Giraldo and Philipp Kohlschreiber.
Like Nadal, Fognini generally does his best work on the slow stuff. Unlike Nadal, this is the Italian’s first successful hard-court event of the year. Fognini booked his spot in the last eight with scalps of Tommy Robredo and Lleyton Hewitt–the latter whom he destroyed 6-0, 6-2 on Wednesday. The world No. 19 appears to be motivated this week, but his belief–or lack thereof–against the hottest player in tennis could be a factor in this one. If Fognini starts slow, this will be a rout. No matter what, Nadal should advance in straight sets.
Pick: Nadal in 2 losing fewer than 7 games
[polldaddy poll=7444590]
(3) David Ferrer vs. (5) Richard Gasquet
Gasquet and Ferrer will be squaring off for the 11th time in their careers and for the second time this season when they collide on Friday. Ferrer is dominating the head-to-head series 8-2, but Gasquet survived their recent U.S. Open quarterfinal clash 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3. Ferrer, who is 6-2 against the Frenchman on hard courts, had won five in a row in the series prior to that setback.
Already this week Gasquet has faced a rematch of a 2013 Grand Slam match; he beat Bernard Tomic–to whom he lost at Wimbledon–7-6(2), 6-4 on Thursday. The world No. 10 opened with a straight-set scalp of Florian Mayer and he is now 43-16 for the year. Ferrer outlasted Vasek Pospisil in a third-set tiebreaker in his opener before overcoming Marinko Matosevic 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 in round two. The fourth-ranked Spaniard had a rough hard-court summer prior to New York and he also lost early in Kuala Lumpur, but he is still 49-16 for his 2013 campaign. His last two sets against Matosevic were encouraging, so revenge for last month’s loss could be in store for an inspired No. 3 seed. Based on past history, their U.S. Open encounter may be an aberration as opposed to the rule.
Pick: Ferrer in 3
[polldaddy poll=7446239]
Rafa in 2; Gasquet in 3
Rafa in 2 (7 or more games lost).
Reeeeeshard in threeeeeeeee.
I voted, but I keep this a secret. I am afraid to jinx. 🙂
I see Rafa winning in two sets. I am going back and forth with Ferrer and Gasquet. I think it could go either way. I don’t know yet if Gasquet’s win at the USO was an aberration. Ferrer has not been playing that well.
I think it will go three sets. I picked Ferrer to win, but I would not be surprised to see Gasquet pull it off again.
Rafa is going to win in 2 east sets. Loving his aggressive ROS .
Guys, I have been really busy so unable to help Ricky with some match previews and reports.I will likely join in the action from tomorrow
Be focused, be confident, be strong, Rafa!
Rafa time!!
Rafa tweaked his left knee as he lunged for a BH, he is walking gingerly………….
:O that tweek on the left knee was SCARY! I hope it was just a niggle with no lasting effects
Rafa just won a point!!!
Wakey, wakey Rafa! The Fog’s come to play!
Break to the Fog!
Fogna on fire
Fognini on fire
3-0 Fogna
Gosh Fog too dense
did Rafa have 40-0 in his service game?
Rafa scrapped his knee on the floor in the first game, getting treatment now……….
I hope this is just a mild bruise that has been taken care of. Rafa is hitting the well , now eyes on his movement
Ricky, it was 40-15 …
Hewitt won two games against this guy? Impressive.
this is almost funny…what’s up with the Fog? get back to earth now..enough already
Nothing Rafa can do about this Fog…….only thing I can see is Rafa needs to bring his FHDTL into play, the cross court FH is being eaten up by the Fog…….
a motivated Fogna is fun to watch. and very rare.
let’s not overreact to 5 games. Nadal’s best will always beat Fognini’s best.
Ricky, LOL…good one
funny thing is that rafa is NOT giving short balls to him, in fact, rafa is playing with nice aggressiveness..
Agree @vamosrafa, Rafa’s not playing badly at all…….the Fog’s just in the zone…
So here I am finally getting to see Rafa. But he’s down a break. ESPN3 is showing it, bless them!
good to have your company. NNY 😀
oh my, 40-15, dble fault, error, duece ! same as game 2
Rafa down a double break…………set’s gone.
5-1 Foggy
Which knee did Rafa scrape? Was it his bad knee?
Oh goodness, Rafa is broken again. There goes the first set. So I finally get to see Rafa and now he is about to lose the first set.
Left knee scrap……
it was the bad knee but I do not think it has had any bearing on the match other than the first couple of games..
Vamos Rafa!
Rafa not playing well though. not terrible. but not well.
knee injury is external. a non-issue beyond this match.
Rafa showing signs of waking up
Fabio Fognini is absolutely bludgeoning the yellow spheroid
if Fogna had won that point………..
7-5, 6-0?
it is not easy to assess rafa’s level..I would still say rafa is playing decent tennis…just a few loose forehands…
now how important was this game? who’s the favourite to win the set folks?
Phew, at least he doesn’t get bread-sticked by the Fog….
Fognini favored to win the set. Rafa favored to win the match.
I just started watching at 4-1 Fognini with Rafa serving. That was a surprise, but now I see that Fog is playing very well.
Thanks for the responses about Rafa’s knee. That was worrying. He played some decent tennis to break Fognini. I wanted Rafa to get the break so that he could get some momentum going and build for the second set.
To think this was the match I wasn’t worrying about!
OMG Just tuned in to see him save that set point. Couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the scoreline ;-(
What’s going on? Silly question. Fog is playing his heart out.
Fogna converts SP with an absolutely RIDICULOUS forehand
So much for that. Rafa gets broken again to lose the first set.
This is not looking good. Fognini seems to have all the answers. Rafa needs to wake up.
okay, now that was TERRIBLE TERRIBLE from rafael nadal. aside from the set point, what a disastrous way to lose your serve
And now he’s taken the set. He can’t keep it up. Or can he?
Fog alert!
They just posted the stats for the first set. Some really ugly serve stats for Rafa. What is going on with him? This is the first chance I have had to see him play.
Fog is going on. Hope this helps.
Wow, 1st set to the Fog! Fog’s been eating up Rafa’s second serves, Rafa needs to find his 1st serve, has not been serving well all through the tournament.
Vamos!
who you got? Rafa or Fognini?
is Fog going to be nole’s saviour? seriously hope not. Tighten the screws now, Rafa.
Nadal still a -225 favorite to win the match….
RT @SI_BTBaseline: “Fabio Fognini takes the 1st set 62 from Rafael Nadal in Beijing. Fognini zoning. Question is whether he can keep it up. #atp”
Oh very funny Ricky. Not.
Rafa needs to step it up because Fognini came to play. He seems to be very focused now.
I can’t believe that the first match I get to see is going like this.
serves big, hits big at rafa’s backhand and then finishes the point with a super sonic winning shot to rafa’s forehand. And rafa’s giving more short balls now…
Fog has 23 winners with 9 games played. Thats insane. About 3 a game!!
okay, now I am very very tense.
Rafa’s going to lose this match………Fog breaks in the 1st game, 2nd set.
Fognini 6-2, 2-0. He is still a +125 underdog to win the match.
I can’t believe what I am seeing. This could be not only the end of Rafa’s winning streak, but an embarrassing scoreline too.
Rafa was due for a failure anyway! Better at a ATP 500 than anywhere else
DROP YOUR SERVE YOU ******** whatever
Rafa’s forehand has gone OFF THE BOIL
rafa is now out of his mind…he is in utter shock
Fognini DFs. Crowd applauds.
Well that line now officially indicates its GroundFog day
GroundFog day………..good one!
There is no way that Rafa wants to lose a match this way. I don’t get it. Rafa is missing shots all over the place.
Fognini now a huge -330 favorite to win the match
Don’t mind Rafa losing today actually. Disappointment, of course, but he would still get to #1 in Shanghai………….
Shanghai is more important than Beijing……..
true, rafa’s forehand is futile at the moment. Does rafa stand any chance of winning? depends on the Fog
no Fognini match that he is winning is over until its over.
I am not giving up here. now HOLD serve rafa, just asking for a second hold of serve in one and a half sets ! not too much of a task !!
The Fog is playing well out there, deserves the lead………….he is playing high risk tennis and it is paying off……
this is a MASSACRE
at least rafa gets a chance to ‘vamoss’
2 virtual MPs saved
I never thought to see Rafa play like this.
Nadal holds for 2-6, 1-3, celebrates like he wins calendar-year Grand Slam
That’s the first sign of emotion from Rafa. At least show some fight. Now he needs to break to try to get back in this.
can you guys believe it? rafa HELD SERVE :O did he?? yes he did !!!
Or Foggy come to that 🙁
Stop it peeps, Rafa’s doing his best out there, Fog’s too dense!
Rafa is getting slightly closer ..
Fog’s CC backhand is travelling at Mac speed…. this is the first game where rafa is having the chance to say something about the outcome of the match
whattttt issss thiissssss?????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
VAMOS RAFA!!!!
Fog deserves this. This year it seems Rafa is more susceptible to players outside top 10 😀 Bring on Shanghai. Rafa seems to be rattled by Fog’s level.
Sorry guys. That’s it. Rafa had a glimpse at a break but muffed it.
Foggy can’t seem to put a foot wrong.
^^yes, that too…….
It’s the serve that’s let Rafa down today…………missing too many 1st serves.
Which of Rafa’s shots hasn’t let him down today?
I used to like Foggy but I’ve gone off him big time today.
Not even djokovic, not even murray, not even agassi, not even nalbandian have ever SLAUGHTERED rafa’s CC forehand with such consummate ease
fognini is complementing his absurd high risk tennis with sick retrieving abilities. MUCH more dangerous than a big hitter on top of his game
FH winners: Fog 15, Rafa 4………
Rafa has a chance to get back into the match and moonballs a return inside the service line
This is not Rafa. How come he is so bewildered!!
That was downright brat-like how he stormed towards the umpire.
Rafa is being unlucky now 🙁 plzzz breakkkk
Don’t think he is being unlucky, he is playing frazzled, without calm at all……
whatta game here….
Now. Can. Rafa. Hold.
Fog will break back
Have the same feeling too, Ricky. Rafa having an off day today………..
Wooo hoo!! Lets hope now the Fog loses his head!!
Finally on the sixth break point, Rafa does it. Now he needs to hold.
Rafa is so good at figuring it out and finding a way. I don’t want him to be embarrassed here.
Thanks Ricky
Just what I needed to hear.
FINALLY.FINALLY.FINALLY. Rafa deserved this break…so much drama in that game…Fog looked more human and rafa played better…
Anyway, now rafa must consolidate with conviction and make fognini believe his show time is close to ending… no more surprises please rafa, enough is enough
BH winners: Fog 7, Rafa 1
OMG!! Not a single BP in that game
LOL
Rafa holds to make it 4-4. Come on Rafa!
Is this a shift of momentum?
Rafa is competing better now and is slowly getting his ‘calm’ back…
Yes, but his timing is shot to pieces.
Rafa’s forehand is gradually finding its way back, and so is fognini’s head
GSM. Good comeback, Rafa.
Corker of two FH’s to seal the break 😀 😀 Why do we ever doubt this fella
That’s a bit more like it. Go Rafa Go.
from 1-4 to 5-4. THAT’s my rafa !
FHDTL winner, Rafa breaks!
Vamos!
RT @NeilHarmanTimes: “Fabio has lost his mojo.”
No, Rafa’s found his!
both. more Fognini lost his.
Fogna collapse
Vamos!
Now we’ll see what Foggy’s made of.
Now Fognini is missing shots that he was making.
The momentum is with Rafa now.
betting pool: how many games will Fognini win in the third set (if guess is 6, indicate whether its in a win or a loss)
Two
Rafa’s serving stats are better. Not great. Fognini’s second serve percentage was 30% in that second set.
The Fog looking misty out there now……..
RT @SI_BTBaseline: “Rafa had to fight off a number of break points but wins five straight games to take the second set 6-4. Fognini back to earth. #atp”
Bck he rolls off earth, into some abyss somewhere……………….
^^”Bet”
Sorry, Fognini’s second serve percentage was 39%. Still way down from the first set.
I just hope that Rafa can keep it going in the third set.
First game crucial to shatter confidence totally
This is the worst I’ve seen Rafa play…………FH just off today
Fognini holds. Now Rafa has to go out there and hold his serve!
Rafa needs to see through that fog still swirling around.
Rafa’s missing volleys he normally makes eyes closed………..
Rafa UFE’s !! *shakes head*
I can’t even imagine the UE count for Rafa in this match.
One thing is that he is now serving better. That was a nice hold to make it 1-1. If Rafa pulls this out, it will give new meaning to the phrase – winning ugly!
Rafa breaks!
What are the odds on Fognini retiring from the match, Ricky? 😀
GSM
Hahaha, commies saying the trainer seeing The Fog is a psychiatrist!
It was Rafa’s forehand that was one of the primary reasons for his demolition and now it is Rafa’s forehand that is nudging him closer to victory.
Rafa tightening the thumbscrews………………..
Yes, that forehand is firing now. Also Rafa hit a nice dtl backhand for a winner in the last game.
I am just hoping that Rafa can hold serve and get the win.
Any minute now and Fog will start throwing the toys out of the pram
4-1 Rafa….and we all thought Khols was the one who was going to trouble Rafa…..not knowing there was Fog on the way……
make it quick rafa, make it quick ! 6-1 please
Fognini double faults away the second break.
Now I can finally relax! Rafa is going to get the win.
Now it will be on to the semis. Rafa better come out playing better than he did in this match.
haha, nice and funny use of ‘Fog’ in so many of your posts RITB
Almagro up 7-6 4-3 (up a break) against Nishikori
You said it RITB. Rafa almost hit Foggy bottom this match
The fog comes on little cat feet / It sits looking over harbor and city on silent haunches / and then moves on.
lol/..well put
RT @ juanjo_sports: “Some of Nadal’s FH misses today have been truly Federer-esque. Also, I can’t recall a recent match in which Nadal has missed so many sitter volleys.”
Almost thought every fog has its day
C’mon Rafa, don’t get all misty-eyed now, end this………NOW.
Matches like these usually bring the best out of rafa… I credit Fognini for bringing the best out of rafa at RG .
winner: R. Nadal (ESP)
GSM Rafa!
No exuberant celebration from Rafa, he knows he escaped there………………
One more match for #1
25-0 on HC…
Vamos!!!!!!
Isner or Berdych will be VERY interesting
RT @juanjo_sports: “All I can think of is Toni Nadal’s quote: nobody wins more matches while playing badly than Rafael Nadal. He just finds ways to win.”
True that……………..
Lucky U.Toni was not courtside today.
Quite rightly that was a very subdued reaction from Rafa after scraping through. He can’t be feeling too good about that performance.
I think we will see a different Rafa tomorrow, ed251137…………he will be fired up.
RT @NeilHarmanTimes: “@RafaelNadal will need to defeat either @tomasberdych or @JohnIsner to reach the summit once more. Imagine that scenario a year ago.”
Rafa will be all good. I think he played fine given the circumstances
Interesting observations;
https://twitter.com/juanjo_sports/status/386014664502415360/photo/1
Nobody thinks better on his feet on court than Rafa…………….
#ContinuousImprovement
Rafa sailed happily through the Fog.
Three down!!!
Rafa’s present situation
is not the final destination.
The best is yet to come!!!
Vamooosss!!! Vamooosss!!! Vamooosss!!!
^^Cough, cough, wouldn’t say he sailed happily through that Fog, was pretty harrowing for the most part…………..
Harrowing is an understatement. The Fog was so thick Rafa couldn’t see in front of his nose till near the end of the 2nd set.
Rafa has not played with calm in any of his matches this week. i suspect the weight of expectations is getting to him. It happened in 2008 when he came close to losing to Nole who was on the point of surpassing him to claim No.2 spot. Rafa righted the ship and went on to become No.1 a few weeks later.
RT @Mike_Dickson_DM: “Andy Murray announced to play in ‘Dream Cup’ exhibition event in Barbados at end of November, clearly expects to be fit by then.”
Vamos Muzza!!
I was beginning to give up when he was a set and a break down, but this is Rafa Nadal we are talikng about.
My posts were being treated as spam so I sent Ricky an email and he seems to have sorted it. Apparently, this is a common problem with WordPress.
Thanks, Ricky.
Oh that’s why you weren’t around. I thought you’d retired to a darkened room with the smelling salts. I’d smoked nearly a whole pack of ciggies by the time the match finished.
I made several futile attempts to post from my laptop, my ipad and even my daughter’s computer to no avail, so I googled ‘posts not showing up on WP’ then sent Ricky an email. I hope it’s now sorted. I am in Dubai atm so I don’t even have access to my normal helpline in England.
Ed I tried several times to give you the sports.uusee.com livestream for the first few days of the tournament but the posts just disappeaed.
If I don’t post on Tenngrand it’s only because I’m having problems, even though I like TW, I also miss you all here when I can’t join in.
Thanks for trying. I finally did find a stream but not good quality and with lots of buffering.
I’ve tried to register without success at TW but am not too bothered – I dont think I could manage keeping track of more than one site but I do read from time to time. I find the endless competitiveness a bit wearying and so many threads end up going round and round in acrimonious circles arguing the same old points that have been thrashed to death for years. I like the way discussions develop here and also the ‘old gang’ cheering threads.
Are you staying in Dubai till the New Year?
clayqueen@October 4, 2013 at 10:00 am
Maybe WordPress considers you “a new visitor” after you have changed something ?
I read in the WordPress Settings:
—Before A Comment Appears
Before a comment appears has TWO different settings. If the first setting is checked, all comments will go into moderation and they will need to be approved by an administrator before appearing on the blog. If the second option is checked, any visitors that have had a comment approved on the blog in the past will get a free pass through approval and only comments from new visitors will go into moderation.
O An administrator must always approve the comment
O Comment author must have a previously approved comment —
Next up for Rafa is Tomas Berdych (who defeated Big John 7:5, 6:2).
wow, where has this Fognini come from?
He played so bad in the beginning of this season
Fognini obviously intended to punish Rafa.
See from 0:12 to 0:14 in this video:
“Oooops… Behind the scenes with Rafael Nadal!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcYIYYNcEXY
🙂
Rafa has a way of bringing out the beast in other players! 🙂
^^^^^lol.
Everything went according to plan today even though Fig on the runway made things a little difficult. Rafa plays Berdy tomorrow rather than Tall-ner, good. Rafa knows what is at stake, he will bring it! The way he fought today, why would he give up tomorrow?
Vamos to #1 Rafa!
I guess I am being spoiled, I’ve got both Tokyo and Beijing on Tv, with WTA thrown in for good measure!
augusta, that’s exactly what happened. I tried to revert to Nadline as requested by ritb et all using the same email address and that’s when the problem started.
TW is great because we don’t all agree with each other and we can initiate a discussion any time. There are the usual Rafa haters who get as good as they give. It’s fun.
ed, maybe you are being treated as spam there.
i’ve sent several emails but never received a reply.
Gasquet beats Ferrer 63 64.
The Gasquet B/H is an awesome sight to behold.
Got in to work and realised that Rafa was at the foggy bottom!! How did he even win that match after being one point away from sudden death…………..well like clayqueen said, this is Rafa!!
Come on Rafa, take back your rightful place, #1!!!! Hope Berdych is extremely cooperative tommorow…………..hehe!!!!
Vamos!!!
Rafa said it was difficult to focus after he damaged his knee in the beginning of the match.
“Hopefully it’s nothing serious,” he [Rafa] said. “When something happens like this in the first point in the match… the memory stays there and it is very difficult to be 100 percent focused on the match.”
“When someone [Fognini] is playing like that, you have to try to push him to the limit,” Nadal said. “That’s something I wasn’t doing for the first set and a half.”
Presser video and article:
http://rafaelnadalfans.com/2013/10/04/presser-video-and-article-rafael-nadal-defeats-fabio-fognini-in-quarterfinals-at-china-open/
The ‘presser video’ in Youtube:
Rafael Nadal Press conference at China Open 04/10/2013
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY_GQJ_OWI8
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rafael-Nadal-King-of-tennis/229133313874186
Poor Rafa, that IS a heavy-duty strapping going on there……
But at least he is walking on his own volition on those pins, can’t be nice banging your knee on concrete. But that should not affect the tendons, no? Hopefully, it’s just bruising, nothing to worry about. Now he has a perfect excuse to skip Paris………….
I got the same feeling, @augusta08, that his concentration was shattered after that scrape. He just did not seem calm, and after all that knee has put him through, he must have been worrying sick at the same time he was trying to concentrate on the match.
Touching wood for you Rafa!
Vamos!!
Rafa’s first on tomorrow again………………..grrrrrrrr!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=438625799591602&set=a.244237985697052.55295.229133313874186&type=1&theater
At least he will have a few hours extra to rest before the final
Thanks for posting that link. It has the full game HD video!
Can you believe this? Rafa found a bug inside one of his water bottles…..
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=636795866341566&set=a.149687818385709.26195.148883365132821&type=1&theater
If he falls ill he should sue the pants off the organisers………………..
Someone hoping to sabotage his chances? Or was this Tipsy’s idea of a joke?
^^^wouldn’t surprise me to hear @chr18 is behind this caper……..
link?
oh got it
At least Rafa appears to be in good spirits, tweeting away:
RT @RafaelNadal: “That’s: http://impossible365.com . A sports-humanitarian project of my friend #JoseManuelLopez, 30 # Ironman in 30 days. Good luck!”
ps: no clue what he is talking about!
Oh no! Hope Rafa’s knee is ok?! Thats the last thing he needs right now, and he is so sensitive about that knee, poor chap!
I missed the first set and have just watched the replay of when he hurt the knee.
I’m wondering why he didn’t use ice packs on it during the changeovers.
I suspect that’s what that huge strapping is on his knee, an ice pack…..
Icing to reduce inflammation after play is indicated but icing during play would likely reduce flexibility and could increase chances of further injury I would think.
RT @chrisjones51: “Andy Murray will meet with medical experts next week to asses his recovery from the back operation and to decide on O2 participation #tennis”
IS rafa’s knee ok? what is this picture all over the facebook? 🙁 not again 🙁
We think it’s nothing serious, @rafaelo, just a bruise hopefully. Let’s wait and see if he moves comfortably tomorrow.
So what is the latest on the knee? Just falling on concrete should not dmage the tendon no? It can be a bruise? Lets not forget he fell badly and awkwardly in USO final too in crucial game at 4 all in 3rd set .
Berdy has already said what he saw of Rafas match against Fabio today gives him some hope he has a chance to beat Rafa
^^^Well, he would say that, no? Otherwise he might as well not show up! When The Fog was a set and 4-1 up, I am sure he thought he was going to win…………….he lost. Sure, Berdy’s going to bring it, his best chances against Rafa are always on HC so he needs to make the most of these chances, but I am confident Rafa will win.
RT @SharkoTennis: “.@RafaelNadal has 6 career 20+ match winning streaks (2 this yr) on @ATPWorldTour, 2nd only to @rogerfederer with 7.”
(match recap) Nadal escapes Fognini with comeback victory – https://tenngrand.com/2013/10/04/nadal-escapes-fognini-with-comeback-victory/
as usual, thank you everyone for your posts… I didn’t get to watch the match (work) but read them in sequence and so _experienced_ the match a little
ritb: are these match streaks period, or streaks on a particular surface? I suspect the former
I am not sure @chloro. Rafa has 2, 20+ match streaks going on clay and HC this year……
Congratulations to me!!!!
#akaConspirator
#WPaccountWithAvatarSuddenlyWorking
#ShutUp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#Classic
#alrightConspirQCator!
I didn’t want to say anything when we were all on the live blog posting during the match, but I was thinking that it had to be the knee. I didn’t see Rafa fall and scrape the knee, but when I came here and heard about it, I was worried.
To see Rafa that out of it and just not focused, could only mean that he was worried about the knee. He confirmed that in his presser. The bad memories come back, he said. He was just not able to concentrate in the match. You just don’t see Rafa getting blown off the court like that. Even though Fognini was playing great tennis, Rafa would have the answers.
Somehow he was able to get over worrying about the knee and his fighting and competitive spirit got him through to the win.
I wasn’t able to see the picture of Rafa with the ice pack on his knee. His match is going to start the same time, so I will be able to see it. I will use the ESPN3 stream again. I don’t want to miss Rafa going for the #1 ranking!
nativenewyorker7@October 4, 2013 at 6:38 pm
—I didn’t see Rafa fall and scrape the knee—
Rafa didn’t fall! His left knee touch the ground when he hit a ball.
—I wasn’t able to see the picture of Rafa with the ice pack on his knee.—
I post it again:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1375918_664100383613968_656275275_n.jpg
augusta,
Thanks! On facebook the photo was cut off and I couldn’t see his knee.
That’s some ice pack!
great post nny
I’ll try to watch it tomorrow, it’s been a while I was able to…
ritb, you must be right, they must be talking about streaks on a particular surface
knee keeping up for another two three or hopefully more years and Rafa should be adding more 20+ streaks like that, at least on clay and it would be nice to see him do it once more on hardcourt
I learned a lesson: NOT to follow you guys’ comments here during Rafa’s match! I went to bed last night, thinking Rafa has lost after reading you guys’ comments here. It’s probably in the middle of the 2nd set while Rafa was behind. But someone’s comment “Fog deserves this…” made me think Rafa has lost. I got all down when I went to bed and didn’t check the news until lunch time. Then I found he WON!
You guys gave me a depressed and sleepless night! 🙁
JCKNY,
Respectfully, you try to watch that match and then tell me what you would be saying. Rafa was down 6-2, 3-0. Should we have been jumping up and down with joy? He was not playing well at all. I think many of us didn’t want to see him lose his winning streak to a guy like Fognini. We also want him to get the #1 ranking.
If you want to get some sleep, then don’t read the comments. 🙂
I stopped going on TennisTalk during Rafa’s matches because of all the doom and gloom. Gladly, a lot of the doomsayers have not signed on to Tenngrand. I think Rafans get so frustrated when he is not playing well that they resign themselves to a loss .