Nadal wins ninth French Open title, players react on Twitter

June 10, 2014 Ricky News 174

Rafael Nadal beat Novak Djokovic in four sets on Sunday to capture his ninth French Open title and fifth in succession. Fellow players voiced their opinions on Twitter during and after the match. Let’s take a look:








































174 Comments on Nadal wins ninth French Open title, players react on Twitter

    • yeah…he has once overtaken federer around the 12 million mark but federer raced away then…rafa is catching up fast again

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      • vamosrafa (at 6:50 am)

        In the middle of 2012, Rafa had more Facebook fans (=likes) than Fed did.
        During Rafa’s ABSENCE from the Tour (7 months!), Fed’s fan base increased quicker than that of Rafa.

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      • ^^I am convinced Fed’s fanbase increased quicker than Rafa’s at that time because a lot of the Federazzi “liked” Fed’s page multiple times just so Fed can keep ahead………….

        Reply

  4. Sadly for Sod, he did the hard work by beating Rafa then handed the trophy to Roger. I’m not sure which is better, beating Rafa or winning the title.

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    • ritb@4:02pm

      I clocked the scream too. I’ve never seen/heard him do that before. It told you just how much this match meant to him. It simply doesn’t bear to think what it would have done to him if it had gone the other way.

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  8. A must reading for all Rafans, interview with Rafa in El Pais, in English:

    http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/06/10/inenglish/1402395926_047759.html

    Choice quote:

    “Q. You said you cried when Roger Federer won Roland Garros in 2009, the year you went out to Robin Söderling, your only defeat at the tournament …

    Q. I was moved.

    Q. Will you cry if Djokovic wins?

    A. I don’t know. As the years go by you see things a bit differently. It doesn’t take a lot to make me cry. I often cry at the movies, sometimes with videos, and with things that move me about sports. I have a good relationship with Federer. I am one of those people who believes that when you work towards something and you deserve it, the logical thing is for you to eventually achieve it. I don’t know whether I will be moved to tears by Djokovic. It will depend on the situation, the feelings and the emotions of the moment. That kind of thing cannot be predicted. Either it happens or it doesn’t.”

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    • ^^^ RITB: thanks for posting. I like how after all these years Rafa and Roger have inmense respect for each other. #Bromantic. I also get the feeling Rafa used to respect Nole but not so much anymore..,.That friendship has fizzled.

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      • ^^^I think you are right. I have a feeling Nole gets up his nose the way he walks around like he is the new king of tennis.

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      • I think Rafa, by nature, is a forgiving person, but I think he was sorely tested by the images of Novak’s shirt-ripping, primal screaming antics each time he beat Rafa in 2011, not to mention the car humping in front of Rafa’s hotel after defeating him in Madrid 2011. Rafa did say, after that car-humping incident Novak had shown him (Rafa) disrespect.

        As I said, I think Rafa is forgiving by nature. It would not surprise me if , by the time Rafa hangs his racquet, all the above will be water under the bridge by him.

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      • Also, did you notice Rafa’s own primal screaming when he broke Novak to take the 2nd set? That was as raw as I have ever seen Rafa scream, and it was directed at an audience of one: Novak.

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  9. These are great! thanks for compiling, Ricky. One gets the feeling Isner is a Rafa fan 🙂 (must be the Pico-connection). I also liked Diego Hartfiled’s tweet about Soderling dying of laughter.

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  10. This is a comment I saw on the link posted below. I have taken the liberty of posting the whole comment, with the name of the poster:

    @Chrillz Gutschmeister says:

    I have a confession to make. And I am ashamed to admit it.

    But I had doubts.

    I didn’t believe in Rafa before this Roland Garros started. I thought Djokovic was too strong. He’s without a doubt the toughest player Rafa has ever played, after all. The only one who could really measure up against Nadal. Who wasn’t afraid. Who knew how to play him. Who knew how to BEAT him.

    But there are no excuses. Rafael Nadal has through his whole career proven doubters as myself wrong. People have written him off more times than any other player in history.

    “He’ll never recover from this injury.”
    “He’ll never win slams outside clay.”
    “He’ll never come close of Federer.”
    “He’s done. It’s over. You don’t recover from 7 months absence.”
    “No way Nadal is going to win slams at 25, are you kidding me? His playing style is too tough on the body. He might even have retired at 25.”
    “No way Nadal will beat Djokovic again, are you blind? He doesn’t stand a chance.”

    And on it goes…

    But this guy is more than a tennis player. He’s a phenomenon. In every sense of the word. One of the best athletes of all time. And probably THE best when it comes to the spirit of a champion; to never give up; to fight to the bitter end. To accept success and defeat with equal amount of humbleness.

    He’s constantly mocked, ridiculed, laughed at, hated and abused by haters on the internet, people who find pleasure in seeing him down, for various reasons, but the difference between them and Nadal is that they have no idea what it takes to be a champion; they have no idea what it takes to even show up, to give yourself a chance in life – regardless of result. It’s easy to be tough and judgmental behind a computer screen, isn’t it?

    It doesn’t matter if Nadal wins more slams. Or if he holds his ranking. It doesn’t matter if Nadal ends his career at 30 or 35. It doesn’t matter how much hatred he gets, if anything – it just shows people’s true colors, cheering for others misery – can you get much lower than that? Nadal has nothing more to prove. He’s won grand slams for 10 straight years now and above all, he’s had the chance to live out his dream, and that was the only thing he ever asked for.

    If anything, the success of Rafael Nadal proves that you can accomplish almost anything in life if you’re willing to SUFFER for it. If you’re willing to WORK for it. If you’re willing to put your soul into what you do, every single day, and if you do that enough times – you’ll be successful.

    This is not the day to talk about records, or speculations about the future. I certainly have my thoughts on how far I believe Nadal will go in terms of grand slam wins, but it doesn’t matter what we THINK – the only thing that matters is what we DO.

    And Rafael Nadal has proven once again that you should NEVER write him off. He could be 90 years old in a wheelchair, but man – I’d STILL not count him out. I’ve learned my lesson. And I apologize.

    Sincerely,
    A very emotional fan.

    http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2014/06/23/Roland-Garros-Final-How-Was-Won.aspx

    Posts like the above, simple honesty, make me proud to be a Rafan…………

    Reply

    • Yes super post .. Makes me feel guilty for always worrying about him and not trusting him..but hey I don’t think I will change :-)..I will keep worrying for him as I am his huge fan 🙂 I want the best for him.

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    • rafaisthebest ( at 2:56 pm)
      —He’s [Rafa] constantly mocked, ridiculed, laughed at, hated and abused by haters on the internet, people who find pleasure in seeing him down, for various reasons—

      For various reasons??? The Federazzi has only one reason – they fear Rafa’s impact on Fed’s legacy! The Maestro of the Federazzi himself has said many times that somebody has to stop Rafa! Everybody who can beat Rafa becomes a hero in the eyes of the legionaries of the Federazzi and they get glorified as heroes for years.

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      • Truer words were never spoken. The obsessive Fed fans want him to be the one and only and now that Rafa is achieving his own immortality, they will hate even more. It’s what they do. I actually feel sorry for them. That’s a pretty terrible way to live your life.

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    • Very eloquent indeed.

      I have thought for years that Rafa is one of the athletes out there in any sport that have done the utmost, their very best for many years to come as close as possible to their best ability. Many top athletes do this to a pretty high degree. But many fewer do it all the way. And in some sports there is only so much more you could do in between the competitions (e.g. Usain Bolt). In tennis what you can work on physically, mentally, technically, strategically, etc. is endless.

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    • @rafaisthebest 2:56pm,
      it brought tears in my eyes…words so true indeed…Rafa is exceptional human being…and it also in a way makes us, his fans, exceptional by nature… to doubt him, to believe in him, to worry about him and to unconditionally support him, no matter what…

      Vamos Rafa!

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  11. RITB/folks : In the interview above he is asked, he injured his foot, back, knee all in the match? Is that true? Back I read and heard midway in 4th set but what about foot and knee?

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    • @Sanju, that interview was originally in Spanish, the link I posted is a translation so do not discount the possibility of some stuff being lost in translation. On Rafa’s physical condition, I prefer to go with what his Doctor says, as per what @augusta08 posted.

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  13. @ritb
    June 10, 2014 at 2:56 pm

    Nice words from a fan.

    I happen to believe that Rafa is the best player on tour right now. I have never, for one moment thought that Djokovic is too strong for Rafa, never. Djokovic gets a lot of hype, probably because they think he’ll sink under the radar without it and they think Rafa doesn’t need it. The hype makes Djoko look bigger in the eyes of people who don’t know the detail.

    If Rafa held no slam titles at any time, everyone would be repeating it ad infinitum. I have not heard any of the commies comment on Nole’s slamless state yet; in fact they were saying before the FO final that Nole was the true #1 because he had beaten Rafa the last 4 times they’d met. The did not use the same reasoning when Rafa was #2 to Fed but constantly beat him.

    People thought Nole’s name was World #1 because whilst he was #1, they started using his ranking to address him rather than his name. The same curtsy has not been extended to Rafa.

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      • Will check it out. Would be fun to go and look at it.

        What I was hoping for was they would make small replicas to buy.

        My family would have me sectioned if I tried to buy a life-size version 😀

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      • ^^Why not ask Nike to make small replicas? Suggest you ask them up-front when you visit the store where they have the life- size statue!

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      • I have just spoken to the Champs Elysees branch store. Guess what! The person I spoke to couldn’t give an answer as to when and where the statue would be displayed but said he was not aware of any plans to issue replicas. Typical French ‘mais non’ response to requests for help or info. Google has not come up with anything so far. Will have to try another route unless our ‘resident sleuth’ comes up with the answer:-)

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  17. Roger Federer Press Conference at the GERRY WEBER OPEN.

    At 6:40 a reporter asks him about his thoughts on Rafa playing in Halle this year. Roger says that it’s probably good for Rafa that he has his first match there on Thursday which will give him time to recover a little bit from the final which was played under very tough conditions, it being so hot. That Rafa has only gone from RG directly into another tournament two or three times so the extra days off until Thursday are probably good for extra recovery. He knows there is a lot of buzz around Rafa because he won the French Open title for the 9th time but that he (Rafa) is probably used to it by now. For him (Roger) Rafa was always the favorite to win RG this year and he says that of course now that he won everyone also says he was always the favorite even though before the final they said he wasn’t, that he was done with tennis because he lost two matches in clay and that he (Roger) is really happy for him that he won.

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    • I don’t think Fed believes that Novak belongs in the same class as himself and Rafa. I also don’t think Fed respects Novak. Rafa has earned his respect because of the great victories he’s had against him. At least Fed realizes, if some of his fans do not, that it takes greatness to do what Rafa has done against him.

      Nice words from him and Rafa so deserves it! 🙂

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      • It’s also telling that Roger refers to Rafa as “Rafa” (as he did in the Reddit AMA) but Novak is either “Novak” or “Djokovic”–never Nole. Even when he loses to Rafa you can see him saying “congrats RAFA” vs. just saying “congrats” or whatever. I don’t think Roger has ever forgotten the “King is dead” comment Novak’s parents made when Djoko beat Roger at AO 08. Also think Rafa is somewhat deferential to Roger the “elder statesman” whereas Djoko could care less. It’s comments like these that make me actually like Roger.

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      • What irks me is the way nearly all the commentators buy into the nice guy image and don’t call him out more often when the facade slips which it often does.

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    • Jeu Nadal, I also feel that Rafa looks up to Roger like an elder brother. Of course they do annoy each other sometimes, like siblings do, such as Roger’s obsession with time violation and Rafa calling him out on his lack of support for players’ interests at the Players’ Council.

      Novak on the other hand rubs both of them up the wrong way the way he struts around as if he is king of all he surveys, even though looking at their achievements compared to his he is a few rungs down the ladder. His father didn’t help either, by proclaiming that both Roger and Rafa are jealous of Novak because he beats them and he was #1, at the time..

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      • ^^^^Spot on Nadlne. The parents have a lot to answer for.

        Of course Djokovic has his legion of fans but he has never enjoyed the popularity of either Federer or Rafa. This irks him and is responsible for his endless efforts to curry favour with the crowd. He appears incapable of understanding why his behaviour antagonises so many people and he is not accorded the respect he feels he deserves.

        Witnessing his emotions on Sunday, when as the loser he received an unprecedented extended ovation, was quite a revelation. I wonder, is it too much to hope he can learn from this experience and modify his behaviour in the future. If he does there will be an exponential rise in his popularity.

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      • @ed251137, the damage was done at infancy. The legend says Djokovic was called the Golden Child growing up, can’t remember whether this was by his parents or someone else just as influential in his development. These are the foundations on which his character is based, can’t change significantly now.

        As for the Chatrier prolonged applause for Djokovic, my take is this:

        1. That was true sympathy for all the times he has tried, and failed;
        2. That was acknowledgement that he is the one best placed i.e. with the game to pry the Coupe des Mousquetaires from the Spaniard’s hands, so that was encouraging Djoko to keep trying.

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  18. Rafa will defend 6035 pts till the end of the season and novak will defend 7230 pts !

    If he does well in Wimby, very good chance to be Year end No 1 though he may lose it in between from Montreal-USO stretch

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    • Yes, lots of tears. So much emotion. It was almost unbearable to see Rafa at the AO final when he got hurt. That was hard to watch.

      So now Rafa can put behind him the pain of that loss. He can just look ahead to more good times and great victories.

      This video was so beautiful.

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  21. Has anyone heard from Gulbis’s coach? The one who gave a guarantee, before the semis were even played, that Djokovic would win RG 2014 because he (Djokovic) wanted it?

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  22. As far as I am concerned, those who shamelessly trumpeted Novak as the true favorite this year at RG, should go hide under the nearest rock. I said that the four losses were not in slams and not at RG. Therefore, they should not have carried such weight with the so-called pundits and analysts. Rafa has dominated Novak in the slams since he lost to him at the 2012 AO. That’s where it counts. I don’t know why so much was made of his win over Rafa at Rome. He did it in Madrid and Rome in 2011. But that didn’t help Novak win RG. He didn’t even get past Fed.

    I always believe that you give it to the man who has shown he is unbeatable at RG. Until someone else besides Sod can beat Rafa, he is the prohibitive favorite as long as he is playing. I also think that the so-called experts made too much out of Rafa not winning MC, Barcelona and Rome. He wasn’t playing his best at that time. But they didn’t stop to think that he has always managed to peak at RG. He always brings it in the second week. He can’t be expected to dominate the clay season forever. Even Rafa acknowledged that. But there is the clay season and then there is RG. I hope that those who doubted Rafa, keep that in mind! 🙂

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    • Well said NNY ! slap on the face of all those who thought that based on the ‘dismal’ results on clay , rafa will no longer win RG. Ferrer beat him in 2 sets, murray almost beat him, djokovic beat him in 3 sets. Look what happened to all three of them in RG against Rafa !

      I think winning RG like this will instill in rafa another level of self-belief; he will now believe that he can raise his level in slams so much even when the lead up tournaments do not yield the desired,confidence boosting results.

      Rafa can use week one’s matches to build confidence and use his legacy and experience to turn the tables in his favor. What a giant rafa is !

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    • This is to be expected. They are clutching at straws. I’ve always said that they should lay down the criteria first then whoever meets them is the GOAT. They try to tailor the criteria to suit Roger’s achievements.

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      • I think it’s fair to say Novak now realizes he needs to do something special to beat Rafa at RG after all…………

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        • I was impressed by Vadja’s post match comments.

          We don’t often get to hear/read what he has to say.

          I thought it was a very level-headed assessment and came across as both genuine and generous.

          Time he taught his motormouth charge that less can sometimes be more.

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  25. RT @mzemek : “You can continue to pick against Rafael Nadal in Paris. You can continue to pick Djokovic. You can continue to pick the field…and be wrong”

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  26. A part of me thinks Rafa did not reveal and unleash all his tactics against Novak in Rome so that he does not come prepared for it. I think the abundant usage of body serves, serving equally to FH n BH, going a lot for FHDTL shots and using it much in advance in the rally to get first strike advantage etc were not tried in Rome . I would not be surprised if he also deliberately lulled Novak into a false sense of complacency.

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    • I agree with your theory Sanju. I aired the thought (must have been after the defeat in Rome) that possibly Rafa was hiding his light under a bushel and would spring a surprise on Djokovic come the day. He used a similar bluffing tactic pre USO 2010 losing in Montreal and Cincinnati and waiting till New York before unveiling the new, improved serve.

      Listening to Djoko’s cocksure on court interview in Rome I was thinking to myself ‘not so fast young man……………pride comes before a fall’.

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    • sanju, you make a good point. Rafa was not playing freely in Rome. He was tired, but he was also executing his plan. Novak said he and his team studied the Rome final so that he could do what he did there in RG.

      The mother of all wrong footing.

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      • He actually said that. I didn’t know he actually admitted it in so many words. I love it.

        No wonder Novak kept staring at his box the way he did when it dawned on him they’d been duped big time by the Nadal camp.

        During the changeover at the end of the 3rd set the French commentator, Nelson, interviewed Toni – I posted a comment at the time saying Uncle Toni looks ecstatic.

        No wonder. He’d realised they’d pulled off a magnificent sting.

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  27. One of my friend who saw the final live said the stadium was very pro Rafa. Not just people in the stadium, but many outside in the city too wanted Rafa to win.

    Wonder where all this theory of French hating Rafa comes from? Maybe 2009 is really history now.

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      • Nole has won 2 slams out of the last 10. He must be sick of being the favourite and going home empty handed.

        #predictions
        #whistling in the wind.

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      • **Djokovic never won a grass set against Murray.**

        Wow, I had not clocked that!!!

        Wonder if his loss last Sunday will impact on his confidence or spur him on to break his duck.

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      • Actually, the odds have widened significantly between him and Muzza over the last few days.

        Nole holds no majors in the last five. Fed won Wimby more recently than Nole..

        He is the Wozniaki of the betting world.

        Just like the FO, Nole is favourite only because of Rafa’s poor outings there the last two years and Andy’s poor form this year.

        Odds will tighten considerably should Rafa show good form in week 1 and makes the second week.

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      • Here we go again with making Nole the favorite with nothing to back it up. Is he even playing a grass tournament prior to W? I saw him partying in Ibiza with the inflatable doll…great preparation for grass. Has he won any other tournament on grass other than W ’11?

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    • @augusta08 2:15…yes, that is where I saw the photos…I wish I was in Ibiza and saw him “live” instead of *working* from home.

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  29. This is why I love Ruan the Federazzi, he is honest. I just love honest people:

    http://ruansfedererblog.com/nadal-wins-9th-french-open-and-14th-slam-to-equal-sampras/

    “1.I was wrong with my prediction and Roger was right as usual.
    2.Nadal will catch up with Roger’s slam count or surpass it.
    3.Djokovic is not and never was the the protector of Roger’s legacy.

    I will start with #1 and work my way down. I admit it, I was wrong. And I should apologize to Roger for calling him emotional and not logical when he made his prediction about Nadal being the favorite for the title. Instead it was me who was emotional and illogical. Us fans just have a different mentality than the players themselves. Roger realizes that Nadal is a threat to his records but he knows it is out of his hands what Nadal does, and is therefor focused on himself. He has already stated that we will probably never know when asked who will become the greatest between him and Nadal, and I tend to agree with that. I wanted Djokovic to win so badly that I was biased in my prediction. I did not want Nadal to catch Roger or surpass him. I have already admitted to you before that my predictions when it comes to Nadal are poor. They are not logical. They are biased.

    I want Nadal to lose so I keep predicting that he will. That is not a prediction based on logic but a prediction based on emotion.

    Djokovic is not and never was the protector of Roger’s legacy. He is first of all not good enough and second of all it is a little absurd to expect Djokovic to ‘protect’ Roger anyway. Roger is the only one that can do that. If he can’t then Nadal deserves to surpass him.”

    Wow. I wish the rest of the Fedrazzi, especially those in the media, could be as honest as Ruan.

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    • Poor Ruan, must be tough for him to say this:

      “Nadal is now my firm favorite for winning Wimbledon this year.”

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      • Note of caution to Rafans: Ruan’s Federer blog I linked above reads kind of pathetic, but that is to be expected: it was written after Rafa mauled Novak at RG.

        Just so you know……………..

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      • Ruan is honest, but IMO this blog and it’s commentors display everything that is wrong with extreme fandom. Ruan’s views are emotionally distorted to a caricature. For him to concede that Rafa might get more slams than Roger simply means, that evil will prevail. He says so explicitly in a later comment. And he changed his tune already: He belatedly realized that Novak had some issues and vomited. Now it’s all about that and how lucky Rafa always is (of course allhis AO mishaps are conveniently forgotten). For Ruan, that is a sure sign that Rafa made a pact with the devil like Robert Johnson. The devil gave Rafa not a guitar but a raquect at a crossroads 10 years ago, prior to his first match against St. Roger in Miami. To Roger’s credit, I don’t believe he cares for this kind of fandom. I always wonder that Ruan completely ignores or misinterprets Roger’s respect for Rafa.

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      • Hi @littlefoot, long time no see! Of course Ruan’s blog is a caricature and that, my dear, is the point! You must have missed the part where he insinuates that Rafa’s too damn lucky, he must be using black magic! That’s his explanation for Novak’s vomiting…….

        In my opinion he’s no worse, or better, than a lot of fanboys, and girls, out there, of whatever player. When Ruan says Rafa wins because of black magic, how is that any different to someone saying Novak tanked his match against Berdych at Rome 2013 to keep himself fresh for RG? I’ll tell you what the difference is: the people who say Nole tanked in 2013 in Rome do not think what they are saying is crazy, well neither does Ruan with his ruminations!

        My trick: I try not to be too judgmental, and just remember to have a laugh…………now and then!

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    • littlefoot (at 1:17 pm),
      — I always wonder that Ruan completely ignores or misinterprets Roger’s respect for Rafa—

      I always believe that the legionaries of the Federazzi express the dreams of their Maestro.

      Sportskeeda, May 19 2013: ¤¤ Rome Masters Final preview: Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal
      “He [Rafa] is the best mover on clay of all-time, if not Top 2 with Bjorn Borg, so it’s hard to play against him. But I’ve done it before and can put him under pressure,” stated Federer. “I hope this time I have a better chance than at Indian Wells, where things were a bit difficult for me. He’s had an incredible comeback, so I’m really happy for him. BUT SOMEONE HAS GOT TO STOP HIM, so I hope it’s me.” ¤¤
      http://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/rome-masters-final-preview-roger-federer-vs-rafael-nadal/

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      • @Littlefoot 1:17pm

        Nice to see you posting again. I always enjoy reading your take on things. I’ve occasionally read the Ruan blog when it has been referenced here. Most of the time I can’t fathom out what he is going on about or where he is coming from. But I feel that way about many tennis blogs which exist purely for fans to indulge in tit-for-tat arguments and to carry on vendettas against anyone supporting a player other than their own favourite. Life is too short to waste time bickering about tennis.

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      • @ed, thanks! Was terribly busy these days, with my mum’s birthday, and supporting my husband in his bid to qualify for the Ironman World Championship ’14 in Hawaii (it’s the Wimby of this sport) in his age group. He made it! And I earned myself a ticket to Hawaii 🙂
        But I’ve to say, I could never be a WAG! If was terribly nervewracking to coach him during the Marathon part of the competition in Lanzarote. Which is legal, btw 😉 But I had run 10 km in the end, had blisters, burns and a mild sun stroke. I earned my trip.

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      • Laughing out loud reading @Littlefoot’s escpades coaching her husband………..

        Hey @Littlefoot, hope you negotiated a nice coach’s fee, you are not Uncle Toni who can dispense good advice to a charge for free!

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      • Ha, ha, RITB, I’m no Uncle Toni for sure. My reward is the Hawaii vacation. And since I was his only coach at that trip – his usual ironbuddies couldn’t make it – I really did well. He never qualified before.
        Good for you, that you can get the occasional laugh out of Ruan’ s blog. You’re perfectly right not to be judgemental. That’s always a good attitude. But I find it frequently chilling and can’t help thinking, that this kind of mentality guided the stabber of Monica Seles. Not that I even remotely think, Ruan is capable of such a deed or is encouraging it.
        But there are always dangerously deranged people lurking in the background, who just might might decide, that it’s their destiny to save tennis from the devil’s clutches, if they read that stuff…

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      • @littlefoot, now you’re giving me the chills…..

        I had honestly not thought about “that” darkest of dark sides. I hope we never re-live that history, EVER, regardless of player. Touch wood, all the players are well protected.

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      • The Seles stabbing has remained a single incident, and I sincerely hope, that this will remain so. Unlike soccer fans tennis fans are normally not prone to violence. But it’s never a good idea to make a religion out of one’s fandom. And Ruan has done just that with his ‘JesusFed’ and ‘GodFed’ and ‘Good vs. Evil’ talk. Hopefully sanity will prevail.

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      • But this is serious talk @littlefoot. I hope the right people are monitoring the activities of such zealots. We know the hysteria will only ratchet up as Rafa’s success continues.

        @Sanju, please Tweet to your “friend” Benito and ask him to make sure Rafa is well protected.

        Touch wood we have nothing to worry about.

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      • @RITB, yes, it’s serious talk. I didn’t intend to worry anyone, and maybe my thoughts are completely off. But I had been watching that blog for a while, because a German friend (a Fedfan btw, who despises that blog) asked me to do so. At first I was amused, then I feared for the sanity of the blogger, then I got a bit worried, since it’s not a completely obscure and unkown blog. The chilling thing is, that he started out in a nice and harmlessly gushing way. But around 2010, after Rafa achieved the career slam, the tone changed.Unfortunately this has been the case with many ardent Fedfans. And with some, grudging respect or amusement turned into pure hatred. Many proFed journos, who used to respect and admire Rafa as well, are changing their tunes with each of Rafa’s new slams (Doug Perry, I ‘m looking at you!). That’s annoying but more or less harmless. But bloggers like Ruan, not kept in check by journalistic guidelines, can really poison the atmosphere (again: it’s not Ruan, but deranged lurkers I’m worried about).
        I’m sure the top players are protected well, though I still remember last years streaker at the FO final. He had other things in mind, but he could’ve easily harmed Rafa of Daveed.

        Reply

      • Nothing will happen to Rafa don’t worry. They have security. There is a Almighty above to protect. Benito did not even bother to reply to my mail of the brain game link I sent after Rome final..lol..fat chance he will reply to me on anything

        But seriously giving connotations like good vs evil to a tennis player was just too much. It was a sign of someone whose upper area is imbalanced. Not just that, all the replies were of the same standard which was more upsetting.

        Reply

      • Littlefoot says: ‘ it’s not Ruan, but deranged lurkers I’m worried about’

        Perhaps you should explain the your reason for being concerned for the benefit of those who are not aware of your professional background. I remember my blood ran cold when that guy managed to get within feet of Rafa at RG. Unfortunately no amount of security can ever guarantee 100% protection against a lone attacker but it was shocking that he was not intercepted long before he got onto the court.

        Reply

      • @ed, I only saw your comment now. Yes, my background as a criminal psychologist has someghing to do with my comments about Ruan’s blog. He himself might be harmless enough in his actions and a nice guy in real life. But he created an object of worship for himself and his followers . And he started to demonize the guy, who is the main threat to best the achievements of said object of worship. Only Ruan and co don’t think it’s in the sporting realm anymore. It has become Good vs. Evil. This is dangerous territory, especially in our times of the world wide web, where a deranged lurker might decide, it’s good to fight evil. The frightening thing about the Seles stabber is, that he achieved his goal. Graf’s slam tally would’ve been decidedly smaller with a physically and mentally healthy Seles at her heels. That’s no belittling of Graf’s outstanding career, but it is a sad fact nevertheless.
        In Germany we had a famous case of someone deliberately introducing PEDs into the system of an outstanding athlet, who always fought against doping. While the mechanisms were more or less cleared up, and the motif was there, too (it had to do with conflicts between West- and East-Germany after the reunification, when the scientifically elaborated doping methods of East-Germany came to light, though the West-Germans had their share of illegal stuff, too). But the reputation and legacy of the guy is forever tarnished, since the average inernational news consumers and journos simply don’t delve into the intricacies and details of this inner German conflict. I’m just mentioning this to show, that there are other methods than violence to destroy an athlet.
        But enough of that stuff. I only jumped into this discussion because I had watched Ruan’s blog for some time and grew increasingly concerned, though I worry more about their sanity than other darker things. The scenarios I mentioned probably won’t happen to any player, since in these days an age they are well protected and and most of even the ardent fans know, where to draw a line. Hopefully.

        Reply

  30. augusta08, you have no idea how many things I have been doing to try to anti-jinx Rafa during and after the IW/Miami matches…and during this clay court season…I even invited the posters here to get back to their old anti-jinx rituals to help Rafa… I do it all the time…I rarely post during Rafa’s matches as I am too nervous to do so…I do it afterwards..but I do have my rituals…However, Rafa did get too defensive and scared during some of his matches…he admitted it later on…and we all came to know why it was…because he was so shaken with his loss/injury in the AO finals..

    and I will write what I want…if I find his game too defensive and weak be sure I will say so…that is how much I love Rafa…honesty is the virtue…

    Reply

  31. RITB I read that Ruan Federers blog and all the comments there too. God I am amazed at the hate all those people have for Rafa. It is unbelievable. Terming Roger as goodness and Rafa as Evil and if Rafa crosses Roger means evil has triumphed over goodness is taking it to pathetic extremes. I think if you all have time, read the comments (there are 21 of them), it will give you an idea of how pathetic people can be. It is understandable to be hurt but to denigrate oneself to such levels of pathetic extreme is absurd, it just reflects what sorry people these are.

    Rafa is pure goodness ..

    And what is this pathetic theory of now terming Rafas 14th slam as lucky citing Djokovics illness. Hell crap..if anyone was lucky it was Roger to win his 14th and 15th due to Rafas injury..that was pure luck..Have these people forgotten that? Yeah but why would they mention that as it benefited Roger ? Rafa was in bad shape himself..bad back..and snatched the 4th from Djokovic when it could have easily gone to a 5th..he psyched Djokovic and made him crumble and the match just turned all of a sudden as Djokovic crumbled in 4th.

    I am not predicting anything for Rafa but just in case Rafa gets a double career slam or wins Wimby and crosses 17..God these people will have to be admitted to asylums..they will go mad

    I was laughing at below comments on Murray though..lol

    It s clear that Djokovic can’t stop Nadal, and neither can Murray. Murray is more a fan of Nadal than an opponent. If it was up to him he would help Nadal surpass Roger. About Murray though..Its so strange to have a top layer player so in awe of his rival..I mean its almost as if he wants Nadal to play unbelivable tennis so that he can say how unplayable his serve has become or how Nadals forehand is the greatest ever..I mean its unbelievable hero worship from a top player..

    Reply

    • @Sanju, I am glad you see the funny side! For me blogs like Ruan’s are important in helping to keep perspective, not to get upset at, not to take too seriously. Just to know that stuff like that exists, extremes and hey, it’s also good comedy!

      Reply

  32. You think the take on Murray’s perceived hero worship of Nadal is bad enough? You want to see the TW posters’ opinion of Berdych’s unrequited love for Rafa. Some have even suggested that Berdych should be expelled by the ATP because he loves Rafa too much as an opponent and hands him all their matches on a gold platter.

    Reply

    • I am waiting for the day they will allege that Rafa and Murray have a relationship going :-). Nothing is beyond these people 🙂

      Reply

  33. Hi, everybody, and belated congrats to all Rafafans. Also commies to all Novak fans, even if they don’t post here frequently.
    I was terribly busy these days with family festivities. My mum celebrated her 80th kn good mental health. So, I had no time to worry overmuch prior and during the final. When I hit German google news, and Boris Becker made front news, my heart sank. Then I read, that he had to sell his finca in Mallorca, and I knew, if THAT was the main news about him, that Rafa must’ve won. 🙂
    Just doing some catch up reading. Maybe, I will go to Halle on Friday. If Rafa is still there, great. If not, let him just be healthy for Wimby.
    As to Ruan, I feel actually sorry for him. His emotions are about to ruin a great sport for him.

    Reply

  35. A nice post match on-court interview with Rafa on eurosport (for those who haven’t seen it).

    Rafa starts tearing up towards the end describing what it meant to him after Australia and his struggles since.

    #VamosGOAT!!!!

    Reply

  38. Another great article.

    Looks like Gulbis’ coach had a change of tune (like so many other 20/20 hindsight artists)…

    “He is the best competitor not in tennis, the best competitor in sports for me,” said Gunther Bresnik, the coach of Ernests Gulbis, who lost to Djokovic in the semifinals here. “The coaches always ask, ‘Who would you want to play in one match if your life is in danger?’ I would say nine out of 10 coaches would say Nadal. He doesn’t quit and he’s going to give 100% from the first to the last second.”

    http://online.wsj.com/articles/nadal-simply-unbeatable-on-clay-1402260344

    Reply

  39. I do not understand this business of making Novak the favorite for Wimbledon. He’s only won it once. Also, he’s in the midst of a nice losing streak in slam finals. Is it because he was a finalist last year? He certainly didn’t not distinguish himself in that one. He was clearly outplayed by Murray.

    I don’t know when these people are going to realize that Novak is not playing particularly brilliant tennis these days. I hope and expect the betting odds to change should Rafa get through the first week. We all know that once Rafa is in the second week of a slam, good things tend to happen! 🙂

    Reply

      • Does there have to be a favourite? No one is the favourite; no one stands out particularly. Novak seems to be the favourite by default even though his record in slams is abysmal. Just 2 titles out of his last 10.

        Reply

      • The answer to your question @nadline10 is yes, there has to be a favourite imo, provided that favourite is Novak. All the better to take the pressure off Rafa!

        Reply

      • Nole is the favourite, then Murray, then Nadal, then Federer blah-de-blah blah blah blah.

        Novak is not the favourite “by default” but by current betting.

        All subject to change (just like at the French, no?)

        #FactsIsFacts

        Reply

      • Ricky,

        I would put Murray and Fed up there. I am not saying that Novak can’t be mentioned as one of the contenders. I just don’t see him as THE favorite.

        Reply

    • NNY: I agree he is definitely some way off his best but is still high enough to be winning Masters and snapping at the heels of Rafa. It’s hard to define but I would put his ‘dip’ down to the relentless pressure of competing at the top level. The difference between the Gang of Four and others in the top 10 is that every loss is scrutinised and analysed. Several losses in a row immediately provokes forecasts that they are washed up. That’s hard to live with.

      I do not agree with the popular perception that sports writers and commentators are all engaged in a devious campaign to promote Djokovic at the expense of Rafa. They are paid to report on tennis but are also engaged in the wider job of promoting it as a world wide sport. Rivalries between top stars have always been crucial to the growth in the popularity of tennis as a spectator sport. If you like they are the life blood for the success of tennis and to ensure the continued funding on which it depends.

      The Federer-Nadal rivalry revitalised tennis as a spectator sport and attracted an untold number of new fans as well as re-awaking an interest amongst people who had drifted away from tennis. Fedal encounters still send viewing figures rocketing but they were becoming less frequent. By happenstance at that precise moment Djokovic emerged as the next contender to challenge Rafa and went about proving it throughout 2011 and up until the time Rafa disappeared from the scene for seven months only to return and turn the tables on Novak.

      What we hear from TV commentators and read in the press may enrage Rafans beyond endurance but is nothing more sinister than opinion-makers fanning the flames of a rivalry which they dread fizzling out because they (and their bosses) fear the day when mega marquee matches are few and far between.

      Incredible to realise Rafa has played a key role in these dramas over a period of 10 years.

      Reply

      • ed251137 (at 11:37 am),
        —I do not agree with the popular perception that sports writers and commentators are all engaged in a devious campaign to promote Djokovic at the expense of Rafa. They are paid to report on tennis but are also engaged in the wider job of promoting it as a world wide sport.—

        And their ‘wider job promoting’ depends on who pays.

        Reply

      • ed, your last point is certainly valid. Djoko is definitely enjoying some hype, as you say, because they need a rivalry to keep the flames burning. I remember how they used to spice up the rivalry between Steve Ovett and Seb Coe alleging that they hated each other which they now say was not true.

        Reply

      • @ed,

        I actually agree with you about their being no devious sinister plan to promote Novak. I would like to clarify my thoughts about him. I am certainly not saying he is washed up. Remember that I was one who did not go along with this business that Novak would never beat Rafa again. That was the contention of some Rafa fans after he beat Novak at the 2013 AO. I learned never to say never with this sport. I also believed that Novak was too good to just go away. He may not be the 2011 Novak, but he certainly has the game to stay at the top and, as you say, nip at Rafa’s heels. He’s not going anywhere. It’s always difficult for me to express my thoughts about him without getting accused of not being a real Rafa fan.

        That’s not how I roll. I am perfectly willing to give credit to Rafa’s rivals. That’s what Rafa does. He knows that Novak is capable of pushing him to his limits in their matches. The media would naturally promote the Rafa/Novak rivalry now in men’s tennis. It was the Rafa/Fed rivalry that breathed new life into the sport when it was much needed. It brought fans like me back. It’s still a big deal with they play, even though the outcome is usually easier to predict. But the current true top rivalry is Rafa/Novak,

        I don’t think that Novak has been playing his best, but even less than that is good enough to keep him at #2 and still in the hunt to regain the #1 ranking. As a fan of Rafa, I have to respect the fact that he is still a force to reckon with in this sport. I am not at all enraged by the media promoting Novak. He’s still going to be in contention at the Masters tournamens and slams.

        Reply

  40. Betting odds are like whistling in the wind.

    The more I think about it the more I think it’s strange for Djokovic to arrange to go holidaying in Ibiza immediately after the FO. Did he assume he would win it then go to Rafa’s backyard to rub salt in the wounds? It certainly backfired.

    Reply

  41. IMO Murray is more the favorite than Novak…Andy is supported by his new coach 🙂 and the way he has been playing on clay means really nothing because Andy traditionally fails on clay (although he may have gone even further if there was no Rafa to stop him in RG)
    Novak might be affected with his loss in RG and he simply does not seem too focused on his game right now (maybe it’s that he is too excited about becoming a dad…) Novak will most likely go deep in Wimby but I don’t think he is capable of wining it…
    Rafa can by no means be considered the favorite and it’s good he is not because that will take the unnecessary pressure of him…I wish Rafa is healthy to go deep in Wimby and wining it would come as a the best thing ever as far as I am concerned… 🙂

    Reply

  43. The ITV commies, Courier and Petchey said after the match that they knew Rafa was the favourite for RG all along but they were just over hyping it for Djoko because people got tired of saying Rafa was the favourite every year.

    What a carry-on. It’s just a load of rubbish. It’s amazing that people guessing at best or just saying things for effect generates so much heat. Thank goodness Rafa says it doesn’t matter to him if he is favoured or not, he just tries his best.

    Reply

    • nadline10 ( at 2:01 pm)
      —they were just over hyping it for Djoko because people got tired of saying Rafa was the favourite every year—

      WHICH people???
      I am wondering WHY aren’t THE SAME people (who are reportedly tired of Rafa being the favorite every year) tired of dreaming about Fed’s GS-victories ?

      Reply

  44. Hawkeye63, June 11, 12:56 pm
    I tend to agree with you 🙂

    It must be a comprehensive and sophisticated, fully updated and upgraded filing system with all bits and pieces on those of us who dared saying something which could be interpreted as critique of Rafa…but you know I come from the Balkans and we are world-wide known as rebellions and disobedient citizens who don’t regularly comply with standards and the rules imposed on us… therefore, this pressure for conformity that Gussie implies simply does not work on me… 😎

    Reply

  48. Nadline: I am fully aware big businesses use incentives and threats to manipulate the media but the idea that dozens of journalists and commentators are being bribed to promote Djokovic at Rafa’s expense to enhance Federer’s reputation is frankly preposterous. As I suggested the pressure is more likely to be from the ATP and IFT to exaggerate Djokovic’s chances in order to promote the rivalry. They in turn are under pressure from the big TV stations who in turn want to keep advertisers happy by delivering marquee matches at peak viewing times.

    On the other hand it’s quite possible the press corps are collectively more
    enthralled by the Djokovic storyline than by that of Rafa.

    Reply

  49. ed, whoever suggested that the media is being bribed to promote Djokovic, it wasn’t me. I just said they probably do it because they think he needs it or he’ll disappear under the radar because Rafa doesn’t, nor does Fed.

    Reply

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