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

33 Comments on Rafael Nadal

    • Thanks Gussie. Looks like Rafa has the same suspects in his half as he had in Rio.

      Surprised Andujar is ranked lower than Cuevas………….

      Reply

  3. Rafa was supposedly in a hurry changing his shorts in the tunnel because the locker room was too far away. So he got them on backwards. It has nothing to do with being unpretentious! He just put them on backwards. Something people can do with their clothes when they are in a hurry.

    It was a charming moment and quite funny when Bernardis noticed Rafa’s predicament. I think he told Rafa that he didn’t have any time to fix his shorts. So Rafa had to play his first service game of the third set with them on backwards. Then as soon as the game wa over, we saw him running to the sidelines to get the towel again.

    I enjoyed the moment, but it has nothing to do with Fed!

    Reply

  5. On VB they are discussing the issue of the balls being used in this tournament. They also posted comments from Rafa as to the difficulty presented by the balls and how it is causing grotesque errors. Maybe that is why his shots seem to be so off at the time. They used these same balls in Sao Paolo, so the players who were in that tournament are used to them. Also, Rafa isn’t the only player complaining about them.

    That might explain some of the things that have been going on with Rafa. He still needs match play and he’s getting that right now. He also needs confidence and the win over Cuevas should help him quite a bit.

    They said that Rafa showed up to practice about 12 hours after his match. It’s insane! But I don’t think he will have trouble with Fognini. They also said that the women’s match is going long and that will push back the start of Rafa’s semifinal match.

    Reply

    • thanks for all the info NNY. Any idea which balls they are using for this tournament? It must be so frustrating for the players to have different balls for different tournaments. The timing definitely gets affected a lot so rafa may well have been affected so far

      Reply

      • vamosrafa,

        They are HEAD ATP balls. Here is the discussion posted again by VB forum member elise, originally posted by forum member malimeda.

        “malimeda wrote:
        Those HEAD ATP balls they’ve been using at some of the tournaments, 2015 Rio Open included, have been causing complaints from many players, not only Rafa. These balls are generally of low-quality and too light, as well as highly inconsistent from one ball to another and from one batch to another.

        Here’s what Brazilian doubles player Bruno Soares had to say on Feb. 20, after he & Alexander Peya lost to Marach & Andujar (my translation & highlights):
        http://www.breakpointbr.com.br/noticias … p?cod=3272

        Quote:
        “I had never felt comfortable here at any moment. Quite simply, whenever I hit the ball, I had not the slightest idea where it would end.”

        “One moment you hit a winner, the other you hit into the backdrop. I wasn’t able to serve with this ball, it harmed my game. It gives you the feeling as if you’re playing at 800m above sea level. A ball should be made for the sea-level conditions.”

        “This ball is garbage. I see no change in it. They say they’ve been trying, but sincerely each ball I see is worse than the previous one. And it’s not for nothing, it’s not that someone has sponsorship of one brand or another. People play with all kinds of balls, all of them have variations, but all the balls are consistent. Here you hit two balls, one is a winner, the other goes into the backdrop. This doesn’t happen with a normal ball, especially at the sea level, to see such grotesque errors. You play at Barcelona and this doesn’t happen. It’s not being fussy, it’s not a pretext, the ball is bad. They have to change it.”

        Reply

  11. Here is a translation of Rafa’s comments courtesy of VB forum member piliii. I am sorry for the length, but I thought it might be of interest to Rafa fans to hear it in his own words. I decided to leave out the Spanish quotes and just show the English translation.

    “Very interesting quotes from Rafa (from this Tennis Topic article from Alvaro Rama) I’m only translating Rafa’s statements.”

    Quote:
    “I think I had good and bad moments. Physically I’m having good moments and bad moments during a match. I lack consistency (in terms of physical performance). I was not physically well after the second set. It’s true that it was very humid, but I’m getting tired earlier than usual.” “I did not have pain in my groin, I was cramping different parts of my body. It’s strange cause I’ve barely suffered from cramps in my career, which surprises me.” “I’m working well, with the right attitude, trying to improve things, but I’m on my way and I think I’m closer to finding my game and the level I want to achieve than I was a month ago.”

    Quote:
    “From second set onwards, I had an important dip in my physical level. At the end, I was at the limit. I lack consistency and continuity. I don’t understand well why.”

    Quote:
    “I was unfortunate with lack of continuity in competition during lots of months. It’s logical this affects my physical performance while competing. Even if you train, it’s normal that when you compete, things get more demanding. To be able to overcome difficult situations you need to go through all of these phases I’m experiencing in the last few tournaments I played. Instead of worrying, I understand it’s a process I have to go through. Nevertheless, I’m surprised to have cramps, but it’s part of a journey I have to go through. I will keep on trying going up this ladder, to be on top and from that moment, to be able to compete at my maximum against any player. That’s my goal and what I’m going to work for.

    Quote:
    “I will drop to Number 4 and probably further down in next months.”

    Quote:
    “To lose ranking positions is normal after you’ve been injured and you were practically 7 months without adding points. Or you win everything since the moment you come back or you go down in the rankings, which is going to happen. It’s logical. I will fight not for the ranking but for the Race. I will go from 8, 9 position in the Race, I don’t know, and from there I have to work to keep on improving that position. It’s the only ranking that’s important at this moment”

    Reply

    • With having so many points to defend early this year, focussing on the Race and definitely slams is the right approach. With this SF, he will go from 15th into the Top 10 passing Federer along the way. The season is long.

      Vamos!

      Reply

    • many thanks for this NNY!

      So aside from the cramping, rafa is not worried. He once again takes positives from defeat and we know he will reach the apex soon.

      Reply

      • hawkeye and vamosrafa,

        Thanks for letting me know that it was appreciated. I know that it helped me to read Rafa’s words. He also doesn’t know why he’s cramping. On VB they had a discussion after the match and some seemed to think that it could be a result of the appendectomy. Even though it was done by laparoscopic surgery and was minimally invasive, people seemed to feel that it could cause him to feel this way even months after the surgery because he is pushing his body to the limit when he plays.

        He seems resigned to his ranking dropping. I think he’s being realistic and focusing on what is important. He also does have an understanding of what is going on, i.e. lacking consistency and continuity. He doesn’t know why. I think if he can win the title in Buenos Aires it will be a big step for him. There’s nothing like winning a title to give a player confidence and good feelings. It doesn’t matter if it’s a 250, 500 or whatever.

        Rafa should be looking at the big picture and focusing on slams at this point in his career. He’s got time to be ready for RG.

        Reply

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