AO: El Classico

AO: Semifinal photos

A few of the many, many photos of the semifinal against Federer.

Photos by WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images, PAUL CROCK/AFP/Getty Images, REUTERS/Tim Wimborne, Cameron Spencer/Getty Images, REUTERS/Darren Whiteside, Lucas Dawson/Getty Images, Quinn Rooney/Getty Images, Lucas Dawson/Getty Images, Scott Barbour/Getty Images, Clive Brunskill/Getty Images, GREG WOOD/AFP/Getty Images, REUTERS/Tim Wimborne, REUTERS/Vivek Prakash, Martin Philbey-Pool/Getty Images, and NICOLAS ASFOURI/AFP/Getty Images

26 Jan 2012 | by miri | 5 Comments

AO: Helloeverybodyguys

Rafa wants to share how he feels about winning that semifinal match:

26 Jan 2012 | by miri | 4 Comments

AO: Semifinal videos

Highlights from the AO site.

No way he can…no…not possible…oh he reached it…but he can’t actually hit a good shot from there…oh crap, he did! Amazing!

Posted by ESPN.

Post match interview – English:

And in Spanish:

To view the full match in HD (after signing up for membership), go to: partidoapartido.com.

26 Jan 2012 | by miri | 4 Comments

AO: Semifinal presser

Rafa’s semifinal presser via Eurosport:

There’s also an excerpt on the AO site, and here’s the transcript.

Q. Congratulations. How do you think you have succeeded to turn this match around tonight?

RAFAEL NADAL: Thank you very much. Well, I think he started playing aggressive, very, very high level at the beginning of the match.

Always you can do a little bit more, no? But I really felt that when he plays like this, it’s almost impossible to rise there to that level, no?

But after

26 Jan 2012 | by miri | 13 Comments

RafaLint: January 25th

It’s no surprise, but Rafa’s on the player entry list for Indian Wells.

Articles:

Win or lose, it’s a good start – by Rafael Nadal (The Age)
Mythbusters: Federer-Nadal Edition – by Carl Bialik (Wall Street Journal)
Federer-Nadal Rivalry Adds Another Chapter – by Christopher Clarey (New York Times)
Previewing Federer Vs. Nadal – by Geoff MacDonald (New York Times)

Video/Audio:

Laver has say on Nadal-Federer from Eurosport
Chris Evert and Chris McKendry preview the

25 Jan 2012 | by miri | 3 Comments

AO: Rafa and Rod

You can really see the shy Rafa in this video of his meeting with Rod Laver – such an awkward set-up and it’s like they don’t quite know what to say to each other:

There are also some photos from the AO site.

25 Jan 2012 | by miri | 41 Comments

RafaLint: January 24th

Articles:

Racquet Reaction: Nadal d. Berdych – by Steve Tignor (tennis.com)
Australian Open Day 9 recap: Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer set for semis clash – by Courtney Nguyen (si.com)
In Nadal Vs. Berdych, Conditioning Makes a Difference by Geoff MacDonald (New York Times)
Nadal flips Berdych to book Fed date a few days early – by Michael Gleeson (Sydney Morning Herald)
Rafael Nadal next up for Roger Federer – AP via ESPN
Federer and Nadal to Meet in Australian Open

24 Jan 2012 | by miri | 8 Comments

AO: Quarterfinal photos

Photos from the quarterfinal match against Berdych.

Photos by VIVEK PRAKASH/AFP/Getty Images, Mark Dadswell/Getty Images, GREG WOOD/AFP/Getty Images, Clive Brunskill/Getty Images, NICOLAS ASFOURI/AFP/Getty Images, WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images, and TORSTEN BLACKWOOD/AFP/Getty Images

24 Jan 2012 | by miri | 12 Comments

AO: Quarterfinal videos

Match highlights via the AO site.

Amazing shot:

Match report:

Posted by ESPN.

Post match interview in English:

And in Spanish:

Full match available rafanadalpartidoapartido.com.

24 Jan 2012 | by miri | 4 Comments

AO: Quarterfinal presser

Here’s a video excerpt from Rafa’s presser. And the AO has kindly posted a transcript:

Q. The level of play tonight was quite exceptional. How did you manage to turn the match around, do you think?

RAFAEL NADAL: At the beginning wasn’t exceptional for me.

No, no it wasn’t.

Q. For him maybe?

RAFAEL NADAL: Maybe, but I think the level of the third and fourth set for me was very, very high, top level for myself playing on these courts. Very happy

24 Jan 2012 | by miri | 2 Comments