A little spark, but no fire
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
It was do or die tonight for Rafa in London as he took on Davydenko in his second WTF round robin match. The first set was painful, let’s not talk about it. Much like his first match, Rafa looked tentative. Oh wait, we aren’t talking about it. There was a bit of fire in the second set and Rafa forced it to a tiebreaker, but he will not make it to the semis as he is the only player to lose two round robin matches in straight sets: 1-6, 6-7(4).
Stats:
| Nadal | Davydenko | |
|---|---|---|
| Statistics on Serve | ||
| Aces | 1 | 6 |
| Double Faults | 2 | 3 |
| 1st Serve % | 60% | 50% |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 21/35 (60%) | 27/35 (77%) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 10/23 (43%) | 16/35 (46%) |
| Break Points Saved | 5/9 (56%) | 4/6 (67%) |
| Service Games Played | 9 | 10 |
| Statistics on Return | ||
| 1st Return Points Won | 8/35 (23%) | 14/35 (40%) |
| Second Return Points Won | 19/35 (23%) | 13/23 (57%) |
| Break Points Won | 2/6 (33%) | 4/9 (44%) |
| Return Games Played | 10 | 9 |
| Statistics on Points | ||
| Total Service Points Won | 31/58 (53%) | 43/70 (61%) |
| Total Return Points Won | 27/70 (39%) | 27/58 (47%) |
| Total Points Won | 58/128 (45%) | 70/128 (55%) |
| Other Stats | ||
| Winners | 12 | 27 |
| Unforced errors | 20 | 26 |
| Net Approaches | 2/6 (33%) | 14/16 (88%) |
As it happened blatherings:
Carlos Bernardes in the chair again. Rafa wins the toss and will receive.
Davydenko starts things off with an ace. Rafa trying to move Davydenko side-to-side right from the start. Rafa pounces on a short ball, but flings his shot pretty far wide: 30-15. Cross-court backhand winner followed by a nose-crinkling snort: 40-30. Double fault: deuce. Service winner: Ad Davydenko. Rafa nets a forehand and it’s 0-1.
Rafa serves, runs around a backhand and then can’t get to the next ball that Davydenko hits wide to Rafa’s forehand. Rafa slips a bit trying to stop after attempting to track it down: 0-15. Another good length rally with Rafa mainly on his heels ends with him sending a ball long: 0-30. Beautiful angle from Davydenko just barely wide: 15-30. Ace! 30-30. Second serve. This time, the beautifully angled backhand from Davydenko drops in: 30-40. Second serve. The net cord drops the ball back onto Rafa’s side of the court and Davydenko breaks.
Davydenko already angling winners at will: 30-0. Error from him: 30-15. Rafa’s top spin shots landing at the back of the service box – only the slice is going deeper, but just barely. Davydenko holds.
Fierce forehand from Rafa that Davydenko can’t get back: 30-0. Ooh. Make that two of those: 40-0. Rafa holds at love: 1-3.
Davydenko sends a shot well wide: 0-15. Rafa loops a defensive shot just long: 15-15. Ace: 30-15. Davydenko nets a ball: 30-30. Rafa runs down a drop shot, but is a bit too late to do much of anything with it: 40-30. Another drop shot and Davydenko holds.
After running Rafa from side-to-side again, an angled forehand winner from Davydenko: 0-15. Double fault: 0-30. Davydenko rips a second serve return: 0-40. Davydenko’s won every second serve point from Rafa. Second serve. Ripped winner from Davydenko: 1-5.
Davydenko holds at love. Just took him 27 minutes to win that set.
Rafa slices a ball long. Looks like he wants to toss his cookies too. 15-15. Wide shot from Davydenko draws a forehand error from Rafa: 15-30. Davydenko sends a shot long: 30-30. Second serve. Davydenko pulls Rafa wide to his forehand then sends the ball back wide to Rafa’s backhand: 30-40. Aggressive serve draws a pop-up return that Rafa smashes from the net: deuce. Another good serve and Davydenko sends the return out wide. Second serve. Rafa holds.
Rafa nets a ball: 15-0. Second serve from Davydenko. Davydenko angles a shot just wide: 15-15. Rafa tries to step up and hits a return early, but he sends his shot just out: 30-15. Second serve. He sends a forehand way wide: 40-15. Davydenko holds: 1-1.
Davydenko sends a ball long: 15-0. Rafa sends a shot way, way out: 15-15. Good length from Davydenko draws an error from Rafa: 30-30. Rafa sends a shot just long: 30-40. Davydenko sends a shot out: deuce. Second serve. Another series of good angles from Davydenko it’s break point again. Rafa paints a line with a forehand down the line while I have a minor coronary and it’s deuce. Whew. Rafa holds: 2-1.
Rafa works his way to 30-40 after being down 0-40, but he sends a second serve return long and Davydenko holds.
Davydenko blasts a passing shot by Rafa: 0-15. Davydenko’s angles are pure evil if you are on the other side of the net. 0-30 Davydenko sends a shot wide: 15-30. Rafa sends a deep shot long and then has a terse looking conversation with himself and Toni. Break point. Deep strong shots from Rafa and this time Davydenko errs: 30-40. Ace? Nope…let. Dang. Service winner! Nice. Deuce. Deep angled shot that Rafa can’t get to: break point again. Second serve. Rafa sends a shot long and is broken: 2-3.
Davydenko misses a backhand: 15-30. Second serve. Double fault. Double break point for Rafa. Another good, deep shot wide to Rafa’s backhand draws an error: 30-40. Again, Davydenko moves Rafa around: deuce. Davydenko sends a shot long: break point #3. Rafa sends a return wide, but challenges the call and yes, the ball is way out: deuce. Ace. Second serve. The net reaches up, grabs Rafa’s shot and sends it wide. Davydenko holds.
Rafa holds at love.
AC/DC? Seriously? AC/DC?
Davydenko nets a shot: 0-15. Now that’s a freaking return of serve! Beauty down the line: 0-30. In the middle of a long-ish rally, Rafa totally shanks a ball: 15-30. He then slices a return long: 30-30. Long rally that has them both running until Rafa steps into a backhand cross-court that Davydenko can’t handle: 30-40. Deep shot from Davydenko draws an error from Rafa: deuce. Aggressive return draws an error from Davydenko: break point. Second serve. Davydenko sends a shot long and Rafa breaks! Huge Vamos! On serve: 4-4.
Rafa’s looking stronger – his body language is picking up a bit. Oh boy is it picking up. He holds at love. I think there were at least 3 Vamoses in that last game. Vamoses? Vamosi?
Not to be greedy or anything, but a break now would be perfect.
Davydenko at the net andn Rafa gets a ball just over him: 0-15. Deep shot from Davydenko that draws and error and Rafa bops himself in the head. Good serve and a ball returned wide: 30-15. An amazing angle with great speed from Davydenko: 40-15. Davydenko nets a ball: 40-30. Davydenko hits behind Rafa and he holds: 5-5.
Second serve. More deep angles draw an eventual error from Rafa: 0-15. Second serve. Double fault: 0-30. Smash winner: 15-30. Davydenko rips a return and Rafa nets a ball: 15-40. Second serve. Davydenko breaks. He leads 6-5.
An ace from Davydenko was overruled by a Rafa challenge and he goes on to win the point: 15-30. I likes me that shot! 30-30 thanks to a wonderful forehand down the line. Rafa breaks! To a tie break we go.
Davydenko hits a short angle that Rafa can’t track down and gets the mini-break. Second serve from Davydenko. Double fault! Davydenko sends a shot wide – mini-break to Rafa. Net cord grabs one of Rafa’s shots: 2-2. Davydenko sends a shot wide: 3-2. Second serve from Davydenko. Holy crap what a point. Each player trying to angle the other out of the stadium, overheads…everything. Davydenko wins the point: 3-3.
Rafa just misses a shot – error drawn by another Davydangle: 3-4. Second serve from Rafa. Rafa runs and runs, but eventually can’t get to the shot: 3-5. Very long rally ends in an error from Davydenko: 4-5. Davydenko can serve it out.
Second serve – Rafa sends his return long…but did he? Call is overturned on a challenge. Service winner: 4-6 and double match point. Davydenko wins.
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Being a Rafa fan this day’s is so hard… Living between hope and dispair…
He fought! Love him still and always will!
Help An, I need some of the positive beams from you. So tough.
Ah Nic, its hard to stay positive, No?
Just try and hold on to the tought that he’s Rafa and that he can play tennis…. just look at the Youtube clip that Miri refers too after the first set in the “as it happens blatherings”… that player is in there still, must be!
Our Rafa is still there. I know he is. He’s a fighter and Champion, he’ll get through 2009, and start a new.
Thanks An, Atch2. I know he’s there too. I could see it coming back when he was fired up in the second set. Just the frustration that he was expressing was pretty worrying. He’s always been more calm and collected. But I guess that’s exactly what he said he’s lacking right now. Be with colm Rafa. Chill my dearest.
I actually saw glimpses of him in the second half of the second set. It made me feel better after that dreadful first set. I went to bed straight after the match (at midnight overhere) and slept really well because of the way he played in the last couple of games.
He’s not there yet, but he’s getting there, I’m sure.
He will make it and make a stunning comeback in 2010. He may trip and fall while he’s still feeling his way back to the top form that propelled him to number one, but let’s just cast all doubts out of our head and believe in him! After watching the second set, I am convinced he has it in him to accomplish much more and he’s still the champion we love and knonw him to be!
this temporary slump is just a tempest in a teacup!
Sorry Emma, I posted my comment before I read yours. Apparently we think alike…
I’m so sad for Rafa I want to cry. It just hurts too much to see him lose two matches straight. I just wanted him to at least get a set in. Just to help the confidence. The positive I will take from this is that he was fighting so hard in the second set and I could see the fire coming back. I knew it would be hard for him at this tournament and even Rafa knows it, but it doesn’t hurt any less. It just feels so unfair. I know, that’s a childish thing to say. But I want him to be happy so much. Sigh. My heart is so heavy after this. I’m still positive that Rafa can regain his form, but I’m just worried for his poor little heart at the moment. He needs to get a win somewhere, a set, a match. Something to hold on to. Besos my dear Rafa xxx
I agree, the first set was just horrible but he definitely improved in the second set. One thing I love about Rafa is how he just never gives up and keeps fighting! Still proud of him.
All I can say is that he tried in the 2nd set. He really tried.
I know this is not his prefered surface & it sucks that it seems to suit every other player at this WTF!!
The worst part is Rafa is at risk of falling to no. 3. I don’t care if he says it’s not important, it is & he knows it.
Lets hope next year is a better start for him. Although he has quite a few points to defend come the first half of the year.
I suspect he is carrying too much baggage on his shoulders & needs to just let it go. It’s hindering his game & fucking giving me a heart murmer!!!!
Fuerte Mary! We’re going to be there to witness his revival in Rod Laver Arena, and boy, is it going to be good!!!
Abso-f****g-lutely. Spot on aRafaelite!!!!
Oh guys, if only I could be there with you in Melbourne :(
I had a lot of hope in that second set and going into the tie-breaker. That felt darn good for a change. I’m hanging onto that for now.
Yeah, I had that hope too. Thanks for reminding me. The final outcome just made me forget. I need to hang on to that now.
Right on.
Thats excatly how I felt Miri I was so longing for him to win that 2nd set buy Davy was by no means fit enough to go another set and I i just knew he would throw everything at Rafa during that tie-break, had this been a best of 5 sets or had Rafa won that damn tie-break then the match was his! Its really tough on Rafafans now but that is what we are here for to keep on believing in our hero and supporting him! I go tommorow and am anxious as hell but just to see him will be awsome, what the heck!
Good to see both his parents at the match today supporting him. He played more like the old Rafa in the second set, and I had hoped for another set.
Oooh, both parents were there? I saw Rafadad and sister there, but I didn’t know his mom was around too. That’s some positive news.
Seeing his parents and sister, and the whole posse there gave me warm fuzzing feelings too. Rafa seems to look towards his camp more than usual during these tough times.
*sigh.* I didn’t get to watch the match, but tweeters kept me updated on the sad state of affairs. This is one match I don’t think I’ll ever watch, especially that first set.
I don’t really know what to expect from the Rafole match on Friday. I doubt that I’ll be able to watch (no cable tv and not traveling w the laptop), and it might be for the best. *sniffle*
I hope Rafa finds his game soon. DC is counting on him!!! Vamos!
I’m still reeling from the fact that The Sod beat Nole in straight sets (I’m REALLY starting to dislike him now!) – who could have predicted that the way Nole’s been playing lately?! I wouldn’t like to make any predictions about the Rafa-Nole match. I’d like to see Nole win the tourney (unless Fer pulls off a miracle which seems unlikely) but that can only happen if he beats Rafa… my head wants Nole, but my heart wants Rafa! But I’ve reached a state of acceptance (as opposed to resignation) now – I’m not getting upset by his losses at WTF, because he’s starting to PLAY, to fight, to recover. And that’s what matters. The wins will follow.
Actually that could be a godsend for Rafa. As this may stop Nole from taking numero dos spot. I like Nole but not as much as Rafa. Oh and don’t hate the Sod, he actually played extremely well. I believe he is changing his attitude towards his fellow tennis players. He has a big following back home & the responsibility has had an impact on him.
He may well be the outsider that could win his WTF!! I kind of like this concept. Anything to upset Fed head & Noles possibility of taking 2nd spot is fine by me
Sod can help Rafa retain his #2 spot in rankings I think. Perhaps we should get behind him this time?
I’m with Mary on the Sod. I think he played well, I think his attitude really is changing and I would like the idea of him ending as the champion. Not only because Rafa would still be at #2, but because it would mean that besides Rafa and Nole, Fed would be beaten by him as well.
Watch the second set. It’s awesome to see him come from nowhere, get himself so pumped, and play some blinding tennis. He could’ve had that set – damn that wrong call! – but the point is he was very much like our usual Rafa at the end there. Better to start bad and end well, no? Some positives here.
Rafangel – “Better to start bad and end well, no?” That statement sums it up. Rafa should take some positives from his ending of this match. He can honestly say he is really getting back to his best.
Next match I’m feeling good vibes. It won’t give him this title, but to go away from the WTF with a win against Nole on Nole’s prefered surface would propel Rafa’s confidence through the roof. God I’m praying!!
“he is really getting back to his best”.
Yes!!!
Another bad call against us at a critical. But yeah Rafa upped his game at the end. Nole’s scoreline was the reverse of ours. Wishd it was a 5set match.
I was really upset to see him hitting his head midway through the 2nd set. The frustration on Rafa’s face was so tough to see.
That was upsetting for me too. He must have been really really frustrated.
He does that sometimes anyway when he muffs it. At least he was fired and alive – at one stage he was just lost and sad. But not by the end!
he fought but i really begin to beleive there is something wrong which they keep it secretly….i mean IT SHOULDNT BE THAT EASY TO BREAK RAFAEL NADAL 4 or 5 times still good enough to push second set tiebreak….i mean our rafa didnt lose his service in the last set of that epic match in wimbeldon when he was serving behind make roger MAD…..ok this is hard oh he did have ugly defeats in this surface before nothing knew…. but why i feel that this is even more than this…he cant be competitive at times…..he always started his service games the 0 30 0 40 down what is this…at some point i thought it is going to finish 61 62 ……i can take it anymore this players cant be THAT GOOD even on hard court rafa cant be that BAD…..there is something we dont know for it isnt just looking like confidence problem……
I was fuming mad at him for the first set…I could not believe it, he was hardly moving. I mean, yeah, we know he’s a slow starter but…
But then, at some point, he just started playing much better! Like something clicked, he started making Davydenko run all around the court. I really don’t know what to make of this. Hopefully he’ll play well against Djokovic, since he has nothing left to lose.
As he said, he is going to remain “competitive”. I think he will serve it up to Nole. It’s not a case of nothing to lose, you are very wrong there. He has his no. 2 spot to lose, so I say serve it up to him Rafa. Bring it on & give it to him. Shock everyone Rafa & let the world know you ain’t going anywhere but straight back up to the top. Vamos me amigo!!
I thought if Djokovic didn’t go the finals undefeated the no2 is still Rafa’s…Am I wrong? Have Djokovic’s points from last year fallen already? If not, he has a lot to defend as well.
By bloody stream died at 3-5 in the tiebreaker and I missed the last few points of the match!!!! Talk about frustrating!!! I missed the first set completely thank goodness and picked it up at the start of the second. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a look of desperation in Rafa’s eyes – it nearly broke my heart. But boy, did I enjoy it when he started to fight! There were some incredible rallies and amazing shots by both players towards the end of the last set. I’m actually feeling pretty good now – he hasn’t forgotten how to do it, he just needs to regain his confidence and colm. I was`really worried about his Davis Cup chances (wondering mutinously about wether Costa had made the right selections) but I’m feeling a lot more optimistic now. Vamos Rafi – can’t wait to see you in Oz – only 57 days to go for me (not that I’m counting)!
After the 1st set i kinda lost hope but when he broke in the second i cried wid big fat tears!! just seeing him celebrate dat break totally broke me..i contained my excitement though as i knew Nikolay idiot isnt done and dusted and we all no how da rest panned out..loved mama nadal standing up nd supporting her boy..really touching..its 4.30 ere nd im totally mentally exhausted..luvv u rafa, always nd forever!! Win da davis cup..fuck 2009 nd start 2010 anew!!
Here here to that last statement!!
Our Rafa winning in the DC matches… thats all I wish for Sinterklaas!( wich is kinda the Dutch Santa but we celebrate his birthday with getting presents on the 5th of December )
So please….. Sinterklaas;)
Yes please. Pretty please. He can do it. He has to to give him a great end to 2009. Home crowd, favourite surface. Please Rafa and all the Gods of all religions, bring that one home!!!
Well fuck the 2nd half of the season. The 1st was bloody awesome!!!
Yeah, he’s still had one of the best seasons of the lot of them so far. Lol, that’s our Rafa!
I can’t watch any more of Rafa’s matches if this is how he keeps on playing. I didn’t mind how he lost, just the way he lost and how he’s been playing. He needs to go for his shots, period. Take chances and be aggressive or he’ll keep on losing like he’s been for the last several months. It’s not like he can’t do it, there’s no doubt. You see him does it for one game or a few points and then he resorts back to his old style and I can’t watch it when he does that w/o cursing. I don’t think I have anything left to watch the Nole match. I’m too exhausted and need to get away. Happy Turkey Day to everyone.
You’re just feeling down & frustrated right now. This surface doesn’t suit Rafa’s style of play. His confidence is down & he is wanting to stay fit & healthy for the Davis cup. Maybe we think sometimes he should play like a machine. Even machines brake down. Rafa wants to play well & I know he will find his rythm again. I think the 2nd set showed us that he is capable of taking anyone down. He just couldn’t maintain it, but it is an indicator to what we might be seeing of him in the future.
Mind you I got a bit tired of them panning over to davy’s wife all the time. Now that I can live without!!
I think he could’ve maintained it – if he’d got that breaker I think he’d have won. He just needs to *start* like that (or awake, that’d be nice. No, I’m being harsh. The first game was good, then Davy caught fire and was unplayable. Rafa wasn’t great but he wasn’t diabolically bad, he just didn’t get a chance to play. Commentators had interesting discussion on that after 1st set).
Snogs, Rafa, you’re fab.
Missed the first set, and looking at the score, it was better that I did.
I luved seeing Rafa improve and fight back in the 2nd set. Some rallies and points were beautiful to watch, some just suxed. We’ve just got to string the good points together. We need more consistency. I know it’ll come back when the confidence does.
The sparks were there and eventually it will come together to make a hot, burning, roaring fire. Let’s have a good match with Nole on Fri and onto DC.
2010 is the Year of the Tiger Rafa. The best time to get back that fierceness.
I don’t understand, the players near the top that Rafa comes against seems to play out of their mind when they play our Rafa – it’s just not fair. OK Rafa sometimes lets it happen – u know those short balls into the court – wippy forehands and on hard court the spins end up near shoulder high 4 the opponent to thrash it away for the flattys. I did like how he changed it up though in the end and did the “moon balling” to Davy and took him out of his rhythm and also a few aggresive forehands down the line – halleluja at last! – why couldn’t he come out of the tracks in the first set? I think also the other thing he should consider is starting first to serve and not receive! Always going behind is bad – especially mentally when not very confident. Twice now receiving he has been 3 – 0 down before he started to wake up.
He did fight in the end and wow…. wasn’t he like a tiger about to go after his prey in the 2nd set coming back twice and then in the tie break. Yes he mucked it up in the end – can’t believe it – thought he would have killed that tiebreak – its still a problem with the confidence thing. Anyway this has to be encouraging – this is a good sign that he is coming back to the Rafa we know. If we were honest he has been a shadow of his former self and it is so scary especially when he says as long as he can compete he gonna be here. But if he keeps losing, I think that retirmeent thing will come sooner than we think. Sometimes I think when I watch him on hard courts he goes back to the “one dimensional player” and that is so hard to accept. All we wanted was him to win one match! Anyone confident about him winning against Novak on Friday? – even though our Rafa who is the one first out of the tournament. That says it all, so unbelievably heartbroken x
PS: Rafa always likes to say – well I have progressed and have done better than last year in tournaments. Well this world of end finals he has gone a step back not even qualified for the semis! And he is fresh, no injuries and not exhausted like all the other guys. This sucks – not sure we can carry on listening to him getting into the rhythim and the problem with his knees and family any more. Problem with strategy and confidence and just going for his shots and being aggresive. Sorry and I am no1 Rafa fan. Looking forward to Davis Cup now with him, after Novak match (but nervy at the same time!). Rafa did say I could lose three but also win three. The interesting thing is he is always negative first – which shows you the problem with the confidence. Wouldn’t it be strange as well if the Sod won this tournament – not sure what I think of that – or maybe Davy
Hmm, technically he has done better cos he’s here, and will be playing DC too. Better than be injured, no?
he also doesnt play the game to make his oppenents nervous which he was a master of it…..i mean how earth can you lose your service games 4 or 5 times….you cant win like this on indoors NOT SURE YOU CAN WIN LIKE THIS EVEN THE SLOWEST CLAY…..i hope it is just confidence problem slowly but surely can comeback is he reall 100 percent phsically….i am not sure i saw rafa so slow in paris against almagro and robredo the first against davy today TERRIBLE his feet isnt moving at all…..
he also doesnt play the game to make his oppenents nervous which he was a master of it…..i mean how earth can you lose your service games 4 or 5 times….you cant win like this on indoors NOT SURE YOU CAN WIN LIKE THIS EVEN THE SLOWEST CLAY…..i hope it is just confidence problem slowly but surely confidence can comeback is he really 100 percent phsically….i am not sure i saw rafa so slow in paris against almagro and robredo the first set against davy today TERRIBLE his feet isnt moving at all…..
I think that is one of the biggest changes mentally for the other players as they think they have a chance of beating him, whereas b4 anytime he took to court there was the “intimidation factor.” Even during 1st half of season. He’s still a doll and a delight, just wish we all never had “doobts,” like 2008 when every time he played, never had a nervous feeling as to if he would win, no? 2010 will be like that, no?
We can hope….
Agree w/Mary about the SOD, actually hope he takes it all, so points and positions won’t be too affected.
OK, aRafaelite and I are gonna have to set up our own happy tent here. Well, maybe not happy-happy, but quietly positive. There was so much of our usual Rafa at the end there, he played fantastically and did all the things everyone here is telling him he should do. It’s an improvement, no? And that’s the most important thing… Whether I stay quietly hopeful rather depends on hearing Rafa though – if he’s down again tomorrow as he has been the past couple of days it’ll be horrible.
Maybe I’m less gutted cos I wasn’t expecting him to win any of these matches and I’m pretty prepared for him to drop to 3 or 4 at the start of next year (don’t see how he can possibly get back to the same level as the start of 09 to defend all those points) – but the important thing is that he hangs in, keeps fighting, improves…Which he will, cos that’s what he does. It may take a while but he will. He’s not going to give up that easily, so no more worries about retirement just yet. Give him a year and then worry.
He’ll be fine. He has all the resources he needs to get back – and all his travails will make him better, stronger and more extraordinary than ever.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Forget the happy tent… let’s go party in the basement! Vamenos!!!
Yes they were commentating about that on Sky that his feet weren’t moving and even Davy said in his interview – Rafa a fighter he moved better and picked it up in the 2nd set. Did anyone hear I liked the way Davy apologiesd to the crowd that Rafa is not in the semis! as he knows all the support today was for Rafa and hope he can have a little support in if he gets to the semis. Thought that was sweet.
The crowd – so electric during the match left in dumbfound silence.
I seriously think there is something more than we don’t know about. All that rubbish about him and his weight – I think it is true – to ease the knees, but he ain’t gonna say that in a pressy is he? Just like when he was injured with the abs or the knees at Paris wasn’t gonna say anything. I think he has lost his power, plays defensively, lost his confidence and basically – lost it!!
If we are not careful, Rafa is gonna become a standing “joke” – he will know that and will bow out (retire) before that happens. I just so hope this isn’t the start. Please Please can someone instill some confidence in me to thnk this won’t happen. I know the top line in his interviews was to see he wanted to c and compete with the best and yeah he has and …. lost. So what now?
Patience. Remember it took Fed over a year to get back his form and confidence. Rafa will get there.
And he could never be a joke. He has won 6 GSs, 15MSs and 36 titles in total. He is a great. Greats don’t just go away – especially not when they’re Rafa.
WAYYYY too early to despair. Faith, please, people. We owe it to him.
I have all the faith in the world. I loved what I saw in the 2nd set & On that surface.
Come into our tent of happiness, Mary. I am hoping Rafa will be joining us :-D
OMG Rafafan, don’t go giving up, it sucks and hurts to not see him perform the way we all know he can, but remember difficult to regain momentum after injury and no play of GS or Master Serious for a 2 month period, not to mention the personal situation. Hang in there, it takes time and he’ll work hard to regain himself back to the dominant player he is, can you imagine how hard it is for us, think of how he feels, no? “this too shall pass”
I think Rafa’s family support is the key to him overcoming the emotional times from divorce. He is a kid at heart, needs his family strongly in his corner, to prosper at this time. With both parents there today, Mom standing to show her support, and yes him looking to his ‘people’ during the match, shows me this too shall pass. He is so talented and is not going away – but recovery from the family trauma will take time. We need to hold them in our hearts.
amen !!!
Very aptly said!!
We all feel the pain (I certainly felt it after watching him lose to Novak in Paris!) BUT remember… Happiness is the Number 1 goal! or, put another way… the goal is for him (and us) to be happy, rather than to be Number 1. Of course I’d love to see him back at the top, but he’s been through a pig of a year and I’m really encouraged by the fact that he’s acknowledging that now. Anyone who’s ever been through something like that, knows it takes a long time to rebalance their emotions and get back on an even keel. But he’s made of very strong stuff, that Rafa Nadal. He’ll end up with more Masters Series Shields than Federer. He’s going to win the US Open (maybe not next year, but he will). He may even win a Calendar Grand Slam. We ain’t seen nothing yet!!! And if he doesn’t do all this? We’ll still love him. Because he’s the best thing to happen to tennis. And he brings joy and pain and drama and passion into our sometimes dull lives.
So there :P
Rafafan, just a remark, if I may… :) It’s not that Rafa has lost his power. In fact, he hasn’t lost it at all. It may seem like he’s hitting short balls but today, when his game picked up during the 2nd set, it seemed like it was all fine, his flat shots close to the baseline, his angles, everything. It’s really not a matter of power, it’s still there and he’s an incredible athlete. He’s just not confident yet. Hopefully, he’ll be able to find his game on clay, DC could be it for him.
I don’t think he could ever be a standing joke. If you look at Djokovic and Murray, you can just say that they kick ass right now but at 22, the one’s still got one Slam and the other no Slams at all. Rafa’s 23 and he’s already much more successful then they probably will ever be, I think. Not that it’s their fault, it’s just that the level of tennis right now is really really high.
Also just catching up with all the english reports in the media – they are having one big field day – all over Rafa like a rash to say he is finished, the demise, – the first player to be eliminated out of the tournament. I want to shut them all up and it’s hurting inside but the worst thing with the media/press is that they are usually right. Can anyone C anything different for our Rafa in 2010? As Rafangel says he could go to 3 or 4 in the rankings – so many points to defend at the beginning. The only thing that’s left for him on Fri to beat Djok to stop him from overtaking at no2. This is a sorry sorry state of affairs but your right – at least Rafa is playing (to some extent!) and not injured. Here is hopeful thoughts for Friday. Vamosxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Pants to the media, it’s all hot air so only read it when it tells you what you want to hear ;)
Always right? Ahem, “Rafa’s a 1D clay court grinder and will never make it on other surfaces…Rafa will never make no.1, Djokovic is next…Federer is finished…Serena is finished…Henin won’t return…Freddy Starr ate my hamster….”
The press/media is almost NEVER right. Fed was over and washed up with the media until he suddenly wasn’t. Sampras was hounded about when he was going to retire when he slumped. Every time Rafa used to go into his post WImby slump, he was considered done until he hit his stride on clay again. The press doesn’t have anymore insight than anyone else does: they’re simply watching the matches, seeing Rafa lose in straight sets and going with the melodramatic story they always do.
Rafa’s come back from the dead before, and until he doesn’t (someday, hopefully long in the future), I can’t say he won’t.
I’m scared/insanely sad at the moment, but I’m hanging onto the fact Rafa’s proven he can do this before,
However, if he has an “amazing disaster” in DC, I’ll need to be drunk/sedated for quite awhile.
C’mon guys! I was dreading so much to watch this match, but in the end, I found myself feeling a lot better. I have only been reading match reports and youtube highlights from his last several losses, as I wasn’t strong enough to watch him lose badly. However, what I saw was that mentally it was as if he wasn’t even there or didn’t want to be there. I think Rafa has accepted that he won’t do well in this tournament, it being his worst surface and all of his opponents’ best surface. For him, I think he feels that he needs to be at his best in order to have a chance, and his personal difficulties and injuries really haven’t allowed him to do that. At the same time, he doesn’t want to risk getting another injury when the Davis Cup is a week away. So you know, he may just really want to move on, play and WIN Davis Cup, and start the year anew. He has said that he will only take two days rest after Davis Cup and then start training for a month until the season starts.
I can understand the feeling when you’re supposed to be doing something but your heart just isn’t in it or when you think there’s no chance. Give him time…Rafa just really seems to need to hit a million balls before he becomes confident with his play.
The positives though is that he was hitting a lot of down the line forehands, some flat backhands and a few aggressive returns (okay, relatively speaking to the Rafa of old). He’ll probably be working on his serves this off-season until he gets it right. Anyway, I just know that the shots are there, but the heart isn’t. The match with Tsonga told me that. Remember early this year when he showed up at the Australian OPen with a spanking flat forehand?!?
In the meantime, however, we’ll probably have to brace ourselves that he may go down the rankings at some point. From what I understand, if Nole wins the tournament undefeated from now on, he’ll get 1300 points, which is enough to overcome the 1295 lead that Rafa has right now. However, if Rafa gets to play and win two Davis Cup matches, he’ll get 70 points from each match (since he missed the semifinals) and hence gets a total of 220 points which could replace his 180 Beijing points. For me though, I don’t care about the rankings as long as Rafa is healthy and playing well (I know, he isn’t right now, but he will soon, I am certain), and will win more Grand Slams (particularly Roland Garros and Wimbledon) and other tournaments. Remember that he has the heart of a champion, and a fierce competitor at that. Form may be temporary, but class is permanent, and nothing can take that away from him.
Lastly, I thought that it was great of Papa, Mama and sister Nadal to support him. I could also see that Uncle Toni didn’t even look devastated despite the first set massacre. Right now, he might just be going through the motions, and I hope that he’ll start the year with a big, big bang! No worries (at least, not yet; If he doesn’t win Davis Cup then I would really be worried). But for now, after gallons of tears from his blow-out defeats, I’m just ready to look forward to next year. Vamos, Rafa and all Rafa-fans!
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone too!
OK OK GB – thanks for that. I know I should try and stay positive and was almost on the ceiling when I thought he pulled it off in the 2nd set. But the thought that Rafa is the only one who has lost all his matches and in straight sets is a big story! And the media know it. It also says alot that Rafa has only played twice here and only one once indoor hard court – and that was back in 2005! Let’s be honest when you have been at the top, the only way is down.
I just hope with the problem with hard courts makes Rafa even more determined to stay in the game because at the moment I am distinctly getting the impression that “if Rafa feels he can’t compete anymore and wind matches – he gonna go” (which is what he said word for word in the interview).
Maybe the Davis Cup (god forbid if he loses), new next year – probably not ready for AO defense but getting back on his beloved clay court and winning FO might do the trick. Please let’s hope so. I have only just got into Rafa properly since Wimby last year – but now have more or less every DVD since 2005. By the way another thing about the Nadal weight issue – people forget he may have been more bulkier when he was younger coz he was a teenager – you know the “puppy fat” and as you get older in your 20’s it all sort of drops off.
Ok, Rafafan…don’t agree with the “puppy fat”in Rafa’s case, ’cause he was all muscles, and he didn’t lose the fat, since he had none to begin with, it was muscle mass he lost.
I was a bit scared how skinny he looked in Cincy compared to 2008 (could see every rib) but now he seems to have dropped a couple more pounds. Makes me wonder about the knees. And at times he just doesn’t go after the shots at all like he used to. Not very aggressive at the moment.
Lets hope a win in the Davis Cup gives him the confidence to come back strong for the AO (remember he was injured Year End 2008 and then won the darn thing!)!!!! Hope Maymo can help him beef up just a little (even his famous behind seems smaller…)! Vamos to all!
anyway if rafa win all of his matches in dc and if spain cant win it wont be a disaster PERSONALLY at least….i am sure he will be upset but it wont be his fault…we will see what will happen in best of 5 matches…i still want to believe it is just a surface problem…but the feeling compare to 07 which he didnt also done that great on hard courts is diffrent now i have to say……this is the most worrying times i have ever had abaut RAFA….
well this thing that he lost weight thing a bit strange i also saw some photos he looks as muscular as ever…especially i saw him playing doubles in montreal he played with sleevless he was looking as muscular as ever….
Oh elyo, Mary from cinci actually saw him live & in the flesh twice. Lucky you Mary. So she knows what she is talking about. And she has seen him up close & how personal was that Mary? lol :)
Oh and when I say twice I mean 2 years back to back at cinci!! 08 & 09. Thats correct isn’t Mary?
you know what i also saw him back 07 french open LIVE i also watched his practice sesions he was never as kind of a gladiator body some you beleive fit yes great body yes but not the kind of body like SOME HATERS who tries to show him like he is all POWER man no tennis…believe it or not he was never as muscular as some of you think…anyway he keeps saying he doesnt lose anyweight is HE LYING.
Yep he has lost weight, but it still might be his knees. He wants to continue to play tennis so he has to lose the weight to protect them. This in turn may have weekened his game for the moment. Why would he want to come out & admit he’s lost weight cause everyone will know why then. Somethings have to remain on the quiet & for good reason. This is his life & he has to proctect it.
I saw him live and was about 20 feet from him for about 2 hours in March 09 (Indian Wells), I was surprised how tall and thin he was in person vs. what you see on TV or photos. He is not that big. Compare him to Djokovic, who is a string bean, he looks massive. He is extremely fit and lean. His muscles blow up once he starts playing, but he is not this massive gladiator. However, he does look like he has lost weight or redistributed it somehow when I now see him on TV or in print. His face looks thinner.
Regardless, he has an incredible team behind him and a champion’s mind and heart. He will figure it out. He cannot be expected to make a stunning comeback on his least favored surface after being out with injury for that long. Rafa has done SO WELL in his comeback. Semi’s at US Open! Semi finals and Masters 1000! No one works as hard as he does on the tennis court. Think how sweet it is going to be when he starts lifting those trophies once again! I cannot wait!
rafangel and arafaelite –
is there still room in the happy tent ‘cuz i want in…whatever happens ever, rafa is still rafa, no ??? of course his game is there even if his belief hasn’t quite caught up yet…and maybe he’ll never run balls down like he used to when he wasn’t thinking about his knees…but he’ll figure out what it takes to make up for it…and he’ll be the same fine, sweet, courageous, kind, tough, funny, and caring champion that he has always been…he was a champion inside even before he won tournaments, and he figured out how to get the champion out on the court…now it’s out…it’ll never go away…not even when he’s 80 years old and fishing on mallorca…
so i’m in the tent with you guys…let rafa figure it out like he always does…we’ll just enjoy ourselves while we support him 100%…he’s 23 years old and he just needs us to relax and continue believing, not to add any pressure…(well, we don’t have to relax during matches…)
happy thanksgiving !!!
Well he’ll never be alone then gals. He’ll have a harem of us. Hope you all like sharing ladies. I’m happy to be in, even if it’s only a piece I get. And I know what piece that would be. :) :) :)*faints, well not really, more like my temp just went through the ceiling* Feeling tingly just in the right spot!! :D :D