Wimbly: Rafa blog day 11
Photo by IAN KINGTON/ AFP/ Getty Images
You have to pay for the Times Online site now. Lucky for us RafaNadalUnoffi did and said it was okay for me to post these. Big thanks! First, the blog:
Just about to go to sleep and wanted to drop a few lines. It is a very important match tomorrow. One of those so called big matches. The fact of being a semis of Wimbledon makes it always big, no matter what the players are. If it is me, Andy or whoever it is one of the Wimby semis. But it is true that here in the UK it is the match most of the people wanted to see.
I have been asked about the crowds and if I think they will behave. Of course they will!!!! They’ve always done. This is the public, the crowds more respectful i have ever played in front of so I am sure they’ll all have a great time no matter the score. It is logical they will support more the local player. I completely understand. So i can only say thank you for all the support I have been getting. It is really great to play here.
They will!!!! :D
And now, the Q&A:
How much better are you as a player than you were when you won here 2008? How much have you improved? Goran, Croatia
RN: It’s a very tough question. Not sure if I am a better player but certainly I have more experience. It is difficult to say.
Rafa never goes into comparing tournament years or form. Since he’s been trying to evolve his style of play, it’s got to be even harder to compare.
What is your favourite dish at El Cambio de Tercio? Anything you can recommend to try?
RN: I have had lately the thing called Presa Iberica. Very good. I also enjoy the Patatas Bravas and the Calamares.
According to their online menu, it looks like that’s a pork dish…not seafood. Shocking!
I recently watched some videos on youtube of you and your uncle Toni giving tennis lessons. I especially liked the globo (lob) and passing videos. Is coaching something you would consider in the future, after you retire? Ernesto Hofmann, Rome
RN: I don’t think so.
Tries to picture him as a coach…pictures so many coaching violations because he can’t keep his mouth shut that he’s constantly fired by players or banned from the courts during a match.
What’s your favorite colour? I wonder it matches mine :D ( 1. Red and 2.Yellow) Good luck, Fariha Islam
RN: I like all colorful colors (can I say that?). I like the light blue, pink, red,…
You can say whatever you want, Rafa. Especially when you get your point across.
How do you manage mentally yourself to come back from 5-0 down? L Winmay
RN: The important thing is to go point after point and stay on the match. It is important not to think about that too much. Think about winning the next point. The other points are over.
Much easier said than done.
Do you think Andy Murray has improved since you last played him at Wimbledon in 2008? Bob, Scotland
RN: Yes, very much, I am sure it will be a very different match. I remember I played great that match, one of my best matches ever!
It was indeed a wonderful match. Let’s hope history repeats.
What did you make of Roger’s defeat yesterday? Is it too early to write him off? Wendy, Kent
RN: I am sorry and sad for him and for our sport. It is good to see him up there playing big matches and finals. But all is also credit to Berdych who played a very good match. I also heard Roger wasn’t 100% fit so that’s too bad. I wish him the best of lucks for the rest of the season.
The last time there was a Wimbledon final without Federer was 2002, so it’s a rather large sea change.
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Thanks RafaNadalUnoffi! Wonder if Rafa knows that his blog is now not for free viewing. Hope he blogs with a free paper in future slams!
I’m sure El Cambio is doing some very good business these days ;)
Hehe indeed, and I wanna go there next time I’m in London!!
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I sent a note this morning to Nathalia Merino at Rafa’s official website asking for a free means of reading the blog in the future.
I really doubt he know its not free anymore ;(
Thank you very much for posting the blog and the Q&A!
I know that from now on it will cost money to post reponses to Rafa’s blog; but at least through this site we can read it for free. :-)
That Murray match was fantastic, wasn’t it? I didn’t have a feeling in advance about how it would turn out; so the of that second-set tiebreak was an enormous relief.
If you are on twitter, please be sure to send a thanks to @RafaNadalUnoffi. She’s the one who coughed up the dough for the subscription and allowed me to copy from her tweets.
Yes thanks for the blog, not really fair we should have to pay, why put the times on line so we can read everything else, why not just make us buy the paper.
Wonderful match, pity the BBC thought there was only one camera angle!!! for one player.
Can you picture Rafa coaching? well if the 2009 davis cup is anything to go by then prehaps not! he was close to have a breakdown! so so intense he would simply burst if he could!!! no wonder he was told not to come for the 2008 finals against Argentina due to possibly distracting the players? lol Rafa!
He calls it Wimby! Bless!
Grumpy about the TimesOnline, and a bit gutted cos I really like Neil Harman and will miss reading his online stuff (most of it isn’t printed). They don’t print Rafa’s blog in their newspapers; we buy the papers, but that doesn’t give you access to the online version. And why is Rafa’s site always terrible, no matter how many times they change it? Impossible to navigate your way around and never anything useful on it. They used to carry his blogs for other publications, but don’t any more :S
I was pretty bummed at the prospect of not getting to read Neil Harman’s columns too. But I did come across the Times Live site today though – it’s free access – and it has Neil’s newest.
http://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/tennis/article532099.ece/No-nonsense-Nadal-in-the-Wimbledon-mood
Definitely am missing the UK Times’ previous incarnation though : (
Rafangel, on the official website, try: Forum > English Forum > Rafa on Court > Rafa’s Wimbledon Blog 2010. I believe it also contains the translated El Mundo blog.
That’s the in forum which appears to be a bizarre half-assed tacked on addition to his site instead of being fully incorporated. They used to put the blogs on the actual site, not buried in the forum. Like this – not that you can find that page by clicking on the “Blog Archive” link on the home page. That link just takes you to an empty archive page.
Miri, the Wimbledon blog is also accessible at http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?aBID=84197&p=1&a=45 and a comment there alerted readers that Nadal News was also posting it. You may know this as Rafa’s official forum on the Babolat website and houses the original contents from his official website, rafaelnadal.com. It is historically valuable and fascinating with articles, interviews, photos, and comments recording his professional life from as far back as 2006 to present. It includes the very first blog he wrote during Roland Garros in 2006, which entries were very lengthy! Unfortunately, the contents of the second incarnation of the official website (2008 through 2009) was lost in the transition to its current form according to forum administration.
That was my question about El Cambio, but they didn’t put my name :(
I am so having those dishes when I go, I also love patatas bravas! :)
Kim, maybe you are posting too much questions and all are too good so they didnt want to repeat same name :)