Wimbly: Times Blog and Q&A #5
Photo by Oli Scarff/ Getty Images
Rafa latest entries are up on The Times site. First, the blog:
Well it had to happen I suppose. First time I don’t play on center court this year and rain!
Couldn’t finish my match and tomorrow I will resume play during the morning. Not a big deal. if you compare it with other players that had to play two or even three days in a row other years.
We are lucky to play on center court where you have the roof and in my case this time I played on court #1.
Some people are asking if there was a problem with me since I asked for the trainer before the end of the set. It was at the same time as the beginning of the rain and therefore the delay.
I had some issues before even I felt but nothing serious. I should be Ok for tomorrow.
Thanks.
Rafa
*fingers crossed* Here’s my theory: Famooos ass strain from getting to more low balls than he’s had to in a while. Just needs a rub. ;)
And now, the Q&A:
Q&A: Get your questions into Rafa by e-mailing rafa@timesonline.co.uk and follow his progress in his own words.
Do you think there is a point in Serena Williams’s moan recently about some players always get to play at the show courts and others (like her) get moved around? Sharon Lam
I don’t think I should go into this discussion. I don’t know really the problem and didn’t ask her or the scheduling people. Should hear both before any comments
Man has a future in diplomacy.
If you were to give one tip about temperament, and how you manage to pick yourself up after a fall, what would it be? Tom
Don’t really know what you mean. I think I have a good temperament though….
Yep, you do. Which is why Tom wanted some advice.
Every time you lift the Conde De Godo trophy after winning the Barcelona Open I’m scared you’ll injure yourself. Is that the heaviest and largest trophy that you have ever won? Atch
ME TOO! It is really heavy but the feeling to win it is too good to realize!
I really wanted to do some sort of “He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother” thing here, but I couldn’t get it to work.
Routines and rituals are commonplace in many sports but you seem to use them a lot. In what way do you think they help you perform better (if at all)? Do you think you pay more attention to them in high pressure situations such as the changeover before a key game? Robin
I think they help my concentration and to know what I have to do but it doesn’t change anything if for example the bottles I carefully put on the floor fall. In a few words, it is more a habit but not really a change if I don’t do it.
Which makes me want to ask, “then why do it?” But I’m sure the reply would be, “why not?” To which I’d have no good answer. (Unless we are talking cutting down on time to serve.)
What would you do if a player knocked over your water bottles at a change of end in an effort to psyche you out?
Nothing would change, really.
*nods* Uh-huh.
What do you write on the tape on your fingers? Renata
Nothing, it is only the way they are.
I’ve seen a lot of people ask this and wondered why. To me, it’s always been clear that the bandages come that way. Different people see things different ways.
I noticed that lately you’ve been hanging out and practising with Feliciano Lopez a lot. Who schedules your practice and your partner? Celeste
Normally it is Toni who arranges it. But sometimes I speak to Feli on this particular case.
Good to know he doesn’t have to go through his Uncle/Coach to speak to his bromace pal.
Have you ever doubted your ability to reach the top? When you were starting your career as a pro did you ever think ‘wow, this is tougher than I expected?’ Janice
Actually you never think about that. You only tend to think about being a professional player and you start setting up goals little by little. You really never think at a young age about being at the top. You just want to play and compete.
I think a lot of young players probably do think about being on the top…and perhaps that’s why they give up or rebel when things turn out to be harder than they thought.
If you lose your world No 1 ranking, how will you react? Will it hurt? Will it make you more determined? Or will you just shrug your shoulders and say ‘hey, my time will come again’? Jon C
I don’t really care that much. I don’t think it is as important as winning the big tournaments. If I lose that #1 position that would mean that someone else has been better and I will have to continue improving!
Very healthy aktitude.
Why do women get criticised for grunting, yet the men seem just as bad? Scott F
Good question. Do they get criticized? Do we do the same?
Don’t know about elsewhere, but they get criticized about it non-stop in the US. And yes, much more than men who grunt. I think it’s because humans tend to mind high-pitched loud noises more than low-pitched ones.
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I have learned to tolerate the grunting, up to a point, it’s the shrieking in women’s tennis (yes, I’m looking at you Masha and Vika) that is intolerable. I simply don’t understand why it’s necessary. I had to turn them both off yesterday. Navratilova and Graf and Goolagong (etc) managed to play superb tennis without that infernal noise! To be honest I don’t much like it when the men grunt either but I’m lost some hearing in the lower range so maybe that’s why it bothers me less!
I do get Rafa’s thing with the water bottles though. I think it’s about establishing a mindset of focus and precision. I’ve started lining balls up before I serve, and realise that I always place them in exactly the same place. It makes my friends laugh, but it helps me settle my mind and I know I’m not going to have to go looking for balls between points. It makes no difference to the way I play, it just settles my mind. So I get it Rafa. No teasing from me!
Did you enjoy the illusion of rubbing Miri? ;-)
What I tease about it is it not making a difference. If it settles one’s mind (which I truly understand), wouldn’t that make a difference in one’s tennis? A settled mind is a calm one. Calm minds make better decisions, etc.
“He ain’t heavy…”, Miri you’re a crack-up, I love it.
The high pitched shrill does hurt my ears.
Interesting answer to early career thoughts, he obviously,(although he always wanted to win Wimbledon), didn’t think ahead too much and set little goals like one step at a time in order to cope with the pressure of climbing his way to the top, very smart, his way of thinking is so much a part of his success and what has made him so grounded and determined, gotta admire that. Definately something others would do well to learn from him, see there is a coach in you Rafa prehaps after all!
Hearing Rafa say he’s ok makes me feel better.
I need to learn from this one thing at a time mentality. In fact, it’s the only way to get anything done. But it’s also harder to do than it sounds! Oh and our Atch got in another good question again ;))
I freaking love this kid.
I actually prefered his Telegraph blog from last year (I think – Robert linked to it way back in the beginning of W). It was more like a diary and he wrote more of his thoughts down freely and he talked about other staff going on, too, like the World Cup. Don’t think it included fan questions, though.
After reading about the rear tigh causing the discomfort, this “famous ass” clip was in my mind, too. “Rear tigh” comes really close, no? Good to know, that the fall did not cause the problem. I already started to suspect Müller of jinxing his tougher opponents into slippin’ and slidin’, lol. You say, that’s ridiculous? Well, espn.couk suspects Rafa to be a “rain god”, since it started to rain promptly after Rafa’ run to the locker room. :)
As to the line up of the bottles being merely a habit: Rafa is really a perceptive guy, but here he clearly lacks some inside in his own psyche. An advise to opponents trying to rattle him by knocking over the bottles: I would not recommend that at all, no I wouldn’t. Rafa will target you for the rest of your career.
Rafa as a “Rain God!” It must be in the genes…….didn’t Uncle Toni used to turn the rain off and on too? :-)
Yes, he did. So, maybe, it was Toni, who switched on the rain.:)))
Hope, it stays turned off today, though. Can’t wait for this pesky match to be over, hopefully with Rafa at the winning end. If he had a little problem before the tumble, one has to admire his courage to fend off set points and mini breaks. That gives me some hope, that the problem is not of the debilitating nature.
The Conde De Godo trophy weighs 12 Kilos. Doesn’t sound much until you try to lift somehing that heavy without looking silly.
Glad he seems ok re the slip & whatever was already troubling him. Really hope he spent last night studying that 1st set so he can find a way to get onto that serve.
Oh the shrieking/ grunting. The women are really bad. I must admit I don’t notice Rafa’s grunts as much now & I will say I love it when you can just detect a really low deep sound coming from within him. It reminds me of a tiger on the prowl!!
I love Rafa deep grunts it kind of means that “now your in trouble dude”