RafaLint: August 14th
Photo by Beth Wilson
Stuff to read:
- Atch2 pointed out this article from last year about her beloved Maymo (and they almost got the photo credit right). (The very bizzare mangle.)
- Rafa “on the loose” sightings in Montreal: on bicycle and with a cute teenager.
- Lesilie would like to pass along this article from January. Perhaps, as a reminder that it is a roller coaster we are on; you have to deal with all those ups and downs or just don’t take the ride.
Photos:
- Pictures from Rafa’s practice with Pico today.
- From Pico’s Facebook: Pico and Rafa in Cincy’s player lounge.
Video:
- Rafa responds to another fan question via the Champions Drink Responsibly Facebook.
- Rafa Cincy practice vid by tpbluebird.
- Check out couilluerdf’s YouTube channel for videos of Rafa practicing in Montreal.
Rafa does social media:
The day after his match in Montreal, Team Nadal went on a bicyle tour of the city:
Tarde para descansar y hacer algo diferente. Hemos salido en bici a conocer Montreal. Me ha servido para despejar la cabeza. Gracias a todos por vuestro apoyo.
Afternoon to do something different. We have gone out in bike to visit Montreal. It has helped to clear my mind. Thanks everybody for your support
And here are the photos: Hi, Marc! (and Maymo off to the side taking his own photo), and the team.
Rafa let us know he’d arrived in Cincy by tweeting/posting a photo:
Ya estamos en Cincinnati. Gracias a todos por el apoyo, como siempre.
Already in Cincinnati. Thanks to all for your support in the last days.
Later in the day, he tweeted a practice photo:
Two intense training hours with @picomonaco More than one hour for one set.
Dos horas intensas de entreno con @picomonaco Hemos jugado un set que ha durado mas de una hora!
And then he posted a photo from the gym after practice.
Random:
- According to John Carlin, Rafa’s book might already be on sale in Spain.
Loading ...
Thanks for the articles and pictures Miri.. Love the bike ride ! :)
With due respect to Pico, should Rafa keep practising with Pico
all the time on every surface ? I know they are good friends but Why doesn’t Rafa get some – at least- average hard court players to practise with ?
Miri,
Here’s a another piece, it’s by Bruce Jenkins about time between points but I’m just pointing it out because of the lovely photo of Rafa caressing his towel, it’s quite beautiful I must say;)
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/bruce_jenkins/08/11/time-delays/index.html
Love the photo, thanks.
Great Rafa lint, see what you mean about the mangle’ version on the article about Maymo!
Loving the pics he posted and especially the one of Rafa in blue,, seeexy!sitting next to Pico..
Hope he can find himself this coming week, no more disasters pleease Rafa!
L with reference to the article on time wasting, on Sky sports they are always discussing the time clock idea which I think is poposterous, talk about taking the drama away!
“…see what you mean about the ‘mangle’ version on the article about Maymo!”
I agree.
That was one of the trippiest mangles we’ve had here in
a while. :-)
*Fantastic* article about the roller coaster!!!
Thank you, Leslie and Miri.
Thanks, Miri.
It seems Rafa’s roller-coaster ride is in tandem with odd years. 2008 – great year. 2009 not so great. 2010 great year. 2011 not so great. 2012 excellent year??
I recall at the end of 2009 when he didn’t win a single match at the WTF many were saying his career would be short-lived because of injuries and look how he proved them all wrong in 2010.
“I recall at the end of 2009 when he didn’t win a single match at the WTF many were saying his career would be short-lived because of injuries…”
Yes.
“…and look how he proved them all wrong in 2010.”
I always believed in late 2009 that Rafa had it in him to get back to the top of his game.
I still believe it. :-) He’s a fighter and a champ.
Just looked at the Cincinnati tournament’s official site.
One of its lead news stories shows a photo of Rafa signing autographs with the headline,
“Saturday session sets record attendance.”
Gee…I wonder why that might be? ;-)
Thanks Leslie and Miri :-) Wow!! pleasantly surprised to find my roller coaster article linked here. I’ve actually been following this site since my heart decided to follow Rafa’s ass everywhere- not so long ago.
The article is really meant for everyone to who loves Rafa as dearly as me- to just sit back and enjoy the roller coaster ride that he’s taking us on.. Yeah he may not win all the finals and sometimes lose the early rounds, but hey he’s just human like the rest of us and don’t we learn something from our failures every now and then? The recent ‘lows’ will nevertheless help Rafa evolve as a player.
We may not know when he’ll finally decode Nole’s game or overcome his nerves during important moments- again, but we all know for sure that his never-say-die attitude will always be there (the part I admire about him the most).. He definitely won’t give up- so let’s not give up on him.
The possibility of Rafa’s redemption is what makes me hopeful amidst heartbreaking losses this year.. It will be a great plot if ever that happens.. I guess the harder the battle is, the sweeter the victory will be ;-) I will ride the roller coaster with Rafa anytime!