RafaLint: November 26th
For those looking for a mood-lifter (and who haven’t already seen these being tweeted all over the place today), skip right down to the photo section. ;)
Are you ready for Davis Cup?
(Awww, Daveed slipping up and calling Rafa #1)
Last WTF match articles:
- Tsonga KO’s Nadal in London; Day 6 preview by Courtney Nguyen (si.com)
- Tsonga Tops Nadal To Join Federer In SFs via the ATP
- Rafa Vows To Be Ready For 2012 via the ATP
- Ángeles castrados by Óscar Fornet (elmundo.es). And here’s the mangle.
Other articles:
- Bon Nadal y buena suerte – Rafa’s on the cover of the December Spanish edition of Esquire magazine. (mangle)
- Pre-tie analysis: Spain v Argentina by Manuel Brocos (daviscup.com)
- Nadal intercambia golpes con Granollers en su toma de contacto con La Cartuja (mangle)
Videos:
- Last WTF full presser video
- Take a look at the custom WTF locker rooms – doubles players sure get the short end of the stick.
- Davis Cup Promo
- Rafa, Pico and Nalby having a chat at the DC final video.
- Rafa practicing in Seville.
- Transformación Estadio Olímpico Sevilla
Photos:
- Excellent DC practice photo gallery from abcdesevilla.es (thanks, Inés)
- Another gallery from elcorreweb.es
- And another from diariodesevilla.es
I’m so loving all the happy, smiley photos! Here’s a few more:
Think Pico’s got a bruise on that ass now? Rafa’s got a pretty good grip on it! (Photos by Miguel Angel Morenatti/AP.)
Rafa does social media:
- Rafa let us know that he was spending a final day in London before heading to Sevilla: English and Spanish. Sadly he reverted on two fronts: he used the same photo for each post; he’s in the shadows in said photo. We like to see you in the sun Rafa – need to know those balls are getting energized. ;)
Tweets about Rafa:
- Practice photo from @PedroRFET
- @XS_XaviSegura tweeted a photo of Rafa’s special DC final bag
- Quite a few Rafa and DC photos available from @zoidoalcalde – might want to keep checking out his yfrog acount.
Stuff:
- Rihanna to Rafael Nadal: Tennis’ popstar makeover by Tom McGowan (cnn.com) – an article about the O2 arena.
- U.K. Tax That Pushed Rafael Nadal to Germany Brings in $105 Million a Year by Danielle Rossingh (bloomberg.com)
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Those pics of Rafa and Pico were like sunshine on a rainy day when I woke up this morning. They have so much affection for each other, displayed in different ways. Rafa gets a firm grip on Pico’s butt, and Pico likes to start into Rafa’s pretty face. Aaww. I’m so so glad to see Rafa looking very happy to be with the armada and his Argentinian friends. The pics of Nalby greeting Rafa as well are really sweet. Think they all knew he could do with a big hug and consolation from friends. Even Fer said to the Spanish press that Rafa is the best, and Feli tweeted something to that effect. I can imagine this is the best thing for Rafa right now, to be with these people who care about him, and just have a great time in each other’s company. I am so glad that it is Argentina in the finals. Love Davis Cup and what it does for them all. Bring on more awesome pics throughout the week! <3
Some seriously hot English!! SERIOUSLY HOT
I’m thinking maybe butt grabbing is the usual hello between Rafa and Pico after a long time apart. We can’t see Pico’s left hand. Who knows what it’s doing ;-)
Those pix are sunshine to a shitty weekend I’m having! Love them so much!
Ha. Haha. I can’t stop laughing at the pinching pic. I thought that it will be all doom and gloom on the site, given the recent disasters which I didn’t get to see, but no. Lol. It must be really dangerous to be the recipient of Rafa’s affection. He bites. He pinches. The loved ones should wear some safety kits.
Ha, he can bite and pinch as much as he wants to me…… ANY DAY!;)
He bites?! Where? When?
There was a vid of Rafa during a rain-delay at the USopen this year where he was playing with Uncle Toni’s daughter. In it he held her head and leaned in as if he was going to kiss her but instead he bit her on her cheek.
You can find it in one of the Lints, you won’t be disappointed because Rafa looks really hot;)
Super Rafalint, Miri. I loved the Davis Cup promo vids. They are so uplifting and emotional, esp. the super slow motion shots are excellent.
Also, the transformation vids are really interesting overnight affairs, although I hear in Sevilla they’re still working on it.
Rafa seems to be doing OK and if he’s happy, we’re happy, because that’s what it’s all about.
To all those NNers and to you Miri going to Sevilla, have a fabulous time and bring back the cup!
Just seeing Rafa back on clay has lifted my spirits after his difficult week at WTF’s..
The boy really belongs on that red stuff & he’s a joy to watch playing on it.
Hope the fans have a great time watching this amazing Final unfold , especially those from NN & MIRI.
Where were Rafa when this promo was done? No L you are not the only one who prefer DC over WTF. Last Sunday when WTF started I said to my friend I can’t wait for this to be over for DC to begin. Now we are less than a week away and I already wish for Friday to come (although I know I had lots and lots of other stuff to get done before then! Love Rafa’s georgious smile on those 2 pics with Pico. Those smile can make the world stood still. Best of luck for Daveed, Rafa, Fernando and Feli (not to forget Marcel and Marc!)!!
Awwwwwww…. Pico and Rafa I feel the love, what more can I say:) Here’s another one which is one of my favs: http://postimage.org/image/9pbfwxqxr/
I don’t know whether a win in Davis Cup will help Rafa going forward but I hope it can at least lift his spirits a bit, perhaps even re-ignite his passion for competition. He does appear to handle the pressure much better in Davis cup than in ‘normal’ competition. I think the biggest bonus is that he gets to be close with his team-mates and friends and train as a unit something he always mentions as the downside of tennis as an individual sport.
I really wish there didn’t have to be a loser because I know how much it means to Argentina and especially Nalby. However my heart is with Rafa who really needs any sort of boost heading into 2012.
P.S. Am I the only one more exited about DC than I was about WTFs? Maybe I’ve just blocked out what happened in London:)
Onwards and upwards! VAmos!!!
I’m looking forward to DC more than I was WTF mainly cos I know how much it means to Rafa to be playing another Final at home on his beloved clay with his awesome Team-mates. This is the perfect ending to his Tennis Year. He looks so happy already & I can’t wait for next Friday!! Vamos Spanish Armada!!!!!!!!!!
Not at all! I don’t care for the WTF’s – don’t like the format or the surface. Doesn’t seem like “real” tennis to me, and as a “championshiop” it’s a joke. But I do love Davis Cup, especially when La Armada is playing, although I’ll watch anyone play DC, down to and including the US relegation tie vs Colombia last year.
I wonder, if some time away from UToni and having Albert Costa as DC coach with maybe some fresh and encouraging insights, might be a good thing for Rafa. I have this hunch, that, no matter what Rafa and UT say,there might be serious tension between the two. Toni says, he has not read Rafa’s book (but then Rafa claims, he’s not read his own book either, lol), but I’m sure, Toni’s got the gist of it by now.To me, large parts of the book read, as if Rafa really had to get a few things, concerning his uncle, off his chest.Also I really dislike Toni’s way of talking about Rafa’s career. There’s a difference between constructive and destructive criticism. Was it really neccessary to claim publicly, that Rafa might be over the hill and that he still consideres Borg by far a better clay courter than Rafa? Which, concerning Borg, is an opinion, most tennis experts do not share at all. He seems to be like the father, for whom nothing his son achieves is ever good enough. Then again, Toni might be not happy that he has to spend so much time without his familiy and kids. Somehow the partnership doesn’t seem to be ideal any more, which is perfectly normal, since Rafa had to grow up, while becoming the great tennis player, he is today. How all this works out, is for me one of the more interesting questions concerning Rafa’s future.
I totally agree. No other coach or family member of a player would ever make all the detrimental comments that Toni has made about Rafa. It pisses me off every time I read them. He is only able to have all the media access he has because of Rafa’s fame. Rafa has even said that if any other person had made the comments that Toni makes it would be difficult or impossible for him to work with them. Rafa is no longer the boy that Toni bullied and it would be nice to see him talk positively about Rafa’s amazing achievements in public. I know he has spent his life molding Rafa and maybe in some way he resents haven chosen the tennis life of constant traveling. Rafa always appears more carefree at tournaments that Toni does not attend. In his book he speaks a lot of Toni’s methods when he was a boy. The co-author’s interviews state that others in his family considered it to be abusive. It just breaks my heart every time I read another statement or interview that he has given that says someone else is better or that Rafa is not good enough in some way, and I know it has to make Rafa feel bad. That is addressed a lot in Rafa’s book.
So! on to Sevilla and go for the win for Spain! However, Costa is the coach, but Toni will still be there as he always is for Davis Cup that Rafa is in. Glad Pico and Nalby and all his Spanish friends are there. He seems so happy to be there. I am happy for him :-)
Yes, Rafa said, everybody is more relaxed when Toni is not around, though Rafa has been far more successful in tournaments, when his uncle was around. To me that only shows Rafa is too dependant of him. It is everybodies mantra, that Toni made him the player he is today, which is really a redundant truth, since Rafa never had another coach. We simply don’t know, what kind of player he would have been without Toni. I just know, if my son would have been treated by a coach like Toni has treated Rafa, I would have fired him and raised hell, even if that means no to a stellar athletic career. The psychological bruises are not worth it.I remember saying that, before I ever read the book. And one thing is glaringly apparent: Whatever UToni’s merits are (and I give him the benefit of doubt, that he loves Rafa and meant always well), he has certainly not managed to instill a rock solid confidence in Rafa. And that begins to backfire now.
Your comment about the book reading as though Rafa wanted to get a few things off his chest concerning the uncle. It’s interesting. I think that it’s a paradox in this book. There’s a chapter named after UT. He features largely in the preceding chapter. He’s the object of perhaps the most elaborate portrait in the book (except that of Rafa, of course). There are plenty of Rafa’s considerations about their relationship. Because, well, this is probably THE relationship of Rafa’s life so far.
Despite all of that, Toni Nadal’s voice is pretty much absent from the book. Yes, he speaks on his defense and justifies his seemingly barbarian behavior towards Rafa and he’s also quoted on several other occasions. He features in many stories told by Rafa and Tony’s personality in relation / in opposition to his brother’s is under close scrutiny. And, yet, I’ve not been able to find a memorable quote of Uncle Toni about Rafa. I would have liked to read something else than the usual blabla he’s giving reporters about Rafa being technically challenged or not being in the same league as Federer or Sampras or any other tennis god. I would have liked to read something honest and true said by Toni about Rafa, something which I’ve never read before. To me, the absence of Toni as one of the insightful voices who have contributed to this book is a mystery. Unless, of course, they’re working right now on “TONI. My version of the story.”
LOL, on your last sentence! Well, the soap opera might go on then. When Toni says, he’s not read the book, it seems to imply, that the project was not his idea, otherwise he would like to know the finished product. That , once again raises the question, whose idea was it in the first place, and what exactly Rafa wanted to accomplish. I have a hard time to believe, that he just wanted to earn money, ot that it was some kind of vanity project.
I remember reading somewhere him saying he wanted to do it for his fans, to answer some questions they might have and to share a bit of his life with them. I do think he wanted to vent a little about Toni. I know they love each other but I don’t think Toni would treat his sons in the manner he did Rafa. I also think, as you say above, that he has contributed to Rafa’s doubts about himself as a player by never praising and always pointing out faults. I too, would love to see a quote from Toni praising Rafa or talking about him in a really positive way.
Rafa & Pico are cutie pies ! Love them together. I hope DC and Spanish team will help Rafa feel better and heal quickly. Those words from team mates are really encouraging for Rafa. I wish Spanish Armada best luck for the final. And cannot wait for an another dance show from the Armada while Danza Kuduro playing !! Hopefully Feli & Nando will convince Rafa this time lol
Vamos Rafa ! Vamos Espana !
So nice to see Rafa and Pico together!! What special greetings Rafa has for Pico! That really makes one smile!! Too cute! Its great that Rafa is enjoying some time with other players! Can’t wait for DC to start! I wanna see come clay play! Vamos Espana!
On a brighter note—-LOVE the Rafa/Pico pics and it made my day!! I never like the year end WTF’s and are so glad when they are over.
Can’t wait until Friday and all the gorgeous Rafa/Armada pictures that will come. Love them all and VAMOS RAFA!!
Awesome photos of Rafa & Pico – according to an Argentine newspaper article Pico’s greeting to Rafa when they saw each other at the stadium was: “Hola Rafita querido!” (Which according to Google translate is ‘Hello dear Rafita!’) – they are too cute for words! http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1426853-nadal-un-leon-herido-de-regreso-en-su-territorio
Really wish both Spain & Argentina could win somehow – if Rafa had had a better year – maybe just even won Wimbledon over Novak I’d have rooted for Argentina as Nalby’s chances of winning the Davis Cup in the future are slim. As it is though Rafa needs this win so I can’t cheer on Argentina… It could have been worse – this could have been indoors in Belgrade vs a resurgent Tipsarevic & a hurt but motivated Novak! Thank the Lord that bullet was dodged…
Wasn’t too happy to see this tweet from an Argentine journalist http://twitter.com/#!/seba_trk: “Esta mañana #Nadal practicó dos horas con Verdasco. No se lo vio del todo preciso a Rafa, que maldecía permanentemente. De físico, intacto.” about Rafa training with Verdasco & swearing throughout though looking physically fine… Then again he never looks happy in training & hopefully he’ll be fit vs Nalby/Monaco first up (there are rumours Nalby may be used in the doubles & Pico ‘sacrificed’ in the first match :S).
Vamos Espana!
I think it’s good that he’s swearing:) he needs 2 get out all the frustration he’s carrying. I wonder if does that when Toni’s around, i saw on twitter he had another practice in the afternoon & Toni was there.
Pretty sure that all of the Spaniards curse constantly, Toni included, so no biggie. Same for the Argentinians.
“there are rumours Nalby may be used in the doubles & Pico ‘sacrificed’ in the first match”
What is the source for this rumour?
I remember seeing it in a few tennis journo tweets a week or so back – not sure who now – Argentina know their best best is the doubles & the 2 Ferrer singles – Del Po also said in an interview that he ‘likes playing doubles’ suggesting that one of the 2 big guns might be used for doubles too – questionable whether they could play 3 best of 5 matches consecutively…
Who knows – they may still fancy their chances against Fer/Feli with Monaco/Chela anyway given the form of Verdasco of late!
So glad to see Marc! and Marcel (@zoidoalcalde) in Seville to help the Armada with practices. Marcel turned into a very fine singles player in 2011. I followed him for a while now and I’m impressed with his improvement, and ya Marc! is Marc! VAMOS ARMADA as well as your practising partners!!
Well I am so glad to see Rafa smiling like this, I just hope he can find some form this week, and some passion for his tennis, he needs this victory with his team mates to take something more positive aways from 2011… going to be a tough tie thats for sure. I would say that on clay Del po is very dangerous, he is rested too..
It’s good to see Rafa looking so relaxed and happy. His smiles could save the world. :)
Who knew David Nalbandian’s English was so good and he should smile more. Nando’s hair has grown (thank god) – Feli needs a hair cut (smile) and Daveed weellll he could park his Spanish tennis shoes under my bed any day. Delpo why do you have to sound so stupid (don’t judge – he does and I know he isn’t) and Pico you REALLY need a hair cut.
So looking forward to this and sadly it will be online once again!
All I have to say is — I’m SO excited about Davis Cup! Can’t wait for the weekend.
Ditto;)
From tennis.com today.(http://tennis.com/articles/templates/news.aspx?articleid=15240&zoneid=4)….Not sure there’s a distinction between what he said last week and what he said today, but I have a feeling the passion will be back when that Davis Cup match begins.
Nadal fatigued but preparing for Davis Cup final
AP – Monday, November 28, 2011
SEVILLE, Spain (AP)—Rafael Nadal says he is tired but motivated to lead Spain in its attempt to win a fifth Davis Cup title against Argentina. Spain’s top-ranked player had provoked alarm in his home country last week when he said he felt “less passionate for the game” after being eliminated from the ATP World Tour Finals.
Nadal clarified on Monday that “more than a lack of passion, it is a weariness from many years of playing at this level, week after week.” The world No. 2 said “the important thing now is to work each day at 100 percent with the excitement needed to win the Davis Cup.”
Hi Susanna 728
Dunno about all of you and all Rafa fans the clarification has sent alarm bells ringing even more. The fact that the weariness from many years sounds like a burn out if I ever heard one! I feel even more upset then the passion bit.
It’s like trying to warn us that he aint gonna stay around much longer as his “passion” “weariness” is not there and if it still not there…… he will go. A la Borg style but at least warning us beforehand. Does anyone else get that impression? Like someone else said it does make me admire Fed (reluctantly) and I don’t want all those tabloids saying “I told you so” re: Rafa’s longevity will the shortevity. Sorry feel a bit down at the mo hearing all this. But now every match that Rafa plays I will cling on to dear life just hoping he will win and enjoy and savour every minute. Vamos to Davis Cup with all your Armada teammates. Enjoy with passion, heart, eagerness and let all this come flooding back in 2012 and it isn’t a chore, a grind, a job. You have Olympics 2012 and 2016 to look forward to