Miami: Rafa withdraws
News from Miami is that Rafa has withdrawn from the tournament due to left knee pain.
Nadal has pulled out of today’s semi in Miami vs Murray because of left knee pain. We plan to hear from him shortly. Bummer.
— Chris Fowler (@cbfowler) March 30, 2012
From the man himself:
Lo siento mucho por mis fans, los que están aquí en Miami y los de todo el mundo. No me encuentro en condiciones para jugar hoy x mi rodilla
— Rafael Nadal (@RafaelNadal) March 30, 2012
So sorry for my fans, those here at Miami and those around the world. Myknee won’t let me play today.
— Rafael Nadal (@RafaelNadal) March 30, 2012
Per Brad Gilbert on twitter, there will be a short interview (Rafa/Fowler) aired at 3pm Eastern on ESPN2.
More information:
Nadal says he brought tendinitis in L knee to Miami. Got worse daily. Felt he couldn’t compete today. Exam tomorrow. Hopes 100% for clay.
— Chris Fowler (@cbfowler) March 30, 2012
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Damn hard courts. And damn the tennis authorities who won’t listen to him and others who are telling them that hard courts are bad for the game.
Get better soon Rafa and shine on the clay courts.
Agree 100% Sharon!
Agree with you Sharon. Take care our Rafa.
Found this about it:
“It looks like it’s nothing really different than happened a few times in the past,” he said. “Hopefully with a few days off and with the right treatment, I will be in the right conditions to start to practice on the clay. I know what to do to get better quick, and that’s what we’re going to try.”
Nadal played no tournaments in February to rest his knees. Even then, he said, his left knee bothered him some while training at home in Spain.
“I try my best in every moment, with pain or without pain,” he said. “But when I see the situation is done and I cannot, I cannot.”
“I am very sorry for the fans,” Nadal said. “I’m very sorry for the tournament. I’m very sorry for everybody who was ready to watch the match on the television, for television, for everybody.
“I don’t have pleasure. I feel very sad to have to go out before a beautiful match for me — semifinals against Andy.”
Dear Rafa!
It makes me very, very sad to hear you say that you are sorry for all of us, fans, tournament and the people that where going to watch you’re match…. In fact it pains me, stop it!
I wanna hear you say that you’re sorry for you’re self! That you where looking forward to play Andy, to play a match… Always remember that we, as real fans, only will have pleasure watching you play as long as you want to play and can play tennis because it is a pleasure for you to do so!! If it isn’t there will be no fun for us too.
Come back soon but only then when you want to and can!
OK?
He did say he was sorry for himself, An:
“I feel very sad to have to go out before a beautiful match for me, semifinals against Andy.”
And I agree with you. He shouldn’t sacrifice his health for us.
An,you are a great example of what a real Rafa fan is.
i dont have espn. Are there any video’s of the press conference please? Would like to hear what he has to say. Fleming reckons it is more precautionary. I do hope so and it’s not to serious.
Clay court season wont be the same without him. I can remember when he lost early in 2009 at RG, it was weird watching the rest of the tournament without him in it. He was missed for sure.
Rafa just tweeted a video thanking everyone with it as “a gift for your support”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5wni4a-cYQ&feature=youtu.be&a
Heal well, Rafa.
Thanks for posting this. He will be sorely missed in the next two weeks. Come back to clay heathy, fit and with your best tennis, Rafa!
Good decision indeed. i think it will be difficult for Rafa to play in high level with knee pain. Once again, the clay court season is much more important than to win the trophy in Miami. Hopefully, he is going to be more healthy in the rest of the season.
Good decision to rest the knees. Murray must be Rafa’s bogey opponent he had to pull out against him in Australia. Fingers crossed for the clay season Rafa.
OMG “lost to Andy Murray retired” – that said it all!
I just hope this isn’t the beginning of things to come. Maybe a de ja vue for them – a la 2009 and do not want to do that again!! As soon as we could see (with Miri’s) captions how grumpy Rafa was (and all of us who are Rafa fans would have observed closely) we knew something was wrong. And here it is. I wasn’t at all surprised he quit after the Tsonga match. I have never seen Rafa complete a whole match in pain until then. And didn’t want to see it again to make the tournament happy. So I am a very very proud Rafa fan for him to quit (I bet secretly it was U Toni’s decision though. You know how much of a stubborn person Rafa is!). As with all the speculation he gonna get the treatment straight away and things will be perfect the clay season YEAH. I am feelling so positive with their decision! In fact this makes me happier they have decided this thatn him struggling with Andy – maybe or maybe not making it to the final to the detriment of his knees. I would rather Rafa pull out and risk going down to 3, 4 or whatever in the world than having no Rafa at all!! Do you agree?
Agree with you 100% rafafan.
Interestingly Miri on the twitter does Rafa get his semi ATP points or are they deducted because he withdrew?
Agree completely rafafan! Whatever his # in the rankings, he’s still the best to me!
Hello Rafa: I hope you recover soon. Your fans are looking forward to your return.
Well, it looks like the anti-Rafa media pundits (Greg Garber, etc.) are at it again, implying that Rafa’s career will end soon because of the knee problem.
What a double standard those Rafa-hating media pundits have! Djokovic retired against Murray in Cincinnati, and he withdrew from Paris Masters with an injury (despite around 6 weeks of rest after US Open). How come nobody says that Djokovic is injury-prone because of his “physical” style? Murray retired from last year’s WTF with an injury (Rafa, in contrast, played through WTF and then played Davis Cup final). Del Potro was out almost a year with a wrist injury. How come the Rafa-hating media never says that these other top players are injury prone?
Other top players have had as many injuries as Rafa, if not more. But the Rafa-hating media simply loves for Rafa to be finished. I hope Rafa proves them wrong, as he has done in the past!
What do you all think?
What good is going to come out of making unfounded predictions about the length of Rafa’s career, and what can anyone do about it? I just want to enjoy the ride while we still have it—the beauty of his tennis, his spirit and character. I am glad I was there in Miami last week and saw his match vs. Giraldo in person. Will try to do more of the same in the future.
This has been going on forever. They love to pigeonhole him (well, everybody, really. Rafa got the “almost-broken” card). Let’s let Rafa and his team take care of his body. He needs rest and his doc’s TLC. Also, glad he won’t be pestered by journos’ questions on resignation from council, feud with fed, grudge matches with djok…
Hope he keeps us updated on twitter and FB, though! Need his smiles until MC. :)
Well, injuries can happen to anybody. It’s been worse before. Even in Rafa’s best year (2010), he was seriously injured in Australia (in contrast, Rafa almost won Australia this year). In Miami 2010, Rafa also got a knee injury during a match with another “Andy” (Roddick). But Rafa recovered in 1 week to win Monte Carlo. This year, there are 2 weeks between Miami and Monte Carlo (1 week longer than 2010), so there is some reason to be optimistic.
Plus, Rafa said he hopes to be practing on clay in just several days. This leads me to believe that the pullout was probably just precautionary. Of course, Rafa would not publicly say that his pullout was precautionary, because that would make the Miami tournament seem unimportant.
What do you all think?
I was thinking the exact same thing, that 2010 started not so well, with an injury at the AO and then another one in Miami. Then he won everything on clay. But then again it’s two years later now and injuries have taken their toll both physically and mentally. So I like the analogy but I wonder whether it makes any sense! I want it to, but does it?
It is what it is and I think Rafa seems to be handling it as well as can be expected. I feel for him being so young and all God bless him and make him well pronto :)
Well, his withdrawal was not unexpected given that he didn’t turn up for his practice the day before. Sad to hear the knees are acting up again but I’m glad that he didn’t choose to destroy his knees by playing against Murray. I hope the treatment he’s seeking for will help a lot.
In his Spanish video on FB, in my amateur spanish i think Rafa said something about Monte Carlo being very important for the start of the clay season. So I think the pullout is both precautionary and required so that he could be in better conditions for the clay season.
I’m fine with 2 weeks without Rafa tennis as long as he comes back in better conditions. Vamos everybodyguys!
Kevin, I don’t think the media types you refer to ‘hate’ Rafa. I actually think they are worried that one of these days his injuries will catch up with him and he’ll throw in the towel. I think they voice their concerns over his injuries because they know how important he is to the game and don’t want him to leave. Sort of like some posters on blogs obsess about his health and injuries.
I was thinking about Rafa not having won a title in almost a year and other than MC last year I can’t remember the last Masters title he won. But he’s still young folks, and he’ll come roaring back. So let’s hope he gets the treatment he needs for the knees and hits the clay feeling good.
Annie, I think you are right about the media. They love to bash Rafa this and Rafa that, but when “push comes to shove” I don’t think anyone of them wants Rafa to leave the tennis court and throw in the towel with his injuries. He generates so much interest all over the world, that without him the journalists will be at a loss what to report – anything from the positive: his amazing play, passion, warrior like never give up, humbleness, charasmatic charmer to the negative: OCD, ticks, underwear shuffling, timing issues, injuries. They do a bit of reverse physicology in critising Rafa when his “back is to the wall”, knowing that he will be back and they will be silently praying that he will be back for the good of the sport and for their journalism. Does that make sense?
I agree with everything you say Silhouette,it was not a complete shock that he withdrew but still makes me sad for him. He is such a sweety the way he is so thoughtful in his presser of everybody who cares and supports him, especially his fans. I am so disappointed for him, he must feel sad. But he is such a strong,positive person that I am confident he will move on mentally and emotionally as quick as he can.
SOME of the media types are concerned for Rafa, and others are full of disdain. That seems to be the way of tennis. Rafa isn’t the only player to be criticized, but it seems like he’s gotten more than his share this year. Being an ardent Rafa fan, I’ve learned what sights to go to and what sights to stay away from. There are a couple of commentators who seem to take glee in taking stabs at Rafa, so when they’re commentating I simply turn down the sound. It’s adapt or throw in the towel and as long as Rafa’s on the court I’ll find a way to adapt.
Nadall I was out to church and came back home just to view the results and alas I just read that your knee was giving you hassles. I want you to know that your health is your wealth, so first in first get yourself real ok, and God will heal you of that knee condition. Just be hopeful. I want you to know that you are the best, you took tennis to another level whether clay, grass or hard court , you are always fit and challenging. Your character depicts the fact that tennis is in you, and you braeath tennis day in day out.
Without you in tennis today, all tournaments are boring. Get ready for the next tournament if you can, but don’t be in a hurry. You are still young and you need your health intact ok. Love to your uncle Tony and the friends who are in support of you home and abroad. We love you in Nigeria and you are the best.
Miss you yesterday on the court, but God knows the best. keep on positive courageous attitude.
Stay Kool RN. You are already the champion!!!!!
Meg(Nigeria)
The media love negative and controversial stories. They have less respect for Rafa and its baffling, cause he is so humble and respectful and kind.
Some websites are full of non tennis fans who show such hatred for Rafa and other players, its unbelievable.
Rafa is an ambassador for tennis and sport in general, he is a true role model and when both him and federer retire it will be such an incredible loss, maybe then people will really appreciate these two legends and what they contributed to tennis.
Here is rafa’ nike ad with ronaldo
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2122688/Cristiano-Ronaldo-plays-tennis-Rafael-Nadal.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
Great commercial :-)
Mica Mica – I think you will find a lot of the horrible comments about Rafa stem from pure jealousy, that’s my feeling because he does not behave in such a way as to attract these sorts of comments. He has it all, good looks, mega talent and is a beautiful human being. There are just nasty people out there I am afraid.
@Ruthie,
I can see that jealousy on many websites, people dislike him because he came along and defeated Federer. Rafa has a lot of respect for federer and they are good friends, so theres no need for that hate.
I loved Rafa’s autobiography book, he is so honest and humble, I dont think he knows just how amazing he is sometimes.
Anyway I want to be positive and pray Rafa has an amazing clay court season. To be honest he did not even play that great at the french open last year but he won it with style against the great Roger Federer.
He is becoming an incredible grass court player too so I pray he wins wimbledon, im going to see him at wimbledon this year, for sure.
Let’s hope that Rafa will be fighting fit very soon, so that we can enjoy the clay court season and also the matches on grass, including the Olympics.
I hope you will have a wonderful experiencee at Wimbledon Mica mica and it would be the icing on the cake if our Rafa could win there again – you can cheer him on for all of us.
Why are we talking about this here when there’s already a post on this topic on the site? Comment about the videos there instead
@miri,
Sorry
My bad, im new to this site. Ive commented on the video post
No worries. Just wanted to let you know for the future.
I think in no small part he gets that kind of hate BECAUSE he is so kind and humble. Hateful people who have no such qualities hate those who do. Or they just don’t believe that otehrs have them so they call them fake. They’re just sad people…
It is absolutely correct. If Rafeal stops playing, it will be the greatest loss to tennis. Rafeal and Rogers are the best embassators for the sport of tennis. I become a real tennis fan because of Rafeal. When You 1st saw him play, he may look mean to people. But after One watch his game for a while, one would realize him. Rafeal play tennis with all his heart and soul. Rafeal win me as his fan and a serious tennis fan, not only because of his high athletism, but more important because of his humanity. Let us all hope Dear Rafeal will recover from injury very soon and able to play his best games. I watched part of his quarter final game on ESPN and followed rest of the score on cell phone.
He did not played the way as expected. It was kind upsetting, now I know why. Rafeal please take care and get better. Sometime to hard work is taxing on your body, please modify the way you play and not injure yourself to much. You fans are looking forward to watch and follow your games. Tennis cannot afford without Rafeal. Rafeal get well soon. Go Rafeal Go!
@fan m,
It was the same for me, I used to watch tennis but I never had a favourite player, as soon as I saw rafa when he lost at wimbledon in 2006
I fell in love with tennis and rafa became my favourite player, I truly adore rafa, he is the most exciting player to watch.
I just wish people would show him more respect.
I think much of the media is overreacting. Rafa had a similar problem in 2010 in Miami and recovered well after some treatments to the knee. Many in the media have very short and not so detailed memory. Treatments have become more advanced since then with Kobe Bryant and others using treatments on their knees to actually regenerate cartilage which protects the joint. Rafa has yet to use such a treatment because he hasn’t needed it. Rafa will only be limited by his desire and will to play tennis, something only he can choose to do or not do. As a fan, I worry more about his desire and will to continue to play more than his health because I think he’s sacrificed all of his young adult life and given it to the sport and tennis fans around the world. I think Rafa should always do what’s best for Rafa and not worry about the fans, media or the sport. He’s given a lot more to the sport in the last 8 years than most others give their entire careers.
I do hope those treatments work magic on him. It will be an epic waste of gift from God if Rafa stops playing because of injuries. I do hope that like you said, he should end his career by his own choice when the desire to stay is not there any more. I sometimes too wondered if his “illusion” to continue to play was not so strong as before, but through his recent matches came to believe that he remains motivated and competitive as ever. Can’t wait to see what happens next when he comes back.
i am loving the rafa and ronaldo advert for nike, rafas face when he lands on the ground is priceless.
I cant stop watching it. Rafa would have been a great footballer too or even a golfer, but im glad he’s a tennis player cause im not a football or golf fan.
I feel for Rafa in his disappointment in having to withdraw. I think he was eking out those matches one at a time with the knee pain until it “spoke for itself” and hurt even when not on the court. That explains all of those pictures of him holding his mouth in a grim line — it was obvious that something was distressing him, but I did not think it was a physical problem.
I hope he recovers well and finds joy in MC. He is quite a man.