RafaLint: April 30th
The person by the RAFApedia.com site sent along these videos from the final.
Today’s recommended reading: The Persistents – by Steve Tignor.
We tend to take Nadal’s wins on clay for granted, as if it’s automatic for him. And we can probably forgive ourselves for doing this when a guy makes it feel so automatic. On closer inspection, though, his win over Ferrer is a reminder that it isn’t, even for him. Rafa’s forehand can still go off, his serve is up and down from one week to the next, and he can get pushed around and even made uncomfortable on clay. “He didn’t let me play my best level in the first set,” Nadal said of Ferrer, who took a page from the Djokovic playbook by pushing Nadal into his backhand corner and taking his own backhand on the rise for crosscourt winners. Yet Nadal won again.
Ferrer did the normal thing; he hit the ball freely and well until the crucial moments. Then he didn’t hit it as freely or as well. Nadal went in the opposite direction. He hit his forehand poorly until the crucial moments. Then he made it work. That’s abnormal, but so is winning a tournament for the seventh time.
Articles:
- Cuando ‘todo’ no basta – by Ginés Muñoz (elmundo.es). Here’s the mangle.
- On Facebook, Inés shared a wonderful archive from the 2003 Barcelona tournament – the last time Rafa lost there.
- I have no problem with Nadal – Federer – via ESPN
Videos:
- Short clips from both Ferrer and Rafa’s post-Barcelona final pressers.
- raficionada has uploaded more Monte-Carlo videos to her YouTube channel.
Rafa does social media:
- On Monday, Rafa shared a really, uh, arty* photo of himself headed home.
* I’m trying to be kind.
Random:
- Pay a virtual visit to the Barcelona tournament.
Loading ...
On the Facebook label, the word ‘crack’ is used. I’ve seen it used in tweets from Ferru and don’t know what the word means. I am guessing from the way Rafa used it, it might mean ‘warrior’. Can someone shed light on this word for me? thanks
We were discussing this on Twitter today. I looked it up and it seems to be British English but used by young Spanish people meaning “the best” or one person said “A Champ”, someone who is the best at what he does. A job, sport, etc. The dictionary says “Excelling in skill or achievement; first-rate: a crack shot; a crack tennis player.”
Ah! Now it all makes sense — my boss often refers to me and my coworkers as his ‘crack team’ and I wondered why :)
Thanks for the insight.
An ace.
hehe… “a really, uh, arty* photo”
at least, we can see Rafa’s smile (un)clearly in the dark…
nice to see him on his way back home, very-happy-ly :)
Love that Tribute video. So many emotions on his face/body after the win. And such deep respect for Daveeed. Just love them both.
Great piece by Tignor, he gets it again:)
Love the parallels between the two world No.2′s, hope to see more success for them this year.
Come on Miri!!! Stop being kind…..
That is one bad picture! He should hire you as his personal photographer, TODAY! And i have a whole lot off wishes for photo’s shared on fb, ok?
re the interview, toni is waaaaaaaay too harsh on Rafa: no way Ferrer deserved the 1st set more than Rafa, honestly, when you have 5 set points and do not convert a single one, no matter how your opponent is playing, and then you play a subpar tiebreak, you don’t deserve more than you opponent does, period.
and all right, rafa was not hitting stellar forehands on sunday, but toni’s final remark sounds a bit sarcastic to me. I like him as a coach and I reckon he’s been doing a is still doing a wonderful work with Rafa, but I’d love if it he cut him some slack from time to time…
He never cuts him slack and rarely ever praises him. That was ok when he was a boy and he wanted to keep him from getting a big head. But it is not ok now that Rafa is a man and a great champion. It is even worse that he says these disparaging things to the press. I think it is disgusting and has to be hurtful to Rafa.
No way did he not deserve to win that set. Ferru went all to pieces with nerves and did not play well at the end. Rafa handled it better and that is why he won. I love Daveed and thought he put up a great fight. I just can’t stand Toni’s attitude at all. Is there any other coach who would talk like that–no. I guess because he is family and draws no salary he feels entitled to. No way. He is well compensated for his work with Rafa (through the family business) and should have more respect for the great Champion Rafa has become. And take pride in having a part in it. *falls off soap box*
It’s tough for us to judge from the outside. I think the contrary because he is an uncle and draws no salary he talks openly and brings home the harsh reality. Meanwhile a paid coach could tend to be careful with what he says or does.
Did Ferrer deserve to win the first set or not is subjective. Even Rafa admitted that Ferrer deserved to win but Rafa just played the key points better. Sometimes what they say in Spanish and what they actually mean and how it gets translated in English is all lost in translation. Also half the time the journalists only quote what athletes say – they will never quote the question actually asked that prompted the response. When the Q&A are read in conjunction it comes across completely differently.
Uncle Toni –> Rafa = TOUGH LOVE! :o)