RafaLint: May 15th
Photo by Clive Brunskill/ Getty Images
First up, Rafa’s pre-tournament (and fidgety!) interview in: English and Spanish. His first match will be tomorrow (Wednesday) not before 7:30pm. Vamos!
Articles:
- Old Bosses, New Bosses – Tignor’s wrap up on Madrid.
- Toni Nadal: “Es más fácil ser buena persona que ser buen tenista” – interview with Toni from puntodebreak.com. (mangle)
- Roland Garros preview edition of Tennis 15-30.
Audio/Video:
- Entrevista a Rafa Nadal, en Londres – a Spanish interview with Rafa about the Olympics. One of the kind busy bees who are helping me out on Facebook posted a translation summary. Thanks!
- iB3 report on Rafa’s upcoming tennis center in Manacor.
Photos:
- There’s a couple photos from the Rafa/Tot session I didn’t include in that post here.
- Love this shot from Madrid. And, um, this one…really large.
- A couple of Rafa photos in this day one in Rome photo wrap-up.
Rafa does social media:
- Rafa shared a fun photo from the tot event.
Random:
- Behind the scenes of the Rome tournament – well, of players’ eating habits.
- Last book Sam Stouser’s read? Rafa’s bio.
- Seriously? No, really…seriously?
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Thanks, Miri as always.
I’ve waited today’s lint because I want to see what others think of Pete Bodo’s piece today. I’m not sure how I want to react to this one. I don’t think Rafa is becoming a whiner but I guess there is some truth in what Pete’d like to say. Just hope Rafa enjoys himself more. I want to see happy Rafa on court.
Just in case here’s link to the story.
http://blogs.tennis.com/tennisworld/2012/05/season-of-rafas-discontent.html
I was well aware of the Bodies article and didn’t include it for a few reasons – mainly because I didn’t want to have to wade through comments about it because the article itself had wasted enough of my time – no need to let it take more.
Glad I didn’t read it then. Thanks Miri!
I’m sorry, Miri and everyone. I guess I just need to hear what you all have said here. Thank you all!
Look at those MUSCLES on Rafa..I’m enjoying the VERY BIG photo from Ella ling photography..hehe..
Photos: Wow! The really large one is REALLY LARGE! Treasure trail back, looks like lint in his belly button, and I wish that guy’s head was not IN THE WAY. Oh well, so nice. Too bad I can’t copy it to my Rafa pictures file–says it is copyrighted.
Anyway, love all the lint(your lint post!)–will have to read tomorrow as it is 2am now and I don’t want to get carried away (like I always do).
Regarding Pete Bodo: I never read anything he writes anymore as he is always down on Rafa and is a huge Fed KAD. And don’t ever read the comments on that site–I quit long ago as there are so many Rafa haters and just generally nasty people. Not all, not all, but I stay away because it makes me sad that people can be so mean. And we all know that Rafa is the sweetest guy in the world…. :-))
Love the large picture too!
Regarding Peter Bodo – let’s just say that Rafa keep him employed! Without Rafa no journalist will have anything to talk about. Rafa is the most photogenic, talked about player in the tennis world and he puts bums on seats, gives them juicy media stories that they twist and if anyone want a picture of Rafa or any other player on their social network/paper it would be Rafa everytime. If suddenly there was no Rafa, Peter would be in mourning, I guarantee it.
Somehow in this article he secretly wishes Rafa doesn’t grow up and actually loves Rafa and doesn’t want him to change. Maybe he is going through a mid life crisis himself??
Can’t wait for the match today and if Fognini wins too it would be Rafa v Fognini tomorrow and what lovely hotties we will have on court
does anyone else think that if Rafa grows a moustache and goatee that he will look a bit like Fognini? :o) Or maybe it’s just my imagination!
I thought that he looked very like Rafa, and was trying to play like him as well.
And check this Wiki photo of Fognini: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fognini_2009_US_Open_01.jpg
Good on Sam Stouser – last book Rafa biography. We also know that Sam is a secret admirer and has a hot crush on Rafa. Did anyone see the Sky ATP undercover – it was all revealed there, and she became very bashful and was blushing like a real trouper when asked the question who was her favourtie tennis player.
Can u give me the link to that?
Yes, I know that about Sam. Casey Dellaqua’s fave player is Rafa as well. The Aussies love Rafa. =)
was that the interview in the car to RG or is it another one? If so I wanna see it. Do you have a link?
Bodo makes money using Rafa..It is not fair. All he has to do is to write Rafa-hate articles , he receives hundreds of comments from Rafafans, Fedfans, Nolefans..Rafa is Bodo’s golden egg. Djok complained about the blue clay in a much harsher way and he has been the greatest whiner, but I guess he is not popular enough to make money and bring hundreds of comments for Bodo.. ..
I think Bodo has passed way out of the line with this so-called article.. Shame on him.. I am sorry for Rafa that he gets to be subjected to this sort of blabbering..Of course he will be criticised, but this is not the way when you read the same hateful articles with different titles over and over again..
One more thing:
Bodo seems obsessed with Rafa.. I guess that is his problem. I only wish he wouldnt bother us with his articles which are proofs of his obsession.. ..:)
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i quit reading the Bodo article half way through. Journalists are not suppose to be biased and he obviously is. Noticed he omitted to mention Fed has not beaten Rafa is a grand slam since Wimbledon 2007 cos over 5 sets Rafa is to damn good but we all know that dont we. Bodo also failed to mention that during Fed’s numerous title wins of the last few months he didnt have Nole or Rafa (except the loss at IW and WTF,3 set matches) the other side of the net.
Sorry this is OT as the Bodo article wasn’t in the Lint. But I really really want to ask all Rafa fans to stop reading Bodo and giving him page clicks. He bashes Rafa on a weekly basis and profiteers from doing so. At least treat your golden goose with respect. He should be banned from writing about Rafa and attending his pressers etc. Remind me how this troll became a tennis writer. Or wait, i don’t want to know.
Loved the really large pic, Ahem! :P. As for Bodo, this is the first time I’m reading an article written by him and it will be my last. Thank God Miri does not include him in lints. I made neither head nor tail of his article except that he does not seem to like Rafa anymore (did he before?) and the problem seems to be his not Rafa’s.
It’s on to Rome already and am I loving the red clay or am I? :P. For all the improved visibility blue clay was supposed to give, I found it just as hard to see the ball in motion. On full screen on my laptop, I could see the ball clearly but hey at that size, you can see clearly even for red clay! Rafa is really sweet (just see him with the kids) and I will be rooting enthusiastically for him during his matches (via internet though :P). Go get ‘em Matador, go get ‘em!
Pete Bodo is a loser. Obviously he is bigoted against Rafa. He has written many terrible articles attacking Rafa.
Bozo can say what he wants but it is just his opinion. I think Rafa was more upset that a tournament in his home country was so screwed up. Imagine what Federer would do if they messed with the surface in Basel or what Djokovic would do if they decided that the tournament in Belgrade needed a surface change. This is the equivalent of messing with Barcelona or Madrid for Rafa. Bottom line is Rafa doesn’t get the respect from the ATP that Federer and Djokovic do with their home tournaments. Likewise with Ferrer’s tournament in Valencia. Bozo and others just have the wrong perspective. I am glad Rafa resigned from the ATP council. I think he knows that he can’t control what goes on anymore. I just hope he enjoys playing tennis and getting back to being happy on the court. He was really happy in Monte Carlo and Barcelona. I think he can get back to that in Rome and Paris and just forget the noise, play tennis and be happy.
Oooooow thanks so much for the realy large picture!!!
Hallelujah!
Hello, treasure trail, welcome back, where have you bin, i missed you…. well you get it by now don’t you Rafa. Never shave it again or i…
hmmmmmm ;)
Mmmm, I know… Hairy Rafa tummy for breakfast this morning was so tasty that I forgot to comment. Hallelujah indeed! Let it grow, Rafa. Let it grow.
CC trying to make An jealous???
Its working! :D
BTW, why are there a lot of comments about an article that isn’t even in the lint post?! And where the fuck are people’s priorities, when there are hairy Rafaparts on offer?! *tuts*
Bodo boycott! I’m on board.
Aside from that, loved the fidgety interview. I could just sit and watch him for hours. So many captivating expressions, his forehead and eyebrows are a show unto themselves.
Bodo is worthless. It’s not journalism, it’s celebrity potshooting he’s practicing.
Bodo is sorry that Rafa is developing a public persona that includes his own opinions, that he might open his mouth and be controversial? As a woman of some age, I am very used to seeing women criticized for exactly the same thing, especially when they’ve been docile and pretty and ace performers.
I give Rafa great credit for trying to improve things on the tour for his poorer/lesser-ranking colleagues, which he certainly didn’t have to do. Rafa was wise to quit the council, too much upset and conflict, especially given the recent questions about his taxes and charges in French TV that he’s doping. An odd concatenation of events, and no wonder he has begun to think that Spainish tennis and himself in particular are under attack.
Yes, Novak has been harsher; yes, other players complained, including Delpo and Verdasco and Tsonga. Yes, Bodo’s sucking off of Rafa again. But if Rafa weren’t such a decent, kind, thoughtful person, there wouldn’t be any story for Bodo and the haters. The other players lack the very visible charisma and charm of Rafa, and that causes lots of envy. Not to mention his looks.
Personally, I think Rafa’s earned the right to speak out when he thinks something is unfair. That’s a lot different from whining. And, for other players, it’s so much easier to let Novak and Rafa carry the burden and risk censure. It’s called courage, and those two have it.
Novak and Rafa have devoted more to their craft than anyone else on the tour, to my mind. When Bodo devotes as much to *his* craft, then I might read him again. Judge for yourself how likely that is.