Quality time with Rafa
Photo by C Dubreuil for FTF
There’s an interview with Rafa on The Times’ site: Rafael Nadal well versed in art of making most of quality time. It was conducted by Neil Harman at the gallery exhibit he recently attended. Here are some Rafa quotes from the article:
Nadal admits that he was no Dali at school. “With music and with art, I was a disaster,” he says. “I was only ever ‘sufficient and borderline’. The best was the physical. I went every day to school, but my timing was 9am to 12 school, 12 to 3 tennis, 3 to 5 school, 5.30 to 7 football, 7 to 8.30 tennis. I arrived home when I had to study completely destroyed. But I have the satisfaction that I finished obligatory school.”
I cannot fathom keeping that schedule – even with the energy of youth.
“All my life I worked hard on the court, I was able to go on the court and practise for six hours when I was 14-15 — sometimes. Not all the time. Today is different. When I started on the tour, if I didn’t play for two weeks I felt completely out of rhythm. Now I can be away from tennis for 12 to 14 days, come back and don’t have a bad feeling. I don’t need to practise as much and the important thing is how you practise and what you practise.
“Now it is more to talk with Toni. We go with one goal, to try to improve the serve, the return, to play longer. Toni’s style is to talk a lot, preparing mentally. My [bad] knees are there and we are going to try to play the sport for as long as we can.”
I’m so happy to hear that he’s recovering his rhythm better after no play. It seemed to be the case given what appears to be a increased willingness to time off, but it’s good to hear that straight from him.
In regards to the crowds at Roland Garros, Rafa had this to say:
“Seriously, I don’t see the problem,” he says. “When I go on the street and walk around, they show me love. I feel it all the time. I understand sometimes I have had a lot of success and the crowd supports the other. I respect that.
“The situation in 2009 when I lost [to Robin Söderling, the Swede, in the fourth round, Nadal’s only defeat in 46 matches], I was disappointed, I don’t want to lie. I was having tough moments [his parents had divorced and his knees were seriously hurting him] and I felt all the stadium not supporting the other but all were against me. That was difficult to understand when this is a place I love a lot. But I only had that feeling one year. They have never been against me any other time and I am talking with the heart.”
Art isn’t just found in a gallery:
“The image of a beautiful court is amazing,” Nadal says. “Tennis means things to me and the people, emotions that are hard to find in another sport. In football you have a time, in golf there are 18 holes, in tennis you don’t know when you are going to finish, so like the final of Australia [he lost in five sets to Novak Djokovic in five hours and 53 minutes in January] that was a crazy match, but the end of the fourth set and the fifth set, I was seriously enjoying the moment, even if I was suffering mentally because I wanted to win or physically because I am tired.”
And lastly, this just made me smile…a smile that went all the way down to my toes:
Living with family in Majorca, there is little scope for personal indulgences, but there is one image of himself he loves. “I received a gift after the Wimbledon final of 2008,” he says. “It can be a little more perfect, but there is one detail I cannot explain. But the image is beautiful because I have just won the match and I’m on the ground. I don’t know why I went to the ground. I didn’t prepare that. I swear that’s the truth. I just remember being on the ground and gritando [screaming]. I only remember that, the image of the last point.”
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Why Miri, did you send him that photo? Hmmm…
No. I just love his reaction to it, that’s all.
Very cool piece about Rafa. And if points toward so many of the attributes of his character that make him special. His candor regarding the fans in Paris rooted in humility and from the heart, though I’m sure many of us would probably be the first to tell Rafa himself that he’s giving fans there too much credit! I also don’t recall his bio he put out a little over a year ago detailing just how intensive and rigorous his schedule was at such an early age. How many kids can really do that? I know I couldn’t have. And then his comments about the Aussie Open final, to me, and I hope I’m speaking blessings, good karma, what have u, but I think are the key to his ascension this year; he’s enjoying it again! W that comes ‘the Calm’, the confidence, the movement flows from that mindset and of course from being healthy…oh, got a feeling he might explode again this summer, just might rattle off 2 of the next 3? He wins RG and stays healthy, with all that confidence going to Wimbledon? Can’t wait! Vamos Rafa!
thanks for this, miri. great interview.
that he was enjoying himself in the final sets of AO, was i believe a real turning point even though he lost the match.
and yes, that anecdote about the Wimbledon photo is heart-warming. i guess Wimbledon’08 will always be the most special for him.
“The image of a beautiful court is amazing,” Nadal says. “Tennis means things to me and the people, emotions that are hard to find in another sport.”
Love how he expresses this feeling. Tennis really is very different from other sports and we who love it can’t explain that to someone who doesn’t.
And lastly: “Art isn’t just found in a gallery”–love that. :-)
I love that pic of Rafa.
I guess you have to be a subscriber to “The Times” to read the whole article though. Such a shame :(. It seems to be a nice piece. I agree that the image of a court can be amazing. I clearly remember that, when I first stepped on a tennis court as a child, I thought instantly that it was a beautiful place.
yeah, I couldn’t get to the article either, just the teaser
darn
Thanks Miri, Lovely interview:)
The photo of Rafa lying on the ground after winning Wimbledon 2008, arms stretched out and screaming is the one on my tea mug which I’ve been using 3-4 times each day without fail since late 2008. Recently I thought I should get a new one as it’s getting rather tatty now, but after reading how Rafa feels about the photo, that mug’s not gonna be retiring anytime soon. Really hope the crowds show him more love this year, especially as he’s so lovable & forgiving himself. When they start their anti Rafa garbage ( last year the crowd on another court booed when the result was shown on their screen after he beat Isner) I feel like throwing something at the TV. Rafa will always be pure class!!
Yup, Love that photo too! And loved the interview and his attitude about the French fans. He’s got such a good head, that Rafa.
Yes, Rafa, we know exactly what photograph you’re talking about and we love it too. Perfect match, perfect moment, perfect memory! That teenage schedule?! INSANE. You deserve every ounce of your success. You’ve earned it.