RafaLint: June 9th

Rafa and Djokovic will battle in yet another final tomorrow at 3pm Paris time – weather permitting. Right now, the forecast doesn’t look promising, but it does look better than the last time I checked. I hope the trend continues. Here’s plenty of stuff to keep you busy until match time. Me? I plan on sleeping.

A few photos from Rafa’s pre-final presser:

Photos by REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

Today’s recommended reading:
Molded for Success on Clay Courts – by Greg Bishop (nytimes.com)

Articles:

• The How and the Why – by Steve Tignor (tennis.com)
• Racquet Reaction: Nadal d. Ferrer – by Hannah Wilks (tennis.com)
• Scarlet Billows – by Jesse Pentecost (thenextpoint.com)
• Another dominant display puts Rafael Nadal on cusp of French Open history – by Courtney Nguyen (si.com)
• Nadal one win from glory – by Kate Battersby (rolandgarros.com)
• Nadal and Djokovic to Vie for Title and Much More – by Greg Bishop (nytimes.com)
• Nadal draining all the suspense – by Howard Bryant (espn.com)
• History Making – by Steve Tignor (tennis.com)
• Djokovic underdog v Nadal: McEnroe – AAP via Sydney Morning Herald
• Hot button: Djokovic or Nadal – by Greg Garber and Howard Bryant (espn.com)
• RG Finals preview digizine
• Statisfaction: Looking at Nadal and Djokovic’s Route to the Final – by Chris Oddo (tennisnow.com)
• For Djokovic and Nadal, It’s a Chess Match – by Geoff MacDonald (nytimes.com)
• Standing in Djokovic’s Way: An Immovable Object – by Christopher Clarey (nytimes.com)
• History beckons for Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic – by Kevin Mitchell (guardian.co.uk)
• Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic set for epic of margins – by Simon Briggs (telegraph.co.uk)
• http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2012/06/23/Roland-Garros-Final-Preview-Statistics-Djokovic-Nadal.aspx – via the ATP
• How reliable is Rafa on clay? Pretty damn reliable.

Videos:

• Rafa’s at the end of this locker room footage. I wouldn’t sweat the knee ice – it’s probably standard operating procedure as a precaution.
• Nice interview snippets
• tve report on the semi.
• Semifinal highlights
• Rafa and Andy hanging out in the locker room. Bromance.

Photos:

• Semifinal photos from the RG Facebook account
• Check out Nana/NatalieHOHO’s twitter stream for some Rafa photos!
• Practice and match photos in this flickr set from Cedric Fischer.
• Rafa’s hair defies gravity.
• Photos from cinewatt.
• Rafa and towel commune by Dana Anders.

Rafa does social media:

• Does Rafa looked thrilled at this dinner or what? Maybe he’s upset that Fed’s standing him up on Sunday.
• Rafa watched footie today? Shocking!

Tweets about Rafa:

No, it’s not raining on @RafaelNadal ! twitter.com/ellaling23/sta…

— Ella Ling (@ellaling23) June 9, 2012

Nadal : “Les chiffres sont impressonnants mais ils ne tombent pas du ciel. C’est le résultat du travail quotidien” twitter.com/rolandgarros_F…

— rolandgarrosFR (@rolandgarros_FR) June 8, 2012

Records were meant to be broken. Wish @RafaelNadal good luck as he goes for a record 7th Roland Garros title. #vamos7 twitter.com/babolat/status…

— Babolat Official (@babolat) June 9, 2012

Random:

• To Keep Up With Tennis’s Best, It’s All in the Wrist – by Greg Bishop (nytimes.com). Thanks, Atch2.

9 Jun 2012 | by miri | 4 Comments