RafaLint: June 21st
Photo via the PokerStars website
The Wimbledon draw is at 10 AM BST (British Summer Time) – or less than 4 hours from now. I need a nap! (In fact, I doubt I’m going to be able to wake up for it.) Those of you are are awake can follow the draw via Wimbledon radio here.
New sponsor deal:
Remember that PokerStars rumor? Well, it was true. Rafa has signed with the company. Here’s the page announcing it on their site: Rafa Nadal joins PokerStars.
“It’s no secret that I love to compete and try my very best in everything, whether that’s tennis, golf or video games,” Nadal said. “When I discovered the game of poker, I chose to join PokerStars because they understand what it takes to be the best and associate themselves with the qualities of champions. I’m very happy to be working with them.”
Since he’s new to this whole thing, he needs your help to learn how to play and improve his game. To help insure people are willing to offer up some help, there’s a contest:
Rafa is also asking for your help, and wants you to send a video giving him your top poker tip. The best will be shown here every week, and Rafa will award exclusive prizes to the videos he thinks give him the most useful advice. The player whose video impresses Rafa the most at the end of the contest will win a European Poker Tour (EPT) Barcelona prize package, including buy-in for the €5,300 Main Event (August 19-25), eight nights accommodation in a 4-star hotel and €1,500 for expenses. The winner will also receive a chipset signed by Rafa, as will five runners-up! Everyone who submits a suitable video will also receive a $22 MicroMillions Main Event tourney ticket.
Rafa’s video request for help and the contest information can be found here.
Their site also has a Rafa profile page up.
Articles:
- When will anyone, besides Big 3, win a major? – by Douglas Robson (usatoday.com)
- Big three primed for Wimbledon double bill – by Pritha Sarkar (reuters.com)
- The Toss: ATP’s Big Three could all take over No. 1 at Wimbledon – by Courtney Nguyen and Hannah Wilks (si.com)
Video/Audio:
- How to join a Google+ Hangout – get ready for Rafa’s Hangout at 18:30 BST tomorrow! Another helpful video: here.
Rafa does social media:
- Rafa shared the PokerStars info.
- He also showed us that he was cooking – or at least standing around in front of many pots and pans (that I doubt he cleaned up – heh).
- Lastly, his busy social media day wrapped up by, well, showing us how to wrap a grip. (But he left off the last bit which I always find to be the trickiest part.)
Tweets about Rafa:
#wimbledon practice now @RafaelNadal watching #federer on the next court. Laver probably watched Emerson here too. twitter.com/BrainGameTenni…
— Craig O’Shannessy (@BrainGameTennis) June 21, 2012
RT @BrainGameTennis: Live at #wimbledon @RafaelNadal and #federer practicing side by side right now. The boys look good grooving groundi …
— nic (@nic_knack) June 21, 2012
And now live from Wimbledon, @RafaelNadal practice twitter.com/JCVerborg/stat…
— JC VERBORG (@JCVerborg) June 21, 2012
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My poker tip for Rafa: control the eyebrow and use it to your advantage.
My tip…just play tennis.
Ditto.
But why is Rafa practising with red shoes if his Wimbledon gear are light grey, black and white? Just baffles me??
He made HIS7ORY in them..naturally he likes them too much ;)
Actually not, he can’t play in clay shoes on grass hahaha.
I meant the general coulor and design not the actual clay court shoes :P
Anyways..Hopefully red is lucky n wimbly too..
*type. colour.
I assume the red shoes are the ones he wore in Halle. They’ll have the pimples on the sole for grip on grass & seeing as he wasn’t there long he probably has a few pairs to use as they’re no good on hard courts.
Not sure if I want to listen to the draw. Wonder if Rafa does?
Just had a closer look to his Wimbledon shirt, there’s tiny red ‘stripes’ in the insert on the shoulders – whalla, he’s maybe going to use red as well as grey shoes then.
Perhaps they are his lucky RG shoes and that colour does go with grey, black and white :)
I love the RED shoes as well..keep on using those lucky shoes, Rafa!:o)
Rafa and poker? No. I just don’t see how a tennis player of his calibre can find time to compete in real tourneys (starting from autumn, if I understand correctly) in another field without harming the level of attention, concentration and dedication that he invests in his own sport.
hope his tennis doesn’t suffer due to Poker!
It’s too bad I don’t play poker. Although I’m not sure I’m liking this deal. Anyway, his choice!
Rafa & gambling doesn’t sound at all right to me. Can’t imagine his family liking it, but then he’s an adult able to make his own choices. If there was no money involved or it was Strip Poker, well that’s different!!
Yeah, I don’t like the poker thing either. It doesn’t sit well with my image of him, nor do I like the idea of condoning gambling or associating tennis with gambling. I don’t know why he’s doing it, it’s not like he needs the money, but who knows, maybe he’ll be making a large donation to Gambling Anonymous or his charitable foundation?! (I’m suprised that his family would agree too, Karen). For me it goes against the great role model that he represents. But then I didn’t like the Bacardi campaign or the Shakira video either, so I’m clearly just a bit old-fashioned ;-)
I don’t have a problem with the Poker Stars deal- maybe I am biased as I enjoy playing myself. Obviously the gambling element is pretty central to the game but it also involves skill: it isn’t like playing the roulette wheel. I doubt there are any sponsorship deals (or activities in general) that would not have negative connatations of some kind. If people wanted to they could complain that his very open passion for xbox is setting a bad example. It is a growing problem for teenagers sitting playing computer games for hours and never getting outside to play actual sport. Rafa and his friends are great examples of how to be extremely fit and active while also playing Fifa soccer. This just shows that everything in moderation is a good approach.
For some reason here in Canada Poker is actually seen as a sport … or at least that’s what our sports channels would have you believe. Instead of live tennis broadcasts we have often have to put up with a Poker “tournament” . So I guess Rafa is just helping to advertise another sport not actually promoting a gambling site. ;)
Thanks for the hangout how-tos…though it was funny that the dude launched a hangout invitation and there was no one there at Google+. Can’t figure out if anyone can watch or only up to ten people.
Wewillseewhatisgoingtohappen.
I imagine his poker involvement is going to be about as heavy as the Bacardi deal—a spot every few months or so.
Looks like Bellucci up first for Rafa