RafaLint: June 26th
Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP/GettyImages
Articles:
- Racquet Reaction: Nadal d. Bellucci – by Hannah Wilks (tennis.com)
- Nadal survives scare to reach second round – by Matt Trollope (wimbledon.com)
- Debut con victoria para Nadal – EFA (mangle)
- Rafael Nadal works hard to make Wimbledon second round – from the BBC
- Rafael Nadal wins despite poor start – via espn.com
- Nadal unhappy with three-set Olympic rule – by Steve Griffiths (AFP)
- ITF announces entries for Olympic Tennis Event
Videos:
- Highlights and interview, video from Canal+ España
- Practice video and another.
- Rafa for a weird autograph website
Photos:
- 1st round photos from the Wimbly Facebook account
- Photos from the Wimbledon site
- rafandready’s already posted some Wimbly photos
Tweets about Rafa:
Is @RafaelNadalthe best point to point fighter the tennis world has ever seen, what he does on a daily basis is what life is about.#tennis
— roger rasheed (@roger_rasheed) June 26, 2012
Random:
- If the top four had a bar-fight, who would win? – from The Tennis Space
Loading ...
Didn’t read the bar fight article yet, but it seems pretty easy to fall into some national stereotypes on that argument (which I think would favor Murray).
I got a laugh out of the bar fight q! Somehow Murray is the only one of the top 4 that I can see getting into a bar fight – but I wouldn’t bet on him to win it.
Rafa would talk himself out of a fight like a gentleman..i think Djokovic looks like one who could/would get into a brawl..Hmm..
Roger would back away immediately; don’t want to get those whites dirty. In fact, I’m not sure why he’d be in the bar at all, but I’m sure Rafa would go in reluctantly — probably Murray would talk him into it.
As things get heated, Rafa steps in between the Serb and the Scot to try to defuse the situation. Andy and Novak ignore him (no small feat) and go for each other regardless, probably kicking or swinging ineffectually past Rafa, who has the wit to back out (maybe concerned about any women in the bar, maybe to protect Rogelio hiding behind the bar, texting for help).
Novak rips off his shirt, voicing his primal scream, but Murray cuts him off with a brutal knee to the gut. Novak, quick-acting, bites Murray in the ear as he goes down, dragging the Scot to the floor with him, where they roll about like Verdasco in blue clay, fighting to get a killing grip on one another, growling oaths and swinging fists like racquets … you’ll have to buy the book to find out how it ends.
(If Murray’s in a kilt, my money’s on him.)
What were they fighting about, you ask? Well, the Top Four were meeting for darts and some friendly guy talk at the Dog & Fox off High Street. However, neither Murray nor Novak had caught Rafa’s “Drink Responsibly” campaign and had been matching one another Guiness for Guiness, and the darts had flown more obliquely. Finally Novak, a bit too inflamed by strong stout, had made a slighting remark about the barmaid, comparing her to Judy Murray, and then begun imitating Andy’s mum (Roger stiffling giggles while Rafa frowned and blushed). Naturally Andy objects, Novak persists, and the rest is above.
Melissa, very good! :D
…then I rush in with a sword and take care of business? No? Tut!
Would that be a dirk or a claymore, Claire? ;0)
:-D
Indeed! I am rolling on the floor! LOLOLOLOL!
omg I can’t believe the Griffiths/AFP article says that Rafa “criticised the decision to play the Olympic tennis tournament over the best of three sets.” All he said was that three sets on grass make everything more unpredictable and anything can happen. They make it sound like he issued some statement criticizing the Olympic games.
Completely ridiculous, no?
I have found that most articles that lead with “Nadal Critisizes” or “Nadal Upset Over …” are usually either Rafa statements grossly lost in translation or absurdly misquoted remarks to an unclear question. Conflict sells, I am afraid. And what REALLY sells is the idea that Rafa and Roger are divided on an issue. *sighs*
Sadly, it’s not just true of Rafa. After sitting through pressers and then reading the articles generated by then, I take every article with a HUGE grain of salt.
A problem not limited to sports reporting. Since the advent of C-SPAN in the US, interested parties (fans, citizens, sponsors, etc.) have come to learn with some shock that many reporters are lazy sods only marginally interested in accuracy and context, as well as finding that their editors are equally undemanding. Fidelity has given place to drama that was once seen fit only for the tabs.
In a way, the video broadcast of news, especially now that it’s available globally 24/7, has served as a corrective to the shoddy work that plagues the Murdoch Age. More than ever, athletes (or their agents) realize the necessity of employing quality media reps. I don’t usually trust their copy (or anyone else’s), but I am growing more comfortable with video coverage of pressers and interviews. Now, if we could just get them to ask the right questions and follow-ups!
This is why sites like Miri’s are so valuable to fans seeking reliable, full coverage. She does the hard work of culling the media cream and presenting it for our easy digestion, as well as providing us a forum for discussing dissecting it. For which we are all daily grateful. Thanks again, Miri!
I’m thinking Mats has never been out on the town in Glasgow on a Friday or Saturday night… I would ALWAYS back a Scot in a bar-fight! ;-)
Melissa, what an imagination you’ve got!
If it were to be…how Murray will relish the oportunity to take it out on djoker for recently winning all those slams! Lol