Nadal reveals Olympics heartache
Short interview from CNN. (If the CNN version doesn’t work for you for some reason, here it is on YouTube.)
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Just take your time Rafa, don’t come back until you are fully ready. We want you at 100%.
A slightly random thought re the Rio 2016 Olympic Games: does anyone know if the tennis event will be held on clay courts, being as they will be in South America?
I think it will be synthetic courts.
I’m guessing clay courts. There will probably be a clay Masters 1000 event in Rio by then. Clay is obviously the preferred surface in Latin America. I think there would be an uproar there if they used hardcourts. If there can be Olympics on grass, then there certainly should be Olympics on clay. Even the World Tour Finals in London in November should rotate surfaces every year. The Olympics should as well.
Actually, several of the South American tournaments are considering changing to hard courts to attract higher-ranked players, and the ATP has to decide the surface for the new Rio tournament, so there are no guarantees. http://bit.ly/MjJZNa
MORE hard courts? :(
Yes, thanks Denizen, for the link to that article. Very interesting reading, if not a bit depressing to learn that several clay court events are considering the change to hard courts. I agree with Casual Observer’s statement that if the Olympics can be played on grass, then they could and should be played on clay, in a country where red clay is the traditional surface.
He said it himself; ‘I don’t have any idea about what’s going on in the next few weeks, because for me the most important thing – the only thing – is to recover my knee.’
You take all the time you need to do just that, Rafa – and keep planning for Rio in 2016!
I wish he could have been a little more positive. Uncle Toni seems to have a better handle on the situation. I think Rafa will hit the practice courts the week Montreal gets played and then be ready to go in Cincy. Still a few weeks away which is plenty of time for the knees to get healthy. I hope he plays one tune-up before the USO.
I think Rafa has the better perspective, health-wise.
Toni has been busy trying to retract his earlier gloomy statements. I would imagine the motor-mouth uncle has upset the tournaments in Toronto and Cincinnati, and maybe even in NYC, and possibly Rafa’s sponsors. It’s as well to remember, he’s not the publicist — Benito is — and he’s not Rafa. He has been wrong before this latest unfortunate interlude.
If he sounded less than positive its because he’s being honest.
*Still a few weeks away which is plenty of time for the knees to get healthy* Actually, no, it isn’t – far from it. Tendinopathy isn’t like that and Rafa knows it. Toni doesn’t have a better handle on the situation; as Melissa says, he’s just trying to keep tournament organisers and sponsors happy. I think playing Cincy would be unwise – as much as I miss seeing him on court.
Heath – Are we sure its the same injury ? I thought much of this was because it was a new injury in a different location than usual. I think much of it will come down to how he responds the next few weeks. Like you and most others here, I would hate to see him miss extended time on the court. If the USO is threatened by this injury, then I think shutting him down for the rest of the year may be an option.
Yes – I think we’re talking about the same tendinopathy problem which was clearly bothering him during the clay season and especially after the French Open. I’m not aware of a new injury.
Has anyone seen the statement by King Juan Carlos of Spain, in which he encourages Rafa in his recuperation? An English translation (mangle?) appears on the FB page Rafa Nadal,The Champion, with no attribution.
I’ve seen numerous reports in the Spanish press, such as this. http://bit.ly/MjKrLj The King tells Rafa not to give up and to keep working, and that all of Spain is behind him, and that Rafa has the support of the Crown. He also commented that new flagbearer Pau Gasol is “more than dignified.”
Thanks, Denizen!
I don’t see much worth in what someone who’s capable of murdering poor elephants has to say.
Indeed. I was just interested in the general tenor — I tend to obsess about media coverage.
I’m feeling the heartache…esp with all those tweets about tennis players all in London, everyone looking so excited…can’t stop feeling gutted. Rafa must be feeling really terrible and down. Hope he goes fishing and land many big catches. I hope he is healing well as the Games proceed. Vamos Rafa!
As cliche as it sounds, I keep hoping there’s some “reason” for this setback, that Rafa will benefit in the long term…that he will avoid even worse injury by being forced to take time to rest and fully recover before he incurs irreparable damage.
He is so sad, it is very poignant to see.
Oh dear, he looked so sad in that interview. Like he was fighting back tears :( And I usually like Pedro’s interviews but he was entirely too glib when he laughed while asking Rafa if he was ‘going to pretend the games weren’t happening?’ Geez, Pedro, get a clue!
The good news is it sounds like Rafa now has a goal to compete in Rio in four years. I like hearing that a lot. I don’t like hearing that hard courts may come to South America. That’s just insanity to me. Can’t the powers that be in professional tennis respect the game’s history please?
The words from King Juan Carlos really warmed my heart. But seeing Rafa look so sad just goes and breaks it again. Someone tweeted a picture of the players, Fed included, practicing today at Wimbledon and I couldn’t bring myself to look at it.
Julie, I’ve been thinking the same as you. I hope he doesn’t rush his recovery. If he misses the rest of the season, so be it.
Poor Puppy but there is always, always a reason for things. Remember when Rafa came back stronger than ever after his first and only French Open loss? His motivation will be on fire once he recovers : )
I’m still heartbroken over Rafa’s withdrawal. I know it’s silly but I don’t think I’m going to be able to watch the tennis matches. The thought of someone else taking the gold just depresses me. Okay, I just had to get that out.
Ditto :(
I totally understand how you feel. I was looking forward to seeing Rafa carry the flag and fight for the gold once again. And for the first time I am seriously worried about what is next, given that he will not always be able to recover fully and as time goes by it will be harder to reset the knee. I am sure though that if there is any way to make miracles happen, Rafa will find it.
Forget the tennis. I don’t think I can watch the opening ceremonies.
Ditto again :(
If Rafa can watch them, I can watch them. It may be hard, but I’m gonna do it until he says to stop. :)
I really like Pau, one of Rafa’s BFFs; and, after his support of Rafa in the FO and these last bad weeks, I will watch him carry Rafa’s flag. And play. I will also watch Rafa’s splendid David and valiant Pico play. And I’m sure someone other than Roger or Novak will win the gold if I watch and yell and do some jumpin’ and … somehow it will help pass the time until Rafa is healed. It must.
(Unless there are more jet-ski and fishin’ and dancin’ pics to fill the gap … in which case, Rafa won’t be watchin’, yes?)
To be honest, it would be some consolation if someone else won the gold, although I do not think it will happen. I hope your method works because I thought of trying it too :-)
As hard as it may be for us, the fans, I go with Heath saying that Rafa himself knows best. It´s his body, he´s been there before, unfortunately. And I agree, that playing Cincy might not be wise.
Nomatter how much we want him to play, to be an important part of the great tournaments ahead, I prepare myself by the fact,that it might not happen now.
We miss him, we feel for him, and Rafa wants to play for sure, but his experiences with his fragile knees also tells him to take the time, he needs to be fully fit again.
If that means, that he will miss some of the hard court season or all of it, so be it.
I am not trying to be a pessimist, I´m trying to be a realist.
From what I have read about his conditions, from what many of you also have told us about it, it seems that only time will tell, what happens from now on.
In Miri’s previous post ‘Olympics : Interviews with Toni’ there’s a comment from Toni about it being a ‘new injury’ which happened at Wimbledon & that it’s an issue of the knee that is not the same as before. Doesn’t this sound like a different sort of injury as opposed to his normal knee problem? I’m getting rather confused with all of this. I wish Rafa or Toni would just put it in black& white what happened & when so we can stop guessing.
Well, it isn’t a different kind of injury since it’s tendinitis… maybe it’s in a different tendon?. I do find Toni’s comments somewhat confusing, TBH.
Yes Rafa is cut up about having to withdraw as I expected. So sad for him; and it is a great loss for the Olympics. His delight would have lit up the opening and closing ceremonies and his play would have been a major part of the Tennis. I cannot understand all the Rafa Haters and deluded conspiracy makers who seem to relish every problem for Rafael rather than seeing it as a loss for everyone.
I think it is important to remember that Tennis is a competitive sport. It is may be unrealistic to expect too much in the way of public revelations about Rafas health. Weakness is not something you want to show your opponents. It is a fine line, saying too much or seeming secretive. There’s no reason to criticise Tony. They are all trying to balance on either side of the line.
I find the critics/haters so disturbing, even to the point of concern about Rafa’s safety at times. Their angry, vicious comments and unfounded accusations are indicative of potentially unstable, harmful people who want the worst for someone like Rafa. Nothing to do about it, except ignore them…
Keith, I always respect your opinions and enjoy reading your remarks, and I agree with you, it is never wise to say too much about a player’s health with so much — not just victories, but ticket sales and sponsor expectations — on the line. Which is exactly why some, including myself, have criticized Coach Toni. I maintain his gloomy pronouncements and predictions have not been helpful; instead, they have alarmed many and confused many more. I will point out only once more that Toni is not Rafa’s spokesman, and that remarks of his have proven excessive and confusing before. Having myself been both interviewer and interviewee, I have perhaps less patience than the average fan with these matters.
Please forgive me, Keith, if my comments have annoyed you; it was not my intent. I am sure we can agree to disagree, and I will not remark further on this instance. I look forward to your future comments. I know we are all united in our desire to see our favorite player recover his health and return to tennis.
Vamos, Rafa!
If you have not seen this from Tignor – love the pic of Rafa and Tignor’s comments about Rafa listening to his knee:
http://blogs.tennis.com/thewrap/2012/07/accidental-tennis.html
Nice shorts. They should have the leg stroke on repeat on a big screen at the opening ceremony on Friday. Just because.
Heh, they should….
Off course that would be the absolute peak of the ceremony….. for me.
I’m going to watch it whit a little mixed feeling, excited for the games to begin but feeling gutted for Rafa, would have LOVED watching him proudly carying the flag for Spain!
Well, having heard Federer’s latest on Rafa, I can only hope that Rafa is not surprised or greatly hurt. And for a journalist, at a press conference, to say he KNOWS as a Fed fan that Fed will win the gold — I’m blown away. A new low for the “press.” And for Fed.
At least Novak showed sportmanship in HIS remarks: “The withdrawal of Nadal is a loss for any tournament.”
Today men’s tennis hit a new low for me.
I agree…shocking for Fed to imply that it was more Rafa’s lack of preparation than a problem with the knee…
Well, my Fed friends don’t read it that way. Especially as Fed says it was a shock for Rafa to withdraw.
“It is a big blow to the tournament but he must have his reasons. I don’t know if it was his knee or his preparation wasn’t good enough.
“I thought it was more his preparation and that would mean he is probably close to coming back on tour. He is only missing maybe a week or two here.”
(The quotation is from an article; I await the transcript, or a video.)
A charitable explanation — which I am being handed by Fed fans — is that Fed isn’t reading news about Rafa.
Wondering what this post has to do with Fed and/or Nole.
I know it’s really tempting to go off-topic since we don’t have a lot of on-topic news going on, but let’s do our best.
I thought Melissa was simply referring to the reactions by Fed and Nole to Rafa’s withdrawal – his decision to withdraw being the topic?
An interview with Rafa talking about the withdrawal is the topic. Rafa’s comments, feelings, etc are on topic. I don’t give a fig what anyone else has to say about the withdrawal – their views are irrelevant and not worth a second of my time.
I did start out wondering about Rafa’s feelings, but that’s speculation at best, and then I got entirely off-track. My apologies.
I happen to be the biggest RAFANADAL fan in the entire world. Rafael Nadal is the single greatest Sportsperson ever play a sport on this planet. May he be blessed for being so sportsmanlike in competition and communication. I am thankful to know of him. He always gives his best as a competitor and a sportsman and opponent. He understands that leaving your all on the court is respect for your opponent and self and the game and sport itself, and that ultimately family is still more important. He must be at peace within himself, despite many disappointments involved with his health and having to miss several competitions that he wanted to be in and that needed him.
Love that man
Mahalo
Ted/Jii
@Ted
Well said………….thank you! I am soooo struggling to “be at peace” with all that is happening with Rafa right now. Hard as I try, all the Olympic hype just makes me so very sad. I so miss Rafa and his great spirit for tennis and Spain. As Tignor would say, “that is part of being a fan”, I guess. Even the irrational thought that I want what is best for Rafa and yet I want him to play or tennis/sport just doesn’t have the joy for me anymore, is part of being his fan.
@Miri – thank you!! What other people think or say about this whole situation shouldn’t mean “a fig” to me either. Their views are “irrelevant” and I’m not going to waste any time on them.
This is the ONLY web site I come to with my joy for Rafa successes, my worries for Rafa injuries and my sadness when all isn’t as it should be in our “Rafa” world. Thank you all!