RafaLint: July 19th

Lots of articles about the sad news of Rafa’s withdrawal from the Olympics.

19 Jul 2012 | by miri | 54 Comments

RafaLint: July 6th

Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images

I really was going to go to bed early tonight. Well, I guess 1am is early…just a different kind of early. Owe you guys some lint…

Articles:

Rafael Nadal will bounce back after surprise defeat – by Greg Rusedski (guardian.co.uk)
Top Shelf Trogglehumpers – by Jesse Pentecost (thenextpoint)
Official Announcement about the cancelling of the ALMA NADAL event.
The Roger’s Cup player list was released today.

Video/Audio:

iB3 report on the ALMA NADAL cancellation and one about the knees.
Andy Murray

6 Jul 2012 | by miri | 15 Comments

Madrid: Tangled up in blue

Another losing streak was broken today. This time, however, it was Rafa’s opponent doing the breaking. Based on the tweets I’m reading, Rafa was up 4-1 in the third set, but only managed to win one more game. (I wasn’t able to see the match and am typing this on my phone, so please forgive any wonkiness.) Verdasco is through to the quarters 6-3,3-6,7-5. For Rafa, it’s so long slippery blue stuff, hello Rome.

10 May 2012 | by miri | 131 Comments

Barcelona: Final match photos

Match photos from today’s final against Ferrer.

Photos by REUTERS/Albert Gea, JOSEP LAGO/AFP/GettyImages, David Ramos/Getty Images, and REUTERS/Gustau Nacarino

29 Apr 2012 | by miri | 3 Comments

RafaLint: January 18th

The AO hasn’t killed me yet, but it’s coming close. So tired! The time difference is killing me and there’s so much tennis I want to watch… Thank goodness Rafa is up first tomorrow. I’ll just need to figure out how to leave work a half hour early…

Articles:

Racquet Reaction: Nadal d. Haas – by Hannah Wilks (tennis.com)
Nadal, Federer roll into Round 3 at Australian Open – AP via USA Today (includes a Tennis Channel Court Report video)
Rafael Nadal

18 Jan 2012 | by miri | 9 Comments

Nida in Abu Dhabi: Day 1

I always get a little anxious when I go to a new tournament and I am not familiar with the site. I knew it was going to be the smallest site I have been to considering I have only been to a Masters 1000 and Grand Slams.

I drove from Dubai to Abu Dhabi and got to the site just before doors opened, 9:30am. I headed straight to the practice courts to see what was going on. There were 6 practice courts, but really only 2 would be used – 1 for clinics and 1 for practices.

I checked the schedule –

2 Jan 2012 | by Nida | 10 Comments

RafaLint: December 31st

Looks like Team Cuteness will not be defending their Doha title. Marc! will try to defend his half of it with Albert Ramos: doubles draw.

Also, in some really nice news, the ATP will be live streaming Doha for free. Check out their site to see if it’s available in your country.

Articles:

Rafael Nadal makes racquet adjustment as he looks to challenge Novak Djokovic in 2012 by Chris McHardy (sport360.com – thanks, dk)
Rafael Nadal beats Roger Federer at Mubadala World Tennis Championship

31 Dec 2011 | by miri | 5 Comments

Abu Dhabi: 3rd place playoff videos

Fun points:

Posted by PartidoaPartido.

Start of the match:

Posted by fuocoso271.

Highlights:

Posted by bojansvitac.

Last bit of the match and post-match interviews:

Posted by vamosrafelnadal.

31 Dec 2011 | by miri | 3 Comments

Abu Dhabi: 3rd place playoff photos

I have no idea what to call this…it’s not a round-robin (as I was forced to indicate in the results), but it’s not a semi/quarter/yadda. So, it’s the 3rd place playoff. Or, photos thereof.

Photos by MARWAN NAAMANI/AFP/Getty Images and REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah

31 Dec 2011 | by miri | 4 Comments

Abu Dhabi: Good-bye 2011

Rafa/Roger…Fedal…the history….yadda. It was an exhibition, not an epic match today between the two in Abu Dhabi. Fed started out off his game, looking as sleepy as I felt, and not measuring his shots well. It took just 27 minutes for Rafa to win the first set: 6-1. Serving better than yesterday and still working his backhand with good results, Rafa was rarely pressured on his serve until the 4th game of the 2nd set. After saving one break point, Rafa double faulted

31 Dec 2011 | by miri | 27 Comments