Roland Garros practice videos

RC pointed out this series of RG practice photos to me. The HD quality is nice. ;) RC says, “Listen to the end of the second vid closely, pretty funny.”

2 Jul 2009 | by miri | 8 Comments

Knees, knees and grading on a knee curve

Mish-mash of a few articles. First up, one sent in by Patzin:
Federer should thank Nadal’s knees for French Open win

What’s lost in the noise of the crowds of hopping back on the Federer bandwagon is this: his fortune comes as a result of Nadal’s misfortune.

Federer admitted himself that he hardly played his best in Paris, and he doesn’t deny that his days of dominating the sport are over.

While he puts a positive spin on that, saying it’s a motivating, new

10 Jun 2009 | by miri | 14 Comments

Toni on French radio RMC

Thanks so much to Vic for posting this as a comment. I’m posting it here as well to help make sure people see it.

Here’s the link and Vic’s translation:

Info RMC – After having declared its absence in Queen’ s, Rafael Nadal could not be able to defend his title in Wimbledon. because of a painful knee, as Toni Nadal, the uncle and trainer of the player tells us in an exclusive interview.

Toni Nadal, what is Rafael undergoing?

Rafael has a problem in the right knee (edema,) since Miami, and this kept getting worse, So now we have decided to

6 Jun 2009 | by miri | 25 Comments

Nadal’s only human: Albert Costa

Sarah sent in this article from the Roland Garros site.

2002 French Open champion Albert Costa spoke to us exclusively about Rafael Nadal’s shock defeat, evoked memories of his sweet victory on the famous red clay and tipped Roger Federer for the title.

How did you feel after Nadal’s defeat? Did you see it coming?
I think it was an enormous surprise. Rafa really wanted to win the tournament, but you can’t win every match. The match unbalanced him

4 Jun 2009 | by miri | 29 Comments

Rafael Nadal finds deep meaning in defeat

The Times Online has posted a wonderful article about Sunday’s “rare accident.”

Some will take Nadal’s defeat as eloquent testimony to sport’s infinite capacity to spring surprises, to keep us guessing, to ravish us with its glorious capriciousness. And there is something in that. But Nadal took a different lesson, a subtler lesson, dare I say it, a more philosophical lesson. In his defeat, Nadal told us that he had

3 Jun 2009 | by miri | 17 Comments

Elmundo.es Q&A – 4rd & 5th editions

Oops! I missed one of these – sorry. First, the one from May 31st (Google translation).

Rafa.acabo I read your comments about your friend Richard Gasquet and more than doubtful antidoping control system all padeceis. Beyond the controversy, and considering the unanimous position of What all players propondríais solutions or alternatives for improving a situation as stressful as regrettable? Common sense should prevail … but I wish you all the best. A POR LA QUINTA!!!

1 Jun 2009 | by miri | 13 Comments

Rafa blog and Q&A – June 1

Rafa’s final blog and Q&A are up on the Times Online site. I used the “sad” photo because after looking at it, I thought, “Yeah, that could be a ‘I’m sad for losing’ photo, but having watched many an interview with Rafa, it could also be a ‘I don’t like cheese’ face…or a ‘No, no – clay not my favorite surfrace’ face…or a ‘Phppht – well, I’m not thinking of the final, just the next match’ face.”

1 Jun 2009 | by miri | 48 Comments

Restringing for Rafa

Thanks to Risha for tweeting about this video on stringing Rafa’s rackets.

1 Jun 2009 | by miri | 4 Comments

RG flickr set

Here’s a great set of Roland Garros photos by cinewatt – including some from a Rafa practice session.

1 Jun 2009 | by miri | 4 Comments

Toni takes on the French

Ana pointed out this article where Toni expresses his grumpiness towards the audience at Roland Garros. (Google Translation.)

Toni Nadal was very annoyed with the attitude that has taken the audience to Roland Garros with his nephew and disciple, Rafa Nadal. “The Parisian public is pretty stupid,” he said angrily.

Uncle Toni is grumpy!

1 Jun 2009 | by miri | 38 Comments