Miami: Rafa says hello and thanks everybodyguys

He’s really improved his self-filming skills. I have great illusion that soon these will seem like full-fledged professional productions!

Spanish:

English:

Is it wrong that I’m thinking he added that quiet little “guys” just for us? Yes. I am. *steps away from the KoolAid*

Via RafaNadalOfficial.

Oh, and Rafa? You don’t need to thank us…in fact…thank you!

30 Mar 2012 | by miri | 22 Comments

Miami: Rafa speaks about the withdrawal

Rafa’s words about why he had to withdraw from the Miami semifinal from a few different sources. First, he shared the news via Facebook.

Second, a studio interview:

Third, video and summary of the presser from Tennis Panorama News.

Lastly, a transcript of the presser (as much as I hate copying stuff from elsewhere without adding something to it, I can’t snark on a withdrawal presser):

Q. Perhaps you could just take us through the situation you’re faced with. We assume it’s your knee. Could you tell us the story of the last couple of

30 Mar 2012 | by miri | 6 Comments

Miami: Rafa withdraws

News from Miami is that Rafa has withdrawn from the tournament due to left knee pain.

30 Mar 2012 | by miri | 80 Comments

RafaLint: March 29th

Yeah, I’m running very late today. It’s been a very non-fun two days in a row for me. Okay, now Rafa stuff!

100 Greatest of All Time – Rafael Nadal No. 6:

Posted by vrsuzi.

Articles:

Raquet Reaction: Nadal d. Tsonga – by Hannah Wilks (tennis.com)
Nadal Tops Tsonga To Set Murray Clash – by Matt Fitzgerald (sonyericssonopen.com)
Quarterfinals Rollercoaster – by Kimber Bennett (10sworld.com)
Rafael Nadal needs nearly three hours to get past Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at Key Biscayne – by Richard Evans (foxsports.com)

Video/Audio:

Post match interview in Spanish
I think this is the one Tsonga

30 Mar 2012 | by miri | 22 Comments

Miami: Quarterfinal photos

Photos from last night’s match against Tsonga.

Photos by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images, REUTERS/Robert Sullivan, and AP Photo/J Pat Carter

29 Mar 2012 | by miri | 6 Comments

Miami: Post quarterfinal presser transcript

Rafa’s quarterfinal presser transcript:

How would you rank your level on that match?

RAFAEL NADAL: My level? It wasn’t one of my best matches. That’s the real thing.

I didn’t play very well tonight. I think I started match playing really well, but later when I had the break at the second, after the break of the second, I don’t know which game I had the break of the second, but after that I started to play more defensive, no? To

29 Mar 2012 | by miri | 10 Comments

Miami: Post quarterfinal interview

On-court interview via the ATP:

Presser excerpts:

Posted by TennisPanoramaNews.

29 Mar 2012 | by miri | 6 Comments

Miami: Rafa vs Nishikori video

Full match video:

Posted by TennisVadim46.

28 Mar 2012 | by miri | 2 Comments

Miami: Winning fugly

Rafa took on #6 Jo-Willfried Tsonga in Friday’s last match. I really don’t know what to say about this match. Tsonga was so far off for most of it that I had no feel for how Rafa was playing (other than he was clearly trying to hit deep). Then, despite how he was playing, Tsonga broke when Rafa got tight while serving for the match. Why in the world would Rafa be that nervous when playing someone so off? Tsonga started playing better;

28 Mar 2012 | by miri | 78 Comments

RafaLint: March 27th

Articles:

Racquet Reaction: Nadal d. Nishikori – by Hannah Wilks (tennis.com)
Rafa Nadal: “Llegaré hasta donde la rodilla pueda” – EFE via as.com (mangle)
Nadal no jugará ante Austria en la Copa Davis – by Joan Solsona (marca.com). Here’s the mangle – which kind of leaves an important word out of the title, no?.
Nadal to miss Davis Cup quarter-final – via ESPN STAR
Away from tennis court, Rafael Nadal seeks

27 Mar 2012 | by miri | 8 Comments