RafaLint: May 23rd

Photo by Beth Wilson
Articles:

Brain Game: The Art of Nadal – by Craig O’Shannessy (tennis.com) (I thought I’d linked to this before, but I can’t find it now…so, better to link twice than not at all.)
News from the French, part III – by Guillaume Willecoq (rolandgarros.com)
Keys for Nadal, Sharapova in Paris – via espn.com
Nadal back in old routine and looking invincible – by Martyn Herman (nbcsports.com)
Burning questions about Serena, Rafael Nadal, more going into French Open – by Courtney Nguyen (si.com)

23 May 2013 | by miri | No Comment

RG: Practice and Nike Event photos

Rafa had a shortened practice session today. Shortened for two reasons: he was late; it started raining. Here’s a few pictures:

Photos by AFP PHOTO/MIGUEL MEDINA and EFE/CORINNE DUBREUIL.

Later in the day, he joined a few other career slam holders for a Nike event.

Photos by AFP PHOTO/KENZO TRIBOUILLARD

23 May 2013 | by miri | No Comment

RafaLint: May 22nd

Rafa interview and practice footage from today:

Posted by molvi1501.

Articles:

Rafatigue? Nadal’s dominance on clay never gets old; more mail – by Jon Wertheim (si.com)
The Rally: 2013 French Open – tennis.com pundits Tignor and Bodo be pundity.

Rafael Nadal ¡¡¡sorprendente!!!. Palma del Río, el mejor ITF Future de España. – Rafa praise and concern for the future of Spanish tennis from Toni Colom (mangle).
French Open build-up: Who’s hot and who’s not? – via thetennisspace.com

French Open preview: Can anyone stop Nadal or Djokovic lifting the trophy in Paris? – by Alex

22 May 2013 | by miri | 13 Comments

RafaLint: May 21st

AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino
Articles:

Toni Nadal: “No me explico que Rafa sea 1 en la Race” – an interview with Toni via puntodebreak.com (mangle)
Return of Serve Analysis: Nadal Trounces Federer in Rome, But Return Numbers Tell Different Story – by Juan José (changeovertennis.com)

Federer-Nadal rivalry running on its last legs – by Bruce Jenkins (si.com)
ESPN / French Open Conference Call w/Evert & Drysdale – Rafa doesn’t like to be defensive? And Fed has a good slice backhand against Rafa? #shitChrissieSays.
Nadal the

21 May 2013 | by miri | 9 Comments

RafaLint: May 20th

AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino

I’m so totally addicted to this site – it’s got so much of what I’d had envisioned doing with the database here, but have never gotten around too.

Articles:

Heroes and Zeros: Rafa, Serena Replay, Paire Powers, Jerzy Rips – by Chris Oddo (tennisnow.com)
10 Things We Learned in Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome – by Chris Oddo (tennisnow.com)
Brain Game: Roger’s New Rafa Tactics – by by Craig O’Shannessy (atpworldtour.com)
Is Rafael Nadal back to his best? Sure thing he is – by

20 May 2013 | by miri | 10 Comments

Video: Rafa and Mats talk Roland Garros

Rafa talks with Mats Wilander about his memories and experiences at Roland Garros on Eurosport. For thoe who aren’t region blocked, check out the video on Eurosport. If you are blocked, there’s a YouTube version:

(Posted by molvi1501.)

16 May 2013 | by miri | No Comment

RafaLint: May 5th

Photo by Julian Finney/ Getty Images

Articles:

Nadal: “Best Still Yet To Come” – via atpworldtour.com
QUARTERED! ATP Mutua Madrid Open Men’s Prediction – by Jack Han (tennisconnected.com)
Drewett Honoured In Madrid Minute Silence – via atpworldtour.com
Tennis pays its respects to Brad Drewett – via madrid-open.com
Tournament favourites speak about Madrid – via madrid-open.com
Nadal happy with return to red clay – by Kieran Canning (AFP)
Tennis stars Federer and Nadal honor ‘a very loved man’ – via cnn.com

Nadal: «Una lesión no

5 May 2013 | by miri | 5 Comments

RafaLint: May 4th

How about we start with some pictures from Madrid?

Photos by Julian Finney/Getty Images Europe.

Articles:

Nadal will not get higher seeding, says French Open chief – via Reuters
Roland Garros no modificará el orden de cabezas de serie – EFE via marca.com (mangle)
Shark Bites: Big Four Comparison – by by Greg Sharko (atpworldtour.com)
Red Redux – Tignor’s Madrid preview (tennis.com)
Federer and Nadal on Semifinal Course in Madrid – by Chris Oddo (tennisnow.com)
Madrid preview: Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova eye key rankings points – by Courtney Nguyen (si.com)
Get Ready for a Duel to the Death on

4 May 2013 | by miri | 15 Comments

RafaLint: April 24th

Photo by Beth Wilson

(This was going to be more organized and less of a time-shifting mish-mash, but I’m tired and lost momentum. This also means this post is missing so, so much.)

Today’s recommended reading:
Back to the Present – by Steve Tignor (tennis.com)

Rafa was all smiles on the trophy stand afterward. It seemed to me that losing provided a moment of relief, and it may even have confirmed something in Nadal’s worldview.

I too sensed a bit of relief in the loss. No more wondering when

24 Apr 2013 | by miri | 32 Comments

RafaLint: April 2nd – special FlashBack edition

Inés has been digging around her archives and sent me this magazine that came out before the 2010 Roland Garros tournament. I knew I’d seen it before, so went to check to see if I’d already linked to it. This led to me revisiting: Tae Kwondo Rafa and stuck in the locker room on rainy day Rafa. I sent both of these back to Inés. The video had her digging around in her archive. She seemed to remember this day on TV – that they had time to fill so they showed some archival footage from

2 Apr 2013 | by miri | 12 Comments