Friday, 28 October 2011
Thursday, 27 October 2011
Rafael Nadal - Stop Being So Humble
Rafael Nadal, I have some unsolicited advice for you. Stop being such a nice guy. Stop being such a humble soul. Stop taking beatings from the likes of Novak Djokovic or -- it feels almost absurd to write the words -- Florian Mayer, and then go all lugubrious on us, bowing your head like a whipped dog to say you just have to go back to the drawing board and work harder.
Rafael Nadal needs to stop being so humble.
This is how you put it after you lost to Mayer a few days ago in Shanghai: "Today is a tough loss, that's the truth. [It] was not my day. I am out of the tournament. I am going to work hard for the next tournament."
The way I see it, Rafa, hard work may not be the thing you need. You've worked your famous butt off for, oh, about 20 years now. What you need is to get the spring back in your step, rekindle the gleam that once was in your eye, and start licking your chops every time they put a new opponent in front of you -- regardless of the guy's name or ranking. That's how it used to be, remember?
I'm not at all sure I like this new "Guantanamera" Rafa, although your humility always was refreshing. But it was also a lot more palatable coming from a guy who was capable of meeting and vanquishing the most successful Grand Slam champ of all time (Roger Federer, remember him and those good old days?) than the one who's been manhandled by Novak Djokovic six consecutive times this year. These days, humble seems to translate to "incredibly bummed out."
Look, you don't have to throw a chair across the press interview room, shake the umpire's high chair, or bloody your forehead with those polyester strings, a la Mikhail Youzhny. But don't be so transparent about how disappointed you are, or about how much you bicker with your coach and uncle, Toni (why did you write a book so early in your career anyway?), and stop believing that if you just work harder you'll find some kind of magic bullet that will enable you to dominate all comers like you did in 2010.
Did it ever occur to you that you're in a rut? That you're fleeing to your "work" (you wouldn't be the only one, and I'm not just talking about tennis pros) and medicating yourself with it?
Maybe what you really need is to take a month off to follow your bliss. Go deep sea fishing. Find a Margaritaville of your own and play foosball to your heart's content, or take your honey Xisca to some quiet beach and go swimming naked at night, or howl at the moon. Maybe do all of the above and -- who knows? -- maybe you'll come back and welcome the opportunity to settle some scores.
Maybe you don't need to find a more penetrating slice backhand, an additional 6 MPH on your second serve, or a higher conversion rate on net approaches. The things you may need to find are your enthusiasm and confidence. It's hard to tell from where I sit, but that seems to be the greatest thing Djokovic has taken away from you this year.
Uncle Toni got a lot of grief for truth-telling not long ago, when he admitted to the press that you were too "nervous" when you had to play Djokovic. You're not going to get un-nervous, or confident, by hitting the gym and practice court. Maybe you need to work less and swagger more. You can be humble again when you're back on top.
Courtesy: ESPN
Rafael Nadal needs to stop being so humble.
This is how you put it after you lost to Mayer a few days ago in Shanghai: "Today is a tough loss, that's the truth. [It] was not my day. I am out of the tournament. I am going to work hard for the next tournament."
The way I see it, Rafa, hard work may not be the thing you need. You've worked your famous butt off for, oh, about 20 years now. What you need is to get the spring back in your step, rekindle the gleam that once was in your eye, and start licking your chops every time they put a new opponent in front of you -- regardless of the guy's name or ranking. That's how it used to be, remember?
I'm not at all sure I like this new "Guantanamera" Rafa, although your humility always was refreshing. But it was also a lot more palatable coming from a guy who was capable of meeting and vanquishing the most successful Grand Slam champ of all time (Roger Federer, remember him and those good old days?) than the one who's been manhandled by Novak Djokovic six consecutive times this year. These days, humble seems to translate to "incredibly bummed out."
Look, you don't have to throw a chair across the press interview room, shake the umpire's high chair, or bloody your forehead with those polyester strings, a la Mikhail Youzhny. But don't be so transparent about how disappointed you are, or about how much you bicker with your coach and uncle, Toni (why did you write a book so early in your career anyway?), and stop believing that if you just work harder you'll find some kind of magic bullet that will enable you to dominate all comers like you did in 2010.
Did it ever occur to you that you're in a rut? That you're fleeing to your "work" (you wouldn't be the only one, and I'm not just talking about tennis pros) and medicating yourself with it?
Maybe what you really need is to take a month off to follow your bliss. Go deep sea fishing. Find a Margaritaville of your own and play foosball to your heart's content, or take your honey Xisca to some quiet beach and go swimming naked at night, or howl at the moon. Maybe do all of the above and -- who knows? -- maybe you'll come back and welcome the opportunity to settle some scores.
Maybe you don't need to find a more penetrating slice backhand, an additional 6 MPH on your second serve, or a higher conversion rate on net approaches. The things you may need to find are your enthusiasm and confidence. It's hard to tell from where I sit, but that seems to be the greatest thing Djokovic has taken away from you this year.
Uncle Toni got a lot of grief for truth-telling not long ago, when he admitted to the press that you were too "nervous" when you had to play Djokovic. You're not going to get un-nervous, or confident, by hitting the gym and practice court. Maybe you need to work less and swagger more. You can be humble again when you're back on top.
Courtesy: ESPN
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
Rafael Nadal - Paris Press Accreditation
Hi
Remember that I have a press pass for Paris and will be able to attend the press conferences etc. This will give me a chance to get up and close to the players.
If anyone has a question they would like me to put to Rafa please leave it here and I will do my best to get an answer.
Thanks
Remember that I have a press pass for Paris and will be able to attend the press conferences etc. This will give me a chance to get up and close to the players.
If anyone has a question they would like me to put to Rafa please leave it here and I will do my best to get an answer.
Thanks
Saturday, 22 October 2011
Paris Press Pass
Here is the website I am reporting for.
We have been able to get one of our writers apress pass into the BNP Paribas Paris Masters event next month. Expect to see great coverage from the event including photos, videos and great reports on the matches.
I wish I was the one behind the scenes who couldinterview all the players!
Looking forward to your reports Clare!
p.s. If you are attending a tennis event around the globe and want to get a press pass to exclusively report on the event for TheTennisTimes.. then get in touch.
Thursday, 20 October 2011
Very Special Announcement
Fellow tennis fans, I have some fantastic news.
I have received Press Accreditation for the Paris Masters next month :-)
How great is that? I shall be working for The Tennis Times but don't worry, everything I write will be linked here.
This is a great opportunity to get up close to the players and find out what really goes on behind the scenes at a tennis tournament.
I welcome any suggestions for articles.
Thanks
Clare
Tuesday, 18 October 2011
Friday, 14 October 2011
Thursday, 13 October 2011
Rafael Nadal - No Shanghai Trophy This Year
Oh Rafa :( I really wish you could just finish your season right now. That you could go home and have a proper break and go find that fighting spirit we all love so much. Sorry if this sounds harsh but also go get your head checked out & work out how to get back your confidence. No offense to Flo, he played a blinder from what I saw but really Rafa, this should not be happening. But happening it is :-(
Match Reports:
Sky Sports
Tennis Connected
Match Photos: At least Rafa pulled some funny faces today
Match Reports:
Sky Sports
Tennis Connected
Match Photos: At least Rafa pulled some funny faces today
Rafael Nadal - Blame The Taxman
Rafael Nadal has defended his decision to turn his back on The Queen's Club after signing a two-year deal with a rival tournament in Germany.
The world No. 2 has traditionally used the AEGON Championships as a warm-up event for Wimbledon, but hassigned a two-year deal with the Gerry Weber Open in Halle.
Nadal has played at Queen's every year since 2005, except when he was forced to withdraw with an injury in 2009, but insists it is not the £750,000 appearance fee from Halle, but British tax laws that have forced his hand.
UK tax laws, which mean foreign sports stars pay taxes on their worldwide endorsements, have seen world record holder Usain Bolt snub London's premier athletics event, and now Nadal has followed suit.
"I like to play in all the tournaments where they really want me," Nadal, who would have to reach the final in London to break even, told The Times. "It is good for tennis. There is a big change in Halle, they have wanted me to be there for the last few years but I really wanted to play in Queen's.
"The truth is, in the UK you have a big regime for tax, it's not about the money for playing. They (HMRC) take from the sponsors, from Babolat, from Nike and from my watches. This is very difficult. I am playing in the UK and losing money. I did a lot more for the last four years, but it is more and more difficult to play in the UK."
Six-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer committed to the German event after signing a lifetime deal last year, and with Nadal agreeing a two-year deal with the tournament, the AEGON Championships are facing missing out on two of the biggest names in the sport.
Courtesy:ESPN
Rafael Nadal - Not Happy With The Balls
There does seem to be a lot of concerns with the Men's Tour right now.
Tennis players risk injury because of the constant change of ball designs at tournaments, according to world number twoRafael Nadal.
Nadal echoed Shanghai Masters defending champion Andy Murray in complaining that commercial pressure from tournament sponsors had resulted in three ball changes over the last three events in Asia.
"You play in Bangkok with one ball, in Tokyo with another ball, here with another ball. That's too much in my opinion. (It) is dangerous and can cause injuries," said the 25-year-old Spaniard after his second-round win in Shanghai.
"Something must change because is too dangerous for the shoulders. You cannot change the ball every week."
Nadal said he would prefer to receive less prize money in return for less pressure from sponsors to use different balls.
"I am very happy to win less money and have my health," he said.
"If we compare the Tokyo ball with this one (in Shanghai), it was much bigger, slower. The ball is completely different. This ball is very fast, it goes small and doesn't stay on the racquet. It flies a lot and is tough," said Nadal after beating compatriot Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-3 6-2 to reach the third round.
"It is not necessary to have a standard ball for the whole season," said the Spaniard.
"For example, when you start the clay-court season, you have the same ball for that period; when you have the American hard court season, you have the same ball. So that's positive.
"But what cannot happen is to have one ball in Rome, one ball in Madrid, one ball in Barcelona... That doesn't work."
Murray, on Tuesday, also called for more consistency in the balls, saying: "If you asked a golfer to change balls every single week, they'd be hitting balls 20 yards too far and hitting shots all over the place."
Nadal said other players were equally unhappy.
"A lot of players believe this. That's something that, in my opinion, can change," he said.
Courtesy: Yahoo
Rafael Nadal - No Team Changes
Rafael Nadal has shot down reports that he might be planning a change of coach after more than a decade and a half with his uncle Toni Nadal, saying that Team Rafa remains a solid unit despite a recent lack of top-level results.
Nadal is making a fresh start at this week's Shanghai Masters, where he is the top seed ahead of on-fire Scot Andy Murray, winner of Bangkok and Tokyo titles in recent weeks.
"I believe 100 percent in my team," said Nadal, beaten by Murray last weekend in the Tokyo final. "I always think when I am losing, is my fault, not the fault of my team.
"I'm not going to be stupid and think that if I have to improve something (it means) different people (must come to the team). I have to improve with the people who know exactly my game and know exactly what I have to do to keep improving. I don't need any change, especially because I feel comfortable and I feel happy with my team."
Toni Nadal is avoiding the Asian swing as usual to spend time with his family but will return to the fold in Europe, said Nadal, coached by his regular fill-in, Spaniard Francisco Roig.
Nadal confessed that as a boss, he's a soft touch anyway. "The only chance to change something will be because someone of my team wants to go. I'm not gonna fire anyone, no."
Nadal is making a fresh start at this week's Shanghai Masters, where he is the top seed ahead of on-fire Scot Andy Murray, winner of Bangkok and Tokyo titles in recent weeks.
"I believe 100 percent in my team," said Nadal, beaten by Murray last weekend in the Tokyo final. "I always think when I am losing, is my fault, not the fault of my team.
"I'm not going to be stupid and think that if I have to improve something (it means) different people (must come to the team). I have to improve with the people who know exactly my game and know exactly what I have to do to keep improving. I don't need any change, especially because I feel comfortable and I feel happy with my team."
Toni Nadal is avoiding the Asian swing as usual to spend time with his family but will return to the fold in Europe, said Nadal, coached by his regular fill-in, Spaniard Francisco Roig.
Nadal confessed that as a boss, he's a soft touch anyway. "The only chance to change something will be because someone of my team wants to go. I'm not gonna fire anyone, no."
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