Courtesy: ESPN UK
A little over 24 hours after his crushing defeat at the hands of Novak Djokovic at Indian Wells, Rafael Nadal gained a semblance of revenge in an exhibition match in Colombia.
The US spring hard-court season is in full swing, with the action switching from California to Miami for the Sony Ericsson Open. The world's No. 1 and 2 have received byes into the second round and will not be in action until later in the week, which allowed them to head to Bogota for an exhibition hit.
The intensity was not as high as in California on Sunday, when Nadal started supremely well only to be overwhelmed by a rampant Djokovic. A crowd of 14,000 packed into the Coliseo El Campin in Bogota and they were not let down.
Both players produced some sizzling tennis, with stunning rallies from the back and front of the court. Nadal served better than he did 24 hours previous and edged a tight first set in a tiebreak before going on to wrap up a 7-6(5) 6-3 win.
The crowd were wowed throughout, with Djokovic playing the role of court jester before and during the contest. Ahead of the match he produced a song and dance routine and cracked jokes throughout the match as Bogota was served up a treat, while Nadal treated a female member of the crowd to his Latino dancing skills.
Showing posts with label Rafael Nadal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rafael Nadal. Show all posts
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
Wednesday, 2 March 2011
Tuesday, 1 March 2011
Nadal - Clay Season Might Not Be As Easy As The Last One
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images Even though the European clay court season is still a month and a half away, it would be premature to assume Rafael Nadal will have the ride he had in 2010, when he won Monte-Carlo, Rome, Madrid and Roland Garros.
Don't get me wrong, the King of Clay will still be the favorite when he enters all four events. However, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Juan-Martin Del Potro, Nicolas Almagro and David Ferrer could give the world No. 1 a very hard time.
If we look back to 2009, when Novak Djokovic took on Rafael Nadal in the semifinals of Madrid, we saw the Serb play the match of his life on clay against the Spaniard. The match lasted close to four hours, with last year's US Open champion winning 3-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(9) and saving two match points.
We then know what happened following that epic match. Nadal had knee issues, which forced him to pull out of Wimbledon, while Djokovic was struggling to get back his fitness.
Don't get me wrong, the King of Clay will still be the favorite when he enters all four events. However, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Juan-Martin Del Potro, Nicolas Almagro and David Ferrer could give the world No. 1 a very hard time.
If we look back to 2009, when Novak Djokovic took on Rafael Nadal in the semifinals of Madrid, we saw the Serb play the match of his life on clay against the Spaniard. The match lasted close to four hours, with last year's US Open champion winning 3-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(9) and saving two match points.
We then know what happened following that epic match. Nadal had knee issues, which forced him to pull out of Wimbledon, while Djokovic was struggling to get back his fitness.
Since then, Djokovic and Nadal have both improved a lot.
Nole just won his third Dubai Championship title, crushing Roger Federer 6-3 in the final, which sends a strong message to the five-time French Open champion. As many observers know, Nadal needs to win matches to gain more and more confidence.
Nadal will be under pressure to defend all of his wins from last year. However, it is true that the Spaniard, whose main goal will be Roland Garros, has been able to deal with such pressure over the past years.
If Djokovic and Nadal should meet prior to the clay court Grand Slam and Nole finds a way to beat Nadal in Monte-Carlo or Madrid, then the Spaniard might start to doubt himself a little bit.
Roger Federer might also have a shot at beating Nadal on clay if he is not at the peak of his form.
Moreover, Juan-Martin Del Potro is little-by-little gaining more and more confidence. The Argentine is one of the few players who could take energy and sets from Rafa.
Elsewhere, David Ferrer, who beat Nadal in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, will also have a chance to put his fellow countryman under pressure if they should meet—even if the Mallorcan will not be the same man he was in Melbourne.
Don't forget Nicolas Almagro, who played three successive finals in South America, winning two and losing one by the smallest margin to David Ferrer in the final of Acapulco.
It will be very interesting to see Rafael Nadal playing at Indian Wells and Miami, since it will give us ideas as to where his level of play is at. If the Spaniard should win one of the two, then his confidence will be at the level it was last year and will be almost unstoppable.
However, if Nadal should lose earlier than the semifinals of both Masters 1000 events, then there will be more questions rising, even if Indian Wells and Miami are not played on the same surface as Monte-Carlo, Madrid and Rome.
In any case, if some of you like clay court tennis, don't miss the upcoming European season, because it will be one of the best ever.
Nole just won his third Dubai Championship title, crushing Roger Federer 6-3 in the final, which sends a strong message to the five-time French Open champion. As many observers know, Nadal needs to win matches to gain more and more confidence.
Nadal will be under pressure to defend all of his wins from last year. However, it is true that the Spaniard, whose main goal will be Roland Garros, has been able to deal with such pressure over the past years.
If Djokovic and Nadal should meet prior to the clay court Grand Slam and Nole finds a way to beat Nadal in Monte-Carlo or Madrid, then the Spaniard might start to doubt himself a little bit.
Roger Federer might also have a shot at beating Nadal on clay if he is not at the peak of his form.
Moreover, Juan-Martin Del Potro is little-by-little gaining more and more confidence. The Argentine is one of the few players who could take energy and sets from Rafa.
Elsewhere, David Ferrer, who beat Nadal in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, will also have a chance to put his fellow countryman under pressure if they should meet—even if the Mallorcan will not be the same man he was in Melbourne.
Don't forget Nicolas Almagro, who played three successive finals in South America, winning two and losing one by the smallest margin to David Ferrer in the final of Acapulco.
It will be very interesting to see Rafael Nadal playing at Indian Wells and Miami, since it will give us ideas as to where his level of play is at. If the Spaniard should win one of the two, then his confidence will be at the level it was last year and will be almost unstoppable.
However, if Nadal should lose earlier than the semifinals of both Masters 1000 events, then there will be more questions rising, even if Indian Wells and Miami are not played on the same surface as Monte-Carlo, Madrid and Rome.
In any case, if some of you like clay court tennis, don't miss the upcoming European season, because it will be one of the best ever.
Courtesy: BleacherReport
Monday, 28 February 2011
What Happened When Rafael Nadal was Woken In His Hotel Room By A Radio Station
Not sure why i am giving this air time as i think the 2 presenters need a ****ing good slap for this prank.
The presenter from Radio Contact pretended to be the tennis player's mother to be put through to his room
Belgium radio station, Radio Contact, wanted to mark the first time that World Number One, Rafael Nadal, has played in the country by ringing him up.
One of the station’s presenters pretended to be his mother and was passed to the extension in his room. A sleepy Rafa took the call in good heart.
‘We are really happy to have you on our programme’, said the presenter, María del Rio.
‘I am really happy to be sleeping’ replied Nadal.
When asked if he could go to the radio station, Nadal continued ‘I’m sorry, but I am here to train, and to play, and the timetable is such I have no time to go anywhere’.
Original article here
The presenter from Radio Contact pretended to be the tennis player's mother to be put through to his room
Belgium radio station, Radio Contact, wanted to mark the first time that World Number One, Rafael Nadal, has played in the country by ringing him up.
One of the station’s presenters pretended to be his mother and was passed to the extension in his room. A sleepy Rafa took the call in good heart.
‘We are really happy to have you on our programme’, said the presenter, María del Rio.
‘I am really happy to be sleeping’ replied Nadal.
When asked if he could go to the radio station, Nadal continued ‘I’m sorry, but I am here to train, and to play, and the timetable is such I have no time to go anywhere’.
Original article here
Rafael Nadal leaves for the Davis Cup
After the Tweet comes the video. Here is Rafa leaving for Belgium and the Davis Cup tie.
Sunday, 27 February 2011
Rafael Nadal @ the football
As expected Rafa was at the football last night to watch Real Mallorca get beat against Barcelona.
Saturday, 26 February 2011
Nadal & Federer dominance is over
Courtesy: ATP
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal has declared that the dominance he and Roger Federer once shared at the Grand Slams is now a thing of the past. Furthermore, despite contributing nine trophies to their joint haul of 21 major titles since 2005 Roland Garros, the Spaniard insisted that it was Federer who was truly on top.
Speaking to Spanish media, the Mallorcan commented, “In 2005, 2006 and 2007, perhaps you could say there was a bit of a monopoly, but it was down to Federer. I was also there, but a little less. For sure I think this monopoly ended some time ago. There are many players ready to challenge now.”
Before Federer’s Dubai runner-up points are calculated, Nadal has a healthy 4425 point lead at the top of the South African Airways 2011 ATP Rankings after compiling astonishing results in 2010, including winning Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open. However, the left-hander scoffed at the suggestion that the rankings race was run between himself and his Swiss rival, not to mention the other challengers hot on their heels.
“Two years ago they said Federer was finished, and by the end of the year he had finished No. 1, having won two Grand Slam titles and played all four major finals,” said Nadal. “You have to have a little bit of patience and see how things are going to work out. By that, I don’t mean that there won’t be a change because the other two – Djokovic and Murray – are very good. And there’s not just those two, there’s others besides.
“I’ve never seen so many new talents,” he added. “Of course there is [Milos] Raonic, the Canadian, who has started the year very well, and there is [Grigor] Dimitrov. They are the two youngsters who have improved the most.
“I can’t say that Murray and Djokovic are youngsters who have broken through on the tour because they’ve been No. 3 and 4 for three years now. And, at the end of the day, I’m only a year older than them!”
After an enforced spell on the sidelines due to a left adductor tear suffered in his quarter-final exit at the Australian Open, Nadal is due back in action on Davis Cup duty for Spain against Belgium next weekend. Following that, the 24 year old will contest the first two ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments of the season in Indian Wells and Miami.
Although Nadal is a two-time former champion at the BNP Paribas Open, the Sony Ericsson Open continues to elude the Spaniard after runner-up finishes in 2005 (l. to Federer) and 2008 (l. to Davydenko).
“It’s not something I’m particularly focusing on,” insisted Nadal. “What matters to me is each day, each tournament. I haven’t won there [in Miami], but I’ve been in the final twice and have also done well in Indian Wells. They are both as important as each other.
“They are the first Masters 1000s of the season and doing well there gives you a lift because they are the first tournaments that really count a lot after the Australian Open. It’s a very important part of the season.”
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal has declared that the dominance he and Roger Federer once shared at the Grand Slams is now a thing of the past. Furthermore, despite contributing nine trophies to their joint haul of 21 major titles since 2005 Roland Garros, the Spaniard insisted that it was Federer who was truly on top.
Speaking to Spanish media, the Mallorcan commented, “In 2005, 2006 and 2007, perhaps you could say there was a bit of a monopoly, but it was down to Federer. I was also there, but a little less. For sure I think this monopoly ended some time ago. There are many players ready to challenge now.”
Before Federer’s Dubai runner-up points are calculated, Nadal has a healthy 4425 point lead at the top of the South African Airways 2011 ATP Rankings after compiling astonishing results in 2010, including winning Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open. However, the left-hander scoffed at the suggestion that the rankings race was run between himself and his Swiss rival, not to mention the other challengers hot on their heels.
“Two years ago they said Federer was finished, and by the end of the year he had finished No. 1, having won two Grand Slam titles and played all four major finals,” said Nadal. “You have to have a little bit of patience and see how things are going to work out. By that, I don’t mean that there won’t be a change because the other two – Djokovic and Murray – are very good. And there’s not just those two, there’s others besides.
“I’ve never seen so many new talents,” he added. “Of course there is [Milos] Raonic, the Canadian, who has started the year very well, and there is [Grigor] Dimitrov. They are the two youngsters who have improved the most.
“I can’t say that Murray and Djokovic are youngsters who have broken through on the tour because they’ve been No. 3 and 4 for three years now. And, at the end of the day, I’m only a year older than them!”
After an enforced spell on the sidelines due to a left adductor tear suffered in his quarter-final exit at the Australian Open, Nadal is due back in action on Davis Cup duty for Spain against Belgium next weekend. Following that, the 24 year old will contest the first two ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments of the season in Indian Wells and Miami.
Although Nadal is a two-time former champion at the BNP Paribas Open, the Sony Ericsson Open continues to elude the Spaniard after runner-up finishes in 2005 (l. to Federer) and 2008 (l. to Davydenko).
“It’s not something I’m particularly focusing on,” insisted Nadal. “What matters to me is each day, each tournament. I haven’t won there [in Miami], but I’ve been in the final twice and have also done well in Indian Wells. They are both as important as each other.
“They are the first Masters 1000s of the season and doing well there gives you a lift because they are the first tournaments that really count a lot after the Australian Open. It’s a very important part of the season.”
Rafael Nadal - Tennis Centre in Manacor
Instead of having to cope with Google mangle here is an English article regarding the Tennis centre Rafa is to set up in Manacor.
It has been announced that tennis star Raphael Nadal, with the collaboration of the City of Manacor & the Consell de Mallorca, is to create an international tennis centre in his home town of Manacor. The construction is expected to begin at the end of the summer 2011 and will be entirely funded by Nadal.
The facilities will include 15-25 tennis courts, a football ground, swimming pool, medical centre and accommodation for 70-100 athletes. The site earmarked for the project is at the sports centre of Torre dels Enagistes to the south of the city. The government is delighted that the world's number one tennis star has committed to such a project, saying that the centre will put Majorca on the map, not only for tennis, but for sport at all levels.
Rafa Nadal hopes his school will attract players from all over the world and become a place where young talent can be nurtured and transformed into professional tennis players. He told a press conference that this tennis academy is something that he has thought about for many years and that the opportunity to create such a centre in his home town gives him great personal satisfaction.
The centre will also become the headquarters of the Foundation Rafael Nadal. Nadal firmly believes in encouraging young people, especially those in socially disadvantaged situations, to become involved with sport so that they can develop personal skills such as self-esteem and confidence.
Courtesy: SeeMallorca
It has been announced that tennis star Raphael Nadal, with the collaboration of the City of Manacor & the Consell de Mallorca, is to create an international tennis centre in his home town of Manacor. The construction is expected to begin at the end of the summer 2011 and will be entirely funded by Nadal.
The facilities will include 15-25 tennis courts, a football ground, swimming pool, medical centre and accommodation for 70-100 athletes. The site earmarked for the project is at the sports centre of Torre dels Enagistes to the south of the city. The government is delighted that the world's number one tennis star has committed to such a project, saying that the centre will put Majorca on the map, not only for tennis, but for sport at all levels.
Rafa Nadal hopes his school will attract players from all over the world and become a place where young talent can be nurtured and transformed into professional tennis players. He told a press conference that this tennis academy is something that he has thought about for many years and that the opportunity to create such a centre in his home town gives him great personal satisfaction.
The centre will also become the headquarters of the Foundation Rafael Nadal. Nadal firmly believes in encouraging young people, especially those in socially disadvantaged situations, to become involved with sport so that they can develop personal skills such as self-esteem and confidence.
Courtesy: SeeMallorca
Rafael Nadal - Banesto photos
Here are some photos from the commercial shoot Rafa filmed last week for Banesto.
Original video post here
Original video post here
Thursday, 24 February 2011
Rafael Nadal - New advert
So this is what Rafa has been up to, strutting his stuff along a street for a new Banesto advert.
http://www.ib3noticies.tv/20110224_144056-rafel-nadal-posa-de-moda-manacor-en-un-anunci-de-televisio.html
http://www.ib3noticies.tv/20110224_144056-rafel-nadal-posa-de-moda-manacor-en-un-anunci-de-televisio.html
Monday, 21 February 2011
Rafael Nadal - New Armani photo
Rafael Nadal in Bauxa
Does Rafa secretly live in Bauxa, the man is never out of there :-) Good to see a young man enjoying his time off.
Saturday, 12 February 2011
Rafael Nadal - Will He Win More HC Slams?
Rafael Nadal missed a chance at history when he fell short at the Australian Open, one short of having won four Grand Slams in a row. He’s in good company, though; in the 42 years since Rod Laver’s 1969 season, a long list of greats from Jimmy Connors in 1974 to Roger Federer in 2006-07 had fallen short of that same designation.
It’s hard to imagine Nadal playing any better than he has in last 12 months, just as it’s difficult to see the 29-and-a-half-year-old Federer regaining his form from four to five years ago. It is, therefore, unlikely for us to see anyone knocking on that door again anytime soon.
Does missing out on that bit of history, however, make a significant difference in how the Spaniard will be viewed in the record books? Not in my view, unless the injury he sustained is much more serious than indicated.
Nadal has already done so much of historical import that missing out on the Rafa Slam is just a loss of increments. The record books already show that, from 2005-07, the most (if not only) dramatic time of the tennis season was the May-July period, when a young Nadal and some soft surfaces were the only things making Federer look somewhat less than invincible.
They will note Nadal’s ungodly, unprecedented record on the clay, how in 2008 he became the first man to win the Channel Slam since Bjorn Borg, then that he did it again two years later. They’ll recall that he took a nation with an already proud tennis history and multiplied its successes many times over, playing an instrumental role in three Davis Cup titles.
And they’ll show that Nadal won three Slams on three surfaces in 2010, making him the first man to win the last three majors in one season since Laver, and the first to win on three different surfaces in one year since Mats Wilander. It’s not the Rafa Slam, but history will regard it nearly as highly.
Provided his recent injury doesn’t derail him for the rest of the season, these records are going to be added onto, also, as the Spaniard remains the favorite to win a sixth Roland Garros crown. Should he win it, his momentum will likely carry over to a third Wimbledon, tying Boris Becker and John McEnroe.
If history does pass any judgment on his 2011 AO campaign, it may be that this was the moment he stopped winning the majors on the hard courts. It may also be when we realized how special the asphalt-bound majors that he won really were.
Rafael Nadal can no longer be called a “clay court specialist,” as that term as come to mean not so much a surfeit of wins on the dirt as a paucity of success off it.
What can be said is that the Spaniard has taken the traditional clay courter’s game—with it’s great defense, boundless patience and stamina, plus the enormously heavy groundstrokes—and placed it in the employ of a one-of-kind athlete, a minority even among professional sportsmen.
These tools have put him on pace to finish his career as the most dominant clay court player ever, and one whose heavy looping forehand and baseline play were still able to concur the grass of England multiple times, and the concrete of New York and Melbourne once each.
Scott Barbour/Getty Images
With clay removed from the equation, he’d still have put up Hall of Fame-type numbers on the same plane as Jim Courier and Guillermo Vilas (so far). With clay, though, he becomes an all-time great, and should still finish on the same stratosphere as Borg and Roy Emerson.
And it’s clay, and to a lesser extent grass, that can and should help him get there. Just as in 2010, he will enter the clay season off an injury, but one that should have left him sufficiently rested to dominate the dirt again.
In a vacuum he’s just as good on hard courts as on grass (he won the Master’s Shield in Canada in 2005 long before he’d adapted to the lawns, after all), but Wimbledon’s position in the calendar allows him to enter at his headiest.
The same can’t be said for Australia and New York. His only winning campaign in Melbourne in 2009 saw him playing at his highest level, and yet that final weekend required him to put forth the most valiant effort of his career, in back-to-back five-setters that may have ruined the rest of his year.
Last year’s US Open win was aided by careful scheduling and a sudden increase in his serving power.
Plus, unlike in prior years, he wasn’t felled by injury or fatigue. As competition from Novak Djokovic, Juan Martin del Potro and others stiffens, he may not be so lucky next time.
If this is borne out, though, it’s no reason to mourn. Rafael Nadal’s legacy is secure one way or another; if he retires with just two hard court majors to his credit, he’s still a clay court player who successfully adapted his game to hard courts on two occasions.
Successful adaptation is what champions do, and what he’s already done
Courtesy: Bleacher Report
It’s hard to imagine Nadal playing any better than he has in last 12 months, just as it’s difficult to see the 29-and-a-half-year-old Federer regaining his form from four to five years ago. It is, therefore, unlikely for us to see anyone knocking on that door again anytime soon.
Does missing out on that bit of history, however, make a significant difference in how the Spaniard will be viewed in the record books? Not in my view, unless the injury he sustained is much more serious than indicated.
Nadal has already done so much of historical import that missing out on the Rafa Slam is just a loss of increments. The record books already show that, from 2005-07, the most (if not only) dramatic time of the tennis season was the May-July period, when a young Nadal and some soft surfaces were the only things making Federer look somewhat less than invincible.
They will note Nadal’s ungodly, unprecedented record on the clay, how in 2008 he became the first man to win the Channel Slam since Bjorn Borg, then that he did it again two years later. They’ll recall that he took a nation with an already proud tennis history and multiplied its successes many times over, playing an instrumental role in three Davis Cup titles.
And they’ll show that Nadal won three Slams on three surfaces in 2010, making him the first man to win the last three majors in one season since Laver, and the first to win on three different surfaces in one year since Mats Wilander. It’s not the Rafa Slam, but history will regard it nearly as highly.
Provided his recent injury doesn’t derail him for the rest of the season, these records are going to be added onto, also, as the Spaniard remains the favorite to win a sixth Roland Garros crown. Should he win it, his momentum will likely carry over to a third Wimbledon, tying Boris Becker and John McEnroe.
If history does pass any judgment on his 2011 AO campaign, it may be that this was the moment he stopped winning the majors on the hard courts. It may also be when we realized how special the asphalt-bound majors that he won really were.
Rafael Nadal can no longer be called a “clay court specialist,” as that term as come to mean not so much a surfeit of wins on the dirt as a paucity of success off it.
What can be said is that the Spaniard has taken the traditional clay courter’s game—with it’s great defense, boundless patience and stamina, plus the enormously heavy groundstrokes—and placed it in the employ of a one-of-kind athlete, a minority even among professional sportsmen.
These tools have put him on pace to finish his career as the most dominant clay court player ever, and one whose heavy looping forehand and baseline play were still able to concur the grass of England multiple times, and the concrete of New York and Melbourne once each.
Scott Barbour/Getty Images And it’s clay, and to a lesser extent grass, that can and should help him get there. Just as in 2010, he will enter the clay season off an injury, but one that should have left him sufficiently rested to dominate the dirt again.
In a vacuum he’s just as good on hard courts as on grass (he won the Master’s Shield in Canada in 2005 long before he’d adapted to the lawns, after all), but Wimbledon’s position in the calendar allows him to enter at his headiest.
The same can’t be said for Australia and New York. His only winning campaign in Melbourne in 2009 saw him playing at his highest level, and yet that final weekend required him to put forth the most valiant effort of his career, in back-to-back five-setters that may have ruined the rest of his year.
Last year’s US Open win was aided by careful scheduling and a sudden increase in his serving power.
Plus, unlike in prior years, he wasn’t felled by injury or fatigue. As competition from Novak Djokovic, Juan Martin del Potro and others stiffens, he may not be so lucky next time.
If this is borne out, though, it’s no reason to mourn. Rafael Nadal’s legacy is secure one way or another; if he retires with just two hard court majors to his credit, he’s still a clay court player who successfully adapted his game to hard courts on two occasions.
Successful adaptation is what champions do, and what he’s already done
Courtesy: Bleacher Report
Friday, 11 February 2011
Thursday, 10 February 2011
Rafael Nadal - So far, so good :-)
Courtesy: Official Website
After undergoing physiotherapy and anti-inflammatory treatments for a period of 10 days, Rafa Nadal has begun training again at his hometown in Mallorca.
The world No.1 suffered an 'Adductor longus rupture of the left leg' during the quarterfinals of the Australian Open a couple of weeks ago and thankfully -for him and his fans, the injury was treatable and fixed in a short period of time. In fact, Rafa said at a press conference yesterday that he feels great.
"I feel quite good, I am going home today (Tuesday) to Manacor to begin training," then he continued. "I am going to start training slowly, following a plan, so that there are no setbacks."
Just like he said, later that afternoon and in front on the Spanish media, Rafa begun his preparation for the Davis Cup first-round tie against Belgium, which will take place from the 4th to the 6th of March.
“So far, everything feels good. This is the first time back I can really assess how I feel as the previous days have been all about physical training. I need to follow a specific progressive training plan so that I can adapt slowly and get back to the same rhythm I had before this happened to me,” said Rafa to IB3TV.
He has 15 days before the entire team travels to Belgium for the first Davis Cup match of the year and that means he can take it easy for a few more days.
“The important thing is not putting myself at risk. I want to take it slowly and then next week I can take it more seriously,” he said.
After undergoing physiotherapy and anti-inflammatory treatments for a period of 10 days, Rafa Nadal has begun training again at his hometown in Mallorca.
The world No.1 suffered an 'Adductor longus rupture of the left leg' during the quarterfinals of the Australian Open a couple of weeks ago and thankfully -for him and his fans, the injury was treatable and fixed in a short period of time. In fact, Rafa said at a press conference yesterday that he feels great.
"I feel quite good, I am going home today (Tuesday) to Manacor to begin training," then he continued. "I am going to start training slowly, following a plan, so that there are no setbacks."
Just like he said, later that afternoon and in front on the Spanish media, Rafa begun his preparation for the Davis Cup first-round tie against Belgium, which will take place from the 4th to the 6th of March.
“So far, everything feels good. This is the first time back I can really assess how I feel as the previous days have been all about physical training. I need to follow a specific progressive training plan so that I can adapt slowly and get back to the same rhythm I had before this happened to me,” said Rafa to IB3TV.
He has 15 days before the entire team travels to Belgium for the first Davis Cup match of the year and that means he can take it easy for a few more days.
“The important thing is not putting myself at risk. I want to take it slowly and then next week I can take it more seriously,” he said.
Sports Illustrated Mailbag
Rafa question in this weeks Mailbag that poses an interesting question.
Do you think the Agassi-Williams-Clijsters career plan would work for Rafael Nadal? Take a year or so off from the tour and save yourself some wear and tear on the body. What would the pros and cons be?
Steve, Kirksville, Mo.
• Sadly, Steve raises a valid question. If we've learned anything about Nadal, it's this:
A) He is an exceptional tennis player.
B) His style of play -- and medical history -- is not exactly consonant with physical health and thus, a long career. The pros of following the Agassi-Williams-Clijsters blueprint and slashing his schedule are, in theory, immense. It's really all about the Majors at this point.
If he can arrive healthy and rested four times a year, giving himself an optimal chance to win the big prizes, that's a small price to pay for missing Doha, Rome, et al.
The drawbacks, though, are manifold. It's hard for most players (not named Serena Williams) to helicopter into big events and arrive in match shape. Note than on the occasions Nadal has come in cold, he hasn't always done so well. Related to that (and, again, invoking Serena) a player's fitness level drops with sparse match play. Especially since he's always competed so consistently, Nadal's legacy will take a bit of a hit if he takes a long hiatus and gives his playing schedule a dramatic haircut. There are commercial consequences as well. While he's not particularly motivated by money, I can't imagine his management team would lustily embrace a decision to cut those exhibitions, those appearance fee events and risk losing bonuses tied to endorsements. The ATP, of course, would be devastated if Nadal adopted the Serena Williams schedule.
If it were another player, I would be more enthusiastic. But Nadal is, at his core, a jock. He'll play if he can. I don't think it's in his nature to tinker and manipulate his schedule. I think we just need to gird ourselves accordingly. Nadal will treat us to spectacular tennis. And once or twice a year, he will scare us when he contracts an injury.
Do you think the Agassi-Williams-Clijsters career plan would work for Rafael Nadal? Take a year or so off from the tour and save yourself some wear and tear on the body. What would the pros and cons be?
Steve, Kirksville, Mo.
• Sadly, Steve raises a valid question. If we've learned anything about Nadal, it's this:
A) He is an exceptional tennis player.
B) His style of play -- and medical history -- is not exactly consonant with physical health and thus, a long career. The pros of following the Agassi-Williams-Clijsters blueprint and slashing his schedule are, in theory, immense. It's really all about the Majors at this point.
If he can arrive healthy and rested four times a year, giving himself an optimal chance to win the big prizes, that's a small price to pay for missing Doha, Rome, et al.
The drawbacks, though, are manifold. It's hard for most players (not named Serena Williams) to helicopter into big events and arrive in match shape. Note than on the occasions Nadal has come in cold, he hasn't always done so well. Related to that (and, again, invoking Serena) a player's fitness level drops with sparse match play. Especially since he's always competed so consistently, Nadal's legacy will take a bit of a hit if he takes a long hiatus and gives his playing schedule a dramatic haircut. There are commercial consequences as well. While he's not particularly motivated by money, I can't imagine his management team would lustily embrace a decision to cut those exhibitions, those appearance fee events and risk losing bonuses tied to endorsements. The ATP, of course, would be devastated if Nadal adopted the Serena Williams schedule.
If it were another player, I would be more enthusiastic. But Nadal is, at his core, a jock. He'll play if he can. I don't think it's in his nature to tinker and manipulate his schedule. I think we just need to gird ourselves accordingly. Nadal will treat us to spectacular tennis. And once or twice a year, he will scare us when he contracts an injury.
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