Nadal News

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2017 Calendars

2017 Rafa calendars…because we’ll need something nice in 2017.

Black and White

Color

But, as always, if you can only afford one Rafa calendar, buy the official one to support his foundation: Official Calendar.

via NadalNews.com http://www.nadalnews.com/2016/11/08/2017-calendars/

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Off to Paris

Hello everybody guys, long time no see. I’m sorry about the extended absence, but I’ve been dealing with some stuff lately and one of the ways I’ve been trying to deal with it is spending less time in front of my computer. Other than that, it’s hard for me to explain why I suddenly lost the motivation to update the site. I’ve been getting a lot of emails asking me why and haven’t been sure how to reply. I didn’t want to do a public post about it because…it felt like it would come across as attention seeking – something I’m certainly not above, but that’s not what this is about. I just wanted to let you guys know that I don’t know when I’ll be ready to spend the time it takes to keep this site up-to-date again.

So, what finally got me get around to posting this? The wonderful and very nice photographer Andy Cheung sent along some pictures from Roland Garros and I felt compelled to share them. So, enjoy and please be sure to tell Andy thanks (he’s on Twitter and Facebook or check out his website).

All photos copyright Andy Cheung/ArcK Images.

This evening, I’m leaving for Paris – a that will include my first ever visit to Roland Garros. So, yeah. Even if I was keeping the site up-to-date, there’d be a period of slack right now anyway. ;)

(Also, sorry if the site looks wacky right now, I updated the site software and theme and that totally killed the site. It took me a while to get it up and running at all – I don’t have time to work out the wonkiness.)

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Buenos Aires: First step

Photo by REUTERS/Marcos Brindicci

For his first match since the AO, Rafa played his good friend Juan Monaco (aka, Pico). Despite being off the tour for the past six months recovering from wrist surgery, Pico wasn’t showing many signs of rust and played well. Rafa was a bit more up and down. He went up a break in each set only to be broken right back. Both sets were won by breaking while receiving at 4-5 – which was handy since Rafa didn’t have to try and consolidate. Basically, it was a decent start, but, as always, there’s room for improvement. Rafa’s through 6-4, 6-4.

ATP Match Summary

Post-match interview:

(Posted by rafanadal-kingoftennis.ru/)

Amazing point:

Match highlights:

(Posted by Pavlik TNS 1)

First set:

(Posted by PavlikTNS AO FULL)

Nadal Monaco Statistics on Serve Aces 2 1 Double Faults 2 0 1st Serve % 84% 82% 1st Serve Points Won 32/51 (63%) 21/47 (45%) 2nd Serve Points Won 4/10 (40%) 8/10 (80%) Break Points Saved 3/6 (50%) 3/8 (38%) Service Games Played 10 10 Statistics on Return 1st Return Points Won 26/47 (55%) 19/51 (37%) Second Return Points Won 2/10 (20%) 6/10 (60%) Break Points Won 5/8 (63%) 3/6 (50%) Return Games Played 10 10 Statistics on Points Total Service Points Won 36/61 (59%) 29/57 (51%) Total Return Points Won 28/57 (49%) 25/61 (41%) Total Points Won 64/118 (54%) 54/118 (46%)

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Rafa to play Buenos Aires

AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano

Rafa has accepted a wildcard into the Argentina Open. Is an article on the ATP site, Rafa is quoted as saying:

“I want to thank the organisers of the Argentina Open for giving me this wild card to play in Buenos Aires. The times that I’ve played in Argentina have been special and full of good memories because the people are some of the best in the world.

“I asked for this wild card after the bad result in Melbourne and I hope that Buenos Aires will once again be the start of a good run for me. I will try my best to make sure it is.”

The tournament starts next week and will feature a strong player field including David Ferrer, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and John Isner.

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“I have no fear of my expiration date”

Photo by Benito Perez-Barbadillo / B1PR

Full interview (in Spanish; also here)

Highlights of the interview (in English)

“I have no fear of my expiration date”

By Rafael Plaza as translated by @genny_ss

On Wednesday at noon, many players are marching through the heart of the majestic Crown Hotel on the banks of the Yarra River. It is a dance of rackets throughout the floors of the famous towers, where many of the players competing in the Australia Open are staying.

Rafael Nadal (Mallorca, Spain, 1986) is no longer with them, after being eliminated in the first round against Fernando Verdasco, his second defeat in the first round of a major (he lost at Wimbledon 2013 against the Belgian Darcis). Before taking a plane to return to Mallorca, the champion of 14 majors talks to “EL ESPAÑOL” to give a detailed analysis of the challenge he is facing in a season that has seen him stumble on the first major event of the calendar.

How are you doing?

It is a tough loss. When you go on court to compete you know that you can win and you can lose. This is something that I have always embraced throughout my career. But I had trained well and had trained a lot, too. For quite some time now, I have been training much more than I used to because my physical condition is allowing me to do it. When you have worked hard, feeling that you have done all the right things, and [then] the match goes wrong…

I know I have been doing things in the right way. The work is well done. Tuesday’s defeat does not change the reality: I am alright and I hope to stay that way from now on. Yes, I had lost to Djokovic in the final in Qatar, but I am on the right track. I will try to go on along a similar line, trying to leave the match with Verdasco behind. It is a tough defeat at this time, but in a few weeks I am going to be competing again. I have to keep the line of work to be ready.

For some months now, you have been trying new things during practice, why do not you compete as you train?

Yesterday (Tuesday) I could not do it. To begin with, globally, it was a nasty first round. I knew I was facing a player who was being very inconsistent, with results that are well below his actual level. But on a given day, in a match like this one that can motivate him, he is dangerous.

In any case, there are no excuses. I failed to take advantage of what I should and when the match gets messy, it is impossible to fix. The match is at the limit at that time. I could have won in the fourth set. I think I did the right thing to do it, but he had an adrenaline rush that lasted until the fifth set. Nothing to say there. Could I have served better? Yes, but Verdasco’s adrenaline was very high. The fifth set is not the problem, the problem took place much earlier.

You say that confidence is playing without thinking. How is your confidence?

It was OK. It is a Grand Slam and it is painful, obviously, but I cannot deny reality. Neither a victory nor a defeat can make you lose the true perspective. Last year’s victory in Buenos Aires did not remove my feeling of being playing pretty badly, neither did the win in Hamburg, even if it was an important victory. I had been with bad feelings for months.

The loss to Verdasco cannot take away my current perspective: since Beijing, I have been playing at a fairly high level. From there on, my results at complicated tournaments are final, semifinal, final, quarterfinal and semifinal. And 2016 had begun with another final in Doha. In recent months, my consistency has been high and with the [tennis] level I was hoping for. This defeat is a break in this positive evolution, which I have to assume. I accept it, I assume it and try to retake the line I was following.

Do not you fear that the philosophy of work may be insufficient to fix the problems you have?

And what do I do? Is there any other way? [As Picasso’s famous sentence goes] When inspiration comes, it has to find you working. My way of understanding life, not only the sport, is that things cannot go well without hard work. And above all, without a job well done. We can look for many things, but the sport is usually pretty simple. We can make up stories and write whatever we want, but the reality is that I lost a match that I was close to winning. Perhaps the normal thing would have been to have won today and be in the second round, looking ahead and thinking that I am playing well, ready to do a very good tournament.

The experts ensure that your forehand is not the same as before, that it has lost the characteristic topspin that unhinged your rivals.

It is so. Against Verdasco, it did not have it, for example. There are different factors causing this. The balls have changed a bit and are now hollower. The balls are less lively. A few years ago, the ball came out very fast off the racket and nowadays they stay longer on the strings. The rivals who hit the ball flatter feel the error less with these balls. And this favors playing in a ‘going for broke’ way. With the other balls, it was more complicated because you felt that when it came with top spin it was difficult to hit it because the ball was going away from the strings fast.

Things have changed.

Things have changed and I have tried to adapt to the change. I am not playing with as much effect as before, I am playing in a slightly different way. The evolution was being positive, but against Verdasco I did not have the control of the timing to hit the ball where I wanted. There is nothing more. I did not have the right position on court to take command of the match. I could have played deeper, I could have made him hit from more complicated positions, and I could not do it.

Does what the old Nadal did no longer work?

Currently, tennis is played in a faster way. Before there was more time to prepare the points. The same game of today, with my version of eight or nine years ago… I sincerely believe that I would still be at the very top.

It seems difficult for a 29 year-old player to be able to accept certain changes in his game after a lifetime of doing the same.

They are not radical changes, let us not get crazy. I try to adjust to what my coaches think I have to do to continue to keep having chances of being at the top. Changes are always minimal. You cannot make drastic changes, neither being 23 nor 29 years old. You cannot go against your style of play. You can modify and make small changes, but you cannot go against your head and your way of understanding the sport.

As you have often defended, matches are not won with the head. But can they be lost?

Of course there are matches that are lost with the head. There are also matches that are won, obviously. What you do not do is to win 14 majors with your head. The only way to win is to have shots that allow you to do so. When you are facing players of the highest level and you are on the edge, the head has an impact. When you are not alright mentally, you lose matches and I showed it so last year.

Your opponents have recognized that very often they were going on court with the score against them, impressed by your ability to intimidate. Have you lost that mental plus?

The capability to command respect is something that comes with victories and their consistency. Last year, with the results and the defeats I had against rivals I should not have lost, it is logical that people think they can beat me. And when you believe in it, it is more likely to happen.

In the end, it appears to be true that winning is more draining than losing.

It Depends.

Was that what happened to you in 2015?

No way. In 2015, I paid the toll for having the feeling of having wasted time. 2014 was a difficult year for me in this regard. I was very well prepared and I injured my back in the Australia Open final. It took me some time to get over it and when I had done it, I broke my wrist in summer. At that time, I felt I had again missed opportunities. And somehow that is how my career has been. I am fortunate to have taken advantage of the many opportunities I have had, but it is also true that, because of physical issues, I have had fewer opportunities than all my rivals.

What is success?

Success is very relative. A person can be successful externally, which is succeeding in life from a superficial point of view. The actual success lies in the personal happiness. If you are able to have a lot of money, if you get to be number one in whatever you have set your mind to, but you are really not happy in your personal life… you will have succeeded in one thing, but probably you will not in what really matters. Success is being happy. And in order to be happy you need to have the people you love by your side, people who also loves you. Leading a stable and logical life. In the long run, the illogical things often lead to unhappiness.

The meaning of having talent is a diffuse concept. Could you explain it?

Talent is something that people confuse. Talent is not playing beautifully or hitting the ball very hard. One will have talent to play beautifully, another to not miss any ball, another one to make a very good slice backhand and another to run very well. In tennis, and in any sport, the ultimate goal is to win. The summary is clear: the one winning more is the one with more talent.

I do not care if you learn one thing in 15 minutes while it takes me three hours. If I am able to train for four hours and you can only do it for 15 minutes, you will have learned in 15 minutes, but I will have been training for four hours. That is having talent. Why? Because my head has the talent to go on being given opportunities, to continue working and accepting failures to improve. There are many ways to understand talent, but the bottom line is that talent is getting to win more. I do not care if it is done in a pretty or an ugly way, whichever way you want. Talented is whoever gets to do a particular activity better.

Photo by AP Photo/Aaron Favila

What do you think about the uproar caused by the investigation of possible cases of match-fixing?

I will be totally honest, speaking from my point of view, which is ignorance. In the ATP Tour, I have not felt that it ever happens, or I have not seen it, nobody has ever contacted me, and I have no information that this is indeed happening. I hear that in the lower tournaments, such as Futures and Challengers, there are in fact people who do it. I hear about it, but I do not know it. Neither I have lived it, nor I know it, nor I have seen it. Talking about things you do not know is difficult.

People who have investigated all that, to whom I am not criticizing or accusing or agreeing with them, have to give the actual names. You cannot say Grand Slam champions and that is it. What are we talking about? Singles? Women? Doubles? Mixed doubles? This is the first thing to do. And then, in the last ten years there have been six or seven Grand Slam winners. I will say it clearly: in our tour is impossible for any Grand Slam winner to have rigged a match. Now, if people fix matches in Challengers, Futures or on the professional tour, which I do not see it even though I’m competing every week, the solution is that the ATP chases and sanctions them as is due. That is what I expect and wish. As clear as that.

You cannot live cheating in any way. There have to be as many controls as possible so that it does not happen and the crowd, the other players or people in general are not deceived. The only thing you can do is to set up drastic measures to prevent this from happening. From the inside, I have been years thinking that the ATP is doing it. I would like the people who have carried out the investigation to provide the names. Same as when the doping cases are investigated, I would also like those names to appear. With names, there are indeed culprits. Without names, it is a shot in the air that hurts the sport, which seems unfair to me. But people who cheat must pay, be it in match-fixing, doping or anything else. They must pay and be banned because it is what has to be done.

Are you prepared to endure more years without winning big titles? As happened last year, for example.

I do not even think of it. I have just started a new year, we cannot make a drama of the loss to Verdasco. I am coming from having three good months, months where I have been able to compete for tournaments. The only one I have not competed with for winning has been Djokovic, with the rest I did it, yes. I find myself able to compete and I think I am going to do it. I am confident to be able to have a good year.

Does not Nadal get bored of Nadal?

I like what I do. I am happy and feel lucky. I know that what I do is not for life, it has an expiration date, which I do not know when it is. That is why I try to make the most of it. I want these remaining years around here to be productive, but especially productive on a personal level. The way to feel that satisfaction is to do what I can, so that things go as best as possible.

Does the time of your retirement frighten you?

No, not at all. Tennis is a part of my life, a very important part for many years, but I am lucky to have a life that is much more than tennis. I have no fear of what is to come after. I am a person with many interests and hobbies. There are things that motivate me beyond this sport, that make me happy. I have no fear of my expiration date, but that does not prevent me from liking what I do. Therefore, I will try that my expiration date is as latest as possible.

Do you think about how that moment will be?

I am competing to be at the top of the ranking, not to think about when my expiration date will be. I do not think about it. I live my day to day, live the moment. I cannot predict the future. I do not know how or when it will be. Now I know that I am going back home because things have not gone well in Melbourne and have to get ready to play on clay.

Did it ever cross your mind to give up, to say enough is enough, this is how far we have come, I am going to do something else?

If I am not happy with what I do, I will. I do not have to prove anything. I know what I have done and I know what makes me happy. As of today, this makes me happy. And I will keep doing it until it makes me happy. If being the 5th, the 10th or the 100th in the world I am happy, I will continue. If being number one in the world I am not happy, it will be time to say goodbye and I will do something else. Thank God, and that is why I am a very lucky, I have the ability to decide because things have gone very well in my life.

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AO: Kia Open Drive

On a lighter note, Rafa kicked off the AO Kia Open Drive this year.

Ciao!

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AO: 1st round presser

A transcript of the presser can be found on the AO site.

Q. You started the fifth set with a break. What do you think happened after that?

RAFAEL NADAL: The match is five sets. There is not only last set. He was playing amazing in the last set. If you decide everything in one set, the opponent is ready to hit all the balls at hundred percent, then you are in trouble.

He had a lot of success hitting all the balls full power in the fifth. I have to congratulate him.

But I am not happy about the way that I played the first. In the fourth I was not very bad, but he played better than me, too. I had my chances in the fourth, too, with that Love-30 that he played well. That’s it.

He played better than me. He played more aggressive than me. He taked more risks than me, and he won. Probably he deserved.

Q. What do you think you would have done differently? Do you have any regrets regarding your own game through this match?

RAFAEL NADAL: No. The match is a tough lose for me obviously. Obviously is tough, especially because is not like last year that I arrived here playing bad and feeling myself not ready for it.

This year was a completely different story. I have been playing and practicing great and working so much. You know, is tough when you work so much and arrives a very important event and you’re going out too early.

Is tough, but at the same time, I know I did everything that I can to be ready for it. Was not my day. Let’s keep going. That’s the only thing.

No, no, there is no more things to do than keep practicing hard, keep practicing the same way that I was doing the last four, five months.

Today I was not ready to compete the way that I was practicing, so not happy with that. That’s it. I hope the next time I can compete better than what I did today, because I was playing good.

Q. How do you explain today you didn’t compete as well as you thought you would?

RAFAEL NADAL: In terms of being competitive, I was competitive. In terms of creating damage to the opponent with my forehand, I didn’t. So I was hitting forehands, and he was able to keep hitting winners.

Cannot happen when I am hitting my forehand. The opponent, if he wants to hit a winner is because he take too much risk. In my opinion was not the case of today. I was hitting winners. I was hitting forehands. He was able to keep going for big shots in a not very bad position.

That was the biggest issue for me today. I don’t know a hundred percent the reason, to be honest. I was doing that good on the practices and the previous tournaments. Was not the case today.

Q. Do you feel that you deserved a bit more support from the crowd, especially towards the end in the fifth set?

RAFAEL NADAL: No. The crowd is great.

Q. Seems like a lot of times in Grand Slams guys have been playing freely against you, with more confidence, Kyrgios, Brown, Fognini. Do you sense in these matches that players are playing more aggressively and more confidently against you than it used to be, or is it something that’s different on your side of the court?

RAFAEL NADAL: The game is changing a little bit. Everybody now tries to hit all the balls. There is no balls that you can prepare the point, no? Everybody hit the ball hard and try to go for the winners in any position. Game become a little bit more crazy in this aspect.

But the real thing is my mission is make them play with difficult positions. So if they want to go for lot of winners with very difficult positions, the chance of having success is not very high. If I let them hit from good positions and they obviously wants to go for winners, then the chances for success are much higher.

So that’s the mistake for me today. Last year was different story, no? Don’t want to compare last year, because last year was a different issues.

But this year, the real thing is I was not enough aggressive with my forehand during the whole match. I didn’t feel it. I tried. I fighted. I was ready to do it, and I didn’t. So I am sad for that.

Q. We’re a year on from you saying you were lacking that confidence from a year ago. Is there a different way you’re approaching the majors? This is the third one where you’ve lost fairly early compared to the other tournaments.

RAFAEL NADAL: I play majors same way I play other tournaments all the year. All my life I played every tournament putting all that I have there.

When I am playing in a 250 or 500 or Masters 1000 or Grand Slam, when I go on court, I am not more focused. Nothing in general when I am playing the bigger tournaments. I try my best in every single match of the year. That’s it.

Sometimes you have success; sometimes you do not. Today it is obvious that I didn’t.

Q. Your coach was telling us yesterday that you’re trying to change some things in your game to advance it more. Do you think because it’s still early in the season you’re going to need a few more months to actually see these changes make a difference?

RAFAEL NADAL: You never know what’s going on in the future. I felt myself that I was practicing great, playing very good.

I was practicing little bit different, trying to be more inside the court. It’s obvious that all the changes are not easy and especially are difficult to make that happen when you are competing.

But the real thing is if I am not doing that, then I am dead. I can play defensive or offensive. But if you stay in the middle, finally, at the end of the day, you are not doing nothing.

You cannot be in the middle of being offensive or defensive, because it is obvious that finally you don’t have a consistent strategy, then you are lost.

Q. When you are in a long match, like, do you feel when you’re not playing aggressive enough, do you push yourself to be more aggressive or you realized that you were not aggressive only at the end of the match?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, I detected that before the end of that match. I tried. I was playing a little bit more aggressive after the first set. I won the next two. Then in the fourth the real thing is he had the break in the first game of the fourth. He played amazing that game.

I was able to be back, and I put myself in a position to win the match. But then he played amazing in the last four points of that 6-5. In the tiebreak, he hit all the shots bombs, no?

So the biggest problem was the first set, in my opinion. He was not playing that well in the first set. I should take advantage there, but I didn’t. Then you lose the first. You play against a player that has a good potential and he’s able to hit the ball so hard and take risk, then you are under pressure the rest of the match.

I could win the match, but I lost because he felt great. In my opinion, he played better than what he was doing the last couple of months, especially in the last two sets. He played so aggressive, and the serve was huge for him today.

I just can congratulate him because he deserved, and I wish him all the best for the rest of the tournament.

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AO: Over and out

Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

From the moment that the draw was announced the tennis world collectively had flashbacks to the last time that Rafael Nadal and Fernando Verdasco met at the Australian Open. Their semi-final match in 2009 was 5 hours and 14 minutes of brutal athleticism and extraordinary shot making that led to repeated standing ovations from a full house in awe of the quality of tennis on display.

Fast forward seven years and we were treated to an entirely different dynamic between the two Davis Cup compatriots. Coming into this match Verdasco had beaten Nadal 2 of the last 3 times that they played. The match started with a couple solid holds. It was clear that they wouldn’t reach the lofty heights of their 2009 epic. Verdasco’s forehand cross court was working very well for him and Rafa was missing his forehand quite a bit. The first set went to a tiebreak and Rafa, unfortunately, double faulted at 6-6 and Verdasco took the set. As the match went on Rafa gained a little more confidence and put a little more oomph on his shots. The highlight of the match was the set point of the 2nd set, that point was the only sequence of the match that had shades of their 2009 encounter. It was an insane point.

  The remainder of the match had its ebbs and flows with both men making errors and trying to keep the momentum. (At this point, Ataraxis00 had to go to bed.) Verdasco managed to force a 5th set where Rafa went up a break in the very first game. Just when you thought Rafa had control of the match, Verdasco started red-lining and broke back. He then broke Rafa in the 6th and then the final game of the match. Verdasco defeats Rafa 7-6(6), 4-6, 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-2.

Nadal Verdasco Statistics on Serve Aces 7 20 Double Faults 6 10 1st Serve % 64% 61% 1st Serve Points Won 75/108 (69%) 85/118 (72%) 2nd Serve Points Won 31/62 (50%) 33/74 (45%) Break Points Saved 10/15 (67%) 10/16 (63%) Service Games Played 25 28 Statistics on Return 1st Return Points Won 33/118 (28%) 33/108 (31%) Second Return Points Won 41/74 (55%) 31/62 (50%) Break Points Won 6/16 (38%) 5/15 (33%) Return Games Played 28 25 Statistics on Points Total Service Points Won 106/170 (62%) 118/192 (61%) Total Return Points Won 74/192 (39%) 64/170 (38%) Total Points Won 180/362 (50%) 182/362 (50%) Other Stats Winners 37 90 Unforced errors 38 91 Net Approaches 7/10 (70%) 25/27 (93%)

(It’s 2:30 AM, and I’m tired and sad. I do not guarantee the accuracy of those stats. Visit the AO site to get less sleep deprived ones.)

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AO: Pre-tournament presser

Video, transcript and a few photos from Rafa’s pre-tournament presser.

Posted by 7Tennis.

Transcript via the AO site:

Q. Rafa, how have you felt the past few days practicing here in Melbourne, and your thoughts on starting the tournament?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, no, I have had good practices here. Very happy to be here again. Good feelings. Just trying to be ready.

Q. Can you talk about your first round. You’re playing someone you know well, you played doubles with him.

RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, very tough first round. Not a lucky first round, I think, for me. For him either. Will be a tough match. I need to be ready to play a very good tennis if I want to be through.

Q. Rafa, your match with him here in 2009 was a pretty spectacular match. Where does that sit in your memory?

RAFAEL NADAL: Obvious that that match gave me the chance to win the only Australian Open that I won. That was an unforgettable memory for me. I think was a huge level of tennis there. Some spectacular points. A lot of people always talk me about that match, no?

I enjoyed that match. Was tough one. Was a great experience.

Q. How are conditions of play this year? Same as last year, faster, slower?

RAFAEL NADAL: It’s not fast, not slow. It’s not unbelievable fast. But I think the outdoor courts, the outside courts are faster. I played in Margaret, Hisense and Rod Laver. The courts are not slow. A little bit faster. But okay, not bad. Good feelings.

Q. Rafa, how do you feel about playing another left-hander? Do you think you’re better against a right-hander? How does that affect you?

RAFAEL NADAL: I can tell you that on Tuesday after the match (smiling).

I played a lot of times with lefties. We’ll see, no? Is not about playing against a lefty, is about playing against a player that has a huge potential, is able to reach a great level of tennis. If you are not playing your best, is very, very dangerous match.

Q. Rafa, we talk in the media a lot about the big four, maybe the figure five with Stan. Do you think with the way Novak is playing now, the way he played last year, is Novak in a league of one above everybody else or do you think there is still that big group of four or five players who can still win big tournaments?

RAFAEL NADAL: I don’t know, no. Is your name, big four. Big one is your name, not my name. I really don’t care much about it. Just the only thing that is true, is Novak is playing at better level than the rest of the players now. That’s obvious, no? The way he’s playing, it’s difficult to see him losing matches.

Just can congratulate him for made that happen.

Q. Can I ask you about your academy? What is the particular philosophy behind it? Is it to find the next Rafa or to sort of teach people about life and tennis and everything else?

RAFAEL NADAL: The next Djokovic or the next me or the next Andy or Roger, you know, is difficult to find that, no? I think these players are a natural talent players. It’s difficult to teach them. For sure, it’s important for all of us to have the right people around us during the years that we grow. But the natural talent has a big impact on all of this.

But in my academy, we really hope to have the right team to help the kids to bring the tennis at the best level possible. The tennis academy, that should be the main goal, just have the better team possible to help the kids to become better and better tennis players.

But that’s something that is the key, but in the other hand, for us, and for me personally, I don’t understand that without the right education, the right values. For us is so important to have the right people to help the kids to grow with the right values, with the right education. For us is important the studies, the school. That’s why we have international school inside academy. We have a medical center inside academy, with nutritionists, with everything.

We going to have all the things together inside the academy that makes the life easier for the kids, but at the same time to try to help them in all aspects, to prepare them for the future, even if they are professional tennis players or like most of the players that are going to come are not going to be professional tennis players, that happens everywhere, because the percentage is very small. So prepare them for university. At the international school, we going to help them make that transition to the best universities possible and prepare them for the life.

Sports, education and values I think are together. If we can have the right combination, for sure is an unforgettable and great experience for the future of these kids.

Q. When you finish playing, do you think you will be much involved in the academy? Will you do some coaching?

RAFAEL NADAL: Never say never. I cannot say what’s going on on the future. For me the academy, it’s obvious that I going to be very involved. That’s why we build the academy in my hometown.

For me the sport is a big passion, not only tennis, but sport in general is a big passion. Have an academy that we have the facilities to receive sports teams in almost all the facilities, all the different sports. It’s something that for sure motivates me a lot.

I am sure that I going to be, I don’t know if traveling like a coach, but practicing and hitting balls with the kids in my academy very often.

Q. Do you plan to change your schedule at all because of the Olympic Games?

RAFAEL NADAL: I don’t know if you know my schedule, but I play here, I play Rio de Janeiro, I play Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, Roland Garros, Queen’s, Wimbledon, Toronto, Cincinnati. That’s my schedule.

If I lose more than you expect, then you play more. But if you win more than you expect, you play less.

Q. When you said Novak is playing at a level where he doesn’t look like he’s going to lose too many matches, how quickly can that change? When other people are trying to catch up, how quickly can things change?

RAFAEL NADAL: I don’t know. Good thing of Novak, the better thing, is he’s an amazing player. Second good thing is he never has injuries, so that helps a lot to have full confidence on yourself, and to don’t lose the rhythm never.

When you are in the top, you have injuries, is tougher to recover that confidence and that level of tennis. So going to be decisive if he keep going that way with no injuries, that he has the chance to practice an play as much as he can, that matches he wons. That’s something great for him, very positive thing.

And then I hope to be there fighting to be closer to him. I am sure that the rest of the players wants the same than me.

Q. What do you remember from being a young player having to learn English? What challenges did that present you when you were younger doing interviews, on-court presentations?

RAFAEL NADAL: For me was much more fun before. I don’t care about what I was saying. I only had a few words, that’s it (smiling).

Q. So it was fun not knowing English?

RAFAEL NADAL: Was good fun but was not good.

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[nadalnews]

AO: The Draw

Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images

Little did I know when I was enjoying a replay of the 2009 Australian Open semifinal epic between Rafa and Fernando Verdasco yesterday that I was getting a preview of the first round of the 2016 AO. Yes, that’s right, Rafa opens his 2016 campaign against Verdasco. Alrighty then. There’s good news too: he’s not in Djokovic’s half!

Seeds in Rafa’s quarter are: Chardy, Monfils, Anderson, Raonic, Troicki, Sock, and Wawrinka.

Seeds in the rest of Rafa’s half are: Ferrer, Johnson, F. Lopez, Isner, Tomic, Fognini, Sousa, and Murray.

Seeds in the top half: Djokovic, Seppi, Karlovic, Simon, Tsonga, Paire, Garcia-Lopez, Nishikori, Federer, Dimitrov, Thiem, Goffin, Cilic, Bautista Agut, Kyrgios, and Berdych.

You can view the full draw in PDF or HTML format.

Play will start on Monday. Vamos!

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[nadalnews]

Sydney: Fast 4 Tennis

Not long after landing in Sydney, Rafa took part in a Fast 4 Tennis exhibition. He played singles against Hewitt and then teamed with Monfils to play Hewitt/Kyrgios in doubles. (He lost the singles, but won the doubles.)

Andy Cheung of ArcK Photography & Printing sent in some photos for me to share with you guys. Thanks, Andy!

Photos by Andy Cheung/ArcK Images

Here’s a video of some highlights from the singles:

Posted by 7Tennis.

And here’s the full singles exo:

Posted by rafanadal-kingoftennis.ru/.

Quick promo interview for the event:

Post-match interview:

(Get a Tunnelbear if you are region blocked.)

Oh, Rafa….couldn’t remember Wilander’s name!

Posted by Tennis Australia.

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[nadalnews]

Informe Robinson – Translated

Translation of the non-English parts of the Informe Robinson special featuring Rafa Nadal.

  Narrator: It has been the first year in his career without big titles. The first time he has felt that something was failing on court. He knew it mid season, when he was finally able to put words to it.

Rafa’s voice: I have not been able to control my emotions on court, something that never failed in my life. I have moved much worse. I had a mental block and this makes you move worse.

Robinson: In the practice sessions, do you enjoy or not?

Rafa: Now, I do, since I do not have… this year, due to the anxiety I had, I have not enjoyed many times because I was like [he moves his hand around his chest]… I felt agitated all the time. Now I am much better, therefore yes, I enjoy because I have the motivation of playing better again.

Toni: Intensity has always been Rafa’s trait and when he has succeeded to put a lot of intensity in his shots, he has got good results. When the intensity has decreased, the results have been worse.

Rafa: This is much tougher than playing [matches].

Robinson: At least that way you guarantee that you are already ready when you get on court.

Rafa: Or not… [laughs]

Toni’s voice: In the past, we always trained this way.

Rafa: But that was many years ago. Now we practice stronger than in the last six years.

[While filming some advert spots, it is heard: “That one is good. We have it! That’s it. Perfect!”]

Robinson: This filming thing, is it annoying, or is it something that amuses you?

Rafa: I don’t normally enjoy filming, but I can also tell you that, over the years, each time I have got to have more and more fun while doing these things.

Robinson: Hey! but now I see you in underpants. What does Mery say when she sees her man there, in underpants?

Rafa: She knows this is part of the job.

Robinson: But [you are] in bus stops and everywhere…

Rafa: Yes, it shows up in many places in the world.

Robinson: Have you changed the brand of underpants because the other went in…?

Rafa: No, no! The truth is that this is a craze that, whichever underpants I wear, but… we are not going to fix it. It is something that, especially when I play tennis, I cannot solve and I have been doing it since I was, I think, 6, 7 or 8 years old.

Robinson: Really?

Rafa: Yes, yes.

Robinson: Your city, your island, your family… I guess all those roots are a safety net to live and play.

Rafa: I am in touch with my family almost every day, do you know? And that gives me… buff… for me, it is very important. It always makes me feel that I am not far from where I am coming from, from where I have grown up.

Sebastian (Rafa’s dad): We are five [4 brothers and 1 sister] and, like it or not, the fact of living in a village and all close to each other, even in the same building, makes the way you live together be different from how it could be in a city.

Carlin: Nadal’s clan is like the Soprano or the Corleone, but without machine guns. They are tremendously united people.

Rafa: I have been lucky to be able to live with normalcy, as my family has always accepted everything that has happened to me in a very natural and normal way.

Carlin: I think this is what he [Rafa] values most about himself, even more than his figure of tennis player and, without any doubt, what is cherished most by his mother, who once told me that if Rafa had become one of these spoiled, horrible, egotistical guys, she would have been embarrassed to have a son like that and simply would not have gone to see him play tennis, as she would not have wanted to be associated publicly with him.

Rafa: At home, I have never had any pressure to play tennis, to not play tennis, for playing well, for playing badly. Nothing! A different thing is if I had not worked, studied, trained… whatever. If I had not done things with intensity, obviously my father would not have been pleased with me… and I still live with them, so… my mother is not very happy sometimes because I am not the tidiest person in the world [laughs] and she has to work more than she should because of me.

Robinson: It is well known that you are a fan of Real Madrid. Having your uncle Miguel Angel who took part in big name soccer teams, like the [Barça] “dream team”, how do you reconcile with this?

Rafa: Well… my uncle was celebrating “La Liga” with Barça and I was at home crying.

Robinson: Oh, really?

Rafa: Yes.

Robinson: Nowadays, you receive advice from one uncle [Toni]. Then, at that time, you received advice from the other uncle [Miguel Angel]?

Rafa: Nooo! I was also receiving advice from the same. [laughs]

Robinson: LOLOLOL

Narrator: En 2011, the writer John Carlin published “Rafa”, the story of Rafa Nadal. Very few people know better how a career, which began when a three-years-old Rafa Nadal took his first racquet, was forged.

Carlin: Toni Nadal is clearly the key figure in the career of Rafa Nadal.

Costa: Toni, who is a tennis lover, told us: “I have a newphew who is going to be very good”. I said: “Really? How old is he?” He answered: “Six years old”. I told him: “OK, then”.

Toni’s voice: It was incredible that an eight year old kid could win the Under-12 Championship, wasn’t it?

Carlin’s voice: And precisely because Toni saw that Rafa had more aptitudes than the other kids, more stamina, he pressed him much more.

Toni: I have always kept an eye on him. Sometimes, in an exaggerated manner.

Carlin’s voice: [Toni] tested his patience, frustrated him.

Sebastian: Sometimes, it was a bit extreme but… I was seeing him and was telling him: “Look, isn’t this a bit too much?” (smiling)

[Young] Rafa: I am quite a fighter and such… and I do not like to lose at all.

[La Bamba karaoke segment]

Narrator: That right-handed kid, who however was lefty when he played tennis, became a great promise when, being 15, he defeated the player ranked #80 in the world. At the end of 2004, his good friend Carlos Moya had only one thing in mind: to win the Davis Cup. Therefore, he surely felt some fear when he learned that Rafa Nadal would play the decisive match in the final.

Moya: He was 17, had a tendency to cramp due to nerves… but there is a time when one has a turning point, when you feel that the full potential inside you suddenly flows and goes out. For me, his case is very clear. You realize that you are already in front of someone who is going to be a legend.

Narrator: Six months later, Rafa Nadal wins his first Roland Garros. He is 18 years old.

Rafa’s voice: When you have achieved something once, you believe that you can do it again. I think it is easier to do it again because you know that you have been able to do it.

Narrator: In 2005 Rafa wins 11 titles and ends the year as #2 in the world. He is in Shanghai when a pain in the foot forces him to go to the hospital. A career that has just started, is about to end.

Sebastian: You go from having the highest expectations to the possibility of not being able to play tennis again.

Dr. Cotorro: He already had a [congenital] problem to start with and, on top of that problem in the foot, he suffered a stress fracture. It was in a very specific part of the foot, the arch of the foot and there were some moments in which we feared for the long-term continuity of his career.

Sebastian: For me that was the toughest moment he has had in his career.

[Young] Rafa: Well, we will see for how long I have to rest because of the injury, to what extent it is serious and what they determine.

Rafa: The truth is that I could not even imagine it, but…

Sebastian: We went to visit several doctors and the prospects were not very good, really.

Rafa’s voice: My career as a pro was close to ending.

Sebastian’s voice: I remember very sad moments: he was sitting down on the floor, kind of almost defeated.

Carlin’s voice: He was not speaking. He was hiding at home, taking very long naps… sleeping to forget.

Rafa: In this case, it was my father who came with me to see the various doctors, to all the visits. He had to deal with all the bad news we got from several places.

Dr. Cotorro: I think he was out for 3 or 4 months. And afterward, what we had to do is to put insoles, but in a way just opposite of what is usually done.

Toni: [with the insoles] the rest of his body got in trouble, but they saved the [foot] problem.

Rafa: And that solution worked…

[RG-2006 footage]

Rafa: My father is a very positive person, who always looks ahead. His enthusiasm and positive attitude always help me and [in fact] helped me a lot at that time.

Sebastian: Obviously, when he approaches me and hugs me, yes, I started crying.

[More RG-2006 footage]

Sebastian’s voice: That was the time he has been the closest and when he thanked me, I thought “and why are you thanking me?”. He even would not let me go.

Rafa’s voice: It is a very emotional moment and speaking is very difficult.

Narrator: At that time it was impossible to imagine the importance that Nadal’s victories were having in a lost place in the Colombian jungle. There she was kidnapped since 2002, the French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt.

[For those who do not know her, here it is some background info on Ingrid Betancourt.]

Ingrid: The jungle, and the captivity in the jungle, is a captivity where you are absolutely disconnected from the world that you have known. Surrounded by humiliating, aggressive, violent beings. The refuge for me was to get isolated from this aggressive world, crawl under the mosquito net and, inside that bubble, turning the radio on was the window to freedom, to the world. There was a station, Radio France International, that was broadcasting the Roland Garros matches. And I remember to have discovered, through the narration of the matches, what was Rafael Nadal, who for me was only a name.

Rafa’s voice [on the radio]: For me, to be able to win here is a dream, in this incredible atmosphere, I can only say positive things about this court, no? [Philippe Chatrier]

Ingrid: The fact of hearing Rafa Nadal made me feel part of the living world. If he was able to do it, if after all that happened, he got to recover and win, I was thinking: “It is possible. Some day I will win, some day I will win this match”.

Robinson: The first thing Rafa Nadal did when he arrived in Roland Garros was to win the tournament. That happened in 2005 and since then nobody in history has lifted the legendary Musketeers Cup as many times: Nine of the last eleven editions have been his. It is difficult to think of such an important connection between a city and an athlete as the one Rafa Nadal has with Paris.

Rafa’s voice: I first came to compete here with my family and it is a city that I love. Over the years, you get to find your [favorite] places since after all I have spent many days in this city. For me it will always be a special city, perhaps the most important city in my career and the truth is that whenever I come here, I feel comfortable. I feel happy when I come to Paris. If I come as a tourist, I have a great time because it is a beautiful city, but if I come to compete, I kind of feel like at home, as I have a very good relationship [with the tournament people].

Carlin’s voice: Rafa has become the master of Roland Garros, of tennis on clay, throughout his career.

[Rafa’s voice talking to the Philippe Chatrier crowd in French: “Yes. Good morning everybody”… Bravo Rafa!]

J.Rebout [L’equipe]: Rafa, win or lose, has a great personality on and off court. Beyond all his achievements, the emotional impact of him as an absolute fighter will remain.

Ferru: He is the best ever on clay, yes, he may be that… but he is also among the best ever on all kind of surfaces.

[RG-2009 footage – Voice of Canal+ commentator: “He is going to get to it…. no! It goes out. Goodbye to the 5th Roland Garros”]

J.Rebout: You could tell that the crowd was with Soderling. It was a very strange behavior from the crowd because more than being supporting Soderling, they were against Nadal.

[RG-2010 footage – Voice of Canal+ commentator: “We have only had to wait for one year. Rafa gets revenge over the Swedish and there it is his 5th Roland Garros”]

J.Rebout: Since five years ago, he is the favorite of everybody.

[RG-2011 footage – Voice of the French commentator: “For the 6th time, Nadal lifts the Roland Garros trophie”]

Gasol: It is a very intimate and family moment at which the athlete hugs his parents and the team who are there day after day, after day, in good and bad times. The fact that Rafa hugged me that way was super special for me. It was very emotional and unforgettable.

[RG-2012 and RG-2013 footage – Voice of Canal+ commentator: “The eighth Roland Garros for the king of clay. What nobody else has achieved in tennis till now: winning 8 titles of the same major…”]

Ferru’s voice: Rafa’s figures in tennis are quite something. I think it will be impossible that someone reaches them, or even gets close.

[RG-2013 footage – Voice of Canal+ commentator: “… and the eighth one is already his”]

Djokovic: [Not transcribed]

[RG-2014 footage – Voice of Canal+ commentator: “And the ninth Roland Garros is his. Not even the #1 of the world defeats him”]

Djokovic: [Not transcribed]

Narrator: Four of the nine trophies won in Paris were with victories over Roger Federer [in the final]. It is impossible to explain the figure of one of them without the other. Nadal-Federer, one of the greatest rivalries in the history of tennis.

Federer: [Not transcribed]

Djokovic: [Not transcribed]

Moya: One of the keys to the success of this rivalry is that they are two persons, two players and natures completely different. Federer is more about sobriety, style, class, dosing effort, plasticity… against Rafa the warrior, the one looked up to by the youth, the one to never give up on a ball.

Narrator: It was in the 2008 Wimbledon final where a rivalry becomes legendary.

Carlin: Many people who saw it said at the time that it had not only been the best tennis match in history but the best of any sport in history.

Costa’s voice: It was spectacular! That is, Rafa wins the first two sets. Then, it starts to rain. Next, Roger starts to play well. Then, Rafa recovers… and finally we do not know if we will be able to finish because of lack of light.

Moya’s voice: Viewed over time, it is true that in terms of excitement and quality of play it is indeed one of the big matches in history, without any doubt… and because of the stage: the Wimbledon final and against the greatest player ever. And practically in the wake of that tournament, dethroning him that way, I think it is one of the greatest things that Rafa has done in his career.

[20:51] Sebastian: As victory, we can maybe say that it is “the match”.

[Wimbledon-2008 footage – Voice of Canal+ commentator: “And now champion of Wimbledon 2008. One of the greats in history, as only Rod Laver and Bjorn Borg had done it till now: winning on clay, winning on grass, in the longest final (4h 46m) in the history of Wimbledon. And he has done it and is going to change his life, the history of tennis and all the traditions in Wimbledon” (this is said as we see how Rafa climbs to hug his family and greet the prince & princess of Spain :-) )… Conchita Martinez was also commenting this match and ends up saying: Grande!]

Robinson: For you, Rafa, who [as tennis player] were born on clay, was Wimbledon very important?

Rafa: For me, yes!… take it! [as he gives Robinson the Wimbledon trophy]

Robinson: My goodness!

Rafa: [insists] For me yes, yes.

Robinson: Look, the British of the All England Club have given you something much more decorative than that “Number One” of the world.

Rafa: That’s true. No doubt. It has class… For me it is the most emotional victory in my career.

Robinson: Really?

Rafa: I think so. That of 2008, against Federer in the final, I believe is the most emotional victory in my career, no doubt!

Narrator: One month after winning in London, Rafa conquers the Olympic Games in Beijing.

Robinson: How do you rate this [gold medal in his hands], Rafa, with all your majors?

Rafa: Although perhaps in the tennis world a major is more important than a gold medal, I think a gold medal is the second most important after a major.

Narrator: That same summer, Ingrid Betancourt is freed after six years of kidnapping. Her struggle for freedom is awarded with the Prince of Asturias Award for Concord. At that point, she does not know who will receive the Award for Best Athlete of the Year.

Ingrid: I find myself in the auditorium, sitting next to Rafael Nadal and I could not believe it. I was very surprised when I heard him speak since that is when the voice became a voice that had a face. I do not know if he knew something about me. He never imagined that I was going to speak about him in my speech.

[23:10 Piece of Ingrid’s speech in the ceremony of the 2008 Prince of Asturias Awards: “There were many dark nights in which I tried to break out. I could not imagine that God would hear my call to the point of bringing me here, next to people who cheered me up so many moments of the long captivity I had to live. I followed Rafael Nadal for 6 years on the courts of Rolland Garros…”]

Ingrid: I remember that I looked at him and noticed he was surprised, almost kind of shy.

[Ingrid’s speech continues: “I saw him grow through the live commentary that Radio France International was broadcasting every summer and, while I shared the joy of his growing success, I also lived the frustration of not being able to _see_ his victories. Being here on this day, seeing him face to face is like closing a circle… I invite you all to imagine the world of concord”]

Narrator: Nadal starts 2009 as number one in the world. He advances to the final of the Australian Open after an agonizing semifinal that lasted more than five hours. The following day, Federer awaited him.

Moya: If your opponent is more or less beatable, you can overcome it. But a final against Federer… I think nobody thought he would be able to overcome that… and he did it.

[AO-2009 ceremony footage]

Narrator: In 2010, after winning Roland Garros, Rafa reigns on the grass in London again.

[Wimbledon-2010 footage – Voice of Canal+ commentator: “There he has it… Yes, yes!… Ole!… Incredible!… the #1 on the floor because he has got the Wimbledon crown again and that is the happiness of a 24 years old guy…”]

Narrator: Paris, London, Melbourne… only one major was left: the United States Open…. and he got it!

Moya’s voice: I think that winning all four majors, together with [the gold medal in] the Olympic Games and the Davis Cup that, if I am not mistaken, had only been got by Andre Agassi up to that point, and entering history as someone as complete as him, is somethings really big.

Narrator: Only seven players in history have won all four majors. [He was] again unbeatable, again number one in the world.

Robinson: Are you afraid of failing? (inaudible)… I was very ambitious, but feared failing.

Rafa: No, never in my life. This year has been the only year in my life that I have gone on court with… ooff… because I have had all this anxiety and anxiety prevented me from either thinking or excuting clearly. For the first time in my career, sometimes I have indeed gone on court with fear of failing, not to lose, but to not being able to play, do you know?

Robinson: Why did such anxiety appear?

Rafa: First, many years of competition. Many years… I have almost been ten years in the top-2 and competing for virtually all the tournaments, and then, in the last few years I have had periods of injuries, do you know? I got injured in 2012 after playing Roland Garros. I played Wimbledon, although I should not have played because the state of my knee was terrible and the tendon was an utter mess.

Dr. Cotorro: Clearly, [the knee issue] came from the foot problem and it was a problem of lack of cushioning for everything we had to do with the changes of insoles. That tendon, due to all the overload, collapsed.

Costa: He could not play the Olympic Games, where he was going to be the Spanish flag bearer, and that was a big blow for him.

Rafa: And I said, I will not compete again until I am healthy. But the reality is that I did not get healthy.

Carlin: I talked to people around him, friends of mine, and I had the feeling that he was already almost done, that he would not be able to come back or, at least, not at his level… and suddenly in 2013 he has the best season in his career.

Djokovic: [Not transcribed]

Narrator: In a year full of pain, Rafa wins 10 titles. Among them, his eighth Roland Garros and his second US Open.

Ferrer: That mentality… Rafa’s mentality is, for me, the best ever in the tennis world. I have not seen anyone being so good mentally, no?

[Mary Carrilo’s voice announcing him as USO champion for the second time]

Narrator: For the third time in his career, Rafa is again number one in the world.

Rafa: It is the year that has more value in my career. But that does not prevent it from being a very tough year for me psychologically because I… buff… it was a very emotional year for me, but the reality is that I did not enjoy either training or anything, since my knee was hurting too much.

Narrator: Everything changes at the end of the year. A stem cell treatment heals the tendon in such a way that the pain almost disappears. So, there comes the time to enjoy and nothing better to start 2014 than being in the final of the Australian Open.

Moya: Just as there are victories or matches you win that are a turning point [for the better], that match is a turning point in negative.

Costa: In the end, Rafa plays to achieve goals and, even if he has never said it, I am sure Rafa has in mind that he is [just] three majors behind Roger Federer, no? Thus, in Australia it was a chance: you are in the final, against Wawrinka, a player who is a great player, but over whom you have always won.

Moya’s voice: That pressure, the stress and the unexpected way the match was going cause the injury he had, the problems he had at that moment…

Rafa: The back failed me and I could not compete in the final… and that was a difficult time because for me it was an important final.

Costa’s voice: I still do not know why, but that really hurt him… I think only Rafa knows that… and it took long to overcome it.

Toni’s voice: And this affected him psychologically.

Rafa: OK, it took long but I managed to get back on track. I won Roland Garros playing very well.

Toni: It looked like things were going well, but he got injured in the wrist after Wimbledon and I think this affected him more than it should.

Maymo: It kind of stopped his hope of returning to the top again and his way of seeing the world was distorted.

Dr. Cotorro: He had to stop for 4 weeks, which is the usual time for this kind of injuries

Maymo: Every injury that you have is like a stone thrown on you. You deal with the first one well, also with the second, but when the 3rd, the 4th, the 5th come… it becomes more and more difficult because you know the great amount of work you will have to put in to return after the layoff.

Rafa: In Shanghai, the day after losing in quaterfinals in Beijing, which was the first tournament I was playing after several months without being able to compete, I suffered appendicitis and everything ended for me in the season.

Narrator: At that time, and away from the courts, Rafa Nadal shows his plans for the future: the tennis academy in Manacor that will bear his name.

Robinson: Does it mean anything that all this started to be built only ten months ago? Is it that is already crossing your mind something like ‘what will I do when I retire?’ ?

Rafa: No, look, no. We have been trying to do this project for years, but doing something like this requires its process and its time. We are going to be fully involved in the development, in trying to bring the kids to their sporting limit, as well as in their education, which for us is very important. Because, how many can make a living as tennis players? the truth is that the percentage is not very big. We are going to try that they are as many as possible, but obviously the percentage is small. Here we have evertything needed for the kids to give their maximum not only on a sporting level, but also at the academic level. It is part of my present and of my future, too.

Narrator: And so begins 2015. The year in which, physically, everything works. But also, the year in which everything lived and accumulated starts to take its toll.

Rafa: I start the season and in Australia I playe very bad, very bad.

Costa’s voice: Against Berdych, in 45 minutes, Rafa was losing 6-2, 6-0 or 6-0, 6-2… and that was odd.

[Piece of Rafa’s post QF AO-2015 vs Berdych presser]

Sebastian: It is the result of years of accumulated wear, situations that give rise to anxiety. In the day to day, not on court but at home, you see that, unlike before when he always had a positive attitude, he starts to be a little more negative. You don’t see him happy. You see that he is not alright.

Rafa: As the year goes by, I feel my [tennis] level is better. But I go to compete, say, to Miami and the reality is that… ooff!

C.Bouchard: [Not transcribed]

Rafa’s voice: [I was] Unable to control the timing of the ball, i.e., hitting the ball much earlier than I wanted to hit it, sweating much more than I should… Too accelerated, without self control.

J.Rebout: Players are always told: “Do not recognize your weaknesses or if you doubt. You always have to be strong”. And yet he said: No, I accept my weakness! and he acknowledged it openly. It is incredible that a player recognizes that he is afraid. The fact that it is said by the greatest fighter in the history of tennis, is even more incredible.

Benito: It is the first time that the person who, historically, is mentally the strongest in the sport of tennis admits to having a problem. And I think that is fine! I very much like an athlete speaking naturally and sincerely.

Ferru: By saying that, he shows why he has achieved everything he has achieved. He does not look for excuses.

Rafa: You try to take it easy… you know that is what you have to go through at the moment, to accept that you have this problem… You go out with that uncertainty, no? They are unpleasant feelings, especially because for me they have been new.

Gasol: We have talked a few times. I think he has had some moments of nerves, lack of confidence at some point. I play a team sport and if one day I do not have a good day, other fellows can do a good job and we can win the match anyway. In tennis, this is not possible.

Costa: Rafa used to enjoy the pressure moments on court… After twelve years this way, the fact that it suddenly disappeared and was completely the opposite; that he did not know how to manage those pressure moments and was an unrecognizable Rafa, was really shocking.

Rafa: It was not a tennis issue. The problem was that when you are going to hit a tennis ball and you are affected by mental issues, obviously everything is much more complicated or almost impossible, I would say.

Maymo’s voice: What he had never had to face is the moment in which that upward trajectory somehow were stopped as abruptly as it has been stopped this time.

Rafa’s voice: And this year, the mental block that I have had has not allowed me to do all those things, all that mental work on court.

Costa’s voice: Rafa himself must have a chaos inside [his head] and wonder, what is happening?

Narrator: Rafa was alternating good matches with others in which he was unrecognizable, as in the Barcelona tournament.

[Barcelona-2015 footage – Voice of Canal+ commentator: “Fognini does not let it up. On the contrary, he is seeing a wounded Nadal and is going for him. 0-15”]

Rafa’s voice: As you do not control your mind, you do not know what level you can reach at that moment…

[Barcelona-2015 footage – Voice of Canal+ commentator: “He has caught him…yes, yes…in the middle of the approach. Look out!”]

Rafa: The match depends on how some moments develop… if the match starts badly, then… ooff, confidence goes way down.

Barcelona-2015 footage – Voice of Canal+ commentator: “Ooff… Rafa needs to cheer himself up”]

Toni’s voice: You are not calm, [then] you do not hit the ball well. You do not hit the ball well, [then] you are not calm and you lose matches.

[Barcelona-2015 footage – Voice of Canal+ commentator: “One and one more till Fognini finds this (the error)… See? those are the shots…”]

Federer: [Not transcribed]

Sebastian: You cannot continue this way, I was telling him. In the end, you have no need to suffer. Thus, if you suffer playing, you do not have to play. What for?

Narrator: But Paris was looming on the calendar, the chance to win his tenth trophy.

Moya’s voice: He always arrives at Roland Garros thinking: OK, if things have not gone that well so far, winning Roland Garros is the lifeline to grip and go upward from there.

Djokovic: [Not transcribed]

Moya: Losing to Djokovic, and also in the way he lost… one of the few matches in which he gave up the fight a bit.

Ferrer: When you see a match where he gives up the fight a bit, you are like… this cannot be! That is not Rafa.

Djokovic: [Not transcribed]

Gasol: The good thing about those potholes that you face in your career (all of us have had them) is to overcome them, not to get carried away.

Narrator: Over time, Nadal acknowledged that the first loss in RG, that of 2009, occurred in the context of the separation of his parents. The diagnosis of the defeat of 2015 was much faster: a bad year that seems determined not to finish.

Rafa: [Rafa shows us a variety of faces while trying to think of the toughest moment in 2015] Well, I cannot tell you a particular time… Wimbledon was a tough moment because I was coming with a very good preparation, I felt I was playing well and had trained well… and I lost to a player…

Carlin: Against the German hippie, who had his perfect day. It was like the perfect storm. That guy had never played, or will ever play, a match of that level in his life.

[Wimbledon-2015 footage – Voice of Canal+ commentator: “There it is… impossible to have more anarchy… And second serve ace!… Well, well, he cannot stop. It is incredible!”]

Rafa: I lost but… never mind! I lost but I could not compete well. I did not feel… I did not have that strength

[More Wimbledon-2015 footage – Voice of Canal+ commentator: “uh””]

Rafa’s voice: The mind has always been a good thing I have had throughout my career and something that has almost never failed me, no? And there, at Wimbledon, it was indeed a difficult moment when I lost. I’m not saying I hit rock bottom, because in the end hitting rock bottom are many other things.

Maymo: And there comes a time when your mind, your body, your energy run out. You need a reset, so to speak. You have to stop and start again.

Rafa’s voice: I need some changes, also some time to rest and an almost complete disconnection from the world. I went to the sea and…

Narrator: For the first time in his life he is not favorite. His ranking drops to the tenth place. Some voices ask him to change his coach.

Toni: It is normal for people to give their opinion. Anyway, I never attributed to me Rafael’s success of winning RG or Wimbledon and now I will not be so foolish to attribute to me the failure of not winning it, if we speak of a failure.

Carlin: I agree with the idea that we have seen him in need of a important mental revulsive. More than anything, mentally. Another influence.

Toni: Yes, there is some wear… and there is one thing that is natural: I repeat the same things and maybe sometimes it would be good for him to hear a different opinion. It is normal.

Moya: When you are used to listening to someone for so many years, he might not to get to you in the same way. But it is true that Rafa feels comfortable when his uncle is around. When I was still playing, I have been in tournaments in which Toni was not and seen Rafa talking on the phone with Toni when he was about to enter on court.

Toni: Those who talk about the need of changing the coach may be right, obviously.

Carlin: But… this is not feasible. As someone who knows Rafa very well once told me: before changing coach, Rafa cuts an arm off.

Moya: Because the family for Rafa is essential.

Rafa: I have always believed that when things go well it is because I do things well, obviously with the help of everyone else. And when things go wrong, the one to blame is the same, that is me.

Narrator: After the summer Rafa plays the US Open. In his R3 match, he wins the first two sets and loses the next three. He is eliminated, but something seems to be changing.

[Piece of Rafa’s post-R3 presser in Spanish at USO-2015: I have fought till the end. I have not given up at any time, I have not felt discouraged mentally at any moment, and there were quite a few moments to feel discouraged about after all that has happened, but I have not. It seems it is not the time for me to win. I have to assume that I have to improve… and I am on it!]

[Playing golf]

Rafa: Can you see how badly I am enduring the pressure? (smiling)

Robinson: Has it fallen on green?

Rafa: No, I am not on green, no.

Robinson: It has fallen a bit short.

Rafa: You have advantage… In tennis, you go out on court to play and any match can be lost. I am telling you the truth when I say that the other day I played in DC and faced the player #900 in the world and… ooff

Robinson: Did you feel the pressure?

Rafa: I was quite under pressure (smiles)

Robinson: I am not coming to see if you get to put it or anything… just to see how are things.

Rafa: See? Now I do feel a lot of pressure (Robinson laughs)

Robinson: Well, one fourth was missing, right?

Rafa: Aha

Robinson: Wow, that is so good. That is really good. Very well, Rafael. Woah!

Rafa: Gracias. Thank you.

Robinson: Woah… So, we are tied with the goal average, no?

Rafa: We both have ended up with a lovely +2 in two holes, which is a brilliant result.

Narrator: We had to wait till October to feel that, beyond the results, someone seemed to be coming back.

[Basel-2015 footage – Voice of Canal+ commentator: “I cannot believe it, I cannot beleive it… Rafa Nadal celebrating the win as if it was a title]

Narrator: In November, Paris-Bercy was waiting for him. Rafa was coming from playing the final in Basel and from doing final and semifinal in the tournaments of Beijing and Shanghai.

Rafa’s voice: Things are going in the right direction. For quite a while now I have been enjoying more than I did throughout the season. I would say that I am almost fully recovered from the mental issue and tennis wise, things are going much better, too.

Toni’s voice: I see Rafael practicing with the utmost enthusiasm. I think he is doing things right.

Sebastian’s voice: He is much calmer, has a much more positive attitude and I think the change is noticeable, no? in his day to day.

Narrator: The year with more defeats in his career is left behind. The year in which he won fewer titles and yet it may be the year with the biggest victory.

Rafa: When I go on court, at least during the last three weeks, I do not go with that feeling of “let us see if I do not make a mess”, which is a feeling I have had this season and had never had before. All this kind of feelings have disappeared.

Narrator: In the last tournament of the year, Rafa loses to Djokovic in semifinals, but previously he has defeated Wawrinka (#4) and Andy Murray (#2). Together with the change of mentality, there is a change in his game.

Moya’s voice: He no longer has the explosiveness, his body is different. He accepts the role of having to be more aggressive. Thus, the positive side of this season, which has not perhaps been as he expected, is that he has made a change.

Costa’s voice: The sum of all the defeats of 2015 have made him finally say: “Now is the time”… and he is doing it and he is testing it in tournaments, which is not easy, and things are working.

Narrator: And so begins 2016, being 29 years old, with 14 major titles and several scars. The spirit remains intact.

Djokovic: [Not transcribed]

Federer: [Not transcribed]

Gasol: I see him full of energy, confident, very strong and eager to return to be what he is, a number one.

Federer: [Not transcribed]

Moya: I believe Rafa can become number one in the future, but he should not expect the slump of Djokovic. Whoever wants to be number one will have to win over this version we know of Djokovic.

Carlin: Will Rafa win another major again? If you point a gun to my head and force me to bet everything I have on Earth, I would bet “yes”.

Sebastian: It is becoming more difficult, since it is the rule of life. Let us not forget that in a few years’ time he will not play tennis and you have to be prepared for that because it will happen. I think he… I do think he is.

[In the trophy room]

Robinson: Do you fear not being able to add some more majors?

Rafa: No, I do not fear that. The truth is that I have more than I had ever dreamed, but I honestly tell you that everything has a beginning and everything has an end. One should not be afraid of the end. However, that is not stopping me from being eager and motivated to fight, so that I keep on giving myself chances to get something like that. And I have the personal motivation, I do not know if to win or not more of those, but for sure to have chances of winning them again.

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Doha: Final photos

A few photos from the final.

Photos by REUTERS/Naseem Zeitoon and REUTERS/Ibraheem Al Omari,

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Doha: Post final presser

Photo by REUTERS/Ibraheem Al Omari

Transcript of Rafa’s final presser in Doha.

Q. Can you give us your thoughts on the match? What are your biggest takeaways from the week and from this match?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, for the match is easy to analyze. I played against a player who did everything perfect. I know nobody playing tennis like this ever. Since I know this sport I never saw somebody playing at this level.

So just congratulate him and that’s it. I know I can do a few things better, but the real thing is with these conditions playing during the night and with the feeling of the ball here, it’s so difficult to have chances against him playing like this. Is probably impossible.

But the real thing is I had a positive week. I am playing well, and I gonna keep working hard to try to be ready for Australia. And I think I will be. I am motivated for it.

And Australia is a different story, different conditions. And it’s obvious that Novak playing like this is going to be so difficult to beat him for anyone.

But for my side, the only thing that I can do is watching positive all the things that I improved the last couple of months. If I lost 6-1, 6-2 today, it’s because I played against a player that played at the level that I didn’t know since the day of today. So that’s it. Not because I did a disaster or not because I am playing bad or because — no. The opponent was too good. And when something like this happens, the only thing you can do is applause him and congratulate the opponent.

For my side, I am happy the way that I am working and I gonna keep working.

Q. You have played Novak 47 times now, more than anyone else on tour. Are there still any secrets between you two, or do you pretty much know exactly what to expect each time?

RAFAEL NADAL: You don’t expect play against a player who plays at this level. So that’s it. Every match is different, you know, a little bit how it goes, but today was so special.

Q. You have obviously talked about his game, which was more or less perfect, probably the most perfect game you have ever seen. Is it the length of his groundstrokes that sticks out? Because he was hitting more or less any ball right at the baseline, which made it impossible to do anything.

RAFAEL NADAL: When I say perfect, is not one thing in particular. It’s everything. If not, it’s not perfect.

Q. In response to the first question you said one of the things you are trying to do is get ready for Australia. How far are you from winning a Grand Slam again? Are you ready? Are you there?

RAFAEL NADAL: Maybe I am three weeks away, maybe I am five months away or six or nine, or maybe I am forever away. You know, you never know how these thing goes.

I am playing good. We will see what’s going on in the next four next Grand Slams and see what’s going on the next couple of years. I cannot tell you how far I am. I know last year I was so far (smiling). This year is different story.

Q. In Novak’s matches earlier in the week he was not at this level at all. Were you watching his matches? Were you surprised at how he managed to elevate it so much today?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, when somebody is arriving with that confidence and when somebody is so good like him and arrives with that self-confidence, something like this can happen, but the real thing is I saw him playing yesterday. I saw him playing before yesterday a little bit. And from TV it looks a little bit different like today, but that’s it.

No, he played so good. Accept it and, as I said before, congratulate him. No, no, nothing to say. The only thing is the opponent is better than me today. And here especially. Let’s see in Australia and let’s see later during the whole season. I’m going to fight and I feel ready to fight, and I feel ready and excited about this fight and I hope to be closer.

Q. You said that you’re pleased with the way things are going from your side. But when you see a lot of positive things on your side and then you step on the court against someone who is, like you said, playing perfect, is there any sense of frustration or you’re able to not feel that way?

RAFAEL NADAL: If you get frustrated for somebody that is better than you, it’s stupid. The real thing, no, is I always think that if you are frustrated because somebody knows how to do something better than you, you are too arrogant or you are not smart enough. No, that’s it.

When somebody is better than you, you accept and you work to try to improve yourself. That’s it. No, no, for sure I am not frustrated. I look the things very clear, and I am always honest. Today he’s better than me without a doubt.

We will see during the whole season. No, no, that’s all. Today? He’s better than me. We will see in two weeks or we will see in five months. The only thing that you can do is wait that the opponent is not playing like this all the time. That is difficult to play like this all the time, it’s obvious. And I gonna wait my moment.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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Doha: Runner-up

Photo by REUTERS/Naseem Zeitoon

Just wanted to thank Miri for the chance to vent all my tennis thoughts here on NadalNews this week. Thanks also to all who posted comments ❤️

*Miri might appreciate a few reports from the upcoming nightmare scheduling of the Australian Open if anyone is so inclined.

(Note: Yes, I would appreciate any help! And thanks for all the help, sia! – miri)

Ok. So are we ready for this? I’m up and eating yogurt with lemon and turmeric (healthy new year thing … really, though I just covered everything with a lot of honey. It was delicious!)

Rafa in the “tunnel”. Spanish flags flying!! We have a marching band on court. Novak a little more subdued … we all know that means very little. All rise the National Anthem of Qatar being played.

Cedric Mourier will be our chair umpire today. He and Rafa wait for Novak at the net. ND wins the toss and chooses to serve.

Here we go. Crowd is so very ready for this. We have two exceptional competitors on court today. Nice conditions, no wind.

First Set

Novak serves first and hits an ace. Rafa’s FH goes wide. Rafa returns well and his FH does some damage 30-15. DF from Novak. Rafa forces an error with some deep penetration and gets a break point. Novak finds a new gear and although Rafa pushes in that game, Novak holds with an ace.

Rafa hits nothing but second serves in the second game of the first set (oh except for a challenged serve which is called an ACE), you really can’t do that against the world’s best returner … Rafa is broken! Novak goes up 0-2.

Lots of “Vamos Rafa” from the crowd trying to urge him on.

Rafa looks a little rattled and Novak serves and holds again to go up 0-3. Not really the start we were all hoping for. Rafa has to serve well and make absolutely no mistakes to have a chance. Yikes!In the next game Rafa serves a little bit better and holds(!) for 1-3. He’s on the board.

Already Novak has upped his level … not sure if Rafa can keep up, quite yet.

Novak hits some great serves; Rafa hits some short returns and score is 1-4. Novak really has been serving so well these last months, combine that with his tremendous return abilities and he really becomes an impenetrable force. Boris was such a good server.

Rafa starts his next serving game well but ND is pushing him so far off the court in their rallies and then just hitting winners. Rafa is BROKEN for the second time. Novak serves for the set and basically hits everything from the centre of the court. He wins the set. 1-6

Second Set

Rafa to serve. We have a ferocious rally Rafa comes out on top 15-0, then he DFs, hits a second serve, another second serve and goes down 15-40. There is a great rally where Rafa uses a lot of shot variety and pulls an error from ND, another good serve and we are back to deuce. Rafa can’t keep tempo with ND though and loses the next two points. Rafa starts the second set being BROKEN. Sadness.

One of the TTV commentators about Novak, who had stumbled a bit in last game. “When he does fall there is a thespian element to it, sometimes, isn’t there?” Hahaha.

CROWD IS CHANTING RAFA’S NAME.

Novak has no trouble holding in the next game and goes up two games to love. Rafa hitting himself in head after going long with one of his his FHs.

Rafa serves well in the game and holds. Rafa not able to get any depth on his returns and ND holds with ease. Rafa’s got the crazy hair but it does him no good as ND BREAKS in the next game and he goes down 2 breaks of serve.

Novak wins the first two points in the next game and then Rafa seems to get feisty with someone in the crowd. “You come down here and play Novak” is what I think he trying to say. The commentators let us know he was letting loose a little Rafa snark “Do you want to be my coach?” Haha. Rafa wins the next point. ND does hold.

Rafa serving at 1-5 wins the game with some good FH action. 2-5. Novak to serve for the Championship. Which he does. Rafa loses 1-6 2-6.

ND hit 30 winners. Rafa 9.

Novak goes ahead in their Head to Head for the first time. 24-23.

Rafa could have created a few more opportunities for himself but Novak was dominant throughout the match. Rafa looking lovely and slightly sad in his white jacket on his bench watching ND hit balls into the crowd.

Everything goes dark and we have a full on Titanium music and light show to start off the trophy ceremony. Rafa looks on tentatively … Ah the crowd trying to cheer up Rafa, who was lost in thought and captured by the camera. He smiles and raises his hand in a wave.

Gaston Gaudio is here to present trophies. Rafa gets a lot of applause “Positive start of the season for me” Happy to be in a final. “… going to keep working so hard to be ready for Australia and the rest of the season“ FANS LOVE RAFA !! Rafa thanks the tournament for all their hospitality.

Rafa makes jokes. “I find a new coach today, too .. so .. I think he’s travelling with me to Australia tonight, and I’m sure I’m going to win against Novak with him.”

“Thanks everybody. Many thanks” Rafa is so great. He turned that Finalist speech around to something so special. Steamy! That’s why we love him!

Rafa’s trophy ceremony interview:

Posted by rafanadal-kingoftennis.ru/.

Comments from Rafa after the match can be found in this ATP article:

“The match is easy to analyse,” said Nadal. “I played against a player who did everything perfectly. I don’t know anybody who’s ever played tennis like this. Since I know this sport I’ve never seen somebody playing at this level. So I just congratulate him and that’s it.

“I know I can do a few things better, but the real thing is with these conditions, playing during the night and with the feeling of the ball here, it’s so difficult to have chances against him playing like this. It is probably impossible.

“When somebody is better than you, you accept it and you work to try to improve yourself. That’s it. I am not frustrated. I look at the things very clearly and I am always honest. Today he’s better than me without a doubt.”

“The real thing is I had a positive week. I am playing well and I am going to keep working hard to try to be ready for Australia. I think I will be. I am motivated for it.

“He played so good. Accept it and congratulate him. Nothing left to say. The only thing is the opponent is better than me today. And here especially. Let’s see in Australia and let’s see later during the whole season. I’m going to fight and I feel ready to fight. I feel ready and excited about this fight and I hope to be closer.”

Nadal Djokovic Statistics on Serve Aces 3 4 Double Faults 1 1 1st Serve % 65% 75% 1st Serve Points Won 14/28 (50%) 26/33 (79%) 2nd Serve Points Won 6/15 (40%) 8/11 (73%) Break Points Saved 3/7 (43%) 1/1 (100%) Service Games Played 7 8 Statistics on Return 1st Return Points Won 7/33 (21%) 14/28 (50%) Second Return Points Won 3/11 (27%) 9/15 (60%) Break Points Won 0/1 (%) 4/7 (57%) Return Games Played 8 7 Statistics on Points Total Service Points Won 20/43 (47%) 34/44 (77%) Total Return Points Won 10/44 (23%) 23/43 (53%) Total Points Won 30/87 (34%) 57/87 (66%)

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Doha: Semifinal presser transcript

Photo by REUTERS/Naseem Zeitoon

Transcript of the presser Rafa gave after his win over Marchenko.

Q. Just talk about the match. You seemed to be doing everything perfectly. How was it from your side?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, not perfect, obviously. But I did a few good things, and I’m happy with the victory, being in the first final of the season in the first official tournament is something great, very good news, very happy for that. For sure is important for me for my confidence, confirm that the end of 2015 season had been something realistic and this beginning of 2016 I still playing well, so I’m able to already won four matches here and be in the final. Have points, have confidence, and rhythm. So everything is all positive.

Q. Marchenko was riding on a lot of confidence with some big wins this week. How were you able to neutralize his game so well today?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, he was playing well during the whole week, no? Winning against great opponents, very dangerous opponents, like David, Gabashvili, and yesterday against a big player in hard court like Chardy, no?

So I went on court with a lot of respect for him, knowing that he was playing at very high level. I tried to play a little bit more aggressive than yesterday. I think I played well. My serve was working well tonight, and I had some opportunities on the return. I didn’t convert all ones, but two breaks was enough because I was serving well.

Q. It’s been two years since you won a hard court title in an official competition. Does it feel in your mind that it’s been that long since you have won a hard court title? How much would it mean to you to break that?

RAFAEL NADAL: It’s something that I don’t think about. It’s something that it’s obviously not worries me much. I know if I’m playing well, I gonna have opportunities. If you are not playing well, for sure my opportunity is not going to be there, no? That’s it.

The last, I don’t know, six tournaments that I played on hard court I have been playing semifinals in Beijing, semifinals in Shanghai, and then final in Basel and then quarterfinals and semifinals — well, quarterfinals in Paris and semifinals in World Tour Finals. And last week is not official tournament but playing against tough opponents on hard too in Abu Dhabi, so winning a couple of good matches, too.

If I play well, I gonna have my chances, no? And then win or lose, anything can happen. But the positive thing and most important thing is feel yourself that every time that you go on court you are competitive against everybody and you have your chances.

That’s what I feel today. So I don’t know if gonna be tomorrow or not, but if I play well, gonna be soon or late.

Q. You’re tied 23 apiece with Novak in your head-to-head. If he wins today against Tomas, how do you approach that match?

RAFAEL NADAL: Even though I won, it’s the first of the season, so for me is important to play against any opponent, Tomas or him, play being competitive and fighting and do positive things on court. That’s what I gonna try, and I gonna fight for it.

Q. Novak said he is a kind of a player who likes to take a break at offseason or…

RAFAEL NADAL: Who?

Q. Novak. And if he doesn’t play tennis for a week or something, still, you know, techniques and feeling of tennis doesn’t go anywhere. In the other hand, like some other players like Nishikori said if he doesn’t play tennis for just two or three days, he’s going to lose the feeling of tennis. I was wondering which type of a player you are.

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, with two or three days without playing tennis, I am not losing my feeling. Sometimes you recover the feeling. But it’s obvious that I don’t like to rest for two weeks without touching a racquet, or three weeks, because then is not just a question of tennis; it’s a question of physical performance.

You know, playing tennis, after a lot of years playing tennis, if I stay two weeks without playing tennis, then I start and I have pain everywhere, no? Elbow, shoulder, knees. So I don’t want to do it that way, no? And I cannot.

So I take, if I want a break, to have breaks, I break for three days, then I practice two days, then I have to break again for three more days. That’s my holidays, no? And I cannot have a break of 15 days in a row, because then I am in trouble.

But this year I didn’t have rest. I keep going. Not for everybody is the same every year. Novak last year played IPTL, too, and this year he didn’t because he played so much during the full season, official season. So for everybody, every year is different. And for everybody works different things.

Q. Your opponent Marchenko had defeated two seeds before he ran up to you. Now do you think actually it’s your name, you know, the ranking that has an impact and the rest is then done with the game, the amazing game that you have? Do you think people are actually pulverized before they actually meet you? I mean, they are like, okay, they are up against Rafa, that kind of feeling?

RAFAEL NADAL: I can’t — you understand?

Q. The thing is I want to ask, is it the image that you have or that actually scares your opponents away even before they actually play?

RAFAEL NADAL: Didn’t happen last year (laughter). Is obvious that when somebody is winning a lot in a row, then sometimes that effect can happen, but is not my case today. I have to fight for every match. And that’s it.

No, no, no, I know that feeling when I was winning a lot on clay in the past or winning so many matches in a row, then sometimes you win matches not before the matches start, for sure, because you have to play every match, but if you start well the match, then the things are a little bit easier. But is not my case today.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports.

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Doha: Rafa defeats Marchenko

Photo by REUTERS/Naseem Zeitoon

So here we go with the first of the Doha semi-finals.

Ilya Marchenko has been off training in the mountains of … somewhere exotic … the Tatra Mountains of Slovakia, so say our lovely commies for the week, and it’s paid off; he’s had a good run here. Rafa, though, is a different mountain to climb. This could be a very steep slope for Ilya. (I’ll stop now).

Rafa looking fresh after the two hour plus marathon from yesterday. Ilya and Manuel Messina, our chair ump, chatting and waiting patiently for our big mountain named Rafa to arrive at the net. After the coin toss, Rafa elects to serve.

These two have never met before. Ilya doesn’t seem to be carrying any injury woes from yesterday.

Another great crowd tonight. Toni wearing a towel like an old Spanish lady.

First Set

In the first game Rafa hits only one first serve but holds to 15, some really good returns and Rafa breaks in the second, and finishing the third game with an ACE Rafa is up 3-0. Ilya settles and finally gets some first serves in the court … good service game to hold for 3-1. Rafa hits another ACE in his next service game and goes on to hold for 4-1. Rafa’s looking great … hitting really deep into the court.

In the next game with Ilya serving Rafa has a couple of break points but Ilya somehow stays on that mountain path and holds for 4-2.

Rafa’s next game is AGGRESSIVE woo-hoo. He hits another ACE and some terrific FHs to hold at 15 and go up 5-2. Ilya has a fantastic serving game holds for 5-3. Rafa to serve for the set. He is hitting his slice serve out wide to perfection!! Rafa goes ahead one set. 6-3.

Second Set

Ilya starts the set serving and even though Rafa has BPs he manages to hold. Rafa pretends to be Milos or John or maybe even Ivo during the second game of the set, holds at love.

Ilya holds in the third …although Rafa hit a forehand down the line in that game that made me sit up in my chair so fast I knocked over my coffee!!

Meanwhile, the commentators are having a conversation about the new President of the ITF and changes that are being talked about for the Davis Cup. You know, such as a neutral venue in November for the final four teams … something like that. Our commies aren’t fans of the idea. Me neither. I like the blood pumping sound of a home team trying to pump up their players to victory. :)

Back to the match. Rafa serving, a big Vamos! after a good rally to start the fourth game. Rafa holds to love. We are at 2-2. Ok. I think we all sense it coming … and it does. Rafa then breaks at love. His returns are fantastic!! 3-2.

Business like from Rafa (I hear Robbie Koenig’s voice in my head even though he’s actually not one of the commentators). He could have worn a suit and tie … glad he didn’t, although he pulls that off quite well. Oh, now I’m thinking about strip tennis … thank you, Tommy Hilfiger. See where my mind goes during the change overs …

Ilya does all he can in the next game, drawing errors from Rafa and actually creates a BP. Rafa slams that door shut with a serve out wide and FH combo. Rafa holds 4-2.

Ilya serves well in the next game 3-4.

Lots of talk about Rafa winning 100% of his first serves in the first set. Rafa hits a tweener in the next game – there is probably a video – and holds 5-3. Ilya Marchenko serves his last game and holds for 4-5. Rafa will serve for the match. He actually hits another ACE on his way to closing it out.

Great match from Rafa; his serve was good his FH excellent. Good tournament for Ilya Marchenko.

Andy Taylor “Confident, Aggressive Win”. “Thankyouverymuch,” says Rafa.

So much love for Rafa in Doha.

Rafa sets up his 99th final and a chance to win his 68th title.

Bonus* The lovely team of FLopez and MLopez have won the doubles title here in Doha.

Full match:

Posted by Nadal Tribute.

Highlights:

Posted by Nadal Power.

Last game and post-match interview:

Posted by rafanadal-kingoftennis.ru/.

Some photos:

Photos by AP Photo/Alexandra Panagiotidou and REUTERS/Naseem Zeitoon.

Nadal Marchenko Statistics on Serve Aces 6 6 Double Faults 0 1 1st Serve % 70% 65% 1st Serve Points Won 33/37 (89%) 27/35 (77%) 2nd Serve Points Won 8/16 (50%) 7/19 (37%) Break Points Saved 1/1 (100%) 5/7 (71%) Service Games Played 10 9 Statistics on Return 1st Return Points Won 8/35 (23%) 4/37 (11%) Second Return Points Won 12/19 (63%) 8/16 (50%) Break Points Won 2/7 (29%) 0/1 (%) Return Games Played 9 10 Statistics on Points Total Service Points Won 41/53 (77%) 34/54 (63%) Total Return Points Won 20/54 (37%) 12/53 (23%) Total Points Won 61/107 (57%) 46/107 (43%) Other Stats Winners 16 14 Unforced errors 13 22 Net Approaches 6/11 (55%) 7/8 (88%)

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