Rafael Nadal

[Barty]

Niezły prztyczek w nos Federera to ostatnie zdanie.

[Kamileki]

Niezły prztyczek w nos Federera to ostatnie zdanie.

Roger całkiem nieźle sobie poradził w finale Szlema, który dał mu prowadzenie nad Samprasem (Wimbledon 2009).

[Kiefer]

Nie wiem, czy to nie bardziej Roddick sobie nie poradził.

[Barty]

Wszyscy są świadomi, że te 20 szlemów to głównie dzięki szczęściu.

[Damian]

[Lucas]

[Damian]

Rafael Nadal: 'I got close to suffer a major injury'

Spoiler:

Last week Rafael Nadal saved two match points against Denis Shapovalov in the third round en route to his 10th Rome Open title. Fifteen years ago, the Spaniard was in a similar situation on his debut in Rome, fending off two match points in that epic final against Roger Federer.

When asked to compare those two games, Rafa said that's impossible, considering how important the 2006 final was. Furthermore, the Spaniard revealed that it has to be his favorite win with match point against him. In that outstanding 2006 Rome title match, the best match of all time for many, it took Nadal five hours and five minutes to defeat Federer 6-7 (0), 7-6 (5), 6-4 , 2-6, 7-6 (5) and defend the title in Rome, with both players giving their 120% from start to finish.

The Spaniard was already one of the most efficient clay players of all time at the age of 19. However, Roger entered this final with positive vibes after pushing Rafa to the limit in Monte Carlo a month earlier, ready to make another strong challenge in Rome and fight for the title that was missing.


The Swiss was on equal footing with the Spaniard and had a great chance to steal the win, leading 4-1 in the final set and wasting two match points on the return in the 12th game and a 5-3 lead in the decisive tiebreaker.

As always, Nadal refused to give up and overcame all obstacles to win one of the most important matches of his career and lift the sixth Masters 1000 title, all before his 20th birthday!

Rafael Nadal won his 10th Italian Open title on Sunday
Rafael Nadal won his 10th Italian Open title on Sunday, beating Novak Djokovic in a hard-fought final.

But Nadal's journey during the week was far from straightforward, and after the final he admitted there was a bit of "luck" involved in his victory. "I was lucky at some moments, especially against Shapo," Nadal said.

"And then I think I played a good tournament..playing better and better, finding my rhythm on clay..having this trophy, it happened again...amazing. I am honored to face you, Novak," Nadal said. "You are playing great, you won in Australia, now let's see what happens in Paris.

You are one of the greatest players ever. Our rivalry is fantastic. Both on Friday and today I got close to suffer a major injury," Nadal said. "So I was upset. It's dangerous. It's plastic lines, so sometimes they can get a bit higher than the clay. In tennis you run fast and it can turn brutal."

https://www.tennisworldusa.org/tennis/n ... r-injury-/

[Barty]

'Saving match points vs. Shapovalov gave Rafael Nadal...', says former star

Spoiler:

After a beautiful and exciting final, the king of clay courts Rafael Nadal beat his long-time rival Novak Djokovic and yesterday won his 'Tenth' victory at the Internazionali d'Italia in Rome. The two had a very hard-fought match full of great shots and in the end the Majorcan triumphed in three tough sets.

At the end of the match Rafa told his impressions and talked about the various positive aspects achieved this week, a further step towards his seasonal goal, namely Roland Garros, a tournament that could lead him to be the only man in history with 21 Grand Slam titles.

Here are the words of the twenty-time Grand Slam winner at the press conference: "It's incredible to have won the trophy again here in Rome. It's number 10, I really wanted this 10th title here, I remember it was one of the first important titles.

that I have won in my career. After 10 at Roland Garros, 10 in Monte Carlo and 10 in Barcelona, ​​I wanted to reach this milestone here too and for me it is a very important tournament. It has been a tough week, I have been through a lot and there have been some positive moments and others less so.

I think I've played a very solid week of tennis and I'm happy. In the last few weeks I think I have made some progress with my forehand, I have found better solutions than in the past and this is essential to improve my game.

Then it is important to have improved my serve which gives me more confidence, I have had a fantastic week and I feel good. I am a bit tired but it was a fantastic win. The collapse in the second set? In these races, everything happens, I was playing against one of the best and it is normal to suffer at some point, I did not convert my chances at the beginning of the set and then I played very badly, I was against the wind and I lost concentration a bit.

In the third set I returned to the standards of the first and managed to save the challenge. This week I have improved a lot, but now I have to maintain this progress and then I will feel more confident and confident."

Roddick opens up on Rafael Nadal
Former pros Jim Courier and Andy Roddick recently gave their thoughts on Rafael Nadal's Italian Open triumph. Courier claimed that Nadal's 10th title at the Foro Italico was a 'statement win' given how he fought through some tough matches, while Roddick reiterated how privileged he considers himself to see Nadal and Djokovic play each other.

According to Roddick, Rafael Nadal's win over Denis Shapovalov - where he had to save match points before winning in three hard-fought sets - was the turning point for the Spaniard. "I mean Rafa found his groove this week, I thought he was a little spotty in Monte Carlo, he grinded through and got through Barcelona," Roddick said.

"And Madrid he kinda got railroaded a bit against Zverev. Saving those match points against Shapovalov gave him a chance to find his best tennis. Getting through Zverev easily, Opelka and then grinding down Novak."

https://www.tennisworldusa.org/tennis/n ... r-injury-/

[Kamileki]

@DUN I LOVE , @Kiefer, @Nando - 35 lat na karku, włosów już prawie nie ma, ale kolekcja wciąż się rozrasta:

Wersja hiszpańska


Wersja angielska

[DUN I LOVE]

A ile tygodni na #1? Więcej niż 322?

[Starigniter]

A ile tygodni na #1? Więcej niż 322?

Na mączce tak. I to nawet ponad 700.

[Kamileki]

A ile tygodni na #1? Więcej niż 322?

Tak jak mówi @Starigniter - rekord wszechczasów - 714 tygodni na jedynce na cegle. Novak nawet nie ma startu - ledwie 387 na hardzie

[Starigniter]

Się wie.

Poza tym jak @Marcelo_Rios powiedział, że ranking elo jest dobry, to jest dobry i już

A tak w ogóle to kogo obchodzi ten śmieszny ranking ATP, w którym Zerov grając praktycznie kiedy się dało i wygrywając turnieje nie mógł wyprzedzić Dziaderera, który pauzował przez 14 miesięcy?

Dobrze piszę, chłopaki (@Kamileki @lake @Nando @Michael Scott) ?

[Starigniter]

Tak jak mówi @Starigniter - rekord wszechczasów - 714 tygodni na jedynce na cegle. Novak nawet nie ma startu - ledwie 387 na hardzie

A co najważniejsze... 714... and counting

[Damian]

Roig: Nadal Needs To Improve This Ahead Of Roland Garros

Spoiler:

Francisco Roig drills down into Nadal’s clay swing
There are not many coaches who can read the game quite like Francisco Roig. The former player makes up one half of Rafael Nadal’s coaching team alongside Carlos Moya, and has worked with the former World No. 1 since 2005.

ATPTour.com discusses with Roig the Spaniard’s form going into Roland Garros. Nadal lifted his 12th title in Barcelona and claimed victory at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome, but fell short in the quarter-finals of Monte-Carlo (l. Rublev) and Madrid (l. Zverev).

According to Roig, his pupil stands out in three important areas: listening, working hard and never giving up. But there is still room to improve in two key areas as they look ahead to Paris, where Nadal is vying for a record-extending 14th Coupe des Mousquetaires.

There was just one week between defeat to Alexander Zverev in Madrid and the win over him in Rome. What changed?
A lot. Rafa likes – and I would say needs – to have the feeling of being in control of the match, knowing what he has to do and executing it. This is more difficult in Madrid, even though he’s won there many times. Also, he lost to Zverev, who has a tremendous serve, so it was very dependent on his own serve, knowing that one bad game can cost you the set. Everything is much more complicated.

When he arrived in Rome, this disappeared. He was hitting the ball well and we had a few days to train. I think he felt pretty good and competed well. That’s what changed.

You May Also Like: With Measures Of 'Luck & Suffering', Rafa Rules In Rome Again
That day, it seemed like he rediscovered his spark. Was it a turning point?
I agree, to an extent. That spark was partly due to how nervy he was. Having won two difficult matches against [Jannik] Sinner, which is a very tough first round, and against [Denis] Shapovalov [who had two match points] gives you peace of mind on court. In the final, it was very noticeable. When Rafa finds that peace of mind, he is calm and can execute without rushing, and I think everything goes much better. Finding that confidence is essential for him and for every other player.

How did he progress in Rome compared to Barcelona?
It’s like night and day. We had to overcome what happened in Monte-Carlo, where he was feeling very good in practice, but he didn’t on the day against [Andrey] Rublev – which was strange for him, but this is sport and it can happen. It’s not mathematical.

How was that week in Barcelona?
The demands of always having to win meant that he would arrive in Barcelona with a few tough days. The first match against [Ilya] Ivashka was fine, but he had his ups and downs, and didn't find his game. Mentally he coped well, and in terms of his game, in particular, I think that his forehand wasn’t working as well as it should. He didn’t hit many winners, hit a lot of mid-court balls...

In the end, the most positive thing was winning the tournament against [Stefanos] Tsitsipas, who was in first position in the Race [FedEx ATP Race to Turin] and had just won in Monte-Carlo.


How was Rafa’s game different in Rome?
In Madrid, he felt good in training, but the handicap of the altitude meant he couldn’t find that feeling of control in the match. In Rome he still trained pretty well, with a few faults, but he was hitting the ball well. I liked how he was training; regardless of any mistakes he was hitting well. And that’s what was happening, the ball was doing what it should. Then, in competition he was hitting winners because he grew into it, he was brave and decisive. If you’re not playing well, you have no opportunities to attack.

From what he says, we can see that the way he feels the ball is the most important thing.
If you look at the stats, you’ll see that Rafa is a player who isn’t too suited to long points. If that happens, it means that the quality of the ball is not so good because he hasn’t been able to finish it off. It’s strange to think that, but the stats show it is true.

It’s true that in the Rome final, for example, Novak Djokovic dominated the longest points.
That’s right, 20-5 on points longer than nine shots. Those long points happen when Rafa isn’t hitting the ball as well as he needs to, but he is able to play another shot. But when he hits it well, in three or four shots he can finish it with a good deep return, going into the net...

Somehow, it is more rewarding to hit the ball well and then the tactical side comes in. I think that although a long match suits him – because mentally he’s a player who wears you down a lot as he fights for every ball – he also understands that he has to try and put everything into his shots so that he doesn’t have to play points that are too long.

What are the positives for him so far on this clay swing?
What I’ve liked most is that he is always ready to give his all, to listen, to work on it and give it a try. He has maintained his passion for many years now and coped with the utmost demands of having to defend many points during this swing, because it’s the part of the year he gets the most from. He hasn’t dipped in 16 or 17 years, with a few exceptions. I’m happy with this, the good form in Rome and coming into Roland Garros.


What would you say he needs to fine tune for the last clay event in Paris?
For Roland Garros, I think it’s important to have more mobility. In terms of his stamina, he’s been very good, coping in matches, but I think we have room for improvement in movement. He could still be a little more dynamic in both forward and lateral movement. And he can also work on his serve, although it has been increasingly better. In fact, against Djokovic it was pretty good.

Which player demands the most respect on clay?
Djokovic is probably the opponent that can cause the most problems, along with Tsitsipas, Zverev and Thiem. However, if Thiem recovers the tempo and confidence he normally shows on clay, I would say I can’t see any difference between him and Djokovic. Since winning the US Open, he has dropped a little, but I’m sure he’ll be playing well enough at Roland Garros and he’ll be a very tough opponent. He’s a very complete player, who demands a lot on every shot. If you leave a ball slightly short, the point is over. Physically, he’s very demanding.

Despite the passing of the years and the demands of the clay swing, as you have said, the player that demands the most respect is still Djokovic and the one that continues to dominate is still Nadal.
In the [ATP] Masters 1000s it has spread out a little more and it’s clear that they’re getting closer. But in the five-set Grand Slam matches, I still see those two as favourites.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/francis ... e-may-2021

[Michael Scott]

A tak w ogóle to kogo obchodzi ten śmieszny ranking ATP, w którym Zerov grając praktycznie kiedy się dało i wygrywając turnieje nie mógł wyprzedzić Dziaderera, który pauzował przez 14 miesięcy?

Oczywiście #nikogo, ten ranking kompletnie stracił wiarygodność po tych machlojkach, które były grane, żeby tylko utrzymać Djokovicia na szczycie podczas tych COVID-owych zawirowań. Tfu.

Kolekcja w muzeum się rozrasta, piękny widok. Pewnie kiedyś, jak już Rafa zakończy karierę, odwiedzę to miejsce i powspominam sobie wszystkie te triumfy i wyjątkowe historie z łezką w oku.

[Kamileki]

[Kamileki]

[Bombardiero]

[Damian]

Ahead Of Roland Garros, Ruud Hits Courts & Greens With Nadal In Mallorca

Spoiler:

The Norwegian is training for a few days at Nadal's academy
Casper Ruud is still waiting on his invite on Rafael Nadal's yacht, but in the meantime, he's enjoying quality time with the Spaniard on the court and on the golf course.

After winning the Gonet Geneva Open, Ruud is preparing for Roland Garros by practising with Nadal at the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar in Mallorca.

"I think he's eager to play a little bit next week, so I have to enjoy maybe a day or two off and then be ready for tough practices with him in Mallorca," Ruud said in Geneva, where the 22-year-old won his second ATP Tour title.

You May Also Like: Casper Ruud's Not-So-Secret Love: Golf!
Ruud has trained at Nadal's academy since he was 19, so the Norwegian has plenty of familiarity with the World No. 3 and expects a round of golf this week, at the very least. The two also share a love for the sea with Ruud often boating in Norway and Nadal purchasing a new yacht in 2020.

"He hasn't invited me on the new boat yet so we will see what happens," Ruud said. "It would be obviously nice to go, but we've been playing golf a couple of times. We are both eager to play golf and to challenge each other."


Though Ruud and Nadal have yet to face off on the ATP Tour, they have battled on the fairways.

"Rafa is a scratch [golfer] or even under zero so that's very good,” Ruud said. “I am a 1.8 [handicap], so it's very close, but he is still winning for the moment. Next time I will try to beat him.”

Maybe one day they'll go fishing together, though not in Mallorca as Ruud, a big fan of sushi, thinks his home country has a better selection.

"They don't have salmon in Mallorca so I don't really want to do any fishing,” Ruud said. “But I know that he likes to fish and I think he should probably come to Norway to go fishing for salmon because it's a very nice thing to do."

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/ruud-na ... lorca-2021