Rafael Nadal

[Barty]

Wujku, pełne pole do popisu.

[Lucas]

Nadal Withdraws From Brisbane

Spoiler:

Spaniard aiming to play at Australian Open

Rafael Nadal withdrew from the Brisbane International on Wednesday due to a left thigh strain. An MRI scan showed a small strain, but the Spanish superstar still plans to compete at the Australian Open, which begins on 14 January.

“After a long period of time without competing, I felt a little bit [of pain in] the leg,” said Nadal during a press conference in Brisbane. “I did an MRI, and it shows a very small strain on the left thigh, but it's there… I tried to play and I still wanted to play.”

The 32-year-old Nadal had been aiming to return to the ATP Tour for the first time since 7 September, when he retired in the US Open semi-finals against Juan Martin del Potro. Nadal went 45-4 in 2018, including five titles, during a season that saw him sidelined by knee, abdominal and ankle injuries.

Nadal, who underwent the MRI scan on Tuesday, admitted, “There's always a time difference between here and in Spain. So I spoke with my doctors there yesterday. I went to sleep. When I woke up, they were sleeping, so I had to wait until later today to make the final decision.

“I feel better than four days ago. So the normal improvement is I will be practising. I’ll probably be 100 per cent in five days… But I really believe that I will be 100 per cent ready for Melbourne.”

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/nadal-w ... sbane-2019

[Wujek Toni]

Oni dostają wciąż startowe w takiej sytuacji?

[Barty]

Nie zawiódł.

[Damian]

Chyba dostają, jednak jeśli zrobiliby to samo w następnym turnieju, wtedy już nie.

[Damian]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1059773873632280576

[Damian]

[Damian]

[Damian]

Nadal feeling ‘healthy again’ ahead of Australian Open

Spoiler:

After four months out with injury, Rafael Nadal made his return in Sydney on Monday and says he is ready for the Australian Open.


Rafael Nadal is “healthy again” after making his on-court return at an exhibition event in Sydney on Monday.

Nadal was expected to feature at last week’s Brisbane International but opted out of the ATP 250 event after suffering a small strain of his left thigh.

It was the latest setback for the 17-time grand slam champion after struggling with knee and ankle problems in 2018, his last appearance coming at the US Open.

However, the Spaniard was able to play for almost an hour at the Fast4 event in Sydney against Nick Kyrgios – a match he eventually lost 4-0 3-4 5-3.

“I really enjoyed it a lot, playing tonight here,” he said. “I’m happy to be back on court and then happy that I’m healthy again.

“I think it was a good start for me, a good comeback to the action in front of a fantastic crowd.

“[But] I need to [find] a little bit more rhythm.”

View this post on Instagram
The man himself is back in #sydney and playing #fast4 tonight! #tennisaustralia

A post shared by Qudos Bank Arena (@qudosbankarena) on Jan 6, 2019 at 6:41pm PST

https://www.foxsportsasia.com/tennis/au ... lian-open/

[Damian]

[Damian]

Rafa Ready To Unveil Revamped Serve

Spoiler:

Coach Moya discusses Nadal’s new service motion ahead of Australian Open
Is it possible, at 32 years old and with 15 seasons on the ATP Tour, to rework an already highly successful formula?
If you’re Rafael Nadal, the answer is “of course.”
The Spaniard did a double training session Wednesday on Margaret Court Arena at the Australian Open: a morning practice with Great Britain’s Kyle Edmund, then an afternoon session with coach Carlos Moya. Nadal will kick off the 2019 season on 14 January in Melbourne, several days later than the initial intended start date due to a thigh ailment that forced the World No. 2 to pull out of the Brisbane International.
While recuperating from the leg injury, Nadal also made time to develop another wrinkle in his game: The 17-time Grand Slam champion has been tweaking his service motion with the intent to produce more velocity and immediately put opponents under pressure.
“We’re looking to maximise damage from the onset, and one way to do that is with a faster, more aggressive serve,” Moya told ATPTour.com following his afternoon practice session with Nadal. “We’ve been working out the mechanics of his serve; his motion now is more fluid. Before, the ball he served lost power immediately after bouncing. That isn’t the case anymore; his serve maintains speed now after making contact with the court, making it that much more potent.”
You May Also Like: Federer, Nadal In Same Half Of Australian Open Draw
Fellow coach Francisco Roig echoed Moya’s thoughts and broke down the technical aspects that were applied to Nadal’s service motion.
“The change is based on three pillars,” Roig explained. “The first is that when he executes the swing, he takes his hand away from the ball quicker, instead of letting his hand linger. Second, Rafa is working on staying more upright and using his size, rather than launching into the serve by twisting and recoiling. That extra spring motion actually resulted in a reduction of power after the ball bounced. The last thing we’re working on is getting Rafa to plant his right foot in the court upon landing from his serve.
“An added benefit is that his second serve is also going to throw opponents off. It might be a more risky approach, but the positive part is that his opponents won’t be looking at the same high bounce; they’ll have to be more on their toes and react faster instead of just keeping the ball in play.”
Nadal, Moya
According to Moya, the idea to alter Nadal’s service swing was conceived following Nadal’s semi-final showdown against Juan Martin del Potro at the 2018 US Open. Nadal was forced to retire from that match while trailing 6-7(3), 2-6 due to a knee tendon injury. Nadal and his team identified the slight weakness in his serve and devised a plan to improve the motion.
Nadal had planned to test his tweaked service motion at the Rolex Paris Masters before being forced to withdraw from the event with an abdominal injury. The Spaniard used the time on the sidelines to undergo surgery to remove bone fragments in his right ankle, and to convene with his team and further develop the tactics needed to fine-tune his game.
“These changes came following that match at the US Open,” Moya said. “Rafa was all for the changes, even if meant added work.
“He was the first to identify the weakness in his serve, and we as a team formulated an approach to improve it. We were sidetracked [in late 2018] because of the abdominal injury and the right ankle surgery but finally got around to physically working out the new service motion after recovery. I’m happy to say he’s now comfortable with the revamped serve motion.”
Team Nadal is practical in the differences a reworked serve will mean to match results and have made it clear the left-handed player won’t be matching the likes of John Isner, Ivo Karlovic or Milos Raonic in terms of service pace or aces. The intended result of the tweak is to maintain the team’s philosophy of constantly evolving and to add to an already formidable arsenal of weapons.
“This isn’t some radical change; it’s just adjusting a weapon we believe will take him to even higher levels,” Moya said. We’ve done ‘trial runs’ in mock matches, just to ensure he’s comfortable when it’s time to compete. The modified serve was a tricky adjustment at first, but now that he’s found his groove, he’s back in his comfort zone.”
Moya is confident the 2009 Australian Open champion will be in his best form come Monday, and that the Spaniard’s serve will be in full effect.
“Rafa has taken onboard adjustments to his game in the past,” Moya said. “This is just one more chapter in his career, and another addition to his development.”

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/nadal-n ... -open-2019

[arti]

[grzes430]

Rafael Nadal says he's healthy and pain free ahead of Australian Open

Spoiler:

"I really enjoyed playing here. I'm happy to be back on court and happy that I'm healthy again"
By Raz Mirza
Last Updated: 08/01/19 10:21am


Rafael Nadal says he is in 'no pain' after Sydney tie as first Grand Slam looms
Rafael Nadal says he is in 'no pain' after Sydney tie as first Grand Slam looms
Rafael Nadal insists he is healthy and in no pain after coming through an exhibition game in Sydney.

The world No 2 pulled out of the Brisbane International when an MRI revealed a slight strain of his left thigh, casting doubts over his fitness for next week's Australian Open.

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The Spaniard has not played a main tour event since a knee problem forced him to retire during his US Open semi-final against Juan Martin del Potro in September and he underwent surgery on his ankle in November to remove a loose intra-articular body and only resumed training a month ago.

Federer: Novak is Aus Open favourite
He played the opening round at an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi to start his season, where he lost to South African Kevin Anderson, and had a first round bye in Brisbane before withdrawing ahead of the second round.

Nadal won the FAST4 Showdown on Monday evening
Nadal won the FAST4 Showdown on Monday evening
Nadal teamed up with Canadian Milos Raonic to defeat Australians Nick Kyrgios and John Millman in the FAST4 Showdown on Monday evening after which he said: "I did not feel the pain here. I think it was a good start for me, a good comeback to the action in front of a fantastic crowd in Sydney.

"I really enjoyed playing here. I'm happy to be back on court and happy that I'm healthy again."

Nadal will head to Melbourne, where he was the champion in 2009, and the 32-year-old believes he can be a genuine title contender despite his injury problems.

"Why not? You can't predict that. Of course it would be better if I had the chance to play a full tournament in Abu Dhabi and a full tournament in Brisbane, but the big importance is I am feeling good with the ball," he said

"The only thing is that I didn't play matches since a long time ago."

We have every major tennis event covered from all angles via our website skysports.com/tennis. On the move? Head to our app for mobile devices and iPad, or follow our Twitter account @SkySportsTennis to join in the conversation.

https://www.skysports.com/tennis/news/1 ... alian-open

[Lleyton]

Nadal: "If I Was Not Feeling Good, I Would Not Be Here"

Spoiler:

Nadal also reflects on Murray memories

Rafael Nadal enjoyed a tremendous 2018 season, going 45-4, advancing to at least the quarter-finals at all nine tournaments he played, lifting the trophy at five of them. While injury kept the Spaniard off the court after the US Open, the 2009 champion is ready to go at the Australian Open, where he is excited to chase his second title.

"I feel good. If I was not feeling good, I would not be here," said Nadal, who faces home favourite James Duckworth in the first round. "After surgery [on my foot], after months without competing, having troubles practising, of course there are always issues when you come back. But [it's] nothing new for me."

Nadal has been a consistent performer in Melbourne, making the last eight at the year's first major in 10 of his past 11 appearances, including four trips to the final. But Nadal may need to overcome a familiar foe en route to the championship match this year. The former World No. 1 could meet third seed Roger Federer in the semi-finals in a repeat of their epic five-set 2017 final, won by Federer.

"The 2017 [Australian Open was] a special situation," said Nadal. "Both [Federer and I] came back from a very long time without playing tennis. Nobody expected that, and it happened... That was big.

"But today is a different story. We are back to the top positions, fighting for things again. It always has been a big challenge to face Roger all around the world, on the different surfaces [and in] different scenarios. The 2017 [final] here is one of the matches that is going to stay in our minds."

The Spaniard will be showcasing a new service motion when he meets Duckworth for the first time in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series. Nadal and his coaching team spent their time away from the court tweaking the Spaniard's service technique in an attempt to produce more velocity and immediately put opponents under pressure.

"There are always things to improve," said Nadal. "The serve was always a thing that I tried to improve, and I think I did.

"Maybe it was the time to try to make one more step. That's what we are trying. I am happy with it... I didn't compete with this new serve, so let's see how it works. I am confident it's going to work well."

You May Also Like: Rafa Ready To Unveil Revamped Serve

Nadal also took a moment to reflect on former World No. 1 Andy Murray's announcement that he will retire during the 2019 ATP Tour season. Murray, who has continued to struggle with right hip pain that caused him to have surgery one year ago, is hoping to end his career in front of home fans at Wimbledon in July.

"Of course it is very bad news," said Nadal. "When somebody like him [who has] achieved almost everything in his tennis career, is suffering like he [has been] doing for such a long time already and you feel that you are not competitive for the thing that really makes you wake up every morning and go on court with the passion to practise, to improve, and with a goal, then it is so difficult...

"[Murray] will be a very important loss for us, for the world of tennis, for the Tour, for the fans, even for rivals. He has been part of a great rivalry between the best players for a long time and a great competitor... So all the best for him. We will miss him."

Nadal and Murray have contested one of the greatest FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalries of this generation, meeting on 24 occasions (Nadal leads 17-7). Nadal and Murray's tour-level rivalry began at the 2007 Australian Open, with the Spaniard recovering from two sets to one down to beat Murray 6-7(3), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 in three hours and 51 minutes.

"We shared competitions at the under-13 and under-14 levels," said Nadal. "We have known each other since a very long, long time ago... I always had a good relationship with him. We shared moments in my academy. We shared moments playing some exhibitions all around the world. We shared the court in the most important stadiums in the world, competing for the most important things. That's impossible to forget."

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/nadal-a ... 19-preview

[arti]

Rafael Nadal rozumie sytuację Andy'ego Murraya. "To będzie duża strata dla tenisa"

Spoiler:

- Gdy wychodzi się na kort bez konkretnego celu, ponieważ z powodu bólu nie można się dobrze poruszać, to nadchodzi czas, aby podjąć decyzję. Brak Andy'ego będzie dużą stratą dla tenisa, touru i fanów - powiedział Rafael Nadal.



Parę dni temu Andy Murray ogłosił na konferencji prasowej, że jego pojedynek z Roberto Bautistą w Australian Open 2019 może być dla niego ostatnim w karierze. Brytyjczyk zmaga się z kontuzją biodra od połowy sezonu 2017. Dopiero w styczniu 2018 roku zdecydował się na operację, a potem kontynuował rehabilitację. Jak się okazało, nie przyniosło to spodziewanego efektu.

- Miałem nadzieję, że Andy wyleczy ten uraz. Zdarzają się jednak takie momenty, w których nie widzi się światełka w tunelu i są one bardzo trudne. Wiem, że nie jest to łatwe pod względem mentalnym. Andy walczy z kontuzją od dłuższego czasu. Jeśli nie czuje poprawy, to najprawdopodobniej podjął decyzję dla dobra swojego zdrowia - wyznał 17-krotny mistrz wielkoszlemowy, który w poniedziałek spotka się z Jamesem Duckworthem.

Już kilka godzin po słowach Murraya na konferencji prasowej Nadal napisał na Twitterze: "Gratuluję Andy wszystkich twoich osiągnięć. Było wspaniale grać z tobą przez te lata. Powodzenia we wszystkim". Teraz Hiszpan nie ukrywa, że będzie to wielka strata dla tenisa. - Będzie nam go brakowało, ale dziś przyszedł czas na niego, a jutro nadejdzie na kogoś innego. Nie mamy już 20 czy ciut więcej lat. Nasza generacja przekroczyła 30 lat, a pewne rzeczy są naturalne - wyznał wicelider rankingu ATP.

https://sportowefakty.wp.pl/tenis/79888 ... dla-tenisa

[arti]

[Wujek Toni]

[Gdy wychodzi się na kort bez konkretnego celu, ponieważ z powodu bólu nie można się dobrze poruszać, to nadchodzi czas, aby podjąć decyzję. Brak Andy'ego będzie dużą stratą dla tenisa, touru i fanów - powiedział Rafael Nadal.

Tym samym potwierdził, że nigdy żaden uraz nie zagrażał jego karierze. Fajnie, że chociaż w takich okolicznościach zaprzeczył słowom El Tío.

[arti]

Rafa Rolls In Australian Open Return

Spoiler:

Rafael Nadal fans, exhale: Your man looked like himself.

The 2009 Australian Open champion, playing his first match of the year, looked in mid-season form on Monday against Aussie James Duckworth, beating the aggressive home favourite 6-4, 6-3, 7-5 to start his Australian Open.

Nadal chased down drop shots, sprinted through forehand winners and showed a bit of his usual celebrations, ending big points with emphatic fist pumps to the crowd. His lone blemish of the day came in the third set, when at 5-3, he failed to serve out the match. But Nadal recovered with a break in the 12th game.

“In general terms I am happy about the victory of today against... a very difficult opponent to play,” Nadal said. “Beginnings are tough, but every day helps and every day makes me feel better, makes me feel more confident.”



You May Also Like: Anderson Erases 2018 Melbourne Memories In Opener


The No. 2 seed hadn't played a tour-level match since 7 September, when he had to retire from his US Open semi-final against Juan Martin del Potro because of a knee injury.

Nadal skipped the Asian swing to recover. At the Rolex Paris Masters, he had to withdraw before his first match because of an abdominal injury, and he shut down his season for good on 5 November following ankle surgery.

On Monday, however, those injuries all looked well in the past as the three-time Australian Open finalist overcame Duckworth to avoid another first-round exit in Melbourne (2016, l. to Verdasco). The 26-year-old Duckworth, No. 237 in the ATP Rankings, gambled against Nadal, nearly hitting more double faults (11) than aces (12) and charging the net 71 times, winning more than half of those attempts (54%).

“I played against a super-aggressive player... He went on court probably doing things that work well for him... give him some chances,” Nadal said. “He played smart and he played well. When you play against a player that he wants to hit all the shots, of course you can have breaks against [you], because [the match is] sometimes in his hands.”

Nadal will next meet Aussie Matthew Ebden or Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff.

Elsewhere, Czech Tomas Berdych, the recent Qatar ExxonMobil Open finalist (l. to Bautista Agut), knocked out No. 13 seed and last year’s semi-finalist Kyle Edmund 6-3, 6-0, 7-5. Berdych advanced to the semi-finals at Melbourne Park in 2014 and 2015.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/nadal-d ... 019-monday

[arti]

[arti]