FeliWatch ...

Feli posted this picture on his Facebook today along with this cheeky message ...

"Ladies, your tennis instructor doesn’t know these moves."

Feli, mate. All the men I've ever encountered in my whole life didn't know those moves ...

Match highlights ... Rafa vs. Istomin

Vintage Rafa!!!

*Gaah* What an afternoon!! I spent most of it in meetings, so I couldn't even follow Livescores, I came home with the intention of making my dinner and settling down with my recording of Rafa's match, but no ... as much as I wasn't enjoying it, I had to stick with the Mathieu-Isner match - just because I had to see who won it. So its only now that I'm catching up on Rafa and he's about to win the first set.

Majestic. That's how you play tennis on a clay court ...

I still haven't read very many reports on the match yet either, but I think a 6-2, 6-2, 6-0 scoreline tells its own story.  Bravo!

His next opponent is Eduardo Schwank.  Slowly and surely Rafa ...

Practising with Rafa ...

Well I hope you've all enjoyed Rafan's pictures and here's some video action of the practice session that she photographed.

Remember in her report she told us about his practice partner, Maxime Teixeira, and how the people she was standing with said their tennis coach knew him? Well, this vid. clip is telling his story of his practice with Rafa, but best of all, Rafan and the VB girls make an appearance three quarters of the way through standing behind their flags.

Notwithstanding the photos, what a super memory for the girls too! Vamos!

Are you Rafandready for some Rafapics ... ??

As has been reported on this blog, we've been following Rafandready's adventures in springtime Paris, supporting our lovely boy. She's back home now, and spent the midnight oil staying up to load her wonderful photos to her Flickr account.

So take some time to indulge yourself in Rafa at Roland Garros. The link to her pictures is here.

Thank you so very much to Rafan for sharing them with us all. Enjoy!!

A Rafa-fan in Paris ...

Before you indulge yourself in Rafan's Rafa pictures, how about taking a trip round wonderful Paris itself?

Rafan's superb city pictures are to be found on her Flickr account here. It truly is a wonderful, wonderful city, n'est ca pas?

The Pied Piper of Manacor ...

How sweet!! Rafa practised off site today and posted this picture on his Facebook with the following message ...

"Today I had a practice at another club and I was surprised because many childrens came!!"

Why surprised, Rafa?? The childrens love you! Sure, it does seem a bit chaotic practising at Roland Garros and the walkways don't seem to give him much protection and space. So whilst its a big disappointment for his fans there, it looks like wherever he is today gives him a bit more colm.

But the thing is ... look at the face of that little girl as she holds and stares at the ball that Rafa's just signed for her. And we all think its wonderful that he does this sort of thing for the kids, but the thing is ... it doesn't really matter if you're seven or forty-seven, the feeling of excitement is just the same. Which is why I get a bit cheesed off with the sniffiness around getting an autograph or photograph with Rafa. I'll never advocate anything that resembles a mob, but I remember one girl explaining once on another blog about why do it ... "Because it feels nice".

Yes, it does. As a fan to have a momento that Rafa has signed for you, is something to treasure and will become a treasured memory. And lets face it, as a fan you have an extremely limited chance of ever being remotely near him, so when you do, you take your chance ... you ask for an autograph or a photograph. And whilst its common courtesy to be polite about it, why not? Why not take your chance? I'm not for Rafa being invaded in his personal life or personal time at all, and the reason I think that is because he is so generous in those public areas of his life; in the tennis environment and arena. And that's where he has to expect it.  Its helped to make him a very rich man ...

"... it feels nice." I'm sure that little girl has recounted the story of her meeting with Rafa today over and over, and she'll stare at that ball last thing tonight and first thing in the morning. And as I said, you don't have to be a little girl to have that feeling, because it affects us all the same way. It feels nice, so thanks to Rafa for doing it.

Rafan's Raspberry Ripple ...

This is a lovely photograph taken by Rafan herself as she watched Rafa's match on Philippe Chatrier yesterday. She was sitting behind and along from Uncle Toni and could hear his words of encouragement ... NOT coaching!  :D

Anyhow ... here's her report of her day at Roland Garros ...

"Hurrah! Finally got to see Rafa today.

We were planning on a fairly leisurely start this morning, when word came through via the Twitterverse that Rafa was going to practice on Court 15 at 11.30. Bags were rapidly packed and six English ladies ran to Roland Garros. Luckily we got there in plenty of time and saw our Spanish TV men who confirmed that Rafa would be practising there.

Rafa arrived on time to whoops and cheers and was practising with a little-known Frenchman called Maxim something or other. We know because some French people came and stood next to us and their tennis coach knows him ... apparently he qualified for the first round of RG last year.

Rafa was in red but his shoes were ... raspberry. I'll leave that to you to decide whether that's pink or red. For me, at the match, the shirt is pink (but red with your sunglasses on!).

Anyhow, his training was kind of normal, quite short today, but lovely to see him. His serve wasn't that great but other than that, it all seemed fine. We were standing in blazing sun, and it's a bit of a shame because the people that were in the shady bit also got autographs when he came off court.

After that we went and got an ice-cream and then went in to watch a bit of Reeshar, but came out after a while because we were boiling alive! I went and got some lunch and sat in the shade for a while before girding my loins to go in for the last few games of Reeshar's match. Thank goodness he didn't have his usual brain fart and managed to close it out in three.

Then :fanfare: it was Rafa time!

He got a great reception from the crowd, and the match was ok for a first round (especially compared to last year!), the serve could have been better and the focus went walkabout in the second, but other than that it was all good. We were sitting fairly close to the players' box and heard Toni shout "vamos Rafel!" when he was struggling to hold on to the second break.

After the match we went and had a beer to celebrate, but I wanted to see Serena for the first time so stayed behind to watch. It got to 5-0 in the third, I couldn't stand the crowd anymore, and was a bit worried about finding my way back, so I left...and of course missed all the drama!

I was proud that I managed to find my way back (ask Wooffs about my sense of direction! [its pants! love Wooffs]) and when I got to the hotel the Spanish TV guys got in the lift with me. It only turned out that one of them had lived in my home town for two years!

I re-met the girls and we went out to a Spanish restaurant where I had paella and sangria, and very nice it was too!

Tomorrow we are getting up early for a mad dash (hopefully) to the top of the Eiffel Tower before heading home, where I will spend hours uploading my photos for your delight!! ".

Brilliant!!  Rafan is on her way home now and I would like to thank her for allowing me to publish her little reports.  If she's up to sharing some more of her experiences, of course I'll post them.  Equally, I cannot WAIT for her photographs, so I'm sure she'll be happy that we can take a look at them here also.

So keep posted ... VAMOS!!

The art of photography ...

Stunning photographs once again from Clive Brunskill ...

The thing is ... you'd recognise Rafa by his hands alone, wouldn't you?

Match highlights ... Rafa vs. Bolelli

Whit woo ...

Simply gorgeous ...

Raspberry Red Rafa ...

Well obviously I'm suffering from the curse of being at work whilst Rafa is playing, so have started the interminable Livescores watching with Denzy helping out with commentary on our Rafatennis thread. But because I got wrapped up in the Serena match when I came home, and because the new broadcaster in the UK - ITV4 - saw fit to broadcast a stupid wimmin's match whilst Rafa was playing for no other reason than one of the wimmin was British - like we care!! - I've only just started watching my recording of the match which is only from the second set ... and then it will cut out prior to the end of the match because Murray started his match on Suzy Longlong!! *gaah*

Anyhow ... with a 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 scoreline, its says it all really, although I think in the second set when Rafa lost concentration and lost his serve, and then when he was serving at 4-2, there was a tremendous struggle for that game with Bolelli having break points and had he had won it for 4-3 with his own serve coming up, who knows? But he didn't ... and Rafa won for 5-2 before turning the screw to win the match and then it really was game over.

But to more important matters. The shirt colour. Advertised as Scarlett Fire, its more of a Raspberry Red for me ... and it suits him. Great in Rafa's presser that one journalist got down to the nitty gritty and asked him the serious question about the exact colour of his shirt, Rafa answered ...

"I will check. I will let you know next time!"

Nice one, Rafa. He'll play Denis Istomin in the next round.

Hit 'em for 6, Rafa ...

Loving what Nike have done with Rafa's shoes for this tournament. SIX ... lets hope that number keeps rising.

And the balls, Rafa??

This is his response via @carole_bouchard ...

"Nadal being adorably Nadal about the balls when I asked if he thought they were heavier:-

"I don't know, I haven't this kind of memory, let me think ..." and he thinks ;) "... ok I think they're faster than others at previous tournaments. But depends on weather so tough to say."

So can we shut about it now, please ...

Rafa's ready as is Rafandready !!!

Rafa posted a picture on his Facebook tonight of him and Marcel enjoying dinner with the following message ...

"Dining with Marcel and friends ... Ready for my debut at Roland Garros, tomorrow third round at 11am!"

Well ... he's not the only one ready for his debut tomorrow, and he's not the only one who's posted, because Rafan has also left a little report for us on our Rafateers forum. Sadly for the girls, Rafa practiced off-site today, but here's what she had to say ...

"Bon soirée mes amies *hug*

Not long back in our hotel after dinner. Today has been scorchio. I have never been so hot at a tennis match. Sadly though, we were not lucky enough to see our Rafi today.

Our hotel is close enough to walk to the tournament so we left at 10, arriving at the tournament site at about 10.30. Very excitingly they were giving out free magazines on the road down with Rafa on the front. 

When we got through the gates we spotted the Spanish TV men who told us Rafa was practising off site.  It's v close to RG but you can't get in.

So we had a good look round the shops and I bought (draws breath):

*spend* a programme with Djokovic on the front :P

*spend* the daily programme 

*spend* the RG 2011 book

*spend* the RG 2012 poster 

*spend* another RG book 

I tell you, my arms were ready to fall off by the time we got back to the hotel tonight! 

We had a bit of a look round the outside courts, but there were so many people it was quite difficult! Had a lovely ice cream and then decided to get into the court. 

The first match we saw was a very shrieky Azarenka v Cirsteau, then a one-sided Li Na match, during which we were so hot that we left to seek some shade. We went back in for the first set of Djokovic, which I actually enjoyed until he won it, and then left again for refuge in the shade and a beer. Yum! 

We then watched Simon, but what I didn't realise was that my new *squeeze* Berdy was on Court 7 and I could have watched that instead. 

Anyway, we didn't stay for the end of Simon, it had been a long, hot and busy day so we headed home. 

The good new is that Rafa is 3rd on Chartrier tomorrow so our holiday will end on a high before we come home on Weds. I think we may be near the players box tomorrow, so keep your eyes peeled! 

Hope all is well with you all, bonne nuit."

Aaah ... bless her. So it all starts tomorrow folks. Rafa's 2012 campaign begins on Chatrier against Simon Bolleli. Are we all strapped in?? Are we all ready??

All aboard the Rafa Rollercoaster!! Here's hoping we don't have too much of a bumpy ride!! VAMOS!!!

Slow, slow ... quick, quick, slow

Or should that be:- slow, slow ... slow, slow, slow?

I don't know about you, but I am finding it increasingly tedious with every single tournament that comes on by, we have nothing but the endless "slow" references - This court is playing so slow ... Its so slow ... God its slow ... - and because last year Babolat introduced a different sort of ball which made things faster and thereby delighted several amongst the masses, all the talk pre-tournament was about whether or not the same balls would be used because it seems a "faster" Roland Garros made for a more enjoyable tournament.

Still had the same winner though.

We're all aware that courts were slowed down from the beginning of the last decade - and rightly so because tennis was turning on its head with the tedium of serve tennis - and there is a case to be answered for the other tournaments to make their changes, because what I'm about to say is a really random statement ...

Clay court tennis is supposed to be slow.

Five weeks ago, I was enjoying the Monte Carlo final, and here we are in the last clay court tournament of the season. Its over with that quickly. So lets enjoy this brand of tennis whilst its with us, with the traditional courts of Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Rome and Paris playing as they should. And if there's a case to be made for quickening up the game, lets not make it here. Roland Garros isn't where changes to the men's game should be made, it isn't where a traditional brand of the game of tennis should be altered. Save that for the hardcourts, and even Wimbledon, because that's where your problem lies.

But the big question on everyone's lips has seemingly been answered by Djokovic and Federer ... its back to slow balls.

This is what Djokovic had to say after his match today ...

"The ball change is obvious. Last year they were fast and tough to control. So this year they're a little bit heavier."

And Federer ...

"I think the balls are heavy. I think they're slower than last year."

Its almost as if this was greeted with disappointment. Rafa will obviously be asked the same question following his match tomorrow, but of course Rafa's was one of the voices that expressed discontent with the French Open using completely different balls to the other clay court tournaments last year, thereby making everything entirely different. And ummm ... of course got the criticism for being labelled a moaner.

So what would I like to see happen? Well, what I would see as a very positive move is if when someone asks Federer about the balls, he says that they're slow, but rather than making it sound like that's such a negative thing he backs that up by saying that's as it should be ... its clay, and clay should play as clay, and the balls that are used should also contribute to it playing as clay. And that wouldn't it be nice if the other Grand Slams followed the French Open's lead and had their tournament playing as it should do, so as to test the players and present them with the challenges that clay, grass and hardcourts should bring.  You know, throw the mettle down to the other tournaments in a positive way, instead of hitching himself to the "slow" bandwagon when it hasn't exactly done him much dis-service since 2003.

And I'd like to hear Rafa saying "clay is clay" and not be criticised for it, and for him also to back up that its encouraging to play in a Slam as it should be, with the challenges that they bring, and the others should follow suit.  And that's why he works hard and applies himself to be something other than a clay court player, because that's the challenge ... to improve and find a way on other courts.  

So balls to fast balls for this French Open. Its playing as it should do ...

Feliz Cumpleaños, Rafa!!!

As we all know, its Rafa's birthday on 3rd June, and @RafaelNadalFC have been collecting our inputs via Twitter and Facebook to make this great video to send to Rafa from his fans around the world to wish him Happy Birthday!

I make an appearance with VamosBrigade at 4:19, poking my head through right in the middle. :D That was a team gathering taken in April at Monte Carlo after Rafa got through to the final.

I think its a fabulous idea, and you can find the video on YouTube at vamospormasrafa.

I'm sure Rafa will love it ... and think us all completely nuts. ;) :D

source : @RafaelNadalFC

Rafa through time ...

Aww ... this is a brilliant montage from Sports Illustrated who are capturing Rafa through time in pictures from 2003 until now.

Boy to Man, huh? ...

source : via @RafaelNadalFC

The Rafabag ...

Rafa's bag for the French Open.

Oh ...  I so hope they have to update it for Wimbledon!!

source : @JCVerborg

Oh Lord ...

And the pink and purple bands don't even detract from it ... *thud*

source - @Rafaholics

Sunday practice ...

A couple of snaps today from practice without the Rafa t-shirt ...

Our condolences Marc ...

The sad news broke today that Marc Lopez has withdrawn from the French Open as he father has passed away following a long illness.

He's always of such a sunny disposition, and its an obvious joy for the Spanish players to have him around, I just hope that his family, friends and that nature of his see him through this sad time.

Our best wishes are with you, Marc.

Vamos!!

LOL Rafa.

He turned out in practice today wearing the Nike t-shirt that bears his image and his signature "Vamos!" pose. I bought the grey version with Rafa wearing peach in Monte Carlo. I wore it on the day he won at the Country Club and was wearing it last Sunday in anticipation of the final - and I know it was me wearing it that drove him on to win on the Monday.

I won't be taking it off during the next fortnight ...

Feli'sJacketWatch ...

Well, well, well ... the return of a much loved old feature. It seems that Feli's beloved green jacket is making a much welcomed return. Nice to see you back!!

Feli is pictured here with Iker Casillas, the goal-keeper for Real Madrid ... sadly at a bullfight. I best leave it there ... but he does look fit.

source - @FeliLopez_FC

The motivation, always is the same ...

Whilst Feds and the PoD are doing their damndest to try and pile the pressure on by declaring him the favourite for this year's French Open, I've been reading some soundbites from Rafa's pre-tournament presser which indicate a typical and very level-headed approach from him ...

"... is another year, another Roland Garros. This tournament is important enough in itself, not because now I have six. I have much more than I ever dreamed. I am coming here with the motivation of every year, with the desire to play well, and then we will see. But I'm not going to be more motivated because I have six and I can win seven."

Quite, Rafa. He does, of course, stand on the precipice of his own piece of history if he manages to win seven, because he will have beaten Borg's record at Roland Garros and will probably end for all time any discussion of who is the greatest clay court player. Notwithstanding this, Djokovic will try and play his own Fed-mind games in trying to take away the heat from the fact that if he wins here, he too stands to make an incredible record as he will be holding all of the Slams at the same time.

I've yet to see the hype over this though. And I've yet to see Rod Laver being trotted out to give his opinion, seeing as he was the last man ever to do the Grand Slam, although as he was at absolute pains to point out when Rafa stood on the verge of this achievement at the Australian Open of 2011, his was a true Slam, when all the titles were won in the same year. Wonder why we've yet to hear of his opinion of it all??

As for my opinion, well ... I don't care for Djokovic, and frankly, I don't think he's deserving of that accolade. You see, I want to see a player suffer for his art. I want to see a man having to work year after year to be even within a chance of it. I want to see a player such as Rafa having to conquer all the odds of having to learn and adapt his game across the surfaces, to having won the one Slam (which for him was the US Open) that no-one ever believed he would ever win. For Feds, I would have wanted it to be won by overcoming the greatest and toughest challenge he would ever face ... that of beating Rafa at the French Open. So for Djokovic, who prior to 2011 had only won one Slam in his entire career, I don't want his chance to have come because of having one stellar season. You can't take away from him what he did last year ... but he hasn't suffered enough for his chance, which why I don't want him to win it.

But back to Rafa. Well ... he wants the title and its that which motivates him, not the record ...

"And I was not more motivated when I arrived here in 2005 than today. I was not more motivated in 2010 when I lost in 2009. The motivation always is the same. But this is a different tournament, and because I played very well at the three clay-court tournaments, that doesn't mean that I'm going to have success here. The only thing that means is I have three more titles in my bedroom that are very important for me. I love those three tournaments."

"I arrive here with positive feelings, and I will try my best to be very competitive and to be at the right level to have my chances."

LOL that even now he's making reference to the three "true" clay court titles he's won this season and as for your chances, Rafa. Take them!

L'ocre lui appartient ...

Take your time in flicking through this montage by Carole Bouchard of l'Équipe.

We all know what we think of the French bias against Rafa, but Carole is a fantastically fair journalist about Rafa and writes in a balanced way. She's also great to follow on Twitter, so I would encourage you to do so, and you can find her on @carole_bouchard.

It is such a joy to watch the journey of this man's frankly unbelievable run at this tournament. In my lifetime, never have we seen such dominance by one player at one Slam and I am crossing fingers, toes and everything for a Seventh Heaven!!

Sunshine yellow practice ...

Rafa brought the sun to practice today as he turned up with his serious face on, but the shirt brightened the day.

It was a point raised by Rafan in Monte Carlo in that every day he practised, Rafa wore the same white kit, so for us as fans you couldn't distinguish between which practice days were which. So far he's turned out in his lovely bright colours, so I hope that this time, Rafan gets the photographs to make up for it.

*unjinx*

source - via Daylife

Just chillin' ...

Rafa shared this fab picture tonight via his Facebook ...

"Enjoying the hotel's terrace with good friends! :)"

Maymo's not in the picture, so could his photography skills be improving somewhat?? I hope not, not since I introduced a new blog feature in honour of his School of Photography. *shakes fist*

I'm loving this picture for so many reasons.

1. The thigh porn

2. Rafa's cheekbones.

3. Nice to know even [what is probably] a first class hotel, the back of the building is complete pants and looks like what I usually have to stay in.

4. The hilarious headband tan line.

5. The Eiffel Tower in amongst the chimneys.

:D :D

This innocence ... its brilliance ...

Get your hankies ready ...

source - WivoStar via @itsallaboutRafa

Say it with flowers ...

VAMOS!!

source - @RAFAddicted

Parisian Practice ...

Whilst Paris prepares for the onslaught of the British invasion which is currently making its way on the EuroStar as we speak, some great Rafafans are already there, bringing us all the latest pictures and news.

These offerings are from @adel1609, so I'd recommend that you follow her on Twitter. Thanks Adel!!