Pico's daily dose ...

:D :D :D

"1st practice in Mallorca to get prepared for Madrid's tournament."

Rafandready in Monte Carlo ...

I'm very happy to bring you, my lovely friend Rafandready's photographs from Monte Carlo.

Take some time to have a browse because they are absolutely fantastic. With a view of some other lovely Monte Carlo sights than just the FA ... :D

Enjoy!!

Rafa's daily dose ...

"I’m very happy for my victory in Barcelona. Now I have to start thinking about the Madrid Masters 1000."

And then a hero comes along ...

... and Mats Wilander trys to pretend he's a reasonable guy when discussing Rafa. :-/

Rafa's post match interview ...

Rafa's daily dose ...

"Great atmosphere today in the court! Thanks for your support along the week. Amazing public in Barcelona always!"

Rafa wins, chats ... and dives into the pool ...

Rather than leave it to the attendants this year ... Rafa chucks himself in!! :D :D

The presentation ceremony ...

Rafa vs. Almagro ... the Final

Trophy pictures ...

8 ... is his magic number

Rafa is now the 8-time Champion at Barcelona, to match him being 8-time Champion at Monte Carlo ... and let's hopefully see him the 8-time Champion somewhere else in a few weeks.

*unjinx*

After spending a lovely weekend in Norfolk where I visited Her Majesty's estate at Sandringham, I managed to watch today's match on my phone as I travelled home. Nico Almagro was Rafa's opponent in the final, and he has a 0-9 H2H against him ... plus a habit of catastrophically melting down against the top players. But he hit the ground running, found the lines and quickly took a 0-3 lead at the start of the match.

To be honest ... I'm starting to get a little concerned at Rafa's "slow starts". Once again, the weather was dreadful, and sure, if that sort of rain came down on a hardcourt or a grass court, those players would be off. They stick it out on clay, of course, as the surface absorbs it and so long as the lines aren't slippy, but it doesn't suit Rafa. Not at all. The thing is though, it happens, both players have to deal with it and we all know that it's not conducive to how Rafa plays his clay court game ... but he just has to get on with it.

But as the players sat at their chairs whilst the rain came down and before they were called back to play, Almagro was obviously thinking about his 3-0 lead and what to do next ... and of course, he fell apart.

Rafa won the next 4 games to bring it back on serve, but another break at 5-4 gave him the set.

He then went on to have his own racy start to the second set, went 3-0 up, but Nico helped to keep the set honest before Rafa finally won the match 6-3.

Rafa hit an amazing tweener which ultimately helped him to win a point, and there were shades of other wonderful Rafa shot making ... but I felt he wasn't showing any fizz. I feel odd about the clay season so far. With Rafa's initial comeback, tournament by tournament he was making his improvements. His performance at Indian Wells was amazing, and whilst I can understand a 4-week lay off, knee treatment and some niggles whilst at Monte Carlo, nothing about Barcelona has seemed to see him kick on for me. Maybe its the conditions, maybe its the back ... I just don't know. I think I've accepted now that 2010 clay court Rafa might never be seen again, and whilst the breakthrough of PRP injections helped to put his 2009 injury issues aside and see him transform into the wonder player he became that year, it wasn't without pain, and anxiety, and almost dropping out of Rome.

2011 saw him win Monte Carlo, Barcelona and the French Open ... but it also had him talking about feeling like he'd been around for 100 years. 2012 saw Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Rome and the French Open ... and the return of the old issues. I'm obviously writing in a very glum fashion when I've seen Rafa make 6 finals and win 4 of them since his comeback ... I must be bonkers, what the hell more could I possibly ask?? Maybe its just the level of the play this week, and maybe he needs that week off before Madrid.

Maybe I should stop looking for things and second guessing.

The tennis tour rolls on in just over a week and so will Rafa. VAMOS!!

Rafa im-Paire-d ??

Because of the rain suspension yesterday, Rafa has won his first of two matches today.

He was very laboured against Paire, got broken in his opening service game, but broke back until he romped away in the tie-breaker.

He was still un-convincing in the second set, although he's Rafa Nadal and Paire ... is not.

He's grumpy out there. Whether the back is still bothering him, the early morning, the conditions, his general play ... who knows? Time to do this as quickly as you can, Rafa and get out of there.

The joys of following Rafa, huh?

As for me ... well, I'm going to love you and leave you as I'm away at a friend's in the Norfolk countryside this weekend. She doesn't have satellite TV and despairs of my fangirl-ism, so I won't be around to offer up any reports.  :(

I hope he shakes himself out of his malaise and good luck Rafa!! VAMOS!!

Le Chat amongst Les Pigeons ...

Whilst Rafa is quietly going about his business practising and playing in the Barcelona Open, he's probably blissfully unaware that once again, various internet and media discussions have been raging about him.

At the weekend, Guy Forget (Roland Garros Committee member and former French Davis Cup captain) has said, as reported in this article in Tennis.com ...

"Since we can see them meeting in the finals of the biggest events in the next weeks, it would be a shame to have them [meet] in a quarterfinal in Roland Garros."

"The rules state the Grand Slam events have the right to change the seeding regarding the situation of the players. Wimbledon has done that in the past. I would not find it illogical to change the seeds."

For "them", read Rafa and A.N.Other ... and the subject matter at the root of all this ... that unless the Roland Garros Committee do something that they have never, ever exercised in it’s 100 year plus history - which is to weight their seedings according to a player's previous two years' results at the tournament in addition to their current ATP ranking - then Rafa will [probably] be seeded Number 5, and as such, is a ticking time bomb to the likes of Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer as he could potentially be a quarter-final opponent.

Now since Rafa returned to the circuit, we've all known about this probable eventuality, and with Rafa's withdrawal from Miami and Ferrer's final appearance, it's all but been a certainty (although David's trying to do his best to alter this with his result at Barcelona ;) ). But since last weekend's Monte Carlo final, it seems that Roland Garros, Steve Tignor, John McEnroe and the fans of opposing players are finally waking up to this. As we've also had some chat about this within the comments, I thought I'd bring the discussion out here, and share some of my thoughts.

Speaking completely parochially as a Rafa fan, if something was done that meant he was seeded within the top 4 at the French Open, would I be bothered? Probably not. Do I think it's right deep down? Probably not, but hey, I'd take it.

But the thing that has evoked some strong views within me is how Guy Forget's comments have seemingly been reported. All I can find of his direct quotes are what I've posted above; that it would be a “shame” for "them" to meet in the quarter-final at Roland Garros, and that it’s not “illogical” to change seeds. Nowhere can I find him directly mentioning Rafa in all of this. Of course the journalist copy around the quotes have the inference that this decision may come about because of what has happened to Rafa’s ranking due to his injury situation, and that it would be something that is being considered to help him …

But I don’t believe for a minute that Rafa is at the forefront of Guy Forget’s concerns.

My view is that Forget’s primary concern is for the tournament. It’s the tournament first. And the tournament wants to have the best matches, and for that best match to occur in the final … not the quarter-final. And I also believe that Forget’s secondary concern is to protect other players, not simply Rafa, so that those other players have as much chance as him to not get beat before the final. I’ve discussed in a previous post that the biggest tennis story everybody is waiting to see is the de-thronement of Rafael Nadal at the French Open, and who might be the one to do it. And once again, there’s a lot of renewed interest that the individual who has the best current chance is Novak Djokovic. And would the Roland Garros Committee prefer to see such a match in the quarter-final or the final? Well it’s the final – obviously – whilst the eyes of the world would be watching. And if it wasn’t Djokovic, then they’d love it to be Federer; so that’s why I think it’s a nonsense that they’re considering this change to support Rafa solely. The tournament first, and other players.

And Forget is not correct in saying that we can see “them” meeting in the finals of the biggest events in the next weeks. When all the top 5 showed up in Indian Wells, it was Federer who copped for Rafa in the quarter-final. And lost. Due to Federer and Ferrer withdrawing from Monte Carlo, yes, we did see “them” meeting in the final of that Masters. But in Madrid and Rome when it is assumed that once again all the top 5 will be there, someone will again end up with Rafa in their quarter. You just don’t want it happening at the French Open, do you Monsieur Forget? It’s also interesting to read other players’ fans opinion on this, such as a Federer fan saying he would think it quite a hoot for Rafa to draw Djokovic and get beat by him in the quarters, but then he wouldn’t be so pleased if the same fate befell Federer. A ticking time bomb …

I think it’s perhaps worth drawing out that the reason why Wimbledon has previously invoked it’s right to weight seedings for it’s tournament is because of the uniqueness of it’s surface. The seeding system is in place to try and ensure that the best players meet towards the “business end” of the tournament. But because the best players on grass only get Wimbledon and usually one warm-up tournament on the surface, the AELTC Seeding Committee have tended to use this weighting (and not always) in order determine their seeds. I assume that because there has always traditionally been a number of clay court events leading up to the French Open, then players tend to sort themselves out with these results and therefore the French Open hasn’t determined any weightings to be necessary. And as three quarters of the Tour is held on hardcourt tournaments, then I’m sure the US Open and Australian Open also consider the current rankings representative.

It’s interesting that when Rafa was on the Players’ Council and advocating his ideas for a 2-year protected ranking, it was wildly criticised for being self-serving. But it’s not self-serving for a tournament to effectively do the same in order to protect the tournament and some players?? Hhmmmm …

It’s also assumed that the player to “lose” out in all of this is David Ferrer, and nobody seems to care that it’s David Ferrer. The thing is, I’ve seen someone apply the Wimbledon criteria to this situation and they have Djokovic at 1, Rafa at 2, followed by Federer, Murray and Ferrer at 3, 4 and 5 respectively, but only with a tiny handful of points between them. All this could easily change at Madrid and Rome. Would it be OK after this clay season’s results and the Roland Garros Committee tinkerings to have Federer lose out? I think not. And would Andy Murray after winning the Olympic Gold and his first Slam quietly take being seeded 5 because of unprecedented RG tinkerings?   I think not. And only the future will tell what Wimbledon may or may not have to do, but if they did, at least it wouldn’t be uniquely applied.

I wonder what Rafa would think of it all? Rafa has a very simple belief system when it comes to most things that affect him in tennis … “it’s the sport …” And I think in this case, it is. I do not believe that it would sit very well with him that a non “illogical” change to seedings at the French Open would see his friend and compatriot – David Ferrer – missing out. Even if it was to his benefit. It’s a sad thing that this situation has come about not because Rafa has had a dreadful run of form and a huge number of losses, but because of injury … but this is why he felt the 2 year ranking system might be a good idea. Funny how an ITP tournament wants to protect their rankings when it suits them, and fans of other players want them to do likewise when it might affect their favourite player.

In conclusion, I don’t think the Roland Garros Committee will actually do anything about this – and if they do, I will be very, very surprised. Tennis has a funny old way of things turning out, so with another two Masters to go before the event, who’s to say that things won’t change naturally anyway? I suspect that Rafa has given none of this a second thought and is just happy to be able to compete, and whilst I would love Rafa to have a “free ride”, deep down, it doesn’t actually sit well with me [sorry, Rafafans].

Because after all … “it’s the sport …”

Yum ...

For some reason, @EnriqueNoticias thinks that us Rafa fans might be interested in these.

I say the hatahs are interested more. *wave*

:D :D

Rafa vs. Berloq ... the match

Opening match in Barcelona ...

Rafa won ... and that is all I know. Hehe.

6-4, 6-2 against Carlos Berloq ...

Shirtless Team Nadal chat ...

... it's great!!

photo - Manuel Queimadelos

Rafa's daily dose ...

"Interview with the great Mats Wilander!"

Hhhmmm ... you ought to listen to some of his commentary on your matches, Rafa. And the utter devastation he expresses when it becomes obvious you're going to win.

Rafa's daily dose ...

"Practicing in the Real Club Tennis Barcelona. Tomorrow first match!!"

Boi's night out in Barcelona ...

They're all there.

It's like a Friday night out in El Cambio de Tercio. :D

picture via @nycsandygirl

The Magic Fountains ...

Lovely pictures tonight of the players from the Font Magica in Barcelona.

It's a truly wonderful place.  The fountains are set off to a display of lights and classical music.  Its amazing. 

But there's actually a building to the right of the Magic Fountains that is even more spectacular - in my opinion.

The Barcelona Pavilion designed by Mies Van de Rohe for the 1929 World's Fair.

See ... this is not just a silly fangirl's blog ... you can pick up all sorts of information on iconic 20th Century buildings.  And the furniture designed for said building, made especially for the King and Queen of Spain to sit on ... the infamous Barcelona Chair.

And how does Rafa treat it??  Well ... he chucks his clothes on it !!  :D :D :D

Barcelona practice ...

Some practice pictures from BancoSabadell's photostream and a short video ...

The video ... (apparently Rafa is swearing in it ... gasp!!)

Presser video ...

A short video from today's presser ...

Back to business ...

Another day, another dollar. Another city, another tournament, another press conference.

Rafa arrived in Barcelona today to continue his work.

I think our boy looks tired. Ease yourself into it Rafa ...

Why does it matter so much for Rafa to lose the French ... ??

OK ... I've not gone completely mad, and I know that's an odd post title, but I feel like I have to ask that burning question ...

Because the match was delayed a bit today, we were subjected to the blah, blah, blah of the Sky Sports commies, and the subject of Rafa's impending loss in a final at Roland Garros and Djokovic - seemingly being the one to do it - were tirelessly discussed.  Feds' 2009 victory was glossed over because he didn't go through Rafa to win it, but a Rafa defeat seems to be the thing met with tireless anticipation in commentator and forum world.

Why?

I ask why because when Rafael Nadal's achievements as a tennis player are discussed, so often you will see his records caveated with, "aah ... but most of his Slam titles were won at the French Open", or "the vast majority of his Masters titles are clay court titles", and of course that clown Bodo branded him "lucky" that three of the nine Masters were played on clay.  So in other words, his achievements are often denigrated because they're won on a sub-standard, skill-less surface where his particular "physical" style of tennis has dominated, and basically, they count for nothing in overall tennis achievements.  Remember I wrote my "Why don't clay court titles count?" post discussing that very subject.

So if - in the grand scheme of things - winning on a specialist surface like clay isn't anything to write home about, why does it become so damned important to beat the dominator on that very same surface??  If they're a bunch of lesser titles to win, why would it be considered such an achievement to put an end to the reign of the very player who's proved himself to be probably the greatest advisory on it??  If winning 7 French Open titles and being a clay court specialist is not considered as good as say, winning 7 Wimbledon titles and being a grass court specialist ... why does anyone give a fig about someone other than Rafa winning a paltry clay court Slam anyway??  Do you see the dichotomy?  Do you see why I struggle to understand why winning the French Open multiple times is caveated because Rafa is the surface specialist, yet the person defeating him will be lauded like he's achieved something tantamount to discovering the Holy Grail??

The defeat of Rafa on clay is greater than Rafa's combined achievements on clay??  It's just plain weird.

And because of Rafa's Monte Carlo loss today, over the next few weeks we will be subjected to endless copy of what is about to become at this year's French Open.  I hope you're ready for it.

And my conclusions.  Well ... it's personal, personal to Rafa, and not in a good way.  It would be a very brave broadcasting station that started it's coverage of the lead up to the French Open and the actual tournament itself by saying let's cheer Rafa on to an unprecedented No. 8.  Let's celebrate what he's achieved to date, let's champion how better he might make that achievement, and let's celebrate how we've been lucky enough to see this very special record in our lifetime.  But that will  never happen.

Because just like in certain quarters his Slam tally is scoffed at because it's largely built up via clay court wins, and that even though he's won 2 Wimbledon titles and been to another 3 finals, and he's won 2 hardcourt titles and been to another 2 finals ... it's always pointed out that he's yet to repeat his Slam success at both Australia and the US Open, blimey ... you'd think the guy was a failure.

Has there ever been one player who is so divisive?  And why should it be that defeating Rafa on clay is a bigger story than any of his fantastic victories upon it?

Well I cherish the moments that I've witnessed Rafa's remarkable history making records since 2005 ... and for whatever obvious excitement a victory in a Masters final might be met with today ... the King is most certainly not dead, Mrs Djokovic ...           

"Of course, I want to win Roland Garros.  That's no secret ... "

It isn't Rafa ... it isn't ... and you winning it might not be the story everyone's looking for, but there's still plenty of us who will cheer you on your way.

Rafa on-court post match interview ...

Le sigh ...

Awwwwwwww ... it wasn't to be today Rafa.

“I think it was a positive week. I didn't practice in Mallorca, I just practised here before the tournament. Without much preparation, I was able to play in the final. This week is going to help me be fit for the next weeks."

“I felt for moments in the second set, I played my best tennis of the week. So that's important. When I was doing that, I wasn't far off him. I need more matches to play with this intensity all the time. I need to be completely focused in every moment."

“Hopefully, I can play another great week in Barcelona next week [and] play some matches that will keep helping to put me in the 100 per cent physical conditioning.”

That's the spirit, Rafa!!

Strangely, I don't feel too bad about this loss. I'm sad for Rafa losing the consecutive streak at one of his favourite tournaments, and I'm especially sad for my friends and all the other girls that went out to Monte Carlo to support him.  And I'm sad that the odious twonk claimed a victory at one of Rafa's "happy" places.  But you kind of sensed in his last two matches that he wasn't on his top form and his Facebook entry this morning claiming that he'd need to be "lucky" to win ... well, it didn't bode too well.

There's nothing you can say from Rafa's perspective about the start that Djokovic made - except that the 2011 Net Cord Fairy seemed to have re-appeared when she can just bloody well feck off again. But when you play a game of small margins, these things can start to matter. But Rafa rallied when the PoD was serving for the first set, and backed it up with a service game win to at least make the first set scoreline a little more respectable.

The second set started much more evenly, and at 2-2, Rafa broke and then took a 4-2 lead. If there's one thing I would say about that second set that ever so slightly disappointed me, was that Rafa then became too passive when he had that break. He allowed the PoD too much of an easy time of it when he served at 2-4 down, and winning that game to love and not having to face any particular aggressive play from Rafa in it helped him to regain a bit of his stride. Rafa again was too tentative and passive when serving at 4-3, and he quickly went 0-30 down and before you knew it ... the break was gone. But today did show that Rafa's play and pressure can get to Djokovic because he recovered yet another break, but to be honest, serving at 6-5 to try and take the second set was where an 8 month absence showed itself, if you ask me. I felt Rafa was rusty in that situation, and the nerves got to him. A poor tie break finally un-did him and sadly, there was no 9th title for Rafa. :(

But his tone and body language still seem very positive to me. He's not in his top condition, his 4 week break slightly worked against him here and his opponent is not streets ahead of him by any stretch of the imagination. It's good that he's in Barcelona next week, in a place that loves him and he can hopefully work out those pains and niggles and get some more matches under his belt. Five finals in five tournaments since his comeback is a fantastic effort, and let's not push the panic button just yet. There's plenty more to come from Rafa this clay court season. I feel it.

Well done, Rafa. VAMO8 on to Barcelona!!

Rafa vs. Tsonga ... the match

Final time ... Let's make it Number 9

On a much colder and windy day in Monte Carlo, Rafa took on Jo-Wilfrid Tsonga in the semi-final of the Masters. I was a bit tense about this one, and found it difficult to get myself up for it. But in the first set, the JWT of old turned up ... meaning the one that seems to promise so much and yet fails to deliver when it really matters. But I didn't care, it's what I wanted.

Rafa got the first break in the first set, and it was enough to see him through. Then in the second set, he absolutely raced away to a 5-1 lead and stood to serve for the match. Phew, an easy match. Just what we wanted ...

Wrong.

Released from the mental anguish of playing Rafael Nadal on clay, at a tournament where he is the 8-time Champion, JWT brought that other side of him to the court, the one that some people like and rave about, the aggressive play, the big forehand, the serve-volley, two punch tennis. And the cockiness.

He broke Rafa at 5-1, and he saved match points on his own serve. Buoyed on by the crowd, he broke again, and again ... and the set was leveled 5-5. But where he was once free to play and gamble as he saw fit because all seemed lost, at 5-5 with Rafa serving, he saw himself right back in the set and the match, and that's when it started to all, well ... stop.

Rafa served an easy service game to take it to 6-5, and my memory is failing me now, but did he even have another match point on Tsonga's serve? Henyways ... to the tie break we went. And midway through, Rafa showed his class, some superb shot making and he won it 7-4.

He was happy about that, Mama and Papa hugged each other ... VAMOS!!

Did he play better than yesterday? Well, yes ... the UEs were significantly down, the service points won and the serve in general were better. But I just felt he was within himself ... agitated. And he needed those fine down-the-line forehand winners and the odd fabulous backhand return to spice himself up and pump himself into going for it.

And as if this wasn't on the cards all week, his opponent in tomorrow's final will be the Prince of Darkness himself ... Djokovic. He walked all over Fabio Fognini, who I largely found a total embarrassment; more concerned about just showing up and walking straight back out with the biggest single paycheck of his career and caring not a bloody jot about it. As for him ... well, he fist-pumped himself after nearly every single point, such was his desire to get to the final. You see, it's been a difficult week for the PoD. He's had to work hard every day seeking out the attention he so obviously craves with his "will he? won't he?" daily updates on that "dislocated" ankle of his, and sending out his team out to speak to the media to make sure that we're all "informed".

And yet all the while, he still has to sit back and watch Rafa being treated like a rock star at Monte Carlo, with huge crowds following him everywhere he goes, and the great support that is always for him there; and Djokovic has been put on as the final match of the day twice, when people have had enough and he doesn't get centre stage billing. He hates it, I believe. And I also believe that it's just not about winning this Masters title, it's more so about crushing Rafa, about toppling the "King of Clay", scoring the biggest coup in tennis on a court that Rafa could simply call his own. And he can't wait. He's a poor winner, ugly in victory, and I wish to the bottom of my soul that it isn't witnessed tomorrow.

Am I worried? Of course I am, and I have reason to be. But I hope all those girls out there, those who gather in their numbers every single year to support Rafa the loudest, well I hope they do their very best to scream, and shout, and let it all out. VAMOS IRRESPONSIBLY people!!! Let's cheer Rafa on to Number 9. VAM9S !!!

The Gala Dinner ...

A brief video clip of last night's event ...

Une Grande Nuit de Tennis ...

Wooffs she say that any nuit is a grande nuit when I turn up sans hair gel ...

Bonsoir everybody guys ...

I forget the cufff linx ... *snort*

Hey Albert!  I know my jackeet is like the ventriloquist dummy, but I not the puppet, h'ok?

Me and the guys with the Prince.  But ess there a Prince meesing?  Where ees the Prince of Darkness?  Sulking at the home where he leeves for real making the "I luff the Serbia" posters with Pierre?

Laydee ... no woman over the age of the 35 should wear the skirt abuff the knees ...