Gorgeous!!
Friday 30 August 2013
Rafa trounches Rogerio ... no, not *him* ... another one ... lol
Guess who forgot to set their Sky+ box last night record the match?
Hmmmmmm ...
I don't think Rogerio Dutra Silva saw much of it either! Rafa breezed through comfortably by a 6-2, 6-1. 6-0 scoreline. A similar scoreline to one that Feds once faced. :D Anyhow, he's looking happy, enjoying it ... and the night kit is quite nice too!!
Dodig up next. He had that nasty experience against him in Canada the other year, so I know he won't take this lightly. And I think it's an afternoon match in New York so an early evening viewing for us in the UK. Hurrah!! At least I won't be too zonked not to remember to record it.
Tuesday 27 August 2013
A solid and strong start ...
I really enjoyed Rafa's match yesterday. It was a very comfortable scoreline as he defeated Ryan Harrison, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2, but as ever, it's the manner of the victory that counts.
My commies said several times that Harrison is so predictable, that at times, he's easy to read and to play against. But Rafa seemed to be continuing in the mode that won him Montreal and Cincy - aggressive, on the baseline and I loved the play he deployed many times of great baseline play but then ghosting in to win at the net. Really good stuff.
Dodig or Davydenko next. Not entirely straightforward due to past results against him, but one step at a time. And after his disaster of an opening match at Wimbledon, and the very near massive wobble at the French Open, I'll take yesterday's play any time!!
Sunday 25 August 2013
Rafa's daily dose ...
"These days with children are always special. Well he isn't a kid but is also special to share great moments with him."OK Rafa. More finger pointing. The thing is ... I think the conversation went more like this ...
Rog - You're really getting it with the finger wagging, Rafa.
Rafa - Whot do you mean Rogerrr? The French Open semi? Like you deed in 2011?? Noh, I just deed thees when I thowt that thee Preense of Darkness fell into the net.
Rog - No Rafa. You did this. *Point* *Point* *Point*
Rafa - h'OK Rogerrr. I agree, I deed the pointings. He did the fallings. The sheet? It happens.
Saturday 24 August 2013
Rafa's hands ...
Le sigh ...
Rafa signing my absolute favourite, iconic picture of the man I've so come love and respect as a player and a human being.
The piratas, azure blue top, rising sun headband, left bicep and VAMOS!! Never seen anything like it before, and we'll never see the like of it again. Rafa. Amazing.
The No. 1 Event ...
Enjoy last night's event at the Waldorf Astoria here ...
Trouble is, I've been reminded that I have been watching for 40 years!! Lol.
No. 1 conversations ...
Nastase - Roger!! Can you not make this clown #shutup or #bequiet ??
Rafa - *snort*
Rogerrrr. Never mind the sneaky peek at my hair gel. You don't even have enuff to cover up your receeding hairline. It is dropping faster than you are in the rankeengs ...
hHello Mr Djokovic of the seenior. Rafa here, not speeking to your son since he started to beat me in the 2011. But aah ... I hef beaten him 5 of the last seex times we hef played. So that is why I am speeking to him agen!! There are non of the flies on mee!!
Friday 23 August 2013
Rafa's still wagging that finger ...
And so he should. At Toni. Cos let's face it ... Toni has a big act to follow seeing as Roig has masterminded all Rafa's success on hardcourts this season. And has brought the joy to his tennis and that big, beaming smile back on his face.
Francisco! Francisco! Francisco!!
Rafa's daily dose ...
"Enjoing a walk in NYC! #UsOpen"
Enjoing, Rafa? Quite.
But spelling mistakes aside, by the look on your face ... really Rafa?
It that because you narrowly missed falling down that open vent and cos that bus hurtling away in the background is still playing make-believe its an extra in Speed and nearly did for you in spite of you standing on the crossing?
Stay safe, Rafa.
*wink*
Wednesday 21 August 2013
Rafa's daily dose ...
Ya estoy en NYC! #UsOpen I've come to NYC! #UsOpen pic.twitter.com/N7fWLP8opJ
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) August 21, 2013
Rafa's daily dose ...
Back to #FlushingMeadows, in a few days starts US OPEN 2013! pic.twitter.com/FYAnip7ycH
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) August 21, 2013
Indeed Rafa!! Hope you're feeling in great shape and ready to go!!!
Strolling in the city ...
Awww ... Xisca has joined Rafa in New York. And doesn't Rafa look happy at the moment. It's so good to see!!
Sunday 18 August 2013
And still, he holds that trophy ...
That smile ...
And oh, Mr Daily Mail editor ... if you're still popping on by, seems that Rafa was also a sideshow at Cincy too by the looks of those crowds. ;)
pic via media.zenfs.com
The Cincy trophy ...
Well, it's been getting all sorts of stick ... but I'm rather taken with its Art Nouveau design. #affronted
And Rafa clearly loves it ...
HI6TORY ...
Hehe ... couldn't resist the above. But ... Rafa now has won 6 of the 9 Masters, and Cincy to boot! Who would have ever believed it?? Not me ... but today, Rafa took his 26th Masters on the so-called fastest court of them all.
Not bad for a clay court moonballer, eh?? ;)
I won't talk too much about the match because I can't say I particularly enjoyed it. John Izzzner might have saved tennissss the other day by taking out the Prince of Darkness, but seriously folks, I cannot bear his brand of tennis. I hope never to have to watch him ever again.
Half the time you want to say, let's fast forward to the tie break and get this over with ... and that was the case in both sets today, with Rafa having to work harder in the first one than the second. But the joy on his face when he won and the fact that he fell to the floor, this really just shows how much today's victory meant to him.
And is he just the most remarkable player, ever?/ I'm having to pinch myself now with all he has done in his comeback, but "comeback" it is no more. Stunning. Apart from the Wimbledon aberration, he's reached every final, and bar Monte Carlo and Chile ... has won them all. I know I'm like a cracked record as the stats just keep racking up ... but Rafa has won 5 Masters and a Slam this season, after starting it only in February. So far, he's the player of the season and after falling to No. 5 ... his fantastic success now means that he goes into the US Open as the No 2 seed!! Bravo, Rafa!!!
Djokovic ... can you feel his breath right down your neck?? Can you???
Last year when Rafa started to pull out of one tournament after the other, I wrote a post called, "Dear Rafa" ... and it was about if you could write him a letter, what would you say? And I concentrated on talking about his courage, because his courage - for me - is the most outstanding quality he has. Time and time again he comes back from aversion, and triumphs. Whether it be his health issues, the difficulties his opponents put to him, he has the courage to keep hanging on there, working hard, and with that rugged determination and lion hearted courage ... he succeeds. He is the outstanding player of his generation, the ultimate role model, a complete and utter treasure, and I adore him.
With the big one of the US Open now just round the corner ... Dear Rafa, just do your best. xxx
Saturday 17 August 2013
21-10 ...
I never tire of that H2H. Haha, yeah, I know it means nothing cos it's entirely clay centric *rollseyes* - even though Feds now has had 16 chances to beat Rafa off clay as opposed to 15 times on it. And I know that if Rafa had been good enough to turn up to finals on courts such as Cincy in his early days, then it would be entirely different - although it could also have been entirely different if Feds had have been good enough to turn up to all those hardcourt finals in 2010 and 2011. But hey, I digress from what was a really good match.
Apart from Feds having to battle to hold his opening service game, I felt the set was pretty much even, and Rafa got mugged to lose it on his service game. But Feds played better in the second set - even though Rafa never faced a break point - and in fact, it was he who mugged Feds to win it.
But from the start of the third, Rafa was fabulous. With an early break and at 4-1 and my best hope of points for 5-1, I suppose you have to credit the old guy for keeping it to only one service break and making Rafa fight for it at the end. But Rafa deserved that win. And whilst it was probably the best tennis that Feds played all year, I kind of think that Rafa still has more to give.
And with the Prince of Darkness and Murray both being knocked out yesterday - hurrah!! - you kind of can't dare but hope to believe. However, Berdych and Delpo still have great hardcourt games and whatever the outcome ... Rafa, you have once again done fantastically well to get this far.
VAMOSSSSS !!!
Thursday 15 August 2013
Rafa heppy ...
I didn't get see last night's match, but by all accounts, Rafa was terrific.
And he seems pretty calm and assured about his performance. His match today is on again too late for me to watch here in the UK, as it's a damn school night ... but it could be tricky. I hope Rafa dishes out to "Baby Fed" was he does to the Old Timer. ;)
Sunday 11 August 2013
Rafa's daily dose ...
"Autographs after the practice! We are ready!"... as are we, Rafa. Good luck, and VAMOSSSSSSSSSS !!!
Wag that finger ... !!
As with Fed in FO 2011, Rafa wags that finger to let it be known that he's still here ... VAMOS!!
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