"Disappointed for not being able to compete in Toronto and Cincinnati due to a wrist injury on my right hand. Sad also for the fans in North America who always support me. I expect to be well for the US Open. Thanks all for your support."
When I started to see the news breaking on Twitter this afternoon, I felt strangely detached. Bear with me, but this is why I felt the need for a little sabbatical earlier this year. I just needed to take a step back from the stress of it all. Even when he's winning, it's stressful. And after seemingly being knock out in training and talking publicly about being healthy and happy, Rafa faces his latest injury blow with damage to his wrist done in training yesterday.
It's just the latest of a long, long line of setbacks. There's no need for people to churn out the old cliches of how a stellar year for Rafa is never maintained the following year after, as his body (or his mind) breaks down and he becomes absent from the Tour yet again. Shit happens. Yeah, shit does happen. And a lot of it to him.
2,000 ranking points gone and the start of the speculation that will run and run as to whether he'll even make it to defend his title at the US Open. All we were debating over these past few days was whether the sleeveless look would make a return in New York. Never mind the shirt ... will he even be there? I feel another sabbatical coming on.
I read some debate recently about the outstanding record of Rafa's of having won at least one Slam title for 10 years. Yes it is amazing, but of course it was caveated that he's won the FO in 9 of those years and if he continued to win "just" the French Open in future seasons that it wouldn't be a record to hold in such high esteem. Yes of course ... let's never forget that Clay titles don't count. I wonder if Smugly had have won on grass for 9 years and then kept adding to it, if that achievement would have been dumbed down? We all know the answer, don't we? But where I'm going with this is to think that Rafa - with his various absences through injury - has still managed to win 14 Grand Slam titles, make what? 6 other final appearances and be the joint 2nd on the all time list ... he's just amazing.
Tennis loses it's sparkle for me when Rafa isn't there. I don't enjoy the sport, I don't particularly like any other players, I want them all to lose. I watch - cos I've always watched tennis - out of habit. All part of the ride on the Rafarollercoaster. A few too many dips on it though, that's all I want to say.
We wish you luck in your rehabilitation, Rafa. Be strong, be brave, be RAAAAAAAAAR.
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