Posted: 22.03.09 15:06. Post subject: Пресса знает всё! :) часть 2

 Posted: 23.05.09 18:24. Post subject: Надаль проиграл Дабу..

Надаль проиграл Дабулу в выставочном матче
Первая ракетка мира испанец Рафаэль Надаль неожиданно проиграл в выставочном односетовом матче 109-й ракетке мира аргентинцу Бриану Дабулу со счетом 5:7.
Матч прошел при полных трибунах, несмотря на моросящий дождь, сообщает Eurosport.

http://www.sports.ru/tennis/9824366.html

Я что-то не поняль юмора... Проиграл? Зачем?



P.S. Почему-то в новую тему сообщение улетело. ?

 Posted: 23.05.09 18:53. Post subject: Нарцисса пишет: Перв..

Нарцисса пишет:

quote:

Первая ракетка мира испанец Рафаэль Надаль неожиданно проиграл в выставочном односетовом матче 109-й ракетке мира аргентинцу Бриану Дабулу со счетом 5:7.

quote:

P.S. Почему-то в новую тему сообщение улетело. ?

...борда считает символы, по сему темы с прессой всегда будут закрываться на 3-4х страницах, поэтому мы бережно подшиваем темы-малютки в общую...

 Posted: 23.05.09 19:24. Post subject: Нарцисса ИМХО, Рафа..

Нарцисса
ИМХО, Рафа хотел снять с себя напряжение фаворита турнира. Он не хотел показывать что он фаворит даже в выставочном матче.

 Posted: 23.05.09 19:28. Post subject: оф. сайт Надаля Уж п..

quote:

оф. сайт Надаля

Уж простите меня.... я всё могу понять, но что значит этот розовый сайт Рафы? Они что подурели там?

Если бы смогла сейчас поехать на турнир, точно бы подошла к Бенито и высказала свое фииииииииииииии. Интересно чем бы он аргументировал этот факт.

Что они делают с Рафы? какого-то сопливого мальчика? он же взрослый мужчина!!!

 Posted: 23.05.09 19:30. Post subject: yuliaRF1 Ты сама в ..

yuliaRF1

quote:

ИМХО, Рафа хотел снять с себя напряжение фаворита турнира. Он не хотел показывать что он фаворит даже в выставочном матче.

Ты сама в это веришь?

А что за выставка такая? Анонсов вроде не было...

 Posted: 23.05.09 19:35. Post subject: хруня честно говоря..

хруня
честно говоря, да. зачем ему показывать что он у всех выигрывать. Тише едем, дальше будем.

 Posted: 23.05.09 19:52. Post subject: yuliaRF1 Юль, Найк..

yuliaRF1

Юль, Найк - просто давным-давно потерял совесть, вот и все... Как только Рафа дал на это согласие?!, ощущение такое, что его и спрашивать не стали... Черный был как-то через чур, но это... Новый фасон сайта, мягким словом, идет вразрез характеру и стилю Рафы. Ведь Рафаэль Надаль это не только цвет футболки, которая на нем одета... Надежда, что по окончанию РГ (или хотя бы момента, когда Рафа оденет что-нибудь другое) они пересмотрят его внешний вид...
...такого сайта, я, например, не видела ни одного...

хруня пишет:

quote:

А что за выставка такая? Анонсов вроде не было...

я сама только что увидела... может и хорошо...
Не думаю, что Рафа уступил 109й (!!!) ракетке мира с какой то целью, этот матч просто надо увидеть, и тогда все станет ясно...
Я, честно говоря, слегка шокирована этой новостью...

 Posted: 23.05.09 19:58. Post subject: Натали мозги потеря..

Натали
мозги потерял Найк, я долго их не критиковала, но этот сайт поверг меня в ужас. Я просто не понимаю. что же они этим розовым цветом хотят показать. Мне каежтся что если даже Рафа будет носить каждый день розовую форму, всё равно, парни не будут ее покупать, Найк не сможет заработать на этом, клиенты не такие глупые как им кажется.

А Бенито ведь по идее должен смотреть за имеджем Рафы, интересно в какую пользу играет этот розовый сайт....способствует интересному имиджу....

 Posted: 23.05.09 20:12. Post subject: yuliaRF1 money, mon..

yuliaRF1
money, money, money...

quote:

Мне каежтся что если даже Рафа будет носить каждый день розовую форму, всё равно, парни не будут ее покупать

...к тому же, я не думаю, что на сайт Рафы ломится большое количество парней... хотя кто его знает??
Жаль конечно что официальный сайт Рафы превратился в билборд Найк, но Рафе он, по-моему, по барабану , так что и нам сильно расстраиваться по этому поводу совсем не обязательно...

 Posted: 23.05.09 20:42. Post subject: Сегодня на РГ (это м..

Сегодня на РГ (это многолетняя традиция) проходит так называемый день "Benny Berthet", когда теннисисты в тренировочном режиме играют показательные матчи или сеты на 3-х основных кортах. На это мероприятие продаются дешевые билеты, поэтому зрителей приходит очень много. Доходы от билетов идут в несколько благотворительных фондов, которые являются партнерами турнира на Ролан Гаррос.

quote:

King of clay suffers first defeat For the first time ever, Rafael Nadal has been defeated here at Roland Garros! Before the rest of the men’s draw get too excited however, it should be pointed out that his loss came as part of the traditional "Benny Berthet" charity exhibition matches. Rafa went down 7-5 to Argentina’s Brian Dabul on Philippe Chatrier court in a single-set encounter, with the brief shower which made the court slippery towards the end perhaps seeing Nadal decide that discretion was the better part of valour. Various exhibition matches were played throughout the day on Philippe Chatrier, Suzanne Lenglen and No1 courts, with the proceeds going to five charities which are partners of the event. Despite the overcast weather, there was a good turn-out with fans enjoying some spectacular tennis, including appearances from local favourites Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Fabrice Santoro amongst others. http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/news/ ... 85000.html

Кстати, Рафа почему-то очень часто на тренировках проигрывает сеты, играемые на счет, причем часто спаррингам заметно слабее себя.

 Posted: 23.05.09 21:59. Post subject: Сегодня по НТВ+ была..

Сегодня по НТВ+ была передача, посвященная началу РГ. Ведущие - А. Дмитриева и Е. Кафельников. Женя снова сказал, что Рафа симпатичен ему больше всех, что он всё больше и больше начинает потрясаться его результатами и что не верит, что на РГ его может кто-то обыграть. Обсуждая сетку, Женя сказал, что первая неделя у Рафы будет тренировочная. Когда в конце передачи АД спросила, на кого делать ставки, Женя сказал, что все, что у него есть, он бы поставил на Надаля.
Были вопросы по телефону. Один из звонивших спросил о перспективах Надаля выиграть БШ. Женя ответил, что уж если Агасси считает Рафу единственным игроком, способным это сделать, то о чем тут говорить. Хотя сделать это неимоверно сложно в современном теннисе. Но если Рафа возьмет РГ и Уим, то на ЮСО у него будет запредельная мотивация.
Еще задали вопрос о том, что современные топ-игроки не играют пару. А вот Женя в 1996 г. выиграл РГ и в одиночном, и в парном разряде. До него это удавалось Розуоллу в 1968 г. (если ничего не напутала), после него - никому. Женя ответил: вот если бы Надаль больше играл в паре, то его игра была бы еще интересней.
В общем, кто о ком, а Женя - только о Рафе

 Posted: 24.05.09 06:07. Post subject: В общем, кто о ком, ..

quote:

В общем, кто о ком, а Женя - только о Рафе

Молодец! Буду постоянно с Женей передачи смотреть, моя любимая тема, я так понимаю, все равно всплывет!

 Posted: 24.05.09 06:16. Post subject: Ángel Ruiz Coto..

Ángel Ruiz Cotorro - Doctor to tennis players

The doctor sets up his surgery every year at Roland Garros where he doesn't just cosset Rafa Nadal but all the (Spanish) players on the tour.


"What makes Nadal number one in the world is his mental strength"

Interviewed by Emilio Pérez de Rozas
Translated by nou.amic for http://www.vamosbrigade.com

He was good at tennis but they say his son Alvaro, aged 10, is even better. Ángel Ruiz Cotorro (Santander 1958), who also has three other children, Ana (20), Ángel (17) and Paula (14), preferred to become a doctor, the best tennis doctor in the world. In November he will be organising the 'Congress of Tennis Medicine' with 400 specialists from all over the world. He has just set up the 'Mapfre Tennis Medicine Centre' at the CIMA Clinic in Barcelona. He fears for tennis players' hips and because of this has created a scholarship for the study of new pathologies.

To give you an idea of what kind of interview this is, although I know you are going to deny it immediately, I am one of those who are convinced that without you these boys of ours wouldn't have won the half of the victories and titles they have.
.- I don't have to deny that, you know as well as I do that it's not true. I haven't won a single one of those titles. But, yes, I've lived through them and enjoyed them like the players and, of course, when they have occurred I've felt the happiest man in the world and privileged, yes a privileged person. Yes, in my status as doctor, as a component of a team, a spectator with a front row seat, I've enjoyed them, I enjoy them, as much or more than they have.

Tell me, what are they like?
.- They are very young, which many people don't seem to realise. They are sportsmen and, on top of that, they form part of the elite of their sport. Because of that they live at a pace and under a pressure that isn't normal at their age. Their childhood and their youth fly past almost without them realising it. They live at an acclerated pace. They are very special people, very special, as otherwise they wouldn't be able to get where they have reached. They would like to be able to enjoy the same things as other young people of their age, but they can't. Many of those things are prohibited to them. Their spare time is not organized, they have to steal it from their daily activities. They have to live their youth with many things that don't correspond to their age.

You are doctor to all of them so, if you say that, it's because you know how hard a tennis player's life is.
.- Nobody can imagine what it is like. I'm not aiming to measure how tough it is. Moreover, I'm not saying there are not sports that are as hard or even tougher than tennis. The result is that they feel the need to surround themselves with people they trust, to feel they're protected, feel comfortable and, above all, be strong on court, where they are absolutely on their own.

And out there on court, alone in the face of danger, the strongest always wins.
.- The strongest mentally. At the very top of the pyramid, they are all very good physically and technically, all of them. What makes the difference between being good, very good or extraordinary, almost unique, is mental strength, which is very closely connected to the character of each one, and his ambition, and there, my friend, Rafa Nadal is unique. At the crucial moments, and there are heaps of moments like that in each match, in every final, it's his mental strength that makes the difference and makes him the number one.

It makes one think that the life these youngsters lead is admirable and just thinking of it produces a kind of vertigo.
.- There's no doubt that these boys are at full stretch but the whole tour have demands put on them that stretch them to the limit. Rafa has been leader of the world rankings for five years, it doesn't matter whether you're number one or number two for that. As you can imagine, all that time and that pressure causes the organism, which is a perfect computer, to end up causing something in the body to break down. Why? Because the body keeps 'plugging all the holes', but, in the end, this leads to a breakdown in one's defences which ends up manifesting itself somewhere: in fever, a slight infection, an untimely catarrh, flu, some kind of sprain. And, yes, that's when I think my presence is important because they trust me, they trust us. They are not just looking for our advice or diagnosis but, with us there at their side, they also feel free from worry.

I know that you live only to help these young men because of your love of tennis, your affection for them and your profession, but I suspect you suffer for the children that are just starting out.
.- We have set up the first world centre for tennis medicine not just to attend to professional players but also to establish a prevention plan. Just think, children start playing at 5 years of age and immediately begin training. When they reach maturity as a tennis player, at about 20 years old, they have already had 15 years at a high intensity. Only if you have been followed adequately (medically) throughout your life, can you aspire to maintaining yourself among the elite for 5 or 6 years.

They're already training at 5 years of age! I can see that many parents are trying to have a Rafa Nadal of their own.
.- I have my suspicions that they're won't be another Rafa Nadal. Not here or anywhere in the world. If there is, we'll be a long time finding him. Rafa is a unique phenomenon, special. Parents have to understand that this is a marathon not a 100 meter sprint. They shouldn't build up false expectations and they ought to give their children a good physical, technical and mental base. And they should understand that a child is not an adult in miniature but a person in formation. Sportswise, they have to grow in a common sense way, one stage at a time, carefully dosing competition, giving the child breathing space, so that he/she doesn't miss all the good things, the best childhood has to offer. Above all, thay must not abandon their studies. A good tennis player has to be an educated intelligent person.

Nadal is also a '10' at that.
.- Not just Rafa, that whole generation of players is very wholesome and they get on exceptionally well with one another. They are real phenomenons, of great worth as human beings. All of them, ALL of them, have their feet on the ground and, believe me, that is by no means easy living in the world they live in, not easy at all.

http://www.elperiodico.com/default.asp?idpublicacio_PK=46&idioma=CAS&idtipusrecurs_PK=7&idnoticia_PK=615053

 Posted: 24.05.09 08:13. Post subject: http://www.eurosport..

Это уже не Мадрид

http://www.eurosport.ru/tennis/french-open/2009/story_sto1948825.shtml

Ничего так статейка. Про грунтовые рафонеудачи Федерера уморная фразочка

 Posted: 24.05.09 08:38. Post subject: yuliaRF1 ИМХО, Рафа..

yuliaRF1

quote:

ИМХО, Рафа хотел снять с себя напряжение фаворита турнира. Он не хотел показывать что он фаворит даже в выставочном матче.

Все может быть. Но наши догадки остаются только догадками, а как бы хотелось знать наверняка! Нервы в последнее время ни к черту стали... Что-то ни перед одним ТБШ еще так не нервничала

 Posted: 24.05.09 13:30. Post subject: Перевод Бодо http://..

Перевод статьи Бодо

http://www.sports.ru/tennis/9916661.html

 Posted: 24.05.09 13:48. Post subject: Нарцисса пишет: Но ..

Нарцисса пишет:

quote:

Но наши догадки остаются только догадками, а как бы хотелось знать наверняка!

Наверняка мы никогда не узнаем, можем только предполагать или догадываться. Поэтому придется терпеливо ждать настоящих матчей. Что казается этого "показательного сета", то мне кажется, что Рафе не к чему перед защитой титула светиться на разных выставочных турнирах. К тому же пошел дождь, а играть на скользком корте очень опасно. Одно неосторожное движение - и прощай, Париж. Биться с в этих условиях с аргентинцем, который играл на полном серьезе и сражался за каждый мяч (как говорят те, кто там присутствовал) было бы верхом глупости.

 Posted: 24.05.09 13:56. Post subject: Mela пишет: Án..

Mela пишет:

quote:

Ángel Ruiz Cotorro - Doctor to tennis players

Спасибо за интервью. Оно заставляет о многом задуматься. О том, насколько сложна жизнь теннисиста, которая со стороны может показаться сплошным праздником. Очень мудрый и тонкий человек этот доктор Руис Которро

 Posted: 24.05.09 13:58. Post subject: Rafael Nadal puts pu..

Rafael Nadal puts pursuit of 'true slam' on hold

For the young Spaniard, winning a fifth successive French Open takes priority over an elusive record last achieved by Rod Laver

Steve Bierley
The Observer, Sunday 24 May 2009

The brow furrows, and the eyebrows, as if tugged by separate strings, rise and fall as though startled by each other. Rafa Nadal, the French Open champion for the past four years and the reigning Wimbledon and Australian Open champion, is contemplating the calendar slam, the true grand slam, something no male player has achieved since Rod Laver's second in 1969. "It is very special, but it is very difficult. That is the truth. I can't think about that right now. If I have the chance I would love to do it. And if I was in the final in New York, having won the French Open and Wimbledon again, I would think I had that chance. But until then, no."

He smiles, one that has radiated tennis stadiums throughout the world over the last four years. Young girls scream and grab at his hair when he passes; Roger Federer, holder of 13 slam titles, but twice denied the ethereal grand slam by the Spaniard, might be tempted to grab him by the throat. Had Rafa not emerged from his Majorcan fastness, the boy-man who won the French Open at his first attempt at the age of 19, beating Federer in the semi-final, then the patrician Swiss would surely have laid claim, beyond argument, to being the greatest player ever.

Small wonder emotion welled into tears in Melbourne when, having lost his Wimbledon crown to Nadal last year, he was then beaten by him in February's Australian Open final. And immediately afterwards, the thought occurred, almost sacrilegious so soon after Federer's fall, that it might be Nadal who could win the grand slam – that it might be this -Spanish force of nature who was destined to become the greater. The hard courts were Federer's last stronghold – he had won eight of his slams on them – and Rafa had stolen this security away from him, just as he had on the All England Club grass.

It may still appear that Nadal's racket is strung with razor wire, as opposed to Federer's silken strings, but it would be quite wrong to see the Spaniard as the equivalent of a barbarian force battering the gates of civilisation. He is every bit as special and, as he approaches his 23rd birthday, there seems no limit to what he may achieve, providing he remains fit and healthy. Carlos Moya, his fellow -Majorcan, and the 1998 French Open champion, always insisted that Nadal would be the world No1, while his uncle and coach, Toni, has quietly and indemonstrably prepared him for so much more than that.

Whereas Federer likes to practise in private, well away from the public gaze, Nadal's routine has changed little. "I am very happy to practise in Majorca and for people to watch. It is normal for me. In the summer, tourists come along; in -winter, only friends of the family. It's a normal life." Or at least as normal as it can ever be for a sporting superstar, -millionaire, and Aston Martin owner. "It was not a present for winning Wimbledon, I bought it before that," he points out while underlining, slightly sheepishly, that: "I don't like to drive fast." Neither would you see him emerge, Bond-like, to proclaim: 'The name's Nadal. Rafael Nadal."

Like all champions, he has a clear knowledge of his own ability: "I have my team who all help me, but in the end it is all down to me." There is no arrogance here. If there are hundreds waiting for an autograph after his matches, he continues to try to sign as many as is possible, win or lose. "I think I was the same when I was No2 as I am now. I think I am not more famous than I was two years ago." He pauses, then grins. "Maybe winning Wimbledon has made a little bit of difference, yes?"

To be sure it has. He is a man for all surfaces – "surfraces" as he -occasionally calls them – though "clay will always be special. It's a little bit easier for me, less aggressive." By this Nadal means it is less of a strain on his joints, although recently he has stopped wearing -support -strapping below his knees, the pain -having apparently eased. Yet if a dark cloud does pass temporarily over his sunny features, it is the remembrance of a serious foot injury that threatened to bring his career to an abrupt end almost before it had begun, the same year he won his first French Open title in 2005.

That first slam title was obviously special, though it was his second French Open that pleased him the most. "It was the most important. That injury at the end of 2005 was a very tough time for me. At that moment I did not know if I would have the chance to win another major because of the problem with the foot."

Because Nadal burst on to the stage with such energy and venom, it is -tempting to suppose he was immediately the finished article, but he has continued to learn and improve every year, even on clay, while taking greater care of his body. The problems with his foot and the -tendinitis in his knees made for many gloomy -prognostications that this rare and vivid flame would be snuffed out early.

At Roland Garros, Nadal has a perfect record: 28 matches, 28 wins, with 21 in straight sets. Not once has he been taken to five sets. Last year he equalled Bjorn Borg's four successive French Open titles, as well as becoming the first man since the Swede to win Roland Garros and Wimbledon back to back. This time he is attempting to become the first male player to win five consecutive French Opens.

Federer will cling to the hope that, -having beaten Nadal 6-4 6-4 in last Sunday's Madrid Masters final, this may finally be his year to win the French title, and place himself alongside the famous five – Fred Perry, Don Budge, Roy Emerson, Rod Laver, and Andre Agassi – who won all the four slams. He had similar expectations after defeating Nadal in Hamburg two years ago, but they came to nought, while last year he was bleakly crushed 6-1 6-3 6-0. Perhaps Nadal has not been quite his omnipotent best on clay this year, though he won in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Rome, and remains the overwhelming favourite.

Borg always wanted his driver to take him along the same route to Roland Garros every day. Nadal has no such superstitions, his one foible being the placing of his water bottles in an exact spot by his chair. "It's very stupid. Maybe it's like concentration, I don't know." The calf-length shorts, the clam diggers, have gone, as have the sleeveless tops, while the Nureyev-style leaps on winning a special point have also been reduced. This is a more mature Rafa, and perhaps a touch less endearing because of it, though his ability to excite a crowd remains just as great, both on and off the court. There never have been -tantrums; the odd wince, the odd scowl, but never a broken racket.

So does he ever get angry? "Sure, a lot of times. When I am not happy I am -horrible, but I never shout on court. If I am angry I spend more time at the hotel in my room, or with Toni. If I am tired of everything." Such moods never last long, for Nadal is essentially gregarious. "No one is perfect. Everybody does stupid things. But to have a good family and friends is the most important thing. I feel a lucky guy for everything."

Nothing is inevitable in sport, though Nadal winning his fifth French Open and seventh slam is surely as near to a certainty as anything could be. Last year he won all seven matches in straight sets, with only Novak Djokovic taking him to a tie-break. Of the other 20 sets, he won nine 6-1, and three 6-0. "For me everything was unbelievable." As it was for everybody else, too, not least Federer.

As for the grand slam Nadal insists: "It is not an obsession." Defending his -Wimbledon title is unlikely to be straightforward, while he has never reached the US Open final, losing in the semis against Andy Murray last year. " I always love to win any slam, but the US Open would be a little bit special, because it is the only one left in my career. Anyway, I will try my best." This is undisputed. Even in practice Nadal always gives it everything.

And, as he says, with an eye towards both the record books and all his current opponents: "I have a lot of years on the tour, no? I feel very young."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/may/24/rafael-nadal-french-open-interview

 Posted: 24.05.09 14:06. Post subject: ольга Да, спасибо, ..

ольга
Да, спасибо, я хоть немного успокоилась...

 Posted: 24.05.09 16:18. Post subject: Увы, не только на ру..

Увы, не только на русскоязычных ресурсах публика озабочена тем, как "завалить" (трижды тьфу) Вот материал по мотивам размышлений Патрика Маккинроя, посвященных этой теме.

Супермен для Надаля
Юлия Ниткина

«Темные лошадки» от Рави Убха, которых я обещала на сегодня, отменяются. Есть тема более интересная. Патрик Макинрой сконструировал супергероя, способного обыграть Надаля на «Ролан Гаррос».

Разнообразные эксперты уже не проявляют рвения к прогнозированию мужского «Ролан Гаррос», потому что даже последнее поражение Надаля в Мадриде не поколебало его репутацию непререкаемого фаворита. Понятное дело, «Ролан Гаррос» – не Мадрид. Это совсем другой турнир, с другими условиями и другим настроем Надаля. И вопрос, кто сможет обыграть его в пятисетовом триллере на медленном грунте, остается открытым. Капитан сборной США в Кубке Дэвиса Патрик Макинрой вообще считает, что такого человека вообще не существует. Его можно только придумать, собрав воедино лучшие качества лучших игроков АТР-тура. Даже не самые лучшие, а самые неудобные для грунтового короля. Итак, Человек-Который-Обыграет-Надаля-На-«Ролан Гаррос» должен иметь следующие качества.

Подача Энди Роддика.
Никто не выигрывает больше легких очков на своей подаче, чем Энди Роддик. Если он сможет заставит столь мощную подачу работать стабильно и при этом добавит разнообразия, то он окажется на позиции, когда он будет диктовать развитие розыгрыша. Это также может заставить Надаля совершать ошибки на приеме.

Прием подачи Хуана Мартина Дель Потро.
У Дель Потро невероятный размах рук. Благодаря этому он с обеих сторон может нейтрализовать подачу своего соперника. При приеме он далеко отходит, что позволяет ему сразу атаковать. Это необходимо в игре против Надаля, который на грунте бьет мячом высоко.

Бэкхенд Новака Джоковича.
Новак Джокович может с бэкхенда бить кроссы и удары по линии в лучших их вариациях. Двуручный удар Джоковича позволяет ему мощнее бить по высоким мячам, что является серьезным преимуществом при игре на грунте.

Форхенд Фернандо Вердаско.
Вращение и ускорение, которые Вердаско придает при замахе, сравнимы с надалевскими. Есть множество игроков с убедительными форхендами, но изнурительная работа в межсезонье подняла Вердаско на новый уровень. И выяснилось, что у него один из самых острых форхендов в туре.

Игра слета Роджера Федерера.
У Федерера очень ловкие руки, и при ударе с лета он может использовать это наилучшим образом. Федерер очень хорош у сетки, но ему надо найти способ чаще выходить вперед и искать удачи там – то, чего он наконец добился в финале Мадрида против Надаля.

Защита Гаэля Монфиса.
Скорость и атлетизм француза не имеют аналогов в современной игре. Он достает любые мячи лучше всех в туре. В последнее время он мучается коленями, но когда он здоров, его игра как будто по заказу сшита для грунта.

Скорость ног Николая Давыденко.
Николай Давыденко безупречно передвигается. Он побеждал Надаля на других покрытиях, включая две победы на хардовых «Мастерсах» в прошлом году. Россиянин рано стартует и успевает к коротким мячам.

Выносливость Давида Феррера.
Вязкий Давид Феррер пару раз проходил Надаля на харде и лишь однажды побеждал Надаля на грунте (в 2004 году). Он находится в идеальной физической форме и является одним из самых неутомимых игроков в туре. Феррер выигрывает, изнуряя противника, и если у кого-то и хватит выносливости, чтобы победить Надаля, так это у его испанского соотечественника.

Непредсказуемость Жо-Вильфреда Тсонги.
Жо-Вильфред Тсонга – игрок больших матчей. Он вынес Надаля на Australian Open-2008. Француза невозможно запугать. У него есть все необходимы инструменты для игры, правильное отношение и нечто непостижимое для того, чтобы добиваться успеха именно на поздних стадиях турнира.

Ментальность Энди Мюррея.
Улучшенные физические кондиции Энди Мюррея внесли ключевой вклад в психологический аспект его игры. Быстрота мышления и теннисный интеллект Мюррея чрезвычайно высоки. Он очень сведущ в в том, как лишить остроты игру противника. Хотя у него нет игры на грунте, а у Надаля есть, но у Мюррея есть все средства и теннисный ум, чтобы временами расстраивать первую ракетку мира.

Интересно, все ли согласны с таким набором элементов «противонадалевского» супергероя?
Что касается все же «темных лошадок» по версии ESPN.com, то я их хотя бы просто перечислю, чтобы мы уже начали за ними следить.

Мужчины: Хуан Монако, Иван Любичич, Альберт Монтанес, Игорь Андреев (что приятно), Гастон Гаудио.

Женщины: Амели Моресмо, Флавия Пеннетта, Карла-Суарес Наварро, Сабин Лисицки и Алиса Клейбанова (что вдвойне приятно).

Замечу только, что самым молодым в мужском списке возможных сюрпризов является 25-летний Монако, в то время, как трое из женщин (Наварро, Лисицки и Клейбанова) дебютировали на «Ролан Гаррос» только в прошлом году. Так что, какой из туров нынче интереснее, вопрос все же спорный. А я рассчитываю до появления чего-нибудь действительно интересного на «Ролан Гаррос» вкратце познакомить вас с очень интересным кусочком теннисной истории – победой 17-летнего Майкла Чанга на этом турнире 20 лет назад. Между прочим, по пути он обыграл Лендла. Есть там у нас там в сетке кто-нибудь 17-летний?


http://www.sports.ru/blog/nitkina/9811396.html

 Posted: 24.05.09 22:04. Post subject: хруня пишет: Увы, н..

хруня пишет:

quote:

Увы, не только на русскоязычных ресурсах публика озабочена тем, как "завалить" (трижды тьфу) Вот материал по мотивам размышлений Патрика Маккинроя, посвященных этой теме.

Вот пусть этот Патрик их всех вместе на вторую половину корта и поставит, раз такой умный

 Posted: 24.05.09 23:30. Post subject: В предыдущей теме пр..

В предыдущей теме прессы были размещены сканы из американского журнала Men's Journal, помните, где было написано о том, как Рафа плакал после финала Уима-2007. Натали еще увеличила сканы, чтобы можно было прочитать. Статья очень хорошая. А сегодня автор, американская журналистка Elizabeth Kaye написала на VB.com:

quote:

I've been lurking on VB for nearly a year but I wanted to emerge and thank my fellow Rafa fans for simply Being. I am the writer of the Men's Journal piece on Rafa, the journo who played ping pong with him, and was characterized by the (less than charming) guy from ESPN as "infatuated" with Rafa (which annoyed me, btw, until I realized that all sensible females are infatuated with Rafa!) I wanted to let you know that VB has been my best, most reliable and most extraordinary resource. For a Rafa fan like myself who happens also to be a writer, I have turned to VB whenever I’ve needed sustenance, whether of the intellectual or spiritual variety. In my original piece, I wrote about VB, but that section was cut by editors, as were many things in the article. I am planning to write a book about Rafa and when I do, VB will be a featured presence in it. I also wanted to say that the way Rafa comes across in the Vogue article has nothing to do with the way I experienced him. When I talked with him two weeks before, in Indian Wells, he was totally engaged and adorable, and this had little to do with me, and everything to do with him. So in addition to offering you all a heartfelt Thank You, I want to say something that you already know about Rafa, and that my brief proximity to him confirmed for me: absolutely, without question, he is who we think he is. You all are so kind. Thank you. Your words and your attitude is greatly appreciated. I feel that all Rafa fans are part of a true community, a rare thing these days. We are lucky for that, and for him. I can legally post the original piece in a few months and will happily do so at that time. Until then, the magazine owns it. Originally it was twice as long as the one that was published. The only upside of the cuts is that they've left me with lots of unseen material for a second piece on Rafa!

Я читаю VB.com почти год, и мне захотелось написать и поблагодарить моих единомышленников-болельщиков Рафы просто за то, что вы есть.

Я автор статьи в Men's Journal, та самая журналистка, которая играла с ним в настольный теннис, и это обо мне один малоприятный парень из ESPN сказал, что я по уши влюблена в Рафу (что, кстати, меня очень злило до тех пор, пока я не осознала, что все женщины в здравом уме по уши влюблены в Рафу!)

Я хочу, чтобы вы знали, что для меня VB- это лучший, самый надежный и замечательный источник информации. Будучи болельщицей Рафы, которая к тому же является журналисткой, я всегда приходила на VB, когда мне была нужна поддержка, интеллектуальная или душевная.

В своей статье я написала о VB, но эта часть статьи была удалена редакторами, как и многое другое, о чем я написала. Я планирую написать книгу о Рафе, и в ней обязательно будет рассказано о VB.

Я также хочу сказать, что то, как написали о Рафе в статье в Vogue, не имеет ничего общего с тем, с чем столкнулась я. Когда я говорила с ним за две недели до этого в Indian Wells, он был полностью поглощен этим интервью, он был очарователен, и это имеет мало отношения ко мне, но очень много говорит о нем.

Так что вдобавок к сердечной благодарности я хочу сказать: то, что вы уже знаете о Рафе, а также мое общение с ним подтвердило: безусловно, вне всякого сомнения, он именно такой, каким мы его себе представляем.

Вы все такие сердечные. Спасибо вам. Мне кажется, что болельщики Рафы – это часть настоящего содружества, что является редкостью в наши дни. Это счастье для нас и для него.

(перевод: Ольга)

Еще Элизабет написала, что ее статья была в два раза больше, чем опубликовал журнал. Она обещала разместить ее полностью на VB, когда у журнала истекут на нее права (через полгода).

 Posted: 25.05.09 00:57. Post subject: ольга спасибо за ин..

ольга
спасибо за инфу! так приятно читать слова этой журналистки!

 Posted: 25.05.09 10:22. Post subject: Оля, спасибо за стат..

Оля, спасибо за статью и перевод!
Очень добрые и приятные слова!

quote:

...мне захотелось написать и поблагодарить моих единомышленников-болельщиков Рафы просто за то, что вы есть.

Не могу не присоединиться к благодарностям!

quote:

то, что вы уже знаете о Рафе, а также мое общение с ним подтвердило: безусловно, вне всякого сомнения, он именно такой, каким мы его себе представляем.

 Posted: 25.05.09 10:42. Post subject: ольга Спасибо за ци..

ольга
Спасибо за цитату и перевод

Очень добрые и искренние слова. Но читая их, я невольно думала не о бамосбригаде, а о нашем ресурсе

 Posted: 25.05.09 11:04. Post subject: хруня пишет: Очень ..

хруня пишет:

quote:

Очень добрые и искренние слова. Но читая их, я невольно думала не о бамосбригаде, а о нашем ресурсе

Я тоже. Потому что мы по сути такие же

 Posted: 25.05.09 18:49. Post subject: R. NADAL/M. Daniel ..

R. NADAL/M. Daniel

7‑5, 6‑4, 6‑3

An interview with:

RAFAEL NADAL

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. This question is not about the game. It's about your dress. You are in pink today. Why you are in pink today?

RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. Yeah, same like always, why I was white and yellow two weeks ago. Because it's better than dress the same color every week, no?

Q. The start of the game was a bit difficult today. Any reason?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, always tough, you know, beginning here. Roland Garros always is difficult. Yeah. I say, no, I expect a tough match, and it's normal, now. And when I start, normally I didn't start to play my best here the last four years. But the important thing is be with positive mentality and try to win, no? And Iwin. I won in three sets. That's important.

I played in some moments in the third a little bit better, so just try to keep improving to play better in this match.

Q. Is there a chance that in the third round you could come up against Lleyton Hewitt. You've played each othereight times before, and you've won four each. What do you make of him as a player?

RAFAEL NADAL: What?

Q. Lleyton Hewitt. You could facehim in the third round.

RAFAEL NADAL: I understood. Only the last.

Q. (Through translation.)

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I'm sure Lleyton is a great champion in this sport. He has very good career. So always is a pleasure to play against him, but right now we are in second round, yeah? Not yet. I have to wait.

Q. Do you feel that the heat change, the condition if compared to last year maybe or two years ago where it was pretty cool here, the condition of play?

RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, much better, no? I prefer to play with these conditions than raining or cold, no?

So it's much better forus, I think.

Q. Do you feel more confident or less confident than last year when you started Roland Garros?

RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. I don't know. Important feelingis ‑‑

Q. There is no difference?

RAFAEL NADAL: Every year is different, no? But I never compare, two years, so ‑‑ I don't know.

THE MODERATOR: Spanish questions.

Q. Yesterday you were telling us you're a bit nervous, anxious. Was it the way you felt today when you walkedon the court?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, not really. Maybe at the beginning to start with. The court is big, and at the beginning, I didn't quite get the best feelings, but I won in three sets. That's very positive. I should have won more easily, but at 5‑4,when I had to serve, then I had to serve again ‑‑ sometimes I missed some opportunities to win the set earlier, but it was a difficult match.

I had practiced well before, but I know that I can improve, and I hope I'm going to continue improving for my next match.

Q. My question is not about your game but about Fabrice Santoro. He's playing his 20th tournament here. What do you think about him, about his career on the tour?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, he is a legend on the tour. He plays with his very own personalstyle. Two hands. He was a very charismatic player on the tour,and he's a model for all of us. 20years, long career. That's fantastic. We all wish we can play for20 years.

So he had a beautiful career, and he really deserves a tribute.

Q. What can you tell us about the way Marcos Daniel plays after your game?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I don't know. His backhand is better than his forehand, but I think I made it a bit easy for him. That's my opinion.

Q. How fit are you as compared to the previous years?

RAFAEL NADAL: Oh, comparing again. Well, physically, I feel ‑‑ well, I don't want to compare with last year, because I can't remember. That was a year ago, you know.

But I feel good, and last year, I played a match ‑‑ well, I didn't play well, really, and little by little I felt better. This year ‑‑ well, it's not a very good start. I'm not going to say it's positive. I would have preferred to start with a very positive start, but I hope this tournament is going to be long enough for me to give me time to adapt and to improve and get good feelings all along the tournament.

Q. About the fact you didn't play that well, are there any compartments in the game where you felt you were not at your best?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, my leg game was not that good. I didn't play well with my legs. But, you know, in sports it's ‑‑ in atenth of a second you have to catch the ball and everything can change in agame. You need to be present there, on time. If you play well, you have the feeling you'll be on top of the next ball, but today I was a bit short in my shots. I was not very precise. It wasn't neat and clear during this match,so this is what I need to improve.

I need to playmore ‑‑ I need my shots to be longer, and I do need to improve on that.

Q. You played at the hottest hour of the day. Now, for the upcoming matches, what would you prefer? Would you prefer to play at adifferent hour because of the heat? Is it affecting you?
RAFAELNADAL: No, I have no problem with that. I can play at any hour, and this is perfectly bearable temperature.

http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/news/interviews/2009-05-25/200905251243265052718.html
(по ссылке есть и видео ПК)

 Posted: 25.05.09 19:06. Post subject: Mela Спасибо :sm66..

Mela
Спасибо
Хорошо. что сайт турниры стал выкладывать видео с ПК.
Видео по ссылке очень хорошего качества

 Posted: 25.05.09 19:14. Post subject: Mela Спасибо! http..

Mela
Спасибо!

хруня пишет:

quote:

Хорошо. что сайт турниры стал выкладывать видео с ПК.

...и вообще оф-сайт РГ очень удобный, хорошо подготовились!
Но Рафа все ПК просидел какой-то кислый... Не до журналистов ему сейчас, а вечером еще и блог писать...

 Posted: 25.05.09 19:16. Post subject: Натали Но Рафа все ..

Натали

quote:

Но Рафа все ПК просидел какой-то кислый...

Согласна. Я-то думала, только мне так показалось Без энтузиазма как-то провел ПК...

 Posted: 25.05.09 20:31. Post subject: Из интервью Маркоса ..

Из интервью Маркоса Даниэля после матча:


Daniel: "Against Nadal, if you don't have a good backhand, forget it."

Translated by nou.amic for www.VamosBrigade.com

Paris, 25 May (EFE).- Brazilian Marcos Daniel, first round victim of four time Roland Garros champion, Rafael Nadal, praised the Spaniard's game and declared that it was essential to have a good backhand if you want to "hurt him".

"The guy who hasn't got a good backhand can forget it, ciao," said the Brazilian after being beaten 7-5, 6-4, 6-3 in two hours 23 minutes, in a match in which "I managed to enjoy myself, keep my head in order and control any anxiety".

He groaned about the difficulty of playing against the Mallorcan on a big court, like Philippe Chartier, because he has "an impeccable physique" and when you think the point has ended Nadal "goes on, and on, and on."

"I also like a big court.. when I'm playing against the poor ordinary mortals," joked Daniel, who stressed that he is progressing, feels pleased with the continuity of his game, and feels capable of playing against the top players, that the key to playing them is to remain "uninhibited".

"It's not that you feel the pressure, it is that Nadal hits balls at you that nobody does," said the Brazilian, who, nevertheless, couldn't put his finger on whether Nadal or Federer, whom he has also played, was the better player.

"Everything about Nadal's game is good. The guy that wants to beat him has to have a good backhand and try to open up the court but... Who manages that? Many people can do him harm on hard courts, but here.... ".

http://es.eurosport.yahoo.com/25052009/21/daniel-nadal-tienes-buen-reves-olvidalo.html

 Posted: 25.05.09 20:59. Post subject: Хруня пишет: Без эн..

Хруня пишет:

quote:

Без энтузиазма как-то провел ПК...

Странно было бы отнестись с энтузиазмом к такой победе и радостно общаться с журналистами.

 Posted: 25.05.09 21:38. Post subject: Nadal hobbles past D..

Nadal hobbles past Daniel in Paris
Mon May 25, 2009 4:48pm BST
By Julien Pretot

PARIS (Reuters) - World number one Rafael Nadal started his bid for a fifth consecutive French Open title by labouring past Brazilian qualifier Marcos Daniel 7-5 6-4 6-3 on Monday.

The Spaniard, who is unbeaten at Roland Garros since his debut in 2005, needed two hours and 23 minutes to get past Daniel and set up a second round meeting with either Teimuraz Gabashvili or Igor Kunitsyn of Russia.

Daniel mixed up his game with cunning drop shots to try and unsettle the four-times champion but Nadal stepped up a gear at 7-5 1-3.

World number 97 Daniel got a break back in the eighth game of the third set but it was the Brazilian's final gasp and Nadal sealed the win on his opponent's serve on his first match point.

Instead of quizzing Nadal about the problems he faced in the first two sets, the question on the everyone's lips was why the the Spaniard chose to wear a pink shirt on Centre Court for his 29th consecutive win at Roland Garros.

"I don't know. Why was I in white and yellow two weeks ago? It's better than (to) dress (in) the same colour every week, no?" he asked reporters.

The world number one, who won the Monte Carlo and Rome Masters on clay this season, said he has always needed some time to adjust to the conditions in Paris.

"It's always tough in the beginning here. Roland Garros is always difficult," he said.

"I expected a tough match. I did not start with my best tennis here in the past four years.

"But the important thing is to have a positive mentality and try to win. And I won. I won in three sets. That's important."

 Posted: 25.05.09 22:16. Post subject: Nadal made to work, ..

Nadal made to work, Federer impressive

Monday, May 25, 2009
By David Tutton

Rafael Nadal was forced to up his game before overcoming brave Brazilian Marcos Daniel 7-5 6-4 6-3, while Roger Federer was never troubled by Alberto Martin and secured safe passage to the second round with a 6-4 6-3 6-2 win.

Significantly, Nadal notched up his 29th straight victory at Roland Garros (where he has never been defeated) to best Bjorn Borg’s record number of consecutive victories at the French Open which dated back to the 1978-81 seasons.

Dressed to kill, Rafael Nadal emerged onto Centre Court for his first round match wearing a bright pink shirt with yellow wristbands and bandana, but the world No1’s opponent, Brazilian qualifier Marcos Daniel, was determined not to go down without a fight though, and the Spaniard had to dig deep to force the issue at crucial points.

30-year-old Daniel can look back with much pride on a match in which he broke Nadal’s serve on three occasions and was far from outclassed throughout. The player ranked 97 enjoyed his time on the big stage, pushing his prestigious opponent onto the back foot on numerous occasions.

Sluggish start

Nadal took time to get going and never looked as comfortable as he normally does here in Paris. In the muggy heat, he was less mobile and more error-prone than usual. But class will out, and the four-time champion was able to find the array of shots needed, notably to see out the first set after being broken back to 5-5 and then come back from a 3-1 deficit in the second set. Daniel had a last chance to get back into the match when he broke back to 4-5 in the third set and led 40-0, only for Nadal to ruthlessly take the next five points to seal his victory.

http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/news/articles/2009-05-25/200905251243269331656.html?promo=personalization

 Posted: 26.05.09 21:37. Post subject: Согласно газете L..

Согласно газете L'Equipe, на тренировке перед матчем 1-го круга Рафа повредил/ударил левое колено (не то, что в Мадриде, там было правое). Об этом после матча сказал Тони, затем подтвердил д-р Руис Которро, который находится в Париже. Во втором сете Рафа чувствовал боль. Но Которро говорит, что ничего страшного не произошло. (перевод на английский Moondancer c VB.com)

quote:

The reason for his mood that was less cheerful than usual was revealed afterwards by his uncle Toni: “Rafa hurt his knee a bit before the match, the left one, not the same as in Madrid”. This was confirmed by his doctor Angel Ruiz Cotorro: “He had this little thing during training and, spurred on by the stress, he felt pain in the second set”. This also explains certain anxious and unusual looks he gave his camp. According to his doctor, it’s nothing really worrying.

 Posted: 26.05.09 22:06. Post subject: Блин http://jpe.ru/..

Блин
Хоть бы действительно все было в порядке

 Posted: 26.05.09 22:12. Post subject: Uncle Toni's Sto..

Uncle Toni's Stoic Doctrine

"We should learn to increase continence, confront excess, control greed, appease anger." Lucius Annaeus Seneca

24th May, 2009
By Javier Martнnez
Translated by nou.amic for http://www.VamosBrigade.com

Toni Nadal symbolizes popular wisdom. The world number one's coach studied History, but he is not a particularly learned man; he played tennis but never had much success. He bases his arguments on commonsense, a liking for things well done. "Winning matters to all of us. But, then, each one chooses his own way to achieve it," he commented in conversation with this newspaper.

He speaks about tennis from an ethical viewpoint, carefully watching over the complete education of his pupil and nephew. Rafael, as he always calls him, following Mallorquin usage ("I can't say Rafa, if I called him that I wouldn't exactly be talking about him but about the famous person that appears in the newspapers"), has a lot of Toni in him, although as his coach admits, there was a good clean framework there to start with. "He is good natured, obedient and receptive."

He has always believed in him since he was very young, from when at the age of 8 he was the best in the Balearic Islands. The vast majority do not make the cut, they take their first steps and come to a standstill when it is time to take the big leap forward. "There are others with the same human qualities he has. After all, he's a very normal young man. The only thing that marks him out from the rest is that he has triumphed."

FORMATION

He has done so without it going to his head, safe from the conceit that success usually leads to, especially if it comes at such a young age: "When a tree has become twisted, it is hard to straighten it. From childhood, he had a very normal upbringing, like the kind there used to be, he knows there are some rules he has to respect. If he had another coach, he would behave the same way. He consults his parents about everything. He is a young man still in the process of developing. He lives with his family and, so, asks his parents' permission for certain things. He knows he can't come home at any old hour."

Toni rejects too much permissiveness, the culture of instant success, the trivialization of effort, the frailty of social references. "Far too often, anything goes. Whoever is successful is usually permitted everything: bad manners, behaviour that far from ennobles. My wife, a Philology graduate and former high school teacher, was surprised at how education is based on the student scarcely having to study, on the law of minimum effort." He extends his disapproval to television content, the new ideas behind certain types of entertainment: "Far too frequently we see things that are in very bad taste, looking for the quick laugh. The cinema classics had great scriptwriters, well-developed dialogues. Nowadays, everything has to be light, easy, automatic."

THE VALUE OF THINGS

He vindicates solid concepts, those his parents passed on to him, the ones he tries to instill in Nadal: "My parents didn't have to say very much. They taught by their attitude, their application to work. You learnt early that things cost money, that you should put out the light when you left your room, that you should take good care of your shoes."

Rafael Nadal, the boy, lives without any kind of conflict with the triumphant winner, the idol of the masses, because: "He isn't special, he is a normal person like you or me, what makes him special is what he does." And, he keeps growing, even when he is at the very top, as he maintains practically a craftsman's implication in his work.

"In our town, there are many carpenters and cabinetmakers. They swell with pride when people recognise a table or a chair they have made and they strive to do their work better every day." Nadal is strong, extraordinarily strong, and he has a very out of the ordinary mental togetherness, virtues that, in his mentor's opinion, are not circumstancial, either: "As well as having a natural ability for this, he is very well predisposed. From when he was a child, he always knew that each training session was worthwhile, that each ball he hit was important."

In a sport that makes such enormous mental demands, where the figure of the psychologist is often present, Nadal has never needed this type of help: "This is a game and nothing more than that. We live in a world where our necessities are ever multiplying. At this rate, our children will need a psychologist when they play hide and seek and are found."

THE OTHER WAY

Toni Nadal admits that "the sport is full of people that have succeeded by using another method." There is John McEnroe, the antithesis of his nephew when it comes to norms of behaviour, the irascible, rude, visceral player, generally considered to be one of the best players in the history of tennis: "I acknowledge the merit of his achievements, but it annoys me that a person whom life has treated very well should be dissatisfied, lack control and give such a bad example."

THE POLITICAL ELITE

The sending of the wrong messages starts right at the top: " One of the problems with politicians is a fear of not being viewed by the people as defenders of a very debatable concept, liberty. The first thing they should promote is discipline, respect towards others and things, and self-control. This, which seems so simple, is not much put about. The political class is far too keen on making a good impression, they fear that what they say will be considered reactionary. I don't consider it at all reactionary. The confusion there is in this respect is very dangerous."

The father of three children, he would like for them a world based on good citizenship and commitment, made up of citizens who have been educated in a professional and rigorous way since their schooldays: "At school I would like priority to be given to effort, good application, respect for the teacher, and demanding a lot of them, and they should have to repeat the year when they haven't acquired the necessary knowledge."

PREMISES

Back once again on the tennis court, he vindicates solid principles: ""The first is to attach importance to work, realise that a player can't depend on God, I don't know whether he exists or not, or on nature, he has to depend on his own effort. Starting from there, he has to be capable of putting up with and metabolizing adverse situations. He also has to understand that winning will be easier if he is a well-mannered normal person. I approach tennis training and lessons from a logical viewpoint, and, to a certain extent, they are applicable to life."

GROWING AT THE TOP

"Some die of success, like Ronaldinho, who had no interest in continuing doing his job well. Winning and the fear of defeat present in every match are what make Rafa grow. As soon as he drops his level a little, the others are there."

Just in case, Uncle Toni's doctrine is not always set out in the most pleasant terms: "Rafael would like to have an uncle who doesn't use words as hard as mine. A coach has to be demanding, because, if he isn't, it takes more work for things to turn out well. You have to keep all your five senses alert so that there is no short fall in attitude."

The boy is made of flesh and blood. He has to confront the first signs of capitulation. Australian Open, Melbourne, 1st February 2009: Nadal has come from spending 5 hours 14 minutes on his semi-final with Verdasco and Roger Federer awaits him. Physically, he is at a low ebb, his calf muscles are overloaded, he gets dizzy while practising. There are not many hours left till the final: "Don't expect a miracle," I told him. "It depends on you to make the effort of your life. It will be hard for you to get so close again to winning a Grand Slam title. You can pay attention to me or not. If you do, your chances of losing are high, if you don't, you are almost certain to lose." What happened is common knowledge: Nadal defeated Federer in five sets after 4 hours 23 minutes to become the first Spaniard ever to be the Australian Open champion.

SIN RED por Javier Martнnez
Translated by nou.amic for http://www.VamosBrigade.com
http://www.elmundo.es/elmundodeporte/20 ... 19413.html

 Posted: 27.05.09 21:37. Post subject: Rafael Nadal RAFAEL..

Rafael Nadal

RAFAEL NADAL/T.Gabashvili

6-1, 6-4,6-2

An interview with:

RAFAEL NADAL

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.

Q. Fitness wise, do you feel you were sharper in this match than in the first round?

RAFAEL NADAL: (Through translation.) Yes. I feel well, no? I felt well in the first match, too. I think I played a little bit better today than the first day, so that's positive thing.

Yeah, I won in three sets, so that'sa good thing, too, no? Very happy to bein the third round now, no?

Q. Also, in the first round, I think you broke Borg's record for the numberof straight victories. Now I think you have 30 straight victories at the French Open. What does this record mean to you?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I don't care to try to have result, without thinking about this record, no? Happy for this record, but important thing is have good result, play my best tennis and try to be there the second Sunday, no?

Anyway, today sure, is important and very nice to have 30 victories in a row at Roland Garros. Very happy for that, but just focus on this match, no?

Q. Were you surprised to play on the Susan Lenglen and not on the Philippe Chatrier?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, I always play second round on Susan Lenglen.

Q. Were you worried, because of the rain, the match was going to stop. You would start playing again at 8:45.

RAFAEL NADAL: What?

Q. Were you worried that the rain would stop the match and that you would then go back on court at 8:45?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, no, no. I was worried not for that. I was worried, because always is good to have one day off during thetournament like this, because you can practice. You can prepare the next match better than if you go on court next day with 5-2, 4-2, no?

So I was a little bit scared on that. Sure, this is positive if I can watch the final now, too?

Q. Lleyton Hewitt is two sets up in his second-round match, so you're likely to face him in the third round. What do you make of that?

RAFAEL NADAL: Always, it's a very tough match to play against Lleyton. I have to play well to have chances to win, so that's what I want try. I play my best tennis. I going to have chances.

Q. Compared to the best level you can play, how many percent would you say it is right now?

RAFAEL NADAL: That's impossible to say. I don't know, but sure, I can play better,yeah. I hope.

Q. I think you chatted with readers from the Spanish newspaper in El Mundo,and in that newspaper you said that you thought Djokovic right now was a bigger threat than Federer. Could you commenton that?

RAFAEL NADAL: I never say that. No, I never say that. I always say if you ask me who had the better clay season this year, was I think, my opinion, was Novak. Then the rest, no, after me. He played final in Monte Carlo, final in Rome, and semifinals in Madrid with very tough match against me, you know.

So when he won in Belgrade, he played really good tennis. That's what's my feeling. But anyway, both are really good players,and ‑‑ but they are on other side of draw. I think about my draw.

THE MODERATOR: Spanish questions, please.

Q. Well, thank you for coming to meet us that soon after your match. So was everything organized as you wanted it to be today?

RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, well, I asked to play earlier than that,but, you know, you can't decide. We have to comply with what's organized, so I had to play the fourth match. I accepted it. I'm here to play at Roland Garros and off to watch the soccer game tonight.

Q. Did you think that you would finish the game that quickly?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I thought about it, because I wanted to finish before the rain. I didn't think about it because I wanted to watch soccer tonight. You know, I'm a professional. All I want is to win my matches. I don't have football in mind all the time,don't you think I have?

Q. I guess you're much happier with what you did today than you were for your first match?

RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, I did play better today. I had better feelings, and I was very happy I played in three sets, and very happy I'm making in the third round.

So I try and improve every day, because next round is going to be difficult. I should be playing Lleyton Hewitt, and he is a big opponent.

http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/news/interviews/2009-05-27/200905271243448352649.html

(по ссылке есть видео ПК )

 Posted: 27.05.09 21:50. Post subject: Mela пишет: thank y..

Mela пишет:

quote:

thank you for coming to meet us that soon after your match

Еще бы он не быстро пришел!!!!!!! Прибег весь мокрый, едва ополоснувшись, похоже... И еще быстрее побежит отсюда!!!!!!

 Posted: 27.05.09 21:54. Post subject: Mela Спасибо за ПК!..

Mela
Спасибо за ПК! Рафа ставит рекорды скорости послематчего общения с журналистами в своем рвении посмотреть футбол

quote:

I asked to play earlier than that,but, you know, you can't decide. We have to comply with what's organized, so I had to play the fourth match. I accepted it.

Всё-таки он просил поставить его сегодня пораньше, но навстречу ему не пошли.

 Posted: 27.05.09 22:02. Post subject: Rock-solid Nadal adv..

Rock-solid Nadal advances to Roland Garros round 3

5/27/09 8:22 PM | Kelli DeMario

Rafael Nadal made his way through the second round of competition Wednesday evening, defeating Teimuraz Gabashvili in straight sets. The Spaniard extends his French Open winning streak to a record-setting 30 consecutive matches.

The World No. 1 and four-time defending champion went unbroken during his second-round match on Wednesday, taking out hard-hitting Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2. After dismissing three break points in his opening service game, the Spaniard raised his level of play, turning in a much-improved performance than he had during the first round.

Nadal jumped out to a 4-1 advantage in the first set behind some solid play from the baseline. The World No. 1 showcased his superior movement and heavy ground strokes, going on to build a 5-1 lead. Nadal kept his unforced errors to a minimum as well, donating only four of them in the 6-1, 41-minute opening set.

A closer second set would follow with Gabashvili competing hard to reach 3-3. Nadal earned six break point opportunities at 3-3 on the Russian’s serve, but failed to convert any of them. A steady Nadal refocused, collecting three break points at 4-4. The World No. 1 forged ahead, snagging a love service-break after the Russian struck a wild forehand over the baseline. The Spaniard served for a two-set lead at 5-4, closing the second set in 56 minutes.

Nadal wasted no time in the third set, pocketing an immediate break of the Gabashvili serve. The four-time defending champion captured an insurance break, quickly extending his lead to 3-0. The Spaniard survived a slight hiccup on serve at 3-0, erasing just the fourth break point against him in the contest. Nadal took the third set 6-2, finishing the match after two hours and 17 minutes of play.

The top seed completed the day clocking 16 winners, snaring 74% of his first-service points and 70% of his second.

Nadal moves on to face Lleyton Hewitt in the third round. The veteran Australian knocked out Andrey Golubev of Kazakhstan in straight sets on Wednesday, 6-4, 6-3, 6-1.

http://www.tennistalk.com/en/match_repo ... Gabashvili

 Posted: 27.05.09 22:33. Post subject: ольга ольга пишет: ..

ольга ольга пишет:

quote:

Всё-таки он просил поставить его сегодня пораньше, но навстречу ему не пошли.

вот какашки

 Posted: 27.05.09 22:58. Post subject: Программу по итогам ..

Программу по итогам игрового дня на РГ вели Женя Кафельников и Игорь Швецов Рассказывая о сегодняшнем матче Рафы, Швецов спросил у Жени, готов ли Рафа к защите титула. "Готов!" - сказал Женя. - "И это моя лошадка, на которую я ставлю!" - засмеялся и ударил кулаком по столу - "В первом матче у него были определенные трудности, но сегодня мы увидели на корте совсем другого игрока". Игорь Швецов не преминул сказать о том, что Женя очень любит Рафу

 Posted: 27.05.09 23:14. Post subject: ольга Спасибо!) Оче..

ольга
Спасибо!) Очень-очень приятно слышать хорошее про Рафу!)

 Posted: 27.05.09 23:44. Post subject: Q. I think you chat..

Mela
спс за ПК!

quote:

Q. I think you chatted with readers from the Spanish newspaper in El Mundo,and in that newspaper you said that you thought Djokovic right now was a bigger threat than Federer. Could you commenton that?

теперь еще и эту тему мусолить будут

quote:

I don't have football in mind all the time,don't you think I have?

заметно
Ольга Коп пишет:

quote:

Прибег весь мокрый, едва ополоснувшись, похоже...

а по моему вообще не ополоснувшись. в чем ушел с корта, в том и пришел на ПК.
как же ему идет эта мастерка. _{*total hinweg*}

 Posted: 28.05.09 04:36. Post subject: Examining Excellence..

Examining Excellence
By Steve Legrice
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Tennisweek.com

For seven hours Pascal Maria had been in the umpire’s chair on the Center Court at Wimbledon — officiating over what was already being described as the Greatest Match Ever Played before the climactic fifth set had even begun. The French official’s wife had never been to a match before, but when Maria was selected for the men's final he persuaded her to come over to London and she was in the stands. Now, as the darkness settled over South London they walked hand in hand through the crowds leaving the stadium. "You don’t need to watch tennis again," he told her. "It’s just going to disappoint you."

It’s a telling anecdote in L.Jon Wertheim’s Strokes of Genius on the clash between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the men’s final at Wimbledon last year. Not just because the Sports Illustrated writer excels at filling the holes in the picture with brilliantly reported detail, but also because on some level there is a poignant thread running through the book. This match went to such a level of emotional ecstasy that henceforth everything else would be just tennis.

There is no anti hero in this tale. Just two men of the most extraordinary talent pushing themselves — and indeed their sport — to previously unseen levels in an effort to claim an edge. Consider that after their five set marathon Federer had won 204 points, Nadal only five more.

Wertheim quotes Federer: "I appreciate that tennis went up a notch with that match and that’s what I strove to do in my five years as number one, to make tennis better, more popular, and I admit that that Wimbledon final achieved all I wanted, even if I lost."

Roger Federer is not someone that it is easy to feel sorry for. Not because he is anyway unlikeable, but because he seems to burst with so much natural , and apparently effortless, talent that he appears to operate in a realm beyond we regular mortals. And then Wertheim points out this: A few days after the Wimbledon final Federer was featured for the first time ever on the cover of Sports Illustrated — as the loser of the Greatest Match ever.

Of course it would not have been the Greatest Match Ever, if Federer wasn’t conceivably the greatest player ever. And if Rafael Nadal wasn’t there to challenge him. Cliches and stereotypes are a sportswriters’ best friends, an easy shorthand that help tell and sell a story. One the delights of this book is that Wertheim is not just a great writer but a real reporter who digs for and offers up facts. So the common notions that this is somehow a battle of brains vs brawn; or the steely cool of a Northern European vs the passionate machismo of a Mediterranean are exploded by the evidence. Nadal — and his uncle and coach Toni — take on the feel of chess masters constantly probing Federer’s defenses and exploring new ways to get around them. In this match it is Federer, not Nadal, who has costly lapses in concentration.

Serving in the final game of their marathon Nadal for the first time in the match serve-and-volleyed.

"It was," writes Wertheim, "the perfect strategy at the perfect time. This wasn’t just a testament to Nadal’s guts; it was a testament to his tennis cortex too, a sharp rejoinder to the critics who dismiss him as brutal and machine like. He had lost the previous point from the baseline, so he figured he would try something new."

Because of Nadal’s ripped physique the attention is on his physical fitness. But to Wertheim "in Federer’s case it’s the most underrated component of his game." Several times a year he travels with Pierre Paganini to Dubai for four hour long training sessions in the Middle Eastern heat.

Another of the paradoxes of this rivalry is the clearcut respect both camps have for the other. Wertheim points out Robert Federer warmly greeting the Nadal family before the match. And later, when it was over, how Rafa gave Roger his space in the shared dressing room. But more interestingly is the way that even in victory the Nadals see Federer as the greatest tennis player. Toni Nadal explains: "There is a difference between ‘who is better’ and ‘who knows more’. Better now is Rafael according to the ranking. But who has the best game? Federer."

Which comes back to the astute observation that beating anyone else to win the Wimbledon title would not have counted in the same way. "Beating Federer, the greatest player of all time? A match like this? How could it not feel like a dream," Rafa said afterwards.

Strokes of Genius breaks the match down into the five sets and Wertheim uses each for lengthy sidebars on everything from Wimbledon traditions, to gambling and steroids. We hear from the inventor of Hawkeye and learn how it works — and how by the end of the game it was not operating because there was not enough light. We learn from the groundskeepers that the grass is ripped up the day after men’s final and a new seed is planted which is kept trimmed to 14 mm for 11 months and then for the championships is cut to 8 mm. We discover that replicas of Federer’s cream cardigan were on sale in the gift shop for close to $500 and that only 230 were made – to correspond, ironically, with the weeks he had spent as the world’s No. 1 player.

But ultimately, this book is about the two players who made history on July 6, 2008. Something, perhaps, Nadal had a premonition of. As he practiced that morning with his agent Carlos Costa, Costa noticed something different. Nadal had shaved for the first time in the tournament. Why, he asked…

"When you win Wimbledon, you want to look your best," Rafa replied.

Strokes of Genius (Federer, Nadal and The Greatest Match Ever Played) is published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Priced $24.00

 Posted: 28.05.09 06:07. Post subject: Solving The Rafa Rid..

Solving The Rafa Riddle
By PAUL MACPHERSON
Published: May 25, 2009
DEUCE
atptennis.com

Rafael Nadal has suffered just five clay-court losses in five years. As the four-time defending champion returns to Roland Garros, are there lessons to be learned from those defeats? Or is the Spaniard a lock to again go all the way in Paris?

Rafael Nadal is a man accustomed to getting what he wants or, more to the point, taking what he earns. There is nothing he wants more than a record-breaking fifth consecutive title at Roland Garros, where he is one of the hottest favourites in Grand Slam history. As was the case with Pete Sampras and Roger Federer during their dominant runs at Wimbledon, it’s difficult to build a cogent argument detailing how Nadal can be beaten in Paris. But, as history shows, the Sampras and Federer runs did eventually end.

Does anyone have the mental and physical strength required to beat Nadal at Roland Garros this year? Tattooed in players’ consciousness is Nadal’s jaw-dropping clay-court run since 2005: 150 wins and five losses, coming into Paris. Collectively, the victories tell an amazing tale with no shortage of stunning records and statistics. But when debating whether Nadal will be beaten in Paris this year, here is all you need to know: Nadal boasts a perfect 45-0 record in best-of-five-set matches on clay, has only twice been pushed to a fifth set and never at Roland Garros, where he comes into the 2009 event with an unbeaten 28-0 record.

There’s not much comfort in those numbers for players hoping to upset the Spaniard this year. But what about the five losses in five years: Can any lessons be gleaned from Nadal’s defeats? In trying to identify a game plan to beat the Spaniard, it could be argued that other factors had as much, or more, to do with the five losses than did the play or tactics of the winner.

It may sound harsh to deny Roger Federer full credit for his highly-satisfying win over Nadal in the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid final earlier this month, but as well as the Swiss played, Nadal clearly was not at his best physically after toiling for more than four hours the day before to beat Novak Djokovic in a brutal semi-final. It certainly wasn’t the same Nadal as the one who handed Federer a 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 loss in the 2008 Roland Garros final. Having said that, Federer played very smart, using the elevation in Madrid to his advantage, attacking relentlessly, keeping points short and serving big. “Playing on clay at a different altitude… gives you opportunities to play aggressive,” said Federer, adding that “it’s not so easy to hit passing shots because at times on other surfaces when itґs so slow itґs almost impossible to come to the net [against Nadal].

“We both had trouble controlling the ball, because the points were kept shorter it was better for my game and that’s why I won today. I saw some of those things against Djokovic, that he was struggling in the beginning to control his serve and probably Djokovic should have finished him off in two.”

Perhaps it was Djokovic, who also took a set from Nadal just weeks earlier in Monte-Carlo, who revealed a game plan that could work against the Spaniard, even in Paris, without the benefit of altitude. It worked well enough to earn Djokovic three match points in Madrid before Nadal won 3-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(9).

Taking an opposing view to Andy Murray, who caused Nadal some discomfort in Monte-Carlo with high, bouncy topspin, Djokovic instead worked his way into a winning position by hitting flat and deep, making it harder for the left-hander to run around his backhand. Hitting low and deep also denied Nadal the time and bounce to rip his most vicious topspin forehands. Djokovic also flouted conventional wisdom by hitting wide to the Nadal forehand – a wing most players avoid like the plague. But what’s the point of consistently hitting to Nadal’s backhand? If the rally goes long enough eventually he’ll find a ball to run around and open up the court like a can of peaches.

Willing to hit to the forehand court, Djokovic reduced Nadal’s ability to run around his backhand and unleash his favourite forehand. And well-executed blows wide to the forehand that took Nadal out of court left the backhand court exposed, allowing the Serb to hit clean winners. Taking a different approach to Federer, Djokovic was also willing to hang with Nadal in extended baseline rallies. From the club player to the ATP World Tour pro, when an underdog goes up against a more fancied opponent there is a tendency to play too aggressively in the belief that the only way to win is to take chances on every point. Despite never having beaten Nadal on clay, Djokovic was often willing to dig in from the baseline and not give away free points. Indeed, Nadal threw in 50 unforced errors in the match, including 11 unforced forehand errors in the first set. But don’t expect to see those numbers again anytime soon.

“I’m very disappointed that I can play this well and still not win a match,” Djokovic said. “I think that I’ve played my best tennis on this surface.” Despite pushing Nadal that close, Djokovic was unable to identify what he could have done differently on the match points he held. “If I knew I would probably win,” he quipped in exasperation.

Former Roland Garros champion Gaston Gaudio and Russian Igor Andreev, two of the four players to have recorded clay-court wins over Nadal in the past five years, tell DEUCE that they are doubtful that anyone can beat Nadal at Roland Garros this year.

“On clay Rafa is almost unbeatable,” says Gaudio, who is the only player to have beaten Nadal three times on clay, but not since 2005. “He is in great shape physically. It is hard to predict who could beat him, but I don’t think there is anyone that could do that at the moment. He is pretty much invincible on clay. I don’t really know [how you go about beating him]. He has no weaknesses. You have to attack and hope not to make many mistakes. I beat him when he was not at the top.”

Andreev, who beat Nadal 7-5, 6-2 in Valencia in 2005, says: “There are not many things to explore when you play against him… I’m really not sure what’s the perfect game plan. You have to play aggressive and not make many mistakes. He fights for every point and makes few mistakes, so you really have to take your chances. Maybe if he is having a bad day some of the top players could give him trouble. Djokovic played a close match with him in Monte-Carlo [and Madrid]. But playing best of five sets is a different story.”

Indeed it is. A few players have shown the ability to truly compete with Nadal on clay in short bursts – perhaps for five or six games or even for long enough to eke out a set like Djokovic did in Monte-Carlo – but almost always Nadal pulls away when that intensity inevitably begins to wane. Djokovic’s heroic performance in the epic Madrid semi-final is a glaring exception and one that may give his fellow players hope. But how many players honestly believe they can win three sets against Nadal at Roland Garros, where the clay king has never been taken to a fifth set?

As for taking advantage of chances when they arise, that’s what Federer did exceedingly well in the Madrid final. The Swiss, who saved all four break points against him, converted both break point opportunities he earned on Nadal’s serve. Contrast that with his break point conversion in three consecutive Roland Garros finals with Nadal: 1 of 4 in 2008, 1 of 17 in 2007 and 3 of 10 in 2006 for a combined mark of five service breaks from 31 break point chances.

While there are lessons to be drawn from Madrid, not many secrets were revealed in Nadal’s second most recent loss on clay – to former Roland Garros champion Juan Carlos Ferrero in the first round of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament in Rome last year. After winning Monte-Carlo and Barcelona in consecutive weeks leading into Rome, Nadal was hobbled by blisters on his feet and lost 7-5, 6-1. For context, Nadal won his next five tournaments after Rome (including the Roland Garros-Wimbledon double), for a streak of seven titles from eight tournaments. Perhaps the only take-away from Rome was a lesson about Nadal’s character. Despite being intensely proud of his clay-court record, Nadal refused to retire in the second set against Ferrero.

Nadal’s third most recent clay-court defeat was his loss to Federer in the 2007 Hamburg final, which snapped the Spaniard’s 81-match match winning streak on the surface. After winning Monte-Carlo, Barcelona and Rome in the lead-up, and having battled Lleyton Hewitt for 2 Ѕ hours the day before in the semi-finals, Nadal ran out of gas in the final. He won the first set 6-2 but then managed just two more games for the match as Federer ran away a 2-6, 6-2, 6-0 winner.

Before that, you have to look back to Valencia in 2005, when Nadal was just 18, to find another loss on clay (to Andreev). His only other loss on clay during the past five years was a bizarre 0-6, 6-0, 6-1 loss to Gaudio in the quarter-finals of Buenos Aires in Nadal’s first clay tournament of the year. He responded by winning back-to-back titles in Costa do Sauipe and Acapulco in the following weeks and by thrashing Gaudio 6-3, 6-0 when they next met on clay in Monte-Carlo.

Has much been learned by Nadal’s five clay losses since 2005? The loss to Federer in Madrid – accompanied by the near-loss to Djokovic one day earlier – appears to have returned the most intelligence. But elevation won’t be a factor in Paris.

Federer, who is in a race with Nadal to become just the sixth man in history to win all four Grand Slam titles, has not given up hope of claiming the elusive Roland Garros crown in his 11th attempt, but he knows not to overplay the significance of his Madrid victory. “I don’t think that’s he is going to be damaged by this… I’m sure he will be rock solid in Paris again. [But] I think that we have seen this week, that if you play Rafa the right way there are chances.”

Roger may be proved correct. But, as Mike Tyson once said of his opponents, “Everyone’s got a plan till they get hit.”

 Posted: 28.05.09 20:04. Post subject: Вопрос о Надале в бл..

Вопрос о Надале в блоге Собкина на спортс.ру и ответ автора блога.

quote:

27 мая this_fire Борис Львович, следите ли вы за другими игроками, общаетесь ли с другими тренерами время от времени? Очень интересует текущее состояние Надаля, очень много противоричивой информации. Хотелось бы узнать как обстоят дела на самом деле. По оффициальному радио Ролан Гарос, и нескольим интернет источникам говорили, что на тренировке у него обострилась ситуация с коленом. В прошлом году болело правое колено, в этом году левое. И в матче с Даниэлем он держался за колено. Некоторые писали, что боль он почувстовал еще в матче с Вердаско в Мадриде. Врач Рафаэля заявил, что ничего серьезного нет, все в порядке. Но вот уже 5-ый матч (Вердаско, Джокович, Федерер, Даниэль, Габашвили), играет не так как всегда, а хуже. Я смотрел практически все игры Рафаэля (которые транслировали) в последние годы, и сейчас он играет не в «свою игру», а с натугой, не всегда добегает до мячей, не всегда хорошо подходит, больше ошибается. Это из-за проблем со здоровьем, или просто усталость сильная могла накопиться? Спасибо. 28 мая Борис Собкин Я постоянно общаюсь с другими тренерами, и естественно слежу за другими игроками. Два дня назад я общался с Тони Надалем. У Рафы , действительно были проблемы, правда вне корта, но сейчас всё в порядке и его ничего не отвлекает. Что касается качества игры, то я наблюдал за его тренировкой с Массу во вторник и прямо скажу Надаль выглядел не лучшим образом. Правда может быть это и хорошо, так как есть возможность добавить по ходу турнира. Что касается его здоровья, то я не в курсе. В разговоре с Тони я заметил, что, на мой взгляд, Барселона была для него лишней, на что Тони сказал, что скорее не Барселона, а Мадрид. Ему естественно видней. В любом случае элементы усталости заметны.

http://www.sports.ru/blog/sobkin/9254452.html?comments=1#comments

 Posted: 28.05.09 20:21. Post subject: хруня, спасибо, очен..

хруня, спасибо, очень интересно почитать мнение Бориса Собкина.

хруня пишет:

quote:

Борис Собкин ...У Рафы , действительно были проблемы, правда вне корта

А как это понимать? Личные что ли?

 Posted: 28.05.09 20:57. Post subject: хруня и вспоминаетс..

хруня
и вспоминается то давнее интервью с загадочной фразой . хорошо, если все это позади.

 Posted: 28.05.09 21:44. Post subject: Кстати, статья в Vog..

Кстати, статья в Vogue тоже наводит на мысли о том, что были "проблемы вне корта". Там написано, что интервью и фотосессия отменялись несколько раз, что Рафа был неконтактный и какой-то отстраненный.

 Posted: 28.05.09 22:02. Post subject: ольга так. я, конеч..

ольга
так. я, конечно, не за всем слежу и не все читаю. может, там что-то с Хиской разлаживалось? хорошо, если только это, ТТТТТТТ.

 Posted: 28.05.09 22:19. Post subject: Tatiana Может, и с ..

Tatiana
Может, и с Хиской. Никакой информации на этот счет нет. Вообще никто ничего толком не знает. Бодо еще в Майами обещал приоткрыть завесу тайны, но так ничего и не придумал. А Тони надо бы помалкивать побольше.

 Posted: 28.05.09 22:30. Post subject: Tatiana пишет: мож..

Tatiana пишет:

quote:

может, там что-то с Хиской разлаживалось

Конечно, когда читаешь про проблемы вне корта, то первое, что можно подумать так это про личную жизнь!
ольга пишет:

quote:

А Тони надо бы помалкивать побольше.

Лучше жевать, чем говорить (с)

 Posted: 29.05.09 22:28. Post subject: French Open Friday, ..

French Open
Friday, May 29, 2009

R. NADAL/L.Hewitt 6‑1, 6‑3,6‑1

An interview with: RAFAEL NADAL

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English first, please.

Q. That was a really great match today from your side. Are you close to maybe your best? What are your thoughts about that? How did you feel on the court?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I feel, yeah, I feel much better todaythan the other days. I improved a littlebit every day. I play better the secondday than the first. Today is importantimprove, no? Always a win againstLleyton is a very good news. Youmust be playing well.

So I won 6‑1, 6‑3, 6‑1, so isamazing result for me. Very happy for bein fourth round right now.

Q. I know you're not happy with some of the rules from the world antidopingagency. Could you tell me again why youthink that these rules are so problematic?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, always the same, no? Always when I say something, later youwrite. I am the first one who wants thesport totally clean, no, the tennis totally clean.

But I think, I don't know ifit's ‑‑ well, I don't know, no. Iknow that's not correct. Have to reserveone hour every day for the antidoping, no? I think it's not nice they are at your room at 8:00 in the morning. They call you and say, We are here, and youhave two more hours for sleep, no?

I think that's not nice. And the second thing is we have to work inanother matter. That's what I feel,no? Because I against this new rule,no? (Through translation.) It would bebetter, but never mind.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in Spanish, please.

Q. What were you saying in English? Could you repeat this in Spanish?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, yes. You know, people write all sorts of things, and, you know, things werewritten in the papers here in France. I wouldn't say stupid things, but I wouldlike this sport to be as clean as possible.

There's no doubt about what Isaid. You see, of course there are thosewho cheat, should be punished. This isall. When you practice this type ofsport, what is important is that, you know, they have to find me and know whereI play.

These guys have to know where Iplay. I was on Monday in Madrid. I was with my friends. Then I have a bath. My mother called me. She told me the guys were in my house in Madrid. It was my only free evening. I have to take this antidoping control. It was the same several days ago. Ferrer and Fernando were tested as well, at6:00 a.m. because they had to play from 6:00 to 7:00, or they had just played,or rather they had played a five‑set match. It's crazy.

I don't know if, from the legalpoint of view, this is correct. That is,to know where you are every single moment of your life, and to account forthis. This is what I think.

I don't think this is a right thingto do. It's wrong. It's a high price to pay to practice yoursport, to play tennis. I want tennis to beas clean as possible, of course. This iscrystal clear. But there's room formaneuvering. You see, there's a certaintype of leeway.

Q. In Australia, during a press conference you've talked about this, and Irealize that nothing has changed. Itseems that nothing will change.

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I have the impression that all theplayers say the same about this. I don'tknow if there's one player who says something different, but I don't thinkso. The vast majority are against thisrule.

Q. How could players be against this?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, that's not what I meant. And I don't want to keep on talking aboutthis during the whole press conference. You know, we're all players. That's all it is.

I know that drugs is not an easymatter to deal with, but we've paid the price for this. And, in fact, the ITF should takemeasures. I don't have the impressionthat it's good to put so much pressure on us. They harass us, I think.

The ITF should do something aboutit, otherwise we could perhaps come up with another solution, another remedy,another solution for us to play tennis in a more tranquil way.

You know, if I lose tomorrow, I'llgo back to Mallorca, and who will know where Iam if I have no access to Internet, if I don't send e‑mails to my family?

Now, if they knock at my door in Mallorca, they're going to give me a warning. It's happened to Carlos before. They sent him a warning, and this is mostunfair.

Q. I promise it's going to be the very last question on drugs orantidoping. This year it seems thatthere are more tests. In addition to theinternational federation, there are more tests. What do you think about this?

RAFAEL NADAL: More analyses?

Q. Yes. More than what is done bythe ITF. It seems that the French agencyhas decided to carry out more tests. What has happened to Gasquet, for instance.

RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. I don't know anything about this. I think that this is not yet clear. Okay, Gasquet has been tested. Isupport him. I'm certain that he's nottaking anything. He's not takingcocaine. I know him. He's a good friend of mine, and I discussedthis with him last week.

No, no, impossible. He's most certainly not taking cocaine. You know what the world is like today. You know, when you go to a party, anythingcan happen these days. If you kiss agirl who's taken cocaine, anything can happen, and that's the truth. That's reality, and this can destroy yourlife or your career, rather, and this is most unfair.

You know, I wanted totell him again that I support him fully. He's got my total support. I toldhim on the phone, and sometimes I think these measures go too far and they'remost unfair.

Q. Now, let's talk about the match. I suppose you're happy. Your gameis developing nicely, and we've seen that since the first round. You've changed. You've evolved. What about your feelings? Is it like last year's?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, last year I didn't play that well duringthe third round. But what is importantis what has happened so far.

Each day I play better,and I think, you know, this is what it's all about. I have to improve daily. I'm happy, really. My backhand is good. To start with, I played good shots. My drive is better.

You know, when it was 3to 2, I was up 3‑2, and then Love‑30, that was good. I managed to fight back. But at the end ofthe day, the result was good, which is excellent news.

 Posted: 29.05.09 22:58. Post subject: Бодо еще в Майами об..

quote:

Бодо еще в Майами обещал приоткрыть завесу тайны, но так ничего и не придумал. А Тони надо бы помалкивать побольше.

Так что выходит, что эти "проблемы вне корта" были еще до Майами? Но в Австралии вроде все нормально было Хотя, с другой стороны, мы не можем точно знать, было ли там все нормально в Австралии или нет...

 Posted: 29.05.09 23:07. Post subject: Ну и ПК http://jpe...

Ну и ПК О матче - полтора слова...

Мне нравится, что Рафа пытается защитить Ришара, тогда как франки его практицки начали гнобить... Но версия с поцелуем звучит ИМХО неубедительно.
А вообще это лишний раз доказывает, что во время турнира лучше не следовать заветам Ильича в трактовке Этетрнала. То есть не "бухать" и не "гулять"

 Posted: 29.05.09 23:12. Post subject: Ченальдина Рафа пос..

Ченальдина
Рафа после проигрыша в Маями сослался на личные проблемы, отвечая на вопросы журналистов на ПК. Думаю, эти проблемы появились именно во время турнира в Маями

 Posted: 30.05.09 00:29. Post subject: хруня Ну да, я помн..

хруня
Ну да, я помню, после проигрыша Дель Потро его спросили, а он ответил, что есть причины, но это личное...Остается только гадать...

 Posted: 30.05.09 09:16. Post subject: Заметка на русском п..

Заметка на русском по мотивам ПК

quote:

Рафаэль Надаль: «Уверен, что Гаске ничего не принимал, не употреблял кокаин» Испанский теннисист Рафаэль Надаль не верит, что француз Ришар Гаске умышленно употреблял кокаин «Это просто невозможно, я уверен, что он ничего не принимал, не употреблял кокаин. Я его знаю, он мой хороший друг, и на прошлой неделе мы говорили с ним об этом. Вы же знаете, какие сейчас времена. Когда вы идете на вечеринку, всё может случиться. Например, вы поцелуетесь с девушкой, которая принимала кокаин. Это реальность, и один такой момент может разрушить вашу жизнь, карьеру. Я бы очень хотел снова выразить ему свою полную поддержку. Я целиком и полностью за чистый спорт, кристально чистый, настолько чистый, насколько это возможно. Но правило, что я должен называть один час каждый день, где я нахожусь, кажется мне неправильным. В понедельник я был в Мадриде, проводил время со своими друзьями, потом вернулся домой, решил принять ванну, и тут меня зовет мама и говорит, что пришли ребята (допинг-офицеры). Вы понимаете, это был мой единственный свободный вечер, а я должен проходить допинг-контроль. Если с юридической точки зрения это правильно, что они должны знать о каждом твоем моменте в жизни, с этим надо считаться. Но я думаю, что это не тот путь», – приводит слова теннисиста РИА Новости.

http://www.sports.ru/tennis/10737884.html

 Posted: 30.05.09 09:20. Post subject: Хьюитт: с каждым гей..

Хьюитт: с каждым геймом Надаль играл всё лучше и лучше

Австралиец Ллейтон Хьюитт, который сумел выиграть лишь пять геймов против испанца Рафаэля Надаля в игре третьего круга "Ролан Гаррос", рассказал, почему получился такой неудачный матч.

"Очень непросто играть против него. Я думаю, что в игре с таким соперником важно хорошо стартовать.

Он очень хороший теннисист, если он поймает свою игру, то он бьёт всё лучше, начинает диктовать свой теннис. А с каждым геймом он действует всё увереннее и сильнее", — цитирует Хьюитта официальный сайт турнира.
http://www.championat.ru/tennis/news-231264.html

 Posted: 30.05.09 10:15. Post subject: May 29, 2009 AWESOME..

May 29, 2009
AWESOME NADAL CRUSHES HEWITT

Four-time defending champion Rafael Nadal made clear his intentions to triumph once more at Roland Garros by lifting his game to clip former ATP World Tour No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt 6-1, 6-3, 6-1 and reach the fourth round in Paris on Friday.
After a relatively low-key start to the tournament for Nadal by his exceedingly high standards, tennis fans looked with anticipation to see what challenge two-time Grand Slam champion Hewitt would present to the Spaniard. Nadal duly responded by significantly raising his level and, despite great tenacity and fine tactics from Hewitt, sent out a clear message to all his rivals with a resounding victory over the Australian.

Nadal was fast out of the blocks in the third match of the day on Philippe Chatrier, rallying from 0-40 in Hewitt’s opening service game to break the Australian and open up a 3-0 lead. The left-hander wore Hewitt down from the baseline, consistently coaxing him into unforced errors as the Adelaide native tried to go for too much in an attempt to get the ball past Nadal. A second break of serve in the sixth game aided Nadal as he closed out the one-set lead after 30 minutes.

Fans were treated to a taster of what might have been early in the second set as Hewitt reeled off three straight games to recover from an early break of serve and lead 3-2, courtesy of some varied and attacking play from the right-hander. However, it only served to further intensify Nadal - who accordingly raised his level to win the next four games and quash Hewitt’s resistance. The third set was a more straightforward affair for Nadal, with breaks in the first and sixth games spurring him on to victory after one hour and 51 minutes.

The loss for Hewitt, who is making his way back up the South African Airways 2009 ATP Rankings after undergoing hip surgery last August, extended his losing streak against Top 10 opponents to 14 matches. The two-time Roland Garros quarter-finalist won his 27th tour-level title at his first clay-court event of the season in Houston (d. Odesnik) and marked his 500th singles win in the first round in Munich (d. Petzschner).

The 22-year-old Nadal has won a record 31 successive matches at Roland Garros since making his debut in 2005. The Mallorcan has also won 32 consecutive sets at Roland Garros, the second-longest winning streak in the tournament’s history behind Bjorn Borg (41). He has enjoyed near-perfect preparation for his assault on a fifth straight title, winning three clay-court titles at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events in Monte-Carlo and Rome and on home soil in Barcelona. The only blemish on his 2009 clay-court record is the loss he suffered to Roger Federer in the final of ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid.

Next in line for Nadal will be No. 23 seed Robin Soderling, who battled past 14th-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer 6-7(5), 7-5, 6-2, 7-6(5). The Swede hit 64 winners and converted six of 17 break points, including winning 73 per cent of points at the net, to edge through in three hours and 36 minutes. Nadal has a 3-0 career record against Soderling, including two wins on clay.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/tennis/1/en/news/newsarticle_3819.asp

 Posted: 30.05.09 12:15. Post subject: Надаль: Победа над Х..

Надаль: Победа над Хьюиттом - всегда хорошая новость!

Испанец Рафаэль Надаль после победы над австралийцем Ллейтоном Хьюиттом в третьем круге Roland Garros-2009 отметил, что очень доволен уровнем своей игры, показанным им в этой встрече. Напомним, что в третьем раунде Рафа отдал Хьюитту всего 5 геймов, разгромив экс-первую ракетку мира со счетом - 6/1, 6/3, 6/1.

“Сегодня я чувствовал себя гораздо лучше чем в предыдущие дни. Я прибавляю с каждым последующим матчем. Победа над Ллейтоном - это всегда хорошая новость, потому что тебе надо играть очень хорошо, чтобы переиграть его. Победа с таким счетом - потрясающий результат для меня, и я счастлив, что мне удалось пройти в четвертый круг. В прошлом году на этой стадии соревнований я играл не так хорошо, как сейчас, и это очень важно для меня. У меня хорошо проходит бэкхенд, я наношу отличные удары,” - сказал Надаль после победы.

http://www.gotennis.ru/news/?p=19126

 Posted: 30.05.09 13:49. Post subject: Молодец, Рафа, что п..

Молодец, Рафа, что поддержал Ришара Ему это вряд ли поможет в тяжбах с WADA, но моральная поддержка все-таки очень важна для любого человека, тем более когда даже "свои" от него отступились и сделали из него изгоя.

 Posted: 30.05.09 17:32. Post subject: ольга пишет: тем бо..

ольга пишет:

quote:

тем более когда даже "свои" от него отступились и сделали из него изгоя.

да??? вот гады

 Posted: 30.05.09 21:36. Post subject: Dinusik Ришару запр..

Dinusik
Ришару запретили посещать РГ даже в качестве зрителя. Видимо, организаторы турнира и французская теннисная федерация поспешили от него откреститься.
Тем временем, выступления Рафы против WADA и в защиту Ришара получили большой резонанс в прессе. Еще и Тони разразился гневным интервью по поводу новых правил допинг-контроля, установленных для игроков.

 Posted: 30.05.09 21:42. Post subject: ольга Ришару запрет..

ольга

quote:

Ришару запретили посещать РГ даже в качестве зрителя.

Я сегодня вычитала в прессе, что Мартине Хингис (которую уличили в употреблении кокаина) также было запрещено посещать турниры, в частности РГ и Уим. То есть, это не самодеятельность федерации, похоже, а правило.

Но мне не понравилось, к примеру, такое заявление от одного из игроков: Монкур: наши нарушения с Гаске сравнивать нельзя.

 Posted: 30.05.09 21:43. Post subject: Что-то дамочки в пос..

Что-то дамочки в последнее время сильно активизировались в написании статей о Рафе

Статья из французского издания журнала Elle
(перевод на английский - Moondancer c VB.com)

Tennis at every age

To find yourself on a court facing Rafael Nadal, the best tennis player in the world ? Not even a shiver ! You see, Dr Aga (the name she uses for her writings on Elle magazine) knows a thing or two about tanned, muscled young men and she discovered a couple of secrets about the great champion!

The French tennis federation confirms that you can start hitting that yellow ball at any age. Fine, I say, but not against just anybody. So, imagine my joy when I find out that Rafael Nadal, ATP n°1, muse of the new fragrance of Lanvin L’Homme Sport, is willing to face normal journalists - that is to say; not sports journalists (the colleagues from L’Equipe will appreciate this).
Time to nag the press agent into letting me have access to a particular court, annoy the Lacoste company into sending me an outfit, bothering my daughter into lending me her racket and off I go, in the Thalys heading for the Rotterdam tournament with a “An Introduction to Tennis” DVD in my computer.


Rafa is Féfé

Rafael Nadal has entered the training court, his racket bag loosely hanging on his shoulder. The only player to have won 81 consecutive matches on clay. He has the reputation of being a machine out to crush his opponents. I look at him, amazed: so this is it? The killer who never lets go, the champion with blood on his bandana? This young man with the very innocent smile? I know that athletes always look more slender in real life but standing in front of his 1m85 of sheer muscles, only one thought enters my mind: Rafa is Féfé.
Rafa - as his millions of fans call him - and Féfé – as his friends call my son Félix, almost 18 years old (I know what you’re going to think: “Not possible. Dr. Aga is too young to have a child of that age! You see, I had my share of dramas. Like others, I also experienced the shock of getting pregnant at an early age from a man much older than I was, a man who had the sheer nerve of making sure that I had two other children, forcing me to raise them together…but I digress. You can read about it under the title “My story”, about 65 pages long.)


Typical Teen

So, my friends, Rafa is Féfé or in other words; a typical teen. At the age of 22, all the signs are there: his shyness forces him to look away directly followed by a couple of unexpected kisses. Incomprehensible electrocution: like my son, Nadal makes sounds more than he uses words. Like my son, when you least expect it, he has a stupid, yet contagious laughter. Really, I don’t see what’s to laugh at the way I hold my racket. For heaven’s sake; so what if I want to hold it like you do in ping pong?


That striking grace

Like Féfé, Rafa still lives with his mum and he doesn’t talk about his girlfriend (a certain María Fransesca). Like Féfé, Rafa wears clothes that reveal his muscles and I’m going to get killed for that because Felix hates it when I comment about his muscles and whats more: on that day, Nadal is really elegant with sleeves. See for yourself in the picture. Well, usually, those two boys are not really fashion victims, it has to be said.
Like Féfé, Nadal high fives his friends about every six seconds.
To conclude : like my son, Rafael has the striking grace of youth with a spontaneous elegance, unaware of his beauty although it’s very obvious at the same time.


A seductive boy

I say to myself that it’s a pity that you only see Nadal during his matches when he’s very concentrated with a closed look on his face because when you see him off court, with the smile of an archangel…my god, what a seductive boy he is! I become aware of the fact that I’m not the only one looking at him with mouth wide open. Ten, twenty, perhaps thirty people have come to watch along the court. The word “Nadal is on 8” quickly spreads among the public. “They’ve recognized me, they’re here for me”, I say ironically and Rafael politely laughs. Later, when it’s no longer thirty but two hundred and fifty people who are eager to witness me sending balls into the net, my giggling fades quite a bit. Just how do those top athletes stay focused with all those eyes locked on them?


Shy, like others

Earlier, a female colleague of mine interviewed Nadal and afterwards, she told me: “it’s odd how he doesn’t look you in the eyes”. I understand it. He doesn’t look to avoid the gaze of all those eyes zoomed into him. Rafael Nadal is a young man like many others. By this, I mean that he’s shy like others.

First exchange and Rafael tells me that we’re going to work on my forehand. With a bit of luck, it passes. It goes well above the net even though it doesn’t exactly land where I imagined it would go. Nadal moves to catch my ball, seemingly in slow motion whereas I need to run like a rabbit on my little back paws. He sends back a soft ball to me, straight to my racket and he says: “muy bien, Alice”. This is when Rafa is no longer like Féfé because my son, when we play ping pong, finds sheer joy in sending me scud missiles accompanied by aggressive grunts.

Just before this, he lost a doubles match with his Spanish friend. I ask him if he was referring to that earlier. He shakes his head: “Oh no, doubles is of no importance. In fact, we knew that we were going to lose.” He explains to me that his friend is not really tournament level but they let him pick a partner himself so Nadal chose him because it’s gives his friend the opportunity to earn a nice amount of money. Like Féfé, Rafa has elaborate plans with his friends to make money, like baby-sitting or trading mathematics notes….


He smells really good

We move on to working on my backhand. With the advice of his uncle and coach Toni Nadal. Rafa is now ambidextrous but he learned to play like a lefty from the age of 4 whereas he’s a natural right hander. After a couple of tentative backhands, which I personally find remarkable, Rafa grimaces and advices me to use two hands after which he calmly say: “It’s worse, go back to one hand” without malice. I manage to return a couple of balls but not a lot and it annoys me all the more because his shots really look like he’s playing with a 5-year old. I make him understand that his soft balls are driving me crazy. I can manage a good smash in ping pong, for heaven's sake, so he needs to really go for it.

Nadal gives me a huge grin, looks me straight in the eyes and then, he shoots off a missile that flies far behind me and hits the white line with a flat noise. I think that it was a ball because I didn’t have time to look.
I think that it’s time to fulfill my true mission: whatever it takes, I'm to check out if the fragrance he represents - Lanvin L’Homme Sport - really smells good. Without warning, I move to the other side of the net and I throw myself into the neck of the champion to smell him. Like my son, he instinctively moves back when I suddenly invade his personal space. Like my son, he explains to me that he didn’t have time to shower yet. Like my son, in fact, he smells really good. Lavender, that’s certain, and something else. Sage perhaps?


Rafael Nadal and his complexes

We’re now standing on the same side opposing a murmuring crowd. Rafael has undertaken the mission to show me the serving technique with his huge body close behind mine. He lifts his arm and takes mine along with it in the same movement until he stands on the tip of his shoes, totally stretching out, still glued to my back. I try to feel nothing but maternal emotions but without much success. I tell him: “Oh, this looks really difficult as a shot, the serve”. He jokingly replies: “Yes, it’s the worst. It poses me problems as well ». You see, even though he’s the world number one, Rafael Nadal has his share of complexes. Not only about his serve but about his entire game on surfaces he hates. The surface in Rotterdam is synthetic “and it’s not a given that I will go far in this tournament because it’s not my thing” he adds with a pout that’s quite similar to the pout of the best student of the class who returns from a physics test saying: “I failed half of the questions” while everybody knows that he will succeed with a huge margin.


No time to chat

We barely have time to chat, only to ask him about his tennis idols. The names I mention make him smile politely: “Borg, McEnroe, Lendl…I’ve heard people talk about them but I’ve never seen them play.” This makes me realize that Nadal was born three years after Noah’s victory in Roland Garros and I take a big sip from my coffee but the shy young man immediately murmurs: “For me, the best of them all is Roger Federer”. I think about this display of fair play: Federer, former n°1, Nadal’s historic opponent. Then, I remember that Rafa has beaten the Swiss on a regular basis for almost a year now. Symbolically, what he’s telling me implies that he’s better than the “best of them all”. Clearly, Rafael Nadal has a bit of an ego of his own and with good reason because he’s an exceptional young man. Just like my son.

http://www.elle.fr/elle/societe/les-enquetes/a-nous-deux-nadal/le-tennis-a-n-importe-quel-age/(gid)/897075

 Posted: 30.05.09 21:51. Post subject: хруня пишет: Я сего..

хруня пишет:

quote:

Я сегодня вычитала в прессе, что Мартине Хингис (которую тоже уличили в употреблении кокаина) также было запрещено посещать турниры, в частности РГ и Уим. То есть, это не самодеятельность федерации, похоже, а правило.

Если это правило, то очень жестокое и унизительное. Пока по "делу Гаске" или другого теннисиста не принято официальное решение, могли бы его в покое оставить. Интересно, а если он купит билет и придет на стадион, его что, с позором выгонят?

 Posted: 30.05.09 22:51. Post subject: ольга хруня Каньяс..

ольга
хруня
Каньяса тоже не пускали, это было точно. причем, насколько помню (могу ошибаться), он пришел, а его развернули.

 Posted: 30.05.09 22:54. Post subject: Nadal Hammers Hewitt..

Nadal Hammers Hewitt
By Tennis Week
Friday, May 29, 2009

Rafael Nadal refuses to deviate from his successful French Opens script, but today the World No. 1 showed his improvisational skills as well.

Lleyton Hewitt found himself once again racing from corner to corner when he made a slick forehand stab that sent Nadal on his back foot near mid court only to see Nadal screech to a stop, take two quick steps backward and smack a forehand winner.

Even when rolling in reverse gear, nothing could stop Nadal from speeding forward in the draw.

The four-time French Open champion hammered Hewitt, 6-1, 6-3, 6-1, to score his record-extending 31st consecutive Roland Garros victory and cruise into the fourth round. It was Nadal's third French Open win over Hewitt in the past four years. Competing for a record fifth straight French Open crown, Nadal converted seven of 13 break points in dictating play for most of the one hour, 51-minute match.

The two-time Grand Slam champion stepped on Court Philippe Chatrier knowing he needed to play a near-perfect match to test the champion, but it was Nadal who played his best match of the event, storming out to a 5-1 lead in stomping the former World No. 1.

"For sure it was my best match here so far," Nadal said.

There was little pleasure in the play for Hewitt at the outset today. Though the feisty, fist-pumping Aussie entered the encounter with a 4-4 lifetime record against Nadal, he had lost all three of their clay-court clashes.

Hewitt tried to sap some of the sting from Nadal's topspin by stepping on or inside the baseline to take Nadal's shots on the rise, but Nadal refused to give up ground and consistently probed the corners of the court sending a scurrying Hewitt racing from one sideline to the othe in pursuit of his drives. Playing as if he'd stepped right off the practice court into the match, a sharp Nadal collected the first set in a half hour before Hewitt knew what hit him.

Nadal won eight of the first nine games before Hewitt held at 15 for 1-2 in the second set. When Nadal knocked an off-balance forehand into the net, Hewitt screamed "Come on!" in an effort to exhort himself to raise his game. Unleashing a surprise serve-and-volley winner, Hewitt held for 3-2 then took a 0-30 lead in Nadal's next service game. But that was as close as Hewitt could make this contest.

The 5-foot-11 Aussie has unusually long arms for a man his height, but even with that expansive reach Hewitt spent much of the match looking like a man in desperate need of a step ladder to retrieve Nadal's shots that bounced shoulder high off the court.

Playing Nadal on clay can be downright demoralizing in that even when you expended extraordinary effort in long baseline exchanges, often the only thing you have to show for your efforts are more mileage on your legs, an abruptly elevated heart rate and lungs crying out for a reprieve. Nadal reeled off 10 of the final 11 games to dismiss Hewitt and set up a fourth-round meeting with either 23rd-seeded Swede Robin Soderling or 14th-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer.

Nadal's Davis Cup teammate, Fernando Verdasco, could face his fellow Spanish lefthander in the quarterfinals. In an all-Spanish third-round match, Verdasco converted his ninth match point to subdue a stubborn Nicolas Almagro, 6-2, 7-6(4), 7-6(8). It marks the third straight French Open fourth-round appearance for Verdasco, who will be bidding for his first trip to the quarterfinals when he plays Nikolay Davydenko in the fourth round. The 10th-seeded Russian stopped 17th-seeded Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, to advance to the round of 16 for the fourth time in the past five years.

"I feel fit at the moment, and I hope I'll feel fit for the next match and that I'll continue on the same track," said Verdasco.

 Posted: 30.05.09 22:58. Post subject: Tatiana пишет: Кань..

Tatiana пишет:

quote:

Каньяса тоже не пускали, это было точно. причем, насколько помню (могу ошибаться), он пришел, а его развернули.

Да, что-то такое припоминаю. Рафа еще возмущался и Вилли поддерживал. Это года 3-4 назад было.