Nadal News 2.0

SpinWizard

Semi-Pro
No one ever played the same as Rafa.

No one ever hit the forehand the same way he did.

No one ever fought and gave absolute everything on the court the same way Rafa did.

People were saying he will be done at the age of 25 with his playstyle. People thought he was done in 2009. Then again in 2012 after knee injury. And then again in 2016. And then again after RG 2021. He always came back.

Thanks Rafa for all the memories ❤️❤️
 

octobrina10

Talk Tennis Guru

From Cristiano Ronaldo to Rafa​


I deleted the link to the tweet I posted here on 10 October, because the person who tweeted Cristiano Ronaldo’s tribute to Rafa (CR replied to Rafa’s retirement statement on Instagram) has switched her account from public to private, i.e. her tweets have become invisible to the public.

Cristiano Ronaldo replied to Rafa’s announcement of retirement on Instagram on 10 October. I copied CR’s reply from Instagram and posted it here on 27 October:
Ga5ItU8WgAItuTy


:giggle:
...
 
Last edited:

octobrina10

Talk Tennis Guru

From Pau Gasol to Rafa​


Pau Gasol's tweet below reads: “Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Rafa! Throughout my career, you have been a constant inspiration and one of my greatest role models, both on and off the court. Having you as a friend has made this journey even more special. I look forward to seeing you once again leading by example at the Davis Cup. I love you very much, my friend.” (Translated from Spanish via Google.)

I repeat that Rafa and Spanish former pro basketball player Pau Gasol have been friends since they met for the first time at a Nike event in Barcelona, when Rafa was 16 -17 years old. In 2018, P.Gasol said he had watched 8 of 11 Rafa's FO final matches from the stands.
Gasol played for the Spanish national basketball team from 2001 – 2017; he is considered as one of the greatest European players of all time; he also played for many NBA teams between 2001 and 2019.

:giggle:
...
 

JustMy2Cents

Hall of Fame

Rafael Nadal is an all-time great sportsman, but he is also something more​

The 22-time Grand Slam champion is a philosophy in motion, a model for how to face up to life.

By Steve Tignor
“In this life, everything has a beginning and an end,” Rafael Nadal said near the start of his retirement announcement, which he released on video Thursday morning.

Leave it to Rafa to put a stoical spin on this somber moment. The 22-time Grand Slam champion has made himself into an all-time great sportsman over the last two decades, but for those of us who have watched, listened, marveled at and suffered with him during that time, he has also become a philosophy unto himself, a role model for how to approach and face up to life. He has taught us about the necessity and joy of making an effort, but he has also taught us about the necessity of understanding that there will be moments—many of them—when those efforts fall short.

After two years of doing whatever he could to heal his bad hip and return to the tour, the 38-year-old Spaniard came to grips with the fact that he wasn’t going to succeed. He said this had been a difficult period, and that he didn’t want to continue to “play with limitations.”
“I leave with the absolute peace of having given my best, of having made an effort in every way,” he said.
Rafa, once a wild-haired, ultra-amped teen, would prove to be a man of wisdom and a model of maturity.

Rafa, once a wild-haired, ultra-amped teen, would prove to be a man of wisdom and a model of maturity.

Before he goes for good, Nadal also said he’ll make one more appearance, playing for his country in the Davis Cup’s Final 8 at the end of November. In the same way that Laver Cup provided the proper send-off for Roger Federer two years ago, a Davis Cup finale in Malaga, Spain, feels fitting for Rafa. He has been part of four Cup-winning teams, and as he said in his announcement, it was in the 2004 Cup final in Spain when he first came to the world’s attention.
“I think I’ve come full circle, since one of my first great joys as a professional tennis player was the Davis Cup final in Seville in 2004,” Nadal said on Thursday.
2004: Was it really that long ago? In his win over Andy Roddick that day, the sleeveless 18-year-old gave us a first, fearless glimpse of what he would bring to tennis for the next 20 years. He was a new type of player, and performer, for a new century. What he added to the sport could be summed up in one word: Exuberance.
Nadal never gave less than his best, and never sabotaged his chances with negativity or casualness. In that, he made it a little easier to believe you could get off the mat and do the same.

Nadal never gave less than his best, and never sabotaged his chances with negativity or casualness. In that, he made it a little easier to believe you could get off the mat and do the same.
© Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

During rallies, Nadal went after—and caught up to—balls that no one had thought to try for before. Between points, he introduced us to the flying first-pumps and scratchy-throated cries of “Vamos!” that would become his trademarks. He celebrated breaking serve early in the first set the way players of the past had celebrated winning Grand Slam titles, with unbridled emotion. That expressiveness and intensity came as a shock to many of his early opponents, and some mocked him for it. But 20 years later it’s the norm, and what we expect to see from the pros.
Looking back to 2004, what may be more surprising is that this wild-haired, ultra-amped teen would also prove to be a man of wisdom and a model of maturity.
“I became a fan when I saw him at the Olympics in 2008 in Beijing,” Amy Tsao, a New Yorker who has traveled widely to see Rafa play, told me in 2020. “It was great to see this young character be so excited, chasing everything with this relentless tenacity.
“Now it’s great to see how much he has matured, the respect he shows to everyone, to see him go from this kid playing PlayStation to being a family man.”


At the same time, Nadal hasn’t changed. Beneath the tics and rituals, the celebratory shouts and clenched fists, there was a young man with an unwavering sense of himself. Nadal never moved away from his native island of Mallorca, or the extended family that surrounds and grounds him there. He stuck with the same approach to life that has worked so well for him since he was 17.
What is that approach, and what is its appeal? It can be summed up in a favorite word of Nadal’s: Accept. Accept reality. Accept that nothing will be perfect or easy and that struggle and imperfection and defeat are normal. Accept everything you’re called on to do to win. Only then can you truly live with defeat and move on.
“What you need is the right energy to accept every single thing, no?” he said during the pandemic-stricken tournaments of 2020 and 2021.
“If, if, if…doesn’t exist,” he said after losses, refusing to get bogged down in regret over a missed shot or bad decision.
He has taught us about the necessity and joy of making an effort, but he has also taught us about the necessity of understanding that there will be moments—many of them—when those efforts fall short.

And no one will ever forget Rafa’s exasperated explosion from 2019:
“What happen-ed in Monte Carlo happen-ed, what happen-ed in Barcelona happen-ed, what happen-ed in Madrid happen-ed,” he said after losing at all three events. “And here we are. We are in Rome.”
It was a comical statement, but it also turned out to be a useful one. What many of forget is what happen-ed to Rafa at Roland Garros that year: He won.


For much of Nadal’s career, Roger Federer was the top role model for young players. But as the years progressed, Rafa drew his own share of devotees. Iga Swiatek, Andrey Rublev, Sebastian Korda, Casper Ruud and Daria Kasatkina, among others, were all youthful Rafa fanatics who modeled their approach to the sport after him.
Not that Nadal envisions himself as a hero, or a cut above the crowd.
“I’m a normal and common person,” he told El Espanol. “I don’t see myself as a role model of anything. I’m a guy who plays tennis well…I have tried to have the right attitude on and off the court, but I make mistakes like everyone else.”
For many of his fans, though, Rafa’s sense of commonness and fallibility is part of his charm. We can’t do what he does, but we can relate to his passion and desire and striving, which he revealed us in a way few tennis players had before on court. Nadal didn’t have a killer serve to rely on, and he wasn’t effortless the way Federer was. He made the effort obvious for all of us to see. Which meant we could live and die with him.
Rafael Nadal's 20-second routine is one of the most notable in the sport.

Rafael Nadal's 20-second routine is one of the most notable in the sport.
© Getty Images

Nadal doesn’t see himself as a role model, but we all need to find strength where we can. I’ll miss his bolo-windup forehands and his boundless energy. But I’ll also miss seeing him step up to the service line after losing a point, bounce the ball slowly, go through his many twitches and tics, and block out the past and the future as he goes back to work. He never gave less than his best, and never sabotaged his chances with negativity or casualness. In that, he made it a little easier to believe you could get off the mat and do the same.
“In this life, everything has a beginning and an end,” Nadal said on Thursday. But the example that Rafa has set for us should be the exception. If he can be at “absolute peace” with what he’s done, we can, too.
https://www.tennis.com/news/article...inning-end-life-rafa-all-time-great-sportsman

Beautiful article!!
 

clayqueen

Talk Tennis Guru
Yesterday of all days I couldn’t log into TW. I tried to login on all my devices with no luck. I contacted TW and they suggested that I try rebooting my WIFI and it worked.

I’ve been preparing for Rafa’s retirement since his latest comeback. I just didn’t want him to end up like Murray still playing but struggling to beat players he would beat in his sleep when fully match and physically fit.

Rafa is the ultimate tennis player. He’s got skills unmatched and so much passion and so amazing to watch. I will continue to follow tennis but the days when my life revolved around Rafa’s tennis calendar are over. Getting up at all hours to watch tennis is also at an end for me.
 
Last edited:

JustMy2Cents

Hall of Fame
HOW RAFA TREATS PEOPLE.. couple of heartwarming anecdotes
MARK PETCHEY
So as the list of accomplishments get trotted out for Rafa I won’t remember those. What I will remember is this. It was 2007/8 I can’t quite remember but he was already a huge star. I was working at Roland Garros as a commentator, having worked with Andy and been around Rafa on the practice courts and he knew me a little from my previous commentary work. I was and still am, a very marginal figure in the world of tennis. Even more so then. I was working on the computers in the media area and it was his birthday. There was a group of about 6 people around him as he was about to be presented his cake somewhere in the building. He happened to look across at the same time I looked to see who was coming. He saw me, broke out of the group, walked over to me about 20 yards to say Hello and ask how I was doing, making the others wait while we chatted. Not saying anything that others don’t know but there are very few elite famous people, let alone athletes who would have done that. I will remember his tennis but I will forever, remember how he made me feel. It’s a great life lesson for everyone. He never changed
STEPHANIE MYLES:
The first time he'd walk into the press conference room at a big event and would see the two women who created the transcripts during most of his peak periods, he'd head right over for a hug and a hello. Never saw any others ever do that. Again, a small gesture that meant a ton. They were absolute mainstays. All over the world. And if the players didn't necessarily know their names they knew why they were there and what they did. But most never even glanced in their direction.
ELLA LING: [talks about Rafa and his family sending her off in their official car at night after a photoshoot]
 
Last edited:

JustMy2Cents

Hall of Fame
Rafa pulling off a miracle shot and doing his lawnmower celebration this Sunday at Golf... hit the side arrows.
This past Sunday @rafaelnadal proved to us, once again, that even outside the tennis courts is the best. In order not to lose a "friendly" round of golf, he needed a miracle and he got it! A hit of the level of the best of the Masters or any major.

Since 2007 - when he was No. 2 in the world and clearly told us he was going to be No. 1- I've been able to prove how he never gives up and always gives his best. Signing autographs or taking photos with everyone who approached him at the World Cup Final in South Africa and all the events on the bank, always smiling.
 
I feel sad. More sad than when Sampras retired and about the same as when Fed officially retired. When Novak eventually calls it a career, it will be sad then too becuase he's the last of the big three.
 

Subway Tennis

G.O.A.T.

From Pau Gasol to Rafa​


Pau Gasol's tweet below reads: “Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Rafa! Throughout my career, you have been a constant inspiration and one of my greatest role models, both on and off the court. Having you as a friend has made this journey even more special. I look forward to seeing you once again leading by example at the Davis Cup. I love you very much, my friend.” (Translated from Spanish via Google.)

I repeat that Rafa and Spanish former pro basketball player Pau Gasol have been friends since they met for the first time at a Nike event in Barcelona, when Rafa was 16 -17 years old. In 2018, P.Gasol said he had watched 8 of 11 Rafa's FO final matches from the stands.
Gasol played for the Spanish national basketball team from 2001 – 2017; he is considered as one of the greatest European players of all time; he also played for many NBA teams between 2001 and 2019.

:giggle:
...
I was waiting for this tribute! Thanks for posting this Octobrina.

Just looking back at your posts over the years in here, you have done your part in cultivating an amazing time capsule of Rafa’s career. It’s a lot of fun to go through all the posts.
 

clayqueen

Talk Tennis Guru
I was waiting for this tribute! Thanks for posting this Octobrina.

Just looking back at your posts over the years in here, you have done your part in cultivating an amazing time capsule of Rafa’s career. It’s a lot of fun to go through all the posts.
There is no doubt that @octobrina10 has enhanced my fan ex[erience on this site by providing reliable and up to date information on Rafa. (y)
 

octobrina10

Talk Tennis Guru

From José Mourinho to Rafa



José Mourinho is a Portuguese professional football coach, who was the manager & coach of Real Madrid from 2010 to 2013. He is widely considered to be among the greatest managers & coaches of all time. Mourinho has won league championships in four different countries, is one of only six managers to have won the European Cup with two different clubs, and is the only manager to have won all three current UEFA club competitions. (Source: Wikipedia.)

:giggle:
...
 

octobrina10

Talk Tennis Guru

I think that playing golf with Ana Botin was an important event for Rafa. Ana Botin is the president of Banco Santander, Rafa's sponsor.

Last September, Rafa played golf with her in the village of Pedrena (located 18 kilometres from the city of Santander in northern Spain) where late Spanish famous pro golfer Severiano Ballesteros was born. The friendly golf tournament was called “Rafa’s friends vs and Ana’s friends” (Translated from Spanish.). S.Ballesteros (1957 – 2011) was a World No. 1 golfer and one of the sport's leading figures from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. Ana Botin is a sister of S.Ballesteros’ widow.

Posts ##39,063 and 39,064:
https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/nadal-news-2-0.496732/page-782#post-17665833
https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/nadal-news-2-0.496732/page-782#post-17666457

:giggle:
...
 

octobrina10

Talk Tennis Guru

From Rafa’s Longtime Business Partner


Abel Matutes Prats’ tweet below reads: “Thank you, dear Rafa. It is an honor to be your partner and friend. Thankful for all the joy you have given us. Enjoy your dear family and our beautiful Balearic Islands!” (Translated from Spanish via Google).

Abel Matutes Prats is President of the Palladium Hotel Group, a Spanish hotel chain that includes the resort complex housing Rafa’s tennis centre in southeastern Mexico.

Flashback to February 2019:

It's great to have good business partners, especially after retiring from pro sport.

:giggle:
...
 

octobrina10

Talk Tennis Guru

Rafa’s Family


Rafa's paternal grandma (93 y.o.) says that she is happy Rafa is retiring, because of recent tough times he has gone through and she loves his grandson more than the tennis player. She is also very happy with all the tributes Rafa has received. She has seen many of them and some have made her cry (Translated from Catalan by a Twitter user.):


:love:
...
 

octobrina10

Talk Tennis Guru

From Laureus


The picture in the tweet above was taken during the 2024 Laureus Awards ceremony, where Rafa’s foundation received the Laureus Sport for Good Award in recognition of the work done by the foundation in Spain and India. Maria Francisca (aka Mery, Xisca) is the director of the foundation.

A nice article:

:giggle:
...
 

octobrina10

Talk Tennis Guru
Rafael Nadal Fans:

¤¤ Newspapers Worldwide Pay Tribute to Nadal with ‘Thank You, Rafa’ Headlines


On Thursday, Rafael Nadal announced that he would retire from professional tennis after this year’s Davis Cup Finals in November. His emotional decision, stemming from ongoing injury challenges, marked the end of an illustrious career.

Newspapers worldwide quickly ran his photo on their front pages, and the most common headline read: “Thank you, Rafa,” honoring the Spanish icon’s immense contributions to the sport. ¤¤

See pictures of front pages:

:giggle:
...
 

Subway Tennis

G.O.A.T.
Tennis TV has reposted the retrospective of Rafa’s 2013 Cincinnati run.

Absolute tennis paradise seeing his North American hardcourt run that year.

Obviously there has never been a better sight in tennis than Nadal on European clay but there was something about the way he fed off those high energy U.S. crowds too, particularly in New York. Rafa just had us all in a frenzy with what he could push himself to do o_O
 

messiahrobins

Hall of Fame
Tennis TV has reposted the retrospective of Rafa’s 2013 Cincinnati run.

Absolute tennis paradise seeing his North American hardcourt run that year.

Obviously there has never been a better sight in tennis than Nadal on European clay but there was something about the way he fed off those high energy U.S. crowds too, particularly in New York. Rafa just had us all in a frenzy with what he could push himself to do o_O
USO 2013 F turned out to be so pivotal legacy wise. I was there that match, the atmosphere was crazy, it felt special at the time, the air was crackling and the celebrities were out in force going crazy in their boxes. Didnt get to go to Montreal that year or Cincinatti (never been to Cincinatti) and regret it now as that 2013 summer was historic and probably wont ever be repeated.
 

JustMy2Cents

Hall of Fame
There have been so many personalized tributes...what a great guy Rafa is! I'm collecting some of the best stuff in a personal folder.

a couple here:

heartfelt tribute from Pablo Andujar :
Dear Rafa,

I don't know where to start... Since I first saw you at 11 years old you were THE REFEREE for all of us who dreamed of being tennis players. Little by little you have been proving to us that you were relevant in many other aspects of life. Few people know how much time you spent all these years helping your peers. Your closeness and sensitivity to everything around you makes you even greater, and I have been lucky enough to be able to live it up close and consider you my friend within the circuit.
We will miss you terribly, but the mark you leave is indelible not only for sport, but for society. The whole world congratulates you on your career, though the gratitude is for what you have brought to each and every one of our lives during these years.

Thank you Rafa

Fognini:
GZjZN_FXsAY0I0B



very nice tribute from Emil Ruusuvuori
 

Subway Tennis

G.O.A.T.

octobrina10

Talk Tennis Guru

From BANGALORE INSIDER


“As Rafa Nadal retires from tennis, his influence continues through NETS – the Nadal Educational Tennis School.

Around 3 hours from Bangalore, in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, [India], lies the Nadal Foundation ‘s Educationa Centre.

Founded in 2010, where tennis is taught to children from disadvanatged backgrounds.”

GZ3smrBWYAAcYGr



:giggle:
...
 

octobrina10

Talk Tennis Guru

octobrina10

Talk Tennis Guru

From Uppingham Cairo to Rafa

A school in Cairo, the capital of Egypt

Uppingham Cairo’s Instagram post below reads:

“A legend on and off the court, Rafa Nadal has defined tennis for an era, setting a new benchmark for dedication, resilience and excellence. As we honour his incredible journey, we are proud to continue his legacy at Uppingham Cairo’s Rafa Nadal Tennis Program, where the values that shaped his greatness inspire our training every day.
Thank you, Rafa, for everything you’ve given the world of tennis. While you step off the court, your influence remains.”

Uppingham Cairo (UC), located in the capital of Egypt, is a branch of Uppingham School, the leading British independent boarding and day school for pupils aged 3 – 18. UC opened its doors in September 2024. Rafa’s academy and UC signed a sports cooperation agreement in February 2024 to offer pupils the “Rafa Nadal Tennis Program.”

The Uppingham Cairo website: “Rafa Nadal Tennis Program
The Rafa Nadal Tennis Program brings world-class tennis training directly to Uppingham Cairo pupils. Under the guidance of elite coaches using methodologies developed by tennis legend Rafael Nadal, the academy offers a structured programme designed to develop pupils’ athletic potential, discipline, and sportsmanship. This unique collaboration provides access to an internationally recognised curriculum, setting a new standard for tennis training in Egypt.”
https://uppinghamcairo.com/student-life/#enrichment-programme

https://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2024...ntroduction-of-the-rafa-nadal-tennis-program/

Post # 39,935
https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/nadal-news-2-0.496732/page-799#post-17930390

:giggle:
...
 

octobrina10

Talk Tennis Guru

Davis Cup


The Davis Cup Final 8 (the eight-team final) will take place in Malaga, Spain, from 21 to 26 November 2024. According to MARCA (a Spanish national daily sport newspaper), Rafa’s 1st practice session in Malaga has already been scheduled: on November 15, from 9 AM to 12 PM.


Vamos Rafa!
1f4aa.svg

...
 

ChaelAZ

G.O.A.T.
Been taking a few days now to see all the tribute videos, amazing shots, sportsmanship and character on full display at all times. Rightfully an inspiration for the majority of players for a long time. Not just the physical work, the mental toughness, and the passion for play, but how well he handled all the attention and pressure of being at the top.

I remember watching Agassi's retirement speech, and that teared me up. I imagine I'll need to be cutting onions for Nadal's, but I think he will be more forward looking and positive, like he has been through his career.

No regrets and fully secured as a tennis GOAT, ATG, and sports legend.

Thanks Raf.
 
Top