Hi Everyone,

One more day here in New York and happy to be writing today this blog. Don't ask me why but today I feel like I have the time I need to do so and got something to tell you that is important. It was my second consecutive day without playing and tomorrow I play again.

One thing that is kind of weird is that I played my first round on Monday and my next match, my second round match, is tomorrow, Thursday, and it's the last match!!! Not second or third or even fourth ... last match.

From a technical point of view it doesn't make much sense but I do understand it is a TV thing and also the tournament has told us that it is because they wanted me to experience the night match and the crowds here at that time. I understand although as I say it is strange to have such a big gap during a tournament to play.

So a calmed day that I thought would be shorter at the tournament. It is always the same with me. I intend to come back early and in the end always something comes up. I practiced not too early, at 12.15 noon with Tomeu my friend who is here as a hitting partner. I had planned to come back to the hotel at 2pm or so. But in the end, once again I only managed to get to the hotel by 6pm.

The reason for that is that I had a meeting with Ivan Ljubicic. Ivan has recently been elected and appointed as the European Player Board representative. We had a meeting and went through the stuff that the board has been discussing at the meetings in these past days. Things have changed. The president of the ATP left, he resigned, I suppose since he knew he did not have the support of a lot of people, and I believe that things will go better now.

We have had lot of talks lately and I see now that the players are more together. The meeting today with Ivan is one more example. There is an open channel of communication now open with our representatives and we can get things done together. It was important to meet and our commitment is there. I am happy to spend time trying to help improve the game. Now we know what's cooking and we can give our input since we are in the Player Council.

Hopefully we can work for the better of the game.

Hi everyone.

Another of those days today where we don't play. Not only that, since tomorrow I am not playing either so it makes it a kind of funny day. Yesterday it was a match day and therefore the routine is more or less the same as every day I play. Warm up in the morning and wait to be called to go on court. After that the usual press conference, pictures with the US Open Series trophy and back to the hotel.

Talking about these US Open Series, i "only" played two events and had the luck to win it. I won Toronto and made it to the semifinals in Cincinnati. That allowed me to have the same number of points as Andy Murray but since I defeated him in Toronto the head to head made me win the thing and now I have the chance to win the biggest prize money in tennis. Some people do not really appreciate the game that Andy has. He is really good, very good.

Coming back to this prize money thing, the other day someone asked me about this fact. Do we really think about the money when we walk on court, and the answer is clear and simple without sounding arrogant. We really don't think about it when we step on court. We want to win. The most important thing is the honor to win a certain title. No chance to think about the amount of money at stake on the final of Wimbledon. The most important thing is to win the title and I am sure this is the way most of the players think. I hope no one misinterpret what I am saying.

Anyway, today was that kind of day where you practice and at the same time you have some time off without thinking about the next day and the match to come. It is way more relaxing and it allows you to have some time off and do things that normally you can't do. As a matter of fact I went to play some golf after practice with Tomeu Salva, a friend of mine since we were kids that sometimes travels to tournaments with me and also helps me as hitting partner, and Benito my PR Manager.

We had a good time and we came back to the hotel around 8.30 pm. I went out for dinner with a big group of people including Sergio Garcia the golfer who also came earlier in the day to my practice. We hit some balls and arranged to go out tonight for dinner with some friends. We talked a lot about golf. I have to say I love that sport and with people like Sergio giving you some tips, it is easier to improve. At least on the theoretical part... the tough one is when you go out and play...

Hi Everyone,

Here I am back writing a blog for you this time from New York. Initially I didn't feel like writing another blog since I really don't know if it's liked or not and I don't really know what to write about. I hope that I am not too boring because I would hate that. But they have kindly asked me again to do it and I will be answering your questions and writing a few of the things I do during the day here in New York. Also a good way to let my fans know, first hand, what I think and do. I don't think this will be a very deep blog if you know what I mean.

So that you understand, I normally do this blog either before going out for dinner or just after that. We sit, and do the blog. It takes some time and I am happy to do it, but it is not easy for me to just sit here, answer to all your questions (that's the easy part) and then try to come up with a great, deep, writer's blog.

Having said that, some of you may not know that I left home Mallorca on Friday July 18th. Wimbledon's final was on Sunday July 6th (I'll never forget that), went to Stuttgart on Monday July 7th having only slept one hour, got back home to Mallorca on that same day and started my 7 1/2 days holiday.

Resumed practice on Tuesday 15th and as I say left home to go to Toronto on Friday 18th. I played Toronto (won) and Cincinnati (semis but grabbing the #1) and from there fled (?) to Beijing via Chicago straight. No rest, no days in Mallorca. Then played the Olympics and on Monday after the tennis was over fly straight to NY where I have been now for a week.

Some people might not think this is the right decision but I talked long with my manager Carlos Costa and my uncle Toni about it. They thought and I agreed that the best is to keep with the good swing and the results. My uncle always say that you have to take the good moments and I was feeling strong enough to do this. We can come back to this in the next days.

In the mean time the tournament has started and I played today. Not a great match, I didn't feel great out there but did the job and managed to win an always difficult first round match.

Many thanks to all.

Rafa

QUESTIONS TO RAFA

Hi everyone,

This is my last blog post from Wimbledon. I have to be realistic and I don't think I will be able to do it tomorrow. On Monday I am flying early in the morning to Stuttgart and tomorrow win or lose it will be impossible to do it. If I win (please, please) I will be going to the winners party/dinner that the club organizes and logically I won't have time. If I lose then I will be packing everything (got a lot of luggage, as always) and I will be together with my family. In any case I have an early flight on Monday morning.Coming to today, it has been quite a busy morning.

I practiced for 2 hours. Initially it was going to be a smoother practice but I wasn't feeling that great hitting the ball and decided to practice a bit more with my uncle Toni and a player from Menorca called Nacho Coll. I know him for some time, he is in the Balearic Tennis Centre and he is around to pay some future events. I use to hit with him sometimes when we are in Mallorca. After that I had a lot of media obligations with Press Conference, TV interviews and a get together with the Spanish media that follow me around the different tournaments. 

In the afternoon I just stayed at the house with my family, my team, playing cards, playing darts and some play station. Quite and relaxed day just not thinking about tomorrow. Over dinner my uncle Toni and I talked a bit about tomorrow's match and on how to play. What you call a tactics chat. This is the way we do it. Sometimes Toni gives me some advices, some things to think about. He preferred to share those things tonight so I can think about them instead of tomorrow morning when the match is closer. We don't have a fixed procedure and today it as like this.

My parents went out for dinner with their friends and we stayed at home. Apart from Toni, also Rafa Maymo, Tuts, my sister, my uncle Rafael,  and Benito. We cooked one of those dishes of pasta with shrimps and mushrooms and stayed calm.

To finish with this, I wanted now to thank this paper for having me doing this blog and you specially for following it, reading it and hopefully enjoy some of the things I say. My job is not to write but to play tennis and that's what I do better. Definitely writing is not my best thing. I suppose you noticed it.

Many thanks again and hope to do this again soon

First of all I would like to apologize for not sending this blog post last night as usual. I always do it after dinner while I'm at the massage table and my physio works on me. I dictate it and my PR manager writes it. This is how I have been doing it every day. But yesterday we finished late with all the post-match obligations such as TV Interviews and greeting the people that came yesterday from Spain and receiving a media prize. All in all, over two hours of work.That's OK, but then I had told my family that we were going out for dinner.

Most part of my family has arrived and therefore we just don't fit in the house for dinner. So we decided to go out. I have only gone out for dinner twice during these 16 days here at Wimbledon. I went out the first time for Albert Costa's birthday surprise dinner and last night. It was late (midnight) when I came back and I was tired. We worked a bit on the table but I really didn't have time for the blog. Sorry. One thing that did surprise me yesterday was the eight paparazzi waiting for me at a restaurant. I didn't tell anyone I was going out and when I arrived they sort of attacked me. I don't know if this is the right word, but believe me it was strange. Too much. I am a person that always works with media, does interviews with them, works closely with them, but I don't find it fair that when I have a few hours free, with my family, simply going for dinner, they persecute me and get those pictures that they sell. I am a public figure, I understand, but I don't live off publicity. I live off what I do on-court. I work there. But I feel this thing last night was too much. I am not complaining since it is not my style, and I am not going to hide and not go out because there might be paparazzi but I just find it unfair. But as I say this is the way it is and hopefully society will one day go against this kind of people. 

Hi Everyone,

I don't really know what to say today on this blog. It is one of those days that you really feel that nothing that I have done has been different to what I have been telling you. I did wake up at the normal time, I went to practice at a normal time (at noon) for over an hour and not much. Well,yes, we played some foot-tennis after practice that I always have fun with and lot of people watched us doing that. Me and Maymo vs Toni and Carlos Costa. Maymo a complete disaster. We lost because the guy is just a "zero on the left" hahahahahaha. He might be the best physio but as a football player he is just terrible. Still we had a lot of fun. I have to say it was the normal thing to do, to lose, but we were close if you look at the positive side of things like I normally do.

Then I went back to the house and simply cooked lunch. During lunch (we ate pretty late again), I watched most of the Clement v Schuetler match. I am really looking forward to tomorrow's match. This is my third consecutive semifinal here and I really find myself very motivated and fit. Lot of people might think tomorrow it is an easy match but come on, this is a semifinal of Wimbledon and it can only be a difficult match. Tomorrow the forecast is good, sunny skies so normally we will be able to play.

And what else? not much to be honest. We played some cards after lunch, a game called "the one". There I lost, Maymo says that I am a "filete" a steak would be the translation from Spanish to English. I am told it doesn't mean anything in English but it is the way we use to say someone is not good at something. You are a filete hahahahaha. Well, today I was one playing cards. It was again the four of us with Benito filming on a camera some parts of it. I wonder what he does with this footage. He better not use it !

Anyway, thanks all for your support and hope to write some more blogs during the next days. It would mean I am through...

Rafa

Hello everyone,

Well this is a funny blog because I am writing it for a British newspaper and I have just played their number 1 player. I hope that those of you fans of Andy are not too upset. I think I played my absolute best tennis on half of the first set and the whole 2nd set. I felt really good today.

But I wanted to mention specially the crowd. They were just fantastic. I have said in the press conference that they were extremely fair but I would add now that they were simply the best crowd.I felt really appreciated when I stepped on court. The round of applause was extraordinary considering I was playing against their player. I only have thank you words for them and repeat that I have always felt really good here at Wimbledon with the crowd.

I would also like to say that Andy Murray is a great player and I have no doubts that he will be very soon in the Top 5. Not Top 10, but Top 5. He has the talent to be there and he will be there soon.

After having said this I really don't have much more words. And I am supposed to write a bit more (I guess...). So let me say to you that today when I was going to the courts at 11.30am saw those clouds and thought it would be a long day... I managed to get early to warm up at noon and after 25 minutes practicing it started to rain. Not much , but enough to have the courts covered and delay some play. That's when I felt I was really at Wimbledon.

Lot of thoughts from last year came to my mind and believe me I felt good. It is funny how you (I do at least) always remember the good things from past situations. It is true that I also remember the bad ones but when something was in the end positive I tend to retain in my head the good memories. Well that's what happened to me today thinking about the rain and Wimbledon. True that I didn't win last year, I was close, but I still remember the good things.

Tomorrow more practice and wait to see who will be my rival in semis. They are one set all and for them it is unlucky they  have to play 3 days in a row (the winner obviously).

Thanks,Rafa

Hi everyone,

Well tomorrow (today when you read this), I have that big match here at Wimbledon. I play against the local player Andy Murray. It is funny in one way since I have always gotten a lot of support here at Wimbledon. The crowds really support me and I really feel it. So tomorrow I suppose they will support mostly Andy. I have been asked a lot about that today. It is normal and I find it normal that the support will go to his side, but at the same time I am sure that they will be very respectful with me and I am also sure they will applaud the good points of both players. I expect this kind of atmosphere and I am sure that if the match is close and good the crowds will get very much into it.

Today I woke up at around 10 and immediately after breakfast i changed plans. I had scheduled a practice at 1 pm but since my mother and sister arrived yesterday I decided to spend some time with them. I saw the sky all cleared and sunny and the forecast was great for the day so I decided to change the practice to 6pm. At the same time I had more time to rest the back of the knee just to be on the safe side. I had a lot of questions today about the knee but as I said yesterday, everything should be fine for tomorrow.

Apparently for the next days the weather forecast is bad. The tournament has been great so far on that regard and you know what, the gentleman in the locker room said to us today that it is not going to rain... Normally the locals know well these things... but I tell them the forecast is not too good.   Let's see.

So, the Euro 08 is over and now it is like if I miss a bit of football. So to kill that, we watched a DVD that an Italian newspaper published a couple of years ago of goals. It is called the best 200 goals, so while we ate, we watched that on the TV. Glad that it is over because we won but on the other hand I miss those matches every afternoon/evening...

See you tomorrow !

Rafa

Hi Everyone,

To be very honest with you, I never thought I would be writing this blog today after a comfortable win against such a difficult player as Michal Youhnzny. We always had very difficult matches and it was a surprise to me the outcome of the match today. I was saying to you that I feel very comfortable and very good playing since I have been practicing great and also playing good at matches. But except for that scare I had today on the second game, I felt great on court.

Talking about that scare I really thought at that moment that I injured myself. I even thought about the ligament since I heard a crack. I was very scared, believe me. Then when Michael Novotny (the ATP trainer) and the tournament doctor came and checked it out, they told me it was normally OK and that I could continue to play. Scary moments when everything goes through your mind. Having to retire on the second game of the match in the 2nd week at Wimbledon is not precisely what you dream about. So the worries are big. But as I say everything is OK and hopefully tomorrow when I wake up the back part of the leg should be fine. I did a precautionary test after my press conference and I should be fit to play on Wednesday.

It would have been terrible and specially on a personal way now that my mother and sister arrived this morning. Can you imagine? they arrive today and after only 2 games I am out. Same with the crowd, huhh? Anyway, things are well and I am really looking forward to playing Andy on Wednesday. I watched most of the last 3 sets and I am very excited about that match.

Many thanks to all and probably you have noticed I didn't say anything about Spain, huhhh?

Viva España !!!

Thanks

Rafa

Hi everyone,

Well I suppose you all guess what I am going to say first... right?... VIVA ESPAÑA!!!. Spain is the Champion and for me a big football fan this is one of the best moments of my life. I don't know how to compare it. Obviously like when I win a big title is big, this is at that level for me. For the country obviously this is bigger, much bigger and I agree. It made me so happy.

I have to admit I was very nervous before the match. I didn't want to speak to many people, it was like if I was going to go on-court to play a big match. I remember that Benito, my PR Manager, wanted to take a video and some pictures and I didn't want. I didn't allow him and now that I think about it... I wanted to be focussed and expecting the match.

We were a few today. Apart from my team there was also Feliciano Lopez and his team together with his girlfriend, his mother and father. We were around 15 and we jumped many times. When Torres scored it was great and the final whistle was a big party and celebration for us. What a moment. Spain deserved it, we deserve it. We were the only big football nation that hasn't won a big title in almost the last 50 years. Spain won and showing a great football.

So my day started this morning waking up at 9.30 am and immediately listening via internet to the Spanish radios. I went to practice at 1 pm with Tipsarevic, had some press to do and then got back home to "concentrate" on the match. What did I do? Played darts in the little backyard we have with my team and Albert Molina from IMG, played some play station,... You know, just things to make the time go fast.

We ate really late today. I think it was around 4.30 pm. We don't even eat that late in Spain, but you know, the after practice, coming to the house, shower, etc... late. Too late.

Then it was the moment of the match. But anyway, back to tennis, tomorrow I have a very difficult match against a very difficult player. I know it won't be easy, but I will have more support than in the past days since my mother and my sister are coming tomorrow morning. My sister has finished her exams and so they are coming to see me play and support me. I always enjoy their presence.

Saludos a todos !

Rafa