Mallorca, October 29, 2009

Rafa Nadal trained early this morning in Mallorca before getting ready for a trip to Madrid where he will receive this afternoon at 5:00pm (local Spanish time) the 'Universal Spaniard 2009 Award', given to him by 'La Fundación Independiente' for his successful sporting career and excellent civic behaviour.

The organization described Rafa as "an excellent example for our society. Specially for our youngsters."

The celebration will honour all kind of athletes who have excelled not only in their profession but most importantly, in their determination to help project Spain's name across the world through hard work, sportsmanship and good values.

After the press conference you will be able to follow the event 'online' through 'www.fundacionindependiente.com' or 'www.mapfre.com'. The chat, which has been named: 'Rafa Nadal. Talent and Values: An educational challenge', will explain the keys to his success.

The chat will start at 6.00pm (local Spanish time), and will count with the participation of Rafa, Carlos Costa and Santiago Alvarez de Mon, (an IESE professor).

COMMITMENTS: Rafa is due to travel on Friday to Santander where he will participate in a promotional event for the bank that sponsors him.

Madrid, October 29, 2009

Rafa Nadal has been honoured this afternoon in Spain with ‘The Independent Foundation 'Universal Spaniard of the Year Award for his success in sport and his excellent behaviour off-court. "I do not see it that way, but people tell me I'm a role-model to young people and kids. If so, please tell them to strive to be the best and enjoy what they like doing most," said the champ in a press conference at the Ritz Hotel.

“At the moment I feel great. I competed in Beijing and Shanghai. In Beijing I had a few things bothering me but after that, I started to feel at 100% and I’m very happy because I’m training very well now,” he continued.

He also qualified his 2009 campaign as “real good” considering he had fantastic results at the beginning of the year. “I can’t say much, I won a Grand Slam, three Master Series events and played 2 more finals In Godó and Rotterdam… I know there were other factors like injuries and other problems, but personally, I think it’s been a year more complicated than I initially expected,” he continued.

“There’s a lot more to life than tennis,” and there are problems out there more serious than an injury. “I didn’t play for 2 months. This season has been worse than last year’s, but not worse than 2007’s and 2006’s. When you are at home, without competitions, you think a lot, you spend tons of hours seating at home on a sofa recovering. If your down in the ranking and you play less, you get fewer injuries for sure. But you never know.”  

Nevertheless, “I always give a 110% …Perhaps that puts me in a risk and makes me more vulnerable to injuries but if I can’t give my best then I just go fishing…. You will learn at the end.”

COMMITMENTS: Rafa is due to travel on Friday to Santander where he will participate in a promotional event for the bank that sponsors him.

Mallorca, October 26, 2009 

Watch Rafa participate in the International Olympic Committee's 'The Best of Us Challenge', where Olympic athletes are challenging YOU to compete against them in some truly unique events.

In this video, Rafa shows you how he can pick up more tennis balls than you can in 30 seconds. But if you want to prove you can do better than him, visit 'The Best of Us Challenge' official website to take on his challenge. 

!Vamos Rafa!

Barcelona, October 23, 2009

Being a Five-time champion is something very few players achieve in their life; now, imagine doing that 5 years in a row! Amazing right?

Well, only the greats in history have been able to achieve that and Rafa Nadal, a member of RCT Barcelona since his early childhood and number two in the world right now is one of those privileged to belong to that select club.

No one has been like him since the tournament started in1953. For this reason, tournament organizers have awarded him with a full size replica of the sterling silver ‘Conde de Godo’ trophy.

"Everything that happened to me in the past few years has been nothing short of special, winning five times in Barcelona is unthinkable,” said Rafa at the award ceremony. “For me this is the most important tournament after the four Grand Slams and Masters Series events. This is a tournament with tradition and playing here is always different…It is where I feel at home. This trophy will be kept in a very special place in my house. "

Vamos Rafa! 

Mallorca, 22 of October, 2009

Yesterday afternoon, Rafa Nadal was the most wanted "player" at the ‘Club de Campo del Mediterráneo’ in Spain.

The world number 2 participated in the Pro-Am Castello Masters Golf tournament where he teamed up with his good friend Sergio García, Alfredo Castelló and Tomeu Salva (Rafa’s best friend) for a day of laughter and jokes.

"Golf is one of my hobbies, and to play alongside Sergio García and my close friends is very nice, many thanks to Sergio for his invitation”, said Rafa at the event.

“As a golfer, practically everything that Sergio does makes me envious. Even the first time I played with him he left me amazed”, continued the champ before talking about his plans for the next couple of weeks: “I have to play in Paris next, then London and the Davis Cup, so this week I'll be training”.

BARCELONA HONOURS RAFA

Rafa was getting over the shock of Real Madrid's 3-2 Champions League loss to AC Milan by accepting a tennis honour from the Barcelona club where he has ruled the clay.

Rafa was being feted by the venerable Real Club de Tenis Barcelona 1899, which awarded the unprecedented five-time tournament winner an actual trophy of his own.

No replica involved for Spain's best, with officials saying that anyone who had claimed the honour five times on the trot deserved his own personal trophy.

He is next set to play at the Paris Masters is jut over a fortnight before the London World Tour Finals and a Davis Cup final in Barcelona against the Czech Republic December 4-6.

Vamos Rafa!

Mallorca, September 21, 2009

This Thursday 22nd October, at 4:00pm (local time in Spain), our champ, Rafa Nadal will receive a full size replica of the ‘Conde de Godó’ trophy at the Barcelona Royal Tennis Club.

An active member of the Tennis Club, Rafa is the only player in history to have won the tournament five times, reason why the organization have decided to honor him with a full size replica of the giant trophy.

Before the trophy presentation, Rafa will spend some time playing tennis with young kids from the Royal School of Tennis.

Vamos Rafa! 

Shanghai, October 18, 2009

Rafa’s run at the Shanghai Masters Series Tournament has ended without the title after a straight set loss, 7-6(3), 6-3 to Russian Nikolay Davydenko on Sunday.

After two hours of play, Rafa tried the best he could against Davydenko but it was clear he was struggling with his serve and soon went down an early break.

He restored parity as a close-fought first set went to a tie-break which the world number eight, whose tactics were spot-on against Rafa, won with confidence.

The nerveless Russian broke again in the second set to establish control and served out the match at the first opportunity, securing the Masters title.

"Davydenko played better than me, that's tennis. I hope to come back and win next time," said Rafa during the trophy ceremony, half happy for having reached the final, and a bit upset for not winning.  

"I don't like to lose, but I had my chances. He beat me. He played [a] very good match. I just want to congratulate him, because he deserved the victory. He did very well, and with this victory probably he's closer to being in London."

“[It was] the first match after my injury comeback against one top player. I was competing all the time at very good level, trying to find solutions all the time, and I did well, but he did a little bit better than me," assessed Rafa. "I really felt I really had chances to win. So that's the first time, and that's the most positive thing for me. I fought all the time with [a] positive attitude, no physical problems. So that's very good news for me".

The champ travelled back home to Mallorca (on Sunday) where he will prepare for the end of the season.

Shanghai, October 18, 2009

Rafa Nadal is one win away from an ATP World Tour-best sixth tour-level title of the season after reaching the final of the Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 tournament where he will play against Nikolay Davydenko this afternoon at 4:30pm (local Shanghai time).

Yesterday’s victory wasn’t exactly the kind to be celebrated after his opponent (and one of his best friends on tour), Feliciano Lopez, became the ninth player to retire from the injury-plagued tournament when he was down 1-6, 0-3 .

"Today I was winning but it's never nice to win like this, especially against a close friend like Feliciano... I just wish both [Feli and Ljubicic] a speedy recovery”, said Rafa at his press conference referring to Ivan Ljubicic who also pulled out of the tournament during their quarter-final match.

"I was playing well today," he continued. "I'm in the final which is very good news for me. I'm very happy, it's my first final since my comeback from injury."

Top seed Rafa takes a 4-2 career lead into the final against Russian Nikolay Davydenko, whom he defeated most recently earlier this season in the semi-finals of the Barcelona Open Banco Sabadell.

“He's playing very well,” assessed Rafa. “I saw his match today against Novak [Djokovic], and he did unbelievable, playing with a lot of rhythm, playing unbelievable winners and very good points at a lot of intensity. So it’s going to be a really tough match, so I will [try to] play my best without making mistakes. If not, it’s going to be impossible. I know that.”

ORDER OF PLAY: Their match is scheduled second on center court not before 4:30pm (local time). 

Vamos Rafa!

Shanghai, October 17, 2009

Top seed Rafa Nadal has moved into the final of the Shanghai Masters Series tournament tonight after his opponent (and one of his best friends on tour), Feliciano Lopez, became the ninth player to retire from the injury-plagued event.

"I was a little bit lucky yesterday," said Rafa, who made the semis when Ivan Ljubicic retired after two sets on Friday. "Today I was winning but it's never nice to win like this, especially against a close friend like Feliciano". 

"I just wish both players a speedy recovery. I'm just happy to be in the final - my first after the injury comeback."

At various points in the first set, Lopez was limping around, bothered greatly by his right foot.  He grimaced in pain at several points in the first set before needing an injury time out between sets and receiving treatment. 

Lopez went out and gave it a bit of a try in the second set but his range of motion was clearly too limited to compete in this match, let alone make a comeback.

“It hurts to put my foot on the ground, I can’t walk,” said ‘Feli’ to Rafa when they met at the net after the match.

Top seed Rafa takes a 4-2 career lead into the final against Russian Nikolay Davydenko, whom he defeated most recently earlier this season in the semi-finals of the Barcelona Open Banco Sabadell.

ORDER OF PLAY: Their match is scheduled second on center court not before 4:30pm (local time). 

Vamos Rafa!

Shanghai, October 17, 2009

Rafa Nadal will go up against one of his best friends and fellow Spaniard, Feliciano Lopez in the Shanghai Masters Series semifinals tonight at 8:00pm (local time).

"I'm happy to be in the semi-finals," said Rafa after his match against Ivan Ljubicic last night, (The Croat retired with a thigh injury after winning the first set 6-3 and losing the second 3-6). "I'm also very happy for Feliciano”.

"He's been having a difficult year and this is a big result for him. He will be coming to the court with confidence. I hope to play a good match and have my chances to win."

It will be the sixth career meeting between Rafa and ‘Feli’ Lopez. The Australian Open champ leads the head-to-head series 4-1 and is 1-0 on hard courts but 0-1 on indoor carpet. Their second, third, and fourth encounters came on clay.

Lopez's lone victory over his countryman came way back in 2003, when Rafa was 17 years old and he needed a third-set tiebreaker to get past the youngster in the Basel first round.

Their last encounter was in the quarterfinals of the Madrid Master Series Tournament at this same time last year.

Vamos Rafa! 

Video courtesy of Marca/meriko100