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Thread: Rafa Nostaljia 2 (2005, 2006)
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Thread Status: Active Total posts in this thread: 28
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Fairypin
Member Thailand Joined: Jan 19, 2009 Post Count: 65 Status: Offline |
Fearless Nadal leads new wave of teenage talent By Mark Hodgkinson Last Updated: 11:00PM BST 18 Apr 2005  In with a shout: Rafael Nadal is a favourite for the French Open Up close, he looks far smaller, like a kid. Rafael Nadal has hidden those biceps of his under a sweatshirt, and is remarkably shy, perhaps a little awkward. When his mobile phone starts a sudden and loud beeping, he sits up straight in his chair, waving his arms in profuse apology. Nadal is hardly the brute he looks on court. The attention is clearly not changing Nadal, the teenage wonder of men's tennis. He wants to ensure that he is "not too snobby or anything", and it seems that this unstarry behaviour might have been inspired by the most unlikely of people. His mentor has been his uncle, Miguel Angel Nadal, the former Spanish centre-back who delighted in his nickname "the Beast of Barcelona". Nadal can be so aggressive on the court, so totally uncompromising that he flattened more experienced clay-courters to win his first Masters Series title in Monte Carlo at the weekend. But it seems that he has acquired more from "the Beast" than a blood-lust in competition, limitless energy and a talent for inciting the crowd (footballers are charged, tennis players praised). "My uncle is a very important person for me - he has helped me keep my feet on the ground," Nadal said. "He has been a big part of my family and my life because he was the first professional sportsman in the family. He is a very calm guy and knows how to keep everything balanced, and he makes sure that I do not get carried away with myself." Nadal is now in the bizarre situation of being rated as one of the leading prospects for the French Open, the second grand slam event of the season, without having even stepped on to the clay of Roland Garros for anything other than a one-day coaching clinic for his sponsors. His level-headedness may become a considerable advantage. "The Beast" has undoubtedly been the dominating influence on Nadal's sporting life. Miguel Angel's brother, Toni, coaches Rafael, or "Rafa" as he is known by other players in the locker-room. "Of course I really liked tennis when I was younger, but I didn't like watching too many matches. Football was much better. I didn't have tennis heroes," he said. "The Beast" also plays a decent game of tennis. Nadal's breakthrough at the Masters Series came in the Miami final earlier this month, when he came within two points of beating Roger Federer, the world No 1, and it has been said that his only warm-up game was against his uncle. Not bad for a player who missed a penalty kick against England during Euro 96. Family is clearly important for the Nadals. "It gives me more satisfaction as an uncle than as a coach to watch Rafa play like this," Toni has said. "All his life, since he started to play at three years old, he has always had this aggressive style of play. And that is why he is so spectacular now." Nadal has some unorthodox ambitions, coming as he does from a nation of out-and-out baseliners who learn their tennis on clay courts. He wants to win Wimbledon, the grass-court grand slam. Nadal loves an adventure, a few trips to the net, and unlike some of his compatriots, it does not look as though he is wearing a pair of oven gloves when he attempts to play a volley. "I love the atmosphere at Wimbledon and the grass," Nadal said. "I want to win Wimbledon, but it might be difficult with my style of tennis. I hope to improve my serve and volley." He showed on the Miami cement, in that epic of a final against Federer, that he can adapt his aggressive brand of tennis to all surfaces. Teen spirit and talent abounded in Monte Carlo. It was "a beautiful week" for Richard Gasquet, the 18-year-old and totally fearless French qualifier who sent Federer crashing into the baseline dust in the quarter-finals. The toughest match for Nadal last week was the semi-final against Gasquet, who strikes his single-handed backhand with such pace, freedom and verve. "Gasquet has a great future," Federer said. Nadal also encountered Gael Monfils, an 18-year-old with charisma, energy and far more power than his long, loose limbs would suggest (only his taste for American hamburgers might stop him). The French teenager loves nothing more than to engage the crowd with slightly cartoonish, totally overdone celebrations. The remonstrations are even better. Monfils loves his theatre, as all of this generation do. Monfils won three of the four junior grand slams last season. The only one to escape was the junior version of the US Open, which was won by Andrew Murray, the Scottish teenager with so much hope invested in him. But it would be grossly unfair to start making comparisons between these fast-tracked teenagers and Murray. Players mature, and regress, at different rates. Murray is, at 17, a year younger than the other three, and it is only today that he will make his first appearance on the ATP Tour, with a wild card into the clay-court event in Barcelona. Murray has time. He recently broke into the world's top 400, and will play Jan Hernych, a top-100 player from the Czech Republic. Boris Becker, who was a Wimbledon champion at 17, believes that Nadal is the leader of the new generation. "Nadal has such great attitude, you can tell that he loves to compete," Becker said. "Young players have to want to go out into a big stadium and play in front of thousands of fans. If you don't enjoy that, then you might as well give up and become a clerk in a bank." from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/atpto...ve-of-teenage-talent.html |
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zola
Member Joined: Jan 19, 2009 Post Count: 52 Status: Offline |
Fairypin, what a great article. I love these two sentences most: ***The attention is clearly not changing Nadal,*** ***Boris Becker, who was a Wimbledon champion at 17, believes that Nadal is the leader of the new generation**** Hodgkinson and Becker can say they are fortunetellers! ----------------------------------------  |
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Bee
Advanced Member Spain Joined: Jan 19, 2009 Post Count: 2049 Status: Offline |
Some Montecarlo nostalgia for you. These are some screen caps from Rafa's 2005 title win against Guillermo Coria. His first Montecarlo title and also his first Masters title...         ----------------------------------------  |
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Bee
Advanced Member Spain Joined: Jan 19, 2009 Post Count: 2049 Status: Offline |
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Bee
Advanced Member Spain Joined: Jan 19, 2009 Post Count: 2049 Status: Offline |
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lizabeth
Advanced Member Joined: Jan 25, 2009 Post Count: 1615 Status: Offline |
Thanks for the great article Fairypin, just got round to reading it  .----------------------------------------  |
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lizabeth
Advanced Member Joined: Jan 25, 2009 Post Count: 1615 Status: Offline |
WWOOWW Bee, thanks a million for these pics! Rafa has come a long, long way since then no?  but he has remained sweet, humble, respectful and kind-hearted inspite of his success, always gracious in victory or defeat. A TRUE CHAMPION! ---------------------------------------- |
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nadalwin
Advanced Member Australia Joined: Jan 21, 2009 Post Count: 1174 Status: Offline |
Rafa is so sweet. His inside beauty shines on. He just looks more matured but his expressions on court not changed. Love the pics. Thanks a lot Bee. ----------------------------------------  Visit my blog: RAFA KING OF TENNIS |
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nadalwin
Advanced Member Australia Joined: Jan 21, 2009 Post Count: 1174 Status: Offline |
 Coach and student at the French Open in 2005 ---------------------------------------- Visit my blog: RAFA KING OF TENNIS |
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lorelei
Advanced Member philippines Joined: Feb 10, 2009 Post Count: 499 Status: Offline |
thank you thank you thank you  |
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