Sports - Tennis Talk #13 :Thank You,Rafa & Roger,For The Stunning Tennis You Give Us *bowdown* - Page 3

Sparkling_Diamond · 07-07-2008, 06:32 AM

The most beautiful thing after Rafa's victory was def him falling into his parents and uncle's arms. He was blissfully happy and seemed like he didn't know what to do with all his joy. He even climbed to the Crown Prince and Princess of Spain's Royal Box! LOL.

wingster · 07-07-2008, 07:20 AM

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Ugh..I didnt like the see Rafa jumping into the stands like that

even as a Fed fan i didn't mind it...lots of players do that

gah i still can't get over the match...never again will i see something that magnificient

Sawyer&Kate · 07-07-2008, 07:29 AM

I loved that. It just felt so genuine and you could actually 'see' how he feels and relate to him, like when you win an important thing in your life, the first thing you want to do is to hug the people that helped you and belived in you, as well as to transcend a bit of your happiness to them. I've trained Tae-Kwon-Do for many years (up until my injury) and everytime I won, I ran up to my family and the ones who were always there for me, the wind in my back. So, his reaction yesterday brought back all those memories and it really felt genuine and showed how much it means to him.

I am sorry that Fed lost, I love them both, it's just one of those matches that makes you feel devastated that either of them has to lose. I'm just so proud that they have so much respect and appreciation to one another. Kudos to both.

4brathan&brucas · 07-07-2008, 08:00 AM

Please could I be added?

I watched the match, was rooting for Nadal all the way... Couldn't have been happier for him when he won. He deserved it.

Federer's won 5 times already. Why should it matter to us that he won't get to match Sampras' record? I get why it'd bother him, but at the end of the day, Nadal put in a LOT of hard work the whole tournament and had the determination to win that game. Even Bjorn Borg predicted he'd win.

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Ugh..I didnt like the see Rafa jumping into the stands like that, or biting the trophy..

Why not? He wasn't being arrogant. He wanted to go hug his family, it wasn't an attention-seeking ploy. He was happy to have won and his family were ecstatic. I personally loved that moment

It showed how much winning Wimbledon meant to him and his family.

As for the biting the trophy... Well, I guess he was just seizing the moment and giving the photographers something to laugh at and photograph. Again, I don't see the big deal about it.

What annoyed me was the audience. They were all shouting "Roger! Roger!" and if they thought that was gonna make a difference to the gameplay, they were clearly wrong.

welshgirlyUK · 07-07-2008, 08:01 AM

aw i liked him running to see his family straight away. He's spanish, aren't they a very emotional family orientated nation anyway? It seemed kinda fitting. Maybe he was biting the trophy to see if it was real gold? lol They had the young girl who won the juniors kissing hers!

The crowd chant was mixed, some were chanting Roger, some Rafa.That was one of the most amusing things about the match, when the camera kept going on people, you'd have people right beside each other chanting different names. Although i have to say, the audience can make a difference to gameplay. If there chanting your name it can lift you, if there chanting your opponents name it can knock some people and throw off their game. The Andy Murray match proved that.

4brathan&brucas · 07-07-2008, 08:08 AM

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Originally Posted by welshgirlyUK (View Post)

aw i liked him running to see his family straight away. He's spanish, aren't they a very emotional family orientated nation anyway? It seemed kinda fitting.

I've read articles on the moment he ran to his family and people have pointed out they don't see any arrogance in that moment at all, it's all about his love for his family.

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The crowd chant was mixed, some were chanting Roger, some Rafa.

True. But it did annoy me how overall, many people straight away just assumed Roger would be the winner without question. He's world number one still, but last night, Rafa won that game deservingly.

edit - hated Andy Murray's attitude last Monday. Everyone made a big deal about him coming back fighting in that game - I was too busy noting his arrogance in doing so. The way he was getting the audience on his side was pretty disgusting if you ask me.

**|so alive|** · 07-07-2008, 08:12 AM

In Catherine's defence, I don't think she meant she hated seeing that because of how Nadal acted or anything. Just because she's a Roger fan and it hurt her

4brathan&brucas · 07-07-2008, 08:16 AM

Yeah, I understand that

But I read an article this morning in which someone said Pat Rafter did the same thing once, but the difference was, he was arrogant when he did it, but Nadal wasn't

Love your avi, Andy's my favorite player

Too bad he went out so soon

**NikNak** · 07-07-2008, 08:33 AM

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"He's the worst opponent on the best court."

::sighs::

What a beautiful quote! I loved that Roger said that about Nadal.

Oh, I could totally understand why Nadal went up to his family and the people from Spain after he won. Hell, I would have been climbing everywhere! LOL I didn't see anything wrong w/ it at all. He had just won the match of his entire life so far, and deservedly so.

Sparkling_Diamond · 07-07-2008, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by welshgirlyUK (View Post)

aw i liked him running to see his family straight away. He's spanish, aren't they a very emotional family orientated nation anyway? It seemed kinda fitting. Maybe he was biting the trophy to see if it was real gold? lol They had the young girl who won the juniors kissing hers!

The crowd chant was mixed, some were chanting Roger, some Rafa.That was one of the most amusing things about the match, when the camera kept going on people, you'd have people right beside each other chanting different names. Although i have to say, the audience can make a difference to gameplay. If there chanting your name it can lift you, if there chanting your opponents name it can knock some people and throw off their game. The Andy Murray match proved that.

Apparantly 20 members of the Nadal clan were present at Wimbledon during the tournament.

Btw, Rafa has always bitten his trophies, since he won his first tournament. One of the photographers asked him to do it and he has done it ever since. It's a trademark.

From The Times:

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Family life is paramount to the Nadals of Manacor in Majorca. Almost 20 of the clan will be at the All England Club this afternoon. As many a nephew will attest, the disciplinary words of a respected uncle are often heeded more than anything uttered by a father. That was the case when a four-year-old Rafael stood on a dusty court on their home island and looked up at his uncle, who had just agreed to teach him the game that would propel him to world fame. As Toni recalls, there was one basic rule. “I said to him on that first day, ‘If I ever see you throw a racket, then it is over’. For me it is unacceptable that a kid breaks a racket. I told Rafa they are expensive and there are a lot of people who cannot afford them. He listened well and that is why he never shows his anger in that way on a court.

ETA - the vid... nbc sports.com Video Player

Goosebumps!

Ms X · 07-07-2008, 09:43 AM

Aww the Roger and McEnroe intervie was so sad

Bless Fed, makes me love him even more

I love guys who are sensitive like that and well grounded.

He's such a joy to watch and he plays amazing tennis. He should be proud of that and I think he will be when the pain subsides a little. Awww I want to give him a hug.

wingster · 07-07-2008, 09:58 AM

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True. But it did annoy me how overall, many people straight away just assumed Roger would be the winner without question. He's world number one still, but last night, Rafa won that game deservingly.

many people assumed that about Rafa too...

and i don't see the problem in chanting roger's name...people have their favorite obviously

Ms X · 07-07-2008, 10:11 AM

Well for me, I thought Roger would win because he has proven himself on grass time and time again and has shots that are unbelievable. Now I'm not saying Rafa doesn't because clearly he does as shown last night. But I did automatically think Roger would win because I know what he can do on grass and had played a good tournament. But so has Rafa and yesterday he was the better player I have to admit but only by a fraction.

Sparkling_Diamond · 07-07-2008, 10:20 AM

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Originally Posted by Ms X (View Post)

Well for me, I thought Roger would win because he has proven himself on grass time and time again and has shots that are unbelievable. Now I'm not saying Rafa doesn't because clearly he does as shown last night. But I did automatically think Roger would win because I know what he can do on grass and had played a good tournament. But so has Rafa and yesterday he was the better player I have to admit but only by a fraction.

Only by a fraction. But on freaking grass. He was seen as a brainless baseliner who could only win on clay by so many and now he's the Wimbledon champion (!!!!) AND he has beaten one of the best grass courters ever.

I still can't wrap my head around him winning RG and Wimbledon back-to-back. Respect.

*Catherine* · 07-07-2008, 10:28 AM

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Why should it matter to us that he won't get to match Sampras' record?... Even Bjorn Borg predicted he'd win.

Why should it matter? Because I'm a huge Roger fan, a huge tennis fan and I have been for years. Yes, I might be a little more emotionally invested than I should be

but oh well, thats life. So for right now it matters to me that he's lost.

And who says he wont match Pete? Pete didnt win Wimby consecutively all those years. Or do you mean the 14 grandslams? It took Pete 12 years to reach 14. Roger has taken 5 to reach 12. I'm pretty sure he has much tennis left in him to go for the other few

And Actually Borg flip-flopped like no tomorrow with his predictions..and had the nerve to say that Roger might actually think about retirement if he lost

Sorry, Borg, dont think thats happening

And about the biting...I know its what Nadal does to trophies. I've seen him do it before. Sheesh. Can I not just say I dont like to see it done to the Wimbledon trophy?? Its the same with going into the stands. I didnt necessairly say it was arrogance. I just dont like it. I dont care who won.

I just feel differently about Wimbledon than the other grandslam events..sorry.

Nice to see Roger's dad clapping...can see where Roger gets his class from.