


Vous êtes fan du superbe joueur de tennis Rafael Nadal? Et bien vous êtes tomber sur le bon blog. Voici un blog consacré au joueur numéro sept mondial suivant son évolution lors de différents tournois. Photos, interview, blog...et bien plus. C'est le blog à lire!
| Tommy Robredo (ESP)[15] | v. | Novak Djokovic (SRB)[3] |
| Igor Andreev (RUS)[23] | v. | Roger Federer (SUI)[2] |
| Andy Roddick (USA)[8] | v. | Fernando Gonzalez (CHI)[11] |
| Nikolay Davydenko (RUS)[5] | v. | Gilles Muller (LUX) |
| Rafael Nadal Monday, September 1, 2008 | ||
| Transcribed Interview |
Q. How difficult was that match? RAFAEL NADAL: It was difficult, no? It was very difficult, especially after my big mistake in the second set. I was playing normal, fine. Nothing special, but nothing bad. I had the match under control, no? 6‑4 break, but he break back for me. But I can't understand exactly, because I was serving against wind and was difficult because the wind was heavy today. But with the 5‑4 on serve, I didn't lose any serve with the wind. With the wind in my favor, I didn't lose any game during all the match, and I lost the game in 0, no? So it was terrible. Later he break me another time, so the match was crazy like that, no? I served it very bad in the second, so in the third ‑‑ but the important thing I played my best tennis in the tiebreak.
Q. Did he impress you? RAFAEL NADAL: No, I know him. I know him. He has a good serve. I think he start playing not very good, and later he play better. But he's a good player, no? We know that.
Q. How much did the Olympics help your confidence at hard courts? This look like the most comfortable you've ever been here so far over the years. RAFAEL NADAL: Not today. The Olympics maybe didn't help me right now for this tournament, no? The Olympics was one of the most important title in my careera. But I was playing good in hard court before the Olympics, no? I won in Toronto, semifinals in Cincinnati, and semifinal in Indian Wells and Australia, and Miami final, no, so the results was very good, no?
Q. When you come into a Grand Slam, do you anticipate that, yes, there will be one match maybe in the middle where you won't be playing so well and you'll have to fight a lot and be fighting against yourself? RAFAEL NADAL: I don't think too much. I don't think those things before the tournament, no? I just go and try my best ever match, no? It's not in Grand Slam; in every tournament you have one bad day. That's the normal thing. Important thing is win. When you are playing not your best, the important thing is win. I did today, so I have a chance for practice tomorrow and for play another time on Wednesday. So that's the important thing. I'm very happy for that.
Q. Do you feel fully recovered from the travel from Beijing? RAFAEL NADAL: Well, if I don't feel recovered after two weeks, we have a big problem, no?
Q. The ATP is making a change with Etienne having left. You are now in a position of power within the ATP. RAFAEL NADAL: You never know.
Q. Can you talk a little bit about what you would like to see this new person to do most importantly when he or she comes in? RAFAEL NADAL: For me, most important thing is, first of all, a little bit more communication than the past. For sure, the second thing is one person who knows a little bit about the tennis, no? And one person who wants to talk about with the persons who knows the tennis well. Because Etienne, well, had some new ideas, so that's my opinion. Wasn't bad, because, you know, always when you have a change, you can be wrong, but you can be right, no? So he had the change, so in my opinion, that is fine, but the wrong thing is ‑‑ well, never talk for the other people, for ‑‑ to consult another people who really knows the tennis, no? Well, in my opinion a lot of people knows the tennis. Tour managers was here since more than ten years and never talk with these guys who know about how was the problems for the tennis for the last few years. I think they know better which problems they have then the new CEO that was Etienne, no? So I think the new have to have more communication with the people who knows the tennis good.
Q. Will the schedule be one of the things, one of the problems? RAFAEL NADAL: The schedule, when you start, first of all, the 1st of January and you finish the 20th of December, 25th or 30th of November, it's always going to be a big problem, because it's very difficult be at 100% 11 months during the year, no? So that's tough for the players. But for the rest, the calendar worst than this year going to be impossible. So anything going to be better.
Q. How fresh do you feel going into the quarterfinals now? RAFAEL NADAL: Normal. Probably I am not in the freshest moment in my life, but I am fine. So important thing, I am there. I am in the quarterfinals. I have a tough match against Fish. Hopefully I have to play my best for the last part of the tournament, no?
Q. Can you talk about what will the keys be to playing Fish? He'll be is different type of player, a lot of serve and volley and attacking the net. RAFAEL NADAL: He's a very good player, no? He played the final in New Haven last week. He played the final in Indian Wells too this year. So he's a dangerous player in hard court, no? Right now he's playing very well. Big serve, very good backhand, good volley. So he's playing with big confidence, and I have to play very well if I want to win.
Q. How much does the excitement of New York City fire you up now? You must be enjoying the Big Apple? RAFAEL NADAL: I don't have a lot of chance for enjoy, no? I practice every day, I play, so ‑‑ one day I going to come for holidays another time, no? I did in the past.
Q. Last year when you were here, you were very concerned about the health of your knees, especially at hard courts. Have you solved that problem? Are your knees feeling better? RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, I am fine, no? Last year I didn't have a lot of problems. I only have the problem in the final of Wimbledon and here another time, no? The big problem was ‑‑ the two times when I had the problem was in Grand Slam, so... But I feel very well physically, no? The last few years, very happy for that. For sure I'm a little bit worried about the tennis, because it's moving always in the way for play more and more in hard surfaces, no? Hard surfaces, I think, is more difficult for the body, no? You go to the trainer's room. When I go, I am never alone, so that's not a good news for the sport, no? So we have to think a little bit about that.
Q. Many people have said your victory over Roger at Wimbledon was the best match in tennis history. When you think back to the match and everything that happened, and greeting your family and the Spanish royalty, what was the most special moment or memory that you have from that match, that experience? RAFAEL NADAL: Everything for me was very, very nice, no? I start winning two sets to Love, but I think was little bit lucky, because he had 4‑1 in the second. Later, we stop, I have big chance in the third with Love‑40 ‑‑ 3‑All, Love‑40, I think. He served well and then bad returning the 30‑40, and for the rest of the match, was amazing, no? I have amazing double fault in the 5‑2. Later in the fifth, anything can happen there, no? But most important thing, well, the more special moment for me was when Roger push the forehand to the net, no? For sure that's it.
Q. Could you see then? At that time, could you see what was going on? It was dark. RAFAEL NADAL: It was very dark. The last game was very dark. Too dark. FastScripts by ASAP Sports |
Internationaux de tennis des États-Unis Nadal passe son premier test avec succès | |
| Associated Press (AP) 01/09/2008 18h46 | |
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En cette journée de la fête du travail, Rafael Nadal n'a pas chômé. Le numéro un mondial a subi son premier véritable test aux Internationaux de tennis des États-Unis de 2008, mais il a su rehausser son jeu d'un cran pour vaincre l'Américain Sam Querrey 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (2), 6-3.
De ce fait, l'Espagnol a atteint les quarts de finale pour la première fois en six visites à Flushing Meadows, bien que ce ne fut pas facile. Nadal a trimé dur, et même eu une certaine frousse face à un adversaire âgé de seulement 20 ans et non classé parmi les têtes de série.
«Très difficile, a résumé Nadal. Sam est un joueur de qualité et il possède un puissant service. Il a un bel avenir.»
Face à un recul de 6-5 en troisième manche, Nadal a soudainement retrouvé la forme qui lui a permis de gagner les Internationaux de France, ceux de Wimbledon et la médaille d'or à Pékin. Frappant avec plus d'autorité, gémissant plus fort et attaquant le filet, il a rapidement forcé la tenue d'un bris d'égalité, et a sauté de joie.
Nadal a gagné les quatre derniers points du bris d'égalité avant de remporter le match.
Classé 55e, Querrey a livré une très bonne performance et il est devenu le premier joueur à arracher une manche à Nadal depuis le début de la compétition.
Plutôt nerveux en début de match, Querrey, un géant de six pieds six pouces, a réussi 20 as et n'a jamais paru intimidé, échangeant coup puissant pour coup puissant avec Nadal.
A la fin du match, les amateurs massés dans les gradins du Stade Arthur-Ashe lui ont servi une chaleureuse ovation, à laquelle il a répondu par un sourire.
«Il m'en a manqué juste un peu. Le gars est trop bon», a déclaré Querrey.
Mise à jour le lundi 1 septembre 2008 à 17 h 40
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| Photo: La Presse Canadienne /AP Photo/Elise Amendola Rafael Nadal |
Rafael Nadal ne se fera pas d'amis à New York.
L'Espagnol, numéro 1 mondial, a éliminé l'Américain Sam Querrey, lundi, en huitièmes de finales des Internationaux des États-Unis.
Nadal a triomphé 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (7/1), 6-3, en plus de trois heures.
Nadal a asséné le coup fatidique à son jeune rival de 20 ans en quatrième manche. En avant 4-2 et au service, le gaucher a résisté à six égalités et à une foule entièrement derrière Querrey pour sauver son service.
« J'ai vraiment très mal joué en deuxième manche, a expliqué Nadal. Mais c'est allé mieux à partir du bris d'égalité en troisième manche. »
Querrey, 55e au monde, est le deuxième Américain battu par Nadal à Flushing Meadows. Au deuxième tour, il a battu Ryler de Heart.
Le Majorquin pourrait ajouter un autre joueur des États-Unis à son tableau de chasse en quarts de finale. Il se mesurera à Mardy Fish.
Le vétéran Fish a vaincu le Français Gaël Monfils (no 32) 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 pour atteindre les quarts de finale.
Fish, 26 ans, est sans victoire en quatre duels contre Nadal. Il occupe le 35e rang mondial.
Sortie hâtive pour Nestor
En double, le Canadien Daniel Nestor a vu son parcours s'interrompre dès le troisième tour.
Le Torontois et son partenaire serbe Nenad Zimonjic ont perdu en trois manches de
6-4, 6-7 (11/13), 6-2, face au Finlandais Jarkko Nieminen et au Suédois Robert Lindstedt.
Nestor et Zimonjic étaient les favoris du tournoi. Ils tentaient de gagner le double d'un deuxième grand chelem de suite, après leur triomphe à Wimbledon.
Nadal ne chôme pasLundi 01 septembre 2008 RDS.ca | |
TENNIS | 23h15 L'US Open est bien le tournoi le plus difficile à gagner pour Rafael Nadal. Le no 1 mondial s'est qualifié pour les quarts de finale dans la douleur, poussé dans ses derniers retranchements par un Californien de 20 ans, Sam Querrey (ATP 55).
© Keystone | Rafael Nadal
ATS | 01 Septembre 2008 | 23h15
Nadal est resté pendant 3h13' sur le court pour s'imposer en quatre manches, 6-2 5-7 7-6 6-3. Après un début de match sans histoire, il a perdu le fil de son tennis en cédant à trois reprises son service dans la deuxième manche, dont une fois à 5-4 alors qu'il servait pour mener deux sets à rien.
Porté par le public du Arthur Ashe Stadium, Sam Querrey a alors dépassé ses limites pour dialoguer d'égal à égal avec le meilleur joueur du monde. Querrey peut regretter ses erreurs lors du tie- break de la troisième manche perdu 7/2. Quelle aurait été la réaction de Nadal s'il avait été mené deux sets à un?
Nadal accroché par Querrey, Noavk Djokovic entraîné jusqu'à un tie-break du quatrième set au bout de la nuit de dimanche par Marin Cilic (no 30): les deux grands rivaux de Roger Federer n'ont pas la vie très facile à Flushing Meadows. Le Bâlois, en revanche, n'a toujours pas lâché un set depuis le début du tournoi. Le fait de ne pas entamer ses réserves physiques vous procure, faut-il le rappeler, un avantage de taille à New York.
Lundi 1 septembre, 2008
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