Rafatennis - Rome Masters 1000 - 8-15 May 2011

First topic message reminder :

"Obviously I didn't play at my best. I didn't play badly, just normal. But that is not enough against Djokovic." That's the true Rafa! Well, one of them had to lose their streak and it wasn't third time lucky for Rafa against Djokovic.

With a quick turnaround, we are straight off to Rome, with Rafa in a battle to keep his No 1 ranking and take it into the French. The tournament has already started and the draw could prove tough for him, depending on whether potential opponents can take their good form from Madrid onto Rome.

Rafa's first match will be on Wednesday.

Good luck Rafa - dust yourself down and come roaring back. Vamos!

Spain will play either the USA or Chile in the next round, and USA are currently 2-1 up.

Either way, Spain will be 'playing away' (a concept that I think FeliFer might be used to ) and word on VB is that a USA win could see the tie being played in Austin, Texas on grass after Wimbers.

Lets see ...

Good evening all my luvverly Rafateers ....Looks like a jolly day on here today

Well done to gorgeous Felifer for their doubles success even though I didn't see a ball hit, I was there in spirit <vodka usually> ....I must admit I didn't notice anything about Rafa yesterday and he didn't seem grumpy, just a bit frustrated that some of his shots wern't coming off as he wanted them to.

My lovely Woofs ...I am going to have a look at the pups tomorrow, as my friend has offered me a Dog Pup, but it really depends how they look. If they're not good enough for me to show, then I won't have one, but we'll see.

Its lovely Denz!!

We've been having a good day today again ... Rafa back playing does help rather, and the added bonus of the soxy duo FeliFer doesn't go amiss either Plus we loves our new home.

I am so hoping that all goes well tomorrow when you see the pups. We know the upset you felt when you lost your much loved Teddy ... and if tomorrow doesn't prove successful, there will be other times, I'm sure.

Good luck tomorrow, my love ...

Thankyou hon ...it's a bit difficult this week with Crufts on the horizon. I had Teddy entered, and his name will be in the catalogue on Thursday....I'm pleased it's in there as a tribute to him but very sad at the same time.

Am quite excited tho as I've been offered a Puppy from America from a friend of mine who has had my stuff over the years, and has made them into American Champions. She's coming over for Crufts so I will have a chat to her about it then. It's mainly the cost that we're thinking of, but if it's feasable then we will do it....am trying not to get too excited, but it's hard not to

Shall we just :run2: over to Chat, Denz??

Some pictures from today's match ... but guess whot??

Y I Man has taught me how I can add <links> as <CAPTIONS> ...

Keep it going boys ...

You're making me bite my nails, Fer ...

Serve it over here ...

Yey Rafa ... I just want to celebrate by just "touching" your finger

And as for the FeliFer duo ...

Come here, bro ...

Oooo Nando ... you feel lovely ...

Right back at ya, Feli ...

One last hug ...

Well done the Spanish Armada! Loving Nando's shoes...I designed a similar pair on NikeID but decided I couldn't afford them

There'll be no stopping Wooffs with these photocaptions now!

Good morning all lovely Rafateers!!

Are we looking forward to today because we are in for a double treat.

First up is ... Rafa , followed by ............... FELI !!

Perusing VB, it seems that Malisse isn't very "well", and that Rafa will play Oliver Rochus. There's also a bit of gossip going around that Rochus was really fed up because he wanted to play Rafa on Friday, but anyway, he's got his chance now. I mean ... surely they're all lining up to erm, not win, shalll I say??

There's a lot of talk that it will be the USA that they play in the next round. Here's a good link where Rafa confirms he will make himself available to play, but then caveats it by saying he won't know how he will feel in 4 months time. Feli makes the point that it would be difficult away match due to their singles pairing of Roddick and the <serve><serve><serve> monster in Isner., and of course the Bryans. Anyhow ... USA haven't got there yet, so lets rally for today and say ...

VAMOS ESPANA !!!

By the way Rafan ... how much were the Nando shoes?? They're lovely ...

I'm having the same problem with my link today as Wooffs had - stoopid thing keeps freezing. Froze at 40 love to Rafa 2nd game and when I got it working again it was Deuce :yikes:

early break for Rafa

Hey Cats!!

It seems we're both having stream trouble. I'm watching it here but its sticking all the time. Yesterday it was good for the doubles, but I can't bare this today.

Rafabreak !!

"bear" even ...

How do you spell it???

Bit frustrating isn't it. Except when it freezes on a shot if the famoos you know what.....

'shot of the famoos'

'bare' when is involved.

'bear' when you can't take something.

Aaaaggghhhh, I owe you 10 bob!!

I KNEW you wouldn't be able to resist!!

My afternoon is turning into a sports watching disaster!!

Oh no, why? What's happening with the footie?

We are NOT talking about the footie.

Rafa getting a bit more of a match than I was expecting but not sure I can stick with this stream until the end, it's starting to make me

Me too, Cats. Its a waste of time. I've been trying to find another, but no luck.

You can't tell how Rafa is playing or anything. You see two seconds and then it sticks.

Well Rafa has obviously taken the first set. Not that I've one complete rally.

first set Spain. A few misses from Rafa that you wouldn't normally expect, but guess that is just rustiness?

I tried hiding the chat which is a load of carp to see if that would help but when I do that it kicks me out completely

Seems better now Wooffs.......managed to watch the whole game there.

Mine has stuck completely now ...

Yep, mine too

I'm back ... to see Rafa get a double break ...

It seems to be moving now.

okay, I'm giving up. Can't get it at all now. Obviously jinxed it with my earlier post! I'm guessing (hoping) there won't be any nasty surprises.

Catch you later Wooffs

Bye Cats!! :wave:

Its working perfectly for me now ... the irony.

Rafa wins the match 6-4, 6-2

A change I didn't get from the ATP article is that dead rubbers are now over the best of 3 sets. So in essence, Rafa has had a nice work out.

I can't comment on most of the match as I could barely watch it, but in the last few games, Rafa looked like he was moving around the court really well, and using all of it. He won the match by a wonderful forehand down the line, and he seemed to like it.

Rafa, of couse, totally charmed the crowd with his on court interview and the MC led them all in giving Rafa a massive cheer, so that was nice. They were also going mad for him for signatures and stuff.

The joy ... I might do some cleaning before Feli comes on.

Feli !!!!!

Do you know ... he has to be the the most annoying player evah!! I'm posting here after he just lost the second set. He broke in the fifth game to give himself the advantage, but instead of stepping it up and trying to take the match against serve, he was passive, and let go an easy game. He then steps up to serve for the match, and is completely passive and nervous again and loses it easily.

It then goes into a tie-break where he was just awful and found himself 5-0 down, to then only go and win the next 6 points and stand there with match point ... which he loses. It then goes 7-6 to Belgium, and you could see this coming ... but he double faults.

He just looks now like he doesn't want to be there. His head looks all over the place.

Great legs and FANTASTIC pecs though ... :run2:

Well ...

So Mr Darcy prevailed over Deliciano Feliciano ...

He bombed out in yet another tie-break. I didn't watch the final set till Feli was at 5-4, but he didn't play a good breaker again and found himself 6-1 down, to then lose it 7-3. He shook hands and stuff and then walked straight off court.

I don't know where this leaves Feli. Standing to serve for the match in the second set, then having another match point. Passive beyond belief. He's 30 this September (I think) and is now sliding down the rankings. Shame really, cos he has more talent than that.

So Spain win the tie 4-1 and move on to play the USA in the quarter finals.

Brava Espana !! <applause> Chin up, Feli <applause>

Hello ladies

Thanks for the updates - I wondered if Feli had lost judging by a comment on NadalNews that he stormed off. Silly boy

So I think it's right that Rafa is off to play his exho in Columbia against Nole (and in the presence of Shakira?) and then onto Indian Wells. I'll do a new little write up for this thread when the draw is made - unless someone else wants to do the IW thread. I won't get greedy

Lovely Rafan

I believe its the Nike exho thing first next week, and the Colombian nonsense comes inbetween IW and Miami ...

I think you did a great job on this Rafan, so you get my vote to carry on with this fred.

Thanks for the update Rafan

I'm sooooo looking forward to this tournie. Firstly, because it means Rafa is back on court ... <skip> and secondly, because its one that has been <kind> to him in the past.

As for the early rounds <yikes> ... well, obviously JMDP is the stand out, and it will be interesting to see him against Sonic Raonic (if that happens). He'll probably take a pounding for a couple of games till he works him out. But that's the thing with Rafa, he isn't given half enough credit for using his fabulous tennis brain when facing a tricky and unknown player.

Can't wait for it all to start ...

So the Davis Cup is done and dusted with an easy 4-1 victory to Spain.

Now comes the season's busiest period – back to back outdoor hardcourt Masters in the US followed by a spring to Europe and the lure of the clay – a week off and onto the grass. What does this mean? That summer is on its way of course!

Really looking forward to the next four months. Bring it!

Wooffs Rafa has met Raonic once - in Tokyo (I only remembered because the photo at the net was with a big Sumo!) and won 6-4 6-4, though Raonic and A.N.O. did hand Rafa and Nole a drubbing in the doubles but I can't remember where – was it Toronto?!

And of course…how could I forget a rejuvenated Delpo lurking in the midst of it all <yikes>.

Yes Rafan ... it was Toronto last year when Rafole were <pants> against two Canadian youngsters and were blasted off the court. And even though both Rafa and Nole are over 6'0, I do remember them being made to look <short>.

Heaven help you if you ever stand next to them ... :run2:

Hehe...what do you mean if I ever stand next to them? Don't you mean when I stand next to them? You now I'm an autograph 'ho!

I am like Hoff and can't wait for the draw to come out - sometimes it takes a while to get the draw up on the ATP website but I'll be around this evening so will try and stay up late enough to get a link up here - or anyone else is welcome too if I am :sleep:

We can also compare notes on here of how our picks game is going I'm not known as <jinxy> for nothing!

I can literally feel the <quivver> of excitement you have about ATP picks from here, Rafan.

And it seems that Hoff is a fellow Statto ... so you'll have to introduce her to it.

[url=http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2011/404/mds.pdf]

The draw!

Just a thought - we wondered whether it might be best to keep Rafatennis in one thread - but I've noticed that now all our comments about the DC are entitled Indian Wells - do you think we should do separate threads for separate tournaments?

Now to go and digest Rafa's route to a week Sunday

Vamos!

Del Potro is in Soderling's eighth, Murray's quarter and Rafa's half!

Which in turn means that once again Murray is in Rafa's half while Feds and Novak could potentially contest yet another semi-final. Funny that!

Sonic Raonic has landed in Feds' eighth...

I'm itching for this to get started, but I don't think it's screened in the UK until Saturday - at least not on Sky.

Evening lovely Rafan!!

I'm rubbish at working these .pdf things out by looking at a screen. I need old fashioned paper!!

<yikes> You're too quick for me !!! I'd typed the following below about the semi's ...

But ... should Rafa get to the semi, he plays Murray. assuming of course that he gets past Dimples ... is that correct?



I get what you're saying about the tennisss threads, Rafan. But I think we're just getting used to moving between a chat thread and this and maybe choosing the right thread to comment on tennis might be confusing?? Does that make sense?

It does make sense - I'm happy to stick with one thread. Perhaps I should just rename it Rafatennis - and leave out the tournament name? Feedback welcome

Why are we still up??

Well Rafan ... I like what you're doing. A tenniss fred but changing the title so we know which tournie we're on and where Rafa is playing. That makes it all simples to me!!!

Hola a todos!

Rafa and Marc are defending their 2010 doubles title here (like you didn't know ) and in the first round are drawn against the No 4 seeds, FYRSTENBERG, Mariusz / MATKOWSKI, Marcin thought maybe the No 4 seeds will be more . Vamos Rafa y Marc! The Bryan Brothers are up against the Sod and ANO. Can't remember who ANO is

Won't it be fab if Rafa is playing on Saturday and we can watch it?

Never heard of 'em, Rafan. That doubles pairing that is. But if I spent more of my time watching Challengers and Futures, maybe I would. ;-)

I was hoping Rafa and Marc! would get Paes.

And then <whooped> him hard! Any news when the boys are playing??

Please, please, please let Rafa be scheduled on Saturday. <prays>