Rafatennis Part III - We're all going on a summer holiday

First topic message reminder :

That’s the game: sometimes you win; sometimes you lose

Least said, soonest mended eh?

So we break up for our summer holidays and reflect on Rafa's half-year success that in any other season would be world-beating – a slam, a masters, a 500, another Wimbledon final and 4 other masters finals. Not Wimbledon Champion, not World No 1, but still leading every other player (other than he who must not be named) by a country mile.

Now is the time for mid-season conditioning, running repairs and riding around on a jet-ski in the Mediterranean. While I have used up nearly all my annual leave and have to start putting in the hard work <doom>. I know what I'd rather be doing.

The Montreal Masters starts on 8 August so we can reconvene in a mere 5 weeks and let's hope for more of the same…and Rafa – next time you win the toss against Djokovic – please choose to serve first, noh?

Vamos!

for MFC who does it again.

there you go, nothing to worry about in the end was there? I'll refer you to my first post on the "Wimbledon day 8" thread where I safely predicted Rafa in four

Of course the rest of my predictions weren't so good, but hey...

You live for another day Mad...but remember...the day you fail, the Rafateers will be after you

Erm I have Andy beating Nadal in the semis at the moment, I'll start running now :run2:

Well ... we would think it strange for you to back your boy over ours ... but there goes another of your predictions.

Feli still played his mixed doubles match and won that too.

Close your eyes MFC ... but VAMOS FELI !!

D'you think Judy'll be secretly cheering for Feli?

BTW, after seeing Feli when he beat Roddick the other day, all unshaven, I thought PHWOAR! Not deserting Fer, but...I see what you mean! So, VAMOS Feli!!!!

Wooffie wrote:Well ... we would think it strange for you to back your boy over ours ... but there goes another of your predictions.

Feli still played his mixed doubles match and won that too.

Close your eyes MFC ... but VAMOS FELI !!

I won't hold supporting Lopez against you woofs, he's a nice player to watch (I mean tennis-wise, behave!). Excellent that he won his mixed doubles too, he doesn't have another one tomorrow does he by any chance?

Just had a quick read of the match thread on the main forum. The Fed match must have been boring as none of his fans seemed to be watching it.

I'm too wound up to sleep now. How worried are we about the foot? Hopefully a day's rest will put it right. Was awful when Delpo went down but thankfully doesn't look like he had any ill effects from it.

Now that it's over I can appreciate what a great match that was and what a revelation JMDP has turned out to be on grass.

Did you check out my Feli pics, Angie?? <thud> Glad you're coming over to the dark side ....

The Fed match was ok. Youzhny was hit and miss. Federer stepped up when he needed to. He did get sloppy in the 3rd set when he was 2 breaks up, but other than that it was business as usual for the Swiss.

Wooffie wrote:Did you check out my Feli pics, Angie?? Glad you're coming over to the dark side ....

Haven't checked them, Woofs - couldn't while at work, then forgot. on tour fred!

Well, Wooffie. Lovely pics of Feli.
Was it luck, or strategic positioning that you got so many shots from the rear?
And below the waist?
And bending over?
He is definitely growing on me. Still prefer Fer though!

So we want Feli to beat Andy....and Rafa to beat Fishyface...ooh a Rafa/Feli semi....now that would be a treat for the eyes

I was getting all the lovely leg shots for Haddie. Denz made me get the bottom shots ... and Feli was more than obliging !!

And when he shook all his hair loose tonight ... <THUD>

SkyNews saying Rafa is having a MRI scan to assess foot damage...

FAKER!!

Just kidding. The rubbish spurted on the main thread was just ridiculous. I shall make everyone aware of the facts before anymore rubbish hits the threads.

Well played Rafa anyway

There is concern he may have a broken bone in his foot...

I just hope Rafa hasn't done too much damage to that foot....worry..worry..worry

WHAT!!...and he still played....

Its abit like the hand you can crack a bone in the wrist or heel quite easily and its painful...it could be a small crack would be surprised if he broke a whole bone and carried on playing! But even if its a crack he'll not be able to play Fish.

It will be like a hairline crack if anything. Sounds painful none the less.

Yeah...fancy having a cracked bone and taking a MTO..."what a disgrace".

I know. What a big softie. No guts whatsoever

Ah but he did it on purpose Lydian....cos he tried to put DP off hs game

Tut Tut disgraceful behaviour again from Nadal. Where will this poor sportsmanship end?

I'd only expect him to take a MTO once the ankle is actually hanging off....and then only for a re-strapping.

Exactly Denz, he's always pulling these MTO stunts...

legendkillar wrote:FAKER!!

Just kidding. The rubbish spurted on the main thread was just ridiculous. I shall make everyone aware of the facts before anymore rubbish hits the threads.

Well played Rafa anyway

I am pleased to hear that, LK. I am sick and tired of this repetitive bile spewed out every single time Rafa invokes a MTO. It is unjust, unsubtantiated and uncalled for, and is essentially player bashing.

Tactical Nadal does it again. I hope they fine him to the hilt!

Thank God it was just tactical. I won't need to worry then!

(Tells self - I will not worry, I will not worry!)

Off to bed, so night night, Rafateers, MFC, Lydian & LK.

Sweet dreams, all.

I've only just read some of the other threads, and quite frankly it's getting beyond a joke....however we will wait and see what happens tomorrow before I comment any futher.....suffice to say that there are some on here who really should engage brain before mouth

On second thoughts.....there's probably no brain to worry about

Aye Denz....fancy going for an MRI just to make your fake injury look more serious. That's dedication to the art of "MTO FAKERY"

I'm sick of it. Just sick of it. Rafa calls for the trainer and the tennis forum explodes. I mean ... at two sets down in the FO, Andy Murray calles the trainer or an MTO or whatever it was because of his ankle and had to have strapping removed which was obviously causing him grief. Did anyone on here bother to cry foul or unleash a load of abuse, because lets face it ... he then went on to win the match. No ... because noone has a particular agenda against him. It is utter trollop what is said about Rafa, tripe, rubbish in the highest order and I am sick to death of it.

woah don't bottle up your anger like that woofs, let it out

Evening all. Well, Rafa's just a drama queen, isn't he ?

I get off the tube and check the BBC live text, which seems to be suggesting that he can hardly move and it's just a matter of time before he pulls out, but I get home to just miss the last point of the 1st set TB. Watched the rest of it without moving - no chance of being able to eat dinner or anything because of the nerves (but did manage to keep breathing, Denzy).

I think we can safely say JMDP is BACK and that Rafa is the gutsiest (is that a word ?) tennis player ever and I just love him to bits, even though he makes me suffer so much. Really hope the foot/ankle isn't as serious as it sounds, but if it is that he listens to reason.

I just think being called a cheat is the worst possible thing in sport. The worst. And it is an accusation leveled by some to Rafa with alarming regularity based on nothing other than conjecture and their personal agenda. The ATP has rules with regard to this, none of which have been enforced with Rafa and with today's latest episode, a cracked bone in his foot that he'll need a scan on does not bode well for his future participation in the tournament. Sometimes I cannot help getting emotive about it.

MFC I have sent you a pm.

Anyway ... time to say goodnight. Shame for some that Rafa came through a match that some might have hoped was a banana skin and I even see that good old Dr Fuertes comments have surfaced on a thread. Poor old Rafa to evoke such rabid opinion.

But there was similar melt down last year when he came through a 5 setter against Petzshner and had the temerity to call a trainer at the end of the 3rd set when 2 sets to 1 down. Par for the course eh?

I'm on a course for the best part of tomorrow so at least it will be some necessary time out.

I hope with all my heart that somehow Rafa can be patched up and able to continue with the tournament. Here's hoping Rafa, but very well played and well done on getting through your match today.

Goodnight.

Morning everyone

Blimey, the forum was on fire last night. The all time classic is that one person on here prefers to watch a Rafa match (rather than one featuring his favourite player) to see him lose

Well, whatever rocks your boat I guess.

Onto more pressing and important things. I'm pretty concerned, as I am sure everyone else here is, about this foot injury. Hopefully there will be some (good) news soon.

Good morning all

I'm very sad to read some of the comments on the other threads....I tried to make light of it last night, but I cannot believe the viciousness of some on here. It's as if DP's MTO has been totally forgotten, we all saw him fall over in pain and I did wonder if he was going to be able to continue...Rafa's MTO wasn't any different, he couldn't play for the pain and it needed sorting out there and then, and again it was a will he, won't he scenario.

Regardless of all this, it was a cracking match and except for a few points, which Rafa managed to pull out, the match could have easily gone the other way...and if it had, then that would have satisifed the "I told you so's" that we get on here,but the fact that Rafa carried on, because he won't give up and managed to win the match did not go down well with some. Also we don't know how much pain DP was in, so they both played very well under extreme circumstances.

Some on here just make it very unpleasant, as they did on 606, and sadly at the moment it seems to be going the same way. I don't care if people don't like Rafa or his style, but to call him a cheat is a disgrace, although it's born out of spite....but that's just tough.

I had years of putting up with Federer.....never cared for him or his "style" and I'm sick of people treating him like he was a god, but that's how I see him...a lot of others would disagree, but that's my opinion.

We'll have to wait until later on today to see about Rafa, but unless he comes out with his leg amputated, on crutches and with a parrot on his shoulder, there will be those on here who will still think he's been cheating

Mmmm... Pirate Rafa, nice thought

denzilsmom wrote:Good morning all

I'm very sad to read some of the comments on the other threads....I tried to make light of it last night, but I cannot believe the viciousness of some on here. It's as if DP's MTO has been totally forgotten, we all saw him fall over in pain and I did wonder if he was going to be able to continue...Rafa's MTO wasn't any different, he couldn't play for the pain and it needed sorting out there and then, and again it was a will he, won't he scenario.

Regardless of all this, it was a cracking match and except for a few points, which Rafa managed to pull out, the match could have easily gone the other way...and if it had, then that would have satisifed the "I told you so's" that we get on here,but the fact that Rafa carried on, because he won't give up and managed to win the match did not go down well with some. Also we don't know how much pain DP was in, so they both played very well under extreme circumstances.

Some on here just make it very unpleasant, as they did on 606, and sadly at the moment it seems to be going the same way. I don't care if people don't like Rafa or his style, but to call him a cheat is a disgrace, although it's born out of spite....but that's just tough.

I had years of putting up with Federer.....never cared for him or his "style" and I'm sick of people treating him like he was a god, but that's how I see him...a lot of others would disagree, but that's my opinion.

We'll have to wait until later on today to see about Rafa, but unless he comes out with his leg amputated, on crutches and with a parrot on his shoulder, there will be those on here who will still think he's been cheating

Denzie

I have to agree with every word you say.. I was out yesterday evening and only saw the first three games before I went and Rafa serving for the match when I came home.. I never knew anything of the events that took place in between. When I came on this forum this morning I couldn´t believe some of the comments I was reading.. I thought it was 606 again. I loved this forum when it first started but it is rapidly going the way of 606. The only moderator that tries his hardest to keep peace on here is Legendkiller.. I keep saying it because he is the only one that tries hard to remain unbiased and consistent in his judgement. I HOPE EVERYBODY IS READING THIS.
But there are the regular Wums on here that brought 606 to its knees... and there are those that are stupid enough to agree or urge them on. Fortunately we have balanced posters like Lydian and Socal.
Like you say I too cannot stand Federer no matter how good he is (and that we cannot deny) but i do not, and never have, agreed with slagging off or denegrating him. How people can call themselves tennis fans who actually seem to enjoy seeing someone injure themselves enough that they may have to withdraw from the tournament I do not seriously understand. Im disheartened to the point that I believed all those here loved the sport as much as I do. How do you hate someone that much that you do not know .. someone please explain that to me. Anyway thank goodness for the Rafa threads otherwise this place is the pits.

Morning Rafateers. Having done a quick scan through NN, etc, it looks as though it could be achilles tendon, rather than a break of the foot, but whether that's a sprain or something more serious like a tear, I guess we won't know until later today. Let's hope for the best because he's playing great - so much better than through most of the clay season.

I'm going to ignore all the MTO whinging. If some people can't see what a brilliant exciting player he is and what an asset to the game, then that's their sad loss. The match yesterday just summed up why I think he's so wonderful.

morning my friends

I really think the best way to deal with the wumming comments is simply to ignore them. Like Womble says if people can't appreciate Rafa that's their problem. The thing is, it's not against the rules of the forum to express an opinion, however tiresome that opinion is. We have a few anti-Murray wums who pop up now and again with their "everyone but Murray" view, and I just don't respond, because they won't listen to reason whatever I say.

Tendon damage would be much much better than a broken bone obviously. According to my brother, you can play on with even a partial tear to a tendon (like Andy had at RG) and you won't worsen it as long as it's tightly strapped...

Fingers crossed then

I wonder that the Mods havent thought of having a WUM thread...
Federer thread, Rafa Thread, Djoko, Murray threads
And a thread that the WUMS can have all to themselves.

Good call Haddie.

More importantly, BBC are saying that Rafa is having a scan to see if he has to pull out Hearing it said out loud on the news has scared me silly - hate this sitting around waiting for news. (Well, I should be working, but who can concentrate on that!).

ooooh No....please not....Do you know its the same foot i.e. left.. when he had a stress fracture back in 1975 I think it was.

Haddie-nuff wrote:ooooh No....please not....Do you know its the same foot i.e. left.. when he had a stress fracture back in 1975 I think it was.

What - 11 years before he was born!!!?

Precious little has made me laugh about this forum over the last 24 hours, but that did make me laugh.

oooohhh sorry typo 2005 I should have said