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Rafa blogs on 22/01/09.

บล๊อกและตอบคำถามแฟน ๆ ประจำวันที่ 22/01/08 จาก timesonline ค่ะ

Rafa: why I always have to be ready for action
Hello again every one,

Here we go with another day with a win and therefore another blog. As long as I am blogging means it is going well so more than happy to continue and be with you again.

Today I played my second round match and I am again having those good sensations I have been also having during practice. I feel I am playing well and with confidence so great.

So how did my day go? I haven't talked about a competition day yet on this blog so I will let you know everything in the morning before I step on court to play.

Today I was playing second match after 11. That means that we really have to be ready by 11 and no later than that. The reason for this is that if the first match goes too fast because a player retires or finishes too quickly we have to be ready to step out on court. It is not normal that we go to play at 11 but it could happen and if we are not we can get defaulted.

Can you imagine? The announcer says: "Could the following players report to the Player's desk and be ready to be escorted for their matches..." and all the things the referee and the tournament announcer say over the PA... and I am not ready. What happens? We get defaulted... without even playing, Would be horrible to lose a match like this, huhhhh? .

I am always ready...We all do it like this more or less. We are professionals and this is one of those things we really have to know and be very careful about.

So I got picked up at the hotel at 8.45 am and had scheduled my practice at 10 am. This way I have plenty of time to get ready, get the shower, tapes and everything ready. By 11 I was ready and in the end we walked on court at the time we thought around 1, 1.30 pm.

By the way I wanted to send a thank you message to the transport people and their responsible for doing me the favor yesterday. They know what I mean, so really thank you to them and to the tournament organizers. They are really, really nice here. They've always been nice with me. Not that now I am at the top of the rankings. Always, and that is very much appreciated.

On a different topic, yesterday night we had a dinner all the Spanish players and the atmosphere was great. We are all together around our new captain and we are happy to have him with us here in Melbourne.

Hasta mañana.

Rafa

Questions for Rafa: fears, Roger Federer and playing surfaces

Hi Rafa!
Rafa do you ever feel like letting Roger Federer (left) win the French Open so he can win at least once? Shantanu, India
RN: I believe this is not the way we think... Too bad there are other 126 players wanting to win as well. Difficult to get their agreement, don't you think? Otherwise why not, huh?

What is your favourite place to go for holiday and why? Stephanie, Los Angeles
RN: Clearly Mallorca. I lve being there, not because it is my home, but because all the things we have there for a good holiday.

I heard you are afraid of dogs and heights, is that true? Agnes Nyeki, Budapest, Hungary
RN: More or less...

Have you ever played tennis on the Nintendo Wii? If so, were you any good? Sarah-Emma
RN: No, never.

I would like to no how you feel about the Australian open surface? Does it feel slower than at the Olympics or faster? Mandy
RN: It is similar and I really like it.

What do you check out when your surfing the net? Facebook, tennis websites, msn?
Dina, Egypt
RN: I look at the newspapers, look for sports, and also spend some time at the messenger. I don't have facebook.

You seem to love the water/beach a lot. How did you learn to swim?
Christie
RN: I learned when I was a little kid. Remember I am from an island. You better know how to swim...

What is your favourite film? Hope you win!
Steph
RN: Don't have one. I like films but don't have one specific I like.

ราฟาตอบคำถามแฟน ๆ ประจำวันที่ 22/01/08 จาก heralds ค่ะ ( ส้มไม่โพสบล๊อกนะคะ เพราะเนื้อหาคล้าย ๆ กันเลย )

Hi Rafa,
I have read that you enjoy watching musicals. I was wondering if you have seen or want to see a particular singer or band perform live in concert?
Jill Serrano

I love musicals and in NY I always go to see them. Last year I went to the Lion King thanks to the USTA who organised everything for me to be there. Not easy to find tickets and Michelle, their marketing person, did everything. I don't have much time to go to concerts but, yes I like them. I want to see La Oreja de Van Gogh perform live soon. We are looking at dates and see if we are in the same place at some point.

Hola,
Although it is nowhere near, what do you think of the joint bid proposed by Spain and Portugal to host the 2018 World Cup? Speaking of soccer, any comments on FIFA presenting Cristano Ronaldo with player of the year.
S.Tait, United States

I think it would be great for us to have it back in Spain together with Portugal. We deserve it since we are a big football nation and the last time we had a big competition was back in '82 ... I wasn't born then! CR is a great player and it could have gone either way with any of the candidates.

Hola Rafa,
Fantastic first round I'm so proud of you. Good luck. My question is - do you have any lucky charms/items that you take on court?
Emma

Many thanks. I don't carry anything like that. I used to but not anymore.

I think you are the most exciting player to watch in the Australian Open and an amazing sportsman. I was wondering what do you do in the hour before the game? Do you like to be alone or do you have team around you?
Sarah

Hi, thanks for your comments. I normally stay very focused in the locker room. I get ready with my physiotherapist doing all the taping and also talk to my uncle Toni before the match. I like to listen to music and simply wait to be ready. Depending on what time it is, I also eat something light.

Hola Rafa,
If you had a chance to play with one of the past players like Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors,Ivan Lendl etc. Which one you will chose and why?
Zainab

All of them but that is unrealistic and I try to be very realistic. I did play with McEnroe in Wimbledon.

Hi Rafa,
You played a great match the other day, congratulations. If they made a movie of your life right now, what actor would you like to play the role of “Rafael Nadal”?
Good luck in the tournament, we love you!
Jennifer, New York, NY

I have no idea.

Hi Rafa,
I wanted to know, what do you miss most when you're abroad? Spanish ham, maybe?? Kiss Gia from France

I actually don't like ham so I don't really miss it. It is very good, don't get me wrong, but I just don't like ham - Spanish, French, Italian or whatever. I miss Mallorca since I think it is the best place on Earth.

Hi Rafa!
Thank you so much for taking the time to write the blog and answer questions from your fans. You've mentioned in the past that you would like to team up with Roger Federer to play doubles. Is this something that you can see happening in the near future? All the best for your upcoming matches. Vamos!
Ronja (Finland)

I would love to play doubles with him one day. I think it would be a lot of fun. I'll ask him.

Hi Rafa,
I'd like to know if you get time to read books despite having such tight schedules.If yes, then which is your favourite book, and what do you like reading in general?
Love, Mohona

Thanks. I read The Boy with the Striped Pajamas (I don't know the English name of it).

What is the strangest thing that has happened during one of your matches?
Beth, Kentucky, USA

That I could not really see well. I mean not that I was blind , but I was like lost. It was in Brazil back in 2005.

ราฟาเขียนใน RN ค่ะ

REALLY HAPPY!
Hello Everyone!
Thanks for all the support you gave me during my last match. It was a comfortable day for me on court, however, I lost my concentration in a couple of occasions, which is not usual for me.

I didn’t really mean for that to happen but once I realized what I was doing I went back to my usual self. I just think the match kind of lost it’s rhythm at times and that may be the reason why I lost my concentration.

Either way, I’m really happy with the way things are going and I feel real well, comfortable on court and I really hope it continues that way. I know the next match against Haas will be very different and it I think it will truly be a test for me because we all know he’s a talented player. He won really comfortably his last encounter so I know he’s playing well and has a lot of confidence.

Tomorrow I will train again and then rest a bit.

I will tell you more about it later.

Rafa

Create Date : 23 มกราคม 2552

Last Update : 23 มกราคม 2552 16:21:36 น.

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