Top Rafa Moments
While Rafa rests his knees we thought it would be good to reflect on our favourite moments from his career so far. There have been so many times when we've laughed, cheered or sighed that it's not easy to pick just ten.
Of course, everyone will have their own personal list. To get you thinking about your choice here are the ones that cmac came up with.
Hugging his father after he won the 2006 French Open and saying "Thanks for everything Daddy" which made his father cry so hard he didn't want to let Rafa go.
The face he made before his first French Open Final in 2005. In the tunnel before Rafa steps out on the court, the camera catches Rafa gritting his teeth and looking up to the heavens trying to psyche himself up at which John McEnroe, Ted Robinson and Mary Carillo crack up. I barely even knew who Rafa was at that time and it was a glimpse into his personality and how much the match meant to him.
The pain in his "famous ass" comment.
Pointing out the ballboy with the nosebleed during the match against Hewitt.
Interrupting his interview with Mary Jo Fernandez: "Just one thing, I say the same thing every time because my English is very bad."
Champagne celebration with Willy Canas after winning at Barcelona.
His quote to the effect that it's better to say you don't know if there's a god and treat people with kindness and respect than to say you believe in god and do bad things.
Putting on the straw hat after Spain's 2006 Davis Cup win against Italy.
Getting feisty cheering on his Spanish Davis Cup teammates and arguing with the officials in the match against Switzerland in Geneva in 2007.
Performing La Bamba on French TV during Roland Garros 2007.
And here are the ones that were prompted from others -
What about Rafa getting out of the water in Dubai??? cillyho
Hugging the king of Spain after winning RG 2005 and getting clay on the king's suit. MaryWalsh
The story about how Rafa beat that Japanese player after he was told that the Japanese kill dolphins. cmac
This story was told by by Tomeu Salva (translated by nou.amic) "One day we were in France, playing against a Japanese, Rafa was only just holding his own in the first set and it seemed the set was tied. At that moment Nito Llorens, our coach, said, during a change over that the Japanese kill dolphins. Nadal was so shocked, he started to hit everthing and didn't allow the Japanese another game."
The way he handled the tacky interview of Bud Collins in the FO finals. TennisAnyone?
How about his victory with Nando?? Elly
When he beat Agassi at Wimbledon in 06 and stepped aside to let Andre take all the bows. It was one of the classiest things I ever saw. MaryWalsh
Congratulating Berdych in the locker room on his Halle win. TennisAnyone?
This was what Rafa said in his Times blog "I am also getting a lot of questions about Berdych and how is it going to be after we played in Madrid and we had some problems. For me this something from the past. I congratulate him today after his match and also the other day when he came from winning Halle. So the past is forgotten and I know that tomorrow he is the favourite. We are playing again early, at 11 am."
At Wimby this year when he fell on the floor during a rally, still managed to win the point and got right back up....love him!!!!! Tht kind of passion is what makes him fantastic to watch. umi
For me the best Rafa moment was the match point for Rafa in RG 2006. It was a tie breaker - a very close match. Rafa thought he could lose it and when he took the match point, he fell down on the clay court and rolled over in clay. Even Rafa knew it was important for him to win it and I think it was an amazing comeback from Rafa after the serious injury. divarocks
I remember a member here catching a pic of him in an Applebee's restaurant and it made me wonder if a certain other top player would ever be caught dead in anywhere other than an upscale restaurant. critternurse
If you have any moments you'd like to add then join in the debate here.
Of course, everyone will have their own personal list. To get you thinking about your choice here are the ones that cmac came up with.
Hugging his father after he won the 2006 French Open and saying "Thanks for everything Daddy" which made his father cry so hard he didn't want to let Rafa go.
The face he made before his first French Open Final in 2005. In the tunnel before Rafa steps out on the court, the camera catches Rafa gritting his teeth and looking up to the heavens trying to psyche himself up at which John McEnroe, Ted Robinson and Mary Carillo crack up. I barely even knew who Rafa was at that time and it was a glimpse into his personality and how much the match meant to him.
The pain in his "famous ass" comment.
Pointing out the ballboy with the nosebleed during the match against Hewitt.
Interrupting his interview with Mary Jo Fernandez: "Just one thing, I say the same thing every time because my English is very bad."
Champagne celebration with Willy Canas after winning at Barcelona.
His quote to the effect that it's better to say you don't know if there's a god and treat people with kindness and respect than to say you believe in god and do bad things.
Putting on the straw hat after Spain's 2006 Davis Cup win against Italy.
Getting feisty cheering on his Spanish Davis Cup teammates and arguing with the officials in the match against Switzerland in Geneva in 2007.
Performing La Bamba on French TV during Roland Garros 2007.
And here are the ones that were prompted from others -
What about Rafa getting out of the water in Dubai??? cillyho
Hugging the king of Spain after winning RG 2005 and getting clay on the king's suit. MaryWalsh
The story about how Rafa beat that Japanese player after he was told that the Japanese kill dolphins. cmac
This story was told by by Tomeu Salva (translated by nou.amic) "One day we were in France, playing against a Japanese, Rafa was only just holding his own in the first set and it seemed the set was tied. At that moment Nito Llorens, our coach, said, during a change over that the Japanese kill dolphins. Nadal was so shocked, he started to hit everthing and didn't allow the Japanese another game."
The way he handled the tacky interview of Bud Collins in the FO finals. TennisAnyone?
How about his victory with Nando?? Elly
When he beat Agassi at Wimbledon in 06 and stepped aside to let Andre take all the bows. It was one of the classiest things I ever saw. MaryWalsh
Congratulating Berdych in the locker room on his Halle win. TennisAnyone?
This was what Rafa said in his Times blog "I am also getting a lot of questions about Berdych and how is it going to be after we played in Madrid and we had some problems. For me this something from the past. I congratulate him today after his match and also the other day when he came from winning Halle. So the past is forgotten and I know that tomorrow he is the favourite. We are playing again early, at 11 am."
At Wimby this year when he fell on the floor during a rally, still managed to win the point and got right back up....love him!!!!! Tht kind of passion is what makes him fantastic to watch. umi
For me the best Rafa moment was the match point for Rafa in RG 2006. It was a tie breaker - a very close match. Rafa thought he could lose it and when he took the match point, he fell down on the clay court and rolled over in clay. Even Rafa knew it was important for him to win it and I think it was an amazing comeback from Rafa after the serious injury. divarocks
I remember a member here catching a pic of him in an Applebee's restaurant and it made me wonder if a certain other top player would ever be caught dead in anywhere other than an upscale restaurant. critternurse
If you have any moments you'd like to add then join in the debate here.