Disaster

After he was eliminanted last year in 2nd Round, Rafa was eliminated after his first match at Wimbledon this year. He lost against Steve Darcis of Belgium in 3 sets: 6-7, 6-7, 4-6.

Unbelievable...


VAMOS RAFA !!!

Training session in London

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Rafa`s kit for Wimbledon 2013

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Already qualified

Rafa at the half of the season is already qualified for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at The O2 in London in November.

He is now qualified nine straight years at this tournament. Well done, Rafa !

Race to London

VAMOS RAFA !!!

Roland Garros Final (PHOTO)

VAMOS RAFA !!!

#8

Rafa defeated David Ferrer: 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 after two hours and 16 minutes with 35 winners and 25 unforced errors and he is once again King at Roland Garros !!!
Congratulations Rafaaaaaaaa !!!

After he passed Bjorn Borg last year for the most titles at Roland Garros this year Rafa made history. He became the first man to win the same Grand Slam eight times.

After the final, Rafa said: "The feeling on court was great. The matches against David Ferrer are always difficult. I think the score is much easier than what the match was today. I think for moments I played great. I think a few moments in the match I played at a very, very high level.
"Eight times here is a lot. I never thought about that. But I will keep practising with the same passion and intensity to bring my tennis to the highest level possible."

"It was a very emotional, very important victory for me. This remained the step after the comeback from the injury. I won at 250, then a 500, then a Masters 1000, so the Grand Slam remained. It happened today and it`s a big persoanl satisfaction that it happened. A lot of people helped me a lot to be back here today. I will not say everyone because I will forget , but because of them, today here I am with this trophy. That means a lot more for me."

Rafa pulled out from Gerry Weber Open. So, the next tournament in Rafa`s schedule is the third Grand Slam of the year: Wimbledon. The tournament starts on June 24th.




VAMOS RAFA !!!

Rafa won an epic match

Rafa defeated Novak Djokovic in 5 sets: 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7, 9-7 after 4 hours and 38 minutes in RG semifinal.

After the semifinal, Rafa said: "You need to love the game. You need to appreciate what you are doing in every moment. I learned during all my career to enjoy suffering and these kind of matches are very special. You don`t have the chance to play these kind of matches every day. So when these kind of matches happen you suffer, but I really enjoy these moments."
"It was a really emotional match, but both of us played for a lot of moments at a very high level. So thse kind of matches make the sport big. I`m so happy with the way that I played and more than happy with the way that I fought in the fifth set after losing a big chance in the fourth. That`s probably the most difficult thing to do and I did it."

In Sunday`s final, Rafa will play against David Ferrer of Spain. On head to head, Rafa leads Ferrer: 19-4. Their last match was this year in Rome, where Rafa won in 3 sets: 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.
This final is the eighth final for Rafa at Roland Garros.



VAMOS RAFA !!!

Rafa into RG semifinals

Rafa won the quarterfinal match against Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland in straight sets: 6-2, 6-3, 6-1.

After the quarterfinal, Rafa said: "I`m happy the way that I played today especially. It was my best match of the tournament without any doubt. I said I need to make a change. I was confident that I can do it and I did.
So, now I`m in semifinals, three matches in a row without losing a set. The last two matches, I only lost one game on serve. That`s starting to be very positive numbers. Only numbers but most important thing at the end is the feeling and the feeling is completely different. If I was not happy five days ago about my level, today I am happy that I am in semifinals."

Rafa will play the Roland Garros semifinal against Novak Djokovic of Serbia. On head to head, Rafa leads Djokovic 19-15. Their last match was this year in Monte-Carlo final, where Rafa lost in straight sets.



VAMOS RAFA !!!

Rafa wins and celebrates

Rafa celebrated his birthday with a victory in 4th round at Roland Garros. He defeated Kei Nishikori of Japan in 3 sets: 6-4, 6-1, 6-3.

After the match Rafa said: "I played much better today than the first three matches, no doubt about that. I started to have feelings with my forehand when I had the chance to hit my forehand. I started to change directions well. I started to feel that I can hit the ball longer and have more confidence in every stroke."

After the match the crowd sang "Happy Birthday". After this special moment, Rafa said: "Thnak you very much for giving me the presents on court. I just can say thank you very much to give me the chance to enjoy the moment with all the crowd here on Philippe Chatrier Court, in the probably the most emotional court for me on tour."

In quarterfinals, Rafa will play against Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland. On head to head, Rafa leads Wawrinka: 9-0. Their last match was this year in Madrid, where Rafa won in straight sets: 6-2, 6-4.



VAMOS RAFA !!!

Happy Birthday !!!

                      
              HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RAFA !!!

VAMOS RAFA !!!

Rafa beats Fognini

Rafa won the 3rd Round match against Fabio Fognini and this time it was a straight set victory: 7-6, 6-4, 6-4 in two hours and 45 minutes.

After the match Rafa said: "I have to play better. If I want to have any chance, I really need to play better. But it is always the same story. When you win without playing your best, you have the chance to play better. If you don`t fight when you have tough days, you don`t have all the chances for the future. It`s important to stay humble these kind of days, stay with the right mentality, be positive and accept in every moment all the difficulties that comes and try to win."

In 4th round, Rafa will play against Kei Nishikori of Japan. On head to head, Rafa leads Nishikori: 4-0. Their last match was in 2012 in Miami, where Rafa won in straight sets: 6-4, 6-4.



GO MARIA !!!

Rafa moves on

Another 4 set match for Rafa at Roland Garros, this time against Martin Klizan. Rafa defeated Klizan: 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.

After the match, Rafa said: "I started the match probably with not the right intensity, with more doubts than usual. The positive thing was that I had a good reaction at the beginning of the second, even if I didn`t play fantastic. I played the way that I had to play, with intensity, with passion, playing more inside."

Rafa is in 3rd Round in Paris, where he will play against Fabio Fognini of Italy. On head to head Rafa leads Fognini: 1-0. Their last match was this year in Rome, where Rafa won in straight sets: 6-1, 6-3.

About tomorrow`s match, Rafa said: "Tomorrow I have a tough opponent. Fognini is a good player, a player who is improving in his ranking, improving on his solid game. He`s more serious every time. It will be a really tough match and I need to play better than today."




VAMOS RAFA !!!