3rd Round in Paris

One hour and 42 minutes needed Rafa to win the 2nd Round match against Marcel Granollers of Spain in 2 sets: 7-5, 7-5 at BNP Paribas Masters.

After the match, Rafa said: "I am happy about the victory today. It was my first match indoors against not an easy opponent. So it is a good victory, a positive one for me. The victories on days when you are not playing well have much more value than the victories on days that you played well.

He did a lot of things well. He played short points. He went to the net a lot of times. I have to improve a lot for tomorrow. I hope to be ready to do it. Tomorrow will be a tough match. I had a very tough one against him in Montreal this year. I'm going to try to play aggressively, play with more intensity than what I did today."

In 3rd Round, Rafa will play against Jerzy Janowicz of Poland. On head to head, Rafa leads Janowicz: 1-0. Their only match was this year in Montreal, where Rafa won in straight sets: 7-6, 6-4.

VAMOS RAFA !!!

Practice session in Paris

VAMOS RAFA !!!

Game over in Shanghai

Rafa lost the Shanghai Rolex Masters against Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina in straight sets: 2-6, 4-6.

After this loss Rafa said: "He played amazing. I just congratulate him. Very few times I play against a player with a level like today...I really go home with the feeling that I didn't play bad. That's the thing. It is fair to say that. I am humble enough to say that I played well and I lost 6-2, 6-4."


Doesn`t matter. Great year for Rafa. Let`s concentrate on ATP Barclays World Tour Finals. The tournament starts on November 4th.



VAMOS RAFA !!!

Last 4

One hour and 47 minutes needed Rafa to defeat Stanislas Wawrinka in straight sets: 7-6, 6-1.

About the match, Rafa said: "It was very tough. I think I played a great set. But the court is fast. His serve was huge. He came to the court with that determination to hit every ball by taking the ball earlier, hit the ball very quick and go for the big shots in every moment. So it was very difficult to stop him.

"The positive thing [was that] when he was playing well, I was playing well too. I was able to resist. If I was not playing well, I was going to lose that set. After that, I was able to maintain the level."

 In Shanghai semifinal Rafa will play against Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina. On head to head, Rafa leads del Potro: 8-3. Their last match was this year in Indian Wells final where Rafa won in 3 sets: 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

VAMOS RAFA !!!

Shanghai Quarters

Nadal won the 3rd Roudn match at Shanghai Rolex Masters. He defeated Carlos Berlocq of Argentina in straight sets: 6-1, 7-6 after one hour and 49 minutes of play.

After the match, Rafa said: "I was happy the way I played at the end, who wore five shirts due to humid conditions during the match. “I think I played a fantastic first set. In the second set, I felt a little bit more tired. He had a big opportunity in the tie-break with the 5-2. So I was lucky I played three great points in that moment. Unfortunately for him, he hit a double fault. At the end it was close, emotional. I’m very happy to be through."

"Berlocq is a great example of player who never gives up, a player who has always improved throughout his career,” said Nadal. He is a good guy, [a] good fighter."

After this victory, Rafa is in quarterfinals where he will play against Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland. On head to head, Rafa leads Wawrinka: 10-0. Their last match was this year in Roland Garros quarterfinal. Rafa won in 3 sets: 6-2, 6-3, 6-1.

VAMOS RAFA !!!

First victory in Shanghai

Rafa is in 3rd Round at Shanghai Rolex Masters after he defeated Alexandr Dolgopolov in straight sets: 6-3, 6-2 after only one hour of play.

After the match, Rafa said: "The court is fast, faster than the previous years.I think I played a good match. To win against Dolgopolov the way I did is because I did a lot of things well. The serve worked great. Something that didn't happen last week. That's a very important thing."


In 3rd Round, Rafa will play against Carlos Berlocq of Argentina. On head to head, Rafa leads Berlocq: 2-0. Their last match was this year in Barceona, where Rafa won in straight sets: 6-4, 6-2.




VAMOS RAFA !!!

No problem

Rafa lost the China Open final against Novak Djokovic in straight sets: 3-6, 4-6.

No problem, tremendous season for Rafa and now he is No.1 in the ATP Rankings. Congratulations, Rafa !

Next stop for Rafa is Shanghai Rolex Masters. The tournament started on October 6th.




VAMOS RAFA !!!

No. 1 !!!

Rafa will become No.1 in the ATP Rankings after reaching the China Open final. He won the semifinal match after Tomas Berdych retired when the score was 4-2 in first set for Rafa.

Nadal said: "This is a great year, one of the best years of my career without any doubt. It sure is special be back to the top position of the rankings after more than a half year without playing tennis."

"If I am able to be No. 1 at the end of the season, then, that's an important achievement because I will be the best of the year... That's something that really motivates me."

AIn final, Rafa will play against Novak Djokovic of Serbia. On head to head, Rafa leads Djokovic 22-15. Their last match was this year in US Open final, where Rafa won in 4 sets: 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.

Congratulations Rafa for being No.1 again in the ATP Rankings. For us, your fans, you are No.1 no matter what is your position in  any rankings.




VAMOS RAFA !!!

Great comeback !

Tough match for Rafa in Beijing quarterfinals, but Rafa managed to defeat Fabio Fognini of Italy in 3 sets: 2-6, 6-4, 6-1

After this tough fight, Rafa said: "It's something that doesn't create more pressure for me. It's something that already happened in the past. If that happens again, it will be good, it will be special for me, but we'll see." 
"If you lose the second break you are dead," said Nadal, reflecting on the break point he faced down 1-4 in the second set. "If you are only one break away, at the end of the match pressure is there, nerves are there. You try to put one more ball inside, try to find a little bit more, play a little bit more, and probably you are going to have the chance. Converting the chance or not is another [matter].

"[After I broke] I played better. It's true that his level of tennis for a long time in the match was very, very high. When you are playing against an opponent playing well, the thing that you have to do is try to push him to the limit and try to make him play very well for a very, very long time. That's something that I was not doing for the first set and a half.  

"Then the situation changed a little bit. I played a little bit better, played with a little bit more rhythm, and he felt that he needed to play another shot to win the point. But it was too late. I was very lucky."

So, it was another step forward for Rafa and in semifinals he will play against Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic. On head to head, Rafa leads Berdych: 15-3. Their last match was this year in Cincinnati, where Rafa won in straight sets: 7-5, 7-6.

About the semifinal, Rafa said: "I am going to have a very tough opponent in front of me. In the end, it's another match. True, it's a little bit more special for the circumstances, but nothing else. It's the semi-final match of a big tournament, I am going to try to be competitive and try to play my best tennis. If not, I am going to have no chance to be through. It is not the moment to think about No. 1; it is the moment to think about Berdych."

VAMOS RAFA !!!

Beijing Quarters

Another victory for Rafa in China. He defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany in straight sets: 6-4, 7-6.

After the match, Rafa said: "Today the serve, in my opinion, helped in the important moments. But it's true that his level of tennis I think was just brilliant tonight. I won because I played a great match. If not, I would not be here with a victory."

In quarterfinals, Rafa will play against Fabio Fognini of Italy. On head to head, Rafa leads Fognini: 2-0. Their last match was this year at Roland Garros, where Rafa won in 3 sets: 7-6, 6-4, 6-4.



VAMOS RAFA !!!

Rafa@China Open

Rafa had no problem in 1st Round against Santiago Giraldo of Colombia. Rafa won the match in straight sets: 6-2, 6-4.

After the match, Rafa said: “Here we are, 27 years old, and it's much more than what I ever dreamed. So I'm going to try to keep working hard. If I'm able to do it, if I am able to be healthy and to compete well for the next four years, I am going to try to create opportunities to keep winning in important tournaments. 

“If that happens, I will have the chance to keep being at the top. If I am at the top, I will have a chance to win more tournaments. But to overtake Roger is something that nobody did in I don't know how many years of history. So it’s going to be a big coincidence if that happens in a period of ten years.

"Whether it happens or not, the only thing I am sure of is when I am going to leave this tour, I am going to be very happy about what I did. I tried everything in every practice, in every match. I gave everything."

“It's true that the things went unbelievable so I had the motivation to finish the season well. That's what I am going to try. I have an opportunity to finish the season with good feelings. There are important tournaments left to play, and here is one of those tournaments. Every match means a lot for me today.

“Today is an important victory for me against an important opponent like Giraldo, who broke serve five times to prevail in 89 minutes. “If I'm able to keep playing well every day and at the same level I played the last couple of months, I will have the chance to be there, to be No. 1 in the future.”


In 2nd Round, Rafa will play against Philipp Kohschreiber of Germany. On head to head, Rafa leads Kohlschreiber: 10-1. Their last match was this year at US Open, where Rafa won in 4 sets: 6-7, 6-4, 6-3, 6-1.




VAMOS RAFA !!!