¡Vamos, Rafa!

[Moxie]

Someone needs to start it.  OK, 2015 hasn't been the best year, but there are reasons for optimism.  Say what you like about Rafa, pro or con.

 

[britbox]

Hi @moxie, fon't forget to join the Rafa Nadal fan group too.

http://discuss.tennis/groups/nadalites-rafa-nadal-fans/

 

[brokenshoelace]

2016 can't be worse than 2015 for Rafa. So that's a good start.

 

[Moxie]

2016 can’t be worse than 2015 for Rafa. So that’s a good start.

I'm still being cautious on that point.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Hopefully Rafa can have a reasonable 2016 season.There have been positive signs in the last couple of tournaments he has played.I attended Roland Garos this year,after watching Rafa play his first couple of matches,I knew there was no way he could win RG for his tenth title.Credit to Wawrinka he deserved his win and his 2nd GS title.

 

[Moxie]

Two handsome guys having a walk and a chat.  It's in Spanish, but I'll give you some of the highlights, if you like.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peXMbf4M4tc

 

 

[teddytennisfan]

that's a NICE video! a little bit of the ''provincia" that nadal seems to love so much!

 

[Moxie]

I meant to come back and give a summary for those who don't speak Spanish.  For whatever people think of Uncle Toni, he's a pretty philosophical dude, and it's a streak that runs in the family.  The conversation tends to run in that vein.  Rafa asks Miguel Angel about leaving the island for Barcelona, and if it was a hardship, and Miguel Angel speaks to the choices that you make to get better in your sport.  Rafael talks about spending so much time away from home, but his uncle doesn't allow him to indulge in it.  Specific tennis things that came up:  Rafa says that winning the French Open in 2008 probably didn't give him the greatest satisfaction, because it was a bit too easy.  He's careful to be modest about it, but he says the wins that come with more hardship are ultimately more satisfying.  [This is a very Nadalian perspective.  He seems to feel the need to "suffer for his art/sport."  This comes a good deal from Toni.]

Miguel Angel asks him at one point, later, what was the loss that gave him the most satisfaction?  Rafa said:  You were there.  It was in Australia in 2012.  Miguel Angel says, You suffered in that match a lot.  Rafa: I suffered physically, but I think you suffered the loss more than I did.  I felt I had made inroads on an opponent who had been beating me a lot, [the unnamed Djokovic,] and so I took a lot of satisfaction from how I played.

I didn't put those words up in quotes because I didn't bother to translate every word, but it's a decent paraphrasing.  I hope folks find that interesting.

 

[ClayDeath]

vamosssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss.

 

[brokenshoelace]

[This is a very Nadalian perspective. He seems to feel the need to “suffer for his art/sport.” This comes a good deal from Toni.] 

I read "Nadalian" as "Nalbandian" and kept scratching my head for a good 5 seconds.

Thanks for the translation.