This Is Just The Beginning...

Today marked the start of Rafa's 2015 season, playing against Andy Murray in the Mubadala World Tennis Championships in Abu Dhabi.

Nobody had high expectations, but it's fair to say a few were shocked at the scoreline. Nadal lost to Murray 2-6 0-6. However, as I've been told, Rafa's level of tennis wasn't as shocking as the score suggests.

Rafa was very rusty around the edges, but you would expect that after playing only 8 matches in the last 6 months. Rafa's game isn't there yet, but that's understandable. After the match, Rafa described it's issues. "There are only small things I need to adjust."
“At the beginning, I played very badly with my backhand, but that is normal after a long time out, and could not get my normal rhythm. I was also a little bit more tired than usual." 'I had a lot of chances to have a closer result.'

Rafa said he is going to work hard to improve his game, and I have no doubt in that whatsoever. The media (especially British) seem to label this loss as an 'upset', but there is no need to worry at all. For starters, this is only an exhibition tournament and only Rafa's first match back on tour after a long break. 

As Rafael plays more matches his game will begin to fall into place and very soon we'll see the Rafa we're used to once again. Of course it's normal to have doubts right now, but Rafa knows exactly what he is doing and how he needs to improve. I will trust his professionalism and await the magic…

Rafa has another match tomorrow against Wawrinka to determine 3rd and 4th place in the exhibition tournament. This is another great opportunity to get some more match play in against a tough opponent.

After Abu Dhabi, Rafa will play in Doha where he will compete in singles to defend his title, and doubles with Juan Monaco. The tournament starts on the 5th of January. 

Above all, the most important thing is that Rafa is back on court after a very long wait. It's incredible to have him back, and I can't wait to spend the rest of the season with him. 

Vamos.

@_phenomenadal_ 

Becoming A Rafan

This post I wanted to talk, so grab a cuppa and read on.

The other day I was thinking about being a Rafa fan, and thought- I never knew this would happen. It all started with one Wimbledon final I was watching with my family (2011) and thinking Rafa was attractive. A Google search and a drooling over a Shakira video later: I'm here.

I used to not know anything about tennis. I thought Wimbledon was the only tournament there was (unfortunately, many British people still do). After watching Rafa in Wimbledon 2012, I became a 'proper fan'. I learnt as much as I could about the sport and learnt a bit about tournaments and players. I was still only young, so when it got to 2013 I watched most tournaments and really started to become emotionally invested.

It's been a crazy, difficult and bittersweet journey. I was just a young teenager who fell for a tennis playing Spaniard, and now I'm a 'professional Rafan', if there is such thing.

I never expected to become so emotionally invested in this man's life, but that was part of the magic. Not knowing what I was in for, and learning the ways of tennis as I grew into the fan I am today.

Even though most of the time I get no sleep, I worry constantly about future tournaments and matches and my stress levels are often abnormally high, I wouldn't change a thing.

Being a tennis fan is no easy job. Forget about your schoolwork, for those tournaments your mind is focused 100%! It's a stressful thing and the different emotions you go through in a 2 hour match blow your mind.

Becoming a Rafan was the best thing that ever happened to me, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

I'd love to hear your becoming a Rafan stories. Drop me a comment. 

Grace x

2015: A Fresh Start

Happy New Year! The bittersweet year that was 2014 is long gone, now it's time to focus on a new 12 months ahead of us.

I'm delighted that it's nearly 2015. Months and months of messy, complicated injuries and tournaments are now put behind us, and Rafa is set to make his return.

Rafa is feeling healthy and motivated but of course, a little nervous of his return. A new season holds lot's of questions, 'Will Rafa be able to play to a good level again?' 'Will we see a repeat of 2013?'

We can't answer those yet, not even Rafa. We need to trust his professionalism and take each match as it comes.


The season starts for Rafa at an Exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi. From the 1st-3rd of January Rafa and fellow ATP stars Djokovic, Wawrinka, Feliciano Lopez, Murray and Almagro will compete at the Mubadala World Tennis Championships.

Next, it's time to get serious. Rafa will defend his title in Doha at the Qatar Open. Playing amongst Murray, Berdych, Ferrer and Djokovic who is making his debut (Couldn't he have found another tournament? Dammit), Rafa will try to start the competitive season well. It's always a good week, last year Rafa met some falcons. (The terrified look on his face I'll never forget!)

Then the fun begins. The Australian Open 2015. I've made it clear that a title down under this year would be a very good way to start off the season for Rafa and his fans. After his bad luck in the past (click here) including last year, I'd love to finally get some joy for a 2nd time in Melbourne. Please Rafa!

Hopefully one of my favourite moments of 2014 will reoccur this year in Rio. A title at the Rio Open was a perfect end to a great tournament last year. A couple of thrillers later (Semi-final vs Andujar 3rd set tiebreak anyone?) Rafa became the first champion of this new tournament.

Rafa missed the Argentina Open in Buenos Aires in 2014, but at least he got to show off his trophies though, no? We're looking forward to seeing him in 2015.

Next up it's time for some Masters. Indian Wells is one of Rafa's favourite tournaments, and I am too very excited to see him play there. Miami is next, another hard court masters, one Rafa has never won.

Bring on the clay…

The best time of the year will come round, the clay season!
First up it's Monte Carlo! After 8 consecutive wins, we hope for a 9th title at the Rolex Masters. One of my personal favourite tournaments, it's just beautiful. Particularly excited for this tournament.

Barcelona is next, an ATP 500 tournament. Rafa lost in the QF in 2014.

Then the pressure will pile back on, Rafa is defending champion in Madrid and is aiming to win his 3rd consecutive title there.

We will watch Rafa at the masters in Rome playing to win his 8th title at the Italian Open.

Roland Garros is next! You know the drill Rafans, Rafa wins his next grand slam. Kidding! Even though our record is so mind-blowing, it's never certain! Rafa will compete for his 10th title in Paris.

Next up is the grass season. After a record of disappointing results, Rafa will really try to fix that this year. Playing in Halle first will hopefully help him warm up well for Wimbledon. In 2015 there is an extra week between Roland Garros and Wimbledon so that'll give Rafa more time to rest and adapt his game to grass.

After missing a whole North American season due to his wrist injury, I have no doubt Rafa will be excited to play there again.

The Rogers Cup in Montreal is first, a tournament Rafa has won 3 times previously.
Next up is the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati, a masters Rafa won in 2013.

I am so excited for the US Open! Rafa's absence in 2014 was hugely noticeable, so everybody will be delighted to get him back. Rafa is aiming to win the last slam of the year for a 3rd time.

Asia is next on the list, as usual Rafa will compete in Beijing in the China Open and Shanghai Masters.

Back to Basel in 2015 and then Paris. Rafa has never won in Paris, but hopefully he can change that and get one step closer to completing his golden masters.

Last but definitely not least is the ATP Finals, which too, Rafa has never won. After an absence in 2014, I really hope Rafa can be back to his best in London once again.

I'm so excited for this season to begin. My dreams are going to come true again- watching Rafa play tennis on court. It's been a long wait, but finally we can see Rafa on tour.

Vamos Rafa.

Rafael Nadal Draws 2014 Season To a Close

Yesterday (24th October) marked the end of Rafa's 2014 season. He lost to Borna Coric 6-2 7-6 in the quarterfinals of Basel. Rafa was playing very out of sorts, he produced huge amounts of errors, and it definitely wasn't like Rafa Nadal out there… He fought on as much as he could, of course, but in the end his body wasn't going to let him win.

Earlier in the month when he was first diagnosed with appendicitis, he took a harsh course of antibiotics to reduce the symptoms and try to put back surgery. These stopped pain for a few weeks, but made him tired and weak. He said he got tired very easily and therefore could not play to the intensity he would have liked to.

He played well in Basel up to the QF, producing good wins. It's always hard with Rafa because we often don't know what's going on. He doesn't like to talk about his health very much, but in reality is he's been struggling the last 4-5 months.

In a press conference after the match yesterday he talked about his loss and plans for the rest of the year. He had already announced withdrawal from the Paris Masters earlier, but now confirmed he would also miss the ATP World Tour Finals in London. He officially announced the close of his 2014 season.

Rafa said that he would have treatment on his back for a few days, as it had not been 100% since Melbourne. He will have his appendix finally taken out in surgery on November 3rd. Rafa will rest for 5 weeks before practicing again.

That's a lot of information all at once, and it obviously confirms to us that Rafa had been struggling with his back the whole year, which is very sad to hear.

It will be January 2015 when we next see Rafa play tennis competitively. It's yet again another long wait to get through.

However, I am delighted Rafa is finally taking action to sort his health out, I believe that after a couple of months of recovery he will be raring to go and be back better than ever.

Goodbye 2014, you've been… a roller coaster.

Bring it on, 2015.

Looking Ahead- 2015

This year has been… complicated.

Let's Recap...

It's been a long and treacherous 2014 for Rafans. We started off 2014 with a bang, a Doha title. Then it all went wrong… Rafa was playing amazing in the Australian Open until the disastrous final where he obtained his back injury. Very emotional times for us. Since then it's never been the same.

Straight after the Australian Open Rafa won in Rio, but that definitely was not how the rest of the year panned out. No way was it that simple. Poor tournaments ran from Indian Wells to Barcelona. The clay season was Rafa's worst for…. well, a long time. A title was won in Madrid, although it wasn't ideal due to Nishikori retiring in the final. Rome was an improvement, although we lost to Djokovic in the final. A huge amount of doubt built up. Is this Djokovic's year? Will Rafa still win Roland Garros? Stress ran through every Rafan's veins.

Then something amazing happened. A 9th Roland Garros. It was hands down the proudest I'd ever felt, and I loved every second of the win. Finally we had something to celebrate, and it was unforgettable.

Wimbledon was a big improvement of the last few years, and Rafa was finally getting his health in order after the back struggles earlier. We reached the 4th Round, which was a big improvement from last years 1st round exit.

Things were looking up. However, that wasn't the end of it.

All at once there was news splashed across every tennis article 'Nadal withdraws from Toronto and Cincinnati' Ah, the wrist injury. Obtained in practice, it was a simple case of bad luck. Rafa's had a lot of that.

The recovery took longer than expected (no surprises there), and Rafa withdrew from the US Open. I was devastated, he would miss the whole North American season he had so much success at last year.

Finally it was time for his return after 3 lonely months, Beijing. Not expecting much, he reached the quarter finals. Shanghai was next.

Believe it or not, that was not the end of the bad news. Appendicitis.

Rafa lost his first match in Shanghai, but he carried on- amazing.

Basel was going well, until a match vs Coric. Rafa lost 6-2 7-6. He was totally out of sorts and it really was disastrous. In a press conference afterwards he said he will have treatment on his back next week (still not fine since Jan) and his appendix will come out on November 3rd.

2014 has now finished for Rafa. That's it. No Paris, no London, just recovery. Good riddance.


2015

Next year owes us something great. My ultimate aim for Rafa is to win the Australian Open for the 2nd time, and a 10th Roland Garros. That's the dream. Rafa got so close to winning the Australian Open this year, and I want another shot. And well, a 10th French Open, that would just be incredible. I feel very protective over Roland Garros, I will always want him to retain the title.

I hope next year will bring him good health, as this year has definitely not given that. I hope to celebrate a lot more. It's been a hard season, the hardest ever. I could not be happier to say goodbye to 2014.

Next year I want to make it a good one.

I'm so excited, it can't get worse than 2014, right? Bring it on 2015.

RAFA'S RETURN!

Attention all tennis fans! I'm sure you've noticed a huge gap in our sport for the last 3 months… Rafa. It's been almost 12 weeks without him, and a lot's happened since. Tsonga won Toronto, Li Na retired, and Marin Cilic won a grand slam. Some crazy stuff's happened.

Every day of the summer I've been keeping my fingers crossed for good news. There's been bad news, potential good news, rumours and all, but I can now confidently say: Rafa's coming home.

I'm absolutely ecstatic. It's been an emotional few weeks.


On 15th September, Toni Nadal said that 'Rafa's backhand is on 80%. He will be ready for Astana, Beijing and Shanghai. The rest of the season will stay as planned' It happened to be my birthday on that day, and you know what? Best birthday present EVER.

(I've waited a few days before I released this news just to make sure it's reliable and official. What Toni announces is normally accurate, but I didn't want to give anyone false hope.)

Rafa's been hitting an increasing number of powerful 2 handed back hands, and it's been a while since he's been seen with the splint. The recovery obviously took longer than we expected, but this is Rafa remember, his body doesn't like to recover quickly…!

First Rafa will play an exhibition match in Astana, Kazakhstan against Tsonga on 25th September at 7pm. That's 2pm GMT.

Next it's Beijing. Starting on 29th September, the ATP 500 tournament should be a good practice before Shanghai and Paris.

Rafa has lost a lot of ranking points to widen the gap between himself and Djokovic, and Federer is very close behind. However, Rafa has very little points to defend in Asia, so if he can play to a good level, hopefully he can try to secure the end of year number 2 ranking. (Roger is number 2 in the race currently.)

Health is the most important thing. All I want right now is for Rafa to be back on tour, playing pain free, and it looks like that will happen.

I'm so incredibly excited to see him back on court very soon.

Get ready everyone, the king's returning.

Rafa- The Boy From Manacor

Rafa is a fantastic example to us, to anyone. He is human just the same as everyone else, it's not just his career that makes him a wonderful person. I think I can speak for all Rafa fans, he has changed our lives.

Whenever I'm asked why I'm a Rafa fan people assume its because of his looks. I'm not shallow, that's defiantly not the reason. (Although it's an added bonus!) His heart, thats why. He is a shy, caring and humble person. It's clear to see that Ana and Sebastian have done a fantastic job of bringing him up. Toni contributes to his attitude too, his whole family do. The family is not famous, they're not ones to hog limelight, they're just a typical Spanish family. Rafa tries to be too. He's the most humble guy I've ever had the honour to know.

You could argue that we don't know him, but truth is, we do. Any piece of media or information that is out in the big wide world, I have. He's genuine, and thats why we know him so well. Videos, pictures and interviews are Rafael, not Rafa Nadal.

"Tennis is lucky Rafa Nadal chose to play it.'

Rafa plays like he has something to prove, thats what makes him so dangerous, but thats why he's so respected. He's the greatest player of all time in my opinion, but he certainly doesn't think that. He lets us measure his success.


Rafa is respectful. He has never smashed a racket. I'm proud to say he respects every opponent, however unlikeable they may be. 

“Nadal has never broken a racquet. It would be showing a lack of 

respect to people who actually have to buy the equipment to play 

the sport"- Toni Nadal

Rafa is shy, modest and normal, and it's so admirable. He doesn't know how good he is, and he even surprises himself with some of the shots he makes. Every single time he wins Roland Garros, the emotion is still absolutely huge. 


He is a fantastic role model for all children, those that play tennis and those that don't. Out of all the tennis stars in the past and present, who would you want your child to emulate? Rafa is the obvious answer. 

Rafa needs to snap back into his laid back Spanish life the minute there's a break in the season. He always goes home, he loves it. Often in interviews he explains how Mallorca is the best place for him. He could choose from hundreds of glamorous destinations worldwide, but he chooses home. 

I love Rafael, we all do. Thank you to his family and friends, for they have shaped the beautiful person he is today. Rafa- you're perfect to me. 




@_phenomenadal_