Preview: Indian Wells 2015

It's time for one of my favourite tournaments on tour! The desert oasis of Indian Wells is so popular among players and the fans. The tournament always seeks to improve and provide an even better week and a half every year. As usual, all of the top players arrive in Indian Wells fresh and ready as it's the first masters tournament of the season.

There's a lot of great play right now, so there is sure to be tough competition. Let's analyse the main contenders on the mens side.

Djokovic- defending champion and hard court genius, Novak always performs well in this tournament. After winning the Australian Open against Murray, he's in great form. However, a loss in the Dubai final to Federer shows he's not unstoppable. For sure I can see Novak reaching the semi finals or further.

Winning Percentage- 86%
Best result- Win 2008, 2011, 2014.
Last Title- Australian Open 2015.

Federer- coming off the back of a win in Dubai, Roger's also in great form. He's healthy and constantly improving after a successful 2014. He started the season well and has picked up 2 titles so far this year.

Winning Percentage- 83%
Best result- Win 2004, 2005, 2006, 2012.
Last Title- Dubai Tennis Championships 2015

Nadal- a comeback from injury in the second half of 2014 has been wobbly at times, but Rafa's results are improving every tournament. His form is still questionable, but if anybody can rise to a challenge, it's Rafa. The slower hard court and dry heat help Rafa's game substantially.

Winning Percentage- 85%
Best Result- Win 2007, 2009, 2013
Last Title- Argentina Open 2015

Murray- a great season started with reaching the final of the Australian Open. It's the first time since he's really been at his best level of tennis for a while. Andy is motivated at the moment and is hoping to get off to a great start in California.

Winning Percentage- 69%
Best Result- Final 2009
Last Title- Valencia Open 2014.

The big four are the main contenders in my eyes, but it's very likely that there will be a dark horse. I'm very excited. The mens draw is out.

As I'm a Rafan, of course I'm a little more positive than some others may be about his chances. He still has doubts over his form but that's normal after a comeback. Rafa is healthy and improving every match, so I really think he has a great chance at having a successful tournament. Rafa always really enjoys Indian Wells so that also helps as he's likely to be more relaxed. A win in Buenos Aires will have improved his confidence too. There are lots of good signs, so I'm hopeful.

Rafa's potential route to the final (optimistic) is as follows;

1st Round Bye
2nd Round- Igor Sijsling
3rd Round- Donald Young
Round of 16- Gilles Simon
Quarterfinal- Milos Raonic
Semifinal- Roger Federer
Final- Novak Djokovic

Have a wonderful tournament everybody, I can't wait.

Vamos.

Rafa: Ending the Trophy Drought

Before the tournament in Buenos Aires, doubts still hovered over Rafa. Will he return to his best? When will he? A disappointing finish in Rio led to even more questions and worried us all.

Just one week later, Rafa is now celebrating his 65th ATP title and his 46th clay court title. Yep, that's right, the 8 month title drought is over.

In the last 8 months, Rafa's lost his appendix, Marin Cilic won a grand slam and Li Na retired. A lot has happened since Rafa's been stuck on title number 64.

After a great first few matches, Rafa was to play great friend Pico in the final.
Rain delays disrupted the final, resulting in Bossy Rafa complaining and the whole court having to be re surfaced. Once the final started at around 5pm both players were strong. Rafa's grunts got louder and balls landed deeper (sorry) and he forced a break and a one set lead. The second set was easy, Rafa's confidence was high and he was dominating. A simple final resulted in Rafa winning the tournament
6-4 6-1.

It's been a really long time since we've seen Rafa's teeth bite a trophy, so this win was so special, especially as we got some super cute Rafico photos out of it! I'm so proud of Rafa, and I hope this win is one of many to come. A title will improve his confidence for sure. Having a solid win so early on in the year is a great thing, even if it is only a small tournament.

Next up is Indian Wells. Rafa won here in 2013 but only reached the 3rd round last year, so we're hoping to improve once again. It's one of my favourite tournaments so I'm really looking forward to it.

Vamos.

"Recovery is Like a Ladder"

"Recovery is like a ladder which you don't climb running but rather step by step"

Rafael Nadal started his pre tournament press conference in Buenos Aires with this relatable simile. After a semi final loss to Fabio Fognini in Rio de Janeiro, Rafa's philosophy was clearer than ever. Fatigue and cramps as a result of his absence from the tour late last year show us just how gradual this process will be.

Even after failing to defend his clay court title in Rio, Rafa counts it as a positive week. Physically, he is fine. Rafa is climbing the ladder, but who knows how tall that ladder may be? It's true that when you get older you may experience fatigue and cramps more often, Rafa has said he hardly ever gets them. A mixture of tough conditions, a good opponent and Rafa not on top form is enough to take him out of tournament- and that's no disaster. It happens.

Playing 2 matches in one day after the ludicrous decision to start his quarterfinal match at 1am certainly didn't help the situation. Shame on you, ATP. The match came close to beating the record of the latest finish of an ATP match ever outside of grand slam tennis.

So far this year Rafa's been improving every match. His first match of the year in Doha he lost yet now he's contending for finals in tournaments. In 2 months, that's great progress. Patience is a word that has been used a lot recently. Waiting for Rafa to return to top form-if he does- is agonising. Rafa is physically well and motivated though so there should be no issue, right? The only issue is that he lacks match play and confidence, but when the wins start racking up, he'll be well on his way back to the summit of mens tennis.

Rafa plays in the Argentina Open this week, in doubles with Pico Monaco and singles. A lower tier tournament with no points to defend will give him the opportunity to build his confidence and have some more experiences on court.

It seems hard now, but the world of tennis knows that Rafa is not one to shy away from hard work and dedication to be the best.

You just wait, tennis world.

Vamos.

Expectations of a Rafan

When you're a tennis fan, you dedicate a huge part of your life to the player you admire. There may only be a select few people in the whole scheme of things that feel the same, but if even a few fans can relate to this, then I'll be happy.

Before a new season, it's a mixture of emotions. It's mostly doubts, but also that deep down excitement that we're always a little too scared to admit. Expectations are in everybody, but they're often seen as a bad thing. In the past, I've got negative comments towards my desire to achieve more on Rafa's behalf. I of course stand by Rafa at all times, but I'm competitive and ruthless inside. Sometimes that can be a good thing. For example, when I'm hungry to win, if it happens it's an even better feeling than going with the flow.

I don't know if this is making sense, but what I'm getting at is it's OK to have expectations. It's seen as over confidence, but really, it's just that raw belief in your player.

My expectations for this year are complicated. I want a grand slam win, a few masters titles and the ATP finals trophy. It's ambitious, but it's no fun without aspirations, right?

Dealing with these expectations is difficult. There's a fine balance between looking over confident or lacking in faith in your player. That's a battle I have to deal with very regularly. The criticism many of us get for either of these is unkind.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, having expectations is a good thing. It shouldn't be looked down on when you want to win. During Rafa's comeback, many Rafans had the opinion of 'I'm just happy to see him on court.' Well, yes, that's great, but why are you even a fan if you don't want to celebrate? Winning is the best part, and to talk about it like it's not why you've sticked around is incorrect. I'm a fan because I love watching Rafa play, but I could have left long ago. The heartbreak and misery I have been through is overwhelming, but I'm not going anywhere. My expectations for more victories keep me motivated to be the best fan I can be.

Vamos.

Doubts- Rafa

Doubts run through every tennis fans head. They're inevitable, necessary. However, the doubts running through Rafa fans heads are often unnecessary. When you want a win for a long time, doubting it makes pulling it off even more special. When the doubts are constant though, it gets tougher to try to ignore them.

After every loss Rafa has, the journalists rub their hands together in glee and get writing. They have another opportunity to portray Rafa as the crumbling, diminishing tennis star. It's very negative and it's tiresome. I'm not going to lie and say they don't worry me. The doubts are in the back of my head all the time, and they're weighing me down.

'Will Nadal win another slam?'
'When will the former champion be finished?'
'Retirement beckons for Nadal.'

Those are just some of the headlines I see on a daily basis. Being a fan is hard enough as it is, but with these so-called professional opinions spread across the tennis world, it's even harder. So far, I'm proud to say that every time he's faced with these doubts, he delivers. He proves everybody wrong time and time again. That's special.

Why do these journalists keep doubting him though? One day, Rafa might not prove everybody wrong. They are waiting for that moment, and quite frankly, it terrifies me. Every single year questions regarding Rafa's Roland Garros record arise. Surely one year he won't win? What happens if he doesn't? What's scary is the doubts that will come after/if he loses at the French Open. Retirement will be uttered from all the media's lips.

It's hard to have this burden over you constantly, but when the hard times pay off, my god it is worth it. Last years Roland Garros win was unforgettable. I will never regret becoming a fan because even though it's tough, moments like that make me feel on top of the world.

I guess the moral of the story is, every time this happens, every year, the media are not right. For sure, they'll be a time when they get their glory, but right now, they're not going to win.

Rafa is not finished, he's not over, he will fight. I can guarantee you that he'll put in 100% and find a way to prove everybody wrong… once again.

Vamos.

Australia 2015 Draws To A Close for Rafa

It's the 27th January, otherwise known as Day 9 of the Australian Open. Today, Rafa played Berdych in his quarterfinal match and he was defeated 6-2 6-0 7-6.

The first two sets were very bad from Rafa. DF's, countless errors, little depth and weak shots allowed Berdych to dominate. It wasn't the Rafa we knew whatsoever, and he was very frustrated with himself for playing so badly.

We knew it wouldn't be that easy for Tomas though, he is Rafa after all. In the 3rd set we saw sparks. By the end of the set, he was relatively back to normal. (Definitely not great, but a lot better than before) Unfortunately, it was too little, too late. He fought very hard, but Berdych held his nerve incredibly well, and didn't give any points away in the tiebreak.

It was a difficult and quite bizarre match to watch. We don't really have any answers to why it went like it did, but we don't have to. It's sport, and losing is just routine. Rafa said he had no physical problems in his presser afterwards.

I'm a little disappointed of course, you always want more for Rafa and have your eyes on the prize. I wanted this very badly but realistically, it was a big ask after a long absence.

If you asked me three weeks ago, 'Do you think Rafa will reach the quarterfinals?' I would have probably said no, so he's done incredibly well. He played some great matches, including that incredible comeback against Tim.

I'm very proud of him and I'm so excited to see what the rest of the season has to bring.

Rafa is travelling back to Mallorca on the 28th January, and will start his training on Monday, to prepare for the South American part of the season. He will play in Rio de Janeiro to defend his title and Buenos Aires. Both clay! Yipee!

I'm so excited to see him back in action again after a successful week in Melbourne.

Positive thoughts, people! This is only the beginning! The comeback 2015 has just begun!

Vamos.

Rafa's Still Standing in Melbourne

6 days, many cramps and a few fist pumps later, Rafa remains very much a contender for Melbourne 2014. He's battled hard to reach the fourth round, but his performance so far has been very impressive.

Before the tournament started, the consensus was he would go early or go deep. Rafa's survived the first few rounds and is now just 3 sets away from the second week. Good news.

A first round encounter with Mikhail Youzhny was a dangerous match up, but our nerves soon turned to confidence, as he easily progressed with a 6-3 6-2 6-2 win. The rust we saw in Doha was clearly reduced and we saw a lot of good glimpses of the in- form Rafa we like to see.

A second round qualifier turned out to give us a quite the shock. Tim Smyczek from America didn't seem like much of a challenge, but damn, were we wrong. Rafa won the first set well (6-3) but it all seemed to go downhill from there. He showed signs of weakness and dizziness in the second set and  onwards. It was incredibly worrying. He continued to go off court after each set, apparently to throw up. He lost the next two sets 6-3 7-6. At this point it seemed like the match was only going to travel in one direction, and that was away from us. An unhealthy, clearly very unwell Rafa was not good news. Then, something magical happened. I knew Rafa would fight as he always does, but there was no way I was expecting the dizzy and tired Nadal to come back in the way that he did. In an incredible battle, he won the next two sets 6-3 7-5 to win the match. Rafael's mental strength and resilience was tested again that night, and he performed beautifully. He never fails to impress me.

Even though he was through to the next round, the relief was slightly overpowered with worry. There was only a day of rest before the next match. However, he took it easy and recovered very well. In the 3rd round match against Dudi Sela, Rafa won 6-1 6-0 7-5. It was fantastic to see him playing so well and into the fourth round.

As the matches go on, I want the title more and more. We have a very long and tricky road ahead, so nothing is certain whatsoever. I'm delighted Rafa is into the fourth round, it just shows hard work pays off. I'm not happy with just that though, I aspire to see him fall to the ground once more and pick up another title.

Every now and then I have to think sensibly and realise just how difficult it's going to be. Let's take each match as it comes.

Rafa's next match is against Anderson, who is playing very well at the moment. It's going to be a tough one for sure.

I'll be awake at 3am ready to watch and tweet the whole thing, so join me on @_phenomenadal_

Melbourne has been wonderful so far. I've really enjoyed the first week, and I'm excited to see what the next brings.

Vamos.

Tennis Tribute Videos: Behind The Scenes

Hi everyone! Today I though I'd do something slightly different. As you know, I have made a couple of tribute videos recently, and I thought it would be interesting to give you some insight of the making of them.

To watch 'Rafa Nadal- 14' click here. To watch 'Rafa Nadal | Adversity' click here.


What you see on your screens is the slick, precisely edited version of a project. Behind the scenes there is a lot of work going on to ensure the videos are as good as they can be. If you were thinking of making one yourself or are simply interested, here are some tips.

1. Brainstorm. Get a big piece of paper and prepare to write a lot of lists. What is your video going to be about? A player? A tournament? Sometimes it takes a while for a good idea to pop into your head, but it will, you just have to be patient with yourself. Make sure you create a structure (beginning, middle, end) and plan exactly what you want it to include. This will make the research a lot easier.

2. Research. It's often a good idea to get your clips and matches first in bulk, so you can work straight away. This isn't essential though. Use YouTube or similar sites to search for clips and then convert them (there are loads of them on the internet) and upload them straight into your editing software. It's good to get loads of clips and then you can just pick and choose what bits you want to include. Bare in mind that whole matches take a long time to upload, so stick to highlights.

3. Edit. Now you have your clips (you might need to go back for more at some stage) you can begin to put it all together. Copy what you think might be useful in the video and then work around it. If it's a tribute to a player like mine are, get some good points in first, and then go back and find things to fill up space (e.g., slow mo's) You can rearrange as much as you like, so don't worry if it's not all in place. My first tribute video 'Rafa Nadal- 14' contained 14 sections, so each one had a similar process.

4. Music. This is the fun bit. Choose music to go over your video. You may want to use one song depending on it's length, or split it up into a few. Music can really uplift a video (or bring it down) so make sure you choose something fitting. For example, in my video about adversity, I used the song 'Not Giving In.'

5. Uploading. This is the bit where things can tend to go a bit wrong. As you may know, YouTube are strict with copyright. When I tried to upload my first tribute video, within seconds it was blocked worldwide. There aren't many ways to avoid this, but shorter videos tend to be able to get away with it. If it doesn't work, there are other platforms you can upload on, for example, Daily Motion. This isn't a perfect option as it won't get the publicity it would on YouTube, but sometimes it's the only way to upload.

I hope this helps if anyone is interested in making their own video. It's a lot of work but definitely worth it! Also, if anyone would like any help or has questions about the making process, feel free to contact me!

Thanks for reading!

Nadal's Quest in Melbourne: 2015

After a bittersweet week in Doha, next up is the Australian Open!

A first round exit in Doha was slighting worrying regarding Rafa's match preparation before Melbourne. However, after a very successful week in doubles winning the title, (see here) Rafa has had some more opportunities to be on court. The win will surely improve his confidence, giving him an even better chance of starting the Australian Open strong.

As this is still the start of a comeback, we cannot be sure how Rafa will play or react to some tough matches that await in Melbourne. One thing is for sure though, Rafa will work as hard as possible and do everything he can to be ready for the first slam of the year.

Many tennis enthusiasts share the same view that Rafa will either exit the tournament early or get deep into competition. I agree. If Rafa can get over the first week, his confidence will be high and he'll have a really good chance at the title. We know that Rafa's form is not perfect and his tennis needs adjustments, but a slam is a tournament you can really play into. Lots of rounds that are all 5 sets will allow room for improvement.

Even if Rafa does play himself into form, the competition is so tough. Federer, Djokovic and Murray are all playing great as usual and the quality of tennis from most competitors is so strong right now. The likes of Dimitrov and Raonic are leading the new generation and improving each tournament. The standard in Melbourne will undoubtedly be very high.

After a heartbreaking final last year and some unlucky moments in the past (see here) I'd love Rafa to pick up a second title at the Australian Open. It's a tournament I've always loved and so has he, it would be amazingly special to watch him bite another trophy. However, we have no idea what is going to happen. Rafans will just have to take one match at a time and just enjoy having him back on court.

I'm very excited to watch the tournament and I can't wait to see what happens. I'm hungry for success and I'm sure Rafa is too… we'll see.

Vamos.

@_phenomenadal_

Doubles Success in Doha!

After a 1st round loss in singles, Rafa's success has been soaring in Doha. A long break with many difficult moments has suddenly got a lot brighter!

Rafico (Rafa + Pico) have won their first doubles title in Doha, defeating Julian Knowle and Phillip Oswald in the final! This is Rafa's 4th double's title in Doha and 9th overall! I could not be happier! Both players were absolutely delighted.

Rafico played a fantastic tournament winning some great matches and beating some tough opponents, including Novak Djokovic and his partner. 

Rafa and all his fans are so happy with the news, it's so special winning a title, especially when Rafa get's to do it with one of his best friends.

This news is fantastic regarding the Australian Open too. After a rough start in Doha we were worried he would not get any more match play before the grand slam. However, winning matches in doubles to win the title has clearly improved his play and his confidence. Unfortunately doubles was not streamed or broadcasted until the final as it was on court 1 (bad move Doha!), but watching the final was delightful. Rafa won some amazing points and his forehand was just brilliant! Very promising signs.

Winning a title will improve his confidence massively, giving him that extra bit of stability going into Australia. Rafa's prospects are looking a lot better now.

A big congratulations to Rafa and Pico. It was a pleasure to watch them pick up their title today, those smiles on their faces are unforgettable.

Thank you Doha!