TENNIS: Gracias Rafa

[JaneJeffer]

This is a rubbish week. First Doctors, now Rafa.

A lot of people seem to feel the ceremony last night was underwhelming. I’ve read that the organisers had something planned for the weekend which Andy and Djok had both planned to attend, possibly other players as well, but I guess it was all based on an assumption that Spain would win the tie. Which feels a bit disrespectful to the Dutch, honestly. In the circumstances it was probably unrealistic to expect everyone to hang around for 4 more days, so I can understand why they made the decision they made. Hopefully someone will post a version of Rafa’s speech with translation. I’d like to watch it again.

It’s so sad, apart from Novak, who I never had the love for I have to say, it seems as all the character has gone out of tennis atm. Yes, they all play amazingly well, with extraordinary athleticism , but the new players on the circuit just don’t have whatever it was that made the old players so special. They don’t seem to be in the game long enough to build up the loyalty and devotion that the likes of Murray, Rafa, Roger et al had , and so many of them play such similar games that it is often hard to tell who is playing at a glance, whereas you could always tell, oh that’s a Roger serve, or no one else but Rafa could have returned that!

It’s a shame, I love watching tennis - it’s the only sport I understand the rules for - but I don’t know that I will be glued to watching many matches in the future.

Happy retirements to Roger,Rafa and Andy, don’t leave it too late Novak.

I read a sweet thing yesterday, apparently Roger wrote a letter to Rafa, in which he revealed that his children have attended Rafa’s tennis academy and Roger joked he was worried they would be sent home playing left handed! The Federer children do give me hope, if they tried hard they could end up winning male and female singles, male doubles, female doubles and mixed doubles! .Good planning Roger.

Thanks for the new thread Jane

I think there's a replay of the ceremony (with translation) on the Tennis Channel you tube channel Ice but I've not watched it yet

It's a tough week for you Raahh - we didn't get round to talking about Timothy West either - I think he was in one of the last episodes of Doctors (and of course the scariest Tales of the Unexpected programme! 🐝)

I think it was right to do it last night (though I missed it)- it's always difficult to plan these things then they are based around results. I doubt anyone would have wanted to come back at the weekend having lost , so it had to be last night-and yes, disrespectful to assume the Dutch would lose (especially with a number one doubles player on the team, and a player who had recently beat Carlos.).

I doubt Rafa would have wanted anything overly glitzy- I think something was arranged for Rome, and he swerved it. So, he knew what he (and probably his family) could handle.

Just watching Carlos seaking about him in a press conference

Ahh,yes, Timothy was in the penultimate episode, Fizzy ! And 'Royal Jelly'- which is one of the classic TOTU episodes!.

The full love letter is here viques rafaelnadalfans.com/2024/11/19/roger-federer-online-letter-to-rafael-nadal-ahead-of-his-retirement-fedal-forever/

Uncle Toni's boys are up and coming and it will be interesting to see how they do and have a Nadal playing again but there's only one Rafa!

I am watching now. With my limited Spanish.
I'm glad it is in Spanish though, much better than making him muddle through in English( though I will miss his Rafa-ish)

I thought I would never watch again when Stefan retired.( He should have married me fight me, kazza) Of course I did, and then along came Rafa

I've loved watching other players, and I have no life , so will keep watching.

It's great to see players like Jannik becoming proper stars . Things like Riyadh are not so great, and the dumbing down stuff. But I will still watch.

I have no idea how Rafa kept talking all this time - he must have practiced over and over.

Oh, his sister.

The tears are coming now.

Oh heck, the videos. <sob>

Delpo- love him. The match in 2018 at Wimbledon was one of the best.

Aww, not-so baby anymore- Rafa . He's been to so many of these things this year, he's probably thinking it's just what people do.

Apart from the odd word here and there, I have absolutely no idea what Rafa said last night, unfortunately Raahh. I* *know it's the longest I've ever heard him speak for
Unfortunately, Annette got there before both of us

Thanks for the new thread Jane

kazza no, I watched it , pretending that my Duolingo Spanish and the obsession with apples was not helping at all . I got the gist from the expressions on his sister's face as much as anything! He's probably gone over it all so many times, he is glad to have finally said it one last time.

Yes, Annette got there first (shame she is so nice !)

It was low key, but suits him in some ways, he's got much less flash as he's got older. And he was such a big part of Feds retirement that perhaps he couldn't bear any more - remember them holding hands and sobbing?!

Sad that so few players there though overall. At least Andy got a whole Olympics to enjoy!

Roll on the Alcaraz era! 😍

Absolutely love him my favourite player.
Grew up watching Borg and McEnroe.
Soft spot for Boris Becker - we are a similar age so when he won Wimbledon as a teenager it was fantastic.
Wasn’t a huge fan of Sampras or Agassi.
When Roger arrived he really changed the game - literally. Between him, Rafa, Novak and Andy, they have achieved a really magical era.
There are lots of fantastic players coming through, of course.
But Rafa will be hard to beat for me.
I am hoping his son will play one day… and that I live to see it!!!

I don't post that often but I love this thread - you ladies are so knowledgeable!

I started off loving Borg (showing my age!)! Then Edberg - never liked Sampras, liked Hewitt and then Roger came along. However, once Rafa was on the scene, that was it for me. He became my favourite player ever!

A few matches stand out for me. Obviously THAT Wimbledon final but also when he thrashed Novak in the 2020 French Open final and then the Australian Open final where he somehow clawed his way to victory against Medvedev. All amazing stuff.

I will miss him so much as he really is a good human person but there are some exciting players out there. I'm hoping that Carlos and Jannik will have a great rivalry over the years.

Think we just be a similar age! What fantastic players we have been able to see…

Nobody liked Sampras

I see Uncle Toni is being criticised because he said he doesn't like Djokovic's celebrations when he wins a point. G'wan Toni

No, Pete and his flobby tongue <shudder> .

Uncle Toni is right- I mean the screaming and shirt ripping is the polar opposite of the 'humble' person Djok claims to be. Stark contrast to Jannik- you wouldn't have even known he had won last weekend!

And don't get me started on the violins and and the swooping arms stuff...

I agree with Uncle Toni!

Just switched the tennis on to see Italy winning the BJK cup - think those men need to put Jasmine Paolini down! They all seem very happy

I think there's a programme about Rafa on BBC radio 5 at 7.30pm tonight - it will probably be on BBC Sounds as well

I'm pleased for Jasmine and the team- what a year she has had.

I wonder if Italy will do the double and defend the Davis Cup too?

Yes Peggy we've been spoilt over the years with all these fantastic players. When you think of Rafa and how long his career has been it's just amazing!

Wrote this after the big retirement announcement….

Matador de Despedida

The boy from Manacor born into the most sporting of families,
Picked up a racquet never knowing that turning left from right,
Would be the key to his most illustrious future,
Bringing his infamous guns to power each fight.

An athlete, a warrior, a champion bottle-and-bottom fiddler,
This young pirate of tennis made Roland Garros his place,
Fourteen titles later he’s made a history unrivalled,
And in 2008 at Wimbledon the best match for the record books was truly his ace.

His never-say-die streak was a match for Roger’s elegance,
In them was a rivalry which brought so much joy,
Over years it turned into friendship, on court an intricate dance,
I shall miss it, as we watched each turn into a man from a boy.

You will remain forever my GOAT, Rafa, your leaving can’t diminish,
The lessons you taught me when covered in clay,
You got back up every time, your power your vulnerability,
And Nadal Junior on Philippe Chatrier? Let’s hope I live to see that day.

(My favourite player of all time.
My favourite sportsperson of all time.
Thank you for two decades of brilliance.
You will be very much missed.)

#rafaelnadal