having seen the match I can say that the first set was decent. Second set Nadal made a few unforced errors , but in the third set especially , there were shades of him coming back to his best foorm . He even was striking well from his backhand wing. Plus this should give him good rest and boost his confidence for match against Verdasco(probably).

waiting for Nadal's post match interview so as to get an understanding of his level of play today. The quality of opponent was poor.
Cant believe that Veic actually reached the 3rd round.

Apparently, Veic played scintillating tennis against Davy free wheeling. He tried some of that today but Rafa is in a different league.

I feel great that Rafa has already played and won I can just relax and watch whoever now.

Finally a more relaxed match for Rafa. Next up most likely it's Ljuby. What's up with Verdasco, he's 2-5 down at the moment!

Ljuby has won 91% points on his first serve so far.

Rafa's post match interview

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/video/28052011/58/nadal-ple ased-control.html

Ljuby will be another stern test for Rafa..........his serve is an awesome weapon.

Patiance though Rafans, as he says, it is only a matter of time before his "A" game re-surfaces. It may not happen at the this FO, but it will come.

My sense is that our Rafa is getting a tad impatient to find his "A" game during matches, rushing his shots and piling up UEs. He is not playing his best but still reaching the finals, so no need to push the panic button as far as I am concerned.

Rafa's best is yet to come.......

Vamos!!!!!

I do agree that his best is yet to come, as I can see his improvement in his overall game, except that at present some of his tools are rusty. If he can polish or sharpen his tools and add in some new ones, I can see his game getting to another higher level. In the meantime, he seems to suffer from mental burnout and badly needs some rest and time away from competition. The way he sounded, that he mentioned that he's ten years in the tours but seemed like 100 years, it's like he was tired about it all at the moment. He needs time to recharge, to retool and refine his game, so that his oppositions won't be able to catch up with him soon. He didn't have that luxury end of last year, and this Feb/early March he was busy getting back to shape after his injury. He still has another three-four weeks to go before his next long break, so like it or not, he still has to toil his way through tournaments. I hope his competitive spirit is still there to see him through. Also his sense of pride in defending his titles may help too. Best wishes Rafa, do it for yourself, first and foremost. Make yourself happy, that's your first priority.

there's no reason why rafa shouldn't get through to the final. He has just played under par this tournament, may be fatigue is catching up with him? Can't see anyone stopping him except perhaps the finalist.

I commented on that, Luckystar, in a previous post on a separate blog......Rafa does appear to me to be tired........needs a break, a new challenge, he even looks bore at times during matches and I think this accounts for the recent "2nd set dips". I thin this is what Rafa is grappling with right now..........he cannot just walk away for a while (unthinkable!) and at the same time he just cannot find the inspiration to re-jig his game up a notch!!!

We really have to give Roger a lot of credit.........I believe a lot of the improvement in Rafa's game had a lot to do with the desire to be as good (if not better) than Roger.

I feel priviledged to have been witness to these 2 champions at the best of their respective games.......

I agree with you rafaisthebest, Rafa does look bored at times, not focused and with no inspiration...but, don't we all want sometime to escape from all the obligations we have and just be in piece...but, Rafa is a professional tennis player and he knows he has to fight...he may not be at his best but he should do his best to get better...you can't afford to get tired at the time when two major GS are happening...it would be irresponsible of him as a tennis player...I just hope he finds his focus and he starts trusting his game...he has so much more to offer to the tennis world...

Imagine being Uncle Toni, natashao, at this time in Rafa's life! He must be driving himself crazy trying to inspire his nephew (who he knows is better than what he is showing currently) to greater heights!!!

Keep at it, Uncle T...............VAMOS!!!!!!!

Well, I am with Uncle Toni on this :) Rafa is so great to watch when he is playing at his best level...he is enjoyable to watch even when he struggles, the way he brings strength to every shot he plays...he should know how amazing he is! And he should be hungry for more! He is only 24...Rafa has no reason to be discouraged and down...the sun is coming out for him and he should grab his piece of it! His best is yet to come and it will be soon...VAMOS RAFA!!!

Rafa sounds like he's bored of giving his best week in week out because the season is too long and arduous. He says it's more like work than a passion and I think that's getting to him. Also his recent losses to Djokovic must have taken their toll.

I've always thought that the reason Rafa doesn't do well after Wimbledon is because he takes his foot off the accelerator a bit having ensured his ranking for the year and just coasts along till the end of the season. Maybe this years he'll try to get Cincy and Montreal and one of the Asian swing to make up for his lack of titles so far this year.


Vamos Rafa!

No wonder Rafa is dreaming of two-year ranking points. As he said, even if you are away for 6 months, you can come back slipping only a few places instead of what's happening at present where a top 4 like Delpo comes back as below 400.
If two-year ranking points were there, Rafa would probably have taken three months off. By timing breaks properly, continuous domination could also perhaps be avoided. With all players more able to rest and recuperate and recharge their mental batteries, there would be better competition. I think ATP should seriously consider Rafa's idea.

holdserve, while I enjoy seeing Rafa at the top of pile I do not want the suits to change the ranking system just to suit Rafa..............he is good enough to haul himself up on his own mettle, he does not need a hand-up.

What is amazing for me is that, despite the obvious lackluster performances, he has consistently been in the finals! That is amazing folks..............what is missing is just something to click the switch for Rafa and HE WILL BE UNBEATABLE.

I think it's all up to Uncle T........he needs to find something to jolt Rafa into "the zone". For me, the reason he has been losing to Nole (apart from Nole's superior game of course) is that Rafa has been middling in this listless zone and waiting for Nole to implode. Well, clearly that is not going to happen, to beat Nole, Rafa has to win the matches rather than wait for Nole to lose them. And for that, Rafa needs to step up a gear, and for that he needs inspiration......and this is where Uncle T comes in.............

His "C" game is getting him to the finals.........I shudder to think the damage he will do when his "A"game finally clicks........

Luby is playing Rafa next....and we all know he is a dangerous player....but why does he have to come out and say stupid things like things;

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iOxlHetl iYU1zxFpq7SMKE4ksXOQ?docId=CNG.0523b3d2cc2f33b4bd9269bded6f6be6.3a1



We have seen Andy adopt the same losers' strategy i.e. attempt to "big" themselves up pre-match by talking down Rafa's chances.........do these people never learn?

Just shut the ******* up, turn up for the match and do your talking on it, will ya? I do try to be respectful towards Rafa's opponents but when they go and say things like this I just lose it tbh..............it's sooooooo disrespectful to Rafa and I hate it.

What makes it worse is you never hear Rafa speak like this about an opponent, ever....

Hey rafaisthebest, please check the link you posted. It is not working.
Re: Rafa's ranking system, it is a brilliant concept. Just because Federer fans have attacked it claiming that Rafa wants to extend his reign by the change, it does not mean Rafa fans should not examine it.
First of all, it will not benefit Rafa. Any change in the ranking system will take a minimum of 2 or 3 years, probably 5 years, as all the parties affected have to agree or at least be given due notice.
So let us not imagine that Rafa's suggestion, if implemented, will benefit him. It will benefit a future great.

http://www.10sballs.com/2011/05/29/nadal%E2%80%99s-confidence-shaken-a ccording-to-ljubicic/

Hope this link works, holdserve..........

the 2 year system is a gr8 idea but I prefer the current system because it shows who's the best and on form... Altho it creates situations such as Delpo being 400, this is good for Grand SLams because we'll get to witness some tough matches in the 1st week. Otherwise, we'll only see a Delpo-Djoko match in QFs earliest and watch more top players against qualifiers in 1st week which normally results to one-sided matches

PARIS: Veteran Ivan Ljubicic hopes to take advantage of a "shaken" Rafael Nadal and send the five-time champion and world number one out of the French Open on Monday.

French Open 2011

Although the 32-year-old Croatian admitted the great Spaniard is still the man to beat on clay, he also knows that the intense squeeze being applied by Novak Djokovic is causing cracks in the top seed's armour.

"There is no question that his confidence is shaken. You see him in the locker room. He's saying it. He's not hiding it. He's just not feeling as comfortable as he was feeling last year," said Ljubicic.

"And even the matches he's winning, he's not dominating as much as he used to be."

Djokovic, on a 42-match winning streak, came into Paris having deposed Nadal as champion at the Madrid and Rome claycourt events.

Nadal also has the extra pressure of having to win a record-equalling sixth French Open title to thwart Djokovic's hopes of snatching the world number one spot.

However, Ljubicic, who has won two of eight career meetings with Nadal, believes it would be foolish to write off the champion.

"We all know that the more the tournament progresses, he's playing better tennis," he said.

"He's definitely still the man to beat on clay. But if they play the final, I think Novak will be slight favourite."

rafaisthebest, this is what Rafa gets for speaking about his lost confidence, talking about the pressure he is feeling, and complaining about the rankings and the long season...Don?t blame Ljuby for stating the obvious, Rafa isn't hiding anything and I find it all wrong...That's exactly what I was saying before, Rafa looks so vulnerable in his interviews and I so much object this honesty of his...he should be proud and silent! Don?t give your opponents the weapon to shoot you...and that is what he is doing making the statements like that...

and Ljuby is doing a smart thing: killing Rafa's confidence even more, playing mind games with Rafa...I hope both Rafa and his team are smart enough to deal with this! Rafa is so much better player than Ljuby, the guy is 32 and Rafa should be able to beat him even if he is not playing his best...I can't believe Rafa would let these mind games get to him...

natashao, don't blame luby for being honest! He isn't playing mind games. Fact is rafa isn't enjoying his tennis anymore. Nadline mentioned this earlier.

"He's definitely still the man to beat on clay. - How is he playing mind games here? He isn't. If anything, he is being honourable towards nadal. What do you expect? him to get down on his knees when he is a compatriot from serbia? Wake up for god's sake.

First of all, even if Rafa defends his title, he still can't prevent Nole from getting the no.1 ranking, if Nole reaches the final. So basically Nole needs to depend on his own effort to get to no.1, ie beats whoever stands before him to at least reach the final.

Unlike torres, I feel that cases of Nole/Delpo meeting too early in a tournament may not be good for the players themselves. Can't imagine Delpo gets knocked out in the third round(by Nole) while others like Falla, Chela or Fognini get to advance further because they don't need to face Nole in R3. So Rafa's suggestion is good, in that it may prevent top players from falling off too far from their rankings while being injured and absent from the tours for a while. Also players can plan their schedule better with more breathing space and rest period. I think it makes it more difficult for a single player to dominate too!

Rafa mentioned in his pressor that he needs time to work on his game and right now the schedule won't allow it. I doubt uncle Toni can do anything right now to Rafa's game. He can only encourage Rafa and instill some positive thinking into Rafa, the rest is up to Rafa himself, whether he chooses to go out there to fight or chooses to be disinterested. I believe Rafa will choose to fight, for that's his very nature.

Well, Rafa's match with Ljubicic will help us gauge the top seed's form.
I don't think Rafa cares much for mind games. He doesn't play such games, leaving it to masters of the art like Federer, nor is he affected by them when others play it. That is why he is so honest in the locker room and in his interviews.
Rafa isn't affected by losing to Nole repeatedly. He lacks confidence because he is losing, period. He doesn't have anybody in his head. If he wins the French Open, even if it is not against Nole, he will be recharged.
If once he experiences the thrill of being in the zone and operating at a different level, if he produces unbelievable tennis to win points without constantly thinking of tactics and strategy but instinctively, if he does it, he will find himself- the Rafa of old will be back, enjoying playing, not finding it a grind, not feeling he has been playing for a 100 years.

compatriot from Serbia?! what are you talking about? Ljuby is CROAT, and it has nothing to do with Serbia...

and I also SAID but you obviously do not know how to read that Ljuby was stating the obvious...and then I said that HIM SAYING THAT means that he is playing mind games with Rafa...it is not up to him to say that in his interviews...he might have just said "I believe I have chances" not talking about Rafa's confidence issues...you won't hear Nole saying that because he does not need mind games to be able to beat Rafa..he is simply better than him right now..but Ljuby isn't and he thinks by shaking rafa's confidence even more might help him...did you read the title of this article?

Rafa is playing 2nd tomorrow on PC.

I hope I'll have a smile on my face after the match.


Vamos Rafa!

natashao,

I happen to agree with your comments. You don't need to defend yourself. It's not like Rafa to talk so much and reveal these things. He always keeps a lot to himself. Now he is giving his opponents ammunition by telling them and everyone else what he is thinking and feeling.

I also do not think that Rafa should take time off to recharge or whatever. First of all, he can't because this is the busiest time of the tennis year with two grand slams back-to-back. That's what Borg did after McEnroe beat him again at the USO in 1981 and he never came back. He tried but couldn't do it. You don't walk away, you stay and fight through it! Rafa is a great warrior, someone who has always fought hard. He can find his way through this latest challenge.

I do think the match with Ljuby could be tough, because he is another one like Isner who puts a lot of pressure on his opponent to hold serve. That is something that Rafa has not been able to do. Rafa does have a way of rising to challenges and I hope that is what will happen tomorrow.

oh shut up natashao for god's sake. luby and novak are great friends. it's you who are trying to drive a wedge between them thinking that luby isn't doing his friend down when he isn't and there's no way that luby would take rafa's side over novak. silly woman. You weren't in the locker room, you don't know what happened. you are becoming hysterical.

maxi, you completely misunderstood me...I never talked about Ljuby and Novak; I have no idea what you are talking about. I thought you were saying ljuby is Serb. I never thought Ljuby would play down Novak, he has no reason to do so! And I did not think he was playing mind games when he said Nole would be the slight favorite...it isn't only Ljuby who thinks so...I thought he was playing mind games by talking about Rafa losing his confidence...

And there is no point arguing with you...you are not only rude, offensive and incapable of understanding what other people are trying to say, but above all you have some serious issues with yourself...

natashao, I apologise if I was rude to you. I think that I became frustrated because I know that luby and novak live near each other in monaco, so it came as no surprise that luby said that he 'supports' novak. This shouldn't come as a surprise.

It bothers me to think that you think luby should say nothing. Really, the issue is that rafa should say nothing. But he has been honest about how he is feeling, even to the press. people have commented on it and said it is unusual. Then nadline has added he isn't enjoying his tennis anymore.
How does anyone know what is going through his mind?

But he was back on the practice courts this morning so he couldn't be that bothered by the way things are. You will probably find after all of this, it is rafa playing the mindgames, lol. Seriously, cant we just enjoy the FO? It's been great so far.

As a Rafa fan I respect the moments when Rafa speaks with honesty and is open when he is questioned. For this reason I don't mind what Luby is saying in the slightest. He is not saying anything new or anything that Rafa has not expressed himself. Luby also said everyone knows he will get stronger every match and that he still thinks Rafa is the man to beat so which comments should we focus on?

Should we focus on Ferrer's comments of the other day when he basically implied that Rafa's lack of confidence was due to the pressure that he is feeling from Djokovic? Noooo, I mind less so because David is Rafa's friend, David is an honest guy and I don't think Rafa would be bothered.

In the end though none of it matters! If Rafa is playing his "A" game he is as close to unbeatable as there has ever been. It does not matter what mind games others are trying to employ, only he can find that game and mental state within himself. Period.

well, I was also trying to say that one cannot blame Ljuby for saying it as he was just interpreting and benefiting to some extent from what Rafa has been telling all the way...and I still do not think Rafa has to expose his feelings to the public and play down on himself...Rafa is not playing his A game, everyone is able to see that, we do not need his statements on lack of confidence...he is just making his opponents stronger by doing so...one thing I admire with Fed is that he has always been strong and he has never let the press manipulate him...

it's ok maxi..you are right...we should just enjoy this FO...

Rafa always downplays himself and speaks much higher of his opponents than he needs too. :)

I'm not sure if he actually believes in what he speaks, because he does at times seem to back of those feelings with nervous starts, but that is Rafa. He is respectful and humble and for that he has always been open to improve. I much prefer that approach than Federer's.

Otherwise, in speaking of his own mental state and where he's at with his game, I think it also serves to divert people from theorizing so much about him being "past his prime", "best before date" or "losing his edge"... etc.. etc. He is saying this is mental, not physical, I'm not getting slower, I'm not any less dominant!! The tone of the articles coming out of Roland Garros has changed over the past couple of days. He is building himself the underdog and I think he likes that position best!

skassi, I hope you are right...I like your view much better...:)

Of course I'm right!

Right?...Right! :)

Of course skassi is right!