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RG: Shall we dance?
AP Photo/David Vincent In the day’s last semi, Rafa took on #8 Andy Murray. The day was sunny and solar powered Rafa was enjoying it. Perhaps being from a rainy climate, the sun didn’t seem to have the...
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RG: #9
AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic Another slam final, another Rafole match. It was their 42nd meeting overall and their 7th slam final. As often happens with these two, we kind of ended up just praying they...
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Halle: Hi! Bye!
Thomas Starke/Bongarts/Getty Images For his first (and only) match in Halle, Rafa lost to Dustin Brown 6-4, 6-1. I wouldn’t read much into this. Rafa was tired. Brown’s game is tailor made for grass...
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Rafa confirmed for Hurlingham
Photo via www.bnpparibastennisclassic.com Rafa has been added to the roster of the BNP Paribas Tennis Classic – a Wimbledon warm-up exhibition taking place at the Hurlingham Club. Per their website, he...
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Wimbledon: The draw
Mike Hewitt/Getty Images The draw for Wimbledon was performed this morning and it’s now been posted to their site (pdf). Federer is in Rafa’s half while Murray was drawn into Djokovic’s. Rafa’s first...
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Wimbledon: Win #700
REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett For his first match in the 2014 Wimbledon tournament, Rafa played #51 Martin Klizan. He had a chance to achieve his 700th win on the tour (only the 11th player in history to do...
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Wimbledon: Order restored
Jan Kruger/Getty Images In his second round match, Rafa took on #52 Rosol. The hype leading into the match was insane. Yes, we all remembered what happened two years ago. Vividly. We also knew that...
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Wimbledon: Roof closed? No problem
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images In his 3rd round match (yay! 3rd round!), Rafa took on #63 Mikhail Kukushkin under a closed center court roof. Rafa seemed tentative at first – his timing was off and the...
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Wimbledon: Grass loves a big server
AP Photo/Ben Curtis In his 4th round match at Wimbledon, Rafa took on young, big serving and hard hitting #144 Nick Kyrgios. Going into the match, Kyrgios had a reputation of playing fearless big...
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Rafa withdraws from Rogers Cup and Cincinnati
Photo by Beth Wilson Per a statement on the Cincinnati site, Rafa has withdrawn from the Rogers Cup and Cincinnati tournaments with a right wrist injury. “Unfortunately I injured my right wrist...
View ArticleRafa withdraws from the US Open
Rafa announced his withdrawal from the US Open via Facebook. I’m very sad that he won’t be there to defend his title, but think it’s better for the long term that he doesn’t push his wrist and risk...
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Nike Tech Pack Look Book
Nike’s published their Fall Tech Pack look book. It’s a huge file, so I’ve extracted the Rafa pages (pdf) for quicker downloading. And here are the images – enjoy! Photos © Nike.
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Beijing: The Draw
Lintao Zhang/Getty Images The singles and doubles draw for Beijing was done today, and Rafa’s certainly going to be challenged in his first tournament back. In doubles, he’ll team up with Pablo Andujar...
View ArticleBeijing: Rafa/Andujar lose to Berdych/Isner
Rafa kicked off his Beijing campaign with a little doubles. He and Pablo Andujar played Tomas Berdych and John Isner on the Moon Court. They lost 5-7, 6-4, 4-10. The match wasn’t broadcast, but...
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Beijing: Bagel breakfast
AFP Rafa played #22 Richard Gasquet for his first tour level singles match since Wimbledon today. He broke early in the first set and, while both guys managed to get in-roads into the other’s service...
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Beijing: No go for Gojo
Emmanuel Wong/Getty Images In his second singles match in Beijing, Rafa took on #122 Peter Gojowczyk. The two had only played once before when Gojowczyk took a set off Rafa in Doha last year. The match...
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Beijing: Outhit
AP Photo/Vincent Thian Rafa took on #56 Martin Klizan today in the Beijing quarterfinals. They’d played twice before with Klizan taking the first set 6-4 each time. When Klizan broke to go up 5-4 in...
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Shanghai: The draw
AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko The draw for Shanghai was performed while we all are still in a bit of a Beijing funk. After a first round bye, Rafa’s will play the winner of a match between Feliciano Lopez...
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Shanghai: Playing through appendicitis
Photo via @shrolexmasters Rafa gave a presser this morning and we now know why he hasn’t been practicing: he has “a beginning of appendicitis.” This condition was diagnosed Sunday after Rafa spent a...
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Shanghai: So long and thanks for the anti-biotics
REUTERS/Aly Song Rafa and his ailing appendix played #21 Feliciano Lopez today in Shanghai. Feli broke in the 6th game of the first set and that was the only break he needed. He took the first set 6-3....
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