Rafateers on Tour

First topic message reminder :

This thread is capture all our adventures, musings, gossips, pics and other nonsense as we follow Rafa across the ATP tour.

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Vernon Will respond properly to your post tomorrow.

Woffie,
I have just "discovered" this thread, and I'm sick with how lucky, lucky you are, I am soo happy someone I "know" is out there soaking up that glory....I'm having a little cry on the inside now as I go to bed...
You know, I really have a very, very VERY soft spot for the Med and I haven't seen it for 2 years.....
I'd probably have a mini heart attack if I were to watch Nole in Monte Carlo.....
Please, plese Woffie, enjoy tomorrow doubly for your poor Noleisthebest, who'll be thinking of you while cooking garlic chicken for lunch (BBQ)

Evening all and particularly to our roving Rafateers at MC. I'm sure I heard you on the Sky coverage.

Yes, I too was very nervous today, but I think coming back strong in the 3rd set after dropping the 2nd is a big positive in the bigger picture (whatever the state of Andy's elbow). Andy had absolutely nothing to lose today. If he'd gone down 2 and 2, the press would have just gone "It's Rafa on clay. What do you expect ?" 6-4 in the 1st gave him respectability and then he could just go for it.

I know you get a different perspective when you're at a match live, rather than watching on the television, but I didn't think he actually played that badly in the 2nd, Wooffie. Andy was great on all those break points against him early on. I think Rafa would have won that set against most players.

I'm travelling to Barcelona tomorrow so I won't be able to watch the MC final, but I'll be there in spirit. I'll report in when I can.

Have a good trip home Wooffie, Denzy and Rafan (hopefully celebrating a 7th MC title).

Morning everyone

Well, yesterday was another rollercoaster wasn't it. I was a nervous wreck by the end of the 2nd set. I agree with Womble, watching it on telly, Rafa looked good first set, but Andy was also playing great. The 2nd I agree he was pretty dire (that second set-itis again). To be honest, I'm glad he had a tough match (and came through it) as that always seems to give him a kick up his mighty fine backside ().

I'm really happy that you got to speak to Mama. The Nadal ladies are all so lovely and natural and just seem to take everything in their stride.

Really looking forward to the final today. Have a great day Rafateers and hope you get to see Rafa biting that trophy live

As I was watching the match (on tv) today I was thinking of you and Rafan and Denz and I knew you'd be cheering furiously for our Rafa. I'm sure he appreciated your support. That was a tough match for him. Kudos to Andy for playing so well but like Womble said, it looked like Rafa was fighting damn hard too. That long long game in the second set kind of discouraged him and he basically conserved his energy after that so he could be at his best in the third and his strategy obviously worked. Whew! Our Rafa isn't the king of clay for nothin'!

Here's video of Rafa's presser. He looks gorgeous as usual but pretty knackered. Hope Maymo does his magic on him tonight and gets him into fine fettle for his match against Ferru. He's going to need it cause Daveed is going to run him ragged too. Ferru's presser is on this same site and it's only a couple of questions but he looks so sweet and so pleased with himself for getting to the final.
http://www.monte-carlorolexmasters.com/Tennis/Media/Videos/2011/04/Monte-Carlo-2011-Saturday-Interview-Nadal.aspx

High wooffie and girls
thats why I love reading your reports Wooffie.. you say it as it is. I seriously had to stop watching that second set. I was calling Rafa some very uncomplimentary names... he was taking time out. Simply keeping the ball in play and standing (as you said) so far back he might as well have been in the next court. He was treating it like a practice session . Made myself a cup of tea and came back when the 3rd set started... Hooray.. Rafa came back on court.
Tendinitis or no.. Murray would not have beaten the 3rd set Rafa. However, hungry Daveed may well take advantage of a tired Rafa and he needs to take control of the match from the word off. So come on Rafa.. we know this tournament is yours to lose so take it to him Rafa We wanna see you biting another trophy.

So glad you had a chance to tell Rafa´s mum what a great son she has ... Im sure she knows but all Mums love to hear nice things said about their children Bless

Anyway have a great day.. Vamos

Ladies were you the ones holding the Maymo Rafa sign? I think I saw you or at least one of you on the TV. A lady with medium lengthed straight brown hair and fair skin, you came up on the monitor and you made the satellite broadcast if that was you by the way.

Rafa's family is really good looking and handsome from Dad, the two uncles, Mom, and wow for sis. They seem like genuinely nice people as well.

Woohoo!!!! Hope you got some great pictures of our boy and that beautiful trophy Wooffs!

We were talking on another forum about what a momentous day it is for Rafa.

7
19
29
30
37
44
62


Consecutive Monte Carlo titles
Masters 1000 titles
Current unbeaten streak on clay
Clay court titles (tied with Borg)
Straight match wins at Monte Carlo
Total tournament titles
Match wins in a row on clay in month of April (since '05 MC)


Not too shabby, eh? Anyone got any more records we can relish?

I wonder what he will be able to achieve when he REALLY tries

7 in a row!!

What an amazing set of figures vernon. So glad for Rafa - a third straght final loss might have really dented his confidence. Onwards to Barcelona!!

Wonderful that our roving Rafateers were there to see it, and support our boy.

We need a somersault smiley! But this will do just fine

Another wobble towards the end but that just made it more exciting and the victory even sweeter. I don't think Rafa played his best but will be interested to hear the girls thoughts having seen it live. Too many unforced errors but luckily Daveeed was making them as well - nerves, pressure??

Anyway, who cares, he won and our lovely Roving Rafateers got to see it

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Cheers Wooffie, Rafan & not least Denzi. Thankyou for bringing Rafa so close to home. I obviously get the feel of the Med (walked by it myself today) but certainly the court looked so beautiful. So glad you all had a fantastic time, and that the adventure was worth the trip, culminating in the boy doing what we asked of him.. yet another trophy, and another 1000 points Rafa.
Agree that we never saw him at his absolute best but he has time to work on it and being back on his home "turf" he should be able to iron out the little problems.
Safe journey home... see you back here soon.

Good evening all my luvverly Rafateers...at home and away

I had a trouble free journey home, although it was a bit of a faff getting through passport control at Liverpool....took ages and everyone was totally charmless

However it did not diminish from a wonderful week on the Cote D' Azur...our apartment was first class, my bedroom was very comfortable with a beautiful view, and it was a real luxury to just get up in the morning without having to worry about Chickens/Dogs/Husband etc

Woofs had planned everything out so well, and we made the most of every minute we were there. Our wonderful day doing the sights in MC will live in the memory for ever, our lovely little local restaurant that was 5 min from our apartment, the fab supermarket and patisserie thar Rafan found around the corner....and of course the days at the Tennis in the company of Rafa and his family.....just a wonderful, wonderful week.

Thankyou to Woofs and Rafan for their company....we never stopped laughing the whole time we were there

Hi everyone

Still today Well, we have had a it of a drought lately so sure the rest of the forum will forgive us

Just wanted to add my thanks for the daily reports. They've been fantastic and just added another dimension to the tournament for us hearing all the 'backstage' snippets.

I love that the Nadal ladies are just as warm and lovely as we always imagined them to be and I am especially happy to find that I'm not the only one with a bit of a crush on Toni!

Rafan and Wooffs, safe journey home, and Denzi, happy you got home okay

a.

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rafandready wrote: The food was divine and I got very excited about an exotic pudding of tarte de citron meringuee (or something like that) until I worked out it was lemon meringue pie

LOl!

I'm so pleased you three lovely ladies had such a fantastic time.

I've loved reading about it in Wooffie's excellent reports......thanks Woofie.

Glad you're all back home safe and sound

Solerina

Thanks for the memories

Welcome back

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Thanks Wooffie, these are great

Lovely pics Wooffs .

Love the one of Rafa's crossed legs. We are getting arty with our photographs now, noh?

Soooo many lovely pics to choose from.....isn't it lovely to get so close to Rafa

Denzy ... its the best And yes Rafan ... we is soooooo arty!!

b.

Rafan! Fantastic report, well done you. Is the pen in a frame yet?

Rafan!!

I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE this report.

Oh thank you so much for bringing it to us.

Apart from that issue which we've discussed ... what a fabulous, fabulous day you had. Blue bits included. And you have your own <pen> <pen> story too!! :

Where's YI for Twitter <fangirl> reports??

Rafan ... super reporting as always. I hope that you are busy with your own self promotion and I cannot wait to see the pictures.

And finally ...

"de nada" ... <thud>

Loved the report as well. What a wonderful day you had and it's really lovely to hear that he was enjoying playing the doubles. Maybe we can make Marc! an honorary Rafateer as his company seems to be so good for Rafa.

Fab report Rafan! Sounds like a great day.

Rafandready asked for his hand in marriage which I thought showed far better ambition. She was sitting by an empty row of seats one of the officials had reserved for the player's guests and Maymo and Roig ended up just a few seats away from her.

Is there something you are not telling us, Rafan??

Can't believe I'd forgotten that

Was that on VB? When Rafa was about to do his signing this girl asked if she could have his hat. Then a young boy asked if he could have a racket. So I said, can I have your hand in marriage?

And oh yes...at one point I was sitting next to Maymo...separated by about 8 chairs! See...there's so much something was bound to slip through the net!

Well I've demolished a bar of choccie whilst reading that report....Darling Rafan, what a wonderful wonderful.....if somewhat blue day

And what's the bit that Woofs had just posted.....come on girl spill the beans

Looking forward to the pictures at the weekend....and looking forward to next weekend as well

Its from LoobyLoo's piece, Rafan.

You need to update your report. I mean ... when I help you with your self promotion, you want it all in there ... right??

What was his answer by the way??? :run2:

:envy:

So...did Rafa give his hat/racquet/hand in marriage.....hane Woofs and I got to got to Manchester for new hats....could be a long job in Woofs case

Can't believe Rafan left that bit out. I would have started with that in capitals, bold and underlined.

<moves head slowly to side whilst giving Denz a disdainful look>

I shall take the lead of our lovely Princess Catherine, and go for a fascinator, Denz. No need to worry about my big heid then ...

What was his answer by the way???

Well...to the girl who asked for the hat, he said "noh". He didn't answer me. I don't know whether that's worse or not

Just says to me that he's another dark horse ... like YOU !!

This girl always looks soooooo innoccent....but still waters run deep

I have edited my post to include that all important section

Cats, <pen><pen> is not in a frame, it is an important part of my "going to see Rafa kit" unlike sunglasses and suntan lotion. When the time comes for <pen><pen> to hang up its hat, it may find itself mounted in a glass case

I looked at my <pen><pen> this morning ... its not in a glass case by the way. Rafan had tempted me by saying a <pen><pen> story was on its way.

My <pen><pen> story was that I didn't have one when Rafa asked. I learnt this year and brought one ... He also used an Italian kid's pen at MC and funny old thing ... lobbed it at him. It missed and fell behind some boarding or other. Said Italian kid thought I got his pen. <harumph>

I felt a bit sorry for that Italian boy. I would be gutted to lose my <pen><pen>. It got my first Rafa autograph way back on 19 June 2009 when I met Rafa for the first evah time. Of course, I hardly ever mentioned it and now it has been surpassed a million times over. Kind of. Though it was extra special because it was just me (and Pearl when she did her drive by) and Rafa, and he held my hand in his big paw when I asked if I could shake it.

<sighs>

Well Denz, they say you never forget your first

<vomit>

Oh well that's just charming

Wonderful rafan fancy missing the smile that was meant for you alone Oh well youve got a pen