Morning, everyone. :)

So it sounds like Rafa played well? That's nice to know. :) Commiserations, Spacie and greenhopper and other Tsonga fans.

I think the issue is always going to be that Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Rome are in three consecutive weeks. Those are all tournaments that Rafa has done very well in over the years, two of them are Masters with lots of points at stake, and the one in between is the tournament that he considers his home tourney. Last year he won all three, which was a superhuman effort (especially given the battles Djokovic gave him), but it took a lot out of him for the rest of the clay season.

On the other hand, if he misses Madrid altogether, he goes into RG having not played at all for three straight weeks, which is not the best way for a rhythm player to enter a Slam.

isnt rafa skipping Mardid the same as Fed skipping Basle? ridiculous@!

imjimmy/rafadoc: It's late and i'm kinda tired but you guys were being facetious, right?

I think it's perfectly appropriate for rafa's fans to be thinking about his schedule, his health, his psyche and whatever else we feel may effect his game. Last year was a rollercoaster that began on such a high and then came crashing down. I don't think i'll ever take rafa's winning ways for granted ever again.

When Fed was in something of a slump and losing unexpectedly and smashing raquets, his fans here filled page after page of comments analysing his serve, worrying about his back, the lingering effects of his mono, impending fatherhood, baby watches, name games and on and on. It's no different for us.

Tim- Barcelona is more important to some Spanish players on clay than Madird. Some may sneer down but just because Madrid has an 1000 tied to it does NOT imo wash away the long history of Barcelona. At all.

Commiserations for Samantha, too. (and congratulations, LOL) Caroline put up a really good fight from what I saw.

Jai- Rafa skipped Hamburg I think two or three times before getting the RG title.

"barcelina MORE essential than Madrid?"

Barcelona may not have Madrid's 1000 points but the Barcelona tournament had been the most important tournament held in Spain for over 100 years.

To Spaniards who hold tradition dear, Barcelona is the most important tennis tournament held in Spain.

Screw Madrid's extra 500 points and screw Tiriac.

Rafa skipping Barcelona is the same as Fed skipping Basel. Barcelona is more important to rafa than Madrid.

I don't think any of the players on the ATP make excuses for losses. Losses are losses. You don't hear any player in a presser saying I lost because my tummy ached or i had a fight with my girlfriend or whatever. If they are injured they retire. Any talk of injury excuses is a fiction made up by posters who have run out of things to say.

Thanks msf- I have just read for years how important Barcelona is to Spanish players and history. Just because Ian say Madrid is more special doesn't make it so. And Rafa is a traditionalist in some ways. I really am bitter about Madrid being a clay Masters. A better call would have been to make it Barcelona or move something like BA after Miami and make it a clay Masters.

ohm man u rafa kids, never seen a more defensive bunch in my life... oooh ,altitude, horror of horrors! how much more advnatage does rafa need than home country, home surface, u act like he's playing on indoor hardcourt or something...geez... Rafa should be glad there are so many clay court masters events on red clay and stop complaining like a baby

Well I just got back from getting fish for Good Friday Goodness me!!!!!!!!!

First up

It is 2010 right? Rafa played Joe in the AO 2008 correct and has played him and beaten him on h.courts after that.Rafa's head to head was 5-1 before this match.So how does this match Ever Relate to this current one?????

2nd fact

The most important reason Rafa plays Barcelona its because that is his Club and he has fond memeories.

Madrid is just 1000 points. No tradition since it's brand new. The players said the courts were terrible. And the practice courts were even worse. I guess the architecture is supposed to be WOW but it looked kind of industrial and cold to me.

Several people have posted that Barcelona is rafa's home club.

Tim- this is not even about Rafa. I am a fan of the clay surface and the history behind it. Full stop. I have said several times why I am not a fan of Madrid as a clay Masters. Not everything is about a certain player. I do not like Madrid getting the clay Masters the way it did and I think SA deserves a Masters and I think if clay Masters was in Spain it should not be in Madrid the way Ian got it. That is fully independent of Rafa. It is what I feel and love about the game.

heed your own advice Tim, and stop complaining. abt Rafa, his moonballs and Rafa KADs. and it doesn't even matter if you refuse to... cos we'll just go on our merry whingeing ways of saying Madrid's blue surface/altitude and whatnot sux. kinda like someone i know.

Annie Thats what I just posted.

greenhopper:

The RC Glasses group of postings was 95% tongue in cheek. I didn't take them very seriously. I wasn't expecting anyone else to do so.

As far as "good" errors, I agree that sometimes there are "good" errors. You probably saw more "good" ones among Rafa's early collection in the Tsonga match than I did.

I was watching the match on a laptop while I multitasked. You may have been watching the match more closely.

So your opinion on the matter could very well be more valid than mine.

imjimmy Seeing you are sensible are you still around.I would like your views on this match

Good morning,

No more upsets while I was sleeping :). Congrats to Rafa and his fans. Commisserations to Tsonga and his fans.

It's getting more and more difficult to find the right thread at TW. I hope this can be solved soon.

Right on the money about Barcelona. Tradition and status. Tiriac&Co have a long way to catch up.

I saw a little bit of Justine-Caro and Justine is playing well. Battle of Belgium again :)

well if Rafa would have won Madrid last year, the rafa KIDS would LOVE the event lol... so be it

Carrie: true, he didn't play Hamburg in 2005 and 2006. But in both those years there was only a 2-week gap between the end of Rome and the start of RG. (And in both years he played a tough 5-setter to win Rome.) The clay-court calendar seems to have changed a few times in the past five years.

Anyway, fingers crossed. He's certainly capable of going into RG and winning it after three weeks of no match practice. The idea just makes me a little uncomfortable.

Manuel I never take you serious at all.

Tim Stop stirring up the Rafa kids you know they come in Hook,Line and Sinker?

zenggi Hi.Thanks for the wishes.Rafa played much better.Though you would think he won a bloody GS title.There is still a long way to go.

Tim- I will only speak for myself. I would not love Madrid if Rafa won it. I think it should have gone to Barcelona. I love history and Barcelona has it in spades. I think that Ian is a crook. I have never liked him even when he was coaching Boris- who I was a huge fan of. I still steam when I think that South America does not have a Masters tournament or even a freaking 500 torunament (to my knowledge) there. This has NOTHING to do with Rafa but has to do with the sport. Sneer down on it all you want.

gottta say Rafa KADS are nothing if not persistent! still amazes me how Fed comments are about if he LOSES one event, he's going down, and if Rafs WINS one event, he's BACK on top ... however

I think its gonna be funny to see Roddick's pathetic little chip get pounded by Rafa's moonballs in the semis... i acutlaly look forward to that, i HATE Roddicks' pushy ball tactics from the baseline, he deserves to get punished big time ...

Tim, stop lumping rafa fans together. And there is only one baby on this board. Take a bow. Now put in your binkie and go to bed.

hee marg!

Tim LOL!!! I give you extra points for being relentless no?

annie cant take the heat? typical...

Carrie: something tells me we would get along :) I was a huge boris fan...I was also a big McEnroe fan..don't know if you're old enough to have watched him.

I am still scratching my head to where Rafa fans said their guy was on top. More that they were just happy with his play in this match. One match at a time- that is Zen right?

Zen not lasting....

AM today at work there were hot X buns that had chocolate in them, due to me being in a hurry I picked one up thinking it had fruit in it. Took a small bite then threw the bun away in disgust. Even though I have 2 1/2 days to go I don't particularly like choc chips in my hot X buns.

Tim You have them just where you want them? they never learn.

Now that I think of it, boris had alot of the same charm that rafa has. I remember when he first won wimbledon he was very humble and witty for such a young champion. I don't think they have much in common now though.

AA Yikes I could not think of anything worse.They have Mocha Hot Cross buns here too.

I did my Easter egg shopping after Rafa's match and everyone was handing out chocholates Ahhhh.

I stayed strong,

"I am still scratching my head to where Rafa fans said their guy was on top"

Carrie, clearly a figment of the poster's imagination.

Annie - Boris winning his 1985 (yes?) Wimbledon title was one of THE main sporting events of my childhood. It was during the summer, we had HBO, I swan and biked with friends at early childhood hours and family would watch Wimbledon together when I came back and ate lunch- sometimes my mom would tell me to come home early because of the time differences. Salad days. A lot of my family memories are around tennis. My first sports memories are watching Steelers games in Pittsburgh and then McEnroe/Borg matches. In family get togethers we play tennnis. I am horrible- but the rest are very good. My dad has won some USTA dubs title in his age group.

Gosh, I think Rafa fans are just happy that he didn't play "WTF pusher tennis" (TM imjimmy) & managed to beat a top 10 player seemingly in form for the first time in about six months...don't see what's wrong with being happy about that. I think most of us know there's a long way to go to winning the tournament and being properly "back", etc.

As for the skillet...I say enammelled cast-iron is the thing. :)

Hi zenggi!

Jewell, way way too heavy. i know they're the best for cooking but i can barely lift my dutch oven.

Hi AM,
I'm glad to hear that Rafa played well.

There is an interview with Tiriac a few days ago. He says that Madrid is a great tournament even if Nadal isn't playing. He tried last year to get a 32-players instead of a 56-players draw but it wasn't allowed by the ATP. This make it very difficult for the players because they have to play 5 days in a row. He insists that the blue clay was tested by several players (Feliciano, FernandoV and Dinara) and they liked it and it's better for TV viewers. He is certain that all the problems of last year with the courts will be solved. He says that the altitude difference between Madrid and Paris is about 300 m.

Yeah, Tiriac, go back to your books because the difference is 600 m.

http://www.as.com/tenis/articulo/tenis-nadal-madrid-seguiria-siendo/dasten/20100327dasdaiten_1/Tes

"still amazes me how Fed comments are about if he LOSES one event, he's going down, and if Rafs WINS one event, he's BACK on top"

Tim: what's truly amazing is that despite being such a Federer KAD yourself, you never seem to understand that the expectations set by Fed's achievements over the years are much higher than the expectations set by Rafa's (especially off clay). Fed will always be held to a completely different (and unreal) set of standards. And this is a Rafa fan talking.

Jewell Hi,good to see you came out of your covers.I havent read imjimmys thoughts.I had to go to the Fish markets tommorrow is Good Friday here.Was happy to see Rafa turn up and played much better than against David.

Tim you have been at your stirring best.I will have to read your posts

Hi jewell,
I see that no matter who is playing both of us cannot wake up at 3 in the morning to watch tennis. I would have been sorry had Roger won but as he lost his match, I was able yesterday to work normally. Or what normal is for me to work :). Did you recorded Rafa's match?

Guys it amazes me how none of you know How to Handle Tim

He is a Master of this lol!

I think imjimmy was actually - *gasp* - relatively happy with Rafa's play. There's a post a couple of pages back.

It's just nice for me to know he played a good, not-too-long match with no real wobbles. He's also gained a few points from last year, which is quite happy-making. :)

recorded = record. I'm making a record of my mistakes :)

AM- some can handle it. Some can not (ie me). But I have learned my lesson. Rafa fans need to take lessons from him because we don't know how to handle things and need to be told how to look at wins Iex. not the way they do but like him) and losses with the guiding hand of someone who will tell us that even if we like Rafa- he is nothing but a moonballer.

I didn't, zenggi, I can only watch ATP Masters tennis on Bet365 or equivalent. :)

Carrie: same for me. That '85 Wimby was very special. I was over the moon when Boris won. And wasn't he the first qualifier to ever win the title? My family all played together too. My dad finally had a court put in at our house and we would play all summer and any of our friends were welcome to come over any time. So there was always someone out there. My brother has couple of friends were spent summers with us and one year for christmas they had a local guy build us an umpire's chair! I thought it was very special that we had one on our court. (I was the youngest)

Andy is gonna get beaten like a stick with Rafa's moonballs..

Jewell I did sent him a memo "not to dilly dally" cause I had to go the fish markets and blow me down he did it in straights.

oh marg u always inspire me, GEs or not!

Newspapers full of soccer and basketball. NP, will not be happy with the Lakers.
I'm going to work. See you all later.

Vetmama says to scroll cos "things" will never change, that much i believe. cos "handling" isn't the way to go about dealing with "things". it encourages nasty bullying posts on a tennis blog. pathetic really, when you think abt the things that kind of wasted energy used to rip into Rafa could go into.

now i'm off to merrily scroll this page along. feel free to post more haterade, "things". Rafa KADs, you'll find me on Twitter and FB.

Carrie I think Rafa is one of the best Moonballers I have ever seen.Thats just one of his many bag of Party Tricks.

AM I don't think it is a case of people not knowing how to handle said poster but it just becomes so boring after awhile.

Rafa obviously knows not to mess with Madame President's schedule. :)

i just wish all the Rafa KADs appreciated my efforts more lol ... youd get nothing but puffballs if not for me around here, Pete and the rest just shower Rafa with softballs no matter how bad he plays, at least I call a Moonball a Moonball!

i can only imagine how Pete would write up a Federer title drought of 10 months! Rafa is like the most fearsome competitor in tennis history no matter how many matches he loses...

Tim Thanks I know deep down what you think of Rafa

Yes I agree regardless if he loses he still competes.

Wow Annie- sounds neat that ya'll had a court. We did not have any of that- even if we had the $ did not have the land for it. But my folks were very good and hoped that their children would be. Bro played juniors for a bit at decent state level until they realized his brain would be better used elsewhere. I never got to juniors when they realized that I am a klutz. (I could dance on the dancefloor though)

mina- stay. We need us fans here.

as I said, i want Rafa to win a damn title so all this excuse talk can END, and it can be about tennis again...

Tim- you call every Rafa shot a moonball and you call all Rafa fans deluded or not as good as you.

by the way, Henin proved today she's at least no. 3 in the world, easy...Kimmie might still be ahead of her so far...hope one of the belgie's beats Vee in the final would be awesome!

carrie, dont bite the moonball that feeds you!

that's the only accurate thing the "master" has said all night. Rafa is the most fearsome competitor in tennis history. spot on.

most of the time this blog enjoys posts by very witty, knowledgeable, nice people who aren't looking for a fight. What a shame that it takes you actual effort to come up with your irritating little ditties. like nails on a chalkboard..

Tim how can I - I am nothing but a fan of the moonballer who needs to be taught my way by a better fan such as you. Come Yoda- tell me more what I need to do. ;)

We're wasting just as much energy arguing pointlessly, no?

Carrie: but you can dance, that i cannot do to save my life. and i really wish i could.

I dunno why people bother reasoning with a wall ;-)

A wall, by definition, cannot be reasoned with.

Ever tried playing tennis with a wall?

OTOH, doors sometimes have emotions, I'm told.

BTW Tim, did you see Pete's post about Justine?

careful carrie, you are venturing into dark waters...

Ahhhh Pspace aka Tsonga fan aka Murray fan aka Rofer fan''

Hell I am running out of space

Annie- I am a very good club and wedding dancer- folks have approached me in those circumstances. But give me choreography and youch! I suck. Had to quite ballet.

Carrie i'm still here, just ignoring "things"... which is the very reason why a lot of Rafa fans (esp in the message boards) hate the guts of a certain player's fans... it gives them all the reasons to.

pity the new posters/lurkers who witness the spewing of vileness on the pages of TW. i do not blame those who have left for doing so. luckily there are places on the interwebs that are a refuge for Rafa fans/FOOPs... i stick around these parts for the people i've met here, good folks who are keen on the game and not creating/stirring/encouraging nastiness.

AM, you missed aka Rafa fan! Jajaja. I'm the Tiger Woods of KADs. Hey maybe I should root for him.

annie when u stop taking yourself and your man so seriusly, it might be easier to communicate... the hallmark of every Fed KAD is they know how to laugh at the shanks and Fred Federer matches, as well as enjoy winning 3 of the last 4 Slams, of course :)

the day u can play around with moonballs and canary yellow will be a breakthrough in the Fedal wars... as youll notice no Fed kids even bother to show up here anymore too much heavy lifting...

mina have you got anything planned for the easter break, besides watching tennis and eating hot x buns and chocolate easter eggs.

mina- where do you hang out? It can be hard to scroll- I had to leave one board because of that.

Have to defend Tim for a second...he's hardly "spewing vileness", is he?

And retaliatory hating of a whole group of fans is not the answer! And is totally unfair, too.

Pspace I cant keep up with you these days.Ok writng that one down for future use.

Sorry about Joe he started great.He has to play the big points better.He had his chances to break.

what's this!

"Murray considering representing Spain"

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/01042010/58/murray-considering-representing-spain.html

It's probably a BS, but that'd be cool. Rafa + Murray + the rest of Spanish gangs in DC!!

jewell- loveley peacemaker...but continually telling another group of fans how they are deficient can also rattle on the nerve cages.

No Fed kids? LOL, actually I've been thinking how many Federer fans have come back in recently - enjoyed seeing Christopher posting and crazyone being around more frequently, just as two examples. :)

Pspace: oh don't misunderstand, I had no desire to reason with anyone or anything. sometimes it feels good to stand up for oneself when being unreasonably maligned by a chronically constitpated crybaby.

Oh, believe me, Carrie, I know! I find it is annoying as anyone else.

AM, this has been going on with Jo for a year now. He wins most of the matches he's supposed to win (which is great), but he's lost the ability to go up a gear against the big dogs. Other than Nole who is his whipping boy, I think he's been losing to all other top 10 players. Oh well. I don't think the problem was just the big points...his overall approach to the game was kinda silly. I mean, did he really think he was going to beat Rafa staying at the baseline 90% of the time? Same thing happened against Fed in Oz. Just 0 creativity.

Oh well. End rant.

'nite all.

no missed Pete's posts, i cant quite get on board with them since the whole asterisk nonsense... might catch up soon if I have extra time, and Ive given up on most Rafa kids havin any sense of humor in any way shape or form, clearly it aint gonna happen ... thanks for the shout out jewel, i find it hysterical how many rafa kids think im the anti christ lol ... makes me laugh...

I will say i'm enjoying this. letting my id out for a stroll. this could become habit forming. maybe being an asshat online gets compulsive. like gambling.

"Murray considering representing Spain"

It's April Fool's Day :-).

J, i've seen the retaliatory thing, it ain't pretty i'll give you that much. and i do not engage in that kind of activity. the number of my Fed KAD friends attest to that, here on TW and elsewhere.

on your first point though, i respectfully disgree. we will have to agree to disgree on that one. *hugs*

Angel, hopefully at the beach, weather permitting. eating bunnies and eggs. the chocolate kind of course.

Some Guy, just some other guy here to point out that it's clearly an April Fool prank.

Pspace, I strongly recommend you google translate Jo's latest interview and tell me what you think. The dude is delusional and this is cause for concern.

http://www.jowiltsonga.fr/itw_fr.php

Pspace: you caught that one fast. I was falling for it for a split second.

good one!

but the real question is will tommy haas play for the U.S.?

Pspace Yes I too was a bit amazed at times that he didnt use the tactics like in 08.Though Rafa has improved since then on the h/court.Rafa was dominating from the baseline and also not giving Joe short approach shots.Joe has wonderful feel and touch at the net and is a great volley player.He does lose focus though at critical times of a match.His ROS is also a weakness.

greenhopper: but google translate is so bad that it might have twisted what he said. so maybe he's not as delusional as he sounds.