Unfortunately I'm not going to be able to make it to MC..I have a close family member facing a serious health challenge and I will use my travel time for that purposes..I will eventually get to see Rafa in MC God Bless
I am soo sorry to hear that news, hopefully things will work out for your family member health wise.
It also made CNN news and on our news here in Australia of Rafa falling out of the Top Ten, sad but a Incredible Record!I said I was going to be sad when it finally happened, and I am, but all great runs must end. Nadal fell out of the top 10 for the first time in nearly 18 years. I think someone else told us what the world looked like when Rafa first entered the Top 10, but not sure. Anyway, see below. Plus, Tony Blair was UK PM, George W Bush was US president, and John Paul II has just died a few months prior. (That's 6 PM's, 3 Presidents, and 2 Popes ago.) Also, Grey's Anatomy had just debuted on US TV. It would be two years before we got an iPhone.
The world looks very different from last time Rafael Nadal wasn't ranked in the top 10
Rafael Nadal has fallen out of the top 10 for the first time since April 2005 -- and a lot has changed since then.www.espn.com
Thanks for the kind words. Thanks all of you..God Bless
Oh, AP, I'm sorry this is a difficult time. Hoping the best for your family member. I hope this doesn't come off wrong, as in unfeeling, but it seems to me so many people I know, too, seem to have so much bad news these days. I know what you mean when you say that energies and travel time are just spent on family and friends right now. Hang in there, my friend.
It’s probably as remarkable a record as Pete’s six in a row, or Rafa’s own FO titles, and just as difficult to beat. Considering that it’s spread across 17 seasons, and he was absent for large swathes, it’s telling of his greatness in a unique way. Rafa pulled a shift like no other. He faced peak Federer when he was young, and then peak Novak after he himself had peaked, never having time alone at the top while his rivals might be in development or relative decline, where he might embellish his record with some cheap slams, and lazy weeks as number one.I said I was going to be sad when it finally happened, and I am, but all great runs must end. Nadal fell out of the top 10 for the first time in nearly 18 years. I think someone else told us what the world looked like when Rafa first entered the Top 10, but not sure. Anyway, see below. Plus, Tony Blair was UK PM, George W Bush was US president, and John Paul II has just died a few months prior. (That's 6 PM's, 3 Presidents, and 2 Popes ago.) Also, Grey's Anatomy had just debuted on US TV. It would be two years before we got an iPhone.
The world looks very different from last time Rafael Nadal wasn't ranked in the top 10
Rafael Nadal has fallen out of the top 10 for the first time since April 2005 -- and a lot has changed since then.
I was trying to address this on another thread the other day, and it was completely misunderstood, willfully, by another poster. Federer fans, and now Novak fans, keep talking about how Rafa's lack of weeks at #1 are a failing, because weeks at #1 are a measure of "consistency." But who was consistently in the top 10? As you say, who had to battle both on each side of his career? I will say again, because it's worth saying: who ever had to win 5 Majors before getting to #1? That was absolutely Roger having a laugh, because he was at his peak, and Rafa was still developing, and 5 years younger. In any other era, Rafa would have had plenty of time at #1 with his accomplishments, while instead he sat at #2, but consistently. Fed fans have sneered at Rafa's record weeks at #2, but that does speak to a consistency, since he was but a teenager, and about 22.2 when he got to #1. Roger was 22.6 when he reached #1 in Feb. 2004. With barely anyone to challenge him. And 2 Majors to his credit. Novak finally reached #1 in 2011, at 24.2, also with 2 Majors in the bank. For all of that, Rafa is still on the short list of all-time weeks at #1. You can only split those weeks so many ways, and I find it a bit rich that the Federer and Djokovic fans are so arrogant about it, given that Roger had such free-reign on the one side, and Novak had quite a lot on the other.It’s probably as remarkable a record as Pete’s six in a row, or Rafa’s own FO titles, and just as difficult to beat. Considering that it’s spread across 17 seasons, and he was absent for large swathes, it’s telling of his greatness in a unique way. Rafa pulled a shift like no other. He faced peak Federer when he was young, and then peak Novak after he himself had peaked, never having time alone at the top while his rivals might be in development or relative decline, where he might embellish his record with some cheap slams, and lazy weeks as number one.
Tremendous dedication at the highest level and a unique record of sportsmanship and unending and unrivalled good example to kids, which really matters a lot nowadays.
Vamos!!
I think I made that point regarding Rafa at age 18/19 with Rafa's,11 titles which included RG, not able to be No 1, with a pesky Roger Federer at 24 lurking lol! and at his peak after I read Paul Annacones thoughts, which I posted on the Alcaraz post, saying he at age 19 being No 1 is the best he has seen., Alcaraz hasnt faced the strong competition that Rafa faced at age 18/19 with his overall titles and still could not make No1.I am not down grading Carlos at all, as you know I am one of his biggest fans.,
Exactly. And what happened when Rafa became firmly established as number one after he beat Roger in Australia in 2009? Injured, and couldn’t defend his Wimbledon title: didn’t get back his form until 2010. So when people talk about number of weeks as number one, I dismiss it without giving it any real thought. It was impossible for him to rack up so many weeks as number one.
Rafa is not playing 'mind games' I can assure you, people do not realize how bad the tear was in his hip abductor, he is training hard with the videos I have watch, I would prefer he came back on the clay when he feels ready and able to competeRafa is playing mind games with the competition. Congratulations on RG #15 Rafa.
