Soap on a Rope

I was a soap-on-a-rope, and oh the things I saw ...

Image Source : VamosRafael

Nine for Nadal

What's with the sleeves ?!

Source : ATPtennis

Nadal thrashed Gaudio 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 to win the 2005 MercedesCup at Stuttgart, his ninth career title so far. With his 34th winning streak on clay, Nadal is the second player after Roger Federer to qualify for the Tennis Masters Cup.

“I think I played a very, very good match today. It was a difficult match because Gaston is a very good player. It was a very tough match. I think I played very focused all the time. I played very good in the important moments.”

“Today’s match and the match against Verdasco were my best matches this week. I’m very happy because I played better than in Roland Garros and in Bastad here in Stuttgart. Here I found my best game.”

“I’m very happy, this was my eighth title in nine finals this year, that’s unbelievable.”

“My goal now is to improve my game. I want to improve my game on hard court. My final goal for this year is to finish as the No. 2 in the world.”

About winning the MercedesCup without losing a set
“That’s special for me. It’s not easy to win a tournament and to win it without losing a set it means that I have been playing very focused during the whole tournament.”

About qualifying for the Tennis Masters Cup
“For me it’s a dream. Now I’m amongst the eight best players in the world, which is very important to me. I’ve been playing very well this year.”

“My objective in the beginning of the year was to stay in the Top 15. After three months my objective changed to be in the Top 10, and to reach the Tennis Masters Cup. Now I have reached my objective, and now I just want to improve every day, for every tournament.”

About playing in Shanghai
“It’s an exotic and nice place. Carlos Moya told me that it was a very, very nice tournament three years ago. For me it’s unbelievable. I hope the surface will not be too fast…”

Source : ATPtennis

I wonder what's going on in Rafa's head, travelling from tournament to tournament, facing crowd after adoring crowd, the media chasing him, crazy nuts setting up blogs in his name, breaking records, living doing what he loves. Lucky kid.

Wimbledon Champ 2005

Source : Wimbledon Official Site

There he is, the one for the fans to watch, the players to beat, and amateurs to ooh-ah at.