Practice makes perfect

Hi everyone,

A waiting day today. Practice, treatment on my knee and waiting and getting ready for tomorrow (today's match). As every day I started with breakfast in front of the hotel where we have discovered a place with nice croissants. We went straight to see the "laser dottore" as I call him now. It is the sixth day of the treatment and feeling much better now. That laser treatment, the physiotherapy and other things that are doing for me, together with time are really working well and I have to be very thankful to all the people helping me.

We had the car booked at 11.30 to take us to from the hotel to the tournament site. We thought there would not be much traffic but instead we found some. I believe that this week, everybody that lives in NYC they leave for holidays but the city fills up with tourists and visitors. What am I? I am not a tourist nor a visitor, well there are also some tennis players in town :-) It took us almost 25 minutes to get to the tournament. I like to get to my practice on-time, well ahead, since I have to tape both ankles and get ready for the practice. I take it very seriously. As much as a match. I tape both ankles every time I play or practice like most of the players, and that takes some time. On another hand there is also the other player that wants to practice so that's another reason to be on-time.

Roger (Federer) was also in the locker room since he was up next to play. We talked a little bit with him, Ives Allegro, Stan Wawrinka and some others. We also watched while taping and getting ready a bit of the Sharapova match as well as the Davydenko against Almagro.

One of the things I talked about today (not with Roger but after) was that at every match there is always a player calling the trainer. I mean, at every single match or almost, the trainer comes to treat a player. This happens more on these hard courts since they are worst for the body. Not as soft to play on as clay or grass. Those are more natural surfaces for the body and the joints suffer less. My uncle Toni has a very strong opinion about this and believes that there should be less tournaments on hard since they are unhealthier. I agree.

After practice I did an interview with Eurosport on court. One of the commentators (the German guy) played a few points with me. Benito, my press manager, had told me that the commentator was a pretty good player and that I would not get bored too much. Obviously he was wrong :-). But it is true that I did not get bored. We played 3 or 4 points and then did a nice and different interview. After that I came back to the locker room, ate something at the player's restaurant upstairs and got back to the locker room to get some treatment with Michael Novotny who's is being great. I had the chance to see parts of the Lopez v Young match. I am happy he won. Some pressure there for him.

At around 6 we came back to Manhattan to see the "dottore" . Tomorrow I play second after 11 am, a decent time also for TV in Europe. The knee is much better and I prefer to play at that time. Much better.

Thanks for everything.

Rafa.

Comments

[sarah]

good luck in todays match i will be able to watch it =] cos it will be on at about 6 =] so GOOOO NADDDYYYY!! glad the knees getting better too xxxxx

[Bridget]

So glad you're feeling better every day!! Waiting for the match to start now... Hope I get to see the Eurosport interview; maybe someone will post it on utube--?
Ta, Bridget

[Indigo]

I completely agree with you there, Rafael, about the hard surfaces being not so good for the body.
As a former dancer, I have always watched on what kind of floor I was dancing, and have seen many injured for life for just one appearance on a too hard floor...
I think it is ridiculous that we don't respect the nature of our bodies in making those surfaces so far from what we need.
I still think you, Rafa, can win easily on these hard surfaces, and you can be sure we are cheering you on today and wishing you the very very best!
Still, let's really hope they change the surfaces, for the benefit of all! And of course, I hope for your benefit first... ;->
Seriously, this would just be going back to good sense!!!

[regina]

good luck for today!!! I will watch the match at eurosport! I hope you'll win! All the best!

[Alexandra]

Good luck for your next match!!!!I'm happy to know that your knee come much better!!Take care of you and show us your best tennis !!!Is this hard for you the pressure and how you can control it?
Thank's Rafa!!!
Te Quiero
Alexandra

[EK Lee]

¡Hola, Rafa! I´m also the one from vamosbrigade.com -Hello, Mac, it's rafabulous. -

Thankfully, I can watch you on TV tonight!!
Even though your match will be around 2 am here, I'll be awake and root for you.

I have a very good feeling about your match today. Just be yourself and fight!

¡Vamos,Rafa!

EK Lee in Seoul

[Iara]

Hi Rafa,

it makes sense what you and your uncle said about hard courts... The players are the ones that end up suffering in the end, and well, I guess if the players get injured and they have do retire (or can't play at their best level), it's a problem for the tournament too, so...

We (the fans) also appreciate everything that "laser dottore", his miracle laser and what all the other doctors are doing for you!

Good luck today Rafa! = )

[Karina]

Good luck Rafa!!

[Ngoc Bich]

I think you had a good preparing for next match. Your match will show over midnight in my country but i will try to watch it.

Thanks for your blog ^^

[fella]

words to define rafael nadal
humble,kind, discreet,
he hasn't the royal blood but he deserves the crown, he is the king,
vamos

[Hilde]

Your match will be at a better time today for us, Europeans, indeed.

I woke up to see your previous match, Rafa, but they didn't show it on tv sadly so I was stuck looking at a scoreboard.

Anyway, good luck for today: be strong, confident, enjoy yourself and know that a lot of people around the world are supporting you, encouraging you from behind our computers, tv,...

[Dubravka]

Wish you good luck and all the best.

Greetings from Serbia.

[Thomas (France)]

Hola Rafael !
First of all, I would like to congratulate you about the two matches you won, even if you had fisical problems ! Bravo !
Also,before a match,do you think more about your technic (forehand backhand) or the tactics ?
Good luck for the next match !
Hope that your knee will be all right !
=D

[Duyen]

Hey Rafa!!
Good luck for today's match
:D:D

[Yvonne]

We in Europe also like it when you play at this time of day :-)) Good luck - we'll all be cheering you on!

[MAC]

Good luck today. Everyone at vamosbrigade.com will be cheering you on through this one.