DEAR RAFA, PLEASE TAKE A REST AND COME BACK STRONG

I simply adore Rafa Nadal. His tennis abilities and the way he moves that fabulous body. The passion he displays on the court. The spirit that drives him. His willingness to be “out there”. Check out his blog
http://timesonline.typepad.com/rafael_nadal/

Rafael Nadal appears genuine and unpretentious and I always adore that in any human being.

Hewitt and Nadal as doubles partners

Rafa

I’m still feeling perturbed by Wimbledon’s scheduling decisions that forced him to play without time for his body to fairly recuperate this year. His physical injuries can be traced back to Wimbledon. He won’t say it, but I will.

He lost in the tennis match at the US Open that went into the wee hours of the morning last night. I wish he had never played in the US Open ,in order to allow his body to mend without doing it more harm and requiring even more time to mend itself. But I’m not him. So I just watch and feel for him.

Dear Rafa,

Why are you my favorite tennis player? It is "the heart" that you have and your willingness to let us see it. When I see those wonderful displays of fist pumps when you, 100%, are feeling your healthy self are missing, I know you are playing with physical pain.

I know I am not the only one who loves you and almost feels like you are family. But because of this special affection for you and your presence on the tennis court, it hurts to see you hurting. In a, perhaps, corny sort of way, I say "I carry your heart in my heart". From a distance, I do love and care for you and your happiness in your chosen tennis career.

Now, puhleez give your body a well-deserved rest.

Like family, your special fans will be here waiting for your healthy, mended body to return in our sights on the tennis court. We will miss you until then.

Take very good care of yourself. And love to your family...

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR_NoszHMAs

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iT74CQqRi7Y

One of his fans wrote on his blog:

Maná is one of your favorite bands, what's your favorite song by them and why? - Yasna, Belgrade

Rafael Nadal: ...I love Mana. I think they are the best. But they have so many songs I like that I could not tell you just one. The US Open asked me for my favourite songs to play them during my matches and I asked for Mana.

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Honoring Rafa, here is Carlos Santana & Mana singing Corazon Espinado at Latin Grammy Award Los Angeles September 13, 2000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Unn_WH8oqHE
Ojala pudiera borrarte by Mana

http://www.protennisfan.com/2005/10/rafael_nadal_in.html

Interview posted after Rafa's loss to David Ferrer above link

Ferrer upsets Nadal in U.S. Open marathon match

from

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2007/09/nadal_upset_by_ferrer_at_us_op.html

by David Waldstein

Wednesday September 05, 2007, 2:33 AM

The article begins this way:

Imagine the surprise awaiting the citizens of Spain who awoke at the reasonable hour of 7:00 a.m. and happened to switch on the TV looking for the morning news.

When images of their two native sons slugging it out blinked on, they must have first assumed it was highlights from the previous evening's event.

Who would have guessed that it was in fact live, that Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer were still in the third set of their grueling match, and that there was plenty of tense moments still to come, even as those back home prepared for school and work back in Spain……

Between my eyes and heart a pact is made,
And they each now do good things for the other:
When my eyes are starved for a look (at you),
Or my heart smothers itself with sighs,
On my love's picture my eyes do feast
And my eyes call my heart to this beautiful picture;
Another time my eyes are my heart's guests
And in its thoughts of love do share a part:
So, either by your picture of my love,
You are still with me when you are away;
For you are not farther than my thoughts can move,
And I am always with them [my thoughts] as they are with you.
Or, if they are asleep, your picture before my eyes
Awakens my heart to the pleasures of both the heart and eye.

Thanks to

Dra House on www.rafaelnadal.com Fan Page

Shakespeare Soneto 47

Tennis-Open-Nadal stunned by Ferrer at U.S. Open

By Larry Fine

NEW YORK, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Spain's David Ferrer put in an inspired performance to upset second-seeded compatriot Rafael Nadal 6-7 6-4 7-6 6-2 in a U.S. Open fourth-round encounter that finished well into the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Ferrer's stunning victory over the French Open champion earned him a quarter-final showdown against 20th seed Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina.

Relying on a devastating forehand that produced 22 winners, Ferrer won the third-set tiebreaker 7-4 and roared to victory in the final set to end the three-hour, 28-minute slugfest at 1:50 a.m. local time on Arthur Ashe Stadium court.

The 25-year-old Ferrer, who had lost his last four matches against Nadal, clinched victory on his second match point when the world number two's backhand lob sailed past the baseline.

Nadal, who has been hampered by a knee injury and was treated on court for a finger problem, battled gamely, but the 21-year-old had no answer for Ferrer's heavy forehand and crisp all-round play in the tension-packed match.

"Tomorrow, I don't want to run more," Ferrer said in an on-court interview.

"Now I am very tired. To beat Rafa, I have to run a lot. I'm sorry for that, for my friend, for my partner, Rafa."

Ferrer, who beat Argentine David Nalbandian in five sets in the third round, blasted 48 winners in all as he matched his best previous grand slam result -- a quarter-finals appearance at the 2005 French Open.

EARLIEST EXIT

"He's a very good player," Nadal told reporters after making his earliest exit from a grand slam this year.

"He's having an unbelievable season. He's one of the best players in the world right now."

The three-times French Open champion preferred to credit Ferrer, who won in Auckland and Bastad this year, rather than detail how his physical condition might have affected him.

"I don't want to speak about my body right now. It's an excuse. I don't want any excuse. He played well and he beat me."

Nadal hit 33 winners himself in the pulsating match but found Ferrer able to retrieve his fierce groundstrokes.

"He's very fast," Nadal said.

"For me it's not a surprise. Sure it's disappointing for me but that's tennis. That's the sport. I'm having a very good season," added the Spaniard, who reached the quarters at the Australian Open, the Wimbledon final and has won six singles titles.

"It's disappointing for me because I can't play 100 percent because of the problem with the knees.

"But I do the best that I can."

from
http://uk.reuters.com/article/wtMostRead/idUKSP9836520070905?pageNumber=1

David Ferrer played fabulously against Rafa Nadal and deserves his due. David's interview after defeating his friend Rafa:
http://www.tennis-x.com/story/2007-09-05/l.php

“He’s too good of a player not to do good here,” James Courier recommending Rafa rethink his scheduling of tournaments. Personally, I have found Courier abrasive, annoying and repulsive... in the kindest tone of voice I can attempt through the written word. But I thought in this comment, he succinctly addressed Rafa's situation. I agree Rafa now has to stop and rethink his schedule just because his body is “talking” to him.

I adore Rafa and "tennis" wins if he can have a long and successful tennis carreer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj5xAkT03p4 Rafa and Xisca. I admit I hesitated including this link of Rafa and his girlfriend. Seems too personal to display here. So if you want to see it link to it at Youtube.

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We Are Simply Wrong to Allow Genocide to Go On
In Darfur. 

Silence kills.
Complicity encourages and emboldens.
Apathy disgraces us individually and collectively. 

We are, each one, responsible for our personal silence.

Genocide flourishes
when you and I don’t care enough to do something.

The Beijing, China 2008 Olympics has chosen this theme

ONE WORLD, ONE DREAM

an admirable theme choice

And yet, China has been instrumental in the continuation
of the Darfur genocide - since its conception.

Websites with actions you can take to help end Genocide :

www.savedarfur.org

www.dreamfordarfur.org

www.standnow.org

Call to talk to your U.S. Senators and Representatives 1-800-GENOCIDE

George Bush’s Comment Line

202-456-1111

Call and tell him to live up to his word

and not to allow genocide to go on

On His Watch

Thanks!