ON THE ROAD TO AN OBSESSION WITH RAFAEL NADAL, oh well

Rafa Nadal, the present tennis idol, was born in Manacor a small city of Spain. This image was caught in Les Glories (Clot), a commercial center of Barcelona. Source: bcndailyphoto
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Rafael Nadal making of the Elvive commercial

Nadal edges Tsonga at Indian Wells

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) -Rafael Nadal came back to win the final five games and beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Wednesday in an intense, crowd-pleasing rematch of their Australian Open semifinal.

Nadal, the defending Indian Wells champion, avenged his lopsided loss in Melbourne with a scrappy 6-7 (4), 7-6 (3) 7-5 victory Tuesday in the fourth round of the Pacific Life Open.

After Tsonga, a hard-hitting Frenchman, went up 5-2 in the third set, Nadal held serve the rest of the way and broke Tsonga's serve in the ninth and 11th games to take a 6-5 lead.

With the crowd beginning to cheer even as he set up for the shot, the Spaniard capped the match by slamming an overhead past Tsonga.

The 22-year-old Tsonga, who has vaulted from 212 in the rankings in 2006 to No. 17, upset No. 2 Nadal 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 in the Australian Open semis before losing to Novak Djokovic in the final.

Tsonga played brilliantly at times in the rematch against the 21-year-old Nadal, but mistakes cost him at other times.

After ending a long rally when both hit several outstanding shots, Tsonga ended it with a drop shot that Nadal somehow managed to hit back, then a bang-bang volley that left Nadal lying on the ground at the end of the point. That brought Tsonga back from a 15-40 deficit to deuce in the 11th game, but he quickly followed that with a double-fault, then hit a forehand long to lose the game.

Driving powerful forehands down the lines, Tsonga had 47 winners overall - but made 56 unforced errors. The far more consistent Nadal finished with 27 winners and 27 unforced errors. Tsonga, who had 18 aces when he stunned Nadal in Australia, had 11 against him at Indian Wells, but also double-faulted seven times.

The match lasted 3 hours, 3 minutes, and the crowd seemed rapt, reacting loudly to practically every point. Some fans yelled ``Go, Ali!'' a Tsonga nickname alluding to his resemblance to boxing great Muhammad Ali, and others screaming, ``You can do it, Rafa!''

In other matches, Djokovic advanced with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Guillermo Canas; Tommy Haas edged Andy Murray 2-6, 7-5, 6-3; and David Nalbandian beat Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-2, 6-2.

In a women's quarterfinal, Svetlana Kuznetsova beat Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2, 6-4.

Source: tennis

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Rafael Nadal with Bon Jovi song Unbreakable
uploaded by CROMATADOR of Croatia

A Rafa interview done March 27, 2007 follows:

Date of Birth: June 3, 1986 In: Manacor, Mallorca, Spain.

Childhood Heroes: "I don't know, I don't have."

Hobbies/Interests: "I like fishing. Not actual fishing -- I like the peace and quiet of being at sea. It's different. I like (to) stay with my friends. Go to beach. Go to cinema. Soccer. Play golf."

Nicknames: Rafa, The Raging Bull.

Favorite Movies: Gladiator, Titanic.

Musical Tastes: "Bryan Adams, Bon Jovi, David Brisbal -- Spanish singer I listen to a lot. Mana -- he's Mexican."

Early Tennis Memory: "Four hours -- practice one or two times a week."

Favorite Meal: "Olives, steak, pasta, fish."

Favorite Breakfast Cereal: "Frosted Flakes in hot chocolate."

Favorite Breakfast Cereal: "Frosted Flakes in hot chocolate."

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: "Vanilla."

Pre-Match Feeling: "I play with incredible motivation. A little bit nervous, but good."

First Job: "Tennis."

First Car: "Kia Sportage."

Greatest Sports Moment: "I don't know, I have a lot of good moments. When I (was) young I won the World Cup. (Defeating) Federer in Miami (in straight sets in their first meeting in 2004). My first ATP title in Sopot (Poland). Winning the French Open (2005, 2006)."

Most Painful Moment: "I don't know. When I stay injured three months (stress fracture in left ankle joint in 2004). Missed Monte Carlo, Rome, Hamburg, Paris (Roland Garros), Wimbledon."

Closest Tennis Friends: "I have all the Spanish players. And I have good relations with all players. Carlos Moya. I know him for so long. I know him very well. He's very sharp. He's a great person even outside the game of tennis. A great guy. One of the best players in the world. I get along very well with Carlos."

Funniest Players Encountered: "I don't know."

Toughest Competitors: "All the players, they is playing good. And I think the best player now is Federer. But all players good. Hewitt. Blake."

Favorite Tournament(s): "I like many of them. I cannot name one."

Childhood Dream: "I like a lot the futbol, the soccer. But I like my first dream is any one day I can do the No. 1 in tennis."

Favorite Athletes To Watch: "Ronaldo. Thierry Henry. Frank Lampard. Zidane. Ronaldino. FC Barcelona is a club I have supported for a long time. (Basketball?) Pau Gasol -- he's playing in Memphis. (Tennis?) Federer -- he plays very nice. He can do all the shots. I like him. And Hewitt. Because I like the mentality."

Favorite Vacation Spot: "In Mallorca."

Funny Tennis Memory: "Hmmm. I don't know because I have a lot moments funny and a lot of moments good."

Future Ambition(s): "I'd like to be No. 1. I'd also like to win the Grand Slam more than become No. 1. I'm still young and have a lot to learn."

People Qualities Most Admired: "For me is good. The good persons."

Source: sportsline