WOW PHAU PLAYS WELL - RAFAEL NADAL WINS US OPEN ROUND ONE

RAFAEL NADAL in round one match at the US Open
against German Bjorn Phau
(Phau: pronounced by USA commentators as Pow)
August 25, 2008
Rafa wins 7-6(4), 6-3, 7-6(4)
Photo credit: AP

This is all from memory....so I may be wrong....
If any tennis professional player has reason to be tired, it is Rafael Nadal. He has played more tennis than any other player. He played two extremely difficult matches in Indian Wells as I recall. Then, he played in the Final in Miami. Then he went off to Europe and played in Monte Carlo and won the singles and the doubles. He won in Barcelona, Hamburg, The French Open, Queens, Wimbledon, Toronto, played enough in Cincinnati to go to Number 1 (I think it was the quarter finals) flew to China with a 12 hour time difference and won The Gold Medal in the Olympics, flew back to a time zone 12 hours different and now is in the US Open.

It is amazing to read just the headlines alone of his Round 1 match with Bjorn Phau of August 25. Then I have to remind myself, these writers of words make money from what they "say".

John McEnroe said it all so well in the night time coverage on USA tv channel Monday just before the ceremony to celebrate past winners of the US Open. He put it all in perspective.

There were some Rafa fans very upset that Rafa was going to play in the US Open in a new look. One with sleeves. Well, as it turns out, all the fans' angst about Rafa having some little pieces of fabric on the top of the biceps was a waste of energy and commentary. Rafa came out to play sleeveless.

Between watching the ceremony and the Democratic national convention, I post this. (Great speeches by Ted Kennedy and Craig Robinson and his sister, Michelle Obama.)

So this will have to do for now.

Two above photo credits by Getty/Elsa

Bjorn Phau from the match

Photo credits above: Getty

Fatigue not enough to stop Rafa

Source of the article

Rafael Nadal will never complain about winning in three sets - even if the victory required two tie-breakers against German qualifier Bjorn Phau in the first round of the US Open.

Seeded first in a major for the first time in his career, Nadal began his pursuit of tennis history - he is aiming to become the first player since Rod Laver in 1969 to win the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open in the same season - with a 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 7-6 (7-4) triumph on Monday.

"To win in three sets is always a good result," Nadal said.

"I had some difficult moments, but that's going to help me in the pressure moments."

Nadal's first pressure moments of the US Open came at the hands of the world's 136th-ranked player.

"He's a good player," Nadal said of his first-round foe.

"But I helped him a little bit today. I played with a little bit less intensity than the last few months."

Indeed, the Olympic champion was not nearly as sharp as he has been of late, presenting his German opponent with a handful of opportunities - thanks to 35 unforced errors.

The 22-year-old Spaniard dismissed the notion that he may have been looking past a lesser opponent, suggesting fatigue could have been a factor.

"I try to go round to round," Nadal added.

"I'm not thinking any further than the second round right now."

"I'm a little bit more tired than usual. The thing is to try to be good. Mentally and physically, I think I am playing good tennis."

Despite the long trip from Beijing, where he played some of his best tennis at the Olympic Games, Nadal was not willing to attribute his minor fatigue to anything but the normal grind of the professional tour.

"The system is very tough," Nadal said.

"The problem is I played Toronto, Cincinnati, Beijing, then came back here. So, two times in two weeks, I've had 12 hours of jet lag."

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Photo by Reuters

Nadal finally turns back pesky Phau

By Ricky Dimon

Rafael Nadal needs almost three hours to put away qualifier Bjorn Phau. He is joined in the U.S. Open second round by Gael Monfils.

Rafael Nadal d. Bjorn Phau 7-6(4), 6-3, 7-6(4)

Phau was advertised as one of the fastest men in tennis--along with Nadal--and the German qualifier sure lived up to that billing. Much to the delight of a packed house in Arthur Ashe Stadium, Phau made spectacular scramble after spectacular scramble and just would not go away; not even when his game slipped a bit in the first-set tiebreaker or when he got broken at 2-3 in the second. Phau dropped serve again at 4-4 in the third, but broke Nadal for the first time in the match for 5-5. Another tiebreaker was needed to decide things, and once again Nadal's game held up fine under the pressure whereas his opponent could not sustain the same level he had been showing throughout the afternoon. After two hours and 59 minutes, Nadal finally booked his place in the second round. Nadal will have to cut down on his unforced errors (35) as the tournament progresses.

Read the full article

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Round One
Rafael Nadal d Bjorn Phau in the US Open 2008
August 25

Photo credits by Elsa of Getty Images

Nadal Off to a Shaky Start from the Gulf Daily News - The Voice of Bahrain

US Open-Games weary Nadal and Dementieva battle on from Reuters UK

Head to Head Statistics of Nadal and Phau

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Some of the 1st set in the 1st round US Open August 25, 2008
Nadal d Phau
Uploaded by USOpenFreak2008

Youtube of Rafa's medical time-out in Round 1