ATP WHY CAN'T WE SEE PROFESSIONAL TENNIS? Had to miss THE MAN....RAFAEL NADAL THAT IS

HE'S THE MAN ~ RAFA NADAL READY FOR DJOKOVIC
at INDIAN WELLS SEMI FINALS 08

Rafa Nadal against Tsonga March 19, 08

Rafa Nadal v. Tsonga match March 19, 08

Rafa Nadal v. Tsonga match March 19, 08

Some of the fun

I missed at the Rafa Nadal v. James Blake match at Indian Wells 08.

Rafa v. Blake match March 20, 08, from here on down...

What's the problem with airing professional tennis? It is even in the same country as me and I still couldn't see it. Not even a live stream. Come on ATP, get a clue.

Nadal finally earns win over Blake

The Associated Press


INDIAN WELLS, Calif. - Defending champion Rafael Nadal beat James Blake on Thursday night for the first time in their four meetings to move into the Pacific Life Open semifinals.

Nadal finished off a 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 victory over his American opponent with a 128-mph ace, then sank to his knees and thrust his arms skyward.

He had finally taken the upper hand in the tight match when he broke Blake's service for a 5-3 lead in the third set.

The Spaniard, ranked No. 2 behind Roger Federer, then served out without losing another point.

The ninth-ranked Blake had beaten Nadal in the U.S. Open in 2005, then defeated him twice in 2006, including the semifinals in Indian Wells.

Federer, on the other side of the bracket, will play Tommy Haas in a quarterfinals match Friday.

More: tucsoncitizen

Nadal joins Djokovic in final four at Indian Wells

Indian Wells, CA (Sports Network) - Spaniard Rafael Nadal downed American James Blake under the lights to join Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic as a quarterfinal winner Thursday at the $3.589 million Pacific Life Open -- the first ATP Masters Series event of the year.

The second-seeded Nadal needed just over two hours to slip past the ninth- seeded American Blake 7-5, 3-6, 6-3. Blake's much-documented success against southpaws didn't come to fruition Thursday night, as Nadal did what he does best -- outlast the opponent with a grinding array of ground strokes.

Blake had won the previous three meetings, the last a straight-set victory at the 2006 Tennis Masters Cup in China. The defending champion Nadal overcame a shaky second set to advance.

The third-seeded Djokovic got past dangerous Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 in a sloppy match on the hardcourts at the sprawling Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

The reigning three-time French Open champion and two-time Wimbledon runner-up Nadal beat the Serbian Djokovic in last year's Indian Wells finale. Blake was the runner-up here in 2006.

Friday's remaining quarterfinals will pit top-ranked Swiss Roger Federer against unseeded German Tommy Haas and seventh-seeded Argentine David Nalbandian versus unseeded American Mardy Fish. Federer titled here back-to- back-to-back from 2004-06. Source: sportsnetwork

Personally....

I tried uploading so many live streams' software tonight March 20, 2008), once I realized tvunetwork wasn't going to air the Rafa v. Blake Indian Wells 08 match. BET365 can't have USA as a country choice ~ but I still tried and once I got it all set up, it said my area wasn't available.

I am a very, very unhappy tennis fan. So, as is my tendency, I speak up. If you want, you can add your voice. The link is what I used to send the message below to the ATP.

http://www.atptennis.com/en/aboutatp/contact.asp


March 20, 2008

Dear ATP,

I would like to be a very enthusiastic tennis fan. But I can't be, because there is no television or online streaming that I can get to see the Rafael Nadal v. James Blake Indian Wells 08 match tonight. I am thoroughly disappointed. If the ATP can't do something to get us the fans, broadcasts of our favorite tennis professional players, then you are not doing the sport of professional tennis any good. We the fans need to be accommodated. There needs to be a resolution. I have continually repeated my complaints to my cable television provider, Cox. But the ATP needs to address this problem. I shouldn't have to scramble every time Rafael Nadal plays a tournament to hunt down any possible way to watch the matches. And I shouldn't have to waste hours of my time searching and downloading live stream providers. Once I did this tonight with three live stream providers, in the end none of them serviced either the match or the area I live in, which is in Rhode Island, USA.

The talent of professional tennis players is outstanding but the coverage of the matches for the fans is totally unacceptable. Please, do something about this problem. Thank you in advance of doing something to solve this situation.

Sandra
Newport, RI, USA
Home of the International Tennis Hall of Fame

This is the automated response you will receive:
Thanks for your feedback. We appreciate you taking the time to help us make the World's No. 1 tennis web site even better. While all feedback will be read, due to the volume of emails we receive we cannot guarantee a personal reply.

I missed seeing the beautiful Rafa tonight and using my feelings, took this action. But one voice, won't be enough.

Please, consider joining me in this cause to see Rafa play in his Glory.

Thanks.

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Rafael Nadal v. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
Third set
Uploaded by Ivanovic of Istanbul, Turkey
(and I couldn't see this set on television ~ what's going on USA!)

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

RAFAEL NADAL WINS OVER JO-WILFRIED TSONGA AT INDIAN WELLS 08

I was so happy that cable’s Fox Sports Network was airing the Indian Wells Tennis tournament’s fourth round match of Mallorca, Spain's Rafael Nadal and France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Unbelievably, at the end of the second set, cable FSN left the match! So quickly, I went to the live feed on *TVUPlayer and watched the fuzzy and small screen for the final third set. At this time, I also logged into RafaelNadal to read the live chat of the match. The Rafa fans on the live chat were always two or three points ahead of my “live" streaming of the third set ~ so a little confusing at first, until I caught on.

* TVUPlayer how-to instructions at ilovemylife

Francisco Roig, Rafa's alternate coach, when Uncle Toni does not make the trip, is pictured here with Rafa. These pictures are of Rafa's practice for the Tsonga match by Bob Gaffney, a moderator at Rafa's website. Bob lives in Hawaii, but is at Indian Wells.

To find the statistics of the match...
Pacific Life Open go to the tabs at the top of the page and follow these links:
Results > Live Scores > Today’s Results, then go to the match between Nadal and Tsonga

The Indian Wells Pacific Life Open titles it as
"Nadal Outbattles Tsonga in Fourth Round Classic"

Score of the Nadal Tsonga 7-6 (4), 6-7 (3), 7-5

Rafa will play the winner of the James Blake (9) v. Richard Gasquet (8), which is played tonight “not before 7:00 p.m.” (California time). Here on the east coast that is 10:00 p.m. And if you want to see it, I suggest you try TVUPlayer, as FSN says at 10:00 p.m. – midnight, the women’s quarterfinals will be aired.

This afternoon’s Nadal match was so nerve-racking for me. It looked very scary as the match was going on, but I started contributing a little to the live chat, encouraging positive thoughts and prayers. It was a miracle in a way, in that Rafa came from behind.

That's why we love Rafa. I had tears in my eyes. We sent our positive thoughts from around the planet, And Rafa played with his inner bull. Thank you, Rafa - that's why we love you!

Perhaps it appears senseless to get so involved. But it is so much a part of my life as my dad was my Indiana high school basketball team coach, so I have experienced this tenseness all of my life. And Rafa is so beautiful to watch. The happiness of his reaction just elevates me. With due respect Tsonga is a magical player himself.

Rafa gets revenge to reach last eight

Eurosport - Wed, 19 Mar 23:47:00 2008

Defending champion Rafael Nadal came from a set down and 3-5 behind in the third to scrape past Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-7 7-6 7-5 in the Pacific Life Open fourth round.

In a repeat of this year's Australian Open semi-final in which Tsonga upset the Spaniard, Nadal gained revenge by winning a fluctuating encounter in just over three hours.

The second seed claimed the last four games as Tsonga's high-risk strategy ultimately backfired and will next meet either Frenchman Richard Gasquet or American James Blake who were due to play later.

On a sun-drenched afternoon at Indian Wells Tennis Garden, Nadal and Tsonga traded service breaks in the first two games of the match on the showpiece Stadium Court and then held serve to take the opening set into a tie-break.

Although the long-haired Spaniard established a 3-1 lead, Tsonga dominated the rest of the tie-break.

A searing forehand winner down the line put the 22-year-old Frenchman 4-3 up, an ace took him to 6-3 and he clinched the set 7-4 when left-hander Nadal hit a forehand long.

The second set also began with successive breaks of serve before the two baseline sluggers went into another tiebreak which the Spaniard won 7-3 after surging 5-0 clear.

Both players held serve in the third set until the sixth game when Nadal, who had controlled a protracted rally, over-hit a forehand to be broken and trail 2-4.

Tsonga appeared to be in control when leading 5-3 and serving for the match but he was broken by Nadal in an erratic game that ended when he pushed an explosive forehand wide.

The 17th-seeded Frenchman was again broken in the 11th, double-faulting before hitting another forehand long for the Spaniard to go 6-5 up.

Urged on by the crowd, Nadal served out to seal victory, clinching the final point with an overhead smash.

The aggressive Tsonga, nicknamed Ali for his resemblance to the former world heavyweight boxing champion, ended the match with an overall tally of 47 winners and 56 unforced errors.

Earlier, unseeded Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka beat South Korea's Lee Hyung-taik 6-1 5-7 6-4 to set up a quarter-final clash with Serb Novak Djokovic or Argentina's Guillermo Canas.

Third-seeded Djokovic was scheduled to play Canas later on Wednesday and Swiss world number one Roger Federer was due to face Croat Ivan Ljubicic in an evening match.

Nadal against 'Ali' Tsonga, revenge for Australia

"In my head the favourite is me" says the Frenchman
A. Delmás

March 19, 2008

In 1 hour 25 minutes, 25 unforced errors didn´t stop Rafael Nadal undoing with ease the very nervous Donald Young. The youngster (of 18 years) from South Side Chicago, only began to loosen up towards the end of the day, just as Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was undergoing a tortuous demolition of Paul-Henri Mathieu, 7-6 y 6-4 in 1 hour 48 minutes.

Before all this, Moyá had succumbed to the shots of Blake (6-3, 6-4). And later, David Ferrer despite putting up a tremendous fight against Korean Hyung-Taik Lee, of three tie-break sets lost 7-6, 6-7, 7-6, in 2 hours 50 minutes. But with the demolition of Mathieu, Ali Tsonga paved the path straight to Nadal. "In my head the favourite is me", were the first words the Frenchman said.

Tied

Until today, Nadal and Tsonga, two forces of nature, have collided a couple of times, both being in Grand Slam Tournaments. Tied at 1-1. In the round of 32 of the US Open 2007, Nadal came out ahead in three sets, despite back and knee problems 7-6, 6-2, 6-1. But in the semifinals of the 2008 Australian Open, Tsonga, hitting like a demon, swept aside Nadal 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 to face Djokovic in the final.

"Nadal is proud and loves challenges", Tsonga also said, before issuing words like a gunshot "I have the possibility of demonstrating that what happened in Australia wasn´t just luck. My quality isn´t purely tennis. I win many matches with motivation. I love to play with the crowd, that way I can impress my opponent." This boy carries something of Mohammed Ali in his veins. If it were not so, he wouldn´t talk like that. Those are the psychological declarations made by Ali before any great combat, like the celebrated one against Foreman in 1974, en Kinshasa. There was Tsonga´s father, Didier: "Ali, Boma-Ye", "Ali, kill him", urged the crowds of Kinshasa. "Ahe fambi", "go for him", in Bantu. Just like Didier urged his son against Djokovic in the great final of Australia.

Nadal bites his lips, he doesn´t give clues. "It is very difficult. To win I will have to give 100%". Tsonga might be Ali, but Nadal is like Frazier. There will be a fight.

Who didn´t have one was Roger Federer, who dispatched the Frenchman Nicolas Mahut in 53 minutes (6-1 y 6-1). Source: www.as.com

Want more? Indian Wells: By the Hour Tennis World
and asap sports

Thursday, March 20, 2008

STADIUM 1 start 11:00 am
[1] A Ivanovic (SRB) vs [12] V Zvonareva (RUS) - WTA

Not Before 1:00 PM
S Wawrinka (SUI) vs [16] G Canas (ARG) or [3] N Djokovic (SRB) - ATP
[3] J Jankovic (SRB) vs [24] L Davenport (USA) - WTA
M Koryttseva (UKR) / V Uhlirova (CZE) or [8] D Hantuchova (SVK) / A Sugiyama (JPN) vs [4] A Bondarenko (UKR) / K Bondarenko (UKR) or D Safina (RUS) / E Vesnina (RUS) - WTA

Not Before 7:00 PM
[9] J Blake (USA) vs [2] R Nadal (ESP) - ATP (Blake beat Gasquet 6-4, 6-2)
[1] B Bryan (USA) / M Bryan (USA) or M Mirnyi (BLR) / J Murray (GBR) vs [4] J Erlich (ISR) / A Ram (ISR) - ATP

Source: Pacific Life Open

SU REAL MACIZO, ESPERO QUE GANES ~ YOUR ROYAL HOTNESS, I HOPE YOU WIN

SOMETHING IN THE WAY HE MOVES ...

AND NOT TOO BAD TO LOOK AT, EITHER
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THIS IS WHY RAFA IS LOVED BY PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD

From: isabellachica

Espero que ganes = I hope you win.

Verte es muy entretenido o verte es un espectaculo = You are so much fun to watch.

Me encanta tu pasión = I love your passion.

Soy una gran admirador (admiradora) tuyo (tuya) = I am a big fan of yours.

Su Real Macizo = Your Royal Hotness.

VAMOS, RAFA!

March 19, 08 with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at Indian Wells '08