RAFAEL NADAL SCHEDULED TO PLAY ST PATRICK'S DAY in SINGLES & DOUBLES at INDIAN WELLS '09

I got four stitches in one of my fingers at the knuckle this afternoon. Typing is not wise. And lately I have been busy with Darfur and also trying to learn three different versions of uploading video to work on iMovie, at which I am a complete novice. I spent one entire night on it Saturday into Sunday and another near-all-nighter last night. I finally posted my first video at youtube. Unfortunately the video quality is even poorer than it was at iMovie where it wasn't that great to begin with as it started out as a poor quality VHS. Hopefully, I can make it clearer eventually.

Here is a link to it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnGJ5tBaY-w
You can't even see my facial expressions, the video is so unclear.

Sunday, I tried another project with my digital movie camera, but couldn't figure out how to upload it to my computer. I am taking private video editing classes and my second session is Wednesday. This project is for Darfur.

Anyway, I started this post to explain why I have been busy and not positng about Rafa Nadal at Indian Wells. Sorry to those who count on me for your Rafa connection.

And now about Rafa

In his second-round match at the BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells Rafa won over Michael Berrer 6-2, 6-1. He will play Dmitry Tursunov in the next round.

On Friday, Rafa and Marc Lopez won their first-round doubles match against Cermak and Mertinak, 7-6(2), 4-6, 10-7. They will play either the Bryan brothers in the next round.

Rafa did not play on Monday, March 16.

Here you can get the TV Schedule: http://www.bnpparibasopen.org/3/tournament/tv/default.asp

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Printable Tuesday's Order of Play (PDF)

STADIUM 1 start 11:00 am USA Pacific Standard Time (3 hours behind USA EST)
[4] V Zvonareva (RUS) vs N Li (CHN) - WTA

Not Before 1:00 PM

[3] N Djokovic (SRB) vs T Haas (GER) - ATP

[1] D Safina (RUS) vs J Craybas (USA) - WTA

[1] R Nadal (ESP) vs [26] D Tursunov (RUS) - ATP

Not Before 7:30 PM
[31] N Kiefer (GER) vs [7] A Roddick (USA) - ATP

Not Before 9:00 PM
[5] A Ivanovic (SRB) vs [12] F Pennetta (ITA) - WTA

Rafa's starting time depends on how long the matches scheduled before his match take. I would guess - no earlier than 4:00 p.m.

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Possible links for live streaming

http://atdhe.net/live-tv-4873.html

http://www.rojadirecta.com/

http://www.radiotennis.com/schedules.php

Also, for a fee you can watch it at

http://www.tennistv.com/page/LiveIndex/0,,11444,00.html?WT.mc_id=vb

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Rafa's doubles match with Marc Lopez against the Bryan brothers is also scheduled for Tuesday, 17 March, on Stadium 2 "after suitable rest."

See Below

STADIUM 2 start 11:00 am Pacific Standard Time (3 hours behind USA EST)

[9] C Wozniacki (DEN) vs [WC] U Radwanska (POL) - WTA

Not Before 1:00 PM

[30] J Melzer (AUT) vs [6] J Del Potro (ARG) - ATP

[WC] J Isner (USA) vs [24] M Safin (RUS) - ATP

S Querrey (USA) vs [16] S Wawrinka (SUI) - ATP

[12] D Ferrer (ESP) vs J Chardy (FRA) - ATP

[1] B Bryan (USA) / M Bryan (USA) vs [WC] M Lopez (ESP) / R Nadal (ESP) - ATP - After Suitable Rest

Rafael Nadal tosses the ball up before serving to Michael Berrer during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 15, 2009 in Indian Wells, California
Photo credit: Jeff Gross/Getty Images

Rafael Nadal of Spain follows through with a forehand to Michael Berrer during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 15, 2009 in Indian Wells, California
Photo credit: Jeff Gross/Getty Images

Rafael Nadal of Spain plays Michael Berrer of Germany at the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 15, 2009 in Indian Wells, California.
Photo credit: Robert Laberge/Getty Images North America

Pictures to Rafa's match with Michael Berrer:
http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/cImKemQOaLg/BNP+Paribas+Open+Day+7/2Ee6flxZfn8/Rafael+Nadal

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DARFUR

The US State Department blog:

http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entries/q_situation_darfur/

Why Activism (Still) Matters for Sudan… And What You Can Do

Given the recent International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and the reaction by Khartoum to expel sixteen local and international humanitarian aid organizations, robust and courageous action is needed now from the Obama administration and its allies. Enough's latest strategy paper argues that this kind of action will not be forthcoming unless there is demonstrated a political demand for it from dedicated constituencies of activists.

"In the past, thoughtful and persistent antigenocide activism has made a clear difference in the actions taken by political leaders in the international community," says Enough's field director and report co-author John Bagwell. "From diplomatic negotiations to peacekeeping operations to economic pressures, extraordinary activist efforts have been shedding light on the conflict in Darfur for over 5 years now and saving lives as a result."

"The activist movement for peace in Sudan is needed now more than ever," argues the reports other co-author, Enough co-founder John Prendergast. "Now is the time to speak out: to save lives; to work toward a lasting peace; and to hold those who have conducted war crimes accountable. We must resist the temptation to jump at overly simplistic or ineffective solutions and proceed with appropriate humility, but continue to act with the knowledge that our efforts as activists are a crucial component to achieving peace in Sudan."

READ the report.

VISIT Enough Project Event Listings to find the latest news on conferences, congressional hearings, rallies, exhibits and film screenings nationwide.

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On March 4, the Government of Sudan began expelling humanitarian aid agencies from Darfur. Thirteen international and three national agencies have been forced out of the region. This expulsion could leave one million Darfuris without water, food and medical assistance.

Members of Congress have 24 hours left to sign letters to three Sudanese allies urging them to take urgent action for Darfur. We need you to call 1-800-GENOCIDE now and ask your Representative to sign the letters.

OR

Call your Senators and Representative

Find your elected politicians contact information at this link:

www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected

The letters are authored by Congressmen Capuano and McCaul and are addressed to Chinese President Hu Jintao, Arab League Secretary-General Amre Moussa and African Union Chairman Muammar Qadhafi. The letters urge these leaders to send a clear message that expelling humanitarian aid agencies from Sudan - and putting Darfuri lives at even greater risk - is unacceptable.

The deadline to sign-on to these letters is noon on Tuesday, March 17. Call 1-800-GENOCIDE now to urge your Representative to sign the letters. The option to be connected to your Representative immediately follows the option to be connected to the Secretary of State, so please remain on the hotline until you can be connected to your Representative.

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PLEASE ATTEND!!
URGENT ACTION IN BOSTON FOR DARFUR EMERGENCY!

WHEN: Wednesday, March 18, 4 - 6 PM.

WHERE: Boston’s City Hall Plaza, Government Center

WHAT: Rally/protest/demonstration to draw urgent attention to the dire emergency in Darfur that may result in 1 million deaths in the next two weeks.

WHY: Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir expelled 16 humanitarian organizations from Sudan, placing millions of Darfuri civilians at immediate risk. Bashir is making good on his threats against innocent Darfuris in order to retain his own grip on power, a cynical retaliation after the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Without the assistance provided by the expelled humanitarian organizations, well over a million internally displaced Darfuris are at immediate risk. With the rainy season quickly approaching, there are grave fears of widespread death from disease and starvation as millions lose access to food, water, medicine and adequate shelter.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE:

1) Attend! Consider cancelling existing plans and prioritize attending this event. Millions of lives are at stake. If you can only part of the event, come for 5-6 PM.

2) Use your creativity and bring a sign with you. Possible messages include but are not limited to: Darfur Emergency, 1 Million Lives at Stake, Genocide by Starvation, Restore Aid Now, Yes We Can Save Darfur, Obama/Clinton Act Now. All creative ideas encouraged. Use of red also encouraged.

3) Recruit others to join you. There has NEVER been a more urgent time to act for Darfur. Email friends, post on Facebook, etc., etc.

QUESTIONS/COMMENTS/IDEAS: Contact savedarfurma@gmail.com

Sponsored by Massachusetts Coalition to Save Darfur and Boston-area STAND chapters

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Write President Obama

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

You can also call or write to the President:

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Comments to President Obama:

202 - 456-1111

or

1-800-GENOCIDE

The White House comment line is available

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. weekdays

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To call the USA Secretary of State

202-647-6575

The USA State Department public comment line

works 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.

Genocide Ends

When Enough of Us

Stand Up Against It

JOIN US
1-800-GENOCIDE
www.savedarfur.org
www.genocideintervention.net
www.standnow.org

http://www.stopgenocidenow.org/

MALARIA VS. NADAL, CASILLAS AND THEIR FRIENDS

Iker and Rafa
December 16, 2008 Madrid
Picture thanks to Real Madrid and also Bucket T at MTF

Above pictures from the Real Madrid website
of the Against Malaria

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Link to this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk4XmTBYLMU
Iker and Rafa and Friends ~ December 26, 2008 in Madrid, Spain
Partido contra la Malaria 2008 - Match against Malaria 2008
Uploaded by RNFANS

From Rafa's homepage: www.rafaelnadal.com

Friendship, Fun and Saving Lives: Formula For A Perfection Day

16th of December 2008

The day finally arrived!! - Rafa's friends and Iker's friends have met for the second year in a row for a great cause. The objective: help those in desperate need of assistance to stop Malaria from killing more children.

A magnific reason to put together this event, and celebrate life with some of the best sportsmen in the world. The spirit of competition and classic score system were not part of the evening and instead they replaced it with fun and entertainment for an incredible crowd, which witnessed a very special moment in Rafa's and Iker's lives. This is how they split up the teams:

Rafa Nadals team: Carlos Moyá, Jorge Lorenzo, Raúl González, Almudena Cid, Carlos Sastre, Marcos Senna, Novak Djokovic, Sergio García, Carlos Sainz, Sete Gibernau and Samuel Eto'o.

Iker Casillass team: David Ferrer, Carmen Jordá, Feliciano López, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Santi Cazorla, Sergio Ramos, Alberto Contador, Dani Sordo, Alvaro Bautista, Kanouté and Fernando Alonso.

Madrid's El Palacio de los Deportes was the stage for 3 contests: A kart race, a tennis match (one set) and a soccer match which had Rafa Guerrero as the referee. At the end of the encounters, it was Iker's friends who got away with the victory after Dani Sordo (in the goalkeepers team) won an exciting kart race against Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso.

Add to that a draw in the tennis match and a solid win in the soccer match.ser, Iker Casillas, ilovemylife, Madrid, Against Malaria, Rafa, Rafael Nadal, Red Cross, Sandra Hammel, Schedule, Sold Out, Palacio de Deportes,Tennis, Football, Soccer, Kart Racing, Dec

A big congratulations to all the members of their team for helping put on an incredible show, but most importantly, for helping raise enough money to keep saving lives. These people are the real winners of this event. End of text from Rafael Nadal's website.

Way to go!

JUST MORE RAFAEL NADAL AND IKER CASILLAS

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Link to Iker and Rafa Against Malaria promotional event December 15

The above video is used with permission of Ines - Ganda of The Forum at Rafael Nadal's website: www.rafaelnadal.com

See My December 15 post for live viewing of Iker and Rafa's Against Malaria Event

NADAL AND CASILLAS RAISE MONEY FOR GOOD CAUSES AGAINST MALARIA ~ FOR THE RED CROSS

Update December 16, 2:00 p.m.

Link to watch live Rafa and Iker and Friends:

http://www.justin.tv/topyto

and this one

http://www.mogulus.com/livesport1xtra

is embedded here for you

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Enjoy!

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NEWS

RAFA RECEIVES ‘MARCA LEGEND’ AWARD AND GETS READY FOR TONIGHT’S MATCH AGAINST MALARIA

15th of December - 2008

www.rafaelnadal.com/nadal/en/home

It’s nearly the end of 2008 and Rafa doesn’t stop getting awards. The latest one has come from the hands of ‘Marca’, a popular Spanish newspaper that has honoured him with the ‘Marca Legend’ prize for excellence in his career.

The King of Spain, Don Juan Carlos, together with the Queen, Doña Sofía were present at the ceremony of the Sport’s newspaper 70th anniversary, which had other 50 Spanish sport legends present.

In the immediate picture above Rafa is between the red and white in the front row.

Rafael Nadal receiving award of Marca Legend
December 15, 2008
from King Don Juan Carlos and the Queen, Doña Sofía
Photo credits are unknown - my apologies to the photographer

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Video of Rafa receiving another award from the hand of the King Juan Carlos, in the event of the 70th anniversary of Marca

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Video of Rafa and Iker presenting today the match against Malaria
December 16, 2008, Tuesday

Both of the above two videos are used with permission of Ines - Ganda of The Forum at Rafael Nadal's website: www.rafaelnadal.com

Federer vs. Nadal - 2008 Wimbledon Final, Epilogue

12/15/08 8:29 PM | Ricky Dimon

Tennis talk has recapped the epic 2008 Wimbledon final between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in a seven-part series throughout the past week. It ends with this epilogue.

This one didn't end with Federer's final stroke. No, this one lives on forever. In memories, discussions of all-time greatest matches, and most certainly in Wimbledon lore.

It couldn't have ended with the last shot, because it just kept getting better and better. Considering the magnitude of what had just transpired, it was almost incredible that Federer and Nadal were even able to muster the mental strength to give on-court interviews. But, as usual, the two great champions did, and did so flawlessly.

Rafa is a deserving champion, opened Federer. He just played fantastically. It was a joy again to play here. Ill be back next year.

Nadal took it one step further in praising his opponent. The Wimbledon champion even suggested it was unlucky that he had to play in the same era as the best player of the history, Roger Federer. When asked if beating Federer made the title even more special, Nadal answered, He's still the No.1 (player in the world). He's still the best. Hes still five-time champion here and right now I have one.
One for all time, more like it.

You didn't even have to see the match to know just how historic this event was (or should I say, is). Just listening to the post-game comments of various commentators would have been enough.

Nothing told the tale better than the interviews Federer and Nadal did with NBC commentator John McEnroe (who perhaps played perhaps the second best match ever on the very same court 28 years earlier against Björn Borg). Heck, McEnroe even had to end his interview with Federer prematurely because both men were breaking down emotionally. It was the greatest match I ever witnessed, McEnroe said to the runner-up. Give me a hug. Thank you, man. Thank you so much.

Unbelievable effort, McEnroe exclaimed as Nadal approached while Federer exited in tears. Its the greatest match I have ever seen in my tennis career.

I was crying for like 10 minutes, admitted Nadal. It was a dream and now I have the trophy.
Even after Federer and Nadal were finally allowed to wander off into history, McEnroe couldnt stop. To fellow announcer Ted Robinson, he explained, This is one of those days I feel lucky to in some small way be a part of this truly memorable, unbelievable match.

Shouldn't we all.

The scoreline shows that Rafael Nadal defeated Roger Federer 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-7(8), 9-7. Perhaps the numbers are correct, but the score is wrong in one critical aspect. Defeated suggests there was loser. Well, on this day there were no losers.

Tennis won. We all won.

I hope one day even Federer will agree. I think one day maybe when and if he surpasses Pete Sampras' all-time Grand Slam record he will. Source: www.tennistalk.com/en/news

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Rafa - Tribute to Rafael Nadal's Amazing Year
Uploaded by suziii24 of Armenia


Another Tribute to Rafa for 2008
By suziii24 of Armenia

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DECEMBER 16 | 2008

RAFA RECEIVES ‘MARCA LEGEND’ AWARD AND GETS READY FOR MATCH AGAINST MALARIA

15th of December

It’s nearly the end of 2008 and Rafa doesn’t stop getting awards. The latest one has come from the hands of ‘Marca’, a popular Spanish newspaper that has honoured him with the ‘Marca Legend’ prize for excellence in his career.

The King of Spain, Don Juan Carlos, together with the Queen, Doña Sofía were present at the ceremony of the Sport’s newspaper 70th anniversary, which had other 50 Spanish sport legends present.

At the event, Don Juan Carlos was delighted to congratulate Rafa (and the Davis Cup team) for capturing this year’s title at Mar del Plata in Argentina and for ‘all his other achievements at the Grand Slam events and Olympic games during the 2008 season. These amazing accomplishments contributed to his rise at the top of the world rankings in August.

RAFA –VS- IKER

Today will be another busy day for Rafa. He and Iker will be the main attractions at today’s charity event: “Iker’s Friends –VS- Rafa’s Friends’. A humanitarian cause which they put together to help free the world from Malaria.

Before yesterday’s ceremony in Madrid, both players presented Esperanza Aguirre (the president of the ‘Communidad de Madrid) with the t-shirts that each of them will wear for the second edition of this evening’s event.

Amongst the sport starts invited to play at the fund-raiser will be: Fernando Alonso, Novak Djokovic, Jorge Lorenzo, Alberto Contador, Fabio Cannavaro, David Ferrer, Álvaro Bautista, Fernando Verdasco, Santiago Cazorla, Sergio Ramos, Raúl, David Villa, Pedro de la Rosa, Carlos Sainz, Marcos Senna, Sete Gibernau and there might even be a last minute surprise appearance.

The matches will be played at the ‘Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid’, at 8:00pm (local Spanish time). There will be a karts race where the teams will be split into groups of 4 and those who don’t get the opportunity to race will play a ‘mini-tennis’ competition.

La Oreja de Van Gogh, and ‘Andy & Lucas’, two very popular Spanish bands will also be part of the entertainment.

Last year, "Iker vs Nadal" had a total of 5.000 people in the crowd compared to this year’s 10.000. So far they’ve been able to raise 200.000 euros, 30.000 euros more than last year.

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Another great achievement by Rafa and Iker!

DECEMBER 15 | 2008

RAFA WILL RECEIVE ‘MARCA LEGEND’ AWARD

(NOTE: This already happened ~ Monday, December 15, 2008)

Source:
www.rafaelnadal.com/nadal/en/news/article/rafa-will-receive-marca-legend-award

15th of December

RAFA AND IKER: Will be presenting today some T-shirts to Esperanza Aguirre as part of the charity event they have put together and that will be celebrated on Tuesday thanks to the help of ‘Comunidad de Madrid’ and the Red Cross.

TONIGHT’S AWARD

RAFA will be flying to Madrid late in the afternoon Monday, December 15, for the celebration of the 70th anniversary of Marca, (a popular Spanish newspaper) at the Ritz Hotel.

There, the King, Don Juan Carlos and the Queen, Doña Sofía, will be waiting for him.

The Marca awards celebrate and recognize the trajectory of the biggest sport stars in the world, like Michael Jordan, who was the first winner back in 1997 and who is regarded as the best basketball player of all time.

Rafa in this case, has been invited to receive the award of ‘Marca Legend’ for his exceptional success in tennis this year after winning 2 of the most prestigious tournaments in the world, Roland Garros for the 4th time and Wimbledon for the first. Add to that a gold medal at the Olympic Games, the Davis Cup title and many more trophies.

Amongst the guests, there will be famous soccer and tennis stars, as well as drivers, basketetball players, athletes, golf players, and other players from other sports.

Don't forget to continue voting for Rafa's best match ever!

To vote you need to become a member of our forum and then follow this link.

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DECEMBER 14 | 2008

VOTE FOR RAFA’S BEST MATCH EVER

After 7 year's on tour, 31 singles titles (5 of them Majors), 4 doubles titles. 2 Davis Cup titles, and 1 Olympic Gold Medal. It's mission impossible trying to chose a few of the best matches Rafa has played.There are countless memories that come to mind, and even more if we count the times that he didn't win but still made us jump out our skin.

That is why we want to ask YOU, what you think is the best match Rafa’s ever played?

To vote you need to become a member of our forum and then follow this link.

Enjoy!

RAFA –VS- DJOKOVIC IN HAMBURG FIGHTING FOR THE No.2 SPOT

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=FCHvcpdaA9o

It's hard to believe now, but Rafa almost became No. 3 in the world before he became No. 1.??

That's right; his No. 2 ranking was at stake when Rafa took on third-ranked Novak Djokovic in the semifinals of the Masters Series Hamburg back in May. The stage was set, and the match lived up to the hype.??

Rafa needed three hours and thee minutes to subdue Djokovic 7-5, 2-6, 6-2. The scoreline is not as flabbergasting as those of other top matches, but it terms of tennis quality, this one was hard to beat.??Amazing; one of my best matches,” said Rafa.??

“It was great to be part of a fantastic match; the quality was very high,” added Djokovic. “It was one of the best, maybe the best match I can remember I played on clay.”??

“I am a little bit tired right now so let's see how I feel tomororow,” Rafa explained of his upcoming title rematch with Federer. “I'll need to be 100 percent if I want to have a chance of beating Roger.”??He must have been 100 percent, as Rafa avenged his 2007 loss and was well on his way to No. 1. No. 3, on the other hand, became an afterthought.

RAFA –VS- CORIA IN 2005’S ROME FINAL

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=uFu8KlCXw3A

The 18-year-old with bulging biceps, was the imposing figure in this final, but it was the tiny Guillermo Coria who dictated play for most of this five-hour, 14-minute classic that ended in customary fashion: with Rafa on his back, sprawled out after another stirring win, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(6).

Rafa applied tape to his blistered fingers the entire match and seemed exhausted when he lost the first three games of the fifth set. I thought that sooner or later he would give up, or at least ease up, Coria said after the match. Rafa did not.

His defense and will carried him to his 17th consecutive victory, a win he described as “the toughest match of my life”. He needed four match points before he could take away the victory.

RAFA-VS- CARLOS MOYA IN CHENNAI 2008 SEMI-FINAL

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=CVIJA4Jx4Gg

World number two Rafael Nadal overcame a dazzling challenge from Spanish compatriot Carlos Moya to squeeze through to the ATP Chennai Open final.The 21-year-old French Open champion won 6-7 7-6 7-6 after former world number one Moya pushed him to the brink in a thrilling contest between two friends.

Nadal staved off four match points in the second set tiebreak and then rallied from a break down in the decider against the 31-year-old Moya, third seed and ranked 17 in the world.

He eventually clinched the final tiebreak 7-1 to end the marathon contest lasting almost four hours."It was one of the most emotional matches of my career," a relieved Nadal told reporters.

"It was unbelievable.""It is great to get off to such a start. It is very good to play in the final at the start of the season."A dejected Moya said: "I had many chances to win. Against Nadal if you don't take advantage of them, you will lose."

RAFA –VS- FEDERER IN WIMBLEDON FINAL 2008

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=K3ZQn4kHqSk

Yes, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal left EVERYONE searching for words at the end of arguably the greatest match ever played, and five months later, I’m still gasping for breath.??

It was just that good.??But why was it so good? Is it simply because of the quality of tennis??? Well, it had everything. And more.?There is not one thing I can think of that this one lacked. For Federer supporters, of course, it lacked the desired outcome.?

That really leaves you, the unbiased observer, with only one legitimate gripe. And that is that the match ended at all. If you had your druthers, it would still be going on right now. But then you realize that if the match had gone on just one minute longer—if Rafa had failed to hold serve at 8-7—it would have been stopped at 8-8 (or at the 9-8 changeover at the latest) due to darkness.??

Getting interrupted by two rain delays? That just adds to the drama. Getting interrupted by nighttime and forced to conclude a whole day later? That’s just a disaster.?But it wasn’t, and because it wasn’t, it was perfect.

RAFA –VS- LLEYTON HEWITT IN AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2005

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=tnH092Qtyhc

2005 was Nadal's best year to date on the tour. Another clash down under with Hewitt, this time 5 sets, saw the 18 year old Nadal playing insanely well, with his ranking just itching to shoot up. That 4th rounder in Australia bumped him up to 47.

“Rafa, a teenager, who is full of energy and charisma, has a fine future in this game” they said at the time. Rafa tired in the fourth set and was virtually out on his feet in the fifth when he needed treatment for cramp. "He's going to be a tough player on any surface," said Hewitt. "He has a massive forehand and his backhand is definitely not a weakness. It's just not quite as strong."

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DECEMBER 14 | 2008

IKER & RAFA: READY TO PLAY THE MATCH AGAINST MALARIA

Madrid, 12th of December

The day has come. This Tuesday 16th of December at 8:00 p.m. ( Spanish time - that is 2:00 p.m. USA EST - see Spanish time clock in my sidebar), Iker’s friends and Rafa’s friends will be sharing a unique moment in their lives, when they unite to play in benefit of the Red Cross a ‘Match to Help Free People from Malaria’.

Sadly for some, their chance to see some of the biggest starts in sport together for a special cause won't be possible as the entries to the event have sold out.

However, that is great news for Rafa and Iker because they have successfully achieve a larger amount of donations compared to last year’s contribution.

A Karts race, a Tennis and indoor Football match as well as two concerts by: La Oreja de Van Gogh and Andy y Lucas have been scheduled for the special evening.

All of those people who will be attending the Palace of Sports will be part of an incredible humanitarian cause that started up as an idea from the 2 main stars of the event, Rafa and Iker.

They have been busy putting together their teams and have sent us a list of the guests they have invited to play the Match against Malaria.

However, it is still known how they will split up the teams.

The money raised from they sales of the tickets to the event will go towards helping a plan that has been put together for the Red Cross and that consists on rehabilitating the unlucky people that suffer from the this disease in Mali, as well as provide them with a better treatment.

Thankfully, there are many people who have joined Iker and Rafa towards making this cause a reality. From ‘Comunidad de Madrid’; that has shown and amazing support since the first edition of this charity event, to all the other sponsors and supporters that wanted to be part of it in some way or another.

The official list of guests is the following:

Iker Casillas (Real Madrid’s goalkeeper)

Rafa Nadal (No.1 tennis player in the world)

David Ferrer (Tennis player)

Feliciano López (Tennis player)

Fernando Alonso (Formula 1 driver and 2 time champion)

Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid soccer player)

Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid soccer player)

Alberto Contador (Cyclist)

Dani Sordo (Rally driver)

Álvaro Bautista (250 cc motocross driver)

Juan Carlos Ferrero (Tennis player)

Juan Carlos Moya (Tenis player)

Jorge Lorenzo (Moto GP driver)

Raúl González (Real Madrid soccer player)

Carlos Sastre (Cyclist)

Carlos Sáinz (ex Rally driver)

Santi Cazorla (Villareal soccer player)

Pedro Martínez – de la Rosa (McLaren Mercedes F1 test driver)

Marcos Senna (Villareal soccer player Novak Djokovic (Tennis player)

Sete Gibernau (Moto GP driver)

Media Day’s Schedule:

18.30 Doors open for the event

9.45 Taxi Concert

19.57 Team’s presentation

20.00 Karts Race

20.20 ‘La Oreja de Van Gogh’ concert

20.30 Tennis Match

20.55 ‘Andy y Lucas’ concert

21.05 Indoor soccer match

22.00 End of event

Place: Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid

Address: Plaza de Felipe II, Madrid

Source of immediate above and below information from:

www.rafaelnadal.com/nadal/en/news