WIMBLEDON 2012 - RAFA NADAL

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WIMBLEDON 2012

June 25, - July 8, 2012

Wimbledon Website

Wimbledon, England is 5 hours ahead of USA/EST

NOTE: Updated, Thursday, June 28, 2012, 11:20 p.m. USA/EST

Round 2 - Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts during his Gentlemen's Singles second round match against Lukas Rosol of the Czech Republic on day four of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 28, 2012 in London, England. Source: Clive Rose/Getty Images Europe. Click on image to enlarge.  Unfortunately Rafa lost: 7-6(9), 4-6, 4-6, 6-2, 4-6.

Round 1

Rafael Nadal (ESP)[2] defeated  Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) 
7-6(7-0), 6-2, 6-3
Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Round 2
Rafael Nadal (ESP)[2] lost to Lukas Rosol
7-6(9), 4-6, 4-6, 6-2, 4-6
Thursday, June 28, 2012 
Centre Court

TV - USA

ESPN2, ESPN

ESPN TV Schedule Guide for 6-26-2012

ESPN - TV On Air Schedule

ESPN Courtcast

ABC will air some replay matches

The Tennis Channel 

at night and all through the night - match replays

The Tennis Channel Website

The Tennis Channel Schedule

ONLINE STREAMING 

Live Streaming

Live Streaming at ESPN3

ESPN3 - Choose from selection of tabs: Live, Upcoming, Replay
(Click on Event Schedule at the link)

Replay streaming is available approximately one hour following completion of the match.

 

Live - Wimbledon Radio

Multimedia Archive at Wimbledon Website

NOTE: Thankfully for those of us, who love tennis or one special player, and have more than access to USA TV network stations, the coverage this year is exclusively live with ESPN2, and not with NBC Sports.

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Pictures of Rafa - Wimbledon 2012

Before Round 1

Zimbio - Rafa - Before Round 1

UK Eurosport Yahoo - Rafa - Before Round 1

Daylife - Rafa - Before Round 1

Spain's Rafael Nadal sits at the side of the court after a practice session on the eve of the start of the Wimbledon Championships tennis tournament at the All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on June 24, 2012. Photo credit: Getty photographer. Click on pictures to enlarge the size.

 Training Before Round 1 - Rafael Nadal of Spain looks on in a practice session during previews for the Wimbledon Championships 2012 at Wimbledon on June 24, 2012 in London, England. Source: Julian Finney/Getty Images Europe.  Click on pictures to enlarge the size.

Training Before Round 1 - Rafael Nadal of Spain participates in a practice session on the outside courts during previews to The Championships at Wimbledon on June 23, 2012 in London, England. Source: Clive Rose/Getty Images Europe.  Click on pictures to enlarge the size.

Training Before Round 1 - Rafa Nadal of Spain participates in a practice session during previews to The Championships at Wimbledon on June 23, 2012 in London, England. Source: Clive Rose/Getty Images Europe. Click on pictures to enlarge the size.

 Round 1 

Zimbio - Round 1 Pictures

Daylife

Round 1 - Rafael Nadal of Spain (shoe detail) in action during his Gentlemen's Singles first round match against Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil on day two of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 26, 2012 in London, England. Score: 7-6(7-0), 6-2, 6-3. Click on pictures to enlarge the size.

Round 1 - Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts to a play during his Gentlemen's Singles first round match against Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil on day two of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 26, 2012 in London, England. Score: 7-6(7-0), 6-2, 6-3. Click on pictures to enlarge the size.

Round 1 - Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts to a play during his Gentlemen's Singles first round match against Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil on day two of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 26, 2012 in London, England.  Score: 7-6(7-0), 6-2, 6-3. Click on pictures to enlarge the size.

Round 1 - Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts to a play during his Gentlemen's Singles first round match against Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil on day two of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 26, 2012 in London, England. Score: 7-6(7-0), 6-2, 6-3. Click on pictures to enlarge the size.

Round 1 - Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts to a play during his Gentlemen's Singles first round match against Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil on day two of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 26, 2012 in London, England. Source: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images Europe. Score: 7-6(7-0), 6-2, 6-3. Click on pictures to enlarge the size.

Round 1 - Rafael Nadal of Spain serves during his Gentlemen's Singles first round match against Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil on day two of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 26, 2012 in London, England. Source: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images Europe. Score: 7-6(7-0), 6-2, 6-3. Click on pictures to enlarge the size. More pictures of Round 1 below.

Round 1 - Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts during his Gentlemen's Singles first round match against Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil on day two of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 26, 2012 in London, England.  Score: 7-6(7-0), 6-2, 6-3. Click on pictures to enlarge the size.

Round 1 - Rafael Nadal of Spain during a break during his Gentlemen's Singles first round match against Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil on day two of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 26, 2012 in London, England.  Score: 7-6(7-0), 6-2, 6-3. Click on pictures to enlarge the size.

Round 1 - Rafael Nadal of Spain during a break during his Gentlemen's Singles first round match against Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil on day two of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 26, 2012 in London, England.  Score: 7-6(7-0), 6-2, 6-3. Click on pictures to enlarge the size.

Round 1 -Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts during his Gentlemen's Singles first round match against Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil on day two of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 26, 2012 in London, England.  Score: 7-6(7-0), 6-2, 6-3. Click on pictures to enlarge the size.

Round 1 - Rafael Nadal of Spain lines up a shot during his Gentlemen's Singles first round match against Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil on day two of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 26, 2012 in London, England.  Score: 7-6(7-0), 6-2, 6-3. Click on pictures to enlarge the size.

Round 1 - Rafael Nadal of Spain serves during his Gentlemen's Singles first round match against Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil on day two of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 26, 2012 in London, England.  Score: 7-6(7-0), 6-2, 6-3. Click on pictures to enlarge the size.

Round 1 - Rafael Nadal of Spain hits a backhand return during his his Gentlemen's Singles first round match against Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil on day two of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 26, 2012 in London, England.  Score: 7-6(7-0), 6-2, 6-3. Click on pictures to enlarge the size.

Round 1 -Rafael Nadal of Spain in action during his Gentlemen's Singles first round match against Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil on day two of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 26, 2012 in London, England.  Score: 7-6(7-0), 6-2, 6-3. Click on pictures to enlarge the size.

Round 1 - Rafael Nadal of Spain waves to the crowd after winning his Gentlemen's Singles first round match against Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil on day two of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 26, 2012 in London, England. Score: 7-6(7-0), 6-2, 6-3. Click on pictures to enlarge the size.

Rafa practicing Wednesday, June 27, 2012

UK Eurosport

Round 2

Zimbio - Round 2

Round 2 - Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts during his Gentlemen's Singles second round match against Lukas Rosol of the Czech Republic on day four of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 28, 2012 in London, England. Source: Clive Rose/Getty Images Europe. Click on image to enlarge.

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Fan Support Sites ~ Great sources of information


Vamos Brigade


Rafa's Babolat-sponsored Forum

Join me at ~

Facebook RAFA-NADAL-BRING-BACK-LONG-PANTS-SLEEVELESS-TOPS


Rafa's Facebook
www.facebook.com/Nadal

WE ARE THE ONES TO MAKE THIS SEASON MERRY ~ DO ONE THING FOR NATURE'S GOOD

KILLING HABITS

AND BEHAVIORS

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Link to Animals Singing for Want for Safety
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Go peat free in your garden for nature's good

Create Breathing Places

• breathing places
• do one thing
• find breathing places & events
• your projects
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MEDIA FAILS HUMANS

“We are visitors on this planet.
We are here for ninety or one hundred years
at the very most.
During that period,
we must try to do something good ,
something useful, with our lives.

If you contribute to other people’s happiness,
You will find the true goal, the true meaning of life.

H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama

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Anup Shah, Poverty Facts and Stats, GlobalIssues.org, Last updated: Tuesday, March 04, 2008

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Below is copied from the above website link.

Who am I, why am I doing this? (not me...a kindred spirit, though)

I am Anup Shah, the editor of this web site. My roots lie in India, via my grandparents—my parents grew up in East Africa. Born in 1974, I grew up in England for 23 years and then got the opportunity to work in the USA for almost four years. In June 2001, I moved back to England.

Living and working in the US was an amazing experience for me. However, I quickly became concerned at what appeared to be rather poor quality mainstream media. International coverage appeared incredibly lacking and when available, very narrow. And so, in mid-1998 this web site (initially just something to do in order to learn about developing web sites!) started.

The mainstream media is one of the most important aspects of a functioning and participatory democracy. It helps us form our views of the world around us, influence our opinion and let us learn about all manner of things we may otherwise never come across. It is incredibly beneficial, but in today’s world it also has real problems. Just as good quality and diverse mainstream media enhances democracy, poor quality and narrow mainstream media can negatively impact democracy.

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If you read my previous post, you know I so agree with Anup Shah. The internet is used for many things. And gratefully, those who have knowledge of how to use it, does include those with compassion, a desire to do something to better our life on the whole by helping people one by one. It won't happen without our participation.

This is worth your time:
www.globalissues.org

This was taken from his front page:
“If a man is offered a fact which goes against his instincts, he will scrutinize it closely, and unless the evidence is overwhelming, he will refuse to believe it. If, on the other hand, he is offered something which affords a reason for acting in accordance to his instincts, he will accept it even on the slightest evidence.” — Bertrand Russell, Roads to Freedom

This website is right where my heart is
www.globalissues.org/about/why
...this is how we live a life that is with purpose

RSS for Global Issues.org explains about RSS Web Feed and other things:
www.globalissues.org/rss

RAFAEL NADAL TALKS AFTER THE FINAL WIMBLEDON 08 MATCH

Rafael Nadal talks and we listen
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Rafael Nadal interviewed in English after he won in Final against Roger Federer Wimbledon 2008
Uploaded by jeffreyferrari

PICTURE RAFAEL NADAL - THE DAVID OF TENNIS

Match Pictures are from the
Semi-Final at Wimbledon
July 4, 2008 when Spain's
Rafael Nadal defeated Rainer Scheuttler 6-1, 7-6, 6-4
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Il Divo sings Hero
Uploaded by fancyrebacom

Picture credits respectfully go to Daylife, Yahoo, Yahoo Espana, the Wimbledon Website, Getty and especially to Rafffffa@SKYROCK.COM

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Rafael Nadal's Website
A great place to meet Rafa admirers is at The Forum
www.rafaelnadal.com

This picture is from the Wimbledon Website

RAFAEL NADAL - A CAMERA'S DREAM

Semi-Final Wimbledon 08 July 4
Rafael Nadal defeated Rainer Scheuttler 6-1, 7-6, 6-4

Picture Credits go to Daylife on this post

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K.D. Lang's Performance on Leonard Cohen's
Hallelujah
Juno Awards in Winnipeg in 2005 .
Uploaded by oneandonlyck
Suggestion: Play the song and enjoy Rafa's beautiful images

More pictures will be coming - Keep coming back

RAFAEL NADAL WON WIMBLEDON 08 CHAMPIONSHIP - HOW DID HE DO IT?

Pictures will be coming of Rafa. I apologize it is taking so long. It's just life...and living it that gets in the way of doing this blog. In the meantime, check this picture link out:

In pics: Nadal eclipses Federer in a five-set marathon

Below are several links to videos of Rafa and the first is an explanation of how Rafa did it...the win over Roger Federer at Wimbledon in the final:
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July 7, 08: Sandy Macaskill looks at the secret behind Nadal's returns of serve in beating Federer in the stunning Wimbledon final.
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Rafael Nadal has beaten Roger Federer at Wimbledon, in the longest mens singles final in the history of the tournament.
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New Wimbledon champion Nadal told to take time out


Rafael Nadal can already taste world No 1 spot
and page 2
By Mark Hodgkinson
"An exhausted Nadal was in no shape to play this week's tournament in Stuttgart, but felt that they deserved a proper apology, so he took a breakfast-time flight to the German city yesterday just so he could say sorry and explain he was pulling out on doctor's advice. Rafael Nadal is a class act."

Two videos of Rafa at this link -
1)Rafa speaking after defeating Schuettler in Semi-final prior to Wimbledon 08 Final
2)Rafa taking a picture of himself with a fan

Rafa Reigns Supreme - Wimbledon Final 08

Rafael Nadal described his first Wimbldon title as a "dream" after beating Roger Federer in an epic final.

• Wimbledon win is dream come true - Nadal(02.26)
• Federer hails 'deserving' champion Nadal(01.10)
• Nadal's championship winning moment(02.24)

SEE FIFTH SET OF WIMBLEDON 08 FINAL - NADAL VS. FEDERER

RAFAEL NADAL WINS WIMBLEDON 08 IN LEGENDARY MATCH

Note: I don't know why the videos are off-set. They weren't originally when I posted them. If you click the active word as a link below the video, it will take you to the video at NBC and you can watch it there. I'm sorry for the inconvenience.
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Watch the Fifth set of the Wimbledon 2008 Final
22 minutes 32 seconds

and where I live.....
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International Tennis Hall of Fame
Induction Tournament in Newport, Rhode Island, USA
Monica Seles, John McEnroe, James Currier coming to honor Michael Chang being inducted
Mardy Fish, Fabrice Santoro
1:32

Tennis Hall of Fame Tournament

Press Releases Headlines

Campbell's Tournament: An International Event

^{Posted July 2, 2008}
ATP Players from 13 Countries Are Coming To Newport

NEWPORT, RI -- The International Tennis Hall of Fame has announced that this year’s Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships field will once again have an international flavor, as players from 13 different countries will descend upon Newport. The Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, played for the Van Alen Cup, will be held July 7-13 and will feature the top men in professional tennis competing in the only ATP pro event played on grass in North America.

Arriving later this week in Newport, the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships will host five players ranked No. 1 in their respective countries. Frank Dancevic of Canada is making his fourth appearance on the legendary grass courts, while Gilles Muller of Luxembourg, Kristian Pless of Denmark and Aisam Qureshi of Pakistan are all returning for the second time. Making his Newport debut is Kevin Anderson, the No. 1 player from the Republic of South Africa. Earlier this year, Anderson, who turned pro in 2007, upset World No. 3 Novak Djokovic at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami

Paul Capdeville of Chile and Rik DeVoest of the Republic of South Africa are both ranked No. 2 in their respective countries. Receiving a wild card into the tournament is Prakash Amritraj, the No. 2 ranked player from India.

Hailing from France, defending champion Fabrice Santoro and 2007 finalist Nicolas Mahut are both returning to action in the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships. Both are currently ranked in the World Top 60 and are seeded in the tournament at No. 2 and No. 3 respectively.

Mardy Fish is the third-highest ranked American with a current world ranking of No. 39. He is the highest ranking player in the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships draw, and therefore the tournament’s No. 1 seed. Mardy has his work cut out for him though, as no No. 1 seed has been able to capture the title in the past 32 years. Rounding out the American contingent is Vince Spadea making his 7th appearance, Kevin Kim and Jesse Levine (both making their 3rd appearances) and John Isner (his second appearance). Isner began his pro career last year here in Newport, his first ATP event.

Igor Kunitsyn of Russia is currently ranked at No. 79 in the world and will be making his 3rd attempt in his quest for the Van Alen Cup, while Croatia’s Roko Karanusic is making his second appearance on the Hall of Fame’s legendary grass courts.

First-time participants of the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships include Germany’s Benjamin Becker, who at the 2006 US Open defeated Andre Agassi in the 3rd round, Agassi’s final ATP career match. Philipp Petzschner of Germany, Ivan Navarro and Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo (both of Spain), and Mikhail Ledovskikh of Russia are also making their first appearances.

In conjunction with the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, the International Tennis Hall of Fame will hold its annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, July 12th. The Class of 2008 will be represented by 1989 French Open Champion Michael Chang and contributors Mark McCormack and Eugene Scott (both posthumously). Presenting Michael Chang for induction will be his brother, Carl. Presenting Mark McCormack for induction will be nine-time Grand Slam women’s singles champion Monica Seles, while Eugene L. Scott will be presented by 1999 Hall of Famer and seven-time Grand Slam singles champion John McEnroe. On Sunday, the Hall of Fame Classic exhibition matches (starting at 10am) will feature Michael Chang along with Hall of Famer Stan Smith and former professional stars Todd Martin, Tom Gullikson, and others to be announced.

Tickets are available for all sessions of the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and the Hall of Fame Classic. For additional information or to purchase tickets, call 866-914-FAME or go online to www.tennisfame.com.

Source of Press Release

RAFAEL NADAL FINDS HIMSELF A CHAMPION AT WIMBLEDON 2008

NOTE: I don't know why the video embeds are off-set. When originally posted here, they didn't have this problem. You can get to videos by clicking the links provided here:

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/25559260#25558349
Nadal Wins Epic Thriller

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/25559260#25558772
Telling Trophy Presentation

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/25559260#25559260
Titanic Tiebreaker

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/25559260#25558525
Loss Hurts Federer

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/25559260#25558357
Nadal Climbs to the Top

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/25559260#25558726
Nadal overwhelmed by win
John McEnroe interviews Rafa after the Final
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Nadal Wins Epic Thriller

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Titanic Tiebreaker

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Nadal Climbs to the Top

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Nadal overwhelmed by win
John McEnroe interviews Rafa after the Final

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Telling Trophy Presentation

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Loss Hurts Federer


Nadal shocks Federer for Wimbledon title
Five-time champion's reign at the All England Club ends in five-set battle

The score
Final Nadal defeats Federer Wimbledon 08 on July 6 4-6, 4-6, 7(7)-6(5), 7(10)-6(8), 7-9

All time great match raises key questions
What fans most want to know about Nadal-Federer after epic Wimby final

OPINION
By Bud Collins
NBC Sports

Any spellings errors are Bud's below.

Bud Collins
WIMBLEDON, England - I’ve spent over four decades covering tennis. I’ve been to the All-England Club 41 times to witness the world’s best tennis players wage war for the right to be crowned the best on grass.

Lady and Lord Supreme on the lawns – the challenge to earn those titles in a given year is always a tremendously grueling task -- so mentally and physically taxing that it’s only natural superb tennis is played in pursuit of claiming these honors.

We’ve all heard that good things come to those who wait. I’m revising that phrase. It’s now great things come to those who wait – at least as it applies to men’s tennis -- because in my 41st-year at Wimbledon I witnessed the best final I have ever seen at The Championships. Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer gave the sport a title tilt tennis may have to go another four decades or more without coming close to repeating.

In this final – the third year in a row these two players have vied for ultimate Wimbledon honors in men’s singles – the tennis world saw two men who would simply not relent to any tricks their nerves were attempting to play on them.

Instead, they both choose the warrior’s path. That’s the one where they kept fighting and fighting and fighting -- trying to prevail in what became the longest Wimbledon men’s final ever -- four hours, 48 minutes. And when the last ball was struck as near darkness crept over the court at 9:16 p.m. London time, it was Nadal, the Spanish sensation, who had won his first Wimbledon title by upending the five-time defending champion Federer 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-7 (8), 9-7.

It was great drama -- two rain delays mixing with pummeling battles from the baseline. Nadal was unable to take advantage of two match points in the fourth- set tiebreaker. So the match proceeded ending up the latest finishing final in Wimbledon history. That was only fitting given the incredible showdown waged on Centre Court.

It was such superbly high quality tennis that it kept the crowd cheering throughout the marathon -- even as it got dark and cold. No one left their seat because they knew they were seeing something great and why miss a moment of it.

Isn’t it ironic that Federer, who could have the best forehand ever, ended the match on a routine forehand into the net. That, of course, told the story of the match as Nadal is the type of guy who always makes an opponent hit one more ball than that opponent wants to hit.

So off this epic duel arise some key questions that will get their share of buzz.

Let’s look at them:

Q: With Nadal having beaten Federer in both the French Open and Wimbledon finals this year, shouldn’t the Spaniard be viewed as the best player in the world?

A: Yes. Any way you look at it and no matter what the computer might say, Nadal is the best player in the world. His winning the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year makes him the third man in the Open Era to achieve that feat behind Rod Laver and Bjorn Borg, who last did it in 1980.

The fact that Federer ranks ahead of Nadal makes the computer rankings look silly. And Federer -- great player that he is -- has not reeled in a major title this year and that further supports the belief that Nadal is the best player on the men’s tour. But be aware there isn’t much difference between Nadal and Federer – there is not a great gap between where they rank in the men’s game.

Q: What were the chief deciding factors in this classic match?

A: Nadal won this Wimbledon final because he was able to keep up his high level of play for a slightly lengthier period of time than Federer. Nadal hit some unbelievable balls – shots that just took the breath away from the fans. He faced one of the best players in the world and didn’t flinch. Federer lost the match because Nadal proved just a little better in the most important moments.

Q: Could Federer have done anything different strategy-wise to give himself a better chance at beating Nadal?

A: I don’t believe he could have. Maybe, of course, hit that last forehand over the net. Clearly Federer was uncomfortable many times in the match and his staying back did not help him with his goal of trying to win a record sixth consecutive Wimbledon title.

Federer might have found it beneficial to attack more on Nadal’s serve but Federer tried everything he could and it just wasn’t enough.

Q: Has Federer given us his best tennis and should we not expect him to be able to give more than he has in trying to topple Nadal at this year’s French Open and also at Wimbledon?

A: In my estimation, yes, we’ve probably seen the best of Federer. He’s going to be 27 in August and he’s going to continue to be a great player for sometime but he is declining a bit at this stage in his career.

I could be wrong about that but he might be past his prime. And one issue factoring into the question of whether Federer is in even a slight decline is we don’t know the impact on his season of his bout with mononucleosis. There could be some lingering effects but in the Wimbledon final he did play five sets, not lacking stamina and competing in each set quite impressively.

Q: What are Nadal’s chances of winning the U.S. Open later this summer and given the issues with his knees how much should he play on hard courts prior to the year’s final major?

A: It’s going to be interesting to see how Nadal approaches the U.S. Open, where his best-ever result was making the quarterfinals in 2006. I don’t believe the Spaniard comes to the U.S. Open as the favorite. In my mind that distinction still belongs to Federer, who has won the last four titles at the New York major and is the best hard court player. This year’s Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic must also be in the debate over who wins this year’s Big Apple summer-swelter – which is certainly another unique test in the Grand Slam world of tennis.

There is a concern over how long Nadal’s body can hold up in a given season considering how he punishes it with his all-out style of play. So maybe the less hard-court preparation the better for him. Federer is a guy who just seems to float around a court but Nadal is doing real hard labor on a court every time plays a match.

Q: Does Nadal have to win hard court majors to be considered a truly great player and can he do what Rod Laver did in winning all four majors?

A: Nadal is already an all-time great and he is developing into a player whose ultimate greatness may still be ahead of him. If he wins hard-court majors that would just enhance his already superb accomplishments. And I believe that he can win titles at the U.S. Open and at the Australian Open and place himself in Laver’s company. When it comes to Nadal, it’s not a stretch when anyone predicts his best is yet to come.

© 2008 NBC Sports

Thank you Bud.

Pictures are coming in future postings.

RAFAEL NADAL THE TENNIS CHAMPION OF MANY CHARMS

So it is Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer set for Wimbledon Final on Sunday.

The Williams sisters play in the Final Saturday.

In the USA NBC will air both finals. You can also catch it at Justin TV. See links below in one of my previous posts of June 28.

I haven't had time to load the pictures of the last three Rafa matches at Wimbledon. I plan to do it sometime soon.

To hold you over until I can do more...

John McEnroe warms up with Nadal and loves it - McEnroe said it was the highlight of Wimbledon for him on TV tonight
BBC Sport's expert analyst John McEnroe gets a better understanding of Rafa Nadal's technique by hitting with Rafa before the semi-final at Wimbledon.

Nadal takes camera phone and shows fan how to take a picture
Rafael Nadal looks less than impressed with a picture taken by a member of the crowd and ends up taking his own following his win over Rainer Schuettler.

Nadal pleased after Schuettler Semi-Final match
Page last updated at 17:18 GMT, Friday, 4 July 2008
Rafael Nadal is delighted to have reached the Wimbledon final and knows he will have to be at his very best to stand any chance of beating Roger Federer.
Rafa talks about his knee.

Rafa's Wimbledon Blog Posts at Times Online

Rafa's Website - Check out The Forum

THE LAUGH IS ON US - AND WITH IT DISRESPECT

When I last visited Europe, I went to Austria, Italy and Germany. While there, I met a couple from Sydney, Australian. Hans and Lynn asked me to go along one rainy day in their rental car to be a tourist with them. So I did. We met where we were staying in Villach, Austria. And then again in Venice, Italy and spent a day together on Murano. After I returned home in the USA, they came to stay with me for a few days in Rhode Island. Recently I received an email from them which included the following:

Britain is Repossessing the U.S.A.

A Message from English citizen John Cleese to the citizens of the United States of America : In light of your failure to nominate competent candidates for President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective immediately.

Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths, and territories (except Kansas , which she does not fancy).

Your new prime minister, Gordon Brown, will appoint a governor for America without the need for further elections.

Congress and the Senate will be disbanded. A questionnaire may be circulated next year to determine whether any of you noticed.

To aid in the transition to a British Crown Dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect: You should look up 'revocation' in the Oxford English Dictionary.

1. Then look up aluminium, and check the pronunciation guide. You will be amazed at just how wrongly you have been pronouncing it.

2. The letter 'U' will be reinstated in words such as 'favour' and 'neighbour.' Likewise, you will learn to spell 'doughnut' without skipping half the letters, and the suffix -ize will be replaced by the suffix -ise. Generally, you will be expected to raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels. (look up 'vocabulary').

3. Using the same twenty-seven words interspersed with filler noises such as 'like' and 'you know' is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication. There is no such thing as US English. We will let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take account of the reinstated letter 'u' and the elimination of -ize. You will relearn your original national anthem, God Save The Queen.

4. July 4th will no longer be celebrated as a holiday.

5. You will learn to resolve personal issues without using guns, lawyers, or therapists. The fact that you need so many lawyers and therapists shows that you're not adult enough to be independent. Guns should only be handled by adults. If you're not adult enough to sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist then you're not grown up enough to handle a gun.

6. Therefore, you will no longer be allowed to own or carry anything more dangerous than a vegetable peeler. A permit will be required if you wish to carry a vegetable peeler in public.

7. All American cars are hereby banned. They are crap and this is for your own good. When we show you German cars, you will understand what we mean.

8. All intersections will be replaced with roundabouts, and you will start driving on the left with immediate effect. At the same time, you will go metric with immediate effect and without the benefit of conversion tables. Both roundabouts and metrication will help you understand the British sense of humour.

9. The Former USA will adopt UK prices on petrol (which you have been calling gasoline) -roughly $6/US gallon. Get used to it.

10. You will learn to make real chips. Those things you call French fries are not real chips, and those things you insist on calling potato chips are properly called crisps. Real chips are thick cut, fried in animal fat, and dressed not with catsup but with vinegar.

11. The cold tasteless stuff you insist on calling beer is not actually beer at all. Henceforth, only proper British Bitter will be referred to as beer, and European brews of known and accepted provenance will be referred to as Lager. Australian beer is also acceptable as they are pound for pound the greatest sporting Nation on earth and it can only be due to the beer.They are also part of British Commonwealth - see what it did for them.

12. Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as good guys. Hollywood will also be required to cast English actors to play English characters. Watching Andie McDowell attempt English dialogue in Four Weddings and a Funeral was an experience akin to having one's ears removed with a cheese grater.

13. You will cease playing American football. There is only one kind of proper football; you call it soccer. Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby (which has some similarities to American football, but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full kevlar body armour like a bunch of nancies). Don't try - the Australians and Kiwis will thrash you, like they regularly thrash us.

14. Further, you will stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to host an event called the World Series for a game which is not played outside of America . Since only 2.1% of you are aware that there is a world beyond your borders, your error is understandable. You will learn cricket, and we will let you face the South Africans first to take the sting out of their deliveries.

15. You must tell us who killed JFK. It's been driving us mad.

16 An internal revenue agent (i.e. tax collector) from Her Majesty's Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all monies due (backdated to 1776).

17. Daily Tea Time begins promptly at 4 pm with proper cups, never mugs, with high quality biscuits (cookies) and cakes; strawberries in season. God save the Queen. Only He can. John Cleese

I found this humorus, or is it humourous?

After googling the title and John Cleese, it appears I am late to the "party" - I am using this term loosely. Also, it appears that it is unclear at best as to whether or not John Cleese actually wrote this. In any case.....I continue to perpetuate it.

This was someone's comment left on a post after reading it:



The thing is this isn't funny:
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George W. Bush Blames Torture Policy on U.S. Troops
Uploaded by mmflint

and this isn't either
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President Bush embarrasses himself (only he doesn't know it):
White House Meals Remind Bush of Filipino-American talent
Uploaded by tpmtv

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Bush Press Conference on North Korea's Nuclear Declaration
Uploaded by tpmtv

Jon Stewart Downgrades North Korea from Axis of Evil

Bush's 'Axis of Evil' Comes Back to Haunt United States

By Glenn Kessler and Peter Baker

Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, October 10, 2006; Page A12

Nearly five years after President Bush introduced the concept of an "axis of evil" comprising Iraq, Iran and North Korea, the administration has reached a crisis point with each nation: North Korea has claimed it conducted its first nuclear test, Iran refuses to halt its uranium-enrichment program, and Iraq appears to be tipping into a civil war 3 1/2 years after the U.S.-led invasion. Read the article from the Washington Post

Another article: A_bend_in_the_axis_of_evil
June 27, 2008

RAFAEL NADAL MAKES TENNIS MORE WIDELY POPULAR - CATCH THE WAVE - WIMBLEDON 08

Third Round at Wimbledon 2008 Results:

Rafael NADAL (Sp) 2 defeated Nicolas KIEFER (Ger) 27

6-7 (3-7) 2-6 3-6

Rafael Nadal plays Mikhail Youszhny Monday , June 30, 2008
as the second match on Court One. Court One matches begin at 1:00 p.m. Wimbledon time, which is 5 hours ahead of the east coast of the USA.

ESPN and NBC in the USA are showing the matches (not at the same time - so check the TV schedule), but they jump from match to match.

You can watch the matches live on Justin TV for free, which accommodates both personal computers and IMACs.
http://www.justin.tv/slazenger
http://www.justin.tv/federer1
http://www.justin.tv/microemission
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Watch live video from WIMBLEDON LIVE! on Justin.tv
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The Wimbledon Website
has live scoring and you can purchase live streaming. Although the live streaming didn't work for me at all on Saturday, June 28, so I watched it on Justin TV, ESPN and NBC. The picture on Justin TV isn't as clear as TV, but at least they show matches in the entirety.
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Rafael Nadal interviewed by a young person
and speaks about his favorite shot, his biceps and his fellow Spaniards at the Euro 2008.
Uploaded by wizzdomia

More Wimbledon 2008 videos of matches

Thanks to tennis24

and Helfrin

The Photo Credits: Daylife
Wimbledon 08 Round 3 ~ Nadal versus Kiefer Match

Rafa's Blogging for fans at Times Online

Rafael Nadal's website:
www.rafaelnadal.com