Cool!! Rafa is back, vamos!

July 18th, 2012 at 11:05 am

Nice to see some doubles specialists lauded for their careers.

July 18th, 2012 at 11:06 am

My country needs as many gold medals as we can get. The Chief Beggar, I mean, our PM, says he needs it to pay interest on our debt.

July 18th, 2012 at 11:06 am

@HR, LOL!!

July 18th, 2012 at 11:08 am

BTW, I read that Federer was offered the honor but is thinking of declining to give someone else the chance to carry the flag.

July 18th, 2012 at 11:08 am

@rz,
Superman less power?

July 18th, 2012 at 11:12 am

@metan, sorry, I don’t follow.

July 18th, 2012 at 12:34 pm

According to this report, it doesn’t sound like Federer has been asked:

Federer the Reluctant Flag-Bearer
by Mel Wong

The record-breaking, 17-time Grand Slam champion and all-round tennis master that is Roger Federer has claimed to be “undecided” as to whether or not he will be Switzerland’s official flag-bearer for the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony.

Having already performed flag-bearing duties for his native country at two other summer Olympic games, he confirmed today that despite being “offered” he may give “another athlete the chance” of carrying the flag on the world’s stage.

July 18th, 2012 at 2:58 pm

Sompe people want to carry the flat all the time. Expecially when there are other deserving athletes in the country.

July 18th, 2012 at 3:07 pm

I’m really digging all the love the tennis players are getting from their countries. :)

July 18th, 2012 at 3:35 pm

@ Everyone is entitled to my opinion: how does that article make it sound as if Federer was not asked to carry the flag? Isn’t that implied by “offered”?

July 18th, 2012 at 4:06 pm

Agreed Sinnet, it appears that tennis is getting more respect on the world stage. Should be a memorable Olympics specifically for the tennis being on Wimbledon grass. It will be strange to see the players wearing non-white colours on the courts.

July 18th, 2012 at 4:06 pm

Humble Rafa, I ask you: Is there any active athlete in the whole world right now more deserving for a flag bearer of any country than Roger Federer?
I can’t think of any individual big sport active athlete who deserves it more than Roger, at least you put the whole Spain Soccer team to carry the flag then there is no one as deserving.

July 18th, 2012 at 5:08 pm

Tennis is my favourite sport,so its also great for me personally to see so many players as flag bearers,and i agree after this land mark in his career,i thougt Roger would have been a dead cert to bear the flag,hmm shocked to say the least.

July 18th, 2012 at 5:17 pm

Fed said in an interview that he got offered to carry the flag but that he might give an other athlete the opportunity.

July 18th, 2012 at 5:43 pm

Federer has been flag bearer a record two times for Switzerland (2004, 2008). He doesn’t need to extend the record or hog the limelight, preferring to give others a chance.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_flag_bearers_for_Switzerland_at_the_Olympics

July 18th, 2012 at 6:17 pm

@dave,
Roger once again shows a good example not being greedy, willing to share,,,,,good news!

July 18th, 2012 at 7:06 pm

@dave, be careful to what you say. If GOAT hears that flag bearer can be now counted for an all-time record, he will change his mind and carry it one more time!

July 18th, 2012 at 9:42 pm

Great Rafa!!! win it for us!

July 18th, 2012 at 11:04 pm

The goal for any athelete is to carry the National Flag in the World’s most Premiere event -The Olympics. It should be a great honour to Nadal that he is the flag bearer for Spain which has a very strong contingent. And Novak too, is leading Serbia. As regards Roger,he has been quite gracious enough to share this honour and he doesn’t wish to hog the limelight.

July 19th, 2012 at 12:42 am

Rafa is so handsome, tks staff for putting it up.

July 19th, 2012 at 1:37 am

@mark,

I did watch the sky sport aired nadal, it was incredible, awesome. He is worthy to be loved.

Big thanks for those who did great job to posting in you tube. I am sure you have a copy, ha,,,,ha

July 19th, 2012 at 1:57 am

@Alison. Did you enjoy Sporting Greats – Rafael Nadal? I certainly did. Loved the comment from the Narrator “From the boy champion to a sporting great”. @ metan. Am pleased you found it on U Tube.

July 19th, 2012 at 3:10 am

Gregoire Gentil. Lol.

July 19th, 2012 at 3:19 am

Mark yeah i did watch it and enjoyed it very much,especially that comment you mentioned, shame i was dissapointed that the program was not longer though,cant get enough of Rafa sometimes lol.

July 19th, 2012 at 5:31 am

Gregoire Gentil, be careful what you say… Mark is the only person laughing.

If Fed does carry the flag it would probably be because all the alternates turned it down and insist Federer caries it for Switzerland.

July 19th, 2012 at 8:43 am

Federer is the most likely to win the gold.

He is better on grass than Nole and Nadal this year.

July 19th, 2012 at 9:26 am

@jamie,
Sally kirkman said london is gemini city, so probably femini people will pocket the gold. Who is the gemini tennis player?

July 19th, 2012 at 9:33 am

@metan

Hopefully Nole. He is a gemini.

Nadal is a non-factor in off clay finals these days. He never wins the off clay finals anymore. Not since October 2010. LOL.

Nadal fans will probably have to wait until Monte Carlo 2013 for him to win another title.

He will only win RG from now on.

July 19th, 2012 at 9:44 am

Nadal will probably win 1 or 2 more RG but that’s it.

Federer probably will win another Wimbledon. But that’s it.

Nole is the most likely to win at all the slams from now. I can see Nole winning at the AO, FO, Wimbledon and USO. He is an all courter while Nadal can only win at RG atm and Federer can only win at the indoors Wimbledon championship atm.

July 19th, 2012 at 9:51 am

BREAKING!!

3 WEEKS BETWEEN GARROS AND WIMBLEDON FROM 2015.

http://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/news/press_releases/2012-07-19/201207191342698319697.html

July 19th, 2012 at 10:09 am

scineram – I just saw that too. Good news (and about time!)

July 19th, 2012 at 10:18 am

@ jamie, I don’t think so, he always gives us surprise, look at his statistics.

Rafa is GEMINI and his HOME TOWN is Gemini too.
ROLL EYES!

July 19th, 2012 at 10:23 am

i have great faith in rafa n he will surely win the olympic. my prayers r for u. all the best

July 19th, 2012 at 10:23 am

@jamie
But didn’t you say that rafa had the best chart for the US Open? Btw, has the psychic predicted who will win the olympics?

July 19th, 2012 at 10:35 am

@Thomas

I don’t care what the psychic says. Nadal sucks off clay now.

July 19th, 2012 at 10:38 am

My money is on Nole to win the USO.

July 19th, 2012 at 10:39 am

@metan

Nadal stinks on grass these days. Grass is the surface where he has declined the most. He lost at Wimbledon to some Challenger player. Says how much he stinks of grass now.

Gold will be won by Federer or Nole.

July 19th, 2012 at 10:45 am

Jamie is the new psychic on this forum. He doesn’t need the help of the professionals anymore. What a clever chap!!

July 19th, 2012 at 10:46 am

Edit: Says how much he stinks on grass now.

July 19th, 2012 at 10:46 am

@jamie,

My money is for Rafa only, he is hardly disappointed me,
Risoto risole rosol was old song, life goes on n new day is coming.

July 19th, 2012 at 10:56 am

“I don’t care what the psychic says. Nadal sucks off clay now.”

I agree with you a 100% Jamie. Is is possible that the psyschic prediction of who will win changes between now and the US Open?(ie will position of the planets change etc)

July 19th, 2012 at 10:59 am

On HC Nole is THE MAN. He will win USO like he also won the AO.

USO is not RG or indoor Wimbledon Championships. Time for Fedal TO LOSE.

July 19th, 2012 at 10:59 am

@Thomas

The planetary alignments won’t change to what they are supposed to be like in August/September.

July 19th, 2012 at 11:01 am

@Thomas

But there is a chance some player has a better DEBUT(first match played) chart for the USO than Nadal but that will only be possible to be determined AFTER all the top 4 play their first match.

July 19th, 2012 at 11:04 am

@Jamie “But there is a chance some player has a better DEBUT(first match played) chart for the USO than Nadal but that will only be possible to be determined AFTER all the top 4 play their first match.”

What significance does this have though? Will this mean that nadal could possibly lose early at this event(in spite of his good chart) Btw, what are Federer and Noles charts like for the US Open?

July 19th, 2012 at 11:07 am

@Thomas

The Argie psychic said Nadal has the same planetary alignments for the USO this year that he had when he won:

Wimbledon and Olympics 2008

AO 2009

RG, Wimbledon and USO 2010

So this is why Nadal is Mente Perfecta’s fave to win the USO.

But sometimes players have an amazing(incredible, very lucky) debut chart at a tournament that trumps everything and everyone else like for example Nole at Wimbledon and USO last year. It was clear he would win after looking at his fantastic debut chart.

July 19th, 2012 at 11:13 am

@Jamie
So we will only know for sure who will win after the astrologers see all the debut charts of all the players at the start of the US Opne? Btw, which type of astrology is the most accurate?(ie chinese, vedic,western etc) ?

July 19th, 2012 at 11:16 am

@Thomas

Yes, we have to see the debut charts of the top players to give the official winner.

Western traditional astrology is the most accurate.

July 19th, 2012 at 11:23 am

Nadal has pulled out of the London Olympics. He is not in condition to compete!

July 19th, 2012 at 11:30 am

@Jamie

didnt you say that nadal would get injured lots this yr and next as it was written in the stars? Is this latest injury a habringer of things to come?

July 19th, 2012 at 12:05 pm

Roger Federer is in the Olympics, right?

July 22nd, 2012 at 1:26 am

Go stan!

July 23rd, 2012 at 9:44 am

congrats to stan! i suppose it’s all in fairness…roger has had the honors of carrying his nation’s flag the previous two olympic ceremonies and stan is a defending gold medalist with roger so it’s appropriate.

does anybody know the reason why pironkova was immediately changed? was it her decision or her federation’s?

July 23rd, 2012 at 11:17 am

I know why the Arrogant One gave the flag bearing duties to Stan “The Best Backhand in Switzerland” wawrinka. He wants to make up with the Best Backhand for what he said about Stan’s play during the Davis Cup loss to the US.

July 23rd, 2012 at 11:53 am

Nice that Stan gets to carry the flag. I know he’s a gold medalist, but I have to ask…don’t the Swiss have anyone else who could have carried it? (Maybe not for the summer games?)

July 23rd, 2012 at 11:07 pm

Scott, I’m not sure it was ever confirmed that Pironkova would actually carry the flag (that’s what it sounded like from earlier blurbs I’d read)

July 24th, 2012 at 12:44 pm

Wawrinka is a “good choice” to be flag bearer, according to 80% polled by a Swiss newspaper. He won one of two gold medals for Switzerland at the 2008 Olympics. Probably the only other candidate was cyclist Fabian Cancellara — he won the only other gold medal in 2008 and he holds the distinction of wearing the yellow jersey the most times (28) without winning the Tour de France.

July 24th, 2012 at 11:43 pm

Dave, thanks for the info. I think Stan is a good choice, I was just curious about other Swiss summer athletes.

July 25th, 2012 at 10:53 am