How Would Rafael Nadal Look In A Sombrero? After Crushing Ferrer Saturday Night He Looks Damn Good! [Video]

by Tom Gainey | March 3rd, 2013, 1:06 am
  • 52 Comments

For winning his biggest title in this comeback, Rafael Nadal was awarded not only with a silver-looking pear trophy, but also a Mexican Sombrero! Nadal deserved the hat and more after destroying his good friend and countryman David Ferrer 60, 62 to win his 38th career title on clay and his second in Acapulco.

“This was a great week for me and today I played exceptionally well, I dominated the game against the world No. 4 and couldn’t be happier, especially when I think where I am coming from,” Nadal said. “Perhaps the conditions were in my favour but I feel it was maybe one of the best matches of my career.”

Nadal concludes his Latin comeback with a 12-1 record and two titles. And he ended with two of his best wins over Nicolas Almagro yesterday and Ferrer tonight, both in ruthless Rafa fashion. The 30-year-old Ferrer had won 19 straight matches at the event, winning there the last three times. But David was no match for Nadal on this day.


“I wish I could have played a better match but I never found my rhythm,” said Ferrer. “You have good days and bad days. Rafa played really well and I couldn’t do much, and never had any chance. I leave with a positive feeling,”

According to his camp, Rafa will now play in the U.S. on Monday in Madison Square Garden before heading west to Indian Wells.

The post-match trophy presentation is below, fast forward to the end to see Nadal wearing the sombrero:


You Might Like:
Victoria Azarenka Get’s Ridiculous In Boyfriend Redfoo’s New Music Video
Rafael Nadal Armani Teaser [Video]
Does This Video Remind Anyone Of Nick Kyrgios? [Video]
Novak Djokovic Does his Best Rafael Nadal Shakira [Video]
Must See Video: These Are Really Good Impersonations Of The Fab Four

Don't miss any tennis action, stay connected with Tennis-X

Get the FREE TX daily newsletter

52 Comments for How Would Rafael Nadal Look In A Sombrero? After Crushing Ferrer Saturday Night He Looks Damn Good! [Video]

Giles Says:

Vamos King.
May you lift, bite and kiss many many more trophies. Stay healthy
#KingIsBack


Michael Says:

Congrats to Rafa !! He is slowly rediscovering his form and by this splendid victory over Ferrer he has clearly demonstrated that he is yet again on the rise. What is significant is not just the victory but the scoreline which suggests that he has decimated the opponent. Now the French Open is once again looking interesting and it will not be a walk over for Novak. He has his task cut out in the form of Rafa.


nadalista Says:

Next up: the big 3!


nadalista Says:

Now watch them rig the RG draw so that Rafa falls in Ferru’s quarter………..


M Says:

Vamos, campeón

:-)


Karthick Says:

Thanks Giles for the photo.. It was good to see at this point.. :)


Karthick Says:

Vamos Rafa!!! Another much needed title to boost your confidence… All the best for IW


nadalista Says:

#pmouratoglou says:

“By defeating Ferrer 0 and 2 in final, #Rafa is sending a huge message to all about his come back at the top of the game on clay”


alison Says:

3 Finals and 2 titles,im so pleased for Rafa,as i had a feeling that his year hinged on the outcome of that result,i dont know what this means ahead of the FO but Rafa will be getting his confidence back,and a confident Rafa is always a dangerous prospect.


rafaeli Says:

Rafa is playing better than before his injury. I doubt ANY of the top 4 would want to meet him in the Qtrs on any surface.


Vvx Says:

This is such joyful news!

I saw him play in Chile and despite reaching the final he was a mere shadow of his former magnificent self. I didn’t want to but I couldn’t help wondering if this was it.

I wondered if he would ever again win a clay court tournament against serious opposition. Obviously Djokovic and Murray are another step in class but for now, beating Almagro and Ferrer to win an ATP 500, this is a fantastic result, a result that justifies keeping the faith when life seems hopeless and rewards a serious and meticulous attitude to rehabilitation.

I also admire Rafa’s decision to not duck the challenge to play Indian Wells so soon after the comeback. He will almost certainly get destroyed should he get far enough to play Djokovic or Murray, both are in a different cass right now. If he doesn’t damage the knee then it is the right one.

The sooner he gets experience of the competitive level of the Top 4, the better he can prepare for Monte Carlo, which he needs to win to convince himself and his peers that he will still be the one to beat at Roland Garros.

But for now, he is healthy-ish, he is happy, he is moving 1000% better than he was three weeks ago, his backhand now looks like one that belongs to a professional tennis player (unlike in Chile) he is Rafa. He is back.

VAMOS!


alison Says:

Im so happy Rafas back and playing some great tennis again,and ill be glad to finally be able to watch him again when IW starts,however im not getting carried away,HCs are a different animal and Novak is just as much at home on HCs as Rafa is on clay,i just hope whatever happens he just continues to play well,it will also be great to have Andy Murray back playing again,seems ages since he last played.


alison Says:

Vvx great post completely agree.


Kimberly Says:

Glad to see rafa win and happy with the reports he is going to play Indian wells! Hope he plays Miami too. Was at delray for the gulbis haas match yesterday. A lesson in anger management.


Nadalista Says:

With this 13th ATP 500 tournament win, Rafa becomes the all time leader of that tournament level, breaking the tie with Federer and Sampras who are both tied at 12


moam Says:

It’s truly great to see Nadal back in the hunt. I’m hopeful his knee continues to grow stronger and that he can perform at optimal level for the remainder of this season on all surfaces.
http://martinstake128.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/the-return-of-nadal/


Giles Says:

Moam. Great link. Thx


Alok Says:

@Kimberly,the level of play was high and entertaining, so was the anger. Both guys were using expletives in English. They should have used their own language, German for Haas and Latvian for Gulbis.Ferrer and a few other players guys curse in other languages. dunno why gulbis and Haas chose to curse in English as they could have avoided the warnings.


Alok Says:

To me, Daveed was very nervous, (1) for defending his title and (2) playing against Nadal. Daveed could not seem to play relaxed enough to make it a very high quality match.


Paradox Says:

Tennis fans are lucky to see Nadal at his best again.I hope to see him play at the highest level for atleast 5 more years of unparalleled success on all surfaces and breaking all records.Nadal is special and transcends tennis and tennis needs him for many more years.


alison Says:

Nadalista thanks for that piece of information,all the talk has been about the other players lately and what records they have broken,so its nice as a fan to here that Rafa has broken a few records of his own,great stuff.


alison Says:

Thanks for the link and poem Moam.


Humble Rafa Says:

Since I won big, my knees are great. It’s a day to day thing. It would totally break down when I lose, but for now, all is well.


marrisv Says:

Congratulations Rafa. That was an awesome performance. What stood out for me was the way hit his backhand both CC and DL. It was refreshing to see him going for the BH DL with pace and more frequency than I have seen in a long while. His serve and ROS were solid as well. All signs that he is gaining confidence and hopes to be at his peak for the clay court season. Playing IW and Miami (not sure If he plays) will give him more information about his body. He is well n truly back now.


Giles Says:

Paradox. Spot on! :-))


Paradox Says:

Yes, his DTL backhand was better than before in this match.His serve was also good.But he has to improve even more in these shots as well as DTL forehand to beat Djokovic and Murray on hardcourts consistently.He should also try to play more relaxed and I wish him all the best.


alison Says:

Paradox yeah good constructive post,and hopefully he will continue to improve,and its still early days yet,and these things dont happen overnight,but hes on the right track,and when he plays freely he plays with confidence,and thats a dangerous combination,and hopefully one that will give Rafas rivals nightmares.


Humble Rafa Says:

You are welcome. You were suffering for the last 8 months. Happy to provide joy to you.


Humble Rafa Says:

With this 13th ATP 500 tournament win, Rafa becomes the all time leader of that tournament level, breaking the tie with Federer and Sampras who are both tied at 12

Nice to know. But I really play for the love for the game.


Tennis Vagabond Says:

Seeing Nole’s win first, I thought what a huge accomplishment this is, remaining undefeated into March for a second time.
Then Rafa does this- even more incredible. We go into March with an irresistible force and an immovable object.

There was a great Bill Simmons article a few weeks ago about the things sports fans all think but no one talks about: the steroid shadow over every great accomplishment. It is just impossible to watch an athlete do something we would have guessed to be physically impossible without wondering. Like Ray Lewis’ postseason. Or Adrian Peterson’s season. So to see what Rafa has done so quickly into a comeback after this amount of time away, you have to harbour some doubt if this can be done cleanly.

I wish that shadow wasn’t there, because as I said, the epic battles between Rafa and Novak to come are pure fantasy. Would be nice not to have to question this, but the cheating athletes that keep coming out forces you to.


Humble Rafa Says:

So to see what Rafa has done so quickly into a comeback after this amount of time away, you have to harbour some doubt if this can be done cleanly.

When the Arrogant One plays fairly OK into his 30s, it is due to his “talent”.

Your Humble Highness, built like steel, plays well and I am cheating.

These Arrotards…..


Paradox Says:

It is no wonder that certain Fed fans will stoop to any level to satisfy their insecurity.Whenever Nadal starts to play excellently,their dark mind become even darker and evil.But at the same time when Federer creates unbelievable records,they do not see anything fishy about it.Sour grapes,what else.Let them swollow it.


The Great Davy Says:

I will have won. Too bad Rafa play his baby, not his Great Daddy!


nadalista Says:

As Humble Rafa says, when Federer breaks records well into his thirties, it is a testament to his greatness.

When Novak goes on an unbeaten streak, silence, after all he is the perfect tennis player.

When Rafa plays at a level befitting an 11-time GS Champion, on his favourite surface, on his third tournament on return from a 7-month hiatus, he must be cheating.

Never mind the FACT that it is Rafa who has been tested the most in the last 8-month and asked for ALL tests to be made public, blood and urine. It IS Federer who has said he cannot remember the last time he was blood tested, same for Novak. And oh, it is Federer who is AGAINST publishing the number of times players are tested.

Never mind at all. We Rafans just roll our eyes now. It was Fed himself who said in 2009: the best of Rafa is yet to come.

Watch, and believe………or disbelieve if you are that way inclined. Either way, Rafa doesn’t give a damn. He is there to play.

Vamos!!!


jane Says:

nadalista, i guess you haven’t been privy to all of the suspicion Nole has been under, including here at this site, and even in an inflammatory piece by Neil Harman of the Times that featured Nole’s photo right under a hypothetical scenario about doping. No, in fact Nole’s success is not met with silence or lack of suspicion… trust me! ;) It’s unfortunate that their successes are placed under these dark clouds, but I guess in part, as TV opines, it’s a product of the times. But I guess no one is really immune then.


nadalista Says:

I get that it is a product of our times, Jane, and the reasons thereof (Lance Armstrong etc, etc), but sorry, there is an insidious agenda at play here. In other sports, when there is a cloud of suspicion, it is cast on ALL the players, no player is exempt from suspicion. Why is it that in tennis these doping aspersions are cast selectively?

Even in cycling, the golden boy, Armstrong, was hounded mercilessly by doping suspicions.

On more positive news, Rafa is now up to 6th in the Race to London, 90 points behind Federer.

Vamos!!


Michael Says:

With Nadal having expressed his interest to participate in Indian Wells, he might be playing one of the top three in the quarter final stage itself. How helluva of a match that will be ?? I am keenly looking forward to it !!


jane Says:

nadalista, I don’t know why that is. That weird website, THASP, is rather selective in its agenda, too, imo. It’s too bad. I still say innocent until proven guilty and that the onus is on the governing bodies to prove anything.


nadalista Says:

Jane, yes, for some, it is easier to cast baseless aspersions than to give deserved praise. A reflection of their own corroded souls, really.


nadalista Says:

Jane, and all Nole fans read this, fascinating analysis on the Dubai final:

http://www.changeovertennis.com/stats-backhands-down-the-line-and-the-dubai-final-not-the-numbers-youd-expect/


jane Says:

^ Yes, yes I know, thank-you; as I mentioned n the other thread, Nole’s backhand was more a liability in the final, and oddly, so was Berdych’s forehand! It’s like they switched strengths for the match. That site often has insightful discussions about the matches.


Giles Says:

http://www.zimbio.com/photos/Rafael+Nadal/BNP+Paribas+Tennis+Showdown+Cocktail+Party/TNYuu0QRato
Now it’s time for some fun Rafa and earn some big bucks with it!! Vamos!


nadalista Says:

“Nadal says he plans to compete, but Courier would see it as a good sign if Nadal skipped at least one and preferably both events. “It would seem to me from an outsider’s perspective that it would make the most sense for him, given what he has gone through,” Courier said.”

I share your perspective, Courier, but there is also a perspective out “there” that says skipping both is a sign he is avoiding the Big 3!

Thank goodness Rafa listens to HIMSELF only, long may this continue.

Vamos!!


Kimberly Says:

Indian Wells bracket coming soon on the user friendly atp site. I for one can’t wait. I will post the link when the draw is out and all are welcome to join.

Will be interesting to see whos quarter Nadal lands in. If he gets Ferrer then it means nothing.

Either way Nadal needs to play Murray, Fed and Novak all of which I would not expect him to win first time, but to assess where he needs to develop his game to compete at that level on HC (or any court). Yes he played a great match against Ferrer but Ferrer is not the other three so his sole focus should be to survive long enough to play one of those three. Murray would be an ideal QF match IMO, one I don’t expect him to win but a good opportunity to play a match at that level without too much other BS involved.

Fed, too much press, game too different from Novak, Novak, doesn’t want to start another losing streak. So to me Murray is the ideal QF match.


Brando Says:

@Kimberly:

Looking forward to the bracket myself- it’s certainly been a long while!

Re Rafa and IW:

For me personally ANY of the other 3 other than Nole would be a welcome match.

– Ferrer? A good, tough match that should he win he would then gain another match with a top 4 player.

– Federer: Top 2 player, good test, matchup and someone who would test all facets of rafa’s game right now. Should he win (very much doubt it) then he would gain a lot of confidence since he would have beat one of the best players in the world right now.

– Muzza: Really, really good test for him. A good matchup, similar to Novak in many way’s but without the baggage, a beast on outdoor HC so should he do well against him it would be a huge confidence boost for rafa.

Novak? That would be awful.

Why?

There is ZERO chance for rafa v nole in his first HC event in almost a year- that too v a nole who is on an unbeaten streak!

He’d get pummeled here IMO should he face Nole.

IF by some major miracle he happens to be competitive v nole, that would be bad news also since it would mean war on a tennis court and considering rafa’s knee issue- that would just be bad news IMO!

HOPE:

ANYONE other than Nole is welcome. Which usually means he ends up facing Nole! :-(


Giles Says:

Brando. I somehow don’t think Rafa is going to try too hard in IW. He wants to get a few matches under his belt ready for the clay court season and surely it is better to play competitively than to just spend time on the practice courts.
If he plays Miami, again I don’t think he will try too hard.
He is not going to risk injury before the clay season has even started.
JMO


skeezer Says:

@Giles

“I somehow don’t think Rafa is going to try too hard in IW”

You sure you want to own that quote?


Giles Says:

^^^ Seeing as I’m not a mean and selfish guy, how about I share it with you!

Top story: Sinner Swallows Up Zverev For Second Straight Australian Open, 3rd Slam