Best of luck for the clay season :)

April 11th, 2013 at 1:43 am

It is not just red clay, more importantly it is altitude, have a look around and judging by the trees this is high altitude, smart move, getting ready for Madrid.

April 11th, 2013 at 2:43 am

Best of luck to Roger in the CC season(although not too much as Rafas my favorite lol),i wouldnt bet against Roger springing a surprise or two in the CC season or at the FO.

April 11th, 2013 at 5:40 am

That looks like some thick clay!

April 11th, 2013 at 8:15 am

I said it a long while ago and I’ll say it again: expect the fed to have a highly successful clay season. At his best, his clay tennis is still second only to Rafa for me!

April 11th, 2013 at 8:46 am

It is a very playable and winnable court. Atleast it’s not blue.

April 11th, 2013 at 9:25 am

Just read that Ferrer has pulled out of MC with a thigh injury. That’s a pity for him, hope it isn’t too serious.

His withdrawal won’t help Nadal get back to No. 4. sooner as Daveed was only defending 10 points. If Nole withdraws there’ll be an odd situation at MC where Andy will be seeded No.1 and Rafa No.2. How weird is that? hehe

April 11th, 2013 at 12:09 pm

Nadal is not bothered about getting the #4 ranking, he has got bigger fish to fry.

April 11th, 2013 at 12:33 pm

^^^ And hopefully he will fry them in the quarters!! #VamosChamp

April 11th, 2013 at 12:37 pm

^^ He may not be bothered but the other players (and their fans) are.

April 11th, 2013 at 12:47 pm

I am the undisputed King on clay. The official rankings never mattered to me. I play for the love of the game and for the joy of the Humble Nation.

April 11th, 2013 at 1:18 pm

Awesome court, awesome player and awesome view ;) Hope to see great things by Roger in the upcoming clay months :)

April 11th, 2013 at 1:21 pm

I hope they don’t put me in the same quarter as Zeballos. :) You know, the honorable gentleman, who beat me in Chile. I respect you.

April 11th, 2013 at 1:21 pm

Great picture really. He is remarkable. He could be retired and kicked back, getting fat, sipping a cocktail on a beach somewhere, but he’s out there energetically hitting a tennis ball on an obscure, ragged looking court in the alps. He sure does love his sport. Gotta love Roger Federer!

I agree ^^ @ Wog Boy. Good preparation for Madrid.

April 12th, 2013 at 1:55 am

Who exactly are these players who are worried about meeting Rafa in the quarters?

Novak is the undisputed #1, if he’s worried of playing a player ranked #5 in any round then he should be questioning HIS ranking.

Same comment for Murray, his ranking being #2.

Federer is the GOAT, if he’s worried about playing a player ranked #5 in any round then maybe he’s a lamb, not a GOAT.

Daveed. Dear, dear Daveed. He knows his fate before he plays Rafa so what would be the point of worrying about an outcome he already knows?

Let the games begin………..

April 12th, 2013 at 5:26 am

Have to say i get confused sometimes,posters claiming Novaks in Rafas head,Rafa cant beat Novak anymore,Rafa lost 7 times to Novak etc etc,now all of a sudden this Novak will struggle against this Rafa hmmm.

April 12th, 2013 at 5:43 am

^because its clay and novak is not in his 2011 form. on the otherhand, rafa has shown great form this year on clay

April 12th, 2013 at 6:31 am

Sirius yeah i see that,but do we always have to base the future on whats happened in the past?does never have mean never will? eg why do posters think Rafa never having won a WTF,means that Rafa never will win a WTF?anything can happen in this world,and when they play theres always the chance otherwise they wouldnt be there,and its as Nadalista says Rogers the GOAT,Novaks the world no1,and Andy and Delpo have the game to trouble anybody,Novak and Roger have both beaten Rafa on clay,so what has anyone got to be scared about?

April 12th, 2013 at 6:51 am

^Should be why do posters assume,not think.^

April 12th, 2013 at 7:03 am

“Does never have mean never will?”

No and i totally agree with you that anything can happen ( Wimbledon 2012 rosol match is the best example recently ). Thats why i watch this game, you never know how a tournament is going to end.

i didn’t find anything about players being scared of playing rafa on this thread. I’ve seen the word “bothered”, but no “scared”. Maybe i don’t know the difference between the words “bothered” and “scared”

btw, i dont think that any of the top 3 is scared of rafa. He is definitely the clay goat but that shouldn’t scare fed,novak,andy imo

April 12th, 2013 at 7:14 am

Sorry should have said bothered not scared of.

April 12th, 2013 at 7:25 am

It’s not the players who are scared but the fans.

April 12th, 2013 at 7:43 am

PS. Especially insofar as the Roland Garros seedings are concerned i.e. if Rafa remains No 5.

April 12th, 2013 at 7:48 am

I see “bothered” has morphed into “scared”. No one suggested the other top players are frightened of Rafa – I’m pretty sure they aren’t (Nole scared? Never). They can certainly be bothered or irked at the thought of meeting him in the QFs, especially someone like Nole whose top priority is RG this year. That’s a different thing.

April 12th, 2013 at 8:00 am

The DA not scared at all ive never thought Novak,Roger,Andy,Delpo were scared,and i shouldnt have used that word.

April 12th, 2013 at 8:06 am

@alison – it’s okay, I wasn’t singling you out.

April 12th, 2013 at 8:36 am

Just to add thats some beautiful scenery,Roger in fact all these players choose to visit some stunning places to relax.

April 12th, 2013 at 9:56 am

Seeding Rafa at #5 could be a blessing in disguise for whichever of Fed or Murray, even possibly Djokovic, gets that draw. Assuming that Nadal wins the quarterfinal match, the other player has a few extra days to prepare for the grass of Wimbledon.

April 12th, 2013 at 10:23 am

Federer is playing Basel this year. So there’s a chance he might skip paris for resting if he qualifies for the WTF like last year.

Damn! Why not play Tokyo or Beijing instead of Basel?

April 12th, 2013 at 11:26 am

Because he likes to play in his house, Sirius.

April 12th, 2013 at 11:55 am

RZ,

Maybe, finally, Rafa will play a quality opponent early on ( like the qtrs ). Me guess in the end it shouldn’t matter, after all , he owns the Mud.

RE: the “scared. afraid, whatever” stuff. Laughable. I mean, if “soooo scared” why play? Believe it, playing Rafa on Clay can be intimidating for sure, but the top players welcome playing Rafa.

April 12th, 2013 at 1:04 pm

Geezer,

“Rafa will play a quality opponent early on ( like the qtrs ).”

That wont happen for sure…he will always get a cupcake draw. For example he was ranked and seeded 5 at IW, but still ended up facing his delicious little punching bag in the quarters.

“I mean, if “soooo scared” why play?”

You are right Geezer, Federer is not playing MC these days.

April 12th, 2013 at 1:31 pm

It is all well and good to say that nobody is scared of Rafa on clay. However, I am not sure how many actually look forward to playing him on clay. I think very few have any real self-belief that they could beat him on clay. His clay record is simply insane.

April 12th, 2013 at 2:39 pm

That looks like beach sand lol

April 12th, 2013 at 9:02 pm