Random tennis thoughts of the day

[louiselux]

There's a point in this compilation of adorable Rafa clips, where he says about his health: 'My body is perfect', then realised how that sounded and added, with some chagrin, 'physically speaking'. That's not a bad grasp of English, right? Talking of which, his English has really noticeably improved in the past few months.

Rafa played blindingly good tennis against Andy Roddick on Sunday, to the point where it was getting vaguely frightening. His fist pumps at the end were, to quote emungere, 'highly and bizarrely sexual'. I know fist pumps are all about penises anyway, but these really were fist pumps of total porn. There's just something about Rafa that underlies all the adorablness. Rafa really is quite fearful in his intensity, his physical directness and apparent lack of any self consciousness. Mr Lux has watched Rafa play once or twice, and his verdict is: 'One day he's going to snap and lock himself in a room and just stare at the walls, isn't he?' I do wonder.

He's just a simple boy who likes fishing, golf, continuing to crush all comers in tennis, Phantom of the Opera, diamante Marilyn Monroe art and Julio Englesias.

On a different note, much as I like seeing him having fun and being a total dork, I wish Roger would stop doing that weird thing with Wawa on the tennis court after they win. Even if it's made of HoYay, it's really beginning to creep me out for reasons I can't even explain.

Comments

[mion-mion.livejournal.com]

All you said, this is so true. Rafa is the most special person I know, he's so different from everyone else, in his intensity, his entirety, the fact that one second he is unstoppable and the next you have the shyest and cutest boy you've ever. It sometimes scares me. His mother said once that she didn't recognise her son as soon as he steps on a court, and I'm pretty sure that the people who only saw him play wouldn't believe how kind and modest and generous he is in every day life. And I feel like with everything that happened to him, all the glory and the celebrity, to stay this simple and normal, like the only thing that really matters after he won his match is if the Real Madrid is gonna win his, since nobody acted that way before him, is actually not normal, you know ? Maybe even he doesn't understand exactly what's going on. But, you know, whatever works works, and he doesn't have to fit into normality to be happy. Maybe we should all accept that like he did :) And anyway, nobody can accomplish what he did and be just like the rest of us. Sorry, I feel like I'm totally unable to make myself understandable TT

'One day he's going to snap and lock himself in a room and just stare at the walls, isn't he?'
I think he's strong and has the perfect persons around him but maybe the world will break him one day. I don't think it will but one never knows. I can only pray for this to never happen.

Just... yeah, you said it all. Sorry about the random comment but I just felt while reading your post that you've just vocalized things I had in my head for a long time without being able to sort them out. So thank you :)

And that thing with Rogi and Wawa makes me nervous too. I prefer when they keep it to slashy declarations in Swiss press.

[buckle-berry.livejournal.com]

i'm wondering, with rafa, if it's partly the other way around - maybe he's so chill all the rest of the time because he works through all his aggression and anger and whatever else on the tennis court? my boyfriend is a bit like that with music, really relaxed all the time because he has this outlet in making music. if he has to spend longer than about 3 days away from a guitar, he gets a bit fractious. maybe rafa is like that with the tennis.

i'm beginning to feel the same way about that rog and stan thing. it's the way wawa lies so flat on the court or...idk. but yeah. creepy.

[niennah.livejournal.com]

it's the way wawa lies so flat on the court

That's it. It's too... exposed, or something.

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, maybe that is how it works with him - I didn't think of it like that. He clearly has vast amounts of energy and it makes me imagine cute scenes of young rafa and his parents being *really* glad he's sporty and has ways to tire himself out.

Ahaha! Yes yes, maybe it is the way Stan spreads himself out in such an alarming way.

[niennah.livejournal.com]

Hahahah! That reminds me of John Barrowman's quote that morebliss just posted: I’m in my thirties and I live with another man, I have two dogs that are groomed better than some people, my house is minimalist, and I’m in musical theatre… what other clues do you want?

Diamante-encrusted Marilyn Monroe painting? *lols*

To be honest, I don't see Rafa ever breaking like that. It's hard to think of a famous person as grounded as he appears to be, and with such a strong support structure around him. He is intense, yes, but then he kicks back, too, playing foot tennis and golf and going fishing and all that stuff we're told about, and probably stuff we don't hear about too. (Hur hur ;D) What I mean is, he seems happy, in general. I don't think he's fragile, you know? Though the difference between on-court Rafa and off-court Rafa is amazing. A friend of mine had seen him play but never heard him talk, and when she finally did, she couldn't believe how sweet and young he seemed.

I second your view on the Federer thing with Wawa. It's weird, dudes! Quit it!

[adorerdollylux.livejournal.com]

ohmygod, i just love rafa so much. i've been watching all those compilation videos for the past couple of days, and i just can't get over him. i love the one where they told him he hit 100% of his first serves in the second set of his match against baghatis (or whatever his name is) at indian wells in 2006 and just his... complete disbelief in it and that GRIN. he's impossible. i was just talking to jess about it and it's just amazing to me that someone can be so arrestingly fragile but not at the exact same time. i always worry about him and want someone there with him all the time but then he goes and handles everything on his own and he does it so well and it's so HEARTBREAKING somehow. it's amazing to me.

i always think it's so disarming to see rafa on the court and then rafa off the court, but then you get those little glimpses of RAFA in the NADAL on court, like when he's smiling at the ballboys or when something silly happens during the match, etc. and that little smile comes out and he doesn't look so mature and serious all of a sudden. he just looks like little rafa. it's incredible. i am in awe of him, constantly.

yeah, the thing with stan is strange to me, too. i think it's more how stan acts than roger, because roger makes it silly and adorable, and stan seems like he has a semi the entire time. hahaha.

<3

[maribella008.livejournal.com]

The compendium of the B'way (that show in particular), and the diamante, and the rubia, and the artist being Italian, and Rafa already enjoying Italy so much ... does it all seem a bit "Velvet Goldmine" (in a good way, of course) to anyone else?

"i'm wondering, with rafa, if it's partly the other way around - maybe he's so chill all the rest of the time because he works through all his aggression and anger and whatever else on the tennis court?"
With the contrast being so stark and all (won't bore unduly with the double-sided Gemini thing) -- that's what I've always thought.

"i'm beginning to feel the same way about that rog and stan thing. it's the way wawa lies so flat on the court or...idk. but yeah. creepy."
*snicker*
So what do you all think Stan is trying to tell us (and Roger the Sky King)? :D

[daegaer.livejournal.com]

"My. Framework. Operates. Totally. Within. My. High. End. Parameters."

The reporter blinked. "Er, sorry, Mr Nadal?"

Rafael Nadal gave a carefully programmed wry smile.

"It. Sounds. More. Natural. In. Spanish."

[best-of-five.livejournal.com]

rafito ♥

i think he's been that way since he was born, honestly. i mean you can see it in him in the davis cup tie of 2004, where he's the youngest on the team and is up against andy roddick (then #2) and clinches the final. he's just fearless on the court and consumed by a need to win. i don't think he turns those things off per se off the court (he's famously competitive in EVERYTHING, especially playstation) but he's calmer. that's why he doesn't strike me as falsely modest when he praises rogi and calls him the favorite on clay, and then schools him. it all makes sense and is true in his head.

/ode to rafito.

that wawa routine is getting tired. it's so rehearsed now. and i never saw the slash in it to begin with, it's too dorky. if rogi was being slashy with someone, he'll be more subtle about it - not as flashy. they'll stop soon, i think. we'll see if rogi even plays doubles with him against the u.s. - something tells me he may partner with allegro again for that one. but i could be wrong.

[stained_glass]

Oh my God. That man is adorable.

[baka-gaijin.livejournal.com]

You owe me $7.95 plus taxes, franchise fees, and $1.99 install fee.

You should demand that emungere split it with you, since it's equally her fault.

Because of this (http://community.livejournal.com/fedal_slash/13719.html?thread=1890199#t1890199) and this (http://community.livejournal.com/fedal_slash/13719.html?thread=1950615#t1950615).

I'ld like it Spanish Pesetas and Swiss Francs. kthx.

[morebliss.livejournal.com]

Oh god, him talking about playing with Roger. Yowsa. I don't think he'll snap. He seems able to seperate out his tennis 'game face' from the rest of his life in a really healthy way. Precious angel boy.

And I'm with you on the Roger/Wawa thing. It's overplayed. Mix it up boys. Perhaps Roger could just take his shirt off in celebration instead. And his shorts. That would work for me.

[kaiserkuchen.livejournal.com]

...oh, that Marilyn Monroe 'art'. Egads. It certainly is special, um.

Youtube is currently shunning my attempts to make the damn site load, curses. *bookmarks links for posterity*, though do Fed and Wawa still do their weird Swiss victory rituals? Thought that was only after their olympic win, huh.