Questions for Rafa: Nutella, my love for cookies - and my naughty cousins!

Hello Rafa, I saw the video with your cousin on facebook, it seems wonderful. Do you play with them often when you are in Mallorca? Do they understand that you are a very famous tennis player or do they only see you like their old cousin?
Kisses from Madrid, Rosi.

RN: Yes I see them all the time. I love being with them, they are a lot of fun. A bit naughty so that makes them funny for me but I guess not that much with my ant... I think they know a bit of what I do, but they see me like the elder cousin in the end.

I know you adore your beloved Balearic Islands, but have you ever thought of holidaying anywhere in Australia like our Ningaloo Reef Archipelago, where I am blessed enough to live.
Taryn Ford, Western Australia.

RN: I hear it is beautiful but to be honest I am not too much at home so it is nice to stay there for many reasons.

It's wonderful to see you back on grass in Wimbledon and playing so well, especially in your all whites :) When it comes to food, if you had to choose - sweet or salty? I know your favourite Quely cookies are neither :)
All the best for this week Rafa, xx Nicole.

RN: Salty more than sweet but with the exception of Nutella...

What are your favourite balls? My favourite balls are Slazenger, I hate HEAD ATP balls.
Mónika from Hungary

RN: That's a good question. Now they are all pretty similar, The important thing for us is that we play with the same balls for a whole swing. Not many changes.

I was wondering if Nike custom-make some of your clothing, as I particularly like the lilac velour traning top you were wearing last week, but it doesn't appear in your catalogued items.
Julie Tingle

RN: Yes, they are taylored but I believe everything is at the shops on different sizes.

In your blog from the French Open you said that you would try to go and see "Love Never Dies", the sequel to "Phantom of the Opera" when you were in London. Have you managed to do that, and if you did, what's the review?
Julie Tingle

RN: Didn't have the chance during Queens. Clearly during Wimbledon because of the distance, the time, etc. is more difficult. Maybe in NY if they play it there.

You say you take 100 packets of cookies to every tournament. Do you charter a plane for those? And are you worried that you will weigh about 150kgs when you stop playing tennis?
Love, Emma

RN: They actually send me some boxes. Not sure they are 100... No worries about my weight when I stop. I am sure I will stay fit since I am very active! The quely biscuits aren't bad for that.

As you're such a fair person I think you'd be a very good umpire (much better than that one that warned you the other day!) so if you could be an umpire for the day, who's match would you like to umpire and why?
Besos y abrazos, Juliette Westbrook-Finch

RN: Not possible since I would like to be playing not umpiring. But good question anyay.



 
Spain pass their test, now it's my turn against Soderling

Hi everyone,

Had a good day today in general. Lot's of expectation at Aorangi park. Clearly it was not for me (only). At 1 pm I was hitting, Roger was there too and Andy Murray who started a bit later but was already warming up. Then when we finished I saw Novak Djokovic and Robin Soderling come to practice. So a lot of expectation there. Media, fans, great atmosphere.

I personally had a great practice with a British Junior. They are very helpful. On this second week they all practice and play so it is great to have them around. I remember those days when I was a junior here. I remember where we use to stay and specially that I didn't like the food so was always eating cookies and chips... not the best to become a great tennis player...


On Wednesday it will be a very difficult and different match with Soderling compared to the final in Roland Garros. I have been asked a lot about it and the reasons why it is different. For those of you who know tennis it is easy to understand what I am saying. For those less familiar to our sport, let me just say that the way Soderling can serve, doesn't allow that much time to return and be able to play. He is a big server and a hard hitter. Very difficult.

But that will be on Wednesday. Now, I just got back to the house I am renting here in Wimbledon after watching Spain's win over Portugal. This is great news for me since I love football and I am a big fan of our national team. Very happy.

Many thanks
Rafa




Questions for Rafa: I feel sorry for those players who cheat

Hello Rafa, congrats to your win on Saturday and I really hope that your fine now. Now that England is out of the World Cup, you could cheer for Brazil. What do you think?
Love, Mayara - Brazil

RN: I like the Brazilian team but I am going to be diplomatic here and say that I only want Spain to win at this point...

One of the most noticeable things about you is the importance you attach to fair play and correct behaviour, so what do you think when you see sportsmen cheating or behaving badly? Vamos campeon! I saw you on Centre Court on Saturday and you are incredible!!
Love, Emma

RN: I think that I have proven during all these years how important is to be fair in and off the court. I just couldn't cheat, not the way I have been brought up so I am sorry for those who cheat and I also feel we have to be strong as a sport against those who cheat.

Do you ever imagine what it would be like to play tennis 40 years ago? Do you think you would be able to be a great player with a wooden racket, and would you have enjoyed travelling without your coaching team?
Claire

RN: Many thanks. I suppose there are also many other factors that make it different and clearly not something we want to do. Imagine also travelling. Now it is easy even to get to Australia. In those days it must have taken them for ages to get there! Nowadays we lose and we can go home easily and quickly!

I grew up watching Borg, Agassi and Enberg winning on grass by making hardly any aces. Do you think big servers are ruining the beauty of the grass game which should consists of passing, volleys and lobs and occasionally some aces? Sometimes I feel big servers are playing baseball instead of tennis.
Thanks, Shirlee, New York City

RN: Clearly the big servers have an advantage here on grass but that's the way it is.

What I wanted to ask please is: what gives you the most satisfaction in your tennis career to date, regaining the world number one ranking this year or simply playing the best tennis you can as consistently as possible? You really are a credit to tennis, on and off-court!
Amanda, West London

RN: Playing the best tennis and specially winning tournaments, big tournaments like Wimbledon gets you to that world ranking...


Congratulations on your best match yet at Wimbledon. At changeover, doesn't it bother you having a huge camera lens filming you during your private moments of thought and concentration, or are you able to just forget that they are there? It just seems so intrusive. ¡Bona sort! Claudia, Penyes Rotjes, Mallorca

RN: I suppose we have gotten used to it. No worries.

Congratulations on your commanding performance! When you have a day off during a grand slam second week, when do you practise and for how long? A die-hard fan, Abbie

RN: I am hitting today for an hour. But it also depends on how the previous match went. I feel I need that good hour of practice today.


You played great against Mathieu, but is it going be more difficult against Soderling?
Axèle

RN: They are different matches. Mathieu is a very good and talented player. I am sure that Soderling's match will be, as always, very difficult.


Do you get annoyed with fans who ask for your autograph several times, or do you just accept it?
Kim, London

RN: I try to be as nice as possible with everyone and try to sign as much autographs as possible. It is true that I see many times the same person asking for autographs and that's kind of unfair for the other fans... So I sign to the others in that case....