Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal

 

[caption id="attachment_11403" align="alignnone" width="400"] (Photo AFP - William West)[/caption]

 

Schmerzhafte Niederlage

 

Ein Weltranglistenerster am Boden: Rafael Nadal hat überraschend das Finale der Australian Open gegen den Schweizer Stanislas Wawrinka verloren.

 

Der Spanier war als turmhoher Favorit in das Tennis-Match gegangen - musste sich aber zu Beginn des zweiten Satzes am Rücken behandeln lassen und konnte sich nur noch unter Schmerzen über den Platz schleppen.

 

Painful defeat

 

A world ranking first on the ground: Rafael Nadal has surprisingly lost the final of the Australian Open against Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka.

 

The Spaniard had gone as towering favorite in the tennis match - but had at the beginning of the second set can be treated at the back and could only drag still in pain over the place.

 

(AFP - William West)

 

(Agence France-Presse, 27 Monday January 2014 The Roman)

(Edited and Translated: R.S.F toshiki speed news press, Agence France-Presse, 29 Wednesday January 2014 The Roman)

 

Stanislas Wawrinka upsets the odds to beat Rafael Nadal and claim 2014 Australian Open title

Stanislas Wawrinka upsets the odds to beat Rafael Nadal and claim 2014 Australian Open title

 

World No 1 suffers a back spasm mid-match as he loses 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-3 to hand Wawrinka his first grand slam title

 

[caption id="attachment_11346" align="alignnone" width="400"] (Giant-killer: Stanislas Wawrinka beat Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal on his way to winning the title (Photo: GETTY IMAGES))[/caption]

 

Rafael Nadal was struck down by a back spasm today in the middle of the Australian Open final, turning what was promising to be a thrilling match into one of the strangest spectacles this sport has seen for years.

 

The immediate consequence is that Stan Wawrinka has joined the gilded inner circle of grand slam champions.

 

He is the first man to break the stranglehold of the “big four” since Juan Martin del Potro won the 2009 US Open.

 

But the narrative was complicated by Nadal’s injury, which knocked Wawrinka off his big-hitting game for a while.

 

The Swiss lost the third set in an otherwise dominant 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 victory, which was the period when Nadal was least able to move around the court.

 

This was especially ironic because Wawrinka had opened the match in rip-roaring style.

 

He was “zoning”, as the players like to say.

 

Every time Nadal hit a shot that was less than perfectly placed, Wawrinka was smacking a winner.

 

He took the first set in just 37 minutes, striking 12 clean winners to just four from Nadal.

 

Then came the start of the most peculiar passage of play.

 

Nadal pulled up dramatically after dumping a forehand in the net with the score standing at 4-6, 1-1.

 

He bent double and put a hand to his back, and had soon disappeared off the court with the trainer while Wawrinka furiously demanded to know what the problem was.

 

When Nadal came back on court after a six-minute delay, he was loudly booed – which must be a first in his history at this event.

 

Yet there was immediate evidence that he was not malingering as his first-serve speed dropped to around 80mph.

 

He could barely move along the baseline and had to rely on swinging hard at anything that came within his reach.

 

Wawrinka finished off the second set quickly, but he was beginning to become confused about his best tactics.

 

For at least half-an-hour, the Swiss stopped swinging with the same conviction, and lost the width on his groundstrokes.

 

Even though Nadal was only playing at around 20 or 30 per cent, he took the opportunities presented to him and pulled one set back.

 

If Wawrinka had continued to waver, this could have ended badly for him.

 

The commentators were starting to invoke the spectre of Guillermo Coria, the Argentine who threw away a two-set lead in the 2004 French Open final and was never the same again.

 

But the Swiss steeled himself and managed to rediscover the booming forehand that had dominated the first set.

 

Nadal’s serve speed and movement were actually picking up now, presumably as anti-inflammatory medicine kicked in, but he could not sustain his resistance with what was still a major handicap.

 

It was fitting that a Wawrinka forehand down the line – the most potent shot throughout this match – should have concluded matters after 2hr 21min of unpredictable drama.

 

“Bad luck was against me today but you really deserve it,” said Nadal afterwards.

 

“To the crowd, it’s been very emotional two weeks. I am sorry to finish this way, I tried very hard.”

 

Wawrinka replied by saying “I am really sorry for you. I hope your back is going to be fine. I still don’t know if I’m dreaming or not but I guess I will find out in the morning.”

 

Some might argue that there will always be an invisible asterisk against this result.

 

But after knocking out Novak Djokovic in the quarter-final, and then opening this match with a fusillade of brilliant winners, Wawrinka has genuinely made his own luck.

 

He has become the first man to beat Nadal and Djokovic in the same slam and the first to beat both the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds at any major tournament since Sergi Bruguera at the 1993 French Open.

 

Wawrinka fully deserved to lift the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup at the end of the night.

 

(Simon Briggs)

 

(The Telegraph, 26 Sunday January 2014 The Roman)

 

 

Wawrinka gana su primer Grand Slam ante un Nadal lesionado Wawrinka won his first Grand Slam before an injured Nadal

Wawrinka gana su primer Grand Slam ante un Nadal lesionado

 

[caption id="attachment_11339" align="alignnone" width="400"] (El suizo Stanislas Wawrinka, en acción durante el partido contra el español Rafa Nadal de la final del Abierto de Tenis de Australia. EFE) (The Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka in action during the match against Rafa Nadal Spanish final of the Australia Open Tennis. EFE)[/caption]

 

El suizo Stanislas Wawrinka ganó hoy su primer título del Grand Slam al vencer a Rafael Nadal por 6-3, 6-2, 3-6 y 6-3, en dos horas y 21 minutos, en la final del Abierto de Australia, donde el español jugó visiblemente disminuido por una lesión en la espalda.

 

A pesar de ese inconveniente, Nadal fue capaz de ganar el tercer set, y luchar hasta el final, después de recibir masaje en el vestuario y dos veces sobre la pista por el fisio del torneo, Hugo Gravil.

 

(Agencia EFE, 26 domingo enero 2014 la Roman)

 

 

Wawrinka won his first Grand Slam before an injured Nadal

 

The Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka today won his first grand slam title after beating Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in two hours and 21 minutes, in the Australia Open final, where the Spanish played noticeably diminished by a back injury.

 

Despite this drawback, Nadal was able to win the third set, and fight to the end, after receiving massage in the locker room and on the track twice by physio tournament, Hugo Gravil.

 

(Agencia EFE, 26 Sunday January 2014 The Roman)

(Text Translated: R.S.F toshiki speed news press, Agence France-Presse, 26 Sunday January 2014 The Roman)

 

Wawrinka gana su primer Grand Slam ante un Nadal lesionado Wawrinka won his first Grand Slam before an injured Nadal

Wawrinka gana su primer Grand Slam ante un Nadal lesionado

 

[caption id="attachment_11339" align="alignnone" width="400"] (El suizo Stanislas Wawrinka, en acción durante el partido contra el español Rafa Nadal de la final del Abierto de Tenis de Australia. EFE) (The Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka in action during the match against Rafa Nadal Spanish final of the Australia Open Tennis. EFE)[/caption]

 

El suizo Stanislas Wawrinka ganó hoy su primer título del Grand Slam al vencer a Rafael Nadal por 6-3, 6-2, 3-6 y 6-3, en dos horas y 21 minutos, en la final del Abierto de Australia, donde el español jugó visiblemente disminuido por una lesión en la espalda.

 

A pesar de ese inconveniente, Nadal fue capaz de ganar el tercer set, y luchar hasta el final, después de recibir masaje en el vestuario y dos veces sobre la pista por el fisio del torneo, Hugo Gravil.

 

(Agencia EFE, 26 domingo enero 2014 la Roman)

 

 

Wawrinka won his first Grand Slam before an injured Nadal

 

The Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka today won his first grand slam title after beating Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in two hours and 21 minutes, in the Australia Open final, where the Spanish played noticeably diminished by a back injury.

 

Despite this drawback, Nadal was able to win the third set, and fight to the end, after receiving massage in the locker room and on the track twice by physio tournament, Hugo Gravil.

 

(Agencia EFE, 26 Sunday January 2014 The Roman)

(Text Translated: R.S.F toshiki speed news press, 26 Sunday January 2014 The Roman)

 

Rafael Nadal v Roger Federer, Australian Open live Winning Interview Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal v Roger Federer, Australian Open live Winning Interview Rafael Nadal

 

[caption id="attachment_11325" align="alignnone" width="345"] (Photo The Telegraph)[/caption]

 

Live Australian Open scores

 

Rafael Nadal beats Roger Federer 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 6-3

 

Winning Interview

 

Rafael Nadal

 

11.22 Here is the Aussie Open finalist Nadal speaking on court: "We have played at a lot of important times. Roger is a great champion and it's an honour to be here with him."

 

11.24 On the prospect of a final against Stan Wawrinka: "He will be a very tough ooppnet. His serve is huge and he is hitting the ball very hard. I need to be aggressive and not let him hit the ball in easy positions."

 

11.26 Oddly (and a bit creepily if you ask me) interviewer Jim Courier also asked Nadal if his girlfriend is going to fly in for the final. The answer: No.

 

11.28 There is no doubting it then - Roger Federer is no longer Switzerland's number one male tennis player.

 

11.34 Can Federer hold the title of "the greatest" when he repeatedly comes up short against Nadal? The answer to that question may well be "yes" because of his brilliant all-round record but it's an interesting debate.

 

11.40 That's almost all from me. Federer's 11th consecutive Australian Open semi-final ends in defeat. Will he ever win another grand slam? It is looking increasingly unlikely having made only two finals in the last four years. His best bet appears to be at Wimbledon. Meanwhile the Nadal show continues. He has won two of the three grand slams since his long absence through injury last year and is now odds-on to claim his second Aussie Open title on Sunday.

 

11.44 It's time for me to wrap this up. The match wasn't the epic nail-biter we had hoped for and that is down to the sheer power and class of Rafa Nadal. If he beats Stan Wawrinka on Sunday he will become the first man to win all four Grand Slams twice in the Open era. That final kicks off at 8.30am on Sunday so do come back for that. Thanks for following. Cheerio.

 

(Ben Bloom)

 

(The Telegraph, 24 Friday January 2014 The Roman)

(Edited: R.S.F. toshiki speed news press, Agence France-Presse, 24 Friday January 2013 The Roman)

 

Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic

 

[caption id="attachment_11278" align="alignnone" width="400"] (Photo AFP - Mal Fairlough)[/caption]

 

Effort

 

Le Serbe Novak Djokovic renvoie une balle du Suisse Stanislas Wawrinka à l'Open d'Australie, à Melbourne.

 

Effort

 

Serbia's Novak Djokovic returns a ball to Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka Australian Open in Melbourne.

 

(AFP - Mal Fairlough)

 

(Agence France-Presse, 22 Wednesday January 2014 The Roman)

(Text Translated: R.S.F. toshiki speed news press, Agence France-Presse, 23 Thursday January 2013 The Roman)

 

 

Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal

 

[caption id="attachment_11271" align="alignnone" width="400"] (Photo AFP - Paul Crock)[/caption]

 

Rafa in action

 

Spain's Rafael Nadal plays a shot during his men's singles match against Japan's Kei Nishikori on day eight of the 2014 Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne.

 

(AFP - Paul Crock)

 

(Agence France-Presse, 21 Tuesday January 2014 The Roman)

 

Wawrinka upsets champion Djokovic at Australian Open

Wawrinka upsets champion Djokovic at Australian Open

 

Melbourne (AFP)

 

Stanislas Wawrinka dumped three-time defending champion Novak Djokovic out of the Australian Open after a thrilling five-set match on Tuesday.

 

The Swiss eighth seed beat Djokovic 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 9-7 in a four-hour quarter-final on Rod Laver Arena to set up a semi-final with Czech seventh seed Tomas Berdych.

 

(Agence France-Presse, 21 Tuesday January 2014 The Roman)

 

Juan Martin Del Potro

Juan Martin Del Potro

 

[caption id="attachment_11146" align="alignnone" width="400"] (Photo AFP - Saeed Khan)[/caption]

 

Smash

 

Le joueur de tennis argentin Juan Martín Del Potro face à l'Américain Rhyne Williams à l'Open de tennis d'Australie à Melbourne.

 

Smash

 

Argentine tennis player Juan Martin Del Potro to American Rhyne Williams at the Australian Open tennis in Melbourne.

 

(AFP - Saeed Khan)

 

(Agence France-Presse, 15 Wednesday January 2014 The Roman)

(Edited and Translated: R.S.F. toshiki speed news press, Agence France-Presse, 16 Thursday January 2014 The Roman)

 

Open d'Australie: Djokovic et Williams pour marquer un peu plus l'histoire Australian Open : Djokovic and Williams to score a little more history

Open d'Australie: Djokovic et Williams pour marquer un peu plus l'histoire

 

[caption id="attachment_11125" align="alignnone" width="398"] (Le Serbe Novak Djokovic à l'entraînement le 11 janvier 2013 le Roman à Melbourne (Photo AFP)) (Serbian Novak Djokovic in training 11 January 2013 The Roman in Melbourne (Photo AFP) )[/caption]

 

Novak Djokovic et Serena Williams essaieront d'ancrer un peu plus leur place dans l'histoire du tennis à l'Open d'Australie, qui commence lundi à Melbourne et où le premier vise un quatrième titre consécutif, la seconde un 18e titre du Grand Chelem.

 

Si le Serbe devra compter avec la présence du N.1 mondial Rafael Nadal, absent sur blessure l'an passé, l'Américaine n'a pas d'égale.

 

Pas même la Bélarusse Victoria Azarenka, double tenante du titre.

 

Depuis un an et demi et son élimination surprise au 1er tour de Roland-Garros face à la Française Virginie Razzano, Serena est quasiment invincible.

 

Pendant cette période, elle a remporté 114 victoires en 119 matches.

 

Redevenue N.1 mondiale en février 2013, elle a remporté Wimbledon, les JO, l'US Open et le Masters en 2012, puis Roland-Garros et à nouveau l'US Open et le Masters en 2013.

 

Entièrement dédiée à son sport, après s'être un peu dispersée au milieu de sa carrière, l'Américaine de 32 ans se préoccupe à nouveau de la trace qu'elle laissera dans l'histoire de son sport.

 

En cas de victoire cette année à Melbourne, qui serait sa sixième après ses titres de 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009 et 2010, elle rejoindrait Chris Evert et Martina Navratilova au nombre de titres en Grand Chelem (18).

 

Djokovic invaincu depuis 2010 à Melbourne

 

"Ca signifierait énormément pour moi que de me retrouver au même niveau que de telles joueuses", a-t-elle souligné.

 

Elle a besoin aussi d'une victoire en Australie pour prétendre à un Grand Chelem, réussi seulement deux fois dans l'ère professionnelle, en 1970 par l'Australienne Margaret Court et en 1988 par l'Allemande Steffi Graf.

 

L'Américaine n'a personne d'autre à craindre qu'elle-même, ou une éventuelle blessure, comme celles qui lui avaient causé une élimination prématurée à Melbourne en 8e de finale en 2012 et en quart en 2013.

 

La concurrence est un peu plus vive dans le tableau masculin, où Djokovic doit composer avec Nadal et Roger Federer.

 

Ce trio infernal a remporté neuf des dix dernières éditions de l'Open d'Australie, seul le Russe Marat Safin se glissant au palmarès en 2005.

 

Mais le Serbe s'impose comme le favori N.1 à Melbourne, où le dernier à l'avoir battu est le Français Jo-Wilfried Tsonga en 2010 (en quart).

 

Il pourrait devenir le deuxième joueur à gagner quatre fois de suite ce tournoi, après l'Australien Roy Emerson, vainqueur en 1961 puis de 1963 à 1967.

 

Federer et Murray un ton en-dessous?

 

Djokovic est invaincu depuis sa défaite en finale de l'US Open face à Nadal en septembre, et a bénéficié d'un tirage au sort beaucoup plus clément que le N.1 mondial.

 

Après avoir manqué la précédente édition pour une blessure au genou gauche, l'Espagnol, déjà vainqueur en 2009, se verrait bien ajouter une nouvelle fois son nom au palmarès.

 

Mais il devra échapper aux nombreux pièges (Tomic, Monfils, Nishikori, Del Potro...) qui parsèment sa route.

 

Nadal pourrait aussi être désavantagé par une surface qu'il estime plus rapide que les années précédentes.

 

Derrière Djokovic et Nadal, la hiérarchie risque fort d'être bousculée cette année.

 

Les deux autres membres du "Big Four", Federer et Andy Murray, pourraient être un ton en-dessous des années précédentes.

 

L'Australie a longtemps été l'une des destinations favorites de Federer, vainqueur en 2004, 2006, 2007 et 2010.

 

Mais le Suisse sort d'une année noire, au cours de laquelle il n'a gagné qu'un titre mineur (Halle), et fait moins peur qu'avant.

 

Murray, finaliste en 2010, 2011 et 2013, risque de son côté d'être à court de compétition.

 

Le Britannique a subi en septembre une petite opération au dos, ce qui modère ses ambitions pour Melbourne.

 

Les dix derniers vainqueurs des simples dames et messieurs de l'Open d'Australie:

Simple dames:

2013: Victoria Azarenka (BLR)

2012: Victoria Azarenka (BLR)

2011: Kim Clijsters (BEL)

2010: Serena Williams (USA)

2009: Serena Williams (USA)

2008: Maria Sharapova (RUS)

2007: Serena Williams (USA)

2006: Amélie Mauresmo (FRA)

2005: Serena Williams (USA)

2004: Justine Henin (BEL)

 

Simple messieurs :

2013: Novak Djokovic (SRB)

2012: Novak Djokovic (SRB)

2011: Novak Djokovic (SRB)

2010: Roger Federer (SUI)

2009: Rafael Nadal (ESP)

2008: Novak Djokovic (SRB)

2007: Roger Federer (SUI)

2006: Roger Federer (SUI)

2005: Marat Safin (RUS)

2004: Roger Federer (SUI)

 

 

Par Cyril BELAUD© 2014 AFP

 

(La Nouvelle, 12 dimanche janvier 2014 la Roman)

 

 

Australian Open : Djokovic and Williams to score a little more history

 

Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams will try to anchor a little place in tennis history at the Australian Open, which begins Monday in Melbourne where the first is a fourth consecutive title, the second a 18th title of Grand Slam.

 

If the Serbian will count with the presence of world No.1 Rafael Nadal, who was absent through injury last year, the U.S. has no equal.

 

Not even the Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, double title holder.

 

For a year and a half and his surprise at the first round of Roland Garros facing elimination French Virginie Razzano, Serena is almost invincible.

 

During this period, she won 114 victories in 119 matches.

 

Returned to world No.1 in February 2013, she won Wimbledon, the Olympics, the U.S. Open and the Masters in 2012 and Roland Garros and the U.S. Open again and the Masters in 2013.

 

Dedicated to his sport, having a little scattered in the middle of his career, the 32 year old American is concerned again it will leave a trace in the history of his sport.

 

In case of victory this year in Melbourne, would be his sixth with titles in 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2010, it would join Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova to the number of Grand Slam titles (18).

 

Djokovic unbeaten since 2010 in Melbourne

 

"It would mean a lot to me to find myself on the same level as these players," he said.

 

It also needs a victory in Australia to qualify for a Grand Slam succeeded only twice in the professional era in 1970 by Australia's Margaret Court and in 1988 by Germany's Steffi Graf.

 

The American has no one else to worry about herself, or any injury, such as that caused him premature removal in Melbourne 8th finals in 2012 and fourth in 2013.

 

The competition is a little more lively in the men's draw , which must deal with Djokovic Nadal and Roger Federer.

 

This infernal trio won nine of the last ten editions of the Australian Open, only the Russian Marat Safin gliding charts in 2005.

 

But the Serbian itself as the No.1 favorite in Melbourne, where the last one is beating the French Jo -Wilfried Tsonga in 2010 (fourth).

 

It could become the second player to win four consecutive tournament after the Australian Roy Emerson, winner in 1961 and 1963 to 1967.

 

Federer and Murray a tone below ?

 

Djokovic is unbeaten since losing in the U.S. Open final against Nadal in September and received a draw much more lenient than the world No.1.

 

Having missed the previous edition for a left knee injury , the Spaniard, who won in 2009, would be well again add his name to the winners.

 

But he will escape many pitfalls (Tomic Monfils, Nishikori, Del Potro ... ) that dot the road.

 

Nadal could also be disadvantaged by a surface that feels faster than in previous years.

 

Behind Djokovic and Nadal, the hierarchy is likely to be shaken this year.

 

The other two members of the " Big Four", Federer and Andy Murray could be a tone below previous years.

 

Australia has long been a favorite destination of Federer, winner in 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2010.

 

But the Swiss out of a bad year, during which he has won a minor title (Halle), and is less afraid than before.

 

Murray, a finalist in 2010, 2011 and 2013, may turn to be short of competition.

 

The British suffered a little in September back surgery, which moderates its ambitions for Melbourne.

 

The last ten winners of single ladies and gentlemen of the Australian Open :

 

Ladies' Single :

 

2013: Victoria Azarenka (BLR)

2012: Victoria Azarenka (BLR)

2011: Kim Clijsters (BEL)

2010: Serena Williams (USA)

2009 : Serena Williams (USA)

2008: Maria Sharapova (RUS)

2007: Serena Williams (USA)

2006 Amelie Mauresmo (FRA)

2005 : Serena Williams (USA)

2004 : Justine Henin (BEL)

 

Men's Singles :

 

2013: Novak Djokovic (SRB)

2012: Novak Djokovic (SRB)

2011: Novak Djokovic (SRB)

2010: Roger Federer (SUI)

2009 : Rafael Nadal (ESP)

2008: Novak Djokovic (SRB)

2007: Roger Federer (SUI)

2006 : Roger Federer (SUI)

2005 : Marat Safin (RUS)

2004 : Roger Federer (SUI)

 

By Cyril BELAUD © 2014 AFP

 

(La Nouvelle, 12 Sunday January 2014 The Roman)

(Text Translated: R.S.F. toshiki speed news press, Agence France-Presse,  15 Wednesday January 2014 The Roman)