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Rafa Nadal facing the biggest challenge of his career
Rafa Nadal facing the biggest challenge of his career.
Should we be alarmed with Rafa Nadal? The Spanish tennis player has started the season adding two defeats (against Cameron Norrie and Alex de Miñaur ) in two games played in the United Cup, to which must be added another three defeats and a single victory since he said goodbye to the last US Open. Balance that falls short, both in filming and performance, to start in 2023.
Nobody knows Rafa better than himself. That is why things are said when they are not going well. “I have a brutal level of mistrust,” he said during the third set against De Minaur in his second match in the United Cup. He is not comfortable because he has no rhythm, but he sees himself as capable of overcoming the situation.
Nadal indeed turned 36 last June, but we must not forget that a year ago things looked even worse. In August 2021 he said goodbye to the season under the real threat that his battered foot could withdraw him. He returned in December, contesting the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi where he chained another two losses (to Andy Murray and Denis Shapovalov ).
“I don’t like to compare each year, since you never know what can happen, but a year ago at this time, it seemed impossible to imagine what happened next. Today it seems difficult for it to happen again,” Nadal analyzed these days from Sydney. Miracles go against logic, but with Rafa, you can never rule anything out.
“I’m not too alarmed or negative about what has happened, but I need to be quicker to read the ball better. That’s what gives you confidence in the game. There was a very real chance of losing these two games, last year as well. I lost those in Abu Dhabi. I have an important space to improve, I think I can achieve it”, he added.
Rafa Nadal facing the biggest challenge of his career
The difference compared to last year is that Nadal has less time to face the big goal, the Australian Open. He then chose to play the ATP 250 in Melbourne in the first week of January, which he would win after beating three tennis players and benefiting from Griekspoor ‘s withdrawal in the quarterfinals.
This time he used the United Cup card, but the bet did not work out for him. He has barely played two games and against De Miñaur he did it with nothing at stake. The positive thing is that both were rivals of height (among the 25 best rackets in the world) and he managed to start by winning the first set in both matches.
Heading to Melbourne
“I’ve spent almost six hours on the track, but I need more”, was the final summary that Nadal made after saying goodbye to the United Cup. After Spain‘s participation in the United Cup ended, Rafa left Sydney to plant his settlement in Melbourne. There he meets Carlos Moyá again and has practically two weeks ahead of him to physically crush himself and practice with other tennis players.
There will be no more competitive matches, although on the 11th he is scheduled to participate in Melbourne Park along with other tennis players such as Carlos Alcaraz -who travels to Australia this Saturday- in an exhibition under the name Tennis Plays for Peace.
Nadal’s team has everything calculated and within what is possible everything is following a progressive line. This was stated by Dr. Ángel Ruiz-Cotorro, RFET and Nadal’s doctor, this week from an act: “It’s fine, in the progression phase, because it’s what you need when the year has ended without rhythm.”
READ MORE: Fresh blow for Novak Djokovic in US decision
The message is clear: Nadal is having “good games and is feeling well.” It is time to finish preparing and gain that point of confidence that will allow him to perform those geniuses to which he has been accustomed throughout his career.
Tsitsipas threatens No. 2
Nadal will be present as the reigning Australian Open champion in the draw for the draw that takes place on Thursday the 12th. He will do so as the second seed unless Tsitsipas and Greece continue their winning streak in the United Cup. The Greeks have won the three games they have played and will play the semis against Italy, a tie in which they will presumably meet Matteo Berrettini. Ganar le dejará a solo 5 puntos de Nadal en el ranking ATP, con la posibilidad abierta de adelantarle en el siguiente partido.
Losing number 2 would put Nadal in the first-seeded Carlos Alcaraz’s side of the draw. The draw will present other big dangers, especially that of Novak Djokovic back in Australia. Last year, due to his deportation, he could not compete in the Grand Slam against Rafa, but he left us one of the greatest feats in tennis with his comeback against Medvedev in the final. Miracles.
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Lewis Hamilton has given Toto Wolff some advice and revealed his ideal choice of successor
Lewis Hamilton has told Toto Wolff to gamble on youth and pick 17-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli to replace him at Mercedes next year. The seven-time world champion is leaving for Ferrari at the end of the season and has left his Silver Arrows team principal with the daunting task of recruiting another driver for the 2025 campaign.
But teen Antonelli has been impressing in Mercedes’ academy ranks and has been tipped for a bright future, currently undergoing his debut Formula Two season in preparation for another promotion – potentially straight into the Mercedes hotseat.
At the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola, Hamilton was asked about the prospect of Ferrari driver Sainz going in the opposite direction and taking his seat at Mercedes, but instead he wanted to put forward another option.
“Carlos is a great driver so wherever he goes he would be a positive for any team,” said Hamilton. “I have no idea what Toto’s plans are, but for me, if it was my job and my role, I would take on a youngster, and I would take on Kimi.”
Antonelli has been fast-tracked to his current F2 position and retains the support of Wolff, who put him in a Formula One car for the first time at the Red Bull Ring in Austria last month. He tested the Mercedes W12 in a planned event, with more dates added for the wonderkid later this year.
At Suzuka, Wolff explained that he was prepared to bide his time before naming a successor to Hamilton, perhaps hinting that Antonelli was being given the option to prove himself in further testing.
“We haven’t taken the decision yet and it’s not something that we plan to do in the next few weeks,” Wolff shared. “The driver market is very dynamic, some of the really good guys are about to sign for some of the other teams.
“We want to continue to have these discussions and keep the options open, but it’s much too early for us to commit to a driver, whether very young or very experienced.”
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“One Of Only A Few To See The Darkest Moment Of Dale Earnhardt” as exposed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Stirred Reaction
“One Of Only A Few To See The Darkest Moment Of Dale Earnhardt” as exposed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Stirred Reaction
If you’re a NASCAR fan, you can probably still remember everything about the day that Dale Earnhardt died on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.
I know I can: I was 12 years old, and I still remember thinking “Oh, he’s going to be fine, I’ve seen wrecks that look a lot worse.”
It’s the same thing that a lot of NASCAR fans were thinking. He was the Intimidator. The toughest guy in NASCAR. There’s no way anything could happen to him.
And then I remember my shock when I heard those infamous words from NASCAR President Mike Helton a couple hours later:
“After the accident in turn four at the Daytona 500, we’ve lost Dale Earnhardt.”
But there’s nobody else in the world who has the memories of that day that Ken Schrader does.
Kenny was involved in the wreck that took Dale’s life, plowing into the side of Earnhardt’s car as it went sliding up in front of him after Earnhardt received a bump from Sterling Marlin.
And he was the first person to run to Dale’s car after the crash.
You’ve probably seen the video of Ken looking into the car, and then frantically waving to the medical crew. He knew it was bad as soon as he looked inside.
Exactly what did he see, though? We’ll never know – because Ken has refused to talk about it, even after 19 years.
Kenny has explained on many occasions that he’ll never talk about what he saw that day, unless Dale Earnhardt Jr. or his sister, Kelley Earnhardt Miller, ask him about it.
And on an episode of his Dale Jr. Download podcast, Junior got the chance to tell Kenny just how much that means to him.
Choking back tears, Earnhardt Jr. read the emotional note that he wrote to Kenny about their shared bond:
I’ve known you a long time, and a lot of time his passed since that happened. And you’ve been a great friend to me.
You’re one of only a few to see the darkest moment for my dad. Though you have intimate knowledge of those moments, you are a keeper of that delicate information. It makes me feel close to you, Kenny.
I feel pain for you to have to carry that memory, but you carry it for me, you carry it for Kelley, dad’s family, you carry it for anyone who’s ever cheered for him. It’s a secret that you’ll keep ’til your last breath. Kenny, I know you might sometimes wish you weren’t the one, but I’m glad it was you.”
It’s clear from hearing Dale Jr. talk to Ken about something so personal that the two share a special bond over the tragic loss of Dale Sr.
And it was a special moment on the podcast for Dale Jr. to tell Ken just how much that bond means to him.
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“Go kick their a**” John Force Says To Chase Elliott Over The NASCAR Event
Just a day before the NASCAR All-Star Race weekend at North Wilkesboro Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports ace and 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion, Chase Elliott, received best wishes from 16-time NHRA Funny Car champion, John Force.
The 75-year-old driver of the Peak Auto Chevrolet Camaro for John Force Racing wished Elliott luck ahead of the All-Star race while also sending his best wishes for the 28-year-old’s father.
“My #TeamChevy teammate @chaseelliott always says to eat at @Hooters. Somebody tell the boss at@TeamHendrick that the food was GREAT! Elliott, tell Dad I say I love him, and go kick their a** at
the @NASCAR ALL-STAR race! @peakauto,” John Force wrote on X.
John Force and Chase Elliott’s dad, Bill Elliott, have been friends for a long time now. The legendary Bill Elliott won this famous race back in 1986, the only time it was held at Atlanta Motor Speedway and not at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. However, the usual venue was altered following the pandemic-struck 2020.
Chase Elliott has one victory so far in the prestigious All-Star race, that came back in 2020 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Last year, he finished fifth in the coveted event. The Dawsonville native currently stands fourth in the NASCAR Cup Series standings, just above his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, William Byron, with 437 points to his credit.
Elliott’s only race victory so far has come at the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 in Fort Worth, Texas. He had two more podium finishes at the AdventHealth 400 in Kansas and the Cook Out 400 in Martinsville, finishing third in both races. The American most recently raced at the Goodyear 400 at the Darlington Speedway, finishing 12th.
The number 9 NAPA Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, wheeled by Chase Elliott will swap its usual blue and yellow paint scheme and instead, feature a sleek, matte-finish, all-black look to commemorate TEC5 Clifford
Strickland, who died in captivity during World War II.
This move by Hendrick Motorsports and longtime partner NAPA Auto
Parts during the Memorial Day weekend is a salute to the former and
the current members of the American military.
Lewis Hamilton has given Toto Wolff some advice and revealed his ideal choice of successor
“One Of Only A Few To See The Darkest Moment Of Dale Earnhardt” as exposed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Stirred Reaction
