Nadal Missing Out Due To Knee Injury

Things don't look all that well for the Spaniard. Rafael Nadal, currently World no. 1, is obviously making a move to treat his knee injury. The injury is showing no signs of disappearing. Unless Nadal wants to keep on playing lawn tennis for a couple more years, he has to be serious in treating his knee.

The treatment isn't doing much good for his play, though. He lost in the fourth round of the French Open to Swedish Robin Soderling, and his position as the top male tennis player is in danger. Federer is slowly inching his way up again, not to mention other threats like Andy Murray and Andy Roddick.

from Mail Online:

Rafa's long battle with injury

2004: Out for two months with stress fracture of his left foot.

2005: Misses season-ending Masters Cup and Australian Open (January 2006) with strained ligaments in his left foot.

2007: Played less in latter part of the season to manage tendinitis in his knees.

2008: Out of Davis Cup final and Masters Cup with tendinitis.

2009: Misses AEGON Championships with tendinitis.

Roger's Federer 14th Grand Slam As Nadal Stops His French Open Winning Streak

We can honestly say that Roger Federer is the man!

Despite losing the World's no. 1 title to Rafa, and losing a couple more time after that, Federer got back up to his feet and conquered the lawn tennis world again. He laid low for a short while as he and his longtime girlfriend-fiance finally got married last April. But he has finally marked a new beginning as he wins his 14th major Grand Slam title - the French Open!

It used to be that it was Rafael Nadal who wins in the French Open. He lost out in the fourth round, though, to Sweden Robin Soderling, and is currently spending some sweet time off with his girlfriend. It's also healing time for his knee injury, so he's taking it easy. I'm sure he'll come back with a vengeance once he's okay. Then there might be another epic battle between the longtime rivals.

"I knew the day Rafa won't be in the finals, I will be there, and I will win. I always knew that, and I believed in it. That's exactly what happened," Federer said. "It's funny. I didn't hope for it. But I believed in it."

Throughout the match, Federer remained his cool. Even when a crazy fan came dangerously close to him came onto the court, the Swiss player played calmly and went on for the win against Soderling - 6-1, 7-6 (1), 6-4.

"Every time I played Roger, after the match, I always said, 'I played so bad today.' Now I learned that it's not that I played bad," Soderling said. "He makes me play bad."

Soderling didn't play all that bad. He had surprised tennis fans after he swept off Nadal, No. 10 Nikolay Davydenko, No. 12 Fernando Gonzalez and No. 14 David Ferrer. If he'll beat out Andy Murray, too, then I will keep tabs on this guy.

Murray Upsets Nadal in US Open Semi Finals

Andy Murray has been on a roll with getting close to the crown of the Grand Slam tournaments. In this year's US Open, he finally managed to get one step closer as he beat out 1st ranked Rafael Nadal in the semis.

The 21-year-old Scotsman defeated Rafa in 4 sets, 6-2, 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 6-4 in a match that began Saturday but was halted by rain in the third set.

Nadal Honored With the Prince of Asturias Award

The Prince of Asturias Award is an annual award given to Spanish individuals who have made notable achievements in various fields. One of these is sports, in which Rafael Nadal has undoubtedly made his mark in lawn tennis.

Rafael Nadal is the Number one tennis player in the world and is considered the best Spanish player of all time. This season, the four-time winner of the French Open, also won the men's singles title at Wimbledon and was the gold medalist at the Beijing Olympic Games. Committed to the noblest values of sport on and off the court, his sense of social responsibility led him to establish a foundation focusing on social work among disadvantaged groups and cooperation for development.

It is apparent how the Jury of the Prince of Asturias Awards selected to give Rafael Nadal the award, given how Nadal had become an icon and a role model for his country.

And what does Rafa have to say? From his official site:

It’s an incredible honour for me to receive the ‘Principe de Asturias Sport Award’. I’m extremely grateful to the jury and everyone else who chose me as it’s an achievement greater than usual, it makes me feel proud.

Not only does this represent great sport values but also, and most importantly, good human values. This award is one of the best things that could happen to me outside of the tennis court because it says to me I’m doing this right when it comes to human values.

I always try to do the right thing inside and outside of the tennis courts no matter what. This award represents something different to a sports award and the fact that it’s been given to me means it’s not only thanks to my hard work but also because of those around me, specially my family.

To be given an award like this in what has been a very special year for Spain’s sport makes it even that much more special.

All nominees are of an extremely high level and the simple fact that I was considered amongst this group of people is satisfactory enough, even if I had not won the award.

Another Nadal-Federer Epic Final?

We can certainly expect another epic match between the two top players of lawn tennis, and it may just come sooner than later. It looks like Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are at different ends of the chart of US Open draws!

Baijing Olympics Gold Goes To Nadal

2008 is certainly Rafael Nadal's year --- from winning the French Open and the Wimbledon tournaments to getting the Olympic gold medal in lawn tennis singles. Oh, and he's now the top-ranked player of male lawn tennis!

From UK Daily Record:

He said: "In my wildest dreams I never thought I could do what I have this year.

"I know how difficult it is to win these things and especially here because you only have one chance every four years.

"I arrived very tired but probably the reason I won this title is because I had a fantastic time in the Olympic village."

Officially World Nos. 1 and 2

As of August 18, 2008, the tallies are done and the two top lawn tennis players have officially switched positions. Rafael Nadal is now on top as the World No. 1 male lawn tennis player, while Roger Federer takes on the World No. 2 position.

It's Hot In Beijing

It's a problem echoed by Rafael Nadal:

"The problem is the humidity, no?" he said. "The (truth), I didn't feel nothing (from) the pollution. That didn't affect ... me. The problem is the humidity. I had to change the shirt every 10 minutes."

And.. va va voom: there's the pic.

Other players also couldn't take the heat and went on shirtless. Aside from Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Guillermo Canas, Nicolas Massu, Fernando Gonzalez, Jonas Bjorkman, and Lleyton Hewitt also took their shirts off --- view this blog post.

Nadal Will Be World No. 1!

Despite a stunning loss to No. 3 Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal will still be expected to take the no. 1 spot in men's lawn tennis. Djokovic put an end to Nadal's winning streak of 32 matches, and is said to be climbing onto the no. 2 spot as the points clock in this season.

The final rankings will be confirmed on August 18, 2008. We'll see how the the top three make their rounds.

So Far.. for Rafael Nadal

The Spaniard has been tasting a lot of victories lately. After winning the Rogers Cup early this week, Rafael Nadal has sealed his fifth consecutive tournament win! It has indeed been a good year for the player, who won Best Male International Athlete in the ESPY Awards 2008 (against Ronaldo and Kaka).

Just earlier this year, Rafael Nadal proved that he was clay court king as he won the French Open. Then he went on to a great Wimbledon mens final against Roger Federer. It was considered as the greatest (and longest) ever Wimbledon mens finals!

His rivalry with the World no. 1 has always been celebrated by lawn tennis fans. Both were equally talented and skilled that either one of them is welcome to reign over mens' lawn tennis.

Nadal won Wimbledon 2008, knocking Federer off his hopes of getting a sixth Wimbledon title. And now with Federer on losing grounds at the Cincinnati Masters and with only hundreds of points between them, Nadal is poised to get the top spot away from the Swiss.