Nadal turning into ‘Rocky’?
Posted by tennisplanet on September 28, 2010
Largely based on his looks, non-polished demeanor, language barrier, butt-picking, baldness, on court coaching / time between points allegations etc. Nadal feels LOT LOT LOT comfortable in countries that are NOT called the West. You can just feel him being like one of them instead of the forced, awkward and distant show he put on here (US) at the media interviews across the board after winning the US Open.
Thailand is going bonkers over him and the feeling is mutual. I won’t be surprised if due to this transparent affinity from Nadal for certain countries, Nadal will soon become the most beloved person at ALL Asian countries.
The comfort oozing through Nadal’s pores anytime he is in that setting is unmistakable and conspicuously distinct. If you still have doubts all you have to do is glean over his interviews in the US, UK, France etc. to view it first hand.
But this Thailand tour appears to add the ‘Rocky’ factor to Nadal’s persona – something he has shunned from forcefully in the past happily embracing the Mr. T role. Is this the turning point with the world now waiting for the next Mr. T to arrive?
Tennis Planet 
banti said
Dude look at him, he’s still Mr. T. They still go bonkers over Roger more in my opinion.
M said
I don’t know enough about Mr. T. to make much of this analogy, TP, but I do have two observations to make —
1) All my tennis-fan friends in Asia say whenever Roger arrives, everyone always goes bats crazy.
Still. Again. Probably forever.
2) Anyone who doesn’t think Rafa is polished hasn’t been reading enough of his interviews in Spanish.
😕
banti said
He’s way polished M. More so than 99% of the western world, so no idea what he’s talking about. Do think he’s Mr. T and Roger is still Rocky though:)
M said
Oh dear, Banti. Just reading what I wrote after a day that was clearly too long.
What I meant was “Anyone who thinks that Rafa isn’t polished hasn’t been reading enough of his interviews…” etc., etc.
😳
Still don’t know enough Rocky lore to argue the analogy, though.
Roger and Rafa both like Gladiator, though I’m not seeing a Marcus Aurelius/Commodus storyline here.
Not Butch and Sundance, either, hmm … maybe — Fast Eddie Felson and Vincent?
😛
sperry said
I guess it could be that my memory is short, but does it seem to anyone else that TP keeps topping his own craziness?
M said
😆
xeres said
I think Benito is trying to take a few pages out of Djokovic’s book when it comes to fans in Asia…Federer is undoubtedly THE most popular in Asia
and Djokovic has his own share of fanbase as well…so I guess this is Benito’s idea of expanding the Nadal fanbase in Asia.
M said
Well spotted, I think, xeres. 🙂
xeres said
Oh well I think if he wasn’t popular in Roma Benito would have made him visit the Pope.
Sol said
Lol, Xeres.
Is Benito his PR manager?
xeres said
@Sol Si.
Nadal and Djokovic share the same PR manager, Benito Perez-Barbadillo.
According to tennis groupies and many of the volunteer diaries I have read
he’s a flirt of the biggest order !
Sol said
Thanks, Xeres. Of course he’s a flirt, it must frustrating seeing all the fangirls drooling over Nadal and Djoko and not getting some action yourself 😉
Sir Vibhudi Aatmapudi said
If Rafa wins AO 2011, he will supplant both Mr T and Chuck Norris as the new Superman
wuiches said
hahahaha Chuck Norris!!!!
how old are you Mr Vibhudi?????
good point!!!!!
ricky said
if Rafa turns into “Ricky” instead, he will become a real Roger fan, and my life would become difficult.
M said
You don’t think Rafa is a real Roger fan, Ricky?
Every time the press asks him (you can watch his ABC profile during the early parts of this year’s USO for the most recent corroboration that comes to mind for me), Rafa says there is no question that Roger is better than he is, and all one has to do to “see” that is take a look at the record books.
I think Rafa is one of the biggest Fedophiles there is. 🙂
xeres said
I think Uncle Toni is a bigger Fedophile than his nephew
ricky said
it helps him, Rafa to still put Roger on a pedestal, so he can look like the perpetual amateur-wonder of tennisland, and keep putting the pressure on Roger. I think Rafa is an exceptional actor-player, his smile is particularly well rehearsed. 😉
jane said
What an uneducated and churlish representation of the Western fan as voiced in the opinions in the above article.
In addition to being a superbly talented athlete, Nadal’s attitude and behaviour on and off court serve as a positive role model in humility, graciousness and sportsmanship! He is about deference to his opponents, respect to tennis fans and a generousity of spirit that make him a great ambassador for tennis.
He is a gentleman and in no way resembles the twisted portrait you have painted.