Reasons include:

• Tour Calendar (Rome should happen after Madrid, instead of vice versa)
• Court Colour (courts are now bright blue away from the traditional orange clay colour)
• Thinking they are the 5th Grand Slam

I really think Raphael is actually right about all those points. Madrid seems to be making a lot of changes this year and it doesnt seem like any of them is for the better.

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The top-ranked Nadal said Monday he was still struggling with tendinitis in his right knee following a week of treatment.

“The knee said no,” the 22-year-old said.

Spain team doctor Angel Ruiz-Cotorro said Nadal would need three to six weeks to recover from the injury.

“These are very difficult moments, but I have done all that I could to be ready for the final,” he said. “It was a huge objective, and I’m used to playing with pain, but this is a distinct, new pain that I couldn’t control.”

Nadal’s absence deals a big blow to Spain’s bid for a third Davis Cup title since 2000. Spain captain Emilio Sanchez Vicario has until Tuesday to name his team.

Spain plays Argentina on indoor hard court at Mar del Plata from Nov. 21-23.

“We’re sorry for him, but it’s good news. Spain is one thing with Nadal and another thing without him,” Argentine captain Alberto Mancini told Buenos Aires-based radio station Continental.

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It is good to see that Nadal is putting more emphasis on the Davis Cup final, especially considering he has already clinched the season ending world number one spot.

The world’s top-ranked player made the announcement on his Web site, describing his withdrawal as “one of the most difficult decisions in my career.”

2008 has been a great year for Nadal, winning two Grand Slam titles and an Olympic Gold Medal.

“It has been a long and difficult year where I managed to obtain great results, both on a professional and on a personal level,” he said. “I have mentioned on various occasions that the tennis calendar has been extremely hard with practically all weeks playing and where it forces players to compete week in, week out, making it impossible for a top level player to be 100 percent” for each event.

“On a personal level I had as one of my goals to become No. 1 during this year and competing at so many events might have harmed, especially at the end of the season, my physical condition, taking away the freshness needed to play at the top level of the game in these last events,” Nadal said.

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Routines give you, as the player a feeling of ‘control’ over some of variables around you. Control leads to confidence in a situation and confidence makes you feel relaxed.

For example, Nadal starts controlling what he can even before the match starts. He has strict pre-match routines. Nadal walks out onto court with a racquet – like a with a weapon in his hand. He places his bag, bottles, towels around his chair in a very specific way. He is basically owning a part of the court, somewhere he can feel comfortable.

Perhaps, the most obvious routine is how he sprints to the back of the court after the coin toss. This routine every match is the mental cue for ‘lets get ready to fight’.

Other obvious routines that you will see other players do are things like: Never stepping on a line when not in a point, bouncing the ball x number of times before a serve, straightening your hat before serving or tucking your hair behind your ears before a serve.

Some pre match routines are: The night before a match check your strings, grips and clothes are ready. One hour before check your towels, water bottles, food for the match. If you need to travel ensure you know the destination and allow much more time than required. You don’t want to be rushing.

With each routine comes a sence of familiarity. Building routines will bring confidence, reduce the chance of things going wrong and improve your results.

Stay tuned on this site – We will go into more detail in the future and give some great examples of players routines and some that you can try yourself.

So, keep an eye out for other peoples routines ..

Michael

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So we already have 3 out of the 8 field already decided and we have barely just made it past the middle of the year. That means if one of those 3 players dont win the US Open, then whoever does will be straight into the Masters. Well I guess that is just a bonus after winning a Grand Slam.

This year the Masters event is being held out side of China and is making its way to London. Im looking forward to seeing how many people make it to the O2 arena in London to see the best players in the world shoot it out.

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Anyways, Congrats Rafa on the Wimbledon win!

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