Vamos, @RafaelNadal!
As you get ready to graduate from tennis, I’ve got a few things to share before I maybe get emotional.
Let’s start with the obvious: you beat me—a lot. More than I managed to beat you. You challenged me in ways no one else could. On clay, it felt like I was stepping into your backyard, and you made me work harder than I ever thought I could just to hold my ground. You made me reimagine my game—even going so far as to change the size of my racquet head, hoping for any edge.
I’m not a very superstitious person, but you took it to the next level. Your whole process. All those rituals. Assembling your water bottles like toy soldiers in formation, fixing your hair, adjusting your underwear... All of it with the highest intensity. Secretly, I kind of loved the whole thing. Because it was so unique—it was so you.
And you know what, Rafa, you made me enjoy the game even more.
OK, maybe not at first. After the 2004 Australian Open, I achieved the #1 ranking for the first time. I thought I was on top of the world. And I was—until two months later, when you walked on the court in Miami in your red sleeveless shirt, showing off those biceps, and you beat me convincingly. All that buzz I’d been hearing about you—about this amazing young player from Mallorca, a generational talent, probably going to win a major someday—it wasn’t just hype.
We were both at the start of our journey and it’s one we ended up taking together. Twenty years later, Rafa, I have to say: What an incredible run you’ve had. Including 14 French Opens—historic! You made Spain proud... you made the whole tennis world proud.
I keep thinking about the memories we’ve shared. Promoting the sport together. Playing that match on half-grass, half-clay. Breaking the all-time attendance record by playing in front of more than 50,000 fans in Cape Town, South Africa. Always cracking each other up. Wearing each other out on the court and then, sometimes, almost literally having to hold each other up during trophy ceremonies.
I’m still grateful you invited me to Mallorca to help launch the Rafa Nadal Academy in 2016. Actually, I kind of invited myself. I knew you were too polite to insist on me being there, but I didn’t want to miss it. You have always been a role model for kids around the world, and Mirka and I are so glad that our children have all trained at your academies. They had a blast and learned so much—like thousands of other young players. Although I always worried my kids would come home playing tennis as lefties.
And then there was London—the Laver Cup in 2022. My final match. It meant everything to me that you were there by my side—not as my rival but as my doubles partner. Sharing the court with you that night, and sharing those tears, will forever be one of the most special moments of my career.
Rafa, I know you’re focused on the last stretch of your epic career. We will talk when it’s done. For now, I just want to congratulate your family and team, who all played a massive role in your success. And I want you to know that your old friend is always cheering for you, and will be cheering just as loud for everything you do next.
Rafa that!
Best always, your fan,
Roger
Amount of people saying “Stay & fight”, like this is some war movie. You cant fight. You cant even protest without being called racist.
& Fight who? How? The whole country is fucked, the water companies robbed us & dumped shit in the water, you can’t swim anywhere you’ll get ill & die. The country is literally a shit hole.
The councils are bankrupt & cant even fix a pot hole & charge you council tax for the privilege of doing fuck all while robbing you.
Moneys taxed, cars taxed, petrols taxed, booze, food EVERYTHING is taxed, then if you manage to save enough money after its been taxed to buy a house you get taxed on that, then if you die and pass it to your kids that gets taxed. They literally want everything from the working man while they hide their money. Its a con, we are being conned.
& We are about to get taxed even more.
NHS is fucked. Cost of living fucked. Interest rates are fucked, & we got years of it getting worse before it gets better.
Londons a hell hole & unsafe after dark. I hate it.
The men think they are women, kids are encouraged to think about their sexuality & gender.
Our soldiers are getting stabbed.
Our police are pussies & the ones that aint get fired.
& that aint even getting started on illegal immigration, thats getting worse.
If my country ever needed me to actually fight id be there, 100%, but i ain’t gambling the lifes of my three daughters in the mean time, & even if they did survive growing up here for what? To live in a shit hole full of fucking wierdo’s. No thanks.
Where would i go? Somewhere with a backbone, a bit of sun & with less risk of your kids getting murderd, like Australia, Russia or fucking North Korea.
I whole heartedly encourage anyone with young kids that have the ability to leave to do so. Todays events in Southport have rocked me to the core, im sat here looking at my daughters feeling sad.
You can still work on trying to get your voice heard while your kids are safe.
I want my kids to live not survive.
This GoFundMe for Jay Slater is absolutely mental. The GoFundMe doesn't even say what the money is for or why it's even needed. How would £30k get him any closer to home. Very dodgy. If you've donated money to that, you're not even the clown. you're the whole circus act.
Fuck it giving away another $10,000 Rolex. Like/retweet and follow me to enter. Choosing winner in 24 hours ❤️❤️ . Last one did so good we gave away 2 Rolexes!!