Rafael Nadal Is Gay?

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Rafael Nadal Is Gay?
« on: June 09, 2011, 11:00:05 AM »
The bizarre London magazine piece that trashes Rafael Nadal

By Chris Chase


In a bizarre, caustic 3,500-word piece on Rafael Nadal for London's Sunday Times, writer Lynn Barber mocks the tennis star's English, calls his matches boring and insinuates he's gay. When this created an uproar in the tennis community, Barber acted like she was stunned by the feedback and made a crack about how she didn't know insulting Nadal was like -- hold on, we're getting ahead of ourselves.

Barber interviewed Nadal during the Italian Open and the resulting article was published this weekend. Part of me wants to say that you shouldn't bother reading the whole thing because it's so distasteful and obnoxious, but that's exactly why you should read the whole thing. (Actually, there's one piece of information buried within that's worthwhile. Did you know Nadal sometimes picks at his shorts when he plays? I have literally never ever noticed this before. Enlighten me more Lynn Barber!)

The piece is copied here, because The Times is behind a paywall. Here are the choicest quotes:

1. "Nadal was quoted as saying [about his girlfriend, model Maria Francisca Perello]: 'She is perfect for me, because she is very relaxed and easy-going and I've known her for a long, long time. Our families have been friends for many years.'

Hardly the language of passion, you'll agree, but at least from then on he had an official girlfriend, which made up for the fact that his sleeveless tops and bulging biceps reminded one inexorably of Freddie Mercury."

2. "I can only record that there was a big difference in the enthusiasm with which he said he phoned his mother and sister every day, and whatever he was saying, or not saying, about his girlfriend. I'll be pretty amazed if he ever marries her, though."

3. "Oh, for a McEnroe, a Connors, an Agassi! There was a time, o best beloved, when tennis players had temperaments, when they threw rackets, shouted at umpires and had sex in broom cupboards and quite often behaved very badly."

4. "One journalist found it incredible that Rafa still had the same mobile phone a year after winning Wimbledon that he had the year before. Rafa (good man) said it was a perfectly good phone, it worked, why change it? But the journalist seemed to take this as evidence of an almost saintly degree of unworldliness, right up there with the Dalai Lama."

5. "The sheer boredom of living on this treadmill without even the consolation of a regular sex life must wear anyone down."

Posting a link to Barber's piece is already giving it too much attention, so I won't bother responding to those quotes. Nadal fans have though, apparently flooding Barber's inbox with defenses of their favorite player. Barber seemed stunned that taking shots at the world's best tennis player and calling into question his sexuality would case an uproar. She expressed her amazement over the reaction on Twitter.



Well, I guess that's one way to handle it.

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Re: Rafael Nadal Is Gay?
« Reply #1 on: June 09, 2011, 11:00:30 AM »
I read Lynn Barber's piece late on Sunday after watching the Roland Garros final.

I am a fan of Nadal's, and Ms. Barber's article did not bother me, for two reasons.

1. Rafael Nadal had just won his sixth French Open title and his tenth Grand Slam. By comparison, who cares about the words of a journalist?

I would have said much the same had Roger Federer prevailed on Sunday. The outcome of a Grand Slam final is far more important than any magazine article.

2. In her article Ms. Barber only makes herself look bad. She comes across as unhappy, mean-spirited, and extremely cynical.

After thanking my lucky stars that I do not know Lynn Barber personally, I went on about my day.

« Last Edit: June 09, 2011, 12:43:01 PM by thatsmyboy1992 »

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Re: Rafael Nadal Is Gay?
« Reply #2 on: June 09, 2011, 11:01:24 AM »
So, If Rafa has a language barrier, what is the big deal. If Rafa is gay, what is the big deal. Some of us born with an English tongue and cannot speak Englisth and are terrible in interviews. This woman, whoever she is, is just trying to throw Rafa off from winning Wimbledon. This is a distraction, but Rafa is not going to let it happen. When you talk bad about other people, you are not defending the people you are talking about, you are defending yourself. Maybe this woman is gay. Not that there is anything wrong with being gay, some of the biggest starts in sports and otherwise are gay. The world is not over.

 
« Last Edit: June 09, 2011, 12:43:43 PM by thatsmyboy1992 »

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Re: Rafael Nadal Is Gay?
« Reply #3 on: June 09, 2011, 11:03:18 AM »
What else? only struggling unknown and insignificant writers like " ms. bubba" resort to mud reporting to gain attention. little did lynn barber know that she was unraveling her own rotten culture by faulting rafa about being unworldly, or his calling his mother and sister rather than his girlfriend. nobody loves her obviously, not even her dog maybe, that's why she resents any show of love and respect. you are abnormal, lynn!

This bia.tch seems obsessed with his personal and sex life. She's probably a disgruntled Federer fan who is once again upset that Nadal crushed her favorite tennis player. She even called him boring of all things. This is a very low class journalist. An 8 year old child would have had better judgment.

« Last Edit: June 23, 2011, 01:39:21 AM by thatsmyboy1992 »

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Re: Rafael Nadal Is Gay?
« Reply #4 on: June 09, 2011, 11:04:51 AM »
The article about Rafa is not even credible journalism. All this proves is that she is a cruel & hateful person- it's one thing to not like someone, but at least have credible reasons. So what if Rafa was gay? It is no one's business & certainly not a crime. I can't remember Rafa really discussing his personal life that openly with anyone. And she is off base about his matches being boring. Boring to me is Pete Sampras whose serve & volley game never changed. Or Bjorn Borg who never displayed a bit of emotion on court. And I am sure there are plenty of people who wouldn't even find them boring. Brilliant is usually never boring to watch. Rafa shows emotion, he creates beautiful shots & he is always gracious towards his opponents. A great example of this is at the FO- Rafa handled the rude French crowd quite well. He could have easily pulled a McEnroe & smashed his racket, screamed at them or at the chair umpire. She comments on his personality as if being calmer than McEnroe or Connors makes you boring. How about Roger Federer? He certainly doesn't behave boorish on court. But, he does have personality (just like Rafa). And about him speaking english- it amazes me that people who speak english expect everyone else to. Does she speak spanish? Would she make an effort to learn someone else's language? Probably not. Rafa has done an amazing job learning english and accomodating the media. I think the english speaking media should try harder to communicate with players who do not speak their language. Tennis is an international sport. Her article is inaccurate on so many levels. She is pretty much arguing that because Rafa does not talk about his girlfriend all the time or have lots of PDA in public, does not throw tantrums on court & pulls at his shorts (come on, that is such a tired jab- he's done it for years & I think the majority of us think it is a horrible habit, but one that we've grown used to seeing), that he's boring, untalented & gay. She deserves the hate mail directed at her- if she wrote an intelligent article, then it would be different, but she's petty & hateful. Her credibility is at zero. But something tells me that Rafa will respond as he always does to people who are rude to him- keep on playing. He is a ten time grand slam champion. One of the GOAT. Who cares about a bitter woman who obviously does not appreciate the game or its great champions.

« Last Edit: June 23, 2011, 01:39:53 AM by thatsmyboy1992 »

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Re: Rafael Nadal Is Gay?
« Reply #5 on: June 09, 2011, 11:06:26 AM »
I've been telling my friends for years that Rafa is gay... just the way he acts. Not that there's anything wrong with him being gay, but he IS and that "girlfriend" of his is just an act, so people won't know the truth. The article is also right that the guy is extremely boring. Aside from the regular fist pump, the man has no personality. His interviews are the most boring you'll ever see. I don't know if it's just the language barrier but he's lifeless during interviews. and if Rafa is gay...is there something wrong with that? Why do we care anyway? None of us are sleeping with him.

All this of course has nothing to do with his talent as a tennis player. He is the best right now.

« Last Edit: June 23, 2011, 01:40:18 AM by thatsmyboy1992 »

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Re: Rafael Nadal Is Gay?
« Reply #6 on: June 09, 2011, 11:08:40 AM »
Sad to see trashy ramblings posing as sports journalism...Barber appears to be a person with very low self esteem who gets personal and sarcastic thinking it elevates the level of her writing. Thank you for coming out of the closet Lynn...now we know the inner workings of your mind...and will never bother reading any of your articles or take you seriously ever again...She also could well be a die hard Federer fan displaying this type of typical reaction every time Nadal beats Federer at a major to start trashing Nadal on irrelevant fronts. We see this type of chatter from die hard fans but it's shocking to see it from a supposed journalist ! There is no tolerance among a certain variety of Federer fan base who have been hoodwinked by the media into believing that Federer is the 'greatest of all time' thus every time he loses (nearly everytime he plays Nadal) we see this below the belt cheap hits at Nadal. Apologies to the regular Federer fans - I agree Federer is a great tennis champion but we need to show respect to other achievers in the athletic domain too... I hope Lynn's motivation to write such trash is something else and does not involve her unconditional love for another great tennis player.
Forgettable writing from Lynn indeed.

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Re: Rafael Nadal Is Gay?
« Reply #7 on: June 09, 2011, 12:42:32 PM »
In Rafa, Roger meets the Man with The Iron Chin

PARIS (AP)—This time, it felt less like “au revoir” and more like farewell for Roger Federer.

What may have been the great man’s last best chance to beat Rafael Nadal at the French Open has come and gone.

And so, some will say, and perhaps not outlandishly, have his best years.

The verdict from France’s red clay was merciless, yet again.

As magnificent as Federer is, and he acquitted himself so sublimely at Roland Garros on Sunday that his magnificence must still be described in the present tense, his four lost French Open finals to Nadal are a blot—well, perhaps more of an inkspot—on the greatest career tennis has seen.









« Last Edit: June 10, 2011, 04:33:11 PM by thatsmyboy1992 »

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Re: Rafael Nadal Is Gay?
« Reply #8 on: June 10, 2011, 04:34:48 PM »


Correction. Make that greatest career seen so far.

Nadal is collecting Grand Slam titles at a pace that, if it continues, could see him eclipse Federer’s high water mark of 16.

That, of course, is a lot of “ifs.” Judging from his fine play in Paris, Federer could still win more majors, with his sights already set on his own personal favorite, Wimbledon.

Other ifs are Nadal’s knees and assorted joints. They’ve seized up in the past and, given the pounding he gives them, could always do so again. Plus, Nadal has moaned about how hard he grinds to stay on top, saying the sport he believes should be a “passion” sometimes feels too much “like work.”

That is not to say that the No. 1 is anywhere close to easing up. But it takes a truly special player to match the gold standard of motivation that Federer has set since he bagged his first major in 2003.

And there’s Novak Djokovic to consider, too. Even though Federer ended his 43-match winning streak in the semifinals, he has muscled his way, permanently one feels, into the Roger-Rafa rivalry. Given his youth, the 24-year-old Serb could be Nadal’s next big rival after Federer, who’ll hit his 30s this August.

The French Open final, like so many of the previous 24 Rafa-Roger matchups, should have been broadcast with a health warning: Caution, you will be glued to your set.

The 7-5, 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-1 score didn’t capture just how fluctuating and intense the contest was. A Federer backhand drop shot that plopped just wide of the line would have, had it gone in, given him the first set. It felt like a turning point, and it produced the kind of doubt that will become more inevitable with every passing year: Would that ball have landed inside the court during his younger years when Federer was practically unbeatable?

Maybe.

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Re: Rafael Nadal Is Gay?
« Reply #9 on: June 10, 2011, 04:35:44 PM »


so sweet!!!!

What a hot pic of the duo celebrating!

You're lucky, Fernando Verdasco!

We wish we could have a sweaty Rafa Nadal wrapped around us!



« Last Edit: July 02, 2012, 09:28:02 PM by thatsmyboy1992 »