Rafter to play doubles

[muffins]

This is the best news I've had since Roddick became number 1! Pat Rafter has announced he will play some doubles matches in preparation for his exhibition match with Wilander in February. He insists he is not making a comeback. I wish he would.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/3343273.stm

[glamour-gal]

:D :D :D


pat's coming back?!?!?!?
ohhhhhhh, these are really great news!!!!!!

*jumps in the air*

(i like him even more than our lil andy!)


always remember his fantastic victories at the us open!!!!



pat's back!!!!! :D :D :D

[muffins]

It's a pity he isn't making a proper return/comeback. But, I'll take this rather than him not playing at all. I only hope I get to see one of his matches. I haven't seen him play for over 2 years. If he was still on the circuit, it'd be a close competition between him and Andy for the position of my favourite player, hehe.

[glamour-gal]

sure, you're right that'll be awesome!!!
pat back on tour, playing again, a real comeback!!

anyway, we've to be happy that he's playing doubles matches again!!

really can't wait to see him!!!! :)

[muffins]

I'm just hoping I'll get to see at least one of his matches. I like doubles when it's on the TV but with Rafter playing it makes it even better lol!

[glamour-gal]

me too!!!
at least one!!

do they show loads of tennis on television in the uk??
here they dont. :(


so muffins, have u ever been to a tennis tournament??
i havent.

[muffins]

Yeah. I went to one in London in a tent once where I saw Henman and Rusedski and they also played doubles together. I also went to the Samsung Open twice, the first time in 2001 where I saw Andy Roddick for the first time. I've been to a few Davis Cup matches and I went to the ladies Wimbledon final last year!

[glamour-gal]

Originally posted by muffins
Yeah. I went to one in London in a tent once where I saw Henman and Rusedski and they also played doubles together. I also went to the Samsung Open twice, the first time in 2001 where I saw Andy Roddick for the first time. I've been to a few Davis Cup matches and I went to the ladies Wimbledon final last year!


that's cool!!!
haven't been to a tournament yet! :cry:
always wanted to got to the us open.......

hey, you saw andy live????
that's awesome!! :D

[muffins]

Yeah. I had never heard of him at the time and neither had my dad. We thought he was some lowly ranked player who we'd never hear of again until he started to play. He actually lost the match but he still played well and interacted with the crowd which me and my dad liked, he was funny and very watchable so ever since that day I've been a fan and have followed his progress.

[glamour-gal]

Originally posted by muffins
Yeah. I had never heard of him at the time and neither had my dad. We thought he was some lowly ranked player who we'd never hear of again until he started to play. He actually lost the match but he still played well and interacted with the crowd which me and my dad liked, he was funny and very watchable so ever since that day I've been a fan and have followed his progress.




...lol.... in 2001 he was a nobody, and now he's a real superstar!!! :)
cool!

[muffins]

I'm afraid Rafter lost his doubles match the other week. I'm not sure how he's doing in the Australian Open.

[glamour-gal]

oh really???
didn't know that!!
poor pat!! :(

[muffins]

Yes, shame. I think he also lost his Australian Open doubles match too.

[glamour-gal]

latest news about pat:


Fans delight in return of the prodigal Pat
by Barry Levinson
Friday, January 23, 2004


Court Announcer Jim Wilson had not even called out his name before a deafening roar filled Rod Laver Arena.

It was a roar that only one man has been able to extract from the Aussie fans in recent years, and one that had been missing from Melbourne Park since the Davis Cup Final of 2001.

Favourite son Patrick Rafter was back.

"It was a great atmosphere walking out," Rafter said afterwards.

"It was really exciting to hear the crowd like that. They were fantastic. It was really nice, we really enjoyed the atmosphere. That's something that you do miss, but it also creates a bit of pressure as well."

It may have taken a mild case of boredom to temporarily entice Rafter out of retirement - albeit in men's doubles - before he participates in an exhibition match against Swedish great Mats Wilander in Townsville next month, but it was a return that delighted the large crowd that remained after Thursday night's feature men's singles match between Mark Philippoussis and Fabrice Santoro.

Just as he had at the AAPT Championships in Adelaide earlier this month, Rafter partnered good friend and fellow Queenslander Josh Eagle to take on South African duo Jeff Coetzee and Chris Haggard.

The Aussie pair did not get off to a great start, dropping the first set 6-2. But with the crowd behind them on every point, Rafter and Eagle managed to win an early break in the second set and race to a 4-1 lead.

However, the gritty South Africans rained on Pat's parade, breaking back late in the set, before killing any hope of a deciding set by breaking again when the scores were locked at 5-5, to prevail 6-2 7-5.

"It would have been nice to have won that second set and see what would have happened in the third because we felt like we were playing pretty well," Rafter stated.

The former world No.1 and two-time U.S. Open champion said he only agreed to play doubles because his friend had asked him and all but ruled out a public return to the courts after his exhibition against Wilander.

"You never say definitely, but that's the last doubles match I'll play this year," he confirmed.

"It would have to be a really good mate for me to try and do that and there's not many of my really good mates left on the tour."

Many Australians who believe Rafter retired prematurely still cling to the hope that he might decide to make a proper comeback to professional ranks.

But a life of training and touring no longer appeals to the 31-year-old, who has a young son, Joshua, to bring up with wife Lara.

"I'm 99 per cent no, but please don't read into that in any other way. When you write the article, please don't say I'm going to have a comeback!"

The comeback might not be on, but the thousands that remained until the end of the Day Four at Australian Open 2004 relished another chance to cheer their hero…one last time.

[muffins]

Rafter won his exhibition match against Wilander! Yay! :)

[glamour-gal]

did he?????
that's awesome!!! :D

congratz pat!!! :D :D