Is this the start of a great season for Rafael Nadal?

This is the first year when Rafa has not won a grand slam when he started after winning French Open in 2005. He has won at least one grand slam each for consecutive 9 years.

His performance this year has been below par. He didn’t even reach the semifinal of any grand slam and some very low ranked players have beaten him. He was beaten by Novak Djokovic in French Open in straight sets. When he was losing people started asking him to change the coach as he needs some fresh ideas but Nadal rejected the idea of having a new coach. Then some people jokingly suggested him to get married as Murray and Djokovic seems to be doing good after marriage but he answered as I don’t need to get married, I believe, to play good tennis. I played lot of good tennis during a lot of time without being married, so that’s not going to be the key. 

Everyone was questioning him whether he is good enough or not to win a slam. But after seeing him play in last two weeks I am convinced that 2016 is going to be a good season for Nadal. He is gaining confidence and believing in himself. You can see old Rafa completing as he used to be, he is chasing even after trailing 0-40 in a game. He is believing in his shots, he is running well on the court. One major difference in these two weeks is that he is standing near to baseline and not very far. Players stand far away from the baseline when they are not feeling confident. 

 I see resurgent Rafa. He beat three tough men on the way to Shanghai Semifinal before losing to Frenchman Jo Wilfred Tsonga but not before he bageled him in second set. Now nobody is asking about his coach and marriage plans. As they as success has many fathers failure is an orphan is true.

By beating Milos Raonic in Shanghai Rolex Master in third round, he has secured a place in Barclays ATP World Tour Finals for an Eighth time to be played from 16 to 22 November in O2 Arena in London.

Looking for a great season ahead!

Ye Jo Mera Bihar Hai: Ravish Kumar

Everyone who watches even a little bit of news surely would have heard this name. Ravish Kumar is a senior executive editor with NDTV India, the Hindi news channel of NDTV news Network and hosts Prime Time and Ravish ki report at 9 PM. He hails from Champaran Bihar, a north Indian state.

I am regular watcher of his shows. But let me confess that before moved to NDTV India, I was an avid watcher of New Hours with Arnab Goswami but it now has become one man show.

Now let me come to the point. While channels were busy talking about Sudhindra Kulkrni ink episode, Bihar election, Dadri Incident which dominated the headline for couple of days and as usual Kashmir Issue sitting in AC rooms, there was on reporter who was out in the streets reporting what affects everyone lives.

As the show starts Ravish Kumar, wearing a yellow shirt was seen riding a bicycle in a village with school girls who were coming back from schools. The way he asked questions to teenage girls shows he really cares about what is happening in his own states. He told them to speak up, learn English as opportunities are more for English speakers, voice your opinion and join the politics. He was amazed to see how a bicycle can change the fate for a girl. Bicycle means more girls are enrolling in schools as they don’t have to travel to far off places barefooted and also to help in household activities such as buying ration.

He also shown a girl riding a bicycle distributing newspaper and also a girl carrying her mother to home from bus stand.

He was encouraging everyone in that group and I am sure each one would have gained a lot of confidence to do well in their studies and in future endeavors as well.

It was really great to see this Ravish Ki Report amidst all the chaos in studios. Hope he carries on like this for many many years.