Tatsuki Machida

[Maria Victoria]

Yes, I think he is in a perfect position to take gold with a great no.9 tomorrow. He is within reach and without any pressure or media attention that had proved to be so distracting. And I am sure the Spanish crowd would clap along with the music to help him on.

I think the Spanish crowd will eat up Tatsuki's flair for the dramatic in his Ninth Symphony LP.

BTW love how the BEsp commentators "get" Tatsuki: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpjduJ6Qvqo. Simon: "He represents the music so well." Chris: "The great things about this guy is his commitment to the program."

And I realize that Tatsuki is the same margin behind Yuzuru that Yuzuru was as to Tatsuki in last Worlds (seven points). I love them both so I want each of them to have the best possible performance tomorrow. Also hoping the best from Javier.

 

[Hibiskas]

So there were slight mistakes but that was really beautiful.
I'm proud of you,Tatsuki!!
Hope to see your good smile at FS's Kiss and Cry

 

[ioanna]

Tatsuki at the press conference (via Absolute Skating):

My second Grand Prix was also in Europe, in France, and I didn’t have much time in between before coming here so it was a bit hard mentally and physically for me but I did my best to prepare. I can’t say I’m in the best condition, especially today in practice I felt quite desperate, it was not a good practice. But I was able to pull out a performance I can be proud of.

Also FS run through report from today (via @CSSp4)

Tatsuki was OK on basically everything although didn't do a lot of jumps during his music. Fell on 3A

Check out this beautiful 3Lo from the run through. He's doing it with his hands on his hips!
https://vine.co/v/O6D19exYiFH

 

[bronwynsings]

I think we should call that loop the Machida loop.

 

[cdngirl]

Tatsuki at the press conference (via Absolute Skating):



Also FS run through report from today (via @CSSp4)



Check out this beautiful 3Lo from the run through. He's doing it with his hands on his hips!
https://vine.co/v/O6D19exYiFH

Thanks for the link to the video, Ioanap. I love his style and artistry and am praying for a win today.

 

[iceberg]

Tatsuki at the press conference (via Absolute Skating):



Also FS run through report from today (via @CSSp4)



Check out this beautiful 3Lo from the run through. He's doing it with his hands on his hips!
https://vine.co/v/O6D19exYiFH

So beautiful that deserves the highest GOE!

 

[Sandpiper]

Check out this beautiful 3Lo from the run through. He's doing it with his hands on his hips!
https://vine.co/v/O6D19exYiFH

I want to see the Machida loop in competition! Er, maybe not yet, if he's not in top form, but I want to see it someday.

 

[ioanna]

Well nobody is touching this thread and with good reason. As I predicted a few posts earlier, I didn't underestimate Yuzuru and listed him as the winner. He was in a different league today, miles ahead of the others.

Back to Tatsuki - that was probably the most horrifying program I've ever seen. GPF 2013 nightmare is replaced by GPF 2014 nightmare no matter how much I wished this wouldn't happen. But I admit I wasn't expecting it to go this bad and no matter how much I'm trying to find answers I can't. I guess he's been saying he wasn't feeling well for the past few weeks or so. I'm not even sure this was a case of pressure going to his head, it was much worse than that.

I hope this is not the end. No matter what happens, I'm still a huge fan of his, and I'll keep being one.

 

[Maria Victoria]

Certainly not the skate Tatsuki wanted. Like some in the GPF senior men's thread I wonder whether he's physically all right. Or his LP performance may be due to the same mental issues that ionap had previously noted.

I sincerely hope Tatsuki doesn't beat himself up over this as he has a tendency to be very hard on himself. There is still Japanese Nationals where besides the usual suspects, he will have to contend with the rising Shoma Uno. Praying for a redemptive skate for Tatsuki there and then at Worlds. Ganbatte Tatsuki!

 

[Maria Victoria]

I hope this is not the end. No matter what happens, I'm still a huge fan of his, and I'll keep being one.

Me too. He has become so dear to me, probably because I have "discovered" him so late and also because I think he doesn't get the appreciation he deserves.

 

[ioanna]

Certainly not the skate Tatsuki wanted. Like some in the GPF senior men's thread I wonder whether he's physically all right. Or his LP performance may be due to the same mental issues that ionap had previously noted.

I sincerely hope Tatsuki doesn't beat himself up over this as he has a tendency to be very hard on himself. There is still Japanese Nationals where besides the usual suspects, he will have to contend with the rising Shoma Uno. Praying for a redemptive skate for Tatsuki there and then at Worlds. Ganbatte Tatsuki!

I'm as worried as you are, Maria. I'm also wondering whether he's physically / mentally ok. I also wonder if this is a result of beating himself up too hard, like you said. I can only imagine what he's going through right now and wish I could do something to support him but I can only send good thoughts.

 

[ioanna]

Me too. He has become so dear to me, probably because I have "discovered" him so late and also because I think he doesn't get the appreciation he deserves.

ITA. That's probably the reason why I feel so protective of him right now, it gets tiring enough to skip past so many disrespectful comments and now this happens. I also happen to think he is a wonderful person and wonderful skater and doesn't deserve any of the things he's getting in his life/career. But in the end his only enemy is himself. I won't deny, I am very worried about Nationals now.

 

[Wo|flax]

ITA. That's probably the reason why I feel so protective of him right now, it gets tiring enough to skip past so many disrespectful comments and now this happens. I also happen to think he is a wonderful person and wonderful skater and doesn't deserve any of the things he's getting in his life/career. But in the end his only enemy is himself. I won't deny, I am very worried about Nationals now.

I think he will come back strong for Nationals after this. :yes: Or I hope so. I also wish assumptions on his attitude weren't made. I think there is a tendency to typecast a little, does that make sense?

 

[iceberg]

Hi guys just like you all are i have the highest of hopes for Tatsuki but because of whtat just happened with a heavy heart i have decided to officially skip watching and following this seasons competition. I will still be staying here though on his page and will watch his programs that i adore. I am still wishing him the best of what this season awaits him.

 

[ioanna]

I think he will come back strong for Nationals after this. :yes: Or I hope so. I also wish assumptions on his attitude weren't made. I think there is a tendency to typecast a little, does that make sense?

The last time he was so disastrous at the GPF he ended up 9th at the Nationals... but that was 2 years ago and I actually thought those days were over.

 

[Maria Victoria]

I'm as worried as you are, Maria. I'm also wondering whether he's physically / mentally ok. I also wonder if this is a result of beating himself up too hard, like you said. I can only imagine what he's going through right now and wish I could do something to support him but I can only send good thoughts.

Tatsuki is a far, far better skater than that GPF LP performance would show. I hope he realizes that and starts his way back from there. His mother, who is a loving woman by all accounts, I think will help him there. And I think Tatsuki's coaches should also sit down with him.

I think what Brian Orser said before as to Yuzuru's NHK performance is applicable in this instance: "You know, each skater gets his humbling competition, when you have to walk ashamed in front of everybody. We all have that. I was not hoping for it, but there is always a silver lining. If you manage to get something good out of something bad, that's nice."

I hope for that silver lining for Tatsuki.

 

[Sandpiper]

This was the one big damper of the GPF for me. I guess GPF really isn't Tatsuki's competition.

I don't know what happened... a lot of those jumps looked decent on the take-off, but he just couldn't land them. Maybe the media/fans/everyone (myself included) hyped things a bit too far after SA, naming Tatsuki as leader of the Japanese charge, ect. I hope that now Tatsuki has some of the pressure off him, he'll do better at Nationals/Worlds.

I'm nervous for him because Japanese nationals for men is a little like Russian nationals for women: one mistake might be the difference between first and fourth. And I'm not sure the federation will make an exception for him if he underperforms.

 

[Winnie_20]

He was absolutely incredible in practice today. I couldn't believe my eyes during the actual competition. If something was wrong with him, it must have happened after practice. Either that, or nerves or just an off-evening. But I still love watching him skate and will forever cheer for him.

 

[GermaricanMix]

I feel awful for Machida. I was really hoping for a Yuzu, Tatsuki, Javier podium and for him to end up last? Shocking. I hope he recovers, it has to be hard on him mentally.

 

[ioanna]

To be honest, I couldn't even picture Worlds 2015 without his Fantasy SP and Symphony no 9 FS. He only has 12 days left to pull it together and get a Worlds ticket, will it be enough?

Maria - you are right about his mother. I hope she'll have a talk with him, she's probably the only person who can really help him right now. As for his coaches - it almost looks like he's been training by himself since TEB? He's been saying "I don't feel well" for weeks now, did nobody do anything about it I wonder?

Sandpiper - I know you were nowhere near a Tatsuki fan not too long ago, but for his sake I'm glad he's still gaining new supporters. Can I ask though, out of the curiosity of a longtime fan and also to give a more positive vibe to this thread, what is it about his skating this season that made you like him?