Rafael Nadal and LeBron James handle agony of defeat quite differently

His teammates and coaches excused his Saturday behavior. Winning meant so much to him, they said. He played so hard, tried so hard, wanted it so much. Maybe he was embarrassed about all that creative advertising brainpower wasted. Not that Nike's LeBron/Kobe puppet ads weren't cute and funny and who wouldn't go out and buy colored VitaminWater (I guess it has vitamins in it) because LeBron and Kobe guzzle it, but shouldn't these companies know a little bit about sports? Such as the winner isn't always who you think it will be?

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, James addressed a question Sunday about whether he will sign a contract renewal with the Cavaliers this summer with understandable vagueness.

"I don't know," James said. "I haven't thought about it just yet. I'm just going to take time off from basketball and not think about contracts or the game, period, and relax with my family. We'll figure out once it comes from" the Cavaliers.

James could have said that Saturday night and also maybe congratulated the Magic, shook a hand or two, praised a teammate even for helping the Cavaliers achieve 66 regular-season wins.

Even in his sadness over losing his first-ever French Open match, Nadal looked at a camera and said of Soderling, "I congratulate him and I'll keep working hard for the next tournament."

See, it's not that hard.

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diane.pucin@latimes.com

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By the numbers

A look at some of the key statistics in Rafael Nadal's fourth-round loss Sunday to Robin Soderling:

4 consecutive French Open titles for Nadal, a streak that ended Sunday, one short of Bjorn Borg's record.

31-0 Nadal's lifetime French Open match record before Sunday.

51 victories by Nadal in his last 52 French Open sets before Sunday.

0 Grand Slam fourth rounds reached by Soderling before this tournament.