A change of season ...
Same old French Open champion ...
Monday 12 October 2020
20-20. It's fitting ...
Well here I am. Long time, no post. It's taken me a while to dust down the cobwebs of this old place and find my way around it again. It's almost "as you were" from when I first started this little blog. Doing it quietly in the background and not letting anyone know I was doing it. I started this back in 2009, just before the start of the clay season when all the talk was whether could co5/5. He didn't. But it's purpose was so that I could use it as a sort of on-line diary of Rafa's career, because there would be some point in the future where I could look back and enjoy it all. So I quietly went about doing my business here until eventually it got found, grew legs, and became what it was. But it was a bit of a commitment to keep it going. Finding the pictures and videos and the time to write up what I thought after Rafa's every match. And then the sheer exhaustion of being a Rafa fan. The absences through injury and just getting too overwhelmed in some sportsperson's career. Time and life took over and yes, the obsession waned. I see that I last posted in 2017. La Decima and Rafa's Sweet Sixteen were the highlights of the year and here I am today posting about a tumultuous Twentieth.
I don't follow Rafa's matches as much as I did, but when he's in Europe it makes it easier for me. Plus, of course, it mostly centres around Rafa's season on the clay. And do I even mention the C-word here (corona) when its taken over all of our lives across the world and decimated what we knew as normal? Even the clay court season. Who would ever have thought that Rafa would defend his Roland Garos title during October, in autumn and largely under a roof? Absolutely noone. And yet, that's what he did.
Because of the virus I'm confined by my company to working from home and that is the "new normal" for me. But it did give me the chance to watch the French Open and Rafa's matches from the comfort of my sofa and I didn't miss a stroke. Even when I had to sit up till around midnight to watch him complete a match. Another first for the French Open. And although I thought he played a nervy third set in his semi-final against that annoying little mosquito Swartzman ... bang. There he was. In another French Open final. I even watched the Prince of Darkness's semi just in case I was able - read hopeful - of seeing an upset. But at already 2 sets up and as he was about to serve for the match I switched off. I didn't want to see a P-o-D victory and I'd got bored of hearing Djokovic's Rent-a-Mob foul fans. Couldn't believe it when a PseudoFed tweet alerted me to the fact that what? The match had just finished and he'd ended up being taken to 5 sets? What the ...
But did that make me think that Rafa had a chance? I hoped that he'd give it a real good go but deep down in the recesses of my soul, I didn't think he would win. Been there too many times you see. You always end up hopeful ... but sadly it usually ends up with the same result. The P-o-D has always too much swagger against Rafa. Barely a doubt that he's not going to win. And whilst my thoughts on Saturday were taken up by the final and it was the first thing I thought of when I woke up on Sunday morning, I busied myself till it was time to sit down and watch the match and to keep myself levelled to a probability that he wasn't going to win.
But then wow. I never, ever in a million expected to see what we saw. A 6-0 first set? Unheard of. Tactically astute, always under control. Not ever being flummoxed away from his plan. He nullified Nole. Amazing. But even when he won the second set the fear in my stomach was still there. It just is when you're a fan, isn't it? You just feel that surely this can't keep on going till the end of the match, that a some point, somewhere, something will happen to spark Djokovic and he'll slime his way back into it. But Rafa secured a break in the third. Surely, will this be? Will it be enough? Not quite. When the P-o-D broke back and roared himself and Rent-A-Mob into action, I became fearful. Part of tennis's attraction is that matches turn in a heartbeat, even when a player seems down and is losing, there's always a way to drag themselves back. So when Djerk then held serve and Rafa was in catch up meaning that any single slip up would mean the loss of the set ... I felt sick. But Djerk carried on making the odd mistakes in the games. He couldn't get the momentum running of flawless play and at 5-5 when serving, he cracked. Two close and correct calls putting his serves out gifted Rafa the break.
Oh ... My ... God.
In my old Rafateer days it was my job to count down the points when Rafa was serving for championship matches. 1-2-3-4. And mentally I was going ... 1. Then 2. But to be honest, my heart was in my mouth and I couldn't even tell you about the final two points. Did Rafa win on an ace? I seriously don't remember. And there you have it, folks. His thirteenth title played over a tournament lasting 13 hours and 13 minutes. You couldn't write it.
I cannot remember a final played with such commensurate skill, thought, tactical nous and sheer commitment. His mental attitude was awesome. Too many times we've seen Rafa crumble under the toxic nautiousness that is Novak Djokovic. But to perform that game plan with such steely determination and down right unadulterated skill was awesome to watch. Well done Charly Moya and team for getting Rafa in a position to perform like that. And may we see more of it in the future.
And so here we are. Rafael Nadal now holds 20 Slams. 20. Throughout all of his career he's been inextricably linked with that of Roger Federer. Our shared history has lived through fan wars and the naysayers who were aghast that a "dirt monkey", a "moonballer" from Majorca in funny clothes with long hair and fist pumps could take their man to the cleaners in terms of their head-to-head but when all is said and done, he would never, no NEVER amass the same number of Slams as him to challenge the infamous GOAT title. Well he just did.
And for me, if it all ends like this then it is fitting. 20-20 in 2020 for these two rivals across all that has gone on over the years is simply ... fitting. Equal, but always different. And we thank the Lord that Rafa was.
I won't make this my last post as there will eventually be one. And we all know what it might be. With the world in the current turmoil that it is, who knows when tennis and the tournaments will return to what we know and what we enjoy? Who knows when and how this story might end? Until then we keep moving forward safe in the knowledge of one, familiar fact.
Rafael Nadal is the French Open champion.
Wednesday 13 September 2017
Sweet Sixteen ...
Congratulations Rafael Nadal.
I must admit that after watching Rafa's early matches, I didn't hold much hope of anything happening for him in New York. He'd not had a particularly successful Toronto or Cincinnati and his first three matches in the US Open compounded his shaky US hard court season. In the match against Mayer, I couldn't stay up to the end and went to bed after he lost the first set thinking that if I wake up tomorrow to see that he'd lost, I wouldn't be surprised. There was no engagement even from his box which made me think, "Do they know something we don't?". It was horrible. But he did survive that match and then he found his form. Or should I say, then the roof was opened ...?
Look, I don't know about you but Rafa is so precise about his tennis and everything around him that did the roof being closed throw him off? He mentioned it in his pressers - the noise, that he couldn't hear the ball. We all know that indoor tennis doesn't suit him at all, but when the sun came out and the roof got opened ... then we saw the real Rafa Nadal.
I was at first a bit nervous about Dolgo as he's a tricky player, but I needn't have been. When Russia's so-called "Next Gen" candidate stood before him, he gave the kid a lesson. Whilst all around him seeds were being decimated and the media frenzy of a Rafa/Rog semi-final was rising to a crescendo, Juan Martin Del Potro stood in the way of that. I'd initially been thrilled that JMDP had come through his match against Theim because I thought he stood a much better chance of beating Smugly than Theim ever would. You see, I didn't want to see a Raft/Rog match, not in New York, not anywhere. I can't stand it. And I simply couldn't have bared it if Smuggles had won. But I got my wish and then copped onto myself that JMDP had beaten Rafa the last couple of times they'd met, and he gave him a massive fright once in the Davis Cup and and in the first set in Indian Wells in 2013.
When the match got underway and Rafa was unable to contain Delpo in that first set, my droopy eyes called and I went to bed. I couldn't stand the stress anyway. I again braced myself to wake to the news that whilst everything had opened up for him in this tournament, he still wouldn't have had that final piece of luck and made it to the final. When I stirred at 4 am and went to look at the score ... I punched the air with delight.
Rafa was in the final ...
Safe in the knowledge of the scoreline, I could happily enjoy watching the match on Saturday and it was that match that proved Rafa's worth. His tactical genius again came to the fore to entirely change the match around from the second set and frankly, that was his match of the tournament. That's why he's back at world No. 1 and that's why he was in the final. A purely awesome display. After his quarter final defeat Rog - in that so called "gracious" way of his - said that he wasn't taking it too badly as Juan Martin had a better chance of beating Rafa than he did. Well you were wrong, matey.
Kevin Anderson came through the depleted other half to be Rafa's unlikely final opponent. I didn't discuss my thoughts on the match beforehand because head and heart told me he should win - but yet I feared the jinx. I know Anderson is a serving tree, but Rafa usually can handle them. I didn't also think he'd be one of those players that would have "the match of his life" against him either - because I don't see him as having the weapons or the arrogant attitude. Whilst I can't say that I particularly enjoyed Rafa's tactics in the first set, he knew exactly what he was doing. And taking away a player's major weapon with none of the aces and being pushed to deuce in all your service games took it's toll on Anderson and the match was effectively won after that long first set.
Of course much has been said about Rafa's draw, not facing any top seeds, no Murray, no Prince of Darkness, yada, yada, yada. But who cares? Who cares in the media and the tennis forums when he is absent from a Slam through injury? Who cares when other players have a joke of a draw or win a Slam facing injured players. Exactly. So for once watching him in a final relatively stress free was an absolute dream. He faced the players put in front of him, he beat them ... he won the US Open.
Bravo Rafa.
I'm testing my memory, but I don't think we saw him again after last year's USO. And 12 months ago I would never have believed that he would reach three of 2017's Slam finals and win two of them, have a stellar clay court season, La Decima and become world No. 1 again. Truly amazing. I do think the inclusion of Carlos Moya to the team has re-invigorated and given fresh impetus to Rafa, so if Toni Nadal does take that anticipated public step away from Rafa to concentrate on the Academy, then thanks for everything Toni, but Rafa is in a new, final chapter of his career and we like what we see.
Thank you Rafa, for bringing back something for us fans to cheer about this year. We know nothing lasts forever, but what a joy to see these twilight performances again. Edberg and Becker are talked of as "greats" with their 6 Grand Slam titles, McEnroe has 7. Off clay, Rafael Nadal now has 6. Add his un-rivalled 10 French Open titles to the mix and what does that make him? A truly, truly great player whist he remains a totally wonderful human being. Awesome again Rafa ... a true great. Congratulations on your third US Open title and good luck for the rest of the season. Vamos!!
Friday 16 June 2017
Rafa's Decima comes home...
The 10th title of @rolandgarros is in #RafaNadalMuseum. ¡Thank you all! We are waiting you in Mallorca. https://t.co/OgaWhMdDkV pic.twitter.com/oTamQYX7Ex
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) June 13, 2017
La Decima ...
Just a fantastic documentary on Rafa's quest to win his historic, 10th French Open at Roland Garros. Click on the link here and simply enjoy ...
10 out of 10, Rafa ...
"OK Fates, next time get you act together better. Over to you ..."
The last sentence, from my last post. The beauty of writing this is that for this clay court season, Rafa didn't need the Fates.
He was just that damn good.
Some weeks have past since that historic 10th win at Monte Carlo, followed by the 10th win at Barcelona and here we are now, some days after the even more historic 10th win at Roland Garros. I don't really know that I can add many more platitudes to the countless words that have been said, and I don't know that I even want to try. But the tennis Rafa played at the French Open this year was nothing short of miraculous. I loved it when Rafa used to crush his opponents, absolutely loved it. And I loved having that feeling back again in the matches that he played. That semi-final match he won against The Prince of Darkness in Madrid ... he was having him. And wasn't it good to see? There was a bit of hype over Dominic Thiem before the semi-final due to his victory over Rafa in Rome. No chance. Crushed him. I initially would have rather Rafa played Murray in the final than Stan, a former French Open winner and someone who can do it on the day if he has that arrogance about him and the wind is blowing in the right direction. But there was none of it. Absolutely annihilated him with a Smugly scoreline. Rafa ... you were a perfect 10.
I think in reality though, I'm just so happy for Rafa to have this achievement, won in the right way by playing some of the best clay court tennis of his career. No-one is more deserving. He has single handedly elevated the tournaments and tennis played on clay courts. I remember when it was just considered a rough brand of tennis, littered by a number of European specialists that never won anywhere else and that the Tour was just grateful when it was all over and they could move on to historic Wimbledon then back onto the hard courts. All of that was, of course, until Rafa.
I think he brought an artistry to it. He taught me to appreciate the footwork, the movement, having the time to play your shots on the red dirt. Because he was so dominant, and so unusual in his younger days, it made people sit up to see what was happening on this surface. Then, of course, it brought out the competitiveness of the rest of the players. Suddenly one of the ultimate challenges in the sport was if you were able to beat Rafael Nadal on the gruelling clay courts of Europe. He made them make themselves get better, which raised the profile and the interest of the tournaments and actually put the French Open back on the tennis map again. All this, was because of Rafa.
I'm glad that he stands alone ahead of Sampras in the Slam count. He deserves to be. And I'm glad he achieved this spectacular achievement of a historic 10 victories at one single Slam, something which is not likely to matched or equalled in a very, very long time. He deserves that too. It's good to know that he can enjoy the twilight years of his career never wondering, "what if" or "I wish I could have ...". He just did.
And for Roland Garros itself, so long the place where I felt Rafa didn't get the appreciation or accolades from the crowd that he deserved, it took for him not to be the champion for them wanting him to and then be the Champion once again. They handled the occasion beautifully. The banners in the stands, the montage made of his victories and most lovely of all, a replica trophy to mark his Decima awarded to him by his Uncle Toni. It was just absolutely perfect ...
Due to the standard of tennis Rafa has exhibited during the Spring, how he seems healthy and confident, you do wonder if there's more in him yet. But all that is to come, I'm still basking in the now. So bravo on La Decima, Rafa ... and finally maybe clay court titles DO count.
VAMOS!!!
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