Just for Rafan ...

... if she's lurking.

This was Rafa at the draw for the Monte Carlo 1000. He seems in a bit better spirits than how Denzy reported him to be earlier in the day. The most alarming news was that he turned up for practise with a bandage on his left knee. She said although he seemed to be moving OK, he was decidedly out of sorts, at one point he let a tirade out at Uncle Toni, there was further cussing and at the end of practise, there was much talk with Rafa at the chair as they seemed to be discussing his side-to-side movement.

I have to say I was as worried as anything on Saturday. If there were rumblings from both Rafa and Uncle T last week about his knee - although neither elaborated and neither seemed to indicate it was anything serious - he is clearly entering what he calls the most important phase of the season for him, not fit. This is how it was last year, although it was mostly hidden as to how he was struggling. And from a purely selfish point of view, you wonder if he is capable of playing solidly for 3 weeks before a break before Madrid and then one before the French Open.

Good job there's a lot to do in Rome ...

Rafa's off to Monte Carlo ...

Firstly, let me indulge myself in my favourite EVER Rafakit worn at Monte Carlo in 2008. Phwoar.

Now then ... this is Rafa at Palma airport leaving with Xisca for MC.

Check out the body language between them and see what you think. The reason why I ask the question is that ... DENZY's IN MONTE CARLO ... and she was taking tea at the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel, when RAFA CAME IN!! Yes ... I know I am shouting, but sadly, Denzy was really upset by Rafa. He was grumpy, had a bad attitude, to such an extent that Denz didn't even want to take a picture. She's sadly been disappointed by this encounter. All I can fathom is that its his personal time and he doesn't have to be 'on it' at every occasion. But what we kind of think is ... have the pair of them been rowing? Is their body language together what it should be?

And the big question ... is Rafa out-growing her???

We'll have more Denzy gossip as it happens. But he's there ... he's in MC ... and we trust, is playing.

Vamos Rafa!!!

Fergie, Fergie sign him up ...

I'm loving Rafa's footie skills. And the sweaty bod's not bad either ...

The ****ing knee ...

Here we go again ... There was that moment in the third set during the change over where Rafa lost it, shouted out and hit his leg. It was unusual for him to release such frustration, but probably what he needs.

However, rumours are now about regardng what he actually said, and whether its a recurrence of "issues" with the knees. Rafa naturally speaks Mallorquin, or Catalan ... (not sure how they differ), which then has the added complication of it needing to be translated into Spanish, never mind English. Rafa is reported as saying "I can't do it! The fucking knee, the fucking knee!" *naughty Rafa*. He's using the Catalan word 'genoll' for knee, and in the sub-titled clip, they are using the Castillian word 'rodilla' for knee.

I really don't know ... but he's saying something. *prays*

A little light relief ...

... Rafa watching Nando in Miami.

Rafan alerted us all to the 19 second bicep moment. *Fangirl*

Miami blues ...

Oh Rafa, Rafa, Rafa. What are we to do with you? Before I go on and its 24 hours after the result, let's draw some perspective. Rafa's been out for about 6 weeks with injury. Prior to that, he was on the comeback trail in January, had a couple of expo matches, 5 matches in Doha and an Australian Open quarter-final which he didn't complete. He hadn't got himself match-tight before the January injury and he's feeling his way back. So Miami is only his second competition after Indian Wells, and his results are two semis and a win in the doubles.

So before this comeback, would we have taken that? Of course we would. But I guess what causes the disappointment and concern is that both these tournaments were his for the taking. In both cases he was the top seed left in the final four and facing opponents who you would ordinarily expect him to beat. And the pattern of the losses was both the same. Rafa playing a fantastic first set of tennis, holding his own in the second, but then his opponents with nothing to lose, just went for broke, hitting outrageous winners which went in. Rafa then gets tight, goes back into his shell, stands 6 feet behind the baseline, hits short and the nerves get more and more shattered as the balls whizz past him.

And so after having a comfortable first set chalk up of 6-4, he goes 0-30 down at 3-3 in the third and his serve and then the set is gone. He suffered a break in his second service game of the third set to fall behind, and then a remarkable thing happened. At the change over, Rafa was beating himself up about it ... literally. Smacking his leg and cursing in anger. Its as if he just cannot get over this frustration. He again lost his serve to present the match to Roddick and he ran out the 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 winner.

So what now for Rafa? The clay court season and hopefully some respite. We keep thinking he's getting closer ... so will Monte Carlo be it??

Keep colm and carry on Rafa. After 8 months on those blasted hardcourts ... its time to come home. Vamos!

Rafa smacks Jo-Willy Wonga ...

I totally love it when Rafa smacks this smug, arrogant bloke off the court. I suppose I shan't go into tomes as to why I don't like him, but I think its this overwhelming belief that he has that he is better than what he actually is, plus his habit of not pumping himself in certain points of the match ... but whipping up the crowd instead. That really grates. Oh, and they call Rafa's "time wasting" disrespectful.

Stats first. Rafa won the match 6-3, 6-2 with some deft and powerful tennis. He mixed the play up superbly. As always, Rafa faced break points on his service - 8 in total - but Tsonga converted none of them. Tsonga has two game plans ... 1. hit hard and 2. if (1) fails, hit harder. His incapacity to convert his chances was down to his own poor play, and just for good measure, he threw the "time between points" card in too. Sadly amongst the forums, "Rafa and the 25 second rule" is the sum total that people only care to talk about. No so with us. Is it still too early to dream that some fitness, form and now confidence is starting to come back? Let's see, and hope.

Rafa faces Andy Roddick in the semi-final.