HE DID IT, HE DID IT !!!

OK ... so this post might be a long time in coming, and after 5 previous attempts, so was this final. And would you believe it, we even had to wait another 24 hours before it even got played.

It was due on Sunday, 12th September, but Rafa and his final opponent, Novak Dojokovic, never even made it on court that day due to the weather. So another anxious day had to pass and we gathered again the next evening to watch our lovely boy. Rafa made a stonking start, and although Nole had had an extra 24 hours to recover, Rafa made him look worn out, heavy and he took the first set 6-4 by virtue of an early break and building an early lead.

It was a bit closer in the second, but Rafa was starting to make his moves and settle really well into the match ... only for the rains to come. I think its fair to say that this perhaps saved Nole and with the opportunity to take an hour and half out, re-group, think about this Rafa that he was facing, Nole was able to switch himself back into the match at the re-start just that bit better and quicker than Rafa and he ran out with the second set 7-5.

Were we panicking? Not really. I kind of expected that Nole would get a set, but Rafa smacked himself back into the match, started to concentrate and ... play. A single break of the Nole serve was again all he needed to take the third 6-4. And this is where he started to motor. Did Nole perhaps know that he didn't have it in himself to be able to take this to 5? Who knows, but once again Rafa got early breaks - 2 of them - and quickly built a 5-1 lead.

Was he about to do it? Was he about to make that history for himself? Was he about to win the last remaining Slam that eluded him in his marvellous career?

As Nole stood to serve at 5-1 down, Rafa took his foot off the pedal as if conserving himself to try and take the match out on his own serve. And so he served to do it ... A magnificent forehand that landed just on the line for a winner and forehand hit out wide by Nole meant that Rafa won the match, the title, the Career Grand Slam.

Upon victory, Rafa fell on his back in his normal victory salute then rolled over onto his tummy to let out some rasping sobs. He did it, he did it!! Nole came round the net to approach Rafa and the two friends held each other whilst Nole congratulated him. Rafa then went back to the centre of the court, sank to his knees, and raised his arms up high, clenched his fists and saluted his victory.

It was a great match, some wonderful tennis and played within a spirit of guts and fight. This is what I've come to like over the years. You can stick Feds with all his 'sublimeness', his 'balletic' play. This is what I want to see. Two protagonists standing toe to toe, fighting in the match with every fibre of their being. It is exciting, it is mesmerising and it is littered with magnificent winners and deft play. Well done boys ... I really enjoyed it, and here's hoping we see more of you two in finals over the next few years. We haven't seen enough of them.

And so to Rafa ... 12 months ago approached probably one of the blackest periods of his career. Sure, he'd had the summer of disappointment with his FO loss and Wimbledon withdrawal, but his torn abdomen resulted in a trouncing in the USO, and moving to the remainder of the tour which is indoors and on hardcourts never suits him. He struggled for victories, he struggled for form, and that thin, sad figure we saw at last year's WTF was a shadow of the man we had come to grow and love. It is Pearl who forever says 'write this boy off at your peril' ... and it is true. He still struggled at the beginning of the year, but he kept going. He kept colm and carried on. As soon as he got that dirt back under his feet at Monte Carlo, he burst the inertia that had built within him, and he went on to prove himself the wonderful champion that he is. And to now win on his hardest surface, on the court that does not suit his play, but to have the skill and courage to keep working, produce a serve like we've never seen before, lose only one set in the entire tournament and end up as Champion ... Rafa, we could not be more proud.

And for the Rafateers that may be reading this ... we've come some way together. We watched Rafa win, then lose it all. But to share these astounding victories with you - through our own particular difficult times - makes all the difference. Vamos us - the Rafateers!! and most of all ...

VAMOS RAFA !!!