I've been away on business for the past few days ... channelling Rafa in Madrid. And I managed to bag off attending a super boring technical meeting in order to lounge in my hotel room and watch Rafa.
It broke my heart.
As we all know now, Rafa tore his thigh or hamstring, whichever report you're reading, and from that moment on at some point in that gruelling 23 minute opening service game of Rafa's ... it was over for him. For a man who wears his heart on his sleeve, it was difficult to watch. Credit to Daveed who didn't lose his focus, but there were points he looked over at Rafa where I think he was willing him for his own sake to retire.
But pride and respect for his friend and countryman and his overwhelming desire NOT to retire in a match again following last year, strove him on to the finish. At the change over in the penultimate game, Rafa held his head in his hands and looked like he was weeping. Two years ago, Rafa sat at a change of ends and caught a dandelion spode to wish upon, and had tears in his eyes when he knew he was about to go through to his first hardcourt Slam final. This time ... he was going home.
Rafa speaks always of needing to enter Slams in "perfect condition". Following his virus in Doha he was not ... but I thought I saw enough in his match against Cilic to show that it was perhaps coming back. But injury - once again - did for him, as Rafa's super fit body was probably suspect to be "broken" following that illness.
So there is no RafaSlam, or Grand Slam or "mini" Slam, Mr Laver. Just a young man with a sad heart having to go through one of those defeats that really, really hurts.
But bless you Rafa. Once again your dignity, class, poise, respect and sportsmanship came through. You'll be back. We love you ...
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