The latest RafaRollerCoaster ride ...

God Rafa ... you sure as hell know how to make us suffer!! There has been an almighty furore on some forums about last night. My personal view is that it was a complete over-reaction to the match and behaviour I saw. Anyway ... this is the match as I saw it.

Well ... the first set was outstanding from Rafa. Some of the best tennis he's played on hardcourts and if it were Feds, "sublime", "imperious", "scary good", "awwhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" etc. would have been the name of the game. Berdych was being outplayed, however, he didn't stop thinking and he didn't stop trying things so from his perspective, it was like if he had to go out then at least he went out trying for his shots and mixing it up to try and play his best tennis. But he was totally outplayed and Rafa won the set with an ace, 6-2.

The second set starts and Berdych won his first service game, then Rafa from nowhere lost his. Then Berdych won again, so after the fantastic first set, here was Rafa 0-3 down and then OMG ... the trainer was coming on. So of course, this was the time to *clunk* *click* myself into that rollercoaster.

Rafa's problem was with his neck and his right shoulder, so not his serving one. And the trainer was giving him some rigorous massage ... but we've all been watching Rafa for so long now that we can easily spot through his body language and then his tennis when something is just not going right. Now the thing is, fab first set by Rafa or not, Berdych was not playing badly at all, and he really stepped it up in the second. It was as if all the colour had drained from Rafa's face, he punched his thigh, he punched his racquet ... and you could tell he was getting really angry because his body wasn't operating the way it should. Also ... it's been a while since I saw Toni so agitated and the whole of Rafa's camp looked worried.

Rafa had the trainer on for a second time, and then again and again for the same thing ... neck and shoulder. Now the thing is, sure, it wasn't affecting his serve as such, but it was affecting his movement for when he has to rotate himself round for his backhand. So whilst he wasn't necessarily camping out at the back of the court, his general play become much more defensive.

Now I'm a terrible loser, but I suddenly became with colm because I thought that Rafa wasn't going to get through this match, simply because unless he is in top tip condition, only on a few occasions can you say fair play to the other guy for the victory. But ... Rafa won a service game, and then another for 4-2, and it was if some magic switch had gone back on for him again. His play got much better and he did start to press. I thought, he's coming back here ... but it was just a bit too late in the set to make a difference.

So I'm sitting with colm again at the start of the third because it was getting positive from Rafa and I thought, game on here ... they're both at the same level, Rafa is serving first so he has the advantage. When *yikes* ... there's Rafa down 0-40 on his serve!! And then Saints preserve us!! Rafa did something that I've never seen before and will probably never see again. Great serve which Berdych had a play on but it was out. Then ... ACE ... ACE ... ACE for break point and then Rafa wins the game!!! It then was tight, 1-1, 2-2, but at 3-2 with Berdych serving, I thought Rafa's going to make his move here. It didn't work then, but Rafa was doing some great serving in this set in spite of me watching from behind my little dog's ears and feeling *sick* on the Rafaserve. At 4-3, you just knew that Rafa was going to try really hard on Berdych's serve ...and he did. He upped his game, he'd been playing offensive tennis for the past few games and he got his break points which he took. Vamos!!

It was still *yikesy* on his service game, but he played it really well ... and he DID it! He's in the semi-final.

How this niggle is going to affect him, I don't know, nor can you say how serious it is. But the first game aside in the 3rd set, Rafa was playing very aggressive. I would just say it is affecting his movement and his backhand play, but worse than that ... it was affecting his mind and he wasn't just going for his shots like he was in the first. He was playing defensive, but not that horrid defensive if you know what I mean.

So now he faces Feds. And the media is bigging this up as another great Fedal match, and its the first time they've played in the US for 6 years. Feds has spent the week blabbing how the court is playing like a clay court and how he wished it was faster. So you've got your excuses ready then Feds, eh?? Rafa vehemently opposes this of course. What do I think of his chances? No idea to be honest ... who's to say how this twinge is going to affect him. All I think is that he reached a final the other week, he's matched his result from last year here. So its all positive.

But GOOD LUCK Rafa. And as always, you can do it, you can DO it!!!