Frenemies ...

So Rafa faced off against Fer, and I was initially furious because whilst they were scheduled to play in the heat of the day, Murray was also given the same slot but on the Grandstand court. So I knew that my friendly TV provider would be showing that match, and not Rafa, and there was no way I could leave work earlier to watch it. But I needn't have bothered, because it turned out to be a lengthy marathon.

I watched the first set on LiveScores, which went to a tie-breaker that Rafa won. So with a sickening feeling in my tum, I made the journey home and as Fer has been so woeful of late, I couldn't believe that Rafa seemed to be struggling. I arrived home after Fer had levelled the match by winning the second set breaker. By all accounts, it was an ugly match by both players in the first two sets with breaks of serve by both guys and some petulant behaviour from Fer. Neither player could take advantage of a positive position, but when Fer stood with break point opportunities in the third, he actually took them. Advantage Fer.

But in keeping with this awful match, Rafa broke back and it lead to yet another tie breaker. Rafa romped on ahead to a 5-1 lead with his two serves to come, but once again, the nerves overcame him. He lost 4 straight points for Fer to level and then it topsy turvied, but with Rafa always in the advantage, which meant that he had the match points ... about 4 of them (if I remember) and then he finally won.

I think the match took over 4 hours.

Fer spat on the baseline at the end of the match, obviously furious with himself that he kept throwing away the opportunity to take it, and there wasn't much of an exchange at the net. Rafa applauded his compatriot off the court and later said that he felt sorry for him.

Winning ugly took him through to the quarter finals, but with two of his fingers bandaged so heavily, Rafa's tales of woe continue as the stupid boy burnt them on a hot plate whilst out at a dinner in a Japanese restaurant. Perhaps we should all pack up and go now ...