I am Seventeen, going on Eighteen ...

... but Rafa took care of you!!

OK, by now you know the result. You know the bru-ha-ha with Evil Carlos Bernardes and the over-rule that never came at a critical stage in the first set tie-break, and you know that Rafa rallied and roared his way to a 4 set victory.

I watched the match evolve via Livescores at work, which was absolute torture. The only thing that keeps me going is my Rafateer friends, and the regular updates we get from the girls watching at home. So as I'm only just about to start watching the match, I'll hand over to my pal Denzy, who has given a little summation. And hopefully with that, match reports, Twitter and anything else that you use to keep updated on Rafa, you'll get a flavour for what went on against Rolf today.

Rolf - by the way - is Thomas Berdych. Our "affectionate" name for him, as he looks like mean, evil, Rolf from "The Sound of Music" who literally blew the whistle on Maria, Captain Von Trapp and the Children. He deserved that whack in the arm from NICOOOOOOOOOOO for that. See below, the likeness is uncanny ... as is the personality. ;)

Anyhow, here is Denzy's little report ...

"There are real signs of the old Rafa coming back....but he just needs a bit more consistency and to get rid of the yips he's obviously still feeling. Rolf did come out with a plan, and we all know how Rafa doesn't do well on this surface against these big flat hitters, but where he was losing at the end of last year, the fight is there, and he came through.

The serve on the whole was better and the F/H was a joy today, but it was telling that before he plonked himself on the baseline, he was going further and further back, and more and more defensive. Thing is it's his game isn't it, and it's not going to come naturally to him to do that...he's not an Agassi where that's concerned, but as his confidence grew he did crack a couple of beauties back at Rolf's feet, especially off the second serve, and it's something he could do more of to get cheap points. Yes he's a scrapper and will fight to the bitter end, but it wouldn't hurt him to get a few more free points than he does.

Rolf threw everything he had a Rafa today, and it still wasn't enough, so hopefully it will help with the confidence. This is the first match I've watched so can't comment on any of the others that are left, but I'm hoping it's enough for him to at least get to the final. *unjinx*"

So Rafa is through to the semi-final ... to meet Feds. If the tennis world at large can find time to get their tongues of the Sublime One's bottom, they might realise that with Rafa, he always has a match on his hands. Never have I wanted Rafa to win a match so much.

VAMOS!!!