Seventh Heaven!!

How good was that match? I don't think I've ever seen David Ferrer come out and play so well, especially against Rafa. He got off to a great start and broke Rafa in his opening service game, but Rafa broke straight back and it was "nip and tuck" throughout the whole of the first set, with Rafa getting the greater share of the luck and it ultimately lead to the inevitable tie-break. This wasn't, of course, before David had 5 set points on Rafa's serve, but Rafa survived, and the breaker is where he showed his class. For all David's ferreting around and getting back every ball, Rafa absolutely trounced him in the breaker and won it by 7-1.

What I next expected to happen, was the "inevitable" collapse from David, and when Rafa broke him early and stood to serve at 3-1, this is where I expected it to happen. Not so. David broke him, and then kept coming. For all I was enjoying the match and some wonderful play by both players, you will not believe the number of times I yelled out, "lie down, Daveed!!". Equally, I literally had to applaud some of Rafa's play. But guess whot? It was David who made the breakthrough as Rafa served a dreadful double fault to hand a break to him. But when David stood to serve for the second set, leading at 5-4, Rafa broke him comprehensively, and it was back all square. A service hold saw Rafa facing David who now was serving to stay in it, and whether his mind was still back on that last service game, who knows? ... but he was broken again for Rafa to take the match and his 7th title in Barcelona. He jumped high into the air in delight.

It was a fine showing from David, and Rafa continues to play well on the clay. His serve wasn't quite as accurate today and he missed several first serves, but with his different motion, I just hope that he doesn't put too much strain on that shoulder as he's going well thus far in this clay court season. His results may be  the same or same abouts as last year, but the manner of his play and his victories, his on-court body language and his general persona is eons away from that weary, spiritless Rafa we saw in 2011.

He has a week off now before his assault on the next two big ones. The back-to-back tournaments of the Madrid and Rome Masters. But so far, so good. VAMOS RAFA!!