Has the bubble burst ... ??

Well not ours ... obviously.  How could it, with Rafa reaching all 8 finals of the tournaments he entered, winning 6 of them, and 3 being Masters.  This European clay season, he's won Barcelona and the double header of Madrid and Rome and as Football Wooffs might say ... "It's all gone quiet over there ..." 

So what am I talking about?  

Well, exactly one month ago, the tennis world was in full frenzy because Novak Djokovic had just beaten Rafa to win Monte Carlo and according to the media at large, had thus become the heir apparent to the crown of Roland Garros.  My God ... they were all falling over themselves in anticipation.  Not only that, there was Guy Forget suggesting that the French Open Seeding Committee could perhaps change it's 100+ years' tradition in order to rank Rafa higher.  All for his benefit, of course, and in recognition of all he's achieved there.  *cough*

But never mind bubbles, what has come to pass thereafter I can better describe as a pin pricking a balloon, and slowly and surely, the air has all escaped and we're now left with a flat, rubbery mush.

Because the PoD (not the Prince Apparent), failed early in Madrid, and totally lost it against Rolf in Rome.  So what's he won in 2013 then?  From memory, is it The Australian Open and MC?  Hardly stellar form.  And his pedigree for beating Rafa in Paris?  Three victories in his entire career against him on clay and only one French Open final appearance.  Sure he beat Rafa in Monte Carlo ... but that was his first win over him on clay in 2 years.  Rafa's won 3 of their last 4 appearances on the surface, and contrary to popular belief in some quarters, the rain coming in last year's French Open final flattered Djokovic to win a set because he was being totally out-played otherwise.  

Novak Djokovic has to be at his very best to beat Rafael Nadal.  And there's no doubt about it ... Rafa has to be at his very best to beat him too.  So who's closest to being it?  Djokovic has proved himself vulnerable and whilst Rafa has also, he somehow managed to get through his difficult matches.  But I think it was Rafa's form over the weekend at Rome that finally turned that metaphorically pricked media balloon into it's deflated mush.  Not only did he play exceptionally well, Rafa totally battered Federer in the final.  Words like "masterclass", "supremacy", "hammers", "routs", "blows away", "conquers", "dominates" and "crushes" were just a small example of the newspaper headlines used to described the manner of his victory.  And the general apathy and sombre mood it's created "out there" ever since, of a resignation that the French Open may still probably come Rafa's way, has felt like a wake.

Rafa was out-played in that first set in the Monte Carlo final.  He had some very good chances in the second set, but couldn't find the strength or stamina to consolidate the breaks he created after the exertion of doing so.  Turning those matches around against Ferrer in Madrid and Gulbis in Rome I felt were good for him.  He kicked on ... and his weekend play was just superb.  If I have a worry, it's that his conditioning has yet to be proven over 5 sets for this Rafa Mk III version; when Rafa Mk I and Rafa Mk II built their reputation upon it.

But it's still good thus far, and if anyone has a question mark hanging over him based on the clay season leading up to the Clay Slam ... it's not Rafa.

And oh ... the irony.  I always felt that tennis would find a funny way of evening itself out of the seeding conundrum for Paris. I say tennis, but the truth be told is that Rafa worked, earned and won his place as the new ATP #no.4 ... only for Murray to then withdraw, and he would have made it anyway.  But earning it feels all the more sweeter ...