I'm afraid I haven't had chance the watch the match yet, and came home from work just to see the final game and Rafa serving it out. But it seems he had his difficulties with going a break down in the first set before winning it on a breaker, and then he obviously then went on to win the match 6-4 in the second.
I felt that this would be a hard match for Rafa and a test for him after his long lay off and Janowicz is exactly one of those kind of players that can trouble him. So I think it's a great that he's come through and I'm sure he'll take a lot from it. Keep it up Rafa, you obviously enjoyed that.
When you watch it, Wooffs, you'll see for yourself, but I thought that JJ was a bit tired in this match. His behavior didn't exactly impress me, either. He wanted to win this very badly, so badly that he curtailed his acting out until the last games. But he also would inject yelling at vital moments, yelling that extended way after he'd hit the ball. And he touched the net but didn't get caught by the umpire, nor did he report himself. And a few other things...small by themselves, larger when added together. Rafa was Not Happy, but said little. Stared a lot at the chair ump--who, of course, waited till match point to give Rafa a time violation. Odd discretion, that.
ReplyDeleteRafa looked good, sometimes great. Aggressive, hungry, analytical, making lots of good serves and quite a few marvelous shots. Finally got his own back on the interminable drop shots from JJ. He seemed to have some blank moments in the first third of the match, but he worked out a strategy that kept him competitive. His movement seemed unimpaired. BTW, the wind was a problem for both, just like yesterday.
I'm glad he met JJ for the first time here, rather than in a Majors. And he handled JJ better even than he did Gulbis and Klizan and Brands and all other "mad storks" this year. Vamos!
Athena-great synopsis of the match, thank you! I thought JJ was trying to throw Rafa off with all his antics & screaming bloody murder but it didn't seem to faze Rafa much...just irritated him a bit, I guess. However, the commies did NOT like it which I thought interesting. Rafa seems to be turning into the "thinking man's tennis player" as well as the monster athlete. Vamos!
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