La Decima ...

Seriously folks ... who didn't see that coming?

I was convinced that Rafa being the 6th seed instead of the 7th would alter fate and hand him the tougher draw, but the reality turned out to be only a swap between his potential quarter and semi-final opponents. No, it's not great - especially when you see the cakewalk handed to Smuggles - and I know that there are four matches to be played before the quarter finals, but chances are that Rafa and the PoD will be in it.

I've already cast my doubts that Rafa will be the French Open champion this year, but then you never know. Maybe this might be something that ignites the fire in his belly ... maybe he will do something magical to amaze us all, just when we think we've seen everything you could possibly imagine from this very special of players in his already glittering career.  I've seen it said that it won't exactly be the draw that Djokovic would have liked either, but I'm not so sure about that. There could be the tiniest of niggles in that vortex of a brain of his, but his abject arrogance and the obvious confidence that his form this season gives him will no doubt quash it. That, or a sip of his bloated, puffed up coach's heavy Burgundy will. Still, I hoped that if this were the year that that twonk-faced twonk of Twonkington won, I didn't want him to beat Rafa on his way to doing it. Not beating Nadal would always take some of the gloss of it, noh? But hey ho ...

However should he get there, the quarter final has seen the ignition of some of Rafa's greatest matches and play in Slams previously. As I get used to this different Rafa, that's more my hope than the reality. But if there's one court in the world he knows his way around then it's Chatrier, and of course ... we wish him well.

Looking at it in other ways, should the quarter to end all quarter finals happen, it's on a week day and I won't be able to get time off work to watch it live. I never shy away from watching Rafa when a match is live and I have the opportunity to see it, but at least somehow my nerves will actually be put to bed because Livescores will spare me the agony. Equally, my friends who have Final tickets will know early if they still want to have a little weekend in Paris or simply just not go. But better still, if Rafa succeeds, at least they know they won't have to endure a match featuring that djerk.

And best of all, a quarter final match will end with the shake of a hand at the net and as much as the PoD may rip open his shirt, lick the red dirt and join in a joyous embrace with his team - an act he has been practising for the occasion all week - it will all feel a bit previous and Rafa won't have to stand there watching with a silver salver whilst that vulgarian parades the trophy in his face.

I feel better already.

All that aside, the French Open is a marvellous tournament. The grounds are small, but there's a lovely intimate feel about it. The architecture of the courts is so much more pleasant in real life than it appears on the TV screen and I just love the history of it all. It is a place that a Spaniard helped to put back on the map back in 2005 ... and the tournament has never looked back since. It has never really appreciated its most notable and extraordinary of victors, but Rafa Nadal has made Paris the focal point of sport in late May and early June like no-one else before. Sitting here tonight I am with colm, and looking forward to the tournament in a perverse sort of way. I really don't think there's very much pressure on Rafa ... his form going into this tournament has led everybody to believe that he won't win. Maybe like his beloved Real Madrid, who had to wait some time before they won the prestigious European Cup for "La Decima" - The Tenth - he may have to do also.

Or maybe he won't ...

Good luck Rafa. We shall be with you every stroke, every point, every time violation and with every ounce of blood, sweat and tears there may be along the way. Love you, just be brave ...