Because he's just simply fabulous ...

Getting a bit back to normal ...

Hello.

I intermittently come back to my little blog and think to myself, "Is this what you want your last post to be?  Is this what you want your last ramblings to say after all the years of expressing your thoughts?" In short, the answer was always "no". I started my little blog quietly years ago without telling anyone I was doing it because I just wanted to capture something in words and pictures of Rafa's career as it evolved along the way. The intent was that I'd always have something to look back on and a record of something that I'd emotionally invested so much in along the way.

But in recent times, the emotional investment has took it toll, the mojo wasn't there and it was time to take a step back. But there were times last year when I did think about changing the last post ... you know, when he had that lovely Monte Carlo victory, or when he finally led Spain out at the Olympics carrying the flag, or when he added a fantastic Doubles Gold Medal to his Singles. But I didn't make the time.

But after Rafa had done the complete unexpected and made it to the final of the Australian Open, I found myself back here yesterday, reading my last posts. I wrote about "the new normal", a very different Rafa that we'd have to come to terms with along with the post I wrote after last year's first round exit at the very same tournament. I still stand by a lot of what I said in that AO post, and there was a bit that I found myself re-reading a few times ...

"I just think though that he has to be deserving of that one time where the Fates collide in favour for him. And whilst I have that thought ... I'll keep watching. Just."

I didn't watch today though. I couldn't put myself through it. I still abide by the thought that the Fates will collide and I thought that perhaps this Australian Open final was where they'd do it. But because he was playing Smugly, I couldn't watch - and more to the point - I could bear to listen. I dibbed in and out of Livescores, and shook my head with disbelief that the fighter in Rafa still had enough to make it go to a fifth. What a guy! When I registered that he was serving for 4-2, I wished with all my heart that Rafa had a serve that you could trust and when I saw the scoreline back at 3-3, I wasn't shocked in the slightest. Rafa said he lost a bit of speed today, and losing that break lost him the match. I'm gutted, but that's the sport.

But after all these years - and particularly the last three - to be able to comment on Rafa having a Grand Slam final appearance is great. It's a positive step in the right direction and I hope it lifts him for the coming season. He'll still face his challenges - his 5 set matches against the likes of Zverev and Dimitrov proved that - but the raised arms on Friday showed the joy of what it means to be back in the finals of a Grand Slam. Getting a bit back to normal ...

OK Fates, next time get your act together better. Over to you ...