Who knew watching Rafa/Fer semis would have the same effect on me as an earthquake? Who knew Fer would totally rule over Rafa? And yes, I mean that. I may be a Rafalover, but I'm not blind.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="Who'd have guessed?"]
[/caption]Fer was, unfortunately, playing better than Rafa. He owned his side of the court. It seemed like there was no ball he could not reach, and no return angle he could not make. Rafa's brilliance was non-existent on this match. He was not putting the ball anywhere difficult, there was no brilliant passing shots, nothing. Nando was totally in control of the match. If not for the ungodly amount of UEs he would have won it on the 4th set.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="359" caption="Grim Rafa, down 1-0."]
[/caption]Rafa was warned during the 2nd or 3rd set (apologies, I really cannot remember, it was a match that went on forever. Ever.) by the umpire because he was supposedly making too many eye contacts with his team. He told the referee that he should warn Fernando too. Yes, both were doing it, but Rafa was more obvious because Nando talks to himself. A lot.
If I was in the audience today, I would have shouted to the umpire to check Nando's bag for a hex pack, a voodoo doll, something. It was quite unbelievable. I don't know what Nando did on the off season that warrants so much development. Was it the coaches or was it Ana? Must be one hell of a holiday. By the end of the 5th, Nando's hair was as made up as ever. Rafa's headband started to go every which way in the middle of the 5th. Heh. I wonder if Nando's got a bad case of dandruff, using that much gel every day. Okay, now I'm just being bitchy. Props to Nando for battling Rafa with everything he's got.
And what the hell was with the audience? I see so many Rafa supporters but the cheers were all for Nando. Wth, people? What did Rafa ever do to you?
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="269" caption="Damn! Old man's got style!"]
[/caption]Anyhoo. I have no idea if Rafa's poor play was because Nando was really playing that well, or because of himself. I don't even know if I'm glad rafa's through to the final. Roger must be so pleased because Rafa will be walking on one leg on Sunday. Not to say Roger's been playing very well. His last 2 matches was handed to him, wrapped with a red bow on top. But at least he'll be well rested.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="350" caption="This could so easily be me."]
[/caption]But he did win, and he did get into Aussie Open Final for the 1st time. That is something. I just wish the circumstances were different. But in any case..
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="351" caption="Nuh-uh, no way. He's mine."]
[/caption]We will all still be rooting for him.Vamos Rafa!
Match Stats
Nadal Verdasco Semifinal AO 2009
It was an extremely frustrating match! I kept yelling at Rafa to stop standing so far back and stop hitting the ball deeper into the court. (Of course, this led to a lot of shouts of "Deeper, Rafa! Deeper! Thank goodness I don't live in an apartment with thin walls.)
ReplyDeleteHe did make some wonderful shots and I'm not quite sure I can agree with the statement that his brilliance was totally missing, however. I can totally agree that Fed is someplace laughing his ass off right now.
Beth - Rafa was playing well, but not up to his level. Not even close. Not even like how he was against Simon. It was so frustrating because I know if he played in his level he would win this thing, not easily maybe, but easier.
ReplyDeleteBut maybe that's just me, always expecting the best from him. To me this was like his USO semi with Murray. Only he did win.
You're right, at one point I did wonder why he's standing so far back while Nando was serving. Was that necessary? I'm no expert.
I think tomorrow your neighbors will wink at you and ask, "who's rafa?".
For me, I'd have to compare it more to day two of his match with Murray than day one. I think he was more together than that awful first day against Murray.
ReplyDeleteI'm almost starting to think Rafa has some sort of mental block about hard court majors. He seems to loose all his nerve and go back to defensive play. It's frustrating.
Omg exactly!!! He went back to his defensive play, only not as well. He was letting balls go left and right. And Nando, he seems to have early Nadal style of play. But with better serve.
ReplyDeleteDeeper, Rafa, deeper? Hold on, I have to faint.
ReplyDelete*faints*
Thank God you lined this place with pillows, babzerella.
Imagine this scenario. I set my DVR for 3 hours. That's enough time to dispose of Nando, no? I wake up, get ready for another morning session with my boys, and...what's this? THEY'RE STILL PLAYING?????!!!! Oh, God, what do I do? Prepare the boys and earn my money, or watch Rafa? He needs me more than they do!
Poor, poor baby looked so spent, and not in a good way. This is what I get for not creating a Nando voodoo doll. Rafa, I swear, I will never let you down again.
*cries*
I bought so many pillows I gots no moolah to buy images. LOL
ReplyDeleteWhat boys? You have BOYS?? Like, boytoys??
I totally know what you mean. My dogs haven't had their walks since the second week of AO. Pathetic.
Ohhh...but the pillows...they are so soft and cushy...
ReplyDeleteNah. Yoga class of athletes. All week, intensive morning sessions. They need me, Rafa needs me...not enough of me to go around. Must get priorities back in order and commit full time to Rafa.
natch - i swear. You're making me have twitches down south everytime I read your comments. Not good for a single girl. Not good at all.
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked the pillows - I spent a lot on it.
hey guys what do you think about this theory? Rafa was playing someone he'd never played before (I mean, who the F was that out there?! Good for Fern tho...) anyways... sometimes I feel like he will take a while to figure out a new opponent's game...and when someone who is playing as well as Fern has been, he was just ready to give it to Rafa. And he's got no pressure, right?? He's already living it up, making it to his first Slam semi. The pressure is ALL on Rafa, IMO. And Fern def rattled him....but he got his shit together in time. Everytime I started to freak out I thought about this: Rafa is getting a good look at Fern's service games WAY more than Fern getting chances with Rafa. True Rafa was KILLING ME with how many break points he let go by (flashbacks of Madrid semis, anyone?!?!?) but he had more opportunities, and that made the difference in the end. He pushed Fern to make it happen and Fern couldn't handle it at the very end.
ReplyDeleteFucking crazy match tho. I say the pressure is all on Fed now. Rafa's dead tired and not livin' it up with 2 days off!!
I think there's some truth in that, Rafa thinks "I have to win I have to win I have to win" and that may contribute to a lot of nerves. He is a slow starter, many matches he was down 2-0 before he figures out the opponent's game and get his gear engaged. He certainly was not expecting nando to play that well, for sure.
ReplyDeleteBut I don't know. I just feel like he's totally missing something in this match. I kinda agree with Beth that rafa probably has some kind of mental block with hard courts. And does he want it enough? He's never expressed genuine passion for hard courts trophies.
Just saying, if he meets fed with that kind of play, it'll be a walkover, like Fed meeting him on clay.
Oh Fed has the upper hand, for sure. We'll find out real soon if/how Rafa changes his tactics and whether or not he's too exhausted to push. Regardless, I'm so happy he got to the final. He fought and fought and you know his attitude is so great that he's already happy with this result. If anything, it's just one more opportunity to watch his hot bod work the court. We got served maximum Rafa time at the AO this year. Hell yeah, that's what I'm talking about! ;)
ReplyDeleteI do think he wants it, but I also think he's often content to often just to better than last year on HCs because they daunt him so. After his QF win at the US Open, he gave an interview with an interesting verbal slip - something about the Semi being his last match in the tournament. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVZ6yHf3_Qw)
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, one of the reasons Fed loses to Rafa on clay is that he refuses to adjust his game. The few times he has, he's gotten much closer than, say, RG final 2008. Rafa has the same problem on HC, but I don't think it's a refusal to adjust his game, I think it's more about the confidence to stick to the changed game plan.
johanne - I do agree that the pressure was on Rafa. NO ONE expected Nando to win this - take a set, maybe, but not win it.
Beth - Yeah I hear ya. I think it's true that more than anything he's happy he improved on his results from last year's AO. You could see in his interview right after the Verdasco match, that his body language was that of "holy crap, I did it, but playing this final is going to be a beyotch!" LOL.
ReplyDeletebtw, in that vid clip from the USO, Rafa seems SUPER bored with the interview/interviewer. HAHAHAHA.
He often looks bored in the interviews - can't blame him, it's the same stupid questions over and over again. He's even more bored here:
ReplyDeletehttp://tinyurl.com/bp2q3y
Jo,
ReplyDeleteyep, all pressure's on Fed. But how can Rafa recover enough? I will hope he wins, but prepare myself in case he doesn't. I'll be happy for Fed, because I want him to beat Sampras. Once he does that, I'll go back to *meh*. But hopefully, Rafa will be in his head and Fed will lose.
Babz,
Sorry, didn't mean to overexcite you. Really. I srsly meant it was intensive yoga. Nothing else. Does it help if I tell you we were in 117F and 45% humidity? That should stop the twitching.
Unless you're talking about Rafa. Then I can't helps meself. Me likey!
*twitches like mad*
What's that, ashtanga yoga or what?? Tantric?? Oh lord. You *must* tell me one day.
ReplyDeleteBikram. I try not to type his name because he sues anybody and everybody that uses it without his permission. *waits for attorneys to show up*
ReplyDeleteTantra I save for my own *personal* practice...with Rafa. Or my UPS man. Or whatever hot guy happens to walk by in front of my house.
The Rafa - Verdasco Semi Final was absolutely awesome!! Definitely the best game I've seen since last year's Wimbledon Final (pure tennis this match wins but the sheer fact it was a Wimbledon final put it over the line for me). 5 1/4 hours of insanely good tennis. I was glued to the TV and hardly even realised the time. Some of the shots that both players made were awe inspiring and simply remarkable. I am so, so looking forward to the Wimbledon Final rematch between Federer & Nadal. My money's on Federer but I'm hoping and wishing for a close 5 setter like the Verdasco match, that would be the icing on the cake of a great tournament.
ReplyDeleteCan you believe I couldn't watch this baby live??? I had to tape it cuz I was at work. I launched the Slam Tracker though and followed Rafa's victored by watching numbers changing: 40-0 ... 40-15 ... 40-30 ... nooo, last match point!! => WINNER: Rafael Nadal ESP
ReplyDeleteIt was killing me!! But when I finally got to see it, it was still as nerve-wrecking...
Nando was playing like from another planet... unbelievable! And I agree that Rafa was a little too defensive and fell back to his former hard court behaviour.
Hopefully he can make it today... he'll maybe be weary, but to hell with that! He's got all the Rafanatic's power backing him, he can do it! PODEMOS!
I just wish there hadn't been that fuckup with the scheduling. Rog will love this. :(
BTW, Beth: I think your "Deeper Rafa, Deeper" comment made me horny... not that I don't like it, though... :P
victory I meant.... duh....
ReplyDeleteAre you insane ? Nadal was playing his best tennis ! Too bad for Verdasco though...
ReplyDeleteraph - sometimes I am, and I admit it. but I stand by my opinion that rafa was not playing his best tennis.
ReplyDeleteAll right. So I respect your opinion. And I'm sorry I mostly write my articles in French... But I'm glad you made the effort to read the last one nonetheless !
ReplyDelete