Thursday: Rafa vs. Vliegen (1st set)
The matches are going pretty quickly today. Ljubicic just won, and I expect Federer will roll over his opponent pretty quickly.
It's now 5:12 a.m. PDT, so I'm thinking Rafa's match will start at about 6:30 a.m. I'll be here ready to blog.
See ya then. Vamos, Rafa!!!!
0-0.
Rafa serving. 40-30. Good serve. He wins the game. Jogs to the chair. JB (John Barett) is talking about how wonderful he has been for the sport -- his spirit and passion. He has brought many young fans to the sport. And to this website, too. :D
1-0, RN.
KV to serve. 30-15. Two good serves. Nice drop shot by Rafa, KV got there, but Rafa does the volley winner. 30-30. Good serve. 40-30. Fault. Rafa hits BH long . Game, KV.
1-1.
Rafa to serve. 15-0. Rafa gets to the drop shot. 15-15. Rafa hits long. 30-15. JB talks again about how Rafa didn't make these UE's last year. Missed volley by Rafa. 30-30. Come on, Rafa. I think I can hear MAC and SE out there, yelling for Rafa. Rafa was too defensive there. 30-40. Break point against Rafa. Come, on Rafa. Fault. OH winner. KV breaks.
2-1, KV.
KV to serve. Hits long. 0-15. Fault. My personal view is a guy who is 7 feet tall, and he appears that he is, shouldn't wear all white, and relatively short shorts. Not a great look, but he's playing well so far.l 15-15. Great Pass by Rafa -- KV didn't do enough with an overhead. But we're okay with that 15-30. S&V there. 30-30. Rafa had lucky let cord there, said he's sorry. But he'll take it. BP for Rafa. 30-40. Tony is adjusting the zipper on his jacket. Missed dropshot. So Rafa breaks back. Vamos!
2-2
Rafa serving. 15-0. BTW, Rafa is wearing the same outfit, the lime green shirt and white piratas. It's a contrast to the white of his opponent, but I think his tan is as much of a contrast. Error by Rafa. 15-15. And JB is once again talking about how Rafa is not that Rafa of last year. BH error by Rafa. Commentators call it "Un-Nadal like". JB thinks the loss to Moya has affected to him. 15-30. KV hits long. 30-30. Rafa happy about that. I don't know who the commentator is with JB -- it's not Jason. Fault. Come on, Rafa! Nice FH by Rafa, draws the error. 40-30. Game point. Return inbto net -- good serve. Game RN
3-2, RN.
Funny that The Tennis Channel is doing commercials featuring Christopher Knight (TV star -- from the Brady Bunch in the 70's). He was Bobby Brady, and my crush back then. And here I am blogging for many who have a crush on Rafa.
KV to serve. 15-15. Beautiful pass by Rafa. UE by KV. 15-30. Commentators say Nadal is dominating points since being broken. Not sure about that, but he's doing a bit better. Fault. Rafa yelled Vamos before that passing shot hit the ground. 15-40. Two breakpoints. Fault, called by the chair. Volley exchange, and I thought Rafa had won it, but no. 30-40. Olivier Rochus is watching the match. Rafa misses BH. Deuce. Fault. Good drop shot by KV. Ad KV. Let. Another drop shot. Game KV.
3-3
The commentators are analogizing this match to one between Arazi and Kuerten years ago. I think Rafa is supposed to be Kuerten -- and Kuerten eventually won, but it wasn't easy. 0-15. Fault. Come on, Rafa! Great hitting by Rafa, with OH put-a-way. 15-15. Great serve. Vamos by Rafa. 30-15. I have to be careful what I say here. I noted yesterday that Rafa did a fist-pump when he won yesterday, and that started a while thread on the Tennis Warehouse board about Rafa not being a good sportsman. 40-15. Fault. Rafa gets to that drop shot, but KV wins the volley exchange. 40-30. Go Rafa! KV hits out after great RN forehand. Game RN.
4-3, RN
KV to serve. Rafa misses one pass, but make another. 15-30. And then KV misses a drop shot. Great serve, Rafa does well to get it back, and KV hits into the net. 15-40. Two BP's. JB fancies that KV may not creep out of this whole this time. Hope he's right. He JB was right, with a volley into net. Rafa breaks.
5-3, RN
KV is forcing play a bit, and Toni is looking a bit happier. And so am I. But Rafa hits BH wide. JB doesn't think that Rafa is as quick this year as he was last year. But he also thinks that Rafa played Madrid with a suspect ankle. Doesn't realize Rafa had tendonitis in his knees then, and hurt his foot, not his ankle, in the final. KV misses volley. Fist pump by Rafa -- but totally appropriate and sportsmanlike under the circumstances. 30-15. Commentators saying KV is giving too many free points to Rafa. FH winner there -- not a free point. 30-30. Fault. DF. What a horrible time for a DF. JB is taking away one of Rafa's brownie points. 30-40. What a point! KV his a volley, and Rafa gets to it and passes. I say great, but the commentators say Rafa was lucky KV didn't do more with the volley. KV hits long. Ad Nadal. Set point Rafa. Go Rafa! Commentators are upset that KV isn't taking advatange of his opps. But I don't feel that way. Error by KV. Rafa gets set. And Rafa does a very sportsmanlike fist pump to celebrate winning the set. :D
6-3, RN
It's now 5:12 a.m. PDT, so I'm thinking Rafa's match will start at about 6:30 a.m. I'll be here ready to blog.
See ya then. Vamos, Rafa!!!!
0-0.
Rafa serving. 40-30. Good serve. He wins the game. Jogs to the chair. JB (John Barett) is talking about how wonderful he has been for the sport -- his spirit and passion. He has brought many young fans to the sport. And to this website, too. :D
1-0, RN.
KV to serve. 30-15. Two good serves. Nice drop shot by Rafa, KV got there, but Rafa does the volley winner. 30-30. Good serve. 40-30. Fault. Rafa hits BH long . Game, KV.
1-1.
Rafa to serve. 15-0. Rafa gets to the drop shot. 15-15. Rafa hits long. 30-15. JB talks again about how Rafa didn't make these UE's last year. Missed volley by Rafa. 30-30. Come on, Rafa. I think I can hear MAC and SE out there, yelling for Rafa. Rafa was too defensive there. 30-40. Break point against Rafa. Come, on Rafa. Fault. OH winner. KV breaks.
2-1, KV.
KV to serve. Hits long. 0-15. Fault. My personal view is a guy who is 7 feet tall, and he appears that he is, shouldn't wear all white, and relatively short shorts. Not a great look, but he's playing well so far.l 15-15. Great Pass by Rafa -- KV didn't do enough with an overhead. But we're okay with that 15-30. S&V there. 30-30. Rafa had lucky let cord there, said he's sorry. But he'll take it. BP for Rafa. 30-40. Tony is adjusting the zipper on his jacket. Missed dropshot. So Rafa breaks back. Vamos!
2-2
Rafa serving. 15-0. BTW, Rafa is wearing the same outfit, the lime green shirt and white piratas. It's a contrast to the white of his opponent, but I think his tan is as much of a contrast. Error by Rafa. 15-15. And JB is once again talking about how Rafa is not that Rafa of last year. BH error by Rafa. Commentators call it "Un-Nadal like". JB thinks the loss to Moya has affected to him. 15-30. KV hits long. 30-30. Rafa happy about that. I don't know who the commentator is with JB -- it's not Jason. Fault. Come on, Rafa! Nice FH by Rafa, draws the error. 40-30. Game point. Return inbto net -- good serve. Game RN
3-2, RN.
Funny that The Tennis Channel is doing commercials featuring Christopher Knight (TV star -- from the Brady Bunch in the 70's). He was Bobby Brady, and my crush back then. And here I am blogging for many who have a crush on Rafa.
KV to serve. 15-15. Beautiful pass by Rafa. UE by KV. 15-30. Commentators say Nadal is dominating points since being broken. Not sure about that, but he's doing a bit better. Fault. Rafa yelled Vamos before that passing shot hit the ground. 15-40. Two breakpoints. Fault, called by the chair. Volley exchange, and I thought Rafa had won it, but no. 30-40. Olivier Rochus is watching the match. Rafa misses BH. Deuce. Fault. Good drop shot by KV. Ad KV. Let. Another drop shot. Game KV.
3-3
The commentators are analogizing this match to one between Arazi and Kuerten years ago. I think Rafa is supposed to be Kuerten -- and Kuerten eventually won, but it wasn't easy. 0-15. Fault. Come on, Rafa! Great hitting by Rafa, with OH put-a-way. 15-15. Great serve. Vamos by Rafa. 30-15. I have to be careful what I say here. I noted yesterday that Rafa did a fist-pump when he won yesterday, and that started a while thread on the Tennis Warehouse board about Rafa not being a good sportsman. 40-15. Fault. Rafa gets to that drop shot, but KV wins the volley exchange. 40-30. Go Rafa! KV hits out after great RN forehand. Game RN.
4-3, RN
KV to serve. Rafa misses one pass, but make another. 15-30. And then KV misses a drop shot. Great serve, Rafa does well to get it back, and KV hits into the net. 15-40. Two BP's. JB fancies that KV may not creep out of this whole this time. Hope he's right. He JB was right, with a volley into net. Rafa breaks.
5-3, RN
KV is forcing play a bit, and Toni is looking a bit happier. And so am I. But Rafa hits BH wide. JB doesn't think that Rafa is as quick this year as he was last year. But he also thinks that Rafa played Madrid with a suspect ankle. Doesn't realize Rafa had tendonitis in his knees then, and hurt his foot, not his ankle, in the final. KV misses volley. Fist pump by Rafa -- but totally appropriate and sportsmanlike under the circumstances. 30-15. Commentators saying KV is giving too many free points to Rafa. FH winner there -- not a free point. 30-30. Fault. DF. What a horrible time for a DF. JB is taking away one of Rafa's brownie points. 30-40. What a point! KV his a volley, and Rafa gets to it and passes. I say great, but the commentators say Rafa was lucky KV didn't do more with the volley. KV hits long. Ad Nadal. Set point Rafa. Go Rafa! Commentators are upset that KV isn't taking advatange of his opps. But I don't feel that way. Error by KV. Rafa gets set. And Rafa does a very sportsmanlike fist pump to celebrate winning the set. :D
6-3, RN
posted by Susan at 5:13 AM
10 Comments:
Can't wait for the match to start! Thanks for blogging Susan! I'm at work, so this is again the only way for me to follow the match...so muchas gracias!
and Vamos Rafa!!
Tanja
I'm so excited! I know Rafa will win. Thanks again susan for the blog!
Vamos Susan y RAFA!!!
Thank you so much for such an early start Susan.
I am going to miss my 10 am project deadline here! Oh well!
I hope he nails this one!
Thank you for doing this! It's the only way for me to know what's going on, you're doing a great job! :)
thanks Susan for doing this blog!!!
It's fantastic
I hope Rafa will improve his game
thanks for the commentary, and tell the commentators to back off and let our Rafa win. stop trying to encourage the other player to step up his game, that isn't necessary.
Susan u have saved my day...
Thank u so much for this.It's the only way for me to know what's going on just as Ellen.
I'm from Uruguay and thanks to u I can follow my love ! RaFA.
Vamos Rafa !!! Estamos MUY contentas todas... not muchas... jeje. It's fine.
Byes
Good morning Susan,
Ok, Rafa got through the first set. Maybe still not great but I'm getting a bit tired of about all JB's comments it is not quite the same Rafa as last year. It is his first tournament on clay and so long as Rafa does well, he is our Rafa.
The impportant thing is for Rafa to win so he will have the opportunity to write something on the lens.
Lopaka
Glad JB and the other commentator finally mentioned the match play was useful and important for Rafa.
And Rafa hits and Ace. You got to love him!
I saw Vligen at IW play Grosjean and he does have some animated conversations with himself and his racquet. Probably best they are not in English.
Lopaka
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