RAFA NADAL - HE EMBODIES THE SPIRIT OF "I CAN, I WILL AND I DID"

Photo credit: Terra
All photos from the Madrid Open Semi-Final Match
Nadal Vs. Djokovic
May 16, 2009

I shouldn't be here, but for the Rafael Nadal Madrid Semi-Final Match with Novak Djokovic

I am here to say WHAT A MATCH!

And the drama of the fact that the crowd was pro-Rafa to put it mildly just added to the whole experience. I mean it was Spain and Rafa against Novak.

They both - Rafa and Novak - gave us something to sit on the edge of our chair's and sofa's to watch.

I had to leave the house in the third set to go to choir rehearsal and I have to miss the final match tomorrow unless it gets started late or goes long enough for me to come home and watch it after our concert. Today, I sat my movie camera on the tripod in front of the live streaming and at least got to watch the match when I returned, even though the video quality was poor. And what is up with www.TennisTV.com? The sound was on "real time" and the video was lagging behind - way behind.

The men's final match follows the women's final, Sunday May 17, 2009. The men's match is scheduled to start not before 10:00 a.m. USA EST/DST.

Rafa came out the winner score wise today in the Semi-Final against Djokovic. Rafa is vulnerable right now with some knee problems flaring up, however... which always concerns we enthusiastic fans of Rafa.

The Semi-Final
Rafa lost the first set. 3-6, then he won the second set 7-6 with a tie breaker (7-5) and Rafa then won the third set 7-6 with a tie breaker (11-9). Something special.

Some comments of the commentators:
After Rafa won a point during the third set tie break at 7-6 going to 7-7:
I'm running out of superlatives. The quality of the tennis is spectacularly good. Especially considering the (length of the match, the altitude and the energy exerted up to this point). What these two guys are able to do with the tennis ball..it's mind-boggling. These two players are bringing out the best in one another. It's wizardry from both players."

After Djokovic won a point during the third set tie break:
What a shot! Tennis out of this world. It was incredible.

Photo credit: Sports/YA EFE

Above four photos credit: Daylife

Photo credit: Terra

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Semi-Final Match in Madrid May 16, 2009 Nadal Vs. Djokovic
Uploaded by merikob

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Rafael Nadal's Press conference after his SF match in Madrid
in Spanish
Uploaded by merikob

Rafael Nadal on court Thanking the crowd - in Spanish

Rafael Nadal Beats Novak Djokovic in the Longest Masters Series Match in History

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/176889-rafael-nadal-beats-novak-djokovic-in-the-longest-masters-series-match

There are times when you are watching a tennis match, and after a period, you just stop passing comments, and succumb to its excitement. You do not have anything left to say, because, even as a spectator, you are emotionally drained by the quality, excitement and drama of the match.

On one hand, you desperately want the underdog to win so there is a change at the peak, but at that very moment, the top dog comes with something so phenomenal that you cannot help but admit that the latter deserves to edge through.

On the other hand, you want the contest to get over, so that your heart can take some rest from the excessive pounding it has endured during the match, while at the same time, you do not want it to finish because the quality of tennis cannot, possibly, reach better heights.

Ultimately, you are in a very confused state of mind and just wait for the inevitable to happen. Once it happens, though, you feel every moment of your time or money worth spent, and happily savor the memory of something special that you had the fortune to witness.

This was precisely my state of mind as Rafael Nadal edged through Novak Djokovic, 3-6 7-6(5) 7-6(9), in the longest three set match in a Tennis Masters Series history, at the Semi Finals of the Madrid Masters 2009.

The Serbian did everything that a human could possibly conjure up to try and dismantle Nadal's supremacy at this surface. He took the bull by the horns by giving Nadal a dose of his own medicine, and breaking him right away to race up to a 3-0 lead.

Nadal, who was out of sorts with his forehand, has never looked under more pressure, and in a state of panic, than in the opening set of the game.

Djokovic pushed Nadal back off the baseline, and for most of the first set Nadal retorted to his old style of play by looping in high shots towards Djokovic’s backhand from six feet behind the baseline.

Djokovic, surprisingly, obliged by beating Nadal in his own game. He attacked, he defended superbly, played drop shots and volleys which would even make Stefan Edberg proud.

There was a deafening silence among the twelve thousand spectators, as Djokovic prevailed by taking the first set 6-3. An upset looked very much on the cards.

Nadal rejuvenated and again looked like the Rafa that we know. Both players served immaculately and the first few games went like a breeze as they held serve comfortably.

The pressure was surely mounting on both players as Nadal took a short medical timeout after the fourth game, although no damage was done. Djokovic, meanwhile, was matching Nadal-of-the-old in defense and the semi-finalists were battling through some breath taking rallies.

The definition of the word athleticism was assuming a different meaning altogether.

Nole used his improved defensive skills to good measure and Nadal found himself in a scary position at a set and 15-40 down. It was then, it seemed that Pete Bodo’s

comparison of Nadal with Pete Sampras proportioned its full meaning.

Nadal fired down an ace and service winner to get back to deuce, saved two more break points with precise serving and survived the toughest service game of the set to lead 5-4.

Both battled for three more tough service games to get to the tie-breaker at 6-6.

Even though Djokovic survived those close sets, his body language was starting to deter. Nadal took full advantage of it and breezed through the tie-breaker to level the match at one set all!

The third set became a matter of will, rather than skill, as we witnessed the BEST tennis of the match—and possibly the year—with every possible strategy being worked out. Winners were struck out of nowhere and inhuman passes were made which fondly reminded of the epic five hour match at Melbourne.

The set also showed that the Novak Djokovic of May ‘09 is a much fitter and mentally stronger player than the Djokovic of Jan ’09.

Djokovic suffered from cramps right after breaking Nadal to get to 3-1, and took a full medical timeout during the process.

He played the rest of the match in pain, and got broken immediately after, but showed resolve of steel—being attended by the physio after during every changeover—to fight point to point against the Spaniard, and still managed to hold many break points in between.

Both players held serve to go on to 6-6, and produced one of the best tie-breakers of all times in the deciding set of the semi-final. There was never a relaxing moment during the tie-break, and each point looked like an uphill journey.

Each held match points, trading several mini-breaks, and ultimately Nadal got that additional mini-break of Djokovic’s serve at 9-9 with an outwordly passing shot that even he would be proud of!

He closed out the match on his serve, and fell to the ground as the LONGEST match in a Masters Series ended at 4:02 hours.

Twelve thousand Spaniards rose to give Novak Djokovic a deafening, and well deserved, applause as he, visibly heartbroken, guided himself to the dressing room.

Much can be said about Djokovic’s inability to convert break points (he could convert only two out of eight opportunities), or his visible fatigue due to injury in the decider, but it was evident that he was the better player for most of the match.

He was ahead of Nadal in all the statistics (even broke Nadal more) producing more winners, lesser unforced errors, higher number of breaks, and total number of points won.

But it was Nadal who prevailed during the most important points of the match and proved just how difficult it is to beat him on any surface, leave alone clay.

My salute to Nadal and Djokovic. Too bad there was only one person walking out as the winner.

The following is from http://www.madrid-open.com/site/news/6/3181

Speaking after beating Novak Djokovic in what was the longest three-set tour match (in minutes) since the ATP Tour began keeping records in 1991, Nadal said his focus was on recovering from his marathon semifinal.

“First of all I am very happy to be in the final,” said the top seed. ”I’m not too worried who else is going to be there, I just want to be there and I’m there. Whoever is playing best on the other side of the draw is going to be there. The tough thing for me to do it going to be recovering from the tough match of today, that won’t be easy.

And he said that the phenomenal support from his countrymen in the stands could be what pulled him through his third-consecutive clay court final for the season.

“I’ve said it before and ill say it again, I’ll always say it. The public here is very special, they are very much on the side of the Spaniards and we all appreciate that,” said the 22-year-old.

“It’s important to here the ambiance of the people and the encouragement they give you to overcome the most difficult moments is essential. It is because of them I’m in the final, for sure.

Stunned Djokovic seeking positives in Nadal defeat

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/feedarticle/8511246

MADRID, May 16 (Reuters) - A stunned Novak Djokovic was left licking his wounds on Saturday after coming within a whisker of inflicting a rare claycourt defeat on world number one Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals of the Madrid Open.

Spaniard Nadal battled back from a set and a break down and saved three match points for a dramatic 3-6 7-6 7-6 win in the longest three-setter ever at over four hours in a Masters Series event.

It was the third time in a month he had beaten Djokovic following his victories in the finals at the Monte Carlo and Rome Masters and he improved his record against the Serb to 14 wins and four defeats.

"I don't know what to do," a shattered-looking Djokovic said at a news conference.

"Next time I'll probably take two rackets on the match point and try to hit with both of them. It's frustrating that when you play so well you can't win."

Djokovic has had a fine clay season, also winning the title in his native Belgrade last weekend, and said his recent meetings with Nadal had boosted his confidence.

"I'm taking positives from the last couple of matches we played on this surface," he said. "And the positives are that I was one point away from the victory."

At a separate news conference, Nadal said he had congratulated Djokovic for his performances on clay and for the way he played on Saturday and had also wished him luck for the French Open starting later this month.

"He's probably feeling down now but when he analyses the match in the cold light of day he'll take positives out of it and see he was very close to beating me," he said.

"It will definitely give him confidence for Roland Garros and he's been having a spectacular clay season.

"He's a great player, he always has been. It seems to me he's getting better with every game."

Reporting by Iain Rogers, editing by Dave Thompson

Play-By-Play of f Nadal Vs. Djokovic Instant Classic
at...
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/176923-play-by-play-of-a-nadal-vs-djokovic-instant-classic

May 3, 2009 Rome Final Ceremony

Monte Carlo Masters 2009 Trophy Ceremonay- April 19, 2009
Nadal capture the 5th consecutive title in Monaco beating Djokovic 6-3 2-6 6-1

The Official Website of Madrid Open
www.madrid-open.com/site/results/orden_de_juego

Watch Live Streaming of Match
www.tennistv.com

Fan Sites of Rafa
http://vamosbrigade.com
The original forum from Rafa's Website:
www.activeboard.com/forum