Rafatennis Part III - We're all going on a summer holiday

First topic message reminder :

That’s the game: sometimes you win; sometimes you lose

Least said, soonest mended eh?

So we break up for our summer holidays and reflect on Rafa's half-year success that in any other season would be world-beating – a slam, a masters, a 500, another Wimbledon final and 4 other masters finals. Not Wimbledon Champion, not World No 1, but still leading every other player (other than he who must not be named) by a country mile.

Now is the time for mid-season conditioning, running repairs and riding around on a jet-ski in the Mediterranean. While I have used up nearly all my annual leave and have to start putting in the hard work <doom>. I know what I'd rather be doing.

The Montreal Masters starts on 8 August so we can reconvene in a mere 5 weeks and let's hope for more of the same…and Rafa – next time you win the toss against Djokovic – please choose to serve first, noh?

Vamos!

Hurrah....2 sets up now!! Keep going honey. Womble....breathe out now

Well done Rafa!! (Still sick with nerves tho!)

Only 8 points between them so far!

Court watered and we're off with Murray serving

He nets for 0-15
Feeling his ankle a bit I think
Longer rally - and Rafa gets Murray on the run and hits a forehand winner 0-30
DF 0-40
Murray getting a bit more into it and Rafa nets 15-40
Lovely backhand winner from Rafa for the game

12 winners for each in the second 11 UEs for Rafa 16 for Murray

Rafa serving - not sure if it was an ace but it is 15-0
Murray nets 30-0
(a child has arrived at home and is distracting with squeeky toys )
DF for Rafa 30-15
Murray nets again 40-15
He seems to be grinning...
Murray hits long and it's game Rafa!

2-0 and Murray serving

They are chuntering on about hypothetical lottery winnings on Eurosport! Apparently it has something to do with either Rafa or Muzz.

Wide from Rafa 15-0
Long from Murray 15-15

Oh the lottery thing is something about whether Murray will ever win a slam :huh:

Wide from Murray again 15-30
It's all gone a little bit flat

Rafa nets 30-30
Murray comes flying in and wallops the ball, Rafa can't do anything with it 40-30
And a good serve from Muzz - game

2-1 to Rafa

We seem to have lost the huh smiley!

Lovely volley from Rafa 15-0
Mats says "get outta here"
Better length from Rafa now but backhand goes wide 15-15
The crowd is so quiet!
Long again from Rafa 15-30...here we go
Oof Murray nets 30-30
Murray return goes long 40-30
Better from Murray and Rafa goes long - deuce
Whoops - great rally with a smash from Rafa, which Murray gets back and then Rafa hits Murray's pass into the net - Ad Murray
Murray nets off the serve - deuce
Murray return goes long - Ad Rafa
Mats says "dig in Andy" I say "dig in Rafa"
Mats gets his wish - Andy goes for Rafa's backhand again and Rafa goes wide down the line - Deuce
Yesssssss Rafa hits a forehand winner, wrong-footing Murray who shouts at himself to "move" - Ad Rafa
And Murray nets off a second serve - GAME

Rafa leads 3-1

Murray serving

Rafa forehand goes wide 15-0
I need the toilet
And Rafa hits slightly long 30-0
Long from Murray 30-15
It's still so quiet in the stadium
Great from both players and Rafa finally forces the error as Murray goes long 30-30
Rats Rafa goes long 40-30
Oh a really exciting point with Rafa running around all over the place, getting dropshopts, lobs etc back - and then nets - Game Murray

Good hold from Rafa, there!

Rafa serving at 3-2

Murray defending well again and Rafa nets 0-15
Yikes Rafa goes long and it's 0-30
Phewee Rafa went for the smash down the middle but Murray got it back - luckily not good enough! 15-30
Good length from Murray and Rafa goes long 15-40
Mats says Rafa isn't in the moment and is just willing Murray to go away rather than getting on with the job in hand...how he knows that I have no idea!
Good serve from Rafa and he's in to the net with a winning volley 30-40
Murray goes wide with a cc backhand - Deuce
Murray nets the return - Ad Rafa - come on Rafa HOLD!
<UNJINX>
Second serve...Yikes Rafa plays a really good point and wins with a smash - brave not to let it bounce! Game Rafa

Whew...Rafa got out of that nicely...4-2...come on sunshine, stop mucking about

4-2 and Murray to serve

A good one-two for Murray 15-0
Great forehands from Rafa and he gets the winner 15-15
Good serve from Muzz and Rafa can't get it back 30-15
How Rafa got the return back I don't know, but with big hitting from both players Rafa goes long and it's 40-15
Murray hits the dropshot and passes Rafa - game Rafa

4-3 to Rafa

Missed the first point (I really needed the loo) but Rafa won it 15-0
Murray hits the return long 30-0
Murray wrongfoots Rafa and goes behind him for a backhand volley winner 30-15
Rafa hits an easy one into the net 30-30
Come on, focusssssss
Aargh Murray hits an inside out forehand winner onto the line 30-40
COME ON RAFA!
I can't bear it anymore!!!!
Rafa plays the dropshot and Murray can't quite get there - deuce

Rafa drops the ball short, Murray onto it and backhand winner - Ad Murray
Yesssss big forehand from Rafa and Murray nets - Deuce
Rafa has won 6/13 BPs, Murray 3/17
Rafa hits the forehand wide - UE (tsk) - Ad Murray
Phew - really good hitting by Rafa onto the baseline and it's back to deuce <again>
Cheeky serve from Rafa, slow and short but Murray wallops it wide - Ad Rafa
Rafa talking to himself now!
Great return, great back and Murray nets - Game Rafa

5-3 to Rafa

For god's sake Rafa get on with this!! My nerves can't take it !!!

<deep breath>

Go Rafa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Murray serving to stay in the tournament

Makes a good start - good serve and Rafa hits return wide 15-0
Great side to side - Murray plays the squash shot, Rafa hits to the other side and Murray nets 15-15
Short return from Rafa but Murray hits into the tramlines 15-30
Crowd suddenly awake
Good serve and Rafa nets 30-30
17 points between them now 117-100
Wowzers dropshopt from Muzz and it's 40-30
Murray gets the backhand cc winner - game

And now...Rafa has to serve it out

Hold tight everyone!

Here we go...hope it's the last game

<holdshands>

Come on, Rafa....you can do it!

Rafa runs out...

3 hours and 14 minutes so far. We know Murray is going to go for this.

Lovely smash from Rafa for 15-0
I'm hiding behind my fingers (in between watching and typing )
Great pass from Rafa after net cord for Murray 30-0

3 hours 16 mins

Wow - great line to line and in the corner for 40-0

COME ON RAFA

Yessssssss and Murray nets - Rafa down on his knees with arms aloft and lovely at the net as ever between these two.

Standing ovation, Rafa arms up and fist pump. Yesssssss

Bravo Rafa!! Well played Andy!!

I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO happy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well done, Rafa!!! Happy Birthday, Sweetie!!!

Uncle Toni vamossing too.

Ooh Rafa shirtless <fangirl> moment

Oh Rafa's got a bleeding knee after kneeling on the clay

Well done Rafa Enjoy your birthday with Xisca and the family....and Vamos for Sunday!

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I had to go and walk around the block 10 times. I was so nervous.

RafaLites. Well played your man today. Really wiped Murray out with that forehand of his today. Adjusted to the conditions much better than Andy. Let's hope Rafa can equal Borg's haul here at RG. Great match to watch.

10 times Womble! Hope you read at least some of my commentary

Feliz cumpleanos Rafa - have a great night with your family and friends and we'll reconvene on Sunday and

Rafan, I got to 3-3 in the 2nd set when Andy broke back and had to go out. All the break points were doing my head in.

I know Womble - it was so frustrating, all the breaks and break backs. Just glad there were no TBs.

We can do it all again on Sunday

Rafateers ..................

HE'S IN THE FINAL !!!

Well ... after starting so well in the third and seeming he was cruising, Andy steps up, Rafa nervous and I was <gasping> in case he let it slip!! Somehow he came through it ... and with getting ahead in the second, then getting broken back ... Andy started to implode a bit and yet more relief that Rafa won it.

A bit flat in the third, but after what I saw earlier in the week this is more like Rafa.

Happy Birthday my love. Hope you have a lovely evening.

legendkillar ... thank you for the kind words.

It was really enthralling for the first two sets and and I know Andy didn't win one, but I do think its a great result for him to get to the semi and he has definitely improved. Rafa was always going to be the favourite, but Andy asked so many questions of him. All those break points But a good display by both men.

Was he magic or was he magic
Who loves yah Rafa--- Happy Birhday !!!!!!

Back from my exile.

Well played Andy

Nervous moments at times but he definitely looked up for it today. Love that Xisca is there and hope he has a lovely time tonight.

How sweet was he in the interview

Well done Rafa, gave me heart attacks with all those break points but pulled through in the end. Loved the last game More of that on sunday please. Loved the fact that the crowd sang happy birthday, are thay are last learning to appreciate him?

Talking about crowds I see that Novak is getting the crowd against him!

Thanks for all the words of welcome everybody

You're welcome, purplerain. We're always happy to see new Rafa fans on here. The more the merrier.

Did they sing Happy Birthday when he came on court? I missed the entrance as I'd just come in from work. Loved Rafa's reaction at the end of the match though.

Yep ... we have it all do to again on Sunday

After the match, I took Rose out for her walk. My elderly neighbour across the street came to the window, did a fistpump and shouted "Vamos" !!

Am I that obvious?

Obvious...you

This is a woman who struts around Monte Carlo wearing a Vmos Rafa Tshirt

I'm all class, Denz.

Also just want to say that Nadal's conduct regarding shots that were called out and which he then accepted as being in was nothing short of class. Great sportsmanship.

Just got back to TV to see Feds 2 sets up, but Nole with a break in the 3rd....is it Feds playing well, or has Nole been off his game?

Well legend ... that's very nice to hear. I mean, the forum has leveled a cheating accusation at Rafa and apparently a 3 hour match between he and Andy is also cause for some consternation. Its boring really. So thanks for raising your point., its appreciated.

Evening Denz

Feds was playing some outstanding stuff in the first two sets and his serve was amazing. He also had a ton of break points. However, he lost his serve early in the third and Djokovic really started to find some form, upped his game and played so much better. Not sure they will be able to finish tonight ... we shall see.

just watching it and BGT ....Reckon they'll only get this set finished tonight.

Hi Woofs

I've not seen Feds so pumped up for ages...He's really giving Nole a run for his money out here

Fight Roger!!

All his GS experience is coming out here...amazing to watch

Truly amazing match.

OMG! I'm more nervous than I was for the Rafa match!

Edge of your seat stuff.

Come on Rog!!

I am stunned at what I've just seen. Absolutely outstanding. Well done Roger! Who would have thought???