Photo by rafandready

Last year a group of us (me, Wooffie, Clare, Denzy and Debs who all met through another forum) decided that we would go to Rome to see Rafa in the Masters 1000 event.

Denzy had also been to Monte Carlo and unfortunately got stuck there due to the Icelandic volcano. As she didn’t get home until a couple of days before we were due to fly out to Rome she sadly couldn’t accompany us and we missed her.

So, after much panic, doom and gloom about the volcanic ash and whether or not we were going to be able to actually get to Rome, we were delighted to arrive on 25 April to gorgeous weather, and the knowledge that in just a few days we were going to see Rafa defend his title.

The first few days were spent sightseeing round Rome – a beautiful city. The Spanish Steps (of course), Vatican City (including the 320 steps up into the dome of St Peter’s Basilica with a bit of a rest half way up!) and the museums and Sistine Chapel, the Mouth of Truth, the Coliseum and Roman Forum. There is so much to see. And lots of gelato to keep us energised.

The day we had all been waiting for dawned on Wednesday and we headed off to the Foro Italico. First stop was the practice court, and we were rewarded with our first Rafa sighting. The gates were closed when we arrived but at about 11.30 they were opened and crowds made a dash for the concrete seating area for a good view of Rafa. He was warming up on the far court with Simone Bolleli – practice with a single-hand backhander for Rafa and a leftie for Simone! No chance for a close up with Rafa, but loved watching him practice again. After he had finished Roger Federer came along, so we took our leave and left the space for the Roger fans.

Then it was straight to the stadium for the end of the Robin Soderling match and to see Rafa in action against Philip Kohlschreiber. The only time I’ve only seen Rafa play before was at the O2 World Tour Finals last year, and we all know he wasn’t at his best then. So to see him in the glorious sunshine, sliding around on the clay and looking fit as a fiddle was simply fantastic. He made light work of Kohlschreiber, which I was very pleased about. We stayed and watched him doing the on court interviews and then making lots of people in the crowd happy with autographs. Then it was off to get some pizza (us not Rafa LOL) and back later for the evening match. Me and Wooffie watched Feli against Cilic on the second court, it was a great match. Feli looked really tired in the first set but suddenly came alive and held on to clench victory. It really meant a lot to him, he sat with his head in his hands for a while. Fabulous! After that it was time to head off home…too tired (and a bit chilly) to hang around for the doubles.

Thursday dawned and it was back to the tournament site and straight to the main stadium to see Djokovic vs Bellucci. Novak looked in good form, and I did wonder if we might see a repeat of last year’s Final. After that we went to one of the outside courts for a bit of Kubot and Marach against Troicki and Tipsarevic. Then we decided it must be nearly Rafa practice time, so headed off for the practice courts again. There wasn’t anything much going on but it was as good a place as any for lunch in the shade. We were rewarded with a little display of footie skills from Juan Monaco, but then the main event…RAFA arrived! He was wearing a lovely shade of purple/pink. He was having a bit of trouble with the blister and lovely Rafa Maymo taped it up again for him. At one point one of the balls rolled over to the gutter where we were all standing against the fence, and we got all excited thinking Rafa would come and get it – but Uncle Toni spoilt the opportunity. He knew it too, and had a bit of a joke with us about it, saying that we wanted Rafa to come and get it. The practice seemed to go well, and then, amidst many screams Rafa came over to sign some autographs. Unfortunately for us he went down the other side of the court, so no luck that day. After Rafa left we went off to watch a little bit of Murray against Ferrer (vamos Ferrer!) and then had some tea before Rafa’s match against Hanescu. Again Rafa came through it comfortably. Hanescu was a hard hitter but Rafa dealt with it fairly easily and was a joy to watch again. We all went home happy.

Friday came around. We wandered over to the player’s entrance, and saw lots of tennis players, especially as the women had started to arrive for practice. We spotted Ana Ivanovic (very pretty and natural). Tsonga came striding out of the entrance with a huge ice pack on his wrist and looking very moody. Ferrer was sitting on the steps chatting on his phone and Novak’s coach was hanging around chatting. We also saw Mo Leyhani arriving and he was his usually happy self, posing with fans for pictures. He has got such a lovely smile. :)

While we were standing there, one of the security guards noticed our Rafa t-shirts and told as that Rafa was practising on Campo 2, so we quickly rushed off down there. Surprisingly we were easily able to manoeuvre our way to the front to enjoy the view. And then to much excitement we were in the right place when Rafa came over to do his usual signing session. I was very pleased to get an old copy of Ace magazine (with Rafa in Monte Carlo 2008 mode on the front) signed. Wooffie wished him good luck and he nodded at her. We floated away and went to watch the very long Novak vs Nando match. It was very enjoyable, particularly as I was fairly neutral for it. Always more relaxing that way! Then Daveed quickly disposed of Tsonga and it was Rafa time again! A more difficult match against Wawrinka to start with, but once Rafa got the break there was no way back for Wawrinka; Rafa moved up a gear and it was all very relaxing and enjoyable. And it is so brilliant when they play “Gypsy” between the sets LOL. Then it was off for a celebratory beer and more pizza before coming back in the evening to watch Feli vs Gulbis. Feli ran him close in the first set, but faded quickly in the second, unfortunately.

On Saturday we arrived at the site and settled into our usual place on the practice courts. There were only women players practising though, so I wandered off to have a look in the shops and pop to the loo. While I was in the area I thought I’d quickly check out what was happening at the players’ entrance. There weren’t many people hanging about, but I noticed a girl with a Rafa cap and t-shirt lurking, so thought I’d stay there for a few minutes before heading back to the girls. I got so lucky…about 5 minutes later Rafa arrived, suddenly there were a few more people about, but Rafa came over for more signings and signed my ticket. He was looking lovely in a green t-shirt (sigh). To add to my joy the polo shirt I’d had my eye on (a blue Nike one with “I lob Roma” on it had been reduced to half-price from the day before so I got myself a bargain too. :)

We then headed off to the Nando vs Daveed match. Daveed started off poorly, couldn’t seem to find the court, but then completely turned it round and it was Nando that was struggling. I think Nando definitely was suffering after his great three weeks and the hard match against Novak the day before, and in the end was beaten fairly comprehensively by Ferrer.

Then once again to the main event…Rafa vs Gulbis. And boy, oh boy, what an event. What a match! I was so glad Rafa got the early break in the first and managed to hold his serve and take the set. Gulbis was playing really well and so aggressively, and it wasn’t a surprise when he took the second. But once again Rafa stepped it up. I can’t remember what point it was in the third (I think it was 3-3) I shouted out “Come on Rafa, you can do it”! I was so pleased when he got to 5-4 and then really stepped it up to break Gulbis and take the match. It really showed his mental strength is back – he fought all the time, stayed aggressive and came through it, to much celebration. Once again four very happy girls went back to the apartment.

And so to Sunday…the last day. Could anything possibly match what we’d already experience. Well…yes! We spent the morning doing a bit of last minute sight-seeing (Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps again), and then caught the bus to the Foro Italico. We headed to the players’ entrance and saw lots of the ladies again – Serena Williams (beautiful and much smaller and slimmer in real life), Elena Dementieva and Jelena Jankovic.

Suddenly to shouts of “Rafa”, Rafa emerged from the locker rooms, flanked by security, and headed over towards the Players’ area (lounge) with a crowd of people following and signing autographs as he went. We waited at that entrance and after about 30-45 minutes Rafa came back out and did more autographs. I got my Rafa bullhorn cap signed and said “Good luck Rafa, you can do it- you can do it” and he looked straight at me and said “Thank you”. I was beside myself and my hands were absolutely shaking LOL. Clare got her Spanish flag signed by both Daveed and Rafa so it went nicely into her bag and we weren’t allowed to wave it during the match in case it got dirty!

And so to the match, which having seen it on TV was high quality, but it was so interrupted by rain it seemed very fragmented and we were all really nervous that it was going to carry over to the Monday when we were flying home and would have missed it. We were very happy when Rafa broke to take the first set 7-5 and then got the early break in the second before the rain came again. The second rain delay was loooooong. We went for a snack, and saw a couple of footballers (John Arne Riise who plays for Roma – and who we saw at three of Rafa’s matches!) and a Fiorentina player whose name escapes me now. :)

At last the rain covers came off and the players came back out – but incredibly the stadium was probably not even a quarter full by that point – most people had gone home! So there wasn’t so much of an atmosphere, but we whooped and cheered Rafa to another famous victory, and it was wonderful to see him bite the trophy again and then run around spraying Champagne. Of course he then had lots of on court interviews to do. And then, because he really is that lovely, he went round the whole of the court signing yet more autographs for his fans. By that point, as there was barely anyone around, we had run down from our seats in the upper stand and managed to get right to the front down the bottom, so I got my Final ticket signed and told him congratulations – he didn’t look at me this time LOL.

We all had an absolutely amazing time and came away feeling even more in awe of Rafa the man as much as Rafa the tennis player. He is so unselfish with his time, so kind to his fans, and really made the tournament as magical as it could possibly have been. This holiday absolutely surpassed anything that I had possibly hoped. I didn’t dare to dream that I would see Rafa bite the trophy but I did and it was the best thing ever.

If anyone gets the opportunity I’d highly recommend a trip to Rome, both for the city and for the tennis. It is fab!

Photoset on flickr.

Photo by Wooffie

A happy band of Rafateers hang out on a BBC 606 thread and it was with much excitement that four of us – myself, Rafandready, Clare and Debs – headed out to the Foro Italico in Rome last week in order to support our lovely boy.

We were lucky enough to have tickets from the Wednesday through to the final on Sunday, and it was with much glee that we arrived at the practice courts on the first day to see Rafa practising on the furthest court away.

First up was Philip Kohlschreiber. As we are so used to taking the Rafarollercoaster, we never these days take anything for granted – even on clay – as Kohli had given Rafa a tough match at the Australian Open. It turned out to be, however, a pretty routine 6-1, 6-3 scoreline. They were playing some pretty good music at this tournie and at the end of the match, we were treated to some Latino rhythms. Rafa obviously liked it too as he shook his hips (wonder where he got that trick from?) in unison to the music.

Next up was Victor Hanescu. We didn’t know much about this guy and Rafa disposed of him again in a fairly comfortable fashion. It was the first time that we had seen Rafa in a night match, and as such, some of the glitterati of Rome came out to watch him. Rafa’s love for football is widely documented (or soccer to our American friends), and he’d been ably followed by some of AS Roma’s finest in his previous match. But that evening, we were treated to the attendance of Il Capitano himself – Francesco Totti. Being a follower of Italian football, it was a thrill to see him myself too, and the subsequent pictures of these encounters show how much Rafa also gets in awe when meeting superstar players. So sweet …

But then it was down to the serious end of the competition and the quarters where he faced Stanislas Wawrinka. Now Stan is no klutz on clay, and from the off it was apparent that he had an obvious game plan. From somewhere, Rafa managed a break, but it was with a bit of a wonder that he had managed to walk away with that first set. The second was a bit anti-climatic as Rafa romped home 6-1.

And so to Saturday and the semi-final. His opponent was the conqueror of Roger Federer – Ernests Gulbis. Now much is made of this young man as he has been declared “the next young thing” for a good couple of years. But most of what we knew about him was that he was perhaps from a background of too much privilege, and that he didn’t have the discipline to knuckle down and work on his talent, preferring rather to hang around the hippest nightspots. But nobody beats Federer by doing nothing, and so we did have rather one or two nerves going into this.

Rafa broke him in the opening service game … and thank God he did. This young man was playing ‘lights out’ tennis – hitting winners from all over the place and having a magnificent serve on him. Well done to Rafa though for managing to hold onto his serve, which meant he came out the winner of the first set 6-4. And so to the second … Rafa’s errors increased and he was eventually broken to make it all square. This was tense for us, I can tell you. Every time you thought Rafa might just have a bit of daylight in a game – boom – and another big serve came tumbling down. But as it got to the business end of the set, Rafa did what Rafa does and exerted some pressure and had a break point in the 8th game which he didn’t convert. But he was knocking on the door. When Gulbis had to serve to stay in the match, Rafa responded to lead 40-0 and relief of all reliefs and joy of all joys, he took the match. At one point in the final set, this little English voice cried out … “Come on Rafa! You can do it!”. Step up Rafan for helping Rafa win the match.

On that day I wore my “Don’t worry … he is NADAL” t-shirt. But let me tell you … I was.

And so to the final against David Ferrer. Rafa was of course the hot favourite, and had it not been for the two lengthy rain delays, put it all together and it was a fairly decent match. It was sad that the weather brought this great tournament to a bit of muted end, and even more sad that most of the Italian crowd didn’t hang around to see the final stages of the match. But we did … and we loved it. Clare commented that it was perhaps the first time since the 2008 French Open that Rafa didn’t fall to the floor on his back upon victory. Well … damp clay is nobody’s cup of tea and I also think it was out of respect to his friend David and the dis-jointed manner in which he got the victory.

But a very happy Rafa took the podium to receive the trophy and the greatest thing of all … we got to see him bite it. Well done Rafa on equaling Agassi’s record of 17 Masters victories, made all the more happier as we were there to see it.

So that was the tennis … but perhaps the stand-out moments for us was how close and personal we got to Rafa. This wonderful man totally makes himself accessible to the fans. Every time upon entering the stadium, upon leaving, at practice and after the matches, there he is doing the line, signing all that is put before him and making the fans feel so very happy.

Our first encounter was following practice on the Friday. From Thursday onwards he made sure he was on the practice court nearest the fans so that we had the best of views. He still remains focused during practice – he doesn’t engage with the fans, he doesn’t make eye contact, he just goes about his steady business, as he should. He didn’t go to the side of the court where we were standing on Thursday to sign, but on Friday he finished up his practice to allow Isner and Querry onto his court. He sat on his chair to watch them hit a little, and then with a big smile on his face he ran right across the court to the side where we were standing, laughing to himself as he tried to dodge the bullets they were firing down.

And so we all got our first autographs. The excitement you feel and the adrenalin rush you get as you know he’s coming down to you is amazing. I managed to squeak out “Good luck Rafa!!”, and he looked directly at me and nodded his head in acknowledgement – *swoon*. On Saturday, Rafan acquired another autograph and on Finals Day, we waited around the Players’ Entrance to then have Rafa come out and make his way over to the Players Lounge area. We waited for him to finish up, and I was directly opposite him when he came out. I offered a Queens Club programme for his signature and he said to me, “Pen? Pen?” – which I didn’t have, doh!! – but some kindly person helped out and there was another signature. Between myself, Rafan, Clare and Debs, we had tickets, magazines, a programme, caps and the Spanish flag all signed – simply because Rafa takes the time out to greet all his fans and do so. But the best moment belonged to Rafan. As he signed she said to him, “Good luck, Rafa. You can do it! You can DO it!!”, to which he said, “Thank you”. Bless.

After the trophy presentation and speeches, things were packed away whilst Rafa was still doing TV interviews by the chair. When Rafa had finished his media work, guess what he did? Yep … he went around the whole stadium to greet the tennis fans. He started on our far side of the court and signed all that was put before him, and Clare and Rafan got another haul of autographs, and of course the close sighting. He then went across to the crowds on the other side of the court and took his time to sign everything once again, before picking up his trophy, and taking his leave.

So how to sum up the experience and the man? Well … I would say that the man made the experience.

We all love his tennis, and his guts, and his fighting spirit, and as his fans, we’ve not had the best of times over the last year whilst sticking with him and always trying to see the positive. But what I saw during that week was something more than just the tennis player. Rafa the man … and why its about supporting him as well as his tennis. Because I fail to think of another superstar sportsman – and he is that – a Superstar Sportsman, who ensures that he practices close to the fans so that they can see him, so that they can watch him. As I’ve discussed, he takes time out on entering the stadium, on leaving the stadium, after practice sessions, after matches, to go to the fans to sign all our memorabilia and for that one, split second to make us feel that our support to him matters, and that it counts. And he takes the time to give back to us because of the support that we give to him. He is so high in our esteem right now, I just can’t find appropriate enough words to say it.

So that was our Rafateer in Roma experience – and we most certainly lived the drim. Thank you Rafa!!! and Vamos!!!

Photoset on flickr

Photo by Beth Wilson

Tignor’s latest article is up and it’s an ode to the beauty that is watching Rafa on clay and how that beauty and aura alone can crush opponents. Who am I to disagree?

In regards to the way Ferrer couldn’t seem to handle being ahead on Rafa’s serve, got tight and played a few bad shots:

Nadal, given new hope, won the next two points and eight of the following 10 games.

You might say he was lucky, that Ferrer handed it to him, but it’s not that simple. Famous players create their own luck; their success shimmers darkly around them, like a force field, and extends all the way across the net and into their opponent’s head. A player’s name and reputation are part of the sport like anything else.

Man, that’s true. How often have we seen players collapse against the likes of Rafa or Federer? I love the players who don’t let those auras bother them. It’s one of the reasons I like Rafa: even when he was a young tot on the tour, he walked out onto the court every match respecting, but not fearful of, his opponents’ game no matter how low or high their ranking. It’s also why I don’t mind players who say things that others might find to be disrespectful – such as some of Soderling’s comments after last year’s Roland Garros match or Gulbis after the Rome semi. I think they are just being confident in their ability and doing their best to not let the aura of the other players influence their thinking.

(I’ll spare you the long version of the story of how I fell in love with Mats Wilander, but suffice it to say it was when he was pretty new to the tour and refused to die in a 6+ hour match against then #1 John McEnroe who had an aura that made most youngsters pee themselves at the thought of playing him.)

The Rome final ended anti-climactically, after two lengthy rain delays, under night skies, in front of a sparse crowd. But while there was a lack of tension and drama in those latter stages—Ferrer had blown his best chance and he wasn’t going to get another—there was still an opportunity to see Nadal in his element, relaxed again, moving well again, swinging from the heels again. This version of him made me think of the old question about whether he has an “ugly” game or not.

His game is unique – I’ve never thought it it as ugly.

Near the end, Nadal slid out wide and extended his arm on his forehand side just far enough to scrape a desperation slice over the net. On the next ball, he slid out in the same direction, but this time he was there a little sooner, soon enough to take a full topspin cut and curl it over the alley and just inside the sideline. With that shot, the rally was turned around, and Ferrer could do nothing more than flail the ball into the bottom of the net. The replay of the point was an isolation of Nadal. We saw him skid a long distance along the baseline and reach wide. He didn’t lose his balance, and he let himself come to a natural halt. Then we saw him do it again, this time with a completely different stroke and a much more aggressive result. Immediately after he hit the second ball, Nadal turned and was moving forward at full speed for the next shot, which never came.

That nano-second when he manages to stop his slide and change direction on the slippery clay will never cease to amaze me.

Clay highlights the particular beauty of Nadal’s game. It’s a beauty of energy, of the vitality, rather than the elegance, that can be exhibited in tennis, and which is embedded deeper in the sport’s core. It can be found in the parabolic bend of his forehand when it crosses the net and peaks in the air—few players have ever hit with his combination of high-arcing trajectory and heavy-topspin propulsion. In his accuracy with each stroke. In his point construction, which often leaves him with a single easy volley to put away at the net. In his ability to slide unimpeded over long stretches, without losing his balance, and catch up with a ball that had seemingly already passed him. In the way he enlarges the playing surface in all directions. In that little anticipatory, frenetic jump forward that he made as Ferrer was dumping the ball in the net. The desire is there in the movement.

The desire to compete and win is in every fiber of Rafa’s being – tennis is just a way of expressing it without him becoming a menace to society. That desire is palpable when he’s playing and is a huge part of what makes him exciting to watch.

Posted by FabioRoddick.

And in Spanish for tve:

Posted by gandaines.

The very busy Inés asked her partner in RafaCrime Bee to do the translation today – so thanks, Bee!

Xavi: Sr Rafa Nadal, today yes, you really got wet, just how many interruptions! and in the end you won for the 5th time. Are these sensations special? different?

Rafa: Hola! Good afternoon, well the sensations are always different, I really have gone through a difficult period, I have worked really hard as I said in Monte Carlo to be here and I also said many times that I was at the right level, and these last two weeks that I have been competing have gone really well for me, incredible for me to win the most important tournaments in the world this one for me personally there are some of my favourites and I am very, very happy about how everything has gone. I also want to congratulate David for the really great week that he has had, he is playing at a great level throughout the season

Xavi: It is still special this victory, with the two interruptions, you have sometimes lived through those before in other matches, such as Wimbledon but to happen in a final it makes it strange

Rafa: Yes, yes it always makes it difficult waiting it out in the locker room, but well, okay I’ve lived through it already a couple of times, with Soderling in Wimbledon, and also with Federer in the final, Montecarlo this year I also had to stop during the match against Juan Carlos, so I am used to it and you just have to have patience and wait for the moment to go and start again, and like I said the most important thing is to keep a cool head and not get angry.

Xavi: A question from Tomás Carbonell, Rafa

Tomás: First of all congratulations especially for the well deserved victory playing not quite as well as you were playing in Montecarlo, and then to ask what did you change after the delay – I was saying here that you had some problems with your forehand during the match and then when you came out after the delay, you worked out the problems and finished in style.

Rafa: Well I think that the match yesterday took away a bit of my confidence so I started off with a few doubts today. The match yesterday was a difficult match, and interrupted my rhythm a lot, I didn’t feel good, so it made me start with a little bit of doubt. Also the rain and wind from the start of the match, well the sensation wasn’t perfect, and apart from that in front of me I had probably the most difficult rival that I had met in this tournament and some moments of the match were tough, like the 5-4 0:30 in the first set, no, but I think that more than the forehand, the real problem in the first set was the return of serve which was going very short and with a weak grip, and then going to the locker room and talking to Toni we were talking about holding the racquet a bit tighter on the return of serve, that went well and from there the match went much better for my part.

Xavi: We have to end here, a Mallorquin triumphed today in the Moto GP of Spain, Jorge Lorenzo, in Rome you have triumphed, another Mallorquin, this victory today I imagine you would like to dedicate, for the day that today is to your mother.

Rafa: Well (smiling) I never dedicate anything to anyone but today is Mothers Day so it wouldn’t be wrong, so of course to always thank my mother for everything she does for me, and it is a shame she couldn’t be here with me today, and from here I send her a big kiss.

Xavi: And we do to you Rafa, thanks

Rafa: Thanks to you, and a hug.

(Just a little anecdote – after Rafa’s conversation Xavi was laughing saying “I think that is the first time I have sent a kiss to Rafa!!!”)

Photo by ANDREAS SOLARO/ AFP/ Getty Images

From an article on Rafa’s post-match presser on the tournament site:

Spraying the ball-kids with champagne, speaking Italian at the ceremony and laughing all the way through-Rafael Nadal had won the title and he was going to enjoy it!

The joy he radiated came in stark contrast to the broody figure he cut before the tournament began, when despite coming off an incredible tournament in Monte Carlo, he seemed as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Or maybe the weight of the press constantly asking, “When’s the slump going to be over” off his shoulders…

“When you have some bad moments and every week you are trying to be there and try to win…” said Nadal, before going through a litany of missed opportunities between May 2009 and April 2010 when he failed to win a tournament. “The semi-finals in Miami, the finals in Doha, in Australia the quarter-finals…… last year I played badly for the last six months of 2009 and so lots of times I was there but I wasn’t ready to win important matches. But I was there – so when you lose the semi-finals or the finals it’s hard to accept, but at the same time, I worked a lot and started working towards the next tournaments. So, it’s a nice moment now and I’m winning – after 11 months of not winning a title.”

It’s go to feel so much better after all that hard work.

“I didn’t have any problems with my knees the whole week which is unbelievable for me, for the last two tournaments, and so that is very important for me. But now is not the moment to talk about my knees. The important thing is that I’ve won a very important tournament and I’m very happy. Probably I didn’t play as well as Monte Carlo, but the important thing is winning. Winning a tournament like Monte Carlo and losing 14 games doesn’t happen every week. Can you remember lots of Master 1000 tournaments where (the winner lost) that many games? I can’t. I lost one set and had a very difficult match yesterday (against Ernests Gulbis in the semi-final), a very difficult set against Wawrinka and a difficult first set (today). I am probably more happy winning without playing my best because it’s more a mental thing.”

Hey! That’s just what we were saying yesterday. Awww…we are in synch with Rafa.

“I’ve had a lot of bad days in the past five or six years. The thing is to maintain high motivation to keep winning. The important thing is to have enough motivation to want to improve all the time – this is the main thing for me, all of my career and all of my life and it’s something that I’m still doing. For about eight months or longer I didn’t win a tournament and then I won some in the past two months. Every time I go on court I try my best and I try to do this all the time.”

We know you do, Rafa. I think that’s the one thing no one can ever question about you.

And with that, he smiled. And when a supremely gifted player is finally fit enough to “try his best all the time” and explore the limits of his enormous potential, then tennis fans the world over can afford to smile as well.

:)

Photos by REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi, AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito, Costantini, Julian Finney/Getty Images, and ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP/Getty Images

Photos by ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP/Getty Images, TIZIANA FABI/AFP/Getty Images, Julian Finney/Getty Images, Ian Walton/Getty Images, REUTERS/Giampiero Sposito, and REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi

Posted by vamosrafelnadal.

Awesome point:

Last game:

Posted by meriko100.

Match highlights:

Posted by Tennis24Channel.