Nadal Plays Disappearing Act Returns In End To Crush Djoco

NADAL PULLS ANOTHER RABBIT OUT OF THE HAT

IN THE MADRID “MAGIC BOX” ARENA

Rafael Nadal marched in to the Magic box arena in Madrid, Spain… The Madrid Masters is in full swing and Nadal marched through to the semi finals where he met Novak Djokovic for their ninth meeting on Nadal’s beloved play surface.  The Spaniard hasn’t lost on clay to Djokovic, the Serb currently ranked fourth in the world.

Djokovic tore through Oscar Hernandez in the third round and Andres Seppi, in the quarterfinals.  Nadal played Melzer in the second round after a first round bye, then was scheduled to play Philip kohlschreiber, but was handed a walk over due to kohlschreiber’s injury to his leg.  Then, Nadal battled countryman Fernando Verdasco.  Another matchup against his compatriot, playing Verdasco at the Australian open this year, Verdasco and Nadal battled over five hours in five sets, Nadal victorious before facing Federer the next day in a match that equaled that intensity.  Nadal beat Federer in five sets, to take the trophy.  Without his supreme belief in his game and his impeccable physicality, no one but Nadal could play two five set matches in a row and walk away with the trophy… and from the former number one player in the world, by the way.

Walking into the arena in Madrid, Rafa had his signature snarl on his face, looking fit for the battle.  Nobody really gave Djokovic half of a chance to be the Spaniard on his favorite surface and in his own backyard, in Spain.  The crowd was very biased and showed it.  Chanting for Nadal was deafening and it affected Djokovic, the younger Serb.  As the crowd of 3,500 watched Nadal struggle, the chanting and cheering for him became louder.  Frustrating for Djokovic, he still kept his composure and his attention on this match.  Nadal was slow to get started.  He went down a service break immediately after a Djokovic hold, he was down two games to love.  Djokovic proceeded to break the Spaniard again, leaving Nadal frustrated and searching for answers.  Saying that Rafa wasn’t sharp is an understatement.  Several of his many unforced errors when did 12 to 15 feet out of bounds.  Nadal was missing easy shots that he usually makes with his eyes closed- very un-Nadal like, for sure.

Rafa dropped the first set,36, a set filled with a lot of bad tennis on Rafa side of the net, and some pretty spectacular stuff going on for Djokovic.  Novak really came in with a terrific game plan.  Not only did he have the right game plan, he executed it fantastically.  He played brilliant tennis throughout the entire match.  Nadal, uncharacteristically, showed some negative body language as he swatted at the air with his racquet, and grinned at his game, but it was no laughing matter… his grin was disbelief and how terrible he was playing.  Was Nadal’s armor showing weaknesses?  Novak Djokovic used sharp, aggressive ball placement with his signature two-handed backhand.  He played flawlessly at the net, and made a couple of perfectly placed baseline drop volleys leaving Rafa frustrated and wondering what to do with his game to get his mojo back.  As Djokovic hit the final shot to take the first set, you could have heard a pin drop in the entire arena.  What started out a festive and jubilant Spanish crowd, was now sounding like a library.  But, Nadal is no chump and after all, this was his home field.  Give up?  I don’t think so.  Giving up is not a phrase in the Nadal family vocabulary.  Rafa would not give up and go away quietly into the night.

The second set started with a Nadal hold after some nifty serving, scoring one ace and two serves the Djokovic launched into the crowd.  After Djokovic scored a point with a terrific drop volley, Nadal hit an overhead smash volley to take the first game of the second set one game to love.  The Serbian struck back with a 40 love beginning in his first service game of the second set, but Nadal made things difficult for him taking Novak to deuce and several exchanges of advantages, before the 21-year-old Djokovic even the second set at one game all.  This would continue through most of the second set, Nadal still playing subpar tennis in his own opinion.  He just wasn’t able to dial in the easy shots he usually makes without any effort.  To fix his game, he really needed to concentrate and problem solve.  Playing Djokovic, formerly the number three player in the world, before losing his place in exchange with Andy Murray, was proving to be no aberration.  Novak is no dunce with a tennis racquet, and he proved it time after time as the two tennis greats blasted forehand after forehand and backhand after backhand.  Bashing back and forth from the baseline, Djokovic forced Nadal to come in closer to the net where he sent passing shots down the left and right sides of the court, leaving Rafa standing flat-footed.

Djokovic knew that it was important to wind things up in the second set, not giving Rafa a chance for some kind of heroic come back, something Nadal is famous for.  Djokovic has had some respiratory problems in the past, and struggles late in matches sometimes, particularly in cities where the heat is a factor.  Madrid provided both players with ideal conditions.  No wind to speak of and the Madrid temperatures were very mild, around 71°F.  Novak did not want to have to come back for a third and defining set.

Early in the second set, Nadal waited for Djokovic to even the second set at 3-3 before it called for the trainer to examine his injured left knee and quadricep.  The exact origin of the injury has not been disclosed, but the tournament trainer worked on Nadal’s right knee or thigh for about five minutes.  It looked as though Rafa would have to disappoint the hometown crowd, but in his true championship form, took the court despite any sort of health complications he may have sustained on the center court clay.

After the trainer examined the Nadal’s leg, he came out to serve and seem to be more tuned in, more precise and had a livelier step, despite any sort of injury he may have sustained.  Djokovic felt the gain momentum slipping away and he hurled his tennis racquet hard on the clay in complete and utter frustration.  Nadal started smelling blood in the water as he watches the young Serb come undone.  You can almost see his mind circling Djokovic like a shark, testing the waters to locate a wounded prey.  After Djokovic evened the second set at 4-4, he called the trainer, himself.  After a rubdown on his thigh and some flexion examinations, the tournament trainer applied some topical analgesics to help loosen up the problem muscle.  Speculation was that it was a muscle cramp and nothing to worry about.  Back to the court walked Djokovic and the crowd erupted with pleasure, the fans wanted to see more great tennis by the Serbian and the crowd had a certain expectation that their hometown boy would pull himself from the hole he created, but he has done so many times before.  Would this be the end of his clay court streak of victories?

After both players were treated by the tournament trainer, both players seemed to transform into gladiators.  Nadal started honing in his forehand and his serve placement was much improved.  Bad news for Djokovic and bad news for the Serbian faithful who cheered for Novak and every winter and every great shot.  What a great atmosphere for tennis.

Djokovic had his chances to win this tournament in the second round in.  But, Nadal as ways of making players look silly even if they are in top form, just ask Roger Federer how it looks when Nadal starts picking you apart with his racquet.  The clay just loves Nadal and the feeling is mutual.  Suddenly, the Serbian found himself in a deadlock score of 5-5.  Djokovic served and held easily at 15.  6-5 was the score and Nadal would serve to take this match the distance.  Two fantastic serves in a row, by Nadal and he led 30-love.  Djokovic sent a fantastic return past Nadal and the score went to 30-15.  Two long rallies ensued, Rafa winning in both.  6-6 and the two would go to a deciding tiebreaker.

In a deciding tiebreaker, Rafael Nadal was superb.  The number one player showed exactly why he is more than 6000 points ahead of second placed Roger Federer in the South African Airways Ranking.  Djokovic didn’t roll over and die, however.  The tiebreaker gave both Djokovic and Nadal four chances to wrap things up and walk away to the finals tomorrow morning.  The final score in the tiebreaker was 12-10.  This match was the longest ATP Masters tournament ever.  Over four hours, these two tennis greats battled.  Djokovic can hold his head high.  He pushed the best clay court player in the history of tennis to a third set and nearly pulled it off.  That’s closer than anyone else has managed to get Nadal to a third set match in Madrid and all four ATP Masters on clay courts.  The man simply has IT.  He knows how to play on the funky courts of clay.  It’s an art… and Nadal is the Michelangelo of clay court tennis.

Now, after beating Novak Djokovic in the semifinals, 3-67-67-6, Nadal will meet the winner of the Roger Federer/Juan Martin Del Potro semifinal match played shortly after Djokovic and Nadal cleared center court.

More on the matchup, after the results become available.  Rafa was roughed up pretty bad playing that epic match with Djokovic and admitted that his only focus right now is not on his opponent in the final.  He told the media that his focus is to get rested and rejuvenated after the tough match today.  That’s it for him right now.  Somewhere, in the evening of Madrid, Rafael Nadal will start creating a winning scenario in his mind as he will play in the final of the 2009 ATP Madrid Classic. Menana will be another day and Rafa better bring his “A game”.