With his victory yesterday, Rafa has proved that he is still the man to beat on the dirt. His stamina, defense and offense are still top notch. His knees also seem to be fine for all the running that he would be doing in the coming months leading up to his title defense at Paris. 7 consecutive losses to Novak with 2 of them coming on clay don’t seem to have diminished Rafa’s appetite for a fight. With each loss, he has found some reason to fight on and continue pushing the limits.

All that effort culminated in a grand effort yesterday as a 6-3, 6-1 result would testify. Agreed, Novak was not at his best thanks to some lackluster previous rounds and also the untimely death of his grandfather. But, this is not to take anything away from the Spaniard as Nole himself graciously pointed out. If Rafa had lost yesterday as I feared, it would have meant much more than all the previous 7 losses put together and the consequences of that loss would have been deadly even for a mentally supreme sportsman like Rafa. But, there is still some romance left in sports as the tennis Gods didn’t want to barge into the lion’s den. They deemed it fit for the Spaniard to continue his love affair with Monte Carlo.

8 victories on the dot in the same venue. This is something that is rare to all of sports. This victory will address any demons that would have lurked in some tissue in Rafa’s body and the king will remain king on clay for some more time to come. Rome, Madrid, Barcelona and Paris follow next. Rafa needs to snatch the titles at Rome and Madrid away from the Serbian. This victory would be that much needed shot in the arm that would propel the Spaniard a notch higher and faster than he already is.

If he can maintain the same hunger and fitness through the remainder of the clay season, the grand clay sweep can’t be ruled out too. This happened in 2010 when it was Rafa’s grand comeback season after an injury marred 2009 season. Monte Carlo followed by Rome followed by Madrid followed by Paris followed by London followed by New York. Gosh, takes so much effort in just documenting these places.

A repeat of that season seems too far-fetched in 2012 with Novak being the man to beat on all the places mentioned before. But, at times all it takes for a sportsman is a small reinforcement that he can still conquer his biggest rival on the big stage. Not that Rafa needed any proof as such, given the terrific fight he already put up at Melbourne earlier this year. Still, the human mind works in crazy ways and even Rafa is no exception to the workings of the human mind. Yesterday’s victory might just be THAT moment that would make the difference in the final equation as these two young gladiators get ready to add on to their 30 plus matches rivalry to a further plane.

Let’s wait and watch!

The dream final between the top 2 players in the world is well and truly ON now. For a change, Rafa will be going into a final on his favorite clay surface as the underdog. He is a 7 time defending champion here at Monte Carlo and he is a legend in these parts more so than in other parts of the world.

But, still Nadal is modest enough to admit that he has everything to win and nothing to lose against a player who has got the better of him, 7 times in succession. The latest defeat at the Aussie Open final was heartbreaking but, still that was a match when tennis was the winner. Rafa took that defeat like the sport that he is.

There are some fascinating stats ahead of this final

• Rafa is bidding for his 8th successive Monte Carlo Masters. He is on a 41 match winning streak here losing just once way back in 2003 for a 43-1 career record.
• Rafa is in a barren patch as far as titles are concerned as the Roland Garros title in 2011 was his last. He has regularly made the final, semifinal only to be stopped by the Novak juggernaut repeatedly.
• He is looking for a record 20th Masters title. At the moment, Rafa and Roger are tied at 19 apiece. Nole has 11 Masters titles to his credit.
• This would be Rafa’s 37th final on a clay court. He has a truly imposing 32-4 finals record on clay. On paper, it should be a 33rd win on the dirty clay for the Mallorcan slugger .
• Nole is gunning for his maiden title here at Monte Carlo. He was runner-up to Rafa in 2009. This is one of only 3 Masters he has never won.

PREDICTION: If Nole does defeat Rafa as expected, it would be an epic upset unlike his previous wins over the Spaniard since 2011. The reputation that Rafa has on the Monte Carlo clay is such. It would really be sad seeing the Spaniard receiving the runners-up trophy here. But, still facts are cruel. It would hardly be a surprise seeing Novak lifting the trophy in 3 hard fought sets. The tennis romantic’s heart says Rafa, but the practical mind says Novak. To end it with a cliche.

2 weeks back, we saw an example of what the Aussie system is. RUTHLESS in one word. We had a proven legend and a winner of 3 World Cups (in 2 of which he led the team as well). He was like a tiger on the field between gully and point and in the slips. Numerous blinders had been made to look ridiculously easy by this man’s reflexes and safe hands. He was one of the game changers of ODI cricket both as a fielder and primarily as one of the best ever top order batsman the game has seen.

The way he picked the length of the ball in a jiffy, the way he played those rasping pulls and hooks, that exaggerated shuffle, etc. It was an attractive sight, plain and simple. By now, it is obvious who the man in question is, Ricky ‘Punter’ Ponting it is! He has been chasing records and setting new milestones along the way. There is one man ahead of him and that happens to be the Indian God and that is why perhaps majority of the Indian fans hate this little man from Tasmania like their worst enemy.

Agreed, he has been ugly at times while captaining the side, he has bent the rules and hasn’t always played the game in the spirit it is supposed to be played in. But his battles with his own age and slowing reflexes have been fascinating. He made a remarkable turnaround in the just concluded Test series, amassing no less than 544 runs. Age has slowed him down and that’s obvious. The flair of the years gone-by has been replaced by a more measured approach. But he could still make a difference and that’s what mattered to the selectors and skipper ‘Pup’

Then came the ODI series and all it took were 5 single digit scores for the selectors and Pup to take a decision on Ricky’s ODI career, and was duly dropped from the side.

Ricky understood it. Being a high profile performer and a winner of so many matches all through his career, he didn’t want to prevent his team from winning more just because he was not performing. He accepted the decision and continued performing his duties for his beloved state. He has nurtured a  lifelong ambition of winning a Shield for his beloved Tasmania. The Tigers have collected two Shields, in 2007/08 and 2010/11, and Ponting was on national duty both times.

Horses for courses. Ricky performed in the Tests, he continues to be in the loop. He didn’t perform in the ODIs. He was shoved aside. Ruthless system that doesn’t have the emotional baggage that is generally associated with handling all time legends.

We are struggling with one such non-performing all time legend. I don’t include 20s and 30s as scores from this man who has struck no less than 99 international centuries. His caliber is all pervasive and his struggles over the past year have been sad and putting more pressure and expectations on his already loaded shoulders and more importantly, affecting the team’s stability as well. As he is on the cusp of an extra-ordinary milestone, we are reminded of Kapil Dev‘s last days in the team when he struggled to break Hadlee’s Test record of 431 wickets. The Indian system hasn’t changed one bit over the last 20 years.

We have a problem in telling legends that their time is up. The Aussie way can’t work here because here we are talking about a larger than life hero, while there it is just a case of an extra-ordinary cricketer. Though they have scored almost the same number of runs and they are of the same age, the way they bid their final goodbyes is hardly the same.

No one is at fault. Ponting’s ouster from the team was welcomed with hardly more than a mere flutter. It was business as usual for the Aussies. To sign off, this is what the Punter had to say, in a self deprecating manner

Something more than blood and sweat drives this man. That is what passion can do. That manic urge to make a difference and be involved in the game in every stage. This is what Jonty Rhodes was known for and now Warner is a better version of Jonty in that, he can whack the ball like no one else in the game right now.

A solid investment for the future. He is already being talked about as a future Aussie skipper. He is also one of those rare Aussies that has not fallen into the ugly circle of sledging and dirty politics. He plays the game hard, fair and square. One of those rare old school cricketers who respects the game and plays it in true gentleman spirit.

He has had a rather inconsistent start over the past few years. He has been a star in the T20 version thanks to his exploits in the various T20 leagues around the world. But, the metamorphosis into a complete cricketer is slowly but surely happening. He is putting a prize on his scalp and started playing long innings. Bowlers around the world already feared him and now with the increasing appetite for runs, he will be feared even more. His strike rate hovers around the 80 mark whether it is the Tests or the ODIs. That 180 catapulted him into the big league. The way he batted that day sent the Indians running for cover. It was a delight to see him tearing apart the hapless Indian bowlers.

The Aussie think-tank have done well to persist with him off late. He is getting a fair deal and he is making it count. An inconsistent CB series was turned around in grand style today, with a terrific 163 played across the entire length of the innings.

Talking about Warner and stats in the same sentence won’t do justice to the sheer energy and vibrancy he brings to cricket. This 25 yr old isn’t a great by any means. His stats are pretty novice-like. But, the manner in which he plays the game is what sets him apart. If he can maintain the same “joie de vivre”, his stock will zoom in the coming years.

For now, he has got a new fan and am pretty sure am not alone in this club.

The Indian team was off to a good start by winning 2 out of their first 4 matches with one match against the Lankans ending in a tie. After the terrible drubbing in the Tests, this was a nice situation to be in, both for the team and the fans. Gambhir’s solid form was a major element in this turnaround.

After that, there have been reports of differences within the team. Lots of humor pieces have been floating around the internet regarding how Gambhir has been incensed by Dhoni’s limelight seeking behavior. The frustration with Sachin is another matter altogether. The man just can’t seem to kick on. He had a lot of good starts. Each start was accompanied by hopes of the elusive 100th century. But, every time something or the other happened and the dry run continues. It’s all set to continue through to the Asia Cup as well.

This is turning out to be a major quandary. Being the most experienced cricketer ever, he must put the team ahead of the self. The team isn’t benefiting much from his presence. Attractive 20s and 30s aren’t the need of the hour that too at the top of the order. The captain or the selectors don’t have the guts to take him aside and have a chat regarding his future and the team’s composition. When is this going to end? God knows. Talk of agonizing waits and this one tops the list.

Few days back, Kohli was the toast of the nation, FB, coffee table discussions and what not. That blitzkrieg was truly special and the way Malinga was hammered for 96 runs in 46 balls, making him the most expensive bowler (spell wise), was something out of the world. It was Kohli mania all over. FB statuses, twitter trending, he was all over the place. The vice captaincy in the ODI team was the icing on the cake. Fans had forgotten the nightmares earlier on the tour and Kohli gave them enough reason to rejoice. He has been the star and the bad-boy rolled into one, on this tour.

Malinga was compared to the Peepli Live farmer and the Sri Lankan star has come back today in awesome style by scalping 4 wickets to take his team to the finals. Comebacks take mental strength and Malinga has got oodles of that.

On the whole, no backdoor entry this time. Fitting and deserving. On a nightmarish tour, a finals spot would not have been poetic justice. Pack your bags folks. It’s time for introspection, if you know what that’s meant. Can’t expect major changes. That’s how the system is. We will live with the same team and start expecting the 100th hundred all over again.

Rafa Nadal has been busy off the court making news in myriad manners. The final loss to Nole in the Aussie Open was taken in the best possible manner by the Spaniard and he feels confident of stopping the Serbian juggernaut soon enough. There is no mental block. That is what Rafa said and based on the evidence of that final, we have to believe him. The upcoming clay season would be the best in recent years. We have a proven legend and an unstoppable tormentor who is looking to make his name in the lion’s own den.

Rafa posed for the 2012 Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition with 26 yrs old Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli … Rafa with Refa. The picture was a scorcher and both the sexes must be drooling over it. The way Rafa carries his body is super confident be it, on the court or off it. The pictures will definitely give a complex to Hollywood superstars. Some hardcore Rafanatics weren’t very happy with the way their idol was posing “pornstar-like” with a swimsuit model. But. this is the age we are leaving in, where athletes are expected to do all sort of things to stay in the glamour limelight. Brands and stars feed off each other.

One more positive news for Rafanatics. His FB page is nearing 10 million fans. Roger’s page is also nearing the magic mark. Rafa has 9.5 million while Roger has 9.7 million currently. Both the superstars keep their fans updated with the latest in their lives and that is why they are by far the most popular tennis players ever. They never get into controversies and tennis is indebted to these two good boys for tonnes of positive PR. Rafa’s recent update was a pic of himself running backwards on the treadmill. The super athlete that he is, this is hardly surprising.

Rafa also led the way for tennis players in the Bloomberg Power 100 list. Roger and Nole followed him. Rafa was at 5 while Roger was at 6 and Nole made his way to 9 as a newcomer to the list. Rafa’s youthful nature, his looks and marketing muscle did the trick in this power list

Soon, it’ll be business time for the Spaniard as he gets ready to establish his supremacy on the current clay court season after the 2011 season when Nole almost completely dominated the clay courts as well. The French Open title was the sole consolation amid a slew of final losses. This season has started off with another final loss to the Serb. Hope history doesn’t repeat itself all over again.

The sports season was at its peak during January when the India-Australia series and the Australian Open were going on simultaneously. The action was captivating, to say the least, for everyone concerned save the hardcore Indian cricket team fanatics. But, there was one thing that was common to both these sporting events and that was sub-standard commentary.

It was cliche ridden and has been the butt of ridicule amongst most in the fraternity. The word ‘terrific’ was done to death and there were instances when Ganguly would go “That was a terrific shot by a terrific batsman”. Ravi Shastri was, needless to say, obsessed with a few sentences that he would unfailingly repeat every other over … “That was a tracer bullet … That was a scorcher … That’s what the doctor ordered … The new ball will be crucial … The old ball will be crucial”

Harsha Bhogle was missed. He himself has his set of cliches but, he at least keeps digging in from his treasure trove of information and keeps the audience hooked with his pace, wit, intellect and fluency. Bhogle is someone who enjoys the job that he is doing and it shows. Gavaskar was surprisingly missing and the paid propagandist of the BCCI was busy bashing the Indian players on NDTV. Times change. Just a few favors from the BCCI and Sunil will be back along with his buddy Shastri to sing hosanas of the board.

The fare during the tennis matches wasn’t any better. Alan Wilkins and Vijay Amritraj were the culprits. While one is a total stranger to tennis, the other was only partially better even after his vast playing experience. The remote was on mute mode on several occasions. These men just didn’t have the class. The foreign commentators who were doing their job during the day session were much, much better. Come the night session and we’ll have these 2 men strutting their stuff with the same monotony.

Wilkins kept vomiting some stats of the past legends that the computer gives with unerring accuracy. Amritraj let his excitement take control on a few occasions and gave a rude shock to viewers who were immersed in the point. He is also a big time supporter of Nadal and on many occasions during the Federer semifinal match he was childish in his support for Rafa.  As the banner on court from the Swiss fans said “Genius at work”, Vijay retorted “We have another genius from Spain at work” … Fans talk like this not, professionals.

The heart cries for some class in the commentators box or atleast let the parent TV network have sole control of the commentators’ choice. The network that handles the Indian coverage, steps in and spoils the fun for the viewers with its choice of men. Pretty sure that Channel 9 or the network that produced the Aussie Open coverage, must have had an enviable lineup of commentators.

Alas, it was not possible to keep the remote on mute for too long. Sound increases depth of the viewing experience as everyone knows and it had to be brought back on. And with it, so was the commentary and the likes of Ganguly, Shastri, Wilkins and Amritraj … Commentary has truly become an indispensable evil. One can’t afford to go to the stadium every single time, can we?

The recent news about Yuvraj Singh‘s chemo in the US for the malignant golf ball size tumor that he has in his lungs has come as a huge shock to every Indian on the planet. It is quite natural for anyone to feel sympathetic towards anyone having cancer. Even worst enemies become sober when one of them is incapacitated, health wise.

In Yuvraj’s case, the reasons for which he has made news in the last 10 years or so, when he has been in the spotlight, have been at the other extreme end of the spectrum. When he burst on to the scene, he was all over the news for his aggressive batting, over-the-top attitude on the field and he was the typical man-child that the media loved. The ladies loved him for his rugged looks and manly charm.

Numerous affairs with hotshot actresses like Deepika, Kim Sharma and Preity, run-ins with the managements over captaincy issues both with the Indian team and with the Kings XI Punjab side, his struggles to make it to the Test side, his high flying lifestyle, the numerous endorsements etc. There was always enough and more news about Yuvi to keep the gossip columns burning.

At a point of time he was dropped from the team and coincidentally MSD became such a huge icon. Yuvi was somehow relegated in the star wars and he was being given the short end of the stick in favor of younger fitter stars like Kohli, Rohit and Raina. His own unfit and burly ways on the field didn’t help matters. The Yuvi who flew and caught balls out of thin air at gully/point not too long ago, was now a shadow of his former self. People wondered whether all the potential that he had buried, was lost forever.

Then came the crowning glory of the World Cup when he was the Man of the Series and proved that he was a star all rounder and that not just a swashbuckling middle order batsman. He saw the team through to the finish line even in the finals. We thought it was going to be glory all the way for Yuvi after the CWC. But, his struggles in the Tests continued and he fell ill. Nobody knew that it would turn out to be a malignant tumor in his lungs. Life can be such a cruel b***h.

The picture of a bald Yuvi really shocked the eyes. A guy with the most extra-ordinary movie star swagger was now a sober patient undergoing chemo. Such are the cruel twists of fate. Yuvi has undergone a sea change in his attitude and he admits to be inspired by that other fighter Lance Armstrong.

He will be back to the cricket pitch by April if all goes well. Whether his skills will be the same is still under question but, one thing for sure, he will be worldly wise after all the trauma he is braving right now with a big heart.

Come back soon … Wish you the very best in life …

Pakistan have really turned a new leaf off-late under the leadership of Misbah-ul-Haq. The icing was the recent whitewash of England in the just concluded series in the UAE, 3-0. England didn’t have a clue and they were outplayed in almost every session in this series. Most of the matches finished well before the final day.

Some pointers from the result of this series that made sure England lost their hold of the no.1 ranking.

• The solid spin department: Saeed Ajmal was always a star bowler in the ODIs and T20s. He can contain as well as bite. His contributions in the limited overs games are generally overshadowed by Shahid Afridi thanks to his performances as well as the superior charisma element. But now in Tests, there is no Afridi and Ajmal is the leader of the attack. He is a natural at leading the attack and with another competent spinner in Abdur Rehman, the spin kings literally tormented the poor Pommies. The pitch was helpful to say the least and Panesar (14 wkts), Swann (13 wkts) also bagged whatever was on offer. But, the Pakistani batsmen are much better in these conditions and at handling spin. The gulf in skill was huge.
• The Pakistani spinners bagging 43 of the total 60 wickets. A percentage of more than 70%. These numbers tell the tale completely. Umar Gul was buzzing as well. 11 wickets on dry pitches with no juice for the pacers. Commendable. Ajmal was the Man of the Series with 24 wkts while Rehman bagged 19 wickets. Spinners hunt in pairs. Substantiated yet again.
• Pakistan’s batting was the perfect example of sucking the opponent dry and frustrating them till the last bone. Such a slow, defensive approach. It worked. The inning’s run rate for Pakistan never crossed 2.5. Azhar Ali and Misbah himself led in this aspect, and their team mates followed the lead.
• The total failure of the English batsmen. Their bowlers did very well in taxing conditions and never allowed the Pakistan batsmen to get away to a flier. There wasn’t one huge score in this series. But, the English batsmen failed miserably. This hall of shame sunk to its lowest abyss during the 2nd innings of the 2nd Test when England, chasing 145, were shut out for a mere 72.

This result again proves that there is no single dominant team in world cricket right now. No point in having a rankings system when all the teams are tigers at home and lame lambs abroad. Pakistan deserves this winning break as they fight to have matches at home again. Their style might be hard on the eyes and puts viewers to sleep, yet it is effective in achieving the end result. A throwback to the era of Mudassar Nazar.

Misbah is nurturing a team of winners even though the style element is totally thrown out of the window. Afridi is there to take care of the style element when he struts his stuff in the limited overs games. But, for the 5 day affairs, it makes sense to have a pillow in hand while Pakistan are batting.

THE MENTAL BLOCK

We currently have three sets of mental blocks. One that Roger Federer has against Rafa in the Slams, which is pretty obvious and has been in prevalence for a long time. The other one is Andy Murray‘s against the top three in the business end of Slams. He showed some evidence that he is getting past that block, after a heart-breaking five set loss against Djokovic in the semifinal. The last one is Rafa’s against Djokovic. After three consecutive Slam losses to the same player and seven consecutive losses on the whole, the stats point to an overwhelming mental block. But, the fight that Rafa showed, his numerous comebacks in the same match and the fact that he had his own chances to win show that this is among the weaker mental blocks that can be overcome. Rafa himself says that he had a mental block in 2011 against Novak, but not so in 2012.

Another first time Slam winner among the ladies.

SUCH VARIETY AND DEPTH BUT WHERE IS THE CONSISTENCY? 

Different women have been winning the past five Slams starting from Kim Clijsters to Li Na to Petra Kvitova to Samantha Stosur to Victoria Azarenka. Such is the depth in the field. We have other girls like Lisicki who are on the verge of glory. But the fact that Stosur lost in the very first round shows that most of these women have a long way to go before matching the consistency of the top four men.

THE WILLIAMS CLAN IS ON THE WAY OUT?

Venus is just recovering from a life-threatening illness while Serena was humbled by the unheralded Ekaterina Makarova in straight sets. Are the famous sisters on the way down or do they have few more fights left in them? Expect Serena to bounce back soon.

MARIA’S JINX

Sharapova has been losing the finals of the past few Slams to girls much younger, fitter and faster. The infamous grunter is still among the best fighters, but has the game become too fast and powerful for her liking? Her error prone displays in both the Wimbledon 2011 final and the recent Australian Open final, are more than mere coincidence.

THE DJOKES

‘Nole’ (Djokovic) was notorious for his retirements and stamina related problems not too long ago. Players like Roddick didn’t miss any chance to mock the Serbian. But cut to 2012. Four consecutive rounds against the best movers and fighters on the court – Hewitt, Ferrer, Murray and Rafa — and four marathon struggles that progressively got longer and more tiresome. 3hrs to 4hrs to 5hrs to 6 hrs, Nole saw them all, conquered them all and tore his shirt and displayed his sculpted body to the whole world. The inner reserves of stamina can never be seen by us, but all we can do is wonder and say ‘HATS OFF’. Long years of domination ahead for the Prince of Serbia.

MEN’S HARDCOURT TENNIS IS BECOMING DANGEROUS

Masochistic brilliance.

Definitely not for the weak hearted. The never-ending dangerous rallies, the insane slides, the pounding pace of the ground strokes, the humongous running seen in every other point, the supreme fitness of the players involved, etc. The standard prevalent is out of reach for mere mortals. The length of the matches is only getting longer. The sameness in the pattern of play – baseline slugging – might not work its charm for long though.

A NEW ASIAN TALENT, FINALLY

Finally the most populous continent has one upcoming talent in singles. Kei Nishikori has done Japan proud and gives the entire continent hope that there is a young star on the rise. This pocket sized rocket will be followed with interest.

ROGER STILL BELONGS

The level that this man brings to the court is still of the topmost order. Just that five sets against the fellow top three men is too tough a task for a 30-year-old veteran with weary muscles and joints. But the way he thrashed Tomic and Del Potro was uplifting. His pursuit for brilliance and consistency is marvelous.

Will the darling of the crowd tame Nole this year?

WILL MURRAY SOLVE THE RIDDLE?

Unless he calms down on court and shows more composure, the maiden Slam will continue to elude him. Roger also had to control his on-court tantrums before becoming the all-conquering legend that we know. Murray has the legs, the skills, the game and the fighting spirit he showed this fortnight came as a pleasant surprise. Some Lendlesque calm would do a world of good. The coach will do the needful, one believes.

CAN RAFA FURTHER ADD TO HIS SLAM TALLY? 

With a supreme nemesis in Nole, and himself approaching 26, Rafa’s coming years on the tour would be intense, just as the Aussie Open 2012 was. With his only rival eyeing the bull’s own den at Paris, the French Open would be a fortnight worth waiting for. If Rafa can tame Nole at Paris, he will use that boost to eye glory at London and New York because we all know that the Spaniard is an all-court legend. But if Nole pockets his maiden Slam at Paris, things would turn more daunting for Rafa than it already is.

First, we have the Indian team’s set of fanatics. They were pretty vocal on the social media first about how their favorite team was thrashed at the hands of the Aussies and how the 0-8 overseas record was a big taint on the reputation of the former no.1. Adjectives like disastrous, shameful, pathetic were used in almost every other status.

This was when England had started their UAE tour. After their humiliation in the 2nd inning of the 2nd Test at being bowled out for 72, the Indian fanatics were jumping in joy. Afterall, only few months earlier, the same England team were all over the Indian team and the first half of the 0-8 whitewash was inflicted.

So, now when the England team were crushed in such embarrassing fashion, Indian fans forgot the fact that their team was no better and started taking solace in the English team’s woes. Their FB was full of mocking status msgs about the English team and how they were sub-continent bunnies. Fan memory is fickle and it was proved again. An instance of ‘lose-lose’ syndrome where the fact that your favorite team has lost is excused if, the rival team also loses equally badly.

Roger fans enjoyed a dose of sarcasm at Rafa's fate …

Now coming to the 2nd instance. When Rafa and Roger clashed and Roger had another close loss to his nemesis, Rafa, fans were overjoyed as expected. They never crossed the line though. That respect for the great man is always there.

But, Roger fans were hurt at this loss and at the way the rivalry was going and were waiting to give it back to the opposite party. Their hopes were high because Rafa was next up against his own nemesis, Novak Djokovic. The match was a classic and every fan worth his salt made sure that he didn’t degrade the losing player in anyway possible, on his/her social network. One of those rare matches when the winner and loser were put on the same pedestal and the match as a whole was enjoyed without bias.

But, still there were a group of Roger fanatics who were smiling heartily because Rafa was now in a position which Roger was all too familiar with, since 2008. While Rafa stole the thunder from under Roger’s shoes in all those Slam finals (particularly the ’08 Wimbledon final and the ’09 Australian Open final), now Nole was doing exactly the same thing and Rafa was left with the dubious distinction of being the first player to lose 3 consecutive Slam finals to the same player.

The FB walls of some Roger fanatics were dripping with sarcasm about this dubious distinction that was imposed on Rafa. Another classic case of consoling oneself in the rival’s loss. One must say though, that the respect that Rafa earned, even in the minds of the most loyal Roger fans after yesterday’s finals was there for all to see.

Still, that small avenue to point out the 7 consecutive losses suffered by Rafa to Nole, wasn’t wasted. There were many status messages with a smiley or two, mocking the Spaniard depsite the overwhelming respect that he earned. One classic status was the No’whacked’ one.

Two instances of seeking solace in the enemy’s woes. While the cricket fanatics didn’t mince words and gave the Pommies a royal bashing, Roger’s fans added a small insult to injury in a tasteful manner. Interesting for sure …

The best sporting role models on the planet.

The last 3 matches of the Australian Open 2012 have been glorious to say the least. Starting with the Rafa-Roger 4 sets showdown to the 5 sets Nole-Andy thriller to today’s bewildering Rafa-Nole final spread across 6 hours and 5 sets. Moments such as these take sports to the next level. Tennis has become dangerous, pounding and definitely not for the weak hearted. A new sort of marathon where the entire body is involved and not just the lungs and the legs. There are of course hundreds of sub-standard players who put on an average show but, sport is all about the creamy layer and the past 3 matches have featured four of the best athletes currently on the planet.

Even normal 3 set matches are now taking more than 3 hours. The workout that these top players undergo during such a tight match is wholesome and the distance that they run on some points is close to 100m. The distance they cover over an entire match is sometimes more than 6kms as was the case with Nole today. Sprinters like Bolt and the various long distance runners from Africa, have a much easier workload.

The way Nole stretches and twists can give gymnasts a serious complexion. And for novices like me, who are arm chair critics, it is scary to say the least. Seeing their muscles in super slow motion makes the heart pound in tension. Such is the pain and the work ethics. Truely unimaginable. Won’t their ankles hurt as they skate along the hard courts? How much cushion will those shoes have? So many such silly questions come to mind.

And how can these guys cover the corners of the court and run back and get back into the rally with such ridiculous ease? I mean what sort of practice do they undergo for such work ethic and never ending routines. Rafa and Nole do this every other point. It’s relentless. The margin and frequency of errors is insanely low. 71 and 69 unforced errors respectively for a match that lasted 353 minutes. Crazy stats.

The way they accurately target their winners at 150 to 170 kmph exactly at the lines is an entirely different enigma. It would be fortunate to be an insect on the wall when these guys are practicing and sharpening their skills.

The way these guys behave, show respect for the rules and for each other is something which every aspiring sportsman would do well to imbibe. Rafa, in particular treats victory and defeat, exactly the same. On the other hand, kids can learn a thing or two about extravagant celebration without being offensive or vulgar, from the Serbian showman.

Every single sinew in the body is involved

Finally, the stamina and energy levels required to last close to 6hrs in sultry hot conditions like in Melbourne! Cricketers have drinks breaks every hour, lunch, tea, snacks what not. And that is a team sport as well. The work ethic is spread out and cricketers have so much rest period to recover on the field of play itself. The action there, is so lethargic and can never be compared to the frenetic 31 shot rallies that Nole and Rafa have consistently managed in a single match.

The drug abuse levels in this sport are very low and there are only rare cases of players taking drugs and tainting everyone concerned. It takes something extra-ordinary to be a top class tennis pro, plain and simple. Compared to other sports, this is the closest that one can get to a simple one-on-one boxing slug fest where no-one is physically hurt by body blows.

Primitive yet sophisticated. The NEW LEVEL being seen in tennis is taking sport, as a whole, to previously uncharted territory and to dizzying heights. Thanks to Rafa, Nole, Roger and Andy for making the past 4 days among the best sporting days in my short life…

If Azarenka wins the final, she would be only the third player to rise to the top ranking after her first Grand Slam win, following Martina Navratilova and Ana Ivanovic. A win for Sharapova would mark the fourth time in the Russian’s career that she will hold the top ranking.

Head to Head

The 2 girls are tied at 3-3. On hard courts it’s tied at 2-2. In 2 finals, Azarenka has got the better of the Russian on both the occasions. Sharapova won their most recent meeting, though.

If she wins, it would be in 3 sets

Player Quotes

Maria Sharapova 

“Having been in the position before … I think, for me, it’s more about the Grand Slam win than the No. 1 ranking, That’s just always been the goal for me. It means so much to be back in a Grand Slam final, It’s nice to get that far again (here) after losing quite early in the last couple of years.” … on being in another Slam final

“With the shoulder, I knew some examples of some people that did not quite recover from surgery and that was a little frightening, but I really had no option, Of course it took a long time and it was a process, but it was just something that was in my steps that I had to go through. And I did.” … on her shoulder surgery and the recovery

“She’s a really, really good player, and I haven’t had great success against her in the last couple of events that we’ve played against each other,I’d really like to change that. It will be important to tactically play right. She makes you hit a lot of balls and she’s aggressive as well.” … on Azarenka 

Victoria Azarenka 

“It’s a battle for giving really your all and how well you can manage it, I know Maria’s game; she knows my game. So of course it’s going to be a little bit of a similarity there. It’s very different, you cannot really look back, It’s always difficult to play somebody you’ve beaten before. They have extra motivation to beat you.” … on the final and her recent success against Maria 

“It’s no concern for me. I mean, I worked hard to be in this situation, so why stress about it? I want it and that’s what I’m looking for.” … on the no.1 ranking that comes along with the title 

“I guess some people are just bored, They created that machine that can measure it. So money well spent, huh? Well, I’m not deaf, Of course I hear her. I’m sure she hears me. And about another 15,000 people hear us maybe even further away. But it doesn’t bother me.” … on the gruntometer and her infamous grunting match with Maria 

“I had, how you call that, meltdowns? For sure, you can see some on YouTube. But I am growing as a player, I am growing as a person, and I am trying to learn from my mistakes and make it better. I’m proud of what I’m doing. I just want to keep going and keep raising that level.” … on her increased maturity levels 

Prediction for the match

Sharapova will start as the favorite given her prior experience on the big stage. Azarenka will have a nervous start and if Maria makes more than her share of errors, Azarenka will bounce back soon enough. If Maria is having one of her error-free days, it would be a straight sets romp for her. Else, it would go to 3 sets and Azarenka will have more than a decent chance as she showed against Kim Clijsters.

If the erratic error shoes are worn by Maria, it’s going to be Azarenka lifting her maiden Slam in 3 sets. Else, a straight sets 4th Slam title for the Russian doll.

An insanely flexible athlete

Novak Djokovic

• Is the numero-uno actually feigning fatigue? His opponent today obviously got distracted when Nole gave tired grunts. Murray lost a slew of points as he either became complacent or disinterested while Nole soon rose his energy levels miraculously and punished Murray.
• How can a man who has breathing concerns and not exactly the best stamina in business, run like this? Forrest Gump and Rafael Nadal would get a complex for sure. Guess the drive and motivation to win a tennis match motors his legs. Sheer madness. Fans of the opposing player would surely feel like pouring out the choicest of foul words seeing this man running like crazy for just a tennis point.
• Rafa seriously has a competitor in the execution of bewildering freakish winners. The way this guy slides and recovers any ball from any corner clearly shows that he is besting Rafa at his own game. Such a flexible wiry frame.
• And finally, is he on DRUGS? Today the camera caught him taking some pill which he did not want to reveal to the viewers on TV. Something fishy? Hope it isn’t anything serious. This guy has made such a deep mark that a drug sham would be devastating.

Almost there but, same old story

Andy Murray

• Why does he have such a casual attitude on certain points? He just tanks his shots to the net or smashes them wide off the lines. The 4th set flew in a maze in a matter of 25 mins because of this casual attitude. In the 3rd set, the same Murray gave such a hard time to Nole on certain service games that extended beyond 10 mins. He got complacent after the 3rd set and Nole punished him deservingly with a whirlwind 4th set.
• His fighting spirit was remarkable. From 2-5 in the 5th set to 5-5 and having 3 break points to go up 6-5 and to serve for the match. Awesome turnaround for a player who was considered chicken fodder for the Top 3 in the Slams, till last season. The Lendl effect? Perhaps
• The big serve deserted him today. He has the capability to fire the big aces. But, today he was a mere shadow of his big serving self. Nole had more aces than him, in fact. 10 double faults didn’t help his cause either.
• Can he win a Slam? Not anytime soon. His on-court attitude is too immature, he is reactive, too temperamental and he has a long way to go. Even Federer could start winning consistently only after controlling his tantrums and temper on court. Same with Nole. Will the years wait for him? Obviously not. 24 yrs and his best years are almost running out of catching distance. But, compared to 2011, the start to the Slam season this year has been much better for Murray. He is fighting it out and the perennial underdog might just sting better in the remaining 3 Slams of the year. All is not lost, for sure.

So, another Rafa vs Nole Slam final. More on that, tomorrow.

Such a nail on all the big expectations … An epic disappointment.

Now, the series is all done and dusted. It would be a matter of few overs tomorrow and the 0-4 whitewash would be complete. A 0-8 overseas whitewash will be an added embarrassment. The seniors have made a mockery of their twilight years, some trusted middle aged men in the team have done their reputations a whole lot of harm while some youngsters have shown a bit of spunk and talent, which can be groomed in the coming years.

Hopefully, we would see some retirements within the next few days from the likes of ‘The Wall’ and the Very very special batsman. They are spoiling the party for everyone concerned, least of all to themselves. Getting 20 s and 30 s and giving sound bytes like “the ball is still coming out good from my blade” and “it’s just a matter of time before the big knock arrives” should be a thing of the past. These seniors should gracefully pave the way for Pujara and Rohit Sharma respectively.

The centurion of all centurions will hang around as usual, and shamefully get THE hundred at a flat track in familiar conditions. Scoring it in one of these 8 test matches would have been an honor to the ‘record’ as well as the little master. He has been the utmost jewel in the Indian cricket crown. His performance in most of these past 8 matches has been a real disgrace on his otherwise great overseas record.

The Indian selectors are responsible for the one silver lining in this series – Virat Kohli. After the first 2 Tests, they had every reason to drop him and make a mess of another young Indian talent’s test career. But, they chose to persist with the Bangalore lad and give him few more chances. What he has done is well documented. The lone centurion from our team. His aggression on and off the field presents a stark contrast in an otherwise grim and sad team. Way to go, Kohli.

As any critic worth his salt would agree, losing with a young team is better than carrying non-performing legends and still losing. Some harsh decisions need to be taken and it would be better and respectful if the seniors concerned, themselves took the cue and bowed out gracefully like Dada did in 2008.

This team can still win with these over aged legends at home and delight us Indian fans, who have the shortest memory in the whole world. The IPL is also there to seduce us and make us forget these 8 Tests. We already have stupid cricketers like Gambhir and Ishanth, who want rank turners when the foreign teams come to tour India. Why don’t they have the long term health of the team on such overseas tours, in mind when making such statements?

England are already on the lookout for a win in the 2nd Test in the UAE (an overseas tour for them). Their 1st Test loss has woken them up from their slumber. Our team is still lying down in the dumps after 8 such overseas disasters. Pretty sure that Australia and South Africa would never lose 8 successive Tests if they were to tour England and India in succession.

Wake up India, wake up!

Up against it, big time

Among the lesser followed rivalries on tour, the one between Djokovic and Murray is going to be played out again tomorrow as these two 24 yr olds will clash in the 2nd semifinal. Rafa is already waiting for one of these guys after a terrific performance today against his familiar foe Roger Federer.

Djokovic leads the career head to head 6-4, with Murray winning the most recent meeting in the finals of the Cincinnati Masters 6-4, 3-0. These 2 played last year’s finals at the Open and Nole started his season dominance there with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 routing of the Scot. On hard courts, the two are tied at 4 apiece. Fascinating stats indeed.

The Scot has a big mental block in the business end of Slams and his problems have been well documented in the press. The British media doesn’t make matters any easy for him, with their constant hype and hoopla over the Scot’s chances at any Grand Slam. This time, the presence of Ivan Lendl is expected to make a big difference to his prospects. The Lendl effect has also been pretty well covered in the media.

Player Quotes

‘Luckily for me it wasn’t something that stayed there for a long time. It was just a sudden pain, I don’t have any physical issues. I feel very fit and I feel mentally, as well, very fresh. I just found it very difficult after a long time to breathe because I felt the whole day my nose was closed a little bit.I just wasn’t able to get enough oxygen.’ … Djokovic on his fitness troubles in his win against Ferrer

‘He’s got (new coach) Ivan Lendl now on his side. He looks fit and has been playing well. He’s definitely very motivated to win his first Grand Slam. By playing the last two finals here, he’s s been proving to himself and to the rest of the people that the Australian Open is probably his best Grand Slam. ’I've been playing quite well here in the last couple years. We have to expect a great match. A tournament cannot ask for better match-ups in semi-finals. I hope that I can step out on the court trying to repeat the same thing I did last year.’ … Djokovic on his semifinal against Murray 

‘I haven’t played over two hours really for the last few matches. I feel fresh. Hopefully that will be to my advantage going into the weekend. I have to play a lot of long rallies, for sure, against the guys that are still left in the tournament. So I’ll need my legs to be fresh for the next few matches.From what I saw of Novak, he’s hitting the ball very well. He’s always very good; he never plays poor matches. Obviously had the long one with him last year. He’s a tough guy to play.’ … Andy Murray 

Predictions for the match

Nole is in his prime and even a rampaging Rafa will find it tough against him in the finals, if they meet. Murray, for all his new found coach and easier previous rounds hasn’t done much to suggest a reversal in his fortunes at the business end of Grand Slams. Against Djokovic, he would do well to get a set or two. As always, the man to smile and wave to the fans at the end of the match, would be NOVAK DJOKOVIC, the all conquering Serbian. The Lendl effect on Murray in crucial matches, would be noted with much interest, though.

A job, done and dusted

Yet another meeting between the Swiss and the Spaniard just got over and fans of the Spaniard are overjoyed while the Swiss army is silent and wondering what went wrong. Now, it’s 18-9 in Rafa’s favor with an 8-2 edge in the Slams. Some reasons why the Swiss express was tanked in spectacular fashion today.

• The freak that Rafa is: This superhuman force of nature that can chase down all balls in any corner, that can keep running all day long, that has supreme athletic capabilities and muscular power, that can stay in any rally as long as he wants to, that can pull off remarkable winners in outrageous angles etc etc. Plus, he has an obvious mental edge over the ageing Swiss. Too many reasons conspiring to result in this loss today, like many more occasions in the past.
• Federer’s self-destruct mode: 63 unforced errors, 5 double faults on crucial points. Such stats, that too against Rafa, won’t take you anywhere other than the loser’s chair.
• Not able to consolidate a single break: Whenever Federer broke Rafa, Rafa bounced back immediately. The break was salvaged immediately.
• So many missed break point opportunities on the Rafa serve (7/10 missed)
• Nadal’s consistent serving (77% first serves rate). He was broken a few times but, he served very well on crucial break points including in the final game of the match when he had to save 2 break points.
• Some outrageous winners that only Rafa can pull off For e.g.: the point to save the break point in the final game of the match. Such moments are worth savoring again and again. Such emotional highs they give.

Another semifinal loss for the Swiss legend. He was being halted by Djokovic in 2011 at the semifinal stage but, in 2012 his familiar nemesis has come to haunt him one stage earlier than before. Rafa’s current form is very similar to his peak in the 2009 Australian Open. Great signs for the hordes of Nadal fans.

All that’s left to be decided is his opponent and that in all probability is going to be Novak Djokovic, the man who got the better of Rafa, 6 consecutive times in 2011. This would be the perfect stage for Rafa to reverse the trend and the evidence of today’s display suggests that Rafa is looking good for that 11th Slam.

Passing the baton

In both the women’s semifinals, the winners displayed true grit and resilience. While Maria Sharapova was always known to be a great fighter who doesn’t give up till the end, Victoria Azarenka coming back after the loss of the 2nd set was something unexpected that too against Kim Clijsters who pulled off two remarkable fights in her favour against Li Na and Caroline Wozniacki in the previous two rounds.

Kim was gracious to recognize the spirit of her younger opponent and she went out of her way to congratulate Azarenka. Kim’s last outing here at the Open hasn’t exactly gone according to the fairy-tale script she must have had in mind. Nevertheless, another great fighter bows out.

The Sharapova – Kvitova match was one where both the girls didn’t budge an inch. While Kvitova had a slow start, Sharapova had to contend with a Kvitova fightback in the 2nd set. The 3rd set saw two breaks being exchanged early and all the games provided plenty of chances for both the players. Till the very last game when Kvitova couldn’t save the match points, both the players saved several break points. Kvitova was gritty even in a losing cause while Sharapova’s famed fighting spirit took center stage yet again.

Azarenka is known to be mentally fragile but, her fightback after being mauled in the 2nd set and again being broken late in the 3rd set when she was ahead, shows that she might have turned the corner. She joked that she was branded a nut case not too long ago but, she looks to be a worthy contender for being the new No.1 and a maiden Slam to boot, would be an added bonus.

One trouble with watching the finals featuring these two winners would be the unbearable noise levels. Both have the loudest grunts in the game and it would be an acoustic nightmare for the ear drums. Azarenka has modeled her on-court body language on Maria and the fighting spirit that Maria has, also seems to have rubbed-off on the Belarusian. Should be a great finale provided we see the match on MUTE till the end of the match.

Player Quotes

“People mostly talk about the top four because the top four have been the most dominant in tennis, the last couple of years, In my eyes David Ferrer and every player, especially the ones from the top, are great competitors and I have lots of respect toward them, I think sometimes they’re under-rated. Especially Ferrer, who has been so consistent, he’s been a top five player for a long time.” -Djokovic

Prediction for the match

This match will be a baseline slugfest with some amazing rallies. Both the players are very quick and terrific movers around the court. The Spaniard will fight till the end, bounce around and will have nothing to lose. He rarely attracts attention and it won’t be any different tomorrow as well. The sheer variety and the confidence that Nole has, will see him through. The match might go to 4 sets but, it should be the World no.1 that would be smiling and waving to the crowd, at the end of the match.

To get to this point, the viewer has to endure a looong wait

While watching Rafa’s matches, one thing that would strike any viewer would be the insane amount of time that he takes before every serve. The average time that is allowed before serving is 25 secs according to the rule book. Rafa takes close to 30 secs and sometimes even more. He touches his back, nose, his hair, what not, then lowly bounces the ball and finally serves. It is really laborious to watch this routine. As a guy who has seen Rafa since his early days, this is the only annoying thing in an otherwise perfect champion resume.

The chair umpires also don’t bother to warn him or penalize him. As a much respected champion and role model for crores of fanatics, Rafa must surely set a good example and not violate a basic rule. This also spoils an otherwise electric viewing experience when Rafa plays. As soon as he serves and puts the ball in play, it is pulsating and the way he runs from corner to corner, retrieving the ball, smashing those top spun whiplash forehands etc etc. is truly delightful.

But before all that, we got to endure this pain, this meticulous routine which no one bothers to question. Rafa’s lofty stature in the game allows him to get away with this. On an average, he takes 4 mins for a service game and even his routine straight set affairs last around 150 mins. When was the last time Rafa ever finished a match in less than 90 mins like Federer regularly does?

On one hand we have players like Federer, Murray, Tomic, Dolgopolov, Hewitt who just merely bounce the ball a couple of times and serve the ball and are on their way. On the other hand we have people like Berdych and Djokovic who keep bouncing the ball and take an eternity to start their serve. On the extreme, we have Rafa whose routines and superstitions result in the match time taking a serious beating.

And on occasions when Berdych or Djokovic meet Nadal, then rest assured even a normal 3 or 4 sets match will go well beyond the 4 hrs mark. That is exactly what happened today. It was laborious, tiring and a real drag in an otherwise pulsating match filled with plenty of Rafa specials.

Inspite of  being one of Rafa’s biggest fanatics, I detest this facet of his. I imagine Federer’s fans must feel pretty strongly against this time consuming bad-habit that Rafa has. Will Rafa ever shorten this routine or will we have to endure this drag for as long as he plays? Are the ATP noting this ever lasting phenomenon?