US Open 2011: Rafael Nadal on track for an encore

The relentless and cool Rafa that we know is back to form

Defending champion Rafael Nadal has really upped his level this past fortnight and has reached the final convincingly by winning his past 3 matches against Giles Muller, Andy Roddick and Andy Murray with utter disdain.

This is the good old Rafa that we know. The one who serves consistently, attacks the corners with his bludgeoning forehands, whacks a solid ball with his double handed backhands, runs and chases balls relentlessly, tires his opponents out mentally & physically, roars like a lion with his fist pumps and marches on with supreme confidence.

While Murray could at-least salvage a set the other 2 were literally torn to shreds. Veteran American hope Andy Roddick was blown away 6-2, 6-1, 6-3. It was a sorry sight for the home crowd but Rafa was literally in the zone as this was a Grand Slam and his mental faculties for a Grand Slam are something the other players can only dream about.

Giles Muller fared slightly better in his 4th round defeat at the hands of Rafa as he could compete in the first set tie-breaker but the remaining 2 sets were a romp for the Spaniard. The end result was another convincing 7-6, 6-1, 6-2 verdict.

In the semifinal, poor old Andy Murray again fell in the lion’s den as has been the case in numerous another Grand Slams in the past few years. And the result was no different this time either as other than in the Aussie Open, Rafa has wielded total domination over Murray in all other Slams.

He was commanding in his all court tennis and he lost his level only in the 3rd set. Rafa approached the net frequently and won on 19 of the 25 occasions that he ventured up to the net. The Scot was frustrated to the core and the Spanish legend drew no less than 55 unforced errors from him. At the end of 3hrs 20 mins Rafa was the winner by a mile, 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 was the result.

In the career head to head with Murray , it is now 13-4 in Rafa’s favor

This will be a repeat of last year’s final as Rafa will lock horns with numero-uno Novak Djokovic. As everybody knows, this has been a breakthrough season and a real dream run for Novak. Against Rafa in particular, he has really turned on the heat as he has bested Rafa in all the 5 finals they have played this year. The last occasion was the Wimbledon final loss this year that really hurt Rafa a lot.

But still Rafa’s performance in this Open has been a revelation as he has lost just the lone set and looked increasingly confident with each passing round. Novak on the other hand has had minor injury scares and has come off a deadly and energy sapping comeback act against Federer.

Rafa will definitely be the fresher of the 2 but Novak will have tons of confidence and the familiar taste of victory over Rafa as he heads into the final with his first US Open in sight.

The fist pumps are getting more intense

Rafa on the other hand will look to defend his US Open title and will also be gunning for his 11th Slam title thereby equally Rod Laver and Bjorn Borg. Such lofty company!!!

Whatever happens, the comeback by Rafa after 2 poor Masters at Montreal and Cincinnati, still proves that, come the Slams, Rafa is a different player. That level of drive and motivation that he displays in these best of 5 setters is something else.

Hope the Wimbledon 4set loss in the finals to Novak was a mere aberration in an otherwise terrific Grand Slam record. Rafa himself is dying to reverse the finals losing trend against Djokovic. New York should do the trick for the 25 yr old superstar.

VAMOS BRO!!! GO GET UR 11th …