Even as the dust settled on center court at the Caja Magica after yesterday's instant classic it was clear Rafael Nadal was going to need more than luck to win the Madrid Masters Final. People forget that after that marathon in Melbourne Rafa had a day to rest. That was enough time to get the lactic acid out of his muscles and for him to be relatively fresh for the Final. With less than twenty four hours to recuperate there was no doubt the mind would be willing but the flesh would be weak.
That said Roger Federer took the opportunity presented to him and ran with it. He kept the points short so that the long rallies you usually see on a clay court didn't take place and maybe assist his opponent in gaining a rhythm. The Madrid court played more like a hard court than a clay one despite the talk before the tournament that the clay was slow. The altitude, something Rafa had talked about before the tournament assisted the hard court feel of the Championship match.
Federer needed this win, and assisted by a draw that saw him play no one who threatened him except surprisingly Andy Roddick, did what he had to do and won in straight sets. Congratulations to him and his fans.
Dinara Safina also needed to win at Madrid and did so in pretty convincing fashion over Caroline Wozniacki beating the Danish teenager in straight sets as well. There were some ugly rumors floating around after Dinara's win in Rome over fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova and Dinara had been soundly criticized for her over reliance on her coach. This win put all that talk to bed. I missed the first set but during the second set I saw the type of play from Dinara that got her a marvelous come from way behind win over Maria Sharapova a couple of years ago.
Some are calling her the favorite coming into Roland Garros. I wouldn't go that far. I still feel that the women's event is going to be wide open and that an unheralded player will hoist that trophy. Still this was a convincing win today. Dinara and her fans have to be pleased.
Doubles Winners
Liesel Huber and Cara Black won the women's Doubles trophy at Madrid.
Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic won the Men's Doubles crown sweeping the French Open clay court warm ups.
2 comments:
Wow, Nestor and Zimonjic are on a tear.
As seems to happen far too frequently, Federer got a great draw, although even he could hot have counted on Delpo obligingly taking out Andy Murray. Of course, DelPo did his usual fade away to Roger in their lacklustre semi.
With yis characteristic grace, Roger had this to say:
"I'm sorry to spoil the party, but I'll see you next year," Federer said to the pro-Rafa crowd after the match.
Gloating is just soooo becoming.
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