Monte Carlo Rolex Masters 2009
by MAC
It is always with mixed emotions that the Vamos Brigade hail this part of the European clay court season. On the one hand it is always a joy to watch Rafa on a clay court but on the other there are all those points to defend. Could he really manage to do what no player had ever achieved before and win Monte Carlo for a fifth straight year?
One of the first sightings was by yuliaRF1 who cheered everybody up by posting a picture of him changing his shirt at the end of practising.
With no doubles to play this year it was going to be a while before we saw him on court. It was good therefore to see a fun session where Rafa knocked about with Andy Murray on what someone described as Barbie's tennis court in front of the Prince's palace with the Prince himself in attendance.
The organised autograph session on the Babolat stand was the predictable mob scene - though at least Rafa was protected by a table when doing the official signing and a huge number of security and police when leaving.
It was Wednesday before he made it on court and how glorious it was to see him sliding on the terre batue again - this time without the knee bands. It was a pretty straightforward victory over Juan Ignacio Chela 6-2, 6-3.
Then we had deluge Thursday. According to the internet organisers were "optimistic" that play would stat at 12 noon, then 1pm, then 2pm. It finally got underway at 3pm but had to break for a shower. Rafa's match was just about to start when the heavens opened and all the crowd took refuge under the stands while the rain, wind, thunder and lightning buffeted the courts. They did emerge eventually and tried to play under the arc lights but fear of injury on the slippery lines meant everything was abandoned with Lapentti one game ahead.
Friday, of course was two for the price of one with Rafa up first and, hopefully, fourth. Lapentti proved to be very little threat and after a surprise couple of service breaks Rafa cruised through 6-3 6-0. Lubicic was potentially tougher but again it was relatively easy for Rafa once he realised that targetting the forehand paid dividends. A straightforward 6-3, 6-3 win.
Saturday was the semi final against the much hyped (by the British press at least) Andy Murray. It was tough and Murray played some superb tennis at times in the second set. However, it was Rafa who came out on top 6-2 7-6(4).
And then the final. It was a battle - not just for Rafa but for his fans watching. Assorted rituals were undertaken and this correspondent admits to hiding behind her Rafa t-shirt for the first three games of the final set. (I have to admit that since I was captured on TV.) The last four games were vintage clay court Rafa which had us all up on our feet and cheering. The final score 6-3, 2-6, 6-1.
As meriko wrote in the pictures thread on the board "Some people draw heart on clay, but clay draws heart on Rafa"
Huge congratulations on your 14th Masters Series title, for being the first man to win Monte Carlo 5 times in a row and the first man to win ANY Masters Series title five times in a row.
We hope you continue your clay court season in the same way.