I just came across this article at the bleacher report site:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2067265-struggling-rafael-nadal-cruises-into-final-at-rome-masters
The article is spot on. It's exactly what I thought after watching the Andy-Rafa match. We haven't seen a battle like this in ages. One reporter called it Big Four tennis, and that's exactly what it was. So, I got to thinking, why is that? And as the article said, it's because everyone has been inconsistent, not just Nadal.
Still, why should Rafa care? They've written him off so many times before, to no avail.
But, I must say, Paul Annacone does not play those games. I'm starting to see why Federer fired him. He's a big Rafa fan, through and through.