I just got home. I will be sure to skip the first set.
I don't need to watch it. I know his game too well anyway.
I just read on twitter that he made 15 unforced errors in the first set alone.
he said that he is not happy with his backhand. he said he practiced it "before the match".
right. that should help. that is simply not good enough.
how about the 15 days he farted around in indian wells and in Miami.
now imagine if he had played 2 extra small events on clay going into indian wells and then skipped Miami to go jump on clay to work on his ground game.
had he done that, he would not have lost a single match on clay.
now he is going to take RG anyway but all that senseless bloodshed could have been avoided: he could have taken home monte carlo, Barcelona, and rome also.
he will get a chance to hit a million balls against Andy. that will prepare him best for the final.
Nole knows deep in his heart of hearts that he cant beat Nadal in a best of 5 sets battle at RG.
so Rafa has the mental edge in the final anyway. Rafa will take the final in 4 sets or less.
but for the long run, Rafa has to start putting in some extra time on the practice courts. he can start to make the game a little easier on himself as he starts to get older.