Rafatennis - Rome Masters 1000 - 8-15 May 2011

First topic message reminder :

"Obviously I didn't play at my best. I didn't play badly, just normal. But that is not enough against Djokovic." That's the true Rafa! Well, one of them had to lose their streak and it wasn't third time lucky for Rafa against Djokovic.

With a quick turnaround, we are straight off to Rome, with Rafa in a battle to keep his No 1 ranking and take it into the French. The tournament has already started and the draw could prove tough for him, depending on whether potential opponents can take their good form from Madrid onto Rome.

Rafa's first match will be on Wednesday.

Good luck Rafa - dust yourself down and come roaring back. Vamos!

Hi everyone

I hate this part of the season as a) none of the sports channels I get show the tennis (apart from the wimmin who Eurosport are showing again ) and b) the good matches are on at silly o'clock for me and I need my beauty :sleep:

But I am enjoying catching up on all the action on these threads. Well done to JMDP. And who on earth is going to stop Novak?!

I did get to see a video of highlights from Rafa's match though and thought he looked delicious in his kit.

My picks are going okay but I did have the Sod beating Delpo, so glad I got that one wrong

Well ... I think perhaps JMDP could stop Novak!!!

A JMDP vs. Rafa final with Rafa the victor, thereby winning one of the MS that so far eludes him.

Vamos!!!

:run1:

Good afternoon all my luvverly Rafateers


We can watch Rafa and Feli tonight.....ooh I've come over all unnecessary

Are we having a little meeting on the dark side

Good afternoon lovely Denzy!!

Oooooo ... isn't it exciting when we've got this soxy match to look forward to tonight??

And I think a little meeting on the Dark Side is especially necessary. To fan you down if nothing else

We shall have to keep Rafatennis updated though for Cats. She may live in her island paradise, but Robinsina Crusoe can't have her FridayFeliFancy tickled ....

Hello my lovely Woofs FridayFeliFancy....I like that....or FFF for short

I need fanning down.....it's less than 2 weeks now, the sun is out and I've purchased a new Pack-a-mac for our trip this girl knows how to live ......and so far I've lost 6lbs on this Dukan Diet....by the time I get to Nice, I shall be eating the carpet

Denz. I too, have bought a spotty mac ... and at this Dukan rate, you might also end up eating lovely Rafan!! :shock:shock:

I still think I'd batter pack a rainhood too. To stop my whingeing if nothing else ... :run2:

Hi Rafateers

Second attempt at this post!! Pressed a button, and whole thing disappeared!!

Really looking forward to Rafa's match tonight, but if Fed's match doesn't get underway soon, I'll probably be sent to bed before Rafa/Feli are on court. (The tennis widow got all stroppy last night, and I didn't get to see Juan Martin beat the Sod!!

Djokovic is starting to get that "unbeatable" aura about him just now - I'm still not totally convinced, cos no-one has come out and really challenged him. I don't think he played all that well in the IW final, and I don't think he'd have come back if Rafa's serve hadn't disappeared the way it did. I think the other players are believing the media - that they have no chance, and this is feeding Djokovic's confidence.

Anyhow, Vamos to Rafa for tonight - hope it's a good game, but not too nail-bitingly, heart-attack-inducingly close! Please, Rafa, straight sets?

Evening lovely Angie

You might be sent to bed before Rafa comes on!!! Perhaps you should strike a deal with the TW in that you can watch all Rafa's matches, but might have to compromise on others. :run2:

Well ... its Sky TV with Sky Marcus and side-kick Barry Cowan, so of course we had to have the "will Federer get back to No.1" conversation. NO MARCUS ... MOVE ON!!!!!

Anyhow Rafateers, brace yourselves for what I am about to say, because you will probably never hear the like from me again ...

... I like Federer's outfit. :run2: :run2: :run2:

Gone all technophobe - sent that one too early!!!

I meant to say - I actually quite liked it too - not so fuddy-duddy as usual. (cringes, and waits for divine retribution)

I only like it because he has STOLEN Rafa's t-shirt look from 2010. :run2:

Come on Pico, you Rafafriend ... You can DO it! <but DO it quickly cos we want FeliRafi>

Feds outfit is much much better than usual......but oh I do wish they wouldn't linger on his shirt changes

Sometimes Denz ... thank God for Sky adverts!!

Good evening my lovely

Whot? :huh:

When he came on I thought how awful it was...grey and peach . Not up to his usual standards :run2: :run2:

MUCH prefer the lemon t-shirt (though I think that was off court )

Good evening my lovelies! Wish this would hurry up and finish, what with Wozza going three sets and then losing and then this going to a TB in the first - if the go the same for another two sets it'll be midnight before Rafa even takes to the court. I'm going to walk the dog while I'm waiting.

Vamos!

My picks are going from bad to worse - I'm 15005 out of 19000 now

Choice in picks matches choice in Federer outfits ... :run2:

Good Evening lovely Woofs and lovely Rafan ......Although I'd love to see Juan win this, I don't want it going to a 3rd...so he'll have to lose now,if that makes sense

Denz

I know ... it would be nice for Pico to get a result here ... BUT ...

WE WANT FELIRAFI !!

And we have to get up for work tomorrow ...

Sorry Pico ...

YES! YES! YES!

Its Rafatime!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Croft gets the Rafa inerview again.

Rafa looks ...

Feli ... CORRRRRRRRRRR

Rafa ...

Have you all gone to :sleep:

Feli has made a good start.

Has he forgotten the rules? He looks lovely. We are just admiring his legs.

<sorry Rafi>

The Rafabeard is well on its way. Some great play by Rafa in his service game. He's starting to wake up.

Feli playing a bit of serve and volley and its doing for Rafa.

Man he is lovely ...

More first serves for Rafa and a better game from him.

Couple of great shots from Rafa, but a slack shot out from Feli.

Break points.

Beauty of a rally by both guys, but Rafa wins. Yey !!! break to Rafa.

Naughty Rafan.

Rafa is vamossing quite a bit. She says he's winding Feli up over his Fer bromance ....

Great comeback by Feli as he's saved 3 set points.

Then a DF for another set point.

And a ball in the net for ....

SETTTTTTTTT RAFFFFFFFFFFAAAAAAAAAAA

Feli pulling the legs of his shorts up.

Nice

And Rafa won the game on a 2nd serve ace.

Sorry Rafa ... was distracted somewhat.

Sacrilege Wooffie

Rafa has just played a fabulous service game.

However, the prats in the commentary box are too busy tell old tales and talking about any old rubbish to offer anything on the match before them. I blame Shiras. He is AWFUL.

Y I Man.

<best behaviour>

Ohhh ... ad break and we're back. Back to stupid boring old tales, Shiras.

Uhhh oohhhh ... Feli 0-30 down.

But some good serving got him back into it and its 2-2 in the second.

By the way ... I know I look like a complete moron doing this ... but Cats wants a read tomorrow.

I am doing this, chatting on the Dark Side and getting distracted by Rafan who is finding Feli pictures.

More break points for Rafa ...

And he breaks ...

Poor old Feli ...

Rafa now moving all over the court and has served out for a 5-3 lead.

5-4 and Rafa has to serve for the match ...

Amazing play to give Rafa match points ... Feli having a good giggle about it.

In the net from Rafa ... 40-30.

Rafa's shirt is verrry sweaty ...

And a Rafa down the line forehand ripper wins it ...

Feli's hair looks lovely when he took the bandana off

Oooh ... this is too much to behold.

Feli walking off court with his full mane glistening.

Rafa doing a verrrry laboured shirt change and then putting his trackie top on.

<THUD>

Morning everyone

Wooffs, you star! Thanks for the commentary which I enjoyed over coffee this morning. I was so engrossed that I nearly missed your comment about Fed's outfit!

You'll be posting on Fed's fan thread next

Anyway, can I just say (sorry Feli) and catch you all later

Woofie........I've just read through all that.........your commentary was brilliant!

They should get you on TV!

Have a good day Rafateers!

Solerina

Good afternoon all Rafateers on Rafatennis (and those who are watching quietly .. )

Hehe ... I couldn't possibly do a worse job of commentary than Leif <Fedfanboy> Shiras, Solerina. Look ... they all have their favourites and don't exactly hide it ... but him!! I seriously don't know why they evah put him on a Rafa match. Feds this, Feds that, who is the GOAT?, who will win more Slams?. the greatest of all time, Feds, Feds, Feds ...

JUST COMMENTATE ON THE BLINKIN' MATCH WHY DON'T YA??

Phew ... <shakesself> ... I feel better for that. And NO Cats, you safely take it that I shall stay in the confines of this fanfred and not venture out elsewhere.

As tipped off by lovely Rafan, there was rain yesterday and Rafa's next opponent is not yet known ... Dolgo and Tsonga have to play after JMDP/Fish today to finish with it 1-1 in sets and Dolgo 3-2 up. Its a busy day on Stadium Court as there are 2 ladies matches after this finish, but the Nole/TwinkleToes match could get switched. Which means Rafa could be on around 9.30 pm ish.

So we may get to see him play again.

This time ... I promise to concentrate. Its all that naughty Rafan's fault ... distracting my attention by sights I am not grown up enough to see ...

I was providing Wooffs with some Feli pictures that bordered on <cough> indecent. But they are all out there just on google images - I wasn't looking anywhere inappropriate, cos you all know I am an

No wonder you need to watch a replay of the match Wooffs - I didn't realise you were doing your bit on here, as well as chatting and looking at Felip*rn

I thought Rafa played really well - he was given good rhythm by Feli but was feeling the ball well and playing with great length and angles (oo-er), it all sounds a bit untoward, noh?

I'm torn for this next match - I like Dolgo and want him to beat Tsonga but think Rafa would have an easier time against Tsonga. Whoever it is - vamos Rafa! And really, don't you think they should put Dolgo and Tsonga on first if they are going to have to play another match later on? Tsk!

Aye ... you is an Rafan ...

Cats and Angie couldn't watch the match, so I thought I would put my <spin> on it on here. <shameless creep to gain Rafateer points > And thanks for the introduction of the new "Feli" word, Rafan ...

I am totally giddy over last night's events ...

Can't see these clips as I'm work ... but they are some highlights of the match ...

Rafa's good shots

RafaFeli highlights (clean)

Ooh ... there's so much to look and not enough time to post right now ... its double the delights today too!!

Right ... my last offering for now from lovely Zimbio.

First ... Feli ... I'm loving the tan and particularly the thigh action in picture 4 ...

Feli pics

And here's Rafa ...
Lovely Rafi

Have to :run2: and do some work now.

Morning Rafateers!!

Well … the pesky bad weather in Miami put paid to an evening of Rafa entertainment and we didn’t get to see the one match I would have been interested in, that against the next Next Big Thing, Dolgo. By the 6-1, 6-2 scoreline, it seems that Rafa made short shrift of him, and yep, he had to finish his match off with Tsonga and then play Rafa on the same day, but he did get a bit more rest time due to the delay. Rafa didn’t seem non plussed about this happening to Dolgo in his presser as he basically said that’s what happens in tennis and its happened to him plenty of times.

So its Rafan’s <squeeze> Rolf that’s up next. He seems to have been making a laboured progress through the tournie so far, but I feel that air of determination about Rafa.

And every cloud, as they say. At least Sky had the RafaFeli match on last night … which I finally got to watch properly this time – twice – without Rafan feeding me with that Feli “word”.

Good morning Rafateers

So much for me worrying that Dolgo might give Rafa a hard time! My eyes pinged open at 5.08 am and I "leapt" out of bed to check the score on teletext. It was with relief and surprise that I saw the score. Mind you, I think I get so sucked in with all these NBTs that I forget why Rafa has been No 1/No 2 for so many years! I'd say that's a really good result for Rafa. I know that Dolgo had to finish a match off earlier in the day - but I remember Rafa having to do that in a tournament a couple of years ago (on the clay) and he was fine. Well done Rafi!

Rafa's probably got the hardest run in now for the tournament but if he can maintain the focus and concentrate then the final is a real possibility

Jinx, anyone? :run2:

Somebody Rafan!!!!!

Hi everyone

Well, Rafa made light work of that

There are highlights on youtube and I've never done a link before so am having problems putting it here. I copied the bit in the address field. the URL thingy, then came here to paste it but there's nothing to paste

Wooffs, help!!

Anyway, Rafa looked mighty good (in every sense of the word), moving well all over the court and the stats on NN look way better, good first serve percentage and zero break points against him

Good afternoon lovely technophobe Cats!! You are in very good company.

To do <links>, click on the link icon above ^^^ , paste your link in the top field, then in the box underneath, name it, press OK and the link appears nice and tidy on here.

Simples. Althought I don't think Denz can do it yet. :run2:

Great to hear that Rafa was moving well and his stats were good. Good job ... it now seems Rafa is dressed for dinner every time he finishes his matches ... we should have a 'nicest shirt' competition. I like the check one from yesterday ...

Will this work I wonder

Everything crossed!

Yay, it worked

I am an IT genius and Wooffs is a brilliant teacher. My first link. This calls for bubbly, if only we had some