Hello and welcome to live rolling updates of the weather. Here's something to get you in the mood. This is what we're hoping for in Paris this afternoon.But we might get this instead. Boo!
So here's the situation. After a fitful day's play
yesterday, Rafael Nadal currently leads Novak Djokovic by two sets to
one - but that doesn't get close to telling the full story. Which is
that for the first two sets, Nadal, the supreme clay court player,
battered Djokovic and looked like he was going to storm to a
straight-sets victory for his seventh French Open title. Indeed his name
was being scrawled on to the trophy again when he took a 2-0 lead in
the third set, but Djokovic, whose refusal to give in is starting to
make the 98-99 Manchester United team look like a bunch of quitters,
astonishingly fought back to take the set and then break at the start of
the fourth. He led 2-1 and had won eight games in a row, usually
unthinkable against Nadal on clay. And then the rain came, saving Nadal.
How it will affect the players? Who's going to be the Henman and who'll
be the Ivanisevic?
The score: Rafael Nadal leads 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 1-2 with Djokovic on serve.
Play is set to start at: 12pm.
The rain is set to start at: 11.59am.
Well, it seems we're going to get some play. It's gloomy and cloudy in Paris, but at least it's not raining. For now.
Here come the players. They're not wasting time here. Will it be the usual baseline grind or will both players start with cylinders ablaze?
An email while the players knock up.
"Whaaaat?" says Sarunas Mazalas. "Am I blind or ITV is not broadcasting
this game today? Can't be true! I was super excited because of the rain
in Paris yesterday as I had a chance to watch Formula-1 and Rep. of
Ireland playing Croatia yesterday. And now... just like punch in the
face from ITV. I'm so disappointed! Who gave the broadcasting rights to
that TV!?"
The match is on ITV4. Not enough to knock Loose Women out of its prime slot.
Fourth set: Djokovic* 4-6, 3-6, 6-2, 2-2 Nadal (*denotes server):
This is almost a free hit at the Djokovic serve for Nadal, who really
was starting to feel the heat - if that was possible in these conditions
- by the end yesterday. Djokovic has had 18 hours to think about this
first serve. And this is the worst possible start for him. You almost
knew it would be this way. Some excellent sportsmanship from Nadal
follows that, as he points out a first serve from Djokovic that was
called out was in, and the good karma rubs off on him as he takes a
15-30 lead, before a forehand into the net gives him a break point at
30-40. He gets even luckier then, as a backhand clips the top of the
net, forcing Djokovic to advance forward. There's not much he can do
with the shot, and Nadal picks him off with a simple passing backhand.
It's all level.
Fourth set: Djokovic 4-6, 3-6, 6-2, 2-3 Nadal*:
Vrooooooooom. That's the sound of a fizzing Nadal backhand screaming
past Djokovic. The instant break has done wonders for his confidence and
Djokovic is struggling to deal with the disappointment of being losing
his serve straight away. Nadal consolidates the break by holding to
love, unforced errors from Djokovic making it easy for him. "Whatever
happens today, I think Nadal has blown it," says Dan Smith. "He'd made
progress in Australia but now he's wasted all that by showing Djokovic
that, whatever his advantage and even on clay, Djokovic can get inside
his head. I can't see him beating him at Wimbledon or the US Open now."
Fourth set: Djokovic* 4-6, 3-6, 6-2, 3-3 Nadal:
Nadal's forehands are scaring me and I'm in London. Is he human? I
don't think he's human. He's inches away with one on to the line –
Djokovic was nowhere near it – and Djokovic holds on to win his first
game of the day after a pinpoint backhand winner. This is very nicely
poised, isn't it.
Fourth set: Djokovic 4-6, 3-6, 6-2, 3-4 Nadal*:
The RafaDroid keeps pummelling deep forehands over the net but they're
being met with thumping returns from the NovakBot up the other end of
the court. But the Nadal forehand is the more punishing weapon at the
moment, especially when he keeps it flat and he currently has a
wafer-thin edge. It's so tight. At 40-15, Djokovic whacks a forehand
pass down the line. It would be a brilliant winner against any other
player, but somehow Nadal reaches it, whips a defensive cross-court
forehand back over the net and it drops so short that Djokovic can't
make up the distance. It's like playing against a sentient brick wall.
Fourth set: Djokovic* 4-6, 3-6, 6-2, 4-4 Nadal:
It's getting dark and people are putting umbrellas up. Oh oh. That
said, the crowd don't want this one to finish quickly - a classic could
be brewing - and whoop when a defensive Nadal lob lands long. The
tension increases even further, though, when Djokovic whacks a backhand
well beyond the baseline, betraying his nerves to make it 30-all. Nadal
is only two points away from serving for the final – so Djokovic
unnerves him with some old-fashioned serve-and-volley, and then seals
the game with an ace out wide. Oh I say! "Watching the final with my
folks here in Nigeria, I hope Djokovic doesn't disappoint cos am rooting
for him," says Tun Segs. "Hood job jacob (ps:is it that y'all are so
funny in guardian?)" Everyone except for Tom Lutz.
Fourth set: Djokovic 4-6, 3-6, 6-2, 4-5 Nadal*:
Is Nadal holding a tennis racket or the hammer that weird Norse God
uses in the Avengers? A love hold, again, as Djokovic slaps a forehand
into the net and now Nadal is one game away from his seventh French Open
final. "Really Mr Smith?" says Gary Naylor. "I suspect Nadal and
Djokovic have far too many miles on the clock to let an hour in Paris
determine the shape of the Slam season. The great thing about these two
is that there is so little between them, yet their games and
personalities are so different. I suspect we've a few very close finals
to be shared fairly evenly over the next couple of years - with the odd
Del Potro or Tsonga tilt thrown in. (Can't see Murray nor Federer having
enough to take a slam though)." I'd say
Play has been stopped.
It's raining and the umpires are out, checking Nadal is concerned about
the balls catching water when they land at the back of the court. The
crowd are unhappy. But it's actually tipping it down now. "Save the
balls," orders Nadal. He doesn't want them taking on any more moisture
and they've been put back in their cans. The players are staying on
court though. Djokovic will have to wait before he can serve to stay in
the final. It doesn't get much more dramatic than this.
It's just a shower. They're back out.
Fourth set: Djokovic* 4-6, 3-6, 6-2, 5-5 Nadal:
Djokovic, tougher than a steak cooked to within an inch of its life,
isn't about to let the pressure affect him though. He waits and waits,
building up to a huge forehand that Nadal blocks long to make it 15-0.
He then loses his head a little, wildly blazing a forehand long, but
more than makes up for it by putting away a smash. He then drags Nadal
away from the centre with a superb cross-court backhand, and then whips a
forehand away. Just brilliant tennis.
Fourth set: Djokovic 4-6, 3-6, 6-2, 5-6 Nadal*:
A Nadal ace to make it 30-0 brings a standing ovation from Uncle Toni,
who of course has deigned not to wear a jacket. But then Nadal is
admonished by the crowd for arguing with the umpire after a Djokovic
shot is called in. It looked out to me, but Nadal doesn't really have a
case, because he didn't stop the point and played on. The point goes to
Djokovic and rightly so. 30-15. Djokovic dominates the next point to
make it 30-all. Nadal digs deep to make it 30-all and then another
brilliant rally follows, full of awesome forehands from Nadal and stout
defence from Djokovic. Nadal comes to the net, puts too much on a volley
but is let off as Djokovic's lob lands long. That's the game. And so
now the spotlight is on Djokovic.
NADAL WINS 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5!
The moment of truth for both players. Perhaps more so for Djokovic and
for once, at the most crucial stage of the match, he tightens up. A
loose forehand from Djokovic makes it 30-all and suddenly Nadal senses
this is his big chance, pushing Djokovic back and thumping a forehand
away to bring up match - championship - point. It's the fifth match
point Djokovic has faced in this tournament. He's saved four, of course.
Can he save a fifth? As it turns out, the match ends on the dampest of
squibs as Djokovic chooses the worst possible moment to double fault,
watching in horror as his second serve lands long. Oh no. What a
terribly sad way for the final to end. Not that Nadal cares. He
collapses to his knees, and with good reasons - at 26 years of age, he's
just won his seventh French Open.
Seven French Opens.
Take a moment to let that sink in. He's only 26. The man is a
phenomenon. History was always going to be made by one of these players
today. For Novak Djokovic, indisputably the best player in the world
over the last year, it was the chance to hold all four grand slams at
once. But to achieve that feat against Rafael Nadal, that was always
going to be a tall order. So, instead, it's Nadal who's rewritten the
record books, eclipsing Bjorn Borgs record of six French Opens. How many
more is he going to win? It's not a stretch to tip him to make it into
double figures. He only dropped one set – the third in this final – in
this tournament. He's not going anywhere.
An unfamiliar sensation for Novak Djokovic.
It's not often he's had to settle for second best over the last year;
indeed he'd beaten Nadal in the last three grand slam finals before
today. But not here. Not on Nadal's territory. For the seventh time in
eight years, the Spanish anthem blares out around the Philippe Chatrier
court to herald a Nadal win. He even lets a tear roll down his cheek.
Can't have everything, I suppose. Thanks for reading. Bye.
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