An Alternative View Of The “King Of Clay”
Thursday, May 8th, 2008The Americans have found the red clay, Andy Roddick and James Blake arriving in Rome this week. Hope is that improved results await at Roland Garros, as the bar can’t be lower after last year’s troubles.
Rafa Nadal uses this time of year as his personal marathon, playing every week on the surface he so loves. But even the superhuman occasionally stumble upon kryptonite. Nadal’s was his decision to play everywhere.
Sign up for my RSS FeedSo, in his third straight week on clay, Rafa was bounced in his first match of the Rome Masters by J. C. Ferrero. After failing to break at 4-4, 0-40 in the first set, Nadal ran out of gas and offered little reply to a strong serving performance from Ferrero.
No alarm should be taken from this result- the days off before Hamburg should benefit Nadal.
Instead, I offer another view of the “King of Clay.” This comes from an American now living in Barcelona, a knowledgeable tennis fan who attended three days of the Godo Seat last week.
If ever Nadal were to take a week off in the clay season, this would have been the time. But how can he miss a tournament in Spain? Our correspondent: “The crowd seemed most excited by Nadal’s presence (due to his international stardom both on court, and on TV and in magazines.)”
Interesting that the crowd displayed strong play for fellow Spaniard David Ferrer, the decided underdog in the final. It also took any edge off a match between two good friends.
Nadal won and the true view of this champion came in the aftermath when few eyes are on him. Luckily, our correspondent was there: “As Nadal was walking off the court, there were a group of kids trying to get autographs. Rafa stopped and signed every autograph he could, then handed his winning racquet to a young girl. The look on her face upon receiving the racquet was an unforgettable moment…she absolutely lit up! It was a great moment, only witnessed by the remaining few in the stadium. He is clearly someone who cares about his fans.”
Strong move by the USTA to enter an agreement with FFT to swap wild cards at the respective majors. There was a playoff in Florida last week won by Madison Brengle and Wayne Odesnik. Their experience in playing main draw at Roland Garros can only help reverse our recent clay results. 
