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It was as good as it gets. No, it didn't go the distance, but this was a Battle Royale for history. For the third consecutive final they've both contested, Novak Djokovic beat Rafael Nadal. This time in straight sets 7-5, 6-4. When Rafa's backhand slice skidded wide, the man from Serbia with the body of Playdo and the heart of steel ended the Red Brick Wall's winning streak on clay and extended his own historic start-of-the-season winning streak to 32 victories, the second best in the Open Era.
How did he do it? With backhands and guts and guts and backhands. He withstood this eye-popping, between-the-legs lob winner and won the match anyway. He served well, returned aggressively and ran Rafa ragged. Before Madrid, the clay court season was all about Rafa and David Ferrer. The man who cannot lose beat them both
The Rome draw was released over the weekend, I've just glanced at it, and the clay court heavy weights are all on the other half. Lucky for Djoke. For he's got to be tired. But save a shocker, he'll be in yet another Masters final. Whatever happens, it's been quite a stunning start to a tennis season for a player who's come into his own.
Reuters
Petra Kvitova has bounced bad from a lackluster spring to win her first title on clay in a straight-set thumping of favorite Victoria Azarenka 7-6(3), 6-4.
How did she do it? She struck 40 winners, that's how. From all over the place. Azarenka simply couldn't do much but watch balls fly in front of her, behind her, over her. Not once did Petra get tight, serving out the match to 15. I knew she could do it, but didn't think she would.
Today is her first day in the Top 10 and instead of playing in Rome, she's playing an ITF challenger event in Prague, which she was able to enter prior to her rise in the rankings. While the field won't miss her in Rome, I will.
Paris is going to be most interesting.
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