This match is due to start any minute......

Rafa breaks Djoko in the first game :yikes: i can't actually see this match though :(

Rafa breaks Djoko in the first game of the match

:yahoo: :bigwave:

Vamos Rafa!

Superb play from Rafa so far --- he's definitely back. And Djoko doesn't have an answer ... 2-0 to Nadal.

and consolidates! :D ru watching it MJT????

I'm using TVUPlayer, but my stream isn't working very well ... but I saw bits of the first two games, which looked really good from Rafa! :yahoo:

My god, Nadal just broke Djokovic again :yikes:

Two more break points for Rafa --- and he breaks for 3-0!

Djoko is playing his usual solid game, but it's just not enough against Nadal.

4-0 Nadal

this is all looking a tad embarrassing for Djokovic right now :yikes:

Nadal leads 4-0.

:bigwave:

Djoko finally gets on the scoreboard, but this first set must be as good as over now......

Looks like Djokovic may hold one here ... and he does.

4-1 Nadal.

It's looking a tad ambarrassing for my prefdictions, too - esp thre length of the match. 2 hrs 50 mins I said :yikes: roflmao

Brilliant rally gets Djokovic up 40-15.

He isn't getting his first serves in, though --- big trouble. But he comes up with a good second serve, and holds for the second time.

If Nadal keeps this up, it could really be a confidence booster for him.

Maybe he'll get back into the habit of making finals.

hey scolios :hug:

I predicted a 3-0 win for Nadal (for which I'm remarkably hopeful now) and just over 2 hours I think.

I didn't think Djoko would have much hope against Nadal - not after the way Nadal demolished Roddick.

yeah, hard to believe this is his first final since Wimbledon :yikes:

And Nadal takes the first set 6-2.

Quite a drubbing for Djokovic at the moment, like I expected.

However, Nadal still doesn't seem to hit his shots quite as deep as he usually does, so there may be a hope for Novak if he can pick up his game, and particularly his 1st serve %. I think it's more likely that he gets beaten around by Nadal a bit more though. :ok:

Djokovic's first serve % is appalling - 26%, compared to Nadal's 63% :o

There's a bit of an opening here as Nadal starts to miss some shots, and Novak holds to love. Let's see whether it makes a difference to Rafa's service game.

ouch...

Bad luck for Rafa there several times with the net, and he faces break point :yikes:

I thought Djoko would take ONE set - and he is doing rather better ib the 2nd set now :rolleyes:

yes, i fear I may be eating my words at some point later :blink: Especially as Rafa keeps facing BPs in this game :unsure:

:blink:

I missed the first set, but the second set certainly seems exciting! Brilliant last game there, full of outstanding rallies. More of that please chaps! :clap:

2-2, second set.

Much-improved play from Djokovic, and maybe a bit of luck and some lose serves from Nadal, see Novak gain break point three times here.

However, Nadal stays tough in some impressive rallies, and ends up holding.

Novak has certainly improved his game, and Rafa seems to have gone off the boil a little bit (which is unusual, since he tends to be a slow starter ...) It's 3-2 to Djoko now ... let's hope Nadal's next service game is a bit less close than the previous one ...

Vamos Rafa!

Reading some of the earlier comments here, it seems Djokovic got a bit overwhelmed in the first set; he's certainly got rid of the nerves now though and is looking more comfortable. He leads 3-2 on serve.

This reminds me a little of the Nadal vs Baghdatis Wimbledon semi-final. In that match, Baghdatis had a dozen chances to break in the second set but never managed it, and Nadal snuck it at the end. This match certainly seems to be matching the entertainment factor of that one; let's hope the final scoreline is a little closer.

With both players holding, the set remains on-serve; 4-3 to Djokovic.

Nadal holds with ease, and then Djokovic wobbles badly, double faulting at 15-15 to give Nadal a sniff of a chance. He gets it back to 30-30 with an ace, albeit which had to be verified by a challenge (which Nadal didn't like - it was very close, and remember his outburst after losing to Youzhny?) Some solid forehands then allow him to hold.

4-3 Djoko, still on serve.

Djokovic has come up with a strategy to win --- he seems to be mimicking Nadal's grunts when playing roflmao

Nadal holds for 4-4. We're getting to the interesting part of this set ... whoever breaks at this stage has a good chance of having the set in the bag.

Djoko looks to be in a bit of trouble at 0-30, but comes back to hold.

He had to win that last point about three times though :yikes:

Nadal gets taken to deuce after a slightly careless game, but holds.

He then gets to 0-30 on Djoko's serve (after a failed challenge from the Serb on the first point). Djokovic then hits a great early forehand to make it 15-30, follows it up with an unreturnable serve, and then hits 3 huge forehands to make it 40-30, after excellent defence from Nadal. He holds courtesy of a nice volley.

5-4, on serve.

I am coming I am coming..Come on Djoko shows to everyone that you are a Big Guy...5-4 Nadal Serve :rolleyes:

The latter stages of this tournament really aren't going the way I was hoping (both semifinals and seemingly the final too).

Anyway, Nadal now has to hold to stay in the set, at least Djokovic is making him play now, hopefully he can do a bit more than that in the next game.

Evening TV - afraid I'm rooting for the Lion, Nadal ;)

Would be happy to see a Djokovic win though, and moreover a close, 4/5 set match. Djoko has definitely found his range now after initial nerves, and he won't have any trouble going the distance (thanks largely to his cake-walk draw :huh: )

Rafa gets taken to deuce from 40-15, while serving to stay in the set :yikes: He should really have put a smash away too, but the sun seemed to hamper his vision. He does hold though - 5-5.

Hi Wise...I am late...But really I hope to see a close match from now on...
Nooooooooooooooooo Break points to Rafa... :angry:

Nadal Breaks 6-5! :D

Oh dear - afraid Djokovic bottled it there quite badly, with a spate of unforced errors (although one did come after a long and exhausting rally). He also threw in a double fault at 15-30, and Nadal snatches the break at the end of the set (just like against Baggy in the Wimbledon SF).

Nadal to serve out the second set.

Choke choke choke... :whistle: