from clay to grass

my favorite grand slam is over. next year, the french open begins on a sunday to boost television audiences. it doesn't matter to me; of the 14 days in the previous grand slam tournament, i was tuned in to 10. i started watching in round 3. i was let down some, like by gauston gaudio (last year's champion) and to a much lesser degree, by the 12th seed russian who lost to puerta in the semi-finals. i had hoped that pierce would be eliminated by either schnyder (seeded 10th) or the last russian girl in the final 4, who was seeded 19th. but she was at the top of her game and marched through her matches. she deserved to win up to the semi-finals.

but faced with the determined and talented wallonian justine henin-hardenne, i knew she would not hold ground. and she didn't. lopsided final that was over in little over an hour. ho-hum.

but the men's final... oh that was fantastic!!! i was rooting for the 19-year old teen sensation from mallorca but the unseeded argentinian played some fine tennis last sunday. by the 4th set, i felt myself wavering in my support for nadal and found myself applauding more appreciatively after each puerta point. but nadal has this going for him: a never-say-die attitude. even with the momentum swinging against him, he lunged after every impossible corner shot, ran down smashes, chased after drop shots... turning the game around when he was down 5-4 in the 4th set.

i've been enjoying the last 2 days browsing rafa's web site, reading articles written about his rising star and his chances in the next few years. i know he won't win the wimbledon just yet but i'm hoping that he will someday. i haven't felt this way towards a tennis player since steffi graf, and she's been retired since 2001 (i think). so i've been out of the circuit for a while (ha, i laugh at myself, i sound as if i'm part of the atp tour!) but rafa's worth getting back into the game for... and there's the beautiful 18-year old sharapova to pump up the cause for women's tennis. at least she wins grand slams, unlike the vain kournikova who endorses omega watches. what the---??? hehehe

if you wish to share in my glee, you can click here to go to rafa's web page. now i just have to think of ways i love being pinoy. lapit na toka ko sa blogkada. see you there in a few days' time.