I am like legit going through some issues, political and personal, and I can’t tell you how much I have been enjoying the Australian Open. What is it about slices and lobs and serving down the “T” that makes everything better? As we discussed yesterday, Serena Williams and Venus Williams are going head-to-head in the Australian Open final tomorrow/today (tomorrow morning for us Americans). And now this: Rafael Nadal made it to the finals. Which means that we’re getting an old-school Roger Federer vs. Rafa Nadal final, like the good old days!!
Here’s the moment when Rafa won the nearly five-hour-long match:
And here’s his on-court interview. He seems so happy. How is he even standing at that point though? Like, if I played that hard for five hours, you would need to interview me from a hospital bed.
This is Rafa’s first Slam final since 2014, and here’s a fun fact: this is the first time in his career where his long-time girlfriend/partner Maria Francisca Perello (she goes by Xisca) traveled to Australia with him for the whole tournament. You can see some photos of Xisca and Nadal kissing here. They’re really sweet together.
The men’s final goes down very early Sunday morning. Will it be another epic five-hour bloodbath? Will it be vintage Roger & Rafa? Who will even win? I have no idea!!!
@KaiseratCB THANK YOU TENNIS GODS!!! pic.twitter.com/Y6Qxy8Wlnt
— Catherine Dolan (@Cat_Dolan) January 27, 2017
Watching those two play tennis is better than any p0&n ever could be. Excited for that game!!
Yes!! So much YES!!!
I’m so excited!! Rafa vs Federer! Serena vs Venus! Greatness in both finals!
I’m thrilled for him. I really, really hope he wins (I would love to see him equal Federer’s slam total before he retires), but given he’s just come back from an injury break getting to the final is amazing in itself.
I can’t believe he’s once again had the bad luck of playing another extremely long, intense match when Federer gets an extra day off though. Like damn, he just never catches a break when it comes to that stuff.
Agree totally. Love Rafa, admire Federer but have never warmed to him. Vamos Rafa.
Yay!! Vintage finals! It’s like going back to the noughts when the world was a simpler place…Politically speaking…
This is going to be awesome! I hope Nadal wins and eek I can’t choose a Williams sister. That’s hard. I think their sister was saying she’s not going to watch them play. That must be intense.
Venus has won much less than Serena, so I’d prefer Venus, but I think Serena has the edge.
Yasss, it’s like the mid to late naughties all over again! I know what i’ll be watching!
Legit the best finals in ages. Happy to see both Nadal and the Fed in fine fighting forms again. I’m hoping it will be a repeat of that epic Wimbledon finale, where of course Nadal took home the win. Vamos Rafa!
Yes I’m so very happy I have missed the rivalry between this two. I’m always rooting for rafael Nadal but this time may the best man win. I just want to watch this class acts who make tennis great and fun to watch. Andy Murray and Djokovic don’t have the star power this two have. Tennis has been boring for the past two years for me.
Bless the tennis gods!
Can Andy Murray retire already? Don’t enjoy watching him at all, he always looks like he hasn’t showered or laundered his clothes for a week.
I cried when Rafa won…. can’t believe we get to see these 4 in a final again.
What a gift.
Tennis gods!!! Go Rafa!!!
This final between Rafa and Roger also has a lot of sentimental value in it. This may be the last final they ever play against each other. Roger is 35 and just out of surgery. I think he will be slowing down his schedule even more after this. Rafa has been plagued with injuries, too. This is like the good old days of their rivalry and you can bet people will be tuning in to watch. Now, IMO, it doesn’t matter as much who wins, but that we finally get to see them play against each other after a long time. It doesn’t hurt that they’re genuinely good friends off court.
This really is so exciting to see. I’m going to have to wake up early to watch both!
I was late for work this morning because I was watching Rafa’s match. The tennis gods have given us something to smile about with all the crap going on in the world. Really hoping Roger takes it and then retires.
I’m obviously on the opposite side of the spectrum…I was rooting for Grigor. He has had a wonderful year so far (and it’s only been 3 weeks) and I was really looking forward to a Fed/Baby Fed match up. It would have been like a passing of the torch kind of game. I get it though — vintage tennis (I can’t believe 2005-2010 is now considered vintage but here we are) is exciting. But with Rafa’s alleged PED use, he’s not really someone I’m interesting in rooting for. Go Rog!
There has never been the slightest bit of evidence that Rafa dopes in any way shape or form. Certain French commentators have been trying to make that a story for over a decade now based on nothing more than ‘he’s muscly’ and ‘he keeps beating our beloved Federer’, and still no ones uncovered even a hint of anything that suggests it. He’s always complied with testing.
This is obviously all alleged but I heard from someone who practices with one of the top american players on tour that Rafa was using PEDs, was caught, and ATP basically told him to go away for a while because it would be too damaging to tennis if it came out. It made the whole Maria Sharapova PEDs scandal all the more stinging because WTA didn’t protect her.
I was also cheering for Grigor because I have a totally irrational dislike of Nadal (who I think is an amazing player, I just don’t like him for some reason).
I feel that way about Roger.
I love how he put his head on Dimitrov’s shoulder there at the net! This is gonna be GOOD!!! Hoping for Federer tho. 😬
Just want to do a High Five also for the Bryant Bros as they attempt to equal John Newcombes 17 Grand Slam Doubles titles! They grew up in my area and are really wonderful men who have given back so much to junior tennis. Good luck guys!
Awesome!! Love them both and the Williams sisters!!! Such a throwback.
I really want Roger to win, like so bad. But he’s got this mental thing when it comes to Nadal.
I was really gunning for Andy Murray to grab this title after Nole crashed out, but if they both gotta go down early, a Rafa and Roger final is an excellent consolation prize. Can’t wait for this one. So excited about a Venus and Serena final, too. BEST AUS OPEN EVER
I love this. The friendship between Nadal and Federer is so cute. Looking forward to seeing them together in a final. Plus a Williams final! I havent been this excited about tennis in a minute
He has the most beautiful body.
Nadal’s girlfriend is SO BEAUTIFUL! And she isnt a model which give me a lot of joy. She’s an insurance broker!!! Im tired of the old cliché. Seems to me like all athletes keep falling for vapid models who seek celebrity and it depresses me…
I’m a big fan of Rafael Nadal. The way that guy never stops fighting inspires me to no end 🙂
This final is a gift to not just tennis fans but to anyone who likes sport. I loved seeing the cuts to Nadals Dad in the box in the fifth against Dimitrov just smiling. He was just so happy to see his son out there in a big occasion again win or lose. It was a beautiful thing. Rafa fights like hell and Roger is just unbelievable. It’s going to be a final for the ages, I’m already getting my popcorn ready 😊 For those of you who are fans of both of them watch this, it’s hysterical!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=94xyOpETYYs