Second Set -- Nadal vs. Blake Saturday, September 03, 2005 Vamos, Rafa! For second set. He lost the first set 6-4, after one break of serve. Rafa to serve. Fault. Blake passes him with a FH winner. 0-15. Winner by Rafa. 15-15. They are talking about what a big win this would be for Blake. Fault. Blake passes Rafa. 15-30. Rafa better be careful. Fault. FH into net. 30-30. FH winner by Blake. 30-40. Another BP. Come on, Rafa. Great winner by Rafa. Blake even applauds. Deuce. Rafa is pumped. Vamos! Fault. Blake misses FH. Ad Nadal. Game Nadal. 1-0, RN. JB to serve. Nice to see a little fire from Rafa. There are some Spaniards in the crowd, waving the flag. Fault. JB hits long. 0-15. Fault. Mishit by JB. 0-30. Rafa has an extra spring in his step. Fault. DF. 0-40. Three breakpoints. Vamos, Rafa! Rafa breaks!!!! 2-0, RN. Rafa to serve. Rafa into net. 0-15. Great point, but Rafa couldn't scramble enough. 0-30. Come on, Rafa. Both guys are scrambling like crazy. FH winner by Rafa. 15-30. Another FH winner. 15-40. Now he has two breakpoints. Vamos! Return winner. Blake breaks. 2-1, RN. What a match! Too bad he couldn't hold onto the break. But they are both putting on a show. Blake to serve. 0-15. Great volley winner by Blake. 15-15. Mary Carillo says she has never seen Blake play this well. I tend to agree. S&V. 30-15. Fault. Mishit BH. 30-30. Vamos, Rafa! Fault. Another volley winner. Rafa is running everywhere. 40-30. Fault. Rafa into net. Game to Blake. 2-2, Rafa to serve. Come on, Rafa! DF. 0-15. Rafa is feeling the pressure. Switches racquets. Rafa is a little rattled. Return goes long. 15-15. FH winner by Rafa. 30-15. Blake overhits return. 40-15. Long rally, until Rafa mishits fh. 40-30. Hard hitting. Blake overhits volley, after Rafa did drop shot. Game to Nadal. Rafa is trying different things. 3-2, RN. Blake to serve. But Blake is playing better, and is playing about the best tennis I've seen him play. Credit to Rafa's defense that he's still in this. Vamos, Rafa! 15-0, as Rafa overhits return. Fault. UE by Rafa. 30-0. Rafa is changing tactics, using more spin. DF #3. 30-15. Fault. FH winner. No trouble with Rafa's topspin. 40-15. Game Blake. Easy hold for Blake. 3-3. Rafa to serve. 15-0, FH long. New balls. FH wide. 30-0. These guys are working. Great serve and FH by Rafa. 40-0. Unret serve. Rafa holds. Vamos! 4-3, RN. Blake to serve. Go Rafa! 0-15. JB hits wide. Seems to be slowing down a bit. Fault. Another FH wide. 0-30. Passing shot by Rafa. 0-40. James seem a bit more tentative now. Vamos! FH winner by JB. 15-40. Fault. FH winner. 30-40. One more chance, Rafa. Come on, Rafa! Fault. Rafa UE into net. Man! Deuce. Rafa into net again. Ad Blake. I can't believe Blake is still in this. Rafa seems a little nervous. Rafa hits out. Blake holds. 4-4. Rafa to serve. He will not be happy that he didn't convert one of those opps. Go Rafa! 15-0, JB into net. They are saying Rafa had a bit of a mental lapse. I think that's true. Great serve. 30-0. Volley put away. 40-0. Rafa is rebounding. S&V by Rafa, but Blake passes. 40-15. Be careful Rafa. Blake misses FH. Game Rafa. 5-4, RN. Go Rafa! If Rafa can take this set, it would be good for him as Blake seems to have lost a bit of steam. Vamos! 0-30. Great BH down the line for Rafa. Volley hits the line. 15-30. Groundstroke goes long. 30-30. Rafa is working hard. Fault. Long rally, but Rafa hits just wide. 40-30. 24-stroke rally. Fault. FH winner return. Deuce. Rafa likes that. FH winner by Blake. Ad Blake. Fault. Blake hits long. Deuce. JB misses half volley. Set point for Rafa. Ace. Deuce. Exciting stuff. Fault, and then mishit. AD Nadal. Second set point. Fault. Just wide by Rafa. Rafa thought he had it, but missed. Deuce. Fault. UE by JB. Ad Nadal. Third set point. Vamos! His camp is looking nervous. Fault. UE by JB. Rafa wins the set, and celebrates with a fist pump and leap. Vamos! posted by Susan @ 10:49 AM