Madrid -- Nadal vs. Hanescu (Set 1) Wednesday, October 19, 2005 Rafa has confirmed he will play his match against Hanescu today. According to the doctors, he cannot further damage he knee by playing today. Stay tuned for live coverage, courtesy of VamosRafael.com. Rafa is warming up now. First, he gave a presentation to the widow of a tennis player who passed away. He's wearing white shorts, with black bands under both knees. An orange sleeveless shirt, and a yellow headband. Rafa to serve to start. Hanescu won the toss. Rafa was jumping around the way he normally does before the match, and sprinted to the back court. 0-30 -- He hit long on the second point. Fault. Seems a little rusty to start. 15-30. Hanescu hits wide. He's making Rafa run around. Rafa hits forehand long. 0-40. Two breakpoints. Fault. Lucky let cord for Hanescu. He breaks. Change side. 1-0, Hanescu. Hanescu serving. Hits long. 0-15. Mishit by Rafa. 15-15. Great FH down the line, hit on the run. 15-30. Rafa into net. Great serve by Hanescu. 40-30. Fault. BH long. Game Hanescu. 2-0, Hanescu. Rafa still isn't looking too comfortable out there. He's moving okay, though. Rafa to serve. Fault. 15-0. Fault. Hanescu hits long. 30-0. Unreturnable serve. 40-0. Much better service game by Rafa. Fault. Rafa hits FH wide. Uncharacteristic errors by Rafa. 40-15. Good serve. VH into net. Game Nadal. 2-1, Hanescu. Hanescu to serve. The commentators are wondering if Rafa will complete the match. VH volley into net. 0-15. Ace. 15-15. Fault. Rafa couldn't get to dropshot. 30-15. That couldn't have helped his knee any. 40-15. Rafa couldn't get to serve. Ace. Game Hanescu. 3-1, Hanescu. Rafa to serve. Good serve. 15-0. 30-0. Fault. Good FH by Rafa, forcing VH to mishit. 40-0. Great FH angle. Game Nadal. Good service game by Rafa. 3-2, Hanescu. VH to serve. Come on, Rafa. VH hits long. 0-15. Let. Great serve. But let cord didn't help VH this time. Ball out. 0-30. Rafa looking focused. S&V by VH. 15-30. Great passing shot by Rafa. 15-40, to set up two breakpoints. Rafa moved quite well in that point. Vamos! Fault. He breaks. Fist pump!!!! VH didn't play well in that game, and Rafa took advantage. 3-3, on serve 15-0, good serve by Rafa. VH hits long. Great FH's by Rafa. He's pounding the ball. Angle volley by Rafa. VH couldn't handle. 30-0. He's finding his range now. Fault. FH long by Rafa. 30-15. VH hits long. 40-15. Rafa tried to S&V, and he passed Rafa. 40-30. Another S&V, but this time worked. Game Nadal. 3-4, Nadal VH to serve. 15-0. Ace. 30-0. Fourth ace by VH. Rafa mishits, and yells at himself. 40-0. Rafa is hitting a few too many short balls. Let. Commentators are noting that Rafa seems to be moving well. VH hits out. 40-15. Fault. BH mishit by Rafa. Game VH. 4-4, on serve They are showing Carlos Costa and Toni Nadal. Rafa to serve. FH wide by Rafa. 0-15. Adjusts his pants. Fault. Return is long. 15-15. Replay confirms it was long. Fault. Beautiful down-the-line FH pass by Rafa. 30-15. Fist pump! Let. Great BH crosscourt angle by Rafa. 40-15. Right on the line! Fault. There are model ballgirls. They don't seem to be distracting Rafa. VH hits wide, after good Rafa FH. Game Nadal. 4-5, Rafa VH to serve. Unreturnable serve out wide. 15-0. VH is serving quite well. Fault. Great return by Rafa, but then he followed up with FH into net. He yelled at himself. Rafa has half as many winners as errors. Ace. 40-0. Fault. FH down the line winner by Rafa. 40-15. Towels off. VH hits wide. He's trying to go to Rafa's BH as much as possible. 40-30. Great pass by Rafa. 40-40. Well done by Rafa. Fault. Then great serve out wide, finished it off with volley. Ad VH. Then another great serve. Game VH. 5-5, on serve Rafa serving. OH by VH after long rally. 0-15. Fault. Great FH by Rafa. 15-15. Great FH angle. 30-15. Feliciano Lopez is watching match. FH winner by Rafa. 40-15. Fault. Double fault. 40-30. Commentators saying he's a bit rusty. Couple punishing forehands. Game Rafa. He runs to chair. 5-6, Nadal. Vamos, Rafa! VH to serve to take it to a tiebreak. Fams are holding up Nadal posters. Fault. Rafa mishits long. 15-0. Volley long by VH. 15-15. That was a bit surprising. Go Rafa! Let. Fault. Geat volley winner by Nadal, after getting to dropshot. 15-30. Fist pump by Rafa. Crowd into this. S&V, volley wide by VH. Unforced error. 15-40. Call was correct. Two set points for Rafa. Great serve by VH. Rafa's return into net. 30-40. One more set point. Come on, Rafa! Lob long by Rafa. It was close. Deuce. Toni looks nervous. Crowd is cheering for Rafa. Go Rafa! Return into net. Ad Hanescu. Rafa not happy. Winner FH by Hanescu. Game Hanescuu. 6-6, TIEBREAK 0-1, Hanescu. Rafa unforced error into net. 0-2, Hanescu. Return into net. 0-3, Hanescu. Rafa down a mini-break. Rafa to serve. 1-3, Hanescu. Great serve by Rafa. VH hits long. 2-3, Hanescu. Fault. VH long. VH to serve. 2-4, Hanescu. Winner by VH. Change ends. 3-4, Hanescu. Great return by Nadal, and then BH winner by Rafa. Rafa to serve. 4-4, On Serve. Ace by Rafa. Go Rafa! First Ace. 4-5, Nadal. VH hits wide. Rafa makes happy noise. Feliciano is smiling. 5-5, Hanescu. Nadal hit FH wide. One more serve by VH. 5-6, Nadal. UE by VH. Third set point for Rafa. He yelled Come on or Vamos! 5-7, Nadal, Return goes long. SET TO NADAL. posted by Susan @ 6:48 AM