RFI - Nadal 'vamos-es' Djokovic in straight sets

Nadal 'vamos-es' Djokovic in straight sets

by Paul Myers

Article published on the 2008-06-06 Latest update 2008-06-08 16:52 TU

Spain's Rafael Nadal
(Credit: Reuters)

Rafael Nadal reached his fourth Roland Garros final after dispatching the third seed Novak Djokovic in straight sets on Friday. As well as watching the wondrous forehand drives and backhand slices etc etc, I was also keeping a close eye on the Vamosometer.

This is the special indicator I’ve set up to monitor Nadal’s exclamations after a really good shot. Djokovic was supposed to give Nadal a stern examination but so well did the Spaniard control the first set - after breaking for a 2-1 lead - that when Nadal won it there was a simple shaking of the racquet rather than any gutsy shouting.

True, there was a Vamos after a volley which gave him three break points when he was 3-1 up in the second set. But really there was nothing to justify the existence of the Vamosometer. I was forlorn.

There’s no point looking at the Clenchedfistometer because that would go off the scale in modern tennis matches. Everyone clenches their fist with such regularity that they're probably being coached how to do it.

There was nothing doing on the Vamosometer until the third set tie break. Nadal had got himself worked up after saving a set point when serving at 5-6 down. But when we got into the tie break there was a clenched fist Vamos when he went 2-0 up and another after a forehand winner for 3-0. But the one which was uttered after a backhand winner for 4-0 was the best.

The clenched fist went out wide and he screamed Vamos as he was twisting. This sent the gauges on the machine spinning and from the panel of judges (me) it gets 10 out of 10 for tennistic intimidation and balletic sweep.

Mainly because it was savage theatre. Djokovic had pulled himself back into the match only to be cauterized at the point of reentry. Ana Ivanovic who plays in the women’s final on Saturday against Dinara Safina is a serial fist clencher. It’s becoming a nasty little habit and she should stop it quickly before it becomes irritating. Besides monitoring the Clenchedfistometer isn’t half as much fun as the Vamosometer.