"I think I drooled into my ice cream."

Photos from Katie's iPhone 2012 ©

Ah the tennis... Needless to say, I love it. Last night Katie and I were lucky enough to attend the first men's semi final, Rafael Nadal versus Roger Federer, vying for a place in the 2012  Australian Open men's singles final. I've had the privilege of watching Federer play at Rod Laver Area before but until last night, I hadn't seen Nadal. 

The first thing that struck me about watching the tennis live the first time I went, is how small and intimate the stadium feels. Compared to watching a football or test match at the MCG, it seems so strange to be so close to the action. If you threw something down onto the court, you'd have a decent chance of hitting someone. If you make too much noise, the players can hear you. If your phone goes off, everyone will stare at you. The crowd behaviour is most similar to the MCC members' area; more excited than golf clap but do anything that disrupts the play and you'll find yourself waiting for a tram.

By 7.30pm the Arena was full and it felt all for the world like it could have been the championship match. Seeing the players walk out on court was a bit surreal. Nadal and Federer are such incredible athletes it was almost surprising to see that they are, in one sense, just people. You almost expect them to have wings, a superhero cape or magic powers. But I guess that's part of the beauty of it, they are just two guys who are incredibly skilled with a racquet and a little neon yellow ball. 

A young boy got to toss the coin and both players were really warm and friendly toward him.  The boy looked pretty pleased to be out in the middle of the court with two of tennis' greats, but a giant goofy smile was plastered to his face after Nadal playfully ruffled his hair as he ran back to his seat. 

When Federer won the first set in 56 minutes after a tiebreaker, I knew we were in for a treat. Nadal gained a lot of momentum and won the second set pretty quickly, 6-2 , after the game had to be halted for the Australia Day fireworks. The last two sets were the ones I enjoyed the most. 

Federer's technique and finesse is exquisite to watch. His ground strokes are perfectly timed and graceful executed, hitting the lines with pinpoint accuracy. His footwork is brilliant creating the balanced base for his technique to shine through. He moves quickly and lightly around the court, his coverage at the net is impressive and the racquet head doesn't drop. Federer has clearly done alright for himself and his family out of this tennis business. I caught a glimpse of his wife's watch and zillions of diamonds nearly blinded me.

Nadal's technique is solid but power is the name of his game. Particularly on his forehand, his work is less beauty, more brawn. His accuracy in his shot positioning was equally as impressive, picking off the lines with equal ease, but the mode of transmission is very different. His on court demeanor is very intense and his focus is almost palpable. Nadal's footwork is not a good as Federer but was able to chase down deep angled ground strokes better. Particularly when returning serve, he stays lower and more grounded into the court, whereas Federer is more upright. 

Nadal won the third and fourth sets 7-6, 6-4. The rallies were long, entertaining and of exceptional quality. The tension built steadily throughout the match and it wasn't until late in the fourth that I felt that Nadal would win. The momentum shifted often as each player produced moments of absurd brilliance. Nadal was animated in victory. The rivalry between the two greats seems to mean a great deal to them. Nadal was eloquent, humble and charming in his interview with the highly irritating Jim Courier.

Watching the tennis on TV is great but it is nothing like being there. No annoying camera angles, no add breaks and no irritating, mindless commentary. It was such an enjoyable match and I felt like I was witnessing part of something historically significant in world sport, the rivalry between two very different, very great champions. 

Oh, and Nadal changed his shirt at the end of every set and his skin looks even more perfect in real life. *Drool* The man is perfect.