Showing why he's the best - 3/17/2011

Date: 3/17/2011
Result: Indian Wells QF, Rafael Nadal def. Ivo Karlovic 5-7 6-1 7-6
Why it matters:
- These matches are why Rafa is so impressive.  He grinds out tough wins often.  And he doesn't make it look easy.  For me, that's great because you feel like you can relate to him.  I know when I play, nothing's a cakewalk. In fact, when it all goes too smoothly, it's not as satisfying as when I work really hard for the victory.  I think Nadal feels the same way - he wants to work for it.  I sometimes wonder if he'll burn out on clay, though, because it's been so easy for so long.  But in the near future, I think his motivation and attitude during matches like these will sustain his run at the top of the game.
- To pick up on my thoughts from the honorable mentions section of a previous post, Karlovic is really playing well.  Better than just a good serve.  I'm curious where he goes from here when we hit the clay, because his movement is so suspect you expect some poor results.  If that happens, will that break his momentum?  Also, he's hilarious on Twitter so I suggest you follow him! @ivokarlovic
Honorable Mention:
-Indian Wells QF, Caroline Wozniacki def. Victoria Azarenka - 30 ret. - I really wanted to see if Vika could put together a complete match against Wozniacki, but it wasn't to be.  Wozniacki is a worthy number 1, and was the likely winner in this matchup, but her critics will scream "cakewalk draw" and point to matches like this for evidence.