after a very long while

March 19, 2007 – 10:50 am

add another good news to a week full of happy things. i’m actually feeling quite happy and contented (it might be the hot choco i just finished). it’s a shame i haven’t watched any of my fave player’s matches. waahhh… (sob, sob). i was trying to stay up late (just until midnight) hoping i might catch any of nadal’s matches to no avail. just contented myself reading transcripts of his intervies (which are always amusing!)

just as i was hiping all week long. rafa finally won a title! yey!

NADAL GETS IT DONE

INDIAN WELLS, California (Ticker) — It took nine months, but Rafael Nadal is a winner again - and looked good doing it.

The second-seeded Nadal ended a prolonged title drought with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over 12th-seeded Novak Djokovic in Sunday’s final of the $5.385 million Pacific Life Open.

Ranked second in the world, Nadal won for the first time since the 2006 French Open, a stretch of 12 tournaments. It was his longest drought since needing 24 events to capture his first career win.

During his slump, Nadal went from a serious challenger to Roger Federer’s dominance to just another player on the ATP Tour. However, the strong-swinging Spaniard appears to be back as he did not lose a set in the tournament.

A native of Serbia, Djokovic also had not lost a set in this tournament - which many players consider the “fifth Grand Slam” - until Sunday. But the teenager did not have enough to stay with Nadal.

Nadal improved to 7-1 all-time with seven straight wins in ATP Masters Series finals.

Djokovic, 19, became the first teenager to reach the Indian Wells final since a 19-year-old Andre Agassi accomplished the feat in 1990. He came up short of becoming the first teen to win since Boris Becker in 1987.

Will post lots of pics later and interviews as soon as they’re online. meanwhile, here’s some news reports to occupy those who are unoccupied.