Another Nail Biter

I have become something of an obsessed tennis fanatic this summer. Normally I'll do Wimbledon and be done with it, but not this year. Perhaps it's due to the extreme hotness of my favorite player, but perhaps there is something more. I find myself not only watching Rafa's matches, but other matches as well. (Ok. I'll confess. Normally they are men's matches, but just because the players are nice to look at doesn't mean I don't also appreciate their athleticism and tennis skills.)

See more topless photos in the slideshow offered here (and uh, I know you want more topless photos)

Today I spent another marathon on the couch cheering Nadal to victory and to a spot in the US Open Quarterfinals. Holy crap. For a moment there after he dropped the second set to American Sam Querrey I thought we were in trouble. But he came back, and he ultimately took the match in four sets (not without a septuple deuce game at 4/2 in the fourth). Next he faces another American, unseeded Mardy Fish.

Rafa celebrates after he finally put away Querrey.

I realized today that it's not just the biceps, the curly longish hair, or the adorable grin that keeps me planning my days around when I can watch Rafa play. It's the way that he plays. Even when he's playing others well below his skill level, he is intense. A popular commentary about him is that he plays every point like match point, and it's true. In that way, we are alike (me in Wii Tennis, naturally). He hustles for every point, and rallies in his game are often longer than other matches I watch.

The down side is that nearly every freakin' match is a nail biter. Also like myself, Nadal seems to bring only the level of game he needs to beat his current opponent. That's not to take away anything from Querrey today - he was OUTSTANDING - but in Saturday's game as well, there were some openings for the other guy. But in the end Rafa always brings it. Maybe he just works best under pressure?






I don't know. Alls I know is that he's the most exciting player I've ever watched, and I'm lovin' every minute of every game with him. (Also, do you see the way he pumps his fist after he wins points? So. Sexy. And yeah, I totally do that, too.)