Punto, juego, set, partido. Point, game, set and match.

He’s done it. What seemed non-winnable for a Spanish tennis player has finally been won: the trophy of the Australian Open in Melbourne, the first of the four Grand Slam tournaments of the year. Rafa Nadal from Manacor, Mallorca, yesterday became the first Spaniard ever to win the Australian tennis laurels. Nadal (no. 1 in the tennis world) won in five tight sets against world no. 2, Roger Federer from Switzerland. Carlos Moyà, also from Mallorca, had tried before him in 1997, but was beaten in the final by Pete Sampras in three sets. Before Moyà, Andrés Gimeno made it to the finals in Melbourne in 1969, then still a grass court, but lost to Rod Laver, also in three sets, and Juan Gisbert lost against Bill Bowrey in 1968, also on grass, in four sets. The Spanish ladies, Arantxa Sánchez (1994 and 1995) as well as Conchita Martínez (1998?) had also tried but failed in the female Australian Open tournament finals.

Rafa Nadal now has won Grand Slams on three different surfaces: clay court, grass court and now, hard court, a feat that last had been achieved by André Agassi. The Manacorean now has six Grand Slams under his belt: four French Opens (Roland Garros), one Wimbledon championship, and now the Australian Open. He also won the Davis Cup twice with his Spanish team, and he won the Olympic Gold, also for Spain.

¡Vamos, Rafa! Enhorabuena.

The photo was taken from my TV set, at home in Felanitx, Mallorca, Balears, Spain. The date: February 1st, 2009. The time was 14:20:31.