Roger Federer - Wimbledon 2010 loss in Quarters

As a Federer fan,that was a shame.He has such a special place in Wimbledon history.Breakfast at Wimbledon without him.That hasn't happened in long time.
He acknowledged he was slightly injured since Halle.I think he was just being honest,Not making excuses.I don't blame players for telling the truth.
There was some talk on the web about him being cranky in the press conference.That wouldn't be hard to understand.He did say some things about the other players at the end of it that were taken to be bad mouthing them.Jon Wertheim of SI stated he was being sarcastic,and those statements should not be held against him.
I read the transcript,and it seemed out of character.You do really have to see video to get tone of voice,facial expessions etc..
I think Roger tends to take things pretty well for a man who can be emotional.

Stat of the match Break points converted:
Federer 1/8
Berdych 4/6

Points were;Berdych 127,Federer 118.
That close.

I'm really still trying to digest this.Federer is clearly passing his best.He said he is going to rest for awhile.Best thing for him.I hope he can gear up for the hard court season,and US Open.

He did lose to a thumping big player.Tomas Berdych has been long predicted to step up and contend for majors.He has disapointed those predictors for years.Semi at the French,and now Wimbldon.Maybe more.He woke up.

Best nickname for him T - Berd,Berdman,Berddog.
I like Berddog.

So who's going to win?
Amazing if Murray.

Isner def Mahut

Great jiggledy-piggledy somebody poured crazy in the Wimbledon water supply.

Surreal.
70-68 is the equivelent of two five set matches.That is only the fifth set.
The loping american giant finally pounded down the fleet french fox.Mahut was the one who flinched first.
They did tennis very proud.

And oh by the way,the queen came to visit.She was introduced to a number of former champions.When meeting Martina Navratilova,she was informed MN had won the title nine times.She asked Martina if she had played the tounament many times.The old dear hasn't kept up,has she?
It was really special to see her at the big W.I'm sorry she hasn't put in a few more appearances over the years.But talk about a busy schedule for a lady her age.
At least someone is keeping the British hat industry in business.

The Royal patron of the club is ,of course,the Duke of Kent.HRH Prince Edward,Duke of Kent.
His father was Prince George,Duke of Kent.He died in a plane crash when Edward was only six.
Prince George's older brother was Prince Albert,later King George VI.The Queen's father.
So Duke,and Queen are first cousins.

Isner vs Mahut - Wimbledon June 23,2010

The match between John Isner,and Nicholas Mahut has been called due to darkness for the second evening in a row.Tied at 59 games in the fifth set.
118 games played in the fifth set blows a tennis match out of its framework.

I don't know how one of ,or both,of the players didn't cramp,or simply collapse.
These two athletes have reserves of endurance,and courage remarkable to behold.
Isner did look wobbly to me.There was one service game among the last few where it seemed he was failing,and I was surprised Mahut didn't step around and attempt to pound the ball for a clean winner.I think he was a step back on those returns.Isner got the game.
They must both be staggering with fatigue.But Mahut looked fresher.
I don't know what will happen tommorow.It may just depend on who feels worse when they crawl out of bed tommorow.Either one could wake up with a horrible stiff back,and be out of luck.Whichever aching carcass can loosen himself up for the resumption of play will probably have it.

It was just madness.So much action,and still locked in place.No resolution.
The fact is that without a break of serve,a tennis match can't end.No break of serve,no two game advantage.No two game advantage,no end to the set.
That's why the tiebreak was invented.And,of course you still need a minibreak.James Van Allen,all credit due.
This made me think that there may be some kind of mathmatical inevitibility about this occurance.Like the idea that whatever is possible must happen sometime.I can't believe that is literally true.But an event,no matter how extraordinary that is possible,has a decent crack at happening sometime.So we have the unbreakable,unending tennis match.
But someone will break.Somethings gotta give!

To put it in perspective.A five set tennis match ending in tiebreaks would be 12 games a set.Plus add a game to represent the tiebreak.That's 65 games.
They are well past that in the last set.

I feel proud of them,and sorry for them at the same time.
Poor guys.

Quotes - Shakespeare "Troilus and Cressida" for Roger Federer

The first time I read this,I was struck by how it made me think of tennis.Of the process of the falling of champions.The passing of years,and glory.A beautiful piece of music,or a great play may be performed again,and again.But an athlete's time is only the time of a human youth.
It made me think of Federer.It certainly makes me think of Navratilova,and Evert in comparison to the current crop.
Watching Roger Federer now,I had to think of this.He's not finished.Years I watched him,and never really worried.But he has started looking more touchable,and less like a work of art in full song.I'm feeling the worry now.
Inevitable.
But I still feel this too;
You cannot tarnish true greatness.It's still there.Always.If you have the memory.
Most people don't seem to have enough.Or perspective.
Whatever shines now,shines brightest.Not always.Not to me.
But I'm an exception.

This is beautiful,sad truth;


William Shakespeare


Troilus and Cressida,Act 3,Scene 3.Ulysses addressing Achilles.


Time hath, my lord, a wallet at his back,
Wherein he puts alms for oblivion,
A great-sized monster of ingratitudes:
Those scraps are good deeds past; which are devour'd
As fast as they are made, forgot as soon
As done: perseverance, dear my lord,
Keeps honour bright: to have done is to hang
Quite out of fashion, like a rusty mail
In monumental mockery. Take the instant way;
For honour travels in a strait so narrow,
Where one but goes abreast: keep then the path;
For emulation hath a thousand sons
That one by one pursue: if you give way,
Or hedge aside from the direct forthright,
Like to an enter'd tide, they all rush by
And leave you hindmost;
Or like a gallant horse fall'n in first rank,
Lie there for pavement to the abject rear,
O'er-run and trampled on: then what they do in present,
Though less than yours in past, must o'ertop yours;
For time is like a fashionable host
That slightly shakes his parting guest by the hand,
And with his arms outstretch'd, as he would fly,
Grasps in the comer: welcome ever smiles,
And farewell goes out sighing. O, let not
virtue seek
Remuneration for the thing it was;
For beauty, wit,
High birth, vigour of bone, desert in service,
Love, friendship, charity, are subjects all
To envious and calumniating time.
One touch of nature makes the whole world kin,
That all with one consent praise new-born gawds,
Though they are made and moulded of things past,
And give to dust that is a little gilt
More laud than gilt o'er-dusted.
The present eye praises the present object.

Wimbledon 2010 Close One,Roger

Roger Federer just came within a whisker of a George Bastl job.Ouch,that was close.
I can see the punny headlines;Federer Falla-en,Fed Falla's in the first round.And other strained witticisms.
It was like watching a plumber tearing apart a miss tuned Stadivarius.
He just hasn't been the same this year.At least he still has the pride,if the urgency is failing.
Burned through that last set in a hurry though.
Maybe this will slap him across the face,and wake him up.

Alejandro Falla has to be amazed at the match he played.But when it got tight,he just couldn't close the deal.
How many times have I seen it happen?
Plenty.

French Open 2010 - Notes

A few things.First happy to get to catch up on my sleep now.

I've always really loved Wimbledon,and the U S Open more.I'll see an orange tennis court and cringe a little.Tennis courts are supposed to be green.Blue concrete is also acceptable.
Orange can never look lush.

But I do enjoy the results of the tournament.Last year Federer,and Kuznetsova winning was wonderful.This year,Schiavone's joy has left a warm honey glow that will take some time to wear off.
As much as I revere Wimbledon,the women's champions have not always produced much joy in me lately.But that's another subject.
The French Open was a good show this year.

There were a few retirements during the course of the tournament.

Camille Pin - The thing I most remember about her is the fact that whenever I looked at the IBM stats during a major,her name was usually at the top of the first serve percentage list.
Which means there probably wasn't a great deal of force involved in the operation.But credit where it is due.
I see she likes to scuba dive.She once said, "When I'm done with tennis,I'm going to make a list of all the things I want to do." Hope she has fun.
She did have fun at her last presser.She had been drinking before it.Maybe during,I don't know.
She said she wanted to show up "pissed".Pissed in the English use of the word,not the American.


Sebastien Grosjean - And I'll miss him.Always pleasant to watch.High quality,compact,well produced tennis.Not up to winning a major,but a fine player none the less.
With his Gallic looks,backwards ballcap,and rumpled clothes he cut his own unique figure on the court.I remember the episode he did for the Tennis Channel Interview show (which they unwisely cancelled).He seemed to have just stepped off a practice court.He looked like a sweaty unmade bed.
He lives in Boca Racton Florida.The host asked him if he had a favorite American food."Ribs" he said.Good choice.
I see that he worked out at the Chris Evert Academy in Boca Raton.I hope he keeps a place there.He would be a great addition to the program if they could get him to work with them.


I happened on a twitter account by Brett Conners,Jimmy Conner's son.Apparently he works for Tennis Channel.Daddy got him a job no doubt.Look what he says about Federer's loss to Soderling.

"Later Fed, love watching you lose. Why no tears this time??"

(june 1st)

Wow ! What a mook.
This twerp insulting Federer.

Quotes - For Sam Stosur on losing in the French Open final

"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today,it's already tomorrow in Australia"

Charles Schulz

It just made me laugh.Yes I should have had it for the day she lost,but I just found it.

Nadal Wins his Fifth at Roland Garros

I would call that a thorough job.A comfortable straight set victory over the man who upset him last year must have felt great.
I really didn't get any feeling of Rafa wanting revenge as such though.Which just proves again what a classy young man he is.He was looking at the big picture.

The Borg era was before my time as a fan.I never got to see him play at his peak.I have seen taped matches replayed of course.But that just can't give you the full feeling about a player.You lose a sense of context.And I've never seen anything from the French except highlights.
So I don't know if Rafa is greater than Borg.Looking at the fact that Borg kept repeatedly winning at Roland Garros,and then Wimbledon, I have to think that Borg is still historically ahead of Nadal.But I think it's almost certain that Nadal will break Borg's record at RG in the next few years.
But can he get Chris Evert's ?
Good luck

Robin Soderling is really growing as a player.But as I said,There is a difference between being an upsetter,and being a champion.One of these days he may be a champion.
But it can't be a easy to be put out of the finals two years in a row.Roger,and Rafa have another gear when they are in shape to win that he can't hit yet.

btw-I refuse to call him Sod for a knickname.Please,that's not good.It's dirt,or a reference to a horrible old Hebrew myth.
Can't we call him Rockin Robin?
That's a really fun little song.Popular with guitar teachers.

Francesca Schiavone Wins the French Open

Viva Italia!
Break out the champagne,and put on the Vivaldi.That was a whole lot of happy out there on the court at Roland Garros.What a breath of fresh air for tennis.
Francesca just played beautifully.She never looked scared.
It times like this I remember why It's worth watching.
To see someone who can play like a violinist.Not the ugly Stomp,Slam,and Scream show.
Schiavone may never get another major,but she will always have this bright day.

You have to feel for Sam Stosur.I do suspect she had shot off most of her ammo in the previous rounds.The experts are saying they expect her to win majors.I think they're right.
I hope she will.Love them Aussies.

Federer's Semifinal Streak - All good things

23 Major Semifinals.That's how many Grand Slam tournaments in a row that Roger Federer made it to the last four.Robin Soderling stopped it today.I don't think that any man will ever beat it.

The last episode of Star Trek;The Next Generation was titled "All Good Things"...
It came into my mind when the match was done.
An old English proverb written down in a work of Geoffrey Chaucer;
"All good things must come to an end".

So simple.
I believe Federer will win more Majors.I hope so certainly.

And to Soderling,there is a difference between being an "Upsetter" and a champion.
Good luck in the rest of the tournament.Because I suspect Rafa would dearly love to rip you bloody.

(Yeah,I just made a Star Trek reference.Everyone is allowed one sometime.It does not mean I'm sitting hear in my Star Trek jammies,with my Jean-Luc Picard action figure gazing down from the bookshelf.)