Cool Dudes

Right. I have returned from my blogging-disrupting travels and am here at your service. Blogging. Let's do this thing.

So while I was away, it seems there was this one match that generated a lot of talk. What was that...? Oh yeah. Federer vs Nadal. The most polarising match ever, it seems. Everyone wants it to be some big sign of things to come or a total aberration, a blip. There seems to be a lot of 'OMG Federer will never lose to Nadal again!' and 'no, Nadal was injured/sick/tanking SHUT UP!' Everyone wants this match to be some big thing.

Except two dudes. And they're a little important in this debate, as their names are Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal.

I obvioulsy have an agenda here. I want this match to mean something. I want this match to be the psychological push that Federer needs to send him into a screamer of a 2011. And I think it definitely is that, though probably not to the extent that I would like it to be. 'Ask me how I feel after my first round loss at the Australian Open,' Federer said wryly, when someone asked him whether this was a sign that he was back, back, BACK. I think Roger has a much healthier perspective on this match than I do. I want it to be a SIGN. He... is taking it in his stride. He's keeping it real, and that will probably serve him well.

Though this win obviously can't hurt.

And then there's the 'Rafa Rafa Rafa here are ALL MY EXCUSES for why he didn't win' contingent... when Rafa himself offered no excuses and asked for no quarter. On this particular day, Federer was betterer, and Rafa knows this. He's a sportsman - he won that award, remember? - and he's not taking this one away from Roger, no way. But will it affect him in Australia? I will go with a big fat no.

So what I'm saying is this, I guess. We all want this match to mean something - something more than it does, probably. But the only two dudes who actually know what it means and can make good on it are Roger and Rafa. And they seem pretty chill right now. They're playing it cool. And for both of them, that is probably a Good Thing.