A Strange Kind of Zen

The streak had to end one day, I suppose. 23 Slam semis in a row - that streak was just begging for some powerhouse like Robin Soderling to march in and snap it. And in a way, it is good that it broke - we can now appreciate how absolutely phenomenal it was with a little perspective.

And there's always the quarter final streak.

As a Federfan, I'm supposed to be totally heartbroken about this loss. And I am very sad about it. But either I've grown as a person or am in some kind of bizarro world, because I am surprisingly okay with it.

Last year at Roland Garros belonged to Roger. Once Robin Soderling knocked out Rafa Nadal, you knew that this year was the year for Roger to win Roland Garros. He achieved the feat. He conquered that Everest. And now it is someone else's turn.

Realistically, it's going to be Rafa, and I hope it is, even though that puts my boy Roger's streak at #1 to an end. Like Roger regaining Wimbledon last year, Rafa regaining Roland Garros is only right. However, we must remember who it is who put an end to the Federer campaign here.

It was one Robin Soderling - he who did the impossible and beat Rafa. He only has to get through Tomas Berdych to reach a final where, one imagines, Rafa will be waiting.

What will happen then? If there is a non-Fed person in the world who would have a fighting chance in that final, it is Robin Soderling. And I hope he gets there. Roland Garros is a special place for him now. I want him to at least repeat his feat of last year, prove it is not a fluke. (And to tell the truth, I'm glad that Roger lost this match instead of the one he played against Soderling last year!)

So, Mr Federer, get ye to the grass and win yourself another Wimbledon. Mr Soderling, get ye to the final and see what ye can do. And Mr Nadal... watch out for Swedish yokers.