One Step At A Time

There is no three title run for Nicolas Almagro. Such a thing was not writ in his destiny. Instead, David 'Lord Farquaad' Ferrer took the title. And he is looking gooooooooood. Australia was no fluke. David Ferrer is a force to be reckoned with and no mistake.

He is one of those dudes that, given the right draw, could go very, very deep at Roland Garros. Or even given the wrong draw. No one expected him to end up in the semis in Australia, and yet semis he made. So keep an eye on this one. No telling where he'll pop up.

He will be seeded. This we know. And he will be seeded high. So while it probably wouldn't be a top player's MOST FAVOURITE THING EVER to have Ferru land in their quarter, he's hardly a dangerous floater.

One of the other winners over the weekend, on the other hand, is. Welcome home, Juan Martin del Potro.

I don't want to go proclaiming that JMDP is 'back' in some definable sense of the word or anything like that. For one, that's not really a quantifiable concept; and two, it's a long way back up to where he was, because he was forced to fall from so very high. But winning titles is the way to get back up there - step by step, rung by rung, hand over hand on the ladder.

Sure, it was a Mickey Mouse tournament - there's not much else going on this week. But Mardy Fish and Janko Tipsarevic are quality opponents and JMDP basically ate them for breakfast. These are all good signs, positive signs. While Juan's results over the Australian summer might not have been spectacular on paper, I think they did give him some useful matchplay. Want to get your eye in? Try playing three hours against Feliciano Lopez. It's been a grinding, wearing summer for JMDP, but it is paying off.

Delray Beach is JMDP's first title since he lifted the trophy at the US Open in 2009. I don't see him lifting another Slam trophy this year - or maybe not even next year - but these signs are all good. In a lesser field, his return might be quicker. Unfortunately, we have an extraordinary level of depth in men's tennis at the moment, crowned with some truly extraordinary players at the top. If JMDP is going to get back up there, climb the mountain again, it's going to take a while. No single title win is suddenly going to propel him back among the echelons of the top ten.

But there's only one way to climb a mountain, and that's step by step. And winning Delray Beach is quite a large step - one might almost call it a leap.

A Festival Of Maybes

Reaching a Grand Slam final is a big damn achievement. Even if you lose, simply reaching the final is something massive. Ask Marcos Baghdatis. Ask Fernando Gonzalez. Ask Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Ask Guillermo Coria, Arnaud Clement, Martin Verkerk, Mariano Puerta. Even though these players all lost the one Slam final they made, I'd bet that loss still rates as the high point of their career - and that their runner up cookie tray is one of their most prized possessions.

Andy Murray has three cookie trays now. And I'd say that getting those cookie trays probably rate as some of his worst memories ever.

Let's revisit Murray's three Slam finals. His first one was in the US Open, 2008. He faced some dude called Roger Federer, who was going for his fifth consecutive US Open crown. Federer had not had his bestest year ever - he hadn't won a Slam yet - and a year without a Federer Slam, well... the world was definitely not ready for that to happen in 2008. Federer had the experience and knew how to win a Slam, especially in New York. Murray was green and maybe a little tired coming off his two day big win over Rafa Nadal. And also beating Nadal and Federer back to back? You'd have to be a wizard to do that.

Murray went down in straights. But not everyone can be Roger or Rafa and win in their first ever Slam final. Djokovic lost the final of the US Open in 2007 in straights before going on to win the Australian Open in 2008. Surely it was only a matter of time for Murray.

But then he didn't make a single Slam final in 2009. Oh well. It's still only a matter of time. Murray has got the goods. He will win a Slam. This was hammered into our heads over and over again. It's not a question of whether, but of when.

Australian Open, 2010. Murray makes the final playing absolutely scintillating tennis. And who is waiting there for him? Roger Federer again. But this time, Murray is ready. Oh yeah. He's pumped. He knows it's only a matter of time before he wins a Slam. And he can take Federer. He's beaten him a bunch of times before. He can do it again. This is his moment - the Murray moment.

Except it's not.

Roger Federer takes Andy Murray to school. Straight sets, down Murray goes. He shows a flicker of life in the third set tiebreaker, but it is too little, too late. There is no performing CPR on this match. The trophy is in Federer's hands and once again, Murray holds the cookie tray. And then he enters a slump so pervasive that it takes him till around Wimbledon to recover.

But he's still going to win a Slam. It doesn't happen in 2010, but it's still going to happen. Maybe the break he took was too long. Maybe he should have come back sooner. There is a festival of maybes.

And one of the maybes that starts to creep in is this one - maybe Andy Murray won't ever win a Slam.

But no. It's 2011. It's a new year, a new Murray. He's recovered from the scars of last year and he is playing magic tennis. He is cutting through the draw like a hot knife through butter, and destiny seems to be on his side. Soderling is swept from his path. Nadal is swept from his path. He has a couple of tough moments with Dolgopolov and Ferrer, but it is largely a ticker tape parade straight to the final.

And it's Djokovic he's facing this time. Only Djokovic, people want to say. It's not a finals thing Murray has - he's won tons of finals! He has a bag full of Masters and 500s and 250s. No, it's just a Federer thing. Federer lights up when he gets to finals. Murray can take Djokovic. Only Djokovic.

Except he couldn't. I don't know if anyone could have taken Djokovic down in this tournament, but Murray was barely there at all. The dude that showed up in the final was not the normal Andy Murray. It was the scared little boy that got his arse kicked by Federer.

If Andy Murray - the Andy Murray, the one that has been in the top five for about 150,000 years now - showed up in a Slam final, he would have a fighting chance. But I've never seen him. Not even once. And while there are plenty of great players who have never won a Slam, the effects of these finals on Murray is affecting his normal play. We saw the long slump after the Australian Open final this year. Now Murray has just gone down to Baghdatis in Rotterdam.

One loss is not that big a deal. But when you look at the way Murray's 2010 played out after the Australian Open, this is not a great sign for 2011.

Murray's first Slam final loss was not, I think, that big a deal. He was new and green and one Slam loss to a guy like Federer is very honourable. I think the rot really set in in 2010, and that scar tissue has lasted a lot longer than we thought. And now that Murray's lost to a guy not named Roger Federer in a Slam final, who knows what could happen?

It's an awful thing to say, but in a way, Murray's career might be better if he stopped making those Slam finals. The cookie trays are not for him a prize, but a burden - a reminder of how close he came and how he didn't come through. They're a tangible sign of failure - because for him, I think, not winning must feel like a failure, even though just making the final is a massive, incredible achievement.

We all know that I'm not a massive Murray fan, but I don't want to join the litany of media condemning him. I fully believe that Andy Murray can win a Slam. He has the game and the brain and the tools he needs. But the first thing he needs to do is to somehow shed this scar tissue and turn up. Even if he turns up and loses, I think that would be better. If he'd turned up against Djokovic and still lost, I don't think the pain would have been so bad. But if he turns up, there is a lot of Slam finals he can win. The turning up is the problem.

He needs to get rid of the maybe - the maybe is what is killing him. Because the more people say 'maybe Andy Murray will win a Slam' (or worse, 'maybe he won't') that pressure is going to continue to mount.

Looking Back - New York

So, over the next few days, I'm going to do a little series - a sort of year in tennis. More specifically, a year in Slams, and even more specifically, a year in Slams backwards. Why? Because I can. So today we're going to talk US Open.

This tournament belonged to Rafa. There is no doubting that. He didn't have the hardest draw in the world, but he played excellent tennis all the way to the final. And what an achievement for him - getting not only his third Slam of the year, but completing his career Slam. Having seen Federer do it the year before, I think we were highly sensible to this achievement. And for such a young man... wow.

The final was a bit anti-climactic. Even when it was a set apiece, one could sort of sense that Rafa was going to win. And there's no way it could measure up to That Semi - the one that broke the hearts of Federer fans around the world.

It was, strictly speaking, Novak Djokovic's turn. But the way he won that match - after Federer had held match points - was simply heartbreaking for those of us of the Federer disposition. Several people (as usual) thought it signalled the demise of Federer. In hindsight, we know now that it didn't. Federer went on to tag Djokovic two or three times before 2010 was over. But I think he'd swap a couple of those wins for that one.

But maybe we weren't quite ready for Federer and Nadal to face off again yet. The world needs time to prepare before those titans clash. And if there's one thing I want to prove with this little series, it's that the year finished on exactly the right note. Federer vs Nadal. At the end of the day, that is what the ATP is about.

But anyway. My favourite match of the US Open was Federer vs Soderling in the quarter finals. I thought it signalled good things to come in the rest of the tournament - clearly I was a bit wrong there! But it was a fantastic Slam-level - I don't want to say revenge match, but you know what I mean - time for Federer to get Soderling back for Roland Garros. He played very well there. And my favourite matches are always the ones where Federer does well. This is no secret.

But before I go, there was another key player in the tournament, and that was Andy Murray. He lost early. Again. After he made the final in Australia, even though he didn't win - actually, even before this, really - I think just about everyone thought it would be a matter of time until he had a Slam to his name. When he went out at the US Open? That's when I started doubting his ability to ever win a Slam.

But at the end of the day, this tournament was Rafa's. And it was very, very well deserved!

Oh Hi, Big Guy

Oh hi, big guy! Welcome back, JMDP!

No one was expecting JMDP to do anything even resembling winning in Thailand, n'cest-ce pas? Even if they did want him to match up against Rafa Nadal (which I, for one, am glad did not happen - can you imagine the humiliation that being smacked down by Rafa would have inflicted on the poor dude?) He lost to wee Olly Rochus in straights - competitive straights, but straights. And he served sixteen aces, which coming off wrist surgery, is pretty impressive.

But basically, I think everyone's just glad he's back.

The tennis world is all right without JMDP in it. He's not one of the key personalities of tennis, even though he did have his Slam run last year. Losing JMDP hasn't been like losing the Djoker or Murray or a player of comparable level. We've managed to forget about him pretty well. But even though the tennis world is all right without him in it, it's better when he's here.

And it'll be even better when he's fully better.

That, of course, is the question. The dude's been out for a long time, and wrist surgery is a big, big thing. That is a mammoth thing to have to recover from, and I'd say that there's a big chance that he'll never be the same player. I think it wouldn't be unreasonable to say that he's a one Slam wonder, in any case.

But you know what? a dude that can smash sixteen aces in his first match back from surgery... he strikes as someone who's going to recover all right.

The State of Tennis Today

There comes a time when it's simpler to rhyme
Than write anything insightful
Tennis is so boring that I'm almost snoring
It is decidedly undelightful


We might get all bent talking of Tashkent
But in the end, it's not that exciting
What fun! and what mania! talking of Romania!
...somehow I don't find it inviting


It's like the game takes a walk at the end of New York
When we conclude at the US Open
Now it's a lull that's ever so dull
And to be honest, I find myself mopin'.


When Jodi turns to rhyme you know it is time
That something of import happen
But right now it's so tedious I've made up the word 'weedious'
So awful I see you all flappin'.

On The Same Side Of The Net

So, um, there's still tennis going on. And stuff. In this not-that-exciting time of the year.

But at the end of the day, I don't have that much to say except 'yay, Dinara Safina won a match', so we're going to flash back to the US Open a week ago. And we're going to do something I don't often do on this blog - talk doubles.

Yes, I am aware that everyone and their dog have covered this story, but really, is there a better news story around than Bopanna and Qureshi?

We can talk about the Bryans till the cows come home - and probably we should, because what they have achieved is awesome. But the whole Bopanna/Qureshi thing is one of the biggest feelgood stories in tennis this year. An Indian and a Pakistani playing together... wow.

I studied a lot of Indian politics and history at uni, and one of the things I remember noting is the role of sport as a healer. Politically, India and Pakistan are at loggerheads, and this can translate to the sporting world as well - particularly cricket, where the rivalry is fierce. But then something will happen, like one nation touring the other, playing friendly matches. It makes everyone feel all nice. And things are good for a little while. It makes sport not only awesome and fun, but politically worthwhile, a goodwill gesture.

Bopanna and Qureshi have taken that one step further. They're not playing each other, participating in feelgood friendly partisanship. No, they're playing together. They're united. They're one. And they are taking on the world. The only way their story could be better is if they won, but at the end of the day, even that doesn't matter. Their trip to the final won them huge visibility, but the fact that they played together at all is magnificently wonderful.

I really hope these two guys stay together for a long time. There is no way to underestimate the amount of good they can do by standing up together on the same side of a net. No way at all.

The Oncoming Storm

It's hard to let go of the Slam year. 2010 is, for all effects and purposes, over. We have learned what we are going to learn over the best of five sets thing, and now it's time to phone it in till the end of the year.

Or, if you are that way inclined, pick up some points, and that would not be the worst thing in the world ever to do, Mr I-Would-Be-Ranked-6-if-I-hadn't-won-the-Australian-Open.

And it's a time when we should be reflecting on what we've learned, but I'm not very reflective. Instead, I'm restless.

What have we learned? Well, we have learned that Rafa Nadal is a force to be reckoned with, and outside of being that guy that always denies Federer at the most inopportune times, we need to start talking about him as a great player in his own right. We have learned that Andy Murray might not, contrary to popular belief, ever win a Slam. We have learned that when Serena's out of the mix, just about anyone can win a WTA Slam... but when she is in the mix, you have to pull out something pretty special to beat her.

These are all valid lessons to have learned, but even though the year is effectively over, I have the feeling that we're not quite done with 2010 yet. Rafa has year end #1 all sewn up and I wouldn't be betting against Serena on the women's side, but there's the sense that there is something coming. Surprises are in store.

There's a storm coming. I couldn't tell you what it is, whether it will be for the ATP or the WTA or both, or whether I am just making this up, but I have the feeling that 2010 isn't quite finished yet. We may not have the big tournaments left to warrant it, but there are still a few surprises left in store for us this year.

Rock On, Rafa

As a Federer fan and someone who is currently quite fond of the idea of the Roginator as the greatest of all time, it is difficult not to be a little sad at Rafa's career Slam.


So I have made up my mind not to be.


Let's just take a moment and give Rafa a round of applause because dude, DUDE, YOU ARE AMAZING. The stuff Rafa can do with a racquet and a yellow ball is out of sight. He is unbelievable - not in the same way Federer is unbelievable, but in a way of his own. Federer is like a ballet dancer on court. Rafa is like a video game - some indomitable monster that the opponent just cannot overcome. The way he smacks his forehand is terrifying. His passing shots fear other mere mortals with terror. And now he has a big-ass serve, well...


And he is smart! I wouldn't say he is the biggest tennis genius ever or anything, but damn does that guy know what he is doing on a tennis court. I feel very sorry for him sometime because he is always going to be talked about in reference to Federer, always going to be in Roger's shadow to some extent, even if he does one day surpass him in titles one, purely because Roger was first. But Rafa... Rafa is something else, and I think for a while, we need to talk about just him.


And damn it, I frigging love that kid. Roger love and Rafa love don't have to be exclusive. So rock on, Rafa. You keep vamosing through life, because I love your work. And dude, you are one of the greats of all time. No question about it.

A Little Something on Fitness

There is a story behind the US Open final that needs to be told. It's not the story about how Rafa might turn out to be the GOAT after all or how Djokovic's parents are really annoying or how I can't believe we were denied Fedal again, even though they are all valid and worthy stories.

This story is a story about fitness.

Cast your mind back, if you can, to January 2009, when the slightly younger Rafael Nadal played Fernando Verdasco in an Australian Open semi for the ages. It went for over five hours and was physically exhausting, brutal tennis for both parties. No one left anything on court.

That same Rafa Nadal came back two days later, played another five sets, and beat the greatest plater of all time.

Now let us consider the case of Novak Djokovic. Mr One-Slam-Away-From-A-Retirement-Slam played an absolute epic of a five setter semi final against the greatest player of all time. No one left anything on court. It was wall to wall blood and sweat and tears.

This same Novak Djokovic looked meek as a little kitten for a good part of the opening set of the US Open final. He was slapping his feet with his racquet and looking for cheap points as quick as you could say boo.

Now, yes, this is slightly unfair. It's very unfair, in fact. But I would contend that the two circumstances are comparable, and one of the things that separates the greats from the extraordinarily goods is fitness. Let's say Federer had been the one to come out of that semi. Even if he had lost in this final, I don't think I would be writing the same essay now. His fitness is rarely talked about, but it's incredible.

But this is not about what might have been. What I do mean to say is that I think the right player won this match, and not just because the other guy was tired. If Rafa Nadal had been the one to go through that five set semi, I don't think his performance would have been any different than it was. Because he is made of iron.

I don't know if any of this is necessarily Djokovic's fault. I certainly don't wish to diminish his achievements - he took a set off Rafa, for heaven's sake, and we all know how hard this is to do. But this is one of the things that is standing between him and Slam #2. He expends so much energy getting to the final that once he's there... he can't quite play the tennis we know and he knows that he is capable of.

Ballad of the Rain Delay

What can I say about today?
One thing only - rain delay
Nole must be saying 'yay!'
Because he gets an extra day.

But Rafa likes his resting too
So, just between me and you
I do not think that he will do
Anything different - he'll win (big, too).

But we must wait - alack, alay -
This means I don't have much to say
Which is why today is Rhyming Day...
(...and now I'm going to go away.)

Queen of Queens

I'm not going to write about the men's semis, primarily because it was just so disappointing. Fedal, denied again. Suffice it to say that Rafa, Novak, you were definitely the better players on the day. And Novak, I know we don't have a good history, but I do know it really was your turn. And you should be very proud.

Oh, and vamos Rafa.

What I can talk about is the women's final. I predicted Bepa yesterday due to the scratchy way Kim has been performing, and I was 100% totally wrong. Bepa was the one that went to pieces today, and boy, did she lose it in a big way. She was not half the player we saw line up against Wozniacki - not the player who did not lose a set en route to the final at all.

Bepa fell prey to her mental demons - the mental demons that plague all tennis players but which some players can manage better than most. Do I believe Bepa can win a Slam - like, if she has the game to do so? Absolutely. Do I think she will? Probably not, especially not after two disappointing finals losses.

But please, Bepa, prove me wrong. I am really, really happy to be wrong.

And then there is Kim Clijsters, the queen of Queens. What a beautiful moment it is whenever she wins a tournament. She is a gracious, charming victor... and it does not hurt that Jada is cute as a button. She played stunningly well in this match and really showed this tournament that she has the goods. She fought through tough matches where she looked down and out. She turned on the talent when it counted. She showed that she, herself, must always be counted. And congrats, Kimmie. You deserve all your glory.

Ninja-Off

CazWoz, you seem like a nice kid. You really do. But until you start playing more interesting tennis, you will not catch me barracking for you in a million years. I was so, so glad that Vera Zvonareva knocked you out today, and I'm not going to apologise for it.

Let's talk about Bepa for a minute. She has flown pretty much completely under the radar for this entire tournament, despite the fact that she made the final in Wimbledon and has been playing like a gun. I don't think there's one single person who picked her to make the final here - including me - and it's really satisfying that she's stood up to be counted. There's a lot of things in the future of Vera Zvonareva, but the way I see it, not once again will she ever be forgotten.

In Slams, I think you have to say that Bepa has had the second best year after Serena - she's certainly the only other person who has made two major finals, and even if she loses tomorrow that's not going to change. And you know what...? She may be the underdog, but I don't think there's a cookie tray in Bepa's future tomorrow.

Why?

Because even though she's been winning, even though she's brought it good when it's counted, Kim Clijsters is playing some of the most error strewn tennis we've seen from her in a while.

Her match against Venus today... well, she so easily could have lost that one, and Venus is going to have nightmares about those two double faults in the breaker. Similarly, Kimmie played a very error-riddled match against Stosur. She's squeaked out her last two matches, but against Bepa, who is playing spectacularly and has nowhere near the pressure that Kimmie has? Well...

I think this match is on Kim's racquet - but that Bepa will really have something to say about that. Both these players are capable of redlining their game and playing like ninjas. If it comes down to a ninja-off, I think Kimmie will win... but I'm thinking the player more likely to go ninja is Bepa, if that makes sense.

So. Yes. Excellent performance from Bepa today, not so much from Kimmie. And though I'll be happy whoever wins - I think this one just might belong to Bepa.

The Man You Cannot Ignore

I don't think there is anyone in the world who picked Nadal to make the final of the US Open, much less to win. Everyone was all like, 'no, he doesn't play well here, he hates this surface, Andy Murray ra ra ra'.

I'm rooting for Federer. We know this. And my life would be easier if all this were true. But the fact of the matter is that Rafa, you are awesome, and I am so glad you have proved your doubters wrong.

The man who can't play in the US Open has got to the semis without dropping a set - and before today, he hadn't got his serve broken at all in the tournament, which is absolutely phenomenal. He has also added a whole lot more oomph to that serve and is playing like a demon out of hell. He is totally capable of winning the whole thing. Like, scarily capable. But while I am scared, I cannot help but applaud.

I know that his big obstacle was supposed to be Andy Murray, who would smash him like a guitar in the quarters. Instead, he faces Mikhail Youzhny, who put him out of the US Open a few years ago but seems unlikely to repeat the feat. But this does not mean that any feat Rafa has achieved has any kind of asterisk over it - not at all. Rafa may have a relatively cupcake-y draw, but that isn't his fault and he can't be held accountable for it.

A Fedal final would be the ultimate frazzle test for a Federer fan. But it also has the potential to be one of the greatest matches ever.

Not that I'm counting chickens or anything - Roger has to get by Djokovic, and Youzhny, well, he did put Rafa out that one time. But no matter what happens, Rafa has so much to be proud of this tournament. We talk about Fed-haters a lot - I don't know if there are Nadal-haters so much as Nadal-ignorers. And Rafa has shown us time and time again that he is not a man who can be ignored.

Whoa Tennis

Robin Soderling, I like you. You know I do. Compared to some other players, I bear you relatively little ill will for what you did to Roger at Roland Garros this year. I like watching you play and I barrack for you over at least nine out of ten other players.

That said...

REVENGE IS A DISH BEST SERVED COLD, BITCHES!

I am so, so glad that the Fedmeister took out this one and broke his two-Slam 'only the quarters' streak. And could I have possibly asked for more? I think not. I think I could have asked for not one iota more. Straight sets? Against the man that broke the 23-Slam semi streak? Whoa. That is all I can say.

It was whoa-tennis. Federer won 86% of points on his first serve. That is crazy talk. It is insanity. And you know what stat is my special favourite? FIVE OUT OF SIX BREAK POINTS CONVERTED. By Federer standards, that is absolutely outstanding.

I am a very happy little Federbitch right now, let's put it that way - and I am looking forward to Super Saturday with only a (relatively) small amount of frazzles! The Federer Express will be taking on Novak 'Bert' Djokovic, who has been playing surprisingly well this tournament. He played well to take out Monfils, and... he's pretty much just played well. No one expected him to get this far and he has. Kudos to him.

That said, I still don't like you, Novak. HOPP SUISSE!

Oh, and women's tennis. We have a Caro/Bepa semi. This has been a great year for Zvonareva... second straight major final, anyone? I know I'm cheering for it!

Intrigue and Errors

We have a really intriguing women's semi final lined up - Venus vs Kimmie. A year after Kimmie lined up against Venus's sister Serena in that fateful match, we are getting the closest thing to a repeat possible. Intriguing.

Now, I think Kimmie is going to take this and take it relatively easily. But if she plays as error-strewntastically as she did today and Venus plays tight, then it could be very interesting indeed.

Let's talk about the two quarter finals for a sec. Frankie Schiavone was right when she said she lost her match more than Venus won it. Normally, I'd be all 'come on guys, this is unfair', but Frankie imploded spectacularly in this match. She is capable of so much more and this was very disappointing. Nonetheless, it's got Venus through to her first semi in about a hundred years in New York, and given the dearth of men on the dudes' side in this draw, the US should be glad.

And then there was Sammy. Oh, Sammy.

Clijsters played some error-strewn stuff today, and Sammy had her chances. She could have won the match today if she had just taken them. But her inability to hold serve... well...

But no one expected her to hang this tight to Kim. And no one really expected her to make quarters here. She played to her seed, and that is something. Well done, Sammy.

And the men. Oh the men.

Rafa got through relatively painlessly, and Youzhny with only a scrape or so, but Stan Wawrinka and Fernando Verdasco must both be totally exhausted after their respective epics. I don't want to say that we'll have Youzhny and Rafa in the semis for sure... but I kind of do, because I just don't know how these guys are going to bear up.

But awesome performances from both - Stan for toughing out that fifth set against a non-partisan crowd and FeVer for roaring back from two sets to love down. This is the best performance from both this year, and both have a lot to be pleased about. And if one of them is a surprise semi finalist... I won't complain!

The Capslock of WTA RAGE

Today, I am spectacularly impressed by the main men in tennis and spectacularly unimpressed with the ladies' side of things. We had EPIC WINNAGE and then EPIC FAILAGE.

Let me elaborate.

First, the good news. Basically, the good news = the dudes. It's very unusual that you'll ever find me putting a Novak Djokovic win in among my good things, but it seems like everyone and his dog was expecting him to lose to Mardy 'Farty Dish' Fish today. Fish was the hot tip, the big pick... and instead, Djokovic coolly dispatched him in straights.

Everyone knows that I'm not Djokovic's biggest fan, but he proved why he is still near the top of the game after all these years. Kudos to you, Novak. Good job.

And then the Sod won, which fills me with frazzly terror but which is good because, hey, I like that Yoker, and Monfils won, which is cool, because I picked him to reach the semis and it makes me look a bit insightful.

Oh, and some Swissie won. Some Swissie looked pretty freaking brilliant as he put Melzer to bet in straights. And I'd like to give full credit to Melzer here, because he played some excellent tennis and never went away in the match. Federer was just awesome. And a 50% break point conversion rate? Given his usual standards, that is made of pure solid gold.

But then there were the women.

This does apply to all. Vera Zvonareva, you get an A+. You are my new favourite on this side of the draw, because you are really cool, Bepa, and you played some sweet sweet stuff against Petkovic today. You played like someone who has made the final of a Slam before and is looking to make their second one should play, and that really impresses me. You've played to your seed and no one can ask more of you than that.

...but I'm going to, because if it comes to it, I'm gonna need you to take out Caro for me. (You're cute, Domi, but I don't see you doing it.)

Caro, you're a sweet kid. You're the #1 seed and you're playing like it. BUT YOU PLAY THE MOST BORING TENNIS IN THE WORLD EVER WHY DID YOU NOT BEAT HER MASHA WHY WHY WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?!

Kudos to Caro and all, but I was really disappointed Sharapova did not make more of this. I was hoping of something of the level of Stosur/Dementieva, and I definitely didn't get it. This match was billed so highly it was always going to be a letdown, but it should have been better than that.

Oh, and then there was bit where Wickmayer lost to Kanepi, and, oh yeah, SVETA LOST. Sveta, I wanted you to win so badly I PICKED you to win, and I NEVER pick you. But could you oblige me? NO. You went down in flames to tiny Domi C, and I'mma havin' a hard time forgiving you. Less brainfarts, please?! PLEASE?!

...I'm going to stop writing before the capslock gets stuck on. But come on, Bepa. Win this half for me. I know you have it in you!

Leaving Normal

Of course when I talked about the relatively low upsettage in this tournament, there was going to be a wham-bam-thankyou-ma'am epic upset. Andy Murray, you are GONE.

This is a loss that Murray shouldn't have taken. Not after winning Toronto and the US Open series, and not after playing well in his first couple of matches. We knew the Stan Wawrinka match up was probably not the best match ever for him - we all remember that epic five setter under the lights at Wimbledon - but Stan hasn't been playing that great, and Andy should be better than that.

That is the problem with Andy. Right when he should be, he never seems to be better than that.

I would not be surprised if this match has as much of a psychological impact on him as that crushing by Federer in Australia. At least in Australia he made the final and managed one set of relatively good tennis, even though he lost it. Here, he just couldn't make it happen. Sure, Stan was zoning, but he wasn't redlining, wasn't zoning so hard that there was nothing Murray could do about it.

But nonetheless, Murray just could not do anything about it. And now you might as well send Rafa straight to the final.

Over on the ladies' side of the draw - I don't know if we'll see a better women's match this tournament than Stosur/Dementieva, because that one was an absolute cracker. I was listening to it at work and I was on the edge of my seat. I thought Sam fighting off one match point against Serena at Roland Garros was pretty good - here, she fought off four and played a superb tiebreak to beat Dementieva.

I don't think Sam stands a realistic chance against Clijsters right now. But she's played to her seed and achieved her best result at the US Open by a long way. Sam Stosur has a lot to be proud of - on a surface that is not her best, she has fought her way into the quarter finals. It's not getting anywhere near the coverage that, say, Jelena Dokic's run to the quarters in Australia did last year. And you know why? because this is becoming normal for Sam. And that is the best news of all.

Low Upsettage, Big Winnage

There really has not been much in the way of upsettage this tournament. We lost our highest profile seed today in Jelena Jankovic, and I think we all knew JJ wasn't getting too far, not with the way she's been playing lately.

People might say that this takes the fun and the surprise out of the tournament, but I really like it. Sure, some early exits can be totally exciting, particularly if you get big profile seeds in tough tough matches (whether they win or not), but when you get to the second week, you really appreciate the lack of upsets.

Let's look at some of the tantalising match ups we have ahead of us. I have to say that this is the first time in my life I've been actively excited about a Wozniacki match, because I think her match against Sharapova has got to be an absolute barnburner. I think Caro will come out of it - though I would like it if MaSha did, because I appreciate her tennis MUCH more - but no matter what happens, this has the potential to be a titanic struggle. So, I am shocked to find myself saying, does Ivanovic against Clijsters, if Ivanovic can bring her best level.

Yes, I am aware that this is a big, BIG if. But still. It's possible.

And then whoever wins that Woz/Shaz match will probably face Sveta... man, that top quarter is made of win! And then there's Stosur/Dementieva - it could be the worst match ever, but it could also be intensely awesome.

And then over in the dudes, we have most of our main guys intact - with the exception of Davydenko and Berdych, we are reasonably unscathed. Certainly, the big four are all there, alive and kicking, and it is not unthinkable that all four will reach the semis. Wouldn't that be something?

But as it is, we already have some awesome matches coming up. Nalbandian/Verdasco should be great. So should Murray/Wawrinka - I really like that match up. And Fish/Djokovic! Don't even get me started on how badly I want both of those dudes to be knocked out... and we know for sure at least one of them is going.

And I could not close this blog post without noting that the awesome Mr Roger Federer straight setted Paul-Henri Mathieu. Stay cool, Rog. You da man.

Oudinisation

I suppose the match of the day we have to talk about is Sergiy Stakhovsky and Ryan Harrison. And don't get me wrong, this was a good match. Very entertaining stuff.

But... USA, I say this with love. I say it because I am from a country that does exactly the same thing to its sportspeople (hello, Casey Dellacqua?) You do not do your up and comers any favours when you deify them as the next big thing. It is possibly the most spectacularly unhelpful thing you could do for their careers.

It's a horrible process called... Oudinisation. And Ryan Harrison is being Oudinised.

I bet Harrison is kicking himself that he lost that match - any self respecting tennis player would be. But you know what? For the sake of any future career he might have, I reckon it might be a good thing. If he had got to the third round, had gone further, the Oudinisation process would have gone further. He must have become fully Oudinised. And that is not a good thing.

Players that are Oudinised have incredible expectations placed on their shoulders. Tennis is a game where only the toughest survive, and it is only the extremely rare player in whom that toughness is innate (Rafa and Serena come to mind). In most others, it is learned. I would include Roger Federer in this category, so this is not necessary a bad thing - look how he turned out. But the process of Oudinisation does not help.

Look at what happens to British players at Wimbledon. This is an extreme case of Oudinisation which can affect even those who are legitimately the next big thing (hi, Andy Murray). But when you heap the expectations of a nation on the shoulders of someone as young as Ryan Harrison or Beatrice Capra or Melanie Oudin, you are not allowing them that necessary growth period. The time when they can play their way into toughness.

It so happens that sometimes young players have good results. We know this happen. Melanie Oudin had a spectacular run at the US Open, and this cannot be denied. But when players this young have that one run and then get expected to repeat, that is when you open the mental floodgates to the demon. These players can be literally destroyed by hope - the hope of a nation desperate for someone to be the next be thing - and a lot of the time, that second result is going to be a long time in coming. If it ever comes. Oudinisation can mess with your head.

So what I'm saying is that just because one young player had one young result, do not go and make them your Messiah. You may have dodged a bullet when you fluffed those three match points, Ryan Harrison - it might all work out better for you in the long run.

And in other news, Dustin Brown has awesome hair. This is all.

There Is No Mention Of The Word Blood In This Title

Okay, so I think I'm about done with the whole blood thing. That is sooooo first round.

First thing is first - Roger Federer is through, and in style. I could ask for nothing more (though if he wants to throw in a few more tweeners, then I'm not going to complain, you know?) I didn't see any of his match against Andreas Beck, but I'm pretty sure I'd enjoy most of it. Viva la Rog!

My fangushing is over now. Let us talk about everyone else.

Match of the day, I thought, had to go to Richard Gasquet and Nikolay Davydenko. Well, maybe not match of the day per se, but superlative performance of the day - Richou absolutely massacred Kolya. If I were more derivative, I would have titled this blog post something about Kolya's blood being spilled.

This is the kind of player Gasquet had the potential to be. If he played this awesome all the time, no one would be able to stop him. He'd be a second Federer - he'd be damn near unbeatable most of the time. But alas, he hasn't realised that potential. I doubt there is a Slam in Gasquet's future. He's going to be one of those woulda shoulda coulda kind of guys. But hot damn, this was some performance today. I'm going to be reeeeeeally interested to see how he fares in the next round, because if he shows up with this kind of form.... yeesh.

Soderling and Djokovic both had much easier times of it, which was nice for both of them. Djokovic seems to be trying to set a tradition of making an inappropriate joke in all of his post match press conferences. Um... whatever, Bert.

There was one major upset on the men's side today, and that was Kei Nishikori triumphing over Marin Cilic in an absolute epic. I love Nishikori's game, so I hope he can go far - this was quite some match for him!

Now. Ladies.

1) Caroline Wozniacki is looking more and more like she might win the title. This scares me.

2) Jelena Jankovic is definitely not going to win it. This is a bit saddening.

3) Maria Sharapova and Svetlana Kuznetsova are both big contenders and whoever wins that top quarter is going to win the tournament.

4) Andrea Petkovic and Bethanie Mattek-Sands played one of the most compelling women's matches I have seen a long, long time.

Any questions?