not just when the Black wins the White
but when the astonishing happens
and the Pink loses the Orange.
:: from Les Prophecies Retrospectif
When I got home last night to find out Rafael Nadal had lost at Roland Garros, I wanted to know why I hadn't felt the shock. Why didn't this register on the Richter Scale? No wonder North Korea's getting away with a bomb or two.
Though Nadal's form had been iffy and his retrieval under the weather, not even seers with 20/20 vision knew this was coming. It's a tribute to the man that he's taken it on the chin. To use Nadal's Tarzan-esque English, "he indeed play bad".
No one really knows what to do with a Nadal-less second week at the French. The pressure may just have doubled on Federer (if so, it is showing - as I write this, he's teetering 2 sets down to Tommy Haas despite not losing a single point on serve until the first set tiebreaker). I have a feeling a certain strange-haired Scotsman will open his Grand Slam score on a surface that has much in common with his hair.
If somehow Federer were to haul himself up to win this one, it would be worthy of a year in which porcine aviation made its mark. Federer holding the French, Nadal holding Wimbledon. What next? Cristiano Ronaldo elected Professor of Modesty at the University of Lisbon? Stan Laurel berating Oliver Hardy for getting them into a mess? Sherlock Holmes pleading Dr. Watson to "tell me, how did you do it"?
5 comments:
I don't know what to think of French Open minus Nadal. It sucks to see him out so early. The crown usually rests rather lightly and pressure is intense.
I am really looking forward to seeing one of the most charismatic and entertaining players - Monfils versus Federer. Fed sure knows how to get it down against anybody but Nadal.
My wife spoke of Rafa upset in our Marathi Mandal social(guess where - Wimbledon). None of us had heard the news before and I and others just refused to believe her (She has a knack of getting things wrong. She says "Only once. Marriage!").
Anyway, sad as the news is for all, I am glad. Go Federer!!
Abhi
BTW, why is my captcha saying "Nagre"!! Govinda Govinda
I was not happy at all to see him go. Federer is battling. In all fairness, he deserves his French. But without Nadal, it would be hollow. Anyways, the best player in the history has a very inferior record against Nadal. So, is he the best ever anyway? BTW, Nadal did make a point to tell everyone that when he won it was because he played well and not because he was supremely fit. A point I had been making to everyone for the last couple of years.
Hirak: yes, the French finally have a squad worth looking at. Pity Tsonga's gone, though.
D: for now, the French; later the comparisons!
A: !
The Scot is gone as well. But Gonzalez was ripping it. The rate at which Soderling and Gonzalez are hitting winners and hard at that, it would make for a very interesting Semi. Federer's gonna wilt (I hope, he doesn't). BTW, is that an actual prophecy (disregarding the reference)?
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