On behalf of my man Pistol Pete, take that, Federer!
How does it feel to get whooped by a younker like you did Sampras? ;)
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Although I think Nadal will win, I'm pulling for Andy Murray.

Spoken like a true Aussie..

I'll barrack for anyone but an englishman

Did they mention that Capriate business during the coverage at Wimbledon? I would think they might glance upon it for just a few uick seconds, but then again, I don't know... I like to keep personal things separate from the professional, to, ideally, seem professional.

Here's what I came up with after a quick 15-second search-and-retrieve:
Capriati's ex-boyfriend says his return to porn compounded her depression | Herald Sun

dripping with sheer and utter class.

im not sure about coverage mentioning capriati at all. the story was flooded on the front sheets in australia though. just wondered how big it was in north america.

It will be a V. Zvonareva vs. S. Williams women's Wimbledon final on Saturday.

It was almost another "cinderella" reaching the finals to face (and possibly beat?) Serena at Wimbledon for the title, but it seems the young Pironkova gassed out after winning the first set, then losing the next two quite easily against Zvonareva.

Go Rafael Spain!

Serena wins.

Nadal wins.

Both world #1s win Wimbledon in straight sets.

I wonder if the era of Federer is maybe not closing, but at least entering the period of decline. A 90% Federer will still win grand slams, and will still beat any player in the world on his day, but this is twice he has lost at Wimbledon, he is getting close to 30...

I really was cheering Murray on against Nadal in the semi, but Nadal never really looking like he would lose. At the second set tie break they were playing quite close (and Murry's counter punching style is hard for Nadal to play against) but in the key game Rafa just came out and played too good... and at 2-0 you just knew there was no way back.

Rafa was 2-1 down twice in these championships, but what marks him out is when he is under real pressure when even great players, even Federer get tight, Rafa attacks. I watched both the games he was 2-1 down in, and it was just awesome the way he came out in the 4th set of both games and just went beserk, really went for the jugular.

I still think, on any surface but clay, Federer can beat any man in the world when he is in the mood (and he can beat any man but Rafa on clay), even if he has lost a step... but maybe the days Federer is in the mood wont be every grand slam from now on

(the only player I think could get close to Roger and Rafa was Safin... if Safin was really fired up he could at least stay there against the great two, although he was rarely in the mood... of the current crop of great players, I cant see anyone winning a slam unless Roger and/or Rafa blow it)

That's an interesting point you brought up there, Strange: while you thought that only Marat Safin, either now, or a few years ago, might have always been thought as 'a contender', to rival Federer (or Nadal) as a favorite in every Slam he may have entered, I never really payed much attention to him, until he beat Roger at the Australian some years ago, then I thought twice. He is very good, but I don't know if it's his injuries, or he's just lackadaiscal, or now too old and never really capitalized on the 'good years' he had in him, but I guess, it's hard to capture glory when you are entrenched in one of the more recent 'Golden Eras of Tennis', capitulated by the absolute dominance that one Roger Federer has had over the course of near a decade now.

On the other hand, though, before Rafael Nadal came into play, the only person who I saw as, really, the rival to Federer was Andy Roddick, both back in 2004, and up until last year's final at Wimbledon, it was still evident that Roddick is a true power player once capable of taking multiple Slams. I never saw him as a really agile mover on the court, and he's not above average in any part even near to the net, but what Roddick lacked in agility (at least that is what I perceived it to be) he made up in brutal service hits, and punishing forehands. I've never seen Roddick ever really blow anyone out of the water as other top-seeded competitors can do sometimes at ease, but he hangs in there, and has always been a great percentage player if ever faced with a tiebreaker set.

This year's US Open may be the most interesting one I've seen in several years, as I have no idea who can be considered the 'favorite', save for the most recent Slam champion, Rafael Nadal. Something about right now, though, has me wanting to see Soderling win it. He's really impressed me this year.

Not sure Rafa's knee's can take the hard courts in NY

I think Andrew Murray has a good chance in this US Open.

Currently watching the waning second set points of the Men's Final between Roger Federer and Andy Murrary in Toronto (is it the Rogers Cup? - no, Rogers Masters).

wow, murray beats federer and nadal in the same tournament.

neither looks as formidable as they once were a year or two ago.

I meant to reply to this almost a week ago, but Murray went down just days later in the W&C Masters against Mardy Fish, and then Fish went onto face Federer in the finals, but he, too, lost, while Federer triumphed (not easily, though; he worked hard in the third set for that win).

But I agree: both Federer, Nadal, and to an extent Roddick as well, none of them look to be as dominating as each of them used to be, getting to Quarters-, Semi-Finals with ease.

This past weekend's Masters (ATP 500 event, I think it was) was only Roger's second title for this season, and that just seems very uncharacteristically-low.

We only have a week now to wait for the start of the US Open, so we'll see who triumphs and who loses in the weeks to come (my money, if I had any, would still go to Soderling to win it, just 'cause I like him).

US Open is finally live (in a few hours).

Just like the NFL, I swear, the US Open scheduled start in the season always seems to be extended / delayed from when it begun just a year(s) ago. I get antsy.

Anticipations, stories, opinions, favorites you have for this Slam; would you wish to share?

this one's wide open.

For me, federer of course is a sentimental favourite. He'll have a tough time with Murray and Nadal still in the draw.

I heard Serena has ruled herself out due to injury. So Clijisters is my pick out of the women. is it me, or has she packed on the weight?? i always knew she was a big girl, but she doesnt resemble the majority of womens tennis players out there. She can smack a ball from here to belgium though, while others need to shout and grunt to get it over the net.

Foolish me. I slept through all the early afternoon matches, and am only reminding myself now to watch the night schedule.

For those like me who have missed matches, or don't have TV in the workplace / round-the-clock coverage, ESPN3.com is known to show live streaming of virtually every game played live (via slight relay delay). They even archive some of the recently played matches (though I don't know exactly for how long). Give it a whirl.

Most of what I've seen so far in the tournament has been routine, and quite fascinating.
I'm actually more drawn to the women's side of the tourney this year, and that hasn't been the case very often (not since 2004).

The Me'ns side, however, has had some relative surprises in the early rounds though; Roddick being ousted in the 2nd, and then the news that darkhorse Andy Murray lost shortly thereafter in the week.

I don't beleive there are any holdever games from Friday's play or the weekend, so this late afternoon / evening should feature entirely the opening Round of 16 play in both the Men's and Women's draw.

ive seen the rise and rise of sam stosur. she's been around for a little while. i remember the aussie press mentioning her all those years ago without much excitement, but she seems to have blossomed in the past 12 months. she's made the finals of the french and just became the first aussie in twenty something years to make the US Open quarters.

i think i putting my money on this little aussie. watch out for the forehand. i she falls to clijisters, clijisters will take it out.

Oh man. Wow. Federer looked really dominant again tonight. I t was amazing at how fast he played the match against Soderling.
I've seen the drop-off with the Federer's game in the past several months, but he made tonight look routine. Unreal.


And with the way Djokovic has a penchant to draw himself into a corner and play harder than he should just to not lose the match,
I see Federer with an easy pass to yet another consecutive US Open Men's Final.

I didnt think Rafa could win the US

This is now the Era of Nadal. Federer is still a great player who can win Grand Slams, but Nadal is number one now.

Its just amazing to think that probably the two greatest players in the history of the game are active at the same time.

I must have not been paying much attenion, though it seems that matchplay has already begun for the Australian Open (either earlier today or yesterday).

Let the recommencement of the discussions (for the new year) begin.

Come on Andy!!

I hope I'm wrong, but it looks like Rafa is starting to throttle the life out of him.

---------- Post added at 07:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:31 PM ----------

... he's on the ropes now. :(

I missed the live broadcast of the Tsonga/Djokovic Semi today, and only the tail end of the Murray/Nadal match was I lucky enough to catch.
I was out of my mind bummed, but at least I caught about an hour of it (the early match) through the evening re-broadcast.

Maybe I wasn't so wrong about him the last time I happened to mention him (Jo-Wilfried Tsonga), but I was prospectin' at great he could be if his skills/health/potential all coincide. Looks like it took him a few years, but I could have a new favourite player to cheer on.

The thing that I was left to ponder, as the hours slipped by, is this: it is my (grim) prediction that Federer, that once unknown teenage foreigner with a ponytail, the first time I saw him, will eventually announce his retirement in 16-18 months, even as early as one year from now. It leaves me hollow to even say that.

I guess Tsonga just needs more consistency. He's always had that high level of energy, always had the ability to pull of incredible shots, but he also always runs a bit hot and cold. I just struggle to imagine him hitting his best form 4/5 games in a row.

With Federer, I dont know. He is still good enough to beat anyone, but he has a lot more games where he is beatable now. I suppose it comes down to what hunger he has left. I dont think he has ever quite got the same level back after he had glandular fever... that year he wasnt quite with it, and afterwards I felt he never was as untouchable as he was before... but maybe it just coincided with the rise of other players. When he's done everything, won everything... does he really have the motivation to work harder again to get back on top?

The first set Murray was beating Nadal in almost every part of the game. But the problem is, Nadal just never lets up. He keeps hitting the ball so hard, keeps getting shots that other players wouldnt, and to hit winners almost every player in the world has to play closer to the margins than they feel comfortable, and eventually the errors creep in. After the first set Nadal never looked worried, and he never reduced the level of aggression. Its sad to say, but right now Murray is just not as good a player, and its hard to see how he can beat Nadal when Nadal is at his best. And Nadal is always at his best in a Grand Slam.