The 2012 Australian Open...

[don_budge]

This major does not seem to get the same attention that the others do. But the one thing so far that has blipped the radar screen is Nadal bad mouthing Federer about his lack of motivation as President of the players association. A real lack of class.

I can only pray that this will serve as motivation for the Swiss Maestro to shut the mouth of one of the biggest Hot Dog's to reign as a top player in the tennis world. Is that too much to hope for? Complaining about job conditions Raphael? Get a real job! It's amazing what millions of dollars can do to warp your sense of reality.

The Spanish ingrate as quoted:

"His (position) is easy: do not say anything, all positive, I am a 'gentleman,' others get burned. We each have our opinion and maybe he likes the circuit. Me too, I like it, and I think it's better than most sports. That does not mean you cannot be better and that you should change things that are bad," the 25-year-old said.

"I say a lot of good things about tennis, because thanks to this sport I have had experiences in my life I could never have dreamed of, but to finish your career with pain in all areas of your body is not positive."

"He finishes his career as fresh as a daisy because he is physically privileged, but neither Murray nor Djokovic and I are fresh as a daisy."

I guess it is Roger's fault that he plays with effortless grace and balance, seemingly gliding around the tennis court which probably, like a well oiled machine, saves wear and tear on his body...while Nadal plays like a bronco busting rodeo rider. It's no wonder that he is always injured or faking injury, the way he is flailing away on his forehand and stampeding around the court with his perma sneer painted on his face.

Americans Mardy Fish, Sam Querry and Donald Young all sent packing and on their way home. Ryan Sweeting up against 5th seed, David Ferrer (bottle's man) and let's see if he's gotten any of the kinks and quirks out of his service motion. Andy Roddick meets Lleyton Hewitt...talk about big quirky serves against a great, but aging, returner. They have history you know. Roddick leads 7 to 6 winning the last six matches and all of them close. Hewitt will have the Australian crowd behind him if he can challenge it may make a difference to the sensitive Roddick. Roddick also leads in career money earnings...20 mil to 19 mil. Any serve and volley going on? Perhaps Michael Llodra dares to be different.

[stotty]

Over here in the UK we are rather hoping tennis_chiro's tip for stardom in 2012, Andy Murray, might just emerge to be the champion.

[tennis_chiro]

Go ahead! Make your picks!

I put together the jpeg below (I think you can see it if you click on it a couple of times) for 10sballs as soon as the draws came out, but they haven't used it. I thought some of you might enjoy this condensed view of the draw. I don't know the women well enough to really pick that draw beyond a few favorites, but I put my picks for the quarters to finals down here for the men's draws (and yes, Stotty, I did pick Murray; and after the way he won his second round, I might be right). I did this summary for the women too, but I don't even know the seeds much less the floaters. But if you want me to put it up, let me know.

The idea of the Roman numerals is a list of 15 choices to fill the spots from quarters through finals. 1 pt. for quarters, 2 points for semis, 3 pts for finals and 5 pts for the champion. Put down your picks and keep track of your points earned. Your entry in the forum will be time stamped. If you think your list is a leader, point it out to us with your total as we go through the tourney.

So far, I didn't see Failla coming. Otherwise, my picks are still alive.

Sorry. No prizes. Just for the hell of it!

don

[don_budge]

The Big 4...again

This was the title of another post that I made...I forget where but it seems to hold most of the time. I see that tennis_swami has picked Berdych over Nadal and I for one hope that doesn't materialize. Berdych must get through Almagro first. The scary thing is he always knows what he is talking about and he is usually on the mark. I find the Murray forecast somewhat gloomy as well...sorry Stotty but this guy is really boring. Really boring. Deep down inside, with all of my traditional longings, I hope for some American, Australian or some Brit to take the stage, but please let it be someone we can admire or at least someone that we would like our children to emulate. Like Roger at least. I am pulling for Tsonga in that quarterfinal part of the draw, but for me it's all heart.

Federer vs. Nadal is the match to hope for...to pray for. After the Spaniard popped off about the job that Federer is doing as the president of the player's association and the exchange that was sure to follow...there is no better prelude to the match that could be hoped for in terms of anticipation. Of all the nerve...Nadal only sites himself, Djokovic and Murray "not being fresh as a daisy". What about the rest of the tour? Federer represents all of the players and not just the Big Four. He understands that. Nadal is a bit of a simpleton and it's not just the language. Roger...what more incentive do you need to pin this guys ears back? Is there any justice in the world?

In Federer's match against Karlovic it looked to me that Roger was playing the forehand a bit more than usual...could he be anticipating a match with Nadal and doing some exploratory tactical practice? Looking for the weak link on the Spaniard's backhand side? Dolgopolov and Tomic are playing a rather interesting match, as I write this they have split the first two sets. Both players are making good use of the slice backhand to change the tempo and direction of the points. Dolgopolov is making use of a spin that takes the ball into the body of the Tomic backhand and away from his forehand. Sidespin as well as underspin. Both of these young guys have what it takes to make Roger sweat but can they put it together on the big stage? Dolgopolov in particular has the combination of quickness and power to make things happen. Tomic on the other hand is not quite as quick but packs a bit more wallop with a newly buffed up body. Interesting questions, but I have some doubts.

Hewitt dispatched Roddick with some pain and Isner has packed his bags as well, so guess what? No Americans left in the draw. What a sad state of affairs...it's not even the quarterfinals yet. Time to think it through coaches...USA. How did we fall so far so fast? We followed Nick into the abyss and now we are looking at the bottom. Rock bottom. Do we see ourselves yet? The French on the other hand have six players still in the draw...all in the top half of the draw.

Amazing that all of a sudden Djokovic has regained his form. He is literally pounding his opponents into submission. Hmmm. There are some rather interesting matches looming in the top half of the draw. Hewitt, Nishikori, Monfils and Tsonga could make things entertaining until we get to the main course. Hewitt's match with Raonic is an interesting matchup. Will Raonic press matters at the net? Will anybody? Either of these guys will probably be cat food for the Serbian scythe machine. Ferrer could have his hands full with either Gasquet or Tipsarevic, should he beat Chela...whom he should. A Del Potro vs. Federer in the bottom could be compelling drama should that match materialize. That would be a great warmup for Federer...should he pull through. Should Nadal pull through for that matter too.

Don't you just love a good tennis tournament? There is no better drama in the sports world.

[stotty]

I see three potential winners of this years Aussie Open:

Djokovic, Federer or Murray...in that order

I just cannot see Nadal doing it. I subscribe to Don_Budge's wish to see a Federer/Nadal semi...a grudge match is always good entertainment.

Yes, Murray is a bore when he is playing within himself. When forced to come to races, though, he can perform as well as any. He's interesting because he doesn't have the great forehand of the other three and cannot rely on it to win matches...though his backhand is the best out there for me.

[don_budge]

It's Evolution Baby!!! (Pearl Jam)

I've changed my mind about Murray. I still think he's boring but how can you go against tennis_chiro and be in your right mind...or your left one for that matter. licensedcoach deserves something to smile about too...his generous approach to coaching should get some kind of payoff and if Murray winning a Slam gives it to him why not? Put me down for Murray...until he should meet "The Man". He's is still dreadfully boring though...I saw an interview with him on the CNN website and it was really a stinker. A real snoozer. How can we possibly give a flying hoot if you don't Andy? Where is the passion? The love of the game? Tsonga's little chest thumping romp after his win over a hapless Portuguese sealed his fate in my mind...what is up with these curtain calls? It will all come down to choreography. Really amateurish!

I woke up in the middle of the night, went downstairs and switched on the TV. It was the screaming Russian vs. a rather comely Czech. Azarenka vs. Benesova. I had to turn down the volume because Azarenka was screaming so loud. I was afraid that she would wake my wife upstairs. That was disgusting. The women are looking more and more masculine with each progressive year. It's evolution baby! (Eddie Vedder-Pearl Jam). Nadal was warming up with Lopez which I watched clear through the entire warmup...I'd seen enough. Lopez was fussing throughout the warmup about something, I think he had forgotten his vibration dampener. Nadal was fussing about in general the way that he normally does. Water bottles, coin toss ritual, charging back to the baseline...what a show!

The Serbien Scythe against the hometown aging favorite...Hewitt is cat food. Has the Serbian gone on to another diet...he really looks thinner in the head again. Gasquet pounded Tipseravic and is primed for a takedown of Ferrer. Kukushkin watched Monfils tank the first two sets against him, saw him come back to life then took him in the fifth. Andy's all over him. Kei Nishikori beating Tsonga would be the best thing that could happen for this tournament at this point. Kohlschreiber is playing Del Potro as I write this and it looks like he is about to take the first ticket out of town. The German is a rather nice player but I watched him approach the net a half a dozen times with top spin and every single time Del Potro just pounded the ball back at him. Hey Phillip...try a little underspin just to change the pace and perhaps a change in tactics. Lay it down short or lay it into the corner and mix it with a drop shot. By the way, why are you starting your service motion with the ball on top of the frame?

Later on today...it's the "The Newly Buffed Kid" against Roger Federer. Perhaps he will try to dissect the Aussie's two hand backhand and poke some holes in it with the slice and dice, Swiss Cheese style. It's a tough road to hoe for the "Swiss Maestro"...Tomic then Del Potro then "The Drama Queen from Mallorca" or maybe Berdych. I had a feeling that Almagro was not going to be a pushover for Tomas. What a schedule for the next week. I am getting tired just thinking about it. Plus I have to shovel horse poop and snow today. Soldier on!

Great idea Don with the draw and the picks. Sorry that I could not figure out how to use it. I looked at it with limited time and mental resources and could not pull it off. At what age does senility become a factor? Maybe I am just trans generational.

[don_budge]

Federer dispatches the Kid...while don_quixote shovels horse poop

I was in the stalls cleaning up after the horses. What a life they have and they don't even know it...they are not that smart. Thick hides and short memories. Reminds me of some homo sapiens I know. They get let out in the morning to some fresh hay on the ground and they come in in the evening to a clean stall with some nice food and some fresh water. Don Quixote fighting windmills...picture this, don_quixote shoveling horse shit while Federer is playing Tomic. Shoveling fast and furious...in order to catch part of the match.

Well catch it I did. Federer, the Featherer, up two sets to love. I got to see the old pro manipulate the horse into the barn which is the most difficult part of the whole proposition when dealing with unruly stallions. Giving the young upstart a good spanking in front of his own crowd, which is just what he deserves...because he is guilty of being young, right? Anyways, I had a couple of thoughts.

Looking at the Tomic service motion, I notice that I am not the only one detecting a flaw and licensedcoach I am proud of you going to school on the service motion...but it's in the backswing baby. If it is not perfect it is not right and therefore some degree of being wrong. He is not in optimal position to go after the serve because he is not in position and it is due to his less than mechanically perfect backswing, which in turn is due to a flawed setup position. Bernard...lean forward with your racquet a bit more out in front of you so that you can allow the racquet to drop and then swing up into position where you should absolutely be crushing it. But you are not.

If you want to discuss movement rosooki, look no further than the one and only, Roger Federer. He will tell you everything that needs to be said and all you have to do is watch him. Watch only him for a while. Don't watch the ball, don't watch the opponent and don't even look at the opponent's pretty girlfriend in the audience, just watch "The Man". Roger played with aggressive feet today and he just hammered his younger, less experienced, less equipped, inferior opponent into submission. After every shot Roger hits he is making an immediate extraordinary effort to take a couple of quick steps to get himself into position in order to anticipate the reply of his opponent. I am not aware so much of him making a split step but I do see the catlike grace and the stalking of the mouse...there is something really primal about it. Simply feline! You can make up for some lack of natural quickness with intelligent positioning and anticipation. In Federer's case...aggressive, anticipatory footwork equals early positioning and better balance for every shot anticipated, which in the end is the equivalent to a sound beating in the world of professional tennis. It's a boxing style knockout in three straight sets.

The Swiss Maestro was also guilty of extremely smart serving and this is evidenced by a high first service percentage, at least in the third set, and a complete set of cerebral tactics to complement a flurry of aces. Like a Justin Verlander, Detroit Tiger Cy Young winner, he was moving it around with variation of spin, speed and placement. He is a clever boy! This kept Tomic off balance and guessing throughout the match and at the end he was standing straight up and accepted the knockout punches all too willingly. I just love it when the cagey vet pounds the upstart into next week. Vicarious revenge for when the spoiled brats with their shiny new Prince graphites started nipping at the heels of poor old don_quixote...I mean don_budge with his little tiny wooden Wilson Kramer Pro Staff. Tremendous service tactics all due to a nearly perfect service motion which allows the server a number of variations off the same motion...he hasn't any tell. When you serve that well the rest of the game gets that much better too. Why? Confidence...it really is a mental game.

The Federer slice backhand was in full use in his clinical dissection of Bernard Tomic. We sort of picked apart the kid's slice backhand here in the forum courtesy of John Yandell's interactive some months ago. I still think that the interactive should have the whole arsenal of the player to ponder upon...at least the corresponding forehand and serve. It's not too much for us to think about. An Interactive Player of the Month would give us something to reference to if we are charting modifications in player's technique over time.

Roger used his slice to great effectiveness to neutralize the Kid whenever he felt he needed to, which really wasn't all that often considering how aggressive he was through the entirety of the match. He looked rather comfortable lashing it up the line with top spin as well. Tomic certainly looked as if he had been Swiss Cheesed at the end with a lot of holes in his self belief...a Federer Feathery on match point for an elegant coup de grace. Voila. Touche. Ole! Good night, Irene.

And finally, you thought that I would never stop, a backhand overhead by The Maestro at 1-3, 0-30 on the Tomic serve that left Bernard standing in disbelief. True Champions have a knack for coming up with the extraordinary at the crucial moment...he proceeded to break Tomic for a commanding 4-1 lead and served out the set with a routineness that should bode well for him if he can keep up the great serving.

Well just one more thing. Did you see the curtain call? He just stepped out onto the court, waved and acknowledged the crowd without the grandstanding and the grandioseness of the wannabe's that would of made him appear to be unseemly to the hometown boy. He showed a lot of respect for all concerned...to the crowd, to Tomic, to himself and most importantly of all to the game itself. He knows that the game is bigger than even himself and that is one of the things that makes him an absolute classic. The living proof.

[don_budge]

Looking ahead...Prognostics anyone? The Dark Horse.

While the top half of draw still has a number of matches to resolve the bottom half is already projected into the quarterfinals. There aren't any weak sisters left in the draw...not that there were any in the beginning.

In the top half the first match is the Serbian Scythe vs. the Hometown Favorite aging Veteran. Djokovic vs. Hewitt. We might be tempted to call Hewitt cat food for the Grim Reaper. Ouch! Djokovic has beaten Hewitt four of the five times they have played and Hewitt's only victory over Djokovic was six years ago at the US Open. Hewitt was 24 years old and on top of the tennis world and Djokovic was only 18 years old and just a little wet behind the ears...which seem to be getting closer and closer to each other as his head appears to be getting thinner and thinner.

Gasquet shall have at it with bottle's man, Ferrer. But I am picking Gasquet based on all of the talk about performance enhancing drugs these days surrounding the Spanish players courtesy of Yannick Noah who just happens to be a country man to Gasquet. Not that Ferrer is suspected, accused or anything but man, when you see this guy without a shirt...he is ripped. But of course that means nothing in itself. Why even Gasquet has had his issues with drugs...but when the "truth" came out he tested positive for cocaine (which is not generally thought to be performance enhancing and in fact Robin Williams claimed that it was God's way of telling you that you had too much money) it was confirmed that he had been only French kissing some babe in a Miami nightclub who had been using cocaine. I wonder why they call it "French kissing". I guess it's only degrees of separation when it comes to cases like Gasquet's. I am going with Gasquet...based on his creative alibi.

Murray vs. Kukushkin. Well, licensedcoach will tell you it is a slam dunk for his Scottish charge but not so fast. They recently played a rather tough match in Brisbane which the Scot eked by in three sets. No matter...Murray again. No sleeping during the match!

And then there is Kei Nishikori against the beefy Frenchman, Tsonga. Believe it or not Nishikori won the only encounter between these two in Shanghai late last year. He owns Tsonga so lets see him do it again. This would add some spice to the tournament that it sorely needs.

So let's go to the bottom of the draw with Nadal vs. Berdych and Federer vs. Del Potro. First there is the matter of Nadal and Berdych which is conceivably no matter at all. Nadal has won the last nine meetings between the two and there is no reason to believe for any different outcome...except the possible blip or anomaly. Berdych doesn't have the cajones to hang with Nadal for five sets.

Which brings us to the crux of the matter...as long as Roger is around he is the crux. In fact he's the kit and caboodle. Del Potro is in fact the dark horse and what a horse he can be. While Federer owns a 7-2 lifetime head to head, Del Potro has won two out of the last three matches. The last victory of Federer's is post Del Potro's wrist issues. The performance of both players in this tournament indicates that they are coming back into form with some impressive play...I am anticipating a real horse race between two thoroughbreds, Federer will once again have to serve up some magic to keep this stallion at bay. When Del Potro beat him at the 2009 US Open Roger almost seemed to wilt under the pressure of the Argentine as his serve seemed to desert him in the final set. It will be really interesting to see what tactics he will begin with and how he will respond to the pressure from his imposing Argentine opponent. Del Potro doesn't have a lot of variety in his game but what he does have can be overwhelming if one is not up to the task. My heart is with Federer...all of the way. Do or die. Come on Roger...steel yourself!

[stotty]

Del Potro versus Federer will clearly be the one to watch. Del Potro playing well could do it. I hope not, but he could. I'm firmly routing for Federer and would love to see a Nadal versus Federer semi. It's been a while since they've met on a big occasion and I've missed their encounters

If the dream semi pans out, I think Nadal will nail Federer on a big occasion such as this. He always does. It's not just about the tennis with these two, it's about the mind. Federer is brilliant in the mind and as mentally strong as anyone... with the exception of Nadal. Nadal has his number and that's all there is to it...yes...on any surface if the occasion is big enough. But I will still be rooting for Federer.

Murray and Djokovic look awfully strong. Murray could well have a blip against anyone right when you don't expect it...yes even against Kuku... it's possible. But it's Djokovic that looks unstoppable. You have to hope for a Djokovic/Federer final because Federer is the only one with the genius to pull it off. Come on Fed...

What are we all gonna do when Federer retires!?

[don_budge]

Kei Nishikori...West, meet East.

And then there is Kei Nishikori against the beefy Frenchman, Tsonga. Believe it or not Nishikori won the only encounter between these two in Shanghai late last year. He owns Tsonga so lets see him do it again. This would add some spice to the tournament that it sorely needs.

Well he still owns the Big Guy from France. Tennis is a game for all sizes of people, all colors and from every different culture under the sun. It is truly international in scope.

After the comparatively diminutive Nishikori had melted and charbroiled the beefier Tsonga into the hot pavement down in Melbourne the interviewer made it a point to ask the victor some questions about what his victory would mean for his homeland, he also mentioned the significance of being the first Japanese player to make the quarterfinals in 80 years of the Australian Open. Kid Kei really seemed to be down to earth with a wonderful perspective on his position...relative to the sun and all. He was a bit "oh shucks" and "I'm not sure" with his answers, but inside he was surely bursting at the seams. At the end of his match he was thinking things through very clearly and his feet were in perfect position more often than not and this is the big reason why he was able to take down the Baby Bull from France. Tsonga has such a baby face.

Tsonga on the other hand was laboring mercilessly under the broiling sun...lugging around his huge frame while the Kid from Japan was stepping into everything nicking away all of the time until it was time for the final plunge of the Samurai's sword. He served out the match at love after all but giving away the game before on Tsonga's serve, conserving all of his energy for the coupe de grace. Well played and now it is Murray's turn. Good luck Andy...this kid has a lot of heart and he is a killer...a cold blooded assassin. Samurai style. What a wonderful change of pace for the tennis world...a new face and another culture to contemplate.

Personally my experience with Japanese people has been somewhat limited but on the other hand I have had some exposure to the culture during my frequent visits to Hawaii. My friend who lives in Hawaii used to work for a Japanese billionaire running one of the finest 5 star hotels on Maui. When I was in Norway I was sort of surprised at the number of busloads of Japanese tourists that were touristing among the fjords there. At the hotel where we were staying I was a bit shocked at how aggressive some of the little small diminutive ladies were around the dinner buffet. They were real Tigers around the food line...sort of using their elbows a bit as if getting into position for a rebound on the basketball court.

We are all aware of the horrible catastrophe the earthquake, tidal wave and nuclear disaster that impacted the relatively small island of Japan and it's people. I hope that the small joy that seeing one of their countryman succeeding in the sports world will warm their hearts a bit during this winter and help them steel their resolve to recover from the nasty wounds inflicted upon them from Mother Nature.

This Kid could make it interesting for Murray...but on the other hand Murray seems to be playing the best tennis of his career and with Ivan Lendl in his corner as his handler, he may be able to overcome some of the emotions that would of made him more vulnerable to situations like the one he is going to face with this new kid on the block. You know at one point in his career Lendl had the reputation of being somewhat of a choker, not that he ever was, it just takes a couple of trips around the block to get used to the feeling of being there. At any rate this matchup looks like it will be a dandy and just what this tournament needs before it gets down to the nitty gritty of the semifinals. If the Kid should somehow eke through he has beaten Djokovic before so he thinks he belongs here where he is. Which is at least half the battle...mentally speaking.

The big problem...or hurdle for Kei will be the 6-3, 6-0 drubbing that Murray gave him in Shanghai last year. But that, on the other could serve as motivation for Nishikori and over confidence for Murray. What a fascinating match psychologically, tactically and culturally speaking. The longer it goes on the more it may favor Nishikori. He has the fighting spirit of a Samurai and I am not sure of Murray's.

Meanwhile...Ferrer made Gasquet blow a gasket in the Australian heat and Djokovic is making rather short work of the last hometown boy down under. The match between these two may get interesting depending on which Ferrer shows up. He has lifted his level in the last couple of months and he for sure is not about to throw in the towel. Djokovic leads head to head 6 to 5 and three of Ferrer's wins have been in round robin events. Perhaps if he can convince himself that it is a round robin event he will stand a better chance but as it is it looks to be all Djokovic. Now it is the quarterfinals...this is where it gets interesting.

[don_budge]

Another Horse in the Barn...two to go!

The guy doing the interview after the match said it was a clinic. That it was. 6-4, 6-3, 6-2...bing, bang, bye. Scorching display of precision tennis from start to finish. If it was a horse race, only one thoroughbred got out of the gates and that one got the quick drop on the other and never let up for an instant. Shellacked from the get-go...from start to finish. Awesome display of tennis.

After taking the first set 6-4 the Swiss Maestro parlayed his lead to a break of serve in the second set to 3-1 with a down the line backhand that caught the younger and stronger Del Potro completely by surprise. After Roger held for 4-1 Del Potro looked to be discouraged and his legs appeared to wobble a couple of times, sort of how Tsonga looked after a day of running in the sun. Could it be that the conditions will be favoring the men with slighter builds? Del Potro played a really tough game on the Federer serve as he was trying to serve out the second set but it was over with a mishit backhand return off a bullet of a second serve. Roger may of only served 57% on his first serve but more importantly he wasn't taking much off his second and he was really mixing up the placement.

Roger broke Juan in the first game of the third set and a couple of the backhand returns were simply splendid! On one huge first serve to the deuce court Federer stepped in and took it on the rise with his backhand and it went screaming by Del Potro's feet before he could even recover his balance after the service delivery. On break point on the ad side Roger hit a Featherer off the backhand side...a drop shot return to start the third, a bang with a silencer on it.

Throughout the match The Man was on his toes, guessing and anticipating everything that came back. His picture should be in the dictionary under the word "movement". He was moving well into position before his opponent hit the ball or as he was hitting the ball...I don't know if I have ever seen him move better. He defended, neutralized and attacked brilliantly from start to finish. At the end...he said to the interviewer, "I am very happy". Why wouldn't he be? He played a flawless match.

Nadal or Berdych next. I hope it is Rafael the Ingrate because Federer is going to make him eat his words. You can mark my words.

[stotty]

Well, it's Nadal versus Federer...what's the predicted outcome, Don_Budge?
After watching Nadal's court position and tactics against Berdych, the odds look in Fed's favour. But will Nadal come up with the goods against Federer as he has before on the BIG occasions?

I want Fed to win but my gut feeling is that Nadal will prevail...

[stotty]

Rafa

How does Rafa do it? He has an average backhand...poor sliced backhand...a very average serve...no volley to speak of. He has a brilliant forehand...runs like hare...is a great match player. His strongpoints shouldn't be enough, should they?...yet they are

[don_budge]

Federer vs. Nadal...semifinal showdown in the 2012 Australian Open

Well licensedcoach let's look at it this way...Nadal's overall record against The Federer Express is 17-9. But this is a bit misleading considering Nadal's overall mastery over Federer is predominately a clay court achievement. His record on clay against The Man is 9-1. So if we take away the clay court theater the record between the two is 8-5 to Federer. That being said...the last time they met was in London and Roger managed to pin the ears back on the Spanish Stallion 6-3, 6-0.

Federer has undergone a bit of a transformation himself recently as he started rounding into form a couple of months back by winning three consecutive tournaments to end the year 2011. During this Australian Open I am tremendously impressed with his resolve particularly with his last two straight set wins over Tomic and Del Potro. In both matches he came out of the corner at the opening bell swinging and never let up...in either match. An impressive display of intense concentration, I would say. Tactically he has been brilliant with his defensive game, his neutralizing game and his aggressiveness. Demonstrating a shrewdness beyond his less experienced opponents.

This match also has a couple of interesting angles and I think that the odds are sort of tilted to Roger's favor. Consider that due to the seeding and the changing of the #1 and #2 seeds they are meeting in the semifinals instead of the finals. Our Swedish man in the booth on Eurosport, Mats Wilander, noted this twist in the draw. Some of the nerves may be reserved on the back burner for the finals and this could end up being a bit more of a street fight than gamesmanship and nerves. Considering the way that Federer is moving...and Wilander pointed this out as well, Federer is really making it a point to run around his backhand and pound the forehand either reverse crosscourt or down the line aggressively. His backhand on the other hand appears to beefed up a bit to go down the line with more authority and this I believe is due to revelations that Nadal is much more vulnerable on that side.

Federer's serving presence has been absolutely commanding and this gives him a big psychological advantage over Rafael the Rascal. If he continues to serve big, particularly on the second serve, he is going to be awfully tough to break. Speaking of psychology there were the comments that Nadal foolishly let loose to the press about Roger's leadership as the player's association president and Federer's pride is going to unleash a torrent of abuse in the Spaniard's direction under the guise of his trusty Excalibur's. It seems to me that Federer has done what all true champions do and the rest of us mere mortals aspire too...he has looked adversity squarely in the face, stood up to it, he was a man about it, and came out of the experience a more experienced and capable warrior. Who would of thought it possible after Djokovic slew him on the pavement of New York in front of the world at the US Open last year? Many had their doubts. When this kind of disappointment in life just happens to hit you full in the face with the force of a train wreck, it's nice to have a little competitive tennis under your belt so that you can pick yourself up out of the wreckage, dust yourself off, keep your head up and get back up on that horse and ride...as if your life depends upon it. It's all you can do. He truly is the living proof.

All that being said this is all speculation by yours truly, little old don_budge (don't forget the lower case db Stotty) and anything is possible on the stage of a Major Grand Slam tournament semifinal. You can't underestimate the value of this kind of drama to the sporting world which is perhaps the biggest reason The King of Modern Tennis will be sorely missed when he retires. My hopes, too, rest with him as I would dearly love to see him pound this other impostor into next week.

[stotty]

Let's see...

Yes, it would be great to see Federer pull it off, don_budge. Not long to go now...and it will be settled one way or the other. Fingers crossed.