2014 Swiss Indoors Basel…ATP 500…Basel, Switzerland

[don_budge]

Federer eases the horse into the barn…meanwhile Fafa is MIA…again

Federer to win in straight...

The raine in Spaine falls Mainely on the plaine…or something like that. Maine in autumn is positively sublime…tennis courts or not. I bet you have seen some golf courses. If you happen to catch the peak of the fall colours in the proper light you will have thought you have eaten some kind of mushroom. Go ask Alice…when she's ten feet tall.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WANNqr-vcx0

Ahem…right your are. Roger Federer in straight sets over David Goffin. 62 62. No muss no fuss. It was a clinic…that is all that it was. It wasn't the finals of an AYP 500 tournament…it was a lesson in maintaining pressure on your opponent. He never let up. More vintage rejuvenated Federer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1e8tuxLT0A

Throughout this highlight clip Roger Federer is the epitome of balance and economy of motion. Throughout his career Roger Federer has been the epitome of balance and economy of motion. No flailing…no panicking. No injuries. Just the beautiful economy of motion of the tennis player. Fluid. Set the feet…get the ass in position and transition forwards with the ultimate of control. What is power? Answer…control. When Roger is stepping on it…you hardly notice because of his sensational control. Ultimate control equals ultimate power.

Do you want power over someone? Get control of them. Don't force it…get your ducks in a row and squeeze. Gradually…as consistently as possible.

The story within the story is once again Fafa Nadal is disappearing from the tour. Never in the history of the game has a player taken this much time off as many times as he has. Is it sexist to ask why? Is it racist to wonder why? None of that matters to me…I am curious. Nobody ever asks why he is always on the brink of his career ending and he manages to come back stronger than ever. He must have a great team of doctors. The best that money can buy.

[bottle]

Yes, nice here. The home of E B White. Not one tennis court have I seen thus far.

No, they're there. You just have to look behind the bays. There are three next to Freeport High School a block from L.L. Bean. I was self-feeding there and hit a ball over the fence. When I came back from the woods there was the high school tennis team and they were hitting ALL of my balls over the fence.

Also, George H.W. Bush and his brother (the one who doesn't like Barbara) won the State doubles. As did my mentor Jim Kacian, who was captain at Bates College, Lewiston. The tournament organizers then brought in John McEnroe (15) and Peter Fleming for an exhibition. Jim and John won of course.

[stotty]

No, they're there. You just have to look behind the bays. There are three next to Freeport High School a block from L.L. Bean.

Freeport may be a little far as my mother says it's getting towards Portland. My mother lives in a Stockton Springs.

[bottle]

No, she's right, as Maine women usually are. Don't go to Portland or Yarmouth or Freeport, not when Stockton Springs is already halfway in the correct direction toward Eastport.

If going to Eastport, though, don't drive off the edge. Many people have. The Old Sow is there, the second biggest whirlpool in the world. If nevertheless driving into The Old Sough despite my warning, you might as well read my novel, THE PURSE MAKER'S CLASP.

If not inclined to do so however, go backward to Parsonsfield on the New Hampshire border.

Parsonsfield used to be a thriving city sort of like the old Detroit. You'll be digging and up will come an old gear.