Here is Federer before the start of Montreal. Notice the difference from the one after the event? Wonder what happened?

Tennis bloopers US Open Series 2007.

Mark this year: 2007. The year of ‘fork in the road’ for Federer.

Some of it is because of his actions, and some of it is due to the changed landscape overall.

This is his first big challenge since ascending the throne. Life has thrown the gauntlet at him, like it has for centuries, to whoever desires the ultimate prize. No one can get it without passing this test.

Some crumble under its weight, but some march on in the face of impossible odds, and we collectively shout ‘We knew you could do it’.

It still appears there is more within Federer’s house, that needs housekeeping, than any intense and relentless onslaught from the outside.

If he makes the wrong decisions now, it will undoubtedly make the outside appear bigger than it actually is. Emotions have no place now, and level headed approach to what lies ahead can deliver the gold and more.

Alternatively, if the train is derailed, it will require Herculean effort to gain the momentum back again.

What is that analogy? ‘The rocket uses the most energy and fuel, to get off the ground, but once it is up there, it is mostly momentum and requires very little energy’?

Here is why Federer may not repeat last year’s performance at Cincy.

For jokers just coming out from under the rock, Federer lost at Cincy last year, to Murray because of fatigue after winning at Montreal.

Here is, how much time he has clocked this year vs last year at Montreal.

This year: 7 hours and 09 minutes. Matches played – 5.
Last year: 10 hours and 12 minutes. Matches played – 6.

With just tomato cans left now, it should be a cake walk. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Loss here now, or even tough three-setter wins, will not do good for the rest of the year, or is it for the rest of the career?

Mr. Injury and Mrs. Fatigue demanding back wages at Cincy.

The following are back at the barn, in line to pay back those wages:

Nadal:  Mr. Injury farm – forearm.
Gasquet: Mr. Injury farm – ???.
Djokovic: Mrs. Fatigue farm.
Ljubicic: Call from the dinosaur museum.
Gonzalez: Booked in at the senior citizen center.

This is about the time that the demand for back wages takes hold.

Federer is on next. He is running high in debt with Mr. Emotional and Mrs. Rage. Will he be called to the line too? Couple of hours left to find that out.

Federer, if this does not motivate you, it’s over.

There were three points in the match against Djokovic, that should wake up, stimulate and humiliate, even a crackhead in a basement.

Watch the video and guess which these moments are. They are so freaking degrading, huge blow to any ego and blatant, that if you do not recognize them instantly, you should go drown yourself in the kitchen sink.

If you watched the match, you should just be able to rattle them off without looking at any video. So……

OK, those three moments on this video are at 4:41, 7:25 and 8:40.

That’s when it seems, Djokovic is just toying with the world’s No. 1. After Federer was done playing those points, he must have had goose bumps from the public humiliation.

Federer, is that good enough for a turn around, or are we going to witness another thumping this week?

I am disappointed with Federer’s reaction / comments after he loses.

“Insignificant”, “One-dimensional”, “Aunt Tony coaching”, “I am close to figuring out Nadal”, yadi yadi ya.

Instead I expected Federer to gracefully congratulate the winner for having defeated a very tough opponent. That and other congratulatory remarks should have preceded anything else he wanted to say at these moments.

As they say, the real character of the person is revealed when the going gets tough. That’s why they say, if you really want to find out who someone really is, then go on a long trip with him. The rigors of travelling bring everything out in the open.

Everyone can be gracious and magnanimous when everything is all rosy and fine. What’s the big deal there.

What frustrates Federer the most?

Well, the list is expected to grow, but if you were to name just one, what would it be?

It has to be the ball retrieving ability of the opponent, referred to as defense. Federer thrives when he can win quick points, with his incredibly angled shots, specially from the forehand.

But when Nadal, Canas and now Djokovic, not only are able to get to the ball, but convert that defensive position into an awesome offensive return, fur on Federer’s neck start to stand. When his best shot starts coming back with authority, it throws a wrench in the Federer machine.

Not that he gets very many opportunities to use his deadly forehand, when he is playing these three jokers. When he does get that rare chance, he has so much riding on it, that if it is not a winner, it bores into his psyche.