Is Sharapova done?

From the drubbing she received from Serena at the Australian Open, to the snubbing from her home country few days ago, it appears there is trouble in Paradise.

With her game built solely on power hitting, it is difficult to sustain that play without a dominating first serve. Double faults are on the rise, with no sign of abating any time soon. And other events are not helping to boost the confidence either.

It is not easy to continue to perform at a high level, when you are not the most congenial of players in the locker room. The pressure you feel due to that negative vibe, inevitably, will have an impact both on and off the court.

Lot more than just winning titles is at stake here. The huge sponsorship pool, she is swimming in, may dry up, even before she makes her next stroke in the water. The snowball effect may be worth millions. There is a reason why Hewitt is not a big draw for sponsors even in his own country.

The very combination that appeared to have pushed her in the limelight, may now be working against her. If she fails to recover and post some good results next year, she will soon find out how fleeting fame and money are.

Not a rosy realization at barely 20 years of age. Add to it the incredible show some 18 year olds put up at the US Open, and it suddenly looks like danger time for Sharapova.

It proves how important it is to get along with people and to resonate with general public, even if you are playing an individual sport in your cocoon. It is not a coincidence that Federer has been so lucky so many times. When you are riding on the well wishes of millions of people worldwide, it is hard to be unlucky. Davydenko can testify to that.

Warrior sculptures come alive, creating havoc.

Nadal’s sculpture has a pound of clay pinched from his ass. The area has also grown exponentially, enough to create a tear on the outside warrior clothing. The clothing under the belt, has shrunk and appears to be headed straight for the black hole, baring his socks, which are running in the other direction. There appears to be an attempt made to remove inner clothing completely, so the ‘bird’ could be made exposed, just by opening the coat pleats. Water bottles have magically appeared besides the sculpture, all meticulously arranged. However, the liquid inside is of questionable origin. On close testing, the liquid is found to contain drugs, liquor, supplement to create brain cells, Vaseline, blister retardant and formula for creating additional fingers and wider holes.

Federer’s sculpture has moved from its location. It was found near another incomplete sculptor without a head. A ‘W’ was carved on its back, and there was a good size hole in its rear clothing. There appears to have been an attempt, to remove both outer and inner clothing, to reach the intended target. It’s chest had finger marks, attempting to grab on to something. There is enough evidence to conclude that there was some frantic activity undertaken to reach the bird, buried deep in the clothing. The site was strewn with teeth, indicating that the sculpture tried to steal them, and implant them in its own mouth. With the outer clothing found near the site, it appears a brazen attempt was made to run butt naked around the site. It is assumed the dangling effect/pleasure may have extended the activity beyond its intended time span.

The lady sculptor has gone insane, and has bound herself in a self made clay hut, with clay squirt guns. If the guns are being used for any other purpose(s), is still being determined. She has requested a clay figure to talk her out of self imprisonment. This is proof that the drugs, liquor and cocaine these days are much stronger. What else can explain taking up this stupid profession, and staying with it for 30 freaking years?

If you have any freaking doubts after this, go drown yourself in the kitchen sink.

That $800 investment is paying dividends. Do you have any freaking doubts, which way the heads are moving? Thanks to the photographer for saving us, from the gross moment and clicking just a moment early. And for the old fart in the hat, to help cover their paws and the vaseline on them.

Lunatics, who have a chance of beating Federer next year.

Nadal: Duh!!! H2H: 8-5. The entire next season hinges on the decisions made in the next two months. And the improvement of his first serve – not percentage, but the pace and placement. Against Federer it is just the pace, for we know, where it is going every freaking time.

Djokovic: Duh? H2H: 1-5. He will, most likely, find himself on Nadal’s half of the draw for most of next season. Consequently battling Federer in the finals, except clay. Lot of Federer-Djokovic clay semifinals on the books for next year.

Roddick: Yeah. Even though he has a miserable H2H, most matches have been pretty close. If the ‘post 26 syndrome’ hits Federer even slightly, Roddick may be right there. H2H: 1-14.

Gasquet: He has beaten Federer once and has had some very close matches. He has even won three sets from Federer, a rare feat these days. And have taken him to five tie-breaks. H2H: 1-6.

Ferrer: He has never beaten Federer, but took his first set at Hamburg this year. He appears to be the next Canas, at least on clay, based on his recent showing. His only chance will be on the red surface.H2H: 0-7.

Loss to any other player next season will fall into the ‘Canas’ bracket, and will bring the ghost of this season back to life. In fact, even Roddick’s win will achieve that.

Who is the pitcher in this pitchker? From Alice.

Alice |

http://www.tennis.com/uploadedImages/Editorial/General/2007_09_19_FedererDC_article.jpg

Wawrinka?

What if Sampras proves to be a big mismatch for Federer at the exhibition matches?

If, as Sampras claims, he was able to hold his own, when the two jokers played earlier this year in Los Angeles, there appears to be something there. Why? Because I feel both played their best tennis, since there was no circus. Each wanted to eagerly see, how they measured against each other.

If that is the basic premise, that it was ‘real’ tennis, then Sampras has to be given the edge. He was surely not prepared for the match, in any way, whereas Federer was in-form and ready for the Indian Wells event. The call to Sampras was out of the blue.

And if he was able to hold his own under the circumstances, it should be a much closely fought battle, IF they play REAL tennis at the exhibitions.

If Sampras wins even half of those matches, with REAL tennis, it may give life to the ‘depth in competition’ crap.

You think these idiots arranging the event would let that happen?

These are two fearsome competitors with huge egos. How wonderful would it be, to just let them go at each other, without the other pressures, brought on by the clowns around.

That scenario, quality of tennis and result in Los Angeles, should be the purest tennis of the century. Where are the paparazzi or camera phones, when you need them?

It will be basically a match-up issue, if anything, with Sampras’s serve and volley game, that can disturb Federer’s equilibrium, much like Nadal’s top spin BS. The word is ‘match-up discrepancy’.

Nevertheless, it will be interesting to watch the first of these, to gauge what game they are playing – tennis or makethepeoplehappynnis.

US census bureau stats on single men. Are you surprised?

Percentage of  US men who are single based on ethnicity:

Blacks: 45.

Latino: 39.

Asian: 33.

White: 28.