Federer taunting Nadal to a fight?

Laver vs Connors.

What’s the ONE motivating factor that should propel the top four @ Roland Garros?

Nadal: Calendar Slam.

Others: Fifth straight record, No. 1 rank cushion, take Federer out of lala land…

Federer: No. 14.

Others: GOAT status, validate Madrid win, beat Nadal at home to avenge Wimbledon defeat.

Murray: Never mind.

Djokovic: Reclaim No. 3.

Others: Assert claim as second best on clay, test endurance / fitness coach, beat Federer and Nadal back to back on clay.

Roland Garros TV schedule for US.

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Likely scenarios for Federer winning Roland Garros.

-Get liquored up, rotate with chicken over his head four times and then have sex – maybe with the chicken? Cow, chicken – same thing.

With the line up Federer has there’s absolutely no excuse to not make it to the semifinal, specially after winning Madrid. What could be worse? Losing to Roddick, don’t you think – if Roddick is still alive by then – literally and figuratively.

Djokovic has to be extended to the limit here by Kohl, Robredo and Del Potro to allow Federer easy passage to the finals for the fourth straight time. And Ferrer and Verdasco have to do their part to exhaust the now suspect fuel package of Nadal.

There’s no question this Madrid win has given that ‘solved the puzzle’ feeling for Federer against Nadal. Although there might be certain truth to it, there are a host of other factors, mostly unknown to Roland Garros, that may make that assumption a warped one.

The only real bet is for both Djokovic and Nadal to tire and make good on their past record of folding meekly. While Nadal has been able to bounce back after a final loss right before Roland Garros (Hamburg against Federer), this rebound may take a lot more adjustment.

That of course includes the altitude, the ball bounce, the surface speed AND the knees. While all that may be true for everyone else, no one else has as much pressure to deliver, including Federer.

Federer is clearly an underdog today mainly based on his showing here last year, despite the lopsided win over a tired Nadal at Madrid. Federer is so desperately on his knees begging for No. 14 now that GOAT BS is so far removed from even his dreams.

Sampras adding his log to the fireplace by predicting that Federer will win Wimbledon this year doesn’t help. Sampras may be following Nadal in protecting his record by employing what’s worked against Federer in the past.

Bottom line: ONLY shot Federer has to win the title is IF BOTH Djokovic and Nadal start to lose steam as they move up to face him. Purely on quality of play basis, Federer has a 50/50 shot against Djokovic only.

Nadal at his best will roast him so hard he will have nothing left to offer Wawrinka.

Photos.

The ball in the air may not be your biggest obstacle to your ‘rising’ up the ranks.

Interesting 1st day matches @ Roland Garros. One of them with an ‘upset’ cloud.

Murray vs Chela – Can this be an upset? Could be.

Hewitt vs Karlovic.

Gulbis vs Querrey.

Roland Garros @ ESPN360.com

Click here. Go to ‘upcoming’.

Tennis Career Thrives After a Goalie Steps In. From arbit. Thanks.

ARBIT

Nice story about Victoria Azarenka: Tennis Career Thrives After a Goalie Steps In

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