Two watermarks Federer and Nadal may be floating on today.

Federer: He is still a virtual shoo-in for a final at every event he enters today. But that’s a notch below where he has been for over five years: Near certain to win every event he competes in.

Nadal: The glass ceiling that holds the top ten is not letting him in. But he is so vulnerable that ANY loss before hitting these wolves can trigger a run in the opposite direction.

Bottom line: NOTHING stays stagnant. Move in either direction is inevitable. Who will make the first move and to which post?

Federer vs Andreev.

Federer vs Andreev: Thriller about to happen?

H2H: 2-0 Federer.

BUT Andreev extended him to five freaking sets at ’08 US Open R16. Score? 6-7(5), 7-6(5), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. The other one on clay – in Switzerland – wasn’t a breeze either. Andreev won a set. Score: 6-2, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.

With a couple of losing streaks Federer has been on recently in a span of weeks, this beast may not be getting to the barn door with just a candy.

This is not just about winning now. To sufficiently absorb the negative impact from recent events, Federer needs a statement game with most everyone looking forward to a close match. Granted the elevated status of Andreev complicates the equation to some extent, but Federer needs to ensure that he turns it around so it works FOR him instead of against him.

The shortest route to that destination is straights under two hours. So far it’s been all about the first set for Federer, specially in the Slams (wins the match if he wins first set), but from on with the 6-2 pattern repeating itself too frequently, to me it’s the last and deciding set that gains far greater credence.

With one five-setter already in the books – predictably, another one here with a Federer win will not land too far away from where the other one made a touch down for Stepanek.

Translation: Federer should not lose a set to start the ‘righting’ process for the season.

Australian Open 2010, Nadal – Luczak Final Set 4/4.

Hewitt, wife and baby. From Monique. Thanks.

Federer goes grassroots for Haiti. From Monique. Thanks.

MONIQUE

Click here.

Australian Open 2010 – Day 1 Highlights. From Monique. Thanks.

MONIQUE

Lesson: Dont’ break out anything spectacular until Slam finals – or if you’re a Federer in prime.

How freaking embarrassing is it to get knocked out in the opening freaking round after all that grunting and designing. Isn’t it close to like that guy who paid millions of dollars to buy an ad during the Super Bowl to propose and then got rejected?

If you don’t feel the humiliation, either that bandana is blocking ALL oxygen to your freaking bird brain or you are so far up on your high horse that only a Tiger-like ceremony can now bring you back to reality.

How can you be so completely oblivious of it to pull out all stops to make it all seem as if you are about to rule the tide when even Federer AT WIMBLEDON – in his prime, was mocked at for the same infraction?

Maybe Davenport needs to return to repeat that 6-0, 6-0 thrashing she handed down to Sharapova at Indian Wells few years ago to really make it sink once and for all. Or will it work better if Bartoli delivers that pizza now? Geeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzz!!!!!!!!!!!

I think the problem is the number of sycophants these high-profile clowns appear to attract. Just like a coach or a therapist etc. a new position called ‘keeping the joker in check with blunt reality’ needs to be made available to spare the fans more than the athlete of all the BS.

Del Potro is not going to make it.

Maybe that wrist injury is still bothering him, but in his first match he had 61 freaking unforced errors compared 16 and 19 for Nadal and Murray respectively AND he lost a set while clocking 3:00 hours compared to just 1:37 for Murray.

Granted this is the first match and he DID have 21 freaking aces compared to 11?? and 9 for Nadal and Murray, but that ace number cannot be sustained / save the day as he goes deeper in the draw.

Good news? This is a Slam and he gets few more tomato cans to get in line before the no-fault-line crack appears. He can power through these early birds but if the rest of the game fails to come up for air, Karlovic is what he will be looking like – sooner than later.

For what the top clowns have done so far, click here.

Photos.

Isner is at it again!!!!!!!!!!!