Federer on-court interview with Courier. Click ‘Watch on Youtube’ if it doesn’t work. From M. Thanks.

What bothers Federer most?

It’s not that high ball on his left shoulder as much as this:

That ball has to come in a slow high loop and fall with no pace almost vertically on his racket. Why? Because then he has to generate his own pace with placement to make the shot work.

Flat shot to his backhand in an attempt to pass him is futile because of his foot speed that allows him to get to almost any ball with enough time to spare. So if you are not going to pass him why not slow it down and let him produce pace AND angle from his weaker wing standing far behind the baseline.

That’s better than attempting to force him into a rushed shot because all he has to do then is just get his racket to the ball and use the incoming pace to do the rest. You don’t need much technique to pull that off compared to the other scenario.

Nadal is able to achieve that immensely on clay due to higher bounce which is non-existent on hard and grass validating the tighter scores he has had against Federer there.

And the best part? You don’t need the Nadal-like topspin to get results. Just a ragdoll-like ball with enough pace to deny Federer the ‘run-around’ BS and you are there.

The Last Time… David Ferrer. From Monique. Thanks.

MONIQUE

Click here.

Wonder what could this possibly mean?

How stupid is this in reality?

I mean, one guy has toiled and sacrificed so much to EARN his stripes which now outshine every other color on the horizon since the inception of the sport while the other moron’s claim to fame is some stupid notion humans have coined to call a family ‘Royal’. What a joke!!!

How hollow of a tremendous feeling should come over you coming so close to a legend by deed when all you have to show is a silver spoon up your backside?

I have never understood why and how ANYONE can be regarded superior with a yardstick other than deeds? And this one has to be bottom of that stupid pit.

Soak it up and stop freaking sleeping for the next 10 days.

Why?

Because once the Slam is over most of the big cats will go in hibernation for almost a month. Nothing’s happening in February.

And when I post my nonsensical non-tennis crap in Feb (Yeah, I have degrees of it. Current one is just more cleverly disguised), I don’t want to hear babies crying about dying for tennis to restart.

Forget about everything for just ten more days to really take it in as matches now get more contentious and exciting. That shouldn’t be hard for you.

Who are these moronic idiots blocking Youtube stuff? Geeeeeeezzzzzzz!!!!!!

Hey, Nimrods, nitwits and idiots – how the %$#@ are you morons gaining ANYFREAKINGTHING by not letting regular fans watch routine stuff?

And if your stupid brain does come up with some thickheaded knucklehead reason for it, at least utilize that lone marble rolling around upstairs, to direct people to the freaking stupid site they can watch it, if just more hits is all what your wasted life is about?

Geeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Did you know?

That very soon all stores will prohibit you entering their premises with cell phones. Why? Because now you can use the phone to scan the bar code of the item you want in the store and it will instantly flash the nearest location with a lower price for the identical one.

You got more ‘Did you knows’? No, you don’t!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why is Serena’s mother never at any of these photo sessions? Why does dad get so much preference?

Is the ‘Come on’ really for self or a challenge to opponent?

Who among the top five is happiest this season with two Slam matches in?

Nadal. Duh!!!!!!!! Unexpectedly? Sure.

But the guy is the only one with a title (Abu Dhabi) and a final (Doha) appearance and he is just one of two to not have dropped a set at the first Slam of the year – he has not even come close to it except once (tie break). Rest? three twos, one one and one four and just one 7-6.

All that may not be that big a deal considering we are just starting out here, but for Nadal, the jungle mangled with personal and professional BS he is just exiting, makes this result quite heartening and encouraging.

Granted he hasn’t hit the real stuff yet but so has nobody else and they are already faltering – some big time. Delpo?

Is Nadal finally coming out from under the separation anxiety, something Serena has produced a precedent for?

Can this be the season for the return of the warrior or the end of one?

Photos.

Fingers too long?

Mirka looks good and do I see silicon – in an abandoned building?

For Verdasco fans. From Monique. Thanks.

MONIQUE

Someone breaks down Nadal’s stoney game face. From Sol. Thanks.

SOL

Either I’m a loser or there’s something wrong.
Aynway, check out this vid where a woman yelles out to Rafa “Will you marry me?”: