How freaking difficult is to duplicate Slam efficiency with the numbers at other freaking events.

I mean, we get the unforced errors, winners and the freaking draw is updated like within seconds of the result on the freaking court. Even my goat can do that. How freaking lame is it to not produce that everywhere else?

And how long will it take for these turkey necks to post the ‘full match’ on the site for those who miss the event for whatever freaking reason? How about the ones involving the top players, as starters?

And why is there no entertainment during breaks like at other sports? Or will that happen ONLY with higher ticket prices? Even I can produce a borderline entertaining show with just my goats and inflatables – with hardly any expense, with a promise that it will be better than the pathetic ‘Kisscam’ BS.

Who would be a tougher opponent for Federer in the fourth round?

Juan Carlos’ Golden Touch. From Jenny. Thanks.

JENNY

Click here.

Nadal takes two and a half hours to win first round @ Roland Garros.

That may be the least of his worries. Some others that may take precedence are:

28 freaking unforced errors when Nadal usually averages around 13 per match. With just 20 winners he is in the red by 8.

9 freaking break point opportunities offered.

That’s against some 18-year-old kid who was serving at 50 freaking percent suggesting the match was ‘won’ on the court with rallies.

Anytime you suggest the ‘time on court’ in Nadal’s case is not the top worry you have got to wonder what’s going on. Granted this is the opening round but that excuse will work far better for someone like Federer who is not coming in with a three 1000 title momentum. Without getting carried away with just one first round ‘win’, you cannot resist the temptation to raise the fatigue flag given Nadal’s track record.

If you compare the lack lustre year he is just coming off of to what he has been doing lately on clay, his physical fitness cannot be ruled out as a massive clog in the wheel. You cannot miss his movement on the court today that allows him to rule. Without it even the most tomato cannish clown suddenly begins to appear GOAT-like against him. While lady Mina didn’t really don that suit she did come pretty close considering her credentials.

Good part for Nadal was his ability, even on his off day, to not let his opponent go past two games a piece for three sets. Despite all the other stats, this one still keeps him firmly implanted in the driver’s seat. Nadal’s next three matches are so tame – Hezbollah, Hewitt and Ljubicic – that he should be able to revert to his bagel and bread stick routine soon enough to continue beating his more seasoned opponents in later rounds, even before he meets them on the court, if it’s not already been done, that is.

But you cannot ignore the ‘time on court’ stat for Nadal going forward. Of the three contenders, Federer has clocked 1:48, Nadal 2:25 and Djokovic (lost one set – 4 sets) 2:08 after one match a piece. Even though Nadal’s numbers are traditionally inflated due to the extra time he takes between points there’s still that invisible ‘set in stone’ line he cannot cross without hampering his chances of winning the title. Quarterfinal and beyond line up of Verdasco, Djokovic and Federer will demand his best if not his super best.

Are you following the food pyramid? No, you’re not.

Andy Roddick vs Jarkko Nieminen.

Andy Murray vs Richard Gasquet.

Roger Federer vs Luczak.

Rafa vs Mina – French Open 2010 Round 1.

Nadal after winning his first round match: “I played bad, no?”

Click here.

Photos.

Difference between McEnroe and Agassi.

Or better question would be: Which hurts most? Self inflicted wound or one forced upon you? McEnroe is known to have never taken his preparation for his matches seriously relying disproportionately on his participation in doubles to peak. It was the classic short cut and as any short cut it back fired big freaking time resulting him to seek salvation by killing himself on the senior tour. The plot however did propel him into one of the best doubles player in the history of the sport – an accolade he expected to be a mere supplement to what he aimed at in the singles.

Even though Borg’s early retirement did inject its own virus to short-circuit what McEnroe could have been the wound is still a largely self-inflicted one. For rock people, McEnroe ended with seven majors with ONE ‘claim to fame’ record that still stands: 1984 was arguably McEnroe’s best year on the tennis tour, as he compiled an 82-3 record and won a career-high 13 singles tournaments, including Wimbledon and the US Open. For many that can be considered a flash in the pan year but most pundits agree on his potential to at least reach double digits in Slams – if he had reined in whatever was within his control.

There was no one to really challenge McEnroe and relegate him to the status of a side kick shouldering much of the blame for his lack of ‘potential’ success.

Agassi, on the other hand, had Sampras to ensure the wound came from the outside. At least that allows him to not let any opportunity slip by without him spilling his classless resentment every time he sees Sampras in flesh. That’s far better than beating up on yourself every time you see that guy in the mirror.

Photos.

Can’t believe this photo. From Mika. Thanks.

MIKA

I can’t believe this photo. I just wanted to share it with you.

The Last Time… With Andy Murray.

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32 seeded players at Roland Garros.

Men
Seed	Player		Opponent	Round
1	Roger Federer	vs.	Peter Luczak	RND 1
2	Rafael Nadal	vs.	Gianni Mina	RND 1
3	Novak Djokovic	vs.	Evgeny Korolev	RND 1
4	Andy Murray	vs.	Richard Gasquet	RND 1
5	Robin Soderling	vs.	To Be Determined	RND 2
6	Andy Roddick	vs.	Jarkko Nieminen	RND 1
7	Fernando Verdasco	vs.	Igor Kunitsyn	RND 1
8	Jo-Wilfried Tsonga	vs.	Josselin Ouanna	RND 2
9	David Ferrer	vs.	David Guez	RND 1
10	Marin Cilic	vs.	To Be Determined	RND 2
11	Mikhail Youzhny	vs.	To Be Determined	RND 2
12	Fernando Gonzalez	vs.	Thiago Alves	RND 1
13	Gael Monfils	vs.	Florian Mayer	RND 1
14	Ivan Ljubicic	vs.	Yen-Hsun Lu	RND 1
15	Tomas Berdych	vs.	Jorge Aguilar	RND 1
16	Juan Carlos Ferrero	vs.	Pablo Cuevas	RND 1
17	John Isner	vs.	Andrey Golubev	RND 1
18	Sam Querrey	vs.	Robby Ginepri	RND 1
19	Nicolas Almagro	vs.	Robin Haase	RND 1
20	Stanislas Wawrinka	vs.	Jan Hajek	RND 1
21	Tommy Robredo	vs.	Viktor Troicki	RND 1
22	Jurgen Melzer	vs.	Dudi Sela	RND 1
23	Ernests Gulbis	lost to	Julien Benneteau	RND 1
24	Thomaz Bellucci	vs.	Michael Llodra	RND 1
25	Marcos Baghdatis	vs.	Jesse Witten	RND 1
26	Juan Monaco	vs.	Grega Zemlja	RND 1
27	Feliciano Lopez	vs.	Julian Reister	RND 1
28	Lleyton Hewitt	vs.	Jeremy Chardy	RND 1
29	Albert Montanes	vs.	Tobias Kamke	RND 2
30	Philipp Kohlschreiber	vs.	Karol Beck	RND 1
31	Victor Hanescu	vs.	Oscar Hernandez	RND 1
32	Guillermo Garcia-Lopez	vs.	Thiemo De Bakker	RND 2

Peter Luczak, Federer’s first round victim at the FO.

Age: 30.

Country: Poland.

Career titles: 0.

Current rank: 71.

Turned pro: 2000.

Grand Slam Singles Results:
Year		Australian Open		Roland Garros		Wimbledon		US Open
2003	3RD	-	-	-
2004	1ST	-	-	-
2005	1ST	1ST	-	1ST
2006	3RD	-	-	-
2007	1ST	1ST	-	1ST
2008	2ND	1ST	-	-
2009	-	-	-	1ST
2010	1ST	-	-	-

Roland Garros 2010 FREE live streams.

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Sick numbers from Nadal. From ATP site.

CLAY COURT DOMINATOR – Here’s a year-by-year look at Nadal’s clay court dominance since 2005, compiling a 169-6 match record and 27-2 mark in clay court finals on the ATP World Tour. There is also a breakdown of his clay court preparation leading into Paris. For six straight years he’s won three European clay court titles coming into ROLAND GARROS:

On Clay
W-L    Clay Finals      Going into ROLAND GARROS (April-May)
2010 – 15-0         3-0                    15-0         3 Titles    (30-2 in sets)
2009 – 23-2         3-1                    17-1        3 Titles    (34-4)
2008 – 24-1         4-0                    15-1        3 Titles    (30-5)
2007 – 31-1         5-1                    19-1        3 Titles    (39-4)
2006 – 26-0         4-0                    17-0        3 Titles    (37-6)
2005 – 50-2         8-0                    19-1        3 Titles    (39-8)

+ Overall he is 196-16 (.925) in his career on clay, the best winning pct. on clay in the Open Era

Three-way battle for No. 1 at Roland Garros. From ATP site.

THREE-WAY BATTLE FOR NO. 1 – The top three players in the South African Airways 2010 ATP Rankings will be battling for the second Grand Slam title of the season at ROLAND GARROS. In addition, the trio will have their eyes on the No. 1 ranking, which defending champion Roger Federer currently holds. Federer will have to hold off No. 2 and four-time ROLAND GARROS champion Rafael Nadal and No. 3 Novak Djokovic, who also has a chance to take over the top spot for the first time.  In order for Federer to hold on to the top ranking and tie Pete Sampras’ all-time record of 286 weeks at No. 1, the Swiss native must at least reach the semi-finals even if Nadal wins the title.

Here are the scenarios based on the points table below:
-  Federer will remain No. 1 if he reaches the SFs but anything less and Nadal wins the title, then the Spaniard regains No. 1.
- Nadal must win the title and have Federer lose before the semi-finals to take over No. 1.
- Djokovic must win the title and have Federer lose before the quarter-finals

Shouldn’t you excuse yourself in such situations if you are malnourished – and on weed?

Federer has two hurdles removed from his path to the FO finals – in one day. Third one falters before winning.

Tipsy Turvy and Soderling OK Gulbis are out alfreakingready. Two more to go – Soderling and Montanes. Day after? With neither one of them dropping a set and Soderling dishing a bagel, it may not look that likely but ………….

Federer first has to overcome the toughest opponents – opening and second round clowns – to earn the right to fight the big dogs. The five set format is relatively so much more of an advantage against tomato cans that the likelihood of Federer losing in early rounds is almost zero unless his entire game deserts him for two freaking hours. And if he wins the first set, you are as good as toast. If not, you WILL be eating a bagel or a breadstick for that audacity.

Third hurdle called Tsonga (semifinal prospect) almost went away too. The day care center he was in saved the toddler (that’s home court. Geeeeeeeeeezzzzzz!!!). So he could be the next one to go if that’s what he is opening his show with – at home.

It seems Montanes may be Federer’s toughest opponent outside of Nadal. Soderling lacks the clay pedigree to know the inside secrets to overthrow Federer even on his mediocre day in five sets. Montanes does – maybe for four sets.

Psssst–Your Boss Is Spying on You!

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Why would you wear white freaking socks on freaking clay?

Is there any benefit to showing that color on your ankle other than ‘untidyness’? Why not mandate players roll over the court before starting the match to complete the picture? How about the umpire and the linespeople too?

And can someone freaking start designing shoes that don’t store clay on the sole so we don’t have to watch clowns hitting their shoes with rackets to partly dislodge the dirt, partly to fill up free time on the court and partly to just hear that sound?

What is Nadal’s best career achievement so far?

Is it his winning H2H against Federer, or any of the other multiple daggers he has driven through Federer’s heart etc. etc? These and others may have been up there until something even more shiny and sparkly showed up recently.

Have a clue? No, you don’t!!!!!!!!!

Could it be Nadal surpassing Federer and everybody else for the number of 1000 Masters titles? For rock people, Federer is stuck at 16 while Nadal just moved past Agassi who was at 17, the all time leader. Not enough? How about getting there at age 23? Federer is nearing 29 and Agassi was what 34 when he hit No. 17? All that long before Federer started flagging his lame ‘only interested in Slams’ BS.

This could be a catalyst to what Nadal may do to Federer’s other seemingly indestructible records. At least that has to be going through Federer’s mind. That No. 16 suddenly may not be looking as secure as it was just a few months ago. You see, if you have not already sensed it Federer is ALL about setting records. He wants to set such high standards at all meaningful heights along the tennis highway that his name is etched there permanently.

Further, tumbling of this record strikes hard at the ‘clay’ horse everybody has been beating to death. Of the nine Masters events every year, only three are on clay. Do the freaking math to further appreciate Nadal’s effort – at age 23.

So why is this such a big deal for Nadal? It’s because so far he has just been impeding Federer from reaching the stratosphere AND had been more than happy with it. With this he has taken a whole new step into a world devoid of all ingredients from the planet he is transferring from. This is the first step into fortifying his dream claim of one day becoming an undisputed GOAT. If he can transfer his domination on clay to other surfaces even remotely resembling what he did in ’08, he WILL surpass Federer’s equivalent showing on clay, thereby laying a much stronger claim to being the best to have ever played the game.

You think this has Federer’s attention? You freaking bet!!!! Federer is at a point where even an inch to Nadal on his records table today will cast a shadow that’s at least mile long given what else is already on the books further eroding his claim as the best the sport has ever produced. Contrast that with dominating H2Hs other GOAT candidates flaunt openly to detract from Federer’s awesome achievements.

Like I have barked before, IF Nadal manages to get to 9 Slams by year-end, 16 WILL be dragged out of the storage on to the chopping block. The ONLY ‘significant’ record that appears nearly ‘impossible’ even for Nadal or anyone else to even come close to will be Federer’s straight weeks at No. 1. Yeah, total weeks is as vulnerable as anything else. Sure other ‘minor’ records may also stand like the ‘Slam semifinal’ streak and others but the impact on such small potatoes on the GOAT debate is negligible if not zero.

Could this be a blessing in disguise for tennis fans? Could be. If this can motivate Federer hard enough to shrug off whatever else has been piling on his shoulders lately – personally and professionally – we could witness the resurrection of a rivalry unparalleled in the history of sports.

Photos.

Roland Garros 2007 Final Nadal vs Federer Full Match (10/19).

The Animals of Kenya: Up Close and Personal.

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Rafael Nadal planning to lighten his workload. From Zorana. Thanks.

ZORANA

Click here.

Very interesting…….

Roland Garros facts you were faking you knew.

-Because of the slow playing surface and the five-set men’s singles matches without a tiebreak in the final set, the event is widely considered to be the most physically demanding tennis tournament in the world.

-In 1968, the French Championships became the first Grand Slam tournament to go open, allowing both amateurs and professionals to compete.

-In March 2007, it was announced that the event will provide equal prize money for both men and women in all rounds for the first time ever.

-Clay courts slow down the ball and produce a high bounce when compared to grass courts or hard courts. For this reason, clay courts take away some of the advantages of big serves and serve-and-volleyers, which makes it hard for serve based players to dominate on the surface.

-In the open era, the only male players who have won both the French Open and Wimbledon, played on faster grass courts, are Rod Laver, Jan Kodeš, Björn Borg, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

Winner of most men’s singles titles:

Before 1925: Max Decugis – 8.

1925-1967: Henri Cochet – 4.

After 1967: Bjorn Borg – 6.

Youngest winner:

Michael Chang: 17 years and 3 months.

Monica Seles: 16 years and 6 months.

Unseeded Winners:

Marcel Bernard

Mats Wilander

Gustavo Kuerten

Gastón Gaudio

What happens after Roland Garros and before Wimbledon.

There are four grass events:

Gerry Weber Open
Halle, Germany

AEGON Championships
London, Great Britain

UNICEF Open
‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands

AEGON International
Eastbourne, Great Britain

Top Grossing Animated Movies. Have you seen them all? You should.

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Contenders Roland Garros 2010.

Player	Aces	Ist serve pct.	Sets lost/Tie breaks	Unforced errors	Bk pt conv %	Time on court.	Matches played
Federer	26	63	0 / 2	90	45	7:17	4 OUT
Nadal	12	73	0 / 3	146	54	13:23	6
Djokovic	14	65	3 / 0	99	50	9:43	4 OUT

Roland Garros (2010) TV schedule for the US. Hold down ‘Ctrl’ key and press the minus key (-) if you cannot see the last column.

Sunday, May 23
5:00 am – 12:00 pm	French Open (M/W): Early rounds		[Live]
12:00 pm – 6:00 pm	French Open (M/W): Early rounds		[Live]

Monday, May 24
5:00 am – 3:00 pm	French Open (M/W): Early rounds		[Live]

Tuesday, May 25
5:00 am – 12:00 pm	French Open (M/W): Early rounds		[Live]
12:00 pm – 6:30 pm	French Open (M/W): Early rounds		[Live]

Wednesday, May 26
5:00 am – 12:00 pm	French Open (M/W): Early rounds		[Live]
12:00 pm – 6:30 pm	French Open (M/W): Early rounds		[Live]

Thursday, May 27
5:00 am – 12:00 pm	French Open (M/W): Early rounds		[Live]
12:00 pm – 6:30 pm	French Open (M/W): Early rounds		[Live]

Friday, May 28
5:00 am – 12:00 pm	French Open (M/W): Early rounds		[Live]
12:00 pm – 6:30 pm	French Open (M/W): Early rounds		[Live]

Saturday, May 29
5:00 am – 12:00 pm	French Open (M/W): Early rounds		[Live]
12:00 pm – 3:00 pm	French Open (M/W): Early rounds		[Live]

Sunday, May 30
5:00 am – 12:00 pm	French Open (M/W): Early rounds		[Live]
12:00 pm – 3:00 pm	French Open (M/W): Early rounds		[Live]

Monday, May 31
5:00 am – 12:00 pm	French Open (M/W): Early rounds		[Live]
12:00 pm – 6:30 pm	French Open (M/W): Early rounds		[Live]

Tuesday, June 1
8:00 am – 12:00 pm	French Open (M/W): Quarterfinals		[Live]
12:00 pm – 6:30 pm	French Open (M/W): Quarterfinals		[Live]

Wednesday, June 2
8:00 am – 12:00 pm	French Open (M/W): Quarterfinals		[Live]
12:00 pm – 6:30 pm	French Open (M/W): Quarterfinals		[Live]

Thursday, June 3
5:00 am – 8:00 am	French Open (MD): Semifinals		[Live]
8:00 am – 1:00 pm	French Open (W): Semifinals		[Live]
1:00 pm – 6:30 pm	French Open (W): Semifinals		[Repeat]

Friday, June 4
5:00 am – 11:00 am	French Open (W): Semifinals		[Repeat]
11:00 am – 2:00 pm	French Open (M): Semifinals		[Live]
5:00 pm – 12:00 am	French Open (M): Semifinals		[Delay]

Saturday, June 5
9:00 am – 12:00 pm	French Open (W): Final		[Live]

Sunday, June 6
9:00 am – 2:00 pm	French Open (M): Final		[Live]

Did you know?

…………….that grocery stores use water to increase the weight of vegetables to take more of your money. So shake them well before you get to the cashier.