Who is most likely to pull off an upset tomorrow?

More Federer-Murray highlights.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0kn2VxcVPQ

Murray talks after beating Federer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL4L2p-oFSs

Federer gets No. 15 he was asking for.

But I have to credit him for not retiring. While Murray and his serving late in the third set may have encouraged Federer to finish the set, it’s still was an awesome display of how much he wanted it.

Maybe ‘how much he wants it’ is what’s holding him back from making wise decisions at this point in his career.

Nevertheless, it was a thriller with many swings to keep hope alive on either side.

Murray should have closed this one with a lot less effort and anxiety given Federer’s stats, back and all. With just 52 percent on first serves and winning barely 59 percent of points on first serves should be more than enough for the current Murray to run away with it. Maybe the third set errors prevented that roll and allowed Federer to go for another shot.

But if the entire season is reviewed in hindsight, the decisions Federer made, which fans believed were based on logic, intelligence and feel for his own body, ended up being not only wrong ones, they were not even close to be grounded in common sense with the bigger picture in sight.

From the January decision to ignore mono to the November one to ignore the back, there was a streak of recklessness, tentativeness and greed running through them. Despite the 15 losses and just ONE title this season, there appears very little evidence that he seems to have learnt something from it and made an effort to change course.

Just electing to play TMC and the exos prove that beyond any doubt.

Back problems are not very distant from knee problems in that they both require extensive rest and tender loving care. Otherwise not only are they guaranteed to aggravate, they may take other body parts with them.

It’s quite obvious now that the back problem is more than a just tweak or a twist while getting in and out of bed. It’s just another side of the coin to which mono belongs.

Translation: Body is crying for rest and break from this hectic schedule. Painkillers and other ‘shoving under the rug’ band aids are only going to make it worse.

Through all this, Murray deserves a lot of credit to not only be the only one undefeated in the tournament so far, but to back up his ‘court coverage’ reputation brilliantly by getting to almost all of the cleverly disguised ‘out of reach for most players’ drop shots from Federer.

Unless Djokovic is able to dispatch Murray in a convincing manner, Murray should be pencilled in as the next No. 3 in the world if not No. 2. Even if he doesn’t win this thing, he has already established himself as the player ‘most likely to succeed’ in 2009.

With Nadal’s knees in shambles, Federer in disarray and Djokovic misfiring, Murray couldn’t have chosen a better time to arrive. Other than Roland Garros, IF Nadal is in shape by then, Murray has a good shot at each one of the majors next season.

If Federer wants to get to No. 14 and 15, he has to take a serious time out – time out that may include not playing at the next Australian Open. It doesn’t matter whether you miss majors or never get to the top five in the world again or any other BS anymore.

All focus, energy and planning has to now zoom in for No. 14. If you cannot even tie the all time Grand Slam record with this talent, specially when you were supposed to smash No. 18 and more, all other records will lose their lustre and shine.

Get the crap out and eliminate everything else from the path to the singular obsession or you will be eliminated before mid season next year.

Federer vs Murray thriller @ Shanghai 2008.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0p5GbN7e9A

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Which tennis player is likely to instantly get elected to a high political office in his country?

-Federer. Duh!!!! President?

-Gonzalez. President and Prime Minister both?

-Djokovic? Foreign minister?

-Blake: Zebras appear to be in demand now.

Least likely:

Stepanek. Loose character or is that an asset for a politician?

Ferrer: Too short.

Nadal: Not enough grey matter, but Bush has set a precedent.