Catch me if you can!

I should have tried my hands on some jackpots last week. My prediction in the last blog for the last four of the French Open came exactly right, thanks to my stars being in their best positions! Though I missed out on making a fortune, I decided not to miss the final and took my rightful place in front of the TV very early. On a Sunday evening, that is a very dangerous proposition considering how volatile my better half can be when she wants!

Today morning Cricinfo had the preview of the Champions trophy clash between Sri Lanka and New Zealand themed as Ferrer vs Murray of cricket. Ferrer was NewZealand. They didn't call him an underachiever but he, most appropriately, was termed as someone who has the ability to just remain in the top bracket while never being able to truly challenge the top four when it comes to trophies. In essence, they called him a honest trier. We all know that ilk, we respect them, we admire them for always giving their 100% but they lack something that true winners have. That extra ounce of talent, that inimitable aura, that ability to bounce back when everything seems lost. If Ferrer is to change that image tonight, he has to bring his A game to Roland Garros and hope that Rafael Nadal had a late night drinking binge and then shows up with a twisted ankle. That is just to show what Rafa is capable of on clay than to show that how hopeless Ferrer is when it comes to hoping!

First Set:  Ferrer showed up in bright green Tee while Rafa flaunted his Tarzan like biceps in a white shirt. Nobody quite knew how Ferrer managed to break Rafa's serve in the first Set. Rafa was practically bulldozing from the baseline. There were numerous occasions when all he had to do was wait for the right time to open up and unleash his trademark forehand. Everything is going according to script. Nadal 6-3 Ferrer.

Second Set: As soon as the first few drops of rain fell, I could see pink and green umbrellas coming up. Paris, fashion capital? Really? But unlike last year, the drizzle soon subdued and didn't last long enough to trouble Rafa's game. In the blink of an eye, he raced to a 3-0 lead. Though Ferrer improved his game over the course of the set, the damage had already been done. The good thing was Ferrer managed to break Rafa in this set too and the bad thing was that Ferrer had already given his opponent a 2 game break head-start. And, on clay, against Rafael Nadal, that is a cardinal sin. By the end of the second set, it is clear that Rafa did not have a late night drinking session and his ankles are doing just fine. Nadal 6-3, 6-2 Ferrer.

Third Set: if you need any proof that Ferrer is a quick learner, you just have this watch this set in which he played some forehands which even Rafa would have been proud to execute. With the Championship on the line he upped his game and gave Rafa a few problems. He managed to get even with Rafa until the 8th game in which his double fault gave Rafa the break and he safely served out the match & the championship in the next game. On watching Ferrer being wrong footed on his forehand, Rafa fell on his back covering his face, clearly overcome with emotion. He became the first man on the planet ever to win the same Grandslam a record 8 times. It is fair to say that he likes this red dirt more than the African elephants. Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 Ferrer.

Epilogue: Just after Ferrer lost to Nadal in straight sets, New Zealand somehow managed to drag themselves to the brink of defeat, chasing 139 against Sri Lanka but won by 1 wicket at the end. So it is not all that bad for honest triers around the World today.

The battle of dirt

There is something about Roland Garros.

The red coloured dust. The almost suffocating but beautiful domination by Nadal. Those ugly and dusty socks after a single set.The way it defied and remained as an unsolved puzzle for Pete Sampras for his entire career. The never ending tapping of shoes with rackets. The bright Sun. The equal prize money. The constant supply of sliding shots. There is a lot to like about it but incidently those big servers and serve-and-volleyers tend to disagree!

French Open is already on us. Four days into it, there are no serious casualitites, except the first round exit of Venus Williams, albeit seeded 30. I did not want to write a about the contenders even before the tournament started and then, as sports always does, being forced to watch one of them crashing out in the first round itself, making myself look like a perfect jack ass. Writing it now, I still run the risk of it but the chances are comparatively less. Intelligent, huh?

For me, these are the four players who will make it into the Men's semifinals, provided they don't face each other before the Semis, as I am not aware of which side of the draw they are in. Here we go

Rafael Nadal: Only a fool or a betting illiterate will bet against him winning a record 8th French Open title. He was in red hot form, winning 4 out of 6 tournaments on clay since his comeback from injury. An year ago, his knee finally gave up after years of "Vamossss" powered pounding. But, by the look of it, he has somehow got that in a piece and moving pretty well too, considering he almost feared for his career at that point. Only a terrible off day or some freak culmination of circumstances (like rain and the chair umpire refused to stop play until he played 6 games in the wet clay in last year's final) will prevent him going all the way. The bad news for all his opponents is that, after missing out the last 2 grand slams he seems hungrier and fitter.

Novak Djokovic: If anyone is going to match Rafa in spirit and endurance, it has got to be him. He gave Rafa a good fight last year, with help of rain, but at the end it was not enough to stop the spanish bulldozer. Though he did not have good 2012 as fruitful as the previous year, he is more rounded with his game now. He is an absolute powerhouse for his fragile physique and possess a forehand as good as any in the game.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga: The man with a beautiful name and cheerful personality has the game to back it too. Being French definitely helps and expect the volume in Center court to act as an extra point every game if he reaches the Semis. Admittedly clay is not his best surface and his huge serve will not play as big a part as on hard courts, but he is still a threat nonetheless. His aggressive ground-strokes and effective net play will play an important part on the slower clay. The only thing which stands against him is his performance in the big matches when stakes are at the highest. Time to change that Jo.

David Ferrer: Talk about a cheap Spanish imitation (not politically correct, but still) and here he is. Except for being Spanish and being friends, there is not much common between Ferrer and Rafa in terms of playing styles. One of the best returners in the current game, he is supposed to be a clay court specialist with his quick feet and viciously spinning backhands. He is yet to reach a Grand Slam final but that is more in his mind than in his game.

Note-1: I don't have anything against Roger Federer but I simply don't see him getting to the Semis here. He has started the tournament in great fashion, though against lesser opponents, but you don't have to be Mirka Federer to know that clay is not his favourite surface. Any of the above four is capable to take him out and even those in the next tier, the Gasquets and Tipsarevics, will be giving him a good run for his money on clay.

Note-2: With the risk of justifying my wife's accusation that I watch women's tennis not for tennis, I have to admit that it is too tight (no pun) to pick a top four there. Admittedly Serena had a great last year but she has won French Open only once, back in 2002. Not a very comforting statistic. Any one from the top 10 seeds is capable of defeating any one. So I will probably dare to start watching the women's matches to make a prediction around the QF time to save me time, ridicule and some brownie points in front of wife.