Cincy Crisis Center, Day 6

Mornin'. First, I'd like to thank our TW social director, Jackie-Oh, for the outstanding coverage she provided from Cincinnati these past few days. The Western and Southern Financial Group Masters is one of my favorite tournaments, even though getting out there to do a little work has been difficult for me for a number of years now - you know how those "use 'em or lose 'em" vacation days work, and this event occurs right about the time my son Luke is out of camp and home with nothing much to do. So it's a natural window for taking time off, especially with the US Open looming.

Thanks to folks like Rosia, Ed McGrogan, Andrew, Jackie, Ptenisnet and the Mod Squad, TennisWorld is a 24/7 operation - not bad for a site that started as a one-man band - albeit with complete support from the mothership, Tennis magazine.

At any rate, I'm sure that most of you, especially here in North America, will be anxiously awating the clash today between Roger Federer and Andy Murray. Yesterday at ESPN I raised some questions about the significance of the US Open Series, but this Federer-Murray match-up is loaded with implications and intrigue that transends the basic challenges facing the Series. You know both me will want to bring their A-games tomorrow, if for no other reason than the carryover effect a win - or loss - might have in about two weeks time. 

And there's also this little matter of pride - it would be presumptuous to crazy to assume that either or neither of those two men will be anything but pumped up for their clash, given the extent to which Murray has had way with Federer in their more recent meetings. This is just one of those match-ups that has Top Priority written all over it - for both men. And you can rest assured that the winner will walk off feeling like he's ready for the US Open - no matter what transpires in the final, or the week before the American major gets underway.

Enjoy the tennis, you know what to do. . .