Monday Net Post

McGrogan's Heroes

ATP - Roger Federer

Didn't see this one coming. Even after Rafael Nadal played for four hours in Saturday's semifinal against Novak Djokovic (for my money, the match of the year), I still expected the clay titan to handle Roger Federer with relative ease, as he's done so many times on dirt. It appeared that's what might happen after the first few games -- Nadal tested the Federer backhand relentlessly, and the crowd favorite was hitting his spots. Matter of time, I thought.

But all credit to Federer, who won in straight sets and sorely needed a victory of this caliber. His backhand held up nicely against Nadal's strikes, and regularly put the pressure back on the Spaniard, something I've rarely seen. Federer's forehand looked, at times, like the majestic shot of old. And his serve was potent, not neutralized by the clay. Always his most underrated shot, it won Federer a great sum of points from aces (late in the match, on a second serve, too!) and from Nadal return errors, of which there were plenty. The greatest player of all time never to win the French Open finished Nadal with a stinging ace, fitting in that the shot itself was as unbelievable as the match's result.

How much stock do you put into this performance? That's the question of the week. But I have another one for you, which you may already have seen on the TENNIS.com homepage. Who is the greatest threat to Nadal at Roland Garros -- Federer, or Djokovic? Vote there, elaborate here.

WTA - Dinara Safina

Jelena Jankovic entered this year's Australian Open as the number one player in the world and fresh off winning some high-profile tournaments (during the fall indoor season). To me, she seemed destined to break through in Melbourne and collect her first major. I'm still deciding if I get the same impression with Safina, a week away from Roland Garros.

Jankovic bombed Down Under; turns out that it was Safina who reached the tournament's final. It might be a different story for Safina in Paris, mainly because the French Open is played on clay, where the Williams sisters don't pose as strong a threat. While Safina has won two prestigious titles in the last two weeks, Serena and Venus have struggled, both in matches and with injury. If that continues into Roland Garros, you have to like Safina's chances of winning first her Slam title.

But as with Jankovic, the questions are going to remain pointed at Safina until she actually gets the job done. And they'll only intensify as the tournament progresses. Someone is going to get hot on the terre battue -- maybe it's a Williams sister, maybe it's Svetlana Kuznetsova, maybe a rising star like Victoria Azarenka or Caroline Wozniacki. (Best storyline? If it's somehow Maria Sharapova, who just needs the French to earn the career Slam.)  It's Safina's responsibility as world No. 1 -- which she's steadfastly defended of late -- to make sure no one gets in the way of her destiny.

Next Week's Tournaments

(TV Schedule)