The BCMC: Miami Crisis Center

Mornin'. And a fine one it is, now that I have DSL here at the farm in game-rich Andes. To my surprise, it's lightning fast, too, which is kind of weird because it's half-a-mile to the road alone (as the crow flies) and much further than that to any junction box or installation that might transfer data. Technology. It's way beyond me now.

It appears that this year, March will be coming in like a lion and going out like a lion. We had a half-inch of snow last night and it's presently 22-degrees. That's a little different from Miami, where the news of the day is yesterday's upset of Novak Djokovic by Kevin Anderson at the Sony Ericsson Open (that's Kev, on the right). There will be much rejoicing in Federer Nation tonight, and much weeping and gnashing of teeth in Serbia. Thus it has been written.

Now, Ana Ivanovic alone has a shot at one of the most noteworthy achievments in the current era, completing the bi-coastal Mini-Slam by winning Indian Wells and Miami in the same year.

Still, Djokovic's non-calendar year Mini-Serena-Slam (he won Miami in 2007 and Indian Wells in '08, and thus held both titles for a few days)  is a big accomplishment. As for the calendar-year  BCMS, that subject is the substance of my current post over at ESPN. So I'm not going to repeat myself here. Check out the story and see the extent to which this double is not just a rare feat. but one accomoplished only by Hall of Fame-grade players (the only Mini-Slammer on either side of the gender divide who did not also win at least one Grand Slam is Marcelo Rios, and he had an assortment of problems,inclulding serious injury, that cut short his career).

I understand that our TW advance shock troops are on the ground in Miami, and I expect Tari, JB, et al to fill us in on the happenings there. I also need to see if Todd and in Charge has filed another tournament report, so I'll leave you with this match-calling thread.  For brunch tomorrow, we'll be talking about a mini-slam even more signifcant than the one mentioned above. I'm sure some of you can figure out what I have in mind. See you then and enjoy the tennis.