Rekindling old fire...

...of rivalry, and of winning.
======================================================
by Philipina A. Marcelo


And so, old foes, the King of Clay and the King of Grass, were set to battle each other again at Court Philippe Chatrier before a capacity crowd! The stakes: that beautiful La Coupe des Mousquetaires, more than a million euros... and some distinctive places of greatness!

Whenever Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal face each other from the opposite sides of the net - on whatever surface - some place of honor in men's tennis history or a place of distinction in tennis book of records is always at stake. Such is the greatness of this two... such is the
The King of Clay and the King of Grass rekindle
the fire of their legendary rivalry in the center
stage of Roland Garros.intensity of their rivalry, and such is the awesomeness of their distinctive careers!

The stress of staying at the very top had been proving costly for both. Many a pundits have been writing El Maestro off eversince he slid to No. 2, and then later No. 3 in the World... and with logical reasons as well. The King of Clay had been looking "all frail" in his own kingdom, "just survived" a first-round fierce challenge from the unseeded American John Isner. And yet, these two, Rafa and RF, persist... and they continue to dominate! Many have already tried - very hard - to topple these two from the place of greatness in men's tennis over the past decade
Novak Djokovic (left) and Andy
Murray (right). How much longer? or so. British No. 1, Andy Murray, while able to maintain his prestigious seat behind RF and Rafa despite the tough competition in men's tennis today, he continues to pale pitifully in comparison when playing opposite either these two. Novak Djokovic, with all his incredible achievements, especially over the past six months or so, amassing title after title in the ATP tour, and arriving in Roland Garros as this fearsome and invincible player from out of this world, threatening to bump aside Rafa Nadal from the No. 1 in the World spot, was once again rendered an "outsider" as Rafa and RF reclaimed the center stage in the magnificent clay court in the City of Lights!

Once again, the world holds its breath as it awaits the settling of the red dust in Roland Garros, after the tussle between these two tennis greats... and see who prevails.

***
First Set: RF up, Rafa down. Clay powder flew, and it went the other way

RF opened the set, and the championship match, with a great serve, followed by another one, and then did a serve-and-volley. Before long, he took
Familiar scene... always irresistible.his service game with a flourish. Rafa tried to equalize, but RF was too hot to handle... and, in a flash, with an incredible variety of shots, RF broke the King of Clay's serve. The Swiss Maestro took an early lead, 2-0.

The next six games saw the old majestic RF... dancing fluidly on the clay, hitting winner after winner from creative angles - too beautiful! He was totally in the zone, firing elegant but blisteringly powerful shots that Rafa Nadal didn't have answers to. And Rafa, struggled to hold on his service games, looking tentative, calculating his counter-attack, measuring RF's fluid brilliance until the score went 5-2. On Rafa's serve, he struggled to hold off RF, who was knocking loudly on the door to take the set, taking the game to deuce. Soon, Federer had a set point. And then he hit a forehand just a few millimeters wide... RF contested the call, the umpire gave the point to Rafa - back to deuce. Eventually, Nadal held serve, 5-3. And that proved to be the turning point in the set... and in the match.

And then, on the ninth game, with RF serving for the set, Rafa put on his King of Clay stance... there were fantastic mini rallies. Rafa
Fluid shotmaking of majestic beauty by El Maestro.moved RF around, forcing Roger to hit a forehand on the run, and then RF narrowly missed a backhand from a punishing return from Rafa, 30-30. RF looked shaken, netted a return - breakpoint for Rafa. But RF gathered himself and started a fantastic mini rally, with him in command, until he netted a simple drop shot - Rafa broke RF's serve, taking the score to 5-4. Rafa held his serve, containing Roger's resistance, going on a seesaw of points... before long, Roger was looking deflated. All of a sudden, RF's game was in disarray, allowing Rafa to hold serve at 5-5.

On the 11th game, Rafa went on an early assault, stealing the first two points, but RF righted things for himself with two consecutive big serves,
The King of Clay, fighting back - to win at all costs.30-30. Once again, Rafa moved Federer and took advantage of RF's weak backhand assault in a mini rally, and stole a set point! But RF quickly saved with an ace. It looked like RF would be able to hold, until his serve and volley was figured out by Rafa, and Rafa broke - for the second time! It was 6-5 for Rafa. Nadal's next service game left many breathless, as the two went on points seesaw... until Roger hit two - out - consecutively, giving the set to Rafa!

Yeah, I know... whew! I'm a big Roger Federer fan, and an admirer of Rafa Nadal's huge courage on court. After following these two for the past decade or so, I know that the pure genius, almost unbeatable RF slid to a different personality... when he is on an early lead, there is a big chance that he will persist until the very end, no matter how difficult. Lately, he's been needing a cushion to bounce back from when the going gets tough. On the other hand, when Rafa Nadal loses early points, he will always try to figure out a way to get back into the game - one point at a time - patiently, persistently, valiantly. Sometimes, Rafa would even will himself to keep fighting by celebrating hard-earned points loudly and passionately, even when he was still several points down... and that kills some fight from the other side of the net. Therefore, with how the first set was played and its outcome, it felt like I knew how this would end, and I was tempted to get to bed early. :) Besides, I'm still on the "recovery road", not yet "home". :) However, RF's performance against Novak Djokovic in the semi-final made me stick around... 'cause that was how the old RF, the "real RF" used to play! Will he turn up in this match? It was enough for me to stick around.

***
The King of Clay on ferocious attack, El Maestro subdued

Roger Federer opened the set... and the next scene was not very surprising. Rafa Nadal won the first two points on RF's serve easily! And why shouldn't he, he was all fired up, while Roger was so deflated, he looked like he was slipping to disinterest. Grrr, Roger! And, after RF netted a slam, it was break point for Rafa Nadal! I was dying, of course! An unforced error from Rafa allowed me to regain my breath... and then Roger gave away a mini rally, and the game to Rafa!
RF... deflated, but figuring out a way back.

If that wasn't shocking enough, how about this... Rafa's next service game was uncontested. He won all points straight and took the set to 2-0 - for Rafa. Ugh! In the next five games, both men held their serves and the set was at 4-3, to Rafa, after RF's serve. In Rafa's next service game, RF took a deep breath, dug deep in his shots kit and found something. All of a sudden, he had a break point, and he finished it outrageously, taking the set to 4-4! Hah, the man is incredible, seriously! The King of Clay reasserted himself, taking three breakpoints from RF... and connecting, taking the set to 5-4... for himself. Rafa, for his part, then willed himself to win his service game, but RF persisted and won't go away, forcing a deuce! Ooops, rain delay! Ugh!

When the match resumed, RF figured that while Roland Garros was not his
Rafa Nadal... fired up!turf, he is not El Maestro of tennis for nothing! Therefore, he should gather himself, conduct this match and teach this little Mallorcan warrior some lessons... two short points later, boom! The set was at 5-5 even! Whew! The two men then held serves, taking the set to 6-6... tie-breaker then. Naturally, it was hard for me to go though it! Dang! This men are horrible like this. And then, there's Federer uncharacteristically throwing away four precious points! What the...???? And then, Nadal earned a crucial point that took the tie-breaker to 6-2! Dang! Before you know it, ladyluck was smiling at Rafa Nadal's direction... giving him a 7-3 win in the tie-breaker, and 2 sets to nothing advantage.

***
El Maestro in concierto... and he's back in the game!

The first two sets, especialy the first one, should've gone to Roger Federer's way had he not allowed himself to slip to disinterest. The
RF, digging deep, and finding
some "old friends" - killer shots.problem is, Nadal can tell when Roger does this, and he takes advantage. Of course, all is fair in love and war! But this is tennis!

And so, I watched El Maestro going two sets down at 4-2... ugh! And then, once again... out of sheer brilliance and fantastic shotmaking, he hauled himself back from the dead, and took the set to 6-5 - to his favor! Next was his service game... finally, those crazy big serves that came and went... well, they went hiding when they were needed in most of this match, actually, like in the second set for instance. But not this time, RF willed them to stay, and they did! He took the set, 7-5! Brilliant? Roger that!

***
But the King will be King!

It was great to see RF regaining composure to comeback in the second set, but he let too many points slip in the opening games, and he paid the
Rafa Nadal (left) defended his seat, both as the
King of Clay and the No. 1 in the World. Roger
Federer (right) awaits his own time, out there
where "the grass is green".price in the end. It's never possible to beat RF... it's only possible to force him to defeat himself. Rafa knows this, and he knows the "secret formula" that makes Roger lose interest in a match. Novak Djokovic thought he's already learned it as well... he found out otherwise in their semi-final encounter. But, yeah, it was awesome though to see RF win the third set in this championship match... the way the legendary Roger Federer of 2002-2007 used to play! But 2011 in Roland Garros was to be Rafael Nadal's year... it's written in the stars, even RF seemed to acknowledge that. And, so the King of Clay remained King... and No. 1 in the World, too! And he equaled the Great Bjorn Borg's record of six French Open titles... and it was an awesome feat - that's for sure!

And, oh, oh, oh... my clay money is intact as well! :)

***
Photo credit: All photos were grabbed from the Zimbio website - thanks! :)

Sunday foodie...

...from bland to "bam"!
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by Philipina A. Marcelo


It has been a long week... and I needed time to think about the week that went by, mostly with me as an inactive participant. In fact, at many points, a very helpless participant. But I need to return to my "regular" activities if things were to go back to "normal" again. Therefore, writing this "Sunday foodie" section of this blog has to be done even if I had to wince in pain the whole time that I'm pressing keys in my keyboard! I know it's going to be worth it. :)

***
A foodie in shackles

I have been detained, but not unwillingly so, for a few days in a place where "crisis management" is painful, but quite fruitful. Actually, extremely fruitful, in my case... and I thank and praise God Almighty for it! :)

Most people call it hospital, I call it a "pivotal" place... because of its "critical importance" to me. :) I have something that needed to be taken care of.
My "detention cell"... a few minutes after I received
my precious "release order" - freedoooom! Woohoo!If not, they would turn into a full-blown "crisis". It was only in a place like that where a threatening "crisis" like mine could be managed properly, abated significantly, and eradicated for good in the end. While I appreciated (I will forever appreciate) what the valiant knights in white armor do in that place of pivotal significance in my wellness, I wasn't crazy about the food. Not that anybody expected me to be, anyway! :) Apparently, if I were to contribute to the management of my own "brewing crisis" at all, I needed to endure the food. I, of course, tried... but I failed miserably!

By "tried", I mean, I "sampled" the food... and while it did what it should do, which was to keep my stomach busy and give me the
Bland? A sample of my "detention meal". necessary fuel while the crisis management was on-going, without interefering with the management process, it didn't make me smack my fingers with gusto. :( Okay, again, no one was expecting me to do that actually! =) But I'm a "true lover of food", and I expect my every encounter with food as a sacred "ritual" where considerable sensory satisfaction is a must - no compromise! In extreme cases (such as this one), at least some sort of curiousity must be aroused - by the food. Okay, to be honest, I thought the desserts weren't bad at all! :) And to be fair, I guess, if I weren't in a "state of crisis", I would've appreciated the food more.

***
Eating with a vangeance!

With the crisis contained and the cause of the problem "uprooted"...
Awesome detention companions. Celebrating
my foodie freedom!uhm, and quite literally, too, I was given a "release order"! Freedom was mine again! :) And so, I rallied my "detention companions" to celebrate with me. We chose one of our fave neighborhood places for eating for our mini celebration - Pancake House! Yaaay! :) And we ordered some of our "usuals". One chose a platter of the delightful pasta gambero in the patio pasta menu and another ordered the sinful but highly recommended classic pan chicken.

I was determined to re-awaken my taste buds and give them some degree of
Freedom meal. From bland to "bam", indeed!satisfaction. And so, I ordered what I usually don't order: hamburger steak special set. This consisted of a juicy hamburger steak with rich gravy, spaghetti with meat sauce and grated cheese, mixed veggies, and a glass of iced tea to wash it all in. When my food arrived in front of me, and after saying grace, I stared at my plate until my mouth watered... I sipped a little bit of iced tea to continue titillating my taste buds. And then, when my stomach gurgled a little bit, I knew it was time to dig in... and so, I did! Aaaaaahhh, heavenly!! :)

What's a visit to Pancake House without sampling their famous pancakes? :)
Want pancakes? Caramel banana walnut - simply
irresistible.While it was in the middle of the afternoon, the time of day didn't stop us from ordering one of our faves: caramel banana walnut pancakes! :) Of course, there was a little struggle in the decision making process considering how much we wanted all pancakes... and I mean, "all"! :) But, I needed the banana... to address some "crisis management issues"! :) As usual, the pancakes were perfect... and the banana and nuts didn't disappoint either.

Aaaahh... sweet freedom!

***
Photo credit: I own all photos.

Happy time again...

...hobby time again! And I'm glad to be back!
======================================================
by Philipina A. Marcelo


Five days out... so, what did I miss?? A lot, apparently!

***
Roland Garros 2011 time ticked off while I was sleeping!

I got out of unconsciousness... and what greeted me was the big news from the City of Lights. Hmmm... they're wrapping things up at Roland Garros!

The top 4 men in the world are all in the semi-finals. Nice! But it's men's tennis - only the very, very best and the very, very "hot" talentwise get to the Top 10. So, no surprise there. Every single one of the extremely talented men are up for something. Rafa Nadal is out
Rafael Nadal. The "King of Clay" has so much
on the line in Roland Garros this year. Defending the
title, retaining the No. 1 in the World spot in the
rankings, and a possible sweet rendezvous with
history yet again with a sixth title.to try to capture his sixth French Open title to equal Bjorn Borg's record for the most number of French trophies in the Open era. The "Spanish Matador" is also fighting to retain his Number One in the World spot. The 24-year old Serb, Novak Djokovic, with his 41 winning streak in 2011 (43 overall) going into the semis, is trying to surpass John McEnroe's record of 42 winning streak in all ATP Tours. If he advanced to the final, even if he doesn't win it, he would also snatch the Number One spot in men's tennis world ranking from the 25-year old Rafa Nadal. That would end the seven-year Federer-Nadal duopoly of the Top 2 spots in men's tennis. Britain's Numero Uno, Andy Murray, who just turned 24 years a few days ago in May, is the only one who does not have a Grand Slam trophy on his shelves among these current crop of young brilliant tennis greats, and he is
Novak Djokovic. No. 1 in the World?
So close, and yet so far. trying to win his first. Roger Federer, the eldest among the quartet at 29 years, is out to assert himself as the rightful owner of the Number One spot, and to keep reminding everyone how tennis should be played - beautiful, lyrical, sublime - and, add another one to his amazing world record of 16 Grand Slam singles titles. All are worthy causes, all worth a shot - a big blisteringly hot shot - as the fine clay powder on Philippe Chatrier flies on semi-finals day!

But I can't believe I missed the live telecast of both semi-final matches! A "crisis management" consequence... it's worth it, of course! After all, there are always replays. :) For now, what I know is that: (1) my question about who or what would stop the red-hot Le Djokeur from winning the 2011 French Open title has been answered. It's El Maestro, of course! Am I surprised? Yes... and no! Yes, because The Djoke defeated RF thrice - in the semis in Melbourne and Indian Wells, and in the final in Dubai - en route to Roland Garros. While those are all hardcourts, they improved The Djoke's head-to-head with RF. No, because RF is in such a fine form
Andy Murray. One reason...
just one good reason to win a big one. in Roland Garros so far, he seemed to have decided that he wanted to be the legendary Roger Federer... again! His chest and his stomach are so flat these days, and his legs looked the way they did in 2005-2007, that he's hardly been sweating heavily so far. Yeah, I'm that big of a fan, I notice those sort of things. :) And so, apparently, the "boy wonder" Le Djokeur was shown who his daddy was in the semis - as in the old days. (2) Rafa Nadal put an end to Andy Murray's aspiration for a Roland Garros title this year. Am I surprised? Uhm, not really. Andy does not lack talent, that's for sure. What he needs is a more meaningful inspiration and a truly convincing reason to really, and actually, push his way through these three giants in front of him... he really does. And then winning the Grand Slam will come with it in a neat package. Just like Rafa Nadal, I also believe that Murray should win one soon!

And so, when all is said and done about the exciting status of men's tennis, it all boils down to this: a Federer-Nadal (or Nadal-Federer
Roger Federer. The sublime Genius's legendary
career is not just about his world record of 16 Grand
Slam singles titles, it's also about his beautiful
tennis... and he's using it again to rake up big wins.depending on your fan group affiliation) showdown in Roland Garros! Yowzer! Most naturally, I think it's awesome! I have put my "clay money" on the King of Clay after seeing him haul himself from the pit of losing the first round to John Isner - like a real king, King of Clay, that is. While there is no one else who is happier than me to see El Maestro revive his appetite for winning - and winning beautifully as well - I am not taking my money off the King in this one. He has the more compelling and the more meaningful reasons to win a sixth title... and he knows it, and he's got the heart to do it as well. But with El Maestro on the opposite side of the net, I am sure that the 2011 Roland Garros men's championship is going to be another one for the history books!

***
Passion is the fashion where the arduous is glamorous!

I did catch the women's final between the defending champ, 30-year old Francesca Schiavone, and China's hope for a first Grand Slam, 29-year old Li Na. Now, this is an interesting match... a big Italian heart worn on an Italian sleeve vs. a cool, methodical and gregarious Chinese practicality - on a clay court.
Li Na. Cool and efficient, methodical and practical.
Her ardour to win catapulted her to the glamorous
circle of Grand Slam finalists.With teenagers and players in their early 20's in colorful and glamorous outfits parading the tennis courts these days, both Schiavone and Li are considered "old" by today's pre-dominant age groups. But both are physically fit, easily seen in their powerful shots and nimble movements. Both are hungry for winning as shown by their well-oiled shots arsenal that intimidate the most valiant of players on court. Both are all about serious tennis... with very little concern about Houte Couture. And yet, when they started hitting the ball on Philippe Chatrier's red clay, they enthralled!

Schiavone wowed the Melbourne audience in January, fighting an epic 47-game fourth-round battle with Russia's two-time Grand Slam winner Svetlana Kuznetsova, and prevailing spectacularly after four hours and 44 minutes. She then exited via a three-set quarter-final loss to the
Francesca Schiavone. With her
Italian fashion statement - passion -
she sets out to win. methodical and gregarious shooting of Caroline Wozniacki. In Roland Garros this time, with Schiavone's first-round complete demolition of Melanie Oudin, it was obvious that the defending Champ is in Roland Garros with only one thing in mind - lift the trophy once again! Her aggression met a lot of resistance though in her part of the draw, including some flashes of wanting for a win from former No. 1 in the World, Jelena Jankovic, in a three-set fourth round battle, and a highly spirited challenge from Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia, where the Italian was pushed to another three sets. As always, Schiavone battled with her heart, relying on her instincts to go for a kill, willing her self to achieve the seemingly unachievable feat.

Li Na, the runner-up in this year's Australian Open, on the other hand, programmed her 2011 Roland Garros GPS
Maria Sharapova digging deep,
to no avail against Li Na.to the final... and to the final she arrived - safely! Of course, there was that semi-final Maria Sharapova bump that threatened to derail her cruise into the final (saw replays, of course). But Li Na played consistent, playing each point with a "mini objective" each time - to win it. That frustrated the fighter in the leggy Miss Couture of women's tennis who, in the end, double faulted her way to her own semi-final exit, giving Li Na a straight sets win of 6-4, 7-5.

In the final between Li and Schiavone, it was obvious to me that the Italian has got one foot in the grave. Li's game plan has what usually conquers Schiavone: methodical and gregarious earning of points, one by one, one step at a time. Li is not one to give in to outrageous show of emotions easily and gets agitated by spirited agression, as she's shown in her match with Sharapova. She is patient, steady and composed. When she loses a point, it was because she committed an error or she was not prepared to counter an attack, that's all. And then, she re-starts, both eye on the next point - again. Schiavone is a big-stage player. She
Li Na (left) of China win in straight sets, 6-4, 7(7)-6(0)
over Francesca Schiavone (right) of Italy in the 2011
French Open women's singles final. likes drama... she thrives in it, she plays better with it. But with Li's Programmed run, "drama" is a rarely used word.

And so, after arriving in the final, Li Na, re-adjusted her 2011 Roland Garros GPS to a win! She cruised to a win in the first set. There were a few Schiavone-induced potholes in the second set, but Li's shock absorber of reliable big forehand thrown in with her full body weight took them all without much damage. She wowed with big serves and big, accurate shots... winners, usually coming from moving Schiavone from side to side. While Schiavone pre-occupied herself with effecting the drama of chasing the ball from all over the place, hoping to involve the crowd, Li was always preparing for a kill - from one point to the next. In the end, it was Li who was being cheered by the crowd, and Schiavone had to ask the umpire to request the crowd to be quiet when points were being played in the tie break in the second set. :) Of course, when a request like that would come from the one who, on good days, would prefer to involve the crowd, we knew for sure
Li Na became the first Chinese to win the Coupe
Suzanne Lenglen after beating Italian Francesca
Schiavone in the 2011 French Open championship. that Li was only moments away from lifting the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen!

And so, the 6th seed Li Na made history as the first Chinese and Asian to ever win a Grand Slam, and the first Chinese and Asian to ever win Roland Garros, with her straight sets championship victory over defending champion, Italian Francesca Schiavone, 6-4, 7(7)-6(0). It was a wonderful moment for the lady with endearing sense of humor, who revealed in her post-match courtside interview in the Australian Open this year that she lost sleep the night before her semi-final match with No. 1 in the World Caroline Wozniacki... because of her husband snoring loudly! :) She won the match in three sets, and went on to a runner-up finish against No. 2 in the World Kim Clijsters. In Roland Garros this year, however, a runner-up finish simply wasn't good enough for her... which is more like it!

Congratulations, Li Na!! :)

***
Photo credits: All photos were grabbed from the Zimbio website - thanks!

Fast track to quater-finals in Roland Garros

It sure felt like people were in a hurry!
======================================================
by Philipina A. Marcelo


Newsbreak: Just saw the live press conference of FIFA President Sepp Blatter in Zurich. *sigh* He looked like he was trying to keep his head above hot soup in a pressure cooker there... and was in a big hurry to escape! He took a defensive posture as he faced accusations that while he may not be directly involved in corrupt activities, he had been ignoring corruption in FIFA. But he did insist that, amidst all the Qatar World Cup 2022 bribery talks, "FIFA is not in crisis." Uh, what? Come again, Mr. Blatter. Have you been "around" FIFA lately, sir? Journalists were disappointed by Mr. Blatter's failure to show fangs and hardline commitment to bite-off corruption heads in FIFA. Hmmm... it's going to be a long week for Sepp Blatter for sure as the FIFA Congress convene on Wednesday. Good luck to him... and the football world! *sigh*

***
Back to the Roland Garros business

There's so much to do... and hobbies have to take the back seat as usual. Just when I finally paid decent amount of attention to this blog - and enjoying it, too, immensely, fate is bidding me to take a few "days off" from it and mind a "crisis" brewing. Bummer! And since I don't think Sepp Blatter is a good example in "crisis management", I'm compelled to take the "days off". *sigh* But I do have a few more minutes to write this entry, after all, it's that period in the tournament when the two halves of the draw combine for the Round of 16 in Roland Garros. And everyone seemed to be in a hurry to get the Round of 16 done and over with!

So, game on! :)

All-Swiss affair. Sorry, Fed... I was busy savoring the "Messi Magic" and the "Barҫa Day in Wembley", my mind flew as I watched you take care of "Stan, the Man" yesterday. Don't lie now, you were happy you didn't have to play on Saturday, weren't you? huh, fellow football fan? :)

So, Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka spin in the Round of 16. It was a contest of one-handed backhands, big serves and serve-and-volleys. It looked like Stan, who is being coached by RF's former coach, had the more powerful backhand there, but Fed's was more precise and he moved better on court to put his backhand to a better use, too. It was puzzling though how Stan could haul himself from two sets down in that raucous match with Jo-Wilfred Tsonga in the third round, and then go very subdued and looking without a fight against RF. Is The Man intimidated by El Maestro? Hmmm... he did look like he was thinking about an "against Tsonga" comeback in the third set... RF seemed to have sensed it, and he locked himself in the zone and hurriedly finished the match with a 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 straight sets win.

Aside from the All-Swiss affair and the David Ferrer and Gael Monfils match postponement for the next day, Day 8 was nothing special. Novak Djokovic, of course, took care of business... sending "local guy", Richard Gasquet, to his Round 4 exit from Roland Garros this year in straight sets win of 6-4, 6-4, 6-2. It was easy, considering he got "shaken" by Juan Martin del Potro's huge shots previously and had to concede a set - for the first time in the tournament.

Seriously, I am not sure what or who could stop The Djoker from winning Roland Garros this year. RF looked like he's hardly sweated so far, showed his impressive shots repertoire, and his game has been impeccable as well, but does his tank have enough mileage to cover a four-setter or a five-setter in case the Djoker would be in the mood to wow the French crowd a la Tsonga? We know the "old Djoker" was prone to something like that, too... but this is a new Djoker we're dealing with here. Anyway, before any confrontation with Djoke, El Maestro has to take care of the mini ball of fire, Gael Monfils first in the quarter-finals, actually... and with the crowd blowing to propel the Frenchman's sail for sure, too! And, I know I have my clay money on Rafa Nadal to clinch his sixth French Open title to equal the Great One, Bjorn Borg's record... but after watching Nole make Juan Martin del Potro surrender with a shake of the head as if he didn't know what hit him, he totally looked unstoppable. And Rafa is looking a bit like it has been a real effort for him to stay alive... not moving as nimbly and fast as Le Djokeur. Hmmm... I really hope to get back to my hobby soon! :)

The end of the Ferrer affair. Who would have thought? Who would have thought that it's going to be the ever inconsistent Gael Monfils who would put an end to the steady Spaniard trigger David Ferrer's run in Roland Garros this year? Certainly not me! But after the two mismatched warriors - personality wise - went two sets even, with the momentum on David Ferrer having won the fourth set, 6-1, I thought it was a Ferrer win for sure. And then, the Frenchman, with impressive winners and good serves, brought the fifth set to 5-3... with two match points! Unbelievable! But the 9th seed Frenchman was unable to finish it up. David Ferrer brought it to 6-6. At the extension, Monfils once again had another match point, which he again squandered with a lot of pressure from Ferrer. And then, on his serve, Ferrer committed heartbreaking unforced errors, one after another - very, very expensive ones, too... giving the set, and the match (6-4, 2-6, 7-5, 1-6, 8-6) to Monfils! How incredible! Whew!

Roger Federer once commented that Gael Monfils is a very talented player and has a lot of potential to get to the top, if he could stay focused on his game, that is. I agree completely... when he's concentrating, Monfils could create great variety of shots - more than Andy Murray is capable of, just because the lad has to divide his energy between winning and overcoming boredom on court - and then, he shifts to a Tsonga-like crowd-pleasing showmanship... and that's it, he loses concentration and kills his own game! Therefore, it has always been very hard for me to support him, because he seemed to be more interested in having childish fun on court rather than in winning, giving away crucial points to his opponents. After seeing him topple the 7th seed Spaniard earlier though, it looked like he's decided to take winning seriously now. Ironically, it's going to be El Maestro himself who will find out tomorrow.

The Swede swayed! I really like Robin Soderling - very much! :) I like the way he keeps things simple on court, almost clinical in winning matches... and then gets creative, even shows Viking-like aggression, when challenged. Whatever the situation though, he's almost always composed... celebrates points with quiet fist pumps with a pursing of the lips that shows his dimples... and so, you thought he smiled, but not really! :) And then back to business... winning. :)

But in his fourth-round match with Gilles Simon - the Frenchman who gained fame (or notoriety, depending on your RF fanatism level) by almost ousting Roger Federer in the second round of the US Open last year - I was surprised to see him show extreme amount of emotion after the match, even when he won in straight sets 6-2, 6-3, 7(7)-6(5)! It's the same kind of emotion RF showed when he finally broke to escape ouster by Simon in the 2010 US Open! Hmmm... Simon-induced extreme emotion? Interesting! I think it's more of a show of "wanting" to stay in the tournament... and eventually win it! And he's well-capable of doing that as well. The two-time Roland Garros runner-up who has beaten both Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer is not Number 5 in the World for nothing! And he will face the King of Clay in the quarter-finals! Nadal, for his part, countered an Ivan Ljubicic challenge with a 7-5, 6-3, 6-3 win.

Sharp Sharapova. Yes!! I survived the screaming and the shrieking of Maria Sharapova as she powered her way past the 12th seed Agnieszka Radswanska of Poland, 7(7)-6(4), 7-5, to advance to the quarter-finals. It was worth it, she was brilliant - I mean it. :) She wants to win this, it's very evident by the way she saved each point and made each winner. I say she's got a good shot at it, too! C'MON!!! :)

A murmur for Murray... ... and it isn't a prayer either! Dude, play tennis - brilliant, jaw-dropping, killer tennis! And tell your Mum to stay home while you show Viktor Troicki who is Number 4 in the World tomorrow, alright? You only have one shot... go hot and stay hot, dammit!

Uhm, ahem, ahem... go, get him, lad! :)

***
Photo credit: All photos were grabbed from the Zimbio website - thanks. :)

Sunday foodie...

...healthy refreshment.
======================================================
by Philipina A. Marcelo


Too many things going on this Sunday. First of all, it's Church day... and then there's the UEFA Champions League final between FC Barcelona and Manchester United FC at 2:45 AM, and then the start of the Round of 16 in Roland Garros, where an "all-Swiss affair" in the men's draw will be one of the main showpieces. High-intensity stuff... hot! Therefore, some "cooling" is needed.

My nephew and niece who are spending the weekend at our place spotted the cantaloupe in my fruit tray... and I think I knew just what they had in mind! And so, I set out to the kitchen. I took my knife to cut the cantaloupe in half. Hmmm... a refreshing aroma - sweet and cool - filled the kitchen, and it reached the living room! I removed the seeds and grated the pulp. As I did, tasty juice was released, and my mouth watered!

I poured the grated pulp in two separate containers. I took a can of evaporated milk from the cupboard and a bottle of melon-flavored milk from the fridge, a little sugar and a jug of water. I applied a little bit of my Analytical Chemistry know-how (*wink*, *wink*, haha...) for my cantaloupe concoction to fill two pitchers. I stored the pitchers in the fridge. After watching some heavy ball-hitting with ultra-light racquets, and blisteringly hot ball kicking on cool grass, it was time to cool down. As I opened the fridge, the sweet aroma was inviting... the kids and I helped ourselves with a glass each of the cantaloupe concoction... and enjoyed.

Gooooooooaaaaaaaaal!! :)

***

More than a Club... and they are European Champions, too!!

Barҫa, Barҫa... Barҫaaaaaaaaa!!
======================================================
by Philipina A. Marcelo


And they did it! They are the 2011 European Champions! Woohoo!! Woot-woot!

They battled the Kings of English Football, Manchester United, and the Kings of Spanish Football prevailed, 3-1!! Hail the Kings of European Football! Barҫa, Barҫa... Barҫaaaaaaaaa!!

Greatness in all three Barҫa goals: Uno, after a wonderfully orchestrated play that almost culminated to a Pedro Rodríguez goal, the smooth Xavi Hernandez orchestrated another one... and Pedro Rodríguez completed it to a fantastic first goal! Sweet! A few minutes later, down but not (yet) out, Wayne Rooney exchanged a pass with Ryan Giggs, which momentarily sliced up the Barcelona defense as Gerard Piqué barred Giggs who was dangerously close to the goal. Wayne Rooney quickly took advantage and kicked an equalizer past Victor Valdes who was still eyeing Javier Hernandez and closely watching Ryan Giggs. That brought both Sir Alex Ferguson and Pep Guardiola on their feet! And so, the first half closed with the two sides even on goals. Moving on... Dos, after a series of Barҫa attempts that scattered the Manchester defense to desperate disarray, bringing down Lionel Messi on the grass a number of times to cut the amazing thread of magic the little genius was weaving, Xavi "called things to order" with the ball. Andrés Iniesta received and passed, and Lionel Messi smashed the second goal in a flash around three stunned Manchester defenders - his first on English soil, and the one that dampened Manchester's spirit! Brilliant!! Of course, it smelled like a win from then on. Tres, Messi set it up, Sergio Busquets picked up and made a brilliant turn around to safety, passed it, David Villa received and kicked it - into the Manchester goal, over the stretched Edwin van der Sar! The third Barҫa goal that sealed the European championship! And there were many, many more fantastic attempts (16 total, 12 on target) with Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Dani Alves, Ibrahim Afellay, Sergio Busquets and Gerard Piqué taking a shot, and a few more, at the Manchester goal coming out from some exquisite build ups via tiki-taka vs. meager attempts (three to be exact, only one on target) from the English Premier League's best. Edwin van der Sar was ManU's hero... the score would've been 3++ to 1 if not for his incredible focus and valiant saves.

It was a beautiful match. Barҫa playing their mesmerizing fast-paced football of lyrical beauty that involved every single body in Blaugrana jerseys on the pitch moving in such incredible synchronicity, and ManU trying to keep up with a lot of personality, too. Without a Mourinho hand anywhere in the New Wembley, there were no silliness nor ugliness... only mutual respect, brilliance, fun and excitement... and engaging football wholesomeness in a breathtaking "big boys' play" at the very apex of football beauty. Pep Guardiola once again showed the world that in football, the tiki-taka beauty can be both a delight and a formidable tactical offense - unbeatable, in fact.

People will continue putting "Pep Guardiola's Barҫa" and "the greatest football team ever" in the same sentence when they talk of the beautiful sport that's football, and the gentleman and ever humble Pep will continue to discourage such talk. But after being beaten - and beaten well - by Barҫa in the biggest football stage in Europe, Sir Alex Ferguson - himself, one of football's biggest fans - recognizes Guardiola's Barҫa as "the best in Europe, there's no question of that." And as the Catalans savored their moment of triumph in New Wembley, Sir Alex saluted them with a "they're enjoying the moment... and they deserve to because they are playing football the right way." As for me, words are not enough to describe any part of Barcelona's wonderful 2011 Champions League final showpiece. It's disrespectful to even try! Therefore, I'll leave it at that for now, with a simple CONGRATULATIONS!!! :) I'm a VERY PROUD fan!!! Woohoo!

Visca, el Barҫa!!!

***

New Wembley Day!

Here we go... game on in the New Wembley!
======================================================
by Philipina A. Marcelo


The day has finally arrived... the Kings of Spanish Football, FC Barcelona, up against the Kings of English Football, Manchester United FC, for the 2011 UEFA Champions League title!

Who will prevail? We know which Club I'm rooting for, of course... and it's more than a Club, too! :) No amount of British sports reporting that buttered up ManU's chances against the Catalans, and Pep Guardiola's caballero humility can hide the fact in my head - one of these sides is better than the other - on all fronts! But this is football... anything can happen! And, a few hours before the opening whistle, and after witnessing a complete Juan Martin del Potro demolition by Novak Djokovic as they continued their third round rumble in Roland Garros with booming huge shots that involved all their body parts, I'm still gauging my heart... is it still "healthy enough" to endure the 90-minute battle? Loud thump, thump, thump.... Of course, I'm nervous! It's Champions League final, for crying out loud!

Oh, boy!

***

More big-name crashes and exquisite showpieces...

...on Day 6 at Roland Garros.
======================================================
by Philipina A. Marcelo


I was much more "prepared" this time. I was home before the first match went on air, and with lots of healthy bites and drinks in stock as well. Game on!

***
Roland Garros blown wide open for the women

Champ Agression. So, the defending champion, Francesca Schiavone, moved on to Round 4 as her opponent, Shuai Peng of China, retired in the second set with the score nailed at 6-3, 1-2. The Number 5 seed Schiavone was superior over her 29 seed opponent, and showed her usual shots variety on clay at the Suzanne Lenglen Court.

Nerves vs. Courage. Over at Philippe Chatrier, 8th seed Australian Samantha Stosur, with all her shotmaking arsenal, was looking all vulnerable against the gregarious Gisella Dulko of Argentina in the first set. The Australian bowed at 4-6 to the unseeded Argentine who showed her fantastic form on clay. Stosur then revived her hard-hitting player self, coming back strong in the second set with a fantastic result of 6-1 while Dulko tried to steady herself courageously. The petite Argentine, who is half of the fantastic Penetta-Dolku women's doubles team, then proved herself up to the challenge, playing consistently well with her smart ball placements and serve-and-volleys, usually on display in her doubles matches. She forcefully broke Stosur and then shut the door to the nervy Australian with fiery assaults, winning the third set at 6-3! And so, Dolku went on to the fourth round, leaving Stosur as another big-name casualty!

Biggest and most spectacular crash. And so, the Number One in the World, Caroline Wozniacki, will have to wait some more to take another shot at her first ever Grand Slam title as she went crashing - BIG TIME - in the third round at Roland Garros... and no one in Suzanne Lenglen was crying for her as she made her final exit on the first week. The woman who went out to do the irrepairable damage was Slovak Daniela Hantuchova... of all people! Yes, Hantuchova... she with an impressive variety of shots but who used to struggle - painfully - to win the battle against her own nerves on court, and usually failed - frustrating to watch. She held her nerves this time, and stayed mostly solid on her attack, finishing the first set at 6-1 with a delightful variety of shots, surprising confidence and focus. Wozniacki, who seemed to be more interested in wow-ing tennis fans with her pink bra peeping through the see-through windows in the front of her blue dress, was completely stunned! I was awed by Hantuchova! They went into the second set with Hantuchova still red-hot, making Wozniacki running around, scampering to save points - to no avail. At some point, Wozniacki's frustration showed with another bitching to the umpire over how long Hantuchova was taking time between points - Hantuchova's own points anyway! :) And then, the Number One in the World angrily charged at Hantuchova while the latter was two games up on her serve. Hantuchova wavered... and I thought I saw a flash of the "old Hantuchova"... but she quickly regained balance and charged back - winning the game... and eventually the set, and the match, 6-1, 6-3! She then celebrated with the appreciative Suzanne Lenglen crowd while the defeated Wozniacki walked away, ignored by the crowd. Awesome!

Now that the women's tennis lame, er, Dane diva is out, it's going to be high-quality tennis from now on - I'm sure of it! :) Let me guess, Wozniacki went crying in Fernando Verdasco's arms? C'mon, Caroline, the wonderful Ana Ivanovic had been there before when she was #1, too... we know what happened to her, and her career - what a pity. And you're showing all signs of Ivanovic-ish spontaneous combustion... at least, Ana won Roland Garros before she went on a decline... but it's great to see her coming back now. So, smart up, woman!

Genius vs. Big heart. As if the emotional seesaw in the Stosur-Dulko battle at Philippe Chatrier was not enough, it was followed by a fantastic match between the young German genius, Julia Goerges, and the 11th seed Marion Bartoli - the Frenchwoman with an Italian name. Bartoli was stunned in the first set by fantastic crisp and clean shotmaking from the gorgeous 18-seed genius. The German took the first set, 6-3, with glorious shotmaking - too awesome! France's Number One was eager to give her French fans a great showing, and so, she regrouped and fought back in the second set, winning it with a 6-2 score, while the Gorgeous One blinked watery right eye that caught something in the air. The third set was a nail-biting affair for tennis fans. With Bartoli leading at 4-1 and on her serve, the Genius and the fighter with the Big Heart locked horns, going back and forth between deuce and one of them going one point up several times. Bartoli invested tremendous amount of effort and emotional energy to take the set to 5-1 before Goerges takes her turn to serve. But Goerges resisted with awesome returns, totally murdering Bartoli's second serves, and beautiful, beautiful winners that all looked effortless, it was hardly fair for Bartoli who was making all sorts of efforts to stay in the lead! But Bartoli's big heart prevailed, in spite of Goerges's 48 winners against her meager 14, winning the set... and the match, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.

That's the way tennis should be played - great shotmaking and commitment from both women... pay attention, Caroline Wozniacki!

***
Oh, man, what men!

*sigh* Men's tennis is too exciting compared to women's tennis... it's heartbreaking! Then again, maybe it's okay... let's just call it "eye candies con adrenalin rush feast"... that women can enjoy - tremendously! 'Cause that's what I've been doing! :)

That Ferrer affair. It's quiet, efficient, powerful, fast and a sure winner. No, I'm not talking about the new Mercedes-Benz S250, I'm talking about the Roland Garros run of David Ferrer - the "Other Spaniard" who oozes awesomeness. But that comparison is not too inappropriate either 'cause that's what David Ferrer has been doing... when his name turns up in the draw, he is a sure bet to win, especially in these stages of the tournament. He just secured a place in the Round of 16 in another straight-set win - quietly, efficiently, powerfully, fastly but surely... plus the all-important Spaniard passion! It's a smooth clay affair so far for the No. 7 in the World, and I'm totally liking him, too! :) Vamos!

Round of 16 safe landing... Roger that. The Serbian Janko Tipsarevic is usually an unpredictable player - in a good way to tennis fans, but in dangerous ways for his opponents! He serves great, with some reliable aces when the situation calls for them. He can even use them to get out of trouble in a tight set. He is fast and aggressive, and can mix up shots to outmaneuver and outfox his opponents. But what is most dangerous about Tipsarevic for Roger Federer is that the Serbian National team-mate of Novak Djokovic has lofty ambitions... and he knows he's got the talents to accomplish them as well! Being faced with highly accomplished players like Roger Federer is not a challenge for him but rather an opportunity to measure up with men's tennis's great ones today, and he takes them with gusto as well. But Roger knows all this. And so, early on, he played smartly, turning all his game knobs to maximum, throwing winner after winner in Tipsarevic's half of the court... taking an early lead, 6-1 in the first set. Before Tipsarevic recovered from the early onslaught of killer shots, Roger resumed his attack in the second set. And as Tipsarevic found his way into the match to assert himself, Roger was already wrapping up the second set, taking it at 6-4. By the time Tipsarevic got his rhythm, Roger changed tactic, finishing his service games fast by unleashing aces to keep the 29 seed Serb at "re-start" mode, which eventually frustrated him, losing esteem and interest, and surrendering to El Maestro in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4, 6-3, in only 90 minutes.

Smart? Uh-huh.... Genius? Roger that!

Showman vs. The Man. It was only last year when Stanislas Wawrinka, one-half of the Swiss duo who won gold medal in the Beijing Olympics men's doubles in 2008 where the other half is Roger Federer, hit the gossip headlines when he reportedly left his young family to concentrate on his tennis career. He was then tauntedly called, "Stan, the Man". Since then he has improved his serve, his speed, his one-hand backhand, and his shotmaking kit, affording himself a climb to the rankings, getting to #14 in the World today. But when he met the French flamboyant "Showman", Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, in Roland Garros, however, it didn't look like he had a chance. The fast and furious #17 in the World, banged in winner after winner at Stan Wawrinka's half of the court in the first set to the crowd's delight. While Stan quietly offered a lot of resistance, cutting Tsonga's big serves speed with his one-handed backhand, he was unable to stop Tsonga from taking the first set, 6-4. The "Showman" involved the willing crowd in his play, taking time to celebrate every point with relish. By the time they got into the second set, Wawrinka was asserting himself, taking the set to a tie break. But Tsonga and the crowd was much too much for his "all business" approach, losing the set to Tsonga at 7(7)-6(3). When the third set started, it surely looked like a straight-set win for Tsonga... until the turning point in the match. At 4-2 on Wawrinka's serve, the Swiss was trying to hold serve, and was engaged in a rally with the Frenchman. He sent a ball at the corner and followed it up quickly with an exquisite cross-court shot. Tsonga sprinted from the corner to catch the ball but it was too good for him, and fell on his face, dropping his racquet, on the clay. He stood up covered with the red clay powder. Stan Wawrinka celebrated quietly while Tsonga picked himself up minus the showmanship and dusted himself off, looking defeated. Little did anyone knew that that was how the match was going to end. Stanislas Wawrinka hauled himself from two sets down to a most spectacular five-set win against Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, 4-6, 6-7, 7-6, 6-2, 6-3!

"The Man" prevailed over "The Showman"! Awesome match!!

Fire vs. Megaforce. Hmmm... I don't recall seeing the 2009 US Open Champ, the hard-hitting Argentine Juan Martin del Potro, crossed swords with the 2008 and 2011 Australian Open Champ, the Serbian hotshot Novak Djokovic before. And I admit that although I've been waiting for this tornado of a match to land in Roland Garros, I haven't really imagined how these two would match up. Both have great serves - well, now, at least, after Djoker improved his over the past months - and both have great variety of shots on court. While Nole has the bigger advantage on the mobility side, being leaner and more nimble, JMdP has "The Force" with him in his every shot. I like both men a lot, actually, even when both beat Roger Federer on big stages on certain occasions. :) And, I do remember RF mentioning JMdP specifically when asked a year ago about those with great potentials to dominate men's tennis. El Maestro praised the Argentine's powerful shots, which he said would take a lot of force and smart tactics if his opponents were to counter them. The Argentine famously prevailed over RF in the 2009 US Open, of course. And here we are, watching Nole Djokovic, the main man of the hour, trying to figure out how to stop the big man's big shots!

The first set of their match saw Nole on top, 6-3. He asserted his fiery self early, and JMdP was testing the Djoke... seeing how fast he goes, how strong he can return and how patient he was to retrieve points. He got a great idea now of the Djoke. And then the second set came... BOOM! Juan Martin del Potro in the house! I could almost hear the booming sound of his shots... and Djoker's beautiful fiery eyes were wide open in disbelief - he even double faulted! He was definitely feeling the heat! Every single point was faught like a championship point! Before people, including myself, could recover, the score board showed 5-2 - in JMdP's way! With that score, and on his serve, Djoker started talking to himself as he wasted a game point as he returned a JMdP smash as a drop shot that didn't go over the net - not a good sign! But Djoker held, and took the score to 5-3. At 15-40 on JMdP's serve, the huge Argentine served FOUR BIG ONES in a row to claim the second set, 6-3! Dang, it's TRULY GAME ON in Roland Garros!

And then, the umpire called the the game for a postponement due to fading sunlight. Djoker hastily gathered his belongings and made his way to the dressing room, briefly stopping by to sign autographs for the fans - looking shaken! JMdP took his time in the court, and made his way out... looking relax! Why??? what did he find out about Djoker??? What????? Aaaargh, frustrating!

***
Photo credit: All photos were grabbed from the Zimbio website - thanks.

Big crashes, great comebacks...

...and some fantastic wins, too!
======================================================
by Philipina A. Marcelo


They sighed, wimpered, screamed (a lot, in the case of Maria Sharapova)... and then celebrated - a win! And, on the other side of the net, head hung with the devastating agony... of defeat.

***
Big-name crash, underdog comeback

I rushed home from some big meetings at work, sprinted to my room, dropped my bag on the rug by my bed, kicked off my shoes, and breathlessly switched on my TV - fifth day of the French Open, second round for the other half of the men's and women's draws. Game on!

What greeted me was Kim Clijsters - in her new hair style, of course - battling Arantxa Rus of Netherlands. Clijsters arrived in Roland Garros a little "cold", barely recovering from a twisted ankle, which she said she sustained while having fun in her cousin's wedding. She went through the first round though with relative ease to set up a meeting with Rus. And now, they were on... wait, third set?? And the score was 3-6, 7-5, 4-1 in favor of... Rus?? Yes, Rus! The 20-year old Dutch came back from one set down to go even with the No. 2 in the World, Clijsters. And Rus was trying to close the third set, hammering Clijsters, who was looking painfully vulnerable amidst disappointed "ooohs" and then appreciative claps - for Rus - from the crowd. I had to pour myself a tall glass of watermelon flavored Fit n' Right on a pile of ice cubes to take that all in. Before, I could even peel off my "restraining" blouse for a more comfortable tank top, the young Dutchwoman caused the biggest upset so far at Roland Garros: she sent the No. 2 in the World to a shocking second-round exit! And Clijsters's young conqueror stood there with a charming smile and a quiet and unassuming shrug after her 3-6, 7-5, 6-1 win - very adorable. :)

Another big-name crash and underdog comeback played up in Roland Garros when the former #3 in the World, now seeded #28, Russian Nikolay Davydenko let unseeded Croat Antonio Veic come back into the match, to go one set even with him after the second set. The Croat then took the third set, while the Russian himself came back in the fourth before finally crashing in the fifth set. The Croat took the match with a 3-6, 6-2, 7-5, 3-6, 6-1 win.

But, perhaps, the most heartbreaking big-name crash of the day was that of Number 8 in the World, Germany's Jurgen Melzer's. He went first on a seesaw win-lose contest with unseeded Lukas Rosol of the Czech Republic, until they went two sets even to go into the fifth set. The duo opened the match with a tightly contested first set, which went on a tie breaker, and eventually won by the German, 7(7)-6(4). Rosol came back strong in the second set, taking it at 6-4 before giving the third set to the German, 4-6. The fourth set, once again went into tie break, which Rosol won 7(7)-6(3). Rosol went into the fifth set charging and took it 6-4, advancing to the third round over the disappointed German.

The focus shifted to Andy Murray's match with Simone Bolleli over at Philippe Chatrier. Hmmm... it was like watching Caroline Wozniacki. Zzzzzzzzzzz....

***
Intensity and big name comebacks

Guess what brought me back to planet earth from my Murray-induced enthusiasm crash (ok, ok... I was tired from work, too)... Maria Sharapova's ear-splitting lung-power, of course! Ugh! Uhm, mute button, quick! *press* There! Whew!

The Shrieking One amazingly came back from one set down to go even with the brilliant Caroline Garcia... and I mean, "brilliant" as in "really brilliant"! Yes, Sharapova was completely outshone (but not outscreamed, of course) by the Frenchwoman in the first set... and half of second set. But experience and intensity (and her annoying shrieks?) helped her get back into the game, getting Garcia commit a lot of errors, and then finally taking the match with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-0 win and a very loud "c'mon" plus a swirl of the skirt of her pretty picnic, er, tennis dress! *yawn*

---

And, hey, hey, hey, what have we got here... an all-Spaniard second round showpiece starring The King of Clay, Rafa Nadal, and the late John F. Kennedy Jr. look-alike, Pablo Andujar at the Court Suzanne Lenglen. The match started out with an early struggle for Rafa Nadal to win the first game! Oh, gosh, I have take-home work to do tonight... no more of that five-setter, please, Rafa! Actually, I should've been talking to Andujar... 'cause, with his passing shots and some powerful forehand shots there, he took The King up to his game, making Rafa work hard to shakily win the first set, 7-5. And then, Rafa Nadal had to hold his game up to assert himself in the second set, taking it convincingly at 6-3. But Andujar reminded himself that John Isner almost managed to demolish the King of Clay two days ago... and so, he tried his luck in the third set... impressing the crowd with awesome shotmaking. All of a sudden, the third set score was 5-1... in favor of Andujar!!! I needed another tall glass of iced watermelon Fit n' Right! And then, with the hallmark of his distinguished kingship on clay, Rafa Nadal, picked his tempo up, saving several set points, and toiled his way back patiently to take control of the third set despite fantastic showing by Andujar. One game at a time, he reached the tie break to take control of the third set, 7(7)-6(4). And he did it - through to the third round! Vamos!

---

Although, this is not our traditional big-name comeback, Andy Murray had to keep coming back - to his own mind - as he faced Simone Bolleli at Court Philippe Chatrier. Bolleli forced the No. 4 in the World Scot from a languid first-round run to a more spirited showing... and was handed some success by the Scot with almost a full mental presence on court. The match was peppered with breaks and break-backs, down on points and comebacks, as Murray went hot and cold... and back again. So, what's new? But he did bring the match to a three-set finish with a 7-6, 6-4, 7-5 win at the approval of his Mum (is it just me, or is Andy's Mum's presence in every single match he played has already become very annoying?). To be honest though Andy Murray's less than committed run sent my mind flying somewhere else, and I didn't see most of the third set... somebody crashed, big time - me. :)

---
Comeback nuggets:

While #5 in the World and two-time Roland Garros runner-up Swede, Robin Soderling (I really like his "all business" stance everytime he steps on the court), had an easy passage through to the third round, Fernando Verdasco of Spain had to comeback from one set down to go even in the second set with Belgian, Xavier Malisse. He then had to dig deep from his tennis emergency shotmaking kit to win the tie break in the critical third set. He eventually clinched his second-round match, 4-6, 6-3, 7(7)-6(5), 6-1. Verdasco will be up against Croat Ivan Ljubicic, who beat American Sam Querrey, in the third round, while Soderling will be facing Argentina's Leonardo Mayer who beat Marcos Baghdatis in another tight contest.

Edward Cullen look-alike, #18 Gilles Simon looked rusty as he let the first set slip in his own match with fellow Frenchman, the unseeded Jeremy Chardy. But, he came back strong to win the match in four sets, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-4.


***
Photo credits: All photos were grabbed from Zimbio - thanks!