Order restored.
Tennis makes sense again today as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal won their semifinal matches at the Monte Carlo Open. Rafa defeated Nikolay Davydenko, who beat him in the Miami final, 6-3, 6-2. Roger was well on the way to defeating Novak Djokovic, who beat him at the Australian Open. Then at 6-3, 3-2, after complaining of “breathing issues” and calling for a medical timeout, Djokovic…retired. Yes, retired. The world number 3, who pounds his chest when he wins, pleads “breathing issues” when he loses. Djokovic said he had not been feeling well these last few days–odd, he looked very healthy when he was winning. We’d be more sympathetic if he weren’t in the habit of quitting matches when he’s losing (He’s done this twice while playing Nadal). “Dizziness”? “Sore throat”? Maybe panic attacks? Chokeovich.
Hmm, another walkover win for The Fed. Third or fourth this season. New coaching arrangement with Jose Higueras seems to be working. Here’s The Fed telling the Djokovices to “Be quiet. . .okay?” in the tone of a nursery school teacher telling the kids to behave.
Update, 27 April. Rafa Nadal has defended his Monte Carlo title against The Fed, 7-5, 7-5. I like this comparison: The objective of the hard court player is to close in and make the court smaller; the clay courter’s is to make it bigger.
Answers to questions you might be asking, unless you wandered onto this site purely by accident >>>
April 28th, 2008 at 01:26
Not a bad loss really at 5 and 5 against Rafa on clay. Cheers to Roger!
April 29th, 2008 at 12:07
On the contrary, Roger should have taken that second set! Even if Rafa is the heavy favorite, 4-0? come on! Rome 06 revisited
May 3rd, 2008 at 13:16
SI columnist Jon Wertheim put it best when he wrote: One last word about Djokovic’s ill-timed retirement against Federer last weekend in Monte Carlo. You always question the severity of someone else’s illness/injury at your peril. But if I beat you in a best-of-five match and later learn than you had mono, I would think long and hard about retiring against you a few months later, no matter how sore my throat might feel.