Nadal is out. I repeat, Nadal is out. He lost last night in the second round of Wimbledon to relatively unknown Czech Lukas Rosol. Lukas Who?
Lukas Rosol, ranked #100 in the world, that's who.
This is Nadal's earliest loss in a major since 2005, when he was nipped by Gilles Müller in the second round of Wimbledon.
Things are looking up for the statistically greatest player to never win a major. I'm talking to you Andy. No, not Roddick, he won the U.S. Open in 2003. Andy Murray. Britain's hope, even though he's a Scotsman. If he somehow plays himself out of Wimbledon, he returns to Scot status, if he wins, he will be remembered as the man who ended the British void. He will most certainly be knighted, and will get that best to never win a major monkey off his back, finally.
You cannot understate just how big this Wimbledon has turned out to be. If Roger Federer wins the tournament, he retains his status as World #1, and will break Pete Sampras' record of weeks at #1. If current #1 Novak Djokovic wins, he retains his title at Wimbledon, and his #1 ranking, and will show the world he can dominate like the Federer of 2006. If Murray wins, all Hell will break loose and the world will turn on it's side.
Federer, if he reaches the semis, will retake #2 in the World, and will be in a good position for the Olympics in July, which Federer has never won.
THE PREDICTIONS:
Well Federer came back from a 2-sets to love deficit today to beat career Journeyman Julien Benneteau 4-6 6-7 6-2 7-6 6-1. The last time Federer came back from 2-0 at Wimbledon was against Alejandro Falla in the first round of 2009, coincidentally the last time he won Wimbledon. That was the epic he had with Andy Roddick in the final, which went to 16-14 in the fifth. He has quite an easy draw up to the semis, where he'll meet Novak Djokovic, or will he?
Djokovic was pushed to 4 sets today when another career Journeyman, Radek Stepanek stole the first set from the Djoker 6-4 with a flurry of serve and volleys. He fell off in the next three sets though, losing 6-4 2-6 2-6 2-6.
Murray survived a tough one against a big serving Ivo Karlovic, 7-5 6-7 6-2 7-6 in a match that Dr. Ivo claimed was stolen from him by the lines judges, who called him for what seemed like a million foot faults. Karlovic is not known to get foot faults, but I'm sure Serena Williams knows how he feels.
THE PICKS:
Top Half Semifinalists: Federer d. Djokovic
Bottom Half Semifinalists: Tsonga d. Murray
FINAL: Federer d. Tsonga 4-6 7-6 7-5 5-7 6-2
As Rudyard Kipling once wrote in his Poem 'If'
"If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster, and treat both impostors the same."
These famous words are written on the the entrance to the players' locker room, and they have never been more true for Nadal, Federer, Djokovic, Murray, and company.
No matter what happens, this Wimbledon has surprised already, and will be sure to give us a fantastic show, as only the Greatest Tournament in the World can.
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