If you're like me you're probably having a hard time wrapping your head around this week's grass matches in Halle and Queens, perhaps still feeling hungover from Roland Garros. A quick check on the tennis messageboards confirms that fans are having a difficult time letting go of the Roger-Rafa drama and focusing on grass matches starring the likes of Kiefer and Haase. Even Nadal was anxious to get back home, forget about tennis, and play some golf. Then he found himself in the finals of Queens for the first time. Golf will have to wait.
The Artois Championships, Queen's Club, London
Final: Rafael Nadal (1) vs Novak Djokovic (2), Sunday, June 15, 2:00pm local time
The Queens lineup has been particularly impressive this year and thanks to various livestreams currently available online I was able to view most of the matches this year. The King of Queens, Andy Roddick, is no longer King nor even a Queen this year at the Artois Championships, ousted by a still-hot Rafael Nadal, 7-5, 6-4, who gained a lot of confidence after slaying another serving giant, Ivo Karlovic, in the previous round. Roddick, coming back from a back/shoulder injury and not getting much of a grass workout after two of his opponents retired (Fish after one set, and Murray with a walkover), didn't look particularly sharp and often stared at his camp as if to ask them "Why did you guys tell me to hit to his forehand?" He also looked slower than usual but that was probably just the Nadal effect, he tends to make all of his opponents look like they're playing on ether. After Nadal took down Karlovic and then Roddick you could almost read his sheepish smile, as if he were saying, "Well, I made it this far I may as well go all the way and win it." Rafa's will to win triumphed over his tired mind and body. In the other semifinal, Novak Djokovic brutally mugged David Nalbandian, 6-1 6-0, who never once looked like he cared and that he'd rather be home watching the Euro 2008. That breadstick and bagel certainly won't help his diet much. Thanks for coming, David. And so Queens will crown a new King this year, a tantalizing final between the world numbers 2 and 3, their fourth meeting this year, either of whom would also be a first-time grass titlist.
The Gerry Weber Open, Halle, Germany
Final: Roger Federer (1) vs Philipp Kohlschreiber, Sunday, June 15, 3:00pm local time
Meanwhile, over in Halle, it's business as usual for the King of Grass, Roger Federer. After the first few awkward matches, such as his first round with Michael Berrer, who has a natural God-given gift of making his opponents play almost as badly as he does, Federer found his groove in his quarterfinal match with Marcos Baghdatis and now he seems to be back in lawnmower mode, ripping up the competition. In the final he will face his next victim, Philipp Kohlschreiber, the Australian Open Roddick-killer. I swear, if Roger loses to Philipp all bets are off for Wimbledon and only then will I join the Roger-is-slumping-finished-over bandwagon. Seriously, even Roddick scoffed at the notion that Federer is not the favorite going into Wimbledon. "He's still the favorite no matter how you look at it," said Roddick. With a 58-0 grass record, how can Federer not be the favorite? Forget Greg Rusedski slobbering all over Rafa on the BBC, proclaiming him the best on grass and the favorite for Wimbledon. Rubbish. Until proven otherwise it has been, and always will be, Roger. Defending his Halle title will provide a nice band-aid for the Roland Garros boo-boo. And if the unthinkable happens and Roger loses? Um, no. Just no.
Enjoy the matches, and Happy Father's Day to those celebrating.
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