Yes, I just called Marat Safin a dragon, but why not? I mean, the guy totally breathed tennis fire on the court today. So much, actually, that Novak Djokovic was still smoldering as he walked off the court, chin against chest.
The question now is, will Safin continue his run at SW19?
Things couldn't have been easier yesterday for Roger Federer as he rolled past junk-master Fabrice Santoro in three quick and painfully lopsided sets in the second round of the Australian Open 6-1 6-2 6-0.
It was an especially daunting win by Federer, the world no. 1, after Santoro had much hoopla about his chances to beat the Swiss to the press. But the game of slice, dice and a little bit of luck was no match for Federer, who hit 53 winners in the 81 minute affair.
I usually try to steer away from writing about the Fed because of the frightening amount of coverage the King receives by today's media. He is a global super star in every way, a diplomat of the sport both socially and politically. When I interned at TENNIS Magazine last summer, Online Editor Kamakshi Tandon told me that anything they put up on Federer was sure to be gold. In other words, he is tennis' ultra superstar.
But with two rounds complete and just six games lost, Federer has been both brilliant and boring in his dominance of the Aussie thus far. In round three, however, the King's Path gets a bit rocky.
In the round of 32, Federer has a date with the Prince of Serbia - Janko Tipsarevic. Tipso's surge into the top 50 has been overshadowed by the rage that is Novak Djokovic, but the 23-year-old had a breakout tournament at Wimbledon last year, and has established himself as a dangerous floater here.
Though it's rather doubtful that Tipsarevic could actually pull the upset on the Mighty Fed, it wouldn't be too far fetched to say that the Serb may take a set - or two - from the man with 12 grand slams.
From there on out, things only get more difficult for the defending champ. In the fourth round, a possible match-up with Czech Tomas Berdych looms. Berdych hasn't lost a set in his first two matches, and has been broken just three times in six sets played. Their one meeting on hard courts, back at the Olympics in '04, was won by Berdych in three tight sets.
In the quarters Fed could take on James Blake (who's 0-7 lifetime against the world no. 1) or Fernando Gonzalez, who won the last match-up between the two players at Shanghai. Needless to say, Federer has his work cut out for him to get to the semifinals. But if history is any sort of predictor, the Fed will have his way not only with these players, but with the entire draw.
And for any of you who missed the delightful five-setter last night between Marcos Baghdatis and Marat Safin, catch it here:
Marat Safin has certainly had an up-and-down career.
Last year in Davis Cup, he pulled out the heroics for the Russians against Argentina to give his home country a Cup title. This year, the Russian team is pitted against Germany in the semifinals, sans Safin.
While Safin is out with a pick in his hand instead of a racquet, the Russian team of Igor Andreev and Nicolay Davydenko will have to go head-to-head with Tommy Haas, a formidable opponent that will try to single-handidly try to upstage the defending champs.
Not much tennis was played on Day One of the French Open.
Rain halted many matches and forced tournament organizers to push first-round matches to Monday.
Justine Henin, Marat Safin and Serena Williams were among those who were able to sneak their way past not only Mother Nature, but pesky opponents to book their places in round two of the year's second major.
Williams, opening play against Tsvetana Pironkova, the teenager who stunned sister Venus in the first round of last year's Australian Open, struggled to a 5-7 6-1 6-1 win.
If anything, both Justine and Serena will build on their wins. The rest of the field must wait another day to get their feet dirty.
Safin's opening-day victory is something I'm not too surprised by. I see the Russian going far in this tournament. He's (as usual) had some up and down results as of late, but was instrumental in the Russian Davis Cup win a month ago (a confidence builder) and no doubt will gain momentum (mentally and physically) as he racks up the Ws.
Greg Garber had this interesting take on the contemporary Marat.
Fifth-set tiebreakers are certainly a rarity, especially since the US Open is the only major to have them in place. They are nevertheless dramatic, no matter who is involved in them.
Yet these two players - Safin and Nalbandian - provide the character that we LOVE in tennis. Their quirky tennis (watch Nalbandian slap a ball over early in the TB and Safin's drop shot later) and their even quirkier personalities provides the classic drama we all crave. The men's game certainly isn't lacking their fair share of crowd pleasers.
Enjoy.
