I used to be good at tennis. Really good. When I was 11. I treasured my Jack Kramer Autograph (until I got a Futabaya), never really wanted a T-2000 even though I loved Connors, and thought Ille Nastase was fabulous. I grew up in the golden age of Connors, Borg, and McEnroe (and Guillermo Vilas, and Vitas Gerulaitis, and Eddie Dibbs, and the ever present Ion Tiriac.) I could beat most 12 year old boys and almost all the 13 year old girls except for Heather Harrison who regularly kicked my ass. I thought Prince oversized racquets were for old ladies.
I watched Federer bury Roddick last night 7–6, 7–6, 6–2. My mouth was hanging open for much of the second half of the match. Roddick hung in there for a while (there we no breaks in the first two sets although Federer manhandled Roddick in both tiebreakers.) However, once Federer broke Roddick in the third set it was quickly over.
Federer makes the phrase “poetry in motion” come to life. Charlie Rose has a long (about an hour) interview with Courier, Federer, McEnroe, Collins, Laver, and Nadal discussing the man who will likely become known as the best player ever in the game of tennis. If you are a tennis fan, fire it up in your browser and listen while you catch up on your email this morning.