"French Open 2008 Recap"

WOW. I'm not really sure what to write after a performance like we were treated to in the Men's Final at the French Open. Rafael Nadal put a beating on Roger Federer the likes of which we've never seen before. But you know what? It happens. Every match between the two is not going to be a classic. Nadal was marching through everyone and he happened to save the best match of his life for the final. Didn't Evert put a double bagel on Navratilova in the finals of some clay court event one time? She did. Nadal now joins Bjorn Borg as winners of four consecutive French Open crowns. You would think with five hours of coverage to fill and the Men's Final already over that NBC would maybe show the Men's or Women's Doubles Final but no such luck. Instead we were treated (subjected to) a repeat of last year's Wimbledon Final between Federer and Nadal. True, it was a great match but I watched it last year. Show me something I haven't seen to keep me tuned in.

 Ana Ivanovic celebrated her new number one ranking with a straight set victory over Dinara Safina in the Women's Final. I know I will probably be in the minority on this but is anyone else sick of Ivanovic's constant fist pumping after virtually every point? No wonder Jankovich was driven to mock her in their semifinal matchup. Mary Carillo loves the fist pumping but she is also infatuated with the Williams sisters so there's no accounting for taste. Regardless, Ivanovic should be congratulated for her victory. I'm sure there will be many more. I don't think she will go into Wimbledon as the favorite. Venus Williams clicks into a different gear on the grass.

It was an OK tournament for the Heroes of the Huddled Masses. The Bryan brothers were upset in the quarters of the Men's Doubles by the eventual winners Luis Horna and Pablo Cuevas. Apparently there was some controversy during the match when play was halted on all other courts due to rain but this match was made to continue. The heavy balls and conditions played into the hands of Horna and Cuevas who won the third set (which was played in the rain for it's entirety) in a tiebreak. Don't know the rules on this but you would think that if all other play had been stopped the boys would have been within their rights to request a stoppage of play also. On one glorious day both Ivan Ljubcic and Fernando Gonzalez came from two sets down to defeat top ten seeded opponents. Ljubcic would go on to lose to Monfils in the fourth round and Gonzalez would fall to Federer in the quarters but at least they made it interesting.

In closing, John McEnroe is still the best announcer out there. Period.