Howdy. Just a quick up date to let you now I'll be posting some thoughts on Federer/Blake right about the time the first women's semifinal begins, and Steggy will be posting on the tantalizing Mauresmo/Sharapova cat fight that follows (I need to get out of here by about 5 P.M., as we're going to the International Tennis Hall of Fame dinner tonight.
It's been a good day so far; after collapsing into bed following the TMF/Blake match, I woke up dreading the hunt through our torn-up apartment (well, at least the renovation is done) for my skunk suit. Lordy, Lord! There it hung, in a plastic garment bag, dry-cleaned, pressed, ready to go. Now, if only I can find those studs and that make-the-fat-old-guy-look trim device, which I believe is called a cumberdund.
I saw Ilona Kloss as I rambled through the player lounge today and, as a believer in the Jimmy Connors "Do the Crime, Do the Time" school of accountability, I felt obliged to go right up to engage her. Besides, I've always been really fond of her. What I was wondering, of course, is how she felt about my thoughts on the naming ceremony that put her partner Billie Jean King's name on the National Tennis Center.
"HI, Lona."
Hi, Peter. What's going on, still stirring it up?"
Clears throat "Yeah, I suppose you saw my posts on the ceremony."
"I did. You had a valid point. Billie even said to me after the ceremony, "There wasn't a single shot of me playing tennis. That was kind of strange."
"Thanks, Lona. You know, I never write things just to 'stir things up.' It was a tough call. Who do you like, Sharapova or Mauresmo?"
"Sharapova is playing great, I think she's going to win."
I wandered off, and now find myself puzzled by the growing Tsunami of Sharapova support here. I must be missing something, and this is somewhat ironic, given the grief I got less than 10 months ago for calling Pez (Mauresmo) The Queen of the Second Tier (post of the same name is in the archives). I just don't get it. Pez won two out of the three Grand Slams played this year, including one on hard courts.
Must be the banana Yuri's been waving around.
Anyway, you can post comments on the first women's semifinal here.