Okay, it isn't supposed to be this way at the tail end of the year, after all the Grand Slams are done, but if you read this BBC preview of the Andy Murray-Rafael Nadal dust-up scheduled for today, you could be forgiven for slipping back into Monte Carlo, Queens, or US Open mode. That is, with the folding tray-able beside your armchair, loaded with cans of Diet Dr. Pepper and a bowl Gummy Bears, perfectly positioned facing the television as you sit, clutching the remote in your sweaty palms, all dressed up and ready to go 25 minutes before the match is scheduled to begin. . .
It's funny how much of a difference it can make when an event promises to pit top players against each other, and those top players all show up fit and eager to take on the challenge. Just the appellation, Masters Series, doesn't guarantee credibility. We witness that from time-to-time, as we did last year at the Paris Indoors. I have a feeling that the year's final Masters event won't live up to its vaunted status, either. It's easy to tell when the players are locked on target and eager to roll up their sleeves. Madrid has been a satisfying event thus far.
On another note, those of you who play the game may be interested in the TennisLessons.com website, which is a venue that matches pros and players. It's the brainchild of New Yorker, Tomer Grassiany, who wrote to me in an email that the site, launched just six months ago, has generated as many as 1200 unique hits per week. I haven't had much time to poke around at the site, which has aspirations to create a unique tennis community, but I think this could be a great approach if it offered functions like coach ratings and game-matching for players who are not just looking for a teacher, but for partners as well.
So I'm wondering, what do y'all eat and drink during big matches?