Mornin'. We're on the go all day today. Luke, Buck and I are driving up the to Adirondacks to check out a camp where Luke will have his first extended sleepaway experience this summer. There's still snow on the ground up thataway, and mud season is in full swing. Then we'll more or less backtrack to the farm in game-rich Andes.
I'll miss the Monte Carlo semis, but most Nadal fans would probably tell me not to bother - their boy has it under control. But if I had to choose one guy whose bag of tricks is deep and could avoid getting into a futile baseline battle with Rafa, it's Murray. And let's face it, after the year he's had so far, Murray has to be surfing a wave of positive emotions. Rafa has been a beast during this homecoming week, no doubt about it. But I wouldn't take anything for granted. Contemplating this semi, keep in mind that old saw: That's why they play the game.
**David Ferrer and Jurgen Melzer will battle out the other, less compelling semi. Give Melzer credit - like Fernando Verdasco, he needed to get his clay game on track in order to retain a solid place in the top 10. Unlike Verdasco, a finalist in Monte Carlo last year, Melzer pulled it together and capped it off with an upset off Roger Federer. Enjoy the tennis, feel free to call the matches here. . .
-- Pete