The dream run ends

It had to happen sometime, just didn't expect it to happen at the one tournament you didn't want it to. Dhoni and his boys are out of the T20 WC before the tournament even got started. There are many who'll say it was coming. I was among them, but like an eternally optimistic Indian fan, I thought my gut feel was just that and far away from what would happen. But gut feel does come true more often than not. Fatigue, cockiness, determined opposition teams and lack of technique all combined to show India the door. Like the last time this happened to an Indian team, I hope this time too, it starts another run of ruthless wins and success. I hope Dhoni doesn't chuck the job in a huff.

Everyone forgets, especially the media that MSD is still a novice at this job. he just had a brilliant run which has ended. That is not the end of the world though. The fans need to be a bit more patient and the team will bounce back under Dhoni. I am sure this will make Dhoni an even better captain than he is already.

Federer fans vs Rafa fans...

Finally, mighty Federer did what he could not do the last 4 years. Win the French open albeit without having to beat Rafa. That job was adequately done by Soderling who finally ran out of steam. As expected, the final was an anti-climax after a fairly upset filled tournament.

That's what happens when the players in a slam final are any other pair than Fed and Rafa. Rafa is still the only one who believes he can beat Federer and he does. No one else believes they can beat Federer which shows them up to be fairly ordinary competitors when it matters most.

But what I cannot understand is the preoccupation with belittling Rafa's achievements that Federer fans have. Even Rafa agrees that Federer is the best player there is but that doesn't stop him from beating Federer. So a little consideration from Federer fans while discussing or dismissing Rafa would be decent. A friend recently said, all Rafa does is to get the ball back over the net. How naive and shortsighted can you get? If returning or retrieving balls is all Rafa does, then surely the rest of the field would have found out a way to negate that advantage by now?

Some facts that Federer fans refuse to see or don't want to acknowledge

1. Rafa has won all of his Slams beating Federer in the finals or the Semi-finals.
2. Federer has won just 2 of his slams beating Rafa since his emergence as a contender.
3. The great man himself said "I knew the day Rafa won't be in the finals, I will be there and I will win." He almost admits to not being good enough to beat Rafa at Roland Garros.

That should be reason enough to show some respect.

Rafa lost at Roland Garros!!!

Well, it had to happen but no one expected it to happen this year. Almost everyone predicted a Rafa cakewalk in the finals. But then sports usually has a way of showing up pundits when you least expect it to. No wonder millions across the globe follow sports fanatically.

Everyone is making excuses for Rafa or gloating in his defeat but the man himself is as classy as can be. He didn't make excuses and I don't think he ever will. That's why Rafa and Federer are two of a kind. This slam, if he wins it will not be as highly valued by Federer I think. He will take it though, no question about it but in his mind he would want to win one more beating Rafa cause he knows that the best player n clay is Rafa at this time.

While his fans will despair, he will plot his Wimbledon defense fresh from some unintentional rest. Vamos Rafa!