Good to see the old racquet clap, which was the heart of Djokovic's impersonation of Roger -- back when Novak used to do impressions and crowds (if not players) used to like him. It seems like old times.

Terrific play from Roger this weekend. Only a healthy Rafa could have pushed Roger when he is playing this sort of tennis. Every time he got a look at a forehand he snapped it so hard for the corners that Murray and Djokovic looked surprised and rushed every single time. He was swinging freely at backhands, and hitting hard approach shots off that wing. Great stuff!

Four out of five tournaments for Roger now. That strange loss to Tsonga, after leading 5-1 in the third set of the quarters at Montreal, is the only loss since May.

New York's horrible stadium will be windier, and might not allow for such precise shotmaking, but Roger is looking like a strong favorite.

two!

So it was two kids Mirka was carrying all over Europe this summer. It is reported that after their birth Roger immediately donned a sweatjacket with a gold "2" on the back.

Two more superstars than many expected showed up in Montreal. Roger was a bit rusty against an aging Canandian tonight. Rafa starts tomorrow.

Fifteen!

A surprisingly great match against Roddick for Roger to get his fifteenth. It was great more in terms of the tension than the actual tennis, really, but an incredible match nonetheless. Seems like each got a set through luck (Roddick the first, after escaping four break points and Roger the second after four set points), and a set they earned. The fifth came down to will, stamina and focus.

Andy's career is looking a little bit like this, right now:

But this loss means almost as much to his career as a win would have. He put together a gutsy performance on the one of the biggest occasions in tennis history, and turned a coronation into a memorable battle.

You can count Fuzzy among those a little annoyed that Roger donned that jacket with the gold 15 on it minutes after his victory. But more obsessive bloggers note that a Nike official ran out on court to give it to him in the midst of post-match euphoria. He did not pack it for the match. Thats something I guess.

williams

Serena and Dementiava put on a heck of a match today. Here at fuzzy we like them both. Elena has the prettiest strokes in women's tennis right now, and she has developed the serve to match. She seemed stronger today, and Serena seemed to pull it out on sheer will. Impressive.

But Venus, long the classiest player on tour, was just as impressive, even if Dinara did not push her to show her best stuff in the match. She was even more impressive in her presser. Here is her exchange with a petulant reporter:

Q. This isn't your fault obviously because you played really well, but it's embarrassing for women's tennis to see the No. 1 destroyed in that way, isn't it?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Why do you put it like that?

Q. You played very well.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Are you trying to be down on women's tennis?

Q. I'm trying to be down on the way that Safina is the world No. 1 representing women's tennis.

VENUS WILLIAMS: So you're trying to be down basically.

Q. Not on women's tennis, no.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Okay, because I don't deal with down at all.

Q. It's not down.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm just making sure you're not trying to be down, because I respect Dinara Safina immensely, and I think you should, too.

Q. I do.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Thanks.

2005?

This is officially a dangerous flirtation with a jinx, but this Wimbledon has an odd throwback feel where it sort of seems like 2005. Roger moves smoothly through the draw. He dispatches various challenges with grace and aplomb (his instinctive block returns to break Ivo today were gorgeous). Meanwhile there is much ado about what goes on in other matches, but whatever the draw funnels toward Roger simply melts away when it confronts his game.

Maybe its the absense of Rafa? Anyway, a final with Murray would be genuinely unique and a little scary. Haas is playing great tennis and has nothing to lose. Jinx deactivated.

old

Roddick continues to have the best lines at the pressers. From today after his gutsy win over Hewitt:

We have a revival of the, New Balls Please generation here in Wimbledon. Is that because experience is very helpful especially on grass, or are there other reasons for that?

ANDY RODDICK: I don't think it's either/or. It's probably a combination. Now we're just old balls.

It would be great to see him summon that sort of gutsy performance in the semi. He will need all his power, and a bit of the improvisation that he used to fend off a break point in the fifth.

less nervous

Soderling will almost certainly be less nervous and play better today than he did when he met Roger a few weeks ago. It could be a tough match. I hope Roger is ready to get back into the warrior mode that helped him win tough five setters in New York and Paris in the middle rounds of his last two grand slam victories.

Maybe the new relaxed-French-Open-champ-now-tied-with-Sampras Roger will start giving his fans less reason to be nervous all the time. It might take a while to sink in, and with his first backhand shank today Fuzzy will feel a twinge, for sure.

Meanwhile Djokovic's quarter is looking like the smoothest right now. Probably means he will lose today.