All Sport Report

Something is amiss in the world of men’s tennis. It all started about two weeks ago with the upset ending to Roger Federer’s 41 match winning streak by “lucky loser” Guillermo Canas in the second round of the Pac Life Open. Number two ranked Rafael Nadal picked up the trophy after number one Federer was ousted, makes sense right.

Fast forward to the Sony Ericsson, Roger Federer meets up with his newly found nemesis again, this time in the fourth round. The second meeting ends like the first, with Federer taking the early train home (see my entry from yesterday for a recap).

This second consecutive unexpected loss to Canas leaves the door wide open for most likely Rafael Nadal, with some potential for Andy Roddick to possibly steal a victory… here’s where it gets even wierder.

Mr. #2, Nadal was to face Novak Djokovic, the same man he cruised past in the finals two weeks ago in the same tournament that Canas had ended Federer’s win streak in. Same result at the Sony Ericsson? Nope, in the second shocker Nadal gets an early exit as well, Djokovic taking the match in straight sets 6-3, 6-4.

All right, number one is gone, number two is gone - time for number three, Andy Roddick, to steal the glory right? - Wrong.

Roddick was facing the other men’s tennis Andy, Andy Murray. It should have been a very close, exciting tennis match. Despite Murray having the edge in career meetings between the Andys this is one I would have expected Roddick to win. I expected him to have new found confidence with Roger Federer out of the picture.

Number three didn’t even make it through set number one. Andy pulled up lame after lunging for a shot in the fifth game. He took an injury time out to try and shake it off and continue. Roddick was forced to call it quits in the eighth game, unable to continue because of his hamstring.

This is bad news not only for Roddick, but for the US Davis Cup team as well. The Men’s team is scheduled to open Davis cup play against Spain April 6-8, though an MRI revealed the injury to not be very severe it will in all likelyhood keep Roddick from participating.

So who wins the Sony Ericsson? You got me, I’d say based on play Novak Djokovic takes the win, but what do I know. I would have told you before play began that Federer was a shoe in after his early exit a few weeks ago. All I know is that the winner won’t be ranked in the top three, at least not at the moment.