The mighty one.

As the world grows more unsure and less stable by the day, as American militia-men kill more civilians and are in turn, brutally killed as well, as inflation slowly but surely erodes the already meager institutions of middle class Americans, there is but one global constant; Raphael Nadal's win streak on clay courts. Seems the Spaniard can't be stopped. With his latest victory, a third consecutive win at the Rome Masters series tournament, he topples John McEnroes' record for most consecutive wins on any surface at 77. And what a victory it was, dismantling a very game Fernando Gonzalez, the current finalist of the Australian Open, in straight sets. The guy just can't be defeated on clay it seems. His streak now equals that of Federer's grass court streak, which is residing somewhere in the 40's, but also includes 3 consecutive Wimbledon titles, the pinnacle of the grass court season and perhaps the most revered trophy in all of sports.

Talk of GOAT subsiding for the moment, the Mighty Fedster is in the throes of a 4 tournament lose streak, one that for the moment doesn't seem likely to end. Hamburg is the next tourney up, and the German series is in its own throes of a bad streak. The ATP, the governing body of men's tennis, has put the once revered tournament on the chopping block, threatening to reduce its status as a Masters Series tournament, the title given to events one step below the major slams for men. Lagging ticket sales as well as disfranchisement from the players themselves has really spelled the demise for the once mighty event. The site also of Federer's first big breakthrough, Hamburg has yet to be conquered by the mighty Nadal and remains one of the few clay championships the young Spaniard hasn't added to his growing cabinet. So it is here that the 10 time grand slam champion can begin to make a stand for himself on the surface that has been the demise of so many great, past champions. He will have to make a stand here if he has any chance of snagging the Roland Garros title in two weeks. And what a struggle Roland Garros is shaping up to be. More on Rolland Garros when the draw is released...