Now, contrary to what you regular readers might think reading this blog (Hi Mum!), I do actually appreciate sports other than football.
No, really.
For example, the tennis. One of my favourite sports...in fact, some of my favourite sporting memories come from this sport.
I remember Ivanisevic vs Rafter like it was yesterday. A thriller of a final, which produced an atmosphere that wont be seen again at Wimbledon for a long time. This final had everything, from fantastic stroke play to edge of the seat drama. It was billed as the peoples final, a final no-one could have predicted..and in the end was a fitting end to a fantastic tournament.
Anyhow, I digress. This year's French Open has produced its own fair share of drama and excitement.
The shock of Justine Henin's retirement before the tournament left many fans flabbergasted, but also left space for a new number one in women's tennis.
That woman was Maria Sharapova, who disappointingly crashed out in the 4th round to her fellow Russian and suprise package, Dinara Safina.
With her back against the wall, Safina has been particularly impressive, saving match points on not just one..but two occassions in this tournament. With impressive form on clay previous to the French Open, Safina appears to finally be escaping his brother Marit Safin's shadow, and this could well be her year.
Elsewhere, the Serbian pair of Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic have continued to impress, and their semi final tomorrow promises to be a classic. With both women's different styles bound to clash, both women will have to play tactically, which may suit Jankovic, who contuinues to search for her first grand slam final. Whatever happens, the two Serbians look set to dominate woman's tennis for a long time.
In the men's draw, who would have thought lightning would strike twice? Rafel Nadal and Novak Djokovic will meet in the French Open semi-finals for the second straight year, with the winner facing Roger Federer or home grown hero, Gaël Monfils in the final.
Nadal has been ominious form throughout the tournament, and is the undisputed king of the clay circuit due to his superior stamina and perseverance. Because of this, Nadal will always be happy to stay at the baseline, which suits the slower clay surface. It remains to be seen whether Djokovic can unseat Nadal and produce a shock, and the Serbian will need to use everything in his reputoire to do so. If Djokovic is at his aggressive best, anything can happen.
On the other side of the men's draw, Roger Federer is at anything but his best. The Swiss star has struggled for form all year, but we shouldnt count out Federer just yet, though he faces a tough ask against Gael Monfils in the second semi final.
The Frenchman has been in scinsillating form throughout the tournament, not least in his last match against David Ferrer, a match in which his talents were gloriously evident. The crowd will be right behind Monfils from the very off, and Federer will need to be on top of his game if he's to reach a second consecutive final.
So, there we have it. Some classic tennis awaits us, and I for one cant wait to see it all unfold.
Finally, a word on Andy Murray. Though he did crash out in the 3rd round, the British hope shown some signs of improvement on the clay surface, and can now focus on Wimbledon. No pressure there then..
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