Roger at his best at Cincy

If the outfit that Roger Federer was wearing nice, what about the “I am-aggressive-today” attitude that he was wearing? It was needed and he wore it on two good occasions. Once against Andy Murray in the Semi-Finals and once today in Finals against Novak Djokovic. Both times it worked wonders.

It helped Federer dominate Djokovic right from the outset who had not dropped a set enroute to the finals. The Swiss master never allowed Djokovic to pose any serious problems and played up to his No.1 ranking to win the Cincinnati Open- a Masters tournament. With this win, Federer is just one short of equaling that magical 17 masters record held by the great Andre Agassi.

Novak Djokovic outplayed Rafael Nadal completely with an authoritative win over the former world No.1 in the semi-finals to set up a date with the invincible Roger Federer in the finals. The final was expected to be a cracker of a match by tennis fans. It wasn’t.

The ease at which Roger Federer dominated the early stages of his 6-1, 7-5 straight set victory in the finals was simply outstanding. So formidably he did control the exchanges, advancing menacingly whenever Djokovic left the ball short, that it was a surprise to see Djokovic playing well in the second.

Federer displayed and gave Novak Djokovic a good tennis lesson on how to play forehand winners, backhand passes, how to play the disguised drop, cross-court angled volleys that was so perfect and many others that left Djokovic admiring at the other side of the net. Federer’s timing, feet movement and court coverage were as exquisite to those famous watches made in his country. The Swiss Master was at his very best.

With this win, Federer continues his stellar form and takes loads of confidence on hard court before he starts his US Open campaign. If anyone who is capable of asking Federer any questions in the coming fortnight in New York, it will be Andy Murray more than Rafael Nadal or Andy Roddick or Novak Djokovic.

Will the Swiss Master go on to win his 16th Grand Slam and the 6th US Open title at the Flushing Meadows? Will his good friends Pete Sampras and Tiger Woods be treated by the Swiss master at Arthur Ashe stadium? We will know the answers in just a couple of weeks from now.

Rafa screams and roars as he makes it to the last 4!

Rafael Nadal, when he made his re-appearance in Montreal early this month, he had lost his number one spot to the mighty Federer. It certainly was too much for a man making his comeback to where he belongs and even ruled for a while. Had to play his best against his old foes but they all were at their best and were playing best tennis of their lives. In Montreal, Rafa looked rusty and that was expected. He was cautious and obviously didn’t fancy taking chances on his newly resurrected knees. He ended his campaign as a losing quarter finalist but had a good feel of the hard court and may be took home some much needed confidence both on his game as well as on his tender knees.

Now playing Cincinnati Masters, just after a week’s break and after losing the number two spot to Tennis world’s emerging force called Andy Murray, the man certainly appears to be in the groove. He is the Rafa we have been used to and seen when he was at his sublime best. Yes the serve still needs attention but his incredible shots on the run, deft volleys, back hand pass and his bread and butter shot – fore hand cross court winner makes it up for his weak service.

I always was under the impression that a player can hit an unbelievable cross-court forehand or an extra ordinary backhand pass only once in a while. But this man, looks to me that he is making a living out of these shots. How could he play such incredible shots in every game, every set and every match that he plays? Toughie, real toughie he is. And it’s a little wonder why he is such a great competitor. If losing the number two spot is not motivation, then what else it could be behind his hunger? He surely is eager to regain his lost ground.

At the time of posting this piece, Rafa had won his quarter finals match against the Czech Thomas Berdych and what a clinical performance that was? It was amazing to watch Rafa play all those shots that made him a star and shots that sent shivers down the spines of some great players.

The semi-final line up tomorrow couldn’t have got better with the very best taking on each other and am sure it will light up the weekend for even an ordinary tennis fan. It is Federer Vs Murray and Djokovic Vs Nadal for a place in the finals on Sunday.

Let’s sit back and enjoy the very best of Tennis world taking on each other to stamp their seal of excellence.

Boy Oh Boy! Is she a girl?

The father of women's world champion athlete, Caster Semenya insists: "She is my little girl."

Caster Semenya, 18, is undergoing a gender test to prove she is female after beating her rivals by a huge margin to win the gold medal in the world championship 800 metres in Berlin.

Family, friends and teachers at her home in South Africa recalled how Semenya played football with boys, wore trousers instead of skirts and endured teasing by her peers. But all asserted that she is definitely a woman.

Semenya, who has a muscular build and deep voice, aroused suspicions recently with a dramatic improvement in performance. She went from a virtual unknown to the world's fastest woman over 800m this year when she clocked 1:56.72 at the African junior championships in Mauritius. She sliced more than a second off that with her winning time of 1:55.45 in Berlin on Wednesday.

It's a fair decision by officials to put Semenya through the gender test as I was as shocked as most others when I saw her clocking the winning time on TV.

When her parents and admirers are so confident of Semenya being a girl, why worry and cry about the gender test?

This dog had its day!

An Israeli woman paid $32,000 to allow her dog to travel in business class with her from Paris to Tel Aviv.

Rivkah, 60, paid for an entire business class compartment to carry her, her boxer "Orchuk" and a vet on the four-hour flight. Airline El Al had to remove several seats to make room for Or's cage.

“I didn’t think for a minute to leave Or, my little Orchuk, with the cargo,” said Rivkah. “I’ve been raising him for eight years and four months in France. I also didn’t mind having other passengers sit next to us.

All that mattered to me was to have my baby with me during the flight so that I can take care of him.”

Rivkah preferred not to discuss her payment to El Al, because she believed any price would have been worth it. “He is my child, not a dog. And he deserves the best,” she said.

El Al told the Haaretz newspaper in Israel it had never had such a request before. "But after the lady explained her special relationship with her dog and expressed her willingness to pay extra in order to fly with him, we agreed."

Point to Ponder: Recession? What do you mean by that?

Barmy Army was Bloody Smarmy.

The way Barmy Army, the self-appointed official England Cricket Supporters greeted and welcomed one of the world’s greatest batsmen of any era and the current Australian Cricket Team Captain Ricky Ponting on last Sunday afternoon when he walked to the middle will never be appreciated by the gentlemen followers of the game. And to the dismay, unbelievably, it happened in England, supposed to be green and pleasant land.

Ricky Ponting was booed all along the distance from dressing room to the crease by the members of Barmy Army and the experience was painful not just for Ponting but to any test match lover who was watching it. How could anyone treat a person, who is one of the greatest ever to play the game like that? They must instead relish every moment as not many get a chance to see such players bat.

I watched him bat both in Melbourne and Sydney when Aussies took on Indians last year and I feel I was privileged to watch the great man play and relish it for the rest of my life.

What Barmy Army must realize is that there is no point to match Australian behavior. It’s a culture thing. They should realize that they are English fans and they must behave and showcase what they are best known for. They must remember that even a fireman uses water to put off fire and never fight fire with fire.

The Barmy Army's mission statement – like every organization has one, it seems – is: "To make watching cricket more fun and more popular". On Sunday, what its members failed to understand was that the "fun" in watching cricket, is ... watching cricket. For the great majority of real cricket-lovers, there is no fun in being around such hooligans and rowdy elements.

I know for sure that if this trend follows, a number of real fans may no longer attend Test match Cricket, whose existance is already under threat from shorter versions of the game.

The whole incident raises a question. Is cricket gentleman’s game? The answer is an astounding NO till we have such boorish and chauvinist supporters around.