The Championships at Wimbledon begin tomorrow!

I've been in "waiting impatiently" mode. Last year, Federer went into this tournament a 5 time in a row champion (tying Bjorn Borg for the record). He then faced Rafael Nadal for the third time in a row in the finals. I've said before that the matches between these two have always caused great anxiety in me, and this last Wimbledon final proved to cause more than that for me. In a long 5 set match which ended in near darkness, Nadal finally succeeded in wresting the prized crown from Roger's grasp, and it was incredible and heartbreaking to watch all at once. I haven't been able to watch this match again.

Since 2005, Roger had gone into The Championships at Wimbledon carrying disappointment from Roland Garros (the French Open), and each time as a result of being defeated by Rafael Nadal. As a fan of Roger's, I'd been watching Nadal chase Roger for years, succeeding in preventing him from claiming the one title he was missing to round out his career. You see, there are four major tournaments in the tennis season - called Grand Slam tournaments or Slams for short, and Roger had won all but the French Open. Many tennis analysts and fans considered the lack of a French Open title to be a major hole in trying to proclaim Roger the greatest tennis player ever. And there was Nadal, in the Wimbledon 2008 final, taking what I saw as Roger's last refuge. So you can see how, after losing his prized title at Wimbledon last year and then finally capturing the Roland Garros title this year, the drama was building for a possible rematch at Wimbledon - with me hoping for him to get some revenge, right?

It ain't gonna happen. Roger can still reclaim the title, but Rafael Nadal, defending Wimbledon champion, will not play due to...well, I'll let you be the judge. Is it an "injury" when you have pain but doctors say you can play without further risk? Is it too much mentally to play through the pain, so in effect, more like he's mentally unfit? I'm wondering how I'd feel if this were Roger and he pulled out of a tournament of this magnitude like this? Thankfully, I haven't have to wonder so far. He hasn't missed a Slam for injury or otherwise in his entire career and has played several at below his best, including one where he had undiagnosed mononucleosis.

I'm still very excited about this tournament. A win here for Roger would be huge and no less a feat than if he were to face Nadal here, in my opinion - and he'd not only reclaim his title, but the number one ranking! I'll be on the edge of my seat.