1. Was the astounding play at this year’s Australian Open (and particularly the final — with its almost non-stop breathtaking shotmaking and captivating, all-court exchanges) the best tennis ever played?
2. Was Fed’s poignant breakdown at the A.O. awards ceremony — love, despair and tears — the most the most revealing and human moment of his long career? And was it Rafa’s most gracious moment when he put his arm around Roger — compassion and sensitivity — to lighten the tearful moment?
3. Is Rafa vs. Fed the greatest rivalry in sports today and does it already rank beyond Mac vs. Borg and Sampras vs. Agassi as the best ever in men’s tennis?
4. Can Fed be considered the greatest of all time if he is getting whooped so consistently by the prime rival of his era…And when will Nadal soon enter the conversation of who’s the greatest?
5. Can Fed actually equal or break Sampras’ record of 14 Slams? And will six-time Slam winner Nadal, just 22, eventually surpass his elders?
6. Speaking of Nadal, can he win the Grand Slam this year? When will he lose a match at the French Open? Is he the best physical player ever? Will he be able to maintain his (right knee beware) physical prowess throughout the season, have a great second half of the year, including a victory at the U.S. Open, and will his muscular approach allow for a long career? BTW: Has there ever been a greater eight month run in tennis than Nadal’s late May to early February stretch in which he won the French, Wimbledon, the Olympic gold, the Australian and played a key role in Spain’s Davis Cup title run?
7. And what of the so-called Big Four of Rafa, Fed, Djokovic and Murray? Well, so much for that for now, as Murray was stunned by Verdasco and Djokovic retired against Roddick. Still, you’ve got to wonder who will emerge from the pack to challenge the dynamic duo: the fiesty Serbian, the moody Scot, the streaky Spaniard Verdasco, the up-and-down Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro, Jo Tsonga and one of the French wannabes, lanky Croat Marin Cilic, Latvian preppy Ernests Gulbis or some under-the-radar phenom.
8. Is Roger going to hire a full-time coach (and will it help turn the considerable Nadalian tide)?
9. There have been some great back to back semis and finals — think of Stefan Edberg’s five-hour, 26 minute victory over Chang at the ‘92 U.S. Open, followed by his four-set win over Sampras, or McEnroe’s 7-6 in the fifth-set thriller over Connors on Super Saturday, followed by his five-set win over Borg. But were Nadal’s last two A.O. matches — his 5:14 semi sizzler against Verdasco and his near-classic 4:23 final vs. Fed — the most astounding back-to-back semi and final in history?
10. America? The good news: a much trimmer Roddick raised expectations with a (take that Djokovic) run to the A.O. semis before again being derailed by the Fed Express and Blake displayed ample fire power as he soldiered into the fourth round. But neither are exactly spring chickens. The Bad News: Mardy Fish and Robby Ginepri are, shall we say, fine middle-of-the-packers; good ol’ (supposedly-over-the-hill) Europe has won 19 men’s majors in a row, while America’s trickle-up pipeline of prospects — Sam Querrey, John Isner, Donald Young and Texas teens Ryan and Christian Harrison — fails to inspire.
