Furry and Yellow

I've been watching the Australian Open since last week. Particularly blown away by the Venus Williams - Carla Suarez Navarro match. The Spaniard seriously took my breath away - at first because she was just so... un-telegenic. As unfair as that sounds, we have to face it. A lot of tennis players have the cuteness factor going on. Even Serena manages to sway our attention from her profile by wearing outlandish outfits. But Carla looked like a geek. The overbite, untamed curly hair, tennis outfit straight outta the eighties... makeover screaming to happen. And then I got past her looks, because with a backhand like hers, you just tend to forget how she looks and focus on how she plays. True talent. Her backhand is a bitch, and she can hit winners like no one's business.

She had the lean, athletic Venus running all over the court, making errors. It was like watching the tennis version of The Karate Kid. Absolutely amazing. I was clapping my ass off. It's not everyday you get to see Venus Williams get her ass handed to her, but Carla Suarez Navarro did it, and she did it well.

This is why I like tennis. Beneath its veneer of civilization, it's like watching two gladiators trying to kill each other. With a little yellow ball.

PS: Why is Federer so grim? The last time I saw him tripping on court, he was relaxed, happy and looking like a blast from the past at Wimbledon 2008. It's the Australian Open and he's not world number one anymore. Now he just looks so... tired. He needs a facial.