The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age
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    Roland Garros Semis (spoilers)



    Not too long ago, tennis folk complained that there was no depth in the women's game. While a top male player could be upset by a journeyman having a good day of serving, the women's finals of most big tournaments usually featured Chris Evert vs Martina Navratilova, and later, Steffi Graf vs Monica Seles or Gabriela Sabatini or Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, and later, the Williams sisters.

    But there are lots of powerful young women players now, and with injuries to and retirements of former top players, there are no longer a few dominant women at the top. Hence, this year the women's semis at Roland Garros feature #6 Na Li vs #7 Maria Sharapova and #5 Francesca Schiavone vs #11 Marion Bartoli. There's your depth. Only Schiavone is considered a clay court player, but the courts are dry and playing fast this year.

    They Call It Wind, Maria. Sharapova has gotten her head together this year and had been playing well, but still had trouble serving in a stiff breeze. She had five double faults in the first set alone. That was more than enough opening for steady Na Li to prevail 6-4, 7-5. Oh Noes, will China surpass us in women's tennis?

    Schiavone won it last year, but her opportunistic style of play won't surprise anyone this year. Bartoli also plays unorthodox - two hands off both sides - and always places the ball well, but isn't terribly fast. Francesca took the first set 6-3, trailed 0-2 in the second, but came back to win 6-3, 6-3.

    So the final will be Na Li vs Francesca Schiavone.

    The men's semis feature #1 Novak Djokovic vs #3 Roger Federer and #2 Rafael Nadal vs #4 Andy Murray. No one has ever claimed there is no depth in the men's game, but the top three players have been making history. Djokovic had three days of rest after a walkover. Federer is playing well, and is trying to psych out Novak by mentioning all the pressure on him to continue the streak. Nadal is playing better, too, and lets his play do the talking. Murray has been playing through an injury. I'll be surprised if the final isn't Djokovic vs Nadal.

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