For Nothing

Have always impressed upon myself
that the world is fraught with unrest
an order it never keeps for itself
a place to the hell nearest

All the ones that did pass me
weren't the simplest of things
but the ones that I kept near me
were the most special of all beings

Dreaming that they would be as good
was fine to let memory calm
for I knew they weren't as good
and forever I wasn't to remain calm

Hope I did let go on one
Was not granted by another
Shame on you child of earth
none cries for your bother

Grey is the curtain in my heart
roll them back you would see
the tears falling without start
it is as worse as it ever could be.

The Day That Would End Up In History

Sunday May 2nd 2010 has every chance of going down in footballing history. It was believed from the start of the 2009-2010 season, right after the fixture list was decided that Anfield would host a title decider as Liverpool and Chelsea go head to head on this day. But even the most pessimistic of Liverpool fans would not have banked on the present scenario.

Manchester United's tried and tested old-guard of Neville, Scholes and Giggs, still surprisingly breathing life, will believe themselves to be in a Tim Burton movie to have come to this juncture where they rely on their 'friendly' rivals to "Not give away their pride and glory" and do just the same in the end. But it is Liverpool we are talking about and we never give up.

The question as to whether Liverpool would rather lose at Anfield than give Man Utd an easy path to record breaking 19th title, is, as the great Alen Hansen said-useless. The 40,000 and more that turn up at Anfield and the other millions-including me-in front of their TV sets expect nothing less than a win. And the team would be playing for just the same.

Records are to be broken. Experts deemed Liverpool and their legacy to be unbeatable by the end of 80s. But, unfortunately they were not. Manchester United are passing through a similar phase. After playing a terrible season of football, they find themselves vying for top finish courtesy performances more terrible by their peer, with their greatest pre-season rivals passing a horrible phase in their club's existence which has been talked about by plenty.

If history is anything to go by, nothing is impossible. Every Liverpool fan must be believing inside that they can turn the tide. Their time would come. Rafael Benitez could play a crucial role in that. But if he is removed or withdraws, someone else would take the mantle. But change would come. A title lost could be three gained in the future.But ours is for victory today.

What is wrong with Rafael Nadal?

May 31, Day 8 of French Open, 2009. Robin Soderling did not know that come the end of the day his name would be reverberating around the world of sports. Neither did Rafael Nadal. What happened that day is history. A history that Nadal wants to forget everyday but which seems to return in the form of nightmares during day for him and every single fan of his tennis. Everything that was Rafael Nadal disappeared that day. What returned 2 months later, in words of great fantasy writers, was a mere memory of a memory.

From his return to tennis since injury, Rafael Nadal has played in 11 ATP Tournaments including Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, winning none and reaching final just twice.Sudden decline in performance to one of the greatest tennis players can be and was naturally attributed to the injury sustained.If one sees just the facts in history books, they would find it ample argument. But viewers of his game would know there is something more than such a simplistic explanation.


I have had the painful experience of watching more than half of all his defeats since the French Open debacle. Every match had a characteristic feature which is absent in pre-French Open '09 Nadal- lack of belief. It can be seen to seep out of him, radiate from him. Robin Soderling broke not just Nadal's defeatless run in the French Open, but his sense of invincibility.

When a match is not finished and done with, even witl the last point progressing against him, viewer and Nadal himself believes that he could turn it around. Believed. But that was an year ago.Come 2010, matters have taken a drastic U-turn. 6-0 thrashing of Nikolay Davydenko in first set of Doha ATP 500 tournament Final held no clue as to the capitulation Nadal would experince in the next 2 sets to lose the match. Yesterday's match against Andy Roddick in the semi-finals of Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, was no different.

First set witnessed some of the best tennis Nadal has played since the injury. Ground strokes were scorching Roddick and he was left baffled at ferocious forehand and ridiculous backhand winners flying around him.The second set told a different story. Roddick came into his groove with the serve and Nadal witnessed himself falling into the pit of unforced errors, something which was hard to find an year ago. The belief was oozing out. A gesture of throwing away his raquet in the penultimate game of 3rd set summed up the situation. Nadal's world was falling apart.

Last of the start-of-the-season hard-court matches are over for Nadal. What ensues is his greatest test to date. Tennis followers and critics had named him, and rightly too, King Of Clay. And The King is entering his favorite battle ground. Starting with Monte Carlo in just more than a week's time., where he has won the tournament for a record 5 consecutive times.

But prospect is not as rosy as its seems. Nadal will enter his favorite time of tennis season with worries. Since ATP Masters in Rome last year,where he defeated then 4th ranked Novak Djokovic in semi finals, he has defeated a top 10 ranked player only twice.Curiously both times it was Jo Wilfred Tsonga.

One month and 23 days seperate today and Nadal's return to Roland Garros. The days between hold the defence of his clay court titles in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Rome in which he would inevitably be pitted against higher ranked players atleast once. And time would tell if Rafael Nadal would find the belief in him that would surely lead to him to more titles.And moreover being placed alongside Roger Federer as all-time greats of world men's tennis.