Elena the Soothsayer

Next time I’m looking some crystal ball answers I’ll go to Elena Dementieva.

Here’s what the Russian No. 4 said the day before Rafael Nadal’s shocking upset in her post-match press conference:

Q.  Let me make you a little question about men's draw. Do you think that anybody could win or beat Nadal here? And in this case, who?

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Well, it looks like he actually looks a little bit tired to me. Even he's winning pretty easily his first two rounds, it doesn't look like he's fresh enough. Maybe he was playing too much. I think it's going to be tough challenge for him to win this time, actually. 

Johansson Retirement Decision

I spoke on Sunday with 2002 Australian Open champ Thomas Johansson about his friend and man-of-the-moment Robin Soderling. “Rafa didn’t have his best day in the office but Robin made him play a little bit bad as well,” said Johansson. “Everybody knows that on a good day Robin can beat anyone. But I’m extremely impressed how he can beat Rafa on his best surface at his favorite tournament.”

In addition to glowing remarks about his compatriot, Johansson, 34, told me that he is going to decide whether to continue his career or retire in the next month. The former top-10 player had surgery on his heel in late October. Johansson had been working with Magnus Norman until the surgery, and kindly let Soderling slide in to be coached by the 2000 French Open runner-up. “I’m still working with my tennis to get my foot better but within 3-4 weeks I’m going to make a final decision.”