2010 U.S. Open, Men’s Semifinals: Nadal Takes First Set

I think Rafael Nadal’s Day-Glo shirt -- it’s “almost the same color as the tennis ball,” Dick Enberg said -- blinded Mikhail Youzhny in the first set. Nadal won it easily, 6-2. The mad Russian looked lost early on, spraying his forehand all over the place (except inside the lines). That came minutes after he danced around the tunnel before the match like a 4-year-old who had to pee but was afraid to tell his mommy. Down 3-1, Youzhny did have a break point, but squandered it. Other than that, it’s been drama free so far.

Oh, and the Swing Vision gadget is perfect for a tennis nerd like me. CBS used it to slow down Nadal’s service motion. Ever squish a cherry tomato between your thumb and forefinger? That’s what the ball looked like when it hit the face of Nadal’s racquet.