During the French fortnight, Wilander asserted, “What I understand because my career is over and what Federer doesn’t understand because his isn’t, is that the day he beats Nadal on clay is the day he will never lose to Rafael Nadal again.” That scenario wasn’t plausible then, and it’s impossible now. As John McEnroe remarked, “Federer now seems farther away than ever from winning this.” Mary Carillo posed and answered the real question: “What’s to stop Nadal from carrying all this confidence into Wimbledon in a couple weeks?” And can Federer, who barely staved off rampaging Nadal in the 2007 Big W final, stop him and Djokovic there?

After scoring a touchdown, the football player jumped up and down, did a little jig in the end zone, followed by a spike of the ball and a round of high-fives to his teammates. He finally made it over to the sidelines and bounded up to his coach who was standing there looking over a clipboard. After a moment the coach looked up at his players and calmly said, “Son, next time you score a touchdown, act like you’ve done it before.”

Secondly, call that most difficult opponent at your club or park, the one who moves well and plays without any power or pace, and determine to be patient, be light on your feet, and willing to improve your rhythm against this guy or gal.

Sayonara North America hardcourts. Hello, European clay. For the Americans, it’s a time of anguish, when even such simple matters as making a phone call or ordering dinner exacerbate the tensions of playing on a less than familiar surface.

Here at the Pacific Life Open on this wonderfully cluttered middle weekend, thousands of fans are milling into the side courts, the air is thin, the wind is blowing strong and top seeds like Rafael Nadal and Ana Ivanovic are grubbing their way through early round matches. Dozens more are practicing on the outer courts.

For decades, the issue of footwork patterns has been discussed and analyzed. Arguments surrounding the best “first step,” whether it be a cross-over step, a jab-step, or a gravity or drop-step, have been discussed and studied by pros and players alike.

Part One of this story addressed what happened with the women’s game in 2007 — and what I see is a powerful lesson to be learned by recreational adults, juniors, parents, and coaches.

There’s a strong implication recreational players can gain from the 2007. The main focus is on the world’s two best players, and as I see it, it can be grasped not just by recreational adults but also by juniors, parents, and coaches.

And certainly this writer continues to be one of those “technical” critics. But I say, celebrate these guys. They love the game.