Down Goes Nadal! Down Goes Nadal!

Wow.

Rafael Nadal, for the first time EVER, has lost a match at the French Open. The Legend Killer? Robin Soderling of Sweden, a 24-year-old righthander with a 177-128 career record who is ranked 25th in the world.

This is good news and bad news for Roger Federer. On one hand, he has to figure his path is now clear to win the French Open and complete that elusive career Grand Slam, thus cementing his status as the Greatest Of All Time in the eyes of many observers. On the other hand, if he does win, he won't have to go through Nadal to do it. Sometimes, you have to break rough stretches by going through your biggest rival in order for it to feel right (like the Red Sox really NEEDED to beat the Yankees in the ALCS before winning the World Series; it wouldn't have been the same if they broke through against any other team).

Either way, Federer isn't the story. Nadal is.

Wow.