Left in the dark....

Yesterday's blog was a lil' heavy, so this one will be light.....

Shahar Peer, (right)Israeli tennis teen sensation, is quickly becoming a beacon of hope in this country. Last night she faced former world #1 and queen of female tennis, Martina Hingis. Hingis, who retired a few years back due to foot and ankle injuries, has picked up her play of late, trying to regain her former glorious Grand Slam form. Peer got off to a slow start, dropping the first set to Hingis 6-3. It was the first set she has lost all tournament. But, like most young prodigies facing their idols, chalk it up to inexperience. The second set was a different story as Peer manhandled Hingis with her aggressive play and took set 2 by a count of 6-2. Hingis, the savvy veteran she is, complained to the chair umpire of the pending darkness, and play was suspended. The 2 stars pick up where they left off today, with the winner facing Kim Clijsters on Tuesday.

I believe Peer will prevail. She will face Clijsters in the quarter-finals, marking the furthest any Israeli female tennis player has advanced at any of the 4 Grand Slams. And even if I am wrong, her showing at the French Open has catapulted her into the top 20, and she has a brilliant career ahead of her. I just hope this French Open will be her coming out party to the tennis world; with her bringing the trophy back to Israel.

Hockey. I love it. I miss it. Probably the number 1 thing I miss most about not being home is that I cannot watch the Stanley Cup Finals (again....for like the 4th year in a row). Don't get me wrong, I love Israel (minus the mosquitos that seem to cross-breed with rhinos and subject me and my lily white skin to non-stop itching and pain)....... but I also love hockey.

That being said, Go Oilers Go!!! My prediction is a tough, 6 game series, with the good guys prevailing. Conn Smythe will go to Dwayne Roloson(pictured above), who will literally stand on his head and bring the Cup home to Canada.