the ever roving Gilles (Peterson) is back from Helsinki and spinning at the wonderful Bestival as we speak, but he did find time to bring us his views on the US Open, the Womens European Cup and Football runnings – Game on !

so the rains coming down on Flushing Meadows – funny how Wimbledon now seems the most modern yet traditional of all the Grand Slams. The roof was a strong look this year even if, quite ironically, it was hardly used. I always regard the US Open as the closing of the summer – it comes closely after Notting hill Carnival and is often comparable in its sound clash – the New York audience loves to ‘have a go’ and as such it’s sad that Andy Murray slipped out  so feebly following his heroics and special bonding with the crowd last year. He just seemed to run out of ideas against Marin Cillic – I was surprised – but maybe the pressure of Andre Agassi making him favorite and his number 2 seeding got to him

- well, whatever, I’d have been straight down to Cielo in Manhattan and taken in a Louie Vega set to clear my sadness! looks like another Federer championship to me, although Djokovich could surprise – he seems to have got over his depression after that knock about with John McEnroe the other day … and I think the New York crowd have chosen him as their new Murray!

In the women’s its good to see the return of Kim Clijsters – you can tell how refreshed she is following her time out of the game – I wonder if the other more seasoned ladies are slightly jealous about her leading a relatively normal life out of the game and then slipping back in when she feels like it to take the glory! apparently having 2 children is the perfect way to build your physical and psychological strengths to the max – well thats what the ’super scientific’ East German coaches had worked out in the 70’s – but then again they were also at the forefront of drug induced shot putters – well whatever, I always liked Kim’s approach – more than Henin’s, so wish her the best in her semi against the other Williams later – lets hope it reaches the fireworks of the match against Venus.

Talking of ladies, I watched the final of the Women’s European cup in Helsinki last night – England v the Germans – just like 66 all over again – except for the score! 6 – 2 to Germany who once they’d gone 4 – 2 did a good job of humiliating a good English team. Since the last time I properly studied ladies ’soccer’ I really felt that the  standard has risen – I’d love to see how far the US or German national sides would get on against a men’s professional outfit. I wonder if that experiment’s been done?

The men are back from an important 10 days of international action - well ’sort of’ important – I suppose qualifying for the World Cup in South Africa next year does have a certain degree of priority in most of our future planning but I just wish it wasn’t Arsenal who always suffered from players coming back injured after playing for their countries. I mean today i learn that Andrei Arshavin is gonna miss 3 matches with a groin strain that he’d picked up against Man U but still got made to play by his plonker Russian coach, meanwhile Cesc Fabregas for Spain after not getting on the pitch against United ended up playing against Estonia and now he’s out for his club as is Thomas Rosicky who’s not played for close to 2 years at Arsenal yet gets the shirt for the Czech Rep’s game vs San Marino and suffers a recurrence of his hamstring/dodgy knee / blah blah blah…

I mean its all good and everything, what with national pride etc but it’s the clubs playing the wages but without the freedom to control what the national teams do – if I was Arsene Wenger I’d be well peeved today – specially with Man City coming up on Saturday – I’ll be in Madrid then and hope to find a TV for that  game – I bet Adebayor’s gonna be fit, healthy and hungry for his revenge however the internationals did work in giving some  confidence to Niklaus Bendtner – did you see the goal he scored for Denmark against Portugal the other day – pow!! pure Adebayor style – interesting!