I still can’t quite wrap my brain around this one.

Had a fourth espresso this morning to see if that might wake me from this Fellini-like deja-vu-like tennis nightmare.

Nadal, up to his old tricks — throw-in the extended practice “exhibition,” a few sinister requests about who can referee his matches, stick the shot-clock up your ass, and voilà!

32 players in his quarter and the tournament managed to pretty much dull every possible sharp object he might face in those first 5 matches. At best (or worst for Nadal), he’ll see a Cilic, Simon or Carreno Busta in the QF.  Does this all mean he’s guaranteed to advance to the SF? Pretty much (but of course anything can happen). But pretty much.

But that’s not the point. How did they come-up with this 32?

Blows my mind.