And there goes Roger Federer in straight sets. His loss to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarterfinals was 7-5, 6-3, 6-3, and it took less than two hours to complete. It was a blowout, just like Federer's straight set loss to Novak Djokovic in the semis last year.
This is starting to become the norm for Federer. Not long ago, it was a shock if Federer didn't make it to the semis. But since Robin Soderling knocked off Federer in the French quarters three years ago, Federer's dominance in the Grand Slams has been on the wane. A straight-set loss for Federer in a Grand Slam now? Shoulder shrug.
Federer has now lost in the quarters in two of his last three Grand Slam appearances. Clay is far from Federer's preferred surface; but his serve was also a little off today, and it was (something Fed does not like!) windy too. Federer has had problems with Tsonga in the past, too: He blew a two-set-to-love lead on him in Wimbledon in 2011, and he played a grueling, five-set match against him in Australia earlier this year (a match he won).
NBC doesn't need to fret, necessarily: Djokovic and Nadal have quarterfinal matches tomorrow and will (likely) face off in the semis. If Tsonga can handle David Ferrer in the semis, it actually sets up a wonderful storyline for Sunday: Djokovic or Nadal versus a Frenchman (the first one to make it in 25 years!) in a Sunday final.
For Federer? Well, at least Wimbledon is a few weeks away.