The Follow Files: Episode 2

Lot's of screaming can be a good thing, as long as you finish the week with a trophy in your hands.

===The Twitterverse

Another fun week in the twitterverse, as big-time tennis was being played in pretty much every corner of the globe. The Netherlands? Check. Paris? Uh-huh. San Jose? Oh yeah. Thailand? C'mon, do you really have to ask?

As exotic as it sounds, it isn't as easy as it seems. While many of us never left the white glare of our computer monitors this week (don't knock it 'til you try it!), travel mishaps were as common as deuce games on the tour. It is an often overlooked fact of life in the big leagues. Not only does the physicality of the season take it's toll, the numbing level of air travel can also be a drag.

"On 3 flight detour round the USA thanks to another cancellation," said Kate O'Brien, who finally made it all the way to Memphis only to lose in the final round of qualies. "All that change in air pressure will do my ear infection the world of good!"

"Yep well done Qantas," said Sam Groth, "manage for my bags to not make a domestic flight and then tell me that maybe they get delivered today maybe not!"Groth had just come back to Australia from Hawaii, where he lost in the first round of the Caloundra, Australia challenger, earning $520 in the process.

Ouch.

And speaking of ouch, Gael Monfils had to head back to France to get his left wrist looked at by doctors, after withdrawing from San Jose with an inflamed wrist. "Gggrrrrrrr....," said Monfils. 15 hours later, La Monf was in better spirits. "Enfinnnn a la maisonnnnnnnnn...," he tweeted, adding some extra n's and d's for effect.

But let's not spend all day feeling sorry for our heroes, because if we are feeling sorry for our heroes, well, what does that say about our state of affairs?

"Patience is a virtue," says Sloane Stephens, and damned if I don't agree with her. Hopefully Samual Groth, Kate O'Brien, and Gael Monfils do too.

"Should I pull for Duke or UNC tonight," chimed in John Isner, early last week. Oh, the dilemmas that some of these tennis pros must endure. How to decide? "I'm not a fan of either," he added.

Then why worry about it John? Why not worry about something more important, like what Caroline Wozniacki is doing for Valentine's Day?

"Is it bad that I like the new Avril Lavigne song What the Hell?" he adds. So many questions John. So many difficult questions. I wish I could help you, I really do.

"Sometimes you have to realize that not even a leash will keep a dog from playing with dirt," says Sloane Stephens, proving that even young women are wise beyond their years these days.

"How are u doing guys," asks Svetlana Kuznetsova out of the blue. Hmm, not bad Svetlana, since you asked. I saw "The Social Network" this week and made it down to San Jose for the ATP event. Life is good.

"Brian and I took Jada to the Eiffel Tower this morning," says Kim Clijsters. Really, Kim? How very Number one of you. And I thought I was cool for seeing "The Social Network?" Guess not.

It seems like our heroes want to talk about anything but tennis on twitter these days. Unless of course you are Robin Soderling. All he wants to talk about is his latest title. Doesn't he know that if he keeps it up he's going to make people like Gael Monfils jealous?

"Quality victory by Man Utd today, Rooney back to his top form," says Rohan Bopanna. Ah, so much soccer, so little time, and what little time we have is devoted to tennis. But since you mentioned it Rohan, I'm for Arsenal, and we're not out of it yet.

P.S. Why are you not in Memphis with Aisam? You do realize that this mad world needs you guys to stay together more than ever, don't you?

Speaking of the English Premier League: If anybody wants to help Andy Murray out, he wants to debate who the 10 best players are at the moment (and he doesn't think defenders get enough credit-- WHY IS THAT NOT SURPRISING?).

I'll close this segment of the follow files by demonstrating that even tennis players do talk about tennis sometimes. "I'm getting better at understanding the USTA level of rating your level of play," says Venus Williams. "I'm a 7.0 what are you?"

Leave it to her kid sister Serena to turn the conversation away from tennis again. "Still awake....Another long night....Ugh." (Time of tweet: 3:20 A.M.)