RAFA!

I think it's safe to say we have entered the era of Rafa. Rafael Nadal just won his second Wimbledon title, easily putting away Tomas Berdych in straight sets. It is Nadal's eighth major championship, putting him halfway to Roger Federer's record of 16.

With Federer pretty clearly in his age of decline, the next few years figure to be dominated by Nadal. I mean, who is going to beat him? Over the last six years, he has destroyed the competition on clay so it's a fair bet he's not going to lose much at Roland Garros. He now has won 14 straight matches at Wimbledon, winning in in 2008 and this year (he missed it last year because of a knee injury). He's captured the Aussie, beating Federer there in a five-set final last year. All that's left to secure the career grand slam is the U.S. Open.

Of course, Nadal has had virtually no success at Flushing Meadow, which maybe opens the door for the rest of the field. Will defending champ Juan Martin del Potro repeat (or even enter, after missing the French and Wimbledon with a wrist injury)? Andy Murray has done well there so maybe he can finally break through and win a major. Or how about perpetual underachiever Novak Djokovic, who has made a career of talking a big game but not backing it up? He won the 2008 Aussie Open and is now the No. 2 player in the world (with Federer falling to No. 3) so maybe he can take it. Perhaps Robin Soderling, who has played Nadal better than anyone the last couple of years, can finally break through. Or maybe Federer has one more run in him.

Whatever the case, it seems like the only thing that can derail the Nadal train now are injuries (and don't discount them--given his frantic style, recurring leg injuries could occur). He should dominate Roland Garros and Wimbledon for the next few years and he has already proven his ability to win the Aussie. The U.S. Open may be the field's only hope and Nadal could end that in a couple months too.