Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
One of the major hazards for a columnist is writing about something which is to happen in a few hours from the time of writing and that too for the reading pleasure of those who get to read it long after the event is over.
Like the fourth round of Wimbledon, for instance, which will start in exactly three hours time as I sit down to dish out this latest offering.
It's a professional hazard many have tackled with tact and acumen. Others have fumbled with disastrous consequences. One famous writer literally ate the paper on which he wrote following the biggest upset in the world of cricket in 1983.
Yet, we venture out on the same path either for mere pastime or due to professional compulsions. The second Monday of Wimbledon is a favourite of mine. And this Wimbledon in particular looks so tempting and promising.
Roger Federer from the bottom half is in cruise mode while Andy Murray at the other end seems to be on auto pilot. Both have comfortably docked themselves at the desired level and now look forward to shifting to top gear.
The first week of Wimbledon has been predictable barring a few upsets, particularly in the women's draw with the defeats of Svetlana Kuznetsova, Jelena Jankovic and Maria Sharapova.
But for Federer and Murray it has been business as usual. The absence of Rafael Nadal has only added a new dimension to the battle of the present and the future of tennis. The talk now is a possible clash between these two on Sunday.
If that happens, it would be a mouth-watering affair. The last time an Englishman lifted the Wimbledon crown, men still played in trousers, and many believe dinosaurs were still around.
That should put into perspective the task ahead of Murray. But my take is that the young Scot is the best bet in a long time to break that jinx. Tim Henman, who reached four Wimbledon semi-finals, was too overrated, overtly orthodox and always looked like a spent force by the time he reached the business end of the fortnight.
Murray, by contrast, is refreshingly different. He mixes things up, plays the big points with a lot of panache and is increasingly looking like a potential champion.
In many ways, his demeanour resembles that of Fernando Alonso a few years ago - the Spaniard walked and talked with strikingly similar confidence and composure before dethroning Michael Schumacher in Formula One.
Federer, on the other hand, is on the cusp of beating Pete Sampras' record of 14 Grand Slam titles. It would also be his sixth Wimbledon title. A victory on Sunday would certainly make the argument of who is the best tennis player of all time more one-sided.
Federer and Murray, however, have four more matches to realise their own dreams and there are at least 14 players determined to dash those hopes.
The Swiss genius' immediate rival is Robin Soderling. The Swede was no match to the World No. 2 on clay in Paris just a few weeks ago. Federer has also beaten him on hard, clay and grass courts and has lost just one set in 23.
But Soderling has tasted blood, by beating Nadal in the French Open, and will be craving for more. That will only make him more dangerous and Federer admitted as much after winning his third round match against Philipp Kohlschreiber.
Federer then has to tackle Ivo Karlovic or Fernando Verdasco in the quarter-finals before bracing for a possible semi-final clash with Novak Djokovic.
Murray, on the other hand, faces Federer's compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka in the fourth round and then has a rejuvenated Lleyton Hewitt and possibly Andy Roddick to deal with before coming to face-to-face with one Mr Roger Federer.
In a way, Murray may go into the final holding an edge as he is the only top-10 player to have beaten Federer more often than he has lost. More importantly, Murray has won the last four meetings between the two.
The positive point for Federer is that he was a comprehensive winner when the two last met in a Grand Slam final - the US Open last year.
Sadly, the women's draw has been pedestrian by contrast. Sabine Lisicki of Germany and qualifier Melanie Oudin of the US have been the giant-killers so far but it is difficult to imagine the duo going deep into the second week. My bet is that the finals will be a clash between the Williams sisters and my tip is that the younger one will prevail. Thank God for computers, I may not have to eat the paper on which I have written this one. But the alternative is quite scary, nevertheless.
