So, what is going on? It’s not just the Beijing Olympics. No top-five player has won the gold medal in men’s singles since 1988. My husband thinks maybe the Olympics just aren’t as important to the pros, so they don’t try as hard. I don’t think that’s it. I’ve read interviews, and the players seem genuinely proud and pleased to be representing their countries. I do think that perhaps there is an overconfidence problem.

But really I think it’s just that there is something about playing in the Olympics that makes it difficult to predict who will win. There’s certainly plenty of skill around, but a lot of times the difference between a win and a loss in the Olympics seems to be a question of heart and wanting it more. Perhaps that’s why the hosting team always seems to have a home team advantage. If that is the case, I hope the Williams sisters want that doubles medal more than they wanted the singles one.

James Blake is one of my favorites, and it would be a real Olympic story if he could pull off the unthinkable and win a medal in the Beijing Olympics. Even though he’s part of the winning American Davis Cup team, Blake hasn’t achieved the fame and notoriety of more well known tennis players, including Federer.

And that’s a shame because James Blake has quite a story. From a diagnosis of scoliosis as a teen to a broken neck and shingles in 2004, Blake is quite the comeback kid. So, it would be really great if more people get to know James Blake, and a medal would certainly accomplish that.

MSNBC is broadcasting a full day tomorrow, as well, including women’s tennis, women’s handball, women’s basketball, women’s water polo and women’s volleyball. (Incidentally, U.S. women’s water polo is pursuing their third straight Olympic gold medal.) Men’s badminton (where U.S. competitor Raju Rai may actually have a chance), weightlifting and men’s archery are also available for viewing.

CNBC will be showing men’s beach volleyball, boxing, and women’s softball.

USA is broadcasting women’s beach volleyball, rowing, men’s tennis (featuring Wimbledon champion Rafael Nedal), women’s basketball, and women’s volleyball.

Oxygen will be covering gymnastics and equestrian.

Online, you can see archery, badminton, basketball, fencing, handball, field hockey, judo, rowing, sailing, shooting, softball, tennis, water polo, weightlifting, and wrestling.

Rain stopped the match between Serena Williams and Olga Govortsova and prevented the match between Roger Federer and Dmitry Tursunov, among others (so much for cloud seeding to prevent rain). In all, nine matches were completed, 10 suspended and 26 postponed. I’m not sure how they plan to get the tournament back on schedule, but I’m sure they’ll manage somehow.

A bright spot in the day was James Blake’s win in his Olympic debut. If you don’t know about James Blake, make sure to read my upcoming post about this American comeback kid.

Your local NBC affiliate will be showing men’s volleyball overnight. Then, from 1-5 a.m., you can see a replay of tonight’s primetime. Tomorrow morning, you can see the U.S. basketball team against China. Also in the morning, rowing preliminaries, women’s cycling and men’s water polo. In the afternoon, check out men’s beach volleyball and more cycling. In the evening, cycling finishes up and there are swimming prelims. Primetime brings Michael Phelps going for a second gold in the men’s 4×100m free relay. There’s more swimming, with the women’s 400m free, men’s 100m breast, and the semifinal of the women’s 100m back stroke. The U.S. women’s Olympic gymnastics team starts their quest for gold, and the first diving gold medals of the Games will be awarded. Late night, you can check out women’s volleyball.

On MSNBC, you can watch men’s soccer: Italy vs. South Korea, women’s field hockey: USA vs. Argentina, and men’s handball: South Korea vs. Germany. In tennis, Roger Federer of Switzerland plays Dmitry Tursunov of Russia. Also, men’s volleyball, men’s water polo, badminton, men’s handball, and the men’s trap shooting gold-medal final.

CNBC will feature tennis and boxing.

USA is showing men’s basketball, women’s badminton, equestrian team eventing dressage, women’s tennis, men’s soccer, women’s archery team final, women’s weightlifting 53kg final, and the gold-medal final in men’s 56kg weightlifting.

Online, you can watch archery, badminton, basketball, cycling, equestrian, fencing, handball, field hockey, judo, rowing, sailing, shooting, soccer, tennis, water polo, and weightlifting.

During primetime Saturday night, you can watch men’s gymnastics qualifying rounds, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh doubtless trouncing a Latvian beach volleyball team, and gold medal rounds in the men’s 400m free, the women’s 4×100m free relay and the men’s and women’s 400m IM. Michael Phelps and Katie Hoff will be Americans to keep an eye on in the swimming.

Online, you can watch women’s archery, badminton, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s cycling, equestrian, fencing, handball, field hockey, judo, rowing, sailing, shooting, women’s soccer, tennis, water polo and weightlifting.