Roger Federer lost to Tomas Berdych at 12:15 am on Wednesday morning in Miami: 6-4, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (6). A bunch of other stuff happened at the tournament on Tuesday, but I’m just going to focus on this for now.

Roger won as many points as Berdych did (119) and enjoyed a better serving night than the Czech. He had over twice as many break point opportunities as his opponent but made good on only 2 out of 10 chances (Berdych was successful 3 out of 4 times.) Federer wasted his match point and helped Berdych convert his by hitting his 61st unforced error of the match.

WTF, Roger?

“I’m a bit confused with how I’m feeling the ball at the moment. . .It’s just not happening for me.” That’s Roger in his post match presser (via reporter Bonnie D. Ford).

If Roger’s confused, how are we supposed to feel?

There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man’s fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call “The Fedophile Zone.”

And now for the random mutterings of a Fedophile – think of me as a grizzled old woman rocking in the dark corner of a rickety front porch. Or Boris Becker watching from the stands:

What a freakshow of a match. For most of the first set, it looked like Roger was trying to lose. Some of those wonky forehands – he couldn’t have hit them worse if he tried. Was he trying? Trying to do what? Lose? Win? My point, exactly.

And what’s Roger saving up for, anyway? I’m talking match points here. He had one against Tomas on Tuesday night – on his own serve. He had three against Marcos Baghdatis a couple weeks ago in Indian Wells. He knows they don’t roll over, right? It’s not like he can halt play break point down in the French Open Final and say “Hey, Pascal, I’m gonna use one of my saved match points now, ‘kay?” Then again, Roger is president of the ATP Players’ Council. Does he know something I don’t?

What’s worse? Losing to the likes of Canas at both Indian Wells and Miami in ’07, losing to Fish (IW) and Roddick (Miami) in ’08, to Murray (IW) and Djokovic (Miami) in last year’s semis or to Baghdatis and Berdych in ’10? Hold up. On reconsideration, these results have absolutely no bearing on who wins Majors. Hmmm. . .

Does Roger care about Indian Wells and Miami anymore? More important: Does Mirka? The cameras caught her looking mighty cold and disinterested in the stands. Mary Joe was clapping, at least.

“It (losing) fuels my desire to go to the practice courts, because I don’t like to lose these type of matches,” Roger said after the match (via Tennis.com). Ah ha! We’ve found the source of Roger’s motivation! Lose Indian Wells and Miami, get fired up to win Roland Garros and Wimbledon!

Okay, I feel better now. Lights on! Happy music. No regrets. Onward, Fedophiles! We have Majors to win.

Still in Florida: Berdych advances to play Fernando Verdasco in the quarterfinals. Soderling vs. Youzhny (d. Fish, who retired with a hip injury), Roddick plays Almagro and Rafael Nadal - the only remaining member of the Top 4 – plays Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Who wants it, fellas?

On the ladies’ side Bartoli meets Venus in the semifinals. Henin plays Wozniacki and Clijsters plays Stosur in the bottom half quarters.

Click here for more results from Tuesday in Miami.