Both teams traded penalty goals as the all-Wales showdown took time to splutter into life in bitterly cold temperatures in Cardiff.

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If the economy continues to splutter into next year, Mr Bush could find himself with a tough re-election fight on his hands.

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Ivanisevic's usually lethal serve began to splutter, his first-serve percentage slipping to 50% - and the match was level with exactly an hour gone.

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This last remark is said with a derisive splutter.

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They are likely to be disappointed: the economic data will get worse as the year progresses because the economy has only recently started to splutter after growing rapidly for the first nine months of 2008.

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