Roger Federer is watching the untidy upcoming US elections with the fascination of a man observing a slow-motion train wreck.
With the brawling, slash-and-burn US style well removed from any reality - especially Swiss reality - the US process makes for light entertainment for the 16-time Grand Slam winner.
With 15 months to go before presidential vote, the mud is already being slung in a country sinking into economic irrelevance. And Federer can't help but watch it as he puts in time at Masters events before the US Open.
"I somewhat couldn't believe the length of it and the brutality of it (campaigns)," said the Swiss. whose strong-currency safe-haven country is an economic anchor amid the fiscal crisis in the US and Eurozone. "Every president should be extremely tired (after being elected), this is actually when the job starts.
"So it's pretty fascinating to watch, I'm definitely going to follow it the next time around the same thing again."
Federer says he took an interest in the 2008 elections and will continue to do so. "Obviously I did follow the presidential race with Obama quite closely. I thought I was old enough and interested enough."