Eye Of The Tiger

While most of me is sad that Marat Safin is out of the tournament in Bastad, a part of me is glad. Because seriously, clay? Like, what is this? I do not get it. I just do not get it at all. Focus your talents (which are considerable) on the hardcourt season, Marat. Then, perhaps, we will see the rewards reaped. Wouldn't it be awesome to see Marat in the semis or even the final of Toronto/Montreal (still haven't figured out where it is this year!) or Cincinatti? Or the US Open. That's my dream US Open final - Federer/Safin.

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Speaking of Federer - because how can we not? - he has qualified for the Masters Cup, along with Nadal and Djokovic. This was never going to not happen, but I'm glad we (in Team Federer, because I am obviously such an integral part) have got this one in the bag so early on. It still mystifies me that people think Federer is so vulnerable when he's qualified for the TMC in July. I mean, frickin' July? That's pretty sweet.

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The battle for the TMC last year was so interesting. I mean, we always had these three locked in, and Davydenko was never really in doubt, but the battle for the final places was fascinating last year. There was a point where about twenty players were battling for three spots. It wa crazy good. I mean, you'd never pick Ivo Karlovic as a TMC contender, but he was one of those twenty. It was endlessly fascinating.

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I think the ones that made it - last year, it was Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Davydenko, Ferrer, Roddick, Gonzalez and Gasquet - were all deserving, but the fact that you had players like Karlovic still in contention really shows the depth of men's tennis. There are so, so many good players in the top fifty, top hundred. And those final three spots - the ones that went to Roddick, Gonzalez and Gasquet - could have gone in so many ways. Look at the players that are not on this list. Nalbandian. Blake. Youzhny. Berdych. Baghdatis. So many excellent players. Hell, Blake was a finalist the year before and he didn't make it in 2007. How deep is men's tennis? Seriously?

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I love the end of the year championships. The TMC is one of my favourite tournaments in the year, and I wish it had more air time, most prestige. Because after the Slams, it is pretty much the most important tournament of the year, but it is so unusual! It is the only tournament which is round robin - and I like it like that. Remember when there was that weird round robin experiment last year, like in Adelaide? That was weird. But it's great at the TMC.

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I think the reason I like the TMC so much is that it's such an eye of the tiger sort of tournament. It's about consistency. It's about being last man standing, but it's an endurance test as well. You have to consistently beat these players that are the best of the best of the best of the best. And you could play anyone. Roger and Rafa have met the past two years in the semi finals, but never in a final. It's a microcosm, whole unto itself. It's... okay, I don't think I'm making sense any more. I like the TMC. Let's leave it at that.

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A few shout outs before I go. First, Stan Wawrinka. Top seed at Gstaad this week, and although he had a tough match against his countryman Stephane Bohli, he looks set to head all the way to the title. I'm down with that. Me and those Swiss guys... we get on. Cilic has also had a good victory in this tournament, taking out Paul-Henri Mathieu, the second seed. I haven't been very impressed with Paulo of late, but this Cilic kid is really on the up and up. He'll be up there with Ernests Gulbis one day, mark my words. Maybe not in the top five, but my spidersense tells me top ten. So do me proud, Marin.

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And finally, to Rohan Bopanna, the Indian qualifier who took out top seed Mardy Fish in Newport. To you, in true Australian style, I say this: go you good thing!

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Today's Results

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Mercedes Cup (Stuttgart)

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Richard Gasquet def. Lukas Rosol, 6- 7 (7-9) 6-2 6-2

Michael Berrer def. Nicolas Almagro, 7-5 retired

Agustin Calleri def. Pablo Cuevas, 5-7 7-5 6-1

Albert Montanes def. Oscar Hernandez, 7-6 (7-4) 6-4

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Allianz Suisse Open (Gstaad)

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Stanislas Wawrinka def. Stephane Bohli, 7-6 (8-6) 5-7 7-6 (7-3)

Marin Cilic def. Paul-Henri Mathieu, 6-3 6-4

Igor Andreev def. Florent Serra, 7-5 6-4

Guillermo Canas def. Kristof Vliegen, walkover

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Catella Swedish Open (Bastad)

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Fernando Verdasco def. Ervin Eleskovic, 6-0 4-2 retired

Tomas Berdych def. Thomas Johansson, 7-6 (7-2) 6-2

Bjorn Rehnquist def. Michael Ryderstedt, 6-3 7-5

Potito Starace def. Marat Safin, 7-6 (7-4) 3-6 6-4

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Campbell's Hall of Fame Tennis Championships (Newport)

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Igor Kunitsyn def. Mikhail Ledovskikh, 6-1 6-1

Frank Dancevic def. Brendan Evans, 5-7 6-4 7-6 (7-3)

Prakash Amritraj def. Jesse Levine, 7-5 6-3

Rohan Bopanna def. Mardy Fish, 7-6 (8-6) 7-5

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Gaz de France Grand Prix (Budapest)

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Andreja Klepac def. Agnes Szavay, 6-2 6-3

Alizé Cornet def. Magdalena Rybarikova, 6-2 6-2

Anna-Lena Groenefeld def. Lucie Safarova, 6-1 6-4

Karolina Sprem def. Tzipora Obziler, 6-2 6-1