Stars, In Your Multitudes

I do believe I said yesterday that one day in the future Ivan Ljubicic would make a fine ATP chairman. Lo and behold! he's been elected to the ATP board as the official representative of Europe. I like to think this is proof that the ATP listen to what I say. Next thing you know, they'll be knocking on my door, asking me to be the next Etienne. You just wait.

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Meanwhile, I really should preview the US Open draw, but I'm going to save that for tomorrow. I have to save up my topics of conversation and ration them out carefully before the US Open, when things get all interesting. I think that today I am going to gloat some more about how good the kids in my Stars of the Future fold are. Especially Marin Cilic.

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When I first added Cilic to my Stars fold, I wasn't expecting him to be quite so spectacular. I thought he'd be one of my secondary stars. But he has had a real career year this year, and I am just counting down the seconds until he's in the top ten. He's seeded at the US Open, which makes him one of my best-performing Stars so far. Go Marin! And he has just made his first career final in New Haven, where he will play Mardy Fish for the title. Can Cilic take Fish? I think that he can - hook, line and sinker.

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I apologise profoundly for that pun. But if your last name is Fish, then I'm sure you'd be used to it. Go Marin!

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I think I better clarify who is actually in my Stars of the Future fold, because otherwise I'm going to end up adopting every stray young 'un that comes along and claiming the glory. Currently, the fold includes the following: Juan Martin del Potro (recent addition - very quickly becoming a Star of the Present!), Marin Cilic, Ernests Gulbis (my favourite!), Eduardo Schwank, Jeremy Chardy and Thomaz Bellucci. And I'm sure there's another one, but I can't remember who right now. But they're my picks. They're the ones that are going to make it big. Except maybe Chardy. I'm not so sold on him any more.

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My special favourite is, of course, Ernests Gulbis, who is one of the most insanely talented young players we have seen in a very long time. I don't know if he's quite at Federer/Safin talent level, but he's pretty damn good. He is officially the only person I have ever seen blow Rafa off the court. (Rafa still came back and won the match, but Swanboy got a set off him. Which is something.) A bit of experience, and he's going to be wonderful. Just give him a while. I think last time I talked about him, I said to give him a year. I might extend that to two, but he is going to be up there, mark my words.

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But my boy Marin... he's the star of his class right now, nonwithstanding new kid Juan Martin del Potro. He is the first of my original stars to reach a final, and I am very proud. Yay Marin!

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Today's Results

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Pilot Pen Tennis (New Haven)

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Men's Draw

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Marin Cilic def. Luka Gregorc, 6-3 6-3

Mardy Fish def. Fernando Verdasco, 6-0 1-6 6-3

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Women's Draw

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Anna Chakvetadze def. Amélie Mauresmo, 6-3 3-6 6-1

Caroline Wozniacki def. Alizé Cornet, 7-5 6-4

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Forest Hills Tennis Classic (Forest Hills)

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Lucie Safarova def. Iveta Benesova, 6-2 6-4

Peng Shuai def. Carla Suárez Navarro, 6-1 6-2