Surprise Party

I said yesterday that I wasn't especially surprised at any of the results in Rome. Today... well, today I am, and that's the truth.

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We have the usual suspects through - Nadal, Federer and Djokovic all came through in style, especially Nadal, who totally crushed Robin Soderling. I remember hearing that there is no love lost between this pair... I bet Rafa's feeling pretty sweet about that right now! It was all pretty cruise-y for this trio, all three coming through in straights, Federer and Djokovic eliminating Stepanek and Robredo respectively.

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Fernando Verdasco and Juan Martin del Potro both came through as well, though they had to work a little harder, and Fernando Gonzalez as well, none of which are really surprising, but then we do have a couple of unusual faces. I talked a little about Juan Monaco yesterday, and though I wasn't terribly surprised to see him beat Murray - everyone's got an upset in them somewhere - he then backed it up against Marin Cilic, about which I was surprised. I've never really had much time for Monaco - probably because I can't ever really recall seeing him play, to tell the truth - but he certainly seems to be on a bit of a hot streak. Quarters in a Masters. That's something.

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And then Mischa Zverev - I don't even remember him being in the draw, let alone in the quarter finals! He's certainly come through quietly but lethally. He took Gilles Simon in easy straights - and, sure, Simon is in a bit of a funk at the moment, but still, that's a big victory for a qualifier. I have seen Zverev play before - I saw him play Tommy Robredo at the Australian Open in the first round last year. He won the first two sets before Tommy came roaring back to win in five. I only saw the first two sets, so maybe my perspective of Zverev is skewed, but I've always wondered why we haven't seen more of him. He has some sweet, sweet game.

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Over to the women's, and though she may not have strictly deserved it, I think #1 is suiting Dinara Safina well. She's had some excellent wins in Stuttgart, cruising past Daniela Hantuchova today. I'd love her to start her reign with a title - and then back it up with a Slam. That would be sweet.

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Oh, and I have to throw a word out to Sabine Lisicki. She might have lost to Jelena Jankovic today, but she fought hard all the way - and honestly, isn't she just the best thing about the WTA at the moment? She's so refreshing and happy and full of potential - this is what is needed more than anything!

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Today's Results

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Internazionali BNL d'Italia (Rome)

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Rafael Nadal def. Robin Soderling, 6-1 6-0

Roger Federer def. Radek Stepanek, 6-4 6-1

Novak Djokovic def. Tommy Robredo, 6-1 6-1

Juan Martin Del Potro def. Stanislas Wawrinka, 6-2 6-7 (5-7) 6-3

Fernando Verdasco def. Richard Gasquet, 7-5 6-4

Mischa Zverev def. Gilles Simon, 6-4 6-1

Fernando Gonzalez def. Jurgem Melzer, 3-6 6-3 7-5

Juan Monaco def. Marin Cilic, 6-4 6-4

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Porsche Tennis Grand Prix (Stuttgart)

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Dinara Safina def. Daniela Hantuchova, 6-4 6-2

Elena Dementieva def. Agnes Szavay, 7-6 (7-4) 6-1

Jelena Jankovic def. Sabine Lisicki, 7-5 5-7 6-3

Svetlana Kuznetsova def. Li Na, 4-6 6-4 7-5

Flavia Pennetta def. Nadia Petrova, 6-2 6-2

Marion Bartoli def. Caroline Wozniacki, 7-6 (8-6) 6-4

Agnieszka Radwanska def. Tsvetana Pironkova, 6-3 6-3

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Grand Prix de SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem (Fes)

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Anabel Medina Garrigues def. Lourdes Domínguez Lino, 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-5)

Alisa Kleybanova def. Polona Hercog, 6-3 6-4

Ekaterina Makarova def. Marta Domachowska, 6-4 6-4

Melinda Czink def. Lucie Hradecka, 6-4 6-2