BabyFed Approaches...

The news has come, or so I hear, that the lovely Mrs Mirka Federer has checked into a hospital in Switzerland in preparation for the birth of BabyFed - and the press have started gathering to take photos of the wee bairn.

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Just for you, Mirka - do you think you could try and have it on July 23? Because that's my birthday and I wouldn't mind sharing a natal day with the spawn of the Federers, kplzthxbai. Just sayin'.

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On a serious note, though, even though this is a baby who probably won't pick up its first racquet for years, this is a major tennis event. This is something that will irrevocably shape the career of the king of our sport. This will make his life different forever.

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There's been a lot of conjecture that maybe the baby will change Federer's focus a lot and that he'll lose his tennis edge, having broken all the records. And sure, maybe he will just want to gallop off into the sunset with Mirka and MiniFed. But seriously, can you imagine Roger wanting to set 'giving up' as an example to his child? I don't think so. I can foresee some distraction, certainly, during the early months of BabyFed's life, but in the long run... I think Daddy is going to want to impress his baby. He's always said that it was Mirka's dream that their child would see him play, and I think he'll make this wish come true.

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Sorry for this incoherent ramble... is it totally obvious that I'm a little uninspired by the tennis going on this week? Bring on the US hardcourt season - let's get off this stupid clay stuff.

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Today's Results

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International German Open (Hamburg)

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Nikolay Davydenko def. Philipp Petzschner, 6-3 6-2

Jeremy Chardy def. Andreas Beck, 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (8-6)

Robin Soderling def. Fabio Fognini, 6-3 6-7 (3-7) 6-3

David Ferrer def. Florian Mayer, 6-3 6-2

Julien Benneteau def. Igor Andreev, 6-4 6-3

Nicolas Almagro def. Marcel Granollers, 4-6 6-3 6-4

Victor Hanescu def. Jan Hernych, 6-2 6-3

Juan Monaco def. Jose Acasuso, 6-1 1-1 retired

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Banka Koper Slovenia Open (Portoroz)

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Dinara Safina def. Ksenia Pervak, 6-1 6-2

Rossana de los Rios def. Roberta Vinci, 6-3 6-4

Stefanie Voegele def. Lucie Safarova, 7-5 2-3 6-3

Maria Elena Camerin def. Vera Dushevina, 4-6 7-5 6-0

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Nurnberger Gastein Ladies (Bad Gastein)

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Magdalena Rybarikova def. Pauline Parmentier, 6-3 4-6 6-4

Anna-Lena Groenefeld def. Tereza Hladikova, 6-3 6-2

Yaroslava Shvedova def. Shahar Peer, 6-2 6-1

Yvonne Meusburger def. Tatjana Malek, 6-2 2-6 6-4