Heartening Losses

There is something very charming about watching a young man play one of the great champions of the game... even when, as in this case, the great champion completely destroys the young man. If the match is played in a good spirit, then it is a beautiful thing to watch.

I like what I see from Devin Britton. I think he's going to be pretty good in the future. I follow him on Twitter, and you can tell that he had a real sense of the occasion and appreciated the experience immensely, even though he got pretty well annihilated by Federer, who sailed through and didn't appear to be concentrating that hard in places. These are the matches which shape a young player's career, when they can see what the game is like at the very top. It gives them, I think, something to aspire to.

And I think we're going to be hearing a lot more from Devin Britton.

The same goes for Alexa Glatch, who got killed by Serena today. I think the USA is going to be very strong in the future, with the likes of she and Britton coming up. She's already been a Fed Cup heroine, and I think we're going to see a lot from her at Slams in the future. Serena destroyed her today, one and one, but just playing the top guns is good for young players. Once they have a real, tangible place to aim for, I think it really helps their game in future. Not necessarily through emulation... but when you've experienced something that good, I don't think it can be forgotten.

For both of them, I feel their losses today were not disheartening, but heartening in the extreme.


Today's Results

US Open (Flushing Meadows)

Men's Draw

Roger Federer def. Devin Britton, 6-1 6-3 7-5
Nikolay Davydenko def. Dieter Kindlmann, 6-3 6-4 7-5
Robin Soderling def. Albert Montanes, 6-1 3-6 6-1 6-4
Tommy Robredo def. Donald Young, 6-4 3-6 6-2 6-3
Tommy Haas def. Alejandro Falla, 7-5 4-6 7-6 (9-7) 6-2
Mikhail Youzhny def. Paul-Henri Mathieu, 2-6 7-5 6-0 6-2
John Isner def. Victor Hanescu, 6-1 7-6 (16-14) 7-6 (7-5)
Marco Chiudinelli def. Potito Starace, 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-2) 6-0
Marcel Granollers def. Mischa Zverev, 2-6 7-5 3-6 6-4 6-0
Jan Hernych def. Rainer Schuettler, 1-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 2-6 6-3
Guillermo Garcia-Lopez def. Peter Polansky, 6-4 6-4 5-7 3-6 6-1
Marsel Ilhan def. Christophe Rochus, 3-6 6-3 3-6 7-5 7-5
Robert Kendrick def. Martin Vassallo Arguello, 6-3 6-2 6-2
Somdev Devvarman def. Frederico Gil, 6-3 6-4 6-3
Olivier Rochus def. Igor Kunitsyn, 6-3 6-0 6-2
Simon Greul def. Giovanni Lapentti, 6-3 4-6 3-6 6-0 7-6 (11-9)
James Blake def. Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo, 6-1 6-4 7-5
Lleyton Hewitt def. Thiago Alves, 6-0 6-3 6-4

Women's Draw

Serena Williams def. Alexa Glatch, 6-4 6-1
Vera Zvonareva def. Nuria Llagostera Vives, 6-0 6-4
Victoria Azarenka def. Alexandra Dulgheru, 6-1 6-1
Flavia Pennetta def. Edina Gallovits, 6-0 6-4
Agnieszka Radwanska def. Patricia Mayr, 6-1 6-2
Marion Bartoli def. Rossana de los Rios, 6-1 6-0
Samantha Stosur def. Ai Sugiyama, 6-4 4-6 6-4
Amelie Mauresmo def. Tatjana Malek, 6-3 6-4
Anabel Medina Garrigues def. Gail Brodsky, 6-4 6-4
Chang Kai-Chen def. Kaia Kanepi, 6-0 2-6 6-2
Francesca Schiavone def. Yvonne Meusburger, 6-1 6-2
Aleksandra Wozniak def. Laura Granville, 6-1 7-6 (9-7)
Magdalena Rybarikova def. Valerie Tetreault, 6-3 4-6 6-1
Melinda Czink def. Maria Elena Camerin, 6-3 6-4
Maria Kirilenko def. Mariya Koryttseva, 6-2 6-1
Anna Chakvetadze def. Yurika Sema, 4-6 6-1 6-2
Timea Bacsinszky def. Vesna Manasieva, 6-3 6-4
Sania Mirza def. Olga Govortsova, 6-2 3-6 6-3
Jill Craybas def. Carly Gullickson, 6-3 7-6 (7-5)
Stefanie Voegele def. Alberta Brianti, 6-7 (10-12) 6-1 6-3
Bethanie Mattek-Sands def. Iveta Benesova, 6-3 6-4
Angelique Kerber def. Andrea Petkovic, 6-4 5-7 6-3
Barbora Zahlavova Strycova def. Marta Domachowska, 2-6 6-2 6-3
Vania King def. Anastasiya Yakimova, 2-1 retired
Kim Clijsters def. Viktoriya Kutuzova, 6-1 6-1

The Contenders

I could do a proper draw analysis for the US Open - who my picks are for each quarter, yada yada yada. But truth is, I don't know if there's too much point at the moment. It seems to me right now that there are four, possibly five, leading contenders for the title - and it might better befit us to analyse them than how they'll get there.

Starting at the top, the man himself, Roger Federer. He's won New York five times in a row and he's looking for number six, and - yeah, I know I said I wasn't going to do a fullblown draw analysis - he has a pretty friendly draw, with some of his longtime bunnies being the major seeds in the area. That said, everyone at this level is a danger, so I don't think RF is going to be complacent.

Complacency is the popular thought at the moment for what might stop Roger - he's done so much and now has babies on board... surely he can afford to rest on his laurels a bit? But this is not Roger's style - I can't think of anyone less complacent in the world. I think Roger's going to be just fine in New York, and if I were going to make a pick - which I'm not, because I'm pretty sure it's a jinx - Roger would be it.

The one man I think has a real, genuine shot at stopping Roger before the finals is Andy Roddick. The quarter final match up between him and Djokovic is probably going to be the best quarter match up of the lot, and I don't see Novak coming out alive (he was my mystery fifth man contender). Roddick has whipped Djokovic good the last few times I remember them meeting, and I would not be at all surprised to see him cruise into the semis with the loss of a very small amount of sets. I would claim that he has played better tennis this year than ever before in his life - he was very unlucky not to walk away with Wimbledon, where it took the greatest of all time to beat him. Federer/Roddick is my semi pick on this side, with Federer the victor - but I think Roddick is going to impress again.

Then we have the other side. Everyone's talking about Rafa's knees - that said, I would be very surprised not to see him make the semis on grit and talent alone. He has the added bonus of being fresh and being slightly under the radar, which we know he likes. I would kill to see another Murray/Nadal semi after the spectacular matches these two have put up. This is, in my opinion, one of the greatest rivalries in the sport at the moment, and it's not talked about nearly enough. I think their games match up in a really interesting way. Watching them play is always intriguing and I'm picking Nadal to come through the third quarter, purely in the hopes of seeing this match...

...because I'm definitely picking Murray to come through on that side. I'm not a massive Murray fan, but I like what I've seen from him this US Open series. He's bringing some good stuff on court - the only questionable element might be his fitness, which has let him down a bit in the past - but unless it gets super hot, I think he'll be fine. He wants a Slam to validate him, and he's going to be pulling out the stops.

But we all know which team I'm on in the end, and on which side I'm coming down, even if I can't say for fear of divine retribution.

On the women's side, I don't think there's any point doing any analyses at all, with the... ahem, interesting state of the tour. You'd put good money on a Williams to win it, but only because they come to the party at Slams and everyone else is running rather mojo-less at the moment. I would really love someone random to win this tournament - possibly one of the three great Slamless top ten girls, Safina, Dementieva and Jankovic. Or one of the comeback queens, like Clijsters or Sharapova. Or even an up and comer, like Wozniacki or Lisicki (though not Azarenka, on account of I find her irritating and I am biased that way). The challenge I'm throwing down to the women this week is this - surprise me. I want at least one match where I am genuinely impressed and I want someone to win the damn tournament, not just not lose seven matches. Savvy, ladies?


Today's Results

Pilot Pen Tennis (New Haven)

Men's Draw

Fernando Verdasco def. Sam Querrey, 6-4 7-6 (8-6)

New Haven Intrigue

Probably I should be looking at the US Open draws and making my predictions and stuff - it's about that time of pre-tournament fervour - but I have to say that I'm just the tiniest bit intrigued by New Haven this week. It's been throwing up some results which are not... not unusual, but interesting.

Sam Querrey is in the final. We all know how I've ranted and raved about Querrey winning the US Open series, and I still think it's a bit strange that he managed to win it, but still - his achievements this summer have been some of the best of his career. Two finals - possibly two titles - and all with a game that I personally don't think is the best game EVAH, on account of it seeming a little one-dimensional. But Querrey's been making the best of what he's got, and it's been working for him. Good on him.

And then the other finalist is Fernando Verdasco, of whom we all expected such massive things after that spectacular run he had at the Australian Open, and who didn't not deliver, but who didn't exactly deliver either. He had a few injury woes, I understand, but people (including me) kept picking him to pull upsets, and he didn't really... well, do that.

It's not that he's been playing badly - it's just we haven't seen that fire that got him through Davis Cup and the Aussie Open. He hasn't been burning up the court - and I, for one, would like to see him back ablaze, because he really is something special when he's on. His Davis Cup and Australian Open results would suggest that hard courts are his best surface - I would like to see that hold true in New York and see him make another good run. Maybe not all the way to the semis like last time, but a good, solid deep run.

These two are names that have to be considered going into the US Open - I wouldn't call them real title chances, but these are the guys that can go deep and upset some of the big names if given half a chance. I'll be interested to see how New Haven pans out - because going into the US Open with a win under your belt has to be a pretty sweet feeling!


Today's Results

Pilot Pen Tennis (New Haven)

Men's Draw

Fernando Verdasco def. Igor Andreev, 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5)
Sam Querrey def. Jose Acasuso, 6-3 6-4


Women's Draw

Caroline Wozniacki def. Elena Vesnina, 6-2 6-4

The Big Questions Answered

Well, the draws are out and the two big questions are answered:

Federer and Nadal - opposite sides of the draw.

Venus and Serena - same side.

I'm pretty glad about both, I have to say - I can't say I'm really too keen on the notion of another Williams/Williams final, because it just seems... well, they haven't performed particularly well in the tournaments between Slams, and it seems a little... well, unjustified. I know this is a bad, bad thing to say, because coming to the party at the Slams is what the Williamses do.. but it just seems fundamentally unfair.

This is probably not a popular sentiment, but I'll be glad to see a Williams/someone else final. I think we can be pretty sure it'll be Williams in the final, and I would say it would be Serena of that ilk... with the WTA tour in its current state, the way is open for a Williams to step up to the plate at the Slams.

But I would dearly love to see a good run from someone on the other side of the draw - for that finalist to win through by winning, not just by not losing. And I would love for it to be Dinara Safina, to shake that Slamless #1 thing... not that I would rate her too much of a chance against Serena, but I'd like to see her do something that'd make herself and Zeljko proud. It's rare that you feel sorry for a #1 for sort of being picked on by the rest of the field, but I feel that with Dinara. I would love for her to do well.

Oh, and I'm glad Roger and Rafa have been separated. For obvious reasons!


Today's Results

Pilot Pen Tennis (New Haven)

Women's Draw

Elena Vesnina def. Amelie Mauresmo, 5-7 6-1 6-2
Caroline Wozniacki def. Flavia Pennetta, 6-4 6-1

The History Which Does Not Repeat Itself

Querrey beat Davydenko in New Haven. Okay, so maybe this is a leetle better in terms of him winning the US Open series - semis in New Haven plus that title he won earlier in I don't remember where is lots of yummy, tasty points.

Still not enough to catch up to the Murrays and Federers, though, in my humble opinion. It sounds like quantity, not quality, is the name of the game. There must be more points weighted at the 250 level than I had thought. But still, nevertheless, it's a big achievement, so well done Sam.

One question I asked at the beginning of the US season was who was going to be this year's Juan Martin del Potro - and, oh yes, I was determined there was going to be one, because how could there not? Turned out every single prediction I made was wrong, because there really wasn't one. No one guy really burned up the pre-US Open courts this summer in a noticeable way. In fact, the closest you'd probably come would be Querrey, and... um, no. If a guy can win the US Open series without me even noticing, I don't think that counts as the Incredible Hot Streak of Top Ten Makeage like Juan M's was.

So I guess all I've proved with all my theorising is that tennis is completely unpredictable. History doesn't always repeat itself and trends do not always reappear. Like this year's Australian Open - where was this year's Marcos? One of my favourite things around January is to pick the random who will reach the final... who did we get this year? Roger and Rafa.

I'm sure there's a lesson to be learned in there somewhere... but hell, as if I'm going to stop making up my little theories? What would I write about then? 'I don't understannnnnnnnd the rankings system!' 'I love Roger!' 'Novak sucks!'

...yeah, that'd get dull after a while.


Today's Results

Pilot Pen Tennis (New Haven)

Men's Tennis

Fernando Verdasco def. Jurgen Melzer, 6-3 6-1
Sam Querrey def. Nikolay Davydenko, 6-3 3-6 6-4
Igor Andreev def. Leonardo Mayer, 6-4 6-7 (4-7) 6-3


Women's Tennis

Elena Vesnina def. Anna Chakvetadze, 6-1 7-5
Flavia Pennetta def. Magdalena Rybarikova, 6-2 6-2
Caroline Wozniacki def. Virginie Razzano, 6-4 6-3

Questioning Querrey

Um, so Sam Querrey won the US Open Series.

What?

When did that happen?

I know he did well early on and won a title and what-not, but it was one measly title! What about guys like Federer and Murray, who went deep into Masters events and split them? Actually, I would have sworn it would be Murray - how, exactly, does what Querrey has done trump winning Montreal and following it with semis in Cincinatti?

This is weird. I've always remembered the US Open series winners as... well, sensible. You know, people that should be winning stuff. Nothing against Sam Querrey - he's obviously had a great summer, picking up that title and all - but he's not exactly a worldbeater. I wouldn't rank him among my big time picks for the US Open, let's put it that way. (Watch him go and pull a Marcos now I've said that. Just watch.)

Long and the short of the matter is that I don't understand how Querrey won this. I'm not exactly a rankings/maths whiz, as readers of this blog will know by my frequent 'I don't understannnnnnnnd!' rants, but this one just seems a little... weird.


Today's Results

Pilot Pen Tennis (New Haven)

Men's Draw

Sam Querrey def. Bjorn Phau, 7-5 6-3
Igor Andreev def. Frederico Gil, 6-4 6-4
Jurgen Melzer def. Victor Hanescu, 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 6-1
Leonardo Mayer def. Simone Bolelli, 6-2 6-4
Jose Acasuso def. Igor Kunitsyn, 3-6 7-6 (7-3) 6-3
Nikolay Davydenko def. Fabrice Santoro, 7-5 6-3


Women's Draw

Svetlana Kuznetsova def. Yanina Wickmayer, 6-4 5-7 7-6 (7-2)
Caroline Wozniacki def. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 6-1 6-4
Flavia Pennetta def. Iveta Benesova, 7-6 (7-1) 6-4
Virginie Razzano def. Agnieszka Radwanska, 3-6 6-4 retired
Elena Vesnina def. Samantha Stosur, 3-6 6-4 6-4

Planting the Seeds

The seeding list for the US Open must be announced, and while most of the regular crew are in there, it's still slightly bizarre. For the first time in what feels like a thousand years, we are not going to have Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in slots #1 and #128. No, while Roger holds down #1, Andy Murray has moved into the bottom slot... which means we could potentially see a Federer/Nadal semi, a prospect which, although interesting, does not exactly fill me with joy.

Currently, Murray deserves the #2 spot. He and Federer have clearly proved that they are the players to beat on the hard courts by splitting Montreal and Cincinatti between them. However, the real great rivalry of our sport today is Federer/Nadal, and it would be a shame to see it peak in a semi final. So I'm crossing my fingers, hoping Nadal gets drawn in the third quarter and praying for the best.

The usual suspects make up the top ten - Roddick, del Potro, Tsonga, Davydenko, Verdasco and, at #9, Simon, who still hasn't dropped down the rankings yet... it has to be coming, surely? Then we have an assortment of other good guys like Soderling and Gonzalez, Haas, Cilic, Stepanek, Ferrer, Wawrinka... you know, the regular crew. But then as we get down to the mid-twenties, we come across some players I would swear are nowhere near seeding level. Mardy Fish? Victor Hanescu? Viktor Troicki?

I guess even when you write about tennis every day, you can still be a little out of touch!

Over in the women, Dinara Safina is at the top and Serena the bottom... you wouldn't put money on the seeds playing out this way, really, much as I would love Dinara to come away from New York with a title and to get that Slam final/Slamless #1 monkey off her back. Sam Stosur is seeded at #15 - go Sam! And although one of my special favourites, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, hasn't made it onto the list, my favourite up and comer, Sabine Lisicki has, at #23. I was also happy to see Sorana Cirstea on the list at #24 - I've got my eye on her. No Alize Cornet - I guess she's fallen faster than her Hopman Cup partner Simon.

So let's the game begin!

...after New Haven, anyway.


Today's Results

Pilot Pen Tennis (New Haven)

Men's Draw

Nikolay Davydenko def. Robert Kendrick, 7-6 (12-10) 6-3
Fernando Verdasco def. Paul Capdeville, 6-0 6-3
Jose Acasuso def. Tommy Robredo, 3-6 7-5 7-6 (7-5)
Igor Andreev def. Kevin Kim, 6-3 6-1
Victor Hanescu def. Janko Tipsarevic, 6-4 6-7 (8-10) 6-3
Bjorn Phau def. Nicolas Almagro, 2-6 6-3 7-5
Jurgen Melzer def. Pablo Cuevas, 6-2 3-0 retired
Frederico Gil def. Philipp Petzschner, 6-7 (2-7) 7-6 (10-8) 6-3
Simone Bolelli def. Andreas Beck, 6-4 6-4
Igor Kunitsyn def. Taylor Dent, 6-3 6-4
Fabrice Santoro def. Potito Starace, 7-5 6-0
Andreas Seppi def. Yen-hsun Lu, 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 7-5


Women's Draw

Amelie Mauresmo def. Alona Bondarenko, 6-1 6-1
Anna Chakvetadze def. Sybille Bammer, 4-6 6-4 7-5
Flavia Pennetta def. Ioana Raluca Olary, 6-1 6-2
Marion Bartoli def. Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, 4-6 6-3 6-1
Samantha Stosur def. Alize Cornet, 6-7 (8-10) 6-2 6-4

Brave New World

We really had a great week of men's tennis last week - and come to think of it, the week before was pretty great too. We had the top eight in the semis in Montreal and the top four in the semis in Cincinatti, with arguably the two top contenders for the US Open crown, Roger Federer and Andy Murray, each bagging a title. Heading into the US Open next week, I think we can say that there is active excitement.

And then there's the women's game.

Meh.

I feel really bad saying that. I want to like women's tennis. I really do. And I've enjoyed women's tennis a lot in the past. But does anyone else get the feeling that the only reason people win tournaments at the moment is because everyone else loses first?

And then the Williams sisters, Serena especially, come out at Slams and blow everyone away. But then they barely even show up to anything else, which is totally lame. This is why Dinara Safina, Slamless as she is, is still ahead of Serena and Venus in the rankings. Because she is - sorry, Dinara, you know I love you, but at this moment it's true - better at not losing than everyone else on the whole.

I want to see struggles. I want to see blood and sweat and tears. I feel like the guy at the end of Brave New World, when he's all like, 'I want Shakespeare and pain and hope and...' a whole bunch of other stuff. There is nothing there in the women's game at the moment. If it were possible for no one to win a tournament, I reckon that would be going on right now. Because I cannot name a single player who has really stepped up to the plate.

This is why I would not be at all surprised if Kim Clijsters wins the US Open. Because she, at least, has got a little somethin' somethin' going on.

Ladies, I'm throwing down the challenge. I don't expect you to catch up to the menfolk immediately, not considering the golden age of men's tennis we're in at the moment, but at least bring something. Win matches, win tournaments, by winning, not by not losing till the end.

Play tennis.

It occurs to me that that actually sounds incredibly insulting. I don't intend it that way, nor do I wish to disrespect the amazing athleticism of the girls on tour. But something is missing - some drive, some determination, something - that is making the entire WTA tour suffer in this incredible torpor. I want vivacity. I want life. So bring it, ladies - and let's play ball!


Today's Results

Pilot Pen Tennis (New Haven)

Men's Draw

Taylor Dent def. Ivan Ljubicic, 6-3 6-4
Florent Serra def. Steve Darcis, 6-3 6-3
Paul Capdeville def. Jarkko Nieminen, 7-5 6-3
Janko Tipsarevic def. Fabio Fognini, 7-5 2-0 retired
Leonardo Mayer def. Denis Istomin, 6-2 6-4
Marc Gicquel def. Martin Vassallo Arguello, 6-3 6-4
Simone Bolelli def. Christophe Rochus, 6-3 6-4
Potito Starace def. Mischa Zverev, 6-3 2-6 6-3
Pablo Cuevas def. Andrey Golubev, 6-3 6-4
Kevin Kim def. Teimuraz Gabashvili, 6-4 5-7 6-3
Bjorn Phau def. Benjamin Becker, 2-6 6-2 6-3
Robert Kendrick def. Frederik Nielsen, 6-3 7-5
Frederico Gil def. Marcos Baghdatis, 6-4 6-3
Yen-hsun Lu def. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, 6-2 6-2
Jose Acasuso def. Maximo Gonzalez, 6-1 6-7 (7-9) 6-2


Women's Draw

Anna Chakvetadze def. Nadia Petrova, 0-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-4
Sybille Bammer def. Anabel Medina Garrigues, 7-5 6-4
Alona Bondarenko def. Meghann Shaughnessy, 4-6 6-3 7-5
Agnieszka Radwanska def. Roberta Vinci, 2-6 6-2 7-6 (7-5)
Virginie Razzano def. Patty Schnyder, 6-3 3-6 6-3
Elena Vesnina def. Gisela Dulko, 7-6 (8-6) 6-2
Iveta Benesova def. Varvara Lepchenko, 4-6 6-2 6-1
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova def. Ekaterina Makarova, 6-3 6-3
Magdalena Rybarikova def. Francesca Schiavone, 6-4 6-4

A Truth Universally Acknowledged

It is a truth universally acknowledged that I like nothing better than to wake up to a Federer victory. And I was not proved wrong today. Victory is sweet.

Cincinatti is nothing compared to the titles Roger's scooped in the past couple of months - I imagine the trophy will get shoved to the back of the cabinet behind some Wimbledons or Australian Opens - but I think this was an important win nonetheless, because over the course of it, Roger beat two members of the Fantastic Four: that group he did not have to face a single member of en route to his Roland Garros title and his sixth Wimbledon.

The final against Djokovic today was one thing - I don't think Roger has had anywhere near the number of issues with Novak over the years as he has with the other two - but I think it is the semi against Murray that will be the telling match of this tournament. I would not be at all surprised to see a rematch of last year's US Open final this year, and I think going in with the knowledge that a) he beat Murray last year and b) he has a good, recent win under his belt will do wonders for him.

I think Roger's pretty determined not to let Murray achieve the kind of psychological advantage that Nadal has, and this is a pretty good way to do it. I really liked what I saw of him in that match - and he did the same thing against Djokovic as well. He came roaring out of the blocks and won the first set in a snap of his fingers, and then hung tough in the second set, the spot where he is traditionally most likely to falter. He did go down a break to Djokovic in that set today after a lapse of concentration, but then he picked it right back up quickly. He got into the Djokovic serve pretty heavily, and that was good.

The one nemesis he hasn't faced for a while is Nadal, but even there, he has the most recent win on the board (being Madrid). It would be very interesting to see a semi final match up between these two - that said, I'd rather a Murray/Nadal semi, just for my own peace of mind, and also because I think that would be a really interesting match. But anyone who rules Nadal out as a possibility in New York is fooling themselves. Personally, I think we're going to see Federer/Murray again and that Rafa hasn't quite found that level again - we're seeing Shmafa out on the court at the moment - but I would never rule him out. Not in a hundred years.


Today's Results

Western and Southern Financial Group Masters (Cincinatti)

Roger Federer def. Novak Djokovic, 6-1 7-5


Rogers Cup

Elena Dementieva def. Maria Sharapova, 6-4 6-3

Forgetting to Lose

I think I can safely say that a lot of people the world round are surprised by the two blokes we have in the final of Cincinatti. I would venture to say that Murray/Nadal was the popular choice... but no, we will have Federer/Djokovic.

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I can see why people pick Murray over Federer. I really can. It pains me to say it, but I can. The head to head record, particularly outside finals, is overwhelmingly in Murray's favour, and he just seems to be able to feed a lot of balls back to Federer which are a little bit... different, and oddly placed. Murray is a great tactician and he has a great mind for the game.

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Reality is, though, that Federer is totally capable of wiping the floor with him, and when Federer does... you feel a bit sorry for Murray. Today's match wasn't a whitewash, but it certainly didn't go to a final set breaker. It seemed inevitable that Murray would win, what with the factors previously discussed, but Roger sort of forgot to let Andy get in his head today. It was a great match - and I think it's going to be very good for Roger going into the US Open.

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Then the other match - I know Rafa's knees are not great right now, but I think this was a really big win for Djokovic. He hasn't played well since Rome and Madrid, really, where he played some absolutely marvellous matches... and the dude that stood in his way and prevented him from converting that into actual titles was, in every circumstance, Nadal. We all know I'm not a Djokovic fan, but I couldn't help feeling a little bit glad for the guy when he let out that primal scream... it might be a very telling victory for him, a very telling victory indeed.

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Today's Results

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Western and Southern Financial Group Masters (Cincinatti)

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Roger Federer def. Andy Murray, 6-2 7-6 (10-8)

Novak Djokovic def. Rafael Nadal, 6-1 6-4

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Rogers Cup (Toronto)

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Elena Dementieva def. Serena Williams, 7-6 (7-2) 6-1

Maria Sharapova def. Alisa Kleybanova, 6-2 4-6 6-4

Four on the Floor

Strange, isn't it, how some days you wake up and you're still, despite all your best efforts, in post-Wimbledon holiday mood and suddenly it's the semis of Cincinatti and the US Open draw is less than a week away. I've covered the vagaries of time and the US summer season before, but it never fails to amaze me.

Three of the top four blokes are set to battle it out in the Cincy semis, with Rafa being a set up over Berdych at the moment and looking as if he is set to join them. We had the top eight in the quarters last week - perhaps we can do the slightly less rare but nonetheless interesting top four in the semis. Because, despite the excellent tennis that's been going on over the last few months, we really haven't seen a top four scrambalicious showdown for many many months.

Rafa's been injured. Novak's been playing crap. Roger and Andy have been there - but even they haven't played for quite a long time now. It's been a long, long while since we've had a quality match up between any of these blokes. Like, look at last week in Montreal - all four of them were in the quarters, but only Murray reached the semis.

But we're definitely going to have at least three, and probably four of them in the Cincinatti semis, and I will be very, very interested to see who comes out on top, let me tell you - I don't think it'd be the definitive indicator of form going into the US Open, but it would certainly be a helpful sign. For myself, given Rafa's bad knees and lack of matchplay and the fact that Djokovic has been pretty much sucking of late, it has to be between Federer and Murray... and that match is, I think, dependent on Federer and how well he plays and how much or little he lets Murray into his head. He's had it over him in best-of-five, but Murray seems to have his number in best-of-three... a victory for either would be interesting psychologically, I feel.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?


Today's Results

Western and Southern Financial Group Masters (Cincinatti)

Roger Federer def. Lleyton Hewitt, 6-3 6-4
Andy Murray def. Julien Benneteau, 4-6 6-3 6-1
Novak Djokovic def. Gilles Simon, 6-4 7-5


Rogers Cup (Toronto)

Elena Dementieva def. Samantha Stosur, 6-7 (3-7) 6-1 6-3
Serena Williams def. Lucie Safarova, 6-3 6-2

Dinara's Doldrums

I'm a little late, I know, but I felt I needed to wade into the whole Dinara Safina losing to Aravane Rezai really early in Toronto incident.

Sure, it's another symptom of MaratHeadCaseitis. But I also think it might be a good thing.


Dinara's been melting down a lot, yeah? But she's been getting deep in tournaments, yeah? Finals in Roland Garros, semis in Wimbledon, finals in Cincinatti - she's getting to the pointy ends of tournaments, she's just not holding up the trophy. But this time, the meltdown has come pretty early on - which seems to be a sign that things are getting worse...

...before, I think, they get better.

Rather than just storming around and going 'why am I such a chicken?' in big matches, the fact that she's lost one of the little matches she normally storms through - remember how she only lost five games in the first four rounds of Paris? - will prompt her, I think, to take a good long look at her game, and, in particular, her serve. The serve is really what's letting her down - she served seventeen double faults against Rezai. It's that crazy high ball toss of hers - it's got to go.

I don't know if we can expect too much to change between now and the US Open - but I'd really like to see this match send a message to Dinara. When she comes back after the Christmas break, I hope and I think we'll see real evidence that she's worked on that serve, because she is so good that that really shouldn't be a liability. She's talented enough to do anything she puts her mind to - I really want to see evidence of a lesson learned.



Today's Results

Western and Southern Financial Group Masters (Cincinatti)

Roger Federer def. David Ferrer, 3-6 6-3 6-4
Andy Murray def. Radek Stepanek, 6-4 6-1
Novak Djokovic def. Jeremy Chardy, 7-5 6-3
Lleyton Hewitt def. Sam Querrey, 6-1 2-6 6-3


Rogers Cup (Toronto)

Alisa Kleybanova def. Aravane Rezai, 6-3 6-4
Agnieszka Radwanska def. Kateryna Bondarenko, 7-5 6-3
Samantha Stosur def. Virginie Razzano, 6-3 6-1
Elena Dementieva def. Shahar Peeer, 6-1 1-6 6-4
Lucie Safarova def. Jie Zheng, 7-6 (7-3) 6-4
Serena Williams def. Alona Bondarenko, 6-1 6-4

Nice Guy Finishing Last

You know who lost again in Cincinatti? James Blake. And you know who's surprised? Not me. Or anybody, I would venture.

I hate to whale on James Blake, because he really is a likeable guy, and his tennis, when he plays it, can be pretty fearsome. But I just don't know what's happened to him of late. He's been out for a bit, but even before that, he wasn't racking up the wins. So what's the go? Is he injured or what?

Blake isn't a player I expect to win allllll the time - he's solid top twenty, but he ain't no Federer or Nadal or Murray. Still, I expect him to win some of the time, and he can't even manage that at the moment. I can't remember the last time he didn't lose in the first round. It's a while. And it is such a freaking shame.

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What's wrong with James, world? Is anything wrong with James? Or has he just fallen into one of those ruts that tennis players often do that precludes them from playing well for months at a time?

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Whatever it is, I hope it's not injury. That dude's had his fair share and more of injuries. The tennis gods have not smiled on him during periods in the past - and they are clearly not smiling on him now. I'm not expecting anything from him for the rest of the season - not with this kind of lead up - but I'm hoping that we see him back next year, bigger and better than before, ready to kick some butt. Because I hate it when nice guys are down in the doldrums, and James is a nice guy.

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Today's Results

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Western and Southern Financial Group Masters (Cincinatti)

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Roger Federer def. Jose Acasuso, 6-3 7-5

Andy Murray def. Nicolas Almagro, 7-6 (7-3) 6-2

Novak Djokovic def. Ivan Ljubicic, 7-6 (7-5) 6-4

Chris Guccione def. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 7-6 (14-12) 6-2

Nikolay Davydenko def. Igor Kunitsyn, 6-2 1-6 6-3

Radek Stepanek def. Marat Safin, 4-6 6-3 6-1

Guillermo Garcia-Lopez def. Mikhail Youzhny, 7-5 6-3

Paul-Henri Mathieu def. Ivo Karlovic, 7-6 (11-9) 6-4

Julien Benneteau def. Jurgen Melzer, 6-2 3-6 6-2

Tomas Berdych def. Philipp Petzschner, 7-6 (10-8) 6-7 (7-9) 6-4

Jeremy Chardy def. John Isner, 6-7 (1-7) 6-3 4-1 retired

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Rogers Cup (Toronto)

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Aravane Rezai def. Dinara Safina, 3-6 6-2 6-4

Alisa Kleybanova def. Dominika Cibulkova, 6-1 4-6 7-6 (7-4)

Kim Clijsters def. Victoria Azarenka, 7-5 4-6 6-1

Jelena Jankovic def. Patty Schnyder, 7-5 6-4

Agnieszka Radwanska def. Agnes Szavay, 6-1 6-1

Maria Sharapova def. Sybille Bammer, 6-3 7-6 (7-5)

Vera Zvonareva def. Roberta Vinci, 6-3 6-3

Virginie Razzano def. Flavia Pennetta, 6-3 6-1

Shahar Peer def. Francesca Schiavone, 7-6 (7-2) 6-4

Elena Dementieva def. Ai Sugiyama, 6-3 6-2

Jie Zheng def. Caroline Wozniacki, 7-5 6-3

Alona Bondarenko def. Alla Kudryavtseva, 6-3 6-0

It Sneaks, It Creeps

It has only just occurred to me how soon the US Open is. You think you're in that post-Wimbledon summer holiday phase... then suddenly, ba da bing, ba da boom, everyone's rushing back from holidays, school's in session and the big exam is coming up.

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When did that happen? I swear, having Montreal/Toronto and Cincinatti this close together is totally deceptive. It feels like there's been no prep at all, and suddenly the US Open is dropped on our collective heads like a piano.

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Or maybe that's just me.

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I remember calling, a couple of weeks ago, Kolya to maybe make the final. I think I might have to revise that, on account of not really believing it, even at the time. With the way Murray's playing, I don't think you can really go past him at the moment. For the finals, that is, because you will not catch me picking against Roger Federer in New York, no sir, you will not. I would not be at all surprised to see a repeat of last year's final... with significantly more sets in it.

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Wow. I never intended to make this post about grand-sweeping US Open predictions, and there it just happened. Serena to win the women's, by the way... not betting against her any time soon. Which will mean she's won three Slams in a year. Which is pretty much crazy. I would really love for Safina to win it though - to find that backbone I know she has and bring it to the table in a Slam final! That would be awesome.

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Today's Results

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Western and Southern Financial Group Masters (Cincinatti)

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Tomas Berdych def. Fernando Gonzalez, 6-4 retired

Guillermo Garcia-Lopez def. Fernando Verdasco, 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-4)

Lleyton Hewitt def. Robin Soderling, 3-6 7-6 (10-8) 6-3

Mikhail Youzhny def. Victor Hanescu, 7-5 6-2

Jurgen Melzer def. Feliciano Lopez, 5-7 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (9-7)

Andreas Seppi def. Jan Hernych, 3-6 6-4 6-1

Chris Guccione def. Philipp Kohlschreiber, 7-5 2-6 6-3

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Rogers Cup (Toronto)

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Dominika Cibulkova def. Sara Errani, 6-4 6-2

Virginie Razzano def. Ekaterina Makarova, 6-7 (3-7) 6-0 6-2

Shahar Peer def. Monica Niculescu, 6-4 4-6 7-6 (7-4)

Jie Zheng def. Elena Vesnina, 6-3 6-2

Lucie Safarova def.Kaia Kanepi, 6-4 7-6 (7-3)

Ana Ivanovic def. Magdalena Rybarikova, 2-6 6-3 6-2

Alla Kudryavtseva def. Julie Coin, 2-6 6-1 7-6 (8-6)

Yaroslava Shvedova def. Daniela Hantuchova, 7-6 (7-1) 7-6 (7-4)

Something More

Wow. Marat Safin had a win. Over someone that doesn't completely suck.

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Forgive me while I stumble and faint.

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I mean, sure, Robby Ginepri isn't exactly a worldbeater, but still... I think it's so sad that Marat has lost his competitive edge - that he's still on court but he's effectively retired from the game. I was looking for a big run for him this US Open series - to see him go out with a bang. Looks like it might be more of a whimper instead. Maybe he's afraid he'll love the game too much to leave if he plays well - or maybe that's just a major overdramatisation and he just doesn't have it any more.

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But that is so sad. Is this really going to be the last we see of Marat Safin... fading away in a totally forgettable manner, rather than going out with the fire and panache we're used to? Forgive me if I'm a little disappointed.

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Look at me, criticising the Safinator when he just had a win. You go, Marat. Have another win. Have many wins. Give us something to remember - well, something more, anyway. I don't think Marat Safin will ever be forgotten.

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On a completely different subject - I had a look at the rankings chart this morning, mostly to see how weird it looks to see a #3 next to Rafa's name - and I realised that I was totally right about del Potro and Roddick pulling away from the rest of the field. Forgive me while I indulge in some gratuitious self-congratulation. The one thing I can't work out is how Djokovic still has so many points on them - I think he's about two thousand ahead. Do the Masters Cup title and that good claycourt season he had really amount to so much more than what Roddick and, in particular, del Potro have done? Weird.

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Today's Results

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Western and Southern Financial Group Masters (Cincinatti)

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Gilles Simon def. Wayne Odesnik, 6-3 6-2

Ivo Karlovic def. Gael Monfils, 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-2)

Marin Cilic def. Juan Carlos Ferrero, 6-3 6-4

Jeremy Chardy def. Tommy Robredo, 6-3 7-5

Radek Stepanek def. Viktor Troicki, 7-6 (7-2) 1-0 retired

Igor Andreev def. Nicolas Kiefer, 6-1 7-5

Benjamin Becker def. Martin Vassallo Arguello, 6-3 6-3

Nicolas Almagro def. Dudi Sela, 6-4 1-0 retired

Paul-Henri Mathieu def. Mischa Zverev, 6-7 (4-7) 7-5 6-3

Ivan Ljubicic def. Florent Serra, 4-6 6-3 6-4

David Ferrer def. Stanislas Wawrinka, 7-5 6-2

Jose Acasuso def. Lukasz Kubot, 6-4 6-3

Marat Safin def. Robby Ginepri, 7-5 7-6 (7-2)

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Rogers Cup (Montreal)

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Maria Sharapova def. Nadia Petrova, 6-3 6-4

Alona Bondarenko def. Marion Bartoli, 6-4 6-3

Agnieszka Radwanska def. Carla Suarez Navarro, 6-3 6-3

Francesca Schiavone def. Amelie Mauresmo, 6-2 3-6 6-1

Samantha Stosur def. Heidi el Tabakh, 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (7-4)

Patty Schnyder def. Anabel Medina Garrigues, 6-2 6-1

Sybille Bammer def. Anna Chakvetadze, 3-6 6-4 6-2

Agnes Szavay def. Valerie Tetreault, 6-2 6-4

Aravane Rezai def. Alize Cornet, 6-4 7-5

Ai Sugiyama def. Iveta Benesova, 6-3 6-4

Roberta Vinci def. Stephanie Dubois, 6-1 6-2

Kateryna Bondarenko def. Yanina Wickmayer, 7-6 (7-4) 6-2

Super Six?

I'm not a massive Murray fan, but I have to say that I'm glad he won in Montreal. It would have seemed very... WTA if he'd taken the #2 spot from Rafa, who has been up in that echelon for so long, just by making the final. So kudos to Murray, who will now be taking up residence at the bottom of the draws after Cincinatti... you can bet that both he and Roger will be praying they don't get Rafa in their half!

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A word here has to go to del Potro, though, who played an outstanding tournament. I never thought this kid would last, but he has proved over and over again that he has what it takes to be at the top of the game. Actually, I would have to say that del Potro and Roddick have been two of the most remarkable players of the year - and they're not even in that Fantastic Four. They're hovering around those #5 and #6 spots, and they're taking them to a whole other level. I almost feel like now that there's the Fantastic Four, del Potro and Roddick, and then the best of the rest, instead of the #5 spot being basically #1 of the rest, if you know what I mean.

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Actually, to tell the truth, Roddick and del Potro are both playing better than some of that Fantastic Four - and by some of, I mean Djokovic. I would argue that they're playing about on a par with Murray - Murray might have a slight edge over del Potro, but I'd argue that Roddick might have a slight edge over Murray, given that psychological blow he dealt in the Wimbledon semi finals. Djokovic, despite his brief stint as Mr Second Banana of the Clay earlier this year, just isn't showing anything.

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Rafa, of course, is another level entirely, bum knees aside, and Federer another level as well, but del Potro and Roddick are both making their case for admittance to the Fantastic Four club. Who knows? Maybe we'll be seeing a Super Six soon. But one thing's for sure - ain't no one can rest on their laurels facing either of these two!

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Today's Results

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Rogers Cup (Montreal)

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Andy Murray def. Juan Martin del Potro, 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (7-3) 6-1

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Western and Southern Financial Group Women's Open (Cincinatti)

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Jelena Jankovic def. Dinara Safina, 6-4 6-2

One Small Rankings Spot, One Giant Leap for Murray

Before I begin, I would like to point out something I forgot yesterday - this is the 501st post on Tennis From The Backseat! My my, we have come a long way!

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Back to the tennis, the reason for those 500 previous rambles (well, mostly). It's official - the four year reign of the Hispano-Suisse domination machine in the top two spots of the rankings will come to an end at the end of this week. Rafael Nadal, after about a year in the top spot, is going to slide to #3, and Andy Murray is going to step up into the #2 position.

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This is very unusual and it's going to take a lot of getting used to. Everyone knows you find Federer and Nadal on opposite ends of the draw to each other. It's just the way it works. Now we have - gulp - the prospect of Federer/Nadal semi finals, which I find personally very troubling Not because I don't believe Federer can beat him - I do - but because it's just not how it works.

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As to whether it is an accurate reflection or not... look, with Rafa still shaky on his knees after that layoff and with Murray playing the way he has been, I think it probably is an accurate reflection. But if one is to look at their careers, well... you're going to take Rafa's resume all the way. I don't think Murray will be able to hold down the #2 spot if Rafa finds his form again. To come back from injury and make it to the quarters of a major event is not a bad result at all. And unless his knees are seriously bung, then I think we'll see Rafa back where he belongs - in the top two.

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Kudos to Murray, though - many have tried, all have failed, when it comes to breaking into these hallowed positions. Djokovic was ten points from taking down Federer at the end of last year, but he never quite managed it. Murray is the first man to break the stranglehold in what feels like an age - it is a shame it had to happen on the back of injury.

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Today's Results

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Rogers Cup (Montreal)

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Andy Murray def. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 6-4 7-6 (10-8)

Juan Martin Del Potro def. Andy Roddick, 4-6 6-2 7-5

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Western and Southern Financial Group Women's Open (Cincinatti)

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Dinara Safina def. Flavia Pennetta, 6-2 6-0

Jelena Jankovic def. Elena Dementieva, 7-6 (7-2) 0-6 7-6 (8-6)

Those Who Have Made Djokovic Their Bunny

Oh, Mr Federer, I am cross with you, I am cross with you indeed. Letting a 5-1 lead in the third set slip? Not cool, man, not cool.

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Though there are worse people in the world to lose to that Jo-W Tsonga. I believe he has a win over all the other Fantastic Four (including about 94 over Djokovic, who is totally his bunny) - I guess he needed to round out the set. There are worse losses in the world.

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Though speaking of people who have made Djokovic their bitch, I am now officially pulling for Andy Roddick to win this tournament. He deserves a big win after Wimbledon - and I think it would be really good for him to do well here, to prove that Wimbledon was not one big fluke. He is playing the best tennis of his career at the moment - in my opinion anyway - and I would like to see him actualise that in the form of a big-arse win. Montreal would do nicely.

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Though the favourite of the tournament now surely has to be Andy Murray, who has been cruising the whole way through. Rafa is technically the higher seed, but he is slugging it out with delPo as I write this, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if delPo nobbled him. The one real stumbling block for Murray will be, I think, Roddick - Wimbledon semi anyone?

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Oh, and Kim Possible went out today - but it was to the world number #1, so you can't say she's starting at the bottom!

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Today's Results

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Rogers Cup (Montreal)

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Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. Roger Federer, 7-6 (7-5) 1-6 7-6 (7-3)

Andy Murray def. Nikolay Davydenko, 6-2 6-4

Andy Roddick def. Novak Djokovic, 6-4 7-6 (7-4)

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Western and Southern Financial Group Women's Open (Cincinatti)

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Dinara Safina def. Kim Clijsters, 6-2 7-5

Flavia Pennetta def. Daniela Hantuchova, 6-3 6-3

Elena Dementieva def. Caroline Wozniacki, 6-2 6-3

Jelena Jankovic def. Sybille Bammer, 6-0 6-2

Kim Possible

Okay, what has Kim Clijsters been doing while she's been away?

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This is incredible. This is beyond a comeback now - this is sheer brilliance. First she beat Bartoli. Then Schnyder. And now -Kuznetsova?

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These are all serious quality players - like serious quality. And Clijsters is eating them for breakfast.

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Well, 'eating for breakfast' might be a little bit of an exaggeration. It did go to three against Kuznetsova - but then it was 6-2 in the third. Kim is sailing, my friends, sailing!

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And I don't want to put the hoodoo on it... but what if she won the tournament?

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There. I said it.

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Both Williams sisters are out, and so the competition is now, I think, significantly lessened. I think Kim has a good a chance at winning this as anyone. What I really hope is that this is not beginner's luck - some major fluke at the start of her comeback which raises everyone's expectations before it's back down to first and second round losses.

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But if Kim keeps playing at this level, well...

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Oh yeah - that other comeback. Rafa's doing well. More on him soon.

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Today's Results

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Rogers Cup (Montreal)

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Roger Federer def. Stanislas Wawrinka, 6-3 7-6 (7-5)

Rafael Nadal def. Philipp Petzschner, 6-3 6-2

Andy Murray def. Juan Carlos Ferrero, 6-1 6-3

Novak Djokovic def. Mikhail Youzhny, 6-3 6-4

Andy Roddick def. Fernando Verdasco, 7-6 (7-2) 4-6 7-6 (7-5)

Juan Martin Del Potro def. Victor Hanescu, 3-6 6-3 6-4

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. Gilles Simon, 6-3 6-3

Nikolay Davydenko def. Fernando Gonzalez, 7-6 (7-2) 7-5

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Western and Southern Financial Group Women's Open (Cincinatti)

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Sybille Bammer def. Serena Williams, 7-5 6-4

Flavia Pennetta def. Venus Williams, 7-6 (7-2) 6-4

Elena Dementieva def. Sorana Cirstea, 6-4 6-4

Kim Clijsters def. Svetlana Kuznetsova, 6-4 4-6 6-2

Daniela Hantuchova def. Vera Zvonareva, 7-6 (8-6) 0-6 7-6 (7-5)

Caroline Wozniacki def. Melinda Czink, 3-0 retired

Crushinating and Burninating

Papa Bear is in the house!

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That's right, Roger's back, with Mama Bear and Baby Bears #1 and #2 in tow, and he's ready to rumble. He may not have exactly been in cruise mode against Frederic Niemeyer, Canadian journeyman, but somehow I'm thinking that doesn't mean too much. A little rust, perhaps, but that machine still looks pretty damn well-oiled to me. The Federer Express is a-rolling on, and it'll be crushinating and burninating again very soon, mark my words.

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Someone who's not crushinating and burninating at the moment, seemingly out of nowhere, is Marin Cilic. Now we all know I'm a Marin fan - he's one of my Stars of the Future who's rapidly growing into a Star of the Present - so I'm monitoring this mini-slump quite closely. He's now had two first round exits in a row, which is unlike him - including one to Somdev Devvarman. I'm sorry, but who? I'm not too worried - I think Marin's pretty resilient - but I'll be keeping an eye on him, nonetheless. Watch yourself, boy!

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Wins also went today to Djokovic, Murray and Davydenko, whom I'll be interested to watch progress in this tournament, as well as to Tommy Haas. Now there's someone whose cranked up the crushinator and the burninator of late. He hasn't played this well for years. First he was ever so close to beating the Rog at Roland Garros. Then there was Halle and the Wimbledon semi final, and some excellent matches since. Today he negated the ever-dangerous Ivo Karlovic - I'm not about to say that he's going to win the title or anything, but I think ol' Tommy has proved he's not going to be underestimated. He's got his game face on, that's for sure!

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And speaking of game faces, the king of the game face, one Mr. Rafael Nadal, will be back on the singles court tomorrow. He's already played a bit of doubles and not looked too shabby - let's see what he's like with the world watching...

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Today's Results

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Rogers Cup (Montreal)

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Andy Roddick def. Igor Andreev, 6-1 7-6 (7-3)

Juan Martin Del Potro def. Jan Hernych, 6-2 7-5

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. Rainer Schuettler, 4-6 6-3 6-4

Gilles Simon def. Alejandro Falla, 4-6 6-2 6-2

Fernando Verdasco def. Leonardo Mayer, 6-1 6-1

Juan Carlos Ferrero def. Gael Monfils, 6-3 7-6 (9-7)

Philipp Petzschner def. Tommy Robredo, 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-4)

Mikhail Youzhny def. John Isner, 6-7 (8-10) 6-1 6-3

Victor Hanescu def. Philipp Kohlschreiber, 6-3 4-6 7-5

Stanislas Wawrinka def. Andrey Golubev, 7-5 6-4

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Western and Southern Financial Group Women's Open (Cincincatti)

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Elena Dementieva def. Yanina Wickmayer, 6-3 6-4

Jelena Jankovic def. Maria Kirilenko, 7-6 (8-6) 6-3

Vera Zvonareva def. Alisa Kleybanova, 6-4 1-6 7-5

Caroline Wozniacki def. Aleksandra Wozniak, 4-6 6-4 6-4

Victoria Azarenka def. Anna Chakvetadze, 6-4 6-2

Melinda Czink def. Ana Ivanovic, 7-6 (8-6) 7-5

Sybille Bammer def. Agnieszka Radwanska, 6-0 7-5

Flavia Pennetta def. Agnes Szavay, 6-2 6-4

Sorana Cirstea def. Anna-Lena Groenefeld, 6-3 6-2

Daniela Hantuchova def. Alona Bondarenko, 7-5 1-6 6-4

Peng Shuai def. Maria Jose Martinez Sanches, 5-7 6-2 6-1

Kim Clijsters def. Patty Schnyder, 6-2 7-5

Return of the Kim

She's ba-ack!

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That's right - blonde and bouncy, with entourage and baby Jada in tow, splitstastic Kim Clijsters is back from retirement and she's back with a win!

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And it was not a bad win at all, mark my words - I just went on and on yesterday about Marion Bartoli is not at the top of the game whatever anyone might say, but hello? she won a major tennis tournament a week ago! Like, a big one! Where she beat Venus Williams! And now Kimmy's gone and climbed all over her!

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I like Kim Clijsters. I'm not going to deny it. Sure, she's probably not my favourite player to watch in the world - I wince every time she does the splits - but she's somehow compelling. And I get the sense that she's brought a little somethin' somethin' back with her from the land of retirement and responsible parenthood - joy.

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We saw Justine Henin collapse when she lost it. Kimmy left the game because, presumably, she didn't like it so much any more. Looks like she didn't realise quite how much she'd miss it, because here she is on the comeback trail, and she's back beating the creme. Tennis was routine, all she had ever known before. Now she's tried something different, but tennis still takes the cake. If you love something, let it go, and if it comes back it's yours - that's how you know - and Kimmy's come back to tennis and tennis has come back to Kimmy.

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Welcome back, Kimmy. May your smile ever be radiant, your serve ever powerful and your splits as splitstastic as ever!

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Today's Results
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Rogers Cup (Montreal)

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Andy Murray def. Jeremy Chardy, 6-4 6-2

Nikolay Davydenko def. Paul-Henri Mathieu, 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-2)

Fernando Verdasco def. Feliciano Lopez, 6-1 6-7 (5-7) 6-1

Tommy Robredo def. Alex Bogomolov Jr., 6-4 6-2

Juan Carlos Ferrero def. Lleyton Hewitt, 6-1 6-4

Victor Hanescu def. Jurgen Melzer, 6-4 6-3

John Isner def. Jesse Levine, 6-3 6-4

Andrey Golubev def. Radek Stepanek, 6-3 6-4

Philipp Kohlschreiber def. Tomas Berdych, 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (9-11) 6-4

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Western and Southern Financial Group Women's Open (Cincinatti)

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Dinara Safina def. Roberta Vinci, 2-6 7-5 6-4

Alona Bondarenko def. Nadia Petrova, 6-2 6-3

Flavia Pennetta def. Ayumi Morita, 6-2 6-3

Peng Shuai def. Dominika Cibulkova, 6-2 6-1

Sorana Cirstea def. Meghann Shaughnessy, 7-5 7-5

Daniela Hantuchova def. Sara Errani, 3-6 6-3 6-1

Agnes Szavay def. Urszula Radwanska, 7-5 7-5

Alisa Kleybanova def. Aravane Rezai, 6-3 6-3

Yanina Wickmayer def. Francesca Schiavone, 6-3 6-4

Maria Kirilenko def. Yaroslava Shvedova, 6-4 6-1

Creme (but not de la creme)

I know the WTA tour is basically a cesspit of despair at the moment, a land of headcases and nut jobs and total freakouts and injuries, etc. All this aside, we have had some pretty surprising winners over the past few weeks.

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Like Marion Bartoli. What was that? She plays the weirdest tennis in the history of the world and I've pretty much considered her a one-Slam wonder since Wimbledon 2007, where she didn't even win the Slam. What was with her beating Venus? That was just bizarre. I don't get it.

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And now Flavia Pennetta! No disrespect to the Flavinator, because I have epic kudos for her, but surely there are people in this draw who should have eaten her for breakfast. But no... Flavia won LA. I was very disappointed that she beat Sam Stosur in the final - I thought Sam should have pulled that one through. All credit for Flavia - and Marion - for coming through tough draws, but still...

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...this should not be happening.

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In tournaments where the creme de la creme are playing, the creme de la creme should be winning. End of story. Instead, Marion Bartoli and Flavia Pennetta, who are creme, but not de la creme, if you know what I mean, are winning and the creme de la creme are being beaten early. I don't get it... I suppose it makes things a bit interesting, but it's also very disappointing.

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So what will happen this week? There's an interesting question. Because if Marion and Flavia are winning, then I think the WTA is primed for a run like Juan Martin del Potro had last year. Who's it gonna be, ladies? Who's gonna step up and play hardball?

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Today's Results

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Rogers Cup (Montreal)

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Mikhail Youzhny def. Marin Cilic, 4-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-1

Frederic Niemeyer def. Igor Kunitsyn, 7-5 6-1

Rainer Schuettler def. Florent Serra, 6-4 6-0

Igor Andreev def. Dmitry Tursunov, 5-5 retired

Paul-Henri Mathieu def. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, 7-5 0-6 6-1

Jeremy Chardy def. Yen-hsun Lu, 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-4

Peter Polansky def. Bruno Agostinelli, 6-3 7-6 (8-6)

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Western and Souther Financial Group Women's Open (Cincinatti)

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Roberta Vinci def. Tatjana Malek, 6-4 6-1

Patty Schnyder def. Gisela Dulko, 6-4 6-0

Lucie Safarova def. Iveta Benesova, 6-3 7-6 (9-7)

Olga Govortsova def. Ekaterina Makarova, 6-1 6-3

Aleksandra Wozniak def. Carla Suarez Navarro, 6-0 6-3

Melinda Czink def. Alize Cornet, 6-3 6-2

Ana Ivanovic def. Melanie Oudin, 2-6 6-1 6-1

Anna-Lena Groenefeld def. Virginie Razzano, 6-3 3-6 6-4

Victoria Azarenka def. Kaia Kanepi, 6-3 7-6 (7-2)

Kateryna Bondarenko def. Magdalena Rybarikova, 6-2 6-2

Washington Ramblings

Another how-bout-that-I-missed-it mention - how about you, Andy Roddick?

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I barely even noticed Roddick was in the draw, so smoothly did he cut through it - like a knife through butter. Sure, he had a tough one against Isner in the semis, but considering that he took a loss in the Wimbledon final that could have completely broken him, I think being in a final again is totally admirable. Good on you, Andy - epic kudos. I would really love to see him go deep at the US Open. Obviously I'd like my man R-Fed to win it, but if Andy were to make the final, I would not be devastated.

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He'll face Juan Martin del Potro, who is defending all the points he gained on this stretch last year. I don't yet have a fix on Juan's form - he's been pretty quiet since that epic semi against Federer at Roland Garros, taking an early loss at Wimbledon and then not really being seen since... but he's in the final here in Washington, so he must have a little somethin' somethin' going on...

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...and, look, there you go, he just won it! What a nailbiter of a match - it always seems unfair that these matches have to go to a breaker. I'd be all for a deciding third set where you just played on until someone won by two games, but I don't know if the players would be too keen on that.

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But - one thing I totally forgot to talk about - Isner. Personally, I think he's quite overrated as whenever I see results he always seems to be on the losing end, but where did his performance come from this week? He played some quality players very, very tight indeed. Andy Roddick is lightyears ahead of John Isner in talent and technique and experience and yet Isner hung tough with him. Like, really tough.

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I'm not saying that Isner is one to watch out for this US Open series, because I'm not going to change my mind over one good run. Still - kudos, dude.

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Today's Results

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Legg Mason Tennis Classic (Washington)

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Juan Martin Del Potro def. Andy Roddick, 3-6 7-5 7-6 (8-6)

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LA Women's Tennis Championships

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Flavia Pennetta def. Samantha Stosur, 6-4 6-3

Hanging Tough

You know who has totally snuck under my radar this week? Sam Stosur.

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This is a little unusual, because I usually follow Slammin' Sammy pretty closely, given as she's one of the few good things Australian tennis has going for it at the moment. But in the all the lead up to Montreal next week, with the return of Rafa and Roger and the first pictures of Myla and Charlene and the announcement of their new playmate Baby Wawrinka, I've been a bit distracted when it comes to stuff happening on court this week.

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But no matter. I'm here for you now, Sam - Sam who is into the final of LA! How 'bout that?! And LA was a tough, tough field. Like, really tough. Sure there were no Williams sisters, but there was just about everyone else. And looking back at Sam's scores, she has had a pretty decent run. She's gone to three, but she hasn't had any total down-to-the-wire nailbiters. She's hanging tough and getting it done.

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And ain't that something.

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I seriously believe Stosur can be top ten after the US hardcourt season is over. She has so much in her game to like - her serve and her exquisite volleys probably top the list. She's only really recently come into her own on the singles court after being a doubles specialist and then having Lyme disease, but I like, like, LIKE what I see! And I think the major change is that she's learned to hang in there a whole lot better than she did - even over the last six months or so. I don't think the Stosur would choke away match points like she did against Serena in Sydney.

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No, Sammy is Slammin' and she's here to stay. I would dearly love for her to win LA, which is a biggish tournament - I think it'd be some great validation for all that she's achieved!

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Today's Results

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Legg Mason Tennis Classic (Washington)

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Juan Martin Del Potro def. Fernando Gonzalez, 7-6 (7-2) 6-3

Andy Roddick def. John Isner, 6-7 (3-7) 6-2 7-5

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LA Women's Tennis Classic (Los Angeles)

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Samantha Stosur def. Sorana Cirstea, 6-3 6-2

Flavia Pennetta def. Maria Sharapova, 6-2 4-6 6-3

Family Photo

Tidbit of news - Roger Federer has just released the first photo of his new family, Roger and Mirka plus babies. It's beautiful. And at the same time, he's confirmed his participation in the Rogers Cup in Montreal.

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I don't know whether Mirka and the girls are going to go with him, which will be a very different experience for him. It's very rare to see a Roger match without faithful Mirka in the box supporting him, and on top of that, I don't think he'd be too keen on leaving his beautiful baby daughters Myla and Charlene behind. So maybe they will go with him - which will be a different experience, trying to focus on tennis with two such lovely (and presumably loud) distractions. So either way, it will be an interesting experience for Roger at the Rogers Cup.

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But what is most intriguing about Montreal is that it's sort of the first tournament back after the summer holidays and everything has changed in the interim. It's the debut of the new world order - Federer at #1, Nadal at #2, with a pair of suspect knees and Myla and Charlene along for the ride. Both the great champions of our sport have undergone signifcant changes since we last saw them. Rafa has been dealing with incredible injury as well as some pretty nasty personal stuff. Roger has become a daddy. The world has changed.

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The family photo of the ATP is now significantly different from the last time it was snapped. And it's going to be very interesting to see how that plays out on the court. Will Roger be inspired by his daughters to ascend to another, even more sublime, level of tennis and float through the US Open series on a wave of joy and brilliance? Will Rafa be so determined to prove himself after injury that he steamrolls every obstacle in his path with that mental toughness we've come to know and love so well? Or will both boys be a bit distracted and will someone else triumph?

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I can't say. And neither can anyone. And the truth is, no one will know anything until we see those guys play. The proof is in the pudding, and we can theorise as much as we choose, but until we see them play, we don't know a goddamn thing.

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Except that Myla and Charlene Federer are adorable.

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Today's Results

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Legg Mason Tennis Classic (Washington)

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Juan Martin Del Potro def. Robin Soderling, walkover

Fernando Gonzalez def. Tommy Haas, 7-5 6-4

Andy Roddick def. Ivo Karlovic, 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5)

John Isner def. Tomas Berdych, 6-3 6-7 (10-12) 6-2

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LA Women's Tennis Championships (Los Angeles)

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Sorana Cirstea def. Agnieszka Radwanska, 7-6 (7-4) 1-6 7-5

Samantha Stosur def. Jie Zheng, 4-6 6-3 6-4

A Pair of Papas

News just in, hot off the press, extra extra read all about it, etc etc. I don't know how reliable my sources are, but this just in - apparently Stan Wawrinka and his ladyfriend Ilham Vuilloud are having a baby.

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Now, I must confess that this news freaked me out just a little bit - but that's only because Stan was born in the same year I am and the likelihood of me having kids anytime soon is less than zero and it made me feel old. But then I got passed that and was all delightfully happy for them. Stan will be a wonderfully cute dad! I don't know much about his Mirka Ilham, but I'm sure she's lovely as well.
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So, what's it to be? Are Myla and Charlene Federer in for a bit of competition from little Miss Wawrinka when Wimbledon rolls round in twenty years time? Or is Roger Federer going to have to sit Stan Jr. down and tell him to watch his step round his precious baby girls? Could we see another Federer/Wawrinka doubles gold medal?

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...actually, probably not on that last one, because one assumes Myla and Charlene would play with each other and mixed isn't an Olympic sport. But maybe it will be in twenty years' time! Maybe we could see a marvellous mixed combination!

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I don't know what's in the water over there in Switzerland, but they're producing some pretty marvellous parents over there... and some babies with some pretty remarkable tennis genes. The destinies of Clan Federer and Clan Wawrinka may well be intertwined forevermore, as cemented by that wonderful gold medal last year. I'm looking forward to seeing you, baby Wawrinka - and I bet Roger's glad his precious girls will have someone to play with! What a marvellous pair of papas they shall be!

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Today's Results

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Legg Mason Tennis Championships (Washington)

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Juan Carlos Ferrero def. Tommy Robredo, 6-3 6-2

Philipp Petzschner def. Mardy Fish, 1-6 6-4 6-1

Ivo Karlovic def. Rainer Schuettler, 6-4 7-5

Andy Roddick def. Benjamin Becker, 6-3 6-2

Sam Querrey def. Igor Kunitsyn, 6-3 6-4

Wayne Odesnik def. Igor Andreev, 2-6 7-5 6-4

Fernando Gonzalez def. Alejandro Falla, 7-5 7-5

Marc Gicquel def. Viktor Troicki, 3-0 retired

Lleyton Hewitt def. Dudi Sela, 6-3 2-6 6-2

John Isner def. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (7-4)

Robin Soderling def. Mikhail Youzhny, 6-3 6-1

Sebastien de Chaunac def. Dmitry Tursunov, 3-6 7-6 (7-3) 7-5
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LA Women's Tennis Championships (Los Angeles)

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Jie Zheng def. Elena Vesnina, 6-4 4-6 6-0

Samantha Stosur def. Maria Kirilenko, 6-2 6-4
Anna Chakvetadze def. Alisa Kleybanova, 6-3 3-6 6-1

Agnieszka Radwanska def. Ai Sugiyama, 6-2 6-1

Urszula Radwanska def. Dominika Cibulkova, 6-4 6-7 (6-8) 6-4

Nadia Petrova def. Shahar Peer, 6-4 2-6 6-3

Flavia Pennetta def. Coco Vandeweghe, 6-2 6-4

Yanina Wickmayer def. Jill Craybas, 7-6 (7-2) 6-1

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

Alona Bondarenko def. Lucie Safarova, 5-7 6-4 7-5

Na Li def. Aleksandra Wozniak, 4-6 6-4 6-2

Sabine Lisicki def. Ekaterina Makarova, 6-1 6-4

Maria Sharapova def. Victoria Azarenka, 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 6-2

Sound in Mind... and Hopefully Body

It's official - Rafa Nadal will be returning to the court at Montreal in his first match since his rather ignominious (though understandable) loss to Robin Soderling at Roland Garros. And talk about pressure - um, yeah, Rafa, you're the defending champion. Deal with that.

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So here's the question - which way is Rafa going to go?

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The way I see it, it's going to be purely physical. Either the Nadal knees are better, or they're not. Either they're fixed, or they're f*cked. The only thing that stands between Rafa and a new blaze of glory is the same thing that stands between his brain and the ground - his body.

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Well, and Roger Federer, but that's the same for everyone.

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What I'm getting at, though, is that I don't think there's a chance in hell that Rafa is going to be let down by his mind. We have seen too often and too well just how tough Rafa is in the head to ever underestimate him on that score. Mentally, Rafa is a machine - anyone who can play through the excruciating amounts of pain he was is a little superhuman. In that sense, I think we're going to see the same ol' Rafa. He's not going to be affected by losing the #1 ranking or by the streak that the great one RF is one. Rafa does his own thing and in his own mind, he is tough.

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So it all comes down to the body. Rafa Nadal has the mind of a gladiator - will his body rise to the task?

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Today's Results

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Legg Mason Tennis Classic (Washington)

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Benjamin Becker def. Robby Ginepri, 7-6 (7-3) 6-7 (1-7) 7-6 (7-4)

Rainer Schuettler def. Leonardo Mayer, 6-1 3-6 7-6 (7-5)

Sebastien de Chaunac def. Denis Istomin, 6-3 7-6 (9-7)

Juan Carlos Ferrero def. Nicolas Lapentti, 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 6-0

Somdev Devvarman def. Marin Cilic, 7-5 6-4

Tommy Haas def. Frank Dancevic, 6-1 4-6 6-4

Juan Martin del Potro def. Yen-hsun Lu, 4-6 6-3 6-2

Somdev Devvarman def. Marin Cilic, 7-5 6-4

Tomas Berdych def. Ernests Gulbis, 6-2 7-6 (8-6)

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LA Women's Tennis Championships (Los Angeles)

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Daniela Hantuchova def. Melanie Oudin, 6-7 (3-7) 6-2 6-2

Jie Zheng def. Olga Savchuk, 7-5 1-6 6-2

Samantha Stosur def. Monica Niculescu, 6-1 6-2

Maria Kirilenko def. Chanelle Scheepers, 4-6 6-3 6-1

Sorana Cirstea def. Michelle Larcher de Brito, 6-4 7-5

Ekaterina Makarova def. Melinda Czink, 3-6 6-4 6-1

Sabine Lisicki def. Kimiko Date Krumm, 7-6 (7-5) 2-6 7-5

Urszula Radwanska def. Julie Coin, 6-1 6-2

Aleksandra Wozniak def. Bethanie Mattek-Sands, 7-5 7-5

Na Li def. Ayumi Morita, 6-0 2-0 retired

Vera Zvonareva def. Peng Shuai, 3-6 6-3 7-6 (8-6)

Ana Ivanovic def. Vania King, 6-4 4-6 6-1

King Kolya of AlternaTour

And now to our final weekend winner, though the weekend is long gone - the King of AlternaTour where they play on clay out of season, Nikolay Davydenko.

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Kolya typically wins a lot around this time of the year - mainly because no one really sane plays on AlternaTour so he can tear up the court. But for some reason I'm finding him especially ominous this year. Maybe it's the time off he took with injury. Maybe it's just some sort of renewed sense of motivation. But there seems to be a bit of a sharper edge to Kolya right now.

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I don't think he can really be considered as a candidate for this year's Juan because hello, Kolya has well and truly arrived. He's been as high as #3 if memory serves and I don't think he's going to get that high again, not with the Hispano-Suisse domination machine still steamrolling around and Muzza on the page... though Djokovic seems to be hanging on by his fingernails. But I just have a feeling about Kolya...

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It depends on the side of the draw he ends up in. He has a record against the great one RF that could best be described as 'crap'. However, against Rafa, he's notched a win or two up. And he really is a very, very good player - not a champion, but very consistent and very talented, capable of unseating just about anyone...

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How does Nikolay Davydenko, US Open finalist, sound to everyone else?

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I'm not calling it - yet. But I'm sure not putting it outside the realms of possibility...

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Today's Results

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Mason Legg Tennis Classic (Washington)

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Mikhail Youzhny def. Robert Kendrick, 7-5 3-6 6-1

Philipp Petzschner def. Teimuraz Gabashvili, 4-6 6-3 6-4

Somdev Devvarman def. Yuichi Sugita, 6-0 7-6 (8-6)

Yen-hsun Lu def. Michael Russell, 4-6 6-1 7-5

Frank Dancevic def. Santiago Giraldo, 6-4 6-3

Alejandro Falla def. Jesse Witten, 6-1 6-4

Lleyton Hewitt def. Donald Young, 7-5 6-2

Marc Gicquel def. Jerzy Janowicz, 7-5 2-6 6-4

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LA Women's Tennis Championships (Los Angeles)

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Elena Vesnina def. Agnes Szavay, 6-1 6-0

Anna Chakvetadze def. Virginie Razzano, 7-6 (7-5) 6-3

Alona Bondarenko def. Meghann Shaughnessy, 3-6 6-3 6-3

Shahar Peer def. Anastasia Rodionova, 7-5 4-1 retired

Flavia Pennetta def. Varvara Lepchenko, 6-2 5-7 6-0

Jill Craybas def. Francesca Schiavone, 7-6 (9-7) 6-2

Yanina Wickmayer def. Nicola Vaidisova, 6-1 6-1

Shuai Peng def. Michaella Krajicek, 6-3 6-7 (4-7) 6-3

Ball Bounced

I don't think anyone's surprised that Ball got bounced by Querrey - it had to happen sooner or later. The possibility of Carsten Ball being in an ATP final is possible in this universe, but him actually winning would catapult us into a new one where fish rode bicycles and stuff.

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That said, kudos to Carsten for taking up those miniscule odds to make the final and for playing Querrey tight. I've liked a lot of what I've seen off the Querrey racquet lately - as I'll discuss in a moment - and Ball, little Carsten Ball of whom no one has really heard, took him to three sets. Sure, the third set was a bit of a blow out, but Carsten hung tough there for quite some time. I don't think he's ever going to be a worldbeater, but onya Carsten.

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On to Querrey. Now, I used to think he was spectacularly overrated - a sort of middle ground between Karlovic and Guccione. I'm still no Samurai, but you have to have kudos for what he's brought of late... and for finally winning a final, even if it was against Carsten Ball. He says he thinks he can win the US Open... I think that might be optimistic, mate. But there's no reason he can't pull a Juan and make quarters or so before going out to a Murray or a Djokovic or, hell, a del Potro. Actually, depending on where he is in the draw, I'm calling it now. Quarters for Sam Querrey... unless he's in the Federer quarter. Or possibly the Nadal quarter, depending on the state of Rafa's knees.

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And Marion Bartoli, eh? What was she doing winning Stanford when there were the Williams sisters there? And Demetieva and other folks that are, like, all good and stuff? I do not understand...

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...more on our final weekend winner, Nikolay Davydenko, tomorrow... unless you count the winner of Istanbul, but I know nothing about her, so no counting will be done.

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Today's Results

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LA Tennis Open (Los Angeles)

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Sam Querrey def. Carsten Ball, 6-4 3-6 6-1

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Legg Mason Tennis Classic (Washington)

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Wayne Odesnik def. Paul Capdeville, 4-6 6-2 6-4

Ernests Gulbis def. Kevin Kim, 7-5 3-6 6-3

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LA Women's Tennis Championships (Los Angeles)

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Lucie Safarova def. Kaia Kanepi, 6-3 7-6 (7-4)

Alisa Kleybanova def. Alla Kudryavtseva, 6-1 6-3

Ai Sugiyama def. Carly Gullickson, 6-3 6-1

Vania King def. Sybille Bammer, 6-3 6-2

Bellucci Blazes

I don't know how this happened without my noticing, but would you look at that: another one of my Stars has gone and won a title! Told you they'd be good (if only Ernests Gulbis would listen...)

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This particular Star is Thomaz Bellucci, who first caught my attention when he played Rafa Nadal pretty tight in the first round of Roland Garros last year. He's a claycourter by nature, but he's done all right on other surfaces as well. I think the reason I've been basically ignoring him this week is that he's playing on AlternaTour, where you can basically play on clay for eleven straight months, but a title is a title, even if it is in Gstaad on the red stuff.

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He's obviously been playing some good stuff all week and he overcame a pretty good current player, Andreas Beck, in the final to lift his maiden trophy. Am oddly proud, even though I obviously have nothing to do with career - he's proving me right in my picks for future Stars. He's maybe not in my first tier of Stars with Cilic and (glup) Gulbis, who I really believe will be top ten, but Bellucci is going to be round for a long time, making things tough on clay (and occasionally other surfaces) for a while yet.

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What I would like to see him do now is stop playing on AlternaTour and start playing more on other surfaces to become more well-rounded. He certainly doesn't suck on other surfaces, but I am morally opposed to AlternaTour. Tennis should follow the Slams, in my humble and ill-educated opinion. For a tennis player's career as a whole, I don't think it's really good to be playing on the one surface for so long.

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But enough dire career warning. Well done, Thomaz Bellucci, Star of the Future, on your maiden title!

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Today's Results

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Allianz Suisse Open Gstaad (Gstaad)

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Thomaz Bellucci def. Andreas Beck, 6-4 7-6 (7-2)

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ATP Studena Croatia Open (Umag)

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Nikolay Davydenko def. Juan Carlos Ferrero, 6-3 6-0

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Bank of the West Classic (Stanford)

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Marion Bartoli def. Samantha Stosur, 6-3 1-6 6-1

Marion Bartoli def. Venus Williams, 6-2 5-7 6-4

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Istanbul Cup (Istanbul)

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Vera Dushevina def. Lucie Hradecka, 6-0 6-1