A Little Celebration

My friends, today is a cause for celebration! A cause for celebration indeed?

Why, I hear you ask? For surely 'tis only boring tournaments on at the moment and nothing truuuuuuly interesting will happen till at least Shanghai. What is this cause of celebration of which you speak?

Well, I shall tell you. In this overdramatic manner.

1) Marat Safin won a match. Against a seeded player.

Now, when was the last time you remember that dear ol' Marat won a match? I can't think of it off the top of my head, that's for sure. And to beat a seed - well, that is quite exciting. He had a three set victory over Philipp Petzschner in Thailand, cruising away 6-1 in the third. Petzschner has been one of those players on the vast improve this year (as demonstrated by his, you know, seeding) and so this is a totally good win for Marat. I know it's got a likelihood of approximately a billion to one, but I would love to see him win a tournament before he retires. Just one. Even a little one. Maybe this one. I know it won't happen, but oh, I desperately want it to.

But there are a few other players who could use a good win, which leads me to my other reason for celebration.

2) Ernests Gulbis won a match.

*falls over*

I love Ernests. He's totally my homeboy. I've been on his bandwagon since Day #1 and I've stayed on it (even though it's now a very lonely ride). And sure, he only beat Somdev Devvarman, but Devvarman won a tournament not so long ago and did some sweet Davis Cup duty, so he's not a total slouch. So come on, Ernie. I don't expect you to win, but I do want you to win at least another match. You know, two in a row for the first time this year? That would be made of awesome.

But for today, I am content. For today, I will simply celebrate.


Today's Results

PTT Pattaya Open (Bangkok)

Marat Safin def. Philipp Petzschner, 6-2 3-6 6-1
Jurgen Melzer def. Marcos Daniel, 6-3 6-2
Evgeny Korolev def. Fabrice Santoro, 4-6 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (9-7)
Marsel Ilhan def. Benjamin Becker, 4-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-3
Andreas Beck def. Edouard Roger-Vasselin, 7-5 7-6 (7-1)
Marco Chiudinelli def. Florian Mayer, 6-3 6-3
Ernests Gulbis def. Somdev Devvarman, 7-6 (9-7) 6-2
Robby Ginepri def. Danai Udomchoke, 6-4 6-3


Proton Malaysia Open (Kuala Lumpur)

Tomas Berdych def. Igor Kunitsyn, 6-1 3-6 6-2
Mikhail Youzhny def. David Ferrer, 7-6 (7-3) 6-2
Joachim Johansson def. Lleyton Hewitt, 7-6 (9-7) 6-3
Martin Vassallo Arguello def. Feliciano Lopez, 6-3 6-3
Rohan Bopanna def. Jose Acasuso, 4-6 6-3 6-4
Karol Beck def. Mikhail Kukushkin, 1-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-3


Toray Pan Pacific Open (Tokyo)

Iveta Benesova def. Gisela Dulko, 6-3 3-6 6-4
Maria Sharapova def. Samantha Stosur, 6-0 6-1
Alisa Kleybanova def. Vera Zvonareva, 3-6 6-4 6-2
Aleksandra Wozniak def. Caroline Wozniacki, 5-0 retired
Magdalena Rybarikova def. Nadia Petrova, 6-2 6-2
Agnieszka Radwanska def. Daniela Hantuchova, 6-3 3-6 6-3
Victoria Azarenka def. Jie Zheng, 6-1 6-1
Lucie Safarova def. Shuai Peng, 6-3 4-6 6-4
Na Li def. Vera Dushevina, 7-5 6-0
Kateryna Bondarenko def. Elena Dementieva, 6-2 6-7 (3-7) 6-1
Jelena Jankovic def. Sabine Lisicki, 6-3 4-6 6-2
Elena Vesnina def. Roberta Vinci, 6-1 7-6 (8-6)
Marion Bartoli def. Aravane Rezai, 6-4 6-2