The Sisters Take Saturday

Marat Safin lost in three sets in the semis in St Petersburg.

Pout.

Oh well. I shouldn't have looked. And it seems that he may be playing a cashcow exo in Hong Kong next year, so we can pretend he's still around. Sob.

Okay. Over to Doha.

We're all set up for a Serena vs Venus final, and you really have to like Serena to win this one. She's gone undefeated through the week and, to be honest, she really is the better player. And it would be a good way for her to cap off finishing as year-end #1. Though Venus is the defending champion and maybe it'd be nice for her to defend. I don't really mind. I don't really care. Congrats to both sisters on getting this far.

Venus overcame a tenacious Jelena Jankovic who, I may now finally allow, has proved her right to be here. She's played some feisty stuff in her last couple of matches. She really hasn't had the Bestest Year Ever, and I really hope she returns to her glittery best next year, with splits galore. The Jelena of '08 was one of my favourite players to watch - here's hoping she can bring it next year. She's shown she's got guts - here's hoping she doesn't go and pack on kilos upon kilos of muscle again!

But my real favourite this tournament has been C-Woz. It's such a shame that she's been all injured and had to retire against Serena today, because she's shown some real grit. I still think her tennis is vanilla and a little dull, but it's obviously working for her (US Open final, anyone?) and I hope she can bring this newfound steel to the court in 2010.

What I would really, really like to see from Caro in 2010 is... well, less of her. She's played far too much tennis this year, and it's no surprise her body's gone and broken down on her. I think she's been in something like 25 tournaments, 90+ matches... that's just not sustainable. So go and get yourself a lesson at the Roger Federer School of Smart Scheduling, Caro, and let's see you back, uninjured, and ready for the big time!


Today's Results

Sony Ericsson Championships (Doha)

Serena Williams def. Caroline Wozniacki, 6-4 0-1 retired
Venus Williams def. Jelena Jankovic, 5-7 6-3 6-4


St Petersburg Open (St Petersburg)

Sergiy Stakhovsky def. Marat Safin, 6-4 4-6 6-4
Horacio Zeballos def. Igor Kunitsyn, 7-6 (9-7) 6-3


Bank Austria Tennis Trophy (Vienna)

Marin Cilic def. Philipp Kohlschreiber, 6-4 7-6 (7-4)
Jurgen Melzer def. Janko Tipsarevic, 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4


Grand Prix de Tennis de Lyon (Lyon)

Michael Llodra def. Gilles Simon, 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 7-6 (7-1)
Ivan Ljubicic def. Arnaud Clement, 6-2 6-4

I Don't Know What I Was Expecting, But It Wasn't This

So, um, yeah, not the Doha semi final line up I was expecting. But if you were asking me what I was expecting, I wouldn't be able to tell you. It just wasn't this.

That said, Serena obviously deserves her spot here - she went perfect through the round robin stage - and I'm really liking what I've seen from Caro. She went down tamely to Jankovic today - please, please, please let her not be injured again! - but her match against Azarenka was awesome yesterday. I confess I am pulling for her to win the tournament.

Jankovic I was not expecting, not so much. She had a good win over Caro today, but her other 'win' was over Dinara Safina, which went all of thirteen minutes. If Safina had pulled out before the tournament, things might have been totally different. Or, you know, not, given that Safina's replacement was Zvonareva, who herself got replaced today by Agnieszka Radwanska (who played awesomely to beat Vika - nice one, A-Rad!) So Jelena has technically won two matches, but I remain... yeah, unconvinced.

And then there's Venus. Not that Venus isn't a great player and all, but it just seems strange to me how a player can take two losses and still qualify. I don't know how they calculated the one that went through, but I was feeling Dementieva, maybe.

Like I'm said, I'm pulling for Caro to win the tournament, but you've got to put your money on Serena. I mean, really.

Over to the men, and YAY MARAT! He's in the semis of St Petersburg after a great win (feat. bagel) over Denis Istomin. Not saying anything. Not even daring to hope, daring to dream.

Gulbis lost. Still, he managed to get to the quarters. Things are looking up for the young 'un.

And I have to give a shout out to Arnaud Clement, who had an absolutely fantastic win over Jo-Willy in a barnburner of a match. Made of awesome!


Today's Results

Sony Ericsson Championships (Doha)

Jelena Jankovic def. Caroline Wozniacki, 6-2 6-2
Agnieszka Radwanska def. Victoria Azarenka, 4-6 7-5 4-1 retired
Svetlana Kuznetsova def. Elena Dementieva, 6-3 6-2


St Petersburg Open (St Petersburg)

Igor Kunitsyn def. Victor Hanescu, 6-3 3-6 7-6 (8-6)
Marat Safin def. Denis Istomin, 6-0 7-6 (7-4)
Horacio Zeballos def. Ernests Gulbis, 7-6 (10-8) 6-4
Sergiy Stakhovsky def. Bjorn Phau, 6-2 7-5


Bank Austria Tennis Trophy (Vienna)

Marin Cilic def. Feliciano Lopez, 6-1 6-4
Jurgen Melzer def. Radek Stepanek, 6-2 6-2
Janko Tipsarevic def. Gael Monfils, 6-4 6-7 (8-10) 6-3
Philipp Kohlschreiber def. Nicolas Almagro, 7-5 6-4


Grand Prix de Tennis de Lyon (Lyon)

Arnaud Clement def. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 5-7 6-4 7-6 (10-8)
Gilles Simon def. Julien Benneteau, 7-6 (7-5) 6-3
Ivan Ljubicic def. Florent Serra, 7-6 (8-6) 6-2
Michael Llodra def. Marc Gicquel, 7-6 (7-5) 6-4

Hotel California

Svetlana Kuznetsova and Venus Williams are locked at 4-all in the final set as I write this, in what looks like a really awesome match. Serena's already qualified for the finals, I would imagine, by virtue of her perfect score - I'm pretty sure Venus can't qualify, having taken two losses, but Sveta is still in the running if she wins this one. So I have my pom poms out and I'm cheering for her. In other Doha results, Serena beat Elena and Caro beat Zvonareva (surely Caro will qualify from this group?)

Now. Let's talk boys.

Specifically let's go YAAAAAAAAAAAY! Marat Safin is in the quarter finals of St Petersburg.

Sure, he made it there courtesy of Igor Andreev's retirement, but a quarter is a quarter and it is not to be sneezed at. I'm not even going to say that it would be nice if Marat won the tournament, because that goes without saying. All I'm going to say is GO MARAT! - I want to see some crazy Safin brilliance before this career is through.

Speaking of people on the verge of retirement, it was nice to see Dominik Hrbaty playing in Vienna. He lost today to Jurgen Melzer, but he did win a match before that, so good on him. He's always fun to watch (and, may I remind you, he and his partner Dominika Cibulkova won the Hopman Cup this year, so he's still got some game) and it'll be sad when he is no longer a part of our great sport.

Though tennis is a bit like Hotel California - you can check out but you never leave. Even after your retirement, everyone still cares about what you did and what you're doing now... as evidenced by the Agassi crystal meth scandal, which I haven't talked about yet, but I will, when I work out what I want to say.

So yes. Hrbaty. Safin. Yay. Basically.

And Venus just totally beat Sveta. Sigh. So what happens if Sveta beats Dementieva? Everyone except Serena will have taken one win and two losses. Who qualifies then?


Today's Results

Sony Ericsson Championships (Doha)

Caroline Wozniacki def. Vera Zvonareva, 6-0 6-7 (3-7) 6-4
Serena Williams def. Elena Dementieva, 6-2 6-4
Venus Williams def. Svetlana Kuznetsova, 6-2 6-7 (3-7) 6-4


St Petersburg Open (St Petersburg)

Denis Istomin def. Mikhail Youzhny, 6-2 2-1 retired
Marat Safin def. Igor Andreev, 6-3 0-1 retired
Igor Kunitsyn def. Michail Elgin, 6-2 6-3
Sergiy Stakhovsky def. Andrey Kuznetsov, 6-1 6-4


Bank Austria Tennis Trophy (Vienna)

Marin Cilic def. Daniel Brands, 7-6 (9-7) 6-4
Gael Monfils def. Jan Hajek, 6-1 2-6 6-4
Feliciano Lopez def. Daniel Koellerer, 6-3 6-3
Jurgen Melzer def. Dominik Hrbaty, 6-4 7-5
Janko Tipsarevic def. Michael Berrer, 7-6 (7-3) 6-1


Grand Prix de Tennis de Lyon (Lyon)

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. Olivier Rochus, 6-3 6-2
Gilles Simon def. David Guez, 6-1 6-2
Ivan Ljubicic def. Nicolas Kiefer, 6-3 3-6 6-3
Michael Llodra def. Juan Monaco, 6-3 6-4
Marc Gicquel def. Paul-Henri Mathieu, 6-4 6-0
Arnaud Clement def. Benjamin Becker, 6-4 6-3

Wishing Dinara Well

Oh, Dinara.

I want to say 'this hasn't been your year', but you know what? It has been her year. She's reached two Slam finals and become world number #1, which is, really, when you think about it, not too shabby. But the pressure and her own temperament have worked against her, and... perhaps it's better this way. Perhaps it's better that she's injured and doesn't take part rather than suffering more humiliating defeats.

Go away, Dinara. Rest. Recuperate. Heal. Work on your serve. Enjoy your time away from the public eye. Because I want you to defend those damn points you earned in Australia, and I want you to do even better. Because I know you can. Get better, Dina.

In other matches, we won't be seeing any defending champion action, as Serena put paid to Venus's hopes, giving big sister V two losses. Oh well. Serena's got to be the favourite to win this tournament, even with the whole US Open drama still hanging over her head... and she's delivered thus far, with two solid wins.

But the match of the day was the battle of the teen queens, Azarenka and Wozniacki, who duked it out over three epic sets. Though I have to say Azarenka's style of play appeals to me more and I like her grit, I'm glad Wozniacki won, because even though she plays pretty vanilla tennis, I've never seen her throw a tantrum on court like Vika. And I'm not big on tantrums. (Have I harped enough on my dislike for Azarenka?)

I wouldn't be surprised to see these two teen queens be the semi final qualifiers from this group, so it'll be interesting to see what happens if they meet again in this tournament. This rivalry is going to be a very interesting one down the years...

(Oh, and in the men - remember them? - not only did Marat win, but my homeboy Ernests Gulbis upset fourth seed Jeremy Chardy. I'm even more convinced that we're coming to the light at the end of the tunnel there...!)


Today's Results

Sony Ericsson Championships (Doha)

Jelena Jankovic def. Dinara Safina, 1-1 retired
Serena Williams def. Venus Williams, 5-7 6-4 7-6 (7-4)
Caroline Wozniacki def. Victoria Azarenka, 1-6 6-4 7-5


St Petersburg Open (St Petersburg)

Marat Safin def. Richard Gasquet, 7-6 (7-5) 6-4
Mikhail Youzhny def. Andrey Golubev, 6-3 6-2
Igor Kunitsyn def. Pablo Cuevas, 6-4 6-3
Horacio Zeballos def. Oleksandr Dolgopolov Jr, 6-3 6-1
Victor Hanescu def. Illya Marchenko, 6-3 6-4
Ernests Gulbis def. Jeremy Chardy, 7-6 (9-7) 6-3
Bjorn Phau def. Andreas Beck, 6-4 2-1 retired


Bank Austria Tennis Trophy (Vienna)

Daniel Koellerer def. Jarkko Nieminen, 6-1 6-2
Gael Monfils def. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, 7-5 6-4
Janko Tipsarevic def. John Isner, 7-6 (7-4) 6-4
Dominik Hrbaty def. Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo, 6-3 6-4
Radek Stepanek def. Frederico Gil, 6-2 6-3
Nicolas Almagro def. Wayne Odesnik, 6-4 6-4
Philipp Kohlschreiber def. Victor Crivoi, 6-2 6-0


Grand Prix de Tennis de Lyon (Lyon)

Gilles Simon def. Simone Bolelli, 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-5)
Nicolas Kiefer def. Sebastien Grosjean, 4-6 7-6 (9-7) 7-6 (7-2)
Olivier Rochus def. Vincent Millot, 6-3 602
Paul-Henri Mathieu def. Leonardo Mayer, 7-6 (7-5) 6-2
Julien Benneteau def. Kevin Anderson, 7-5 6-2

Anyone-Can-Win (Because Everyone-Can-Lose)

We've had our first three matches in Doha. In a tournament which is anyone-could-win because everyone is certainly capable of losing, any result is, by nature, interesting. But there was one I thought was especially interesting, and that was Venus being beaten by Dementieva.

In terms of ability, this is hardly surprising. Both Venus and Elena are exceptionally talented, and Elena, when she's firing, can take just about anyone. Look how much trouble Serena - an in-form Serena - had taking her out in Wimbledon: far more trouble than she had taking out Venus, that's for sure. But one always associates the Williams fire with Venus, the desire to win the big ones, plus the fact that she's the defending champion, and Elena is usually classed among the headcases. Because, you know, she is one.

But Elena didn't go all headcase on us today - and, I would like to point out, she fought her way back from the brink of defeat. From one set down, she won the second set breaker eight points to six and then roared away in the third. That shows admirable grit and, given that Elena isn't usually a player one associates with grit, a nice surprise. Well done.

In the other matches, Serena triumphed over Sveta in two close sets and Azarenka pummelled Jankovic into submission. I was really hoping Sveta could pull her match out but I guess Serena probably had a wee score to settle after Roland Garros which might have fired her up a bit. Azarenka making mincemeat of Jankovic is not surprising to me. I really don't think Jankovic belongs here this year. It should be Clijsters, man, it should be Clijsters. (Not that Azarenka has been especially impressive of late either, but she looked good today... all the compliment I'm prepared to pay her).

I'm going to be very interested to see who brings the goods to the table and qualifies for the semis in both groups. Like I said, it's anyone-can-win because everyone-can-lose, so no matter who wins, I think it's going to be a little surprising. What I do hope is that someone, you know, wins the tournament, instead of just not losing. Let's end the WTA year on a high!


Today's Results

Sony Ericsson Championships (Doha)

Victoria Azarenka def. Jelena Jankovic, 6-2 6-3
Serena Williams def. Svetlana Kuznetsova, 7-6 (8-6) 7-5
Elena Dementieva def. Venus Williams, 3-6 7-6 (8-6) 6-2


St Petersburg Open (St Petersburg)

Jeremy Chardy def. Petru-Alexandru Luncanu, 6-2 6-2
Igor Andreev def. Potito Starace, 6-4 6-2
Sergiy Stakhovsky def. Evgeny Korolev, 6-4 6-3
Horacio Zeballos def. Yuri Schukin, 7-6 (11-9) 6-3
Illya Marchenko def. Fabio Fognini, 6-4 6-1
Michail Elgin def. Mikhail Kukushkin, 6-3 6-3
Andrey Kuznetsov def. Marcel Granollers, 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (8-6) 6-4
Oleksandr Dolgopolov Jr. def. Robby Ginepri , 6-2 1-0 retired


Bank Austria Tennis Trophy (Vienna)

Radek Stepanek def. Lukasz Kubot, 6-4 6-1
Philipp Kohlschreiber def. Dieter Kindlmann, 6-1 6-3
Feliciano Lopez def. Andreas Haider-Maurer, 6-4 6-4
Jurgen Melzer def. Marco Chiudinelli, 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (12-10)
Michael Berrer def. Steve Darcis, 6-3 6-2
Jan Hajek def. Andreas Seppi, 7-6 (7-4) 5-7 6-3
Marin Cilic def. Alejandro Falla, 6-2 6-3


Grand Prix de Tennis de Lyon (Lyon)

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. Kevin Kim, 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-5)
Ivan Ljubicic def. Martin Vassallo Arguello, 6-3 6-4
Benjamin Becker def. Paolo Lorenzi, 6-2 6-3
Albert Montanes def. Fabrice Santoro, 6-4 6-4
Michael Llodra def. Lamine Ouahab, 6-1 6-2
Marc Gicquel def. Jerome Haehnel, 6-1 6-4
Kevin Anderson def. Simon Greul, 6-4 4-6 7-6 (7-3)
David Guez def. Rajeev Ram, 6-2 6-4

Doha And Other Thorny Puzzles

So Doha has not yet started, but can I just say - Dinara Safina may not have been in spectacular form lately, but she was rocking that dress she was wearing at the draw ceremony. She looked gorgeous. I'd dearly love to see her do well - ideally, win - in this tournament, to at least make some of these catcalls of 'worst #1 ever' go away, because despite everything, I still believe in Dinara. So here's looking at you, Dina, in your rockin' dress and awesome shoes - cheering for you!

One group does seem to be a lot stronger than the other - though it might just be because it contains both Williams sisters. We have Dinara, C-Woz, Jankovic and Vika in the White Group, and Serena, Venus, Sveta and Elena D in the Maroon Group. I don't want to go making predictions, and it's mostly because I genuinely don't know who to pick. I wouldn't say any of these ladies has shown especially amazing form lately - Sveta is the only one coming in off a win, and much as I think she's awesome, her headcaseness cannot be denied - and for every good point I can think of for all of them, I can think of a few bad points as well.

For starters, Dinara: she's got the game, she's got the grit, but she's been all over the place since Wimbledon, if not earlier. I certainly believe she can win this tournament, but whether I believe she will or not is another story.

Serena: Hasn't played much lately. Hasn't done much of anything since the infamous semi against Clijsters in New York. This tournament isn't a Slam, and I don't know how much she's going to bring to the table.

Venus: Same deal as Serena when it comes to the tournament not being a Slam - but she did win it last year, and I'm sure she'd be eager to defend. But same as Serena again in not having much done much of anything since New York, though at least she doesn't come in with a monkey on her back like her sister does.

Dementieva: She played awesome at the beginning of the year. She played an awesome match against Serena in Wimbledon, where something resembling a serve was sighted. Unfortunately, it hasn't been seen since, and the odds on it showing up here...?

Wozniacki: I could say something about her being vanilla and boring, but she did make it to the US Open final, an achievement which cannot be discounted, even in a weakened field. However, she retired hurt last week, and injury lurks around her.

Azarenka: I don't like her attitude. And while she started off the year strongly, with that Miami title, she crashed out early in New York and I can't remember her doing a lot before that either. And I don't like her. So there.

Kuznetsova: If she's on song, I would just hand her the trophy now. She can beat anyone when she has her day, and she won a Slam this year, and she's coming in off her win. However, will it be her day, or will Captain Headcase rear his ugly head?

Jankovic: Really shouldn't be here, in my opinion. Hasn't won enough stuff to merit it - crashed out immediately after qualifying for here last week. I don't see her suddenly becoming awesome again and destroying the field. Would have given the spot to Clijsters.

So who's going to win?

...you got me.

I'd like to say Dinara. I think this might give her some confidence and a bit of validation for being back in that #1 spot. However, I'm going to go out on a limb and pick Kuznetsova this time. She is capable of roundly thrashing every player here, if she plays to the best of her ability. So it's not a question of her ability, but whether she can bring it to play. And you know what? I think she can.


Today's Results

St Petersburg Open (St Petersburg)

Karol Beck def. Viktor Troicki, 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 6-4
Bjorn Phau def. Stanislav Vovk, 6-3 6-2
Denis Istomin def. Rainer Schuettler, 6-4 6-4


Bank Austria Tennis Trophy (Vienna)

Nicolas Almagro def. Peter Luczak, 5-7 7-6 (7-3) 6-1
Daniel Brands def. Robert Kendrick, 7-6 (7-5) 7-5
Victor Crivoi def. Jan Hernych, 6-3 6-3
Wayne Odesnik def. Lukas Rosol, 6-2 5-7 7-6 (8-6)
Frederico Gil def. Stefan Koubek, 4-6 6-4 6-4


Grand Prix de Tennis de Lyon (Lyon)

Juan Monaco def. Josselin Ouanna, 6-3 6-2
Julien Benneteau def. Alberto Martin, 7-6 (7-1) 6-1
Florent Serra def. Christophe Rochus, 6-3 6-3

Coming Home Strong

Wow. We all know that Sabine Lisicki is my homegirl, but congratulations, Timea Bacsinszky! What a great win!

I haven't seen a lot of Timmy playing, to be honest, but I've read a few interviews with her and she seems cute as a button and sweet as pie. This is, I believe, her first career title - the first of several, I hope. I love girls that look genuinely joyful on the tennis court - which is why I'm such a big Sabine fan, among other reasons - and Timmy's one of them. So allez Timea! Looking forward to seeing more of you next year!

And speaking of the WTA, Francesca Schiavone also managed a title, finishing the year very very strongly. She couldn't quite bring home the bacon last week in Osaka, but she defeated Olga Govortsova to come away with the Kremlin Cup. Any woman with a one handed backhand has me as a fan, so awesome work, Francesca!

(One question - Doha starts tomorrow, yeah? Why is the women's year ending championships so much earlier than the men's? That doesn't seem especially fair.)

The male Kremlin Cup winner was Mikhail Youzhny, who produced a blistering second set to level things up against Janko Tipsarevic and then brought it home in the third. It's always nice to see a hometown hero win his local tournament (cough Roger cough Basel cough please cough) and it wouldn't be right, really, to see a non-Russian hold up that cup. It was Kunitsyn last year, and Davydenko and Safin have both been in the mix in the past, and... I feel a bit bad for Janko, because I think he's a really good player and he never seems to get the pay off. But Youzhny's come blazing back after a very slow start to the year, and I love me some of that...

...which is why Marcos Baghdatis's victory in Sweden made me happiest of all. I've talked a lot about my Marcos love this week already so I won't harp on about it, but Marcos, I'm looking forward to cheering for you in Australia (even though the likelihood of me being heard over Melbourne's Greek community = less than zero).


Today's Results

Kremlin Cup (Moscow)

Men's Draw

Mikhail Youzhny def. Janko Tipsarevic, 6-7 (5-7) 6-0 6-4


Women's Draw

Francesca Schiavone def. Olga Govortsova, 6-3 6-0


If Stockholm Open (Stockholm)

Marcos Baghdatis def. Olivier Rochus, 6-1 7-5


BGL Luxembourg Open

Timea Bacsinszky def. Sabine Lisicki, 6-2 7-5

Girls Made of Awesome

I'm guessing that the Yoker's year ending championships dream might be at an end, which is a shame that is THIS BIG. He didn't walk out on court for his semi-final, giving Marcos Baghdatis a walkover into the final. It's an elbow injury, I think - and I really hope it's not too serious. If Soderling doesn't continue on his run of awesomeness next year I'll be very disappointed. He's been so totally awesome this year. And much as Nando Verdasco has had an awesome year - that semi against Rafa at the Aussie has to be one of the matches of 2009 - I can't help feeling that the Yoker belongs in London at those championships. That French Open run alone warrants it.

(Much like Kim Clijsters belongs in Doha, but that's a whole other kettle of fish).

Baghdatis will meet Rochus in the final after wee Olivier beat Thomaz Bellucci in the other semi in three. No secret I'm pulling for Marcos. I want that smiley happy Cypriot to get his ranking back up there and have a decent run in Australia. There's really no sight like when you see the Greek crowds screaming for him as you're wandering round Melbourne Park. It's really something else. I don't know if he can get anywhere seeding level, but it would be awesome if he could. Marcos Baghdatis belongs in the second week in Australia. It's just the way it is.

And we have a lovely final over in Luxembourg - we have my special favourite and Girl Who Might Just Save The WTA Yet Sabine Lisicki playing young Swiss girl Timea Bacsinszky, who I think is pretty awesome too. I'm pulling for Sabine, what with her being my special favourite and all, but I wouldn't be devastated if Timmy pulled it out. Just getting to the final alone is pretty huge for her - it's her first, I think...? Anyway, that tournament is so win-win. I hearby declare Luxembourg, as a tournament, Made Of Awesome.

And a shoutout has to go to Francesca Schiavone in Moscow - back to back finals in two weeks = made of awesome! She lost to Sam Stosur (also made of awesome) last week - here's hoping she can come away with the title this week. Vive la one-handed backhand!


Today's Results

Kremlin Cup (Moscow)

Men's Draw

Mikhail Youzhny def. Mikhail Kukushkin, 6-2 6-1
Janko Tipsarevic def. Illya Marchenko, 6-1 6-4


Women's Draw

Francesca Schiavone def. Alona Bondarenko, 6-4 6-0
Olga Govortsova def. Alisa Kleybanova, 6-2 6-1


If Stockholm Open (Stockholm)

Marcos Baghdatis def. Robin Soderling, walkover
Olivier Rochus def. Thomaz Bellucci, 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 6-3


BGL Luxembourg Open (Luxembourg)

Timea Bacsinszky def. Yanina Wickmayer, 3-6 6-2 7-5
Sabine Lisicki def. Shahar Peer, 6-3 4-6 7-6 (7-5)

One Day More, One More Day

So one of the old veterans who had planned on retiring at the end of the year. No, it's not Marat Safin, but who really expects that train to suddenly un-derail itself? It's Nicolas Lapentti, former top ten player, and he says that the reason he's staying on is because his country, Ecuador, has been elevated to the world group in Davis Cup for the first time in approximately twelve centuries, courtesy of the effort Nico and his brother Giovanni put in.

I can't claim to know much about either of the Lapentti brothers, but I thought this was sort of nice. It made me go awwwwwwwwwww, anyway.

So, back to tennis.

In Moscow, Janko Tipsarevic is in his first semi in a few years - I so would not have picked this, by the way, the fact that he's been semi-less for a long time. I pick him a lot to win in bracket challenges and the like... but this may be because the one match of his I really remember well is his epic third round against Federer in Australia last year where he went down 10-8 in the fifth and where he was playing lights out. So I might have a slightly inflated view of his playing style. But he's in the semis in Moscow, and more power to him. I'm picking Youzhny to win the title, but if anyone can shake it up, I think it'll be Janko.

Moscow for the ladies has been the typical seed bloodbath. Second seed Jelena Jankovic went out - which is probably good, because she has to get to Doha. I'm not talking any more about that. It'll depress me...

...but Sabine Lisicki, playing in Luxembourg, is enough to make me like the WTA pretty much single-handedly. She took out Clijsters-conquering Patty Schnyder in style - kudos. And she's just so happy and fearless on court and she never leaves anything out there... really, the WTA needs a few more like Sabine Lisicki. I'm hoping for big things from her next year.

And back to Stockholm, which looks like the most interesting tournament going on this week. We've got an interesting, albeit motley, bunch of semi finalists - the Yoker, tiny Olivier Rochus, Star of the Future Thomaz Bellucci and the Smiling Cypriot. I'm kind of ambivalent on Rochus - though I do like him for his shortness - but I would be pretty happy for any of the other three to win this tournament. Fond of all of them. I might have a slight preference towards Soderling because of year ending championships purposes, but this tournament really seems like a win-win situation from my fan perspective. Looking forward to it!


Today's Results

Kremlin Cup (Moscow)

Men's Draw

Mikhail Youzhny def. Sergiy Stakhovsky, 6-3 6-3
Mikhail Kukushkin def. Pablo Cuevas, 4-6 6-1 6-4
Janko Tipsarevic def. Robby Ginepri, 6-3 6-3
Illya Marchenko def. Evgeny Korolev, 0-6 6-2 6-3


Women's Draw

Alisa Kleybanova def. Jelena Jankovic, 6-4 6-3
Francesca Schiavone def. Maria Kirilenko, 6-3 6-2
Alona Bondarenko def. Tsvetana Pironkova, 6-3 6-3
Olga Govortsova def. Vera Dushevina, 6-3 6-0


If Stockholm Open (Stockholm)

Robin Soderling def. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, 7-6 (7-4) 6-4
Olivier Rochus def. Jarkko Nieminen, 6-3 2-6 6-1
Thomaz Bellucci def. Joachim Johansson, 7-6 (7-4) 6-3
Marcos Baghdatis def. Arnaud Clement, 6-4 6-4


BGL Luxembourg Open (Luxembourg)

Shahar Peer def. Daniela Hantuchova, 6-2 7-6 (7-4)
Yanina Wickmayer def. Kirsten Flipkens, 7-6 (7-1) 4-6 6-1
Sabine Lisicki def. Patty Schnyder, 6-4 6-2
Timea Bacsinszky def. Katarina Srebotnik, 6-7 (3-7) 6-1 6-4

Taking Stock of Stockholm

Sigh. Marat went to all the trouble of beating Kolya only to go down tamely to Evgeny Korolev.

Pout.

Oh well. Marat will be Marat, and we should treasure the last few matches we have with him, even if he does fizzle out.

Let's talk Stockholm, because that's an interesting little tournament. I'm really pulling for the Yoker to win this one - is he still in with a chance of qualifying for the end of year championships? He was coming ninth, last time I looked... because he DESERVES THAT SPOT. I think it's a three way tussle at the mo between him, Verdasco and Kolya... and much as Nando's had a career year, it really wouldn't be fair to see all that hard work that the Yoker's put in go to waste. French Open final? It seems fair and just that it should be Soderling. So I'm cheering for him bigtime this week.

But the guy I'm really watching - for interest's sake more than anything else - is Marcos Baghdatis. He's been out for what seems like a thousand years, and it is good to see him playing - and winning! - again. He beat Kendrick two and two today, which is a pretty decent result. I mean, sure, Kendrick isn't exactly Federer, but he's played some tough tennis in his time (fade into the far away, so close match he played with Rafa at Wimbledon a few years back). So that was a good win for Marcos, and, damn it, he's just so happy and smiley! He deserves to win stuff!

So I'm keeping an eye on his comeback - as well as Pim-Pim's. I was talking a while back about him as a 'where are they now?' candidate, and suddenly BAM! he's coming back again. I don't think there's any way he'll ever reach his former glory, but he's been winning a match or two and that's pretty awesome.

Now if we could only get Sebastien Grosjean back on court...


Today's Results

Kremlin Cup (Moscow)

Men's Draw

Janko Tipsarevic def. Christophe Rochus, 6-4 2-1 retired
Robby Ginepri def. Marcel Granollers, 7-6 (7-5) 6-0
Mikhail Kukushkin def. Wayne Odesnik, 6-3 6-4
Illya Marchenko def. Andrey Golubev, 6-1 1-6 6-4
Evgeny Korolev def. Marat Safin, 6-4 7-6 (7-4)


Women's Draw

Tsvetana Pironkova def. Vera Zvonareva, 6-0 6-2
Jelena Jankovic def. Lucie Safarova, 7-6 (7-5) 6-3
Francesca Schiavone def. Monica Niculescu, 6-2 7-5
Alisa Kleybanova def. Evgeniya Rodina, 6-1 6-2
Vera Dushevina def. Agnes Szavay, 3-6 6-4 6-3
Maria Kirilenko def. Aleksandra Wozniak


If Stockholm Open (Stockholm)

Robin Soderling def. Andreas Seppi, 6-1 6-3
Jarkko Nieminen def. Tommy Haas, walkover
Olivier Rochus def. Feliciano Lopez, 4-6 6-4 6-1
Marcos Baghdatis def. Robert Kendrick, 6-2 6-2
Arnaud Clement def. Michael Berrer, 3-6 7-6 (9-7) 6-1


BGL Luxembourg Open (Luxembourg)

Daniela Hantuchova def. Lucie Hradecka, 7-5 3-6 6-2
Yanina Wickmayer def. Alize Cornet, 7-5 7-6 (8-6)
Shahar Peer def. Carla Suarez Navarro, 3-6 6-3 6-1

Marat's Moscow Magic

Well, if Kolya was going to be beaten by any man in Moscow, it is only fitting that it be this one. He went down in three sets to Marat Safin.

Before I start my regularly scheduled 'I love Marat' fanfare, complete with bells and whistles, can I just say that any man who flies from Shanghai to Moscow and plays approximately three seconds after he lands, regardless of jetlag, and pushes someone as talented and unpredictable as Safin to three has my undying respect. These two weeks have taught me to Respect the Davydenko. Man's fierce, yo.

Now. Back to Marat.

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!

Oh, how I would dearly, dearly love him to win a tournament as a parting gift! And oh! how Moscow would be absolutely perfect for this purpose! If there's any tournament he is going to win - I am aware that this has a likelihood of approximately 0.0000000001%, Marat being Marat - I'm pretty sure Moscow would be the one. It would be somehow fitting, I guess, for Marat to go out in this way.

Not that it will happen, but hey, he beat the top seed! The top seed who won a Masters series event last week (we won't mention the jet lag). Marat's got game, and I wish, wish, WISH for him to make it happen.

My other long time followee, Gulbis, went out tamely in Stockholm. To tell the truth, I'm not surprised, what with the whole Swedish prostitute sex scandal. I don't know whether Gulbis was, in actuality, involved, and frankly, I don't care. I want him to take away a lesson about concentration from this tournament - about separating off court sagas from the world on court. Lleyton Hewitt is the master of this. Ernie, clearly, has a ways to go.


Today's Results

Kremlin Cup (Moscow)

Men's Draw

Mikhail Youzhny def. Potito Starace, 6-1 6-1
Pablo Cuevas def. Teimuraz Gabashvili, 3-6 6-1 6-4
Sergiy Stakhovsky def. Fabrice Santoro, 7-5 6-1
Marat Safin def. Nikolay Davydenko, 4-6 6-4 6-2
Illya Marchenko def. Denis Istomin, 1-6 6-4 4-1 retired
Evgeny Korolev def. Igor Kunitsyn, 7-6 (8-6) 6-3


Women's Draw

Alona Bondarenko def. Nadia Petrova, 7-6 (7-3) 6-3
Olga Govortsova def. Maria Jose Martinez Sanches, 6-1 6-4
Maria Kirilenko def. Agnieszka Radwanska, 6-3 603
Agnes Szavay def. Flavia Pennetta, 4-6 3-0 retired
Evgeniya Rodina def. Elena Vesnina, 6-1 3-6 6-2
Francesca Schiavone def. Nuria Llagostera Vives, 6-7 (2-7) 6-4 6-3


If Stockholm Open (Stockholm)

Joachim Johansson def. Juan Monaco, 6-4 6-4
Guillermo Garcia-Lopez def. Simon Greul, 6-3 7-5
Thomaz Bellucci def. Leonardo Mayer, 7-5 3-6 6-3
Robin Soderling def. Giovanni Lapentti, 6-3 6-0
Tommy Haas def. Florent Serra, 6-3 6-4
Marcos Baghdatis def. Juan Carlos Ferrero, 6-4 6-2
Feliciano Lopez def. Ernests Gulbis, 6-2 6-4


BGL Luxembourg Open (Luxembourg)

Kirsten Flipkens def. Anabel Medina Garrigues, 7-5 6-3
Sabine Lisicki def. Polona Hercog, 7-6 (7-1) 6-4
Timea Bacsinszky def. Roberta Vinci, 6-2 6-2
Daniela Hantuchova def. Tatjana Malek, 6-1 6-0
Yanina Wickmayer def. Alexandra Dulgeru
Lucie Hradecka def. Catalina Castano, 7-6 (7-4) 6-2

Luxembourg Lurgy

So here is a weird result. Luxembourg. Anne Kremer defeated Caroline Wozniacki, 5-7 0-5 retired.

Dude, Caro, you only had to win one more game! What's with that?

From what I can tell, it was pretty sudden. There was no fall down on the court in agony, no moment of obvious injury occurring... just, yep, bang wow, I'm ahead by about a lightyear, retire, BAM. And the world watches on, completely mystified.

I guess it's kind of commendable in a way. Presumably if she's that injured, even if she'd been able to grind out the required game to win the match, she wouldn't have gone on court for her next round match, which gives Kremer the chance to play a match which otherwise would have been a walkover. But it's just... weird. I assume it has happened before, but I've never seen it. To retire a set and 5-0 up? ...weirdness.

Second seed Kim Clijsters won her match, though, which is nice - first one back from the US Open and all, so that was nice. She made quick work of American veteran Meghan Shaughnessy. And another interesting result, I thought, was the Cornet/Rezai match - in that Cornet won it. Convincingly. And she's been queen of the headcases this year.

But I just can't get over that Wozniacki result. That is a bizarre-o bolt from the blue, that is for sure.


Today's Results

Kremlin Cup (Moscow)

Men's Draw

Wayne Odesnik def. Victor Hanescu, 5-7 7-5 6-4
Robby Ginepri def. Igor Andreev, 6-3 6-7 (9-11) 7-6 (7-1)
Janko Tipsarevic def. Daniel Koellerer, 6-4 6-3
Fabrice Santoro def. Andrey Kuznetsov, 4-6 6-2 6-2
Andrey Golubev def. Martin Vassallo Arguello, 7-5 6-3
Sergiy Stakhovsky def. Mikhail Biryukov, 6-0 6-2
Mikhail Kukushkin def. Fabio Fognini, 6-4 5-7 6-4
Christophe Rochus def. Marc Gicquel, 7-5 retired
Marcel Granollers def. Nicolas Kiefer, 6-4 1-0 retired


Women's Draw

Vera Zvonareva def. Ioana Raluca Olaru, 6-2 6-2
Jelena Jankovic def. Yaroslava Shvedova, 6-4 5-7 6-1
Alisa Kleybanova def. Magdalena Rybarikova, 6-1 6-2
Aleksandra Wozniak def. Sara Errani, 6-1 retired
Vera Dushevina def. Galina Voskoboeva, 3-6 6-2 6-1
Monica Niculescu def. Sorana Cirstea, 3-0 retired
Tsvetana Pironkova def. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 6-3 2-6 6-4


If Stockholm Open (Stockholm)

Arnaud Clement def. Andreas Beck, 6-4 6-2
Michael Berrer def. Henri Kontinen, 7-5 7-6 (9-7)
Thomaz Bellucci def. Frederik Nielsen, 7-6 (8-6) 6-3
Olivier Rochus def. Andreas Vinciguerra, 6-3 6-2
Robert Kendrick def. Oscar Hernandez, 6-3 6-4
Jarkko Nieminen def. Grigor Dimitrov, 6-0 6-2
Andreas Seppi def. Victor Crivoi, 6-4 6-1


BGL Luxembourg Open (Luxembourg)

Anne Kremer def. Caroline Wozniacki, 5-7 -5 retired
Kim Clijsters def. Meghann Shaughnessy, 6-2 6-2
Roberta Vinci def. Kateryna Bondarenko, 6-0 6-2
Shahar Peer def. Barbora Zahlavova Styrcova, 6-1 6-3
Alize Cornet def. Aravane Rezai, 6-0 6-2
Patty Schnyder def. Petra Kvitova, 6-4 6-1
Timea Bacsinszky def. Julie Coin, 6-4 6-3
Katarine Srebotnik def. Anna-Lena Groenefeld, 7-5 6-3
Kirsten Flipkens def. Urszula Radwanska, 6-4 603
Polona Hercog def. Maria Elena Camerin, 3-6 7-5 7-5

Brain Cramp

So about this new cramping rule - which I understand to mean that players can't seek treatment for cramps until the end of a game...

I love it. But if it's just the end of the game, I don't know if that's not still too soft. I'd be thinking change of ends, personally. Isn't that when most people will get that kind of thing treated?

I mean, obviously there are exceptions, otherwise this rule wouldn't have come into play. I don't actually remember the last time I saw a player come down with cramp in the middle of a game and stop play, but evidently it's happened, and consistently enough that the need for this rule was felt. So, I think I probably need to think on it more - and find out what the rule actually is, which might help. But I think this is definitely a Good Thing.

A whole new day, a whole new slew of tournaments. The bigg'un is Moscow. I don't know if he's even playing but oh! how I would love Marat Safin to win this tournament. I know he won't, but oh! how I would love it if he did! I remember him making the final in '06, but I don't know how else he's fared there in the past - surely if there's one tournament he would love to win, this would be it.

One result out of this tournament so far I thought was interesting was on the women's side, where diminutive Dominika Cibulkova went down tamely to Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez. Where's Domi been? Has she been injured? She had top five potential written all over her at the beginning of the year, and now she's all... not there. Sigh. Get better, Domi.


Today's Results

Kremlin Cup (Moscow)

Men's Draw

Mikhail Youzhny def. Horacio Zeballos, 6-1 7-6 (7-5)
Pablo Cuevas def. Yen-hsun Lu, 6-4 6-2
Teimuraz Gabashvili def. Karol Beck, 3-6 6-4 6-4
Potito Starace def. Evgeny Donskoy, 6-3 6-3


Women's Draw

Nadia Petrova def. Yana Buchina, 6-2 6-0
Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez def. Dominika Cibulkova, 6-2 6-2
Alona Bondarenko def. Anna Chakvetadze, 6-4 603
Lucie Safarova def. Ekaterina Makarova, 6-2 602
Olga Govortsova def. Ksenia Pervak, 6-3 4-6 6-0


If Stockholm Open (Stockholm)

Juan Monaco def. Jan Hernych, 6-2 5-7 7-5
Simon Greul def. Benjamin Becker, 2-6 6-3 7-5
Guillermo Garcia-Lopez def. Alberto Martin, 6-3 6-2
Leonardo Mayer def. Albert Montanes, 6-4 6-3
Joachim Johansson def. Peter Luczak, 7-5 6-2


BGL Luxembourg Open

Anabel Medina Garrigues def. Arantxa Parra Santonja, 7-5 6-2
Sabine Lisicki def. Iveta Benesova, 6-1 6-4
Carla Suarez Navarro def. Mandy Minella, 7-5 5-7 6-3

Sam Slams It

She did it! She finally did it! After an awesomely fantastic breakthrough year, Sam Stosur has finally won her first title.

Now that makes me happy.

Sure, Osaka's not the most massive title in the history of the world, but it's all Sam's now. She really was overdue for this and I can't think of anyone else who deserves it more. Well done, Slammin' Sammy! May this be the beginning of a veritable flood of titles and general awesomeness!

I was also very pleased with the result of Linz, which saw US Open surprise package Yanina Wickmayer take out the title, beating Petra Kvitova in the final. She's got a whole lot of talent - and an awesome story, as we recall from those pressers in New York - and it's good to see her follow up her great run there with a bang. Looks like we might just have a Belgian trifecta at the beginning of next year - I doubt Wickmayer's going to lie down and let Clijsters and Henin take all the glory!

And then we have Kolya, Mr Cellophane himself. He played absolutely wonderfully to take out the Rafinator and there ain't much more to say than that. Is this the start of a Nalbandian-esque run? I don't know. It doesn't matter, really. But I am very glad that Kolya has another one of those glass shields to add to his Miami trophy. A dude as consistent as him deserves some pay off every once in a while. So awesome work, Kolya!


Today's Results

Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 (Shanghai)

Nikolay Davydenko def. Rafael Nadal, 7-6 (7-3) 6-3


Generali Ladies Linz (Linz)

Yanina Wickmayer def. Petra Kvitova, 6-3 6-4


HP Open (Osaka)

Samantha Stosur def. Francesca Schiavone, 7-5 6-1

Mr Cellophane

It's funny the way that Nikolay Davydenko can sneak through draws. You completely forget he's in the tournament and then BAM! he's playing one of the big guys really tight in the quarters or the semis and you're wondering how you ever missed him.

Like this week in Shanghai. I had pretty much totally missed the fact he was even playing, and then suddenly he's playing a three hour epic with Djokovic and, you know, winning. He's clearly in a purple patch of form. But no one noticed.

This may or may not have something to do with the fact that he has the personality of wet cardboard. It's a skill, actually - he's cultivated a strong aura of anti-personality which allows him to slip under the radar time and time again, no matter who he's playing or how well he's doing it. I don't know. Maybe he's a wacky, crazy, kooky guy off court. But on court Kolya is... cardboard.

But he's tough cardboard, that's for sure. Not many gusy could play Novak Djokovic that tight for that long and come out on top. He's got some grit and some steel and some shots and all those things that tennis players have. He has a crazy two-handed volley that makes him look like a Viking swinging an axe. The one thing he doesn't have is personality.

This is the season when David Nalbandian traditionally wakes up and goes on a tear. However, LameDave isn't around at the moment. Maybe this year it's Kolya's turn. You can see right through him, walk right by him - and oh no he just won the tournament!

Well, he hasn't won yet - he has to come through Rafa Nadal. But even though I'm a big Rafa fan - definitely more a Rafa fan than a Kolya fan - there's a part of me that would really like to see Kolya win this one. Just to mess with everyone's heads.

Oh, and a shoutout over to Sam Stosur in Osaka, who's in the final there after taking out top seed Caroline Wozniacki. Sam has a pretty bad record in finals - she's made a few, but lost them all - so here's hoping she can turn her bad finals mojo around!


Today's Results

Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 (Shanghai)

Rafael Nadal def. Feliciano Lopez, 6-1 3-0 retired
Nikolay Davydenko def. Novak Djokovic, 4-6 6-4 7-6 (7-1)


Generali Ladies Linz (Linz)

Yanina Wickmayer def. Flavia Pennetta, 7-6 (7-5) 6-3
Petra Kvitova def. Agnieszka Radwanska, 6-3 6-3


HP Open (Osaka)

Samantha Stosur def. Caroline Wozniacki, 6-0 4-6 6-4
Francesca Schiavone def. Sania Mirza, 6-2 6-1

Feliciano Makes A Mess

Nooooooooooooooo!

Argh, Feliciano Lopez, why did you do this to me? Why did you do it to the world? Don't you know how desperately we want to see a Rafa/Yoker grudge match! It's not faaaaaaaaaaair! You're so selfish, Feli!

Pout.

Okay, maybe some of this was Robin's fault as well, for, you know, losing. But really - and I mean no disrespect to Lopez here - but who is going to want to see him play Rafa when we could see a match between sworn enemies? Correct me if I'm wrong, but these two haven't played since that fateful day at Roland Garros. Who wouldn't want to see the rematch - the resurgent Robin, Nadal determined to wreak bloody vengeance.

It would have been so awesome. But oh no, Feliciano Lopez had to be all selfish and go and win. Sigh.

Kudos to Feli, of course, for winning a match against a tough opponent ranked so far above him. But Yoker, whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?! Why must you torment us so?

I suppose once these two actually play, the tension (in the fan community, anyway) will be at such a peak that the match will explode in a festival of awesomeness... or, on second thoughts, fizzle out and be a total disappointment. But we can't know till they play, and they're avoiding each other MOST ANNOYINGLY!


Today's Results

Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 (Shanghai)

Rafael Nadal def. Ivan Ljubicic, 3-6 6-3 retired
Novak Djokovic def. Gilles Simon, 6-3 2-6 6-2
Nikolay Davydenko def. Radek Stepanek, 6-1 4-6 6-1
Feliciano Lopez def. Robin Soderling, 7-6 (7-4) 6-3


Generali Ladies Linz (Linz)

Flavia Pennetta def. Ioana Raluca Olaru, 7-5 6-2
Agnieszka Radwanska def. Lucie Safarova, 6-3 7-6 (11-9)
Yanina Wickmayer def. Sara Errani, 7-5 6-3
Petra Kvitova def. Carla Suarez Navarro, 7-5 6-4


HP Open (Osaka)

Caroline Wozniacki def. Aleksandra Wozniak, 6-2 6-7 (1-7) 6-2
Sania Mirza def. Marion Bartoli, 6-4 2-0 retired
Samantha Stosur def. Jill Craybas, 6-1 6-3
Francesca Schiavone def. Melinda Czink, walkover

Adding Insult To Injury

This spate of injuries is really getting old.

We lost Stan Wawrinka and Gael Monfils today through retirement, meaning that one quarter of today's matches ended in injury and walking off the court. I know it's not exactly their fault that they're injured and I could use this to prompt a discussion on the schedule and stuff, but guys, really? If you're that injured, why are you playing?

I didn't see the matches so I don't know whether they were carrying these injuries into the match or whether they became injured in the course of a match. Injured in the course of a match I get - ain't nothing you can do about that. But if you know your body can't go the distance for the tournament, then you shouldn't play. Roger Federer (all hail) said once that he doesn't retire - if he's injured, he just doesn't walk on court. I think this is a really good way to do things - in fact, it's the way he's done things this week. He's still sore and needs rest, so he didn't play.

Let's face it - the guys in the top fifty are not the only tennis players in the world. There are people playing qualies and pre-qualies for tournaments like these that must gnash their teeth every time they see someone retire due to a carried injury. It's a waste of a spot and a waste of a match that these slightly lower-ranked guys would kill to play. And by half-heartedly committing to tournaments like this and then pulling out, the higher-ranked guys are wasting opportunities that these lower-ranked guys would kill off. It's rude to the lower-ranked guys and it's insulting to the tournament and to the sport.

If you're not prepared to play a full tournament, then don't step on the court. Because there are people who want to. Desperately.


Today's Results

Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 (Shanghai)

Rafael Nadal def. Tommy Robredo, 6-1 6-4
Novak Djokovic def. Rainer Schuettler, 6-4 6-2
Robin Soderling def. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 6-3 6-3
Gilles Simon def. Tomas Berdych. 6-3 6-4
Nikolay Davydenko def. Fernando Gonzalez, 6-3 7-5
Ivan Ljubicic def. Gael Monfils, 6-2 3-0 retired
Radek Stepanek def. Stanislas Wawrinka, 3-6 7-6 (7-5) 4-2 retired
Feliciano Lopez def. Jurgen Melzer, 5-7 7-6 (7-3) 6-1


Generali Ladies Linz (Linz)

Flavia Pennetta def. Anna-Lena Groenefeld, 6-3 4-6 6-2
Agnieszka Radwanska def. Alize Cornet, 6-4 7-5
Yanina Wickmayer def. Alexandra Dulgheru, 2-6 6-3 6-1
Lucie Safarova def. Urszula Radwanska, 6-4 6-4
Ioana Raluca Olaru def. Julia Goerges, 3-6 6-2 7-5


HP Open (Osaka)

Caroline Wozniacki def. Katie O'Brien, 6-0 6-1
Samantha Stosur def. Akiko Morigami, 6-1 6-2
Aleksandra Wozniak def. Chang Kai-Chen, 7-5 7-6 (7-2)
Jill Craybas def. Mathilde Johansson, 2-6 6-2 6-0

Age Before Beauty

Well, Marat is gone from China, and the march towards Bercy and his last tournament continues. Still, he didn't exactly roll down and die in his match against Berdych - a match of two headcases - and so I suppose I can be happy with that. I just don't want to think about a future with no Marat in it. Sigh.

We saw a couple of upsets today, most notably third seed and Grand Slam man Juan Martin del Potro go down to Jurgen Melzer, retiring down a set because of wrist issues. I will be very disappointed in Juan if he can't back up his US Open triumph - but if he's injured I suppose that's not his fault. Just another casualty of the season and the length and all those wacky things. So hasta la vista, Juan, and hopefully we'll see you back again by Bercy.

But the result I thought was reeeeeeeeally interesting was Ivan Ljubicic taking down Fernando Verdasco. It seems like a thousand years ago that Ljubicic was #3 in the world - it was only 2006, and he spent a while floating round the top ten before sliding down to the bottom half of the top fifty. But nonetheless, he's got a lovely game and ain't no one can take that away...

...however, with Nando's crushing groundies, I thought he'd pummel Ivan into submission. Ivan is definitely one of the grandpas of the tour (read: is in his thirties) and while that serve of his is smoking, I got the impression that he'd lost a leeeeeeetle power over the years. But, of course, what does that mean? If one can counterpunch effectively, one can do anything.

I didn't actually see the match so I'm not exactly qualified to comment, but I thought this was an interesting result. Not good for Nando in his bid to make it to the year-ending championships, but it's always nice to see one of the elder statesmen - particularly a really lovely, eloquent gentleman like Ljubicic - prevail.


Today's Results

Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 (Shanghai)

Rafael Nadal def. James Blake, 6-2 6-7 (4-7) 6-4
Novak Djokovic def. Fabio Fognini, 6-3 6-1
Jurgen Melzer def. Juan Martin del Potro, 7-5 2-1 retired
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. Shao-Xuan Zeng, 6-3 6-3
Ivan Ljubicic def. Fernando Verdasco, 6-4 7-6 (8-6)
Gilles Simon def. Viktor Troicki, 6-3 6-4
Robin Soderling def. Nicolas Almagro, 6-4 7-5
Gael Monfils def. Lleyton Hewitt, 4-6 6-4 6-2
Tommy Robredo def. Florian Mayer, 4-6 7-6 (12-10) 6-4
Rainer Schuettler def. Tommy Haas, 6-4 retired
Feliciano Lopez def. David Ferrer, 4-6 7-5 6-1
Tomas Berdych def. Marat Safin, 3-6 6-4 6-4


Generali Ladies Linz (Linz)

Yanina Wickmayer def. Timea Bacsinszky, 7-6 (8-6) 6-4
Alexandra Dulgheru def. Sybille Bammer, 6-3 6-1
Alize Cornet def. Kristina Barrois, 4-6 6-3 6-3
Agnieszka Radwanska def. Monica Niculescu, 6-4 6-2
Sara Errani def. Tatjana Malek, 6-3 6-0
Petra Kvitova def. Iveta Benesova, 6-4 7-5
Carla Suarez Navarro def. Olga Govortsova, 6-3 6-4


HP Open (Osaka)

Melinda Czink def. Vania King, 6-4 6-2
Francesca Schiavone def. Yung-Jan Chan, 6-3 0-6 6-3
Sania Mirza def. Viktoriya Kutuzova, 6-4 6-3
Marion Bartoli def. Kurumi Nara, 6-1 6-1

Streaks of Disappointment

A couple of bizarro results at Shanghai overnight - one, Andy Roddick going out to Stan Wawrinka. I mean, sure, it was Andy Roddick going out on a retirement, but I seriously can't remember the last time Andy retired in a match. He's no Djokovic type, that's for sure, so there must be something pretty wrong with him.

He's been bitching a lot about the schedule lately (which is, in my opinion, fair enough, even though as a fan I want to see as much tennis as possible) and maybe this is part of the reason why. Nevertheless, get well soon, Andy. I want to see you at the Masters' Cup. After what you did at Wimbledon, you deserve it. And Stan, may your progression through the draw now be speedy and swift, like a knife through hot butter. With Papa Bear out looking after the kids, you're my main Swiss man. Don't let me down.

The other result which I thought was more disappointing than actually bizarre was Cilic going out to Berdych. Here, we have yet another example of what a streaky, streaky player Mighty Marin is, and it makes me sad. He should be winning these matches because, let's face it, Berdych is a headcase too. In fact, I'd venture to say that Berdych is a HUGE headcase, and Mighty Marin, despite his streakiness, has not yet reached those epic levels. So to see him go out was disappointing.

I think it was more disappointing because it was tight - three sets, 6-4 in the third - and pretty hotly contested throughout. Marin is ranked higher than Tomas for a reason, and it should be because he has the ability to tough out matches like that.

Maybe I'm being too hard on him. He had a big week last week, after all. But gosh darn it, I love that kid. And I want to see him do well.


Today's Results

Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 (Shanghai)

Robin Soderling def. Victor Hanescu, 6-3 6-4
Gael Monfils def. Paul-Henri Mathieu, 6-2 6-2
Tomas Berdych def. Marin Cilic, 7-6 (10-8) 3-6 6-4
Tommy Haas def. Benjamin Becker, 7-6 (7-5) 6-4
Jurgen Melzer def. Jeremy Chardy, 6-4 6-4
Lleyton Hewitt def. John Isner, 6-2 6-4
Ivan Ljubicic def. Julien Benneteau, 6-3 3-6 6-1
Nicolas Almagro def. Philipp Kohlschreiber, 6-7 (2-7) 6-1 7-6 (8-6)
Viktor Troicki def. Juan Monaco, 6-1 6-2
Stanislas Wawrinka def. Andy Roddick, 3-4 retired
Nikolay Davydenko def. Igor Kunitsyn, 6-4 6-2
Fernando Gonzalez def. Thomaz Bellucci, 6-3 6-4
Radek Stepanek def. Andreas Beck, 7-5 6-4


Generali Ladies Linz (Linz)

Flavia Pennetta def. Meghann Shaughnessy, 6-1 6-1
Iveta Benesova def. Stephanie Gehrlein, 7-5 6-0
Julia Goerges def. Sorana Cirstea, 6-3 6-3
Lucie Safarova def. Patricia Mayr, 6-2 6-1
Sara Errani def. Arantxa Parra Santonja, 6-2 6-3
Anna-Lena Groenefeld def. Roberta Vinci, 7-5 6-1
Olga Govortsova def. Petra Martin, 6-2 6-7 (7-9) 6-2
Tatjana Malek def. Aravane Rezai, 7-5 7-5


HP Open (Osaka)

Caroline Wozniacki def. Ayumi Moritam 6-4 6-1
Marion Bartoli def. Galina Voskoboeva, 6-3 7-5
Samantha Stosur def. Alexandra Panova, 602 604
Aleksandra Wozniak def. Sophie Ferguson, 6-1 7-5
Vania King def. Julie Coin, 2-6 6-3 6-4
Jill Craybas def. Kimiko Date Krumm, 6-2 2-6 6-4
Chang Yung-Jan def. Carly Gullickson, 6-1 6-1
Akiko Morigami def. Anastasia Rodionova, 6-4 4-6 6-2
Chang Kai-Chen def. Tamarine Tanasugarn, 7-5 6-1
Kurumi Nara def. Chanelle Scheepers, 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 6-2

Stanhai

Ernests Gulbis went out in the first round of the Shangahi Masters to Fabio Fognini.

Sigh.

Right. No more on you, Ernie, until you sort yourself out.

Marat Safin, on the other hand, won - yay for Marat! I mean, sure, he beat someone I've never heard of in Mao-Xin Gong, but he beat him well and good (unlike his sister and her Chinese wildcard boogeyman last week). So hurrah for you, Marat, and please, keep up the winning. Go out with a bang. Please. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease.

There were no major upsets on first day action - no seeds fell, but then only a couple were playing. One result I thought was quite interesting was Stan Wawrinka's - he totally had a brain fart in the first set against Lukasz Kubot before coming back to win in three. I love Stan - I really do - but he hasn't been especially impressive of late. He did well in Davis Cup, I suppose, but before that I can't remember a really excellent match he played after he lost to Andy Murray at Wimbledon. Maybe he's got late season blues as well. In which case, get better by next year, please, Stan...

...though with a baby on the way, maybe Stan won't even be in Australia. I hope he will. But nothing's certain, obviously.

One person who will be in Australia is Justine Henin, who's officially been granted a wildcard. I'm not expecting her to pull a Clijsters, but it is going to be very interesting to see how she goes...


Today's Results

Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 (Shanghai)

Fernando Gonzalez def. Mischa Zverev, 7-5 6-7 (0-7) 2-2 retired
Radek Stepanek def. Juan Carlos Ferrero, 6-3 6-0
Tommy Robredo def. Michael Llodra, 6-1 6-4
David Ferrer def. Richard Gasquet, 6-4 6-3
James Blake def. Ivo Karlovic, 3-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-3
Marat Safin def. Mao-Xin Gong, 6-4 6-4
Stanislas Wawrinka def. Lukasz Kubot, 2-6 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-3)
Florian Mayer def. Philipp Petzschner, 6-3 6-2
Rainer Schuettler def. Martin Vassallo Arguello, 6-4 3-6 7-6 (7-2)
Fabio Fognini def. Ernests Gulbis, 7-6 (7-3) 6-3
Thomaz Bellucci def. Marco Chiudinelli, 7-6 (7-3) 6-4


Generali Ladies Linz (Linz)

Ioana Raluca Olaru def. Lucie Hradecka, 6-2 2-6 6-1
Petra Kvitova def. Andrea Petkovic, 6-1 6-4
Carla Suarez Navarro def. Katerina Srebotnik, 6-2 6-4
Urszula Radwanska def. Yvonne Meusburger, 7-6 (8-6) 6-1


AIG Japan Open (Osaka)

Francesca Schiavone def. Anne Kremer, 7-5 6-2
Sania Mirza def. Shahar Peer, 3-6 6-3 6-4
Melinda Czink def. Ryoko Fuda, 6-4 6-4
Mathilde Johansson def. Yaroslava Shvedova, 7-5 2-6 7-5
Viktoriya Kutuzova def. Maria Kirilenko, 6-2 retired
Katie O'Brien def. Alexa Glatch, 6-3 6-4

Lukewarm

So Marin didn't exactly roll over, but I think we saw in the final in Beijing exactly what's holding him back - he can't back up a hot performance like the one against Nadal with an equally hot one. So unless his hot performance comes in the final, he's sort of on his own.

I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe he just had a better game plan against Rafa or was able to impose his game better - because that's certainly what happened there: Cilic totally imposed his game on Rafa and Rafa was unable to respond. I guess Novak was just not so vulnerable...

...and one cannot get around the fact that Cilic just didn't play as well.

He didn't play badly - I mean, he got that second set to a breaker after a very limp first set - but he needs to step it up if he wants to mix it with the big guys.

Speaking of the big guys, Novak Djokovic is now back at #3 in the world. I can't remember a year where we saw this much shuffling among the top echelons - in the best of the rest spots, sure, but among the big guys? Not so much. For ages, it was just Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, bam, done - now the introduction of Murray has really shaken things around. He's fallen from #2 to #4 in the last few weeks, and I can't imagine he'll be too happy about that... but with that wrist injury, how well is he going to be able to respond?

Shout outs also go to our other weekend winners, Tsonga and Kuznetsova. I might write more on these guys later, but for now - congrats.


Today's Results

China Open (Beijing)

Men's Draw

Novak Djokovic def. Marin Cilic, 6-2 7-6 (7-4)


Women's Draw

Svetlana Kuznetsova def. Agnieszka Radwanska, 6-2 6-4


Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships (Tokyo)

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. Mikhail Youzhny, 6-3 6-3

Mighty Marin Strikes Again

Marin Cilic, you are mighty.

I didn't see the match, so I don't know if Rafa was injured or if Shmafa turned up or what happened, but for someone to beat him so comprehensively, they have to be playing pretty damn well. Mighty Marin Cilic, that was some win.

I've been on the Mighty Marin bandwagon for a long time now, and so it makes me very happy to see him doing well and knocking out quality opponents - though I still love you, Rafa, fear not. As we saw in the US Open, when he totally smashed Andy Murray like a guitar, he is capable of tennis that truly rocks the kasbah. He's got talent in huge lashings and when it's on display, he is absolutely fearsome. Top ten for sure.

However, the one problem Marin has is that this talent doesn't always come to play. He gets nervous - I note that this happened in the third set last night, where he was on the path to beating Rafa breadstick and breadstick but suffered from some tightness. This is, I think, the last major hurdle he has to overcome. If he can bring his talent, or at least some measure of it, to play on every occasion he steps on the court, he is going to skyrocket up the rankings. Nalbandian-esque streakiness won't do him any favours in the long run.

So it will be interesting to see what he delivers when he steps on court against Novak Djokovic tomorrow. I'm going to go out on a limb and pick Cilic to win - but if, and only if, he shows up with talent in tow.


Today's Results

China Open (Bejing)

Men's Draw

Marin Cilic def. Rafael Nadal, 6-1 6-3
Novak Djokovic def. Robin Soderling, 6-3 6-3


Women's Draw

Svetlana Kuznetsova def. Nadia Petrova, 6-1 6-3
Agnieszka Radwanska def. Marion Bartoli, 6-4 6-3


Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships (Tokyo)

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. Gael Monfils, 6-3 6-3
Mikhail Youzhny def. Lleyton Hewitt, 6-2 5-7 7-5

All Good Things...

Well, it couldn't last forever. Both Marat and Ernests went out today to opponents who are higher ranked, and, frankly, better than they are right now. No shame in that.

I don't know if there was ever much point hoping for Marat to beat Rafa - though a Marat who played to his potential, a la Marat AO '05, would certainly be capable of it. Rafa showed why he held the #1 spot for a year and why he's been at the top end of the game for so long. I'm pulling for him to win this title now - he deserves it, after a drought of about five months.

But I'm not here to make an ode to Rafa. I thought Marat did pretty well this week and though I'm not hoping for anything major from him in his last few tournaments, it'd be nice if he'd play like this week, win a few matches and fall to worthy opponents, instead of being like his sister and losing to people ranked in the #200s. Cool with you, Maratski?

Now, over to Ernie.

He lost, but I'm definitely seeing signs of life from the Latvian kid. He's working with Hernan Gumy now, I believe, and it's made a different. For the second week in a row, he played Jo-Wilfried tight in three. I think he has a bit of a problem with fading at the ends of matches which he needs to address, but things are looking up for Ernie. It used to be the height of trendiness to be an Ernie fan and now it seems to be the opposite. But I'm still siding with you, Ernie - now go out there, end the year with a few more consecutive wins and show me that my faith in you is not misguided!


Today's Results

China Open (Beijing)

Men's Draw

Rafael Nadal def. Marat Safin, 6-3 6-1
Novak Djokovic def. Fernando Verdasco, 6-3 1-6 6-1
Marin Cilic def. Nikolay Davydenko, 6-4 6-4
Robin Soderling def. Ivan Ljubicic, 7-6 (7-3) 6-4


Women's Draw

Marion Bartoli def. Vera Zvonareva, 3-6 7-5 6-2
Agnieszka Radwanska def. Elena Dementieva, 7-5 6-3
Svetlana Kuznetsova def. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 6-3 6-3
Nadia Petrova def. Shuai Peng, 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-2


Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships (Tokyo)

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. Ernests Gulbis, 4-6 6-4 6-3
Gael Monfils def. Stanislas Wawrinka, 2-6 6-3 6-4
Mikhail Youzhny def. Tomas Berdych, 6-2 7-6 (8-6)
Lleyton Hewitt def. Edouard Roger-Vasselin, 6-4 6-0

Awesome Times Two

He did it! Oh frabjous day, calloo, callay, etc etc! Joy and celebration and a ticker tape parade!

Ernests Gulbis won two matches in a row.

It was pretty much the crappest way to win ever - on a retirement - but still, I am refusing to be downhearted. He played very well to beat Juan Monaco - even an injured Juan Monaco - and backed up his upset of Stepanek nicely. I am very, very happy.

This was after coming up through qualies, and I'm inclined to think playing the qualies was a good thing for him. It meant he had to string a couple of wins together before the tournament even started, which, sure, weren't over the bestest players EVAH, but it gave him a bit of momentum. This is obviously not something he's going to be able to rely on forever, but for now, I think it served him well. And now he's finally in reasonably deep at a tournament! Hurrah!

You know what would reeeeeeeeeeeally make my day, Ernie? If you won the next round as well. Prove it's not a fluke and you're making a late charge. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?!

And in other news, Marat Safin is totally in the third round in Beijing after opening a can of whoop-ass on seventh seed Fernando Gonzalez. I know his heart isn't in the game any more, ra ra ra, but I would dearly love to see him do well in these last few tournaments of his. End it with a bang, Marat. Do it for me.


Today's Results

China Open (Beijing)

Men's Draw

Rafael Nadal def. James Blake, 7-5 6-7 (4-7) 6-3
Robin Soderling def. Tommy Robredo, 6-3 6-3
Marat Safin def. Fernando Gonzalez, 6-3 6-4
Ivan Ljubicic def. Lukasz Kubot, 7-6 (8-6) 4-6 6-4


Women's Draw

Nadia Petrova def. Serena Williams, 6-4 3-6 7-6 (7-5)
Vera Zvonareva def. Flavia Pennetta, 6-3 5-7 7-5
Agnieszka Radwanska def. Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, 4-6 6-4 6-2
Marion Bartoli def. Zhang Shuai, 6-1 6-4


Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships (Tokyo)

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. Richard Gasquet, 4-6 6-2 6-2
Mikhail Youzhny def. Gilles Simon, 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (5-7) 6-4
Tomas Berdych def. Andreas Beck, 6-4 6-1
Lleyton Hewitt def. Fabrice Santoro, 3-6 6-3 6-1
Edouard Roger-Vasselin def. Jurgen Melzer, 4-6 6-2 6-3
Ernests Gulbis def. Juan Monaco, 6-3 4-1 retired

Signs of Life

We all know it has not been a good year for the much touted Ernests Gulbis. Judging by his age and the progress of his peers - people like Marin Cilic and Juan Martin del Potro - this should have been his career year. Instead, he hasn't been able to string two wins together and people have been jumping off the Ernie bandwagon in droves.

Even me, a faithful Ernie fan, cannot deny that it's been hard to believe in him this year. But you know what? I think, at last, he might be starting to show signs of life again. He started the year with a bang by beating Djokovic, and then has fizzled ever since. However, he played Jo-Willy Tsonga unbelievably tight last week, in a match that had no breaks of serve. And now, after coming through qualifying (thus necessitating the stringing of a few wins together) he's gone and beat himself a seed.

And not just any seed either. #6 seed, the notoriously tricky Radek Stepanek.

Sure, it's not the greatest win the history of the world. Stepanek isn't exactly Federer or Nadal. But he's a tough player and to beat him in reasonably straightforward straights like Ernie did is pretty good. That, coupled with the performance he put in last week against Jo-Dub, is making me think that something might be firing up in the Ernie tank. He said he gained more muscle and it messed with his game, a la Jankovic. I'm not sure what, if anything, he's doing different now, but here's hoping, Ernie, that you're here to stay.

And please - it would make my YEAR if you'd just win your next match, so you can say you've won two tour level matches in a row this year!


Today's Results

China Open (Beijing)

Men's Draw

Novak Djokovic def. Viktor Troicki, 6-3 6-0
Nikolay Davydenko def. Philipp Kohlschreiber, 6-1 6-0
Fernando Verdasco def. Juan Carlos Ferrero, 7-5 6-4
Marin Cilic def. Julien Benneteau, 6-2 2-6 6-0


Women's Draw

Peng Shuai def. Maria Sharapova, 6-2 6-4
Elena Dementieva def. Li Na, 6-2 6-0
Svetlana Kuznetsova def. Alona Bondarenko, 6-3 4-6 6-0
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova def. Aleksandra Wozniak, 6-4 6-4


Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships (Tokyo)

Gael Monfils def. Marco Chiudinelli, 7-6 (7-5) 6-3
Stanislas Wawrinka def. Simon Greul, 6-3 6-2
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. Mischa Zverev, 6-4 6-3
Ernests Gulbis def. Radek Stepanek, 6-4 6-4
Mikhail Youzhny def. Thomaz Bellucci, 6-2 6-3
Andreas Beck def. Rainer Schuettler, 6-3 4-6 7-6 (7-3)
Juan Monaco def. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, 5-0 retired
Richard Gasquet def. Philipp Petzschner, 6-3 6-2

#1 Story

It is, I believe, official, or as good as - Dinara Safina is no longer going to be the world #1. Instead, that title will pass to the much-belaguered-of-late Serena Williams. This is, in my opinion, a Good Thing for Dinara. A very Good Thing indeed - and I'm sure I'm not the only person who thinks this way. The last thing Dinara needs at the moment is that kind of pressure. Maybe this will inspire her to better play. Who knows?

At any rate, I'm not giving up on Dinara just yet. I may be the last person clinging to the bandwagon, and I may only be clinging to it by a fingernail, but I'm going to keep the faith. She's never been someone that wins pretty, and she's never lost prettily either. The rest of this year has to be a write-off from her perspective - I wouldn't blame her if she skipped the end of year championships and just went off and worked with Zeljko for a while on that serve of hers. I think it would do her the world of good. And then maybe next year we can see her winning ugly again instead of losing hideously.

Speaking of #1 seeds losing, I bet Juan Martin del Potro's filthy with himself. Talk about coming back from a massive title without a bang. He went down in straights in the first round of Tokyo to qualifier Edouard Roger-Vasselin - not the kind of match he wants to be losing. I mean, I'm sure we can forgive him a stupid loss or two - he did prove himself in rather spectacular fashion by winning in the US - but I've got my eye on you, Juan. Don't keep this up.

The top seed in Beijing is one Rafael Nadal, and he did not lose today - onya, Rafa. However, he did go to three, and the man that stole the set was Marcos Baghdatis. I've missed smiley happy Marcos, and to see him back on court and pinching sets from the top blokes is very nice indeed. Keep it up, amigo!


Today's Results

China Open (Beijing)

Men's Draw

Rafael Nadal def. Marcos Baghdatis, 6-4 3-6 6-4
Lukasz Kubot def. Andy Roddick, 6-2 6-4
Nikolay Davydenko def. Igor Kunitsyn, 6-1 6-7 (6-8) 6-2
Fernando Verdasco def. Robby Ginepri, 6-7 (7-9) 6-1 6-2
Robin Soderling def. Jeremy Chardy, 6-3 4-6 6-2
Fernando Gonzalez def. David Ferrer, 7-5 6-4
Marat Safin def. Jose Acasuso, 6-4 6-2
James Blake def. Florian Mayer, 6-3 3-6 6-3
Ivan Ljubicic def. Paul-Henri Mathieu, 7-6 (10-8) 4-6 6-1
Viktor Troicki def. Fabio Fognini, 7-6 (7-5) 7-5


Women's Draw

Marion Bartoli def. Alisa Kleybanova, 6-2 6-3
Flavia Pennetta def. Kateryna Bondarenko, 3-6 7-5 6-3
Vera Zvonareva def. Francesca Schiavone, 6-3 6-0
Elena Dementieva def. Melinda Czink, 6-4 6-3
Agnieszka Radwanska def. Patty Schnyder, 6-4 6-1
Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez def. Vania King, 6-4 6-4
Shuai Peng def. Jelena Jankovic, 4-6 7-5 6-2
Maria Sharapova def. Victoria Azarenka, 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 7-5
Nadia Petrova def. Daniela Hantuchova, 6-1 2-6 7-5
Serena Williams def. Ekaterina Makarova, 6-3 6-2


Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships (Tokyo)

Edouard Roger-Vasselin def. Juan Martin del Potro, 6-4 6-4
Gilles Simon def. Takao Suzuki, 6-3 6-4
Tomas Berdych def. Go Soeda, 6-2 6-4
Lleyton Hewitt def. Tatsuma Ito, 6-1 7-5
Jurgen Melzer def. Leonardo Mayer, 7-6 (7-4) 6-3
Fabrice Santoro def. Andrey Golubev, 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-2) 6-2

Not Good Enough

I think I might hate the WTA. Seriously. This is not good enough. This is nowhere in the vicinity of good enough. This is so far away from good enough that people have forgotten what good enough looks like, and it's become some mythical holy grail that people go in quest of.

Last week, we saw all the top six seeds fall in the first round. We're not quite there yet, but we're not far off. Venus Williams lost to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova - again. I love Pavs, so I'm not complaining, but really, Venus? Really?! What's that?

And then Dinara Safina lost to Zhang Shuai. Not Peng Shuai. Zhang Shuai. I'm sure I'm not the only one going 'huh?' right now.

I wrote about a month ago in defence of Dinara. I'm still not quite ready to give up on her, but I'm certainly not far off either. I'm allowing her the off-season to prove herself, to fix her serve and to come back with determination. I don't want to enter into this whole 'real #1' debate, but she's not showing herself worthy of the ranking at the moment. Problem is, no one's showing themselves worthy of it, and so she's clinging onto it by default at the moment.

But this has got to stop. This WTA nonsense has got to halt right now. I understand the off season is approaching and they're probably all tired. Well, guess what? That's not an excuse. It's simply not good enough. If the top blokes can keep it up, then so can the women. If they're too tired to play, they should do what Ana Ivanovic did and gracefully call it an end to the season so they can go away and regroup. Because this top ten debacle has got to stop.


Today's Results

China Open (Beijing)

Men's Draw

Novak Djokovic def. Victor Hanescu, 6-3 7-5
Marin Cilic def. Igor Andreev, 6-4 6-4
Philipp Kohlschreiber def. Ivo Karlovic, 7-6 (8-6) 4-6 6-1
Juan Carlos Ferrero def. Nicolas Almagro, 7-5 7-6 (7-3)
Tommy Robredo def. Benjamin Becker, 6-2 6-1
Julien Benneteau def. Marcos Daniel, 6-3 6-4


Women's Draw

Zhang Shuai def. Dinara Safina, 7-5 7-6 (7-5)
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova def. Venus Williams, 3-6 6-1 6-4
Svetlana Kuznetsova def. Anabel Medina Garrigues, 6-2 6-1
Li Na def. Lucie Safarova, 4-6 6-0 6-4
Aleksandra Wozniak def. Alize Cornet, 7-6 (7-0) 6-4
Alona Bondarenko def. Sara Errani, 6-3 6-3
Nadia Petrova def. Alla Kudryavtseva, 6-1 5-7 6-2
Daniela Hantuchova def. Carla Suarez Navarro, 7-5 6-2
Francesca Schiavone def. Sabine Lisicki, 6-0 1-0 retired
Alisa Kleybanova def. Yanina Wickmayer, 5-7 6-3 6-3
Vania King def. Galina Voskoboeva, 6-4 6-3


Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships (Tokyo)

Gael Monfils def. Marsel Ilhan, 6-2 6-4
Stanislas Wawrinka def. John Isner, 6-4 6-4
Marco Chiudinelli def. Dudi Sela, 4-6 6-1 6-4
Simon Greul def. Martin Vassallo Arguello, 4-6 6-4 6-2

Doing It For The Dwarves

Gilles Simon, here is the exit. Hand in your pass at the door. You're out. I never want to see your face in here again.

The Club of Lost Souls is no longer open to you.

That's right, after pretty much a year of whaling on the guy, I'm going to say something nice about ol' Gilles. I'm going to cut him a break and expel him from the Club of Lost Souls - the one club you definitely don't want to be a member of.

He played some great tennis to win the title of Thailand. Sure, maybe Viktor Troicki wasn't the strongest finals opponent in the world and maybe it wasn't the bestest field EVAH, but he played some good stuff to win it, and that's a hell of a lot more than we've been seeing from him in recent times. He's played le pathetique for most of this year, and I'm glad to see some decent balls flying from his racquet.

I like Gilles because he's little. There's not a whole lot of little guys in tennis, and the ones that are small aren't usually in the upper echelons. Gilles is the top ten flagflier for the little guys, and he was getting absolutely pummelled for a while there. I'm still not a massive fan of his game, but good on you, Gilles - doing it for the dwarves.


Today's Results

PTT Pattaya Open (Bangkok)

Gilles Simon def. Viktor Troicki, 7-5 6-3


Proton Malaysian Open (Kuala Lumpur)

Nikolay Davydenko def. Fernando Verdasco, 6-4 7-5


China Open (Beijing)

Dinara Safina def. Roberta Vinci, 6-4 6-2
Serena Williams def. Kaia Kanepi, 7-5 6-4
Elena Dementieva def. Anna-Lena Groenefeld, 6-4 6-0
Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez def. Caroline Wozniacki, 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-2) 6-0
Svetlana Kuznetsova def. Zheng Jie, 7-6 (7-3) 7-5
Vera Zvonareva def. Sorana Cirstea, 6-2 6-2
Victoria Azarenka def. Olga Govortsova, 6-1 6-3
Marion Bartoli def. Magdalena Rybarikova, 6-2 4-6 6-3
Anabel Medina Garrigues def. Lu Jingjing, 3-6 7-5 7-5
Sara Errani def. Alexa Glatch, 6-1 6-1
Lucie Safarova def. Ji Chun-Mei, 6-2 6-4
Patty Schnyder def. Urszula Radwanska, 6-4 7-5
Peng Shuai def. Yaroslava Shvedova, 6-2 6-3
Ekaterina Makarova def. Shahar Peer, 6-4 6-2
Kateryna Bondarenko def. Maria Kirilenko, 6-2 2-6 7-6 (7-2)
Melinda Czink def. Elena Vesnina, 7-6 (7-2) 5-7 6-4
Zhang Shuai def. Iveta Benesova, 6-4 6-2

Ending With A Whimper

Oh, Tokyo. You redeemed yourself with a respectable final, and then the final was a sham. Tokyo, Tokyo, Tokyo.

How very sad that Sharapova/Jankovic - which could have been a totally excellent match - ended in a retirement. I bet the tournament organisers - and Sharapova, come to think of it - are pretty mad with Jankovic. I'm pretty sure that this wasn't the way MaSha wanted to win her first tournament back.

But win she did - and let's talk about this for a minute. It's not quite Kim Clijsters winning the US Open, but to win a big tournament like Tokyo on the comeback is pretty sweet. Though it would have been sweeter if the draw had put up slightly more of a fight... but still. Well done, MaSha.

And in Tokyo - Gilles Simon is in the final! When was the last time we saw that? He's been the top ten's non entity for so long now, the seed you could count on to be upset, and now here he is in the final. He'll face Troicki, who surprised Tsonga. And then in Kuala Lumpur, we have #1 vs #2 - Davydenko vs Verdasco. Now there's some tournament organisers who can be very content...


Today's Results

PTT Pattaya Open (Bangkok)

Viktor Troicki def. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 1-6 6-2 6-3
Gilles Simon def. Jurgen Melzer, 6-4 7-6 (7-3)


Proton Malaysian Open (Kuala Lumpur)

Nikolay Davydenko def. Robin Soderling, 1-6 7-6 (7-1) 6-2
Fernando Verdasco def. Fernando Gonzalez, 6-4 7-5


Toray Pan Pacific Open (Tokyo)

Maria Sharapova def. Jelena Jankovic, 5-2 retired

A Question Of Consistency

I'd just, for a moment, like to compare the tournament in Kuala Lumpur currently to the one in Tokyo. Look at the semi finalists. In Kuala Lumpur, we have the top four seeds into the semis, wham bam thankyou ma'am - Davydenko, Verdasco, Soderling and Gonzalez. And the top six made it to the quarters, the only 'wild' cards being Youzhny and Gasquet, and, let's face it, they're much higher quality than their rankings would have you believe.

Tokyo has redeemed itself a bit - Jankovic vs Sharapova is a very respectable final - but you've got to think that the tournament organisers are breathing a sigh of relief after the total mess they had earlier in the week. And still, even though it's Jankovic/Sharapova, that's the #7 seed against someone unseeded. That's certainly not top four in the semis.

Not that there's anything wrong with some upsets and unpredictability. But the way the WTA is playing at the moment, the top girls can't win a match. They're almost underdogs when they go into a match - sometimes it feels like the real leaders of the tour are the ones in the #20-#50 range: ie. the ones doing the upsetting. Being in the top ten is almost a curse at the moment, it seems.

The point I am trying to make, I guess, is the hugely different consistency level across the two tours. In the men, the top four in the semis is pretty standard. Sure, it may be a little predictable sometimes, but people are showing they earn their spots. The WTA... the ranking system seems like a bit of a Russian roulette. And I don't know how long this can keep up before we see a complete change of the guard in the top ten.


Today's Results

PTT Pattaya Open (Bangkok)

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. Marco Chiudinelli, 6-7 (7-9) 6-3 6-4
Gilles Simon def. Evgeny Korolev, 4-6 6-3 6-4
Jurgen Melzer def. Andreas Beck, 6-4 6-2
Viktor Troicki def. John Isner, 7-6 (7-3) 6-2


Proton Malaysian Open (Kuala Lumpur)

Nikolay Davydenko def. Gael Monfils, 6-3 6-3
Fernando Verdasco def. Richard Gasquet, 7-5 6-4
Robin Soderling def. Tomas Berdych, 6-2 6-2
Fernando Gonzalez def. Mikhail Youzhny, 6-3 6-4


Toray Pan Pacific Open (Tokyo)

Jelena Jankovic def. Li Na, 6-4 6-3
Maria Sharapova def. Agnieszka Radwanska, 6-3 2-6 6-4

Thai Dyed

Well, I did not get my Thailand wish. Neither Marat Safin nor Ernests Gulbis managed to win their next matches.

Marat I am very disappointed in. He should be able to beat Marco Chiudinelli with his eyes closed and one arm tied behind his back, instead of losing tamely like he did. Still, it's pretty obvious that the fire is gone for Marat. He doesn't have any love for tennis at all and he's just hanging out for retirement so he can lie on the beach for a while. Here's one guy I don't think will be coming back.

Though my track record is not the best with these predictions - look what I said about Justine Henin.

Ernests Gulbis, on the other hand, did quite well. Could he finally, finally being finding his feet again? He pushed top seed Jo-Willy Tsonga all the way to a third set breaker, and considering the folks Jo-Dub has beaten of late - Federer springs to mind - that's really something a bit spesh. Not as good as winning, of course, but there's hope for the young Latvian yet. I'm still on your bandwagon, Ernie.

Over to the women, and I do believe I have some words to eat. I said Azarenka had to be the favourite to take the title... yeah, she went and lost. Just like all the other seeds. Li Na took her out - there's no way I would have picked that result. But JJ is still flying the seed flag, and Aggie Rad, and MaSha is still there - so it's not exactly like the semis of the US Open, which really was a decimation!


Today's Results

PTT Pattaya Open (Bangkok)

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. Ernests Gulbis, 6-7 (3-7) 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-2)
Gilles Simon def. Kevin Kim, 6-2 6-2
John Isner def. Mischa Zverev, 7-6 (7-5) 6-4
Andreas Beck def. Donald Young, 6-1 6-7 (3-7) 6-4
Marco Chiudinelli def. Marat Safin, 6-3 7-6 (7-4)
Evgeny Korolev def. Robby Ginepri, 6-1 6-1


Proton Malaysian Open (Kuala Lumpur)

Fernando Verdasco def. Karol Beck, 6-4 6-0
Fernando Gonzalez def. Rohan Bopanna, 6-4 3-6 6-4
Gael Monfils def. Martin Vassallo Arguello, 6-4 6-2
Tomas Berdych def. Simon Greul, 6-3 4-6 6-3
Richard Gasquet def. Joachim Johansson, 4-6 7-6 (7-1) 6-2


Toray Pan Pacific Open (Tokyo)

Jelena Jankovic def. Marion Bartoli, 6-4 6-3
Li Na def. Victoria Azarenka, 7-6 (9-7) 4-6 7-6 (7-4)
Agnieszka Radwanska def. Magdalena Rybarikova, 6-3 6-1
Maria Sharapova def. Iveta Benesova, 6-4 7-5