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