That Strange Unfinished Feel

Very little to report on today... mostly because very little happened. Only six matches were played in Madrid, and none of the results were particularly unexpected... that said, I only picked four of them correctly in the bracket challenge. But, you know, some of them were hard picks.

*

Like Simon vs. Andreev. I mean, who are you going to pick in that one? They couldn't decide who was going to win - Andreev had four match points. I had picked him to win, but Simon came through in the end. If that had been a five set match, that one could have been a thriller. I mean, as a three set match it looked like a bit of a thriller, what the nail-biting final set breaker. I hate final set breakers, I have to say - I think it is the stupidest way of deciding matches. Well, not stupid, I guess - I have no issues with breakers used in other sets - but I just feel that if the match is that close, then you are obligated to keep it going on until someone wins properly, if that makes sense. Imagine if that amazing Nadal/Federer match at Wimbledon had been decided with a fifth set breaker. That would have been tragic. Actually, remember the final at Rome in 2006, decided with a fifth set breaker. The match was five hours already, but it deserved longer. Someone wins the breaker, for sure, but the match is left with a strange unfinished feel...

*

Meanwhile, Tomas Berdych is looking in good form, which is interesting, because we haven't seen that for a while. Maybe that win in Tokyo was a harbinger of good things to come. Rainer Schuettler isn't a schlep - he is, we must remember, a Wimbledon semifinalist - but Berdych totally owned him. I'd like to see Berdych do well. He's a good indoor player, I do believe - remember that year when Federer won four Masters events and Nadal won four, and then neither of them played Paris? Berdych won it. I'm not saying I necessarily want him to replicate that - we all know I want Federer to win, to take out the double, especially as he hasn't won any Masters events this year - but it'd be nice to see him do well.

*

Same thing with my boy Marin Cilic, who had a good win as well, beating Olivier Rochus in straights. Rochus might not be the mightiest player on the circuit, but Cilic is being consistent and not taking any weird losses, and that's all I can ask of him. This kid is on the way up, big time.

*

Someone I thought was on the way up but keeps losing early, which is disappointing, is Alize Cornet, who lost to Alona Bondarenko in Zurich. It was another final set breaker - damn those breakers - but really, come on, Alize. Let's see you making good on all that talent!

*

*

Today's Results

*

Mutua Madrilena Masters Madrid (Madrid)

*

Mardy Fish def. Steve Darcis, 6-1 6-4

Simone Bolelli def. Nicolas Almagro, 7-6 (7-4) 6-1

Gilles Simon def. Igor Andreev, 4-6 6-1 7-6 (9-7)

Marin Cilic def. Olivier Rochus, 6-3 7-5

Tommy Robredo def. Andreas Seppi, 7-6 (7-5) 3-6 6-3

Tomas Berdych def. Rainer Schuettler, 6-1 6-2

*

*

Tennis.com Zurich Open (Zurich)

*

Maria Kirilenko def. Daniela Hantuchova, 7-5 6-2

Victoria Azarenka def. Amélie Mauresmo, 6-2 6-1

Alona Bondarenko def. Alizé Cornet, 1-6 6-3 7-6 (8-6)