The Armada Sails On

Thankfully my Nando rant yesterday was ultimately pointless - he is injured. To that I say thank God, because if he hadn't been and he'd been left off the team, well...

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Not that it would really matter much, because the Spanish boys seem to be sailing along quite well. The Serbians won the doubles, but they really did not fire in the singles at all. Rafael Nadal absolutely destroyed Janko Tipsarevic, and Novak Djokovic did not really do too much better against David Ferrer... I mean, I get that Ferru is a claycourter, but Djokovic is really not playing well if he can't even take a set off the guy. Ferrer really hasn't been especially remarkable so far this year... I guess this is proof that neither is Djokovic.

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The Swiss look to be going down in Alabama as well, which is so sad... If they won the doubles I thought they'd be in with a chance, but the Bryans got them. If Federer had played, I think the tie'd be pretty much wrapped up by now, as one assumes he would win both his singles matches and with the point that Stan got, that'd be the three. But no such luck. Oh well - maybe next year (which is the mantra of the Swiss Davis Cup fan, I feel... unless Stan and Marco Chiudinelli pull off something totally remarkable on the last day, it's back to square one.)

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Only two countries have claimed wins thus far - Argentina has defeated the Netherlands and Croatia has beaten Chile. It's good that it's so close - you've got to love the tightness! Makes it all the more interesting.

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And the Aussie boys are doing well! Brydan Klein lost his singles match agaisnt Danai Udomchoke, but Hewitt won his and Ball and Guccione pulled their weight in doubles, so we look a very decent shot of winning the tie - awesome!

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Today's Results

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Argentina 3, Netherlands 0

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Lucas Arnold-Ker/Martin Vassallo Arguello def. Jesse Huta Galung/Rogier Wassen, 6-4 7-5 6-3

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Czech Republic 2, France 1

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Tomas Berdych/Radek Stepanek def. Richard Gasquet/Michael Llodra, 6-3 1-6 6-4 6-2

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USA 2, Switzerland 1

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Andy Roddick def. Marco Chiudinelli, 6-1 6-3 7-6 (7-5)

Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan def. Yves Allegro/Stanislas Wawrinka, 6-3 6-4 3-6 7-6 (7-2)

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Croatia 3, Chile 0

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Mario Ancic/Marin Cilic def. Paul Capdeville/Nicolas Massu, 6-3 6-3 3-6 6-4

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Sweden 2, Israel 1

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Simon Aspelin/Robert Lindstedt def. Amir Hadad/Andy Ram, 6-4 1-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-4

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Russia 2, Romania 1

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Marius Copil/Horia Tecau def. Marat Safin/Dmitry Tursunov, 4-6 6-7 (2-7) 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5) 6-4

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Germany 2, Austria 1

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Nicolas Kiefer/Philipp Kohlschreiber def. Julian Knowle/Alexander Peya, 6-3 7-6 (7-6) 3-6 6-4

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Spain 2, Serbia 1

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David Ferrer def. Novak Djokovic, 6-3 6-3 7-6 (7-4)

Rafael Nadal def. Janko Tipsarevic, 6-1 6-0 6-2

Viktor Troicki/Nenad Zimonjic def. Feliciano Lopez/Tommy Robredo, 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 7-6 (9-7)

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Monterrey Open (Monterrey)

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Marion Bartoli def. Vania King, 2-6 6-2 6-3

Zheng Jie def. Gisela Dulko, 6-3 6-2

Iveta Benesova def. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, 7-5 6-4

Li Na def. Lucie Safarova, 6-3 7-6 (7-3)