Robredo Rolls In 2009

You know who has been a real surprise package for the whole of this season - a guy who is totally ominous form but whom no one is talking about? Tommy Robredo. Seriously, the guy is on a major roll at the moment, and no one has said a word.

*

Let's look at the Aussie Open. Until his round of sixteen loss to the also in-form Andy Roddick, he gave up something like eleven games over only three matches. The phrase I heard someone use was 'cantering through the draw' and it was about right. I saw about a set of his second round victory against Viktor Troicki, who gave Rafa Nadal some serious trouble in the first round the year before, and Tommy absolutely went to town on him.

*

Then Tommy won a difficult final in Costa do Sauipe against hometown hero and Star of the Future Thomaz Bellucci, which can't have been easy. And now he's absolutely steamrolled his way through the field in Buenos Aires. He won his semi against local boy Jose Acasuso in pretty hot-looking form, and will go on now to face another local, Juan Monaco, in the final. Monaco did take top seed David Nalbandian in his semi... but come on, it's Dave. If LameDave showed up, then blind Freddy could beat him.

*

So I'd put pretty good money on Tommy winning again. Are we going to see a streak like the one big Juan Martin del Potro had last year, where he won four tournaments on the trot? I certainly think it's a distinct possibility. And if Tommy keeps up this form into Roland Garros, I certainly would not be surprised to see him go deep. I think Roger and Rafa would be a bit too much for Tommy, but if he's drawn in the Djokovic or Murray quarters, then I would not be surprised AT ALL to see him in the semis.

*

In fact, that is my early prediction for the French Open. Should Robredo be drawn in the Djokovic or Murray quarters, he'll be in the semis. You heard it here first.

*

*

Today's Results

*

Regions Morgan Keenan Championships (Memphis)
*

Radek Stepanek def. Dudi Sela, 6-3 6-1

*

*

Copa Telmex (Buenos Aires)

*

Juan Monaco def. David Nalbandian, 2-6 7-5 7-6 (7-2)

Tommy Robredo def. Jose Acasuso, 6-4 7-6 (7-3)

*

*

Open 13 (Marseille)

*

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. Novak Djokovic, 6-4 7-6 (7-1)

Michael Llodra def. Gilles Simon, 7-6 (7-5) 6-2

*

*

Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships (Dubai)

*

Venus Williams def. Virginie Razzano, 6-4 6-2

*

*

Copa Sony Ericsson Colsanitas (Bogota)

*

Gisela Dulko def. Edina Gallovits, 6-2 6-3

María José Martínez Sánchez def. Patricia Mayr, 7-5 7-5

*

*

PS. I'd just like to applaud Bernard Tomic for the wonderful work he did yesterday, raising money for the victims of the Victorian bushfire tragedy. I don't know how much coverage this natural disaster has got worldwide, but it was one of the biggest disasters we've had here in a long time, with 208 people (currently) perishing in blazes all over Victoria. This was coupled with terrible floods in Queensland and northern New South Wales. So kudos, Bernard, for doing your bit.

*

*

PPS. It has nothing to do with tennis, but if you have a spare moment, check out my other blog, The Black Valentine's Day Manifesto. I started it a week ago because of the massive response I had to a note I posted on Facebook, and it's really started ot take off! So check it out, if that's your cup of tea.

Rafandy

What a blockbuster final we have in Rotterdam! The organisers must be beside themselves with excitement/relief (unlike the organisers of Brisbane when their big gun, Novak Djokovic, got culled in the first round and their #2, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, got bundled out not long afterwards). It's going to be a very intriguing match, I think - it's Nadal/Murray, incidentally, which I should probably add before I start ranting on and on about it.

*

The big matches recently have gone the way of Murray, I think you'd say - there was the semi at the US Open last year (imagine - if Nadal had won that match and gone on to beat Federer for the title he would have a career Grand Slam right now... a 'Rafa Slam,' actually!) and then more recently there was that big exo in Abu Dhabi where they both went at it guns blazing. But then you consider that Rafa's coming in off one of the biggest victories of his career... and seriously, at this point in time, you'd have to be a silly fool to beat against the Boss.

*

Though the Rafandy match up interesting match up because of the psychology of it, particularly on Murray's side - I don't think Rafa is in Andy's head like he's in, say, Roger's. Andy has no doubts that he can take Rafa out, and he's willing to go for it. It's the sort of fearlessness that Novak Djokovic (spit spit) used to have, though I think he's lost it now. So it will be an interesting one (as I have said about forty times now). I'm not betting against Rafa, but I'm not counting Andy out.

*

Work that one out.

*

Something I am not impressed with is the final in Paris - we were all set to get Serena/Jankovic, which could have been awesome, and instead we're getting Dementieva/Mauresmo. Not that these ladies don't deserve it and not that it won't be a good match, but... please, Serena. Injured already?

*

And I would like to give out a shoutout to Thomaz Bellucci, who just made it to his first career final in Costa do Sauipe. Nice to see the Stars shining!

*

*

Today's Results

*

ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament (Rotterdam)

*

Rafael Nadal def. Gael Monfils, 6-4 6-4

Andy Murray def. Mario Ancic, 6-1 6-2

*

*

Brasil Open (Costa do Sauipe)

*

Thomaz Bellucci def. Frederico Gil, 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-4)

*

*

SAP Open (San Jose)

*

Mardy Fish def. James Blake, 6-3 6-2

*

*

Open GDF SUEZ (Paris)

*

Elena Dementieva def. Serena Williams, walkover

Amélie Mauresmo def. Jelena Jankovic, 6-2 0-6 6-1

*

*

PTT Pattaya Open (Pattaya City)

*

Vera Zvonareva def. Shahar Peer, 6-1 6-4

Sania Mirza def. Magdalena Rybarikova, 6-4 5-7 6-1