She Who Loses Last

News item #1: I have tickets to the first week of the Australian Open! (again!) I am very excited about it! Australian Open membership is the bomb.

News item #2: Caroline Wozniacki is a serious contender for the US Open.

I don't want to think Caro is a real contender. I can't think of anyone whose game I like less. The great headcases of our game - the Ivanovics and Safinas of the world - at least they went for stuff. They might have made some spectacular errors, but at least they died trying, in a manner of speaking. Caro seems to have got to where she is by waiting for her opponent to make a mistake, and while that is obviously within the rules of the game, I don't think it's within the spirit.

But nevertheless, CazWoz is a serious contender and may well be the #1 seed, now we've lost Serena. If she keeps forcing everyone else to make mistakes before she does - like she did in Montreal this week - then she's going to be near impossible to beat. What needs to happen is that someone needs to hit her straight off the court. Someone needs to go for the lines and hit them, not just miss them. Otherwise, Caro is going to make the final again and this time go one better.

But now Serena is out, here's the question - who's going to be the one to take down the game's greatest pusher? Who is going to step up to the plate? Will it be Clijsters again? Venus? Jankovic? Kuznetsova? Someone else entirely?

Or is pushing - not losing instead of winning - going to be enough?

The Determination of Dinara Safina

Taking some time off and falling down the rankings is the best thing that has happened to Dinara Safina in a long time.

She's not a US Open contender. I'm not even going to begin to claim that. But now, in her post-Zeljko days, in the slow comeback crawl, I'm getting the feeling that Dinara is starting to put a few pieces together. It's only one match, but do you think the Dinara of three months ago would have been able to tough out Nadia Petrova 6-4 in the third set? No, I didn't think so either.

I don't want to make mountains out of molehills, but you kind of have to when it comes to Dinara. What I really want to see make a comeback, because it's what got her to #1 in the first place, is that you-have-to-shoot-me-to-win mentality. That's the mentality that got her past Sharapova and Dementieva at the French Open in 2008 and shot her into the final. It was what she had in the early days with Zeljko - fire and vim and determination - and what she hasn't had in a while now.

I was sad when she and Zeljko broke up. But now, in the aftermath of that destructive, apocalyptic relationship, I can definitely see that it was best. Dinara's finding herself again. She's finding the good. Or at least she did in this one match. She dug in her heels and didn't give in and toughed it out and from where I stand, that is nothing but a positive sign from her. Determination is key.

Super Six?

I'm not a massive Murray fan, but I have to say that I'm glad he won in Montreal. It would have seemed very... WTA if he'd taken the #2 spot from Rafa, who has been up in that echelon for so long, just by making the final. So kudos to Murray, who will now be taking up residence at the bottom of the draws after Cincinatti... you can bet that both he and Roger will be praying they don't get Rafa in their half!

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A word here has to go to del Potro, though, who played an outstanding tournament. I never thought this kid would last, but he has proved over and over again that he has what it takes to be at the top of the game. Actually, I would have to say that del Potro and Roddick have been two of the most remarkable players of the year - and they're not even in that Fantastic Four. They're hovering around those #5 and #6 spots, and they're taking them to a whole other level. I almost feel like now that there's the Fantastic Four, del Potro and Roddick, and then the best of the rest, instead of the #5 spot being basically #1 of the rest, if you know what I mean.

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Actually, to tell the truth, Roddick and del Potro are both playing better than some of that Fantastic Four - and by some of, I mean Djokovic. I would argue that they're playing about on a par with Murray - Murray might have a slight edge over del Potro, but I'd argue that Roddick might have a slight edge over Murray, given that psychological blow he dealt in the Wimbledon semi finals. Djokovic, despite his brief stint as Mr Second Banana of the Clay earlier this year, just isn't showing anything.

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Rafa, of course, is another level entirely, bum knees aside, and Federer another level as well, but del Potro and Roddick are both making their case for admittance to the Fantastic Four club. Who knows? Maybe we'll be seeing a Super Six soon. But one thing's for sure - ain't no one can rest on their laurels facing either of these two!

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Today's Results

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Rogers Cup (Montreal)

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Andy Murray def. Juan Martin del Potro, 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (7-3) 6-1

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Western and Southern Financial Group Women's Open (Cincinatti)

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Jelena Jankovic def. Dinara Safina, 6-4 6-2

One Small Rankings Spot, One Giant Leap for Murray

Before I begin, I would like to point out something I forgot yesterday - this is the 501st post on Tennis From The Backseat! My my, we have come a long way!

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Back to the tennis, the reason for those 500 previous rambles (well, mostly). It's official - the four year reign of the Hispano-Suisse domination machine in the top two spots of the rankings will come to an end at the end of this week. Rafael Nadal, after about a year in the top spot, is going to slide to #3, and Andy Murray is going to step up into the #2 position.

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This is very unusual and it's going to take a lot of getting used to. Everyone knows you find Federer and Nadal on opposite ends of the draw to each other. It's just the way it works. Now we have - gulp - the prospect of Federer/Nadal semi finals, which I find personally very troubling Not because I don't believe Federer can beat him - I do - but because it's just not how it works.

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As to whether it is an accurate reflection or not... look, with Rafa still shaky on his knees after that layoff and with Murray playing the way he has been, I think it probably is an accurate reflection. But if one is to look at their careers, well... you're going to take Rafa's resume all the way. I don't think Murray will be able to hold down the #2 spot if Rafa finds his form again. To come back from injury and make it to the quarters of a major event is not a bad result at all. And unless his knees are seriously bung, then I think we'll see Rafa back where he belongs - in the top two.

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Kudos to Murray, though - many have tried, all have failed, when it comes to breaking into these hallowed positions. Djokovic was ten points from taking down Federer at the end of last year, but he never quite managed it. Murray is the first man to break the stranglehold in what feels like an age - it is a shame it had to happen on the back of injury.

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Today's Results

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Rogers Cup (Montreal)

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Andy Murray def. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 6-4 7-6 (10-8)

Juan Martin Del Potro def. Andy Roddick, 4-6 6-2 7-5

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Western and Southern Financial Group Women's Open (Cincinatti)

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Dinara Safina def. Flavia Pennetta, 6-2 6-0

Jelena Jankovic def. Elena Dementieva, 7-6 (7-2) 0-6 7-6 (8-6)

Those Who Have Made Djokovic Their Bunny

Oh, Mr Federer, I am cross with you, I am cross with you indeed. Letting a 5-1 lead in the third set slip? Not cool, man, not cool.

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Though there are worse people in the world to lose to that Jo-W Tsonga. I believe he has a win over all the other Fantastic Four (including about 94 over Djokovic, who is totally his bunny) - I guess he needed to round out the set. There are worse losses in the world.

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Though speaking of people who have made Djokovic their bitch, I am now officially pulling for Andy Roddick to win this tournament. He deserves a big win after Wimbledon - and I think it would be really good for him to do well here, to prove that Wimbledon was not one big fluke. He is playing the best tennis of his career at the moment - in my opinion anyway - and I would like to see him actualise that in the form of a big-arse win. Montreal would do nicely.

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Though the favourite of the tournament now surely has to be Andy Murray, who has been cruising the whole way through. Rafa is technically the higher seed, but he is slugging it out with delPo as I write this, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if delPo nobbled him. The one real stumbling block for Murray will be, I think, Roddick - Wimbledon semi anyone?

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Oh, and Kim Possible went out today - but it was to the world number #1, so you can't say she's starting at the bottom!

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Today's Results

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Rogers Cup (Montreal)

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Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. Roger Federer, 7-6 (7-5) 1-6 7-6 (7-3)

Andy Murray def. Nikolay Davydenko, 6-2 6-4

Andy Roddick def. Novak Djokovic, 6-4 7-6 (7-4)

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Western and Southern Financial Group Women's Open (Cincinatti)

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Dinara Safina def. Kim Clijsters, 6-2 7-5

Flavia Pennetta def. Daniela Hantuchova, 6-3 6-3

Elena Dementieva def. Caroline Wozniacki, 6-2 6-3

Jelena Jankovic def. Sybille Bammer, 6-0 6-2

Crushinating and Burninating

Papa Bear is in the house!

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That's right, Roger's back, with Mama Bear and Baby Bears #1 and #2 in tow, and he's ready to rumble. He may not have exactly been in cruise mode against Frederic Niemeyer, Canadian journeyman, but somehow I'm thinking that doesn't mean too much. A little rust, perhaps, but that machine still looks pretty damn well-oiled to me. The Federer Express is a-rolling on, and it'll be crushinating and burninating again very soon, mark my words.

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Someone who's not crushinating and burninating at the moment, seemingly out of nowhere, is Marin Cilic. Now we all know I'm a Marin fan - he's one of my Stars of the Future who's rapidly growing into a Star of the Present - so I'm monitoring this mini-slump quite closely. He's now had two first round exits in a row, which is unlike him - including one to Somdev Devvarman. I'm sorry, but who? I'm not too worried - I think Marin's pretty resilient - but I'll be keeping an eye on him, nonetheless. Watch yourself, boy!

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Wins also went today to Djokovic, Murray and Davydenko, whom I'll be interested to watch progress in this tournament, as well as to Tommy Haas. Now there's someone whose cranked up the crushinator and the burninator of late. He hasn't played this well for years. First he was ever so close to beating the Rog at Roland Garros. Then there was Halle and the Wimbledon semi final, and some excellent matches since. Today he negated the ever-dangerous Ivo Karlovic - I'm not about to say that he's going to win the title or anything, but I think ol' Tommy has proved he's not going to be underestimated. He's got his game face on, that's for sure!

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And speaking of game faces, the king of the game face, one Mr. Rafael Nadal, will be back on the singles court tomorrow. He's already played a bit of doubles and not looked too shabby - let's see what he's like with the world watching...

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Today's Results

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Rogers Cup (Montreal)

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Andy Roddick def. Igor Andreev, 6-1 7-6 (7-3)

Juan Martin Del Potro def. Jan Hernych, 6-2 7-5

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. Rainer Schuettler, 4-6 6-3 6-4

Gilles Simon def. Alejandro Falla, 4-6 6-2 6-2

Fernando Verdasco def. Leonardo Mayer, 6-1 6-1

Juan Carlos Ferrero def. Gael Monfils, 6-3 7-6 (9-7)

Philipp Petzschner def. Tommy Robredo, 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-4)

Mikhail Youzhny def. John Isner, 6-7 (8-10) 6-1 6-3

Victor Hanescu def. Philipp Kohlschreiber, 6-3 4-6 7-5

Stanislas Wawrinka def. Andrey Golubev, 7-5 6-4

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Western and Southern Financial Group Women's Open (Cincincatti)

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Elena Dementieva def. Yanina Wickmayer, 6-3 6-4

Jelena Jankovic def. Maria Kirilenko, 7-6 (8-6) 6-3

Vera Zvonareva def. Alisa Kleybanova, 6-4 1-6 7-5

Caroline Wozniacki def. Aleksandra Wozniak, 4-6 6-4 6-4

Victoria Azarenka def. Anna Chakvetadze, 6-4 6-2

Melinda Czink def. Ana Ivanovic, 7-6 (8-6) 7-5

Sybille Bammer def. Agnieszka Radwanska, 6-0 7-5

Flavia Pennetta def. Agnes Szavay, 6-2 6-4

Sorana Cirstea def. Anna-Lena Groenefeld, 6-3 6-2

Daniela Hantuchova def. Alona Bondarenko, 7-5 1-6 6-4

Peng Shuai def. Maria Jose Martinez Sanches, 5-7 6-2 6-1

Kim Clijsters def. Patty Schnyder, 6-2 7-5

Family Photo

Tidbit of news - Roger Federer has just released the first photo of his new family, Roger and Mirka plus babies. It's beautiful. And at the same time, he's confirmed his participation in the Rogers Cup in Montreal.

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I don't know whether Mirka and the girls are going to go with him, which will be a very different experience for him. It's very rare to see a Roger match without faithful Mirka in the box supporting him, and on top of that, I don't think he'd be too keen on leaving his beautiful baby daughters Myla and Charlene behind. So maybe they will go with him - which will be a different experience, trying to focus on tennis with two such lovely (and presumably loud) distractions. So either way, it will be an interesting experience for Roger at the Rogers Cup.

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But what is most intriguing about Montreal is that it's sort of the first tournament back after the summer holidays and everything has changed in the interim. It's the debut of the new world order - Federer at #1, Nadal at #2, with a pair of suspect knees and Myla and Charlene along for the ride. Both the great champions of our sport have undergone signifcant changes since we last saw them. Rafa has been dealing with incredible injury as well as some pretty nasty personal stuff. Roger has become a daddy. The world has changed.

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The family photo of the ATP is now significantly different from the last time it was snapped. And it's going to be very interesting to see how that plays out on the court. Will Roger be inspired by his daughters to ascend to another, even more sublime, level of tennis and float through the US Open series on a wave of joy and brilliance? Will Rafa be so determined to prove himself after injury that he steamrolls every obstacle in his path with that mental toughness we've come to know and love so well? Or will both boys be a bit distracted and will someone else triumph?

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I can't say. And neither can anyone. And the truth is, no one will know anything until we see those guys play. The proof is in the pudding, and we can theorise as much as we choose, but until we see them play, we don't know a goddamn thing.

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Except that Myla and Charlene Federer are adorable.

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Today's Results

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Legg Mason Tennis Classic (Washington)

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Juan Martin Del Potro def. Robin Soderling, walkover

Fernando Gonzalez def. Tommy Haas, 7-5 6-4

Andy Roddick def. Ivo Karlovic, 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5)

John Isner def. Tomas Berdych, 6-3 6-7 (10-12) 6-2

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LA Women's Tennis Championships (Los Angeles)

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Sorana Cirstea def. Agnieszka Radwanska, 7-6 (7-4) 1-6 7-5

Samantha Stosur def. Jie Zheng, 4-6 6-3 6-4

Sound in Mind... and Hopefully Body

It's official - Rafa Nadal will be returning to the court at Montreal in his first match since his rather ignominious (though understandable) loss to Robin Soderling at Roland Garros. And talk about pressure - um, yeah, Rafa, you're the defending champion. Deal with that.

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So here's the question - which way is Rafa going to go?

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The way I see it, it's going to be purely physical. Either the Nadal knees are better, or they're not. Either they're fixed, or they're f*cked. The only thing that stands between Rafa and a new blaze of glory is the same thing that stands between his brain and the ground - his body.

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Well, and Roger Federer, but that's the same for everyone.

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What I'm getting at, though, is that I don't think there's a chance in hell that Rafa is going to be let down by his mind. We have seen too often and too well just how tough Rafa is in the head to ever underestimate him on that score. Mentally, Rafa is a machine - anyone who can play through the excruciating amounts of pain he was is a little superhuman. In that sense, I think we're going to see the same ol' Rafa. He's not going to be affected by losing the #1 ranking or by the streak that the great one RF is one. Rafa does his own thing and in his own mind, he is tough.

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So it all comes down to the body. Rafa Nadal has the mind of a gladiator - will his body rise to the task?

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Today's Results

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Legg Mason Tennis Classic (Washington)

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Benjamin Becker def. Robby Ginepri, 7-6 (7-3) 6-7 (1-7) 7-6 (7-4)

Rainer Schuettler def. Leonardo Mayer, 6-1 3-6 7-6 (7-5)

Sebastien de Chaunac def. Denis Istomin, 6-3 7-6 (9-7)

Juan Carlos Ferrero def. Nicolas Lapentti, 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 6-0

Somdev Devvarman def. Marin Cilic, 7-5 6-4

Tommy Haas def. Frank Dancevic, 6-1 4-6 6-4

Juan Martin del Potro def. Yen-hsun Lu, 4-6 6-3 6-2

Somdev Devvarman def. Marin Cilic, 7-5 6-4

Tomas Berdych def. Ernests Gulbis, 6-2 7-6 (8-6)

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LA Women's Tennis Championships (Los Angeles)

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Daniela Hantuchova def. Melanie Oudin, 6-7 (3-7) 6-2 6-2

Jie Zheng def. Olga Savchuk, 7-5 1-6 6-2

Samantha Stosur def. Monica Niculescu, 6-1 6-2

Maria Kirilenko def. Chanelle Scheepers, 4-6 6-3 6-1

Sorana Cirstea def. Michelle Larcher de Brito, 6-4 7-5

Ekaterina Makarova def. Melinda Czink, 3-6 6-4 6-1

Sabine Lisicki def. Kimiko Date Krumm, 7-6 (7-5) 2-6 7-5

Urszula Radwanska def. Julie Coin, 6-1 6-2

Aleksandra Wozniak def. Bethanie Mattek-Sands, 7-5 7-5

Na Li def. Ayumi Morita, 6-0 2-0 retired

Vera Zvonareva def. Peng Shuai, 3-6 6-3 7-6 (8-6)

Ana Ivanovic def. Vania King, 6-4 4-6 6-1

Truth, Justice & A Really Big Trophy

I never thought I'd be glad to see Andy Murray win anything, but I was very glad to see him win the title at Cincinatti. Pretty much the only person I dislike more than him is Novak Djokovic, and guess who he was playing...? To be fair, though, Andy isn't as rubbish as he used to be - personality wise, I mean. He was never a rubbish tennis player! But he used to be an arrogant little bastard. He still is, but less so. I hope he continues improving.

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Actually, does this mean he's leading the US Open series now? It'd either be him or Rafa - I think they both made a semi and won a title. Maybe they're even. If it is Murray, who would have picked that? Maybe he's going to be one to watch out for at the US Open - and is he playing at the Olympics? Though I don't know if playing a full week of tennis in Cincinatti is really conducive to excellent Olympic performance - in which case I totally revise my position. This was the ideal final. Clearly.

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Ahem.

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Meanwhile, men's tennis may be a little black for me at the moment, but how 'bout that Dinara Safina? This is her second Tier I tournament victory this year, and that is really something else - her second tournament on the trot as well, after she won the Tier II in LA last week. She is really taking care of business like a real pro. She is looking so dangerous - and surely she must be close to qualifying for Doha? Actually, let me check... she's in sixth spot, but I don't know if it's been updated to take into account this victory yet. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this would be her first year-ending championships... wouldn't it be great if she won it?

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Ivanovic and Jankovic are the only players to have qualified at this point - hey, I wonder if that means that Sharapova won't qualify? That injury means that she's out for the Olympics and the US Open. If she doesn't play for that long... she might not make the cut. Depends how well everyone else plays, I guess. There are some girls just outside the top eight who would love a spot... Agnieszka Radwanska, for example. Though I am not impressed with A-Rad at the moment, what with playing that Tier IV instead of the Tier I. And she didn't even win. Why would you do that? What is the rationale there?

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Oh, I don't know. And can I just say I really like the campaign the WTA has to promote Doha? 'They're fighting for truth, justice and a really big trophy.' I'm not sure why, but it just really appeals to me.

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Today's Results

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Western and Southern Financial Group Masters (Cincinatti)

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Andy Murray def. Novak Djokovic, 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5)

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Rogers Cup (Montreal)

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Dinara Safina def. Dominika Cibulkova, 6-2 6-1

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Nordea Nordic Light Open (Stockholm)

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Caroline Wozniacki def. Vera Dushevina, 6-0 6-2

Caroline Wozniacki def. Agnieszka Radwanska, 6-4 6-1

Vera Dushevina def. Katarina Srebotnik, 6-1 6-2

Not Exactly Well-Wishing

Well, all joy has pretty much gone out of Cincy for me. I haven't checked my bracket, but I must be, oh, I don't know, last. The semi finalists are Djokovic, Murray, Karlovic and probably Rafa - he's just about to begin his match against Nicolas Lapentti, but I don't see Lapentti stopping him, somehow. The commentators at Wimbledon used 'relentless' as a buzzword when talking about Rafa, and they were damn right. If Rafa wins this one, he will not only become #1, but it will be his sixth tournament on the trot. Now that is just crazy talk.

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Speaking of people trying to become #1, Jelena Jankovic had another chance to take the ranking this week when Ivanovic lost early in Montreal, and has screwed it up again. I don't know if it's choking or if she's injured again, but seriously, Roger Federer ain't the only one who needs to get his head in the game. She lost to Dominika Cibulkova. And that's just not right.

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Though I suppose I can hope that if one #2 doesn't overtake the #1, the same will be true for the other... but no. Am not wishing ill on Rafa Nadal. Deserving #1. Deserving #1.

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Now if it were Djokovic that were making a charge, I would totally have my voodoo doll out. But not for Rafa. He's good. And he deserves this... even though I can't help wishing he doesn't get it.

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At least things are still looking good for me in women's tennis! Dinara Safina is still alive in Montreal, and looking sharp. Her quarter final starts in about twenty minutes, and you can bet I'll be following that instead of the Rafa match. I may not wish ill on Rafa, but it doesn't mean I can bear to watch, either.

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Today's Results

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Western and Southern Financial Group Masters (Cincinatti)

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Ivo Karlovic def. Philipp Kohlschreiber, 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-3)

Andy Murray def. Carlos Moya, 2-6 6-3 6-1

Novak Djokovic def. Ernests Gulbis, 6-3 6-4

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Rogers Cup (Montreal)

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Marion Bartoli def. Ai Sugiyama, 6-2 6-3

Dominika Cibulkova def. Jelena Jankovic, 7-5 6-2

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Nordea Nordic Light Open (Stockholm)

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Agnieszka Radwanska def. Camille Pin, 6-2 1-0 retired

Katarina Srebotnik def. Virginia Ruano Pascual, 6-2 6-0

Caroline Wozniacki def. Anabel Medina Garrigues, 6-1 6-3

Vera Dushevina def. Iveta Benesova, 6-3 6-3

Incy Wincy Cincy

No rest for the wicked - or the tennis players of the world. I'm not sure how I feel about all the Masters Series events being clustered up like this. They come in wee groups - Indian Wells/Miami, Monte Carlo/Rome/Hamburg, Toronto/Cincinatti, Madrid/Paris. Is this really the best way to play them - bang bang bang?

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Geographically, it makes sense, I suppose, to keep the tour in one place at a time. But that does raise a whole other issue - why are four out of these nine major events in North America? Especially considering they get their own Slam too? And the other five are in Europe - how 'bout them other continents, eh? Even the Masters Cup will be in Europe soon, when it shifts to London next year. As a representative of the Asia Pacific - apparently the Australian Open is the Slam of the Asia Pacific, which I only learned recently - I'm a tiny bit disgruntled.

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But, unfortunately, my opinion means very little. Just like the Asia Pacific, apparently. And South America. And Africa.

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But... onto tennis. And can I say that I am OWNING the bracket challenge at the moment. I know it's only Monday, but still! Ownage! I am 58th out of 11471 - which I think basically means second, as I have nine points and the leaders have ten. The only match I picked wrong was Bellucci/Karlovic. I went with Star of the Future Bellucci, but Star of the Present Karlovic got him. In straights. Oops.

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But still, I got all the rest of them right! How good am I!? Even Kohlschreiber didn't let me down, and he ALWAYS lets me down. Haas pulled his upset over Youzhny, just like he was supposed to. Same with Berdych over Gonzalez, Querrey over Mathieu and Gulbis over Nieminen. And Soderling is looking good - maybe he'll do better this week. My bracket has him survive till he runs in with Federer. Because the Rog is going to win this week. I feel it in my bones - and I'm pretty sure it's not wishful thinking.

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I've picked a Roger/Stan final, which I think might be wishful thinking, because Stan is in the same half as Rafa and Novak, and he'd be due to meet said Novak in the quarters. But I believe in Stan. He's a good boy. My four semi finalists are Roger, Andreev, Stan and Cilic. I believe in Marin too.

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Speaking of Stars of the Future, Gulbis had a win today - as predicted by yours truly! Unfortunately, he meets Stan in the next round, and I don't know if he's up to beating the Swissie just yet. But still... nice work Ernests. We're going to be seeing a lot more of that boy in the future. If I haven't said it enough.

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The Safin/Tursunov match is just about to start, and that one's going to be really interesting. I've picked Marat to win, but either way, one of my boys is going to come through. Unfortunately, one of them isn't, but them's the breaks, I guess...

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And on a brief digression to women's tennis - shocking, I know! - may I ask just why Agnes Szavay is playing the Tier IV event in Stockholm rather than the Tier I in Montreal? Something is just not right with that. She's top twenty, yesno? She should be where the big guns are. Pfft. I am unimpressed.

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Today's Results

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Western and Southern Financial Group Masters (Cincinatti)

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Robby Ginepri def. Jonas Bjorkman, 6-0 7-6 (7-5)

Ivo Karlovic def. Thomaz Bellucci, 6-3 6-4

Tommy Robredo def. Mardy Fish, 6-2 6-2

Robin Soderling def. Julien Benneteau, 6-0 6-3

Philipp Kohlschreiber def. Michael Yani, 6-3 6-4

Sam Querrey def. Paul-Henri Mathieu, 6-4 4-6 6-3

Ernests Gulbis def. Jarkko Nieminen, 7-6 (9-7) 6-2

Tomas Berdych def. Fernando Gonzalez, 6-3 3-6 6-3

Andreas Seppi def. Feliciano Lopez, 7-5 7-5

Tommy Haas def. Mikhail Youzhny, 7-6 (7-2) 2-6 6-4

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Rogers Cup (Montreal)

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Marion Bartoli def. Melanie South, 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 6-0

Virginie Razzano def. Aravane Rezai, 6-1 6-2

Dominika Cibulkova def. Elena Vesnina, 6-1 6-1

Petra Kvitova def. Aiko Nakamura, 6-2 6-4

Monica Niculescu def. Varvara Lepchenko, 6-1 6-2

Michelle Larcher de Brito def. Vania King, 2-6 6-3 6-3

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Nordea Nordic Light Open (Stockholm)

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Agnes Szavay def. Yanina Wickmayer, 7-5 7-6 (7-2)

Camille Pin def. Kateryna Bondarenko, 6-4 7-6 (7-3)

Iveta Benesova def. Tatiana Perebiynis, 6-2 6-2

Emma Laine def. Alexandra Panova, 6-1 6-3