Bobbing To The Surface

A name that is popping up with increasing regularity, I am finding, is Kevin Anderson. Has anyone else noticed this? This boy from South Africa is still under the radar, but he's a little less under, if that makes any sense.

The first time I encountered Anderson - encounters, she says, like she's actually met the guy - was in Miami a couple of years ago, where he put out Djokovic in a real stunner. He then proceeded to do pretty much fat nothing for a couple of years, but if someone is going to put a top guy, even if nothing ends up coming of it, you know there is some serious talent going on there.

He's playing Querrey as we speak, and they've split sets. Now, we must remember that Querrey won the US Open series last year, so this is no mean feat. I couldn't tell you exactly where, but I know I've seen his name popping up a lot this year. Has anyone else noticed this? Or am I just having flashbacks? Or is it because he's South African and there was that whole World Cup thing?

Anyways.

A name that is definitely NOT popping up is Simone Bolelli. Well, I suppose it is popping up, but not in a good way. It's in the losing-in-the-first-round way. And if that keeps happening, well... soon it will be in the qualifying way.

Some Watch-This-Spacers

So Denis Istomin has pretty much sprung from nowhere, huh. The first memory of him I have is him playing - and being destroyed by - Federer at the Australian Open some years ago (like '06 or '07 or some long ago time). And then he just sort of hung around for awhile.

And now he's suddenly all awesome.

I mean, there is a limit to his awesomeness. He hasn't been winning titles or anything (that I can remember, anyway.) But's he's troubling people. He's pulling upsets. He's looking a little bit dangerous. Exhibit a - he took out last week's winner Nico Almagro in straights in Hamburg. That's a little bit cool, you know. He's got some good stuff going on. Watch this space, is all I'm saying where this kid is concerned.

I'd like to say the same thing about Julian Reister, who popped up in about the third round of Wimbledon from seemingly nowhere - literally, I had never heard of him before. He just put put bad-tempered on-the-outs I'm-pretty-sure-everyone-hates-him-right-now Victor Hanescu in straights in Hamburg also - tight straights, but straights. I don't know enough about him to talk coherently about him (same with Istomin) but it's kind of cool that some new people have been making a splash. Even if they have been around forever and I just haven't realised it.

Bad luck continues for Simone Bolelli, though. Dude just can't catch a break right now.

Disappointments in Dubai

I think I wrote a few weeks ago about how Feliciano Lopez has one really good tournament in him in a year. He won a tournament a few weeks ago... and the theory is holding true, because he lost first round in Dubai to Stefan Koubek. Now, Koubeck isn't the uber-suck - he is Federer's hitting partner of choice, as we all know - but really, Feli? Really?

Another dude is definitely hanging out in Club Disappointment this week is Simone Bolelli. Now, I have watched Bolelli play a few times and I like his game. He's played Hopman Cup before, and that really endears me to a player. He's talented and really pretty and he has some serious game.

So why has he lost fourteen matches in a row? Riddle me that one.

I can't talk about that too much more, because I legitimately have no answer. I don't know if there is any excuse for an ATP player of that calibre to lose that many times in a row. That's just crazy talk. So fix something, Simone. You're a mess right now.

Someone I am not disappointed in, however, is Marcos Baghdatis. Gilles Simon may just be back from injury, but he is ranked up high. This was a great win for Marcos, and I hope he can go further!

Chairface Triumphs

And so the long-awaited day arrived - the day when Marat Safin and Dinara Safina would step up to the plate together for the first time and represent Russia. And I have to say that, despite Marat showing up looking like someone had hit him with a chair (which, quite possibly, they had), they put on a very good show.

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Let's start with Dinara. She got herself in all sorts of trouble in her match against Flavia Pennetta - only to be expected in the first match of the season, I guess - but she showed the prowess of a real champion by getting herself out again. Take the second set, for example: she's down 3-0, which is a double break, and then steps it up and reels off six straight games to take the set. Pennetta's level did lower a bit, but I wouldn't say she let Dinara back into the match per se. She didn't giftwrap those six games for her. Dinara stepped up and took on them. She's looking like a real threat for the Australian Open, and wouldn't it be something else to see her win it?!

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Now, Marat. I wasn't expecting too much from the big guy, considering a) he stepped off a plane late last night, and b) someone has obviously hit him in the face with a chair. (Brief digression: Marat and the black eyes and the thumb and the bruised shoulder... and the talk of 'new bosses' next year. Anyone else's mind leap right to Marat Safin, Russian mobster? Because mine sure did.) However, I was very pleasantly surprised. He really is a lovely player (especially when his shots went in.) His returning was not so hot for the majority of the match, but he more than made up for it with an absolute clinic of serving. Seriously, I have never seen him serve better than that. He hit the lines very consistently, and there was just no way Simone Bolelli could even touch half of them. And then Marat hit some lovely forehand winners, and his backhand is always an explosive thing of beauty when he's not shanking it all over the shop... and how 'bout that pass on the run he picked up? He was about twelve kilometres out of court, and to send it rocketing back in like that was positively Federesque.

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And then we come to the doubles... and although Marat might be the worst doubles player in the history of the universe, he and Dinara did all right for themselves, even though they lost the match. He clearly fatigued towards the end of the match (as you would, if you had just come off a plane and had been hit in the face with a chair) but Dinara more than held her end up. One of Marat's biggest problems was, shockingly enough, being too much of a gentleman - Pennetta pounded on him something severe, and he kept on giving her easy balls. Never thought I'd ever say Marat Safin was a gentleman, but there you have it.

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The doubles loss might hurt them if it comes to a countback against France, but I don't think it'll come down to that. If Russia win against Chinese Taipei (which they probably will, if Marat holds up his end in the singles) and France win against Italy (which, again, they probably should, though Cornet/Pennetta will be very interesting) then it'll all come down to the Russia/France tie, and won't that be a cracker...?

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Oh, and a word for Monica Wejnert. She may have gone down to a much higher ranked opponent in Marion Bartoli in her first tour level match, but she certainly didn't embarrass herself. Well done, Miss Monica!

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Today's Results

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Harry Hopman Cup (Perth)

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Russia 2, Italy 1

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Dinara Safina def. Flavia Pennetta, 7-5 6-3

Marat Safin def. Simone Bolelli, 7-6 (7-5) 6-4

Pennetta/Bolelli def. Safina/Safin, 5-7 6-4 10-2 (match tiebreaker)

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Brisbane International (Brisbane)

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Men's Draw

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Richard Gasquet def. Marc Gicquel, 4-6 6-2 6-2

Robin Soderling def. Sam Querrey, 6-3 6-3

Julien Benneteau def. Robby Ginepri, 3-6 6-3 7-5

Taylor Dent def. Steve Darcis, 7-6 (0) 6-2

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Women's Draw

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Jarmila Gajdosova def. Shuai Peng, 6-4 6-2

Victoria Azarenka def. Kateryna Bondarenko, 6-0 6-2

Marion Bartoli def. Monica Wejnert, 6-1 6-2

Alisa Kleybanova def. Kaia Kanepi, 6-1 6-4

Argentinian Grudge Match

Anyone else get the feeling that David Nalbandian and Juan Martin del Potro don't really like each other too much?

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I have pretty much nothing on which to base this hunch, but I can't help but feel it's true. I know if I were David Nalbandian and some little upstart teenager from my country came up and started winning stuff and being the pride of Argentinian tennis I would be a bit pissed off. Sure, it's great for Davis Cup, but... let's just say I don't think you'll ever see Headbandian and Juan Martino playing doubles together. Headbandian doesn't strike me as the nicest guy anyway - he appears to have a very contrary, surly sort of disposition - and we all know Juan is not unaggressive himself, after that whole 'you and your mother' incident with Andy Murray in Rome. Like I said, I have nothing on which to base my theory that Dave and Juan are at each others' throats... but does anyone else think the same thing?

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So this semi-final in Basel is going to be pretty interesting. Headbandian is the higher seed, but I'd be banking on del Potro. The way he's playing at the moment... well, there's a reason he's probably going to qualify for the Tennis Masters Cup and Headbandian probably isn't. Meanwhile, speaking of the Masters Cup, five have qualified and the top of the remaining three is Roddick, del Potro and, randomly, Gilles Simon. I knew Simon has had a good year, but has it really been that good? I guess it must have been.

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The Fed is through in Basel is well, stomping all over Simone Bolelli, which was nice. Fourth seed Blake is out, so he'll face Feliciano Lopez, and I think he should come through that one just fine, especially as he seems to have been lifting his game throughout the week. So he'll play the winner of the Argentinian grudge match... and he will win. Because I said so.

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Oh, and Ana Ivanovic is in the semis of Linz! Can she keep it coming? I sure hope so - I want her back!

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Today's Results

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Davidoff Swiss Indoors (Basel)

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Roger Federer def. Simone Bolelli, 6-2 6-3

David Nalbandian def. Benjamin Becker, 7-6 (7-4) 6-4

Juan Martin Del Potro def. Igor Andreev, 6-4 7-5

Feliciano Lopez def. James Blake, 6-4 7-6 (9-7)

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St Petersburg Open (St Petersburg)

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Andy Murray def. Janko Tipsarevic, 7-6 (7-5) 7-5

Fernando Verdasco def. Rainer Schuettler, 7-5 6-2

Victor Hanescu def. Michail Elgin, 6-1 6-4

Andrey Golubev def. Mischa Zverev, 6-7 (3-7) 6-4 7-6 (7-4)

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Grand Prix de Tennis de Lyon (Lyon)

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Robin Soderling def. Andy Roddick, 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-5)

Gilles Simon def. Josselin Ouanna, 6-3 7-5

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. Juan Carlos Ferrero, 7-6 (7-5) 6-1

Julien Benneteau def. Steve Darcis, 6-3 6-2

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Generali Ladies Linz (Linz)

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Ana Ivanovic def. Flavia Pennetta, 6-4 6-4

Vera Zvonareva def. Alizé Cornet, 7-5 6-1

Agnieszka Radwanska def. Nadia Petrova, 6-3 6-2

Marion Bartoli def. Alona Bondarenko, 6-3 5-7 6-1

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FORTIS Championships Luxembourg (Luxembourg)
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Elena Dementieva def. Amélie Mauresmo, 6-4 6-0

Sorana Cirstea def. Daniela Hantuchova, 7-6 (7-2) 6-2

Caroline Wozniacki def. Anabel Medina Garrigues, 6-1 7-6 (9-7)

Li Na def. Iveta Benesova, 6-4 4-6 6-2

The Italian Job

Well, well, well. I think I can safely say that Wimbledon this year is the most unusual Grand Slam we've seen in quite a while. My 'dead cert' for the women's semi finals, Ana Ivanovic, has gone crashing out to Jie Zheng, who is more famous for being a doubles player than anything else. And it wasn't a very dignified loss, either. Ivanovic was just never in it. It was Sharapova mk 2. And once again I find myself saying that this quarter of the draw is now wide open.
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Who is going to be my new semis tip? Hmmm... if we went with seeds, it would be Chakvetadze, but she hasn't been very impressive this year. I'm going to go with Agnes Szavay, the young Hungarian. She's got a great game, and it's about time she made a run for the semis. In the second quarter, the Kuznetsova quarter, there are a couple of possiblities. Mattek aside - even though she did just knock out last year's finalist Marion Bartoli - any player there stands a chance of getting to the semi.
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But first, let me do my quarter final picks for the top half of the women's draw. I think we'll see Szavay vs Vaidisova (depending on how well Vaidisova plays - neither she nor Chakvetadze have been impressive of late, so that could potentially be a fourth round match of very poor quality.) And even though Kuznetsova has looked pretty good this tournament, I'm going to pick Agnieszka Radwanska in that one to come up against Serena Williams.
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One final word on women's tennis. I know that everyone is talking about Venus and Serena, but Jelena Jankovic must really, really fancy her chances now.
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Right. Men's tennis. Back to the comfort zone. I was very pleased with the way this all panned out. Federer was lethal over Gicquel, which is just the way I like it. If one counts out the very first game of the match, where he was broken, this was an almost perfect third round match. He had Gicquel in trouble on serve nearly every single game. He won convincingly in straight sets - but not SO convincingly that one could accuse him of peaking too early. He was just right. The headline on the Wimbledon website said 'Federer romps to easy victory.' This was the final paragraph:
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'It was Federer's 38th consecutive win at Wimbledon and one so comfortably achieved on his favourite court with nine aces, 34 outright winners and a first serve percentage of 72 that he might have been wearing carpet slippers. John McEnroe described the sight as "a master at work".'
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That brought a smile to my face. I wish I could have seen more of the match - of course, since it was on at the same time as the Hewitt match, most of it wasn't broadcast on Australian television.
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This is something I find endlessly annoying, but I doubt it will ever change. Hewitt will now come up against Federer in the next round, though, so at least I can be pretty much guaranteed that one will be shown! This might prove to be Federer's toughest test yet, but I don't think there is any cause to be fearful. Federer has owned Lleyton for the last few years, and I don't see much sign of that changing.
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To Lleyton's credit, he played an excellent match against Bolelli today. It was very clean tennis from him - though I'm not sure how much of that was due to him hitting the lines versus Bolelli making errors before Hewitt had the chance to. I'm not particularly enamoured of Hewitt, but one thing I do like about him is that he never tanks a game. He has a real point by point mentality, and I think that's very important in tennis. You rarely see Hewitt give up in a tennis match, even if he's pretty much down and out (not that he was today!) and that's pretty admirable.
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He also has a pretty decent tennis IQ, which is something I realised watching his match today. He knows how to use the topspin lob or the ball looping high over the net to give himself time to reset himself if he's out of court. He hit some really nice winners today, forehand and backhand, crosscourt and down the line. Bolelli was giving him a lot of opportunities, to be fair, but Hewitt wasn't missing. He pretty much dismantled Bolelli - and I haven't seen Hewitt dismantle an opponent in quite some time. So that was nice for him... but I think we're going to see the reverse of it on Monday! Hewitt will be the one dismantled by the mighty Federer Express.
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Going back to Bolelli, I was not very impressed with him at all. I don't know whether it just wasn't his day or whatever, but his game seemed to be composed of flair and not much else. His first serve was pretty sweet... when he got it in. He hit some outrageous winners... when they went in. And mostly, they weren't. Having flair is all very well - look at Federer, King of Flair! - but it needs to be consistent. And there ought to be times when there is at least a Plan B, an ability to be able to resort to percentage play. I'm all for redlining your game, but it did nothing for Bolelli. Hewitt played very well, and I don't want to take that away from him, but Bolelli did nothing for me.
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And has anyone else noticed that he kind of looks like Andy Roddick in a wig? Like, eerily so from some angles? Maybe it's just me. One thing I did like about him was his shirt. It had piping round the shoulders in Italian colours. I liked that. That one gets a Jodi Wimbledon Fashion Endorsement (tm), along with Roger's cardigan and Serena's trenchcoat. MaSha's tuxedo gets NO endorsement - though I have to say that the worst crime against fashion this week has come from Ernests Gulbis. Impressive as his game was against Nadal was, someone needs to tell Swanboy that black underpants and white shorts is never attractive.
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One person who looks good in whatever he wears is Marat Safin, and excuse while I scream out DAVAI MARAT! Three matches in a row for the first time this year - that's something to warm the cockles of your heart (and the sub-cockle regions.) Seppi played well, too - the second set is testament to that - but Safin rose to the occasion and outplayed him. It was simply splendid. There were some spectacular Marat-cool-losing moments, like that forehand shot that went rattling down the stairs in the stadium! - but Marat has got his head in the game. (Clearly he's been watching that basketball scene in High School Musical...) Marat is back - and what a time to pick for it! And he has got to pick up some serious rankings points for getting to the round of sixteen - how well did he do in Wimbledon last year? Let me check... oh. Of course. Third round, lost to Federer. Okay, so maybe not THAT many rankings points (yet) but that's still something. I'd dearly love to see Maratski up towards the top of his game.
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It's just so wonderful to see him playing WELL again. Seppi, unlike his compatriot Bolelli, really put up a fight. He's ranked higher than Safin - he's seeded here - but Marat always looked like the better played. C'mon, Marat. Davai. Wouldn't it be awesome to see Marat seeded at the US Open, which I think is his favourite Slam?
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And I'd just like to send out a farewell to yet another one of the top eight seeds who went out today - though he went down fighting, unlike Djokovic, Kolya, Roddick and LameDave before him. Vale Ferru. You fought bravely.
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And so my quarter final picks for the top half of the draw run thusly: Federer vs. Ancic. Hewitt will be no match for the Mighty Fed (tm), and while Verdasco reached the final at Nottingham and clearly has some game on grass, I wouldn't bet against Super Mario. And then Safin vs. Baghdatis. Feliciano Lopez is another one of those Spaniards with the good grass game, but I wouldn't bet against Marcos, and though I really like Stan Wawrinka a lot, I think Marat's on a roll now...
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Wimbledon Results - Day #5
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Men's Draw
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Roger Federer def. Marc Gicquel, 6-3 6-3 6-1
Marat Safin def. Andreas Seppi, 7-6 (7-5) 3-6 6-6 (7-3) 6-4
Mario Ancic def. David Ferrer, 6-4 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-3)
Lleyton Hewitt def. Simone Bolelli, 6-1 6-3 7-6 (7-2)
Fernando Verdasco def. Tomas Berdych, 6-4 6-4 6-0
Marcos Baghdatis def. Simon Stadler, 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 6-2
Stanislas Wawrinka def. Mischa Zverev, 7-5 6-1 retired
Feliciano Lopez def. Bobby Reynolds, 6-4 7-5 4-6 6-4
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Women's Draw
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Serena Williams def. Amelie Mauresmo, 7-6 (7-5) 6-1
Jie Zheng def. Ana Ivanovic, 6-1 6-4
Svetlana Kuznetsova def. Barbara Zahlavova Strycova, 6-2 6-4
Agnieszka Radwanska def. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 6-3 6-2
Anna Chakvetadze def. Evgeniya Rodina, 6-4 6-3
Bethanie Mattek def. Marion Bartoli, 6-4 6-1
Agnes Szavay def. Anabel Medina Garrigues, 7-6 (7-5) 2-6 6-2
Nicole Vaidisova def. Casey Dellacqua, 6-2 6-4