Davis Cup Dampener

I am a great fan of the tennis nation of Kazakhstan. It might seem cold and corporate to some, but I like the fact that they care enough about their tennis prowess to go and buy players like Golubev and Korolev and Shvedova to play for them. I appreciate that they care that much about tennis.

But I do, I confess, get a little bit upset when they go and take a 2-0 leave in a relegation tie over my beloved Switzerland.

The Big Swissie isn't there, of course - understandably, due to the whole semis in New York thing (see yesterday's rant) - but Stan Wawrinka and Marco Chiudinelli are. I expected Golubev to beat Chiudinelli - we all know that Golubev is a) awesome and b) one of my special favourites, making him even more awesome - but Stan? losing in five sets to Mikhail Kukushkin?

Excuse me while my eyes fall out of my head in surprise.

Stan, following you can be incredibly frustrating. Quite aside from your being second banana to my beloved R-Fed, I like watching you play - your backhand is artistry. If you and Gasquet ever played a backhand exhibition match, I would so be in that. I was super happy when you made the quarters of the US Open - that is genuinely a fantastic result.

But it kind of puts a dampener on it when you go and pull a stunt like this.

Despite the fact that Davis Cup is really, really hard to care about, I'm really genuinely annoyed with this result. And I'm a bit annoyed with R-Fed for not playing. Switzerland should be kicking Kazakhstan's arse in this tie and it's just not happening. The whole missing Roger and brainfarting Stan thing is leading to a real misrepresentation of the tennis prowess of Switzerland, and that is frustrating. (Now, if they changed the scheduling and the format...)

But that, I suppose, is the nature of tennis.

Stepping Up In Davis Cup

Davis Cup is over for another badly-scheduled round, and while I don't think we've had any huge upsets per se, there have certainly been some interesting results.

Exhibit A: Spain vs Switzerland. I think we knew that Spain was going to win this one and win it easy... and some of us were secretly hoping Spain would win so that Switzerland that there could be a home tie in Australia in the playoffs. Which is very possible now. Woot.

Back on track. What I actually wanted to talk about here was the great effort that David Ferrer that put in. If you read the write up on the Davis Cup website it seems to blame Switzerland's showing all on Wawrinka playing poorly, which I think is a bit unfair. I mean, sure, he didn't play great, but I think David Ferrer played really, really well, especially in that decisive reverse singles rubber. He hasn't the bestest Davis Cup history in the past, as I have discussed before, so I like to see him bring it for his nation.

Ferru had that great year a couple of years back where he was up at about #4 in the rankings and then fell right back down again. I haven't seen him play this well for a long time - he's reached two finals of late, winning one, and now he's brought it at DC. He seems delightfully upwardly mobile!

The other really interesting result - and the only one that might even vaguely be called an upset - is the Serbia/USA tie. With Djokovic playing for Serbia and without Roddick, I think this one was always on the Serbian racquet. And I don't want to imply that US boys didn't bring it, because I think we can say they brought it. Especially John Isner. He very, very nearly knocked Djokovic off his perch. But this one had Serbia written all over it, and it really was Viktor Troicki that stepped up. I've been sort of following him since I saw him play Rafa in the first round of Australia a few years back, and he's really grown up excellent.

I felt really sorry for the US boys - they did a great job - but there was just not too much they could do about drawing the Serbians. (Hey, maybe if the Davis Cup were scheduled better, then someone like, say, Roddick, might be able to play! Mull on that, Davis Cup. Mull on that).

Hypothetical

Another quick hit on Davis Cup - anyone else think that next year's first round clash between Spain and Switzerland might prove more of a challenge than this year's final?

Think about it. If anyone's going to topple Nadal in Davis Cup, it'll be Federer. If anyone is going to topple Federer, it'll be Nadal. The Spaniards have a lot more depth - their greatest asset, which is why they won and why they keep winning - but the Swiss don't exactly have a team of slouches. Wawrinka, when he's in form, is capable of beating just about anyone. And Chiudinelli is certainly capable of an upset or two. And if you put Yves Allegro into the mix for the doubles, you've got a world class team right there.

Trouble is, this is all moot, because we don't know who's going to play. Federer hasn't played first round Davis Cup in a thousand years. Wawrinka's girlfriend is due to have a baby in February, which might put a bit of a dint in Swiss plans. And who knows what the Spaniards will be doing? Rafa might be injured again. Same with Verdasco. Though they, unlike the Swiss, have got a very solid second string.

So it could be pretty lame. Or it could be totally awesome - even if just for that one rubber, where Nadal and Federer faced off in the one arena in which they have not yet met: national pride on the line...

The Stan Sitch

You know who really hasn't brought a lot to the table of late, much as it pains me to say it? The second banana Swiss Mister, Stan Wawrinka. I mean, sure he made quarters in Basel last week, but what is this going-out-in-the-first-round nonsense, hmmm? To a qualifier of whom I have never heard? In straight sets?

I think the only appropriate response is a giant WTF?

Maybe he's been a little distracted. His girlfriend is pregnant, after all - and not everyone can be all like, 'oh, wow, I'm going to be a dad... WIN EVERYTHING NOW!' like certain Swiss people we know and love. I don't know if this Stan situation counts as a slump yet but it's certainly heading in the mini-slump direction. Maybe he just needs a good long rest at the end of the season before Australia and the birth of his baby.

With all the hype over Chiudinelli playing so well (although dear Marco also lost this morning... to a much more worthy opponent than Random French Qualifier, however) the fact that Stan has... ahem... not been playing so well has perhaps slipped under the radar a bit. And there is that other Swiss guy as well - you know, whathisface, Federman or something - that kind of detracts from all the others. It must be hard being a Swiss tennis player in the era of Federer sometimes...

...wow, I really did not mean to get into a deep and meaningful ramble about how hard it is to be Swiss when the Ultimate Swissie is playing. Stan's play has, I suspect, nothing to do with the awesomeness of Roger or the resurgence of Chiudinelli. He's just not playing so well right now, and it's a shame, because watching Stan play is awesome. That backhand is sweet as. There should be more like it.

So, Stan, have a good off season. I expect a hearty serve of Backhand Delight next year.


Today's Results

BNP Paribas Masters (Paris)

Nikolay Davydenko def. Benjamin Becker, 6-2 6-1
Fernando Verdasco def. Andreas Seppi, 6-7 (3-7) 6-4 6-4
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. Albert Montanes, 6-1 7-5
Nicolas Almagro def. Marco Chiudinelli, 6-2 6-4
David Guez def. Stanislas Wawrinka, 6-3 6-4
Juan Monaco def. Jeremy Chardy, 7-6 (8-6) 7-5
Julien Benneteau def. Philipp Petzschner, 4-6 7-5 6-3
Arnaud Clement def. Feliciano Lopez, 6-3 6-1

A Tie To Salivate Over

Well, well, this might just be the most intriguing Davis Cup first round in years. Spain vs. Switzerland. Well, well, well.

Of course, when we read Spain vs. Switzerland, we read one thing only: Federer vs. Nadal.

Now there is a Davis Cup matchup worth salivating over.

It isn't a huge jump to imagine that whoever wins this match wins the tie, but there are four other matches as well. And it depends on who plays... the Swiss also have the gold medal winning doubles team in Federer and Wawrinka, but would they play them, considering that these are their two big singles dudes? The Spanish doubles team is strong as well, if they play Lopez and Robredo like they did against Israel... and they have amazing singles depth as well. Nadal. Verdasco. Ferrer. Ferrero. On and on it goes...

You've got to think that Nadal will beat Wawrinka and Federer will beat Verdasco or whoever the Spanish throw up against him. Federer/Nadal... who do you pick? And then Wawrinka/Verdasco (or whoever) could be very interesting indeed. Stan hasn't always brought home the bacon in Davis Cup, but he is a sweet player... as are a lot of the Spaniards.

The Spaniards have depth on their side. That's for sure. But Switzerland is definitely one of the few teams that have a chance of taking them down... providing Federer plays. This will, to some extent, hinge on these two team leaders, Federer and Nadal... oh, I hope they both play! This is a tie for the ages. I'm practically salivating already.


Today's Results

BCR Open Romania (Bucharest)

Pablo Cuevas def. Andrei Pavel, 6-3 7-6 (7-2)
Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo def. Marius Copil, 6-3 6-7 (3-7) 6-4
Santiago Ventura def. Alberto Martin, 4-5 retired
Albert Montanes def. Marcel Granollers, 6-1 6-3
Fabio Fognini def. Nicolas Almagro, 6-4 7-6 (7-3)


Open de Moselle (Metz)

Sebastien Grosjean def. Nicolas Mahut, 7-6 (7-1) 7-5
Michael Llodra def. Mischa Zverev, 4-6 6-3 6-3
Andreas Beck def. Thierry Ascione, 6-2 6-4
Paul-Henri Mathieu def. Marc Gicquel, 7-6 (7-5) 6-4
Evgeny Korolev def. Denis Istomin, 3-6 7-5 7-6 (7-2)
Philipp Kohlschreiber def. Bjorn Phau, 4-6 6-3 6-2


Hansol Korea Open (Seoul)

Kimiko Date Krumm def. Alisa Kleybanova, 4-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-3


Tashkent Open (Tashkent)

Olga Govortsova def. Anastasia Rodionova, 6-3 6-2
Shahar Peer def. Maret Ani, 6-1 6-2
Yaroslava Shvedova def. Ekaterina Ivanova, 7-5 6-2
Monica Niculescu def. Evgeniya Rodina, 6-1 6-4
Stefanie Voegele def. Nigina Abduraimova, 6-2 5-7 6-3
Darya Kustova def. Galina Voskoboeva, 1-6 6-3 7-6 (11-9)

Stepping Up Everest

Well, I have completely underestimated the Czech Republic. There you go.

I gave Stepanek a good chance against Karlovic, but that somehow pales beside what actually happened. Five epic sets. A world-breaking 78 aces from Karlovic - which, to the best of my knowledge, breaks the previous record by about 20. And Stepanek still won.

Wow.

I'm not a Stepanek fan really, mostly on the grounds that I find him totally creepy. But you cannot deny that the man can play ball. To withstand that kind of intense pressure and come out on top - particularly when you're facing someone who is pretty much unbreakable in a to-the-death five set... that is some serious grit. And guile. And some other stuff starting with g. You've got to applaud the man's mental toughness - facing Karlovic in that kind of fifth set is kind of like a tennis Everest. You can't count on a breaker to get you through. So kudos to you, Radek Stepanek.

And then the other match went five sets as well, though it didn't have anything like the same level of drama. Berdych triumphed over Cilic, which I personally found very surprising. Berdych has been pretty much a non-entity this year, whereas Cilic has been very much an entity. Hell, he made the quarters of the US Open, like, two seconds ago. Where has Berdych been? But Berdych is terribly talented and sometimes that will out. Still, I'm not counting Croatia out of this tie yet. We've got a lot of tennis left yet.

In the other semi, Goliath is currently whaling on David, with Ferrer and Ferrero scoring easy victories over Sela and Levy. I'd look for an inspired Israeli performance in the fourth rubber if they win the doubles... but I still don't really rate them a chance of winning a singles match. At this point, I don't know how high I rate their chances of winning a set.

And just a quick throw to the playoffs - Federer and Wawrinka are a totally mad team. They both demolished their respective Italians. And it's not something you hear often, but when Federer plays on clay, he looks just gorgeous. The way he was sliding into those shots... it was positively balletic. He played a great match and the US Open is clearly behind him. Watch out, indoor season!


Today's Results

Davis Cup (semi finals)

Czech Republic 2, Croatia 0

Tomas Berdych def. Marin Cilic, 6-3 6-3 3-6 4-6 6-3
Radek Stepanek def. Ivo Karlovic, 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (2-7) 16-14


Spain 2, Israel 0

David Ferrer def. Harel Levy, 6-1 6-4 6-3
Juan Carlos Ferrero def. Dudi Sela, 6-4 6-2 6-0


Bell Challenge (Quebec City)

Melinda Czink def. Nadia Petrova, 7-6 (7-4) retired
Aleksandra Wozniak def. Alla Kudryavtseva, 6-1 6-1
Lucie Safarova def. Bethanie Mattek-Sands, 6-3 6-4
Julia Goerges def. Lilia Osterloh, 6-2 6-4


China GDD Guangzhou International Women's Open (Guangzhou)

Peng Shuai def. Alexandra Panova, 6-2 6-3
Shahar Peer def. Chang Yung-Jan, 6-3 6-1
Ayumi Morita def. Olga Savchuk, 6-3 604
Alberta Brianti def. Anastasija Sevastova, 6-4 6-2

The Tight Thai Tie

What a thrilling, down-to-the-wire tie the Australia/Thailand tie turned out to be! I think we've played them at this stage every year for at least the past three years, and we've beaten them 5-0 every time. This time... oh no!

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If there's one person who has consistently stepped up to the plate as far as Davis Cup is concerned, it's Lleyton Hewitt. But he got beaten at his own game today by a young Thai guy who was clearly on fire. Danai Udomchoke, the current world #155, took out Lleyton Hewitt in an epic five set struggle - 2-6 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 6-1. I don't think there's anyone in the world who would have picked that result - not over Hewitt, not in Davis Cup.

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Much as I am supporting the Aussie boys, hats off to you, Danai Udomchoke. That is a monumental effort and you should be very, very proud!

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That meant one of the other three Aussie boys had to step up and get it done against another fired-up Thai opponent, or risk going home on the losing end of a huge upset. That lot fell to Chris Guccione, and though I always go on about him being a serial underachiever, he really pulled it out. His big lefty serve was lethal and he got the job done in straights, handing the Aussie boys the tie, 3-2. Well done, boys.

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But the day belonged to Danai Udomchoke. I hope the Thai people a very proud of him!

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You know who I am proud of - not that anyone would have expected anything any different? Rafael Nadal, who just handed Novak Djokovic his arse in a sling. I love it when people do that to Djokovic. I find it profoundly hilarious. Because I'm mean like that. But I am sad Switzerland lost. Maybe next year, Roger.

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Today's Results

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Davis Cup

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Argentina 5, Netherlands 0

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Martin Vassallo Arguello def. Matwe Middelkoop, 6-2 6-4

Juan Ignacio Chela def. Thiemo de Bakker, 7-5 6-2

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Czech Republic 3, France 2

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Radek Stepanek def. Gilles Simon, 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 7-6 (7-0)

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. Jan Hernych, 6-2 6-7 (2-7) 7-6 (7-0)

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Russia 4, Romania 1

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Dmitry Tursunov def. Victor Hanescu, 4-6 5-7 6-3 6-4 6-2

Teimuraz Gabashvili def. Victor Crivoi, 6-4 6-2

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Germany 3, Austria 2

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Nicolas Kiefer def. Jurgen Melzer, 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 6-4

Stefan Koubek def. Christopher Kas, 6-2 6-3

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Spain 4, Serbia 1

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Rafael Nadal def. Novak Djokovic, 6-4 6-4 6-1

David Ferrer def. Victor Troicki, 6-0 6-3

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Croatia 5, Chile 0

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Roko Karanusic def. Guillermo Hormazabal, 7-5 6-3

Ivo Karlovic def. Hans Podlipnik-Castillo, 6-3 7-6 (7-4)

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Israel 3, Sweden 2

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Dudi Sela def. Thomas Johansson, 3-6 6-1 4-6 6-4 6-2

Harel Levy def. Andreas Vinciguerra, 6-4 4-6 6-4 3-6 8-6

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USA 3, Switzerland 1

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Andy Roddick def. Stanislas Wawrinka, 6-4 6-4 6-2

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Monterrey Open (Monterrey)

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Marion Bartoli def. Zheng Jie, 7-5 6-3

Li Na def. Iveta Benesova, 6-3 6-3

The Boss

Was just reading Tennis Australia's little 'Off the Court' article, and at the bottom, there was a little story about how Rafa is planning to play Davis Cup in the first round - to effectively get straight back on the horse after his disappointment about not playing the final last year. All fine and dandy - nice one, Rafa - but what I found very intriguing (aka. what I did not realise) was that Spain are taking on Serbia.

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Now that is going to be a good tie.

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We haven't seen Rafa play Djokovic for a while now, and I really hope we get the opportunity to see it here, because I feel, and have long felt, that Novak sort of forgets about Rafa, even now when he's #1. Sure, there was that battle they had last year where the winner of the match got the #2 spot (Rafa won) but you always feel that Djokovic is focused wholly on overtaking Federer. When Federer was #1, he was all about toppling the king. Now Federer is #2, it's all about sticking it to him. And Rafa? Well... um... hfhweirfhj.

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I hope Rafa sticks it to him. I think he needs to show him who's boss. And that's all I have to say about that.

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Meanwhile, in Fed Cup action, looks like Jelena, Sam, Casey and Stubbsy will be taking on Switzerland for a spot in World Group II. This could be an interesting one. The highest ranked player out there will be Switzerland's Patty Schnyder, with Timea Bacsinszky presumably playing the other singles rubbers. The match up I would really love to see? I want David Taylor and Nicole Bradtke to take a punt and put Casey Dellacqua out there against Schnyder. Dellacqua beat her at the Aussie Open last year, and I think it's primarily because they're both lefties - Schnyder, who relies so heavily on placement, has a lot of advantage taken away. The Swiss girls lost 3-2 to Germany last week, with Schnyder being the 2 and the rest of the team being the everything else, so if the Aussie girls can negate Schnyder...

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Ugh. Look at me talking about tennis like a team sport - especially since I practically am Swiss when it comes to tennis. Shame on me.

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(Oh, and since my post of a couple of days ago, Mikhail Youzhny seems to have found a bit of form, taking out Ferru in Rotterdam. This is all obviously due to me.)

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Today's Results

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ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament (Rotterdam)

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Mikhail Youzhny def. David Ferrer, 6-2 3-6 6-2

Rafael Nadal def. Simone Bolelli, 4-6 6-2 7-5

Gilles Simon def. Philipp Kohlschreiber, 7-5 7-6 (7-1)

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. Jesse Huta Galung, 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-4)

Mario Ancic def. Rainer Schuettler, 7-5 6-2

Michael Llodra def. Ivo Karlovic, 4-6 6-3 6-4

Marc Gicquel def. Evgeny Korolev, 3-6 6-3 6-2

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Brasil Open (Costa do Sauipe)

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Tommy Robredo def. Thiago Alves, 6-4 6-2

Juan Carlos Ferrero def. Albert Montanes, 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 6-2

Jose Acasuso def. Juan Monaco, 7-6 (7-3) 6-4

Nicolas Devilder def. Daniel Silva, 7-6 (7-5) 6-2

Thomaz Bellucci def. Potito Starace, 6-3 6-4

Brian Dabul def. Paul Capdeville, 6-1 retired

Pablo Cuevas def. Oscar Hernandez, 4-6 6-4 6-1

Rui Machado def. Ivan Navarro, 6-4 6-1

Frederico Gil def. Pablo Andujar, 3-6 6-4 6-3

Fabio Fognini def. Caio Zampieri, 0-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-2

Lukasz Kubot def. Daniel Gimeno-Traver, 7-6 (9-7) 1-6 6-3

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SAP Open (San Jose)

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Radek Stepanek def. Chris Guccione, 6-2 7-6 (7-1)

John Isner def. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, 7-6 (11-9) 6-4

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Open GDF SUEZ (Paris)

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Emilie Loit def. Kaia Kanepi, 2-6 6-3 6-1

Serena Williams def. Iveta Benesova, 6-1 6-4

Jelena Jankovic def. Francesca Schiavone, 7-5 7-6 (7-2)

Elena Dementieva def. Aravane Rezai, 6-4 6-3

Patty Schnyder def. Alona Bondarenko, 6-4 7-6 (7-3)

Amélie Mauresmo def. Sara Errani, 6-2 6-0

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PTT Pattaya Open (Pattaya City)

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Vera Dushevina def. Sybille Bammer, 6-4 7-5

Peng Shuai def. Galina Voskoboeva, 7-6 (7-4) 6-0

Tamarine Tanasugarn def. Akgul Amanmuradova, 6-2 7-6 (7-4)

Shahar Peer def. Noppawan Lertcheewakarn, 6-1 6-0

Magdalena Rybarikova def. Kimiko Date Krumm, 6-2 4-6 6-4

Vitalia Diatchenko def. Ryoko Fuda, 6-3 1-6 6-3