Sleepless in Melbourne

Sleepless is the best way to put it. It's 1:30am as I write this, back in my hotel room, after just having returned from the exhilarating Nalbandian/Hewitt five set match. I've been at Melbourne Park since 10 in the morning. That's a very long day of tennis - and I'm going to do it all again tomorrow!

I started my day with a leisurely wander around the practice courts (harder than it might sound, as there are eight, four on each side of the site, and it takes about ten minutes to bash your way through Grand Slam Oval to get there) before settling down for a bit to watch Kai-Chen Chang and Bojana Jovanovski. Yes, I went to a WTA match. I upheld my word. I caught the first set, which Chang totally let slip out of her grasp after being a break up. But Jovanovski... well, she is one to watch.

I then intended to catch some of Youzhny and Ilhan, but it was crazy full there with shouting Turkish fans, so I opted for the slightly tamer (in crowd size, not in tennis) Kavcic/Anderson, where I saw Anderson take the first set. I then thought he was destined to win the thing, but I was wrong. Oh, how I was wrong. As I will elaborate later.

It was back to the back courts after that - yes, I was trying to stalk players in their practice sessions; no, it didn't entirely work - where I caught about a set and a half of the all Brazilian battle between Thomaz Bellucci and Ricardo Mello. This might have been my favourite back court match of the day, because this match had it all - extreme tension and big hitting and some real flair that you don't often see outside of the Frenchies. Bellucci was on top when I was watching, but looking at the score, Mello came back and took a couple of sets before Bellucci closed it out. I'm not surprised. He was playing very well. These are seriously two very watchable players.

...but I stopped watching them after a bit, because, you know, trying to catch some matches and practices and suchlike. I caught a bit of Schwank and Mayer, but the all-Argentinian battle didn't have anything on the all-Brazilian one, so off did I take myself, intending to go and see Falla/Lopez, but ending up...

...back at Kavcic/Anderson, where ALL HAD CHANGED. Seriously, Blaz Kavcic. Watch out for this guy. He has tons of game - like, tons. I understand why he was #1 seeded qualifier! He has mad skillz. Anderson serves out of a tree - as seen in the first set - but by the fourth set, which was what I saw, by which time Kavcic was up two sets to one, Kavcic had almost totally neutralised it. He worked it out, and he played an outstanding fourth set tie breaker after coming back from a break down. He is going to be awesome soon.

Then away! for Federer was practicing. Not much to say here, except that I nearly got crushed in a Federiot. Seriously, it was crazy. People who want autographs are deadly.

I tried all day to find Mahut practicing, but it didn't work, so I gave it up after a while and decided just to watch some bits of matches instead... except for one small thing. Every match I walked into seemed to immediately end. I caught the last couple of games of Isner's match, the same with Gilles Muller's... then I caught a whole set of Alisa Kleybanova's, which would have been awesome if the set hadn't been 6-0. I betook myself round to Clement/Seppi after that, which was only just starting, but lo! no sooner had I done that than it was time to head into Rod Laver Arena.

There's not much to say about the Safina/Clijsters match. Kim played great. Dinara really didn't. It was a bit embarrassing. (Though considering what was coming next I'm glad it was short, or I'd still be there!) I will say this, though - while Safina's ball toss is still ridiculously high, it is not as high. Nor as wonky. Progress has been made. Though Clijsters is clearly not the one to try it out on!

And then... the match.

Hewitt and Nalbandian were always going to go five sets. Everyone knew this. It was always going to be an epic. It had the potentially to be Isnutically long, though thankfully it wasn't. But what I wasn't expecting was the real, incredible quality of this match. Seriously, it was OUTSTANDING.

This wasn't a good draw for either guy in the first round. Hewitt deserved better than this, with the way he was playing - put him against another one of the players seeded in the 20-odds and I think the result might have been different. But I suppose there's always going to be that history between Nalbandian and Hewitt, that old tension, and I really think that is what pushed Nalbandian over the line in the end - the desire not to lose to someone he doesn't like.

But their history aside, this match was outstanding. It was literally impossible to pick the winner - Hewitt had two match points on which he did not capitalise - and it see-sawed dramatically. The crowd were behind Hewitt, of course, but it didn't seem to bother Bandy at all - if anything, he fed on it. The length of the rallies was astounding and the shotmaking, well...

...suffice to say it totally made up for the not-so-good night session the night before!

Win of the day: Nalbandian. That had to be sweet. Though I'd like to put my hand up for Bellucci as well.
Loss of the day: Ivanovic. Didn't see it, but this is not a good thing to happen for Miss Muffet.
Players in dangerous form: Both Nalbandian and Hewitt, not that Hewitt will get a chance to show it. Also Nadal.
Players to watch in the future: Kavcic. Bellucci. Mello. Jovanovski.
Things for Jodi to do tomorrow: Watch more WTA instead of just a token match. And also FIND MAHUT PRACTICING.

The World Keeps Turning

So we've managed to have three other whole men's tournaments since the Australian Open final where R-Fed made Muzz look like a schoolboy... it seems simultaneously like yesterday and like ten years ago. Not because the tennis was particularly interesting or anything, but...

...well, anyway. Weekend winners.

I've covered this a few times already in the last few days, but someone needs to tuck Marin Cilic up in bed with a nice cup of tea and a hot water bottle and let him snooze for quite some time. Perhaps he could have a bad TV marathon. (I'm laid up at home with painful wisdom teeth at the moment, and How I Met Your Mother has saved my freaking life). Because Mighty Marin Cilic needs to hang up his racquet and rest for a few weeks. I doubt he planned to have such an intense few weeks - I mean, you don't normally bank on making the semis of a major unless you're Roger Federer - but three solid weeks of tennis? Plus that week in Chennai? That's intense, man.

But kudos to him for winning Zagreb. Two titles already and it's only just February. If he keeps up this rate, he'll be near the top of the rankings in no time.

Feliciano Lopez was another weekend winner - seriously, five years between titles? That is Safinesque... if Safin had managed to win a title after AO '05, which he didn't, so I guess maybe it's not so Safinesque after all. I didn't see any of this tournament, but Feli is always fun to watch and it's always nice seeing a smoking hot hunk of manflesh like 'Deliciano' (thanks for that one, Judy Murray) holding up a trophy. I'm pulling for a nice deep run at Wimbledon for Feli... and I'd love to see him do well at Queen's or Halle or Nottingham or someone. I love his game on grass.

And then the third weekend winner was Thomaz Bellucci. No one much talks about Thomaz, but I think he's a bit of all right. On clay, anyway, he is a machine. Watch out for this kid at Roland Garros. If he gets a kind draw... he's going deep. You heard it here first!

Bellucci Blazes

I don't know how this happened without my noticing, but would you look at that: another one of my Stars has gone and won a title! Told you they'd be good (if only Ernests Gulbis would listen...)

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This particular Star is Thomaz Bellucci, who first caught my attention when he played Rafa Nadal pretty tight in the first round of Roland Garros last year. He's a claycourter by nature, but he's done all right on other surfaces as well. I think the reason I've been basically ignoring him this week is that he's playing on AlternaTour, where you can basically play on clay for eleven straight months, but a title is a title, even if it is in Gstaad on the red stuff.

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He's obviously been playing some good stuff all week and he overcame a pretty good current player, Andreas Beck, in the final to lift his maiden trophy. Am oddly proud, even though I obviously have nothing to do with career - he's proving me right in my picks for future Stars. He's maybe not in my first tier of Stars with Cilic and (glup) Gulbis, who I really believe will be top ten, but Bellucci is going to be round for a long time, making things tough on clay (and occasionally other surfaces) for a while yet.

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What I would like to see him do now is stop playing on AlternaTour and start playing more on other surfaces to become more well-rounded. He certainly doesn't suck on other surfaces, but I am morally opposed to AlternaTour. Tennis should follow the Slams, in my humble and ill-educated opinion. For a tennis player's career as a whole, I don't think it's really good to be playing on the one surface for so long.

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But enough dire career warning. Well done, Thomaz Bellucci, Star of the Future, on your maiden title!

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Today's Results

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Allianz Suisse Open Gstaad (Gstaad)

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Thomaz Bellucci def. Andreas Beck, 6-4 7-6 (7-2)

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ATP Studena Croatia Open (Umag)

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Nikolay Davydenko def. Juan Carlos Ferrero, 6-3 6-0

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Bank of the West Classic (Stanford)

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Marion Bartoli def. Samantha Stosur, 6-3 1-6 6-1

Marion Bartoli def. Venus Williams, 6-2 5-7 6-4

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Istanbul Cup (Istanbul)

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Vera Dushevina def. Lucie Hradecka, 6-0 6-1

On The Red Stuff

Miami is ended and the summer is gone, and now we have embarked onto the clay swing, one of the most interesting swings of the year. I love the clay swing - the one before Roland Garros, anyway. The clay tournaments after Wimbledon seem really stupid to me - though I haven't examined the new schedule, so I don't know what they're like now...

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But I digress. Clay is here - so what can we expect? Who is going to shine and who is going to fall?

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We talked about Andy Murray yesterday - this season is going to be a huge test for him, a real measure of his claim to being in that elite top echelon. Nadal, Federer and Djokovic have all proved their abilities on all surfaces, all making semis at all four Slams - can Murray do the same and bring it on the red stuff? Though speaking of that top echelon, they'll need to maintain (or, in the cases of Federer and Djokovic, improve) their current form. I don't think anyone would ever doubt the ability of Rafa Nadal to absolutely dominate this swing. Federer has consistently shown himself to be the world #2 on clay. But who else is there to look out for?

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Tommy Robredo is one that I would definitely keep an eye on. He's been playing fiercely well over the last little while - maybe not so much at Indian Wells and Miami, but he's been pretty consistently good throughout the year. I think he's a real shot at a semi-final berth - I nominated him about a month ago for this position, and I'm sticking with. Obviously it depends which way the draw falls - I wouldn't pick him over Rafa, for example - but I like his chance to go deep.

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I'm also hoping David Ferrer can bring the form on clay, on which he is consistently good, and also Stan Wawrinka, who really earned his stripes on clay last year with that final in Rome. I'm also going to be interested to see how Andy Roddick goes on the red stuff, which is definitely not his arena - he's been playing quite well of late and it'll be interesting to see how it translates.

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And from the Stars? Gulbis - he made the quarters at Roland Garros last year. But Thomaz Bellucci will also be good to watch, and I'd keep an eye on Eduardo Schwank as well. And there's also a young Portuguese kid I'm keeping an eye on - Frederico Gil. He's not quite a Star yet, but worth watching...

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Today's Results

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Grand Prix Hassan II (Casablanca)

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Victor Hanescu def. Steve Darcis, 6-4 7-5

Florent Serra def. Thomaz Bellucci, 6-3 6-3

Ivan Ljubicic def. Arnaud Clement, 7-6 (8-6) 5-7 6-4

Frederico Gil def. Alberto Martin, 6-3 3-6 7-6 (7-4)

Ivan Navarro def. Sergiy Stakhovsky, 7-5 4-2 retired

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US Men's Clay Court Championship (Houston)

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Jurgen Melzer def. Robert Kendrick, 6-1 7-5

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Andalucia Tennis Experience (Marbella)

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Sorana Cirstea def. Ioana Raluca Olaru, 6-4 6-2

Roberta Vinci def. Tsvetana Pironkova, 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 6-4

Nicole Vaidisova def. Angelique Kerber, 3-6 6-4 6-4

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The MPS Group Championships (Ponte Vedra Beach)

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Kateryna Bondarenko def. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, 7-6 (7-2) 6-2

Madison Keys def. Alla Kudryavtseva, 7-5 6-4

Some WTF? Moments

So, for some reason, we're seeing an unusually high number of top guys participating in doubles at Indian Wells. Which is great. Love me some doubles. We've got Rafa with his little friend Marc Lopez, with whom he won a title earlier in the year; Roger and his mate Yves Allegro, who've played together a whole lot; Andy Murray and fellow Brit Ross Hutchins, and... David Nalbandian and Juan Martin del Potro?

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Now, I may have made this up, but don't they hate each other?

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Maybe the Argentine tennis federation is making them play together so they get along better during Davis Cup or something. But it was such a WTF? moment. I'd have sooner picked Federer and Djokovic to play together than these two big Argentinians. Not that they're sucking or anything - they won their match today - but it's just a bit weird.

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Speaking of weird, the upset of the day was clearly over on the women's side - Elena Dementieva, arguably the hottest lady player whose surname is not Williams on the planet right now, went down in straights to a qualifier. I'm sorry, but WTF? Petra Cetkovska has been doing all right this year, but she should be no match for Elegant Elena. I hope this trend doesn't continue over into the men's draw. I'm raring for a showdown with at least some of the Fantastic Four still in place.

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And looks like I spoke to soon about my Stars yesterday - Ernests Gulbis went down pretty tamely to Igor Andreev. But he's not the only Star in the fold - I'm still waving pom-poms for Cilic, Chardy and especially Thomaz Bellucci, with whom I have been very impressed of late. Go boys! (Until you run into Federer...!)

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Oh, and did everyone hear about Carlos Moya - out for an 'indefinite' period of time? I was sad. I like Carlos. Even if he is a love rat who cheated on Flavia Pennetta.

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Today's Results

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BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells)

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Men's Draw

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Andy Murray def. Albert Montanes, 7-5 6-3

Tommy Robredo def. Igor Kunitsyn, 6-1 6-4

Marin Cilic def. Steve Darcis, 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 6-1

Igor Andreev def. Ernests Gulbis, 6-4 6-4

Paul-Henri Mathieu def. Potito Starace, 6-4 6-7 (11-13) 6-4

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Women's Draw

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Petra Cetkovska def. Elena Dementieva , 7-6 (7-2) 2-6 6-1

Agnieszka Radwanska def. Samantha Stosur, 3-6 6-3 7-5

Nuria Llagostera Vives def. Dominika Cibulkova, 7-6 (8-6) 6-0

Vera Dushevina def. Zheng Jie, 6-2 6-2

Agnes Szavay def. Edina Gallovits, 6-2 6-2

Karin Knapp def. Sara Errani, 6-2 3-2 retired

Gisela Dulko def. Bethanie Mattek-Sands, 6-1 6-3

Stars in the California Sky

In all the excitement of the recent Federer news, I completely forgot what I was going to write about yesterday, which is my Stars. And I have to say, I'm glad I waited until today, because we had some very very good results yesterday!

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We'll start with the bad - we had one very disappointing Star loss, I thought, which was Kei Nishikori going down to Ivan Ljubicic. I mean, sure, Ivan Ljubicic has certainly been up there as far the game is concerned - he's been as high as #3 - but he's not exactly Wonderboy right now. Kei seems to have gone a little bit off the boil in the last little whiles - he's taken a couple of tame losses. But it happens to everyone - and I think we all know he'll be back up there in time.

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But we have had some pretty nice wins! Marin Cilic won't be action for a day or two yet, but Ernests Gulbis, Jeremy Chardy and Thomaz Bellucci have all been doing quite well. Chardy is in action as I write this, one set to love up against Victor Hanescu. Gulbis had a good win over Kevin Kim - hardly the toughest opponent ever, but it was a good solid job nonetheless. Note how I am not asking whether this is the tournament where Gulbis will finally make a good deep run. I'm convinced it jinxes him. We'll just let things unfold.

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Bellucci probably had the best win of the lot of them - I am really liking what I've seen come off his racquet in the last little while. I don't know if many people would have picked him to beat Janko Tipsarevic, but he did, in a tight three set match. It was very nice. He's going to be one to watch in coming months, particularly on clay...

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So all in all, some nice early round action. But the tournament still hasn't really begun yet, it seems to me. I think we're all waiting to see what will happen when the big boys come out to play!

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Today's Results

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BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells)
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Men's Draw

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Todd Widom def. Ivan Navarro, 6-4 7-6 (7-4)

Michael Berrer def. Kevin Anderson, 6-3 6-3

Daniel Koellerer def. Mischa Zverev, 2-6 7-5 6-2

Ryan Sweeting def. Wayne Odesnik, 1-6 6-4 7-6 (7-5)

Sam Querrey def. Guillermo Canas, 7-6 (7-2) 6-2

Andreas Seppi def. Juan Ignacio Chela, 6-2 4-1 retired

Jeremy Chardy def. Victor Hanescu, 6-4 3-6 6-2

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Women's Draw

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Caroline Wozniacki def. Timea Bacsinszky, 6-1 6-1

Shahar Peer def. Marion Bartoli, 1-6 6-4 7-5

Amélie Mauresmo def. Anna-Lena Groenefeld, 5-7 6-3 6-4

Kaia Kanepi def. Virginie Razzano, 7-6 (7-2) 1-0 retired

Peng Shuai def. Olga Govortsova, 6-3 3-6 6-4

Alexa Glatch def. Carla Suárez Navarro, 6-3 6-1

Dear Mr Gulbis

Now, Ernests, I don't want to put any pressure on you. I know you're going to perform when you're ready. I know you're still a dangerous youngster, rather than being a full-fledged threat. I know you're going to grow into your game, and I know you're going to be in the top ten one day, and I know you're going to mature mentally and you're going to be something pretty special.

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But Ernests, please. Kei's done it. Marin's done it a couple of times. Thomaz nearly did it last week. When is that title going to come?

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It's not that Ernests isn't performing. He's the third seed this week in Delray Beach, and you don't just get there by hanging about in the top hundred. But he's also the third seed who just got beaten and dumped out of the tournament in the first round. Sure, it was by Marcos Baghdatis, who is definitely someone who should be seeded and who you wouldn't like to run into in the first round, but still. He hasn't always been running into Marcos Baghdatis in the first round - and it's not that he isn't capable of beating Marcos. Remember his first first round of the year? That's right, he beat some no name player called Novak Djokovic. And I think Gulbis revealed when he had Nadal on the ropes last year that he can challenge just about anyone.

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So, Ernests, I am going to wait for you. I know you're a good player, and you've had some good performances, and it is going to happen one day. But please... can you string those performances together one week? Waiting for you to win a title is a little like waiting for Marat Safin at the moment. And I know you can do it.

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So... win a title for me, Ernests. That's all I ask.

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Today's Results

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Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships (Dubai)

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Novak Djokovic def. Jan Hernych, 6-3 3-6 6-4

Andy Murray def. Arnaud Clement, 6-2 6-3

Gilles Simon def. Teimuraz Gabashvili, 6-1 6-2

David Ferrer def. Philipp Kohlschreiber, 6-4 6-2

Marin Cilic def. Julien Benneteau, 6-3 4-6 7-5

Igor Andreev def. Dmitry Tursunov, 5-7 6-4 6-3

Fabrice Santoro def. Marco Chiudinelli, 3-6 6-1 7-6 (7-1)

Richard Gasquet def. Simone Bolelli, 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 7-6 (7-5)

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Abierto Mexicano Telcel (Acapulco)

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Men's Draw

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Daniel Koellerer def. David Nalbandian, 1-6 6-3 6-4

Gael Monfils def. Olivier Patience, 7-6 (7-4) 6-4

Tommy Robredo def. Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo, 6-4 3-6 6-3

Nicolas Almagro def. Santiago Gonzalez, 6-4 6-2

Jose Acasuso def. Brian Dabul, 6-3 7-5

Marcel Granollers def. Fabio Fognini, 7-6 (7-3) 7-5

Carlos Moya def. Pablo Andujar, 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 6-2

Alberto Martin def. Marcos Daniel, 6-4 7-5

Kevin Kim def. Juan Monaco, 1-6 3-0 retired

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Women's Draw

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Mathilde Johansson def. Tathiana Garbin, walkover

Venus Williams def. Nuria Llagostera Vives, 6-4 4-6 6-2

Flavia Pennetta def. Mariya Koryttseva, 6-3 6-1

Carla Suárez Navarro def. Viktoriya Kutuzova, 7-5 6-3

Gisela Dulko def. Ioana Raluca Olaru, 6-3 6-2

María José Martínez Sánchez def. Arantxa Parra Santonja, 6-2 6-3

Barbora Zahlavova Strycova def. Andreja Klepac, 2-6 6-1 6-4

Mathilde Johansson def. Rossana de los Ríos, 6-4 6-1

Maret Ani def. Patricia Mayr, 4-6 7-6 (7-1) 6-4

Greta Arn def. Edina Gallovits, 6-2 6-3

Agnes Szavay def. Anna Orlik, 7-5 7-5

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Delray Beach International Tennis Championships (Delray Beach)

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Mardy Fish def. Frank Dancevic, 7-5 6-3

Marcos Baghdatis def. Ernests Gulbis, 7-5 6-2

Evgeny Korolev def. Igor Kunitsyn, 6-4 7-6 (7-3)

Jeremy Chardy def. Tommy Haas, 7-6 (9-7) 6-3

Yen-Hsun Lu def. Lleyton Hewitt, 7-5 2-6 6-2

Dudi Sela def. Philipp Petzschner, 6-3 4-1 retired

Gilles Muller def. Ryan Sweeting, 7-6 (7-5) 6-2

Vince Spadea def. Denis Gremelmayr, 2-6 7-5 6-1

Mischa Zverev def. Taylor Dent, 6-4 6-3

Andrey Golubev def. Evan King, 6-2 6-4

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Today's Results

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Regions Morgan Keenan Championships (Memphis)
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Radek Stepanek def. Dudi Sela, 6-3 6-1

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Copa Telmex (Buenos Aires)

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

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

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Open 13 (Marseille)

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

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

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Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships (Dubai)

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

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Copa Sony Ericsson Colsanitas (Bogota)

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

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

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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.

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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.

The Curious Case of the Dangerous Worm

Whoa. The Worm seems to have it all going on at the moment. He may not have made such a good showing at the Aussie Open, getting crushed four, love and love by Nando Verdasco, but he's been doing well in the subsidiary tournaments. A title in Brisbane and now one in San Jose - defeating two hometown boys, Roddick in the semis and Fish in the final, along the way.

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What is it with the Worm? I've watched him play a number of times and I still can't quite figure out what makes him such a dangerous player. Because he is a dangerous player, as his results will attest - but watching him play, I cannot tell what facet of his game is the one that makes him dangerous. Does he leech off the spirits of his WTA-girlfriends, both of whom have become rubbish since they dated him? Or has he been defeating people with the power of his picnic-blanket shirt? Maybe I will never know.

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Some good results overnight for a) one of my favourite players, Dmitry Tursunov, who won his opener in Marseille (correct me if I'm wrong, but has he won this title before?) and b) an Aussie, Chris Guccione, who qualified for Memphis and then won his first round match, knocking off local Vince Spadea. I'm perpetually disappointed in Guccione so it's nice to have a bit of a change!

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Though speaking of Aussies I am not currently disappointed in, Brydan Klein has made it two from two on the satellite circuit this year - he won a Challenger event last week, and this year has walked away with a Futures title from Mildura. Useful rankings points - watch this space!

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And, because I was too busy writing about how wonderful Rafa is yesterday, I forgot to give a proper shout out to one of my Stars, who had a great week. Thomaz Bellucci lost a close match in the final of Costa do Sauipe to Tommy Robredo - a great showing. As a result, he's jumped twenty places in the rankings. Nice on, Thomaz!

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Now when is Ernests Gulbis going to reach a final, hmm? (No pressure, Ernests.)

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Oh, and nice work to Ana Ivanovic for conquering an Aussie Open demon and beating Alisa Kleybanova. Still a long way to go, but it's nice to see her taking it a step at a time.

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Today's Results

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SAP Open (San Jose)

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Radek Stepanek def. Mardy Fish, 3-6 6-4 6-2

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Regions Morgan Keenan Championships (Memphis)

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Men's Draw

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Chris Guccione def. Vince Spadea, 7-6 (7-1) 7-6 (7-5)

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Women's Draw

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Lucie Safarova def. Melanie South, 6-2 6-2

Sabine Lisicki def. Ekaterina Bychkova, 6-3 6-3

Michaella Krajicek def. Alla Kudryavtseva, 6-1 6-4

Pauline Parmentier def. Julie Coin, 7-6 (8-6) 4-6 6-1

Stéphanie Cohen-Aloro def. Alexa Glatch, 6-3 6-3

Vania King def. Alexandra Stevenson, 6-2 7-6 (7-5)

Michelle Larcher de Brito def. Sofia Arvidsson, 6-2 6-0

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Copa Telmex (Buenos Aires)

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Brian Dabul def. Nicolas Devilder, 5-7 7-5 6-4

Juan Ignacio Chela def. Alberto Martin, 6-3 6-2

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Open 13 (Marseille)

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Dmitry Tursunov def. Teimuraz Gabashvili, 3-6 6-2 6-2

Jan Hernych def. Kristof Vliegen, 6-3 3-6 6-4

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Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships (Dubai)

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Elena Vesnina def. Svetlana Kuznetsova, 6-4 3-6 6-0

Ana Ivanovic def. Alisa Kleybanova, 7-5 6-4

Urszula Radwanska def. Agnieszka Radwanska, 6-4 6-3

Alizé Cornet def. Anna-Lena Groenefeld, 6-4 6-1

Marion Bartoli def. Ai Sugiyama, 6-0 4-6 7-6 (8-6)

Dominika Cibulkova def. Sorana Cirstea, 6-4 6-2

Anabel Medina Garrigues def. Andreja Klepac, 6-3 6-1

Ayumi Morita def. Anna Chakvetadze, 7-5 6-2

Alona Bondarenko def. Olga Govortsova, 6-4 6-3

Francesca Schiavone def. Casey Dellacqua, 6-1 6-1

Daniela Hantuchova def. Stefanie Voegele, 7-5 6-2

Samantha Stosur def. Magdalena Rybarikova, 6-4 6-3

Monica Niculescu def. Peng Shuai, 3-6 7-5 6-2

Virginie Razzano def. Kateryna Bondarenko, 7-5 6-2

Camille Pin def. Agnes Szavay, 2-6 6-2 6-3

Sania Mirza def. Ekaterina Makarova, 7-5 6-2

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Copa Sony Ericsson Colsanitas (Bogota)

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Edina Gallovits def. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, 6-2 6-2

Petra Cetkovska def. Sandra Zahlavova, 7-5 6-2

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.

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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.

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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.

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Work that one out.

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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?

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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!

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Today's Results

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ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament (Rotterdam)

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

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

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Brasil Open (Costa do Sauipe)

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

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SAP Open (San Jose)

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

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Open GDF SUEZ (Paris)

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Elena Dementieva def. Serena Williams, walkover

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

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PTT Pattaya Open (Pattaya City)

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

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

Boys From Oz

Doesn’t take long for the boss to get back on the horse, does it? Only ten days or so after his big win at the Aussie Open, he’s off in Rotterdam beating Bolelli and Dimitrov. Admittedly he’s looking a lot scratchier than he was in Melbourne, but no one can keep that level up. Not even the Rafabot.
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The Aussies, unlike Rafa, are not doing so well. We seem to have sorted out our problem with the Aussie girls – I think we’re looking pretty good with our Dokic/Stosur/Dellacqua assortment – but the boys? Um… Guccione and Hewitt both crashed out in San Jose pretty early. Hewitt has been a champion, but is, let’s face it, on the way out. He’s never going to get back into the top ten. And Guccione is just never going to that good, when it comes down to it. And that’s just the way it is.
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This is why when it comes to men’s tennis in Oz, we have to look to the future, because it looks a bit better. I don’t think anyone would gainsay the talent of Bernard Tomic (though they might gainsay the demeanour of his father… Damir mk. 2). And how about Brydan Klein? We should talk about him for a minute, because unlike our current ATP-level boys, he’s doing quite well. He won a Challenger title in Tassie last week, and now he’s defending his title at a Futures event in Mildura. I don’t think he has the raw ability of Tomic – Tomic could be a #1 player one day, and I doubt Klein will ever get that far – but he could be a bit of all right. That’s for sure.
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And I’d just like to finish with a shout-out to one of my Stars, who is holding his own pretty well this week. Check out Thomaz Bellucci, playing in Costa do Sauipe in his home country of Brazil. Could this be a breakout week for him?
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Today’s Results
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ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament (Rotterdam)
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Rafael Nadal def. Grigor Dimitrov, 7-5 3-6 6-2

Andy Murray def. Andreas Seppi, 7-6 (7-4) 7-5

Mario Ancic def. Gilles Simon, 6-4 3-6 6-3

Gael Monfils def. Michael Llodra, 6-4 6-4

Marc Gicquel def. Paul-Henri Mathieu, 6-4 6-3
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Brasil Open (Costa do Sauipe)
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Nicolas Almagro def. Martin Vassallo Arguello (ARG) 64 64

Tommy Robredo def. Fabio Fognini (ITA) 62 62

Jose Acasuso def. Pablo Cuevas (URU) 63 62

Frederico Gil def. Marcel Granollers (ESP) 75 36 63

Eduardo Schwank def. Rui Machado (POR) 26 76(4) 76(6)

Juan Carlos Ferrero def. Brian Dabul (ARG) 61 62

Thomaz Bellucci def. Lukasz Kubot (POL) 57 64 64

Alberto Martin def. Nicolas Devilder (FRA) 62 76(4)
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SAP Open (San Jose)
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Radek Stepanek def. Chris Guccione, 6-2 7-6 (7-1)

Tommy Haas def. Christophe Rochus, 6-2 7-5
Juan Martin Del Potro def. Andrea Stoppini, 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-5)

James Blake def. Vince Spadea, 6-3 6-4

Sam Querrey def. Marcos Baghdatis, 6-3 5-7 7-6 (7-5)

John Isner def. Ramon Delgado, 7-6 (11-9) 6-4
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Open GDF SUEZ (Paris)
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Serena Williams def. Karolina Sprem, 6-1 6-2

Jelena Jankovic def. Li Na, 6-0 3-6 6-2

Elena Dementieva def. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 6-4 6-2

Alizé Cornet def. Daniela Hantuchova, 1-6 6-4 6-2

Amélie Mauresmo def. Monica Niculescu, 6-1 6-2
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PTT Pattaya Open (Pattaya City)
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Vera Zvonareva def. Yaroslava Shvedova, 6-4 6-4

Caroline Wozniacki def. Ksenia Pervak, 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 3-0 retired

Tamarine Tanasugarn def. Neuza Silva, 6-3 6-2

Shahar Peer def. Yuliya Beygelzimer, 6-4 6-1

Magdalena Rybarikova def. Ivana Lisjak, 6-4 2-6 6-2

Sania Mirza def. Vitalia Diatchenko, 6-4 6-0

Tertiary Tennis

I graduated from university today - something which has little to do with tennis. (Surprisingly, there are other things than tennis I'm interested in... Renaissance theatre, for one!) But I thought it thus appropriate to talk tennis and university - more specifically, this so-called ATP university.

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Question: does anyone actually know what the hell it is?

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There are tennis players who have earned degrees, and they are thus exceptional - Mario Ancic, for one. But this ATP university is not so much a university as... well, a seminar, really. It's a very misleading name. There was a story on the ATP website the other day about how sixteen players graduated from it. Naturally, I was intrigued, so I went and looked... and on the list of graduates was Thomaz Bellucci and another one of my Stars (can't remember which), who are both VERY young, nonwithstanding them being professional tennis players.

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Turns out all you have to do to graduate from the ATP university is attend a three day seminar about management and some other stuff (unsure of specifics) and probably not burn anything down. As someone who has slaved away earning their degrees for five years and only now comes away with the precious testamur, I think I object to the use of the term 'university...'

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In the same vein, Sania Mirza got given an honorary doctorate the other day. I hate honorary doctorates. I know she's awesome and what she's done for Indian tennis is good and everything, but a doctorate is something you work at, damn it! As someone who is intending to do a PhD, I am always really pissed off when someone gets handed something that I, who am not famous, will have to study for for years and years and years...

Lose the Spanner, Ana

Remember when Ana Ivanovic used to win matches? I certainly can't remember the last time she did. When was the last time she won a match? Honestly, it isn't even an upset any more when she loses matches. Dominika Cibulkova is a good player, sure, but she's not in Ivanovic's league - at least, not in the league of the old Ivanovic, who was winning things and making it to the final of the Australian and winning the French. So whither Ana? I thought not being #1 would take the pressure off, but this clearly hasn't been the case. I mean, the old Ana would never have lost to Dominika Cibulkova, let alone Julie Coin and the ilk.

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So what is the spanner in the works? What is wrong? I hope to God it's an injury, because if it's all in her head, she is officially the biggest basket case EVER. It must be so upsetting to see Jelena Jankovic winning things all over the place while Ana can't even win a single match. She needs to take time off, even if it means missing Doha and the Australian and hell, all of next season. She needs to get better - to either rehabilitate whatever injury she has, or to move in with her sports psychologist and rehabiliate her mind. She needs to lose the spanner.

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Meanwhile, how 'bout my Stars? Ernests Gulbis lost to Fernando Gonzalez, but he had five match points - I wish he had hung on, but the game is clearly there. Thomaz Bellucci lost a tight three-setter with Jarkko Nieminen, but today's best performer was Jeremy Chardy, who upset Igor Andreev. Allez Jeremy!

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And nice work to my Russian girls, Dinara and Nadia, who both had great wins in Moscow. Davai!

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Today's Results

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Kremlin Cup (Moscow)

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Men's Draw

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Fabrice Santoro def. Denis Istomin, 6-2 6-4

Jeremy Chardy def. Igor Andreev, 3-6 7-5 6-4

Teimuraz Gabashvili def. Mikhail Youzhny, 7-5 4-6 7-6 (7-1)

Paul-Henri Mathieu def. Sergiy Stakhovsky, 6-3 6-2

Mischa Zverev def. Denis Gremelmayr, 6-3 7-6 (9-7)

Igor Kunitsyn def. Mikhail Kukushkin, 6-1 4-6 6-1

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Women's Draw

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Dinara Safina def. Amélie Mauresmo, 6-7 (2-7) 6-4 6-4

Elena Dementieva def. Katarina Srebotnik, 6-3 4-6 7-6 (7-2)

Dominika Cibulkova def. Ana Ivanovic, 3-6 6-2 7-6 (7-4)

Svetlana Kuznetsova def. Sara Errani, 7-6 (7-0) 6-1

Caroline Wozniacki def. Anna Chakvetadze, 2-6 6-1 6-4

Nadia Petrova def. Anna Lapushchenkova, 6-2 6-1

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If Stockholm Open (Stockholm)

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Rainer Schuettler def. Nicolas Lapentti, 7-6 (8-6) 6-3

Oscar Hernandez def. Jose Acasuso, 2-6 6-3 6-4

Jarkko Nieminen def. Thomaz Bellucci, 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 7-5

Robin Soderling def. Benjamin Becker, 7-5 6-3

Albert Montanes def. Thomas Johansson, 6-3 4-6 6-3

George Bastl def. Frederik Nielsen, 7-6 (8-6) 3-6 7-6 (7-4)

Arnaud Clement def. Bjorn Rehnquist, 6-2 6-1

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Bank Austria Tennis Trophy (Vienna)

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Fernando Gonzalez def. Ernests Gulbis, 4-6 7-6 (13-11) 6-1

Fernando Verdasco def. Guillermo Canas, 6-1 6-2

Philipp Petzschner def. Jan Hernych, 6-3 6-4

Carlos Moya def. Eduardo Schwank, 6-2 6-3

Juan Martin Del Potro def. Martin Fischer, 7-6 (9-7) 7-6 (7-5)

Gael Monfils def. Alexander Peya, 3-6 6-1 6-3

Coin Toss

I believe I said yesterday that Ana Ivanovic was shaky-looking or something to that effect, and would not make the final. I was right. But I had no idea she'd go crashing out to a French nobody in the second round.

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Something is clearly up with Ana. She's had two early Slam exits now since winning the French and becoming #1. I don't whether it's the thumb injury or what - but even if the injury is a factor, it isn't just that. Something is up with Ana Ivanovic. She is not playing like someone of her calibre should.

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I suppose this will mean she loses #1 again - I'm not sure what she did here last year, but it certainly was better than the second round, yesno? So how many have we got in contention to take it this time? Actually, who was in the final last year? Henin, yes - she won - but who did she play? Let me have a look... Henin defeated Kuznetsova. Wow, I have no recollection of that at all! But what it does mean is that Sveta has a hell of a lot of points to defend - one would imagine she would pretty much have to win the title to take #1.

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The real danger is Jelena Jankovic, but really, if she is going to be #1, it would nice if she'd do it by winning the tournament. I know she's reasonably consistent, but can you really be #1 without a Slam? Mathematically you can, sure, but really? It just seems sort of suss to me.

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Sharapova obviously can't take it what with being injured and all... I would dearly love to see Dinara take it, but I think she's too far back in the rankings to even have a shot. Likewise Dementieva. Could Serena do it? I don't know how she went last year. How far behind is she...? Let's look. A long way, really. Possible at the outside, perhaps, but not very likely. She'd have to win the tournament, and even then I don't know if she'd make it. Maths is not my strong suit.

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But what we haven't talked about is the underdog that did the upsetting, and that is very remiss of me. How about Julie Coin? What a great victory for her! Everyone was really disappointed here in Australia when she beat Casey Dellacqua in the first round, but now she's beaten Ivanovic, perhaps poor Casey will be forgiven a bit. She (back on Coin now) is ranked something like #188 in the world, and I think this is her first Slam tournament. How's that for your first memories of Slam tennis? A victory over Dellacqua, ranked, what about 150 places higher than her? is good enough, but to beat the #1 player in the world...? That's something special.

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I'm not going to go on to predict that Julie Coin will be the next #1 or anything, or even that she'll be top 10, but I would love to see her go a few rounds here. As long as they're not playing Federer, I love a good underdog. I don't think she could pull an Edmondson or anything, but maybe she could be a second Carla Suarez Navarro. Eventually she would run into Safina and there she would swiftly be terminated, but I'd like to see her make at least another round. Just to prove that yes, she can back it up.

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Look at me, talking about women's tennis when there is all this men's tennis as well! No major upsets there today - although Rafa is still playing! Though I don't think he's going to pull an Ana - he's 5-0 up in the first set right now. Actually, he could be more, but I can't tell - the US Open website is being all crap and non-accessible. Bastards. But still, it looks like Rafa took my advice about getting off the court quickly to heart. This one doesn't look like it'll go three hours. (Hell, it doesn't look like it'll go one hour at this rate.) Maybe he and Federer are having a competition for the number of bagels served up... though look! A game! Ryler de Heart won a whole game! I guess that set will just be a breadstick then. (Just.)

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And I do believe I said yesterday that the match between del Potro and Bellucci would be one to watch, and although del Potro would win, Bellucci would challenge him. I was right. I am just so good. Yay me.

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Today's Results

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US Open (Flushing Meadows)

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Men's Draw

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James Blake def. Steve Darcis, 4-6 6-3 1-0 retired
Rafael Nadal def. Ryler de Heart, 6-1 6-2 6-4

Mardy Fish def. Paul-Henri Mathieu, 6-2 3-6 6-2 6-4
Gael Monfils def. Evgeny Korolev, 6-2 6-3 3-6 6-4
Stanislas Wawrinka def. Wayne Odesnik, 6-4 7-6 (8-6) 6-2
Sam Querrey def. Nicolas Devilder, 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 4-6 6-3
Andy Murray def. Michael Llodra, 6-4 1-6 7-5 7-6 (9-7)
Ivo Karlovic def. Florent Serra, 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 6-2
Flavio Cipolla def. Yen-hsun Lu, 6-1 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-4
Gilles Simon def. Jose Acasuso, 6-4 6-1 6-4
David Ferrer def. Andreas Beck, 4-6 7-5 6-3 7-6 (7-5)
Jurgen Melzer def. Jiri Vanek, 6-0 6-2 6-2
David Nalbandian def. Andrey Golubev, 6-2 6-4 6-2
Juan Martin del Potro def. Thomaz Bellucci, 4-6 6-1 7-5 6-3
Viktor Troicki def. Philipp Kohlschreiber, 2-6 6-3 6-4 3-0 retired
Kei Nishikori def. Roko Karanusic, 6-1 7-5 retired
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Women's Draw
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Julie Coin def. Ana Ivanovic, 6-3 4-6 6-3
Dinara Safina def. Roberta Vinci, 6-4 6-3
Serena Williams def. Elenade los Rios, 6-1 6-1
Venus Williams def. Rossana de los Rios, 6-0 6-3
Amelie Mauresmo def. Kaia Kanepi, 2-6 6-4 6-0
Alize Cornet def. Bethanie Mattek, 7-6 (7-5) 6-1
Alona Bondarenko def. Sabine Lisicki, 6-4 1-6 6-4
Timea Bacsinszky def. Yung-Jan Chan, 6-3 6-2
Tathiana Garbin def. Agnes Szavay, 5-7 6-2 6-3
Severine Bremond def. Nicole Vaidisova, 7-5 6-3
Nadia Petrova def. Hsieh Su-wei, 6-4 6-2
Dominika Cibulkova def. Ioana Raluca Olaru, 6-2 6-2
Flavia Pennetta def. Shuai Peng, 6-2 6-7 (8-10) 6-1
Agnieszka Radwanska def. Mariana Duque Marino, 6-0 7-6 (7-3)
Anna-Lena Groenefeld def. Jessica Moore, 6-1 6-3
Ai Sugiyama def. Olga Govortsova, 4-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-1

Cilic Serves Fish

I'm following the live scores as I write this, and right now my boy Marin Cilic is up 5-2 in the third set against Mardy Fish and is serving for it. I'm very proud. Boy, do I know how to pick 'em!

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I was doing a bit of hunting through the Challenger archives for this year, and I found out what Jeremy Chardy has been up to - well, for a week, anyway. He won a Challenger in Graz in late July, so maybe I'm being a bit unfair when I say he's the worst performer of my little Stars fold. He hasn't been splashing about on the ATP circuit like my boy Marin, maybe, but he's working hard. Good boy, Jeremy. (Condescending, me?)

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Speaking of Marin, he just won! One day, I'm going to be able to say that I picked him out before he was famous. I don't know if he's ever going to be #1, but top ten for sure, I think - and he's one of mine. I don't think I can really claim that I jumped on the del Potro bandwagon before he became all good and stuff, but I sure picked Marin early. Go me. And go Marin! Now all I need is for Ernests Gulbis to win a tour title and I'll be extraordinarily pleased with myself.

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Going back to the Challengers, another star performer was Thomaz Bellucci, who has won four of the things this year. I'd love to see him make a splash on the ATP circuit - but we might have to wait till next year, as I think he's a bit of a claycourter. Still, claycourters can sometimes do other stuff... look at Rafa.

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I promised a US Open preview, I do believe, but I might save that for tomorrow, when I will have nothing at all to talk about, as there will be no tennis. It's the US Open's version of Boring Sunday - but I suppose two weeks of awesome tennis after that might make up for it!

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Oh, and today's shout out goes to Lucie Safarova (aka Madame Berdych.) After a stellar run a while back - I remember her beating Mauresmo (I think) at the Australian and really doing well - she lost form, so much so as to be unseeded at a Tier IV tournament. I think she's ranked about #80 or something now. Anyway, she won that selfsame Tier IV tournament in Forest Hills pretty handily. She's really a lovely player - very watchable - so I'm quite pleased. Nice one, Lucie!

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Oh, and I apologise for the title of today's post. Really, I do.

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Today's Results

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Pilot Pen Tennis (New Haven)

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Men's Draw

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Marin Cilic def. Mardy Fish, 6-4 4-6 6-2

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Women's Draw

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Caroline Wozniacki def. Anna Chakvetadze, 3-6 6-4 6-1

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Forest Hills Tennis Classic (Forest Hills)

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Lucie Safarova def. Peng Shuai, 6-4 6-2

Stars, In Your Multitudes

I do believe I said yesterday that one day in the future Ivan Ljubicic would make a fine ATP chairman. Lo and behold! he's been elected to the ATP board as the official representative of Europe. I like to think this is proof that the ATP listen to what I say. Next thing you know, they'll be knocking on my door, asking me to be the next Etienne. You just wait.

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Meanwhile, I really should preview the US Open draw, but I'm going to save that for tomorrow. I have to save up my topics of conversation and ration them out carefully before the US Open, when things get all interesting. I think that today I am going to gloat some more about how good the kids in my Stars of the Future fold are. Especially Marin Cilic.

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When I first added Cilic to my Stars fold, I wasn't expecting him to be quite so spectacular. I thought he'd be one of my secondary stars. But he has had a real career year this year, and I am just counting down the seconds until he's in the top ten. He's seeded at the US Open, which makes him one of my best-performing Stars so far. Go Marin! And he has just made his first career final in New Haven, where he will play Mardy Fish for the title. Can Cilic take Fish? I think that he can - hook, line and sinker.

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I apologise profoundly for that pun. But if your last name is Fish, then I'm sure you'd be used to it. Go Marin!

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I think I better clarify who is actually in my Stars of the Future fold, because otherwise I'm going to end up adopting every stray young 'un that comes along and claiming the glory. Currently, the fold includes the following: Juan Martin del Potro (recent addition - very quickly becoming a Star of the Present!), Marin Cilic, Ernests Gulbis (my favourite!), Eduardo Schwank, Jeremy Chardy and Thomaz Bellucci. And I'm sure there's another one, but I can't remember who right now. But they're my picks. They're the ones that are going to make it big. Except maybe Chardy. I'm not so sold on him any more.

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My special favourite is, of course, Ernests Gulbis, who is one of the most insanely talented young players we have seen in a very long time. I don't know if he's quite at Federer/Safin talent level, but he's pretty damn good. He is officially the only person I have ever seen blow Rafa off the court. (Rafa still came back and won the match, but Swanboy got a set off him. Which is something.) A bit of experience, and he's going to be wonderful. Just give him a while. I think last time I talked about him, I said to give him a year. I might extend that to two, but he is going to be up there, mark my words.

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But my boy Marin... he's the star of his class right now, nonwithstanding new kid Juan Martin del Potro. He is the first of my original stars to reach a final, and I am very proud. Yay Marin!

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Today's Results

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Pilot Pen Tennis (New Haven)

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Men's Draw

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Marin Cilic def. Luka Gregorc, 6-3 6-3

Mardy Fish def. Fernando Verdasco, 6-0 1-6 6-3

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Women's Draw

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Anna Chakvetadze def. Amélie Mauresmo, 6-3 3-6 6-1

Caroline Wozniacki def. Alizé Cornet, 7-5 6-4

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Forest Hills Tennis Classic (Forest Hills)

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Lucie Safarova def. Iveta Benesova, 6-2 6-4

Peng Shuai def. Carla Suárez Navarro, 6-1 6-2

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

Ladies' Day

It's very rare that I say this, so listen carefully and note down the day, my friends: the women's tennis was more interesting than the men's today.

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You may have noticed that I follow the ATP much more closely than the WTA. Sure, I know what's going on in the WTA and who the number #1 is at any given week... which didn't used to be difficult, as it was Justine Henin, but with her gone, it might be a bit more difficult to keep track of! On the whole, though, I find the men's game much more compelling, though I couldn't put my finger on it and tell you why.

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Not with today's play, though. How about that Sharapova match? Did anyone else have flashbacks to her match against Camille Pin in the Australian Open in 2007? I certainly did. I'm not a Sharapova fan (actually, perhaps it would be more correct to say that I'm not a fan of her dad - overbearing tennis parents rub me up the wrong way!) I was cheering for Rodina, and it was very disappointing that she didn't manage to get up in the end. But it was a good match, a good contest.

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I don't think it'll do Sharapova any lasting harm. She was in the final that year when she beat Camille Pin 9-7 in the third at the Australian - although she did get pounded by Serena. If anything, it'll be a wakeup call. I think she took Rodina a bit too lightly, played a bit too arrogantly, and nearly paid the price. And can you imagine how wide open that top half of the draw would have been if she'd lost? That one would have been interesting.

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I think Sharapova unquestionably deserves to be #1 at the moment - now that JuJu's gone. Even though I don't like her as a person, I think she stands a good chance of winning the tournament. If she was knocked out, I don't know who I'd tip. Jankovic, maybe? She has a good clay game... when she can manage to stay uninjured.

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And huge congratulations to Casey Dellacqua. What a great win over Marion Bartoli! Granted, Bartoli is injured, and Dellacqua did have that rain delay to help her out, but let's face it: Bartoli is the ninth seed and is playing on home territory - on one of the major arenas, no less. For Dellacqua to come out and start another giant-killing spree outside Australia and on a surface that doesn't suit her is a real achievement. I'm not normally particularly partisan when it comes to tennis - anyone who knows me knows my feelings on Lleyton Hewitt! - but when it comes to Casey, I think I might become all nationalistic. I'm a fan.

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And finally, that Nadal/Bellucci match eventuated! It was hardly a surprise that Nadal won in straights - he is Rafa, after all, and this is Roland Garros! - but I like what I see from Bellucci. He's only young, and he's won four Challengers on clay this year. Now Guga is out of the picture, Brazilian tennis really doesn't have anyone... and I wouldn't be surprised to see Bellucci doing things in the next few years! And speaking of Challengers, Eduardo Schwank took out Marcel Granollers in the second round. He is definitely a player worth keeping an eye on.

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And, funnily enough, the match that followed Nadal/Bellucci on Chatrier, Monfils/Clement, had exactly the same scoreline. Go figure.

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I was very excited that my name got mentioned on Radio Roland Garros last night. It makes me feel like part of the greater tennis world! Roland Garros is the only Slam I really follow on radio - occasionally I'll tune into Radio Wimbledon, but Wimbledon is televised in Australia, so the only time I use it is when TV is showing a boring match (ie. Hewitt) when a more interesting one (ie. Federer) is going on. But, although radio has its limitations, I always enjoy Radio Roland Garros... especially the bits of tennis gossip that get thrown around occasionally. Who knew Igor Andreev and Maria Kirilenko were a longstanding item? Or that Nadal and Soderling don't like each other? (Though after that match at Wimbledon that went for, what, five days? I'm not surprised. Though I didn't know the grudge had lasted.) Or Nadal and Berdych? (Berdych got beaten last night. So much for his crushing of Smeets.)

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If only they published a gossip magazine for tennis... I might be one of the only readers. Although what with the Ashley Harkleroad Playboy shoot, and Nuria Llagostera Vives in some Spanish magazine... maybe the tennis profile is going to get amped up. Though I don't know if I want it to get amped up that way.

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Roland Garros Results - Day #4

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Men's Draw

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Rafael Nadal def. Thomaz Bellucci, 7-5 6-3 6-1

Gael Monfils def. Arnaud Clement, 7-5 6-3 6-1

Radek Stepanek def. Gilles Simon, 6-2 6-4 6-1

Paul-Henri Mathieu def. Oscar Hernandez, 2-6 1-6 6-4 6-3 6-2

Marat Safin def. Jean-Rene Lisnard, 6-7 (5-7) 6-1 6-3 6-2

Lleyton Hewitt def. Nicolas Mahut, 6-4 6-2 6-4

Novak Djokovic def. Miguel Angel Lopez Jaen, 6-1 6-1 6-3

Marc Gicquel def. Viktor Troicki, 6-4 6-3 4-6 7-5

Michael Llodra def. Tomas Berdych, 6-3 4-6 5-7 6-3 6-4

Julien Benneteau def. Vince Spadea, 6-4 6-4 3-6 3-6 6-3

Fabrice Santoro def. Evgeny Korolev, 7-6 (7-3) 6-1 6-4

Andy Murray def. Jose Acasuso, 6-4 6-0 6-4

Diego Jungueira def. Adrian Mannarino, 6-1 6-2 6-2

Jarkko Nieminen def. Marc Lopez, 2-6 6-3 6-4 6-3

Martin Vassallo Arguello def. Feliciano Lopez, 7-6 (6-1) 6-4 3-6 4-6 6-3

Eduardo Schwank def. Marcel Granollers, 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 6-4 6-4

Marcos Daniel def. Juan Carlos Ferrero, 7-6 (7-5) 2-2 ret.

Wayne Odesnik def. Hyung-taik Lee, 6-2 4-6 6-3 6-2

David Ferrer def. Steve Darcis, 6-3 6-4 6-3

Bobby Reynolds def. Thierry Ascione, 7-6 (7-2) 2-6 6-3 6-3

David Marrero def. Victor Crivoi, 6-3 6-3 5-7 6-4

Luis Horna def. Scoville Jenkins, 6-4 5-7 6-3 6-0

Robby Ginepri def. Donald Young, 6-2 3-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-2

Dmitry Tursunov def. Daniel Brands, 6-2 6-4 7-5

Jurgen Melzer def. Peter Luczak, 6-3 6-2 6-4

Juan Ignacio Chela def. John Isner, 2-6 3-6 7-5 6-3 6-4

Simone Bolelli def. Juan Martin Del Potro, 3-6 7-6 (7-0) 7-5 6-2

Victor Hanescu def. Dudi Sela, 4-6 6-2 4-6 6-4 6-3

Marin Cilic def. Robin Haase, 7-6 (8-6) 6-2 7-6 (7-4)

Jiri Vanek def. Jesse Huta Galung, 6-3 7-5 6-2

Nicolas Almagro def. Sebastian Decoud, 7-6 (7-2) 6-2 6-1

Alejandro Falla def. Ivo Karlovic, 3-6 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (8-6) 5-7 6-4

Albert Montanes def. Kristof Vliegen, 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (7-3)

Igor Andreev def. Potito Starace, 6-1 6-7 (3-7) 6-1 6-4

Mardy Fish def. Agustin Calleri, 6-7 (6-8) 6-4 6-2 6-4

Ivan Ljubicic def. Eric Prodon, 7-5 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-4)

Mikhail Youzhny def. Benjamin Becker, 6-1 6-3 7-6 (7-4)

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Women's Draw

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Maria Sharapova def. Evgeniya Rodina, 6-1 3-6 8-6

Casey Dellacqua def. Marion Bartoli, 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 6-2

Ana Ivanovic def. Lucie Safarova, 6-1 6-2

Elena Dementieva def. Vera Dushevina, 6-7 (6-8) 6-0 6-2

Nadia Petrova def. Aravane Rezai, 7-6 (7-4) 6-3

Stephanie Cohen-Aloro def. Ioana Raluca Olaru, 7-6 (7-4) 6-3

Olga Govortsova def. Yuliana Fedak, 7-5 2-6 6-3

Anabel Medina Garrigues def. Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, 6-3 6-2

Marina Erakovic def. Tathiana Garbin, 6-7 (9-11) 6-3 6-3

Agnieszka Radwanska def. Jelena Pandzic, 6-2 6-0

Maria Kirilenko def. Maria Elena Camerin, 6-1 6-0

Vania King def. Violette Huck, 4-6 6-2 6-1

Shuai Peng def. Anastasia Rodionova, 6-0 2-6 6-3

Anna Chakvetadze def. Nuria Llagostera Vives, 6-3 5-7 6-1

Flavia Pennetta def. Tatiana Perebiynis, 6-3 6-2

Caroline Wozniacki def. Anastasiya Yakimova, 6-0 6-4

Vera Zvonareva def. Stephanie Foretz, 6-2 6-1

Emilie Loit def. Klara Zakapalova, 6-4 6-3

Patty Schnyder def. Timea Bacsinszky, 6-4 4-6 6-1

Jie Zheng def. Mara Santangelo, 4-6 6-3 6-0

Akgul Amanmuradova def. Yanina Wickmayer, 6-2 7-5

Sanda Mamic def. Michaella Krajicek, 6-4 6-3

Marta Domachowska def. Rossana De Los Rios, 3-6 6-3 6-1

Victoria Azarenka def. Edina Gallovits, 6-1 6-3

Aleksandra Wozniak def. Sybille Bammer, 6-0 6-2

Sorana-Mihaela Cirstea def. Anne Kremer, 6-0 3-0 ret.

Bethanie Mattek def. Madison Brengle, 6-3 2-6 6-4

Alisa Kleybanova def. Tamarine Tanasugarn, 6-3 6-0

Petra Kvitova def. Akiko Morigami, 6-4 6-3

Kaia Kanepi def. Meng Yuan, 6-2 6-2

Katarina Srebotnik def. Virginia Ruano Pascual, 6-4 6-2

Magdalena Rybarikova def. Karolina Sprem, 7-6 (7-3) 3-6 8-6

Tsvetana Pironkova def. Yung-Jan Chan, 5-7 6-2 6-0

Francesca Schiavone def. Jill Craybas, 6-3 6-2

Samantha Stosur def. Shahar Peer, 6-2 3-6 6-1