No Dunces Here

Okay, Ernie, so you beat Roger. I wasn't too happy when you did that.

But you know what? You took that opportunity and you didn't waste it. And that is important. You fought to the death in that match against previous Roger-conqueror Volandri, and you came out on top.

And now... you know what, Ernie? You're in the frigging semi finals of a bigass tournament. Rome is not Delray Beach. This is not some little 250 you can fluke. This is Rome, man. This is a Masters event. This is a big frigging deal.

Now, no one in their right minds expects you to win this title, because, hello, Rafa is a freight train of clay pain and he will destroy anyone who stands in his path. But Ernie, I'm glad you are making the most of this opportunity. You were great in your match against Feliciano Lopez and I'm really keen to see how you're going to fare in the next round.

You're part of the class of '88, Ernie - the class that has given us Juan Martin del Potro and Marin Cilic. And now your name - you're not the top of the class yet, my friend, but you ain't wearing no dunce's cap.

Wrecking Ball

Someone - I think it was Matt Cronin - tweeted today that they didn't think that Rafa would lose a(nother? has he lost one yet?) set this clay court season.

To which I would say... I would not be surprised.

Sure, last year Rafa looked like an absolute wrecking ball right up until that semi final in Madrid where Djokovic pushed him all the way and then Rafa folded in the final, and then lost his way against Soderling in the round of sixteen at the big RG. So this is something we've seen before.

But there's something a little different about this Rafa. He's faced down some serious injury and he knows he's got to take care of himself. He's indulging in some sensible scheduling, something he's never done in the past. And if he takes care of his opponents as quickly as he took care of Philipp Kohlschreiber today - a player who is immensely talented and whom Rafa humbled - I would be very surprised to see anyone whose name isn't Roger Federer take a set off him.

Hell, even if their name is Roger Federer. Oh hi, Mr I-lost-in-the-first-round-of-Rome.

Rafa's back. And he's hungry. Roland Garros is his playground. And it's going to take something superhuman to stand between him and his fifth Coupe de Mousqetaires.

Roger, Really?

Ernie, you know most of the time I cheer (and cheer loudly) when you win. I'm on your bandwagon, dude. I love it when you do well.

But did you have to win this one?

I'm a Federfan first and foremost, and much as this win is massive for Ernie's career and I really like Ernie, I like Roger more. I know it's only Rome and stuff, but it's... irksome. To say I'm not especially impressed is an understatement.

Take this here very short paragraph - more like a sentence, really - of praise for the skill of Ernie and the win and stuff. If/when he wins his next round, you can bet that I'll be very excited.

But Roger, really?

He said just what I wanted him to in his presser, which was that it served as a wakeup call and that he's going to smash it out in Estoril. I think he underestimated Ernie a bit, which was foolish, because Ernie = good. But it doesn't change the fact that this isn't exactly the Bestest Sign Ever for Paris.

Still. It's Roger. I have faith and faith eternal.

But Roger, really?!

Bad Luck for Belgium

For many years, Roland Garros was considered the domain of Justine Henin. It was her country. Then she went and retired and Roland Garros became anyone's Slam - Ivanovic and Kuznetsova have been the interim winners. But now she's back...

...or is she?

JuJu has a broken finger, and it seems to me like that is something which could seriously hamper her chances at Roland Garros. That is not the kind of injury you really want to be carrying. I really hope that she can get it all healed up by then, because I really want to see what kind of assault on the title JuJu can launch, but...

And then Kim Clijsters is injured too. Fed Cup has not been kind to Belgium this weekend. I understand Kim could be out for six weeks, which seriously damages, if not totally wipes out, her title challenge at the French, which she has never won. It's beginning to look like Belgium's best hope for the crown this time will not be their comeback queens but rather Yanina Wickmayer.

I don't have much to say on this subject other than this is spectacularly bad luck for Belgium and I hope they both get better. Because Roland Garros is better with these two in it.

Roman Holiday

Wow - Barcelona finished without me even noticing. I got all caught up in Fed Cup and then suddenly Rome's started and that whole week is gone.

A little late, but awesome work, Nando Verdasco. I haven't been reeeeeeeally convinced by Nando for a while now, but to back up a final in Monte Carlo (where, admittedly, he got crushed, but them's the haps when you play Rafa, I guess) with a win in Barcelona is pretty much epic. Didn't see the match and so thus can't comment, but Nando's making a push to be in those claycourt contenders this year. And good on him for it.

Now, we're all caught up. Over to Rome.

I'd have to say the award for biggest win of the day has to go to Ernests Gulbis. Yes, I know I'm biased, considering I've been clinging to the Gulbis train for a while now, but if he wins his next match I'm going to be cursing his name (he's playing Federer) and so I have to laud him now. Marcos Baghdatis is a tough, tough opponent, even if his ranking doesn't necessarily reflect this, and Gulbis smashed him like a guitar. I'm going to be very interested to see how Ernie does on clay - his breakthrough, we must remember, came at Roland Garros 2008...

Biggest loss of the day is a toss up between Sam Querrey and Juan Carlos Ferrero, but I'm going to have to go with the Mosquito on this one. A qualifier? Seriously, JC? I know you can do so much better than this...

...but perhaps, as it often happens on clay, this will be a blessing in disguise. Maybe JC will get some rest and be super fresh when he hits the home courts in Madrid...

(Back) On Top of the World

It's official: Australia is back in the World Group of Fed Cup.

I know no one really gets excited about Fed Cup any more (or Davis Cup, really - but Fed Cup is worse) but I am really excited that Australia is back in the World Group. We might not look it, but our team is seriously good - and it's only going to get better.

Stosur is, and will continue to be, the lynchpin - she's the one that clinched the deciding victory today and sent Australia through over Ukraine. (And, I would like to point out, Ukraine is not a nation to be sniffed at tennis-wise - I have one word and that word is Bondarenko). But there are a number of others in the squad who have valuable contributions to make. Rodionova was the other star on the weekend - and on debut no less - but we've got some depth going on.

We have Molik, who is on the way back up. The erratically brilliant Dokic. The on-the-comeback Dellacqua. Jarka Groth. And then a number of very promising up and comers like Olivia Rogowska, Isabella Holland, Sally Peers and Monika Wejnert.

Everyone seems to pin all their hopes on Bernard Tomic for the future of Australian tennis. I think it's right here in this Fed Cup team. Aussie girls are on the rise!

Anastasia and Sam On Top

Australia has a damn good Fed Cup team. I don't think anyone can gainsay this now.

I think everyone was expecting Stosur to do well - the win she had in Charleston can only buoy her confidence, and even though she traditionally doesn't do quite as well when everyone's watching her. However, she's really come through big and scored a sweet win for Australia. Yay for Sam.

But the real star and story has to be Anastasia Rodionova. I don't think anyone thought that she'd come through Bondarenko - either of the Bondarenkos. They're both ranked higher than Rodionova and both are very used to having the weight of their nation resting on their shoulders - they're all Ukraine has, really. Whereas Rodionova is on debut.

So this was a really, really great win from Anastasia. I really wish I had had the opportunity to see it - and the Stosur match as well, for that matter - but Australian TV is very lax about televising these things. Which is a whole other issue.

...but back to the point. If the Aussies can come through in doubles tomorrow - which is a reasonable bet - then we're back in the World Group. And in the World Group in 2011, I think Australia can do real damage.