Brisbane ATP 250 - 2nd Round
2 Andy Roddick d Alexandr Dolgopolov - 64 61
The defending champ breezed into the Qf's in under an hour.
He wil next play 5 Marcos Baghdatis - H2H: 2-1/AR.
Interesting that they haven't played in over 3 years.
Heads ups: A lot of fuss has been made over Marcos' conditioning of late.
Could be an interesting match on Friday - stay tuned.
Photo: Getty Images
Brisbane ATP 250 - 1st Round
Benjamin Becker d 3 Fernando Verdasco - 61 67(2) 62
Ah Fern. What up? Besides the hair.
I sure wasn't in the mood for you to start '11 the way you ended '10 - losing.
Since his Qf run at the US Open in September Fern has a W/L record of 2-6.
Let's turn this around already.
Well, at least had a little fun in Brisbane while he was there...
At 32, Arnaud is inching ever closer to retirement.
So I plan to follow him intensely during 2011 - and beyond.
Yea, some called it stalking. But honestly, it's just called a harmless crush.
***
Arnaud is currently ranked #78.
Last year in Brisbane he lost in the 1st round to doper Wayne Odesnik.
This year he'll open against a qualifier. He's in the Mardy Fish quarter.
Ouch: Next week he's defending runner-up points in Auckland.
An early loss will drop him out of the top 100.
See... ouch.
FINALLY a shirtless player in the Aussie summer heat. Thanks Fern.
Last year he didn't play any of the warm-up tournies heading to Aussie Open.
But he did get to the round of 16 & lost a tough 5-setter to Davydenko.
Let's just hope he doesn't over-play himself like he didn't in spots last season.
Fern finished his 2010 campaign ranked #9 - top 10 for the second time.
Caution ahead: The bulk of his points all happened before June.
Photo credit: I'm not actually sure where this came from, but good work!
1. That was one of the most incredible matches I've ever been part of last night, justine's level was amazingly high, now I need a few days off.
2. I'll remember the crowd's standing ovation for a long time, we had a terrific week here, now some well deserved family time.***
Photo: Getty Images
During the trophy ceremony the tournament director revealed that Kim was so moved by her visit to the Children's Hospital in Brisbane earlier in the week that she decided to donate her entire winner's check to the hospital.
The announcement was met with a loud and long ovation. Kim was clearly quite moved. I think she now has all of Australia on her side to win the big one Down Under.
You can follow Kim on Twitter as I do.
Brisbane International in Australia
Andy Roddick d. Radek Stepanek - 76(1) 76(8)
Kim Clijsters d. Justine Henin - 63 46 76(6)
Chennai Open in India
Croatian Marin Cilic Photo: Eurosport
Marin Cilic d. Stanislas Wawrinka - 76(2) 76(3)
Qatar Open in Doha
Nikolay Davydenko d. Rafael Nadal - 06 76(8) 64
ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand
Yanina Wickmayer d. Flavia Pennetta - 63 62
Hopman Cup in Perth, Australia
Spain's Tommy Robredo & Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez d.
Great Britain's Andy Murray & Laura Robson - 2 matches to 1
And I have him as my second favorite to win in Melbourne too.
Just behind Nikolay Davydenko.
Photo: AFP/Getty Images
But to win there he will need to tighten a few things up a bit. Like converting more of those break point chances and closing out matches when he's so far up.
In the end it's a win as he beat Radek Stepanek 76(1) 76(8).
The first set was really a story about missed break points but it was the second set that was freaky... Andy led 5-1 and before he knew it he found himself in another tie-break. And even then he was up 6-1 and needed to get to 8 to clinch the win.
The win in Brisbane means that Andy has won at least one title for 9 consecutive years. And he could very well leave Australian with a second in a few weeks time.
Look out girls - the Belgians are ba-ack! Photo: AFP/Getty Images
Kim and Justine gave the tennis world a classic in Brisbane battling each other in a match that could not have been much closer - and nodoby in the States got to see it.
Dumb Tennis Channel. Airing this tomorrow? Lord.
The score read 63 46 76(8) in Kim's favor. I'm very much looking forward to checking this one out. On Tennis Channel. Tomorrow.
So recapping: Justine's first tournament back and she reaches the final (nearly winning it) and Kim's fifth tourney back and she grabs her second title to go with that US Open trophy.
One thing is clear - women's tennis this year is gonna be good, again.
At least the fans got their wish in Brisbane - sucks to be D'oh ha.
Ah yes, the intensity is back. Photo: AP
Both comebacking Belgians bounced their opponents today - Kim Clijsters over Andrea Petkovic 64 62 and Justine beat Ana Ivanovic 63 62 - setting up a mouth-watering final in Brisbane.
Lord only knows what to expect tomorrow.
Their matches over the years have been quite interesting. The head-to-head is 12-10 in Justine's favor which is pretty close but in all the matches that really mattered (Slam finals) it's all Justine. Justine has also won their last 3 meetings.
But...
They haven't played each other since the '06 Wimbledon semifinal so I'm thinking with their careers basically 'reset' we really shouldn't rely too much on the past. Keep in mind that this is Justine's first tournament back. But then again, it's only Kim's fifth.
This could easily be the Australian Open final in a couple of weeks.
PUMPED! Photo: Getty Images
This better not be any of this 'just dropped in, can't stay long' crap either.
Though the prospect of Roger meeting Rafa in the Doha final for the 21st installment of their legendary rivalry is quite juicy Kim and Justine could very easily upstage them should they meet in the Brisbane final this weekend. They are one match away...
However, neither Kim nor Justine advanced to the semifinals without struggling through tough three set affairs. Kim advanced with a hard-fought win over Czech Lucie Safarova, 61 06 64 - which is almost the identical score of her win over Venus Williams at the US Open. She'll next play Andrea Petrovic (who?) in the semis. At least her nice showing here will getting seeded within the top 16 players at the Aussie Open so a top player wouldn't have to see her before the 4th round. Yes, you can breathe a little easier Dinara.
Justine had her hands quite full with Melinda Czink (again, who?) and this little drama wouldn't be settled until a 3rd set tie-break where Justine eventually prevailed, 62 36 76(5). Justine will play #3 seed Ana Ivanovic, who is looking to rebound after a very dismal '09 season, in the semifinals where Justine holds a 4-0 head-to-head.
Ah, a Roger/Rafa - Kim/Justine weekend would be pure bliss.
Photos: Getty Images
He's holding that koala like it's the Wimbledon trophy.
Damn you Andy - I needed you to win that match. It still stings.
Photo: Getty Images
At some point soon we will stop calling Kim's story a comeback.
Appearing in only her 5th tournament back from retirement Kim Clijsters has the look of a player who never left. I'll give it another few tournaments or her eventual cracking of the top 10 to cease the 'comeback story' and just go with the fact that she is just back. Very back.
In today's match she played a player in the midst of writing her second comeback story - Alicia Molik. First there was that odd ear virus in 2005 and then just after she bombed out of the '08 Olympic games she announced her retirement - again. Brisbane marks her first tournament back and although she enjoyed a hard-fought 1st round win over Makarova she managed only three games against Clijsters, 60 63.
Most in the tennis world would love to see Clijsters in the final against Justine Henin - yet another comeback story on the WTA Tour. And after beating #2 seed Petrova in the first round it looks highly likely. Of course Ana could spoil the party...
Kim admitted to watching Henin's match and had this to say about Henin and the possibility of an all-Belgian final, "She was moving really well. Didn't look like she'd left. Of course, it will be a good challenge, but there's a lot of other girls I look forward to playing as well."
Forget that - the other girls can wait!
Photo: AP
Dork forgot to take the tag off his hat before beating Peter Luczak, 76(5) 62.
Sure hope that's not a gesture Brooklyn can use for Andy.
Photo: Getty Images
Ok, I'll admit it - I was never a Justine Henin fan. When she retired I just shrugged my shoulders and thought I wouldn't miss her. The nearly two years that followed on the WTA Tour was a (near) complete bore. Now, I doubt I'm going to find myself cheering her on whole-heartedly but this time around I plan on embracing her return to the game. It's much needed.
And poor Nadia Petrova, the #2 seed in Brisbane had the misfortune of being Justine's first victim and though it was a tight two set affair the Belgian former #1 secured her first comeback match, 75 75.
Said Justine after the match, "Mentally, I was able to play my best when the score was tight at the end of both sets. I really enjoyed being out there - that's what I'm going to remember today."
Knocking Petrova out of the way and suddenly Henin looks like a good bet to get to the final. Her only real obstacle would be a potential semifinal against Ana Ivanovic - who herself is on a bit of a comeback trail.
Wouldn't it be something if we got both comebacking Belgians to play each other in the final? Then of course I'm back at square one - pulling for Henin's opponent.
Sure she's all smiles - 5th tournament back and she's 14-3.
Mom Kim Clijsters got her season started yesterday with a 1st round win in Brisbaine over Tathiana Garbin, 62 61.
Total. Beat. Down.
She finished 2009 ranked #18 with just 4 tournaments played. Look for that ranking to skyrocket as she has nothing but points to add for another 7 months.
And with the Aussie Open looming she has to like her chances of making a deep run... Kim has played in Melbourne 7 times and has contested 5 semifinal matches there, making the final once.
Nadia Petrova did the tournament organizers at the Brisbaine International a favor by helping them with their draw ceremony. Then she promptly pulled Justine Henin's name as her first opponent. Whoops.
This will be Justine's first match since she stepped away from the game almost two years ago. At the time she was the undisputed #1 player and left these tournaments (and others) without a defending champion: French Open, Olympics, US Open and the WTA Season-Ending Championships.
Justine explained in a recent article for Daily Mail she explains that she just wasn't in a happy place, "When I think back, whenever I looked in the mirror, the woman I saw was lost. I was feeling so empty."
It's not hard to see that Justine's return to the game should be a successful one. And lord knows the WTA and we tennis fans sure need her back. I wasn't her biggest fan before but I think I'll enjoy her this time around.
Robin Soderling Wins ATP 250 Title in Brisbane
Brisbane ATP 250 - Men's Final
1 Robin Soderling d 2 Andy Roddick - 63 75
Robin wins his 7th title in 17 finals & improves his H2H against Andy to 4-2.
Many tennis folk are expecting 2011 to be a big year for the Swede.
His win today moves him up to #4 bumping Andy Murray to #5.
Last year Del Potro sent Murray to #5. How will this impact the AO11?
Last year it created a Nadal/Murray Qf - which seemed too soon, no?
Robin heads to AO11 a 1st round loser in '10 - he's never been past the 2nd.
W/L records at the Aussie for both players: Robin is 2-5 - Andy is 34-9.
At the trophy ceremony Andy doubled his ace donation to $200 per...
In the end his 54 aces contributed $10,800 for Queensland flood victims.
Nice going Andy.
Posted at 12:48 PM in Andy Roddick, Australian Open, Brisbane, Commentary, Grand Slam Tennis, Mens Tennis, Robin Soderling, Scores, The 250's | Permalink | Comments (0)
Technorati Tags: Andy Roddick, ATP, Australia, Brisbane, Men's Tennis, Robin Soderling
| Reblog (0)