TennisToday

Juan Martin Del Potro is having a GREAT week at Estoril

Juan has lost 5 games in 2 matches.

He'll next take on Stanislas Wawrinka to advance to the final - H2H: 2-2.

Juan is 25-6 on the year which includes a title at Marseille.

Wouldn't it be nice if he could get up to #8 before Roland Garros?

Only 325 points seperate him from Janko at #8...

And he only has 90 points to defend at both Madrid and Rome.

It's a possibility.

Djokovic, Del Potro, Davydenko Weekend Winners

Belgrade ATP 250 - Final

1 Novak Djokovic d Feliciano Lopez - 76(4) 62

Wow: 27-0 on the year while winning 5 straight tournament titles.

Let's how this streak translates to clay.

Novak got a decent draw in Madrid - a Rafa/Novak final would be sweet.

***

Estoril ATP 250 - Final

8 Juan Martin Del Potro d 2 Fernando Verdasco - 62 62

And that folks is DelPo's 2nd title of the season as he goes 25/6.

With the win he moves up to #32.

The big boys can breathe easier - he'll be seeded at Roland Garros.

***

Munich ATP 250 - Final

7 Nikolay Davydenko d 5 Florian Mayer - 63 36 61

Nice move: The win bumps Niko up 12 places in the rankings to #28.

Title 21 equates to winning at least 1 title for 9 consecutive years.

Juan Martin Del Potro Upsets Robin Soderling in Estoril

Estoril ATP 250 - Quarterfinal

8 Juan Martin Del Potro d 1 Robin Soderling - 64 75

This is the 2nd time this year DelPo has straight setted Robin.

With the win DelPo moves into his 5th Sf on the year: 1-3.

He will next face Pablo Cuevas - they have never played before.

Fun fact: DelPo began the year ranked #259 - 4 months later he's #49.

And there are a bunch of guys hoping he can get into the top 32 before RG.

It could easily happen with 2 Master Series Events upcoming.

And remember, he's doing nothing but adding points for most of the year.

Photo: Getty Images

Fernando Verdasco Cooks Up a Win at Estoril

Estoril ATP 250 - Second Round

2 Fernando Verdasco d Frederico Gil - 61 76(5)

See what I did there? Fern and Vesnina had some cooking thing this week.

Looks like they gave each other crabs. (wow, really?)

Anyway, breathing a sigh of relief is Fern. Why, you ask?

Well, in his 8 tournies this year he's lost his 1st match FIVE times.

(And he damn near wasted a 5-2 lead in the 2nd set.)

That's why.

Robin Soderling & Jo-Wilfried Tsonga Visit Portuguese Navy While Playing ATP 250 Estoril

Yesterday Robin & Jo-W volleyed a bit aboard the Sagres in Lisbon.

Jo-W: The last time I was on a boat, which I rented for fishing...

I was sick for five hours.

Today both guys played their 1st matches of the tournament in Estoril.

1 Robin Sodering d Jeremy Chardy - 61 67(4) 61

Pablo Cuevas d 3 W/C Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - 62 76(0)

Just whoops, Jo.

Sunday's ATP Winners: Albert Montanes in Estoril, Mikhail Youzhny in Munich & Sam Querrey in Belgrade

Estoril ATP 250

4 Albert Montanes d Federico Gil - 62 67(4) 75

The defending champ defends - beating Roger Federer along the way.

Ranked #34 - he is only the 7th highest ranked Spaniard - now that's deep.

This is Albert's 4th career title and not surprisingly they've all come on clay.

He'll play Ernests Gulbis in the 1st round in Madrid on Tuesday. H2H: 2-1/EG.

Munich ATP 250

2 Mikhail Youzhny d 1 Marin Cilic - 63 46 64

Youzhny has played three finals this season - today he finally bagged one.

Youzhny collects his 6th title and 1st since winning in Moscow last year.

Last Jusly he was ranked #70 - since then he has quietly moved up to #15.

He will face Lukas Lacko in the 1st round in Madrid. H2H: 1-0/MY.

Belgrade ATP 250

3 Sam Querrey d 2 John Isner - 36 76(4) 64

Two American's. On European clay. Contesting a final. What are the odds?

At the beginning of the week John & Sam were ranked #'s 21 & 22.

Sam's win will leapfrog him over John into the top 20.

This is Sam's 4 career title and second of 2010 following his win in Memphis.

Both Sam and John will open against a qualifiers this week in Madrid.

The pic above: Novak (right) is 6'2" and is the short one in the pic!

Photos: Reuters/AP

Roger Federer's Estoril Semifinal Loss Press Conference

Well, a highlights package of it anyway. I have to say I'm still not worried about Roger at Roland Garros. Sure these guys are getting him in best-ot-three matches but until someone can beat him in a best-of-five I'll start sounding the death knell. In the last six or so years only a handful of players have beaten him in best-of-five: Gustavo Kuerten, Marat Safin, Novak Djokovic, Juan Martin Del Potro, and of course Rafael Nadal (there might be one or two more - I've done this off the top of my head). Sure he seems vulnerable but history tells me to expect a deep run in Paris.

Roger Federer Handed Shock Loss in Estoril Semifinal

4 Albert Montanes d 1 Roger Federer - 62 76(5)

Ok all you Roger fans before you freak take a deep breath and consider that Roger came upon a crafty dirt-baller on a very grey and heavy day. I'm sure Roger will even look at it that way. But make no mistake, this is a shocking loss - #1 losing to #34. And the effects may just ripple.

I streamed this match and I have to tell you Roger looked extremely sour - nearly from first ball. As the match progressed Roger just kept playing ugly tennis. He managed to get the second set to the tie-break but even then you didn't feel he was going to take charge. In the end it has to be said that 50 unforced errors over two sets is truly unacceptable - given Roger's lofty standards.

At the beginning of the week Roger stated that leaving Estoril without the trophy would be a disaster. I have to tell you that if I'm a player in the locker room hearing that I'm gonna do my damnedest to beat you too. Surely he meant no disrespect but them there is fightin' words.

So. Is this a disaster? Possibly. He still has the Masters 1000 in Madrid, where he is the defending champion, to see if he can't pull his game together. But a quick look at his draw reveals a number of guys in his quarter that have beaten him in the last year: Roddick, Gulbis, Wawrinka and Montanes - three of them damn good clay courters to boot.

It's going to be a 'hold your breath' week for Federer fans. You may want to get an oxygen tank and a bottle of Xanax and hope for the best.

Albert Montanes wins the match of his career.

Photo: Reuters/Getty Images

Roger Federer Leads Semifinalists in Estoril

 Tomorrow's Semifinals

1 Roger Federer vs 4 Albert Montanes - H2H: 3-0

Roger's forehand is still shaky but getting it done.

Now, if he can't collect his 2nd title in Estoril this week...

5 Guillermo Garcia-Lopez vs Federico Gil - H2H: 0-1

Garcia-Lopez has been playing fairly well this spring on clay.

He has been to one final - winning in Kitzbuhel last year.

*****

Quarterfinal Resuls

1 Roger Federer d Arnaud Clement - 76(7) 62

Clement got his 300th tour win this week in Estoril.

4 Albert Montanes d Pablo Cuevas - 64 63

5 Guillermo Garcia-Lopez d Q Alberto Martin - 60 20 ret.

Federico Gil d WC Rui MacHado - 46 76(1) 63

Photo: Reuters

Roger Federer Leads Winners on Day 3 in Estoril - Then Meets his #1 Fan

1 Roger Federer d Bjorn Phau - 63 64 - 2nd Round

This kid won a Federer contest & gets front row to all of Roger's matches.

He better watch out cuz I have a friend that will kick this kid's ass.

#1 fan indeed.

Roger will play Arnaud Clement tomorrow & has a 6-3 H2H edge.

Also, Roger has said that anything less than the title this week would be:

A DISASTER.

***

Other 2nd Round Winners Today:

4 Albert Montanes d Daniel Gimeno-Traver - 61 62
8 Pablo Cuevas d Marcel Granollers - 76(8) 76(2)
Arnaud Clement d Alejandro Falla - 64 63

Photo: Reuters

Guillermo Garcia-Lopez Channels Gene Simmons in Estoril

"How you gonna celebrate your win Willy?"

"The creature I'm hosting within needs to feed on Xavier's face."

5 Guillermo Garcia-Lopez d Xavier Malisse - 62 76(7) - 1st Round

I propose that the next time that tongue leaves his mouth...

Automatic two-year suspension.

Photo: Reuters

Roger Federer Storms Estoril Looking to Regain Form

Roger Federer is in Estoril looking to reignite his off-form play of late.

He started the year perfectly by winning the Australian Open in January.

But he been shown the door before the quarters at every tournament since.

All of which happened to be Masters events: Indian Wells, Miami & Rome.

The man is in serious need of a confidence boosting week in Portugal.

And he should get it - there is only one other top ten player in the draw.

And he, Nikolay Davydenko, is returning from an injury break.

I would guess that Roger should easily pick up this title...

Hell, the #4 seed is ranked #31 - surely Roger is the fish fish here.

But if he fails to make at least the semi's the man is in some deep doo-doo.

Photos: AP

This Week the Women's WTA Tour Heads to Rome & Estoril

 

ROME - Projected Quarterfinals:

1 Serena Williams vs 5 Svetlana Kuznetsova

4 Venus Williams vs 7 Jelena Jankovic

***

3 Dinara Safina (above) vs 6 Elena Dementieva

2 Caroline Wozniacki vs 8 Agniezska Radwanszka

***

ESTORIL - Projected Semifinals:

1 Agnes Szavay vs 4 Anabel Medina Garrigues

2 Sorona Cirstea vs 3 Aleksandra Wozniack

***

Photo: Dinara Safina wins Rome '09 - Reuters

This Week the Men's ATP Tour Heads to Estoril, Belgrade and Munich

BELGRADE ATP 250 - Top Seeds

1. Novak Djokovic (above) - Winner '09

2. John Isner - Debut

3. Sam Querrey - Round of 32 '09

4. Stanislas Wawrinka - Debut

***

ESTORIL ATP 250 - Top Seeds

1. Roger Federer - Winner '08

2. Ivan Ljubicic - Round of 32 '00

3. Gael Monfils - Round of 16 '06

4. Albert Montanes - Winner '09

***

MUNICH ATP 250 - Top Seeds

1. Marin Cilic - Quarterfinal '08 '09

2. Mikhail Youzhny - Finalist '07 '09

3. Tomas Berdych - Winner '09

4. Philipp Koehlschreiber - Winner '07

***

Photo: Novak Djokovic Wins Debut Sebian Open '09

Getty Images