ATP Masters Series 1000 Miami - Third Round
9 Janko Tipsarevic d 18 Alexandr Dolgopolov - 64 57 62
Janko matches his result of a year ago.
Good thing cuz Isner is about to overtake him at #9 in the ranking.
Only 55 points separate them.
Janko's best Miami result was a Qf here in '08. He can match that on Tuesday.
If you follow him on Facebook or Twitter you'll know that he loves Miami.
And he's offered evidence:
Photo: Top Getty Images - Bottom Janko's Facebook
ATP Masters Series 1000 - Fourth Round
1 Novak Djokovic d Pablo Andujar - 60 67(5) 62
2 Rafael Nadal d 21 Alexandr Dolgopolov - 63 62
Of course they each need to win 2 more matches - but it seems likely.
Tho Rafa's road is a bit tougher with a Sf against the winner of Fed/DelPo.
I don't think Novak has much to worry about before the final. Isner perhaps?
Remember, it was here last year that Nole began his dominance over Rafa.
They played a table-turning 3 setter - and again (with a thriller) at Miami.
Then they took their rivalry to Madrid, Rome, Wimby and the US Open in '11.
And who can forget the instant classic they produced at the Aussie this year.
7 straight matches with Nole over Rafa. It has to stop somewhere...
Hey Rafa, how about this weekend? K, thanks.
Photos:Reuters
Los Angeles ATP 250 Final
Ernests Gulbis d 1 Mardy Fish - 57 64 64
Ernie captures his 2nd ATP title - interstingly, both on American soil.
Heading back up: The win bumps him up 29 ranking spot to #55.
A year ago he enjoyed his highest ranking of #21.
Let's see if he can keep it going - I think he belongs in the top 20.
Ernie: It means a lot to me. It's my second title.
It gives me a huge boost in confidence.
***
Gstaad ATP 250 Final
8 Marcel Granollers d 4 Fernando Verdasco - 64 36 63
Marcel also captures his 2nd ATP title - and first since Houston in '08.
It’s very important for me because I won my first tournament in 2008...
Which was a little unexpected, and three years later I won here.
So there is a lot of work behind today and I feel amazing.
The win bumps him to a career high ranking of #33.
DomiNation: Another Spaniard winning another title.
***
Umag ATP 250 Final
2 Alexandr Dolgopolov d 4 Marin Cilic - 64 36 63
Big congrats to Alexandr on winning his maiden ATP title.
2nd times a charm: He lost his first final in February at Costa Do Sauipe.
He becomes the 6th first-time titlist of 2011.
Alex rises 5 spots in the rankings to #21 - 1 spot below his ranking high.
Alex: I was first in the rankings in Ukraine, but I hadn’t won a title...
And everyone was talking about that a bit. It’s a good moment.
I’ll keep on working and try and get higher and higher in the rankings.
Photos: Reuters/AP
Roland Garros
Men: 15 Viktor Troicki d 21 Alexsandr Dolgopolov - 64 36 63 64
Serbia's second banana is putting together a very sweet run.
4th rounder: This is now the farthest he's ever gone in a Slam.
And he may just get thru the next one too against Andy Murray.
Andy went over on his ankle in his match today... It's a wait and see.
***
Women: 4 Victoria Azarenka d 30 Roberta Vinci - 63 62
As many hours as I watch I have yet to see Vika strike a single ball on TV.
Future champ: Brad Gilbert has tipped her to take the title next Saturday.
That is if she doesn't retire another match this year.
Photos: Reuters
Costa do Sauipe ATP 250 - Final
1 Nicolas Almagro (right) d 4 Alexandr Dolgopolov - 63 76(3)
Looks like Brazilians are gearing up for Carnival!!!
Nico wins his 8th ATP title (all on clay) & 2nd in Costa do Sauipe (also '09).
Nico extends his title streak to at least one per season to 6 years (2006).
As for Dolgo he follows up his nice run at the Aussie with his 1st final.
As we saw in Melbourne he is definately one to watch.
Both boys are headed to Buenos Aires this week as the #1 & #7 seeds.
They have drawn each other to meet in the quarterfinals.
Pen in a rematch on Friday.
I love these promotional gimmicks and Costa do Sauipe looks quite nice.
It'll be interesting to see if Dolgopolov will continue his winning form here.
He has a good draw & is in Montanes half. Is his 1st final in the offing?
Brazil Open ATP 250 - Seeded Players
1. Nicolas Almagro - 2008 Winner
2. Albert Montanes - '04, '07, '08, '10 Round of 16
3. Thomaz Bellucci - '09 Runner-Up
4. Alexandr Dolgopolov - Debut
5. Juan Ignacio Chela - '07 Sf'ist
6. Tommy Robredo - 2009 Winner
7. Potito Starace - '07 Qf'ist
8. Victor Hanescu - '10 Round of 16
The following are all 4th round matches.
1 Rafael Nadal d 15 Marin Cilic - 62 64 63
Much has been made of Rafa's lingering illness the last few days, well...
Rafa: Today I felt very good, no? I didn't sweat like the other days.
Today was the first day that I felt perfect physically.
There you go.
Rafa advances to his 5th AO Qf: 2-2. He lost to Murray in the Qf last year.
He has only faced 16 break points in 4 matches - losing serve just 3 times.
3 Kim Clijsters d Ekaterina Makarova - 76(3) 62
Kim has not looked terribly great in her last two matches. But still gets thru.
Ut-oh: This is Kim's 6th trip to the Qf's - a round in which she has never lost.
Kim will face Agnieszka Radwanska - Kim destoyed her in their only match.
5 Andy Murray d 11 Jurgen Melzer - 63 61 61
UNBELIEVABLE: In 4 matches Andy has lost only 22 games.
Half of the 12 sets he has played have had this score: 6-1.
Another two went to: 6-2. The rest went to: 6-3. That's all. Totally crazy.
Upside: Welcome to the top 10 Jurgen. Well deserved.
2 Vera Zvonareva d Iveta Benesova - 64 61
As we all know, Vera is looking for her maiden Slam.
Vera: The assessment? Well, I think I did pretty good overall. You know,
I started off okay, but then she was able to go 4 2 up in the first set.
I thought I was a little bit slow, a little bit passive. But then...
I was able to find the right momentum, stay a little bit more aggressive.
I kept that till the end of the match and I'm really happy about that.
7 David Ferrer d Milos Raonic - 46 62 63 64
I think a lot of people were predicting an upset here & after the 1st set...
David showed them. In the end he made 10 unforced errors in the match.
But hey, there is no denying Milos is going to be huge - SOON.
This is David 2nd trip to the Qf's: 0-1. As a reward - he get's Rafa next.
But he must think he's in with a chance - he's beaten Rafa 3 times.
12 Agnieszka Radwanska d Shuai Peng - 75 36 75
Well, we knew from the history of these 2 that is was going deep in the 3rd.
This is Agnieszka's 4th trip to a Slam Qf: 0-3.
Remember, she recently had surgery on her ankle.
Ag: Yeah, I think I should have surgery before every Grand Slam definitely.
Hey, whatever works!
Alexandr Dolgopolov d 4 Robin Soderling - 16 63 61 46 62
Shock of the tournament. Could very well go down as the upset of the year.
This, in only his 4th Slam main draw.
Vowels: Doesn't it look like he's missing a letter in both names? An E & an O.
Alex: I was on tour all the time when my father was a coach.
Then I started to play myself. It's a lot of work.
Now I'm happy something's paying off and I'm getting my goals together...
25 Petra Kvitova d 22 Flavia Pennetta - 36 63 63
This is Petra's 2nd Slam Qf: 1-0. She got to the Sf's at Wimby last year.
With a 2nd round loss her last year look for her ranking to get a nice bump.
Consolation: Flavia is seeded #1 in doubles with Gisela Dulko & still alive.
Photos: Reuters/Getty Images
Novak Djokovic Wins Match at Monte-Carlo on the Day His Grandfather Died
ATP Masters Series 1000 Monte-Carlo - Third Round
1 Novak Djokovic d 16 Alexandr Dolgopolov - 26 61 64
Major props and respect are owed to Novak for even stepping on court.
Nobody would have faulted him for pulling out.
You could feel his heavy heart throughout - especially in that 1st set.
Well, and at the end when he celebrated heavenward to his granddad.
Nole left the court quickly and skipped his post-match presser.
Obviously to seek quick comfort from his support team.
See you tomorrow, Nole.
Photo: Getty Images
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