US Open - Men' First Round
Arnaud Clement d 16 Marcos Baghdatis - 63 62 61 64 75
Out of gas: I wrote last week that Marcos shouldn't be playing in New Haven.
Score one for the old guys - at 32, Arnaud is an old man on tour these days.
He'll improve is #68 ranking as he lost in the quallies a year ago.
Arnaud last beat a top 20 player at a Slam - the US Open in '02: Grosjean.
He'll next face Eduardo Schwank - H2H: 0-0.
Photo: Getty Images
Arnaud Clement (below) lost a tight 3-setter to American Tim Smyczek.
Chris Guccione (below) won when Gilles Muller withdrew with injury.
Dmitry Tursunov (below) won today as he is coming back from injury.
Nick Lindahl (below) was alo a winner today.
You've been hearing his voice for some time on TC - this is Doug Adler:
1 Roger Federer d Arnaud Clement - 62 64 62
Well... welcome to Wimbledon, Roger. Nice of you to join us!
After a couple of scares in the first 2 rounds Roger smokes into the 4th.
Surely nobody on earth thought Arnaud would take more than a few games.
But speaking of Arnaud, this result could keep him on the tour another year.
Back to Roger: converted 5 of 10 break points & only faced and saved 1.
He also hit 29 winners today & was 22 of 26 points at the net. Nice stuff.
As Roger seeks a 7th title here he will next face Austrian Jurgen Melzer.
Oddly enough, they have never faced each other previously.
Photos: Roger & Arnaud - Getty Images
So how's this for incredible...
Nicolas was just on the losing end of a titanic match on Court 18 today.
Two hours later he was back on Court 18 for his 1st round doubles match.
He and partner Arnaud Clement lost the 1st set in the tiebreak before...
the match was called FOR DARKNESS.
This is the 3rd straight day a Mahut match has been so suspended.
Which means he will finish it tomorrow. That's 5 days in a row on 18, y'all.
Why bother with a hotel room - seems he should pitch a tent there.
Please , just let him win this one.
Photo: Getty Images
1 Roger Federer d Ilija Bozoljac - 63 67(4) 64 76(5)
Yea, I don't recognize the Roger that showed up this year either.
Roger Roger Roger. You did realize that Bozo was a qualifier?
Not that I ever thought he would lose today, but that's too close - again.
He plays Arnaud Clement next - you'd think he could roll through that one.
But Arnaud must be thinking, mmmmm - maybe. I would.
Roger is lunching with the Queen tomorrow...
My friend Brad joked, "I wonder who has a bigger bag?!"
Photo: Getty Images
The Men
Peter Luczak d 30 Tommy Robredo - 26 76(3) 62 75
Michal Przysiezny d 17 Ivan Ljubicic - 75 76(5) 63
Denis Istomin d 20 Stanislas Wawrinka - 67(5) 61 26 76(4) 63
Daniel Brands d Igor Andreev - 76(5) 76(4) 75
Arnaud Clement d Janko Tipsarevic - 63 36 64 75
The Women
Vera Dushevina d Francesca Schiavone - 67(0) 75 61
Greta Arn d 34 Kateryna Bondarenko - 76(1) 36 63
Shahar Peer d Ana Ivanovic - 63 64
Angelique Kerber d Sania Mirza - 64 61
Yung-Jan Chan d Patty Schnyder - 60 62
Karolina Sprem d Bethanie Mattek-Sands - 63 64
Photo: Reuters
Truth be told they were probably waiting to the courts to dry.
Hopefully Rafael Nadal will have a different view of Roger on Sunday.
Caroline Wozniacki learning a few things from Federer?
How thrilled was I to get an Arnaud Clement fix today?!
Photos: TV captures. Shhh, don't tell Fox Sports.
Did they get any inspiration from Ivan Ljubicic last week at all?
Guillermo Garcia-Lopez d Arnaud Clement (left) - 76(4) 62
Taylor Dent d Q Rainer Schuettler (right) - 61 64
Igor Andreev d Q Xavier Malisse - 64 64
Photos: Getty Images
Arnaud lost to Marcos Baghdatis - 76 61
Hey, looks like the rain has stopped we're gonna get a full day of play - which includes a bunch of matches left over from yesterday. Mmm, you gotta feel for those guys who have to play today and tomorrow.
There are tons of stars on tap: Roger, Serena, Novak, Fernando V., Jo-Wilfried, Venus and Ana. Venus and Roger may get tested a bit but it's Fernando V. that has to contend with an Aussie - and a good one.
There are a few interesting matches to look forward to today (predictions in bold)... James Blake v Arnaud Clement. Mikhail Youzhny v Richard Gasquet. Ernests Gulbis v Juan Monaco. Alize Cornet v Francesca Schiavone. John Isner v Andreas Seppi. Marc Gicquel v Simone Bolelli.
Also, Donald Young plays veteran Christophe Rochus. Remember when Young was said to be the next great American? He played well to qualify in Melbourne but I'm looking to him faulter today, sadly. This is Donald's 9th Slam and he has lost the 1st round in 8 of them. His current rank is #195.
UPDATE*****
So was sooooo wrong about most of my predictions - the only one I got right was Schiavone. I am actually quite shocked about the Gulbis and Gasquet results. And may I just say, GOOD FOR YOU DONALD YOUNG. You shut my mouth wide open.
Ahhh, a little more than 5 hours away until start of play. And even though the first couple of rounds tend to be on the dull side on the show courts I still find myself excited for another Slam getting underway.
There are plenty of ATP and WTA stars on display today including, Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova, Kim Clijsters, Andy Murray, Dinara Safina, Andy Roddick, Juan Martin Del Potro, Justine Henin, Jelena Jankovic and Fernando Gonzalez. I don't see any of them losing. In fact, if you are a ticket holder on Rod Laver Arena you are probably in for a pretty quick day.
The last match on Laver finds Aussie darling Jelena Dokic taking on #27 Alisa Kleybanova. The crowd will certainly be a factor in this one - they cheered Jelena on to the quarterfinals last year. Lightning strikes twice? Look for the upset.
There are a couple of interesting matches to keep an eye on today.
On Court 3 Fabrice Santoro is playing in his 70th Slam. He'll take on #14 Marin Cilic. YAWN. The tennis world gets to say goodbye to him all over again. He'll be back in France tomorrow.
First-on on Court 6 is #13 Radek Stepanek taking on Ivo Karlovic. Never in a million years would I actually watch this match but it's an interesting encounter all the same. Stepanek has won all three meetings but looking at the scores they have played close with 6 tiebreaks among the sets. Could go either way.
Also on Court 6 is Arnuad Clement against James Blake. With James fading of late and Arnaud getting to the Auckland final two days ago Arnaud might just get his first win in their 8th meeting. I'll take Arnaud. (Literally - ha!)
Two young American's play cagey tour veterans today. #25 Sam Querrey takes on the 2000 Aussie finalist Rainer Schuettler. They have never played and I doubt Sam is too worried about Rainer - he's about 50 now. #33 John Isner has a more dangerous match against Andreas Seppi. This is their first meeting but Isner might be very tired having won the title in Auckland just 2 days ago. I'm smelling an upset here.
Medibank International in Sydney
Marcos Baghdatis d. Richard Gasquet - 64 76(2)
Elena Dementieva d. Serena WIlliams - 63 62
Kooyong Classic Exhibition in Melbourne
Fernando Verdasco d. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - 75 63
Heineken Open in Auckland, New Zealand
John Isner d. Arnaud Clement - 63 57 76(2)
Hobart, Australia
Alona Bondarenko d. Shahar Peer - 62 64
American John Isner picked up his first ATP title in Auckland yesterday.
Coming back from a match point down over Arnaud Clement, 63 57 76(2).
Um, that ball bounce between your legs before you serve is sooo annoying.
IT. MUST. STOP.
Score another one for the old guy! At 32 Arnaud has produced a great week of tennis in Auckland beating 3 seeded players on his way to the final tomorrow. In today's semifinal the handsome Frenchie beat Philipp Kohlschreiber, 63 76(2). I didn't recognize the song they were playing over the PA system after the match but "If I Could Turn Back Time' would have been apt.
The last time Arnaud contested an ATP Tour level tournament was back in June of '07 - a losing effort to Ivo Karlovic in Nottingham. Tomorrow he faces a very similar monster-tall player in John Isner who beat Albert Montanes, 63 76(5).
A win tomorrow would be Arnaud first since winning in Washington DC in the summer of '06. I'm gonna go ahead and pick Arnaud with the upset win. And in the AO10 draw released today he plays James Blake in the 1st round - suddenly I'm liking his chances in that one too.
Photos: Getty Images
The French cutie playing Down Under. Photo: AP
At the ripe old tennis age of 32 Arnaud Clement turned back time today and produced a nice upset of 2nd seed David Ferrer in Auckland, 75 64.
In October Arnaud was ranked #143 and seemed on his way out. Then boom - he scampers around the court and gets few good results in the Fall and suddenly he finishes '09 at #63. Pretty much gives him another year of direct acceptances in the 250 and 500 tournaments.
Back to Auckland. Arnaud will next face Jurgen Melzer (who beat Arnaud's buddy and fellow oldie Sebastien Grosjean 76 in the 3rd) in the quarterfinals where Arnaud is behind in their H2H 1-2, losing the last two. But Melzer may be a little tired so...
A Bit of a Recap of Day 4 at the US Open
Sorry guys, I wasn't around much today. And only have time for this quickie.
I'll be fully focued tomorrow - jut in time for the rain. I hate rain delays!
***
US OPEN - SECOND ROUND MATCHES
1 Caroline Wozniacki d Kai-Chen Chang - 60 60
Caro has lost a whopping 2 games in 2 matches. Uh, steamrolling.
Arnaud Clement d Eduardo Schwank - 63 5-5 ret.
The old boy wins again. It's his 6th time to the USO 3rd round: 4-1.
2 Roger Federer d Andreas Beck - 63 64 63
Roger is looking for his 7th straight USO final. He's won 5: '04-'08.
4 Jelena Jankovic d Mirjana Lucic - 64 36 62
Two matches - two 3-setters. Ouch.
Beatrice Capra d 18 Aravane Rezai - 75 26 63
USA's Bea won the second WTA match of her career. This years Believe?
Richard Gasquet d 6 Nikolay Davydenko - 63 64 62
Gasquet keeps giving us hope... Lot's of decent wins this season. Nice.
5 Robin Soderling d Taylor Dent - 62 62 64
Surprisingly, this is only Robins 9th trip to a 3rd round at a Slam: 4-4.
Kei Nishikori d 11 Marin Cilic - 57 76(6) 36 76(3) 61
5 hour match and they both looked like they were going to drop dead.
Photos: Wozniacki - Getty Images. The rest - Reuters
Posted at 05:50 PM in Arnaud Clement, Caroline Wozniacki, Commentary, Grand Slam Tennis, Jelena Jankovic, Little Guys, Mens Tennis, Nikolay Davydenko, Richard Gasquet, Robin Soderling, Roger Federer, Scores, Upsets, US Open, Womens Tennis | Permalink | Comments (0)
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