TennisToday

David Ferrer Wins 4th Title at Auckland

ATP 250 Auckland - Men's Final

1 David Ferrer d 2 Philipp Kohlschreiber - 76(5) 61

This title also represents 3 in-a-row.

Blink and David is at a whopping 18 tour titles.

Owed in large part by the tour-leading 7 titles he won last season.

With Rafa out David has moved up to 4th seed at next week's Aussie Open.

But has he over-played before the first Slam Down Under?

Remember he also played last week in Doha.

He's a nice looking draw tho Serb's lurk: he's in Nole's half/Janko's quarter.

Hopefully they'll give him a day or two off.

Now don't be nervous David - remember, all of Spain is depending on you.

David Ferrer Gives Us a Little Tummy Porn while Winning Title at Auckland

Auckland ATP 250 - Final

1 David Ferrer d Olivier Rochus - 63 64

David Ferrer defends his title and 3rd overall in Auckland - 12th career.

He solidifies his #5 ranking and seed going into the Australian Open.

Of course, I hate when these boys play the week before a Slam.

It never seems to work out very well. Hopefully Ferrer will reverse the curse.

He has a decent draw until the quarters where he'll most likely face Djokovic.

Oh, and a shout-out to Ollie - a nice late career showing.

Photo: Reuters

David Ferrer Takes ATP Title in Auckland

Auckland ATP 250 - Men's Final

1 David Ferrer vs 6 David Nalbandian - 63 62

It took David little over an hour to beatdown David for his 10th ATP title.

David: Of course I am with confidence after winning a tournament;

the next tournament I will go in with confidence in my game & my mentality.

Let's hope both escape the "play final one week/lose early the next" curse.

Ferrer will face Jarkko Nieminen in AO11 1st round - H2H: 0-0.

He lost 2nd round in '10 so a decent run in could move him up to #6.

If seedings hold he is on a path to face Rafa in the quarters.

Nalbandian has old rival Lleyton Hewitt in the 1st round - H2H: 3-2/LH.

Best first round match on the men's side.

And could be a cracker - Lleyton just won the Kooyong Classic today.

Rematch: Both David's could play again in the 3rd round next week.

Yes ATP, Game On.

Photo: Getty Images

David's: Ferrer & Nalbandian to Play for Auckland Title

Auckland ATP 250 - Men's Final Preview

1 David Ferrer vs 6 David Nalbandian - H2H: 6-5

Nalbandian has won the last 3, Ferrer hasn't taken a match since '07.

Ferrer is looking for career title #10, Nalbandian title #12.

Hard to say who is favored in this one. I'll pick David in 3.

Outside the Slams Ferrer has had an amazing 12 month cycle.

As for Nalbandian, if healthy, he should add a lot of points this season.

***

Semifinal Results

1 David Ferrer d Giraldo Santiago - 63 75

6 David Nalbandian d 2/WC Nicolas Almagro - 64 62

Photos: Getty Images

David Ferrer Leads Semifinalists at Auckland ATP 250

Auckland ATP 250 - Semifinal Preview

1 David Ferrer vs Santiago Giraldo - H2H: 0-0

David has been to the Sf's or better in 12 of last 22 events he's played: 5-6.

David next heads to the Australian Open as the #7 seed.

Santiago is looking to advance to his 1st career ATP final.

***

2/WC Nicolas Almagro vs David Nalbandian - H2H: 2-2

I'm not entirely convince that much seperates the two in this one.

They are both wonderful shot-makers and may be well worth a stream.

A win would give both guys a little bump in the rankings.

But that won't help their seeding at AO11 - Nico is #14, David is #27.

Photo: Getty Images

Arnaud Clement Watch: Wins Opener in Auckland

Auckland ATP 250 - 1st Round

W/C Arnaud Clement d Xavier Malisse - 46 62 75

Yea so, I'm the last person in the world still following Arnaud.

It's the mad crush that won't die.

When I went to bed last night Arnaud had dropped the 1st set.

I figured all was lost. I mean Xavier was a finalist in Chennai last week.

Then I awoke to a very pleasant surprise - a come-from-behind win.

I'd forgotten about the old 'finalist one week/1st round loser the next' curse.

Good thing cuz Arnaud has runner-up points to defend and at #75...

Well, you get the grim picture.

He'll play fellow Frenchman Adrian Mannarino (no H2H) in the 2nd round.

A Qf (or better) finish might not sink his ranking. Let's do this Arnaud.

UPDATE: Arnaud lost.

Photo: Getty Images

Maria Sharapova Loses Quarterfinal in Auckland

Auckland WTA

Greta Arn d 1 Maria Sharapova - 62 75

Not the best way to start the year - heading into the AO with 3 matches.

And she won't take a wildcard at Sydney.

I'm guessing she thinks a deep run in Sydney would not be AO helpful.

She's probably right.

She lost in the 1st round at the AO last year so she can only improve...

I'd say to look for that #18 rank to move upward in a few weeks time.

Photo: Getty Images

Svetlana Kuznetsova is in Auckland Rockin a New Do

Sveta tweeted this pic from Auckland where she is playing for the 1st time.

She is coming off a miserable 2010 which saw her ranking freefall to #27.

Hard to tell what to expect from her in the coming months...

But I'd expect that ranking to bump up to top 16 before Roland Garros.

Honestly - she doesn't have a boatload of points to defend before then.

Besides, her new Bieber hairdo may signal a new attitude!

Weekend Winner Wrap-Up - January 16, 2010

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

John Isner Wins First Career Title in Auckland

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. 

Arnaud Clement Moves into Auckland Final

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   

Arnaud Clement Wins One for the Old Guys

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...