TennisToday

One more thing about Fed Cup last week...

I really didn't think I could love Franny any more.

I'm sure this has been on many tennis blogs already but oddly enough...

I don't read very many of them. Weird, huh?

Italian Women Win the Fed Cup in San Diego

Oh yea, this happened over the weekend:

Italy d USA 3-1

Sorry for not keeping up with this guys, I'm not really a fan of Fed Cup.

And I watched the matches too - well, the TV was on in the background.

Italy has now won this thing 3 of the last 5 years. Kind of an odd dynasty.

'10 MIA's: Serena & Venus have to play in '11 - for Olympic qualification.

Neener-Neener

Great win for Melanie Oudin over Fran - Mel has not played well this year.

Wonder how they celebrated the win? Tourists love that Gaslamp District.

The WTA 2010 season is officially over.

Photos: Reuters

USA & Italy Win Fed Cup Semifinal Ties

USA d Russia 3-2

M3. Elena Dementieva d Melanie Oudin - 76(4) 06 63

M4. Bethanie Mattek-Sands d. Ekaterina Makarova - 64 26 63

M5. Huber & Mattek-Sands d. Dementieva & Kudryavtseva - 63 61

***

Italy d Czech Republic 5-0

M3. Flavia Pennetta d Petra Kvitova - 76(3) 62

M4. Sara Errani d Lucie Hradecka - 64 62

M5. Errani & Schiavone d Hradecka & Pecshke - 62 64

Photo: AP

Kim Clijsters Injures Foot Playing Fed Cup - Will Probably Miss French Open

Now I really hate Fed Cup. To quote my mother, "Well, fiddle fart."

From BBC Sport: Clijsters' fitness trainer Sam Verslegers (left) said: "Roland-Garros? Kim might be fit in time but we won't be taking any risks."

He added: "We'll be working to return a step at a time so right now it's difficult to put a timeline on when she will return to action."

Clijsters injured sesamoid bones in her left big toe in her 6-4 6-2 win over Maret Ani on Saturday.

Photo: Reuters

Belgium Wins Fed Cup World Group Play-off Tie

I do not buy into the gossip that Kim and Justine don't like each other...

But that photo sure doesn't help with those rumors.

Belgium came into today tied with the team from Estonia at 1-1.

Then Justine (playing with a broken finger) lost to Kaia Kanepi 67(6) 64 63.

Yanina Wickmayer won the day beating Maret Ani 26 61 61.

Photos: Reuters

Fed Cup Semifinals Day 1 Results

Pretty sure that may be all the fans that were actually in attendance.

USA is tied with Russia 1-1

M1. Melaine Oudin d All Kudryaavtseva - 63 63

M2. Elena Dementieva d Bethanie Mattek-Sands - 64 63

***

Italy leads Czech Republic 2-0

M1. Flavia Pennetta d Lucie Hradecka - 64 75

M2. Francesca Schiavone d Lucie Safarova - 60 62

Photo: AP

Justine Henin Breaks Finger During Practice

During practice yesterday for the Fed Cup tie this weekend against Estonia Justine Henin fractured the little finger on her left hand.

Good thing she is a righty with a one-handed backhand.

As a precaution Justine has pulled from her singles match but plans to play doubles with Kirsten Flipkens.

Justine said at a presser today, "During training, I wanted to stop a ball from Kirsten with my left hand. I immediately felt a strong pain my little finger. It turned out that it was broken. A similar fracture to my right hand would have kept me off the courts for several weeks."

Photo: Getty Images

Results from Day 2 of Fed Cup

No hope? Ana Ivanovic won only 10 games in her 2 singles losses. Unreal.

Russia d. Serbia - 3-2

Jelena Jankovic (above right) d. Svetlana Kuznetsova - 63 46 63

Alisa Kleybanova d. Ana Ivanovic (above left) - 62 63

Kleybanova/Kuznetsova d. Ivanovic/Jankovic - 61 64

Italy d. Ukraine - 4-1

Flavia Pennetta d. Alona Bondarenko - 75 76(3)

Francesca Schiavone d. Kateryna Bondarenko - 26 61 61

Errani/Vinci d. Koryttseva/Kutusova - 61 63

United States d. France - 4-1

Melanie Oudin (above) d. Julie Coin - 76(3) 64

Pauline Parmentier d. Christina McHale - 64 64

Huber/Mattek-Sands d. Cohen-Aloro/Cornet - 62 63

Czech Republic d. Germany - 3-2

Lucie Hradecka d. Andrea Petkovic - 61 76(5)

Anna-Lena Groenefeld d. Petra Kvitova - 46 63 62

Hradecka/Peschke d. Groenefeld/Malek - 61 63

Photo: Reuters/AP

Ana Ivanovic & Jelena Jankovic Share a Laugh

Ana, "Well, Melbourne was embarrassing."

Jelena, "At least I'm still in the top 10."

Ana, "For now."

Photo: AP

Fed Cup Results for Day 1

Who would've guessed that of all the ties this weekend the US (below) would be the only team with a 2-0 lead. Who needs those Williams Sisters who feel that the Super Bowl is much more important?

United States leads France 2-0

Bethanie Mattek-Sands d. Alize Cornet - 76(7) 75

Melanie Oudin d. Pauline Parmentier - 64 64

Serbia is tied with Russia 1-1

Svetlana Kuznetsova d. Ana Ivanovic - 61 64

Jelena Jankovic d. Alisa Kleybanova - 46 64 60

Germany is tied with Czech Republic 1-1

Anna-Lena Groenefeld d. Lucie Safarova - 62 62

Petra Kvitova d. Andrea Petkovic - 64 64

Ukraine is tied with Italy 1-1

Alona Bondarenko d. Francesca Schiavone - 61 64

Flavia Pennetta d. Kateryna Bondarenko - 75 63

Photo: AP

Caroline Wozniacki Stretches Ahead of Her Fed Cup Tie

The '09 US Open finalist readies herself against Latvia in Lisbon.

Photos: Reuters

Fed Cup is this Weekend - WOO HOO!

Not once in my whole entire life do I ever remember giving a crap about Fed Cup.

And here's why:

Team USA: Melanie Oudin, Shenay Perry, Liezel Huber, Bethanie Mattek-Sands

VS

Team France: Alize Cornet, Julie Coin, Pauline Parmentier, Stephane Cohen-Aloro

Not a single gal is ranked inside the top 50 and only three of them reside in top 100: Oudin, Cornet and Coin.

How do I get excited for this? I mean, Perry vs. Coin ought to be a real effing thriller.

I get that Serena and Venus might need a break but they wouldn't show up if they put the tie in their backyard. But you'll sure see them in Madison Square Garden in a couple weeks cuz they put a lot of 0's before that decimal - can't blame 'em for that!

And Marion, you didn't even get close to playing last week in Australia. Where are you?

Of the four ties being played this weekend the only interesting one is Russia vs. Serbia. But don't look for that on Tennis Channel - they are only showing the American tie. Of course.

***That's my rant for the day. Phew.