Bastad ATP 250 - Men's Semifinal
8 Fernando Verdasco d 5 Grigor Dmitrov - 76(3) 57 75
Fern advances to his 18th career final and is looking for a 6th title.
After a bit of a crap year Fern hits the grass with a pair of Qf's.
Remember, he was a breath away from a Wimby semi.
Well, the good play continues back on the clay in Bastad.
I'm glad to see he having some good results.
Photo: Fern Instagram'd this photo after his Qf win.
Wimbledon - Men's Quarterfinal
2 Andy Murray d Fernando Verdasco - 46 36 61 64 75
Talk about a thriller. An epic thriller. An instant classic for sure.
This is the 7th time Andy has come back from 2 sets down.
I can't even imagine how Henman Hill must have rocked today.
Post match: You're more concerned about losing the match,
not thinking so much that, 'I'm going to lose at Wimbledon.'. You're
concerned how the match is going and that you may lose.
But when you've been in that position a lot of times, you know how
to think through it and not get too far ahead of yourself.
I definitely didn't rush when I went two sets to love down.
I slowed myself down, if anything, and that was a good sign.
***
Andy is trying to get into his 4th straight Slam final.
He was runner-up last year, won the USO and was RU at the Aussie.
Remember: He skipped Roland Garros.
He'll play Jerzy Janowicz - H2H: 1-1. Jerzy won their last match.
It has the makings of yet another Centre Court thriller.
Madrid Masters Series 1000 - Men's 1st Round
Fernando Verdasco d David Goffin - 76(2) 62
That's Fern with legend Manolo Santana on Court Manolo Santana days ago.
At Madrid last year Fern finally got his first win over Rafael Nadal.
Since then his results have taken a nose-dive.
In the 21 tournys he's played since he was a Qf'ist or better only twice.
Fern is looking to get back on track:
What I focus on is trying to work as hard as possible.
The confidence comes back when you work harder than you normally do.
If you normally push it up to 100%, well, I have to push it to 200%.
That's the way it is when you're in a bad season.
It seems all the things are against you.
The fact of playing here in Madrid also helps; the extra motivation that
Madrid was going to be my next tournament.
Perhaps that made me train even harder, at a higher level.
I think that I'm well prepared to at least be competitive this week.
Jus' cuz.
You're welcome ladies and gays.
Well, if you have to sit out of the tour why not float around the Bahamas.
I'm sure he'd rather be mixing it up with the boys in Acapulco.
Fern is aiming for an Indian Wells return.
Hope so.
There's our Fern at the Nike Store in Manhattan.
Fern will take part in the Feb/March North American hard court swing.
Remember he was the San Jose champion in 2010.
Last year he did the South American swing and went 6-3.
Including a runner-up result at Acapulco.
Currently ranked #24 - he has some room for upward movement.
Vamos Fern.
Australian Open - Men's First Round
22 Fernando Verdasco (above) d David Goffin - 63 36 46 63 64
10 Nicolas Almagro (below) d Steve Johnson - 75 67(4) 62 67(6) 62
Boys. Boys. Boys. Get it together. Ferrer can't carry Spain all by himself.
Fern lost in the 1st round last year and Nico in the 4th round.
So hey, Fern is already earning points.
Too bad that Hopman Cup title is an exhibition.
Oh and in more awesome Fern news he joined Instagram: @feverdasco7.
Hamburg ATP 500 - Doubles Final
Marrero/Verdasco d Silva/Munoz De La Nava - 64 63
There is a new power couple in town.
This win will move then as a team into the doubles top 10.
And they may end up in London but not at the Olympics - the season finals.
#4: Buenos Aires, Acapulco, Umag and Hamburg.
Fern post match: I'm very happy, of course.
It's our second [ATP World Tour] 500 title of the year and...
It will help us to be close to the Top 8...
For the chance to be in London at the end of the year.
It's a very important victory for us.
We've all seen a million shirtless photos of Fern, how about one of Marrero:
ATP 500 Barcelona - Seminfinal Results & Final Preview
1 Rafael Nadal d 9 Fernando Verdasco - 60 64
3 David Ferrer d 11 Milos Raonic - 76(2) 76(5)
1 Rafael Nadal vs 3 David Ferrer - H2H: 13-4/RN
Rafa is going for his 7th title at Barcelona tomorrow.
He will see a familiar face in the final - it will be their 4th at BCN.
Rafa has won the previous 3: '08, '09 and '11.
David is only 1 of 7 players to have 4 or more wins over Rafa.
Elite club: Only Federer, Djokovic, Davydenko & Murray have 5 or more.
Daunting: Rafa rarely loses in the month of April. Or on clay.
David is looking to add a 4th title on the season - Rafa just his 2nd.
Prepare for some long grinding points and lots of sliding.
Clay court tennis sure is fun to watch when two masters play. Enjoy.
Photos: Reuters
OOO EEM GEE.
Big thanks to On the Go Tennis! Check out all her photos and videos here.
20 Fern will face countryman 12 Nicolas Almagro in the 3rd round tomorrow.
He is also alive and well kicking in doubles with David Marrero.
Remember: They've won 2 titles already this year - Buenos Aires & Acapulco.
ATP 500 Acapulco - Final
1 David Ferrer d 8 Fernando Verdasco - 61 62
Oh yea, that sombrero!
This is David's 14th career ATP title and a tour-leading 3rd title of 2012.
Um: Ferrer is now 18-1 on the year.
The win will bump him back up to #5 after a week at #6.
All 3 of his Acapulco titles have come at the expense of fellow Spaniards:
In '10 Ferrero was his foe and in '11 it was Almagro - both in 3 sets.
David: I am very proud to have won in Acapulco for a third consecutive time.
David next plays Indian Wells where he lost 2nd R to Karlovic last year.
Oh wait... I was there for that match. It was a tough loss.
***
Armada: The doubles too was an all-Spanish affair.
Fernando Verdasco & David Marrero beat Marcel Granollers & Mark Lopez.
That's back-to-back weeks with a dubs title for Fern & David.
They might want to consider keeping this partnership going.
Photos: Reuters
The unseeded Spanish team beat (2) Michel Mertinak and Andre Sa - 64 64.
Fern posted this on his Facebook page. I swiped just cuz I think they're cute.
So, there's that.
Cincinnati Masters Series 1000 - First Round
Fernando Verdasco d Thomaz Bellucci - 63 76(4)
First Fern is gonna rock with that buzz-cut - now he's gotta do the go-t!
Lord help me.
With the win today Fern has improved his year to 28-18.
He will next face the winner of Youzhny/Llodra.
Vamos Fern.
Photo: Getty Images
And then this happened to me this morning on Fern's Facebook page.
Fern has Qf points to defend in DC and at the US Open.
However, the US swing in between he only has 145 points to defend.
Let's see if he can get that ranking into the top 16 before New York.
Vamos Fern.
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
Hamburg ATP 500 - 2nd Round
8 Fernando Verdasco d Pablo Andujar - 62 63
Yowza: I mean, how do I not post this photo?
Recently Fern's dropped in ranking to #22 after a couple years in the top 10.
He didn't have a great US swing last summer so there is room for growth.
Until the US Open where he has Qf points to defend.
It'll be interesting to see if Fern can turn things around.
With 10 pounds lopped off his head he should at least be lighter on his feet.
Photo: Fern's Facebook
Queen's Club ATP 250 - Quarterfinals
3 Andy Roddick d 7 Fernando Verdasco - 62 62
Hey, nice to see Andy string together (at least) a semifinal run this week.
But those ankle socks...
Andy is looking for his 5th title here.
To get it he will have to take care of the other Andy (Murray) tomorrow.
It can be done.
Anyone else smell one more decent run at Wimbledon?
Photo: Getty Images
The grass season is way too short.
Fragile: Fern's year - Andy's ankle.
Rafa no rest for the champ - yesterday clay today grass.
Play at Queens Club began today. Sadly, Dmitry lost.
Roland Garros - Men's Second Round
16 Fernando Verdasco d Xavier Malisse - 46 63 76(5) 61
Fern posted the above pic on Facebook of himself (shirtless) at practice.
No complaints here.
He will next face Ivan Ljubicic - heading to a 4th R with Rafa.
Nice to see him winning some matches again.
Fabio Fognini & Calros Berloqc Win Maiden titles at Stuttgart & Bastad - Mahut Takes Title at Newport
Stuttgart ATP 250 - Men's Final
5 Fabio Fognini d 2 Philipp Kohlschreiber - 57 64 64
Post match: Finally, after two finals, I have won. I played great,
great tennis this week. I am really happy to have won the final.
Awww. I like this cat.
Bastad ATP 250 - Men's Final
Carlos Berloqc d 8 Fernando Verdasco - 75 61
Carlos becomes the 9th over-30 tourney winner this season.
***
Newport ATP 250 - Men's Final
WC Nicolas Mahut d Lleyton Hewitt - 57 75 63
Post match: When you want to win a final, everything can happen.
I just can’t believe it’s true.
It's his 2nd career title - the 1st was last month at s'Hertogenbosch.
Nico partnered with Roger-Vasselin to take the doubles title.
And *surprise surprise* Nico's part of the over-30 crowd.
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