Cincinnati ATP Masters 1000 - 1st Round
Q Denis Istomin d WC James Blake - 63 60
Ok, it was 8 seconds short of 46 minutes but wow, that's ugly.
At age 30 and ranked #107 - James might have some thinking to do...
Especially with 3rd round points to defend at the US Open.
James has accepted a WC into New Haven next week.
I suppose he wants one for the US Open a well. Can't blame him.
I don't like watching a player nearing the end. Makes me sad.
Photo: AP
Washington, DC ATP 500 - 1st Round
Q Ryan Sweeting d W/C James Blake - 36 63 64
Boy it must be tough to be Blake these days. Dismal year: 10-12 W/L.
What's even worse, 9 of those 12 losses were 3 (or 5) set heart-breakers.
And 6 of those 9 were 3rd set scores of 6-4 or closer. So tough.
That just has to being doing a number on his confidence.
As a result his ranking has completely tanked - he is currently #105.
He's 31 in December, how much more of this will he endure...
Los Angeles ATP 250 - Semifinals
1/WC Andy Murray vs 4 Feliciano Lopez - H2H: 2-0
Oddly enough Andy is still looking for his first title of the season.
In fact, in 11 tournies played this year he's only been to Sf's 3 times: 1-1.
This is Feli's 3 semi too: 1-1. He went on to win the title in Johannesburg.
This match feels ripe for an upset - just have a feeling.
***
2 Sam Querrey vs 6 Janko Tipsarevic - H2H: 1-0
The only match they played was 4 years ago in Indy: 3 tight sets.
Janko has yet to win an ATP tour title... I wouldn't mind it happening here.
Defending champ Sam has 3 titles in '10 - & looking for a 5th final this year.
***
Quarterfinal Results
1/WC Andy Murray d Alejandro Falla - 76(3) 61
2 Sam Querrey d Rainer Schuettler - 62 36 76(4)
6 Janko Tipsarevic d 3 M Baghdatis - 63 75
4 Feliciano Lopez d WC James Blake - 36 76(6) 64
Gotta feel for Rainer and James - all those chances blown.
Los Angeles ATP 250 - 1st Round
W/C James Blake d Leonardo Mayer - 61 64
Blake has seen his ranking slip to #117. He is also the 9th ranked American.
James has next to no points this summer to defend - improvement looms.
There are nagging whispers of retirement soon.
I think he should go on the doubles tour - he'd be well welcomed.
Photo: Serena's Twitter
It sure feels like more top players have pulled out than ever before.
They include 6 top 50 players - 4 of whom would have been seeded.
***
David Nalbandian (above) withdrew yesterday with a hamstring injury.
Gilles Simon says he isn't fit enough after a long knee injury layoff.
Ivo Karlovic withdrew today bothered by a nagging Achilles tendon.
***
They join previously announced withdrawals from: Juan Martin Del Potro,
Nikolay Davydenko, Tommy Haas, James Blake & Igor Andreev.
***
Photo: David Nalbandian in Monte Carlo - Reuters
What a shame. Roland Garros has lost three true contenders. Clijsters and Del Potro are the reigning US Open champions and all three have been semifinalists at the French Open (Kim has been runner-up twice).
Kim commented on her website: "It's really a shame to give up on Roland Garros. Paris is so close I always feel a little at home. And that's where I played my first grand slam final. But the foot pain forces me to throw in the towel."
Kim will return for the grass season in Eastbourne which begins June 14 before she heads to Wimbledon.
Juan Martin Del Potro had wrist surgery last week and the world was told he'd be out at least three months. Blog chatter has him out for the rest of the year.
Nikolay Davydenko is also suffering from a wrist injury.
Also confirmed not playing are James Blake, Tommy Haas, Igor Andreev, Sania Mirza and Sabine Lisicki.
Photo: Reuters
quarterfinal result >>> semifinal matchup - h2h
Ernests Gulbis d. Leonardo Mayer - 76(2) 64
>>> Gulbis vs Nieminen - h2h 1-0
Jarkko Nieminen d. 3 Benjamin Becker - 75 36 76(5)
*****
Mardy Fish d. 4 Jeremy Chardy - 64 63
>>> Fish vs Karlovic - h2h 1-4
2 Ivo Karlovic (above) d. 7 James Blake -63 67(5) 61
Photo: AP
First round folks. Remember the days when this would have been a final at an event such as Memphis? The passing of years can seem so cruel in a sport like tennis.
Last night though these old friends turned the clock back and dazzled the crowd in Memphis with a thriller as Andy edged past James, 63 46 76(3).
Andy summed up the match like this, "We've played so many times, and he's beaten me, that there's going to be a sense of belief that most guys ranked 60th in the world probably aren't going to have as much as he has against me."
Defending champion Roddick will face Yen-Hsun Lu in the 2nd round today.
Photo: AP
2 Fernando Verdasco d. 1 Andy Roddick - 36 64 64
This is Fernando's 1st title on the year and only his 4th career ATP win.
My crude mathematics suggests he may squeek into the #10 spot tomorrow.
Andy was looking for career title #29 and 4th in San Jose.
Both are headed to Memphis this week where again they are the top 2 seeds.
Roddick opens against James Blake, Verdasco against Jeremy Chardy.
Photo: AP
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.
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
A Davis Cup team no longer. Photo: Getty Images
Tennis.com is reporting that American Davis Cup stalwarts Andy Roddick and James Blake have left Davis Cup competition off of their schedules this year. All things must eventually come to an end so hats off to these boys, their commitment to Davis Cup never wavered and they took great pride in representing their nation.
Both made their team debuts in 2001 and formed a solid team with the Bryan Brothers nearly ever since. Thankfully they were able to taste victory winning the title over a formidable Russian team in 2007. And if not for those pesky 'away ties' on clay who knows how many more might they have won.
Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe will now have to look to Sam Queerey and John Isner (possibly Mardy Fish) as his singles players. It may take some time to get these guys to fill those big shoes but they shouldn't get discouraged on the slow red clay in Serbia come March - even Roddick and Blake would probably lose.
Roddick leaves Davis Cup play with a nice looking win/loss ratio of 31-11. Blake's ain't too shabby either with 21-11 in singles and 3-1 in doubles.
Well done boys.
Novak Djokovic Moves into 4th Round at US Open
US Open - Men's Third Round
3 Novak Djokovic d James Blake - 61 76(4) 63
Every men's night match has been a great one so far this tournament.
James tried so hard to extend this thing but came up a little short in the 2nd.
Novak was a finalist in '07 & Sf'ist the last two years - Federer beat him in all 3.
He will next face lean/mean Mardy Fish - H2H: 4-0.
Given Mardy's recent run of great results this should be an entertaining affair.
Photo: Reuters
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