Today matches looked to be entertaining and went like this:
Tomas Berdych d Marcos Baghdatis - 63 36 75
Robin Soderling d Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - 64 67(5) 61
***
So the semifinals tomorrow look mouthwateringly like this:
Rafael Nadal vs Tomas Berdych
Roger Federer vs Robin Soderling
***
Yea, Rafa and Roger will surely give us a Happy New Year!
ATP World Tour Finals - Group B Round Robin
2 Roger Federer d 4 Robin Soderling - 76(5) 63
Nobody listens: I told y'all Roger wouldn't drop a set in the round robins.
Roger wins Group B by claiming all 3 of his matches.
He's a 4-time champ of this event and moves into the Sf's for the 8th time.
If Robin isn't careful he's gonna be the 2nd player with 20+ losses to Fed.
Today Roger increased his H2H with Robin to 15-1. (Roddick is the 20+er)
Roger: I just wanted to come out and try to play as good a match as I can.
Losing is never a solution to trying to win a tournament.
That's why I'm happy that all three matches [were] straight sets, [and I did]
not waste any energy. I'm playing real well [and] I'm through to the semis.
Photo: Reuters
Yea, that's Andy Murray puppy Maggie May... And she has a Twitter page!
She tweeted that photo today along the Thames. Hmm, I want her life!
***
ATP World Tour Finals - Group B Day Five Preview
1 Roger Federer vs 4 Robin Soderling - H2H: 14-1
Kinda like his H2H with Roddick - this really isn't much of a rivalry, yet.
Robin beat him at the French and has only won 15 games in 5 sets since.
Sorry but: Roger is looking too good this week to drop a set before the Sf's.
Butcha know I'm getting up at 6AM - Just. In. Case.
***
5 Andy Murray vs 7 David Ferrer - H2H: 1-3
Now this is an interesting match tomorrow - given their history.
Andy won his match back in '06. David beat him twice this year - on clay.
Hold dinner: I've told my Thanksgiving hosts I'll see them after the match!
ATP World Tour Finals - Group B Round Robin
4 Robin Soderling d 7 David Ferrer - 75 75
A nice battle was engaged at the O2 earlier. Well, I enjoyed it anyway.
Robin shutdown: Tho I was hoping David would have managed a 3rd set.
Post-match: It was a close match, two really tough sets. I'm lucky I won.
I still feel that I have a lot of things that I can improve.
Hopefully I can do that in two days' time & play a[nother] good match...
Yeah dude, next up is Roger Federer.
And - I am soooooo loving these smokey entrances.
Photo: Getty Images
ATP World Tour Finals - Day Three Group B Preview
1 Roger Federer vs 5 Andy Murray - H2H: 5-8
This easily the best match-ups of the round robin pairings.
This is the 3rd straight year they've met in the RR stage: 1-1.
This is also their 4th meeting of the season: 2-1/AM.
Both won their opening matches on Sunday - one will remain undefeated.
***
4 Robin Soderling vs 7 David Ferrer (above) - H2H: 8-4
This is the 6th meeting between the 2 this season: 3-2/RS.
This is also their 4th meeting in the post US Open stretch: 2-1/DF.
And you'll remember that thriller they played at W - 7/5 in the 5th for Robin.
Both were losers to the boys playing the 1st match tomorrow...
And though Rog/Andy is the big match, this one ought to be just as good.
Photo: Reuters
ATP World Tour Finals - Round Robin Day One
2 Roger Federer (above) vs 7 David Ferrer - H2H: 10-0
For David: Roger has erased a lot of H2H 0's this (and last) season.
Against David: Roger is a 4-time champ and is 29-7 at the WTF's.
These courts are playing fast and Roger's play has picked up of late...
But their last 4 matches have gone 3 sets - including 1 this year in Madrid.
Roger may just get a tougher test than you might think?
***
4 Robin Soderling vs 5 Andy Murray - H2H: 2-2
The battle for #4 is waged right out of the gates at the O2 Arena.
A mere 20 points distances Robin ahead of Andy in the rankings...
Robin has Sf points to defend from last year. Andy doesn't.
Robin won their only match this year - Qf at Indian Wells 61 76(4).
Photo: Getty Images
The Class of 2010
L-R: Andy, Tomas, Novak, Rafael, Roger, Robin, Andy and David.
Round robin play begins tomorrow with 2 matches a day until the Sf's.
Group A: Rafael, Novak, Tomas, A-Rod
Group B: Roger, Robin, A-Mur, David
*** The Players***
RAFAEL NADAL
Ranking: 1
Previous best was a pair of Sf showings in '06 & '07.
Rafa's had one of the all-time great seasons. 7 titles including last 3 Slams.
The year-end title is about the only title missing from his resume.
Rafa would be the 1st to tell you that the O2 courts don't suit him tho...
ROGER FEDERER
Ranking: 2
Roger has won this title 4 times: '03, '04, '06, '07.
Roger won 4 titles & became 1st player to win a title at each level in one year.
Slam: Aussie Open; MS 1000: Cincinnati; ATP 500: Basel; ATP 250: Stockholm
If all of the above is called 'slipping' or 'getting old' - people need to get a grip.
He's had a pretty similar year to '03 - and he was the second coming then...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC
Ranking: 3
He won this title in 2008 - when it was played in Shanghai.
Novak had a rough start to the season but finished pretty strong.
2 titles (Dubai & Beijing) and a runner-up finish at the US Open.
His Sf win at the Open is easily one of the matches of the year.
He was also on the losing end of some great matches too. Melzer anybody?
ROBIN SODERLING
Ranking: 4
His previous best was a Sf showing in his first appearance last year.
Robin just snuck in and stole that #4 ranking in the last couple weeks.
It'll be up for grabs as he & Murray battle for it as the week unfolds.
Many believe Robin is a Slammer-in-the-making. Will 2011 be his year?
ANDY MURRAY
Ranking: 5
Andy makes his 3rd appearance at the WTFs - he was a Sfist in '08.
As with Wimby - will the hometown pressure hurt him at this tourney too?
Maybe wait until Istanbul? But it seems Andy is due a victory in London...
TOMAS BERYCH
Ranking: 6
Tomas is making his debut at the WTFs.
Tomas had a career year - no titles but final at Wimby & Sfs at RG.
He had such a terrific spring/summer. He kinda petered out after W tho.
DAVID FERRER
Ranking: 7
This is David's 2nd trip to the WTF's. Remember he was runner-up in '07.
David put together some great results in '10: 2 titles, 5 finals, 11 Sfs.
You read that right: 11 semifinals this season.
Now if only he had done better at the Slams: not a single quarterfinal.
I'm very curious/eager to follow his results next year.
ANDY RODDICK
Ranking: 8
This is the 8th straight year Andy's qualified. He was a Sfist in '03, '04, '07.
He basically earned his place on the back of a stellar March.
He was the runner-up in Indian Wells and champion in Miami.
I think Andy would agree that injury & illness this year mucked things up.
Major props: Andy has remained the top ranked American.
And I have a feeling that won't change in 2011. Sorry Sam. Sorry John.
Photos: Getty Images
I love these types of promotional gimmicks. They're so strange-ish.
Robin & David are both in Group B and will play in round robin this week.
Robin leads H2H: 8-4. They've played 5 times in '10, again Robin: 3-2.
I'm loving that there is a Corona double decker party bus...
AND, I'm loving the Corona's on ice bucket photobomb!
It's been a busy couple of media days... Let's go already.
Photos: Getty Images
What a handsome group. Let's get this thing started already!
Photos: Getty Images
Loving these dapper photos. But Dave - didn't you get the black suit memo?
Photos: Getty Images
Winner in Paris: 4 Robin Soderling (above) d 12 Gael Monfils - 61 76(1)
2010 MEN'S TITLISTS
SEVEN titles: Rafael Nadal
FOUR titles: Roger Federer, Sam Querrey
THREE titles: Juan Carlos Ferrero
***
TWO titles: Nicolas Almagro, Juan Ignacio Chela, Marin Cilic,
Novak Djokovic, David Ferrer, Mardy Fish, Michael Llodra,
Albert Montanes, Andy Murray, Andy Roddick, Fernando Verdasco,
Robin Soderling, Sergiy Stakhovsky, Mikhail Youzhny
***
ONE title: Marcos Baghdatis, Thomaz Bellucci, Juan Ignacio Chela,
Nikolay Davydenko, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez
Richard Gasquet, Andrey Golubev, Ernests Gulbis, Lleyton Hewitt,
John Isner, Mikhail Kukushkin, Ivan Ljubicic, Feliciano Lopez,
Jurgen Melzer, Gael Monfils, David Nalbandian, Gilles Simon,
Viktor Troicki, Stanislas Wawrinka
2010 WOMEN'S TITLISTS
SIX titles: Caroline Wozniacki
FIVE titles: Kim Clijsters (above)
TWO titles: Victoria Azarenka, Elena Dementieva, Justine Henin,
Ana Ivanovic, Alisa Kleybanova, Anastasia Palyuchenkova,
Aravane Rezai, Maria Sharapova, Francesca Schiavone,
Agnes Szavay, Serena Williams, Venus Williams
***
ONE title: Iveta Benesova, Alona Bondarenko,
Anna Chakvetadze, Alexandra Dulgheru, Julia Goerges,
Jarmila Groth, Jelena Jankovic, Kaia Kanepi,
Alla Kudryavtseva, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Kateryna Makarova,
Mariana Duque Marina, Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, Li Na,
Tamira Paszek, Flavia Pennetta, Anastajia Sevastova, Sam Stosur,
Tamarine Tanasugarn, Roberta Vinci, Yanina Wickmayer, Vera Zvonareva
Paris ATP Masters Series 1000 - Final
4 Robin Soderling d 12 Gael Monfils - 61 76(1)
I dont think I've ever seen Robin smile so much. I could get used to that.
In 5 finals this season Robin wins his 2nd title: also Rotterdam ATP 500.
This is his 6th career title & his 1st Masters 1000 - his biggest prize yet.
The win will also move him ahead of Andy Murray to a ranking high of #4.
He joins Stefan Edberg ('90) & Thomas Enqvist ('96) as Swedish winners here.
Robin sure plays well in Paris - winning today & 2 finals at the French Open.
Postmastch: I now have 2 favorite tournaments, here and Roland Garros.
Spare a thought for Gael - just not enough left after 3 straight 3-setters.
And last year Gael lost in the final to Novak Djokovic...
RS to Gael: It's hard to lose 2 finals in a row. I did it, in this town actually.
While this was the last official tournament of the year - neither boy is done:
Robin will head to London for the season-ending championships at the O2.
And Gael will head to Belgrade to try and win the Davis Cup for France.
Earned it: I don't know about them but I glad to have this next week off!
Photo: Reuters top - Getty Images bottom
Paris ATP Masters Series 1000 - Final Preview
4 Robin Soderling vs 12 Gael Monfils - H2H: 2-0
You know you just witnessed a great day of semifinal tennis when...
1. Both finalists save multiple match points to advance: Robin 3, Gael 5.
2. Both semifinal matches are settled in 3rd set tie-breaks: Fans win.
3. All 6 sets of tennis have a 7 in them, including 5 tie-breaks: Thrillers.
Both boys are looking for (and worthy of) their 1st Masters 1000 title.
Let's hope today was an idictation of what to expect tomorrow.
I'm happily exhauted.
***
Quarterfinal Results
12 Gael Monfils d 1 Roger Federer - 76(7) 67(4) 67(4)
Yet another match Rog has lost this year after holding match point(s).
Trending?: Another player wipes away his 0 in his H2H with Rog this year.
4 Robin Soderling d Michael Llodra - 67(7) 75 76(6)
I told you guys yesterday that this was gonna be a great match!
Stay tuned: Llodra still has a big win possibly awaiting him in Serbia.
Photos: Reuters/Getty Images
Put some gloves on 'em and let 'em duke it out tomorrow.
Paris ATP Masters Series 1000 - Semifinal Preview
4 Robin Soderling vs Michael Llodra - H2H: 0-2
3 of their 5 sets have gone to TB's so expect one or two tomorrow.
Home crowd: Can they carry their man Llodra thru to the final?
Neither man has played a Masters 1000 final - this is only Robin's 3rd 1000 Sf.
Interesting that Llodra has two titles to Soderling's one this season.
***
Quarterfinal Results
4 Robin Soderling d 8 Andy Roddick - 75 64
Well, Andy did what he needed to do in Paris: qualify for London.
Which bracket would these guys rather get placed at the O2, Rafa or Roger?
Hint: Roger is on fire right now. Rafa is coming off an injury...
Michael Llodra d 10 Nikolay Davydenko - 75 61
ND led the 1st set 5-3 then came unglued losing 10 of the next 11 games.
Gotta tell ya tho - watching Llodra play all-court tennis was refreshing.
Paris ATP Masters 1000 - Quarterfinal Preview
1 Roger Federer vs 11 Jurgen Melzer - H2H: 2-0
Interesting that both are 29 and have only played twice - this year.
They played at Wimbledon & US Open - Roger won all 6 sets. Kinda easily.
3 Andy Murray vs 12 Gael Monfils - H2H: 3-1
Both have a similar W/L records this year: 44/15 for Andy, 43/18 for Gael.
4 Robin Soderling vs 8 Andy Roddick - H2H: 2-2
Andy has won both of their matches this season. 4 matches - 5 tie-breaks.
This might just be the match of the day.
10 Nikolay Davydenko vs Michael Llodra - H2H: 4-1
So Llodra gave us a preview of the Davis Cup final beating Novak today.
Note to Team Serbia: Slow down the courts.
Photo: AP
All 8 are in action in the 3rd round tomorrow in Paris.
1 Roger Federer vs Radek Stepanek - H2H: 9-2
2 Novak Djokovic (above) vs Michael Llodra - H2H: 1-0
3 Andy Murray vs 13 Marin Cilic - H2H: 4-1
4 Robin Soderling vs Stanislas Wawrinka - H2H: 1-2
5 Tomas Berdych vs 10 Nikolay Davydenko - H2H: 1-8
6 Fernando Verdasco vs 12 Gael Monfils - H2H: 0-1
7 David Ferrer vs Jurgen Melzer - H2H: 3-1
8 Andy Roddick vs Ernests Gulbis - H2H: 2-0
5 of the 8 are playing for 3 spots in London. All could be settled tomorrow.
DVR set. Gonna be a long day tomorrow!
Photo: Getty Images
Valencia ATP 500 - Final Preview
4 David Ferrer vs LL Marcel Granollers - H2H: 1-0
They played a tight 2-setter in Barcelona earlier this year on clay.
Lucky indeed: Marcel only got into the draw when Jo-Wilfried pulled out.
This is the 5th all-Spanish final of 2010.
This is David's 5th final of the season: 1-3. He won at Acapulco.
A win tomorrow would pretty much qualify him for a spot in London.
***
Semifinal Results
4 David Ferrer d 2 Robin Soderling - 63 36 63
LL Marcel Granollers d Gilles Simon - 64 64
Hey, it's nice to see Gilles playing well again. Oui?
Photos: Getty Images
Valencia ATP 500 - Semifinal Preview
2 Robin Soderling (above) vs 4 David Ferrer - H2H: 8-3
Robin has won 3 of the 4 matches they've played this season.
Including a 5-set titanaic battle at Wimbledon.
Both boys are looking for their second titles of 2010.
Ferrer is trying to lock up qualifying for London - this would really help.
Gilles Simon vs Marcel Granollers - H2H: 1-1
Simon looks to be heading back up the rankings after an injury timeout.
As for Marcel he even out his season today: 20-20 W/L.
***
Basel ATP 500 - Semifinal Preview
1 Roger Federer vs 4 Andy Roddick - H2H: 19-2
These two have not played since that epic Wimbledon final in '09.
Roger is looking to make his 3rd straight tour final and 5 of the last 6.
Since losing in the Sf's at W Roger has posted a nice looking 25-3 W/L.
Not 100%: Andy has spent quite a bit of the season either ill or injured.
2 Novak Djokovic vs Viktor Troicki - H2H: 5-1
These two have played 3 pretty close matches this year.
Including a 5-set thriller at the USO that Viktor probably should've won.
Davis Cup: In a fews weeks time they may just be celebrating together.
Photo: Getty Images
Valencia ATP 500 - Second Round
2 Robin Soderling d Daniel Gimeno-Traver - 62 63
The two also played with the kids in mini tennis in Valencia as well.
This was Robin's 50th match win on the season: 50-19.
Robin will play Gael Monfils in the Qfs tomorrow - H2H: 1-0/RS.
Photos: Getty Images
Robin Soderling gets a Massage from James Bond!
Robin tweeted this photo today after his loss to Roger Federer in Abu Dhabi.
Captioned: Getting some treatment in style. James Bond style.
Looks more like a probing for bullet holes in a scene from CSI if you ask me.
But hey, it's Robin's deal - who am I to submit a (West) Hollywood rewrite?
***
Robin's January last year consisted of 2 1st round losses: Chennai & Aussie.
Surely he can (and will) improve upon that.
Marcel Granollers played the match of his life in Australia. It happens.
Robin finished '10 ranked #5 after a brief flirtation with #4 late in the year.
At present only 180 points separate him from current #4 Andy Murray.
And remember, Andy has runner-up points to defend at the Aussie Open.
If things fall his way Robin will have a longer relationship with #4 very soon.
Like February soon.
Posted at 11:08 AM in Abu Dhabi '10, Andy Murray, Commentary, Mens Tennis, Preview, Robin Soderling, Twitter | Permalink | Comments (0)
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