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Novak Djokovic Retires Match in Belgrade as American's John Isner & Sam Querrey Reach Semifinals

The other day I wrote that for Rafael Nadal to get back to #2 before Roland Garros Novak Djokovic would basically have to fall apart in Belgrade and Madrid. Welcome to part one - Novak withdrew from his quarterfinal match today owing to illness. Novak must be the most fragile man to ever play on the ATP tour. Seriously. I actually feel for him. Speedy recovery Nole.

Tomorrow's Semifinals

3 Sam Querrey vs WC Filip Krajinovic - H2H: 0-0

Filip's current ranking is #319.

Sam is looking for his 3rd final this year - and 2nd title.

2 John Isner vs 4 Stanislas Wawrinka - H2H: 0-1

Both are looking to advance to their 3rd final on the season.

They are both 1-1 in finals in 2010.

*****

Quarterfinal Results

WC Filip Krajinovic d 1 Novak Djokovic - 64 ret.
2 John Isner d Richard Gasquet - 26 76(6) 63
3 Sam Querrey d Igor Andreev - 63 26 64
4 Stanislas Wawrinka d 6 V iktorTroicki - 75 67(3) 76(6)

Querrey & Chela to Meet in Houston ATP 250 Final

Houston ATP 250 Final

3 Sam Querrey vs Juan Ignacio Chela - H2H: 0-0

This is Juan's 10th final and 1st in 2 years. He has 4 titles.

Sam is looking for his 4th career title and 2nd of 2010 after Memphis.

***

Semifinal Results:

3 Sam Querrey d Wayne Odesnik - 76(3) 16 75

Very heated match. Sam let the cheater know he was not welcome in Houston.

Juan Ignacio Chela d 6 Horacio Zeballos - 75 62

***

Photo: atp facebook

Defending Champ Lleyton Hewitt Leads Quarterfinalists in Houston ATP 250

Houston, Texas ATP 250

***

1 Fernando Gonzalez vs 6 Horacio Zeballos - H2H: 0-0

Long 3-setter last night for Fern and Zeballos will be unforgiving.

4 w/c Lleyton Hewitt (above) vs Juan Ignacio Chela - H2H: 5-2

How come I don't remember Hewitt winning this title last year at all?

***

3 Sam Querrey vs Nicolas Masu - H2H: 0-1

Interesting, their only meeting was here in Houston in '08.

Just gonna go on and say it: there will be a reversal of fortune today.

Xavier Malisse vs Wayne Odesnik - H2H: 0-0

Malisse took out John Isner last night 76 in the third.

And why is Odesnik even playing? You got caught - now go away.

Photo: atp facebook

Indian Wells: A Look at the Men's Draw

You can view the draw HERE.

This year ought to be interesting on the men's side as so many of the top seeds come into the Indian Wells event on the heels of time off for injury. Roger with his lung infection. Rafa and that damn knee. Murray and his mental health time. Roddick and Davydenko with their stuff... How will they hold up? Many questions will be answered in the coming 2 weeks.

Like every once else in the whole entire world I looked first to see where Rafael Nadal fell in the draw and breathed a heavy sigh of relief to see him in the bottom half - I always hold out hope for a Rafa/Roger final.

#1 Roger Federer must be pretty thrilled with his draw - not a lot of upset-worthy names loom in his quarter except possibly Radek Stepanek (he'd have to have a really great day) and Andy Roddick (pray for this match people).

#2 Novak Djokovic will sail into the quarters - there is not a single guy in his draw that will beat him. Fish, Kohlschreiber, Dent, Simon - I don't think so.

#3 Rafael Nadal got handed a very tricky draw - 3 big bombers are in there: Mario Ancic, Sam Querrey and John Isner and that's just to get into the quarters where recent nemesis Davydenko could await. YIKES.

#7 Andy Roddick should get through to face a potential fun 4th round with a few players: Monfils, Gasquet or Nalbandian.

Projected Seeded Quarterfinals:

1 Roger Federer vs 7 Andy Roddick

4 Andy Murray vs 6 Robin Soderling

3 Rafael Nadal vs 5 Nikolay Davydenko

2 Novak Djokovic vs 8 Marin Cilic

It's hard to bet against any of these guys but I would have to say that the quarterfinal least likely to happen would be Nadal vs Davydenko. They both seem vulnerable and they have some very dangerous players they may have to face...

Davis Cup: The US Team Goes Down 0-2 in Serbian Tie

Novak Djokovic d. Sam Querrey - 62 76(4) 26 63

Ah, like Isner before him Sam gave it a decent shot but it was a tough ask.

Sam now goes down 0-3 in Davis Cup singles play.

Should the Bryans & Isner win, Sam would play the deciding match on Sunday.

Not likely but he might leave Serbia with 1 in the win column against Troicki.

Photo: AP

Davis Cup: Team USA Dines at Restaurant Novak

And get served Novak Water!

Novak Water is the funniest thing I've seen all day.

I can't thank the Bryan Bros enough for Tweeting this today.

Our boys gussied-up real good for their grub.

Davis Cup: Serbia -vs- United States

The US has a towering new look - Sam and John.

Serbia hosts United States in Belgrade on clay - h2h 0-0

***

rubber > players > h2h

R1 Viktor Troicki vs John Isner - 1-0

R2 Novak Djokovic vs Sam Querrey - 2-0

R3 Tipsarevic/Zimonjic vs Bryan/Bryan

R4 Novak Djokovic vs John Isner - 0-0

R5 Viktor Troicki vs Sam Querrey - 1-0

***

Even with the poor h2h's I have a feeling the US might pull this one off.

We'd need the Bryan Bros to deliver (natch) & Troicki to be a weak link.

Could happen.

Photos: AP

Sam Querrey Wins ATP 500 Title in Memphis

8 Sam Querrey d. 6 John Isner - 67(3) 76(5) 63

The two would later team to win the doubles title over Hutchins/Kerr.

Sam picks up his 3rd ATP title.

The results place John and Sam so close to the top 20 - John #21, Sam #22.

This was the tallest ATP final of all-time - Sam is 6'6" and John is 6'9"

Isner is expected in Acapulco this week.

Photo: Reuters

The Funny Faces of Tennis for February 20

Ernests Gulbis

Philipp Petzschner

Sam Querrey

Sam Querrey & John Isner to Play for Title in Memphis

This ought to make Patrick McEnroe happy about his new Davis Cup team.

 And in a draw that included both Andy Roddick and James Blake.

I said it earlier in the week: I like the US over Serbia - even on clay.

*****

semifinal result >>> final match - h2h:

8 Sam Querrey d. Ernests Gulbis - 63 64

>>> Querrey vs Isner - h2h 0-0

This will be the their first match of many.

6 John Isner (above) d. Philipp Petzschner - 75 46 63

Photo: Reuters

Querrey & Isner Lead Players into Semifinals Memphis ATP 500

Lookie there, the new faces of the US Davis Cup team make good!

quarterfinal result >>> semifinal matchup - h2h

8 Sam Querrey d. 1 Andy Roddick - 75 36 61

Ah Andy, too many close ones lately.

>>> Querrey vs Gulbis - h2h 0-1

Ernests Gulbis d. 5 Tomas Berdych - 36 63 67(3)

*****

6 John Isner d. Ivo Karlovic - 61 76(7)

>>> Isner vs Petzschner - h2h 0-0

Philipp Petzschner (above) d. Lukas Lacko - 61 16 61

*****

Photo: AP

Andy Roddick Leads Players into Quarterfinals in Memphis

Today's quarterfinal match - head2head > 2nd round results:

1 Andy Roddick (above) vs 8 Sam Querrey - h2h 4-1

This one is gonna be good!

> Roddick d. Yu 76(2) 64  - Querrey d. Mayer 60 64

***

5 Tomas Berdych vs Ernests Gublis - h2h 1-0

> Berdych d. Russell 36 63 62 - Gulbis d. Stepanek 76(5) 75

********

6 John Isner vs Ivo Karlovic - h2h 0-1

Boom boom boom - blink and you'll miss this one.

> Isner d. Nieminen 67(3) 64 64 - Karlovic d. Malisse 64 64 

***

Lukas Lacko vs Philipp Petzschner - h2h 0-1

> Lacko d. Chardy 76(4) 21 ret. - Petzschner d. Korolev 75 75

Photo: AP

Querrey & Isner: The New Face of the US Davis Cup Team

Replacing Andy and James is no easy task but...

I'm thinking Sam, John, Bob and Mike still make a tall and formidable team.

First up for the new US team is a first round tie in Serbia and suddenly I like there chances. Even though the Serbs have decide to play on clay it's not a surface Sam has shied away from in years past.

John Isner is currently ranked #25 and is having a great year so far including winning his first title in Auckland. Sam is #31 and feeling his way back to form after injury took him out of the back-end of 2009.

Sam has played one tie previously in 2008 and recorded two singles losses. But spare a thought - he was asked to travel to Madrid and play on clay. And against Rafa. He'll be eager to get a win under his belt.

Davis Cup coach Patrick McEnroe said of his new team  members, "Both guys have really stepped up their games and are more than ready to take on the challenge of going on the road to face Serbia. We have had great commitment from our players in the past and expect the same from John and Sam in the years ahead."

About the photos: I shot them both on the same day at the Los Angeles Open last summer. The first is Sam Querrey during a practice session. The second is John Isner being tended to after twisting his ankle. He got up and closed out the match but was forced to withdraw from his quarterfinal match the next day. 

Roddick & Verdasco to Play San Jose Final

semifinal result >>> final match - h2h:

1 Andy Roddick (above) d. 7 Sam Querrey - 26 76(5) 76(4)

Roddick won without benefit of a single break point.

>>> Roddick vs Verdasco - h2h 9-2

2 Fernando Verdasco (below) d. Denis Istomin - 63 26 64

This was Istomin's first ATP level semifinal.

Hey look: SI's swimsuit cover model showed up for Roddick's match.

Photo: Roddick & Decker from AP - Verdasco from SAP Open Twitter pic.

 

Roddick & Verdasco Lead Semifinalists in San Jose

quarterfinal result >>> semifinal matchup - h2h

1 Andy Roddick d. 5 Thomas Berdych - 76(5) 76(5)

>>> Roddick vs Querrey - h2h 3-1

7 Sam Querrey d. Michael Russell - 64 63

*****

Denis Istomin d. 6 Philipp Kohlschreiber - 61 16 63

>>> Verdasco vs Istomin - h2h 0-0

2 Fernando Verdasco (above) d. Ricardas Berankis -63 76(5)

Photo: AP

Roddick and Verdasco Lead Quarterfinalists in San Jose

Tomorrow's quarterfinal match - head2head > today's results:

1 Andy Roddick vs 5 Tomas Berdych - h2h 4-2

> Roddick d. Mayer 63 62  - Berdych d. Nieminen 63 62

***

7 Sam Querrey vs Michael Russell - h2h 1-0

> Querrey d. Dent 64 64 - Russell d. Malisse 64 75

********

6 Philipp Kohlschreiber vs Denis Istomin - h2h 0-0

> Kohlschreiber d. Sela 62 60 - Istomin d. Haas 76(3) 62

***

2 Fernando Verdasco vs Q Ricardas Berankis - h2h 0-0

> Verdasco d. Becker 75 62 - Berankis d. Phau 76(5) 63