Ivanovic returns!

Rodionova succumbed to Safina, Tammy lost to Petrova, wunderkid de Brito beat Pennetta and Chaky finished off the last American. Cibulkova took out Dementieva, Ivanovic took three sets to beat a nobody – that’s looking good for her No 1 defence. Rafa the Asteroid won, Tursunov won and Isner served a perfect set (no points lost on serve).

The heroic Davydenko battled Moya in a late game and was down a set when wild anti-globalisation protesters stormed onto the court darkness halted the match.

Moody Maria, who can also grab back top spot this week if her planets collide align, was back in action struggling to beat Domachowska. It’s a three way fight for the top. This is what we want to see!

Vaidisova

Vaidisova lost, Wozniacki won, Radwanska won, Strycova won, Roddick’s injured and TMF is on a winning streak of one.

Still The Mighty Fed dropped a set to an injured Ginepri, not sure I’d be singing about that too loudly. Is Sugiyama twice as old as Vaidisova? Or just twice as smart? Either way it must be annoying to someone as allegedly talented as the Czech to get toned by someone 14 yrs older. Hope she’s not asking Radek for coaching tips.

Fed’s playing doubles with Borg in November against McEnroe and a Davis Cup loser in Macau. (Er eg Rafa if Spain loses the D Cup Semi against the USA or Blake when if the USA tanks)

The battle rejoins...

Benesova won, Cibulkova won, Tursunov beat Safin and Cara Black’s excellent adventure in singles is over. In usual interest killing action, all of the top women’s seeds had the day off.

TMF stares down Rafa for the top spot saying he’s not concerned about the Pirate King who was almost overtaken by the Djoker for second not that long ago (but before Roland Garros and The Championships). Well that may be but it looks like clutching at straws and when you’re only 300 points ahead and can lose it all at the next tournament it’s time to let your actions speak louder than words. For the record if Nadal wins Cincinnati and Fed can’t make the Semis then we have a new No 1. If Fed holds on then we do this every week until the US Open when it’s winner take all. Game on!

Nadal saves ATP

Safina beat Pennetta, Errani wins two tournaments in a row and Nadal restores ATP credibility by belting Kiefer. The ATP doesn’t have to disband but still might have to pay the Hamburg tournament 72 million dollars if the court case goes against them. I’m waiting to see TMF and the Pirate King called as witnesses against the ATP, that’ll be almost as much fun as watching them play each other – which we didn’t see in Toronto as one of them got beat up by Simon. Now Fed tries to talk up Cincinnati while revealing that’s only New York and Beijing results that will matter. That will get them through the gates...

Safina saves WTA credibility!

Safina beat Jankovic to ensure that the Serb won’t take the No 1 spot and undermine any credibility left in women’s tennis by having a No 1 player who hasn’t reached a Major final, let alone won one. Come back Justine…all is forgiven!

Mattek lost to Pennetta and then retired from the doubles with a back injury. Can we start a campaign to just give the No 1 ranking to Safina and ignore the points?

Kiefer will play Nadal in Toronto. Wozniacki lost, AMG vs Errani in Slovenia. If Kiefer wins does it mean the ATP will have to discontinue The Masters Series for the sake of credibility? I can see the letters now: “Dear Mr Tennis Administrator, I purchased an entry ticket to the final of your Toronto Masters Series tournament in the belief that it would showcase the best tennis in the world, as advertised. Unfortunately if you are to be believed, Mr Nicholas Kiefer represents the best that the world has to offer then in future I will decline your product. (and take my corporate clients and sponsors to go watch Tiger Woods play badminton or whatever.) Yours sincerely Roland Muck.”

The delightful Cara Black is playing some qualifying to practise up some singles for the Olympics and beat Sesil Karatantcheva who has decided to add choking to her complement of dubious talents.

The Great Pretender

Kiefer beat Blake, the great underachiever, in Toronto. Murray took down Djokovic and will play Nadal. If I tip Wozniacki to win in Slovenia does that mean she will automatically lose? Woz dusted Dushevina and plays Errani who beat Kirilenko to reach the semis. AMG vs Goerges in the other.

Jankovic plays Safina in LA and is only two wins from the top spot. Pennetta plays Mattek – has Beth suddenly improved or is everyone else suddenly rubbish? Either way you have to think the winner of Jankovic / Safina takes the title…

Only one men’s tournament on because unlike the WTA, men’s tennis doesn’t allow small tournaments to compete for the news cycle with their showcase events. Yes, I’m afraid The Masters Series in Toronto is a showcase event – let’s hope, for the sake of tennis, Simon or Kiefer doesn’t win it.

Apparently Venus pulled from Toronto, it’s a little early isn’t it?

Davydenko disappoints

The Pirate King dispatched Andreev, Goerges won, Roddick smashed his racquet, argued with the Ump and lost, Pin won, Davydenko lost and Blake beat Tursunov.

There was massive disappointment when crowd fav Davydenko’s run came to an end after a heroic three setter with the noble Kiefer. The mesmerisic score of 46 64 64 failed to sate the crowd who wanted more Davydenko than was on offer. A clearly surprised Andy Roddick was shocked by the news. “Something doesn’t feel comfortable,” Roddick told reporters. Davydenko’s defeat amazes us all.

Fed Out

If Jankovic wins Carson she’s No 1. Roger and out for Fed. Mattek beats Vaidisova again and Serena pulls out injured as expected.

Golovin’s still injured, hopefully Dani is too the way she is playing. Is Simon on a run or is Fed slipping? Wozniacki beat Sprem, the Dokic comeback continues and an eight-year-old was booted for cheating.

Hewitt’s former coach Roger Rasheed is now coaching Monfils, Maria Sharapova can’t carry the Russian flag in the Olympics Opening Ceremony in case it’s too heavy.

Pic of Gimelstob grinning stupidly at Kournikova who's trying to pretend he doesn't exist.

Hamburg

Vaguely important results: Stosur won, Cibulkova won, Roddick won and the Germans are annoyed at the ATP.

Since the ATP is run by the players do Fed, Rafa and the Djoker have to reach into their pockets if the ATP loses its $79 Million court case? which it appears it will almost certainly do. How come some kind of deal wasn’t done to keep this out of court? Does de Villiers really believe that because he saved doubles he can do anything he wants? No probs though, now that Justin tell-it-like-it-is Gimelstob is on the Player Council I’m sure he’ll sort it all out.

First Gimelstob has to play the women at a new unisex tournament in California. I’m guessing he loses to Alexandra Stevenson...

Sharapova is the highest earning female athlete with 26mil last year. But is she happy? (erm probably) Obviously if you’re a female looking to play sport only Tennis and Golf are the way to go for the big bucks. (and since golf sux, tennis it is).

Good bet?

Tennis authorities have swooped on an illegal betting ring a couple of bored doubles specialists. Cernak and Mertinak, who you’ve never heard of, were suspended and fined by the ATP for not betting on their own matches or attempting to influence the outcome of matches bet upon. That’ll teach em. Hope they made enough in their winnings to pay their fines. They placed bets on matches in 2006 so the ATP has kindly waited until the duo both won tournaments on the weekend to spoil their glory. Meanwhile Davydenko sits and gloats in his secret underground lair.

There’s some more tournaments going on somewhere, Gasquet won, Wozniacki won, Zakopalova won and the Kuz is injured. Serena is also injured but she won’t pull out of Carson until Wednesday to give more time for ticket sales her leg to heal.

Oh Canada!

Parmentier won Bad Gastein, Wozniak won Stanford, Simon won Indianapolis, Verdasco beat Andreev in Umag and Montanes and Del Potro also won something somewhere else.

A Canadian (and a qualifier too) actually won a tournament. Seems all the planets aligned for Alexandra Wozniak: Serena was injured, Bartoli limped in the final and when she got to the quarter-final she faced a player she already beat in qualifying (the lucky loser Stosur) and promptly beat her again. Is she the best Canadian player since Greg Rusedski?

Serena Williams

Tursunov beat serial underachiever Blake, Melzer won, Serena’s injured and so’s her sister and Lindsay Davenport. Most of the women forced to play two matches in Gastein yesterday lost except for Pauline Parmentier and qualifier Lucie Hradecka who will play in the final. Mmm #53 vs #237 – dream final. Karatantcheva hung around to play doubles instead of qualifying in Slovenia. In the Netherlands it’s Darcis vs Montanes.

Speculation that Serena’s engaged to some rapper.

Sharapova plans TV conquest

Not content with winning Tennis tournaments and dominating the meanest father of the year award Maria Sharapova is branching out into Television. Please let it not be more reality TV.

Good win to Benesova to finish off her rain-delayed match the next day without losing another game – five games in 10 minutes! Stosur had a good win against Bepa, Not so Cibulkova who retired down triple match point… Even if you’re cramping just stand there and let her serve the last point. Hope it’s not serious.

Also Sprem lost, Ljubicic’s injured and a certain player is enjoying(?) her 15 min of fame as her pictures flood the internet.

Who let the marketers run the website? The WTA is now promoting restaurants.

Elena Dementieva all dolled up.

English Rose Robson

Anna K does Sports Ill – does anyone still care? (I guess so, or they wouldn’t still be taking pictures of her). Can she still be called a tennis player if she only plays hit-and-giggle exhibitions and not tournaments?

Conspiracy theories abound about new top Brit prospect Laura Robson who was apparently Australian until just four months ago. Seems it was a wise decision to cash in on the English hype and become a rose in time for Wimbledon. I’m already signed up for the inevitable backlash when she fails to win The Championships by the time she’s 20.

Meanwhile: Melzer won, Schnyder won, Mayr won and Serena toughed it out against a fifteen year old.

Rafa the Asteroid

Rafael Nadal is officially an Asteroid now as Jet Boy goes Galactic. Apparently he’s been launched into orbit between Mars and Jupiter and not before time. The Roland Garros / Wimbledon winner is now “four kilometers in diameter and speeds through space at 20km per second”. Catch that Fed!

In less galactic news: Blake won, Schnyder won, Wozniacki won, Chaky won, Cornet’s injured and Liu’s engaged to Chang.

The perils of playing your doubles partner strike again, this time for Daniela Hantuchova who got thrashed by Sugiyama at Stanford. Ouch. This of course proves why you should never bet on tennis – unless you know that Hantuchova always plays poorly against her friend, in which case you should definitely bet on tennis...

Chakvetadze’s ride

Ljubicic won, Schuettler won, Benesova won, Zahlavova lost, Zakopalova lost, Safarova lost and Harkleroad’s out.

Anna Chakvetadze’s posing on a racing car in San Francisco.

Bad Rain

Tursunov won, Bartoli won, Vesnina lost, it’s raining at Bad Gastein and Davenport’s still injured.

Cornet and Wozniacki headlining in Austria, Chaky, Dani and Serena – assuming she gets past wunderkind De Brito – in Stanford. The men seem to be largely on holidays...

The pic to the right should be the lovely Anna Chakvetadze posing on a racing car in San Francisco but who knows what's happening with the connection so here's Tursunov.

The best of the rest

Santoro wins, Errani wins, Hanescu wins and Cornet becomes the first of the new guard (Wozniacki, Cibulkova etc) to win a title. In some amazingly weak fields the young (and the old) triumphed. Cornet beat Klepac, Errani beat Koryttseva and Santoro beat Prakash Amritraj, the 305th ranked player in the world. Glad I’m not selling tickets for those finals. And to show how easy it was both Cornet and Errani backed up to win the doubles crown too. Good comeback for Hanescu after his recent back problems. Oh and apparently Chang got inducted into the increasingly irrelevant Hall of Fame, seems it's because he's an American.

Nice to see Sara Errani knows how to celebrate by eating trophy ala Nadal.

Gimelstob

Pennetta won, Berdych won, Cornet won, Sprem won, Safin lost, Szavay lost and Gimelstob keeps apologising.

Gimelstob, the recently elected ATP Players Council rep, is being continuously hit by bans and criticism. You’d think someone with his pedigree and imposing playing record would have more respect for tennis. Obviously he is thought highly of where it counts to keep his commentary job for The Championships and be elected to the Players Council. He also keeps his column for Sports Illustrated where the usually delightful Jon Wertheim fails to defend him but instead points out Tursunov. It’s a fair call too, Tursunov is much more erudite and interesting in his interviews and blogs that Gimelstob is in his paid column.

Exhibit A: The Tursunov guide to racquet smashing

Bastad Budapest

In Budapest Rybarikova won, Sprem won, Zakopalova won and Benesova lost. In Palermo Pavlyuchenkova won and Rezai lost. In Baastad (say it slowly) Safin won, Johansson won and Moya lost and Nadal apologised for not playing in Stuttgart. It's nice to see that even Pirates have manners.

The state of Australian Tennis

While Rafa and Fed battled it out on Centrecourt at The Championships, in Australia the wonderfully patriotic Channel Nine commentary team* kept us up to date with the scores of the boys and girls doubles finals, which were important because they happened to feature Australians. And one of them did win giving us an Aussie Champion to go with Sam Stosur in the mixed doubles. Victory is once again rightfully Australia’s even if it is in the events which no one cares about normally. The British too grasped at this lauding the 14 yr old Laura Robson as heir to the great Annabel Croft (dunno, apparently she’s a commentator or something) winning the Girl’s title.

Tomic is the next great Aussie hope but even he had to be disciplined for not trying at the French last year. “Come On” Hewitt, all is forgiven.

*though at least they spared us Tim Henman whose uninsightful BBC commentary was helpfully provided by Foxsports on delay.

No 1 in the waiting?

In an ad last year Tiger Woods joked with Federer that while 10 Major titles was a great achievement, he had 12 titles. A year on, Woods has 14 and Fed only 12. He still hasn’t passed Sampras’ total (14) that until recently everyone assumed was his for the taking and soon he may lose his No 1 ranking – The horror! the horror!

Where did it all go wrong for this strapping young lad from Basel? Is Nadal really better or has Roger lost focus. Is it still possible to be the ‘man’ time after time, to be the gunslinger that all the young guns want to beat? Can you keep it all together for so long? Maybe this is just a small blip in the continuum. The acknowledgement that to maintain your place at the top you can’t stay still you have to keep working, harder and harder as the game continuously changes. Lleyton Hewitt is a better player now than when he held the top ranking, but the level necessary to dominate has lifted as he knows.

The Pirate King owns a 12-6 record against TMF (including 3-3 off clay). With youth on his side will he continue to get better and surpass Fed or will he too be overtaken?

The Pirate King

Who wants to wear a cardigan now? Let’s all dress like a pirate! Aarrrgh! The king is dead, long live the Pirate King!

It is sometimes misremembered that Lord Cardigan led the Charge of the Light Brigade to its doom wearing their natty little cardigan uniforms that his Lordship designed himself. Lord Cardigan survived himself unscathed though his reputation was left in tatters. These days all his Lordship is remembered for is the Cardigan.

Pirates on the other hand can wear just about anything and look cool. Rafa even looks cool with those silly knee supports that I’m not entirely sure pirates used to wear. He even picks his bottom through his pants annoyingly and bites trophies with disturbing regularity.

As a French Marshal said of the famous charge: "C'est magnifique, mais ce n'est pas la guerre." ("It is magnificent, but it is not war.")

Venus rising

The Championships

Venus beat Serena in a proper match with feeling. Seeing Serena aim that shot right at her sister in the first set was brutal (though normal for tennis). Venus put it away though. No apologies either, not even the fake kind when the ball hit the net and dribbles over. Bout time they had a proper match. Venus is the better player IMO with a net game that baseline basher Serena just doesn’t have. She dined on Serena's second serve all match too.

Tonight TMF and Jet Boy will square off again in what is either sweet revenge for French humiliation or the turning point in the battle for tennis supremacy. No point in trying to guess the outcome, just tune in and watch the feast.

Overhyped top Brit prospect Laura Robson won the junior title at 14. What are the chances she’ll be rushed onto the tour next year Donald Young style for some embarrassing beatdowns. Meanwhile Marat turned her down for the ball.

Final: Federer vs Nadal

Underarm Antics

The Championships
TMF and Jet Boy do it easily and will square off again in what is either sweet revenge for French humiliation or the turning point in the battle for tennis supremacy. Meanwhile we have to suffer through the women’s final.

Romana Tabakova served underarm against top Brit prospect Laura Robson - how cool is that? Must kick to be beaten by a 14 year old though when you’re 17.

Bye bye: Schuettler, Safin

Final: Serena vs Venus Williams

Final: Federer vs Nadal

Do you put moisturiser on your biceps?

The Championships Men:

Schuettler was booked to play a Challenger in Spain the second weekend of Wimbledon which describes perfectly his expectations for The Championships.
The Times asks Rafa the big questions: Do you put moisturiser on your biceps? Apparently not...
Federer said that Safin's ranking of 75 is ridiculous. “He can sell me some of his points, then,” the Russian said. It’s been a memorable turnaround for Safin after recent disasters on Clay: He lost in the second round in Monte Carlo, the first round in Rome and had to qualify for Hamburg. Then he lost in the second round of the French Open. Maybe Grass is his surface after all?

How many bandanas did Clement go through for the tournament?

Bye bye: Clement
Semi-finals: Federer vs Safin
Nadal vs Schuettler

The Championships Women:

Dementieva finally gets her act together after wasting the first set but then wastes the tiebreaker to lose as (generally) expected. Didn’t see the Zheng game but the scoreline looks reasonable. Hope the Williams final is better than previous efforts. Of course they have to play doubles together first (and eat breakfast etc).

Final: Serena vs Venus Williams

All aboard the Safin express!

The Championships Men:

Finally rain at Wimbledon, Murray gets exposed and Federer cruises. Safin appears – what’s the word – yes, comfortable on grass. Safin tried his best to hose down expectations: “I’m playing semifinals, but that doesn’t mean that I have a chance there, … It’s just a little bit too difficult for me to beat him.” That’s it Marat, play with his head.

Bye bye: Ancic, Murray, Lopez
Semi-finals: Federer vs Safin
Nadal vs Schuettler or Clement

The Championships Women:

All expecting an all Williams final, which will probably be a yawn if it is. Dementieva to spoil it all and take out Venus (who hasn’t had to face a seed yet). Maybe Zheng is the best Chinese player (sorry Li Na) but this would be the time to show it and not get crushed by Serena.

Semifinals: S Williams vs Zheng, Dementieva vs V Williams

Zheng Zing

The Championships Men:

No action yesterday, Murray madness to ensue if Nadal loses...

Quarterfinal Matches to watch:
Federer vs Ancic,
Safin vs Lopez
Schuettler vs Clement,
Nadal vs Murray


The Championships Women:

Zheng timing her run well in an Olympic year (Nice to see a proper wildcard doing well), wonderful meltdown by Dementieva not quite matched by Vaidisova and Radwanska got bageled. Can anyone prevent an all Williams final?
Quote of the day: “Oops, I did it again,” said Dementieva.

Bye bye: Vaidisova, Radwanska, Petrova, Tanasugarn
Semifinals: S Williams vs Zheng, Dementieva vs V Williams

Williams Time

The Championships Men:

Federer beat Hewitt and now faces a battle-hardened Ancic. Turns out Murray has some fighting spirit after all. The surprising Schuettler ends Tipsarevic’s run.

Fed’s Quarter
Bye bye: Verdasco, Hewitt
Quarterfinal: Federer vs Ancic

Djokovic’s Quarter
Bye bye: Baghdatis
Quarterfinal: Safin vs Lopez

Davydenko’s Quarter
Bye bye: Tipsarevic
Quarterfinal: Schuettler vs Clement

Nadal’s Quarter
Bye bye: Gasquet
Quarterfinal: Nadal vs Murray


The Championships Women:

Tanasugarn marches on, Chakvetadze flames. Ivanovic will retain her No 1 ranking due to the abundant mediocrity on show here at SW19. Jankovic was unhappy at “almost playing in the parking lot.” But the Williams sisters both won on court 2 and are gaining ominous momentum. All ladies singles quarterfinals on Tuesday.
Quote of the day: “Can I say, wow, wow, wow,” said Tanasugarn.

Ivanovic’s Quarter
Bye bye: Chakvetadze
Match to watch: Quarterfinal: Vaidisova vs Zheng

Kuznetsova’s Quarter
Bye bye: Kuznetsova, Mattek
Match to watch: Quarterfinal: S Williams vs Radwanska

Sharapova’s Quarter
Bye bye: Peer
Match to watch: Quarterfinal: Dementieva vs Petrova

Jankovic’s Quarter
Bye bye: Jankovic
Match to watch: Quarterfinal: V Williams vs Tanasugarn