2010 - An Historic End

by Savannah

The victory of the Serbian Davis Cup team over nine time Davis Cup champions France 3-2 closed out the ATP 2010 season. As the exhibition season gets under way the rich will get richer and everyone else will rest up for the beginning of the 2011 season in Australia.

Serbia's President was an enthusiastic fan as Novak Djokovic and Viktor Troicki led their team to victory after a crushing doubles loss the day before.

French Captain Guy Forget will have to live with the questions regarding his choice of 30 year old Michael Llodra to play the live fifth rubber. Llodra had played a hour doubles match the day before and struggled at times during that victory. It was obvious from the beginning that Llodra had no legs and his struggles with the surface became blatant.

Viktor Troicki, who had been considered a sacrificial lamb showed why you can't call a match until it's played. Troicki, buoyed by the crowd played the match of his career and as had been previously agreed, got his head shorn with the rest of the team and its Captain.

Congratulations to the Serbians for their first Davis Cup victory.

Miscellany

Both Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic were seen at the Davis Cup tie in Belgrade, Serbia

Confirming a rumor that surfaced during the WTF in London Robin Soderling has parted ways with Magnus Norman. His new coach will be Italian Claudio Pistolesi.

Year End Rankings - Top 20

ATP Singles

1 Nadal 12450

2 Federer 9145

3 Djokovic 6240

4 Murray 5760

5 Soderling 5580

6 Berdych 3955

7 Ferrer 3735

8 Roddick 3665

9 Verdasco 3240

10 Youzhny 2920

11 Melzer 2785

12 Monfils 2560

13 Tsonga 2345

14 Cilic 2300

15 Almagro 2160

16 Fish 1991

17 Ljubicic 1965

18 Querrey 1860

19 Isner 1850

20 Baghdatis 1785

WTA - Singles

1 Wozniacki, Caroline DEN 8035

2 Zvonareva, Vera RUS 6785

3 Clijsters, Kim BEL 6635

4 Williams, Serena USA 5355

5 Williams, Venus USA 4985

6 Stosur, Samantha AUS 4982

7 Schiavone, Francesca ITA 4935

8 Jankovic, Jelena SRB 4445

9 Dementieva, Elena RUS 4335

10 Azarenka, Victoria BLR 4235

11 Li, Na CHN 3555

12 Henin, Justine BEL 3415

13 Peer, Shahar ISR 3365

14 Radwanska, Agnieszka POL 3000

15 Petrova, Nadia RUS 2702

16 Bartoli, Marion FRA 2645

17 Ivanovic, Ana SRB 2600

18 Sharapova, Maria RUS 2591

19 Rezai, Aravane FRA 2575

20 Kirilenko, Maria RUS 2550

The Dimitrov Incident

Nothing new to report on Grigor Dimitrov's physical assault on chair umpire Daniel Infanger in Helsinki. As you know Dimitrov has been fined two thousand Euros and is waiting to find out if he will be assessed further fines, be suspended.or both. The incident happened at a Challenger event and is therefore under the jurisdiction of the ITF. As the Serena Williams case showed the final dispensation can come weeks after the initial incident.

Speaking of Serena I find it amazing that there is so much sentiment for Dimitrov to get away with just a slap on the wrist. No suspension they say. The fine was great based on his current level of compensation from professional tennis. Serena's fine was justified because she's the bigger star. In one word, bullshit. If a verbal assault resulted in a $90,000 fine a physical assault should result in a verbal spanking and nothing else? If you recall people wanted Serena heavily fined and suspended for a very long time. In the real world Dimitrov would be charged with assault. Nothing would've been done to Serena.

Is there something else at work here? Why so much sympathy for Dimitrov? Reminds me of how no one talks about the
Yanina Wickmayer incident. Double standard is the least of what is going on here.