A Return to Form, A Surprise, And Davis Cup

by Savannah


Maria Kirilenko is one of those players who, when she is on, you ask yourself how she hasn't won more titles. It's part of what makes tennis such a fascinating sport to watch in my opinion. You need grit and guts in order to get the glory. It's never good when a tennis player becomes known for being a "babe" and not for her game.

Kirilenko always fights though. She doesn't scream and yell, yowl or go through the histrionics some players use to get on fans radar. It's good to see her back in the winners circle.


A couple of years ago Mona Barthel of Germany was being talked about as the woman who would help resurrect women's tennis in Germany. Maybe it was too much too soon for her and she seemed lost on court.

Leave it to the WTA to hold a Premier event after a Slam. Did anyone seriously expect Venus Williams to play? Francesca Schiavone was given a wild card into Qualifying and crashed out in the first round. As for Petra Kvitova I think it's time for concern. She also needed a wild card and was seeded second in the Main Draw. She lost to Stefanie Voegele in her first match. She's holding onto the Top Ten at #8 but is she circling the bowl? It's hard being the hunted instead of the hunter as the French Wise Woman Marion Bartoli said.


Back in Thailand the ageless one Kimiko Date-Krumm teamed up with Casey Dellacqua to take the doubles title.

In Paris the team of Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci romped to a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Andrea Hlavackova and Liezel Huber.

Davis Cup

Despite the US Davis Cup team's installation of the tennis equivalent of an ice skating rink it took dogged play by Sam Querrey to defeat Tiago Alves of Brazil in the fifth rubber of their tie played in Jacksonville, Florida.

Usually there is some drama over where the next tie will be played but the decision had already been made. The US Team will face Serbia in Boise, Idaho.
There was already some grumbling about the sparse crowds in Jacksonville. I hope the ITF knows that the spring thaw comes late to the Rocky Mountains. I'm just saying. Oh, and that the Serbian team will not be bothered by a super fast court.

With no real drama coming out of Jacksonville there was a lot of interest in the tie between Canada and defending champions Spain. None of Spain's top players would be there and yet there was still a chance that the Spanish team would find a way to win. The Canadians were determined to prove that against the C team from Spain they could pull off what would still be an upset. When the smoke cleared they had.



Canada will face Italy in the next round.

Davis Cup Results

WORLD GROUP FIRST ROUND

CANADA defeated SPAIN 3-2

Venue: Thunderbird Sports Centre, Vancouver, CAN (hard – indoor)

Milos Raonic (CAN) d. Albert Ramos (ESP) 67(5) 64 64 64

Frank Dancevic (CAN) d. Marcel Granollers (ESP) 61 62 62

Marcel Granollers/Marc Lopez (ESP) d. Daniel Nestor/Vasek Pospisil (CAN) 46 64 67(4) 63 62

Milos Raonic (CAN) d. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) 63 64 62

Albert Ramos (ESP) d. Frank Dancevic (CAN) 75 64

ITALY defeated CROATIA 3-2

Venue: Palavela, Turin, ITA (clay – indoor)

Marin Cilic (CRO) d. Paolo Lorenzi (ITA) 61 67(6) 46 63 62

Andreas Seppi (ITA) d. Ivan Dodig (CRO) 62 67(2) 64 64

Simone Bolelli/Fabio Fognini (ITA) d. Marin Cilic/Ivan Dodig (CRO) 36 61 63 76(11)

Marin Cilic (CRO) d. Andreas Seppi (ITA) 63 63 75

Fabio Fognini (ITA) d. Ivan Dodig (CRO) 46 64 64 64

SERBIA defeated BELGIUM 3-2

Venue: Spiroudome de Charleroi, Charleroi, BEL (clay – indoor)

Viktor Troicki (SRB) d. David Goffin (BEL) 16 36 76(5) 64 64

Novak Djokovic (SRB) d. Olivier Rochus (BEL) 63 62 62

Viktor Troicki/Nenad Zimonjic (SRB) d. Ruben Bemelmans/Steve Darcis (BEL) 64 64 57 64

David Goffin (BEL) d. Boris Pashanski (SRB) 64 26 62

Steve Darcis (BEL) d. Nenad Zimonjic (SRB) 62 64

USA defeated BRAZIL 3-2

Venue: Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena, Jacksonville, FL, USA (hard – indoor)

Sam Querrey (USA) d. Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) 63 64 64

John Isner (USA) d. Thiago Alves (BRA) 63 76(4) 63

Marcelo Melo/Bruno Soares (BRA) d. Mike Bryan/Bob Bryan (USA) 76(6) 67(7) 64 36 63

Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) d. John Isner (USA) 26 64 67(7) 64 63

Sam Querrey (USA) d. Thiago Alves (BRA) 46 63 64 76(3)

FRANCE defeated ISRAEL 5-0

Venue: Kindarena, Rouen, FRA (hard – indoor)

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) d. Amir Weintraub (ISR) 63 63 46 75

Richard Gasquet (FRA) d. Dudi Sela (ISR) 63 62 62

Julien Benneteau/Michael Llodra (FRA) d. Jonathan Erlich/Dudi Sela (ISR) 76(3) 61 60

Michael Llodra (FRA) d. Noam Okun (ISR) 63 76(5)

Richard Gasquet (FRA) d. Amir Weintraub (ISR) 64 63

ARGENTINA defeated GERMANY 5-0

Venue: Parque Roca, Buenos Aires, ARG (clay – outdoor)

Carlos Berlocq (ARG) d. Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) 36 75 62 46 4-5 ret. (left hamstring)

Juan Monaco (ARG) d. Florian Mayer (GER) 67(4) 63 63 64

David Nalbandian/Horacio Zeballos (ARG) d. Tobias Kamke/Christopher Kas (GER) 61 64 57 62

Juan Monaco (ARG) d. Tobias Kamke (GER) 64 76(2)

Carlos Berlocq (ARG) d. Christopher Kas (GER) 62 64

KAZAKHSTAN defeated AUSTRIA 3-1

Venue: National Tennis Centre, Astana, KAZ (clay – indoor)

Andrey Golubev (KAZ) d. Andreas Haider-Maurer (AUT) 76(2) 63 76(5)

Evgeny Korolev (KAZ) d. Jurgen Melzer (AUT) 76(4) 63 62

Julian Knowle/Alexander Peya (AUT) d. Andrey Golubev/Yuriy Schukin (KAZ) 76(5) 63 76(3)

Andrey Golubev (KAZ) d. Jurgen Melzer (AUT) 46 63 64 62

Evgeny Korolev (KAZ) v Andreas Haider-Maurer (AUT) not played

CZECH REPUBLIC defeated SWITZERLAND 3-2

Venue: Palexpo, Geneva, SUI (hard – indoor)

Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) d. Lukas Rosol (CZE) 64 63 64

Tomas Berdych (CZE) d. Henri Laaksonen (SUI) 63 62 67(5) 61

Tomas Berdych/ Lukas Rosol (CZE) d. Marco Chiudinelli/Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) 64 57 64 67(3) 2422

Tomas Berdych (CZE) d. Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) 63 64 36 76(5)

Henri Laaksonen (SUI) d. Jiri Vesely (CZE) 06 63 61

AMERICAS ZONE GROUP I FIRST ROUND

URUGUAY defeated DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 3-1

Venue: Carrasco Lawn Tennis Club, Montevideo, URU (clay – outdoor)

Marcel Felder (URU) d. Roberto Cid (DOM) 63 63 62

Jose Hernandez (DOM) d. Martin Cuevas (URU) 64 61 63

Ariel Behar/Marcel Felder (URU) d. Henry Estrella/Jose Hernandez (DOM) 62 64 63

Marcel Felder (URU) d. Jose Hernandez (DOM) 63 36 63 57 62

Martin Cuevas (URU) v Roberto Cid (DOM)

AMERICAS ZONE GROUP II FIRST ROUND

MEXICO defeated PUERTO RICO 4-1

Venue: Palmas Athletic Club, Humacao, PUR (hard – outdoor)

Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela (MEX) d. Alex Llompart (PUR) 76(7) 63 76(4)

Daniel Garza (MEX) d. Christian Garay (PUR) 62 60 63

Daniel Garza/Santiago Gonzalez (MEX) d. Gilberto Alvarez/Alex Llompart (PUR) 64 67(4) 61 36 86

Daniel Garza (MEX) d. Alex Llompart (PUR) 75 63

Christian Garay (PUR) d. Lucas Gomez (MEX) 63 64

EL SALVADOR defeated BARBADOS 4-1

Venue: Maya Country Club, Santa Tecla, ESA (clay – outdoor)

Rafael Arevalo (ESA) d. Darian King (BAR) 63 67(1) 62 64

Marcelo Arevalo (ESA) d. Anthony Marshall (BAR) 61 61 61

Marcelo Arevalo/Rafael Arevalo (ESA) d. Darian King/Russell Moseley (BAR) 26 63 64 62

Darian King (BAR) d. Alejandro Gonzalez (ESA) 61 62

Rafael Arevalo (ESA) d. Seanon Williams (BAR) 62 62

VENEZUELA defeated GUATEMALA 3-1

Venue: Centro Nacional de Tenis, Caracas, VEN (hard – outdoor)

David Souto (VEN) d. Sebastien Vidal (GUA) 62 61 76(5)

Ricardo Rodriguez (VEN) d. Christopher Diaz-Figueroa (GUA) 63 75 36 61

Luis David Martinez/David Souto (VEN) d. Christopher Diaz-Figueroa/Sebastien Vidal (GUA) 75 75 64

Christopher Diaz-Figueroa (GUA) d. Piero Luisi (VEN) 63 76(6)

Ricardo Rodriguez (VEN) v Andres Bucaro (GUA)

PERU defeated HAITI 5-0

Venue: Club Lawn Tennis de la Exposicion, Lima, PER (clay – outdoor)

Duilio Beretta (PER) d. Hillel Rousseau (HAI) 62 62 60

Mauricio Echazu (PER) d. Olivier Sajous (HAI) 64 63 75

Duilio Beretta/Sergio Galdos (PER) d. Joel Allen/Olivier Sajous (HAI) 76(5) 64 64

Sergio Galdos (PER) d. Olivier Sajous (HAI) 62 36 63

Brian Panta (PER) d. Hillel Rousseau (HAI) 61 60

ASIA/OCEANIA ZONE GROUP I FIRST ROUND

AUSTRALIA defeated CHINESE TAIPEI 5-0

Venue: Kaohsiung Yangming Tennis Courts, Kaohsiung City, TPE (hard – outdoor)

Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) d. Yang Tsung-Hua (TPE) 64 64 64

Matthew Ebden (AUS) d. Chen Ti (TPE) 63 64 75

Chris Guccione/Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) d. Lee Hsin-Han/Peng Hsien-Yin (TPE) 76(6) 64 62

Marinko Matosevic (AUS) d. Chen Ti (TPE) 76(5) 63

Matthew Ebden (AUS) d. Yang Tsung-Hua (TPE) 61 62

UZBEKISTAN defeated CHINA, P.R. 4-1

Venue: Sport Complex Pahlavon, Namangan, UZB (clay – indoor)

Denis Istomin (UZB) d. Wu Di (CHN) 46 46 76(4) 75 62

Farrukh Dustov (UZB) d. Zhang Ze (CHN) 46 76(8) 64 36 64

Farrukh Dustov/Denis Istomin (UZB) d. Gong Mao-Xin/Zhang Ze (CHN) 63 76(4) 63

Sarvar Ikramov (UZB) d. Zhang Ze (CHN) 63 75

Wu Di (CHN) d. Temur Ismailov (UZB) 60 62

KOREA, REPUBLIC defeated INDIA 4-1

Venue: R.K. Khanna Tennis Stadium, New Delhi, IND (hard – outdoor)

Cho Min Hyeok (KOR) d. Ranjeet Virali-Murugesan (IND) 61 60 61

Jeong Suk-Young (KOR) d. Vijayant Malik (IND) 64 75 30 ret. (cramping)

Leander Paes/Purav Raja (IND) d. Lim Yong-Kyu/Nam Ji Sung (KOR) 64 76(5) 62

Jeong Suk-Young (KOR) d. Ranjeet Virali-Murugesan (IND) 64 64 62

Nam Ji Sung (KOR) d. Vijayant Malik (IND) 62 64

JAPAN defeated INDONESIA 5-0

Venue: Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, JPN (hard – indoor)

Tatsuma Ito (JPN) d. Christopher Rungkat (INA) 62 62 64

Go Soeda (JPN) d. Wisnu Adi Nugroho (INA) 60 60 61

Tatsuma Ito/Yasutaka Uchiyama (JPN) d. Christopher Rungkat/Elbert Sie (INA) 64 57 26 75 62

Yuichi Sugita (JPN) d. Christopher Rungkat (INA) 61 63

Yasutaka Uchiyama (JPN) d. Wisnu Adi Nugroho (INA) 61 63

ASIA/OCEANIA ZONE GROUP II FIRST ROUND

NEW ZEALAND defeated LEBANON 5-0

Venue: Albany Tennis Park, Auckland, NZL (hard – indoor)

Daniel King-Turner (NZL) d. Michael Massih (LIB) 61 61 60

Artem Sitak (NZL) d. Karim Alayli (LIB) 62 61 60

Marcus Daniell/Daniel King-Turner (NZL) d. Ibrahim Abou Chahine/Karim Alayli (LIB) 61 61 61

Daniel King-Turner (NZL) d. Ibrahim Abou Chahine (LIB) 60 61

Artem Sitak (NZL) d. Michael Massih (LIB) 60 60

PAKISTAN defeated SRI LANKA 3-2

Venue: Sri Lanka Tennis Association, Colombo, SRI (clay – outdoor)

Aqeel Khan (PAK) d. Dineshkanthan Thangarajah (SRI) 46 61 42 ret. (cramping)

Harshana Godamanna (SRI) d. Aisam Qureshi (PAK) 76(3) 75 76(3)

Aqeel Khan/Aisam Qureshi (PAK) d. Harshana Godamanna/Rajeev Rajapakse (SRI) 62 67(0) 26 63 62

Harshana Godamanna (SRI) d. Aqeel Khan (PAK) 64 63 64

Aisam Qureshi (PAK) d. Dineshkanthan Thangarajah (SRI) 62 36 63 63

THAILAND defeated KUWAIT 4-1

Venue: Kuwait Tennis Federation Centre, Meshref, KUW (hard – outdoor)

Danai Udomchoke (THA) d. Mohammad Ghareeb (KUW) 61 61 46 46 64

Abdullah Maqdas (KUW) d. Kittiphong Wachiramanowong (THA) 64 76(7) 36 36 61

Pruchya Isarow/Nuttanon Kadchapanan (THA) d. Mohammad Ghareeb/Abdullah Maqdas (KUW) 36 63 76(6) 76(4)

Danai Udomchoke (THA) d. Abdullah Maqdas (KUW) 26 30 ret. (left foot)

Pruchya Isaro (THA) d. Nasser Al Obaidly (KUW) 62 61

PHILIPPINES defeated SYRIA 3-2

Venue: Plantation Bay Resort & Spa, Lapu-Lapu, PHI (clay – outdoor)

Johnny Arcilla (PHI) d. Issam Haitham Taweel (SYR) 64 57 61 62

Ruben Gonzales (PHI) d. Marc Abdelnour (SYR) 64 76(1) 62

Ruben Gonzales/Treat Conrad Huey (PHI) d. Marc Abdelnour/Issam Haitham Taweel (SYR) 60 63 26 62

Issam Haitham Taweel (SYR) d. Vicente Elberto Anasta (PHI) 67(8) 61 64

Marc Abdelnour (SYR) d. Treat Huey (PHI) 76(2) 62

EUROPE/AFRICA ZONE GROUP I FIRST ROUND

POLAND defeated SLOVENIA 3-2

Venue: Centennial Hall, Wroclaw, POL (hard – indoor)

Jerzy Janowicz (POL) d. Blaz Kavcic (SLO) 63 63 75

Lukasz Kubot (POL) d. Grega Zemlja (SLO) 63 63 60

Blaz Kavcic/Grega Zemlja (SLO) d. Mariusz Fyrstenberg/Marcin Matkowski (POL) 63 26 62 46 1311

Jerzy Janowicz (POL) d. Grega Zemlja (SLO) 76(4) 63 63

Tomislav Ternar (SLO) d. Mariusz Fyrstenberg (POL) 46 75 75

ROMANIA defeated DENMARK 5-0

Venue: Sala Sporturilor "Horia Demian", Cluj Napoca, ROU (hard – indoor)

Marius Copil (ROU) d. Frederik Nielsen (DEN) 63 76(7) 64

Adrian Ungur (ROU) d. Martin Pedersen (DEN) 62 76(3) 46 46 62

Florin Mergea/Horia Tecau (ROU) d. Thomas Kromann/Frederik Nielsen (DEN) 76(3) 62 64

Adrian Ungur (ROU) d. Thomas Kromann (DEN) 63 64

Marius Copil (ROU) d. Christoffer Konigsfeldt (DEN) 64 63

UKRAINE defeated SLOVAK REPUBLIC 3-2

Venue: TC Premier, Kremenchug, UKR (hard – indoor)

Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) d. Andrej Martin (SVK) 62 62 75

Lukas Lacko (SVK) d. Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) 62 57 76(5) 64

Filip Polasek/Igor Zelenay (SVK) d. Alexandr Dolgopolov/Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) 76(4) 76(3) 63

Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) d. Lukas Lacko (SVK) 36 63 62 61

Illya Marchenko (UKR) d. Andrej Martin (SVK) 75 76(5) 64

EUROPE/AFRICA GROUP II FIRST ROUND

FINLAND defeated BULGARIA 3-2

Venue: Tennis Hall "Sofia'', Sofia, BUL (hard – indoor)

Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) d. Juho Paukku (FIN) 61 61 60

Micke Kontinen (FIN) d. Alexander Lazov (BUL) 76(4) 63 64

Harri Heliovaara/Henri Kontinen (FIN) d. Grigor Dimitrov/Dimitar Kuzmanov (BUL) 75 61 46 26 64

Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) d. Micke Kontinen (FIN) 60 63 61

Harri Heliovaara (FIN) d. Alexander Lazov (BUL) 46 76(4) 64 63

IRELAND defeated ESTONIA 3-2

Venue: David Lloyd Riverview, Dublin, IRL (hard – indoor)

James McGee (IRL) d. Jaan Kononov (EST) 60 61 63

Vladimir Ivanov (EST) d. Sam Barry (IRL) 36 62 63 76(3)

Sam Barry/James McGee (IRL) d. Vladimir Ivanov/Marek Marksoo (EST) 64 63 36 36 97

Vladimir Ivanov (EST) d. James McGee (IRL) 64 63 16 46 61

Sam Barry (IRL) d. Marek Marksoo (EST) 62 61 63

LATVIA defeated TUNISIA 3-0

Venue: Cité Nationale Sportive, El Menzah, TUN (hard – outdoor)

Andis Juska (LAT) d. Mohamed Haythem Abid (TUN) 76(7) 63 60

Ernests Gulbis (LAT) d. Slim Hamza (TUN) 61 62 60

Ernests Gulbis/Andis Juska (LAT) d. Slim Hamza/Mohamed Haythem Abid (TUN) 76(6) 26 63 64

Mohamed Haythem Abid (TUN) v Ernests Gulbis (LAT) not played (rain)

Slim Hamza (TUN) v Andis Juska (LAT) not played (rain)

MONACO defeated BELARUS 3-1

Venue: Monte Carlo Country Club, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, MON (clay – outdoor)

Benjamin Balleret (MON) d. Dzmitry Zhyrmont (BLR) 67(6) 61 63 63

Uladzimir Ignatik (BLR) d. Jean-Rene Lisnard (MON) 64 64 60

Benjamin Balleret/Guillaume Couillard (MON) d. Max Mirnyi/Andrei Vasilevski (BLR) 76(3) 46 46 76(5) 62

Benjamin Balleret (MON) d. Uladzimir Ignatik (BLR) 63 36 76(9) 64

Jean-Rene Lisnard (MON) v Dzmitry Zhyrmont (BLR) not played

MOLDOVA defeated HUNGARY 3-2

Venue: Manejul de Atletica Usoara, Chisinau, MDA (hard – indoor)

Maxim Dubarenco (MDA) d. Marton Fucsovics (HUN) 36 63 64 64

Radu Albot (MDA) d. Viktor Filipenko (HUN) 61 63 63

Marton Fucsovics/Levente Godry (HUN) d. Radu Albot/Andrei Ciumac (MDA) 63 62 62

Marton Fucsovics (HUN) d. Radu Albot (MDA) 16 64 61 61

Maxim Dubarenco (MDA) d. Viktor Filipenko (HUN) 46 63 64 76(4)

BOSNIA/HERZEGOVINA defeated LUXEMBOURG 4-1

Venue: Mojmilo Sports Hall, Sarajevo, BIH (hard – indoor)

Damir Dzumhur (BIH) d. Mike Scheidweiler (LUX) 64 64 60

Aldin Setkic (BIH) d. Ugo Nastasi (LUX) 64 60 63

Tomislav Brkic/Damir Dzumhur (BIH) d. Laurent Bram/Mike Scheidweiler (LUX) 61 63 63

Ugo Nastasi (LUX) d. Nerman Fatic (BIH) 46 64 61

Aldin Setkic (BIH) d. Laurent Bram (LUX) 63 61

LITHUANIA defeated CYPRUS 4-1

Venue: Siauliu Arena, Siauliai, LTU (hard – indoor)

Dovydas Sakinis (LTU) d. Rares Cuzdriorean (CYP) 62 62 16 63

Ricardas Berankis (LTU) d. Petros Chrysochos (CYP) 61 64 60

Petros Chrysochos/Rares Cuzdriorean (CYP) d. Ricardas Berankis/ Lukas Mugevicius (LTU) 75 36 36 64 64

Ricardas Berankis (LTU) d. Soteris Hadjistyllis (CYP) 63 62 61

Lukas Mugevicius (LTU) d. Christos Hadjigeorgiou (CYP) 63 63

PORTUGAL defeated BENIN 5-0

Venue: Club Internacional de Football, Lisbon, POR (clay – indoor)

Joao Sousa (POR) d. Loic Didavi (BEN) 61 63 60

Pedro Sousa (POR) d. Alexis Klegou (BEN) 46 61 64 62

Joao Sousa/Pedro Sousa (POR) d. Loic Didavi/Alexis Klegou (BEN) 62 61 61

Rui Machado (POR) d. Alexis Klegou (BEN) 26 62 60

Andre Gaspar Murta (POR) d. Tunde Segodo (BEN) 61 62

End Notes



This is Jerzy Janowicz. He's the latest sensation on the ATP tour. He made some interesting comments to an Italian magazine.

"Djokovic is fake, he is showing off, acting"
"Federer wants to be above everything. In this context there might be something unnatural in him, hard to feel he is one of us (players)"

Thanks to @Rob_pal for the human translation especially of his comments about Federer. For the original please go HERE

It's going to be interesting to see his draws going forward.

An Update on Janowicz and his comments

There were a lot of issues regarding JJ's comments on the ATP tour and it's stars. It was thought that the the original interview was in Italian. It was actually in Polish so the translation from that language to Italian to English led to the "wtf" moments for many of us.

Fortunately @emmilkaa translated from Polish and sent it to @juanjo_sports.
Here is that translation.

Slightly different no?

One For the Ages

by Savannah

Or should I say ageless? How about the throw down in Londontown? No? Oh well.

Most tennisheads know the story of Date Kimiko. She left tennis for 13 years seemingly content to play exhibitions and get on with her life.

But as we all know tennis is an addiction, an itch you can never quite scratch. Still I think most of us expected good but not spectacular play from her nostalgia tour figuring that her best tennis was behind her. Besides she was a throwback, someone who wouldn't stand a chance in the world of big babe baseline power tennis or survive the rise of the pusherocracy. At 40, as those of us who have left that age in the rearview mirror know, your body has started to exact it's revenge for all the shit you did up to that time.

Still the woman known now as Kimiko Date-Krumm kept plugging away on the sidelines while another woman from Asia began to hog all the limelight.

When she walked on court this morning I noticed she was cut but thought nothing of it. She'd annoy her opponent and that would be that.

Oh yeah. Kimiko Date-Krumm was playing someone named Venus Williams. Another ancient warrior, at 31 Venus has become the Grande Dame of women's tennis. She is the undisputed Queen of Wimbledon and for the last decade if she hasn't won the tournament her little sister has stepped up and maintained the family honor.

But Venus is 31. Many of us saw her severely injure (or reinjure or aggravate a healing injury depending on what you believe) herself back in January and after a four month layoff it was debateable what she could will her battered body to do.

It's now about 12 hours later give or take a few minutes and I'm doing something I rarely do - rewatch a tennis match. Why? Because it's been a long time since I've seen tennis played at such a high level by two women who many think should be home with a baby in one arm and a couple more pulling on the hem of her dress.

Instead I will say that I have never seen a set of tennis as spectacular as the first set of their match today.

The innovation shown by Date-Krumm was jaw dropping. She was playing all court tennis for sure, but she was creating angles where none should have been. She was absorbing the power of Venus and giving it back to her in a way the Queen of Wimbledon, I think it is safe to say, has not seen before. Kimiko was taking the ball early and with almost no back swing. Venus was forced out of her comfort zone and it showed. She fought back to force a tiebreak in the first set but lost it. Date-Krumm deserved that set. What remained to be seen was if she would be able to survive what was coming. She was threatening to throw Venus out of her house. No one abandons their house without a fight and she was in for one.

I won't say Venus calmly won the match. The older of the Williams Women is not given to emotional displays in public but she opened the door and let anyone who was looking see the emotion, the heart, the desire to win that fuels her, that makes her return to the sport that seems not to know how to embrace her.

The replays they'e showing here focus on the two sets Venus won ignoring the brilliant tennis that was featured in the first set. If the women of the WTA played the kind of tennis we were treated to this morning there wouldn't be any talk of no one wanting to watch a women's match. Date-Krumm and Venus Williams showed all their intelligence, court knowledge, skill and creativity as well as the ability to think for themselves in one amazing set of tennis.

Throw the rankings in the toilet. We're seeing Grand Slam tennis from the likes of Francesca Schiavone, Venus Williams, Li Na and Serena Williams. They're not, and never have, played every week so that they can accumulate enough points to be ranked #1 by the computer. They do their talking on the court. And oh, what conversations they have!

New Year Babies

by Savannah

At the start of every New Year pregnant women with due dates around the end of December or the beginning of January hope that their bundle of joy is crowned the first born of the year. At 31 years of age veteran Greta Arn is hardly anyones newborn in regards to tennis yet she was the first player to accept a trophy. Defeating Maria Sharapova along the way Arn won the title at Auckland defeating defending champion Yanina Wickmayer. Does this mean that the trend of the tennis elderly doing well in the WTA will continue? Jill Craybas is still around boys and girls. And we all know Kimiko Date-Krumm's 2010 was totally unexpected and wonderful. And let's not forget that both Venus Williams and Serena Williams can be counted among the tennis elderly now. What does it mean that the tennis elderly are doing so well in the WTA? More proof that the young 'uns have no court sense and don't use strategy as part of their game? It's January. I'm sure this will be a theme for me through out 2011.
Oh, by the way in a meaningless exhibition in Hong Kong Vera Zvonareva wiped the court with Caroline Wozniacki serving the WTA number one a bagel and a breadstick along the way.

The American team of John Isner and Bethanie Mattek-Sands won the Hopman Cup this year. I didn't get to see any of it unfortunately. I'm resisting moving to Australian time until the start of the Australian Open. So far I have nothing scheduled for those two weeks.

I am sorry I missed the debut of Mademoiselle Nicholas Mahut though. Do you think that pink headbands will become the rage this year?

Petra Kvitova started her year off right winning the women's title at Brisbane. Petra defeated fan favorite Andrea Petkovic 6-1, 6-3.

Alisa Kleybanova and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova won the women's doubles crown.

Lucas Dlouhy and Paul Hanley won the men's doubles title at Brisbane.

Robin Soderling defeated Andy Roddick 6-3, 7-5 to take the men's singles title. Andy had one of his trademark meltdowns in the second set of this match. That is usually the signal that he is losing.

Meanwhile in Doha, Qatar Roger Federer played Nikolay Davydenko for the singles title. Federer had a 14-2 head to head against Kolya. It's now 15-2. Oh, the score was 6-3, 6-4.

The doubles crown was won by the team of Marc Lopez and Rafael Nadal. They defeated the Italian team of Daniele Bracciali and Andreas Seppi 6-3, 7-6(4).

Last but not least Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi lofted the doubles trophy in Chennai.

Stan Wawrinka, on the first stop of his 2011 Blind Ambition tour won the men's title at Chennai defeating a resurgent Xavier Malisse 7-5, 4-6, 6-1.

That was a lot of tennis for the first week of the New Year. Congratulations to all the winners!

2010 - The Year in Review

by Savannah

ATP Player of the Year

What did Rafael Nadal do to deserve being named ATP Player of the Year? After withdrawing from the Australian Open last January things looked bleak as Rafa had a horrid spring hard court season. Then came his return to the European clay. Once Rafa got his feet planted in the dirt he never looked back. Winning every tournament he played Rafa swept into Roland Garros like a Category 5 hurricane. Like those storms he swept up and flattened everyone in his path.

Usually a storm loses strength once it hits land but Rafa proved once again to be a rule unto himself. Once he landed in SW19 he again swept away everyone in his path.

As we all know hurricanes need warm water to build up strength. The North Atlantic isn't exactly warm and the pundits said the storm that had swept through Europe would lose strength and that it's power would be absorbed by the unforgiving concrete courts of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The result as we know is history.

I don't think there can be any debate about this. Enhorabuena Rafa!

WTA Player of the Year

There will be debate about this. Kim Clijsters won the popularity contest based on her one Slam win in 2010. Why wasn't the two slam winner named WTA player of the year? She didn't play after Wimbledon. That seems to be the only reason. Were people tired of seeing Serena Williams at the top and wanted to reward a member of the Blond Ambition crew? Was it because everyone knew that to name the slamless number one Player of the Year would make the WTA more of a laughing stock than it already is? I mean when major tennis magazines are calling your number one a work in progress your tour has issues.

I don't suffer from any delusions or illusions. Serena Williams is the WTA Player of the Year.

ATP Match of the Year

The torture that was John Isner vs Nicolas Mahut at Wimbledon was not the match of the year. That honorific belongs to the semi final match played between Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray at the O2 Arena in London. It was a three set exhibition of high quality hard court tennis, a battle of wills, strategy and shotmaking that lifted fans out of their seats. You all know I'm not a fan of hard court hit hard and harder tennis. If all hard court matches were played at this level I'd become a fan. This is a must see match. Fans should use whatever means are at their disposal to see it. It would make someone a great holiday gift.

Coaches of the Year

Antoni Nadal has a lot to be happy about. His nephew sits on top of mens tennis. He has done what some said couldn't happen and made his student into a threat on all the surfaces tennis is played on. If you listen to some American commentators you hear that Toni is a very strict coach and that when he's not around Rafa must breathe a sigh of relief. Next time you see Andy Roddick ask him about working with a disciplinarian as opposed to doing what you want when you want. This is truly a "Family Affair" and Toni Nadal deserves our respect and admiration for a job very well done.

I usually choose Oracene Price and Richard Williams for WTA Coaches of the Year and they deserve honorable mention for the job they did with their injured daughters during 2010. The award this year goes to Sergey Demekhine who is now coaching Vera Zvonareva. There are lots of pictures around of him fully clothed but hey, you can Google him and see those. Vera has always had potential but always seemed to fall apart at critical times during her matches. This would result in the emotional outbursts she is famous for. With Sergey the emotions are still there but there haven't been any picking apart the bandages and wraps scenes. Even during the US Open final while suffering from brain freeze Vera played tennis. Making Bepa a legitimate, not just a statistical top five player in 2011 is the challenge facing Sergey.

WTA Match of the Year

What does it mean when I look back over the entire WTA season not one match leaps out at me? I was ready to publish this yesterday but thought that maybe I was mistaken and that there actually was a match that had slipped my mind. There were some good matches - Samantha Stosur vs Elena Dementieva at the US Open, and some inspiring matches - Francesca Schiavone vs Elena Demetieva at the French Open - but that's it. Neither of these matches could be called great.

I have read some excellent fan musings on the WTA and it's current situation. What it all boils down to is that the women who came on the scene ten or more years ago arrived with skills and mental toughness that the current crop of up and comers don't seem to have a clue about. The top player in the world can't make it through a match without her father racing down from his aerie to tell her what to do. Most of them have no idea what the word "strategy" means. They have no shots, no court presence, and other than bad attitude and a sense of entitlement bring nothing to the court. Watching them ball bash is the cure for insomnia. It's appalling that the top player is called a work in progress.

When did being cute start to matter more than having a solid game? Look no further than Anna Kournikova. She was the first with the long blond hair and cute outfits. Now it seems that every young woman coming on the court has to look as if she squeezed herself into a kit one size too small and have flowing tresses, preferably blond. Stefanie Graf and Monica Seles were the players of their generation but only purists remember them. Everyone knows Anna Kournikova. I'm laying off of Maria Sharapova because she is trying to do more with her game. 2011 will be crucial for her.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Until the WTA works harder at promoting mental ability instead of cuteness and marketability it will continue to put out a mediocre product and forgettable, cookie cutter players.

And while we all appreciate the effort put forth by Kimiko Date-Krumm what does it say about your sport that a forty year old woman can come back and be competitive? A lot has been made of her comeback and not all of it has been positive. Again it comes down to the skill set that women of her generation came to the pro level possessing not trying to learn.

Let's be real here. Serena is badly injured. Venus Williams played with pain most of the year. Love them or hate them the glimpse we've had of the WTA without either of them is pretty grim.

The ATP in 2011

The man pictured above will be the story for 2011 in the ATP. The picture has engendered a lot of criticism and speculation about it's meaning. It's simple. Almost every establishment tennis blogger, commentator and many fans see this man as the embodiment of men's tennis. Everyone else is seen as somehow unworthy (except for Andy Murray). Look for a lot of weeping and gnashing of teeth as well as grown men and women clothed in sack cloth and ashes. It is truly going to be a bumpy ride.

US Tennis in 2011

Dire. When our Fed Cup team's hopes rest on the shoulders of Melanie Oudin and Coco Vandeweghe we're in trouble. As for the men there are some bright if obnoxious lights. Sam Querrey comes to mind. John Isner wasn't allowed to completely heal from that horror of a match in London. Querrey showed that he needs a lot of coddling and Isner, while willing, wasn't physically or mentally able to recoup at the end of the season.
That leaves Andy Roddick as the American standard bearer. He's made the attempt to undo years of damage and had mixed results. Has he recovered from that Wimbledon final he should have won? That was in 2009. 2011 will mark a fresh start for him. Will he ever win a major again? The stars will have to perfectly align for that to happen. Roddick has also said he will play Davis Cup in 2011. That gives us a chance.
Frankly I don't see Isner and Querrey being ranked much higher than they are now. There is a lot of hope being placed on the shoulders of Ryan Harrison who made a good showing at the US Open. Once again our players are hampered by their inability to play on any surface other than outdoor hard court or super fast indoor courts.

The older players, Venus, Serena and Andy Roddick are going to be called on to do a hell of a lot for their country in 2011. Let's see how they hold up.

The Weekend's Stars

by Savannah

In what can only be described as a dominant performance Andy Murray brought his "A" game to the singles final of the Shanghai Masters and destroyed Roger Federer 6-3, 6-2. Murray was asking questions that Federer, who reclaimed the number two ranking on his way to the final, couldn't answer reducing Federer to a racquet throwing, cursing, nit picking mess. I mean when Federer called on the chair to make sure the line judges calls were louder you knew things were going badly for him. The win gives Murray his sixth Master's shield.

Jurgen Melzer and Leander Paes won the doubles championship in Shanghai defeating the team of M. Fyrstenberg and M. Matkowski 7-5, 4-6, 10-5.
Meanwhile the ladies produced some interesting and unexpected results.

Ana Ivanovic got pissed off after being penalized for taking too long a potty break in Linz and rode that anger right to the trophy ceremony defeating Patty Schnyder 6-1, 6-2. The win gave Ana her first title since, well, Linz in 2008.

Barbora Zahlavova Strycova and Renata Voracova won the doubles 7-5, 7-6(6) over the team of Peschke and Srebotnik.

The final in Osaka pitted forty year old Kimiko Date-Krumm of Japan against thirty three year old Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand. Tamarine won a hard fought battle 7-5, 6-7(4), 6-1.

Chang Kai-chen and Lilia Osterloh won the doubles title in Osaka.
Congratulations to all the winners!

Miscellany

The WTA continues with it's two year ending events. There is Doha, where the women who have won Premier and Premier Mandatory events as well as Slams will play and Bali, where the winners of International events will play. The field for Doha is just about set. Caroline Wozniacki leads the field and is joined by Vera Zvonareva, Kim Clijsters, Francesca Schiavone, Samantha Stosur, Jelena Jankovic and Elena Dementieva.

Li Na and Victoria Azarenka are battling for the last spot. Alternates are still to be determined, while who will play in Bali is still to be determined.

As for the ATP there is only one year ending event, The W.T.F. to be held in London. I know they want you to use the full name, World Team Finals and not the acronym but if that's the case why make it so fun to use just the initials.

Anyway so far there are only four men who have qualified, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray.

Weekend Winners

by Savannah

The men rejoined the fray last week as the Asian swing gets underway. There are some faces in the winners circle we rarely ever see even in semi finals.

Gilles Simon hoisted the alien baby trophy Sunday after he won Metz. I wonder what deal the FFT struck with the aliens so that they can keep handing out this trophy.

Meanwhile the doubles winners Dustin Brown and Rogier Wassen took home trophies their wives/mothers/girlfriends/significant others can use as for flowers.

Meanwhile it was Alla Kudryatseva who donned the traditional winners head dress in Tashkent. I love the traditional wear the winners put on here.

Doubles winners Tatiana Poutchek and Alexandra Panova were draped in traditional robes for the awards ceremony.

Juan Ignacio Chela won the singles title in Bucharest, Romania. He is flanked by Ion Tiriac and Ilie Nastase on the left.

Chela had a great weekend. He also won the doubles crown playing with Lukasz Kubot.

Alisa Kleybanova proudly hoists the winners trophy in Seoul.

Julia Goerges and Polona Hercog won the doubles crown in Seoul.

Congratulations to all the winners!

Miscellany
Some early results from Tokyo.

Soon to be forty Wild Card Kimiko Date-Krumm defeated the #12 seed and defending champion Maria Sharapova in three sets 7-5, 3-6, 6-3.

Dinara Safina lost to the above mentioned Julia Goerges 1-6, 7-5, 2-6.

In totally expected news Serena Williams, sporting a large scar on her foot, has not returned to the main tour. This means the top spot in the WTA rankings is up for grabs.

Weekend Round Up

by Savannah

What a surprising weekend of results.


She hasn't gotten all the hype. No one was writing columns about her return to competitive tennis but Kimiko Date-Krumm, by winning Seoul, is the big story of the weekend. She will soon be 39 years old. Congratulations on your achievement Kimiko.

Congratulations also go to Gael Monfils who won at Metz, his first title since 2005. It was good to see him hold himself together mentally and win.

If Shahar Pe'er were a team they'd be screaming to break her up. Shahar, who has had a disastrous 2009 won her second title in a row at Tashkent.

I'm sure most tennisheads had penciled in Juan Monaco to win at Bucharest. Instead Albert Montanes of Spain hoisted the trophy and got a confetti shower. Congratulations to Albert.