Davis Cup Wrap, ATP and WTA Previews
Posted on February 12, 2007
WEEKEND WRAP
Davis Cup 1st Round
Russia d. Chile 3-2
Igor Andreev was the upset hero Sunday on the red clay in La Serena, Chile, defeating Nicolas Massu 6-2, 6-1, 6-7(1), 6-4 in the decisive fifth rubber to set up a meeting against France at home.
France d. Romania 4-1
Romania keeps the tie alive in the Saturday doubles, but Richard "Baby Fed" Gasquet clinches the win in the first match Sunday with a straight-set win over Andrei Pavel. In the quarterfinals France will travel to Russia. "I expect Safin and Davydenko to be playing and they also have Tursunov, Youzhny and Andreev," French captain Guy Forget said. "We will have to be at our best. Beating Safin at home is very difficult, but I do believe it is possible. The ranking on paper does not decide the results."
Germany d. Croatia 3-2
After Germany's Micheal Kohlmann/Alexander Waske upset Ivan Ljubicic and an ailing Mario Ancic in the Saturday doubles, Tommy Haas defeating Ljubicic in straight sets in the opening singles Sunday to clinch the tie, furthering Ljubicic's reputation as a player who falters in the big match. "Even in this tie I felt I had no energy any more," said Ljubicic, who said 2007 would likely be his last year playing Davis Cup. "So I have to stop now, it's taken so much energy out of me in past years, I've had a long Davis Cup career, but it would be nice to miss it and be able to come back, so you should never say never."
Belgium d. Australia 3-2
Lleyton Hewitt came through Sunday, but a lack of a veteran Australian No. 2 singles player sunk Australia in the first round against Begium away on clay. In the first singles Sunday, Hewitt forced a fifth match with a five-set win over Olivier Rochus. It was then left to Aussie serving machine Chris "Penthouse" Guccione, who sufferer his second singles loss of the weekend in straight sets to Krisof Vliegen, who on Friday beat Hewitt. Belgium will next face Germany in Belgium.
U.S. d. Czech Republic 4-1
Andy Roddick started the U.S. off with a win Friday, and ended the tie versus the Czech Republic with a win Sunday, preventing Tomas Berdych from stretching the match to five sets and a possible fifth match with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-6(4) victory. The U.S. celebration after Roddick's win was understandably subdued as the Czechs were without Radek Stepanek who chose to pass on the tie, and the Czechs were forced to front No. 160-ranked Ivo Minar in singles. The U.S. will now host Spain in the quarterfinals.
Spain d. Switzerland 3-2
The Spaniards put the Swiss, without No. 1 Roger Federer (took a pass) and No. 2 Stan Wawrinka (injury), out of their misery in the first singles Sunday, with Fernando "Hot Sauce" Verdasco defeating unheralded Stephane Bohli in straight sets to advance the Spaniards to a meeting with the Americans in the U.S.
Sweden d. Belarus 3-2
The Belarus squad of Max "The Beast" Mirnyi and Vladimir "The Vladiator" Voltchkov could not garner a singles win during the weekend in live play as Robin Soderling clinched the tie in the first match Sunday, outdueling Mirnyi 6-3 in the fifth set. The Swedes' reward is a home match in the quarterfinals against Argentina.
"I think we have a good chance against them," said Swedish captain Mats Wilander. "The last several years, our team played all of their Davis Cup matches away from home, and our spectators are looking forward to see us back home in Sweden. I hope that their support will help us to beat Argentina and go through to the semifinals."
Argentina d. Austria 4-1
Argentina showed its depth with three different players earning live-rubber singles wins over the weekend on the Austrian indoor carpet, with rookie Juan del Potro capping it in the first singles on Sunday with a five-set win over Austrian Jurgen Melzer. The Argentines will next face another non-clay tie, traveling to Sweden. Del Potro was a last-minute replacement for Jose Acasuso who was ill.
Open Gaz de France
Paris, France
Finals:
(4) Nadia Petrova (RUS) d. Lucie Safarova (CZE) 4-6, 6-1, 6-4
(1) Black/Huber (ZIM/RSA) d. Navratilova/Uhlirova (CZE) 6-2, 6-0
Serving for the match at 5-4 in the third, Petrova promptly double faulted, but regained her composure to capture her first title of the year. Safarova ousted top-seeded Justine Henin in the semis, while Petrova had outlasted No. 2 seed Amelie Mauresmo 7-6 in the third. Black/Huber keep their momentum going after the Australian Open title.
Pattaya Women's Open presented by TAT
Pattaya City, Thailand
Finals:
Sybille Bammer (AUT) d. (6) Gisela Dulko (ARG) 7-5, 3-6, 7-5
(2) Pratt/Santangelo (AUS/ITA) d. (1) YJ.Chan/Chuang (TPE) 6-4, 7-6(4)
Sybille "The Whammer" Bammer saves three match points to claim her first WTA title, dropping Dulko to 0-2 career in singles finals. "Both of us wanted to win and it was a big fight, but unfortunately only one can win because I think today we were both winners," Bammer said. No comment from Dulko if they were "both winners."
THIS WEEK
Proximus Diamond Games
Antwerp, Belgium
Kim Clijsters comes home for her final Antwerp appearance before her retirement as the No. 2 seed, joined by top-seeded Amelie Mauresmo. A look at their fellow seeds would lead one to believe it was the Moscow Open with Nadia Petrova, Elena Dementieva, Swiss Patty Schnyder, Dinara Safina, Anna Chakvetadze and Serb pin-up Ana Ivanovic.
Ivanovic opens against hot-handed Czech Lucie Safarova, and wildcards went to waffles Caroline Maes and Kirsten Flipkens. Venus Williams pulled from the event with her chronic wrist injury. In last year's final the No. 2-seeded Mauresmo outlasted the top-seeded Clijsters 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Sony Ericsson International
Bangalore, India
This ain't Miami, though Sony Ericsson has taken on another tournament sponsorship, one that had some pull until Serena Williams withdrew citing an illness. Now No. 2 seed Sania Mirza shoulders the star power, behind top-seeded Mara Santangelo of Italy, who won't be pulling in too many headlines. No. 7 seed Tamarine Tanasugarn and No. 8 Alberta Brianti are barely ranked in the Top 100. Watch out for unseeded Aussie Alicia Molik.
Santangelo is the defending champ, in last year's final coming from a set down to beat Jelena Kostanic.
The start of the event will reportedly be delayed by a day to Tuesday because of a general strike ordered by India's southern Karnataka state, effectively shutting down public services and private businesses in the state, including its capital Bangalore.
SAP Open
San Jose, Calif., USA
San Jose is the headliner of the three ATP events this week, with a power-packed line-up boasting Roddick, Blake, Murray, Safin, Becker...Benjamin, that is, and Americans Mardy Fish and Vince Spadea looking to validate their seedings.
Roddick opens against much-improved Canadian Frank Dancevic, Murray against American Kevin Kim, Safin against American wildcard Scott Oudsema, Fish against Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili, and American hopefuls Amer Delic and (WC) Sam Warburg square off in the opening round.
Potential semifinal meetings are Roddick vs. Murray and Blake vs. Safin. In last year's final Murray shocked Hewitt for his first ATP title.
Open 13
Marseille, France
Nikolay Davydenko heads the Euro-talented field this week on the Marseille hardcourts that includes seeds Ivan Ljubicic and Mario Ancic of Croatia, Serb Novak Djokovic, Spaniard David Ferrer, Frenchman Richard "Baby Fed" Gasquet, Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis, and former No. 1-ranked Aussie Lleyton Hewitt who sneaks in at the No. 8 spot.
Davydenko faces a tough opener against Swede Robin Soderling, and likewise Hewitt coming off the Davis Cup clay against the net-rushing French wildcard Michael Llodra, Djokovic against Russian Mikail Youzhny, and Ferrer against homecountry favorite Arnaud Clement.
In last year's final the No. 2-seeded Baghdatis outlasted the top-seeded Ljubicic 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-4.
Brasil Open 2007
Costa do Sauipe, Brazil
The rankings are small but that names are big as four former French Open champs compete in the Costa do Sauipe field, headed by top-seeded Juan Carlos Ferrero who is ranked outside the Top 25. Other seeds are Agustin Calleri, Nicolas Almagro, Carlos Moya, Gaston Gaudio, Juan Ignacio Chela, Filippo Volandri and Luis Horna.
Wildcards went to Gustavo Kuerten, the back-from-doping Guillermo Canas, and Rogerio Dutra Silva.
Missing from this year's field is Nicolas Massu, who beat Spaniard Al Martin in the 2006 final.
TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
Any question why tennis is so low on the totem pole in the U.S. when you wake up Sunday and check the internet for scores, see Russia vs. Chile and Australia vs. Belgium in the midst of five-setters (that you can't watch), then realize at noon the taped U.S. result (which you already know the result of) is coming on? What's the point? Why is the USTA selling TV rights to networks that won't show it live in these modern times?...Rafael Nadal has pulled from Marseille with injury after failing to take the court in Davis Cup play over the weekend for Spain...Serena Williams pulled from Bangalore with illness, and sister Venus from Antwerp with her chronic wrist injury...For the first time in the 27 years of the Davis Cup World Group, all eight first-round ties went live into the final Sunday...Amelie Mauresmo may pull from Antwerp with a thigh injury...Roger Rasheed speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald on his next potential coaching job after Lleyton Hewitt: "At international level, if I'm coaching I want to be coaching one of the best. That's where I do my best work: at the top end with legitimate grand slam contenders. It will have to be with a player who has fire and determination, and it will have to be a proactive and productive environment with no limitations or boundaries. You need a player who is open to ideas. Look at Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal, always soaking up information. If you work in that environment there are no excuses." -- Nice slight to Lleyton, who is a Grand Slam doubles champ, yet in singles it's hard to get him to come into the net unless he's shaking hands.