January 4th, 2009
Tennis-X Previews: Safin Beat Up, Doha Brings Big Guns
Marat Safin showing up in Australia with black eyes after getting his ass kicked (or winning a barfight?); Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams still injured; Pete Sampras saying the U.S. could be in for a long talent drought at the top. Welcome to the 2009 tennis season:
Qatar ExxonMobile Open 2009
DOHA, Qatar
Surface: Hard
Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Andy Roddick go from collecting bank at the Abu Dhabi exhibition to making real green this week as the top three under-the-table …
Posted by Staff @ 11:58 pm in Tennis | 82 Comments »
January 3rd, 2009
Nadal, Federer Lead 7 of Top 8 as ATP Season Begins
It’s a pretty impressive opening week on the ATP circuit with seven of the Top 8 players all lacing it up. In Doha, World No. 1 Rafael Nadal joins No. 2 Roger Federer, No. 4 Andy Murray and No. 8 Andy Roddick in the best event of the week.
Nadal opens his official 2009 campaign against Fabrice Santoro who I thought had retired. Nadal could meet my man Gael Monfils in the quarterfinals, then run into Roddick in the …
Posted by Sean Randall @ 12:14 pm in 2009 Season, Player Participation | 20 Comments »
December 31st, 2008
Davenport Done? Federer, Nadal Begin 2009 in Abu Dhabi
After digging around, this really has been a rather quiet, holiday off-season in the tennis world. No major injuries, coaching changes or even retirements to speak of. But fortunately it’s not completely without a modicum of news.
Top of the list goes to three-time Grand Slam champion Lindsay Davenport announcing that she is pregnant with child No. 2. Davenport had entered the Australian Open, but since learning she’ll be eating for two again she’s pulled out of Melbourne as …
Posted by Sean Randall @ 4:10 pm in ATP, Australian Open, Holidays, Schedule, WTA | 26 Comments »
December 30th, 2008
Nothing spells the Holidays quite like two-plus weeks of good, hardcore vacationing. That said, I hope everyone had a great Christmas and has an even better New Year. I’m just glad to be back home again with computer access and football on my TV – my relatives abroad still don’t understand the web and the Lions 0-16!!
And don’t look now but the 2009 tennis season is just a few days away – at least I think it is! I …
Posted by Sean Randall @ 12:21 am in Holidays | 59 Comments »
November 25th, 2008
Tennis-X Notes: Argentine Fight Club; Mauresmo Not Done
TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
29-year-old former No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo says she will give it another shot in 2009 after this year contemplating retirement. “I was not that far from packing it all in because I was so far away from getting back to the level that I wanted to play at,” Mauresmo told L’Equipe sports daily. “But I am not the kind to take hasty decisions and so I though it over and decided to continue playing. I …
Posted by Staff @ 10:51 am in Tennis | 140 Comments »
November 23rd, 2008
Verdasco Seals Spanish Davis Cup Victory After Nervy 5-Set Win
No Rafael Nadal. No problem for Spain who still captured the Davis Cup title over home favorite Argentina without the services of their World No. 1. Spanish lefty Fernando Versdasco sealed the victory today after rallying to beat Jose Acasuso 6-3, 6-7, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 in the Davis Cup final played in Mar Del Plata, Argentina.
What a crazy match. What a crazy tie.
Verdasco was penciled in for the subpar David Ferrer while Acasuso replaced the injured Juan Martin Del …
Posted by Sean Randall @ 2:14 pm in Davis Cup | 67 Comments »
November 21st, 2008
Spain Surprises Argentina in Davis Cup Final Day One
The Davis Cup final, the pinnacle of the men’s tennis year as far as national rivalries are concerned, always has surprises in store. While the top two teams are decided prior to the final with favorite and underdogs, a long season featuring exhaustion, injuries and hot/cold streaks always plays a factor.
Last year the U.S. defeated Russia in the final without former No. 1 Marat Safin, and the Russians sitting Nikolay Davydenko (bad mistake) in singles, contributing to a 3-0 sweep …
Posted by Richard Vach @ 4:56 pm in Davis Cup, Tennis | 37 Comments »
November 21st, 2008
Nalbandian, Argentina Close in on First Davis Cup Title; Roddick Hires a Coach
It probably won’t make your local news or show up on front page of your city newspaper here in the U.S., but there is a Davis Cup final going on this weekend. Of course it’s Argentina bidding for its first ever Davis Cup title against the Nadal-less Spanish team down in Mar Del Plata.
I picked Argentina to beat Spain in the final at the start of the year not because I foresaw the rise of Juan Martin Del …
Posted by Sean Randall @ 2:09 pm in Coaching, Davis Cup | 9 Comments »
November 19th, 2008
Tennis Fans Miss Out on Sampras, McEnroe at Blackrock Masters
U.S. and non-British viewers will be left in the dark when The Blackrock Masters Tennis, the year-end championships of the ATP’s senior tour, will be played Dec. 2-7 at The Royal Albert Hall in London.
Britain’s ITV will provide daily coverage of the event, but there is no announced coverage in the U.S. ITV has announced “two matches will be broadcast exclusively live on ITV.com and via a new red button interactive service,” but provided no further information.
The Blackrock Masters Tennis …
Posted by Richard Vach @ 12:42 pm in Tennis, Tennis on TV, senior tour | 10 Comments »
November 17th, 2008
Djokovic Captures Masters Cup, Then Suffers Injury While Celebrating
Just when I thought Novak Djokovic had turned the corner, he goes back to his usual ways. Moments after capturing the second biggest title of his career (behind the Australian Open), Djokovic, the same guy who I thought was over the injury routine after the US Open, calls for the trainer during the post-match, on-court ceremonies.
Before you get on me for hating on Novak, he really did injure himself. I can’t make that up.
First, credit to Djokovic for hammering …
Posted by Sean Randall @ 5:14 pm in ATP, Injuries, Schedule, Tennis Masters Cup, Tennis on TV, Year-End No. 1 | 138 Comments »
