Janko Tipsarevic has an explanation for Roger Federer’s rise.

Semifinals take place Saturday in Asia on the ATP.

Andy Murray made a successful return with Ivan Lendl, but the Scot was down a break in both sets.

Tough starts go to (1) Gasquet vs. either Baghdatis or Evgeny Donskoy, (5) Istomin vs. Russian (WC) Andrey Kuznetsov, and (7) Sousa vs. Stakhovsky…Seeds making their debuts at the event are Gasquet, Sousa and Mannarino…Russians have won the event 14 times since 1990…Last year Seppi beat Thomaz Bellucci in the final…Notable pulls from the event were Nikolay Davydenko (wrist) and Stan Wawrinka…Returning former champs in the field are Seppi (2012) and Tipsarevic (2011).

Notes: Andy Murray pulled from the event (back surgery)…Some opening-round testers with (1) Del Potro vs. Baghdatis, (4) Nishikori vs. Tuna Melzer, and (2) Tsonga vs. Gael Force in an all-French affair…Simon and Almagro have losing career records at the event, while Anderson makes his debut…Wildcards went to Del Potro and Japan’s Tatsuma Ito, Go Soeda, and Yuichi Sugita…Nishikori beat Raonic in last year’s final…Returning champs in the field are Nishikori (2012) and Tsonga (2009).

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal moved a step closer to a Wednesday night showdown at the US Open.

Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Venus Williams are in action up North in Canada on Tuesday.

Notes: Two-time defending champ Serena Williams obviously didn’t like the under-the-table appearance fee to appear in Stanford, passing on the event and last week playing the tiny Swedish Open in Bastad, which was willing to pony-up some major cash…Tough starts are (1) Radwanska after a bye possibly facing the former Slam champ Schiavone, (8) Rybarikova vs. the explosive Keys, and (2) Stosur after a bye likely facing the powerful Goerges….Wildcards went to American Nicole Gibbs and Croat Ajla Tomljanovic…Pulling from the event were Marion Bartoli (hamstring), Kirsten Flipkens, Sabine Lisicki (wrist), and Maria Sharapova (hip)…Since 1990, 20 of the 23 champions have been Slam winners, but this year there are no returning champions in the field.

Men’s Notes: The tournament is now named in the Estoril municipality of Oeiras for whatever reason…The Top 4 seeds receive opening-round byes…Ferrer is 1-3 career at the event…Two-time defending champ Juan Martin del Potro pulled citing a virus…Kevin Anderson and Juan Monaco were other notable pulls…No past champions are in the field.

Milos Raonic meets Rafael Nadal tomorrow in Barcelona.

The big guns Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray open their 2013 European clay season on Wednesday.

Defending champion Novak Djokovic leads the field at the 2013 Miami Masters, who’ll be the winner in two weeks?

Rafael Nadal looked good, not great, in his hardcourt debut while the American youngsters crashed out.

Janko Tipsarevic says he’s done getting tattoos per the wife’s orders.

On a packed opening day Australian Open schedule, Novak Djokovic begins his title defense.