Seeds: Caroline Wozniacki, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Venus Williams, Victoria Azarenka, Elena Dementieva, Jelena Jankovic, Aggie Radwanska, Na Li, Sam Stosur, Flavia Pennetta, Marion Bartoli, Vera Zvonareva, Yanina Wickmayer, Francesca Schiavone, Nadia Petrova, Jie Zheng

Writing this goes against everything I’ve been saying lately, but I just have to get this off my chest.

WARNING: NOT FOR DIE-HARD FED-FANATICS!

I wasn’t sure when to make a mid-tournament assessment.

“A lot of things,” Baghdatis said of what they sang. “Marcos, I love you. I will never stop singing for you. Stuff like this.”

Andy Roddick and Juan Martin Del Potro both lose to qualifiers in Asia.

“We couldn’t meet his expectations (financially),” Martin said. “It just wasn’t going to happen. I couldn’t do it. James is a great person and a great supporter of this event.”

“I’ve been playing better throughout the weeks,” Serena told reporters regarding her form in Melbourne. “I think doubles was really able to help me out. And also I went out and hit a few balls this morning. I had a really good practice. Watching some of the men’s tennis, they were playing really well. I was really inspired like that. Especially last night’s [Nadal-Verdasco semifinal] match. It was just crazy.”

Serving at 4-5 in the fifth and past the five-hour mark, Verdasco was undone by nerves. Verdasco double faulted to give Nadal a 40-0 lead, then two points later double faulted on match point.

Roger Federer says Novak Djokovic is a quitter and a whuss — to paraphrase: “He’s not a guy who’s never given up before; it’s disappointing,” Federer said of Djokovic throwing in the towel in the fourth set against Andy Roddick. “I’ve only done it once in my career. Andy Roddick totally deserved to win that match…I’m almost in favor of saying, ‘You know what, if you’re not fit enough, just get out of here.’ If Novak were up two sets to love, I don’t think he would have retired 4-0 down in the fourth.” Ouch!…