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Read more about it at TSF.
Cool interview with Lars Graf. He was a SEAL in the Swedish Navy. Something tells me Mo...was not.
Also, I'm totally impressed that he remembers individual points like that. I would think that as an umpire you're just so in the moment that you don't really remember what happened the point before.
Then again, he was was a SEAL. He's probably trained to memorized codes and shit. Or, you know, whatever espionage Sweden is involved in.
Moving right along to the week ahead, where the clay rats continue to scramble to pick up points before the clay turns to American hardcourts.
For the ladies, Flavs headlines the field in Palermo, along with Patty, Cone, and Pavs. Here's the singles draw.
Over Prague, Tranny and Bammer anchor the field. And Nicole is playing. Lolz. Here's the singles draw.
On the sausage side, the dudes invade Bastad and Stuttgart. Fer, who deserves a break more than anyone else right now, anchors the Bastad draw alongside homeboy General Sod. Really, Nando? Go chill out! It's ok! Bastad draw here.
And in Stuttgart we have the "Oh yeah, those guys!" field, headlined by Gilly, Kolya, and a bunch of Germans. Draw here.
Rajeev Ram took out Sammy Q in three sets, 76 75 63, to take his first ATP trophy in his first ATP final. 1 for 1 ain't bad. Ain't bad at all.
That's what Day 3 of Davis Cup is all about: Heroes. And the great thing about Davis Cup is that these heroes often come from nowhere. They're journeymen players who experience the biggest wins of their lives on this stage. And there is something ridiculously awesome about it.
Over in Spain, it was looking like PEHK would be the man of the day. He fended off a strong comeback from Fernando to notch an 8-6 in the 5th win. Who knew the German would knock off Nole and Fer on clay in the span of a month and a half. And if Hero #2 didn't step up in the next match and Germany had taken this tie, I would argue that Techno's win over Fer was the biggest of his career. But alas.
After the Fer's tough loss Spain had to be feeling a bit of pressure. Especially with Beck having taken Fer to five challenging sets a couple days earlier. But in stepped cool as a cucumber JCF, who swashbuckled his way to a fairly businesslike straight set win. And so Spain advances and Germany goes home. Sure, it all shook out the way we expected, but the fun is in the process. Spain will face Israel in their semifinal.
But the thing about heroes is that there's always a goat. And no, I don't mean GOAT, I mean goat. And unfortunately for Argentina, that goat was Pico. Poor guy was unable to notch a singles win during the tie and that's what's why the 2008 finalists are going home. As for Steps, he was able to fight off some knee pain and help bring this one how for the Czechs, who will have an away tie with...
This was a hard fought tie for the Croats. They had that epicly long day on Friday, wherein Ivo and Marin needed 5 sets to take care of Blah and Sockless. But Marin came out and took care of business in four sets, dumping Blah and sending a very clear message to PMac that JAMES BLAKE IS A HORRIBLE TENNIS PLAYER!!! It's time for everyone to accept it. He's clearly in a bad spot. The fact that Querrey CA was left off this team still chaps me. Fuckers.
Once again, Marat couldn't keep it simple. He couldn't just roll over and let Israel easily take the tie by winning the dubs match. No. He had to make it an emotional rollercoaster that ended with him not coming out on top. Because this is what Marat does.
Ram and Ehrlich were up two sets and serving for the match at 5-4. Jonny gets broken and Marat and Consumption proceed to take the next two sets and force a fifth, which, of course, Israel would win 64.
Congrats to Israel for making their first World Group semifinal. As for Russia, maybe it's appropriate that the year Marat retires, they get outclassed by the hungry up and comers.
Drink up!
At first glance, all is well. Cute little sweater over what looks like a blue sundress. And as Maz pointed out, she must have gotten the memo because she's carrying things today.
But then you zoom out. And you see this. And you just want to stand on your tippytoes and pat the kid on the head.
I honestly didn't think there was anymore shit in the sky that could rain down on Jelena Dokic. You'd think the Tennis Gods would be all out at this point. You'd be wrong.
Tennis Australia confirms that JD is suffering from mono. Hopefully she can recover soon.
It's 1-1 after Day 1. Elf did his job and Berdy took his match against Pico in five sets.
Is anyone else wondering why Pico is rocking the Falcon? I sure hope Elfie doesn't come out in any RF gear.
With the Marat sitting on the bench, Russia dropped both their rubbers today (heh) to Israel, who are one win away from making the World Group semis. Crazy!
The Hotness and Consumption take the court in dubs tomorrow. Yikes.
Spain and Germany ended Day 1 locked in a 1-1 draw after their #1s took care of business. It took Fer 5 SETS to take out Andreas Beck, who just flat our ran out of gas. How do you lose the next two sets 2 and 1 after you just won a tiebreaker to take a 2-1 lead?
Meanwhile, in a pretty impressive result on clay, PEHK beat Tommy in straight sets.
Bring on Team Pretty for dubs!
Doubles partners Flavs and Olivia both bit the dust today, setting up the much anticipated showdown between Boots and...Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez. So there's that.
Singles - Semifinals
(1) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) d. (3) Flavia Pennetta (ITA) 63 46 62
María José Martínez Sánchez (ESP) d. Gisela Dulko (ARG) 75 64
Doubles - Semifinals
(1) Llagostera Vives/Martínez Sánchez (ESP/ESP) d. Kondratieva/Lefèvre (RUS/FRA) 64 62
(2) Dulko/Pennetta (ARG/ITA) d. Domachowska/Grandin (POL/RSA) 62 64
Who do you think you are? Bepa? Step up your game, Alla.
So Bastad is working out to be a pretty fun tournament. Flavia, Patty, Caro, and Dulko are through, which, given the WTA's "pleasant unpredictability", must give the Bastad tourney organizers some relief.
In the Battle For Middle Earth, wherein Middle Earth is the super cute flowy fashion designs of one Ms. Stella McCartney (who, incidentally, is going to design a line for GapKids), Boots came out on top. And no, that's not a sex reference, Pspace.
And in the "Shit, I don't know who I'm rooting for here" match of the day, Olivia gutted out a tight three setter over #2 seed Domi. I still refuse to believe she's for real.
And the headscratcher result of the day? Sheldon (TM Victoria) gets bageled on her way to losing to Cheater Cheater Pumpkin Eater. Bageled? On clay? Really, Sheldon?
Here are the rest of the scores:
Singles - Quarterfinals
(1) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) d. Maria Kirilenko (RUS) 75 76(4)
Gisela Dulko (ARG) d. (2) Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) 67(5) 63 76(6)
(3) Flavia Pennetta (ITA) d. Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS) 64 62
María José Martínez Sánchez (ESP) d. (7) Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP)
46 63 60
Doubles - Quarterfinals
(1) Llagostera Vives/Martínez Sánchez (ESP/ESP) d. Schiavone/Suárez Navarro (ITA/ESP) 76(3) 62
Kondratieva/Lefèvre (RUS/FRA) d. (4) Cirstea/Wozniacki (ROU/DEN) 46 64 108
Both Marat and Steps have been pulled from their singles ties. Marat because he sucks, and Sex because of a knee problem.
But don't fret. If needed, The Sex will step in on Sunday if they need him.
Man, you become a Davis Cup hero and all of a sudden it's shits and giggles all the time.
At least he got Tommy to smile. That's nice.
Fernando's the man this week, as he's scheduled to play singles and doubles. And with the way his teammates have been playing lately, don't be surprised if he does have to suit up on Sunday. He'll kick things off against Beck tomorrow and possibly play Techno on Sunday.
Costa has benched Feli in singles, opting with Tommy instead. Probably a good move there.
So...I've basically been sitting here for a good 10 minutes marveling at how much I want/need/havetoownimmediately that jacket. I don't know if she already had it in her closet, whether she ran out and bought it, or if AS's Burberry people hooked her up, but I love it.
Unfortunately, something tells me I wouldn't look the same wearing a trench and trouser jeans. Sad face.
Anyway, kid is in Scotland supporting her dude by looking young and casual and rocking an amazing "ZOMG I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON!!!" face.
Doesn't she look like she should be holding a drink or something? A cigarette? A tennis racquet? A couple of coffee mugs?
Burberry and Rolex? It don't get no golfier.
In case the last month and a half hasn't already proven it, Fed's healthy again:
"I'm not scared any more of going into the very corner of the court and digging out a ball, which I was scared of doing at times. And that's why my serve sometimes faltered in important moments, because I didn't have belief that my body was holding up.
"So I would play way too offensive, and against the top guys, that was too risky, and this is why I would lose."
It was only at the end of April, at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome, when Federer began to feel "like the old guy again."
It has had a big effect on his game: "Now I feel so much better, and I can play the way I normally play -- use offense, use defense. My serve is clicking. I know in the important moments I'll make the right decisions."
Get healthy, Rafa. We need a stretch of "no excuses" mano e mano competition.
MaKiri is blogging from Bastad this week. Here's a couple of cute bits from her blog:
Doesn't Igor wax his chest? Am I wrong on that?
Bye bye, Pavsy. You lost to MaKiri in straight sets. I don't know what to say to that other than it was her best surface and maybe you were distracted by the awesomeness that is her Stella McCartney kit.
