Tennis

I remember back in January I though Federer was going to win the French for sure because well he was unstoppable and then Nadal wasn't playing so well. And no the tables have def. turned. I would like Federer to win the French because he really is a great player and deserves the career grand slam.

Today

TENNIS

Hamburg Masters

Hewitt - Davydenko 6-4, 2-4, 6-4

Federer - Ferrero 6-2, 6-3

Djokovic - Nieminen 7-5, 4-6, 6-4

Almagro - Acasuso 6-2, 6-3

Nadal - Andreev 6-4, 6-1

Moyà - Blake 1-6, 6-3, 6-3

Gonzalez - Mathieu 7-5, 6-4

Melzer - Gasquet 6-3, 6-4

Ferrer - Ljubicic 6-3, 6-2

Davydenko - Simon 6-7, 6-4, 7-5

Djokovic - Benneteau 7-6, 6-3

Acasuso - Volandri 3-6, 7-6, 6-3

Nieminen - Mayer 6-2, 6-4

Today

TENNIS

Hamburg Masters

Hewitt - Davydenko 6-4, 2-4, 6-4

Federer - Ferrero 6-2, 6-3

That's a better result for Federer. He needs to be in the final here. No in fact he needs to take the title.

Good result for Hewitt also. I think that's his first Top Ten win of the year.

In Rome, my two faves on the WTA Tour played each other today: Hantuchova bt Chakvetadze 6-2 6-3. I downloaded some video of this match. Not a great spectacle. Anna had a horrible time today. But Daniela, who normally sucks on clay, has now posted a couple of really good results. Could do wonders for her ranking if she can carry it on. (Y)

In other tennis news, I'm playing a doubles match tomorrow afternoon. I've never even met our opponents but apparently one of them is really, really good. I'd like to think we'll win and I'll play like a champion but my incredibly inferior serve will almost certainly be exposed.

In other tennis news, I'm playing a doubles match tomorrow afternoon. I've never even met our opponents but apparently one of them is really, really good. I'd like to think we'll win and I'll play like a champion but my incredibly inferior serve will almost certainly be exposed.

Good luck!

I don't play much doubles myself but it's usually a lot of fun. My own weakness is my serve but it's getting better. Anyway a serve isn't everything, good net play and communication with your partner is important too.

My serve is pretty bad too. Very inconsistent. My forehand has improved greatly as of recent. I used to play with a very eastern grip and I had trouble getting spin onto the ball and now I have a more modern eastern or semi-western grip and I can hit it with power and with spin. It felt great to be able to whack at the ball and see it go in easily. I haven't felt that way since January. I feel like I just need to practice my serve more.

In other tennis news, I'm playing a doubles match tomorrow afternoon. I've never even met our opponents but apparently one of them is really, really good. I'd like to think we'll win and I'll play like a champion but my incredibly inferior serve will almost certainly be exposed.

Hewitt - Almagro 6-3, 6-4

Nadal - Gonzalez 6-4, 6-4

Moyà - Djokovic 7-6, 4-6, 7-5

Federer - Ferrer 6-3, 4-6, 6-3

Hewitt - Almagro 6-3, 6-4

Nadal - Gonzalez 6-4, 6-4

Moyà - Djokovic 7-6, 4-6, 7-5

Federer - Ferrer 6-3, 4-6, 6-3

Another tough time for Federer. Too many unforced errors creeping in again. I think that's the first time Ferrer has taken a set off him. And as much as I'd like to see Hewitt defeat Nadal I'm not sure he can. As long as Roger wins the title I don't care.

Announced this morning, Andy Murray will definitely miss Roland Garros.

WTA Rome QF:

(3) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) d. (10) Elena Dementieva (RUS) 6-2 6-1

(14) Patty Schnyder (SUI) d. (8) Serena Williams (USA) 6-3 2-6 7-6(5)

(2) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) d. (6) Dinara Safina (RUS) 6-1 6-3

(9) Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) d. Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) 7-6(8) 7-5

Gotta say well done to Daniela for reaching her first ever Tier I clay court semi-final. In the past she's been fairly useless on clay but since she switched coaches I think she's got a little faster and added some better defensive shots. However that was two and a half hours last night for a straight sets win so I don't know how she'll fare against Kuzzie.

Schnyder vs Williams was the match of the tournament. Really great shot-making and intense action. A huge win for Patty and only Serena's second loss this year.

I've never been much of a doubles player. I'm not good at the net and I basically rely on my ground strokes to get me anywhere. It's too boring for me. I'm too competitive and I'm mainly into tennis to win, not to have fun. Over the winter I played doubles with older people every Friday night for several hours. I could never play doubles competitively but I'm going to see if I can enter in a league with my dad. He's good at the net and I'm well not.

Well we played and we lost: 6-4, 6-2. I managed to serve okay but like you, my net play is very weak. My partner is a much more aggressive player than me and has a pretty decent serve but unfortunately it was all over the place today. The other guys were pretty good but I think it was more a case of us getting beaten because we really aren't doubles players. I'm ultra competitive but this was very much a sociable jaunt, I can't really see doubles as anything more.

Great to see Moya still competing.

I've never been much of a doubles player. I'm not good at the net and I basically rely on my ground strokes to get me anywhere. It's too boring for me. I'm too competitive and I'm mainly into tennis to win, not to have fun. Over the winter I played doubles with older people every Friday night for several hours. I could never play doubles competitively but I'm going to see if I can enter in a league with my dad. He's good at the net and I'm well not.

Well we played and we lost: 6-4, 6-2. I managed to serve okay but like you, my net play is very weak. My partner is a much more aggressive player than me and has a pretty decent serve but unfortunately it was all over the place today. The other guys were pretty good but I think it was more a case of us getting beaten because we really aren't doubles players. I'm ultra competitive but this was very much a sociable jaunt, I can't really see doubles as anything more.

Great to see Moya still competing.

I like Kuznetsova. Nice to see she got this far. She's got a lot of potential really. She needs to lose weight and get into better shape. I remember before she used to be fast and now her weight is weighing her down. I like Jankovic too. I want Federer to win as well. I want him to win Roland Garros because he deserves a career grand slam. I'm getting tired of Nadal winning everything.

Hamburg semis:

[1] R Federer (SUI) d C Moya (ESP) 4-6 6-4 6-2

[2] R Nadal (ESP) d [16] L Hewitt (AUS) 2-6 6-3 7-5

Lleyton had Rafa on the ropes for a while. Nadal was having an off day for sure but Hewitt's unforced errors let him back in. Another difficult match for Roger but he's through. So it's another Roger v Rafa dust-up on the cards. Kick some ass Fed-ex!

Rome semis:

(2) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) d. (9) Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) 6-4 6-2

(3) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) d. (14) Patty Schnyder (SUI) 6-1 6-3

Sucky matches today. After her heroics beating Serena yesterday, Patty didn't hold serve once in this match. She complained of breathing problems preventing her from playing 100%. Sveta had an easy time against Danka. And I disagree with what you say about her Nina, Sveta is a really good mover, particularly on clay. She has quite a stocky frame but she's very athletic. I wouldn't say she's overweight.

Yes I was actually surprised at how well she could move when I first noticed her in the 2004 USO. But I was watching a bit of a match maybe 6 weeks ago (when she had black hair still) and I noticed she was a LOT more sluggish than before. My dad commented that this was because of her weight gain and I mean looking at her she did seem a bit out of shape. I mean yes I know her frame, she is naturally big boned and massive but still. But you know it could be just the day. Actually I gained weight too and my movement is a lot worse now too. My dad tells me today "Nina, you have to lose like 4 pounds."Time to get back into shape heh. Either way this is her 4th final this year, hopefully she'll win. I think she will. I'm not sure how well Jankovic moves on clay but I know it's def. one of Svetlana's stronger surfaces. Her and Justine are probably among the few women who really excell on clay. When it comes to the men's game you don't see the all of the usual players getting far in tournaments because there are so many clay court specialists. But with the women it seems like it's not really anyone's favorite surface and the ones like Henin and Kuznetsova that move the best often take the titles. You usually see a much more predictable outcome in the women's French Open draw than in the men's. With the exception of like Sharapova and others with similar style not going so far.

I would like to see Kuznetsova be the number 1 Russian. Petrova was for a bit last year. What happened to Nadia anyway? I remember around this time she had won several titles. About Murray not playing Roland Garros, I don't think he would've gotten very far anyway. He's still growing into his body and his movement would probably not be in top form. As long as he gets to Wimbledon and keeps the Brits happy. Btw are you a big Murray fan? You're from the UK so I was just wondering is he really famous there? He's ALWAYS mentioned on BBC.com.

Nadal lost 2:6 6:2 6:0

:cry2:

Nadal lost 2:6 6:2 6:0

:hell yea!: Go Roger!!!

That ends Rafa's clay winning streak at 81 consecutive matches! I think Lleyton did Roger's preparation yesterday - Nadal was tired by the end of this.

I would like to see Kuznetsova be the number 1 Russian. Petrova was for a bit last year. What happened to Nadia anyway? I remember around this time she had won several titles. About Murray not playing Roland Garros, I don't think he would've gotten very far anyway. He's still growing into his body and his movement would probably not be in top form. As long as he gets to Wimbledon and keeps the Brits happy. Btw are you a big Murray fan? You're from the UK so I was just wondering is he really famous there? He's ALWAYS mentioned on BBC.com.

Nadia injured her back in Rome and lost points from Berlin where she was defending champion so she has fallen out of the Top 10. However, she doesn't have many points to defend in the next few weeks so if she's fit for Roland Garros she could storm her way back up. Kuzzie is not far off overtaking Maria for the world #2 spot.

I am a fan of Murray just because he's the only real British prospect right now. He's been unlucky with injuries lately but he's moving his way up. I'm a bigger fan of Federer. Andy reckons he's a good clay courter - unlike most Brits he trained on Spanish clay - and his game seems suited to it. The problem in the UK is that the majority of people don't realise tennis happens 11 months of the year because they only ever see the two weeks of Wimbledon which is shown on the BBC all day long. The BBC like to champion UK sport so Murray does get mentioned on there quite a bit; he is pretty well-known here. Like Henman, he will probably be considered a failure (unfairly) in this country unless he wins Wimbledon but I think his best chance is at the US Open. He says he really likes to play in New York.

And your dad has some cheek telling you to lose weight!

Yeah I was really surprised when my dad told me. Good for him. Now I can root for Rafa hahaha. No, I would like to see Roger take the French or someone else. Jankovic played well I think. She beat Kuznetsova 7-5, 6-1. If only she could beat Henin instead of losing to her after having a big lead. But for some reason I don't see her winning a slam. I didn't know that about Murray being good on clay, thanks. I wonder how Roddick will do at Roland Garros. No matter how well he does as long as he plays he won't lose any points. Hewitt seems to be playing better as well. It will be interesting to see if Murray can get to at least the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. I remember watching a match of Andy Roddick's on tv during the 2005 one and Murray was playing Nalbandian in another court and at one point in the match you could actually hear the crowd cheering after Murray got the set. I mean here in America no one cares about tennis. No one hopes an American will win the US open really. People just see that there's no Sampras or Agassi winning multiple slams and they say that American tennis is done or sucks. No one here knows who Federer is. I'm lucky if they know who Roddick is.

Jankovic must now be 3rd favorite for Roland Garros behind Justine and Serena. She has a definite chance I think. She will also be #4 in the world on Monday.

Btw, Murray has said he is good on clay but he's not yet proved it. Last year he was losing a lot because he had a massive growth spurt and was also not that fit. This year obviously he's had the injuries. So he's not really had an injury-free run on the clay yet on the ATP Tour. Perhaps next year.

I can understand that American tennis has taken a bit of a dip. Sampras, Agassi, Davenport retired, Capriati and Seles are probably retired. The Williams sisters didn't really figure last year. Roddick was slumping. I think that has to change this year. Roddick has improved, Serena is back, Venus is getting there. Blake can be a contender at Flushing Meadows. I don't think it's a bad as you make it sound. Surely people know who Federer is, he's mates with Tiger Woods! And what about Sharapova?

I was in Boston a couple of years ago when the US Open was on and pretty much every match they showed on TV involved an American. I think the coverage we get in the UK is better, or at least more rounded, because we haven't got that many good domestic players so they have to show something.