Champions On Four Continents

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Woke up too late to watch the Rotterdam final. Tried to watch the replay, even though I knew the result. Couldn't do it. I hate when finals end in retirement. Robin Söderling defeated Mikhail Youzhny 6-4, 2-0. Hamstring, I think.


Reuters

Elena Dementieva finally wins Paris Indoors. Lucie Safarova can't seem to get over the hump. Second time to the final, second time she takes the first set against a higher-ranked Russian opponent, second time she finishes runner-up. 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-4.


AP

Lukasz Kubot was a bit overwhelmed and couldn't exactly get out of his own way. But Juan Carlos Fererro was otherworldly to take the Brasil Open title. He is a Roland Garros champion, after all. And when he's clicking on clay, it's some clicky classy stuff. Not to mention crushing. Yeah. I know. But I couldn't resist.

The Spaniard lost a single game. 6-1, 6-0. Crushing.

Happy belated 30th birthday, JC.


Reuters

Didn't see a point of the match. Wanted the homegirl to take the title, but I've no problem with Vera Zvonareva beating Tamarine Tanasugarn to win the Pattaya Open in Thailand.


AP

I said it before and mean it again: this title was Andy Roddick's to lose. He lost it. Check the stats. They each won 50% of the points, 95 of 190 to be exact. Roddick won slightly higher percentage of serve points and a slightly higher percentage of return points had a higher first-serve percentage, and saved a slightly higher percentage of break points against serve.

But stats don't always tell the tale especially when a match is so close.

Wanna know when Roddick lost the match?

Second set, third game 15-40 on serve. Had been facing down triple break point before saving one with aggressive tennis. At 15-40, though, Roddick constructed a point and blasted a forehand so hard, it pulled Verdasco so far to his forehand he had to stretch, open his racquet face, and lunge just to get his racquet on the ball. He did. It floated. Roddick, waiting, waiting, waiting, oh, so, patiently on the baseline for the floating ball to land, pushed it inside out crosscourt with his forehand. This time, Verdasco had no trouble planting his feet and stricking a forehand crosscourt that landed short enough for Roddick to angle a two fisted backhand right back to Verdasco who, waiting expectantly, struck a forehand down the line to break serve.

Game, set, match.

Really. Cuz after that, Roddick reminded Verdasco just how vulnerable he's been since Wimbledon 2009. And when you smell blood....

Roddick, down break points in the final two sets, played tentatively and lost. Verdasco, on the other hand, stepped up and crushed the ball when facing break points in the second set, faced no break points in the final set -- he was, after all, under no pressure, the smell of blood intensifying -- and won.

Or, to put it another way, Roddick broke serve twice in 9 games and won a set. Verdasco broke serve twice in 20 and won the match. 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Go figure.

And to think Roddick was a set away from giving the USA a clean sleep in San José, Mardy Fish and Sam Querrey taking the doubles title earlier.

The broadcast director, whenever Brooklyn Decker Roddick was on the screen, kept asking the graphic designer to draw a heart around her head. You know. Valentine's Day. But the heart always looked like the cloud containing the dialogue above a comic strip character. In her heart, she seemed to say, "This is how I have to spend Valentine's Day? You better win, honey.... Yes!.... Wait.... You.... What?!!!.... Awwwwwwwwww.... crap.... Humph.... No nooky for you tonight, buddy."

The Spanish Armada carries on.