Face Of The Day

Reuters

Germany's Rainer Schuettler towels off between sets as he plays France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga during Rogers Cup tennis tournament in Montreal, August 12, 2009.

Singles - Second Round
[2] R Nadal (ESP) d D Ferrer (ESP) 43 ret. (knee)
[5] A Roddick (USA) d I Andreev (RUS) 61 76(3)
[6] J Del Potro (ARG) d [Q] J Hernych (CZE) 62 75
[7] J Tsonga (FRA) d R Schuettler (GER) 46 63 64
[9] G Simon (FRA) d [Q] A Falla (COL) 46 62 62
[10] F Verdasco (ESP) d L Mayer (ARG) 61 61
[11] F Gonzalez (CHI) d T Haas (GER) 76(2) ret. (hand blisters)
[Q] J Ferrero (ESP) d [13] G Monfils (FRA) 63 76(7)
P Petzschner (GER) d [15] T Robredo (ESP) 76(3) 76(4)
M Youzhny (RUS) d J Isner (USA) 67(8) 61 63
V Hanescu (ROU) d P Kohlschreiber (GER) 63 46 75
S Wawrinka (SUI) d [LL] A Golubev (KAZ) 75 64

Doubles - Second Round
[3] M Bhupathi (IND) / M Knowles (BAH) d J Coetzee (RSA) / J Melzer (AUT) 76(2) 64
L Dlouhy (CZE) / P Petzschner (GER) d [4] B Soares (BRA) / K Ullyett (ZIM) 64 63

Doubles - First Round
[WC] F Dancevic (CAN) / P Duclos (CAN) d N Davydenko (RUS) / I Kunitsyn (RUS) 75 57 14-12
F Lopez (ESP) / F Verdasco (ESP) d S Aspelin (SWE) / P Hanley (AUS) 63 67(1) 10-6
R Lindstedt (SWE) / M Melo (BRA) d T Parrott (USA) / F Polasek (SVK) 63 76(4)

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Western & Southern Financial Group Women's Open

Singles - Second Round
(2) Serena Williams (USA) d. (Q) Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR) 63 62
(4) Elena Dementieva (RUS) d. (Q) Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) 63 64
(5) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) d. (WC) Maria Kirilenko (RUS) 76(6) 63
(7) Vera Zvonareva (RUS) d. Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) 64 16 75
(8) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) d. Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN) 46 64 64
(9) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) d. Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) 64 62
Melinda Czink (HUN) d. (11) Ana Ivanovic (SRB) 76(6) 75
Sybille Bammer (AUT) d. (13) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) 60 75
(14) Flavia Pennetta (ITA) d. Agnes Szavay (HUN) 62 64
Sorana Cirstea (ROU) d. Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER) 63 62
Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) d. Alona Bondarenko (UKR) 75 16 64
Peng Shuai (CHN) d. María José Martínez Sánchez (ESP) 57 62 61
(WC) Kim Clijsters (BEL) d. Patty Schnyder (SUI) 62 75

Doubles - Second Round
(1) Black/Huber (ZIM/USA) d. Mirza/Schiavone (IND/ITA) 64 63
(2) Hantuchova/Sugiyama (SVK/JPN) d. (WC) Oudin/Perry (USA/USA) 63 62
Dushevina/Rodionova (RUS/RUS) d. (3) Hsieh/Peng (TPE/CHN) 16 64 106
Kleybanova/Makarova (RUS/RUS) d. (4) Pennetta/Raymond (ITA/USA) 46 63 102
(5) Ruano Pascual/Zheng (ESP/CHN) d. Dulko/Peer (ARG/ISR) 63 63
(8) Mattek-Sands/Petrova (USA/RUS) d. Senoglu/Shvedova (TUR/KAZ) 63 63

Doubles - First Round
Kirilenko/Vesnina (RUS/RUS) d. Chuang/Yan (TPE/CHN) 64 60

Faces Of The Day

AP

Rainer Schuettler of Germany returns the ball to Gilles Simon from France during the match between Germany and France in the red group of the Tennis World Team Cup in Duesseldorf, Germany, Tuesday, May 19, 2009.

Singles Round Robin Matches
R Schuettler (GER) d G Simon (FRA) 64 64
R Soderling (SWE) d S Querrey (USA) 62 62
A Vinciguerra (SWE) d R Ginepri (USA) 75 64
J Del Potro (ARG) d A Seppi (ITA) 63 64
V Troicki (SRB) d E Korolev (RUS) 62 62
J Tipsarevic (SRB) d S Vovk (RUS) 62 64

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Interwetten Austrian Open Kitzbuhel

Singles - Second Round
G Garcia-Lopez (ESP) d [5] M Vassallo Arguello (ARG) 46 64 63

Singles - First Round
[2] J Melzer (AUT) d F Gil (POR) 63 60
O Hernandez (ESP) d [4] F Santoro (FRA) 62 63
[Q] J Chela (ARG) d [6] M Gicquel (FRA) 57 63 60
[LL] J Benneteau (FRA) d [8] D Sela (ISR) 75 61
[WC] S Koubek (AUT) d P Petzschner (GER) 76(8) 64
D Junqueira (ARG) d [LL] P Capdeville (CHI) 63 62
R Ramirez Hidalgo (ESP) d [Q] M Ancic (CRO) 64 63

Doubles - First Round
[1] M Fyrstenberg (POL) / M Matkowski (POL) d [Alt] J Brunstrom (SWE) / J Rojer (AHO) 75 76(2)
C Kas (GER) / A Peya (AUT) d [3] M Granollers (ESP) / B Soares (BRA) 63 62
A Pavel (ROU) / H Tecau (ROU) d V Hanescu (ROU) / J Levinsky (CZE) 76(5) 36 11-9
J Knowle (AUT) / J Melzer (AUT) d E Butorac (USA) / P Petzschner (GER) 62 67(5) 10-8
L Arnold Ker (ARG) / O Marach (AUT) vs [WC] M Kohlmann (GER) / P Oswald (AUT) 64 67(5) - to resume Wednesday

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AP

Austria's Jelena Dokic returns a shot to Romania's Ioana Raluca Olaru during their first round match of the WTA Warsaw Open tennis tournament in Warsaw, Poland, Tuesday, May 19 2009.

Singles - First Round
(5) Sara Errani (ITA) d. (Q) Greta Arn (HUN) 62 16 76(2)
(6/WC) Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) d. Nuria Llagostera Vives (ESP) 36 63 63
Urszula Radwanska (POL) d. Mariya Koryttseva (UKR) 63 36 63
Jill Craybas (USA) d. Edina Gallovits (ROU) 36 75 63
Galina Voskoboeva (KAZ) d. Patricia Mayr (AUT) 64 61
Klara Zakopalova (CZE) d. Melinda Czink (HUN) 36 64 63
(Q) Ioana Raluca Olaru (ROU) d. Jelena Dokic (AUS) 64 63
(Q) Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU) d. (Q) Agnes Szatmari (ROU) 63 64
(LL) Darya Kustova (BLR) d. (LL) Lenka Tvaroskova (SVK) 64 61

Doubles - First Round
(2) Yan/Zheng (CHN/CHN) d. Gallovits/Govortsova (ROU/BLR) 61 62
(4) Bondarenko/Bondarenko (UKR/UKR) d. (WC) Kosinska/Rosolska (POL/POL) 63 60
Amanmuradova/Kustova (UZB/BLR) d. Kapshay/Tvaroskova (UKR/SVK) 61 61
Goerges/Olaru (GER/ROU) d. Dekmeijere/Senoglu (LAT/TUR) 75 64

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Internationaux de Strasbourg

Singles - First Round
(1) Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) d. Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) 16 63 63
(Q) Viktoriya Kutuzova (UKR) d. (5) Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) 63 60
Julie Coin (FRA) d. (6) Elena Vesnina (RUS) 64 62
(Q) Monica Niculescu (ROU) d. (7) Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER) 46 62 63
Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS) d. (8) Nathalie Dechy (FRA) 60 67(5) 63
Anastasiya Yakimova (BLR) d. Maret Ani (EST) 63 75
Pauline Parmentier (FRA) d. Varvara Lepchenko (USA) 76(5) 76(2)
Lucie Hradecka (CZE) d. (Q) Jasmin Woehr (GER) 36 61 62
Stephanie Foretz (FRA) d. Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) 61 26 62
Stephanie Cohen-Aloro (FRA) d. Mathilde Johansson (FRA) 46 64 61
(Q) Yuliya Beygelzimer (UKR) d. (WC) Claire Feuerstein (FRA) 06 76(3) 63

Doubles - First Round
Daniilidou/Woehr (GRE/GER) d. (1) Chuang/Tanasugarn (TPE/THA) 64 76(2)
Beygelzimer/Sun (UKR/CHN) d. (3) Niculescu/Uhlirova (ROU/CZE) 64 64
Birnerova/Hrdinova (CZE/CZE) d. Salerni/Yakimova (ARG/BLR) 63 63

Men's Semifinals: Open Thread

Tell us what you see and how you see it.

And if you're in the States and not watching tennis, enjoy your Independence Day celebrations.

WIMBLEDON 2008: Men's Semifinals Preview

by Mad Professah

The 2008 Wimbledon Men' s semifinals are now set. Mad Professah correctly predicted Federer and Schuettler's quarterfinal wins. This Men's semifinal preview (like the Women's Semifinal Preview posted yesterday) are all about inevitability and the Number 3. From the beginning of the tournament I predicted a third all-Williams final and a third Federer-Nadal final. It's inevitiable.

Roger Federer SUI (1) vs. Marat Safin RUS. Federer has played the mercurial Russian ten times before and beaten the 2-time Grand Slam champion eight times. Of course the most famous match the two have played was at the 2005 Australian Open where Safin defeated Federer in a thrilling 5-set semifinal match saving a 4th set match point in the process. Safin used to despise playing on grass and had never played well at Wimbledon before this year. In fact, Safin hasn't been playing well at any tournament since his 2005 win in Melbourne---he hasn't won a single ATP title since and has 15 total. Federer has 55 titles and last played Safin at Wimbledon in last year's 3rd round and won in 3 relatively tight sets 6-1 6-4 7-6(4). Safin (and Federer) are playing better this year, but the result will still be the same, the inevitable third match-up betweek Federer and Nadal in the Wimbledon final. PREDICTION: Federer in 4 sets.

Rainer Schuettler GER vs. Rafael Nadal ESP (2). The "accidental semifinalist" Rainer Schuettler has had a pretty lucky draw since the only seed in his path to this point was a second round showdown with American James Blake in the second round which he won 6-4 in the 5th. Schuettler also had to win a 5-set match again Arnaud Clement in a 5 hour, 12 minute match spread over two days just to reach this semifinal showdown with World #2 Rafael Nadal. Nadal has only dropped one set this tournament, against talented big-serving Ernest Gulbis in the second round, and played 3 tiebreaks, winning all of them. It's unlikely that Schuettler, who is known for being in incredible shape but has no singular weapon, will be able to win as many as 6 games in a set. PREDICTION: Nadal in 3 sets.

Day 9: Strawberries and Cream of the Crop

Look. Here's what's up. Rafael Nadal is playing most exquisite tennis. Marat Safin is playing exquisite tennis. Roger Federer is doing what he does at Wimbledon.

Today, their opponents had no answers for their best tennis on the day.

Arnaud Clement and Rainer Schuettler (his first name an omen) are tied at one set apiece, to finish tomorrow. They're playing solid, bread-and-butter tennis.

So. In the semifinals, we'll have a lunch-bucket player and three elites.

The final will feature two elites. Which two will it be and will one of them make history?



The sisters advanced to the semifinals in doubles.

Men's Quarterfinals: Open Thread

As we wait out the rain delay while ESPN replays the most dramatic parts of the Murray-Gasquet match, you can give us your predictions for today's quarterfinals (weather permitting) and use this thread to discuss the matches as they unfold.

Enjoy.

WIMBLEDON 2008: Men's Quarterfinals Preview

by Mad Professah

The 2008 Wimbledon Men's Quarterfinals have now been set. I don't usually make predictions in Men's tennis, but here goes:

Roger Federer SUI (1) vs Mario Ancic CRO. Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic was the last player to beat Roger Federer at Wimbledon, 39 matches ago. Since then, Federer has become the potential Greatest Of All Time and won 5 consecutive Wimbledon titles and 38 consecutive matches at Wimbledon. Ancic has become a lawyer and helped his country win the Davis Cup. In the previous round he had to come back from 2 sets down against Spanish lefty Fernando Verdasco to win 13-11 in the 5th. Ancic has a huge serve and is a good volleyer but has a suspect ground game. Federer will not underestimate the Croat and be prepared to take him out in as few sets as possible in order to save energy for what may turn out to be a tricky semifinal match for the World #1. Mad Professah's Pick: Federer in 3 sets.

Stanislas Wawrinka SUI (13) Marat Safin RUS vs Marcos Baghdatis CYP (10) Feliciano Lopez ESP (31). I really didn't think "Crazy Marat" could continue playing good tennis for so many consecutive rounds (I bet Marat didn't think he could either!) plus I was looking forward to a possible all-Swiss semifinal. I also thought that the excessively talented Marcis Baghdatis would be able to make a break through against the pulchritudinous lefty Spaniard Feliciano Lopez. But Lopez continued his excellent serving and volleying to take out the Cypriot 8-6 in the 5th set. Predicting a winner between Safin and Lopez is difficult. Which Safin will show up? Clearly he has enough talent to beat anyone in the field, if he's on and his opponent is not playing their best. Somehow I suspect that Feliciano will figure out a way to frustrate the mercurial Russian and give himself anothre chance to show that his play at the 2007 U.S. Open against Federer was no fluke. Mad Professah's pick: Lopez in 4 sets.

Janko Tipsarevic SRB Rainer Schuettler GER vs Marin Cilic CRO Arnaud Clement FRA. Does anyone care? Somehow youth was not served in the round of 16, with the Serbian and the Croat both going out to the wily veterans. The Powers That Be have scheduled this match on Court 1 at the same time as the Nadal-Murray Gotterdamerung on Center Court. There's not much between these two players, They both have won 4 career titles. They both have reached one major final (Clement Australian Open in 2001, Schuettler the Australian Open in 2003). It's doubtful that anyone will be watching. However although both of these veterans are playing well, Schuettler leads their rivalry 4-1 and I suspect the German will win this battle of the Europeans. Mad Professah's pick: Schuettler in 4 sets.

Richard Gasquet FRA (8) Andy Murray GBR (12) vs Rafael Nadal ESP (2). Yes, Murray has never beaten Nadal in 3 tries. And yes, Nadal is playing bat-shit crazy good tennis this year---probably the best of everyone in the field. But still I think Nadal is likely to lose this match. Murray does have the game to beat both Federer and Nadal, and after Monday's heroics versus Richard Gasquet he now has the good will of the entire British Empire behind him. Whomever wins this match basically gets a walk into the 2008 Wimbledon Men's Final. Can an audience lift a player over a superior opponent? We will see on Wednesday. Mad Professah's pick: Murray in 5 sets.