I won't belabor the point, but Donald Young "the most complete player" among the American men (okay, *b*, I'm going to leave you alone now!) just ate a bagel at the hands of none other than Tommy Robredo.
Some good match-ups today. I'm en route to Milwaukee to see my mother so I won't be able to see all of them, but enjoy. And by all means discuss.
ORDER OF PLAY - MONDAY, MARCH 14, 2011
STADIUM 1 start 11:00 am
[1] C Wozniacki (DEN) vs [28] M Martinez Sanchez (ESP) - WTA
[4] R Soderling (SWE) vs [32] P Kohlschreiber (GER) - ATP
Not Before 2:30 PM
[20] A Rezai (FRA) vs [16] M Sharapova (RUS) - WTA
[1] R Nadal (ESP) vs [Q] R Sweeting (USA) - ATP
Not Before 7:00 PM
[4] S Stosur (AUS) vs D Safina (RUS) - WTA
Not Before 8:30 PM
[9] F Verdasco (ESP) vs [21] S Querrey (USA) - ATP
STADIUM 2 start 11:00 am
[25] T Robredo (ESP) vs [Q] D Young (USA) - ATP
[11] N Almagro (ESP) vs [23] A Montanes (ESP) - ATP
[20] A Dolgopolov (UKR) vs J Del Potro (ARG) - ATP
Not Before 4:30 PM
[WC] C Mchale (USA) vs [18] N Petrova (RUS) - WTA
J Benneteau (FRA) / R Gasquet (FRA) vs R Federer (SUI) / S Wawrinka (SUI) - ATP
STADIUM 3 start 11:00 am
[9] A Radwanska (POL) vs [24] M Kirilenko (RUS) - WTA
U Radwanska (POL) vs [8] V Azarenka (BLR) - WTA
[Q] S Devvarman (IND) vs X Malisse (BEL) - ATP
[28] G Simon (FRA) vs I Karlovic (CRO) - ATP
[Q] L Hradecka (CZE) vs S Peng (CHN) - WTA
COURT 7 start 11:00 am
C Chuang (TPE) / A Dulgheru (ROU) vs K Jans (POL) / A Rosolska (POL) - WTA
[22] A Kleybanova (RUS) vs [13] F Pennetta (ITA) - WTA
[7] I Benesova (CZE) / B Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) vs S Mirza (IND) / E Vesnina (RUS) - WTA
N Djokovic (SRB) / V Troicki (SRB) vs [7] L Kubot (POL) / O Marach (AUT) - ATP
[5] J Melzer (AUT) / P Petzschner (GER) vs L Dlouhy (CZE) / P Hanley (AUS) - ATP
Showing posts with label Tommy Robredo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tommy Robredo. Show all posts
Post Melbourne Champions
Ivan Dodig of Croatia poses for photograph with his trophy after beating Michael Berrer of Germany during their PBZ Zagreb Indoors tennis tournament final in Zagreb, on February 6, 2011. Dodig won 6-3, 6-4 to capture his first ATP title.
Getty
Kevin Anderson of South Africa kisses the trophy on February 6, 2011 after winning the final of the South African Open tennis tournament in Johannesburg, beating Somdev Devvarman of India 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Reuters
Tommy Robredo of Spain lifted the cup after defeating Santiago Giraldo of Colombia in the men's final match against in the ATP World Tour Movistar Open tennis tournament in Santiago February 6, 2011.
Hopman Cup Champions
Getty
María José Martínez Sánchez and Tommy Robredo of Spain hold the Hopman Cup trophy after defeating Laura Robson and Andy Murray of Great Britain in the final between Great Britain and Spain during day eight of the Hopman Cup at the Burswood Dome on January 9, 2010 in Perth, Australia.
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Spain just keeps winning.
In part because of Hopman Cup, mixed doubles will be included in the 2012 Olympics.
Faces Of The Day
Reuters
Tommy Robredo of Spain celebrates winning a set against Stefan Koubek of Austria during their match at the Wimbledon tennis championships, in London June 24, 2009.
Getty
Japan's Ai Sugiyama returns a ball to Spain's Arantxa Parra Santonja during their second round match in the 2009 Wimbledon tennis championships at the All England Club on June 24, 2009.
Reuters
Simon Greul of Germany returns the ball to Novak Djokovic of Serbia during their match at the Wimbledon tennis championships, in London June 24, 2009.
Getty
China's Zheng Jie looks up after loosing against Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova during their second round match in the 2009 Wimbledon tennis championships at the All England Club on June 24, 2009.
Roland Garros 2009 Men's Semifinals Preview
By Mad Professah
Here are my predictions for the men's semifinal matches at Roland Garros this year:
Robin Soderling SWE (23) vs.Andy Murray GBR (3) Fernando Gonzalez CHI (12). Soderling followed up his unthinkable 4th Round dismissal of 4-time French Open champ Rafael Nadal by delivering a vicious beat down to former world No. 3 Nikolay Davydenko in the quarterfinals to reach his first careeer semifinal.
The powerful Swede will next face the brilliant Chilean Fernando Gonzalez who knocked out The Great White Hope of the British Isles, Andy Murray. Gonzo was scintillating in victory, winning a 6-0 third set, although serving for the match at 5-3 in the 4th set he was promptly broken. Happily, Murray decided to gift him the very next service game by repeatedly dumping balls into the net and losing the match.
Soderling versus Gonzalez is an intriguing match-up. They both have very strong forehands, but Soderling also has a very powerful (two-handed) backhand, while Gonzalez also has an excellent one-handed backhand (both topspin and slice) but is probably overpowered on that wing. At 6'3", the Swede is at least 3 inches taller than the Chilean and has the powerful serve to show for it. Gonzalez definitely has the edge on movement and feel but Soderling is currently in the middle of one of the great historical momentum sweeps through a major tournament. Soderling has lost to Gonzalez the last 4 consecutive times (of 7) they played, including their very last match on clay in 2007. But this Robin Soderling is a completely different player. This should be the better of the two semifinals, almost definitely 4 or 5 sets, with the man with more nerve the final one standing.
PREDICTION: Soderling in 4 sets.
Juan Martin Del Potro ARG (5) vs. Roger Federer SUI (2). What a long, strange trip it has been. Some people thought that Gael Monfils would be able to leverage the French crowd to take out Federer this year even though he couldn't accomplish the feat one round later last year. Federer made quick work of Monfils, dismissing him in a quick three setter after a tense tie-break first set. Others (like Craig Hickman) have expected to see Federer win this title since the tournament began.
Here are my predictions for the men's semifinal matches at Roland Garros this year:
Robin Soderling SWE (23) vs.
The powerful Swede will next face the brilliant Chilean Fernando Gonzalez who knocked out The Great White Hope of the British Isles, Andy Murray. Gonzo was scintillating in victory, winning a 6-0 third set, although serving for the match at 5-3 in the 4th set he was promptly broken. Happily, Murray decided to gift him the very next service game by repeatedly dumping balls into the net and losing the match.Soderling versus Gonzalez is an intriguing match-up. They both have very strong forehands, but Soderling also has a very powerful (two-handed) backhand, while Gonzalez also has an excellent one-handed backhand (both topspin and slice) but is probably overpowered on that wing. At 6'3", the Swede is at least 3 inches taller than the Chilean and has the powerful serve to show for it. Gonzalez definitely has the edge on movement and feel but Soderling is currently in the middle of one of the great historical momentum sweeps through a major tournament. Soderling has lost to Gonzalez the last 4 consecutive times (of 7) they played, including their very last match on clay in 2007. But this Robin Soderling is a completely different player. This should be the better of the two semifinals, almost definitely 4 or 5 sets, with the man with more nerve the final one standing.
PREDICTION: Soderling in 4 sets.
Juan Martin Del Potro ARG (5) vs. Roger Federer SUI (2). What a long, strange trip it has been. Some people thought that Gael Monfils would be able to leverage the French crowd to take out Federer this year even though he couldn't accomplish the feat one round later last year. Federer made quick work of Monfils, dismissing him in a quick three setter after a tense tie-break first set. Others (like Craig Hickman) have expected to see Federer win this title since the tournament began.
Once Federer got past Tommy Haas to make the final 8 there were only two players left in the draw who had ever beaten him and they were facing each other in the same quarterfinal (Andy Murray and Fernando Gonzalez). Happily for the 13-time major champion, Gonzalez won that battle. Federer has played The Kid from Argentina 5 times in the last two years and never lost a set. In fact, just a few months ago in a 2009 Australian Open quarterfinal the Swiss player humiliated del Potro 6-3 6-0 6-0. 
He also dismissed The Kid in the semifinals of the Madrid clay Master tournament on his way to winning the title.
However, del Potro is the real deal, a 20-year-old who is 6'5" with overwhelming firepower in multiple departments: service, forehand and backhand. He is starting to improve his movement as well as his mental toughness. I have no doubt that he will win a major title eventually, just not this one.
Federer is now in his twentieth consecutive major semifinal. Think about that. For FIVE YEARS Federer has made it to the Final Four of every major tournament. It is a feat that is very unlikely to be beaten anytime soon. His opponent in this semifinal is in his very first major semifinal. Let's hope Del Potro wins more games in Paris than he did in Melbourne.
He also dismissed The Kid in the semifinals of the Madrid clay Master tournament on his way to winning the title.However, del Potro is the real deal, a 20-year-old who is 6'5" with overwhelming firepower in multiple departments: service, forehand and backhand. He is starting to improve his movement as well as his mental toughness. I have no doubt that he will win a major title eventually, just not this one.
Federer is now in his twentieth consecutive major semifinal. Think about that. For FIVE YEARS Federer has made it to the Final Four of every major tournament. It is a feat that is very unlikely to be beaten anytime soon. His opponent in this semifinal is in his very first major semifinal. Let's hope Del Potro wins more games in Paris than he did in Melbourne.
PREDICTION: Federer in 3 sets.
Roland Garros 2009: Men's Quarterfinal Preview
by Mad Professah
Here are my predictions for the men's quarterfinals at Roland Garros this year.
Rafael Nadal ESP (1) Robin Soderling SWE (23) vs. Nikolay Davydenko RUS (10). After pulling off one of the most stunning upsets of the year decade (possibly ever?) everyone is watching to see what the tall, newly muscled (and generally disliked) Swede will do in his very next match. He will play against the very steady Russian who has been ranked as high as No. 3 in the world but spent most of last year under a cloud due to allegations of match fixing. Davydenko had an ungodly 6 unforced errors in his straight set demolition of the always dangerous Fernando Verdasco in his 4th round match. It is unlikely that either Soderling or Davydenko will be able t repeat the magic of their 4th round victories in this round, but Soderling will not need it to make his first ever major semifinal. PREDICTION: Soderling in 4 sets.
Andy Murray GBR (3) vs. Fernando Gonzalez CHI (12). The Chilean has been silently cutting through the draw like a Ninja but will now run into a much improved and loud Scot, who is now the No. 3 player in the world and has nowhere to go but up. Gonzalez has an insanely huge forehand and is very good on clay but Murray possesses many powerful weapons in a deceptively innocuous-looking package: excellent movement, surprisingly powerful serve and a brilliant court sense. It seems very bizarre to say this, but it is very possible the first Grand Slam singles title by a British (male) subject since 1936(!) may be on French terre battue instead of the hallowed grass of Wimbledon. Murray knows the stakes and is itching to have another shot at facing Federer in a major final, having lost to him in the 2008 US Open Final. The 22-year-old Brit has won all three matches he has played against the Swiss 13-time major champion since. Easily. PREDICTION: Murray in 5 sets.
Juan Martín Del Potro ARG (5) vs. Tommy Robredo ESP (16).The two surprise quarterfinalists. Who would have thought that the lone handsome Spaniard left in the draw during the 5th Round would be the rugged Tommy Robredo? Del Potro is not really a surprise, but I had thought that French favorite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga would use the crowd and his aggressive ground strokes to take out the 6'5" Argentine kid like he defeated Argentine Juan Monaco in the second round. Alas, Le Mome (French slang for "The Kid") lost to the 20-year-old, the youngest of the quarterfinalists. Robredo definitely has some skills on clay but del Potro will blast him off the court. PREDICTION: Del Potro in 3 sets.
Andy Roddick USA (6) vs. Roger Federer SUI (2). Sadly this was not André Roddique's year as the pulchritudinous Parisian took out The Quiet American in straights sets 6-2 6-2 6-3 in the fourth round before an increasingly boisterous and partisan crowd. Of course this quarterfinal match-up is a rematch of 2008's semifinal in which Federer took out the young Frenchman in his first Grand Slam semifinal and the Swiss G.O.A.T.-wannabe's sixteenth. Even with the entirety of the French nation behind him I doubt that the powerful and crafty Monfils will be able to withstand Federer's inevitable march to his fourth consecutive final at Roland Garros, and mind-blowing twentieth consecutive major semifinal. After surviving a near-death experience at the hands of Tommy Haas, Federer will not let this opportunity slip by. PREDICTION: Federer in 4 sets.
Here are my predictions for the men's quarterfinals at Roland Garros this year.
Andy Murray GBR (3) vs. Fernando Gonzalez CHI (12). The Chilean has been silently cutting through the draw like a Ninja but will now run into a much improved and loud Scot, who is now the No. 3 player in the world and has nowhere to go but up. Gonzalez has an insanely huge forehand and is very good on clay but Murray possesses many powerful weapons in a deceptively innocuous-looking package: excellent movement, surprisingly powerful serve and a brilliant court sense. It seems very bizarre to say this, but it is very possible the first Grand Slam singles title by a British (male) subject since 1936(!) may be on French terre battue instead of the hallowed grass of Wimbledon. Murray knows the stakes and is itching to have another shot at facing Federer in a major final, having lost to him in the 2008 US Open Final. The 22-year-old Brit has won all three matches he has played against the Swiss 13-time major champion since. Easily. PREDICTION: Murray in 5 sets.
Juan Martín Del Potro ARG (5) vs. Tommy Robredo ESP (16).The two surprise quarterfinalists. Who would have thought that the lone handsome Spaniard left in the draw during the 5th Round would be the rugged Tommy Robredo? Del Potro is not really a surprise, but I had thought that French favorite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga would use the crowd and his aggressive ground strokes to take out the 6'5" Argentine kid like he defeated Argentine Juan Monaco in the second round. Alas, Le Mome (French slang for "The Kid") lost to the 20-year-old, the youngest of the quarterfinalists. Robredo definitely has some skills on clay but del Potro will blast him off the court. PREDICTION: Del Potro in 3 sets.
Targeting Spaniards? (Updated)
Darren Cahill reported three times in the last 48 hours on ESPN that David Ferrer, Tommy Robredo, Fernando Verdasco and Rafael Nadal, were all awakened at their hotel rooms at 7:30 AM a few days ago for doping tests. According to Cahill, Robredo apparently had a match later that day and had his preparation disrupted. Toni Nadal was livid. Ferrer had gone to the bathroom five minutes before the call and had to wait in the lobby of the hotel for two hours until he had to pee again. Maybe that racquet smash had something to do with this.
Cahill said nothing about any other players still in the draw being awakened and tested. He made it seem as though only the Spaniards were targeted in this way.
Make of it what you will.
Oh, and make of this what you will, too.
UPDATE: Ferrer has spoken out. (From the comments. Thanks, oddman)
Cahill said nothing about any other players still in the draw being awakened and tested. He made it seem as though only the Spaniards were targeted in this way.
Make of it what you will.
Oh, and make of this what you will, too.
UPDATE: Ferrer has spoken out. (From the comments. Thanks, oddman)
París, 29 May (EFE).- David Ferrer today joined Rafael Nadal in criticising the surprise antidoping tests, saying it is a dictatorship and the players can hardly do anything, that they scarcely have any privacy.
"In my personal case, they really messed me up because I played a five-set match against Keifer on Wednesday that ended at 9 pm. I finished being treated by my physio at 2 a.m. and at 7 in the morning they were knocking at my door to do an antidoping test," said Ferrer. "I think that is very badly done, because they could have done it as easily in the hotel or at the club. I got only five hours sleep and that really offended me: treating players like that, and even more so at such an important tournament as Roland Garros. It's not an excuse for why I lost today, but it was badly done," he added.
"It's ridiculous because we are subjected to 15 to 20 antidoping tests a year and it's your private life, your privacy, and I can't possibly know every day whether I'm going to be in Valencia, Xavea, Almusafes or Santa Rita, so it's a lottery in other words. It hardly seems possible that these things happen and you can't even have your own privacy... but it's up to them," he went on.
"It's senseless, I've already had two tests here, that one the other day and one right now, and what can I say, it's ridiculous. They don't get anything out of this, except more tension among the players. I don't think they're getting anywhere with this," said Ferrer, who doesn't see any solution to the matter, not even them organising a boycott.
"Let's just wait and see who's got what it takes to tell them he's not playing here. At the beginning of the year, 80% of the players complained, but there's not much we can do: "Put a pistol to their head?", and not playing is not an option, the tournaments are not to blame. They're the ones that ought to stop and speak to the players, because this is like a dictatorship," he said.
Faces Of The Day
Reuters
Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia returns the ball to Jelena Jankovic of Serbia during their match at the Madrid Open tennis tournament May 12, 2009.
Singles - Second Round
(4) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) d. Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) 75 62
Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) d. (5) Venus Williams (USA) 63 36 75
(9) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) d. (Q) Varvara Lepchenko (USA) 63 61
Amelie Mauresmo (FRA) d. (15) Zheng Jie (CHN) 62 75
Agnes Szavay (HUN) d. (Q) Aravane Rezai (FRA) 26 75 62
Francesca Schiavone (ITA) d. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 64 62
Lucie Safarova (CZE) d. Anne Keothavong (GBR) 61 75
(Q) Vera Dushevina (RUS) d. (Q) Roberta Vinci (ITA) 46 61 64
Doubles - Second Round
(1) Black/Huber (ZIM/USA) d. Mattek-Sands/Petrova (USA/RUS) 36 64 10-4
Hsieh/Husarova (TPE/SVK) d. Jans/Rosolska (POL/POL) 63 36 106
Azarenka/Vesnina (BLR/RUS) d. Kudryavtseva/Makarova (RUS/RUS) 61 61
Doubles - First Round
(WC) Safina/Szavay (RUS/HUN) d. (WC) Dominguez Lino/Parra Santonja (ESP/ESP) 60 62
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Reuters
Tommy Robredo of Spain celebrates winning a point against Mardy Fish of the U.S. during their second round match at the Madrid Open tennis tournament May 12, 2009.
Singles - Second Round
[2] R Federer (SUI) d R Soderling (SWE) 61 75
[4] A Murray (GBR) d S Bolelli (ITA) 76(9) 64
[7] F Verdasco (ESP) d [WC] J Ferrero (ESP) 63 62
[WC] I Ljubicic (CRO) d [9] J Tsonga (FRA) 64 75
[16] T Robredo (ESP) d M Fish (USA) 36 76(5) 62
Singles - First Round
[10] N Davydenko (RUS) d V Troicki (SRB) 62 62
[13] M Cilic (CRO) d M Granollers (ESP) 62 67(4) 61
[14] J Blake (USA) d V Hanescu (ROU) 62 64
A Seppi (ITA) d [Q] E Schwank (ARG) 75 64
[Q] F Fognini (ITA) d P Mathieu (FRA) 67(5) 64 30 ret. (throat)
J Chardy (FRA) d J Acasuso (ARG) 63 62
T Berdych (CZE) d [LL] G Garcia-Lopez (ESP) 60 76(5)
J Melzer (AUT) d A Montanes (ESP) 46 75 63
I Karlovic (CRO) d J Benneteau (FRA) 36 76(5) 64
Doubles - First Round
[WC] M Lopez (ESP) / R Ramirez Hidalgo (ESP) d C Kas (GER) / R Wassen (NED) 76(4) 16 11-9 - saved 1 M.P.
J Del Potro (ARG) / M Fish (USA) d N Almagro (ESP) / D Ferrer (ESP) 62 63
M Granollers (ESP) / T Robredo (ESP) d F Lopez (ESP) / F Verdasco (ESP) 76(3) 61
S Aspelin (SWE) / W Moodie (RSA) d *[ALT] M Gonzalez (ARG / J Monaco (ARG) 64 75
*[ALT] M Gonzalez (ARG / J Monaco (ARG) replaced T Berdych (CZE) / N Kiefer (GER) - Kiefer (hip)
Clay People
AP
Spain's Tommy Robredo kisses the trophy after defeating Argentina's Juan Monaco, unseen, during the final match of the Argentina Open ATP in Buenos Aires, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009. Robredo won 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (5).
Getty
Spanish Maria Jose Martinez raises her trophy after defeating Argentinian Gisela Dulko during their WTA claycourt tournament match in Bogota, on February 22, 2009. Martinez defeated Dulko 6-3, 6-2.
Old Guard
Joao Pires
Was discussing with a fan the other day which players from the "older" generation can still win tournaments. Tommy Robredo, who won the Brasil Open today, is on the short, short list.
Andy Roddick, Last American Standing
That's usually the headline in January, if Serena Williams isn't playing the Australian Open, in early July, if Venus Willilams isn't playing Wimbledon, or in September during the US Open. But the silly season continues.
Andy Roddick advanced to his second career semifinal at the Foro Italico with a hard-fought 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(5) victory over a determined Tommy Robredo, who's trying to get his career back on track.
Andy took a page from Radek Stepanek's book by serving big and smothering the net at every opportunity. He exhibited his trademark red clay fluster late in the second set when he dropped serve to drop the set and also in the third set when he surrendered his early break lead with a double fault. The crowd urged him on as he fought his way into a tiebreak.
I forgot how popular Andy is in Rome.
Robredo, showing know signs of his long match last night against Nikolay Davydenko, ran coast to coast to loop and lob back all that Andy threw at him and almost walked away with an upset.
I say upset because before today Robredo had never won a set against Andy which included a loss right here in Rome six years ago. The same year Andy advanced this far.
Tomorrow, the American will face Stanislas Wawrinka, a clay court specialist who needed three sets to defeat James Blake who was a mere two or three points away from his own milestone at a claycourt Masters event.
Will the silly season continue?
Stay tuned.
‘Jingle Bells’, ATP Style
Such good sports, no? Bob and Mike Bryan are cool, Marcos Baghdatis is delightful, Jarkko Nieminen can't do "dashing", dare I say Ivo Karlovic is charming, and Tommy Robredo seems to like riding in a whore's open sleigh.
Mardy Fish, Andy Murray, and Roger Federer make cameo appearances.
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