[dOotsiez]

Yeah how about that? Nadal! LOSING! on CLAY! man I wish I stayed up last night to see it. I guess you could see earlier signs in Barcelona with that three setter against Ferrer. Both Nadal and Ferrer has just had 3 weeks of non-stop tournaments, so I guess it's fairly predictable that they both crashed out at this point. If Nadal was going to lose one match this season, then I guess better now than in the French Open.

And my earlier predictions about Fed having to get past Ferrer, and Djokovic against Nalbandian in the QFs, were both wrong, since both these players are out. And so is Andy Murray. What a day of upsets in Rome! I guess his little fall out in the first round took a toll? Tennis families these days are so intense....

And James Blake is still tenaciously hanging around, who would have thought that the Americans would outlast the Spanish and the French in Rome?

Was hoping for another Fed v Nadal final, but I guess I shall just hope for a Djoko v Fed semi now. Djokovic has come out to declare that he intends to finish the year as No.1. The guy has a sense of humour doesn't he? Even though Nadal has just lost a whole heap of points, it's still pretty impossible imo for him to even consolidate a no2 position, let alone a number 1. mental.

[crystal_t33rs]

while reading some of the comments on the Djoker entry, i came across this video. Nadal's reaction was just priceless.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SdfhhYJsJ8

OMG. I totally LOLed at Rafa's reaction. He was just like, "Sure. Back Problems. Uh~ Huh."

Djokovic has come out to declare that he intends to finish the year as No.1. The guy has a sense of humour doesn't he? Even though Nadal has just lost a whole heap of points, it's still pretty impossible imo for him to even consolidate a no2 position, let alone a number 1. mental.

Djokovic certainly plays great tennis when he doesn't have a soar throat or back, but making declarations of becoming no.1 by the end of this year is just plain ludicrous. Seriously.

[wonderbang]

Yeah how about that? Nadal! LOSING! on CLAY! man I wish I stayed up last night to see it. I guess you could see earlier signs in Barcelona with that three setter against Ferrer. Both Nadal and Ferrer has just had 3 weeks of non-stop tournaments, so I guess it's fairly predictable that they both crashed out at this point. If Nadal was going to lose one match this season, then I guess better now than in the French Open.

And my earlier predictions about Fed having to get past Ferrer, and Djokovic against Nalbandian in the QFs, were both wrong, since both these players are out. And so is Andy Murray. What a day of upsets in Rome! I guess his little fall out in the first round took a toll? Tennis families these days are so intense....

And James Blake is still tenaciously hanging around, who would have thought that the Americans would outlast the Spanish and the French in Rome?

Was hoping for another Fed v Nadal final, but I guess I shall just hope for a Djoko v Fed semi now. Djokovic has come out to declare that he intends to finish the year as No.1. The guy has a sense of humour doesn't he? Even though Nadal has just lost a whole heap of points, it's still pretty impossible imo for him to even consolidate a no2 position, let alone a number 1. mental.

Upset day alright......I'm SHOCKED to see Blake outlasting all of these claycourters...

I agree with you about Nadal's loss....I think losing here makes it less of a burden later on when he gets to the French because he doesn't have to think about a winning streak or anything like that....in a way, this might be good for him and also give him some time to rest.

[dOotsiez]

^ yeah ur prediction about the Americans losing early is falling apart! Roddick and Blake both made it into the QFs
I am going to predict that they both lose their next matches, coz lets face it, they havent played against any of the big boys (on clay) yet

Isn't it ironic that Ferrero beat Nadal only to lose to Wawrinka? A lot of interesting underrated players in the QFs, Stepanek, Almagro, Wawrinka, Robredo...wouldn't be surprised if Rome continues to be a tournament of upsets for all the top seeds.

My bet's still on Fed though. He's got this awesome drop shot that I haven't seen him use on clay before. And he's been playing more and more like a clay courter. Maybe it's the new coach, or the humiliation of not winning anything til Estoril.

[Aziraphale]

My bet's still on Fed though. He's got this awesome drop shot that I haven't seen him use on clay before. And he's been playing more and more like a clay courter. Maybe it's the new coach, or the humiliation of not winning anything til Estoril.

Well, Feddy just crashed out of the Rome Masters quarters, to Hingis' ex Stepanek. Just when we think Feds is getting the hang of clay, he loses. At least it was a close fight.

Go Robredo!

[wonderbang]

Well, Feddy just crashed out of the Rome Masters quarters, to Hingis' ex Stepanek. Just when we think Feds is getting the hang of clay, he loses. At least it was a close fight.

Go Robredo!

LOL.....IT'S THE CURSE OF DOOTSIEZ! I'm joking I'm joking

Everyone she cheers for ends up losing.....you have to be anti-Fed next time! haha

[dOotsiez]

I know yeah! Gotta remember to tip for the player I want to lose next time. Oh well, it wasn't a bad game I thought, Fed's still playing well, but just couldn't quite solve Stepanek.

And Roddick is through to the semis! And Wawrinka? And the Djoker? what the.....

casualties on the women's side too. Henin's been playing quite badly lately.

[wonderbang]

I was going to mention that for all the upsets on the men's side, there's a host of them on the women's side too.

Berlin is brutal to the top seeds.....Henin, Serena, Jankovic and other players all went down already before the semis....what is going on these days? I hope RG will restore some normalcy.....I'll hate to see the top players losing early there :/

Also, for the Australians here, I just read that Hewitt and Dellacqua have signed up to represent Australia in the Hopman Cup at Perth next year. I've never seen the exhibition (it's never broadcasted here) but it always seems like a fun international tournament.

[dOotsiez]

Im surprised at the number of Aussies in this thread given that tennis has kinda fallen out of favour domestically because of our failure to produce the next big thing. I'm still waiting for Casey Dellaqua to prove herself tennis-wise, coz I like her in terms of personality. hehehe

The glam has gone from Rome now, we have a choice between the Djoker, Wawrinka, Stepanek and Roddick for the final. don't mind Wawrinka or Stepanek, but dont actively like them either. Whereas the prospect of having my two least fav 10 top players in a final makes me not care about watching it at all.

Read Fed's post match interview, the guy seemed pretty cut, more so than in earlier in the year. I think coz he had one good chance to win this for the first time with Nadal gone. Oh well, no need to be frustrated, he did better than last year, and will get some points. while Nadal's just lost a whole heap of points, so he's pretty safe. Nadal on the other hand.....

Oh yeah, in light of my jinxing ability, I'm going to wish Djokovic and Roddick good luck for the semis

EDIT: just to say that i'm half way there with my jinx, Roddick just pulled out. WAWRINKA in the final, who would have thought.

[teeny]

oh dear.... i was such a huge fan of djokovic the last couple of years, but i feel like all the winning has gone to his head there is a fine line between confidence and arrogance, and although he may think he's being confident in himself, it is not portrayed that way to the viewers and other tennis professionals...

hopefully he will get his act back together

[dOotsiez]

i hope so too. I was quite charmed by him circa USO last year. Now I think he's a joke (no pun intended )

My jinx has failed. Djoko's through to the finals after Stepanek's retirement. 2 retirements in the 2 SFs. maybe Stepanek was too emotionally drained from beating Fed, the way Murray, Fish and Roddick were earlier on in the year, and Ferrero was after beating Nadal.

And Ivanovic is out of the German open too. Whats going on?

Edit: oh look I own pg 64. Since wonderbang started the last page with a picture of shirtless Nadal. I might follow the lead and start this one with a much less attractive pic of shirtless Feddy. TMF def wants his shirt back...

[wonderbang]

LOL nice one dOotsiez.....i guess we're starting a shirtless tradition aren't we?

anyhow, what IS UP with the berlin event? now that ivanovic is out.....practically none of the top seeds/favorites are still around. i sincerely hope this isn't a prelude to roland garros or else i might check myself out of the grand slam entirely.....i like my top players sticking around :/

[eternal_bliss]

LOL nice one dOotsiez.....i guess we're starting a shirtless tradition aren't we?

anyhow, what IS UP with the berlin event? now that ivanovic is out.....practically none of the top seeds/favorites are still around. i sincerely hope this isn't a prelude to roland garros or else i might check myself out of the grand slam entirely.....i like my top players sticking around :/

Favourites can always change, can't they? Yah, I don't know what's going on.
I personally like her. But that's pretty obvious. Elena and Dinara are still talented though.

Quickie;; So is Federer going to make it to Connors' record? He's good but he's really starting to bore me.

Alice

[dOotsiez]

^ what's Connor's record? I know that Fed (or more so the fans) is looking to at least equal Sampras' record of 14 grandslams. i dunno if I could find Fed boring when he's still good. Predictable maybe, in terms of winning, but while you're watching, you just enjoy the moments of brilliance.

I know what you mean about having your fav players around, don't mind an occasional underdog - think Tsonga in the AO, but when you have a final of underdogs, it's so anti-climatic. And can't believe Djoko has had 2 retirements against him in a row, 9 retirements in Rome altogether. think he has a pretty good chance of beating Wawrinka.

Just saw the Hamburg draw. Nadal and Djokovic are in the same half for a change. And it looks like we're FINALLY in for a Tsonga v Federer match, provided that Tsonga wins the first round. Isn't it weird how Fed has such a good record in Hamburg when it's meant to be the slowest court around. wonder if he has the consistency to defend this year. The rest of the year's gonna be a b$tch for him as he goes into almost all the tournies as the finalist or defending champ.

[wonderbang]

I'm never bored of Federer. I think any tennis fan can always find some brilliance to appreciate from the guy....on and off the ccourt

And yes, nothing is worse than an anticlimatic final. It's supposed to be the most exciting round....that's why I like my top seeds to stick around till the end...at least one of them. Anyhow, congrats to Elena and Dinara though....they're top players themselves and having a good run.

[dOotsiez]

grrr to Djokovic winning. Two titles this year, he's doing the best out of everyone isn't he. Well done to Wawrinka for taking a set off him. Looks like the Swiss will have a second player in the top 10. Fed's a little lonely all by himself if you ask me.

Safina's playing well too, wonder if she'll keep up this level until RG or will the top players rise to the occasion. I certainly hope so, more so on the men's side I guess. On to Hamburg, and hopefully...normalcy!

[wonderbang]

congrats to the winners! let's just say this week was anything BUT normal. i'm so deprived since i don't get to watch any of the tennis going on right now...so sad. and anytime i find a clip, the resolution is so bad i can't even SEE the ball. french open needs to come quicker!

[dOotsiez]

the FO is just around the corner! excited much (although if it's as weird as Rome, I'm not sure if I could be bothered staying up to watch it)

Thank god for pay TV. I find online videos okay most of the time, but not on clay, the colours just all blend into each other...

wonder how Nadal's going with his blisters. if he doesnt get into the finals for Hamburg, Djoko would take over as No 2 ..... didnt think this day would come so soon.

[wonderbang]

yup, just heard about novak close to taking over the number 2 ranking.....even nadal admitted in an interview that he was going to lose the ranking because it's almost impossible to win everything like he did last year....

the women's event this week seems unusually strong....seems like all the top players are there with some exceptions (henin out with "fatigue" or more like no confidence...and safina with a back injury from winning last week i guess)

[dOotsiez]

yeah whoever makes it out alive from the SFs (assuming Nadal and Djoker both get to the SFs) will be the No.2. isn't it ironic that after years of complaining about how stagnant the top two positions have become, im so not looking forward to Rafa losing his position. but maybe this is all just useless fear, Nadal was within 300 points of Fed at the start of the year, but look where they are now? if Nadal's foot is okay, Djokovic has no chance.

Maria sharapova's now the new no 2 on the WTA rankings. wonder whether Henin to continue her self-destruction. she can still play, just has consistency problems.