Day Three Recap.

Novak is off to the semis.

Day Two has great matches, and Day Three was more of the same.  Two highly competitive matches in the Gold Group left us all with a slightly less fuzzy version of the semifinals.  I got one comment about still not being able to find the matches on TV, and my advice is to turn on FSN, MSG +, or any other channel that looks like that 100 times a day to check.  Supposedly the matches are on everyday at 1...which has been false.  Today (in CT at least) the tennis came on at 5.  Be relentless with your remote, and you should find some tennis somewhere.  

RESULTS: 

DEL POTRO DEFEATED TSONGA 7-6(4),7-6(5)

This match had some serious emotion.  After a slow start for Tsonga, he caught fire and the shot making clinic began.  Both young players rifling balls to each other made for some great tennis.  Del Potro won simply because he hit as hard as Tsonga, for longer.  Somewhere late in the first set they showed match stats and that told the whole story...Del Potro had something like 4 winners and 5 errors, while Tsonga had something around 19 winners and 18 errors.  Tsonga was dictating play, but missing badly on a lot of big points(especially with the backhand).  

Tsonga was down an early break in the 2ND, but fought back with the help of a loose service game by Del Potro.  The later the match grew the more Tsonga got the crowd involved, and the tension grew.  The second set was destined for another tiebreak, and after incredible shots from both players, Del Potro won the match on his third match point.  

Tsonga drops to 0-2, making it 100% necessary for him to beat Djokovic if he wants a sniff to reach the semis.  

Del Potro improves to 1-1, putting him right in the mix.  

DJOKOVIC DEFEATED DAVYDENKO 7-6(3), 0-6, 7-5

Well this match was just plain weird.  After a semi-solid first set from both players, Davydenko fell apart a bit in the tiebreak, and double faulted twice, eventually losing it.  The second set should be kept on record to show how good Davydenko can be.  Usually if a top 3 player in the world loses a set 6-0, you think that either he tanked, or his name is Federer and he's playing Rafa on clay...but this was a case of Davydenko being in the zone.  It seemed like he didn't miss for a set, and was absolutely teeing off. 

The third set was a shaky start for both, but then the players calmed down and found their own rhythm.  Novak broke a 5-5, after a somewhat shaky game from Nikolay, and held serve at 40-30 to win the match, and put himself in a guaranteed position to make the semis at 2-0.  

The Red Group continues tomorrow with Fed trying to avoid an 0-2 start against Andy Roddick who is also trying to avoid an 0-2 start.  Both players will be fighting for their lives so it should be a good one, as it always is to see A-Rod try and solve Fed.

The other match is Simon/ Murray and the winner will put himself in terrific position to make the semis, with both standing now at 1-0.  

See you tomorrow for DAY FOUR.