Happy New Year

Happy New Year, tennis fans.

Hope 2010 is a happy, healthy, and great year of tennis.

Tiebreak will be back Jan 4Th with all new blogs, Twitter updates, the Tiebreak Tennis Podcast and all new Tiebreak Tennis on the radio!

TT

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year from Tiebreak Tennis!


Stay tuned in 2010 for much more tennis...

Coming in 2010...

The Tiebreak Tennis Podcast is coming soon to iTunes in 2010...stay tuned for more info...

TT

Tiebreak Tennis tonight!

Don't miss a special 1 hour Tiebreak Tennis special tonight at 6!



HTTP://WWW.WVOF.ORG

Live webstreams...web studio.

Tennis' Forgotten Soldier

As 2009 draws to a close, I have been thinking not only about the year that was in tennis, but this past decade, and where tennis has come since the Open era began in 1968. I have thought about the many names in American tennis that have had an impact on the sport, its history, and its future.

Ashe. Billy Jean. Everett. Connors. Austin. McEnroe. Chang. Courier. Agassi. Sampras. Venus. Serena. Roddick.

These are the names that have represented American tennis for decades, names that have had an indelible impact on tennis and it's history.

But there is one name that is suspiciously left off this list and it shouldn't: Bollettieri.

Nick Bollettieri, who started the Bollettieri Tennis Academy from scratch, has arguably had a greater impact on this sport than any other single name on that list because his impact was multi-generational. Bollettieri has coached ten #1 players in the world, four of which are Americans. I beg to wonder where American tennis would be without his influence.

Would we have seen Courier raise his hands in victory at four grand slam events? Would we have seen the incomparable Andre Agassi become the champion that he turned into? Or would we have seen the Williams sisters dominate the women's tour the way they have for the past decade?

We'll never know for certain, but what we do know is that with Nick Bolletieri's tutelage, American tennis has had not just a competitive presence on the men's and women's tours, but a dominant one.

This year, the International Tennis Hall of Fame, will vote on whether Bolletieri will be inducted into this prestigious group of tennis elite. I have to wonder, if Nick doesn't get in this year, what else does he have to do to get in? How many more champions does he need to produce? Hopefully, at this point, the International Tennis Hall of Fame can acknowledge that his honor is long overdue and is very deserving.

Thanks for listening!

Thanks to anyone who tuned in or called!

See you next week.

TT

Tonight 6pm ET

Tiebreak Tennis on the Radio tonight at 6 PM ET!

TUNE IN/CALL IN 1-203-254-4002

http://tinyurl.com/ykmcyax CLICK ON WEB STUDIO.

Full topics include...

-2009 in review

-ATP World Tour Finals

-Davis Cup Finals

-Santoro

-Mauresmo

-A look ahead to 2010

-Serena's $82K punishment

Tiebreak Tennis on the Radio Sunday at 6!

Don't forget to tune in to Tiebreak Tennis on the radio Sunday at 6 PM ET...

We'll discuss the ATP World Tour Finals...Davis Cup...and we'll wrap up the 2009 ATP and WTA seasons.

Call in your questions during the show at 203-254-4002 or e-mail any questions to TiebreakQuestions@gmail.com

Click Here for the link

Just click on WEB STUDIO!

See you soon,

TT

The New ATP Tour

If the year end Barclays ATP World Tour Finals proved one thing, it's that tennis no longer has a sheriff. Gone are the days of Roger and Rafa's absolute dominance of this sport. Gone are the days of the oligarchy that was tennis for so many years. Gone are tournaments whose outcomes were foregone conclusions.

In are the days of parity. In are the days of balance. In are the days of the New ATP Tour.

What is the New ATP Tour? The New ATP Tour was on display this past week at the O2 arena where the top eight players in the world squared off in the year end tournament. The New ATP Tour showed us that the current rankings don't mean anything. #8 can beat #1, #6 can beat #4, #4 can beat #3, and so on. Anyone in the top 8 can beat anyone else in the world. When was the last time we could say that?

Nikolay Davydenko is a testament of the New ATP Tour. Coming into the tournament Davydenko was ranked #8 in the world, but wasn't given much of a chance at winning the best-of-the-best tournament. But Nikolay had other things in mind. Big hitting from both sides and consistent shot-making proved too much for the field as he vanquished the competition.

On the other side of the coin, but also testaments of the New ATP Tour, are Federer and Nadal. Roger, who was champion of this event 4 of the past 6 years and finished year end #1, struggled in every match and lost to the eventual champion in the semifinals. Roger looked very pedestrian - and again, I'm left asking when was the last time we could say that? Rafa was the worst of the eight...unquestionably. He lost all three of his matches and worse yet, he didn't win a set. Rafa is not the same. I'm not saying he won't return to his prior form, but I can say for certain that he is nowhere near it at this time.

What we are left with in the New ATP Tour is the O.K. Corral - there's no sheriff, there's only gun-slinging - every match as perilous as a ten-pace duel. Rankings or seedings won't help you, only shot-making and nerves of steel, and whatever you do, don't run out of bullets.

Barclays ATP World Tour Finals

Get ready for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. The top 8 men in the world are going to battle it out at London's O2 Arena.

Play starts tomorrow with Murray VS Del Potro

I purchased the Tournament pass (25$) which allows me to watch all the matches live web-streamed.

You can purchase HERE....

For those of you who don't have Tennis Channel, or want to spend $25...I'll be live tweeting as many matches as I can.

This tournament should be a lot of fun. I could see any of the 8 players coming out on top. My personal pick is going to be an unpopular one. I'm going to pick Fernando Verdasco to win the ATP World Tour Finals...

Everyday I'll try and give a prediction for the day's matches.

Day Match: Del Potro VS Murray- Murray is going to have the crowd electric as the opening match. Neither of these guys come in to the tournament all that healthy...both fighting wrist injuries. I'm going to say Murray uses the home crowd to knock off Del Po in 3...

Night Match: Federer VS Verdasco- I can't turn my back on my pick to win it all. I'm going to go with Verdasco to take out Fed in straight sets...forcing Fed to drop his 3rd match straight.

Enjoy! Check out the Twitter for live updates...

A Look Back + Andre's Chat...

Hey everyone! I admit, since the start of the radio show, I haven't been blogging as much as I used to. I'll try and change that and stop ignoring you die-hard bloggers.

First of all, what a year it has been in the world of tennis. Going into the last tournament (besides Davis Cup finals)...take a step back and think about all that has happened in tennis. In no real order...

-Agassi's book, Clijsters, Serena's outburst...

-Nadal's injury, drug bans, Nadal losing at French...

-Fed equaling and beating Pete's record, New roof at Wimbledon, Rafa takes the #1 ranking,...

-Fed takes the Career Slam, emergence of Verdasco, Soderling, and Del Potro...Roddick loses 15 lbs...Henin announcing her return...

-Safin and Santoro ending their careers....

This has been an incredible year for the game.

A special highlight on that list, for me, is saying farewell to two of the games greatest personalities. Fabrice Santoro might go down as the biggest overachiever the game has ever seen. His two hands of both sides magician-like play was unlike anyone I have, or probably will ever see. Above all, he was an intense competitor and a great sportsman. I don't think the world will ever see another "Magician."

Marat Safin also says good-bye to the courts as he hangs up whichever rackets he hasn't already cracked. When he wanted, he could play with anyone...the only problem was that this didn't happen often enough. We saw the brilliance he had to offer in flashes that won him 2 Grand Slams and a brief period at No. 1 in the World. His temper and shot making will be greatly missed on the tour. The ATP will also have a huge void to fill in press conference personalities.

Also(if you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, you know this) Andre Agassi held an online chat press conference on ESPN.com to answer questions from his fans. I frantically submitted about 20, and he actually answered 2 of mine. Considering it was only a roughly 15 minute chat, I was pretty excited.

To see the full chat click HERE

My Questions and Andre's answers...

Ryan B. (Fairfield, CT)

In your new book, you admit to hating tennis for a bulk of your career. What would you say to fans that supported and idolized you during a time in your career when you didn't care whether you won or lost?

Andre Agassi

(12:04 PM)

There were many times when I didn't care about myself. This has been a journey for me and quite a process to reconcile my contradictions. There were many days when I did love it. I think I felt that my eyes would betray me out there. I always wore my heart on my sleeve. This book, while not the ideal perception of me, it is the real me. I think that journey can help others.

Ryan B. (Westchester, NY)

If you were at such a bad place in your life that you turned to crystal meth, why should we believe that you wouldn't turn to performance enhancing drugs to get back to the top of the game?

Andre Agassi

(12:09 PM)

Crystal meth was a way of hurting myself, it wasn't a way of cheating others. I was in a place where I didn't like myself and it was a form of affliction. My route back to the top was earned because of the place I was starting from. There's a huge difference from the desire to cheat others and to hurt yourself.

Thanks to anyone who tuned in, called, or e-mailed!

Thanks to all of our listeners!

Don't forget next week Sunday at 6 PM ET!

Tiebreak is close to making it to FM Radio so keep listening and thanks for all of the support.

Also, the Tiebreak Tennis Podcast is coming soon and will be available on iTunes...

Thanks,

TT

Tiebreak Tennis on the Radio Sunday at 6!

Tune in tomorrow at 6 PM ET to Tiebreak Tennis on the Radio http://tinyurl.com/n6ncr4

Full discussion on Nadal's future, Safin's goodbye, the Paris Masters, the Masters Cup, Fairfield tennis, and much more!

Marat Ends Career

Marat Safin just lost a tough three setter to Juan Martin Del Potro at the Paribas Masters. This marks the end of Safin's up-and-down career.

Good luck in the rest of your life, Marat. The game will certainly not be the same without this huge personality, and 2-time Grand Slam Champion in it.

FULL BLOG TO FOLLOW SOON...

Thanks!

Thanks to anyone who tuned in, called, or e-mailed!

Have a topic you want us to discuss next week? E-mail them to TiebreakQuestions@Gmail.com

Same time next Sunday 6 PM ET.

Take care,

TT

Don't Forget!

Don't forget to tune in at 6!

http://tinyurl.com/n6ncr4

Call in 1-203-254-4002 or e-mail any questions to TiebreakQuestions@gmail.com

Tune in this Sunday at 6 PM ET!

Tune in to Tiebreak Tennis on the Radio tonight! 6 PM- 8PM ET

Call in throughout the show! 1-203-254-4002

or E-mail questions/comments to TiebreakQuestions@gmail.com

Tune in tonight as we discuss

-college "off-seasons"

-Fairfield Men's Tennis

-Fairfield Women's Tennis

-Andre Agassi's new confession

-All ATP/WTA scores

-Safin

-The Masters Cup......along with anything else that comes up on the show.

Don't forget to tune in tonight at 6 PM...http://tinyurl.com/n6ncr4

Thanks,

TT

Role Model?

Andre Agassi admitted, in a recent excerpt from his autobiography, that he used crystal meth in 1997. Agassi also admitted to lying to ATP officials in order to escape a ban. For a player of Agassi's popularity, this raises a ton of questions about the state of the ATP drug policy, his status as a role model, and what implications this will have on Andre and the ATP.

Tune in this Sunday at 6 PM ET to Tiebreak Tennis on the Radio on WVOF.org for full discussion on Agassi.

Thanks to anyone who tuned in or called!

Thanks to anyone who called in or listened to Tiebreak Tennis tonight!

Same time next week!

SUNDAYS 6 PM ET.

Tonight at 6!

Hey everyone, don't forget to tune in tonight at 6 PM ET to Tiebreak Tennis on the radio!

http://tinyurl.com/n6ncr4 Tune in!

Don't forget to call in 1-203-254-4002!

Roddick Qualifies

Congratulations to Andy Roddick for qualifying for the Masters Cup taking place in London this year. This is good news for Andy, who is resting a hurt knee. This will certainly mean he won't rush back to playing, and will make sure he is 100% ready to go in London.

Roddick is the 6th man to qualify. Roger, Rafa, Murray, Novak, Del Po, and Roddick now are locked in.

Thanks!

Thanks anyone who called in or listened! Tiebreak will be back next week same time, same place. Sundays at 6 pm ET on WVOF 88.5 Fairfield.

Tune in tomorrow(Sunday) 6 PM ET

Don't forget to tune in tomorrow(Sunday) for the second episode of Tiebreak Tennis on the radio...

Feel free to call! 1-203-254-4002...or e-mail TiebreakQuestions@gmail.com

Tiebreak Tennis NEW DAY AND TIME!

Hi everyone...thanks again for listening last week to Tiebreak Tennis on the radio...

Thanks to WVOF 88.5 Fairfield, Tiebreak Tennis will now be on air every Sunday from 6 pm to 8pm ET...hopefully all of you can tune in, or call anytime during the show 1-203-254-4002. Also, e-mail any questions you want answered to TiebreakQuestions@gmail.com.

Steps to Listen...

Go to http://www.WVOF.org

Then click "Live Webstreams"

Next click on the block of text that says, "Click here for web exclusive content produced by Fairfield University students including student-only broadcasts of Stags Basketball games enjoy all the great shows from the WVOF WEB STUDIO"

WVOF is Fairfield University's student and local radio station. The station is 88.5 FM. Hopefully with a lot of listeners to our webstream and some callers, Tiebreak will be on FM 88.5 very soon.

See you soon!

Thanks for listening!

Thanks to anyone who listened to the first ever Tiebreak Tennis on the radio. Thanks for all the calls and e-mails. I look forward to next week.

Thanks again,

TT

Tonight 6pm ET!

Tune in tonight at 6 PM ET to Tiebreak Tennis on the radio...topics include Serena's outburst, Henin's comeback, Roddick, Fairfield University tennis fall preview, and many more.

Call in with any questions or comments to 1-203-254-4002 or e-mail your questions to TiebreakQuestions@gmail.com

Steps to Listen...Go to http://www.WVOF.org

Then click "Live Webstreams"

Next click on the block of text that says, "Click here for web exclusive content produced by Fairfield University students including student-only broadcasts of Stags Basketball games enjoy all the great shows from the WVOF WEB STUDIO"

Hopefully I'll see you tonight....

TT

Number to call...

If you want to call in live to Tiebreak with questions, comments, or just to say hi...the number is 1-203-254-4002

Remember...Thursday 6 PM ET.

WVOF.org...

...Or just click right here -----> "Click here for web exclusive content produced by Fairfield University students including student-only broadcasts of Stags Basketball games enjoy all the great shows from the WVOF WEB STUDIO"

Tiebreak Tennis on the radio!

Hi everyone...I'm happy to announce that Tiebreak Tennis will now be hitting the radio!

We are starting out as a live web cast, and hopefully moving up to FM radio very soon. It will be an all-tennis show with covering all of ATP and WTA tennis, along with tips, callers, interviews, and full coverage of the Fairfield University Men's and Women's tennis teams. The first ever episode will air this Thursday September 23rd at 6 PM ET and last until 8 PM ET.

Steps to Listen...

Go to http://www.WVOF.org

Then click "Live Webstreams"

Next click on the block of text that says, "Click here for web exclusive content produced by Fairfield University students including student-only broadcasts of Stags Basketball games enjoy all the great shows from the WVOF WEB STUDIO"

WVOF is Fairfield University's student and local radio station. The station is 88.5 FM. Hopefully with a lot of listeners to our webstream and some callers (I'll post the number soon)...Tiebreak will be on FM 88.5 very soon.

Don't forget to check it out Thursday at 6 PM ET.

Thanks,

Tiebreak

US Open Recap...

Hey All...

The Grand Slam season is over in tennis...which means we all have to wait until January to see another Slam match.  Luckily, the season's last Major proved to leave us with quite a thrill.  For the past couple of years, the Open has been, in my opinion, the worst Major.  It's been dominated by Federer, with no real competition for him, and no memorable finals.  It was like Roger would float through the draw and beat someone easily to add another notch to his belt.  

This year's Open couldn't have been more different.

Besides the fact that we had Americans Melanie Oudin and John Isner make names for themselves, there were loads of interesting material in Flushing Meadows.  Rafa was back, Fed was hunting for another, Murray looked poised to win, rain played with the schedule again, Novak was with his new coach Todd Martin, Roddick was 15 lbs lighter at this Open, and what turned out to be the best story...could Del Po win a big one.

 

The finals were set to play on Monday because of the rain, and the match up was less desirable than the usual Rafa/Roger showdown, or even an American trying to pull out a title.  The familiar face, Roger Federer...possible GOAT and all time leader in Grand Slam singles titles was set to meet Juan Martin Del Potro.  Going into the match Del Po was 0-6 against Fed, and this was also his first ever Slam final.  All this should have added up to Roger's 6Th straight US Open.  

 

I guess that's why they play the game.  After being out-classed in the first set and looked down and out in the second, the 20 year old monster rallied to win the 2ND set in a tiebreak to even the match.  Finally, we had a classic in the making in New York.

Del Po looked ready to take a two set to one lead, but tightened up and gave Federer the 3rd set thanks to a few crucial double faults.  Surely Roger would cruise now, right?  To my surprise,( and I think mostly everyone who studies the game) Del Po hung around and snuck the 4Th out in a tiebreak.  A 5Th set would decide the 2009 US Open.

 

As soon as the set started, Federer resorted back to what he has gotten into the habit of about a year ago...unforced errors.  They came in bunched from the ground, and his serve abandoned him.  Before you knew it, Del Po was sprawled out on the floor as a new Grand Slam Champion.

 

It was an amazing match, and an amazing Major to close the year.  It seems like we have a new threat to #1 in the world besides the "Big Four"(Rafa, Roger, Novak, Murray).  Hopefully Del Po backs up his win and continues to grow and develop.  He's a great personality in the game and a gracious and respectful champion.  I hope to see a lot more of that hammer-head forehand in the future.

TT

Del Potro Wins First Grand Slam at US Open

Congratulations to Juan Martin Del Potro for winning his first Slam over Federer at 5 sets at the US Open...I guess this answered the question of whether he's fit enough. Full Blog to come...Stay tuned.

Semis

Hey everyone...Rafa wasted no time yesterday reaching the semis after a bludgeoning of Gonzo to finish their match. Play was suspended as Rafa was up a set and 3-2 in the tiebreak. He went on to win that tiebreak 7-2 and then the third set 6-0. I guess Gonzo didn't have his hotel booked any farther than Saturday and wanted to get out of New York.

This sets up a great semifinal day today for the men.

Fed/Novak

Obviously Federer is the favorite in this one. They've had a few days off which I think helps Novak a little because he seems to be the less fit of the two and those days off took fitness out of the equation. Maybe Todd Martin can whisper something in the ear of the young Serb and tell him to summon some of the guts he showed against Federer in the semis a few years ago in Australia....but I still don't think it's going to happen. Novak's game has been very erratic at times this year, especially on the forehand side. To me, this match is going to be all about who can take care of their serve. Federer is going to serve great, that is a given. If Novak can serve well, and put some kind of pressure of Roger in his own service games, then this match could be very interesting. If he starts double faulting and serving below 60%...look for Fed to roll.

My Pick: Federer in 4.

Rafa/Del Po

Del Po has looked like a force during this US Open...tomahawking forehands and serving better than I've ever seen. Rafa is having a "Rafa-esque" Grand Slam. He is physically a bit beat up...but is grinding through matches and winning. The knees seem fine, but now his abdominal strain is the cause for concern. However, it's only one match, and he only played for a half hour yesterday. Del Po has the game to hit through Nadal and punish his serve, especially if Rafa can only crank it up to that 105 mph range because of his abs. I believe the huge X factor in this match is going to be nerves for Del Po...he should have beat Fed in the French Open semis, but just thought about it too much in the big moments. Some of my brain also tells me to choose Del Po because he likes the ball up on his tall frame, and that's exactly the ball that Nadal is going to give him.

However, I never bet against heart, and no one has more than Rafa.

My Pick: Nadal in 5 bone crunching sets.

Tune in today to watch the semis and enjoy.

TT

Back again...

Hey everyone...Tiebreak Tennis is back after a short break due to moving in, starting school, etc. Since the US Open is now getting down to the semifinals, there is no time to rest...Fed/Novak and Del Po/ whoever wins the Rafa VS Gonzo rain delayed match.

Stay tuned for all new Tiebreak news...soon to come the Tiebreak Podcast and possibly Tiebreak Tennis on the radio.

See you on the court,

TT

The Rogers Cup Wrap Up

Tennis has a new number two and his name is Andy Murray. It took over four years to break the stronghold that Roger and Rafa had over the top two spots in the world, but with a semifinal win over Jo-Willy Tsonga (no. 7) at the Rogers Cup, Andy Murray did it. Roger and Rafa had ruled the roost at the top of men's tennis since July 2005, but with Rafael Nadal's (no. 3) nagging knee injury and Murray's consistent success, the Scot proved he is deserving of this new echelon.

On the other side of the draw, Argentina's Juan Martin Del Potro (no. 6) topped America's best Andy Roddick 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 in a rematch from last weekend's Legg Mason final. Again, Del Potro proved to be just a little too much for Roddick. At 5-5 in the third set, Roddick either tightened up or felt fatigued as he started and ended the game with a double fault - two weeks in a row, Andy has blinked in critical moments of a big match. Unfortunately, there seems to be a consistency to this theme for Andy this summer as I'm sure he still wakes up at night thinking of the volley that got away in the second set breaker at Wimbledon.

What a story line for a final: the new world's no. 2 versus the guy who beat the former no. 2. Murray and Del Potro seemed to be on a collision course for the final throughout this tournament as they carved up the competition match by match. The final was nothing short of spectacular, at least for the first two sets, each taking a set in a tiebreak before fatigue got the best of the Argentine as Murray steamrolled 6-1 in the third set to win the tournament.

This match confirmed for me that Andy Murray is ready to win the U.S. Open, yet this tournament also confirmed for me that so can ten or so other guys. At the top of the list you have the world's number one, yet despite all of Roger's success this year, I think we see he is not a given to win in New York like he was in year's past - perhaps this is either because Roger doesn't seem quite as dominant over his peers as he once was or that the competition is that much better 0r maybe some of both. Next, you have Rafa who is not the player he was a few months ago, but you'd have to be crazy to count him out. Then you have this bunch of guys who are a virtual tie in ability and all are very capable of winning - Roddick, Djokovic, Del Potro, and Tsonga. Flushing out this mess, you have these wild cards who are incredibly dangerous - Verdasco (no. 10), Gonzalez (no. 12), Karlovic (no. 29) - to name a few. Unquestionably, this tournament answered a lot of questions for us, but yet why do I feel like we still have no idea who is going to win the Open?

Rogers Cup Update...

The Rogers Cup is shaping up to be one of the best tournaments of 2009 - yes, including the Grand Slams. For the first time in the history of the ATP tour, the top 8 seeds made it to the quarterfinals of the draw. Now some might say that there is something boring about the lack of upsets through the first few rounds, but I couldn't be more excited. The top 8 seeds also represent the top 8 ranked players in the world. I ask you when are we going to see this kind of draw again on a neutral surface (unquestionably, an outdoor hard-court is the most neutral of the surfaces)?

This tournament also features the return of no other than Rafael Nadal, making his first tournament appearance since the French Open and since losing his no. 1 ranking. Just this aspect alone is reason for elation. There are so many questions that this tournament will answer and raise about the Spaniard - are his knees better?, has his conditioning slipped?, is he match tough?, will he be back to number 1?

The quarterfinal match-ups proved to be some of the most exciting matches of the year. To begin the day, Andy Murray (no. 3) dispatched Davydenko (no. 8) 6-2, 6-4 in a very routine manner. Clearly, we see Andy Murray is on a quest for the top. Next, the world's number one, Roger Federer, faced-off against Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (no. 7) in what was expected to be a typical quarterfinal match for Roger. But this match proved to be anything but typical as Tsonga came back from a 5-1 deficit in the third set to win in a tiebreaker. Am I surprised, shocked, awed? Yes, but we all know that Roger has been distracted the past few weeks with the birth of his twin daughters. The most important question that faces Roger is whether or not he will be able to regain his form for the U.S. Open. Oddly enough, I think he will.

On the other side of the draw, we saw a hard hitting match-up between rivals Andy Roddick (no. 5) and Novak Djokovic (no. 4). Roddick's new found conditioning and confidence were overwhelming for the Serb as Andy triumphed 6-4, 7-6 (4). In the last quarterfinal matchup, we finally got to see Nadal tested against a top ranked opponent in Argentina's Juan Martin Del Potro. Del Potro, fresh off a Master's Series victory at Legg Mason, was in top form and dismantled the Spaniard 7-6 (5), 6-1. This match featured incredible points, beautiful shotmaking, but left me scratching my head about both players. First, I thought Nadal looked good, but not great and nowhere near his top form. I wonder whether or not he will be a threat at the Open, the jury is out. And as far as Del Potro is concerned, I have serious doubts about his fitness and conditioning. After last weekend's final against Roddick, the Argentine cramped in the locker room after three long sets. Last night, he looked very tired and was breathing hard after one grueling set with Rafa. How will Del Potro fair in Flushing Meadows in best-of-five matches over two weeks?

Many experts say that the Rogers Cup foretells the results at the U.S. Open and if that is true, we will have a champion who doesn't bear either the name Roger or Rafa.

Wimbledon Week 1 Recap and Rd of 16 Predictions

Finally A Champ?

Week 1 of Wimbledon is over...we have reached the middle Sunday...

This day is the perfect example of the 'calm before the storm' as the lawns of Wimbledon lay untouched today before they are graced by every man and woman left in the draw tomorrow. Manic Monday as it is sometimes referred to could be the best day in tennis.

The first week has had it's fair share of surprises and story lines, so let's look at a few.

No Rain?: Of course, now that there is a roof on Centre Court the weather has been unreal. No indoor tennis has been played...yet.

Hewitt Reborn: Lleyton Hewitt, coming off of his hip surgery, is playing excellent tennis. He took out No. 5 Del Potro in straight sets and is finally showing emotion again on the court. Hewitt, for the past few years, has been so subdued on court, and finally something went off in his mind and he is the fiery Aussie once again.

2 Favorites Dominate: Murray and Federer have looked superhuman so far. Both dropping one set on their way to the Rd of 16, but neither have really been tested much.

A Bit Better From America: Blake and Ginepri disappointed once again, and Fish had a predictable Wimbledon. Roddick continues to be our ONLY real competitor by a mile. The good thing is that Jesse Levine had a breakthrough run to the third round, and had a look at beating Wawrinka.

Andy-monium: The Brits finally have a real favorite, who is looking every bit of the part right now. The fans might be psychotic for him, but he seems as calm and cool as ever.

Good Matches: Only 6 of the 16 3rd Round matches went straight sets on the men's side. A Lot of matches were very competitive.

Now we're caught up at Wimbledon and Week 2 is almost here, so I'll go through all 8 Rd of 16 matches and tell you what I think...

Fed/ Soderling: A rematch of the French final...surely Soderling will try to get revenge, but it's not happening on Centre Court. Fed in 4

Verdasco/Karlovic: Karlovic's serve has been untouchable so far, and I don't see why it won't be again. Verdasco has enough fire power to hang with him. This is a tough match to call because it will probably come down to 4 or 5 points here and there in the tiebreaks. I'll go Dr. Ivo in 4.

Sela/Djokovic: Sela, the Israeli, has to be thrilled to be in the 2ND week...but I'm afraid his run is over. Maybe he'll make a set close and might even take one because he'll be playing with zero pressure...I think Novak takes it in 4.

Andreev/Haas: Andreev has a monstrous forehand and plays a lot like a Spaniard, which shouldn't translate to grass right? Well he's been playing solid so far, and I think he'll give Tommy a lot of trouble...let's not forget how difficult Tommy finds it to win a big match. That said...I think Tommy will pull it out in 5.

Ferrero/Simon: Ferrero is having a nice run here at Wimbledon. He beat Gonzo in the last round, which has to give him a bunch of confidence. Simon has been going through the draw without a mention. Simon in 4.

Murray/Wawrinka: Wawrinka has a huge one-hander and is a shot maker. Murray is way too good and way too supported to lose to Stan. Wawrinka makes a set close...but Murray in 3.

Roddick/Berdych: Berdych is a huge hitter, and has the kind of game that can overpower anyone, even Roddick. The problem is the stars have to be aligned for him to play as well as he needs to in order to win 3 sets. Roddick in 4.

Hewitt/Stepanek: This match is really interesting. Both veterans who are looking for a deep run in a Slam. Step is very dangerous, but his knee seemed to bother him at the end of his 2ND 5 setter in a row against Ferrer. Hewitt is moving and striking the ball brilliantly. I think this match will go five, and I'll go with my dark horse Step in his 3rd 5 set win in a row.

Get ready for Manic Monday everyone...tune in to my Twitter Page all day with live updates( as always)...and don't forget to vote on the new poll...

Take Care,
Tiebreak

Top 5 Players To Watch

Hey everyone...with Wimbledon approaching, I figured I would write a post that highlights the 5 players that I'm going to be watching this Wimbledon.

First, let's recap this week.

Aegon: The prestigious event was won this year by Andy Murray, the British(Scottish) hopeful. He beat James Blake in the finals who put together a nice run thanks to the help of Andy Roddick retiring to him after rolling his ankle. Roddick should be fine for Wimbledon.

Halle: Halle was supposed to be dominated by Djokovic after Federer pulled out to get ready for Wimbledon, but Haas had other plans. The German won his first grass court title defeating Novak in the finals in 3 sets. Quite simply, that is tournament Novak has to win...I think it's going to hurt him going into Wimbledon.

Now that we're all caught up...THE TOP 5 PLAYERS TO WATCH THIS WIMBLEDON

1: Roger Federer: It should be really interesting to see how Roger reacts after winning the French Open. Will he have any let down, or will he return to his old dominant ways? Of course, whether Nadal is in the draw or not will have a big affect on him. You also have to think that the next Slam he wins breaks the tie with Pete, and that is some serious pressure.

2. Rafael Nadal: Before we can watch Nadal, we have to see if he is even in the draw. He is expected to play, but you never know. We also have to see how he looks physically, because if his movement is compromised, there are a lot of guys that can give him trouble.

3. Andy Murray: How could we not watch Murray this Wimbledon? The British finally have a real contender again (since the old Tim Henman days) and I look for them to be firmly behind the fiery Scott...I mean Brit. So what if he is technically Scottish? Sean Connery pulled off being a Brit in Bond.

4. Andy Roddick: The leaner Roddick has been playing very solid tennis this season. He, for the most part, is beating who he is supposed to beat. Ankle injury aside, I think he can make a real run here, and think he is without a doubt the 4Th favorite to win.

5. Ivo Karlovic: Am I the only guy who scratches his head when I see that Karlovic hasn't won a match at Wimbledon in the last 4 chances. In my opinion, he has the best and most dominant serve in the game, and on grass that is a recipe for winning. If he can ace Hewitt 55 times on clay, how many times can he ace him on grass? 80? I keep waiting for him to put together a run here again (he did get to the Rd of 16 once) because he certainly has the game to win on grass. His volleys have improved and his serve is lights out. Yes, his ground strokes are still absolutely atrocious, but if he gets to the net, he can be a dark horse.

OTHER NOTABLES: Djokovic: Will his fall continue?, the Americans: Can they rebound?

Dark Horses: Fish, Stepanek, Cilic, Haas, Mahut
Stay Tuned for more Wimbledon Preview...AND Check Out Tiebreak's Twitter

Take Care

All about the (possible) GOAT.

Well, we have a lot to talk about.
the GOAT?

First, congratulations to Roger Federer for beating Soderling in straight sets to complete his Career Slam and tie Pete Sampras for the most Grand Slams in the Open Era, 14. Perhaps the most entertaining part of the final was the Barcelona soccer fan rushing the court and trying to put a hat on Federer's head.

The only other interesting aspect of the final was waiting to see how nerves would get to Fed. I think that swinging volley that gave Soderling a break point at 5-4 was about as nervous as I've ever seen him. Luckily for Fed, he ran into someone who wasn't even close to ready to win a Slam.

As expected, this now raises the question of, "Is Roger the greatest ever?"

For once I'm actually going to agree with Mary Carillo on this one. Her response was that she was going to save her opinion until Nadal's career was complete. Nadal, if healthy, has a real shot at making a strong case for himself. Unfortunately, that seems to be a huge 'if'.

It came out that Nadal has tendinitis in both knees that has been affecting him physically and mentally over the past few months. I think we all saw something wrong with him at the French. Kudos to Soderling, but lets get real...quite simply, Rafa was about 60%. He is going to undergo treatment and try and defend his Wimbledon title later this month, but honestly, no one knows how bad his knees are right now.

Back to the possible GOAT(Greatest of All Time): Roger is a great guy, great for the sport, and quite a choice for the best ever. However, one French Open win and he is back to his old overconfident and stuck up remarks.

In an article for ESPN (found HERE) Federer was asked about Wimbledon and went on to proclaim himself the favorite because of his new found French Open title and "with all the success I've had." He didn't stop there. He then went on to downplay Nadal's injury, saying that,
" He seemed fine, [from] what I saw, anyway. I've played him so many times, I can tell when he's in pain and when he's not. "

Fed also was quoted saying, "It seems like it's not 100 percent serious, his knee injury."

Let's see, First: Rafa really seems like a faker and an excuse maker. I'm sure that he is just making up an injury that he might have to miss his favorite tournament of the year because of.

Second: "With all the success I've had." Roger, you won a French Open by beating no one. You've lost your number 1 ranking, and have only two titles this year. Not to mention, everyone was declaring you just about dead a few weeks ago. I'm sorry to say, but Federer should have lost twice in that tournament, maybe three times. Haas had him on the brink, Del Potro outplayed him for most of the match, and Acasuso should have won in straight sets. Sure, he battled his way through the draw, and beat everyone that was put in front of him. But in the end, he beat no one. There are the big 4 in tennis, and then everyone else. He beat NO ONE in the top 4. He won the French Open because he was the last man standing who had enough guts to win.

Nadal is still, by a mile, the King of Clay. He was obviously bothered by an injury in the tournament, and didn't look anything like his former self. For Federer to say he is barely injured, is absurd. It is Roger trying to prove to everyone that he won the French Open, and is now the King of tennis. To admit Rafa was a fraction of himself would make everyone say.."Yea Fed won...BUT Rafa was hurt." Say what you will about Rafa, his injury or Federer, but I think any tennis fan in there right mind knew that if that was Nadal on the other side of the net in the final...Fed would still be waiting for his glorious French Open.

14 Grand Slams and a Career Slam is amazing. But let's keep it in perspective here and not jump yourself to the king of the world again. It wasn't too long ago that an over-cocky Federer was turned into an uncontrollable crying beaten man in Australia at the hands of a humble Nadal. Roger had a feeling of invincibility, and then Rafa came along. Rafa, the quiet, humble, Spaniard slowly, but surely wrestled greatness from him one win at a time. Roger, stay humble, because if you don't it's going to come back again to bite you.

One win and he's all of a sudden unbeatable again, and the favorite? It's interesting that Federer would declare himself the favorite going into Wimbledon. Am I Mistaken or is there still a number 2 next to his name. When the draw comes out, if Rafa is in it, Federer will be number 2. The only way on earth Federer is the favorite is if Nadal comes into Wimbledon like he did the French, injured. And until Federer beats Nadal on a big stage, while there both healthy, he will be number 2.

Hopefully Rafa will get healthy enough to play, and defend his title. One thing is for sure, there will certainly be a Swiss superstar quite nervous if the first match of Wimbledon on Centre Court is the defending champion and World Number 1, Rafael Nadal.

FOLLOW FED/DEL POTRO LIVE

Hey all, since no TV coverage is available for Fed/Del Potro(sad but true...)...I'm twittering the match live while watching the live scoreboard and listening to Radio Roland Garros...

Check out my Twitter Page for all the latest...

6 Sets Away...

Fed's draw has been so good, it looks rigged. On a day where he should be getting ready for entering a Djokovic semi and then Nadal final...instead he's getting ready for Del Potro and Soderling/Gonzalez

Roger Federer is 6 sets away from his first French Open Title, and the Career Slam, something that doesn't happen quite to often in tennis.

Is it even possible for anyone to think that he is going to lose now? Let's see...

Rafa, his nemesis and King of Clay, loses.
Djokovic, a guy who gives him all sorts of troubles, is out.
Murray, another dangerous # 3 in the world that Fed was weary of, out.

Who does that leave?

Well it leaves Gonzalez, Del Potro, and Soderling. All three players combined have one win against Federer, and that is Gonzalez.

I think it's safe to say Roger is going to be moving along to his first French Open, right?
Well, after pretty much guaranteeing a Rafa victory at this tournament, I won't say anything is for sure, but let's just say I wouldn't put any money down on anyone else.

Gonzalez gives Fed some trouble sometimes(but never beats him...OK once out of 13 times), and is the most experienced of the other three, but you have to think he'll have his hands full with Soderling if the Swede continues to dominate. If Soderling makes the final, chances are that the moment will be way to big for him to handle.

So all you Rafa fans out there that want Fed to lose, the only chance I guess is Del Potro in the semis. Poetically, he has the best chance because it is his chance to avenge his crushing loss to Fed at the Australian, where I believe there were 2 bagel sets involved. Del Potro is going to come out on a mission, and wants to prove he is a legit top 5 player, and can hang with the big boys.
The bad news is that I think Roger has too much game, and is going to put Del Potro in uncomfortable positions on the court. Del Po is huge, and loves to stand back the baseline with his huge wind up and smack his forehand. His 6'6 body doesn't make him ideal for playing short slices, or really being stretched awkwardly. Who better than Roger to execute that game plan?

Semi's should be fun, and we know we'll have a new French Open Champion crowd.

Who else is rooting for a Del Potro/Soderling final?

The King is Done

I think it's safe to say that he won't ever wear a pink shirt again.


Hi everyone...hopefully you've all been checking out my Twitter Page during the French. I've been updating as much as possible, but figured I'd write a new blog now because one of the biggest upsets in sports this year has just happened.

Soderling DEFEATS Nadal 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-4, 7-6(2)

Unreal. Thanks to a brilliant embargo by NBC, I haven't seen the match yet ans therefore can't say much about it...but what a shock.

Soderling hates Nadal...we all knew that since there epic encounter at Wimbledon a few years ago that seemed to go on over 16 days because of rain, and went 5. Soderling would play mind games with Rafa, and even made fun of his trademark wedgie pick.

Of all the guys in the draw, all the dangerous dirt ballers...a predominately indoor player beats Nadal.

Again, I haven't seen the match so can't say much but that it is a shocking defeat, and makes you appreciate just how much pressure a number 1 seed has.

Keep checking Twitter, and this French just became much more open.

Roger Beats The King

Step One Back To Number One.


In a pretty poorly played encounter (compared to the classics they usually have) Roger Federer defeated Rafael Nadal on Sunday to win his first title of '09, and get rid of a few of the demons that have been haunting him, and taking his first real step towards getting back his beloved number one world ranking.

Isn't this how tennis always goes? Everyone writes Fed off, he stinks, he can't play on hard court even anymore, Nadal has surpassed him in every way...and then BOOM. He beats him in straight sets, routinely.

6-4, 6-4 was the score after about an hour and a half.

First, let's go over what happened.

FIRST SET: Nadal came out and had break points in a few service games early, but wasn't his usual rock-solid self. He let a few opportunities slip away, and at 4 all, he blinked to give Fed to break and the set.

SECOND SET: Fed came out and got the break fairly early thanks to Rafa's out of character backhand errors. Rafa's movement looked off, and Fed's aggressive style made him look like the better player for most of the match. At 5-4 serving, Fed found himself down 15-40...and just when you could see Fed starting to say, "Please God, NO."...Rafa gave him a few points and Fed finished with an ace. As he walked up to the net he pointed his index finger in the air (I guess to signify number one?) Well, Rog, let's not go crazy...you're CLEARLY the second best player so far in '09. Yes, you did beat Rafa on clay, in Spain, but here's a few reasons why...

Reasons why Fed won the match(that he controlled):

-He played more aggressively than usual, taking big cuts at the ball and chances on his return games.
-He moved well, and kept Rafa out of the middle of the court.
-He believed
-He worked his way in to the net when needed, and also used the drop shot.

Reasons why Fed won the match (that he didn't control):
-Rafa was obviously exhausted on court.
-Djokovic's 4 hour battle with him in the semis took more out of him than anyone thought.
-His movement looked much worse than usual (knee?)
-It was a best of 3 set match, not best of 5.
-It wasn't the French Open.

All that said, give Fed some credit, he played a great match and showed he can still be a realistic factor at Roland Garros. This match certainly made the French more interesting next week. However, something tells me Rafa is going to put that match in his memory bank if he does play Roger in the final, and I don't think an extra chippy Nadal isn't something that Roger would like to deal with.


Stay tuned to my blog for some French Open Preview editions, and during the Slam for extended coverage. Don't forget to check out, and sign up for my Twitter page, where I'll be updating you on what's going on, by the moment, during the French as best as I can.


Talk soon

Rafa/Roger...again.

It took a Herculean effort from Rafa against Djokovic saving four match points, but he is safely into the finals.

Fed's road was a bit easier, to say the least, downing Del Potro in 2 relatively comfortable sets.

So we are where we have been countless times before: Going into Sunday's final with a pretty well rested Fed is going to play a beat up Nadal. Rafa's 4 hour marathon with Novak HAD to have taken something out of him. BUT, like i said, we've been here before. Remember the Aussie? Rafa played a 20 hour match with Verdasco in the semis and was supposed to be too tired. Well, that was wrong, and anyone who thinks Rafa won't come out tomorrow the same as he always does is also wrong.

I can't wait for the next chapter of this classic rivalry. Fed has as good of a chance as he's ever going to have. Rafa is a little tired, and it's best out of three sets.

Rafa is going to come out and do what he always does...fight for his life. Kick balls high up to the Fed backhand, make a huge amount of first serves in, play within himself, run down balls, and open up the court with angles.

Fed will have to try something different. His normal game simply won't work. I have heard people say that he should serve and volley, and I agree with this to an extent, but he doesn't want to become a bulls eye for the Raging Spanish Bull. He needs to play insanely aggressive. Go for outright winner, come in, drop shot, serve big...play high risk clay-court tennis.

That all said, i still think that tomorrow's match will end the same way Rafa's match ended today...with the Spanish crowd chanting, "RA-FA, RA-FA."

Enjoy and tune in. Anyone who doesn't have the tennis channel, I will do my best to follow the match live on my Twitter page.

Early Madrid Results

Hey everyone...since it's a Masters event, I figured I'd update you guys on what has been going on.


Firstly, Tennis Channel is actually covering the tournament well...it is pretty much on 6 am to midnight every night. For those of us lucky enough to have it (me) we get the pleasure of listening to heavily accented commentators who know their stuff.

Rafa opened up his tournament today like a bull, wiping the clay with Jurgen Melzer 3 and 1. My Twitter placed the over under on games Rafa will lose this entire tournament at 15.

Verdasco is through to the third round comfortably along with Fed, Djokovic, and Murray.

No huge upsets yet, but it's still early. Fed has a close second set with Soderling, but was never in doubt.

Best story so far? To me it's Ivan Ljubicic. If I remember correctly I featured him as one of the players that is done this year, but he has proven me wrong. He beat Tsonga yesterday in a slug fest and looks rejuvenated. If he's mentally into it and serving well, Ivan is very tough to beat on any surface.

Later today Florent Serra takes on Davydenko and Andy Roddick takes on Tommy Haas. Check out my Twitter page for my take on those matches.

Take Care

-Tiebreak

Blake reaches Estoril Semis

Hi all,



As promised, lets get into this weeks action. The first tournament going on is the Estoril Open.

[7] A Montanes (ESP) d [1] [WC] G Simon (FRA) 57 64 76(4) - saved 1 M.P. --Simon is really slipping.
[2] N Davydenko (RUS) d [6] M Fish (USA) 64 63: Good to see Nikolay back after his injury.
[4] J Blake (USA) d [8] F Serra (FRA) 64 61: Good effort for Blake.
P Capdeville (CHI) d O Hernandez (ESP) 46 61 64 : Dirt war.

I must say, even though I'm not a huge fan of Blake (and think he is overrated, and a terrible clay courter) I have to give him a lot of credit. A lot of the Americans don't even bother playing warm-ups for the French, and try to make their European clay swing as short as humanly possible. Blake is playing on the red stuff this year, and I have to commend him. He knows he has no chance of winning the French, or even making it to the quarters(I think)...but then again did Martin Verkerk have a chance a few years ago?

Another tournament going on is the BMW Open, which doesn't really have that much going on. Berdych beat Hewitt today in a third set breaker, and that's about all that is interesting.

The last tournament is the first ever Serbian Open...Serbia has to win the award for the most flashy players, whether it's doing impressions or wearing Oakley's...they seem to have some personality.

[2] I Karlovic (CRO) d [Q] F Cipolla (ITA) 63 63 Big serving Croat keeps rolling
[4] A Seppi (ITA) d M Daniel (BRA) 64 75 Seppi is an underrated Clay courter
[LL] L Kubot (POL) d K Vliegen (BEL) 76(6) 63 Polish lucky loser making it to an ATP semi...good for him.
[1] N Djokovic (SRB) d [5] V Troicki (SRB) 63 62 Djokovic moves a step closer to his home title.

Take care...don't forget to check out the TiebreakTennis Twitter!