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!

17 Days...

Hey everyone and welcome to the beginning of the Slam season. My college season is over, along with my classes and that means I'm going to launch the blog again.
So, my last post was Feb. 8, and nothing has really changed since. Fed keeps losing (a lot it seems) and Rafa is in the clay season, which means that his opponents are struggling to win games against him.

Perhaps the most interesting storyline in tennis that is starting to develop is the battle for 2,3, and 4 in the world. Fed, Djokovic, and Murray are in a real dogfight for those positions, and are all close enough that a big result in a Slam can change it. As it is, Murray just took the 3 spot from Novak after Novak's loss to Rafa in Rome.

Murray hasn't had a great year on clay so far, but I'm looking for him to have a pretty big result in France. As for Novak, I think he has the best chance to beat Rafa at the French, and that's a zero percent chance (OK, 0.01%).

The question I have is, with 17 days to go until Roland Garros, are they even going to play the tournament, or are they going to give the trophy to Nadal now. He is arguably playing the best ever on clay right now, and after last year (or the past 4) is that possible?

Poor Fed...Fed's struggles continue. I mean he still is getting to semis for the most part, but every time he plays a top 5 guy, it seems like he is losing. I'm still going to stand strong and say that I am not going to write him off until he loses before the quarters in a Slam. The scary thing is that could be this year at the French.

Check the bottom of my blog for some more tennis news and scores.

I'll pick up this weeks tournaments, as usual, in the quarterfinals.

** I'm also excited to tell you guys about a new aspect to Tiebreak.

I've just made a Twitter account for the blog, which is going to focus mostly on the Slams. During the French, Wimbledon, and US Open, I'll be posting throughout the day live scores, thoughts, and more as I'm watching all the action.
Until the Slams, I'll post a thought or tip every once in a while.

The website is Http://Twitter.com/TiebreakTennis
Check it out. Sign up and follow if you like. During the Slam's the site is going to be updated a lot.

Talk to you soon.

-Tiebreak