Tournament Updates

The 1st round of the Fed starts today.  There are a few intriguing matchups, and some of the top players have chosen to participate. 

1st round matchups and notable players:

The defending champion Italians face off against the Ukraine.  Italy has Flavia Pennetta and Francesca "Scheever" Schiavone as their top 2 players.  The "Flying Bondarenko Sisters", Kateryna and Alona are notables on the Ukraine side.  Italy should move on, but it won't be easy.

In probably the least anticipated matchup, the Germans and Czech Republic compete against eachother.  Germany's team consists of: Anna-Lena Groenefeld, Andrea Petkovic, Kristina Barrois, and Tatjana Malek.  The Czech's bring to the competition Lucie Hradecka, Petra Kvitova, Lucie Safarova, and Kveta Peschke.  Wow.  No world-beaters in this group.  The Czech Republic has the better players and should advance.

In the best matchup of the 1st round, Russia and Serbia will meet in Belgrade, Serbia.  Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic will be competing for Serbia along with unknowns Ana Jovanovic, and Bojana Jovanovski. The Russians counter with Svetlana Kuznetsova, Alisa Kleybanova, Vera Dushevina, and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.  This one is tough to call, because it will be played in Serbia.  Is Sveta and the young Russians ready for this type of atmosphere?  On paper Russia is the stronger team, but the intangibles will be a factor.  I think the Serbs will pull out a tight one.  Thats if Ana Ivanovic can pull her head out of her ass and compete at a high level.  If not,  then the Russians will roll.

And in the final matchup its the United States and France.  The United states brings a team that is an absolute joke.  Probably the worst team of the 8 teams competing in the World Group.  Mary Jo Fernandez will lead the U.S. team consisting of Melanie Oudin, Cristina McHale, Liezel Huber, and Bethany Mattek-Sands.  If i was Mary Jo, McHale wouldn't even touch the court.  Huber and Mattek-Sands are a capable doubles team, but on the singles side Oudin will get her ass kicked and so will Mattek-Sands.  I only see a doubles victory out of them in this one.  The French really aren't that strong as well.  Alize Cornet, Julie Coin, Pauline Parmentier, and Stephanie Cohen-Aloro make up the french squad.  The French at home on clay will move on.

The SA Tennis Open in Johannesburg, South Africa is into the quarterfinal round.  It looks like Gael "monchichi" Monfils and David Ferrer are on a collision course for the final.  In the weeds Feliciano Lopez is modeling...eh, i mean lurking in the weeds.

Quarterfinal Matchups:

Gael Monfils  vs.  Yen-Hsun Lu - Monfils should advance.

Feliciano Lopez  vs.  Rajeev Ram  - Ram plays a serve and volley game that could give Lopez trouble, but Lopez on hardcourts is the better player.  Lopez moves on to face Monfils.

Stephane Robert  vs.  Dustin Brown - Who are these guys?  Brown is from Jamaica.  So I pick Robert.

Somdev Devvarman  vs.  David Ferrer - This is about the time Ferrer chokes, but he keeps it together to play Robert in the semis.

There are still some solid names left at the PBZ Zagreb Indoors in Zagreb, Croatia.  My pick of a Cilic - Troicki final still looks good.

Quarterfinal Matchups:

Marin Cilic  vs.  "Dr. Ivo" Ivo Karlovic - Cilic has too much for the big guy.  Tough draw for "Dr. Ivo" because there are plenty of guys left in the tournament he can beat.  Unfortunately not this one.

Jurgen Melzer  vs.  Illya Marchenko -  Melzer is a grizzled vet, and is too experienced for the young Ukrainian.  Melzer moves on to face Cilic.

Michael Berrer  vs.  Viktor Troicki - Berrer will not be a walkover for Troicki.  Troicki will have to earn this victory in a close match.

Philipp Petzschner  vs.  Lukas Lacko - Lacko advanced by beating "L" Ljubicic in the last round, but he will fall short in the quarters.  Petzschner in 3 sets.

Fernando Gonzalez continues to make it look easy on the clay, at the Movistar Open in Santiago, Chile.  My pick to win this tournament, Juan Monaco is still in the field.

Quarterfinal Matchups:

Fernando Gonzalez  vs.  Marcel Granollers - Gonzalez in a beatdown.

Thomasz Bellucci  vs.  Eduardo Schwank - Bellucci will advance in a tough match.

Joao Souza  vs.  Alberto Martin - I don't know anything about either of these guys.  I'm going with Martin because I've actually heard of him before.

Peter Luczak  vs.  Juan Monaco - Monaco looks to have a easy road to the final.