Semifinal Results:

Bastad
Juan Monaco defeated Tommy Robredo 6-0,6-2
Robin Soderling defeated Andreas Vinciguerra 6-1,7-6(6)

Stuttgart
Victor Hanescu defeated Fabio Fognini 6-3,6-7(4),6-2
Jeremy Chardy defeated Nicolas Kiefer 6-3,7-5

Prague (rain delay)
Sybille Bammer leads Iveta Benesova 3-0
Francesca Schiavone and Timea Bacsinszky to follow
Chances are these matches will be played tomorrow due to rain

Palermo
Sara Errani leads Anna-Lena Groenefeld 6-3,2-3
Flavia Pennetta and Tathiana Garbin to follow

Hamburg
http://tinyurl.com/negjd4

Start of the United States Open Serie
Indianapolis
http://tinyurl.com/meo5m2

I just saw an email from RadioTennis.com that they will be broadcasting matches from Indianapolis.

Adicecream,
I got that same e-mail on coverage from Indianapolis

Hi all,

Strange to think just over a year ago, Hamburg was a Masters level tournament and at the centre of all that controversy. Now it's an awkwardly timed 500 tournament with a much diminished draw. So it goes, I suppose.

Think this will be a good time for Ferru to do something. Sod and Chardy will be coming off a final and may not be able to back it up. Gilles is first seed but can't take advantage. Kolya has been patchy since his return. Robredo has had a disappointing fortnight. Kohly and Andreev are dark horses, as usual.

Hey everyone!! [Pedro, thanks so much for coming up with the idea for DC last night, it was such a laugh :) ]
Thanks for the info, MA, you're a star.

Vamos Pico! Really rooting for him in the final.
Allez Jezza!
Forza Flavia!!

Talk About Tennis is having another fantasy contest and it is called:

The Hard Road to New York(THRNY)

http://tinyurl.com/m2zoz5

This tournament involve all the USO Series tournaments on the ATP side ONLY. No WTA players.

Deadline should be Monday for Indianapolis at 11 AM local time

Oh and Waws. I'd like to seem him in a clay court final.

Go Pico.
BTW what sort of reception has Robin been getting Bastad?

Hello All. Man this match with Errani has so many twists and turns.

Sara Errani serving for the match at 6-3,4-6,5-1 against Anna-Lena Groenefeld

15-0 Anna-Lena nets FH return
15-15 Screen froze
30-15 Anna-Lena nets FH return
40-15 Anna-Lena FH long
Sara wins the match as Anna-Lena BH sails wide

Sara Errani defeated Anna-Lena Groenefeld 6-3,4-6,6-1 and guarantees an All-Italian final tomorrow

Flavia Pennetta and Tathiana Garbin next...

Tathiana Garbin will serve to Flavia Pennetta to begin the match

2 break points at 15-40 for Flavia
30-40 Flavia nets FH
Flavia breaks as Tathiana nets BH

Flavia to serve 1-0

Slightly off-topic.

I just had a look at some ranking information and noticed that they have put up new photos of the players. Seems that they have been told to look as if they wanted to kill you if you don't hand over your wallet. Montfils and Haas are the only top twenty players with a smile on their face. All the others have a look that would make you run as fast as you could if you didn't know these chaps.

Break point at 30-40 for Flavia as Tathiana FH sails long
Flavia breaks as Tathiana desparation BH lob sails wide set up by good FH return

Flavia to serve 3-0

did you see that droppuh by Flav, MA?

They do look lik mug shots.

Also not very kind to the skin.

Also, why are the Nike players wearing their bandannas? *shakes fist at the corporations* No stone left unturned :P

Arun,
Yes but she missed another one so Tathiana can get 40-30.

* Ok Gonzo is also wearing bandana, and Daveed... so retract hasty Nike conspiracy theory.

And go Flavs.

Break point at 40-A for Flavia as Tathiana BH sails wide
40-40 Tathiana drop shot winner
A-40 Flavia BH return long
40-40 Flavia effective drop volley as Tathiana got there but could not get it over net
A-40 Flavia FH passing shot long as she got to volley by Tathiana
40-40 Tathiana nets BH
A-40 Tathiana FH winner into open court set up by drop shot that Flavia got to
40-40 Flavia volley winner into open court winning volley exchange after she got to drop shot hit by Tathiana
40-A Tathiana FH long
40-40 Flavia BH passing shot long set up by Tathiana hitting FH behind Flavia
A-40 Flavia BH long after moonball by Tathiana
Tathiana holds as Flavia nets BH return

Flavia to serve 4-1

2 set points at 15-40 for Flavia
30-40 Flavia nets FH after getting to drop shot by Tathiana with time to spare
Flavia takes the set as Tathiana FH goes wide after Flavia got to another drop shot and hit FH CC

Flavia to serve 6-1 beginning set 2

MA, does the THRNY contest consider points won in the upcoming HC tournaments only?

Greenhopper,
Yes.

Flavia and Tathiana match is being delayed. Wish I can speak Italian to find out why. Earlier in the first set, some of the lights was not working and I believe after the set, Tathiana may have complained about the lights to the umpire. Both ladies put their racquet in their bag and left the court. Flavia was not a happy camper.

I try to check in every so often in hopes of seeing that the Fedling has arrived so that Roger can get back to playing tennis.

The Road to the USOpen is sort of upset despite the commercials that ran during Wimby -- If Roger doesn't appear and Andy has hurt his hip.

Sort of appropos of the Viewpoint that tennis is lacking leadership, I had an idea to make the rankings more exciting -- particularly since they messed up the old 70% scoring and are giving so few points (despite point inflation) for the lower rounds even at majors (case in point Fernando Verdasco at the French Open he came in with 300 point -2x150- and "defended" his points in that he went to the same round of the tournament and came out with 180 points)
they should also give points to a player who beats a higher r anked player, I figure 5 points for each ranking point. the largest beneficiary at the French Open would of course have been Robin Soderling - interestingly it would not have changed his ranking but it wold have put him a lot closer to the next ranked player.
so when someone has a breakout tournament they would get a greater reward -- it would also help a player coming back from injury Tommy Haas would have benefited both at Roland Garros and Wimby

Why the heck is Safina playing in Portoroz???

http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/SEWTATour-Archive/posting/2009/1028/MDS.pdf

Anyways,looks like it should be an easy title for her. She needs the confidence.

Afwu1216,
Same thing I said about Dinara until I read where her coach and trainer is from nearby Croatia and her parents can come see her play before she leaves for North America. Also, top players at the end of 2008 can play 2 International tournaments(one per half) so Dinara is playing Portoroz./

Schedule for 2008 Top 10 players and others currently in Top 10 that was outside at end of 2008 for Stanford and Los Angeles

Stanford(7/27) - S Williams, V Williams, Dementieva, Jankovic, A Radwanska, Petrova

Los Angeles(8/3) - Safina(also playing Portoroz 7/20), Kuznetsova, Zvonareva(also playing Istanbul 7/27), Ivanovic, A Radwanska, Azarenka, Wozniacki, Petrova

Match b/w Flavia and Tathiana has resumed with Flavia leading 6-1,3-0

3 break points at 0-40 for Flavia as Tathiana nets deop shot
Flavia breaks as Tathiana FH sails long

Flavia serving for the match 6-1,5-1

15-0 Tathiana BH long
30-0 Tathiana FH wide
40-0 Flavia smash winner set up by short return by Tathiana
Flavia wins the match as she hit BH for winner

Flavia Pennetta defeated Tathiana Garbin 6-1,6-1. She will play Sara Errani for the title at Palermo

Good morning everyone,

Nice win by Flavia there,good luck to her in final

Also Pico had a easy win over Tommy,gee Tommy did you turn up at all? yikes.

Also surprised to see Safina playing at that particular tournament? cant remember if she played there last year.Master Ace to the rescue again on that question.

Boy really slow tennis day. Where is everyone. Thanks MA for posting the results. I was watching the Errani match at work and was quite disgusted to see how AnnaLena walked off court after her loss. I am not even sure she shook her opponent's hand. I actually am hoping that Errani takes this title. If there is one player on the tour who really needs a win, it is Errani. I like her, but can do without the grunting (she wastes too much energy doing it), but think Flavia will win it.
Hi Aussiemarge, how ya doing these days? I had to write an email to Tennis Channel today about the so-called classics that they are now showing. I am sure someone somewhere is appreciating Jimmy Connors and Borg playing a match from 1976, but come on, I am sure that they can get more recent USO classics to show. It is not as if CBS is unwilling to give up those rights, or are they? Would be good to see the current champions of the game in previous USO Classics. Shoot I would even watch Sharapova's demolition of Henin. Now that was a classic as I did not think that Sharapova would beat her, but beat her she did.

I assume that Hamburg is not on the schedule this coming week on TC?

I see that TC has Hamburg on its Tour Schedule starting on 20 July, but not seeing it on the daily schedule. Anyone have any idea whether Hamburg will be shown at all on TC

'evening all.
I'm watching the madrid semi between rafa and nole right now. I saw it originally on a stream and missed a lot the first time around. first of all, rafa is playing about as badly as i've ever seen him. He looks miserable on court and i'd forgotten that he took a m.t.o. to have his right thigh wrapped. this is the match (i think) where the little boy runs out on court at the end. But you really can see the beginning of the RG catastrophe happening right here.

Where the heck is everyone today? What is everyone doing during the slow period? I've been spending as much time outdoors as I can.

Karen: I have no tennis on TV until about the 7th August. I'm using a little of the time to rewatch some old matches. I know there will be some tennis via tennistv.com, but that's it for me.

this is the match that took forever. each player taking well over 30 seconds between points. and rafa df's so badly at one point the serve goes into the court on his side of the net. robbie compares it to a kournikova. ouch. I would love to see rafa skip madrid next year.

A nice write-up about the Cap'n..
http://www.insidetennis.com/2009/07/marat-safin-great-characters/

Annie, Rafa did start out slow in the Madrid SF, but he then raised his level in the 2nd-set TB and 3rd set. Don't think he played badly at all that day.

true NP, he's cooking now but now nole's having cramps. i'm thinking i only caught the end of this match because i don't remember all this. There's a lot of stuff going on clearly. both players don't like the court, then the lights went on in the middle of nole's serve. And rafa making a ton of errors in the first set. his mind elsewhere it seems.

NP,

Loud applause for your 'picks' ... Callas, my absolute favourite.

Annie, lights? When? Anyway Rafa's form did seem a touch shaky in Madrid. He prolly should've skipped it, but as they say hindsight is 20/20.

Lynne, don't remember picking Callas more than once or twice. Anyway glad you enjoyed it.

yup, the lights came on early. nole complained about it. again, all stuff i didn't remember. they're playing great now in the 3rd, but watching with the knowledge of what happens at RG you can see where rafa is not right, physically or mentally.

Maybe the lights came down from heaven.

Well I have got some fresh air indeed

Went for a great run early morning actually its the best time of the day,I train better in the Winter time.

So I am fresh mentally well the body is coping ok lol!

Gee what a great time we all had in the Deuce Club post,one of the best ever

Went out for dinner last night,guess what was in the background A Midnight Train To Georgia,gee that was a posters fav song.I chuckled to myself indeed.

Rafa could not skip Madrid is a mandatory tournament,unless he sighted injury which in my mind he had been playing injured anyway Sigh!

Rafa needs to skip Barcelona next year,I know its his old club and loves playing there,but?

Also after the AO next year needs to take a rest before the h/court season really comes into play

Hopefully I can talk some sense into him next year if i get a chance to speak to him there.lol!

Hi, AM,

Guess what, I've been indulging in one of your favourite passtimes
today ... shopping.

Midnight train to Georgia was the song I couldn't find. I'm off topic, so I'd better shut up.

AM please do try and talk him out of Barca :)
have you seen the pic with him and the Harley? *sigh* too hot LOL

try this link to the Rafa-Harley pic:
http://tinyurl.com/nu3ztz

Mina Yes with the harley,heaven help the other drivers on the road,gee scary indeed.

Rafa please take care,you are not known for your skills as a driver period. lol!

Lynne, you mean you couldn't find the song on YouTube? IC at least 5 videos of Gladys singing her heart out, and of course another poster linked to one of 'em last nite. Here's another one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pHhItkhc7o

NP Tried to get into a matinee session for Aida gee booked out.

Well I will keep trying,this producion does go to September though.

Semifinal Results:

Bastad
Juan Monaco defeated Tommy Robredo 6-0,6-2
Robin Soderling defeated Andreas Vinciguerra 6-1,7-6(6)

Stuttgart
Victor Hanescu defeated Fabio Fognini 6-3,6-7(4),6-2
Jeremy Chardy defeated Nicolas Kiefer 6-3,7-5

Palermo
Sara Errani leads Anna-Lena Groenefeld 6-3,4-6,6-1
Flavia Pennetta defeated Tathiana Garbin 6-1,6-1

Prague - Matches to resume at 4 AM TW on Sunday
Sybille Bammer leads Iveta Benesova 3-0
Francesca Schiavone and Timea Bacsinszky to follow

Sunday Finals(all times TW or USA EST):

ATP: Bastad at 8 AM - Juan Monaco vs Robin Soderling
WTA: Prague at 9 AM - Francesca Schiavone/Timea Bacsinszky winner vs Iveta Benesova/Sybille Bammer winner(Semifinal matches will start at 4 AM at the same time on different courts)
ATP: Stuttgart at 9:30 AM - Jeremy Chardy vs Victor Hanescu
WTA: Palermo at 1:30 PM - Flavia Pennetta vs Sara Errani

NP,

Nope, just couldn't find it last night but 'puter was acting very strangely. Seems fine today ... found it easily today.

AM, you should be alright, then. Keep trying.

Gotcha, Lynne.

Indianapolis will have one main draw match tomorrow:

Battle of Wildcards at 2 PM TW
Rajeev Ram, who won Newport last week, vs Devin Britton, who Pete wrote a post about while he was at Wimbledon.

Aussiemarg,
Dinara is playing Portoroz for the first time in her career.

Some early news for the Hopman Cup next year

Lleyton Hewitt and Samantha Stosur will partner up for Oz.

Master Ace Thanks for that,I thought so.Maybe as another poster did point out earlier she needs to get her confidence factor back.

Nancy has posted a pic of Nalby over on FB... nice hair cut, the tiny ponytail is gone.

The lack of respect for Jimmy Connors' achievements never ceases to amaze me. Watson is close to winning the Brit Open in golf as an elder statesman - what about what Connors did in '82 with the Wimbledon/US Open wins at the tennis over the hill age of 29/30? Then he successfully defends his US Open title the next year. He was no. 1 way longer than Borg ever was, and his title count will never be surpassed. You guys give Federer a tough time about not having to face Nadal in Grand Slams - how about Borg not having Connors to worry about for a bunch of his French Opens. And when the US Open was catering to the European/South American retrievers like Borg and Vilas with clay courts, Connors took out Borg on clay in the 76 US Open final. Come on American tennis fans, be patriotic for once, recognize Jimmy and get your heads out of Borg's behind..

Jimmy indeed had a most impressive career.

He still holds all time atp wins record.Connors has 8 GS titles

Has 1,241 wins on the atp tour,comparing to Roger who has 650.

Also considering the atp didnt exist until 1972 Jimmy had by then already hit the scene.

i feel sad not to have been around during the connors/borg/lendl/mac era

Nadal defends the title Mallorca Charitiable Golf tournament. He loves golf too. I think that is better that driving the Harley, don't you think?

http://vamosrafa.es/2009/07/rafa-nadal-defiende-victoria-en-un.html

Evening All. Federer/Seppi on TC - Hamburg 2008 match

Ros: unfortunately this summer is going to be a bit of a bummer for me. My plans to head to Toronto/Montreal have been derailed as a result of Immigration laws here in Cayman, which mandates that I have to head home after 7 years. As a result I have to ensure that all unnecessary spending has to be put on hold. There goes the Canada vacation plans. Hopefully when things settle down I will be able to visit and watch the guys and gals play. As a result of having to head back to Jamaica later this year I am now in serious discussions with the local cable provider in Jamaica to ensure that Tennis Channel is carried on their cable service. Man, you should see the emails that I have been sending. I am writing to everyon

Television Schedule for Hamburg and Indianapolis:

Friday from Indianapolis
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM on Tennis Channel
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM on ESPN2
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM on ESPN2

Saturday
Hamburg - 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM on Tennis Channel
Indianapolis - 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM on ESPN2
Indianapolis - 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM on Tennis Channel

Sunday
Hamburg - 9:00 AM - 11:30 AM on Tennis Channel
Indianapolis - 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM on ESPN2

Rafa playing golf in Mallorca

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yn5GcfQZyA&feature=player_embedded

Interview with Jordan Cox (Wimby Junior RUP) -- http://www.tennisweek.com/news/fullstory.sps?inewsid=6636377

Hiya all

FLove the picture up the top and so happy for Pico. Hoping he can win the final. Congrats to Flavia Flav as well, hoping she wins as well. That would be a good weekend of sport for me.

AM sorry about Carlton beating the Swans yesterday. We haven't beaten you guys in 12 matches which is 9 years so it was well overdue.

hi Ange! Flav played a brilliant match - hope she wins the final.. In Bastad though I want Sod to win (though I like Pico's game too). Since the start of May, Sod has lost to only one player. Methinks he deserves to win a title (at last!) after having such a good run. :)

Let's go Victor, let's go!

Hai Victor!

AA Dont worry Calton deserve to win regardless,the Swans season just woeful.

Gee Aussies cant win even on a penalty recount

The Argies won the Hockey Championship over Australia

Gee,the Cricket,Rugby Union,The Hockey

Heaven Help us.

The umpires at the cricket need their eyes tested ASAP

Just showed replay that was a No Ball,Katich should have not been dismissed

Great just another quick nail in the coffin,geez.

Ricky whose highest score here at Lords is 42.Yikes!

No Spaniards to cheer on in tennis singles finals today.

No Spaniards threatening in the British Open.

Have to look to the Tour de France and motorcycle racing in Germany.

Spaniards were piggishly rude in the 125cc GP race. Took the first five places.

Spaniard leading the 250cc race and four of the top six currently are Spaniards.

Now, if one or more Spaniards can finish in front of Dr. Rossi in the MotoGP race, that would be great.

And we might have some serious competition today in the Tour de France, now that we have a climbing finish in the Swiss Alps. Let's see if Contador and Armstrong duke it out.

AM what a crap decision, are the umps blind. Hello btw.

I am trying to find a scores for the quallie matches in Hamburg. Canas vs Starace to get into MD.

Gee I didn't realise Katich got out on a no ball. The second wicket the ball hit the ground first.

I don't mind Aussies losing to Argentina in the hockey.

Manuel Well I am so finished with the cricket I am looking foward with interest in the upcoming climb up the mountain.

Contador is now coming overall 3rd and Armstrong 4th.

Gee rain and very slippery conditions in the practice session yesterday for pole postions in Germany.Rossi has 1st place pole postion.Rode well in the wet.Gee a lot of them came off their bikes.

Hopefully no rain today to spoil this race.

One last comment about Richard Gasquet versus Hingis. I know this is not the area to post but .... It is my understanding that Richard had THREE times the amount of cocaine in his system as Martina Hingis. If the amount in his system was so small as to be compared to a grain of salt and not worthy a 2 year suspension, then how do they justify their penalty for Martina.

Also, I am not sure Richard's case was decided during an appeal process. I thought this was the regular tribunal decision just as with Martina. Martina was just being honest - if she didn't take cocaine then the sample had to be wrong, Richard took a ridiculous path - he kissed a girl who may or may not have taken cocaine. She was not interviewed or brought in to testify at the hearing. Just his word on it. Are you kidding me?!?!?!?

Martina Hingis's case remains such an outrage to me, even after almost 2 years. She really deserved and continue to deserves better.

AA yes that ball was dropped feel a bit sorry for Hughes.

Also Ricky hurt his finger early on,goodness me the nightmare continues.

Spaniards display some moderation and only take 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 7th in the 250cc Grand Prix race.

Pete, did you know you are now blocked in China? I'm sure its nothing personal, they've blocked all the typepad sites ... in addition to facebook, youtube, blogspot ...

Thankfully there are ways around The Great Firewall otherwise we'd all go nuts

2nd round quallies have started in Hamburg. Canas is serving first.

Canas holds his serve to 30. I wish there was a stream for this match. Streaming doesn't start until the 23rd.

Morning Angel. Where are you watching the match

Anyone who wants a stream for the Monaco vs Soderling match.

http://www.bet365.com/extra/extra.aspx?ContentPath=LiveStreaming%2cStreaming

Oh sorry Angel, just saw your second post about no streams. Well, going to feed the animals. Talk to you all later. Bummer about there being no tennis on tv. Guess everyone is outside enjoying the summer.

Damn Starace has broken Canas's serve quite convincingly.

Canas breaks straight back, thank goodness.

Karen

I should of posted the channel surf link.

The H2H between Monaco/Soderling favs Soderling.

Sods with a couple of big fhs to hold for his first serve.

Sods breaks Monaco in the 2nd game.

Mr Potato Head won the first set 6-4.

Valentino Rossi is still the Doctor. He wins the MotoGP. Spaniards Lorenzo and Pedrosa take second and third. Spaniards take 7 of the 9 podium places in the three Grand Prix/MotoGP reaces.

MSF -- elsewhere your Kiss of Death guy just finished his British Open. Potential interesting story developing beyond Watson. A sixteen year old Italian amateur is within four shots of the lead.

Angel -- any updates on the Sod match?

Sods has already broken in the 2nd set and looking the goods. He has played really strong.

Canas lost his match against Mr Potato Head 4-6, 2-6 so he didn't make the MD. I'm gutted but not as gutted as Willy must feel. Congrats to Starace.

mcakron:

Best thing chokedog Garcia did was take himself out of the tournament yesterday. I didn't waste any of my time seeing how he would self-destruct on Sunday.

If Watson can hold on, that would be amazing. Believe that he is the sentimental favorite for many people.