ATP/WTA Estoril Open

[Drummond]

Estoril Open

Estoril, Portugal, Apr. 14-Apr. 20.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

ATP Main Draw:

(1)FEDERER, Roger SUI v ROCHUS, Olivier BEL
PATIENCE, Olivier FRA v HANESCU, Victor ROU
QUALIFIER v QUALIFIER
(WC)GIL, FredericoPOR v (6)MAHUT, Nicolas FRA

(4)NIEMINEN, Jarkko FIN v GREMELMAYR, Denis GER
MAYER, Florian GER v GABASHVILI, Teimuraz RUS
VANEK, JiriCZE v PETZSCHNER, Philipp GER
(WC)ELIAS, Gastao POR v (8)BERRER, Michael GER

(5)SIMON, Gilles FRA v KARANUSIC, Roko CRO
CIPOLLA, Flavio ITA v ROGER-VASSELIN, Edouard FRA
QUALIFIER v SERRA, Florent FRA
(WC)MACHADO, Rui POR v (3)KARLOVIC, Ivo CRO

(7)GICQUEL, Marc FRA v PASHANSKI, Boris SRB
ASCIONE, Thierry FRA v QUALIFIER
MINAR, Ivo CZE v VASSALLO ARGUELLO, Martin ARG
MELZER, JurgenAUT v (2)DAVYDENKO, Nikolay RUS

WTA Main Draw:

(1)PENNETTA, Flavia ITA v MEUSBURGER, Yvonne AUT
BENESOVA, Iveta CZE v (WC)SILVA, Neuza POR
PIRONKOVA, Tsvetana BUL v DUBOIS, Stephanie CAN
KERBER, Angelique GER v (8)PIN, Camille FRA

(4)SAFAROVA, Lucie CZE v FLIPKENS, Kirsten BEL
KREMER, Anne LUX v ANI, Maret EST
KLOESEL, Sandra GER v SAVCHUK, Olga UKR
OSTERLOH, Lilia USA v (7)ARVIDSSON, Sofia SWE

(6)ZAKOPALOVA, Klara CZE v RODINA, Evgeniya RUS
QUALIFIER v DE LOS RIOS, Rossana PAR
QUALIFIER v NICULESCU, Monica ROU
(WC)PIEDADE, Frederica POR v (3)KNAPP, Karin ITA

(5)GARBIN, Tathiana ITA v QUALIFIER
(WC)LARCHERDE BRITO, Michelle POR v MAMIC, Sanda CRO
KLEYBANOVA, Alisa RUS v CETKOVSKA, Petra CZE
QUALIFIER v (2)KIRILENKO, Maria RUS
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Despite this being one of the few combined ATP/WTA events, it’s not overly significant. It’s a Tier IV for the women and for the men there are only 175 ranking points on offer which I suppose makes it somewhat equivalent to that of a Tier IV.

It's a suprise to many that the World #1 is even participating in this event and all eyes will be on Federer to see whether he can regain some form before next week’s Masters Series event in Monte Carlo. I’m predicting a Federer/Davydenko final, and really, it shouldn't be any other way as the drop off to the 3rd seed is pretty huge.

On the women's side, the question is will Maria Kirilenko go back to her winning ways or will her slide towards mediocrity continue? The same could probably be said for Lucie Safarova. Both need big tournaments here to get their confidence back.

 

[Drummond]

Federer beat Olivier Rochus 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. Pretty unconvincing really, while Davydenko cruised through to the 2nd round.

As for the women, Lucie Safarova lost 1st round, Kirilenko managed to win in 3.

 

[Bloods boy from the Bush]

Seems a majority of the top women are playing in the Family Circle Cup in Charleston USA.

 

[Drummond]

Seems a majority of the top women are playing in the Family Circle Cup in Charleston USA.

Yeh that's a Tier I so most of the top players are there. Sorana Cirstea, one of my players to watch, beat Anna Chakvetadze yesterday and will now face Alize Cornet. I'm telling you, gun in the making!

Davydenko beat Ivo Minar in 3 sets today. Why won't he just lose?

 

[amer]

Roger Federer has reached his first final of the year.

The top-ranked player rallied to defeat Denis Gremelmayr 2-6, 7-5, 6-1 Saturday in the Estoril Open semifinals. It's been eight years since Federer needed five tournaments to get a shot at his first trophy of season.

Federer will play either 2003 champion Nikolay Davydenko or Florent Serra, who meet in the other semifinal Saturday.

On the women's side, Maria Kirilenko of Russia rallied to defeat Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 and reach the final.

Kirilenko will play the 132nd-ranked Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic, who defeated Maret Ani of Estonia 6-2, 6-1.

Federer still struggling but keeps on winning. I think Davydenko will finally beat him though. And as for the women, Kirilenko should win.

 

[Drummond]

Results from this weeks tournaments:

Estoril Open: Federer def. Davydenko 7-6 1-2 ret. Well done Nikolay.

Estoril Open: Maria Kirilenko def. Iveta Benesova 6-4 6-2. Good to see Maria back on the winners list but the true test will come in more competitive tournaments. Still, a step in the right direction and winning a title will always give you confidence.

Charleston: Serena Williams def. Vera Zvonareva 6-4 3-6 6-3.

Valencia Open: David Ferrer def. Nicolás Almagro 4-6 6-2 7-6(2).

And the highlight for me came at the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship:

Marcel Granollers-Pujol upset top-seeded James Blake 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 on Sunday in the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship for his first tour title.

The seventh-seeded Spaniard came back from 3-0 down in the third set, turning back the American who at one point won 18 of 19 points.

But Granollers-Pujol, No. 84 in the world, would not go away and Blake, the world's eighth-ranked player, missed a chance to win his first clay-court title. He lost in the quarterfinals two years ago, the semifinals last year and reached the final this year.

The Spaniard won it when Blake hit a backhand long. After the match, Granollers-Pujol turned to his coach and screamed as he squatted and clenched his fists.

James Flake at it again.

 

[Bloods boy from the Bush]

James Flake at it again.

My highlitgh was that the guy who beat him World No.84 was actually the No.7 seed in the tournament.

 

[cascada]

shame Zvonny couldn't claim the scalp.