Tennis Players Start Smoking on Grass

Out with the clay and in with the Wimbledon preparations.  Three grass tournaments are already under way and one hanger-on, Barcelona (a new women’s event) is sticking with the red clay surface.  Here’s a breakdown of the tournaments for the week.

For the women:

Barcelona KIA – New Event in Barcelona, Spain
Tier IV – Red Clay
Prize Money: $145,000
Top Seed in the 32 Draw: Francesca Schiavone

DFS Classic - long time warm-up to Wimbledon in Birmingham, England
Tier III – Prize Money: $200,000
Top seed is the Maria Sharapova in a 56 Draw (8 Byes) – thank God Jelena Jankovic is there to ensure Maria walks home without another victory.
2006 Singles Final:  Vera Zvonareva d. Jamea Jackson 7-6(12) 7-6(5)
2006 Doubles Final:  Jelena Jankovic/Na Li d. Jill Craybas/Liezel Huber 6-2 6-4

For the men: 

The Artois Championships in London, England
Date: June 11-17, 2007
56 Draw on grass surface
Prize Money: €680,250
Top seed: Rafael Nadal, but I’m envisioning Novak Djokovic and Andy Roddick in this year’s final.
2006 Singles Final: Lleyton Hewitt d James Blake 6-4 6-4
2006 Doubles Final: Paul Hanley/Kevin Ullyett d Jonas Björkman/Max Mirnyi 6-4 3-6 10-8

Gerry Weber Open in Halle, Germany
June 11-17, 2007
32 Draw on Grass surface
Prize Money: €680,250
Top seed:  Roger bowed out so it’s Nikolay Davydenko in the bottom half where it’s heavily overloaded with Blake and Bahgdatis, while on the top half, Nalbandian should have a cake walk into the finals, but he doesn’t. 
2006 Singles Final: Roger Federer d. Thomas Berdych 6-0 6-7(4) 6-2
2006 Doubles Final: Fabrice Santoro/Nenad Zimonjic d Michael Kohlmann/Rainer Schuettler 6-0 6-4

Davydenko got eye-popped this afternoon but still won his match.  Ouch!  I’ve had that happen to me on a lob that passed through bright sunshine.  It smarts.  Don’t try it at home … court.