The Impending Fed Cup

Rafael Nadal beat Roger Federer, nay, The Clay Machine rolled over The Gentleman of Tennis.  Anyone not see that one coming?  The Bryan Brothers won their first Monte Carlo hardware.  Read all about it.   

Next week, the boys take to either Barcelona or Casablanca – oh, what difficult decisions these players have to make!  In Barcelona, defending champ and still adding to his insane record of consecutive clay court wins, Nadal (as if you wondered who I was talking about) will probably play Tommy Robredo in the last round again this year. Check the brackets.

As for what’s going on in women’s tennis, well, slaughterings galore. All Fed Cup matches thus far in World Group I have been shut-outs. I hate that. When you know your team has one the war, let up a little in the battle. Show some grace. The final word isn’t in yet for USA v Belgium, but chances are high it will be the same.

Next week, is Tier III event Gaz de France Budapest Grand Prix. Israel’s Anna Smashnova is reigning queen, but is not returning. The brackets tell me that Italy’s Tathiana Garbin should be able to honor her #1 seed. Only a few problems stand in her way. Unfortunately, problem #1 for her is in the first round. Spain’s Nuria Llagostera Vives can summon up some super tennis, but she’s iffy at best. Her only other stumbling blocks to the winner’s circle should be Gisela Dulko, another uneven player but can spray a mean can of whoop-ass when you least expect it. Elena Likhovtseva could be a tough opponent should they meet in the semis. The only real threat should be if Maria Kirilenko can resurge and storm through her half of the draw. I consider Elena and Maria to be clay court savants, at times. Greece’s Eleni Daniilidou, epitomy of eratic, is a minor threat. The doubles event, barring injury, should be the #1 seeds there, too, of Kirilenko/Likhovtseva. Because the only two things scarier than facing a Russian tennis player across a court of clay are (a) Justine Henin or (b) two Russian tennis players that love doubles. One final note on this tournament: there is almost always the “amazing run” story at the lower-tiered events. My guess is that either I have missed Romina Oprandi as the dark horse or that Olga Savchuk, still clawing away in the qualifying rounds, will have a nice run if she makes it into the main event.

And the final note of the day is HALLELUJAH! for Zina Garrison, USA coach in Fed Cup, for giving Vania King a chance to play and to be seen by her fellow citizens. You honor both of our countries by doing so – The USA because of your sense of sportsmanship and Belgium by allowing their team a chance to get on the scoreboard. I just hope Vania’s not too tired to play with Lisa Raymond. The USA has one of the two top-ranked doubles players. I would love to see Vania grow from working with all of these amazing players.