Monday Net Post

By TW Contributing Editor, Ed McGrogan

Last Week's Tournaments

Western & Southern Financial Group Masters (ATP - Hard - Cincinnati, United States)

• Singles Final: Andy Murray def. Novak Djokovic 7-6, 7-6.
  - Singles Semifinal: Andy Murray def. Ivo Karlovic 6-4, 6-4.
  - Singles Semifinal: Novak Djokovic def. Rafael Nadal 6-1, 7-5.
• Singles Bracket

• Doubles Final: Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan def. Jonathan Erlich/Andy Ram 4-6, 7-6, 10-7.
  - Doubles Semifinal: Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan def. Mahesh Bhupathi/Mark Knowles 4-6, 7-6, 10-8.
  - Doubles Semifinal: Jonathan Erlich/Andy Ram def. Daniel Nestor/Nenad Zimonjic 6-4, 5-7, 10-7.
• Doubles Bracket

Rogers Cup (WTA - Hard - Montreal, Canada)

• Singles Final: Dinara Safina def. Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 6-1.
  - Singles Semifinal: Dinara Safina def. Victoria Azarenka 6-0, 2-6, 6-3.
  - Singles Semifinal: Dominika Cibulkova def. Marion Bartoli 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
• Singles Bracket

• Doubles Final: Cara Black/Liezel Huber def. Maria Kirilenko/Flavia Pennetta 6-1, 6-1.
  - Doubles Semifinal: Cara Black/Liezel Huber def. Elena Vesnina/Vera Zvonareva (walkover).
  - Doubles Semifinal: Maria Kirilenko/Flavia Pennetta def. Kveta Peschke/Rennae Stubbs 6-4, 6-0.
• Doubles Bracket

Nordea Nordic Light Open (WTA - Hard - Stockholm, Sweden)

• Singles Final: Caroline Wozniacki def. Vera Douchevina 6-0, 6-2.
  - Singles Semifinal: Caroline Wozniacki def. Agnieszka Radwankska 6-4, 6-1.
  - Singles Semifinal: Vera Douchevina def. Katarina Srebotnik 6-1, 6-2.

• Doubles Final: Iveta Benesova/Barbora Zahlavova Strycova def. Petra Cetkovska/Lucie Safarova 7-5, 6-4.
  - Doubles Semifinal: Iveta Benesova/Barbora Zahlavova Strycova def. Anabel Medina Garrigues/Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-3, 6-4.
  - Doubles Semifinal: Petra Cetkovska/Lucie Safarova def. Camille Pin/Yanina Wickmayer (walkover).

• Singles & Doubles Bracket

By the Letter

T...hough improving on hard courts, Rafael Nadal is not a fan of how many tournaments are staged on the surface.
E...xhibition news: Federer and Borg versus McEnroe and Nadal (or Blake) in doubles.  Read all about it here.
N...ew umber one (men): Rafael Nadal.
N...ew umber one (women): Jelena Jankovic.
I...nteresting take on the Carson WTA tournament, courtesy of Jim Alexander at The Press-Enterprise.
S...teve Bellamy's unisex tournament will feature some big names, including Tommy Haas, Sam Querrey, and Ashley Harkleroad.
W...TA's Road Map underwent further revision this week, in hopes of coaxing more top stars to play in the WTA's marquee events.
O...lympic omissions: Maria Sharapova for the women, Marcos Baghdatis for the men.  Sharapova will also miss the U.S. Open due to her shoulder injury.
R...etired legend Andre Agassi will break out the racquets again, for a charity event hosted by the Bryan brothers.
L...ove this title: "Roddick pulls out of Cincinnati with pain in the neck".
D...anish darling destroys Dushevina.

McGrogan's Heroes

ATP - Andy Murray

Murray’s win over rival Novak Djokovic in the Cincinnati final was by a razor-thin margin: 7-6, 7-6. The score was also emblematic of how close their games resemble one another’s.

I watched Murray extensively when I was in Toronto. He has no signature shot, but his groundstrokes are hit with good power and spin, he's very fleet of foot, and he can pop a few aces from the baseline. Also, he doesn't mind throwing in the occasional drop shot. That reminds me of someone else...Mr. Djokovic! When the two met in Canada, Murray won because he looked the fresher of the two. But both played a smart yet forceful brand of tennis, and by the end, I felt like I was watching two parallel players.

This week, it was deja vu - in both a macro and micro-sense of the term. Both were fresh this time, and played a very competitive final that ultimately went Murray’s way once again. It was not without struggle. Murray needed six championship points before finally winning, and he was broken while serving for the title at 5-4. But he didn’t let it slip away, which was critical.

Murray’s first significant title should do wonders for his confidence.  Many players who've had success in Canada and Cincinnati have fared well at Flushing Meadows, and I expect Murray to do the same.  After Djokovic zoomed ahead of Murray in the rankings, he became the young player to talk about, after Nadal.  Murray could get back into that discussion if he can put up a big result later this month.

WTA - Dinara Safina

Who's the best player in tennis right now?  On the men's side, Roger Federer still holds the No. 1 ranking, but mostly everyone will emphatically say that it's Rafael Nadal.  For the women, Ana Ivanovic is the computer No. 1, although Jelena Jankovic will dethrone her in just a few days.  But is either of them playing better then Safina at the moment?

Consider this poll question, currently on the WTA's website: "Where will Dinara Safina be ranked at the end of the 2008 Sony Ericsson WTA Tour season?"  There is a choice of "No. 1".  And for good reason - Safina is playing tremendous tennis lately.  She's 27-3 since Berlin, with three titles and a Grand Slam final in that stretch.  And she's looking even better on hard courts.

Safina isn't just beating her opponents, she's doing so with ease.  Look at some of the scores she's posted in the last two weeks:

• vs. Azarenka: 6-3, 6-1.
• vs. Jankovic: 7-6, 6-1.
• vs. Pennetta: 6-4, 6-2.
• vs. Schnyder: 6-2, 6-2.
• vs. Cibulkova: 6-2, 6-1.

Every one of these players is in the Top 20, which is all the more impressive.

This picture of Safina was too good to pass up.  She's not just towering over Cibulkova, she's doing so over the rest of the WTA Tour.  But I'm holding off any bold statements until she gets by a Williams sister in a night match at Ashe Stadium.

Tennis Theatre

Some of you may have seen this before, but if not, watch for the unique racquet - and serve motion:

This Week's Tournament

• TV Schedule

Countrywide Classic (ATP - Hard - Los Angeles, United States)

• Singles Bracket
• Doubles Bracket
• Website

Beyond the Bracket

Dear Roger,

Congratulations.

(Seriously.)

Although someone finally wrestled the No. 1 ranking from your grip, you should be commended for holding onto the top spot for so long.  This remarkable longevity required exceptional play on all surfaces, and not just at the Slams.  Since 2004, you’ve won 13 of the 34 Masters Series events you’ve played, and reached the final on seven other occasions.

Furthermore, your reign was unimpeded for so long because of your relentless commitment to excellence.  All across the globe, you’ve played.  And all across the globe, you’ve won.  I’ve told everyone I know to watch you play during the past few years, because although you will win more tournaments, you will probably never have a run quite like what we saw from 2004-2007.  Deep down, you must be extremely proud of yourself.

But deep down, you must be aching after what’s transpired this year.  Djokovic matured, Nadal improved; you got sick.  Even when you were playing great, like at Wimbledon, things sometimes didn’t go your way.  The Olympics and the U.S. Open are still to come, and for your sake, I hope they are triumphs instead of tribulations.

But regardless of what happens, the No. 1 ranking is gone – for now, of course.  When that seismic shift was made official, I thought about a quote of yours; one that sums up your approach to tennis so simply: “No. 2, No. 3, it doesn’t matter so much.  It’s No. 1 that matters.”

All good things, including unbelievably good tennis, must end.  And that’s why I’m suggesting that you take a short break.  Not right now, but after the U.S. Open.  Win or lose at Flushing Meadows, you deserve a vacation.  A lengthy stay in Dubai might be nice this time of year.  Or head back to beautiful Basel.  Give yourself a rest from the media, the pressure, and the demands of the tour.  Clearing your head might be the best thing for 2009, which you’re probably already thinking about.

You’ve already clinched a spot in the Tennis Masters Cup, so don’t worry about Madrid or Paris.  The French capital has never been that kind to you anyways, both indoors and outside.  And take a pass on Stockholm as well.  I’m still wondering why you’re playing there in the first place, but if…I were you, I’d reconsider.  Shutting it down for a while could be a big help, considering what’s happened this year.

Clearing all these events from your schedule will have you fresh for the two tournaments you should play – and enjoy.  (You haven’t looked particularly happy on court of late.)  The first is your hometown tournament in Basel.  And second is the year-end championship.  Wait until Shanghai to meet up with your buds in the Top 10 again.  They might not even know what hit them after not seeing you for so long.

If anyone deserves to relax, it’s you, Rog.  You’ve accomplished most of your career goals at just 26, and have made the sport of tennis better for all involved.  You should enjoy the fruits of your labor.  Even if 2008 didn’t turn out the way you wanted it to, end it on a nice note with an extended vacation after the U.S. Open.  Go shopping.  See friends at home.  And when you see your friends on the tour again in Shanghai, remind them of why you were No. 1 for four and a half straight years.

if...

you're Roger Federer, do you think this suggestion is a good idea?