The 2011 Queen's Club - Quarterfinals

Huge upset yesterday in the quarters as Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeated the No. 1 player in the world Rafael Nadal 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-1.

In this match Tsonga shot 25 aces and kept Nadal on his heels with his strong baseline play and smooth net play. 

Only two points were played before the match was interrupted by rain.  Nadal decided to stay out and sign autographs despite the rain and the court being covered.

When play resumed Nadal took the first set and in the sixth game fought off a break point.  Rafa did fail to convert three break points when it was 5-5, but he ended up claiming the last five points of the tiebreak. 

In the second set both players exchanged breaks and then Tsonga broke again to lead 5-4.  He then served out the set. 

Rafa missed a very important forehand volley at the net on game point.  Tsonga ended up breaking Nadal early 1-0.   This got Tsonga going and he dominated the rest of the match.

Nadal will now go back to Mallorca and prepare for Wimbledon.  

"Probably after losing the second set mentally I lost my concentration,” Nadal said. “The negative thing is I lost. The positive thing is I have few days off and can stop a little bit mentally. I can be a little bit more relaxed, because every day I play with pressure.”

 Andy Roddick absolutely destroyed Fernando Verdasco winning 6-2, 6-2. 

Early in the match Andy took a  lead 2-1 after breaking Verdasco and in the fifth game he did it again taking a 4-1 lead. 

In the second set Roddick still dominated, breaking again to go up 2-1 and holding at 3-1 before the rains interrupted play.

Once play resumed after an hour and 45 minute delay, Roddick quickly took control again by breaking Fernando.

Andy failed to convert two match points on Verdasco's serve, but won the match in the next game on a second-serve ace for his fourth match point.

“My first rain delay of the year is out of the way,” Roddick said.

The surprise of the tournament, James Ward is also into the semis after his defeat of Adrian Mannarino of France 6-2, 6-7 (14), 6-4.

Ward, ranked 217th won his eighth match  point after Adrian Mannarino previously saved seven of them in the second set.  He will face Tsonga in his first ever ATP semifinal on Saturday.

“Obviously I’m delighted to get through,” Ward said. “I never felt like giving up—even after the second set—I hung in there and waited for the chances to come. A bit of luck at the end and I came through.”

Andy Murray received a walkover into the semifinals after Miran Cilic withdrew due to an ankle injury.  Murray will face Roddick in the semis.

The 2011 Queen's Club - Round 3

On Thursday the third round matches took place.  On Court 1 Fernando Verdasco played David Nalbandian.  This was the best match of the week so far.  Nalbandian was playing his usual smooth style with his two-handed backhand against Verdasco's powerful lefty forehand. 

Out of the two David looks like the better overall player but Fernando played the best he could getting out of a few break points and really using his forehand to take control.  Verdasco justs gets by and wins the first set 7-5 on a powerful forehand that was returned just wide by Nalbandian.  In the second set Fernando breaks David and he instantly falls apart.  Verdasco ends up winning 7-5, 6-1.

Next up on court one was Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Michael Llodra both of France.  Tsonga can be an explosive player.  He started the match of with an ace and it looked like he would be in control of the match.  He has gotten rid of his coach and he just wants to find that independence he once had.  Tsonga has been playing at the top of his game and has just been fun to watch recently.  Leading 4-3 the rains came and there was around an hour delay.  When the rain subsided Llodra had retired do to a upper leg injury.

Sadly one of my favorite tennis players lost in the next match on Court 1.  Juan Martin Del Potro lost to the Frenchmen Adrian Mannarino 6-7 (3-7), 6-7 (7-9).  In the first point of the game, Adrain dropped an awesome drop shot right over the net and from that point on you knew the Frenchmen was going to be a tricky opponent.  Mannarino has nothing special about his game, he just works hard and executes.  I was surprised when Delpo lost but that's how it goes. We all know Delpo isn't the best on grass and Thursday he played passively and that is a recipe for disaster for Juan Martin on the grass.  Adrian took the initiative and went for winners early and kept the rallies short.  There was some luck for Mannarino as everything seemed to be going his way.  He played at the top of his level.  Juan Martin del Potro is the better tennis player by far just Mannarino survived everything del Potro threw at him and had a career day.

Adrian Mannarino

Marin Cilic

The last match of the day on Court 1 was Marin Cilic and Thomaz Bellucci.  The match started out well but then kinda went downward.  With the scored tied 3-3, deuce, Cilic limped of the court into the chair and called for a trainer.  He messed up his right ankle and had it bandaged and iced.  The delay took quite a long time but Cilic came out firing with two backhand winners to break.  Despite the break, Bellucci had the match for the taking because Cilic could barely move.  The only problem was Thomaz seemed to lose his way and the first set went to Marin.  Finally Bellucci woke up and took the second set 6-0 as it got darker and colder.  In the third set Bellucci fell apart again and gave up an early break.  He then called for a trainer and eventually lost the match 7-6 (7-3), 0-6, 6-3 in a game that was determined by which player could be less self-destructive.

Over on Centre Court the top 3, Nadal, Murray and Roddick all won their matches and are into the quarterfinals. 

Nadal won in three sets against Radek Stepanek 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, advancing to the quarters at the Queen's Club. 

“I think I played much better than yesterday,” Nadal said. “I was playing a very confident match but at 5-3, 40-15 he played well and I made a few mistakes. But the turning point of the match was the beginning of the third set, especially the first game, was tough, and after that I think I played my best.”

 

Roddick, who is going after his 5th title at the Queen's Club, beat Kevin Anderson of South Africa 6-4, 6-4 and Murray beat Janko Tipsarevic 6-4, 7-6 (3).

Also, earlier today James Ward upset Sam Querrey 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.  Ward also upset Wawrinka in the second round.  Ward is now in the quarters.

Here is how the quarters look:  Verdasco vs. Roddick, Cilic vs. Murray, Nadal vs. Tsonga and Ward vs. Mannarino.

Come back tomorrow for updates on the quarters.

Jun. 6-12 - The Queen's Club - 1st and 2nd rounds

Earlier this week the Aegon Championship, also known as The Queen's Club began.  It is the first warm up for Wimbledon and it starts the grass season.

Just three days after his victory in Paris, Nadal started his campaign toward winning Wimbledon.  On Wednesday he beat Aussie qualifier Matthew Ebden 6-4, 6-4 in the second round.  Nadal received a bye in the first round as well as the top eight players in this tournament.

Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer both withdrew from their first warm up for Wimbledon, but Rafa decided to participate even after just winning the French 3 days ago.  “To celebrate the victory, I’m going to have time later,” Nadal said. “I have to be focused on the grass-court season.”

Nadal struggled a little bit in his opening match but that is usual when switching from clay to grass that quickly.  It’s impossible to be playing well the first day,” said Nadal, the 2008 Wimbledon champion. “The energy is not in the perfect condition right now but I’m here to try my best as usual."

“I’m here because I love this tournament … but at the same time, it works for me to try to start to have the feelings on grass. Sure, my conditions are not perfect because I feel everything (his muscles) a little more tighter than usual.”

Nadal on the grass at The Queen's Club.

In his first match there were constant rain delays and Andy Murray's extended match which both kept Nadal in the locker room much longer then he wanted. 


Andy Murray defeated Xavier Malisse in the second round 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 to set up a third round match against Janko Tipsarevic.  The 2009 Queen's champ said his ankle is still bothering him as he starts his journey to gain his first Grand Slam title.


“I want to play as many matches as possible, but I also want to go into Wimbledon pain free,” Murray said. “Obviously playing on it and doing what I did at the French Open is not exactly the best course of action to get the ankle better.

In other matches eighth-seeded Marian Cilic of Croatia advanced to the third round, beating French qualifier Arnaud Clement 6-4, 6-4.

Twelfth-seeded Juan Martin Del Potro won his match first round match beating Denis Istomin  6-4, 6-2 and his second round match against Igor Kunitsyn winning 6-4, 6-4. 

Third-seeded Andy Roddick won his second round match against Feliciano Lopez 7-6 (7-2), 6-7 (5-7), 6-4.

Seventh-seed Verdasco beat Nicolas Mahut 6-2, 6-3 and Fifth-seeded Frenchmen Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is into the third round after a defeat of Michael Berrer 6-0, 6-1. 

Fernando Verdasco

In the second round fourth-seeded Stan Wawrinka was upset by James Ward of Great Britain.  Sam Querrey of the U.S. won his 1st and 2nd round match.

Sixth-seeded Gilles Simon of France withdrew due to injury from his second round  match after winning the second set and being up 3-0 in the third.  This led to Adrian Mannarino also of France going to the third round.


Come back tomorrow for 3rd round updates.

Roland Garros 2011 - Men's Final

Rafa is once again crowned the king of the clay.  Today he beat Roger Federer in the finals of the French Open in Paris 7-5, 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-1.  Roger Federer, the player with the most Grand Slam titles, was defeated for the fourth time in the French final by Nadal.

With this victory Nadal tied Bjorn Borg at six for the most titles at Roland Garros. This was Rafa's 10th career Grand Slam victory.  Fed hit the final shot long and instantly Rafa dropped to his knees and covered his face.

"To win this final against one of the best players in the world and in history is something which is really fantastic for me," said Nadal, who will keep his No. 1 ranking. "It's one of my most beautiful dreams."

Rafael Nadal's record at Roland Garros is now 45-1 with a 17-8 record against Federer.  Rafa is 6-2 against Roger in Grand Slam finals.

Rafa and Fed battle for a point in the French final on Court Philippe Chatrier.

"As it often happens, he is the best on clay," Federer said. "He proved it once again."

Behind Borg, Rafa is the second youngest man to reach 10 major titles.  Also, Rafa is about six months younger than Roger was when he won his 10th major.

Against opponents other than Rafa, Fed is 14-1 in Grand Slam finals.  Roger has four loses against Nadal at RG, one at Wimbledon and one at the Aussie Open.  Federer has beat Rafa twice at Wimbledon.

Roland Garros 2011 - Men's Semifinal

The streak is over.  Novak Djokovic lost to Roger Federer in the semis yesterday, ending his perfect season and his 43 game winning streak.  Federer who has won 16 Grand Slams won 7-6 (5), 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5) on Friday and will now face 5-time French Open Champ Rafa Nadal in the final.  This is the fourth time in six years they have met in the final.

"I've trained a lot during my whole life for these kinds of matches," Federer said. "There was an enormous amount of pressure on Novak and he really played well."

Earlier Nadal breezed though his semifinal match on Court Philippe Chatrier, defeating Andy Murray in straight sets 6-4,7-5, 6-4.  Nadal is just one victory away from matching Bjorn Borg in number of French titles.  Nadal's record is no 44-1 at Roland Garros.  On Sunday, Nadal is going for his sixth win in eight attempts against Federer in Grand Slam finals.

"Beating Novak today was maybe a good birthday gift for him because he lost his four previous matches against Novak," Federer said of Nadal, who turned 25 on Friday. "I'm going to play against Nadal, my main rival, in another Grand Slam final. We live for these moments."

Also, Li Na just won the women's title today, beating Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 7-6 (0).  She is the first person from China to win a Grand Slam.

Day 11 at Roland Garros

Rafa Nadal improved his French Open record to 43-1 by defeating the only man to beat him at Roland Garros, No. 5 seeded Robin Soderling of Sweden.  This victory, 6-4, 6-1, 7-6 (3), sent the five-time champ to the semis.  If Nadal wins one more French Open title, he will tie Bjorn Borg at six all time.  This was the third time in a row that Rafa played Robin at Roland Garros.  The first time was in 2009 when Nadal lost to him in the fourth round, leading to a runner-up finish for Soderling.  In 2010, Rafa won the final against Robin.

Murray vs. Nadal in Monaco

In the semis Nadal will play No.4 Andy Murray, who defeated Juan Ignacio Chela 7-6 (2), 7-5, 6-2.  Murray has reached the semifinals at Roland Garros for the first time.  In the other semifinal, No.2 Novak Djokovic will play No. 3 Roger Federer.

Day 10 at Roland Garros

Monfils and Federer

Roger is on to the semis where he will play Novak Djokovic after defeating Gael Monfils today 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (3).  Monfils played hard but just seemed to lack the confidence that he had when he played earlier matches.  I thought he would come out firing and win a set or two but that did not happen.  I was really hoping he'd win too because I feel Monfils has a better shot at beating Novak.  Djokovic has destroyed Federer lately and is unfamiliar with Monfils because they haven't played in over a years time. 

The only other men's match was Andy Murray and Viktor Troicki.  It was continued today after it was suspended last night at two sets a piece.  Murray finished Troicki off and is now in the quarters.  The score was 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5.  Murray will face Juan Ignacio Chela tomorrow.