Here is the links page for the Men's tournaments:

http://www.atptennis.com/en/newsandscores/draws/

Federer has arrived in Qatar, but the official webpage is not displaying the 2006 draw yet; but looking at last years draw, I see that Nadal was there, lost to Ljubicic who went on to meet Federer in the final. And Nadal was not even a seeded player yet. This is also were Monfils had a big win in the first round over Gaudio.

I found the 2006 draw--no Nadal, no Ljubicic, but Monfils is seeded 7th (??, when did this happen?) and Roger could meet his foil with Santoro in the 2nd round. Gasquet has already lost, and Haas is in Roger's half.

Elsewhere on the men's tour, Philipoussis Flipper is back in action and won his first match in Adelaide against Vincey Spadea.

[ January 03, 2006, 05:43 AM: Message edited by: shore ]

Here's a wrapup of the Adelaide tournament:

http://www.atptennis.com/en/newsandscores/...ide_tuesday.asp

And here's the Qatar story:

http://www.atptennis.com/en/newsandscores/...doha_monday.asp

There has been no announcement as yet but it seems both Nadal and Safin, with injuries that have not healed, may miss the Open. Also a question mark over Agassi who has not been able to put in the preparation after his back problem flared up again in Shanghai.

I wish I could have seen the Malisse/Ancic match. Looks like the X-Man pulled off the upset against Mario in Adelaide. Other big seeds lost too, however. Blake lost to Seppi, and Robredo as the third seed lost to Serra.

Interesting to note while I watch the Hopman Cup (and Kiefer just changing his shirt), the tournament is using instant replay, line call challenges from the players. I don't know the criteria for using the challenge, but there it is.

My interest in the men's side of the AO will crash considerably if both Nadal and Safin are out. Still, I guess this time of year can reveal what young players will break through -- Berdych perhaps?

Xanthos, it must have been disappointing to trek out to Shanghai and arrive to a Nadal cancellation -- did you see his public appearances? The Nalbandian-Federer showdown?

I wish the Tennis Channel would show some of the other tournies aside from Hopman Cup.

I hope that Nadal and Safin are not out of the Open but nothing (well, unless Federer didn't show) could diminish my excitement. As the first Slam of the year the Australian Open just brims with hope for so many players.

It feels almost certain that Safin and Agassi will be out and unfortunately Nadal as well. Roddick and the other top ten players are thrilled, i'm sure, at the opportunity. We know it's Roger's tournament to win or lose and it's simply a matter of seeing what happens and who steps up and gives him the challenge. Nalbandian, anyone? A young gun?
I, too, simply love January and the excitement that builds for another entire year of pro tennis.

Two-Hander, the tennis in Shanghai was disappointing but of course, we had booked six months before the event expecting to see the top eight men mixing it. What was more disapointing was the number of tanked matches, particularly that clown Gaudio's attitude against Fedderer.Woeful.

The Masters Cup event was best summed up by Wang Liqun,(who has a sense of humour) Deputy Director of the organizing committee thus:

"We feel like we bought a Mercedes-Benz only to find 60 percent of the auto parts are no longer the original ones we paid for" ......lol

However, Shanghai is such an exciting modern city we got out and about when the tennis was on the nose.A vibrant, exotic gay night life too.

The final was excellent fighting win by Nalbandian played at a very high level.I thought Fedderer was home but the 5/6 week injury break he had before Shanghai was the deciding factor late into the 5th set.

My blatant nationalism here, forgive me. wink

I really want to see how Agassi, Blake and Ginepri, and to a lesser extent, Dent, follow up last year's incredible US Open run.

Agassi's probably still ailing, so I'd like to see how the other three do. I haven't given up on Roddick just yet. The talent and the athletecism are there (although the backhand has become more of a question mark than what I'd like to see), I'm still waiting for his head to mature.

Shore, I do not think, at this stage, there is any criteria written for the use of instant replay. As Hopman Cup is an exhibition it is being trialled here as an experiment.

For the moment, where there is a doubtful call a player simply says to the umpire "I challenge" and the replay is run. I think it is excellent idea and has received enthusiastic endorsement from players, officials and fans.I believe it is planned to approach both the mens and womens tours to consider, with a view ultimately,of using it in future.

Well, sadly, its official. I read where Agassi is out. Injured his ankle playing raquetball. Damn!! As I recall, he was out last year for a foot problem right? It is frustrating to me that he keeps having the same injury related problems, year in and year out. He just seems to be so fragile now at what 35???

35 is 106 in tennis years.

That's funny, I hear it is in gay life too.

I've heard that too. However, I prefer to think that 46 (my age) is 35 in real life.

Netherlands play USA in final of Hopman Cup tonight.I really like watching Lisa Raymond play mixed doubles.

Kiefer and Thomas Johansson now both injured.

Oh God, I'm so confused! I like being just 34, in real life.

I've rather enjoyed watching the Hopman Cup when I've had the chance this week. I've seen two matches with Gisela Dulko, which has been a treat, since she's not usually on in the states. I love the format too.

What are Kiefer and Johansson's injuries? Hopefully they're not serious. I really hope Kiefer can gain the form that brought him inside the top 5 several years ago. Would be nice to see him do will in a few majors this year too.

Kiefer was suffering from back spasms.Pity..... I see that he is in fabulous shape.

Johansson firstly suffered from an infected foot then suffered from pain in his hip then shoulder. This man is a mess!

Perhaps not the cause but these injuries are not helped by having to play on that wretched Rebound-Ace court surface.

[ January 05, 2006, 01:18 PM: Message edited by: xanthos ]

I've never played on it myself, but it sound like it's pretty sticky, and boarderline dangerous. I don't understand why it's being used. It seems like there are really gruesome foot and ankle injuries each year on this surface.

While back spasms can be painful, he can recover in time for Melbourne. With so many others out with injuries already, it should be an intersting tournament for those who can stay healthy.

Xanthos, thanks for the Shanghai report. Sounds like a great trip -- and you're right, that Gaudio match was a disgrace and Raymond is great to watch in mixed doubles.

Well, I'm grieving. Confirming the talk of recent weeks, the Guardian UK just posted an article saying Nadal is out of the Australian Open. The official statement hasn't arrived, but it seems clear. More worrying is the fact that an injury is keeping him out so long at this stage in his career. There are tons of Nadal naysayers who'll be crowing about this on other boards -- he really seems to bother straight dudes -- but I'm going to miss his style at the Open.

I'm disappointed there won't be any Nadal, Safin or Agassi, but who knows, there might be some new contenders. I'm curious to see how Nalbandian, Murray, Berdych, and Ancic and Gasquet (the latter two just dealt tough defeats this week) fare. I can't see the overfamiliar Roddick or Hewitt threatening Federer, though maybe someone begs to differ.

Andy's played well in Austalia - lost a tough one last year to Safin and then there was also the epic battle against El Aynaoui that sapped him in the later rounds. He's not the favorite with Federer in the field, of course, but Andy's sort of overdue to make a nice run Down Under. I wouldn't count him out.

Andy has played well in Australia and the surface suits his game. The ball sits up nicely ripe for his inside out forehand to the corner.I wonder what his form is like at the moment.... will have to wait for Kooyong I suppose.

Federer, of course, is the Open favourite but he is not Jesus Christ with a bad nose,and is beatable, as was the case last year.. He has been on a roll for so long he only has to have a bad day or simply go off the boil.


I am hoping some of the exciting young talent like Monfils, Gasquet or Murray have a real serious run at the silverware this year.

Honestly Xanthos,
Sure Federer is beatable, like anybody is. But to look to last year's loss to Safin as an example (a bad day, off the boil) is an awfully tough act to follow. One of the best matches ever, by both players....

As to my fellow American Andy, the US Open suits his game even better, but Mojo went missing. What is easily forgotten though, and the pure beauty of the Australian Open, is that challenges can come from any quarter, not just favourites.

[ January 05, 2006, 07:45 PM: Message edited by: Fedex ]

I'm late posting this, but, once again, Santoro made things interesting for Federer, only caught some obscure highlights. The other players need to study some of the tapes of the frustrating junk tactics that Santoro uses against Roger. He doesn't have a winning record against Federer, but he causes him some headaches.

Federer talked about those tactics from Santoro in his press conference, talking about how Santoro removes all the pace from the ball, always mixing it up, never coming back with the same ball twice--would be very difficult indeed. And it must frustrate Santoro for it now to succeed.

Live Hopman Cup play on the Tennis Channel right now, finals USA v. Nederlands. Raymond and Dent have come together for a nice team, and Wessels and Krajicek were undefeated in the tournament. Now they are 5-2 in the second with the US leading, but the Nederlands took the first set. I think the match is decided in this case with a match tiebreaker.

The US won on the strength of Raymond's doubles and Dent's singles...

Andy seems to try too hard against Roger. It's clear he's got a bit of a Federer syndrome unlike Hewitt who always looks to me like he's got a chance against Roger except of course in that one total blow out final from a year or so ago.

Santoro always gives Roger trouble though Roger always pulls it out. Let's see how young Monfils does who's blasted his way into the final against Federer...

What about southamerican players?
Fernando Gonzalez and Nalbandian are very dangerous players in any draw...
And I don't know why but I think that this year will be harder for Federer.. it is not going to be like putting a step down the court and the match is won.... be careful roger..

gordonSmash, we love all the south americans here, but no one goes beating up on Roger. I still think he's going to have a stellar year, I'm hoping for all four slams.

So Andy Murray causes a ruckus in his post-match interview, before a live audience, by saying he and his opponent "played like girls." The crowd booed him and he was surprised, then apologized. But really, what was the great offense? There were seven breaks of serve in one set--sounds like a women's match to me, with headcase russians playing. Are people just too sensitive?

And take the reverse: If Serena said after a match in which there were no breaks of serve, and the sets were decided by tiebreaks, "We played like men out there.", would this be sexist as well?

[ January 09, 2006, 06:35 AM: Message edited by: shore ]

Not to be the PC police, but when a male athlete says he played "like a girl," when is the connotation ever good? And if a woman says she played like a man, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Probably tough, courageous, etc...

I'm guessing that most people thought Murray was equating playing poorly with playing like a girl, not as part of some implied commentary about the number of service breaks in a women's match. If I was a woman in the crowd, or the father of a daughter, maybe I'd be pissed too.

But I wasn't there, and I didn't see him make the comment. Just my 2 cents.

[ January 09, 2006, 07:38 AM: Message edited by: Neptune ]

I think by his reaction, he just didn't realize how much it would offend people, or just how inappropriate it was. I'm not condoning what he said at all, I think it was very inappropriate, but I'm truly hoping this really is his youth and inexperience showing.

If he KEEPS showing symptoms of Hingisitis, then he'll need to get accustomed to the backlash.

So many posters here react like girls!

This kind of stuff just makes me laugh. Is it just the passive world of the internet that lets people whine and moan about comments they didn't even actually hear? Played like girls is obviously just an expression, a harmless meaningless expression...let the crowd boo, make a joke out of it...

Inappropriate? How about meaningless and not worth making a deal out it. There are much more important things to worry about in this world.

Well, one could use your "logic" and claim that saying "we played like faggots" is just a "harmless and meaningless expression" too. wink

I have a story that sums up how I feel about this perfectly:

A friend of mine was playing a GLTA match and there were alot of service breaks involved. On one of the changeovers, his opponent says to him, "God, it's like women's tennis."

My friend - without missing a beat - replied, "I love women's tennis."

touche.

No, tennis guy, that wouldn't equate with my logic at all; that's the oh so sensitive logic. Equating faggots with girls is ridiculous and makes no sense at all.
I love women's tennis but breaks of serve are constant and normal. We love it.

[ January 09, 2006, 02:54 PM: Message edited by: Bryan ]

Why, exactly?

Well, Robby Ginepri lost in first round of the Heineken Open, 6-7, 6-3, 2-6 to clay court specialist Alberto Martin.

Dent also lost his opening match to Clement, 1-6, 6-2, 2-6.

Spadea lost to Hewitt, leaving James Blake the only American to win an opening match against David Sanguinetti, 7-6, 6-4. I really hope the Americans can get their shyt together this year. Blake and Ginepri made great strides toward the end of last year. Dent will never be as good as he can be with all that extra weight. Vince Spadea's time has passed him by. Hopefully, Roddick can have a better year this year. I'm just sick of the American men playing second fiddle.

Anywho...Congrats James.

I wonder how prepared Roddick will be for the Australian, it seems like he hasn't played a lot of the warm-up tournaments. He needs a good year.

You can find the answer to that question on Andy's website, which I checked on the other day. I guess he has been in Hawaii practicing, and getting used to the heat and the humidity before he went down under. I hope he has a good tournament, and I also hope that Ginepri has a good tournament as well. I can never get enough of these two good looking men. Just my opinion.

God I hope Andy goes far down under (no pun intended) He really needs to start the year well and gain some confidence. The field may be lightened with Safin/Agassi/Nadal out but there are still so many tough players. The surface should work for Andy though.

Bryan, I agree with your thoughts. I guess its all up to Andy how well he does, and what Federer, as usual, has to say about it. I wish to see Andy win it all. Whether that happens or not, remains to be seen.

ESPN has announced the tv schedule for the Aussie Open and there is alot more live tennis this year.

Australian Open Television Coverage

Right after the Panthers beat the Bears on Sunday, I'll be switching over to the Deuce to catch some of what is quickly becoming my favorite major of the year (alright, tied for first with the US Open). Two weeks of sleep-walking at work because I stayed up too late watching live tennis.

I'm loving the Aussie Open as well. One of my favorite memories from law school was staying up late after a night of studying to watch (live!) Serena's incredible semifinal against Sharapova last year, as well as Safin's brilliant performance against a tough Federer. Those were some of the best matches I've seen in recent memory.

[ January 10, 2006, 01:08 PM: Message edited by: Neptune ]

I get completely gaga at the beginning of a grand slam. I'm always glad to get a ton of coverage though I hate when they repeat the same matches from the morning. Get those VCR's moving...!

I'm going to DVR the live matches so I can watch them when I get home, as oppossed to whatever it is ESPN is re-running. The great thing with the Aussie Open is that it usually is wide open. There seems to always be suprise quarterfinalists and semifinalists, hell sometimes there's even suprise winners. Love it!

So any thoughts on Nadal pulling out. I know he's injured, but from the interviews I have read, it seems like he's saying he is fully healed, as are his doctors, but that he's only been training for 10 days, so he would feel ready for the tournament. That seems a bit odd to me, being a major and all. I also wonder if it was the French, and he was fully recovered (if he is, I might have misunderstood) would he have played, even with little preperation. It just seemed a bit odd to me.

*crickets*

If Nadad is fully healed but doesn't feel prepared to play the tourney, he's probably just opting out because (1) it would suck to fly all the way to Australia just to lose in the first or second round and (2) the professional pride of a player who, at his best, could very well win the Australian Open one day. You don't want to show up at 50% with the men's field as deep as it is these days. The women can play their way into tournament shape much more easily than the guys can.