Here is the draw for the men at this week's tournament in New Haven.

http://www.atptennis.com/en/common/TrackIt...05/3348/MDS.pdf

You can definitely tell its a tournament lacking the top players if Davydenko is the top seed. But, that gives other players a chance to maybe break through and get some good wins going into the Open. I hope James Blake can get some wins in. He's in the same quarter as Davydenko and Haas but if he continues playing the way he did in DC and first round vs Federer he can beat them. First things first though. Michael Llodra is his first round opponent.

I'm taking my nephew and godson to Arthur Ashe Kids day next Saturday. Last year I got a nice close up with James and he signed some stuff for my nephew. Looking forward to seeing him again; that is if he's not still playing New Haven. Davenport and Blake are two of the tennis players scheduled for entertainment on Saturday and if they are still in the tournament I doubt they'll come to Kids Day, even though its not that far. But, I always take a youngster or two from my family up to Kids Day...its very fun. Lots of activities for the kids and its a great way to kick off the year's last major. Hopefully the really hot weather is gone cuz I will be up there from the round of 16 through to the final and I don't want to swelter during the day. One of the things I love about the Open is that in the two weeks you really get your first taste of fall. Often the first week is hot and steamy and then the second week you have warm days in the 80s and cool nights where you need a jacket or sweater for the night matches. I love it. Anyone else going?

[ August 21, 2005, 06:00 PM: Message edited by: ltskinmdterp ]

Kind of bizarre - and impossible to predict. So many clay-courters, and Americans off their games. Rusedski has had the best North American run of everyone, so I think he's got a good shot. Blake's draw isn't terrible, so he should make some noise. Matheiu? Impossible to say. Davydenko is solid enough that he just might come through.

In the bottom half, they need a do-over. Nobody I'd pick for a semifinal in any other hard-court tournament, based on current form. Although Gonzalez obviously has the game, so he's probably my favorite there. Fish is obviously a ginormous question mark. And of course, the hated Gilles Muller is a significant threat on this surface. Maybe I'll pick Muller instead....

Let's go James! Let's show em how it's done ... NEW ENGLAND STYLE!!!

I think that it's overrun with clay courters because the hard court players have played enough that they don't need another tune-up before the open. It's a very wide open tournament.

Didn't Safin sign up at the last minute? Why is he not the top seed?

I don't see him in the draw at all, but there is a press release about it from the website.

Nice to see Scoville Jenkins get a win over Jarkko Niemenen. That was a very clean match. 3 sets and Jarkko had only 4 winners but 1 unforced error. Scoville had 17 winners and 6 unforced errors and 17 aces. Thats a very clean match.

At first Safin wasn't in, but then he was like "hmmm, I need all the matches I can get" but wouldn't definitively commit, but the organizers were keeping a slot open for him. Finally, after reaching the quarters in Cincinnati, he committed, at which point the tournament made a big deal and put it on their web site. Then he lost to Robby and dropped out of New Haven, but the organizers weren't as quick to update the web site this time around.

So it went from possibly to probably to definitely to no all in like 36 hours. Good ol' Safin.

James Blake rolled in his match tonight and Scoville Jenkins almost beat 4th seed Robredo. Robredo is lucky he came up against raw talent tonight. More experience would've gotten Scoville that match as Robredo is pretty much a dirtballer.

I didn't think it was being televised tonight. Did I miss something. Here, I think it starts tomorrow am sometime.

Anyone catch that crazy Gimlestob? Boy, he had his chances, and was up a break at 4-2 in the third. Too bad, he should have beaten Gonzalez with all his crazy diving, but he came up short.

I saw the end of the Gimmelstob/Gonzalez match. Why would anyone who is playing a Grand Slam in less than a week - particulary their home Slam, which is probably the most significant major for them and the one they'd like to do well in the most - be diving like a blazing idiot on hard courts?

Justin was showing off and it actually hurt his overall game. After the point he won with two dives in a row, he proceeded to drop the last four games of the set. Gilbert said from courtside that he was clearly hurting from it. Just stupid.

Fernando Verdasco is fine!! How did I miss him all this time? AND....he's a lefty like me! I guess all my focus has been on Nadal that I didn't even pay attention to him.

YAY JAMES!!! My baby took out Tommy I thought that at the end of the first set it was gonna be a quick night but its nice to see James recover and take the next two sets from the German. Great win for James. He's really got a chance to win this thing. He plays a dirtballer next. Lets go James!!!

I would say that home cookin was just exactly what Blake needed. It was good to see him play so well, and it was great hearing the noise of the fans as well. I really hope Blake can have a great run at the U.S. Open. He really deserves it.

holy moly...gotta start calling nadal and lopez 'The Booty Brothers'. good for him for winning today, decent match. i had'nt noticed before he was as shapely a fellow as he was. he's fairly thin, but his rear-end rivals the best. what's in the water over there?

Those capris certainly frame the ass nicely don't they? For a split second I thought Nadal was out there today. Speaking of great asses, James Blake is playing great. It's nice to see him doing well. Go James! Did you guys hear MJ Fernandez talking about the final? She said tomorrow would be a "good-looking" final. Truer words have never been said. Who will be the winner tomorrow? Everyone who enjoys some good ol' eye candy.

Nadal certainly put capri's on the map for me...his ass is a vision, but, for me, Lopez is simply the most perfect looking player since Mr. Rafter, who's a tennis god in my mind. Lopez in those capri's is devastating...he's simply gorgeous...and in his post match interview, he was adorable and funny...he's much more striking/handsome than Nadal...

Lopez is without a doubt a beautiful Spainiard. But...those pants I can do without. To each his own, but give me plain ole shorts any day. wink

I agree, those pants look stupid, I don't care how great an ass they have! Besides, I want to see thick, meaty quads and hamstrings, ala Muster and Rafter, which you do not see when they wear those things! Give it a year, they'll be going the way of the wooden racket, I hope!

I'm not sure where I've been....but this is the first I've seen of Mr. Lopez and all I can say is "Oh my." The guy is gorgeous.

He's got a great serve and forehand, but he doesn't have much of a backhand at all.

Did anyone else notice that Mr. Feliciano Lopez was wearing a jock in the final of the Pilot Pen? At first I couldn't figure it out but then it dawn on me and by the end it was very obvious. Can't wait to more of his assets!

FIRST OF ALL....YAY JAMES!!!! I'm so happy. Once again he plays his best tennis in the third set and overcomes the lefty. Great summer for James. Great lead in to the Open and since he's playing Rusedski first round thats a good lefty warm up.

As for Lopez...definitely do-able...not as much junk in the trunk as Nadal but my god it was so obvious he was wearing a jock strap. You could clearly see his ass by the end of the match as his pants were soaked. That was hot. For James though...I'm so proud of him. Winning his second title in front of his home crowd. I bet this one was sweeter than the first given all he went through last year. I cried for him I was so happy. Congrats James...well deserved and well earned.

Yes, Lopez is very easy on the eyes. I'd like him more with short hair, and withouth those ridiculous shorts.

James Blake was great all tournament long. So glad to see him play well, get a home-town crowd bringing down the house for him, and a great tourney win. After last year, the guy deserves it, and more. Man do I hope he does well at the Open. Go James!!

Yea, in the 3rd set it become pretty obvious. The capri's, whatever you call them, were becoming pretty transparent. Evidently the guys at Nike didn't use test models who sweat.

What I thought was amusing was how dependant Lopez appeared to be on his coach. He seemed to lose his game when an ATP official came out to make sure his coach wasn't talking to him.

As for Blake's win, I'm very proud of him. He's gotten mentally tough over time, perhaps due to his personal challenges over the past year. There was a time, that if James lost a lead in a match, the match was pretty much over. He couldn't regroup himself. Now, it's a completely different story. He's more patient (i.e., not always going for winners) and is finding ways to win even when he's not playing his best. Keep it up James.

Lopez in a jock is definitely hot! I wasn't sure I was seeing straight (so to speak) when I watched the tape of his match with Blake. In his semifinal with Ferrer he was definitely wearing briefs. So I wasn't expecting a jock. Unfortunately, I didn't see the more transparent evidence on display in the 3d set because my DVR only taped through the scheduled time period.
I've had my eye on Lopez for a while. Saw him live at the US Open a couple of years ago and he was wearing the Calvin Klein microfiber briefs with the black waistband. Have also seen him sporting boxerbriefs.
I'm going to the Open for four days next week. Will scout him out and let you know what I see. Gotta say -- I'm hoping for a jock. They're so rare in professional tennis these days.
I think Lopez knew exactly what he'd look like when he slipped into his today. Anybody else get gaydar off him?