Linex, Nalby is too into Davis Cup. Hope they get to Finals again!

Carol- Bless you for that link!!! Dang I wish Rafa would go back to longer hair with the sleeveless!!!! *Giggles*

Linex, are you watching the match? Can you post updates on the score, as DC livescore site is very slow? Thanks.

No crisis center for Davis Cup? Am i the only one watching the exciting semi between Argentina and France. Monaco just lost the third set 5-7. After saving 2 set points. Llodra earned the third one with a great down the line backhand winner.

yes, Sokol - Team BerdWorm is tough in the best of situations; the 11th-hour substitution for Srbija must have rattled Viki. Still, it's the second set of the first match.

Good lord, Novak and Nenad are the two hottest guys in tennis :))

Linex, thanks for the update, my SB is still at 6-5, 40-30

linex: you are about three minutes ahead of The Tennis Channel. Monaco is still at 30-40 on my screen.

I like knowing in advance, thank you. Keeps the knot out of my stomach.

Wow, this is an exciting match between Llodra and Pico! Come on Pico! Win the fourth set!

Davis Cup Weekend Matches(* - number 1 players on team)

World Group Semifinal Lineups:

France vs Argentina (9 AM - 7 AM)
Michael Llodra leads Juan Monaco* 7-5,4-6,7-5
Gael Monfils* vs David Nalbandian
Arnaud Clement/Michael Llodra vs Eduardo Schwank/Horacio Zeballos

Serbia vs Czech Republic (9 AM - 8 AM)
Viktor Troicki* leads Radek Stepanek 6-4,2-5
Janko Tipsarevic vs Tomas Berdych*
Viktor Troicki/Nenad Zimonjic vs Jan Hajek/Ivo Minar

World Group Playoff Matches

Israel leads Austria 2-1 (7:30 AM Sunday)
Sela* defeated Haider-Maurer 6-4,6-1,6-3
Melzer* defeated Levy 6-4,6-3,6-3
Erlich/Ram defeated Melzer/Peya 7-6(2),6-4,6-4
Sela vs Melzer
Levy vs Haider- Maurer

Colombia vs United States (11 AM - Noon - 11 AM)
Falla vs Fish*
Giraldo* vs Querrey
Farah/Salamanca vs Harrison/Isner

Germany leads South Africa 2-0 (9 AM - 5 AM)
Kohlschreiber* defeated DeVoest 6-4,6-4,6-4
Mayer defeated Van Der Merwe* 6-3,3-6,6-1,7-6(6)
Beck/Kas vs Coetzee/Moodie

Sweden vs Italy (8 AM - 7 AM)
Starace* leads Vinciguerra 6-2,6-2,1-all
Soderling* vs Fognini
Aspelin/Lindstedt vs Bolelli/Bracciali

Brazil leads India (5:30 AM - 2 AM)
Bellucci* defeated Bopanna 6-7(2),7-6(7),7-5,4-6,10-8
Devvarman* leads Mello 6-4,2-6,7-6(3),2-5
Bhupathi/Paes vs Melo/Soares

Australia tied with Belgium 1-all (11 PM Friday - 9 PM Saturday)
Hewitt* defeated Bemelmans 7-6(4),7-5,2-6,6-4
O Rochus* defeated Ball 6-4,6-4,7-6(5)
Hanley/Hewitt vs Bemelmans/O Rochus
Hewitt vs O Rochus
Ball vs Bemelmans

Kazakhstan leads Switzerland 2-0 (4 AM - 2 AM)
Golubev* defeated Chiudinelli 6-4,6-4,6-4
Kukushkin defeated Wawrinka* 3-6,6-1,6-4,1-6,6-3
Korolev/Schukin vs Allegro/Lammer

Romania leads Ecuador 1-0 (5 AM - 4:30 AM)
Hanescu* defeated Endara 6-2,6-2,6-2
G Lapentti* leads Ungur 7-6(2),6-4,3-6,3-5
Hanescu/Tecau vs G Lapentti/N Lapentti

Go France!!!! Go ChocoBliss!!! =)

anyone watching Viktor- Radek?

Master Ace: I know we often thank you, but I still don't think we thank you enough.

Thank you.

Anyone else find this Barbie Pink and Keebler Elf Green court slightly bilious? Is there a reason for this color scheme? Almost as bad as the seafoam and peach decors that were so popular in the late 80's.

No, wait, seafoam and peach were easier on the eye.

Kate,
You are welcome(LOL on asterisks)

Linex, these DC matches don't have livestreams, do they?

Kate, when Novak loses, his grace and boyishness gives me a bit of a twinge in the heart. But he's maturing, and the best thing is he has gotten back into his his tough and top game and improving.

Radek takes the second set 6-2

Ajde, Viktor!

SRB-CZE 1 set all.

I wish BNP didn't hand out those inflatable thundersticks - and now, people have all got their own vuvuzelas from newspaper and petrol station promotions as well. It's bad enough listening on the stream - inside the stadium in July, I had to take painkillers.

"these DC matches don't have livestreams, do they?"

there are streams on livescorehunter.com
too bad I can't watch at work...

Thanks MA for the DC update. c'mon Devvarman...you win this and Leander and Mahesh will win theirs...Go India!

sokol - FYI, I will be watching SRB-CZE all weekend.

Geellis "...Rafa not having to face any of his HC difficult opponents (Soderling, Berdych, a health Davydenko, the Fed, and of course JMDP)..."

I'm not so sure about that list, I wonder how you chose those names... Against Roger Rafa is 3-3 on HC, but 3-1 on outdoor hard, the only loss being in Rafa's first ever Masters final (on any surface) when he was 18, and even then it was 5 sets. Berdych hasn't gotten a set from Rafa on any surface for years. Söderling has beaten Rafa once on indoor hard at WTF last year when Rafa would have lost to any top player - they've never played each other on oudoor hard. It would be more relevant to consider Verdasco a difficult HC opponent, since he has been before, only this time he wasn't and both were playing differently than at AO'09. Davydenko has indeed beaten Rafa in all 3 of their outdoor hard matches. Del Potro did indeed beat Rafa the last 3 times they met - but Djokovic had done that, too. Nole is obviously the guy that should have made the list of difficult HC opponents, since he certainly has been that - much more than anyone on that list, in fact. :)

1-1 in the 5th Monaco could hold after saving like 3 break points. There are streams available at livescorehunter.com for those who asked. I am watching it on a stream as I am at the office.

Sorry I meant in the 4th set.

Why is Monaco called Pico?

Sokol, it's his childhood nickname.

Thank you, Master Ace. I've decided if you can't beat 'em...

Philosophically speaking, we all have asterisks.

I'm off to clean my house (and linger by the Tennis Channel as much as possible.

If anyone wants to watch Davis cup matches or even the Challenger tourneys, try www.fromsport.com. It is free and one can watch multiple matches.

There is a lot of unity in the french team, it was touching to see all of the players even those who are not taking part of this tie all embraced at the start when they played the beautiful French national anthem. I love how the French organize the tennis events, I like the speakers etc, nothing better than listening to the guy who announces the names of the players at Chatrier in Roland Garros just unbeatable.

thank you, Papo

Pico is really bad decision maker out there. He has the skills/physique but not the cleverness/grit to win important davis cup matches.

Davis Cup Weekend Matches(* - number 1 players on team)

World Group Semifinal Lineups:

France vs Argentina (9 AM - 7 AM)
Michael Llodra leads Juan Monaco* 7-5,4-6,7-5,4-3
Gael Monfils* vs David Nalbandian
Arnaud Clement/Michael Llodra vs Eduardo Schwank/Horacio Zeballos

Serbia vs Czech Republic (9 AM - 8 AM)
Viktor Troicki* on serve with Radek Stepanek 6-4,2-6,2-all
Janko Tipsarevic vs Tomas Berdych*
Viktor Troicki/Nenad Zimonjic vs Jan Hajek/Ivo Minar

World Group Playoff Matches

Israel leads Austria 2-1 (7:30 AM Sunday)
Sela* defeated Haider-Maurer 6-4,6-1,6-3
Melzer* defeated Levy 6-4,6-3,6-3
Erlich/Ram defeated Melzer/Peya 7-6(2),6-4,6-4
Sela vs Melzer
Levy vs Haider- Maurer

Colombia vs United States (11 AM - Noon - 11 AM)
Falla vs Fish*
Giraldo* vs Querrey
Farah/Salamanca vs Harrison/Isner

Germany leads South Africa 2-0 (9 AM - 5 AM)
Kohlschreiber* defeated DeVoest 6-4,6-4,6-4
Mayer defeated Van Der Merwe* 6-3,3-6,6-1,7-6(6)
Beck/Kas vs Coetzee/Moodie

Sweden leads Italy 1-0 (8 AM - 7 AM)
Starace* defeated Vinciguerra 6-2,6-2,6-2
Soderling* vs Fognini
Aspelin/Lindstedt vs Bolelli/Bracciali

Brazil leads India 1-0 (5:30 AM - 2 AM)
Bellucci* defeated Bopanna 6-7(2),7-6(7),7-5,4-6,10-8
Devvarman* on serve with Mello 6-4,2-6,7-6(3),2-6,2-all
Bhupathi/Paes vs Melo/Soares

Australia tied with Belgium 1-all (11 PM Friday - 9 PM Saturday)
Hewitt* defeated Bemelmans 7-6(4),7-5,2-6,6-4
O Rochus* defeated Ball 6-4,6-4,7-6(5)
Hanley/Hewitt vs Bemelmans/O Rochus
Hewitt vs O Rochus
Ball vs Bemelmans

Kazakhstan leads Switzerland 2-0 (4 AM - 2 AM)
Golubev* defeated Chiudinelli 6-4,6-4,6-4
Kukushkin defeated Wawrinka* 3-6,6-1,6-4,1-6,6-3
Korolev/Schukin vs Allegro/Lammer

Romania leads Ecuador 1-0 (5 AM - 4:30 AM)
Hanescu* defeated Endara 6-2,6-2,6-2
G Lapentti* on serve with Ungur 7-6(2),6-4,3-6,4-6,1-all
Hanescu/Tecau vs G Lapentti/N Lapentti

Nadal is GOAT?This is sad and funny-like a child who can add 2 plus 2 being called Einstein(or Newton) .

And for those who do not know Llodra is serving for the match at 5-3 in the 4th.

i got so used to watching on atdhe.net that I forgot fromsport.com, thanks for the reminder ks.

LLorda with the break and serving to put France up with initil win. With how he played last time and again today, amazing.

SRB-CZE 1 set all, 3 games all, 15-30 with Worm serving.

NP, jewell and ladyjulia all made good points about R'n'R h2h, thank you. I wrote a comment about the issue last night, but for some reason didn't manage to get it posted, and since it was 4 am I gave up on it. Most of the stuff has probably been already cover so I'll leave it - for now, anyway. :)

DC - oh Pico... :(

And Llodra won the match. Sad for the Argies and for Pico. I guess Pico had chances in this match in spite of Llodra serving and playing quite well but he could not capitalize them the most important of them was being up in the first set and surrendering that lead with lousy play. Well we all knew that Monaco's serve is not his strength and that it is easy to break him in general, but still I guess Tito made a good decision in chosing him instead of Edu or Zeballos as he has the speed to chase llodra's volleys and the ability to return and pass well.

coverED

Looks like it's up to Nalby. Llodra/Clement is a formidable doubles team, they have won the Roland Garros and Wimbledon men's doubles titles before, so if Nalby doesn't win the second rubber that's pretty much it for Argentina.

It was especially heartwarming to see Djokovic "swinging for the fences" when his back was to the wall, rather than playing not to lose the point. Winning at the majors seems to be one part luck (short matches, some rest before the final rounds, etc.) and three parts courage. Bravo to both men for an incredibly courageous performance.

Oh man, after fighting back from 0-3, Viki really needs to hold here for 4-all. And he did! :)

Monfils-Nalbandian sounds like it should be really good. Too bad I won't be able to watch it. Vamos, David!

Wow! Kazakhstan leads Switzerland 2-0 after the first day! Both Chiudinelli and Wawrinka lost their matches.

Pete posted a new thread for Davis Cup.

Oh, before I forget... one thing that struck me as I watched the Djokovic v. federer match, and even to some extent the final with nadal, was that while Djokovic was really clocking his forehand in a sustained effort as we've rarely seen, his go-to shot -- that straight up-the-line flat backhand, was never a real factor. In fact, in the semifinal against Federer, I don't recall Djokovic making s ingle one of those blazing winners up the line from his backhand wing. It was odd, because I would have expected that for him to beat either player, he'd need that shot to be dialed in.

This from cnnsi.com: "Hot on the heels of the U.S. Open, the greatest player in the history of women's tennis, Anna Kournikova, graces the cover of the newest issue of Maxim magazine" - Got a bit chuckle out of this. Just goes to show "geatness" and not just beauty is also very much in the eye of the beholder :)

@ Tina "Good lord, Novak and Nenad are the two hottest guys in tennis :))".
I thought the same. Are Serbs always so good-looking? :)

"..curiously personable Serb" - well put

I sure wish I could get any Davis Cup matches here. Having serious tennis withdrawls! We have the Bell Challenge going on in Quebec City right now and you'd think being a home tournament we'd be able to get it on our own local t.v. but nooooooo. Have to make room for Championship Darts or World Poker Championships!!

Trying to keep my eye on our new rising player, Rebecca Marino. Her match is tonight's featured match at 7 p.m. and no t.v. coverage in her own (new) province, let alone country. Shameful I say. :(

Oh, and yes, Serbs seem to always be hot!

Tuulia - " Nole is obviously the guy that should have made the list of difficult HC opponents, since he certainly has been that - much more than anyone on that list, in fact. :)"

*cough - Murray. Andy Murray, the guy that laid an egg.

Tipsy is hot too.

ADORABLE...

http://i56.tinypic.com/2hzka6p.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/14kees8.jpg

Kombo, I was basically commenting the (IMHO) peculiar list provided, not thinking of all possible players, so I didn't mention Murray, either, and the reason I mentioned Djokovic was that Rafa DID play him, and he has beaten Rafa on HC more times than anyone, and also had a definite h2h lead on HC - unlike Murray; 4-4 on HC, 3-3 on outdoor hard. Still, of course Murray is a difficult opponent for Rafa on HC when playing well... and difficult to just about anyone else, too.

Okay Tuulia.

Djokovic is 'sick' again. Somebody get this guy an IV

It's too bad for Djokovic as he is sandwiched between the two fierce rivals who are still battling for the tennis supremacy. Federer was on top of his game from 2004 - 2007, Nadal from 2008-2009 then Federer bounced back shortly from 2009 - May 2010 and now Nadal is confirmed as the no 1 player for the year 2010.Clearly Nadal is having the stranglehold on the no 1 position till the French & Wimbledon 2011.

With Nadal inspired to gain more slams in the process of getting near to Federer's amazing feat of 16 slams, Federer would not rest in his laurel.He is starting from the drawing board to launch a new waves of attack to Nadal's no 1 position in the forthcoming ATP 1000 at Paris and the season closing final ATP at London end of this year.

For Federer to get back the No 1 position may not be his prime objective but rather to do well in the Grand slam events in order to extend his extraordinary 16 slams to at least 20 titles that would eventually go far beyond the reach of Nadal.In the process he will be competing with Djokovic for the no 2 position.Again too bad for Djokovic as he has to find ways how to pass through both Federer & Nadal on his way to get his second elusive slam.Federer is still motivated & hungry to win more ATP & Slam titles. If he plays well according to the arranged script, he will definitely meet Nadal in most of the finals.

What an extraordinary feat achieved by Federer by being the no 1 player for 285 weeks with 1 week shy of equaling Sampras' record of 286 weeks. What a new milestone feat created by Nadal by virtue of being the youngest 4 slams winner at the tender age of 24.
Djokovic knows that he has the two great mountains for him to climb in order for him to stake the claim as one of the tennis legends in history of tennis. Again too bad that he is caught in the crossfire between the two great titans.

It's just scaring to battle against The Terminator. The Spaniard has creted the "Eartquake-Tennis": his mission is to win, to destroy, relentlessly from thi first till the last point, inflexible is his determination to winning, inflexible in his court rituals. The tennis world was not prepared for that in 2005 and still is not prepared for it in 2010.

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