correction: gilles plays foghat in the 2nd round. he had a bye.

AM: Thanks! I hope Nole's concentration will improve. UFE's need to go down. Anyway, I hope the new trainer can get him primed before the French Open.

I'm jealous Aussiemarg!! How do they look?? God, they must just be wiped from waiting around all day.

jason saying these guys were given the choice to play tonight or two matches tomorrow. they picked tonight. one of them will be playing at 4 pm tomorrow.

gilles had a bye. sorry. mistake.

So Marat lost again after taking the 1st set. How shocking. At least Gulbis won.

NP: it was worse than that. he was up a break in the 2nd, like 4-1. as soon as it got to 5-5, jason and robbie both said "now the nightmare will begin" awful to be that predictable in your headcasiness.

gonzo playing lights out tennis. he wants to get to bed. good for him.

Great my live tv coverage has stopped

No more on the Gonzo match

Gonzo was looking fine,then my coverage has stopped,grr.

imjimmy by the sound of it you want Novak to win RG?

Linz and Sokol: nice job, #1 position in the TW group!

Aussiemarg- it looks like Gonzo wrapped it up quickly, 6-1 in the 2nd set!

Woohoo Gonzo!

AM: gonzo's done. won the 2nd set 6-1. next up for him tipsy.

Yay for the Gonzo another winner for me!

Haha, really? Thanks Annie!! I have no doubt I will plummet in dramatic fashion, so I will enjoy this for the night *basks in glory with sokol*

Annie, sounds like Marat. Thx for the predestined report.

linz: and if you picked gonzo you'll get another point!

Woohoo- I did pick him Annie!!! 186th place to end the day. Not too shabby- by far my best first round (I usually don't make it above 10,000 haha!)

Goodnight TW- I'm going to go watch the Hurricanes (NHL)- game 7 against the NJ Devils, hopefully the Carolina boys can pull it out! "See" you all in the morning for hopefully a dry and full day of tennis!!

Hi folks,

I had a feeling that Montanes would drive Djokovic crazy for at least a set and I was right. Djokovic broke his racquet in the 1st set TB, 2-4 down I think.

After watching Montanes overcome Starace and the horrendous 1st day weather, I could understand how Montanes managed to steal the 2nd set in Monte Carlo against Djokovic. When it’s early in the match, Montanes plays without worrying about the score and the higher-seed across the net. He scurries around like a cockroach and I don’t mean that in a bad way. He just won’t go away. He played toe to toe with Djokovic in the 1st set and upended Starace with a comeback from 1-5 down in the first set TB.

Safin is trapped in Twilight Zone territory where there is no escape, reliving the same experience across three tourneys (Miami with Monfils, MC with Lapentti and Rome with Robredo). And I’m not trying to be funny.

Those up for double duty tomorrow: winner of Gasquet/Tsonga, Stepanek/Serra (to finish), Mathieu/Ferrer (to finish).

Hmmm...looks like the bracket results with depend on how Federer does. Lots of ppl seem to have him losing to Stepanek? Ummm...kay. When was the last time he lost to the same guy in back to back years other than Rafa on clay?

Meanwhile in Rome...

Pre-tourney Rafa presser:
http://tinyurl.com/cgn3od

Hitting with kids (each kid had a 4-shot rally):
http://tinyurl.com/damgka
http://tinyurl.com/d2b4ef
http://tinyurl.com/dz3pr5

""imjimmy by the sound of it you want Novak to win RG?""
AM: Not exactly. But I love watching in full flow. He's loosing the plot these days. Soon he'll be #4, It's hard to rebound once you're down. Can't believe it was just last year, around this time, that everyone believed he would be the future #1.

Willy Canas, 2007?
Here's the problem with Fed these days, you pick him, you're in trouble, you don't you're in trouble.
Obviously, I don't know jack shit about brackets, 'cos I have Tsonga making the 3rd round.

The Bulls lead the Celtics 47-44 at halftime. Can Chicago pull off the biggest upset of the series?

"Obviously, I don't know jack shit about brackets, 'cos I have Tsonga making the 3rd round"

greenhopper - You could not be worse than me as I had James Blake getting to the third round ;-)

And, just to wrap up Barcelona, here is the winner being tossed into the pool, as per tradition (actually, the whole group was pushed in by the onlookers):
http://tinyurl.com/d4ajqj
http://tinyurl.com/dy2u94
http://tinyurl.com/dhohxk
http://tinyurl.com/cmrh58

Pspace: i have fed losing to ferrer in the 4th round (quarters?)

malimeda!! thank you so much fo rthe RAFA pictures..

I always "control find" in the conversations because i can always rely on you on RAFA pic moments esp when he's not playing!!
thanks so much!!!

VAMOS RAFA-- very happy smile!! he looks/seems relax!!!!

I have igor making the quarters. top that.

malimeda: great pics, he's so frickin' cute.

ptenisnet lol!

Well the Bird Man is dead to me for ever,I can him another chance No More! sorry Bissy.

Jewell: you around? looks like we made similar picks, we're together at the bottom of the tw ladder in the bracket!

ptenisnet - You are in a league of your own ;-) but hey I had Roger reaching the finals at MC and Gilles reaching the quarters and got burnt ;-)

"I have igor making the quarters. top that."

ptenis, you mean HAD. Igor fell to Fish today.

Igor needs to go blond again as far as i am concerned,forget about the tanning salons,he has lost his aura with that colour hair now.

I think 'space meant the losses to the same guy in back-to-back years, in the same tournament.. but yeah - if you simply look at back-to- back losses, he has lost to Canas, Nalby, Murray and so on.

Hi guys!

186th out of 14517 with 17 pts
Well, I'm excited. I don't suck so far in the draw, thanks to the fact that I (and only 4.5% of others) picked Zverev over Berdych.
Although I blew it by picking Blake, Almagro (thanks Ernie, you pick now to get it together), Andreev, Kiefer, Chela, and Bolelli, but so did lots of other people, too.

The bottom line is you need to pick a real upset to get ahead of the pack.

Thanks, Mischa!!

NP,
Yes. correct tense is something that happens to other people. Or maybe happened. I wouldn't know.

Avid,
It was glorious. Would the even Rafa be enough to stop the Igorian juggernaut was the burning question of the day. Well, the 2 minutes I spent on the draw.

Gee i am going to see my physic today with non sporting g/friend I am excited so far she has been spot on,I have been seeing her for the last 20 yrs.

Well i have gone for a upset

Pico to beat Murray!

I can't imagine that losing to the same player in successive years at the same tournament happens all that much.

AM, even though I didn't pick that one, I'd love to see it.
I'd like Pico to get more confidence, so he can go deeper into tournaments. And so we can see him more.:)

(I have Murray going out to Cilic)

"Would the even Rafa be enough to stop the Igorian juggernaut was the burning question of the day."

ptenisnet - LOL!

"(I have Murray going out to Cilic)"

vetmama - I had that in MC and got burnt ;-) so I did not go that route again.

vetmama- we are tied =) You should join the TW group in the bracket challenge!!

Hang on did Andreev win?

Aussiemarg,
No as Fish won in a deciding tiebreaker

Hehe...Was just kidding over the whole back-to-back thingie. Miffed that almost everyone has picked Fed to go down early (for him) ;-). Boo to y'all.

TMF doesn't lose in back-to-back years to anyone. He just doesn't. He's the Mighty One.

Master Ace Phew thats right just counting up wins and losses

That match seemed ages ago now.

So Guillermo "El Mago" Coria is calling it a career at the ripe old age of 27, eh? Good luck to him.

http://tinyurl.com/cd6clr

May I also congratualte the No 1 player in the WTA for a good start in her tournament.Lets keep this up Safina.

Paul Pierce is playing like, well, a pierced troublemaker, with only 11 pts. The Celtics are lucky Rondo has picked up the slack. The Bulls lead 70-66 at the end of the 3rd Q.

Boston call a TO with Chicago leading 77-66. The Celtics aren't gettin' it done from the arc tonite.

"""
"Obviously, I don't know jack shit about brackets, 'cos I have Tsonga making the 3rd round"

greenhopper - You could not be worse than me as I had James Blake getting to the third round ;-)
"""

Jajaja...I have both. Beat that!

"Pico to beat Murray!"
AM: He he..won't happen. I'm picking Murray to beat Rafa in 3 in the SF. One loss is good for Rafa before RG.

NP, How does Yannick's kid play? Haven't seen much of him since the college days. He's been putting up a bunch of double-doubles this series. Not bad, eh?

Imjimmy You now have DeMerits points

Traitor!

imjimmy, Be warned. You're now going to get a lecture on (a) Muzz's poor movement on clay, and (b) his inability to handle windy conditions as evidenced by loss in IW F and first round dubs in Rome on Monday ;-).

By the way Pick has great record on clay in fact has the most wins 2nd to Rafa!!!!!

Dang, Allen just got fouled out after shooting a huge 3-pointer to make it 83-80. Things are looking bleak for Boston right now.

Pspace, Joakim's playing has been professional. How's that?

Avid If you are still around please issue imjimmy with the RAFA INC BIBLE, page 567892 he needs to study it ASAP!

Also if you have any spare time he needs brain implant ASAP

Defeat in RAFA INC is a NO! NO!
Our Boy dosent believe in the Word as either do we

This is CLAY! remember!

Gasps for Air!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AM: Rafa can't possibly win everything: Rome madrid and RG. Wouldn't you rather he loose before RG than in it?

Pspace: lol!

Gee Aussiemarg headless poster @ 9.21pm

See what lack of Oxygen does it has left me Headless!!!!!

NP, "that" is succinct. Tx.

Sam Ellin if being broken 5 times and winning 7-5 in the 2nd is a beatdown what shall we call what the worlds #1 handed out today? Nuclear Cataclysm? A steam rollering or harking back to the days of TMF A complete Rogering?
Great that Caro pulled out the close win over someone she should have beaten but let's not get carried away.

Anytime, P.

The Bulls shot 2 from downtown, but Rondo's mature play & a renewed Baby has made it a 2-pt game. The Bulls lead 89-87 with just over 2 min remaining.

Rondo's gotta be the most underrated PG right now. With the exception of LeBron no one has brought as much to his team. Game tied @ 91 with just over 1 min to go.

I meant the 2nd sentence in terms of this series.

Rose turns it over. Game still tied, 49.3 sec to go.

Well I have to go Imjimmy I will deal with you later no?

Madame President is still in shock and horror at the thought

I am off to see my Physic,I will ask her for predication so there

She has been spot on in everything so there

See everyone later in Rome

Imjimmy I will be watching you intently from now on ok?

Gordon redeems himself with a WTF shot. 93-91, 16.6 sec to go.

AM: See you later! Take it easy!

Pierce also redeems himself with an effortless fadeaway. The Bulls can't make the buzz-beater. OT. This is easily the best 1R series of this postseason.

I don't know where to start. Gordon luckily gets fouled while attempting an impossible shot from the arc. He makes all 3 FTs. Game now tied @ 104 with 27.3 sec to go. Maybe another 2nd OT is imminent?

Pierce makes yet another crucial last-minute shot. Boston lead 106-104, barely 3 sec remaining.

Well, you know, sure; Murray could beat Rafa in the semis. I'm going to wait till he actually takes one set off the guy on clay before I pick him to win two.

Querrey & Andreev really let me down--but so far all the ones I've been wrong about I had going out in the following round, so I'm liking my chances. (And I have a Fedal final, Pspace; "I believe in TMF, the Fatherer Almighty, master of hard-courts and grass ...")

Miller gets fouled while attempting a buzz beater. Can he make both FTs? He doesn't, missing the 1st one. Looks like the Celtics will squeak by.

And they do, 106-104. The Bulls will try to stay alive @ home.

Note to Tubers: JMac will be on the Craig Ferguson late show tonite.

If JMac says he wants to "help" Rog again, I swear I'll throttle him.

He won't, Pspace. Mac's clearly a much better player.

Sad to hear that Coria is calling it a day although it was expected. It is a shame to see that talent fizzle away though in a mixture of shoulder and mental issues.

Bummed about the Bulls losing too. If only Miller could have made that shot or free throws maybe they could have pulled the win. Still though- the series has been a lot of fun outside of game three.

I am pleased to see that after a rough start- Noah seems to be adjusting well to the NBA. He still seems to like to praise his team mates a lot- as he did with the '04s at Florida- which I like to see.

Papo - Thx for Coria link.

His retirement makes me really sad, but it sounds like he knows it's the right decision for him and his family.

Off to watch the first 2 sets of the '04 FO final. :/

Hello all,

Sad for Coria
Poor Almagro. Lost again.
SAFIN!!!! again????

Well done, Blazers.

Sherlock, yeah, congrats to your Blazers, and umm...congrats for usurping my usual position in the bracket game ;-). Hehe...though I'm sure I'll take it back tomorrow.

'nite all.

He he, Pspace. I'm not giving it up so easily, my man. :)

And thanks. A game 6 in Houston, which I actually feel pretty good about.

"A game 6 in Houston, which I actually feel pretty good about."

Spoken like a true Land of Oz denizen.

He he. :) Hey, we lost by a combined 4 points the last two in Houston. It wouldn't be a huge upset by any stretch.

I just hope Roy is healthy. He's been sick and was really dragging tonight.

Lock, TNT didn't broadcast the Houston-Portland game tonite so I didn't get to see Roy. Hopefully the next one will be as good as the last two.

Aw, sorry man. Dang TNT. Yeah, it was a good back and forth game.

If the Blazers can come back and win it, maybe the Lakers will be a bit rusty by the time the series starts and we can steal game one. :)

On that note, it's time for me to go dream for a few hours. Have a good rest of the evening, NP. :)

Nite, Lock.

JMac dressed like a '70s frat boy. Too much prostate talk. Barely any talk about tennis. Pedestrian gabfest.

Morning, everyone. :)

yay for the Blazers.

Sad about Coria.

What does a 70s frat boy look like?

Prostate talk, literally (do not want to know details...)?

jewell: hola

jewell, will have to wait for a pic 'cause the episode just aired tonite. And yeah, prostate talk literally. Apparently Mac is involved in some charity/org promoting prostate cancer awareness.

Hey rg and NP!

Yet another reason to adore Johnny Mac. ;-) Did he talk about music and art and stuff as well?

I have moved up to sixth from bottom in the bracket challenge...Yay! LOL

But there must be a stereotype of a 70s frat boy...

He briefly mentioned Pink Floyd but didn't really talk about the arts. Like I said it was just a mildly entertaining chat.