Yes, I know for a fact that there are people out there who don't like Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. I'm even friends with some of them. It still doesn't make sense to me though - I mean how can you not like the awesomeness and fun that is Jo-Wi? It's just unnatural.


Jo-Wi won Tokyo over Youzhny in a dominating fashion - that will help him immencely in the race to Barklay's, but I don't know about his Shanghai chances now - he will be playing for the 3rd week in a row. Good luck anyway.

Looks like play in Beijing is suspended for rain. I'm heading out with Monkey boy - Nole will have to find his way without me.

Soderling sucks!!!

I really wanted him to win this tournament . Although my first choice was Safin. But Safin sucks too!!!!

c) Someone on MTF, on Sod-Nole thread: that cracked me up for some reason. Then I tried to format this entry and hit "ctrl+b" and got taken to a google search with keywords "Soderling sucks". That cracked me up even more.

Yes, my life is a glum, cheerless place.

Well, that was a pretty good day, tennis-wise. A great day, actually - all the matches exactly in the way I wanted. First Misha beat Lleyton in an awesome 3-setter (funny how long it's been since Misha was any good at all - two years almost?). It's great to see him playing well, if only for a short while - he's truly spectacular when on song.

Nole strategically kicked Sod's behind, nice and smooth, doing all the right things.

Woodshed, meet Rafael Nadal. Rafael Nadal, this is woodshed, please feel at home. Marin was undoubtedly on fire, and I think that Nadal's hopeless moonballing made him look even better than he truly was. Rafa has this effect on hard hitters sometimes.

And Jo took care of Monfils in the most efficient manner. So tomorrow I have two finals where I honestly don't care who wins: of course, I'm pulling slightly for Nole and Misha (cause it's no fun otherwise), but won't be bothered in the slightest if either didn't win. Good times.

And because I'm in continious awe of Jo's magnificient hair, here we go:
( find ten differences )</div>
Okay, so Jo will have to grow his hair just a little more to compete, but still... bravo.

(Incidentially, the second photo was taken in China 4 yrs ago).</b></b>

Yeah.
 


Expected result, okay - still thanks Marat, for two great matches, and a lot of fine play in this one. You can't really beat Nadal without a forehand, can you? Noone can.

 

( Still a god though )
And he got a bottle as a parting gift.

In other news Nole beat the future of tennis for the 5th time in a row - not nearly as vomit-indusing as their USO encounter, but almost as strange, and played almost to the same tune: win the first set in a dogfight, go away in the 2nd, come back to win the match. Nole's showing more willingness to go dtl though which is kinda encouraging. Still way too many doublefaults though.

His Toadness next, he's playing some mean ball this week - loved the way he's absolutely shredded Boredo. Not a guarantee, this, despite 3-0 h2h.

( looking devastatingly handsome though )
Okay, not the best angle, but I like this picture.

As someone on MTF pointed out, Verdasco is the Blake of the new generation - handsome, massive forehand, tons of athleticism, all-or-nothing game, mental issues and tennis IQ and competitive spirit of an average grapefruit. The only difference is that 'Dasco's a lefty and two-handed on the bh side. Expect him to show up with shaved head and a headband any time now.

On the other hand, believe or not, that OTHER Beijing semifinal still gives me nightmares - that was tough to take, ladies and gents, tough to take and I don't care for a repeat any time soon. Ergo, Nadal must lose before the final. Ajde, Marin.

Looks like Ernie's trying to grow some scruff - probably in an attempt to look more manly. It ain't working, Ernie - you're still looking like you're fresh out of kindergarten. And doublefaulting on set-points will not win you matches against top10 opponents. Tsonga was there for the taking, jesus.

( I can't decide who's more adorable )Opinions?

 

Monkey boy's birhtday's coming tomorrow, and I'm making cake. I didn't have much time today for anything tennis-related, but I did watch the entirety of Tsonga-Monaco, which was, in my not so humble opinion, the best match of the touranment so far. Both played well; throughout the middle 2 sets Tsonga was simply on fire. I guess he's disproving the notion that he's nothing on clay: Monaco is the best undseeded player in the draw, cunning and tactically savvy, if underpowered. The way Tsonga was blasting him off the court in those two sets was awesome. And that on clay that was really slower thn mud today.

There was also a very touching exchange at the net.

( feel the manlove )  
And about yesterday:

"Well, as you can see, I didn't draw the heart, and I didn't lay down and I didn't cry and I didn't all those things ... it's not me.  (It's) a terrible way to finish with the French Open but anyway ... it's okay. It's not so sad. (It) doesn't get me emotional."

Marat, on his last match at Roland Garros
( and what a match it was... )

( Djokovic d. Tsonga )

I watch Miami sporadically - the time-zones are just too inconvenient. Watched the Monfils-Safin atrocity, Roddick-Monfils, Nadal-Gil, some match of Murray's (I think with that cute Juan Monaco). Watched Stepanek-Gonzo in the wee hours of morning.

Do I absolutely need to stay up for Fed-Roddick? I think not.

( Tsonga d. Llodra )
I'm tired of rinky-dinks, and there's another one the next week in Dubai. I'm tired of February, where are we going to have a real tournament again?

I'm sleep-deprived and a lil'bit drunk, so instead of the recap I'm simply posting these two photos (courtesy of tangerine_dream on MTF):


And now, the real powah:



Peace out.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga pulled out of Sydney qf with a bad back, and most probably won't play AO. What a bummer, might I say.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/7830206.stm

Now, I know it's unreasonable to expect anything out of Jo-Wi: a recurrent back injury is pretty much it for the carreer, he won't have have a string of consistent results, ever. But he was my best hope of upsetting The Order this AO, even if his was an outside shot at best.

Now, the favorites go like this:

Federer
Murray Djokovic
Nadal

Who else? Del Potro? Doubt very much that he could beat any of the above in a slam. Nalbandian? Yeah, right. Simon? He will come to his normal (read: top 30) level this seaso. Monfils? Who?

Oh, and Kohlschreiber also pulled out of Auckland with elbow pains. Not that he's a favourite for anything, I just like him.

For the old times'sake now: