... Take a deep breath and we're off again, surely this is too punishing a schedule for even the fittest of posters? :whistle:

Anyway we start with the news that Verdasco is 3-0 up on Youzhny and Monaco 3-0 up on Volandri...

it is - i have blisters on my fingertips...... :P

Hello Dinky, no doubt pleased that Marat made his way through qualifying?

The GOAT Granollers made it too... :bow:

hey Tim :hug:

I am pleased - i actually thought he might lose to Korolev so i'm glad he made it. I think he needs to start going through qualies and getting the match play that he's been lacking from taking WCs in to all these tournaments. Just hope he does ok against Cilic :pray:

:)

If the ATP page is right, he got a wild card into the qualifiers, can that be right - not sure how these things work? :unsure:

Anyway, yes, that sort of match should give him confidence, Korolev clearly not a pushover.


Meanwhile Monaco 5-1 and serving, Volandri could be eating the first :bread: of the day


(or should there be a special burger bun for this one?)

yeah- they give WCs in to qualifying draws as well :shrug: I think Waske got the other one......

Thanks Dinky, I'm still very much on a learning curve for this stuff.

Monaco delivers the breadstick to Volandri; Youzhny gets it back on serve against Verdasco.

Some interesting matchups right from day 1 in this one.

yeah, i was thinking that too - i think both Rome and Hamburg have thrown up some very good R1 matches :ok:

Bloody Youzhny.......i think he needs to satart with the self-flagellation again :angry:

Monaco making quick work of Volandri :unsure:

And a retirement already - Volandri pulls out, though at 1-6 0-4 I don't think he should have unless it was something too serious for him to stand up for another two games... :(

i doubt that's the last retirement we'll see this week :(

Intriguingly, according to my scoreboard Rochus is about to start against Naso. But as far as i remember, Rochus was beaten by Martin in qualifying.... :shrug:

Bolelli up against the GOAT :bow: although i'm afraid i shall be supporting Bolelli for this one :unsure:

Youzhny loses :angry:

Mahut up against Tsonga - bet that'll be a great match :P

Bolelli already a break up on Granollers - shouldn't have dropped the Pujol, he did much better before that :giggle:

Minar took the first set against Lopez :ok:

Mine says Rochus beat Mertl (who?) in qualifying and Martin beat Merovic - maybe they've corrected a mistake?

Mahut a break up on Tsonga straight away; Bolelli 4-2 up on the GOAT :rolleyes:

ok - maybe i'm going mental then :blink: it's entirely possible.....

i take it back,. i'm not going mental. that was the first round results, this is the second round results:

http://www.atptennis.com/en/common/TrackIt...2008/414/qs.pdf

Martin definitely beat Rochus - he must have pulled out injured or sth :unsure:

Mahut now a double break up on Tsonga... think you were right about this one Dinky :P

:wacko: :wacko: :wacko:

You're quite right, didn't see that second page of results...

Can't think of another explanation so that makes two retirements/withdrawals already, technically?

looks like it...... :(

unfortunately the Hamburg website is next to useless so i doubt i'll find any info on there. Honestly, for a Masters Series website it's appalling.....they need to pay for a good web designer :unsure:

Meanwhile Mahut is serving to bagel Tsonga, who obviously wants to be really well rested for Roland Garros :whistle:

:bread: :bread: :bread:

:bread: it is... JW won three points on return in that set :blink:

Good afternoon fellow tennis fans :wave:

Another week, another tourney. Quite seriously, pro tennis players must be some of the fittest sportspeople on the planet :bow:

Minar beats Lopez in straights, 6-3 6-4; Tsonga making a game of it in the second set, Mahut only holds for 1-1 after a struggle.

Mystery man Rochus and Naso now 11-11 in first set tiebreak :blink:

Indeed they must.

Although I think the top prize goes to pro cyclists... with or without pharmaceutical enhancements :(

Rochus came in as a Lucky Loser, probably as a result of the reshuffling that happened when Roddick pulled out.

Aha!

Thanks fah... :ok:

Chela just starting against Juan Antonio Sanchez de Luna (someone get this guy a short nickname quick please!)

Tsonga playing much better this set, Ollie down a break after winning that monster TB, JASdeL drops opening service game.

roddick pulled out??? :o

Yes he did - assume it was the injury from Rome :shrug:

good point - wow, my brain is really not working today :blush: wonder if i can persuade my boss to send me home with "brainache" :hmm:

Tsonga takes second set on TB :blink:

:wacko:

i told you it would be a great match :P

Bolelli won :yahoo:

:D


Chela serving for the set against The Spanish Guy with the Rather Long Name (actually I like fah's rendering, JASdeL)

Rochus having an exceptionally lopsided match against Naso. Won the first set 7-6, lost the second 2-6 and is now a break up in the third :wacko:

Canas - Llodra just starting, that could be close. Rather surprised they've never met before, given that both turned pro in the 1990s.

I should think Canas will win fairly easily - not least 'cos Llodra is French :P Canas I would think is much better on clay than Llodra...... :shrug:

Mmm... yes, you may be right. I was thinking I'd seen Llodra do well on clay but checking my recollection, that was in doubles :doh:


Meanwhile, for anyone who REALLY has time to spare - who are the highest-ranked players in the ATP who've never played each other?

I don't know, but I'll start the bidding with Fed-Tsonga.

Check out the match stats for Canas v Llodra on the live scoreboard - they are a hoot ;)

Indeed, while I'm typing Llodra is doing his bit to lower French expectations for RG - dropping his second service game with his third double fault :rolleyes:

:yikes:

:blink: good first serving there from the pair of them - 3 double faults from Llodra? he's only played 2 service games :rolleyes: