For The Sake Of Integrity

No one player is bigger than the game. Not Rod Laver or Pete Sampras, not Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal, and certainly not Philipp Petzschner or Liezel Huber.

One of the attractive qualities of tennis, and part of what makes the sport so popular, is that it is played by people of all ages and all abilities, from cracked courts in city parks to the plush lawns of posh clubs.  Most of us who play don’t have the benefit of an impartial arbiter, perched in a chair above the court, much less a judge on every line. We call our own lines. We mediate our own disputes.  We live by a strict honor system.  That system should only be more rigid when the game is being played at the highest levels.

Last September, in the men’s doubles final at the US Open, Philipp Petzschner had a ball ricochet off his leg and go over the net for a winner. The ball was struck from nearly point blank range by Marcin Matkowski. In other words, it’s unfathomable that Petzschner could not have known the ball didn’t touch his racket.  When you get a tennis ball whacked off your leg, you tend to feel it.  Chair umpire Carlos Bernardes said he did not see the ball touch Petzschner (understandable as Petzschner’s right leg obscured a clear view of the ball glancing off his left leg), and when Matkowski asked Petzschner directly if the ball hit him, he said it didn’t. 

Last night, in a women’s doubles quarter-final match at the Australian Open, five time Grand Slam champion Liezel Huber and her partner Lisa Raymond were down match point in the third set tiebreaker to Sania Mirza and Elena Vesnina when Huber ran forward to return a drop shot. The ball bounced twice as Huber flicked it over the net.  The replay was so clear that, as with Petzschner, it is unfathomable to think Huber did not know the ball bounced twice. No call was made and Huber and Raymond went on to win the point. Mirza and Vesnina complained vehemently to the chair umpire, to no avail, and asked Huber directly whether the ball bounced twice. Huber said it didn’t.

In both these cases, the outcome of the match could have hung in the balance. While Petzschner and his partner Jurgen Melzer had won the first set handily, the controversial point gave them a break point opportunity at 2-2 in the second set. Matkowski and his partner Mariusz Frystenberg were broken and never won another game.  Huber and Raymond were allowed to save the disputed match point (and three more) to tie the deciding tiebreaker at 6-6. Mirza and Vesnina ultimately won the tiebreaker, 8-6, and the match.

Sometimes, the result is not as important as how it is achieved.  It should not matter if you are playing for a Grand Slam title (and lots of cash), the club championship, or who buys lunch after the match. The integrity of the game, and fair play, should always be paramount.

Waiting For The Tsonga Breakthrough

Coming off a strong 2011 that saw Jo-Wilfried Tsonga earn the right to compete for the first time since 2008 in the World Tour Finals, there are high expectations for him to have a great 2012, and perhaps win his first Grand Slam title.

His first shot at an elusive Slam title went by the wayside yesterday at the Australian Open, falling in the 4th round to No. 24 seed Kei Nishikori. Tsonga came into the tournament fresh off his title run at Doha and seemed to be in top form during the first week in Melbourne.

But the Frenchman struggled on Hisense Arena against the top-ranked Japanese player, seeming to battle not only the talented young Nishikori but also the heat.  Tsonga started quickly, taking the first set 6-2, but was obviously struggling in the hot conditions throughout the second and third sets, which Nishikori won easily.  Tsonga, ranked No. 6 n the world, fought back in the fourth set and forced a fifth, but he was obviously running out of gas and growing increasingly frustrated with his inability to end points quickly.

“It was tough,” Tsonga said after the match. “I had a good opponent today. I didn’t play good tennis and I didn’t control everything. It was not a nice moment for me.”

Tsonga added another thought on Nishikori. “He’s tough to play because he runs a lot and everything comes back.”

Since making a run to the Australian Open final in 2008, Tsonga has been inconsistent in Slams, making just two other semi-final appearances, and has yet to return to a final.  In April, Tsonga parted ways with long-time coach Eric Winogradsky, and has since played without a coach.  Some see this as a distinct disadvantage, but Tsonga remains confident in his ability to reach the highest levels of the game.

“You can improve your game by yourself also. I’m here maybe because I had a coach,” Tsonga said the other day after easily dispatching Portuguese qualifier Frederico Gil in the 3rd round. “But now I feel like I have to follow my opinion maybe a little more.”

Tsonga clearly has all the tools to be a consistently elite player and win at least one Grand Slam title, if not several.  The tennis world is waiting for him to deliver a big-time match on the biggest stage.  But what we saw Monday in Melbourne won’t be enough to get the job done.  And what we’ve seen at the back end of Slams in the past several years won’t get it done either.  Whether it’s time to re-evaluate the wisdom of “flying solo” is a question best left for Tsonga to answer, but it is a question he must address.

If Tsonga is someday able to harness the best aspects of his game, physically and mentally, and put them together over a two week period, he will be a Grand Slam champion.  His talent is that big.

Australian Open 2012: Second Round Flashback

The second round is now in the history books at Melbourne Park. This is when the tournament really starts to gain momentum, with some more competitive matches between seeded players. But before we move on, let’s pause and take a look back at an eventful second round.

The Big 4 Roll:

Nobody had it easier than Roger Federer, who received a walkover several hours before he was scheduled to take the court on Day 3. It remains to be seen if the three day layoff will produce any rust; Fed will be tasked with returning the big serves of Ivo Karlovic in the third round.

Novak Djokovic hasn’t received any walkovers, but he has been walking all over his opponents so far. The No. 1 seed has not been tested, clinically dismissing Colombian Santiago Giraldo in the second round, 6-3 6-2 6-1.

Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray both moved into the third round without incident, Rafa taking down popular veteran Tommy Haas and Murray dispatching Edouard Roger-Vasselin after running away with the first set and holding off the Frenchman, 6-1 6-4 6-4.

I still think Nadal will be the first of the top four to run into problems, but probably not against Lukas Lacko, his third round opponent.  Rafa, however, will face either John Isner or Feliciano Lopez in the round of 16; either of these guys is capable of pulling off the upset.

Sharapova, Azarenka Dominating:

The Nos. 3 and 4 seeded women have gotten off to a scorching start in the first two rounds--each only dropping 2 games over two matches.  Sharapova will most likely get a tougher test when she faces Angelique Kerber, a 2011 US Open semi-finalist, but the Russian is showing no effects from a lingering ankle injury and looks to be in top form.  Azarenka will play Mona Barthel, who is playing some of the best tennis of her life. She swept to victory last week as a qualifier in Hobart, and has yet to drop a set thus far in Melbourne.

While both top seeds Caroline Wozniacki and Petra Kvitova both advanced to the third round, neither looked like they couldn’t be stopped. Especially Kvitova, who went completely AWOL in the middle of her match against a very capable Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro, who upset Venus Williams at the 2009 Australian Open.  Kvitova seemed to completely lose her timing for a stretch, but regained her form just in time to pull out a hard-fought victory, 6-2 2-6 6-4.  Wozniacki also appeared to be cruising against Georgian Anna Tatishvili, but fell behind in the second set before staging a comeback and taking the match in a second set tiebreak, 6-2 7-6(4). Both women stumbled a bit, both survived to fight another day.

Testers, Injury, Drama & Controversy:

On paper, it looked like No. 5 seed david Ferrer may have had the least challenging path to the quarter-finals.  That was before American Ryan Sweeting starting pounding groundstrokes, moving deftly to net, and knocking off quality volleys. Sweeting took a 2 sets to 1 lead over Ferrer, but was unable to close the deal against one of the tour’s most battled-tested and tough players. Ferrer prevailed to take his place in the third round, 6-7(4) 6-2 3-6 6-2 6-3

Andy Roddick was going to have a tough, if not nearly impossible, time making a run this year Down Under. He was dealt a pretty brutal draw which would have pitted him against huge-serving Canadian Milos Raonic in the third around and world No. 1 Djokovic in the fourth round. Instead, Roddick went out in the second round to former world No. 1 and Australian hero Lleyton Hewitt, forced to retire with a hamstring injury after the third set. Roddick was trailing 2 sets to 1 when he retired. 

They say a Grand Slam doesn’t really get started until the first marathon 5th set is played or the first controversy bubbles to the surface. Both happened in the second round, and they both happened in the same match.  David Nalbandian and Isner were locked in a tight battle deep in the 5th set. Isner, whose right leg was cramping throughout the latter stages of the match, was facing break point at 8-8 when his first serve was called out. Chair umpire Kader Nouni overruled the call, and then would not allow Nalbandian to challenge the call, ruling too much time had elapsed. {See prior post}.  Isner went on to win the match 10-8 in the 5th, and a classy Nalbandian did not blame the loss on the controversial call, but drama and controversy made this the most compelling match of the tournament’s first two rounds.

No. 13 seed Alexandr Dolgopolov hasn’t exactly made things easy on himself thus far.  The Ukranian also needed extra time to take down Tobias Kamke 8-6 in the 5th set. Dolgopolov has dropped the first set in both his matches, and has needed the full 10 sets to move into the third round. Things won’t get any easier for him, but they promise to be very interesting when he faces newly-minted Australian super hero Bernard Tomic--a must see third round tilt.

Hats off to Janko Tipsarevic and Nicolas Mahut, both of whom survived tough second round matches. Mahut came back from a set down and a 2-6 deficit in the second set tiebreaker to beat Tatsuma Ito of Japan in four sets. Mahut will play in the third round of a Grand Slam event for just the second time in his career (Wimbledon 2006).  Tipsarevic survived a tout struggle with Australian wild card James Duckworth. The Serb dropped the first set and had to fight both his opponent and a vocal partisan Aussie crowd, and fought back to win a quality match, 3-6 6-2 7-6(5) 6-4.

Impressive Milestone:

Serena Williams beat Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 6-0 6-4 to notch her 500th win as a professional.  “It’s really really cool,” Serena said after the match, “500 is a lot of matches to play, let alone win.”

More Fallen Seeds:  

Six more men’s seeds fell in the second round: Mardy Fish (8); Gilles Simon (12); Andy Roddick (15); Viktor Troicki (19); Marcel Granollers (26); Alex Bogomolov, Jr. (32).

Eight more women’s seeds were defeated in the second round: Francesca Schiavone (10); Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (15); Peng Shuai (16); Dominika Cibulkova (17); Roberta Vinci (23); Kaia Kanepi (25); Nadia Petrova (29); Petra Cetkovska (32).

Nalbandian, Isner & Kader Nouni: A Few Thoughts

There was plenty of talk leading up the Australian Open about a brewing controversy swirling around Margaret Court Arena. I don’t think this is what people had in mind.

A few thoughts on the controversy that erupted at the end of the Isner-Nalbandian match:

By now, I’m sure most people have seen and/or read about the circumstances surrounding Kader Nouni’s refusal to allow David Nalbandian to challenge his overrule of a call with John Isner serving at 8-8 and facing a break point. If you haven’t, check it out; I’m sure it’s already been hit thousands of times on You Tube.

I think Nouni should have given Nalbandian the chance to use the challenge system. Plain and simple. In a Grand Slam match as close as this was, it is important to make every possible attempt to get the call correct.  There was a lot of confusion on the court. The line judge called the ball out (correctly, as replays showed), the crowd reacted in a manner befitting a dramatic 5th set nail-biter and Nouni’s subsequent overrule of the call was hard to hear.  In fact, I had no idea he overruled the call until I saw Nalbandian telling Nouni he wanted to challenge. Nalbandian claims Isner told him to challenge the call. Given the confusion on court, and the fact you have disagreement between the two officials, let hawk-eye determine the call and move on.

It would have saved time, as well.  There is no reason Isner and his crampy right leg should have to stand idle for more than 5 minutes as Nalbandian pleads his case with the tournament referee.

It is important to remember, though, that this decision by Nouni did not determine the outcome of the match. And to his credit, Nalbandian made this clear in his post-match comments. Indeed, when all this took place, Nalbandian should have already been up a break.  He played two horrendous backhands on the two previous break points--one an attempt at a pass that didn’t come close to clearing the net and another that he sailed 3 feet long with Isner out of position.

Plus, had Nalbandian been able to successfully challenge, Isner would have had a second serve.  It wasn’t like the Argentine was having all that much success returning Isner’s kicker.

Even more important, from my perspective, is this: the conversation on “timely challenges” is well past due on both the ATP and WTA tours.  If the situation had been different (ie lack of confusion about the original call and subsequent overrule; disagreement between two on-court officials), I would fully support Nouni’s decision to not allow a challenge. Players routinely take way too long to decide whether to challenge. The stroll slowly to have a peek at the mark; they look to their box for advice.  The decision to challenge should be made right away, and it should be made by the player without input from his or her box. Umpires should be more forceful in their enforcement of the “timely challenge.”  It’s high time the ATP and WTA sit down and come up with some clearly enforceable guidelines.

Australian Open 2012: First Round Flashback

The first round of the 2012 Australian Open is in the books. A quick look back at some of the notable happenings during the first two days of play in Melbourne:

Top Seeds Cruise:  

Andy Murray was the only top 4 seed to drop a set in the first round, but he rebounded nicely to finish off the talented young American Ryan Harrison in 4 sets, 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-2.  Murray got off to a bit of a sluggish start in hot conditions, and Harrison played an almost perfect first set, but Murray settled down and began to hit his forehand with more authority.  The long rallies throughout the match seemed to wear the American down as the match got into the later stages.

Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer all cruised to first round victories, with Djokovic in especially sharp form. After being broken early in the first set and trailing 1-2, the Serb never lost another game en route to a thrashing of Italian Paolo Lorenzi.  Nadal didn’t seem too hampered by his balky knee or his shoulder, and Federer was, well, Federer. Which is to say, efficiently working his way into top form at a Grand Slam.

The top 4 women were dominating on the first two days of play, dropping a combined seven games. Kvitova, who played before Djokovic on Rod Laver Arena, set the tone for the day. She was also broken early in the first set. She also came roaring back to crush Vera Dushevina without dropping another game.  Maria Sharapova showed no signs of a lingering ankle injury, and no signs of her oft-shaky serve en route to a pasting of Gisela Dulko. Victoria Azarenka, the pick of many to win the title and her first Grand Slam, was equally efficient in routing the young Brit Heather Watson.  And don’t forget about Caroline Wozniacki, who is playing with a lot to prove (not to mention with her No. 1 ranking on the line). She had little resistance from Anastasia Rodionova.

Coming Back From The Dead:  

Four players on the men’s side came from two sets down to win, and all four of these matches involved a seeded player. Two, No. 19 seed Viktor Troicki and No. 13 seed Alexandr Dolgopolov, were victorious. Two, No. 28 seed Ivan Ljubicic and No. 22 seed Fernando Verdasco, were not so fortunate.

By far the most compelling of these matches was the Verdasco match against 19 year-old Australian upstart Bernard Tomic. After dropping the first two sets on a jam-packed Rod laver Arena and looking exhausted and, quite frankly, uninterested, Tomic engineered a comeback that will be talked about for years to come Down Under.  With plenty of help from an error-prone Verdasco, Tomic started playing his signature off-speed shots and ripping forehand winners at opportune times to easily take sets three and four. The fifth set was tight, with Verdasco serving himself out of trouble on several occasions. But with the boisterous Australian crowd behind him, Tomic was able to get the late break and serve out a memorable victory, 4-6 6-7(3) 6-4 6-2 7-5. He’ll play former top 20 American Sam Querrey in the 2nd round.

Festival of Bagels:

The men and women combined to dish out 27 bagel sets in the first round of this year’s Australian Open.  Day 2 alone saw 20 bagels delivered, nine from the men and eleven from the women.  Djokovic and Philipp Petzschner dropped two each, as did Ekaterina Makarova. Makarova, though, lost the second set of her match against Tamarine Tanasugarn to come up with the unique 6-0 2-6 6-0 scoreline.

Battles Royale:

Aside from the four matches noted above where players came from two sets down to win, there were other dramatic five set duels. The two longest matches of the first round were Sergiy Stakhovsky vs. Illya Marchenko, an all Kazakhstan matchup, and Mikhail Youzhny vs. Andrey Golubev, also from Kazakhstan.

Stakhovsky prevailed in 4 hours and 26 minutes, 6-3 6-7(9) 4-6 6-3 7-5. The qualifier Golubev won the longest match of the 1st round in 4 hours and 53 minutes, 7-5 6-7(4) 6-4 4-6 6-3. Golubev will face No. 17 seed Richard Gasquet in the 2nd round, while Stakhovsky will meet No. 30 seed Kevin Anderson.

We still have yet to have a 5th set last more than 12 games.

Ousted Seeds:

The biggest upset so far was turned in by Romanian Sorana Cirstea, who ousted the top Australian woman and current US Open champion Samantha Stosur, seeded No. 6. Stosur has historically played tight and below expectations on her native soil, and Tuesday was more of the same. Cirstea played aggressively, using her big forehand as a weapon in a 7-6(2) 6-3 beatdown.

Other seeds to fall: Women: Flavia Pennetta (19); Lucie Safarova (24); Yanina Wickmayer (28).  Men:  Florian Mayer (20) (Withdrew prior to start); Fernando Verdasco (22); Ivan Ljubicic (28); Radek Stepanek (29); Jurgen Melzer (31).

Australian Open 2012 Preview & Thoughts

By now you have probably read a zillion draw analyses of the upcoming Australian Open. Here’s one more to add to your list. In a very simple form, this analysis will look at the top 4 seeds relative to their quarters of the draw, along with a few random observations along the way.

1. Novak Djokovic:  Djokovic wasn’t gifted a super easy path to his predicted quarter-final matchup with Spain’s David Ferrer. His first 2 rounds should be routine enough, against Paolo Lorenzi of Italy and Colombian Santiago Giraldo. Giraldo has been playing good tennis of late and has had some good results in the last 15 months, but in the 2nd round of a Slam, he’ll only serve to give Djokovic a test for a set. Look for the Serb to cruise into a potential 3rd round match with veteran Radek Stepanek. Again, the cagey Czech, who has been around the block and won’t be intimidated by the stage,  will be able to hang around for awhile, but will not bring nearly enough firepower to the battle. Which could set up a R16 match that could prove one of the most entertaining of the entire fortnight: young big serving Canadian Milos Raonic vs. Novak Djokovic for a spot in the quarter-finals. This will be the true popcorn match of this quarter.  In previous years, prior to 2011, we may have seen Djokovic grow increasingly frustrated as Raonic pounded one ace after another. But in 2011, Djokovic proved time and again that all aspects of his game were much improved, including what some had previously perceived as some cracks in his mental toughness. Look for Djokovic to weather the barrage of big Raonic serves and make it safely to the quarter-finals in his section of the draw.

Random thoughts on quarter #1: Poor Andy Roddick. He had a good showing at last year’s US Open after a spotty season up until then. Yeah, he kept his streak alive by winning Memphis, but completely disappeared from the European clay events (literally), and saw his ranking drop into the 20s for a time. Well, the Australian Open will not be the elixir for which he was searching. The young talented Dutchman Robin Haase awaits in the 1st round, the hometown hero and veteran Lleyton Hewitt in round 2, and if he makes it through both of those matches intact, Raonic will most likely be waiting to send him packing back to the States.

David Ferrer probably has the easiest path to the quarter-finals than any other player in the top eight.  He could see a little challenge from Janko Tipsarevic or Richard Gasquet, but the Spaniard is playing well, and should cruise into the quarter-finals. Where, of course, he’ll face Djokovic {more on that in week 2 analysis}.

1. Rafael Nadal:  There has been a lot of talk surrounding the state of Rafa’s health, particularly regarding his shoulder, in the run-up to Melbourne.  Rafa usually is able to push physical ailments into the background during Grand Slams, but I think this year will be different. Yes, Nadal is the only of the top four seeds that I don’t think will reach the quarter-finals. I’m not going to predict an earth-shattering early round upset of Nadal, mainly because I don’t see a player in his early draw that could pull that off (Kuznetsov, Kuda or Hass).  The possible round 3 match with Ljubicic could provide a test and certainly some tense moments, but I see Rafa advancing into the Round of 16, where one of two players will end Nadal’s run for a second Australian Open title. In a possible round 3 cracker, American John Isner and Spaniard Feliciano Lopez will play for the right to oust Rafa. I think either of these two guys (Lopez or Isner) gets the job done this year and advance to their first Australian Open quarter-final.  There will be lots of talk about Rafa’s health and physical state as he returns to Spain for an extended break before the US Masters 1000s in Indian Wells and Miami.

Random thoughts on quarter #2:  In this quarter, I look for one of the bigger Round 1 upsets--though this one may not surprise everyone. Benoit Paire will take down No. 21 seed Stanislas Wawrinka. This match may not even be that close. Look for the talented young Frenchman to win in four sets.

It will be interesting to track the results of Grigor Dimitrov. The Bulgarian has been on everybody’s radar for awhile now, and despite flashes of brilliance (and a supremely entertaining match at Wimbledon with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga), he has so far come up shorter than his talent may suggest. He could find himself in a Round 3 tussle with Paire (yes, you have deduced I have no high hopes for Nico Almagro) for the right to play in the final sixteen.

I think Tomas Berdych will make it through to the quarter-finals as the No. 7 seed. The former Wimbledon finalist reached the quarter-finals last year in Australia (a career-best) and with a relatively easy path back (and the predicted absence of Rafa), he could be one of the 2012 semi-finalists.

1. Roger Federer:  Personally, I have a hard time with all the “Fed is in decline” talk. I think Federer made his thoughts known on the subject by winning the Paris indoors and the World Tour Finals at the end of last year. Assuming his back is healthy, which he claims is the case, there is no reason Federer cannot win a Slam this year, including the Australian Open. There will be some tests along the way, no doubt, but I believe Roger will ultimately end up in the quarter-finals, setting up a classic with Juan Martin Del Potro.  Federer may have to deal with big server like Ivo Karlovic or the young Aussie phenom Bernard Tomic or the tricky Alexandr Dolgopolov, but the experience of Federer should get him by all three of these guys.  {If Tomic makes a run to the Round of 16 and matches up with Federer, good luck getting a seat at the stadium; this will be one of the most hyped matches in Australia since the heyday of Hewitt}.  I would be surprised if Federer were not still alive when the quarter-finals come calling.

Random thoughts on quarter #3:  This could be the most interesting quarter. There are some juicy Round 1 matches (Fish-Muller, Verdasco-Tomic, Monaco-Kohlschreiber, Melzer-Karlovic). 

You’ve got to think that both Mardy Fish and Del Potro would be disappointed with anything less than a quarter-final finish, so one of those guys will leave Australia disappointed. They have a possible Round of 16 date. Del Potro has been throwing wrenches into draws during his entire comeback.  He’s not the guy you want to meet in the first week of a Slam.

It will be fun to watch Tomic. The Aussie teenager has talent to spare and is cool under fire. He seems to feel no pressure, but it will be interesting to see how he handles himself as the rounds get deeper and the competition becomes more elite.

1. Andy Murray:  Andy murray arrived in Australia under the tutelage of new full-time coach Ivan Lendl. Obviously, Lendl has all the credentials: former world No. 1, multiple Grand Slam champion, tireless worker, etc. But can he coach Murray and help him get that all-elusive Grand Slam title? That remains to be seen, but eventually Murray should win a Slam. Murray is in good form, having won the title in Brisbane, but his quarter is complicated. Potentially fatal land mines are everywhere.  The top Brit should beat young American Ryan Harrison in Round 1, but Harrison has tons of talent and can’t be taken lightly. He may also have to navigate tricky matches with Belgian Xavier malisse and newly-minted Russian Alex Bogomolov, Jr. before a potential Round of 16 showdown with Gael Monfils. Monfils can be an enigma, but if he brings his A game and incredible athletic ability, this could also be an instant classic.  I think Murray will be around for the quarter-finals.  But that will most likely bring another titanic struggle.

Random thoughts on quarter #4:  Obviously, the other major contender from this quarter is Tsonga. The Frenchman seems on the cusp of breaking through with a mammoth result, which could include winning a Slam in 2012.  He has enjoyed success in Australia, having reached the final in 2008 in his first big splash on the world stage--a place he’s been ever since.  Tsonga may have to deal with a few speed bumps along the way, but again, I’d be very surprised if we aren’t treated to a Murray-Tsonga quarter-final.

This quarter of the draw could also produce another Round 1 seeded casualty. It would be no surprise of Juan Carlos Ferrero took out No. 19 seed Viktor Troicki. The Serb has been inconsistent of late, to say the least, and is primed for an early exit in Melbourne.

It would be nice to see Kei Nishikori win a few rounds in a Grand Slam. The top Japanese player on tour has made leaps and bounds over the past year, and is an all-around nice guy.  He could meet Gilles Simon in Round 3 and possibly Tsonga in Round of 16 if he makes it that far.

My quarter-final predicted match-ups: (1) Djokovic vs. (5) Ferrer; (4) Murray vs. (6) Tsonga; (3) Federer vs. (11) Del Potro; (7) Berdych vs. (16) Isner

Spain Ready To Receive France In Cordoba

Spanish Davis Cup Captain Albert Costa acknowledged that his team is the favorite in this weekend’s semi-final tie versus France in Cordoba, but he knows that doesn’t mean much.

“[Being favored} doesn’t mean anything until we prove it on the court,” Costa said yesterday, noting that France is still dangerous even without its No. 1 player, Gael Monfils. Monfils will not be playing this weekend because of injury.

Even without Monfils, Costa explained, “they continue to have a great team, with great players, very competitive players, and they are going to make this tie very complicated, I still see it being very difficult.”

Indeed, France will bring quite a formidable team to Andalucia, including world nos. 10 and 11, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gilles Simon respectively, and world no. 15 Richard Gasquet.

Spain will counter with world no. 2 French Open champion and US Open runner-up Rafael Nadal, no. 5 David Ferrer, no. 22 Fernando Verdasco and no. 28 Felieciano Lopez.

The order of play, or in fact if Nadal will be playing when the action commences on Friday, is still up in the air. This will be the eighth time these countries have met in Davis Cup play; Spain holds a 5-2 record against their neighbors to the north, but France blanked Spain 5-0 in the 2010 quarter-finals in France.