ATP/WTA Week Ahead: Miami

So the draw for the Sony Ericsson Open came out today, ably assisted by the always-adorable if more-than-occasionally agonising Marin Cilic …

He drew himself in Fed’s quarter. Idiot.

… and the always delightful Svetlana Kuznetsova.

Yep, you’re the top seed again.

ATP:

Draw here.

Quarters: Federer-Cilic, Murray-Soderling, Nadal-Tsonga, Djokovic-Roddick

WTA:

Draw here.

Quarters: Kuznetsova-Li, Venus-Radwanska, Azarenka-Jankovic, Wozniacki-Dementieva

Main draw play starts Wedmesday 24th March. 

Indian Wells: What’s Going On?

So, I missed a lot. A lot of kind of surprising losses. Marin Cilic lost to Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 76(1) 60; that was pretty surprising. I thought he’d got over random losses to opponents he should take care of easily enough. Obviously not, or maybe he was just that keen to get on to Miami and “work” with Goran again. Moving on. Justine Henin lost 62 16 64 to Gisela Dulko, who went on to lose 61 60 to Agnieszka Radwanska.

Because that happens.

Similarly mixed fortunes for battling British qualifier Elena Baltacha, who did incredibly well to beat Li Na in three sets, scoring the first top 10 win of her career – and then lost 60 62 to wildcard Alicia Molik.

Because that … happens.

Gael Monfils, meanwhile, never the most reliable or consistent of players, still surprised in losing to Simon Greul 16 62 63.

This actually does happen.

And Svetlana Kuznetsova took being the top seed on the women’s side about as well as could have been expected, losing in three sets to Carla Suarez Navarro in her first match.

And Maria Sharapova found herself a victim of Zheng Jie’s indomitable (when she feels like it) spirit, falling 63 26 63.

Roger Federer, meanwhile, won everything.

UPDATED: The Withdrawal Method: Dinara Out of IW, Hip Surgery for Haas

Dinara Safina has confirmed on her official website that she won’t be playing Indian Wells this year. Still bedevilled with that back injury. Combined with Serena’s absence, this will leave Svetlana Kuznetsova as the no. 1 seed.

Fierce.

Also in the wars is Tommy Haas, newly of the U.S.A, who had hip surgery in Colorado on Friday. Honestly, there can’t be that many players who have had more persistent bad luck with their health than Tommy. And Sania Mirza is out for six weeks with a recurrence of that plaguey wrist injury.

Somewhat ironically, Mario Ancic is playing Indian Wells, unless he somehow trips over and injures himself between now and then. And it’s not like that’s going to happen, right?

Sigh.

By the way, tennis.com is reporting rumours that Roger Federer won’t be playing in Indian Wells either. We’ll see.

EDIT: Federer just posted the following on his Facebook page -

I am feeling really good again and I was happy to hear from my doctor today that I have the green light to start working out again so I plan to try and play in Indian Wells next week. Thanks for the well wishes.

So there you have it.

Venus Wins Shiny Thing, Much Cash

So that made-up exo thingy I was talking about was last night – sorry, the BNP Paribas Showdown of Champions in Madison Square Garden for the Billie Jean King Cup – and Venus won it. Well done. She beat Svetlana Kuznetsova 64 before facing Kim Clijsters, who defeated Ana Ivanovic 76(2), and beating her 64 36 75.

Venus just wears winning so well. What a great month for her. Of course, she couldn’t have done it without the help of her supporting cast who each reportedly showcased their special talents.

Sveta emoted.

And Ana … well, you know.

And a good time was had by all. Or possibly not. I hear that the event was fairly sparsely attended but that the tennis was good. Linz, are you out there? What did you think?

Who’s Out …

High-profile casualties since we last spoke:

Out to Shahar Peer in Dubai.

Out to Agnieszka Radwanska in Dubai.

Out to Venus in Dubai.

Out to Li Na in Dubai.

Forced to retire against Shahar Peer with back pain.

Out to Vera Zvonareva in Dubai.

Out to Victoria Azarenka in Dubai.

Forced to retire against Lukas Lacko in Memphis after beating Fernando Verdasco.

Lost to Sofia Arvidsson after a promising beginning to the tournament.

And … Radek Stepanek (Memphis), Fernando Verdasco (Memphis), Nicolas Almagro (Buenos Aires), Gilles Simon (Marseilles), Richard Gasquet (Buenos Aires), and probably many more I forgot to mention.

Dubai: More Of This Sort of Thing, Please

Sveta and Vika. Vika and Sveta. Being buddies on twitter. Playing doubles together.

Bet you a hundred million billion pounds they’re not talking tactics.

I need more.

Something’s Started But I Don’t Know What

Svetlana and Nadia doing … something … in Dubai:

By the way, if for some reason you’re not following Sveta on twitter, for the love of god please start.

Fed Cup Sunday: Serbi-”I Can’t”

Serbia 2 – Russia 3

In a time of ancient gods, warlords and kings …

JJ gets a lot of shit (and most of the time I can see why), but you have to stand up and salute her work this weekend. After a back injury put her participation in doubt, she ended up earning Serbia their only points, backing up her com-from-behind win over Alisa Kleybanova by edging Svetlana Kuznetsova, 63 46 63. And frankly, it feels like ages since JJ’s won two matches in two days (or since I’ve been able to watch her do it), so yeah, I’m going to luxuriate in that.

That smile. I love my JJ.

Unfortunately and yet unsurprisingly, Ana Ivanovic once again struggled to find any form. She never really looked like winning her singles rubber, called for a trainer to look at her shoulder during the doubles match, and was soundly defeated by Kleybanova, 62 63. I so don’t have the energy or inclination for another round of ‘what’s wrong with Ana?’. She’ll sort herself out eventually.

Thus we got what many of us were hoping for: a live doubles rubber for the tie. While the tennis wasn’t gripping – Kuznetsova and Kleybanova are a class above the ‘vic-es as a doubles team – it was entertaining stuff and quite heartwarming to watch Ana and JJ smiling gamely throughout.

So ends Serbia’s first foray into the World Group, and the somewhat unstoppable behemoth that is Russia’s Fed Cup team rolls raggedly on.

Fed Cup: Kuznetsova In, JJ Maybe Out

Ructions ahead of next weekend’s tie between Serbia and Russia. Svetlana Kuznetsova has confirmed that she will play in the tie in Belgrade, despite various handbags between her and Shamil Tarpischev.

In more worrying news for Serbia, Jelena Jankovic’s participation in the tie is now in doubt as she is assessing the extent of a back injury sustained during the Australian Open. C Note has more at Forty Deuce.

AO Day Seven: Petrova, Zheng Keep Rolling

Zheng Jie has been on quite the unheralded little run, taking out Marion Bartoli and now backing that up with a win over Alona Bondarenko to make the quarterfinals. She’ll face the winner of Safina-Kirilenko after a 76(5) 64 victory over the 31st seed.

This was more thna a decent scrap, but Bondarenko’s serve – never a thing of beauty – really let her down as she couldn’t hold on to either of the breaks she earned in the first set or the minibreak in the tiebreak. And Zheng never really let her in to the second set. Great match from her.

Nadia Petrova, meanwhile, proved that she’s not just a one-upset-per-tournament kind of girl by taking out Svetlana Kuznetsova, 63 36 61. I’m afraid I napped through this one, so all I can bring you are photos …

Henin or Wickmayer next …