Win A Lesson With Andy Roddick

The 4th annual Andy Roddick Foundation Gala is being held November 30th in Austin, Texas and to raise funds for the charity Andy is raffling off $2 tix to win a chance to hit with the top American tennis player. The prize also includes an all expense trip for two, private tennis lesson with Andy himself, and three night’s hotel stay! Sir Elton join will be performing and you can be sure that there will be a lot of tennis talent especially American’s such as good friends Mardy Fish, James Blake, and perhaps even Andre Agassi who started the whole create your own foundation trend.

Entry deadline is this Monday, October 5th at 11:00 AM EST. Considering it is almost impossible to be able to hit with a top player, this is probably going to be the easiest and cheapest way to do it. Minimum of 5 tickets per person. A winner will be drawn this Monday and it could be you!

To purchase tickets and view all the rules and prizes, visit Celebrities for Charity:
https://www.celebritiesforcharity.org/raffles/andyroddickfoundation.cfm

Video: R-Fed Feeling Patriotic

Here is some video of Roger speaking some français as well as showing his patriotic side by singing some Swiss chants.  I didn’t know Fed could possess such a voice but then again what can the guy not do (ignore beating Rafa at the French).

Video: Rafa Indoor Preparations

Here is a quick video of Rafa warming up for the upcoming indoor season. If you didn’t catch the news already here, Rafa is set to make his indoor debut next week at the China Open after healing is torn abdominal muscle.

Verdasco Postpones Surgery

Spanish playboy, and oh yeah, tennis player Fernando Verdasco has decided to postpone foot surgery until the end of the season so he can play for his country in the finals of the Davis Cup and to attempt and make the season ending championships in London.  Verdasco played an instrumental role in bringing the Spaniard’s the Davis Cup crown in 2008 and looks to continue his successful 2009 campaign.

“The doctor… told me that I can postpone the surgery as it would not affect me. But when I went home to Spain, my doctor told me I will need three weeks to recuperate. If I had it done, I would not be able to make it here for the Malaysian Open. The doctor also told me that I can postpone the surgery as it would not affect me. My focus is to qualify for the World Finals and help Spain win the Davis Cup.”

Rafa In, Murray Out

Rafael Nadal’s camp has confirmed today that the 23 year-old Spaniard has healed from the 15mm abdominal tear he suffered this year at the US Open.  Rafa is set to play in next week`s China Open and also in the Davis Cup final against the Czech Republic.  The world #2 has been on the sidelines since losing to the eventual US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro in the semi-finals.  So what does this mean for the Rafa wedding proposal rumors?  Well, don’t hold your breath about him proposing any time soon.  He will more than likely wait until the off-season now so he would be re-plan his romantic plan and perhaps add a little bit of an element of a surprise after reports leaked all over the net that Rafa was set to propose last week in Thailand.

In other news, the doctor visit for Andy Murray wasn’t as positive.  The doctor has recommended that Andy sit out of next week’s action and rest after straining his wrist warming up for England’s Davis Cup match up that took place after the US Open.  He hopes to be back in action soon but they are setting a definite date.

The Tale of Two Tweeners: Federer vs. Llodra

Tricks of the trade:

Trick shots are always a welcome site when watching a tennis match. Throughout the course of a season, many behind the back, flick cross court and aerobatic dive volleys are performed.

During the recent US Open semifinal between Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, the Swiss maestro performed what he claimed was “the best shot of his life,” against his Serbian opponent.

The shot in question took place at 0-30, 5-6, Djokovic serving. After a cat-and-mouse exchange ensued between the two, Federer was forced to run back and chase down the Serb’s lob. Choosing a “tweener” as his shot of choice, Federer struck the miraculous tweener from his forehand corner, in-side-out, drawing immediate disbelief from all who were in attendance.

As great as Federer’s shot was—it will be remembered for many years for its magnitude, quality, and viewership—another shot struck in similar fashion by Frenchman Michael Llodra, can not only lay claim the greatest shot ever, but perhaps eclipse Federer’s brilliance.

Playing on a side court during the 2007 Indian Wells Masters 1000, Llodra was up against the stern challenge of German Tommy Haas.

The match itself was nothing to write home about, Haas was in complete control, leading 6-4, 3-1.

With Llodra serving at love in his service game, the Frenchman produced his own version of a “tweener,” to the delight of the intimate setting.

Llodra’s speed, accuracy, and athleticism not only rivaled Federer’s tweener, but in many ways surpassed it.

Let’s now take a look at both shots and decide once and for all who holds the grandest tweener.

A clear component of both breath taking shots was the split-second improvisation that took place. Federer and Llodra were at the mercy of their opponents (or so they made it seem), and were adamant to end the point, do-or-die style.

Shot speed:

Observing Llodra’s approach to his tweener, it’s evident that his pace of shot was much harder than Federer’s. Although the Swiss is better known for his precision over velocity—when executing a shot of this nature, velocity is key.

Speed of shot goes to Llodra.

Competitiveness of the point:

The nature of competition is always evaluated. From the importance of the point, to the intensity of the point—factors which indicate the quality of an exchange stem from body language to explosiveness.

The importance of the moment definitely goes to Federer’s match for being a US Open semifinal. Setting up match-point with the “shot of his life,” gives Federer the edge in this category.

However, when looking at the competitiveness of the point, it is clear that Llorda and Haas were much more intense throughout their exchange, moving in full flight until Llorda prepared to riffle his tweener. Haas’ belief remained steadfast, even when he realized what Llodra had achieved.

Djokovic on the other hand remained left flat-footed in his tracks, admiring Federer as he traced down his lob. He barely moved as the Swiss’ shot whizzed by his ear.

All in all, though, the “moment” of the shot goes to Federer, Llodra definitely gets the nod for not only having to hustle harder to execute his shot, but also having his opponent engaged throughout the point.

This category draws a tie.

Crowd, opponent, and player reaction:

First impressions count.

Any master piece, whether it’s a painting, movie, or in this case a tweener, are remembered for their first impressions.

In this case, the reaction of each tweener is similar but vastly different.

The crowd certainly has a lot to do with tennis matches and a well deserved round of applause was granted during each of these moments.

Federer’s shot was acknowledged by a gasp of disbelief, while Llodra’s shot received an instant standing ovation.

For arguments sake, let’s call this one a tie.

Opponent:

The reactions of Djokovic and Haas also played a big part in the ranking of each tweener.

Although both men exuded a wry smile after the fact, it was Haas’ ear-to-ear grin that was more celebratory of his opponents brilliance. Djokovic’s tired and “get me off of the court look,” didn’t do justice to what Federer had achieved.

Advantage Llodra.

Player:

In terms of playing to the crowd, Federer’s instant enthralling scream of excitement wins out.

Llodra achieved more hang-time during the actual execution of his tweener, but Federer’s thrust of enjoyment after he saw his winner fall in took center stage.

Llodra’s hang-dog stoic reaction, if anything, took away from what he had just accomplished.

Advantage Federer.

All in all, you may draw your own conclusion from these two mouth-watering tweeners—both provided a fun-filled moment for all to behold.

The categories constructed have revealed that Llodra squeaks by Federer by a score of 4-3.

Federer’s shot will surely be remembered for a greater period of time,  but Llodra’s achievement continues the debate that memories can be created outside of center court.

Robin Soderling: The Season of the Swede

Indoor specialist?

In tennis, the term “specialist” commonly links a player to how they excel on a specific surface. From the perfect slide on clay, to the proper pounding on a hard-court, the distinction of being known as a specialist is a difficult one to achieve.

In practice, one must preform at a high level on their surface of choice in order to obtain the coveted specialist title.

Clay-court king Rafael Nadal holds the label on the dirt (winning four French Open titles), while Roger Federer can lay claim to the lord of the lawns (capturing six Wimbledon crowns).

The label of specialist has been shed to some extent in times, due in large part to the unification of the court surfaces around the world. The tour players have harnessed their skill-sets to adapt to the many different playing fields around the world—but preferences do exist.

Subsequently, there are very few players who relish performing well at the end of the season. Whether it’s a trip to the Maldive Islands, or recovering one’s body from a grueling season on tour—the end of the season can be taxing for the tour’s best.

When autumn hits the ATP World Tour, there’s one player in particular whose eyes light up when a roof is put over his head: Sweden’s top player, Robin Soderling.

The Swede has mounted what has become a banner year. Highlighted by defeating Rafael Nadal for his first career loss at Roland Garros, the Swede has catapulted his ranking from No. 17 at the start of the season, to its current position of No. 11.

On the heels of his success in Paris, Soderling raced to his best ever finishes at Wimbledon and the US Open (fourth-round and quarterfinals, respectively). He also captured his first ever title on clay, in Bastad.

Although the vast majority of the Swede’s success this year has come under the glaring sunshine of the ATP World Tour and Grand Slam venues, the indoor environment is where Soderling does his best work.

Prior to his ground-breaking ‘09 season, Soderling had captured three tour titles in his career, all on indoor surfaces (Lyon in ‘09 and ‘04, and Milan 2005).

In fact, Soderling’s appearances in the finals of tour events prior to this year had all taken place on indoor hard-court surfaces, spanning the globe from his home turf in Stockholm, to the United States in Memphis, Tennessee.

Soderling’s high ball toss, coupled with his loopy ground game have always found serenity when put indoors. The Swede’s win-loss record stands at a staggering 74-30 lifetime indoors (.712 winning percentage), which includes a 22-6 mark on carpet-courts.

So what makes Soderling so good when put under a closed roof?

For starters, the Tibro native’s style relies heavily on constructing rallies that last under six shots. This tactic is much easier to employ on a slick, indoor surface. Elements such as sun, wind, and humidity are negated, leaving the pure ball-striking of the Monte Carlo resident to flourish.

Soderling’s movement also seems to be cleaner and tighter indoors. Regularly seen sprawling for out-wide shots on outdoor surfaces, the indoor courts allow for efficient and calculated steps to both his groundstrokes, leaving his opponents with very few options.

The strike-zones of Soderling are most devastating when taken from hip to shoulder height. The lower, skidding bounce provided by playing indoors lends to the electricity of the Swede’s forehand while dominating rallies.

The flat, sledgehammer type forehand has caused many sleepless nights for his tour opponents.

“I always played pretty aggressive ever since I started playing tennis. I like to hit the ball hard, I feel like when I’m playing my best tennis, I’m playing my most aggressive tennis,” said Soderling.

After losing to Soderling during the 2008 Regions Morgan Keegan Championships, American Andy Roddick commented on the difficulties of playing the indoor specialist.

“I’m sure if you look at his results on other surfaces, you will find that his win total is probably 50 percent higher indoors,” said Roddick.

Roddick was made to repeat those sentiments later in the year, when he lost to Soderling for the second straight time in Lyon, France.

The aggressive demeanor of the Swede is what allows him to compete at his highest level consistently.

“I grew up playing on fast surfaces indoors, and that’s how everyone played in Sweden,” explained Soderling.

With his confidence skyrocketing after his Roland Garros run, Soderling now believes he is never out of any match that he enters.

“Paris really helped me a lot, since that tournament I raised my level,” added Soderling.

Confidence is a beautiful thing if you’re a tennis player, and it can make or break a player’s season.

With nothing short of the top 10 in sight, the Swede will now focus on qualifying for the prestigious Barclays ATP World Tour Final.

“I try not to think about it too much, there’s still a lot of tennis to played this year, but if I can play well in the big tournaments, I will have a chance,” said Soderling.

The Swede’s chances of qualifying for the final eight event will be heightened with the setting of the sun.

With minimal distractions left in his way, don’t be surprised if Soderling captures one of the three remaining positions for the London finale.

The season of the Swede is upon us.

Quotes taken from www.atpworldtour.com.

Querrey Injures Arm, out 4-6 Weeks

American tennis player Sam Querrey injured his right forearm while sitting on a glass table on Monday in Bangkok, Thailand. The 21-year-old had just finished practice at the Impact Arena when the freak accident took place. Apparently the table shattered while Querrey was resting on it, severely injuring his arm.

Querrey was immediately rushed to hospital for emergency surgery and will likely miss up to six weeks of action.

The American had been enjoying the most productive year of his career, raising his ranking to No. 25 in world on the strength of a title in Los Angeles and five tour finals.

The California native will stay in a Bangkok hospital until he is prepared and  fly back to his home in Thousand Oaks.

Querrey was quoted on his Twitter feed as saying, “worst day ever.”

Querrey, who arrived in Bangkok on Friday will now be replaced in the draw by a lucky loser. The 6′6″ American was one of the leading candidates for the title in Bangkok.

Simon captures first title of the season in Bangkok; Davydenko claims third title of the year in Kuala Lumpur

PTT Thailand Open—Bangkok, Thailand

Second seed Gilles Simon captured his first title of the season on Sunday, defeating the feisty challenge of Viktor Troicki, 7-5, 6-3.

After both players broke serve during the opening stages of the first set, Simon converted on his second break opportunity at 5-6 Troicki serving to seal a one set lead.

The second set involved a much easier scoreline for Simon, capitalizing on his lone break point chance to claim the third hard court title of his career, and fifth overall.

Simon’s solid performance throughout the one hour and 15 minute final included hitting seven aces, winning 76 percent of his first serve points, and not committing any double faults.

Troicki by contrast, made numerous unforced errors and never found his groove throughout his first final of the season.

The Serbian had previous recorded a finals appearance in Washington, D.C. (2008) as his best tour performance.

The world No. 32 will regain a position in the world’s top 20, when the rankings are released on Monday.

“I’m a little disappointed I didn’t win today,” said Troicki, who was aiming for his first title. “But Gilles played a great match, and congratulations to him.”

Troicki hit a forehand return wide on Simon’s second match point to hand the Frenchman the Thailand title.

With the win, Simon improved to 36-24 on the season, sustaining a firm grasp on his top 10 ranking.

The 24-year-old Nice native had previously recorded semifinal appearances in Marseille and Dubai as his best performances of the season.

“It feels really good because it’s never easy to win a tournament, even when you’re one of the top seeds at the tournament,” said Simon.

“I had four good matches to play, I won it and I guess it’s very nice because it’s the first one of the season.”

Simon will now travel to Tokyo, Japan next week where he will be the No. 3 seed in the 32-man event. Simon will battle local wild card hope Takao Suzuki in round one.

Troicki will travel to Beijing, China where he will face qualifier Fabio Fognini in the opening round.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia—Proton Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur 2009

Top seed Nikolay Davydenko won his third title of the season on Sunday, dismissing No. 2 seed Fernando Verdasco, 6-4, 7-5.

The Russian captured his first career title in Asia and became the first champion in the inaugural event.

After converting on the lone break point opportunity by either player in the first set, Davydenko continued his strong return-of-serve set two.

Verdasco’s second serve was pummeled throughout the one hour, 35 minute encounter, winning a mere 40 percent.

Davydenko backed up his returning prowess by winning 68 percent of his first serve points, while striking two aces.

The Volgograd native improved to 42-12 on the year, while moving closer to obtaining one the last three spots in the Barclays World Tour finals.

Verdasco dropped to 46-18 on the season, failing to capture his second title of 2009 (w. New Haven).

“I want to congratulate Davydenko. He played very well. It was a great match but not so great for me,” Verdasco said. “The tournament is unbelievable and I hope to come back next year.”

Verdasco will now head to Beijing, China where he will take on American qualifier Robby Ginepri in round one.

Davydenko will also play in China next week as the No. 4 seed. The Russian will now set his sights on a first round clash with countryman Igor Kunitsyn.

Davydenko alluded to his physcial fitness after winning his 16th career crown.

“I feel very tired,” confessed Davydenko. “In the first set we played difficult points. In the second set the points were getting shorter. Just the first game of the match took 10 minutes. It was hard to recover in between points.”

The ATP World Tour certainly provides very little rest for the wiry.

Please check back shortly for a preview of next week’s action in Beijing, China, and Tokyo, Japan. Cheers.

Day Six Review: Tsonga falters in title defense in Thailnad; Verdasco makes finals in Kuala Lumper

PTT Thailand Open—Bangkok, Thailand

Defending champ Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was upset in the semifinals of the PTT Thailand Open on Saturday by No. 4 seed Viktor Troicki, 1-6, 6-2, 6-3.

After losing the first set in 25 minutes, Troicki picked up his first serve and forehand, running away with the final two sets in convincing fashion.

Tsonga’s percentage of first serve points won dropped from 89 percent in first set, to 59 percent by the third set.

The  No. 1 seeded Frenchman became visibly distraught with Troicki’s pace of shot, succumbing to the flat strokes of the Serbian in one hour, 38 minutes.

The defeat prevented the Le Mons native from advancing to his third final of the year, as well as picking up his third title of the season.

Troicki hit five aces, won 71 percent of his first serve points and broke the serve of Tsonga on four occasions.

With the win, Troicki advanced to his first final of the season, previously advancing to the semifinals in Zagreb as his best result of the year.

“It was a great turnaround,” said Troicki.

“I didn’t have any chances in the first set as Jo played really well.  Sometimes I didn’t even see the ball.  In the second set I felt he dropped his level and I took my chances to eventually win the match.  It is a huge match for me, appearing in my second final.  I’ll definitely give it my best shot to win my first title.”

Troicki’s lone career final came in Washington in 2008, a losing effort to Juan Martin del Potro.

Troicki will meet No. 2 seed Gilles Simon in Sunday’s final, after the Frenchman defeated Jurgen Melzer 6-4, 7-6 (3).

Simon used eight aces and two breaks of serve to advance to his first final of the season.

The Frenchman won 76 percent of his first serve points, using the pace of Melzer’s skidding groundstrokes to progress in straight sets.

Melzer was attempting to reach his first final of the year, previously advancing to the semifinals in Umag, Croatia as his best result.

Melzer’s low margin of shot inevitably cost him during the crucial stages of both sets. The Austrian’s microwave style of play produced a handful of inopportune errors; allowing Simon’s counter-attacking style to advance in one hour, 48 minutes.

“I am really happy, because Jurgen is a very good and talented player,” said Simon.

“It is always difficult to play against him.  I am happy to have won in two sets, because it was a really tough match.  When you’re in a final you always want to win.  It will be one more difficult match to win, but I’ve give it my all.”

Simon and Troicki have met twice on the ATP World Tour, with Simon leading the pair’s H2H 2-0.

Simon will be vying for his sixth career title on Sunday, while Troicki will be attempting to win his first tour event.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia—Proton Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur 2009

Top seed Nikolay Davydenko defeated indoor giant Robin Soderling on Saturday, 1-6, 7-6 (1), 6-2 to advance to his first career final in Asia.

After being blown out in the first set, Davydenko remained poised and concentrated throughout the later stages second set, breaking his Swedish opponent after trailing 4-2.

Davydenko’s diligent baseline play allowed him to snap a four match losing streak against Soderling, losing to the Swede at both the French and US Open this season.

Davydenko won his 41st match of the year on Saturday (accomplishing the feat for the fifth straight season).

The Russian will head into Sunday’s final attempting to win the 16th title, while reaching the 22nd final of his career.

Davydenko’s opponent in Sunday’s championship match will be No. 2 seed Fernando Verdasco.

The Spaniard defeated No. 4 seed Fernando Gonzalez for the third time in the career meetings, evening their series at 3-3.

Verdasco dictated the one hour and 31 minute encounter with his ruthless baseline play.

The high quality contest featured both players winning over 80 percent of their first serve points (82 percent for Gonzalez, 80 percent for Verdasco).

Verdasco added seven aces to his brilliant serving, while breaking the Gonzalez serve on two occasions.

By contrast, Gonzalez failed to capitalize on his three break point opportunities, adding five aces to his losing effort.

With the win, Verdasco advanced to his third final of the year, and will be attempting to win his second title in his last three events.

Verdasco’s recent New Haven title will provide the necessary confidence needed when battling the top seeded Russian.

Davydenko leads the pair’s H2H 5-1, winning the last two meetings.

“Tomorrow I will face a very tough opponent in the final,” said Verdasco.

“Nikolay is a very good player.  He has been in the Top 10 for a long time.  He has beaten me more times than I have beaten him, but I hope I can play my best tennis and win the title in Kuala Lumpur.”

Please check back on Sunday for a complete finals wrap up from Bangkok, Thailand, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Cheers.

Day Five Review: Tsonga makes Semifinals in Bangkok; Top Four seeds into Semifinals in Kuala Lumpur

PTT Thailand Open—Bangkok, Thailand

Top seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga fought off a stern challenge from unheralded Swiss Marco Chiudinelli to advance to the semifinals of the PTT Thailand Open on Friday.

The 6-7(7), 6-3, 6-4 victory by Tsonga provided ample drama for those in attendance at the Impact Arena.

Tsonga kept his head high after dropping the opening set, continuing to pound away with his first serve. The Frenchman recorded 20 aces throughout the two hour, 21 minute victory, which was highlighted by winning 86 percent of his first serve points.

Chiudinelli appeared to be headed for an upset after taking the first set. The world No. 116 used his counter-attacking game to offset his physically imposing opponent.

After defeating Marat Safin on Thursday, Chiudinelli was well aquatinted with the ball speed, and court conditions at the Impact Arena. He used his deceivingly quick forehand to narrowly capture the first set, while maintaining his momentum until the middle of set two.

With the win, Tsonga will await the winner of the day’s last match betwee

n No. 4 seed Viktor Troicki and No. 8 seed John Isner.

Elsewhere, No. 2 seed Gilles Simon advanced to his third semifinal of the season, surviving the forehand onslaught of Evgeny Korolev.

The 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory by the world No. 10 was spearheaded by seven aces and three breaks of serve.

Simon was able to win 77 percent of his first serve points, a stat which became critical in the latter stage of the match due to Korolev’s powerful return game.

The Russian possesses one of the hardest forehands on the circuit, and when given the opportunity can light up the stat sheet with the stroke.

Simon’s form on Friday was reminiscent of his Fall 2008 run when he made the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

Simon will need to stay on top of his game in the semifinals when he takes on No. 6 seed Jurgen Melzer.

Melzer advanced to his second semifinal of the year (Umag, Croatia), and picked up his 27th victory of the season by defeating Andreas Beck 6-4, 6-2.

The battle of the lefties saw Melzer’s unorthodox style give the more conventional game of Beck a difficult day at the office.

Melzer’s two handed drop-shot and frequent trips to the net presented no rhythm for Beck to draw on.

Melzer was efficient on his serve, winning 85 percent of his first serve points, while hitting 10 aces.

Beck, who is usually quite capable on his service delivery, won a dismal 61 percent of his first serve points, while striking two aces.

Mezler and Simon have played once on the ATP World Tour (Romania 2006), with Melzer leading 1-0.

Both players will be attempting to make their first tour finals of the season on Saturday.

It’s a rare occasion when the top four seeds of a tournament make the semifinals.

In Montreal this year, the top eight players in the world made it to the quarterfinals. The following week saw the top four players in the world reaching the semifinals in Cincinnati.

Although the semifinalists in Bangkok do not account for the top four players in the world, the line up on semifinal Saturday could hold many enticing storylines.

First off, No. 1 seed Nikolay Davydenko advanced to his fifth semifinal of the year by dismissing recent Metz champion, Gael Monfils, 6-3, 6-3.

Davydenko used a consistent blend of baseline play to further fatigue his tired opponent.

Monfils had come into Bangkok from winning the title in France on Sunday, and did not arrive in Thailand until Wednesday.

Nevertheless, Monfils put up a good fight this week, advancing to the quarterfinals and defeating two opponents.

Davydenko won 73 percent of his first serve points, and broke Monfils’ serve on four occasions.

The Frenchman served respectively throughout the one hour and 13 minute defeat, hitting seven aces. However, the world No. 13 could only muster up a single break conversion, winning a sub par 36 percent of his second serve points.

Monfils’ greatest concern on the day was his listless footwork which was a step late in reaching the shots of his Russian opponent.

With the win, Davydenko improves to 2-2 lifetime against Monfils, while advancing to the semifinals of his first appearance in Thailand.

“I played better today than in my first round,” said Davydenko. ”I hope I can get better in every match.”

The Russian will now set his sights on a defeating No. 3 seed Robin Soderling, who was a 6-2, 6-2 winner over Tomas Berdych earlier on Friday.

Soderling pounded his powerful opponent into submission, winning 80 percent of his first serve points, while recording five aces.

Soderling’s indoor prowess was evident throughout the one hour and four minute victory, dusting his 6′4″ opponent from the back of the court, as well as the service line.

Soderling improved to 5-2 lifetime over Berdych while advancing to his fourth semifinal of the season.

The Swede commented on his upcoming semifinal encounter against Davydenko.

“I had tough matches with Nikolay. He is in good form. I will have to play as well as I played today,” assessed Soderling.

Soderling also leads Davydenko 5-2 in career meetings, defeating the Russian in their most recent meeting at US Open.

Elsewhere, No. 2 seed Fernando Verdasco was a routine winner over Richard Gasquet, defeating the Frenchman 7-5, 6-4.

The entertaining but convincing win by the Spaniard included four aces and three breaks of serve. Verdasco won 79 percent of his first serve points, while losing his serve on one occasion.

Gasquet’s form throughout the one hour, 31 minute defeat was promising in regards to his recent comeback. The 23-year-old had been out of action for two and a half months with a cocaine suspension, and returned to the tour before the start of the US Open in New Haven, Connecticut.

Since his return to tour, Gasquet has complied a 5-3 record, reaching the semifinals of Metz last week and the quarterfinals in Kuala Lumpur.

The Frenchman’s ground game and serve seem to be in order. The final component of a success comeback for Gasquet will be continued match play.

With the win, Verdasco advances to his fourth semifinal of season, and will await in form Fernando Gonzalez. Gonzalez defeated the crafty challenge of Mikhail Youzhny, 6-3, 6-4.

The untroubled scoreline by the Chilean was achieved by striking five aces and winning 80 of his first serve points. Gonzalez was devastating on forehand wing, pounding numerous shots at 100 mph, while throwing in a fist pump for good measure.

With the win, Gonzalez advances to his sixth semifinal of the season, and will take a 3-2 H2H record over Verdasco into Saturday’s semifinal.

“I think it was a good match for me,” said Gonzalez. ”I served really well and was moving a lot better than yesterday. I had many break chances in the second (set) and didn’t convert but overall I am happy with the match.”

Please check back on Saturday for a complete semifinal review from Bangkok, Thailand, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Cheers.

Day Four Review: Tsonga Survives Scare in Bangkok; Verdasco Breezes into Quarterfinals in Kuala Lumpur

PTT Thailand Open—Bangkok, Thailand

Top seed Jo-Wilfried needed two hours, 12 minutes and three tiebreak sets to defeat Ernests Gulibs 6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-2) in the second round of the PTT Thailand Open on Thursday.

Both men were on top of their power-driven games, striking 43 aces between them (20 for Tsonga, 23 for Gulblis), while never achieving a single break of serve.

In fact, there one was only break point opportunity the entire match, which Tsonga obtained in the first set.

Both men recorded two double faults, with Gulbis winning more points on his first serve (84 percent to 79 percent), while Tsonga won more second serve points (67 percent to 56 percent).

In the end, Tsonga’s sonic groundstrokes went into overdrive in the third set tiebreak, allowing the world No. 7 to progress to his ninth quarterfinal of the season.

Gulbis, on the other hand, failed to win back-to-back matches for the 22nd time this season. The mega talented Latvian has seen his ranking plummet from the No. 53 position in January, to his current rank of No. 99.

If the 21-year-old does not pick up his level of play, he will soon be cast out of the main tour and find himself battling away in the Challenger circuit.

Based on ability alone, it is ridculous that Gulbis is in the predicament that he is in. His miserable record of 15-22 is perhaps the story of the year on the men’s side.

With the narrow victory, Tsonga lives to blast his forehand another day, and will await the challenge of Marco Chiudinelli, who defeated a lackluster Marat Safin, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4).

Chiudinelli, who is ranked No. 116 in world, captalized on one of two break point chances in the first set to defeat his stronger hitting opponent.

By contrast, Safin failed to break the serve on Chiudinelli (0-3), and won only 48 percent of his second serve points.

The hard-hitting Russian was making his final appearance in Bangkok and will now head to the Japan Open next week in the hopes of improving on his result in Thailand.

Elsewhere, No. 2 seed Gilles Simon brushed aside American challenger Kevin Kim, 6-2, 6-2, setting up a quarterfinal clash with Evgeny Korolev, who ousted Robby Ginepri 6-1, 6-1.

Simon needed one hour and one minute to dispose of his 31-year-old opponent. Kim fell to 7-15 with his loss.

Korolev required only 42 minutes to blitz Ginepri, dropping seven aces and winning 84 percent of his first serve points.

Simon and Korolev have met on two occasions, with the Nice native leading 2-0 in the pair’s H2H.

Elsewhere, John Isner continued his recent fine form by dismissing Mischa Zverev, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4. The big man hit seven aces and won 79 percent of his first serve points.

Isner will next take on No. 4 seed Viktor Troicki in the quarterfinals.

The final match of the day saw Andreas Beck defeat lucky loser Donald Young, 6-1, 6-7(3), 6-4. Young gained entry into the tournament when his countryman Sam Querrey suffered a forearm injury while falling through a table on Monday.

Young fell to 0-4 on the season, and will now set his sights on qualifying for the Japan Open next week.

Beck will head into his fifth quarterfinal of year, where he will take on No. 6 seed Jurgen Melzer.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia—Proton Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur 2009

Second seed Fernando Verdasco wasted little time on Thursday in racing into the quarterfinals of the Proton Malaysian Open, drubbing Karol Beck, 6-4, 6-0.

The clean cut victory by the Spaniard included six breaks of serve, as well as winning 77 percent of his first serve points.

Verdasco’s blistering forehand created numerous winners against his Slovakian opponent, who simply threw in the towel in the second set.

Verdasco’s 44th win of the season will take the 25-year-old Madrid native to his 12th quarterfinal of 2009, which will include a crafty meeting with Frenchman Richard Gasquet.

Gasquet recorded his second quarterfinal or better result in as many weeks (l. Monfils in Metz, France) by defeating the serving arsenal of Joachim Johansson, 4-6, 7-6(1), 6-2.

The one hour and 58 minute contest was undoubtedly the match of the day.

Both men served impeccably, recording 50 aces between them (26 for Gasquet, 24 for Johansson), while only conceding their serves on three occasions in total (twice for Johansson, once for Gasquet).

After capturing the second set on the strength of his solid backhand, Gasquet carried his momentum into the start of the third set with an immediate break of serve.

Johansson’s lack of match play became evident in the third set, dropping his serve for a second straight time and going down in meek fashion.

Gasquet and Verdasco have met seven times on the ATP World Tour, with Gasquet leading the pair’s H2H 4-3. Gasquet won the first four meetings between the two, with Verdasco winning the last three encounters in convincing fashion.

Recent Metz winner, Gael Monfils won his sixth match in a row, defeating Martin Vassallo Arguello 6-4, 6-2.

The one and 33 minute contest featured a much cleaner performance from Monfils compared with his first round win over Denis Istomin on Wednesday.

Although Monfils didn’t strike as many aces against Vassallo Arguello (4), his ground game was more reliable, and his footwork seemed to finally become in-sync with his surroundings.

“I played a solid match, a little better than him. He is a good player and I knew it was going to be a tricky match,” said Monfils.

With the win, Monfils sets up an interesting contest with top seed Nikolay Davydenko. Monfils will ride his recent confidence going into this match, while also taking into account his 2-1 H2H lead over the Russian.

“It will be a tough match. He likes to dictate the match, playing close from the baseline. I need to change the rhythm as much as I can,” assessed Monfils.

Other results on the day included:

Tomas Berdych setting up a powerful quarterfinal battle with Robin Soderling, after defeating Simon Greul, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Berdych hit nine aces and won 80 percent of his first serve points to capture his 30th win of the season.

Berdych and Soderling have met on five occasion on the ATP World Tour, with the Swede leading the pair’s H2H 3-2.

The pair has not squared off in over a year, with their last match taking place in Halle, Germany in 2008.

The final match of the day saw No. 4 seed Fernando Gonzalez battle through Indian qualifier Rohan Bopanna, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.

Gonzalez demonstrated his experience and guile on hard-courts, taking out his opportunistic opponent in one hour and 23 minutes.

A recent quarterfinal finish in New York (l. Rafael Nadal) has the 29-year-old Santiago native playing some of the best hard-court tennis of his life.

“I was expecting a tough match,” Gonzalez said. ”He really served well tonight and I was hardly able to play in his service games. Once the point started I felt I had the advantage. It was good to get the win and advance to the quarter-finals.”

Gonzalez will now look forward to challenge of Mikhail Youzhny, who defeated Marcos Baghdatis on Wednesday.

Please check back on Friday for a complete quarterfinal wrap up from Bangkok, Thailand, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Cheers.

Day Three Review: Troicki Advances in Bangkok; Soderling Makes Quarters in Kuala Lumpur

PTT Thailand Open—Bangkok, Thailand

No. 4 seed Viktor Troicki advanced to the quarterfinals of the PPT Thailand Open today, defeating Brazilian youngster Thomaz Bellucci 6-3, 7-6 (4).

The one hour and 28 minute affair featured Troicki striking three aces, and winning 86 percent of his first serve points.

The Serbian advanced to his fifth quarterfinal of the year, improving his year-to-date record to 26-23.

Although Troicki has maintained a top 40 ranking all season (currently ranked No. 32), the Belgrade native has endured his share of one-sided defeats.

He was blown out by Andy Murray in Miami, 6-0, 6-1, and David Ferrer clipped him convincingly in Montreal, 6-3, 6-0.

Troicki’s flaky demeanor has prevented him from making the next step towards the top 20, a step which requires a strong mental state.

With the win, the 23-year-old advanced to the

final eight in Bangkok, where he will meet either No. 8 seed John Isner or unseeded German Mischa Zverev.

Isner won a tough opening round match on Monday against Kittipong Wachiramanowong, and Zverev defeated Leonardo Mayer, 5-7, 6-3, 6-3.

At this stage of the year, with confidence being a factor, Isner becomes the favorite against Troicki on Thursday.

Elsewhere, lively lefty Jurgen Melzer advanced to the quarterfinals today, dismissing Marsel IIhan 6-4, 6-2.

Melzer won 89 percent of his first serve points, hit nine aces, and broke the serve of his Turkish opponent on three occasions.

By contrast, IIhan squandered all four of his break point opportunities and won a mere 58 percent of his first serve points.

The Istanbul native has seen a steady climb in his ranking this season, improving 36 spots to his current position of No. 174 in the world.

IIhan advanced to the second round of the US Open this year, losing to Isner in three sets.

With the win, Melzer advanced to his sixth quarterfinal of the year and will next face Andreas Beck or Donald Young.

Young received entry into the tournament after countryman Sam Querrey suffered a freak accident on Monday, while Beck defeated Edouard Roger-Vasselin 7-5, 7-6 (1).

In remaining first round matches, American veteran Kevin Kim defeated Rainer Schuettler 6-4, 6-4.

Thursday’s action in Bangkok will feature:

Top seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs. Ernests Gulbis, Marat Safin vs. Marco Chiudinelli, and Gilles Simon vs. Kevin Kim.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia—Proton Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur 2009

Fresh off his first title in four years, Gael Monfils found the wherewithal and inner strength to overcome Denis Istomin 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2).

Enduring jet lag and a late arrival to Malaysia (Monfils arrived in Kuala Lumpur this morning), the Frenchman relied on his first serve and thunderous forehand to capture his fifth consecutive victory.

Monfils appeared visibly fatigued throughout the one hour and 36 minute affair, alluding to his physical and mental state after progressing.

“I knew it was going to be tough for me arriving this morning,” said Monfils. “After the Metz final I couldn’t get a flight to Geneva, so I rented a car and drove home and arrived at 3:00 a.m.

“On Tuesday I had to fly to Paris to catch a flight to Kuala Lumpur, so I haven’t had much time to rest since winning the title in Metz. This morning I arrived at the hotel at 9:00 a.m., ate breakfast and then took a car to the site at 10:00 a.m. to warm up for my match.

“I am tired and jet lagged right now but I will do my best to recover well for tomorrow’s match.”

The determination to participate in Kuala Lumpur this week exemplified Monfils’ continued commitment to entering the top 10.

Monfils’ second-round opponent will be Martin Vassallo Arguello. The Argentine defeated Feliciano Lopez in first round-action.

Monfils’ Davis Cup teammate, Richard Gasquet, experienced similar jet lag, but a different result, defeating Victor Crivoi 6-1, 6-2 in one hour and seven minutes.

Gasquet advanced to the semifinals of Metz, France last week and had an extra day to arrive in Malaysia.

Nevertheless, the Frenchman was sharp in his first round encounter, striking 13 aces and winning 84 percent of his first serve points.

“I think I played a good match despite waking up at 2 a.m.,” confessed Gasquet.

“I haven’t adapted to the time change, but I hope tonight I can sleep better.”

Gasquet who is currently ranked No. 47 in the world, will have the difficult challenge of taming the serve of Joachim Johansson in the second-round.

Johansson defeated Lleyton Hewitt in round one and undoubtedly remains the toughest floater in the draw.

Elsewhere, Swede Robin Soderling made short work of Brendan Evans today, destroying the American 6-1, 6-1.

Soderling won a remarkable 100 percent of first serve points (19 of 19), and converted 5 of 16 break-point chances.

Evans, who was out of his element throughout the 57-minute defeat, won 51 percent of his first serve points, and went 0 of 2 on break-point opportunities.

Soderling will now await the winner of No. 6 seed Tomas Berdych against unseeded German Simon Greul. Greul defeated Christophe Rochus 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 earlier on Wednesday.

Top seed Nikolay Davydenko saw his first action of the tournament today, surviving Taylor Dent 6-3, 7-6 (4). Davydenko hit five aces and 64 percent of his first serve points.

Mikhail “YouTube” Youzhny dashed the comeback efforts of Marcos Baghdatis 6-2, 6-3.

After defeating Yen-Hsun Lu in a close encounter on Monday, Baghdatis was completely overpowered by Youzhny today, striking one ace (Baghdatis had 17 on Monday) and failing to obtain a single break point opportunity.

By contrast, Youzhny won 95 percent of his first serve points, aided by two aces, and broke serve on five occasions.

Davydenko will await the winner of Monfils-Vassallo Arguello in the quarterfinals, and Youzhny will battle the winner of Fernando Gonzalez or Rohan Bopanna on Friday.

Other matches that will be featured on Thursday will include:

Fernando Verdasco vs. Karol Beck and Tomas Berdych vs. Simon Greul.

Please check back on Thursday for continuing daily coverage from Bangkok, Thailand, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Cheers.

Day Two Review: Safin through in Bangkok, Hewitt upset in Kuala Lumpur

PTT Thailand Open—Bangkok, Thailand

With Impact Arena still in a buzz over the freak accident that American Sam Querrey endured on Monday, the tour faithful set forth a somber and diligent outlook.

Former wo

rld No. 1 Marat Safin advanced to the second round of the PTT Thailand Open today with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 over Philipp Petzchner of Germany.

The one hour and 37 minute win for the Russian was his first since the Cincinnati Masters 1000 and only his 11th of the season.

Safin used seven aces, and won 78 percent of his first serve points to defeat his flat-hitting opponent.

Petzchner’s unorthodox style is exactly the type of game that gives Safin trouble. There is no real rhythm to Petzchner’s game, a la Fabrice Santoro or Jurgen Melzer—two other players whom Safin has struggled against over his career.

Petzchner was coming into Bangkok off a quarterfinal showing in Metz, France last week, and his jetlag was evident through the various unforced errors he committed.

Safin’s final year on tour has included many lackluster results, to say the least. He has advanced to the quarterfinals of a tour event on one occasion (l. Haas, Los Angeles), and his best Grand Slam result came in Australia when he made the third round (l. Federer).

The Russian’s desire to compete has been in question this year, often times displaying the dreaded “going through the motions” routine.

Nevertheless, the big man gave his Thai fans something to cheer about today, and they will have another opportunity to will their man to victory in the second round when he takes on Marco Chiudinelli.

The Swiss defeated German Florian Mayer 6-3, 6-3 for his fifth win of the season.

Elsewhere, a busy day in Thailand included the following scorelines:

No. 7 seed Fabrice Santoro made his final appearance in Bangkok today, failing to convert on two match-point against Evgeny Korolov. Santoro led 6-5, and 7-6 in the third set tiebreak before Korolev saved both, and went onto win 4-6, 7-6(4), 7-6(7).

The two hour and 48 minute encounter featured 13 aces from Santoro in the losing effort. The Frenchman, better known as the “magician,” will now begin preparation for the Japan Open next week.

With the win, Korolev advances to round two where he will meet either Robby Ginepri or Danai Udomchoke.

No. 6 seed Jurgen Melzer pounded 13 aces and improved to 4-0 against Marcos Daniel, defeating the Brazilian 6-3, 6-2; Marsel Ilhan the highest ranked man (ever) from Turkey, withstood 15 aces from Benjamin Becker to advance 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3; Andreas Beck ousted Edouard Roger-Vasselin 7-5, 7-6 (1), and Ernests Gulbis survived talented Indian player Somdev Devvarman 7-6 (7), 6-2, and will now take on top seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in round two.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia—Proton Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur 2009

Good things come in big packages—or so they say. And if there was ever any doubt that violent racket head speed and a sonic serve were more than good enough to compete on the ATP World Tour—look no further than Swede Joachim Johansson.

The 6′6″ Lund native has been out of action for the better part of three seasons. Elbow and shoulder surgery have prevented this powerful juggernaut from competing on tour.

However, every so often, Johansson ducks his head back into a tour event (via a wild-card), and continues to prove his mettle.

Today in Kuala Lumpur, Johansson proved he still has the goods to compete. Playing former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, Johansson used 13 aces, and won 81 percent of his first serve points to defeat his familiar foe 7-6 (7), 6-3, in one hour and 40 minutes.

The pair had met on one previous occasion during the 2004 US Open, a match which Hewitt won in three convincing sets.

Perhaps the off-court story at the time was more enticing that the on-court action. Going into this best ever finish at a Major, Johansson was dating Hewitt’s sister Jaslyn.

It is still undetermined to this day how Hewitt felt about the whole ordeal, and losing to Johansson today in straight-sets couldn’t have brought back many fond memories.

With the win, Johansson picked up his first tour victory of the season, and he will now await the winner of Richard Gasquet vs. Victor Crivoi.

Gasquet is coming into Kuala Lumpur from Metz, France and requested a Wednesday start.

Elsewhere, the potent arsenal of N. 6 seed Tomas Berdych proved to be too much for Igor Kunitsyn, defeating the Russian 6-1, 3-6, 6-2. Berdych hit five aces and won 78 percent of his first serve points to advance to the second round.

Mikhail Youzhny added to the agony driven season of David Ferrer, defeating the Spaniard, 7-6 (3), 6-2; Martin Vassallo Arguello ousted Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 6-3; Rohan Bopanna dismissed Jose Acasuso 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, and finally Kar0l Beck defeated Mikhail Kukushkin 1-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3.

Wednesday’s action in Kuala Lumpur will feature:

Gael Monfils vs. Denis Istomin, Robin Soderling vs. Brenden Evans,  and Nikolay Davydenko vs. Taylor Dent.

Please check back daily for continuing coverage from Bangkok, Thailand, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Cheers.

Day One Review: Isner Survives Scare in Bangkok, Baghdatis Moves on in Kuala Lumpur

PTT Thailand Open—Bangkok, Thailand

Tall serving American John Isner barely advanced to the second round of the PTT Thailand Open today, defeating Kittipong Wachiramanowong of Thailand, 6-3 3-6 7-6(5).

The first two sets were mirrored by score, and featured Isner obtaining a single break of serve in set one, while Wachriamanowong captured the lone break of serve in set two.

The third set would see the distance. Both men broke serve on one occasion (Isner at 2-3, and Wachriamanowong at 2-4), with the serving prowess of each man holding paramount for the duration of the contest.

Although Isner’s serve is usually the centerpiece of his game, it was his experience that propelled him to victory today.

A key return-of-serve winner at 3-3 in the third set tie-break became the catalyst for the American’s first round win.

Wachiramanowong, who undoubtedly has the longest name on tour, was participating in the first main draw match of his career, after dropping nine of his previous Davis Cup matches.

The 19-year-old youngster proved his court quickness today against Isner, while demonstrating his ability to withstand the potent serving from his opponent. Nevertheless, Wachiramanowong will be a valuable commodity for the future of Thai tennis as the country grows in the sport’s stature.

Wachiramanowong will have to become a more physically imposing player if he is to contend on tour (he weighs in at 143 pounds). His current rank of No. 545 will need to improve if he is to participate at other tour events.

Isner will take his 21 aces on the day toward a second round clash against either Mischa Zverev or Leonardo Mayer.

Isner is situated in Jo-Wilfried Tsonga’s half to the draw, and would meet the top seed if both men progressed to the semifinals.

Elsewhere, the second and final match of the day saw Thomaz Bellucci dismiss Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-4, 7-6 (7), in one hour and 56 minutes.

The battle of one-time tour winners this season included four aces to three for Bellucci, and two breaks of serve to the victor.

Both men picked up tour titles on clay earlier this year (Bellucci in Gstaad, and Garica-Lopez in Kitzbuhel), but it was evident with today’s contest that both players are credible on hard-courts.

In fact, Bellucci and Garcia-Lopez strike their groundstrokes much flatter than conventional clay-court players. Bellucci drives his backhand more than Garcia-Lopez, while the Spaniard has lower margin on his forehand wing.

The evenly matched affair was inevitably won by Bellucci based on his lone break of serve in the opening set, which was sustained by saving seven break points against his own delivery.

After capturing a one set lead, the Brazilian opened up his shoulders and displayed the form that saw him win his first tour title.

With the win, Bellucci advanced to the second round where he will meet No. 4 seed Viktor Troicki. Troicki received a first round bye.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia—Proton Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur 2009

Unseeded Cypriot, Marcos Baghdatis picked up his first win since August today with a 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(5) victory over Yen Hsun Lu.

The two hour, 49 minute battle featured exquisite serving by Baghdatis, striking 17 aces and winning 81 percent of his first serve points.

However, Baghdatis’ second serve took a beating today, winning only 25 of 65 points.

Lu’s crafty all-court game nearly won him this encounter, if not for slight edge in power by Baghdatis.

Lu’s career highlights to date include: defeating David Nalbandian at the Australian Open this year, and ousting Andy Murray from the Olympics last summer.

Baghdatis has struggled throughout the course of the season to find his form. Once ranked among the world’s elite at No. 8, the 24-year-old has seen his ranking plummet outside of the top 100 to its current position of No. 101.

The talents of Baghdatis would indicate that he is worthy of a much higher ranking than present. His ability to hit his shots of the off-the-rise, as well as laser a backhand up the line are reserved for an elite few.

Questions of fitness and resolve have always hovered over the talented showman, and it would be great for the game if he could resurrect his charismatic demeanor to the upper echelons of the sport.

With the win, Baghdatis advanced to round two where he will meet either No. 7 seed David Ferrer, or unseeded Russian Mikhail Youzhny.

Elsewhere, the tree-trunk serving American Taylor Dent came through two hours of drama-filled tennis today to defeat Andrey Golubev 4-6 6-3 7-6(4).

The encounter featured both men winning more than 80 percent of their first serve points (81 for Golubev, and 84 for Dent), as well as capturing four breaks of serve between them.

Dent’s attacking of the net during critical moments of the third set tie-break allowed him to capture his 12th win of the season.

The 120th ranked American has had a fantastic comeback year which has been highlighted by a fourth-round finish in Miami, and third-round showing at the US Open.

In particular, Dent’s US Open run will be remembered for his epic five-set, second-round win over Ivan Navarro.

The post victory lap by the American, coupled with his on-court speech (via the chair umpires mic), will resonate in the minds of tennis fans for many years.

Dent will now have the daunting task of facing top seed Nikolay Davydenko in round two. Davydenko received a first round bye and will be seeing his first action since his fourth-round retirement at the US Open to Robin Soderling.

Dent leads Davydenko 1-0 in the pair’s H2H meetings.

The day’s final match saw Brenden “shooter” Evans defeat countryman Michael Yani 6-3, 6-4.

Once touted as the future of American tennis, Evans has enjoyed his most successful year on tour which has seen his ranking climb to a high of No. 118. He currently stands at No. 129.

Evans will next face No. 3 seed Robin Soderling in the round two. Soderling received a first round bye.

Tuesday’s action in Kuala Lumper will included:

David Ferrer vs. Mikhail Youhzny, Tomas Berdych vs. Igor Kunitsyn, and Lleyton Hewitt vs. Joachim Johansson.

Please check back on Tuesday for daily coverage from Bangkok, Thailand, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Cheers.

Tournament Previews:

The ATP World Tour’s Asian swing begins this week with two events in Bangkok, Thailand, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

With the last two months of the season beginning this week, the tour faithful will be hoping to end their seasons on the right note.

The Bangkok event will commence its seventh year of activity, and the Kuala Lumpur tournament will be making its inaugural stand on tour.

Some big names are dispersed this week through the two events, with the biggest name of the them all, Rafael Nadal, pulling out of Thailand with an ongoing abdominal injury.

Nevertheless, the two East Asian events promise to bring forth high-flying action from all corners of the court, commencing what will be three weeks of tennis in Asia.

Let us now take a look at each draw and the participating players.

PTT Thailand Open—Bangkok, Thailand

Defending champ and top seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will be back in action to defend his PTT Thailand Open title.

The Frenchman opted to miss his home-country tournament in Metz last week to be fully prepared for his Thailand campaign.

Tsonga will be joined by No. 2 seed Gilles Simon, No. 3 seed Sam Querrey, and No. 4 seed Viktor Troicki. Other notables in the draw will include: No. 8 seed John Isner, Marat Safin, and Leonardo Mayer.

The 28-man field will be playing for $100,100 in prize money, as well as 250 ATP World Tour points.

Top half:

After receiving a first round bye, Tsonga will have a difficult opening match against either Ernests Gulbis or Somdev Devvarman.

Gulbis has carved himself quite the reputation for being the prince of underachieving; Devvarman is hard-work personified.

Both players could cause considerable concern for Tsonga, given their skill-sets. Gulbis certainly has more power than Devvarman, but the intensity and determination of the Indian might just see him through.

The quarterfinals could see an inciting affair between Tsonga and Marat Safin. Safin is making his final appearance in Bangkok, and will end his career with a handfull of tournaments, concluding at the Paris Indoors.

Safin will battle No. 8 seed Philipp Petzcnher in round one, who is dynamo on hard-courts—not a gimme for Safin by any means.

The semifinals could pit Tsonga against either No. 4 seed Viktor Troicki, No. 8 seed John Isner, or unseeded Argentine Leonardo Mayer.

Troicki is the highest seeded opponent in Tsonga’s section but lacks the mettle to be considered a favorite to progress to the semifinals.

Isner will be playing in his first tournament since upsetting Andy Roddick at the US Open, and making the fourth round. The big man will hope to continue his fortunes of a fantastic summer season which saw him crack the top 50. Isner’s year has been highlighted two semifinals, and one quarterfinal finish.

Isner’s serve will be difficult to combat in a best two out of three format, and if he does meet up with Tsonga in the final four, don’t except anything less than fireworks on center court.

Mayer may just be the surprise of the tournament. The 22-year-old Argentine possesses a rocket forehand and hits a much flatter ball than most South Americans.

Mayer has had a great season on hard-courts, reaching the quarterfinals in New Haven, and the semifinals in Los Angeles.

All in all, other than Isner’s serve there is no imminent danger to Tsonga’s progression throughout this half. Look for the flamboyant Frenchman to give himself a great chance of repeating his title.

Pick: Tsonga

Bottom half:

No. 2 seed Gilles Simon will be looking for redemption in many ways during the last quarter of the season.

His follow-up year to a great 2008 was a bust, and he will be desperate to end the year strong.

Simon has a relatively easy path ahead of him throughout the opening few rounds. The likes of Rainer Schuettler (who is as good as one step into retirement), No. 7 Fabrice Santoro (who is all but retired), and Robby Ginepri (who hasn’t been a threat to the big boys in years) will stand before Simon before the semifinals.

Santoro could trouble Simon if the two locked horns in the quarterfinals, simply because the veteran Frenchman provides no pace on the ball, and Simon feeds off velocity.

The semifinals could bring forth a stern challenge for Simon in the form of No. 3 seed Sam Querrey. The California native has lit up these week long 250 point tournaments all year, and will bring his fierce serve to the tennis center in Thailand.

Other possible foes for Simon to deal with in his half include: No. 6 seed Jurgen Melzer, and unseeded German Andreas Beck.

Melzer always provides an array of court-craft for any opponent to deal with, and Beck provides no fan fair but a lot of lefty power to trouble the tours best.

All in all, Simon’s confidence is a fraction of what is was this time last year. The Frenchman has simply been figured out by a majority of the tour players. His consistent, but not potent game requires a surge of power if he is to continue being a top ten player.

Don’t expect any changes to this falling French ship during his Thailand campaign.

Pick: Querrey

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia—Proton Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur 2009

Boasting seven top 20 players this week, the inaugural Proton Malaysian Open will provide an optimal challenge for the eventual winner.

Top seed Nikolay Davydenko will attempt to win his first ever title in Asia. The 16-time tour holder is making his first appearance on tour since retiring in the fourth round of the US Open to Robin Soderling.

Davydenko will be joined by an impressive cast of characters in Malaysia which will include: No. 2 seed Fernando Verdasco, No. 3 seed Robin Soderling, and No. 4 seed Fernando Gonzalez.

Other notables in the draw will include: Gael Monfils, David Ferrer and Lleyton Hewitt.

Top half:

After receiving a first round bye, Davydenko will open his Kuala Lumpur campaign against either Andrey Golubev or Taylor Dent.

Dent’s participation in the event was granted from a wild-card, and he would be a formidable challenge for Davydenko in the second round.

Taking into account the fitness factor which has hindered Dent throughout his career, playing Davydenko during the opening stages of the tournament would give him a greater shot at an upset.

Davydenko could face either No. 5 seed Gael Monfils or unseeded Spaniard Felicano Lopez in the quarterfinals.

Monfils will be coming into Kuala Lumpur after a successful week in Metz. The flight was by no means a short one, and jetlag, coupled with the change of conditions, could leave Monfils with a lot of sight-seeing time.

Lopez can bring the heat with his biting lefty serve, but has shown a significant drop in form from the beginning of the year.

Davydenko could encounter a severe test in the semifinals with either No. 3 seed Robin Soderling, or No. 6 seed Tomas Berdych his likely opponents.

Soderling enters Kuala Lumpur off his best season to date; making the finals of the French Open and the quarterfinals of the US Open.

Soderling’s game is tailor made for indoor tennis, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Swede end the year in the top eight.

Berdych is another player who always seems to shine this time of year, and he will be looking to improve on his world rank of No. 16 by year’s end.

All in all, Davydenko should be able to win a few rounds in the event before his crosses paths with Soderling. The Swede holds more than enough reasons to go all the way.

The season of the Swede is upon us.

Pick: Soderling

Bottom half:

Second seed Fernando Verdasco returns to action after recovering from an abdominal and foot injury.

The Spaniard has endured a drawn-out, productive season, and will look to finish strongly over the next 60 days.

Verdasco’s side of the draw is significantly stronger than Davydenko’s, and it will be imperative that the Madrid native begins strong in the event.

Verdasco should be untroubled until round three, where he could meet either No. 8 seed Lleyton Hewitt, Richard Gasquet, and yes, Joachim “Pim-Pim” Johansson.

Johansson was sidelined for the better part of two seasons with various right arm injuries. He is still capable of causing an upset.

Johansson will meet Lleyton Hewitt in round one, rekindling the pair’s 2004 US Open semifinal.

There might be some extra fire behind that encounter, with Johansson dating Hewitt’s sister at the time.

Gasquet will be in the same position as countryman Monfils—coming in from Metz, and having trouble finding his fitness.

The semifinals could bring forth three other notable challengers to contend with Verdasco: No. 4 seed Fernando Gonzalez, No. 7 seed David Ferrer and unseeded Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis.

Gonzalez has had an excellent year; making the semifinals of the French Open, and quarterfinals of the US Open. He seems to be motivated again.

Ferrer has been a shell of the player he was in 2007, and will be hard pressed to change his ways this late in the year.

Finally, Baghdatis finds himself in the predicament of fighting for wild-cards to enter tour events these days, and will likely bomb out before he gets a crack at Verdasco.

All in all, with Verdasco’s health in doubt, another Fernando should step up to the plate. Gonzo will continue his fine season with a deep run in Malaysia.

Pick: Gonzalez

Please check back all week for continuing daily coverage from Bangkok, Thailand, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Cheers.

Comebacks For Srichaphan, Johannson

Two former somewhat successful players are making a somewhat comeback to the ATP Tour.  Paradorn Srichaphan will be playing doubles with his countryman Danai Udomchoke and his home tournament the Thailand Open this week. Srichaphan goes on to say “I wanted to come back by using the Thailand Open as my tournament. I’m not fit enough for the singles,” (via the AP). Paradorn, now 30, has been busy in his time off catering to his wife and former Miss Universe Natalie Glebova of Canada. Only time will tell whether or not he will make a full comeback or not but during his run into the top eight Paradorn was one of the fittest and most flexible players on tour. It would obviously be great for Asian tennis.

In another comeback story Swede Joachim Johannson will be making a mini comeback as well at this week’s Kuala Lampur event. Pimpim, as he was also known as, has been dealing with a multitude of injuries almost his entire career and in 2008 it seemed like he would call it quits. It seems that this will be the final go around for the 6′6″ 27 year old who you might remember served up 51 aces to Andre Agassi in the 4th round of the 2005 Australian Open.

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