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Monday Net Post 5.21.07

By Peter Bodo

**[Ed Note: By now, many of you know upstate New York's Ed McGrogan, mad keen New York Rangers fan, author of TW's By the Letter and his own tennis blog, Gasquet and Racquet. Well, Ed will now be providing the Monday Net Post to get your work week off to a start far better than that cup of designer coffee that puts a dent in your wallet and a blister on the roof of your mouth. You will notice a few of the usual items either missing or replaced by other features. Don't panic - Tribe Notes will be back soon, complete with our popular "Mystery Photo"; it probably will return in this very space. Comments and suggestions on the new MNP will be gratefully accepted, but first please join me in welcoming Ed -- PB]

Last Week's Tournaments**

Masters Series Hamburg (ATP; Hamburg, Germany)

  • Singles Semifinal: Roger Federer def. Carlos Moya 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.

  • Singles Semifinal: Rafael Nadal def. Lleyton Hewitt 2-6, 6-3, 7-5.

  • Singles Final: Roger Federer def. Rafael Nadal 2-6, 6-2, 6-0.

  • Singles Bracket

  • Doubles Semifinal: Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan def. Jonathan Erlich/Andy Ram 6-2, 3-6, 10-7.

  • Doubles Semifinal: Paul Hanley/Kevin Ullyett def. Simon Aspelin/Julian Knowle 6-2, 3-6, 10-4.

  • Doubles Final: Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan def. Paul Hanley/Kevin Ullyett 6-3, 6-4.

  • Doubles Bracket

Internazionali BNL d'Italia (WTA; Rome, Italy)

  • Singles Semifinal: Jelena Jankovic def. Patty Schnyder 6-1, 6-3.

  • Singles Semifinal: Svetlana Kuznetsova def. Daniela Hantuchova 6-4, 6-2.

  • Singles Final: Jelena Jankovic def. Svetlana Kuznetsova 7-5, 6-1.

  • Singles Bracket (Page 1)

  • Doubles Semifinal: Nathalie Dechy/Mara Santangelo def. Kveta Peschke/Rennae Stubbs 6-4, 6-4.

  • Doubles Semifinal: Tathiana Garbin/Roberta Vinci def. Cara Black/Liezel Huber 6-3, 6-3.

  • Doubles Final: Nathalie Dechy/Mara Santangelo def. Tathiana Garbin/Roberta Vinci 6-4, 6-1.

  • Doubles Bracket (Page 2)

Grand Prix de SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem (WTA; Fes, Morocco)

  • Singles Semifinal: Aleksandra Wozniak def. Maria Emilia Salerni 6-3, 4-4 (retired).

  • Singles Semifinal: Milagros Sequera def. Ioana Raluca Olaru 0-6, 6-2, 7-6 (5).

  • Singles Final: Milagros Sequera def. Aleksandra Wozniak 6-1, 6-3.

  • Singles Bracket (Page 1)

  • Doubles Semifinal: Vania King/Sania Mirza def. Camille Pin/Milagros Sequera (walkover).

  • Doubles Semifinal: Andreea Ehritt-Vanc/Anastasia Rodionova def. Julie Ditty/Natalie Grandin 6-4, 6-2.

  • Doubles Final: Vania King/Sania Mirza def. Andreea Ehritt-Vanc/Anastasia Rodionova 6-1, 6-2.

  • Doubles Bracket (Page 2)

**

McGrogan's Heroes**

Newfed_3 ATP: Roger Federer is clearly the representative for the men this week, after snapping Rafael Nadal's 81 match winning streak on clay; a surface-specific record that I doubt will be challenged for some time.  But just as the Rome Masters will be remembered for Filippo Volandri's run to the semifinals, Hamburg had a pair of memorable semifinalists as well, who nearly derailed the Federer/Nadal encounter, thanks to some miniature renaissances in their games.  Lleyton Hewitt and Carlos Moya turned back the clock with some vintage performances, taking out a list of players that included Tomas Berdych, James Blake, Novak Djokovic, Nikolay Davydenko, and Nicolas Almagro.

Sequera WTA: Milagros Sequera did double duty, quite literally, in Morocco - she won the singles title, and reached the semifinals of the doubles, but after her partner Camille Pin was pinned down due to gastroenteritis the team was forced to concede.  Another impressive women's performance this past week was from Patty Schnyder, who beat a confident Samantha Stosur (fresh off upsetting top seed Amelie Mauresmo) in the round of 16, and then pulled off an upset of her own against Serena Williams in the quarterfinals.  Switzerland has much to be proud of this week.

**

By the Letter**

Normally, "By the Letter" (formerly seen on Fridays) will be shown here, but as the most recent edition was posted this past Friday, we're instead going to run some commentary on the definitive tennis happening of the weekend, the Federer/Nadal Hamburg final.  For my thoughts on the match, and what it means for the upcoming French Open, see my post "One year later" at Gasquet & Racquet.

**

This Week's Tournaments**

ARAG ATP World Team Championship (ATP; Düsseldorf, Germany)

The Hypo Group Tennis International (ATP; Pörtschach, Austria)

  • Website -
  • Singles Bracket
  • Doubles Bracket

Internationaux de Strasbourg (WTA; Strasbourg, France)

  • Website -
  • Singles & Doubles Bracket

Istanbul Cup (WTA; Instanbul, Turkey)

  • Website
  • Singles & Doubles Bracket

**

Beyond the Bracket**

Pörtschach is one of three stops in Austria for the ATP Tour (the others are in Kitzbuhel and Vienna), but this peninsular venue may be the most dedicated to tennis of the three cities.  In fact, the tournament's website dubs Pörtschach as "Austria's tennis-mecca."

Located in southern Austria, Pörtschach has a population of only 2,700, but its diminutive size shouldn't fool you - this is a haven for sport.  With many nearby lakes, fishing and other outdoor sports are quite popular, and the Werzer Tennis Facilities have made Pörtschach a tennis hotbed as well.  Pörtschach secured this tournament in 2006, after, St. Pölten, the capital of Lower Austria, hosted this event from 1994-2005.

In the eyes of some, this tournament is located in a precarious position on the ATP calendar - the week before the French Open.  But the tournament prides itself as an important preparation event for Roland Garros, so much so that the exact court conditions in Paris are replicated in Pörtschach.  To do this, 12 tons of sand was imported from France, as well as the same balls used at Roland Garros.

The Hypo Group Alpe Adria, an Austrian financial group, is the main sponsor of this tournament.  While the Hypo Group has stretched throughout Europe, it is fitting that the company has local roots; they originated in the state of Carinthia, where Pörtschach is located.

Austrians have had limited success in this tournament, with the notable exception being clay court savant Thomas Muster, who won here three years straight from 1993-1995.  Marcelo Rios matched Muster's accomplishments by also winning three times at St. Pölten (1996, 1998, and 1999).  This year, Nikolay Davydenko will look to join these two in the record books, as he is the two-time defending champion here.

- Ed McGrogan