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The old guy beat back the youngins -- and Andy Roddick -- to take the first big title of his career. I had a feeling it was going to turn out this way. I blame oddman for writing out the jinx. Roddick, his gifted victory in Brisbane earlier this year notwithstanding, has forgotten how to win. The tortured American is now one for three in finals this year. Not the kind of percentage the third winningest active player on tour can boast. Maybe he can take inspiration from the old guy. Ivan Ljubicic hadn't won anything in so long, not only had he forgotten how to win, but there was virtually no weight on his shoulders as he approached this victory.


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Jelena Jankovic is back. Consider that snark. Caroline Wozniacki became the No. 2 player in the world today. Consider that a joke.

I'm not sure Indian Wells has ever been such a bust.

Next up, Miami. With no Serena Williams.

Thank goodness I've got the farm to keep me busy.

AP

Andy Roddick celebrates his win over Robin Söderling, of Sweden, during their match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, Calif. , Saturday, March 20, 2010.

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Getty

Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia celebrates match point against Rafael Nadal of Spain during the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open on March 19, 2010 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California.

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As predicted, 2010 is proving to be quite an unpredictable season. Indian Wells features four new finalists: Caroline Wozniacki, Jelena Jankovic, Andy Roddick, who has faltered in desert semifinals more times than I can count, and biggest surprise of them all, Ljubicic, celebrating his 31st birthday with arguably the biggest win of his career.

Who will win?

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Men's Singles - Semifinals
[20] I Ljubicic (CRO) d [3] R Nadal (ESP) 36 64 76(1)
[7] A Roddick (USA) d [6] R Soderling (SWE) 64 36 63

Men's Doubles - Final
[WC] M Lopez (ESP) / R Nadal (ESP) d [1] D Nestor (CAN) / N Zimonjic (SRB) 76(8) 63

Women's Doubles - Final
K Peschke (CZE) / K Srebotnik (SLO) d [3] N Petrova (RUS) / S Stosur (AUS) 64 26 10-5

by Craig Hickman


Reuters

Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic sticks out his tongue after losing a point against Rafael Nadal of Spain during their match at the Indian Wells ATP tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California March 18, 2010.

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I didn't get this posted yesterday.

Long story....

I'd never have picked Ivan Ljubicic to get anywhere near the final four, so...

Have at it.

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Men's Singles - Quarterfinals
[3] R Nadal (ESP) d [19] T Berdych (CZE) 64 76(4)
[20] I Ljubicic (CRO) d [21] J Monaco (ARG) 46 62 61

Men's Doubles - Quarterfinals
[1] D Nestor (CAN) / N Zimonjic (SRB) d [5] F Cermak (CZE) / M Mertinak (SVK) w/o (Cermak - back)

Women's Singles - Quarterfinals
(6) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) d. (23) Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) 64 64
(8) Samantha Stosur (AUS) d. (28) María José Martínez Sánchez (ESP)
63 76(7)

Women's Doubles - Semifinals
Peschke/Srebotnik (CZE/SLO) d. Chan/Zheng (TPE/CHN) 16 63 10-4

Reuters

Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus celebrates his victory over Roger Federer of Switzerland at the Indian Wells ATP tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California March 16, 2010.

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Our own Karen predicted that the top 4 players on the ATP wouldn't advance to the semifinals and the first one to fall is none other than the world's top player.

I went to bed after the first set, trying to get back on my farming schedule, so I only found out a few hours ago that Marcos rallied from a set down to upset the name that had befuddled him on the tennis court through six matches.

Raja had two match points in the second set? Was up a break in the third? Had a third match point? And still lost?

What's that saying about frozen infernos?

While I thought Marcos would beat Raja in Melbourne, which never came to pass because the Cypriot lost early, I didn't give this matchup at this event a second thought.

Color me surprised. Very.

Standing O for Baghdatis.

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Women's Singles - Fourth Round
(2) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) d. (16) Nadia Petrova (RUS) 63 36 60
(4) Elena Dementieva (RUS) d. (19) Aravane Rezai (FRA) 63 63
(5) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) d. (11) Marion Bartoli (FRA) 63 62
(6) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) d. (17) Shahar Peer (ISR) 62 62
(8) Samantha Stosur (AUS) d. (12) Vera Zvonareva (RUS) 62 75
(28) María José Martínez Sánchez (ESP) d. (13) Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) 64 64
(18) Zheng Jie (CHN) d. (WC) Alicia Molik (AUS) 63 46 76(1)
(23) Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) d. Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP) 26 76(2) 64

Petrova is probably still berating herself.

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Women's Doubles - Quarterfinals
Chan/Zheng (TPE/CHN) d. (1) Black/Huber (ZIM/USA) 76(5) 62
Peschke/Srebotnik (CZE/SLO) d. Kirilenko/Radwanska (RUS/POL) 46 76(4) 10-5

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Men's Singles - Third Round
[27] M Baghdatis (CYP) d [1] R Federer (SUI) 57 75 76(4) - saved 3 M.P.
[4] A Murray (GBR) d M Russell (USA) 63 75
[6] R Soderling (SWE) d [28] F Lopez (ESP) 76(3) 64
[7] A Roddick (USA) d T de Bakker (NED) 63 64
[9] J Tsonga (FRA) d [24] A Montanes (ESP) 46 63 63
[18] T Robredo (ESP) d D Sela (ISR) 63 60
[22] J Melzer (AUT) d S Greul (GER) w/o (illness)
N Almagro (ESP) d J Blake (USA) 64 36 63

Still standing.

::

Men's Doubles - Second Round
[5] F Cermak (CZE) / M Mertinak (SVK) d T Bellucci (BRA) / P Cuevas (URU) w/o (Bellucci - back)
J Isner (USA) / S Querrey (USA) d I Andreev (RUS) / E Korolev (KAZ) 75 67(5) 10-4
[WC] M Lopez (ESP) / R Nadal (ESP) d F Lopez (ESP) / F Verdasco (ESP) 64 76(4)
J Brunstrom (SWE) / J Rojer (AHO) d T Berdych (CZE) / P Kohlschreiber (GER) 63 46 10-4

by Craig Hickman


Reuters

Kim Clijsters of Belgium reacts after losing a point against Alisa Kleybanova of Russia during their match at the Indian Wells WTA tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, March 15, 2010.

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Women's Singles - Third Round
(28) María José Martínez Sánchez (ESP) d. (3) Victoria Azarenka (BLR)
76(4) 62
(6) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) d. Sara Errani (ITA) 26 76(6) 64
(8) Samantha Stosur (AUS) d. (25) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 63 60
(17) Shahar Peer (ISR) d. (9) Flavia Pennetta (ITA) 64 67(4) 61
(12) Vera Zvonareva (RUS) d. Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 62 63
(13) Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) d. Roberta Vinci (ITA) 61 36 63
(23) Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) d. (14) Kim Clijsters (BEL) 64 16 76(4)
Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP) d. (27) Agnes Szavay (HUN) 64 36 61

Azarenka and Clijsters fall on the same day, the defending champ cruises, and Suárez Navarro is picking up steam?

::

Women's Doubles - Second Round
(1) Black/Huber (ZIM/USA) d. Amanmuradova/Kustova (UZB/BLR) 62 62
(3) Petrova/Stosur (RUS/AUS) d. Hlavackova/Hradecka (CZE/CZE) 64 60
Peschke/Srebotnik (CZE/SLO) d. Grandin/Spears (RSA/USA) 61 62

::

Men's Singles - Third Round
[2] N Djokovic (SRB) d [25] P Kohlschreiber (GER) 63 26 76(3) - Saved 3 M.P.
[3] R Nadal (ESP) d M Ancic (CRO) 62 62
[15] J Isner (USA) d [17] S Querrey (USA) 76(3) 64
[21] J Monaco (ARG) d [11] J Ferrero (ESP) 76(2) 36 63
G Garcia-Lopez (ESP) d [26] T Bellucci (BRA) 46 62 61
[19] T Berdych (CZE) d [10] F Verdasco (ESP) 60 63
[20] I Ljubicic (CRO) d [Q] B Dabul (ARG) 62 63

Djoke is becoming a real fighter, his brain farts notwithstanding. When someone stares down the barrel of match point and survives, it deserves applause. And Philip Kohlschreiber didn't exactly choke. He got tentative, and then pressed on a few shots he didn't really have to hit, but he had been doing that all match, so....

The defending champion Rafael Nadal looks like he's trying make a statement, and I'm not just talking about those horrid shorts, John Isner seems to be grasping the torch, Juan Carlos Ferrero's age is showing, and Tomas Berdych beat the crap out of Fernando Verdasco. It wasn't as close as the lopsided score would suggest.

::

Men's Doubles - Second Round
[1] D Nestor (CAN) / N Zimonjic (SRB) d J Blake (USA) / A Roddick (USA) 64 36 10-7
[6] S Aspelin (SWE) / P Hanley (AUS) d J Benneteau (FRA) / J Tsonga (FRA) 76(4) 63
I Karlovic (CRO) / D Vemic (SRB) d D Ferrer (ESP) / A Montanes (ESP) 63 46 12-10

by Craig Hickman


Getty

"She's like a ball machine. She hits a lot of balls back, hits them hard and deep.

"I mean, I'd say I should have done a much better job on her serve, because her serve is definitely one of her weaker parts of the game, but… "

--Maria Sharapova, after her loss to Zheng Jie at Indian Wells yesterday.

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Women's Singles - Third Round
(2) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) d. (32) Maria Kirilenko (RUS) 60 63
(4) Elena Dementieva (RUS) d. Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) 64 62
(5) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) d. (31) Gisela Dulko (ARG) 61 60
(18) Zheng Jie (CHN) d. (10) Maria Sharapova (RUS) 63 26 63
(11) Marion Bartoli (FRA) d. Jill Craybas (USA) 62 60
(16) Nadia Petrova (RUS) d. Peng Shuai (CHN) 61 75
(19) Aravane Rezai (FRA) d. (15) Francesca Schiavone (ITA) 67(4) 76(2) 64
(WC) Alicia Molik (AUS) d. (Q) Elena Baltacha (GBR) 60 62

Women's Doubles - Second Round
(2) Llagostera Vives/Martínez Sánchez (ESP/ESP) d. Dulko/Pennetta (ARG/ITA) 75 76(4)
Benesova/Zahlavova Strycova (CZE/CZE) d. (5) Kleybanova/Schiavone (RUS/ITA) 57 75 10-1
(6) Mattek-Sands/Yan (USA/CHN) d. (WC) Garbin/Jankovic (ITA/SRB) 64 46 10-5

Singles - Third Round
[29] V Troicki (SRB) d [5] N Davydenko (RUS) w/o (broken left wrist)

Men's Singles - Second Round
[1] R Federer (SUI) d V Hanescu (ROU) 63 67(5) 61
[4] A Murray (GBR) d A Seppi (ITA) 64 64
[6] R Soderling (SWE) d E Korolev (KAZ) 62 64
[7] A Roddick (USA) d [Q] Y Lu (TPE) 64 64
[9] J Tsonga (FRA) d [Q] M Matosevic (AUS) 61 63
S Greul (GER) d [12] G Monfils (FRA) 16 62 63
J Blake (USA) d [13] D Ferrer (ESP) 61 64
D Sela (ISR) d [14] R Stepanek (CZE) 64 16 62
[18] T Robredo (ESP) d S Stakhovsky (UKR) 36 63 75
[22] J Melzer (AUT) d [WC] D Nalbandian (ARG) 64 61
N Almagro (ESP) d [23] I Karlovic (CRO) 75 76(5)
[24] A Montanes (ESP) d [Q] R Mello (BRA) 36 64 64
[27] M Baghdatis (CYP) d A Clement (FRA) 76(7) 61
[28] F Lopez (ESP) d P Mathieu (FRA) 36 63 64
T de Bakker (NED) d [30] J Tipsarevic (SRB) 32 ret. (abdominal strain)
M Russell (USA) d [32] I Andreev (RUS) 46 63 62

Men's Doubles - Second Round
M Llodra (FRA) / A Ram (ISR) d J Tipsarevic (SRB) / V Troicki (SRB) w/o (Tipsarevic - abdominal strain)

Men's Doubles - First Round
[1] D Nestor (CAN) / N Zimonjic (SRB) d E Butorac (USA) / R Ram (USA) 63 64
T Berdych (CZE) / P Kohlschreiber (GER) d [2] B Bryan (USA) / M Bryan (USA) 76(4) 75
[WC] M Lopez (ESP) / R Nadal (ESP) d [3] L Dlouhy (CZE) / L Paes (IND) 64 36 10-6
[6] S Aspelin (SWE) / P Hanley (AUS) d J Kerr (AUS) / F Polasek (SVK) 75 63
F Lopez (ESP) / F Verdasco (ESP) d [WC] M Ancic (CRO) / M Fish (USA) 76(9) 63

Reuters

Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia covers her face after losing a point during her loss to Carla Suárez Navarro of Spain in their match at the Indian Wells WTA tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, March 13, 2010.

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Men's Singles - Second Round
[2] N Djokovic (SRB) d M Fish (USA) 61 06 62
[3] R Nadal (ESP) d [Q] R Schuettler (GER) 64 64
[5] N Davydenko (RUS) d E Gulbis (LAT) 64 64
G Garcia-Lopez (ESP) d [8] M Cilic (CRO) 76(1) 60
[10] F Verdasco (ESP) d [Q] R Delgado (PAR) 64 61
[11] J Ferrero (ESP) d D Koellerer (AUT) 63 60
[15] J Isner (USA) d [Q] K Anderson (RSA) 63 75
[Q] B Dabul (ARG) d [16] G Simon (FRA) 75 64
[17] S Querrey (USA) d J Chardy (FRA) 63 64
[19] T Berdych (CZE) d F Serra (FRA) 75 46 64
[20] I Ljubicic (CRO) d [WC] R Harrison (USA) 62 76(2)
[21] J Monaco (ARG) d F Fognini (ITA) 64 75
[25] P Kohlschreiber (GER) vs P Petzschner (GER)
[26] T Bellucci (BRA) d [WC] C Moya (ESP) w/o (foot)
[29] V Troicki (SRB) d P Cuevas (URU) 10 ret. (back)
M Ancic (CRO) d [31] J Benneteau (FRA) 46 76(5) 63

The Australian Open semifinalist ate a bagel?

::

Men's Doubles - First Round
*I Andreev (RUS) / E Korolev (KAZ) d [4] M Bhupathi (IND) / M Mirnyi (BLR) 64 64
[5] F Cermak (CZE) / M Mertinak (SVK) d B Becker (GER) / S Huss (AUS) 75 67(5) 10-8
I Karlovic (CRO) / D Vemic (SRB) d [7] M Fyrstenberg (POL) / M Matkowski (POL) 76(6) 76(3)
J Blake (USA) / A Roddick (USA) d R Hutchins (GBR) / A Murray (GBR) 75 76(5)
M Llodra (FRA) / A Ram (ISR) d M Damm (CZE) / R Stepanek (CZE) 57 63 10-7
J Brunstrom (SWE) / J Rojer (AHO) d J Knowle (AUT) / J Melzer (AUT) 64 46 10-5

*replaced N Almagro (ESP) / T Robredo (ESP) - Robredo (toe)

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Women's Singles - Second Round
Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP) d. (1) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 64 46 61
(3) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) d. Sybille Bammer (AUT) 61 75
(6) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) d. (Q) Petra Martic (CRO) 63 76(2)
(8) Samantha Stosur (AUS) d. Julie Coin (FRA) 61 76(4)
(9) Flavia Pennetta (ITA) d. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 63 63
(12) Vera Zvonareva (RUS) d. (Q) Sloane Stephens (USA) 64 75
(13) Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) d. Julia Goerges (GER) 62 64
(14) Kim Clijsters (BEL) d. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) 62 61
(17) Shahar Peer (ISR) d. (WC) Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) 62 63
Roberta Vinci (ITA) d. (21) Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) 63 75
(23) Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) d. (Q) Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) 67(5) 63 61
Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) d. (24) Ana Ivanovic (SRB) 62 64
(25) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) d. (Q) Karolina Sprem (CRO) 63 61
Sara Errani (ITA) d. (26) Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) 75 64
(27) Agnes Szavay (HUN) d. (Q) Chan Yung-Jan (TPE) 63 62
(28) María José Martínez Sánchez (ESP) d. Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU)
26 63 61

Miss Ivanovic is in deep doo-doo. And Sveta is in too deep.

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Women's Doubles - Second Round
Kirilenko/Radwanska (RUS/POL) d. Dushevina/Rodionova (RUS/AUS) 60 63
Chan/Zheng (TPE/CHN) d. Borwell/Kops-Jones (GBR/USA) 61 62

Reuters

Martina Navratilova of the U.S. is introduced before playing an exhibition doubles match with Justine Henin of Belgium, Steffi Graf of Germany and Lindsay Davenport of the U.S. during the Hit for Haiti fund raiser event at the Indian Wells WTA and ATP tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, March 12, 2010.

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Men's Singles - First Round
V Hanescu (ROU) d J Chela (ARG) 63 76(4)
A Clement (FRA) d P Luczak (AUS) 46 63 62
S Stakhovsky (UKR) d W Odesnik (USA) 61 64
D Sela (ISR) d [WC] J Levine (USA) 62 62
S Greul (GER) d R Gasquet (FRA) 76(6) 76(7)
[WC] D Nalbandian (ARG) d [Q] S Koubek (AUT) 62 76(2)
T de Bakker (NED) d M Daniel (BRA) 63 63
[Q] Y Lu (TPE) d O Hernandez (ESP) 61 62
A Seppi (ITA) d [WC] R Ginepri (USA) 26 76(5) 63
M Russell (USA) d P Lorenzi (ITA) 62 75
N Almagro (ESP) d M Zverev (GER) 63 62
J Blake (USA) d D Gimeno-Traver (ESP) 63 62
[Q] M Matosevic (AUS) d M Llodra (FRA) 63 60
[Q] R Mello (BRA) d H Zeballos (ARG) 26 63 64
P Mathieu (FRA) d B Becker (GER) 63 61
E Korolev (KAZ) d F Mayer (GER) 63 62

What is Richard Gasquet doing losing to Simon Greul?

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Men's Doubles - First Round
J Tipsarevic (SRB) / V Troicki (SRB) d [8] C Kas (GER) / D Norman (BEL) 76(5) 26 10-8
T Bellucci (BRA) / P Cuevas (URU) d M Melo (BRA) / B Soares (BRA) 62 46 10-4
J Isner (USA) / S Querrey (USA) d M Cilic (CRO) / I Ljubicic (CRO) 46 61 12-10
D Ferrer (ESP) / A Montanes (ESP) d G Monfils (FRA) / G Simon (FRA) 64 62
J Benneteau (FRA) / J Tsonga (FRA) d R Lindstedt (SWE) / R Soderling (SWE) 75 75

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Women's Singles - Second Round
(2) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) d. Vania King (USA) 57 62 64
(4) Elena Dementieva (RUS) d. Olga Govortsova (BLR) 64 46 60
(5) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) d. Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) 62 53 ret. (left ankle injury)
(Q) Elena Baltacha (GBR) d. (7) Li Na (CHN) 76(6) 26 76(7)
(10) Maria Sharapova (RUS) d. Vera Dushevina (RUS) 46 75 62
(11) Marion Bartoli (FRA) d. Polona Hercog (SLO) 64 62
(15) Francesca Schiavone (ITA) d. Kimiko Date Krumm (JPN) 63 64
(16) Nadia Petrova (RUS) d. Patty Schnyder (SUI) 63 57 64
(18) Zheng Jie (CHN) d. Sorana Cirstea (ROU) 63 75
(19) Aravane Rezai (FRA) d. (LL) Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) 64 75
Peng Shuai (CHN) d. (20) Alona Bondarenko (UKR) 61 64
Jill Craybas (USA) d. (22) Sabine Lisicki (GER) 46 75 20 ret. (left ankle injury)
(WC) Alicia Molik (AUS) d. (29) Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) 64 57 76(3)
Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) d. (30) Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN) 61 62
(31) Gisela Dulko (ARG) d. (WC) Justine Henin (BEL) 62 16 64
(32) Maria Kirilenko (RUS) d. Virginie Razzano (FRA) 75 63

Dulko is collecting quite a collection of scalps, no?

Women's Doubles - First Round
Grandin/Spears (RSA/USA) d. (8) Makarova/Peng (RUS/CHN) 60 64
Benesova/Zahlavova Strycova (CZE/CZE) d. Jans/Rosolska (POL/POL) 64 63
Amanmuradova/Kustova (UZB/BLR) d. Govortsova/Poutchek (BLR/BLR) 61 16 105

Getty

Samantha Stosur of Australia speaks to Cari Champion of the Tennis Channel at the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour All Access Hour during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 10, 2010 in Indian Wells, California.

::

I have been planting, planting, planting, my birth mother is visiting till Sunday, my best friend till Wednesday of next week, I've still got to do taxes, and then there's this other thing occupying my time that I need to focus on. More on that on my other blog sometime soon.

I'm going to let this blog take care of itself (mostly) until tennis comes on television this weekend.

I haven't even looked at the draws but I'll make these predictions anyway:

Roger Federer and Justine Henin will win.

See you when I see you.

Getty

I'm usually thoroughly entertained when watching a final between two players I don't like. For a set and a half today, such was the case. The ascendant player was opening the court with viciously angled forehands and striking winners from everywhere with an illusionist's disguise, a marksman's precision. The player fighting from behind was extending rallies with incredible retrieving and every once in a while stinging his opponent with his own power.

But then Novak Djokovic started the first of his recurring disappearing acts after leading 3-0 in the second set and Gael Monfils started his patented histrionics to get the crowd all revved up and in his opponent's face.

Disappearing acts aren't entertaining and histrionics isn't tennis. When will these two grating personalities figure that out?

When a final-set breaker ends on a double fault from the player who was beating his heart to prove he has one, and the eventual champion follows suit after victory and goes all cave man and shit, I wasn't sure any longer that a tennis match had just unfolded.

More like an experimental piece of performance art between two actors exploring the nuances of fear and false bravado.

Glad it's over.

Good for Djoke for pulling out another victory before a hostile crowd. For finally winning a Masters shield in 2009. For beating the world No.'s 1 & 2 in successive weeks. For closing out a long season as the best best-of-three player on the ATP.