Mesh Tennis

It seems Federer has split with his sometimes-coach, Tony Roche.

“I thank Tony very much for his efforts over these last years, during which I appreciated the 12-15 weeks per season we would work together,” Federer said on his site. “I am also grateful for the sacrifice he made, traveling so far from his home in Australia and leaving his family.”

Roche was with Federer this week at the Rome Masters, where he was upset in the third round by Filippo Volandri, ranked 53rd in the world. That loss meant Federer has played in four consecutive tournaments without winning a title, his longest such drought since he rose to No. 1 in the rankings in February 2004.

“I don’t know what’s wrong. I have to analyze it myself,” Federer said after the defeat in Rome.

He added that he thought he needed to “get back on the practice courts instead of the match courts.”

Roche is a former Australian Davis Cup captain who also has coached top-ranked players Ivan Lendl and Patrick Rafter.
MSNBC

I’ll just go ahead and declare the Age of Federer over, sicne I have no credibility whatsoever, and no one else is going to say it.

This whole tournament is going to suck if they lose Nadal, too.

Rafael Nadal was undergoing medical checks in hospital Thursday only hours before his third-round match at the Rome Masters, after complaining of dizziness in a win the previous day. Tournament officials were keeping tight-lipped about details, but the Spanish world number 2 was reported to have been examined at a Rome hospital.

Nadal is riding an all-time clay win streak of 73 matches. Should he fail to front up for his contest later against Russian Mikhail Youzhny, the result would not end the streak, the ATP said.

“I don’t have anything, but I was a little bit dizzy before the match,” two-time Rome champion Nadal said on Wednesday after defeating Italian Daniele Bracciale.

“I went to the doctor and he said it was nothing.”
Earthtimes.org

Hopefully he won’t play any injury games, and is feeling well enough to win some more matches. Wouldn’t you be a bit dizzy if you hadn’t lost a clay court match in about a year?

I know, I shouldn’t be celebrating. But I am.

Man, the photo wall of Federer-beaters I am maintaining is starting to get full! Good news for all of us hoping to see some real rivalries develop here - because we all know that Federer can pretty much retire and still be ranked number 1 for the next 5 years.

Roger Federer lost to Italian wild card Filippo Volandri 6-2, 6-4 Thursday in the third round of the Rome Masters, extending his title drought to four straight tournaments and marking the worst stretch of his career since he rose to No. 1 in February 2004.

“I don’t know what’s wrong,” Federer said. “I have to analyze it myself. It was over too soon for me today.”

The top-ranked Swiss won in Dubai in March. He has since failed to win at Indian Wells, Calif.; Key Biscayne, Fla.; Monte Carlo, Monaco; and Rome.

Federer often missed routine baseline shots against Volandri, and his body language conveyed little will to compete. He hit only two winners with his forehand, normally his best shot, and made 44 unforced errors to Volandri’s 23.

Federer’s ability is usually enough, even on bad days, but not this time.

“It happens a lot, but sometimes I get through them,” he said.

Third-ranked Andy Roddick also had a rough day. The American lost 6-0, 6-4 to Juan Ignacio Chela. Roddick played his first tournament since injuring his hamstring in the Davis Cup last month. A stomach virus also slowed his preparation before flying to Europe.

“I’m not feeling in as good a shape as I should be,” he said.
MSNBC

He’s sounding a bit less confident for sure!

Does this mean that tennis is on the back burner?

NBC has found a star for their new summer reality series Age of Love. Tennis champ Mark Philippoussis is on board to play the network’s latest version of ABC’s The Bachelor. But because every show needs a gimmick, Mark, who’s 30, must choose between a group of girls in their 20s and and another in their 40s.

You’d think a hottie like this one wouldn’t need help in the l-o-v-e department, but according to People.com, Mark is one shy player. I never really get that statement from people who go on reality TV.
TV Cocktail

I’m completely baffled. I’ve never seen the show, but I assume he wins a lot of money?

Clijsters, 24, announced her immediate retirement on Sunday, citing recurrent injuries plus preparations for her wedding to American basketballer Brian Lynch in July as reasons not to continue her farewell season.

“She knows her body best … very rarely do you walk on the court feeling 100 per cent,” said Hewitt.

“But she’s had a great career.

“I know how many injuries she’s had over her whole career, she’s had to play through some tough times.”

Hewitt added it was a shame the Belgian wouldn’t have the opportunity to play out her final season.

“Kim’s so well-liked around the world and she’s played well in so many tournaments around the world that it would have been nice for her to compete for the rest of the year,” the Australian said.

“It would be just for herself to get enjoyment and obviously for the crowds as well.”
The Age

More first round losers…

LLEYTON Hewitt’s run of poor form continues, one of a string of high-profile casualties in the first round of the Rome Masters.

Hewitt lost his first-round match to Spain’s Oscar Hernandez over three sets.

The former world no.1 won the first set 3-6. But then the familiar rot set in and he began to struggle. The Spaniard edged him 7-6 in the second before Hewitt completely capitulated 6-1 to lose the match.

But if it was a poor day for Hewitt, it was an absolute shocker for the British contingent. Brits Andy Murray and Tim Henman also bowed out at the first time of asking.

Scot Murray, the British 10th seed, lost 6-1 1-6 6-3 to Frenchman Gilles Simon as his rhythm was disrupted by two rain delays at teh Foro Italico. It was Murray’s first match since three weeks out with a back injury.

He said: “I was a bit rusty. I didn’t hit the ball well and physically I didn’t feel great in the long rallies. It can take 10 or 12 shots to win a single point.”

Henman lost 7-5 6-1 to Spain’s Nicolas Almagro.

The British No 2 had no answer to the clay-court specialist, who booked a second-round meeting with world No 1 Roger Federer.

Henman, 32, admitted: “I struggled but even if I was playing at my very best this surface just does not suit my game.”
Daily Telegraph

Daniela just has the worst time with consistency - I was kinda hoping Indian Wells would be a turning point for her, but it isn’t quite yet.

Czech qualifier Zuzana Ondraskova knocked 11th seed Daniela Hantuchova out of the German Open in the first round on Wednesday, upsetting the Slovakian 6-1 6-3.

Hantuchova, winner at Indian Wells in March, was broken six times by the 27-year-old Ondraskova, who is ranked more than 100 places below her.
Earlier, Serbian number 12 seed Ana Ivanovic reached the third round of the rain-affected tournament with a comfortable 6-3 6-2 victory over Elena Likhovtseva of Russia.

Belgian world number one Justine Henin, winner earlier this week in Warsaw, is the top seed for the $1.34 million claycourt tournament. Six other top 10 players are in the main draw, including defending champion Nadia Petrova of Russia.
The Guardian

Maria Sharapova has withdrawn from the Italian Open with a right shoulder injury.

The second-ranked Russian hasn’t played since losing to Serena Williams in the fourth round of the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami in March. She also pulled out of Rome last year with a foot problem.

Top-ranked Justine Henin did not enter, leaving No. 3 Amelie Mauresmo as the top seeded player for next week’s tournament. Mauresmo is a two-time Rome champion and a five-time finalist.
MSNBC

I’ll have to dig around to see what the heck she has been up to - lounging on the beach in Malibu? Taking care of her sponsorship obligations? Modeling?

Andy Roddick winning on clay? Against someone who can play on clay? Oh well, he has to make it past the third round for it to be a true miracle.

Andy Roddick opened his clay-court season in style, beating 2004 French Open champion Gaston Gaudio 6-1, 7-6 (8) Wednesday at the Rome Masters.

After breezing through the first set, the third-seeded American required five match points before putting away a volley to end the second-round match.

“I was thankful to get through in two after that,” Roddick said. “To win a third set might have been a tall task. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but today was fun.”
MSNBC

I have been able to watch some tennis on the internet via an ATP Masters Series subscription, which I will review later.