HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DINARA!

Today is the birthday of Dinara Safina, one of the best Russian tennis players and world's no. 3. Dinara, these are some messages from your fans around the world:

Dan, USA: Happy birthday, I'm glad you're back and good luck! You're my no.1!!!

Jennifer, USA: Happy birthday, have a wonderful day and good luck in Stuttgart and all the tournaments you'll play!

Paul, France: Dinara, I hope today will be a special day for you and will give you the power to win!

Mario, Argentina: Wish you all the best, I hope your back is fine and you'll be back on the no.1 position. You deserve it!

Juan, Spain: Happy birthday, good luck in Stuttgart and I hope I'll see you in Madrid!

Vanessa, France: Happy birthday, Dinara! You're the best tennis player and if your injury doesn't come back, I'm sure you can win everything! Wait you in Paris for the Roland Garros!

...and...

Gael Monfils: Happy birthday, Dinara!!!!

And now, my message...

Ioana, Romania: You know, it's hard to be the last, because they already said everything...:D Happy birthday, have a great year! You and Marat were always my idols and two examples for being strong and powerful in every situation. You really are a hero and, I don't know, when I see your matches, it's like I'd see my sister playing. I wish you all the best, I hope you'll show again your talent and I'll support you everytime, especially in the Grand Slam tournaments, because I know you can! Xoxo. :*

I hope I made you a nice surprise :-)

Dinara Safina back on tour!!!!

Dinara Safina (RUS) will play in Stuttgart next week and she will try to win her 13th title in career.

Dinara didn't play for about 2 months because of a back injury, who seemed to be pretty bad. But now she is back on the court! Last year in Stuttgart, Safina played the final but lost to another Russian and friend, Svetlana Kuznetsova.

Good luck, Dinara, I hope your back will be OK and you'll win this tournament too!

Dinara Safina's injury seems to be really bad!

The back injury that cost Dinara Safina the world No. 1 ranking at last year’s WTA championships seems to be really hard.

Dinara's blog:

"I’m still in Croatia doing my recovery with my physio Tomislav Vrbnjak. He is really one of the best I’ve ever had in my life and he is really taking the best care of me.

My injury from Australia was pretty bad and takes so long to heal. The problem is that I had it since Cincinnati last year, and since then had been playing all the time while on pain killers. My back was really bad there but I didn’t feel anything the rest of the season until my last match at the Australian Open.

After that match, I had an MRI and I had two stress fractures on L5S1 and a rupture on the muscle. That was the worst news I could ever hear from a doctor, but now finally I’m recovering, though not as fast as I would prefer. My physio is really taking care of me and I’m slowly starting to practice."

When will she return? She is entered in Stuttgart but it is doubtful that she will play. I wish you all the best, Dinara!!!

Title for Tecau!

Horia Tecau (ROU) and the Sweden Robert Lindstedt won the doubles competition in Casablanca, Maroc (450.000 euro).

Being in the final without loosing a set, Tecau and Lindstedt, the 3rd seeded, won the final, 6-2, 3-6, 10-7, against Rohan Bopanna (IND)/Aisan-Ul-Haq Qureshi (PAK). This is only the second tournament when the Romanian and the Sweden make a team, after Miami.

This is the second ATP title of the season for Horia, after Auckland (with Marcus Daniell). The Romanian won this season the challenger from Marrakech, along the Serb Ilija Bozoljac, last month.

For this result, Tecau will receive 250 ATP points and will divide with Lindstedt 21.650 euro.

Anoher final for the Romanians this week!!!

Victor Hanescu (ROU, 3rd seeded) will play the final in Casablanca, after defeating Jarkko Nieminen (FIN), Richard Gasquet (FRA) and Florent Serra (FRA).

It was a very good week for Romania in tennis. Two finals (Victor Hanescu and Horia Tecau with his partner Robert Lindstedt) and Simona Halep in the QF after defeating world's no.70 and 36.

Victor Hanescu won his SF match against Florent Serra. The score was 6-4, 6-1. In the first set, only a break was enough, and in the second the French couldn't resist Victor's destructive serve and lost with 1-6.

In the final, the Romanian will face Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI, 1st seeded), who won his SF against Potito Starace (ITA), 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.

H2H results: Hanescu leads series 1-0.

Simona Halep leaves the tournament with her head up

Simona Halep was one of the good surprises from Marbella this week. Playing for the first time in a WTA competition, the young romanian stopped only in the QF, in front of Flavia Pennetta (ITA), the 2nd seeded and no.16 in the world.

Simona won in the first round against Iveta Benesova (70 WTA) and in the second round against the best romanian female tennis player, Sorana Cirstea (36 WTA).

In the quarterfinals, Halep played really good against Pennetta, the italian winning only once on her serve. The score was 4-6, 6-7.

For this result, Simona Halep will receive 5 340 $ and 70 WTA points.