Players of the week : John Isner and Nicolas Mahut

"But they are not from Romania or Russia" - you might think. I know it, but I can't overlook this fairy tale match. The American John Isner finally won against Nicolas Mahut from France, after 11h05min. The score was 70-68 in the fifth set.

The match between Isner (25 years old) and Mahut (28 years old) became the longest match ever and the match with the most games played, 183. The matched started on Tuesday, but it was interrupted because of darkness after four sets. The game resumed on Wednesday, but it didn't finish this time neither, interrupted after 7h06min at 59-59. The match finished on Thursday, with the American's victory. "It's really painful, but we spent three incredible days. John served really good. He's a champion. We played the greatest match ever, in the greatest place to play tennis.", said Mahut, who is ranked 148th and went through qualifying. At some juncture as daylight was turning to dusk, Isner said: "I was completely delirious... Even though it was dark, and no one could see, I wanted a final verdict, win or loose. I didn't want to have to sleep on it. But it wasn't to be."

The other players couldn't remain indifferent to the magnificent effort of the two.
ROGER FEDERER: "It's so impressive to see. I mean, I was watching this. I don't know if I was crying or laughing".
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: "Everybody was watching it in the locker rooms, everywhere. Whoever wins today, I think both of them are winners. I don't know, maybe they should agree on playing tiebreak if it's 50 All".
VENUS WILLIAMS: "It's a marathon. It's longer than a marathon. I think if you moved, you loose your seat".
JOHN MCENROE: " I'm tired watching this. It's Herculean what they're doing... I had to come pay my respects."

Whatever else Isner and Mahut may accomplish in tennis, however many matches or titles each may win, they forever will be associated with these three days at the All England Club and one particular score: 70-68.

I have no words to describe this confrontation. I think for a while people forgot the World Cup and focused on tennis because of them. I said it and I will keep saying: these guys are two heroes. And they won a lot of experience, fans and of course, records in these three days. All I can do is congratulate both of them. I'm really sorry for Nicolas, he played amazing and he had his chance in front of a top player, so this is great. But a French travel company gave him a luxurious holiday, to relax after the marathon against John, which I find very nice, because he deserves all the respects and gifts in the world. :)

Wimbledon : Third round in review

Russians: 2 IN ; 5 OUT Romanians: 0 IN ; 2 OUT

Wimbledon third round results

Women's singles

Maria Sharapova (RUS) def. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) 7-5 6-3
Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) def. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 7-5 6-4
Kaia Kanepi (EST) def. Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU) 6-1 6-2
Kim Clijsters (BEL) def. Maria Kirilenko (RUS) 6-3 6-3
Justine Henin (BEL) def. Nadia Petrova (RUS) 6-1 6-4
Vera Zvonareva (RUS) def. Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) 6-4 6-2
Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) def. Regina Kulikova (RUS) 6-4 2-0 ret.
Venus Williams (USA) def. Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) 6-4 6-2

Men's singles

Daniel Brands (GER) def. Victor Hanescu (ROU) 7-6 7-6 6-7 3-6 0-3 ret.

Last 16 matches
Women's singles

Serena Williams (USA) v. Maria Sharapova (RUS)
Vera Zvonareva (RUS) v. Jelena Jankovic (SRB)


I have to say a few words about Victor Hanescu. I think everybody knows what happened, so I won't explain it anymore. His behavior wasn't nice, I know it. But I have to admit that I was happy when I saw he swore and spat. I felt like they got what they deserved and I'm not talking only about those rude people from the crowd, I'm talking about the chair umpire and the organizers too. Victor went first and accused that the people in the stands are too loud and are booing him. And the only thing the chair umpire could say was: "No, it's OK". Then those guys started to swear and to scamp. And I want to ask the people who say that Hanescu is a villain: if you were in his situation and you've tried to tell the umpire what's happening and he didn't listen to you, could you stay calm? And now everybody says he must be fined for unsportsmanlike. It's OK, he was fined. But what about those drunk people from the crowd? They don't deserve a fine? Only the players must be fair-play, not the audience too? Anyway, for the ones who don't know, Hanescu "has been fined US$7500 for Unsportsmanlike Conduct* and a further US$7500 for not using Best Efforts* at the conclusion of the match." What I want to say is that I support Victor in this difficult situation, because I'm a big fan and I know that those people were just too rude, because the Romanian is one of the most calm and sweet persons, he didn't have this kind of incidents in his whole career and he's not the type which gets angry easily. So, GO HANE! NU TE LASA!

Wimbledon : Second round in review

Russians: 7 IN ; 7 OUT
Romanians: 2 IN ; 3 OUT

Wimbledon second round results


Women's singles

Serena Williams (USA) def. Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) 6-0 6-1
Maria Sharapova (RUS) def. Ioana Raluca Olaru (ROU) 6-1 6-4
Anastasia Rodionova (AUS) def. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 6-4 2-6 6-4
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) def. Roberta Vinci (ITA) 6-2 7-6
Flavia Pennetta (ITA) def. Monica Niculescu (ROU) 6-1 6-1
Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU) def. Romina Sarina Oprandi (ITA) 6-2 6-0
Kaia Kanepi (EST) def. Edina Gallovits (ROU) 6-4 7-5
Maria Kirilenko (RUS) def. Shenay Perry (USA) 6-1 6-4
Nadia Petrova (RUS) def. Yung-Jan Chan (TPE) 6-3 6-4
Vera Zvonareva (RUS) def. Andrea Hlavackova (CZE) 6-1 6-4
Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) def. Vera Dushevina (RUS) 6-3 6-4
Regina Kulikova (RUS) def. Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) 6-2 6-4
Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) def. Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS) 6-2 ret.
Venus Williams (USA) def. Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) 6-0 6-4

Men's singles

Victor Hanescu (ROU) def. Marsel Ilhan (TUR) 6-4 6-4 3-6 6-3
Daniel Brands (GER) def. Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) 7-6 7-6 6-1
Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) def. Teimuraz Gabashvili (RUS) 7-6 5-7 2-6 7-6 9-7
Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) def. Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) 6-4 2-6 2-6 6-3 6-4


Third round matches

Women's singles

Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) v. Maria Sharapova (RUS)
Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) v. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)
Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU) v. Kaia Kanepi (EST)
Kim Clijsters (BEL) v. Maria Kirilenko (RUS)
Justine Henin (BEL) v. Nadia Petrova (RUS)
Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) v. Vera Zvonareva (RUS)
Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) v. Regina Kulikova (RUS)
Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) v. Venus Williams (USA)

Men's singles

Victor Hanescu (ROU) v. Daniel Brands (GER)

Wimbledon : First round in review

Russians : 15 IN ; 7 OUT
Romanians : 5 IN ; 1 OUT

Wimbledon first round scores


Women's singles

Vera Dushevina (RUS) def. Francesca Schiavone (ITA) 6-7 7-5 6-1
Nadia Petrova (RUS) def. Tatjana Malek (GER) 6-4 6-3
Regina Kulikova (RUS) def. Melanie South (GBR) 6-1 6-2
Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) def. Anna Lapushchenkova (RUS) 6-0 7-6
Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) def. Sandra Zahlavova (CZE) 6-2 6-3
Maria Kirilenko (RUS) def. Stefanie Voegele (SUI) 2-6 6-4 7-5
Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS) def. Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) 6-4 6-1
Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) def. Agnes Szavay (HUN) 6-4 7-6
Vera Zvonareva (RUS) def. Nuria Llagostera Vives (ESP) 6-4 6-1
Maria Sharapova (RUS) def. Anastasia Pivovarova (RUS) 6-1 6-0
Svetlana Kuznestova (RUS) def. Akgul Amanmuradova (UZB) 6-2 6-7 6-4
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) def. Iveta Benesova (CZE) 6-3 6-4
Monica Niculescu (ROU) def. Gisela Dulko (ARG) 6-3 6-2
Petra Kvitova (CZE) def. Sorana Cirstea (ROU) 6-2 6-2
Ioana Raluca Olaru (ROU) def. Alize Cornet (FRA) 5-7 6-4 6-4
Edina Gallovits (ROU) def. Timea Bacsinzky (SUI) 4-6 7-5 6-3
Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) def. Andrea Petkovic (GER) 3-6 6-4 6-4
Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU) def. Kimiko Date Krumm (JPN) 6-2 6-7 6-1
Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) def. Elena Vesnina (RUS) 6-1 6-3

Men's singles

Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) def. Kevin Anderson (RSA) 3-6 6-7 7-6 7-5 9-7
Viktor Troicki (SRB) def. Igor Kunitsyn (RUS) 6-3 6-4 6-1
Teimuraz Gabashvili (RUS) def. Ramon Delgado (PAR) 2-6 6-4 6-4 6-2
Daniel Brands (GER) def. Igor Andreev (RUS) 7-6 7-6 7-5
Rainer Schuettler (GER) def. Dmitry Tursunov (RUS) 6-2 6-2 6-3
Victor Hanescu (ROU) def. Andrey Kuznetsov (RUS) 6-7 7-6 6-3 1-6 7-5
Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) def. Dudi Sela (ISR) 6-3 6-4 4-6 7-6


SECOND ROUND MATCHES

Women's Singles

Serena Williams (USA) v. Anna Chakvetadze (RUS)
Ioana Raluca Olaru (ROU) v. Maria Sharapova (RUS)
Anastasia Rodionova (AUS) v. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)
Roberta Vinci (ITA) v. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)
Flavia Pennetta (ITA) v. Monica Niculescu (ROU)
Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU) v. Romina Sarina Oprandi (ITA)
Edina Gallovits (ROU) v. Kaia Kanepi (EST)
Shenay Perry (USA) v. Maria Kirilenko (RUS)
Yung-Jan Chan (TPE) v. Nadia Petrova (RUS)
Andrea Hlavackova (CZE) v. Vera Zvonareva (RUS)
Vera Dushevina (RUS) v. Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL)
Regina Kulikova (RUS) v. Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ)
Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) v. Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS)
Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) v. Venus Williams (USA)

Men's singles

Victor Hanescu (ROU) v. Marsel Ilhan (TUR)
Daniel Brands (GER) v. Nikolay Davydenko (RUS)
Philipp Kohlshreiber (GER) v. Teimuraz Gabashvili (RUS)
Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) v. Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA)

Players of the week : Ekaterina Makarova and Horia Tecau

As you see, this time we have two players of the week, both having the same performance: THE TITLE! From the beautiful Hertogenbosch to the windy Eastbourne, the Russians and the Romanians showed once again their talent and determination.


Ekaterina Makarova played at Eastbourne as a qualifier and won the title. Who would expect this, at a tournament were the favourites were Caroline Wozniacki, Francesca Schiavone, Sam Stosur, Aga Radwanska or Kim Clijsters? And the young Russian had maybe the most difficult draw. First round against Pennetta, the 6th favourite. Only a few problems in the 1st set, because then everything was in her favor. The score was 7-6, 6-1. Next opponent: the second best Russian player of the moment, Nadia Petrova. But there was another Nadia, a Nadia who played really weird and lost, 0-6, 2-6. Next she played against Sveta Kuznetsova, the one who eliminated Sorana in the first round. Again, Ekaterina won, 7-5, 6-4. In the semifinals she faced Sam Stosur, the finalist from Roland Garros. I have to say, I was sure we will see a Stosur-Azarenka final. But no! 7-6, 7-5 for Makarova. Opponent in the final: Viktoria Azarenka. I watched the match. I supported Vika. But Eka was unstoppable, winning, 7-6, 7-5.


Now we're moving to Netherlands for the men's doubles competition. Winners? Robert Lindstedt and Horia Tecau. This is the 3rd title of the season for Horia and the 2nd teaming with Rob. The 5th seeds and the no.29 ATP surprised me first winning the semifinal against the 2nd seeds Moodie and Norman. I think I've never been so attracted by a doubles competition. But seeing Horia playing the final against no.3 ATP and the top seeds Dlouhy and Paes made me supporting them with all my soul. And it worked! After a difficult start, loosing the 1st set with 1-6, the Romanian fighter and his partner came back winning with 10-7 in the 3rd set.

A lot of surprises this week, isn't that? I'm curious what's gonna happen at Wimbledon... Will be everything in Serena's favor like always? Will be Nestor/Zimonjic or the Bryans invincible? I don't think so! :) For more action, watch Wimby! I will :)

Wimbledon draw is out!

After a long time waiting, the grass season is here! And it couldn't be the same without the biggest grass tournament and, in my opinion, the most spectacular Grand Slam: WIMBLEDON! Everybody had fun last night, at the Pre-Wimbledon Party, but the tournament starts on Monday, so everybody has to train, to stay calm and to prepare to do his/her best on the court.

In the men's competition, we have a player who just came back after a serious injury. That's Kolya, will play in the first match against Kevin Anderson (RSA). If he will play his best and will be in the quarters, he could face the 1st seeded and world's no.2, Roger Federer. The 2nd best tennis player from Russia, Mikhail Youzhny will face the surprising Dudi Sela, who won over Andy Roddick last week at Queen's. The surprise from Roland Garros, Teimuraz Gabashvili will play in the 1st round against Delgado, while another player who missed a lot of tournaments due to an injury, Igor Andreev, will face Daniel Brands. And one of the funniest and most charismatic persons on Earth, in my opinion, Dmitry Tursunov, will play against Daniel Brands from Germany. The only Romanian, Victor Hanescu, will face Alex Kuznetsov.

So, in the men's singles competition:

Igor Kunitsyn (RUS) - Viktor Troicki (SRB)
Dmitry Tursunov (RUS) - Rainer Schuettler (GER)
Victor Hanescu (ROU) - Andrey Kuznetsov (RUS)
Igor Andreev (RUS) - Daniel Brands (GER)
Kevin Anderson (RSA) - Nikolay Davydenko (RUS)
Teimuraz Gabashvili (RUS) - Ramon Delgado (PAR)
Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) - Dudi Sela (ISR)

The women's singles competition:

Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) - Andrea Petkovic (GER)
Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) - Elena Vesnina (RUS)
Ioana Raluca Olaru (ROU) - Alize Cornet (FRA)
Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR) - Maria Sharapova (RUS)
Akgul Amanmuradova (UZB) - Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)
Iveta Benesova (CZE) - Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)
Sorana Cirstea (ROU) - Petra Kvitova (CZE)
Monica Niculescu (ROU) - Gisela Dulko (ARG)
Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU) - Kimiko Date Krumm (JPN)
Timea Bacsinszky (SUI) - Edina Gallovits (ROU)
Stefanie Voegele (SUI) - Maria Kirilenko (RUS)
Tatjana Malek (GER) - Nadia Petrova (RUS)
Nuria Llagostera Vives (ESP) - Vera Zvonareva (RUS)
Francesca Schiavone (ITA) - Vera Dushevina (RUS)
Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) - Anna Lapushchenkova (RUS)
Regina Kulikova (RUS) - Melanie South (GBR)
Anna Lena Groenefeld (GER) - Dinara Safina (RUS)
Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) - Sandra Zahlavova (CZE)
Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) - Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS)
Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) - Agnes Szavay (HUN)

In the men's doubles competition:

Karol Beck (SVK)/Dmitry Tursunov (RUS) - Julien Benneteau (FRA)/Michael Llodra (FRA)
Leos Friedl (CZE)/David Skoch (CZE) - Robert Lindstedt (SWE)/Horia Tecau (ROU)

In the women's doubles competition:

Dominika Cibulkova (SVK)/Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) - Edina Gallovits (ROU)/Klaudia Jans (POL)
Elena Vesnina (RUS)/Vera Zvonareva (RUS) - Mariya Korytsseva (UKR)/Darya Kustova (BLR)
Viktoria Azarenka (BLR)/Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) - Liezel Huber (USA)/Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA)
Gisela Dulko (ARG)/Flavia Pennetta (ITA) - Anastasia Rodionova (AUS)/Arina Rodionova (RUS)
Regina Kulikova (RUS)/Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) - Elena Baltacha (GBR)/Olga Savchuk (UKR)
Kirsten Flipkens (BEL)/Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) - Vera Dushevina (RUS)/Ekaterina Makarova (RUS)
Kimiko Date Krumm (JPN)/Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) - Alisa Kleybanova (RUS)/Francesca Schiavone (ITA)
Sofia Arvidsson (Swe)/Angelique Kerber (GER) - Maria Kirilenko (RUS)/Agnieska Radwanska (POL)
Monica Niculescu (ROU)/Shahar Peer (ISR) - Alona Bondarenko (UKR)/Katerina Bondarenko (UKR)
Vania King (USA)/Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) - Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU)/Alberta Brianti (ITA)
Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)/Aravane Rezai (FRA) - Liga Dekmeijere (LAT)/Petra Kvitova (CZE)
Melanie Oudin (USA)/Riza Zalameda (USA) - Nadia Petrova (RUS)/Samantha Stosur (AUS)
Maria Kondratieva (RUS)/Vladimira Uhlirova (CZE) - Cara Black (ZIM)/Daniel Hantuchova (SVK)
Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE)/Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS) - Michaella Krajicek (NED)/Patty Schnyder (SUI)

Off-court : Fashion in London

The annual pre-Wimbledon party was held at The Roof Gardens in West London's Kensington, Britain 17 June 2010. The event is chiefly an opportunity for the stars of the sport to show their deisgner wardrobe and jewelry before the tournament starts on June 21.

Maria Sharapova


Dinara Safina


Anna Chakvetadze

Sorana Cirstea and Ana Ivanovic

Source : www.monstersandcritics.com

Wimbledon anounces 2010 seeds!

Singles: 10 Russians, 1 Romanian
Doubles: 6 Russians, 2 Romanians

Altough Roger Federer is not anymore no.1 in the world, he will be the 1st seeded at Wimbledon 2010 and the big rival Rafael Nadal will be only the 2nd seeded. In doubles, the best are the en-titre champions, Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic. In the ladies' competition, Serena Williams is the 1st seeded in singles and doubles, along with her sister, Venus Williams.

But now let's go back at Romania and Russia. A good Wimbledon seed for the both countries. In the ladies' singles, the best seeded would be Elena Dementieva, but because she will miss the tournament due to a serious injury, the best seeded is Nadia Petrova (12), followed by Maria Sharapova (16), Svetlana Kuznetsova (19), Dinara Safina (20), Vera Zvonareva (21), Alisa Kleybanova (26), Maria Kirilenko (27), Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (29) and Alexandra Dulgheru (31). In doubles, the best player is still Nadia Petrova, the 3rd seeded, followed by Alisa Kleybanova (8), Maria Kirilenko (10), Vera Dushevina (13), Ekaterina Makarova (13), Monica Niculescu (14) and Alla Kudryavtseva (16).

In the men's competition, Romania and Russia have only 3 players between the favourites: Nikolay Davydenko (7) and Mikhail Youzhny (13) in singles and Horia Tecau (16) in doubles.

The Wimbledon draw will be out on June 18th.

I think it's great that there are so much Russian and Romanian players as favourites and I'd like to see them being in quarterfinals, semifinals or maybe even in the finals. It's true that the rankings don't proove always the talent and the game, but this time I think they really deserve to be there! Good luck, everybody! :)

On-court Fashion : Maria Sharapova

Well, well, here is the first "On-court Fashion" article on our blog. I hope you'll enjoy it!

Fashion is great, even in sports. Of course, the game makes you a good player, but for some of them, especially ladies, the outfit is very important too. So, let's start with a Russian star, a Russian who first prooved her talent, winning the Wimbledon, US Open and the Australian Open, but then became more famous due her looks and fashion sense. Of course, it's Maria Sharapova. Now she doesn't even needs to play good, isn't that? She has enough money and fans.


Let's take a look at this photo. A sweet casual dress, with a beautiful colours combination, pink and yellow. Yes, very IN and good to wear at any tournament. I'm sure any fan would like it.


But, Maria doesn't make the best chooses everytime. Look at the second picture. This dress is designed by... Yes, by Maria Sharapova! Not the best beginning in her designer career, that's for sure! She wore this outfit at Australian Open 2010. Even she lost in the first round, the subject of the day was not her bad game, but her bad dress. Anyway, the fans liked it, but the true designers said she looks like a peacock. Bad luck, Masha!


Anyway, even she's not the best designer and is not playing anymore like a few years ago, the Russian will be in a lot of commercials. She's blonde and "hot", why does she need anything else? :)

Roland Garros : Back in the past...

In the women's competition we already know the winner, Francesca Schiavone. In the men's competition we know the finalists, Robin Soderling and Rafael Nadal. No Romanian, no Russian...

But let's go back in the past for a minute... In 1973 and 1978, more exactly. So, 37 years ago, the best Romanian tennis player of all times, Ilie Nastase (or Nasty), won here his 2nd Grand Slam title in singles and the 5th in all his career. The first no.1 in the world, one of the five players in history to win more then 100 ATP titles (57 in singles and 45 in doubles) and the only Romanian inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. This was Ilie Nastase, who was winning at Roland Garros against Nikola Pilic from Yugoslavia (now Croatia).


Five years later, when the Romanian tennis was up in the top, another player, female this time, won at Roland Garros. In the women's doubles competition, teaming with Mima Jausovec from Slovenia, Virginia Ruzici won against Lesley Turner Bowrey (AUS)/Gail Chanfreau (FRA). Then, in the singles competition she was conquering the same Mima Jausovec, 6-2, 6-2. In the same year she played the final in the mixed doubles competition too, teaming with Patrice Dominguez (FRA), but her dream to win all the titles was too tiring. So, Ruzici/Dominguez retired at 6-4, 6-7. She became one of the only seven women to reach all the three finals of one Grand Slam in the open era.

Player of the week : Elena Dementieva

Elena Dementieva, 28 years old and the 5th seeded at the biggest clay tournament, Roland Garros, couldn't repeat her best performance in Paris, the final (2004), but she played in the semifinals, against the winner of the tournament, Francesca Schiavone from Italy.

Unfortunatelly, Elena's injury became more serious and after the first set she had to retire. At the press conference, we found out that she played with this injury since her second match in Paris, but now it became too painful. "Well, I was very close to stop the match in my third round with Aleksandra, but I was able to win this one. Then I had a day off, so it was a little it was getting a little bit better on the day off because I didn't practice at all. But, I mean, by playing, especially moving on clay court, it's just getting, you know, worse. You just aggravate it during your movement because it's very hard to control yourself on the court", she said. "It was very painful to walk. I was just, you know, going on the court trying to play, trying to fight, because it is a very special moment for everyone, and also for myself. So even with this pain, I was trying to play, but I don't think I could go longer than that."

So, we have here a hero. A hero who fought for her chance and stopped only when she felt it was over. And it's clear it was very serious, because, asked if she will play at Wimbledon, she answered: "Well, I'm not going to Eastbourne because of this injury. I have to withdraw, because I really need some time. But I'm not sure if I will be able to play Wimbledon."

It's amazing to see a player fighting with such an injury. It was a muscle tear and she played 4 or 5 matches with it. This is admirable, but I'm happy, in a way, that she retired, because he has more time to recover and to be ready again. So, we wait you back! Good luck!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NIKOLAY!

Yesterday, on June 2nd, the best male Russian tennis star of the moment, Nikolay Davydenko, turned 29.

His most important title is the ATP World Tour Finals trophy, in London, 2009. He's the 3rd Russian player in history, after Kafelnikov and Safin.

I know Nikolay is not so popular how he deserves. And I know that at the ATP World Tour Finals he signed a very few autographs, because everybody was interested about Federer, Nadal, Djokovic. But he won. And he prooved he is a valuable player, defending Soderling, Del Potro, even Roger. First time, I have to say, I didn't like him. He didn't show any emotion on the court, he didn't smile, he didn't cry. But at that tournament, I saw how kind and modest he was and I felt something in my soul, because I realized he is a better player, from all the points of view, then some players who receive everything without doing anything, like Sharapova. So, I want to wish him a happy birthday and a speedy recovery! I hope I will see him playing soon!