Much Ado...

The controversy surrounding last week's ladies' tournament in Dubai spilled over into the men's draw this week as several of the top players were noticably missing from the bracket.

Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal pulled out with a knee injury while now-perpetual runner-up Roger Federer withdrew due to continuing problems with his back. Andy Roddick, winner in Memphis just a few nights ago, protested the refusal of Shahar Peer's visa by bowing out himself, and two other top-ten players also stayed home with various injuries.

One player that was notably present however, was Israeli Andy Ram. The twenty-nine year old doubles player was granted a visa last week, though UAE officials didn't specify why Ram was allowed entry and Peer was not. After all the talk about it, I suppose it was a bit of a disappointment when the fourth-seed lost in the first round to Marat Safin and David Ferrer -- but hopefully some of the tension has been relieved.



On the single's side the absense of Rafa and Roger placed Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray as the top seeds. Ferrer even scored a #4 seed, despite struggling through recent upsets to lower-ranked players like Jeremy Chardy and Mikhail Youzhny.

Through the semifinals, there were few on-paper surprises. Djokovic and Simon made it through their sections of the draw and even Ferrer justified his former #4 ranking. Only Murray was missing from the final four because of a virus. It would be nice to see Novak make it to a title match -- he hasn't made it past the semis since the year-end championships in Shanghai, where he beat Simon -- but I have a feeling Gilles will be out for revenge here. And Ferrer, who will be taking on Frenchman Richard Gasquet, could be on his own roll.



It might not be who you'd expect in the winner's circle when the tournament ends, but this year Dubai has certainly become one of the venues we'll be talking about the most.

A Word From Our Sponsors

Several years and a lifetime ago I was an investment banker working on the bankruptcy proceedings of Conseco, an insurance company whose liquidation was, at the time, the fourth biggest in U.S. history. While the company made national news for its financial woes, it was better known in the community for its Conseco Fieldhouse, home to the Indianapolis Pacers.

Conseco and its stadium are still around, but some others aren't so lucky.

Take for example Enron Field, where the Houston Astros played -- when that company went under, it was renamed Minute Maid Park. Makes sense, I suppose -- orange juice sounds more inviting than oil, especially corrupt oil. Then there's PSINet Stadium where the Baltimore Ravens used to play and Adelphia Coliseum, formerly homefield for the Tennessee Titans.



More recently the nation's banks have come under fire for keeping their names attached to sports arenas -- Citigroup is paying $400 million for its name to fly above the brand new home for the New York Mets even as the company is expected to post yet another loss in the first quarter.

With the Dow Industrial Average at the lowest levels in more than a decade, it's interesting that companies struggling to hold onto any penny they can find continue to sponsor teams or tournaments which have little to do with their businesses.

And tennis is no exception. Look at some of the logos gracing the major tournaments: BNP Paribas' stars are all over the French Open, JPMorgan has more than a few box seats at Flushing Meadows, and Barclays' name features high in what's become a very controversial tournament in Dubai.

But maybe there's something to be said for such backing during crises. When accepting his trophy at last week's Regions Morgan Keegan Championship in Memphis, Andy Roddick even acknowledged the irony when thanking the sponsor:

"We all know it's a tough economy out there, so we really appreciate your support with this event."

Sure he does -- the bank awarded him $300K along with his title.

But maybe there's an intangible at work here -- the positive PR associated with being an involved member of the community could be worth more in goodwill than any of the potential costs.

It may not be quite the same as a bailout. But maybe it's a step in the right direction

Roll Out the Red Carpet

The stars are out in Hollywood tonight as big names battle to take home their shiny gold Oscars. But elsewhere other trophies are being contested as well.

Earlier this week Andy Roddick made a political statement, withdrawing from next week's ATP World Tour 500 event in Dubai to protest the tournament's refusal of a visa to Shahar Peer. And today he made another statement on the tennis court, taking home the prize for Best Action Sequence -- or something like that.

Andy has re-emerged this year, stronger and fitter than he's been in quite some time. He made it to the finals in Doha and the semis at the Australian Open, upsetting Novak Djokovic. In Memphis he defeated 2008 champion Steve Darcis, compatriots Robby Ginepri and Sam Querrey, and former #1 Lleyton Hewitt for his right to play in the finals.

On the bottom half of the draw a surging Radek Stepanek was trying to maintain the momentum that's already won him two titles this year. On his path he hadn't lost a single set, even taking out second-seeded Juan Martin Del Potro with just one tight tiebreak. The final would be an almost-immediate rematch of the San Jose semis played barely a week ago, where Stepanek notched his first and only win over the world #6 after four straight losses.

But this week Andy was out for redemption.

He saved three break points late in the second set and finally broke Stepanek in the twelfth game, taking his first championship of the year, 7-5, 7-5. He didn't dominate in any major statistic, really only holding an advantage in first serve percentage, but that was apparently enough. And with such strong performances in every tournament he's played in 2009, Roddick is certainly -- and single-handedly -- making a case for the resurgence of U.S. men's tennis.



Also in Memphis, Victoria Azarenka won her second title of the short year, trouncing fellow teenager Caroline Wozniacki in the women's final, 6-1, 6-3. Tommy Robredo and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga also won trophy number two in Buenos Aires and Marseille respectively.

And if these results are any indication, it looks like 2009 could be the year for a few new faces to shine. Can't wait to watch!

Getting Past the Politics

So Shahar Peer wasn't the only one upset by the goings-on in Dubai this week. But even though the Israeli tennis star was denied a visa to play in the women's draw, she did receive some compensation as the WTA awarded her both prize money and ranking points to make up for the opportunity she missed.

Other players didn't fare so well.

Second-seeded Dinara Safina lost in the second round to eventual finalist Virginie Razzano while Jelena Jankovic was ousted easily a match later by Kaia Kanepi. Venus Williams took out the other top seeds in her half -- Elena Dementieva in the quarterfinals and her sister Serena in the semis.



The match-up between Venus and Virginie went off pretty much as you'd expect -- the sixth seed won her fortieth title in straight sets while the Frenchwoman went home with the second place trophy.

But Razzano certainly proved her worth in Dubai this week. On her path to the finals she defeated not only Safina, but Kataryna Bondanrenko, Daniela Hantuchova and Vera Zvonareva -- all of whom are ranked higher than her. It's been over a year since she last played in a final, but she looks poised to make a comeback this year.

Elsewhere, my prediction of an all-teenage final in Memphis seems to have come to fruition. Caroline Wozniacki and Victoria Azarenka will battle each other for the Regions Morgan Keegan title -- ironically the two are also paired together in the doubles draw and will take on the surprise team of Yuliana Fedak and Michaella Krajicek in the finals for that championship.



Can't wait to see the fireworks!

In the Home of Elvis

The political maelstrom continues to swirl in Dubai, but elsewhere this week tennis matches are being contended without the same shroud of controversy.

In Memphis, the land of grace -- or at least Graceland -- some of the best names on the men's tour are in action this week. Andy Roddick, Juan Martin Del Potro and James Blake led the draw for the ATP World 500 tournament where a purse of $300k awaits the winner. Radek Stepanek has a relatively paltry fifth seed, but he seems to be on a roll, having already won two tournaments this year.

There were some surprises early in the week. Most upsetting for me was Lleyton Hewitt's defeat of Blake, only his third match win in a year when he's lost in the first round in his last two tournaments. And Kei Nishikori, who stunned the world last year with his meteoric rise, failed to convert again and lost in straight sets to Marcos Baghdatis. Mardy Fish, who'd made it to the finals in San Jose last week, got through his first match but faltered against 72nd-ranked Christophe Rochus.

At this early stage, if I had to put my money on a final showdown, I'd have to say we could see a rematch of the San Jose semis with Roddick and Radek taking center stage this weekend. Sure Stepanek still has to get past Del Potro, but the Argentine hasn't really been showing his best stuff this year. And Andy's biggest threat in his half of the draw is probably Sam Querrey, who he could face in the quarters -- though I'm sure Lleyton will want to make his own stab at his first final since 2007. Ultimately I hope Andy will be able to win his first title since Beijing last year and help bring American tennis back to the forefront, but I admit I am a bit worried that the momentum is with Stepanek.

It's not just the men playing their hearts out in Memphis this week. But with the very top players wrapped up in the political and climactic heat of Dubai, Caroline Wozniacki took the top seed in the women's draw, followed by Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, who's already won one title so far this year -- not to mention a set from Serena Williams in Melbourne.

Early round action was more predictable here -- only one seed, 62nd-ranked Alla Kudryavtseva, didn't make it to the quarterfinals. The biggest shock, I feel, was Lucie Safarova losing her third round match to Germany's Sabine Lisicki. Less than two years ago Lucie was ranked 22nd in the world and already this year she's notched victories over Sybille Bammer and Samantha Stosur. Her exit will, I feel, clear the way for Azarenka to make it to her sixth career WTA final.

On the top half, Wozniacki is in good form. She avenged her loss to Jelena Dokic in the third round of the Australian Open with a straight set win in Memphis. If she can make it through two more matches she'll set up only the second meeting with Victoria -- the Danish teenager won their only previous contest at last year's U.S. Open -- and be fighting for her fourth WTA title.

So there's a lot at stake in the home of Elvis this week. And you can be sure everyone's gonna be shaking their stuff as fast as they can to capture the prize.

Good luck to all!

Politics & Tennis Don't Mix

The Middle East is a hotbed of all sorts of tension -- religious, political, and now apparently athletic.

The Barclays Tennis Championship in Dubai hadn't even begun when controversy sprang up. Officials at the United Arab Emirates denied Shahar Peer, a native of Israel, a visa to enter the country one day before she was to begin competing in the fifty-six player draw. While no reason was given for the refusal, officials speculated it was due to anti-Israel sentiments in the Gulf State.

It wasn't the first time Peer faced the weight of political pressure. Last month in New Zealand protesters stormed her third round match against Elena Dementieva, days after Israel invaded Gaza. And in 2006 she was forced to split from her doubles partner Sania Mirza amid objections from Indian Muslims.

But this time the UAE's decision sparked the interest of WTA chairman Larry Scott, who said the Dubai tournament could be stricken from the women's tennis calendar as a result of their treatment of Peer -- and for a contest that attracted every one of the sport's top ten players, and eighteen of the top twenty-five, that could mean a big loss of revenue for the state. A recent New York Times article told of how the spreading global recession is beginning to hit even this once-hot mecca -- I wonder how these latest developments could stain Dubai's reputation. It just doesn't seem to me that such external factors should influence how the sport is played.

Meanwhile Japan's Ayumi Morita, who was given entrée to the tournament after Peer was forced to pull out, won her first round match against a still-struggling Anna Chakvetadze. And that wasn't the only upset in early round action -- qualifier Urszula Radwanska beat out her ninth-seeded older sister Aggie in the first round while Auckland finalist Elena Vesnina took out compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova in the second.

If these results are any indication there will certainly be a lot more excitement in Dubai over the next week, and maybe even more controversy -- but here's hoping all the action is kept on the courts, and out of politics.

Three in a Row

There aren't many people that can boast a winning record against world #1 Rafael Nadal.

Roger Federer certainly doesn't. James Blake, somewhat surprisingly, holds a tenuous 3-2 lead. Joachim Johansson notched a win in their only meeting over two years ago. And Lleyton Hewitt comes close, splitting their eight matches down the middle.

And now Andy Murray is trying to join that very elite group. He already has a 5-2 record against Federer, and after this week's final in Rotterdam, he's gaining on Nadal, having won their last three match-ups. The first triumph came famously at last year's U.S. Open, then there was his win at the Capitala Exhibition in January. His latest victory gave him his tenth career title, his second of the year, and 500 more ATP ranking points.



Given the excitement over Nadal's historic performance in Melbourne, it was easy to forget that Murray had been the one with all the momentum in 2009 and was actually favored to win his first major this month. And, if this week's performance was any indication, he was the one who rebounded better. Even before sustaining an injury in the second set, Rafa hadn't had the smoothest road to the finals in the Netherlands -- he'd dropped a set in each of his first three matches and struggled through Gael Monfils in the semis. Andy on the other hand only lost one set to Marc Gicquel, who eventually retired in the third round and now holds an impressive 12-1 record on the season, rivalling Elena Dementieva's near-perfect mark.

After this week's results I'm beginning to wonder if we haven't seen the seeds sown for a new rivalry in men's tennis -- Roger may have conceded a little ground in Melbourne, and Nadal and Murray are probably the hottest players on tour right now. And while I do admit I hope for a reversion to times when Nadal was back on top, I do look forward watching their next battle.

It could be another epic.