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	<title type="html"><![CDATA[GrandSlamFantasyTennis.com Forum]]></title>
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	<updated>2010-07-05T15:28:53Z</updated>
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	<id>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/</id>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[Was Federer a Sore Loser?]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/149/was-federer-a-sore-loser/new/posts/"/>
			<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Here's an interesting article about Fed's loss to Berdych:

[url]http://www.cbssports.com/tennis/story/13584585/champ-slipping-on-court-starting-to-miss-at-class-too/[/url]

The author thinks that when Fed mentioned his sore back and leg injury that he was being a sore loser. I see it as Fed being honest as usual - when he wins big he says he played amazing, when he lost he told about his injuries. Do you think he was a sore loser?]]></summary>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[Aiur]]></name>
				<uri>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/user/21/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2010-07-05T15:28:53Z</updated>
			<id>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/149/was-federer-a-sore-loser/new/posts/</id>
		</entry>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[How about that Rafa???]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/150/how-about-that-rafa/new/posts/"/>
			<summary type="html"><![CDATA[A large number of otherwise knowledgeable people here have been consistent in underestimating the best tennis player in the world.  I hope they've learned their lesson.

So give it up for the best athlete ever to pick up a tennis racket, people.  Let's hear some praise for Rafa Nadal!!!]]></summary>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[drcilantro]]></name>
				<uri>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/user/830/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2010-07-05T00:29:00Z</updated>
			<id>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/150/how-about-that-rafa/new/posts/</id>
		</entry>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[POLL: SEMI-FINALISTS]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/147/poll-semifinalists/new/posts/"/>
			<summary type="html"><![CDATA[As we know, our beloved (we hope) game here rewards certain things big time.  Others, not so much.

So one of the things you don't get asked is, "Who's going to be in the semis?"

OK.  So who IS going to be in the semis???
(Since I'm posting this, I'll be bold and predict first....[drumroll...]) 

LADIES & GENTLEMEN, THE SEMI-FINALISTS ARE:

Federer, Roddick, Murray, Nadal]]></summary>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[DonDenman]]></name>
				<uri>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/user/830/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2010-07-03T12:13:06Z</updated>
			<id>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/147/poll-semifinalists/new/posts/</id>
		</entry>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[Now that the draws are out]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/146/now-that-the-draws-are-out/new/posts/"/>
			<summary type="html"><![CDATA[When I picked my men's team after looking at the draw, I found it easy.  It picked itself, really.  The only question in my mind about who to take was the unseeded player.  I thought the other seven choices were painfully obvious.

The women's team was an entirely different story, however.  That was as difficult as the men's was simple.  I spent all afternoon on it.]]></summary>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[DonDenman]]></name>
				<uri>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/user/830/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2010-07-01T03:44:17Z</updated>
			<id>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/146/now-that-the-draws-are-out/new/posts/</id>
		</entry>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[Isner vs Mahut]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/148/isner-vs-mahut/new/posts/"/>
			<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Absolutely incredible. You will never see anything even remotely close to this. Play suspended again after a 7 hour fifth set tied at 59-59. It will be such a shame for whoever loses.]]></summary>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[DonDenman]]></name>
				<uri>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/user/116/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2010-06-25T04:59:15Z</updated>
			<id>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/148/isner-vs-mahut/new/posts/</id>
		</entry>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[So choose three]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/145/so-choose-three/new/posts/"/>
			<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Folks, please read what's below and respond by posting what you really think.  I want to know.

Of course, the draw hasn't come out, so this is "in a vacuum" rather than in context.  So, in that vacuum, who are the three you like?  BE A SPORT & POST YOUR EARLY THOUGHTS!  

I was just spinning down through the top 16 seeds as of this moment -- thinking about the other 3 to take besides the obvious -- seeing who I could eliminate.  Davydenko's just back and to say grass is his worst surface would be like saying Rafa Nadal can play pretty good clay court tennis.  David Ferrer won't contend for the title, though he may well make R16, depending on the draw.  Youzhny, Ljubicic (big serve notwithstanding) and Ferrero, not so much.  Melzer maybe.

So choose three: Djokovic, Murray, Soderling, Roddick, Verdasco, Tsonga, Cilic and Berdych.  AAAUUUGGGHHH!!!

That slate's so strong it almost makes you question including Rafa.  Just kidding.  The reason I ask is I'm not quite sure myself who to pick besides Roddick and Soderling.  

Well, but then there's Tsonga.  He could win it all.  

And Cilic's serve works so much better on grass.  And Verdasco has always played well at Wimbledon.  

But right now Berdych is striking the ball better than anyone.  If his match in Paris with Soderling had been on grass, Tomas would have won.  So not Soderling at all after all.  Or is that wrong?

And, yeah, Murray's been playing like a duffer and there's all that pressure in the U.K. that would kill freakin' Superman, but, gee, his game translates well to grass, especially his touch, and he moves especially well on the surface, and God knows he'd like to make everybody forget Henman.

Oh, my goodness!  I think I left out the #3 player in the world, who has proven his mastery of grass.  My bad.

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!]]></summary>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[DonDenman]]></name>
				<uri>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/user/830/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2010-06-19T01:31:03Z</updated>
			<id>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/145/so-choose-three/new/posts/</id>
		</entry>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[2010 Men's Tournament]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/144/2010-mens-tournament/new/posts/"/>
			<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Should be interesting because I think Fed might get a lucky break with Novak being in his SF as opposed to Murray. I think he might also get Soderling instead of Roddick due to Davydenko coming back, but not 100% on that. If it shakes out like that, I will give Fed a better chance than Nadal because the grass evens the gap between Nadal and the rest of the field more than any other surface to me, and Murray or Roddick could beat him. Should be an interesting tournament as always.]]></summary>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[DonDenman]]></name>
				<uri>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/user/116/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2010-06-19T00:03:53Z</updated>
			<id>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/144/2010-mens-tournament/new/posts/</id>
		</entry>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[How great is Nadal on clay?  Check it out!]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/143/how-great-is-nadal-on-clay-check-it-out/new/posts/"/>
			<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Rafa Nadal is back! The real #1 player is back to #1 after recovering from knee tendonitis. Wimbledon should be interesting this year.

But before we get to that, this seems to me a good time to review what Rafa has done the past 6 years on clay, because it is beyond amazing. His overall record on clay during the period 2005-present is 177-6. Really.  I kid you not.

In 2005, the year Nadal broke onto the scene and rose like a rocket through the men’s rankings, Rafa went 50-2 on clay!!! Way too many matches no doubt — but after all, even the Nadal camp didn’t know he would be THAT successful that fast. His first loss came to Gaston Gaudio in the quarters of the first clay court event of the year, in early February in Buenos Aires. His other loss came to Igor Andreev in the quarters of the first European clay court tourney of the year, Valencia. Rafa then won Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Rome, Roland Garros, Bastad and Stuttgart to end the clay season with 34 straight victories. Not bad. He turned 19 at RG that year.

Just like this year, in 2006 Rafa was undefeated on clay.

In 2007, Rafa lost only one match on clay — ending the longest clay court winning streak of all time, during which Rafa won 13 straight tournaments and 81 straight matches -- to Federer in the Hamburg final. An exhausted Rafa frankly ran out of gas and was bageled by Roger in the third set. That will never happen again, I predict.

In 2008, Rafa again lost only one match, to Ferrero at Rome, when Rafa had awful blisters on his feet that very greatly limited his mobility.

Last year, he lost two clay court matches: his famous loss to Soderling in the Roland Garros R16, and to Federer in the Madrid final (just after his SF marathon with Djokovic). In both of those losses, Rafa’s mobility was limited due to his knees — though both players still had to play amazing tennis to beat him.

In 2008 and again this year, Rafa won Roland Garros without dropping a set. That had happened only three times before in the open era — Borg in 1978 and 1980 and (nearly unbelievably) Nastase in 1973. I fearlessly predict that the 6th time that happens, it will again be Rafael Nadal who does it.

Now that his knees are back to OK and he’s limiting his play, hopefully we will be able to enjoy many more years of unparalleled greatness from this young man who just turned 24 and has already established himself as — unquestionably and by far — one of the two greatest clay court players in the history of the game.

Six losses on clay in the last six years. Since the loss to Andreev in 2005, a clay court record of 161-4.
161-4??? You’ve got to be kidding me!!! Not even Borg has stats to match that.

Here’s what’s even more disconcerting for the other players: 3 of Rafa’s 4 losses on clay in the last 5+ years (the only losses since 2007) were due to injury and the other was due to exhaustion!!! Compare Rafa’s movement around the court this year to his movement when he lost to Federer and Soderling last year, and I think you’ll agree that was the difference. If you’ve never seen photos of Rafa’s feet at Rome in 2008, I hope you never do. It’s hideous.

So you have to be a great player playing your best — and get Rafa when he’s not 100% — to have any chance whatsoever to win, and even then you probably lose. That’s so dominant, I’ll go this far with it:

The extent and degree of Rafa Nadal’s dominance on clay for the last 5+ years — a time when the sport had FAR more excellent players than at any time in the past — is utterly unparalleled by any athlete in ANY sport, ever.]]></summary>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[DonDenman]]></name>
				<uri>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/user/830/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2010-06-13T04:20:25Z</updated>
			<id>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/143/how-great-is-nadal-on-clay-check-it-out/new/posts/</id>
		</entry>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[French Open 2010 Women's Draw?? Who to choose?]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/131/french-open-2010-womens-draw-who-to-choose/new/posts/"/>
			<summary type="html"><![CDATA[I'm looking at the women's draw, and some players have it tough. Henin, one of my top picks, has to get through Sharapova and Serena - both very tough players. So I don't think Henin will make it to the finals this year. The second half of the draw looks easier to me, especially since Venus does not do well on clay. I think Wozniacki has a good shot, and perhaps Dementieva.]]></summary>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[DonDenman]]></name>
				<uri>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/user/163/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2010-06-07T02:24:31Z</updated>
			<id>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/131/french-open-2010-womens-draw-who-to-choose/new/posts/</id>
		</entry>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[Soderling or Nadal??]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/142/soderling-or-nadal/new/posts/"/>
			<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Soderling and Nadal are playing amazing tennis. So if they both make it to the finals (which is very likely), then who will win? Nadal is great, but at this time I would pick Soderling to win that match. Maybe i'm crazy, but he dismantled Fed the other day and looked unbeatable.]]></summary>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[DonDenman]]></name>
				<uri>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/user/55/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2010-06-07T01:06:52Z</updated>
			<id>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/142/soderling-or-nadal/new/posts/</id>
		</entry>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[Second week TV coverage]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/140/second-week-tv-coverage/new/posts/"/>
			<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Second week TV coverage of Roland Garros is abominable. I can't stand these contractual obligations to show matches on different networks. Last year Tennis Channel was showing live coverage of other matches when Nadal went down and Federer went 5 with Del Potro. Because NBC had the contract to show the matches, the Tennis Channel commentators couldn't even say a word about either match. Instead, everyone had to wait 3-4 hours until the matches were over for NBC to air them, and by that time everyone knew the outcomes. This is continuing again this year. You couldn't watch the Federer-Wawrinka match live yesterday on Tennis Channel, ESPN or NBC, and today coverage of the Almagro-Verdasco match (which started on Tennis Channel) is cut off and although it is still going on, ESPN 2 is showing the Djokovic-Ginepri match that happened hours ago.

I already pay my cable provider extra for sports channels, and I just think this is embarrassing. Between NBC, ESPN 2 and the Tennis Channel, nobody can show live coverage of Federer in the semis or Nadal losing his first ever match at Roland Garros? Is anyone else in the same boat I'm in with the horrible coverage?]]></summary>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[DonDenman]]></name>
				<uri>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/user/116/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2010-06-05T05:48:42Z</updated>
			<id>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/140/second-week-tv-coverage/new/posts/</id>
		</entry>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[Hello]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/54/hello/new/posts/"/>
			<summary type="html"><![CDATA[I'm new to the site and wanted to say hello. I'm a big tennis fan, but not a great player myself. I enjoy watching both men's and women's singles, and I can't wait until Wimbledon starts in a few days. Not sure exactly who I will put on my team, but I know Federer will be one of them.]]></summary>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[charles]]></name>
				<uri>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/user/163/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2010-06-04T15:31:12Z</updated>
			<id>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/54/hello/new/posts/</id>
		</entry>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[Federer lost to Soderling!]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/141/federer-lost-to-soderling/new/posts/"/>
			<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Wow, I can't believe after 12 straight wins against Soderling that Federer lost in 4 sets in the QF. Not only does this end his winning streak against Soderling, but his streak of 23 consecutive semifinal appearances is also over. Soderling played amazing tennis - hitting and serving as hard as is possible on clay - while Fed seemed a bit tired, and could not come up with an answer for the powerful shots coming his way. It was a well deserved win by Soderling, and another exciting upset by him as well at the French.]]></summary>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[gTennis]]></name>
				<uri>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/user/101/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2010-06-02T20:57:15Z</updated>
			<id>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/141/federer-lost-to-soderling/new/posts/</id>
		</entry>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[OUCH!]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/133/ouch/new/posts/"/>
			<summary type="html"><![CDATA[In making my picks, I felt I had done brilliantly with my 3 non-top-16-seed men's picks.  

I liked Baghdatis' draw, so I took him, but I was FAR more excited about the chances of Ernsts Gulbis, who has nearly unlimited potential and who has started to come into his own this clay court season.  So guess what?  He retired in the first round with a thigh injury.  Lovely.  OUCH!

I thought my smartest pick of all was Richard Gasquet, who comes off an impressive win of the tourney in Nice last week, including a victory over Verdasco in the final.  Gasquet is, at his best, a great clay court player, though a bit of a head case.  He drew Murray in the first round.  Clay is BY FAR Murray's worst surface, and he had been utterly atrocious throughout the clay season, playing like a journeyman at best.  

Man, did I feel smart when Gasquet came out and won the first two sets.  After beating Murray, the draw was wide open to the round of 16 and maybe the quarters.  But nooooooooo!!!  Utilizing, I'm sure, all his grit, conditioning and cleverness, Murray somehow managed to come back and win in 5 sets.  AAAUUUGGGHHH!!!    

Well, folks, I should have read the rules.  I probably would have taken Gasquet anyway, but I sure was surprised about the -16 points!  OUCH again!  

And then there's Azarenka.  Since I follow the men's game far more closely, I was blissfully unaware she had been fighting through injury.  Her game failed to show up at all, and she was embarrassed by a poor player in the first round.  OUCH yet again!

So my teams are in trouble this time.  I hope to do better with my Wimbledon picks.  

But, I gotta warn ya -- watch out come the 4th round at Roland Garros, because Dropshot Kings will rule!]]></summary>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[DonDenman]]></name>
				<uri>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/user/830/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2010-06-02T15:16:32Z</updated>
			<id>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/133/ouch/new/posts/</id>
		</entry>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[OMG!  RG Upsets]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/139/omg-rg-upsets/new/posts/"/>
			<summary type="html"><![CDATA[OK, just like every other year at RG, major upsets occur.  So far, it hasn't been anything as crazy as Nadal losing at RG for the first time, like last year, but today we got the first truly stunning upset of the tourney on the men's side.  And, no, it wasn't Gabashvili dismantling Roddick, though it was a bad loss for Andy and a bizarre result any way you look at it.  Tough day to play, though.  

The most preposterous result in my opinion was David Ferrer getting taken out in straight sets by Jurgen Melzer.  Melzer actually bageled him in the second!  David Ferrer is a guy against whom you have to earn it.  He does not give away many points, much less matches.  He's one of the best clay court players in the world.  I was certain he'd make the quarters.  This is an astonishing result.  I would have to imagine that Melzer was on fire.  Considering the cold and the wind, that's particularly amazing.

So now we've got a R16 match between Gabashvili and Melzer!!!  It's why you have to love the French Open.  Right?

Nearly as unexpected was Robbie Ginepri's victory over Juan Carlos Ferrero.  Way to go, Robbie!  Nice win.  Hopefully this will keep him on the tour another year as John McEnroe suggested.]]></summary>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[DonDenman]]></name>
				<uri>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/user/830/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2010-05-29T23:52:30Z</updated>
			<id>http://www.grandslamfantasytennis.com/forum/topic/139/omg-rg-upsets/new/posts/</id>
		</entry>
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