Michael Llodra — TennisGrandstand

No Mirage Are These Four: ATP Indian Wells Draw Preview

March 7, 2013 By Chris Skelton Leave a Comment

For the first time since Wimbledon 2012, all of the Big Four convene at the same tournament. We take a detailed look at a balanced Indian Wells ATP draw. First quarter: Twice a champion at Indian Wells, Djokovic brings a perfect 2013 record to the desert following titles at the Australian Open and Dubai. Having [...]

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Filed Under: Chris Skelton, Latest News, Lead Story, Live Coverage Tagged With: alexander dolgopolov, Andy Murray, ATP, benoit paire, Bernard Tomic, BNP Paribas Open, David Ferrer, David Nalbandian, Dmitry Tursunov, Ernests Gulbis, Feliciano Lopez, Fernando Verdasco, Florian Mayer, Gilles Muller, Grigor Dimitrov, Horacio Zeballos, Igor Sijsling, indian wells tennis, Ivo Karlovic, jack sock, Janko Tipsarevic, Jeremy Chardy, Jerzy Janowicz, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, John Isner, Juan Martin del Potro, Juan Monaco, Julien Benneteau, Kei Nishikori, Kevin Anderson, Lleyton Hewitt, Lukas Rosol, Marcos Baghdatis, Mardy Fish, Marin Cilic, Masters 1000, Michael Llodra, Mikhail Youzhny, Milos Raonic, Nicolas Almagro, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Richard Gasquet, Roger Federer, Ryan Harrison, Sam Querrey, Stanislas Wawrinka, Thomaz Bellucci, Tomas Berdych, Tommy Haas, Viktor Troicki

What to Watch in the ATP This Week: Previews of Dubai, Acapulco, and Delray Beach

February 25, 2013 By Chris Skelton 1 Comment

One of the strongest ATP 500 tournaments on the calendar, Dubai follows its Premier women’s event by hosting six of the top ten men in the first significant outdoor hard-court tournament since the Australian Open. This tournament claims pride of place in our weekly preview, although events in Acapulco and Delray Beach also feature key [...]

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Filed Under: Chris Skelton, Latest News, Lead Story Tagged With: Acapulco tennis, Albert Ramos, alexander dolgopolov, Andreas Seppi, ATP, ATP 250, ATP 500, benoit paire, Bernard Tomic, Blaz Kavcic, carlos berlocq, David Ferrer, David Nalbandian, Delray Beach tennis, Denis Istomin, Dimitry Tursunov, Dubai tennis, Fabio Fognini, Feliciano Lopez, Horacio Zeballos, Igor Sijsling, Ivan Dodig, Ivo Karlovic, jack sock, James Blake, Janko Tipsarevic, Jesse Levine, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, John Isner, Juan Martin del Potro, Jurgen Melzer, Kei Nishikori, Kevin Anderson, Lukas Rosol, Malek Jaziri, Marcos Baghdatis, marinko matosevic, Matthew Ebden, Michael Llodra, Mikhail Youzhny, Nicolas Almagro, Nikolay Davydenko, Novak Djokovic, pablo andujar, Paolo Lorenzi, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Ryan Harrison, Sam Querrey, Santiago Giraldo, Simone Bolelli, Stanislas Wawrinka, Tennis, Thomaz Bellucci, Tomas Berdych, Tommy Haas, Viktor Troicki, Xavier Malisse

What to Watch in the ATP This Week: Previews of Marseille, Memphis, and Buenos Aires

February 18, 2013 By Chris Skelton Leave a Comment

While none of the ATP tournaments this week enjoys a field of the pedigree that the WTA has produced in Dubai, the 250 tournament in Marseille features every member of the top ten’s lower half. We start with that event in our weekly preview, following it with the technically more significant tournament in Memphis [...]

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Filed Under: Chris Skelton, Latest News, Lead Story, Live Coverage Tagged With: Albert Montanes, Alexander Doglopolov, ATP, ATP 250, ATP 500, benoit paire, Bernard Tomic, Buenos Aires tennis, carlos berlocq, David Ferrer, David Nalbandian, Ernests Gulbis, Fabio Fognini, Feliciano Lopez, Fernando Verdasco, Gael Monfils, Gilles Simon, Horacio Zeballos, Igor Sijsling, jack sock, Janko Tipsarevic, Jerzy Janowicz, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, John Isner, Juan Martin del Potro, Julien Benneteau, Jurgen Melzer, Kei Nishikori, Lleyton Hewitt, Lukas Rosol, Marin Cilic, Marseille tennis, Martin Alund, Martin Klizan, memphis tennis, Michael Llodra, Milos Raonic, Nicolas Almagro, Nikolay Davydenko, Richard Gasquet, Ryan Harrison, Sam Querrey, Simone Bolelli, Stanislas Wawrinka, steve johnson, Thomaz Bellucci, Tomas Berdych, Tommy Haas

The Week Ahead in the ATP: Rotterdam, San Jose, Sao Paulo

February 11, 2013 By Chris Skelton 1 Comment

Like last week, the upcoming ATP slate features two European tournaments on indoor hard courts and a South American tournament on outdoor red clay. Only one of the Big Four participated in last week’s action, but this week his archrival returns to the spotlight as well. Rotterdam: Back in action for the first time since [...]

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Filed Under: Chris Skelton, Latest News, Lead Story, Live Coverage Tagged With: Albert Montanes, Albert Ramos, Andrea Seppi, ATP, benoit paire, Bernard Tomic, carlos berlocq, daniel gimeno traver, David Nalbandian, Denis Istomin, Evgeny Donskoy, Fernando Verdasco, Filippo Volandri, Gael Monfils, Gilles Simon, Grigor Dimitrov, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, Horacio Zeballos, Ivo Karlovic, jack sock, Jeremy Chardy, Jerzy Janowicz, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, John Isner, Juan Martin del Potro, Julien Benneteau, Lleyton Hewitt, Marino Matosevic, Michael Llodra, Mikhail Youzhny, Milos Raonic, Nicolas Almagro, pablo andujar, Rafael Nadal, Richard Gasquet, Roger Federer, Rotterdam tennis, ruben ramirez hidalgo, Ryan Harrison, Sam Querrey, san jose tennis, Santiago Giraldo, Sao Paulo tennis, steve johnson, Thomaz Bellucci, Tommy Haas, Tommy Robredo, Vasek Pospisil, Xavier Malisse

The Return of Rafa Nadal, and More: What to Watch in Montpellier, Zagreb, and Vina Del Mar

February 4, 2013 By Chris Skelton Leave a Comment

Each Monday morning, I will break down ATP and WTA draws quarter by quarter with a prediction of who may meet in the final and perhaps the semifinals. Fans can look forward this week to three ATP 250 tournaments in Montpellier, Zagreb, and Vina del Mar. The most significant storyline concerns the highly anticipated return [...]

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Filed Under: Chris Skelton, Lead Story, Live Coverage Tagged With: Albert Ramos, Aljaz Bedene, Andreas Seppi, ATP, ATP 250, Blaz Kavcic, carlos berlocq, daniel gimeno traver, Gael Monfils, Gilles Simon, Grigor Dimitrov, Ivan Dodig, Ivo Karlovic, Janko Tipsarevic, Jeremy Chardy, Juan Monaco, Julien Benneteau, Jurgen Melzer, Lukas Lacko, Lukas Rosol, Lukasz Kubot, Marcos Baghdatis, Marin Cilic, Martin Klizan, Michael Llodra, Montpellier tennis, Nicolas Massu, Nikolay Davydenko, pablo andujar, Paolo Lorenzi, Rafael Nadal, Richard Gasquet, Tennis, Tomas Berdych, Tommy Robredo, Viktor Troicki, Vina del Mar tennis, Zagreb tennis

Up for the Cup! First-Round Davis Cup World Group Preview

February 1, 2013 By Chris Skelton Leave a Comment

Eight first-round Davis Cup ties unfold around the world this weekend. We discuss the key players and themes that might emerge from each of them. Canada vs. Spain: Without any of their top three men, Davis Cup Goliath Spain finds itself at a surprising disadvantage when it travels to the western coast of North America. [...]

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Filed Under: Chris Skelton, Latest News, Lead Story, Live Coverage Tagged With: Albert Ramos, Alexander Peya, Amir Weintraub, Andre Sa, Andreas Haider-Maurer, Andreas Seppi, Andrey Golubev, Andy Ram, ATP, Bob Bryan, Bryan Brothers, carlos berlocq, Daniel NEstor, david goffin, David Nalbandian, Davis Cup, Dudi Sela, Evgeny Korolev, Fabio Fognini, Florian Mayer, Frank Dancevic, Ivan Dodig, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, John Isner, Jonathan Ehrlich, Juan Monaco, julian knowle, Julien Benneteau, Jurgen Melzer, Lukas Rosol, marc lopez, Marcel Granollers, Marcelo Melo, Marin Cilic, Michael Llodra, Mike Bryan, Milos Raonic, Nenad Zimonjic, Novak Djokovic, Olivier Marach, Olivier Rochus, Philipp Kohlschreiber, Richard Gasquet, Sam Querrey, Stanislas Wawrinka, Tennis, Thiago Alves, Thomaz Bellucci, Tomas Berdych, Viktor Troicki

Wizards of Oz (II): Murray, Tomic, Tsonga, Wozniacki, Kvitova, and More from Day 2

January 14, 2013 By Chris Skelton Leave a Comment

Our daily preview series continues with six matches from each Tour. ATP: Haase vs. Murray (Rod Laver Arena): When they met at the 2011 US Open, the underdog nearly stunned the Scot by building a two-set lead. Haase then won just six games over the last three sets as he continued a bizarre career trend [...]

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Filed Under: Chris Skelton, Lead Story, Live Coverage Tagged With: alexander dolgopolov, Andy Murray, ATP, Australian Open, Bernard Tomic, Carla Suarez Navarro, Caroline Wozniacki, Christina McHale, Francesca Schiavone, Gael Monfils, Jarkko Nieminen, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Kimiko Date-Krumm, Laura Robson, Leonardo Mayer, Marin Cilic, marinko matosevic, Melanie Oudin, melbourne, Michael Llodra, Nadia Petrova, Petra Kvitova, rod laver arena, Sabine Lisicki, Sara Errani, Tennis, Tommy Haas, WTA, yulia putintseva

Murray, Wozniacki Suffer Early Losses in Indian Wells — The Friday Five

March 16, 2012 By Tennis Grandstand Leave a Comment

By Maud Watson Big Setback Just when many of us thought that Andy Murray was poised to step it up and perhaps legitimize his place in what some have dubbed “The Big Four,” he goes and loses in his opening match at Indian Wells. It’s no disrespect to his opponent, Garcia-Lopez, who played a solid [...]

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Filed Under: Lead Story, The Friday Five Tagged With: Ana Ivanovic, Andy Murray, BNP Paribas Open, Caroline Wozniacki, Indian Wells, Marion Bartoli, Michael Llodra, roland garros champion, stomach bug, tennis fines, US Open, virus

The Meaning of a Last Name in Tennis; Berdych as His Own Worst Enemy — The Friday Five

March 2, 2012 By Tennis Grandstand 1 Comment

by Maud Watson Pushing the Limits In the movie Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Severus Snape once said, “Well, it may have escaped your notice, but life isn’t fair.” Of course, Professor Snape was saying that to the Boy Who Lived, but it pretty much sums up what Dubai tournament officials told [...]

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Filed Under: Lead Story, The Friday Five Tagged With: Alisa Kleybanova, Andy Murray, arab tennis, ATP Tennis, dancing with the stars cast, Davis Cup, france vs usa, Gael Monfils, grand slam champion, harry potter, hawkeye reverse, hodgkin's lymphoma, Kim Clijsters, Lleyton Hewitt, male jaziri, marko djokovic, Martina Navratilova, Michael Llodra, mohamed lahyani, monte carlo tennis, Novak Djokovic, red dirt, Sony Ericsson Open, tennis tv, Tomas Berdych, tony dovolani, wta tennis

Rotterdam Results & Exclusive Photos: Federer, Del Potro, Baghdatis

February 15, 2012 By Romana Cvitkovic Leave a Comment

It was a thrilling day in Rotterdam as the top three seeds, including Roger Federer, Tomas Berdych and Juan Martin del Potro all claimed a spot in the second round of the ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament, including a first ever win for del Potro at this event – but not without some drama. Top [...]

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Filed Under: Lead Story, Live Coverage, Romi Cvitkovic Tagged With: abn amro wtt, alex bologomolov, atp rotterdam, ATP Tennis, Davis Cup, Jarkko Nieminen, Juan Martin del Potro, Karol Beck, Lukas Rosol, Lukasz Kubot, Marcos Baghdatis, Matthias Bachinger, Michael Llodra, Nicolas Mahut, Nikolay Davydenko, Paul-Henri Mathieu, Philipp Petzschner, Roger Federer, Tomas Berdych, Viktor Troicki