Look at the smile on the face of Spain’s Fernando Verdasco after winning the Davis Cup Final. Winning the Davis Cup for Spain has been a long time dream of Verdasco’s and today it has come true. Yes, I have chills as I am writing this. I love stories of dreams being fulfilled.

It seems that Verdasco has it all at the moment. A win for his team, who showed amazing team spirit as they mobbed him at the end. He has the beautiful French Open champion Ana Ivanovic as a girlfriend (who wasn’t there to see him win!). What is next for 25 year old Verdasco? I am not sure what the future holds for him, but what I do know is that right now, it’s time for him to celebrate! I am sure he will. Congratulations to Spain’s men’s tennis team on winning the Davis Cup!

Image Credit: Newscom

Well, it wasn’t the match I was hoping for. It wasn’t anything really. Roger Federer imposed his will on Lleyton Hewitt and ousted the Aussie in straight sets (7-6, 6-2, 6-4) to move into the quarterfinals. Federer looks good, folks. He looks really sharp.

Holy whoa! What have we got going on Court 11?! Fernando Verdasco and Mario Ancic are in an old-fashioned brawl. Verdasco won the first two sets 6-3, 6-4, but Ancic counter-punched by winning the next two sets 6-4, 6-3. Neither one is giving way in the fifth set; they’re deadlocked at 9-all. Man, I wish I was there.

How ’bout my girl Jelena? Yeah. Le sigh. Jelena Jankovic didn’t do much of anything in a piddly, po-dunk match against Tamarine Tanasugarn. T-squared gave the second-ranked Serb the boot 6-3, 6-2. I may end up having two today, but early morning Slacker of the Day honors have to go to JJ.

Both Serena and Venus Williams moved into the quarters with ease and the path to an all-Williams’ final is looking pretty sweet for the duo. Gosh, it’ll be like rolling back the clock a few years.

And Nicole Vaidisova, not at all known for her mental strength, came from a set down to move past Anna Chakvetadze for a quarterfinal berth.

The round of 16 - so very exciting - so very many matches and so very much drama!

Roger Federer is cruising, folks, and that’s a dangerous thing for everyone else on the tour. Luckily for everyone else, these days it seems to be a less daunting task to tap the brakes and get the King off that cruise control.

Federer is into the semifinals of the Hamburg Masters after dispatching Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 6-3. Federer is the defending champion but after he faces an unseeded opponent in the semis (either Nicolas Kiefer or Andreas Seppi)…and providing he can get through that match…he will likely face either Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal. Both of those players will give Federer problems.

Roger has also won this tournament four times, and if he wins here, it could give him a good boost into the French Open. But you know what’s weird? There’s uncertainty. I think a year ago or a few months ago if I was writing about this, I wouldn’t have put in the clause “providing he can get through that match”. I - along with the rest of the tennis population - would have taken it as gospel truth that he was going to get through the match.

Tis the beautiful thing about tennis!

(Image: Newscom)
Roger Federer returns a shot to Fernando Verdasco en route to winning at the Hamburg Masters.