The fourth and last Grand Slam of the year has kicked off today. For the first time in a while, Federer is not the main favourite to win - don't forget he is the defending champ and a four-time winner of the tournament. Nadal is seeded first, Federer second and Djokovic third. Federer and Djokovic are in the same half.

Will Nalbandian shock us like he did late last year?

The women's field is quite open, with no clear favourites. . . except of course the Williams' sisters.

So who do u think will win this year's tournament?

Let's talk about the matches.

The Draws

federer!!!

Some First Round Results (Men):

Nadal - Phau 7-6, 6-3, 7-6
Federer - Gonzalez 6-3, 6-0, 6-3 
Mathieu - Grosjean 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 6-2 
Minar - Kiefer 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 4-1 
Robredo - Zverev 7-6, 6-2, 6-1 
Fish - Smeets 7-6, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 
Gonzalez - Navarro Pastor 7-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 
Haas - Gasquet 6-7, 6-4, 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 
Safin - Spadea 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 
Karlovic - Minar 7-5, 6-1, 6-4 

Some First Round Results (Women):

Mauresmo - Dechy 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 
Williams - Stosur 6-2, 6-3 
Bondarenko - Jackson 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 
Williams - Bondarenko 6-1, 6-4 
Vaidisova - Cetkovska 6-1, 6-2 
Petrova - Sanchez 6-2, 6-4 
Groenefeld - Hantuchova 6-4, 6-2 
Ivanovic - Dushevina 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 
Safina - Ahn 6-3, 6-4

Djokovic, Roddick, Santoro, Gulbis, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Stepanek R, Moya C, Mahut N., Almagro, Schnyder, Na Li, Schiavone, Kuznetsova, Jankovic, Dementieva E., Davenport are all in action today.

FOD:

Some First Round Results (Men):

Nadal - Phau 7-6, 6-3, 7-6
Federer - Gonzalez  6-3, 6-0, 6-3 
[s]Mathieu - Grosjean 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 6-2 
Minar - Kiefer 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 4-1 
Robredo - Zverev 7-6, 6-2, 6-1 
Fish - Smeets 7-6, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 
Gonzalez - Navarro Pastor 7-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 
Haas - Gasquet 6-7, 6-4, 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 
Safin - Spadea 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 
Karlovic - Minar 7-5, 6-1, 6-4  [/s]

[s]Djokovic, Roddick, Santoro, Gulbis, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Stepanek R, Moya C, Mahut N., Almagro[/s]

Now what everyone really wants to see is another Federer-Nadal final . . . and we are going to get it  Though it wouldn't be a shocker to see one of the other top guns in the final.
As for the women, as always I'm rooting for my girl Venus.

Some First Round Results (Men):
Djokovic - Clement 6-3, 6-3, 6-4
Roddick - Santoro 6-2, 6-2, 6-2
Gulbis - Johansson 7-5, 6-1, 7-6 
Tsonga - Ventura 6-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-3
Stepanek - Starace 7-5, 6-3, 6-1
Moya - Qureshi 6-4, 6-7, 7-6, 6-2
Kendrick - Mahut 7-6, 6-4, 5-7, 7-5 
Almagro - Dancevic 6-3, 6-4, 7-5
Davydenko - Sela 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 

Some Second Round Results (Women):
Schnyder - Pavlyuchenkova 6-3, 6-3
Li - Errani 4-6, 6-2, 6-0
Keothavong - Schiavone 6-2, 3-6, 6-4
Kuznetsova - Cirstea 7-6, 6-1
Jankovic - Arvidsson 6-3, 6-7, 7-5
Dementieva - Parmentier 6-2, 6-1
Davenport - Kleybanova 7-5, 6-3

Kei Nishikori, Ferrer D., Murray Andy, Fish M., Blake J., Karlovic I., Nalbandian D., Monfils G., Kohlschreiber, Dinara Safina, Nadia Petrova, Vaidisova N., Williams Venus, Mauresmo A., Ivanovic A., Williams Serena are all in action today.

Can you imagine.  Women's top seed Ana Ivanovic is out.  Why are the women seeds so unpredictable?  We've had like 4 women's no. 1 this year.  Anyways, I'm tipping Venus, Serena or Dinara Safina for the title.  I'm also highly suspicious of that Jullie Coin lady (she sent Ana Ivanovic home). And for the men, you guys should watch out for Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, he's been recuperating fast and I bet he's going to do serious damage like he did in the Australian Open earlier this year.

Who am I tipping for the men's title?  King Tsonga of course!  Meanwhile, it appears SuperSports is not broadcasting the matches live.  If that's true, what are the options for those of us in Naija?

bioye:

Can you imagine. Women's top seed Ana Ivanovic is out. Why are the women seeds so unpredictable? We've had like 4 women's no. 1 this year.

Seeing top seeds in the womens game making early exits is not a new thing jare. They don't have those one-of-a-kind dominating figures on top like the men do (Federer, Nadal).

It'll be one of the Williams sisters hoisting the trophy next weekend, not enuff competition in the field this yr. That yeye Justin Henin should not have retired, things woulda been much more intresting and with Sharapova sidelined with injury . . . just no real drama on the womens side.

Not really following much of it i am backing my baby momma Serena in the Women's draw and Nadal in the Men's

@Jesoul
Wassup where have you been?Did you see the redeemed team?

@FOD
keep the results comming. Rafa Nadal wins!!!!

bioye:

Meanwhile, it appears SuperSports is not broadcasting the matches live. If that's true, what are the options for those of us in Naija?

Try ESPN.

Some Second Round Results (Men):

Nadal - De Heart 6-1, 6-2, 6-4
Nishikori - Karanusic 6-1, 7-5
Ferrer - Beck 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6
Murray - Llodra 6-4, 1-6, 7-5, 7-6
Fish - Mathieu 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
Blake - Darcis 4-6, 6-3, 1-0
Karlovic - Serra 7-6, 6-4, 6-2
Nalbandian - Golubev 6-2, 6-4, 6-2
Monfils - Korolev 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
Troicki - Kohlschreiber 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 3-0
Querrey - Devilder 7-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
Wawrinka - Odesnik 6-4, 7-6, 6-2

Some Second Round Results (Women):

Williams - Vesnina 6-1, 6-1
Coin - Ivanovic 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
Groenefeld - Moore 6-1, 6-3
Mauresmo - Kanepi 2-6, 6-4, 6-0
Williams - De Los Rios 6-0, 6-3
Safina - Vinci 6-4, 6-3
Radwanska - Duque Marino 6-0, 7-6
Petrova - Hsieh 6-4, 6-2
Brémond - Vaidisova 7-5, 6-3

Some second round matches are underway.

Today's Fixtures

Roddick A. v Gulbis E.
Verdasco F. v Machado R. 
Roger Federer v Thiago Alves 
Cilic M. v Ginepri R. 
Chardy J. v Andreev I. 
Almagro N. v Warburg S. 
García-Lopez G. v Seppi A. 
Kendrick R. v Djokovic N. 
**Moya C. v Tsonga J. 
Stepanek R. v Guccione C. 
**Robredo T. v Safin M. 
Haas v Muller
Gonzalez v Reynolds
Davydenko v Calleri

Jankovic v Zheng
Li N. v Makarova E. 
Dementieva E. v Keothavong A. 
Srebotnik K. v Kuznetsova S. 
Schnyder P. v Rybarikova M. 
Azarenka V. v Wozniacki C. 
Perebiynis T. v Bammer S.   
Davenport L. v Bartoli M.

FOD:

Try ESPN.

Thanks jare. Will do.

@FOD
Out of curiousity, why the double stars for the Tsonga and Safin matches?

Even though i think Nadal is the most consistent tenis player now i think this one is going to my main man,
Roger'fed-xpress'federer, Ur opinion just dont count

A-40:

Not really following much of it i am backing my baby momma Serena in the Women's draw and Nadal in the Men's

 Your baby mama?    does she know? lol  
Ehn ehn so you're a capri supporter?   There's just something about him that does not permit me to root for him. Please Federer reclaim your rightful throne, or Roddick suprise us or Tsonga do the impossible . . . anybody but those capris

@Jesoul
Wassup where have you been?Did you see the redeemed team?

 I've been around sweetie. Was on vacation for a while and got back to see the olympic madness in the sports section, took a while to re-orient myself . But I did catch bits of you and Onyinye go at it . . . lol . . . how u got let her continue to diss your Mavs eh?

Yeah I saw those arrogant bunch take the gold . . . they demolished every team they faced, I was embarrased for the opposition. At least Spain made the final a little respectable. They're high n mighty on the national team, but it won't be long before we see them back on their teams, with 99% of them lamenting another non-championship season  .

and the NFL season is about to begin! about to see Favre retire mid-season, the giants miss the playoffs, T.O. cry again on live tv, brady hoist another trophy . . . good things ahead 

@Bioye, those are my matches of the day, and perhaps, the one between Roddick and the latvian.

Who picked Tsonga to win the US open?

I did.  Tsonga beat Carlos Moya to advance to the 3rd round where he'll face 15th seed Tommy Robredo.  It's the first time in the tournament that he'll face a higher seed.  Let's see how it goes.  Coin-Mauresmo is my match of the day.

About nine of us have posted on this thread, and only three have voted. Are u being cautious?

Bioye, I included Tsonga in the list because that was ur pick, from your first post.

Some seond round results:

Roddick - Gulbis 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 7-5 
Robredo - Safin 4-6, 7-6, 6-4, 6-0 
Tsonga - Moya 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 
Stepanek - Guccione 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-2 
Djokovic - Kendrick 7-6, 6-4, 6-4 
Andreev - Chardy 7-6, 6-4, 6-3 
Almagro - Warburg 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 
Federer - Alves 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 
Cilic - Ginepri 6-4, 2-6, 6-2, 7-5 
Muller - Haas 2-6, 2-6, 7-6, 6-3, 6-3 
Gonzalez - Reynolds 7-6, 6-4, 6-4 
Davydenko - Calleri 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 

Bartoli - Davenport 6-1, 7-6
Wozniacki - Azarenka 6-4, 6-4 
Schnyder - Rybarikova 7-6, 6-4 
Srebotnik - Kuznetsova 6-3, 6-7, 6-3 
Dementieva - Keothavong 6-3, 6-4 
Li - Makarova 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 
Jankovic - Zheng 7-5, 7-5

I'm surprised no one is talking about a certain Juan Martin Del Potro. That guy is smoking hot at the moment and shld give one of the big boys a good run soon.

My verdict so far - Mens tennis is Nadal, Federer, Djokovic and others.
Womens tennis - Venus, Serena (part time tennis players) and others. Forget the misleading rankings.
Kei Nishikori is a star for the future.
Andy Roddick is all serve and little else.
Ana Ivanovic shld pls go into modelling fulltime. Tennis is no longer for pretty, talentless east Europeans.

what happened to murray? is he out?

he was playing yst and was loosing 2 sets to 1! did he win or loose?

he was playing yst and was loosing 2 sets to 1! did he win or loose

He won in five sets.

Let me bore you with some Tsonga stats.  In this tournament, Tsonga has faced only Spaniards so far.  Call him a Spaniard-killer if you wish(He upset Spaniard Nadal in straight sets to reach the 2008 AO finals). If he wins Tommy Robredo today, he will most likely face Djokovic in the 4th round.  C'mon, let's wish Tsonga Ali some luck.

Robredo ousted Tsonga yesterday in straight sets.

Some third round results:
Gaël Monfils (FRA) bt. David Pablo Nalbandian (ARG) 6-3 6-4 6-2
Kei Nishikori (JPN) bt. David Ferrer (ESP) 6-4 6-4 3-6 2-6 7-5
Andy Murray (GBR) bt. Jurgen Melzer (AUT) 6-7 4-6 7-6 6-1 6-3

Other results:
Djokovic - Cilic 6-7, 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 
Gonzalez - Nieminen 7-5, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1 
Robredo - Tsonga 7-6, 6-2, 6-3 
Roddick - Seppi 6-2, 7-5, 7-6 
Andreev - Verdasco 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 
Federer - Stepanek 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 
Davydenko - Tursunov 6-2, 7-6, 6-3
Muller - Almagro 6-7, 3-6, 7-6, 7-6, 7-5 

Dementieva - Li 6-4, 6-1
Schnyder - Srebotnik 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 
Bammer - Bartoli 7-6, 0-6, 6-4 
Jankovic - Wozniacki 3-6, 6-2, 6-1
Dementieva - Keothavong 6-3, 6-4 
Schnyder - Rybarikova 7-6, 6-4 
Li - Makarova 6-1, 4-6, 6-2

Round of 16 Fixtures (Men):

Igor Andreev (RUS) vs. Roger Federer (SUI)
Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) vs. Gilles Muller (LUX)
Tommy Robredo (ESP) vs. Novak Djokovic (SRB)
Andy Roddick (USA) vs. Fernando Gonzalez (CHI)
Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) vs. Andy Murray (GBR)
Kei Nishikori (JPN) vs. Juan Marin Del Potro (ARG)
Mardy Fish (USA) vs. Gaël Monfils (FRA)
Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs. Sam Querrey (USA)

Fourth Round Fixtures (Women):

Amelie Mauresmo (FRA) VS. Flavia Pennetta (ITA)
Anna Lena Groenefeld (GER) VS. Dinara Safina (RUS)
Serena Williams (USA) VS. Séverine Brémond (FRA)
Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) VS. Venus Williams (USA)

Quarterfinal Fixtures:
Elena Dementieva (RUS) VS. Patty Schnyder (SUI)
Sybille Bammer (AUT) VS. Jelena Jankovic (SRB)

Nadal and Querry on right now and its not looking good for nadal. 1 set a piece, 4 all in the third set. Am counting on his mental strength to turn this around.

Querry leads 6-5 in the third set. Nadal abeg now, do something.

Phew! Nadal up 2 sets to 1. Vamos rafa