Roger Federer won his second Masters title yesterday in Cincinnati. He beat Novak Djokovic 6-1 7-5 to deny the Serb his first Masters title of the year. This is Federer’s third Cincinnati title and 16th career Masters title.

Championship Sunday
Singles Final
1 Roger Federer (SUI) def. 4 Novak Djokovic (SRB) 6-1 7-5

Doubles Final
2 D. Nestor (CAN)/N. Zimonjic (SRB) def. 1 B. Bryan (USA)/M. Bryan (USA) 3-6 7-6(5) 15-13

(Image: AFP)

Saturday’s Matches
Singles Semifinals
1 Roger Federer (SUI) def. 3 Andy Murray (GBR) 6-2 7-6(8)
4 Novak Djokovic (SRB) def. 2 Rafael Nadal (ESP) 6-1 6-4

Doubles Semifinals
1 B. Bryan (USA)/M. Bryan (USA) def. 7 L. Kubot (POL)/O. Marach (AUT) 0-6 6-4 10-4
2 D. Nestor (CAN)/N. Zimonjic (SRB) def. 4 M. Bhupathi (IND)/M. Knowles (BAH) 6-4 6-3

Friday’ Results
Singles Quarterfinals
1 Roger Federer (SUI) def. Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) 6-3 6-4
2 Rafael Nadal (ESP) def. Tomas Berdych (CZE) 6-4 7-5
3 Andy Murray (GBR) def. LL Julien Benneteau (FRA) 4-6 6-3 6-1
4 Novak Djokovic (SRB) def. 9 Gilles Simon (FRA) 6-4 7-5

Doubles Quarterfinals
1 B. Bryan (USA)/M. Bryan (USA) def. 7 W. Moodie (RSA)/D. Norman (BEL) 6-4 7-6(11)
2 D. Nestor (CAN)/N. Zimonjic (SRB) def. 6 M. Fyrstenberg (POL)/M. Matkowski (POL) 7-6(6) 6-7(8) 10-4
4 M. Bhupathi (IND)/M. Knowles (BAH) def. M. Llodra (FRA)/J. Tsonga (FRA) 7-6(6) 6-3
8 L. Kubot (POL)/O. Marach (AUT) def. D. Ferrer (ESP)/T. Robredo (ESP) 7-6(2) 6-1

Saturday’s Matches
Singles Semifinals
1 Roger Federer (SUI) vs. 3 Andy Murray (GBR) – 2:00 PM
2 Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs. 4 Novak Djokovic (SRB) – 7:00 PM

Doubles Semifinals
1 B. Bryan (USA)/M. Bryan (USA) vs. 8 L. Kubot (POL)/O. Marach (AUT)
2 D. Nestor (CAN)/N. Zimonjic (SRB) vs. 4 M. Bhupathi (IND)/M. Knowles (BAH)

Saturday’s Order of Play

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Rafael Nadal looked good tonight in Cincinnati and was starting to look like the Rafa of old. He moved well, and his strokes -- especially his forehand -- looked good. The Spaniard dominated poor Tomas Berdych and gave his opponent no hope for winning for the first time in the tournament. He is still not quite in beatdown mode, but his play tonight looked promising.

Nadal jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening set and cruised to take the set after 43 minutes. After losing the first set, Berdych was not discouraged and dug in the second set. Unfortunately for him, Nadal broke the Czech in game eleven. The Spaniard then served out the set for the match at 6-4 7-5 after 101 minutes of play.

The top-four players booked all the semifinal spots for this tournament, and Nadal just took the final spot. Next up for the Spaniard is Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. Nadal leads their head-to-head matchup 14-4, but the Serb's last victory over Nadal was last year at this very tournament in the semifinals. Also, the Spaniard is still very vulnerable to being upset tomorrow.

Luckily, Nadal is still improving since being away from the tour, but he is going to have to step it up a notch for Djokovic. It should be a good match tomorrow, so stay tuned.

(Image: Denise/tennisfiend)

Thursday’s Results
Singles Round of 16
1 Roger Federer (SUI) def. David Ferrer (ESP) 3-6 6-3 6-4
2 Rafael Nadal (ESP) def. Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) 7-5 6-2
3 Andy Murray (GBR) def. 16 Radek Stepanek (CZE) 6-4 6-1
4 Novak Djokovic (SRB) def. Jeremy Chardy (FRA) 7-5 6-3
9 Gilles Simon (FRA) def. 8 Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) 6-7(6) 6-4 6-4
Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) def. Sam Querrey (USA) 6-1 2-6 6-3
LL Julien Benneteau (FRA) def. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) 4-6 6-4 7-6(4)
Tomas Berdych (CZE) def. Q Chris Guccione (AUS) 6-4 6-3

Doubles Round of 16
1 B. Bryan (USA)/M. Bryan (USA) def. M. Mirnyi (BLR)/A. Ram (ISR) 6-4 6-2
6 M. Fyrstenberg (POL)/M. Matkowski (POL) def. J. Chardy (FRA)/G. Simon (FRA) 6-2 6-4
8. L. Kubot (POL)/O. Marach (AUT) def. WC J. Isner (USA)/S. Querrey (USA) 4-6 6-2 10-8
D. Ferrer (ESP)/T. Robredo (ESP) def. 3 L. Dlouhy (CZE)/L. Paes (IND) 6-2 6-4

Friday’s Matches
Singles Quarterfinals
1 Roger Federer (SUI) vs. Lleyton Hewitt (AUS)
2 Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs. Tomas Berdych (CZE)
3 Andy Murray (GBR) vs. LL Julien Benneteau (FRA)
4 Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. 9 Gilles Simon (FRA)

Doubles Quarterfinals
1 M. Bryan/B. Bryan vs. W. Moodie (RSA)/D. Norman (BEL)
2 D. Nestor (CAN)/N. Zimonjic (SRB) vs. 6 M. Fyrstenberg (POL)/M. Matkowski (POL)
4 M. Bhupathi (IND)/M. Knowles (BAH) vs. M. Llodra (FRA)/J. Tsonga (FRA)
8. L. Kubot (POL)/O. Marach (AUT) vs. D. Ferrer (ESP)/T. Robredo (ESP)

Friday’s Order of Play

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Wednesday’s Results
Singles Second Round
1 Roger Federer (SUI) def. Jose Acasuso (ARG) 6-3 7-5
2 Rafael Nadal (ESP) def. Andreas Seppi (ITA) 7-6(4) 7-6(3)
3 Andy Murray (GBR) def. Nicolas Almagro (ESP) 7-6(3) 6-2
4 Novak Djokovic (SRB) def. Q Ivan Ljubicic (CRO) 7-6(5) 6-4
Sam Querrey (USA) def. 5 Andy Roddick (USA) 7-6(11) 7-6(3)
Q Chris Guccione (AUS) def. 7 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) 7-6(12) 6-2
8 Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) def. Igor Kunitsyn (RUS) 6-2 1-6 6-3
16 Radek Stepanek (CZE) def. WC Marat Safin (RUS) 4-6 6-3 6-1
G Garcia-Lopez (ESP) d [Q] M Youzhny (RUS) 75 63
Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) def. Ivo Karlovic (CRO) 7-6(9) 6-4
[LL] J Benneteau (FRA) d J Melzer (AUT) 62 36 62
Tomas Berdych (CZE) def. Philipp Petzschner (GER) 7-6(8) 6-7(7) 6-4
Jeremy Chardy (FRA) def. WC John Isner (USA) 6-7(1) 6-3 4-1 ret.
Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) def. Benjamin Becker (GER) 6-3 6-3

Doubles Second Round
4 M. Bhupathi (IND)/M. Knowles (BAH) def. F. Lopez (ESP)/F. Verdasco (ESP) 5-7 6-4 12-10
M. Llodra (FRA)/J. Tsonga (FRA) def. 5 B. Soares (BRA)/K. Ullyett (ZIM) 6-0 6-3

Doubles First Round
D. Ferrer (ESP)/T. Robredo (ESP) def. F. Cermak (CZE)/M. Mertinak (SVK) 6-4 6-7(2) 10-7
J. Chardy (FRA)/G. Simon (FRA) def. T. Parrott (USA)/F. Polasek (SVK) 4-6 7-6(3) 12-10
M. Mirnyi (BLR)/A. Ram (ISR) def. WC J. Levine (USA)/R. Ram (USA) 6-2 6-2

Thursday’s Order of Play

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Jeremy Chardy and Gilles Simon took out doubles specialists Travis Parrott and Filip Polasek. After losing the first set, they rallied to win the second-set tiebreak. They then saved match point in the third-set tiebreak to surpass the American-Slovakian team 4-6 7-6(3) 12-10. The French duo will now face the Polish team of Mariusz Frystenberg and Marcin Matkowski.

(Images: Denise/tennisfiend)

Rafael continues to have a rough comeback. He played Italian Andreas Seppi in his second-round match in Cincinnati. The Spaniard is clearly vulnerable and has a ways to go before he is back to his usual play.

His serve and groundstrokes are off, and he is currently hitting a lot of errors. It is rather hard to watch his matches because injury has certainly interrupted his once fine form, especially with all the current G.O.A.T. nonsense -- since the current number one found his top form after Nadal was injured and out of the picture.

Despite these facts and two rain delays, the Mallorcan was able to pull off the win and beat Seppi 7-6(4) 7-6(3). One positive that was good to see was his clutch play. When he needed to, he was able to come with big shots that ultimately helped him best the Italian.

Next up for Nadal will be Paul-Henri Mathieu. He currently leads the Frenchman 8-0 in their head-to-head matchup. Despite this stellar record, it will be another test for Nadal tomorrow.

(Image: Denise/tennisfiend)

Marat Safin’s retirement stop in Cincinnati ended to day with a loss to Radek Stepanek. The Russian started out well and won the first set. It looked like he had his head together today, but as a viewer, you know there is a ninety-percent chance of a trainwreck.

In grand Safin fashion, he allowed Stepanek into the game and fell completely apart in the third set. The Czech veteran rallied to win the match 4-6 6-3 6-1. On the bright side, the big man did make it to the second round, so there is a small victory for him there.

Stepanek now has the large chore of playing Andy Murray in the round of 16. Murray currently leads their head-to-head matchup 2-0.

(Image: Denise/tennisfiend)

Tuesday’s Results
Singles Second Round
9 Gilles Simon (FRA) def. Igor Andreev (RUS) 7-6(5) 6-7(6) 6-1
David Ferrer (ESP) def. 14 Marin Cilic (CRO) 7-6(4) 6-2

Singles First Round
Tomas Berdych (CZE) def. 10 Fernando Gonzalez (CHI) 6-4 ret. (knee)
Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) def. 11 Fernando Verdasco (ESP) 7-6(4) 7-6(4)
Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) def. 12 Robin Soderling (SWE) 3-6 7-6(8) 6-3 - saved 2 M.P.
Q Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) def. Victor Hanescu (ROU) 7-5 6-2
Jurgen Melzer (AUT) def. Feliciano Lopez (ESP) 5-7 7-6(4) 7-6(7)
Andreas Seppi (ITA) def. Q Jan Hernych (CZE) 3-6 6-4 6-1
Q Chris Guccione (AUS) def. Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) 7-5 2-6 6-3
Igor Kunitsyn (RUS) def. Jame Blake (USA) 7-6(5) 6-7(5) 6-4
Philipp Petzschner (GER) def. Q Simone Bolelli (ITA) 7-6(6) 6-3
WC John Isner (USA) def. Tommy Haas (GER) 7-6(5) 5-7 7-6(3)

Doubles Second Round
2 D. Nestor (CAN)/N. Zimonjic (SRB) def. R. Lindstedt (SWE)/M. Melo (BRA) 6-4 6-4

Doubles First Round
M. Llodra (FRA)/J. Tsonga (FRA) def. J. Melzer (AUT)/R. Stepanek (CZE) 7-6(2) 6-4

Wednesday’s Order of Play

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Unlike the Spaniards (Verdasco lost, Lopez lost), the Frenchies had a good day today in Cincinnati. Ninth-seed Gilles Simon was able to subdue a tough charge from the Russian Igor Andreev. Simon secured a spot in the round of 16 with a 7-6(5) 6-7(6) 6-1 victory. He now awaits the winner of the Davydenko-Kunitsyn match.

In doubles, Micheal Llodra and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga topped Jurgen Melzer and Radek Stepanek 7-6(2) 6-7(6) 6-1 in their Cincinnati debut. They will now have the opportunity to meet the fifth-seeds Bruno Soares and Kevin Ullyett in the round of 16.

(Images: Denise/tennisfiend)

Monday’s Results
Singles First Round
9 Gilles Simon (FRA) def. WC Wayne Odesnik (USA) 6-3 6-2
Ivo Karlovic (CRO) def. 13 Gael Monfils (FRA) 6-4 6-7(5) 7-6(2)
14 Marin Cilic (CRO) def. Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) 6-3 6-4
Jeremy Chardy (FRA) def. 15 Tommy Robredo (ESP) 6-3 7-5
16 Radek Stepanek (CZE) def. Viktor Troicki (SRB) 7-6(2) 1-0 ret. (foot)
Igor Andreev (RUS) def. Nicolas Kiefer (GER) 6-1 7-5
Benjamin Becker (GER) def. Martin Vassallo Arguello (ARG) 6-3 6-3
Nicolas Almagro (ESP) def. Dudi Sela (ISR) 6-4 1-0 ret. (groin)
Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) def. Mischa Zverev (GER) 6-7(4) 7-5 6-3
Q Ivan Ljubicic (CRO) def. Florent Serra (FRA) 4-6 6-3 6-4
David Ferrer (ESP) def. Stanilas Wawrinka (SUI) 7-5 6-2
Jose Acasuso (ARG) def. Q Lukasz Kubot (POL) 6-4 6-3
WC Marat Safin (RUS) def. WC Robbie Ginepri (USA) 7-5 7-6(2)
Sam Querrey (USA) def. Q Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE) 6-3 6-4

Doubles - First Round
F. Lopez (ESP)/F. Verdasco (ESP) def. S. Huss (AUS)/R. Hutchins (GBR) 4-6 7-6(2) 10-3
T. Berdych (CZE)/P. Kohlschreiber (GER) def. N. Davydenko (RUS)/I. Kunitsyn (RUS) 5-7 7-6(4) 10-7
R. Lindstedt (SWE)/M Melo (BRA) def. J. Coetzee (RSA)/J. Erlich (ISR) 7-6(3) 3-6 14-12

Tuesday’s Order of Play

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Sunday’s Results
The Qualifiers Are . . .
Ivan Ljubicic (CRO), Lukasz Kubot (POL), Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE), Mikhail Youzhny (RUS), Chris Guccione (USA), Simone Bolelli (ITA) and Jan Hernych (CZE)

Doubles First Round
WC J. Isner (USA)/S. Querrey (USA) def. J. Kerr (AUS)/A. Sa (BRA) 1-6 6-4 11-9 - saved 4 M.P.

Monday’s Order of Play

City: Cincinnati, OH, USA
Surface: Outdoor Hard
Championship Points: 1000
2008 Singles Champion: Andy Murray
2008 Doubles: Mike Bryan and Bob Bryan

Andy Murray will be on hand to defend his title in Cincinnati. He will have his work cut out for him because his half of the draw is chalked full of contenders.

He could meet Juan Martin del Potro in quarterfinals. The Scotsman has had the Argentine’s number, but it is only a matter of time before del Potro turns the corner and surprises the defending champion. Del Potro did have physical problems during their Rogers Cup match, so he might be less of a threat this week. Murray could also have to deal with Federer in the semifinals.

Federer’s quarter of the draw is as difficult as Murray’s. The Swiss champ could have to contend with Robin Soderling or Andy Roddick in the quarterfinals. He then, of course, could meet with Murray or the surging del Potro in the semifinals.

Rafal Nadal has a pretty good draw. For someone who needs to play their way into contention, this draw could be a good way for the Spaniard to make it to the semifinals or finals because he desperately needs the points. He may have to see Jo-Wilfried Tsonga or Fernando Gonzalez in the quarterfinals and then maybe Nikolay Davydenko or Novak Djokovic in the semifinals.

Tournament Draw
Singles / Doubles

Tournament Evils (formerly Tournament Malfeasance)
Singles
10 Fernando Gonzalez (CHI) vs. Tomas Berdych (CZE)
14 Marin Cilic (CRO) vs. Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP)
16 Tommy Robredo (ESP) vs. Jeremy Chardy (FRA)
Igor Andreev (RUS) vs. Nicolas Kiefer (GER)

Doubles
T. Parrott (USA)/F. Polasek (SVK) vs. J. Chardy (FRA)/G. Simon (FRA)

(Image: Eric M Spohn/WSFGM)