Spaniard Albert Montanes saved two match points and went on to capture the Estoril Open title. He upset fourth-seed James Blake, who pulled a double duty today, 5-7 7-6(6) 6-0 after 133 minutes of play. The title gives the 28-year-old his second career ATP title.

The championship title also gives Spain a death-grip on clay. So far this year, the Spaniards have won seven (Nadal-3, Robredo-2, Almagro-1, Montanes-1) of the nine ATP singles titles on clay.

On the doubles side, a couple of Americans won the title. Eric Butorac and Scott Lipsky upset fourth-seeds Martin Damm and Robert Lindstedt 6-3 6-2. This is the pair’s first title together.

Championship Sunday
Singles Semifinals
4 James Blake (USA) def. 2 Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) 6-7(3) 7-6(2) 6-3

Singles Final
7 Albert Montanes (ESP) def. 4 James Blake (USA) 5-7 7-6(6) 6-0

Doubles Final
E. Butorac (USA)/S. Lipsky (USA) def. 4 M. Damm (CZE)/R. Lindstedt (SWE) 6-3 6-2

(Image: Joao Lagos Sports)

Saturday’s Matches
Singles Semifinals
2 Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) vs. 4 James Blake (USA) 2-4 Suspended Due To Rain
7 Albert Montanes (ESP) def. Paul Capdeville (CHI) 6-3 6-4

Championship Sunday
Singles Semifinals
2 Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) vs. 4 James Blake (USA) 2-4 To Finish

Singles Final
2 Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) or 4 James Blake (USA) vs. 7 Albert Montanes (ESP)

Doubles Final
4 M. Damm (CZE)/R. Lindstedt (SWE) vs. E. Butorac (USA)/S. Lipsky (USA)

Sunday’s Order of Play

Friday’s Results
Singles Quarterfinals
7 Albert Montanes (ESP) def. 1 WC Gilles Simon (FRA) 5-7 6-4 7-6(4)
2 Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) def. 6 Mardy Fish (USA) 6-4 6-3
4 James Blake (USA) def. 8 Florent Serra (FRA) 6-4 6-1
Paul Capdeville (CHI) def. Oscar Hernandez (ESP) 4-6 6-1 6-4

Doubles Semifinals
E. Butorac (USA)/S. Lipsky (USA) def. 3 F. Cermak (CZE)/M. Mertinak (SVK) 6-3 6-3
4 M. Damm (CZE)/R. Lindstedt (SWE) def. W. Moodie (RSA)/D. Norman (BEL) 6-4 4-6 10-7

Saturday’s Matches
Singles Semifinals
2 Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) vs. 4 James Blake (USA)
7 Albert Montanes (ESP) vs. Paul Capdeville (CHI)

Saturday’s Order of Play

Thursday’s Matches
Singles Second Round
1 WC Gilles Simon (FRA) def. Fabio Fognini (ITA) 6-0 7-5
4 James Blake (USA) def. Marc Gicquel (FRA) 7-6(6) 6-2
7 Albert Montanes (ESP) def. Simon Greul (GER) 6-2 6-2
8 Florent Serra (FRA) def. Juan Monaco (ARG) 6-3 1-6 6-3

Doubles Quarterfinals
W. Moodie (RSA)/D. Norman (BEL) def. 2 P. Cuevas (URU)/D. Vemic (SRB) 6-7(4) 6-4 14-12
3 F. Cermak (CZE)/M. Mertinak (SVK) def. J. Blake (USA)/R. Kendrick (USA) 6-4 6-2
4 M. Damm (CZE)/R. Lindstedt (SWE) def. L. Friedl (CZE)/D. Skoch (CZE) 7-6(4) 6-2
E. Butorac (USA)/S. Lipsky (USA) def. M. Fish (USA)/D. Martin (USA) 3-6 7-5 10-5

Thursday’s Matches
Singles Quarterfinals
1 WC Gilles Simon (FRA) vs. 7 Albert Montanes (ESP)
2 Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) vs. 6 Mardy Fish (USA)
4 James Blake (USA) vs. 8 Florent Serra (FRA)
Oscar Hernandez (ESP) vs. Paul Capdeville (CHI)

Doubles Semifinals
3 F. Cermak (CZE)/M. Mertinak (SVK) vs. E. Butorac (USA)/S. Lipsky (USA)
4 M. Damm (CZE)/R. Lindstedt (SWE) vs. W. Moodie (RSA)/D. Norman (BEL)

Friday’s Order of Play

All the seeded players advanced on the singles side in Estoril. Eighth-seed Florent Serra took care of the resurgent Juan “Spicoli” Monaco 6-3 1-6 6-3. Seventh-seed Albert Montanes defeated German Simon Gruel 6-2 6-2.

Fourth-seed James Blake has now joined Mardy Fish in winning two-consecutive matches on clay. He defeated Frenchman Marc Gicquel 7-6(6) 6-2. Blake will meet Florent Serra in the quarterfinals. They are actually 2-2 in their head-to-head matchup with Serra winning their only meeting on clay in Rome in 2006.

Top-seed Gilles Simon took care of Fabio Fognini pretty easily 6-0 7-5 after just 73 minutes of work. Simon will meet Albert Montanes in the quarterfinals. The Frenchman leads Montanes 2-0 in their head-to-head matchup, where all their meetings were on clay. Let’s hope there are no surprises tomorrow from the Frenchman.

(Image: Reuters)

Former Estoril champion Nikolay Davydenko took out the 2001 Estoril champion Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-5 6-2. The Spaniard put up a fight in the first set, but the Russian was able to subdue his opponent in the second set. Davydenko will play sixth-seed Mardy Fish, who has managed to string together two-match wins on clay, in the quarterfinals. The two players are 1-1 in their head-to-head matchup.

On the other side of the draw, third-seed David Ferrer was upset in pretty convincing fashion by compatriot Oscar Hernandez 2-6 4-6. After being a finalist in Barcelona two weeks ago, Ferrer has had some puzzling exits in Rome (first round loss) and now Estoril (second round loss) to follow-up that good showing. Hernandez advances to the quarterfinals to play Paul Capdeville, who beat Maximo Gonzalez in three sets after upsetting David Nalbandian in the first round.

With the upsets of Ferrer and Nalbandian, the top-half draw is now open up for top-seed Gilles Simon. Whether Simon will take advantage of the situation is another story. He first needs to pass Fabio Fognini, who beat former French Open champion Gaston Gaudio in straight sets to secure his spot against the Frenchman. Simon did get the best of Fognini in their only meeting last week in Rome in the second round.

Wednesday’s Results
Singles First Round
4 James Blake (USA) def. Frederico Gil (POR) 6-3 6-4
Fabio Fognini (ITA) def. WC Gaston Gaudio (ARG) 6-3 6-4

Singles Second Round
2 Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) def. Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) 7-5 6-2
Oscar Hernandez (ESP) def. 3 David Ferrer (ESP) 6-2 6-4
6 Mardy Fish (USA) def. Ivan Navarro (ESP) 2-6 6-1 6-4
Paul Capdeville (CHI) def. Maximo Gonzalez (ARG) 2-6 6-2 6-3

Doubles First Round
E. Butorac (USA)/S. Lipsky (USA) def. 1 B. Soares (BRA)/K. Ullyett (ZIM) 7-5 6-3
2 P. Cuevas (URU)/D. Vemic (SRB) def. M. Gonzalez (ARG)/J. Monaco (ARG) 6-3 6-4
L. Friedl (CZE)/D. Skoch (CZE) def. WC P. Sousa (POR)/J. Sousa (POR) 6-0 6-0
W. Moodie (RSA)/D. Norman (BEL) def. M. Gicquel (FRA)/F. Serra (FRA) 6-2 6-2

Thursday’s Matches
Singles Second Round
1 WC Gilles Simon (FRA) vs. Fabio Fognini (ITA)
4 James Blake (USA) vs. Marc Gicquel (FRA)
7 Albert Montanes (ESP) vs. Simon Greul (GER)
8 Florent Serra (FRA) vs. Juan Monaco (ARG)

Doubles Quarterfinals
2 P Cuevas (URU) / D Vemic (SRB) vs. W Moodie (RSA) / D Norman (BEL)
3 F. Cermak (CZE)/M. Mertinak (SVK) vs. J. Blake (USA)/R. Kendrick (USA)
4 M. Damm (CZE)/R. Lindstedt (SWE) vs. L. Friedl (CZE)/D. Skoch (CZE)
E. Butorac (USA)/S. Lipsky (USA) vs. M. Fish (USA)/D. Martin (USA)

Thursday’s Order of Play

(Image: Francisco Leong/AFP/Getty Images)

Juan Monaco, Maximo Gonzalez and Diego Junquiera visited Praia do Guincho. The three Argentines paid a visit Monday to the renowned surfing spot located near Cascais.

(Image: Joao Lagos Sports)

Tuesday’s Matches
Singles First Round
2 Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) def. Andrey Golubev (KAZ) 6-1 7-6(4)
3 David Ferrer (ESP) def. Daniel Gimeno-Traver (ESP) 6-4 6-1
7 Albert Montanes (ESP) def. Q Ryan Sweeting (USA) 6-1 7-6(4)
8 Florent Serra (FRA) vs. Diego Junqueira (ARG) 6-4 2-6 6-3
Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) def. Q Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) 7-6(4) 6-3
Juan Monaco (ARG) def. Q Pablo Cuevas (URU) 6-2 6-4
Ivan Navarro (ESP) def. Albert Martin (ESP) 7-5 6-4
Simon Greul (GER) def. Q Ricardo Hocevar (BRA) 6-1 6-4

Doubles First Round
4 M. Damm (CZE)/R. Lindstedt (SWE) def. O. Hernandez (ESP)/A. Montanes (ESP) 6-1 3-6 10-4
M. Fish (USA)/D. Martin (USA) def. WC F. Gil (POR)/R. Machado (POR) 6-3 7-5
J. Blake (USA)/R. Kendrick (USA) def. T. Gabashvili (RUS)/D. Junquiera (ARG) 6-3 3-6 11-9

Wednesday’s Matches
Singles First Round
4 James Blake (USA) vs. Frederico Gil (POR)

Singles Second Round
2 Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) vs. Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP)
3 David Ferrer (ESP) vs. Oscar Hernandez (ESP)
6 Mardy Fish (USA) vs. Ivan Navarro (ESP)
Maximo Gonzalez (ARG) vs. Paul Capdeville (CHI)
Fabio Fognini (ITA) vs. WC Gaston Gaudio (ARG)

Doubles First Round
1 B. Soares (BRA)/K. Ullyett (ZIM) vs. E. Butorac (USA)/S. Lipsky (USA)
2 P. Cuevas (URU)/D. Vemic (SRB) vs. M. Gonzalez (ARG)/J. Monaco (ARG)
L. Friedl (CZE)/D. Skoch (CZE) vs. WC P. Sousa (POR)/J. Sousa (POR)
M. Gicquel (FRA)/F. Serra (FRA) vs. W. Moodie (RSA)/D. Norman (BEL)

Wednesday's Order of Play

Top-seed Gilles Simon advanced and had a routine win over American Robert Kendrick. He now awaits the winner of the Gaudio-Fognini match.

The match of the day was Chilean Paul Capdeville’s upset over fifth-seed David Nalbandian. The Chilean took down Nalbandian pretty easily 6-2 6-2 after 52 minutes of play.

The Argentine has been battling a hip injury over the last two weeks. “My preparation coming to Estoril was as good as possible but limited due to my ongoing injury,” said Nalbandian. “I did everything I could to recover on time to play this tournament, and I believe I arrived in the best shape possible given the circumstances."

Capdeville moves into the next round and will play Maximo Gonzalez, another Argentinian. The two players have never met in ATP competition. The Chilean was not so lucky in doubles. He and partner Ivan Navarro lost to the third-seeds Frantisek Cermak and Michal Mertinak in straight sets 6-3 6-2.


Sunday’s Results
Singles First Round
Maximo Gonzalez (ARG) def. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) 6-4 6-3

Monday’s Results And Now The Qualifiers Are . . .
Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) def. Michael Yani (USA) 6-3 7-5
Ricardo Hocevar (BRA) def. Gastao Elias (POR) 6-4 6-7(3) 7-6(3)
Pablo Cuevas (URU) def. Ricado Mello (BRA) 7-6(5) 6-1
Ryan Sweeting (USA) def. Leonardo Tavares (POR) 6-3 2-6 6-4

Singles First Round
1 WC Gilles Simon (FRA) def. Robert Kendrick (USA) 6-3 7-6(7)
Paul Capdeville (CHI) def. 5 David Nalbandian (ARG) 6-2 6-2 6
Mardy Fish (USA) def. Teimuraz Gabashvili (RUS) 6-3 6-4
Oscar Hernandez (ESP) def. WC Rui Machado (POR) 7-5 1-6 7-5
Marc Gicquel (FRA) def. Pablo Andujar (ESP) 7-6(6) 6-4

Doubles First Round
3 F. Cermak (CZE)/M. Mertinak (SVK) def. Alt. P. Capedeville (CHI)/I. Navarro 6-3 6-2

Tuesday’s Matches
Singles First Round
2 Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) vs. Andrey Golubev (KAZ)
3 David Ferrer (ESP) vs. Daniel Gimeno-Traver (ESP)
7 Albert Montanes (ESP) vs. Q Ryan Sweeting (USA)
8 Florent Serra (FRA) vs. Diego Junqueira (ARG)
Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) vs. Q Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ)
Juan Monaco (ARG) vs. Q Pablo Cuevas (URU)
Ivan Navarro (ESP) vs. Albert Martin (ESP)
Simon Greul (GER) vs. Q Ricardo Hocevar (BRA)

Doubles First Round
4 M. Damm (CZE)/R. Lindstedt (SWE) vs. O. Hernandez (ESP)/A. Montanes (ESP)
WC F. Gil (POR)/R. Machado (POR) vs. M. Fish (USA)/D. Martin (USA)

Tuesday’s Order of Play

(Image: Francisco Leong/AFP/Getty Images)

Preview: Estoril Open
City: Estoril, Portugal
Surface: Outdoor Clay
Championship Points: 250
2008 Singles Champion: Roger Federer
2008 Doubles Champions: Jeff Coetzee and Wesley Moodie

Roger Federer will not defend his title this year. Gilles Simon was given a wildcard and now is the top seed. This is a good opportunity for the Frenchman to get his season on track. He has a good shot since his quarter of the draw is pretty easy. Simon will have to contend with David Ferrer should he make it to the semifinals.

Ferrer has the harder road to the semifinals since he has to pass David Nalbandian in the quarterfinals. Nalbandian had to pull out of the Barcelona quarterfinals due to injury, and there have been reports of an impending hip surgery. If he is healthy, Nalbandian could give the Spaniard trouble all day, as he won this tournament in 2002 and 2006.

The bottom half of the draw is anchored by Nikolay Davydenko, who won the title in 2003. The Russian played well in Barcelona, but he could have to contend with Juan Monaco in the semifinals. Monaco is looking to breakthrough this year, so this could be the week. The Argentine could possibly have to deal with the native favorite Federico Gil in the quarterfinals. Gil has been known to cause trouble and will be helped by the Portuguese crowd.

It is good to see veterans and former French Open champions Juan Carlos Ferrero and Gaston Gaudio in the tournament. Ferrero could meet Davydenko in the second round, and Gaudio, who just won a challenger tournament in Tunisia this weekend, could meet Simon in the second round.

Tournament Draw
Singles / Doubles

Monday’s Order of Play

(Image: AFP/Getty Images)