The Outer Courts on Tennis Channel with Ian Eagle tomorrow morning

Now we're official.

Matt and I just wrapped up taping a TV segment that will air on Tennis Channel's pregame show tomorrow morning -- that explains our absence from the blog this afternoon. Ian Eagle, a good friend of The Outer Courts, welcomed us into the friendly confines of his three-chair, makeshift set behind Center Court's third level seating, where he quizzed us on what it's like to be members of the tennis media in Cincinnati.

Guided by Ian's Mike Wallace-like questioning, Matt and I shared our stories and observations from the first two days at the 2013 Western & Southern Open. From Matt's barefoot approach in the media room to my mind constantly wandering across the street to ride The Beast, it was a fun, and hopefully entertaining, television bit.

So tune in tomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m. -- like you were already planning to do -- to catch a glimpse of two aspiring tennis scribes in our first sit-down interview with Tennis Channel.

Is it Emmy-worthy?

Probably.

The Outer Courts Previews Day 2

Good morning, tennis fans, and welcome to Tuesday at the Western & Southern Open in sunny Mason, Ohio. Today is the first full day of action for The Outer Courts crew after we spent most of yesterday learning our way around the grounds and making impulse purchases in the merchandise tents, which has become a tradition at tennis tournaments. Now we're ready to buckle down and watch some ATP Masters 1000 and WTA Premier 5 tennis. And then write about it, of course.

Tuesday's order of play features several riveting matchups, interesting personalities and a few people we've never heard of, so you can imagine our excitement as we devour our Egg White Delight McMuffins on the way to the Lindner Family Tennis Center. Below you'll find a rundown of what we're looking forward to the most...

The Outer Courts Match of The Day

Milos Raonic [12] vs. [WC] Jack Sock

Grandstand, 7:00 p.m.

Rogers Cup runner-up Milos Raonic jumps right back into action on Tuesday with only one day off since his loss to Rafael Nadal in Montreal. He's up against the young man Matt Jones loves to hate: Jack Sock. Raonic and Sock have one previous meeting, a 6-3, 5-7, 7-5 victory for Sock in Memphis earlier this year.

Last time we saw Sock he was hitting balls out of the stands and mouthing off to officials in the BNP Paribas Open. We want to like the guy, we really do, but with the attitude he showed that day at Indian Wells, he has a lot of ground to make up with The Outer Courts.

With that said, the short turnover for Raonic will open the door for Sock to advance.

Prediction: Sock

Kicking It Off At Center Court

[Q] Vania King vs. Victoria Azarenka [2]

Center Court, 11:00 a.m.

Her boyfriend's "Party Rock Anthem" was played no less than 20 times at Center Court on Monday, so expect Victoria Azarenka to have a similar dominance on the tournament's main stage Tuesday. The world's second-ranked woman drew qualifier Vania King, ranked 140th in the world. King's Twitter bio says she is a macaron expert.

Prediction: Azarenka (feat. Red Foo)

Will Gulbis Keep His Cool?

Ernests Gulbis vs. Mikhail Youzhny

Grandstand, Match #2

Forget about the tennis, we'll be front and center for this one only for the potential Gulbis tantrum. We want to see flames. Throw a racket!

Prediction: Gulbis meltdown, hopefully

Lunch

Hot Head Burritos

Food Court, #8

Spicy chicken burrito with rice, black beans, pico, lettuce, sour cream and cheese.

Prediction: Gas

Let's go, Sloane!

Sloane Stephens vs. Maria Sharapova

Center Court, 7:00 p.m.

We'll be watching Sock versus Raonic during this one, but we'll be rooting for America's tennis sweetheart from afar and following along on our iPhone devices in what is arguably the real 'Match of the Day.' 

No 17. Sloane Stephens is 0-3 versus No. 5 Sharapova in her career; the two last met at this year's French Open. But today, it's Sloane's time to take down the Russian bombshell.

Prediction: Sloane Stephens. God Bless America.

The Main Event

Roger Federer [5] vs. Philipp Kohlschreiber

Center Court, Match #6 (Not Before 8:30 p.m.)

Tonight's grand finale at Center Court features Roger Federer versus a man whose name I'm not certain I spelled correctly. It has been a down summer for Federer -- as you learned in yesterday's "What's been distracting Federer?" post -- but he is ready to rebound and he is eyeing that potential quarterfinal showdown with Rafael Nadal. 

He wins this one without blinking, then goes back to watch Breaking Bad on Netflix.

Prediction: Federer

We'll be back later this afternoon with more from the 2013 Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati Mason, Ohio.

Western and Southern Open: Day 1 Wrap-Up

All pictures were taken by me and thus are not of professional quality. But that is part of the charm

It has been a tremendously exciting day here at the Two Directions Open, with lots of entertaining matches, off-the-court happenings and a number of tennis media members that we are starting to dislike. All in all, it is a perfect "The Outer Courts" experience. Some notes from Day One:

--- For most media members, the highlight of the day was the first American appearance from Andy Murray since his Wimbledon victory. Andy Murray is not Mr. Personality (as a matter of fact, he isn't even distantly related to Mr. Personality), but he seems like a good bloke and he obliged the media's dumb questions well. People asked him the usual drivel, but two questions were noteworthy for what they said about the questioner more than the interviewee. A British writer (and they treat Murray as if they are interviewing Elvis moments after the "Ed Sullivan Show") asked Murray "where are you on the knighthood situation?"  Murray said there was no update, and the journalist looked as sad as Paris Hilton finding out there is no news on the Kardashian front. Then a writer for the NY Times (who has become "The Outer Courts" favorite target for mockery during our tennis interludes) told Murray that he had seen tweets from Andy suggesting he was watching Challenger tournaments online from Vancouver. The cherubic writer then inquired, "are you just a tennis junkie or do you find it difficult to get away from the sport?"  Murray then responded with a look a 4th grade teacher gives her students and said, "no, I just had a friend playing that I wanted to watch." Tennis pre-tournament press conferences...where there is nothing to say but that stops no one from still trying.

--- I approached the night match of Venus Williams with much trepidation. The eldest Williams had not won a match since April and I was worried that we were trapped in the midst of a "Willie Mays dropping fly balls in center field with the Mets" situation as she headed towards the end of her career. I had seen the results on television, but watching one of the sports' true pioneers fall right before my eyes was likely to make me sad. The opening of the match confirmed my worst fears, as Venus dropped the first three games and looked a step slow in the process. But then, as if a switch had been turned on, Venus won 12 of the next 14 games over Jana Cepelova and cruised into the second round. I am still unsure whether Venus has another run up the rankings in her, but I am now less worried that we are headed for a precipitous fall. Maybe this is just the slow grind towards a final comeback. The rest of the week will help us know for certain.

---  There was no more disappointed person on Earth today than an Italian journalist who walked up to me to ask if Fabio Fognini had won his first match. I shared with her the ending of the match, which saw Fognini lose his mind and angrily foot fault on purpose in order to throw the final point, and watched as her face slowly melted into sadness. She looked at me with puppy dog eyes and said, "really, Fabio did that?  That is so disappointing."  I wanted to console her, but we have to maintain a level of professionalism.

--- To be quite honest, most of the matches today were excruciatingly boring. I knew little about the people playing and was trying to follow, while also keeping my head from nodding off. With that said, I was paying significantly more attention than anyone else in the media room. This was an actual conversation I heard two people having this afternoon:

Reporter 1: "The thing I like about this tournament is that we don't have to just watch tennis we can eat."

Reporter 2: "Well can't we eat at all the tournaments."

Reporter 1: "Yeah but not like at this one...the chili is right next to the chicken which is right next to the mexican. It's all in one place. That is why it is the best tournament...well that and the field."

"The Chili is Next to the Chicken, Which is Right Next to the Mexican!"....maybe that should be the slogan for the Two Directions Open next year.

Without further ado, a couple of accolades:

Match of the Day: Maria Kirilenko over Anna Tatishvili (4-6, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4))

While the overall match day left something to be desired, this battle between the Russian and the Georgian was an absolute joy to watch. The two players grinded it out in a match that saw numerous momentum swings and some unbelievable play. The third set was particularly high quality as Court 9 saw a packed house upon completion of play everywhere else on the grounds. The energy was wild as both players crushed the ball during furious rallies. Tatishvili was particularly impressive, pounding forehand winners that kept her in the match after a late Kirilenko run. Unfortunately she called time, asked for her coach, and saw her mentor berate her (below) in a way that didn't seem to be of great help. She let a couple of close official calls frustrate her (she bickered after nearly every point) and let a huge win slip away in the final moments. Still, it was a tremendous match that produced not only a great viewing of Kirilenko (who still has the title of official Matt Jones crush) but also the best tennis of the entire evening in Cincinnati.

Best Moment: The Coach Yelling at His Pupil

When Tatishvili asked for her coach to come over, I can't imagine what she hoped for was for him to sit right next to her yelling and motioning with his hands while she looked the other way. Or maybe she did...I don't know their relationship. What I do know is that for two minutes, I couldn't stop laughing at his wild hand gestures and diverse attempts to motivate his player for the final moments. It didn't work...Kirilenko still won, Tatishvili gave her an icy greeting at net following the match (a common occurrence I am noticing) and the coach left with his Tommy Bahama shirt, sunglasses and a loss by his pupil that must have made his evening very unpleasant.

Upset of the Day: Brian Baker defeats Daniel Istomin (7-5, 6-3)

When I looked at the final draw for the event, I thought Brian Baker being involved had to be a misprint. He has barely played this season, is the lowest ranked player in the field (besides an amateur qualifier) and generally seemed unworthy of his wildcard. But then he came out and showed how fickle this game can be. Playing his best tennis in quite some time, he took out Istomin, who came into Cincinnati hot, having taken a set off Djokovic in the Montreal quarterfinals. Baker now moves on to face Grigor Dimitrov, where one would think he is a decided underdog...but who knows. Maybe the story of the week will be a Baker run and a corresponding head slap by The Outer Courts for mocking his entry into the field.

So that is the story of today. Tomorrow should be loaded, with Federer taking the stage, my rivalry with Jack Sock reigniting and Sharapova versus Sloane Stephens. Check in tomorrow, tell your friends, neighbors and everyone else. And if you see that NY Times writer, don't tell him that his a target of our scorn...let that be our little secret.

What is the Mojo of Grigor Dimitrov?

If you are like most readers of "The Outer Courts," you see the picture above and say to yourself, "who is that guy and why is he wearing a v-neck t-shirt?" If I told you that the man with the golden smile was named Grigor Dimitrov, the tennis fans among you might recognize the name, but for the average sports fan, the puzzled look of bemusement that usually accompanies my face when I see Jay Leno's high television ratings would likely be repeated on yours. For while Dimitrov is a rising player on the ATP Tour (ranked #31 at this point), he is on the same fame level in America as the non-Tim Tebow doppelganger members of Mumford and Sons. Yet even without this notoriety, his tennis is improving, including a strong win today in the first round of the Western and Southern Open over #13 seed Nicolas Almagro (7-6, 6-4). However while the inverse relationship between young Grigor's play and celebrity maintains, one thing is becoming increasingly clear...when it comes to the professional tennis circuit, Grigor Dimitrov is not an unknown, he is a heartbreaker.

Normally those at the top of one's craft do not find themselves in the middle of love triangles. You rarely hear Kobe or Lebron beefing over their last conquest, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson going to war over a Perkins' waitress or cricket legends Hashim Amla and Shivnarine Chanderpaul fighting over the wickets of a young lass. Yet in women's tennis, the tabloids have been full of stories of beef between arguably the two most famous players in the world, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova. In a Rolling Stone interview in June, Williams was talking about Sharapova and dropped this bomb, "if she wants to be with the guy with a black heart, go for it." When I read it initially, it seemed like a shot out of left field and bizarrely personal. But then it all became clearer as we found out that the person Sharapova was courting was young Grigor, a fellow tennis player known to have a bit of a temper and apparently in Serena's eyes, a heart of stone. Fair enough...but why does Serena care which player with whom Maria is currently volleying?  The reason should have been obvious, as it was right before our eyes...Serena used to date him as well.

Now nothing against Mr. Dimitrov. He seems like a fine young man and if one was comparing him to the population of males in general, he is a suitor with many accolades. He is the first Bulgarian in the history of his nation to be ranked in the Top 30 in the world in tennis (he reached that milestone earlier this year), is a former Junior champion of both Wimbledon and the US Open (in 2008) and my female colleagues say to me that he his strikingly handsome and has a smile that can make women swoon. But nevertheless, we are talking Serena and Sharapova, two beautiful women at the top of their given profession and in the discussion among the greats to ever play their sport. What could Grigor do to make these two talented women fall into high school pettiness over this love and affection?   Not only did Sharapova's relationship with him lead to Serena's comments, they were followed closely by Sharapova pulling out the big gun and saying, "maybe she should talk about her relationship and her boyfriend that was married and his getting a divorce and has kids."  WOAH! That is a right uppercut that not only causes the knees to wobble, it has the referee checking for a concussion. Grigor has women taking the gloves off, but I simply can't understand why.

Take Serena for instance. When I see Serena Williams, I see a woman so confident and successful that she takes zero gruff from anyone at any time. She is woman, hear her roar. Serena has taken down commentators, former players and even entire tournaments based on slights (both real and perceived) and has always struck me as the most strong-willed of players. Yet after dating Grigor, she gave this quote: "I've given up on dating. The last realtionship was just too much of a heartbreak for me. I had to remove myself from that atmosphere for the next decade or so."

THE NEXT DECADE OR SO????  Ladies, I have a question. What man have you ever dated that had you considering not talking to another man FOR A DECADE?  I don't care if you were canoodling with George Clooney, Brad Pitt or even Prince William, there is always another man for you to find. Men are like kudzu on the mountains in the South...they sprout everywhere and are never in short supply. But here is Serena Williams, the embodiment (both physically and metaphorically) of a strong, together woman, and she can't get over Grigor?  What is happening here?

And then there is Maria. After her early round upset at Wimbledon, one would have assumed that she would have reacted the way any player in her position would have been expected to respond...by getting the heck out of Dodge. No one wants to sit and watch your competitors play while you are eliminated, so the first cab out of the All England Club would have included virtually any top player. But no, because of her love and affection for Grigor, she not only stayed in London, she put herself in the crowd, sitting amongst the fans, and rooted him on in person.

There she was on the second row, watching her man have a slight meltdown in his loss to Greg Zemjla, but supporting him with all the strength of a long-time life partner. It was fascinating to watch. So the question becomes how does Grigor do it?  Again, no offense to him, but it is not like we are talking about Rafael Nadal here.  Dimitrov may be handsome, but women don't have posters of him hanging in their room. And while Grigor may have the game to be a major talent, at this point he is still multiple large steps away from scaring anyone in the top ten. Plus there is the significant age gap. Serena is 31, Maria is 26 and Grigor is only 22. Yet he has somehow been able to seduce these two women in such a strong manner that they find it within their inner-cougar selves to attach themselves to him in such strong ways. It is hard to comprehend.

Little is know about Dimitrov the person. He has a number of nicknames, most of which are stunningly lame. Referring to yourself as "G-Force", "Dimi" or "Show Time" is not exactly the stuff of becoming an internationally known ladies man. In a recent interview, he was given the chance to showcase his winning personality by answering the fairly standard, "who would attend your dream dinner?" and his answers were fairly pedestrian (Johnny Depp, Monica Bellucci and "some musician" would be a great answer for a 16 year old girl walking into a Taylor Swift concert). His most famous nickname in fact is actually a derivative of a player that would seem a much more worthy candidate for the affection of two WTA Hall of Famers. Grigor is best known to the tennis world as "Baby Fed," but on the court he has yet to show that he will ever turn even into an adolescent version of our vaunted hero. Yet there must be something to his magic. What does he have that can cause women to refer to him as a "black heart" and fight with their most vicious rivals for his attention?  As of yet we don't know, but thanks to his victory today, we will get a chance to see him live and in person yet again here in Cincinnati. I will be there to try and figure out Grigor's appeal and hopefully get some read on why the man below has the top of the WTA Tour completely in chaos. The mystery of Grigor remains...

What is distracting Roger Federer?

It hasn't been a great summer for Roger Federer, to say the least. The 17-time Grand Slam champion bowed out of Wimbledon early after a second round loss to Sergiy Stakhovzy, followed by upset losses to 116th-ranked Federico Delbonis in Hamburg and 55th-ranked Daniel Brands in the second round of the Swiss Open.

Back problems are part of the reason for his struggles, but some suggest Federer has been distracted and not completely invested in the sport he once dominated. If that's the case, and it very well could be, what is it exactly that's taking his attention away from tennis?

I have five theories of what Roger could be up to off the court that is hurting his game:  

1. Catching up on Breaking Bad...

The second half of the final season of Breaking Bad began last night. Maybe Roger spent the entire summer catching up on the first four seasons on Netflix.

Heisenberg.

2. Trying out for the New England Patriots...

With all the media attention Patriots camp is drawing these days, maybe Federer thought he'd try his hand at playing quarterback with Tim Tebow and Tom Brady in New England.

There's a new opening at tight end, too.

3. Recording Magna Carta Holy Grail with Jay Z...

Is Roger Federer behind the success of Jay Z's Magna Carta Holy Grail? The summer's hottest album features a song called "Tom Ford," a tribute to the fashion designer who outfitted Federer on his wedding day.  

4. Shooting Fast & Furious 7...

A "major star" is rumored for the seventh installment of the Fast & Furious series, according to multiple people who still care about the Fast & Furious series, whoever that may be. Most fans and movie aficionados assume the "major star" is from the entertainment industry, but who's to say it isn't a major tennis star? Maybe Roger Federer is making his on-screen debut as the mysterious "supervillain."

5. Babysitting the royal baby...

With seven Wimbledon titles to his name, very few people are more qualified to nanny the royal baby while Prince William and Kate hit the town for a night out. Maybe Roger Federer has set tennis aside to devote his time to caring for young George Alexander Louis.

I truly believe one of those theories, at least one, is accurate.

The Outer Courts Falls Out of Love with Fabio

If there is one thing I have learned in my short time covering tennis, it is this. The player you like today may be the player you hate tomorrow.  At Indian Wells, I became a huge fan of Fabio Fognini.  I described him this way in our preview last night here on "The Outer Courts":

Part of what makes Fabio fascinating is also what makes him on the surface, unlikeable. He is a living embodiment of the kind of person one doesn't think exists in reality...rich, handsome, stylish and named Fabio, almost like a cultural stereotype of the kind of person that no one would like and was destined to be a complete jerk. And that he may be, but on the court, he grinds out points and is able to scramble for points as well as anyone on tour. He is having his best year ever and now finds himself seeded in a Masters 1000 event. If you aren't familiar with him, don't let your first impression bias you too greatly. He comes off initially as an imminently hateable character...but give him a chance and he may win you over.

Well after today, maybe I need to change that view. For now, Fognini is back on the "difficult to like" list. As Amy Fetherolf reports, in his disappointing loss to Radek Stepanek, Fognini ended the match by pitching a fit, acting out over his disapproval of calls made by the chair umpire. After being tagged for a couple of foot faults, Fognini became visibly frustrated, at one point sneering in the direction of the umpire. He was soon thereafter assessed a penalty for "ball abuse" (a penalty that I admit makes little sense to me...are we worried about the feelings of the ball or potentially scarring it for its future), and Fognini began slowly losing his mind. His play worsened and his distraction led to play that resemebled one step above tanking. On the final point of the match, Fognini decided to make a statement and intentionally foot faulted on his serve, thereby ensuring the match for Stepanek. The crowd booed with disapproval and Fognini left the court as the least favorite Cincinnati interloper since Jerry Springer's prostitute.

In tennis, like love, approval is fleeting. Fabio was the apple of The Outer Courts' eye at Indian Wells...now he leaves Ohio an embarrassment. As the philosopher Ice Cube once said, "You used to be the Don Juan, not your name is just 'Toine."  Fabio, we hardly knew you.

Breaking Down The Men's Singles Main Draw, Part 2

THE RIGHT SIDE 

BYES: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Thomas Berdych, Andy Murray

The first round will not feature any of the big names as they enjoy the fruits of their top 8 ranking. I am severely disappointed that once again (a) we have a Nadal-Federer Quarterfinal...I don't think it is too much to ask to pair Roger with David Ferrer so that we are left with the off chance of getting all of the Big Four in the semifinals and (b) the fact that three of the big four are on one side of the draw. I know this is supposed to be random and all, but at some point do it for the fans. No offense to Berdych, Ferrer, Del Potro or Gasquet, but I think I speak for all red-blooded American tennis fans...we want the possibility of the Big Four together, give it to us.

FIRST ROUND MATCHES:

Philipp Kohlschreiber vs Mardy Fish:

Besides the most obvious feature of this match (which of course are is the names of the players...a guy whose last name is Fish versus a man who spells Phillip in an incorrect way...who goes with one "L" and two "P"s), this first round battle is mostly notable for one final push by Mardy Fish to make noise. The American has had great success in Cincinnati over the years, reaching the Semifinals twice and with his limited schedule this year (only three ATP Tournaments all year), this may be a bit of a swan song for the #76 ranked player. Expect the Cincinnati fans to root him on with all their might, but incorrectly spelled Philipp to move on.

Marcel Granollers vs Lukas Rosol:

You have to be a tennis junkie to care about this one, but since you, the reader of The Outer Courts are a junkie, you will care. Both players are ranked similarly (#44 and #36 in the world), and neither has had a great deal of success in Masters 1000 events. So to make this match interesting, let's do what anyone else would do...compare the jobs of their parents. Granollers' father directs tv commercials and Rosol's mother is an ice skating instructor. It is the dead of summer in Cincinnati, so there is little use for ice. Spanish commercials are always entertaining (they usually involve talking babies), so I will go with Granollers.

Kevin Anderson vs Tommy Haas

No offense to Kevin Anderson, but my entire attention on this match will be focused on Tommy Haas. We have a lot in common. Our age is similar, (he is 35, I am a virile 34). our mindset is akin, (we both believe we are younger than we are, as seen by my hooded sweatshirt apparel and Haas' propensity to wear hats backwards) and we are both holding on in a young man's game (he tennis, me blogging). I root for Haas and have enjoyed his resurgence this year. I have a feeling he has a run in him in New York for the Open and I think he gets the momentum started with a solid showing here.

Nicolas Amalgro vs Grigor Dimitrov

I admit that I am completely fascinated by Grigor Dimitrov. Everything about him seems counterintuitive. He is most famous for dating Maria Sharapova and being the "black heart boyfriend" that Serena Williams mentioned in her recent diss. But think about this...Dimitrov is rumored to have dated Serena in the past and is currently with Sharapova, arguably the two most famous women's tennis players in the world. Yet he is much younger than both (he is only 22, while Maria is 26 and Serena is 32) and is a middle-level player, while they are tennis elite. How does he do it? And why is he a black heart? Is it because of his temper (shown in his Wimbledon meltdown) or some other nefarious trait? Whatever the case, Dimitrov has convinced two of the most confident, talented women at their craft in the world to get in a public fight, with him as the centerpiece. If he can do that, how is it possible his tennis can be so mediocre?

Brian Baker vs Denis Isotomin

Baker is a tour veteran and was given a Wildcard into this event, which is nice, but his #188 world ranking suggests his time here will be short. Isotomin gave Djokovic all he wanted in Montreal, before bowing out in three sets. While the performance was impressive, his look needs work. Isotomin plays in sports goggles, which may be necessary from a vision perspective, but does very little to suggest a career of great success. Name the best athlete to wear goggles on a regular basis...maybe Bill Walton...but even he eventually agreed to contacts. It is 2013 and while I like the moxy Isotomin has shown, he needs a fashion/vision consultant to move him into the modern era. #NoGogglesinTennis

Qualifier vs Qualifier

One of the qualifiers is going to make it into the second round and face Rafa Nadal. A huge opportunity for either one. I will take Qualifier #2, in a marathon match that keeps the crowd entertained and leaves Qualifier #1 heartbroken.

Qualifier vs Jarkko Niemenen

Niemenen is the classic example of a tour grinder. He has been on the tour consistently since 2001, with his ranking never getting higher than #15 and never lower than #77. Through that time, he has won only two titles, but has had a number of consistently solid finishes and has produced the occasional upset in the big event. If he were a basketball player, he would be AC Green (presumably minus the chastity vow), someone you want on your side, but you are never scared of seeing in your draw. Unlike a lot of ATP players however, he served in the Finnish Army from 2008-2009. That is a toughness that a Qualifier could never muster. Niemenen does it for his Finnish homeland and moves on.

Tommy Robredo vs Thomaz Bellucci

This match comes down to a classic cultural battle about what is truly in a name. The name Thomas is international, one can find people who utilize it in countries all over the world. However the derivatives of that name tell us a lot about the individuals blessed with it. Robredo uses the version "Tommy", a more informal, younger use of Thomas that suggests to all who meet the individual that he is fun, laid back and not ready to grow up. Bellucci comes from Brazil and chooses "Thomaz", a spelling that isn't a regular variant of the name and suggests creativity, flair and individuality. In the same way that "Tommy" connects with Spain's laid-back atmosphere, Bellucci taps into the Brazilian spirit with his unique take on the Thomas name. This match represents much more than tennis, and famous Thomases and Toms throughout history, from Jefferson to Hanks to Cruise to Petty, will anxiously be watching to see which is deemed best on the sports battlefield.

Andreas Seppi vs Stanislas Wawrinka

From a competitive standpoint, this may be the best first round match of them all. Wawrinka is seeded #9 and has quietly been putting together a great last 18 months, moving up the world rankings and becoming the top ten player that he has teetered so close to being over the last five years. Seppi comes in ranked #23 and with a number of points at stake for him over the next few weeks, this match becomes one of great importance. It will likely be the match with the most at stake in Round 1 and will probably produce the best tennis. But because both players have the star power in America of a second string offensive lineman for the Carolina Panthers, unfortunately most (besides you, the Outer Courts reader) will miss it.

Fabio Fognini vs Radek Stepanek

If you like temper, personality and hotheads, the bottom part of this draw was taylor-made for you. At Indian Wells, we became a huge fan of Fabio Fognini, as we watched the young Italian slowly win over the Centre Court crowd in a great battle with Novak Djokovic. Part of what makes Fabio fascinating is also what makes him on the surface, unlikeable. He is a living embodiment of the kind of person one doesn't think exists in reality...rich, handsome, stylish and named Fabio, almost like a cultural stereotype of the kind of person that no one would like and was destined to be a complete jerk. And that he may be, but on the court, he grinds out points and is able to scramble for points as well as anyone on tour. He is having his best year ever and now finds himself seeded in a Masters 1000 event. If you aren't familiar with him, don't let your first impression bias you too greatly. He comes off initially as an imminently hateable character...but give him a chance and he may win you over...unless he is wearing a headband and then he probably will be too much to take.

Ernests Gulbis vs Mikhail Youzhny

While Fognini looks on the surface to be tough to like, but deep down could be lovable, Ernests Gulbis is a tough guy to cheer for both on the surface and in actuality. He is the loudest mouth on tour, complaining, harassing linesmen and ball boys and generally being a total bore on the court. He has uber-talent and has long been pegged as a player who could challenge to be in the top ten. But he is also potentially a lunatic and seems one bad point away from finding newborn calfs in the crowd and beheading them for his own pleasure. He too is having the best year of his career and his temper has tamed somewhat. But he is due for a blow-up and in the heart and humidity of Cincinnati, I can easily see a Gulbis storm for the ages brewing.

Breaking Down The Men's Single Main Draw, Part 1

We're settled into our hotel and ready for Breaking Bad the Western & Southern Open main draw action tomorrow afternoon.  In order to fully prepare for the first round showdowns, Matt and I split up the draw and broke it down with a brief and insufficient match-by-match preview. I'm up first with Novak Djokovic and the left side...



BYES: Novak Djokovic, Richard Gasquet, David Ferrer, Juan Martin Del Potro

Sitting poolside at the players hotel on Monday will be Novak Djokovic, Richard Gasquet, David Ferrer, and Juan Martin Del Potro. Djokovic, the tournament's top seed and world No. 1 player, has reached four of the last five Western & Southern Open finals, but hasn't yet lifted the trophy in Cincinnati. This year he enters the event after a tough semifinal loss to Rafael Nadal in Montreal on Saturday.

Juan Monaco vs. Jurgen Melzer

It's the classic Argentinian-righty versus Austrian-lefty in this first round matchup. Monaco, nicknamed Pico, won the Power House Cup earlier this year and currently sits at No. 30 in the world rankings. Monaco is 1-7 on hard courts in the past 12 months.

His opponent, Jurgen Melzer, is the 33rd-ranked player in the world and husband of WTAer Iveta Benesova. That's a fun name to say, isn't it? Iveta Benesova. Iveta Benesova.

Qualifier vs. Qualifier

I'm not a bettin' man, but if I had to put money on this one, I'd have to go with Qualifier advancing to the second round over Qualifier. Qualifier's serve is just too much for Qualifier to return, and considering the hot streak Qualifier is on, Qualifier doesn't stand a chance. Qualifier has an edge over Qualifier in many quality qualifications.

Vasik Pospisil vs. Gilles Simon

Vlasick Popsicle, we'll call him the Frozen Pickle, almost found himself in the finals against Nadal in Montreal after a hard-fought match with Milos Raonic in the semis. The Frozen Pickle defeated John Isner as a wild card in the tournament's opening round, one of the few times Canada has reigned supreme over America.

Gilles "Gilou" Simon is setting his love for rollerblading aside for the afternoon.

Milos Raonic vs. Jack Sock

Fresh off his Rogers Cup finals loss to Rafa Nadal, Milos Raonic has drawn the tall task of trying to keep his composure while his opponent, Jack Sock, curses and pouts roughly 70 feet away. Sock, an enemy of The Outer Courts's Matt Jones, is a young American talent but struggles controlling his temper when things aren't going his way. Look out for flying rackets in this one, folks.

Janko Tipsarevic vs. Sam Querrey

Janko "Unchained" Tipsarevic will square off with California boy Sam Querrey in this first round bout. After the match, Janko will partner with a German bounty hunter to hunt down the Brittle Brothers. A friendship will form between the bounty hunter and his new apprentice, and once the Brittles Brothers bounty is collected, the two will set out to rescue Janko's wife from an evil Mississippi plantation owner.

Florian Mayer vs. John Isner

Known for his unorthodox style of play, according to Wikipedia, Florian Mayer has a long backswing on his forehand and backhand and uses a lot of different slices and spin on his backhand side. His finishing move is the jumping backhand dropshot.

Floridian Mayor's opponent, the tall-standing John Isner, relies on his serve to crush his foes. At 6 feet, 10 inches tall, Isner is the second tallest player on the ATP tour, behind our man Ivo Karlovic. Isner attended the University of Georgia, so he probably likes to party.

Ryan Harrison vs. Alexandr Dolgopolov

There aren't many Alexandr Dolgopolovs walking around Shreveport, Louisiana, Ryan Harrison's hometown, so the American will have his hands full with the Ukrainian, no doubt. Not to mention, Dolgopolov is currently ranked No. 37 in the world, almost 70 spots ahead of Harrison.

Harrison does have the red, the white and the blue pulling for him in Cincinnati, though, and that might be just what he needs to pull off the upset. The former Oklahoma State Cowboy will look to send Dolgopolov home early, where he makes Internet games in his spare time and is paid for it, his ATP bio says.

Qualifier vs. Martin Klizan

An old country music song once taught me to never mess with the son of a general manager at an electric transformator company in Bratislava, and if Qualifier hasn't heard that song, he will learn that lesson tomorrow. Klizan, fresh off a Rogers Cup loss to Milos Raonic, is the son of a general manager at an electric transformator company in Bratislava and he's ready to send Qualifier home tomorrow singin' the blues.

James Blake vs. Jerzy Janowicz

Once the fourth-ranked player in the world, James Blake now sits at No. 99 in the rankings and is paired up against 18th-ranked Jerzy Janowicz in the Western & Southern Open's opening round. The two have never met in ATP competition before, so tomorrow will be like a first date. Kind of. Not really.

There's a Jerzy Shore pun in there somewhere but I don't have it. Moving on...

Kei Nishikori vs. Feliciano Lopez

Feliciano Lopez has his own website and its fancy, therefore I am picking him over Kei Nishikori, whose website doesn't play music or flash things at me. Maybe Nishikori should hire Alexandr Dolgopolov to add some Internet games to the site once the two are eliminated from the tourney.

Jeremy Chardy vs. Qualifier

If Qualifier isn't completely worn out from appearing in all his other matches, I think he can give Chardy a run for his money. But one would have to assume Qualifier will be completely gassed with such a seemingly endless schedule to open the tournament. With that in mind, I am picking Jeremy Chardy over Qualifier to advance to face the winner of the website matchup.

Benoit Paire vs. Nikolay Davydenko

Benoit Paire and I have a mutual friend so I feel a connection to him, although we've never met and speak different languages. And even if we didn't share a common acquaintance, I'd pull for him in this matchup because Nikolay Davydenko's photo on the ATP website terrifies me.

I mean, really, who is that angry while having their photo taken? It's like he is staring into my soul. Someone hand the man a puppy and get him out of my nightmares.


Matt will be by later with the rest of the draw....

We're back and answering all your questions at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati!

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, tennis fans of all ages, The Outer Courts is back for another fun-filled week of ATP and WTA tennis action. I, Drew Franklin, and my cohort, Matt Jones, have returned to Tennis Channel to give you a unique and comical perspective, unlike anything you'll find anywhere else on the worldwide web. 

This week we'll be wandering aimlessly at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, looking for the next Ivo Karlovic, clapping for every challenge, and buying every t-shirt the gift shop has to offer. It will be a fun and entertaining week, we're very excited to be back, and we hope you'll follow along.

To kick off our first trip to the Western & Southern Open and our second stop with Tennis Channel, here are several frequently asked questions surrounding the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 and WTA Premier 5 event...

How did it begin?

Back in 1899, way before graphite rackets, hard courts, and Red Foo's "Party Rock Anthem," the Avondale Athletic Club hosted the Cincinnati Open for the area's top tennis players. The matches were played on clay courts on the grounds that is now known as Xavier University.

The tournament moved to the Cincinnati Tennis Club four years later, its primary location up until 1972. 

From 1978 to 1989, now at a permanent stadium in Mason, Ohio, the Cincinnati Master was a major tournament in the men's Grand Prix Tennis Tour and part of the Grand Prix Championship Series.

The Western & Southern Financial Group became the primary sponsor in 2002 and, in 2008, The United States Tennis Association, owners of the U.S. Open, purchased a majority stake in the tournament.

In August 2013, the Western & Southern Open opened its arms to TheOuterCourts.com.

Where is it played?

The tournament is held at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio. The venue features 16 courts, including four tennis stadiums, making it the only non-Grand Slam venue with more than two stadium courts. Its center court can hold up to 11,400 spectators and Maria Sharapova admirers.

When do the sessions begin?

Action gets underway everyday at 11:00 a.m. and lasts until around 11:00 p.m., dependent on the length of the evening matches.

Each day is split into an afternoon and evening session so you'll need two tickets if you plan on sticking around for an entire day.

Is that Kings Island?!!!

Yes, that's King Island, the largest amusement and water park in the midwest. You can go another time. Stay focused, please.

Who is competing?

All of the sport's biggest stars are in this year's tournament field. You name them, they're here. 

Who won last year?

Roger Federer defeated Novak Djokovic 6-0, 7-6 for his fifth Western & Southern Open title in eight years. 

Li Na won the women's crown over Angelique Kerber in three sets. The win moved her up one spot in the world rankings to No. 8.

Are there any big storylines this year?

Why yes, actually, there is an exciting potential quarter-final showdown between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The two were set up to meet in this year's Wimbledon quarter-final but both were upset in earlier rounds. They've met twice in 2013 with Rafa winning both contests.

There is also the resurgence of the bitter feud between Matt and Jack Sock. Sock will be tested early against the red hot Milos Raonic and Matt will almost certainly be Raonic's biggest supporter in the stands.

Spaghetti noodles? With my chili?

It's a Cincinnati thing. You'll probably taste a little cinnamon and chocolate in the chili, too. Cincinnatians consume more than two-million pounds of it each year.

Is it too late to buy tickets?

Most of the prime tickets have been gobbled up but you can still grab a single session seat through Ticketmaster.com. Fans can also purchase a "grounds pass" for sold out sessions for general seating anywhere outside Center Court.

Where can I park?

Parking is free and provided at the Lindner Family Tennis Center.

I live in Nebraska and gas prices are outrageous, can I watch it on TV?

Absolutely. The tournament will be broadcast for a record 64.5 hours, beginning Monday morning at 11:00 a.m. on Tennis Channel. The pregame show starts at 10:30 a.m.

Can we please go ride The Beast?

No. We cannot.