First Serve: May 17-22

Published May 23, 2010

Reading between the lines: TENNIS.com's Monday morning quarterback recaps last week's pro tennis action—and offers his reaction.

Last Week's Tournaments

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Dusseldorf, Germany(ATP, Clay)	Final: Argentina def. United StatesBrackets: Singles/Doubles
Nice, France(ATP, Clay)	Final: Richard Gasquet def. Fernando VerdascoSemifinal 1: Richard Gasquet def. Potito StaraceSemifinal 2: Fernando Verdasco def. Leonardo MayerBrackets: Singles \| Doubles
Strasbourg, France(WTA, Clay)	Final: Maria Sharapova def. Kristina BarroisSemifinal 1: Maria Sharapova def. Anabel Medina GarriguesSemifinal 2: Kristina Barrois def. Vania KingBrackets: Singles \| Doubles
Warsaw, Poland(WTA, Clay)	Final: Alexandra Dulgheru def. Zheng JieSemifinal 1: Zheng Jie def. Greta ArnSemifinal 2: Alexandra Dulgheru def. Li NaBrackets: Singles \| Doubles



Gasquet heads into Roland Garros on a 10-match winning streak. (Stephane Danna/AFP/Getty Images)

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Nice Showing
The feel-good story of the month involves the much-maligned Richard Gasquet, who followed up his win at the Bordeaux Challenger with a title in Nice. Gasquet, a former Top 10 player who a few weeks back was outside the Top 80, rallied from a 4-1 third-set deficit to beat Fernando Verdasco and win his first ATP tournament since 2007. I don’t expect the Frenchman to go deep at Roland Garros—he’s played in each of the last three weeks and probably needs a rest—but I could see short-term success, namely against Andy Murray in the opening round. Even if Gasquet falls in five sets, it’s still a moral victory for him, but his momentum might carry him even further.?

Asking For Trouble
Speaking of overplaying, what was Caroline Wozniacki doing in Warsaw? She’d already played three straight weeks of tournaments (Stuttgart, Rome, Madrid) and wasn’t far removed from an ankle injury in Charleston. Lo and behold, she was forced to retire in the Warsaw quarters after another ankle problem surfaced. Since Charleston, Wozniacki is just 3-4, with all of those losses coming in straight sets (or by retirement). She’s in a nice section of the draw at the French, but I’d be impressed if she gets past Flavia Pennetta in the fourth round, even as the third seed.

R.I.P., P.V.B.
A disturbing trend continued last week when officials of the Ponte Vedra Beach WTA event announced that the tournament would be folding after 31 years. Held in Amelia Island since 1980, the event moved to nearby Ponte Vedra Beach in 2009, but is done after just two editions there. The AP report says it’s because the WTA is restructuring its calendar.


Roland Garros (ATP, Clay)	Brackets: Singles \| Doubles
Roland Garros (WTA, Clay)	Brackets: Singles \| Doubles

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Ed McGrogan is an assistant editor for TENNIS.com.

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