Nikolay Davydenko recovered from being bagelled in the first set and then saved two match points in the second set to defeat Rafael Nadal 0-6, 7-6, 6-4 and win the Qatar Open title in Doha.
Wildcard recipient Yanina Wickmayer won the Auckland title, defeating top seed Flavia Pennetta 6-3, 6-2 in the final.
In another women's tennis event Down Under, Kim Clijsters defeated Justine Henin 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 in an all-Belgian final in Brisbane on Saturday.
The doubles final was won by Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka who edged Melinda Czink and Arantxa Parra Santonja in a match tie-break victory, 2-6, 7-6, 10-4.
In the men's event, Andy Roddick took the Brisbane title by holding on for a 7-6, 7-6 win over Radek Stepanek.
In the men's doubles final, Marc Gicquel and Jeremy Chardy upset no. 1 seeds Lukas Dlouhy and Leander Paes in the final, 6-3, 7-6(5).
Marin Cilic has defended his Chennai title by defeating Stanislas Wawrinka 7-6(2), 7-6(3) in the final.
Spaniards Marcel Granollers and Santiago Ventura won the doubles title, defeating Janko Tipsarevic and Rendy Lu Yen-hsun 7-5, 6-2 in the doubles final. (Images via Yahoo! Sports)
In Doha, Andy Murray defeated the other Andy, Mr. Roddick 6-4, 6-2 to win his first ATP title of the year, and ninth overall.
Fernando Verdasco failed to stop Radek Stepanek a.k.a. the Worm in Brisbane which resulted him to lost 6-3, 3-6, 4-6.
Verdasco also failed to win in the men's doubles final match. Marc Gicquel and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Verdasco and Mischa Zverev in straight sets 6-4, 6-3.
In the women's doubles Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Vania King won 3-6, 7-5, 10-5 over Poland pair Klaudia Jans and Alicja Rosollska.
Somdev Devvarman who had beaten Carlos Moya and Ivo Karlovic earlier at the Chennai Open tournament, failed to convert the final match against Marin Cilic into a win. Cilic recorded a 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) victory in two hours.
Somdev's achievement last week helped him to climb from 202 to a 154 in the ATP rankings. Way to go for this young man from India!
In the men's doubles, Eric Butorac and Rajeev Ram defeated Jean-Claude Scherrer and Stanislas Wawrinka 6-3, 6-4 to take the Chennai Open title.
ATP aside, in the ITF's China F1 Futures event, world's top-ranked junior Yang Tsung-hua who has just turned pro won both men's singles and doubles titles.
Yang who partnered with Lee Hsin-han thrashed Li Zhe and Wang Yu Jr. 6-0, 6-3. Then he defeated Zeng Shao-xuan6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in the men's final.
Seriously, Victoria Azarenka's phython-sized braided ponytail is very distracting. The other braided ponytail that I dislike is Mary Pierce's.
Put the hairy issue aside, the good news is, Azarenka earned her first WTA title, defeating Marion Bartoli in the final at the Brisbane International.
Belarus’ Azarenka, the no. 2 seed, cruised to a 6-3, 6-1 triumph over the third-seeded Frenchwoman in the second career meeting between the pair.
“Everybody says the third time’s the charm but for me it is the fifth one - I’m just glad I got it,” Azarenka said.
“I just go out and play no matter what happens. That probably helped me. It was like playing a regular match - that is what helped me finish it so quickly.”
Richard Gasquet made a stunning comeback against French countryman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to book his place in the Brisbane International semifinals.
Gasquet who was dominated in the first set by Tsonga, responded brilliantly to win 1-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Despite his lost, Tsonga had a decent run here and will definitely set the wheel in motion for the Australian Open when he heads to Sydney Open next week.
Back to Gasquet, he will face Radek Stepanek in the semifinals after he triumph over Robin Soderling 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Another semifinal match will be between third-seeded Fernando Verdasco and Paul-Henri Mathieu.
By the way don't you think Nando's latest photo in Brisbane rather empty here?
It's because Ana Ivanovic will not be in Brisbane to cheer for him as she has already touched down Melbourne to practice for the first Grand Slam tournament of the year.
Paul-Henri Mathieu has claimed a spot in the semifinals of the Brisbane International with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Japanese Kei Nishikori.
Kei didn't look fine after a medical time out before the 4th game in the second set.
Now Frenchman Mathieu who is the world no. 31 will play against Fernando Verdasco next in the semifinals after the Spaniard beat another Frenchman, Florent Serra.
Earlier this week in, after playing mini tennis with kids in downtown Brisbane, Kei was interviewed by ATP. He discussed about his breakout 2008 season, his 2009 hopes and how he lost five straight sets to Radek Stepanek in practice during the off season.
Novak Djokovic’s preparations for the defence of his Australian Open title suffered an unexpected setback after being knocked out of the Brisbane International in the first round.
The world no. 3 who has made a switch over to Head from Wilson, lost his debut match at the brand new Pat Rafter Arena to Latvian Ernests Gulbis 6-4 6-4.
“I am not panicking,” he told reporters.
“The Australian Open is my highest goal for this part of the year and I really want to play well there.
“It’s not the end of the world. It’s the first match, so I’m not going to be pessimistic.
“I have a lot of time now to prepare for the Aussie Open.”
BRISBANE tennis fans may glimpse Novak Djokovic's glamour girlfriend Leryn Franco when the Serb takes to the court at the Brisbane International.
"A lot of these guys do travel with their girlfriends through to the Australian Open, so I guess there is every chance she could be here," said the tournament's director, Steve Ayles. "But I couldn't say for sure."
I can't believe this 'cheap' claims comes from the Brisbane tournament director. I mean Djokovic himself already denied the rumour at the recent U.S Open.
Another event's big drawcard, Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will be attending the Brisbane International too.
Ayles also confirmed that Tsonga, is desperate to check out Queensland's deep-sea fishing.
"He does love to fish so we're trying to organise a trip for him."
In the meanwhile here are some latest pictures of Djokovic at a welcoming evening at Bratislava, before the start of the Davis Cup match between Serbia and Slovakia. He was seen dancing with Slovakian singer Sisa Sklovska. Updated: And here are more photos of Djokovic and his Serbian teammates and the Slovakian team.
Novak Djokovic leads the Serbian team.
Serbian tennis player Janko Tipsarevic is pictured at the press conference at the end of the draw for of the Davis Cup World Group.
The Serbian tennis team (Left to right) Novak Djokovic, Bogdan Obradovic, Janko Tipsarevic, and Viktor Troicki.
(Left to right) Slovakia tennis team members Dominik Hrbaty, Lukas Lacko, and Milos Mecir, and Serbian tennis team players Bogdan Obradovic, Novak Djokovic, Janko Tipsarevic, Viktor Troicki, and Nenad Zimonjic.
Tennis players Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia and Novak Djokovic of Serbia.
Nikolay Davydenko recovered from being bagelled in the first set and then saved two match points in the second set to defeat Rafael Nadal 0-6, 7-6, 6-4 and win the Qatar Open title in Doha.
Wildcard recipient Yanina Wickmayer won the Auckland title, defeating top seed Flavia Pennetta 6-3, 6-2 in the final.
In another women's tennis event Down Under, Kim Clijsters defeated Justine Henin 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 in an all-Belgian final in Brisbane on Saturday.
In the men's event, Andy Roddick took the Brisbane title by holding on for a 7-6, 7-6 win over Radek Stepanek.
Marin Cilic has defended his Chennai title by defeating Stanislas Wawrinka 7-6(2), 7-6(3) in the final.
