Kei Nishikori's knee OK!

According to a Japanese sports website Daily Sports Online, Kei is receiving treatment on his right knee in Florida.

The good news is, Kei was told that the injury is due to fatigue and won't get any worse.

So we can expect him to return to court next week in Basel!

Updates:
Well, apparently things are not okay and Kei has to take a break from the rest of this season. Get well soon!

(Via menstennisforums, Image via Olivier Morin/AFP/Getty Images)

Bryan Twins off-court; Dubs results at Madrid Masters

Top seeds and two-time defending champions Bob and Mike Bryan took time out from their first-match preparations at the Mutua Madrilena Masters Madrid yesterday to sign autographs and copies of the new ATP Feel the Speed of Doubles book for fans.

The American twins, who have amassed a 60-14 doubles record and clinched five titles this year, will contest their first match since winning the US Open crown last month against Brazilians Marcelo Melo and Andre Sa in Madrid on Thursday.

In second round action, fifth seeds Jonas Bjorkman and Kevin Ullyett—who are tied No. 5 in the Stanford ATP Doubles Race—boosted their chances of qualifying for Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai after beating Tomas Berdych and Nicolas Kiefer 6-3, 3-6, 10-7 in 80 minutes.

Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic, who are locked in a two-team battle with the Bryan brothers for year-end No. 1 honours, advanced to the quarterfinals with a 7-6(3), 6-4 win over Spaniards Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco.

Polish duo Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski also advanced to the quarterfinals on Wednesday, after edging past French duo and recent Metz titlists Arnaud Clement and Michael Llodra 7-5, 7-6(14) in 91 minutes.

Rafael Nadal, who had been due to partner compatriot Carlos Moya in the second round against fourth seeds Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles on Wednesday afternoon, withdrew from that match due to slight pain in his lower back.

(Images by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic advances at Madrid Masters; Nikolay Davydenko stumbles

I'm not sure if it's only me. I thought Roger Federer look pale. Hope he's not sick or experiencing fatigue still.

Last night, Federer returned from a 5-week break to beat Radek Stepanek 6-3, 7-6 (6) in the second round of the Madrid Masters.

“Happy to be back on tour,” Federer said.

“Happy with this first round. it was always going to be tough against Radek and he played a great second set.”

Federer, playing his first ATP event since winning the U.S. Open last month, will face Australian Open finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

“I’m excited. He’s had a rocky season with injuries this year, so I feel for the guy,” Federer said of his French opponent.

“He’s probably one of the guys you wanna be playing out there.”

In an earlier match, Novak Djokovic advanced after Victor Hanescu retired because of an apparent groin injury while trailing 6-7 (8), 7-6 (8), 3-1.

“It’s a big relief to win … this is a big boost up for upcoming matches,” Djokovic said.

“He used his biggest weapon which was his serve. I couldn’t find any rhythm in return, so he used that wisely.”

Top-ranked Rafael Nadal pulled out of doubles with Carlos Moya on Tuesday because of a slight upper leg injury.

“Every match is important, including doubles, but I’ve got priorities,” said Nadal, who will face Richard Gasquet of France in singles tonight.

“You can’t win everything.”

American qualifier Robby Ginepri had the biggest upset of the day, beating fifth-ranked Nikolay Davydenko 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Andy Roddick had little trouble getting past Spain’s Tommy Robredo, 6-3, 6-4.

The 8th-ranked American’s booming serve was never seriously challenged by Robredo and Roddick used breaks in each of the sets to pace out his win.

David Nalbandian won his sixth straight match by defeating Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-1.

Updates:
6th seed Ferrer suffered a shock defeat to fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez in straight sets, recording a 6-4 7-6 triumph.

There will be an all-Argentinean clash in the next round when Nalbandian will meet his Davis Cup team-mate Juan Martin del Potro, who was 6-4 6-2 ahead when his Finnish opponent, Jarrko Nieminen, retired.

(Via AP, Images via Yahoo! Sport)

An interview with Rohan Bopanna at Tashkent Challenger

Thank you Esther for sharing this piece of interview via the media people at Tashkent Challenger.

So here you go:

An interview with Rohan Bopanna

India’s top tennis player Rohan Bopanna who has been performing exceedingly well in the doubles scene on the ATP Tour , is all set to partner leading doubles specialist Max Mirnyi of Belarus at the ATP Tour event at St Petersburg next week.

“I’m looking forward to play with Mirnyi, it’ll surely be a great experience for me to play with someone like him”, said Bopanna after entering the main draw of the Tashkent Open.

“I called up Mirnyi after he broke up with his regular partner Jamie Murray and he instantly agreed to play with me. I can surely learn a lot from his caliber and experience at the highest level”, said an elated Bopanna

Asked whether they will play in the future as well Bopanna replied, there is no commitment, but if they can do well and progress at St. Petersburg they will decide the future steps and hopefully continue partnerships on a long term basis.

Bopanna however added that his partnership with Aisam Qureshi would continue as they will be playing at the German and Slovak challengers in the next few weeks.

“Knowing each other for so long and our off court relationships have helped me and Aisam to pull off some very good matches, he said.

Expressing bitterness over being dropped for the Davis Cup for Romania, Bopanna said

“I was surprised at not being on the Davis Cup team for the tie against Romania, normally we have 5 players traveling on the Davis Cup team for the away tie, but for this tie only 4 players were sent to Romania."

"I’ve been in the team from 2002 and also have played singles all the while. I was told I was dropped because my performance was not good enough in the singles for a place in the squad," he added.

Bopanna, who was among the players who rebelled against the captaincy of Leander Paes, said

"He admitted that we have had differences in April, but I guess some grouses we raised have been sorted out, we need to have high team morale and good camaraderie amongst team members, which helps in close Davis Cup ties, this was missing," he added.

“Now that we are back to Group I and have to keep fighting to get back into the World Group."

On his rankings in the singles, Bopanna replied

“Many don’t know that my singles ranking has been affected because of my doubles performances. Many a times I can’t play qualifying in the singles as I’m playing in the finals of a doubles event."

"I’ve had to miss quite a few singles events as the qualifying is played on weekends, and so are the semifinals and finals of doubles.”

"But I guess that’s part of the profession, I’m playing well and will be playing at the Challengers in Germany and Slovakia , and also qualifying at Tashkent , will surely help my singles rankings. My performance at Newport, where I reached the quarterfinals in singles has been the best so far this year."

"I’m just trying to leave everything behind me and trying to improve my singles rankings and get back my place back into the squad for the tie which will take on the winners of Kazakhstan and Chinese Taipei in April 2009."

Bopanna also added that travelling with his trainer Shyamal Vallabhjee, have helped him immensely to overcome his injuries.

“Shyamal who has also been a trainer of the South African cricket team, and also travels with Mahesh Bhupathi has done a great job for me in getting me out of injuries.”

"I’ve realized how important it is to have a trainer on the professional circuit, if I would have had a trainer before it would have been a boon, he said. I feel some times it is more good to have trainer on the tour than a coach," he added.