Friday, August 17, 2007
Roger rising, Serena descending Roddick reeling, Golovin ascending under Wilander

By Matthew Cronin, TennisReporters.net

	Mark Lyons The up-and-down summer of Andy Roddick.

FEDERER REVIVING IN CINCY: After contesting a confusing third-set tiebreak in his Montreal final loss to Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer is looking like a decent-sized favorite to win Cincy after posting dicey but mentally impressive wins over Marcos Baghdatis and Nicolas Almagro.

Federer, looking for his 50th career title, will now face Lleyton Hewitt, whom he has owned the past three years. Still, the contest will be a tremendous workout for the Swiss's cross-court forehand and down-the-line backhand, as he'll be staying far away from Hewitt's favored two-handed backhand cross court. As always, Hewitt has been top drawer during the US summer hard-court season. Here's the Aussie propping himself: "I think at my best I'm easily in the Top 10. There's a lot guys I felt comfortable about beating when I'm playing at my best. The last couple of years I've had niggling injuries, so that's been the hardest thing: Getting on court and getting match time."

RODDICK REELING: After falling in straight sets to David Ferrer in the third round of Cincy, defending champion Andy Roddick said he isn't on the skids. He did castigate himself for playing too passively against a guy he should be able to bully on US soil, but he believes he can cure what ails him strategically in practice. Roddick may have won the title in Washington over a ho-hum field, but at the recent two Masters Series, he's been underwhelming. If his confidence is truly shaken, he could be in for severe trouble in New York.

BLAKE NEEDS REVENGE OVER QUERREY: James Blake is looking to turn around his summer when he faces fellow American Sam Querrey in the Cincy quarters, the same whippersnapper who upended him at Indianapolis. While the still young Querrey has to be quite pleased with his mid-summer form after a horrid spring and Wimbledon, Blake could really use a run to the final.

	Mal Taam/MALTphoto Things are looking up for Tatiana Golovin since Mats Wilander starting coaching her.

SERENA QUESTIONABLE FOR US OPEN: Things were looking up for Serena Williams when after five withdrawals, she entered her first event post-Wimbledon. But apparently, her left thumb injury hasn't healed as she pulled out of New Haven with the same injury. She now has to be considered questionable for the US Open and, even if she does play, she'll be super rusty and mistrustful of her two-handed backhand. This is not an Australian rerun, as eight months ago prior to her amazing charge to her eighth Slam title Down Under, at least she was able to get a few matches in Hobart.

BARTOLI CATCHES 2ND VIRUS: When Wimby finalist Marion Bartoli landed in Palo Alto a few days before the Bank of the West Classic, she went straight to bed after catching some type of stomach flu. Three weeks later, she's been stricken again this time by the WTA summer 2007 virus, which seems to have struck every other notable player. In Toronto, Bartoli retired against Yan Zi down 6-2 3-0. Her hopes of reaching the second week of the US Open - let alone the Top 10 - have seriously faded.

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