Round 1 Update

Maria Sharapova, theNETcourt’s finalist pick is out! Robin Soderling wins the first two sets and loses in five, Fed struggles, Kolya destroys and the rest of the men’s big six get along just fine. Justine and Elena each do their part to set up a second round clash that feels suspiciously like a semi or final.

A disappointing start to 2010 for Soderling. Was it the elbow? It didn’t look like it for two sets; then the Swede imploded. “I don't know what happened, I just didn't play well," Soderling said. "I played a terrible match and am pretty disappointed." Soderling took a 3-0 head-to-head into this Encounter with Marcel Granollers and with the exception of a tense encounter at Wimbledon last year; he has dealt with the Spaniard pretty efficiently. It is likely just a blip for the hard hitting Swede, although, now a top 10 player, perhaps his biggest challenger will be himself, as he adjusts to his new place in the game. 

Sharapova’s exit had a decidedly different feel. While Soderling was crushed, Sharapova was…not. There was no profound disappointment from Sharapova in her post-match press conference. Both the conference and her match were decidedly un-Sharapovian in passion and intensity. Maria rightly suggested there are worse things going on in the world than losing a tennis match. But, isn’t tennis still your day job? Why play if (in the grand scheme of creation) it really doesn’t matter? More likely Maria is in protection mode; she’s a little lost and is trying to figure it out. We think she will; and who knows, by Wimbledon her dreams just may come true. 

The rest of the women’s field, at least those who have played their first round match, went pretty much according to form, the 18^th seed, Virginie Razzano, 25^th seed Anabel Medina Garrigues, and number 23, Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova lost. Cibulkova lost a three set heartbreaker to American Vania King. We still have a potential good looking fourth round match between Serena and Sabine Lisicki. The Belgians looked good, not surprising; the Serbs looked good, a little surprising. And tomorrow gives us Henin v. Dementieva; again the Belgians have just made it suddenly very interesting. 

As for the men, the rest of the field did pretty much what was expected. Fed and Davydenko are still on course for a tantalizing quarterfinal. The Djoker and his nemesis Tsonga are now on a collision course. Andy Roddick and Marin Cilic’s prospects have increased as Del Potro struggles with an arm injury, and the biggest dream quarterfinal of them all is still possible as Nadal and Murray advance.