Indian Wells Midways Update

Hey Y'all. Galileo here.

I haven't really done this kind of update before, so I was a bit worried about how to do it. I think I will just go through and do it as I usually do, sort of. Anyway, Federer seems to be back. Four of the top sixteen seeds have fallen, and eleven seeds in total lost before the round they were seeded to lose in. Fish is back and won an edgy match against Reynolds. He plays JWT next (note: he lost). There was an earthquake. It disrupted Nadal's massage, apparently. Andy Murray and David Ferrer again started slowly in the desert. Murray recovered, but Ferru did not. Simon escaped twice and I think he wins the Zombie award for this Masters. Anyway, I shall press on.


PLAYER OF THE FIRST WEEK: Kevin Anderson/Roger Federer, RSA/SUI
...I'll do Fed quickly first because we expect him to be brilliant. He seems back to his best and has been so far the most convincing of the top five seeds. His net-play has been great and his serving has been pretty good, too. His opposition were two players that are good at 250 and even sometimes 500 level -- Istomin and Dodig. Of the top eight seeds, he has dropped the least amount of games so far, except Nadal, whose third round opponent withdrew, and Delpo, who has played just one match. Ferrer is always a little shaky here. He has been to one QF from 11 attempts and is 9-11 lifetime. Anyway, Anderson got the predictable upset. It was still a big one, though. He came back from a first set deficit, took the second 6-4 then the next Ferrer wasn't there and Kev took it 6-3. Unlike Rosol, he won the next match. He beat Nieminen for the loss of just four games. Oh, he also beat talented Romanian Hanescu in his opener. He has a very winnable match up next against Simon. Then he plays the winner of Berdman-Gasquet. He could make the semis. Just maybe.
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RISER: Ernests Gulbis, LAT
...He was seeded first in the qualies. He is also the best Latvian tennis player ever I think. Maybe for now Larisa Neiland has still had a better career, and if you include the fact she coached Svetlana Kuznetsova then her resume is very impressive indeed. Anyway, Gulbis killed Tipsarevic -- I can't think of a better way of phrasing it -- and beat Seppi in three, not to mention beating Lopez two and three. He has looked very impressive and he believes he can beat Nadal. We shall see.
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SURPRISE: James Blake/Mardy Fish, USA/USA)
...Yes I know their combined age is about 70. I know they're both having mixed singles results, but somehow in the doubles they seem to be making magic. They have beaten Marrero/Verdasco and Lopez/Raonic. They have looked comfortable doing it, too. They play Huey/Janowicz for a spot in the semis.
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VETERAN: Gilles Simon, FRA
...Simon will be 29 this year. I know, I hadn't realised either. He escaped several times so far and he looks there for the taking. I think Lorenzi was 4-0 up in the final set against him and he beat Paire 3-6 7-6 6-4. I think he also has a fair chance of making the semis. Essentially any one of Berdych, Gasquet, Simon and Anderson can make the semi, but I think the order I just listed them is most likely to least. Anyway, I think Simon has a couple more titles in him and possibly the quarters of a slam maybe, too.
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COMEBACK: One Handed Backhand
...Henin, Federer both had one handed backhands. It seemed to be dying but currently -- in this tourney -- there seems to be a lot of it. Eight players are left in the draw who have one. I have always loved it and it is nice to see it still used even if it is a dying art.
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NEW FACE: Evgeny Donskoy, RUS
...I know nothing about him except he played excellently against Murray. I haven't really seen him around much either.
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DOWN: Janko Tipsarevic, SRB
...6-2,6-0. The film "Vertigo" comes to mind here. My brain is connecting a fear of falling (Tipsy is falling down the rankings) with anything it can and so it landed upon Vertigo. Anyway, he is falling and fast. He needs to be careful.

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