Roddick wins Atlanta exhibition, Lu advances in main draw

Originally posted on The Grandstand:
Andy Roddick made his presence felt at the BB&T Atlanta Open on Monday in advance of his main-draw doubles participation with Mardy Fish. A two-hour practice session featured Roddick, Fish, John Isner, and Justin Gimelstob. Roddick mostly watched, giving some occasional tips to Fish and Isner. The 2003 U.S. Open…

Hamburg R1 previews and picks: Nadal vs. Verdasco, Robredo vs. Zverev

Originally posted on The Grandstand:
Rafael Nadal will kick off his Hamburg campaign on Tuesday against Fernando Verdasco. Tommy Robredo and Alexander Zverev are also part of a jam-packed schedule. (1) Rafael Nadal vs. Fernando Verdasco Nadal and Verdasco will be squaring off for the 16th time in their careers at the ATP level when…

Fish returns in Atlanta, Isner No. 1 seed

Originally posted on The Grandstand:
Two-time defending champion John Isner is the No. 1 seed this week at the BB&T Atlanta Open as he aims to make it a three-peat. Isner has a first-round bye along with fellow top-four seeds Vasek Pospisil, Jack Sock, and Adrian Mannarino. The 6’10” American will contest his opening match…

Fish’s final swim: American to retire at U.S. Open

Originally posted on The Grandstand:
Mardy Fish announced via Twitter on Wednesday that he will retire from tennis at this summer’s U.S. Open. Fish will wrap up his career with three more tournaments, a trio that also includes Atlanta and Cincinnati. My schedule this summer will be Atlanta, Cincinnati, and I will finish my career…

Tennis Player Builds 50 Preschools In Africa

Originally posted on The Feels:
Some of Roger Federer’s biggest—and youngest—fans are probably too tiny to know about his victories on the tennis court, and too touched by poverty to care much. They just know he’s the man behind the creation of preschools across southern Africa where now are learning and growing healthy, with a…

Appreciating Djokovic

Originally posted on The Occasional Sports Blogger:
Novak Djokovic is your 2015 Men’s Wimbeldon Singles Champion. In a masterful performance, he easily handled Roger Federer in the final, beating him three sets to one. Djokovic has one of the smoothest games in tennis, combining great power and athleticism with beautiful strokes and a great understanding…

Umag previews and picks: Seppi vs. Sousa, Kavcic vs. Rublev

Originally posted on The Grandstand:
Andreas Seppi and Joao Sousa will be aiming for a semifinal spot in Umag on Wednesday. Meanwhile, first-round action is wrapping up with a showdown between Blaz Kavcic and Andrey Rublev. Joao Sousa vs. (3) Andreas Seppi Seppi and Sousa will be going head-to-head for the first time in their…

Bastad, Umag, and Bogota previews and predictions

Originally posted on The Grandstand:
The grass-court season has come to an end and now it’s back to clay—at least in part—until the two U.S. Open Series Masters 1000 events set the stage for the final Grand Slam of the year. This week’s action on the red stuff will take place in Umag and Bastad.…