It was a Cinderella story too good to be true.  MARCO BAHGDATIS, a former junior’s champion here at The Australian Open had beaten 4 seeded players to get to the final.  His legion of screaming fans, more reminiscent of a soccer match than a tennis gallery, grew louder and more visible with each win. 

 He dispatched the number 17 seed, RADEK STEPANEK, the number 7 seed IVAN LJUBCIC, the number 4 seed DAVID NALBANDIAN and the number 2 seed ANDY RODDICK.  All but the RODDICK match went 5 sets.  ANDY fell in 4.

 And there he was in the final, with a set and a break against ROGER FEDERER.  It was possible.

 Until FEDERER extinguished all hope, closing out the match 5-7, 7-5, 6-0, 6-2, winning 14 of the last 16 games.

 It was FEDERER’S 7 win in just as many tries in Grand Slam finals, a remarkable record.  It also kept FEDERER on pace with PETE SAMPRAS, with 7 Grand Slam titles by the age of 24.  FEDERER has 7 more to go to match PETE’S tally.  ROGER also matched PETE in becoming the last man on the tour to win 3 Grand Slams in a row, since SAMPRAS did it.

 On the women’s side AMELIE MAURESMO continued the streak she started at the WTA Championships in Los Angeles in November.  At the time it was momentous as it was the most prestigious tournament MAURESMO had captured.  She said then it gave her great confidence to beat the world’s best players and it certainly carried over here.

 Although 3 of her opponents retired, MAURESMO was clearly in charge.  She was up and in control when KIM CLIJSTERS rolled an ankle in the semi-finals.  And she was dominating JUSTIN HENIN-HARDENNE, 6-1, 2-0 when the Belgian threw in the towel, the first time a woman has done that in a Grand Slam final, giving MAURESMO her fist slam.

 There was a bit of irony, in that HENIN-HARDENNE had indicated the day before in a press conference, that she was feeling better than ever, with no sign of injury.  But she claimed to have had trouble sleeping the night before the match, and said she had fierce stomach pain, which prevented her from completing the match.

 More likely she was getting embarrassed. MAURESMO came in with a flawless game plan and even better execution.  She was consistently getting the ball up and deep, making it difficult for the shorter HENIN-HARDENNE to get any power on her returns.  It was an impressive performance from AMELIE, who was nearly eliminated in her very first match against TIANTIAN SUN of China.

 The story of the tournament, however, was the return of MARTINA HINGIS.  A 6-time finalist and 3-time champion here, she was overpowered by KIM CLIJSTERS in the quarterfinals, after an impressive run through the tournament.  But she won the mixed doubles title with partner MAHESH BHUPATHI.  They beat DANIEL NESTOR and ELENA LIKHOVTSEVA, the number 6 seeds, 6-3, 6-3.  Not a bad showing for the Swiss Miss.

The AUSTRALIAN OPEN continues to baffle many of the seeded players, as ANDY RODDICK and SERENA WILLIAMS both fell over the weekend.  RODDICK was eliminated by an upstart player from Cyprus, MARCOS BAHGDATIS, who really wanted to be a soccer player rather than a tennis pro, but his dad insisted.  He’s built more like a footballer, with a small, short frame, but he played every bit as big as RODDICK, winning in 4 sets, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3.

 It was a complete shocker for RODDICK, who hadn’t really been tested in his first 3 matches, only having been broken once on serve.

 BAHGDATIS, who has a huge throng of screaming Cypriots at his matches, next faces number 7 seed IVAN LJUBCIC who defeated THOMAS JOHANSSON in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4, 6-4.

 Number 1 seed ROGER FEDERER was tested by TOMMY HAAS, who took him to 5 sets, but eventually lost 6-4, 6-0, 3-6, 4-6, 6-2.  FEDERER will meet number 5 seed NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO who rallied to get by DOMINIK HRBATY, the man with the ventilated shirt.  Why a shirt with two holes at the shoulder blades continues to get so much attention is ridiculous.

 Other quarterfinal match-ups find NICOLAS KIEFER going against SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN.  That winner faces the FEDERER/DAVYDENKO winner.  Unseeded FABRICE SANTORO will play number 4 seed DAVID NALBANDIAN.  NALBADIAN beat FEDERER in the season ending MASTERS.  He will need to get by SANTORO and the LJUBCIC/BAHGDATIS winner to have that chance again.

 On the women’s side number 1 seed LINDSAY DAVENPORT, the sole remaining America faces number 8 seed JUSTIN HENIN-HARDENNE.  MARIA SHARAPOVA, seeded 4th plays Russian rival NADIA PETROVA, the 6^th seed.  PETROVA has looked very sharp at this tournament, but has beaten SHARAPOVA only once in 4 previous matches.

 In the other half of the draw, PATTY SCHNYDER, seeded 7th plays AMELIE MAURESMO, the number 3 seed in a rematch of the women‘s season ending championships, won by MAURESMO.  At Staples Center in November, SCHNYDER was fiercely outmatched, but advised reporters that she would have an advantage on the slower courts in Melbourne.  AMELIE was very nearly eliminated in her very first match here, rallying to beat TIANTIAN SUN of China 4-6, 6-2, 6-2.

 The last quarterfinal match-up is perhaps the story of the tournament.  KIM CLIJSTERS seeded second faces MARTINA HINGIS ranked somewhere in the 300’s coming into this tournament.  She will see her ranking climb, but fast next week.  She had been in 6 straight final appearances here before she retired in 2002.  She has played as well as anyone the past 2 weeks, and CLIJSTERS is not 100%. 

 Meanwhile CLIJSTERS is coming off her first Grand Slam title, winning the US OPEN in August.  It should be a good one!

After flirting with disaster in the first round with 61 errors over newcomer VIC, LLEYTON HEWITT outdid himself against Argentine JUAN IGNACIO CHELA and made 62 unforced errors on his way to losing in the second round, 2-6, 4-6, 6-7, 3-6.  The exit once again dashes the hopes of HEWITT and his countrymen for the Australian to win the title on his homeland in front of his rabid fans.

 HEWITT was seeded 3^rd, and still had the major hurdle of getting by, among others, ROGER FEDERER to win this tournament.  But FEDERER has already been beaten this year, albeit in an exhibition match last week, by TOMMY HAAS.  HAAS looks rejuvenated, having ousted the 14 seed, RICHARD GASQUET in the first round.  He is scheduled to meet FEDERER in the next round should each of the players win their 3^rd round matches.

 Meanwhile, other men’s seeds who are gone from this tournament include number 13 ROBBI GINEPRI, who was counting on making a good showing this year after his strong finish at the US OPEN in August.  Numbers 17, RADEK STEPANEK, 19 TOMAS BERDYCH and 24 OLIVER ROCHUS also are out.

 ANDY RODDICK, seeded #2 still looms as a potential finals match for FEDERER, and he may have to defeat #5 NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO and #6 GUILLERMO CORIA to get there.  RODDICK may have to get by #7 IVAN LJUBICIC to get into the finals.  LJUBICIC defeated RODDICK in a Davis Cup match just about 1 year ago.

 On the women’s side #5 seed MARY PIERCE has been eliminated, losing to IVETA BENESOVA of the Czech Republic.  Next up for BENESOVA is MARTINA HINGIS who needed just a little over an hour to eliminate VERA ZVONAREVA in her first match back on these courts since 2002.

 Some interesting matches could be in store with LINDSAY DAVENPORT taking on KUZTNESOVA, MARIA SHARAPOVA playing SERENA WILLIAMS and KIM CLIJSTERS facing MARTINA HINGIS, if she can get by BENESOVA.

The 2006 tennis season is officially underway, with the start of the Australian Open this week, and what a year it looks to be.  Before the tournament even began, MARAT SAFIN last year’s champion, and one of the few men to beat ROGER FEDERER at all last year, withdrew, as did ANDRE AGASSI and RAFAEL NADAL.

 That left DAVID NALBANDIAN, ANDY RODDICK and LLEYTON HEWITT as likely challengers to stand in FEDERER’S way, on his march for the title.  Last night one of those, HEWITT just barely hung on, winning a close 5 set match he could easily have lost.  ROBIN VIK should have taken HEWITT out, but faltered at the end of the 4^th set and eventually lost 4-6, 6-2, 7-5, 6-7(4), 3-6.  The country would have flipped had HEWITT, who lost in last year’s final to SAFIN, been bounced in the 1^st round.

 Meanwhile, on the first day of the tournament, VENUS WILLIAMS the 10^th seed, fell in 3 sets to unknown TSZVETANA PIRONKOVA from Bulgaria.  SERENA WILLIAMS and AMLIE MAURESMO were severely tested in their first round matches.  Seeded woman to go down so far include, number 9 seed ELENA DEMENTIEVA, number 11 seed NATHALIE DECHY, number 24 seed TATIAN GOLOVIN, number 26 seed AI SUGIYAMA, number 28 seed ANABEL MEDINA GARRIGUES, number 29 seed KLARA KOUKALOVA, and number 30 seed VERA ZVONOREVA who lost to MARTINA HINGIS, making her comeback attempt here where she has appeared in 6 finals and won 3 times.

 Other seeds on the men’s side to fall include 14^th seed and French sensation RICHARD GASQUET to TOMMY HAAS, in straight sets 2-6, 5-7, 2-6.  The French lost their other teen sensation 22 seed, GAEL MONFILS in the first round.  Other seeded men to go down thus far include the number 9 seed FERNANDO GONZALES, number 27 TAYLOR DENT, who came into this season in the best shape of his career, and number 32 CARLOS MOYA.

 Many of the other seeds, including number 5 NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO and number 6 GUILLERMO CORIA, were pushed to 5 sets before escaping with a win.

JOHN McENROE must be dancing with glee.  ROGER FEDERER was looking to match his best single season record of 82-3, accomplished in 1984.  And he got as close as he could get, going 81-3, sweeping into the finals of the ATP season ending championships.

 In his semi-final match he embarrassed FERNANDO GONZALEZ 6-0, 6-0.  He had a 35-match winning streak and a finals match winning streak of 24.  He was playing DAVID NALBANDIAN, the Argentine ranked 12^th in the world who only made the tournament when Number 2 RAFAEL NADAL and number 5 ANDRE AGASSI withdrew because of injuries.

 NALBANDIAN has never won a grand slam tournament, though he did make the finals of Wimbledon in 2002, and was only making his second appearance in the ATP Championship[s.  ROGER FEDERER won this tournament the last 2 years.  FEDERER got up 2-0 in the 5-set match, a position he had only faltered from once in his career, that to LLEYTON HEWITT in a 2003 Davis Cup match.

 So, the weight of the circumstances meant FEDERER closes out the match, matches McENROE’S unbelievable record, and keeps his tennis train of domination rolling along, right?  Wrong.

 NALBANDIAN won the next 3 sets, even surviving a 5^th set comeback from the world’s number 1, to beat ROGER FEDEREER and end the man from Switzerland’s 2005 year at 81 wins and 4 losses.  Talk about your movie scripts.  Wow!

 DAVID got up in the final set 4-0, but FEDERER fought his way back to take the lead 6-5, and was 2 points away from the win.  But NALBANDIAN got the match into a final-set tiebreak, where he won 7-3.

 NALBANDIAN, who will turn 24 New Year’s Day, will finish the year at number 6.  ROGER FEDERER will remain the number 1 tennis player in the world, for the 100^th consecutive week.  He climbed to the top on February 2, 2004 and has stayed there ever since.

 But NALBANDIAN’S heroics have got to give hope to the rest of the men on the tour for 2006, say nothing of the happy camper he made of JOHN McENROE.

She was tired of hearing the naysayers who claimed she couldn’t win the big ones.  MAURESMO had been in only one other WTA Championship final, that in 2003 where she KIM CLIJSTERS beat her.  And she has been in only 1 final of a grand slam, that at the Australian in 1999, losing there to MARTINA HINGIS.

 “You hear it, anyway. And I guess for a sensitive person, it gets to you at some point, you know, when you’re still hearing the same things.”

 So AMELIE MAURESMO was becoming resigned to losing the big matches.  She didn’t appear all that confident in the 3^rd set, down 4-3 and facing a break point which surely would have sealed her fate to fellow Frenchwoman MARY PIERCE in the finals of the 2005 WTA Championships.  But AMELIE held on to even the match at 4.

 She then came out with a steely determination, breaking MARY PIERCE to go up 5-4.  But the demons hovered.  MAURESMO lost 3 straight points, the last on a double-fault and PIERCE had 3 break chances to even the match at 5.  It was happening again.  But MARY suddenly folded, and AMELIE won the next 5 points to win the $1 million prize, perhaps shedding the reputation of choking in the big matches.

 MAURESMO won a big one Saturday, eliminating MARIA SHARAPOVA in straight sets 7-6(1), 6-3.  And her win over PIERCE in the final could be just the impetus she needs to propel her into a grand slam title for 2006.  “I really think that it is a huge step for me, definitely.  I mean, I don’t know where it’s going to take me, but it is a step...And you know, it is an important moment...This is really great what I have achieved.”  She finishes 2005 as the number 3 player in the world, behind LINDSAY DAVENPORT and KIM CLIJSTERS. 

 MARY PIERCE, who started this tournament off with an impressive win over KIM CLIJSTERS, and rolled LINDSAY DAVENPORT out in the semis in straight sets (7-6(5), 7-6(6), finishes at the number 5 spot for the year. Her goals are a bit higher.

"I don't think it is my best tennis. Definitely, you know, I could play better...The goal of mine is to be number 1. I think it is possible." Despite the fold in the last game, where PIERCE hit 5 straight errors, it was quite a year for the 30-year old, who made it to the finals at the French Open and the US Open.  “Hopefully I won't be having nightmares.” 

 As the runner-up she pocketed $500,000-that should keep the nightmares away.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT hadn’t lost a set in this tournament, until she played MARIA SHARAPOVA.  Now LINDSAY has lost 2 sets, though she backed her way into the end of the year number 1 ranking in the process.

On Thursday night at Staples, SHARAPOVA got off to a fast start beating LINDSAY 6-3 in the opening set.  It was quite a difference from their last meeting at The Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells where DAVENPORT embarrassed MARIA 6-0, 6-0.  It was one of those days for the young Russian, but last night was not one of those nights.

 She had LINDSAY on the ropes in the second set, up a break and serving for the set 5-4, but the partisan crowd got behind LINDSAY and willed her to win the second set, 7-5.  MARIA was not affected, “I know a lot of people were pulling for LINDSAY.  But that is very obvious.  But you know, to be able to pull through that and kind of-I don’t know-take my mind off of it and still be able to win under those circumstances is pretty cool.” 

 The level of tennis was the best yet of this tournament.  The hitting was solid, and the pace was quick.

 SHARAPOVA was not fazed, and got up another break in the 3^rd set.  This time she did not let DAVENPORT back in the match.  She served out the set 6-4 to deliver LINDSAY her first match loss, and 2 sets losses to go with her 4 set wins.

DAVENPORT was not happy at the end, purposely ignoring MARIA as she left the court.  “I know she is a little bit-how is the word-dramatic when she wins.  So I know that is kind of her bag.  I know sometimes she runs to the stands, so I didn’t know what was going to happen.  So I figured I will shake the umpire’s hand, and when I looked she was at the net.  I wasn’t mad or anything like that.  I just know sometimes it takes her awhile to get to the net.”

 Sounds like a great setup for a final between these two, doesn’t it?  “Dramatic”, hmmmm.

 Despite the loss, DAVENPORT was able to assure herself the number 1 ranking at the end of the year when AMELIE MAURESMO beat ELENA DIMENTIEVA in the third match of the night.  DIMENTIEVA had a shot to overtake DAVENPORT if she had won here.  She won’t be in the playoff rounds as a result of the loss to AMELIE in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3.

In the evening's first match, PATTY SCHNYDER got her first victory in 3 season-ending championship appearances, beating NADIA PETROVA 6-0. 5-7. 6-4. The diminutive SCHNYDER was beaming in the media room, after 2 days of getting pushed around by DAVENPORT and SHARAPOVA. Look for her to make a strong showing at the Australian in January.

So the semi-finals are set with MARY PIERCE, AMELIE MAURESMO, MARIA SHARAPOVA and LINDSAY DAVENPORT battling it out for the $1 million winner’s prize.  That amount is one of the richest purses in all of women’s sports.

 The pairings won’t be determined until after tonight’s play, which features a French connection, AMELIE MAURESMO versus MARY PIERCE; a Russian connection, MARIA SHARAPOVA versus NADIA PETROVA; and a rare, meaningless appearance by KIM CLIJSTERS as she battles ELENA DIMENTIEVA.

 Tickets are still available for the weekend.  Check out www.wtachamps.com.

KIM CLIJSTERS lost her second straight match here last night, falling to AMELIE MAURESMO in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6(4) and just like that LINDSAY DAVENPORT is the woman to beat.  She is thee current number 1 player in the world, but most on the tour felt CLIJSTERS was the hotter player coming in to this event.  She had won 26 of 27 matches, including the US OPEN and 5 other titles.

But it is DAVENPORT who has yet to lose a set in this tournament, ousting NADIA PETROVA Tuesday night, and knocking off PATTY SCHNYDER last night, all in straight sets.  Her win over SCHNYDER was 6-3, 7-5.

Both women looked weary on the court.  The winner of this tournament might just be the last one standing.

 LINDSAY overpowered SCHNYDER, whose frame and game resemble that of JUSTIN HENIN-HARDENNE.  She has a compact, but slight appearance, but SCHNYDER can really hit the ball.  It’s just not that easy going up against the hardest hitter on the tour, and the best.  And that’s after getting over a loss to MARIA SHARAPOVA. 

This tournament is not easy for the top seeds, forget about the 7^th and 8^th players.

 “If SHARAPOVA, DAVENPORT and me-if we're all playing 100% I think those ewo are going to win on this surface against me. I'm really realistic, but that's just the way it is,” a dejected PATTY SCHNYDER told the media.  “It's a different story once we go out again at the Australian Open. I have a big chance to beat them. On clay I might even be the favorite to beat those two.” 

 Meanwhile, DAVENPORT is rolling towards a spot in the semifinals Saturday.  “Right now I feel like I'm in a good position, but you never know what could happen.” LINDSAY was eliminated last year because of the tiebreaker based on the sets won and lost. She seems determined not to lose a set this time around.

 In the evenings first match, MARY PIERCE continued her winning ways, beating ELENA DIMENTIEVA in a surprisingly easy match, 6-2, 6-3.  It was PIERCE’S 500^th career win in 17 years on the tour.  This year has been unbelievable for PIERCE with titles in San Diego and Moscow as well as 2 grand slam finals appearances.  And she’s not done yet.

 Tonight, PATTY SCHNYDER tries to get a win over NADIA PETROVA, LINDSAY DAVEENPORT takes on MARIA SHARAPOVA, and MAELIE MAURESMO will play against ELENA DIMENTIEVA.

Other than the fact that KIM CLIJSTERS was the favorite to win here, the talk among the players was how long and grueling the tennis season is, and just how tired the players were.  Tuesday night, in somewhat of an irony, all of that came to a head, as the tour’s hottest player, KIM CLIJSTERS hit the wall after a remarkable string of victories, losing to 30-year old MARY PIERCE, 6-1, 4-6, 7-6(2). 

 CLIJSTERS attributed her bad play to jet lag, though she arrived in Los Angeles on Friday. "It happens, I think everybody, not only in sports. I think everybody once in a while these kind of days happen." She said she was tired and had trouble with the bright lights. "Throughout the whole match I never quite felt like I was there...It's a disappointment. The only thing I want to do is go to the hotel and go to sleep."

MARY PIERCE made a reference about the hotel beds, saying she didn’t want to get out of bed after a Tuesday afternoon nap.  By the way, he players are staying at The Beverly Regent on Rodeo Drive.  I guess I’ll have to try it the next time I'm in need of a good night's sleep.

The match was a “do over” from the US OPEN Final, which CLIJSTERS won 6-3, 6-1.  PIERCE, saying she learned from that match, employed a much more aggressive strategy, pouncing on her opportunities, which were many as KIM started slowly.  CLIJSTERS wasn’t moving well in the 1^st set, and as a result, PIERCE won easily 6-1.  The first set took a mere 18 minutes.

KIM started to get some rhythm going in the second set, but had to hang on to win 6-4, as MARY would not cave.  And in the 3^rd, CLIJSTERS got up a break early on and was leading 3-1, 4-2 and served for the match at 6-5, but couldn’t close things out.  PIERCE broke back when she needed to, and won the tiebreak easily 7-2. 

 CLIJSTERS had 11 double faults and 31 unforced errors in the match, and just didn’t look herself. 

 In the other 2 matches, MARIA SHARAPOVA was pressed to 3 sets by PATTY SCHNYDER, but won 6-1, 3-6, 6-3; and LINDSAY DAVENPORT coasted to a straight set victory over an admittedly tired NADIA PETROVA 6-2, 7-6(1).

 Tonights matches feature MARY PIERCE against ELENA DIMENTIEVA, LINDSAY DAVENPORT versus PATTY SCHNYDER, and a hopefully rested KIM CLIJSTERS against AMELIE MAURESMO.  That match may get going late; Tuesday’s final match started at 10:20pm.  CLIJSTERS needs to win to stay in the hunt for this championship and a possible year-end number 1 ranking.. 

 It’s that time of year on thee tennis circuit.  The long season has come to an end, with AMELIE MAURESMO beating ELENA DEMENTIEVA in the ADVANTA CHAMPIONSHIPS 7-5, 2-6, 7-5.  Both women are among the final 8 which will compete in what might be the tours most interesting tournament, the season ending WTA CHAMPIONSHIPS.

 The top eight finishers for the year, or the top eight who aren’t nursing injuries meet in a round robin tournament to determine the year’s best player.  LINDSAY DAVENPORT is here, ranked number 1 on the tour. "I'm feeling good. I'm feeling 100%, I hope my chances are 100%."

 MARIA SHARAPOVA, who earlier in the year reached the number 1 spot as an 18-year old, is here.  As are NADIA PETROVA, whose game has shown signs of breaking through to the next level.  “I’m in the top 10 for the end of the year, and I want to be better.”  NADIA did admit she is weary from the travel and all of the play.  “I do feel a bit tired, lots of tournaments, lots of playing, lots of travel as well, but you've got to find the last strtength in your body and just bring it on!”

 MARY PIERCE is here, at 30 years of age and coming off a remarkable year where she played in 2 grand slam finals.  “The last time I played the chanpionships was in 1999, and that was in New York."

 PATTY SCHNYDER, from Switzerland is here for her 3^rd try at a season ending championship.  She has yet to win a title, though she came close losing in the finals at the Swiss Open about a month ago to LINDSAY.  “I had the best year in my career, and to be here in the final 8 playing for this trophy is great."

 According to the players we spoke with, the woman to beat is KIM CLIJSTERS.  Fresh off a US OPEN victory, her first grand slam, and enjoying a remarkable comeback year after sitting out with injuries, KIM says she has earned the front runner spot. "We're here with the best 8 players in the world, and everybody knows that it's the last tournament of the year and everybody's going to go for it. So it's going to be a tough one, but one that I look forward to."

 Matches begin Tuesday night with the finals Sunday November 13, 2005.  This is the last year the tournament will be held in Los Angeles, so if you like women’s tennis, get out to see the best in the world, while you still can in 2005.