From our "How'd That Happen?" Correspondent in Estoril...

(Photo: Sentanta Sports)

Now this is a result I cannot relate to:

Estoril

Singles -Final
[7] A Montanes (ESP) d [4] J Blake (USA) 57 76(6) 60

Singles Semifinals
[4] J Blake (USA) d [2] N Davydenko (RUS) 67(3) 76(2) 63

Set aside for the moment the fact that James Blake -- with the season he's been having -- found it within himself to make the final of a clay court event. I would have thought he would have gagged just trying to pronounce those words.

But hows about taking out Nikolay en route to the final?

Looks like the effects of the serum wore off in the final.

No matter. This is an astonishing result, coming as it does just a couple of weeks ahead of RG. The last American to make the final here was Todd Martin in 1999. Try not to let the absence of Marquee names here get in way of your celebrating it James.

Now if Andy and him could follow that up with a cocky double act at Madrid...