Tennis from 'Another World'...

So it seems A-Rod's Dubai withdrawal this week is a protest pull-out after all. I did wonder about this, as I found the news of his absence a little surprising. I know he's had a decent enough start to the year, but also thought there was something particularly galvanising about returning to Dubai as defending champion (an event where he beat both Nadal and Djoko) - something to draw upon in preparation for Indian Wells. Still, his other mini triumphs will mean the points he'll lose shouldn't hurt him.

His success continued this week as he made the finals in Memphis. Wanna know who else is having a good year? Radek 'The Necromancer' Stepanek, that's who. I suspected he might have been dabbling in the Dark Arts after his success in Brisbane (his dance routines have always been a little too unearthly for me) ; but his continued success in reaching the final here and that recent title in San Jose , leave little doubt in my mind that Radek is in league with forces not entirely of this world. Andy's big serve may not be enough...

In other not so recent news, Jamie Murray has been dropped from the British Davis Cup Doubles Team in favour of Ross Hutchins; and has evidently taken up Rugby and garish tatoos in an effort to ease the blow.