
How the Match Was Won – Paris Masters: David Ferrer def. Jerzy Janowicz 6-4, 6-3
I’ve always been an advocate for players who win the coin toss to choose to serve.
Particularly if you’re a good returner. It just seems so obvious that if things go according to plan and both players hold serve, being the returner at 5-4 is a useful advantage. Earlier in the set, whoever serves second can drop his/her serve and know there will be a few chances to get the break back. On the flip side, the person who serves first always has the peace of mind of knowing that if they get broken at any point in the set, they will have at least one return game to attempt to get their serve back.

The Picks for November 4, 2012
We pick the winners for the Paris Masters final between Jerzy Janowicz and David Ferrer, and Fed Cup final matches featuring Petra Kvitova vs. Ana Ivanovic, and Lucie Safarova vs. Jelena Jankovic.

How the Match Was Won – Paris Masters: David Ferrer def. Michael Llodra, 7-5, 6-3
I was very tempted to make this a “How the Match Was Lost”. I really was. After all, Michael Llodra dominated the first set. Actually, “dominated” might be an understatement. Just look at the stats:

How the Match Was Won – Paris Masters: Jerzy Janowicz def. Gilles Simon 6-4, 7-5
Despite all the the aces, the forehand winners and yes, those beautiful drop shots, what struck me the most about this particular semifinal was the difference in composure of the two men set to compete in it. Jerzy Janowicz played this match as if deep down he knew his time had finally arrived.

How Jerzy Janowicz Beat Janko Tipsarevic, as Told In GIFs
The story of how Polish qualifier Jerzy Janowicz beat World No. 9 Janko Tipsarevic at the Paris Masters, as told in animated GIFs.

The Picks for November 3, 2012
We pick the winners for matches on November 3, 2012 at the Paris Masters and Fed Cup final.

Meeting Mr. Janowicz
“I beat the Olympic champion, US Open champion. I beat Andy Murray. Unbelievable feeling for me. Still, I have the feeling that in a few minutes I’m going to wake up and it will all be gone.” – Jerzy Janowicz A name. That’s all Jerzy Janowicz was to me before this week: a name. […]

How the Match Was Won – Paris Masters: Sam Querrey def. Novak Djokovic, 0-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4
How do you lose a match in which you were up a set and a break…without losing a single game in the process?
That’s the question Novak Djokovic might be asking himself today.

Changeover Music: Sexy Boy
And now for something completely different: the first installment of Changeover Music! Here we let loose on our dream of being the stadium DJs during tennis matches. Of course, nobody will hire us. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is playing Julien Benneteau in Paris today. Hence, we have to go with a French band, right? And why not […]

Julien Benneteau and the Curious Case of the Missing Title
You guys, Julien Benneteau is just awesome.
He’s awesome at tennis. When he’s on his game, the enigmatic Frenchmen effortlessly prances around the court, hitting winners at will.
He’s awesome at being dramatic. All Benneteau matches are like HBO mini-series. I’ve seen him shake hands with his opponent and take a bow after the second point of the match, yell at fans on the sidewalks through the fence and wind screens for being too loud, and sit on a match-time clock and refuse to move until an umpire changed a ruling.