Worthwhile developments and especially newsworthy scores after a packed day of action at Melbourne Park: FIVE-SET THRILLERS ABOUND The losses of Robin Soderling and Juan Carlos Ferrero (mentioned elsewhere on this blog) weren’t the only five-setters witnessed on a rather contentious Tuesday in Australia. Other extended wars dotted the landscape on the blue plexicushion courts [...]

Stanislas Wawrinka can’t continue to play with fire. On Monday afternoon in the first round of the French Open, a gifted player toyed with disaster before waking up in time to live another day. Wawrinka faced a devilishly tricky opponent in France’s Nicolas Devilder, but amidst the heat of battle on a sun-baked day in [...]