Tennis players with weird and wonderful names

Scoville Jenkins - that´s who Federer is up against later today and who I´ve chosen to be the next player in my great names series. Scoville of course is the scale used to rate the piquancy of chilli peppers - named after a Mr William Scoville (thanks Wikipedia) - I´ve never seen it used as a first name before. He´ll have to be pretty hot if he´s to stand a chance against Roger (sorry, I just couldn´t resist the pun!).

Fantasy US Open

This was the toughest draw I've had to battle with this year, with the second half of the men's causing me much distress, as did all of the women's, especially the third quarter. Why do most of the players you want to choose always end up in the same part of the draw? I was also tempted to say 'sod it' and pick both Wiliams sisters, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it, even though it's means I'm likely to I lose my last opportunity for a win this year.

So, here are my picks. If anyone else would like to offer up their choice the rules for choosing are here and the draws can be found here .

Henin, Chakvetadze, Dementieva, Hingis, Kirilenko

Federer, Blake, Ljubicic, Hewitt, Fish

Tursunov was calling out to picked, just because it's my last chance for Henman killing points - if only he hadn't been so near Nadal I would've had him in my team him for old time's sakes! Ooh, and I'm worrying about Dementieva already, I always do and then swear I'll never pick her again, will I ever learn? And there were so many choices for unseeded players this time I wonder if I've chosen wisely, too late of course. I shall just have to wait and see. Roll on the US Open!

Player of the week - an early choice

He's only gone and done it! After years of causing me much anguish Tim Henman has finally worked his way into my good books by announcing his retirement next month . I'm so pleased that I am very generously naming him player of the week - no matter how well anybody else plays this week they will not be able to top this. Woo hoo!

Player of the Week

An easy choice this week. Who else could I pick but Novak Djokovic. Taking the scalps of Roddick, Nadal and Federer in one week is no mean feat, although we should've seen it coming. It feels as though the man has been around for a while the way he's seemingly effortlessly made his way up the rankings. In fact, it's only since Roland Garros last year that he's been making waves. I may have the rethink my US Open plan now.

Player of the Week

This week the grand title goes to John Isner. Ranked 416th when play started in Washington last Monday he beat Henman (yay!), Haas and Monfils on the way to the final against Roddick. Although he lost, Isner shouldn't be ashamed of the 4-6, 6-7 final score in his first tour final against one of the world's top players. One to watch for the US Open?

Surprise, surprise

Another quote from the BBC today: 'Tim Henman suffered a shock first-round exit against American wildcard John Isner at the Legg Mason Classic.'

A 'shock defeat' ? Really? Is anyone surprised that he lost? Just how many matches has he been winning recently? I've not been adding them up but I probably wouldn't need the fingers on one hand to do it.

Hopefully this will encourage the man to retire and not 'do an Agassi'. It's not so bad now I'm out of the UK and don't have to watch countless Henman matches on Eurosport before they show the good stuff, but I still wouldn't be happy having to read about Tim mostly losing for four more years.

Obviously he hasn't read the article I mentionned here yesterday.

'When McEnroe, his stomach still flat and his formidable mouth only at the beginning of its development curve, found that he was moving a step slow, he transferred to the seniors. There's a lesson there. Be the first to decide that you've been up there too long.'