Weekend Round Up.

Dubai: Djokovic d. Youzhny 7-5, 5-7, 6-3

That trophy’s a ship, but viewed side on it’s very Burj-ul Arab no?

Yes that distant wail that could be heard over the horizon for the best part of today was the sound of the moaners and haters crooning in unison. Myself at their helm.

"It's a very mental game," said the Serb. "People don't realize how much tension you have to go through throughout the match. It took a lot of energy for me. Stopping and playing, and coming back and then again stopping the match last night because of the rain."

…

"Today was another good example of how much I believe in myself and how much I fight till the end," added Djokovic, who gained swift revenge for Youzhny's straight sets victory in the semi-finals of the Rotterdam Open earlier this month.

(Fox News)

I’ve said all I want to say about Djoko coming out on top against a field of also rans on Twitter – the fact remains he still had to go out there and win it.

The fact also remains however, that I’d like to see him kick butt at the Masters 1000’s and Slams -- something I don’t deem him unqualified for -- and a front on which, outside of clay, I remain fundamentally dissatisfied.

Acapulco: Williams d. Hercog 2-6 6-2 6-3

Mexico seems to agree with V. Only at Wimbledon itself is she more radiant.

After that unceremonious outage in Oz, she’s gone from strength to strength, winning her second successive title in two weeks

As Mr Wertheim pointed out in the TwitterSphere earlier, Dubai, Acapulco and the Billie Jean Cup in Madison Square Garden on March 1st makes a total of three events in 8 days.

Meditate on that thought for a while the next time you want to accuse her of only caring about the Slams.

Acapulco: Ferrer d. Ferrero 6-3 3-6 6-1

After beating his compadre in Buenos Aires last week, Ferrero fails to make it three in a row.

No matter. I treat Ferrero's return and the news of Ferrer winning titles in South America, as a sign that our stock of functioning clay courters not named Nadal is in nothing less than full working order.

I’m sizing the next few months up as Armageddon on clay.

Kuala Lumpur: Kleybanova d. Dementieva 6-3, 6-2

I’m almost relieved to see Dementieva lose at a tier two/three event.

Maybe it’ll prompt her to attend to that less ennobling Grand Slam record of hers.

Probably not.

Kleybanova gets all sorts of wierd grief about her size – but she’s too good a player not to have won a title.

Janitor Man

(SAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Been something of a mixed season for both these gents.

After returning from that foot injury earlier this year, and with this now being his third title of the year, Niki has just about completed reprising his former role of cleaning up in the absence of Rafa and Roger. Very much the janitor of the top ten, just like the good ol’days. Though I miss Davydork already. Brighten up man.

Fernando’s year has been straddling that fine line between disappointment and cautious optimism. More Verdant than Verdasco you might say, and not at all similar to the unassailable figure that opened up his account back in Melbourne with arguably the finest Slam Semi we’ve seen this year, and acquiring virginal top ten standing in the process. Unfamiliar territory, though the future looked so very bright.

If he’d continued in that vein, he would probably have been around #5 in the world by now. That he’s managed to lengthen (and strengthen) his stay there is no less commendable though, and in stark contrast to the way Gael more or less, peek-a-booed his way in and back out once again

You might think that with his hobbling body showing unmistakable signs of end-of-season breakdown, that now would be a good time to pull the plug on a year that hasn’t been half bad.

Except there’s this small matter of the year end championships to consider.

Of the remaining three places up for grabs, one almost certainly belongs to A-Rod who’s nearly 1400 points ahead of Jo-Will, his nearest competition. But aside from that, with two Masters and four 500 events to go, little can really be said; and though Jo-Willy, Niki-Dorko and Nando are within kissing distance of one another, the remaining two positions might well end up being taken by Soderling or this man.

 (PORNCHAI KITTIWONGSAKUL/AFP/Getty Images)

Gilles picked up the title in Bangkok yesterday, and with it brought an end to a drought lasting over a year. I’d be chuffed too.

I’d say woohoo or something equally sanguine, except I don’t deal in French wares any more. And the fact that Troicki bounced out Jo-Will 1-6, 6-2, 6-3 in the semis to make his runners-up appearance here only strengthens my resolve against the dark and somewhat charismatic forces of Style over Substance.

I don’t take too kindly to being hung out to dry over and over again; and dealing with the seemingly implacable disconnect between talent and form, that seems to grow even larger in the presence of charisma. You’ve Marat and Sveta to thank for that.