Tell me fellow book worms, did this edition of the ATPs “Favorite Things” depress you at all? Because besides a Dan Brown novel every now and then, most of our favorite tennis players don’t read anything but draw sheets (no, wait, that’s what their coaches are for.)  At least the Eastern Europeans are keeping literature alive on tour (Ljubicic, Andreev and I could form a book club!):

Notice that Andy Murray went all Victoria Beckham on us. He could have lied and said he’d read his  own autobiography! And I’m really starting to wonder about Gilles Simon – his favorite food is McDonald’s and he doesn’t read books. Next he’s going to say his favorite music is smooth jazz (oh wait, it is!)

I’m going to go sit in a corner and read now. If you’re interested in that book club, Ljuby, I’m reading The Painted Veil right now. . ..

You might not feel like it yet, but come the weekend you’re going to be craving more tennis. That’s when you can tune into Tennis Channel for a sampling of clay court action both Stateside and abroad.

Marbella, a.k.a. the Andalucia Tennis Experience is (surprise!) in Spain. Top seeds at “press” time include Jelena Jankovic and Serena Williams (there’s a photo on the website of Serena arriving at the tournament, “visibly tired” after Miami but still planning to play – click here for more.)

Ponte Vedra Beach is new this year, taking over from the atmospheric Amelia Island event. It’s in Florida and includes top seeds Nadia Petrova, Caroline Wozniacki and Dominika Cibulkova. The 14-year-old American “phenom,” Madison Keys, made an impressive WTA debut yesterday by beating Alla Kudryavtseva in straights. I doubt she’ll still be around this weekend though. Click here for the website.

Houston, a.k.a. the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships is headed by top seeds James Blake and Mardy Fish as well as Tommy Haas, John Isner, Sam Querrey and the Bryan brothers. Click here for the website.

HOUSTON/MARBELLA/PONTE VEDRA BEACH TENNIS T.V. SCHEDULE:

All matches on Tennis Channel
All times EST
(M) = Men, (W) = Women, (D) = Doubles

Saturday, April 11

8:00 am – 12:00 pm – Marbella (W): Semifinals – LIVE
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm – Ponte Vedra Beach (W): Semifinals -  LIVE
2:00 pm – 6:00 pm – Houston (M): Semifinals -  LIVE
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm -  Houston (MD): Final -  LIVE
8:30 pm – 10:30 pm – Ponte Vedra Beach (W): Semifinals -  DELAY
10:30 pm – 2:30 am – Marbella (W): Semifinals -  REPEAT

Sunday, April 12

7:00 am – 9:00 am - Marbella (W): Final – LIVE
9:00 am – 1:00 pm – Ponte Vedra Beach (W): Semifinals  – REPEAT
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm - Ponte Vedra Beach (WD): Final  - LIVE
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Ponte Vedra Beach (W): Final  – LIVE
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm – Houston (M): Final  – DELAY
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Houston (MD): Final  – REPEAT
8:30 pm – 10:30 pm - Marbella (W): Final  – REPEAT
10:30 pm – 12:30 am – Houston (M): Final  – REPEAT

Schedule (subject to change) via Tennis.com

Jelena Jankovic photo via Andalucia Tennis Expererience website.

It was rough out on the courts this weekend at the Sony Ericsson Open. Maybe it’s good that Fox Sports Network aired BMX world, instead. Yikes!

The wreckage on the WTA side was especially graphic:

Jelena Jankovic crashed out to Gisela Dulko (who then went out to Benesova)
Dinara Safina was crushed 6-1, 6-4 by Sam Stosur in what she memorably called a “disaster match.” (And due to WTA insanity – or is is inanity – Dinara could still make it to No. 1 at the end of the tournament! Don’t ask me to do the math, but it’s true.)
9th seed Nadia Petrova out to Makarova
Cibulkova out to Medina Garrigues (Dominika retired with muscle cramps)
Cornet destroyed by Jie Zheng, 6-4, 6-0
Dokic out to Wozniacki (not quite an upset, but too bad.)

The Indian Wells hangover:

Ana Ivanovic (IW runner up) went out in three to Agnes Szavay, 6-4,4-6,6-1.
Vera Zvonareva (IW champ) was ousted to Na Li
Victoria Azarenka (IW semifinalist) was the lone survivor of the four IW semifinalists after beating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (IW semifinalist) and then Chakvetadze (not really an upset, but impressive considering the fate of her desert cohorts.)

Joining Azarenka in the second week are both Williams sisters, Dementieva, Kuznetsova and Amelie Mauresmo (over Pennetta!) So not all is lost.

On the ATP side it was the B and C list Americans who suffered en masse:

Blake is not really B list, but went out to Berdych
Kendrick out to Tsonga (Allez!!)
Isner out to Ferrer
Delic out to Cilic
Reynolds out to Stepanek
Fish out to Massu
Querrey out to Feliciano Lopez
The good news for team USA: Qualifier Taylor Dent made up for his countrymen’s disappointing results by defeating two seeded players this weekend: Robredo (15) and Almagro (19). But can he keep the upset mojo going against Federer in the fourth round?

And some minor issues on the men’s side:

Richard Gasquet withdrew from the tournament – blahhhhh – I’m so over him, anyway.
Andy Murray almost got upset by hottie Juan Monaco – hope we see more of Juan on clay
As a Safin fan, I’m sad he didn’t get past Monfils, especially considering he had two match points. It’s also too bad (but typical) that Nalbandian went out Troicki 6-3, 6-1.
Hewitt’s gotta be “this” much closer to retirement after going out 6-1, 6-2 to Simon

When you see the results laid out like this in one big, bloody pile, you realize how brutal our sport really is. MMA has nothing on tennis!

Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

I live about three hours from the upcoming Indian Wells tournament and am lucky to be able to attend for a few days every year (leaving Friday, whoo hoo!) So I was especially interested to read this article in the LA Times about how the tanking economy has changed things for the worse – and yes – the better. ‘08 IW finalist, Mardy Fish, explains:

U.S. player Mardy Fish, who turned his career around at this event last year, coming in ranked No. 98 and beating Federer on the way to the final, acknowledges keeping his sport desirable and in perspective in this economy is not just the job of tournament officials.

“Players are extremely lucky,” he says. “Our office is in the sun. We are our own boss.”

He says he has noticed slightly smaller crowds at tournaments and says many of the top players will respond as best they can.

“The Americans know, Andy Roddick and James Blake,” he says, “and so do Roger and Rafa. It’s time to stand and sign, rather than sign and walk and sign a few more and walk.”

Still, these are tricky days for sports events.

One suite-holder, a major bank, will use its suite and probably entertain. But it has asked that its name be taken off the door.

Yikes! So the players “stand and sign” and the banks just get rid of signs all together. Scary times to be a tennis fan. Click here to read the full article.

Mardy S&Sin’ Photo: by Elsa/Getty Images

Venus Williams, Nicolas Almagro and Mardy Fish joined Dubai champ Novak Djokovic in the winners’ circle this weekend.

Mardy Fish won his third career title today in Delray Beach over qualifier Evgeny “Kournikova’s cousin” Korolev, who was in his first ATP final. This was a MUST win title for Mardy, considering the inexperience of his opponent and the fact that Fish had a dismal 2-10 win record in ATP finals. Good for Mardy – I hope he can build off of this win.

Venus has no problem collecting trophies (or rocking a sombrero), winning her second title in two weeks on Saturday. She destroyed the capable clay courter Flavia Pennetta 6-1, 6-2 in the Abierto Mexicano TELCEL in Acapulco. Nothing like saving the best for last – Venus was pushed to three sets in three other matches this week. She must have been in a hurry to get to New York for tomorrow’s Billy Jean King Cup exhibition.

Nicolas Almagro defended his Acapulco title on Saturday night with a solid two-set win over Frenchman Gael Monfils. I gotta say, I was frustrated by Monfils’s play – he just wasn’t fighting out there. This talented Frenchman has the flash, but does he have the fire to win big?

Here are the highlights from the men’s final - check out the end when the crowd throws their seat covers on the court in celebration. Some day I have to get to this tournament – it has a great atmosphere.

Next up for the men: Davis Cup and for the women: the Monterrey Open in Mexico.

Photo: ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Image

Aw, ain’t they cute? Mardy Fish and Stacey Gardner (who is both a Deal or No Deal suitcase model and a certified attorney in the state of California) were married on Sunday evening at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. Here’s the scoop from People Magazine:

It was love-all Sunday evening, when American tennis player Mardy Fish married fiancée Stacey Gardner in Beverly Hills before 150 wedding guests.

Fellow pro tennis star James Blake served as a groomsman during the black-tie ceremony – which was held in the garden at the Four Seasons Hotel. Meanwhile, NBA star Kevin Garnett looked on from the crowd.

(Alas, Fish’s good friend Andy Roddick could not attend. He was busy playing – and winning! – in the finals of the China Open.)

Gardner, a model on TV’s Deal or No Deal, had six bridesmaids in black dresses. (The bash was overseen by wedding planner Linda Howard, from Sensational Celebrations, while Mark’s Garden provided the flowers.)

After the 30-minute Jewish ceremony, the couple walked back down the aisle hand-in-hand while wedding guests waved little sparklers and a live band played U2’s “Beautiful Day.”

They then headed to a reception in the hotel’s ballroom.

I am a teeny bit surprised that Andy didn’t skip the China Open to attend Mardy’s wedding. Perhaps his own upcoming nuptials are making him keep his nose to the grindstone – weddings ain’t cheap.

Photo by: SC-BB / Flynet