[*Ljubica*]

Here is the draw for next week's tournament in Japan. I was pretty convinced that Mariano would withdraw from here with exhaustion, but as he has a Bye in the first round, and probably doesn't need to play til Wednesday (or even Thursday!) - I guess he will give it a go. Vamos Mariano

(1) PUERTA, MARIANO ARG v Bye
(Q)IWAMI, Tasuku JPN v (Q)TAINO, Eric USA
BAGHDATIS, Marcos CYP v TIPSAREVIC, Janko SCG
Bye v (14) MINAR, Ivo CZE

(12)SAULNIER, Cyril FRA v Bye
(Q) SLUITER, Raemon NED v BURGSMULLER, Lars GER
(Q) GAMBILL, Jan-Michael USA v WESSELS, Peter NED
Bye v (5)ANCIC, Mario CRO

(3) GINEPRI, Robby USA v Bye
(WC) MOTOMURA, Gouichi JPN v POPP, Alexander GER
WASKE, Alexander GER v GIMELSTOB, Justin USA
Bye v (13) MULLER, Gilles LUX

(10)CARLSEN, Kenneth DEN v Bye
(WC)ITTOGI, Takahiro JPN v LAPENTTI, Nicolas ECU
KOUBEK, Stefan AUT v PHAU, Bjorn GER
Bye v (8)SPADEA, Vincent USA


(7)NIEMINEN, Jarkko FIN v Bye
(Q)SOEDA, Go JPN v SCHUETTLER, Rainer GER
KOHLSCHREIBER, Philipp GER v (WC)TERACHI, Takahiro JPN
Bye v (9) SRICHAPHAN, Paradorn THA

(16) MONACO, Juan 41 ARG v Bye
ARTHURS, Wayne AUS v (WC) SUZUKI, Takao JPN
TURSUNOV, Dmitry RUS v GARCIA-LOPEZ, Guillermo ESP
Bye v (4)DENT, Taylor USA

(6) YOUZHNY, Mikhail v Bye
MOODIE, Wesley RSA v WANG, Yeu-Tzuoo TPE
UDOMCHOKE, Danai THA v KARANUSIC, Roko CRO
Bye v (11) HORNA, Luis PER

(15)VIK, Robin CZE v Bye
(Q) GREMELMAYR, Denis v KIM, Kevin USA
VANEK, Jiri CZE v DLOUHY, Lukas CZE
Bye v (2)STEPANEK, Radek CZE

 

[Denaon]

Yeah I also supposed he would not play in Japan, but he might rest and give it a try (I think organizers might pay him much more, there were too many withdrawals) and he needs to earn points if he wants to reach Shangai.
Go Mariano!!!!

 

[Choupi]

Enjoy that rest until Wednesday Mariano, and then Vamos, on the road to Shanghai!!!

 

[Fergie]

Vamos Mariano!!!

 

[Denaon]

Is he playing on Wednesday? :shrug: Good luck Mariano!!

 

[*Ljubica*]

Yes Daniel - he is playing playing tomorrow. Sorry - I am busy at work and no time to post it until now. Vamos Mariano

center court
matches start at :10 :00 AM
1st WTA

2nd match :
MARIANO PUERTA (ARG) vs Eric TAINO (USA)
followed by
Robby GINEPRI (USA) vs Alexander POPP (GER)
not before 18:30 PM
Takahiro TERACHI (JPN) vs Paradorn SRICHAPHAN (THA)
Court 1
Matches Start At:10:00 AM
Kenneth CARLSEN (DEN) vs Nicolas LAPENTTI (ECU)
followed by
Jan-Michael GAMBILL (USA) vs Mario ANCIC (CRO)
followed by
Juan MONACO (ARG) vs Wayne ARTHURS (AUS)
followed by
Dmitry TURSUNOV (RUS) vs Taylor DENT (USA)
followed by
Wayne ARTHURS (AUS)/Paul HANLEY (AUS)
vs
Gouichi MOTOMURA (JPN)/Go SOEDA (JPN)

 

[Fergie]

Mariano won 6-3 6-4

 

[Denaon]

congrats Mariano!!

 

[*Ljubica*]

Good news to wake up to Well done Mariano

Btw Daniel - cute dogs on your avatar - are they yours?

 

[Fergie]

No more good news http://fr.sports.yahoo.com/05102005/53/dopage-rg-c-etait-puerta.html

Can't be true

 

[*Ljubica*]

No more good news http://fr.sports.yahoo.com/05102005/53/dopage-rg-c-etait-puerta.html

Can't be true

OMG Fergie - please tell me this is not true I knew nothing of this. I have to leave for work now - hope it has been removed before I get to the office.

 

[Fergie]

I really can't believe this

The report confirms that the A and B sample has recorded positive result for the major stimulant etilefrine, a stimulant normally used for cases of hypertension and is regarded as a product worth a two-year man in a primary case.

Puerta, 27, has already been banned for nine months following a positive test in October 2003 and should the latest test prove conclusive, then he will become the first ATP player to be handed a life ban.

Puerta, who has enjoyed a meteoric rise from a world ranking of 400 in 2004 to 9 in 2005, could become the fifth Argentine player to fail a dope test after Juan Ignacio Chela (2000), Guillermo Coria (2001), Martin Rodriguez (2003) and Guillermo Canas (2005).

The player, who is currently competing at the Japan Open in Tokyo, is reported to have told his staff that he took medication for a bout of flu at Roland Garros.

 

[katica]

this can't be true....why was he the one who was found doped
hope he won't be banned for life

 

[Sommarsverige]

I have never posted here before I think, but I quite like Mariano and can´t believe the news I just read when I came to work

This is so sad, I cannot believe it

 

[Truc]

I'm so sorry, really. I couldn't believe it when I read the article this morning.
Here is the whole report in L'Équipe as a pdf (if it doesn't work when you klick on it, download it with right click / "Save target as", it should work):

 

[Carlita]

Seems like ur Mariano is a doper, sorry guys and gals.

come to rub it in have you? Geeeeeeeeeeeeez!


Hi everyone! Sorry to hear all this.....I'm not a big Puerta fan, but somehow I cannot believe he would be so careless to get himself banned for life over a simple flu!! I'm hoping he learned from the last time and that he's got the paperwork/prescriptions to show it really was for flu. I know I would try to get the ITF/ATP to give me the medicine with all the things needed to cover me! Even if it meant getting 20,000 notes, from 20,000 doctors.

I hope, if he really is innocent, he will be cleared. This is so sad.

 

[Choupi]

Seems like ur Mariano is a doper, sorry guys and gals.

Are you sure you're trully sorry about this?

 

[sigmagirl91]

Seems like ur Mariano is a doper, sorry guys and gals.

Good morning, super troll.

 

[DhammaTiger]

Mariano totally denied the allegations, and I believe him.(here is the link to the story on the BBC wesite:http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/4311058.stm) I wonder why the ITF or ATP don't make an announcement to set the record straight. All these rumours and unsubstantiated press reports are just destroying tennis. I cannot understand how come it takes more than 4 months to announce test or doping results in tennis. I remember that in the Olympics they announce it during the event itself. No one can blame ATP for this because it ws the ITF who did the testing at RG, as they do at the other slams and DCS. If he truly tested positive why did they let him subsequently play two grand slams and a DC after Roland Garros?

 

[Denaon]

Mariano totally denied the allegations, and I believe him.(here is the link to the story on the BBC wesite:http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/4311058.stm) I wonder why the ITF or ATP don't make an announcement to set the record straight. All these rumours and unsubstantiated press reports are just destroying tennis. I cannot understand how come it takes more than 4 months to announce test or doping results in tennis. I remember that in the Olympics they announce it during the event itself. No one can blame ATP for this because it ws the ITF who did the testing at RG, as they do at the other slams and DCS. If he truly tested positive why did they let him subsequently play two grand slams and a DC after Roland Garros?

Thanks for the link dtiger, I have another feeling after reading it. I must say that I felt somewhat dissapointed and even reluctant to believe Mariano, but now I think he's telling the truth.
If it comes out he was all along, I will say goodbye to MTF. And that'll be it.