Tip Sheet: Paris, Sofia, Fed Cup

What you need to know as you watch this weekend's matches in Bercy, Sofia, and Prague (for the Fed Cup final).

By Nicholas McCarvel

(November 2, 2012) -- In all honesty (and seriousness) this week unexpectedly turned out to be about Jehr-zee: On one side of the ocean, the scene of desperation and despair on the Jersey Shore after Superstorm Sandy ripped her way through its historic coastline, but on the other side, in Paris, the site of a gathering storm just understanding his power, with Jerzy Janowicz winning six straight matches, his last two the most shocking: three-set victories over Andy Murray and Janko Tipsarevic.

On Friday, as the week came to a close and the weekend approached, life started to look better and better in New Jersey, where residents continued to work hard on cleaning up and working together. In Paris, it was the other Jerzy who continued his magical run, this time by overcoming a London-bound Janko Tipsarevic, 3-6, 6-1, 4-1, ret. The Serb’s decision to pull out in Paris was met with boos in house and on the web, but it makes Janowicz’s “movie”-like run no less cinematic: he’s into a Masters Series semifinal.

As it tends to do, life continued beyond the sites of Jersey and Jerzy as well, with the women playing the B-level season-ender in Sofia and a Grade-A Fed Cup final set to start in Prague on Saturday. Here’s your weekend preview, sans Jersey, but a Jerzy included:

BNP PARIBAS MASTERS (Draw)

It was Frenchman Gilles Simon who was first into the semifinals here, and rather quietly. Simon has been masterful (and a bit lucky) this week, utilizing the Roger Federer pullout to his advantage. He was convincing in a 7-5, 6-1 first rounder over new dad Marcos Baghdatis before taking out Victor Hanescu and receiving a walkover against a struggling Kei Nishikori.

But it was in the quarterfinals that Simon truly earned his spot in the last four, playing a decisive two sets against higher-ranked Tomas Berdych and winning 6-4, 6-4, landing in the semis at this event for the first time ever, having a dismal 4-6 record here coming into this week.

In a week that has seen Federer (withdrawal) and Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic (early losses) unable to make the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris, tournament organizers could not ask for a more thrilling substitute semifinal: the local fella (Gilles) against the tennis world’s new/now/next wonderboy (Jerzy). And doesn’t it roll off the tongue so nicely? Gilles vs. Jerzy.

On the bottom half of the draw, there would be no sweet hometown run for Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who has left Bercy scratching his head on how he just can’t break against top-ranked players. David Ferrer was the one who stopped him here, winning their quarterfinal 6-2, 7-5. Ferrer is now red-hot on the ATP Tour, winning eight matches in a row including his title run in Valencia last week.

Ferrer will have to contend with in the semis with another French breakthrough in Michael Llodra, who has knocked off No. 10 John Isner and No. 7 Juan Martin del Potro this week.

Llodra will face a freight train of consistency -- aka Ferrer -- who likes the indoor conditions for his Agassi-like baseline game. And while the French fans may be rooting for a home-spun finale, Ferrer is likely to stop Llodra in his tracks; the Spaniard is just playing too well. And while London seemed to be on the mind of Tipsarevic when he stopped play at 1-4 down in the third, it won’t hinder Ferrer, who would be catapulted with confidence should he win here heading into the year’s final event.

Head-to-Heads: Simon vs. Janowicz 0-0; Ferrer vs. Llodra: 2-0

Our champ: Dav-eeeeeeeed can’t be stopped. London calling? He’ll head there on a 10-match winning streak

QATAR AIRWAYS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS SOFIA (Draw)

How do you solve a problem like the summer that Caroline Wozniacki had? Including Wimbledon and the US Open the former world No. 1 went a dismal 10-6, more importantly crashing out in her openers at both those Slams. Coming on the heels of a third-round appearance at the French Open it was simple to ask: When is Caro going to start caddying for boyfriend (and world No. 1 golfer) Rory McIlroy?

But caddy she will not! Caro announced this fall. She’s done so by winning 17 of 19 matches, capturing titles in Seoul and Moscow and is poised to re-enter the top 10 following this week.

So who can stop her at the Qatar Airways Tournament of Champions? That might be veteran Nadia Petrova, who has experienced what tennis fans are familiar with as a “Nads”-style renaissance this fall: She triumphed in three straight matches over top-10 opponents to win in Tokyo, then promptly lost in the opening rounds of both Beijing and Moscow. Her ever-powerful game can hurt Caro the way no one else in Sofia can, but which Nadia will show up?

In the semifinals, Wozniacki and Petrova are on opposite sides of the draw thanks to Nadia’s three-set win over hometown girl Tsvetana Pironkova Friday. That means Caro has Tsveta and Nads gets Sara Errani 2.0, a k a Roberta Vinci. Wozniacki could have her hands full in Pironkova if the hometown girl is on her game at the outset. Pironkova has lost two straight matches here, but if she pretends this is the All-England Club (and the courts have been playing fast this week), she might stand a chance.

In a long week, however, it’s hard to imagine Petrova standing up to the steely Italian in the semis. Nadia, now 30, has already played to tough three-setters and will get no free points against the world No. 16. Victorious Vinci? We think so.

Head-to-Heads: Wozniacki vs. Pironkova: 3-0; Petrova vs. Vinci: 2-2

Our champ: Sweeeeeeet Caroliiiiine, bum bum bummmmm! Back into the top 10 for the start of ‘13

Fed Cup Final—Prague (Draw)

While the pressure may be squarely on Petra Kvitova’s shoulders (How so? You ask: She’s the highest-ranked player here (No. 8); a national hero; had a not-so-great year; is the leader of the defending Fed Cup champs; and wants a I-need-to-make-up-for-my-WTA-Champs-debacle weekend), the Fed Cup final might simply be up to Team Serbia. That’s right, Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic.

Fact is both Ajde! and JJ have the ability and know-how to beat Kvitova’s partner in tennis crime Lucie Safarova, they will just be forced to channel a bit of 2008 to do so. And with Kvitova heading into the tie less than a week after being put on bed rest (she did so after withdrawing from the WTA Championships, an Ana and JJ success would mean holding their heads against Safarova and then one of them (just one!) running a runny-nosed Petra around the court for a first-ever Fed Cup trophy for Serbia (cue the Djokovic-like parades?!).

But it won’t be easy: the Czechs still have the cup in their hands and will be in front of a sold-out crowd on a fast indoor court in Prague, which helps the big-swinging power of Kvitova and Safarova. And if Kvitova and Safarova can pull off a 2-2 singles rubber score, the world’s No. 2 double team, Lucie Hradecka and Andrea Hlavackova await whatever the Serbs choose to throw at them.

Our champs: Serbia stuns! 3-1 in Prague

(Photo Credit: AP)