The story of Dmitry Tursunov without his blogs is incomplete, though, for the time being, he's decided to give it a break.

"I am concentrating on my tennis now," comes the quick reply, with a ready smile.

After playing 37 tournaments in 2006 and injuring his wrist, the 24-year-old Russian is back again, finding his feet on grass. He beat Paul-Henri Mathieu of France [Images] 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-3 on Thursday to enter his first quarter-final of the year, at the Queen's Club in London [Images].

"It's after a long time that I have won two matches in a row," said Tursunov.

"It's [grass] a weird surface. I didn't play the best match today and still won, while I thought I was playing better than last year on clay but didn't win matches. But I'm not complaining; even if you have to win ugly some days, that's what matters."

World number three Nikolay Davydenko, also from Russia [Images], and Tursunov probably played the most number of tournaments last year. Every time they heard of a tournament, they packed their bags and headed for it.

Tursunov, who broke into the top 20 in October, travelled from the cold indoor clay of Moscow [Images] to the dripping heat of Mumbai to the swanky Japanese capital of Tokyo and back to Moscow, all in the space of two weeks.

If it wasn't for the Monte Carlo Masters, he could have also made it to the Chikmagalur Challenger.

"I definitely played a lot last year. I missed a lot due to injuries before 2006 and thought I needed to make up for it. I felt like I was in good shape; I don't know whether the injuries coudl've been avoided if I hadn't played for 40 weeks or whether I will play lesser tournaments this year. But after Moscow, Madrid, I think I was just not there mentally."

The most successful week of his career, which started with an epic triumph over Andy Roddick [Images] in the Davis Cup, ended with his first ATP title in Mumbai.

Tursunov arrived and left Mumbai dazed, after playing a streak of intense, if sometimes erroneous, three-setters before finally taking the trophy on the next flight to the next destination.

"Mumbai did take a lot out of me, but it was the first tournament I won. If anything, I know now that I can do it!"

Even as Tursunov is still learning to win titles, there are younger, talented competitors rising the ranks rapidly. Tennis is getting younger by the day, with the likes of Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray pushing their seniors, while Rafael Nadal [Images], at 21, already the holder of three straight French Open crowns.

"Yeah, I feel like I am a veteran already," says Tursunov. "I wake up in the morning feeling old. But I can't let that affect me. If I am going to be worried about Novak at number four or Murray at number nine, I am not giving myself the best chance. I am not doing what's in my power; all I have to think about is improving my game.

"Sure, there is professional jealousy, but they have put in their work and are doing well. If I wasn't jealous about Novak it would be someone else."

As if the competition on tour is not enough, Tursunov also had to fight for his place in the Davis Cup squad. With a crop of Russian men's players springing up, which he insists are better looking than their female counterparts, the race for a singles berth is hotting up.

"But in the next match (Davis Cup tie) the only one who needs to worry is Germany [Images]," says the California-based player.

Even as Tursunov tries to assemble the missing parts in his game, his temper keeps disintegrating. He almost never has an easy match despite a great serve and forehand rippers; he plays throughout with an angry clenched jaw, ready to spring upon erring umpires.

"I know the umpire, once he has made the decision, will not change it, but I need to say all that just to get the anger out of me. Sometimes you can't play by keeping it inside."

But look around, no one's complaining. What would a Tursunov match be without him smashing a few racquets, hitting the balls around the stadium and his constant musings by the baseline?

Though his brilliant blogs have ruined his reputation as a professional tennis player, the Russian is trying to resurrect that; putting the racquet ahead of the pen.

Be it the artist or the humorist, the Tursunov show always excites.