Archive for the ‘Tennis news’ Category
October 14, 2008
Jankovic, Kunitsyn win Kremlin Cup titles.
Top-ranked Jelena Jankovic won her third title in three weeks Sunday, beating Russia’s Vera Zvonareva 6-2, 6-4 in the final of the Kremlin Cup.
Igor Kunitsyn won the men’s tournament, upsetting fellow Russian Marat Safin for his first ATP Tour title. Kunitsyn, who survived seventh-seeded Safin’s 21 aces to win 7-6 (6), 6-7 (4), 6-3, said he had prepared a speech to congratulate his opponent on the victory.
“I was hoping to win a couple of games and that’s it,” Kunitsyn said. “I still don’t know how I was able to outplay Marat, but I guess it happens. I still don’t understand how I won.”
Jankovic was coming off back-to-back wins at the China Open and the Porsche Grand Prix in Germany. She earned her fourth title of the season and eighth of her career.
The 23-year-old Serb also was runner-up twice this season, losing to Serena Williams in Miami and at the U.S. Open.
“I’m quite close to finishing the year as the No. 1 player in the world, so it’s really a huge achievement for me,” she said.
Jankovic broke the ninth-ranked Zvonareva twice in the first set. The two were tied at 4 in the second set when Jankovic earned another break.
Jankovic, who beat Zvonareva in her two previous events, said she knew she was going to have to work hard for every point.
“I was really expecting a tough match,” Jankovic said. “I was really focused from the start of the match. I went out there aggressive and really played my game and I was really going after the shots.
“Especially the first set I played quite well. I was dominating. But then the second set my level of tennis went down a little bit and I let her come back into the match. At the end of the second set I focused a little bit and changed the match in my favor.”
Jankovic said she is committed to playing in Zurich next week but will then take two weeks off to prepare for the season-ending tournament in Doha.
Jankovic took the top ranking from Williams on Monday and will retain it next week because Williams, the runner-up in Moscow last year, pulled out with an injury.
The 71st-ranked Kunitsyn was playing in his first ATP Tour final.
Safin, who hasn’t won a tournament since beating Lleyton Hewitt in the final of the Australian Open in January 2005, was playing in his first final since losing to Nikolay Davydenko in Moscow in 2006.
Kunitsyn was in control of the match and constantly kept Safin on the baseline. He prevailed in a first-set tiebreaker when Safin made two unforced errors and broke his racket in frustration.
“Had I won the first set it could have gone a different way,” Safin said.
Safin won five consecutive points in the second-set tiebreaker to stay in the match.
In the third set, Kunitsyn got a break in the sixth game and served out the match at love, closing it with an ace.
“I was chasing him all the time,” Safin said. “I could not capitalize on my chances. But he converted every time he had a chance and didn’t make many mistakes. There’s no surprise he won.”
October 14, 2008
Rafael Nadal reign at No 1 is still young. And already the Spaniard heads into the Madrid Masters expecting a fight to hold on to the prestigious title.
Nadal and Roger Federer both arrive in the Spanish capital refreshed from a three-week break that followed Davis Cup victories for Spain and Switzerland.
Federer also arrives with extra purpose after appearing to finally rebound from a below-par season brought on by a bout of monoclueosis. The second-ranked Swiss comes in on the heels of a U.S. Open victory last month and doubles Olympic gold.
“My goal right now is the same as before, to try my best everyday,” Nadal said Sunday from the Madrid Arena, where he accepted the trophy for his No. 1 achievement to the delight of a roaring home audience. “For sure the goal for the end of this season is to try and finish with the No. 1 ranking.”
Nadal’s career season has come at the expense of Federer.
The 22-year-old Mallorca native rolled over Federer for a fourth straight French Open trophy, denied his main rival a sixth straight Wimbledon title and then snapped Federer’s record 237 weeks in the top spot.
Federer will be highly motivated on the Spaniard’s home turf, although Nadal dampened enthusiasm for the Nadal-Federer final that fans expect with every tournament.
“I don’t get tired about (the rivalry). (But) neither him nor I are thinking about this I think,” said Nadal, who can clinch the season-ending No. 1 ranking by reaching the quarterfinals.
The Tour’s top-32 players make up the field and Nadal has an easier route with France’s Richard Gasquet and countryman David Ferrer potential opponents to reach the semifinals, where third-ranked Novak Djokovic would loom before any meeting with Federer.
“Never do I think about winning titles before I start. It’s a lot easier to lose here than to win,” said Nadal, who won here in 2005 and is looking for his fourth Masters Series title of the season.
Federer has a much tougher-looking task.
Australian Open finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga awaits in the third round before a potential quarterfinal matchup against either David Nalbandian or Juan Del Potro. Nalbandian won the Stockholm Open on Sunday and could be heating up at the right time just as he did here last year, when the Argentine beat Djokovic, Nadal and then rallied to beat Federer for the title.
Federer, the 2006 winner who is 14-3 lifetime in Madrid, is still looking for his first Masters Series win of the season. Not since 2001 has Federer not taken at least one of the eight special tournaments that culminate with the Masters Cup, to be played in Shanghai next month.
Surprises could be expected with Madrid’s high altitude making the indoor surface play quicker than most tournaments.
“This is one of the strongest tournaments in the world,” the third-ranked Djokovic said. “It’s the start of the indoor season, which has not so successful for me last year, but this year I’m in quite a different situation. I am a more mature player.”
The 21-year-old Serb faces a relatively tough task to meet Nadal in the semis with No. 5 Nikolay Davydenko, Croatia’s Ivo Karlovic, wild card Marat Safin and James Blake drawn into his side.
“I don’t think it’s something that a player desires, to play against Rafa. On any surface it’s difficult but especially in his country where he has the biggest support,” said Djokovic, who is 2-4 against Nadal in 2008.
Fourth-ranked Andrew Murray also returns for his first Tour appearance since losing to Federer at Flushing Meadows, with American player Andy Roddick, No. 12 Fernando Gonzalez of Chile and local player Fernando Verdasco in his quarter of the bracket. Murray and Federer could meet in the semis.
It will be the last Madrid Masters played on hard indoor court as it turns into a mixed field event to be played on clay from next May, when the venue will move to the new “Caja Magica” (Magic Box).
October 14, 2008
Philipp Petzschner upset Gael Monfils 6-4, 6-4 Sunday. In the BA Tennis Trophy final for his first ATP Tour title.
The 125th-ranked German, who had never been beyond the quarterfinals of an ATP event before, had to play two qualifying rounds to reach the main draw and became only the third qualifier this season to win an ATP tournament.
“This is unbelievable, I can’t describe my feelings now,” Petzschner said. “I will enter the top 100, which makes a dream come true.”
The 24-year-old Petzschner played his opening qualifying match less than three hours after arriving on a flight from Tokyo. He went on to beat top-seeded Stanislas Wawrinka, former No. 1 Carlos Moya and 2004 champion Feliciano Lopez on his way to the title.
“This has been an incredible week for me, everything went perfect,” Petzschner said.
The eighth-seeded Monfils has lost five of his six career finals.
“I am disappointed but I had a good week anyway,” said the 28th-ranked Frenchman, who had beaten Petzschner in straight sets in their only previous match last month. “Philipp was the better player today. He just was more aggressive so well done to him.”
Monfils will enter the ATP top 20 for his highest ranking ever.
Petzschner closed out the victory with a volley on his first match point.
“This win gives me a lot of confidence, I now see what I have been working for all year,” Petzschner said. “My goal next season will be to get into the top 50.”
Petzschner and Alexander Peya of Austria lost 6-1, 7-5 to Max Mirnyi of Belarus and Andy Ram of Israel in the doubles final.
October 14, 2008
Results Sunday from the Kremlin Cup. A US$1 million (?770,000) ATP and US$1.35 million (?980,000) WTA Tour event on indoor hard courts at Moscow’s Olympic Indoor Stadium (seedings in parentheses):
Men
Final
Igor Kunitsyn, Russia, def. Marat Safin (7), Russia, 7-6 (6), 6-7 (4), 6-3.
Women
Final
Jelena Jankovic (1), Serbia, def. Vera Zvonareva (7), Russia, 6-2, 6-4.
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Results Sunday at the Stockholm Open. A ?713,000 (US$982,000) ATP Tour event played on indoor hard courts at the Royal Tennis Hall:
Singles
Final
David Nalbandian (1), Argentina, def. Robin Soderling (4) Sweden, 6-2, 5-7, 6-3.
Doubles
Final
Jonas Bjorkman, Sweden, and Kevin Ullyett, Zimbabwe (1) def. Johan Brunstrom and Michael Ryderstedt, Sweden, 6-1, 6-3.
September 30, 2008
Results Monday from the Porsche Grand Prix. A US$650,000 (?453,000) WTA Tour event indoors at the Porsche Arena (seedings in parentheses):
Singles
First Round
Li Na, China, def. Nicole Vaidisova, Czech Republic, 6-1, 6-2.
Alona Bondarenko, Ukraine, def. Eleni Daniilidou, Greece, 7-6 (5), 6-1.
Sybille Bammer, Austria, def. Tatjana Malek, Germany, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5.
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Results Monday from the Open de Moselle. A US$530,000 (?369,000) ATP event in indoor hardcourts at Les Arenes de Metz (seedings in parentheses):
Singles
First Round
Jose Acasuso, Argentina, def. Guillermo Canas, Argentina, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3.
Ernests Gulbis, Latvia, def. Mario Ancic (8), Croatia, 7-6 (3), 6-4.
Janko Tipsarevic, Serbia, def. Jeremy Chardy, France, 7-6 (5), 7-5.
Carlos Moya, Spain, def. Albert Montanes, Spain, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4.
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Results Monday from the Tashkent Open. A US$145,000 WTA Tour event played on hard courts at Dynamo Tennis Club (seedings in parentheses):
Singles
First Round
Sabine Lisicki (4), Germany, def. Dilyara Saidkhodjaeva, Uzbekistan, 6-0, 6-1.
Magdalena Rybarikova (5), Slovakia, def. Kathrin Woerle, Germany, 6-4, 6-4.
Sofia Shapatava, Georgia, def. Kinnie Laisne, France, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.
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Results Monday from the AIG Japan Open. A US$869,000 (?605,000) ATP event and US$175,000 (?121,000) WTA Tour event on hard courts at Ariake Colosseum (seedings in parentheses):
Singles
Men
First Round
Amer Delic, United States, def. Go Soeda, Japan, 6-4, 6-2.
Takao Suzuki, Japan, def. Yuichi Sugita, Japan, 3-6, 7-6 (6).
Lee Hyung-taik, South Korea, def. Satoshi Iwabuchi, Japan, 6-1, 6-4.
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Women
First Round
Marta Domachowska, Poland, def. Aiko Nakamura, Japan, 6-4, 7-5.
Ayumi Morita, Japan, def. Marina Erakovic, New Zealand, 6-1, 6-4.
Kaia Kanepi (5), Estonia, def. Lucie Safarova, Czech Republic, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
September 30, 2008
Li Na of China beat Nicole Vaidisova of the Czech Republic 6-1, 6-2 Monday. In the first match of the Porsche Grand Prix.
Li next faces nine-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, who had a first-round bye. Williams is playing for the first time since defeating Jelena Jankovic in the U.S. Open final three weeks ago and regaining the No. 1 ranking.
“The U.S. Open is not the end of the year,” Williams said. “I hope to do well in the last tournaments of the year.”
She lost in the Stuttgart quarterfinals last year to Svetlana Kuznetsova, and she could run into the Russian again at the same stage this week.
Venus Williams is seeded sixth and is in the opposite half of the draw, meaning the sisters cannot meet until the final. The two are also playing doubles. They won the Olympic gold medal in Beijing.
Jankovic also had a first-round bye, as did Dinara Safina and Elena Dementieva. Dementieva will play Sybille Bammer of Austria in the second round. Jankovic meets Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine, who stopped Eleni Daniilidou of Greece 7-6 (5), 6-1.
Bammer downed German wild card Tatjana Malek 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 from a break down in the final set and saved two match points.
Ana Ivanovic and Maria Sharapova are the only top-10 players missing from the indoor tournament. Last year’s winner, Justine Henin, has retired.
September 30, 2008
Argentina heeded its players wishes and proposed to play the Davis Cup final. Against Spain at the indoor Orfeo Stadium in Cordoba.
Another indoor arena, Islas Malvinas Stadium in Mar del Plata, was its alternative choice submitted to the International Tennis Federation on Monday.
“The Argentine Tennis Association decided to give priority to athletic advantage and for that reason proposes Cordoba as the first option and Mar del Plata as the alternative,” the AAT said in a brief press release.
Argentina is hosting its first final from Nov. 21-23 and has been under some pressure from the ITF to choose a venue with a minimum 12,000 seats.
The AAT ruled out its regular Davis Cup venue, the 14,000-seat, outdoor clay Parque Roca Stadium in Buenos Aires, because of the risk of late spring rain, and the superior mastery of clay by Spain, led by top-ranked Rafael Nadal. The AAT initially decided the final will be on a fast indoor court to play to the strengths of leading players David Nalbandian and Juan Martin del Potro.
If confirmed, it will be the first time Argentina will play a home tie not on outdoor clay. It had until Wednesday to declare its choices to the ITF.
Argentina’s players and captain Alberto Mancini began recommending the Orfeo while beating Russia in the semifinals two weekends ago.
The Orfeo, in Nalbandian’s home town, seats 9,000, but officials say 3,000 more can be added to meet ITF requirements.
Islas Malvinas Stadium was built for the 1995 Pan American Games.
September 30, 2008
Carlos Moya beat Albert Montanes 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 Monday. In the first round of the Open de Moselle in an indoor match between Spaniards.
Moya, once ranked No. 1, played in his second final of the year last month in Romania. He improved his record against Montanes to 2-1.
The only seed playing, No. 8 Mario Ancic of Croatia, was upset by French Open quarterfinalist Ernests Gulbis of Latvia 7-6 (3), 6-4. Gulbis will next face Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia, who defeated French wild card Jeremy Chardy 7-6 (5), 7-5.
In an all-Argentine match, Jose Acasuso held off Guillermo Canas, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 to win for the first time in three visits to Metz.
Last year’s winner, Tommy Robredo of Spain, isn’t playing at Metz this year. Croatia’s Ivo Karlovic is seeded first.
September 30, 2008
Amer Delic beat Go Soeda of Japan 6-4, 6-2 Monday. To advance to the second round of the Japan Open.
Defending champion David Ferrer of Spain - the top-seeded player has a first-round bye along with second-seeded Andy Roddick.
Fifth-seeded Kaia Kanepi of Estonia rallied from a slow start for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic in the women’s tournament.
Also, Ayumi Morita of Japan beat New Zealand’s Marina Erakovic 6-1, 6-4 and Marta Domachowska defeated Aiko Nakamura of Japan 6-4, 7-5.
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Serena Williams returns in Stuttgart.
Serena Williams would happily forgo the US$100,000 (?70,000) prizemoney that goes to the winner of the Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart.
She’d much rather drive off in the bright red convertible parked courtside.
The tournament gives the winner a choice - either a cash prize or a low-slung Porsche 911 sports car. Williams, returning to action for the first time since beating Jelena Jankovic in the final of the U.S. Open three weeks ago and regaining the world No. 1 ranking, knows which she’d prefer.
“I’ve been trying for so long to win the Porsche, it’s about time to take that 911 home,” Williams said on Monday.
Williams lost in the quarterfinals last year, to Svetlana Kuznetsova, and she could run into the Russian again at the same stage this week.
Both Williams sisters are in Stuttgart. Venus is seeded sixth and is in the opposite half of the draw, meaning the sisters cannot meet until the final. The two are also playing doubles. They won the Olympic gold medal in Beijing.
Serena will also be seeking to defend her No. 1 ranking. Jankovic, who won the China Open on Sunday, is only 21 points behind.
“I’m close to gaining the No. 1 spot again, but I’m just trying to focus on playing one match at a time and working on my game,” Jankovic said in China. “I would love to come back to No. 1 and end the year at No. 1.”
Serena has the same goal.
“The U.S. Open is not the end of the year,” Williams told reporters. “I hope to do well in the last tournaments of the year.”
The nine-time Grand Slam champion had a first-round bye and will play Li Na in her opener. The Chinese player beat Nicole Vaidisova of the Czech Republic 6-1, 6-2 in the tournament’s first match on Monday.
Third-ranked Dinara Safina and No. 4 Elena Dementieva also could end the year as No. 1. The pair and Jankovic also had first-round byes.
Dementieva won the women’s singles Olympic gold medal by beating Venus Williams in the final.
“But there is still a lot to achieve … I am still thinking of the No. 1,” she said.
Dementieva will play Sybille Bammer of Austria in the second round, while Jankovic meets Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine, who beat Eleni Daniilidou of Greece 7-6 (5), 6-1.
Bammer beat German wild card Tatjana Malek 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 from a break down in the final set and saved two match points.
Ana Ivanovic and Maria Sharapova are the only top-10 players missing from the indoor tournament.
Last year’s winner, Justine Henin, has retired.
September 30, 2008
Fourth-seeded Sabine Lisicki of Germany advanced to the second round. Of the Tashkent Open with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Dilyara Saidkhodjaeva of Uzbekistan on Monday.
Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia also advanced on the hard courts of the Dynamo Tennis Club. The fifth-seeded Rybarikova defeated Kathrin Woerle of Germany 6-4, 6-4.
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Tendulkar says India planning its strategy.
India is planning its strategy for combating Australia in the forthcoming test series, batsman Sachin Tendulkar said.
“The Indian team will play with a well laid-out strategy to win the four-test series,” Tendulkar was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India on Monday.
India began training for the test series on Monday in Bangalore at the National Cricket Academy.
Selectors are expected to pick the team on Wednesday for the first test match which begins Oct. 9 in Bangalore.
Tendulkar has been cleared to play in the tests after recovering from the elbow injury that forced him to miss the recent one-day series against Sri Lanka.
Tendulkar said the Indian team management would be busy over the next few days planning “the way we want to approach the series.”
“We just like to focus on our performance,” said Tendulkar, adding that India expected a tough challenge from Australia despite the touring team featuring several new players.
Tendulkar said some of the Australian players may be new to international cricket, “but that doesn’t mean they cannot deliver.”
“They’ve played a lot of cricket and we respect that. We don’t want to be caught off-track,” he said.
Tendulkar dismissed any security concerns among the Indian players after Saturday’s blast in New Delhi that killed one person and injured another 22.
The Australian team has been asked by its security officer to be extra cautious, but Tendulkar said the Indian players were confident that they would not be targeted by terrorists.
“We have full confidence that nothing bad will happen,” he said.
