US Open 2009

EPL Arsenal vs Sunderland Live Streaming

2011-03-05T04:34:00.001-08:00

EPL Arsenal vs Sunderland Live Streaming

Arsenal will be without Cesc Fabregas and Alex Song for the Barclays Premier League clash with Sunderland at the Emirates Stadium.
Fabregas (hamstring) and Song (knee) are also doubts for Tuesday's Champions League clash with Barcelona.
Aaron Ramsey and Laurent Koscielny return to the squad, but Robin van Persie (knee), Thomas Vermaelen (Achilles) and Theo Walcott (ankle) are out.
Danny Welbeck could return to the Sunderland squad his recovery from the knee injury which has sidelined him since January 5 and is likely to be included provided he suffers no reaction to resuming full training.
Welbeck and Fraizer Campbell (knee) are expected to play in a behind-closed doors friendly against West Ham next Tuesday, while defender Michael Turner (also knee) and Lee Cattermole (back) are building up fitness. However, keeper Craig Gordon is to visit a specialist in Sweden next week over his niggling knee injury, while Bolo Zenden and Nedum Onuoha (both calf) are likely to miss out and David Meyler (knee) is yet to return to full training.

US Open 2009 Olga Govortsova vs Sania Mirza Live Streaming

2009-08-30T22:52:00.000-07:00

US Open 2009 Olga Govortsova vs Sania Mirza Live Streaming

Sania Mirza
Country: India
Birth Date: 15 November 1986
Birth Place: Mumbai, India
Residence: Hyderabad, India
Height: 5 ft. 8 in. ( 1.73 meters )
Weight: 126 lbs. ( 57.3 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 2003

Olga Govortsova
Country: Belarus
Birth Date: 23 August 1988
Birth Place: Pinsk, Belarus
Residence: Minsk, Belarus
Height: 6 ft. 0 in. ( 1.83 meters )
Weight: 148 lbs. ( 67.3 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 2002

Watch Live Streaming

US Open 2009 Magdalena Rybarikova vs Valerie Tetreault Live Streaming

2009-08-30T22:50:00.000-07:00

US Open 2009 Magdalena Rybarikova vs Valerie Tetreault Live Streaming

Magdalena Rybarikova
Country: Slovakia
Birth Date: 4 October 1988
Birth Place: Piestany, Slovakia
Residence: Bratislava, Slovakia
Height: 5 ft. 11 in. ( 1.8 meters )
Weight: 143 lbs. ( 65 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 2005

Valerie Tetreault
Country: Canada
Birth Date: 21 January 1988
Birth Place:
Residence:
Height: 0 ( 0 )
Weight: 0 ( 0 )
Plays:
Turned Pro: N/A

Watch Live Streaming

US Open 2009 Aleksandra Wozniak vs Laura Granville Live Streaming

2009-08-30T22:49:00.000-07:00

US Open 2009 Aleksandra Wozniak vs Laura Granville Live Streaming

Aleksandra Wozniak
Country: Canada
Birth Date: 7 September 1987
Birth Place: Montr�al, Canada
Residence: Blainville, Canada
Height: 5 ft. 9 in. ( 1.75 meters )
Weight: 139 lbs. ( 63.2 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 2005

US Opens Played: 2
Event(s) Entered: Women's Singles, Women's Doubles (with Chia-Jung Chuang)
Best Singles Performance: 1st Round (2007, 2008)
Best Doubles Performance: 1st Round (2008)

Laura Granville
Country: United States of America
Birth Date: 12 May 1981
Birth Place: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Residence: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Height: 5 ft. 9 in. ( 1.75 meters )
Weight: 128 lbs. ( 58.2 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 2001

Watch Live Streaming

US Open 2009 Donald Young vs Tommy Robredo Live Streaming

2009-08-30T22:48:00.000-07:00

US Open 2009 Donald Young vs Tommy Robredo Live Streaming

Donald Young
Country: United States of America
Birth Date: 23 July 1989
Birth Place: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Residence: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Height: 6 ft. 0 in. ( 1.83 meters )
Weight: 160 lbs. ( 72.7 kilos )
Plays: Left
Turned Pro: 2004

US Opens Played: 4
Event(s) Entered: Men's Singles, Men's Doubles (with David Martin)
Men's Qualifying Singles
Best Singles Performance: 3rd Round (2007)
Best Doubles Performance: 1st Round (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)

Tommy Robredo
Country: Spain
Birth Date: 1 May 1982
Birth Place: Hostalric, Spain
Residence: San Cugat del Valles, Spain
Height: 5 ft. 11 in. ( 1.8 meters )
Weight: 165 lbs. ( 75 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 1998

Watch Live Streaming

US Open 2009 Carly Gullickson vs Jill Craybas Live Streaming

2009-08-30T22:47:00.000-07:00

US Open 2009 Carly Gullickson vs Jill Craybas Live Streaming

Carly Gullickson
Country: United States of America
Birth Date: 26 November 1986
Birth Place: Cincinnati, OH, USA
Residence: Palm Beach Gardens, FL, USA
Height: 5 ft. 10 in. ( 1.78 meters )
Weight: 143 lbs. ( 65 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 2003

US Opens Played: 4
Event(s) Entered: Women's Singles, Women's Doubles (with Alexa Glatch), Women's Qualifying Singles
Best Singles Performance: 1st Round (2003, 2005)
Best Doubles Performance: 3rd Round (2008)

Jill Craybas
Country: United States of America
Birth Date: 4 July 1974
Birth Place: Providence, RI, USA
Residence: Huntington Beach, CA, USA
Height: 5 ft. 3 in. ( 1.6 meters )
Weight: 123 lbs. ( 55.9 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 1996

Watch Live Streaming

US Open 2009 Gail Brodsky vs Anabel Medina Garrigues Live Streaming

2009-08-30T22:46:00.000-07:00

US Open 2009 Gail Brodsky vs Anabel Medina Garrigues Live Streaming

Gail Brodsky
Country: United States of America
Birth Date: 5 June 1991
Birth Place:
Residence:
Height: 0 ( 0 )
Weight: 0 ( 0 )
Plays:
Turned Pro: N/A

US Opens Played: 1
Event(s) Entered: Women's Singles
Best Singles Performance: 1st Round (2008)
Best Doubles Performance: 1st Round (2008)

Anabel Medina Garrigues
Country: Spain
Birth Date: 31 July 1982
Birth Place: Valencia, Spain
Residence: Valencia, Spain
Height: 5 ft. 7 in. ( 1.7 meters )
Weight: 130 lbs. ( 59.1 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 1998

Watch Live Streaming

US Open 2009 Robert Kendrick vs Martin Vassallo Arguello Live Streaming

2009-08-30T22:44:00.002-07:00

US Open 2009 Robert Kendrick vs Martin Vassallo Arguello Live Streaming

Robert Kendrick
Country: United States of America
Birth Date: 15 November 1979
Birth Place: Fresno, California, USA
Residence: Orlando, FL, U.S.A.
Height: 6 ft. 3 in. ( 1.91 meters )
Weight: 190 lbs. ( 86.4 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 2000

US Opens Played: 5
Event(s) Entered: Men's Singles, Men's Doubles (with Janko Tipsarevic)
Best Singles Performance: 2nd Round (2008)
Best Doubles Performance: Quarter Finalist (2007)

Martin Vassallo Arguello
Country: Argentina
Birth Date: 10 February 1980
Birth Place: Temperley, Argentina
Residence: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Height: 6 ft. 1 in. ( 1.85 meters )
Weight: 176 lbs. ( 80 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 1999

Watch Live Streaming

US Open 2009 Dieter Kindlmann vs Nikolay Davydenko Live Streaming

2009-08-30T22:44:00.001-07:00

US Open 2009 Dieter Kindlmann vs Nikolay Davydenko Live Streaming

Dieter Kindlmann
Country: Germany
Birth Date: 3 June 1982
Birth Place: Sonthofen, Germany
Residence: Blaichach, Germany
Height: 6 ft. 0 in. ( 1.83 meters )
Weight: 156 lbs. ( 70.9 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 2001

US Opens Played: First US Open
Event(s) Entered: Men's Singles, Men's Qualifying Singles
Best Singles Performance: N/A
Best Doubles Performance: N/A

Nikolay Davydenko
Country: Russia
Birth Date: 2 June 1981
Birth Place: Severodonezk, Ukraine
Residence: Volgograd, Russia
Height: 5 ft. 10 in. ( 1.78 meters )
Weight: 154 lbs. ( 70 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 1999

Watch Live Streaming

US Open 2009 Vania King vs Anastasiya Yakimova Live Streaming

2009-08-30T22:41:00.000-07:00

US Open 2009 Vania King vs Anastasiya Yakimova Live Streaming

Vania King
Country: United States of America
Birth Date: 3 February 1989
Birth Place: Monterey Park, CA, USA
Residence: Long Beach,CA/Ft Lauderdale,FL
Height: 5 ft. 5 in. ( 1.65 meters )
Weight: 130 lbs. ( 59.1 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 2006

US Opens Played: 4
Event(s) Entered: Women's Singles, Women's Doubles (with Monica Niculescu)
Best Singles Performance: 2nd Round (2005, 2006)
Best Doubles Performance: 3rd Round (2007)

Anastasiya Yakimova
Country: Belarus
Birth Date: 1 November 1986
Birth Place: Minsk, Belarus
Residence: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Sp
Height: 5 ft. 5 in. ( 1.65 meters )
Weight: 121 lbs. ( 55 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 2001

Watch Live Streaming

US Open 2009 Thiago Alves vs Lleyton Hewitt Live Streaming

2009-08-30T22:40:00.000-07:00

US Open 2009 Thiago Alves vs Lleyton Hewitt Live Streaming

Thiago Alves
Country: Brazil
Birth Date: 22 May 1982
Birth Place: Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Brazil
Residence: Florianopolis, Brazil
Height: 5 ft. 10 in. ( 1.78 meters )
Weight: 165 lbs. ( 75 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 2000

Lleyton Hewitt
Country: Australia
Birth Date: 24 February 1981
Birth Place: Adelaide, Australia
Residence: Sydney, Australia
Height: 5 ft. 11 in. ( 1.8 meters )
Weight: 170 lbs. ( 77.3 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 1998

Watch Live Streaming

US Open 2009 Vera Zvonareva vs Nuria Llagostera Vives Live Streaming

2009-08-30T22:38:00.000-07:00

US Open 2009 Vera Zvonareva vs Nuria Llagostera Vives Live Streaming

Vera Zvonareva
Country: Russia
Birth Date: 7 September 1984
Birth Place: Moscow, Russia
Residence: Moscow, Russia
Height: 5 ft. 8 in. ( 1.73 meters )
Weight: 130 lbs. ( 59.1 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 2000

Nuria Llagostera Vives
Country: Spain
Birth Date: 16 May 1980
Birth Place: Mallorca, Spain
Residence: Barcelona, Spain
Height: 5 ft. 1 in. ( 1.55 meters )
Weight: 117 lbs. ( 53.2 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 1996

Watch Live Streaming

US Open 2009 Edina Gallovits vs Flavia Pennetta Live Streaming

2009-08-30T22:37:00.000-07:00

US Open 2009 Edina Gallovits vs Flavia Pennetta Live Streaming

Edina Gallovits
Country: Romania
Birth Date: 10 December 1984
Birth Place: Timisoara, Romania
Residence: Atlanta, GA, USA
Height: 5 ft. 5 in. ( 1.65 meters )
Weight: 117 lbs. ( 53.2 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 1999

Flavia Pennetta
Country: Italy
Birth Date: 25 February 1982
Birth Place: Brindisi, Italy
Residence: Verbier, Switzerland
Height: 5 ft. 8 in. ( 1.73 meters )
Weight: 128 lbs. ( 58.2 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 2000

Watch Live Streaming

US Open 2009 James Blake vs Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo Live Streaming

2009-08-30T22:36:00.001-07:00

US Open 2009 James Blake vs Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo Live Streaming

James Blake
Country: United States of America
Birth Date: 28 December 1979
Birth Place: Yonkers, New York, USA
Residence: Tampa, Florida, USA
Height: 6 ft. 1 in. ( 1.85 meters )
Weight: 183 lbs. ( 83.2 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 1999

US Opens Played: 9
Event(s) Entered: Men's Singles
Best Singles Performance: Quarter Finalist (2005, 2006)
Best Doubles Performance: 2nd Round (2000, 2001)

Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo
Country: Spain
Birth Date: 6 January 1978
Birth Place: Alicante, Spain
Residence: Alicante, Spain
Height: 6 ft. 0 in. ( 1.83 meters )
Weight: 163 lbs. ( 74.1 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 1998

Watch Live Streaming

US Open 2009 Victor Hanescu vs John Isner Live Streaming

2009-08-30T22:35:00.000-07:00

US Open 2009 Victor Hanescu vs John Isner Live Streaming

Victor Hanescu
Country: Romania
Birth Date: 21 July 1981
Birth Place: Bucharest, Romania
Residence: Bucharest, Romania
Height: 6 ft. 6 in. ( 1.98 meters )
Weight: 187 lbs. ( 85 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 2000

US Opens Played: 4
Event(s) Entered: Men's Singles, Men's Doubles (with Gabriel Trifu)
Best Singles Performance: 2nd Round (2008)
Best Doubles Performance: 2nd Round (2005)

John Isner
Country: United States of America
Birth Date: 26 April 1985
Birth Place: Greensboro,North Carolina USA
Residence: Tampa, Florida, USA
Height: 6 ft. 9 in. ( 2.06 meters )
Weight: 245 lbs. ( 111.4 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 2007

Watch Live Streaming

US Open 2009 Victoria Azarenka vs Alexandra Dulgheru Live Streaming

2009-08-30T22:34:00.000-07:00

US Open 2009 Victoria Azarenka vs Alexandra Dulgheru Live Streaming

Victoria Azarenka
Country: Belarus
Birth Date: 31 July 1989
Birth Place: Minsk, Belarus
Residence: Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Height: 5 ft. 11 in. ( 1.8 meters )
Weight: 132 lbs. ( 60 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 2003

US Opens Played: 3
Event(s) Entered: Women's Singles, Women's Doubles (with Vera Zvonareva)
Best Singles Performance: 4th Round (2007)
Best Doubles Performance: 1st Round (2007, 2008)

Alexandra Dulgheru
Country: Romania
Birth Date: 30 May 1989
Birth Place:
Residence: Bucharest, Romania
Height: 0 ( 0 )
Weight: 0 ( 0 )
Plays:
Turned Pro: N/A

Watch Live Streaming

US Open 2009 Bjorn Phau vs Andy Roddick Live Streaming

2009-08-30T22:31:00.000-07:00

US Open 2009 Bjorn Phau vs Andy Roddick Live Streaming

Bjorn Phau
Country: Germany
Birth Date: 4 October 1979
Birth Place: Darmstadt, Germany
Residence: Weilerswist, Germany
Height: 5 ft. 9 in. ( 1.75 meters )
Weight: 154 lbs. ( 70 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 1999

Andy Roddick
Country: United States of America
Birth Date: 30 August 1982
Birth Place: Omaha, Nebraska, USA
Residence: Austin, Texas, USA
Height: 6 ft. 2 in. ( 1.88 meters )
Weight: 195 lbs. ( 88.6 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 2000

Watch Live Streaming

US Open 2009 Vera Dushevina vs Venus Williams Live Streaming

2009-08-30T22:21:00.000-07:00

US Open 2009 Vera Dushevina vs Venus Williams Live Streaming

Vera Dushevina

Country: Russia
Birth Date: 6 October 1986
Birth Place: Moscow, Russia
Residence: Khimki, Russia
Height: 5 ft. 11 in. ( 1.8 meters )
Weight: 161 lbs. ( 73.2 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 2003

Venus Williams

Country: United States of America
Birth Date: 17 June 1980
Birth Place: Lynwood, CA, USA
Residence: Palm Beach Gardens, FL, USA
Height: 6 ft. 1 in. ( 1.85 meters )
Weight: 159 lbs. ( 72.3 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 1994

Watch Live Streaming

US Open 2009 Alexa Glatch vs Serena Williams Live Streaming

2009-08-30T21:58:00.000-07:00

US Open 2009 Alexa Glatch vs Serena Williams Live Streaming

Alexa Glatch

Country: United States of America
Birth Date: 10 September 1989
Birth Place: Newport Beach, CA, USA
Residence: Newport Beach, CA, USA
Height: 6 ft. 0 in. ( 1.83 meters )
Weight: 146 lbs. ( 66.4 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 2005

Serena Williams

Country: United States of America
Birth Date: 26 September 1981
Birth Place: Saginaw, MI, USA
Residence: Palm Beach Gardens, FL, USA
Height: 5 ft. 9 in. ( 1.75 meters )
Weight: 150 lbs. ( 68.2 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 1995

Watch Live Streaming

US Open 2009 Roger Federer vs Devin Britton Live Streaming

2009-08-30T21:51:00.000-07:00

US OPEN 2009 Roger Federer vs Devin Britton Live Streaming

Roger Federer

Country: Switzerland
Birth Date: 8 August 1981
Birth Place: Basel, Switzerland
Residence: Bottmingen, Switzerland
Height: 6 ft. 1 in. ( 1.85 meters )
Weight: 187 lbs. ( 85 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 1998

Devin Britton

Country: United States of America
Birth Date: 17 March 1991
Birth Place: Jackson, Mississippi, USA
Residence: Brandon, Mississippi, USA
Height: 6 ft. 4 in. ( 1.93 meters )
Weight: 185 lbs. ( 84.1 kilos )
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 2009

Watch Live Streaming

Federer challenges Murray to five-setter 'any day'

2009-01-25T20:03:00.000-08:00

MELBOURNE (AFP) - Roger Federer said on Sunday that he would take on super-fit Briton Andy Murray "any day" over five sets after surviving a marathon match in the Australian Open fourth round.

The Swiss insisted he felt fresh as a daisy after his three-and-a-half-hour work-out against Tomas Berdych and could easily go the distance with Murray despite their six-year age gap.

"I don't know how fit Murray is. I'll take him on any day in a five-setter," Federer said.

"He's younger so he's probably not so experienced. In the end it becomes very mental, and I know that this is where my biggest strength always comes into play. That's why I'm always going to favour myself in a fifth set."

Federer, 27, who has lost his last four matches against Murray, has fought a low-key war of words with the Scot since arriving here.

The 13-time Grand Slam champion pointedly questioned Murray's status as bookies' favourite at the start of the tournament, prompting the Briton to point out "contradictions" in Federer's comments.

The two remain on course to meet in next Sunday's final in a rematch of the US Open title match, where Federer recorded his last win over the 21-year-old Scot.

Fourth seed Murray is seeking his maiden Grand Slam win here and Britain's first since 1936.

Dokic progresses in Australian Open

2009-01-25T20:02:00.002-08:00

MELBOURNE (AFP) - Australian wildcard Jelena Dokic kept her remarkable story going when she upset Russia's Alisa Kleybanova 7-5, 5-7, 8-6 to reach the quarter-finals of the Australian Open on Sunday.

Dokic will now play Dinara Safina after defeating the world number 31 in a three hour epic.

After entering the tournament ranked 187th in the world, Dokic finds herself playing the world number three for a place in the final four of the year's first Grand Slan.

It is a story that almost defies belief.

After bursting onto the scene in the late 1990s, Dokic stunned the tennis world when as a 15-year-old she beat then number one Martina Hingis in the first round of Wimbledon in 1999.

The following year she reached the semi-finals at the All England Club and by 2002 was the world number four with five WTA titles to her name.

But under the influence of now estranged father Damir, she fell out with Australian tennis officials and returned to her native Serbia, her tennis career suffering badly as a result.

By 2004 she was all but out of the game until she began her comeback late last year.

Dokic will finish the Australian Open inside the top 100, well on the way to her year-end goal of being ranked inside the top 50.

"I may have to change my goals now," she admitted after defeating her third seeded player in a row.

She ousted Anna Chakvetadze (seeded 17) in the second round and Caroline Wozniacki (11) in the third before accounting for Kleybanova (29).

But she had a big fright on the way when she fell heavily after twisting her ankle when returning a serve while leading 6-5 in the third set.

She got up and brushed aside the trainer's offer to strap her ankle at the next change of ends, came back on and held serve then broke Kleybanova to seal victory in three hours.

"My foot really got stuck," she said.

"But I kind of just think I lost one point after that, so maybe it was a little bit distracting to her as well.

"It was a little bit painful, but I looked at it and it wasn't swollen -- sometimes when it's a really bad strain it gets swollen straightaway.

"I thought I would try to play a point or two, and if it's not great I'll call a trainer straightaway."

Dokic said the strain of playing so many long matches was catching up with her.

"I was really physically exhausted tonight but I kept on fighting and the crowd got right behind me in the third set," she said.

"Every single match I've played has been three sets. I really had to come through in all of them."

Kleybanova, playing her first match on a major centre court, could have been forgiven for being slightly overawed by the occasion, but she was the steadier of the two players in the beginning.

Both players looked nervous throughout and holding serve was a continuous battle.

There were five breaks of serve in each of the first two sets, although both players steadied in the third, which then developed into a battle of nerves.

Kleybanova broke early in the third but Dokic struck back to level at 3-3, then games went with serve until Dokic made the vital breakthrough.

"It was hard to stay positive when I lost the second set and and went down a break in the third, but I just kept on fighting and it paid off," she said.

Australian Open - Magnificent Murray mauls Melzer

2009-01-25T20:02:00.001-08:00

Andy Murray removed any doubts he was not a serious contender for the Australian Open title with a clinical 7-5 6-0 6-3 third-round demolition of Austria's Juergen Melzer.

The fourth-seed showed all of the composure, shot making and court coverage that has propelled him into the world's top four and made him one of the pre-tournament favourites.

"I thought I hit the ball really, really well," Murray said. "I took a lot of my chances. I made him do a lot of running and was very confident from the second set onwards."

The 21-year-old has already beaten Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer on hardcourts in the past month and his confidence was no more evident when he sealed the second set with a nonchalant volley into the open court and continued walking to his chair.

Murray, who was taken to five sets by Melzer at the US Open last year, gave the Austrian no chance to repeat the experience with clever use of angles, audacious chips and drop shots and varying the pace of his returns.

"I just felt more confident going into the match," Murray said of his feeling before he went into the third round clash.

"I knew if I played well I felt like I could go on to win in three sets if I grabbed the first set.

"He's one of those guys that, when he's behind, he's dangerous because he doesn't think a whole lot.

"I think when it starts to get close against him and he starts thinking is when he starts to make more mistakes, like at the end of the first set.

"But when he gets ahead, you know, he can start serving well and he can get confident. The start was very important.

"I do think I played much better today than at the U.S. Open."

The victory secured a fourth round clash with Spain's 14th seed Fernando Verdasco, who thrashed Radek Stepanek 6-4 6-0 6-0.

"I haven't really seen a whole lot of his match," Murray said of the Spanish left hander.

"I think Stepanek, I don't know if he had something wrong with him or not, but he didn't look like he was particularly interested.

"Against Verdasco, I really have to use my head.

"I have a very good record against left handers. The only one I've lost to on the tour has been Nadal.

"I need to use my head, make him do a lot of thinking and moving (and) if I play like I did tonight, I can definitely win that one."

Australian Open - Fed: I'd win a Murray five-setter

2009-01-25T20:01:00.001-08:00

Roger Federer said that he would take on super-fit Briton Andy Murray "any day" over five sets after surviving a marathon match in the Australian Open fourth round.

The Swiss insisted he felt fresh as a daisy after his three-and-a-half-hour work-out against Tomas Berdych and could easily go the distance with Murray despite their six-year age gap.

"I don't know how fit Murray is. I'll take him on any day in a five-setter," Federer said.

"He's younger so he's probably not so experienced. In the end it becomes very mental, and I know that this is where my biggest strength always comes into play.

"That's why I'm always going to favour myself in a fifth set."

Federer, 27, who has lost his last four matches against Murray, has fought a low-key war of words with the Scot since arriving here.

The 13-time Grand Slam champion pointedly questioned Murray's status as bookies' favourite at the start of the tournament, prompting the Briton to point out "contradictions" in Federer's comments.

The two remain on course to meet in next Sunday's final in a rematch of the US Open title match, where Federer recorded his last win over the 21-year-old Scot.

Fourth seed Murray is seeking his maiden Grand Slam win here and Britain's first since 1936.

American Andy Roddick, meanwhile, was full of confidence after dismissing Spain's Tommy Robrero, a player against who he has dropped just one set in 10 matches.

"I don't know that I've had a bad day against him," said the seventh seed, whose quarter-final opponent on Tuesday will be defending champion Novak Djokovic.

Roddick, who says he has trimmed down by about seven kilograms after a gruelling off-season, has made the semi-finals three times at Melbourne Park in his seven previous visits but has yet to reach the final.

"So far so good. I get to play another day," said the 26-year-old.

"I've been in the tournament for nine days now and just trying to get a step further each time.

"I'm not going to think about it in two parts. It's a whole tournament. I just want to continue to stay alive each day."

AFP

Federer, Djokovic fight back at Australian Open

2009-01-25T19:57:00.000-08:00

MELBOURNE (AFP) - The Australian Open was blown wide open Sunday when top seed Jelena Jankovic crashed out while Roger Federer was forced to mount a memorable comeback to beat Tomas Berdych.

The Serb's crushing 6-1, 6-4 defeat to French 16th seed Marion Bartoli put her alongside Ana Ivanovic and Venus Williams as high-profile early round casualties, raising further questions about her world number one status.

Federer looked like he could join Jankovic after losing the first two sets to Czech Berdych, battling back to win 4-6, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 and stay on course for a record-equalling 14th Grand Slam title.

It was the first time Federer has come from two sets down since Miami in 2005, and he sees it as a good omen.

"Tomas did so well and he pushed me to the limit," said the Swiss three-time champion.

"I enjoy those kinds of fights because they don't happen very often, especially on Rod Laver Arena. I hope it is a good omen.

"I feel in great shape, I feel like I could go another two sets."

His next opponent is Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro, who recovered from a set down to grind out a 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 win over fellow young gun Marin Cilic.

There was also safe passage to the quarter-finals for American Andy Roddick, who will play defending champion Novak Djokovic.

Djokovic held off 2006 runner-up Marcos Baghdatis 6-1, 7-6 (7/1), 6-7 (5/7), 6-2 in a match that started at 11:10 pm and finished at 2:26 am.

With Jankovic, Ivanovic and Williams now gone, the first Grand Slam of the season has become one of the most open ever with Bartoli into a quarter-final against Russia's Vera Zvonareva, who beat countrywoman Nadia Petrova 7-5, 6-4.

"It's obviously disappointing. Nobody likes to lose," said Jankovic, who looked lethargic as she tried to play her way into the match.

"It was a tough day for me. You know, I had a slow start. I let my opponent completely come on top of me and play her game."

She is now likely to lose her top ranking, but insisted it was not important.

"It doesn't matter because it's just the beginning of the year, and there is many more tournaments to play," she said.

Bartoli was ecstatic at the upset but said she always felt she could win.

"I knew I could beat Jelena on a good day, it was just a matter of executing it, playing the right shot at the right time and not making too many mistakes," said the Frenchwoman, who made the Wimbledon final in 2007.

Russian third seed Dinara Safina survived two match points to beat France's Alize Cornet 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 and will play Australian wildcard Jelena Dokic whose fairytale run continued with 7-5, 5-7, 8-6 win over Russia's Alisia Kleybanova.

Safina appeared certain to follow Jankovic out when Cornet was serving for the match at 5-4 and 40-15, but she somehow clung on and hauled herself out of trouble.

"I feel so lucky that I have the chance to play in the quarter-finals," said Safina.

"This is the first time I have won when two match points were against me. "There are no easy matches here, there are no easy Opens."

Argentina's del Potro became the youngest man in the last eight since Richard Krajicek in 1992 and has now reached two consecutive Grand Slam quarter-finals after last year's US Open.

"Against Roger, he will be the favourite. I'll change nothing for the game," insisted the the 20-year-old.

Seventh-seeded Roddick was in ominous form as he downed Spanish 21st seed Tommy Robredo 7-5, 6-1, 6-3.

After battling out a tight first set, Roddick steamrolled his opponent in the second and third to send out a warning that he cannot be underestimated as he looks to add to his lone Grand Slam triumph at the US Open in 2003.

ATP Doha : Federer vs Starace Live Streaming Online

2009-01-05T20:59:00.000-08:00

The former world number eight looked in control as he took the first set but could do nothing to stop Nieminen as the Finn took the next two sets and the match 5-7 6-1 6-4.

Baghdatis, who reached the Australian Open final in 2007, had a disrupted 2008 due to injury problems and was hoping to use the Brisbane International to launch his assault on the top 20.

But his lack of match fitness had shown against Nieminen, who at number 38 is ranked 60 places higher than the Cypriot.

"I'm not match fit and I think I need to work on that in the next 15 days before my next tournament," he said.

"But... the way I'm hitting the ball is good, tactically maybe I can work on it a bit more, but that's all."

Baghdatis said a leg problem, which surfaced at 1-5 down in the second set, was due to tiredness.

The 23-year-old, a huge crowd favourite in Australia because of its large Cypriot and Greek communities, next plays at the Kooyong Classic in Melbourne, an eight-man round-robin invitational event held in the week before the Australian Open.

"That's why I choose to play there, because I'm sure I'm going to play two matches there," he said.

"Even if you lose you get to play two matches, and also play two great matches because your opponents are going to be tough and that's good, like today."

Baghdatis is still setting tough goals for the Australian Open, saying he wants to at least make the second week of the year's first Grand Slam.

"It depends also on the draw and a bit of luckiness," he said.

"Last year I had a tough draw -- I hope this year I will be a bit more lucky and to see myself in the second week would be a good Australian Open."

ATP Doha : Qualifier vs Qualifier Live Streaming Online

2009-01-05T20:58:00.000-08:00

Former world number one Lleyton Hewitt made a winning return from hip surgery on Monday but couldn't prevent Australia's narrow 2-1 defeat to Germany in the Hopman Cup mixed teams event.

Hewitt was impressive in his 6-7 (6-8), 6-3, 6-2 defeat of Nicolas Kiefer but the German took his revenge with a thrilling match tie-break win in the decisive mixed doubles encounter 6-7 (2-7), 6-3, 10-5.

"It has been close to five months since I played a match and it has been a long time coming," said Hewitt, 27, after the singles match.

"It was a great way to start the year. He is a really tough opponent, it was a matter of me hanging in there and weathering the storm, and in the end I was able to turn the match around..

"It takes a lot of courage to come back from surgery, and lose the first set in a close tie-break and then win the second third convincingly, it is a good start."

Hewitt ended 2008 ranked 68th, the first time he had been outside the top 50 since 1998. He was playing for the first time since his operation after the Beijing Olympics in August.

The former US Open and Wimbledon champion appeared to be moving freely in his comeback match as he recovered from a set down against Kiefer, who has been ranked as high as fourth but has also had injury problems.

But the day's star turned out to be German teenager Sabine Lisicki, who came from a set down to beat hometown favourite Casey Dellacqua in the women's singles before helping Kiefer clinch the doubles.

The 19-year-old Lisicki reeled off the last three games of the singles match as Dellacqua dramatically imploded on her Hopman Cup debut, winning just one of the last 13 points after serving for the match.

"I was just fighting," Lisicki said after the 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 win.

"It was my first match of the year, and it's never easy, especially against Casey here at home.

"Sometimes I just missed some easy balls, but I am really happy with that win."

Despite the loss, Hewitt and Dellacqua looked set to clinch the Group A tie when they won the first set of the mixed doubles. But the German pair won the second set and dominated the match tie-break.

Hewitt, who has set his sights on a return to the top 10, is using the Hopman Cup as a warm-up for this month's Australian Open Grand Slam in Melbourne

ATP Doha : Nadal vs Santoro Live Streaming Online

2009-01-05T20:57:00.000-08:00

Now playing under the name Date-Krumm, she succumbed 6-4 6-3 to American Jill Craybas in her first WTA tournament outside Japan in 13 years.

The 38-year-old Japanese player, who unexpectedly came out of retirement last year, looked dazed at the start and promptly lost the first four games against Craybas.

She fought back to trail 5-4 in the first set but paid the price for holding serve only once in the second.

"My opponent wasn't the type who tries to overpower you but she played a smart game," Date-Krumm said. "I was in shape to play but practice is different from an actual game."

Seeds Anabel Medina Garrigues, Aleksandra Wozniak, Shahar Peer and Nicole Vaidisova all enjoyed a good start to their 2009 seasons.

Third seed Medina Garrigues of Spain overcame a tricky start to overpower Italy's Mara Santangelo 7-5 6-0.

Fourth seeded Canadian Wozniak defeated Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia 6-3 6-7 7-5, number five Peer beat Petra Cetkovska 7-6 6-2 and former Australian Open semi-finalist Vaidisova squeezed past Russia's Alla Kudryavtseva 7-6 4-6 7-5.

ATP Doha : Hernandez vs Vliegen Live Streaming Online

2009-01-05T20:55:00.000-08:00

The top seed and former world number one got only 61 per cent of her first serves in and struggled to win any points on her second, but still managed to overcome world number 50 Kvitova in one hour and 44 minutes.

Ivanovic will now face Italian qualifier Roberta Vinci in the second round, but she will need to improve if she is to challenge for the title.

"I had to fight for each point and you know that's good, especially in the first match. You want to get into your rhythm and you want to stay tough for each point," Ivanovic said.

"She was a tough opponent for a first round -- she likes to hit the ball very flat. The end of last season was a bit of a disappointment for me so I was looking forward to a good start."

Earlier fourth seed Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia was an early high-profile casualty when she crashed out to Italy's Sara Errani, who recovered from losing the first set in a tiebreak to win 6-7 (1) 6-4 6-0.

The tournament also lost eighth seeded Italian Francesca Schiavone , beaten 7-5 6-2 by Olga Govortsova of Belarus, and ninth seed Ai Sugiyama, who was bundled out by local favourite Samantha Stosur 6-2 6-3.

Former world number one Amelie Mauresmo was pushed all the way by Australian wildcard Jelena Dokic before winning 7-6 (9) 7-6 (5).

Dokic was a former top five player before some well documented personal problems with her father forced her from the tour.

She is making one more bid to re-launch her career and showed enough against Mauresmo to suggest she could once again be a force in the women's game.

However, her lack of exposure at the top level showed in the crucial points, allowing Mauresmo to escape with a narrow victory.

"I'm feeling better than last year already," a relaxed Mauresmo said. "There were some good things and some things that need to be improved but it's a win, so that's perfect."

Stosur, from the nearby Gold Coast, caused a minor upset when she downed Japanese veteran Sugiyama.

The Australian had originally been drawn to play seventh seed Maria Kirilenko in the first match of the tournament, but when an ill Kirilenko withdrew on Sunday morning, Sugiyama was elevated to ninth seed and had to face Stosur.

Sugiyama, who had been due to play a qualifier in the first round, said the re-draw had upset her preparations.

"It was much tougher [facing Stosur] than a qualifier ranking-wise, but I just tried to focus on my game, but today I wasn't sharp enough," Sugiyama said.

In other matches, French qualifier Julie Coin downed Belgium's Yanina Wickmayer 7-5, 6-7 (5) 7-6 (3) and Vinci beat fellow qualifier Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany 0-6 6-3 6-1.

Melinda Czink of Hungary downed Ukraine's Alona Bondarenko 7-6 6-1, Lucie Safarova beat Australian wildcard Isabella Holland 6-4 6-3 and Tathiana Garbin of Italy defeated Sweden's Sofia Arvidsson 6-2 6-3.

ATP Doha : Kohlschreiber vs Qualifier Live Streaming Online

2009-01-05T20:54:00.001-08:00

Third-seed Marin Cilic of Croatia entered the second round of the 450,000-dollar ATP Chennai Open with a straight-sets win over Alberto Martin of Spain on Monday.

The 20-year-old Cilic, ranked 27th in the world, began the new season on a fluent note as he cruised to a 6-4, 6-4 win in the opening match of India's biggest tennis event.

"It is nice to get the first match of the year out of the way," said Cilic, a semi-finalist here last year before losing to eventual winner Mikhail Youzhny of Russia.

"It was good to break early in both sets because he had to catch up after that, and that made it a bit easier for me.

"I am not thinking about winning the tournament yet, just concentrating on my next match. But the aim for the year is to do well in the Grand Slams."

Fifth-seeded Rainer Schuettler faced a tougher challenge from Indian wildcard Prakash Amritraj before the German won 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 in an hour and 25 minutes.

Amritraj, whose US citizenship makes him ineligible to represent India in the Davis Cup and the Olympics following a recent government directive, delighted local fans by taking the second set.

But Schuettler, ranked 33rd in the world, ran away with the third set as the 206th-ranked Amritraj struggled with his first serves in humid weather.

"I am not in a position to comment on the Indian government's decision," said Amritraj, 25, who is allowed by the International Tennis Federation to represent India on the circuit.

"I just want to focus on my game and see I do well in any match I play."

Schuettler's second-round opponent will be Simon Greul of Germany, who defeated Spaniard Daniel Gimeno-Traver 6-3, 6-4.

In another match, Bjorn Phau of Germany outlasted Santiago Ventura of Spain 6-2, 7-5.

The top two seeds, world number five Nikolay Davydenko of Russia and 16th-ranked Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland, will play their first round matches on Tuesday.

Also in action on Tuesday will be fourth-seeded Ivo Karlovic of Croatia, Spanish veteran Carlos Moya, who won the title in 2004 and 2005, and seventh- seed Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia.

ATP Doha : Montanes vs Murray Live Streaming Online

2009-01-05T20:53:00.000-08:00

World number 10 James Blake (pictured) and Meghann Shaughnessy had been expected to get the top-seeded Americans off to a flying start in the mixed team event.

However, Dominika Cibulkova eased past Shaughnessy 6-2 6-2, while Dominik Hrbaty tamed Blake in a 6-3 4-6 7-6 tussle. The

Slovakian duo completed a 3-0 rout with a 6-4 7-6 win over Shaughnessy and Blake in the doubles.

Germany triumphed in a deciding mixed doubles tiebreaker to defeat Australia 2-1 in the other Group A clash.

The German pair of Nicolas Kiefer and Sabine Lisicki won the deciding tiebreaker 10-5 to clinch the match 6-7 6-3 7-6 after the two singles rubbers had been split.

Lisicki gave Germany the early lead when she beat Casey Dellacqua 4-6 6-2 7-5 but Australia squared the tie when Lleyton Hewitt defeated Kiefer 6-7 6-3 6-2.

Despite the loss, Hewitt said he was encouraged by his own performance in his first match since undergoing hip surgery in August.

"I've been hanging for this match for a long time...it's a great way to start the year," he said.

"It takes a lot of courage to come back from surgery and to come back and lose the first set in a tiebreak and then win the second and third convincingly - it's a good start."

Russia and France won their Group B ties at the weekend.

The winners of each group will contest Friday's final.

ATP Doha : Tursunov vs Qualifier Live Streaming Online

2009-01-05T20:51:00.000-08:00

Andy Roddick began his 2009 season with a comfortable win and an ambition to recapture the form which took him to victory over all three Grand Slam champions early last year.

The former world number one from the United States also spoke passionately about his desire to maintain full fitness after winning 6-1, 6-3 against Ivan Navarro, the world number 73 from Spain.

"Last year I was just going from the training table straight on to the court," Roddick said after reaching the second round of the 1,100,000-dollar Qatar Open.

"I was going to do everything to play Wimbledon and I shouldn't have and I was advised not to; I was hurt in Cincinnati and tried to play LA.

"When you do that you don't have all the options," he concluded by way of explanation of how his results fell away after beating Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in Dubai in February and Roger Federer in Miami in March.

Roddick believes his injury problems may have been related to not taking a full close season's rest and training programme at the end of 2007.

Now, however, he feels he has taken a better break and done more of the necessary work, and also has high hopes of his relationship with his new coach, Larry Stefanki, formerly with two other world number ones, John McEnroe and Marcelo Rios.

"I've had more time to prepare and it makes a huge difference," Roddick said. "I feel last season was stalled by injury and now I feel better. I thought I made a pretty solid start."

Tuesday, Federer, Nadal and Andy Murray also begin their campaigns on the ATP World Tour.

Federer, the US Open champion and the winner of 13 Grand Slam titles, faces Potito Starace, the world number 70 from Italy, while Nadal, the top-seeded Wimbledon, French Open and Olympic champion, meets Fabrice Santoro, the 36-year-old former titleholder from France.

Murray, the 21-year-old Briton who beat both Nadal and Federer in the exhibition event in Abu Dhabi at the weekend, begins against Albert Montanes, a top 50 Spaniard, and is seeded to reach a semi-final with Federer on Friday.

ATP Doha : Youzhny vs Andreev Live Streaming Online

2009-01-05T20:49:00.000-08:00

Cagey veteran Dominik Hrbaty conjured an upset 3-0 win for the Slovak Republic over defending champions the United States in the mixed teams Hopman Cup here Monday.

The day after his 31st birthday, Hrbaty belied his lowly ranking to stun American James Blake, snatching an enthralling singles encounter in three sets to secure the Group A tie for the Slovaks against the top seeds.

Earlier, teenager Dominika Cibulkova had brushed aside Meghann Shaughnessy, a late inclusion for the injured Serena Williams and on the comeback trail after a major knee injury, in straight sets to give the Slovaks a 1-0 lead.

Ranked 250th in the world after elbow problems in recent years, Hrbaty took advantage of some reckless shots by the 10th-ranked Blake to snatch victory in a lopsided third set tie-break, 6-3 4-6 7-6 (7/1).

The pair, both previous Hopman Cup winners, traded powerful blows from the back of the court and produced some exhilarating rallies, but Blake was guilty of being too aggressive at times and racked up 62 unforced errors, to Hrbaty's 35.

The normally unflappable Blake grew frustrated as the match wore on, finding himself warned for an audible obscenity in the third set, and also arguing with the chair umpire over one point a short time later.

The American was also left pondering what might have been, as he had six break points in the ninth game of the third set, when a break would have had him serving for the match.

In the deciding tie-break, Hrbaty lifted his game to a new level to race to a 6-0 lead as he notched his first win in three matches against Blake.

"That is my first big win after I came back from the injury," he said.

"I played really well today and played some beautiful tennis; I am ranked 240 places below James and I beat a top 10 player and it cannot be any better.

"I get very excited when I play for my country, I think we have a good chance this week."

The 19-year-old Cibulkova had few problems with a struggling Shaughnessy, who looked very much like a player short on match practice after only playing a handful of tournaments last year, winning 6-2 6-2.

In the dead mixed doubles rubber, the Slovaks made it a clean sweep by beating the Americans in straight sets.

Earlier on Monday, former world number one Lleyton Hewitt made a winning return from hip surgery, but couldn't prevent Australia's narrow 2-1 defeat to Germany in their Group A tie.

Hewitt was impressive in his 6-7 (6/8), 6-3, 6-2 defeat of Nicolas Kiefer but the German took his revenge with a thrilling match tie-break win in the decisive mixed doubles encounter 6-7 (2/7), 6-3, 10-5.

"It was a great way to start the year. He is a really tough opponent, it was a matter of me hanging in there and weathering the storm, and in the end I was able to turn the match around," said Hewitt, 27, after the match.

Hewitt ended 2008 ranked 68th, the first time he had been outside the top 50 since 1998, and was playing for the first time since his operation after the Beijing Olympics in August.

The former US Open and Wimbledon champion, who has set himself the goal of climbing back into the top 10, appeared to be moving freely in his comeback match as he recovered from a set down against Kiefer.

However, he was upstaged by German teenager Sabine Lisicki, who came from a set down to beat hometown favourite Casey Dellacqua in the women's singles before helping Kiefer clinch the doubles.

The 19-year-old Lisicki reeled off the last three games of the singles match as Dellacqua dramatically imploded on her Hopman Cup debut, winning just one of the last 13 points after serving for the match in front of her home crowd.

ATP Doha : Junqueira vs Arnaud Live Streaming Online

2009-01-05T20:47:00.000-08:00

The Swiss was ousted from the top of the rankings by Rafael Nadal last August and his aura of invincibility was broken by defeat in the Wimbledon final before he silenced his doubters with victory in the US Open - his 13th Grand Slam crown.

The 27-year-old said he was feeling much fitter at the start of this season compared to last year where he was recovering from a bout of glandular fever.

"I expect 2009 to be a good year and for various reasons I am under less pressure too," Federer said in Doha, where he opens this season's campaign at this week's Qatar Open.

"I have been dominating for several years and obviously I think I can do it again. I have a very strong technique ... I am mentally and tactically also quite strong," he added. "I have that ability to decide to how much should I attack and defend.

Hopefully I can win more titles this year.

"This time last year, I was sick. But now I am fully fit."

He said playing in last week's exhibition event in Abu Dhabi, where he lost in the semi-finals to Britain's Andy Murray, had given him the chance to try out some new tactics.

"I practised a lot recently. I tried out many new things in Abu Dhabi - in volleying, charging to the net and playing defensive. Since it was an exhibition event I could do it. But it helped me know where I stood and make those small adjustments," he said.

This month's Australian Open offers Federer his next chance to match Sampras's Grand Slam record and he is relishing the opportunity after losing in the semi-finals last year in the start of a string of setbacks he suffered in 2008.

"I have many goals for 2009. One of them is to regain my top ranking and another is to win at least one more Grand Slam," said Federer.

"Every Grand Slam I win will be more meaningful to me. When I win the first one in 2009 it could equal Pete Sampras's record. Everything is going to be special.

"I have been dominating the field for the past several years. 2008 has been a good and bad year, but that has not changed my perspective."

Federer said he faced more challengers than in recent years with world numbers three and four Novak Djokovic and Murray joining him and Nadal as the dominant forces.

"I think four of us have moved far ahead of the rest of the Top 10. The top four rankings can keep changing often, there are lot of possibilities to this in 2009," said the Swiss, who is just 20 points ahead of Djokovic in the ATP standings.

Depending on their performances this week, Djokovic could overtake Federer in the rankings but the Swiss said he was not unduly concerned.

"I'm not worried about it. Anyway it's not the number one spot," he said with a laugh.

On the court, American fourth seed Andy Roddick and fifth seeded Gael Monfils of France both reached the second round of the event in Doha with easy wins.

Roddick beat Spaniard Ivan Navarro 6-1 6-3 in a little over an hour while Monfils outplayed Czech Republic's Jan Hernych in a 6-2 6-2 victory.

"I didn't do anything stupid," said Roddick. "I was pretty happy with the way I played."

Monfils, who lost to Federer in the 2006 final in Doha, was too good for Hernych.

The Frenchman won the first set in quick time, breaking his opponent in the fourth and eighth games, and took a 5-1 lead in the second before seeing off a short-lived fightback from Hernych and clinching the win in 55 minutes.

"It was a good match to start the season," said Monfils. "If I win one more match, then I should run into Rafa (Nadal).

"I have been practising hard and did everything perfectly today."

Matt Cronin's Women's Final Analysis

2008-09-07T13:55:00.001-07:00

2-JELENA JANKOVIC V. 4-SERENA WILLIAMS

I've loved this match-up from the first time I saw it live, when they faced off in San Diego back in 2004 -- a three-set win for Serena. It matches Serena's power, sheer aggression and incredible willpower against Jankovic's speed, unique counter-punching ability and love for the big win over the more popular player. It's a face-to-face, serve against return, diva vs. diva match-up of the highest proportions.

Their rivalry is locked up at 3-3, with all their matches being played on outdoor hardcourts, with Jankovic running past her in the 2008 Australian Open quarters and Serena brushing her off in the 2008 Miami final. There are rarely sloppy points. There are almost always end-to-end rallies that end in screams and splits. There is always drama: smiles, grimaces, grunts and huge sighs of relief.

At 2006 LA, when Jankovic upset Serena in the semis, the two really went at each other. After Jankovic went up 5-2 in the second set, she hit a ball across the net that bounced near Serena's face. Both women said later that they realized it wasn't on purpose, but during the changeover, Serena asked the chair umpire to tell Jankovic not to do it any more because it almost hit her in the eye.

New York is the perfect venue for Jankovic to attempt to win her first Slam final. She says she loves the tournament the most because her super-extroverted personality cuddles into the cavernous confines of Ashe Stadium. The Serbian has more than a bit of a New Yorker in her, and even though she's European by birth, she is a long-time Florida resident who understands the true meaning of "showtime" more than many Americans.

But no more than Serena, who was also meant to close the curtains down on a play's final act. The 27-year-old Williams has been through numerous ups and downs at this tournament but has been a front-and-center actress since she broke out and won the title here in 1999. Despite her failure to win a major this year, she's worked harder in 2008 than she has in any other season and is finally seeing the fruits of her labor. She wants this title very badly and is now experienced enough to adjust her well-developed game to her opponent's various styles. She survived her five-time Wimbledon champion sister Venus in the quarters and then put a serious hurt on the red-hot Dinara Safina in the semis.

“Overall, she's the strongest player on the tour, together with her sister,” Jankovic said. “Nobody has the power that they have. I cannot compare with their strength. They're great athletes; I'm a little athlete. They move really well. They hit the ball so hard.

"So if you want to really win when they're in form, you really have to be on the top of your level, and you really have to go for every shot and really have to run a lot. So it will be difficult, but it's doable.”

Serena looks more than prepared to win her third US Open crown and ninth Slam overall but will have to go to hell and back to do it. What we don't know is whether in her first appearance in a Slam final, she will be able to impose the same relentless, hard-hitting, steady game that saw her step on Elena Dementieva in the semis. Jankovic is all of a sudden healthy, and although she's at a big disadvantage in the serving department, she's quicker than Serena is and will demand that Williams sprint with her all day long.

“I don't know too many people on the tour that can hang in there as much as she can,” Serena said. “She's playing well, and she's just going for glory here.”

This one will go three sets, or at least a deep two, and the winner will be the one who puts the right amount of stick on the ball at the closing moments and who finds her foe's weaknesses mid-way through the match.

If Jankovic was facing Safina, I'd pick her to win her first Slam, but Serena is about to enter the zone, and when she does, she'll drag JJ around by the ponytail until the Serbian finally gives in. As Serena said, “She has a lot of pressure to win her first Grand Slam, and I'm just enjoying every moment.”

Serena in three, foot-stomping sets.

Matt Cronin's Men's Semifinals Analysis

2008-09-07T13:54:00.001-07:00

1-RAFAEL NADAL V. 6-ANDY MURRAY

At the outset of the tournament, these two semifinals were the most probable based on the form of the tour's top contenders this year, and unfortunately for the rest of the players and fortunately for hardcore fans of high-level tennis, the world will get to see the prognostications played out.

Britain is learning to love Murray, not as much as Scotland does, but at least the demanding fans there appreciate his grit, fight and smarts. As many analysts have noted, he's not Tim Henman or Greg Rusedski, meaning that he has obvious fire, the willingness to scrap in back-alley battles, enough pride to say that's he not merely satisfied with a being a second-tier player.

Murray has come into this tournament to win it, not merely to frustrate Nadal for a set or two. Even though he's 0-5 against him, he thinks that he has the right formula to best him by mixing it up and taking the Spaniard out of his rhythm, enticing him to overplay and underplay balls. The 21-year-old is confident that he can hurt him with his improved first serve, respond aggressively to Nadal's big lefty forehand to his backhand, put away his volleys at net and get a hold of the Spaniard's serves. He says that his return of serve is key, and it's the shot that let him down the most in losses at Wimbledon and Toronto.

But it's not that simple because, even if Murray does return better, it's not like he's going to be ripping outright down-the-line winners and immediately taking Nadal out of points. There's no question that the Scot is going to have to grind here, perhaps more than he did in taking out Juan Martin del Potro in a marathon quarterfinal. The Scot has pop, but he's not a huge hitter, and given that no man has been able to hit through and around Nadal this summer without a major battle, this contest is guaranteed to feature numerous points on the treadmill.

Nadal is in better shape at this US Open than he has been at any other time. Plus, he's playing quite well. He has already taken down two pumped-up U.S. fireballers in Sam Querrey and Mardy Fish, and his only loss this summer came to the super-talented grinder Djokovic in Cincinnati (where, by the way, Murray won the title), and that was after he came in tired after his triumph in Toronto. A few weeks later, he belted Djokovic with lefty hooks at the Olympics.

Murray is the one facing a giant question here, not Nadal. If the Spaniard sticks with the same formula that has worked against his squirrelly foe in the past -- work over his body until his legs buckle -- then he just might be in the driver's seat. Nadal has shown himself more than capable of playing both steely defense and high-octane offense and is more than aware of Murray's strengths and weaknesses. It's up to Murray to put on a consistent, A-plus performance, not Nadal, who can win this match by out-legging Murray with a B-plus level.

There's little doubt that the Scot is ready for primetime against other foes, but at this point, he hasn't shown the weaponry to chop down a soon-to-be legend during his best season ever. Maybe next year, but not in 2008. Nadal will reach his first US Open final in four sets.

2-ROGER FEDERER V. 3-NOVAK DJOKOVIC

Does it get much trickier than this pick, with a fragile Federer going up against a guy who is completely stressed out, post his confrontations with Tommy Robredo, Andy Roddick and the New York crowd? No, it doesn't. Djokovic has been in better form for much of the year, and the Swiss hasn't won a significant title and has fallen physically, technically and mentally behind the new No. 1 Nadal. The Serbian has been a step behind Rafa, too, but at least he owns two hard-court wins over him in 2008 and has won a Slam -- the Australian Open.

But Nadal is a non-factor here. It's who can actually play at a high-level consistently enough throughout the match. Federer has held on to his four titles here with his fingertips. Just when you expected him to bring out his heavenly form on a consistent basis, he's been threatened set after set by men who, last year, he would have stuck deep in his back pocket. He's shown flashes of brilliance but has lost some of his feel on his vaunted forehand and has been hesitant on his backhand. If it wasn't for his high-variety serve and willingness to climb all over the net and employ his sound volley, he might have already taken a quick exit.

But Djokovic hasn't exactly been steamrolling opponents, either, and as brilliant as he was at times against Robredo and Roddick off the ground, he has gone through mid-match funks. Part of that is because he has been dealing with [minor] injuries; part of that is because he isn't as accurate when he goes on offense as he is on defense and is still an evolving player; and part of that is because he feels mentally put upon, due to criticism from his fellow players and, to a certain degree, from the press.

What that means is, despite his rock-solid performance against Roddick with the weight of the world on his shoulders, his brain is a bit fried, and it's doubtful that he'll be able to play his best all the way through against Federer.

But what Djokovic can do is out-last him and out-steady him, so it will be up to the Swiss to put on the burners like he did in last year's final and not self-immolate. Federer has to take risks, perhaps more than last year, and take Djokovic out of his comfort zone. He has to charge more than he did last year, hurt him off the forehand side, and not give him too many easy looks. Really what he has to avoid is what occurred in Australia, when the Serbian pushed him so hard in long rallies that Federer gave in too early.

There's no doubt that Djokovic can more than play with Federer, can run with him and match him off the ground. He's already a proven commodity at the Slams, so there is little reason to worry about a Serbian choke. But what Djokovic hasn't proven is that he can overcome controversy within a tournament and still find his top level.

Federer, who is in the biggest slump of his career, badly needs this crown to save his year. The now emotive Swiss will hit warp speed when he needs it most and triumph in five sets. Roger v. Rafa 3 at the 2008 Slams awaits.

Women's singles final to feature performance by Grammy Award Winner Anita Baker

2008-09-07T13:53:00.002-07:00

The Women’s Singles Final of the 2008 US Open will feature Grammy award winning performer Anita Baker.

Anita Baker will sing “America the Beautiful” prior to the prime time Women’s Singles Final. Considered one of the most successful female singers and songwriters in music history, she has won a total of eight Grammy awards. Baker’s sixth original album, My Everything, reached #4 on the Billboard 200 chart despite being released 10 years after her previous album. Baker's ongoing tour, which will continue throughout this fall and winter, is entitled, "An Evening With Anita Baker.”

The Women’s Singles Final will be broadcast live on CBS in prime time for the eighth consecutive year, beginning at 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 7. This is a rescheduled time due to inclement weather.

American Boy and Girl Make It to Junior Finals

2008-09-07T13:53:00.001-07:00

American boys’ qualifier Devin Britton and girls’ wild-card CoCo Vandeweghe advanced to the finals of the US Open junior tournament on Saturday indoors, the first time in 16 years that an American boy and girl have made finals in the same year.

Devin Britton became the unlikeliest finalist in the tournament’s 36-year history as he came back to beat unseeded Serbian Filip Krajinovic, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2, in a semifinal match played indoors 30 minutes from the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center at the Sound Shore Indoor Tennis Club in Port Chester, N.Y., because of rain.

Britton will play Wimbledon winner Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria in the final. The No. 3 seed Dimitrov beat Tsung-Hua Yang, the top-seeded player from Taipei who won the French Open juniors, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2.

Vandeweghe beat France’s Kristina Mladenovic, 6-2, 7-6 (5) and will play Venezuela’s Gabriela Paz in the final. Paz beat No. 2-seeded American Melanie Oudin, 6-4, 6-4, preventing the first all-American girls’ final since Lindsay Davenport beat Julie Steven in 1992.

The last time both an American boy and girl made the final was also 1992, when Brian Dunn won the boys’ title and Davenport the girls’ championship. Ironically, Vandeweghe is currently being coached by Davenport’s long-time mentor Robert Van’t Hof.

Both the boys’ and girls’ finals will be played Sunday at noon.

Britton called his first set on Saturday “scary,” as Krajinovic came out firing. “He was hitting all the lines by two inches,” Britton said. “He didn’t miss a shot the entire set.”

But Britton settled down and opened the second set with an important break, as both players held the rest of the set. Britton once again broke to open the third set, eventually taking a commanding 5-0 lead. He was then broken at love serving for the match. “Got a little nervous there,” he said. “Didn’t hit one first serve or make any shots that game.”

Krajinovic held his serve before Britton ended it with an emphatic ace giving him a trip to the US Open final.

Britton’s future appears bright when you consider names, like David Nalbandian (1998), Jarkko Neiminen (1999), Andy Roddick (2000), Gilles Muller (2001), Richard Gasquet (2002), Jo-Wilifried Tsonga (2003) and Andy Murray (2004) all have won US Open junior titles over the past 10 years.

What makes Britton’s final's run at the Open even more remarkable is the fact that he still has another year left in the juniors. Britton, a 17-year-old IMG Bollettieri Academy player from Jackson, Miss., has yet to make a decision about his future. “If it was Devin’s decision, he would have already turned pro,” said Britton’s mother, Cindy. “We just can’t continue with all this travel financially. We’re not sure yet what we’re going to do.”

Vandeweghe, a 16-year-old who has turned professional and played in the main draw at the Open last week, continued to serve well, playing in front of 25 friends and family members, including her uncle Kiki Vandeweghe, the former UCLA and NBA star.

She said playing indoors did affect her. “It did throw me off a bit. It was weird to look up to serve and see something, and then the next serve you’re looking into the lights. I had four or five doubles faults, which was terrible.”

Vandeweghe, who is attempting to become the first American since Tara Snyder in 1995 to win the US Open junior title, got a good look at Mladenovic’s second serve on set point and ripped a forehand down the line for a winner and spot in the final.

“I was so happy she missed her first serve. I’m a risk taker, not some backboard pusher,” she said after the match of her aggressive style of play.

She’s also calmer on the court than she used to be. “When I was younger, I broke my share of racquets,” she said. “I try to be calm and relaxed out there. I figure why waste the energy getting upset.”

Paz played Oudin tough all day, mostly earning her points on first-serve consistency and patience from the baseline all day. “I just had the attitude to go for it in the first set,” Paz said. “In the second set, I got a little tight. She plays very deep and is very consistent, so I had to wait for her to make the mistakes.”

Oudin, obviously disappointed she won’t get a shot at Vandeweghe on Sunday, had never lost to Paz. “Even though I had beaten her three times before, this is the US Open. Everyone brings their best. She was the better player today. She didn’t miss anything.”

Oudin said playing indoors didn’t affect her style of play. “We both had to play it. It was anyone’s game out there.”

Murray Triumphs Over Del Potro in Marathon Battle

2008-09-04T20:58:00.001-07:00

In a match that turned topsy-turvy just when it appeared to be over, and instead became a drawn-out battle, Andy Murray advanced to his first career Grand Slam semifinal by outlasting Juan Martín del Potro, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (1), 4-6, 7-5, ending the Argentine’s 23-match win streak in 3 hours, 58 minutes.

Murray appeared to be firmly in control of the contest after seizing two difficult tiebreak sets, yet he was unable to put away the Argentine teenager. Del Potro had received treatment twice for knee problems, but he capitalized on Murray errors and quite suddenly resurrected his power game to capture the third set and extend the match.

Del Potro immediately broke serve to begin the fourth set, tantalizing a crowd with thoughts of a five-setter as the lights came on in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Momentum changed hands repeatedly thoughout the encounter, as neither player could consolidate service breaks. There were 14 breaks of serve in the match.

“I’m very relieved,” said a clearly exhausted Murray. “I’d let it slip a bit.”

In the early going, Del Potro, 19, ran headlong into the Scot’s varied counterpuncher arsenal, and until midway through the third set, it appeared as though Murray’s offspeed balls, dozens of drop shots, deft lobs and persistent slices would produce a straight-sets victory.

Murray’s game plan was to move the lanky, 6-ft-6 righthander from side to side and often finished off long rallies with forehand dropshots, exposing Del Potro’s biggest weakness: his movement. Murray deliberately tried to avoid giving Del Potro any pace or rhythm to work with, because when Del Potro has time to line up – and wind up – for his shots, he is at his most lethal.

Del Potro showed that he could not only blast big groundstrokes, but that he could put up a real fight as well. Though his streak has come to an end, the Argentine has had the summer of his professional life, in which he captured four consecutive ATP titles and catapulted from No. 65 in the world to No. 17. On the strength of his US Open run, he is sure to rise to just outside the Top 10.

“I was feeling pain in all my body, but I just did my best. We played a good match. Andy [had] a very good performance and [was] in good shape. So he's the best winner. I'm happy.”

Murray, winner of three hard-court titles this year, is likely to rise to No. 4 when rankings come out after the conclusion of the US Open.

Although there was great interest in this quarterfinal matchup between two of the tour’s rising stars, intensified by pre-match buildup for two antagonists said to be less than friendly, there were no fireworks on court – other than the very real tennis drama of two foes trying to outlast one another.

For the second day in a row, a late-afternoon men’s match seeped into the evening, creating logistical challenges on the grounds as a massive crowd gathered on the South Plaza outside Arthur Ashe Stadium, unable to enter for the night match session.

Federer Being Challenged, And Loving It

2008-09-04T20:56:00.000-07:00

Roger Federer battled No. 23-seed Igor Andreev for three hours and 32 minutes on Tuesday evening, winning 6-3 in the fifth set after dropping the first and having to take Andreev into a tie-break to avoid going down 2-set to love. It was a match that could have gone either way, could have easily stopped Federer’s streak of four US Open titles and would have put an exclamation point on the struggles Federer has had all year.

But for all the people in Arthur Ashe Stadium who found it far more interesting that the defending champion was in a dog fight, being tested to the limit, it may be a surprise to hear that in profound ways Roger Federer was one of them.

The sheer fun that Federer gets from being pressed to the brink of elimination is likely enhanced, maybe even predicated, on the fact that he came out on top in the match. But after the match, listening to Federer talk, observers had a peek into just how much Federer loves the game, and the battle, the latter perhaps the surest sign that he may well come to dominate the men’s game again.

“It was really entertaining, not only for the fans, but for both of us,” Federer said afterward, trying and failing to recall the last time he had played a five-setter that wasn’t interrupted by rain here at the Open. “I don’t usually get the chance to play five sets. It’s different, it’s fun for a change.’’

“[Five-setters] can be tough physically and mentally,’’ Federer went on. “But in five sets you go through different stages of feelings, of playing well, playing bad.”

Federer’s attitude toward his match with Andreev is also a good way of understanding how the former No. 1 is handling 2008, a year that is being framed by just about everyone as a disappointment. He failed to defend his Australian Open title, losing in the semis to Novak Djokovic, and lost to Rafael Nadal in the final of the French Open and Wimbledon.

But again, while there are plenty who expect reams of words about how frustrated Federer is, how he can’t believe he hasn't won at least one Grand Slam so far this year, or a gold medal in singles at the Olympics, Federer sees his situation in a decidedly nuanced light.

Just his attitude about losing to Nadal at Wimbledon in an epic five-setter is illustrative of an attitude rare among top athletes today. Was he bummed about losing at Wimbledon, to his nemesis Nadal, and just barely missing out an a record 6th-straight Wimbledon?

“After Wimbledon, you know, maybe I was a little bit disappointed, but it's still ‑‑ the buzz was bigger about the great match we just played, so I couldn't really look at this match and be completely disappointed,’’ Federer said.

O.K., how about his dismal summer, where he lost in the second round of Cincinnati, the third round of Canada, and then the quarters of the Olympic games?

“I went through maybe the summer and didn't win a whole lot of matches, but I won the Olympic gold in doubles,'' Federer counters. "So I guess I always had sort of a good spirit.”

The fact is, all the challenges to Federer’s stronghold on the game had to be hard to swallow for a guy who held the top ranking for a record 237 straight weeks until this past August 18, when he relinquished it to Nadal. But it has also, in some profound ways, and even in understandable ways, made the game more interesting.

“It hasn't been that frustrating, you know, to be quite honest,’’ he says about 2008. “I think I'm at a stage today where I just really enjoy playing, you know, much more again. Whereas maybe for a while it was quite, always the same for me ‑- go on court, you win all the time, so maybe you don't take it for granted that much anymore.”

Federer next takes on Gilles Muller, a qualifier, in the quarterfinals. Muller, will come out swinging, having less to lose against Federer than most other players. But Federer accepts the challenge, and sets his site on a title that would change everything for Federer. Because for all the talk of his love of competition, Federer is looking to regain not just the No. 1 ranking, and not just another Grand Slam, but, in what is also, no doubt, equally fun, perhaps the funnest thing of all, a prevailing, wide sense of invincibility.

“That’s the advantage I have,’’ Federer says. “If I were to win a big tournament, you know, again, one of those Slams, whatever, right away I have the invincibility factor again.’’

A Pumped Roddick Set to Meet Djokovic in the Quarters

2008-09-04T06:58:00.000-07:00

No. 1 Rafael Nadal, No. 2 Roger Federer and No. 3 Novak Djokovic, the 2007 US Open finalist who Andy Roddick will face in the quarterfinals on Thursday night, all had huge struggles in their fourth-round matches.

But Roddick had an easy time in his fourth-round match, where he blew out Fernando Gonzalez in straight sets. The American appears to have rediscovered the form that led him to the Dubai title in March, where he knocked out both Nadal and Djokovic, and to his first win over Federer in nearly five years in Miami.

Injuries to his neck and shoulder set him back in the late spring and early summer, but despite a mediocre US Open Series, Roddick is looking all the part of an outside threat to win the title. Firing blinding serves and taking advantage of nearly every short ball, Roddick only dropped nine points on serve in his 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 wipeout of Gonzalez.

He looked much more comfortable and lethal on court than the chronically limping Djokovic, who had to go the wall and over it to defeat Tommy Robredo, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.

But that does not mean that the Serbian will not recover in two days' time, as he has spent much of his Grand Slam year digging out long wins. Such is his style and perhaps that's the way he's mentally the most comfortable: physically put upon and thereby emotionally empty, yet fresher. Even though he didn't look like a No. 1-to-be in his marathon wins of Marin Cilic and Robredo, he was lethal in the clutch, and as steady as a Coast Guard boat in rough waves.

Robredo accused Djokovic of overplaying his injuries, which included an injured hip and ankle. Roddick has his doubts, too.

"Back and a hip?" asked Roddick. "And a cramp. Bird flu. Anthrax. SARS. Common cough and cold?

But the top American wouldn't say that the Serbian is faking.

“If it's there, it's there,” Roddick said. “There's just a lot. You know, he's either quick to call a trainer or he's the most courageous guy of all time.”

The 21-year-old Djokovic is nothing if not resourceful. He's also is master return of server, not because he puts so much heat on the ball, but because he can slap back nearly every kind of serve deep. He's extremely accurate off both wings from the baseline and can rip winners when called upon. Roddick knows that in order to grab the win, he's going to have to serve just as big as he did against Gonzalez, keep his approach shots deep and close quickly at net.

"He goes to work pretty much every point, and, my service game, he's going to put returns in, he puts guys in pressure," Roddick said. “It seems like a lot of times there'd be breaks back and forth with him. You know going in that you're going to have to go to work.”

Roddick and Djokovic have faced each other twice, a victory for the Serbian last year in Canada and a win for Roddick this year in Dubai. The American has to try as much as possible to keep the points shorts, as Djokovic is sure to try to exhaust him from the backcourt and entice him into zany net rushes.

“Couple of points, I probably played more aggressively in Dubai than I did in Canada,” Roddick said. “He kind of took it to me in the breakers in Canada, and might have been the other way around in Dubai. It's going to be close, because I think it's a pretty good match-up, and he returns pretty well. I serve pretty well. It will come down to momentum one way or the other.”

Djokovic says that he should be fresh by the time the first ball is tossed on Thursday night. He's a pretty good-natured guy who has respect for his foe. On Arthur Ashe Kid's Day, the two traded hilarious impersonations of the other.

“Roddick, he's former US Open champion, couple times Grand Slam finalist and No. 1," Djokovic said. "So he has all the things under his belt that he needs to have. He's playing in front of his crowd, on his favorite tournament. It's always a difficult one to play against Roddick wherever, but especially here."

Somewhat surprisingly, despite some tremendous runs in New York including his 2003 title sprint, Roddick said that the reigning Australian Open titlist is the favorite. He said it with a wry smile, but stuck to his point.

Bryan Brothers Storm into Final

2008-09-04T06:57:00.000-07:00

American No. 2 seeds Bob and Mike Bryan are right on course to win their second US Open title this year, as they stormed into the championship round with a routine 6-2, 6-1 victory over Tommy Robredo and Sergio Roitman in Wednesday’s semifinal action.

This will be the third time the Bryans have reached the final at Flushing Meadows, after they won the title in 2005. Their only loss in the US Open final came in 2003 against Todd Woodbridge and Jonas Bjorkman.

Their opponents for the championship match were also determined on Wednesday. The Bryans are slated to face off against No. 7 seeds Lukas Dlouhy and Leander Paes, who also took care of business in their semifinal match pretty quickly with a 40-minute win.

Since all the seeded teams were eliminated in the Bryans' half of the draw, Dlouhy and Paes will be the only seeded duo the Americans will have to face in the tournament.

Dlouhy and Paes gave up only two games in their 6-2, 6-0 rout of Argentine team Maximo Gonzalez and Juan Monaco. Dlouhy and Paes held a strong service game, winning 86 percent of first-serve points.

Top-seeded women’s doubles team Cara Black and Liezel Huber still have not dropped a set en route to the semifinals of the US Open tournament.

Black and Huber have partnered for the past three years, winning 19 titles together, including two Grand Slams. On Wednesday, they sailed through the quarterfinals with a 6-4, 6-3 win over the Chinese team of Zi Yan and Jie Zheng. Their win sets up a semifinal meeting with the Spanish No. 5 seeds, Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual.

The Spanish tandem narrowly edged out the American women’s team of Raquel Kops-Jones and Abigail Spears, coming back from a set down to win it, 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (2).

Joie de Jelena

2008-09-04T06:56:00.000-07:00

The name Yankovic – no matter how you spell it – has become synonymous with humor. Whether it was Weird Al singing “My Bologna” and “Eat It” (parodying the hits “My Sharona” and “Beat It”) or Jelena cracking up the press corps during one of her post-match interviews, both have drawn fans for offering comic relief in what otherwise tend to be serious industries.

“She’s an actress,” said Jankovic’s former coach Nick Bollettieri. “She’s great for the tour because she’s a great personality. And she’s great for the game.”

In one of her first press conferences during this tournament, a reporter asked how she was coping with jet lag after competing at the Beijing Olympics:

JANKOVIC: I'm tired. I'm actually falling asleep now.

In another match, she was asked about a fall in the third set where she took her time getting up.

“I was just trying to come back to, you know, normal position where I can just stand up and regroup again and play the next point. That was it.”

Asked if the pavement was hot:

“No, but I thought I was going to get my dress really dirty, and then that was my biggest concern.”

Despite fatigue, dirty dresses, and all the other exigencies that the US Open presents, Jankovic advanced to the US Open semifinals on Tuesday night for the first time since 2006. The achievement also marked the third time the 23-year-old Serb reached a Grand Slam semifinal this year.

“She’s come a long way,” Bollettieri said, comparing her success to the day she arrived at his tennis academy. Coincidentally, it was the same day Tatiana Golovin (a 2006 US Open semifinalist) and Maria Sharapova (the 2007 US Open champion) appeared.

Back then, he said, Jankovic wasn’t such a character. “She didn’t have the confidence she does today," he said. "The reason was, she was playing in the shadow of Maria. Maria scared the crap out of them. Maria brutalized them, mentally.”

At 16, however, Jankovic won the 2001 Australian Open girls’ title and turned professional shortly thereafter. Six years later, she won the Wimbledon mixed doubles title with Jamie Murray (Andy’s brother) – her only Slam victory (or final) to date.

During the 2007 post-match press conference in London, Jankovic flirted coyly with Murray, leading to speculation that they may be an item.

Q: Can you recall your thoughts after the winning point and as you went into the Royal Box?

MURRAY: I was just looking for that kiss from her, to be honest.

JANKOVIC: No, I was motivating him every time. When it was a breakpoint, I'd tell him, Jamie, let's go. This return, hit a good one because you gonna get many kisses, you know (laughter)…At the end, he did it. I was like, what I have to do to…pump him up a little bit so that he can play great tennis. But it was amazing. After I look back two weeks ago, we came at the same time with the van and he asked me to play. I was thinking, what are the odds…Maybe it was like destiny, it was meant to happen. So I'm really happy that… we won this tournament. It's amazing. Playing with Jamie, it was a great experience. Very nice guy. Very sweet, as well (smiling).

Q. Jamie, do you have a girlfriend?

MURRAY: No.

Q. Do you have a boyfriend?

JANKOVIC: I have lots (smiling).

Q. Are you going to go out for dinner to celebrate maybe?

JANKOVIC: We're going to the ball.

MURRAY: To the ball, yeah.

JANKOVIC: He was looking so forward to this ball. He was asking me the whole day what kind of dress I'm wearing, if it's going to be short or long. I had to disappoint him. It's very long.

The pair hasn't competed together at another Slam because Jankovic has prefered to focus on singles. Her decision paid off on August 11 when she became the 18th woman to achieve the world No. 1 ranking, but she relinquished the top spot to her countrywoman Ana Ivanovic one week later after Jankovic lost in the quarterfinals of the Beijing Olympics.

“To win a Grand Slam or to be number one and stay there, you can’t wait for the other person to give you the match,” said the 77-year-old Bollettieri.

“She tends to wait for the victory and not force it. It’s happened several times here. It seems to be a theme.

“[Jelena] moves as well as anybody. Her forehand is solid. Her two-handed backhand is great. If she could be a little braver on her serve – even if she double faults – in time it will get better. She’s got to gamble a bit and be more assertive,” he said.

Until then, spectators seem to appreciate the drama of a Jankovic match – which leads to another theory.

“She’s had so many three setters because she wants to be in Hollywood,” Bollettieri joked.

Four Quarters Pay Day 10 Dividends

2008-09-03T07:43:00.000-07:00

Four quarters add up to one whole lot of excitement on this Day 10 of the 2008 US Open. On the men’s side, top-seed Rafael Nadal takes on American Mardy Fish, while great Scot Andy Murray goes head-to-head with the hottest player in men’s tennis, Juan Martin Del Potro. The women’s quarters feature Olympus US Open Series women’s champ Dinara Safina against Italy’s Flavia Pennetta, as well as the highly anticipated sisterly summit featuring Venus and Serena Williams.

Through the better part of their pre-tournament press conference and on ubiquitous TV ads airing throughout this event, Venus and Serena Williams have spent a lot of time extolling the virtues of making Oreos an important part of everyone’s lives. As a long-time Double Stuff man myself, I certainly can’t argue the merits of that message, nor can anyone argue that the sisters haven’t been the toughest cookies in the women’s draw. Venus, the No. 7 seed, and Serena, seeded No. 4, have played their way to this quarterfinal engagement without dropping a set. Venus has lost just 15 games in four rounds, one more than her younger sister. The luck of the draw puts this re-match of this year’s Wimbledon finalists on a Wednesday evening, but any time these two luminaries come together, you can expect the sort of brilliance normally associated with a prime-time Saturday night. Venus, winner of back-to-back titles here in 2000 and 2001, has taken seven Slam singles titles in her career. Serena, US Open champ in 1999 and 2002, owns eight. The sisters are even at 8-all in their career meetings, seven of those meetings coming in Grand Slam finals. Only once before have the two come together at an earlier stage in this tournament—that was a fourth-round meeting in 2005, won by Venus. This should be a good one, as to this point in the tournament, the Williams sisters have been the best ones. Both women have been near-perfect to this point, but I always feel that when these two come together, Venus is more capable of separating herself. After all, the cream isn’t always in the middle—sometimes it rises to the top. In three, Venus moves on to the semis.

Nadal, playing his first-ever Slam event as the top seed, has never before been past this point at the Open in five previous tries. Now, he figures as a very real favorite for a second-Sunday showing, coming here on the heels of a sizzling summer in which the 22-year-old Spaniard captured his fourth consecutive French title, his first Wimbledon crown, an Olympic gold medal and a first-place finish in the Olympus US Open Series. A win here would make Nadal only the fourth man in the Open Era to win three Slams in a row. The top seed owns the top record among the men on hardcourts this year, with a 40-7 record through round four. Fish is playing in just the second Grand Slam quarterfinal of his career; this is his best-ever US Open showing. He’s unseeded here, but he’s not without hard-court credentials, reaching the final of two cement events this year—at Indian Wells and New Haven. Fish was especially impressive in a straight-sets pounding of No. 32 seed Gail Monfils in round four, playing an aggressive style that saw him come to the net 69 times, winning 45 of those points. In that efficient two-hour tilt, Fish won 80 percent of his first-serve points, broke Monfils six times, and effectively shut down one of the most athletic players on the tour. He’ll likely employ that same style against Nadal, but Nadal is much more likely to be able to poke holes in Fish’s advances with his lethal, precise ground assault. It’s tough to pick against the American after his formidable fourth-round performance, but it’d be tougher to pick against Nadal in a match of this magnitude. Fish gets a set; Nadal gets the semis.

No. 6 seed Murray is playing here with his highest career Grand Slam seeding. The 21-year-old is making his fourth US Open appearance, and this is his best-ever Flushing run. Murray also reached the quarters at Wimbledon this year and has taken three tournament titles in 2008, including hard-court wins at Doha and Cincinnati. Five of his six career titles are hard-court crowns. The 2004 US Open junior boys’ champion has often been heralded as the game’s the next best thing, but in Del Potro, he’s facing the game’s hottest man, the only player in the history of men’s tennis to win his first four titles in four consecutive tournaments. The 19-year-old Argentine is riding a 23-match win streak into this quarterfinal and shows no signs of slowing his surge. This will be a fun one to watch, as two of the game’s coming talents come together. This one goes the distance, and in five, Del Potro goes on.

Matt Cronin's Day 10 Analysis

2008-09-03T07:42:00.002-07:00

1-RAFAEL NADAL V. MARDY FISH

Fish was adamant in saying that his old-school attacking game can threaten Nadal, and maybe it can on a great day. But what cannot be dismissed is that Nadal is 4-0 lifetime against Fish and has never lost any of the 10 sets they've played, and two matches were played on grass and the other two on hardcourts.

So while a zoning Fish with a raucous crowd behind him can do damage, the world's top player won't be walking on court shaking in his shoes. He must have a good idea as to how to return Fish's serves proficiently enough, how to pass him when he's climbing all over the net, how to exploit the American's weaker forehand.

Nadal did not play very well in his four-set win over Sam Querrey, and Fish played great in throttling Gael Monfils. That's the major positive that Fish can take into this match -- that maybe he'll continue to kiss the corners, while Nadal will be content hugging the middle of the court.

This is a pretty simple call. Will Nadal's excellent returning, mind-boggling passing shots and tireless play from the backcourt be enough to hook the streaking Fish, or can Mardy serve and volley his way to the year's biggest upset? The answer is pretty clear: Nadal will lose his way for a set and a half, but Mardy is due to come back to earth and will fall in four hard-fought sets.

6-ANDY MURRAY V. JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO

There seems to be a mini-blood feud boiling here, as back in May at Rome, Andy Murray accused the 19-year-old Argentine of insulting his mother, Judy, during a heated match. "I haven't spoken to him since, so whether there is unfinished business or not, it's just another tennis match to me,” Murray said. “Whether I like Del Potro or not does not really make any difference. I wasn't great friends with him before. I don't need to be friends with him now.”

Murray said the incident doesn't bother him any more, but Del Potro's form just might. The tall and deceptively fast Argentine has won 23 straight matches and seems to have all the makings of a top-5 player to be. He owns a big serve and crushing forehand and is competing very well, despite having played a tremendous amount during the past two months.

But Murray is in better form, is a smart player and knows how to blunt big servers. He was near perfect in crushing Stan Wawrinka and realizes that this should by all rights be his breakout Slam. His first serve is to be feared when he's in the zone, his groundstrokes are thoughtful, and his return is world-class.

Del Porto will go straight at him and will be difficult to break, but the Argentine hasn't faced such an intelligent competitor yet. Del Potro is sure to be pumped and produce plenty of fireworks for a set and a half, but Murray will get into his head and come through in four sets.

6-DINARA SAFINA V. 16-FLAVIA PENNETTA

Going into their final-round clash in LA about six weeks ago, I tried to conceive of a way that Pennetta could take down Safina, and I could only think of one: if the Russian grew tired and erratic and the Italian played super steady and with force. That didn't occur, and Pennetta was clearly out-classed in the match.

Safina is a superior player when she's on, so much of the same scenario will occur here: will Safina, who said she nearly pulled out of her previous contest because she's fried after a long summer, give in to her tired legs and mind, or will she finally see the goal line in sight and unleash her incredibly impressive game?

The thought here is that the Russian will, because after two days of rest and re-focus, she should be ready to let it all hang out. When she does, she serves and strokes the ball too firmly for Pennetta, who has done all she could this year to push herself to her limits but may have topped out in ability. She can certainly out-steady Safina if the Russian gets in a funk, is well conditioned and is a terrific fighter, but Dinara will convince herself that the only way to end her summer on a positive note is to go deeper here and win in straight sets. She has to crave a clash with a Williams sister in the semis, and she'll get one.

Roger Federer US Open 2008 Interview

2008-09-03T07:42:00.001-07:00

It's All Relative - Tennis Family Trivia

2008-09-03T07:40:00.002-07:00

Tennis is a forest full of family trees. The Williams sisters remain alive in the draw, so do the Bryan twins and Dinara Safina, the sister of the 2000 US Open men’s champion Marat Safin. Meanwhile, two McEnroes are doing television commentary. At this juncture, it seems appropriate to play tennis family trivia.

Q1: This Scottish player’s brother, Jamie, is the No.1-ranked doubles player in Great Britain.

A: Andy Murray. His older brother also teamed with Jelena Jankovic to win the mixed doubles title at Wimbledon in 2007.

Q2: Name three American twins who played doubles together in a final of a Grand Slam event.

A: Mike and Bob Bryan (achieved a career Grand Slam in 2006), Luke and Murphy Jensen (1993 French Open champions), and Tim and Tom Gullickson (1983 Wimbledon runners-up)

Q3: The father of these three siblings reached the third round of Wimbledon in 1953 and 1956 and built grass courts on his avocado farm in Zimbabwe so his children could play.

A: The late Don Black’s two sons Wayne (34), Byron (38) and daughter Cara (29) have all won doubles titles at Grand Slam events. In addition, Cara and Wayne won mixed doubles titles together at the 2002 French Open and 2004 Wimbledon. Cara is competing in mixed doubles at the US Open.

Q4: This Russian brother-sister combo’s mother also coached other young Russian players such as Elena Dementieva.

A: The mother of Marat Safin and Dinara Safina (Rauza Islanova) instilled the same work ethic in other champions such as 2008 Olympic gold medalist and US Open semifinalist Dementieva. Dementieva said, “She was very tough on us and forged our sports character.”

Q5: Nine-time US Open champion (and 2008 Champions Invitational Competitor) Martina Navratilova lost to all three of these Bulgarian sisters at some point in her 31-year professional career.

A: Manuela, Katerina, and Magdalena Maleeva

Q6: Sometimes, children break from the tennis lineage. This son and grandson of Danish Davis Cup players reportedly played in the French Open junior division before founding a heavy metal band that will go on a world tour later this month.

A: Lars Ulrich, drummer for Metallica.

For more information about some of tennis’ most prominent families, visit the US Open Gallery at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Admission to the exhibit, “Home Court: The Family Draw,” is free

Federer Versus Igor Andreev U.S. Open 2008

2008-09-03T07:40:00.001-07:00

Scout's Honor: US Open Court Attendant Overcomes the Odds

2008-09-03T07:39:00.002-07:00

There was the fire that took her right leg and half her left foot as an infant. There was the abandonment and the subsequent horrific life in the orphanage in China. It included manual labor, beatings, near starvation and no education. She also never set foot outside the door of the orphanage for seven years.

That is the way Scout Bassett entered the world, as her parents left her on the doorstep of an orphanage in Nanjing, China, when she was under a year old with just a bib around her neck with a name, Zhu Fuzhi, and birthdate. There was no way to verify that her name was correct, and Zhu was a very common Chinese last name.

The orphanage was her home until an American family adopted her when she was seven years old and brought her to Harbor Springs, Mich.

Now 13 years later, at age 20, Bassett has overcome all the odds and is an accomplished athlete with international and national success in triathlons, all with a prosthesis that goes above her knee. She has also been a court attendant at the 2008 US Open and having a fantastic time.

Bassett, along with Kelly Bruno, a ballperson with a prosthesis, are two of the first physically challenged athletes to ever serve on the field of play at a major sporting event.

Bassett, a sophomore at UCLA, is an above-knee amputee, although she did not have her first amputation until she was eight years old and living in Michigan. In the orphanage, a leg was fashioned for her using scraps belonging in someone’s garage, including masking tape, leather straps and metal rods, so that she could walk.

When she was older and could get around, she was put to work washing floors, washing dishes and feeding babies during the day, with hardly any interaction with the other orphans.

“I had a very unusual childhood and at times horrific,” Bassett said. “I would sleep on the floor instead of my bed because it was so hot, and (the floor) was cooler. When they found us, they would beat us on the head. (As severe punishment) they would drown us in hot water in the bathtub until we couldn’t breathe, then they would pull our heads up. In their minds, they were making us physically and mentally tough.”

They were given just three bowls of rice to eat a day, and Bassett was so malnourished when her parents, Joe and Susi Bassett, adopted her at age seven. She weighed just 25 pounds with her ribs and bones sticking out. It is one reason for her small stature as an adult at four-feet, eight-inches.

She could not read or write. Forbidden to go outside, she had no idea what cars or trains were - not knowing what lay beyond the windows. When her blonde-haired blue-eyed mother and bald father first arrived to visit, they looked nothing like any people she had ever seen before. As awful as the orphanage was, starting a new life was just as scary.

“I didn’t know there was a better life. I was devastated when I left,” she recalls of being adopted. “It was the only thing I’d known. It (being adopted) was the best thing that ever happened, but it was sickening at the time. I wanted to go back so at least I knew something. It wasn’t until I learned to speak English that things turned around.”

Named after the little girl in her mom’s favorite book and movie, "To Kill A Mockingbird," Scout learned English very quickly – in about six weeks – thanks to her parents’ efforts to constantly talk to her and her brother, Carter, and sister, Palmer. Learning to read and write English fast also helped her catch up to her age group in school, after originally beginning in kindergarten as a seven-year-old but then skipping half of both second and third grade a few years later.

The Bassetts also adopted Carter and Palmer from China, all within 10 months. Carter and Scout came from the same orphanage, with Carter one of the few boys. He was born without some fingers and toes. Carter, now 17, runs cross country in high school, and Palmer, 15, is a dancer.

Her parents took her right away to a prosthetist in Petoskey, Mich., to get a better leg, where she was told her stump was too unusual to be able to make her a leg. After consulting with doctors in Ann Arbor, she finally had her first amputation less than a year later to remove a bone sticking out of the back of her stump, as well as reconstruction of her left foot, including removing her large toe that had been deformed in the fire. After a few months of healing, she was able to have a leg built.

But growing up in a small town of 1,600 people, it was not easy to be a child with a prosthesis. Bassett was always having to explain her leg and could hardly go anywhere without stares or calls from other children or calls of, "Mommy, look at her!"

“Growing up with a prosthetic leg, that might have been harder than being in the orphanage,” Bassett said. “Kids can be cruel. You are trying to fit into a world that is not catered to you. In our small town, (I thought), how am I ever going to find my place in this world, where people do not understand what it is like? I wanted to be normal, and I couldn’t.”

Bassett tried playing team sports through elementary school and junior high, including basketball, softball, soccer and volleyball. But coaches would never put her in the game.

After going to the prosthetist in Ann Arbor for five years, Bassett met one in Orlando, Fla., named Stan Patterson, when she was 13, who changed her life.

“He has brought me from walking to walking really well to doing sports and things I never thought possible,” Bassett said of Patterson.

It was Patterson who suggested Bassett might find more success in individual as opposed to team sports. In 2002, she was in Florida for a visit with Patterson and also went to the Track and Field World Championships for disabled people. She decided she wanted to try running the race, and Patterson made her a special leg for running.

From there, the rest is now history.

“I finished last,” Bassett recalls of the race. “(But) it did light a fire in me to be active on a different level. That’s when I started running. I learned how to bike about four years later and swim around the same time.”

Also in 2002, she met people from the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF), which has given Bassett the means to be competitive, receiving her first grant from them about a year later to travel to competitions. She is now a spokesperson for CAF.

“Now I was in the company of amputees who were also athletes,” she said. “Seeing them do it, I knew it was possible.”

Bassett also realized the older she got, that many of the looks and comments she received as a child were not necessarily with ill-will but merely curiosity.

“Over time I got more comfortable, and I realized I had an opportunity to influence other people’s lives,” she added.

She just started competing in triathlons last year – and did not receive any coaching or lessons until last year. In fact, she only really learned how to properly swim in January 2007. Through CAF, she was able to get a trainer.

Bassett, whose family moved to Palm Desert, Calif., two years ago, had first watched the San Diego Triathlon Challenge, a half ironman competition, in 2003. For the next three years, she competed in the bike portion of it, riding the 56 miles as part of a tandem.

The Iron Bruin Triathlon at UCLA – ironically, before Bassett knew she would be going to school there – became her first full triathlon. She started at the sprint distances.

“It was a start, and just finishing was important,” she said. “I knew I could do it.”

It started at that one and just kept going – and the success kept coming. Triathlons were a great way to stay active after she graduated from high school in 2007, where she had played golf and tennis.

The year then brought the USA Triathlon’s Physically Challenged National Championships, hosted by the New York City Triathlon, where she finished third in the above-knee category (based on where her amputation was), competing in Olympic distances (1,500 meter swim, 40 km bike, 10 km run). Then at the ITU World Championships in Germany, she won silver.

All in all, Bassett competed in 10 triathlons in 2007 and five so far in 2008. This year at nationals she placed second and won another silver at worlds, where she shaved two hours and 11 minutes off her time from last year. Next up for her is the Malibu Triathlon in California in just two weeks.

“It was crazy (all the success). I thought I wanted to do triathlons to be fit. I never thought I would do so many,” she said. “The success was completely unexpected. I became so passionate about it and had a thrill I never got in any other sport. The hardest thing I did was to prepare for a triathlon.”

Patterson designed Bassett a special leg for long-distance running and another one for biking. She does not use a leg at all when she is swimming.

“CAF gave me the resources and fostered the environment, but it’s been that constant, encouraging me to do things I didn’t think were possible,” she said. “(And) Stan has been like a dad in many ways.”

It was through John Korff, a USTA board member and owner of the New York City Triathlon, that she came to the US Open. He suggested Bassett and Bruno – who knew each other from competing in some of the same events - try out to be ballpersons for the 2008 US Open.

Bassett was a little hesitant at first, but the thought of creating more awareness of what disabled people can do and being an inspiration to other people convinced her. Both she and Bruno tried out, but just Bruno was selected. However, there were a few other options open to Bassett, who became a court attendant. She loves the game of tennis and still plays recreationally

The job is not glamorous, but she had a blast working in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Monday was her last day at the US Open, as she had to return to class at UCLA. Court attendants are responsible for getting the court ready to play (and putting away things at night), including setting up the chairs, towels and stocking the coolers with drinks for players.

During changeovers, they come to the net and make sure the coolers are filled with the drinks those particular players want and fulfill any special player requests.

“We are just there to make sure the players, the umpires – all their needs are met,” Bassett said. “I love it. It is electrifying to be out there.”

“It has been special, and the best part is the people I have met,” she added. “Everybody is so nice and welcoming. I’m going to remember the people (most). They made it so memorable.”

It has been difficult to keep up her training during the Open, but Bassett has tried to go to the gym in her hotel every morning and use the stationary bike, as well as work on strength training with the competition in Malibu approaching.

Bassett is also on the national team for triathlons for the first time this year and has done more big races this year than last. After Malibu, she still has a full schedule of competitions, including ones in Las Vegas, New York and Los Angeles.

While she is still undeclared as to her major at UCLA, Bassett knows one thing about her future: She wants to help other people improve the quality of their lives, the way so many people helped her lead the life she loves so much now.

“I just have a passion for living my life. I want to help and empower as many people as I possibly can,” Bassett said. “It’s been an exciting and amazing year. I am the most blessed person. I’ve had the support of so many amazing people and reached heights I never thought I could reach. I can’t believe this is my life, it is so special.”

Q&A with Flavia Pennetta

2008-09-03T07:39:00.001-07:00

Fish Fired Up for Nadal

2008-09-03T07:37:00.000-07:00

While No. 1-seed Rafael Nadal won his round-of-16 match with American Sam Querrey, he didn't look anything like the near-invincible player that has dominated men's tennis in 2008, winning the French Open, Wimbledon and the Olympics in Beijing and winning 41 of his last 42 matches heading into the match. He was back on his heels in rallies. He had to survive a tie-break in the third set after splitting the first two. At times Querrey semed so successful in attacking the Spaniard that it was hard to tell which player was the one the tennis world is currently fearing more than any other.

That Nadal looked beatable took some by surprise, particularly since Querrey, 20 years old, ranked No. 55 in the world, was playing on Arthur Ashe Stadium for the first time. He admitted to being nervous at the start of the match, and played like it, letting Nadal get a one-set to love jump before he settled into the match.

Enter 26-year-old American veteran Mardy Fish, scraggly-bearded and currently as intense in demeanor as Querrey is loose. While Querrey has the persona of an easy-going, well-adjusted kid, saying things like, “It’s not so bad, losing to the No. 1 player in the world,’’ Fish gives off a decidely edgy veteran vibe, and uses words like "desperate" to describe his level of desire here at the Open.

Certainly Nadal will be the favorite going into the match on Wednesday night under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium. But in Fish, Nadal faces a major challenge to what before the tournament felt like a near predestined showdown with Roger Federer in a third-straight Grand Slam final. Fish is another American with a big serve and forehand, yet one who is more experienced, hungrier and who brings an edge to a match with Nadal that the young Querrey didn't.

“I mean, I desperately want to play well and desperately wanted to do well here,” Fish admitted after his last match, laying all his intensity and desire out on the table.

Fish was once ranked as high as No. 17 in 2004, back when, like Querrey, he was still considered a young and up-and-coming American. But he fell all the way down to No. 341 in 2006, plagued by a left wrist injury. He climbed his way back at the end of that year, making it into the Top 50 in late 2006, and has stayed in the top 50 ever since. But the experience of spending a few years out of the pro tennis spotlight has filled him with a certain hunger, and added depth to his perspective.

Fish, good enough friends with Andy Roddick and James Blake to get text messages from both after most matches, had to watch for two years while those two Amereicans, not him, grabbed the headlines. “It was extremely tough, you know, we all push each other, and that was the toughest thing, watching them do so well and then not having a shot to kind of stay with them.”

But those days are behind him. Fish is currently on a roll that might be his most impressive as a pro. He reached the final of New Haven the week before the Open, his second final of the year after taking out Roger Federer to reach the final at Indian Wells in March. The American is playing in the quarters here after taking out No. 24-seed Paul-Henri Mathieu, No. 9 James Blake and No. 32 Gael Monfils.

Fish’s game rests on his ability to constantly attack his opponent. Even on the changeovers he’s reminding himself, over and over, to stay aggressive and attack. This was on display in his fourth-round win over Monfils, when he hit 49 winners and attacked the net 69 times, winning 45 of the points he came in on.

"I'm never going to beat someone like that from the baseline, I know that better than anyone,'' Fish said of playing Monfils, but he could have just as easily been speaking of his match-up with Nadal. "I'm going to try and keep the points as short as possible, and come to net.''

In looking forward to his match with Nadal, there’s an aggressive, almost confrontational approach from Fish that will be part of the change for the Spaniard after facing the younger Querrey. “[Nadal] wants to keep the points as long as possible and run the guys down, kind of body blow after body blow, but if he’s on the other side of the net I don’t intend to let him do that,’’ Fish said. “You know, I'm going to come in, not necessarily Kamikaze‑type tennis, but I'm going to try to keep the points as short as possible.”

Fish says confidence and maturity are the keys to his current success. But there seems something even more driving him to new heights here. Fish is getting married at the end of September, and perhaps a life change, and the fact that he’s 26, not old but no longer one of the young guns, that is making him realize that he needs to capitalize on his opportunities now.

“I always talk to Andy [Roddick], and he obviously just, I mean, by far loves this tournament more than anything else, and I said, ‘What is it?’” Fish reflected after the Monfils match. “And he said, It's the night matches. It's walking out there, and it's just electric. You can feel it. I said, ‘I've never played a night match, so I guess I wouldn't know.’ You know, playing the other night with James [Fish beat Blake in a night match in the third round], and you can feel it. Boy, you can really feel it. You walk out there, and it's ‑‑ it almost jumps up to your favorite tournament once you just play one of those matches.’’

Fish will have a lot of people rooting for him when he steps out on court against Nadal, who not only struggled with his game in the roundof-16 encounter with Querrey but afterward complained about the amount of hard-court tennis on tour. Fish is four inches shorter than Querrey, so the high bouncing topspin that still remained in Querrey's strike zone will be more difficult for Fish to handle. But Querrey did show Fish, and everyone else, just how vulnerable Nadal is here at the Open, where despite his success at the French and Wimbledon, Nadal has never gone farther than the quarterfinals.

In fact, Querrey even had some advice for his older countryman.

“[Fish] has got to be aggressive and take chances, he can’t go baseline to baseline with Rafa,’’ Querrey said, emphasizing that Fish will have to also serve well and attack the net. “I think you’ve got to really just emphasize going backhand, backhand, backhand. Once you get a short ball you can step up and let it rip.”

For Fish’s part, he feels Nadal doesn’t like playing against players who attack, and he says the courts at the Open are playing fast enough to help his serve and allow him to be effective with his approach shots and volleys. Certainly from Fish on Wednesday, there will be no lack of intensity in his quest to reach his first Grand Slam semifinal.

Perhaps he put his quest best, and most honestly, after the Monfils match.

“I've always wanted to do well here. I think obviously I'm not unbelievably ‑‑ well, maybe I am desperate. Yes. I was desperate to do well.''

RogerFedererTennis93 - Djokovic Kick Serve

2008-09-03T07:36:00.000-07:00

Murray – Del Potro: Bad Blood?

2008-09-03T07:35:00.002-07:00

In a promotional bit before the start of the US Open, boxing promoter Don King staged a pugilistic-styled “Grapple in the Apple” weigh-in of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Perhaps those two mild-mannered players weren’t the best choice for the event.

Wednesday afternoon’s matchup of sixth-seeded Brit Andy Murray, 21, and the 19-year-old Argentine Juan Martin del Potro, who’s riding a 23-match win streak, comes against a backdrop of a supposed feud that has piqued interest in an already anticipated encounter.

Del Potro and Murray, 16 months apart, have known each other since junior days, but it was their May match in Rome earlier this year that has the two of them, and others privy to their playing history, talking.

In a testy match, Del Potro allegedly launched a ball at the feisty Murray’s head. At a changeover at 5-4 in the second set, the two engaged in sideline trash-talking that the umpire tried in vain to extinguish. The sit-down squabble began with Murray complaining about the attempted beaning, to which Del Potro retorted, somewhat elliptically: “You and your mother, the same always.”

That set Murray off, incensed that the Argentine would dare invoke his mum: “If you ever speak about my mum again!” The umpire pleaded with both players “to save it ‘til later.” “That is unacceptable!” cried Murray.

Del Potro sat stoically, staring straight ahead.

Murray was asked whether there was some unfinished business between the two in his press conference, after defeating Stanislas Wawrinka to advance to the match against the 6-foot-6 Del Potro.

“I haven't spoken to him since, so whether there is or not, for me it's another tennis match,” said Murray. “When you get on the court you've got to put your emotions aside and get the job done.

“Whether I like Del Potro or not really doesn't make any difference,” he continued. “When you get on the tennis court it's another match, and you've got to win.”

Murray won that first and only bout in a TKO; after splitting sets with the big Argentine, Del Potro was forced to retire with an injury in the third set.

For the curious, there’s charming youtube video evidence (complete with amusing Eurosport commentary seemingly encouraging fisticuffs) to stir the pot:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=muM-UQc_Tnk

Round 2 between these two combatants – technically the quarterfinals – is coming up Wednesday on Athur Ashe Stadium. Be there!

Rafa Nadal: Premiado Principe de Asturias 2008

2008-09-03T07:35:00.001-07:00

Oudin and Muhammad Friends Today, Foes Tomorrow

2008-09-03T07:34:00.002-07:00

Grand Slam champions, Olympic gold medalists, and other established professionals lined Tuesday’s show court schedule at the US Open. The only exception to this was on Grandstand, where promising American junior Asia Muhammad opened play against Romana Tabakova of Slovakia. Muhammad, living in Las Vegas and working with Andre Agassi’s cadre of tennis minds, showed why she deserved this billing after her convincing 6-3, 6-4 victory.

Muhammad was tested early by Tabakova, a well-built 17 year old at 5’9”. The Slovak hit a number of accurate passing shots, but her most dependable weapon was her steady two-handed backhand. It needed to perform at peak levels to keep up with Muhammad’s very impressive forehand. Muhammad’s forehand motion and follow-through look advanced beyond her years, and they combined to generate great power on her shot. Though she still has some control issues, her forehand found its mark enough to take the first set 6-3. Muhammad was broken twice in the opening set, but she broke Tabakova three times, giving her the decisive edge. Her service speed helped – Muhammad ended the set with a 113 mph ace.

Across the grounds at Court 13 was Muhammad’s junior doubles partner, Melanie Oudin. The fellow American has played well at Flushing Meadows so far, which continued today after her 6-4, 6-1 win over Nastassya Burnett.

At first glance, the 5’4” Oudin doesn’t look like a commanding presence on court. But once she sets up shop on the baseline, it’s easy to see why Oudin has become the No. 2 junior in the world. Oudin made Nastassya work extremely hard for every point, and although the Italian hit the ball hard, she wasn’t consistent enough to really trouble Oudin.

Both Muhammad and Oudin also competed in the women’s tournament, but each lost in the opening round in straight sets. But they’ve regained momentum in the junior draw, winning every set on their way to the third round. So who’s playing better at the moment? We’ll find out soon enough, when Muhammad and Oudin play against each other in the third round.

In other notable girls’ matches, American Gail Brodsky came back to defeat No. 15 Linda Berlinecke 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, No. 3 seed Noppawan Lertcheewakarn advanced after beating Heather Watson 6-4, 6-4, and Madison Brengle (USA) beat Silvia Njiric in straight sets, 7-6, 6-3. In boys’ competition, No. 6 Guillaume Rufin beat Blaz Rola 6-1, 6-1, and American No. 13 Bradley Klahn won in three sets against Christopher Rungkat 4-6, 6-1, 6-3.

US Open 2008 - Michael Kosta Talks with Ryler DeHeart

2008-09-03T07:34:00.001-07:00

City of New York Honors Former Mayor David Dinkins

2008-09-03T07:33:00.000-07:00

The base of the pasarelle just outside the East Gate public entryway to the US Open now has a new name, "David Dinkins Circle," after the former mayor of New York City and current USTA Board Member who was instrumental in keeping the US Open tournament in New York.

"For me, this tournament brings so many things together that I love," Dinkins said. "I love this tournament, I love this sport and I love this city. I am deeply grateful that my name will forever be associated with this tournament. It's an honor."

Dinkins assisted the USTA’s relocation of the tournament in 1978 from the private club setting of Forest Hills to its current home at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, now the world’s largest public tennis facility. He also helped to re-route air traffic from neighboring LaGuardia Airport during the tournament, and then helped to develop the contract that kept the US Open in New York City.

Michael Bloomberg, the current mayor of New York City, spoke of Dinkins's contributions to the tournament, acknowledging the former mayor as a major proponent for the tournament's continued existence in New York City.

"We can thank David Dinkins that the US Open will remain in Queens for many years to come," he said. "We continue to benefit from the partnership he established more than 15 years ago."

The Circle, commemorating the 1964 World’s Fair, serves as the gateway through which most of the 700,000 annual visitors pass to attend the US Open.

In attendance at the dedication were Dinkins; Bloomberg; New York Gov. David Paterson; Edward Koch, former mayor of New York City; Betsy Gotbaum, the New York City Public Advocate; and Jane Brown Grimes, USTA President and Chairman of the Board.

Rafael Nadal goes for US Open Title 2008

2008-09-03T07:32:00.000-07:00

US Open Posts Record Breaking Week

2008-09-03T07:30:00.000-07:00

The USTA announced that the all-time attendance record of 423,420 was set for the first week of the 2008 US Open. The USTA is projecting that more than 720,000 fans will attend this year’s event, topping last year’s all-time attendance record of more than 715,000. Attendance at the US Open has surged by more than 180,000 since the opening of Arthur Ashe Stadium in 1997 vs. 10 years ago, and over 100,000 vs. five years ago.

In 2008, bigger and younger crowds are filling Arthur Ashe Stadium to 100% of capacity for the first time. Following a record Opening Day combined crowd of 59,154, each of the next six days’ daily attendance totals topped 60,000, also for the first time.

"We are thrilled with the record response to the US Open, particularly in light of the economic challenges facing the country today," said Arlen Kantarian, CEO, Professional Tennis, USTA. "The US Open has become a global sports and entertainment event that is attracting fans from around the world in record numbers."

With the record crowds, the US Open also is enjoying some of its strongest all-time concession and merchandise sales, including:

• Total concession sales are up 6% over last year’s record sales.

• The top three food and beverage sales days in history, with each day topping more than $1.5 million in gross sales.

• Three million-dollar merchandise sales days over the course of the first week.

Additionally, USOpen.org, the official website of the US Open, has set the all-time week one record for website visits with 13.67 million visits in the first week. Users coming to USOpen.org are staying longer than ever, with the average user spending 73 minutes on the site, an increase of 14% over 2007 usage. Downloads of all exclusive content, including video programming and SlamTracker has skyrocketed in 2008.

Andy Murray 2008 US Open

2008-09-01T23:04:00.002-07:00

Del Potro Stands Tall in Battle of Teen Stars

2008-09-01T23:04:00.001-07:00

Juan Martín del Potro of Argentina rode a 22-match win streak into a much-anticipated bout with a fellow teen, Japan’s Kei Nishikori, and emerged with his string intact. Del Potro, 19, crushed his opponent – younger by 15 months and shorter by eight inches – 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 to advance to his first career Grand Slam quarterfinal.

Although both teens have acquired cult followings, Del Potro, the 17th seed, entered the match as the much higher ranked player, riding a wave of confidence earned by winning four straight tournaments coming into the Open. Nishikori, the first man from Japan to reach the Round of 16 here in the Open era, had his own reasons to be confident, having defeated 29th seed Juan Monaco and then pulling the upset of the tournament, sending 4th-seed David Ferrer packing in a thrilling five-setter.

This match, though, was all Del Potro, who after a slow start looked to be the fresher and more powerful player. He erased an 0-3 deficit in the first set and rolled through the next six games. The 6-foot-6 Argentine deployed his towering serve and big windup forehand to push the baby-faced Nishikori around the court and swat winners into the corners.

The more compact Nishikori has an explosive forehand, but he was unable to make a stand after surrendering his initial advantage. Del Potro struck 37 winners and converted seven of 10 break-point chances, and the engaging encounter that fans who packed Armstrong Stadium might have been hoping for never really materialized.

Though the "Argen-teen" had said after his own five-set match on Saturday that he’d “need a month to recover,” he looked more energetic than his opponent.

“Sometimes you don’t have much left in your legs,” Del Potro said in Spanish to his Argentine and Latin American fans after the match. “But thanks to all of you, I’m able to find the energy.”

In the quarters, Del Potro will meet either Andy Murray, the 6th seed, or Stanislas Wawrinka, ranked No. 10. Wawrinka is the last man to beat Del Potro, in the second round at Wimbledon.

Del Potro, who has vaulted from No. 65 in the world to No. 17 this summer, suddenly appears ready to challenge the top men in the game, though to date he has only two wins over Top 10 players.

He’ll be looking to add a third Top 10 scalp on Wednesday and keep his tour-leading hot streak alive.

Nadal - Phau 1st Round 2008 US Open Final Point

2008-09-01T23:03:00.001-07:00

Matt Cronin's Day 9 Analysis

2008-09-01T23:02:00.002-07:00

2-ROGER FEDERER V. 23-IGOR ANDREEV

Federer should get a well-deserved mental break in this match, for although Andreev has one of the most wicked forehands on tour and is having the hard-court tournament of his life, he's a predictable, straight-ahead player without a huge, flat serve or two-handed backhand that can poke holes in the Swiss' one-hander. The only way that Maria Kirilenko's boyfriend can win this match is to zone all day long with his forehand, occasionally sneak into net and return serve like he never has before.

Federer has played and beaten plenty of men whose main emphasis is crushing inside-out forehands and almost never loses to them. That's why he won't go down here, especially on hardcourts, as Andreev's balls don't hop as much on cement as they do on clay. Federer will triumph in straight sets.

3-NOVAK DJOKOVIC V. 15-TOMMY ROBREDO

Djokovic leapt a huge hurdle on Sunday night in the form of Marin Cilic and will have a small hill to climb here. While Robredo is a sound, workman-like player and did a terrific job tiring out Jo Tsonga, how exactly is he going to exhaust Djokovic, who this early in tournaments appears tireless? The Serb is a deceptively quick mover, is incredibly strong off both wings and rarely gets flummoxed on big points.

Fireballers like Cilic can occasionally hit through him, but Robredo doesn't have as much pop. What that means is that the Spaniard is going to have to try to push this match to the limits and hope that when he has to turn into a creative shotmaker, his game doesn't fail him. But this year, there is no indication that Djokovic can be had on hardcourts in a three-out-of-five-set match by anyone other than a completely in-form, top-10 player. Djokovic will grind through in straight sets.

5-NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO V. GILLES MULLER

This will not be a major show-court match, given both men's relatively low profile, but give credit to Muller for becoming the first player from tiny Luxembourg to reach the fourth round of a Slam, especially because he had to come through qualifying to do it. That's the definition of a hell of an effort.

Just when it seemed to be the proper time to write off Davydenko after a poor Olympic performance, the 2007 US Open semifinalist is here once again in the second week, using his footspeed and soft-handed counter-punching game to his benefit. Give this to Davydenko over the past two years: when he feels like stepping up and making himself heard at the majors, he's been very effective. Muller had to go over the wall to take a five-setter from Nicolas Almagro and is already six matches into his campaign. He won't have the legs to stay with the relentless Davydenko and will fall in three sets.

8-ANDY RODDICK V. 11-FERNANDO GONZALEZ

Don't get too overly excited about the Chilean's chances here, as Roddick owns a 7-3 record against him and has beaten him on every surface. Fernando may be able to wreak havoc against other foes with his titanic forehand, sharp backhand slice and wicked kick serve, but not as much against Roddick. He can't handle the American's serve and simply isn't mentally tough enough to match his loud screams.

Of course, Gonzalez can play with him from the baseline and, like Roddick, is a decent volleyer, but Gonzalez tends to get impatient when he's facing a barrage of aces and service winners, and then his game falls apart.

However, it's clear that the Chilean is on a bit of a roll, having grabbed the Olympic silver and playing cleanly here. He's always played Roddick close but has failed on most occasions to come through on the big points. If he can keep the match tight and play freely, this could be a highly entertaining slugfest. But he has to get off to a good start and not get overwhelmed by what will be a heavily pro-Roddick crowd. America 's top player is in too good of a headspace to go down to a known quantity such as Fernando, but Gonzo will grab a set and make it interesting. Nonetheless, Roddick will advance in four sets.

2-JELENA JANKOVIC V. 29-SYBILLE BAMMER

It's hard to see how Bammer is going to win this match post her record-setting, three-hour and five-minute win over Marion Bartoli. The mom has been no doubt inspiring, but she has to be tapped, and she enters this match with a 1-6 record against JJ. The Serbian has started to peak, has beaten her four straight times on hardcourts and isn't bothered by the Austrian's lefty spins. Bammer is going to have to come out firing early and never back off because she's not going to last three sets with the faster and, frankly, more talented Jankovic. She'll be unable to do it, and JJ will advance in a cakewalk

5-ELENA DEMENTIEVA V. 15-PATTY SCHNYDER

Do you like rivalries? How about this one between the 26-year-old Russian and the 29-year-old Swiss, which stands at 9-7 for Dementieva? It's an intriguing veteran's clash between a tricky lefty (Schnyder) and assiduous righty (Dementieva). They've played twice at the Slams, with Schnyder taking their Australian Open battle and Dementieva winning here in 2005. Dementieva has won their last three matches, including two this year at Dubai and Charleston.

It's really not that tough of a call, even though the Swiss has been clicking in Flushing, stepping in with her heavily-topspinned forehand, keeping her backhand deep and twisting her serve into the corners. Dementieva is playing at an extremely high level, perhaps the best stretch of her career. Schnyder is going to have to try to penetrate her backhand because the Russian is dominating off her forehand side. Plus, the Swiss must take some big cuts at Dementieva's second serves, which haven't been too weak this tournament but are very attackable from the ad court. But Schnyder can be hit through, and Dementieva is so deep in her zone that she will find the corners quickly and often. Dementieva will win in straight sets and then face Jankovic, which might end up being the match of the tournament.

Kateryna Bondarenko Vs Serena Williams 6/6

2008-09-01T23:02:00.001-07:00

Asia Muhammad Settling Into Life As a Pro

2008-09-01T23:01:00.001-07:00

Asia Muhammad finally sat down, took a deep breath and bit into her grilled-cheese sandwich.

“You must be starving,” someone said.

“Yeah, I am. It feels like I haven’t eaten all day.”

It was 2:30 p.m. on middle Sunday at the US Open and Muhammad, a 17-year-old from Las Vegas, had just posted a nice win over No. 14-seed Johanna Konta of Austria in the first round of the Open junior tournament.

A round of interviews with the media and a video shoot for US Open Live followed the match before Muhammad was finally able to dig into her sandwich, potatoes and peach smoothie in the player’s lounge.

So goes the life of a professional tennis player. Yes, that’s right, a professional tennis player. Just before the Open, Muhammad announced she would forgo her dream to play college tennis at USC and make the move into professional tennis, much like her doubles partner at the Open, Sam Querrey, did just two years ago. She will be managed by Andre Agassi’s agent Perry Rogers’ company Prism and trained by Agassi’s longtime friend Gil Reyes.

It’s a move many in tennis development circles feel is the right one, even if Muhammad’s father, Ron, took a little while longer to come around. “She really wanted to do it,” said Ron, a former basketball player at USC. “I held out as long as possible.”

Said Asia: “I always wanted to go to USC, but my dream was to play professionally. It was kind of a hard decision but at the same time it was kind of easy.”

There are a lot of people to credit for Muhammad’s rapid development and rise to the pro ranks. At the top of the list is Agassi, her coach Tim Blenkiron and the Agassi Boys and Girls Club in Las Vegas, the site where Muhammad first started playing tennis at the age of 9.

Blenkiron, originally from Australia and a former NCAA champion in doubles from UNLV in 1997, left a cushy country club job to take over the coaching duties at the Boys and Girls Club four years ago. The site of the three courts sits near the corner of Martin Luther King Boulevard and Washington Avenue and is in one of the poorest sections of the city.

Muhammad was born in Southern California and moved to the Vegas suburb of Henderson, Nev., as a child. Her mother, the former Faye Paige, was a basketball and track athlete at Long Beach State, and Ron first took Asia to the Boys and Girls Club because her cousin Jasmine played there and he was interested in the basketball program for his sons. Jasmine currently plays tennis for Howard University.

Ever since Blenkiron arrived, he has refined her game and gotten her ready for the pro level. It also hasn’t hurt that she’s sprouted to 5 feet 10 ½ inches tall.

“I believe she has a very bright future,” Blenkiron told The New York Times columnist Harvey Araton in a front-page column after Muhammad’s first-round match.

Ryan Wolfington, the executive director of the USTA Nevada section, said, “Asia told The New York Times that without the Agassi Boys and Girls Club, she’d be nowhere. She is always quick to credit Andre and what he has done for tennis in Las Vegas.”

Muhammad, currently ranked No. 414 in the world, lost in the first round of the main draw to Aravane Rezai of France, 6-2, 6-4. Muhammad said she knows she can play with players like No. 74 ranked Rezai who holds career wins against Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams.

She played her first US Open last year in the juniors so felt more comfortable this time around. “I kind of knew what to expect,” she said. “It’s been great. Signing the autographs are always fun and I got to get some new clothes from Adidas and some stuff from Prince.”

She lost in the first round of the main draw women’s doubles with Melanie Oudin and was forced to withdraw from the mixed doubles with Querrey because he was cramping.

She plays Romana Tabakova of the Slovak Republic Tuesday in the second round of the junior singles in an 11 a.m. ET match on the Grandstand court.

Muhammad, whose hobbies include shopping and going to the movies, is not hard to spot walking around the grounds at the Open in her favorite-color pink Adidas tennis outfits and actually received some nice pre-tournament publicity for the racquet she is using. Famous Las Vegas jeweler Michael Minden custom-fitted her racquet with two diamond A’s above her grip.

“This is the first time I've actually put diamonds on a piece of athletic equipment,” Minden said. “We came up with a special process to affix it to the racquet, with a special technology to transfer the letters to a new racquet, when Asia wears out the first one.”

In the juniors, Muhammad is in Oudin’s bottom half of the singles draw and the doubles partners could meet in the third round. The pair won their first-round doubles match Monday.

Muhammad was enjoying some big-time results this year before a left hamstring injury kept her off the courts for eight weeks during the summer.

She beat two players in the top 100 as a wild card at the ITF $50,000 Hilton Cup in Las Vegas which ran concurrent with the Tennis Channel Open, which Querrey won. She beat Julie Coin, who ousted Ana Ivanovic in the US Open, and then Oudin 6-2, 6-3 at the MovieGallery Pro Classic. She then beat world No. 177 Raquel Kops-Jones 6-2, 6-2, before suffering the injury in the second round of her 6-4, 6-3 loss to eventual winner Bethany Mattek, 6-4, 6-3.

Muhammad is well aware that Agassi put Las Vegas on the map as far as tennis goes. She knows that Agassi’s name will come up a lot when stories are done on her and that’s okay. “People are starting to look at Las Vegas tennis a little closer now,” she said.

Agassi was at her final at the Vegas Challenger but Muhammad didn’t know it until after the match. She gets to hit with Steffi Graf whenever they’re both in town. “She’ll say some things while we’re on the court, but it’s mostly just for fun. She doesn’t let lecture me.”

There may or may not be future work for her in the Agassi house. “They haven’t asked me to baby sit yet,” she said

Rafael Nadal vs Sam Querrey (US OPEN 2008) : interview

2008-09-01T23:00:00.000-07:00

Safina Moves Into Quarterfinals

2008-09-01T22:59:00.002-07:00

There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and the temperature was already into the 80s when the match between No. 6 seed Dinara Safina of Russia and qualifier Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany got underway. Safina started out a little slow, but ultimately steadied herself to win 7-5, 6-0.

Though Groenefeld’s shots did not have the precision or speed that Safina’s offered, she matched her opponent game for game until serving to go even at three all, when she committed a double fault and three unforced errors sending Safina up 4-2.

However, in the next game Groenefeld broke back and then the two started see-sawing back and forth, breaking, but not holding until reaching five all. Safina then turned it up a notch as she held serve and then broke to take the first set.

The match overall was fairly mundane, featuring a standard serve and volley game from both players. In fact Safina approached the net only three times.

In the second set, Safina found herself down 30-40 in the first game, at which point she seemed to give herself a talking to in Russian. Whatever she said, it worked. The 22-year-old did not give up another game and took the second set 6-0.

After that the match, Safina expressed mild surprise at her win, explaining that she had not expected it because she had not had any sort of full warm-up prior to taking the court.

“But,” she said. “I was going to do whatever I can. Then [Groenefeld] started to miss."

Now, this year’s French Open runner-up, moves on to the quarterfinals where she will take on either No. 16 seed Flavia Pennetta or No. 32 seed Amelie Mauresmo

The US Tennis Open Commercial, August 2008

2008-09-01T22:59:00.001-07:00

Mauresmo Broken Seven Times in Poor Showing Against Pennetta

2008-09-01T22:58:00.003-07:00

he serve may be the most important shot in tennis, but when your opponent hits 40 unforced errors in two sets, you can afford to be a little off-target. That’s exactly what No. 16 seed Flavia Pennetta of Italy did in her fourth round match against France’s Amelie Mauresmo. Despite making just 42% of her first serves, Pennetta won in a romp, 6-3, 6-0.

Mauresmo, the No. 32 seed, came into today’s match with three encouraging wins over Nathalie Dechy, Kaia Kanepi, and Julie Coin. She played like a completely different player today, serving 14 double faults and making 26 other unforced errors. Her forehand and backhand had little sting, and Pennetta capitalized on this by striking 24 winners on the day. The Italian’s groundstrokes showed good range, but she won the majority of her points by simply waiting out her error-prone opponent.

After a marathon opening four games (they took 28 minutes to complete), things began to quickly settle down in Pennetta’s favor. She broke Mauresmo in the next game for a 3-2 lead and never looked back, breaking her opponent seven times in total. She advances to her first career U.S. Open quarterfinal with the victory.

After the match, Pennetta beamed about her career-best performance. “I didn’t start a good tournament, but I try and fight every point and keep going,” said Pennetta. “To be here today is unbelievable but I hope it’s not finished.”

Mauresmo struck 26 unforced errors in the first set, but things – somehow – got worse in set two. Pennetta broke Mauresmo in all three of her service games, winning the final set 6-0. It was the second time this happened at Louis Armstrong Stadium on Monday – Dinara Safina also ended her match with a 6-0 shutout against Anna-Lena Groenefeld. Mauresmo had reached the semifinals of her last two hard court tournaments (Cincinnati and New Haven), so this is surely a painful exit from Flushing Meadows.

Discussing her serve after the match, Mauresmo blamed only herself. “No, basically it was coming from me,” she said. “Definitely something that we will try to analyze and work on it for the next tournaments.”

US Open Report - Day 8

2008-09-01T22:58:00.001-07:00

Keep Your Eye On The Line

2008-09-01T22:57:00.001-07:00

If you’ve ever attended a tennis match, you’ve seen more than one ball called in that you just knew was out. Or was it? And how would you like to be sitting courtside, making those calls yourself?

Well, if that interests you, you can, in fact, become an umpire or linesmen if you have the ability and skill involved. While it may look subjective, there is both a science and technique involved in making these calls.

“The trick,” explained US Open Chief Umpire Rich Kaufman, “is that you’ve got to get the initial point of impact where the ball hits the court. When you see your line threatened, you’ve got to get to the line before the ball hits. Otherwise everything looks out because everything hits, rolls and skids up. Players track balls and you see they yell and scream, but they find out that they’re wrong 8 out of 10 times. The umpires are way ahead of the players. When you are playing, your eyes are jiggling.”

In addition to knowing all of the rules and protocol, umpires must be able to give the scores in English and whatever the language is of the country the tournament is in.

“We keep score in English and the native tongue,” said Kaufman. “You have to learn the terminology in the language of the country you are in. If a player speaks to the umpire in language that the other player doesn’t speak, the umpire will answer in English, since most of the players speak English.”

Getting to the Grand Slam level involves work and dedication. At the US Open there are more than 300 chair umpires and linesmen who work the tournament. They are, of course, the upper crust of officials. Many work not only in the United States, but travel to the other Grand Slam tournaments as well. In fact, each Grand Slam features officials from all of the other federations around the world.

To become an umpire or a linesmen, the first step is to contact your USTA section, which will then forward information on how to proceed with schooling and clinics.

Martin Brown, a linesman, who has a regular job in accounting and finance, had been playing tennis for almost 15 years when he decided he wanted to try officiating. From the start, he was hooked.

“It’s great to be part of a great environment,” he said. “It’s not easy, but it’s not rocket science, but not everybody can do it. I had never officiated anything in my life. I ended up going to Umpire School and found it very interesting. People there encouraged me to go to other clinics. I had fun with it, they continued to encourage me, I liked being on court, I loved the experience and here I am.”

Brown now travels around the country as a trainer and evaluator of other umpires and linesmen, in addition to his officiating duties.

Chair umpire Dianna Kondratowtich-Pierce started officiating at the age of 15 in her native Venezuela, when her mom noticed an ad in the newspaper looking for umpires and linesmen for the upcoming Davis Cup.

Kondratowtich-Pierce loved tennis, but she had resigned herself to the fact that she wasn’t going to play competitively, and immediately fell in love with the new role. She started as a linesman and became a chair umpire after moving to the United States with her family. Since then she has traveled the world officiating at a variety of international competitions, including multiple times at all four Grand Slam events.

“It’s a great way to be in the game,” she said, "and to see all these great tennis players. And, it’s a great thing to be able to travel all over the world. You get to see other cities and meet other people and it’s really exciting."

At the earlier levels the umpires are also responsible for teaching the rules to players, helping groom them for their competitive careers. That is something Kondratowitch-Pierce also takes great enjoyment and pride in.

“We try to teach them the rules,” she said. “We’re a lot tougher with the juniors than the older players. We are there to train them.”

4 Round US Open

2008-09-01T22:56:00.000-07:00

In Four-Hour Thriller, Djokovic Walks Away Victorious

2008-09-01T22:55:00.002-07:00

In their four-hour third-round match that started Sunday night and continued into Monday morning, Serbian Novak Djokovic finally overcame Marin Cilic of Croatia in four sets, 6-7 (7), 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (0), in a rollercoaster of a tennis match at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

This was Cilic’s first-ever US Open tournament. He defeated Julien Benneteau in the first round and Robby Ginepri in the second round. The lanky teenager has had an impressive year, gaining attention for his powerful serve and his agility on the court after having made it to the fourth rounds of the Australia Open and Wimbledon this year. Cilic certainly gave the No. 3 player in the world a run for his money in this third-round, high-pressure match.

But despite Cilic’s excellent play and focus, he was no match for Djokovic, who is having the best year of his career. After falling to Roger Federer in the finals of the US Open last year, Djokovic avenged the loss in the 2008 Australian Open, in which he defeated Federer in the semifinals and went on to beat Jo Wilifried Tsonga in the final to take his first-ever Grand Slam title.

Djokovic and Cilic played evenly throughout the entire 68-minute first set, each player holding serve, even through most of the tie break. The 19-year-old Cilic, who rose to the occasion in his first-ever match on Arthur Ashe, was able to get one point off of Djokovic’s serve when it counted – deep in the tie-break – to win the first set.

The second set began with Djokovic clearly on a mission to avenge his first-set loss. He promptly stole the first game from Cilic, who had to toil from behind the entire set. With Djokovic serving at 5-4 and poised to take the second set, Cilic broke back and evened the score at 5-5.

Looking to take a 6-5 lead in the set, the 6-foot-6-inch Croatian was streaky in his service game, allowing Djokovic to bring him to deuce several times. Cilic delivered two aces, one at 136 mph, as well as two double faults in his deuce battle with Djokovic, which the Serbian finally won to take the lead. He held serve to win the second set 7-5.

The third set proved to be a rollercoaster for both the players and the fans. After Djokovic took a 2-0 lead, Cilic would not roll over and battled back, first holding serve and then breaking Djokovic back to even the set at 2-2.

Again, Djokovic broke back, taking a 3-2 lead. Cilic would not be able to recover. Both men held serve through the rest of the set, and Djokovic finally won it 6-4 after 47 minutes.

With the score even at 2-2 in the fourth set, Djokovic broke Cilic’s serve to take a 3-2 lead. Then Cilic broke Djokovic to even the score. During Cilic’s service game, the Croatian had one double fault and several errors, which Djokovic capitalized on to break back again.

After both men held serve, Djokovic served with a 5-4 lead, attempting to put the match away. With two match points in his pocket, Djokovic allowed Cilic to get back in the game and break him to even the set at 5 games a piece. The fourth set was pushed to a tie-break, and while Djokovic still had a spring in his step, Cilic looked exhausted and wound up dropping the tie-break 7-love.

In what was surely Djokovic’s toughest match so far in this tournament, he raised both fists in triumph and walked around the court celebrating his hard-fought win. He thanked the fans for staying so late to finish watching the match.

Djokovic will play No. 15 seed Tommy Robredo of Spain in the fourth round.

Nadal in QF US open

2008-09-01T22:55:00.001-07:00

Anything But Ordinary: Lindsay Davenport, A Tribute

2008-09-01T22:53:00.000-07:00

Lindsay Davenport may have been reared on the sunny hard courts of Southern California, land of many a tennis star, but she became the unlikeliest of champions.

At 6-ft-2 ½ and 175 pounds after she’d worked hard to slim down and get fit, Davenport wasn’t your typical lithe, tanned and supremely athletic goddess. She was one of tennis’s first “big babes,” as Mary Carillo memorably called a new generation of powerful players, and she lumbered rather than skirted about the court. But Davenport’s sharply struck serves and groundstrokes landed with a thud that few of her peers could match.

Though the former World No. 1 captured three Grand Slam titles as well as the Olympic gold medal in Atlanta, Davenport’s star wattage always burned a little less brightly than those that came before and after her: Steffi Graf, the Williams sisters, Maria Sharapova.

“I think I stand for the girls that, you know, in certain terms are ordinary,” Davenport reasoned, returning after a year off to play her 17th US Open this year at the age of 32 and as mother of a one-year-old boy, Jagger. “I don't like flash. I don't try to get a lot of attention. And I think that there is, you know, a niche for people out there like that.”

If Davenport is the ordinary girl who became an ordinary, well-grounded woman, growing up on the tennis courts under the glare of an often critical public, the Californian’s career has been anything but commonplace.

Davenport has won more prize money, $22m, than any other woman in professional sports. She has accumulated 55 WTA singles titles (as well as 37 doubles trophies), winning the US Open (1998), Wimbledon (1999) and the Australian Open (2000), and reaching four additional Grand Slam finals.

When she lost to Marion Bartoli – nine years her junior – in the third round on Friday night, the 23rd seed Davenport was hoping to defy her age, injuries and recent time off from the tour to return to the winner’s circle at a Slam as a wife and mother, long past her first appearance at Flushing Meadows in 1991.

She wouldn’t say if she’d be back to contest another one.

“Each time I play a Grand Slam I always think, Oh, this could be my last time playing here,” said Davenport. “I've obviously learned that I have no idea what the future kind of holds and what will happen, and I don't make decisions for the future anymore [beyond the] day that I'm living in.”

Davenport’s singular strength as a player has always been her extraordinary ball-striking ability. She hits the ball as cleanly as anyone ever has in the women’s game.

As an extremely tall teen, her raw hitting ability and power were obvious, but Davenport was severely handicapped by her lack of mobility. If the ball was in her strike zone, she could crush pinpoint winners within centimeters of the lines. Her flat strokes, honed on the California asphalt, were heavy and penetrating. She could hit opponents off the court.

But get her into a running match and she was in trouble.

Later in her career, her movement continued to be a liability, although less so than in her early days on tour. Now, having returned to the game with the competing demands of raising a child, she must try to keep up with a still faster game and much younger opponents.

Off the Court: A Winning Personality

In a sport known for its divas and cutthroat locker-room disses, Davenport throughout her career has remained grounded; she is routinely lauded by tennis insiders as one of the most gracious, genuine and appealing personalities off the court.

Anne Worcester, tournament director of Pilot Pen Tennis in New Haven, CT, where Davenport has played nine times, and former CEO of the WTA in the mid-90s, when the Californian was coming into her stride, says Davenport “is a great champion, but so down to earth.”

“I made the mistake one time of sending a limousine to pick her up at the airport,” said Worcester. “When Lindsay got to the tournament, she said ‘If you ever send me a limo again, I’ll never speak to you.' ”

Worcester said Davenport, unassuming and unfailingly generous with her time, just wanted a regular car or taxi. “She’s a tournament director’s dream.”

“I try to bring as little drama as possible, unlike some other players we have,” offered Davenport. “And I think that people have watched me growing up. I think they've seen me mature, and I think they've seen that you can be successful and not be psychotic, be realistic, have good people around you, and just…try to enjoy it now more than I used to.”

Yet on-court, the good-natured, easygoing Davenport has often appeared to be a wholly different creature. When things aren’t going well in a match, she, like some of her more petulant and self-involved peers, has been known to be overly self-critical and sour. “Her body language doesn’t always convey that she’s happy out there,” said Worcester.

To many observers, Davenport’s on-court demeanor is incongruous with the level, charming and generous character they’ve witnessed when she’s not in tennis clothes. Perhaps it’s the critical nature of a perfectionist, a player who overcame a lack of physical athletic gifts with a preternatural ability to flawlessly strike a tennis ball.

“I do try to make a concerted effort to enjoy it more,” claimed Davenport. “I was really trying to do it at the Olympics and trying to do things that I maybe normally wouldn't do, knowing I won't be at another Olympics.”

Over the course of nearly two decades, in a career that has seen heights very few, especially Davenport herself, would have predicted, the Californian has become not just a champion, but a sympathetic fan favorite.

“I've never played tennis to be famous or popular or well‑liked,” says Davenport, sounding, as ever, forthright. “It just was kind of thrust upon me.”

She’s the regular girl all grown up, to whom fans can easily relate: she’s battled her demons and her weight, she’s achieved her dreams but never become haughty or demanding, she’s balanced career and family, and she keeps on working and fighting.

Who can’t admire that?

Celebrities at the 2008 US Open

2008-09-01T22:52:00.000-07:00

As week two of the 2008 US Open begins, there is no shortage of stars in Flushing Meadows. On Monday, some cast members of the hit HBO show Entourage, including Adrian Grenier, were at the night session as well as Prince. In addition, former American Idol finalist Constantine Maroulis, freestyle wrestling gold medalist Henry Cejudo and bronze medalist Randi Miller were on hand.

During the day, Wanya Morris of Boyz II Men, Christiane Amanpour and Dawnn Lewis were in attendance.

A few top actors were in Flushing Meadows for Day Seven. Luke Wilson, Chace Crawford of Gossip Girl, Stephen Root of Office Space and News Radio as well as Wayne Knight of Seinfeld were there as well as singer Neil Sedaka.

Also, at the night session Sunday watching his girlfriend Elena Dementieva defeat Na Li to reach the quarterfinals, was Maxim Afinogenov of the Buffalo Sabres.

For the day session on Saturday, former NBA star Rick Fox was on hand, watching Venus and Serena Williams as well as world No. 1 Rafael Nadal in Arthur Ashe Stadium. For the night session, the great Tony Bennett is expected to be on hand.

One of the world's top swimmers, Aaron Peirsol, five-time Olympic gold medalist and world record holder in the 100-meter backstroke, is back from Beijing and was at the US Open for the second straight day on Friday.

Joining him was Anna Wintour, the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue and good friend of Roger Federer, who was at the Open on Opening Night as well as actors John Turturro and John Lithgow.

Thursday was athlete day amongst the celebrities at the 2008 US Open as some of the best in the world were in Flushing Meadows.

Besides Peirsol, Yankees Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson was on hand as well as current Yankees catcher Ivan Rodriguez, former New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms and professional golfer Paula Creamer.

Joining them was renowned fashion designer Oscar de la Renta and Alec Baldwin again as well as magician David Blaine.

On Wednesday, the third day of the Open, Kelsey Grammer, of the hit show Frasier, was taking in the day session in Arthur Ashe Stadium along with professional golfer Sergio Garcia, who was on hand for the third straight day.

Joining them was U.S. women’s soccer player Heather O’Reilly, fresh off the team’s gold medal at the Beijing Olympics.

In Wednesday’s night session, singer Aretha Franklin and Baldwin were in attendance along with Grammer, Garcia and de la Renta. Watching her fiancee, Andy Roddick, play against Fabrice Santoro, was Sports Illustrated model Brooklyn Decker.

For the first day of play on Monday, a few fellow athletes were enjoying the likes of world No. 1 Rafael Nadal and 1998 US Open champion Lindsay Davenport play in Arthur Ashe Stadium as NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon and Garcia were on hand as well as tennis legend Rod Laver.

On Opening Night, a few stars from the world of fashion were on hand as all 40 US Open champions were honored prior to matches with Jelena Jankovic and James Blake. Wintour was in attendance as well as de la Renta. Garcia stuck around for the evening festivities and other stars joining him were Martha Stewart, Paula Abdul and Greg Kinnear.

Also on hand as part of the Opening Night talent were bands Earth, Wind and Fire and the Jersey Boys as well as Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker, the host for the celebration. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly were also in attendance.

Garcia, who was in the area recently playing the Barclays in nearby Paramus, New Jersey, was back there on Tuesday as was Whitaker.

Joining them for night matches featuring four-time defending champion Roger Federer and two-time US Open champion Venus Williams on Tuesday were de la Renta as well as Erin Thorn, Leilani Mitchell and Megan Duffy of the New York Liberty and Lithgow.

Check back here each day as USOPEN.org brings you the latest celebrity sightings

Olympus Offers Fans Free Photos of 2008 US Open

2008-09-01T11:33:00.001-07:00

As every fan of the US Open knows, the DirecTV blimp hovers high overhead at the US Open for the duration of the tournament, broadcasting a unique, birds-eye view of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center below, with a fully-lit Arthur Ashe Stadium as the centerpiece. Now, Olympus offers fans the opportunity to preserve this memory on their own computers.

Olympus, which is a sponsor of the US Open and the title sponsor of the US Open series, wanted to make their images available on usopen.org for fans to download for free, to keep as permanent mementos. Click here to view and download these images.

“It was incredible,” said Steve Woods, CEO and President of EMG3, Olympus' event marketing group, and the photographer who took those pictures. “It was one of the most unique photojournalistic experiences I ever had in my life.”

Capturing these particular photos presented challenges, which makes them even more special and exciting.

“There are only so many ways to do aerial photography,” explained Woods. “At night there’s not a lot of light and photography is about the manipulation of light. When you’re flying in the dark and you’re shooting into the light there are challenges. You need special equipment. Without the right lenses, it would be difficult to capture this much detail.”

However, after eight hours of flying from this one-of-kind vantage point, Woods came away with these breathtaking shots that will now forever preserve the 2008 US Open.

US Open Tennis Photo Gallery

2008-09-01T11:29:00.001-07:00

2008 USopen tennis 2

2008-09-01T11:23:00.001-07:00

Nishikori 2008 US Open against Ferrer

2008-09-01T11:22:00.000-07:00

Nishikori again! US Open 2008. How to beat the Ferrer in 5!

2008-09-01T11:21:00.001-07:00

US Open Tournament Schedule

2008-09-01T11:17:00.001-07:00

Session
No.

Date

Day/Evening

Time

Featured Matches

Monday, Aug. 25

Day

11 a.m.

Men's/Women's 1st Round

Evening

7 p.m.

Men's/Women's 1st Round

Tuesday, Aug. 26

Day

11 a.m.

Men's/Women's 1st Round

Evening

7 p.m.

Men's/Women's 1st Round

Wednesday, Aug. 27

Day

11 a.m.

Men's 1st/Women's 2nd Round

Evening

7 p.m.

Men's 1st/Women's 2nd Round

Thursday, Aug. 28

Day

11 a.m.

Men's/Women's 2nd Round

Evening

7 p.m.

Men's/Women's 2nd Round

Friday, Aug. 29

Day

11 a.m.

Men's 2nd/Women's 3rd Round

Evening

7 p.m.

Men's 2nd/Women's 3rd Round

Saturday, Aug. 30

Day

11 a.m.

Men's/Women's 3rd Round

Evening

7 p.m.

Men's/Women's 3rd Round

Sunday, Aug. 31

Day

11 a.m.

Men's 3rd/Women's 4th Round

Evening

7 p.m.

Men's 3rd/Women's 4th Round

Monday, Sept. 1

Day

11 a.m.

Men's/Women's 4th Round

Evening

7 p.m.

Men's/Women's 4th Round

Tuesday, Sept. 2

Day

11 a.m.

Men's 4th/Women's Quarterfinal

Evening

7 p.m.

Men's 4th/Women's Quarterfinal

Wednesday, Sept. 3

Day

11 a.m.

Men's/Women's Quarterfinal

Evening

7 p.m.

Men's/Women's Quarterfinal

Thursday, Sept. 4

Day

11 a.m.

Men's Quarterfinal/Mixed Doubles Final

Evening

7 p.m.

Men's Quarterfinal/Women's Doubles Semifinal

Friday, Sept. 5

Day

11 a.m.

Women's Semifinals/Men's Doubles Final

Saturday, Sept. 6

Day

11 a.m.

Men's Semifinals

Evening

7 p.m.

Women's Singles Final

Sunday, Sept. 7

Day

12 p.m.

Women's Doubles Final/Men's Singles Final

Del Potro and Nishikori: Two Teens Electrify on the Big Stage

2008-09-01T10:59:00.001-07:00

The tennis world is accustomed to overachieving teens in the women’s game: Chrissie, Tracy, Martina. But their presence is more of a rarity in the big-hitting men’s game, where late-maturing boys usually take a few years before becoming men on tour.

Witness Donald Young.

But two teens from disparate parts of the world – one a surging tennis powerhouse, the other better known for its electronics and sushi – have taken the US Open by storm and, on the strength of respective down-to-the-wire, five-set matches, reached the final 16.

Juan Martín del Potro, 19, from Argentina, and Kei Nishikori, 18, from Japan, both electrified crowds on show courts in day matches that went deep into the night on Friday. Side-by-side and back-to-back, Del Potro and Nishikori toiled for nearly four hours apiece to push into the fourth round.

There the two teens will meet . . . each other.

Monday’s matchup won’t just be a battle to determine the top teen; it may gauge who is ready to issue a manly challenge to the rulers of the men’s game.

Del-Po, the Enano

Rafael Nadal isn’t the hottest player on tour. That distinction goes to Del Potro, who’s strolling through the summer on a 22-match win streak. The Argenteen has won four tournaments since July – becoming the first player to win his first four titles in four straight tournaments.

As a reward, Del Potro has rocketed up the rankings. In July he was No. 65; by the start of the US Open, he had reached a career-high of 17. Along the way he has notched wins over Andy Roddick and Richard Gasquet.

Del Potro, from the small city of Tandil, five hours south of Buenos Aires, hardly looks the part of a newcomer. The lanky 6-foot-6 right-hander, nicknamed “Enano” (Dwarf) and “Palito” (Twig), has an imposing game of forceful groundstrokes and a big, 130-mph-plus serve. The Argentine takes a massive windup on his forehand and crushes the ball deep into the corners. Unlike most of his compatriots (of whom there were 10 in the draw at the start of the US Open), who are more at home on clay, Del Potro prefers hard courts (even though two of his titles this summer were on European dirt).

After his 3-hour, 47-minute third-round victory over Gilles Simon, another player who’s had a personal-best summer, Del Potro said: “It was punishing, a battle. At the end, neither of us had anything left.”

“One day of rest won’t be enough; I need a month,” he added. “But I can’t complain.”

A First for Japan

The baby-faced and much slighter Kei Nishikori, ranked No. 126, is the youngest player remaining in the men’s draw and the youngest to reach the last 16 here since Marat Safin did it in 1998.

To get there, Nishikori scored the knockout of the tournament so far, toppling No. 4 seed David Ferrer, a US Open semifinalist last year. Nishikori snatched the first two sets but had to battle cramping in the third and fourth to come back to win the hour-long final set against the indefatigable Spaniard. The improbable win delighted the boisterous Armstrong Stadium crowd – which included Nishikori’s countrywoman, Ai Sugiyama, who made her way over to support him after her loss to Serena Williams.

The victory over Ferrer was Nishikori’s second over a top-20 player. Earlier this year Nishikori raised eyebrows when, as a qualifier ranked No. 244 in the world, he won his first career ATP title, beating James Blake in the final of Del Ray Beach. Nishikori also managed to take a set off Nadal on the grass at Queen’s Club, just two weeks before Nadal captured the Wimbledon crown.

Nishikori, from the coastal city of Shimane, Japan, moved – alone – to the U.S. at the age of 14 to attend the Bolletieri Academy in Bradenton, Fla.

“I couldn't speak English,” he said. “I was so nervous. I was like scary everything, all the American people.”

Nishikori is more than just raw potential. Against Ferrer, he demonstrated surprising polish and poise. When Ferrer stormed back to take sets three and four, few could have imagined that the teen, playing the biggest match of his career, could hang tough – overcoming cramps, no less – against a veteran known as a gritty competitor who never gives up.

When Nishikori struck a forehand winner to close out the match, he fell on his back as though he had just been crowned champion. That, he isn’t – not yet – though he is the first Japanese man to reach the US Open’s final 16 in the Open era.

The youngster looked shaky in an on-court interview, his legs visibly quivering. “I couldn't even move after the match,” he admitted.

For their efforts, Del Potro and Nishikori now take to the court on Labor Day, fittingly enough. The outcome may well depend on which of the exhausted teenagers has recovered from his previous match.

But they’re young, right?

Rus Falls in First-Round Juniors Action

2008-09-01T10:58:00.002-07:00

It was a good day to be a wild card from America. It wasn’t such a good day to be the top-seeded girl during the first day of the junior competition on Sunday at the US Open.

The Netherlands Arantxa Rus was upset by Russia’s Victoria Kamenskaya 6-4, 6-1 in the surprise of the day. Rus couldn’t end her Grand Slam year like she began it. In January, she beat Jessica Moore to win the Australian Open juniors to move from No. 35 to No. 2 in the ITF junior rankings. The loss now means that American Melanie Oudin, who plays Monday, is the highest seed left at No. 2.

Seven wild cards from America enjoyed wins Sunday and moved on to the second round.

US Open fans got a glimpse of the future as wild card Christian Harrison, a 14-year-old from New Braunfels, Texas who turned pro last year, drew one of the biggest crowds of the day. He took a set off Easter Bowl boys' 18s finalist Alex Llompart of Puerto Rico but eventually fell in three sets, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

Three American boys who were issued wild cards won matches Sunday. Rhyne Williams eliminated Borut Puc 6-2, 6-4 while another wild card, Alex Domijan beat Kittipong Wachiramanowong of Thailand 7-6 (3), 6-4. The third American wild card to win was Jordan Cox; he beat Cristobal Saavedra-Corvalan of Chile 6-4, 7-6 (7).

American Chase Buchanan, who beat Llompart in the spring Easter Bowl 18s final, had not problem getting past Mikhail Biryukov of Russia, 6-4, 6-2.

Girls’ wild card Asia Muhammad, pulled out a nice 6-3, 6-1 win over No. 14 seed Johanna Konta of Austria. “It’s always tough getting through the first round,” said Muhammad, a 17-year-old from Las Vegas who also got a wild card into the main draw of the women’s tournament where she lost in the first round. “I think if I keep playing like this I can go pretty far.”

Equally as impressive as Muhammad’s win was that of fellow wild card Sloane Stephens, who recorded a 6-1, 6-1 win over Austria’s Janina Toljan. Fellow American Madison Brengle joined the pair in the second round with a 6-2, 6-2 win against No. 10 seeded Cindy Chala of France.

In the final junior match of the day Kristie Ahn became the seventh American wild card to win when she beat Milana Spremo of Serbia and Montenegro, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4

With Fan Support Soaring, Querrey Faces Nadal

2008-09-01T10:58:00.001-07:00

With the line for a Sam Querry autograph stretching across the courtyard out at the National Tennis Center this afternoon, it was clear that Querrey’s popularity and fan recognition has taken off here at the Open.

It’s not just that he toppled the No. 14 seed Ivo Karlovic on Saturday to reach his first Round of 16 at a Grand Slam, or that he’s a 20-year-old, up-and-coming American star and one of only three Americans left in the men's draw. He also stays around after his matches signing autographs for what feels like forever, and a day before taking on No. 1 seed Rafael Nadal, he took 45 minutes out of his day to sit at a booth on the grounds of the National Tennis Center and sign autographs.

Yet, while the bonhomie is bubbling right now between Querrey and the American tennis public, there’s more caution than confidence, even when you head to the heart of the Querrey fan camp, when looking ahead to his next task at hand.

While Querrey hung out with his fans he appeared loose and at ease. He also appears undaunted about going up against the No. 1 seeded Nadal, who’s won the past two Grand Slams, the Olympics and 41 of his last 42 matches, ripping the No. 1 ranking out of Roger Federer’s grasps in August. If those accomplishments weren’t intimidating enough here at the Open, he also leads the tour in hard-court wins this year with a 36-7 record and has won a total of 8 titles this year.

“I feel I have no pressure, I can go out there and just swing away and see what happens," Querrey said, looking every bit as relaxed as that statement sounds. “Hopefully, I’ll have the crowd behind me and I can feed off that energy."

Querrey, who says his strategy against Nadal will pretty much be to just “grip and rip," will definitely have the crowd behind him, and even Nadal knows that.

“I understand perfectly the crowd is going to support Sam," said Nadal. “He's from United States, and for that reason the crowd’s going to be with him, no? But I think going to be with him, not against me."

In fact, the crowd support won’t be the only advantage Querrey takes into the match. He also has arguably the bigger serve. There’s also the fact that Nadal has struggled here in the past. He lost in the Round of 16 last year to David Ferrer, and he’s never gone past the quarters in New York.

On top of that, while Nadal has proven this year that he’s the dominant player on clay, grass and hard courts, Querrey has proven himself to be more than a serving machine. While much is made of his having procured his first tour victory this year in Las Vegas, arguably his most impressive event this year came on red clay at the Masters event in Monte Carlo, where he reached the quarters with wins over former French Open champion and then No. 14-ranked Carlos Moya, and top-10 player Richard Gasquet.

In fact, it’s that Querrey can back up his huge serve with an impressive ground game that hopeful Querrey fans look to when searching for optimism regarding his chances against the world’s No. 1.

“He has big groundstrokes for a big man, and that’s not common in the game today," said Ben Teicher, 14, of Kendall Park, N.J., who has followed Querrey for a couple of years now and was in line to get a Querrey signature. “I actually think he has a good chance because he’s a big guy and he has the United States behind him. Everyone will be into that match.’’

Jason Hodess, 16, of Westchester, Penn., wasn’t about to make any bold predictions while he waited in line to meet Querrey, although he said he felt Querrey had about a 1-in-5 chance of pulling out a huge upset. “But I think, no matter what, he’s going to put on a good match, and I think he’s going to have a lot of fun out there.”

Ramon Nola, 18, and his mother, Manilay, from Goddard, Kan., were less optimistic. Or, perhaps the phrase should more realistic, considering how well Nadal has been playing coming into New York this year.

“If he plays perfect, you never know," said Manilay. “It’s a tall order."

“But," said Jason, echoing the sentiment of the crowd gathered, “we’re still going to be rooting for him.”

Andreev to Meet Federer in Round of 16

2008-09-01T10:57:00.003-07:00

Igor Andreev of Russia is now riding on the best US Open run of his career, thanks to a straight-sets win over No. 13 seed Fernando Verdasco, 6-2, 6-4, 6-4, to advance to his first round of 16 at Flushing Meadows.

His victory over Verdasco breaks an 0-3 career losing streak against the Spaniard, which stretches back to the first round of the US Open in 2004, when Andreev fell to Verdasco in five sets.

The Russian's next test will be his toughest yet here at the Open, as he will face No. 2 seed Roger Federer, who has so far sailed through his first three rounds without dropping a set.

Andreev had little trouble getting past Verdasco, who showed up with an uncharacteristically inconsistent game and committed a crippling 33 unforced errors. The key to the No. 23-seeded Russian's win was that he produced a much cleaner game with only 10 unforced errors.

The 25-year-old Russian registered at 95 percent on his first-serve win percentage, a stat that was largely due to the fact that Verdasco could not cleanly connect with Andreev's powerful serves and put them in play.

Andreev started the match off strong and took an early break of serve on Verdasco's errors for a 3-1 lead. Another break in the seventh game on a netted Verdasco forehand set Andreev up to serve for the first set, which he did successfully on yet another serve return dumped in the net by Verdasco.

Verdasco held his own through the first half of the second set, until a low, driving passing shot slipped under the approaching Spaniard's racquet for another break of serve and a 3-2 lead for Andreev. Though Verdasco produced a few forehand winners of his own, Andreev's one break of serve was all he needed to take a two-sets-to-love lead.

The third set was almost a mirror image of the first, as Andreev broke Verdasco again in the third game when the Spaniard netted a forehand volley. The left-handed Verdasco never had a break point on Andreev the entire match, but the crowd in Grandstand got behind the Spaniard after a few questionable calls to try and lift his spirits and help him get back in the match mentally.

Andreev had triple match point on Verdasco's serve at 5-3, but Verdasco took advantage of consecutive Andreev errors to hold and force the Russian to serve out the match. Andreev closed it out by holding at love on a netted Verdasco forehand.

Muller Advances After Four Hours and One Service Break

2008-09-01T10:57:00.001-07:00

Gilles Muller secured his place in U.S. Open lore three years ago, when the unknown left-hander from Luxembourg shocked third-seeded Andy Roddick in the first round. Topping this accomplishment would be difficult, but Muller is giving it a run this year. After winning three qualifying matches to reach the main draw, Muller has come back to win from two sets down twice – once against Tommy Haas on Friday, and again today against Nicolas Almagro.

This match came to be defined by one shot – the serve – which was evident very early on. Neither player earned a break point in the first set, which Almagro won in a tiebreaker. In the second set, there was just one break of serve, which also went Almagro’s way. The fiery Spaniard took a two set lead, hitting his forehand as effectively as his picturesque backhand, and regularly serving over 130 MPH.

In spite of his strong serving, Muller seemed to be on his way out of the draw because Almagro was doing this just a hair better. Add in the fact that Muller had already played five matches this week, and a comeback seemed highly unlikely. But Muller answered a lot of questions in the third set when he saved two break points at 4-4, and eventually pulled out the set in a tiebreaker. Like the first set, there were no breaks of serve. But that was fine for Muller, whose confidence grew with every service game. “Everything is confidence,” said Muller after the match.

Muller’s resolve was once again tested in the fourth set. Almagro earned two break – and match – points at 5-4, but Muller saved them both with steely play under pressure. He held for 5-5, and in yet another tiebreaker, Muller emerged victorious on his second set point. Remarkably, Muller had clawed back to square the match at two sets apiece.

For the fifth time in the match, there were no breaks of serve after seven games. That’s when things got interesting. Serving at 4-3, Almagro won a four-deuce game despite giving Muller three chances to break. Two games later at 5-4, Muller earned a match point of his own, only to push a slice shot wide. The nerve-wracking service games would continue.

A final set tiebreaker seemed appropriate, considering that there was only one break of serve in nearly four hours of play. But Almagro would have to hold serve one last time to get there. It would turn out to be the only time in the match he couldn’t. On his second match point, Muller struck a volley winner that sent chills through Grandstand court, and sent Muller into the fourth round.

After a stunning 6-7, 3-6, 7-6, 7-6, 7-5 loss, Almagro walked in stunned silence to his chair. His shock persisted into his post-match press conference. As for Muller, he talked about the most important shot of the day – the serve. “I knew if I didn’t hold it would be very hard to come back, because he was holding serve easily,” said Muller. “But I was also confident because I served well against Tommy before.”

Muller’s serve was broken just once when he beat Roddick in 2005 (7-6, 7-6, 7-6), and just once today. Each performance was unique in its own way, but both were career-defining victories for the 25-year old from Luxembourg.

Bartoli Can't Overcome Illness, Cramps; Loses to Bammer

2008-09-01T10:55:00.002-07:00

Playing in the hot, mid-afternoon sun, No. 12 seed Marion Bartoli of France succumbed to illness and cramps, losing the her fourth round match to No. 29 Sybille Bammer of Austria, 7-6 (7-3), 0-6, 6-4.

At the start of the first set, Bartoli went up 2-0. However, within moments, she showed clear signs of distress. Clutching her abdomen between every point, she appeared winded and sluggish as she traversed the court.

Her opponent, Bammer, remained steady, fighting for every point that she could. Up 4-3, Bartoli called for a trainer, who took her blood pressure at courtside. The players then returned to the court where Bartoli’s pace became more and more listless. She managed to stay in the match and the women played to a tiebreak, which Bammer squeaked out to take the set.

Immediately upon conclusion of the first set, Bartoli took a bathroom break. Returning several minutes later, the color had come back into her face and her energy level seemed renewed. The Frenchwoman steamrolled through the second set committing just two unforced errors and not dropping a game as Bammer seemed to lose her way.

As the third set got underway the tension, which filled the court, was broken briefly when a cloud obscured the sun providing momentary relief from the blazing heat. The crowd let out a sigh in unison and then broke into spontaneous applause as smiles flitted across the faces of both players.

At 3-2 in the third, Bartoli took another medical timeout, this time with a cramp in her left thigh, which the trainer iced for several minutes. Before returning to the court, she stretched repeatedly, appearing to once again be in discomfort. Down 3-4, at the next changeover she requested the trainer who returned and iced the thigh again. On court, Bartoli’s energy appeared to wane again and she was limping noticeably. Holding serve to go even at four all, Bartoli clenched her fist in victory.

But, it was Bammer who ultimately fought her way back, serving out the match.

Bammer now moves on to the quarterfinal round for the first time, where she will face No. 2 seed Jelena Jankovic who, earlier in the day, defeated No. 21 Caroline Wozniacki.

Federer Serves His Way Into Round of 16

2008-09-01T10:55:00.001-07:00

The last time Roger Federer met Radek Stepanek, it was on clay in Rome, a match Stepanek won in two tiebreak sets.

This time, with the stakes higher in the year’s final Grand Slam, it was different result.

Federer, the No. 2 seed, served well, returned well and hit key shots as he downed No. 28 Radek Stepanek 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 in Arthur Ashe Stadium for his 30th straight US Open win and put him into the fourth round.

It started with Federer’s serve, which was great on Sunday, as he converted 72 percent of his first serves for the match, hit 12 aces and was broken only once – in the first set. He won 75 percent of those first serves as well as 67 percent of his second serves.

The Swiss felt good heading in and won the match in under two hours.

“I did feel good today. The conditions were pretty similar (to my) last round match, so maybe that helped, having a little breeze out there and playing exact same conditions,” he said. “I think I returned well, especially in the second serve. I didn't allow him to really have that many different options off his second serve, and he decided to stay back.”

Federer did return Stepanek’s second serve well as the Czech won just 31 percent of his second serves.

Federer will face either Fernando Verdasco or Igor Andreev in the fourth round as he attempts to win his fifth straight US Open title.

“I was good off the baseline. I think I moved well today and really hit some great shots when I needed them,” he added of his performance Sunday. “I think all in all I'm really happy. I'm serving well for the first three rounds, and that's always a good sign for the rest of the tournament.”

Young, Talented Singers Top US Open Entertainment

2008-09-01T10:53:00.000-07:00

Throughout the entire two weeks of this year's US Open, the world's top professional tennis players aren't the only talented individuals being showcased on center stage at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Every day before the day and night sessions begin on the main show court, the national anthem is sung by talented young vocalists from around the country.

A total of 189 children ages 12 and under auditioned for the USTA Casting Call at Radio City Music Hall in June, and 20 were selected to perform patriotic-themed songs in front of sellout crowds in Arthur Ashe during the Open.

Sunday's national anthem was sung by a very talented six-year-old from Kissimmee, Fla., Gina Marie Incandala. Just before Roger Federer and Radek Stepanek took to the court for their Labor Day weekend showdown, Incandala blew the crowd away with her performance of "The Star Spangled Banner."

Incandala, who was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2, earned a standing ovation around the stadium after singing the national anthem with a voice one might expect to hear coming from an experienced adult singer.

Her mother, Michelle, said Gina began singing at 4 years old, when her doctor recommended she use music and singing as a form of therapy for her autism. Singing, Michelle said, has improved Gina's speech skills and is helping her overcome the disability.

Gina's amazing voice and unique story have garnered national attention, and she has done quite a bit of traveling this year to sing at major sporting and charity events.

Her audition tape from an audition in Kissimmee to sing at a Houston Astros spring training game in January helped boost her popularity, and she was soon performing at the New York Mets' Shea Stadium, the Astros' Minute Maid Park and the Florida Marlins' Dolphin Stadium. Her upcoming events, which have her booked through March 2009, include charity events and an Orlando Magic game.

"She has gotten so popular that the bookings just came really quickly," Michelle said, "and now she'll soon have her own CD single coming out, hopefully in September."

While many people might be intimidated at the thought of taking the spotlight in front of an audience of thousands of people, Gina actually prefers the larger audience and feels the most comfortable when she takes the stage.

"She's very comfortable in front of a crowd, and she likes it more than she does performing in small, intimate settings," Michelle said. "But she really enjoys the experience of singing, and you can see it when she performs."

Like many young girls her age, Gina said her favorite songs to sing are those from Disney's popular High School Musical. And when asked what she wanted to be when she grows up, Gina had no hesitation in her reply: "I want to be a rock star."

Seven-year-old Gillian Koch, from Demarest, N.J., is scheduled to sing "America the Beautiful" before Sunday's night session.

Among some of the talent featured throughout the two weeks of the Open are a group of five brothers, Carmine, Francesco, Gaetano, Leonardo and Marconi D'Auria-Gupta, from Rockville Centre, New York, and a sister duo from Brooklyn, Maria and Irena Kogarova.

In addition to Incandela, Koch and the D'Auria-Gupta and Kogarova siblings, other featured performers were Elijah Boothe, Alexis Deblasio, Sasha Delaquis, Brooke Demetri, Owen Doherty, Davia Echols, James E. Keelen, Jr., Elijah Lawrence, Lydia Manuel, Beatrice Miller and Calen Santos.

Davydenko Grinds Down Tursunov to Reach Round of 16

2008-09-01T10:17:00.000-07:00

Nikolay Davydenko, the No. 5 seed, does not have the firepower on his serve that most of the other top men on the ATP Tour have. In fact, the 5-foot-10, 154-pound Russian averaged just 104 mph on his first serve in his match today against fellow Russian and No. 26 seed Dmitry Tursunov.

But what Davydenko does have is relentless, precise ground strokes that give him the ability to grind down opponents. Nicknamed “The Machine,’’ Davydenko stretched Tursinov from side to side on the baseline, causing him to, at one point, stretch out for a forehand and fall to the ground. Davydenko broke Tursinov early and never let up, winning 6-2, 7-6, 6-3.

Davydenko knows that he gives something up on his serve in terms of power. But the 27-year-old, who has finished in the Top 5 in the world the last three years and reached the semis here at the Open the past two, also knows that he can overwhelm an opponent like Tursinov if he’s on his game.

“I need to control the baseline, which I did today,’’ Davydenkno said after the match. In five meetings, Davydenko has never lost to Tursunov, his Russian Davis Cup teammate.

Davydenko jumped on Tursinov early in this match, breaking him in the third game with a classic Davydenko-constructed point, running Tursinov wide with a well-angled cross-court forehand, forcing a weak reply, and then firing an inside out forehand to the opposite corner for a winner. Davydenko, who can have a suffocating effect on his opponents, never let up on Tursinov’s serve, breaking him again to go up 4-1 and wracking up seven break point opportunities in the set.

Tursinov picked up his game in the second and was leading 5-2, but in typical Davydenko fashion, the No. 5 seed clawed his way back to send the second set into the breaker. At 2-2 in the breaker Davydenko ran Tursinov from side to side, finally hitting a cross-court forehand at such an angle, Tursinov was so stretched out he fell down while hitting his reply, allowing Davydenko to merely block the ball into the open court for a winner. Davydenko held on in the breaker with a inside-out forehand that stretched Tursinov to his backhand side, then a forehand winner cross-court.

While Davydenko has been one of the Tour’s most consistent players over the past three seasons, and he beat Rafael Nadal earlier this year to win Miami, he’s been struggling of late. He has failed to win back-to-back matches in four straight tournaments going back to Wimbledon in July. While he’s now won three matches here, he’s feeling the pressure to turn up his game, if for no other reason that to defend the ranking points that he won last year by reaching the semis here.

“I need to defend my points here,’’ he said. “If I can’t reach the semis here, I can’t be Top 5.’’

Davydenko has lost to Federer in the semis here at the Open the past two years. He will meet Federer this year in the quarters if both players advance to that round. Davydenko next plays Gilles Muller.