ATP Doha : Federer vs Starace Live Streaming Online

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.