Bryan brothers of US win Aussie doubles title

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -American twins Bob and Mike Bryan claimed their seventh Grand Slam title with a 2-6, 7-5, 6-0 win Saturday over Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles in the Australian Open doubles final.

The brothers, who regained their No. 1 ranking by reaching the final, were the second set of American siblings to claim Grand Slam titles after Venus and Serena Williams won the women's doubles.

"It's fun to see the hard work pay off, but it's still a long year, we've got to keep it going for 52 weeks,'' Mike Bryan said.

The Bryans, who previously won here in 2006 and 2007, have been ranked No. 1 in the world four out of the past five years. They lost their top ranking to Nenad Zimonjic and Daniel Nestor in the last match of the season-ending Shanghai Masters last November.

Third-seeded Bhupathi and Knowles made a strong start, dominating at the net to break the second-seeded Bryans in the second and fifth games en route to winning the first set.

The momentum changed in the second set when the Bryans held off three break points in the seventh game, and squandered one of their own in the eighth, before breaking to even the match.

The brothers maintained the pressure, breaking in the second, fourth and sixth games to take the title.

"Mahesh and I played very well, we just weren't able to close there at the end,'' Knowles said. "But they're worthy champions and we enjoy competing against those guys.''

India's Bhupathi and Knowles of the Bahamas were playing for their first Grand Slam title since beginning their partnership at the start of last year.

The final was a rematch of last year's quarterfinal, when Bhupathi and Knowles dealt the Bryans their first loss at Melbourne Park in three years. The Bryans won all four of their subsequent meetings, including earlier this month at the Sydney International semifinals.

Bhupathi has previously won four Grand Slams doubles titles with longtime partner Leander Paes and Max Mirnyi, while Knowles came to Melbourne with three titles, all with Daniel Nestor.

Bhupathi has another chance at a title in Melbourne when he joins fellow Indian Sania Mirza against Czech pair Iveta Benesova and Lukas Dlouhy in the mixed doubles final Sunday.

The 30-year-old Bryans have contested the Australian Open final five out of the past six years, and are only the fourth doubles team in the Open Era to win 50 ATP titles or more. The Australian title was their 51st.

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Serena slams Safina for Australian Open title

MELBOURNE, Australia - Serena Williams always selects a special outfit to bring to Australia for a victory celebration. Every second year, she gets to wear it.

Williams’ 6-0, 6-3 rout of Dinara Safina on Saturday earned her a 10th Grand Slam title, a fourth Australian title — coming each odd-numbered year since 2003 — and the No. 1-ranking.

“I actually forgot until the end when I was saying hi to my box. They’re like, ’Hey, you’re No. 1.’ I was like, ’Oh, yeah,”’ she said.

Not that a number means everything.

“I always believe I’m the best, whether I’m No. 1 or 100,” she said. “Just having that extra bonus is pretty cool.”

Williams set aside a stylish black top to wear for the big occasion this time. In between the match, doping tests and media commitments, she changed into it.

“I always bring an outfit for the championships,” she said. “I always try to think positive, and I think it helps me be able to win.”

Williams was so dominant that Safina, a 22-year-old Russian playing in her second major final, didn’t feel worthy of being on the same court.

“It was first time for me to play not only for the Grand Slam, but also for No. 1 spot,” said Safina, the 2008 French Open runner-up. “I never been through this situation, and she was already.

“Serena was too good ... I was just a ballboy on the court today,” added Safina, apologizing to the Rod Laver Arena crowd after the 59-minute match.

After Melbourne’s hottest three-day heat wave on record, conditions were a relatively mild 79 degrees for the tournament’s first women’s final at night.

Safina had been hoping to emulate two feats her brother, Marat Safin, achieved. He won the 2005 Australian Open — the day after Serena won her second title here — and held the No. 1 ranking.

“She played exactly the way she had to play and she was much more aggressive and she just was taking time out of me,” Safina said.

“She didn’t give me a chance.”

Williams’ win at the U.S. Open in September gave her the No. 1 ranking for the following four weeks, her first stint at the top since a 57-week stretch from July 2002.

She started this year at No. 2 and slowly worked her way through the tournament. She was struggling with her serve at times and had to fend off Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarterfinals when the Russian was serving for the match.

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Serena slams Safina for Australian Open title
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Players divided over drug testing regime

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -Depending on which tennis player you ask, the new drug-testing regime for top international athletes is either too intrusive or a necessary evil.

The main issue of the system, which became effective in tennis on Jan. 1 after being adopted by the International Tennis Federation at the Beijing Olympics, is a provision requiring players to say where they are going to be for an hour each day, every day.

That doesn't mean they will be tested every time. But if officials show up to conduct a test and the player isn't there, it's one strike. Three strikes is considered a doping violation.

The 28 Summer Olympic sports federations accepted the code before the 2004 Athens Games, but not all have fully complied with the rules. Compliance is required for inclusion at the Olympics.

The ITF manages the program on behalf of the Grand Slams and the ATP and WTA Tours.

A number of cyclists, soccer players and volleyballers are pursuing legal action in Belgium, calling the code an invasion of their privacy. Top-ranked tennis player Rafael Nadal has said he plans to join in. Spanish journalists quoted him as calling the system a "disgrace'' and "intolerable,'' saying many players believe they are being treated like criminals.

But second-ranked Roger Federer and Serena and Venus Williams say that while they may not like it, it's critical to tennis' integrity to prove that its athletes are clean.

"It's a tough system, no doubt,'' Federer said Saturday, a day before he will play Nadal in the Australian Open final. A win would pull him even with Pete Sampras' record of 14 Grand Slam titles. "It's a significant change to what we were used to before, so I think it takes some getting used to it.''

He said doping seemed to have become so sophisticated that anything less stringent would leave cracks for offenders to slip through.

"I feel like this is how you're going to catch them, right?'' Federer said. "You're not going to catch them ringing them up and saying, 'Look, I would like to test you maybe in two days.' The guy's cheating and they're smart, right?

"It's an hour a day. I know it's a pain, but I would like it to be a clean sport, and that's why I'm OK with it.''

Integrity was also cited by the Williams sisters, who have 17 Grand Slam singles titles between them.

"We think that drug testing is good for sports,'' Venus Williams said. "That's really how we feel. Any details of that that may need to be worked out or that are a little bit confusing for the players, we continue to work on that as Player Council members.''

Some players have already run into problems. Mike Bryan, who teamed with twin brother Bob to win the Australian Open doubles title Saturday, has two strikes after what he called innocent mistakes. One would come off in mid-April; another missed test in the meantime would likely result in a suspension.

"You got to communicate ... where you're going to be at all times,'' Mike Bryan said. "They even want to know when you're flying in, the day you arrive, if you're going to be at the hotel for an hour. We missed a couple. Just weren't thinking. Just down in L.A. One time I got a flat tire. You just got to be ready for anything.''

"I think once someone gets banned for missing a few tests, then you hear the stories - and they're kind of ridiculous stories - then I think we'll probably have a problem with it,'' Bob Bryan said. "If it's one of our friends that goes out, if Mike gets banned ...''

Still, they agreed that in an era when failed drug tests in some sports seem to be in the news every day, something has to be done.

"It's fair across the board,'' Mike Bryan said. "You don't want doping in tennis. It's good. I think we just got to get used to the strictness.''

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Bryan brothers of US win Aussie doubles title

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -American twins Bob and Mike Bryan claimed their seventh Grand Slam title with a 2-6, 7-5, 6-0 win Saturday over Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles in the Australian Open doubles final.

The brothers, who regained their No. 1 ranking by reaching the final, were the second set of American siblings to claim Grand Slam titles after Venus and Serena Williams won the women's doubles.

"It's fun to see the hard work pay off, but it's still a long year, we've got to keep it going for 52 weeks,'' Mike Bryan said.

The Bryans, who previously won here in 2006 and 2007, have been ranked No. 1 in the world four out of the past five years. They lost their top ranking to Nenad Zimonjic and Daniel Nestor in the last match of the season-ending Shanghai Masters last November.

Third-seeded Bhupathi and Knowles made a strong start, dominating at the net to break the second-seeded Bryans in the second and fifth games en route to winning the first set.

The momentum changed in the second set when the Bryans held off three break points in the seventh game, and squandered one of their own in the eighth, before breaking to even the match.

The brothers maintained the pressure, breaking in the second, fourth and sixth games to take the title.

"Mahesh and I played very well, we just weren't able to close there at the end,'' Knowles said. "But they're worthy champions and we enjoy competing against those guys.''

India's Bhupathi and Knowles of the Bahamas were playing for their first Grand Slam title since beginning their partnership at the start of last year.

The final was a rematch of last year's quarterfinal, when Bhupathi and Knowles dealt the Bryans their first loss at Melbourne Park in three years. The Bryans won all four of their subsequent meetings, including earlier this month at the Sydney International semifinals.

Bhupathi has previously won four Grand Slams doubles titles with longtime partner Leander Paes and Max Mirnyi, while Knowles came to Melbourne with three titles, all with Daniel Nestor.

Bhupathi has another chance at a title in Melbourne when he joins fellow Indian Sania Mirza against Czech pair Iveta Benesova and Lukas Dlouhy in the mixed doubles final Sunday.

The 30-year-old Bryans have contested the Australian Open final five out of the past six years, and are only the fourth doubles team in the Open Era to win 50 ATP titles or more. The Australian title was their 51st.

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Serena slams Safina for Australian Open title

MELBOURNE, Australia - Serena Williams routed Dinara Safina 6-0, 6-3 Saturday to win the Australian Open for her 10th Grand Slam title and a return to the No. 1 ranking.

It was total domination for the second-seeded Williams, who moved fluidly on the court and looked at ease in winning back-to-back majors, including the U.S. Open title in September.

“I absolutely, clearly, love playing here,” the 27-year-old Williams said. “You guys root for me so much. I don’t get that everywhere. So thank you so much.”

Williams becomes only the seventh woman with double-digit Grand Slam singles titles. She leads all active players and broke a tie with two greats of the game — 2009 Hall of Fame inductee Monica Seles and Maureen Connolly — who each won nine majors.

Justine Henin was the last to win back-to-back major singles titles, at the 2003 U.S. Open and 2004 Australian Open.

Williams’ near-perfect performance was in sharp contrast to No. 3 Safina, who was tight from the start. Later apologizing to the crowd for her performance, Safina said Williams was just too good, leaving her feeling like a ballboy.

In the first game, Safina double-faulted three times, including on break point. Williams ran off 18 of the last 20 points in the first set to finish in 22 minutes.

It was Williams’ second overwhelming victory in a final at Melbourne Park, where she kept alive her record of winning in odd-numbered years since 2003 for four titles. Coming into the 2007 tournament unseeded after being plagued by injuries the year before, she beat top-seeded Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-2.

Sharapova rebounded to win last year but was unable to defend her title while recuperating from a shoulder injury.

Williams became the fifth woman to win four or more Australian titles. By making the singles and doubles finals, she already had become the all-time leading money winner in women’s sports.

For winning the Australian singles title, she earned $1.3 million and has career earnings of more than $23.5 million.

After Melbourne’s hottest three-day heat wave on record, conditions were nearly perfect for the tournament’s first women’s final at night, but Rod Laver Arena was less than capacity, with large patches of empty seats scattered around the upper deck of the 15,000-seat stadium.

On Sunday, top-ranked Rafael Nadal will face No. 2 Roger Federer in the men’s final. Federer will be trying to tie Pete Sampras’ record of 14 major titles, while Nadal is seeking his third Grand Slam out of the last four, missing only the U.S. Open last September that was won by the Swiss star.

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Bryan brothers of US win Aussie doubles title

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -American twins Bob and Mike Bryan claimed their seventh Grand Slam title with a 2-6, 7-5, 6-0 win Saturday over Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles in the Australian Open doubles final.

The brothers, who regained their No. 1 ranking by reaching the final, were the second set of American siblings to claim Grand Slam titles after Venus and Serena Williams won the women's doubles.

"It's fun to see the hard work pay off, but it's still a long year, we've got to keep it going for 52 weeks,'' Mike Bryan said.

The Bryans, who previously won here in 2006 and 2007, have been ranked No. 1 in the world four out of the past five years. They lost their top ranking to Nenad Zimonjic and Daniel Nestor in the last match of the season-ending Shanghai Masters last November.

Third-seeded Bhupathi and Knowles made a strong start, dominating at the net to break the second-seeded Bryans in the second and fifth games en route to winning the first set.

The momentum changed in the second set when the Bryans held off three break points in the seventh game, and squandered one of their own in the eighth, before breaking to even the match.

The brothers maintained the pressure, breaking in the second, fourth and sixth games to take the title.

"Mahesh and I played very well, we just weren't able to close there at the end,'' Knowles said. "But they're worthy champions and we enjoy competing against those guys.''

India's Bhupathi and Knowles of the Bahamas were playing for their first Grand Slam title since beginning their partnership at the start of last year.

The final was a rematch of last year's quarterfinal, when Bhupathi and Knowles dealt the Bryans their first loss at Melbourne Park in three years. The Bryans won all four of their subsequent meetings, including earlier this month at the Sydney International semifinals.

Bhupathi has previously won four Grand Slams doubles titles with longtime partner Leander Paes and Max Mirnyi, while Knowles came to Melbourne with three titles, all with Daniel Nestor.

Bhupathi has another chance at a title in Melbourne when he joins fellow Indian Sania Mirza against Czech pair Iveta Benesova and Lukas Dlouhy in the mixed doubles final Sunday.

The 30-year-old Bryans have contested the Australian Open final five out of the past six years, and are only the fourth doubles team in the Open Era to win 50 ATP titles or more. The Australian title was their 51st.

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Serena slams Safina for Australian Open title

MELBOURNE, Australia - Serena Williams is back at No. 1 after a dominating victory Saturday over Dinara Safina that gave her a fourth Australian Open trophy and 10th Grand Slam singles title.

The 27-year-old Williams knew going into the final that the winner would grab the top ranking.

She left no doubt she deserves it.

Williams routed Dinara Safina 6-0, 6-3 in 59 minutes. She was so overwhelming that third-seeded Safina apologized to the crowd for her performance, saying Williams left her feeling like a ballboy.

Other than matches that ended early due to illness or injury, it was among the most lopsided Australian Open women's finals ever.

Williams still remains far away from the women's record for Grand Slam singles titles. Margaret Court Smith had 24 and Steffi Graf 22, with Martina Navratilova among the others she would have to pass.

Thanks to her power game and what she has called her toughest off-season training regime - she has been criticized in the past for not putting in enough work outside of tournament - Williams is moving up fast and will go into the French Open with a two Grand Slam winning streak after taking the U.S. Open in September.

"I idolized Steffi Graf growing up," Williams said. "Martina Navratilova was someone who was my role model. Now people are starting to talk about me, which is uber cool. I can't get my mind around it."

The victory was all the more remarkable because she had looked so vulnerable earlier in the tournament, once loudly cursing her first service. But as she has done at Melbourne Park before, Williams managed to survive until it all came together.

"I was playing lazy tennis in the beginning and I was doubting myself in the beginning," she said. "I'll thank my mom for hanging in there this week. The first week was tough, but we got through it."

Williams finished with 23 winners and just seven unforced errors in the final, winning more than twice as many points as Safina.

"I absolutely, clearly, love playing here," Williams told the crowd. "You guys root for me so much. I don't get that everywhere. So thank you so much."

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Roddick angry, overmatched in loss to Federer

MELBOURNE, Australia - Roger Federer moved within one victory of tying Pete Sampras’ record of 14 Grand Slam titles by dominating Andy Roddick 6-2, 7-5, 7-5 Thursday to reach the Australian Open final.

Roddick, who undertook a rigorous offseason training regime designed to help him beat Federer and top-ranked Rafael Nadal, was in good form.

But the second-ranked Federer outplayed him in every phase of the game. Ripping winners from all over the court and usually forcing Roddick to hit more than one good shot to win a point, he even had more aces than the hard-serving American, 16-8.

“I served well in the first set and that gave me a lot of confidence,” Federer said. “I was moving well and getting a lot of balls back and making it difficult for Andy to get the upper hand from the baseline. That was kind of what I was hoping for.”

Federer, seeking his fourth Australian title, will face the winner of Friday’s semifinal between Nadal and fellow Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco.

“I don’t have to wait to see who wins, I can start preparing for a lefty tonight,” Federer said.

The women’s final matchup was set earlier in the day. Serena Williams was calm, collected and cool — with the Rod Laver Arena roof closed to keep out Melbourne’s oppressive heat wave — to end Olympic champion Elena Dementieva’s 15-match winning streak with a 6-3, 6-4 victory.

All that stands between her and a 10th Grand Slam title is third-seeded Dinara Safina, who is hungry to take home her first major trophy to go along with the two that brother Marat Safin has earned. Safina ousted fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 7-6 (4) in the other semifinal. The winner Saturday also will rise to the No. 1 ranking.

By the time Federer and Roddick were on court in the evening, temperatures had dropped to 91 degrees from 112 in the afternoon — news reports called it Melbourne’s hottest January day since 1939 — so the retractable roof was open.

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That would seem to have given Roddick, who grew up in the heat of Texas and Florida, an edge. Against a hot Federer, it didn’t matter. A behind-the-back hit right to the ballboy after a Roddick fault in the first game was a dead giveaway.

Although Roddick won their last meeting, Federer held a 15-2 edge over him coming into the match.

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Serena slams Safina for Australian Open title

MELBOURNE, Australia - Serena Williams is back at No. 1 after a dominating victory Saturday over Dinara Safina that gave her a fourth Australian Open trophy and 10th Grand Slam singles title.

The 27-year-old Williams knew going into the final that the winner would grab the top ranking.

She left no doubt she deserves it.

Williams routed Dinara Safina 6-0, 6-3 in 59 minutes. She was so overwhelming that third-seeded Safina apologized to the crowd for her performance, saying Williams left her feeling like a ballboy.

Other than matches that ended early due to illness or injury, it was among the most lopsided Australian Open women's finals ever.

Williams still remains far away from the women's record for Grand Slam singles titles. Margaret Court Smith had 24 and Steffi Graf 22, with Martina Navratilova among the others she would have to pass.

Thanks to her power game and what she has called her toughest off-season training regime - she has been criticized in the past for not putting in enough work outside of tournament - Williams is moving up fast and will go into the French Open with a two Grand Slam winning streak after taking the U.S. Open in September.

"I idolized Steffi Graf growing up," Williams said. "Martina Navratilova was someone who was my role model. Now people are starting to talk about me, which is uber cool. I can't get my mind around it."

The victory was all the more remarkable because she had looked so vulnerable earlier in the tournament, once loudly cursing her first service. But as she has done at Melbourne Park before, Williams managed to survive until it all came together.

"I was playing lazy tennis in the beginning and I was doubting myself in the beginning," she said. "I'll thank my mom for hanging in there this week. The first week was tough, but we got through it."

Williams finished with 23 winners and just seven unforced errors in the final, winning more than twice as many points as Safina.

"I absolutely, clearly, love playing here," Williams told the crowd. "You guys root for me so much. I don't get that everywhere. So thank you so much."

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Sampras never thought Slam mark in jeopardy

When Pete Sampras called it quits after winning his 14th Grand Slam singles title, he was certain that record would stand for quite some time.

Enter, Roger Federer.

“I really thought that 14 would be a number that would be very tough to tie and break,” Sampras said Friday in a telephone interview with The Associated Press, “but Roger just came along and dominated the game much more than I ever did.”

Indeed, Sampras thinks Federer could wind up with as many as 18 or 19 major championships.

Federer owns 13 as of now, and he can equal Sampras’ career total by beating nemesis Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final Sunday. Sampras gives Federer a slight edge in what he called “a pick-’em match” — “60-40 for Roger,” Sampras said, “but Nadal’s an animal. This guy, he won’t quit.”

As he has in the past, Sampras noted that if anyone was going to match or surpass him, it might as well be Federer, someone he considers a friend.

Still, Sampras does not plan to watch the whole final on TV.

He is, after all, at home in Los Angeles with his family, which includes two children, ages 3 and 6. Because of the time difference, play will begin at nearly 1 a.m. his time.

Too late for Dad to stay up to find out who wins.

“It’s tricky. Maybe I’ll try to catch the first set or so,” Sampras said. “But with two kids waking up pretty early, I need to sort of get a little rest.”

Perhaps that approach also is shaped by what Sampras considers an inevitability to Federer’s march toward the milestone. It was sometime in 2006, as Federer’s count reached eight Grand Slam titles, that Sampras began to realize he was going to be No. 2 on the list someday.

And he was OK with that.

“I don’t sit and watch and hope he loses,” Sampras said. “I just don’t believe in rooting against people — I never did, even when I played. I believe it’s bad karma.”

He sent a text message after Federer won his semifinal in Australia this week and plans to make a congratulatory phone call if the Swiss star gets No. 14. But Pistol Pete isn’t sure whether he would make the trek to his old stomping grounds at Wimbledon if Federer heads to the All England Club this summer with a chance to break the record.

Their lone head-to-head match on tour came at Wimbledon in 2001, when Federer upset Sampras on Centre Court. Like many a fan, Sampras wishes their careers could have overlapped more: “My game would have matched up pretty well against Roger’s,” he said.

At age 27 — about 4½ years younger than Sampras was when he collected his final Slam trophy at the 2002 U.S. Open — Federer could have several more Slam titles in him, Sampras said. While Roy Emerson’s record of 12 Grand Slam titles stood for 32 years before Sampras tied it in 1999, Sampras expects his time alone at the top to come to an end after less than a decade.

Sampras figures Federer could hold onto the record for longer, maybe forever, for two principal reasons: Federer will wind up with so many titles, and his talent, dedication and consistency are rare.

“Tennis is his No. 1 priority and he probably — like I did in my prime — lives, breathes tennis. That’s the way you’ve got to be, and I think a lot of players aren’t willing to sacrifice all that it takes to win multiple, multiple majors,” Sampras said. “Roger is one who has the game and also is willing to prioritize his life to be the best player in the world and win 15, 17, 19 majors — whatever it’s going to be. So it’s incredible. I know what it takes. And there’s not many of us around.”

Ask Federer to rank who the best players in history are and he won’t take the bait, saying something like what he said in Australia this week: “Probably never quite know who was the greatest of all-time in tennis, and I think that’s quite intriguing as well.”

Sampras, in contrast, was willing to take up the topic.

He tabs four men as the greatest, in no particular order: Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg, Federer and Sampras.

“Four guys that dominated their generations more than anyone else,” said the 37-year-old Sampras, who will be playing Outback Champions Series matches in Boston next month and in Mexico in March.

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That tour helps him keep in shape these days, and he insists has no regrets about not sticking around on the real tour longer than he did.

“Would I love for my record to stand? Absolutely,” Sampras said. “But there’s nothing I can do it about it today. Just sit back and watch (Federer) do it.”

Or go to sleep at a reasonable hour, get up when the kids do, and wait for the afternoon replay on TV.

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Next up for Federer: A hot, tired Nadal

MELBOURNE, Australia - Roger Federer can grab a share of tennis history with a win over Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final on Sunday, when the two best players in men’s tennis will reach a milestone just by walking onto the court at Rod Laver Arena.

It will mark the first time that Federer and Nadal have met each other in a Grand Slam final outside of London or Paris. They’ve played each other six times in major finals — three on grass at Wimbledon and three on clay at Roland Garros.

This time it’ll be on hard courts at Melbourne Park, where Federer will have a chance to equal Pete Sampras’ Grand Slam singles record of 14.

“Playing Rafa is obviously more exciting because of the history we have playing in so many Grand Slam finals,” Federer said. “Him being the best player in the world at the moment ... a very intriguing match.”

Federer will have an advantage as far as preparation and recuperation. Nadal needed a tournament-record 5 hours, 14 minutes to beat fellow Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco in a marathon five-set semifinal Friday, while Federer beat American Andy Roddick in three sets on Thursday.

That gives Federer about 2 days and 21 hours to get ready for the final, and Nadal about 1 day and 18 hours.

“For sure it will be a little bit tough, Roger has a bit of an advantage over me,” Nadal said. “He’s resting right now and for sure he has two days off and one match of only three sets, so at the moment he’s for sure the favorite.”

Not in head-to-head matches, though. Nadal, who overtook Federer for the No. 1 ranking in August, has a 12-6 career edge over the Swiss star, including the last four times they’ve met.

The highest-profile of those victories was last year’s Wimbledon final, where Nadal finally broke through for his first All-England title in a five-set thriller, including 9-7 in the fifth.

Before that, Federer had always ruled on grass, beating Nadal in four and five sets, respectively, in 2006 and 2007.

At the French Open, it’s been all Nadal, although Federer had managed to win four sets off the Spaniard in 2006 and 2007 before being embarrassed last year at Roland Garros, where he won only four games and lost the third set 6-0.

Federer, as is his way, will use some of those past experiences, both good and bad, to his advantage.

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Call her $erena — as in $23 million worth

MELBOURNE, Australia - All those winner’s checks Serena Williams collects add up: By reaching two finals at the Australian Open, she broke golf star Annika Sorenstam’s record for career prize money by a female athlete with nearly $23 million.

Williams was busy Thursday, first beating Elena Dementieva of Russia 6-3, 6-4 in the singles semifinals, then pairing with older sister Venus for a victory in the doubles semifinals.

Even if the American were to lose both title matches, she would leave Australia with career earnings of about $22.7 million, according to the WTA Tour, eclipsing Lindsay Davenport’s women’s tennis prize record by more than $500,000, and Sorenstam’s total by more than $150,000.

If Williams wins two Australian Open championships this week, she’ll push her haul above $23.5 million.

Told of the news, the 27-year-old Williams recalled her first check of $240 in prize money from an event in Canada in 1995.

“It’s amazing how much women’s tennis has grown since I joined the tour 14 years ago,” she said. “I am very proud to have reached this milestone for me, my family and all women athletes out there.”

Williams will play Dinara Safina of Russia in the Australian Open singles final Saturday, bidding for a 10th Grand Slam singles championship, most among active players. She and her sister will be seeking their eighth Grand Slam women’s doubles title when they face Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia and Ai Sugiyama of Japan in that final.

Overall, the younger Williams has won 32 singles titles and 14 doubles titles.

Going for 10th Grand Slam title
Serena Williams has been there before — three times in fact. The closest Dinara Safina has been was watching her brother celebrate his title.

On the line Saturday night at Rod Laver Arena will be the Australian Open championship — potentially Williams’ fourth here and 10th Grand Slam title. It would be the first for the 22-year-Safina after she lost the French Open final last year to Ana Ivanovic.

The No. 1 ranking will also be decided — the winner takes it along with the title.

While Williams has memories of hoisting the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup three times, Safina can only recall seeing her brother, Marat Safin, win the men’s title here in 2005.

“I watched my brother on TV winning this tournament and even if I was to watch it now I would have tears in my eyes,” said Safina, who beat fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 7-6 (4) Thursday. “It is great that I can follow in his footsteps because he was my idol, and he is still my idol. That I’m doing as well as him is just amazing.”

Williams, for her part, has never been satisfied with her sterling resume.

“Obviously, I want to win,” she said after beating Elena Dementieva 6-3, 6-4. “I’m excited that I’m playing really consistent.”

Williams would seem to have an advantage over Safina in the Australian Open finals. She’s gotten the upper hand five of the six times they’ve met, including in the semifinals of last year’s U.S. Open in relatively easy fashion.

Safina’s only victory over Williams came last year on clay at Berlin, where the Russian needed a third-set tiebreaker to win. The last time they met, at the WTA Tour Championships in November, Williams won 6-4, 6-1.

Safina said she was “dead” at the tour championships — “not ready to play at all.”

“Also, at the U.S. Open, it came after winning two tournaments in a row, playing the final at Beijing,” said Safina, who lost the Olympic gold medal final to Dementieva.

 Slideshow 

Call her $erena — as in $23 million worth
Valencia Always Go Out To Win - Unai Emery

Sampras never thought Slam mark in jeopardy

When Pete Sampras called it quits after winning his 14th Grand Slam singles title, he was certain that record would stand for quite some time.

Enter, Roger Federer.

“I really thought that 14 would be a number that would be very tough to tie and break,” Sampras said Friday in a telephone interview with The Associated Press, “but Roger just came along and dominated the game much more than I ever did.”

Indeed, Sampras thinks Federer could wind up with as many as 18 or 19 major championships.

Federer owns 13 as of now, and he can equal Sampras’ career total by beating nemesis Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final Sunday. Sampras gives Federer a slight edge in what he called “a pick-’em match” — “60-40 for Roger,” Sampras said, “but Nadal’s an animal. This guy, he won’t quit.”

As he has in the past, Sampras noted that if anyone was going to match or surpass him, it might as well be Federer, someone he considers a friend.

Still, Sampras does not plan to watch the whole final on TV.

He is, after all, at home in Los Angeles with his family, which includes two children, ages 3 and 6. Because of the time difference, play will begin at nearly 1 a.m. his time.

Too late for Dad to stay up to find out who wins.

“It’s tricky. Maybe I’ll try to catch the first set or so,” Sampras said. “But with two kids waking up pretty early, I need to sort of get a little rest.”

Perhaps that approach also is shaped by what Sampras considers an inevitability to Federer’s march toward the milestone. It was sometime in 2006, as Federer’s count reached eight Grand Slam titles, that Sampras began to realize he was going to be No. 2 on the list someday.

And he was OK with that.

“I don’t sit and watch and hope he loses,” Sampras said. “I just don’t believe in rooting against people — I never did, even when I played. I believe it’s bad karma.”

He sent a text message after Federer won his semifinal in Australia this week and plans to make a congratulatory phone call if the Swiss star gets No. 14. But Pistol Pete isn’t sure whether he would make the trek to his old stomping grounds at Wimbledon if Federer heads to the All England Club this summer with a chance to break the record.

Their lone head-to-head match on tour came at Wimbledon in 2001, when Federer upset Sampras on Centre Court. Like many a fan, Sampras wishes their careers could have overlapped more: “My game would have matched up pretty well against Roger’s,” he said.

At age 27 — about 4½ years younger than Sampras was when he collected his final Slam trophy at the 2002 U.S. Open — Federer could have several more Slam titles in him, Sampras said. While Roy Emerson’s record of 12 Grand Slam titles stood for 32 years before Sampras tied it in 1999, Sampras expects his time alone at the top to come to an end after less than a decade.

Sampras figures Federer could hold onto the record for longer, maybe forever, for two principal reasons: Federer will wind up with so many titles, and his talent, dedication and consistency are rare.

“Tennis is his No. 1 priority and he probably — like I did in my prime — lives, breathes tennis. That’s the way you’ve got to be, and I think a lot of players aren’t willing to sacrifice all that it takes to win multiple, multiple majors,” Sampras said. “Roger is one who has the game and also is willing to prioritize his life to be the best player in the world and win 15, 17, 19 majors — whatever it’s going to be. So it’s incredible. I know what it takes. And there’s not many of us around.”

Ask Federer to rank who the best players in history are and he won’t take the bait, saying something like what he said in Australia this week: “Probably never quite know who was the greatest of all-time in tennis, and I think that’s quite intriguing as well.”

Sampras, in contrast, was willing to take up the topic.

He tabs four men as the greatest, in no particular order: Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg, Federer and Sampras.

“Four guys that dominated their generations more than anyone else,” said the 37-year-old Sampras, who will be playing Outback Champions Series matches in Boston next month and in Mexico in March.

  ALSO ON THIS STORY 

How many Slams will Federer win? 

That tour helps him keep in shape these days, and he insists has no regrets about not sticking around on the real tour longer than he did.

“Would I love for my record to stand? Absolutely,” Sampras said. “But there’s nothing I can do it about it today. Just sit back and watch (Federer) do it.”

Or go to sleep at a reasonable hour, get up when the kids do, and wait for the afternoon replay on TV.

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Sampras never thought Slam mark in jeopardy

Sampras never thought Slam mark in jeopardy

When Pete Sampras called it quits after winning his 14th Grand Slam singles title, he was certain that record would stand for quite some time.

Enter, Roger Federer.

“I really thought that 14 would be a number that would be very tough to tie and break,” Sampras said Friday in a telephone interview with The Associated Press, “but Roger just came along and dominated the game much more than I ever did.”

Indeed, Sampras thinks Federer could wind up with as many as 18 or 19 major championships.

Federer owns 13 as of now, and he can equal Sampras’ career total by beating nemesis Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final Sunday. Sampras gives Federer a slight edge in what he called “a pick-’em match” — “60-40 for Roger,” Sampras said, “but Nadal’s an animal. This guy, he won’t quit.”

As he has in the past, Sampras noted that if anyone was going to match or surpass him, it might as well be Federer, someone he considers a friend.

Still, Sampras does not plan to watch the whole final on TV.

He is, after all, at home in Los Angeles with his family, which includes two children, ages 3 and 6. Because of the time difference, play will begin at nearly 1 a.m. his time.

Too late for Dad to stay up to find out who wins.

“It’s tricky. Maybe I’ll try to catch the first set or so,” Sampras said. “But with two kids waking up pretty early, I need to sort of get a little rest.”

Perhaps that approach also is shaped by what Sampras considers an inevitability to Federer’s march toward the milestone. It was sometime in 2006, as Federer’s count reached eight Grand Slam titles, that Sampras began to realize he was going to be No. 2 on the list someday.

And he was OK with that.

“I don’t sit and watch and hope he loses,” Sampras said. “I just don’t believe in rooting against people — I never did, even when I played. I believe it’s bad karma.”

He sent a text message after Federer won his semifinal in Australia this week and plans to make a congratulatory phone call if the Swiss star gets No. 14. But Pistol Pete isn’t sure whether he would make the trek to his old stomping grounds at Wimbledon if Federer heads to the All England Club this summer with a chance to break the record.

Their lone head-to-head match on tour came at Wimbledon in 2001, when Federer upset Sampras on Centre Court. Like many a fan, Sampras wishes their careers could have overlapped more: “My game would have matched up pretty well against Roger’s,” he said.

At age 27 — about 4½ years younger than Sampras was when he collected his final Slam trophy at the 2002 U.S. Open — Federer could have several more Slam titles in him, Sampras said. While Roy Emerson’s record of 12 Grand Slam titles stood for 32 years before Sampras tied it in 1999, Sampras expects his time alone at the top to come to an end after less than a decade.

Sampras figures Federer could hold onto the record for longer, maybe forever, for two principal reasons: Federer will wind up with so many titles, and his talent, dedication and consistency are rare.

“Tennis is his No. 1 priority and he probably — like I did in my prime — lives, breathes tennis. That’s the way you’ve got to be, and I think a lot of players aren’t willing to sacrifice all that it takes to win multiple, multiple majors,” Sampras said. “Roger is one who has the game and also is willing to prioritize his life to be the best player in the world and win 15, 17, 19 majors — whatever it’s going to be. So it’s incredible. I know what it takes. And there’s not many of us around.”

Ask Federer to rank who the best players in history are and he won’t take the bait, saying something like what he said in Australia this week: “Probably never quite know who was the greatest of all-time in tennis, and I think that’s quite intriguing as well.”

Sampras, in contrast, was willing to take up the topic.

He tabs four men as the greatest, in no particular order: Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg, Federer and Sampras.

“Four guys that dominated their generations more than anyone else,” said the 37-year-old Sampras, who will be playing Outback Champions Series matches in Boston next month and in Mexico in March.

  ALSO ON THIS STORY 

How many Slams will Federer win? 

That tour helps him keep in shape these days, and he insists has no regrets about not sticking around on the real tour longer than he did.

“Would I love for my record to stand? Absolutely,” Sampras said. “But there’s nothing I can do it about it today. Just sit back and watch (Federer) do it.”

Or go to sleep at a reasonable hour, get up when the kids do, and wait for the afternoon replay on TV.

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Sampras never thought Slam mark in jeopardy
Raúl Hoping Real Madrid Focus Shifts To The Pitch

Call her $erena — as in $23 million worth

MELBOURNE, Australia - All those winner’s checks Serena Williams collects add up: By reaching two finals at the Australian Open, she broke golf star Annika Sorenstam’s record for career prize money by a female athlete with nearly $23 million.

Williams was busy Thursday, first beating Elena Dementieva of Russia 6-3, 6-4 in the singles semifinals, then pairing with older sister Venus for a victory in the doubles semifinals.

Even if the American were to lose both title matches, she would leave Australia with career earnings of about $22.7 million, according to the WTA Tour, eclipsing Lindsay Davenport’s women’s tennis prize record by more than $500,000, and Sorenstam’s total by more than $150,000.

If Williams wins two Australian Open championships this week, she’ll push her haul above $23.5 million.

Told of the news, the 27-year-old Williams recalled her first check of $240 in prize money from an event in Canada in 1995.

“It’s amazing how much women’s tennis has grown since I joined the tour 14 years ago,” she said. “I am very proud to have reached this milestone for me, my family and all women athletes out there.”

Williams will play Dinara Safina of Russia in the Australian Open singles final Saturday, bidding for a 10th Grand Slam singles championship, most among active players. She and her sister will be seeking their eighth Grand Slam women’s doubles title when they face Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia and Ai Sugiyama of Japan in that final.

Overall, the younger Williams has won 32 singles titles and 14 doubles titles.

Going for 10th Grand Slam title
Serena Williams has been there before — three times in fact. The closest Dinara Safina has been was watching her brother celebrate his title.

On the line Saturday night at Rod Laver Arena will be the Australian Open championship — potentially Williams’ fourth here and 10th Grand Slam title. It would be the first for the 22-year-Safina after she lost the French Open final last year to Ana Ivanovic.

The No. 1 ranking will also be decided — the winner takes it along with the title.

While Williams has memories of hoisting the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup three times, Safina can only recall seeing her brother, Marat Safin, win the men’s title here in 2005.

“I watched my brother on TV winning this tournament and even if I was to watch it now I would have tears in my eyes,” said Safina, who beat fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 7-6 (4) Thursday. “It is great that I can follow in his footsteps because he was my idol, and he is still my idol. That I’m doing as well as him is just amazing.”

Williams, for her part, has never been satisfied with her sterling resume.

“Obviously, I want to win,” she said after beating Elena Dementieva 6-3, 6-4. “I’m excited that I’m playing really consistent.”

Williams would seem to have an advantage over Safina in the Australian Open finals. She’s gotten the upper hand five of the six times they’ve met, including in the semifinals of last year’s U.S. Open in relatively easy fashion.

Safina’s only victory over Williams came last year on clay at Berlin, where the Russian needed a third-set tiebreaker to win. The last time they met, at the WTA Tour Championships in November, Williams won 6-4, 6-1.

Safina said she was “dead” at the tour championships — “not ready to play at all.”

“Also, at the U.S. Open, it came after winning two tournaments in a row, playing the final at Beijing,” said Safina, who lost the Olympic gold medal final to Dementieva.

 Slideshow 

Call her $erena — as in $23 million worth
Call her $erena — as in $23 million worth
Valencia Always Go Out To Win - Unai Emery

Williams sisters take Aussie doubles title

MELBOURNE, Australia - Serena Williams was happy to have sister Venus on her side of the net Friday so she didn’t have to try to fend off those wicked volleys.

Their doubles title — their third at the Australian Open and eighth Grand Slam title as a combination — came at the expense of Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia and Japan’s Ai Sugiyama, who lost 6-3, 6-3 and had to dodge a number of stinging shots at the net, particularly from Venus.

“I just wouldn’t want to face them too much. They are ferocious,” Serena said of her sister’s shots. The sisters have faced each other in seven Grand Slam singles finals.

“She’s covering the whole net. At one point today, I literally stood back and she took care of everything.”

It was a good tuneup for Serena’s singles final Saturday, when she will face Russia’s Dinara Safina.

In Friday’s night match, top-ranked Rafael Nadal was playing fellow Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco in the second men’s semifinal. The winner will try to keep second-ranked Roger Federer, who beat Andy Roddick on Thursday, from tying Pete Sampras’ record of 14 major titles.

With the temperature topping 113 degrees in the late afternoon, the roof on Rod Laver Arena was closed when the tournament’s Extreme Heat Policy was again put in effect. It was opened later for the men’s match.

Some top players avoid doubles, worrying that the extra time on court might hamper their singles prospects. While they took a long time off from doubles as both dealt with injuries — resulting in them being seeded only 10th at Melbourne Park — the Williams sisters have gotten back together recently, winning Wimbledon and the Olympic gold medal at Beijing last year.

“I have a great partner,” Serena said. “I don’t have to work too hard out there. Just hit some big serves. Venus hits some big serves. We put the ball away. Most of all, I love to play doubles. For me it’s great practice, great fun. If I’m really fit, then I like to go for the win in both events.”

 Special feature 

Williams sisters take Aussie doubles title
Player Ratings: Catania 0-2 Inter
Valencia Always Go Out To Win - Unai Emery

Call her $erena — as in $23 million worth

MELBOURNE, Australia - All those winner’s checks Serena Williams collects add up: By reaching two finals at the Australian Open, she broke golf star Annika Sorenstam’s record for career prize money by a female athlete with nearly $23 million.

Williams was busy Thursday, first beating Elena Dementieva of Russia 6-3, 6-4 in the singles semifinals, then pairing with older sister Venus for a victory in the doubles semifinals.

Even if the American were to lose both title matches, she would leave Australia with career earnings of about $22.7 million, according to the WTA Tour, eclipsing Lindsay Davenport’s women’s tennis prize record by more than $500,000, and Sorenstam’s total by more than $150,000.

If Williams wins two Australian Open championships this week, she’ll push her haul above $23.5 million.

Told of the news, the 27-year-old Williams recalled her first check of $240 in prize money from an event in Canada in 1995.

“It’s amazing how much women’s tennis has grown since I joined the tour 14 years ago,” she said. “I am very proud to have reached this milestone for me, my family and all women athletes out there.”

Williams will play Dinara Safina of Russia in the Australian Open singles final Saturday, bidding for a 10th Grand Slam singles championship, most among active players. She and her sister will be seeking their eighth Grand Slam women’s doubles title when they face Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia and Ai Sugiyama of Japan in that final.

Overall, the younger Williams has won 32 singles titles and 14 doubles titles.

Going for 10th Grand Slam title
Serena Williams has been there before — three times in fact. The closest Dinara Safina has been was watching her brother celebrate his title.

On the line Saturday night at Rod Laver Arena will be the Australian Open championship — potentially Williams’ fourth here and 10th Grand Slam title. It would be the first for the 22-year-Safina after she lost the French Open final last year to Ana Ivanovic.

The No. 1 ranking will also be decided — the winner takes it along with the title.

While Williams has memories of hoisting the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup three times, Safina can only recall seeing her brother, Marat Safin, win the men’s title here in 2005.

“I watched my brother on TV winning this tournament and even if I was to watch it now I would have tears in my eyes,” said Safina, who beat fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 7-6 (4) Thursday. “It is great that I can follow in his footsteps because he was my idol, and he is still my idol. That I’m doing as well as him is just amazing.”

Williams, for her part, has never been satisfied with her sterling resume.

“Obviously, I want to win,” she said after beating Elena Dementieva 6-3, 6-4. “I’m excited that I’m playing really consistent.”

Williams would seem to have an advantage over Safina in the Australian Open finals. She’s gotten the upper hand five of the six times they’ve met, including in the semifinals of last year’s U.S. Open in relatively easy fashion.

Safina’s only victory over Williams came last year on clay at Berlin, where the Russian needed a third-set tiebreaker to win. The last time they met, at the WTA Tour Championships in November, Williams won 6-4, 6-1.

Safina said she was “dead” at the tour championships — “not ready to play at all.”

“Also, at the U.S. Open, it came after winning two tournaments in a row, playing the final at Beijing,” said Safina, who lost the Olympic gold medal final to Dementieva.

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Call her $erena — as in $23 million worth
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No denying Serena another Aussie OpenВ title

  

 

Tracy Austin 

 

 

MELBOURNE, Australia - At the beginning of the Australian Open, Serena Williams struggled, looking for her rhythm and making too many unforced errors. She has gotten her game together and is my pick to defeat Dinara Safina in the first women’s final to be played at night Down Under.

Having won the U.S. Open last September, Williams, who is 9-3 in Grand Slam finals, is looking to duplicate her 2002 U.S. Open-2003 Australian Open double. Experience has to be figured into the equation and Safina is going for her first major. Williams is tough to take down when she gets in this situation. She is very intimidating to her opponents because she has so much power and has had so much success.

Williams has played nothing like a No. 2 seed. She has been dominant for the most part. This is her 13th Grand Slam singles final (a number that ties her with sister Venus) and all signs point to her claiming her tenth major. With a victory against Safina, Williams will take over the No. 1 ranking in the women’s game.

Safina, the No. 3 seed, has long been known as the younger sister of Marat Safin. In 2008 she became the better player in the family by finishing No. 3 in the year-end rankings. She had a breakout year, winning four tournaments and reaching the French Open final. She also made impressive strides learning to control her impetuousness on court. Not only is her head better but so is her fitness after dropping 15 pounds since Wimbledon last year.

In head-to-head play, Williams leads 5-2. (One of Safina’s wins was a walkover). The 2007, 2005 and 2003 Australian Open winner has been more expedient with her play, spending eight hours and 35 minutes on court completing her six matches (an average of 96 minutes per contest). Safina has had to work much harder, clocking ten hours and 57 minutes (or 110 minutes a match).

Very little separates players on this level when it comes to strokes. Williams sometimes plays her forehand off her back foot. She needs to make sure that she stays down, steps forward and has good footwork. When she does this, she dictates play. When she doesn’t do it, she struggles and the ball sails long.

On the forehand, Safina likes to let the ball drop. She stands further behind the baseline to get the ball at a comfortable contact point. Doing that, it is harder to get the ball up and over the net and back in the court. It also causes her to hit it a bit late and with that fraction of a second, her opponent has more time to get ready for the next shot, and get back into the point.

Against (Vera) Zvonareva in the semifinals, Safina did much better hitting her forehand in front of her, and mixing deep crosscourt shots with short angles. Even if Safina does this again in the final there’s no getting around the fact that Williams has a better forehand.

Both players have wonderful backhands. If I had to rate them, both would get 10s. If I had to pick one, it would be Williams because I have so much confidence that she can do whatever she needs. Whether it is a deep cross-court, an angle cross-court or a shot up the line, she will hit the necessary shot.

Williams has the most technically sound serve on tour. If kids were looking to learn how to serve, I would tell them to watch her. Everything moves fluidly. She has good knee bend and propels herself up into the serve. Her shoulder rotation gives the serve power. I think her second serve, (along with Samantha Stosur’s) is the best in the game. It has a high kick and is very tough to attack.

Safina has a very high ball toss, and sometimes she lets the ball drop, particularly if she is getting nervous. That forces her to make contact with the ball in different places as it is coming down, which makes it more difficult to be accurate. This is being very picky but Safina has had an issue with double faults during her last few matches. For the tournament, she has hit 13 aces compared to 28 double faults.

 Slide show 

Williams sisters take Aussie doubles title
Williams sisters take Aussie doubles title
Fiorentina’s Alberto Gilardino To Appear In Court

Roddick angry, overmatched in loss to Federer

MELBOURNE, Australia - Roger Federer moved within one victory of tying Pete Sampras’ record of 14 Grand Slam titles by dominating Andy Roddick 6-2, 7-5, 7-5 Thursday to reach the Australian Open final.

Roddick, who undertook a rigorous offseason training regime designed to help him beat Federer and top-ranked Rafael Nadal, was in good form.

But the second-ranked Federer outplayed him in every phase of the game. Ripping winners from all over the court and usually forcing Roddick to hit more than one good shot to win a point, he even had more aces than the hard-serving American, 16-8.

“I served well in the first set and that gave me a lot of confidence,” Federer said. “I was moving well and getting a lot of balls back and making it difficult for Andy to get the upper hand from the baseline. That was kind of what I was hoping for.”

Federer, seeking his fourth Australian title, will face the winner of Friday’s semifinal between Nadal and fellow Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco.

“I don’t have to wait to see who wins, I can start preparing for a lefty tonight,” Federer said.

The women’s final matchup was set earlier in the day. Serena Williams was calm, collected and cool — with the Rod Laver Arena roof closed to keep out Melbourne’s oppressive heat wave — to end Olympic champion Elena Dementieva’s 15-match winning streak with a 6-3, 6-4 victory.

All that stands between her and a 10th Grand Slam title is third-seeded Dinara Safina, who is hungry to take home her first major trophy to go along with the two that brother Marat Safin has earned. Safina ousted fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 7-6 (4) in the other semifinal. The winner Saturday also will rise to the No. 1 ranking.

By the time Federer and Roddick were on court in the evening, temperatures had dropped to 91 degrees from 112 in the afternoon — news reports called it Melbourne’s hottest January day since 1939 — so the retractable roof was open.

  ALSO ON THIS STORY 

  Discuss: Sound off on tennis at Newsvine.com 

That would seem to have given Roddick, who grew up in the heat of Texas and Florida, an edge. Against a hot Federer, it didn’t matter. A behind-the-back hit right to the ballboy after a Roddick fault in the first game was a dead giveaway.

Although Roddick won their last meeting, Federer held a 15-2 edge over him coming into the match.

 Slideshow 

Roddick angry, overmatched in loss to Federer
Fiorentina’s Alberto Gilardino To Appear In Court

Nadal advances to showdown with Federer

MELBOURNE, Australia - Roger Federer can grab a share of tennis history with a win over Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final on Sunday, when the two best players in men’s tennis will reach a milestone just by walking onto the court at Rod Laver Arena.

It will mark the first time that Federer and Nadal have met each other in a Grand Slam final outside of London or Paris. They’ve played each other six times in major finals — three on grass at Wimbledon and three on clay at Roland Garros.

This time it’ll be on hard courts at Melbourne Park, where Federer will have a chance to equal Pete Sampras’ Grand Slam singles record of 14.

“Playing Rafa is obviously more exciting because of the history we have playing in so many Grand Slam finals,” Federer said. “Him being the best player in the world at the moment ... a very intriguing match.”

Federer will have an advantage as far as preparation and recuperation. Nadal needed a tournament-record 5 hours, 14 minutes to beat fellow Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco in a marathon five-set semifinal Friday, while Federer beat American Andy Roddick in three sets on Thursday.

That gives Federer about 2 days and 21 hours to get ready for the final, and Nadal about 1 day and 18 hours.

“For sure it will be a little bit tough, Roger has a bit of an advantage over me,” Nadal said. “He’s resting right now and for sure he has two days off and one match of only three sets, so at the moment he’s for sure the favorite.”

Not in head-to-head matches, though. Nadal, who overtook Federer for the No. 1 ranking in August, has a 12-6 career edge over the Swiss star, including the last four times they’ve met.

The highest-profile of those victories was last year’s Wimbledon final, where Nadal finally broke through for his first All-England title in a five-set thriller, including 9-7 in the fifth.

Before that, Federer had always ruled on grass, beating Nadal in four and five sets, respectively, in 2006 and 2007.

At the French Open, it’s been all Nadal, although Federer had managed to win four sets off the Spaniard in 2006 and 2007 before being embarrassed last year at Roland Garros, where he won only four games and lost the third set 6-0.

Federer, as is his way, will use some of those past experiences, both good and bad, to his advantage.

 Slide show 

Barcelona Are The Perfect Team For Me - Dani Alves
Nadal advances to showdown with Federer
Valencia Always Go Out To Win - Unai Emery
Nadal advances; faces Verdasco in Aussie semis

Call her $erena — as in $23 million worth

MELBOURNE, Australia - All those winner’s checks Serena Williams collects add up: By reaching two finals at the Australian Open, she broke golf star Annika Sorenstam’s record for career prize money by a female athlete with nearly $23 million.

Williams was busy Thursday, first beating Elena Dementieva of Russia 6-3, 6-4 in the singles semifinals, then pairing with older sister Venus for a victory in the doubles semifinals.

Even if the American were to lose both title matches, she would leave Australia with career earnings of about $22.7 million, according to the WTA Tour, eclipsing Lindsay Davenport’s women’s tennis prize record by more than $500,000, and Sorenstam’s total by more than $150,000.

If Williams wins two Australian Open championships this week, she’ll push her haul above $23.5 million.

Told of the news, the 27-year-old Williams recalled her first check of $240 in prize money from an event in Canada in 1995.

“It’s amazing how much women’s tennis has grown since I joined the tour 14 years ago,” she said. “I am very proud to have reached this milestone for me, my family and all women athletes out there.”

Williams will play Dinara Safina of Russia in the Australian Open singles final Saturday, bidding for a 10th Grand Slam singles championship, most among active players. She and her sister will be seeking their eighth Grand Slam women’s doubles title when they face Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia and Ai Sugiyama of Japan in that final.

Overall, the younger Williams has won 32 singles titles and 14 doubles titles.

Going for 10th Grand Slam title
Serena Williams has been there before — three times in fact. The closest Dinara Safina has been was watching her brother celebrate his title.

On the line Saturday night at Rod Laver Arena will be the Australian Open championship — potentially Williams’ fourth here and 10th Grand Slam title. It would be the first for the 22-year-Safina after she lost the French Open final last year to Ana Ivanovic.

The No. 1 ranking will also be decided — the winner takes it along with the title.

While Williams has memories of hoisting the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup three times, Safina can only recall seeing her brother, Marat Safin, win the men’s title here in 2005.

“I watched my brother on TV winning this tournament and even if I was to watch it now I would have tears in my eyes,” said Safina, who beat fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 7-6 (4) Thursday. “It is great that I can follow in his footsteps because he was my idol, and he is still my idol. That I’m doing as well as him is just amazing.”

Williams, for her part, has never been satisfied with her sterling resume.

“Obviously, I want to win,” she said after beating Elena Dementieva 6-3, 6-4. “I’m excited that I’m playing really consistent.”

Williams would seem to have an advantage over Safina in the Australian Open finals. She’s gotten the upper hand five of the six times they’ve met, including in the semifinals of last year’s U.S. Open in relatively easy fashion.

Safina’s only victory over Williams came last year on clay at Berlin, where the Russian needed a third-set tiebreaker to win. The last time they met, at the WTA Tour Championships in November, Williams won 6-4, 6-1.

Safina said she was “dead” at the tour championships — “not ready to play at all.”

“Also, at the U.S. Open, it came after winning two tournaments in a row, playing the final at Beijing,” said Safina, who lost the Olympic gold medal final to Dementieva.

 Slideshow 

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Call her $erena — as in $23 million worth

Nadal advances to showdown with Federer

MELBOURNE, Australia - Top-ranked Rafael Nadal outlasted fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (2), 6-7 (1), 6-4 Friday to reach the Australian Open final after the longest match in the tournament’s history.

Nadal will attempt to keep second-ranked Roger Federer from tying Pete Sampras’ record of 14 major titles on Sunday.

The fans were riveted as the left-handed Davis Cup teammates went at each other for 5 hours and 14 minutes. After all that, having saved two match points, 14th-seeded Verdasco served a double-fault to give Nadal the victory.

“Today was one of those matches you’re going to remember a long time,” Nadal said. “In the last game, at 0-40, I started to cry. It was too much tension. Fernando was playing, I think, at his best level. He deserved this final, too.”

There were no arguments, no gamesmanship, just great shots, with the momentum shifting on a handful of key points.

The previous longest match at Melbourne Park came in 1991, when Boris Becker needed 5 hours and 11 minutes to beat Italian Omar Camporese, with the fifth set going 14-12.

Federer advanced to his 18th Grand Slam final with a straight sets win over Andy Roddick on Thursday.

Nadal said it would be tough to recover for his first Grand Slam final on a hard court.

“Roger has a bit of an advantage over me,” said Nadal, whose previous best showing at the tournament was reaching the semifinals last year. “He’s resting right now. It’s tough to sleep after something like this.

“But I want to try my best. It’s very important for me to be in this final. Whatever happens on Sunday, I’ve started the season my best ever.”

Verdasco was disappointed that he drained so much energy from his friend.

“Really a pity,” Verdasco said. “I want him to be 100 percent to play that final. I wish him the best of luck. I hope that he will win.”

With the arena’s namesake, Rod Laver — a pretty good leftie in his own right — in the crowd and Spanish flags scattered around, Nadal found his renowned defense tested to the limit as Verdasco ripped 95 winners. But while he bent, he never broke, committing fewer than 10 unforced errors in every demanding set, including just four in the fifth.

The first set included 75 minutes of long rallies, more associated with a match on clay than a hardcourt.

Nadal was serving at 4-3 in the tiebreaker when Verdasco ran off the last four points. The key shot was a backhand that trickled over to give him set point. A sharp volley set up an easy overhead, and the crowd erupted in cheers.

Cool temperatures had come through during the afternoon to ease Melbourne’s hottest three-day stretch on record — daytime temperatures topped 113 degrees — but the constant sprinting from sideline to sideline left both players draping ice packs wrapped in towels around their shoulders during changeovers.

The high quality of the tennis had fans — silent during play — rising to standing ovations for both players for outstanding shots.

Another tiebreaker loomed in the second set with Verdasco serving at 4-5, 40-15. This time it was Nadal, who had been looking a little puzzled and less confident than usual, running off four points in a row.

At deuce, Verdasco hit what appeared to be a volley winner on the 17th shot of a tense rally. The ball was spinning away from Nadal, but he got to it on the dead run, flicking a forehand winner that dropped in the corner to even the match.

 Slide show 

Nadal advances; faces Verdasco in Aussie semis
Nadal advances; faces Verdasco in Aussie semis
Valencia Always Go Out To Win - Unai Emery

Williams sisters take Aussie doubles title

MELBOURNE, Australia - Serena Williams was happy to have sister Venus on her side of the net Friday so she didn’t have to try to fend off those wicked volleys.

Their doubles title — their third at the Australian Open and eighth Grand Slam title as a combination — came at the expense of Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia and Japan’s Ai Sugiyama, who lost 6-3, 6-3 and had to dodge a number of stinging shots at the net, particularly from Venus.

“I just wouldn’t want to face them too much. They are ferocious,” Serena said of her sister’s shots. The sisters have faced each other in seven Grand Slam singles finals.

“She’s covering the whole net. At one point today, I literally stood back and she took care of everything.”

It was a good tuneup for Serena’s singles final Saturday, when she will face Russia’s Dinara Safina.

In Friday’s night match, top-ranked Rafael Nadal was playing fellow Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco in the second men’s semifinal. The winner will try to keep second-ranked Roger Federer, who beat Andy Roddick on Thursday, from tying Pete Sampras’ record of 14 major titles.

With the temperature topping 113 degrees in the late afternoon, the roof on Rod Laver Arena was closed when the tournament’s Extreme Heat Policy was again put in effect. It was opened later for the men’s match.

Some top players avoid doubles, worrying that the extra time on court might hamper their singles prospects. While they took a long time off from doubles as both dealt with injuries — resulting in them being seeded only 10th at Melbourne Park — the Williams sisters have gotten back together recently, winning Wimbledon and the Olympic gold medal at Beijing last year.

“I have a great partner,” Serena said. “I don’t have to work too hard out there. Just hit some big serves. Venus hits some big serves. We put the ball away. Most of all, I love to play doubles. For me it’s great practice, great fun. If I’m really fit, then I like to go for the win in both events.”

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Player Ratings: Catania 0-2 Inter
Valencia Always Go Out To Win - Unai Emery
Williams sisters take Aussie doubles title
Williams sisters take Aussie doubles title

Williams sisters take Aussie doubles title

MELBOURNE, Australia - Serena Williams was happy to have sister Venus on her side of the net Friday so she didn’t have to try to fend off those wicked volleys.

Their doubles title — their third at the Australian Open and eighth Grand Slam title as a combination — came at the expense of Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia and Japan’s Ai Sugiyama, who lost 6-3, 6-3 and had to dodge a number of stinging shots at the net, particularly from Venus.

“I just wouldn’t want to face them too much. They are ferocious,” Serena said of her sister’s shots. The sisters have faced each other in seven Grand Slam singles finals.

“She’s covering the whole net. At one point today, I literally stood back and she took care of everything.”

It was a good tuneup for Serena’s singles final Saturday, when she will face Russia’s Dinara Safina.

In Friday’s night match, top-ranked Rafael Nadal was playing fellow Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco in the second men’s semifinal. The winner will try to keep second-ranked Roger Federer, who beat Andy Roddick on Thursday, from tying Pete Sampras’ record of 14 major titles.

With the temperature topping 113 degrees in the late afternoon, the roof on Rod Laver Arena was closed when the tournament’s Extreme Heat Policy was again put in effect. It was opened later for the men’s match.

Some top players avoid doubles, worrying that the extra time on court might hamper their singles prospects. While they took a long time off from doubles as both dealt with injuries — resulting in them being seeded only 10th at Melbourne Park — the Williams sisters have gotten back together recently, winning Wimbledon and the Olympic gold medal at Beijing last year.

“I have a great partner,” Serena said. “I don’t have to work too hard out there. Just hit some big serves. Venus hits some big serves. We put the ball away. Most of all, I love to play doubles. For me it’s great practice, great fun. If I’m really fit, then I like to go for the win in both events.”

Fun indeed. They dropped only one set in six matches, playing better as the tournament went along. They were chatting and laughing Friday as if they were playing with some friends.

“I think we complement each other on the court because we’re both extremely positive,” Venus said. “We never, ever in our lives have said nasty things to each other. We just don’t operate that way.”

There’s also a different mood for them than in singles.

“I think that when you play good points in doubles, you tend to smile a little more, enjoy that point with someone else,” Venus said. “It’s definitely a different kind of feeling, ’cause in singles you’re so focused, you don’t even smile, you just move to that next point without any kind of elation.”

The sisters held up their rackets to celebrate the win before hugging each other on court.

“I’d like to thank Serena for being the best partner,” Venus said. “I wouldn’t want to play with anyone else. She’s amazing.”

They have won doubles titles at all four Grand Slams, a milestone that Sugiyama had been hoping to achieve by winning here with Hantuchova.

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Williams sisters take Aussie doubles title
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Call her $erena — as in $23 million worth

MELBOURNE, Australia - All those winner’s checks Serena Williams collects add up: By reaching two finals at the Australian Open, she broke golf star Annika Sorenstam’s record for career prize money by a female athlete with nearly $23 million.

Williams was busy Thursday, first beating Elena Dementieva of Russia 6-3, 6-4 in the singles semifinals, then pairing with older sister Venus for a victory in the doubles semifinals.

Even if the American were to lose both title matches, she would leave Australia with career earnings of about $22.7 million, according to the WTA Tour, eclipsing Lindsay Davenport’s women’s tennis prize record by more than $500,000, and Sorenstam’s total by more than $150,000.

If Williams wins two Australian Open championships this week, she’ll push her haul above $23.5 million.

Told of the news, the 27-year-old Williams recalled her first check of $240 in prize money from an event in Canada in 1995.

“It’s amazing how much women’s tennis has grown since I joined the tour 14 years ago,” she said. “I am very proud to have reached this milestone for me, my family and all women athletes out there.”

Williams will play Dinara Safina of Russia in the Australian Open singles final Saturday, bidding for a 10th Grand Slam singles championship, most among active players. She and her sister will be seeking their eighth Grand Slam women’s doubles title when they face Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia and Ai Sugiyama of Japan in that final.

Overall, the younger Williams has won 32 singles titles and 14 doubles titles.

Going for 10th Grand Slam title
Serena Williams has been there before — three times in fact. The closest Dinara Safina has been was watching her brother celebrate his title.

On the line Saturday night at Rod Laver Arena will be the Australian Open championship — potentially Williams’ fourth here and 10th Grand Slam title. It would be the first for the 22-year-Safina after she lost the French Open final last year to Ana Ivanovic.

The No. 1 ranking will also be decided — the winner takes it along with the title.

While Williams has memories of hoisting the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup three times, Safina can only recall seeing her brother, Marat Safin, win the men’s title here in 2005.

“I watched my brother on TV winning this tournament and even if I was to watch it now I would have tears in my eyes,” said Safina, who beat fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 7-6 (4) Thursday. “It is great that I can follow in his footsteps because he was my idol, and he is still my idol. That I’m doing as well as him is just amazing.”

Williams, for her part, has never been satisfied with her sterling resume.

“Obviously, I want to win,” she said after beating Elena Dementieva 6-3, 6-4. “I’m excited that I’m playing really consistent.”

Williams would seem to have an advantage over Safina in the Australian Open finals. She’s gotten the upper hand five of the six times they’ve met, including in the semifinals of last year’s U.S. Open in relatively easy fashion.

Safina’s only victory over Williams came last year on clay at Berlin, where the Russian needed a third-set tiebreaker to win. The last time they met, at the WTA Tour Championships in November, Williams won 6-4, 6-1.

Safina said she was “dead” at the tour championships — “not ready to play at all.”

“Also, at the U.S. Open, it came after winning two tournaments in a row, playing the final at Beijing,” said Safina, who lost the Olympic gold medal final to Dementieva.

 Slideshow 

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Call her $erena — as in $23 million worth
Call her $erena — as in $23 million worth