Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Wild-card Johansson beats Hewitt at Malaysian Open

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -Swedish wild-card entry Joachim Johansson eliminated eighth-seeded Lleyton Hewitt of Australia 7-6 (7), 6-3 Tuesday in the first round of the Malaysian Open.

Neither managed a break in the first set, but Johansson opened up a 4-1 lead in the second after Hewitt double-faulted on break point.

The Australian struggled to hold serve in the fourth and sixth games, but then forced Johansson to save four break points to maintain his advantage.


"I worked very hard to hold that service game," Johansson said.

Johansson, who is ranked 446 and was awarded a wild card into the main draw, was put under pressure when he served for the match.

"I am a little surprised but I am also not surprised," Johansson said. "I have always had a good serve and this time I tried to play aggressive from the first point. I didn't give him any rhythm."

Mikhail Youzhny of Russia also advanced, beating seventh-seeded David Ferrer of Spain 7-6 (3), 6-2.

Ferrer broke his opponent in the second game to take a 2-0 lead but Youzhny won three consecutive games, eventually taking the set to a tiebreaker. The Russian, ranked 52nd in the world, held the serve to take the set.

Youzhny broke serve in the third and eighth games of the second set.

"I have been in Kuala Lumpur a few days and I think it helps me that I am more used to the conditions than he was," Youzhny said.

Indian qualifier Rohan Bopanna also caused a stir, beating Jose Acasuso of Argentina 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 on center court.

"At least I had played a few matches before this first round, whereas Jose was playing on this court for the first time," Bopanna said. "Certainly I am very happy about this win and it's a great boost for me."

Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic survived a second set lapse to beat Igor Kunitsyn of Russia 6-1, 3-6, 6-2.

Also, Martin Vassallo Arguello of Argentina defeated Feliciano Lopez of Spain 6-3, 6-3, and Karol Beck of Slovakia defeated Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan 1-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3.



Dent, Levine among U.S. Open wild cardsPedro pens new Barca deal

Monday, September 28, 2009

Isner defeats Kittipong for 1st round victory

BANGKOK (AP) -Eighth-seeded John Isner of the United States had to battle for a 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5) victory over Thailand's Kittipong Wachiramanowong on Monday in the first round of the PTT Thailand Open at the Impact Arena.

Isner, ranked 48, was 4-5 down in the third set with the young Thai No. 2 serving for the match, but managed to overcome his wild card opponent in 2 hours, 12 minutes.

"I knew my opponent is a good player," said Isner, who fired 21 aces. "I got him in the first set, but after that he outplayed me the whole match. And I got a little lucky."


Recalling the crucial match point, he said: "I thought to myself maybe he hadn't been in that situation a lot. He was playing well. I told myself to play some more ball, not making a lot of errors, make him play. See how he reacts serving for the match. I don't think he was playing well that game. After I broke him, I felt really confident."

Isner, who ousted Andy Roddick in the third round of the U.S. Open, will now play either Germany's Mischa Zverev or Leonardo Mayer of Argentina.

In Monday's only other singles match, Brazilian left-hander Thomaz Bellucci beat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 6-4, 7-6 (7).



Primera Liga round-upNadal pulls out of Thailand Open

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Safarova defeats Ivanovic at Toray Pan Pacific

TOKYO (AP) -Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic capitalized on Ana Ivanovic's poor serve to upset the former top-ranked Serb 6-4, 7-6 (1) Sunday in the first round of the Toray Pan Pacific Open.

The 10th-seeded Ivanovic double-faulted 11 times and connected on just 41 percent of her first serves as the unseeded Safarova broke twice in the first set and then dominated the tiebreaker to advance to the second round.

Top-ranked Dinara Safina of Russia, the defending champion, and No. 2 seed Venus Williams both have first-round byes in the $2-million tournament, which features nine of the world's top 10 players.


In other first round matches, Russia's Alisa Kleybanova defeated Japan's Ayumi Morita 6-1, 6-4 and Gisela Dulko of Argentina cruised to a 6-3, 6-0 win over Agnes Szavay of Hungary.

Germany's Sabine Lisicki overpowered Switzerland's Patty Schnyder 6-4, 6-0, while Russia's Elena Vesnina advanced with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez of Spain.



Primera Liga round-upShvedova, Peer advance at Tashkent Open

Friday, September 25, 2009

Federer pulls out of Japan Open, Shanghai Masters

TOKYO (AP) -Roger Federer pulled out of next month's Japan Open and Shanghai ATP Masters 1000, the Japan Tennis Association said Friday.

The top-ranked Federer told organizers he was withdrawing from the Oct. 5-11 Japan Open to rest after a physically challenging year.

"After consultation with my team and doctors, I decided to take the difficult decision to withdraw from both tournaments," Federer said in a statement. "This will allow me a chance to give my body a chance to rest, rehabilitate and recover from a physically challenging year."


The Shanghai tournament is scheduled for Oct. 12-18.

It is the second time Federer has pulled out of the Japan Open just before the start of the tournament. He also cited fatigue as his reason for withdrawing from the 2007 event.

"I'm disappointed that I have to withdraw from Tokyo and Shanghai as they are two of my favorite cities," Federer said. "The fans have been great to me over the years."

U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro and Andy Murray are scheduled to take part in the $1.3 million Japan Open.



Pires has no plans to retireNadal pulls out of Thailand Open

Clijsters, Henin: Like old times as of next year

TESSENDERLO, Belgium (AP) -After more than a year in near oblivion, U.S. Open champion Kim Clijsters and newly un-retired Justine Henin have doubled up to make sure that all tennis talk quickly includes the word "Belgian" again.

"And don't forget Yanina," Clijsters said of Yanina Wickmayer, a teenager who came out of the blue to reach the semifinals of the U.S. Open. "The hype of Belgian tennis was created a little bit again."

Winning the U.S. Open barely three tournaments into her comeback has shot Clijsters up to No. 17 in the rankings, with Wickmayer racing up to No. 22. If Henin, who announced her return after a 16-month retirement on Tuesday, plays somewhat to the form that made her a seven-time Grand Slam champion, she'll also be gunning for No. 1 soon enough.


"It'd be great to have three Belgian girls in the top 20," Clijsters said in an interview with The Associated Press.

And the groundswell of support is there again. Once Clijsters retired in 2007 and Henin followed one year later, tennis fell back to its rightful place in Belgium - way behind football and cycling in the hearts of fans.

"It is absolutely super. All this is alive again," said Billie Hernalsteens, a recreational player in Buizingen who was often glued to the television set when Clijsters and Henin dominated Grand Slam events over the past decade. "Those are the kind of matches I would not miss for the world. When the Belgians play, I'll watch again."

With Henin at 27 and Clijsters only 26, the rivalry could last for years to come.

Henin's announcement to return had been anticipated for weeks, and took hold of the front pages as ever more rumors surfaced that she had started training hard again, much harder than for the exhibition matches she was ostensibly preparing for.

Then Henin found her tongue tied early this month, when Clijsters and Wickmayer kept on winning in Flushing Meadows.

"I decided to postpone everything when I saw the results of Kim and Yanina coming in," she said, preferring not to take the spotlight during their moment of glory.

Now that everything is official, Clijsters only has one message for Henin: "Bring it on, I would say. She is obviously a great player and I think for women's tennis and for Belgian tennis, it is great."

Even though Henin leads 12-10 in their head-to-heads overall, when it comes to Grand Slams, Henin dominates 5-2 and has won the last five. And before Clijsters made her successful Grand Slam return in New York, Henin led 7-1 in Grand Slam titles won.

"Just too bad she was often the better when it came to Grand Slams," Clijsters said.

Clijsters' former coach Marc Dehous is convinced that rivalry might be renewed as soon as the Jan. 18-30 Australian Open.

"The fans can look forward toward another golden era," Dehous told VRT network. "And why not start with a final during the Australian Open."

Clijsters fully realizes Henin might have recovered her touch and stamina as quickly as she has.

"I don't think she will need months to find her groove," Clijsters said. "She'll produce great tennis again when she gets to Australia."

Any Belgian Grand Slam final would have sounded preposterous earlier this year when both were still slumbering in retirement. Now, the rivalry between these ever-so-different personalities is heating up again.

It all started a decade ago when Henin won the first one between rookie teenagers. Soon, they were playing in the 2001 French Open semifinals.

"It was as if a bomb had exploded," Clijsters said of the massive media and fan interest, as Belgian flags swarmed the stands in Paris.

Two years later, even King Albert II traveled to Paris when Henin beat Clijsters in the final at Roland Garros.

Clijsters was always the happy-go-lucky player, a mix of mirth and mastery whose smile was just as wide after losing a final as winning one. Instead, Henin was always the complicated one, having to recover from losing her mother at an early age and single-mindedly pursuing victory at almost any cost.

The same traits still come through so many years later. Happy in motherhood, Clijsters said she would now take her career "one season at a time." Henin, meanwhile, is already looking at the 2012 Olympics with a determination which has marked her whole career.

And while the stars fight it out, Wickmayer will be able to develop in their shadows with none of the media hype Clijsters and Henin had to endure.

"It is perhaps a positive thing for her," Clijsters said. "There is only talk about me and Justine, but Yanina has performed great."



Henin to return, Belgian media reports sayZokora targets Sevilla glory

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Jelena Dokic's father jail sentence confirmed

RUMA, Serbia (AP) -A Serbian court confirmed a 15-month prison sentence for the father of tennis player Jelena Dokic on charges that he threatened the Australian ambassador to Serbia.

The retrial for Damir Dokic was held because ambassador Claire Birgin did not testify in person during the original hearing in June. On Thursday, she was again represented by a lawyer.

Dokic's lawyer, Bosiljka Djukic, said the ruling was "illegal ... according to the same scenario," and announced another appeal.


Dokic, 50, was brought under police escort to the court in Ruma, a town about 50 kilometers (30 miles) northwest of Belgrade.

He was found guilty in June of "endangering the security" of Birgin in Belgrade and unlawful possession of weapons, including a hand grenade, which were impounded during a police search of his home.

Dokic was arrested in May after reportedly saying he would blow up Birgin's car if she didn't stop negative articles about him from being published in Australia.

Jelena Dokic had given interviews to Australian media, saying her father had beaten her.

Dokic told Serbian media he would fire a rocket launcher at Birgin's car, but later said the statements were made in anger. He also has admitted having beaten his daughter.

Jelena Dokic, 26, born in the former Yugoslavia, migrated to Australia with her family as a child and represented her adopted country at the 2000 Olympics.

Dokic, a Wimbledon semifinalist in 2000, renounced her Australian ties in 2001 to move back to Serbia, then decided to compete for Australia again in 2006.



Possible Nadal-Federer showdown in Davis CupAtletico favourites for Neill

Kirilenko, Hantuchova reach quarterfinals

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -Defending champion Maria Kirilenko of Russia advanced to the Korea Open quarterfinals on Thursday by beating Francesca Schiavone, who retired with an injury early in the second set.

Kirilenko was leading the third-seeded Schiavone 6-1, 1-2 in the second round when the Italian, who had taken a medical time-out in the first set with an apparent right thigh injury, retired.

Kirilenko will next play seventh-seeded Vera Dushevina of Russia, who beat Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia 7-5, 6-1.


Top-seeded Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia also advanced, defeating Chanelle Scheepers of South Africa 6-1, 6-1.

Hantuchova, who did not face a break point, will next face Kimiko Date Krumm of Japan, who saved a match point before eliminating fifth-seeded Alisa Kleybanova of Russia 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3.

"I don't have any problem in my physical stamina," the 39-year-old Date Krumm said. "I'll also do my best in the next match."



Ruud suffers new injury blowShvedova, Peer advance at Tashkent Open

Henin to debut new serve for Australian Open

BRUSSELS (AP) -Just 16 months away from tennis was enough for Justine Henin.

She'll return in January ahead of the Australian Open, complete with a new serve in her quest for a Wimbledon title. It's the only Grand Slam she didn't win in a 10-year career that produced nearly $20 million in earnings.

Henin's goal is to achieve 70-percent success on her first serves. That improvement, along with her daunting whip backhand, will have opponents scrambling.


"We said that perhaps, one day, we will get there," Henin said Wednesday at a news conference, a day after announcing her comeback. "I am not (tall), so technically it has to be perfect."

At 5 feet, 6 inches, accuracy and consistency on her first serve had been a problem. With more than three months before her first competitive match, she has time to retool her serve.

"Justine is convinced we can reconstruct her serve," coach Carlos Rodriguez said. "We have time."

A powerful serve is especially essential to dominate on the grass of Wimbledon, and it will complement the rest of her solid game.

"The balance between things is what makes Justine what she is - power, explosiveness, endurance, coordination, intuitiveness," Rodriguez said.

That balance also applies to her personal life. Henin said the yearlong break has given her more confidence to become a leader and provided a broader outlook on life after serving as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador.

On the comeback trail, the former No. 1 player will clash again with fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters, who won the U.S. Open this month just three tournaments into her comeback after more than two years away.

"It is a source of inspiration and motivation," Henin said. "I have come to realize that I would not have been this strong if she had not been there at the time."

Henin defeated Clijsters to win three of her first four Grand Slam titles in 2003-2004.

"Justine's comeback is extremely good news for women's tennis, but even better for Belgium in general," Clijsters said in a statement.

Henin wants to play at least until the 2012 London Olympics. By then, she hopes to have won Wimbledon - the only Grand Slam title missing on her resume of four French Open titles, two U.S. Opens and one Australian Open championship.

She won singles gold at the 2004 Athens Games.

Henin expects to play exhibition tournaments in Charleroi, Belgium, and Dubai to hone her skills ahead of a competitive return at the Australian Open.

Sydney tournament organizers are hoping Henin will play there before the season-opening Grand Slam. Her announced return to Melbourne Park was warmly greeted by Australian Open officials.

"Any time you can welcome a past champion on a comeback trail it's an opportunity you would never want to miss," tournament director Craig Tiley said. "We would love Justine to be a part of the Australian Open again."



Henin to return, Belgian media reports sayIniesta eyes Super Cup return

Possible Nadal-Federer showdown in Davis Cup

GENEVA (AP) -Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal could face each other in the first round of next year's Davis Cup after Spain drew Switzerland on Wednesday.

Federer and Nadal, the top two players, have never met in the Davis Cup.

"We have to accept how the draw is. We'll try to beat them in Spain," Switzerland captain Severin Luthi said. "For sure that's one of the toughest draws we can have."


Federer has often opted to skip Davis Cup play. But he earned two points for the team over the weekend when Switzerland beat Italy 3-2 in the playoffs to remain in the top-tier World Group.

"It's too early to say if Roger will play or not," Luthi said.

Nadal usually plays for Spain, which won the title last year and will face the Czech Republic in the final on Dec. 4-6. Spain defeated Israel 4-1 last weekend in the semifinals, but Nadal missed the series because of injury. He also missed last year's final win over Argentina because of injury.

Federer and Nadal have met in seven Grand Slam finals, with Nadal winning five. Until his loss to Juan Martin del Potro in this year's U.S. Open final, Federer had been undefeated in major finals against everyone but Nadal.

The draw for the World Group will also send the United States to Serbia, making a match between Novak Djokovic and Andy Roddick a possibility for the best-of-five series from March 5-7.

"It's certainly a huge match, and certainly Djokovic playing in his home country will be tough," U.S. Tennis Association coach and former Davis Cup captain Tom Gullikson said. "But Roddick actually had some very good success against him this year and hopefully that'll continue into the first round of Davis Cup next year."

The other first-round matchups: Belgium vs. Czech Republic; Germany vs. France; Argentina vs. Sweden; Russia vs. India; Ecuador vs. Croatia; and Chile vs. Israel.

Serbia drew the home advantage against the United States.

"Our wish was to play at home," Serbia captain Bogdan Obradovic said. "No one wants to play away, and I think the Americans won't like it. We have a huge wish to beat them in front of the packed arena in Belgrade."

The United States has won a record 32 Davis Cup titles, the last coming in 2007. This year, the U.S. lost to Croatia in the quarterfinals.

The Americans have used Roddick and 24th-ranked James Blake as their two singles players for several years, but 25th-ranked Sam Querrey is another option for captain Patrick McEnroe.

"He's a rising young American star and he would certainly be competing for the No. 2 spot," Gullikson said. "Blake didn't have the best year this year, up to his standards, but I think we'll still be a very formidable team."



Spain defeats Israel, advances to Davis Cup finalEspanyol name new captain

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Agassi takes a swing for education

Q: Can you tell us about the Andre Agassi Foundation?

Agassi: Started my foundation about 17 years ago. It was focused on children. I helped them in a number of ways. Thinking I was being focused, I threw after-school programs through Childhaven, which is a shelter for abused, neglected children, clothing over 6000 children a year. I came to believe pretty quickly that I was chasing my tail sticking Band-Aids on real issues, and the only way to make systemic change was to educate and give the tools. That’s what lead me to education. So my foundation is now focused primarily on education issues, and attempting to affect not just my school, which we’re doing, but [one of the] largest school district[s] in America, which is Clark County in the state of Nevada.

Q: Can you tell us about your role within the foundation?


Agassi: I’ve raised north of $80 million over the last 13 years for the funding of my school, which is a K-12 college preparatory. It’s a charter school, which is a part state-funded, part private-funded public school.

Q: Do you have a specific title/role within the foundation?

Agassi: No, I wouldn’t say it’s a specific role. I mean it’s my foundation, and I’m the visionary and founder of it all. I just kind of have to wear a lot of hats.

Q: Why did you decide to start the foundation?

Agassi: I decided to start the foundation primarily because I thought it was toward the end of my career. At 23, I said, OK, well maybe I have a handful of years left, and I could utilize some relationships. I mean giving back was always something I was going to do; the timing of it was what I was trying to focus on. In hindsight, it was at the beginning of my career. I mean at 23, I ended up playing 13 years. But if you ask me why I care, it’s hard for me to answer that.

Q: Was there something specific that catalyzed your desire to start the foundation?

Agassi: I’ve always shown a certain level of responsibility when it comes to giving somebody opportunities that you’ve been fortunate enough to have. What I focused on, and when I chose to take it on, were the decisions to make. That happened when I was 23 years old.

Q: How is your foundation different from the foundations of other sports figures?

Agassi: Well, I can’t speak to [that] necessarily. I know a lot of the work the other athletes are doing, from Tony Hawk to Mia Hamm, to David Robinson, to Lance [Armstrong], to so many people, but I don’t know how it would specifically differ as it relates to the foundation overall.

My focus has been my charter school, which I’ve put in the most economically challenged area of Las Vegas, because my goal was to give resources, to give a level of accountability with those resources, and provide more opportunities for the children that society is quickest to write off. We treat it like a laboratory. This summer, June 12, we had our entire first senior class graduate, and every one of them headed to college.

Agassi takes a swing for education

 

Denise TruscellAndre Agassi exchanges high-fives with parent-teacher Ken Ruffin after the first graduation ceremony for the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy on June 12.  

Q: Why did you decide to choose Las Vegas?

Agassi: I was born and raised here.

Q: Tell me about the all-star lineup for the 2009 Grand Slam for Children?

Agassi: We have Tim McGraw, Brian McKnight, Lionel Richie, Chris Daughtry, Dane Cook and a few more that are on their way. It’s a big fundraiser that we do on Sept. 26. We raise millions of dollars, and it’s a fun night of entertainment. You’re hearing the best 20 minutes of all these artists, and it’s just the night goes by in a hurry, and you kind of wish for more. Well, a city of entertainment … this is a night of entertainment.

Q: Have you had one moving experience that stands out above others while working with the organization?

Agassi: I take a walk into the halls of the school one day, and a young seventh-grader pulled me aside, and asked to speak a few words, and told me about how his father was killed, and how he lost all direction and motivation in life. Then, he was put into this school, and how it’s changed him, how it’s given him something that he can focus on and work toward, so he can get out of his environment. It’s also given him a family in many ways, and he just wanted to say thank you. That left a real mark on me.

Q: Besides giving money, what else can people do to help?

Agassi: Depending on what you’re focused on, time is as valuable, if not more, in some cases than resources. I think giving your time to organizations that do the work, that roll up their sleeves as it relates to education. I think for people to start prioritizing who they vote for locally, and nationally, as it relates to educational issues, because it’s a real crisis. We’re falling further and further behind.

Economically speaking, we will fail if we don’t invest. If you think education is expensive, try no education, and watch how expensive it becomes for us. I think legislatively, start a movement that can affect all our public schools on a grassroots level. That always starts with your representatives in your area.

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Agassi honored in return to U.S. OpenBenzema eyes Euro glory

Montanes, Ventura into Open Romania quarterfinals

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) -Fifth-seeded Albert Montanes defeated Marcel Granollers 6-1, 6-3 in an all-Spanish match Wednesday to reach the quarterfinals of the BCR Open Romania.

Santiago Ventura also advanced when Alberto Martin retired with a left leg injury when leading 5-4 in another second-round match.

Ventura will play Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo, who beat Romanian wild card Marius Copil 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-4. The 18-year-old Copil served 11 aces.


In the first round, eighth-seeded Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay edged Andrei Pavel 6-3, 7-6 (2) to end the Romanian's career.

"I dreamed of ending my career in Bucharest," said Pavel, who will stay on as captain of Romania's Davis Cup team. "I am a bit sad because of this defeat, but now the rankings do not matter anymore - what matters is the joy of playing."

Simon Greul of Germany beat Steve Darcis of Belgium 7-5, 6-3 in another first-round match.



Primera Liga round-upShvedova, Peer advance at Tashkent Open

Ljubicic, Gasquet advance at Open de Moselle

METZ, France (AP) -Former champion Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia barely got past qualifier Sebastien de Chaunac of France 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (1) in the first round of the Open de Moselle on Tuesday.

The eighth-seeded Ljubicic, who won the title in 2005, hit 21 aces to set up a match with Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia.

Tipsarevic beat 2003 winner Arnaud Clement of France 6-4, 6-4.


The Serbian broke Clement once in each set and relied on a solid serve, winning 80 percent of his service points without allowing any break opportunities.

Richard Gasquet of France saved two break points at 5-5 in the third set to outlast Michael Berrer of Germany 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (5).

The Frenchman is trying to rediscover his form after the International Tennis Federation banned him for two and a half months for testing positive for cocaine at a tournament in Miami in March. Gasquet said he inadvertently ingested the drug by kissing a woman in a nightclub.

Nicknamed in his youth the Mozart of tennis by the French media because he was the most talented player of his generation, Gasquet reached a career-high No. 7 ranking in 2007. He was a finalist here in 2004, but Tuesday's win was only his second since his return to the tour a month ago.

Gasquet will next face Christophe Rochus of Belgium, who edged fifth-seeded Fabrice Santoro of France 0-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3).

Sixth-seeded Benjamin Becker of Germany was also ousted, as Evgeny Korolev of Russia converted all of his four break chances to win 6-2, 6-3.

Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan defeated Andrey Golubev of Kazakhstan 6-2, 6-4, Marc Gicquel of France cruised past Roman Valent of Switzerland 6-3, 6-1, and qualifier Thierry Ascione upset Adrian Mannarino 7-6 (5), 6-4 in an all-French matchup.

Mannarino, a semifinalist last year, has been suffering for three weeks from a knee inflammation and will no longer play this year to let his injury heal.



Silva leaves exit door openITF appeals doping ruling that cleared Gasquet

Shvedova, Peer advance at Tashkent Open

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (AP) -Top-seeded Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan beat Ekaterina Ivanova of Russia 7-5, 6-2 Wednesday to reach the quarterfinals of the Tashkent Open.

Fifth-seeded Stefanie Voegele of Switzerland and Monica Niculescu of Romania also advanced to the quarterfinals. Voegele defeated 15-year-old Uzbek wild card Nigina Abduraimova 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 and Niculescu broke Evgeniya Rodina of Russia five times to win 6-1, 6-4.

Eighth-seeded Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan lost to Darya Kustova of Belarus 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (9). Kustova reached the quarterfinals of a WTA Tour event for the second time this season.


In the first round, second-seeded Shahar Peer of Israel, who won her fourth career title at the Guangzhou Open last weekend, advanced by beating Maret Ani of Estonia 6-1, 6-2.

Fourth-seeded Olga Govortsova also advanced to the second round, beating Arina Rodionova of Russia 6-3, 6-2.



Silva leaves exit door openSchiavone advances to 2nd round in Prague

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

First Clijsters, now Henin — another comeback

BRUSSELS - Former world No. 1 Justine Henin is returning to competitive tennis, making the announcement barely a week after Kim Clijsters capped her comeback from retirement with a second U.S. Open title.

Henin had been retired for just over a year, but at 27 says she has the fire and physical strength to compete for an eighth Grand Slam title. Her announcement on VTM television capped an about-face that went from her “definitive decision” to retire last year, to weeks of no comment to a smiling admission Tuesday that she truly missed the game too much.

She wants to play two exhibition tournaments, in Charleroi, Belgium, and Dubai, to hone her skills ahead of a competitive return next year with plans to compete in the next Grand Slam, the Australian Open.


“The fire within burns again,” Henin said. “I want to come back in January.”

Henin officially retired on May 14, 2008, initially rejecting any thought of a comeback with a dogged determination that had come to mark her play throughout a decade-long career that yielded seven Grand Slam titles and one Olympic gold medal.

At 27, it certainly is not too late for a comeback. As Clijsters proved, breaking back into the top tier at short notice is far from impossible. She won the U.S. Open in her third tournament since announcing her return.

“Subconsciously, it might have had an impact,” Henin said of Clijster’s successful comeback. “But it certainly was not the most important reason.”

Like Clijsters, Henin is still in her prime and has been able to rest her body for over a year. Throughout her retirement, during which she became a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, Henin looked fit enough to immediately step back onto a court.

As recently as May, she complained about the old injuries that still gave her pain in the mornings and the dreaded life of living in a bubble as she was shuttled around the world chasing victories.

“The last 15 months I’ve been able to recharge the batteries, emotionally as well,” Henin said.

Henin said coming face to face with the world’s misery on UNICEF trips to places like eastern Congo widened her horizons like tennis never could.

Henin has won nearly $20 million in prize money and had been ranked No. 1 for all but seven weeks since Nov. 13, 2006, until her retirement. When she retired after a string of early tournament exits just ahead of Roland Garros, she felt the fire no longer within and gave in.

It was the first time in a life totally centered around her prodigious talent for whipping backhands past hapless competitors. She became the first woman player to retire as No. 1.

Then, suddenly, this summer the craving came back.

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Negredo set for Tigers talksHenin to return, Belgian media reports say

Henin to return, Belgian media reports say

BRUSSELS (AP) -Former top-ranked player Justine Henin will announce her comeback to competitive tennis on Tuesday according to two top Belgian newspapers.

"Justine Henin's Yes" read the headline on La Derniere Heure's Web site late Monday, while Le Soir said "Henin should announce her return."

Her spokeswoman did not return phone calls and Henin's own Web site had no comment on the rumors.


Last year, Henin shocked the tennis world by announcing her retirement while still ranked No. 1.

As recently as May, she complained that the sport had left her with so many physical ailments a return was unthinkable.

Over the past month Henin, a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF, has refused to comment on plans for a possible return but has begun training again

At 27, it would certainly not be too late for a comeback as compatriot Kim Clijsters proved when she won the U.S. Open earlier this month.

Having played barely a month on the tour after 2 1/2 years in retirement, Clijsters won the last Grand Slam of the season, beating both Venus and Serena Williams on the way to the final.

After Clijsters' victory, Henin praised her performance on her Web site.

"What you have come to achieve there is incredible," wrote Henin. "I very warmly congratulate you on your magnificent victory."



Henin leaves tennis return question openFigo not planning return

Monday, September 21, 2009

Tennis' Serena Williams headlines Tampax ads

CINCINNATI (AP) - The Procter & Gamble Co. is featuring tennis star Serena Williams in a lighthearted ad campaign for its Tampax brand that begins just weeks after her U.S. Open outburst.

The Cincinnati-based consumer-products maker announced Monday that Williams will take on Tampax's "Mother Nature" character in print advertising in October. P&G officials say Williams represents the energy, independence and strength of women they want to celebrate.

The new campaign was in the works before Williams' tirade this month against a lineswoman at the U.S. Open, which brought a $10,000 fine for unsportsmanlike conduct. A P&G spokesman says Williams has apologized for it.


She has highlighted a number of other campaigns, including for Nike and Gatorade.



Bolton target Cameroon aceWilliams sisters a win away from a Perfect 10

Nadal pulls out of Thailand Open

BANGKOK (AP) -Top-seeded Rafael Nadal has pulled out of the Thailand Open due to an abdominal injury that his doctor said will require at least two weeks of rest.

An ultrasound found that Nadal had an "acute rupture of his right abdominal muscle" that will require physiotherapy, rest and medication for "two to three weeks," the chief doctor of the Spanish Tennis Federation said in a statement released by tournament organizers on Monday.

The Thailand Open runs from Sept. 26-Oct. 4.


Nadal has expressed his disappointment for the cancellation and being unable to take a planned pre-tournament vacation to the Thai island of Krabi, the statement added.

Nadal sustained the injury during the U.S. Open earlier this month, where he lost his semifinal in straight sets to Juan Martin del Potro. The Argentine went on to capture his first Grand Slam title with an upset victory over top-ranked Roger Federer in the final.

The injury also forced No. 2-ranked Nadal to sit out Spain's Davis Cup semifinal win over Israel on the weekend.

Nadal has struggled with injuries this season, with sore knees keeping him off tour for all of June and July - forcing him to skip a title defense at Wimbledon - and the abdominal muscle issue flaring up during his third-round victory over Nicolas Almagro at the U.S. Open.



Senna blowNadal not in peak condition heading to US Open

Spain defeats Israel, advances to Davis Cup final

TORRE PACHECO, Spain (AP) -Defending champion Spain advanced to the Davis Cup finals by defeating Israel 3-0 on Saturday.

Feliciano Lopez and Tommy Robredo beat Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram 7-6 (6), 6-7 (7), 6-4, 6-2. Spain won all three of its opening matches to secure a place in its seventh final overall.

Spain will play the Czech Republic in the December final.


"To be in the finals two years running is incredible," Robredo said.

With injured Rafael Nadal and Fernando Verdasco cheering them on, Lopez and Robredo won in front of a large crowd at the Torre Pacheco tennis club.

Israel reached the semifinals in March after an emotional victory over Sweden, when Malmo officials didn't allow spectators against a backdrop of anti-Israel protests.

The Czechs beat Croatia 3-0 in the other semifinal on Saturday.

Last year, Spain defeated Argentina to win the Davis Cup title.



Raul backs Real rotationSpain leads Israel 2-0 in Davis Cup

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Federer clinches Davis Cup victory for Switzerland

GENOA, Italy (AP) -Roger Federer gave Switzerland a spot in next year's Davis Cup world group by beating Potito Starace for an insurmountable 3-1 lead Sunday against Italy.

The top-ranked Federer kept his focus through a two-hour rain delay before completing a 6-3, 6-0, 6-4 win to clinch the best-of-five playoff series.

Federer defeated Simone Bolelli in his opening singles Friday and posted two points for Switzerland less than a week after his five-set loss to Juan Martin del Potro in the U.S. Open final.


"It was a tough weekend for us and I'm happy I could help Switzerland win," Federer said. "I was able to play very well."

With Federer sitting out, Italy's team of Starace and Bolelli beat Stanislas Wawrinka and Marco Chiudinelli in the doubles Saturday.

Federer was looking forward to some more rest over the next two weeks.

"I have to go on holiday badly. I have a problem with my leg, I have a problem with my arm - everything is hurting," he said. "And I've got to do some baby-sitting. I've been spending a lot of time on the tennis court the last few weeks."

Federer's wife Mirka gave birth to twin girls in July.

Fabio Fognini of Italy beat Michael Lammer 7-5, 7-6 (4) in the final singles match to make the final score 3-2.

The Federer-Starace match was suspended due to rain with Federer ahead 6-3, 4-0 on the red clay courts at the Valletta Cambiaso club.

Federer responded well to an array of drop shots from Starace before the rain delay, then resumed after the break as sharp as before, finishing off a streak of nine games won in a row.

Starace, the lowest-ranked player on Italy's team at No. 90, replaced Andreas Seppi against Federer. It was Starace's first loss in 11 Davis Cup singles matches.

"I tried everything, but he was particularly good today," Starace said.

While it didn't quite match his stunning shot against Novak Djokovic at the U.S. Open a week ago, Federer again won a point with a shot through his legs after chasing down a lob. Starace replied but missed a volley wide, setting off a loud round of cheers for Federer. A large group of red-clad Swiss supporters bowed and Italian fans also applauded.

Federer stretched his winning streak in Davis Cup singles matches to 12, dating back to his five-set loss to Lleyton Hewitt of Australia in the 2003 semifinals.

Winning the Davis Cup is one of the few achievements missing from Federer's long list of accomplishments.



Keirrison open to Roma loanFederer chosen to play 3 matches against Italy

Czechs complete 4-1 Davis Cup win over Croatia

POREC, Croatia (AP) -The Czech Republic has completed a 4-1 win over Croatia in the Davis Cup semifinals after splitting the meaningless reverse singles.

The Czechs had already secured a spot in the finals by taking a 3-0 lead over the first two days. On Sunday, Jan Hajek of the Czech Republic beat Roko Karanusic, 7-6 (4), 6-4 before Lovro Zovko gave Croatia its lone point with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Lukas Dlouhy.

The Czechs will face Spain away in December in the country's first Davis Cup final in 29 years.


For 2005 champion Croatia, it was only the second loss in 13 home matches in the Davis Cup.



6 hours, 78 aces: Czechs win Davis Cup marathonSrna’s agent rules out Barca

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Spain leads Israel 2-0 in Davis Cup

TORRE PACHECO, Spain (AP) -David Ferrer and Juan Carlos Ferrero won their opening singles matches in straight sets Friday to give Spain a 2-0 lead over Israel in the Davis Cup semifinals.

Ferrer beat Harel Levy 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 on clay at the Torre Pacheco tennis club, and Ferrero defeated Dudi Sela 6-4, 6-2, 6-0.

Ferrer's accurate passing shots and consistent serve kept Levy off balance throughout the match, forcing the Israeli into making unforced errors.


Spain played without the injured Rafael Nadal and Fernando Verdasco, who wore their team colors and cheered from the sideline.

"Things are going well, and we achieved the objective of securing two points," Spain captain Albert Costa said.

Feliciano Lopez and Tommy Robredo will lead Spain against Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram in Saturday's doubles in the best-of-five series.

Spain has never lost to Israel in three previous matches. The countries last met in 1996.



6 hours, 78 aces: Czechs win Davis Cup marathonCosta blasts Zaragoza

6 hours, 78 aces: Czechs win Davis Cup marathon

POREC, Croatia (AP) -Radek Stepanek overcame a record 78 aces to defeat Ivo Karlovic in five sets in one of the longest matches in tennis history on Friday, when the Czech Republic took a 2-0 lead over Croatia in the Davis Cup semifinals.

Stepanek won 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 7-6 (6), 6-7 (2), 16-14 in a match that lasted 5 hours, 59 minutes. The longest known Davis Cup match was 6 hours, 22 minutes between John McEnroe and Mats Wilander in 1982. The 82 games equaled the Davis Cup record since tiebreakers were introduced in 1989.

"I feel like I was in a 10-round boxing match," Karlovic said. "Everything hurts."


In the second singles Friday, Tomas Berdych beat U.S. Open quarterfinalist Marin Cilic 6-3, 6-3, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3 to put the Czechs on the verge of reaching the final for the first time since they won it in 1980.

Karlovic wasted four match points in the final set. Stepanek won when the 6-foot-10 Croat sent a smash wide. The were only five break-point chances in the match.

"I fought for my country," Stepanek said. "It was an amazing game."

This marathon equaled the number of games from a 1991 Americas Zone Group II match when Richard Ashby of Barbados beat Jose Medrano of Bolivia.

Karlovic obliterated both the men's record and Davis Cup record for aces - marks he held. He had 55 aces in a loss to Lleyton Hewitt at the French Open in May. His previous Davis Cup mark was 47 - also shared by Gustavo Kuerten and Marc Rosset - when he defeated James Blake at the World Group quarterfinals this year.

Croatia's Marin Cilic plays Tomas Berdych in the second singles Friday. The winner of the best-of-five series will face Spain or Israel in the final.

Croatia, the 2005 champion, has lost only once at home in its past 12 Davis Cup series. The Czechs, who won in 1980 when the nation competed as Czechoslovakia, are playing their first Davis Cup semifinal in 13 years.



Williams sisters a win away from a Perfect 10Pires has no plans to retire

Friday, September 18, 2009

Federer win gives Switzerland 2-0 lead over Italy

GENOA, Italy (AP) -Roger Federer rolled to a 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 win over Simone Bolelli to give Switzerland a 2-0 lead Friday over Italy in the Davis Cup playoffs.

Playing only four days after his five-set loss to Juan Martin del Potro in the U.S. Open final, Federer shook off two break points in the opening game and was never in trouble again against the 64th-ranked Bolelli.

Stanislas Wawrinka opened the tie by beating Andreas Seppi 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 on the red clay courts at the Valletta Cambiaso club.


The winner of the best-of-five series will return to the World Group next year.



Keirrison open to Roma loanFederer chosen to play 3 matches against Italy

Ex-Fed Cup captain Garrison suit dropped

NEW YORK (AP) -Former Fed Cup captain Zina Garrison has settled her racial discrimination lawsuit with the U.S. Tennis Association.

Papers filed in federal court on Wednesday show that a deal was signed on Aug. 27, though its terms were not disclosed.

U.S. Tennis Association spokesman Chris Widmaier said the association is happy the case was resolved and was looking forward to working with Garrison in the future.


Garrison filed her lawsuit in February, saying she was treated unfairly because she was paid a lower salary than Davis Cup coach Patrick McEnroe and was held to higher standards.

Attorneys on both sides did not immediately return messages for comment.

The USTA announced in December 2007 that 2008 would be Garrison's final season at the helm.

Garrison, the first black captain of the U.S. Fed Cup team, replaced Billie Jean King in 2004. As a player, Garrison was the 1990 Wimbledon runner-up, becoming the first black woman since Althea Gibson in 1958 to reach a Grand Slam singles final.



Espanyol name new captainSerena issues new statement, apologizes

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Federer fined $1,500 for profanity at US Open

NEW YORK (AP) -Roger Federer has been fined $1,500 for using a profanity while arguing with the chair umpire during the U.S. Open final.

CBS microphones picked up the exchange during its live broadcast of the match.

Tournament spokesman Chris Widmaier says Federer is being docked the same amount as two other players - Vera Zvonareva and Daniel Koellerer - for audible obscenity.


Widmaier says a total of $31,500 in fines is being collected by the tournament, topped by Serena Williams' $10,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct. She also was fined $500 for racket abuse.

Daniel Nestor was docked $5,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct toward a fan.



Eboue proud of Barca linkAngry Federer cusses out umpire during final

Juan Martin del Potro puts his hometown on the map

TANDIL, Argentina (AP) -A hand-painted sign in Juan Martin del Potro's hometown of Tandil summed it up: "Welcome to the capital of tennis."

Del Potro's upset victory over Roger Federer in Monday's U.S. Open final has put the Argentine city of 150,000 - lying in the foothills of a lowly mountainous area 400 kilometers (250 miles) south of Buenos Aries - on the map.

It has also brought attention to the club Independiente de Tandil, where Del Potro switched to tennis after growing up playing football, rugby union and basketball.


Marcelo Gomez, who taught Del Potro how to grip a racket and coached him until two years ago, said Del Potro used to walk by the club's tennis courts on his way to a football match. Eventually, he decided to give tennis a shot.

"Even then you could tell he had nerves of steel and great strengths," Gomez said. "His desire, his power and his concentration made me think that this child was going to stand out in tennis just like he did in football. He always wanted to play against others three or four years older - and he'd win. He is mentally very strong and that's why he beat Federer."

The 1.98-meter (6-feet-6) Del Potro is known at home, one of the few cities in Argentina where tennis is as popular as football, as the "Tower of Tandil." Growing up, his friends called him "Midget" and described his long, thin legs as "little sticks."

Because of his height and relative lack of mobility, Gomez said Del Potro worked on finishing off points quickly.

"He always played aggressively," Gomez said. "His size was going to limit his movement, so he always thought about the quick, hard-court game. His dream was the U.S. Open."

Everyone around the club seems to know Del Potro, who turns 21 next week.

"I played 1,000 times against him and only won once," said Bernardo Caballero, a tennis teacher at Independiente. "He was so angry. He never liked to lose, he was so competitive."

Perhaps the proudest person at the club is its president, Horacio Morrone.

"I watched him since he was young," Morrone said. "He was talented in football despite his height. He was a great goalscorer. If Juan Martin had stayed with football, he'd be a Maradona or Pele."

Tandil has produced other tennis players on the ATP circuit: Juan Monaco, Mariano Zabaleta, Maximo Gonzalez, Diego Junquiera and Guillermo Perez Roldan.

However, its biggest sports stars may be Spain and Atletico de Madrid defender Mariano Pernia and Mariano Gonzalez, who won Olympic gold in 2004 in football.

Like the city, Del Potro's family is comfortable yet not prone to publicity. His father Daniel is a veterinarian and mother Patricia a literature teacher, while he gave his 18-year-old sister Julieta a luxury car he won last year in a tournament in Stuttgart, Germany.

Tandil's other claim to fame was the "Moving Stone," a large boulder which balanced on a ledge without falling - until it toppled in 1912. It has since been replaced with a duplicate stone that has also become famous.

"Now, Tandil won't be known only as the city of the Moving Stone," said Raquel Cingolani, who works in a clothing shop in the city. "Now, Tandil is the city of Del Potro."



Valencia deny Banega switchRoddick, del Potro advance toВ D.C. final

Federer chosen to play 3 matches against Italy

GENOA, Italy (AP) -Fresh off a five-set loss in the U.S. Open final, Roger Federer will play every day when Switzerland faces Italy in the Davis Cup playoffs.

The top-ranked Federer, who reached all four Grand Slam finals this year, believes his form can hold up after losing to Juan Martin del Potro at Flushing Meadows only three days ago.

"I've had to this before once after the Australian Open. I went to play Romania on clay and I was able to win all three points," Federer said, recalling his performance in Switzerland's 3-2 win in the first round of the 2004 World Group. "I'm hoping I can do it again."


In Thursday's draw, Federer was picked to play Simone Bolelli in Friday's singles. Stanislas Wawrinka will open the best-of-five series for Switzerland against Andreas Seppi.

In Saturday's doubles, Federer and Wawrinka will team against Fabio Fognini and Potito Starace. The reverse singles are set for Sunday on the red clay courts at the Valletta Cambiaso club.

The winner team will play in next year's World Group, potentially giving 15-time Grand Slam champion Federer a chance to finally win a Davis Cup title.

"It's definitely one of the goals. I've tried for many years. I've been on the team since '98. I started as a sparring partner and alternate, then I made my debut in '99 against Italy. In 2003, we had a good chance but Australia was very tough," Federer said, recalling Switzerland's loss in the 2003 semifinals.

"I always try, but there are a lot of good teams in the World Group now."

Federer missed the first round of this year's Davis Cup in March with a back injury, and the Swiss team lost to the United States 4-1.

Federer bounced back from the injury layoff and won the French Open for the first time in his career, while at the same time equaling Pete Sampras with 14 career major titles. A few weeks later at Wimbledon, the Swiss star broke Sampras' mark by beating Andy Roddick 16-14 in the fifth set.

Federer was on another roll at the U.S. Open, but his level appeared to drop in the fifth set against Del Potro.

"I think he played well. Unfortunately I didn't play my best at the end," Federer said. "Of course everyone is tired at the end of a Grand Slam, but I don't think that's why I lost."

With the U.S. Open final having been played Monday, Federer didn't have much time to get to Italy, arriving Wednesday.

"As a tennis player you get used to traveling and jet lag, surface changes and ball changes. It's part of our everyday life," he said. "I've done it for many years, but this is definitely tough because New York finished late and we are on clay.

"It would be nice to have a week of holiday, but it's not possible right now."

Italy probably wishes Federer would have gone on vacation, with captain Corrado Barazzutti virtually conceding Bolelli's match.

Federer won 6-2, 6-3 in his only meeting against Bolelli at his home tournament in Basel last year.

"Seppi has to keep us alive against Wawrinka," Barazzutti said.

Bolelli is returning to the Italian team after a 10-month suspension for skipping the match against Latvia last year. The player said he told Barazzutti well in advance that he preferred to work on his fast-court game in Asia.

"The most important thing about this tie - beyond the result - is that we're together again as a team," Barazzutti said.



Keirrison open to Roma loanFederer’s wife gives birth to twin girls

Austin: Federer's failure doesn't diminish achievements

Federers failure doesnt diminish achievements

  

Federers failure doesnt diminish achievements

 

Tracy Austin 

Federers failure doesnt diminish achievements

 

 

Roger Federer ended the 2009 Grand Slam season the same way he started: losing in five sets in the championship. That's where the comparisons between the two matches end.

While Federer was visibly shaken and distraught after losing the Australian Open title to Rafael Nadal, with tears preventing him from getting through his post-match comments, he seemed much more at peace with his upset loss against Juan Martin del Potro in New York. Of course, the summer Federer has enjoyed would go a long way to easing any player's disappointment.


The Swiss star has experienced tremendous personal and professional highs this year. In addition to getting married and welcoming healthy twin daughters into the world, Federer also reached the finals of each of the four Grand Slams, winning two in spectacular fashion. By earning victory where Pete Sampras never could, Federer achieved a career Grand Slam with his French Open title. He then eclipsed Sampras' cumulative Grand Slam record with a thrilling, marathon victory over Andy Roddick in the Wimbledon championship match. While he was just as motivated to win the U.S. Open as he was those other tournaments, those successes temper the frustration of this defeat.

Any doubts he had after last year's tribulations were erased as he solidified his claim to the title of the greatest of all time. This U.S. Open failure does nothing to diminish those achievements.

What also makes the loss easier to handle is that it came against an opponent playing some of his best tennis ever. The tallest man ever to win a Grand Slam singles title, the 6'6'' del Potro showed off his big game at the U.S. Open. Not many people gave him a chance because of who Federer is, what he's accomplished and how well he played en route to the final. Add to that the fact that it was del Potro's first Grand Slam final, that he had never beaten Federer and that he was ripe for a letdown after beating Nadal, a result he described as the biggest win of his career, and the odds were solidly in Federer's favor.

But every great young gun has to have a breakthrough at some point, and this was del Potro's time. It was a life-changing moment and a dream come true for the emotional Argentine.

Although it had to be in his mind that he was playing the five-time defending champion, del Potro never succumbed to nerves late in this high-pressure match. Instead, it was Federer who unraveled as the match progressed. While Federer was giving away points, del Potro was battling for every advantage. When he was two points away from defeat, the Argentine displayed tremendous resolve, rallying with two big serves to get himself out of trouble.

Federers failure doesnt diminish achievements

 Slideshow 



Dudek wants Alonso reunionOne surprise after another at wild U.S. Open

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

US Open breaks attendance record, edging '08

NEW YORK (AP) -The U.S. Open has set an attendance record with 721,059 spectators.

That's slightly above the previous mark of 720,227 set last year.

The tennis major also set a first week attendance record of 423,427, including a single-day high of 61,554 for the combined day and night sessions on the first Friday.


The U.S. Open has ended on a Monday instead of a Sunday in each of the past two years because of rain.



Rain forces postponement of Nadal-GonzalezSilva leaves exit door open

One surprise after another at wild U.S. Open

NEW YORK - Any chance he got, on TV and on the Web, Juan Martin del Potro wanted to watch replays of Roger Federer’s last shot sailing out to end the U.S. Open final.

It was as if del Potro himself could not quite believe that he is now a Grand Slam champion — or, perhaps, could not quite believe that Federer had failed to win his sixth consecutive title at Flushing Meadows and 16th major overall.

“I still feel chills,” the del Potro said Tuesday, a day after his startling 3-6, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2 comeback victory over Federer. “I can’t explain with words.”


That pretty sums up the way this whole, wild U.S. Open went.

Seeing Federer clutching the runner-up’s silver tray under his left arm Monday night, a blank expression on his face, while del Potro’s big silver trophy was a few feet away, stood as only the latest of a series of extraordinary images from the past 15 days:

Serena Williams’ finger-pointing, profanity-laden tirade at a lineswoman;Kim Clijsters’ 18-month-old daughter, Jada, cavorting on court, posing for a horde of photographers, after Mom won the U.S. Open;The word “Believe” stamped on the sneakers of Melanie Oudin, the 5-foot-6 17-year-old from Marietta, Ga., who knocked off Maria Sharapova and others on the way to the quarterfinals.

One of the reasons we follow sports is because of their unscripted nature: You might think you know who’s going to win — and you might think you know what’s going to happen — but you never really know.

Even del Potro and his coach, Franco Davin, acknowledged Tuesday that they didn’t exactly arrive in New York convinced that a championship would be the end result.

Not this year, anyway.

“I won’t say we prepared for this U.S. Open planning to win it,” Davin said. “We came to the U.S. Open with a chance.”

Del Potro, who rose one spot to No. 5 in the rankings Tuesday, won’t turn 21 until later this month and had never won a Grand Slam semifinal before this tournament. It was only on Sunday, as the Argentine was powering his way to a 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Rafael Nadal, that del Potro really began to think about what he was getting quite close to accomplishing.

This, he said Tuesday, is what was running through his mind during that match: “If I beat Nadal, maybe I can win the tournament.”

Maybe.

In addition to earning his first major title, and giving himself a ton of confidence moving forward, what del Potro might very well have done is inspired other young players to believe that they, too, can break up the Federer-Nadal dominance.

Until Monday, Federer and Nadal had combined to win 17 of the previous 18 Grand Slam titles, a streak they started at the 2005 French Open. In that span, Federer and Nadal played each other in seven of those major finals.

Yawn, said some.

And then there was this: Heading into Monday, Federer was 2-5 in those Grand Slam finals against Nadal, and 13-0 against everyone else, a list that includes Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt.

But del Potro went out and proved what can be done.

First he handed Nadal the worst Grand Slam loss of the Spaniard’s career.

Then, the very next day, del Potro wore down Federer.

“Rafa, we’ve had some epic ones, sure, great ones over the years,” Federer said. “Who knows? Maybe del Potro is going to join that as well.”

It’s the sort of development that might make players such as Andy Murray or Novak Djokovic or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga take note.

One surprise after another at wild U.S. Open

 Slide show 



Nadal training again after knee injury layoffSilva leaves exit door open

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Federer’s remarkable U.S. Open title run ends

NEW YORK - Always so cool, so consistent, so in control of his emotions and his matches, Roger Federer amazingly let the U.S. Open championship slip from his grasp.

Two points from victory against inexperienced, unheralded Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina, two points from a sixth consecutive title at Flushing Meadows and a record-extending 16th Grand Slam title overall, Federer, quite simply, fell apart Monday.

He railed at the chair umpire. His legs grew weary. His double-faults mounted. He could not figure out a way to stop the 6-foot-6 del Potro from pounding forehand after forehand past him. In a result as shocking for who lost as how it happened, the sixth-seeded del Potro came back to win his first Grand Slam title by upsetting the No. 1-seeded Federer 3-6, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2.


“Maybe I look back and have some regrets about it,” said Federer, never before beaten by anyone other than Rafael Nadal in a major final. “But, you know, you can’t have them all and can’t always play your best.”

He had won 40 consecutive matches at Flushing Meadows. He had won 33 of his previous 34 Grand Slam matches. And he has made the final at 17 of the past 18 Grand Slam tournaments, 21 overall.

Del Potro? This was the 20-year-old’s first Grand Slam final, and he was 0-6 against Federer until now. But after handing Nadal the most lopsided loss of his Grand Slam career in the semifinals Sunday, del Potro came back the next day and rattled Federer.

“I would like to congratulate Juan Martin on an unbelievable tournament. I had a great one myself, too,” Federer said, “but he was the best.”

That’s some compliment.

Somehow, del Potro never seemed intimidated by the setting or the man many consider the greatest tennis player in history.

The usually unflappable Federer argued with chair umpire Jake Garner during a changeover, using a profanity and saying, “Don’t tell me to be quiet, OK? When I want to talk, I talk.”

He also got steamed while up a set and serving at 5-4 in the second. Del Potro tried a forehand passing shot that was called wide, but he challenged, and the replay system showed he was right. Federer kept glancing at the mark the shot left on the blue court, even into the next game, and del Potro wound up stealing the set.

“That one cost me the match, eventually,” Federer said.

Del Potro, meanwhile, managed to have the time of his young life, high-fiving front-row fans after winning one point, and reveling in the soccer-style serenades of “Ole!” ringing through the stadium.

“When I would have a dream, it was to win the U.S. Open, and the other one is to be like Roger. One is done,” del Potro said during the on-court ceremony.

Then, addressing Federer directly, del Potro added: “I need to improve a lot to be like you. I’d like to congratulate you for fighting ’til the last point.”

The 4-hour, 6-minute match was the first U.S. Open final to go five sets since 1999, and there were no early signs to indicate it would be this competitive — much less end with del Potro down on his back, chest heaving, tears welling, a Grand Slam trophy soon to be in his arms. He is the fifth-youngest U.S. Open champion and the first man from Argentina to win the event since Guillermo Vilas in 1977.

Vilas was in the stands Monday, sitting one row behind Jack Nicklaus.

One simple indication of the difference in age and status of the two finalists: The 28-year-old Federer’s guest box was full, with pals such as rock-star couple Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale and Vogue editor Anna Wintour seated alongside Federer’s parents, wife and agent. Only three of the 15 available seats were occupied in del Potro’s box.

Federer took a 3-0 lead in 15 minutes, winning one point by racing about 5 feet wide of the doubles alley for a defensive backhand, then sprinting the other way for a cross-court forehand passing winner that he celebrated by yelling and shaking his fists.

He even took time to watch a replay on a stadium video screen. Not quite the “Did he really just do that?!” sort of trick shot Federer pulled off against Novak Djokovic in the semifinals — a back-to-the-net, between-the-legs, cross-court passing winner to get to match point — but pretty spectacular, nonetheless.

But del Potro eventually got going, swinging more freely and taking full advantage of Federer’s serving woes: 11 double-faults and a first-serve percentage of only 50.

Used to traveling without a full-time coach, Federer generally is quite adept at making mid-match adjustments and dealing with opponents’ switches in strategy. But it was del Potro who realized he needed to put full belief in the strength of his 100 mph forehands and not worry about too much else.

ALSO ON THIS STORYFederer cusses out umpire

That tactic worked, and Federer never found a way to counter it, losing leads in the second set and the fourth set. He was up 5-4 in the fourth, and at 15-30 on del Potro’s serve, Federer needed only two more points to become the first man since Bill Tilden in 1920-25 to win the American Grand Slam tournament six years in a row.

Del Potro held steady there, and Federer would never come that close again.

While hardly a household name, del Potro was not an unknown in the tennis world. He burst onto the scene a year ago with a 23-match winning streak and four tournament titles in a row on hard courts, the surface used at Flushing Meadows. There also was a bit of a harbinger for this back when del Potro presented problems for Federer in the French Open semifinals in June, taking a 2-1 lead in sets before frittering that away.

Federer went on to win the title at Roland Garros, his first there, to complete a career Grand Slam and tie Pete Sampras’ career record of 14 major championships. Federer then broke that mark by collecting No. 15 at Wimbledon.

Thanks to del Potro, Federer will have to wait for No. 16.

From mid-May until Monday, Federer had been 32-1 with four titles from five tournaments. Aside from the on-court success, Federer’s 2009 included getting married and becoming a father — of twins, no less.

Quite a year. Still, one can’t help but ponder this: No man has won even three straight major tournaments in a season — much less all four — since Rod Laver’s true Grand Slam in 1969. Federer came close this year, his French Open and Wimbledon titles bookended by a five-set loss to Nadal in the Australian Open final and a five-set loss to del Potro in the U.S. Open final.

This U.S. Open was Federer’s first Grand Slam event since his daughters were born, and he spoke proudly of quickly learning to change diapers and getting used to sleeping less.

“Right now, I’m just tired,” he said after his loss. “I want to get a rest.”



Raul backs Real rotationAngry Federer cusses out umpire during final

Angry Federer cusses out umpire during final

NEW YORK - Serena Williams isn’t the only Grand Slam champion using profanity at the U.S. Open: Roger Federer let an expletive fly, too.

In an uncharacteristic display, Federer argued with chair umpire Jake Garner during a changeover in the U.S. Open final Monday. He said his opponent, Juan Martin del Potro, was given too much time to challenge a line call.

“I wasn’t allowed to challenge after 2 seconds. The guy takes, like, 10,” Federer said.


Then the 15-time major champion used a profanity in addressing Garner: “Don’t tell me to be quiet, OK? When I want to talk, I talk. I don’t give a ... what he said.”

CBS microphones picked up the exchange during its live broadcast of the match.

“It’s regrettable, of course,” CBS spokeswoman LeslieAnne Wade said. “But it’s a part of the live coverage of sports events.”

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First photo of Federer’s twins on FacebookFergie - PL still the best

Medina Garrigues advances at Guangzhou Open

GUANGZHOU, China (AP) -Top-seeded Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain beat Japan's Kimiko Date Krumm 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 on Tuesday to advance to the second round of the Guangzhou Open.

Medina Garrigues was broken only once in the match.

Third-seeded Peng Shuai of China defeated Angela Haynes of the United States 6-2, 7-5, while Olga Savchuk of Ukraine rallied to beat fourth-seeded Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia 3-6, 7-5, 6-2.


Eighth-seeded Alberta Brianti of Italy beat Australia's Sophie Ferguson 7-6 (1), 6-4, Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia beat China's Lu Jing Jing 6-4, 6-2 and Chanelle Scheepers of South Africa defeated Arantxa Parra Santonja of Spain 7-6 (12), 5-7, 6-3.



Van der Vaart admits Ajax snubDushevina, Bacsinszky reach Istanbul semis

Van der Vaart admits Ajax snubDushevina, Bacsinszky reach Istanbul semis

Monday, September 14, 2009

Serena issues new statement, apologizes

NEW YORK - Serena Williams apologized Monday for what she called her “inappropriate outburst” during her semifinal loss to Kim Clijsters at the U.S. Open.

Williams was short on contrition in the postmatch news conference after her profanity-laced, finger-pointing tirade at a lineswoman Saturday night — and again in a prepared statement Sunday.

“I want to sincerely apologize FIRST to the lines woman, Kim Clijsters, the USTA and mostly tennis fans everywhere for my inappropriate outburst,” Williams’ latest statement said.


It was released by the U.S. Tennis Association about a half-hour before Williams and her sister, Venus, played in the women’s doubles final, which they won for their 10th Grand Slam title as a team. Given a chance to publicly deliver an apology during the postmatch ceremony, Williams declined.

“I’m a woman of great pride, faith and integrity, and I admit when I’m wrong,” her written statement said. “I need to make it clear to all young people that I handled myself inappropriately and it’s not the way to act — win or lose, good call or bad call in any sport, in any manner. I like to lead by example. We all learn from experiences both good and bad, I will learn and grow from this, and be a better person as a result.”

Williams lost her temper after the lineswoman called a foot fault, resulting in a double-fault. That moved Clijsters one point from victory. Williams then was penalized a point for her outburst. Because it happened to come on match point, it ended the semifinal with Clijsters ahead 6-4, 7-5. Clijsters went on to win the championship Sunday.

Williams was fined $10,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct and could face further penalties — including a higher fine and a possible suspension — for what U.S. Open tournament director Jim Curley described as her “threatening manner.”

In an interview, Curley also said the tournament considered — and decided against — preventing Williams from participating in the doubles final.

The Williams sisters beat defending champions Cara Black and Liezel Huber 6-2, 6-2 Monday for their first U.S. Open doubles championship since 1999. Several spectators in the mostly empty stands showed support for the younger Williams, greeting her with shouts of “You go, Serena!” and “We love you, Serena!”

During the trophy ceremony afterward, Williams drew applause when she said: “I’d like to thank the fans for supporting me through everything. I really, really love you guys and never want to have a bad image for you guys.”

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ESPN2’s Patrick McEnroe gave her a chance to publicly reiterate her apology, but Williams said: “I think I said it all.”

When McEnroe followed up by asking whether anything had “clicked” in her head, fans booed, and Venus quickly interjected: “What I think the crowd is saying is, ’Patrick, let’s move on,”’ earning applause.

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Toffees show Lescott loveSerena powers into showdown with Clijsters

Clijsters moves into top 20 in women's rankings

LONDON (AP) -Kim Clijsters moved into the top 20 in the women's rankings Monday, one day after winning the U.S. Open in her comeback.

The 26-year-old Belgian, who beat Caroline Wozniacki 7-5, 6-3 Sunday, moved into 19th place in the WTA rankings after coming into the tournament with no ranking following her 2 1/2-year retirement from the sport.

Clijsters easily moved through the women's field at Flushing Meadows, beating both Serena and Venus Williams en route to her second major title. She became the first mother to win a major title since Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1980 at Wimbledon.


Dinara Safina of Russia, who has yet to win a Grand Slam title, remained No. 1 in the rankings ahead of Serena and Venus. Two more Russians, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Elena Dementieva, rounded out the top five.



Ronaldo ‘nervous’ of price tagWilliams sisters, Clijsters lead U.S. Open field

Clijsters wins women’s U.S. Open title

NEW YORK - Kim Clijsters cradled the baby in one arm, the trophy in the other.

The joy of motherhood. The joy of winning the U.S. Open.

Clijsters made history Sunday night, capping a comeback from two years out of tennis to become the first unseeded woman to win the Open — and the first mom to win a major since 1980 — with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over No. 9 Caroline Wozniacki.


When it was over, Clijsters collapsed to the ground and started crying — tears of joy, probably mixed in with a little bit of shock, too. Her 18-month-old daughter, Jada, watched from a suite with a pacifier in her mouth, but later came down to the court to take part in the celebration.

Guess what mommy got for you, sweetie! A Grand Slam title.

“It still seems so surreal,” Clijsters said. “Because it wasn’t in the plan. I wanted to come back here, get a feel for it, play a Grand Slam so I wouldn’t have to come back next year and learn the new experiences all over.”

Talk about your quick transitions.

It was all quite a different scene from the night before, when Clijsters’ semifinal win over Serena Williams was closed out on a foot fault, an outburst and a point penalty, and the 26-year-old Belgian stood behind the baseline, looking bewildered as Williams ran over to shake her hand.

Williams’ tirade may have been the talk of the U.S. Open. But Clijsters was the winner.

This was her second U.S. Open title, the other coming in 2005 — her last appearance at Flushing Meadows and before a spate of nagging injuries eventually drove her out of the sport and led her to start a family. These days, she has her baby’s name tattooed on her left wrist, near the scar from an operation she needed back in her first career.

Clijsters wins women’s U.S. Open title

 Slideshow 



Serena overcomes uneven start to advanceSilva leaves exit door open

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Nadal makes quick work of Gonzalez

NEW YORK - After a day of waiting around, Rafael Nadal finally got back on the court. About half an hour later, he was still looking for some action.

The third-seeded Nadal took advantage of an embarrassing collapse by No. 11 Fernando Gonzalez at the U.S. Open on Saturday to put away his quarterfinal, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2), 6-0.

“I can’t tell you, because I don’t have the answer,” Gonzalez said when asked to explain his quick disintegration.


Next up for Nadal is a semifinal Sunday against No. 6 Juan Martin del Potro. The other men’s semifinal pits No. 4 Novak Djokovic against No. 1 Roger Federer, who is seeking his sixth straight U.S. Open title.

Though Nadal’s sore abdominals are still a concern, he certainly wasn’t overtaxed in this match, as he headed into what could be a very long weekend.

“I’m OK,” Nadal said. “I have only a little bit of a problem in the abdominal. That’s it.”

A match that had been a taut, well-played affair got postponed Thursday night with Nadal leading 3-2 in the second-set tiebreaker. They had to wait out an entire day of rain before coming back to the court to resume under overcast skies and temperatures in the 60s.

This was not more of the same.

Gonzalez opened the tiebreaker by spraying three forehands out, then pounded Nadal’s serve into the net on set point. He lost two more points to start the third set before finally getting on the board. But after dropping the first game, the Chilean, back in the Open quarterfinals for the first time since 2002, chucked his racket toward his chair en route to the changeover.

“When you come back in one situation like today, anything can happen, because it’s a little bit of a lottery depending on the first two points,” Nadal said. “The important thing is to be ready to accept everything, and try to arrive there knowing what to do.”

Nadal did. Gonzalez didn’t.

And it kept getting worse for Gonzalez. Even a medical timeout to have tape cut off his ankles couldn’t stop this slide.

Final numbers: 59 unforced errors for Gonzalez to 13 for Nadal; Nadal won 31 of the 43 points played after the restart. The whole affair took 34 minutes to wrap up.

“Normally if you lose the first two sets, I mean, you already have passed like one hour, two hours on court,” Gonzalez said. “Today it was like three minutes, so...”

The women’s semifinals, also pushed back a day because of the rain that shut down the tournament Friday, were scheduled for later Saturday. Yanina Wickmayer was scheduled to play No. 9 Caroline Wozniacki in the afternoon, with Kim Clijsters going against No. 2 Serena Williams in prime time — both in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

But shortly after the Nadal match, the rain started again and delayed the men’s doubles final that was to precede the women on Ashe. Tournament officials are hoping to wrap things up with the men’s final Monday, though even that wasn’t a guarantee, as the rain delay pushed into its third hour Saturday afternoon.

The weather and the easy match were all a welcome respite for Nadal, who has been dealing with the sore stomach muscles throughout this tournament.

“It was important to have one day off to recover a little better,” he said. “Today, I feel well.”

One indication of how he’s really feeling might have come earlier in the day, when he withdrew from Spain’s Davis Cup semifinal this month.

Next comes his match against Del Potro with a trip to the final on the line. Nadal, who needs the U.S. Open to complete a career Grand Slam, leads the head-to-head series 4-2. But del Potro, the 6-foot-6 Argentine, has won the last two meetings, both outdoors on hard court this year.

“He’s good. I think he’s a complete player, and it’s always the same thing,” Nadal said. “Try to be ready to put one more ball (back) than the rest.”

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Gonzalez makes Moscow moveRain forces postponement of Nadal-Gonzalez

Friday, September 11, 2009

Rain forces postponement of Nadal-Gonzalez

NEW YORK - Juan Martin del Potro was aching for a second crack at a Grand Slam semifinal, a second chance to prove he has what it takes to win at that stage.

By early Thursday evening, he knew he’d get that opportunity at the U.S. Open, thanks to a wind-swept 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 quarterfinal victory over 16th-seeded Marin Cilic of Croatia.

What the sixth-seeded del Potro still did not know by the end of the night, however, as rain washed over Flushing Meadows: The opponent he will have to beat to reach his first Grand Slam final.


That’s because the quarterfinal between six-time major champion Rafael Nadal and 2007 Australian Open runner-up Fernando Gonzalez was postponed by showers during the second set.

The first rain delay, of about 75 minutes, came at 2-2 in the second set, after Nadal won the opening set in a tiebreaker. The second interruption came at about 10:20 p.m., with Nadal holding a 3-2 lead in the second-set tiebreaker.

At midnight, tournament officials suspended play for the night, sending Nadal and Gonzalez home. And leaving del Potro still waiting.

The Nadal-Gonzalez match was scheduled to resume Friday, not before 2 p.m. — following the first women’s semifinal, between Serena Williams and Kim Clijsters, which was to begin at 12:30 p.m.

All of the breaks might have been helpful to Nadal, who called for a trainer after the first set. It appeared Nadal was being checked for a flare-up of a stomach muscle problem that bothered him earlier in the tournament.

Rain forces postponement of Nadal-Gonzalez

 Slideshow 



Murray passes NadalGonzalez makes Moscow move

Serena vs. Clijsters highlights semis

NEW YORK - Serena Williams finally acknowledged what has seemed rather obvious for quite some time: There are four tennis tournaments that truly matter to her.

"Absolutely. I really play for the Grand Slams," Williams said Thursday, a day before facing Kim Clijsters in the U.S. Open semifinals.

"Whenever I'm playing elsewhere, I really try. But for me, the Grand Slams — I give it that extra oomph," Williams added. "It's where you can leave history and leave a mark, and that's kind of how I look at it."


She's certainly left her mark lately at major championships, winning three of the past four to raise her career haul to 11 Grand Slam singles titles. The other three women left in the field at Flushing Meadows own a combined total of one: Clijsters won the 2005 U.S. Open.

The Belgian hadn't played in the event since — she was injured in 2006, then walked away from the game in early 2007. During her 2 1/2-season sabbatical, Clijsters found it tough to follow her sport closely, particularly once her daughter was born.

"I only just started watching tennis at the start of this year, to be honest," said Clijsters, trying to become the first mother since 1980 to reach a major final. "I didn't really have that much time with a baby running around, and I was happy just to sleep when she was sleeping."

Still, Clijsters does not need a TV or a DVD to know how it will feel to have Williams on the other side of the net Friday. They last played each other in 2003, yet Williams leaves quite an impression.

"She's always been able to step it up at the Grand Slams," Clijsters said. "I've seen her play here, and she has that face where she's, like, 'OK, I'm here to do business.' "

Dating to the start of last year's U.S. Open, Williams' win-loss ledgers at major tournaments vs. lesser tournaments are striking:

At Grand Slam events over that span, Williams is 30-1, for a .968 winning percentage, including a 10-1 record against top-10 players.At all other events, Williams is 21-11 (plus one walkover), for a .656 winning percentage, including a 3-5 record against top-10 players.

She has three titles from the Slams in that time — and zero titles from the non-Slams.

The No. 2-seeded Williams has been dominant through five matches in this U.S. Open, the only woman who hasn't lost a set. Plus, she and her older sister Venus will play for the women's doubles title Sunday after winning their semifinal Thursday.

Don't think for a moment that Williams is worried about not having much of a scouting report to rely on when it comes to Clijsters, who is playing in only the third tournament of her comeback and arrived at the U.S. Open without a ranking.

Williams figures she can glean all she needs to know when they step out on court in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Serena vs. Clijsters highlights semis

 Slideshow 



Zokora targets Sevilla glorySerena powers into showdown with Clijsters

Williams sisters a win away from a Perfect 10

NEW YORK (AP) -Maybe they should just hand the Williams sisters the trophy.

A victory on Thursday put Venus and Serena in their 10th Grand Slam doubles final. Their career record thus far: 9 wins, 0 losses.

"Hopefully, that's a record that won't end yet," Serena said. "We really want this. I'm sure whoever we play really wants it, too."


The Williams sisters advanced with a 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-2 victory in the U.S. Open semifinals over Alisa Kleybanova and Ekaterina Makarova of Russia. The other semifinal was scheduled for Friday.

The Williamses are back in the Open final for the first time since 1999.

"Good to make the final again. Encouraging and very cool," Serena Williams said.

A 10th Grand Slam title would put the Williamses halfway to the record shared by Pam Shriver and Martina Navratilova.

On a day when both teams struggled in wind topping 20 mph (30 kph), the Williamses faced two set points against them in the first set. Serena Williams proceeded to crank in four straight serves and the Russians barely got a racket on any of them.

"I just said, 'OK, I'm going to hit two aces here, four aces actually,"' she said. "That's pretty much how I felt and I did it. I thought, this is ridiculous. I've got to get these aces and get myself out of this situation."

The Williamses had trouble returning serve in the second set, but they got an early break in the third and rolled from there.



Serena looking to match King with 12 Slam titlesNegredo nears Sevilla deal

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Henin leaves tennis return question open

BRUSSELS (AP) -Amid the resurgence of Belgian tennis, the retired Justine Henin has gone from confirming she won't ever come back to competition to refusing to discuss her future.

Henin was asked again Thursday if she would come back to top tennis. The answer is no longer the definitive "no" it once was. It is now something more like, "Come back and ask me later."

Last year, Henin shocked the tennis world by announcing her retirement while still ranked No. 1. In May, she complained that the sport had left her with so many physical pains a return was unthinkable.


Yet she was seen training again recently, apparently all for a small exhibition tournament in southern Charleroi, one she has played in regularly during the December winter break.

The questions came that such a tournament could be much like the exhibition tournament Kim Clijsters played at Wimbledon this spring to test the new retractable roof. Those matches made her competitive fire burn again.

She returned to the tour last month, and is playing in the semifinals of the U.S Open on Friday.

Feeding the rumors was that Henin pulled out of a theater play she had been committed to. Speculation was she needed the time for tennis practice.

On Thursday, she merely deflected such questions, while, in May, she said competitive tennis "is truly a page that has been turned."

As a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, she tried hard to stay focused Thursday on tetanus vaccinations for mothers and babies in developing nations.

"We are here to discuss child mortality in the world, a subject matter which is important enough to center on this today," she said, refusing time and again to elaborate on her tennis future.

When asked to react to Clijsters' surge and the surprise run of teenager Yanina Wickmeyer, which left two Belgians in the semifinals of the U.S. Open, she did no more than say: "It is magnificent, that is evident. But understand that I am here in my role as ambassador."

She acknowledged that she followed the Grand Slam event only from a distance.

Over the past months, Henin has traveled to Congo, Cambodia and Denmark to learn more about child vaccinations and how it affects survival for hundreds of thousands of poor mothers and babies around the world. Her face will become the face of the UNICEF tetanus campaign this fall.

"I have been able to discover so many things in my life after tennis," she said. "You live in a bubble and in leaving it you ask plenty of questions on plenty of issues."

At 27, it would certainly not be too late for a comeback. As Clijsters has proved, breaking back into the top at short notice is far from impossible.



Iniesta eyes Super Cup returnClijsters eyeing comeback