Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Tsonga, Ljubicic into 2nd round at Lyon Grand Prix

LYON, France (AP) -Top-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga served 14 aces and needed two tiebreakers to beat Kevin Kim of the United States 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5) in the first round of the Lyon Grand Prix on Tuesday.

Neither player faced a break point in the first set, but Kim saved two in the second as Tsonga started to get on top.

Kim missed his chance to level the match as Tsonga, the 2008 Australian Open finalist, rallied from 5-3 down in the second set tiebreaker.


"My tennis wasn't all there, but the desire was there," Tsonga told French television. "When I stepped onto the court I knew I was not going to play well. I just played enough tennis to win."

Third-seeded Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia also progressed after beating Martin Vassallo Arguello of Argentina 6-3, 6-4.

Ljubicic, looking for his first title this season, won 29 of 33 points on first serve including seven aces. The defeat would have been heavier for Vassallo Arguello if he hadn't saved 10 of 12 break points.

Seventh-seeded Benjamin Becker of Germany beat Paolo Lorenzi of Italy 6-2, 6-2, while No. 8 Albert Montanes of Spain topped Fabrice Santoro 6-4, 6-4. The 36-year-old Frenchman is playing his final season on the ATP circuit.

Also, David Guez of France beat Rajeev Ram of the United States 6-2, 6-4, and Marc Gicquel downed Jerome Haehnel 6-1, 6-4 in an all-French match.

Gicquel, runner-up in 2006 and 2007 at the indoor hard-court tournament, saved the only break point he faced. He next plays either sixth-seeded Paul-Henri Mathieu of France or Leonardo Mayer of Argentina.

Michael Llodra of France defeated Lamine Ouahab of Algeria 6-1, 6-2; Kevin Anderson of South Africa beat Simon Greul of Germany 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (3), and France's Arnaud Clement defeated Spanish player Oscar Hernandez 6-1, 6-3.



Henry blow for BarcaTop-seeded Pennetta beats Shaughnessy in Linz

Agassi used crystal meth, book reportedly says

Andre Agassi used crystal meth in 1997, the New York Daily News reported Tuesday, citing a publicist for the company publishing the tennis star's autobiography.

The admission in the book "Open" will appear in excerpts scheduled to appear in Sports Illustrated in People this month, the Daily News reported.

"Those excerpts contain revelations about Andre's use of crystal meth when he was a tennis player," said Paul Bogaards, director of media relations at Knopf, the newspaper reported.


The information was first reported by Sports Illustrated writer Richard Deitsch in a Twitter post, ESPN and the Daily News reported.

Click for related content  Poll: Does this change your opinion of Agassi?

Agassi, 39, is married to former tennis star Steffi Graf. They have two children. He won eight major Grand Slam titles.

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Agassi, Sampras to rekindle rivalry in MacauGuardiola keen on Danny

Jankovic loses at WTA Championships

DOHA, Qatar (AP) -Elena Dementieva rallied from a set and a break down to beat defending champion Venus Williams 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-2 in the group stage of the Sony Ericsson Championships on Tuesday.

Dementieva prevented Williams serving for the match at 6-5 in the second set. Then the American's game fell apart in the decider as Dementieva raced out to 4-0. The Russian, who struggled with her serve in the first two sets and finished with 15 double faults, converted her second match point with a running backhand winner at the net.

In the opening match, Victoria Azarenka made a successful tournament debut by defeating Jelena Jankovic 6-2, 6-3.

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Later Tuesday, second-ranked Serena Williams faced French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova.

The tournament features the top eight players in the world, with four women in each group. The top two from each group advance to the semifinals. Top-ranked Dinara Safina and No. 4 Caroline Wozniacki play their first match on Wednesday.

Aside from a winner's check of up to $1.55 million, Safina and Serena Williams are also vying for the year-end No. 1 ranking. Safina's margin is so slim that the player who performs best here will end 2009 atop the list.

Venus Williams took a quick 3-0 lead and looked set for a routine victory after breaking Dementieva again to start the second. However, the fifth-ranked Russian converted her first break point to level at 3-3, only to lose the next three games.

In the second, Williams broke for 6-5 when Dementieva double-faulted for the 13th time, but followed up by netting a lunging backhand on break point in the next game. In the tiebreaker, Dementieva took a 6-3 lead but wasted all three set points, before Williams double-faulted on the fourth.

Azarenka took advantage of Jankovic's shaky forehand to break five times, including the Serb's last two service games.

Jankovic looked sluggish and error-prone from the start, and was broken in the first game. She finished with 33 unforced errors, to 15 by Azarenka.

"I basically gave her everything. I beat myself," Jankovic said. "I just was trying to get in the match, get my rhythm. But unfortunately, that never happened. ... I was really a shadow of myself."

Azarenka is making her first appearance in the $4.55 million tournament, while Jankovic qualified for the third time.

"I'm glad she gave me the match, and she was not in the mood," Azarenka said. "It worked out pretty well for me."

© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Serena, Safina will battle for No. 1 in DubaiUjfalusi eyes Chelsea scalp

Kohlschreiber, Lopez reach 2nd round in Vienna

VIENNA (AP) -Fourth-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber beat Dieter Kindlmann 6-1, 6-3 Tuesday in an all-German match in the opening round of the Bank Austria Tennis Trophy.

Kohlschreiber served nine aces and converted four of 11 break points.

Sixth-seeded Feliciano Lopez, the 2004 champion, defeated Austrian wild card Andreas Haider-Maurer 6-4, 6-4. Lopez conceded just three points on serve in the opening set. He dropped serve early in the second set before breaking twice.

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Michael Berrer topped Steve Darcis of Belgium 6-3, 6-2. The German was added to the main draw as a replacement for defending champion Philipp Petzschner, who pulled out earlier Tuesday after injuring his left calf in training.

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Lopez aware of United rumoursMonaco, Greul advance at Stockholm Open

Monday, October 26, 2009

Serena, Safina will battle for No. 1 in Dubai

DOHA, Qatar - After months of debate about who is more deserving of the No. 1 ranking, Serena Williams and Dinara Safina will settle the issue on the court at the WTA Tour’s season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships.

Safina recaptured the top ranking from Williams on Monday, but the margin is so slim that the player who performs better at this week’s tournament in Doha will end the year at No. 1.

Safina has held the top spot for 26 weeks this year, but the Russian has faced persistent questions about whether she’s worthy of the title without having won a Grand Slam tournament. Williams won her 11th major title at Wimbledon this year, after also taking the Australian Open.

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“It would be awesome,” Williams said Monday about the prospect of ending 2009 atop the rankings. “It would be really cool. But I would have to win.”

Actually, she only has to win one more match than Safina. If both players have equal results, Safina keeps the top ranking.

The eight-player tournament starts Tuesday with a round-robin stage, with the top two players from each group advancing to the semifinals. Williams and Safina are in different groups, meaning they will not face each other until a potential match in the knockout rounds.

Williams was drawn with her sister Venus and Russians Svetlana Kuznetsova and Elena Dementieva. The other group consists of Safina, former No. 1 Jelena Jankovic of Serbia, Victoria Azarenka of Belarus and Danish teenager Caroline Wozniacki.

Safina has 7,731 points in the latest rankings to lead Serena Williams by 155 points. Each win in the round-robin stage here is worth 160 points.

The other six players also have plenty to play for.

The total prize pool is $4.55 million and the champion receives $1.55 million if she completes the tournament undefeated — with $100,000 knocked off for each loss in the round-robin stage.

Venus Williams is the defending champion, while Azarenka and Wozniacki are competing in the event for the first time.

The Williams sisters — who are also playing in the doubles tournament — are the only previous champions, and Venus said the money isn’t the only reason she’s looking for a repeat.

“Last year was definitely a monumental moment,” she said. “I never thought it would feel so good to actually win the year-end championships. It was definitely a surprised feeling at the end. I would love to feel that again.”

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Safina, Venus ousted from China OpenIniesta set for new deal

Wozniacki denies wrongdoing in Luxembourg

DOHA, Qatar (AP) -Caroline Wozniacki insisted Monday she did nothing wrong when quitting a match while leading 7-5, 5-0, saying the decision had nothing to do with betting.

The 19-year-old Dane retired at the Luxembourg Open with a hamstring injury last week while leading Anne Kremer of Luxembourg when she was just one game away from victory.

Wozniacki's father Piotr had been overheard earlier telling Wozniacki to quit before winning because she wouldn't be able to play in the next round. The comments led to a surge in online bets backing Kremer to win, prompting an investigation by the WTA Tour.

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Wozniacki acknowledged that her father told her to quit - but only because she was in too much pain to continue.

"There was no chance for me to finish, so I decided to stop," she said Monday ahead of the WTA's season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships. "I don't have anything to do with betting ... so I don't see any problems."

Wozniacki said she first felt the injury while serving at 5-5 in the first set, and received medical treatment on her left leg later in that game. She tried to continue playing, but "the pain just got worse."

Her father then came onto the court at 3-0 in the second, and was picked up by microphones advising her to retire.

"That was the first time he could come on court," Wozniacki said. "He said, 'It doesn't matter what the score is going to be, if your pain is going to be worse, there's no sense to continue. ... If you cannot continue, you have to stop because you don't want to ruin also this tournament (in Doha)."'

Wozniacki said she went to the hospital the next day, and that a scan showed she had strained a muscle. She was taped around her left thigh when training Monday but said she hopes to be able to compete in the lucrative eight-player tournament, which begins Tuesday with a round-robin stage.

"I'm getting better," she said. "I'm having treatment every day. We'll see how everything is going to turn out here."

Tour officials said last week they were looking into the match, and would pass along the information to the Tennis Integrity Unit, which was created by the sport's governing bodies last year to combat gambling and match-fixing. The unit does not comment on ongoing investigations.

Wozniacki said she has discussed her reasons for quitting with tour representatives, and that she does not expect any punishment.

"I didn't do anything wrong," she said. "I think it's just regular procedure that they have someone who's looking into it, but I talked to them. There is nothing suspicious about the match that way. So it's not really a big deal."

© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

La Liga round-UpWeird betting patterns alarm tennis officials

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Hanescu advances in St. Petersburg

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) -Second-seeded Victor Hanescu of Romania advanced to the second round of the St. Petersburg Open, beating Teimuraz Gabashvili of Russia 6-1, 6-2 on Sunday.

In another first-round match played on Sunday, Ernest Gulbis of Latvia ousted Florian Mayer of Germany 6-3, 7-6 (3).

The 2004 champion, Mikhail Youzhny, fresh from winning the Kremlin Cup for his fifth career title, leads the field in the 15th edition of the a US$750,000 ATP event on indoor hardcourts at Peterburgksy Sports Complex.

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Petrova, Youzhny advance at Kremlin CupEspanyol line-up Dominguez

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Baghdatis, Rochus in final of Stockholm Open

STOCKHOLM (AP) -Top-seeded Robin Soderling withdrew from the Stockholm Open semifinals Saturday because of an elbow injury, allowing Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus to advance to the final where he will play Olivier Rochus.

Rochus outlasted Tomaz Bellucci of Brazil 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-3 to reach Sunday's final at Royal Tennis Hall.

Soderling has been bothered by a sore right elbow since July, when he withdrew from the quarterfinals in Washington.

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The 10th-ranked Swede, a surprising finalist in the French Open this year, was the only seeded player left in the tournament.

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Monaco, Greul advance at Stockholm OpenAlonso makes CL vow

Friday, October 23, 2009

Enqvist named Swedish Davis Cup captain

STOCKHOLM (AP) -Thomas Enqvist has been named as captain of Sweden's Davis Cup team, the Swedish Tennis Federation announced Thursday.

He replaces Mats Wilander, who retired earlier this week.

Enqvist played for Sweden between 1995 and 2004, winning 15 of 26 matches, and was a member of the cup winning teams in 1997 and '98 and also played in the 1996 final.

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Enqvist said that he hoped his experience would help the team.

Recalling his time playing for Sweden he said that he had "fond memories" and in particular that "it was special to beat the United States 5-0 with Pete Sampras on the team (in 1997)."

Enqvist won 19 titles on the ATP Tour and reached one Grand Slam final - losing the 1999 Australian Open to Yevgeny Kafelnikov.

Sweden, which has won the Davis Cup seven times, will host Argentina in a first-round World Group tie on March 5-7.

Wilander, who won three of four Grand Slam singles titles in 1988 and finished that year ranked No. 1, led Sweden to the Davis Cup semifinals in 2007 and the quarterfinals three times.

© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Raul delighted with recordWilander quits as captain of Sweden Davis Cup team

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Weird betting patterns alarm tennis officials

LONDON - Tennis authorities are looking into a WTA Tour match involving U.S. Open finalist Caroline Wozniacki that apparently sparked bettors to pile money on her opponent when she was on the verge of losing in straight sets.

Wozniacki, a 19-year-old Dane ranked sixth in the world, retired from the first-round match at the Luxembourg Open with a hamstring injury on Wednesday while leading Anne Kremer of Luxembourg 7-5, 5-0.

Wozniacki's father, Piotr, told his daughter at 3-0 in the second set to retire before winning because her injury would prevent her from playing in the next round. His comments, apparently spoken in his native Polish, were picked up by microphones and heard by viewers watching the match on the Internet.

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"I went onto the court and said to her: 'Caro, it does not matter whether it's going to be 5-0, 4-1 or 3-2. You can not play the next round, so you shouldn't take the risk,"' Piotr Wozniacki said Thursday on Danish radio. "I'm very proud of Caroline, because she stopped the fight and gave her opponent a chance."

The father's comments during the match led to a surge in online bets for Kremer to win.

The governing bodies of tennis created a Tennis Integrity Unit last year to combat gambling and match-fixing.

"We're just looking into everything that happened in this match," WTA spokesman Neil Robinson said, adding that he believed the information would go to the integrity unit. "I would think that would be the way it would go. They are aware of it."

The Tennis Integrity Unit does not comment on cases, and neither would Betfair, an online gambling site that works closely with tennis authorities.

"Under the terms of our memorandum of understanding with sporting bodies worldwide, it is up to the sporting authorities to comment," Betfair spokesman Tony Calvin said. "However, it is reasonable to assume that in high-profile cases like this, correspondence has been made."

Betfair, however, said it did not have any concerns about the match at this stage, and that the money won or lost was not unusual.

In Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet, Wozniacki professed her innocence.

"So, people bet on my matches. Some win, others lose. I just know that I am clean. It is most important to me," Wozniacki said. "And if anyone is in doubt about my injury, I can both produce scan from the hospital and a report from the tournament physiotherapist."

Although it appears unlikely that Wozniacki conspired to fix the match, she could still be fined for "lack of effort" according to International Tennis Federation statutes.

In 2007, Betfair voided all bets on a match involving Nikolay Davydenko because of suspicious gambling patterns. The Russian withdrew against Martin Vassallo Arguello in the third set of a match in Poland, citing a foot injury. Both players were cleared of any wrongdoing after an ATP investigation.

Since the Davydenko match, other players have said they have been approached by outsiders trying to influence a match, and still more have been fined or suspended for gambling on matches.

Also, Davydenko was fined $2,000 for lack of effort after a loss that same year at the St. Petersburg Open, but the charge was dropped after the Russian won an appeal.

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Marchena worried by injuryAgassi, Sampras to rekindle rivalry in Macau

Agassi, Sampras to rekindle rivalry in Macau

HONG KONG (AP) -Even though the stakes may not be as high as in their epic clashes of the past, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras' match this Sunday will be anything but a friendly exhibition.

The two American greats, who had one of tennis' great rivalries, will play each other in the southern Chinese gambling enclave Macau.

"It's going to be competitive tennis - obviously not quite as cutthroat as it once was - but I still feel we can both play quite well," Sampras said Thursday.

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"As much as its an exhibition, there's still a lot of pride. Our egos are pretty big. Once the first point starts, I'm going to want to beat him."

"Whenever I stepped out against Andre when we were playing, it was like a heavyweight fight. That's one thing I miss."

Both have been brushing up on their game in recent months, ensuring their will not be too much rust for Sunday's showdown.

Sampras, 38, played on the ATP seniors tour last year and Agassi made a one-time appearance at a seniors event in Arizona earlier this month, where he won two matches before losing to fellow American Todd Martin in straight sets in the final.

Agassi, 39, has been playing consistently in recent months and Sampras said he's been practicing against juniors in Los Angeles.

The former world No. 1s have 22 Grand Slam titles between them - eight for Agassi and 14 for Sampras. Agassi is one of six men in history to win all four majors and won Olympic gold in Atlanta in 1996. Sampras won what was a record 14 Grand Slams, a mark recently broken by Roger Federer. They played 34 times over a 13-year span, including five major finals.

Even with the passing of years since their memorable clashes of the 1990s and early 2000s, Sunday's match is likely to see Sampras again relying on his famously accurate and powerful service, while Agassi's strength will be his returns and counter-punching groundstrokes.

"I believe having two styles that are so opposite, having two personalities that are so opposite really lent for a great rivalry," Agassi said.

Sampras recalled their last match professional match - his four-set victory over Agassi in the 2002 U.S. Open final. The seven-time Wimbledon champion went into the match struggling with his form, ranked No. 14.

"I felt great. I felt a little vindication. People wrote me off. And I just sort of believed in myself at a time when everyone lost faith in me," he said.

Sampras added it was fitting to end his career against the same opponent and on the same stage where he claimed his first major victory. A skinny 19-year-old Sampras beat the neon-clad tennis rebel Agassi in straight sets in the 1990 U.S. Open final.

© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Agassi says Federer-Nadal era is endingRaul wants Euro success

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Henin confirms tour return in Brisbane, Australia

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) -Former No. 1-ranked Justine Henin has confirmed she'll make her return to the WTA Tour at the Brisbane International two weeks ahead of her comeback to Grand Slam tennis at the Australian Open.

"After a 15-month absence I am pleased to begin my second tennis career at the Brisbane International," Henin, a seven-time major winner, said in a statement Wednesday. "It will be great to get back to playing competitive tennis again and with the strong field, the same court surface and a similar climate to Melbourne, it will be the perfect preparation leading into the Australian Open."

Fellow Belgian comeback player Kim Clijsters is also in the women's draw, along with former French Open champion Ana Ivanovic.


Despite having a No. 1 ranking when she retired in May last year, the 27-year-old Henin does not have a protected ranking. She has been granted wild card entries for the main draws at Brisbane and the Australian Open.

Henin announced shortly after Clijsters won the U.S. Open in September. Clijsters herself was coming back from two years in retirement and became the first mother since Australia's Evonne Goolagong Cawley at Wimbledon in 1980 to win a Grand Slam singles championship.

Henin has 41 WTA Tour titles, an Olympic gold medal and has won three of the four majors. She said her goal is to earn a Wimbledon title, the only Grand Slam singles event she hasn't won. She plans to play at least until the 2012 London Olympics.



Baptista happy in ItalyBrisbane looms as competitive comeback for Henin

Kim Clijsters through to second round

LUXEMBOURG (AP) -Kim Clijsters won her first match since taking the U.S. Open title last month Tuesday, beating Meghann Shaughnessy 6-2, 6-2 to reach the second round of the Luxembourg Open.

Top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, who fell to Clijsters in the final at Flushing Meadows, retired when leading Anne Kremer of Luxembourg 7-5, 5-0. She received treatment from a medical official on her left leg and back.

Kremer was a late replacement for U.S. teenager Melanie Oudin, who withdrew hours before her first match with a stomach bug.

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Clijsters has won the tournament in the Grand Duchy five times.

© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

La Liga round-UpBrisbane looms as competitive comeback for Henin

Wilander quits as captain of Sweden Davis Cup team

STOCKHOLM (AP) -Mats Wilander has quit as captain of Sweden's Davis Cup team.

Wilander, who was briefly ranked No. 1 in the 1980s, led Sweden to the Davis Cup semifinals in 2007. The Swedes also reached the quarterfinals three times under Wilander and assistant coach Joakim Nystrom.

Swedish Tennis Federation chief Henrik Kallen on Tuesday thanked them both and said a search will begin for their replacements.

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Sweden: 2 tennis players suspected of buying sexRaul delighted with record

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Hingis says she won't come back to tennis

PARIS (AP) -Former No. 1 Martina Hingis won't make a comeback to competitive tennis.

The 29-year old Hingis, who retired after getting a two-year ban in 2007 for testing positive for cocaine, said Tuesday in an interview with L'Equipe that she is happy with her new life.

"I've got a nice house, my four horses," Hingis said. "On the tour, I had no life."

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Hingis added that even without being tested positive, she would likely have retired.

"If I had won the four Grand Slam tournaments, maybe I would have continued," she said. "But I was on downslope. And I was suspended for two years, and that was it."

Hingis, who spent 209 weeks at No. 1 in the women's rankings and won five Grand Slam singles titles, said she went through hard times during her suspension.

"I didn't have the right to play any competition, even in an other Olympic sport," she said. "I didn't have the right to feature in equestrian competition, even at an amateur level. ... I'm not sure I have completely recovered."

Hingis added that she learned that her suspension was over on Sept. 30 - her birthday - a few days after undergoing a doping test at her home.

"They thought maybe, like you, that I was planning a second comeback," she said.

Hingis quit tennis for the first time in 2002 because of foot and leg injuries. When she returned to the circuit in 2006, Hingis reached two Grand Slam quarterfinals, won two smaller tournaments and finished the year ranked No. 7.

© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Brisbane looms as competitive comeback for HeninBarca won’t rule out Robinho

Sampras says Federer will win more Slams

HONG KONG - Pete Sampras predicts Roger Federer still has a few more Grand Slam titles to win despite his recent loss in the U.S. Open final.

“Roger is going to win some more majors. Maybe he’s not going to be quite as dominant as he once was,” Sampras told a media conference in Hong Kong Tuesday via telephone from Los Angeles. The seven-time Wimbledon champion was promoting his upcoming exhibition match against Andre Agassi in the nearby southern Chinese gambling enclave of Macau on Oct. 25.

Top-ranked Federer lost in five sets to Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro in the Sept. 14 U.S. Open final.

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“When push comes to shove, I still like Roger at these majors,” Sampras said, adding that Federer may find it hard to motivate himself given his already stellar record.

Federer won his first French Open earlier this year to complete a career Grand Slam, then won Wimbledon to break Sampras’ record of 14 major titles.

Asked if it hurt to see his record broken, Sampras, who watched Federer’s five-set Wimbledon victory over American Andy Roddick from courtside, said it was expected.

“I think we all knew it was going to happen. It was inevitable that he was going to break the record,” the American said. “I was actually happy to be there and witness it.”

Sampras said he also expects Rafael Nadal to linger at the top of the rankings despite his recent struggles with injury.

“He’s going to be around in the top two or three in the world for as long as he wants to be,” he said. “He’s an animal, a great athlete, a great player. He’s going to go through different lulls in his game, but when push comes to shove, you’re always going to see Rafa in the last couple of days of the event.”

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Raul delighted with recordAgassi says Federer-Nadal era is ending

Monaco, Greul advance at Stockholm Open

STOCKHOLM (AP) -Fourth-seeded Juan Monaco of Argentina beat Jan Hernych of the Czech Republic 6-2, 5-7, 7-5 in the first round of the Stockholm Open on Monday.

Monaco failed to convert three match points before dropping the second set to Hernych. The Argentinian then led 5-2 in the third but Hernych fought back to 5-5 before Monaco clinched the win.

In just his second appearance on the ATP tour this year, Sweden's Joachim Johansson relied on his powerful serve to beat Australia's Peter Luczak 7-5, 6-2.


Simon Greul beat fellow German Benjamin Becker 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 to advance to the second round. He will face Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, who beat compatriot Alberto Martin 6-3, 6-2.

Argentina's Leonardo Mayer also advanced after defeating seventh-seeded Albert Montanes of Spain 6-4, 6-3.



La Liga round-upWawrinka, Greul advance at Japan Open

Petrova, Youzhny advance at Kremlin Cup

MOSCOW (AP) -Fifth-seeded Nadia Petrova of Russia easily advanced to the second round of the Kremlin Cup, beating her compatriot, teenager Yana Buchina, 6-2, 6-0 on Monday.

In the men's first round, third-seeded Mikhail Youzhny, also of Russia, defeated Horacio Zeballos of Argentina 6-1, 7-6 (5).

The 17th-ranked Petrova had little trouble against Buchina, runner-up at the junior U.S. Open, who was playing in her first WTA Tour event courtesy of a wild card. Petrova, runner-up in 2006, broke Buchina twice in the first set and closed out the match in just 48 minutes.

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"The match was so short and she (Buchina) was so nervous that it wasn't going her way," said Petrova.

In the next round Petrova will face Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine, who beat the 2006 champion Anna Chakvetadze 6-4, 6-3.

Later, Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez of Spain beat seventh-seeded Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia, 6-2, 6-2.

Youzhny, who is looking for his first title this season, won six consecutive games to take the first set but had a harder time in the second.

"He (Zeballos) made too many mistakes in the first set," Youzhny said. "But in the second set, I was not that concentrated while he was serving and returning much better."

Zeballos saved two match points on a second-set tiebreaker before Youzhny closed out the match with a forehand winner.

The 20th edition of the dual ATP and WTA Kremlin Cup has a weakened women's draw because seven of the world's top players have already qualified for next week's season-ending WTA Championships in Doha and so have opted to skip the Moscow tournament.

Defending champion Jelena Jankovic, runner-up Vera Zvonareva and Agnieszka Radwanska lead the women's draw and will compete for the remaining spot in Doha.

World No.7 Nikolay Davydenko, fresh from winning the Shanghai Masters on Sunday, tops the men's draw. He is scheduled to face Marat Safin in the first round on Wednesday.

© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

La Liga round-upWawrinka, Greul advance at Japan Open

Sweden: 2 tennis players suspected of buying sex

STOCKHOLM (AP) -Two tennis players are suspected of breaking Sweden's sex law by allegedly soliciting prostitutes ahead of the Stockholm Open, police said Monday.

The two men, identified only as foreign citizens, were detained as they entered a hotel in Stockholm early Sunday with their escorts, investigation leader Jonas Trolle told The Associated Press. He said both players were set to compete in the tournament which started Monday.

Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet later reported that both were tennis players but only one was competing in the Stockholm Open. Trolle didn't return calls seeking clarification.

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Organizers said in a brief statement that it would be "inappropriate" to comment because the investigation was ongoing.

Tournament spokesman Pelle Hjertquist told The Associated Press that the investigation wouldn't stop anyone from competing in the tournament, which has a 32-player singles draw and prize money of US$600,000. He declined to give any other comments and referred to the official statement.

Trolle said a prosecutor in the case had issued a so-called summary punishment, which allows someone suspected of a minor offense to avoid a trial by signing a confession. It wasn't immediately clear whether the players had signed the document.

Sweden's prostitution law is highly unusual because it punishes those who pay for sex but not the prostitutes.

© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Barca reject Messi murmursLong ATP season comes under scrutiny again

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Davydenko beats Nadal to win Shanghai Masters

SHANGHAI (AP) -Nikolay Davydenko upset top-seeded Rafael Nadal 7-6 (3), 6-3 on Sunday to win the Shanghai Masters for his fourth title of the year.

The sixth-seeded Davydenko broke decisively in the sixth game of the second set to collect his 18th career title. His flat groundstrokes and angled winners denied the Spaniard a sixth title for this year and his first since the Rome Masters in May.

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"I think I was a little bit lucky, but mostly I was playing very well today. I did a good job in three weeks in Asia," said Davydenko, who also won in Kuala Lumpur two weeks ago.

Nadal returned last week after a month out due to a pulled stomach muscle at the U.S. Open. He looked rusty Sunday, having advanced twice when his opponents retired: Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia in the quarterfinals and Feliciano Lopez of Spain in the semifinals.

Nadal had reached the semifinals at Beijing last week on his return to the tour. The winner of six Grand Slam tournament titles also was sidelined after the French Open for two months with tendinitis in both knees.

"I have my chance in the first set and I am especially happy with one thing - it's the first match after my injury comeback against one top player," Nadal said. "I really felt I really have chances to win.

"That's the most positive thing for me, and I fight all the time with a positive attitude, no physical problems. So that's very good news for me."

He dropped to 5-3 in finals this season and 4-3 head-to-head against Davydenko.

The final point of the match delivered some drama when Nadal's forehand received a late out call by a linesperson. Davydenko thought he won the match, but Nadal challenged the call.

Awaiting the decision in a crouch, Davydenko leapt up in victory when the replay showed Nadal's ball had landed long. He then ran to the side of the court to kiss his wife Irina.

The first set had a number of twists and turns before Davydenko hit a backhand winner down the line to clinch the tiebreaker.

Davydenko took advantage of his third break point in the third game and held it until Nadal broke back in the eighth game.

"Four-all in first set, I was feeling like I losing my chance to win the first set because he came back," Davydenko said. "I play very well in the tiebreak, winning, and then feeling I have a chance."

It appeared that Nadal was taking charge, holding a set point on Davydenko's serve in the 10th game. But he flubbed that point by hitting a casual lob that Davydenko answered with a crisp overhead winner.

From 2-2 in the first set tiebreaker, Davydenko successfully challenged Nadal's serve on the fifth and ninth points to prevail.

In the second set, Davydenko broke Nadal's serve in the sixth game when the Spaniard hit a backhand wide to take a 4-2 lead.

The Russian also won tournaments in Hamburg and Umag, Russia, in 2009.

© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Guardiola rejects title talkFederer, Nadal both out of Rogers Cup

Long ATP season comes under scrutiny again

SHANGHAI (AP) -Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick complained Tuesday that the ATP season is too long and that tennis players need a proper offseason.

Both players, who are in China for the Shanghai Masters, reiterated criticism of the sport's punishing schedule.

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"It's impossible to play 1st of January and finish 5th of December," said the 23-year-old Nadal, who did not defend his title at Wimbledon because of a knee injury. "It's impossible to be here playing like what I did the last five years, playing a lot of matches and being all the time 100 percent without problems."

Roddick, a veteran at 27, said players need a longer offseason to recover, and noted that both Roger Federer (fatigue) and Andy Murray (wrist injury) are skipping the Shanghai tournament.

"It's ridiculous to think that you have a professional sport that doesn't have a legitimate offseason to rest, get healthy, and then train," Roddick said. "I just feel sooner or later that common sense has to prevail."

The top players on the men's tour are required to play at eight of the nine Master Series events - with Monte Carlo being the exception. And the top eight players of the year also have an extra week by qualifying for next month's season-ending tournament in London.

Roddick said that merging the player's union and tournament operation under the ATP umbrella, which was considered a cutting-edge concept that would benefit the players when instituted in 1990, hasn't turned out to be overwhelmingly positive.

"I certainly don't see any other sporting leagues or federations following our lead as far as not being individually represented," Roddick said. "I don't know that it's up to the players to be making business decisions about the schedule. At a certain point, I wish our input would be.

"It's got to be someone's job to figure that out, right?"

© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Roddick retires with knee pain at Shanghai MastersIniesta eyes Super Cup return

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Agassi says Federer-Nadal era is ending

HONG KONG (AP) -Andre Agassi says Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal's domination of the men's game is coming to an end, tipping Scotsman Andy Murray as the most likely successor.

"Now we have possibly the changing of the guard. You have those top two who are now losing ground to the likes of (Novak) Djokovic and Murray and (Juan Martin) del Potro," Agassi told reporters in Hong Kong by phone from Las Vegas.

Nadal has struggled with injuries since his stunning exit in the fourth round of the French Open. Federer won the French and Wimbledon, breaking Pete Sampras' record of 14 Grand Slams, but was beaten in the U.S. Open final by 21-year-old Argentine del Potro. It was the first Grand Slam won by a player other than Federer or Nadal since Djokovic won the 2008 Australian Open.


Agassi, who preceded Federer in winning all four grand slam tournaments over his career, believes the Swiss "still has the chance to do some more special things," but the 28-year-old's chances are diminishing with age.

Agassi, who was promoting his upcoming exhibition match against Sampras in the Chinese gambling enclave Macau on Oct. 25, worried that Nadal's injuries may be chronic.

"If you're struggling with your knee, it tends to be recurring and not to be easy to do, so I got to believe he'll struggle with it probably for his career," Agassi said.

Agassi said the 22-year-old Murray is the man most likely to be the dominant figure over the next few years. The world No. 3 is still seeking his first Grand Slam title.

"From a talent standpoint, Murray is a person who should win multiple Slams," Agassi said.

"When I look at his game compared to the other players, he has what it takes to win and to win against anybody on any surface."



Kone open to loan switchFederer, Nadal to start 2010 season in Abu Dhabi

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Del Potro retires in Shanghai with wrist injury

SHANGHAI (AP) -Reigning U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro retired from the Shanghai Masters with a wrist injury Wednesday, adding to the mounting injury toll at the event.

The third-seeded Argentine was trailing Austria's Jurgen Melzer 7-5, 2-1 in his second-round match when he retired with an injury to his right wrist.

Del Potro said that he suffered from similar wrist tendinitis earlier this year.


"It's a big tournament here in Shanghai, very important for me," del Potro said. "But if I want to have a good finish this season, I had to recover, go home to be in good shape for the last tournaments."

Del Potro has already qualified for the eight-man, season-ending ATP World Tour Finals next month in London.

The Argentine's departure followed that of German Tommy Haas earlier in Wednesday's play.

The 15th-seeded Haas lost the first set 6-4 to qualifier and compatriot Rainer Schuettler when he retired with a right shoulder injury.

On Tuesday, fourth-seeded Andy Roddick retired from his match against Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland with a left knee injury.

Prior to the tournament's start, world No. 1 Roger Federer withdrew citing fatigue, and Andy Murray pulled out as well with a left wrist injury.

Since winning the U.S. Open last month, del Potro has not been at his best. Last week, he lost to French qualifier Edouard Roger-Vasselin in the first round at the Japan Open in Tokyo.



Del Potro hoping to build on U.S. Open successAlonso receives injury boost

Bartoli into Japan Women's Open quarters

OSAKA, Japan (AP) -Second-seeded Marion Bartoli of France advanced to the quarterfinals of the Japan's Women's Open on Wednesday with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Japan's Karumi Nara.

Bartoli, who won this tournament in 2006, will face India's Sania Mirza in the quarterfinals of the $220,000 event. Mirza defeated Viktoriya Kutuzova of Ukraine 6-4, 6-3 in an earlier match.

Fourth-seeded Francesca Schiavone of Italy also advanced with a 6-3, 0-6, 6-3 win over Taiwan's Chan Yung-jan.


Schiavone will next face seventh-seeded Melinda Czink of Hungary, who defeated American Vania King 6-4, 6-2.



Naka ready for tough scheduleKirilenko, Hantuchova reach quarterfinals

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Roddick retires with knee pain at Shanghai Masters

SHANGHAI (AP) -Andy Roddick was forced to retire with left knee pain while leading Stanislas Wawrinka 4-3 in the second round of the Shanghai Masters.

Roddick, who limped into the post-match news conference on Tuesday, quit after wasting a break point.

Roddick is vying for one of the final three spots at the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London next month. But the sixth-ranked Roddick says he's more concerned about taking care of his health than qualifying for the eight-man event.


The 22nd-ranked Wawrinka will play 13th-seeded Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic in the third round.



Injury woe for UcheFederer pulls out of Japan Open, Shanghai Masters

Top-seeded Pennetta beats Shaughnessy in Linz

LINZ, Austria (AP) -Top-seeded Flavia Pennetta routed Meghann Shaughnessy of the United States 6-1, 6-1 Tuesday in the opening round of the Generali Ladies.

The 11th-ranked Italian, who had lost both previous matches against Shaughnessy, broke the American's serve five times.

Pennetta holds eight WTA Tour titles but is yet to win an indoor event.


She next plays Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany, who defeated Roberta Vinci of Italy 7-5, 6-1.

Julia Goerges of Germany beat sixth-seeded Sorana Cirstea of Romania 6-3, 6-3. The 79th-ranked Goerges converted six of 13 break points against Cirstea, who struggled with her serve throughout the match.

Eighth-seeded Sara Errani of Italy advanced by beating Arantxa Parra Santonja of Spain, 6-2, 6-3.

Also, Olga Govortsova of Belarus beat Petra Martic of Croatia 6-2, 6-7 (7), 6-2, and Tatjana Malek of Germany defeated Aravane Rezai of France 7-5, 7-5.



Errani, Pennetta set up all-Italian Palermo finalVan der Vaart admits Ajax snub

Federer, Nadal to start 2010 season in Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal plan to open the 2010 season in an exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi.

Organizers said Tuesday that Federer and Nadal have committed to play in the three-day event starting Dec. 31. The tournament, which is not part of the ATP Tour, offers a winner-take-all prize of $250,000.

The event, organized by Abu Dhabi-based real-estate developer Capitala, features six players.


Britain's Andy Murray won the inaugural event last year, beating both Federer and Nadal.



Nadal training again after knee injury layoffLa Liga round-Up

Henin granted wild card entry for Australian Open

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -Justine Henin has been granted a wild card entry to the Australian Open in what she is targeting as her comeback to Grand Slam tennis.

Henin, who won the 2004 Australian Open among her seven major singles titles, announced last month she was returning to the women's tour after more than a year in retirement.

"I spoke to Justine's team over the weekend and was happy to grant her request for a wildcard," Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said in a statement Monday. "Justine is the ultimate competitor and we are looking forward to welcoming her back.


"I know Justine will not have made the decision to come out of retirement lightly, and have no doubt she will be in great shape and prepared to compete against the world's best."

The Australian Open has up to 12 wild cards to issue in each of the men's and women's 128-player draws.

Henin will not have a protected ranking when she returns to the tour and so will need to get wild card entries or enter qualifying to get places in the main draw.

She is negotiating with organizers in Brisbane, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand in early January as tuneup events for the Jan. 18-31 Australian Open.

Henin announced her comeback soon after fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters won the U.S. Open, only three tournaments into her own comeback from retirement.

"Watching Kim Clijsters' amazing win at the U.S. Open was inspirational - who knows, perhaps the two will meet again at the Australian Open. I'd certainly look forward to that match," Tiley said.

Clijsters became the first mother since Australia's Evonne Goolagong Cawley at Wimbledon in 1980 to win a Grand Slam singles championship when she took the U.S. Open title last month, her first major back on the tour.

The 27-year-old Henin retired last year after winning 41 WTA titles but decided to return because she had unfinished business in tennis. Henin's goal is to earn a Wimbledon title, the only major she hasn't won. She plans to play at least until the 2012 London Olympics.



Metzelder suffers calf injuryBrisbane looms as competitive comeback for Henin

Monday, October 12, 2009

Del Potro hoping to build on U.S. Open success

SHANGHAI (AP) -Juan Martin del Potro may have won his first Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open last month but, rather than resting on his laurels, the Argentine remains focused on improving.

The 20-year-old player does not hide his desire to consistently contend with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

"Now, I'm No. 5 in the world," said del Potro, who beat Nadal in the semifinals and Federer in an epic five-set final to claim the title in New York.


"I have a Grand Slam in my career. Now, I have to work hard to be a better, better player on all surfaces, try to keep winning tournaments, keep beating good players like Federer, Nadal ... That's what I have to do, now and in the future."

The U.S. Open champion hopes to emulate the world's top two players but he is deferential to others ranked ahead of him, even Andy Murray, who has yet to win a Grand Slam.

"It's very good to be like a star, a little star, because the biggest stars is our Federer, Nadal, (Novak) Djokovic, Murray," said del Potro, who also won titles at Auckland and Washington, D.C. this year.

Del Potro continues to be moved by memories of his return to Argentina to celebrate the U.S. Open victory, saying he was made to feel "like a president" and that "it was like a dream.I will never forget that moment."

Now, he is back at work.

He arrived in Shanghai after a disappointing 6-4, 6-4 first-round loss to unheralded French qualifier Edouard Roger-Vasselin at the Japan Open in Tokyo earlier in the week.

That loss came in his first match back after his U.S. Open triumph.

Del Potro is seeded third in Shanghai, a position improved by the withdrawals of Roger Federer and Andy Murray, which places the Argentine right behind Nadal and Djokovic.

He is in the top half of the draw along with Nadal and could face the reigning Australian Open champion in the semifinals.

Having received a first-round bye, del Potro will first either face Jeremy Chardy of France or Jurgen Melzer of Austria.

If he progresses, del Potro could set up a third-round meeting against 13th-seeded David Ferrer of Spain. From there, fifth-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France, who won in Tokyo on Sunday, and No. 9 Robin Soderling of Sweden lie in wait as potential quarterfinal opponents.



One surprise after another at wild U.S. OpenNegredo set for Tigers talks

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Brisbane looms as competitive comeback for Henin

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) -Justine Henin hopes to make her comeback at the Brisbane International, where fellow Belgian star Kim Clijsters will start her 2010 season.

Henin, a seven-time major winner, announced last month that she was coming out of retirement and was targeting the Australian Open starting Jan. 18 for her return to Grand Slam tennis.

Her coach told Belgian media late Wednesday that Henin was negotiating with organizers in Brisbane and Auckland as her preferred leadup events before the season's opening major.


The news was released hours before Brisbane organizers unveiled their drawcards for the Jan. 3-10 tournament, including former No. 1 Ana Ivanovic and Clijsters on the women's side and Andy Roddick on the men's.

Clijsters made a stunning comeback from retirement by winning the U.S. Open last month, becoming the first mother since Australia's Evonne Goolagong Cawley at Wimbledon in 1980 to win a Grand Slam singles championship.

Henin would need a wild card to play in Brisbane, and that seemed certain given the tournament's eagerness to have Clijsters and Henin in the same draw.

"It would take it to a new level," tournament director Steve Ayles said. "To have the two comeback queens from Belgium, it would be fantastic."

The 27-year-old Henin retired last year after winning 41 WTA titles but, in the wake of Clijsters' win in New York, announced she was coming back because she had unfinished business in tennis.

Henin said she wants to win a Wimbledon title, the only major she hasn't won, and to continue playing at least until the London 2012 Olympics.



Naka ready for tough scheduleHenin to return, Belgian media reports say

Monday, October 5, 2009

Wawrinka, Greul advance at Japan Open

TOKYO (AP) -Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland defeated American John Isner 6-4, 6-4 on Monday in the first round of the Japan Open.

Seventh-seeded Wawrinka converted five of seven break point opportunities in the match that lasted 1 hour, 33 minutes at Ariake Colosseum.

Germany's Simon Greul defeated Martin Vassallo Arguello of Argentina 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. He is appearing in Tokyo for the first time since 2006, when he made a first round exit to Takao Suzuki.


Greul will face Wawrinka in the second round.

Top-ranked Roger Federer pulled out of the $1.2 million event, citing fatigue, along with third-ranked Andy Murray of Britain who withdrew because of a wrist injury.

Fifth-ranked Juan Martin del Potro, the U.S. Open champion, is top-seeded in the singles draw and will play his first match on Tuesday against qualifier Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France. Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic is the defending champion.



Naka ready for tough scheduleGonzalez, Monfils advance at Malaysian Open

Safina, Venus ousted from China Open

BEIJING (AP) -World No. 1 Dinara Safina was beaten 7-5, 7-6 (5) by local wild card entrant Zhang Shuai in the China Open second round on Monday, a shock defeat that could lead to the Russian's top ranking passing to No. 2 Serena Williams.

In other drama, Venus Williams fell to Russian teenager Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, whose 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory was her second over the American in a week, while Novak Djokovic fired 10 aces in a 6-3, 7-5 win over Romania's Victor Hanescu to advance to the second round.

Having lost the first set to the 20-year-old Zhang, Safina found herself 5-4 behind in the second. She battled back to force the tiebreak, but with the crowd and momentum behind the local player, Zhang held firm to take the match.


According to the points reckoning, Safina would lose her No. 1 ranking to Serena Williams if she finished behind the American, who won her first round match Saturday against Estonia's Kaia Kanepi and next faces Russian Ekaterina Makarova on Tuesday. Safina can hold on to the top ranking if Serena loses.

The latest defeat comes a week after Safina was knocked out of the second round of the Toray Pan Pacific Open by 18-year-old qualifier Chang Kai-chen from Taiwan.

"I'm just having some bad losses right now. So many matches that are very close, ones that I should win, having set points or match points every time," Safina said in a post-match statement.

"It's very disappointing. I would like to take some break now, and I'm very upset with myself."

Zhang, ranked 226th in the world, said close losses in the past to high-ranking players gave her confidence that she could win at their level.

"I woke up this morning feeling really excited, but didn't do any special preparation and never expected to win the match," she said.

However, Safina, who racked up 13 double faults, was also "not in the best condition and made too many errors," Zhang said. Safina, who had begun shouting and growing visibly more distraught toward the end of the match, did not speak to reporters.

In the previous match on center court, Pavlyuchenkova, who turned 18 in July, finished up with a comeback victory over Serena's older sister Venus.

The American got off to a strong start against the Russian who defeated her in the second round in Tokyo last week, taking the first set 6-3. But she dropped the second and then scrambled to recover in the third to no avail.

Serving for the match, Pavlyuchenkova sent a decisive forehand winner past a reaching Williams to wrap up the final set after two hours, 13 minutes of play.

"She played really well. Sometimes I just made errors too soon in the point," said Williams, who totaled 12 double faults for the match.

Asked if there was something about the Russian's game that she found difficult to handle, Williams declined to analyze.

"She plays well against everyone she plays and I think I usually do too," Williams said.

Pavlyuchenkova said she'd learned from her defeat to Williams earlier this year in Dubai that she had to take the game to her opponent, applying that to last week's match in Tokyo.

"I just tried to play as simple as I can just into the court and just make her move and today I just tried to do the same thing," Pavlyuchenkova said.

"She started actually way aggressive today especially the first set. She was playing much better, she was already preparing for this match more ... she wanted to kill me I guess," she said with a smile.

Second-seeded Djokovic took just one hour, 29 minutes to claim the win, despite some inventive play at the net by the 27th ranked Hanescu.

A key moment came in the first set when, up 4-2, Djokovic saved two break points to hold serve and remain in control. The second set began with the players trading breaks to two games apiece. Each then held serve until Djokovic broke Hanescu to go up 6-5 and served out for the match.

"I was happy overall with the way I played. It's just that I thought I could finish the job earlier. It was a little bit frustrating the way I was losing some points in the second set," world No. 4-ranked Djokovic said. "That's the first round. You have to get used to the ups and downs a little bit and hopefully the next match will be more consistent and I'll be able to play my best," he said.

Later Monday, China's top-ranked women's player, world No. 16 Li Na, defeated Czech Republic's Lucie Safarova, 4-6, 6-0, 6-4 in the second round.

On Tuesday, No. 2 Rafael Nadal and defending China Open champion Andy Roddick start their campaigns in the men's draw.



Primera Liga round-upFederer, Safina seeded No. 1 for US Open

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Sharapova wins first title since return from injury

TOKYO - Maria Sharapova won her first tournament since returning from a 10-month injury layoff when Jelena Jankovic retired because of an arm injury in the first set of the Toray Pan Pacific final Saturday

Sharapova was up 5-2 at Ariake Colosseum when the seventh-seeded Serb took a timeout to have her right arm examined by the trainer. Jankovic returned to the court and lost the first two points of the eighth game before retiring.

“It’s disappointing,” said Sharapova, who had arthroscopic surgery to repair a rotator cuff in her right shoulder nearly a year ago. “It’s toward the end of the year and there are a lot of injuries so I wish Jelena a speedy recovery.”


It was Sharapova’s first win since Amelia Island in April 2008.

Sharapova won her first tournament as a professional at the Japan Open in 2003 and won this tournament in 2005, defeating Lindsay Davenport in the final.

Jankovic got off to a strong start, breaking Sharapova’s serve in the first game and taking a 2-0 lead. But Sharapova fought back and took control of the first set when she broke Jankovic to go up 4-2.

“She started off so strong,” Sharapova said. “But it’s my second final of the year so I wanted to play strong. I played well all week so I felt I could give her a good match.”

Sharapova also reached the final in Toronto in August, losing to Elena Dementieva.

“It’s exciting,” Sharapova said. “We put in so much work and to be able to go out and compete in front of thousands of fans is great. You realize what a gift it is to hit a tennis ball.”

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Sharapova, Serena reach quarters in TorontoRuud suffers new injury blow

Evert and Norman say they have separated

Just 15 months after they were married, golf star Greg Norman and tennis great Chris Evert announced they have separated.

The announcement Friday comes three days before Norman is to captain the International team at the Presidents Cup in San Francisco, where wives of the captains take on a visible role.

Norman and Evert, each in the Hall of Fame in their respective sports, did not say whether they planned to divorce.


In a statement, the couple said only, “We will remain friends and supportive of one another’s family.” The statement said they requested privacy for them and their families.

Norman’s spokesman, Bart Collins, said the two-time British Open champion would not comment beyond the statement. Norman’s first press conference at the Presidents Cup is Tuesday morning at Harding Park.

They were married June 28, 2008, in The Bahamas. A month later, while still on their honeymoon, Norman was nine holes away from becoming golf’s oldest major champion at 53 when he led the British Open. He eventually tied for third at Royal Birkdale.

Norman was coming off an ugly divorce from Laura Andrassy, the mother of his two children, which ended in a settlement that paid her just over $100 million. Evert was married twice previously, most recently to Olympic downhill skier Andy Mill, with whom she had three children. They were divorced in December 2006.

The timing of the announcement was in part to prevent speculation on Evert’s absence at the Presidents Cup, matches between the United States and an International team of countries from every continent but Europe.

“I don’t think it will be a distraction,” said Robert Allenby of Australia, part of the International team. “That’s just not the way Norman is. He’s normally very private with his life. I know Norman. Next week his whole focus will be purely on what we have to do as a team and how we have to come together. He’ll be right behind us 110 percent.”

Norman had arthroscopic surgery on his shoulder Wednesday to prepare for a winter golf schedule in Australia, and he stuck to his regular schedule on Friday to announce the field for his Shark Shootout, which is in Naples, Fla.

Norman and Evert became sports’ most high-profile couple when they started dating, got engaged and married. Evert, with 18 Grand Slam titles, attended her first PGA Tour event last year at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, which Norman played with his son, Gregory. And she was with him every step at the British Open last year at Royal Birkdale.

Norman had a two-shot lead going into the final round and was still leading until he faltered on the back nine.

The Shark spoke then of how energized he felt with his marriage to Evert.

“It just revitalized my life,” Norman said. “When you’re more relaxed and you’re happier, then everything else kind of comes a little bit easier, too. I would say it’s a rub-off effect on the golf, no question, but my life in general is much more in balance than it has ever been.”

Norman and Evert were most recently seen together at the U.S. Open tennis championship in New York. He said Friday that it was his favorite event he had attended with his wife.

“I’ve been a big tennis nut for my whole life,” Norman said.

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Djokovic brings children of 9-11 victims to OpenMonaco agree Gudjohnsen deal

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Gonzalez, Monfils advance at Malaysian Open

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -Fernando Gonzalez defeated Rohan Bopanna 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals of the Malaysian Open on Thursday.

"I came from the other end of the globe and I'm still a little jet-legged, but it's all good now," Gonzalez said. He will face Mikhail Youzhny.

Fifth-seeded Gael Monfils cruised past Martin Vassallo Arguello 6-4, 6-2 to advance to the quarterfinals where he will play top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko.


"Davydenko likes to dictate the match, playing close from the baseline," Monfils said. "I need to change the rhythm as much as I can."

Joining Monfils in the final eight is Richard Gasquet, who defeated Joachim Johansson 4-6, 7-6 (1), 6-2. Gasquet will play Fernando Verdasco, who defeated Karol Beck 6-4, 6-0.

Tomas Berdych stopped Simon Greul 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, and will take on French Open finalist Robin Soderling.



Davydenko advances, Ferrer falls in CroatiaKone open to loan switch

Nadal returns from injury, available for Davis Cup

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) -Rafael Nadal has recovered from injury and made himself available for Spain's Davis Cup final against the Czech Republic in December.

Nadal underwent successful medical tests in Barcelona on Wednesday that showed the 23-year-old Spaniard was ready to return for the first time since his U.S. Open semifinal.

Nadal hasn't been on court since that semifinal defeat to eventual champion Juan Martin del Potro, when an abdominal muscle injury hampered the Australian Open champion.


In comments emailed to The Associated Press, he also took the opportunity to express his support for Madrid's 2016 Olympics Games bid.

The International Olympic Committee decides Friday whether the Spanish capital, Rio de Janeiro, Chicago or Tokyo will host the Summer Games.

"I'd personally like to be in Copenhagen but I had to follow the tennis calendar which made it impossible," Nadal said. "I know how much work has gone into this bid and I know we deserve to win."

Nadal said he would resume his planned schedule starting with next week's China Open, before traveling to the Shanghai Masters, the Paris Masters and the ATP World Tour finals in London.

Defending Davis Cup champion Spain hosts the Czechs in the final from Dec. 4-6. Nadal missed last year's final win in Argentina and has featured in only one Cup encounter this year as tendinitis in his knees forced him to rest.



Ruud suffers new injury blowSpain defeats Israel, advances to Davis Cup final