Serena opens with an easy win at US Open

NEW YORK - Serena Williams' first U.S. Open singles match since her 2009 foot-fault tirade came and went, quickly and quietly. Williams began her bid for a fourth championship at Flushing Meadows and 14th Grand Slam title overall with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over 54th-ranked Bojana Jovanovski of Serbia on Tuesday night. The 29-year-old American was greeted warmly by the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd as she walked out to play, a far cry from the ugly scene at the same court two years ago, when Williams produced a profanity-laced, racket-brandishing tirade at a line judge after a foot-fault call at the end of her semifinal loss to eventual champion Kim Clijsters. Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here Williams insisted Tuesday she wasn't thinking about that infamous outburst at all. "If anything, I thought, 'Wow, I'm back. I haven't played in a long time.' I'm telling you: Out of sight, out of mind for me," she said. "You guys should try it." Williams missed last year's U.S. Open because of surgery on her right foot after cutting it on glass at a restaurant in Germany in July. That was part of a series of health scares — including clots in her lungs, and a gathering of blood under the skin of her stomach — that sidelined her for nearly a year. Back in 2009, Williams drew an immediate $10,000 fine from the U.S. Tennis Association and later was hit with a record $82,500 fine from the Grand Slam administrator. She also faced a "probationary period" at Grand Slam tournaments in 2010 and 2011, and was told she could be suspended from the U.S. Open if she had another "major offense." There was no such fuss Tuesday. Williams made only 10 unforced errors, compiled 22 winners, never faced a break point, and needed only 56 minutes to wrap things up. Still, she wasn't completely satisfied. "I mean, I could've played more aggressive," Williams said. "I kind of was just out there, getting balls back." The U.S. Open is the sixth tournament of her comeback. She won hard-court tuneup events at Stanford and Toronto in August, her first consecutive titles since 2008. "I'm so happy to be here. I didn't think I would make it," said the 28th-seeded Williams, whose ranking fell to 175th last month because of all that time off. "Just feel so blessed. I'm so happy." Because the match before hers on Ashe — Rafael Nadal's 6-3, 7-6 (1), 7-5 victory over Andrey Golubev — lasted nearly three hours, Williams didn't get to play until after 10:30 p.m. For years, the U.S. Open would start each night session with a women's match, followed by a men's match, but organizers have started occasionally flipping that order. Williams would prefer if the tournament stuck to its old policy. "The guys should play second. They're guys. We're ladies," she said. "They should totally play second all the time. Ladies — you open the door for ladies. (The men) should go second. It's ridiculous." In other action on Tuesday, top-ranked player, Caroline Wozniacki opened her latest quest for her first Grand Slam title with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Nuria Llagostera Vives of Spain on Tuesday. It was a drama-free match in Arthur Ashe Stadium that left the most interesting stuff for the post-match interview. How were things going with McIlroy, golf's reigning U.S. Open champion whom she started dating this summer? "You know, he has something I'm looking for and I have something he's looking for," she said. "He wants to be No. 1. So it's good to have something on each other." Does the No. 1 ranking, when it's not accompanied by a major title, feel like a burden or an honor? "I'm trying to stay up there as long as possible, and it doesn't really matter what people are saying," she said. "No one can ever take that away from me." And why not end the suspense and tell us who that new coach of yours is? "Yeah, well, I have to respect him, as well," she said. "So if he wants to be in the background and not have his name out, I have to respect that."   Slideshow  

Federer still hungry as US Open starts

NEW YORK - When third-seeded Maria Sharapova looks at the list of top contenders for the U.S. Open, here's what she sees: —Serena Williams, seeded 28th and on the comeback trail, and her sister, Venus, unseeded and barely on the radar this year. —A top seed, Caroline Wozniacki, who has never won a Grand Slam and a No. 2 seed, Vera Zvonareva, who has won a total of eight games in her two major finals. Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here —And she won't see the name of two-time defending champion, Kim Clijsters, who last week said she wouldn't be in New York because of a freshly injured stomach muscle. Clijsters' withdrawal was the latest bit of news that — on paper, at least — appeared to open things up for Sharapova, a three-time major winner who, of late, has been playing her best tennis since shoulder surgery derailed her in late 2008. "I can't really think like that," Sharapova said when asked how Clijsters' absence might help her chances for a second title at Flushing Meadows. "I don't think that's a mindset of a winner, to be honest. You've got to be ready to face anyone at any given moment." On Monday, Sharapova will open against Heather Watson, the 104th-ranked 19-year-old from Britain making her U.S. Open debut. Also opening play Monday is fifth-seeded Petra Kvitova, who beat Sharapova in the Wimbledon finals earlier this summer, further cementing the argument that there are no sure things, or dominant players, at the current time in women's tennis. "She was able to find an answer, you know, in things that I kind of challenged her with," Sharapova said. "It was a really great match for her at a big stage. That's the only way you can really look at it." And yet, since that 6-3, 6-4 win over Sharapova at Wimbledon, Kvitova has won a total of two matches. "I think she's a good enough player to find her form back here," Sharapova said. After missing the better part of a year with a series of ailments that started when she got cut by glass at a restaurant in July 2010, Serena Williams is rounding into form. Earlier this month, she won tournaments in Stanford and Toronto and is 16-2 since June. Even as the 28th seed, she is widely considered the woman to beat. "I'm just here to play one match, and the next match, and hopefully I can get to seven wins," Williams said last week. Play was set to begin largely on schedule Monday despite Hurricane Irene, which washed out practice days over the weekend. The only exception is in Arthur Ashe Stadium, where the first match will begin at 1 p.m. instead of 11 a.m., as workers prepare the stadium, which had been battened down for the hurricane. Headlining action Monday night are Venus Williams and third-seeded Roger Federer, who is trying to avoid going 0 for 4 in Grand Slams for the first time since 2002. Federer turned 30 earlier this month, which often signals the beginning of the end for top tennis players. Of the past 100 Grand Slam titles, only five were won by a man past his 30th birthday. The last to do it was Andre Agassi at the 2003 Australian Open. Federer, though, said that his age hasn't affected his expectations. "Hasn't changed anything. I'm still as professional. I'm still as hungry. Everything's still completely normal," he explained. "It's just a number that's changed. I'm ready to go." Among Federer's accomplishments: 16 Grand Slam titles and five straight U.S. Open titles from 2004-08. His 40-match winning streak at Flushing Meadows ended in the 2009 final against Juan Martin del Potro. Last year, Federer lost in the semifinals to Novak Djokovic, who comes in seeded first and going for his third major of the season. This will be the first time that neither Federer nor defending champion Rafael Nadal has held the top seed in a major since the 2004 Australian Open. But Djokovic has certainly earned it. He is producing one of the greatest seasons in tennis history. He's 57-2 with nine titles, including at Wimbledon and the Australian Open. He's also 5-0 against Nadal, with all of those matchups coming in tournament finals: two on hard courts, two on clay, and one on grass at the All England Club last month. Djokovic retired from the second set of the final in Cincinnati earlier this month with a sore right shoulder, ending a 16-match winning streak and bringing a little bit of doubt into his health for the upcoming two-week grind at Flushing Meadows. His top two challengers, however, aren't expecting much of a letdown. "He's only lost two matches all year," Nadal said. "For everybody, (it's) surprising, but for me, (it's) no surprise that Djokovic is No. 1. For me, it is not a surprise that Djokovic is able to win Grand Slams, because he's very good."

Good start

NEW YORK - Mardy Fish is America's Best at this year's U.S. Open. On Monday, he lived up to the billing, opening his stay at Flushing Meadows with a 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 victory over Tobias Kamke of Germany that included a between-the-legs shot in the final game of a match that took only 1 hour, 43 minutes. "To be honest, I thought that was my only shot," Fish said. "I didn't try to hit a winner. Just tried to make it." Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here But if Fish is ever going to bring out his inner showman, now is the time. He enters as the eighth seed, the top-ranked player, man or woman, in America, supplanting Andy Roddick after his long run as the top American male. As such, Fish earned prime billing — the opening match in Arthur Ashe Stadium, where play began two hours later than scheduled as workers hurried to prepare the stadium that was battened down for Hurricane Irene over the weekend. "I'm just so excited to be in this position. To be out here. I don't get to play out here too often," Fish said. "Hopefully, I'll get to play out here more this year." Indeed, a lot feels new for the 29-year-old from Los Angeles, who has never gotten further than the quarterfinals at a major. Fish opened the match by losing his serve, but that turned out to be the only hiccup. He is one of 14 American men entered in the U.S. Open, as the host country continues its quest to find the next great champion. No U.S. man has won a major since Roddick won in New York in 2003. "Andy's been the No. 1 player in our generation for years," Fish said. "This is extremely different for me, this feeling coming out here and trying to show everything you can, to show you're the No. 1 guy, at least for this tournament. It's been a lot of fun."   Slideshow  

Fish at center stage for US men at US Open

NEW YORK - Back before Mardy Fish transformed himself into the player he is today, he compiled a record of 5-8 in his first eight visits to the U.S. Open, never making it past the second round from 2000 to 2007. Before changing his eating and workout habits, Fish didn't make it easy to put together a deep run at Grand Slam tournaments. Not only that, but he didn't necessarily believe he was capable of doing it. Nowadays? Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here Here's how Fish talks about his chances at the hard-court U.S. Open, which is scheduled to start Monday: "I'll certainly feel like I can beat anyone especially on that surface, at that tournament." He has given himself reason to think that way, which is why he also has spent a season changing his goals, aiming higher than ever before, while enjoying the best stretch of his professional career at the old-only-by-tennis-standards age of 29. "I hope to keep playing the way I'm playing," Fish said. He is seeded No. 8 at the U.S. Open, the first time he'll be the top American at the country's Grand Slam tennis tournament. "His eagerness factor is very high," former U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe said. "And he's seeing the results consistently. He's saying, 'Hey, if I keep working hard, and I keep doing what I've been doing, then who knows what could happen?'" Fish spent a decade in the shadow of his pal Andy Roddick, which seemed to be just fine with the laid-back Fish. Roddick was the last U.S. man to win a major championship, at the 2003 U.S. Open, and used to be ranked No. 1, but recently dropped out of the top 20 for the first time in nearly 10 years. So now Fish has moved to the forefront. By serving and volleying, he earned first place in the U.S. Open Series standings based on performances on the summer hard-court circuit, thanks to winning one tournament and reaching the finals at two others. Playing on the same surface used at Flushing Meadows, Fish pushed top-ranked Novak Djokovic to three sets one week, then beat former No. 1 Rafael Nadal the next week. After upsetting Nadal in Cincinnati, Fish spoke about having "belief that I really felt like I could win; not that I 'wanted' to win — I really felt like I could and maybe should win." Results such as those boost rankings and draw attention. Just this week, in fact, Fish picked up a new sponsor: Bumble Bee Tuna (cue the name jokes). "He's playing the best tennis of his career, to be honest. I have been competing with him for the last couple of years, and, you know, he moves much better on the court nowadays and he's fitter," Djokovic said. "Mentally, he just believes it more against top players." Fish's ranking dropped to 108th on March 1, 2010, after missing time because of left knee surgery in September 2009. The 6-foot-2 Fish's weight topped 200 pounds before the operation, and afterward, he dropped about 30 thanks in large part to a complete overhaul of his diet. Fish cut out late-night snacks and meals consisting of pizza or cheeseburgers. He committed to eating healthy food in proper portions. It all permits him to move better on the court and play well in lengthy matches. That, and improvements to his forehand and other aspects of his game, have made Fish a wholly different player. "It is possible for someone his age to continue to improve. And remember: He's really just started to scratch the surface of his overall ability," McEnroe said. "This guy was a top-20 player even when he wasn't a physical specimen, so that tells you a lot about his tennis talent. And now he's taking it to the next level." At the French Open, Fish talked about wanting to make it to the third round for the first time — and he did. At Wimbledon, he wanted to get to the quarterfinals for the first time — and he did. It was his third visit to the round of eight at a major tournament, but he fell to 0-3 in those matches, losing to Nadal. Now he hopes for a longer stay in New York. "I'd still love to make it past the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam," Fish said. "And the U.S. Open would be a perfect one for me to do that in." A reporter wanted to know what it would take for Fish to accomplish that latest goal. "I'm not sure; I've never been there," he said. "I'd like to find out, as well."

Djokovic seeded No. 1 at US Open

NEW YORK - Top-ranked Novak Djokovic is seeded No. 1 at the U.S. Open for the first time, followed by defending champion Rafael Nadal and five-time winner Roger Federer. The tournament followed the ATP rankings for the men's singles seedings Wednesday. It did the same for the women's seedings, with Serena Williams 28th. Djokovic is having one of the best seasons in tennis history: 57-2 with nine titles, including at Wimbledon and the Australian Open. He's seeking his first championship at Flushing Meadows, where he was runner-up to Nadal in 2010 and to Federer in 2007. Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here Andy Murray is seeded No. 4, while Mardy Fish is No. 8, the first time he'll be the highest-seeded American at the U.S. Open. The draw is Thursday. Play starts Monday.

3-time champ Serena seeded 28th at Open

Serena Williams was seeded 28th for the U.S. Open, which stuck with its policy of following the rankings instead of taking into account players' past performances. That decision means Williams could face one of the Grand Slam tournament's top eight seeded players as early as the third round. The 29-year-old American leads active women with 13 major championships, including three at Flushing Meadows — in 1999, 2002 and 2008. She recently won consecutive hard-court tuneup tournaments at Stanford and Toronto, making her one of the favorites to win the U.S. Open, which starts next Monday. Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here A former No. 1, the American is ranked 29th this week. That's up from 175th in July, a few weeks after she returned to the tour following nearly a year off because of a series of health problems. "After careful deliberation regarding Serena Williams' seeding, we decided to maintain the objective criteria in place to determine the women's singles seeds at this year's U.S. Open," tournament director Jim Curley said in a statement released Tuesday by the U.S. Tennis Association.   Slideshow     Serena's major highlights Take a look at Serena Williams' 27 Grand Slam championship victories. NBCSports.com     Chris Evert, an 18-time major champion, thought the tournament erred by not lifting Williams' seeding. "It hurts the field, is what it does. It really doesn't hurt Serena as much as it hurts the other players. One of the top seeds will get her in the third round," said Evert, who will call U.S. Open matches for ESPN2. "I think they could have made a much better judgment call." In the past, Grand Slam tournaments have taken into account factors other than the official rankings when determining seedings. At the most recent major tournament, Wimbledon, two-time defending champion Williams was moved up to No. 7 in the seedings, 19 spots higher than her ranking at the time, even though it was only the second tournament of her comeback. She wound up losing in the fourth round at the All England Club.   Slideshow     Stylin' sisters Check out the fashion choices Venus and Serena Williams have made on and off the court. NBCSports.com     Her older sister Venus, a five-time Wimbledon champion, also was bumped up in the seedings there. But Venus Williams isn't seeded at all for the U.S. Open, which she won in 2000 and 2001; she's ranked 36th this week. Top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki, the 2009 U.S. Open runner-up, is also No. 1 in the women's singles seedings announced Tuesday, followed by Vera Zvonareva, last year's losing finalist. Two-time reigning U.S. Open champion Kim Clijsters, who is ranked No. 3, will miss the tournament this year with a stomach muscle injury. Fourth-ranked Maria Sharapova, the 2006 champion in New York, moves up to third in the seedings. The men's seedings are to be announced Wednesday, and the draw for the year's last Grand Slam tournament is Thursday. ___ Follow Howard Fendrich at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich

Serena could face Azarenka early

NEW YORK - The biggest question heading into the U.S. Open draw was: Which highly seeded woman could be stuck facing Serena Williams in the third round? The answer: No. 4 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus. "Poor, poor, poor Victoria Azarenka," seven-time major champion John McEnroe said at Thursday's draw ceremony in Flushing Meadows. Azarenka was a Wimbledon semifinalist in July, as was No. 22 Sabine Lisicki of Germany, who could play Williams' older sister Venus in the second round. Both Williams sisters lost in the fourth round at the All England Club. Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here Serena Williams is a three-time U.S. Open champion who leads all active women with 13 Grand Slam titles. Venus Williams is a two-time winner in New York and owns a total of seven major singles trophies. The Grand Slam tournament starts Monday. After missing nearly a year of action because of a series of health problems, Serena Williams returned to the tour in June and won two of her four tournaments. She is seeded 28th for the U.S. Open, which followed the rankings rather than taking into account players' past performances. McEnroe's brother, former U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick, called her "the most dangerous 28th seed in the history of the U.S. Open." Venus Williams, meanwhile, is ranked 36th and unseeded; she could face No. 14 Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia in the third round. Looking at the latter stages of the men's field, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer were drawn to possibly meet in one semifinal, while defending champion Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray could meet in the other. The top-ranked Djokovic is 57-2 in 2011, and one of those losses came against Federer in the French Open semifinals, ending the Serb's 43-match winning streak that began in December. A year ago at Flushing Meadows, Djokovic beat five-time U.S. Open champion Federer in the semifinals before losing to Nadal. This year, though, Djokovic is 5-0 against Nadal, with all of those matches coming in tournament finals, most recently at Wimbledon. That allowed Djokovic to overtake Nadal in the rankings in July. "To finish the year as No. 1 for me is impossible. That is not going to happen, because Djokovic is going to finish No. 1, because he deserves to be No. 1 this year. For me, it is not a question. For me, it is not something that worries me," Nadal said after participating in the draw for the women's field. "What really worries me is to be competitive. ... I did not lose the No. 1 (ranking). Djokovic won (it)." The possible men's quarterfinals are No. 1-seeded Djokovic against No. 7 Gael Monfils; No. 3 Federer against No. 8 Mardy Fish, the highest-seeded American man in New York for the first time; No. 2 Nadal against No. 5 David Ferrer; and No. 4 Murray, who is 0-3 in Grand Slam finals, against No. 6 Robin Soderling, a two-time French Open runner-up. The women's quarterfinals could be No. 1-seeded Caroline Wozniacki, the 2009 runner-up at the U.S. Open, against reigning French Open champion Li Na; Serena Williams or Azarenka against 2010 French Open champion Francesca Schiavone; 2006 U.S. Open champion Maria Sharapova against the woman who beat her in this year's Wimbledon final, No. 5 Petra Kvitova; and Venus Williams or No. 2 Vera Zvonareva, last year's U.S. Open runner-up, against 2007 Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli. Seeking his first U.S. Open title, Djokovic appears to have been placed in a section that doesn't look as though it will be particularly difficult. He will play a qualifier in the first round, then could face former top-10 player Nikolay Davydenko or No. 32 Ivan Dodig in the third. Federer might face a third-round test against Australian teen Bernard Tomic, who became the youngest Wimbledon quarterfinalist since Boris Becker in 1986. Federer has won a record 16 Grand Slam titles, but none since the Australian Open in January 2010. "I think Federer is going to win another major," John McEnroe said. "I don't know if it's going to be this one here. But he seems to be healthy. He hasn't played his best tennis, but he wants to save it for the majors."

Kendrick has doping ban reduced to 8 months

LAUSANNE, Switzerland - American tennis player Robert Kendrick had his doping ban reduced to eight months from one year by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Monday. Kendrick tested positive for the banned stimulant methylhexaneamine at the French Open on May 22. He blamed it on a capsule he took to combat jet lag. The 31-year-old American had sought a three-month ban, which would have allowed him to compete at the U.S. Open, but he won't return to competitive tennis until January. Kendrick has dropped to No. 110 in the rankings from a peak of 69 two years ago. Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here CAS said "it was not disputed by the parties that there was no intent to enhance sporting performance." Its statement cited the recent case of Cesar Cielo and two other Brazilian swimmers, who were cleared of doping after blaming a contaminated food supplement. "Robert Kendrick did not show a comparable degree of caution as the Brazilian swimmers, who had used a product obtained on pharmaceutical advice," the CAS statement said. "Instead, he relied only on the information given by a blog on the Internet." Kendrick has been supported by several players who felt the punishment was too harsh. Fourth-ranked Andy Murray wrote on Twitter that Kendrick "should not be banned," while Kendrick's fellow American John Isner urged his Twitter followers to join a Facebook group in support of lifting the ban. The CAS statement concluded that "the eight-month suspension was appropriate to the degree of fault borne by the player."

Injury led Nadal to consider golf career

MADRID - Devastated and "without appetite for life," Rafael Nadal contemplated a move into professional golf after a career-threatening injury sidelined him, the 10-time Grand Slam champion writes in his autobiography. The Spanish player writes in "Rafa" that doctors discovered a rare foot injury in 2005 that had the potential to sideline him for good, prompting thoughts of a future in golf. In the book, provided to The Associated Press and to be released in the United States on Tuesday, the 25-year-old Nadal describes his toughest on-court battles with Roger Federer at the 2008 Wimbledon final and subsequent Australian Open. Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here But his off-court problems play a large part in the former top-ranked player's career. The mental toll of his parents' separation hindered his recovery from injuries in 2009, when pride led him to try to defend his French Open title despite his physical problems. Still, his lowest point seems to have been when doctors discovered a congenital bone problem in the bridge of his left foot soon after a five-set victory over Ivan Ljubicic in Madrid on his toughest indoor surface. Nadal said that joy was soon replaced by "a state of deepest gloom." "(The) diagnosis had initially been like a shot to the head," Nadal writes. "The bone still hurts me. It remains under control, just, but we can never drop our guard." Nadal wept then, just as he did after losing the 2007 Wimbledon final to Federer. But he did not cry on the flight from Melbourne in 2009 when his father, Sebastian, revealed to the recently crowned Australian Open champion that his parents had separated. "My attitude was bad. I was depressed, lacking in enthusiasm. (My team) knew something had to give," writes Nadal, with the weight of those problems leading to his only defeat in seven appearances at Roland Garros and his subsequent withdrawal from Wimbledon. "My knees were the immediate reason, but I knew the root cause was my state of mind." Mental toughness — instilled by coach and uncle Toni — is a key theme, especially in his ability to bounce back, including trying for his first victory in three Wimbledon finals against Federer. Nadal was "gripped with fear." The warrior figure he'd cultivated had "lost his courage" after failing to clinch victory on several match point opportunities against Federer. Nadal credits moments like these for improving his mental stamina, with one chapter even titled "Fear of Winning." "What I battle hardest to do in a tennis match is to quiet the voices in my head, to shut everything out of my mind ... should a thought of victory suggest itself, crush it," Nadal writes on the opening page before later adding: "I think I have the capacity to accept difficulties and overcome them that is superior to many of my rivals." Toni's "cruel to be kind" coaching strategy was key in developing him into the "tennis machine" he is. He compares his uncle to a figure descended from 16th-century conquistador Hernan Cortes with a Spartan philosophy of life uncommon to his home island of Mallorca. "There was no let up from Toni. No mercy," the second-ranked player writes. "I look back at that teenage Rafael and I am proud of him. He set a benchmark of endurance that has served me as an example and as a reminder ... if you want something badly enough, no sacrifice is too great." Nadal offers interesting insight into his regimen, and his family offers some surprising details about the Manacor native, in the 250-page memoir, which was written by John Carlin, who also wrote the book that director Clint Eastwood turned into the film "Invictus." Nadal's mother Ana Maria Parera labels him a "scaredy cat" who sleeps with a light on, an obedient and docile child who became the "family mascot" inside a close-knit family that Carlin describes as "something Sicilian ... without the malice or guns." Perhaps the strangest revelation is Nadal's dislike of animals, especially dogs: "I doubt their intentions." Of Federer there are mostly respectful reflections of a rival and friend that he calls "a blessed freak of nature" for his talent. The closest Nadal comes to criticism is when he says Federer mis-hit a shot "the way an ordinary club player might" while recounting the epic All-England final that delivered the first of his two Wimbledon wins. Of current top-ranked player Novak Djokovic, who has beaten Nadal in five straight finals this year, there is trepidation of a "formidable opponent" who is "one hell of a player, temperamental but hugely talented."

No. 8 seed Baghdatis advances at Winston-Salem

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Eighth-seeded Marcos Baghdatis defeated American Ryan Sweeting 7-5, 6-1 on Monday in the second round at the Winston-Salem Open. Baghdatis was the first seeded player to take the court at the final men's tuneup before the U.S. Open. The 16 seeded players, including No. 1-seeded Andy Roddick, received first-round byes. "I was able to find a solution to get by and win. That's the most important thing," Baghdatis said. Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here Qualifier Kei Nishikori of Japan beat Luxembourg's Gilles Muller 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5) in the first round. Also in the opening round, Israel's Dudi Sela defeated Italy's Filippo Volandri 6-3, 6-2; Belgium's Steve Darcis topped Portugal's Frederico Gil 3-6, 6-3, 6-4; France's Julien Benneteau won a matchup of qualifiers by defeating Brazil's Ricardo Mello 6-1, 6-3; and Argentina's Carlos Berlocq advanced when Austria's Andreas Haider-Maurer retired with Berlocq leading 7-5, 4-1.

Clijsters out of US Open with stomach injury

NEW YORK - Two-time defending U.S. Open champion Kim Clijsters will not go for three in a row this year because of a stomach muscle injury. Clijsters, who missed Wimbledon with an ankle injury, pulled out of a tournament in Toronto this month with a muscle strain on the left side of her stomach. In a statement Friday, she said "two weeks of rehab is not enough to heal this injury." "Obviously I'm very disappointed," she said. "I trained very hard this summer and felt in a good shape to play the U.S. Open." Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here Clijsters, ranked No. 3 in the world, said she also would pull out of tournaments in Japan and China in September. Her absence leaves Serena and Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova as the headliners on the women's side of the U.S. Open, which begins Aug. 29. Serena won in Toronto but pulled out of this week's event in Cincinnati with a toe injury. Clijsters won the U.S. Open in 2009 — an unexpected run through the year's final major after a two-year break during which she had a baby girl. She became the first unseeded woman to win the U.S. Open and the first mom to win a major since Evonne Goolagong Cawley won Wimbledon in 1980. Last year, Clijsters repeated at Flushing Meadows. She won the Australian Open this year for her fourth Grand Slam title.

Nadal has 'special memories' of Open

MASON, Ohio - Rafael Nadal is getting ready to head back to New York with fond memories for the first time. The Spaniard won the U.S. Open last year, becoming only the seventh player to win all four Grand Slam events. The U.S. Open was the most elusive, and he collapsed on the blue court and lay face down after finally winning it by beating Novak Djokovic. Nadal told The Associated Press in an interview on Wednesday that it was "more than a dream." He called it a special moment that he'd love to repeat at Flushing Meadows. Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here For now, he's trying to play enough matches to get in shape to defend the title. He's been limited this summer by a foot injury suffered at Wimbledon. He's also joining an international campaign promoting responsible drinking.

Tony Bennett to get champagne celebration at Open

NEW YORK - Tony Bennett turned 85 earlier this month, but his birthday celebration continues, and will be part of this year's U.S. Open. Bennett, a big tennis fan, will be feted at the Open's president's box before the opening ceremonies on Aug. 29 with Moet & Chandon, which is sponsoring the tennis grand slam for the first time this year. He'll autograph a special bottle, which will be auctioned for charity during a special reception. "It's for him, and also the charitable component to our involvement in the U.S. Open, which is very, very important," said Daniel Lalonde, president and CEO of Moet & Chandon. Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here The brand is also having other celebrities who visit its Open suite autograph bottles. Those bottles will also be auctioned for the United States Tennis Association's charity USTA Serves, which is dedicated to helping at-risk and disabled children through tennis. ___ Online: http://www.usopen.org

Li Na, Petra Kvitova to play in Hopman Cup

PERTH, Australia (AP) -French Open champion Li Na and Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova will contest the mixed-teams Hopman Cup tennis event in January as part of the lead-up to the Australian Open. Li will partner 19-year-old Wu Di for China, while Kvitova will join ninth-ranked Tomas Berdych for the Czech Republic at the Dec. 31-Jan. 7 event. The fifth-ranked Li, who was also runner-up at this year's Australian Open, became the first Asian player to win a Grand Slam singles title at Roland Garros. Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here Former No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, whose world ranking has slipped to No. 165, will link up with No. 30 Jarmila Gajdosova for Australia.

Nadal burns fingers on hot plate in restaurant

MASON, Ohio - Rafa Nadal is renowned for burning up calories with his all-action game but on Wednesday it was a curious case of burned fingers for the Spaniard at the Cincinnati Open. World number two Nadal was forced to play his second round match with two bandaged fingers on his right hand after burning them on a hot plate at a restaurant in Ohio. "I got burned. I had a little bit of accident in a restaurant a few days ago," Nadal told reporters after beating Frenchman Julien Benneteau 6-4 7-5. Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here "It was an accident. The plate was very, very hot and I got burned," added the Spaniard, who said the blistering was causing some discomfort during play. "A little bit. If you see the blister, you can imagine. I am going to show you now," he said with a grin.

Serena surges in WTA rankings to No. 31

Her game growing stronger as the U.S. Open nears, Serena Williams soared from No. 80 to No. 31 in the WTA rankings following her victory in the Rogers Cup. Williams has won her last two tournaments, the other title coming at the Stanford Classic two weeks ago. She has played in four tournaments since her return. She beat Samantha Stosur 6-4, 6-2 on Sunday in Toronto, the latest step in a comeback from injury and illness that sidelined her 49 weeks. The U.S. Open starts Aug. 29. Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here Caroline Wozniacki is No. 1 in Monday's rankings, followed by Vera Zvonareva, Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka and Li Na. Zvonareva advanced one spot. The top five men held their rankings: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Robin Soderling.

Del Potro wins, will face Federer in 2nd round

MASON, Ohio - Juan Martin del Potro didn't have to play a full set to advance at the Western & Southern Open. His next match will be a much tougher challenge. The Argentine advanced against an injured Andreas Seppi on Sunday, setting up a second-round rematch with Roger Federer. Del Potro beat Federer in the 2009 U.S. Open final. "If I have a good day, maybe I can make a surprise," said del Potro, currently ranked No. 19. "Not many players can beat Federer. I've already beaten him twice, so I know how to play him. But it's Roger. He's the favorite." Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here Play began Sunday in the men's draw at the tournament, which combines the Cincinnati Women's Open and the Cincinnati Masters for the first time. Sunday's event produced some additional star power when golfer Rory McIlroy, who competed at the PGA Championship in Atlanta earlier in the day, was spotted watching girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki's practice session on court 15. Sunday's opening draw match ended when Seppi withdrew because of an injured right foot with del Potro ahead 4-1 in the first set. Del Potro is playing in Cincinnati for the first time since 2007, hoping to generate some momentum heading into the U.S. Open. He reached the round of 16 at Wimbledon this summer for the first time. He won 17 of the 22 points in the first four games on Sunday, losing only one point off his serve. "I felt confident in my forehand," del Potro said. "My winners I set up well. I thought my serve was good. We only played (five games) but I felt like I hit pretty well." Seppi won his only game after a lengthy injury timeout to get treatment on his right foot. The Italian retired from the match immediately after that game. Del Potro would have preferred more of a challenge in his opening match to get ready for Federer. "It's not nice when the match is as short as the one today," he said. "But it happens." Del Potro battled a wrist injury much of last year, causing him to withdraw from several matches. He underwent wrist surgery on May 4, 2010, preventing him from defending the '09 U.S. Open title. The wrist still bothers him a little bit, but del Potro doesn't think it will be a factor against Federer. "When the weather is very humid I feel some pain," he said. "But I feel like I can play and have success. It's always special when you play Roger. I'll need to play almost perfect." In the evening session, James Blake advanced with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Marcos Baghdatis, avenging a five-set loss to him at this year's Wimbeldon. It was Blake's first victory over Baghdatis in three meetings. "Going into Wimbledon I hadn't felt good (physically) or played with confidence in awhile," Blake said. "He made some unbelievable returns in the first set. But once I gained the advantage I put my foot on the accelerator without letting off."

Serena rolls to Rogers Cup win

TORONTO - Serena Williams is looking like her victorious self leading into the U.S. Open. In her fourth tournament since sitting out 49 weeks because of injury and illness, Williams won the Rogers Cup on Sunday, beating Samantha Stosur 6-4, 6-2. A foot injury and then blood clots in her lungs sidelined the 29-year-old American after she won Wimbledon last year. Now she's won two straight tournaments after taking the Stanford title July 31. Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here Williams broke the 10th-seeded Stosur to go up 5-4 in the opening set. She would break the Australian's serve twice more in the second in the 1 hour, 17-minute match, winning in emphatic fashion with her ninth ace. The formerly top-ranked Williams, a 13-time Grand Slam champion, was unseeded in the tournament and is ranked just 80th in the world as she continues her comeback. She's projected to rise to No. 31 in next week's rankings.

Stosur into final of Rogers Cup in Toronto

TORONTO - Samantha Stosur defeated Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 Saturday to reach the final of the Rogers Cup. Stosur broke Radwanska three times in the first set, but the 22-year-old rallied to take the second when Stosur double-faulted. The Australian broke Radwanska to go up 5-2 in the third, then won the match with an ace. The loss snapped a nine-match winning streak for Radwanska, who claimed her fifth WTA title last week in Carlsbad, Calif. Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here The 11th-ranked Stosur will face either Serena Williams or Victoria Azarenka, who will play in the evening semifinal.

Federer falls in Montreal

MONTREAL - Some top players have shown signs of rust at the Rogers Cup, and Roger Federer was the latest. The third-ranked Swiss star was upset by 13th-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-1 in the third round Thursday night. Federer, who turned 30 on Monday, was playing for the first time since losing to Tsonga in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. Tsonga — who also beat Federer, then ranked No. 1, in the quarterfinals of the 2009 event — dominated the third set with strong serves and quick groundstrokes, and Federer found himself unable to match the Frenchman. Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here "(Tsonga) made amazing shots," Federer said. "I don't think I played bad, but I really didn't have a good start to the third set, which didn't help." Top-ranked Novak Djokovic kept up his strong play this season with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Marin Cilic of Croatia. The 24-year-old Serb is the last of the top four seeds to reach the quarterfinals of the Masters Series event. In his second match since taking over the No. 1 ranking with a victory at Wimbledon four weeks ago, Djokovic broke the lanky Cilic's heavy serve twice in the second set to improve to 50-1 this year — including 26-0 on hard courts.   Slideshow       Celebrity tennis fans Take a look at some well-known fans in the world of tennis. NBCSports.com     Ivan Dodig, the 41st-ranked Croat who beat Nadal, had little left a day later as he was beaten 6-1, 6-4 by unseeded Serb Janko Tipsarevic. Tipsarevic will face seventh-seeded Tomas Berdych in the quarter-finals on Friday. He is 2-0 in his career against the Czech veteran. Berdych downed Ivo Karlovic 6-3, 7-6 (2). Also, Stanislas Wawrinka ousted Kevin Anderson 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, and sixth-seeded American Mardy Fish beat Ernests Gulbis of Latvia, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. Djokovic said it is normal for top players to be a little off their games after the break most of them take between grass court play at Wimbledon and the hard court season leading up to the U.S. Open. Upsets have also befallen top players at the women's Rogers Cup in Toronto, where Maria Sharapova and French Open champion Li Na were the latest to go down on Thursday. "I can't talk for all players, but the fact is that for most of the top players who don't play for a few weeks it's normal to expect that the opening matches of the tournament will be tricky," Djokovic said. "You're still trying to find the rhythm, trying to get used to the conditions and getting into tournament mode.   Slide show  

'9-11-01' to be painted next to US Open court

A white "9-11-01" will be painted next to the court for the U.S. Open men's and women's singles finals, part of the Grand Slam tennis tournament's commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The men's final in New York is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 11. The women's final is a day earlier. "If you think about it, everybody knows where they were on 9-11. And by putting that ... date, it's going to trigger memories for each of us — personal memories — and that's a factor that went into this," Jon Vegosen, the U.S. Tennis Association's chairman of the board and president, said in a telephone interview Thursday. Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here "Rather than imposing what 9-11 means," he added, "it allows it to be a much more personal moment for people." The temporary display will be placed near the net — across the court from where the chair umpire sits and players go to rest during changeovers — and will be painted on the green background that surrounds the blue playing surface in Arthur Ashe Stadium. It will be added on the tournament's second Friday night, when there are no matches scheduled to be played. "Our goal is to mark this very solemn occasion in a dignified and respectful matter," Vegosen said. "We're certainly a global stage, and we have a special responsibility to honor those fallen and those who responded heroically on that fateful day." Vegosen also said security at the U.S. Open will be increased in 2011, although he declined to talk about any specific measures. Other USTA plans connected to the Sept. 11 anniversary: — all players entered in the tournament will be given a U.S. Open hat with "9-11-01" stitched on the side; — the men's finalists will walk from the doorway that brings them from the locker room to the court through a path lined by an honor guard of New York police officers, firefighters and Port Authority police; — Marines will unfurl a court-sized U.S. flag in the stadium; — moments of silence; — a military flyover; — New York's 9-11 memorial logo will replace advertising for the tournament's official website on a wall inside the stadium; — performances by Queen Latifah and Cindy Lauper. "There's a balance here that one wants to maintain: You don't want to go over the top, and you don't want to be too understated," the USTA's Vegosen said. "And I think we're striking that balance." ___ Follow Howard Fendrich at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich

Serena to play '12 Fed Cup

Serena Williams plans to play for the United States in two Fed Cup series next year, returning to a team she hasn't been a member of since 2007. And the U.S. Tennis Association says that if Williams does play for her country twice in 2012, it will consider the 13-time Grand Slam champion eligible for the London Olympics. The International Tennis Federation's Olympic rules require women to have made themselves available for Fed Cup in two years from 2009-12. "I am committing to play in both of the U.S. Fed Cup team's ties in 2012," Williams said in a statement released to The Associated Press by the USTA on Wednesday. "After being physically unable to participate in the last few ties, I am eager to compete in Fed Cup and help my country return to the World Group." Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here The Americans host Belarus in a second-tier group match Feb. 4-5 at a site the USTA has yet to choose. The winner of those matches will advance to a playoff in April that gives that country a chance to return to the top-level World Group and compete for the 2013 Fed Cup title. The Belarus-U.S. loser, meanwhile, will need to participate in a playoff — also in April — that could knock that nation down to the third tier of the competition. Williams was away from the tennis tour for nearly a full year, from July 2010 to June 2011, because of a series of health problems. The ITF's eligibility requirements for the Olympics say a player must be "in good standing with their national association and the ITF, and have made themselves available for selection to represent their country in Davis Cup or Fed Cup for two of the following years — 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 — provided one of those years is 2011 or 2012." The USTA and Williams are counting on a little wiggle room, though. In a statement Wednesday, the USTA said: "Given the extenuating circumstances that kept Serena out of competition for nearly a year with serious health issues and unable to play Fed Cup in 2011, from the USTA's perspective Serena will be in good standing and eligible for the 2012 United States Olympic tennis team if she participates in both Fed Cup ties in 2012." The USTA's statement ended: "That being said, the ITF will make the final decision regarding Serena's Olympic eligibility." The 29-year-old Williams is 7-0 over her career in Fed Cup matches, including 4-0 in singles. But she last participated in the event in the 2007 quarterfinals. "Serena Williams is one of the best players in the history of our sport, and I'm thrilled that she has committed to play in both of our team's ties next year," Fed Cup captain Mary Joe Fernandez said. "Her presence both on the court and off will undoubtedly help our team as we attempt to return to the World Group for 2013." ___ Follow Howard Fendrich at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich

Venus Williams withdraws from Rogers Cup

TORONTO - Venus Williams has withdrawn from the Rogers Cup due to an illness. Williams says she wasn't feeling well so she went to see the doctor Sunday. She was diagnosed with a viral illness and says she is "extremely disappointed" she won't be able to play in Toronto. Qualifier Zhang Shuai steps into Williams' first-round match Tuesday against Ana Ivanovic. Lourdes Dominguez Lino got the extra spot in the draw. Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here The strong Rogers Cup field still includes Williams' sister, Serena, and Caroline Wozniacki, Maria Sharapova and Kim Clijsters.

Marion Bartoli upset by qualifier at Rogers Cup

TORONTO - Marion Bartoli of France was upset in the first round of the Rogers Cup on Monday, losing 6-3, 6-3 to qualifier Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan. Voskoboeva is ranked 135th and came into the match off a semifinals appearance at the Baku Cup in Azerbaijan. She has been ranked as high as No. 64. Bartoli was seeded ninth and ranked ninth. Bartoli struggled with her serve, double-faulting four times. She also lost in this tournament in the first round in 2009. Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here Tenth-seeded Samantha Stosur of Australia advanced with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Ayumi Morita of Japan. Stosur will meet the winner of Tuesday's match between Aleksandra Wozniak of Canada and Shahar Peer of Israel.

Zvonareva, Radwanska in Carlsbad final

CARLSBAD, Calif. - Vera Zvonareva of Russia won the first four games of the third set, then held on for a 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 win over fifth-seeded Ana Ivanovic of Serbia in the semifinals of the Mercury Insurance Open on Saturday night. The top-seeded and third-ranked Zvonareva, who won a hardcourt event last week in Azerbaijan, will play Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in the finals. Radwanska beat Andrea Petkovic of Germany, 4-6, 6-0, 6-4, in the other semifinal. "At the end, I came up with the good shots when I needed to," Zvonareva said. Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here Zvonareva raised her game substantially as she won the first four games of the third set after losing a tough first set, then needing seven set points to finish off the second. But trailing 5-1 in the third, Ivanovic came back to win three straight games and force Zvonareva to serve for the match. The Russian, who had a match point on her serve at 5-3, finally closed the match when Ivanovic netted a forehand. "I started to play more aggressive," Zvonareva said. "I felt like sometimes I was going for some crazy shots and making some wrong decisions. But I knew that I had to push myself to keep trying them. They didn't work in the first set, then they started slowing working and it helped me to win the match." Zvonareva, the two-time Grand Slam finalist, reached her third final this season and increased her winning streak to a career-high nine matches. She forced a third set after squandering six set points before finally hitting a backhand winner to nail down the second set. The Russian broke Ivanovic's serve in the first game of the match. The pair then held serve until Ivanovic broke back in the 10th game to even the set at 5-all. After Ivanovic held serve, she won the set when Zvonareva double-faulted on set point. "I had chances in the second set despite that she was playing well," Ivanovic said. "She played well and she got a lot of balls back. In the third set, I struggled a little bit physically in the beginning. I started to feel better a little too late. "My arms, my legs, I just started feeling a little fatigued." Radwanska, seemingly still bothered by a right shoulder injury, rebounded from losing the first set by winning 10 straight games to win the second set and jump ahead 4-0 in the third. Petkovic revealed she was sick to her stomach when she took the court, and that it got worse as the match wore on. Petkovic eventually sprinted off the court during the second set to go to the bathroom so she could vomit. "Is it more embarrassing running off the court like a maniac or throwing up on court and being on SportsCenter for the next 25 years?" Petkovic asked. "Yeah, running off the court is better, so that's what I did." Radwanska took advantage of the situation and raised her game while Petkovic dealt with her issue. "I think I was more relaxed," Radwanska said about losing the first set. "I just thought I have really nothing to lose. She's playing well, this is the semifinal. I was really starting to play much better, playing aggressive, pretty much no mistakes." Radwanska reached her first championship match since she lost here last year to Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova. She will be seeking for her first title since 2008 and her fifth overall. Petkovic, who took advantage of Radwanska's weak serving, looked to be in control after the first set. The right-handed hitting Radwanska has had a nerve issue in her right shoulder since last week at Stanford. The injury affects her most on her serve. She routinely hit first serves in the mid- to low-80s (mph) with her second serves in the 70s. Radwanska broke Petkovic's serve in the first game of the second set and took complete control of the match. With Radwanska holding at 4-0 lead in the second set and Petkovic serving at 0-40, Petkovic sprinted into the stands and off the court. Petkovic had advised tournament supervisor Melanie Tabb and chair umpire Kerrilyn Cramer during the changeover at 3-0 that she needed to go to the bathroom because she felt sick to her stomach. But she was advised that since Radwanska was serving the next game, it would be considered a time violation if she left. Petkovic waited until her serve in the fifth game before she hurriedly left the court. "I think I ate something wrong for lunch," she said. "After the first set, I felt drained and I felt like vomiting all the time." The delay didn't help as Radwanska finished off the set and continued her strong play into the third set when she broke Petkovic twice. "I felt much, much better (after vomiting)," Petkovic said. "The problem was I dropped intensity after the little incident." Petkovic then regained her stroke from the first set as she ran off three straight games to get back in the match. After both players held serve, Radwanska finally ended the rollercoaster match on her first match point when Petkovic netted a forehand. "Obviously, she was starting to play incredible in the third set," Radwanska said. "I didn't really change anything. She was just playing unbelievable." Radwanska lost 6-0 in the first set of Friday's quarterfinals against Daniela Hantuchova before coming back for a three-set win. Petkovic, currently ranked 11th, is projected to reach No. 10 for the first top-10 ranking of her career. She also will become the first German in the top 10 since Anke Huber in October 2000.

Sharapova still world's top earning female

NEW YORK - Maria Sharapova may not have won a grand slam title since 2008, but the Russian tennis player remains unchallenged as the world's highest paid woman in professional sports. For the seventh straight year, Sharapova topped the annual list provided by Forbes magazine, despite failing to add to her three grand slam titles, although she did make the Wimbledon final in July. Sharapova's earnings, mostly off-court endorsements, were estimated at $25 million, twice as much as her nearest rival, Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki, the current women's world number one. Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here American racing driver Danica Patrick was third with $12 million followed by tennis players Venus Williams, Belgium's Kim Clijsters and Serena Williams. Seven of the top nine female earners were tennis players, including China's Li Na, who made $8 million last year but was expected to soar up the rankings and challenge Sharapova for the top spot after her breakthrough win at the French Open. Top 10 women earners 1. Maria Sharapova $25 million (Russia, tennis) 2. Caroline Wozniacki $12.5 million (Denmark, tennis 3. Danica Patrick $12 million (U.S., motor racing) 4. Venus Williams $11.5 million (U.S., tennis) 5. Kim Clijsters $11 million (Belgium, tennis) 6. Serena Williams $10.5 million (U.S., tennis) 7. Kim Yu Na $10 million (figure skating, South Korea) 8. Li Na $8 million (China, tennis) 9. Ana Ivanovic $6 million (Serbia, tennis) 10. Paula Creamer $5.5 million (U.S., golf)

Top seed Zvonareva beats Dushevina at Carlsbad

CARLSBAD, Calif. (AP) - Top-seeded Vera Zvonareva of Russia beat countrywoman Vera Dushevina 6-3, 6-0 Thursday as the top five seeds advanced at the Mercury Insurance Open. The third-ranked Zvonareva, who received a first-round bye, rebounded from a tough opening-round match to move into the quarterfinals. She will face the winner of the night match between No. 12 seed Sabine Lisicki of Germany and American teenager Coco Vandeweghe. After a 6-4, 7-5 win in the second round Tuesday against American qualifier Jill Craybas, Zvonareva was pleased with her performance. Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here "I think I started off a little slow but then I think I picked it up and it was a little bit better, a little bit cleaner than the previous one," Zvonareva said. No. 2 seed Andrea Petkovic of Germany and third-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland also advanced to the quarters with quick victories. With the score tied 2-all, Petkovic won seven straight games to win the first set 6-2 and jump ahead 3-0 in the second when France's Virginia Razzano retired with a right shoulder injury. Radwanska dispatched one of the three remaining American teenagers with a 6-1, 6-0 win over 19-year-old Christina McHale. Fifth-seeded Ana Ivanovic advanced to a quarterfinal match against No. 4 seed Peng Shuai of China with a 6-1, 6-2 win against Italy's Alberta Brianti. Peng had to come from a set down and rally from a 1-3 hole in the third set to beat No. 16 seed Sara Errani of Italy 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7). Daniela Hantuchova, the No. 8 seed from Slovakia, beat Zheng Jie of China, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 and will meet Radwanska in the quarters. In the only match not involving a seeded player, U.S. teenager Sloane Stephens was ahead 5-3 and had a set point when Tamira Paszek of Austria retired with a left abdominal injury. The 18-year-old Stephens next faces Radwanska in the quarterfinals. Radwanska, the runner-up here last year, saw improvement over her opening-round match when she was pushed to a tiebreaker in a straight-set win over Elena Baltacha of Britain. "I was very happy with my performance," Radwanska said. "I think I played much better than the first match. Everything was working." Petkovic was sailing through her match when Razzano pulled out with her injury. "The first two games I think we were both playing really well," Petkovic said. "I managed to hold onto that level and I don't know if was her injured shoulder or neck, but afterward she dropped her level. I managed to stay at the top level."

American teen Stephens upsets No. 7 Goerges

CARLSBAD, Calif. - American teenager Sloane Stephens upset No. 7 seed Julia Goerges 6-3, 7-5 despite a potentially costly and embarrassing mistake in a second-round match Wednesday in the Mercury Insurance Open. Stephens, 18, beat her German opponent with a steady ground game and won despite squandering a set point when she allowed an out ball to hit her in the back. Stephens was ranked No. 131 in the world. Goerges was ranked 20th. Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here "I knew definitely she is an awesome player," Stephens said. "But today wasn't her best day. I'm happy I got her on this day. But everyone has their days and today wasn't hers. I guess it was mine." No. 11 seed Maria Kirilenko of Russia withdrew from the tournament Wednesday with a left hip injury before her second-round match against Romania's Tamira Paszek. Stephens will face Paszek in the third round. Sabine Lisicki, the No. 12 seed from Germany, overwhelmed 40-year-old Kimiko Date-Krumm of Japan 6-1, 6-2 in a second-round night match. Lisicki moved into the third round where she will face local favorite, 19-year-old Coco Vandeweghe, a 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3 winner of lucky loser Olga Savchuk of the Ukraine. "I always have really tough matches against Kimiko," Lisicki said. "I think I controlled the point from the start with the serve and the return. I took her weapon away a little bit." Fifth-seeded and former world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic of Serbia was a 6-1, 7-6 (5) winner over Japan's Ayumi Morita. After winning the first set easily, Ivanovic lost the first five games of the second set before rallying to win five consecutive games and force the tiebreaker. No. 4 seed Peng Shuai of China, who had a first-round bye, advanced with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Anastasia Rodionova of Australia. Eighth-seeded Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia also won her first match 6-1, 6-3 over Barbara Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic. Zheng Jie of China upset No. 9 seed Roberta Vinci of Italy, 6-4, 6-2, and No. 16 seed Polona Hercog of Slovenia lost 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 to Russia's Vera Dushevina. Stephens registered consecutive victories in a Premier WTA event for the first time in her career. The highest-ranked player Stephens had previously defeated was then-No. 67 Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic last season at Indian Wells. The win allowed her to laugh at the set point she gave away when Goerges hit a ball long, but Stephens inexplicably allowed the ball to hit her in the back. Goerges called it "the funny point." "That was so embarrassing. I don't know what happened," Stephen said. "I was watching it, I tried to get out of the way. ... That's never really ever happened to me before. It was embarrassing, it was funny, it was childish, something an 18-year-old would do." Goerges, who has two wins this season over top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki, is struggling on the hardcourts after losing last week in the first round of the Bank of the West Classic at Stanford. "If you saw me play last week, it's not so frustrating," Goerges said. "It's been a big improvement. I am trying to play my game and I am going for it the whole match. Obviously, it is not working out right now, but it's the right way to come back." Morita knocked out Ivanovic in the first round at Stanford in straight sets. "I think this was a whole different match," Ivanovic said. "It was a whole higher level than last week. I can see lots of improvement."

Serena returns to top 100 after title win

LONDON (AP) -Serena Williams has returned to the top 100 in the women's rankings after winning her first title in more than a year at Stanford on Sunday. The former No. 1 jumped 90 places to 79th in the latest rankings released Monday after beating Marion Bartoli 7-5, 6-1 in the Bank of the West Classic final to win her first title outside of the Grand Slams since 2009. Williams was sidelined for almost a year until June with foot injuries and blood clots on her lungs, and slid to 175th in the rankings when she failed to defend her Wimbledon title - her lowest spot in 14 years. Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here The 29-year-old American will take a week's break before playing in Toronto as she prepares for the U.S. Open, beginning Aug. 29.

ITF bans American Kendrick for one year

LONDON - Former top-100 player Robert Kendrick of the United States has been suspended for a year by the International Tennis Federation after testing positive for a banned stimulant at the French Open. After failing the May 22 test, Kendrick said the stimulant got into his system because of a capsule he took to combat jet lag. He denied he was trying to enhance his performance. Kendrick lost in the first round at Roland Garros. The ITF accepted his account, but said a player is responsible for any banned substance in his body. His suspension runs until May 21, 2012. Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here The 31-year-old Kendrick was born in California and now lives in Florida. He reached a career-best ranking of 69th in 2009 and is currently 105th.

Kamke beats Kudla in opening Legg Mason match

WASHINGTON - Tobias Kamke of Germany beat 18-year-old wild-card entry Denis Kudla of the United States 6-4, 6-2 in Sunday's only main-draw match at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic. Playing much steadier, Kamke made only 12 unforced errors, 19 fewer than Kudla, who lives in Arlington, Va. Kamke broke serve to open the second set and was on his way, wrapping up the victory in 70 minutes. Kamke will face 11th-seeded John Isner — winner of the longest match in tennis history — in the second round. Isner and the other 16 seeded players at the hard-court tuneup for the U.S. Open all received first-round byes. Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here Among the players scheduled to compete Monday, the first full day of action, are James Blake and Donald Young of the United States, and 6-foot-10 Ivo Karlovic of Croatia. The tournament's top-seeded player is No. 7-ranked Gael Monfils of France, followed by Mardy Fish of the U.S., a finalist each of the past two weeks on the ATP tour. Andy Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion and a three-time champion in Washington, pulled out of the tournament last week, citing a side muscle injury.