Saturday, January 29, 2011

Bryan brothers win fifth Aussie doubles title

MELBOURNE, Australia - American twins Bob and Mike Bryan won their fifth Australian Open doubles title and 10th Grand Slam championship, beating Indian legends Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday.

The Bryans have held the No. 1 ranking in doubles for the past eight years. They have also won the U.S Open three times and the French Open and Wimbledon once each.

The Bryan brothers, who won the Australian title in 2006, '07, '09 and last year, and have also been runners-up twice, didn't lose their serve and broke the Indian team twice. They celebrated the win with their familiar chest bump.


The twins already hold the record for the most tournament titles of any men's pairing in the Open Era, which they stretched to 68, seven better than retired Australians Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge.

Bryan brothers win fifth Aussie doubles title

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Di Maria clinches Real dealLi lashes out at Chinese fans during Aussie final

Li lashes out at Chinese fans during Aussie final

MELBOURNE - Li Na told her coach and husband she would love him "forever" after she lost the Australian Open final Saturday, but she had little love for the "amateur coaches" in the stands who broke her rhythm against Kim Clijsters.

Fed up with boisterous shouts from Chinese fans during the tense second set, ninth seed Li marched to the chair umpire after being broken at 3-3 and asked her: "Can you tell the Chinese, don't teach me how to play tennis?"

The irritable Li won only three games for the rest of the match on a balmy evening at Melbourne Park as she went down 3-6 6-3 6-3 to end China's dreams of a first grand slam singles champion.


"There were a lot of people coaching me," she told reporters. "It was really loud and it wasn't just one direction, it was from all sides.

"I think Chinese people watching tennis can't be polite ... (saying) 'Take her out!' and other things.

"When they were calling out things it was during returns, so I felt" — and here she inhaled sharply — "so tired!"

The outburst was reminiscent of her moment during her semifinal against Dinara Safina at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, when she told the local crowd to "shut up."

Li lashes out at Chinese fans during Aussie final

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Austria to play France in aircraft hangarNadal set for Mallorca role

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Federer KO'd

MELBOURNE, Australia - First Rafael Nadal, now Roger Federer.

Federer, the 16-time Grand Slam winner, was knocked out of the Australian Open 7-6 (3), 7-5, 6-4 on Thursday by 2008 champion Novak Djokovic.

Before the tournament Nadal was going for his fourth straight Grand Slam win and Federer was aiming for his fifth Australian title.


Instead, Nadal was eliminated by fellow Spaniard David Ferrer and Federer is heading home. Djokovic will face Andy Murray or Ferrer in the final - they play on Friday.

"I'm looking forward to watching that match tomorrow from my bed with some popcorn," Djokovic said. "David played a fantastic match against Rafa even though Rafa was struggling obviously with injuries.

"They are in top shape. Andy has been in top shape on this court. It's a Grand Slam final, anything can happen. I believe in myself."

Federer KOd

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  Australian Open men's champions
From Rod Laver to Roger Federer, take a look at the Open era champions Down Under.

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It will be the first time since 2003 that Federer will not hold any of the four major titles and the first time that neither Nadal nor Federer will not feature in a Grand Slam final since the Australian Open in 2008, when Djokovic beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

It will be the first time since 2003 that Federer will not hold any of the four major titles.

The finals scenario could open the door for Murray to become the first British Grand Slam singles champion since Fred Perry in 1936 when the final is played Sunday night at Rod Laver Arena.

ALSO ON THIS STORYGet Australian Open tickets

"It's really one of the best matches I've played in a while," Djokovic said.

It is the second straight Grand Slam in which Djokovic has knocked Federer out in the semis. At last year's U.S. Open, the Serbian player saved match points before beating Federer in five sets to advance to the final against Nadal.

Federer KOd

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Nadal set for Mallorca roleNadal to win Australia Open if fit, says McEnroe

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Clijsters, Zvonareva into Australian semifinals

MELBOURNE, Australia - U.S. Open champion Kim Clijsters is the growing favorite in the women's draw at the Australian Open. She advanced to a semifinal against No. 2 Vera Zvonareva, whom she beat in the last U.S. Open final.

Clijsters had some nervous moments in her 6-3, 7-6 (4) win over No. 12 Agnieszka Radwanska, but really only when some air force planes flew in formation overhead as part of celebrations for the national holiday.

Cannons went off earlier when Zvonareva started the Australia Day proceedings at Rod Laver Arena with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Petra Kvitova.

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Clijsters is the only Grand Slam winner into the women's semis, although she's still seeking her first major title outside of America. No. 1-ranked Caroline Wozniacki and China's Li Na meet in the other half of the draw.

"I hope the experience can help me a little bit," Clijsters said. "But there are some tough players out there, we have Nos. 1, 2, 3 still in and Li Na has been playing really well. So it is going to be really tough.

"I lost to Vera at Wimbledon last year, I beat her in finals of U.S. Open."

Clijsters, Zvonareva into Australian semifinals

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  Australian Open women's champions
From Margaret Smith Court to Serena Williams, check out the Open era victors.

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Zvonareva has lost the last two Grand Slam finals, to Clijsters in New York and Serena Williams at Wimbledon.

Clijsters was up a set and a break before Radwanska rallied, winning three straight games to lead 5-4 with a chance to serve for the second set.

With six Royal Australian Air Force "Roulettes" flying overhead, Clijsters converted her fourth break-point chance to tie it at 5 and the set went to a tiebreaker.

"I think the planes kind of took me up higher!" joked Clijsters, long a crowd favorite in Australia, where she's still called "Aussie Kim." She also was engaged for a time to former No. 1-ranked Lleyton Hewitt.

"Happy Australia Day everybody," she said in a salute to her supporters.

Zvonareva wore a black ribbon on her hat in honor of the 35 victims of the suicide bombing at a Moscow airport this week. Her quarterfinal also featured a couple distractions.

Clijsters, Zvonareva into Australian semifinals

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Cottagers eye MiguelZvonareva cries out for grand slam respect

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Sharapova out

MELBOURNE, Australia - Former champion Maria Sharapova has lost in the fourth round of the Australian Open to Andrea Petkovic.

The 30th-seeded Petkovic of Germany was rarely challenged in beating the 2008 Australian Open champion 6-2, 6-3 on Sunday. Petkovic benefited from an easy third round — she only needed to play seven points before seven-time major winner Venus Williams retired on Thursday night with an injured hip muscle.

She will now take on China's Li Na in the quarterfinals.


Meanwhile, Caroline Wozniacki moved into the Australian Open quarterfinals with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Anastasija Sevastova on Sunday and is just one victory from ensuring she'll retain the top ranking.

The 20-year-old Dane, playing her first major as world No. 1, reached the quarterfinals at Melbourne Park for the first time. She can keep her top ranking with an appearance in the semis.

She wants more than that, though. She's aiming for a first Grand Slam title.

The questions about Wozniacki's worthiness of the top ranking are starting to diminish. Asked which player she feared most, she said: "I don't fear anyone actually."

"I'm feeling confident. I feel like I can beat anyone on a good day. I think they have to fear me when they're playing me," she said. "I just go out there and do my best. If they're better than me that day, it's just too good."

Wozniacki lost three of the first four games of the match before reeling off six in a row, including a break in the first game of the second set. Sevastova, ranked No. 46, rallied and the pair traded breaks until Wozniacki regained control.

Sharapova out

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  Australian Open women's champions
From Margaret Smith Court to Serena Williams, check out the Open era victors.

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But she later tweeted: "Round 2 with the media:) hope you enjoyed my kangaroo story, hope you know i was just kidding:) see you on tuesday for round 3!"

She later returned to Melbourne Park to clarify she'd made up the story and to apologize, saying she didn't think anyone would believe it.

French Open champion Francesca Schiavone established a Grand Slam women's record later Sunday, needing 4 hours, 44 minutes to beat Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 1-6, 16-14 in a fourth-round match. Schiavone saved six match points, then converted on her third match point in the longest match at a major in terms of time in the Open era. The longest previous women's match in a Grand Slam tournament was here last year when Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova beat Regina Kulikova 7-6 (5), 6-7 (10), 6-3 in a match lasting 4:19.

Schiavone will meet top-ranked Wozniacki in the quarterfinals.

Li Na, already China's most successful player, reached the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 6-3 win over eighth-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.

The ninth-seeded Li was one of two Chinese players to reach the semifinals at Melbourne Park last year, her run ending with a loss to eventual champion Serena Williams in two tiebreak sets.

There's more Chinese players into the fourth round than from any of the four Grand Slam host nations.



Nadal, Wozniacki win ITF World Champion awards

Fast and furious: Hitting with Rafa and Roger

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -Ever wonder what it's like to play against Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer?

It's a fast-paced, mentally draining, physically exhausting, intimidating process that typically results in being worn down to submission. The little yellow ball zooms forward, twisting in a swish of speed and power, and the goal is to hit it back - again and again and again.

Nothing quite prepares even the pros for playing Rafa and Roger. Just ask their rivals.


Federer's opponent Friday was 30-year-old Xavier Malisse, a Belgian who has known the Swiss star since they were 12. They both turned pro in 1998. Malisse never quite became a household name, while Federer went on to win 16 Grand Slam titles and is commonly called one of the greatest players of all time.

"He's extraordinary," Malisse said in an interview after losing their third-round match, 6-3, 6-3, 6-1. Like most players who lose to Federer, he was disappointed but reverential. "His style was like that in the beginning, when he was 12. But when you see how it evolved - it's another world."

"When he hits the ball, there's an incredible speed. You're always on the defensive. You have to adapt to each point but you don't have time," said Malisse, who is ranked 45th from a career high of No. 19. "He's a perfect player."

The 29-year-old Federer exudes calm on the court and an effortless grace, which belies the intense power of his shots and his ability to usually outthink and outmaneuver opponents by anticipating their next move.

Federer often says that after all these years he still enjoys tennis, and his enjoyment is apparent on the court. He is not tortured by the pressure of living up to his reputation. After Friday's match, he was asked what keeps him excited about tennis and Federer said he loves playing on center courts around the world.

"It takes a lot of hard work to get there," said Federer, who has a staggering record of 755 wins during his career and 177 losses. "When you're there, you want to stay there."

Nadal's style is different. The 24-year-old Spaniard is muscular, intense and phenomenally athletic. He relentlessly chases down balls and pounds them back with viscous topspin. Since Nadal turned pro in 2001, he has won 477 matches and lost 102. He owns nine Grand Slam singles trophies.

Together, Federer and Nadal have monopolized the No. 1 and No. 2 year-end rankings since 2004. Nadal is currently in the top spot and trying to complete a "Rafa Slam" by winning his fourth Grand Slam in a row. Federer is bidding to become the second man in history to win five Australian Opens. A Federer-Nadal matchup in Melbourne could only happen in the final.

Frenchman Gilles Simon gave Federer his biggest scare of the tournament so far, pushing him to five demanding sets in the previous round.

Simon has been ranked as high as No. 6. He is one of only three men on the tour - beside Nadal and Andy Murray - with a winning record against the Swiss great but he said Federer remains an enigma to him.

Simon described the experience of playing against Federer as "a little bit strange."

"You look at the ball, and you have the impression that you can't do anything in the moment," he said, adding that he felt like he was running nonstop for three hours, while Federer was still speedy at the end. "I feel like he's in control, he can do whatever he wants."

No. 5 Andy Murray holds an 8-to-6 edge over Federer but has never beaten him at a Grand Slam, including last year's Australian Open final. He makes it a point to study Federer and Nadal.

"If they're on TV and you're in the hotel, you'll definitely sit and watch some. You can learn a lot from those guys," Murray said.

No. 3 Novak Djokovic is directly behind Rafa and Roger in the rankings but considers the gap enormous.

"I'm in this small group of players behind them that is trying to challenge them in each event," Djokovic said earlier this week. He has succeeded in beating Nadal 7 out of 23 times. He has beaten Federer in 6 of their 19 matches.

"They are physically fit and mentally very strong," said Djokovic, the 2008 Australian Open champion who finished No. 3 last year for the fourth year in a row.

Like others, Djokovic marveled at Federer's and Nadal's seeming lack of weaknesses and their ability to keep getting better and stronger.

"This mental strength is I guess a big advantage over the other opponents," he said. "They always play in full speed, especially Nadal."

Nadal's most recent victim was American qualifier Ryan Sweeting on Thursday. Nadal's quick, clinical straight-set win didn't take long but left the 23-year-old American wiped out.

"Mentally it was draining. It wore me physically," Sweeting said.

"I'm running, running, and running just to get a point in the game," he said. "With Rafa, he's so fast and so strong that he gets there and he gets the ball back deep and you have to start all over. You have to win the point two or three times just in order to get a 15-love."

But he wouldn't trade the experience for anything.

"I was very excited," Sweeting said. "It's not every day you get to go head-to-head against the No. 1 player in the world, possibly one of the best to ever play the game."



Nadal to win Australia Open if fit, says McEnroeNadal set for Mallorca role

WTA player's relative banned from tour

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -A member of tennis player Aravane Rezai's family has been suspended from attending future WTA tournaments pending an investigation "into a serious safety matter."

Rezai, who has won four WTA tournaments, was born in France and lives in Switzerland, according to the WTA Tour media guide.

A WTA statement on Sunday said "the health and well being of our players is the No. 1 priority for the WTA. A serious safety matter has been brought to the WTA's attention, which has resulted in a family member of Aravane Rezai being indefinitely suspended from all future WTA events pending our investigation."

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"In respect of the privacy of the player involved, the WTA is not in a position to comment further on the details of the matter," the statement said.

The 23-year-old Rezai, who was seeded 17th at the Australian Open, was beaten in the first round in three sets by Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic.

The WTA media guide said Rezai is coached by her brother, Anouch, and that her fitness coach is John Cara. It also says her mother, Nouchine, is a physiotherapist who travels with her.

© 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

PL ‘must invest’ to develop youthPennetta, Rezai cruise into Swedish Open quarters

Zvonareva cries out for grand slam respect

MELBOURNE - Few players wear their heart on their sleeve quite like Russia's world number two Vera Zvonareva but the occasional tantrums and tears should not be mistaken for mental fragility.

After all, the 26-year-old who is often captured with her head buried under her towel during changeovers as she seeks some refuge from the sounds and fury of battle, could be on the verge of becoming the world number one.

She wept after being beaten by Serena Williams in the Wimbledon final last year and shed more bitter tears in front of a packed Arthur Ashe stadium when trounced by Kim Clijsters in the U.S. Open final.

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While those final appearances helped her climb to a career-high ranking of two, the crushing manner of the defeats and the tears that followed did little to shed her image as a mentally brittle player.

"I'm not Serena Williams who can hit a serve 200 miles per hour, I'm not Maria Sharapova who can hit a winner on one ball, I don't think I'm Rafael Nadal, who is physically unbelievable," she bristled in an interview with Reuters after reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open with a nervy straight sets win against Lucie Safarova on Saturday.

"If I'm not mentally strong, then how am I number two in the world?"

Sitting wearing a bright green sweater emblazoned with the words "Love and Hope," Zvonareva shows that she cares passionately about her profession and she explained her often emotional on-court persona.

"When I watch the ball for a very long time and try to concentrate, my eyes get tired and watery, so I just put the towel over so it's a bit dark, and close my eyes to relax," she said. "Sometimes, you know, you might cry, but lots of the time, my eyes are just watery, it's just intensity probably in the eyes. It's just how it goes."

"And if you lose a couple of big matches I think it's normal to cry sometimes because it shows that you care," she added after her grand slam final tears.

While the losses do hurt, the intense Muscovite with piercing green eyes said she has matured over the past year, helped by her return to school to study international economic relations at a university aligned to Russia's foreign ministry.

The daughter of sporty parents -- her mother was an Olympic bronze medalist in field hockey -- Zvonareva already has a physical education degree and lists a heavy tome by Tolstoy as one of her favorite books.

"For me the most important part of it is to learn different things," said Zvonareva, who matched her mother's Olympic exploits with a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Games.

"Definitely it helps me (get my mind off tennis). I try to develop myself not only as a tennis player but as a person as well, and I think that's very important."

Zvonareva could snatch the world's top ranking from Caroline Wozniacki should the top-seeded Dane fail to reach the semi-final, but a potential quarter-final with Clijsters, the woman who gave her an almighty schooling at Flushing Meadows, stands in her way.

"It is part of the game that I'm really enjoying, the challenge," said Zvonareva. She's a great player, but there is no one that I fear."

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Without injured Williams sisters, some buzz goneNadal set for Mallorca role

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Groth advances to semifinals at Hobart

HOBART, Australia (AP) -Jarmila Groth of Australia will play her doubles partner Klara Zakopalova for a place in the Hobart International final.

Groth comfortably defeated Roberta Vinci of Italy 6-1, 6-2 in the quarterfinals Thursday, while her Czech doubles partner Zakopalova beat top-seeded Marion Bartoli 6-4, 6-2.

The other semifinal will be between American Bethanie Mattek-Sands and China's Peng Shuai, who both played two matches on Thursday to make up for lost time due to rain delays.


Mattek-Sands first ousted Ayumi Morita of Japan 6-3, 6-1 before overcoming Angelique Kerber of Germany 6-4, 6-4.

Peng completed a 2-6, 6-4, 6-0 victory over Olga Govortsova of Belarus before beating Sara Errani of Italy, 6-1, 6-3.



Aguero eyes Chelsea moveIsner beats Mahut - in just 90 minutes this time

Nalbandian ousts Isner in Auckland

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) -Former world No. 3 David Nalbandian beat ailing defending champion John Isner 6-4, 7-6 (3) on Thursday to reach the semifinals of the Heineken Open.

Nalbandian, the No. 6 seed in Auckland and the 27th-seed for next week's Australian Open, beat the third-seeded American who appeared to be troubled by an arm injury on Thursday.

Isner needed medical treatment to an injury to his upper arm or shoulder but still delivered eight aces and put 78 percent of first serves in play before the steadier Nalbandian ended his title defense.


The tournament's top two seeds, Spaniard's David Ferrer and Nicolas Almagro, also won through to the semifinals in three-set matches.

Nalbandian will play Almagro in the semifinals while Ferrer will take on unseeded Colombian Santiago Giraldo who beat the No.7 seed Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil 6-2, 6-4.

Top-seed Ferrer beat No. 8 seed Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-3 in a marathon match between former champions. Ferrer won the Auckland title in 2007 and Kohlschreiber in 2008.

Their clash lasted 153 minutes before Ferrer prevailed, gaining the only service break of the third set. As a measure of it's closeness, there were more than 300 rallies in the match and every game featured, on average, 10 points.

Ferrer forced the only service break of the opening set in the sixth game, and took the first frame after Kohlschreiber had saved three set points.

The Spaniard dropped serve in the fourth game of the second set but got back on level terms in the seventh game and saved two set points in the final game to send the set into a tiebreaker. Kohlschreiber had 37 unforced errors in the first two sets but won the tiebreaker 7-4 to take the match to a third set.

The deciding set was also close until Ferrer, hitting hard from the baseline, gained the only break in the sixth game. He served for the match at 5-3 but needed three matchpoints before finally extinguishing Kohlschreiber's challenge.

"It was another tough match," Ferrer said. "I'm happy in the first tournament of the year to be in the semifinals.

"It's not easy when you miss two matchpoints but I wasn't afraid. I served well in the late stages of the match, when it was important."

Almagro needed three sets to end the giant-killing run of French qualifier Adrian Mannarino, 7-6 (3), 6-7 (1), 6-2.

The 22-year-old Mannarino, ranked 80, beat No. 5 seed Juan Monaco of Argentina in the first round and eliminated last year's runner-up, his compatriot Arnaud Clement in the second round.

He also pressed the No. 14-ranked Almagro for more than 2-1/2 hours before succumbing.

"It was really tough," Almagro said. "He was playing so good at the beginning of the match and in the second set. But in the third set, I played much better than him and I could beat him.

"I didn't play my best tennis but I played a very good match with my head and mentality."



Soderling, Berdych ousted in Malaysian Open

Nadal to win Australia Open if fit, says McEnroe

LONDON - Rafael Nadal's rivals must pray he is still feeling the effects of flu at the Australian Open starts otherwise the Spaniard will be unbeatable in Melbourne, John McEnroe said on Wednesday.

The 24-year-old was struck with a fever in Doha last week, leading to fears that his hopes of becoming the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all four grand slam titles by winning in Melbourne could be undermined.

However, he was practicing as normal in Australia this week and seven-times grand slam champion McEnroe is expecting the Spaniard to underline his current dominance despite dazzling early-season from by great rival Roger Federer.

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"I would pick Nadal at the Australian because I think he's much tougher to beat in longer matches," McEnroe told the ATP Champions Tour website.

"If he remains healthy then he's the guy I would pick for every major right now until proven otherwise.

"I would love to see a guy like Juan Martin Del Potro or one of the other guys like Novak Djokovic or Andy Murray step up and really make an impact and win some majors.

"That would be important for tennis, but Nadal is the favorite, just ahead of Federer."

Nadal, winner of the 2009 Australian Open, grabbed three of the four grand slams last year and with nine to his name, compared to the 16 of Federer, many are predicting he can one day eclipse the Swiss.

"The Australian Open is outdoors, it's in the heat and I believe Rafa has to be the favorite and probably will be the winner," Sweden's Stefan Edberg, twice Australian champions, said.

"It's incredible what he has done over the past year and he does have a chance now to catch Federer."

Fellow Swede Mats Wilander, a triple winner of the Australian Open, suggested Nadal was still improving.

"Nadal has improved more at number one than Federer did when he was there," he said.

"Federer has always played brilliant tennis but you never really saw him change, whereas Nadal has actually changed his game after getting beaten a couple of times last year. I would definitely pick him for the Australian Open."

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Nadal and Federer heading back to Abu DhabiNadal set for Mallorca role

Sharapova still struggling ahead of Melbourne

AUCKLAND - The characteristic grunts and squeals, so loud they could be heard outside the Auckland Tennis Center and above the noise of traffic entering New Zealand's largest urban motorway system, were there. So were the crowds.

Maria Sharapova, reputedly the world's best-paid sportswoman, underlined her commercial pulling power at the Auckland Classic with her presence helping to effectively sell out the entire tournament -- something that had never happened before.

But the former world number one's decision to shake-up her normal Australian Open preparations by playing in New Zealand left few who saw her in any doubt.

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She was nowhere near the same level she was when she captured her last grand slam title at Melbourne Park in 2008.

Three years ago, the tall Russian romped through the Australian Open without dropping a set and was seemingly on her way back to the top of the world.

Less than seven months later she was recovering from surgery on her right shoulder. She did not return for nine months, having dropped outside the top 10 for the first time in more than four years.

A quarter-final showing at Roland Garros in 2009 has been her best grand slam showing since her return to the WTA Tour, while she has claimed just three titles and made four other finals since.

Last year at Melbourne Park she lost in the first round to compatriot Maria Kirilenko and while she added the Memphis and Strasbourg titles to take her career tally to 22, she beat just two players ranked in the top 10.

RUSTY PERFORMANCES
While she previously played exhibition tournaments in Asia as she fine-tuned her Australian Open preparations, the 23-year-old instead chose to use the Auckland tournament to shake out the rust from not having played since early October.

"This is why I'm here, to work myself up and play as many matches as I can against different types of opponents and get better," she told reporters in Auckland.

"I have been out of competition for a couple of months and that's why I'm here for this tournament, I really want to play matches, which is what I'm lacking at the moment."

Given the field included former world number one Dinara Safina, two-time grand slam title winner Sveltana Kuznetsova and champion Yanina Wickmayer, Sharapova could have expected to have been tested at least once during the week.

As it turned out, she was tested each and every time she took to the newly laid blue courts in central Auckland.

While she managed to beat Italy's 91st ranked Alberta Brianti and the Czech Republic's Renata Voracova (ranked 81st) in the first two rounds, it was apparent she was struggling against players that, prior to her surgery, she would have dispatched with minimal fuss.

Naturally aggressive with powerful groundstrokes she often sprayed her shots wide and long, struggled with her timing and it was apparent her serve was lacking in accuracy and power.

There also appeared to be problems with her second serve as she attempted to take the pace off and put more spin on the ball.

On several occasions she failed to fully extend her arm, instead hitting the ball from the side and lower down instead of going over the top, though she later put that down to a poor ball toss in windy conditions.

Sharapova admitted she had been "sloppy" during her two victories and after her second-round match against Voracova felt it was one of those matches "you just have to get through".

Her Auckland tournament ended the next day when she faced eventual winner Greta Arn, who simply waited for Sharapova's errors.

The 23-year-old then headed to Australia and while she had spoken of trying to get a wildcard for the Sydney International, instead decided it was better to get more practice before she attempted to win her fourth grand slam title.

Despite the absence of Australian Open champion Serena Williams and Justine Henin still coming back to fitness, her short stay in New Zealand may suggest she may still have to wait a little longer than January 29 to achieve that goal.

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Di Maria clinches Real dealField for Australian Open announced

Monday, January 10, 2011

Isner beats Mahut - in just 90 minutes this time

PERTH, Australia (AP) -John Isner beat Nicolas Mahut 6-3, 7-6 (5) at the Hopman Cup Monday in their first rematch since their 11-hour epic at Wimbledon last year.

Isner overcame Mahut in 90 minutes to give the U.S. an insurmountable 2-0 lead over France in the team competition. The match lasted 9 1/2 hours and 161 games less than their previous record-breaking encounter.

The Wimbledon match, the longest-ever in professional tennis history, stretched over three days and finished at 70-68 in the fifth set.


A repeat was never likely in any event but the 19th-ranked Isner started the stronger in Perth, breaking Mahut immediately, and held firm to take the first set 6-3.

Mahut, who is only in the French team after replacing the injured Gael Monfils, bounced back in the second, hitting just four unforced errors to the American's 20, but could not make any inroads into Isner's serve. Neck and neck in the second set tiebreak, it was Isner who converted the opportunity.

"Had I lost that second set it might have gone four hours so I was lucky to finish it in two," Isner said. "For the first match of the year I was pretty pleased with how I played.

"I got on top of him early in the first set, he picked up his game in the second, but I stayed the course with mine. I didn't get to break, but fortunately for me I came up with my best serves. It's always an honor to share the court with him."

Isner later teamed up with Bethanie Mattek-Sands to secure a 3-0 victory for the United States, beating Mahut and Kristina Mladenovic 2-6, 6-3, 10-8 in the mixed doubles.

Mattek-Sands had earlier given the Americans a 1-0 lead by defeating former top-ranked junior Mladenovic 3-6, 6-3, 6-1.

The 56th-ranked American, dressed in black knee-high socks and basketball shoes, recovered from dropping the opening set against an opponent ranked 301st, and secured an early break in the second set. Although Mladenovic took the break back, Mattek-Sands continued to disrupt her rhythm, and secured the set.

The third set, in which Mladenovic received treatment for a knee injury, was one-way traffic in favor of the American, who replaced the injured Serena Williams.

"She's a great player," Mattek-Sands said of Mladenovic. "I've never played her before. It's tough going out there and not playing someone that you're used to seeing across the net. So I had to go out there and make my own game plan as I went."

"She came out crushing the ball. She wasn't afraid to come in and take balls on the rise, which is normally my game. Toward the end of the second set and the third, I switched that around and started coming in more."

Mattek-Sands and Isner are due to complete the tie with the mixed doubles against Mladenovic and Mahut.

The U.S. and France are in Group B along with Britain and Italy.

In the day's earlier matchup, Potito Starace and Francesca Schiavone beat Andy Murray and Laura Robson in the deciding mixed doubles match 6-7 (1), 7-6 (6), 7-6 (2) to give Italy a 2-1 win over Britain.

Schiavone beat the 16-year-old Robson 7-5, 6-3 in women's singles to give Italy the early lead before Murray opened his 2011 season strong with a 7-5, 6-1 win over Starace.



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Stosur, Peer win at Brisbane International

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) -Sixth-ranked Samantha Stosur of Australia opened her 2011 campaign with a 7-6 (1), 6-1 win over Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic in the first round of the Brisbane International tennis tournament Monday.

Top-seed Stosur took almost 1- 1/2 hours to overcome qualifier Hradecka, coming back from 4-1 down in the first set to set up a second-round meeting with compatriot Jarmila Groth.

Eighth-ranked Andy Roddick, the men's second seed, served five aces and one double fault, spending 72 minutes on court in his 6-3, 6-2 win over Australian wild card Marinko Matosevic.


Roddick dominated on serve against his 138th-ranked opponent, winning 77 percent of service points and taking advantage of four of six break points.

He said later he felt under no pressure to defend the Brisbane title he won last year when he beat Radek Stepanek in the final.

"More so the pressure is always to use this tournament to get me ready for Melbourne. It worked last year so I'm going to do it again this year," Roddick said.

Stosur served eight aces and converted five of nine break points, steadily improving as the match progressed.

She looked both nervous and rusty at the start of her match with 110-ranked Hradecka, her first since bowing out in the semifinals of the WTA Championships in Doha in October. The 26-year old Stosur struggled to get on top of Hradecka, falling behind in the first set before recovering her touch and confidence to dominate from the baseline.

"Today is a good sign that I can handle things a bit better," Stosur said. "I was really pleased with the way I was able to fight my way back and get through that first set.

"One of the reasons I was able to do that today was I didn't panic, didn't start freaking out thinking I had to play unbelievably to get back. I just took it point by point.

"Last year I was quite disappointed with the way I started the summer. Overall I think my game has improved not just for Australian hardcourts but in general. I am a better player than this time last year."

Stosur said she was ready to carry the weight of expectation that will fall on her at this month's Australian Open where she is seen as Australia's best title chance in 30 years.

"All the top players go through it, it's just a matter of dealing with it, playing things out in your mind so nothing gets you by surprise," she said.

"The more you experience it the more you will feel better about it."

Second-seed Shahar Peer of Israel beat Australian wild card Sophie Ferguson 6-4, 6-2 to also progress to the second round on Monday. But third-seeded Russian Russian Nadia Petrova bowed to Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic 7-6, 6-3.

French fourth seed Marion Bartoli brushed aside American qualifier Vania King 6-1, 6-2.

World No. 30 Daniela Hantuchova withdrew shortly before her first round match on Monday and is now racing the clock to recover from an Achilles tendon tear in time for the Australian Open.

In the men's draw, top-seeded Robin Soderling will open his campaign Tuesday against qualifier Ryan Harrison. The world No. 5 has yet to win a hardcourt title.

"I don't know why, because it is a surface that should be very good for me," Soderling said. "I have never had the good results but hopefully that will change for me this year."



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Gasquet eyes old form in new season

CHENNAI, India (AP) -Marin Cilic's preparations for this month's Australian Open suffered a setback Monday when he lost to Kei Nishikori of Japan 4-6, 7-6 (0), 6-2 in the first round of the Chennai Open.

The second-seeded Cilic broke his opponent in the fifth game to grab the opening set, but Nishikori turned the match on its head with an inspired fightback to send the two-time defending champion packing.

In other matches, Robert Kendrick of the United States, Bjorn Phau of Germany, and Stephane Robert of France, recorded straight-set victories to make the second round.

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"I'm a little bit disappointed the way I have started the year. I wouldn't say I played too bad ... I didn't have luck at crucial moments, the key points he played better than me," Cilic said.

The 98th-ranked Nishikori, who defeated Cilic in a tough five-setter in the second round of the U.S. Open last year, outpaced the Croatian in a dramatic second set in which he saved three break points in the 11th game.

"The first two sets were very close. (My) losing the second set, he took the momentum from me," Cilic said. "The momentum he got, the way he played after that, I could not come back."

The 21-year-old Nishikori won the tiebreak without dropping a point and then broke Cilic in the first game of the third set to take an early grip on the decider before serving out for the match after breaking again in the seventh game.

"I was nervous, first match for me ... new coach (Brad Gilbert), new trainer. (But) it was a good match today," Nishikori said of the opening set.

The Florida-based Japanese attributed his fightback to changes he has made to his game.

"Not to miss easy balls, not doing crazy stuff ... (to play) more percentage tennis," he said. "In the second set I tried to make most of my first serves ... I was making him move."

Meanwhile, sixth-seeded Serbian Janko Tipsarevic kickstarted the new season with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Eduardo Schwank of Argentina and in another late match, Ivan Dodig of Croatia scored a 6-2, 6-2 win over Brazilian Marcos Daniel.

No. 6-ranked Tomas Berdych heads the field and the Czech will open the new season on Tuesday with a first round match against Frederico Gil of Portugal.

© 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Tsonga makes winning return in Qatar

DOHA, Qatar (AP) -Third-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga began his season with a crushing 6-2, 6-0 win over Spain's Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo in the first round of the Qatar Open.

Tsonga had not played since October because of a knee injury, but he showed no signs of rust as he broke serve twice in the first set and three times in the second to complete a one-sided win.

"Yeah, I played a good match," Tsonga said. "Everybody's friendly with me here. I feel really good.

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"I'm completely fit. I'm maybe healthier than before, and, you know, I just enjoy every moment on the court, and that's it. I hope it will continue."

Tsonga will face Sergei Bubka in the second round after the Ukrainian wildcard entry, who is the son of the former Olympic and world champion pole-vaulter of the same name, upset Spain's Daniel Gimeno-Traver 6-0, 6-3.

Also on Monday, fourth seed and defending champion Nikolay Davydenko of Russia eased past Fabio Fognini of Italy 6-1, 6-4 in 63 minutes.

Playing an aggressive baseline game, punctuated with solid returns, Davydenko, who beat Rafael Nadal of Spain in last year's final, broke Fognini in games two and four to take the first set in 25 minutes.

Employing similar tactics, the 29-year-old Russian wasted little time in taking the second set. Davydenko fired six aces, and did not face a break point in the entire match.

Top-ranked Rafael Nadal plays his first ATP match of the season against Karol Beck of Slovakia on Tuesday, when two-time champion Roger Federer of Switzerland also plays Dutch qualifier Thomas Schoorel.

Nadal beat Federer in straight sets on Saturday at an invitational event in Abu Dhabi.

© 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Nadal set for Mallorca roleNadal and Federer heading back to Abu Dhabi