2013 Tennis Thread

[Smallville22]

Gasquet downs Davydenko for Doha title

Frenchman Richard Gasquet battled back from a set and a break down to deprive Russian Nikolay Davydenko of his second Doha title on Saturday, winning 3-6 7-6 6-3.
Davydenko, striving to recapture the form that took him to world No.3 in 2006, seemed set for his first tournament win since 2011 but Gasquet hit back from 4-2 down in the second set to claw his way to an eighth ATP title.
After taking the second set tiebreak 7-4, second seeded Gasquet gained the upper hand and broke the 31-year-old's serve three times in the deciding set.
World number 10 Gasquet joins fellow Frenchmen Fabrice Santoro, Nicolas Escude and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga as winners of the title that Davydenko captured in 2010, when he beat Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal back to back.

At ATP Chennai, second seed Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia made the final after he beat Slovenia's Aljaz Bedene 4-6 6-2 6-2.
Tipsarevic will now face Roberto Bautista of Spain, who beat Benoit Paire 3-6 6-1 6-4 in the other semi-final.

 

[Smallville22]

Murray starts season with Brisbane title

Top seed Andy Murray's preparations for the Australian Open began with a 7-6 6-4 victory in the final of the Brisbane International over Grigor Dimitrov.
The world number three won his 25th tour title in the process ahead of the season's first Grand Slam.

 

[Smallville22]

Tipsarevic triumphs in Chennai

Serbian world number nine Janko Tipsarevic overcame early jitters to stave off Spaniard Roberto Bautista-Agut's challenge 3-6 6-1 6-3 and win the Chennai Open.
The number two seed and last year's finalist Tipsarevic lost the first set but found his rhythm back to beat the unseeded 24-year old in a first-time meeting.
The 28-year-old Tipsarevic, who lost to Milos Raonic in last year's marathon final in Chennai, won his fourth career ATP World Tour title in timely fashion with the Australian Open just over a week away.
"I think there's just one word to say and it's 'finally'," he said after winning his first title in Chennai in his sixth attempt.
"Last year, some of you may know, I could smell it, it was just there."
Bautista-Agut, who defeated top seed Tomas Berdych in the quarter-finals, looked set for his first title at one stage but Tipsarevic fought back brilliantly to wrest control, exactly like he did against Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia in the semi-final.
"Roberto was the just the better player than me in the first set, making me move left and right and being the dominant man on court," Tipsarevic said during the prize distribution.
"But I refocused, similar to my semi-final, and I took it step by step from there."


Emotional Murray starts season with Brisbane title

Top seed Andy Murray's preparations for the Australian Open began with a 7-6 6-4 victory in the final of the Brisbane International over Grigor Dimitrov.
Defending champion Murray had to weather a storm from his 21-year-old Bulgarian opponent in the opening set.
The US Open champion played a flawless tiebreaker to win it 7-0 and a clinical second set allowed him to recover a service break and complete ideal preparations for the Australian Open, which begins at Melbourne Park on January 14.
"I'd like to dedicate this victory to one of my best friends back home," Murray said in his speech at the presentation. "You're going to be okay. You're going to get through."
When Murray signed a television lens after the match, he wrote "For You .....", the third word being indecipherable.
He was asked about the dedication in his post-match conference and replied: "Just a sick friend."
Murray's secrecy mirrored his comments after his matches at Wimbledon and the US Open last year when he pointed both index fingers to the sky after all of his matches.
He made the same gesture after beating Dimitrov in his final tournament before the Australian Open, but was earlier in an agitated mood when the Bulgarian raced to a 5-2 first-set lead.
The 25-year-old Scot said his typically negative body language was due to unrealistic expectations of perfection.
"I think it depends how much it affects you in terms of duration of time," he said of his self-admonishment.
"I mean, if it's one point, and you get annoyed for 15 seconds afterwards, and you can get back to playing the next point with good intensity, then it's fine.
"When I was younger, it used to last quite a long time and it would take me a while to get back into it.
"Today, I started the match off badly and came back into it. I had lost serve in the second set and broke back straight away and won three games in a row to win the match.
"So long as it's not affecting me for long periods or when I go behind and I'm not finding ways back into matches, that's when you get worried.
"Sometimes you're maybe looking to play perfect tennis all the time. That's never going to happen. It's something you need to accept."
Dimitrov pushed Murray to the limit with an array of blazing groundstrokes and looms as a dangerous presence in the Australian Open draw.
He denied fearing any of the top three players in the world: Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer or Murray.
"Fear?" he said. "Why fear? Why do I have to feel intimidated? I want to play them. I want to play them all.
"There's nothing better than to play against these guys and do the best you can against them. Eventually, long-term, if you want to be good you're going to play them almost every week."

 

[Smallville22]

British doubles star Ross Hutchins diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma

Britain's Ross Hutchins, one half of the GB Davis Cup doubles pairing, has revealed that he is battling cancer.
The 27-year-old, whose regular playing partner is Colin Fleming, will take time out from the sport to battle Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Together they had won two titles in 2012, in Eastbourne and Delray Beach, and represented Great Britain in the Olympics, as well as at Davis Cup level.
"Unfortunately I will be away from tennis for a while," Hutchins tweeted, "as I was recently diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma.
"I am doing well, very positive with excellent medical support, friends and family around me."
It is believed that Andy Murray, who won the Brisbane International title earlier in the day, dedicated victory to Hutchins. At the time he said only that his emotional celebration was for a "sick friend", adding: "You're going to be okay. You're going to get through."
LTA chief executive Roger Draper wished Hutchins well: "Everyone in British tennis is behind Ross. He is a true ambassador for the sport, both on an off the court, and I have no doubt he will overcome this setback.
"It's important that we give Ross and his family the privacy they need during this challenging time."

 

[rivasky]

Hats off to Cara Black for winning her comeback tournament after becoming a mommie last year. :thumbsup:

http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/3031260/title/black-wins-comeback-tournament

 

[Smallville22]

Kvitova crumbles to wretched defeat in Sydney

World number eight Petra Kvitova's preparations for the Australian Open suffered another setback when she was thrashed 6-1 6-1 by Dominika Cibulkova in the first round of the Sydney International.
The fifth-seeded Czech, who had lost to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the second round of the Brisbane International last week, was thumped by her Slovak opponent at the Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre.
"I played really badly and I wish I knew what I could say but I don't know," Kvitova, the 2011 Wimbledon champion and a semi-finalist at last year's Australian Open, told reporters.
"I'm not feeling very well right now in my confidence but I'm always looking forward to playing grand slams and I hope everything will be better there than here."
Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki got her preparations for the first grand slam of the season, which starts January 14 in Melbourne, back on track with a confident 6-1 6-2 win over Poland's Urszula Radwanska.
After suffering a shock first-round loss to qualifier Ksenia Pervak in Brisbane, the Dane rediscovered her touch to record a first victory of 2013.
Wozniacki has spent 67 weeks at the top of the rankings in her career but the 22-year-old slipped to number 10 after a poor season in which she suffered first-round exits at Wimbledon and the US Open.
With boyfriend and world number one golfer Rory McIlroy cheering her on from the stands, the Dane said she believed she could climb her way back to the top.
"Within myself, I believe I can get back there," Wozniacki said. "But it's a lot of hard work and there are a lot of great players so you never know what's going to happen.
"The most important thing is that you're healthy and I'm going to play as best I can and win as many tournaments as I can and the ranking will come if you play well."
Australian Olivia Rogowska was overwhelmed in a 7-5 6-2 loss to Russian Maria Kirilenko in another first round match while home favourite Samantha Stosur will begin her campaign on Monday against China's world number 26 Zheng Jie.

WTA Sydney results

Ekaterina Makarova (Russia) beat Varvara Lepchenko (U.S.) 6-4 4-6 6-1

Maria Kirilenko (Russia) beat Olivia Rogowska (Australia) 7-5 6-2

Dominika Cibulkova (Slovakia) beat 5-Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) 6-1 6-1

7-Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) beat Urszula Radwanska (Poland) 6-1 6-2


Robson ousted from Hobart by Stephens

American Sloane Stephens put a dent in Laura Robson's Australian Open preprations, beating her 6-4 7-6(4) in the Hobart International first round.
The eighth seed Stephens had enjoyed a run to the quarter-finals in Brisbane the previous week, only beaten by eventual champion Serena Williams.
And she proved too strong for Robson, ranked 15 places below her at 53 in the world, holding off the Brit in two tight sets.
In the other game of the day in Tasmania Olga Govortsova stunned fifth seed Carla Suarez Navarro with a comprehensive 6-2 6-1 win.

WTA Hobart results

8-Sloane Stephens (US) beat Laura Robson (Britain) 6-4 7-6(4)

Olga Govortsova (Belarus) beat 5-Carla Suarez Navarro (Spain) 6-2 6-1

 

[Smallville22]

Berdych completes Kooyong line up

World number six Tomas Berdych has been confirmed as the final player in the eight-man invitational Kooyong Classic.
Tournament director Colin Stubs had held the final spot in the field open until as late as possible, hoping to secure a top-10 player for the tournament that serves as warm up for the Australian Open.
Stubs had said earlier he had contacted representatives of the world's top four players, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Rafa Nadal, about filling the spot.
Djokovic instead chose to play Hopman Cup in Perth, the 31-year-old Federer has not played any competitive warmup matches this year as he manages his schedule to improve his longevity, Murray is in Brisbane, while Nadal withdrew from the Australian Open due to illness.
Berdych, however, who reached the quarter-finals in Chennai earlier this week, felt he needed more match practice and asked to join the Kooyong tournament, Stubs said in a statement on Sunday.
The 27-year-old Czech joins 2009 US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro, world number nine Janko Tipsarevic, top-20 players Juan Monaco, Milos Raonic and Japan's Kei Nishikori, Melbourne crowd favourite Marcos Baghdatis and former world number one Lleyton Hewitt in the January 9-12 tournament.
The event has traditionally attracted a high quality field as it guarantees players three competitive matches on the same surface used at the Australian Open a few kilometres down the road at Melbourne Park the following week.

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

Looks like Nadal might not make the Australian.

 

[Smallville22]

Stosur's poor home form continues with Sydney defeat

World number nine Samantha Stosur's terrible build up to the Australian Open continued when she was knocked out of the Sydney International by China's Zheng Jie in the first round.
The former US Open champion also crashed out of the first round in Brisbane last week and local hopes the 28-year-old could be Australia's first women's champion at Melbourne Park since Christine O'Neil in 1978 now appear increasingly slim.
Stosur underwent ankle surgery less than six weeks ago and has appeared rusty, though she has also endured a woeful run in her native country over the last two seasons, winning just once in six matches.
The Australian Open, the year's first grand slam, starts on next Monday.
Zheng's 6-3 6-7 6-4 victory in two hours, 43 minutes ensured that she could still set up a possible quarter-final clash against compatriot Li Na, who was forced into a dogfight in the heat before overcoming American Christina McHale 7-6 7-5 to also reach the second round.
The former French Open champion, runner-up in Sydney last year and winner in 2011, took almost two hours to dispatch her opponent in 30-degree temperatures.
Fourth seed Li only arrived in Australia a day earlier, having beaten Klara Zakopalova to win the Shenzhen title, where the temperature outside hovered just above freezing.
"I was playing in China, so I have to (get) used to the heat," Li said of her decision to play Shenzhen and Sydney as she prepared for the Australian Open.
"I couldn't come straightaway to Melbourne. I needed some matches in the heat conditions, otherwise I don't know what I can do in Melbourne."
While Li struggled acclimatising, tournament organisers will be keeping an close eye on weather conditions on Tuesday.
Sydney is expected to hit a maximum of 43 Celsius as Australia swelters in a heatwave that has sparked raging bush fires.
Warm northwest winds are also expected to increase on-court temperatures closer to 50.
Officials will provide shading, ice towels and additional water and sports drinks for the players, while staff will work shorter shifts to try to mitigate the effects of the heat.

JANOWICZ BEATEN

Auckland tennis fans hoping for a rematch of the final of the Paris Masters, however, were left disappointed with fifth seed Jerzy Janowicz beaten by Brian Baker in the first round.
The massive Pole, who lost the Paris final to Auckland top seed and champion David Ferrer, produced an error-ridden performance to crash out 4-6 7-6 6-4.
The world number 26, who did not travel to the Australian Open last year because he could not afford the flights, had to qualify to make the main draw in Paris and beat five top-20 players before losing to Ferrer.
Against Baker, however, the 2.03m tall Janowicz was the mark of inconsistency - brilliant for short spurts and then giving the 27-year-old American cheap points.
Baker had held three match points while serving at 5-2 in the third set only for the Pole to reel off winner after winner then blast his way through his next service game to make it 5-4.
The American then again held three match points at 40-0 in the 10th game before Janowicz drew level at deuce, but his inconsistency again ended his run and Baker calmly drove a backhand down the line to seal the win.
"At 40-0 he switched the switch and I don't know how many points he won in a row, but I managed to get it back," Baker said in a courtside interview.
"Matches like these, if you can close them out, will hopefully build some confidence for the future."
Ferrer was given a bye into the second round and will not take to the court in Auckland until Wednesday, where he will play the winner of Tuesday's first round clash between France's Benoit Paire and Taiwan's Lu Yen-hsun.

Results - WTA Sydney International:

Zheng Jie (China) beat 6-Samantha Stosur (Australia) 6-3 6-7(7) 6-4

Kimiko Date-Krumm (Japan) beat Casey Dellacqua (Australia) 6-4 6-1

Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) beat Julia Goerges (Germany) 3-6 6-3 6-3

4-Li Na (China) beat Christina Mchale (US) 7-6(2) 7-5

Ayumi Morita (Japan) beat Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) 1-6 6-3 6-3

Galina Voskoboeva (Kazakhstan) beat Yanina Wickmayer (Belgium) 3-6 7-6(5) 6-2

3-Sara Errani (Italy) beat Karolina Pliskova (Czech Republic) 6-1 6-3

Jelena Jankovic (Serbia) beat Tamira Paszek (Austria) 6-2 7-6(5)

Roberta Vinci (Italy) beat 8-Nadia Petrova (Russia) 7-5 7-5

Madison Keys (US) beat Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic) 6-2 6-1

WTA Hobart International:

Peng Shuai (China) beat 1-Hsieh Su-Wei (Taiwan) 6-2 6-7(4) 7-6(4)

4-Yaroslava Shvedova (Kazakhstan) beat Lourdes Dominguez Lino (Spain) 6-4 6-1

2-Sorana Cirstea (Romania) beat Nina Bratchikova (Russia) 3-6 7-5 6-2

Monica Niculescu (Romania) beat Mandy Minella (Luxembourg) 6-4 6-3

Lauren Davis (US) beat Bojana Bobusic (Australia) 1-6 6-2 7-6(5)

Elena Vesnina (Russia) beat Silvia Soler Espinosa (Spain) 6-2 6-4

Simona Halep (Romania) beat Lara Arruabarrena Vecino (Spain) 6-3 6-2

Jarmila Gajdosova (Australia) beat Romina Oprandi (Switzerland) 6-4 7-5

Chanelle Scheepers (South Africa) beat Alize Cornet (France) 6-1 6-2

Tsvetana Pironkova (Bulgaria) beat Irina Begu (Romania) 6-3 6-4

9-Mona Barthel (Germany) beat Ashleigh Barty (Australia) 2-6 6-0 6-1

Kirsten Flipkens (Belgium) beat 6-Francesca Schiavone (Italy) 2-6 6-3 7-6(3)

ATP Auckland Open:

Brian Baker (US) beat 5-Jerzy Janowicz (Poland) 4-6 7-6(5) 6-4

Olivier Rochus (Belgium) beat Albert Ramos (Spain) 6-2 5-7 6-2

Xavier Malisse (Belgium) beat 7-Martin Klizan (Slovakia) 7-6(4) 3-6 6-3

8-Thomaz Bellucci (Brazil) beat David Goffin (Belgium) 7-6(5) 6-2

 

[Smallville22]

Australian Open - Murray seeded third for Melbourne, Djokovic first

Olympic and US Open champion Andy Murray has been seeded third for this month's Australian Open tournament, the first Grand Slam of 2013.
Defending champion and world number one Novak Djokovic has been seeded first for the men's singles event, while Roger Federer - who defeated Murray in the final of Wimbledon last year - is second seed.
Last year's runner-up Rafael Nadal will miss the tournament due to injury, so fellow Spaniard David Ferrer will be seeded fourth with Tomas Berdych fifth and Olympic bronze medallist Juan Martin Del Potro sixth.

For the women's singles draw, 2012 Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka is top seed for her title defence, ahead of second seed Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams in third.
Agnieszka Radwanska is fourth seed, with Angelique Kerber fifth and Li Na sixth.
The 2013 tournament gets underway in Melbourne on January 14.

Men's seedings:

1. Novak Djokovic

2. Roger Federer

3. Andy Murray

4. David Ferrer

5. Tomas Berdych

6. Juan Martin Del Potro

7. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

8. Janko Tipsarevic

9. Richard Gasquet

10. Nicolas Almagro

11. Juan Monaco

12. John Isner

13. Marin Cilic

14. Milos Raonic

15. Gilles Simon

16. Stanislas Wawrinka

17. Kei Nishikori

18. Philipp Kohlschreiber

19. Alexandr Dolgopolov

20. Tommy Haas

21. Sam Querrey

22. Andreas Seppi

23. Fernando Verdasco

24. Mikhail Youzhny

25. Jerzy Janowicz

26. Florian Mayer

27. Jurgen Melzer

28. Martin Klizan

29. Marcos Baghdatis

30. Thomaz Bellucci

31. Radek Stepanek

32. Marcel Granollers

Women's seedings:

1. Victoria Azarenka

2. Maria Sharapova

3. Serena Williams

4. Agnieszka Radwanska

5. Angelique Kerber

6. Li Na

7. Sara Errani

8. Petra Kvitova

9. Sam Stosur

10. Caroline Wozniacki

11. Marion Bartoli

12. Nadia Petrova

13. Ana Ivanovic

14. Maria Kirilenko

15. Dominika Cibulkova

16. Roberta Vinci

17. Lucie Safarova

18. Julia Goerges

19. Ekaterina Makarova

20. Yanina Wickmayer

21. Varvara Lepchenko

22. Jelena Jankovic

23. Klara Zakopalova

24. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova

25. Venus Williams

26. Su-Wei Hsieh

27. Sorana Cirstea

28. Yaroslava Shvedova

29. Sloane Stephens

30. Tamira Paszek

31. Urszula Radwanska

32. Mona Barthel

 

[Smallville22]

Watson and Robson both reach world top 50

Heather Watson and Laura Robson have become the first two British women to be ranked in the world's top 50 at the same time for 27 years following the New Year update.
Not since Jo Durie and Sara Gomer achieved the same feat in 1987 has Britain seen such talent in the women's game with Watson and Robson now ranked 47th and 50th respectively.
Watson broke into the world's top 50 for the first time in 2012 after winning her first WTA singles title at the Japan Open in October, the first Briton to do so since Gomer in 1988.
Robson on the other hand has risen a staggering 81 places in just over a year, thanks largely to her run at the US Open back in September where she reached the fourth round.
And on top of her performance alongside Andy Murray at London 2012, winning mixed doubles silver, the 18-year-old was also named WTA Newcomer of the Year in November.
Watson and Robson will be hoping to improve on their performances from last year at the upcoming Australian Open, both suffering first-round exits.
Watson does however face a race against time to be fit after withdrawing from the Moorilla Hobart International warm-up event due to an elbow injury.

 

[Smallville22]

Looks like Nadal might not make the Australian.

Nadal will return on his favourite surface clay, in South America.

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

Australian Open - Murray seeded third for Melbourne, Djokovic first

Olympic and US Open champion Andy Murray has been seeded third for this month's Australian Open tournament, the first Grand Slam of 2013.
Defending champion and world number one Novak Djokovic has been seeded first for the men's singles event, while Roger Federer - who defeated Murray in the final of Wimbledon last year - is second seed.
Last year's runner-up Rafael Nadal will miss the tournament due to injury, so fellow Spaniard David Ferrer will be seeded fourth with Tomas Berdych fifth and Olympic bronze medallist Juan Martin Del Potro sixth.

For the women's singles draw, 2012 Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka is top seed for her title defence, ahead of second seed Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams in third.
Agnieszka Radwanska is fourth seed, with Angelique Kerber fifth and Li Na sixth.
The 2013 tournament gets underway in Melbourne on January 14.

Men's seedings:

1. Novak Djokovic

2. Roger Federer

3. Andy Murray

4. David Ferrer

5. Tomas Berdych

6. Juan Martin Del Potro

7. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

8. Janko Tipsarevic

9. Richard Gasquet

10. Nicolas Almagro

11. Juan Monaco

12. John Isner

13. Marin Cilic

14. Milos Raonic

15. Gilles Simon

16. Stanislas Wawrinka

17. Kei Nishikori

18. Philipp Kohlschreiber

19. Alexandr Dolgopolov

20. Tommy Haas

21. Sam Querrey

22. Andreas Seppi

23. Fernando Verdasco

24. Mikhail Youzhny

25. Jerzy Janowicz

26. Florian Mayer

27. Jurgen Melzer

28. Martin Klizan

29. Marcos Baghdatis

30. Thomaz Bellucci

31. Radek Stepanek

32. Marcel Granollers

Women's seedings:

1. Victoria Azarenka

2. Maria Sharapova

3. Serena Williams

4. Agnieszka Radwanska

5. Angelique Kerber

6. Li Na

7. Sara Errani

8. Petra Kvitova

9. Sam Stosur

10. Caroline Wozniacki

11. Marion Bartoli

12. Nadia Petrova

13. Ana Ivanovic

14. Maria Kirilenko

15. Dominika Cibulkova

16. Roberta Vinci

17. Lucie Safarova

18. Julia Goerges

19. Ekaterina Makarova

20. Yanina Wickmayer

21. Varvara Lepchenko

22. Jelena Jankovic

23. Klara Zakopalova

24. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova

25. Venus Williams

26. Su-Wei Hsieh

27. Sorana Cirstea

28. Yaroslava Shvedova

29. Sloane Stephens

30. Tamira Paszek

31. Urszula Radwanska

32. Mona Barthel

One American in the top 20.

 

[Smallville22]

One American in the top 20.

Better times will come.

 

[Smallville22]

Monaco injury scare after Kooyong withdrawal

World number 12 Juan Monaco's final Australian Open preparations are in doubt after the Argentine withdrew from the invitational Kooyong tournament in Melbourne with a hand injury.
"I had a phone call from Juan Monaco's management this morning which indicated to me that he had a hand injury," tournament director Colin Stubs said.
"They're not certain how serious it is but he has been advised by his doctor not to play in the next few days with the hope that he can take his place in the Australian Open."
The Argentine's spot in the eight-man tournament, which starts on Wednesday, was taken by Paul-Henri Mathieu, Stubs said.
World number 19 Kei Nishikori also said at the club in a leafy suburb close to Melbourne's central city the knee injury that forced him out of the semi-finals in Brisbane on Saturday was still causing him problems and he did not know if he would play at Kooyong.
"I don't know," he said when asked if whether he could play.
"I'm going to try to hit today and let's see how it goes.
"It's not bad. Let's cross the fingers and hopefully it will be okay."

ATP Sydney results

Round 1

Bernard Tomic (Australia) beat Marinko Matosevic (Australia) 6-3 6-4

Ryan Harrison (US) beat Roberto Bautista (Spain) 2-1 (Bautista retired)

Kevin Anderson (South Africa) beat Aljaz Bedene (Slovenia) 6-3 3-6 6-3

Fabio Fognini (Italy) beat Grigor Dimitrov (Bulgaria) 6-3 6-1

John Millman (Australia) beat Tommy Robredo (Spain) 6-3 6-4

Jarkko Nieminen (Finland) beat Bjoern Phau (Germany) 6-0 6-1

Feliciano Lopez (Spain) beat 7-Jeremy Chardy (France) 6-7(2) 7-5 6-3

6-Radek Stepanek (Czech Republic) beat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (Spain) 6-2 6-3

ATP Auckland results

Round 1

Lu Yen-Hsun (Taiwan) beat Benoit Paire (France) 6-3 2-6 6-2

Gael Monfils (France) beat Benjamin Becker (Germany) 6-7(2) 6-3 6-4

Jesse Levine (Canada) beat Daniel King-Turner (New Zealand) 6-2 6-2

Alejandro Falla (Colombia) beat Grega Zemlja (Slovenia) 6-4 3-1 (Zemlja retired)

Greg Jones (Australia) beat 6-Jurgen Melzer (Austria) 7-6(7) 6-2

Igor Sijsling (Netherlands) beat Robin Haase (Netherlands) 3-6 6-3 7-5

Lukas Lacko (Slovakia) beat Paolo Lorenzi (Italy) 6-3 6-3

Santiago Giraldo (Colombia) beat Go Soeda (Japan) 6-1 6-0

 

[Smallville22]

Kuznetsova overcomes Wozniacki and Sydney heat

Former world number two Svetlana Kuznetsova defied sweltering heat that earlier prompted Agnieszka Radwanska to suggest it was too hot to play to beat seventh seed Caroline Wozniacki on Tuesday in the second round of the Sydney International.
Russia's Kuznetsova, a two-times grand slam champion who was knocked out in the first round in Auckland last week and had to qualify for the main draw in Sydney, beat the former world number one 7-6 1-6 6-2 in a match that lasted almost four hours.
Sydney had been forecast to hit a maximum of 43C on Tuesday as Australia swelters in a heatwave that has sparked raging bush fires.
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology reported a temperature high of 41.4 C at 1530(local) at Sydney's Olympic Park and women's top seed Radwanska had said earlier that play should have been abandoned until the temperature dropped.
The world number four, who was given a bye into the second round, played the opening match on centre court and beat Japan's Kimiko Date-Krumm 6-4 6-3 to advance to the quarter-finals but even that early in the day the heat was effecting the players.
"I think this is too hot to play tennis," Radwanska said. "Even for players, for ball kids, for the people sitting out there, I think it's just too hot."
"Today was one of the hottest day I (have) played for sure."
Former French Open champion Li Na, who followed Radwanska on to court, compared the heat to playing in a sauna, but she was good enough to speed through Japan's Ayumi Morita 6-1 6-0 in 52 minutes.
"I was feeling, I don't know, just feeling like unbelievable. They say it was 40, but even on the tennis court even more," Li said.
"I mean, even didn't finish the match, just finish (the) first set (and) I was feeling my feet already burning."
Kuznetsova's victory in the heat gave the 27-year-old Russian tremendous confidence she could continue to build towards the Australian Open having spent six months out rehabilitating a knee injury.
The former US and French Open champion spent two months on crutches last year and had to rebuild muscle strength in her legs to ensure she did not re-injure her right knee and dropped to 85th in the world rankings.
She had asked for a wild card for Sydney but was forced to play qualifiers, which had actually helped her build momentum into Tuesday's win.
"It was very weird to go and play qualifiers, but, you know, it just makes you stronger," she said.
"(It) definitely was a little bit uncomfortable, but it made me stronger (and) this is what I really was looking for in Sydney, to get matches."
Kuznetsova, who will meet second-seeded German Angelique Kerber in the quarter-finals, said she was not taking the win over the 10th-ranked Wozniacki as a turning point in her rehabilitation.
"I just don't think about it when it's turning point and when it's not," she said. "I'm here. I'm doing the best I can. That's it. That's over here. Tomorrow is another day."


WTA Sydney results

Round 2

Madison Keys (US) beat Zheng Jie (China) 6-0 6-4

Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) beat 7-Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) 7-6(4) 1-6 6-2

Roberta Vinci (Italy) beat Jelena Jankovic (Serbia) 3-6 6-4 7-6(4)

2-Angelique Kerber (Germany) beat Galina Voskoboeva (Kazakhstan) 6-2 7-5

Dominika Cibulkova (Slovakia) beat Ekaterina Makarova (Russia) 7-6(3) 1-6 7-6(1)

4-Li Na (China) beat Ayumi Morita (Japan) 6-1 6-0

3-Sara Errani (Italy) beat Maria Kirilenko (Russia) 6-1 6-1

1-Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) beat Kimiko Date-Krumm (Japan) 6-4 6-3

WTA Hobart results

Round 2

9-Mona Barthel (Germany) beat Chanelle Scheepers (South Africa) 7-6(3) 7-5

Elena Vesnina (Russia) beat 4-Yaroslava Shvedova (Kazakhstan) 4-6 6-2 6-1

Lauren Davis (U.S.) beat 2-Sorana Cirstea (Romania) 6-1 6-3

Round 1

Bojana Jovanovski (Serbia) beat Maria Teresa Torro (Spain) 6-0 7-6(7)

3-Klara Zakopalova (Czech Republic) beat Timea Babos (Hungary) 6-4 6-3

 

[Smallville22]

Isner out in Sydney as withdrawals continue

Top seed John Isner was knocked out of the Sydney International by compatriot Ryan Harrison on Wednesday but at least he got out on court on a day when injury withdrawals continued to ravage Australian Open warm-up tournaments.
Second seed Gilles Simon earlier pulled out before his last 16 match in Sydney with a neck injury, while Kei Nishikori and world number nine Janko Tipsarevic became the second and third players to quit the eight-man field at the Kooyong Classic.
World number 13 Isner was hampered by the bone bruise to his right leg that ended his participation in the Hopman Cup last week and the 6-4 6-4 defeat to Harrison left him thinking about pulling out of the Australian Open.
"It's better. Definitely better than I thought, but it's not 100 percent," he told reporters. "I don't know. I got a decision to make shortly.
"Certainly I could win a match maybe, a match or two. I don't see myself winning the whole tournament at this point, that's for sure."
Australian Bernard Tomic confirmed his return to form by riding his improved serve to a 7-6 6-2 win over fifth seed Florian Meyer.
"He's one player I don't like playing," Tomic said. "He's a great player, he beats the top four when he's playing well... I'm playing really good tennis."
Sydney fourth seed Fernando Verdasco was also a loser, 6-3 6-3 to Denis Istomin, while sixth seed Radek Stepanek withdrew injured after four points of his match.
Simon's withdrawal followed those of compatriots Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Richard Gasquet, who pulled out because of a hamstring injury and for "personal reasons" respectively.
"The week before the slams, players don't want to take any risks, which is normal but sad also for this one because Sydney is a very nice tournament and deserves to have a very nice draw," 2011 Sydney champion Simon said.
"We just try the maximum to be ready... I mean, for me today, there is no point in me going out and losing 6-2 6-2 playing 50 percent."
Former US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro knows all about injury and the Argentine got his 2013 season underway at Kooyong with a 6-4 3-6 7-6 round robin win over Paul-Henri Mathieu.
Japan's Nishikori, the world number 18, was forced to pull out with a knee injury, while Tipsarevic, a winner in Chennai last week, was a set down to Marco Baghdatis when he retired with a wrist injury.
There was better news on the weather front in Sydney with temperatures of around 25 degrees Celsius at the Olympic Tennis Centre as opposed to the 40-degree heat which threatened to suffocate the venue on Tuesday.

ATP Sydney results

Round two

3-Andreas Seppi (Italy) beat John Millman (Australia) 6-2 3-6 6-3

Bernard Tomic (Australia) beat 5-Florian Mayer (Germany) 7-6(4) 6-2

Ryan Harrison (US) beat 1-John Isner (US) 6-4 6-4

Jarkko Nieminen (Finland) beat Ivo Klec (Slovakia) 6-3 6-1

8-Marcel Granollers (Spain) beat Fabio Fognini (Italy) 6-2 7-6(4)

Kevin Anderson (South Africa) beat Feliciano Lopez (Spain) 6-3 6-4

Denis Istomin (Uzbekistan) beat 4-Fernando Verdasco (Spain) 6-3 6-3

Julien Benneteau (France) beat 6-Radek Stepanek (Czech Republic) 0-0 (Stepanek retired)

ATP Auckland results

Round two

1-David Ferrer (Spain) beat Lu Yen-Hsun (Taiwan) 6-4 2-6 6-3

3-Tommy Haas (Germany) beat Igor Sijsling (Netherlands) 6-3 6-4

Gael Monfils (France) beat Greg Jones (Australia) 6-4 6-2

Jesse Levine (Canada) beat Brian Baker (US) 7-5 6-4

2-Philipp Kohlschreiber (Germany) beat Alejandro Falla (Colombia) 7-6(4) 4-6 6-3

Lukas Lacko (Slovakia) beat 8-Thomaz Bellucci (Brazil) 6-3 7-5

Xavier Malisse (Belgium) beat Santiago Giraldo (Colombia) 7-6(6) 6-4

4-Sam Querrey (US) beat Olivier Rochus (Belgium) 7-5 6-3

 

[Smallville22]

World’s longest professional tie break played in Florida event

A record of 70 points for the longest tie-break in professional tennis has been set at a Futures event in Florida when Monaco's world number 636 Benjamin Balleret beat unranked compatriot Guillaume Couillard 36-34.
"We haven't been able to find a tie-break that went longer than this," the International Tennis Federation said on their Twitter account on Tuesday of the marathon tie-break which took place on Sunday.
To put the record in perspective, a regular best-of-three-sets match may be decided in as few as 48 points, and even a closely-contested set that finishes 6-4 will often have far fewer than 70 points played.
The previous record for the longest tie-break in a singles match was 38 points. It was reached three times, the latest in 1997 when Goran Ivanisevic beat Greg Rusedski in the decisive set of their encounter at the Queen's tournament in London.
Grand Slam winners Bjorn Borg and Andy Roddick have also won 38-point tie-breaks during their careers.
Balleret and Couillard established the mark in the first set of their qualifying third round game at the Plantation Future event, the lowest category of professional tennis.
Balleret, 29, reached a career high of 204 and in 2006 he played 17-times Grand Slam winner Roger Federer in the Monte Carlo Masters while Couillard, 37, represented Monaco in the principality's Davis Cup outing against Morocco last April.
The duo may yet be denied a place in the record books, however: their match took place without the benefit of a chair umpire, and could therefore be ruled ineligible.

 

[Smallville22]

Li targets another first in Melbourne

China's Li Na has come closer than any Asian to winning the Australian Open singles crown and, if she can avoid a Melbourne Park meltdown, is a good outside bet to add another to her lengthy list of tennis "firsts" next week.
The 30-year-old has a good recent track record at Melbourne Park, reaching the 2010 semi-finals, losing the 2011 final to Kim Clijsters and then crashing out to the Belgian in the fourth round last year having given up four match points.
Critics of the world number six, and there have been many in China over the years, would point to last year's defeat as an example of the mental fragility that has dogged Li throughout her career.
At times she can be an all-conquering superwoman pounding her opponents into submission with her raking groundstrokes. Just as easily, Li can suddenly fall apart and, apparently unable to string two serves together, plummet to defeat.
There was just a hint of that fragility in her victory over American qualifier Madison Keys at the Sydney International warm-up event on Wednesday, where she lost the first set before reaching the semi-finals with a 4-6 7-6 6-2 victory.
"I was a little bit nervous at the beginning of the match. If you play the young player, you never know what might happen, what they might do on the court," she said after tackling the big-serving teenager for the first time.
"It's very good I could have (a tough) match before Australian Open to see how strong I am on the court though."
Li stood down her coach and husband Jiang Shan after last season and has been working with Justine Henin's former mentor Carlos Rodriguez.
"He gave me a lot of tough times when I was training with him," Li said.
"First three days, my husband didn't come with me. After three days, I was calling him saying, 'Please come with me'. I was thinking about retiring after three days, because he's really, really tough."
The result has been a more attacking Li, even if she is not yet delivering everything Rodriguez wants.
"He feels I can still do even more," she said.
"You know, it's very tough if you've got new thing. You need time to recover. You need time to get used to it. So where once you needed time to think about it, maybe you can do it automatically.
"So now I'm still trying to work like Carlos wants me to."
Li has, however, enjoyed a fine start to the year and, in yet another first, became the inaugural champion at the new Shenzhen tournament last week.
Li was the first Chinese player to win a singles event on the WTA circuit, the first ranked in the top 20 and the first to reach a grand slam quarter-finals, at Wimbledon in 2006.
In 2010, she became the first Chinese player to reach the top 10 and then, in 2011, she reached the Australian Open final before becoming the first player representing an Asian country to win a grand slam singles title at the French Open.
The start of her season has always been strong and she won the title in Sydney in 2011 before reaching the final again last year.
After this week, her rivals know that if Li does melt down in Melbourne, it will not be because of the heat.
Li comes from Wuhan - one of three Chinese cities known as "the furnaces" for their fierce summers - and coolly played through temperatures in excess of 40 degree Celsius in Sydney on Tuesday.
"It felt like playing in a sauna," she said. "But at least I have played in the high temperatures and not gone straight (to Melbourne from China) without any matches inbetween."

WTA Results

Sydney International:

Quarter-finals

4-Li Na (China) beat Madison Keys (US) 4-6 7-6(2) 6-2

Dominika Cibulkova (Slovakia) beat 3-Sara Errani (Italy) 6-2 6-1

1-Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) beat Roberta Vinci (Italy) 6-4 7-5

Hobart International:

Round two

Monica Niculescu (Romania) beat Peng Shuai (China) 3-6 6-4 6-4

Tsvetana Pironkova (Bulgaria) beat 3-Klara Zakopalova (Czech Republic) 3-6 6-4 6-2

Kirsten Flipkens (Belgium) beat Bojana Jovanovski (Serbia) 6-3 6-2

Jarmila Gajdosova (Australia) beat Olga Govortsova (Belarus) 6-3 6-1

 

[Smallville22]

Isner pulls out of Australian Open

John Isner has pulled out of the Australian Open because of the knee injury that forced him to quit last week's Hopman Cup and hampered him in his defeat to Ryan Harrison at the Sydney International warm-up.
The big-serving 27-year-old American, top seed in Sydney, said after Wednesday's 6-4 6-4 loss to Harrison that he was contemplating pulling out of the year's first grand slam because the injury, a bone bruise, needed rest.
"I am extremely disappointed to announce that I have to withdraw from the #AusOpen," the world number 13 said on the Australian Open Twitter feed.
"I have been feeling some discomfort in my knee and have recently learned that I have a bone bruise.
"Doctors have told me that continuing to play on the knee could result in a more serious injury."
Isner's withdrawal leaves the United States with Sam Querry as their only representative among the 32 seeds in the men's draw for the tournament, which starts on Monday.