2013 Tennis Thread

[Smallville22]

Williams reaches semi-finals in Tokyo

Venus Williams continued her run of form in Tokyo with a battling 6-3 6-7(4) 6-3 win over Canadian hope Eugenie Bouchard.
Williams came into the quarter-final match off the back of an impressive win over top seed and world number two Victoria Azarenka.
But Bouchard, ranked 17 places higher than Williams at 46 in the world, was also on a good run having beaten Jelena Jankovic in straight sets to reach the last eight.
After recovering from an early break down, Wiliams, who continues to fight an auto-immune disease, looked solid in the first set before Bouchard levelled the match in a second set tie-break.
The American finished the stronger of the two, however, storming out to a 5-2 lead before closing out the match two games later after just over three hours.
"Wow, she played so well, she's going to be a great player - she already is a great player," Williams said in her on-court interview.
"I was just competing out there today, just fighting until the end. It was disappointing to lose the second set, but to win the third set is the goal, so I'm happy I did that."
Williams will face Petra Kvitova in the last four. The Czech seventh seed came through two matches in one day when she defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4 6-1 to reach the semi-finals.
Kuznetsova and Kvitova both won their rain-delayed third round matches in straight sets, against Sorana Cirstea and Madison Keys respectively, before returning to the court to face each other.
The world number 11, currently seventh in the race to the WTA Championships, had too much for unseeded Kuznetsova and set up the meeting with Williams in just 72 minutes.
Second seed Agnieszka Radwanska’s winning streak finally came to an end with a 6-4 6-4 defeat at the hands of German fifth seed Angelique Kerber.
Radwanska came into the match having won seven straight matches, including picking up the title in Seoul last week. But the Pole was out-hit from the start and slapped down three double faults as Kerber progressed to the last four, where she will face fourth seed Caroline Wozniacki.
Wozniacki produced a typical battling performance as she was forced to recover from dropping the first set before grinding out a 2-6 6-3 6-2 win over Czech Lucie Safarova.

 

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Serena to end year as world number one for third time

Serena Williams has clinched the year-end women's world number one ranking for the third time in her career after winning two grand slam titles during an excellent 2013.
The American has compiled a 67-4 record this season and won nine singles titles on the WTA Tour, including the French Open and the US Open crowns.
The 32-year-old, who became the oldest women's player to clinch the top ranking when she returned to number one in February, has won more than $9 million in prize money in 2013 so far, the WTA said in a statement on their website.
"Serena has proven time and time again throughout her career that she is an incredible champion, both on and off the court," WTA Chief Executive Stacey Allaster said in the statement.
"This season she continues to rewrite the record books, proving she is one of the sport's greatest athletes of all time."
Williams, who has 55 singles titles and 22 doubles crowns in her career, will be presented with her world number one trophy during the prestigious WTA Championships in Istanbul next month.
China's Li Na became the fifth player to qualify for the October 22-27 event, where the world's top eight singles players and top four doubles teams will compete for a $6 million purse.
Williams, Victoria Azarenka, Maria Sharapova and Agnieszka Radwanska have booked the other four spots.

 

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Venus denied fastest serve in absence of technology

Venus Williams was denied a chance to better her world record for fastest serve in women's tennis in absence of proper measuring technology at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.
Williams blasted a 209km-per-hour serve during Thursday's 6-3 6-7 (4) 6-3 win over Canadian teenager Eugenie Bouchard in the quarter-final match.
The WTA uses IDS radar guns to measure service speeds but they are not deployed in Tokyo, the governing body said in an email response to Reuters.
It meant that the 33-year-old American's serve of 207.6 km per hour, hit during the 2007 U.S. Open, stands as the fastest serve in women's tennis till date.
The multiple grand slam-winner, who has suffered a spate of injuries in the last two years, was herself surprised with the reading on the speed gun on Thursday.
"I saw that but I was like: 'Is that real?' So I don't know if that's real," Williams told the WTA in an interview. "I know I've been serving a lot harder this tournament than since I've come back from my back injury.
"I couldn't really serve that hard at the US Open and this summer. It feels good but I don't know if it was that hard. I hope it was... that's insane, it's awesome."
Williams, who beat world number two and top seed Victoria Azarenka in the second round, lost to Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic 6-3 3-6 6-7 (2) in the semi-finals on Friday.

 

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Kvitova ends Venus's run in Tokyo

Former world number one Venus Williams' strong run in the Pan Pacific Open came to an end with a narrow semi-final defeat to seventh seed Petra Kvitova.
Kvitova rallied to beat the former world number one 3-6 6-3 7-6 (2) in Tokyo to set up a final against fifth-seeded German Angelique Kerber, who beat Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki 6-4 7-6 (5) in the other semi-final.
"After winning, it's always a good feeling," the Czech Republic's Kvitova said in a courtside interview. "Every game was up and down, and it was about a few points.
"I always love playing here. I had a great result in 2011, when I reached the semi-finals and I love being on centre court before a great crowd.
"I'm looking forward to the final tomorrow (Saturday)."
Williams, who has suffered a spate of injuries over the last two years, has seen her ranking slide to 63 but showed glimpses of her best form during her second-round defeat of world number two and top seed Victoria Azarenka.
"I was probably a little tired, but I don't think it affected the match," Williams said. "She was probably a little tired, too, since she played two matches yesterday (Thursday)."
After an early trade of breaks in the first set, multiple grand slam winner Williams, who endured difficult matches in the last two rounds, broke her opponent for the second time in the sixth game and took the set 6-3.
But the Czech Player, who saved 11 break points in the match, broke Williams in the fourth game of the second set and went on to tie the match at 1-1.
Both players saved multiple break points in the deciding set to force a tie-breaker but Kvitova raced to a 6-0 lead before closing out the set and the match in just over two hours and 24 minutes.
"At the end, she played amazing in the tiebreaker. I don't think I'm at my best off the ground yet. My serve has improved tremendously with each match here," Venus added.
"She hit a lot of unreturnable shots in the tiebreaker and sometimes that happens. She just played great."
Kerber, looking for her first title of the year, defeated former world number one and 2010 champion Wozniacki in a match lasting 100 minutes.

 

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Nadal merits mention in all-time great debate - Sampras

Spaniard Rafael Nadal's name should be mentioned in any debate on the greatest tennis player of all time, according to former world number one Pete Sampras.
American Sampras, owner of 14 grand slam titles, considers Swiss Roger Federer as the all-time best but was effusive in his praise for world number two Nadal.
"... I would say that, with Rafa doing what he's been doing, he has an argument to be in the conversation," Sampras told thetennisspace.com.
"Rafa isn't done yet. He could win more majors. He's got a winning record against everyone that he has played in his generation. He's won the Davis Cup, he's won the Olympics."
Nadal, 27, won his 13th grand slam this year after capturing an eighth French Open and second US Open and is closing in on the 32-year-old Federer's record of 17.

 

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Kvitova downs Kerber to take Tokyo title

Czech Petra Kvitova overcame a second set meltdown to dispatch Angelique Kerber 6-2 0-6 6-3 in the final of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Saturday to claim her 11th WTA tour title.
The 2011 Wimbledon champion sealed victory on her fourth match point when Kerber could only find the net after the Czech lefthander had forced her back with a customary deep forehand.
It was Kvitova's second WTA title of the year following her success in Dubai in February and the win is expected to move her up from 11th to seventh in the rankings as she closes in on a spot at the WTA Championships in Istanbul next month.
"It's always a great feeling if you win a title at a tournament. It means a lot for me. I'm glad I have some points toward the Championships," Kvitova said after her win at the $2,369,000 (£1,466,000) hard court tournament.
"I still have some tournaments left but I want to focus on today. I just want to enjoy."
The match up between the duo, who both ousted former world number ones in the last four, was the first all-left handed WTA final since 2009 and first in 20 years at a 'Premier' level.
Seventh seed Kvitova, 23, made a fast start by using her bludgeoning ground strokes to wrap up the opener 6-2 before the momentum shifted heavily in favour of the German.
Kerber, 25, began to find her range and broke Kvitova three times in the second set to level the contest but was unable to carry that momentum into the decider.
The German, seeded five in Tokyo and ranked ninth in the world, double faulted to hand Kvitova a key break in the second game of the third set as the Czech raced into a 4-0 lead after another booming forehand gave her a second break.
But Kerber refused to give up and she broke back in the fifth game when Kvitova netted a backhand and then held serve to make it 2-4.
However, eventually Kvitova's power and accuracy told as her forehand came up trumps after being to blame on the three previous match points.
"I was just lucky I did a good job at the end," Kvitova said. "Of course, I was feeling a little bit tired. Angie came back in the match and I just tried to focus on the point at hand."

 

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Portugal's Sousa causes another upset to make first ATP final

Unseeded Portuguese Joao Sousa has been as surprised as anyone by his giant-killing efforts at the Malaysian Open this week as he reached his first ATP Tour final with victory over fourth seed Juergen Melzer on Saturday.
Sousa had been due to enter the qualifiers for next week's China Open in Beijing but his continued success on the Malaysian hard courts forced his withdrawal as he goes in search of a first title.
The 24-year-old beat Austrian Melzer 6-4 3-6 6-4 in the last four clash to set up a final on Sunday against fifth seed Julien Benneteau who upset second seed Stanislas Wawrinka 6-4 6-3 in the other last four clash.
"It's going to be tough... I'm going to give 100 per cent tomorrow to win the title here, for sure," Sousa told the ATP Tour. "(If I win) it will be good not just for me, but for my country, Portugal.
"It's a great week for me this week."
The right hander has enjoyed an impressive run at the $875,500 event in Malaysia, knocking out top seed and world number four David Ferrer in the last eight after an opening round win against American wildcard Ryan Harrison.
It comes on the back of reaching his first ATP Tour semi-final in St. Petersburg, Russia, last week which helped him to jump to his career best ranking of 77.
The last Portuguese to reach an ATP Tour final was Frederico Gil over three years ago.

 

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Berdych eyes first title of 2013 in Bangkok

Tomas Berdych closed in on his first title of the year when he rallied from a set down to beat Gilles Simon in their Thailand Open semi-final on Saturday.
Berdych, the only member of the world's top 10 without a title this year, lost an opening-set tie-break against the Frenchman but recovered to win 6-7(5) 6-2 7-5 in Bangkok.
The Czech served 20 aces in the near three-hour contest and will need to serve well again on Sunday against Canadian powerhouse Milos Raonic who beat defending champion Richard Gasquet 3-6 7-5 6-4.
Having worked his way to the brink of victory against Simon, who had won their last three encounters, Berdych stumbled when serving for the match, going 0-40 down.
He got the benefit of a tight line call at 30-40 and went on to complete victory in a touch under three hours.
Raonic is bidding for his second title this year and a strong end to the season could put him in the frame for a place in the ATP World Tour finals. World number six Berdych is already well-placed to qualify.

 

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Raonic beats Berdych to take Thai title

Big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic boosted his hopes of qualifying for the end-of-season ATP World Tour finals in London by downing Czech Tomas Berdych 7-6(4) 6-3 to win the Thailand Open on Sunday.
The tall 22-year-old gave a lesson in serving as he delivered 18 aces on the indoor hard court in Bangkok to win the $567,530 title, his second of the year after he retained his San Jose crown in February.
Raonic began the week 11th in the race to London with only the top eight guaranteed a spot but his fifth career victory should move him up the congested leaderboard when the list is updated on Monday ahead of the November event.
A tight first set between the powerful duo inevitably went to a tie-break after Raonic was able to save the only break point.
The Montenegro-born third seed prevailed 7-4 before grabbing an early break in the second with his only opportunity of the match.
Raonic then comfortably served out the set with the top seed Berdych unable to put any pressure on his opponent's serve.
The loss leaves Berdych, fifth in the race to London, as the only player in the top 10 not to have won a title this season.

 

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Sousa seals first ATP win for Portugal

Unheralded Joao Sousa completed a fairytale run at the Malaysian Open on Sunday when he beat France's Julien Benneteau 2-6 7-5 6-4 in the final to become the first Portuguese to win an ATP Tour title.
The 24-year-old, ranked 77th in the world, fell flat on his back in delight after claiming victory on the indoor hard court when Benneteau missed with a backhand down the line on his second matchpoint.
Sousa beat top seed and world number four David Ferrer in the last eight and then fourth seed Juergen Melzer of Austria in the semi-finals to reach his first final at the $875,500-event in Kuala Lumpur.
Dressed in black with his cap back to front, the young Portuguese right-hander struggled with his serve in the opening set as the experienced Benneteau broke twice to wrap it up 6-2.
The duo were on serve in the second before Sousa was forced to save a matchpoint at 5-4 down before holding and then snatching the crucial break to take the set 7-5 and force a decider.
The young Portuguese broke again in Benneteau's opening service game of the third set and he held firm, saving four break points to close out the set 6-4 and claim the breakthrough win.
The loss was tough on fifth seed Benneteau who was searching for his first ATP Tour title in his ninth final.

 

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Robson progresses in Beijing

Laura Robson beat Klara Zakopalova 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 6-1 to reach round two of the China Open.
Robson prevailed in the first set tie-break but then was immediately pegged back in set two to send the match to a decider.
However, the 19-year-old Robson eased through to the next round with ease against her 33rd-ranked opponent.
The win marks Robson's first win against a player in the top 50 since Wimbledon and she'll face Germany's Angelique Kerber in the next round.

 

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Petkovic upsets defending champion Azarenka in China

Victoria Azarenka's China Open title defence wilted in the first round when the Belarussian lost to Germany's Andrea Petkovic 6-4 2-6 6-4 on Monday.
Azarenka's 15 double faults, to go with 44 unforced errors, mirrored the defending champion's erratic display over two hours 22 minutes against Petkovic who appeared to be feeling dizzy in the second set.
"It was an awful match and very bad performance from me, so not much to say. It happens once, twice a year to every player, and happened to me today," the Australian Open champion, who has endured a miserable run in Asia as she suffered a second-round exit in Tokyo last week, told reporters.
"If I'm going to be doing it again, I probably should have taken a longer break (between tournaments) and just prepared myself. I don't feel like I was ready to play.
"It's just my mistake for not paying much attention after the U.S. Open how I managed my time and how I managed my health."
On Monday, it was Petkovic who appeared to be less than 100 percent fit in the second set as she needed a medical time out. The German seemed to be a spent force as she lost seven straight games and allowed Azarenka to level and take the contest into the decider.
The defending champion traded breaks with Petkovic to level at 4-4 in the third set but her 15th double fault on break point left Azarenka in a foul mood as the German served for the match.
"I was saying a lot of things. I'm not going to repeat them... there was a lot of emotions and frustration that I let myself get into because I wasn't doing the right thing," said the U.S. Open runner-up.
"I just feel from my part there was no execution. There were too many unforced errors and too many double faults."

 

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Nadal breathing down Djokovic's neck in China

Rafa Nadal starts the final push to what he hopes will be a return to the top of the world rankings when he gets underway at the China Open on Tuesday.
The Spaniard has played only one singles and a doubles match since winning the U.S. Open earlier this month, during a crushing Davis Cup victory over Ukraine, and is re-energised for the final stretch of a season that started under a cloud but has turned into one of his best.
Since returning from a seven-month injury lay-off in February the 27-year-old has been virtually unstoppable, winning 10 titles and compiling a 61-3 record.
Novak Djokovic, who he beat in the French Open semi-finals and in the U.S. Open final, remains number one but with no points to defend between now and the ATP World Tour finals, Nadal looks a strong favourite to climb above the Serb.
It could happen as soon as next Monday if Nadal at least reaches the final in Beijing, even if Djokovic wins the title.
"It will be very tough to become number one," Nadal was quoted on the ATP website (www.atpworldtour.com), although to all intents and purposes the hard work is already done.
"If I am still playing the same way that I have the past couple of months, I hope to have my chance here or in the next few weeks. I am completing a great season.
"I'm playing one of the best seasons of my career. That's why I'm in a good position in the rankings and I had great successes in the important tournaments."
Djokovic has ended the year as number one for the past two seasons but only a Nadal injury relapse looks likely to allow him to make it a third year in succession.
He said he has no complaints about his imminent drop to second, although he will keep fighting.
"With no doubt (Nadal) has had the best results this year," Djokovic said. "This year, he's been the best player in the world. I have been having ups and downs throughout this year.
"But still it was quite a good season for me. But it's not over."
Nadal begins as second seed in Beijing against Colombian Santiago Giraldo while Djokovic faces Lukas Rosol.
World number three Andy Murray is missing having undergone back surgery while former world number one Roger Federer is also absent.

 

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Serena prevails against Schiavone in China, Venus out

Serena Williams beat Francesca Schiavone 6-4 7-5 to progress to the last 16 of the China Open.
The last time the pair met Williams cantered to victory in a 6-0 6-1 win at last month’s US Open but her Italian opponent made it more of a contest this time out.
The first set was relatively comfortable for the world number one as she converted one of her three break-point opportunities, but the second was a closer affair as the US Open winner had to draw on her ample experience to see out the match.
Schiavone broke early and led 3-1 at one point but the 17-time Grand Slam winner managed to level things up at 3-3.
However, 2010 French Open champion Schiavone managed to re-group and fashioned three set points having taken a 5-3 lead but Williams won four games on the bounce to secure the match.
Sister Venus Williams did not fare as well, going down 6-1 6-2 to Sabine Lisicki.
Williams committed 22 unforced errors and three double-faults as Wimbledon finalist Lisicki rattled off 29 winners to win in just 53 minutes.

 

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Djokovic off to flying start in China, Nadal through

World number one Novak Djokovic kicked off the defence of his China Open title with a ruthless 6-0 6-3 first round win over Lukas Rosol on Tuesday.
Defending champion Djokovic needed just 54 minutes to crush his Czech opponent Lukas Rosol 6-0 6-3 without hitting a single double fault in a dominant first round display.
The Serb, aiming for his fourth China Open title in five years after missing the 2011 tournament through injury, improved his perfect tournament record to 15-0 after converting four of his eight break points against Rosol.
"I didn't want to under-estimate my opponent knowing that he had few big wins in his career and he has a big serve," Djokovic told the ATP website referring to his opponent who had caused one of the biggest upsets in the sport when he beat Nadal at Wimbledon 15 months ago.
"I needed to be very fresh from the start and try to bring that intensity, positive intensity to the court, and that's what happened.
"I really feel special in China in relation to the fans, because I don't get to see that often. The fans basically wait for you every single day and night in the hotel," said Djokovic who takes on Spaniard Fernando Verdasco in the second round.
Rafael Nadal had to work longer to subdue Colombian qualifier Santiago Giraldo 6-2 6-4 in 90 minutes at Beijing's National Tennis Stadium.
The Spaniard, who needs to reach the final in Beijing to reclaim the number one ranking, had no problem bagging the first set but Giraldo put up a stiffer resistance in the second before going down.
Nadal meets Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany next.

 

[Smallville22]

Robson falls to defeat at the China Open

Laura Robson went down 6-1 6-2 to Angelique Kerber as she was knocked out of the China Open at the second round.
Robson, who beat Klara Zakopalova in three sets in round one, was broken three times in an error-strewn first set that Kerber took 6-1.
Three successive breaks at the start of set two saw Robson into a 2-1 advantage but she was finally beaten 6-2 – with Kerber taking the match with a break to love.

 

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Nalbandian announces retirement

Argentina's 2002 Wimbledon finalist David Nalbandian announced on Tuesday that he will quit tennis next month citing physical problems that have sidelined him for most of the year.
"It's not easy what's happening to me now, my shoulder is not helping me to train as I should for the circuit," the 31-year-old told a news conference.
"It's a tough day to (have to) announce my retirement today," said Nalbandian, winner of 11 ATP Tour titles including the season-ending ATP Championship in Shanghai in 2005.
The former world number three, who had shoulder surgery in May, said he would quit tennis after playing an exhibition match against Spanish world number two Rafael Nadal in November.

 

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Del Potro ousts Baghdatis in Tokyo opener

Juan Martin Del Potro came from a set down to beat Marcos Baghdatis 4-6 6-4 6-3 in his opening match at the Rakuten Open.
With rain falling on the outside courts, Baghdatis started the better of the two under the closed roof – serving fluently in the opening exchanges. Del Potro was unable to keep pace with the Cypriot and was reduced to very few opportunities as Baghdatis took the opening set.
World number 53 Baghdatis continued to have the momentum as the second set wore on but Del Potro was able to dig deep and raise his game at 4-4, breaking his opponent to level the match.
The Argentinean looked to turn the screw in a fiercely contested third set and despite Baghdatis saving three break points in the eighth game, he managed to seize his chance to wrap up the win.
“I knew drawing Baghdatis in the first round could be the worst match that I could have,” said del Potro. “He plays really well on hard courts and I realised his potential. It was a really good match and we both played very well. I really tried to focus to break serve, but Marcos hit a lot of aces and served well."

 

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Australian Open prize money upped by 10 per cent

The Australian Open will hike total prize money 10 per cent in 2014 to A$33 million, offsetting a depreciation in the local currency.
Last year's total prize pool of A$30 million was worth about $31.2 million when men's champion Novak Djokovic and women's winner Victoria Azarenka sealed their winner's cheques of A$2.43 million.
But the Australian dollar has since retreated by about 10 per cent in US dollar terms and was trading at just under 94 cents early on Wednesday.
Organisers last year hiked 2013's prize money A$4 million to a total A$30 million after some players on the men's tour agitated to boycott the previous year's tournament just before the opening round.
Players had complained that entrants were not receiving a fair share of total revenues generated by the four lucrative Grand Slams, but talk of industrial action has since been muted.
Tournament director Craig Tiley said top players had already been informed of 2014's prize pool and had responded positively.
"We've got great feedback and support from them. What other slams do is their decision," he said at the tournament's launch at Melbourne Park.
Organisers had yet to decide on the total winner's cheques or how the pool would be split across different rounds.
"Again, around our initiative of being very close the playing group, we'll sit down with the women's tour and the men's tour and make a decision as to what that distribution should look like," Tiley said.

 

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No Australian Open ticket for banned John Tomic

John Tomic, father and coach of Australian tennis player Bernard Tomic, will be barred from the Australian Open as he continues his suspension from the ATP tour for assaulting his son's former training partner.
The Bosnia-born former taxi driver was sentenced to eight months in prison by a Spanish court last month for head-butting Frenchman Thomas Drouet in the face and breaking his nose.
Tomic was not required to serve jail time because his sentence was under two years in length.
The ATP banned Tomic's accreditation for all tour events earlier this year and will decide whether to lift the ban next May.
"The Grand Slams as well as the ATP work together on this," Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley told reporters at Melbourne Park on Wednesday.
"The rule is he's not accredited and does not have permission to purchase a ticket.
"And the systems we have in place - John (or) anyone else who is banned, they are not allowed on the grounds and our security personnel will take care of that appropriately."
Bernard Tomic has stood by his father throughout the controversy, and criticised the ATP for being quick to impose the ban.
At Wimbledon, the 20-year-old said he would ask tournament officials to allow his father to be courtside at his matches but the ban remained in place.
Tiley said any similar request from the local favourite would be given short shrift.
"It still falls within the one-year ban so regardless of what happens at the Australian Open our position will hold," he said.
Tomic, ranked world number 55 but touted a future top 10 player, broke through for his maiden ATP title in Sydney in January, but has struggled for fitness and form during his father's exile.
Apart from an encouraging run to the fourth round at Wimbledon, Tomic was knocked out at the first hurdle at Roland Garros and the second at Flushing Meadows.