2013 Tennis Thread

[Smallville22]

Berdych, Stepanek to lead Czechs against Serbia

World number seven Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek will lead the Czech Republic when the title holders take on Serbia in the Davis Cup final.
The Czechs will face a tough task in their bid for back-to-back titles, facing second-ranked Novak Djokovic and his team mates in front of the same home fans who roared Serbia to their first Davis Cup trophy in 2010.
"We know we are going on to hot ground, that it will be wild and that we have to concentrate on our performance," Stepanek told a news conference, according to CTK news agency.
"We are going there with a single reason: to win three points."
The 34-year-old Stepanek secured the Czechs' first Davis Cup title since 1980 a year ago in Prague by winning the decisive rubber to lead his team to a 3-2 win over Spain.
Lukas Rosol and Jan Hajek will join Stepanek and Berdych on the Czech squad but team captain Jaroslav Navratil is sure to rely heavily on his top two players again.
The Czech duo played in every live rubber in the title run last year and teamed up for the first time this year to power their nation to victory against Argentina in the semi-final in Prague in September.
Both Berdych and Djokovic will be in action at the ATP World Tour finals in London next week.

 

[Smallville22]

Murray will only return in Australia if in the shape to win

Andy Murray will only play at next year's Australian Open if his back has recovered enough for him to win the title.
Wimbledon champion Murray, runner-up to Novak Djokovic in Melbourne this year, ended his season early last month when he had surgery on his lower back and will miss the ATP World Tour finals in London next week.
The world number four has begun his rehabilitation but said he will not be taking any risks.
"You don't come back just to play a match," Murray was quoted on the BBC's website on Thursday. "If I come back I want to be in the shape to win it."
"I'd be disappointed to miss the Australian Open because it's a grand slam - it's a tournament all the players want to play in," added the 26-year-old.
"I can look at this in a lot of positive ways, if I do get myself ready for it I will have had a long lead up and training block to get myself in the best possible shape."
Murray also missed the French Open with back problems but said surgery had been a tough decision.
"It was a hard decision to have surgery, to realise I was going to miss a period of time was frustrating," he said.
"You realise how much you miss from competition where you're away from it. It will be hard missing London, but I'll just have to make the best of it."

 

[Smallville22]

Ivanovic downs Stosur to take charge of group

Ana Ivanovic battled past Sam Stosur to maintain her 100% record at the Tournament of Champions in Sofia.
The Serbian second seed, twice a champion at the WTA event, beat the Australian 6-2 5-7 6-2 in one hour and 54 minutes.
Ivanovic now has four points from two matches and will qualify for the semi-finals if she wins a set against Elena Vesnina on Friday.
"At the start of the third set she definitely got the momentum back," Stosur told the WTA website after the match.
"You always want to get off to a better start and today, especially in the third, I wasn't able to do that."
Vesnina, meanwhile, stayed in contention for the semis with a 6-3 6-4 win over Tsvetana Pironkova.

Results:

Group Serdika

1-Simona Halep (Romania) beat Elina Svitolina (Ukraine) 6-1 6-1

Group Sredets

5-Elena Vesnina (Russia) beat 8-Tsvetana Pironkova (Bulgaria) 6-2 4-6 6-0

2-Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) beat 4-Samantha Stosur (Australia) 6-2 5-7 6-2

STANDINGS: P W L F A Pts

Group Serdika

1. Simona Halep 3 3 0 6 0 6

2. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 2 1 1 2 2 2

3. Alize Cornet 2 1 1 1 2 2

4. Maria Kirilenko 1 0 1 0 1 0

5. Elina Svitolina 2 0 2 0 4 0

Group Sredets

1. Ana Ivanovic 2 2 0 4 1 4

2. Samantha Stosur 2 1 1 3 2 2

3. Elena Vesnina 2 1 1 2 3 2

4. Tsvetana Pironkova 2 0 2 1 4 0

 

[Smallville22]

Nadal on track for elusive Paris Masters title

World number one Rafa Nadal broke the stubborn resistance of Poland's Jerzy Janowicz's to win 7-5 6-4 and reach the last eight of the Paris Masters.
In the semi-finals of the Paris event - one of only three Masters titles the Spaniard has yet to win - Nadal faces local favourite Richard Gasquet who, along with Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka, have completed the ATP World Tour finals line-up.
Both players won their third-round matches at Bercy but it was Canadian Milos Raonic's defeat by Tomas Berdych that sent them into next week's season-ending showdown in London.
They join Nadal, Novak Djokovic, David Ferrer, Juan Martin del Potro, Berdych and Roger Federer in next week's showpiece.
All eight reached the Paris Masters quarter-finals on Friday.
World number two Djokovic and 17-times Grand Slam champion Roger Federer, who is ranked sixth, also advanced.
Nadal, who has yet to win the Miami and Shanghai Masters either, broke decisively in the 11th game of the opening set and, after an early trade of breaks in the second, got the upper hand when he took Janowicz's serve again in the fifth game.
The Pole, who broke into the limelight by reaching last year's final at Bercy where he lost to Ferrer, contained his frustration but Nadal's top spin was eventually too much to handle.
Djokovic dispensed with his Darth Vader mask and proved too strong for American John Isner in a 6-7(5) 6-1 6-2 victory.
The Serbian, who entered the Bercy arena last year imitating the infamous Star Wars villain, survived a barrage of aces from the towering Isner before ruthlessly taking him apart.
"I know, I know. It's my fault. I was not prepared enough...so I'm going to have to be pretending that I'm myself this year. No Darth Vader," said Djokovic, who watched nine aces fly by him in the opener.
Federer showed glimpses of his brilliant best as he outclassed German Philip Kohlschreiber 6-3 6-4 to advance.
A day after securing his place at the World Tour finals, the Swiss won comfortably to set up a clash with Argentine Juan Martin del Potro, who beat him in the Basel final last week.
"It wouldn't be nice to lose once more against him. If it happens I will accept it, but if I win I will have something extra for London," Federer said.
"I have an idea of my tactics, my gameplan. Now it's important to be able to do it, actually do it on the court."
Compatriot Wawrinka and Gasquet qualified for London after Raonic, who only had a slim chance of snatching one of the last two spots, lost 7-6(13) 6-4 to Czech sixth seed Berdych.
Seventh seed Wawrinka, Djokovic's next opponent, beat Spaniard Nicolas Almagro 6-3 6-2 while Gasquet, who knew he had qualified for the London event before his match, breezed past Japan's Kei Nishikori by the same score.
Wawrinka is eighth in the ATP Race to London with Gasquet in ninth spot. The cut off point for qualification was lowered to ninth after British world number four Andy Murray pulled out of the season finale because of lower back surgery.
Third-seeded Spaniard Ferrer continued his bid to become the first man to retain the Bercy title by demolishing France's Gilles Simon 6-2 6-3.

Paris Masters results

Third round

6-Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) beat 10-Milos Raonic (Canada) 7-6(13) 6-4

4-Juan Martin Del Potro (Argentina) beat Grigor Dimitrov (Bulgaria) 3-6 6-3 6-4

2-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) beat 13-John Isner (U.S.) 6-7(5) 6-1 6-2

3-David Ferrer (Spain) beat 15-Gilles Simon (France) 6-2 6-3

7-Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland) beat 12-Nicolas Almagro (Spain) 6-3 6-2

5- Roger Federer (Switzerland) beat Philipp Kohlschreiber (Germany) 6-3 6-4

9-Richard Gasquet (France) beat Kei Nishikori (Japan) 6-3 6-2

1-Rafael Nadal (Spain) beat Jerzy Janowicz (Poland) 7-5 6-4

 

[Smallville22]

Wawrinka, Gasquet complete World Tour finals line-up

Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka and France's Richard Gasquet snatched the last two places for next week's ATP World Tour finals after Canadian Milos Raonic was knocked out of the Paris Masters in the third round on Thursday.
Wawrinka and Gasquet will be at the London event along with Spain's Rafa Nadal and David Ferrer, Serb Novak Djokovic, Swiss Roger Federer, Czech Tomas Berdych and Argentine Juan Martin del Potro.
Wawrinka and Gasquet, who started the week in Paris in eighth and ninth spot respectively in the ATP Race to London, cannot now be caught by Raonic, who lost 7-6 (13) 6-4 to Berdych.
The cut off point for qualification was lowered to ninth place after British world number four Andy Murray pulled out of the season finale because of lower back surgery.
Raonic, who was 11th, had to at least reach the final in Paris to qualify for the London event.
Wawrinka, who will take part in the season-ender for the first time, and Gasquet are enjoying a fine run in Paris.
The Swiss easily beat Nicolas Almagro 6-3 6-2 to set up a quarter-final with world number two Djokovic.
Gasquet, enjoying his best season since 2007 when he also took part in the season-ending showcase event in Shanghai, grabbed his 50th win of the season for the first time when he beat Japan's Kei Nishikori 6-3 6-2.
The Frenchman started the match knowing he would play in London next week, which obviously helped him relax.
"You can try to say you're not looking, that you will be concentrating on your own match, but I wanted to know because I was relieved when I knew I had qualified so I was not so tense for my match," Gasquet told a news conference.
"I mean, it's sports. It's normal I was relieved that he (Raonic) lost."
Gasquet will next play either world number one Rafa Nadal or last year's Paris Masters runner-up Jerzy Janowicz of Poland.

 

[Smallville22]

Russian stay-aways threaten to make final a romp

Irina Khromacheva took to Twitter to express her delight at being in Russia's team to face Italy in the Fed Cup final this weekend, although with a world ranking of 236 she probably expected to be watching it on television.
"Very happy to play my first match at Fedcup tomorrow, will give my all. Let's go Russia," said the 18-year-old.
Khromacheva will share the singles responsibilities with Alexandra Panova, ranked 136 in the world, against the red-hot Italian favourites featuring 13th-ranked Roberta Vinci and world number seven Sara Errani.
It has all the makings of a rout in Cagliari, Sardinia after three of Russia's top players, with the exception of the injured Maria Sharapova, opted to play in the WTA's Tournament of Champions in Bulgaria.
Eleven Russian women are ranked higher than Panova whose grand slam record amounts to five first-round losses while Khromacheva plays almost entirely on the second-tier ITF circuit rather than the main Tour.
How different this weekend's clash, the 50th Fed Cup final, could have looked had 18th ranked Maria Kirilenko, Elena Vesnina (25) and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (26) opted to represent their country rather than play in a tournament which offers a lucrative end to the season for players who failed to qualify for the WTA Tour Finals in Istanbul last week.
Russia have only lost once in six meetings against Italy but without that trio and the likes of Svetlana Kuznetsova and Nadia Petrova, both of whom have called time on their Fed Cup careers, Russia stand little chance against the Italians who are looking to win it for the fourth time.
It begs the question as to how the women's tour organisers the WTA and International Tennis Federation (ITF), who run the Fed Cup, Davis Cup and grand slams, could schedule both events for the same week.
In an interview with the BBC, Vesnina defended her decision not to take part in the Fed Cup final.
"I've been playing Fed Cup for eight years and I have won the Fed Cup twice, so I already know that feeling," Vesnina, who played a leading role in getting Russia to the final, said.
"It means a lot to me to play for my country and I have always done that with pleasure. But I have qualified for the first time in my career for this Championship and I have a chance to end the year in the top 20."
The WTA insisted those who were eligible to play in the Fed Cup final could have done so without any repercussions while the ITF described the circumstances as an "isolated incident".
"It's a shame that this has happened in our 50th year but 22 of the top 30 in the world have played in the Fed Cup this year and we believe that a strong Fed Cup can only be good for the appeal of the women's game," an ITF spokesman told Reuters.
With the men's ATP Tour final next week in London and the Davis Cup final the following week, the ITF have been left with little wriggle room to play the Fed Cup final in a blank week, opting to schedule it the same week as the Tournament of Champions which began five years ago.
However, this is the first time that the Fed Cup final has been so directly impacted as in the past players such as Serbia's Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic opted to play for their country rather than at the WTA event.
Next year the Fed Cup final will move back one week into the gap created by the ATP Tour finals also going back one week instead of butting up against the Paris Masters.
"We would obviously prefer both teams to be at full strength this weekend, but believe this is an isolated situation and still expect a hard-fought tie in front of a sell-out crowd in Cagliari," ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti said in a statement.
"By moving the date of the Fed Cup Final into a free week in 2014, we have shown flexibility and concern for the players in helping them to continue to represent their country in this prestigious competition."
In the meantime Errani is desperately trying to find out something about her obscure Russian opponent.
"I don't know Khromacheva very much. I will try to ask somebody who knows her and see on the internet how she plays," Errani told the ITF's website.

 

[Smallville22]

Federer joins Djokovic in Paris semis

Former world number one Roger Federer showed some of his old class when beating Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro 6-3 4-6 6-3 at the Paris Masters on Friday to set up a semi-final clash with Novak Djokovic.
The Swiss, who had lost his prior three encounters with the towering Del Potro including the Basel Open final on Sunday, will play a Masters Series semi-final for only the second time this year.
He will face Djokovic, who hammered Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka 6-1 6-4, for the first time since last year's ATP World Tour finals.
Federer has a 16-13 record against the Serb, who won their last meeting in London a year ago.
"Roger is probably experiencing the worst season that he's had in the last 10 years, but he's still a player to beat in every tournament, because he's Roger Federer, because he has won 17 Grand Slams," Djokovic told a news conference.
"You can't underestimate him, although maybe he's not at the form where he was when he was number one in the world. But I have been watching his matches in Basel last week and here. I think he's playing really well."
Fifth-seeded Federer proved Djokovic right in the first set of his quarter-final against Del Potro, reviving his old brilliance to hit 17 winners.
However, he lost a bit a sharpness in the second set and the Argentine made the most of it.
Del Potro, who did not have a single break chance until the second set's 10th game, converted his second to force Federer into a decisive set.
Cheered on by the packed crowd, 2011 Paris Masters winner Federer played more aggressively and broke Del Potro's serve in the seventh game.
Djokovic, the 2009 Paris Masters champion, had to battle through five sets to prevail in his last two matches against Wawrinka but started fast this time out to take a 3-0 lead.
He never loosened his grip and left the seventh seeded Swiss with the feeling he had no chance of victory.
"When he plays that good it's very difficult, especially on this surface where he's the best, I believe," Wawrinka said.

Quarter-final results:

1-Rafa Nadal (Spain) beat 9-Richard Gasquet (France) 6-4 6-1

3-David Ferrer (Spain) beat 6-Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) 4-6 7-5 6-3

5-Roger Federer (Switzerland) beat 4-Juan Martin Del Potro (Argentina) 6-3 4-6 6-3

2-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) beat 7-Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland) 6-1 6-4

 

[Smallville22]

Ivanovic makes semis despite defeat

Ana Ivanovic, Sam Stosur, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Simona Halep qualified for the semi-finals of the Tournament of Champions in Sofia.
Ivanovic, a two-time winner of this event, lost her third and final Group Sredets match but was always going to qualify, with Elena Vesnina – who beat the Serb 6-4 3-6 7-6(1) – needing Stosur to lose against Tsvetana Pironkova in order to qualify.
But the experienced Australian cruised past the Bulgarian wildcard 6-1 6-4 to seal her place in the semis at Russian Vesnina’s expense.
"I definitely got a lot tighter as the match went on," Stosur said. "I got off to a great start, then a tough service game trying to serve out the set.
“Thankfully I got through that, then it was a matter of holding serve from there. I got the break in the second set and managed to close it out, so I'm happy.”
Ivanovic had mixed feelings after qualifying with a defeat.
"I played really well in my first two matches but today was not my day," Ivanovic said. "It was a very tough match, especially in the third set, but she played really well and I just have to look forward.
"The most important thing for me right now is just to rest and recover for tomorrow."
In the other group, Pavlyuchenkova beat Alize Cornet 6-2 6-2 to seal her place in the last four.
Halep – the only player with a 100 per record so far – had already qualified.

Results

Group Sredets

4-Samantha Stosur (Australia) beat 8-Tsvetana Pironkova (Bulgaria) 6-1 6-4

5-Elena Vesnina (Russia) beat 2-Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) 6-4 3-6 7-6(1)

Group Serdika

6-Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Russia) beat 7-Alize Cornet (France) 6-2 6-2

STANDINGS: P W L F A Pts

Group Sredets

1. Samantha Stosur 3 2 1 5 2 4

2. Ana Ivanovic 3 2 1 5 3 4

3. Elena Vesnina 3 2 1 4 4 4

4. Tsvetana Pironkova 3 0 3 1 6 0

Group Serdika

1. Simona Halep 3 3 0 6 0 6

2. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 3 2 1 4 2 4

3. Alize Cornet 3 1 2 1 4 2

4. Maria Kirilenko 1 0 1 0 1 0

5. Elina Svitolina 2 0 2 0 4 0

 

[Smallville22]

Nadal coasts past Gasquet to set up date with Ferrer

Rafael Nadal defeated Frenchman Richard Gasquet 6-4 6-1 to set up a semi-final meeting with fellow Spaniard David Ferrer at the Paris Masters.
Top seed Nadal destroyed local favourite Gasquet as he stepped up his bid for a record sixth Masters Series crown in the same season.
Having shared breaks early in the first set, Nadal secured a second crucial break in the sixth game before seeing it out 6-4.
Nadal was imperious in the second set as he offered no break opportunities to his opponent before securing three breaks of his own to take the second set 6-1.
The world number one, who is chasing his 11th title of the year and is the only player left in the tournament not to have already won the indoor event, next faces title holder Ferrer.
Third seed Ferrer, beaten in the French Open final the last time he played against Nadal, defeated 2005 champion Tomas Berdych 4-6 7-5 6-3.
Gasquet, who will feature in next week's Tour Finals for the first time since 2007, tried to control the net as often as possible to compensate for his lack of power but made too many mistakes and easily surrendered despite the home crowd's support.
"Sorry for Richard tonight but I think I played my best match here this year," said Nadal.
"I feel that for most of the time I had control of the points from the baseline and that gives me a lot of confidence."

Quarter-final results:

1-Rafa Nadal (Spain) beat 9-Richard Gasquet (France) 6-4 6-1

3-David Ferrer (Spain) beat 6-Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) 4-6 7-5 6-3

5-Roger Federer (Switzerland) beat 4-Juan Martin Del Potro (Argentina) 6-3 4-6 6-3

2-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) beat 7-Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland) 6-1 6-4

 

[Smallville22]

Tunisia handed one year Davis Cup ban after Israeli boycott order

Tunisia have been suspended from the 2014 Davis Cup after the country's tennis federation ordered its number one player not to play against an Israeli.
Malek Jaziri withdrew from the second tier Tashkent Challenger tournament last month before his match against Israel's Amir Weintraub. Jaziri's brother told reporters the 215th ranked player had been ordered to default the match.
The governing body of men's tennis, ATP, cleared the player of wrongdoing but the International Tennis Federation (ITF) decided to impose the ban.
"The ITF Board of Directors found that the Tunisian Tennis Federation was in breach of the ITF Constitution by interfering with international sporting practice and ordering Tunisian player Malek Jaziri not to compete against Israeli player Amir Weintraub at the 2013 Tashkent Challenger in October," the ITF said in a statement on Saturday.
"The Board was not satisfied with the case put forward by the Tunisian Tennis Federation and voted to suspend Tunisia from the 2014 Davis Cup competition."
ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti added: "There is no room for prejudice of any kind in sport or in society. The ITF Board decided to send a strong message to the Tunisian Tennis Federation that this kind of action will not be tolerated by any of our members,"
Tunisia, who played Great Britain in the Davis Cup in 2011, were relegated from Europe/Africa Zone Group II this season.
Israel and Tunisia do not have any diplomatic ties and limited relations were severed in 2000 by the Tunisians following the outbreak of Israeli-Palestinian hostilities in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

 

[Smallville22]

Nadal drawn with Ferrer, Djokovic with Federer for Tour Finals

World number one Rafael Nadal will face compatriot David Ferrer at next week's ATP World Tour Finals in London, with last year's champion Novak Djokovic and runner-up Roger Federer drawn in the second group on Saturday.
Nadal, featuring for the sixth time but seeking a maiden title at the season-ending event, will also play against seventh-ranked Czech Tomas Berdych and eighth-ranked Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland in Group A.
Ferrer, whom Nadal was facing on Saturday in the Paris Masters semi-finals, is currently world number three.
Title holder Djokovic, who beat Federer last year at London's O2 Arena to claim his second Tour Finals crown, was drawn in Group B along with fifth-ranked Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro and ninth-ranked Frenchman Richard Gasquet.
Six-time champion Federer, ranked sixth, will feature for the 12th consecutive year at the event where the only big name missing will be Briton Andy Murray, who is recovering from back surgery.
The same eight players were involved in this week's Paris Masters quarter-finals.
The winner of each group will face the runner-up in the other section in the semi-finals.

 

[Smallville22]

Ferrer ousts Nadal, faces Djokovic in Paris final

Spaniard David Ferrer produced one of his finest performances to edge world number one and compatriot Rafael Nadal 6-3 7-5 in the Paris Masters semi-final on Saturday and keep alive his hope of retaining his crown.
Third seed Ferrer, who won his first Masters Series title in Paris last year, will face Novak Djokovic in the final of the indoor event on Sunday after the Serb earlier subdued Roger Federer 4-6 6-3 6-2 in the battle of the former world number ones.
Ferrer, who entered his match with a 4-20 win-loss record against Nadal but had won their previous encounter on hard courts, at the 2011 Australian Open, dominated from the first point to the last.
He began aggressively, forcing Nadal to defend and breaking his opponent's serve in the fourth game.
Nadal regrouped and created three break chances in the second game of the second set, only to see Ferrer level at 1-1 and then take advantage of one of the top seed's numerous errors to lead 2-1.
Nadal threatened to record a great comeback when he levelled at 5-5, but Ferrer broke immediately and wrapped up the match on his first chance with a powerful groundstroke.
"That might have been my best performance of the season," he told Spanish television broadcaster Teledeporte.
"I played a very complete match and I knew that to beat Rafa I had to give my best. Maybe he started a bit nervously with more errors than usual, but the second set was really tough.
"It was a big blow when I couldn't serve out the match at 5-4. You can't afford to let opportunities slip against Rafa. In the key moments you always have more self-doubt, but I just tried to put that game behind me and refocus."
Power had also made the difference earlier on Saturday as 2009 champion Djokovic defeated Federer despite struggling to control the brilliant Swiss early on.
Federer, who has slipped to sixth in the rankings after enduring his worst season in 10 years, broke his opponent's serve in the third game.
Loudly cheered by the packed crowd, the 17-times grand slam champion unsettled Djokovic by attacking the net as often as possible and hitting some sharp groundstrokes.
Federer looked set to qualify for his first Masters Series final this year when he broke Djokovic again in the opening game of the second set, but the Serb hit back for 1-1.
Federer lost the initiative after errors began to creep into his game and he also struggled with his serve. Djokovic broke Federer's serve a second time to lead 4-2 and he carried the momentum through the deciding set.
Both players will meet again next week at the ATP World Tour Finals in London after they were drawn on Saturday in the same round-robin group.

 

[Smallville22]

Vinci wins epic to help Italy into 2-0 lead in Fed Cup final

Roberta Vinci won a three hour, 13 minute marathon against Russia's Alexandra Panova as Italy grabbed a 2-0 lead in the Fed Cup final on Saturday.
A roaring home crowd backed Vinci as she was pushed to the limit before edging past Panova 5-7 7-5 8-6 in Cagliari.
Sara Errani kept up the momentum to record a more straightforward 6-1 6-4 win over Irina Khromacheva to put the hosts on the verge of their fourth Fed Cup title.
Italy are clear favourites to win the tournament against a Russian team who are contesting the final without top players Maria Kirilenko, Elena Vesnina and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Panova had four match points against Vinci while leading 7-5 5-2 but was powerless to stop Vinci, who played through severe neck pain, to win five games in a row to take the second set.
Vinci and Panova fought tooth-and-nail during a dramatic, error-strewn third set before the Italian wrapped up victory.

 

[Smallville22]

Halep ousts Ivanovic to set up Stosur final

The unbeaten Simona Halep ousted Ana Ivanovic 2-6 6-1 6-3 to move into the final of the Tournament of Champions in Sofia, where she will face Sam Stosur.
The Romanian top seed dropped her first set of the tournament as Ivanovic won five games in a row, but she responded with a crushing, 34-minute second set to level the match.
Two-time winner Ivanovic raced 3-0 ahead in the decider but Halep fought back again, winning 25 of the last 32 points against the second-seeded Serb.
"I played really well when she had break points to make it 4-1, and I'm really happy with the way I came back in the end," Halep said. "I'm a little bit injured in my leg but I'm very happy I was able to win today.
“Now I'm going to rest and recover and I hope to just come back and enjoy the final tomorrow."
She will face Sam Stosur after the Australian beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1 1-6 6-3 in a topsy-turvy semi.
"It was a tough match," Stosur said. "I got off to a good start, and she was missing a little bit in the first set, but then things totally changed around in the second set.
"The third set was the time where we both played our best. But I'm happy I was able to close it out in the end."

Semi-final result:

4-Samantha Stosur (Australia) beat 6-Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Russia) 6-1 1-6 6-3

1-Simona Halep (Romania) beat 2-Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) 2-6 6-1 6-3

 

[Smallville22]

Del Potro robbed in Paris on way to London tournament

Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro was robbed of a briefcase as he signed an autograph at Gard du Nord in Paris on Saturday on his way to London for next week's ATP World Tour Finals.
"I was checking in for the (Eurostar) train and I was asked for an autograph. I turned round to sign it and in those 20 seconds I had (the case) stolen," Del Potro said in a statement.
The world number five, who lost his Paris Masters quarter-final to Roger Federer on Friday, kept his passport, money and other personal effects, including a rosary, in the briefcase.
"My rosary, blessed by Pope Francis, which I took with me everywhere, that's what mattered to me most," said Del Potro, who met the Argentine-born Pope during the Italian Open in Rome earlier in the year.

 

[Smallville22]

Ruthless Errani secures another title for Italy

Sara Errani romped to a 6-1 6-1 win over Alisa Kleybanova in Cagliari to hand Italy an unassailable 3-0 lead over Russia and their third Fed Cup title in five years on Sunday.
A second-string Russian side, who had to contest the final without top players Maria Kirilenko, Elena Vesnina and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, were always likely to struggle against a team featuring grand slam doubles champions Errani and Roberta Vinci.
Errani, who was also a singles runner-up at the 2012 French Open, showed her class and experience as she won both her singles rubbers with the minimum of fuss and wrapped up the title for Italy with two matches to spare.
With Italy already crowned champions, the teams decided to skip the fourth singles rubber before Karin Knapp and Flavia Pennetta completed the whitewash with a 4-6 6-2 10-4 (champions tiebreak) win over Margarita Gasparyan and Irina Khromacheva.
"We are very happy," said the 26-year-old Errani. "It was a very good week for us. I am happy with how I played. I was focused on every point, there was tension, there is a lot of people here and it means a lot for us."
While the jubilant Italians were leaping for joy at the Cagliari Tennis Club, the Russians were left to digest their second runner-up finish in three years in the team competition.
"The final was very strange because we did not play against the best players from Russia but it was very tough to play under these conditions. We had to concentrate and we were scared a little bit," Italy captain Corrado Barazzutti said.
"Maybe it was one of the more easy Fed Cups that we won but I want to remember that we beat the best team in the world (Czech Republic) in the semi-final. The important thing is to win when you have a chance to win."

Full results:

Saturday

Sara Errani (Italy) beat Irina Khromacheva (Russia) 6-1 6-4

Roberta Vinci (Italy) beat Alexandra Panova (Russia) 5-7 7-5 8-6

Sunday

Karin Knapp/Flavia Pennetta (Italy) beat Irina Khromacheva/Margarita Gasparyan (Russia) 4-6 6-2 10-4

Sara Errani (Italy) beat Alisa Kleybanova (Russia) 6-1 6-1

 

[Smallville22]

Djokovic grinds down Ferrer to take Paris title

Novak Djokovic beat defending champion David Ferrer of Spain 7-5 7-5 to win the Paris Masters on Sunday and keep alive his hopes of reclaiming the world number one spot by the end of the year.
The Serb recovered from a break down in both sets to snatch his third consecutive title, and the 40th of his career, following victories in Beijing and at the Shanghai Masters last month.
"I knew that coming into the match I was going to have to work for my points," Djokovic told a news conference.
"He was not going to give me too many free points. He was going to run for every ball. He's a great competitor, one of the most respected guys on tour because he works hard and he's very humble and he's a very nice person."
It is the first time Djokovic, the 2009 Paris Masters champion, has won back-to-back Masters Series events since his successive triumphs in Rome, Madrid and Montreal in 2011.
"Summer was up and down, and now again I'm playing at a very high level and have lots of confidence in myself, in my game," said Djokovic, who had not won a title since the Monte Carlo Masters in April prior to his success in Beijing.
He could still overthrow world number one Rafa Nadal if he wins next week's ATP World Tour Finals in London and the Davis Cup final with Serbia, who host Czech Republic in Belgrade later this month.
Nadal will ensure he stays top of the rankings if he wins at least two matches in London.
Ferrer, who collected his first Masters Series crown last year in Paris, became the fifth defending champion to reach the final at the indoor event and fail to retain the title.
The world number three served for both sets, only to come up against Djokovic's famous fighting spirit.
"It was very physical, trust me," Djokovic said.
"But in the last few games of both sets, it was mental in the end, just trying to show your opponent that you're there, that you want to attack, that you want to take your opportunities."
Ferrer began aggressively, upsetting the Serb with the same cross-court forehands that helped him unsettle compatriot Nadal in their semi-final.
He broke Djokovic's serve in the fifth game by winning an exhausting rally with a subtle backhand dropshot.
Yet his opponent found the resources to strike back. Djokovic made Ferrer move around the court more and more before levelling at 5-5 and then snatching the first set.
It was the same scenario in the second set, with Ferrer taking an early lead but proving unable to hold on to his serve in the tenth game as Djokovic attacked the net to shorten the points.
The Serb prevailed and extended Ferrer's losing-streak in finals. The world number three has been beaten in his last three, in Stockholm, Valencia and Paris, and has a 2-7 record in finals this season.
"He has done a great match. He managed to break the rhythm. You have to play the perfect match to beat Novak," Ferrer told a news conference.
"I played maybe better than yesterday, and I lost. With Nole, if I don't take the chance, it's impossible to beat him."
Both players will be in action on Tuesday at the ATP World Tour finals in London, where Djokovic will face Swiss Roger Federer and Ferrer will take on compatriot Nadal, their defeated semi-final opponents in Paris.
"It has been a great year, it's 100 percent positive. I will now focus on my final tournament of the year and fight to stay third, while others fight for the number one," Ferrer said.

 

[Smallville22]

Halep caps breakthrough season with Sofia title

Romanian Simona Halep battled back to beat former US Open champion Samantha Stosur 2-6 6-2 6-2 in a thrilling Tournament of Champions final on Sunday and capture her sixth title of the year.
Winning the season-ending WTA event at the Armeets Arena in Sofia earned the 22-year-old Romanian a cheque for $270,000 and lifted her three places in the world rankings to a career-high 11th.
Australian Stosur began her 19th WTA final confidently and took the opening set with ease, surrendering just five points in the first four games as Halep struggled with a very low first-serve percentage.
But Halep, an aggressive baseliner, stepped up her game and broke three times in a row to win the second set with hard-hitting Stosur, the oldest player in the tournament, losing her rhythm.
Stosur, who had looked in blistering form in the semi-finals where she humbled Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, continued to rely on powerful kick serves in the third set but Halep broke decisively in the 21st game and got the upper hand, winning the next three games.
Halep, who also beat Stosur in the Kremlin Cup final last month, wore down the 29-year-old with booming forehands into an open court after pushing her out wide with a number of clever shots.
"I had some problems with my leg (thigh) but I wanted so much to win here and it's great that I did it," said Halep. "It was an incredible week for me."
After a mediocre start to the year, Halep caught fire in June, winning titles at Nurnberg, Den Bosch and Budapest, then adding crowns at New Haven and Moscow.
Halep's triumph was cheered by hundreds of Romanian fans, including former world number one Ilie Nastase and the Balkan country's sports minister Nicolae Banicioiu, who made the 370-km trip to the Bulgarian capital.
"It was unbelievable to see so many Romanians in the hall," said Halep. "I'm really happy for that, I wish to thank them and especially Ilie Nastase for coming here to support me."
"It was a tough match today," said Stosur. "She's a very good player, she beat me in Moscow and she did it again.
"Now I'll take a break for a few weeks and then I'll start to prepare for the next season."
It was the second time the Tournament of Champions was held in Sofia, having been relocated from Bali where it was staged between 2010 and 2012.
The $750,000-tournament featured the six highest-ranked players who have won at least one International Series title during the year and did not qualify for the more lucrative WTA Championships.

 

[Smallville22]

Resurgent Djokovic eyes return to top of rankings

Novak Djokovic has the world number one ranking in his sights once again after clinching his third successive title with a 7-5 7-5 win over David Ferrer in the Paris Masters final on Sunday.
The Serb, who must retain his ATP World Tour Finals crown and win the Davis Cup to knock Spaniard Rafa Nadal off the top of the rankings, did not win a single title between the Monte Carlo Masters in April and last month's China Open.
"I'm in a good spot at this moment. I enjoy tennis. I enjoy competing," he told reporters.
"I am definitely playing the best tennis this year ... Summer was up and down, and now again I'm playing on a very high level and have lots of confidence in myself, in my game."
Successful season ends are becoming normal for Djokovic, who also triumphed in Beijing and Shanghai last season before claiming his first Finals crown.
Djokovic, who relies heavily on his physical strength and defensive skills, was not disappointed to have no rest before being put under high pressure in London and in the Davis Cup final against Czech Republic in Belgrade.
"I have a right schedule, even though, you know, it's going to be three weeks now in a row for me: Paris, London, and Davis Cup final," he said.
"Physically it's very demanding, but it's not just me that is tired and has played many matches. All of the top players have had long seasons, and you just have to try to find the strength, find a way to recover.
"Every day really matters now for me to do things properly in order to play all the matches in a high level."
The minor physical problems he said he had experienced on Sunday did not worry him.
"For me, it's important to stay tough and overcome these issues... You need to push yourself to the limit, even over the limit, in order to recognise and to discover how much you can really go," he said.
"So for me, that's another positive of this match."
Djokovic face Swiss Roger Federer in his first round robin match in London on Tuesday. He will also take on Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro and Frenchman Richard Gasquet in the group stage.

 

[Smallville22]

Halep enjoying herself after breakthrough season

Unheralded Romanian Simona Halep is vowing to keep the fun factor in her game following her victory in the Tournament of Champions on Sunday at the end of a breakthrough season on the women's tour.
The 22-year-old won the season-ending event in Sofia on Sunday, beating former U.S. Open champion Samantha Stosur 2-6 6-2 6-2 in a thrilling final to cap a remarkable six months which has lifted her to number 11 in the world rankings.
After a mediocre start to the year, Halep caught fire in June, winning titles at Nurnberg, Den Bosch and Budapest, then adding crowns at New Haven and Moscow to become the only player to taste success on three different surfaces this season.
With increasing success comes more expectation, but Halep, who came from 3-0 down in the final set against Serbia's Ana Ivanovic in the semi-finals, said she was not going to make ambitious plans at the expense of enjoying her time on court.
"Next year will be tough because I'll have to defend all the points," Halep, who started the week ranked 14th in the world, told a news conference.
"But I don't want to make any plans. I won a lot of titles this season, I played really well and it's not going to be easy next season. I just want to enjoy my time on the WTA tour and to feel the pleasure in every moment on the court."
Halep's sixth career title did not come without its problems, however, as she was easily brushed aside in the opening set by Australian Stosur in just 31 minutes.
She found her range in the second and went on to win 20 of the final 26 points, finishing the match with a forehand down the line to clinch the $270,000 prize.
"I felt a little bit nervous at the beginning of the match, Samantha played really well in the first set and dominated me," hard-hitting Halep said.
"I'm also a little bit injured but in the second set I came back well and I just wanted to hit the ball and win the final."
Halep showed flashes of brilliance in Sofia, demonstrating her potential to become a serious contender at grand slams.
"To finish the year with a win like this is great for Simona," said Romanian former world number one Ilie Nastase, one of the hundreds of fans who made the 370-km trip to the Bulgarian capital to support Halep.
"It will give her confidence going into the new year, which begins pretty soon in Australia."
Halep's rise in the rankings means she will have to get used to being in the spotlight.
"Yes, there was (a pressure with Nastase being in the stands)," Halep said.
"When I started the match I saw him and I was a little bit nervous I said to myself that he's here to support me and that helped me."