2013 Tennis Thread

[Smallville22]

Argentina face hard task against Germany without Del Potro

Argentina face Germany in the Davis Cup first round this weekend on shakier ground at home than when they beat their opponents 4-1 away at the same stage last year.
World number seven Juan Martin del Potro is not playing the Davis Cup at all this year having decided he wants to concentrate fully on trying to break into the world's top four.
This has gone down badly with many of his compatriots, who criticise his lack of commitment to a national cause to bring the famous salad bowl trophy home for the first time after losing four finals, three since 2006.
However, Argentina beat Germany last year without 2009 US Open champion Del Potro who only came into the team at the quarter-final stage.
"Being at home is very important, we must not lose sight of that," captain Martin Jaite said as a rallying cry to his team in the build-up to the tie.
What Argentina lack on their favoured clay court at Parque Roca is a fully fit Juan Monaco and David Nalbandian.
Monaco, ranked 12 and drawn on Thursday to meet Florian Mayer in the second singles, has been troubled by a wrist problem and also picked up a thigh muscle tear at the Australian Open.
Nalbandian helped Argentina win last year's tie 3-0 on the second day after winning his opening singles match and then the doubles with Eduardo Schwank.
The veteran campaigner, however, has been out of action for six months through injury and is only playing the doubles with Horacio Zeballos in the absence of Schwank, who is recovering from wrist surgery.
Carlos Berlocq will open the tie against world number 19 Phillip Kohlschreiber having made his Davis Cup debut in last year's semi-final at home to the Czech Republic.
Berlocq stood in for the injured Del Potro in the decisive last singles and lost to Tomas Berdych.
In head-to-head meetings, Monaco is 5-1 down to Mayer and Berlocq 3-1 down to Kohlschreiber.

In other ties, Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia will face 127th-ranked Olivier Rochus of Belgium on the clay in Charleroi.
In the opening match, Belgium's top player, 50th-ranked David Goffin, will play Viktor Troicki.
Czech Republic begins their defence when Lukas Rosol opens against Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland.
Tomas Berdych follows on the indoor hardcourt in Geneva against Swiss recruit Henri Laaksonen, who switched eligibility after representing Finland.

 

[Smallville22]

Murray to miss GB tie in Coventry

Andy Murray has confirmed that he will not feature when Great Britain play their Davis Cup tie against Russia at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.
The Midlands venue for the Europe/Africa Zone Group I second round tie from April 5-7 was confirmed on Thursday with the winners to compete in the World Group play-offs in September.
But Britain's hopes of progressing have been badly hit with the absence of the world number three.
Murray said: “It's a shame to miss out on the Davis Cup, as I always enjoy playing. I speak to (GB captain) Leon (Smith) and the team on a regular basis and will definitely be available to play the next Davis Cup tie later this year.”
The Scot, who did not played for Britain in either of their 2012 ties, will play in the Masters events in Miami and Indian Wells in March and then take a break before commencing his European clay court campaign in Monte Carlo from April 16.
Smith, who will now be forced to call upon the likes of Jamie Baker, Josh Goodall and James Ward - all ranked outside the world's top 200 in singles, showed empathy.
He said: “We are very excited to be taking Davis Cup to Coventry and taking advantage of strong home support. It will be tough against Russia, who are arguably the strongest team in our group, but we'll be giving it our best shot.
“We totally understand Andy’s position. He has worked extremely hard on his game elevating it to another level and we have all seen the fruits of that since Wimbledon.
"Andy’s success continues to inspire more and more young people to take up the sport and we look forward to welcoming him back into the team in September.”
Great Britain secured promotion to Group I during their 2011 campaign and received an opening round bye in this year's competition.

 

[Smallville22]

Ivanovic, Watson shocked in Pattaya

Ana Ivanovic eventually finished her first-round encounter at a rain-soaked Pattaya Open only for the top seed to be washed away 6-3 5-7 6-3 by Ayumi Morita.
The pair's clash had gone to a third day with the inclement weather buffeting the Thai beach resort severely disrupting play.
But with a brief interlude allowing action to finally recommence, Serb Ivanovic started on serve at 2-1 down in the third set.
It was Morita who appeared less affected by the delays however, the Japanese holding firm in the remainder of her service games, while breaking Ivanovic, crucially, just once.
Morita wen on to beat evergreen veteran and compatriot Kimiko Date-Krumm in the second round in the evening.
Heather Watson was seeded eighth for the tournament but fell to Latvia's Anastasija Sevastova, who sits 143 places below the 40th-placed Brit in the world rankings.
Watson fought back from having her serve broken in the first game to force a tie-break but lost the opening stanza before hitting back to take the second set.
However she was overpowered by the underdog in the third, holding serve only once.

Results

Round Two

2-Maria Kirilenko (Russia) beat Luksika Kumkhum (Thailand) 5-7 6-2 6-2

4-Sorana Cirstea (Romania) beat Anastasia Rodionova (Australia) 6-0 7-6(3)

5-Sabine Lisicki (Germany) beat Alexandra Panova (Russia) 7-5 6-2

Nina Bratchikova (Russia) beat 6-Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) 6-2 3-0 (Hantuchova retired)

7-Elena Vesnina (Russia) beat Mathilde Johansson (France) 6-2 3-6 6-1

Anastasija Sevastova (Latvia) beat 8-Heather Watson (Britain) 7-6(4) 4-6 6-2

Ayumi Morita (Japan) beat Kimiko Date-Krumm (Japan) 4-6 6-4 6-1

Marina Erakovic (New Zealand) beat Varatchaya Wongteanchai (Thailand) 6-3 7-6(4)

Round One

6-Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) beat Olga Puchkova (Russia) 6-1 3-6 6-0

7-Elena Vesnina (Russia) beat Eleni Daniilidou (Greece) 6-2 5-7 6-2

Ayumi Morita (Japan) beat 1-Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) 6-3 5-7 6-3

 

[Smallville22]

Djokovic lambasts state of court ahead of tie

World number one Novak Djokovic is angry at the state of the court that will be used for this week's Davis Cup first-round tie between Serbia and Belgium in Charleroi.
Djokovic and the rest of his Serbian team are unhappy that a clay surface has been laid on top of an indoors parquet floor.
"This is definitely the worst court we have ever played on," he said. "We're all putting our health at stake here.
"How is it possible that a clay court can be solid and can be a successful, playable court if it's built on parquet? We tried to slide a few times ... but our feet stayed under ground."
Djokovic, back in the team for the first time since September 2011, also said he was still feeling jetlagged after beating Britain's Andy Murray at the Australian Open final on Sunday.
"I am not fully recovered and I'm doing my best in order to prepare myself for tomorrow," he said.
Serbia are without injured world number nine Janko Tipsarevic but are still favourites to progress against Belgium who are led by world number 50 David Goffin and 127th-ranked Olivier Rochus.
The other singles player for the Serbs is world number 39 Viktor Troicki.

 

[Smallville22]

Cibulkova exits in Paris

Fourth seed Dominika Cibulkova was dumped out of the Paris Open while top seed Sara Errani progressed.

Fourth seed Dominika Cibulkova was dumped out of the Paris Open in the second round while top seed Sara Errani progressed.
Slovak Cibulkova exited in straight sets 7-5 6-4 to Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens.
The 23-year-old was beaten by five aces as 21-year-old Bertens earned a quarter-final against sixth seed Lucie Safarova, who beat Alize Cornet 6-2 4-6 6-2.
Magdalena Rybarikova completed a day to forget for Slovakia as she retired hurt at 4-0 down in the first set against Errani.
There was also woe for eighth-seeded Czech Klara Zakopalova as she went down to Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro.

Round two results

Kristina Mladenovic (France) beat Yanina Wickmayer (Belgium) 6-4 6-4

1-Sara Errani (Italy) beat Magdalena Rybarikova (Slovakia) 4-0 (Rybarikova retired)

6-Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic) beat Alize Cornet (France) 6-2 4-6 6-2

Carla Suarez Navarro (Spain) beat 8-Klara Zakopalova (Czech Republic) 6-4 6-3

Kiki Bertens (Netherlands) beat 4-Dominika Cibulkova (Slovakia) 7-5 6-4

 

[Smallville22]

Kirilenko through to last four in Pattaya

Last year's runner-up Maria Kirilenko reached the semi-finals of WTA Pattaya on Friday.
After Ana Ivanovic's exit, Kirilenko is the highest-ranked player in the draw and she prevailed 7-6 6-3 after a 130-minute battle with fellow Rusian Elena Vesnina.
The world number 15 will now meet fourth seed Sorana Cirstea who swept past Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia – the world number 183 – 6-3 6-0 inside an hour.
Former Wimbledon semi-finalist Sabine Lisicki had to work considerably harder for her place in the last four, however, as she recovered from a set down to beat Marina Erakovic of New Zealand 5-7 6-3 6-2 in 138 minutes.
Ayumi Morita of Japan arrived in Thailand high on confidence after a third round run at the Australian Open but after beating both Ivanovic and Kimiko Date-Krumm at the rain-hit tournament on Thursday, fatigue took hold and she went down in three sets to Nina Bratchikova.

WTA Pattaya results

2-Maria Kirilenko (Russia) beat 7-Elena Vesnina (Russia) 7-6(6) 6-3

4-Sorana Cirstea (Romania) beat Anastasija Sevastova (Latvia) 6-3 6-0

5-Sabine Lisicki (Germany) beat Marina Erakovic (New Zealand) 5-7 6-3 6-2

Nina Bratchikova (Russia) beat Ayumi Morita (Japan) 6-1 3-6 6-1

 

[Smallville22]

Mladenovic ousts Kvitova in Paris

Teenager Kristina Mladenovic stunned second seed Petra Kvitova to reach the Paris Open semi-finals and continue a dream run.
Mladenovic was too powerful for Kvitova, a former winner of the tournament, firing six aces to Kvitova's one en route to a 6-3 6-4 victory.
Kvitova has struggled for form in 2013, but there was no sign of nerves from the French starlet in front of her home crowd as she broke to love to seal the match.
Mladenovic was not alone in continuing a breakthrough run in Paris - unheralded Dutch starlet Kiki Bertens dumped out sixth seed Lucie Safarova to join her in the last four.
The 21-year-old, who scored her first victory over a top 20 opponent yesterday by ousting Dominika Cibulkova, blasted her Czech opponent off the court 6-1 in the first set, before edging a tighter second 7-5.
Bertens will next face top seed Sara Errani, who extracted some revenge by defeating Carla Suarez Navarro in a three-hour duel.
Navarro had overcome the Italian in the first round of the Australian Open last month, one of the biggest early shocks in Melbourne. She was again a fierce competitor, but Errani held her nerve to triumph 7-5 4-6 7-5.
But hopes of an all-French semi-final were quashed when Marion Bartoli, seeded three in Paris, was edged out in straight sets by Mona Barthel of Germany.

Quarter-final results

Kristina Mladenovic (France) beat 2-Petra Kvitova 6-3 6-4

1-Sara Errani (Italy) beat Carla Suarez Navarro (Spain) 7-5 4-6 7-5

Kiki Bertens (Netherlands) beat 6-Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic) 6-1 7-5

Mona Barthel (Germany) beat 3-Marion Bartoli (France) 7-6(7) 6-4

 

[rivasky]

Quarter-final results
Kristina Mladenovic (France) beat 2-Petra Kvitova 6-3 6-4

Damn it! :hammer:

Next week, we'll take Grenoble

 

[Smallville22]

Djokovic in groove for Serbia in Davis Cup

Novak Djokovic quickly got back in the groove after his Australian Open triumph with a crushing defeat of Olivier Rochus as Serbia surged into a 2-0 lead in their Davis Cup, first round tie in Belgium.
Holders Czech Republic were locked at 1-1 after the first day against a Switzerland side minus world number two Roger Federer - Tomas Berdych levelling the tie after Lukas Rosol had been outplayed by Stanislas Wawrinka.
France and Kazakhstan made impressive starts to their ties against Israel and Austria respectively while top seeds Spain were in action later against Canada in Vancouver.
Germany's hopes of beating Argentina in Buenos Aires suffered a cruel blow, however, as Philipp Kohlschreiber was forced to retire with a hamstring injury when serving for the match at 5-4 in the fifth set against Carlos Berlocq.
Less than a week after claiming a third consecutive Australian Open title by beating Andy Murray in Melbourne, world number one Djokovic quickly adapted to the indoor clay court at the Spiroudome in Charleroi to blow away Rochus 6-3 6-2 6-2.
Serbia's Viktor Troicki, playing in place of the absent Janko Tipsarevic, battled back from two sets down to beat David Goffin in the opening rubber.
Troicki, who won the deciding rubber when Serbia beat France to win the Davis Cup for the first time in 2010, produced a gutsy display after being outplayed for two sets.
Friday's match began to spin away from Goffin in the third set as Troicki clawed his way back to win 1-6 3-6 7-6 6-4 6-4.
On the eve of the match, Serbia had criticised the playing surface, saying the decision to lay a clay court on top of a wooden floor was dangerous.
The International Tennis Federation issued a statement saying they were happy with the court and it seemed fine for Djokovic who fired down 20 aces in a one hour 39 minute breeze.
A strong France line-up had too much for visitors Israel on the opening day in Rouen.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga needed four sets to beat Amir Weintraub before Richard Gasquet made short work of Dudi Sela.
"It is the perfect scenario because we've got two wins under our belt," team captain Arnaud Clement told reporters. "We will need to be very focused so we can wrap this up tomorrow."
In other ties, Croatia moved ahead against Italy in Turin thanks to Marin Cilic's five-set win against Paolo Lorenzi.
The United States, who have won the competition a record 32 times, face Brazil in Jacksonville later on Friday.

 

[Smallville22]

Canada push Spain to brink of shock exit

Canada raced to a 2-0 lead over Spain in their Davis Cup world group first round tie, pushing the five-times champions to the brink of defeat and moving to within a doubles victory of a maiden win at this level.
With top-ranked Spain missing big guns Rafa Nadal, David Ferrer and Nicolas Almagro, the Canadians seized their chance when Milos Raonic and Frank Dancevic dominated the clay-loving Iberians on the lightning fast Vancouver hardcourts.
Raonic, the world number 15, delivered as expected to tame feisty Alberto Ramos 6-7 6-4 6-4 6-4 before Frank Dancevic, ranked 161, destroyed world number 34 Marcel Granollers 6-1 6-2 6-2.
Spain looked determined to make it a difficult day for Canada when Ramos, making his Davis Cup debut, fought off three break points on his opening serve then forced the first set tie-break, which he won 7-5 when rattled Raonic sent his forehand long.
There would be few other miscues, though, as Raonic broke Ramos to open the second set and then collected the decisive break at 4-4 in third on his way to a 2-1 lead.
At 4-4 in the fourth, Raonic broke Ramos again before serving out the match with two thundering aces.
"It wasn't always the prettiest but thankfully I'm through," Raonic told courtside television as the celebration erupted around him. "I just put everything aside and focused on winning.
"I was hoping to turn the match in the first set, I had three early chances on his serve, three forehands into the net, I couldn't change it around there.
"But as soon as I got that first break right away in the second it let me play a little more freely."
Dancevic, still chasing his first career ATP Tour title, dropped to his knees and clenched his fists to celebrate the biggest win of his career when a Granollers return hit the net.
"I think I played the match of my life today," said the 28-year-old.
"I just went in with a lot confidence, like just had to go all or nothing today. Anytime I had an opportunity I went for it.
"This isn't over yet. We've to go strong, these guys aren't finished yet, they're going to come strong tomorrow.
"They've got a great doubles team ... we just have to go hard until the last ball this weekend."
Granollers will team up with Marc Lopez to take on Canada's Daniel Nestor and Vasek Pospisil in a must win doubles match on Saturday if they are to keep alive their hopes of advancing to the quarter-finals.
Spain have not crashed out in the first round since 2006, when they fell 4-1 to Belarus.
John Isner and Sam Querrey used their big serves to blast the United States into a commanding 2-0 lead over Brazil in their first round tie.
Isner sat out the Australian Open with a knee injury but the world number 16 reported fit for duty and recorded a routine 6-3 7-6 6-3 victory over Thiago Alves after Querrey began the day by brushing past Brazilian number one Thomaz Bellucci 6-3 6-4 6-4.
Using his booming serve to full advantage on the lightning quick Jacksonville hardcourts, Isner pounded 32 aces past his overwhelmed Brazilian opponent to leave the US one win away from advancing to the last eight.
The United States, who have won the competition a record 32 times, were back on home turf in Florida after playing all their ties away last year.
The 20th ranked Querrey provided the early fireworks and, firing down 15 aces at Brazilian lefty Bellucci, was in full control throughout his match.
"I thought I served great today the whole day," Querrey, who never faced a break point, said. "This is my first home tie. These Davis Cup weeks are so much fun."
The spotlight now shifts to Saturday for a showdown between Australian Open champions Bob and Mike Bryan and Brazil's Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares.
The top-ranked Americans, however, can expect a tough test from the Brazilians who hold a 2-1 edge in head-to-head meetings.
Germany's number one Philipp Kohlschreiber pulled out when 5-4 ahead in the fifth set of a gruelling first rubber to hand Argentina the lead in their first round tie.
The world number 19 led 6-3 5-7 6-2 4-6 5-4 against Carlos Berlocq, a stand-in for the absent Juan Martin del Potro, when he pulled his left hamstring after a four-hour marathon played in more than 35 degrees heat.
World number 12 Juan Monaco then beat Florian Mayer 6-7 6-3 6-3 6-4 to put Argentina 2-0 up on the first day on the claycourt at Parque Roca.
"I can't move my leg. I can't take a single step," Kohlschreiber told German reporters in the privacy of the locker room as he waited for a pair of crutches to be able to leave the stadium on the outskirts of Buenos Aires.
"It was a bitter thing for me and the whole team," added the 29-year-old. "It's hard to assess the gravity of the injury until further studies are conducted."
Team captain Carsten Arriens will now have to make a tough decision about who to play alongside Christopher Kas in Saturday's doubles.
Kas was to have teamed up with Kohlschreiber against David Nalbandian and Horacio Zeballos. Arriens now has to choose between Mayer and Davis Cup newcomer Tobias Kamke.
"It's no secret Philipp's already leaving for Germany on crutches ... it's a very difficult situation for us," Mayer told a news conference.
Argentina, normally favourites at home, had started the tie as underdogs given Del Potro's decision not to play the Davis Cup this year to concentrate on the tour and a six-month injury layoff that has left Nabandian short of match practice.
"I can't believe I'm experiencing this," an elated Berlocq, ranked 70, said in a courtside interview.
"The whole team had drummed into me that I could win and at times I looked at the clock and thought 'I'm doing well because I'm tiring him and he has to play all three days'.
"Thank God, I got another chance after the defeat against (Tomas) Berdych," added Berlocq, whose loss to Berdych gave Czech Republic their semi-final victory at Parque Roca last September.

 

[Smallville22]

Finalist Errani benefits from another Paris pullout

Top seed Sara Errani benefited from a retirement for the second time this week as the Italian raced into the final of the Paris Open when Dutch opponent Kiki Bertens pulled out while trailing 5-0 on Saturday.
The 25-year-old Errani, returning to Paris less than a year after reaching the French Open final, was in command when Bertens was forced out with back pain.
The world number seven had already seen Madgalena Rybarikova of Slovakia retire in the first set of their second-round encounter but dismissed the idea she had enjoyed an easy path to the final.
"Oh no, we can't say that. I admit it does not happen very often but I played more than three hours last night," Errani said referring to her 7-5 4-6 7-5 victory over Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro in the quarter-finals.
Errani will bid for a seventh career title on Sunday against 45th-ranked Mona Barthel of Germany who only needed 65 minutes to sweep aside 19-year-old Kristina Mladenovic of France 6-1 6-4.
Mladenovic had thrashed second seed Petra Kvitova 6-3 6-4 a day earlier.

 

[Smallville22]

Kirilenko to face Lisicki in Pattaya final

Maria Kirilenko will face Sabine Lisicki in the final of the WTA tournament in Pattaya.
After Ana Ivanovic's exit, Kirilenko is the highest-ranked player in the draw and she crushed fourth seeded Romanian Sorana Cirstea 6-0 6-2.
The world number 15 will now meet fifth seed Lisicki who ousted Russian Nina Bratchikova 7-5 6-3.
Former Wimbledon semi-finalist Lisicki will look for her fourth WTA title in Sunday’s final after an injury-strewn 2012 when she was plagued by abdominal and left ankle injuries and never went beyond the last eight of a tournament.
She took 90 minutes to beat the world number 130 who was making her first WTA semi-final appearance.
Kirilenko dominated Cirstea in a re-match of last year’s semi-final at the Thai venue.
The world number 15 needed three sets in 2012 but blasted her opponent away in just 67 minutes this time.

 

[Smallville22]

France and Serbia cruise into quarter-finals

France and Serbia both sealed quickfire victories to reach the Davis Cup quarter-finals in Saturday's doubles.
French duo Julien Benneteau and Michael Llodra thrashed Israel's Dudi Sela and Jonathan Erlich 7-6 6-1 6-0 in Rouen to give France a 3-0 lead that rendered Sunday's reverse singles meaningless.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Richard Gasquet both comfortably won their singles matches on Friday.
World number one Novak Djokovic will be spared more exertion on Sunday after 2010 winners Serbia built a 3-0 lead against Belgium when Viktor Troicki and Nenad Zimonjic came through in four sets against Steve Darcis and Ruben Bemelmans.
Djokovic, playing his first match since winning the Australian Open for a third consecutive year, crushed Olivier Rochus on Friday on an indoor claycourt in Charleroi which he criticised ahead of the tie.
France, bidding for a 10th Davis Cup title, will face either Germany or Argentina in the quarter-finals while Serbia will be waiting for either the United States or Brazil.
Argentina and the US are both leading 2-0 ahead of Saturday's doubles action.
A weakened Spain must win Saturday's doubles rubber to avoid a shock defeat against Canada in Vancouver after the hosts moved 2-0 ahead with victory in the opening singles.
Elsewhere, Austria kept their tie against Kazakhstan alive as Julian Knowle and Alexander Peya won the doubles to leave the hosts leading 2-1 in Astana.
Saturday's doubles matches could prove pivotal for the two other ties, with Italy and Croatia and Switzerland and holders Czech Republic both level at 1-1.

 

[Smallville22]

Czechs beat Swiss in record-breaking Davis Cup match

Czech Republic and Switzerland played out the longest ever Davis Cup match on Saturday when their doubles rubber lasted just over seven hours before the visitors won 6-4 5-7 6-4 6-7 24-22.
Tomas Berdych and Lukas Rosol beat Swiss pair Stanislas Wawrinka and Marco Chiudinelli to give the holders a 2-1 lead in their world group, first round match.
The encounter took seven hours two minutes, beating the previous record of six hours 22 minutes.
Saturday's marathon tussle eclipsed American John McEnroe's 9-7 6-2 15-17 3-6 8-6 win over Mats Wilander of Sweden in 1982 before tie-breaks were contested.
The doubles clash is also now the second longest match ever behind American John Isner's 11 hours five minutes first-round Wimbledon win over Frenchman Nicolas Mahut in 2010.
World number six Berdych and Rosol needed 13 match points to close out the duel as Wawrinka and Chiudinelli, aided by the home support, clung on for dear life in the final set.
Wawrinka, ranked 17th, will meet Berdych in the singles at 1130 GMT on Sunday.
"Ice bath done! Now massage and food. Let's be ready for tomorrow," Wawrinka said on his Twitter page.

 

[Smallville22]

Brazilians upset Bryans to deny US sweep

Battling Brazilians Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares upset the world's top ranked doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan on Saturday to deny the United States a sweep of their Davis Cup first round tie.
After taking both opening singles on Friday, the Americans had looked poised to make it a clean sweep, sending out the Bryans to face the underdog Brazilians on the lightning quick Jacksonville, Florida hardcourts.
The Bryans entered the match with a sparkling 20-2 record together in Davis Cup competition, but could not put away the feisty Brazilian duo falling 7-6 6-7 6-4 3-6 6-3 in three hours and 29 minutes.
It marked the first Davis Cup loss for the 13 time Grand Slam winners since 2008.
The United States will now need a victory from John Isner or Sam Querrey in Sunday's reverse singles if they are to avoid the upset to Brazil, who are back playing in the world group for the first time in nine years.
Needing a win to extend the tie, Melo and Soares, who had lost only once in five ties, came out and took the opening set in a tie-break 8-6 but Bryans answered right back taking the second also in a tie-break 9-7.
The seesaw rubber continued with the Brazilians recording their first break in the third to grab a 2-1 lead while the American Australian Open champions finally recorded their first break in the fourth set to send the match to a winner-take-all fifth.

 

[Smallville22]

Spain stay alive with doubles win over Canada

Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez produced a gritty doubles win over Canada on Saturday, to keep Spain from a shock first round exit from the Davis Cup world group.
Trailing 2-0 after dropping both singles matches on Friday, Spain were forced to go the distance on the Vancouver hardcourt before they nervously claimed a 4-6 6-4 6-7 6-3 6-2 victory.
Daniel Nestor, an Olympic gold medalist and 13-time Grand Slam winner, and partner Vasek Pospisil appeared ready to send Canada through to the last eight for the first time as the hosts took a two sets to one lead.
But Granollers and Lopez kept up the pressure as the Canadians slowly began to run of steam.
When the fading Canadians double-faulted to hand Spain the early break and a 2-1 lead in the fifth set the five-time Davis Cup champions never looked back, completing victory in just under four hours.
The top ranked Spain, missing top-15 players Rafa Nadal, David Ferrer and Nicolas Almagro and world number 24 Fernando Verdasco, still need to win both of Sunday's reverse singles to avoid their first loss in the first round since 2006.

 

[Smallville22]

Kirilenko ends drought with Pattaya title

Maria Kirilenko came back from a set down to beat Sabine Lisicki 5-7 7-1 7-6(1) for her first WTA title in five years at the Pattaya Open.
The Russian second seed was edged out in the 12th game of the opening set but roared to life against the fifth seed from Germany.
A ruthless second set thrashing forced a decider, which remained level after 12 games. But Kirilenko returned to her dominant ways from there, winning the trophy-clinching tie-break 7-1.
The win earned Kirilenko, ranked number 15 in the world, her sixth WTA silverware in all and ended a lengthy drought since 2008.
"I feel great - to win a title is always special, but it's even more pleasure when you win such a tough one," Kirilenko said
"I was so disappointed after last year's final, but this year it's a much different feeling,Obviously I'm really excited about this right now."
Lisicki looked at the positives in defeat: "I hadn't been in a final in a while, so even though it's a tough one to lose, I still feel very good about my week," she said.
"I played some good tennis here. I was working so hard in the off-season and it's nice to see it's already paying off, especially since we're just at the start of the year.

 

[Smallville22]

Barthel defeats Errani to win Paris Open

Germany's Mona Barthel clinched her second WTA title by beating top seed Sara Errani 7-5 7-6 in a hard-fought final at the Paris Open on Sunday.
The 22-year-old Barthel, ranked 45, battled for one hour and 56 minutes before sealing the victory with her 53rd winner of the day on her fourth match point.
World number seven Errani, bidding for her seventh singles title, suffered a second disappointment in Paris, after losing to Maria Sharapova in last year's French Open final.
Barthel, who defeated French crowd favourites Marion Bartoli and Kristina Mladenovic on her way to the final, seemed to be cruising to victory when she broke her opponent's serve to lead 2-0 in the second set.
She held on to lead 5-2 but the resilient Errani fought back by taking advantage of the German's nervousness, only to surrender in the decisive tie-break.
"It was a bit complicated to wrap it up but it was my first final in as big an event. I was feeling the tension," Barthel, who won her first title in Hobart last season, said.
"It has been a beautiful week. I was not expecting to win such a tournament. This will be a great year, I think."

 

[Smallville22]

Czechs and Italy make quarter-finals

Holders Czech Republic moved into the quarter-finals of the Davis Cup with Tomas Berdych outlasting Swiss opponent Stanislas Wawrinka a day after the pair emerged from a marathon doubles encounter.
Berdych enjoyed a comparatively easy 6-3 6-4 3-6 7-6 victory over Wawrinka, to give the Czechs an insurmountable 3-1 lead, a day after he and Lukas Rosol edged a punishing seven-hour clash with Wawrinka and Marco Chiudinelli 24-22 in the final set.
The Czechs will now travel to Kazakhstan in April after the former Soviet nation wrapped up a 3-1 victory over Austria on Sunday.
Italy also booked their place in the quarter-finals after Fabio Fognini beat Croatia's Ivan Dodig in a decisive fifth rubber.
The Czechs came into the final day with a 2-1 advantage and Berdych took three hours and 15 minutes to wrap up a four-set win over an equally weary Wawrinka, who had defeated Rosol in the singles on Friday.
"This is a team event and the people we have in the team have magic hands. They did a really great job and they told me I would be ready," Berdych, who did not get to bed until 2am on Sunday after Saturday's exploits, told reporters.
"I was feeling good from the first point and was quite ready for a fifth set."
The match ended 3-2 after Switzerland's Henri Laaksonen won the dead fifth rubber 0-6 6-3 6-1 against Jiri Vesely.
Andrey Golubev gave a bloody nose to a player ranked 157 places above him with a 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-2 victory over Austria's Juergen Melzer to give Kazakhstan a place in the quarter-finals for only their second time.
It was Melzer's second singles defeat in three days and it proved decisive.
Fognini overcame Croatia's Dodig 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-4 to ensure Italy reached the quarter-finals for the first time since 1998.
The tie had gone to a fifth rubber after Croatia's Marin Cilic had beaten Andreas Seppi earlier in the day to level the encounter at 2-2.
France completed a 5-0 whitewash over Israel having already booked their place in the next round on Saturday along with Serbia and Argentina, who also won all five rubbers against Germany.
Five-times winners Spain are currently 2-1 down to Canada and the United States are tied 2-2 with Brazil.

 

[Slaughtersun]

Hahaha... Melzer is such a fucking wuzz, it's just pathetic. To be fair, Austrian tennis as a whole is really pathetic and there will be only one Thomas Muster.