Nadal crushed as Rosol rocks Wimbledon to core

Nadal crushed as Rosol rocks Wimbledon to core

 

 Launching outrageous winners left, right and centre, obscure Czech Lukas Rosol rocked Wimbledon's Centre Court to its foundations on Thursday by winning a final-set shootout after dusk against twice former champion Rafa Nadal.

Ranked 100th in the world, few of the enthralled 15,000 fans inside the famous arena would have heard of Rosol before the match started but none present will forget witnessing one of the biggest shocks in the tournament's 126-year history.

When Nadal levelled the match at two sets all it seemed inevitable that he would reach the third round, albeit with plenty of battle scars.

However, after a 30-minute delay while Centre Court's roof was slid into position, 26-year-old Rosol returned to overpower the 11-times grand slam champion and complete an electrifying 6-7 6-4 6-4 2-6 6-4 victory in three hours and 18 minutes.

The late-night drama left everything that went before it on the fourth day looking almost bland by comparison.

Home favourite Andy Murray survived a barrage of Ivo Karlovic serves to reach the third round in four sets after which his Croatian opponent accused Wimbledon of bias.

Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova stayed on course for a possible replay of their 2004 final with contrasting second- round victories and Frenchman Gilles Simon's comments that women should not get equal prize money continued to ruffle feathers.

The day will be remembered, however, for a performance of rare power from a player who usually inhabits a different tennis universe from the one Nadal resides in.

The game's journeymen are supposed to fight valiantly against the so called "Big Four", provide some entertainment before packing their bags and disappearing back into the wilderness. Not Rosol.

After losing the first set tiebreak 11-9 he hit back with blistering tennis to stagger Nadal and take a two sets to one lead. The Mallorcan swept through the fourth set but Rosol returned after the roof closure like a man possessed.

Serving at 5-4 all eyes were on the Czech to see if his nerve would hold.

DEEP BREATH

He simply took a deep breath, stared over the net at his quarry and fired down two clean aces, a clubbing forehand winners and another ace to leave Nadal powerless.

After his 22nd ace flashed by the Spaniard, Rosol fell to the court in disbelief before clambering to his feet and shaking the hand of a shell-shocked opponent who had not tasted a second- round defeat at a grand slam since Wimbledon 2005.

"I never expected something like this," said Rosol, who had never played a main draw match at Wimbledon until this week.

"I am very sorry for him but I hope I can play one more match like this. I played my best match ever."

Rosol hit 60 winners during the match, some ground strokes clocked on the speed gun at 100mph.

Nadal, who had hoped to complete a third French Open/Wimbledon double, admitted there was little he could do in the face of a Rosol's extraordinary last-set onslaught.

"In the fifth set he played more than unbelievable," said the world number three Spaniard, who looked mildly irritated when the match was halted to close the roof at the end of a fourth set, when the momentum has swung his way.

"I didn't have the right inspiration in the first three sets. Later was impossible, no? That's happens when you play against a player who is able to hit the ball very hard, hit the ball without thinking and feeling the pressure.

"At the end, when the opponent wants to play like he wanted to play in the fifth, you are in his hands, no? Everything was going right for him in the fifth."

Nadal's exit could prove to be a boost for Murray - who was seeded to meet his nemesis in the semi-final.

Murray, looking to become Britain's first male grand slam champion for 76 years, survived a scare when losing the second set against Karlovic, winning 7-5 6-7 6-2 7-6.

Karlovic complained that he was foot-faulted 11 times.

"I don't know what to say, but it was a little bit outrageous," he said.

"Is it Davis Cup or is it Wimbledon? After this match, the whole credibility of this tournament went down for me..."

Women's top seed Sharapova lost her way against dangerous grasscourter Tsvetana Pironkova before claiming a 7-6 6-7 6-0 victory while Williams, the four-times champion who Sharapova beat to win her sole Wimbledon crown in 2004, was far more ruthless in a 6-1 6-4 defeat of Hungarian Melinda Czink.

After contrasting victories they both ganged up on Simon.

"Oh, my gosh. You know I can't bite my tongue," sixth seed Williams told reporters. "I mean, definitely a lot more people are watching Maria than Simon. She's way hotter than he is. Women's tennis I think is really awesome."

Awesome could not even come close to describing what occurred at the end of a hot, humid and, for Nadal, a tumultuous day in south west London.

source

Read more... Résuméabuiyad

Murray downs tricky Karlovic at Wimbledon

Murray downs tricky Karlovic at Wimbledon

Andy Murray survived a second-set scare to beat big-serving Ivo Karlovic 7-5 6-7 6-2 7-6 and move into the third round at Wimbledon.

British hope Murray broke late in the first set but, unable to make an impact on the Croat’s serve in the second, lost a narrow tie-break.

But the world number four dominated the third set and won the tie-break in the fourth after the 33-year-old foot-faulted, the winning shot a double-hander into the corner that Karlovic could only spin wide.
The 6’10” Karlovic is famed for his service game on grass and Murray got off to the worst possible start by allowing the Croat to break him at the first time of asking.
That sloppiness was soon eradicated though, as the Scot broke straight back and he was never challenged again on serve in a first set that saw him test Karlovic on a number of occasions.
Indeed, the Croat saved set point when 30-40 down at 5-4 to Murray, whipping out some of his famed power deliveries to hold from deuce.
But he was less fortunate at 6-5, his final serve initially called an ace but subjected to a Murray challenge that showed it went a few inches wide. The verdict handed the Briton a break and the set.
Murray is one of the best returners of the game and he needed to be against Karlovic – when he did successfully connect, his superior pace and tennis brain allowed him to dominate the points positionally, although Karlovic did show his ability at the net on occasion.
The second set was a tighter affair, with neither able to come close to breaking as aces bombarded down on both men.
It came down to a tie-break, which the Croat won after Murray twice floundered on his second serve.
The third set was straightforward for the Scot as he broke at the start and the end before holding easily.
Karlovic had seemed to be flagging – he is nearing the end of his career, and the heat was taking its toll. But set four saw him reel off ace after ace as he proved impossible to hurt on serve.
That meant another tie-break, during which Karlovic’s lack of mobility ultimately cost him: a foot-fault resulted in a mini-break, which Murray ruthlessly exploited.
Murray will face Marcos Baghdatis for a place in the last 16 after the Cypriot's opponent Grigor Dimitrov was forced to retire at 5-7 1-4 down. It looked as if it was an illness-related withdrawal - the young Bulgarian had his temperature taken and an ice-pack on his neck when he called the trainer - and he managed to play just one more game before calling time on his tournament.
source

Read more... Résuméabuiyad

Sharapova made to work by grass specialist Pironkova

Sharapova made to work by grass specialist Pironkova

 Maria Sharapova was made to work hard for her place in the Wimbledon third round on Thursday by an opponent she said would be in the world's top five if every tournament was on grass.
Tsvetana Pironkova took advantage of three double faults by the top seed in the second set tiebreak before Sharapova roared through the third in 29 minutes to seal a 7-6 6-7 6-0 victory in a match held over from Wednesday.
"If she played on grass 365 days a year she'd be top five probably," Sharapova said of her Bulgarian opponent who reached the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2010 and the quarters last year.
"Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. She has the perfect game for it. She always does really well against top players. She really rises for the occasion."
The 24-year-old Pironkova, ranked 38th in the world, won the first two games of the match on Wednesday and caused Sharapova problems with her powerful serve and speed around the court.
"Every time I play against her and every time I see her face a tough opponent, especially here, she plays extremely well," said Sharapova, who served 10 double faults.
"You saw some of that yesterday, definitely."
The Russian world number one, Wimbledon champion in 2004, made 30 unforced errors but showed flashes of the form that took her to the French Open title this month with 37 winners, mainly with her booming forehand.
Pironkova dominated the start of the contest in gloomy conditions on Wednesday but Sharapova clung on to save five set points before taking the first set into a tiebreak which she won 7-3. She was leading 3-1 in the second when the match was halted due to bad light.
"Obviously it felt like two matches in a way," Sharapova said. "Yesterday she came out firing, started so well, and had so many opportunities to win that set. I really hung on. I was just extremely tough.
"Today I wanted to start off really well because I knew I was up a break. It didn't go according to plan. Really served sloppy. In the third I changed it around."
The top seed broke Pironkova's serve in the opening game of the third set and, geeing herself up with animated cries of "c'mon" as she picked off the key points, Sharapova eased through to a last-32 match against Taiwan's Hsieh Su-wei.
source

Read more... Résuméabuiyad

Serena sweeps easily into third round

Serena sweeps easily into third round

 Four-times Wimbledon champion Serena Williams sailed effortlessly into the third round of Wimbledon on Thursday with a crisply efficient 6-1 6-4 victory over Hungarian qualifier Melinda Czink.

Serena launched the match with three devastating aces in the first game and then kept firing them down at a demoralised Czink, who could do nothing against the mighty Williams firepower.

Shaking off her disappointing first round loss in the French Open, Serena looked razor sharp this time, moving crosscourt with effortless ease and serving a total of 10 aces.

The second set was more closely fought but one break in the ninth game was enough to secure Serena a clash in the next round with 2008 Wimbledon semi-finalist Zheng Jie of China.
source

Read more... Résuméabuiyad

Annie KO a blow for giddy Brits

Annie KO a blow for giddy Brits

  

 To the uninitiated the scoreboard gave little away, but once the first fuzzy yellow ball was struck there could be no doubt that it was Anne Keothavong who was Britain's darling on day four of the Wimbledon championships.

Despite her Laotian surname, Hackney-born Keothavong is as British as they come, and a giddily jingoistic crowd festooned with union jack paraphernalia threw themselves behind her.

Treated already this year to Queen Elizabeth's diamond jubilee celebrations and with the London Olympics less than a month away, a swell of patriotism is gripping Britain.

But on a verdant patch of Wimbledon turf, the feel good factor was put on ice temporarily as Britain's number one was put firmly in her place by a fizzing, bouncing bundle of Italian energy in Sara Errani.

"It was a nice court to play on and I had lots of support," Keothavong said wistfully following the 6-1 6-1 second-round defeat. "I'm just disappointed I couldn't have done a little better."

Realists, of course, would have known French Open finalist Errani would almost certainly have proved too strong for Britain's world number 77, but for the most part realism has been suspended as a patriotic aura grips the British Isles in 2012.

Errani, though, had no problem playing the party pooper. She pumped the ball deep into British territory time and time again, only relenting to throw in the deftest of touches and bamboozle once again an increasingly frustrated Keothavong.

Set one disappeared in a flash and at the 50-minute mark, the calls of "Come on Annie" could hardly have been more forlorn.

Whether it was the bright sun in her face, or mounting frustration threatening the 28-year-old's resolve, Keothavong displayed a permanent grimace.

Then it was over. A duffed dropshot into the net handed Errani victory after 59 minutes. Keothavong collected her bag, and walked slowly, head bowed, into the bowels of the All England Club.

"I know I can play better. I didn't challenge her today as much as I would have liked," she said. "To lose in that fashion, it's not particularly pleasing.

"I just forced it a bit too much. I managed to kind of just hit myself off the court, I guess."

But even for Keothavong, in her moment of sad reflection, the Olympics provided a glimmer of redemption.

"Yeah, that's the one thing that puts a smile on my face," she grinned. "Every time I think of the Olympics, I'm just over the moon about the selection.

"I have never been part of an Olympic team before. It's something new. It's something special. And the fact that it's in London, yeah, I'm super‑pumped about it."

source

Read more... Résuméabuiyad

Green grass of home stirs happy memories for Goran

Green grass of home stirs happy memories for Goran

 

 Every time Goran Ivanisevic looks out of the window of his Croatian home and sees the grass, it reminds him of the unforgettable day he finally won Wimbledon.

But, strangely, he does not relive that glory day 11 years ago too often. He loves to beat himself up watching tapes of matches he lost, especially to his nemesis Pete Sampras.

Ivanisevic was a true original on court with a blistering serve that matched his fiery temperament.

Off court he would bare his soul to the delight of reporters at Wimbledon in 2001 when he became the first wildcard to win the tournament. Three times before he had been runner-up.

He always said he feared for his sanity if he had lost that final against Australian Pat Rafter but he triumphed and is now gloriously at ease with himself.

"It is peaceful for me because I know I won," he said. "“Every time I see grass in front of my home in Croatia, I remember Wimbledon."

But the lanky, bearded Croat is not one for wallowing in nostalgia. Intriguingly, he has a masochistic streak when reviewing the highs and lows of his career.

"I have so many tapes I watch. I had so many matches with Sampras. I watch them and I cannot believe I lost," he said, shrugging his shoulders in astonishment all these years later.

He is still infuriated with himself for the way he succumbed to the American seven-times Wimbledon champion.

"I watch more the losing ones. I didn't have that problem with Agassi, Becker, Lendl, not with any player. I needed to play something special with him," Ivanisevic said.

"At one stage in one match I was 5-0 up against him and I didn't win another game after that. He wasn't like the others."

The year he won Wimbledon truly was a tennis fairytale that stretched over 15 rain-soaked days, including a pulsating nerve-wracking semi-final against Britain's Tim Henman.

UNPREDICTABLE WEATHER

That would never happen now as Wimbledon's Centre Court has a roof to keep out the ever unpredictable British weather.

That means nothing to Goran.

"Yeah, it was destiny. Roof, no roof, that was my Wimbledon," he told Reuters at a publicity event organised by tournament sponsors Lavazza.

Ivanisevic's mightiest weapon was his magnificent serve. But that, he argues, was never enough to reach grand slam heights.

"You definitely need one big weapon but to be up there, you need more things," he said. "To have everything solid is not enough, When I had my rhythm, everything was working. The serve is the most difficult shot in tennis by far. People just think you throw the ball up and hit an ace."

Twenty-eight of the last 29 grand slams have been won by just three players - Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer. It is a far cry from Ivanisevic's day.

"There were more guys who could make damage and win grand slams. You could have different styles. You could have Agassi and Sampras. The guy serves and volleys and comes to the net and you have Agassi who doesn't come up. So it was great to watch. Today they all play the same, you can't come to the net," he said.

So, is tennis today boringly predictable to watch?

"No, it is not boring, just different. You have some unbelievable matches like the Australian Final (when Djokovic beat Nadal). After six hours they hit the ball like they had just started warming up."

source

Read more... Résuméabuiyad

Li slams China tennis 'double-cross'

Li slams China tennis 'double-cross'

 

China's top tennis player Li Na slammed her tennis federation after being blindsided by their decision to enter her into the Olympic doubles tournament.

The 2011 French Open champion was named in the women's singles and doubles in an entry list released by the International Tennis Federation on Tuesday.

Li's team told local media earlier this month that she hoped to focus only on the singles given her injuries, regardless of Chinese sports officials' wishes to have her play in both tournaments.
"If it were true, I don't know why they wanted me to play doubles," Li, who was named to partner Zhang Shuai in the doubles, said when asked about her selection.
"Last time I played doubles was during the 2007 Australian Open.
"So far I have not heard from anyone asking me to play doubles," she added.
"I hope they could respect athletes more ... the way they handled this makes me uncomfortable."
Li's 23-year-old partner Zhang failed to qualify for the ongoing Wimbledon's singles and was tipped out of the doubles in the first round.
"I am not 13-years-old and need a guardian," the outspoken Li fumed.
"I am 30 now and all these issues could have been put on the table. If both (parties) are okay, we do it, otherwise we do not."
Li, whose French Open triumph last year made her the first player from an Asian country to win a grand slam tournament, tumbled out of Wimbledon with a second round loss to Romania's Sorana Cirstea on Wednesday.
Li has long had a testy relationship with Chinese officialdom since she publicly criticised the national team's heavy-handed system in 2005.
After clashing with the Chinese Tennis Association over training routines and pay, Li and a handful of other top Chinese women were permitted to break away from the country's Soviet-style sports regime in 2009 to organise their own coaches and touring - and retain most of their prize-money.
Defying officials over the Olympics, however, would be dimly viewed in her home country of 1.3 billion, and Li said she had obliged herself to "obey" the decision with it already taken out of her hands.
"Life is like a cup of tea. It won't be bitter for a life-time but for a short while anyway," she said, striking a more philosophical tone in a message posted on Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, where she boasts 5.6 million followers.
source

Read more... Résuméabuiyad

Murray ready to dodge Karlovic 'bombs'

Murray ready to dodge Karlovic 'bombs'

 

Andy Murray will have to dodge "bombs" and watch a lot of balls whistle past his ears when he comes face to face with the tallest man in tennis in his second-round match at Wimbledon on Thursday.

Man mountain Ivo Karlovic, who caused one of the biggest Wimbledon upsets when he beat champion Lleyton Hewitt in the first round in 2003, would like nothing better than to dash the hopes of more than 60 million Britons by toppling Murray.

At 2.08 metres, Croatia's Karlovic towers over the opposition but Murray will hope that when it comes to shaking hands at the end of the contest, he will be the one standing tall.

Murray has won all three previous meetings but 2001 Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic warned that his fellow Croatian is a much improved player than the version the Scot last encountered in 2008.

"He can make a lot of trouble for a lot of top guys. He moves well for his height, he has a huge forehand. He has this slice that is very dangerous and doesn't bounce," Ivanisevic told a small gathering reporters in one of Wimbledon's hospitality marquis.

"Andy's just going to have to pray that Ivo's not going to serve bombs. You have to wait and take every chance this guy's going to give you because it's not tennis there.

"It's not going to be a beautiful match, you can't expect you're going to play a great match because for half an hour it can happen you are not going to touch the ball."

Czech Lukas Rosol's feet might not touch the ground as he finds himself on Centre Court on his Wimbledon debut.

Only problem is he is up against Rafa Nadal and since the Spaniard has reached the final in his five previous appearances here, he is likely to bring the Czech back down to earth very swiftly.

On the women's side, Serena Williams will be glad to be back in an arena she feels befits a four-times former champion.

After being made to open her campaign on the more intimate Court Two, which ranks as the third showcourt at the All England Club, she is back on the main stage for clash with Hungarian wildcard Melinda Czink.

Also in action will be holder Petra Kvitova against British hope Elena Baltacha, while Maria Sharapova will have to come back to finish her match against 2010 semi-finalist Tsvetana Pironkova which she leads 7-6 3-1.

source

Read more... Résuméabuiyad

Djokovic shuts out Harrison under closed roof

Djokovic shuts out Harrison under closed roof

 

Defending champion Novak Djokovic displayed his liking for Wimbledon's roof again with a late night second round victory over American upstart Ryan Harrison on Wednesday.

The world No.1 Serb was delayed getting on court for his second round match after steady light rain interrupted proceedings at the All England Club but he made sure of a rest day on Thursday by completing a routine 6-4 6-4 6-4.

He was not at his best throughout an entertaining contest but was pleased to avoid any real drama after fending off a mini-crisis in the middle of the second set when he trailed 0-40 on serve at 2-3 to the American.

"It was great to be under the roof once again," Djokovic, who came through a late-night five-setter against Olivier Rochus in the first round two years ago, told reporters.

"I thought it was a very exciting match to be a part of as a player, and I thought the crowd enjoyed it as well."

Having re-established control against the world number 48, Djokovic was rock solid as he closed out victory well before the 11pm cut-off time for play.

He failed to convert his first match point when he netted a drive volley but he sealed victory with a service winner to set up a third-round match against 28th seed Radek Stepanek or German Benjamin Becker.

"It's hard to prepare for that because you play indoor match on the Centre Court maybe once every couple of years," he said.

"2010 was my only match under the roof aside from tonight's match. It is quite different.

"I think the lights were really good. The attendance was fantastic. The crowd enjoyed it. It was a spectacular match from a player's point of view. Sometimes it's good for a change to be under the roof. It makes it more interesting as well I think, if you go to the late hours."

source

Read more... Résuméabuiyad

Regal Federer dazzles, Stosur knocked out

Regal Federer dazzles, Stosur knocked out

 

 Britain's Prince Charles made a rare, if fleeting, visit to Wimbledon on Wednesday but lingered long enough to see Roger Federer produce another regal performance on Centre Court and move serenely into the third round.

Swiss Federer, bidding for a record-equalling seventh men's singles title at the All England Club, aired his full repertoire of shots to outclass Fabio Fognini 6-1 6-3 6-2 in front of an appreciative Royal Box and 15,000 entranced fans.

With raindrops hovering around south west London, Centre Court's roof slid shut to enable defending champion Novak Djokovic to reach the third round with a straight-sets win over American Ryan Harrison.

Djokovic completed a 6-4 6-4 6-4 victory just before 10pm local time to set up a clash with 28th seed Radek Stepanek or German Benjamin Becker, one of several matches unfinished on a day of frustrating delays.

Women's top seed Maria Sharapova was poised to follow suit but bad light halted her progress against Tsvetana Pironkova when she led 7-6 3-1 having fended off set points on Court One.

Pironkova, Wimbledon semi-finalist in 2010, made an inspired start and Sharapova recovered from 2-0 and 5-2 down to take the first set 7-3 on the tiebreak.

The 2004 champion broke the Bulgarian early in the second set but was unhappy with the conditions and packed her designer handbag and headed for the locker room after convincing the umpire it was necessary to halt play.

Samantha Stosur became the highest seed to fall at the championships when the Australian was bundled out in the second round by Dutch player Arantxa Rus.

The fifth seed, the only player from the former tennis powerhouse to reach the second round, lost 6-2 0-6 6-4 in a wildly fluctuating match.

"It's a pretty woeful performance by all of us, but it's not through lack of trying or not wanting to be here or anything like that," Stosur said of Australia's failure to have a player in the third round of the singles for the first time since 1939.

She was not the only big name to fall in the women's singles.

Seventh seed Caroline Wozniacki, who began the year as world No. 1, did not even make it past the first round after losing 5-7 7-6 6-4 to Austria's Tamira Paszek despite having two match points in a contest spanning two days.

"(It) really sucks when you lose," was the verdict of the Dane who has made a habit of it this year while sliding down to seventh in the rankings.

SNAKING ACROSS

Home fans who joined the early-morning queues snaking across the golf course opposite the grounds, were treated to early British cheer when Heather Watson reached the third round of the women's singles by beating American Jamie Lee Hampton.

Andy Murray will continue the quest for a long-awaited British grand slam winner in second-round action on Thursday against giant Croatian Ivo Karlovic.

Federer bowed to the heir to the throne before his match and Charles and his wife Camilla gave the 30-year-old maestro a standing ovation after he thrashed Fognini.

"We are thrilled for the tennis family that they came to watch today," Federer said after a stress-free victory that resembled a royal procession at times.

The languid Fognini played his part in proceedings in the second and third sets but his body language was that of a man just making up the numbers as Federer treated the crowd to some jewel-encrusted tennis in a match that flashed by in 74 minutes.

"I didn't think it was that easy a match," a modest Federer said. "I really tried to focus hard and made sure I played sort of a clean match, which I was able to do again today."

Federer, who last won the title in 2009, will face Frenchman Julien Benneteau in the third round.

Several first-round matches had to be completed on Wednesday after rain and bad light ended play early the previous evening.

Spain's seventh seed David Ferrer finished off Germany's Dustin Brown 7-5 6-4 6-4 but 25th seed Stanislas Wawrinka, who partnered Federer to Olympic doubles gold in Beijing four years ago, lost a five-set cliff-hanger to Juergen Melzer.

Three-times runner-up Andy Roddick beat Briton Jamie Baker 7-6 6-4 7-5 and will return on Thursday to play Germany's Bjorn Phau in the second round.

"They tell you to go play, you go play. You can't really stress about what's out of your control. I've done it a million times," Roddick said of the stop-start nature of tennis on Wimbledon's lawns.

source

Read more... Résuméabuiyad

Roddick banks on Wimbledon familiarity for Olympic bonus

Roddick banks on Wimbledon familiarity for Olympic bonus

 

 Whether it is the dip that trips him up as he walks on court or the veteran staff who have been there forever, there are many things at Wimbledon to help Andy Roddick develop an Olympic relationship he has never had before.

The big-serving American has played at the Games once in Athens in 2004, but has a long-standing love affair with the grass court slam stretching back 11 years and three losing finals.

With his star beginning to wane, the 29-year-old will no longer among the favourites for a medal when the players return to south-west London to fight it out for supremacy for a second time in quick succession.

But having decided not to play in Beijing four years ago, saying he would rather concentrate on that year's U.S. Open, Roddick is excitedly anticipating a shot at Olympic glory.

"The Olympics is a one‑off event every four years and it's not in the same place, so you don't develop a relationship with the Olympics," he told reporters after moving into the Wimbledon second round by beating Britain's Jamie Baker 7-6 6-4 7-5 on Wednesday.

"You don't go to the venue and recognise people and know where you're going.

"So I think it (this year) might be a little bit different...

"Even (dressing room attendants) Doug (Dickson) and Garry (Taylor) in the locker room, seeing those guys for the first time every year.

"I think they've been here since the '20s. Maybe not quite that long.

"When you walk out to Court One, there's this little dip. When you have grass court shoes on your trip on it every time, so I've tripped on it about 66 times throughout the years. That always reminds me that I'm back.

"Going over to Aorangi walking up to the practice. There's a million things."

As a Wimbledon veteran, there was something very familiar for Roddick about having to return a day after starting his first-round match to finish it off due to the drizzly weather that descended in the late evening and returned early afternoon on Wednesday.

Leading by a set and a break overnight, the number 30 seed was efficient if unspectacular in the way he dispatched the British wildcard to set up a second-round clash with Germany's Bjorn Phau.

"They tell you to go play, you go play," he said about the near 22 hour rain delay. "You can't really stress about what's out of your control. I've done it a million times.

"You just do it. It's not always perfect, but you just try to get through."

source

Read more... Résuméabuiyad

Djokovic wins late night Wimbledon clash

Djokovic wins late night Wimbledon clash

 

Novak Djokovic eased into the Wimbledon third round with a routine 6-4 6-4 6-4 win over American Ryan Harrison that finished late at night under the closed roof of the Centre Court.

The top seed and defending champion from Serbia was not at his best but was still far too strong for the world number 48, breaking him in the ninth game of the third set to move to the brink of victory.

His only moment of concern came when trailing 0-40 at 2-3 in the second set but he survived the break points before regaining control of the match.
Djokovic failed to convert his first match point when he netted a drive volley but he sealed victory with a service winner to set up a third-round match against 28th seed Radek Stepanek or German Benjamin Becker.
"I was in trouble in the second set and we went the full distance until 10pm at night under the roof and it was difficult to adjust," Djokovic said after the match.
Roger Federer sparkled on Centre Court as he moved serenely into the Wimbledon third round with an easy 6-1 6-3 6-2 win over Italy's Fabio Fognini.
Federer produced a performance on Centre Court that was fittingly majestic given the presence of Prince Charles in the royal box.

Federer bowed to the heir to the throne before his match and Charles and his wife Camilla gave the Swiss maestro a standing ovation after he thrashed Fognini.
"We are thrilled for the tennis family that they came to watch today," Federer said after his imperious display.
Two years ago, Queen Elizabeth paid her first visit to Wimbledon since 1977, prompting women's champion Serena Williams to put in some serious practice on her curtseying technique.
As six-times champion, Federer was well aware of what the royal etiquette is on the world's most famous tennis court.
"They do brief you beforehand so that you don't do anything stupid," Federer said. "We were asked to bow which obviously is no problem."
But Federer did take time in the tunnel leading to Centre Court to explain the procedure to Fognini. They both bowed in perfect union to Prince Charles, who had in turn received his own standing ovation from fans when he appeared in the royal box above the court.
The match itself was a royal procession for Federer who never once looked in any danger.
His glorious groundstrokes and lightning fast movement across the court were greeted with unbridled admiration from the crowd. The graceful genius was at the peak of his form - except at the very start.
He drew gasps of incredulity when he lost the first two points of the match on his serve but normal service was promptly restored when he fired down two aces.
The Italian became so disheartened at the end of the first set that he did not even bother to try and chase down yet another stinging forehand from Federer. He just walked back to his chair, shoulders slumped.
Federer lost just four points on his serve in the second set and was swift to complete his clinical execution of Fognini in the third.
It was a routine day at the office but the third seed has shown he is still very much a contender after dropping just nine games in his first two matches at the tournament he so dearly loves.
"I really tried to focus hard and make sure I played a clean match, "Federer said. "I served 13 aces out there today. I felt it was pretty fast."
Several first-round matches had to be completed on Wednesday after rain and bad light ended play early the previous evening.
Spain's seventh seed David Ferrer finished off Germany's Dustin Brown 7-5 6-4 6-4 but 25th seed Stanislas Wawrinka, who partnered Federer to Olympic doubles gold in Beijing four years ago, lost a five-set cliffhanger to Juergen Melzer.
Andy Roddick also moved into the Wimbledon second round with an efficient 7-6 6-4 7-5 win over British wildcard Jamie Baker after returning on Wednesday to complete his opening match.
The big-serving American was a set and a break up when the match was suspended in the early evening gloom and drizzle on Tuesday, but he came back to finish off his opponent after a break of almost 22 hours.
Three-times runner-up Roddick had struggled to crank into gear, labouring to the first set in a tiebreak before breaking in the fourth game of the second.
Baker lacked the weapons to threaten 30th seed Roddick who broke in the 11th game of the third set before closing it out with an ace to set up a second-round match against German Bjorn Phau.
source

Read more... Résuméabuiyad

Classy Clijsters clatters through

Classy Clijsters clatters through

 

 Rip up the rankings. Form is temporary, class is permanent.

While the giggles are gone and the gymnast's genes less evident, that hooked, looped, whipped, thumped forehand stole the show at Wimbledon on Wednesday as Kim Clijsters, on her valedictory tour, barged into the third round.

It was fitting that it should be a shoulder-height crunched forehand which sealed her passage - the shot creating a sonic boom amplified by the closed roof on centre court.

Clijsters is bouncing in the basement of the world's top 50 these days, but come grand slams her quality is at the fore, and on a drizzly, overcast South-west London evening Andrea Hlavackova was relegated to bit-part actress as the Clijsters circus rolled on.

Her demeanour has been matured by marriage, motherhood and the passing years, and it was a muted joy which heralded her 6-3 6-3 victory - a clenched fist and a determined nod rather than a skip and giggle.

"Yeah, I was very happy with the way everything went today," the 29-year-old winner of four grand slam titles said.

"I felt it was another step upwards from my first match against (Jelena) Jankovic. I was really focused once I got out there and just really tried to be ready from the start."

Clijsters, a former semi-finalist here, has said she will walk away from tennis after August's U.S. Open, and dominated from the off on Centre Court.

She is too long in the tooth to get carried away, however. "I was able to just keep my level up throughout that whole match," she said flashing a smile, before switching to Flemish.

source

Read more... Résuméabuiyad

Cover girl Wozniacki airbrushed out of Wimbledon

Cover girl Wozniacki airbrushed out of Wimbledon

 

Caroline Wozniacki started the year on top of the world rankings and as the glamorous cover girl of women's tennis but on Wednesday a humiliating first-round defeat at Wimbledon completed her fall from grace.

A smouldering image of the Dane, dressed in black and with her blonde mane flying around her face, is plastered across the cover of this year's WTA guide with the strap line "Strong is Beautiful".

It is an honour she earned for finishing 2011 as the world's best women's player but on Wednesday, the ugly mistakes in her game could not be airbrushed away as she suffered her earliest loss at Wimbledon when she was humbled 5-7 7-6 6-4 by Tamira Paszek.

To add to her woes, seventh seed Wozniacki should have wrapped up the match in straight sets as she had two match points at 6-5 in the second, only to see the Austrian go for broke with some daredevil shots.

Paszek saved one with a forehand that grazed the baseline and then clipped the sideline on the second with a vicious backhand.

The 21-year-old Pazek, who could have represented a number of countries as her parents have links to Tanzania, Kenya, Canada and Chile, left Wozniacki all tongue-tied and befuddled in the third set as the Dane ran out of ideas and bowed out after three hours 12 minutes.

"(It) really sucks when you lose. Especially after having two match points and not taking them. It wasn't because I played badly. She just went for it, and that's it," a rather tetchy Wozniacki, who has yet to win one of the four majors, told reporters.

"I just need to move forward. You can't dwell in your past but move forward, look forward. That's it."

Asked what her plans were for moving forward, she replied: "To be honest, I haven't really thought about it."

While Pazek proved that her win at Eastbourne at the weekend was no fluke, Wozniacki was left to ponder yet another flop show as she has now gone 10 months without a title.

During that time, she has launched a women's underwear range and jetted around the world with her boyfriend Rory McIlroy, the 2011 U.S. Open golf champion.

If she was hoping to get tips from McIlroy on how to bounce back, she is unlikely to get much help as he has missed four cuts in his last five events and has also lost his own top ranking.

At least they will have common topics to talk about over their next romantic dinner date.

source

Read more... Résuméabuiyad

Roddick returns to finish off Briton Baker

Roddick returns to finish off Briton Baker

 

Andy Roddick moved into the Wimbledon second round with an efficient 7-6 6-4 7-5 win over British wildcard Jamie Baker after returning on Wednesday http://tennis-singles.blogspot.com/match was suspended in the early evening gloom and drizzle on Tuesday, but he came back to finish off his opponent after a break of almost 22 hours.

Three-times runner-up Roddick had struggled to crank into gear, labouring to the first set in a tiebreak before breaking in the fourth game of the second.

Baker lacked the weapons to threaten 30th seed Roddick who broke in the 11th game of the third set before closing it out with an ace to set up a second-round match against German Bjorn Phau.

source

Read more... Résuméabuiyad

Stosur loses to Rus to complete Australian woe

Stosur loses to Rus to complete Australian woe

 

 Samantha Stosur became the highest seeded casualty so far at this year's Wimbledon when she suffered a 6-2 0-6 6-4 second round defeat by Dutch player Arantxa Rus to end Australia's interested in the singles.

The U.S. Open champion, seeded five, lost six games in a row to surrender the first set before reeling off six on the spin to take the match into a decider.

The wildly fluctuating nature of the match continued as she fell behind 3-0 in the third set before digging in.

She saved two match points trailing 5-3 and then looked poised to level at 5-5 as she led 40-15 on serve but then crumbled on Court One, ending the match with a sliced backhand into the bottom of the net.

Defeat continued Stosur's dismal record at the grasscourt grand slam, where she has never gone beyond the third round in nine previous attempts.

It also completes a miserable tournament for Australian tennis. Of the five women entered into the main singles draw only Stosur managed to win a match while the men fared even worse with all four representatives losing in the first round.

source

Read more... Résuméabuiyad

Federer puts on performance fit for a prince

Federer puts on performance fit for a prince

 

Royalty reigned supreme on Wimbledon's Centre Court on Wednesday as Roger Federer produced a majestic performance for the watching Prince Charles.

Federer bowed to the heir to the throne before his match and Charles and his wife Camilla gave the Swiss maestro a standing ovation after he thrashed Italian Fabio Fognini 6-1 6-3 6-2 to reach the third round.

"We are thrilled for the tennis family that they came to watch today," Federer said after his imperious display.

Two years ago, Queen Elizabeth paid her first visit to Wimbledon since 1977, prompting women's champion Serena Williams to put in some serious practice on her curtseying technique.

As six-times champion, Federer was well aware of what the royal etiquette is on the world's most famous tennis court.

"They do brief you beforehand so that you don't do anything stupid," Federer said. "We were asked to bow which obviously is no problem."

But Federer did take time in the tunnel leading to Centre Court to explain the procedure to Fognini. They both bowed in perfect union to Prince Charles, who had in turn received his own standing ovation from fans when he appeared in the royal box above the court.

The match itself was a royal procession for Federer who never once looked in any danger.

His glorious groundstrokes and lightning fast movement across the court were greeted with unbridled admiration from the crowd. The graceful genius was at the peak of his form - except at the very start.

He drew gasps of incredulity when he lost the first two points of the match on his serve but normal service was promptly restored when he fired down two aces.

The Italian became so disheartened at the end of the first set that he did not even bother to try and chase down yet another stinging forehand from Federer. He just walked back to his chair, shoulders slumped.

Federer lost just four points on his serve in the second set and was swift to complete his clinical execution of Fognini in the third.

It was a routine day at the office but the third seed has shown he is still very much a contender after dropping just nine games in his first two matches at the tournament he so dearly loves.

"I really tried to focus hard and make sure I played a clean match, "Federer said. "I served 13 aces out there today. I felt it was pretty fast."

source

Read more... Résuméabuiyad

Stosur knocked out of Wimbledon

Stosur knocked out of Wimbledon

 

Fifth seed Sam Stosur was dumped out of Wimbledon 6-2 0-6 6-4 by Dutch world number 72 Arantxa Rus.  

The Australian lost the opening set on the Number One court but then appeared to have regained control as she stormed through the second set without the loss of a game.

But the 21-year-old Rus recovered her composure in the deciding set and held on for a memorable victory to make it into the third round.

"I'm very happy with this win today, especially on the grass, as I haven't won a match in the main draw before," said Rus.

"It was very nice to play on Court One. I hope to play the same again in the next round also and we will see what happens."

source

Read more... Résuméabuiyad

Federer sweeps into third round at Wimbledon

Federer sweeps into third round at Wimbledon

Roger Federer sparkled on Centre Court as he moved serenely into the Wimbledon third round with an easy 6-1 6-3 6-2 win over Italy's Fabio Fognini.

The Swiss, bidding for a record-equalling seventh title at the All England Club, produced a dazzling array of shot-making to outclass an opponent he had met only once before.

Fognini played his part in the second and third sets but the result was never in doubt.

Third seed Federer will play American Michael Russell or Frenchman Julien Benneteau in the next round.

source

Read more... Résuméabuiyad

Watson marches on at Wimbledon

Watson marches on at Wimbledon

 

Britain's Heather Watson was the first woman into the third round at Wimbledon with a comfortable 6-1 6-4 win over Jamie Lee Hampton. 

The 20-year-old earned high praise for defeating Czech world number 52 Iveta Benesova 6-2 6-1 on Centre Court on Monday and followed up with a solid victory in 77 minutes on court two.

Watson, who was schooled at the Florida tennis production line that is the Nick Bollettieri Academy, won the opening five games and raced through the opening stanza in 28 minutes.
The Channel Islander continued the momentum by breaking Hampton, who stands three places higher at 100 in the world rankings, in the opening game of the second set.
But the American, conqueror of 27th seed Daniela Hantuchova in round one, levelled at 2-2 before three consecutive breaks followed.
The Guernsey youngster regained her grip by breaking in the eighth game and she served out to set up a last 32 meeting with either third seed Agnieszka Radwanska or Elena Vesnina, who crushed Venus Williams in round one.
Watson said: "I knew I had to come at her from the start and not give anything away, and I don't think Jamie was at her best in the first set. The second was tougher but I had to stay calm and focused. The crowd give you so much support and I did it for them."
Watson is the first British woman to reach the third round at SW19 since 2002 and Elena Baltacha and Anne Keothavong will look to join her on Thursday.
source

Read more... Résuméabuiyad

Sun not setting on Venus just yet, says father Richard

Sun not setting on Venus just yet, says father Richard

 

 Venus Williams' father will brook no argument - the five-times Wimbledon champion is doing just fine despite slumping out of the tournament in the opening round for the first time in 15 years.

At 32, the graceful American is fighting her way back to fitness after being diagnosed with the autoimmune, fatigue-inducing illness Sjogren's Syndrome but looked flat on Monday when she was beaten 6-1 6-3 by Russia's Elena Vesnina.

Gone was the air of invincibility that was so evident in the last decade, when she and sister Serena dominated women's tennis .

But their father, Richard, bridled at any suggestion it was time to start writing tennis obituaries for the powerful player who has won seven grand slam titles.

"Venus will be alright and Jehovah, that's the god we serve, will take care of Venus. I think she is coming along great. She just has to have time to make things work out," he told Reuters as he looked out from the media balcony at the sun-kissed courts where his offspring have rewritten tennis history.

His loyalties have never been divided and when the two met in four Wimbledon finals, he would make a point of flying home early so he did not have to watch the match. He did not want to know the result until he touched down back in the United States.

His constant mantra is: "There is life beyond the baseline."

Carefully nurturing his daughters through their careers, he has always sought to avoid the burnout that has struck down so many players and has always wanted them to have a life outside the lucrative but claustrophobic world of globe-trotting tennis.

OLYMPIC DREAM

"Venus and Serena have great business sense. They have made a ton of money. They serve God, they are very obedient, they listen to me and their mum. They will be alright. They went to college, they have education," he said.

"I always made sure that their education was much better than their tennis."

Venus will return to Wimbledon next month with her sister, where she hopes the pair will successfully defend their doubles title at the London Olympics.

"I am tough, let me tell you, tough as nails," she told reporters after her disappointing loss on Monday.

Venus, who returned to the tour in March after seven months out with her illness, added: "I have great tennis in me, I just need the opportunity."

Her father is also convinced there is plenty left in the tank, even if the evidence from the court has not been that positive.

"I don't see why she should retire. She has the biggest serve on this planet," he added.

"She runs faster than anyone else, she has a great forehand, a great backhand. I don't know a player who has as much speed as her. In this sport, speed is money."

source

Read more... Résuméabuiyad

Djokovic, Federer back on court

Djokovic, Federer back on court

 

     

 After demolishing their first-round opponents, defending Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic and six-times winner Roger Federer return on Wednesday to face players from the opposite end of the tennis spectrum.

Djokovic plays 20-year-old American Ryan Harrison and the ice-cool Federer takes on fiery Italian showman Fabio Fognini, with both second-round matches on Centre Court.

Neither Harrison nor Fognini have won a tour title while their multi-grand-slam winning opponents have 104 between them.

"I see he's very talented, a great shot‑maker," Federer said of his opponent.

"He's definitely got the talent to be a very tough opponent. Better be ready for some good shots coming my way."

Kim Clijsters's second-round match against Czech Andrea Hlavackova and the end of Caroline Wozniacki's clash with Tamira Paszek complete the action on Centre while over on Court One number one seed Maria Sharapova plays Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova.

source

Read more... Résuméabuiyad

Nadal, Serena up and running at Wimbledon

Nadal, Serena up and running at Wimbledon

  

Rafa Nadal needed a few games to adjust his sights for grasscourt combat at Wimbledon but Serena Williams quickly found her range as the two former champions moved safely into the second round on Tuesday.

Spaniard Nadal, looking to reclaim the title he won in 2008 and 2010, found himself 4-0 down against Brazil's Thomaz Bellucci on Centre Court before a barrage of heavy hitting took him to a 7-6 6-2 6-3 victory in two hours 15 minutes.

Williams, the day after her sister Venus was bundled out in the first round, restored family honour with a 6-2 6-4 defeat of battling Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova.

Home favourite Andy Murray, the last member of the men's 'big four' to get the grass under his feet this week, also impressed, thrashing Russia's former world number three Nikolay Davydenko for the loss of six games.

Wildcard Lleyton Hewitt, the 2002 champion, lost 6-3 6-4 6-4 to French fifth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and 20th seed Bernard Tomic's surprise 3-6 6-3 6-4 6-4 defeat by Belgian wildcard David Goffin made it a bad day for Australian men who will not have a second-round survivor for the first time since 1938.

Women's defending champion Petra Kvitova had the honour of opening Centre Court proceedings on what is traditionally Ladies Day at the All England Club.

Like Nadal, she also took a while to find her rhythm before beating Uzbekistan's Akgul Amanmuradova 6-4 6-4 in a low-key match interrupted by the first raindrops of the week.

Rain eventually returned later in the day to leave the likes of Caroline Wozniacki and Andy Roddick with first-round matches to complete on Wednesday.

Deposed world number one Victoria Azarenka was untroubled against Irina Falconi, screaming to a 6-1 6-4 victory while former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone, the 24th seed, survived a scare against home favourite Laura Robson before winning 2-6 6-2 6-4.

TOUCH FORTUNATE

Second seed Nadal, who has never lost in the first round of a grand slam, admitted he was a touch fortunate to progress in three sets against the 80th-ranked Bellucci.

"I think today I didn't play my best match," Nadal, looking for his third French Open/Wimbledon double, told reporters.

"The first set I played little bit too nervous, little bit not knowing exactly what to do. My movements were defensive."

"But I was able to win the first set. Then I started to play better," added Nadal, who ended the news conference answering questions about Spain's chances against Portugal in the European Championship semi-final on Wednesday.

Serena, whose career has teetered on the brink since she collected her fourth Wimbledon singles title in 2010, was given a decent workout by Strycova on Court Two.

The fired-up 30-year-old let out a roar when she closed out the match and looked in the mood to fly the Williams flag throughout the fortnight after five-times champion Venus's disheartening display.

"Definitely a little relief, I think I was letting out a lot of cries. I was happy to get through that," said Williams, who reached the fourth round last year after returning from a career-threatening foot injury and health issues.

Whether or not she was happy to be sent packing out to the intimate Court Two, was a question she swerved.

"I can't even talk about it. I'm over it. So I don't care to talk about it," snapped Williams, who will face Hungary's Melinda Czink in round two.

Murray looked to have drawn the short straw when his name came out with Davydenko's in the draw but the Briton made mincemeat of the Russian, winning 6-1 6-1 6-4.

Saddled yet again with ending Britain's interminable wait for a men's champion at Wimbledon, which stretches back to 1936, Murray looked in fine fettle with a dominant display that allayed any fears over a nagging back injury.

"It was a good start, and I knew obviously when I drew him I was going to need to start the tournament well," Murray said.

"Once I got ahead, I really tried to keep it up and I did a good job."

The highest seed to tumble on a routine day of action was men's number No. 14 Feliciano Lopez who lost to Finn Jarkko Nieminen.

source

Read more... Résuméabuiyad