Tennis archive

Italian veteran Flavia Pennetta upset China's Australian Open champion Li Na to join Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska in the women's final of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells.

The 32-year-old Pennetta qualified for the biggest singles final of her career after a 7-6, 6-3 drubbing of an out-of-sorts Li.

Pennetta will face Radwanska in Sunday's final after the Pole avenged her loss to Romania's Simona Halep in Qatar last month with a 6-3 6-4 win on the Californian desert hardcourts.

Li beat Pennetta in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open in January but the Italian was too good this time.

"I think we played really good tennis tonight," Pennetta said. "In Australia I didn't have any chance against her, but tonight I played much better. I just fought and tried my best. Of course I'm happy."

In the men's draw, Serbia's Novak Djokovic and American John Isner cruised into the last-four with straight-sets wins in the quarter-finals.

Djokovic hardly raised a sweat in the Californian desert as he eased to a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Frenchman Julien Benneteau, before the towering Isner rode his booming serve to a 7-6, 7-6 win over Latvia's Ernests Gulbis.

Saturday's other semi-final will be between Switzerland's Roger Federer and Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine, who won their quarter-finals on Thursday.



Source: Reuters

Federer ended the giant-killing run of Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov when he cruised to a 6-3 6-1 victory in a one-sided semi-final that lasted just a tick over an hour.

Then Djokovic succeeded in blunting the booming serve of John Isner to beat the American 7-5 6-7(2) 6-1 and join Federer in Sunday's championship match.

It will be the 33rd time overall and the ninth time in a final that the pair have locked horns. Federer holds a 17-15 lead in their head-to head matches and they are tied 4-4 in finals.

The Swiss master has already won the Indian Wells title four times and made it through to a fifth final without dropping a set in the California desert this week.

Relaxed and super confident after winning his 78th singles title in Dubai earlier this month, Federer pounced on Dolgopolov from the outset, breaking him once to snatch the opening set.

"I was ready physically, mentally," said Dolgopolov.

"I wasn't nervous much, but I wasn't sharp enough. My concentration was going away for maybe one, two points every game, and you can't afford to have that in these matches."

The Ukrainian had beaten three higher ranked players, including world number one Rafa Nadal, to reach the semis but was powerless to stop the 32-year-old Federer, who fired down seven aces in a brilliant serving performance.

"(It was) tough conditions for both of us," Federer said in a courtside interview. "I think I really served well when I had to and that allowed me to take more chances.

"Alexandr's had a wonderful tournament so it's really a big win for me today. I was going for it and I served a lot of aces, it was one of the best serving performances of my career."

Later, at his news conference, Federer said he was in a good frame of mind, having made his third final this year.

"Now it's just a matter of keeping that up, taking the right decisions not to overplay, not to underplay, and enjoy yourself. Because at the end of the day, it's also very important," he said.

"But having the fire and wanting to win every single match you go out there and in the practice trying to improve as much as you can, I think I've got the good balance right now, so it's very encouraging."

Isner upset Djokovic in the semi-finals at Indian Wells two years ago but the Serbian was better prepared this time.

The key to beating the 6ft 10in (2.08metre) Isner has always revolved around how his opponents cope with his devastating serve.

The wind had died down shortly after Federer wrapped up his victory over Dolgopolov and Djokovic had to save three set points on his serve in the 10th game of the opening set.

But in the following game, Djokovic made his move, breaking Isner's serve for the first time then serving out the set.

Djokovic twice had the chance to serve out the match in the second but faltered each time as Isner forced a tiebreak, which he won to set off a deafening roar in the stadium .

In the deciding third set, it was all Djokovic as Isner began to struggle with fitness, and the Serbian seized his opportunity.

"He's definitely the best server in the world right now so it's never easy against John," said Djokovic.

"I should have closed it out in the second set but I didn't and he played an amazing tiebreaker.

"It was only fair that it went to a third set because I got lucky in the first set. He should have won the first set and I should have won the second."

Sunday's women's final will be contested between Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska and Italian veteran Flavia Pennetta.






Tennis - Federer and Djokovic to meet in Indian Wells final - Yahoo Eurosport UK

Novak Djokovic came into Indian Wells for the first time in four years without a title.

He left with a $1 million check and his first trophy of the year, beating Roger Federer 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3) on Sunday to win the BNP Paribas Open for the third time.

"Not winning a title and coming here, there were certain doubts," Djokovic said. "I had ups and downs in my concentration in opening rounds, but I managed to stay mentally strong and have that self-belief. That's something that definitely makes this title very special to me."

Federer rallied from a break down and a 5-3 deficit in the third set to force the tiebreaker, but he made a slew of mistakes to lose the 33rd meeting between the rivals.

Federer still leads the series 17-16, having beaten Djokovic in three sets in the semifinals at Dubai two weeks ago. Djokovic will remain No. 2 in the world, while Federer will rise three spots to No. 5 on Monday in the ATP Tour rankings.

Flavia Pennetta routed injured Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2, 6-1 to win the women's title, the biggest of her career.

Federer was trying to win a record fifth title in the Southern California desert, and at 32, he would have been the oldest Masters 1000 winner since 34-year-old Andre Agassi won at Cincinnati in 2004.

But Djokovic wouldn't allow it.
Djokovic bounces back

After Federer breezed to the first set in 31 minutes, Djokovic earned the lone break of the second set to go up 5-3 after Federer pulled a forehand wide.

"I know he always comes out confident, aggressive," Djokovic said. "He doesn't give you the victory; you have to earn it."

Djokovic got the early break in the third, again on one of Federer's forehand errors, to lead 2-1. His 112-mph (180 kph) ace gave him a 4-2 lead, and he extended it to 5-3 with a backhand winner down the line.

But Federer then served a love-game to make it 5-4 and broke Djokovic to tie the set, 5-all. "I was able to just keep the pressure on Novak and show him that if he slips up, I will be there and I will make it a very competitive match in the end for him," Federer said.

In the tiebreaker, however, the Serb raced to a 5-1 lead, helped by four errors from Federer, and closed it out when Federer's backhand landed in the net.

"At the end, he made sure he kept the ball in play and I might have made a few too many errors when it really mattered," Federer said.

A year ago, Pennetta was close to retiring from tennis.

The Italian veteran's ranking plunged to 166th in the world in June, and she had struggled to rebuild her career after having right wrist surgery the previous August.

Now she's glad she stuck around.

"After so many years, so much work and everything, this is the moment I always waited for," she said. "And it's coming when you don't expect. It was something I was waiting since long time, and finally I have a good trophy in my hands."

Actually, the crystal trophy was so heavy, she didn't hoist it for photographers.

The 32-year-old Italian became the third-oldest winner of the tournament after Martina Navratilova, who won at age 33 and again at 34 in 1990-91. It was Pennetta's first title since winning at Marbella in 2010.

"We are old, but we still good athletes," Pennetta said. "We are strong. We have so many years on the tour, and we know how to handle the emotion and everything."

As the 20th seed, Pennetta became the lowest seed to win the title. She came in ranked 21st and is projected to rise to No. 12 in the world Monday in the WTA Tour rankings. She beat top-seeded Li Na in the semifinals on her way to the title.

Radwanska, seeded second, was bothered with a left knee injury in the final. She twice called for the trainer in the second set and had her knee heavily taped. She was in tears apologizing to the sympathetic crowd afterward, saying she was unable to run.

The Pole said she hurt her knee a few days ago in practice. "I just didn't expect it was going to be much worse today," she said. "But when the pain is so big that nothing is working — no painkillers, no tape — that means it is bad."




Novak Djokovic defeats Federer for 3rd Indian Wells title - CBC Sports - Tennis

There’s new hope for struggling Philippine tennis and it’s riding on the shoulders of 14-year-old Alberto “AJ” Lim Jr.

Currently ranked No. 2 in the world in the 14-under bracket, AJ has a lot to look forward to after hooking up with the elite L’Academie de Tennis based in Florida.

AJ has had a great stint the past couple of years. In 2011, he became the first Filipino to reach the finals of the Junior Orange Bowl event in Florida.

The Filipino had a great run against players taller and bigger than him. He stunned the second and fifth seeds but lost to top-seeded Russian Artem Dubrivny.

AJ caught the eyes of many, and he went on a two-year tennis program with the TAPF Academy. Now he’s with the LAT Academy, under a new coach, Ollie Townsend.

There were other offers. But AJ chose the LAT Academy.

“He is now ranked No. 175 in the ITF junior rankings. Now, can I get him there (Top 10) by the time he’s 17 or 18? I could say that very easily,” said Townsend.

The 46-year-old coach said there are 18 players in the academy right now. But unlike AJ, the rest of the players “pay their bills.”

AJ said he’s excited with what’s going on.

“I will just do my best here because I know I’m still improving and developing as a player,” said AJ, the only Filipino in the main draw of the 25th Mitsubishi Lancer International Junior Tennis Championship which fires off today at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

Next week, he will also see action in the $15,000 ITF Philippine Futures at the same venue.

Life will change for the former student of Letran. He will move to the United States, under the guidance of Filipino brothers Patrick and Lawrence Carpio, owners of the LAT Academy.

AJ was presented to the media yesterday at the Philippine Sports Commission conference room, together with Patrick Carpio and Townsend.

AJ’s brother, Numero “Uno” Lim, a former age-group standout himself and now Manila councilor, was also present, as well as PSC commissioner Buddy Andrada, the former chief of the Philippine Lawn Tennis Association, and Philta official Romeo Magat.

The PSC, headed by chairman Richie Garcia, has offered AJ a P2 million grant for the next three years, but since AJ won’t spend a single centavo at LAT, he had to decline.

The PSC offer stands – if needed in the future.

“We really appreciate it that despite the limitations we experienced then (as players), we see the effort now from Philta and the PSC. What they’re doing for AJ is amazing,” said Numero Lim.

“These guys at LAT have committed to support AJ all the way and that makes it easier for us,” added the young Manila councilor.

There’s no price tag or timetable on AJ’s stint with the LAT Academy.

“The ultimate cost is no factor. This is a multi-year undertaking for us – the academy, the Carpio family and AJ. We have made a commitment that has no expiration date,” said Townsend.

Patrick Carpio, for his part, said AJ will be under their supervision at all times.

“We will make sure AJ is training properly and growing up as a young man – physically and mentally,” he said.

Before the press conference concluded, Townsend was asked if they would give AJ the chance to represent the Philippines in international competitions like the SEA Games, Asian Games or Davis Cup.

“AJ playing for the pride of the nation takes precedence over the ATF, the ATP or the Futures. We cannot rob the Philippines of its future tennis players,” said Townsend.

“Whatever our schedules for the ITF or pros are, we can easily withdraw from any of those so he can play under the Philippine fag,” he added.

“It’s good that we have your commitment on that,” said Magat.



Lim, world U-14 No 2, brings hope to PH tennis | ABS-CBN News

A battle over whether to name the tennis courts at Woodlawn Lake for the district's former City Councilman Joe Alderete is heating up.

On Tuesday, the proposed idea drew mixed reaction from residents as they voiced their concerns in a public meeting.

People in support of the name change said Alderete was the man behind making Woodlawn Lake what it is today, a beautiful park. And, he also hosted summer tennis camps on those courts. "He has been very, very instrumental and has dedicated thousands of public service hours to this community and this area," said Verna Blackwell-Hilario, a community activist. "And, I think it's very deserving."

However, some residents are concerned about Alderete's 1985 indictment, in which he was accused of pocketing donation money meant for a local youth group, even though he was acquitted.

Still, many Tuesday night said their issue with the change is that the former councilman is still living.

"It seems a little self promoting to have your name on something while you are still alive and pushing for it," said Lowell F. Ayers, a longtime resident.

District 7 City Councilman Cris Medina said he's heard from residents who feel very strongly on both sides of the issue.

"I think like any naming process, we're going to have folks for and against. Nothing too surprising," said Medina. "But, what's important to me is that the citizens voices were heard and that's what it's all about."

The purpose of Tuesday's meeting was to get input form residents. Everyone who showed up was asked to fill out a form on whether they are for or against naming the tennis courts for Joe Alderete. The input will be taken to a committee and they'll make a recommendation to city council.




Residents speak out about renaming Woodlawn tennis courts | News - Home

Aluminium and graphite swept away the wooden racket that Bjorn Borg used to win 11 Grand Slam titles, but smart rackets that analyse power and spin promise a new tennis revolution.

One such intelligent racket is already on sale in the United States and will be launched in Europe in May.

The Babolat Play will cost 399 euros (555 dollars), about twice the price of a classic tennis racket.

Eric Babolat, head of the French company that developed the racket -- which retains the traditional shape -- said "it is like Star Wars is coming to tennis."

Sensors inside the handle record the power of a stroke, the impact of the ball on the racket strings, the kind of stroke, the spin and game time and send the information to a smartphone, computer or other device.

Babolat, whose company is one of the oldest tennis equipment makers in the world having made the first animal gut strings in 1875, is convinced that within 10 years all rackets will be equipped this way.

The Babolat Play's basic design is an updated version of a racket produced by the Lyon company already used by Chinese women's star Li Na.

The new racket only looks different because it has a blue diode light at the bottom of the handle which flashes when the sensors are turned on.

The rechargeable racket can be linked to a computer, tablet or smartphone with a cable or by wifi.

The application will, for instance, tell you how many balls were hit cleanly and how many were sliced.

Maybe not all players will welcome publicising their slice ratio. Babolat plans, however, to launch a social media application that allows players to compare their success rate and set challenges.

"It could be useful for an amateur, but also for a star such as Rafael Nadal," said Babolat's communications director Thomas Otton.

"Maybe Nadal gets some information from courtside cameras but what happens when the ball hits the face of the racket has remained a secret."

Nadal and French player Jo-Wilfried Tsonga tested the rackets at a demonstration event. But Babolat is still waiting for a player to use one in competition.

It has been accepted by the men's Association of Tour Professionals (ATP) and the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) since January 1.

Jean-Christophe Piffaut, a former head of the Roland-Garros tennis museum in Paris and a writer of a book on the history of the sport, said he was mystified as to the interest of the racket for professionals.

"Top level players have a coach and get a lot of information from video. I think this (racket) will only confirm what they already know," he said.

Eric Winogradsky, a former professional and coach who now works for the French Tennis Federation, is convinced that the smart racket does have a future, however.

"The information crossover is interesting," Winogradsky told AFP.

"This is the future. Lots of other sports are already doing this, why not us?"

The Babolat Play will soon face smart competition.

Sony Corp is developing a sensor that can be fitted to any racket. The first models will be launched in Japan in May in a partnership with the Yonex racket maker.

If the smart racket gets a grip, the battle could become who can make it even more inter-active. Eric Babolat already predicts an application that allows coaches to send information back to a player.





Tennis: 'Smart' racket offers tennis revolution - Channel NewsAsia

Simona Halep is only 22 years old, but already she finds herself where no Romanian woman has ever been:

Among the top five of the WTA's rankings.

One year ago, hard as it is to believe, Halep had a middling 5-7 record and a ranking of No. 57 in the world. Now, after winning six titles last year and taking the title last month at Doha, the world No. 5 has won more matches than any other woman in the past 10 months. What changed?


.
"I changed to be more aggressive on the court," she told ESPN-com on Tuesday from Miami during preparations for the Sony Open Tennis tournament. "And I was more relaxed -- that was the secret. I want to fight for every point, but also to enjoy the match.

"Last year in Rome when I injured my back I had some very, very tough moments. I said to myself I have to be happy I can play tennis and relax. That was what happened last year."

Indeed, the 5-foot-6 player is winning with aggressive play and is clearly enjoying herself. Halep reached the semifinals last week in Indian Wells before losing to No. 3-ranked Agnieszka Radwanska, but Miami has been a challenge for her.

Venus Williams and Dominika Cibulkova -- who beat Halep in the quarters at the Australian Open -- could await in the third and fourth rounds. The funny thing? Legend has it that Halep's manager since 2008, countrywoman Virginia Ruzici, can be blamed, in part, for Venus' appearance in this world.

"Yes, yes," Halep said. "I have heard this story from Virginia. I guess the father, Richard Williams, saw her playing and the check she received for winning the tournament. That was when he said, 'I am going to have more daughters and put them into the tennis.'"

Venus and, 15 months later, Serena Williams were born, and the rest is tennis history. Ruzici, who won the 1978 French Open, enjoyed her highest ranking at No. 8. But if Halep and Venus win their second-round matches, the two would meet for the fourth time; Venus won the first three.

You can blame Ruzici.

"Yeah," Halep said, laughing. "She is here with me now. If that happens, I will be sure to tell her."

ESPN-com spoke with Halep before a Tuesday practice session.

ESPN-com: You are ranked a career-high No. 5. There hasn't been this much excitement in your country since Ilie Nastase was No. 1 in the first ATP rankings in 1973. Are you surprised that it happened so fast?

Simona Halep: I am a little bit, yeah. I didn't expect this year that I can be top 10, so everything has changed in my life. People recognize me at home now, when I'm shopping -- or even parking the car. I mean, it's a good life. But I have to keep working hard.

ESPN-com: Last year you won six titles -- on four different surfaces -- second only to Serena Williams. How do you explain that?

Halep: I think I have a good, complete game, the forehand and backhand. My serve is not 100 percent, but I want to improve that. I feel more comfortable on clay, but I like hard courts, too, because the points are so much faster. The game is faster, which I like.

ESPN-com: At the Australian Open you won four matches. That's as many as you won all of last year in the Grand Slams. What do you have to do to be more successful in the majors?

Halep: It's different, because they are big tournaments with more pressure. I just want to stay relaxed and play them like other normal tournaments, to keep my mind without pressure. Now I feel prepared to play at that level.

ESPN-com: I read that Paris is your favorite city. What do you love about Paris?

Halep: Well, I won there in French Open juniors when I was 16 years and 8 months. I really like the city and [Roland Garros], too. It's not too small and it's not too big.

ESPN-com: Your goals going forward?

Halep: If I can, I want to remain in the top 10. I have to defend a lot of tournaments, so it will be tough. Every match is difficult. I have the same challenges I did when I was ranked outside the top 40. I want to improve and feel the pleasure every time I play.




Sony Open tennis - Five questions with Simona Halep - ESPN

Roger Federer booked his place in the third round of the Miami Masters by only losing three points on serve in a 6-4 7-6(4) victory over Ivo Karlovic.

Federer, a losing finalist to Novak Djokovic last weekend at Indian Wells, dropped one point on serve in the first set to continue his consistent start to 2014, where he has already lifted a title in Dubai and reached two finals.

In the opening game, Karlovic was cruising at 40-0, but after Federer picked up his first point with a sublime backhand up the line, the Swiss was gifted the break when Karlovic double-faulted.

Two-time champion Federer was flying through his service games as Karlovic was unable to control the rallies, and while he was able to hold his serve to stick with Federer, the latter continued to impress by mixing his tactics with baseline and net play to dominate.

Yet to win a point on the Federer serve, Karlovic managed to stop the rot in the 10th game as Federer hit an unforced error on set point. The following point saw Federer clinch the set 6-4 to move ahead in the encounter.

Federer dropped just the second point on serve in the seventh game of the second set, with Karlovic serving first to keep in front.

That game saw Federer have two break points, but Karlovic was able to save them and go 5-4 in front. Federer forced a tiebreak at 6-6, and lost another point on serve as he stormed into a 3-1 lead.

Karlovic stayed with Federer to trail 5-4, but having struggled to win points on his opponent's serve, Federer sealed victory with the two points on his serve to reach the next round.

Novak Djokovic joined Federer in the third round after beating Jeremy Chardy 6-4 6-3. The world No.2 is looking to win the title in Miami for a fourth time, and claimed the win in an hour and 24 minutes to extend his winning-streak to seven matches.

However, during the encounter, he exchanged angry words with the chair umpire after he had been given a time violation. Djokovic claimed the umpire should have warned him before handing out the time violation, saying: "You have to understand the game".

Last year's finalist David Ferrer, who held match point against Andy Murray, beat Teymuraz Gabashvili 6-4 6-0, with ninth seed Richard Gasquet Alejandro Gonzalez 7-6(7) 6-4.




Read more at Roger Federer makes flying start in Miami Masters | Tennis News | ESPN.co.uk

Former U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro has confirmed he is to have an operation on his injured left wrist, which is likely to sideline him for most of the rest of the season.

The Argentine world number eight, whose career was severely disrupted by surgery on his right wrist in 2010, pulled out of the Sony Open last week and posted a message on his Facebook page.

"Following new examinations done today, my doctor Richard Berger decided that I should have surgery to fix the problem on my left wrist," it read.

"Obviously, it's not the easiest choice or the happiest moment of my career.

"I experienced a similar situation and I know how hard it is to be out of the tour, the desire to return, the endless weeks of recovery and how difficult it is to start fighting for the top spots in the rankings again."

The 25-year-old started the year by winning his 18th ATP title at the Sydney International but since being upset in the second round of the Australian Open by Roberto Bautista Agut has managed to play just four matches at two tournaments.

The decision to have the surgery will be a major blow to the 2009 U.S. Open champion, who, when fully fit, has the ability to contend at the very top of the game.

Del Potro concluded the message by thanking his fans for their support throughout his struggles with injury.

"The strength you send me and my desire will be crucial during my recovery," he said.



Reuters

World number one Serena Williams led a stampede of top seeds into the quarter-finals of the Sony Open but big sister and three-time Miami champion Venus could not join the party.

On a day that saw play interrupted by rain, it seemed nothing could stop the cream of women's tennis from rising to the top with Serena, a six-time Miami champion, Australian Open winner Li Na, third-seed Agnieszka Radwanska, five-time runner-up Maria Sharapova and fifth-seed Angelique Kerber all moving into the last-eight.

Venus could not complete the Williams family double falling 6-1, 5-7, 6-3 to Slovakian 10th-seed Dominika Cibulkova just as the centre court clock was about to strike midnight.

Meanwhile, Serena stepped it up a gear against Coco Vandeweghe, sweeping past the young American qualifier 6-3, 6-1 in 79 minutes.

Li Na progresses

Li was no less ruthless, the Chinese world number two demolishing Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro 6-0, 6-2 in 61 minutes while Radwanska grinded out a 7-6, 5-7, 6-2 victory over Ukraine's Elina Svitolina.

Kerber also needed three sets to get past Russian Ekaterina Makarova 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.

Fourth-seed Sharapova got a much-needed wake-up call after sleep-walking her way through the opening set before dispatching Belgian Kirsten Flipkens 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 while Kerber also needed three sets to get by Russian Ekaterina Makarova 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.

Former world number one and 12th seed Ana Ivanovic seemed headed for a quarter-final berth after comfortably taking the first set against eighth seed Czech Petra Kvitova but fell apart after that, committing 11 double faults en route to a stunning 3-6, 6-0, 6-0 loss.




Source: Reuters

Defending champion Serena Williams closed in on a seventh Sony Open title with a 6-2 6-2 quarterfinal demolition of German Angelique Kerber on Tuesday (Wednesday, PHL time), a win that came as the Crandon Park tennis facility was locked down due to a bomb scare.

Williams' win sets up a semifinal rematch of last year's final against Maria Sharapova, a five-time runner-up on the Miami hardcourts, who advanced with an equally impressive 7-5 6-1 win over eighth-seeded Czech Petra Kvitova.

While Williams was shutting down fifth seed Kerber, Miami Dade police were locking down the sprawling tennis complex after a suspicious package was found at the main entrance.

Four lane traffic was halted in both directions in front of the complex while spectators were prevented from entering or leaving the facility.

"Yeah, there was a bomb threat and a lockdown but that's all I know about it. Scary," said Williams.

Sharapova and Williams, who have both achieved a career grand slam and held the number one ranking, were expected to develop into one of the great rivalries in women's tennis.

But it has not quite worked out that way with Williams dominating the series, winning 15-of-17 career meetings including the last 14.

The pair have clashed three times in Miami, Williams winning all three.

"It's no secret that she's been a big challenge of mine, an opponent that obviously I would love to beat," said Sharapova, who has not beaten Williams in almost a decade.

"There are certainly ways that I need to step up in certain situations that I haven't been able to do in the past against her.

"But it's great that I have come to that stage and have the opportunity to play her again."

Certainly Sharapova will have to be at her best as Williams' title defense has picked up steam with each match.

The world number one needed just 62 minutes to dispose of Kerber and has dropped one set on route to the final four.

"When you're playing champions, you have to play your best," said Williams, looking ahead to her meeting with Sharapova. "She always plays her best and her heart out against me.

"We just have to bring the best because we both are really good players. We just both do the best we can when we try to play each other.

"I love playing her. I really do."

Sharapova, who has come up short in the Miami final each of the last three years, dropped her opening serve to Kvitova but that would be the only time in the entire match.

The fourth-seeded Russian took control with a break to get back on level terms at 4-4 and then again to close out the first set. Sharapova then dominated the second set, storming through the first five games before a reeling Kvitova held her serve.

"I didn't have a good first few games, so I was happy that I was steady, that I kept trying to do the right thing, kept trying to be aggressive," said Sharapova. "I think that paid off as the match went on because I made a few too many unforced errors in the beginning."




Reuters

The greatest day in tennis, by wide acclaim, is the middle Monday at Wimbledon, when all the round of 16 matches, men and women, are played.

It's typically a star-slathered slate of matches, but last year Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka -- to name a few -- did not make it to the second week at the All England Club.

May we humbly submit an alternative view? How about Tuesday's phenomenal dance card at Sony Open Tennis, which included the entire men's round of 16 plus two women's blockbuster quarterfinals that featured three Grand Slam singles champions.

Call it Terrific Tuesday.

An impetuous south Florida squall delayed the start of play by about 45 minutes, but eventually freshly minted Indian Wells champion Novak Djokovic took the stadium court against Tommy Robredo. Meanwhile, over on the packed grandstand Kei Nishikori and David Ferrer were locked in a nasty tiebreaker. Spoiler alert: Ferrer destroyed his racket a few games later.

By day's end, 17 players, representing a staggering 135 Grand Slam titles, were expected to flail away at fuzzy tennis balls in the sultry, breezy conditions. An accounting:

• The breakdown was 68 singles titles, 48 doubles and 19 mixed doubles.

• Serena Williams, who has won 17 singles crowns to go with 13 doubles and two mixed doubles, has produced nearly one-fourth of that total. Bob and Mike Bryan, with 15 doubles majors and 10 mixed, were next. Martina Hingis, with a total of 15, deserves an honorable mention.

• The best four men currently playing -- Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Andy Murray -- have won 38 Grand Slam singles titles.

• The two unlikeliest champions: Richard Gasquet (mixed doubles at Roland Garros in 2004) and Elena Vesnina (Roland Garros doubles in 2013).

In typical fashion

Fabio Fognini, as dapper as he can be, was outclassed by Rafael Nadal relatively routinely. Nadal, who said he's playing focused ball, dropped just three points on serve in a 6-2, 6-2 win in the gusty winds. Nadal's win completed a sweep by the Big Four on Tuesday, a dominant effort by the game's upperclassman in which they failed to drop a single set. But for Murray and Djokovic, that streak will end Wednesday when they clash in a blockbuster quarterfinal.

Next up for Rafa, hard-hitting Milos Raonic.

"Yes, he's a very dangerous opponent, an opponent that you don't want to meet," Nadal said. "His serve is huge, one of the best without any doubt, and he's able to play very aggressive on the return because he doesn't feel a lot of pressure on his return because he knows that he's very safe with his serve, no?"

Down Under ... and out

Australian Open champion Li Na is still alive here. The No. 2 seed plays Caroline Wozniacki in Wednesday's quarters. Stanislas Wawrinka, her male counterpart, exited Tuesday 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 at the hands of Alexandr Dolgopolov. The Ukraine's Dolgopolov, 25, is on something of a tear after winning four matches at Indian Wells. All he did was beat No. 1-ranked Nadal, No. 14 Fognini and No. 11 Raonic in succession. Here, he's won three after an emphatic third set against the World No. 3. In another fourth-round match, Milos Raonic defeated Benjamin Becker 6-3, 6-4. Raonic out-aced Becker 15-0. And the last American man, John Isner, was ambushed by Tomas Berdych, losing 6-3, 7-5.

Backbreaker for Ferrer

It took more than three hours before the first major upset occurred -- officially, three hours, five minutes -- and that was just one match.

No. 20-ranked Kei Nishikori, a 24-year-old from Japan, took down No. 4 David Ferrer 7-6 (7), 2-6, 7-6 (9).

Nishikori, heroically, saved four match points.

"I was tired, of course," Nishikori said, "but he wasn't 100 percent the last couple of points."

Ferrer is one of the fittest players on the planet, but he also turns 32 next week. In the end, his forehand let him down; a short one sailed wide to give Nishikori his first berth in the quarters here.

"That means I can keep going," Nishikori said. "This gives me confidence."

Next up for Nishikori, who beat the ascending Grigor Dimitrov in the third round: Roger Federer, who crushed Richard Gasquet on Tuesday.

Kvitova melts down

Watch out for Maria Sharapova.

The five-time Miami runner-up has never failed to reach the final here when she gets to the quarterfinals. She's never won the title either.

Sharapova is through the quarters again because Petra Kvitova couldn't cope with difficult conditions, losing 7-5, 6-1.

The score was 5-all in the first set when the rain and gusting winds kicked in. When order was restored and the lines had been dried with towels, Sharapova won seven straight games.

It's been an emotional journey for the 2011 Wimbledon champion. After dropping the first set of her fourth-round match with Ana Ivanovic, Kvitova won the next two sets 6-0, 6-0.

And now, assuming Serena Williams takes care of Angelique Kerber in the nighttime quarter, Sharapova awaits in the semifinals. After winning two of the first three matches between them, Sharapova has lost an astounding 14 in a row.

"Yeah, I mean, you know, it's no secret that she's been a big challenge of mine, an opponent that obviously I would love to beat," Sharapova said. "There are certainly, you know, ways that I need to step up in certain situations that I haven't been able to do in the past against her. But it's great that I have come to that stage and have the opportunity to play her again."

Heavy weather

There was more to Novak Djokovic's 6-3, 7-5 victory over veteran Tommy Robredo than you might think.

First of all, the rain delay forced him to play without a prematch warm-up.

"So we had a longer on-court warm-up," Djokovic explained. "I don't know if I experienced that, maybe once, twice in my whole career."

Later, at 1-all in the second set, he gave Robredo a crucial point that he didn't have to.

"If I judge that I couldn't win the point, that I

Rafael Nadal, despite his vulnerable knees (and more recently, back), has been a remarkably consistent player.

No active player -- hello there, Mr. Federer -- has been ranked among the ATP World Tour's top five for a longer stretch; come May, Rafa will hit the nine-year mark. Since winning his first Grand Slam singles title, at Roland Garros in 2005, Nadal has played 32 majors, won 13 and missed four. When he crashed out in the first round of Wimbledon after another bout with those fluky knees, some wondered if Nadal would ever again be a force on hard courts. And then, in a span of 37 summer days, Nadal won 17 consecutive matches and the titles in Montreal, Cincinnati and New York.

One of those tilts -- the final in Canada -- was against a 23-year-old Canadian named Milos Ranoic. He lost 6-2, 6-2, but clearly a lesson was learned.

On Wednesday night a 24-year-old from Japan, Kei Nishikori, stunned venerable champion Roger Federer. Thursday night it was Raonic who threw a plausible scare into Federer's phenomenal foil, Nadal.

Returning serve like he was at home at Roland Garros -- sometimes 10 feet behind the baseline -- Nadal scuffled and scraped to a 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory. He seemed quite relieved when it was over. He'll play Tomas Berdych in a Friday semifinal.

"There is always the pressure to play against a big server like Milos," Nadal said in his on-court interview. "When you are a set down and only have one break, you do not have time to relax. I was lucky to have the advantage at the beginning of the second set when Milos double-faulted."

Nadal and Raonic entered the match as the only two players who haven't had their serves broken in the tournament. That's not the case anymore. While Nadal had three opportunities to do so in the first set, he couldn't accomplish it. Raonic is typically among the ATP's ace leaders, but a high ankle sprain suffered at the Australian Open limited him to only seven matches played coming into the tournament. Still, the 6-foot-5, 200-pounder was averaging a formidable 17 aces per match and he unleashed a few bombs against Nadal -- one of them at 144 miles per hour.

With Nadal serving at 4-5, Raonic shocked the crowd by taking the first set when Nadal sandwiched two atypical double faults around a brilliant backhand volley stab from Raonic. After losing four matches and all eight sets to Rafa, Raonic had finally broken through.

Rafa, as you might have suspected, came crunching back to break Raonic at the top of the second set. A double fault, struck well long, was Raonic's undoing. And then it happened again; Another double gave Rafa a 3-0 lead (very nearly 5-0) and this one had the feeling of another three-set instant classic.

Raonic held off Rafa (barely) until the seventh game of the ultimate set. He actually secured two game points, but with the match well past the two-hour mark he appeared to be tiring and missed seven first serves in that game alone. Nadal hit a looping forehand and Raonic's backhand found the net.

The good news? Raonic will be a top-10 player again on Monday when the ATP rankings come out. The bad? He had some serious chances to win this thing.

"It was hard, but I feel that I fought a lot today," Rafa said. "I am happy to be in the semifinal."




Sony Open tennis - Rafael Nadal scrapes way into semifinals with win over Milos Raonic - ESPN

Li Na will win today. More consistent ground strokes, and can match Serena's power. Thank me later. Don't forget to check out the NCAA and NBA picks, time to make some money folks before baseball is in full swing. No pun intended.

Kansas University tennis was shut out for the second straight match by a Sooner State squad Sunday.

No. 18 Oklahoma beat the Jayhawks, 7-0, at Jayhawk Tennis Center, two days after KU suffered a 7-0 setback to Oklahoma State.

Kansas won just one match Sunday. Paulina Los and Dylan Windom beat OU’s Emma Devine and Morgan Chumney, 8-5, at No. 2, but the Sooners (13-3, 3-1) won the other two doubles matches to win the doubles point.

KU (11-6, 2-2 in the Big 12) will host No. 16 Baylor at 3:30 p.m. Friday at JTC.

Singles

Whitney Ritchie, OU, def. Dylan Windom, 6-3, 1-6, 6-0

Hermon Brhane, OU, def. Maria Jose Cardona, 6-4, 6-3

Morgan Chumney, OU, def. Maria Belen Ludueña, 6-0, 4-6, 6-1

Mia Lancaster, OU, def. Paulina Los, 6-4, 6-3

Emma Devine, OU, def. Anastasija Trubica, 7-5, 6-4

Abbie Melrose, OU, Morgan Barnhill, 6-2, 6-2

Doubles

Lancaster-Ritchie, OU, def. Cardona-Ludueña, 8-3

Windom-Los, KU, def. Chumney-Devine, 8-5

Brhane-Zita Engbroks, OU, def. Caroline Henderson-Barnhill, 8-3







Oklahoma blanks KU tennis | KUsports-com

World-renowned Scottish tennis player Andy Murray is the owner of the newly refurbished Cromlix hotel, a 34-acre castle-like mansion, in Perthshire, Scotland.

The hotel, just three miles from Murray’s hometown Dublane, was nearly shut down last year until the tennis star rescued it.

The 15-bedroom luxury hotel reopened today, complete with multiple tennis courts, a croquet lawn and a top-notch dining experience.

But is the ace tennis player really taking a break from his championship career? After recent physical complications forcing him to get back surgery, it would make sense if the Wimbledon and Olympic winner wanted to breakaway to his very own vacation spot. However, that’s not the case.

The relic just seems to pull at Murray’s heartstrings. The family has a long history with the Cromlix; most recently, his brother Jamie Murray married there in 2010. The recovery was a gesture of gratitude, and way to preserve an important part of his childhood community, according to an exclusive interview with Telegraph Travel.

"Cromlix was an important part of the area and meant so much to a lot of families and people locally, including mine. It’s important to me that I give back to the community that put me on the right path all those years ago, and the hotel seemed like the perfect way to do it.”

Murray has yet to visit his newly opened hotel, but in his absence management company Inverlochy Castle Management International along with mom Judy and girlfriend Kim Sears are taking good care of arrangements.



Tennis Great Andy Murray is Now a Hotelier - ABC News

I see the Tennis forum has dried up somehow, thought i will bring it back to life, while the tennis season is not finished yet, at least for men.

Should be an interesting betting week with plenty of opportunities. I expect Djokovic to win outright, Raonic to lose all his matches, and Murray to reach the Final. These are my picks.

And here are the groups:

Djokovic
Wawrinka
Berdych
Cilic

Federer
Murray
Nishikori
Raonic

I think Federer will win!

Federer and Djokovic looking great so far. Not the same can be said about others. Very disappointing group stages.

There is no doubt that these two players are really great. Two players in the world has the greatest back-hand ever in this Tennis business and they are undoubtedly Roger Federrer and Serena.

Sharapova is also one of the greatest female tennis players in this business. But she was suffering from some bad performances past year. But again,this is the insignia of a true and great player that she recovered from it and now is top rankings in the Tennis Business.