Jamaican wins Soweto Open
After a week of enthralling action, crowd favourite Dustin Brown clinched the men's singles final, ending the 2010 Soweto Open tennis tournament on Saturday, 17 April.
The dreadlocked Jamaican made easy work of his opponent, South African Izak van der Merwe with a 7-6 6-3 win, walking away with the prize money of R105 000 at the Arthur Ashe Tennis Complex in Central Western Jabavu, Soweto.
Backed by a vociferous crowd, Brown beat Steven Bohli of Switzerland 7-6 6-3 in the semis on Thursday to book a place facing Van der Merwe.
The match started at a blistering pace, with each player determined to come out tops in the final. It was, however, Brown with his powerful serves that clinched the coveted win. Accepting the trophy from Executive Mayor Amos Masondo, he said it was thanks to the huge support from his fans during the week that he made it into the finals.
"The support all week has been tremendous. I congratulate Izak for giving me a good game even though he beat me in a doubles game."
The men's doubles final, in which Van der Merwe and Raven Klaasen representing South Africa faced France's Nicolas Mahut and Lovro Zovko of Croatia, was a humdinger. The South Africans, however, lost the match 6-2 6-2.
Brown said he loved Soweto and would gladly come back next year if invited.
Before the men's final, Nina Bratchikova of Russia faced Tamarine Tanasugram of Thailand in the women's final. The 24-year-old Russian was too powerful and too determined for the Thai sensation, beating her 7-5 7-6 to clinch the R107 000 prize money.
Thanking fans for the support, Bratchikova said the win was the best of her life. "I am happy, just happy," she said, to much applause.
Masondo, who watched the two finals with Bafana Sithole, his portfolio head for community development, said the day belonged to the winners. "The Soweto Open tournament holds great promise for the future. With the 2010 World Cup around the corner, we must ensure various sporting codes like tennis are promoted as well."
To the winners, he said they were invited to Soweto again next year for more sizzling action. "I hope we will have a better tournament than this year," he added.
(c)2010 Official website of the City of Johannesburg
Navratilova to attend French Open despite cancer
Martina Navratilova said on Thursday she will commentate at this year's French Open while undergoing radiation treatment for breast cancer.
The 53-year-old, one of the greats of women's tennis, told Reuters in a telephone interview from New York that she felt great physically and did not expect her six-week radiation therapy in Paris during next month's French Open to get in the way of prior commitments.
"My life has not changed other than I have to be in one place for six weeks to sit through radiation," she said.
"I still play hockey, I am playing tennis this weekend and I'll be commentating for the Tennis Channel during the French Open and Wimbledon."
Navratilova, who won 18 grand slam singles titles before retiring from the game in 2006, revealed this week that she was diagnosed with a non-invasive form of breast cancer in February and is expected to make a full recovery.
She had wanted to keep the news quiet but later realized she could help others by going public and raising awareness that early detection can help save lives.
Navratilova, a health and fitness ambassador for AARP, a non-profit organization that helps people over 50 improve the quality of their lives, will remain active and plans to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa this December.
Czech-born Navratilova, who became a U.S. citizen in 1981, said talking about the disease had been emotionally taxing however.
"It's not like promoting a tennis match ... it's interviews talking about breast cancer that is happening in my body," she said. "It's been very difficult but I am happy I can spread the word and hopefully help save some lives with this awareness."
A winner of six straight Wimbledon titles from 1982 to 1987, Navratilova also said the tennis season, which stretches across most of the yearly calendar, must be shortened to help protect players from injury.
She referred specifically to 23-year-old Rafael Nadal of Spain, who was unable to defend his Wimbledon crown last year because of tendinitis in his knee, as an example.
"Look at Nadal. He is a guy in his prime physically and he can't handle it," said Navratilova.
"Players are taxed so much because there is there is so much demand for their time. but most of all we are travelling more, playing on hard surfaces and the season is too long and needs to be shortened."
(c)2010 Fairfax New Zealand Limited
Aisam, Rohan in Napoli final
LAHORE: Pakistan's Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi and India's Rohan Bopanna moved into the men's doubles final of the Napoli ATP Challenger Championship on Thursday. Qureshi, Pakistan's lone representative on the international tennis circuit, and his Indian partner Bopanna beat Argentina's Diego Junqueira and Martin Vassallo Arguello 7-6, 6-4, in the clay-court tournament in Italy. The duo will face Dustin Brown of Jamaica and Jesse Witten of the US in the final.
thenews.com.pk
Andy Murray worry as he admits: I've fallen out of love with tennisThe eyes looked slightly moist and the head was hung low. Never before has Andy Murray appeared such a picture of despondency as he was in the wake of Saturday night's defeat at the Sony Ericsson Open.
And later came the startling revelation that he has, for the moment, fallen out of love with the game that is his life.
'I need to start enjoying my tennis again. This has been going on for a few weeks now,' he admitted after losing 6-4, 6-4 to Mardy Fish.
So to add to the list of woes currently afflicting British tennis, such as Davis Cup humiliations and parliamentary hearings about the sport's administration, there is now turmoil in the mind of the country's one genuine championship contender.
This is all quite a turnaround. For a fleeting few weeks 12 months ago when he won the title here and Roger Federer was in meltdown, Murray was being acclaimed as the best player in the world.
Less than two months ago he looked to be an honourable second best, having lost out in the final of the Australian Open to a completely restored Federer.
Yet on Saturday against Fish, albeit a dangerous early round opponent, he was unrecognisable.
The consistently short forehand seemed to be that of a humble journeyman, while his appalling body language was that of someone who would rather have been anywhere than defending a major title against a player ranked 101 in the world.
In deeply pensive mood later on, third seed Murray, who received a first-round bye, assured everyone that there were no hidden problems in the background. He said: 'I've been very happy off the court but just not on it, and that's where I need to be happy because that's my career, this is what I do. It's only me who can figure it out.
'People think sportsmen are different to other people but we're not - we all go through bad patches. I've got to get back to how I felt in Australia at the start of the season.'
Murray was emphatic that his malaise, which has seen him win just two of five completed matches since Melbourne, is not down to any profound reassessment since losing to Federer.And he also stressed that he is happy with the team around him.
It is fair to speculate, however, that his fortunes mirroring those of the British game might not be entire coincidence. His performances and those of Elena Baltacha and Laura Robson gave cause for much optimism in January, but that has largely been washed away.
Murray has been constantly asked about British tennis of late, and was doubtless hurt by John Lloyd's retrospective bitching about his non-participation in the recent Davis Cup debacle.
There was even a polite request last week from his handlers that questions on the subject be given a rest.
Every time the ongoing crisis within the British game comes to the fore, it can only be a reminder to Murray of the pressures associated with being the one serious hope from the country which hosts Wimbledon. This adds considerably to his marketability and wealth, but it is an onerous position to be in.
Clearly, there is also a debate in his head and around his team about whether the essentially counter-punching style that is his instinct is ever going to be quite enough to land him one of the sport's major prizes.
He tried out a more attacking mode at the recent Dubai Championships and not only did he lose in the second round, but he was also given an official rebuke for openly stating - not very tactfully - that he had been experimenting and defeat there was not the end of the world. 'Maybe it is just something to do with my game,' he ventured.
This is a good time for the European clay court season to arrive, as it is the one time of year when Murray does not have to contend with especially high expectations. There is now a good chance that he will add next month's Monte Carlo Open to his schedule as an early exit here means extra time to prepare for the dirt.
Top-ranked Federer held every service game and won his opening match by beating Nicolas Lapentti 6-3, 6-3.
Federer, the champion in 2005-06, has an inviting path to the final with Murray now out because world No 2 Novak Djokovic was eliminated on Friday.
Rafael Nadal will now overtake Murray for the world No 3 spot in the next set of rankings, while Fish advances to the third round of this event for the first time since 2003.
(c) Associated Newspapers Ltd
Five story lines for the Sony Ericsson Open
The epicenter of the tennis universe moves to Key Biscayne on Monday for the 2010 Sony Ericsson Open, and even though the tournament will be missing top-ranked Serena Williams, glamorous Maria Sharapova and U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro -- all out with injuries -- there are plenty of intriguing story lines for South Florida fans to follow during the next two weeks.
1. WILL WORLD NO. 1 ROGER FEDERER BE AT HIS BEST?
First and foremost, there is Roger Federer, the No. 1 player in the world and a fan favorite wherever he goes. The last time he played here, things were not so good. He had slipped to No. 2, was in a slump, the media were bombarding him with hard questions, and he got so frustrated during his semifinal match against Novak Djokovic that he smashed his racket and left the court in a huff. Since then, he married his longtime girlfriend, won his first French Open, beat Andy Roddick in an epic Wimbledon final for his record 15th Grand Slam title, reclaimed the No. 1 ranking and became the father of twins.
"I knew there was no reason to panic, but there was a lot of negativity around me from the press,'' Federer said by phone last week. "Everyone was asking, 'What's Wrong with Roger?' around the time of Miami, but I got healthy, turned things around in Madrid and Paris, and never looked back.''
Federer hasn't played much since winning the Australian Open in January. A lung infection forced him to skip some tournaments, and last week in Indian Wells, he lost early to Marcos Baghdatis. But he has played well in Key Biscayne before and is expected to be a contender. His first match is Saturday night.
"I am expecting Roger to have a big run in Miami after what happened in the desert,'' said T.V. commentator Patrick McEnroe. "At this point in his career, he is mostly interested in Grand Slam events and Masters events. I think we'll see the best from him. After breaking the record and becoming No. 1 again, he is playing without a lot of pressure, and that's when we see that flowing, relaxed game that is a scary sight.''
2. CAN A WILLIAMS SISTER WIN AGAIN?
Serena Williams has made Key Biscayne her personal playground, winning five trophies, and had she won No. 6, she would have broken Steffi Graf's record. Instead, she will miss the tournament with a knee injury, leaving older sister, Venus, to carry the baton for the Williams family.
Venus has won seven Grand Slams and three titles on Key Biscayne, so she certainly is among the favorites. She will play her opening match Thursday night under the lights, replacing Serena. Among the women who could get in Williams' way are Belgians, Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin, rising Danish talent Caroline Wozniacki, and the congenial Jelena Jankovic, who battled inconsistency all of last year but showed in Indian Wells she can still play like the No. 1 player she was in 2008.
3. WHAT WILL RAFA WEAR?
Rafael Nadal seems to have his regained his form after a recent knee injury, which is great news for fans and bad news for the rest of the men's field. The Spaniard also made headlines in Indian Wells because of his choice of attire -- long, brown diagonal-plaid shorts. They got mixed reviews. He hinted that he will have a new outfit for Key Biscayne.
No matter what he wears, when he is healthy, he and Roger Federer remain the men to beat.
"There definitely are more guys knocking at the door week in and week out with Andy Murray, Andy Roddick, [Marin] Cilic and [Juan Martin] del Potro, but when it comes down the Grand Slams, it's still Roger and Rafa,'' TV commentator Patrick McEnroe said.
4. CAN MURRAY REPEAT?
Andy Murray has become a regular South Florida snowbird, and he feels more at home here than just about anybody on tour. He owns a condo on Brickell and spends winters training with the University of Miami tennis team. That familiarity helped him win last year's Sony Ericsson Open, and he remains a favorite on the hard courts of Key Biscayne.
He reached the Australian Open final, beating Nadal along the way, before losing to Federer.
"The jury's still out on whether [Murray] can win a major,'' TV commentator Patrick McEnroe said. "In those big moments, against the biggest players, you have to go take it. Nobody's going to hand you the trophy, and I was unimpressed with the way he lost to Roger. I think he felt a lot of pressure. But week in and week out, he's right there and as comfortable as anyone on hard courts.''
5. RETURN OF THE BELGIANS
Last year at this time, Kim Clijsters, right, was a retired mom, contemplating a comeback. Justine Henin was a year into retirement, as well, but not entertaining serious thoughts of returning to the game. The two Belgians, surely encouraged by the lack of consistency among the women not named Williams, decided to rejoin the tour and have had an immediate impact. Clijsters won the 2009 U.S. Open in her first major back, and Henin, who ended her 18-month retirement in January, reached the final of the Australian Open in her first major back. Winning the the U.S. Open title surprised Clijsters as much as anyone.
"I never expected that I would be back and playing big tournaments and playing Grand Slams again, especially not winning one,'' she said. "So that was definitely a big surprise for me as well when I did well at the U.S. Open. But it's just a matter now of trying to keep that going and trying to keep that level up, and every time just push yourself mentally and physically to keep working hard after big tournaments.''
Henin is a wild card, and whomever draws her in the first round certainly won't be happy.
Copyright 2010 Miami Herald Media Co
Federer, Murray advance at Indian Wells
Roger Federer had to work a harder than expected Sunday night before beating Victor Hanescu 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-1 in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open.
Hanescu won a set from Federer for the first time in their five meetings. But the challenge the Romanian mounted against the world's top-ranked player by winning the tiebreaker was eroded quickly in the final set.
Federer, a two-time champion of this event, lost five points while winning the first three games of the final set and just 13 points in all -- including Hanescu's love service game for 3-1 -- in the 23-minute set.
The Swiss star, who was playing his first tour match since winning the Australian Open, had 10 aces and hit 62 winners to offset 39 unforced errors. He will face No. 27 seed Marcos Baghdatis of Cypress in the third round.
Earlier, 2009 finalist Andy Murray beat Andreas Seppi 6-4, 6-4 in another second round match.
Fourth-seeded Murray was visibly unhappy with his play throughout the 86-minute match, repeatedly gesturing and talking to himself after errant shots.
Afterward the 22-year-old Scot headed for the practice court.
"It was a pretty scrappy match," Murray said. "Even though it was relatively comfortable, still some tight moments. Then it was just to go and hit a few more balls and get used to the conditions.
"When you haven't played for a long time you have to expect not to play your best in the first match out. I'm sure next round out I'll feel fine."
The women's tournament that began with six former champions in the field is down to two following Zheng Jie's 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 win over Maria Sharapova, the 2006 winner. The 10th-seeded Sharapova lost the last four games after getting treatment on her right elbow while leading, 3-2, and preparing to serve in the third set.
Sharapova, who said she had trouble extending the elbow, had 14 double faults and dropped serve seven times. Zheng, a semifinalist at the Australian Open in January, dropped six service games.
The men's field lost No. 5 Nikolay Davydenko of Russia, who withdrew after tests revealed he had a fracture in his left wrist. He is expected to be sidelined for at least four weeks.
The beneficiary of Davydenko's misfortune is No. 29 seed Viktor Troicki of Serbia, who has played just one game but is in the fourth round. Troicki had a first-round bye and his opponent in the second round, Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay, withdrew after the first game with a back problem.
No. 6 Robin Soderling of Sweden and No. 9 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France moved into the third round, but No. 12 Gael Monfils of France was beaten 1-6, 6-2, 6-3 by Simon Gruel of Germany.
American James Blake beat No. 13 David Ferrer of Spain, 6-1, 6-4.
In early third-round women's matches, No. 4 Elena Dementieva was a 6-4, 6-2 winner over Kirtsen Flipkens of Belgium; and No. 5 Agnieszka Radwanska was a 6-1, 6-0 winner over Gisela Dulko, the Argentine who beat Justine Henin in the second round.
Copyright (c) 2009, The Hindu
Djokovic shines for country in Davis Cup first round1. Nole Contendere: Novak Djokovic's ranking in the court of public opinion tends to waver like no other player's. He's a threat to win majors. No wait, he's out of shape and deprived of fortitude. He's a colorful performer. No wait, he's a self-absorbed clown. Whatever, Djokovic's image got an nice uptick last weekend. Playing in Belgrade -- where he's always beloved -- the only player in the top five to compete in Davis Cup led Serbia to a victory over a game American team with pair of well-played wins. Good for him. Good for them. For all the results, check DavisCup.com.
2. A Cup Half Full: Winston Churchill famously characterized democracy as "the worst form of government -- except for all the others." We're starting to think that might be the case with Davis Cup. The current system is flawed -- and it would be nice if the ITF, instead of protesting too loudly, would consider some alterations. Holding the competition every other year, for instance, might make sense. And yet, it's easy to overlook how well the competition plays out throughout the world. Check out these results (and photos) and ask: Would a World Cup-style, everyone-at-site lollapalooza really be able to surpass the cumulative good will (and revenues) of the current format? Right now, I'm not so convinced.
3. Hit for Haiti: Mark these words: In a few years, an ambitious filmmaker will make a fine documentary about "Hit for Haiti," the impromptu benefit that showcases all the good in tennis. Encouraged by the success in Australia, Roger Federer and the rest of the gang are reprising the event in Indian Wells this week. Special guests include Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf. Larry Ellison must see this -- the first event of his new "administration" -- and think to himself, "Tennis is awesome and everyone cooperates. Where's the in-fighting I keep hearing about?" For more information including tickets, go here or here.
Copyright (c) 2010 Time Inc
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