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Federer Rallies to Defeat Nalbandian

MONTE CARLO, Monaco (AP)—Roger Federer rallied from a set down to defeat David Nalbandian 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 Friday and advance to the semifinals of the Monte Carlo Masters.

Federer remains on course for a third straight final against three-time defending champion Rafael Nadal, who beat No. 5 David Ferrer of Spain 6-1, 7-5.

“The level of play was excellent today,” Federer said. “Tough rallies. I think I definitely played my best match of the tournament, no doubt.”

The top-ranked Swiss player was shaky in the first set before dominating the next two and breaking Nalbandian’s serve five times in five chances, including the first match point.

“It’s always nice playing against him,” Federer said. “Because of the great player he is. He’s (a) wonderful ball striker.”

Federer next plays third-seeded Novak Djokovic, who beat unseeded Sam Querrey of the United States 6-4, 6-0.

Also, fourth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko defeated unseeded Igor Andreev 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 despite losing his serve seven times.

At 5-2 in the third set, Federer sent a forehand winner down the line, and a crisp backhand made it 0-40. Federer took the match with a crosscourt winner on the run that Nalbandian couldn’t get near.

“I think we both played (at) a great level,” Nalbandian said. “I got a little tired in the second set and third set.”

Nalbandian won his first match against Federer six years ago in the second round at Monte Carlo—the first of five consecutive wins for Nalbandian. Federer took eight of the next nine meetings, then Nalbandian beat Federer twice last year in the Madrid Masters final and the third round of the Paris Masters.

Nadal was troubled by Ferrer’s big forehand in the second set. The 2007 Masters Cup finalist broke Nadal’s serve twice to lead 3-0, and was then 40-15 up on his serve before Nadal broke back for 3-1.

Serving for the set at 5-4, Ferrer led 40-0 but then crumbled, smacking the turf with his racket after his drop shot bounced out and Nadal drew even at 5-5.

Davydenko overcame his serving problems by breaking Andreev’s serve nine times.

“Maybe I was lucky on this match,” said Davydenko, who attributed his poor serving to the tennis balls. “(They are) really heavy here. I don’t feel good topspin or good control, you know, for the serve.”

Andreev appeared in a commanding position in the 11th game of the deciding set, with Davydenko needing to rally from 15-40 down on serve to lead 6-5. Andreev then led 40-0 on his serve in the next game, but Davydenko rallied and won the match when Andreev sent a forehand long.

Stich Shows Federer the Way to Conquer Nadal

Michael Stich (pictured) bamboozled Albert Costa with an array of spins, angles and net-rushes on Friday and then advised Roger Federer to do the same whenever he meets Rafael Nadal on clay.

Stich is seven years Costa's junior, but he showed in his 6-3, 6-4 demolition of the former French Open champion that variety can be the key to unlocking the games of even the best players on clay.

It is a recipe that the German, himself a French Open finalist in 1996, believes could take Federer to title at Roland Garros.

"Players like Albert Costa and Nadal don't like it if you don't give them rhythm," said Stich.

"It worked for me today against Costa and it could work for Roger against Nadal. It didn't work out for him the last couple of times the way he played Nadal in the French Open finals because he always started well with a lot of variety but then after the first set he let it go and thought he could beat Nadal from the baseline. That, I think, he can not do, not over the best of five sets. But, if he keeps up the variety he has a real chance because he has all the shots. You have to be open-minded enough to try it and if Federer gets through to the Monte Carlo final and plays Nadal it would be a good chance for him to try it out. It would be nice for him to win Monte Carlo but it's the French Open that he really wants.

"You need to serve well to get free points against your opponent, but also you have to stop them getting a rhythm. It is better to go for two big returns and make two errors than just chip the ball back and get into long rallies. That's what a player like Albert Costa likes and after three of those points where I am moving side-to-side, I look silly. Thomas Muster was a little bit like Nadal and it was the same with him. You need to play the little backhand crosscourt, a slice down the line, hit fast balls and come into the net."

Federer, Rafa on Collision Course

Rafael Nadal closed in on Monte Carlo Masters history today while Roger Federer confidently buried his previous day's heart-stopping brush with humiliation to move into the quarter-finals.

But third seeded Serb Novak Djokovic, the 20-year-old Australian Open champion, served up a 6-0 6-4 demolition of Britain's Andy Murray to hammer out a devastating indication of his claim to the trophy.

Second seed Nadal, chasing a record fourth successive Monte Carlo title, eased past Spanish compatriot Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-4 6-1 to record his 21st win in 22 matches in the principality.

Top seed Federer, who had been just two points away from defeat against world number 137 Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo in the second round, saw off Frenchman Gael Monfils 6-3 6-4.

Nadal, who has defeated Federer in the last two finals, now takes on fellow Spaniard David Ferrer while the world number one must get past David Nalbandian of Argentina who took just an hour to see off Spanish 12th seed Tommy Robredo 6-1 6-0.

"I was patient and happy to have played so well after yesterday," admitted Federer who said he had held an immediate inquiry into his failings against Ramirez Hidalgo with interim coach Jose Higueras.

"I made a lot of errors in my first match but with Jose I was able to analyse the good and the bad and to see how I turned it around. We created a plan for today. It's been an interesting 24 hours for me."

Nadal, whose title here last year took him level with Ilie Nastase's three consecutive wins from 1971-1973, said he was happy with his trouble-free progress.

"It's never easy to play Juan Carlos on clay so to beat him 6-4 6-1 is a very good win," said Nadal who has now racked up 95 wins in 96 matches on clay since April 2005.

"I've had a great start beating Mario (Ancic) in the first round and now Juan Carlos. The first claycourt tournament of the year is never easy especially this season because I played Davis Cup indoors in Germany last week.

"Then I had a few days at home in Mallorca before coming here to prepare for three days."

The triple French Open champion broke in the fourth game of the first set to lead 3-1 before the gritty 13th seeded Ferrero, twice a champion in 2002 and 2003, hit back in the seventh game.

But Nadal, wrapped up the opener with a vicious, deep forehand on his fourth set point.

Nadal stormed into a 5-1 second set lead which was converted into victory courtesy of a smooth forehand pass.

Federer was broken in the third game of the first set to trail world number 64 Monfils 1-2 before hitting back straightaway.

He broke again to lead 4-2, teed up a set point in the ninth game with an incisive volley before closing out the opener when Monfils hit long.

The Swiss broke to lead 2-1 in the second set before going to three match points on serve in the 10th game. Monfils saved one but went down to defeat with a weary netted return after a 71-minute tussle.

Djokovic reached his first Monte Carlo quarter-final with a stunning victory over Murray, reeling off the first seven games of the contest.

"I wanted to keep control of the match and be patient and aggressive at the same time," said Djokovic.

"It's my goal to win a major on clay and I believe I have a good enough game to do it."

The Serbian now faces Sam Querrey, who put out French seventh seed Richard Gasquet 2-6 6-4 6-3 to become the first American to reach the last eight since Vince Spadea in 2003.

Fourth seeded Russian Nikolay Davydenko beat German 16th seed Philipp Kohlschreiber 3-6 7-5 6-2 and now faces compatriot Igor Andreev who needed seven match points to defeat Spain's Nicolas Almagro 7-5 4-6 6-4 and secure his first place in the last eight.

Ferrer reached his fourth successive Monte Carlo quarter-final by brushing aside Serbia's Janko Tipsarevic 6-4 6-0.

Federer Survives Scare in Monte Carlo

Roger Federer was two points from an embarrassing exit from the Monte Carlo Masters before rallying to beat Spanish qualifier Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo 6-1 3-6 7-6(1) to reach the third round.

The world number one, who failed to retain his Australian Open crown earlier this year, was 5-4 and 30-15 down in the third set before his opponent, ranked 137th by the ATP, crumbled under the pressure.

Federer had already recovered from being 5-1 down after a string of unforced errors brought him to the brink of defeat.

He eventually won the tiebreak 7-1, wrapping it up after two hours and three minutes on his first match point when Ramirez Hidalgo sent a forehand wide.

Federer next meets Frenchman Gael Monfils, who beat Croatia's Ivo Karlovic 7-6(8) 6-1.

"I am happy to be through this difficult round," Federer said in a courtside interview.

"I lost the rhythm and I needed a bit of luck to come back into the match."

There was no scare for Spanish fifth seed David Ferrer, who eased past former world number one Marat Safin 6-2 6-3 to set up a third-round encounter with Serb Janko Tipsarevic, a 5-7 7-6(5) 6-4 winner over Ecuador's Nicolas Lapentti.

Safin's compatriot Nikolay Davydenko, seeded fourth, held off a late challenge by Italian Simone Bolelli to go through with a 6-2 7-6(5) win.

"I practised for two hours yesterday and I was OK," said Davydenko, who retired from last week's Estoril Open final against Federer with a leg injury.

"I have a physiotherapist who is giving me treatment here. My legs are okay."

On centre court, Federer started brightly, hitting 14 winners to take a one-sided first set in 31 minutes.

But Ramirez Hidalgo broke in the second game of the second set and opened up a 3-0 lead.

A nervous Federer then shrugged off two more break points but made 23 unforced errors and was trapped into a decider.

The Swiss dropped serve in the first game when he netted an easy volley and was 4-0 down after his opponent converted the second of his three break points.

Ramirez Hidalgo was caught out by the pressure and Federer rolled on despite having made 55 unforced errors.

Federer, a 12-time Grand Slam winner, who has not had a coach since splitting with Tony Roche in May, has hired Spaniard Jose Higueras to improve his claycourt game.

Henin and Federer on Track

World number ones Roger Federer and Justine Henin advanced at the US$7.54 million (A$8.23 million) ATP and WTA hardcourt event in Miami, Henin in straight sets and Federer thanks to an injury retirement.

Belgium's Henin, who won titles at Sydney and Belgium in four starts this year, beat Russia's Elena Vesnina 6-2 6-2 in a fourth-round match.

This is Henin's first event after a Dubai quarterfinal loss to Italy's Francesca Schiavone.

Swiss superstar Federer was leading Robin Soderling 6-4 3-0 when the Swedish player retired with a right wrist injury, advancing the world number one into a fourth-round match.

Federer, upset by American Mardy Fish at the Indian Wells semifinals in his most recent event, will next face the winner of a later match between Israel's Dudi Sela and Argentina's Jose Acasuso.

Australian Open runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was eliminated by fellow Frenchman Julien Benneteau 6-3 6-3 in another third-round match.

Benneteau, ranked 72nd, awaits the winner of a night match between US sixth seed Andy Roddick and Czech qualifier Ivo Minar.

Russian third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, the 2006 winner here and a finalist last week at Indian Wells, defeated Israeli 16th seed Shahar Peer 7-6(4) 6-3, to book a quarterfinal date with US sixth seed Venus Williams who beat Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki 6-3, 6-3.

Also reaching the final eight was Russian Dinara Safina, who ended the run of US tennis mum Lindsay Davenport 6-3 6-4.

In other matches on the men's side, Russian fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko reached the round of 16 by defeating Italy's Simone Bolelli 6-7(5) 7-5 6-1 and will next face Croatian wildcard Mario Ancic or Argentina's Juan Monaco.

Davenport Upsets Ivanovic at Key Biscayne

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP)—When an infant in the stadium stands began to cry during a rally Sunday, Lindsay Davenport won the point anyway. Motherhood hasn't diminished her focus at work.

Still gaining momentum in her career comeback after becoming a parent, Davenport upset second-ranked Ana Ivanovic 6-4, 6-2 in the third round at the Sony Ericsson Open.

Davenport, 31, left the women's tour in late 2006 to have her first child, then returned last summer. The three-time Grand Slam champion is 17-3 this year, with two titles, and the win over Ivanovic might be her most impressive yet.

The 20-year-old Serb was the Australian Open runner-up, but her game unraveled against Davenport, who broke serve six times and won 13 of 14 points at the net.

Davenport is playing at Key Biscayne for the first time in five years. She next faces No. 13 Dinara Safina, who rallied past No. 18 Sybille Bammer 4-6, 6-1, 6-0.

Top-seeded Justine Henin and No. 6 Venus Williams also reached the fourth round. Henin beat Sara Errani 6-2, 6-1, and Williams defeated wild card Marina Erakovic by the same score.

No. 3 Svetlana Kuznetsova had a tougher time. In the second set she overcame a 5-2 deficit and a match point, and she swept the final 11 games to beat No. 25 Victoria Azarenka 1-6, 7-5 6-0.

No. 22 Katarina Srebotnik lost to Caroline Wozniacki 2-6, 6-3, 6-1. American Ashley Harkleroad was beaten by Elena Vesnina 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.

In men’s play, No. 9 James Blake outlasted 35-year-old Fabrice Santoro, 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-4. No. 16 Paul-Henri Mathieu beat No. 20 Carlos Moya 7-6 (1), 7-5, and Dmitry Tursunov rallied past No. 32 Feliciano Lopez 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

The 20-year-old Ivanovic was the Australian Open runner-up and won Indian Wells this month. But her game unraveled against Davenport, who repeatedly swatted deep service returns and broke six times.

“She played like a top 10 player easily today,” Ivanovic said. “I must say I haven’t played against many players who can return so well and so deep, so she puts a lot of pressure on my serve.”

Davenport relied on her customary power but also showed surprising finesse, winning 13 of 14 points at the net.

“I picked the right shots to come in on,” she said, laughing.

Henin had more trouble with the sunny, 85-degree weather than with her opponent. The Belgian won 19 of 20 points on her first serve, including five with aces, and she was glad to get off the court after only 63 minutes.

“It’s very hot out there,” Henin said. “It was quite difficult to breathe. I usually like when it’s hot, but I haven’t been in this heat for a long time. Even in Australia it wasn’t that hot this year, so it’s quite difficult.”

Henin swept the final three games of the first set and won the final four games of the second set. She’s a seven-time Grand Slam champion, but is seeking her first title at Key Biscayne.

Williams is trying for her fourth Key Biscayne title, and her first since 2001. She has lost only 10 games in two matches and was pleased with her latest performance.

“I played consistent and not too many errors, which is great for me,” she said. “I was just winning all of the important points.”

Roddick Rallies to Win 3 Set Thriller against Troicki

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP)—Andy Roddick hit a shot not found in any how-to manual Saturday, and it came at a critical time to help him survive a scare in his opening match at the Sony Ericsson Open.

The sixth-seeded Roddick beat qualifier Viktor Troicki 5-7, 6-2, 6-4.

With Troicki serving at 4-5 in the final game, Roddick's creativity helped him win the first point. A rally forced him to the sideline near the net, and when Troicki sliced a volley to the other side, Roddick chased down the ball as it bounced away from him, then spun to yank a backhand crosscourt past the Serbian.

The ball landed on the sideline, but Roddick wasn't sure the shot was good until the crowd erupted with a standing ovation.

"I didn't even see it," he said. "I heard people yell and scream afterward, and I figured that was a good thing. As far as freak show trick shots, that's up there. You don't hit shots like that every day."

Five points later Troicki pushed a backhand wide, and Roddick had his victory. But five seeded men lost, including No. 21 Lleyton Hewitt, beaten by Jose Acasuso 6-3, 7-6 (4).

On the women's side, Lindsay Davenport played at Key Biscayne for the first time in five years and needed only an hour to eliminate Camille Pin 6-2, 6-1. Second-seeded Ana Ivanovic beat Emelie Loit 6-1, 6-2.

Roddick, off to his best start in three years, improved to 16-3 in 2008. He won despite struggling with his serve early, and survived a 20-point game at 1-1 in the final set, erasing five break points.

"To my credit, on a couple of break points we played long points and there were rallies, and I didn't play myself out of them by making an error," Roddick said. "I kind of stayed the course. After I got through that game, I felt like the match was mine to take."

Roddick fell behind early because he made only 35 percent of his first serves in the opening set.

"I normally have pretty high percentages on my first serve," he said. "It was just a technical adjustment. Maybe I was a little anxious to get out there, but the toss was out in front. I brought it back, and it clicked back in."

Davenport, seeded 32nd, lost just six service points in her successful return to Key Biscayne. Injuries, an aversion to the island's windy weather and a pregnancy last year kept her away.

"I would have never thought that five years ago would have been my last time I played here," she said. "But I have to say I've really enjoyed myself so far this year. I was excited when I got back out on that court. It's a great, great center court."

Davenport left the WTA Tour in late 2006 to have her first child. The three-time Grand Slam champion rejoined the tour last summer and is 16-3 this year, with two titles.

She needed only an hour to beat Pin.

"I was kind of trying to get used to the conditions out there," Davenport said. "For here it's a pretty calm day, but it's still a steady breeze going one way. But I was happy to get off the court relatively fast and pretty efficient."

No. 5 Anna Chakvetadze reached the third round by beating Tamira Paszek 6-3, 6-2. No. 7 Daniela Hantuchova and No. 10 Elena Dementieva also won. Seeded players had first-round byes.

No. 12 Nicole Vaidisova lost to qualifier Alisa Kleybanova 6-4, 6-0. No. 14 Nadia Petrova retired in the first set against Zheng Jie because of strained thigh.

In other men’s play, Ivo Karlovic remained winless at Key Biscayne, even though he keeps coming close. The 19th-seeded Karlovic fell to Julien Benneteau, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2).

Karlovic has played in the event the past five years, losing his opening match every time. He has gone to a third-set tiebreaker each of the past three years, and his latest defeat came despite 21 aces.

No. 14-seeded Tommy Robredo, No. 26 Philipp Kohlschreiber, No. 29 Fernando Verdasco and No. 30 Juan Ignacio Chela also lost.

Robredo was eliminated by Dudi Sela 7-6 (5), 6-1. Kohlschreiber lost to Simone Bolelli 6-4, 6-3. Verdasco was beaten by Janko Tipsarevic 6-4, 7-6 (4). Chela lost to qualifier Ivo Minar 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.

No. 12 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga lost serve only once and rallied past Jurgen Melzer 6-7 (4), 7-5, 6-1.

Djokovic Stunned by Qualifier in Opening Match

South African qualifier Kevin Anderson sent defending champion Novak Djokovic packing today, ending the third-seeded Serbian's bid for a second straight ATP Masters Series title.

Anderson, ranked 122nd in the world, defeated the world number three and reigning Australian Open champion 7-6 3-6 6-4 in a second-round match at the US$7.54 million (A$8.21 million) Sony Ericsson Open, which features both the prestigious ATP Masters Series draw and a WTA tournament.

One of the 32 seeded players to enjoy a first-round bye, Djokovic was launching his title defence fresh from claiming the first Masters Series title of the season at Indian Wells on Sunday.

Anderson, 21, notched the biggest win of his career – his first over a top 10 player.

The South African newcomer to the ATP circuit had already shown he was on form this season.

He reached the final of the ATP event in Las Vegas earlier this month, where he fell to American Sam Querrey. Prior to that run, Anderson had lost the only two ATP matches he had ever played.

Djokovic, 20, defeated Argentinian Guillermo Canas in the championship match here last year, becoming the youngest player in the 23-year history of the tournament to take the title.

Surprised in the first set by Anderson, Djokovic responded in the second, and broke early in the third to take a 2-0 lead.

But in the following game, Djokovic appeared rattled by a time violation warning while preparing to serve at deuce.

He was broken, and broken again to love in his next service game.

Anderson made the most of his advantage, finishing off the contest on his third match point.

In other second-round men's matches on Friday, second-seeded Rafael Nadal took on German qualifier Benjamin Becker.

Nadal, who fell to Djokovic in the semifinals at Indian Wells at the weekend, is seeking his first title of 2008.

Seventh-seeded David Nalbandian of Argentina and number eight seed Richard Gasquet of France were also in action.

In women's play, top-seeded Belgian Justine Henin and defending champion Serena Williams moved smoothly into the third round.

Henin, runner-up to Williams here last year, defeated Germany's Angelique Kerber 6-4 6-2, while Williams, the eighth seed, beat Romanian Edina Gallovits 6-1 6-2.

Results here today from the third day of play at the Sony Ercisson Open.

Men

Second round

Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) d Marin Cilic (CRO) 4-6 6-1 6-4

Igor Andreev (RUS) d Michael Berrer (GER) 6-2 6-1

Radek Stepanek (CZE) d Sebastien Grosjean (FRA) 6-3 6-3

Nicolas Kiefer (GER) d Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) 6-3 6-2

James Blake (USA) d Andreas Seppi (ITA) 7-5 6-3

Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) d Albert Montanes (ESP) 6-3 6-2

Feliciano Lopez (ESP) d Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) 6-4 6-2

Kevin Anderson (RSA) d [3] Novak Djokovic (SRB) 7-6 (1) 3-6 6-4

Women

Second round

Ashley Harkleroad (USA) d Virginie Razzano (FRA) 6-4 6-4

[1] Justine Henin (BEL) d Angelique Kerber (GER) 6-4 6-2

Marina Erakovic (NZL) d Michaella Krajicek (NED) 6-2 3-6 6-2

Shahar Peer (ISR) d Nathalie Dechy (FRA) 7-6(6) 6-3

[8] Serena Williams (USA) d Edina Gallovits (ROM) 6-1 6-2

Elena Vesnina (RUS) d Agnes Szavay (HUN) 6-2 4-6 6-1

Katarina Srebotnik (SLO) d Rossana de Los Rios (PAR) 6-2 6-2

Kaia Kanepi (EST) d Alona Bondarenko (BLR) 7-6(7) 1-6 6-3

[3] Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) d Chan Yung-Jan (TPE) 6-1 3-6 6-0

Flavia Pennetta (ITA) d Anastasia Rodionova (RUS) 6-4 6-2

Sara Errani (ITA) d Maria Kirilenko (RUS) 6-4 4-6 7-6(2)

Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) d Marion Bartoli (FRA) 6-3 6-1

Michelle Larcher de Brito (POR) d Agnieska Radwanska (POL) 2-6 6-3 7-5

Djokovic Upset in Ball Bouncing Controversy

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP)—Novak Djokovic often bounces the ball more than a dozen times before serving, and the tedious ritual may have cost him a match Friday.

The defending champion at the Sony Ericsson Open went into a funk after being warned for taking too much time between points, then blew a third-set lead to lose his opening match.

Qualifier Kevin Anderson, a 6-foot-7 former NCAA doubles champion at Illinois, beat the third-ranked Djokovic 7-6 (1), 3-6, 6-4.

Djokovic won his first Grand Slam title at this year's Australian Open and was coming off a title at Indian Wells last week. But he struggled from the start against Anderson and was rattled by the warning from the chair umpire.

Serving at 2-0 in the third set, Djokovic won the next point after the warning to reach deuce, then lost 13 points in a row. Jeers from the crowd further agitated him, and by the time Djokovic collected himself, Anderson was up a break at 3-2.

"I didn't focus myself in that moment," Djokovic said. "But, you know, that's OK. It's all part of the game."

Anderson, a big-serving South African, played for three years at Illinois and won the 2006 NCAA doubles title. He turned pro last year, and the victory was his first over a top-10 player.

"I kept telling myself, 'I can do this. I've just got to believe in myself,"' said Anderson, ranked No. 122. "Even still, just knowing what he's done and what a great player he is, to have beaten him is a tremendous experience for me."

Another qualifier, Benjamin Becker, had no luck against second-seeded Rafael Nadal, who won 7-5, 6-2. No. 7 David Nalbandian lost to Xavier Malisse 6-1, 6-4, and No. 8 Richard Gasquet was beaten by Dmitry Tursunov 6-3, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (5). No. 9 James Blake eliminated Andreas Seppi 7-5, 6-3.

In women's play, defending champion Serena Williams, three-time champion Venus Williams and top-ranked Justine Henin won their opening matches in straight sets.

Serena, seeking her fifth Key Biscayne title, reached the third round by beating Edina Gallovits 6-1, 6-2. Her older sister double-faulted seven times but swept Marta Domachowska 6-4, 6-3. Henin defeated Angelique Kerber 6-4, 6-2.

Seeded players had opening-round byes and were in action for the first time Friday.

Djokovic, leading 2-0 but facing break point, was dribbling before a serve when umpire Norm Chryst warned him for taking too much time. Djokovic whacked a forehand winner to end that point, then screamed in the umpire's direction and shook both fists. The crowd hooted at the Serbian.

Two points later, when Djokovic hit a first serve into the net, several fans cheers. He glared toward the stands, then lost the point and the game when he blew an easy volley.

Djokovic said he broke a shoelace during that rally.

"Obviously, the time violation and a lot of different things affected my service game," he said.

He rapidly unraveled from there, losing the next two games at love. Once Anderson took the lead in the final set, he kept it by serving well down the stretch, and on match point Djokovic slammed a forehand into the net.

Djokovic said he battled nerves at important moments against Anderson.

"Maybe I went for some shots too much, and he was wisely waiting for my mistakes," Djokovic said. "That was a crucial point."

Djokovic said he also felt a little tired. He's 17-4 this year as he heads to clay—not his best surface.

"The good thing about this loss is that I can get a bit longer period of preparation and vacation as well," he said.

Serena Williams made herself right at home, as usual. Williams, who lives 90 minutes up Interstate 95 in Palm Beach Gardens, improved to 24-1 at Key Biscayne since 2002.

"I love playing here, I love having all my friends come and see me play," Williams said. "It's like playing at home. So I think any time you play at home, like the Patriots playing at home, you always have the extra oomph."

Henin showed no signs of the knee injury that troubled her at the start of the year. The Belgian hit 40 winners to only eight for her 80th-ranked opponent in raising her record this year to 13-2.

Henin began the year with pain in her right knee and considered surgery before deciding to treat the injury with cortisone and rest.

"I feel much better physically today than I did a few weeks ago—that's for sure," Henin said. "So we could see it in my serve. … I can play with my forehand again, and I feel that everything is better now."

Familiar Sight: Roddick, Blake, Bryans to Suit up for Davis Cup against France

The announcement of the U.S. Davis Cup team used to be filled with drama. Would Pete Sampras suit up? Could Jimmy Connors be coaxed into playing? Would frustrated John McEnroe call out the other stars who refused to sign on?

No more. Captain Patrick McEnroe on Thursday reeled off the same four names for a record 10th straight time. Andy Roddick and James Blake will play singles, and Bob and Mike Bryan doubles in next month’s quarterfinal with France in Winston-Salem, N.C.

The U.S. has had the same Davis Cup roster since Andre Agassi played for the final time in March 2005. Roddick, Blake and the Bryan twins led the U.S. to its first Davis Cup title in 12 years in 2007. The foursome beat Austria 4-1 in the first round of this year’s competition in February.

“I think I’m pretty lucky,” McEnroe said Thursday by phone from Baltimore, where he was testing a quick, indoor hard-court surface for the April 11-13 matches.

France has yet to announce its team. The U.S. and France have split 14 meetings. France won the last time they met, in the 2002 semifinals in Paris. The winner will face Germany or Spain in the semifinals.

Davis Cup is a passion for Roddick, No. 6 in the ATP rankings. He’s won his last seven singles matches and is 27-9 overall in Davis Cup singles.

Roddick will make his 21st Davis Cup appearance, nine shy of John McEnroe’s American record. Agassi played in 22 Davis Cup events, Sampras 16 and Connors seven.

“You want players that want to be there, that want to be part of the process, that you don’t feel as a captain like you have to twist their arm to be there,” McEnroe said.

McEnroe is sticking with Blake as the No. 2 singles player ahead of the hot Mardy Fish, who beat No. 1 Roger Federer on Saturday. Fish will practice with the U.S. team and would be available if there’s an injury.

Blake is ranked ninth in the world and has won three straight Davis Cup matches and six of seven.

“The rankings don’t lie and the rankings still say that James Blake is in the top 10,” McEnroe said. “Clearly we have a great 1-2 punch. If Mardy comes in and has a great week of practice, anything is possible. But I’m certainly not expecting anyone other than James and Andy will be playing singles.”

The Bryans are the top-ranked doubles team and have given the U.S. almost an automatic point in the best-of-five event. They’re 14-1 since 2003.

The U.S. will be tested against the French. The matchup could produce four singles players in the top 12 of the ATP rankings.

No. 8 Richard Gasquet and No. 12 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the Australian Open runner-up, won singles matches in France’s 5-0 rout of Romania in the first round. Paul-Henri Mathieu, ranked 16th, is another possibility for French captain Guy Forget. Arnaud Clement is 11th and Michael Llodra 12th in the doubles rankings.

Gasquet beat Roddick at Wimbledon last year, and Clement and Llodra beat the Bryans in the Wimbledon final.

“I think they’re all dangerous. It’s a great matchup,” McEnroe said. “Each match, individually, could be a Grand Slam semifinal.”

Serena Williams Focuses on Key Biscayne

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP)—A conversation with Serena Williams can cover a wide range of topics, from screenplays (she wants to write one) to electric cars (she wants to buy one) to her love life.

"Right now," she said, laughing, "I'm dating my tennis racket."

Yes, amid her many interests, Williams still finds time for tennis. She's seeking her fifth Key Biscayne title at the Sony Ericsson Open, which began Wednesday with matches involving unseeded players.

Williams is seeded eighth but perhaps the woman to beat, given her 23-1 record in the event since 2002. While she sometimes seems more excited about acting and fashion design than tennis, Key Biscayne usually earns her undivided attention.

Maybe it's because she lives 90 minutes up Interstate 95 in Palm Beach Gardens and always has lots of friends and family at her matches.

"I love having people come out," she says. "It's pressure on me to keep winning."

The tournament is only her third this year. She lost in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open to Jelena Jankovic, then won in Bangalore, India in early March, beating sister Venus in the semifinals and Patty Schnyder in the final.

Williams says she has since been practicing more than usual, and she shrugs off persistent talk she's insufficiently devoted to her career.

"Tennis is No. 1 in my life," she says. "I really enjoy the game. I love nothing more than walking on the court. To me that's just the best feeling."

Plus, she says: "It's a great job. It pays well."

Slowed by injuries in 2006, Williams mounted a career comeback last year. She won the Australian Open for her eighth major title, the most among active women. She also won Key Biscayne, making it seven titles at the event for the Williams sisters since 1998.

"We've got seven of the last 10?" three-time champion Venus said. "That's nice. It's exciting. We love this tournament."

Both sisters returned to the top 10 in 2007. Serena's ranking rose to seventh from 95th at the start of last year.

The sisters first cracked the top 10 in the late 1990s, and they're now the lone American women in the top 30. Only one American younger than 26—Ashley Harkleroad—is in the top 100, and Serena blames the U.S. woes on a lack of tournaments.

"There are only a handful in the United States," she says. "When I was younger there were so many—Chicago, Houston, D.C., everywhere. I got to see a lot of tennis. That's how my dad got us into tennis.

"If you have every tournament in Europe or Asia, you're going to get more European or Asian players, as opposed to American players. I think that's the root of the problem."

At 26, nearly nine years removed from her first Grand Slam title, Williams sees the benefits of being older and wiser when it comes to her sport.

"The older you get, the more appreciation you have for the game," she says. "When you're younger, maybe you don't have to work as hard. When you get older, you have to do a lot more to keep your body right and your game tight."

She says she's "really healthy" at the moment, and plenty of challenges await in 2008. It has been nearly five years since Williams won a non-Australian major title, and she's eager to play in the Beijing Olympics, even though she's concerned about the pollution in Beijing.

"I'm an environmentalist," she says. "I try to recycle, and I don't have a Prius, but I'm going to get an electric car soon."

She's also excited about a new TV commercial she did with Rafael Nadal, and she still wants to pursue work in Hollywood—in front of the camera, and behind the scenes as well.

"I've gotten into writing a lot. I think I want to write a couple of screenplays," she says. "I write a lot of love stories and funny stories."

How about an autobiography?

"Not anytime soon," she said, laughing. "I don't know who would write an autobiography at 26."

Williams still has a few tennis chapters to go.

Paradorn to Make Comeback During Thai-Aussie Davis Cup Match?

Thai tennis hero Paradorn Srichaphan is considering a desperate comeback against Australia in next month's do-or-die Davis Cup encounter in Townsville.

Srichaphan hasn't played competitive tennis since the 2007 Miami Masters exactly one year ago, consequently vanishing from the top 1000 rankings.

Reports out of Bangkok, though, indicate the former world No.9 is poised to make a dramatic return from a persistent wrist injury for the Asia-Oceania zone play-off from April 11-13.

In addition to Chinese news agency Xinhua reporting overnight that Srichaphan is "expected to return to face Australia", Srichaphan is understood to have been included in the Thai team's travel and accommodation arrangements for the trip to north Queensland.

Srichaphan is a sporting superstar in his homeland and celebrated well beyond for his achievements, including becoming the first Asian-born player to crack the world top 10 in 2003.

He carried the Thai flag at the opening ceremony of the 2004 Athens Olympics and last year married Canada's 2005 Miss Universe Natalie Glebova.

His presence alone would be a huge morale booster for the Thai underdogs in the Davis Cup tie, although he also boasts an imposing 31-10 Davis Cup singles record.

Optus Australian Davis Cup team captain John Fitzgerald was today intrigued to learn of Srichaphan's possible inclusion in a Thai line-up otherwise devoid of world-class talent.

"It creates interest in the tie, doesn't it?" Fitzgerald said.

"I've heard rumours, seen a couple of articles. I think they've maybe made bookings for him ... but I don't know if he'll come. It would be a big move."

If Thailand were to gamble on using Srichaphan as their No.2 singles player behind world No.209 Danai Udomchoke, he would have to take on Australian No.1 Lleyton Hewitt on the opening day of the hardcourt tie - a huge ask even when fully fit.

"He's the main guy but, along with him, only their team would know what his form's like, how he's practising and whether he thinks he's a chance," Fitzgerald said.

"But that's their issue. It's their problem. Not mine.

"We just have to show up with our best team. If he's in the opposition, he's in the opposition.

"I think it will create interest for the tie and it would be a healthy thing for the Davis Cup competition, because I'm a great admirer of him.

"But I don't know and I don't know if they know how he's going to react after 10 months or whatever out.

"It's certainly of interest to me."

Australia, with Chris Guccione, Peter Luczak and doubles specialist Paul Hanley supporting Hewitt, are heavy favourites to win the tie and advance to a World Group play-off in September.

Fitzgerald, though, as ever, was taking nothing for granted and said it was vital Australia won the opening two singles rubbers.

"This competition can go in so many directions after the first day. There's so many variables," he said.

"They've got a good doubles team. They've got two brothers who have won two events together. So they're no pushovers.

"So it's always nerve-wracking, no matter who you play."

Federer Hopes to Shake Slow Start at Key Biscayne

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP)—The best player in tennis has been awfully average this year.

Roger Federer is off to his worst start since 2000, when he was 18 and still three years from his first Grand Slam title. In three tournaments he has yet to reach a final, and he has lost three of his past six matches.

Not that anyone will be eager to face Federer at the Sony Ericsson Open, which begins Wednesday. He's a two-time champion and top-seeded, and he's sure to be highly motivated to jump-start his season.

But for the moment, the debate about whether Federer is the best player ever has given way to another question: Is his game in decline?

Health has been a factor. A stomach virus curtailed his preparation for the Australian Open, and he lost in the semifinals to eventual champion Novak Djokovic. Last month Federer was diagnosed with mononucleosis, and when he returned three weeks ago, he lost to Andy Murray in the opening round at Dubai.

But even after Federer pronounced himself fit at Indian Wells, his backhand lacked its usual snap, and his lethal forehand was too often wayward. He lost in the semifinals to No. 98-ranked Mardy Fish.

Is this a slump? A slip? A bump? A blip?

Fish says top players don't see Federer as more vulnerable than before.

"In the locker room, we just kind of laugh at it," Fish says. "We just kind of think it's kind of a joke—you know: 'Oh, my gosh, Roger hasn't won a tournament yet this year.' … I think he's going to continue to be No. 1 for a long time."

Federer's domination has been such that he'll remain atop the rankings even if he loses his opening match at Key Biscayne. He has a first-round bye, then will play Saturday against the winner of the match between Gael Monfils and American John Isner.

Before losing to Fish, Federer had won 41 consecutive matches against Americans since 2003. Fish was the lowest-ranked player to beat Federer in nearly three years.

But Federer said the upset was merely a case of confronting a hot player who hardly missed a shot.

"I'm surprised myself it hasn't happened more in the last five years," Federer said. "That's why I'm maybe not that disappointed."

Still, this is the deepest Federer has gone into a year without winning a title since 2000. Since seizing the No. 1 ranking four years ago, this is the first time he has failed to reach a final in three consecutive tournaments.

Federer, who parted with coach Tony Roche nearly a year ago, said his game doesn't need major changes. After all, he's only two Grand Slam titles shy of tying Pete Sampras' record of 14. Last year Federer won three of the four major events, including the U.S. Open in September.

At 26, still in his prime, Federer figures all his game needs are a few tweaks.

"I think I have really a lot of potential toward playing more aggressive," he said. "The rest is sort of trying to maintain good fitness and good defensive skill. My offensive skills will always be very good. I just having to continue improving little things.

"I think it's about details at this stage of my career. I'm not going to become a different player. I don't want to."

Among the top men and women, only Maria Sharapova will be absent at Key Biscayne. Justine Henin is seeded No. 1 on the women's side and is in the same half of the draw as Serena and Venus Williams. Serena beat Henin in last year's final.

Three-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal is seeded No. 2 in the men's draw, and defending champion Djokovic is third.

Djokovic, who won his first major title this year, is one reason the gap between Federer and other top players seems to be shrinking.

"There is more variety of players at the top, which is an encouraging thing for this sport," Djokovic said. "Obviously a lot of people got a little bit bored, Federer and Nadal winning and being so dominant. It's always good to see some new faces winning major events. I think the people like it."

Here is a link to the overall ATP rankings which determine tournament seedings:

http://www.atptennis.com/3/en/rankings/ent...tem/default.asp

Notable changes in the rankings are Tsonga moving up 5 spots up to #12; Andy Murray falling 2 spots to #13; Fernando Gonzalez falling 6 spots to #18; Stanislas Wawrinka (quarters Indian Wells) moving up to #29; and Mardy Fish up 58 spots to #40.

Federer increased his point lead over Nadal from 350 points to 845 points, further distancing himself from the pack.

For comparison purposes, here is the link to the ATP Race Rankings (which measures current season performance):

http://www.atptennis.com/3/en/rankings/cha...ace/default.asp

Chic hotel? Le Fenix? or that new one on soi 15.

I think I have located the Chic...any more info/directions on the other two?

Le Fenix is fairly deep in Sukhumvit 11 close to the Bed and Supper Club but around the corner to the left. Friend of mine stayed there for about 1500 baht during high season and seemed satisfied (internet price). Attractively decorated but fairly small rooms.

Miami Sony Ericsson Preview; Djokovic to Set New Goals

A sizzling start to the 2008 tennis season has Novak Djokovic re-evaluating his goals heading into his title defence at the Sony Ericsson WTA and ATP Masters Series starting this week.

The 20-year-old Serb seized his first Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open in January and on Sunday captured the first of the year's prestigious Masters Series titles at Indian Wells, California.

"It has been a dream start, of course," Djokovic said after a 6-2 5-7 6-3 victory over unexpected finalist Mardy Fish in the Pacific Life Open final.

"Before I started playing this season, I said that my two goals are to be consistent with the results, reach the Masters Cup and hopefully win one Grand Slam.

"I did all that in a very, very small amount of time."

However, Djokovic doesn't plan to rest on his laurels.

"I don't want to stop here," he said. "I'll try to keep going in Miami and I'm defending champion there.

"Coming up from Indian Wells as the tournament winner, it's much easier."

World No.3 Djokovic has narrowed the gap on second-ranked Spaniard Rafael Nadal to 425 points.

Both Nadal and world No.1 Roger Federer arrive in Miami in search of their first 2008 title.

For Federer, it is the first time since 2000 he has gone so far into a season without hoisting a trophy.

The Swiss, who has reigned atop the rankings since 2004, was slowed early this year by a debilitating bout of mononucleosis.

At Indian Wells he looked more his old self – until he was shocked in the semifinals by the unseeded Fish.

Fish's spectacular run at Indian Wells – where he beat three top 10 players – propelled him from 98th in the world back into the top 50, a welcome advance for the oft-injured player once ranked as high as 17th in the world.

Other players expected to make a run at Djokovic's Miami title are Americans Andy Roddick – the 2004 champion – and James Blake, Russian Nikolay Davydenko and France's Australian Open finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Defending women's champion Serena Williams returns, seeking her fifth Miami title in seven years.

Williams won three straight crowns from 2002–2004, then returned to Miami in 2007 for the first time since her 2004 title run.

If Williams can win again, she would tie German great Steffi Graf for most singles titles in tournament history.

Gunning for Williams's title will be world No.1 Justin Henin, plus sister Venus, rising Serbian stars Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic and Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia.

Ivanovic solidified her hold on the world No.2 ranking with a convincing win over Kuznetsova in the Indian Wells women's final.

One notable absentee is Australian Open champion Maria Sharapova, who withdrew after her semifinal defeat in California complaining of a shoulder injury.

Tennis mum Lindsay Davenport, who was forced to retire from her quarterfinal match in Indian Wells with a back injury, remained hopeful that she would bounce back in time to compete in Miami.

Federer is unquestionably the top ranked player in the world. However, this season, he has shown that he is not the best player in the world. In three tournaments played, he has lost 3 times, twice prior to the final including a loss to Andy Murray in the 1st round and a loss to Mardy Fish in the Pacific Life Open recently concluded.

Djokovic has won 2 of the tournaments that Federer has been eliminated from including a win over Federer in the Australian Open. He also beat Fish in the final of the Pacific Life Open. In the ATP race rankings, which only counts tournaments in the year to date, Djokovic is the clear leader, with Nadal, Tsonga and then Federer trailing in points. This includes the Australian Open and the recently concluded Indian Wells Pacific Life tournament.

However, the ATP determines rankings for tournaments based on results accumulated from a year ago, which really is not a measure of how the player is presently performing. In fact, in most sports, rankings are generally determined on the current season rather on previous seasons. However, in the present overall tennis ranking system, which incorporates these year old results, Fed actually will extend his point lead over both Djokovic and Nadal even though he lost in the semifinals.

Due to this older and probably outdated ranking system, Fed will continue to be ranked #1 in tournaments this year while Djokovic and Nadal battle to make the finals against him. If you look at the draw from the Pacific Life Open and the Miami Sony Ericsson tournaments, then it will become obvious that this is the case. In both tournaments, DJ and Nadal have been seeded to meet in the semifinals.

In tournaments such as these, DJ will win sometimes and Nadal will win at times. What this means is that the two of them will divide points among themselves and unless one of them dominates the other (i.e. Djokovic), neither will have enough points to take the overall lead. For this reason, it is quite likely that even if Fed continues to play uninspired tennis and gets whitewashed this year in the majors, he will still remain #1 in the rankings even if Nadal and Djokovic were to win the major tournaments.

The only way this will change this year is if Federer loses in earlier rounds to unseeded players such as Mardy Fish and lower ranked players such as Andy Murray. In all likelihood, this will not happen often. Consequently, Federer will likely continue to be the top ranked player for this year even though he is not the best player in the world, as is the case presently.

The 2008 Sony Ericsson Open Draw Made

The 2008 Sony Ericsson Open held its draw ceremony for this year's tournament. World No. 1 Justine Henin is seeded No. 1 in this year's tournament and will have a first-round bye. Henin finds herself on the same side of the draw as defending Sony Ericsson Open champ Serena Williams and defending Wimbledon champion Venus Williams. Henin lost in an exciting final last year to Serena. On the other side of the women's draw Lindsay Davenport continues her comeback after giving birth less than a year ago. Posing a threat to Davenport in the bottom half of the draw are Jelena Jankovic and Amelie Mauresmo.

On the men's side of the draw, World No. 1 Roger Federer has both Andy Roddick and Nikolay Davydenko on his side of the draw. On the other side of the men's draw, defending Sony Ericsson Open champ Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and James Blake will battle it out for a spot in the finals.

On Friday, March 28 Venus Williams will take center court at 7:00 pm and face the winner of Jill Craybas and Marta Domachowska. On Saturday, March 29, Federer will take over center court and face the winner of Gael Monfils and John Isner.

Tickets to the Sony Ericsson Open are on sale now and can be purchased by phone (305-442-3367) or via internet at www.sonyericssonopen.com. An amazing 12 days of tennis conclude with the women's final on Saturday, April 5 and the men's final on Sunday, April 6.

Ivanovic crushes Kuznetsova in final

Indian Wells, 24 March 2008

Reuters

Top-seeded Serb Ana Ivanovic clinched her first WTA title of the year by hammering Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4 6-3 in the Pacific Life Open final today.

The 20 year old from Belgrade broke Kuznetsova, the second seed, three times in the second set to wrap up victory in one hour 21 minutes at Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

After dominating a first set of quality shot-making, Ivanovic held the edge in an error-prone second before sealing the title by hitting a forehand service return winner.

It was the sixth WTA success of Ivanovic's career and the third loss by Kuznetsova in a final this season, following earlier disappointments in Sydney and Doha.

"This feels amazing," a beaming Ivanovic said in a televised courtside interview after beating the Russian for a fifth time in six meetings.

"I knew I needed to play aggressively today and just tried to move into the court as much as possible. I think I did that well today."

Kuznetsova, the 2004 US Open champion, conceded she had been totally outplayed in losing her eighth WTA final in her last nine.

"It's painful any time you lose but I prefer to get to the final and lose," the Russian told reporters. "I think she played incredibly well in the first set, every important point she hit the ball on the line.

"In the second set, I felt much more pressure because I had to go for it a bit more and she broke me three times. I think I played a bit too much to her forehand today."

On a sun-drenched afternoon in the California desert, the opening set went with serve until the ninth game when a crunching forehand by Ivanovic forced an error off Kuznetsova's backhand for the Serb to lead 30-40.

Ivanovic, runner-up at the Australian Open in January, coolly clinched the break point with a whipping topspin forehand winner to edge ahead 5-4.

The elegant Serb then served out to take the opening set in 40 minutes, clinching the final point when the Russian hit a forehand long.

Ivanovic took early control in the second set, breaking in the third game when Kuznetsova pushed a backhand wide to lead 2-1.

However, the Serb surprisingly failed to hold serve in the fourth, trailing 0-40 before being broken after a backhand flew wide.

Kuznetsova, increasingly vulnerable on her serve, was again broken in the seventh game when she netted a forehand before Ivanovic held to lead 5-3.

Serving to stay in the match, the 22-year-old Russian double-faulted to trail 0-30 before Ivanovic then unleashed a big backhand winner for 0-40.

The Serb claimed the opening Masters Series event of the year with a service return winner.

Djokovic and Ivanovic Capture Pacific Life Titles

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP)—Novak Djokovic and Ana Ivanovic have given their home country reason to be proud.

The 20-year-old Serbs who practiced together as children won his and her titles in the Pacific Life Open on Sunday. Djokovic ended American Mardy Fish's string of upsets with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 victory, and Ivanovic downed Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 6-3.

There has been civil strife in Kosovo since it declared its independence from Serbia last month, but both Djokovic and Ivanovic said they do not want to discuss politics.

Serbian swimmer Milorad Cavic was suspended from the European swimming championships Friday for wearing a T-shirt proclaiming "Kosovo is Serbia" at a medal ceremony.

"I'm really sad to hear about this," Ivanovic said. "But on the other hand, I don't know much about politics and I don't get involved in that area. When I'm out here playing, I just want to represent my country in the best possible way.

"They (Serbs) really love tennis right now. It's a cool thing to wake up (in the middle of the night) and watch us play," she said, alluding to the time difference. "They're proud to be Serbians, like I think everyone is in their own country."

Djokovic, whose father and other relatives are natives of Kosovo, recently taped a video saying he believes Kosovo will always be a part of Serbia.

"It kind of touched me in that moment that this was my quest to give support to my country," he said.

Otherwise, he said, he simply considers himself an athlete representing his country.

"I think professional athletes all over the world … are one of the biggest ambassadors of their country; considering the fact that our country is in a very difficult position, they're struggling in economics and politics, as well," he said.

"But this is something I don't want to get involved in."

Djokovic and Ivanovic figure to represent their country well in tennis, since they both already have accomplished a great deal and seem to be getting even better. He's No. 3 behind Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who both lost at Indian Wells. Only Justine Henin, who skipped the tournament, is ranked above No. 2 Ivanovic.

The Serbian stars just missed a sweep in the Australian Open. Djokovic beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga for the men's title, and Ivanovic lost to Maria Sharapova in their final.

Both Djokovic and Ivanovic won their championship matches at Indian Wells mostly by powering shots down the lines, although Djokovic obviously had a tougher time with No. 98 Fish.

Djokovic, who lost to Nadal in the final last year, knocked off Nadal in the semifinals this time.

Despite the loss, Fish had a remarkable run at Indian Wells. He had never beaten two top-10 players in a tournament before, but he upset No. 4 Nikolay Davydenko and No. 7 David Nalbandian before stunning Federer in the semifinals.

The 26-year-old Fish, who rose to No. 17 four years ago but has been hampered by injuries, will move up to the top 50 in the next rankings.

He built an enthusiastic following along the way at Indian Wells, with fans chanting "Mardy! Mardy!" during the final, and one waving a sign reading, "Go Fish."

He said his success in the tournament took a while to sink in.

"I just didn't realize what had happened," he said. "To get a few wins against players like that and to play a match like today, to be in there. A lot of great players to go through, and I was one set away.

Asked if he thought Djokovic could become No. 1, Fish said yes. But as for the top player now, he said, "I think it's Roger Federer, hands down. He's had a few results these past few weeks that are uncharacteristic for him. I think he's going to continue to be No. 1 for a long time."

Djokovic seemed on his way to an easy victory after winning the first set and going up 4-2 in the second. But Fish came back to win five of the next six games and force a third set. Djokovic seemed to slip out of his rhythm during Fish's comeback, twice slamming his racket to the court after missing shots.

But he broke Fish's serve in the second game of the final set, then each held serve the rest of the way. After wrapping it up with a service winner, Djokovic raised his eyes and arms skyward, then shook hands with Fish and hugged him.

In the women's match, Ivanovic used well-placed groundstrokes to keep Kuznetsova scrambling from side to side. She capped her victory with a shot that seemed to typify her play in the final: she whipped a forehand down the line on a service return.

No. 98 Fish Upsets Top Ranked Federer; Djokovic defeats Nadal

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP)—Roger Federer lost again, this time in one of the biggest tennis upsets in memory.

Mardy Fish, an American ranked 98th, shocked No. 1 Federer in straight sets Saturday, with the lopsided score—6-3, 6-2—making it even more of a stunner.

Fish, who pulled off by far the biggest of his upsets he's strung together this week in the Pacific Life Open, moved into Sunday's final against No. 3 Novak Djokovic, who ousted defending champion Rafael Nadal by the same score.

Federer, the Swiss star who has seemed almost invincible most of the past five years, has looked vulnerable so far this season.

He hasn't reached a final and has lost three times, including defeats by eventual champion Djokovic in the Australian Open semifinals, and by Andy Murray this month in the first round at Dubai.

The 26-year-old Federer, who was slowed by mononucleosis early in the season, doesn't seem overly concerned.

He breezed through his first three matches at Indian Wells without losing a set, then had a walkover in the quarterfinals when Tommy Haas withdrew because of a sinus infection.

"Today it's hard to judge, because Mardy took everything on the rise; not many rallies out there," said Federer, a three-time champion in the desert tournament. "But all in all, I'm happy with the way the week (went) for me. Obviously, the walkover is sort of an awkward situation, but you have to take them when they come around.

"So semifinals to start off with at the first Masters Series is a good thing, and I hope I can go from here and win in Miami, and on to clay."

Federer said the unexpected day off when Haas pulled out Friday may have thrown him a bit off his rhythm, but said Fish simply played "incredibly."

"When he wanted to attack, everything worked," Federer said. "He would never miss, really, when I needed a miss once in a while."

He said it's impossible to not lose such matches occasionally, adding: "I'm surprised myself that it hasn't happened more in the last five years. You always think one guy can outright dominate you on any given day.

"People weren't able to do it against me, so that speaks for itself. But today, Mardy was really impossible to beat, it almost looked like."

Fish, also 26, ended Federer's 41-match win streak against Americans dating to a 2003 loss to Andy Roddick, and beat him for the first time in their six meetings.

"This obviously wasn't Roger's best day, but hopefully I had a little something to do with that. I put the pressure, extremely, on him from the word go," said Fish, who jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first set and remained in control the rest of the way.

Asked if he could recall another upset in tennis to equal it, Fish smiled and said, "I don't think I'm that bad."

In a career interrupted by various injuries, he reached his highest ranking, No. 17, four years ago.

Federer looked like just another player Saturday, with his backhand especially mediocre. He managed just one winner and had 13 unforced errors with his backhand. Fish kept constant pressure on him, serving seven aces to Federer's two, and peppering the lines with hard groundstrokes. He hit 26 winners to Federer's 14 in defeating him for the first time in six career meetings.

Fish, who had never beaten as many as two top 10 players in one tournament, defeated three at Indian Wells. He downed No. 4 Nikolay Davydenko and No. 7 David Nalbandian, as well as No. 24 Lleyton Hewitt, before beating Federer.

Australian Open champion Djokovic, ranked No. 3 to Nadal's No. 2, avenged last year's loss to the Spaniard in the Indian Wells final.

The 20-year-old Serb served eight aces to two by Nadal, and hit 20 winners to the Spaniard's 11.

The match included several long, spectacular rallies when each dashed around the court making difficult returns. More often than not, Djokovic would end those rallies by driving a winner down the lines, or Nadal would finally miss a shot.

"I had more mistakes than usual," Nadal said. "I feel a little bit tired from the last two matches. If you play against a player like Novak, you have to play 100 percent if you want to win.

"He's a very complete player—very good serve, very good backhand, very good forehand. He moves fast and well. He has very good position on the court."

Djokovic said he's trying to take his fast start to the season in stride.

"I need to stay calm and just go step by step and try to get to my lifetime goal, which is to be No. 1," he said. "It's getting closer, but still, I don't want to go too fast and skip some things. I really need to be consistent with my results in the most important events, major events.

"I started the year in the best possible way, but it's not over yet."

In Sunday's women's final, Ana Ivanovic will face Svetlana Kuznetsova.

The news speaks for itself. Three months into the year and Roger Federer has yet to win a title. Excuses or not, Federer has entered 3 tournaments and lost. Is it mononucleosis? Lack of competition? Better competition?

Fed's been the number one player in the world for several years now. No one else in recent memory has been ranked #1. Will someone break Fed's streak of consecutive weeks ranked number 1? Is Roger Federer's domination of men's tennis is coming to an end?

Whether it is or not, will Federer surpass or equal Pete Sampras' record this year? Will Fed finally win the French? Continue his streak at Wimbledon? Take the US Open? The answer to these questions are uncertain now but will unfold in the months to come.

To the OP- early days yet but Feds could be losing his #1 crown this year.

Wow! What a shocking match!

Kuznetsova Snaps Sharapova's Win Streak

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP)—Svetlana Kuznetsova ended Maria Sharapova's winning streak at 18 matches Friday with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 victory in the Pacific Life Open semifinals.

Sharapova's perfect start to the season included titles in the Australian Open and at Doha.

Kuznetsova, refusing to wilt after Sharapova won the second set, broke her service in the opening game of the third and went on to build a 5-1 lead.

In the matchup of Russian stars, No. 3 Kuznetsova played more aggressively than Sharapova, taking more chances by driving groundstrokes close to the lines. Many went for winners.

After the loss, the fifth-ranked Sharapova said she played at a much slower pace than usual.

"I'm human. I'm allowed to make a few mistakes in my life and career," she said, smiling. "That kind of was the story today.

"She's a very tough, tough player. I give her a lot of respect for her consistency and how strong she is and how many balls she gets back."

Kuznetsova, who evened her career mark against Sharapova at 4-4, will face No. 2 Ana Ivanovic of Serbia in Sunday's final. Ivanovic earned her spot with a 7-6 (3), 6-3 victory over Jelena Jankovic, also from Serbia.

On the men's side, Mardy Fish, who had never made it beyond the fourth round at Indian Wells, added to his string of surprises in this year's tournament with a 6-3, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (4) victory over David Nalbandian.

The win over No. 7 Nalbandian put the 98th-ranked Fish into Saturday's semifinals, where he will need to pull off the upset of his life to advance. His next opponent is No. 1 Roger Federer, who is 5-0 against him.

Federer, going for his fourth Indian Wells title in five years, reached the semifinals when his quarterfinal opponent, Tommy Haas, had to forfeit because of a sinus infection.

Defending champion and No. 2 Rafael Nadal will play No. 3 Novak Djokovic, the Australian Open champion, in the other semifinal.

The 26-year-old Fish, making his sixth appearance in the desert tournament, lost to Federer in the fourth round in 2004, again in the second round the following year, and to Nadal in the third round two years ago.

On his way to the semifinals this year, Fish beat No. 4 Nikolay Davydenko 6-3, 6-2 and No. 24 and two-time champion Lleyton Hewitt 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(4).

After Nalbandian broke his serve to go up 6-5 in the third set, Fish came right back to break the Argentine's serve and set up the tiebreaker. Then at 4-4 in the tiebreaker, Fish pulled away with what had worked for him during the rest of the match—he hit three consecutive forehands for winners, then capped the match with an overhead.

Fish wasn't sure why he has played so well this week, although he said he has a new trainer, has been working harder and feels stronger and fresher than in the past.

Asked about his company in the semifinals, the top three players in the world, Fish said, "And me."

"I guess the only thing you can go by is what your ranking is. I obviously don't feel like I'm the 98th-ranked player in the world, or playing like that. I've got a lot of self-confidence," said Fish, ranked as high as No. 17 four years ago.

98th Ranked Fish Beats Nalbandian; Federer Reaches Semis by Default

Unseeded American Mardy Fish, prevailed in a 6-3, 6-7(5), 7-6(4) nailbiter against World No. 7 David Nalbandian on Friday in Indian Wells to join the world’s top three players in the Pacific Life Open semifinals.

Fish’s reward for his win is a semifinal date with World No. 1 Roger Federer, who received a walkover earlier in the day when Tommy Haas withdrew prior to their quarterfinal match with a sinus infection. More

The last American hope appeared on the verge of exiting the draw shortly after wasting his two match points at 5-4 in the third set. Nalbandian went up a break in the next game, but also failed to close the door on his opponent as he double faulted on Fish’s fifth break point chance of the set to make it 6-all.

Both players had already posted wins in a third set tie-break to reach the quarterfinals for the first time at this event – Nalbandian going the distance in his second and third round matches against Ernests Gulbis and Radek Stepanek, respectively, and Fish in his fourth round match against two-time champion Lleyton Hewitt.

And though Nalbandian entered the decider with a 5-1 record in tie-breaks this season and Fish a 1-6 record, it was Fish who pulled through in the end. He returned a winner off of Nalbandian’s serve to earn his third match point, and then put away the win with an overhead smash.

“With someone like David's ability to come back and ability to win tight matches, that one feels just as good as [the win over] Hewitt,” said Fish, who celebrated his victory with a self-hug for the partisan crowd.

Coupled with his straight sets win over World No. 4 Nikolay Davydenko in the third round, it marked the first time in the 26-year-old’s career that he had posted victories over two Top 10 players at the same tournament.

But he faces an uphill battle against Federer, whom he has lost to in all five of their previous career meetings, including twice at the Pacific Life Open. Federer’s last win came over Fish in the 2005 second round en route to his second of three Indian Wells titles.

“You have to walk out there and you have to feel like you can beat him,” said Fish, who entered the tournament ranked No. 98. “I feel like I can beat anybody right now. I feel like I can win tight matches against really high quality players who are really tough, in tie-breaks and third sets and things like that, and that gives you a lot of confidence.”

Fish has reached an ATP Masters Series final only once in his career, five years ago in Cincinnati, where he lost to close friend Andy Roddick in a third set tie-break despite holding two match points. In that run, he also posted a quarterfinal win over Nalbandian.

“He's always dangerous,” said Nalbandian about Fish. “On this surface, when the surface is fast, he's very dangerous all the time.”

Nalbandian was attempting to become the first player to win titles at three consecutive ATP Masters Series events. He won the Madrid and Paris titles last autumn, defeating Federer and World No. 2 Rafael Nadal at both events, and had taken his unbeaten streak at ATP Masters Series events to 15 matches before losing to Fish.