Tennis: Who Will Be #2?

[mauiguy90]

We all know who is #1 in the world. Fed has dominated the world rankings for the past several years and that is not about to change. With the Australian Open about to begin, it is a good time to ask a more challenging question: Who will be #2 at the end of the year?

Nadal has been #2 for awhile now but his knees are bad. He no longer has that bounce and speed that he once had. Novak Djokovic is fast closing in on Nadal, as is David Ferrer, who finished 2nd in the year end Master's Cup (where he beat Nadal in straight sets). Andy Roddick still has the fastest serve in the world and the most famous coach. How about David Nalbandian who beat Fed twice in 3 weeks at the end of 2007?

Then there is Fernando Gonzalez, who beat Fed in the Master's Cup; Nikolai Davydenko, who has been stuck at #4 in the world for a long time; Andy Murray, who is coming back from a wrist injury and is currently leading the ATP Champions Race(counts only 2008 results). (The general rankings include points for one full chronological year.)

Who do you think will be #2 at the end of the year?

[mauiguy90]

Who's this guy Tsonga anyway? He's beaten Murray, Gasquet, Youzhny and now Nadal. He smoked Nadal today in 3 straight sets. Kept waiting for Nadal to make a comeback and Tsonga kept hitting aces, dropshots and winners. Is he a one tournament wonder or if he can keep winning even after the AO?

[Donnyboy]

Who's this guy Tsonga anyway? He's beaten Murray, Gasquet, Youzhny and now Nadal. He smoked Nadal today in 3 straight sets. Kept waiting for Nadal to make a comeback and Tsonga kept hitting aces, dropshots and winners. Is he a one tournament wonder or if he can keep winning even after the AO?

Tsonga has a real chance against Fed., should Roger make it thru.

The way he was playing against Nadal was unreal. He made it look so easy, and Nadal is not an easy-beat.

He will go a long way this kid.

[mauiguy90]

Novak Stops Fed Express

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Novak Djokovic has ended Roger Federer's 19-match winning streak at Melbourne Park to book a place in Sunday's Australian Open 2008 men's singles final.

The Serbian No.3 seed, who had only beaten Federer once in six previous meetings, avenged his defeat to the Swiss world No.1 in last year's US Open final with a dominant 7-5 6-3 7-6 (7-5) victory.

Djokovic's reward for his impressive triumph is a clash with unseeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in what will be the Australian Open's first tournament decider between two players yet to win a Grand Slam title since 1998.

In the early stages it was Federer who looked the goods, leading with a break and the chance to grab a second at 0-30 on Djokovic's serve, but from 3-5 down in the opening set Djokovic turned the match on its head.

The 20-year-old won the next five games in a row with a pair of breaks against Federer's serve and by the time he led 5-1 in the second set he'd claimed an amazing nine of 10 games.

Ahead by two breaks Djokovic did tighten up when serving for the second set but he didn't make the same mistake when he had a second chance in the ninth game, despite a warning for taking too long between points.

The third set was an arm wrestle, with Federer having to save four break points in the third game and Djokovic two that were also set points in the 12th, before Federer made the early running in the tie-breaker.

Ahead 3-1 early, Federer again led it 5-4 but Djokovic won the next couple of points to set up match point and then completed the brilliant win when Federer netted a forehand.

Federer's last straight-sets loss at a Grand Slam came when he went down to Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten in the third round of the 2004 French Open, and the defeat was his first at Melbourne Park since the corresponding stage three years ago against eventual champion Marat Safin.

Current Match on Rod Laver ArenaRod Laver Arena - Men's Singles - Semifinals

Roger Federer SUI (1)

536⁵

Novak Djokovic SRB (3) 767⁷

Match Statistics Serve Statistics

Match Facts

- Djokovic won 118 points to Federer's 104- There were six breaks of serve, four to Djokovic, two to Federer- Federer hit 38 winners, Djokovic 50- Each player made 32 unforced errors- There were 23 aces, 13 to Djokovic, 10 to Federer

[lazeeboy]

looks like theres a new kid in town,this will give others hope when they next meet federer

[Donnyboy]

looks like theres a new kid in town,this will give others hope when they next meet federer

Feds didnt look like he put much of a fight against the Serb.

He made many unforced errors, very unusual, and in straight sets! Novak played well esp the double handed backhand return to Feds forehand, mostly winners.

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

The final will be a good one. Hope Tsonga comes up trumps.

[mauiguy90]

looks like theres a new kid in town,this will give others hope when they next meet federer

Feds didnt look like he put much of a fight against the Serb.

He made many unforced errors, very unusual, and in straight sets! Novak played well esp the double handed backhand return to Feds forehand, mostly winners.

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

The final will be a good one. Hope Tsonga comes up trumps.

Wow! If Tsonga wins, that will really turn the rankings upside down. Is he a one trick pony or can he keep his string of upsets going indefinitely? If he beats Novak and wins the AO, guess his wins won't be considered upsets as much as one of a new generation of players coming into his own. Fed could end up the year as the #2, as you allude to. Its hard to imagine him lower, but even that could happen with a few tough tournaments.

Edited January 26, 2008 by mauiguy90

[Old Croc]

Federer lost his first match after 19 straight and Henin's winning streak was 32 before her loss at the open.

One loss and everyone is calling their reigns at the top over!

Federer was quite ill with a virus just before the tournament and well below his best. Too early to write him off.

As far a second ranking is concerned, I think Nadal doesn't have it in his makeup to do what is needed to improve his hard court game to maintain his ranking.

Djokovic is only 20 and getting better and better.

[Donnyboy]

Federer lost his first match after 19 straight and Henin's winning streak was 32 before her loss at the open.

One loss and everyone is calling their reigns at the top over!

Federer was quite ill with a virus just before the tournament and well below his best. Too early to write him off.

As far a second ranking is concerned, I think Nadal doesn't have it in his makeup to do what is needed to improve his hard court game to maintain his ranking.

Djokovic is only 20 and getting better and better.

like Ive said, its still early days, but when youre #1 theres only one way from there-and I didnt know he had a virus till after my previous post, which explains his lack of fight.

Tsonga is another one to watch, and also 20 and getting better and better as well

whos going to win today, it should be a classic

Edited January 27, 2008 by Donnyboy

[mauiguy90]

Djokovic's Open Win

Novak Djokovic has overcome injury to become Serbia's first Grand Slam singles champion, claiming the Australian Open men's crown with a four-set win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at Melbourne Park.

Having not dropped a set en route to the final, the world No.3 had to do it the hard way, firstly rallying from a set down and then also battling a hamstring strain that he suffered early in the fourth set to beat unseeded Frenchman Tsonga 4-6 6-4 6-3 7-6 (7-2).

With Djokovic's movement restricted after he sustained the injury, the decider looked headed for a fifth set for the first time since Melbourne Park's first men's final 20 years ago when Mats Wilander beat Pat Cash.

But while Tsonga tried hard throughout, he was unable to capitalise on Djokovic's ailment despite enjoying more support from the packed centre-court crowd, with the 20-year-old Belgrade native digging deep to capture the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup.

Both players began the match nervously, with Tsonga dropping his serve after his opening salvo went long by about a metre, only for Djokovic to likewise surrender his own first service game.

Both players came close to dropping their serves again, firstly Djokovic in the fourth game and then Tsonga in the fifth, before Tsonga served three straight aces to hold in the ninth game and then broke in the 10th to win the set with a forehand winner and then a lob.

Games went with serve early in the second set until the seventh game when a couple of errors from the Frenchman and then a reflex, defensive return from Djokovic for a winner led to the break that eventually gave Djokovic the set.

With Tsonga's unforced errors piling up Djokovic upped the ante with another break in the third game of the third set and then finally broke again in the ninth game after Tsonga had saved six set points.

The momentum looked to have changed early in the fourth set though when Djokovic injured himself stretching for a volley, and he called for treatment while leading 3-2.

With Djokovic trying to keep the points shorter in an attempt to win the match in four sets, Tsonga was nonetheless unable to make the most of the changed circumstances as his own weariness kicked in.

The set eventually went to a tie-breaker after Tsonga held in the 12th game soon after calling for the crowd to make some noise, but it was Djokovic who raced away with it by winning five of the first six points and he fell to his back in delight when he sealed victory.

Match Facts

- Djokovic won 136 points, Tsonga 122- There were six breaks of serve, four to Djokovic, two to Tsonga- Djokovic had more winners, 46 to 44- Tsonga had more unforced errors, 41 to 35- Tsonga failed to break Djokovic's serve after the first set- Tsonga served more aces, 15 to 11, while each had two double faults- Tsonga won just 19 of 40 points on his second serve

Edited January 27, 2008 by mauiguy90

[mauiguy90]

Vultures circle over Federer as new champ is crowned

By Ossian Shine

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - With a new grand slam champion crowned at the Australian Open, the vultures are circling over Roger Federer's head.

The Swiss, though, is adamant that he is still the top man in world tennis.

The world rankings bear out the Swiss ace's assertion but, make no mistake, there is a new pretender to his throne and a very credible one.

Not only did Novak Djokovic oust the world's top-ranked player from the Australian Open semi-finals but on Sunday he took the Swiss champion's crown.

It seems to sit comfortably on the amiable Serb's head and Federer must now look beyond Rafael Nadal when he is searching for danger.

Djokovic certainly provides that.

While not quite kryptonite to Federer's super-powers, Djokovic's game does cause the Swiss problems.

His victory over Federer was no fluke. It was as hard-earned as it was comprehensive.

Not since Federer lost to Gustavo Kuerten in the 2004 French Open had he been beaten in straight sets at a grand slam.

DEFT TOUCH

Djokovic is as close to a brick wall as top-flight tennis gets. Metronomic in his rallying, he rarely makes an unforced error.

But he is no one-dimensional counter-puncher. Powerful off both wings he possesses a thunderous serve and a deft touch in the forecourt.

He is not short on confidence either.

"I've been working very hard in the past year and a half, so it's paying off right now," the Serb calmly told reporters after dumping Federer out in Melbourne.

"Obviously, everybody was trying to figure out the way they can win against Roger.

"I knew that I had to believe in myself in the first place, and I had to be positive on the court, not nervous, just to stay with him all the time, and be aggressive. That's what I did."

Djokovic says his emergence is good for the sport.

"I think the dominance of Federer and Nadal... was just amazing the last couple of years. So I think it's great for... tennis lovers all around the world, to see something new."

Federer, though, is quick to remind any doubters that he suffered a viral illness before the Open and that his crown as world's best is not in danger.

CREATED MONSTER

"I'll definitely reflect on what happened," Federer said after his defeat to Djokovic. "You know, considering my illness, I'm sort of happy with the result here.

"Of course, I've created a monster, so I know I need to always win every tournament. But semis is still pretty good. I didn't play my best throughout the championships, but it was pretty solid, so it was okay.

"Winning every other week, you know, lose a set and people say I'm playing bad. So it's my own mistake, I guess."

"I definitely didn't play my best on big points. That's been sort of something that's stuck with me throughout the championships maybe. But, look, it happens. I've done it so many times it went my way. It's okay. Unfortunately it goes the other way, too, sometimes."

Lleyton Hewitt's former coach Roger Rasheed agrees.

"I think we just see one result, then decide to paint a certain picture, but I still think that Roger is the best player I have ever seen and he will go down as the all-time greatest," Rasheed said.

"It's a blip here but all credit goes to some other young guys who are putting their hands up and wanting to join Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal at the dinner table."

[mauiguy90]

Fed to Play Sampras at Madison Square Garden

Roger Federer plans to renew his rivalry with Pete Sampras in a match at Madison Sqaure Garden in New York after a successful series of exhibitions with the American legend in Asia.

The world number one said Sunday he had become firm friends with Sampras and wanted to continue their showdowns.

"For me it was a great excitement to spend a week with Pete throughout the Asian swing," Federer said of their three matches in Seoul, Kuala Lumpur and Macau last November.

"We went to places that don't see much tennis, and I think that's something always important to me."

Federer said they would continue the exhibitions in New York in March.

"For me it is a dream come true to get a chance to play at the Garden," he said. "It's been a long time since men played there. And Pete really wanted to have an exhibition in the States.

"It's the last exhibition we've got planned and after that we'll see where it takes us."

During the Asian swing, Federer won in Seoul and Kuala Lumpur before Sampras shocked him with victory in Macau.

[mauiguy90]

Jo-Wilfred Tsonga 27.01.08Sunday, 27 January, 2008 <h3 class="access"> </h3>

Q. What are your thoughts after the match? What are you thinking?

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Lot of things. I'm very proud of myself. I'm happy for Novak, because he played unbelievable today. I don't know if I have to be sad or happy of this final, but I feel great.

Q. What was your feeling coming in? Were you nervous at the start of today's match?

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: No, no, no. I was okay. Like every day. Very relaxed. I don't know what say. I think Novak played very good today, and it was tough.

When you have a match, you have one player and one opponent, and you don't know who's gonna win. At the end, all the time you have a winner. So today was Novak.

Q. Now that you've been in the final, how hungry are you to be back in a final again?

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: It's just unbelievable because the crowd was unbelievable. A lot of noise and everything. I had frisson (goosebumps). It was crazy (smiling).

Q. You seemed quite happy about the amount of time he was playing between points. You mentioned it to the umpire. Do you think it's fair the gap between points?

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, sometimes, you know, when you have to return, you are like this (ready). When your opponent take a lot of time, you go for be ready, and after not, and you are like this (back and forth). When he serves, you are not ready because you are like this (back and forth).

It's very difficult. Between points you have like 25 seconds for play. When it's 40 seconds, the umpire have to say something, you know.

Q. How does it feel to be in the top 20?

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Pretty good (smiling).

Q. Does this give you the confidence now to maybe break into the top 10?

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, of course, of course. Not everybody can beat player who I beat. So I know Richard or Youzhny or Rafael, they are very good player. And beat them, it's very difficult, and I did it, so...

Of course, I'm confident now.

Q. How good was it having your mom and dad fly over for the match?

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: For me it was very important, because one of the dream of my father, it was to come here, and I did it, so it's good.

Q. It was a dream for him to come here to see you play?

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah.

Q. How long has he been speaking about that?

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Since a long time. I don't know. I cannot say the time. Maybe since I play tennis.

[mauiguy90]

Relieved Novak Living the Dream

Men's Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic has spoken of his relief at breaking through for his maiden Grand Slam title after his four-set win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at Rod Laver Arena.

While he is only 20, Djokovic had desperately wanted to take his chance to open his Grand Slam account having made the semi-finals or better at the past three tournaments. Having realised one of the best moments of his career, Djokovic said he felt a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

"It's an indescribable feeling, something that I always dreamed of, of course. I think every player dreams about winning a Grand Slam. It's something special. It's a special event. It's two weeks long, all the best players in the world playing. Then you come up in the end as a champion, you know, only one guy to win the tournament. I mean, I'm still not aware of the big achievement I have had in these two weeks," he said.

Djokovic revealed that he felt under enormous pressure coming into the final as favourite, having defeated Roger Federer in the semi-finals.

"It was kind of strange feeling to get into the match as the favourite. As I was saying in the pre-conference, it's always dangerous to play against the underdog, the player who doesn't have really anything to lose," he said.

"You get to the final, you know, final match, you just want to make another step and win it. I was nervous and there was pressure, and I think it's understandable. But I'm very happy the way I deal with that pressure," he said.

Djokovic hasn't had time to consider whether his success ushers in a new era in men's tennis after breaking the duopoly of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

"I mean, it's not possible that only one tournament is changing the history. Of course, I mean, I played amazing tennis here, so I think I absolutely deserved to win, even against him (Federer) in the semifinals," he said.

"I'm gonna take it easy, you know. I'm not gonna try to think about reaching even higher goals right away. I'm not in a rush. I want to enjoy in my success and just celebrate with the people I care about. From then, I'll see what it goes."

The past three years have been dominated by the Swiss and the Spaniard, with no other player able to claim a Grand Slam title since Marat Safin at Australian Open 2005. Djokovic, the poster child of the new generation, believes the Swiss master and the determined Spaniard will fight as hard as ever.

"Everybody who wins a Grand Slam, you have to give them a lot of appreciation and respect. I just felt it now, what it feels like. Hopefully, you know, in the future I'm gonna feel it more," he said.

"He's (Federer) gonna come back in a big style, of course. He's still planning to be the best player in the world, so we all know how good he is. We're gonna see a lot of him this year."

Djokovic becomes the first player from his proud sporting nation to claim a Grand Slam title, inspiring the local Serbian community into fanatical support for the 20-year-old from Belgrade. There are 30,000 people of Serbian origin in Melbourne, and each and every one of them was behind their man as he overcame injury and a first set slip-up to secure victory. The thought of those fans, plus all the people back in Serbia, puts a smile on the proud young man's face.

"I think everybody was really surprised with the amount of the players we produced from such a small country with no tennis tradition. So I think it's still unexplainable, because there was no system whatsoever in our country for tennis and we didn't get so much support needed in that stage, mostly needed," he said.

"We've always had I can say strong support from our closest family, from our parents. And I think this hunger for success and the times and things we went through made us stronger."

With plenty of strength both in the women's and men's game at the moment, Djokovic believes that Serbian tennis could well be set for a golden era.

"Until now, we still didn't have a Grand Slam champion. Now I don't even realise how big deal this is. I really am overjoyed with the victory and very happy that the people in Serbia appreciate what we have done. Not just myself, but everybody," he said.

[mauiguy90]

Djokovic Closes in on Nadal

PARIS (AFP) - Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic has closed the gaps on long-time ATP World Rankings leaders Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The 20-year-old Serb's Melbourne triumph, his first in a Grand Slam tournament, sees him move to just 815 points behind the Spaniard, who will be looking forward to the claycourt season in the spring.

Federer, who lost to Djokovic in the Australian Open semi-finals, retains the rankings leadership 650 points clear of Nadal who could have deposed him had he won in Melbourne.

The biggest mover among the top players was made by losing finalist in Melbourne Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France who climbs 20 places to 18th while the man he beat in the fourth round, Mikhail Youzhny of Russia, is up six to a career-best eighth.

ATP rankings top 20

1. Roger Federer (SUI) 6630 pts 2. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 5980 3. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 5165 4. Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) 2725 5. David Ferrer (ESP) 2715 6. Andy Roddick (USA) 2155 7. Richard Gasquet (FRA) 1895 (+1) 8. Mikhaïl Youzhny (RUS) 1845 (+6) 9. James Blake (USA) 1710 (+6) 10. David Nalbandian (ARG) 1700 11. Tomas Berdych (CZE) 1685 (+2) 12. Andy Murray (GBR) 1685 (-3) 13. Marcos Baghdatis (CHY) 1640 (+3) 14. Guillermo Canas (ARG) 1573 (+3) 15. Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) 1515 (+6) 16. Carlos Moya (ESP) 1505 (+2) 17. Tommy Robredo (ESP) 1490 (-5) 18. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) 1489 (+20) 19. Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) 1465 (+6) 20. Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) 1460 (+2)

[mauiguy90]

A Three-Way Race for World No. 1 © Getty Images

After unrivaled possession of the World No. 1 ranking for more than three years, Roger Federer now faces the challenge of protecting his position atop the South African Airways ATP Rankings from the double threat of youngsters Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

Nadal had gone to Melbourne with the opportunity to overtake the Swiss at the top spot - making it the first Grand Slam tournament since 2004 Wimbledon that Federer's ranking had come under threat - and Djokovic turned it into a three-way race for World No. 1 by finishing the fortnight with his first Grand Slam title.

Following the Australian Open, Nadal and Djokovic respectively stand 650 and 1,465 points behind the once untouchable Swiss with the 21-year-old Spaniard and 20-year-old Serb each boasting more than 5,000 Rankings points. The biggest lead Federer has held was a 3,900-point advantage on Nov. 20, 2006 (for six weeks) and the smallest lead was 350 points on May 10, 2004.

South African Airways ATP Rankings (as of 1/28/08) 1 Roger Federer 6630 2 Rafael Nadal 5980 3 Novak Djokovic 5165 Nadal has now ranked World No. 2 for 132 consecutive weeks since assuming the position on July 25, 2005 and, with the exception of one week, Djokovic has been ranked at No. 3 since July 9, 2007.

At other times during this past decade, their current point totals would have been enough to have secured them the top spot. Of the last five players who attained the No. 1 ranking prior to Federer, only one - Australian Lleyton Hewitt - managed to eclipse 5,000 points at his highest point total.

Highest Points Totals of Former No. 1s Player

Date at highest total

Points

Lleyton Hewitt (AUS)

8/26/2002

5205

Gustavo Kuerten (BRA)

9/24/2001

4750

Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP)

10/20/2003

4570

Andy Roddick (USA)

1/19/2004

4535

Marat Safin (RUS)

4/16/2001

4270

But Nadal and Djokovic will have their work cut out for them early in the 2008 season with Rankings points to defend at the year's first two ATP Masters Series events, whereas Federer can widen his lead at No. 1 after early exits last year.

Djokovic has the most at stake, having amassed 1,035 points in four event appearances following last year's Australian Open. He earned 850 of a maximum 1,000 points at the ATP Masters Series tournaments last March, reaching the Indian Wells final to crack the Top 10 for the first time and solidifying his place in tennis' elite by clinching the Miami title.

Nadal has 700 points to defend, including the 500 received by winning the Indian Wells title, but could further increase his point total by reaching the semifinals or better in Dubai and Miami.

Meanwhile, Federer stands to collect an additional 920 points should he successfully defend his Dubai title and reclaim the Indian Wells and Miami shields. The Swiss won all three tournaments consecutively in 2005 and again reached the final at all three events the next year, finishing as runner-up to Nadal in Dubai before going on to defend his two ATP Masters Series titles.

Federer was chasing his fourth straight title at Indian Wells and his third straight in Miami last season when he was stunned by Argentine Guillermo Canas in his second-round opener and fourth round, respectively.

"He's gonna come back in a big style, of course," said Djokovic after the Australian Open. "He's still planning to be the best player in the world, so we all know how good is he. We're going to see a lot of him, of course, this year."

Federer has ranked No. 1 for 209 consecutive weeks since ascending to the top spot following his 2004 Australian Open triumph.

He became the new record holder for most consecutive weeks at No. 1 in the history of the ATP Rankings last year in Dubai when he eclipsed Jimmy Connors' 160 straight weeks at the top position, set back in the '70s. Federer also joined Connors as the only players to rank No. 1 every week during the calendar year in three different years.

The 26-year-old Swiss, who last season became the fourth player to finish No. 1 four (or more) consecutive years, is two year-end No. 1 finishes away from tying Pete Sampras's record.

[mauiguy90]

Fed was simply due for a loss, but his reign will continue

By Bonnie D. Ford

ESPN.com

AP Photo/Rick Stevens

It's not often Roger Federer bids farewell to the crowd after suffering a loss. The last time he exited a Grand Slam prior to the final was three years ago at the French Open.

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Most people would say that what tennis wizard Roger Federer has built, brick by brick and backhand by backhand, is a wondrous thing. It's also a weighty thing, and Friday night, it squatted on his shoulders like King Kong on the Empire State Building."I've created a monster, so I know I need to always win every tournament," Federer said after his streak of 10 straight Grand Slam finals appearances was ended by 20-year-old Serbian Novak Djokovic on Friday in the Australian Open semifinals.

The third-seeded Djokovic recorded a straight-sets upset, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (5).

The world No. 1 was feeling a little dark, and no wonder. Federer doesn't have a lot of recent experience in dealing with losses of this magnitude anywhere but on one particular patch of red earth in Paris. Still, it seemed like an awfully pessimistic view for a player who began this season at age 26 with a dozen Slams and counting, so we pressed him.

The slightest rueful smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Well, winning every other week, you know, lose a set and people say I'm playing bad," Federer said. "So it's my own mistake, I guess."

Of course, Federer's monster is one most athletes would love to have living in a crate in the corner, and his dominance over the past three seasons is a mistake they'd be happy to repeat.

The pie graph of his success would show an enormous chunk of work, a slice of aura and a sprinkling of luck. He has been remarkably free from injury or illness, so even something non-catastrophic -- like the bout of food poisoning that sent him to the hospital the week before the Aussie Open, interrupting his usual preparation -- seemed like a small harbinger of doom.

Federer wasn't willing to use that as an explanation for his occasionally listless, uncharacteristically error-strewn performace against Djokovic, although he conceded it is the first time he's been sick leading up to a Slam. "I would still rather have it before than during, that's for sure," he said.

<h4 class="io-title">OTL: Federer loses</h4> "Outside the Lines," (ESPN, 3:30 p.m. ET) looks at Roger Federer's shocking loss at the Australian Open and discusses if this loss is good or bad for tennis. OTL

"It might have had an effect on my movement, I don't know. But I definitely didn't feel as quick, you know, as some other times. I practiced really hard. I can't practice much harder in the offseason, so I did everything the right way. And maybe I did pay the price for being a little bit ill. "You know, I like to give credit to my opponent, as well. I don't want to blame it too much on my own play. He came up with the shots at the right time, and that's all I can say, really."

James Knowler/Getty Images

Novak Djokovic, in his second Grand Slam final, will take on unheralded and unseeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

The best explanation is that Federer was simply due. There was going to be an evening when his forehands fell short and he couldn't hold serve, although it was shocking to see him do it four out of five games in one stretch, costing him the first set and any forward momentum in the match. There was going to be a moment when an opponent would lunge across the sideline to fetch a backhand volley he had no business reaching and bend it like Beckham around the net post on break point, as Djokovic did to go up 3-1 in the second set.

There was going to be a big match when one of the talented, hungry players in the pack of bounty hunters after his scalp would cash in on lessons learned in previous losses. Djokovic burned through seven set points when he fell to Federer in the 2007 U.S. Open final. He's clearly a quick study and it wasn't a massive stretch to predict he'd eventually figure out how to lift his game in response.

"The second set, he started just unloading," Federer said. "You know, that's not usually what he does. He can, obviously, and play aggressive. But, not on every shot. The way he played, he picked up every serve. It was fantastic. He did play great.

"Like I said, it cost me the match, maybe not serving it out the first set. That's what happens sometimes when you don't take your chances early on: you'll pay the price later on. That's what happened for me against [Janko] Tipsarevic almost. I just got out of that one."

The monster reared its head during the marathon against the 49th-ranked Tipsarevic, another fearless Serbian who forced Federer into the longest fifth set of his career in the third round. Federer wasn't able to put a stake through his until he came back from 40-0 on Tipsarevic's serve to break him in the 17th game of the set, then served it out. For Federer, who freely admits he'd rather win easily than have his mythology tested, it was another warning bell that he was not at his best.

"But semis is still, you know, pretty good," he pointed out. "But, yeah, I'll analyze and see if I have to make changes for next year. But, honestly, I think I did play pretty good. I didn't play my best throughout the championships, but it was pretty solid, so it was OK."

Hang on -- did he say next year? That's probably no slip of the tongue. Federer was a three-time defending champion here, but the surface changed slightly this year, and he is capable of adjusting his calibrations like no other player. He is planning for the long term.

Federer and Spain's Rafael Nadal have been one-two in the rankings since the middle of the 2005 season, an unprecedented period of lockstep. With Nadal ousted by fiery Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the other semifinal, much will be written and said in the next few days about new blood and a changing of the guard. Djokovic even playfully alluded to the battle for sponsor supremacy, pointing out that the final will be an all-adidas affair, no Nikes allowed.

But beware of declaring this the end of an era. Federer may be contending with a mighty beast as he pursues Pete Sampras' record of 14 Grand Slams, but he's got a lot of beautiful tennis left in him. If he has to contend with more than one significant rival to make history, that would only make the accomplishment more meaningful.

Bonnie D. Ford covers tennis and Olympic sports for ESPN.com. E-mail her at [email protected].

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Serbia comes to a standstill during Djokovic's final win.

Posted by tennisplanet on February 2, 2008

Apparently restaurants and bars across the country were packed to capacity. And when he landed at Belgrade with the trophy, about 15,000 fans gathered to welcome Djokovic while he stood at the city hall balcony.

This has to be a very special moment for people of Serbia. Djokovic is the first Serbian EVER to win a Grand Slam. At barely twenty and given the circumstances, you have to take your hat off for him. And to beat Federer in straight sets en route is just out of this world.

One sign in the crowd said 'See you here after Roland Garros'.

"I am at a loss for words to describe how I feel and I am so grateful you all came to celebrate my victory with me," he said.

"As a child, I stood where you are standing now to admire our great athletes who had won silverware for our country in the past and now here I am. It's a very special feeling."

"I have had a good break and I am now looking forward to the rest of the season in which I hope to move up the rankings if possible."

This victory is going to test his maturity immensely. He will now have access to many places and items, he may not have even imagined himself. He has broken through that ceiling like Safin did. Now he has to prove he has grown enough to handle all the perks that will inevitably flow from this, and not end up as another Safin or Baghdatis.

So far, he has shown admirable restraint, but then he had never won a Grand Slam before. Next few months will severely test his will and hunger to be the best in the world.

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Ferrer Felled From Davis Cup By Achilles Injury

By Francisco Miyagi Sunday, February 03, 2008

Spain will be without its top two-ranked players when it plays Peru in next weekend's first-round Davis Cup tie on the red clay of Lima's Jockey Club. World No. 5 David Ferrer has withdrawn due to a severe strain in the area above his left Achilles.

"He's got a severe strain in the area between the calf and the Achilles' tendon in his left leg," Spanish federation doctor Angel Ruiz-Cotorro told the RFET Web site (www.rfet.es) in comments published by Reuters. "He needs to rest for five or six days and take anti-inflammatories before a new evaluation so he has been ruled out of the trip to Peru."

Left-hander Feliciano Lopez, ranked No. 37, replaces Ferrer and joins 17th-ranked Tommy Robredo, 29th-ranked Fernando Verdasco and 31st-ranked Nicolás Almagro on the Spanish squad. Three-time Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal pulled out of the tie last month.

"I'm feeling a big disappointment because I was working so hard this week, trying to best adapt myself to the clay," Ferrer told the Spanish newspaper Marca. "And this situation is very hard to assume because playing for Spain is always an honor."

Despite the departure of Spain's top-two players, anticipation in Lima for the first-round clash is mounting. Reaching the World Group at Davis Cup for the first time, makes this tie "the most important moment in Peruvian tennis history," Peru's captain Jaime Yzaga said.

Luis Horna (No. 76), Iván Miranda (No. 277), Matías Silva (No. 652) and Mauricio Echazú (No 1,237) will represent Peru in the best-of-five match tie. The winner will play either Korea or Germany in the April 11-13 quarterfinals.

Tennis Week.com contributing writer Francisco Miyagi is in Lima for the upcoming Peru-Spain Davis Cup tie. He is the Director of www.usuariodigital.com.pe.

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Upcoming Events

Feb 11 - Feb 17 Delray Beach International Tennis Championships Delray Beach, Florida, USA Hard

Feb 11 - Feb 17 Brasil Open Costa do Sauipe, Bahia, Brazil Clay

Guillermo Canas

Feb 11 - Feb 17 Open 13 Marseille, France Hard

Gilles Simon

Feb 18 - Feb 24 ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament Rotterdam, the Netherlands Hard

Mikhail Youzhny

Feb 18 - Feb 24 SAP Open San Jose, California, USA Hard Andrew Murray

Feb 25 - Mar 2 Regions Morgan Keegan Championships Memphis, Tennessee, USA Hard Tommy Haas

Feb 25 - Mar 2 PBZ Zagreb Indoors Zagreb, Croatia Carpet Marcos Baghdatis

Feb 25 - Mar 2 Abierto Mexicano Telcel Acapulco, Mexico Clay Juan Chela

Mar 3 - Mar 9 The Tennis Channel Open Las Vegas, Nevada, USA Hard Lleyton Hewitt

Mar 3 - Mar 9 The Dubai Tennis Championships Dubai, United Arab Emirates Hard Roger Federer

Mar 10 - Mar 23 Sony Ericsson Open Miami, Florida, USA Hard Novak Djokovic

Mar 10 - Mar 23 Pacific Life Open Indian Wells, California, USA Hard Rafael Nadal

Apr 14 - Apr 20 Open de Tenis Comunidad Valenciana Valencia, Spain Clay Nicolas Almagro

Apr 14 - Apr 20 Estoril Open Estoril, Portugal Clay Novak Djokovic

Apr 14 - Apr 20 US Men's Clay Court Championship Houston, Texas, USA Clay Ivo Karlovic

Apr 21 - Apr 27 Masters Series Monte-Carlo Monte Carlo, Monaco Clay Rafael Nadal

Apr 28 - May 4 Open SEAT 2008 Barcelona, Spain Clay n/a

Apr 28 - May 4 BMW Open Munich, Germany Clay Philipp Kohlschreiber

Edited February 5, 2008 by mauiguy90

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Americans to take to clay against Austria in Davis Cup

The Austrians are hoping the slow play will neutralize American stars Andy Roddick and James Blake. "That will be a big advantage to us," Jurgen Melzer said Tuesday. "We also picked slow balls so we will see many rallies. Andy Roddick and James Blake don't like that, they want to put balls away as soon as possible."

The best-of-five series starts with singles matches Friday at Ferry-Dusika Stadium. A loud crowd of about 6,500 fans await the Americans this weekend.

"The atmosphere is going to be absolutely thrilling," said Stefan Koubek, Austria's top player at No. 55. "The Americans will really feel they are playing an away match."

The top-ranked doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan also will return for the U.S. team. The quartet helped the U.S. win its record 32nd Davis Cup title last month against Russia.

Koubek and Melzer, ranked 57th, are expected to play singles against No. 6 Roddick and No. 12 Blake.

Melzer will likely team with U.S. Open doubles champion Julian Knowle against the Bryan brothers. Knowle said he has recovered from recent dizzy spells and an elbow injury.

Austria captain Gilbert Schaller knows a raucous crowd can only help their cause.

"It is important that we get a huge tennis party here," Schaller said. "And maybe we can get a happy end for us."

The match between the United States and Austria will be the third in Davis Cup history. The Americans won the previous two, first on clay in Vienna in 1990 and hardcourts in Connecticut in 2004.

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DAVIS CUP

World Group, First Round

February 4, 2008

Djokovic to Play First Match Since Major Triumph © Getty Images

Novak Djokovic this week will play his first match since capturing his maiden Grand Slam title at the Australian Open.

Djokovic will lead Serbia in its Davis Cup World Group first round tie against Russia, who lost to the United States in the final last year.

On Saturday, approximately 15,000 Serbians at City Hall in Belgrade gave the 20-year-old a raucous welcome following his 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(2) win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France in the Australian Open final. Match Report

Photo Gallery: Celebrations in Belgrade

Djokovic helped Serbia win promotion to the 2008 World Group by winning three rubbers in its 4-1 victory over Australia in the play-offs last year.

The World No. 3, who boasts an 11-3 singles record in the international men's team competition, travels to Moscow as part of a four-man squad that includes Janko Tipsarevic, Viktor Troicki and Nenad Zimonjic.

Serbia could have its work cut out against Russia, the two-time winners. Russian captain Shamil Tarpischev has selected World No. 4 Nikolay Davydenko, Chennai champion Mikhail Youzhny, Sydney titlist Dmitry Tursunov and Marat Safin.

Elsewhere, defending champions United States face a first round test against Austria at the Ferry Dusika Hallenstadion in Vienna.

Captain Patrick McEnroe has stuck to the same line-up that earned the United States its 32nd Davis Cup crown. Andy Roddick, James Blake and Bob and Mike Bryan will hope to beat Austria on clay for the first time since 1990.

Richard Gasquet spearheads a strong French squad that include World No. 18 Tsonga for the first time and Australian Open finalists Arnaud Clement and Michael Llodra away to Romania, who is led by 34-year-old Andrei Pavel.

Australian Open doubles champions Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram compete for Israel, contesting its the World Group tie for 13 years, at home to Sweden.

In other first round ties, Auckland winner Philipp Kohlschreiber competes for Germany at home to the Republic of Korea; World No. 9 David Nalbandian leads Argentina against Great Britain in Buenos Aires; first-time World Group nation Peru challenge Spain and the Czech Republic hopes to extend its 6-3 lead over Belgium in Ostrava.

More Information at DavisCup.com

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Fast Start Propels Youzhny Back into Top 10 © Getty Images

While Novak Djokovic grabbed headlines with his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, another player enjoyed a successful start in the opening month of the 2008 season.

Russian Mikhail Youzhny won nine of 10 matches in his first two tournaments, capturing his fourth career ATP title in Chennai and advancing to his second Grand Slam quarterfinal (or better) at the Australian Open.

ATP Profile: Mikhail Youzhny

Youzhny Victorious in Chennai

For his efforts, the 25-year-old Moscow native climbed from No. 19 to a career-high No. 8 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings. He posted a win over No. 2 Rafael Nadal in the Chennai final and beat No. 4 and countryman Nikolay Davydenko in the fourth round at the Australian Open before falling to surprise finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

"Yeah, it's a good start, but the season just started," said Youzhny in Melbourne after defeating Davydenko for the first time in four meetings. "I have had some good matches, but...you always want more."

Youzhny and Davydenko will lead Russia into this weekend's first round Davis Cup tie against Djokovic and the rest of his Serbian teammates in Moscow. The last time two Russians ranked among the Top 8 was Oct. 31, 2005 when Marat Safin was No. 5 and Davydenko No. 8. Last year Russia finished runner-up to the U.S. by reaching the Davis Cup final for the second straight year (d. Argentina in '06). The last country to reach three straight Cup finals was Australia from 1999-2001.

While Youzhny broke the Top 10 for the first time last August, he was there for one week before dropping out. This time he plans to stay in the Top 10 a bit longer.

After the Davis Cup tie, Youzhny will return to ATP competition next week in Marseille and he will defend his Rotterdam title later this month before going on to Dubai where he reached last year's final.

Youzhny is hoping his hot starts (18-5 in '07) the last two seasons will continue throughout the year. He finished with a career-best 50-24 match record last year and No. 19 ranking, his second Top 20 season-ending result (No. 16 in '04).

Youzhny is one of the ATP's most versatile players on all surfaces, compiling records of 24-13 on hard, 15-8 on clay, 6-2 on carpet and 5-1 on grass, last season. During his seven year-plus Grand Slam career, he's advanced to the fourth round or better at each Slam tournament.

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Israel Edge Into Lead; Serbia Fights Back; USA Wins © Getty Images

ISRAEL 2, SWEDEN 1

World No. 9 doubles pairing Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram gave Israel a 2-1 lead over Sweden after a 6-3, 7-6(3), 7-5 victory against Simon Aspelin and Robert Lindstedt.

Australian Open champions Erlich and Ram converted four of eight break points and hit 44 winners to just 16 unforced errors to secure victory over the Swedes in two hours and 25 minutes.

Erlich and Ram, who are Israel's most successful doubles pairing in the competition, now have a 10-3 Davis Cup doubles record together. On Friday, Dudi Sela gave Israel the lead, before Thomas Johansson's victory over Harel Levy saw the tie all square overnight. Israel now just needs to win one of the reverse singles rubbers to be played on Sunday to book its place in the World Group quarterfinals in April.

RUSSIA 2, SERBIA 1

Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic recovered from illness to pair up with Stanford ATP Doubles World No. 7 Nenad Zimonjic to hand Serbia a lifeline in its tie against Russia as the duo defeated Mikhail Youzhny (a late replacement for Marat Safin) and Dmitry Tursunov 6-3, 7-6(6), 7-6(5).

After losing both opening singles rubbers on Friday, Serbia had to win to keep the tie alive and two breaks of serve and 31 winners helped them to secure the doubles rubber in two hours and 37 minutes.

Going into the final day's play, Serbia trails 2-1 in Moscow and must win both reverse singles rubbers to complete the comeback and book its spot in the quarterfinals. Djokovic is scheduled to play first against Davydenko on Sunday.

GERMANY 2, KOREA, REP. 1

Philipp Kohlschreiber and Philipp Petzschner joined up to nudge Germany in front as they defeated Woong-Sun Jan and Jae-Sung An 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 in Germany on Saturday.

The German pair converted all seven break point opportunities they held and hit 63 winners to just 10 unforced errors in sealing victory in one hour and 24 minutes. Germany now goes into the final day's singles with a 2-1 advantage. Kohlschreiber will play first against Hyung-Taik Lee.

UNITED STATES 3, AUSTRIA 0

ATP World Doubles No. 1 pairing Bob and Mike Bryan put the United States into the Davis Cup world group quarterfinals with a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Jurgen Melzer and Julian Knowle in Vienna on Saturday.

The American twins hit 35 winners to just 10 unforced errors and converted five of 12 break points to stroll to victory in one hour and 29 minutes. The Bryans now have a 14-1 Davis Cup doubles record together,

With victories for Andy Roddick and James Blake in Friday's singles rubbers, the USA now holds an unassailable 3-0 lead in the tie and will play a home tie against France in the quarterfinals. The United States won the Davis Cup last year, defeating Russia in the final.

FRANCE 3, ROMANIA 0

Reigning Wimbledon champions Arnaud Clement and Michael Llodra sealed France's victory over Romania after working harder than expected to defeat Florin Mergea and Horia Tecau 6-3, 6-4, 6-7(6), 3-6, 6-2. In the third set the Frenchmen held one match point in the 10th game and one more in the tie-break, but they were unable to close out the match in straight sets.

France will next meet defending champion USA on American soil in the quarterfinals.

Clement and Llodra are playing just their second event of 2008 together. They reached the Australian Open final in Melbourne last month (l. Erlich/Ram).

ARGENTINA 3, GREAT BRITAIN 0

Argentina powered into the quarterfinals for the seventh consecutive season after Jose Acasuso and David Nalbandian defeated Ross Hutchins and Jamie Murray 6-2, 7-6(11), 6-0. Argentina next faces the winner of Israel and Sweden, whom the Argentines lost to in last year's quarterfinals.

CZECH REPUBLIC 3, BELGIUM 0

After taking a 2-0 lead on Day 1, the Czech Republic went for the kill Saturday against Belgium, bringing in big guns Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek for the doubles rubber. Berdych and Stepanek won a four hour, 21 minute epic against Kristof Vliegen and Olivier Rochus 6-7(2), 7-6(6), 7-5, 5-7, 6-4. The Czechs will next play the winner of Russia and Serbia.

SPAIN 3, PERU 0

Spain advanced to the quarterfinals after Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco defeated Luis Horna and Ivan Miranda 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4), which gave the visiting team an unassailable 3-0 lead. The Spaniards will play the winner of Germany and Korea.

The Spaniards have won all nine sets on the first three days of competition.

Friday: Defending Champions in Control; Argentina Holds Aces

Friday: Russia And France Make Perfect Starts

[mauiguy90]

Federer's Secret Coach? From Katie. Thanks.

Posted by tennisplanet on February 9, 2008

Katie |

Nice article on Federer and his friend Reto.

Federer's Secret Coach?: Longtime friend a source of advice

By James Martin

Reto Staubli, a longtime friend and former national player in Switzerland, has often served as tennis advisor and sounding board for Federer, who has been without a coach for long periods during his career.

© AP

In the third set of the 2004 Wimbledon final, Roger Federer found himself tied at one set all, but down 2-4 to an in-the-zone Andy Roddick. That's when rain forced the players off the court. Roddick huddled with his coach, Brad Gilbert. Who did Federer seek out? A proprietary trader at Credit Suisse named Reto Staubli, a good friend who, as the world No. 1 put it after the match, "also used to play tennis a bit." Staubli's advice: Start charging the net.

It was a turning point. Federer won in four sets. That's right, a banker helped save Federer that day. In fact, he's been supporting Federer as a friend and informal advisor for the last four years.

Staubli, 37, met 14-year-old Federer in 1995. Back then, Staubli, who played at a club in Basel, was one of the best players in Switzerland, he says. "Roger wanted to watch the elders play," Staubli says. "It was interesting for him to see good-level tennis."

Who was better? "We never had an official match, but in practice I was much better than him," says Staubli, who had no plans to travel to Australia this year, where Federer lost in the semifinals. "But two years later, he was already better."

Fast forward to the end of 2003: Federer was about to part ways with his coach, Peter Lundgren, but was concerned about traveling to the 2004 Australian Open without an adviser. He gave Staubli a call. "We were close, even back then, and Roger was just 22, not as mature as he is now," Staubli says. "He knew I was a good player, [and that I] knew the game."

Staubli ended up traveling to 10 events that year and watching Federer win three Slams. While he wasn't paid for his efforts, Staubli says, "It was an unbelievable collaboration . . . the most amazing experience."

Federer hired Tony Roche as a part-time advisor in 2005 but has again been coachless since the two split last May.

Staubli has curtailed his travel, but he gets time off to attend big events, such as Miami and the U.S. Open. At tournaments, Staubli and Federer discuss his opponents. "It helps for him to talk things through," says Staubli, who also attends many of Federer's weekend matches in Europe.

"Reto is a great friend," Federer says, "and has been extremely helpful to me during the most difficult times in my career."

While not much rattles Federer, Staubli says that his buddy was clearly nervous before last year's Wimbledon final. He also says that Federer could have a second career as a coach. "He knows all about the players, why certain grips and techniques might be wrong, all the strategies," Staubli says. "He could be an unbelievable coach."

Federer, a better coach than player? That's a scary thought.

This story appears in the March issue of TENNIS magazine.

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Open 13 Tournament(France) draw completed; Possible Djokovic-Tsonga rematch

The draw ceremony of the 2008 Open 13 has been completed this Saturday February 9^th at the Palais des Sports de Marseille.

Number 1 seed Novak Djokovic will have a tough possible second round versus Gilles Simon as well as a rough quarterfinal match versus Paul-Henri Mathieu.

Scottsmen Andy Murray will also be challenged. A first round match versus a qualifier should put him through to the second round. It will then be the winner of Grosjean-Wawrinka followed by Juan-Carlos Ferrero in the quarters.

The bottom half of the draw has 2007 runner-up Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus face-off Russian talent Mikhail Youzhny in the quarters, whereas Richard Gasquet seeded number 2 should clash with teammate and friend Jo-Wildfried Tsonga for a spot in the semis.

Projected quarter finals:

Djokovic (SER, 1) - Mathieu (FRA, 8)

Murray (GBR, 4) - Ferrero (ESP, 5)

Youzhny (RUS, 3) - Baghdatis (CYP, 6)

Gasquet (FRA, 2) - Tsonga (FRA, 8)

Edited February 11, 2008 by mauiguy90

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Russia, Germany, Sweden join other Davis Cup quarterfinalists

LONDON (AP) -Russia took advantage of an ailing Novak Djokovic to reach the quarterfinals of the Davis Cup on Sunday, when Germany and Sweden also advanced.

The United States, Argentina, the Czech Republic, Spain and France all reached the quarterfinals on Saturday.

The Russians, who lost to the U.S. in last year's final, earned their decisive point in the 3-2 win over Serbia when Djokovic withdrew from the first reverse singles match despite leading Nikolay Davydenko 6-4, 6-3, 4-6.

``I decided to stop because I don't want to risk my health,'' the Australian Open champion said. ``I wanted to fight. I tried to play, but in the end I was aware of the fact that I am very dizzy and I have a lack of energy. I just didn't want to continue because of the risk I had.''

Sweden rallied to beat Israel 3-2, winning both reverse singles matches Sunday, and Philipp Kohlschreiber gave Germany the winning point in a 3-2 win over South Korea in the best-of-five series by beating Lee Hyung-taik 6-0, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (1).

Djokovic, who was playing his first singles match since winning the Australian Open, withdrew from the opening singles Friday because of the flu. But he played doubles Saturday, partnering with Nenad Zimonjic to give Serbia its first point.

Russia will play the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals in April. The Czechs lost both reverse singles matches Sunday but still beat Belgium 3-2.

The United States, which won its record 32nd Davis Cup title last year, took a 4-1 victory on clay at Austria. The U.S. will face France in the next round.

Stefan Koubek earned Austria's lone point when Mike Bryan retired while trailing 7-5, 1-0. Bryan's brother Bob, the other half of the winning doubles team, defeated Werner Eschauer 6-0, 3-6, 7-6 (3) in the final match.

The French team swept Romania 5-0 with Michael Llodra and Arnaud Clement winning Sunday.

Thomas Johansson and Jonas Bjorkman kept Sweden in the competition at Israel. Johansson defeated Dudi Sela 7-6, 6-1, 7-5 to even the score at 2-2 and Bjorkman recovered from a horrible first set to beat Harel Levy 0-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (6).

The Swedes, who reached the semifinals last year, will play Argentina in the quarterfinals.

The Argentines beat Britain 4-1, with Jose Acasuso defeating Alex Bogdanovic 7-5, 7-5 in the first reverse singles match and Jamie Baker giving the visitors a point by beating Agustin Calleri 7-6 (7), 6-4 in the second.

Kohlschreiber got his third win of the series to help Germany advance past South Korea, serving two aces in the fourth set tiebreaker.

``The whole week has been great for me,'' Kohlschreiber said. ``I dominated from the start.''

The Germans played without Tommy Haas, who has a shoulder injury.

Germany next gets Spain, which led 3-0 at Peru ahead of Sunday's reverse singles matches.

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'Baby Federer' Shakes Off Growing Pains

© Getty Images

By GEORGES HOMSI

Published: January 10, 2008

In the eyes of French fans, Gasquet's fragility did not compare favorably with the iron man feats of Rafael Nadal

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From the tender age of nine, Richard Gasquet has been touted as a future World No. 1. His game is so technically complete that he has been dubbed 'Baby Federer,' and at 21 he is one of just three active players to have won titles on all surfaces. He finished 2007 ranked No. 8, yet some French fans still doubt he is destined for greatness.

As a bookend to his breakout year in 2007, it was not the grand finale that Richard Gasquet had in mind.

With a shot at the Tennis Masters Cup semifinals at stake, the young Frenchman suffers a crushing 6-1, 6-1 defeat at the hands of Spanish revelation David Ferrer. Gasquet is as groggy as a boxer reeling from an uppercut as the French media bombard him with questions. "What can I say? Ferrer is the toughest player for me to face. I'd rather play Federer or Nadal," says the 21-year-old native of Sérignan, a small city in the south of France known for its laid-back attitude, warm hospitality and passion for rugby.

After an inspired debut in Shanghai, which saw him force Nadal to three sets, then outplay world No. 3 Novak Djokovic, Gasquet looked every bit a Top 10 player before being humbled by the rampaging Ferrer. Asked whether finishing a career-best No. 8 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings was the realization of a lifelong dream, Gasquet, seemingly a little irritated, replied: "Yes it is! It's not my ultimate goal, but a dream come true, yes, absolutely. I don't care about people who think that I should be higher ranked, and that I'm not fulfilling my potential. It's great for me, my parents, my coach, and those close to me because, believe me, reaching the Top 10 is anything but easy."

Like Tim Henman, who throughout his career was criticized in Great Britain for failing to win Wimbledon, Gasquet is the victim of a reputation he developed at an extremely young age: that of a potential world No. 1. At age nine, he was featured on the cover of France's Tennis magazine with the caption: "Is Richard G the champion France is eagerly waiting for?"

The tone was set - at least in the eyes of tennis fans. Privately, the Gasquet family knew his path would be long and hard. "In spite of his exceptional results back then, he never became big headed. He never took those results as a guarantee that he would make it on the professional Tour," says his father, Francis.

Gasquet captured the junior titles at Roland Garros and Wimbledon in 2002 at age 16 and soon after was crowned Junior World Champion. Earlier that year Gasquet became the youngest player in more than 10 years to win a main draw ATP match when, after advancing from qualifying, he took out World No. 54 Franco Squillari in the first round of Masters Series Monte Carlo. He was just 15 years, 10 months old. Many viewed that victory as his long-predicted professional breakthrough. But Gasquet wasn't yet ready to find his way on the ATP Tour. Physically his body was far from strong enough to sustain the demands of playing at that level week-in-week-out, and the weight of expectations took its toll.

And, as a growing boy competing in a man's arena, injuries didn't spare him. When, on a few occasions, he wilted before the conclusion of hard-fought matches because of exhaustion, extreme heat, or physical distress, he was quickly labeled a quitter. In the eyes of French fans, Gasquet's fragility did not compare favorably with the iron man feats of Rafael Nadal, just 15 days older than Gasquet, but with a body of a hardened veteran.

"The comparison with Nadal was not always easy to accept, but it motivated Richard to set even higher goals for himself," Gasquet's father says. Francis taught his son the basics of tennis with a technique so pure that Gasquet was quickly dubbed the "Mozart of French tennis." "He was always so intent on reaching technical perfection, that sometimes he was making things harder for himself," says Francis. "A few years ago, he played very well in the South American clay swing, and I was able to get the tape of his best matches. We watched them together, and I was surprised at how disappointed he was at seeing himself missing a forehand here or there."

1 | 2 | NEXT PAGE

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What Next for Nalbandian?

© Getty Images

By JORGE VIALE

Published: January 10, 2008

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Fabrice Santoro's Spellbook

Donald Young's Baptism By Fire

Jonas Bjorkman: Making It Count

After years of under delivering on his vast potential, David Nalbandian is ready to live up to his promise.

We're in Villa del Dique, a small town of around 2,800 people in Cordoba, Argentina. David Nalbandian has interrupted his three-week holiday to attend an unusual press conference: He has been invited by Luis Santos, his first tennis coach, to deliver a speech to 100 children, revealing his secrets of how to beat both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

A jovial Nalbandian also relates how he came to be a tennis player. The tale is one of an undecided boy who played soccer when tennis bored him, who enjoyed watching rally car competitions in his hometown, but who later learned that he could make a career by wielding a racquet. "When I was 11, I would switch between tennis and other sports," Nalbandian recalls. "Three years later, I would be playing for four hours against older people. I was a total tennis fan. Today, I just practise for an hour and a half, but focusing on what I need to improve. Those are different stages in your career."

Suddenly, a girl stands up and raises her voice to ask a crucial question: "Next year, are you going to be focused only on tennis?" Grinning, Nalbandian promptly answers: "Yes, as always." The room erupts with laughter.

As someone who until recently had relatively little to show for his prodigious talent, the response was like a bittersweet joke. Despite finishing no lower than No. 12 for five consecutive years between 2002-06, the Argentine had won just five ATP titles, with his 2005 Tennis Masters Cup final triumph over an injured Roger Federer his only victory at Masters Series or Grand Slam level. He reached the Wimbledon final in 2002 and a year later held match point against eventual champion Andy Roddick in the US Open semifinals, but his game that promised so much had delivered so little in terms of hard results.

That is why 2007 was shaping as such a bitter season for Nalbandian, who at 25, should have been hitting his peak. In mid October, with just three weeks to play before his miserable season was over, Nalbandian came into ATP Masters Series Madrid at No. 25 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings after reaching just one quarterfinal (Barcelona) all year.

But in one of the most dramatic performances in recent memory, Nalbandian became the first player to defeat World No. 1 Roger Federer and World No. 2 Rafael Nadal in the same tournament on two occasions en route to winning back-to-back ATP Masters Series titles in Madrid and Paris and finishing the year inside the Top 10 (at No. 9) for the fifth straight year. To the relief of all eight competitors at Tennis Masters Cup, Nalbandian missed a place in Shanghai by one spot. "I don't know what the hel_l he's been doing all the other tournaments," Federer quipped.

So which David Nalbandian will show up in 2008: the one who over promises, or the one who over delivers? Certainly the goals are lofty, starting with a quest to break the Grand Slam domination of Federer and Nadal, who have shared the past 11 majors since Marat Safin won the 2005 Australian Open after saving match point against Federer in the semifinals.

"My first Grand Slam, an Olympic medal in Beijing and the Davis Cup," Nalbandian says of his ambitious hit-list for 2008. "Each one represents a different satisfaction - the first one, rather individual; the others would mean to leave my mark on the sport's history in Argentina.

Nalbandian, who turned 26 on January 1, is more tentative assessing his chances to become No.1, but still brings the subject to the table. "I'll go for it, no doubt. Of course, it's extremely difficult. What Federer does is out of this world, winning almost every tournament he plays. But at least I will say I'm going to try."

Spaniard Alex Corretja, another former Tennis Masters Cup champion, certainly sees further improvement for Nalbandian in 2008. "The creativity Nalbandian shows on court is astonishing. Next year, he should at least be in the Top 5." [Nalbandian has never finished in the year-end Top 5. Indeed, he has finished higher than No. 8 just once - in 2005 when he ended at No. 6.]

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Ancic knocks out Tsonga, Djokovic wins

MARSEILLE, France (AP) -Nicolas Mahut upset Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (1) to reach the quarterfinals of the Open 13 on Wednesday.

Also, Mario Ancic of Croatia, in his first match of the year after a stomach illness, stunned Australian Open finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-5, 7-6 (3). Ancic earned the only service break at 5-5 in the first set.

Top three seeds Novak Djokovic, Richard Gasquet, and Mikhail Youzhny won in straight sets to advance to the second round.

Fifth-seeded Ferrero won more points than Mahut, but the Frenchman made the difference at crunch time, taking Ferrero's serve twice in the tiebreaker for a 4-0 lead before converting his first match point at 6-1.

Australian Open champion Djokovic cruised past Croatian qualifier Ivan Dodig 6-1, 6-4 without showing any of the flu symptoms that forced him to retire in Serbia's Davis Cup tie with Russia last weekend.

He will next play defending champion Gilles Simon, who beat David Guez 6-2, 6-4.

Gasquet, the No. 2 seed, had 17 aces to best Simone Bolelli of Italy 6-3, 6-3, while third-seeded Youzhny edged Marin Cilic of Croatia 6-4, 7-6 (3).

In other matches, Michael Llodra of France defeated Andreas Seppi of Italy 6-2, 7-6 (5), and Ivo Karlovic of Croatia beat Feliciano Lopez of Spain 6-7 (6), 7-5, 7-6 (4) in 2 hours, 10 minutes.

Karlovic will face Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus in the second round while Llodra will take on Paul-Henri Mathieu.