TENNIS FAN CLUB: 2009

Sharapova gets past Kutuzova at Wimbledon

2 hrs 3 mins ago

WIMBLEDON, England – Maria Sharapova has overcome a poor start to beat Viktoriya Kutuzova in the first round at Wimbledon.

Sharapova rallied from two breaks down in the first set before winning 7-5, 6-4 on Monday.

The former top-ranked Russian trailed 4-1 and 5-3 in the first set before winning the last four games.

Both players struggled to hold serve in the second. Sharapova broke Kutuzova for a 5-3 lead to serve for the match, but was broken at love. The 2004 champion then broke again, converting her first match point when Kutuzova netted a backhand.

Roof stays open, Federer wins to start Wimbledon

By STEVEN WINE, AP Sports Writer Steven Wine, Ap Sports Writer – 28 mins ago

WIMBLEDON, England – The new roof wasn't tested. Roger Federer was — briefly.

The retractable roof stayed open Monday for the first match on Centre Court at Wimbledon, and Federer fell behind early before charging past Yen-hsun Lee of Taiwan, 7-5, 6-3, 6-2.

Federer failed to convert his first four break-point chances, then lost serve to trail 3-2. But he immediately broke back, broke again in the final game of the first set and dominated from there.

"I thought I played really well," Federer said. "My opponent was tough."

Bidding for his sixth Wimbledon title, Federer won for the 41st time in his past 42 matches at the All England Club. The lone loss came in last year's final to Rafael Nadal, a match hailed by some as the sport's best ever.

The tournament began in cloudy but dry weather. When it rains, the translucent roof on the 87-year-old stadium will be closed so play can continue.

"I guess the moment will come that I'll play indoors here," Federer said. "But you don't really hope for it during the match."

Playing second on Centre Court was two-time champion Serena Williams, who lost only nine points on her serve and beat qualifier Neuza Silva 6-1, 7-5. The No. 2-seeded Williams, runner-up to her sister Venus a year ago, improved to 5-5 since starting the year 21-2.

"I'm just happy to have a win under my belt here," Williams said. "I was a little nervous going into the match."

Maria Sharapova, the 2004 women's champion, won the final four games of the first set and beat qualifier Viktoriya Kutuzova 7-5, 6-4.

"She's a very aggressive player," Sharapova said. "She went for many shots very freely and loosely, and I was just trying to hold on."

Sharapova, making a comeback from shoulder surgery last October, saved a set point in the opening set with a forehand winner and later shook off two awkward spills behind the baseline.

The first seeded player to lose was No. 17 James Blake, who was beaten by Andreas Seppi 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (5). Blake failed to convert a set point in the third set and squandered a 5-love lead in the tiebreaker.

Blake also lost in the first round at the French Open last month.

"I still feel like I can play with anyone in the world, but it's just for some reason lately it has been very inconsistent," he said. "I know I still have the ability. It's just frustrating, because it's happening at big tournaments where I'm having my not-so-good performances."

Another American, No. 28-seeded Mardy Fish, never lost serve and led 6-3, 6-2, 4-1 when Sergio Roitman retired with a right shoulder injury.

For the first match on an immaculate Centre Court, Federer entered sporting a sleek new white warmup outfit with gold trim that included a jacket with a turned-up collar, a vest, slacks and two-toned shoes. The crowd roared when he appeared, and he responded with a wave and smile.

There were more cheers — and a few whistles of approval — when he removed his jacket to reveal the vest.

"Kind of a little bit more modern look — a bit more military jacket this time, but obviously staying true to Wimbledon with the white colors," Federer said. "I hope people like it."

By the time the match started, Federer had stripped down to shorts and a short-sleeve shirt. He was assigned to play the first match on Centre Court after defending men's champion Nadal withdrew Friday because of sore knees.

"Rafa deserves it obviously more than I do this year," Federer said. "But somebody had to do it, so I'm very happy that they chose me. It gets your heart beating, that's for sure."

The No. 2-seeded Swiss is a strong favorite to win a record-breaking 15th major title.

After being broken early, Federer held every service game. He finished with 10 unforced errors and hit 42 winners from all over the court.

One winner was a running backhand from several steps beyond the sideline, which he ripped up the line into the corner to win the point. It was a spectacular shot even by Federer's standards, and the stoic Swiss celebrated with a raised fist as the crowd roared.

Nadal vows to bounce back from Wimbledon withdrawal

by Steve Griffiths Steve Griffiths – Fri Jun 19, 8:34 pm ET

LONDON (AFP) – World number one Rafael Nadal insists his decision to withdraw from Wimbledon is not a sign that his powers are on the wane.

Nadal opted not to defend his All England Club title after accepting that he would be performing at less than 100 percent because he has yet to fully recover from knee tendinitis.

The Spaniard has been dogged by the problem for several years as a result of his all-action style and love of playing on clay courts.

He admitted pulling out was the toughest moment of his career but said that he is convinced he can return better than ever.

"I had physical problems in two of the most important tournaments for me, Roland Garros and Wimbledon, so it is tough to accept for me," Nadal said.

"I am going to work very hard to come back as soon as possible and when I do, I want to come back with 100 percent right both mentality and physically.

"One of the big problems now is that when I am playing, I am thinking more about the knees than the game. It is difficult to play like this. I want to come back feeling 100 percent.

"It is not a chronic problem. I can recover for sure."

Just 12 months after savouring his first Wimbledon title after a thrilling five-set victory over Roger Federer, it was a far more sombre Nadal who drove away from the south-west London venue this time.

Ending Federer's five-year reign as Wimbledon champion had been a crowning achievement for Nadal, who already had four French Open titles on his CV.

But Federer has already taken over as French Open champion and now he is the firm favourite to regain the Wimbledon title as well.

Australian Open champion Nadal, the fourth man not to defend the Wimbledon crown in the modern era, was desperate to fight for the trophy but he acknowledged there was no way his knees would have stood up to two weeks of gruelling action.

"When I enter a tournament like Wimbledon I want to try to win but my feeling right now is that I am not ready to win," he said.

"Not playing Wimbledon was one of the toughest decisions of my career. But the situation makes the decision a little bit easier.

"I don't feel I am ready to approach a tournament as important as Wimbledon.

"I have decided that I just cannot play this tournament this year. I tried everything, I worked very hard in the last weeks to arrive here in the best condition.

"Friday's match was the last test and although I didn't feel terrible I was not close to my best.

"It is tough but at the same time, I have no option. I don't feel ready to compete at 100 percent for two weeks.

"I have played with some problems on the knees for the last few months.

"Now I am going to be out for some time but I don't know how long. I arrived at one of the most important moments in the year in my worst condition."

Venus is simply the best says sister Serena

by Steve Griffiths Steve Griffiths – Sat Jun 20, 12:21 pm ET

LONDON (AFP) – Serena Williams has saluted her sister Venus Williams as the best grass-court player of her generation as the Americans prepare to continue their dominance at Wimbledon.

Between them the Williams sisters have won seven of the last nine women's singles titles at the All-England Club, but it is Venus, with five victories compared to Serena's two, who has reigned supreme on the lush lawns of south-west London.

If Venus can retain the title for a third successive year she will become the first women since Steffi Graf to complete a hat-trick of Wimbledon crowns.

But even if Venus never wins another match at Wimbledon, Serena, who was beaten by her sister in last year's final, insists she is already firmly established as the best on grass in the last 20 years.

"I think she has proven herself to be the best grass court player in our generation," Serena said.

"She has an amazing serve and I think that helps a lot. She has an amazing return and she's really fast. She has long arms, so she just gets everything back.

"It's hard playing a player like that, especially on the grass when it's, you know, a faster surface and have you that much less time to react.

"She's an extremely smart player as well, so she's always thinking and knowing what to do."

Aside from the Williams sisters attempt to turn Wimbledon into their own private tournament, the main focus this year will be on the game's scream queens.

The issue has been a constant complaint for purists since Monica Seles made screaming a hot topic at Wimbledon in the 1990s. Portugal's Michelle Larcher de Brito, 16, is the latest noise-maker after grunting so loudly during a French Open match recently that her opponent claimed to the umpire.

The International Tennis Federation even admitted they were considering making "noise hindrance" part of its code of conduct, but Serena is adamant she has never been affected by noisy opponents.

"I grunt sometimes and sometimes I don't. But I've never been one that was out there going for the loudest grunt," Serena said.

"It's definitely not conscious. It's the effort level. I think I always give a hundred percent, but sometimes I'm so zoned I don't grunt. Sometimes I'm so zoned that I do grunt.

"I hope it wouldn't bother me (if an opponent grunts). That wouldn't be a good thing. I just try to focus mainly on what I'm doing on the side of the court that I'm on."

Venus sets her sights on Wimbledon hat-trick

by Steve Griffiths Steve Griffiths – Sun Jun 21, 8:24 pm ET

LONDON (AFP) – Venus Williams has history in her sights as the American aims to cement her place among the grasscourt greats by completing a hat-trick of Wimbledon triumphs this year.

Williams will become only the fourth woman since the 1960s to claim three successive titles at the All England Club if she retains the aptly Venus Rosewater Dish, joining Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean King in the elite list of treble champions.

Few would bet against the 29-year-old who has reached seven Wimbledon finals in the last decade.

This is the time of year Venus relishes most. While she has never won the Australian or French Opens, Wimbledon has been a love-affair almost from first sight.

But for sister Serena's two victories over her in the 2002 and 2003 finals, Venus would be closing in on Navratilova's record of nine singles titles.

That target is still within sight and Venus said: "That would be the ultimate. Her career spanned three decades, so I'm not sure if I have that much time.

"But if I did (play that long), I think I would definitely dream of that."

Serena knows more about Venus's qualities than anyone on the WTA Tour and she believes her sister is the woman to beat once again.

"I think she's everyone's worry. She has proven herself to be the best grasscourt player in our generation," Serena said. "She has an amazing serve and return. It's hard to play someone like that on grass."

The strongest challenge to Venus's dominance is likely to come from across the breakfast table at her Wimbledon base in the leafy south-west London village.

As ever with Serena, results in the lesser Tour events are no indicator of her ability to win Grand Slams, as she proved by failing to win a single tournament since January's victory at the Australian Open.

It is six years since Serena last won Wimbledon but on her day the world number two still has the beating of any of her peers - including Venus.

The same can't be said of world number one Dinara Safina, who will travel to London rocked after compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova thrashed her in the French Open final.

Safina has risen to the top of the womens' rankings without landing a Grand Slam victory.

The 23-year-old Russian may not fancy her chances of ending that frustrating run at Wimbledon as she has yet to make it past the third round.

If Safina can't dethrone Venus, the biggest threat could come from elsewhere in eastern Europe.

Maria Sharapova, the 2004 champion, is working her way back up the rankings after returning to the Tour in May following 10 months on the sidelines with a persistent shoulder injury.

The Russian insists her desire to succeed burns as brightly as ever.

"I've always been a fighter," she said. "If I was mentally weak I wouldn't be doing this, I'd be on some island with a nice cold pina colada. But there is no better feeling than waving to the crowd after you've won."

Another challenger should be Kuznetsova, whose morale is sky-high after her Roland Garros triumph, while world number four Elena Dementieva, a two-time Grand Slam finalist, reached the semi-finals last year.

There is no shortage of motivation for Serbian duo Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic, who both failed to make it past the fourth round last year despite being seeded one and two respectively, and have struggled since.

Attention will also be focued on 16-year-old Michelle Larcher de Brito, whose high-pitch on-court screeching has led the International Tennis Federation to consider making "noise hindrance" part of its code of conduct.

Venus says she's not the retiring type

LONDON (AFP) – Venus Williams has warned her rivals that she has not even entertained the thought of retiring while she remains at the pinnacle of women's tennis.

Williams is preparing to defend her Wimbledon Singles title this week, a Grand Slam she has made her own since claiming her first crown in 2000.

Last year's final success against sister Serena was her fifth in the English capital and she is also aiming for a hat-trick of titles this year, having defeated Marion Bartoli in 2007.

Williams, who turned 29 last week, is at the age when most players start contemplating a life away from the court, but the Floridian insists she has targeted success until at least 2012, when when she hopes to return to London to compete in the Summer Olympics.

"I'm still here and I don't think I'm going to be leaving any time soon," she said. "It's been a real blessing to be a success here and to still be playing great tennis at this point in my career.

"I still think I'm capable of playing here for many years to come - I hope so, at least.

"I'm going to be 30 next year, so why not? I do see myself coming back and I see myself coming here in Olympics year, 2012, which really isn't that far off. To win more gold medals would be incredible, that's my favourite event."

Williams may have made Centre Court her own in the 21st century, but she still needs five more Singles titles to overtake the all-time record holder, Martina Navratilova.

Williams insists she is not motivated by the thought of becoming the most successful woman ever to grace the grass of south-west London, although she is acutely aware of her place in the tournament's illustrious history.

"It's incredible, looking up at those names on the champions board, and see a good number by your own name," she added.

"It's great to be a part of that history and if I can step it up a notch, it will be even more of an honour. But I guess it will mean even more every year I achieve something here.

"Everyone asks about Martina's number: her achievements are amazing but I have my own achievements. It's not like I'm aiming to go higher than her - it's just all about what I can achieve."

Federer off to a flier on new-look centre court

by Angus MacKinnon Angus Mackinnon – 1 hr 21 mins ago

LONDON (AFP) – Roger Federer's bid for a record 15th Grand Slam title got underway in familiar fashion as the five-times champion settled into Wimbledon's new-look centre court with a straight sets demolition of Taiwan's Lu Yen-Hsun.

Federer, a strong favourite in the absence of injured champion Rafael Nadal, recovered from going a break down early in the first set to win 7-5, 6-3, 6-2 and set up a second round meeting with Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, who had a similarly straightforward win over Argentina's Agustin Calleri.

Fine, dry conditions ensured there was no need of the new retractable roof that has been installed above Wimbledon's most famous court as part of an 80-million-pound upgrade.

Federer also went largely untested once he had recovered from netting a straightforward backhand to gift his opponent a break in the fifth game of the match.

The Swiss broke back immediately and, after clinching the first set with a 12th-game break, improved steadily as the match wore on.

World number one Nadal, who beat Federer in a classic final last year, has opted not to defend his after failing to fully recover from knee tendinitis in time.

James Blake, who had arrived here with high hopes after finishing as runner-up to Andy Murray at Queen's, became the first major casualty in the men's draw when he suffered a surprise straight sets defeat at the hands of Andreas Seppi.

The Italian beat the 17th seed 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) to advance to the second round and leave the American scratching his head over his failure to make an impact here.

"After Queen's I really thought I a great chance to do very well," he admitted. "It's been my worst slam and I just don't understand why."

Maria Sharapova was the first of the leading women to take to the All England club's lawns and the 2004 champion quickly found herself in trouble, trailing 1-4 and 3-5 in the first set to Ukrainian qualifier Viktoriya Kutuzova.

The Russian recovered however to win 7-5, 6-4 and set up a second round meeting with Argentina's Gisela Dulko, one of the few women who can compete with her in the glamour stakes.

There was disappointment for the home supporters when 15-year-old Laura Robson, last year's junior champion, lost in three sets to former world number five Daniela Hantuchova.

Robson, born in Melbourne to English parents, had looked set to create a significant upset after claiming the first set and going a break up in the second.

But Hantuchova, a quarter-finalist here in 2002, made her experience tell as the teenager's left-handed serve began to faulter, finally winning 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Indian star Sania Mirza also made it into the second round, courtesy of a 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 win over big-hitting German Anna-Lena Groenefeld, as did China's Zheng Jie, a surprise semi-finalist here last year.

Zheng battled to a 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/4) first round victory over Kristina Barrois and will now face Hantuchova for a third round slot.

There was a nod to the grim economic context with organisers announcing a freeze on the price of the strawberries and cream at last year's levels: although a punnet of "no less than ten" at 2.25 pounds (3.60 dollars) the tournament's favourite snack was still not everyone's idea of a credit crunch bargain.

Sharapova slips into Wimbledon second round

1 hr 19 mins ago

LONDON (AFP) – Former champion Maria Sharapova, who has already written off her chances of a Wimbledon repeat as she feels her way back from a shoulder injury, moved into the second round on Monday.

The Russian, seeded 24, battled to a 7-5, 6-4 win over Ukrainian qualifier Viktoriya Kutuzova and will now face fellow tour glamour girl, Argentina's Gisela Dulko for a place in the last 32.

Sharapova showed no signs of the shoulder trouble which sidelined her for 10 months with her most pressing problem being keeping her feet on the slippy Court One grass which prompted two awkward falls.

"It's wonderful to be back playing here after such a long time. It was great to pull it off against a good opponent," said Sharapova, whose ranking is 60 following her absence from the tour.

"She didn't give me any rhythm. She plays agressively and goes freely for her shots."

It wasn't the smoothest performance from the 22-year-old former world number one as she was forced to come back from two early breaks in the first set to build a foundation for victory.

Sharapova, who made the quarter-finals of the French Open and the semi-finals of the Wimbledon warm-up event at Birmingham, insisted her right shoulder was fine.

"This is only my fourth tournament back after my surgery, on different surfaces. But the body and the shoulder are responding really well," said the Russian whose campaign in 2008 ended in the second round as the injury began to bite.

'Advantage Federer' as Wimbledon history beckons

by Dave James Dave James – Mon Jun 22, 6:39 am ET

LONDON (AFP) – Roger Federer begins his campaign for a sixth Wimbledon title, and a record 15th major, rejuvenated by finally lifting his French Open jinx and seeing injured rival Rafael Nadal limp out of contention.

Twelve months ago, Federer's five-year All England Club domination was brought to an end by Nadal in a five-set classic now widely regarded as the greatest Grand Slam final of all time.

But with deposed Roland Garros champion Nadal forced to pull out to rest his injured knees, Federer has a golden opportunity to move within one title of Pete Sampras's record of seven Wimbledon triumphs.

"I don't feel like I have extra pressure," said world number two Federer.

"There's a lot of weight off my shoulders since Paris. So I'm entering tournaments a little bit more relaxed these days."

Federer will open proceedings on Centre Court against Taiwan's Yen-Hsun Lu on Monday in what will be his first tennis since beating Robin Soderling in the Roland Garros final.

He missed the grasscourt tournament at Halle last week, but is now refreshed and ready to go.

"I was mentally drained because I felt like I had to play like four finals at the end of Paris because of the pressure," he said.

Federer is a player reborn.

Five months ago, his tearful exit after losing to Nadal in the Australian Open final was interpreted as an emotional confession that his era was over.

But marriage and impending fatherhood have given the 27-year-old a new perspective on his personal life while his Paris breakthrough, which took him level with Sampras on 14 majors, have combined to make him the overwhelming favourite.

"I have achieved more than I ever thought I would," said Federer.

"My dream as a boy was to win Wimbledon one day. I won that five times, like one wasn't enough.

"I think I still have many more tournaments to go and many more Grand Slams. I am not addicted to beating all possible records, but I'm very proud of them."

With Nadal sidelined, Federer's likely title rivals will be Andy Murray, who's bidding to become the first British men's champion since Fred Perry in 1936, former two-time runner-up Andy Roddick and world number four Novak Djokovic.

Murray, buoyed by being the first British winner at Queen's since Bunny Austin in 1938, boasts a 6-2 winning record over Federer.

A quarter-final place last year is his best showing at Wimbledon where he was outclassed by Nadal in straight sets.

The 22-year-old world number three vowed not to get distracted by the desperate hype of the home crowds.

"A lot of people use it as an excuse as to why a Briton hasn't won Wimbledon for so long but I don't feel it makes any difference once the tournament starts," he said.

"It's easy to get caught up in all of the hype. But I'll prepare the same as I do for all the big tournaments.

"I would love to win Wimbledon one day, but I don't think about it too much. I could easily lose in the first round if I have an off day."

World number four Djokovic was the runner-up on grass at Halle, but immediately wrote off his chances at Wimbledon where last year he was knocked out in the second round by Marat Safin.

Recently-married Roddick, the runner-up to Federer in 2004 and 2005, has plenty to prove.

It's been six years since the American won his one and only Grand Slam title, but that 2003 US Open triumph preceded the Federer-Nadal era and the fear remains that Roddick's game is too unsophisticated for the new age.

Interactive graphic on the Wimbledon tennis tournament, played from June 22 to July 5 on the grasscourts of the All England Club in south-west London.

Federer into second round at Wimbledon

1 hr 29 mins ago

LONDON (AFP) – Roger Federer eased into the second round at Wimbledon with a straight-sets win over Taiwan's Lu Yen-Hsun on Monday.

The Swiss star, bidding for a record 15th Grand Slam title, won 7-5, 6-3, 6-2 to set up a second round meeting with Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.

Defending champion Ferrer loses in quarter-finals at Ordina Open

DEN BOSCH, Netherlands - Ivan Navarro beat defending champion David Ferrer 6-4, 6-2 Thursday to book a place in the semifinals of the Ordina Open grass court tournament.

Ferrer repeatedly threatened his fellow Spaniard's service but could not convert any of the five break points he forced in the match.

Benjamin Becker, who beat top-seeded Fernando Verdasco in the second round, advanced to the semifinals by edging Michael Llodra 7-6 (6), 7-5.

Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium set up a semifinal with Francesca Schiavone by thrashing Kristina Barrois of Germany 6-1. 6-1.

"I'm playing with a lot of confidence, I'm enjoying being on court" the 19-year-old said. "I think Dutch grass courts suit me."

Schiavone also had little trouble in her quarter-final, beating Olga Govortsova of Belarus 6-1, 6-3.