Federer Has Something to Prove at this US Open, For a Change

Former world no.1 and defending champion Roger Federer has more
than a point to prove at this year's US Open. To his thousands of
fans, he need to show that he is not out yet, even though the aura
of invincibility is quickly fading, and to himself that he is still
a strong contender to win grand slams as it was in the past six years.

2008 till date has been a hard year to Roger Federer, and a year
since 2003 in which he had failed to win a grand slam tournament
before August. He had reached the finals of two slams in 2008, but
had failed to clear the final hurdle, which in both cases had been the
resilient and resolute Rafael Nadal. In the Australian Open semifinals,
he lost to Novak Djokovic. If that was understandable, as 2008 wore
down, he also went on to lose to lower ranked players like Blake,
Roddick, Ivo Karlovic, Gilles Simon, and Radek Stepanek, against whom
Fedex had won hands down just months back. Worse, outside grand slams,
he had won only at two tournaments, as opposed to eight last year.

These recent results worryingly points to the fact that the rest in the
ATP tour are fastly catching up with Federer, with some even managing to
get their hands on the key to unlock the Fedex puzzle. True, the bout of
mononucleosis at the start of the year had weaken Federer's game. But
even after recovery, he had failed to rediscover the magic that had
made him the remarkable player he had been just an year back. Now, the
US Open is the last chance Federer has got this year to redeem himself,
and show to the world that he is still right there on the top, and the
earlier losses this year were just an aberration in his otherwise
glittering career. The next two and a half weeks will show whether Nadal's
rise to world no.1 was temporary, or it really meant a change of guards.

Let's wait and watch until then!

Nadal, Ivanovic Top Seeds in US Open

Spain's Rafael Nadal and Serbian's Ana Ivanovic have been named
no.1 seeds in the men's and women's sections respectively, for
the upcoming US Open championship. This is the first time Nadal
is going into a grand slam tournament as the top seed.

Former world no.1 and reigning US Open champion Roger Federer is
seeded second, while Australian Open winner Djokovic is third,
followed by David Ferrer and Nikolay Davydenko, the fourth and
fifth seeds respectively.

In the women's section, Ivanovic is followed by Jelena Jankovic,
Svetlana Kuznetsova, Serena Williams and Elena Dementieva, in
that order. Venus Williams is seeded seventh.

Rafael Nadal is the Olympics Singles Champion

It can't get any better than this. An Olympic gold medal, a day before
he'll be formally elevated to ATP world no.1 rankings, dethroning
Roger Federer. In the men's singles final today, Rafael Nadal had defeated
hard hitting Chilean Fernando Gonzalez in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3.

The Olympic gold medal comes as a glittering addition to his already
colorful achievements in 2008, that includes wins at French Open and
Wimbledon, plus victories in three masters series championships. Now,
for the first time in his career, he'll go into next week's US Open as the
top seed, and title favorite. Let's wait and see if he could absorb the pressure
of expectations, and make it three grand slams in a row.

Dementieva Wins Women's Singles Gold in Beijing

In an all Russian final, Elena Dementieva had won the singles event
by defeating Dinara Safina in a hard fought three setter 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.
The loss also brought to an end Safina's 15 match winning streak.

If double faults had been a major problem for long in Dementieva's game,
in the finals, it was Safina who suffered most from erratic serving. She hit
as much as 17 double-faults, the highest seen in an Olympic final till date.
Frustrated by her struggle to put the ball in play, Safina once even flunged
her racket, slammed it against the concrete, and hit the ball into the stands.
But her tantrums failed to help her game get back on track.

On the other hand, Dementieva packed more power from the baseline,
hitting as much as twenty six winners to Safina's thirteen.
This is the second time that Dementieva is playing the Olympics singles
final. In Sydney Olympics 2000, she had lost to Venus Williams.

Williams Sisters Claim Olympics Doubles Gold

Williams sisters, Venus and Serena, had won the doubles gold by
outclassing the Spanish pair of Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia
Ruano Pascual in a virtually one-sided match, 6-2, 6-0, that lasted
only for 1 hr and 5 minutes. This is Williams sisters second doubles
gold medal in an Olympics, since their win in Sydney 2000.

It is an all Russian Affair in the Ladies Singles Final

In the ladies singles final of the Olympic tennis event, it is going
to be a match up between two Russians, Dinara Safina and Elena
Dementiva. Whoever wins, Russia is assured of a gold medal.

In their respective semifinal matches, Safina got rid of Chinese
sensation Li Na 7-6 (7-3), 7-5, while Dementiva demolished
compatriot Vera Zvonareva in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6.

Federer Strikes Gold

The Swiss duo of Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka has won
the Olympics doubles tennis event by defeating Simon Aspelin and
Thomas Johansson of Sweden 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-3 on Saturday.

The gold medal in doubles has come as a sweet consolation for Federer,
who had earlier lost in the QF of the singles event to James Blake. He's
also in the brink of losing his ATP world no.1 ranking to Nadal, come this Monday.

In the singles play-off match, Novak Djokovic defeated Federer conqueror
James Blake 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) to lift Serbia's first ever Olympic tennis medal.

It is Nadal Vs Gonzalez in the Olympics Finals

As the Olympics tennis event winds up to its last days, the
draw has been thinned down to just two players, who will fight
it out for the coveted Olympic gold medal, and they are
world no.2 Rafael Nadal of Spain and Chilean Fernando Gonzalez.

In thrilling semifinal matches, Gonzalez defeated Federer assassin
James Blake in three sets, 4-6, 7-5, 11-9, while Nadal got the
better of his hard court 'nemesis' Novak Djokovic in another
hard fought three setter, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4.

Federer still has a chance to win a tennis gold for Switzerland as
he and Stanislas Wawrinka had entered the doubles final, defeating
world no.1 doubles pair of Bob and Mike Bryan 7-6, 6-4. They will
play Swedes Simon Aspellin and Thomas Johansson in the final.

Paes - Bhupathi Out

The Indian pair of Paes and Bhupathi lost to the Swiss duo
of Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka 2-6, 4-6 in the
Beijing Olympics tennis doubles event on Friday. In the
rain-hit match that lasted over 1 hr and 22 minutes, the
Indian pair was totally outclassed by the Swiss duo, which
hardly gave any breathing space to the former doubles
world no.1 team in the world all throughout the match.

Venus Crashed out of Olympics

Two time medal winner, Venus Williams, crashed out of her
Olympic campaign with a 7-, 7-5 loss to Chinese Li Na in the
QF of the Olympics women's tennis event. Li will now meet
either world no.1 Jelena Jankovic or Dinara Safina in the semis.

In an earlier match, her sister Serena was also knocked out of
Olympics by Russian Elena Dementieva in a hard fought three-setter,
3-6, 6-4, 6-3. Dementiva will now meet compatriot Vera Zvonareva
for a place in the final.

Nadal Vs Djokovic

While predictions had gone awry with the ouster of Roger Federer
in the one half of the men's tennis draw, the other half, which
features Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, has not seen any major
upsets in the preliminary rounds up to QF , meaning these two
will meet each other in a mouthwatering semifinal today.

In the respective QF matches, while Nadal got rid of Austrian
Jurgen Melzer 6-0, 6-4, Djokovic survived a three set scare
against Frenchman Gael Monfils, eventually prevailing 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.
In head-to-head matches, Nadal leads Djokovic 9-4. But in hard
court encounters, Djokovic leads Nadal 4-2.

Nadal Juggernaut Rolls on..

Rafael Nadal now does not have Roger Federer on his way. But,
he may have to face Novak Djokovic, to whom he had lost in the
Cincinnati semifinals, in the semifinals if both wins their respective
quarterfinal matches. In their third respective round matches, Nadal breezed
past Russian Igor Andreev in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, while Djokovic
got rid of another Russian Micheal Youzhny, 7-6 (3), 6-3.

Roger Federer's Olympic Dreams End

Roger Federer crashed out of Olympics, after going down to
American James Blake in straight sets, 6-4, 7-6 (7-2), in the QF
of the Olympics tennis event. It was the first time that Blake
had ever beaten the Swiss tennis maestro. In the previous eight
meetings, it was Federer who had the last laugh, with Blake
managing to win only one set off Federer in those 8 outings.

Venus, Serena in Olympics QF

Two time Olympics gold medal winner Venus Williams will meet
the home favorite Li Na in the QF of the Beijing Olympics women's
tennis event. Venus beat Victoria Azarenka of Belarus 6-3, 6-2, while
Li Na, the first Chinese women to break into the top 20 WTA rankings
two years ago, got the better of Estonia's Kaia Kanepi in three sets,
4-6, 6-2, 6-0.

In another match, Venus' sister Serena Williams survived a real fright
by French teenager Alize Cornet, before eventually prevailing 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Federer Avenges Athens Defeat

Roger Federer had avenged his defeat in Athens 2004 by thrashing
his then conqueror, Tomas Berdych, in straight sets, 6-3. 7-6, in the
Beijing Olympics tennis event. By this win, he had entered the last
eight, which also features his nemesis Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

Roger Federer to face Tomas Berdych in Third Round

Roger Federer will meet Czech Tomas Berdych, his tormentor
in Athens Olympics four years ago, in a third round match of the
Olympics tennis event today. When both met in the second round
of the Athens Olympics , Berdych upstaged his much fancied
opponent and heavily tipped favorite in three sets, stunning the tennis world.
Lets wait and see if Fedex could halt history from repeating itself this time!

Nadal, Djokovic Advances

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic continued their march
toward the Olympic honors by beating Australian Lleyton Hewitt
and Rainer Schuettler respectively in their second round matches.
While Nadal rolled past Hewitt in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2, Djokovic
did the same to his German opponent with a 6-4, 6-2 victory.

Nadal will now lock horns with Russian Igor Andreev, while
Djokovic have to battle it out with the wily 13th seed Mikhail Youzhny
for a place in the next round.

Andy Murray's Olympic Sojourn Ends

World no.6 Andy Murray's Olympic journey ends rather abruptly,
when he bowed out in the first round of the Olympics tennis event
to lesser known Lu Yen-Hsun of Chinese Taipei in straight sets, 7-6, 6-4.
While Murray failed to live up to his reputation, his 77th ranked opponent
played nearly flawless tennis, sticking to his strengths and cutting down
on unforced errors, something Murray had in plenty.

Jankovic is new Women's world no.1

Jelena Jankovic is the new women's world no.1 player. She had switched
places with the current French Open champion and world no.1 Ana Ivanovic.

Jankovic had actually got at least four chances in the past two months to
ascend to the top spot. But she squandered them all, losing to low ranked
opponents in the earlier rounds of those tournaments.

Jelena is competing in the Olympic women's tennis event, while Ana had
withdrawn due to a nagging thumb injury.

Ivo Karlovic and Ivan Ljubicic Out of Olympics

Croatians Ivo Karlovic and Ivan Ljubicic withdrew from Olympics
yesterday. The 14th seed Karlovic, who was seen as a major threat
to Roger Federer's route to the finals, is suffering from an upset
stomach, while Ljubicic had not given the exact reason for his withdrawal.

Karlovic is replaced by China's Yu Xinyuan, who will meet Tomas
Berdych of the Czech Republic in the first round. On the other hand,
Ljubicic's withdrawal opens the door to Devin Mullings of the Bahamas.

With just a day to go for the start of the tennis event, ITF had no time
to call in two of the players from the alternate list, and hence settled
for Yu Xinyuan, who is from the host country, and Devin, who is already
here in Beijing as a doublesparticipant representing Bahamas.

Ana Ivanovic Withdraws from Olympics

Women's world no.1 and top seed Ana Ivanovic withdrew from Beijing
Olympics citing a thumb injury she suffered during last month's WTA
Rogers Cup in Montreal. She said that her thumb still hurts, and even
though she can now hold the racket, there is no way she could hit the
tennis ball hard. She expressed hope that she'll be OK by the time the US
Open begins in Flushing Meadows, NY, on August 25.

Ana Ivanovic was slated to meet Mariya Koryttseva in her first round
match on Monday.

Andy Murray Handed out a Tough Draw

Andy Murray's ambitions for an Olympic gold seems to have
a Great Wall on the way, in the form of 'would be' world no.1
Rafael Nadal in the QF, thanks to the draw he finds himself in.
If Murray manages to win his first three round matches, he'll
have to face Nadal - assuming he also wins his first three matches -
and if he manages to get past Nadal as well, his possible opponent
in the semis will be none other than Novak Djokovic.

Good luck Andy!

Federer Eyeing Olympic Gold

Roger Federer, who is yet to win a grand slam this year, is pinning his
hopes in the Olympics tennis event, and the US Open next month.
He thinks a win in Beijing would save the season for him, which so far
has not been anything great considering the high standards Federer
had set for himself in the past 4-5 years. After losing the French Open
and Wimbledon finals to nemesis Rafael Nadal, Federer had lost twice
at least to lower ranked opponents in the master's series, and is about
to lose his world no.1 ranking to Nadal come this August 18.

But Olympics tennis have been traditionally a different ball game with
unfancied players making it to the podium most of the times. Last time,
though Federer the overwhelming favorite to win the gold medal, he
was ousted in the second round by unseeded Thomas Berdych in three sets.

Let's see if Fedex will be third time lucky.

Andy Murray wins Cincinnati Masters 2008

Scottish Andy Murray did it again in two weeks. In an engrossing
final yesterday, world no.6 Andy Murray beat world no.3 and
reigning Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic in straight
sets, 7-6, 7-6, to lift the Cincinnati Masters 2008 title for the first time.

Compared to his semifinal match Rafael Nadal, Djokovic was
far more erratic in his stroke selection and serve, and was broken
more than thrice by his opponent in the final. Even though, he
had managed to level the scores finally, in the tie-breaker, howevr he
had failed to wrest the initiative that eventually cost him the match.

For Andy Murray, it was a great run since Wimbledon, and if
he could carry forward this form to the coming months as well - in
Olympics and US Open - we all might get to see many more
enthralling contests amongst the top 10 players, and still more thrilling finishes.

It is Andy Murray Vs Novak Djokovic

Cincinnati Masters 2008 has come down to its last day of excitement
filled Tennis action, and the two players left on the field are world no.3
and Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic, and world no.6 Andy Murray.

When they meet in the finals on Sunday, it'll be a battle of differing styles
and tactics, but for the fans, they will surely get to watch an exciting match
on all counts. In the 5 career meetings between the two players, Djokovic
has won four times, with Murray's lone win coming in Roger's Cup 2008 QF.

What Happened to Roger Federer?

What happened to Roger Federer? Every tennis fan is of late asking
themselves this question after viewing Fedex' performance in the first
eight months of the 2008 ATP tennis calendar. True, he had reached
the finals of two grand slams in this period - the French Open and
Wimbledon - before losing both matches to world no.2 Rafael Nadal -
but, Federer's overall showing in the tourneys in the earlier half of
the year, and post Wimbledon, raises serious questions on the world
no.1's (world no.2 in the next two weeks probably) game and fitness.
Roger suddenly appears to have lost his confidence, and his movements
on the court slowing down considerably that even lowly ranked players,
whom Roger had dispatched so easily few months back, are able to
beat him with ease. It appears that the weight of his reputation,
coupled with the anxiety of losing, is heavily burdening his mind/game.
Recent loses have not helped the matter either.

May be Roger needs a bit of rest, and time to reassess his game plan.
In fact, he himself had admitted that he need to sit back and take a
look at his game. But a tighter ATP tour calendar means he would be
able to do that only after the US Open at the earliest.

Come August 18, and Federer will lose his world no.1 ranking for
the first time in the last 237 weeks to Rafael Nadal. But, he is definitely
capable of making a comeback. However, in order to do that, he needs
to play far better than at present, and of course with a clear mind that
is not burdened by the monster he himself had created in the
last 4 years. Let's hope that Fedex will bounce back to the player he
had been 10 months back.

Djokovic Ends Nadal's Dream Run

Djokovic halted Nadal's winning streak of 32 matches, by defeating
his famed world no.2 (going to be no.1) rival 6-1, 7-5 in the semifinal
of the Cincinnati Masters 2008.

Clearly elated by his recent found hard court dominance over his fancied
opponent, Djokovic said that 'Rafa always gives 100 percent in every
match and on any surface. It was a challenge and I accepted it."

Nadal, on the other hand, was consolatory in tone, when he quipped that
he's happy with his hard court performance this season, and he is happy
anyway since even after this defeat, he'll be raised to the world no.1 ranking
on August 18, a spot occupied by Roger Federer.