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.