Rabu, 31 Agustus 2011
Selasa, 30 Agustus 2011
Us Open: Sharapova Survives Watson Scare
New York: Maria Sharapova survived a US Open first round scare on Monday when she clawed her way back from a set and a break down to defeat gutsy British teenager Heather Watson, the world 104.
Former world number one Sharapova, the third seed and 2006 champion, won 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 but only after being stretched by the 19-year-old 2009 junior champion who was making her main draw debut.
Exactly 100 places separate the two women in the rankings, but Watson wasn't overawed until the final set when Sharapova, a French Open semi-finalist and Wimbledon finalist this summer, switched on the turbo-power.
The Russian finished with a blistering 41 winners to Watson's nine although her 58 unforced errors and eight double faults were hardly the statistics of a champion-in-waiting.
"It was one of the toughest (opening matches) that I've had. Obviously not really knowing too much about my opponent and not facing her before. She just came out and played really smart," said Sharapova, who has yet to lose a three-set match this year.
"There's no doubt that I wasn't playing my best tennis. She was smart in making me hit another ball. I was making so many errors out there. She stuck to her game plan. She kept grinding."
Sharapova was plagued by mistakes in the first set on the showpiece Arthur Ashe stadium. She fell 4-1 down, but managed to save two set points in the ninth game before a netted second service return gave Watson the opener.
The Russian also dropped serve in the opening game of the second set before she hit back to lead 4-1.
Back came the battling Briton as Sharapova double-faulted in the seventh game to surrender the break.
But at 5-6 down, Watson's nerve finally failed her.
A handful of silly errors allowed Sharapova, who had been a set and 1-4 down to French teenager Caroline Garcia at Roland Garros, to level the tie.
The Russian was quickly into a 3-0 lead in the decider as her young opponent wilted under the barrage of groundstrokes as well as the Sharapova ear-piercing vocals.
But from 1-4 down, Watson recovered the break to go to 3-4 before another thrilling twist saw Sharapova once again summon all of her renowned fighting spirit to break again for a 5-3 lead.
Watson saved a match point but a long forehand confirmed her defeat and a place for Sharapova in the next round where she will face Anastasiya Yakimova of Belarus, who beat Thailand's Noppawan Lertcheewakarn 6-0, 4-6, 6-3.
Despite her victory, Sharapova's customary on-court shrieking was not to everyone's liking.
Star British golfer Lee Westwood wrote on Twitter: "Glad Sharapova's not playing in Crans this week! They'd hear her in Geneva! Come on Watson finish her off for the sake of our eardrums!"
Former world number one Sharapova, the third seed and 2006 champion, won 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 but only after being stretched by the 19-year-old 2009 junior champion who was making her main draw debut.
Exactly 100 places separate the two women in the rankings, but Watson wasn't overawed until the final set when Sharapova, a French Open semi-finalist and Wimbledon finalist this summer, switched on the turbo-power.
The Russian finished with a blistering 41 winners to Watson's nine although her 58 unforced errors and eight double faults were hardly the statistics of a champion-in-waiting.
"It was one of the toughest (opening matches) that I've had. Obviously not really knowing too much about my opponent and not facing her before. She just came out and played really smart," said Sharapova, who has yet to lose a three-set match this year.
"There's no doubt that I wasn't playing my best tennis. She was smart in making me hit another ball. I was making so many errors out there. She stuck to her game plan. She kept grinding."
Sharapova was plagued by mistakes in the first set on the showpiece Arthur Ashe stadium. She fell 4-1 down, but managed to save two set points in the ninth game before a netted second service return gave Watson the opener.
The Russian also dropped serve in the opening game of the second set before she hit back to lead 4-1.
Back came the battling Briton as Sharapova double-faulted in the seventh game to surrender the break.
But at 5-6 down, Watson's nerve finally failed her.
A handful of silly errors allowed Sharapova, who had been a set and 1-4 down to French teenager Caroline Garcia at Roland Garros, to level the tie.
The Russian was quickly into a 3-0 lead in the decider as her young opponent wilted under the barrage of groundstrokes as well as the Sharapova ear-piercing vocals.
But from 1-4 down, Watson recovered the break to go to 3-4 before another thrilling twist saw Sharapova once again summon all of her renowned fighting spirit to break again for a 5-3 lead.
Watson saved a match point but a long forehand confirmed her defeat and a place for Sharapova in the next round where she will face Anastasiya Yakimova of Belarus, who beat Thailand's Noppawan Lertcheewakarn 6-0, 4-6, 6-3.
Despite her victory, Sharapova's customary on-court shrieking was not to everyone's liking.
Star British golfer Lee Westwood wrote on Twitter: "Glad Sharapova's not playing in Crans this week! They'd hear her in Geneva! Come on Watson finish her off for the sake of our eardrums!"
Federer Matches Agassi For Grand Slam Wins
New York: Roger Federer tied Andre Agassi for the second-most match victories in Grand Slam tournaments by beating Santiago Giraldo in straight sets on Monday.
The third-seeded Swiss won 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 to move level with Agassi on 224 singles wins at tennis majors; nine behind Jimmy Connors.
Federer said he wasn't aware of that mark.
"I've played many Slams in a row already. I'm healthy. It's just another way of saying, 'Roger, you've been doing many right things throughout your career,'" he said. "It gives me good satisfaction and points me in the right direction."
Federer improved to 12-0 in first-round matches at Flushing Meadows, and 57-6 overall at a venue where he's lifted the champion's trophy five times.
The Swiss star, who turned 30 on Aug. 8, is trying to win at least one Grand Slam title for what would be a record ninth consecutive year. He also would like to become the first 30-something man to win a major tournament since Agassi at the 2003 Australian Open.
Federer has won each major trophy at least once, so he knows the ins and outs of the various Grand Slam surfaces - the hard courts at the Australian Open and U.S. Open, clay courts at the French Open, and grass courts at Wimbledon - and was concerned organizers have made the Flushing Meadow courts too slow this year.
"Did they make a mistake? Maybe they did paint the court a bit too rough. It's just unfortunate that maybe all the Slams are too equal," the 16-time major champion said. "They should feel very different to the Australian Open, and now I don't feel it really does."
He showed a few signs of rust early under the lights against Giraldo, losing serve three times in the first two sets. Federer thought that might have been connected to his sense that the court played "definitely slower" than at the hard-court tuneup tournaments at Cincinnati and Montreal this month - and slower than in New York in 2010.
"It takes some getting used to. You're not getting as many free points with your serve," Federer said. "Maybe that was part of the inconsistent play I had early on in the first couple of sets."
Explaining how the conditions felt Monday, Federer said: "The night session just feels like you can take huge cuts at the ball, you can run everything down. It's great for tennis, but I'm not sure if it's really what the game needs. The game needs different speed at Slams and so forth. I don't feel we quite have that at the moment, especially if the U.S. Open is getting slower."
On the other hand, Federer noted that he thinks that will lead to "amazing points."
"It's going to be super athletic, which is fun," he added. "So it's all good."
The third-seeded Swiss won 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 to move level with Agassi on 224 singles wins at tennis majors; nine behind Jimmy Connors.
Federer said he wasn't aware of that mark.
"I've played many Slams in a row already. I'm healthy. It's just another way of saying, 'Roger, you've been doing many right things throughout your career,'" he said. "It gives me good satisfaction and points me in the right direction."
Federer improved to 12-0 in first-round matches at Flushing Meadows, and 57-6 overall at a venue where he's lifted the champion's trophy five times.
The Swiss star, who turned 30 on Aug. 8, is trying to win at least one Grand Slam title for what would be a record ninth consecutive year. He also would like to become the first 30-something man to win a major tournament since Agassi at the 2003 Australian Open.
Federer has won each major trophy at least once, so he knows the ins and outs of the various Grand Slam surfaces - the hard courts at the Australian Open and U.S. Open, clay courts at the French Open, and grass courts at Wimbledon - and was concerned organizers have made the Flushing Meadow courts too slow this year.
"Did they make a mistake? Maybe they did paint the court a bit too rough. It's just unfortunate that maybe all the Slams are too equal," the 16-time major champion said. "They should feel very different to the Australian Open, and now I don't feel it really does."
He showed a few signs of rust early under the lights against Giraldo, losing serve three times in the first two sets. Federer thought that might have been connected to his sense that the court played "definitely slower" than at the hard-court tuneup tournaments at Cincinnati and Montreal this month - and slower than in New York in 2010.
"It takes some getting used to. You're not getting as many free points with your serve," Federer said. "Maybe that was part of the inconsistent play I had early on in the first couple of sets."
Explaining how the conditions felt Monday, Federer said: "The night session just feels like you can take huge cuts at the ball, you can run everything down. It's great for tennis, but I'm not sure if it's really what the game needs. The game needs different speed at Slams and so forth. I don't feel we quite have that at the moment, especially if the U.S. Open is getting slower."
On the other hand, Federer noted that he thinks that will lead to "amazing points."
"It's going to be super athletic, which is fun," he added. "So it's all good."
Rooney Wants Walcott At His Best Against Bulgaria
London: Wayne Rooney said he hoped Theo Walcott would put the memory of Manchester United's 8-2 rout of Arsenal behind him to focus on England's upcoming Euro 2012 qualifier away to Bulgaria.
Rooney scored a hat-trick for United at Old Trafford on Sunday as Arsenal, for whom Walcott netted one of two goals, shipped eight for the first time in over a century.
But the two players now find themselves on the same side as members of an England squad that play Bulgaria in Sofia on Friday before the Group G leaders face Wales in another Euro 2012 qualifier at Wembley a week on Tuesday.
"We're here to concentrate on England," Rooney told a news conference at the squad's hotel on Tuesday.
"We want Theo at his best so don't really want him to remember that result."
However, United striker Rooney was certainly buoyed by his own performance last weekend.
"It's always great to be in good form and scoring goals.
"I'm looking forward to getting back playing for England, playing well, and helping us get the points we need."
As for the upcoming England fixtures, Rooney said: "I think it'll be a really tough game, Bulgaria away.
"I'm sure it'll be a good atmosphere and a difficult game to come away with three points from.
"Wales are a good team but I'd like to think we've got enough to beat them at home.
"So hopefully we can come away from those two games with six points."
Rooney has started to link up well with new United team-mate Ashley Young, a pre-season arrival from Aston Villa and the pair could prove equally effective at international level.
"In the last few games for England he's done really well," Rooney said of Young. "He works really hard for the team. A lot of people don't realise how hard he works.
"If he gets the chance to start he'll take it with two hands."
Rooney scored a hat-trick for United at Old Trafford on Sunday as Arsenal, for whom Walcott netted one of two goals, shipped eight for the first time in over a century.
But the two players now find themselves on the same side as members of an England squad that play Bulgaria in Sofia on Friday before the Group G leaders face Wales in another Euro 2012 qualifier at Wembley a week on Tuesday.
"We're here to concentrate on England," Rooney told a news conference at the squad's hotel on Tuesday.
"We want Theo at his best so don't really want him to remember that result."
However, United striker Rooney was certainly buoyed by his own performance last weekend.
"It's always great to be in good form and scoring goals.
"I'm looking forward to getting back playing for England, playing well, and helping us get the points we need."
As for the upcoming England fixtures, Rooney said: "I think it'll be a really tough game, Bulgaria away.
"I'm sure it'll be a good atmosphere and a difficult game to come away with three points from.
"Wales are a good team but I'd like to think we've got enough to beat them at home.
"So hopefully we can come away from those two games with six points."
Rooney has started to link up well with new United team-mate Ashley Young, a pre-season arrival from Aston Villa and the pair could prove equally effective at international level.
"In the last few games for England he's done really well," Rooney said of Young. "He works really hard for the team. A lot of people don't realise how hard he works.
"If he gets the chance to start he'll take it with two hands."
Dhoni Fears Losing Gambhir Against England
Leicestershire: India skipper MS Dhoni said on Tuesday that to lose Gautam Gambhir to an injury would hurt his side but felt that he was confident that one of the team members will stand up and fill the void, if created.
A decision on whether Gambhir will stay on in England or return home will be made after his consultation with a medical consultation in Manchester. Dhoni though was generous in his praise for the south-paw.
A decision on whether Gambhir will stay on in England or return home will be made after his consultation with a medical consultation in Manchester. Dhoni though was generous in his praise for the south-paw.
"I do not know the technical details of his injury but he has done really well for us. Not only opening for the side but he has also played in the number three position for us and playes the spin department well. It will be a big loss (if he is ruled out) but some one will take the responibility," he said at a press conference.
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