Aussie Rodionova booed out of French Open

Updated May 28, 2012 10:01:45

Feisty Australian Anastasia Rodionova has been booed and hissed out of the French Open's so-called court one "Bull Ring".

While fellow Australian Samantha Stosur proved a popular winner in the first match of the championships on Court Philippe Chatrier, Rodionova, it seems, will not be missed after losing to Frenchwoman Mathilde Johansson.

The fiercely-competitive Rodionova refused to shake hands with Italian umpire Nicholas Stellabotte after her well-received 5-7, 7-6 (8-6), 6-4 first-round defeat.

Another Australian Casey Dellacqua was also eliminated after a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 loss to 21st seed Sara Errani.

Rodionova upset the locals throughout the three-hour encounter with her constant questioning of line calls - which she almost always got wrong.

The Russian-born Melbourne-based player initially put fans offside in the ninth game of the match when she incorrectly called one of Johansson's balls out.

When Johansson played on, hit a winner and was awarded the point, Rodionova demanded the umpire check the mark.

Two points later, Stellabotte had to leave his chair again to confirm to Rodionova that another of Johansson's shots had landed in.

Rodionova, who was once defaulted from a match in Cincinnati for unsportsmanlike conduct, then received the hand-clap treatment from the crowd after continuing her running battle with Stellabotte at the net.

There were more protests in the third set, after Rodionova had twice failed to serve out the match in the second, but - like on the scoreboard - she lost those battles too.

Dellacqua threatened to post the first upset of the tournament before joining Rodionova as a first-round casualty.

A former women's doubles winner at Roland Garros and the reigning mixed doubles champion, Dellacqua led Errani by a set and a break but dropped 11 of the next 13 games.

Errani came into the tournament boasting a tour-best three titles on clay this season.

Three Australian men open their campaigns on Monday.

Bernard Tomic, the 25th seed, plays Austrian Andreas Haider-Maurer, Lleyton Hewitt takes on Slovenian Blaz Kavcic and Matthew Ebden faces German 24th seed Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER).

AAP

Tags: tennis, sport, france, australia

First posted May 28, 2012 09:42:20

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No problems for Nadal, Berdych booed off

Updated January 22, 2012 19:35:02

Spanish second seed Rafael Nadal produced a controlled performance to defeat compatriot Feliciano Lopez in straight sets and reach the quarter-finals of the Australian Open on Sunday.

The 10-time grand slam champion downed 18th-seeded Lopez 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 in 2 hours 25 minutes on a hot day at Rod Laver Arena.

The world number two reached the Melbourne quarter-finals for the sixth straight year and is chasing his second Australian Open victory after beating great rival Roger Federer in the 2009 final.

Nadal broke left-handed Lopez's serve five times and dropped his service only once. He was always in control of the match, improving his record against his opponent to nine wins in 11 meetings.

"It was a very hot day and I think it's a positive to win in straight sets especially in these conditions," Nadal said.

"I've started the tournament playing really well this time. I felt I've played well from the first match and today I played another complete match.

"Now I'm in the quarter-finals. I am doing the right things. I am in the right place, right moment."

Nadal retired with a knee injury in his 2010 quarter-final against Andy Murray and last year played out his losing three-set quarter-final with a torn thigh muscle against compatriot David Ferrer.

"Hopefully, it won't happen this time," Nadal said.

"Every year is different. I've had a bad experience here in the last two years.

"In 2010 I retired because I couldn't continue and last year I decided not to retire, but I had a problem in the second or third game of the match. So I played one complete match with very bad feelings."

Nadal's opponent will be Czech Tomas Berdych, who was booed after he fought back from a set down against Spaniard Nicolas Almagro.

Berdych beat the 10th-seeded Almagro 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-2).

The match ended acrimoniously with the Czech seventh seed accusing Almagro of deliberately hitting a ball at him while he was positioned at the net during a rally.

As Berdych refused to shake hands with Almagro at the end of the match, the crowd erupted into loud booing, almost drowning out his courtside interview.

"It's what they (the crowd) think. When somebody wants to hit you straight to the face I don't see this as a nice moment," he said.

"Especially when you have all the court free and you're just standing in the middle.

"That's their opinion. Nothing's going to change this because that's my decision and I don't have any nice feelings.

"Of course I'm happy to go through in four sets, a really tough one, I'm looking forward to my next match."

In a tight match lasting nearly four hours, Berdych broke serve only once, while Almagro earned two service breaks, but the Czech hit the greater number of winners, 70 to 54.

Meanwhile, Argentina's 11th seed Juan Martin del Potro also advanced with a straight sets win over German Philipp Kohlschreiber.

Del Potro defeated the unseeded German 6-4, 6-2, 6-1 and will next face either third seed Roger Federer or Australian teenager Bernard Tomic on Tuesday.

AFP

Tags: sport, australian-open, tennis, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted January 22, 2012 16:23:13

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