Stosur joins victorious big names

Updated May 10, 2012 08:43:16

Samantha Stosur eased into the last eight of the Madrid Masters with a straight sets win over Czech Petra Cetkovska.

The Australian needed 72 minutes to secure her place in the next round, saving a remarkable seven from eight break points.

Meanwhile, Spanish clay powerhouses Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer got on and off the controversial blue clay courts as quickly as possible with the Iberian pair racing into the third round while Roger Federer was made to work harder.

Second seed Nadal took just 80 minutes in winning his first match against Nikolay Davydenko since 2009, earning a 6-2, 6-2 victory.

Fifth seed Ferrer dismissed Czech Radek Stepanek 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 in almost the same match time.

Federer had to use all his guile and experience to battle back from a set down and see off fast-rising Canadian Milos Raonic 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4).

The Swiss maestro, after an opening round bye, was playing his first match since the end of March and only just edged out the big-serving 21-year-old, who rocketed down 21 aces.

Nadal, leading critic of the dubious qualities of the Madrid surface being trialled amid huge controversy, tried to end talk of the courts and move onto the tennis.

"I played as good a match as I could in these strange circumstances," said the king of clay, winner of Monte Carlo and Barcelona titles last month.

"I'm happy with the way that I played.

"The situation is not easy. This is a fantastic tourney, one of the best in the world. My motivation is strong to play here. I had a fantastic result today, I played better than I expected."

But Nadal added a final word on the issue.

"Conditions here are completely different than on the rest of the clay circuit. If this was in the summer or at the end of the season I would have nothing to say.

"I'm not against change but this is the wrong time of the calendar for it. I don't want to speak more on this."

Ferrer kept his comments completely non-controversial.

"They're a bit slippery but they are working hard to improve them," said the winner of three titles this year.

"It's not a question of criticising, it's just going out on court and doing the best you can."

Croatian Marin Cilic overcame eighth seed John Isner 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-3) as the big American fired 14 aces in his losing effort.

Cilic dodged a bullet with six double-faults including one as he held match points in the second-set tiebreaker.

Frenchman Gael Monfils continued his winning return after more than a month out with an abdominal injury as the 12th seed won as Russian Igor Andreev withdrew with a right shoulder injury trailing 6-3, 1-0.

Compatriot and 14th seed Richard Gasquet advanced over Viktor Troicki 7-5, 6-3 while Spanish 15th seed Fernando Verdasco needed nearly three hours to beat Alejandro Falla 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 6-4 to next face Nadal.

Champion ousted

In the WTA second round, Czech Lucie Hradecka beat defending champion compatriot Petra Kvitova 6-4, 6-3 to send the third seed home.

World number one Victoria Azarenka, who lost to Kvitova in last year's final, claimed her place in the quarter-finals with a 6-4, 6-4 success against Ana Ivanovic.

Polish fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska brought an end to the 16-match win streak on clay of Sara Errani with a 6-0, 6-1 thrashing in 65 minutes.

Roberta Vinci struck a blow for Italy after Errani's loss, sending out Belgian Yanina Wickmayer 6-1, 6-2. Errani was fresh from the clay title in Budapest at the weekend.

French Open winner Li Na booked the first of the women's quarter-final places as she defeated 12th seed Angelique Kerber 7-5, 6-4.

AFP/Reuters

Tags: tennis, sport, spain, australia

First posted May 10, 2012 06:42:53

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Aussies out in Munich

Updated May 05, 2012 14:30:49

Australian duo Bernard Tomic and Marinko Matosevic were both eliminated at the quarter-final stages of the Munich ATP tournament.

Tomic fell to world number 16, Feliciano Lopez 6-4, 6-2 while qualifier Matosevic lost to German fourth-seed Philipp Kohlschreiber of 6-0, 7-6 (7-5).

There was little between Lopez and Tomic, who is 17 places below the Spaniard in the world rankings, in the first set with one break point separating the players.

In the second set, Tomic could not threaten Lopez's serve failing to take a single point when his opponent's first serve was in.

Matosevic started awfully in the first set winning only 20% of his first serve points and was quickly brushed aside by the home favourite.

He will have been encouraged by his second set display though, where he broke Kohlschreiber and saved four of the five break points he faced before going down in a tie-break.

Lopez and Kohlschreiber, who won this tournament in 2007, will now meet in the semi-final.

The second semi-final on Saturday will see German wildcard Tommy Haas, who defeated Marcos Baghdatis in the last eight, take on Croatian third seed Marin Cilic.

AFP

Tags: sport, tennis, germany

First posted May 05, 2012 07:54:52

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Stosur through in Madrid

Updated May 08, 2012 12:07:13

Samantha Stosur survived an early scare before winning her second round clash with American Christina McHale at the WTA's Madrid Open in Spain.

Stosur dropped the first set against teenager McHale before hitting back to win 2-6, 6-4, 6-0 in just under two hours on the blue clay.

She will meet Petra Cetkovska in the third round after the Czech enjoyed a comfortable straight sets win over Spaniard Lourdes Dominguez Lino, winning 6-4, 7-5 to advance.

Serena Williams marked her first European appearance of the season with victory on the Madrid Open's striking blue clay courts but it was not such good news for sister Venus, who crashed out.

Serena, who reached the third round the last time she played in Madrid in 2010, powered past last week's Budapest Grand Prix runner-up Elena Vesnina of Russia 6-3, 6-1.

The ninth seed delivered some powerful serves, hitting 14 aces to set up a meeting with another Russian, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, in the next round.

"I was feeling good," Williams told reporters.

"It's my first tournament in Europe this year and I just hope I can keep up the good form," added the American who has yet to lose in eight clay outings this season.

"I haven't noticed a difference between the blue and the red clay. I think it's the same, it's just you don't get as dirty," Williams said.

Venus entered Madrid on a wildcard as she started her third tournament after seven months out suffering with Sjogren's Syndrome, an auto-immune disease which causes fatigue and joint soreness.

The former world number one struggled past Romania's Simona Halep in three sets on Saturday, but crumpled against stronger opposition on Monday falling 6-4, 6-1 to 12th seed Angelique Kerber of Germany.

Kerber, 24, is in the midst of her breakout season with both her career titles coming in 2012.

China's Li Na, the eighth seed, joined Kerber in the last 16 with a straightforward victory over Spanish wildcard Silvia Soler-Espinosa 6-3, 6-1.

Holder Petra Kvitova started well as the third seed defeated New Zealander Marina Erakovic 6-2, 6-3.

Towering Czech Kvitova beat Victoria Azarenka in the final last year before going on to win the Wimbledon title.

The only seeded player to fall was number 15 Jelena Jankovic who went out to Spanish wildcard Carla Suarez 4-6, 7-6, 6-4.

Czech qualifier Andrea Hlavackova and compatriot Lucie Hradecka, Italian Sara Errani, Russia's Ekaterina Makarova, and Estonia's Kaia Kanepi also made it through to the second round.

ABC/Reuters

Tags: sport, tennis, spain

First posted May 08, 2012 12:07:13

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Djokovic leads outrage at Madrid's blue clay

Updated May 09, 2012 08:26:50

Top seed Novak Djokovic failed to get to grips with the controversial blue clay of the Madrid Masters but still survived a struggle to reach the third round 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 over Daniel Gimeno-Traver.

World number one Djokovic, originally cautious in his comments about the experimental surface which has drawn fire but little praise so far from players, was unable to stay in check after playing his match.

"It's impossible to move. I hit maybe five balls, the rest went just trying to put the ball into the court. I was relying on serve and getting free points from his unforced errors," he said.

"That was not tennis, either I need football shoes or some advice on how to play on this court.

"I cannot find the words to describe this court. It's really tough to play like this on a centre court.

"We cannot change anything this year, but my first impressions are not good. I don't want to be the one complaining, but I say honestly what I feel.

"We need serious discussion about the future of this blue clay."

The Serb is playing for the first time since losing the Monte Carlo final to Rafael Nadal, the second seed here who has so far led the criticism against the blue look.

Veteran Czech Radek Stepanek ended the Madrid Masters hopes of Australian Bernard Tomic in the first round, with the Queensland youngster exiting 6-2, 7-5.

The 31st ranked Tomic, who reached a career-best first clay quarter-final last weekend in Munich, lost in less than 90 minutes on the blue clay of the Caja Magica.

He will now go into next week's Masters 1000 in Rome, the final major stop before the May 27 start of the French Open in Paris.

"I didn't play the right tennis the way I needed to," said Tomic.

"But full credit to him (Stepanek), he played a really good match. The blue clay was a bit strange for movement, it was slippery.

"I'm feeling good on clay and now I have three or four days to get ready for Rome. Hopefully I can play well there and win a few matches."

Czech sixth seed Tomas Berdych advanced over South African Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-3, paving the way for a trio of French seeds.

Number nine Gilles Simon beat Fabio Fognini 6-7 (1-7), 6-3, 6-3 after playing his last match eight days ago in the Bucharest final against the Italian.

But Simon was scathing about the blue clay.

"I see no difference from last year, these have always been the worst court of the clay season. I could have sprained something practising," complained the Frenchman.

"There are other priorities ahead of making it blue - it should be better."

Gael Monfils, the number 12, returned after six weeks out with an abdominal injury and put out German Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-5, 6-7 (2-7), 6-3.

Estoril finalist Richard Gasquet won a marathon in two and three-quarter hours against Thomaz Bellucci 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5).

Estoril champion Juan Martin del Potro eased past Florian Mayer 6-4, 6-2.

The two leading women both reached the third round, with top seed Victoria Azarenka made to struggle by Czech Andrea Hlavackova before emerging 6-3, 7-6 (7-2) winner.

Second seed Maria Sharapova defeated another Czech in Klara Zakopalova 6-4, 6-3, firing 18 winners and breaking five times.

The Russian, whose match was started before 11:00 am (0900 GMT) due to the demands of television, said that a few days of training on the blue clay surface last week paid dividends.

"It's not so much about the colour. It does look good on television. But it plays a bit different. It's about the amount of clay on the court and the way it bounces," she said.

"You have to get used to it but I came here after winning Stuttgart and got in four or five days on it. I got settled in so it's just a matter of adjusting. It's also the same for everyone."

Number 13 Ana Ivanovic defeated Nadia Petrova 7-5, 6-1.

AFP

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First posted May 09, 2012 06:11:13

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Stosur starts with win in Madrid

Updated May 06, 2012 09:31:39

US Open champion Samantha Stosur got off to a winning start at the Madrid Masters Saturday, the Australian advancing to the second round with a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5) defeat of Croatian Petra Martic.

Stosur was joined by Romanian Sorana Cirstea, who upset French seventh seed Marion Bartoli 6-7 (6-8), 6-4, 6-3.

French Open winner Li Na, the eighth seed, also made it through after dominating her opener against teenaged Madrid debutante Garbine Muguruza Blanco of Spain, who saved two match points before finally falling 6-2, 6-4.

Unseeded Mona Barthel won an all-German battle, eliminating 2011 semi-finalist Julia Goerges 6-4, 6-1.

"This time last year I was ranked around 200 and now I'm close to being seeded," said Barthel, making her Madrid debut. "It feel strange, but I worked hard for it.

"I'm serving well and moving better on the clay and I'm obviously benefitting from confidence right now."

Venus Williams, the losing finalist two years ago, was pushed hard by Romanian Simona Halep before winning 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (8/6), while Spain's Silvia Soler-Espinosa beat Austrian Tamira Paszek 6-7 (2/7), 6-2, 6-2.

The men begin play later on Sunday, with the top eight seeds given a bye.

Rafael Nadal, seeded two, will get his first test on the unorthodox and experimental blue clay courts which have drawn the Spaniard's anger when he plays the winner from the match between Croatian Ivo Karlovic and Russian Nikolay Davydenko on Sunday.

AFP

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First posted May 06, 2012 09:31:39

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Aussie duo in Munich quarters

Updated May 04, 2012 06:14:27

Australians Bernard Tomic and Marinko Matosevic have both reached the quarter-finals of the ATP Tour event in Munich.

The duo did so in similar fashion, dominating their opening sets, losing the second on tie-breakers and then recovering in the third.

The fifth-seeded Tomic beat Potito Starace of Italy 6-1, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3 to make his first career quarter-final on clay. Tomic was down a break of serve at the start of the final set before coming back.

Matosevic defeated fellow qualifier Robert Farah of Colombia 6-1, 6-7 (2-7), 6-2. Matosevic is playing his first career tournament on clay.

Tomic next goes against Feliciano Lopez, the second-seeded Spaniard who beat Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine 6-4, 7-6 (7-4).

Matosevic plays fourth-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany, who beat Ernests Gulbis of Latvia 7-5, 6-3.

Kohlschreiber and Lopez had byes into the second round.

In the other quarter-finals, third-seeded Marin Cilic of Croatia plays sixth-seeded Mikhail Youzhny of Russia and eighth-seeded Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus meets Tommy Haas of Germany.

AAP

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First posted May 04, 2012 05:57:03

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Matosevic wins big in Munich

Updated May 02, 2012 09:30:42

Australian Marinko Matosevic caused an upset in the opening round of the ATP event in Munich overnight, defeating Kazakhstan's Mikhail Kukushkin in straight sets.

The much-improved Matosevic defeated the world number 54 7-5, 6-1 to join fellow Aussie Bernard Tomic in the next round.

The 26-year-old boasted a first serve percentage of 74 per cent in the second set whilst winning five from seven of his break point opportunities.

Matosevic will play Robert Farah in the next round after the unheralded Colombian defeated seventh seed Nikolay Davydenko 6-3, 6-2.

In the Estoril Open in Portugal, Australian Jarmila Gajdosova progressed to the second round with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Spain's Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor.

In the men's draw, Matthew Ebden was eliminated after losing 6-2, 6-4 to Spain's Albert Montanes.

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First posted May 02, 2012 09:30:42

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