Nadal, Murray advance at Miami

Updated March 26, 2012 14:57:43

World number two Rafael Nadal cruised through to the last 16 at the ATP/WTA Miami Masters tournament, while fourth seeded Andy Murray advanced without even breaking a sweat on Monday morning.

Nadal continued his domination over Czech Radek Stepanek with a straight forward 6-2, 6-2 victory in a third round match on centre court.

Murray reached the fourth round by not hitting a ball when Canadian Milos Raonic withdrew with a right ankle injury.

Nadal, who is chasing his first Miami title, has now beaten Stepanek in all six contests dating back to their first meeting in 2004.

"I am just happy to be in the fourth round winning two matches with positive feeling and with comfortable results," Nadal said.

"I will just try to keep doing well and try to keep improving a little bit."

Nadal finished with three aces, won 74 per cent of his first-serve points and saved both break point chances he faced in the 86-minute match.

Nadal advances to face Japan's Kei Nishikori who breezed past Czech Lukas Rosol 6-4, 6-2.

"He's a fantastic player and will be a very difficult match for me," Nadal said of Nishikori.

"He has big talent to hit the ball very early, to play very aggressive."

The 24-year-old Scot Murray will tackle French 13th seed Gilles Simon for a place in the quarter-finals of a tournament he won in 2009.

Highly-regarded Canadian 26th seed Raonic had already been forced to pull out of the doubles on Saturday where he and South African partner Kevin Anderson had managed just three games against Michael Llodra and Nenad Zimonjic.

The 21-year-old Raonic had been in a rich vein of form in 2012, winning titles in Chennai and San Jose and making the final in Memphis.

At Indian Wells last week, he was knocked out in the third round by eventual champion Roger Federer.

"The doctor in Spain doesn't think it's anything big. It probably just needs a couple days of rest and, with treatment, it should be OK in a week," said Raonic.

"It's frustrating, but you have to look at the big picture."

Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov recorded his first victory over a top 10 player when he beat seventh-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 in two hours and 16 minutes.

Dimitrov saved five of seven break points to reach the fourth round of a Masters 1000 tournament for the first time.

The 20-year-old Dimitrov will next face ninth-seeded Serb Janko Tipsarevic, who fired down 10 aces to get past 18th-seeded Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-4, 5-7, 6-2.

Tipsarevic leads Dimitrov 2-0 in their head-to-head series, with both meetings coming last year at Eastbourne and Washington.

On the women's side, American wild card Venus Williams struggled to defeat Aleksandra Wozniak of Canada 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) and top seed Victoria Azarenka powered past Heather Watson 6-0, 6-2 in third round matches on Sunday.

Williams advances to face former world number one Ana Ivanovic who beat 20th seeded Daniela Hantuchova 6-2, 7-6 (7-2).

"I just kept coming back," Williams said. "I tried not to let anything discourage me today. I kept thinking about how I really need this match and I need these points."

Azarenka will square off against 16th seeded Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova for a spot in the quarter-finals.

In other women's matches, French seventh seed Marion Bartoli defeated Simona Halep 6-4, 7-6 (8-6) and Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska crushed Silvia Soler-Espinosa, of Spain 6-1, 6-2.

AFP

Tags: tennis, sport, united-states

First posted March 26, 2012 14:57:43

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Isner to face Monaco in Houston final

Updated April 15, 2012 10:31:15

John Isner outlasted Feliciano Lopez 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 to reach the final of the $442,500 ATP US Men's Clay Court Championship aganst Juan Monaco.

As a result, the power-serving American ensured he will rise from 10th to ninth in the ATP rankings on Monday, passing Mardy Fish to become the top-rated US player in the world.

"That has been one of my goals for a long, long time," Isner said. "I'm so happy to accomplish it."

Isner, who sparked a US semi-final Davis Cup triumph on French clay to book a semi-final date with Spain in September, will seek his fourth career title in tomorrow's final against Argentina's fourth-seed Monaco, who beat US qualifier Michael Russell 5-7, 6-1, 6-4 in the other semi-final.

"It's going to be difficult for me," Monaco said. "I will have to be ready with my returns."

Isner has held serve in 44 consecutive games at the only ATP clay-court event in his homeland, although he was pressed for the first two sets by the Spaniard.

"I knew going into this match it was going to be tough," Isner said. "I always find myself playing my best when my back is against the wall and tonight was no different."

Isner, a runner-up last month at Indian Wells, seeks his first clay-court ATP crown against Monaco.

"It's most likely his best surface," Isner said. "I'm going to have to play well. He's having a great year."

Monaco, ranked 16th in the world, won his fourth career ATP title, and first since 2007, in February at Vina del Mar and reached the semi-finals last month at Miami, losing to the eventual winner, world number one Novak Djokovic.

Monaco served to reach a first-set tie-breaker but hometown hero Russell broke him in five points, claiming the set when the South American netted a forehand volley.

Monaco dominated the second set and battled in the third. Trying to level the final set in the 10th game, Russell sent a backhand beyond the baseline to hand Monaco a match point, then netted a backhand to send Monaco to his 13th ATP final.

AFP

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First posted April 15, 2012 10:31:15

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No worries for Nadal in Barcelona

Updated April 27, 2012 06:34:20

Rafael Nadal recorded his 31st consecutive win at his home Barcelona Open to reach the quarter-finals at the expense of Colombian qualifier Robert Farah 6-2, 6-3.

Spain's world number two improved his near-impeccable record at the event to 32-1 as he aims to lift a seventh title from his last eight appearances.

His only loss came in 2003 against the country's current Davis Cup captain Alex Corretja.

Top seed Nadal, who is now 24-3 on the season, has not broken sweat since making history at the weekend by clinching his eighth straight title in Monte Carlo where he beat world number one Novak Djokovic.

"I had a good start, but the second set was a lot more difficult," said Nadal, atfer seeing off the world number 66.

"There are no easy matches out there. It was tough, but I'm into the quarters and feeling positive. Tomorrow will be even more difficult for sure."

Nadal will next face Serb fifth seed Janko Tipsarevic, who put out Frederico Gil of Portugal 6-2, 6-2.

Tipsarevic, who has lost his two previous meetings with Nadal, knows he will be up against the world's best on clay, but goes into the contest with a positive attitude.

"Nadal is absolutely the worst opponent anyone can have on clay," he admitted.

"He's hardly lost a match here. But you have to go for the victory, aiming to just win a few games or a set is not enough. I'm playing well, I'm not too tired. I have fuel left in my tank for this match."

Second seed Andy Murray crushed Colombia's Santiago Giraldo in a powerful 6-1, 6-2 display to set up a showdown with Milos Raonic.

Murray, a quarter-finalist a week ago in Monte Carlo, reached the last eight again as he builds for the French Open next month.

Murray and number 25 Raonic, who eliminated two-time semi-finalist Nicolas Almagro 6-3, 6-3, had been due to meet in Miami in March, but the Canadian suffered an injury and handed the Scotsman a walkover third-round win.

Murray has produced his best career showing in Barcelona this week after previously winning only one match at the Real Club de Tenis.

"It was good, I started the match well" said Murray.

"He had played a lot of clay tennis already so I was expecting some long rallies.

"But I got ahead and put pressure on him from the start. He started going for more and making some errors.

"I've never played Raonic but he has a huge serve. I have to play a solid match. He can have some ups and down, so if he makes errors and give me chances I have to be ready to take them."

Third seed David Ferrer, three times a losing finalist to Nadal, advanced over Spanish compatriot Albert Montanes 6-0, 6-2.

Spanish seventh seed Feliciano Lopez beat Finn Jarkko Nieminen 6-3, 6-1 while Japan's Kei Nishikori defeating Spain's Albert Ramos 7-6 (7-2), 6-3.

AFP

Tags: tennis, sport, spain

First posted April 27, 2012 06:34:20

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Rafter backs Tomic to lead team

Updated April 05, 2012 17:04:11

Captain Patrick Rafter says teenager Bernard Tomic will thrive on leading Australia's Davis Cup campaign in Lleyton Hewitt's absence.

Tomic, 19, has been asked to step up as the number one player for his country in the tie against lowly South Korea starting in Brisbane on Friday.

The world number 36 Tomic has been drawn to meet unheralded Min-Hyeok Cho, a player who does not have an official ranking with the ATP, in the opening singles clash.

Australian team-mate Matthew Ebden - the world number 75 - will take on Suk-Young Jeong, ranked 730th in the second match at Pat Rafter Arena.

World number 18 Australia's Chris Guccione and Marinko Matosevic have been pencilled in for Saturday's doubles clash.

Rafter backed Tomic to stand tall in the Asia-Oceania group second round tie with Hewitt unavailable until June due to a foot injury.

"We are playing a team that is lowly-ranked," Rafter said.

"I see that as not a lot of pressure on Bernard at all.

"If it was a tougher tie I would think he would have a bit more of a burden but he's someone who thrives in adversity. He loves the pressure."

Tomic admitted he had no idea about his opponent who has a career-high ranking of 666.

"That's where it can be tough," Tomic said.

"I am much better-ranked but that doesn't mean anything.

"In Davis Cup players play much more freely and relaxed, hopefully I get up tomorrow.

"Whatever they throw at us we have to be ready."

The tie is a stepping stone as Australia look to break back into the elite World Group for the first time since 2007.

AAP

Tags: sport, tennis, brisbane-4000

First posted April 05, 2012 17:04:11

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Tomic warned for coaching in Miami loss

Updated March 25, 2012 13:11:58

Bernard Tomic plans to appeal any possible fine levelled against him for coaching in his second-round loss at the ATP/WTA event in Miami.

The Australian teenager was cautioned in his 6-4, 6-4 loss to Spanish fifth seed David Ferrer at what is one of the ATP's prestigious Masters 1000 tournaments, but claimed he was merely asking his coach-father John to have some racquets restrung.

A distracted Tomic then asked his father to move so he was not warned again before explaining himself to the chair umpire.

Meanwhile, Roger Federer set up a 24th career meeting against old rival Andy Roddick as both eased through the second round.

Third-seeded Federer, who has a 21-2 record against world number 34 Roddick, recorded his 23rd win of 2012 by beating 19-year-old American wild card Ryan Harrison 6-2, 7-6 (7-3).

The Swiss superstar is bidding to capture his third Indian Wells-Miami title double, having also won the back-to-back US hardcourt Masters events in 2005 and 2006.

Federer has now won 40 of his past 42 matches since the 2011 US Open semi-finals.

Roddick, the number 31 seed and 2004 and 2010 champion in Miami, dropped nine points on his serve and hit 10 aces to beat Luxembourg's Gilles Muller 6-3, 6-2.

The American, who is at his lowest ranking since July 2001, won in 74 minutes.

In the women's event, former world number one Kim Clijsters lost 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) to Belgian compatriot Yanina Wickmayer, the 23rd seed, in the third round.

Clijsters saved three match points but appeared to suffer a recurrence of her ankle injury.

American 10th seed Serena Williams breezed into the fourth round with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Italian number 21 seed Roberta Vinci.

Williams, who is playing her first tournament since a fourth-round exit at the Australian Open, will face either Australian sixth seed Samantha Stosur or South Africa's Chanelle Scheepers for a place in the last eight.

AAP/AFP

Tags: tennis, sport, united-states

First posted March 25, 2012 07:17:10

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Clijsters to miss French Open

Updated April 18, 2012 06:21:03

Belgium's Kim Clijsters announced that she will bypass the clay court season, including the French Open, in the hope of recovering from a hip injury in time for Wimbledon and the Olympic Games.

The 28-year-old sustained the injury during a match in Miami last month.

"My current physical condition will not enable me to go to Roland Garros in optimal shape," Clijsters said in a statement.

"However, I cannot wait to begin the long period of preparation for the grass season, with Wimbledon and the Olympic Games my principal objectives."

Clijsters intends to make her return to action at the Rosmalen tournament in the Netherlands, which begins on June 17.

AFP

Tags: tennis, sport, belgium

First posted April 18, 2012 06:21:03

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Stosur beats Kerber in Fed Cup

Updated April 21, 2012 22:42:22

Samantha Stosur produced an ideal start for Australia in its Fed Cup tie against Germany by recording a 7-6, (7-1), 6-4 victory over the in-form Angelique Kerber in Stuttgart.

The US Open champion claimed victory in one hour and 41 minutes on clay to hand Australia a 1-0 lead.

World number five Stosur has tended to produce her best form of the year during the European claycourt season and Saturday's victory was a highly encouraging result following a mixed start to the year.

The 2010 French Open finalist said she had been looking forward to playing on the red dirt and was glad to hand the nation a winning start in front of a parochial crowd at the Porsche Arena.

"It is always good to get a win in straight sets," she said.

"Since making the semi-finals and the final of the French Open, I really look forward to the claycourt season.

"I was especially keen to get over for the start of it this year and I want to make the most of it as there is not that many tournaments before the start of the French (Open next month)."

Stosur had defeated Kerber in their only previous meeting at last year's US Open in three sets on the way to collecting her maiden grand slam title.

On the back of that semi-final appearance at Flushing Meadows, the world number 14 Kerber has been one of the best players on tour in 2012 with titles in Paris and Copenhagen.

Only four players have earned more ranking points on the WTA tour in 2012 than the left-handed German.

Stosur made a bright start by breaking Kerber's opening service game before a flurry of unforced errors from the Australian allowed the German to level at 4-4.

The Australian had plenty of opportunities to take out the first set before sealing it out on her sixth set point in a tiebreaker.

The Queenslander quickly broke Kerber in the second before the German broke back to even up the scores at 4-4.

However Stosur broke the left-hander's serve once more and served out for the match at her first opportunity.

The winner of the tie will play in the elite eight-nation World Group next year.

Jarmila Gajdosova will face Julia Goerges in the second singles rubber.

AAP

Tags: tennis, sport, germany

First posted April 21, 2012 22:31:39

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