Radwanska cruises to Sydney triumph

Updated January 11, 2013 22:26:54

Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska claimed back-to-back WTA titles in spectacular style with a 6-0, 6-0 demolition of Dominika Cibulkova to win the Sydney International.

A week after winning the Auckland tournament, Radwanska lived up to her billing as top seed in Sydney as she claimed her 11th career WTA crown.

Cibulkova had proved somewhat of a giant-killer in a surprise run to the final, but she was no match for Radwanska in a ruthless display by the world number four on Ken Rosewall Arena.

"I'm just extremely happy that I could play my best tennis ... and not even dropping a set so definitely another great week for me and happy I could play on a really high level." Radwanska said.

While the first set was more competitive than the score suggested, Radwanska constantly frustrated the 15th-ranked Cibulkova, countering the Slovakian's power with patience and precision.

The second set seemingly could not end soon enough for Cibulkova, with Radwanska wrapping up the match in just under an hour.

Chasing a first major singles title after reaching the Wimbledon final last year, Radwanska now heads into the Australian Open with a perfect preparation.

In winning two titles and nine matches from nine attempts, she did not drop a set along the way, raising hope she can mix it with the likes of Victoria Azarenka and Serena Williams in Melbourne.

Radwanska, the fourth seed in Melbourne, faces Australian qualifier Bojana Bobusic in the opening round.

Despite a horror performance in the final, Cibulkova will arrive at the Open after a run of encouraging results.

She ousted 2011 Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and German second seed Angelique Kerber en route to the final in Sydney.

AAP/ABC

Tags: tennis, sport, sydney-2000

First posted January 11, 2013 20:48:29

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Tomic through to Sydney final

Updated January 11, 2013 20:11:55

Bernard Tomic progressed to his first ATP World Tour final with a straight-sets defeat of Italian Andreas Seppi at the Sydney International on Friday.

Tomic prevailed 7-6 (12-10), 6-4, having secured a vital break in the ninth game of the second set against the third-seeded Seppi that allowed him to serve for the match.

He will face Kevin Anderson in Saturday's final, the South African having advanced after beating Julien Benneteau of France 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10-8).

If he beats the unseeded Anderson, Tomic will become the first Australian winner in Sydney since Lleyton Hewitt in 2005 and the first 20-year-old to hoist the trophy since the great Roger Federer in 2002.

"Obviously [it was] a tough match, feeling a little bit tired now but that's what happens at the end of tournaments," Tomic told Grandstand.

"You don't feel as best you can but you've got to prepare for the next match and I'm into the final now and hopefully I can win my first title tomorrow."

The triumph continues an unbeaten start to 2013 for Tomic, who was undefeated at last week's Hopman Cup in Perth.

His run in Sydney, regardless of the outcome of Saturday's final, is likely to arrest his rankings slide that saw him drop 12 places in the rankings to 64 this week.

Tomic chose not to defend the points he earned at last year's Brisbane International, where he made the semi-finals.

The lanky Australian certainly displayed some of Hewitt's fighting spirit to get to the final, having overcome heat stress in 40 degrees Celsius on-court temperatures.

After calling for the ATP trainer while leading 5-4 in the opening set, Tomic complained of dizziness and then had to fend off six break points - or mini set points - at 5-5.

Tomic then saved four set points in the tiebreaker before snatching it when Seppi dumped a forehand into the net after 55 minutes.

Seppi, who led Novak Djokovic by two sets to love at last year's French Open, was also the first to falter in the second set.

He dropped serve in the ninth game to give Tomic a 5-4 advantage and the Australian had no trouble closing out the match after one hour, 23 minutes.

"It was very hot and I was struggling out there but I managed to find myself and lucky I won that first set and started feeling better, and started to execute my shots and feeling good," Tomic said.

"I'm happy the feeling went away and I'll be ready for tomorrow night's final."

AAP/ABC

Tags: tennis, sport, sydney-2000

First posted January 11, 2013 17:49:03

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Anderson, Benneteau into Sydney semis

Updated January 10, 2013 16:29:37

Tall timber Kevin Anderson will be looking to cut down a few big names at next week's Australian Open after the unseeded South African continued his run of good form to reach the Sydney International semi-finals.

The 2.03m Anderson, who is only shaded by the likes John Isner and Ivo Karlovic as the tallest man on the ATP tour, proved too strong for Denis Istomin in their quarter-final on Thursday, downing the Uzbek 6-4, 6-3.

He will meet Julien Benneteau in a semi-final on Friday after the Frenchman eased to a 6-4, 6-2 win over American qualifier Ryan Harrison.

Anderson has enjoyed a strong start to the year, winning two from three of his singles matches at the Hopman Cup, the only loss at the hands of world number eight Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in two tiebreaker sets.

The Hopman Cup proved something of a mixed blessing for Anderson, who chose to play in Perth ahead of the ATP tournament in Brisbane.

Good results in Brisbane could have seen the world number 36 move into the top 32 available players for the Australian Open, earning a seeding at Melbourne Park in the process.

"It was pretty tricky," Anderson said of deciding where to start his year.

"As things turned out I wasn't too far off from being seeded at the Australian. So I think that was biggest downside from not playing.

"But I chose to play (the Hopman Cup) before I knew that (possibility)."

With a booming serve and capable volley, Anderson looms as a player the seeds will be looking to avoid in the early rounds at Melbourne.

Benneteau, a journeyman who has spent 13 years on tour and is without a singles title from seven finals, was also impressive.

A losing finalist in Sydney last year to Finn Jarkko Nieminen, Benneteau discovered on Thursday morning he would be the beneficiary of Isner's injury-enforced withdrawal from the Australian Open, the 35th-ranked Frenchman elevated to the 32nd and last seeding.

"For sure it's better (to be seeded) but it doesn't mean that you are going to win some matches at the Australian Open," Benneteau said.

AAP

Tags: tennis, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted January 10, 2013 16:29:37

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Sydney 'too hot for tennis'

Updated January 09, 2013 00:15:45

Jelena Jankovic said her head felt like it was about to explode, Li Na described conditions as sauna-like and Agnieszka Radwanska declared it simply "too hot to play".

But in temperatures that reached 41.4 degrees at Sydney Olympic Park, play tennis they did.

Right throughout the day, only pausing when women's matches went to a third set for a 10 minute break.

Some handled it better than others.

"It's like 40 degrees, but on court it feels like 50 - it feels so hot," said former world No.1 Jankovic, who went down to Roberta Vinci 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4).

"Then the feet are burning; my head was like going to explode there."

The end result was better for top seed Radwanska, the Pole claiming a 6-4, 6-3 win over Kimiko Date-Krumm to reach the last eight and remain unbeaten in 2013 after winning the Auckland tournament last week.

"I think this is too hot to play tennis," Radwanska said when asked if matches should be put on hold.

"Even for players, for ball kids, for the people sitting out there, I think it's just too hot.

"I think I would prefer to go on court at 11pm and play a match."

Galina Voskoboeva did suffer from heat stress in her match against second seed Angelique Kerber and had to take a medical time out.

Kerber, who rocketed from number 32 to number five in the world in 2012 and defeated Voskoboeva 6-2, 7-5, said she hardly noticed what was going on with her opponent.

"For sure the weather conditions are very strong and strange, but I think for everybody it's the same," she said.

"You need to go out there and try your best and just think about the points and not about the weather."

Another former world number one in Caroline Wozniacki was more bothered by a hot opponent who could go on to cause some damage at the Australian Open.

Unseeded two-time grand slam winner Svetlana Kuznetsova had an injury-plagued 2012, her ranking blowing out to number 85 in the world but the Russian suggested her best days were not necessarily behind her with a tidy 7-6 (7-4), 1-6, 6-2 win over the Dane.

Italy's Sara Errani moved into the last eight with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Maria Kirilenko and will take on Dominika Cibulkova for a spot in the semi-finals; the Slovakian having a tough three set win over Ekaterina Makarova.

Samantha Stosur's first round conqueror, Jie Zheng, surrendered meekly after her victory on Monday night, going down to American qualifier Madison Keys in straight sets.

Bothered by the heat Jie went down 6-0, 6-4.

The weather seemed less of an issue for her countrywoman Li, who summed up the situation pretty well after a win against qualifier Ayumi Morita in which she only lost one game.

"Oh, it's too hot, but I'm still in the tournament so it's good news," she said.

The tournament does have an Extreme Heat Policy (EHP) but it only comes into effect at the discretion of the tournament referee. Tennis officials apply a complex formula factoring in heat, humidity, wind and radiation to determine when on-court conditions become too stressful for the players.

At the Hobart International, ninth seed Mona Barthel of Germany - who defeated Australia's Ashleigh Barty late on Monday night - qualified for the third round with a straight sets win over South Africa's Chanelle Scheepers 7-6 (7-3), 7-5.

She was joined in the third round by American number eight seed Sloan Stephens, fourth seed Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan and Romanian second seed Sorana Cirstea.

Earlier, the first round was completed with Serbia's Bojana Jovanosvski beating Spain's Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor 6-0, 7-6 (9-7), and third seed Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic beating Hungary's Timea Babos 6-4, 6-3.

AAP / ABC

Tags: tennis, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted January 08, 2013 14:30:46

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Tomic battles into Sydney semis

Updated January 11, 2013 07:49:24

Bernard Tomic's new-found steel has thrust the reformed youngster into his second ATP Tour semi-final at the Sydney International.

Tomic battled back doggedly from a set down to defeat defending champion Jarkko Nieminen 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 6-2 to move to within two victories of a long-awaited maiden tour title.

The 20-year-old will take on Andreas Seppi on Friday for a spot in the final after the Italian third seed beat Spain's Marcel Granollers 6-4, 7-5 in the late match.

Tomic's only other tour semi-final ended in defeat against Andy Murray last January in Brisbane.

Despite being below his best against the crafty Nieminen, Tomic will be a warm favourite no matter who he plays after extending his unbeaten summer streak to six straight wins.

The 2011 Wimbledon quarter-finalist now boasts 17 victories from his past 19 matches in Australia, an imposing record ahead of his home grand slam beginning in Melbourne on Monday.

But his latest triumph was hard-earned.

"I was happy with myself to stay in there," Tomic said.

"Early in that second set, I felt like he was going for shots and was relaxing and for me to stay in there til that 3-all point was really big.

"After I won that second set, I freed up and played better tennis."

Tomic fought hard to recover from 5-2 down in the opening set, only to blow his own 5-2 advantage in the tiebreaker.

He had two set points at 6-4 and wasted his best chance on his own service when he overcooked a routine forehand.

Heartened by the reprieve, Nieminen continued to attack and was rewarded with the first set.

"I was very concerned after that first set," Tomic said.

Living on the edge, Tomic grabbed the sole break of the second set late on when Nieminen faltered trying to stay in it at 4-5 down.

The Finn's poor service game ended quickly when he put two balls in the net to allow Tomic back on level terms.

Despite his experience, Nieminen has has converted only two of his 12 finals into titles and it showed as the left-hander capitulated in the deciding set.

He surrendered his second service game of the set and, rather embarrassingly, the one-time world number 13 shanked his second serve on match point.

Earlier, big-serving South African Kevin Anderson and Frenchman Julien Benneteau, last year's runner-up to Nieminen, booked their places in Friday's semi-finals.

Anderson downed Uzbek Denis Istomin 6-4, 6-3, while Benneteau eliminated American qualifier Ryan Harrison 6-4, 6-2.

AAP

Tags: tennis, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia, southport-4215, qld

First posted January 10, 2013 22:04:46

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Sam stalls again in Sydney loss

Updated January 08, 2013 10:25:17

Samantha Stosur is remaining upbeat about her Australian Open hopes despite her sorry run continuing with a roller-coaster first-round exit from the Sydney International.

Stosur's 6-3, 6-7 (7-9), 6-4 defeat at the hands of China's world number 42 Jie Zheng was her fifth consecutive loss in Australia, a miserable run that stretches back to last summer.

She rebounded from match point down to take the match to three sets, but despite a brave effort she could not produce her top form with enough consistency to clinch the match.

The world number nine will head to Melbourne for the Open starting next Monday alarmingly underdone after playing just two matches since having minor ankle surgery six weeks ago.

With little history of performing well at a tennis major without a strong build-up, Stosur's Open prospects look grim.

But the 2011 US Open champion insists she will take a considerably more positive mindset into the season-opening major than last year when she crashed to a first-round loss to Romanian Sorana Cirstea.

Stosur refused to blame her surgery as any kind of excuse for Monday night's loss and said she actually felt like she'd made significant strides since last week's rusty straight sets defeat in Brisbane to Swede Sofia Arvidsson.

"It's bad because it's another loss, but to be honest I feel a lot better after this loss than last week's loss because I felt like I did some better things," Stosur said.

"It's not like I was playing a bad opponent either - either week.

"I feel like I at least got out of a point in the match where I felt I could have been playing better and actually got through that and at least got myself into a winning position.

"I think another week I'll be playing better again. You never know what can happen with one win.

"We'll just try and take it one match at a time and hopefully I can get through that first one and then from there we'll see."

Stosur made a bright enough start against Jie, establishing two break points in the first game, but the alarm bells were ringing again when Zheng jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the opening set.

The Gold Coast-native got on the scoreboard to hold her own serve, but the 29-year-old Zheng was playing confidently and she sealed the opening set in 43 minutes.

Stosur showed fight to win five straight points from 0-40 to hold serve for 3-2 in the second set, and then raced through the next two games - including a break - for a 5-2 lead.

Stosur was starting to come into her own, hitting for the corners and putting Zheng on the defensive, but she could not quite make the final breakthrough.

Zheng survived a string of break points to hold in the eighth game, caught her opponent on the hop to get the break back and then held to level at 5-5.

The set eventually went to a tie-break, with a number of mini-breaks of serve.

Zheng had a match point on Stosur's serve at 6-7, but the Australian forced an error from her opponent to hold on.

Another error off Zheng's racket then brought up set point, before her passing shot on the run went long to give Stosur the set in 72 minutes.

Stosur looked confident in the final set, and she broke early to take a 3-1 lead.

Zheng looked down and out, but she dug in and forced a break before levelling at 3-3.

She held for 4-3 and then played solid on Stosur's serve, drawing errors from the Australian's racket before hitting an almost unplayable cross-court return to get the break for 5-3.

Serving for the match, Zheng went down three break points, and although she saved one, Stosur converted the second to take it back to 4-5.

The Australian could not take her chance, however, making a series of errors to go down 0-40.

Stosur rifled a forehand winner to save one match point, but a backhand into the net finally ended the match after two and a half hours.

AAP / ABC

Tags: sport, tennis, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted January 07, 2013 21:28:44

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Kvitova sent packing at Sydney International

Updated January 06, 2013 20:28:58

The first big name has fallen at the Sydney International with women's fifth seed Petra Kvitova sent packing after a heavy first round loss to Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova.

Kvitova's Australian Open preparations took a significant hit as world number 15 Cibulkova raced to a 6-1, 6-1 win in little more than an hour at the Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre on Sunday.

Czech Kvitova, the 2011 Wimbledon champion, was ousted by Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the second round of the Brisbane International and will head into the Open amid a worrying form slump.

Earlier, former world number one Caroline Wozniacki put her Open preparations back on track with a comprehensive 6-1, 6-2 win over Poland's Urszula Radwanska.

After beginning 2013 poorly with a shock first-round loss to qualifier Ksenia Pervak at the Brisbane International, the Dane rediscovered her form in a powerful display.

With boyfriend and world golf number one Rory McIlroy watching on from the stands, Wozniacki needed just 26 minutes to take the first set and was largely untroubled in closing out the match in tough conditions.

"It was quite hot out there, especially towards the end of the second set you could really feel it was starting to heat up," Wozniacki said.

"I'm just happy to get the first win of the season under my belt and just move on."

The seventh seed will next face either German Julia Goerges or a qualifier in the second round.

But Wozniacki will part ways with McIlroy, with the Northern Irishman to fly out on Sunday night after 10 days in Australia to commence preparations for the Abu Dhabi golf championship later this month.

In other matches, Australian Olivia Rogowska lost to Russia's Maria Kirilenko in straight sets, 7-5, 6-2, while another Russian, Ekaterina Makarova, beat American Varvara Lepchenko 6-4. 4-6, 6-1.

AAP

Tags: sport, tennis, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted January 06, 2013 15:58:22

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Ebden falls short in Sydney

Updated January 07, 2013 18:45:31

Australian wildcard entry Matthew Ebden has been knocked out in the first round of the Sydney International in a tough three-set loss to Spain's Marcel Granollers.

The 25-year-old Perth native started strongly and looked headed for victory before the world number 34 re-took the momentum and eventually the match 5-7, 7-5, 6-1 in 2 hours 21 minutes.

Ebden - ranked 105 in the world - was a set and a break up at 5-4 in the second set, but Granollers summoned a big effort to take the next three games and level the match.

Granollers then broke Ebden's serve and held his own to go 3-1 up in the deciding set.

The crucial fifth game then went to five deuces as the Spanish player tried to strike again for a decisive double break.

Ebden saved a number of break points before finally losing the game to go 4-1 down.

Granollers held his serve again before breaking the Australian for the third time to take the set and the match.

Earlier, another Australian wildcard James Duckworth bowed out following a tight three-set struggle against Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin.

The 20-year-old Duckworth, ranked 209 in the world, won the first set before Istomin finally triumphed 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 7-6 (7-3).

It was an encouraging showing from Duckworth against Istomin, who beat Lleyton Hewitt en route to making the quarter-finals of the Brisbane International last week.

Fifth seed Florian Mayer of Germany accounted for Joao Sousa of Portugal 6-1, 6-1.

In the women's draw, Serbia's former world number one Jelena Jankovic defeated Austria's Tamira Paszek 6-2, 7-6(7-5) and Italy's Roberta Vinci upset eighth-seeded Russian Nadia Petrova 7-5, 7-5.

Tags: tennis, sport, sydney-2000

First posted January 07, 2013 13:52:01

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Stosur and Tsonga heading to Sydney

Updated October 10, 2012 11:00:21

Samantha Stosur and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga head the list of entries in the Australian Open warm-up Sydney International tournament.

Stosur, who will play a week earlier at the Brisbane International, said the competitive field made the Sydney event a key part of her Australian Open preparation.

"Every year the tournament is tough, the cut off is around 25 in the world so you really jump straight in the deep end there," Stosur said.

"Going into the first grand slam of the year you want to be playing the best in the world and that always happens in Sydney."

Tsonga hopes playing at Sydney can help him repeat the form of 2008 when he went from playing the warm-up event to reaching the final of the year's first major.

"For me it's very important to prepare well for the Australian Open," said Tsonga, who last played in the event in 2009.

"Playing the Sydney event provides great preparation.

"Right after in 2008 I played the final at the Australian Open."

Tags: sport, tennis, sydney-2000

First posted October 10, 2012 11:00:21

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Nieminen wins Sydney International

Updated January 15, 2012 13:00:04

It was the men's final nobody saw coming which very nearly became the one with no winner.

The Sydney International final, between qualifier Jarkko Nieminen and the unseeded Julien Benneteau, had for the first time been delayed by a day due to persistent rain.

But just as it looked like mother nature herself was ready to declare the result a draw - the clouds parted and Jarkko Nieminen took his chance to claim the title.

The Finn kept his 100 per cent record over Frenchman Benneteau to become the first qualifier since Hyung-Taik Lee in 2003 to win the event, 6-2, 7-5.

Having waited so long to get on court, Benneteau wasted no time once the weather cleared, breaking Nieminen's first service game - before the Finn took over to claim the first in just 28 minutes on his way to the comfortable victory.

Nieminen did not concede another service game in the match.

In front of nearly-empty stands - with the bulk of ticket holders presumably taking up the offer of trading their tickets in for the 2013 men's final rather than watching the two journeymen slug it out - Nieminen put in a polished performance to claim just his second career title.

It was largely unfamiliar territory for the left-hander, who has lost 10 of his previous 11 finals matches but, once he clicked into gear, it was a smooth ride.

Benneteau remains winless in six ATP finals.

With the victory, Nieminen joins the likes of all-time greats Roger Federer and Pete Sampras and four-time champion Lleyton Hewitt on the Sydney honour roll.

It makes for a particularly busy start to the week for the 30-year-old, who also has the doubles final on Sunday before flying down to Melbourne for his Australian Open first-round match against David Nalbandian on Monday night.

Benneteau gets a little more time to recover; he will not face Karol Beck until Tuesday.

AAP

Tags: tennis, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted January 15, 2012 12:25:34

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Nieminen to play Benneteau in Sydney final

Updated January 13, 2012 19:50:57

Journeymen Jarkko Nieminen and Julien Benneteau earned themselves a rare ATP title shot at the Sydney International after beating higher ranked semi-final opponents on Friday.

Finland's Nieminen, 30, needed a marathon 26-point tie-breaker before prevailing over Uzbekistan's 67th-ranked Denis Istomin 7-6 (14-12), 6-3 in an hour and 44 minutes to reach his 12th career ATP final on Saturday.

French world number 49 Benneteau required six match points and had to win through a see-sawing 14-minute final game before seeing off Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis 6-4, 6-4 in almost two hours.

Left-hander Nieminen, ranked 77, has only won one title - in Auckland six years ago - and was a beaten Sydney finalist in 2009 against David Nalbandian.

He is bidding to become the first qualifier to win the tournament since South Korea's Lee Hyung-Taik claimed the title nine years ago.

"I really enjoyed that moment being in the finals again now a second time here," Nieminen said.

"It's just great that I start the year like this. I struggled in the beginning of the last year, and this is a real great confidence boost for me."

Benneteau, 30, a semi-finalist here two years ago, will be playing in his sixth final and has yet to win a title.

The Frenchman, who improved his record against Baghdatis to 4-2, has yet to drop a set this week after wins over Andreas Seppi, fourth seed Feliciano Lopez and Alex Bogomolov Jr.

"I've never beat him (Nieminen) on the tour. Each time it was very tough matches, very tight, three sets, long matches," Benneteau said.

"He's a good player. He has some confidence because he's won a lot matches this week. But also he can be a little bit tired.

"Now it depends on me, how I can manage to find a way to win the first title of my career."

Former Sydney winner Baghdatis was disappointed with his performance a few days ahead of the Australian Open, where he was a beaten finalist against Roger Federer six years ago.

"I was a bit tight again. I wasn't so aggressive. I tried but my shots were not heavy enough," 43rd-ranked Baghdatis said.

"He played very smart, very aggressive, and was serving very well. I had my chances. I didn't take them, he did. Basically, that's it."

AFP

Tags: sport, tennis, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted January 13, 2012 19:36:16

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Li moves through to Sydney final

Updated January 12, 2012 22:50:06

China's Li Na has ensured there will be no change to the women's world number one ranking until at least the Australian Open after a fighting three-set win over Petra Kvitova in the semi-finals of the Sydney International.

Defending champion Li, her country's sole major singles winner after claiming last year's French Open crown, recovered from a set and a break down to beat the Czech 1-6, 7-5, 6-2.

She will meet the third-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, who defeated Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska in the second semi-final 1-6, 6-3, 6-2.

"The way she (Kvitova) was playing in the first set I didn't know what to do. Give up? I couldn't do anything," Li said.

Kvitova recognised that she was not clinical enough, and after dominating the opening set she gave Li chances to get back into the contest.

"I played very well the first set. I was the one who made the winners ... And then in the second set, I gave her a lot of chances and she did it," she said.

"It's tennis, so it's still up and down."

With current world number one Caroline Wozniacki's loss in Wednesday's quarter-final to Radwanska, the door was left open for Kvitova to assume the mantle of the top player in women's tennis, assuming she won the Sydney title on Friday night.

But Kvitova was tripped up at the penultimate hurdle by the world number five.

After being outclassed for a set and a half, Li suddenly bounced back from 1-3 down in the second set to draw level before snatching a break in the pivotal 11th game and then going on to serve out the set.

The deciding set was mostly one-way traffic.

Li enjoyed an early break before the Wimbledon champion had a brief sniff to get back into the contest with a break point at 2-3.

But after Li consolidated her break she took out the next two games and the match.

Li is no stranger to a comeback on centre court in Sydney having recovered from 5-0 down in the first set of last year's final to beat Kim Clijsters in straight sets.

AAP

Tags: tennis, sport, sydney-2000

First posted January 12, 2012 17:55:41

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Azarenka victorious in Sydney decider

Updated January 13, 2012 23:46:29

Known best for the sounds she makes on court, Victoria Azarenka will instead head to Melbourne Park with plenty of noise being made about her Australian Open chances after the Belarusian took out the Sydney International on Friday night.

The 22-year-old overcame a second-set lapse to down defending champion Li Na 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 at Sydney Olympic Park.

One of the noisiest players on tour - who grunted her way to the 95 decibel mark during her semi-final run to Wimbledon last year - Azarenka instead turned up the volume on her powerful ground strokes, giving Li the run around from the back of the court.

While much of the focus this week has been on the battle for the world number one between incumbent Caroline Wozniacki and her suitor Petra Kvitova, Azarenka has quietly consolidated her number three ranking and must be considered a serious threat in Melbourne.

A 2005 junior Australian Open champion, Azarenka was a stealthy mover on the tour last year, rising from 10th in the world to her current ranking thanks to three titles and consistent results at the four grand slams.

She fairly blasted through the first set on Friday night, ripping winners at will, particularly on the backhand flank.

But the errors that tallied so swiftly for Li in the opener began to dwindle in the second set, China's number one player taking it comfortably as she began to eye off her first tournament win since last year's French Open.

After games had stayed on serve at 4-3 in the decider Azarenka then found an extra gear, breaking her opponent to serve for the match.

Also known on occasion for her fragile temperament, Azarenka steeled herself during a tense game to serve out the match, calmly blunting several break back opportunities to snare the title.

Despite the loss, Li will also have plenty of confidence heading to Melbourne.

She is 18-2 in singles matches in Australia over the last year, her only losses across four tournaments coming on Friday night and in the final of the grand slam opener of 2011 against Kim Clijsters.

AAP

Tags: sport, tennis, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted January 13, 2012 23:38:20

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Aussie Ebden bows out in Sydney

Updated January 11, 2012 17:12:38

Australia's last hope at the Sydney International tennis has made a gallant exit from the tournament.

Wildcard Matthew Ebden lost a third-set tiebreaker against former champion and Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis.

Baghdatis battled back from dropping the first set to prevail 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-3) after two hours and 12 minutes in hot and windy conditions to book a last-eight showdown with top seed Juan Martin Del Potro in tomorrow's quarter-finals.

After enjoying a first-round bye, Del Potro scored a routine 6-4, 6-2 win over Lukasz Kubot at Sydney Olympic Park on Wednesday.

Argentina's 2009 US Open champion, ranked number 11 as opposed to number 485 this time last year when he returned in Sydney from wrist surgery, was delighted to win his belated first match of the year.

Despite the tournament commencing on Sunday, del Potro had to wait four days for a start and was relieved to advance.

"It was really tough conditions," he said.

"But I just was really focused on my serve basically in the first set and then tried to take a little opportunity because it was really difficult to play long rallies, to feel the ball like I wanted.

"It was really tough, but finally I won anyway.

"I did well today; tomorrow I need to play better because my opponent will be really tough as well."

Second seed John Isner became the first big casualty from the men's draw with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 second-round loss to fellow American Bobby Reynolds.

After progressing through the qualifying draw, Isner's conqueror Reynolds faces Finnish left-hander Jarko Nieminen, who ousted eighth-seeded Czech Radek Stepanek 7-6 (7-5), 5-7, 6-1.

French third seed Richard Gasquet outclassed Fabio Fognini 6-2, 6-1 and will meet Uzbek qualifier Denis Istomin, a 6-2, 6-1 victor over American Ryan Sweeting.

Defending champion Li Na is the first player through to the women's semi-finals after beating Lucie Safarova in straight sets.

After cruising through the first set, China's world number five was forced to a tiebreaker by her Czech opponent in the second but eventually wrapped up the quarter-final clash 6-2, 7-6 (7-3).

Last year's French Open champion and Australian Open finalist Li will now meet the winner of Wednesday night's centre court clash between world number two Petra Kvitova and Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova.

Third seed Victoria Azarenka will take on France's Marion Bartoli later on Wednesday, while world number one Caroline Wozniacki battles Poland's seventh-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska in the last women's quarter-final match.

AAP

Tags: sport, tennis, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted January 11, 2012 17:08:20

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Hewitt goes down in Sydney

Updated January 11, 2012 08:22:55

Battling Lleyton Hewitt bowed out of the Sydney International after a three-set defeat to fifth seed Viktor Troicki.

The former world number one pushed the 2011 runner-up all the way and looked to be in a good position to take out the match when up a set and a break.

But the fleet-footed Serbian, ranked 21 in the world to Hewitt's 182, ultimately prevailed 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Troicki had raced to a 4-1 lead in the first set but the typically spirited Hewitt dragged his way back into the match by breaking back and going on to claim the next five games.

The momentum continued Hewitt's way early in the second set when he went up a break but he could not maintain his dominance, as Serbia's 2010 Davis Cup hero loosened up and took control of the match.

Four-time Sydney International winner Hewitt will now head to Melbourne for his 16th consecutive Australian Open campaign.

Hewitt says his toe injury is in much the same condition as when he played his first competitive match of the year against Spain's Fernando Verdasco at the Hopman Cup in Perth.

"It's no worse," he said.

"That's probably the biggest positive out of it.

"If I played [after the] first match against Verdasco and couldn't walk the next day that was going to be a worry, but it hasn't got any worse."

With one win from his four matches of the year but some positive signs most times he played, Hewitt admits to being being frustrated.

"But as I said, I didn't come to Perth or here with the highest expectations," he said.

"It was to try and get match hardened as much as possible.

"Sure, I would've liked another match or two here for sure. But all said and done, I felt like any movements got better throughout the Hopman Cup. Then I think tonight was the best I moved, better than I moved in the Hopman Cup, which is a positive, because obviously my movement is such a big part of my game."

As for his future Hewitt was typically non-committal about his longer term plans, only offering that he is still like to play in Sydney again next year.

"At the moment I would like to," Hewitt said of playing the Sydney International in 2013.

"Obviously my focus is on the Aussie Open next week.

"To tell you the truth, we got that and then two weeks later, a week and a half later the Davis Cup in Geelong. I haven't looked past that."

On an otherwise a quiet day on the men's side of the draw crowd favourite Marcos Baghdatis was a 6-4, 6-4 winner over Dmitry Tursunov while Radek Stepanek, Julien Benneteau, Fabio Fognini and Alex Bogomolov all moved through to the last 16.

AAP

Tags: sport, tennis, sydney-2000

First posted January 10, 2012 20:20:27

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Big three advance in Sydney

Updated January 11, 2012 08:36:23

Caroline Wozniacki showed she is prepared to bunker down in the battle to stay world number one, clawing her way back from a double break in the deciding set to advance to the quarter-finals of the Sydney International.

In a tough day for the top seeds, the highest ranked of them all rattled off six consecutive games in draining conditions to down Dominika Cibulkova 7-5, 2-6, 6-4.

As would-be number one Petra Kvitova found things almost as tough in a 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 win over Alexandra Dulgheru and defending Sydney champion Li Na also endured a three-setter, Wozniacki showed she will not give up the post without a serious fight.

And while Kvitova is able to move to the top of women's tennis tree with a tournament win at Sydney Olympic Park, Wozniacki wanted to remind people where things currently stood.

When it was suggested whoever won in Sydney would "take" the number one ranking her response was pointed.

"Well, I have the number one ranking, so I can't take it," she said, the pair remaining on course for a title decider at Sydney Olympic Park.

The rankings wrangle was nearly left in the hands of Wimbledon champion Kvitova as the out-of-sorts Dane looked down for the count.

While the likes of Svetlana Kuznetsova pulled the pin on Tuesday citing "heat illness" - the third time the two-time grand slam champion has withdrawn while playing in a match at this tournament - the other top seeds were prepared to dig in.

She may not have won a grand slam but Wozniacki suggested she would not walk away from a match anytime soon.

"I hate losing," Wozniacki said.

"I think that's one of the biggest reasons (I kept fighting).

"I always do everything I can to win a game, and I want to stand in the end as the winner and have won the last point."

Kvitova also lifted after a second-set malaise, but the Czech knew she was in for a struggle from the get go.

"I lost against her in the US Open. It was a little bit in my head. I wanted to win today, of course," she said.

Kvitova will now take on Daniela Hantuchova, who comfortably accounted for Sam Stosur's conqueror Francesca Schiavone.

For Li, it was almost a case of feeling too relaxed.

"Beginning of the match I was thinking, wow, she can hit the ball so deep and every ball back to my court," said the world number five, who downed Chanelle Scheppers 2-6, 6-4, 6-1.

"I was like, 'What's going on? What should I do?'"

There was nothing much Australian Jelena Dokic could do, with eighth seed Marion Bartoli steamrolling her way to a 6-0, 6-3 win in their round of 16 match.

AAP

Tags: tennis, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted January 10, 2012 13:19:58

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Stosur falls in Sydney

Updated January 09, 2012 21:16:19

Samantha Stosur's Australian Open preparations copped another hammer blow with a first-round exit from the Sydney International.

Stosur's Italian nemesis Francesca Schiavone sent Australia's US Open champion packing with a 6-2, 6-4 defeat on Ken Rosewall Arena at Sydney Olympic Park.

The straight-sets loss followed Stosur's second-round departure from last week's Brisbane International and left the world number six alarmingly short of match practise heading into the season's first major starting next Monday.

"That's what makes it so difficult. Melbourne is coming up and I want to start playing well," Stosur said.

"Being in Australia and playing in Australia, I want to play the best I can play and do it all here this month, right here right now.

"Then when it doesn't happen, it's obviously disappointing. It probably makes it more disappointing here than anywhere else."

While she trails 6-4 in their career series, Schiavone has a nagging habit of raising her game for the big stage against Stosur.

The world number 11 famously beat Stosur for the first time in five meetings in the 2010 French Open final and then upstaged the Australian in a crucial Fed Cup rubber last February in Hobart.

And despite looking leaner and meaner than ever, Stosur again had no answers to the Italian's craft and grit on Monday.

The match was all over in 88 minutes, with Schiavone advancing to a second-round meeting with Daniela Hantuchova, who downed Roberta Vinci 7-5, 6-2.

"You do all the work leading up and you feel okay and then today all of a sudden it's just like a bombshell hits you," Stosur said.

"The whole emotional side of things really took over today. It never felt like I was able to be loose and free with the way I wanted to play."

While Stosur bombed out, defending champion Li Na, third seed Victoria Azarenka and eighth seed Marion Bartoli all safely progressed to the last 16.

Li needed barely an hour to sweep past Ekaterina Makarova 6-0, 6-3 after winning the first nine games of the match.

The French Open champion next faces a qualifier, either South African Chanelle Scheepers or Hungarian Melinda Czink, for a berth in the quarter-finals.

Li kick-started her memorable 2011 season in Sydney last year, backing her up final triumph over Kim Clijsters with a charge to the Australian Open decider, which she ultimately lost to Clijsters, and then reigned supreme at Roland Garros.

But even after an undefeated campaign at last week's Hopman Cup in Perth, China's first and only major singles champion is not looking back.

"Last year is over," Li said.

"I don't have to think about what I did already last year. I mean, everyone has to look forward to see what you should do right now."

Azarenka also only dropped three games in a 6-2, 6-1 defeat of Swiss qualifier Stefanie Voegele.

The Belarusian faces a tougher second-round clash with former world number one Jelena Jankovic.

Bartoli beat Polona Hercog 6-3, 6-3 to set up a showdown with Sydney-raised first-round winner Jelena Dokic.

In other key matches on Monday, dual major champion Svetlana Kuznetsova upstaged sixth-seeded Russian compatriot Vera Zvonareva 6-1, 6-2 and Dominika Cibulkova defeated Peng Shuai 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 to book a meeting with world number one Caroline Wozniacki.

AAP

Tags: tennis, sport, sydney-2000

First posted January 09, 2012 16:44:29

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Ebden shocks Spaniard in Sydney

Updated January 09, 2012 21:07:36

Australian Mathew Ebden has won through to the second round of the Sydney International with a three-set upset over seventh seed Marcel Granollers.

Wildcard entrant Ebden beat the Spaniard 6-1, 3-6 6-3 to set up a possible showdown with crowd favourite Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis in the second round.

World number 97 Ebden, who suffered a first-round exit at last year's tournament, got the double break to race to a 5-1 lead in the first set and duly served it out at 6-1.

But the tables were turned in the second set when the world number 28 found his rhythm, getting the early break and racing to a 3-0 lead.

Ebden saved three set points on his serve at 5-2 down and held on to win the game, but Granollers squared the match at one set apiece soon after.

The Australian had two break points at 2-1 up in the third set, but lost the first one with an error while Granollers saved the second with a timely ace, his eighth of the match.

But after Ebden surged ahead 4-2 and stepped up to serve for the match at 5-3, he converted his first match point to seal the shock result.

"I'm very glad to be through," Ebden said.

"I think I can make a lot improvements still, which is a good thing. I don't think I played probably my best tennis.

"I was close last week, and this week it was three sets again, but I'm glad it was me in the winner's seat this time.

"With the first win of the year, I think it'll give me confidence and just get on that winning roll again."

Earlier on Monday, Florian Mayer was the first withdrawal from the men's draw when the German sixth seed pulled out with a hip injury.

He was replaced by American Ryan Sweeting, who made the most of his call-up by beating Gilles Muller 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 7-5, while Finland's Jarkko Nieminen downed Australian teenager James Duckworth 6-2, 6-2.

Fellow Australian Lleyton Hewitt will be in action on centre court on Tuesday when he takes on Serbian Viktor Troicki.

AAP

Tags: tennis, sport, sydney-2000

First posted January 09, 2012 20:31:20

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Li Na into second round in Sydney

Updated January 09, 2012 13:46:40

Defending champion Li Na has made a sizzling start to the Sydney International, romping into the second round in barely an hour.

The fourth-seeded French Open champion outclassed Russian Ekaterina Makarova 6-0, 6-3 after winning the first nine games of the match.

Li will face a qualifier in the second round, either South African Chanelle Scheepers or Hungarian Melinda Czink.

Australia's fifth seed Samantha Stosur was due to play her opening match later on Monday against Italian Francesca Schiavone.

The match of the day is a sequel to their 2010 French Open final which Schiavone won.

In Monday's other matches, Li's Chinese compatriot Peng Shuai fell at the first hurdle, coming up against a determined Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia, who won 6-2, 4-6, 6-4.

Germany's Andrea Petkovic beat Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2, 6-3 to advance to the second round, while Romanian Alexandra Dulgheru beat Sofia Arvidsson of Sweden 6-1, 6-1.

In the men's results, American Ryan Sweeting beat Gilles Muller 3-6, 7-6, 7-5, while Poland's Lukasz Kubot beat Croatia's Ivan Dodig 7-6, 7-5.

ABC/AAP

Tags: tennis, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted January 09, 2012 12:37:27

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Injured Pennetta out of Sydney singles

Updated January 08, 2012 17:14:23

Injured Italian Flavia Pennetta has withdrawn from the singles event at this week's Sydney International, but is hopeful of being fit to play in the doubles.

The world number 20 retired with a back problem in the deciding set of the Auckland Classic final on Sunday against China's Zheng Jie, who was leading 2-6, 6-3, 2-0.

Pennetta, the fourth seed in Auckland and who was chasing her 10th WTA singles crown, says she is due to have a scan to determine the exact nature of the injury.

She first felt it late in the opening set and it began causing her pain when she served.

"I hope it's not that big an injury," she said.

"I'll still go to Sydney and also have some treatment there, and then we'll take the decision Tuesday about the doubles."

The 29-year-old Pennetta had been due to play a qualifier in the first round of the Sydney singles.

In the doubles, she is again partnering Argentine Gisela Dulko, with whom she won the Australian Open title last year.

AAP

Tags: tennis, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted January 08, 2012 16:45:12

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