Djokovic subdues Berdych to reach last four

Updated November 10, 2012 10:13:45

Novak Djokovic advanced to the semi-finals of the ATP Tour Finals with a 100 per cent record as the world number one defeated Czech fifth seed Tomas Berdych 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) in London on Saturday morning (AEDT).

Djokovic had already defeated Andy Murray and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in his previous Group A matches and the Serb knew he needed only to win one set against Berdych to be sure of qualifying.

The 25-year-old achieved that goal in just over half an hour, but he refused to take it easy after that and secured the victory which guaranteed first place in the group and potentially an easier route to the final.

In the process, Djokovic also secured his 73rd match win of 2012, moving him level with David Ferrer as the year's two most successful players on the Tour.

Berdych's second loss of the tournament means he is eliminated, while US Open champion Murray can seal his place in the last four by taking one set from his match against Tsonga later on Friday.

"I didn't want to think about scenarios or calculations. I leave that to other people and just try to do my job and win on the court," Djokovic said.

"I played a really good match but I thought he served better towards the end of the second set. I was fortunate to come back and win in straight sets."

Djokovic had won 10 of his previous 11 encounters with Berdych, a dominant run which included victories over the Czech in the Tour Finals for the last two years.

The Serb, who won the Tour Finals in 2008 in Shanghai, was quick to take command again, breaking for a 2-1 lead when Berdych netted on the fourth break-point of the game.

Berdych had a chance to get back in the match when he earned his first break point on the Djokovic serve in the next game, but the Serb snuffed out that glimmer of hope before pressing home his advantage.

Djokovic was dictating the tempo of the rallies and the unnerved Berdych, unable to cause much damage with his booming serve, surrendered a second break in the fifth game that effectively ended the first set.

With his last four place now secured, Djokovic looked like sprinting to victory when he broke to go 2-1 ahead in the second set, but a loose service game presented Berdych with an unexpected lifeline.

That gave renewed impetus to Berdych, who started to unload his groundstrokes with more freedom, and the set went to a tie-break.

The Czech looked certain to force a final set when he raced into a 6-3 lead in the breaker.

But Djokovic, who has had to cope with the stress of the sudden illness that struck his father Srdjan recently, once again showed tremendous resolve as he saved all three set points and then shattered with Berdych with a mini-break of his own to seal the win.

AFP

Tags: tennis, sport, england

First posted November 10, 2012 09:23:30

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Rasheed blasts second-best culture in tennis

Updated October 29, 2012 09:19:10

Australian coach Roger Rasheed, the former mentor of Lleyton Hewitt, blasted the also-rans of men's tennis on Sunday (AEDT), accusing players of giving up on chasing the sport's big four.

Rasheed, who has just become the coach of French world number seven Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, insisted that Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray are regarded as virtually untouchable by the chasing pack.

"The culture that I see at the moment on the tour, with players who are not that bad, is playing to finish second, behind the guys in the top four," said 43-year-old Rasheed.

"I don't like that mentality and Jo is not like that. He shows it clearly."

Rasheed, who worked with former world number one Hewitt from 2003 until 2007 and then Frenchman Gael Monfils between 2008 and 2011, believes Tsonga can become a Grand Slam title winner and smash the dominance of the top four.

Tsonga, 27, got close to a major in 2008 when he finished runner-up to Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open and has twice been a Wimbledon semi-finalist.

"Of course he can win a Grand Slam tournament," said Rasheed. "A player has to believe in his capacity to do it. I'd be disappointed if he didn't have that conviction.

"Jo is one of the few players who are exciting to train. He has decided that he has to do everything possible to make the most of his potential. He has to be congratulated on that."

AFP

Tags: sport, tennis, france, australia

First posted October 28, 2012 13:27:11

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Del Potro stays in race to London with Vienna win

Updated October 22, 2012 07:32:14

Juan Martin del Potro spoiled the day for Slovenian tennis but kept his own hopes of qualifying for the ATP year-end finals alive with a 7-5, 6-3 defeat of qualifier Grega Zemlja to win the Austrian Open.

The Argentine, who had missed a month of play after the Davis Cup due to a right wrist injury, prevented Zamlja from becoming the first Slovenian to win an ATP title.

Del Potro stands provisional seventh in the points race for one of three remaining positions in the ATP World Tour Finals starting on November 5 in London. He will continue his quest next week in Basle as second seed behind Roger Federer at the Swiss Indoors.

The South American claimed his title in Vienna on his third try after losing the 2011 final. He was forced to quit before his first match during his debut in 2008 and now stands 8-1 in the Austrian capital.

Zemlja had already set several personal bests during his unexpected run this week, beating Tommy Haas for a first top 20 win, reaching the final over Janko Tipsarevic for a first top 10 victory and raising his level consistently throughout the best week of his career.

Del Potro, the top seed, spent more than an hour winning the first set against the number 70 playing in the first final of his career and finished the job on his first match point after one hour 41 minutes.

Del Potro added Vienna to trophies claimed this season in Marseille and Estoril.

He now owns 12 titles from 17 finals.

"He played an unbelievable match and I really had to play well to beat him, I served well and managed, it feels good right now," the winner said of his European challenger.

"It feels good to finally win this title.

"It took a really really tough match against a player who played really well.

"This is a great win after the wrist recovery, I'm getting better match by match. I'm making improvements in my game and my confidence is growing," warned Del Potro.

The South American, who rained down 10 aces, went down a break of serve in the opening set as Zemlja took a 4-2 lead. But that was quickly brought under control in the eighth game for 4-4 as Del Potro began taking command.

Prior to Vienna, the 26-year-old Zemlja, who trains in Austria, had never reached even a quarter-final at ATP level.

"I made history two or three times this week," joked the surprise finalist.

"I'm the guy for that. But this week was really something special. Even if I lost I'm pretty satisfied."

Zemlja almost did not play this tournament.

"It was an interesting and difficult situation for me before the tournament," said the 26-year-old. "I was preparing last week for Vienna and found out I was the first on the waiting list to get into the main draw in Stockholm.

"I was deciding whether to go to Stockholm or play in the qualification here. I said I'd rather play here.

"I had a good feeling. it was a pretty good decision and I don't regret it."

AFP

Tags: tennis, sport, austria

First posted October 22, 2012 07:28:01

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Ferrer hands Spain 1-0 lead in Davis Cup final

Updated November 17, 2012 08:42:36

David Ferrer put holders Spain 1-0 ahead in the Davis Cup final against hosts Czech Republic in Prague after beating Radek Stepanek 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 on Saturday morning.

Ferrer, the world number five and Spain's number one, outplayed the 37th-ranked Stepanek on the Prague hardcourt in two hours and 58 minutes.

"I played very well all the match. I'm very happy with my game," the 30-year-old Ferrer said just after the rubber.

"I was lucky because in the important moments I played better than Radek," he added after winning the seventh out of ten rubbers against Stepanek.

With five double faults and first-serve percentage just over 50 per cent, Stepanek said "the biggest difference was in the serve."

"I wanted to put him under pressure with high percentage of the first serve, coming to the net, taking the activity, changing the rhythm."

"But I played lots of points from the second serve and then his part of the game was more efficient than mine," added Stepanek, 33.

Before the rubber, Ferrer predicted a close game recalling a five-setter they played in the 2009 Davis Cup finals when he finally helped Spain thrash the Czechs 5-0.

But Stepanek, the Czech number two player, offered little resistance.

In the first set, Stepanek came back from 0-40 through 11 deuces in game six but then lost his serve two games later.

Ferrer then took the second set with two breaks against Stepanek's one, before completing the job after converting his second match point following another two breaks in the last set.

"We're 1-0 up, but we haven't finished the tie, it's a very long one," said Ferrer.

Despite concerns about a very fast court prepared by the hosts, Ferrer said he felt comfortable.

"It was very fast but I received very well and this maybe was the key," he added.

The Czech Republic's Tomas Berdych will now take on Spain's number two player Nicolas Almagro.

"It was very important to win the first point because now Nico can play more quietly," said Ferrer.

On Saturday, Stepanek is likely to team up with Berdych to face Spain's ATP World Finals winners Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez in the doubles rubber.

"I'll have a rest, support Tomas and be ready for tomorrow," said Stepanek.

"I'll have to save every bit of energy, I'll need it during the weekend," he added.

Spain is missing world number four Rafael Nadal, sidelined with a knee injury.

It is looking to add a fourth crown to its three Davis Cup trophies from the last four years, after having won the cup in 2000 and 2004.

Czechoslovakia, which split peacefully into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993, won the Davis Cup in 1980.

But if the Czechs win the 100th edition of the Davis Cup finals, they will clinch a rare team double, last achieved by the United States in 1990, after their women's team lifted the Fed Cup two weeks ago.

AFP

Tags: tennis, sport, czech-republic, spain

First posted November 17, 2012 08:34:24

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Hewitt makes most of Swedish wildcard

Updated October 17, 2012 12:08:15

Lleyton Hewitt made the most of a wildcard at the Swedish Open, defeating towering world number 38 Kevin Anderson in three sets.

Hewitt cut down the South African 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in Stockholm in a victory that could return the battling Aussie to the top 100.

Hewitt, currently ranked 102, will face fellow tour veteran Jarkko Nieminen in the second round.

The 31-year-old has never lost to the Fin.

Local hope Patrik Rosenholm caused the biggest upset of the opening rounds with a 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 win over Frenchman Gael Monfils.

Meanwhile, Matthew Ebden has earned the second Australian victory at the ATP Austrian Open in as many days, beating Italy's Filippo Volandri 7-5, 0-6, 6-0.

Ebden joins fellow Aussie Marinko Matosevic who defeated Dutch sixth seed Robin Haase 1-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Argentina's Juan Del Potro will play German Daniel Brands, who won a battle of qualifiers over Ruben Bemelmans of Belgium 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-3.

Earlier, two minor seeds exited the tournament at the first hurdle, with Italian Paolo Lorenzi knocking out seventh seed Benoit Paire 6-4, 6-4 despite 11 aces from the Frenchman.

Paire, who reached his first final in Belgrade last May, dropped into negative territory for the season, standing 23-24.

Number 70 Slovenian Grega Zemlja worked for two and a half hours to get past eighth seed Xavier Malisse, defeating the veteran Belgian 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (8-6).

ABC/AFP

Tags: tennis, sport, australia, austria

First posted October 17, 2012 10:57:39

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Murray makes winning start to Tour Finals bid

Updated November 06, 2012 08:06:25

Andy Murray marked his first match on home turf since winning the US Open with a gritty 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Tomas Berdych in the ATP Tour Finals in London on Tuesday morning (AEDT).

Murray was playing in front of a British audience for the first time since his dramatic final win against Novak Djokovic in New York in September and he rewarded the partisan crowd with a come-from-behind Group A success to kick off his latest bid to win the season-ending event.

The 25-year-old, who has never been past the semi-finals of the Tour Finals in four previous attempts, made a slow start against Czech fifth seed Berdych in the tournament's opening match.

But, after failing to convert any of his first 10 break-point chances, Murray finally found his rhythm in the second set and was able to ease to the finish line in just over two hours.

"It was very tough from the start. Berdych has had a great year. I have played him a few times and every time it has been tough," Murray said.

"It's one last push for the end of the year and having so many people watching helps with the adrenaline.

"If you can you need to treat it like a knockout event because if you win the first two matches you usually go through (to the semi-finals)."

Murray is the first British man for 76 years to win a major and a maiden triumph at the Tour Finals would be a fitting finale to a remarkable campaign which also including winning the singles gold medal at the London Olympics and reaching a first Wimbledon final.

He entered the stadium to a rapturous reception that reflected the British sporting public's new-found admiration for a player who had previously struggled to win them over.

But even the crowd's energy could not lift Murray at the start. Since his breakthrough in Manhattan, Murray has suffered something of a let-down, losing the Shanghai final to Djokovic despite holding five match-points and then crashing out of the Paris Masters against Polish qualifier Jerzy Janowicz.

He wasted two break points in the first game before squandering another three in the fifth game.

Berdych made the Scot pay for those lapses as he landed the first break for a 4-2 lead after Murray netted a forehand on the run.

The Czech had to save two break points as he served for the set before finally taking it on his second set point.

Murray was under pressure again at the start of the second set when Berdych earned three break points, but the 2010 Wimbledon runner-up could not deliver the knockout blow.

Boosted by that escape, Murray finally converted his first break point at the 11th attempt when Berdych blazed a forehand long in the fourth game and that proved the turning point.

The Scot went on to take the set with ease and made the decisive break in the third game of the final set when Berdych lashed a wild groundstroke way off target.

AFP

Tags: tennis, sport, england

First posted November 06, 2012 07:19:51

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Del Potro shocks Federer to seal semi-final spot

Updated November 11, 2012 09:48:44

Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro claimed a surprise 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 6-3 victory over defending champion Roger Federer on Sunday morning (AEDT) to book his place in the semi-finals of the ATP Tour Finals.

Del Potro's victory ended Federer's 12-match winning run at the season-ending event and guaranteed he will qualify from Group B along with the Swiss star.

Federer, who has won the Tour Finals title for the last two years, already knew he was through after winning his first two group matches in London.

The semi-final match-ups were only decided after David Ferrer beat Janko Tipsarevic 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.

Ferrer's win means Federer will play Andy Murray with del Potro playing Novak Djokovic.

"I'm so happy to beat Roger once again, I know he's a favourite here but the crowd respected me also," Del Potro said.

"I was a little lucky towards the end of the match. Always when you beat these kinds of players you need luck on your side but I played well.

"I took the break-point chances in the last set, then I served really well in the last game. I was very nervous but I closed out the match.

"It's going to be a tough match against Djokovic or Murray, but I'm so excited to get into the semis."

Federer had won 13 of his previous 16 meetings, but the Argentine has given him plenty of trouble at times.

As well as winning his only grand slam title with a win over Federer at the 2009 US Open, del Potro also handed the 31-year-old his only other indoor defeat in the last two years in the final of his hometown tournament in Basle last month.

That pattern continued as a tight first set saw sixth-seeded del Potro save three break points to keep Federer at bay.

Then in the tie-break, Federer suddenly lost his rhythm and del Potro took advantage to snatch the first set.

Federer made a strong response, reeling off eight successive points to break at the start of the second set, and that was enough to level the match.

But del Potro's big-hitting style blew Federer off course again in the deciding set.

The 17-time grand slam champion was unable to survive the barrage and del Potro broke for a 2-0 lead before holding his nerve to serve out a superb win in two hours.

AFP

Tags: tennis, sport, england

First posted November 11, 2012 08:24:24

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