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Offline capodetutticapi

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2010 Australian Open
« on: January 27, 2010, 09:55:00 AM »
Federer, Serena survive scares; Venus, Djokovic ousted
 
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP)
Serena Williams saved some family pride Wednesday at the Australian Open.

After older sister Venus' loss to Li Na of China in the previous match on Rod Laver Arena, four-time champion Serena was down a set and 4-0 in the second before rebounding for a 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2 win over Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.

Top-seeded Roger Federer overcame an awkward start to win 13 straight games and beat Nikolay Davydenko 2-6, 6-3, 6-0, 7-5 to reach the semifinals for a 23rd straight Grand Slam.

Novak Djokovic, who beat Federer in the semifinals here two years ago en route to the title, was beaten by the man he defeated that year, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France, in a later quarterfinal.
2010 Australian Open
 

Tsonga beat Djokovic 7-6 (8), 6-7 (5), 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 in a near four-hour match and will play Federer in a semifinal Friday. Djokovic appeared to be affected by breathing difficulties and stomach problems during part of the match and took a medical timeout trailing 2-0 in the fourth set.

Last year, Djokovic retired in the fourth set of his quarterfinal with Andy Roddick with a heat-related illness, but the weather conditions Wednesday night were cool and breezy.

``I think I was in good shape, maybe better than him,'' the 10th-seeded Tsonga said.

Andy Murray and Marin Cilic are already through to the semis and will play Thursday night.

Federer is impressed with his Grand Slam semifinal streak.

``It's incredible, looking back on how many years that is now, I'm able to deliver at Grand Slam play,'' Federer said. ``For some reason I was just a bit worried I was not going to make it this time in the semis.

``Now obviously that it's safe again and I've been able to add one. Definitely one of the most incredible things I have in my resume.''

Federer's victory snapped a 13-match Davydenko winning streak after the Russian won the season-ending ATP World Finals in November at London and his 20th career title in Doha earlier this month.

``I've played him many times before, and I know he goes through ... some rock-solid phases at times,'' Federer said. ``I just tried to stay positive.''

Venus Williams couldn't make it to an expected sister semifinal, losing in a mistake-filled match featuring in a combined 110 unforced errors against Li.

The result is that Serena will take on Li, who beat Venus 2-6, 7-6 (4), 7-5. Justine Henin, playing in her first Grand Slam tournament in two years after coming back from a two-year retirement, will play Zheng Jie in the other semifinal.

Serena Williams was far from confident after the first hour of the match, thinking of her sister's loss.

``It was obviously on my mind,'' Serena said of Venus' defeat. ``I saw maybe one or two points, maybe three. I don't want to watch too much, I get too nervous watching. Obviously I was incredibly disappointed.''

So she started off tentatively.

``I wasn't playing my best, especially in the first two sets,'' she said. ``I was down the whole match from the first point. I wasn't surprised but I was definitely shocked.''

Instead of wilting, she fought back from her big deficit in the second set with two service breaks of her own, easily won the tiebreaker and dominated the third.

Li and Zheng were the first Chinese pair to reach the quarterfinals at the same Grand Slam. Add semifinals now, and could the final be possible?

Serena Williams and Henin, with a combined 18 Grand Slam singles title between them (Serena 11, Henin 7) would seem to have the inside edge. But Li, who lost the first set and was twice down breaks in the second, says anything can happen.

``In China, we say if you have tough time and then you return back, maybe have good luck,'' Li said.

Venus Williams had more mistakes than luck against Li, who called the win the ``best day of my life'' and said she might celebrate with a beer Wednesday night.

``It's important to put the ball in the court,'' said Venus Williams, who served for the match in the second set. ``I felt like sometimes I made some errors.''

That was an understatement. The pair's unforced error count went over the 100 mark midway through the final set, which produced eight service breaks in the first 10 games.

``Unfortunately I let my errors creep in, and then I allowed her to dictate too much,'' Williams said. ``But she played really well.''

Azarenka wilted in her fourth-round match with Serena here last year, retiring in the second set with a virus after taking the first set.

This time, the 20-year-old Belarussian was undone by a trademark comeback by Williams, who is the only player to save match points on the way to three Grand Slam titles. She did it at Wimbledon last year and at the 2003 and 2005 Australian Opens.

Initially, Azarenka looked like she'd continue the Williams family woes. She broke Serena in the opening game and then, after fending off three break points, held her own opening serve in a game that lasted more than 15 minutes and went to deuce nine times.

It was mostly one-way until Williams started her comeback in the second - winning five straight games and then getting on top again at the end of the tiebreaker. She dominated the third set, converting both her breakpoint chances.

Li, who is forecast to go into the WTA's top 10 rankings after the tournament ends, was dominant in the third set when it counted against Venus Williams, who has five Wimbledon titles and two at the U.S. Open.

``I don't like losing at all,'' Williams said. ``No one does. I put in a lot of hard work to come out here and get a win (I'm) not at all pleased.''

soon ah go b ah lean mean bulling machine.

Offline capodetutticapi

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Re: 2010 Australian Open
« Reply #1 on: January 28, 2010, 10:14:56 AM »
Serena, Henin reach Aussie final; Murray too
 
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP)
Andy Murray is still around at the Australian Open, only one victory away from doing what do what no British man has done in more than 70 years - win a Grand Slam tournament singles title.

Murray beat Marin Cilic 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 Thursday night in a semifinal to advance to Sunday's championship match. He'll take on the winner of Friday night's semifinal between three-time Australian Open winner Roger Federer and 2008 finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

If Federer wins it will mean a rematch of the 2008 U.S. Open where the Swiss star beat Murray in straight sets. That was the 22-year-old Murray's only trip to a Grand Slam singles final, where his loss continued a streak of no British man winning a major since 1936.

Murray expects Federer to be across the net from him on Sunday night at Rod Laver Arena.

``Tsonga's played a lot of sets, he's going to be a little bit tired like Cilic was, but you never know with him, he's a great player,'' Murray said. ``Still, I expect Federer to come through.''

Earlier Thursday, Serena Williams and Justine Henin won their semifinals over Chinese opponents to advance to Saturday's final. Williams beat Li Na 7-6 (4), 7-6 (1) while Henin wasted little time beating Zheng Jie 6-1, 6-0.

The last British man to win at the Australian Open was Fred Perry in 1934. Perry won Wimbledon in 1936, the last British man to win there, a drought that has worn heavily on the psyche of players such as Murray, Tim Henman and others before them.

Murray is the first British man to reach the Australian final since John Lloyd in 1977 and the first to reach two Grand Slam finals in the Open era.

Murray used to joke several years ago that when he lost he was Scottish, and when he won the media referred to him as British. He could make everybody happy in the United Kingdom if he breaks the drought on Sunday.

``I started going for my shots a little bit more, he was playing right close to the baseline,'' Murray said. Cilic ``played three five-set matches and made it so tough for me and fought until the end.

``I'm really look forward to the final now, I'm feeling good.''

Leading 3-1 in the fourth set and with Cilic serving, Murray unleashed a forehand to the corner that left Cilic standing in the middle of the court on break point. He took a 5-1 lead on his next service game and closed the match in just over 3 hours.

``I wouldn't (make) my tiredness an excuse for losing this match,'' Cilic said. ``I think he deserved to win.''

At the end of the match, a man wearing a Croatia soccer jersey walked on to the court and shook Cilic's hand before being removed by security. It was the first on-court security breach at the tournament.

``I think the fan got excited and he wanted to shake my hand, so ... I gave him a present,'' said Cilic. ``I shook his hand. He was happy.''

Serena Williams got some help from her sister for her semifinal win. After Venus Williams lost in the quarterfinals to Li, ending any chance of an all-Williams semifinal, she did all she could to ensure at least one family member would be there.

``She told me how to play her and what to do,'' Serena said. ``She had chances yesterday and she knew how to play her. It always helps when you have someone who can help you out.''

Serena Williams recorded her 50th career win at Melbourne Park and advanced to her fifth Australian Open final. Henin is playing in her first Grand Slam tournament in two years since ending a 20-month retirement.
 In only her second tournament in 20 months, Justine Henin is in the final of a major.
WILLIAM WEST

It was the first time that two Chinese players had advanced to the semifinal of a major, but Williams and Henin stopped the numerous Chinese flags at Rod Laver Arena from being raised too often in jubilation.

``Good for both players,'' Li said. ``Also good for China tennis. I think if the children, they see this, maybe they will be more confident and think they can do it some day too.''

Unfortunately for Zheng, it was the most lopsided women's semifinal at the Australian Open since Chris Evert beat Andrea Jaeger by the same score in 1982.

``It was perfect,'' said Henin, who had to beat Olympic gold medalist and No. 5-ranked Elena Dementieva just to get past the second round. ``I had enough tennis in the past two weeks so it was good to have a pretty easy match. I can't wait for the final.''

Serena Williams has won the title every time she's played the final here since beating Venus here in 2003. The winning sequence has been every odd-numbered year so far.

``I really should have won sooner ... I had so many match points and I blew it and I knew I couldn't mess up my serve because she never gives up,'' Williams said of her win over Li.

``Every time I had match points she came up with some big serves and great shots. She just goes for broke.''

Serena, the 11-time Grand Slam singles champion, and Venus, the defending champions in doubles, later beat Lisa Raymond and Rennae Stubbs 6-3, 7-6 (6) in the semifinals. They'll play No. 1 Cara Black and Liezel Huber in Friday's final.

Henin is unranked and two tournaments into her comeback, hoping to emulate fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters' win at the U.S. Open last September.

Clijsters was only three tournaments into a comeback from two years off, and playing on a wild card entry, when she beat both Williams sisters en route to winning the title at New York.

Williams is hoping for better against a Belgian on the comeback this time. Her semifinal loss to Clijsters in New York cost her a record $82,500 fine for a tirade against a line judge who called her for a foot fault.

Serena Williams leads Henin 7-6 in career head-to-heads, although they've never met in a Grand Slam final. Williams won their last match, at Miami in 2008, just before Henin retired suddenly while holding the No. 1 ranking.

``It's such an amazing chance that I have to play another final in Melbourne,'' said Henin, who won the 2004 title in Melbourne and lost the 2006 final. ``It's a very special occasion, but the dream continues.''
soon ah go b ah lean mean bulling machine.

Offline weary1969

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Re: 2010 Australian Open
« Reply #2 on: January 28, 2010, 01:27:51 PM »
Serenaaaaaaaaaaa doh upset meh just go win d ting.
Today you're the dog, tomorrow you're the hydrant - so be good to others - it comes back!"

Offline kaliman2006

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Re: 2010 Australian Open
« Reply #3 on: January 28, 2010, 04:49:12 PM »
Serenaaaaaaaaaaa doh upset meh just go win d ting.

I hope she wins; something about Justine just is too off-putting for me.

I can't put my finger on what it is.

Offline Trini1

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Re: 2010 Australian Open
« Reply #4 on: January 29, 2010, 04:58:00 AM »
Hope Serena wins i really do i couldnt care less bout murray because when u in the uk all they gcould talk about is him! im sik and tired. If only Venus had serenas mental strenght and grit she would be the best ever. oh well.

Offline capodetutticapi

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Re: 2010 Australian Open
« Reply #5 on: January 29, 2010, 11:17:10 AM »
Federer rips Tsonga to reach Aussie final
 
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP)
Roger Federer is through to his 22nd Grand Slam final after defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 in a near-flawless display Friday at the Australian Open.

Federer, seeking his fourth Australian title, hopes to reverse his tear-filled exit from last year's final when he was beaten by Rafael Nadal, the left-handed Spaniard's first hard-court title.

This time, the man between Federer and another title here Sunday will be Andy Murray, whose motivation has been fueled by a 74-year drought for British men in Grand Slam singles. He's taking part in his second final, having been beaten at the U.S. Open in 2008 by Federer.

Murray beat Marin Cilic in the Australian Open semifinals after ousting Nadal in the quarterfinals. Now, hopes are high in the United Kingdom that he could be the first British man since Fred Perry in 1936 to win a major singles title.

"I know he'd like to win the first for British tennis since what is it, 150,000 years?'' Federer joked to the crowd amid much laughter. "The poor guy who has to go through those moments over and over again ..."

Later, Federer, in a calm, casual way, sent some verbal shots to Murray.

"I don't feel like the pressure's really on me having to do it again, because I did it before,'' said Federer, who has won a record 15 Grand Slam singles titles.

"I think he really needs it more than I do. So I think the pressure's big on him. We'll see how he's going to handle it. It's not going to be easy for him, that's for sure.''

If Federer plays Sunday the way he did Friday against Tsonga, the drought could continue for at least another Grand Slam.

"Don't mess with Roger,'' one fan wrote on a sign at Rod Laver Arena. And the shell-shocked Tsonga didn't.
FOX SPORTS POLL  Who will win the Aussie Open men's title?  Roger Federer  Andy Murray
Federer reached his 18th final in the last 19 Grand Slam events by overpowering the 2008 Australian Open finalist. His semifinal loss here to Novak Djokovic in 2008 being the only break in the finals sequence.

Federer did not face a break point against Tsonga.

"It's nice going through a match like that,'' Federer said. "I think against top players, it's always positive if you can win the first set.''

"Maybe mentally he was more fatigued than physically,'' added Federer. "That's unfortunate for him.''

Tsonga hit a backhand into the net on break point to give Federer a 2-1 lead in the third set, and the match was all but over. The 24-year-old Frenchman double-faulted on break point to give Federer a 4-1 lead in the third, and Federer clinched it on his serve in 88 minutes when Tsonga hit a forehand wide.

"Yes, there are moments when it's frustrating where you can't put the ball where you want it and you make mistakes,'' Tsonga said.

Asked to provide advice to Murray, Tsonga said: "Be ready to run.''
In the women's final Saturday, top-ranked Serena Williams -- holder of 11 Grand Slam singles titles -- will face Justine Henin.

Henin's stunning success comes only two tournaments into her return from a 20-month retirement, a comeback that the Belgian herself has called "extraordinary'' and Williams called an "amazing'' story.

"It's more than a dream for me,'' Henin said Friday. "The challenge of facing the No. 1 player in the world is magnificent.''

Henin and Williams both agree that their center-court showdown will be as much a mental battle as a physical one.

"We both want it. But we'll just see who's playing better tomorrow,'' said Williams, who also won the Australian Open women's doubles title with sister Venus on Friday.

The two have played 13 times, including six Grand Slam showdowns that went as far as only the semifinals. Williams holds a 7-6 edge in their overall matchups. In Grand Slams, Henin leads 4-2.

Henin has said she was inspired to return to tennis in part by the comeback of fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters, who won the U.S. Open after taking off two years to get married and have a baby.

The return of Henin and Clijsters has restored some life and rivalries to the women's game, which has many promising newcomers but suffered some lackluster finals in their absence.

If Williams wins, she will tie Billie Jean King for a career total of 12 major singles titles.

"It will be a defining match for both of us,'' Williams said. "It definitely will be mental and (about) who wants the title more and who's willing to go the extra step.''
soon ah go b ah lean mean bulling machine.

Offline STEUPS!!

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Re: 2010 Australian Open
« Reply #6 on: January 30, 2010, 09:29:30 AM »
great match by serena. did well to keep her concentration and just gave dat lil extra to win. well done serena  12 majors and counting  :applause:
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Offline 100% Barataria

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Re: 2010 Australian Open
« Reply #7 on: January 30, 2010, 10:39:54 AM »
great match by serena. did well to keep her concentration and just gave dat lil extra to win. well done serena  12 majors and counting  :applause:


wap wap

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Offline weary1969

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Re: 2010 Australian Open
« Reply #8 on: January 30, 2010, 06:37:39 PM »
great match by serena. did well to keep her concentration and just gave dat lil extra to win. well done serena  12 majors and counting  :applause:


wap wap

Now fuh LA to msh up de dance in de playoffs

COSIGNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Today you're the dog, tomorrow you're the hydrant - so be good to others - it comes back!"

Offline weary1969

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Re: 2010 Australian Open
« Reply #9 on: January 31, 2010, 07:45:23 PM »
Another delivery by the Fed.
Today you're the dog, tomorrow you're the hydrant - so be good to others - it comes back!"

Offline fari

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Re: 2010 Australian Open
« Reply #10 on: January 31, 2010, 08:51:02 PM »
fed say he ent trying to break records (when asked about trying to reach 18 slams like navratilova)...but i feel that self in his sights, shoot he should just go for 20 and then retire one time.

 

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