TENNIS: Rio a prime goal for Serena on her return to competition

Having played just one tournament since mid-September due to various injuries and a recent bout of flu, Serena Williams is now itching to get back into competition with the Rio Olympics among her top priorities for the year.

The American world number one has not competed since her stunning loss to Germany's Angelique Kerber in the Australian Open final in January, and says she has learned lessons from that defeat which she will use to her advantage.

"Whenever I lose, it definitely motivates me to do better," Williams, 34, said on a conference call on Thursday to promote her exhibition match with good friend Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark in New York next week.

"There's a lot from that match (in Australia) that I feel like I can improve on and do a lot better. Hopefully I will achieve that this year."

Asked if she felt fully rested after her limited playing time since mid-September, Williams replied: "Oh yeah. I was ready to go in Australia and I will be ready to go today and tomorrow, and I'll definitely be ready to go on Tuesday."

Williams, who will face Wozniacki in the BNP Paribas Showdown at Madison Square Garden in New York on Tuesday, has already won Olympic gold four times, once in the singles and on three occasions in the doubles.

Success in Rio counts among her biggest goals for this year.

"Tennis players never really thought about winning the Olympics, you grew up thinking about winning grand slams but now, with tennis in the Olympics, of course you think about it," Williams said.

"The Olympics have had such a big impact on everyone. It (the August Games) will probably affect my schedule a little bit and I probably won't be playing as much because I will be in Rio. I am really looking forward to it."

Tomic hits back for Australia after Isner win

Bernard Tomic ground down Jack Sock 7-6(2) 6-3 3-6 6-4 to level Australia's Davis Cup first round tie with the United States at 1-1 in Melbourne on Friday.

The rangy world number 20 hit back for the hosts after John Isner wrapped up the opening singles against Sam Groth 7-6(2) 6-2 6-2 on a sweltering day at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club.

Flourishing on the grass court installed specially for the World Group encounter, Tomic was cruising toward a comfortable victory before a lapse of concentration led to an early break in the third set.

World number 24 Sock held firm to take the match into a fourth but also dropped his level in the heat and Tomic captured the decisive break in the ninth game.

The Australian raised three match points with an imperious forehand winner and sealed the contest when Sock clubbed a backhand long.

"Bernie stepped up. It's never easy after going down 1-0," Australia team captain Lleyton Hewitt said courtside.

Isner and Groth's match was a battle of big servers but the 11th-ranked American returned with fury during his emphatic win.

"It was a very, very good performance for me and certainly I've played some matches... where I've struggled on return but I think today I was pretty solid," Isner said.

Groth was named to play the doubles with John Peers against the Bryan brothers in Thursday's draw.

But former world number one Hewitt, who replaced Nick Kyrgios after his withdrawal with a virus, could also play, despite retiring at the Australian Open six weeks ago.

"We'll wait and see... we'll put the best team out there," the 35-year-old said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

History man Djokovic expects Melbourne dogfight with Murray

MELBOURNE - Novak Djokovic is expecting a fierce battle with an old friend and familiar protagonist when he makes a bid for history in the Australian Open final against Andy Murray on Sunday.

Born a week apart 28 years ago, Djokovic and Murray have contested three previous finals at the Melbourne Park with the Serbian emerging triumphant on each occasion.

The world number one is a strong favourite to prevail once again on Sunday and equal Roy Emerson's record of six Australian Open titles.

"I'm expecting a battle with Andy, as it always is," he said.

"Very physically demanding match. Lots of rallies, exchanges. It's no secret we know how we play against each other.

"It's two games that are very much alike, so it's basically who's going to outplay who from the baseline."

Djokovic said he thought how both players' serve held up would be an important factor but so would be how they handled the "emotions of the greatness of that occasion of playing for the grand slam title".


That has been an area of clear advantage for the Serbian in their three previous meetings in Australian Open finals and he has also had a hex over Murray in 10 of their last 11 meetings.

World number two Murray also lost to Roger Federer in the 2010 final and is looking to become the first man to lose four finals at a grand slam before finally winning the title.

The Scot had to come through a four-hour, five-setter against Milos Raonic on Friday but the extra day's rest that Djokovic enjoyed after his semi-final against Federer has not been a winning advantage in five of the last eight finals.

Murray knows that statistics such as which finalist played their last four match first is unlikely to have too much bearing on a contest between two supremely fit athletes.

"I have a very good shot on Sunday if I play my best tennis. I need to do it for long enough to have a chance. I'm aware of that," he said.

"I don't think many people are expecting me to win on Sunday. I have to just believe in myself, have a solid game plan, and hopefully execute it and play well.

"It's one tennis match. Doesn't matter what's happened in the past really. It's about what happens on Sunday.

"There's no reason it's not possible for me to win."

Tournament organisers will be hoping Murray's wife Kim does not go into labour with the couple's first child overnight, a scenario that Murray has said would result in him jumping on a plane back to Britain.

That would give Djokovic his sixth title by default but the 10-times grand slam champion would clearly prefer to earn it.

"It's a possibility for me to make history, which is of course another great imperative for me for tomorrow's match," he said.

"These are the kind of matches that you work for. These are the kind of occasions that define you as a tennis player." (Editing by Sudipto Ganguly)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Murray outclasses Raonic for 5th Melbourne final

Iron-clad defence triumphed over all-out attack as Andy Murray overhauled Milos Raonic 4-6 7-5 6-7(4) 6-4 6-2 on Friday to book another Australian Open final against Melbourne Park nemesis Novak Djokovic.

World number two Murray came from behind twice to topple the rangy Canadian, who was troubled by a leg injury and finally capitulated after playing majestically for most of the four-hour and three-minute contest at a flood-lit Rod Laver Arena.

After levelling the match at two sets-all, Murray broke Raonic in the opening game of the decider and the flustered 13th seed smashed his racquet in frustration before promptly crumbling.

Murray roared on to close out the match with a dismissive crosscourt winner and reached his fifth final at Melbourne Park and fourth against the Serbian world number one.

"I started to get a slightly better read on his serve later on and that was the key," Murray, beaten by Djokovic in last year's final, said in a courtside interview.

"He definitely slowed down in the fifth set for sure which was unfortunate for him," the Scot said of Raonic's injury.

"I obviously got a bit lucky on that but you just try to focus on your side of the court."

Murray's four previous trips to the final have all ended in heartbreak, but he will have taken heart from his fighting comeback and ability to defuse Raonic's overwhelming power game.

A match pitting one of the game's finest servers against a returning maestro promised fireworks but few would have tipped Raonic to break his opponent to love in the opening game.

The 25-year-old saved three break points in the next game then held the advantage to close out the set with a huge serve down the 'T'.

Having missed break point chances at 1-0 and 3-2 in the second set, Murray had to bide his time but he kicked the door open with a brilliant crosscourt passing shot to set up a set point at 6-5.

The Canadian chanced a serve-volley but netted Murray's sharp return and the Scot pumped his fist in delight.

The tension kept rising as the third set went into a tiebreak, and Raonic pounced on a weak second serve from Murray to take a 3-1 lead.

Serving masterfully, Raonic nervelessly rocketed a smash that clipped the line to reach 5-2 before closing out the marathon 58-minute set with an ace.

UPSET THREAT

Though the Rod Laver Arena rumbled with the threat of an upset, Raonic barely celebrated and marched straight off court.

He exited again after holding serve to lead 2-1, taking a medical time-out for treatment on an adductor muscle injury to his right leg but he jogged back out onto court and appeared untroubled.

That was until the seventh game, when he was broken to love in an error-strewn game as Murray ramped up his returning game.

Raonic grimaced under more attention from the trainer after holding serve to trail 5-4. But he shrugged off the injury to raise two chances to break back.

Murray saved them both and blasted a serve down the 'T' to level the match.

Having appeared a model of composure, Raonic finally showed the strain and smashed his racquet into the blue hard-court after being swiftly broken in the opening game of the decider.

"I was going to fight and see what I could make of it, but it wasn't looking that great," said a gloomy Raonic.

"It's just I couldn't push off (my leg). I couldn't get up to serve and I couldn't change direction. That was the difficult part."

Murray's focus never wavered as he roared to a 4-0 lead.

After punching an exquisite backhand volley to bring up three match points, the Scot hammered the winning crosscourt forehand to savour one of his finest wins at Melbourne Park.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Djokovic puts down Federer fightback to reach final

 

Djokovic through to fifth consecutive grand slam final

MELBOURNE -- Champion Novak Djokovic foiled a stirring fightback from Roger Federer to defeat the Swiss 6-1 6-2 3-6 6-3 at the Australian Open on Thursday and charge into a fifth successive grand slam final.

Storming to a two-set lead within an hour, Djokovic appeared destined to complete a stinging humiliation but the net-rushing Federer responded brilliantly in the third as a partisan crowd roared him on at a flood-lit Rod Laver Arena.

In a fourth set rivened by tension, Djokovic took Federer's serve in the eighth game, benefiting from a lucky netcord that gave him a crucial break point, and served out the match to love in two hours and 19 minutes.

"Definitely I've played an unbelievable first two sets but that's what is necessary against Roger," Djokovic said courtside after setting up his sixth final at Melbourne Park against either Andy Murray or Milos Raonic.

"I knew he was going to be aggressive and try to mix up his pace and come to the net.

"I executed everything perfectly. A two-set lead is more comforting but it was a battle in the end."


Djokovic continued his grand slam mastery of the 34-year-old Swiss, having beaten him in six of their previous seven matches at the majors, including last year's Wimbledon and U.S. Open finals.

The head-to-head record between the pair has now also swung symbolically in Djokovic's favor, with the Serb edging ahead 23-22 in their 45 matches.

The record 15th grand slam encounter between the pair was billed as a blockbuster but threatened to be a one-sided rout.

The 15,000 spectators barely had time to settle in their seats before Djokovic had sewn up the first set in 22 breathtaking minutes.

Usually a thing of beauty, Federer's backhand was a liability early on and he dropped serve for a second time with an unforced error after repeatedly coming off second best in the baseline rallies.

Djokovic was bullet-proof and crunched a huge serve down the 'T' to clinch the first set and send the 17-times grand slam champion back to his chair frowning.

The horror show quickly resumed for the Swiss, who was broken in the third game to love and again in the fifth. The set lasted scarcely 30 minutes.

As the players returned to court, the crowd clamored for a Federer comeback, and the Swiss rallied to pressure the Serb's serve in an epic sixth game.

Djokovic saved three break points but finally folded with a fourth as a net-rushing Federer forced a passing shot wide.

Serving at 5-3 for the set, Federer's wife Mirka could not watch as the Swiss battled to close it out but Djokovic fired a forehand long on the third set point to raise thunderous cheers from the terraces.

A rain-break only raised the tension as the players waited for the roof to close and then resumed to doggedly hold serve.

Trailing 4-3 on serve and under pressure, Federer made a desperate rush forward and Djokovic's shot clipped the net, the deflection causing the ball to whistle past the Swiss's racket.

Federer threw caution to the wind by attempting a second-serve serve-and-volley but Djokovic blasted a marvelous cross-court return to capture the decisive break.

Closing out the match with a string of booming serves, Djokovic was left celebrating another memorable victory as he stood one win away from a record sixth title at Melbourne Park.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Serena demolishes Radwanska to make final in Australia

MELBOURNE - Serena Williams underlined the difference in class and power between her and the rest of the women's field with a 6-0 6-4 demolition of fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska on Thursday to reach her seventh Australian Open final.

Every time the American has made the final at Melbourne Park she has gone on to win the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup.

Victory in Saturday's final against either seventh seed Angelique Kerber or unseeded Briton Johanna Konta, would give her a 22nd grand slam title, moving her to a tie with Steffi Graf for the most in the Open era.


Williams romped through the first set in just 20 minutes before Radwanska showed some fight in the second but she was unable to stop the momentum of the American, who clinched her place in the final in 64 minutes.

"I'm really excited to be in another final. It blows my mind right now," Williams said in a courtside interview. "I just feel like I'm being the best I can and I can't believe I'm in another final.

"She started really well in the second set and making some great shots and hitting it deep and I just thought that I had to be aggressive."

Williams began in ominous fashion breaking the Pole's serve in the first game with Radwanska's lack of power highlighted by the blistering nature of the American's returns.

Radwanska's fastest serve in the first game reached just 140 kph. Williams was returning the ball at over 130.

The fourth seed appeared resigned to defeat in the first set by the fourth game. She barely got a backhand return to a Williams serve then stood, with slumping shoulders, and watched as the 34-year-old put the overhead smash away.

Williams cleaned up the first set in just 20 minutes before Radwanska elicited the largest cheer of the match at that time when she held serve in the first game of the second set, avoiding an embarrassing potential 'double bagel' 6-0 6-0 score.

The crowd on Rod Laver Arena, which had its roof closed due to heavy rain in Melbourne, however managed to almost open it in the sixth game with a decibel-rising roar of support for Radwanska when she broke Williams to level it at 3-3.

Williams, however, broke again in the ninth game and then served out with three aces to seal a match in which she belted 42 winners to Radwanska's four.

Radwanska, who had been bidding to reach her second grand slam final after Wimbledon in 2012, also heavily lost her only other semi-final appearance at Melbourne Park when she was beaten 6-1 6-2 by Dominika Cibulkova in 2014.

(Reporting by Greg Stutchbury; Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Williams beats Sharapova to win Australian Open title

MELBOURNE - Top seed Serena Williams clinched her 19th grand slam title with a 6-3 7-6(5) victory over Maria Sharapova in the final of the Australian Open on Saturday.

It was Williams' sixth title at Melbourne Park and it moved her into a tie with fellow American Helen Wills Moody in third on the all-time list after she joined Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert on 18 at last year's U.S. Open.

Only Australia's Margaret Court (24) and Germany's Steffi Graf (22), who holds the record for the Open era, have more grand slam singles titles than the 33-year-old American.

Williams had not lost to Sharapova since the 2004 WTA Finals, a run of 15 successive victories and was not about to let the Russian end that streak on Saturday.

After Williams snatched a break in the first game, rain forced the players off court in the sixth for 12 minutes as officials closed the roof with the American serving at 3-2 and the score locked at 30-30.

Williams, who has been battling a cold and cough the entire tournament, chose to head inside during the break while Sharapova waited courtside.

She returned to Rod Laver Arena hacking like a seal and appeared to be gasping for breath, but then reeled off the next six points to establish a 5-2 lead.

While Sharapova managed to break in the next game she was unable to consolidate and Williams broke to love to seal the first set in 47 minutes.

Williams did not concede a point on serve until her third game of the second set while Sharapova struggled and was fighting to stay in the match.

Even when she had break opportunities in the fifth and seventh games the American simply reached back and smashed down a succession of massive serves.

Williams held a match point in the 10th game only for the Russian, who saved two match points in the second round against qualifier Alexandra Panova, to blast a forehand down the line.

The American held two further match points in the tiebreak and thought she had sealed the title when she belted an ace only for umpire Alison Lang to call a let.

Williams stood there looking bemused but composed herself to repeat the shot, smacking her 18th ace to win the match. (Reporting by Greg Stutchbury; Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Murray downs Berdych to reach 4th Aussie final

MELBOURNE -- Britain's Andy Murray stormed into his fourth Australian Open final with a commanding four-sets win over Czech Tomas Berdych on Thursday.

The dual Grand Slam champion, seeded six, beat the seventh-seed 6-7 (6/8), 6-0, 6-3, 7-5 and will play either Novak Djokovic or defending champion Stan Wawrinka in Sunday's decider.

The tournament has been a heartbreak Grand Slam for the Scot with three runner-up finishes, but he has given himself another chance to break through and add to his Wimbledon and US Open titles.

The world No. 6 was too strong for Berdych, who wasn't the same player that eliminated Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals.

After losing a marathon 76-minute opening set in a tiebreaker, Murray finished strongly to clinch the match in 3 hours 26 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.

There was plenty of friction between the two and a few glares at each other at changeovers during the opening set sparked by Berdych's decision to hire former Murray team member Dani Vallverdu as his coach.

"I was disappointed to lose the opening set after I had a couple of chances at the end but I felt I was playing better as the set went on and I was very aggressive at the beginning of the second set," Murray said.

"I got more comfortable with the conditions and with Tomas's ball, in the beginning I was feeling quite rushed and then I got more aggressive and made him do more running."

Murray admitted there was extra tension in the match caused by the attention over Vallverdu in the Berdych camp.

"A lot was made of Dani working with him. Me and Dani have been friends since we were 15 and I felt that was a little bit unfair and unnecessary. There is more to life than sport," he said.

Murray broke Berdych's serve six times and hit 40 winners, while Berdych served more double-faults than aces.

The Czech broke the Scot in the eighth game but was himself broken as he served for the set at 5-3.

Berdych fought off break points in the 11th game but prevailed in the tiebreaker after Murray had set point at 6-5.

It was a psychological lift for the Czech coming out on top after a 76 minute tussle.

There were some sparks when Berdych said 'Good play, Tomas' to himself as he passed by Murray after winning the set to the Scot's displeasure.

But the dual major champion raced through the second set with a triple service break over disengaged Berdych in just 30 minutes.

Murray went on the offensive and broke Berdych after trailing 0-40, hitting a forehand winner to the corner on break point.

Berdych was serving more double faults than aces as the Scot stormed to a two sets to one lead.

Murray's greater variety of shots caused Berdych problems and had the Czech frequently off balance and he got the decisive break of serve in the 11th game, clinching the match with an ace in his next service game.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Serena to face Sharapova in Australian Open final

MELBOURNE - Serena Williams overcame feisty teenage challenger Madison Keys to advance to her sixth Australian Open final on Thursday with a 7-6(5) 6-2 victory.

Williams will now face Maria Sharapova for the title after the Russian second seed beat compatriot Ekaterina Makarova 6-3 6-2 earlier on Rod Laver Arena.

American Williams has won all five of her previous Melbourne Park finals, and while pushed by her clean-hitting compatriot on Thursday she was able to win the critical points to get out of trouble.

"She pushed me hard the first set and I had to dig deep mentally to get through that," Williams said in a courtside interview. "I'm really excited to be in the final again. I didn't come here with that expectation so it's exciting."

Both players had entered the semi-final with injury and illness concerns, with Keys suffering a recurrence of an adductor injury, which ruled her out of Wimbledon last year, during her quarter-final victory over Williams' older sister Venus.

Williams was also battling a cough after a virus swept through the tournament.

Keys continued to demonstrate the clean power-hitting she has shown throughout the tournament, forcing the aggressive Williams behind the baseline and even breaking in the first game to get her first grand slam semi-final off to an explosive start.

However, Williams, bidding for a 19th grand slam title, got the match back on serve in the sixth game when she closed off Keys' options from the net and the 19-year-old sprayed her backhand wide.

Williams, 33, then produced several important serves in the tiebreak, including one down the center line on set point to clinch it in 45 minutes.

Williams put pressure on Keys' serve in the second set, which resulted in two breaks of serve to give her a 5-1 lead, and while Keys saved seven match points in the seventh game and one more in the eighth, she could not stop her compatriot from advancing to the final against Sharapova.

"She came up with some great shots," Williams said of Keys' battle to prolong the match.

"I could have done a little more and been more aggressive, but that's a great sign that she played so well when she was down and didn't give up."

(Editing by Peter Rutherford)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com