Federer Express ready to roll on after U.S. Open loss

NEW YORK - Unlike the women's U.S. Open final there was no centre court retirement announcement on Sunday with Roger Federer putting aside the disappointment of losing to Novak Djokovic in the men's final to tell fans he will be back.

After winning the U.S. Open on Saturday, 33-year-old Flavia Pennetta said she would not be back in Flushing Meadows and the crowd might have been concerned that 34-year-old Federer was harbouring similar thoughts.

While the Swiss is constantly asked how much longer he plans to play and the media on high alert for any hints of his imminent retirement, Federer made it clear he will return to New York next year still chasing grand slam glory.

"I'll see you guys next year," Federer told an adoring crowd following his 6-4 5-7 6-4 6-4 loss. "I'm very pleased with where my game's at. I feel like it's moving in the right direction."

And that direction is full speed ahead for the Swiss maestro who continues to defy age and predictions of his demise by remaining near the top of the world rankings, piling up wins and titles.

While it has been three years since Federer celebrated the last of his record 17 grand slam titles, he has threatened to add to his total this season reaching the finals of both Wimbledon and the U.S. Open while losing both time to his nemesis Djokovic.

Federer may have lost the U.S. Open but the Swiss has not lost his smile, grace or hope that somewhere down the road there are more major wins.

"I am playing a good year. I'm playing good tennis," said Federer. "I am happy with where my level is at. I'm able to be consistent, very consistent.

"Cincinnati obviously was a great feeling beating world number one (Djokovic) and world number two (Andy Murray) in the same week. I don't think I have done that before.

"Then of course it's also disappointment. Lost too many times in finals. But at the same time, I did win my tournaments, the ones I was supposed to.

"Year's not over yet. I usually do have strong finishes to the season, and I hope I can do that again."

Having beaten Djokovic in Cincinnati, the second seeded Swiss had his chances again against the 28-year-old Serb but could only convert four of 23 break chances.

Even so Federer left the National Tennis Center more encouraged than discouraged by his performance.

"There were a lot of opportunities lost, I know why I lost," assured Federer. "Yeah, surely I am very disappointed. I had my chances on my racquet. I should never been down in the score the way I was.

"But Novak did a great job of fending them off, and, you know, all of that.

"It was a tough night, but still, I don't know, thrilling at the same time.

"So something I will work on, and keep moving forward, you know. It's no problem for me." (Editing by Sudipto Ganguly)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Williams upset has Djokovic, Federer on high alert

NEW YORK - On high alert after a day of upsets during which Serena Williams was sent packing from the U.S. Open, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer made sure their names were not added to the list of shocks on Friday as they posted emphatic semi-final victories.

The tremors started early at Arthur Ashe Stadium with Flavia Pennetta crushing second seed Simona Halep 6-1 6-3, before Roberta Vinci rocked Flushing Meadows delivering one of the biggest upsets in tennis history with her semi-final win over Williams that punctured the American's calendar Grand Slam dream.

Two victories from becoming the fourth woman to win all four majors in one year, a brittle-looking Williams crumbled as unseeded Vinci, playing in her first grand slam singles semi-final, battled to an improbable 2-6 6-4 6-4 win.

The results set the stage for an equally improbable all-Italian final on Saturday.

"I don't want to talk about how disappointing it is for me," a grim-faced Williams told reporters. "I told you guys I don't feel pressure. I never felt pressure.

"I never felt that pressure to win here. I said that from the beginning."

With the National Tennis Center buzzing over the exit of Williams, world number one Djokovic and second seed Federer restored order to the year's final grand slam.

Djokovic needed just 85 minutes to secure passage to his fourth consecutive grand slam final, crushing defending U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic 6-0 6-1 6-2.

The demolition was the worst ever in a U.S. Open semi-final, the three games lost one fewer than the four Yevgeny Kafelnikov managed against Lleyton Hewitt in 2001.

Federer, a five-times U.S. Open winner, was equally efficient as he beat Swiss compatriot Stan Wawrinka 6-4 6-3 6-1.

The all-time grand slam singles king with 17 titles, Federer heads into Sunday's final gunning to add to his record haul. He has not won a grand since since 2012 Wimbledon.

The final will mark the 42nd meeting between the two great rivals, with Federer holding a wafer 21-20 advantage.

"Novak it's been more straightforward, my opinion," said Federer. "That's what I like about the rivalry.

"I think it's just a straight shootout and I think that's the cool thing about our rivalry. It's very athletic.

"We both can handle ... whatever we present to one another, and I think our matches, it's very even."

VINCI 300-1 SHOT

Vinci, a 300-1 shot to win the U.S. Open when the tournament began, pulled off one of the most remarkable ever tennis upsets by ending Williams' streak of 33 consecutive match wins in the grand slams.

A five-times doubles grand slam winner, the 32-year-old Vinci had never been beyond the quarter-finals in singles play at 43 majors.

In the other corner stood Williams, a 21-times grand slam champion who had lost only two matches all season and had not dropped a set against Vinci in their four previous meetings.

Forced to wait a day after rain wiped out Thursday's semi-finals schedule, the weight of expectation appeared to take its toll on a 33-year-old who was chasing the first calendar Grand Slam since Steffi Graf in 1988.

Everything was going according to script as Williams easily took the opening set but things began to unravel after a composed Vinci registered a key break in the fifth game of the second that allowed her to even the match.

With the contest slipping away, Williams tried to will herself back into the match, screaming and fist-pumping after each point and feeding off the support of the crowd.

But with nothing lose, an undaunted Vinci continued to pressure Williams, who could not match previous great escapes.

While a stunned Vinci celebrated, a scowling Williams quickly departed a stunned stadium.

"This is an incredible moment for me," Vinci said. "It's amazing. It's like a dream. I'm in the final. I beat Serena."

Lost in the drama of the Williams match was a brilliant performance by Pennetta, who needed less than an hour to deal with Romanian Halep.

Pennetta, was a clear underdog but the 26th seed tapped into her vast experience and was not overwhelmed on the big stage.

She had reached the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows in six of the previous seven years, but the final will be uncharted territory.

(Editing by John O'Brien/Andrew Both)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Federer targets Wawrinka in US Open final push

NEW YORK -- Five-time champion Roger Federer will prepare for his US Open semi-final clash with close friend Stan Wawrinka by sleeping as much as possible.

The 34-year-old Swiss believes napping, as well as the routine of practice and gym work, is just as crucial as he enters his 10th New York semi-final and 20th career clash against his compatriot.

He is so fond of sleep that Federer will look to get in as much as 10 hours a day before Friday's semi-final, where the winner will face either world No. 1 Novak Djokovic or defending champion Marin Cilic in Sunday's championship match.

"Sleeping has become quite important," said Federer, the father of two sets of twins. "I make sure I sleep enough, as well. Like when I went to bed after the John Isner match (in the fourth round) it got quite late and I couldn't sleep quite as much as I wanted to.

"Because I believe it's really the sleep that gives you energy again down the road. That's why the next two days are very important for me in terms of sleeping."

If the approach for such a high-stakes clash seems risky, then Federer is showing no signs of nerves as he moves two wins from an 18th major and his first in more than three years.

He has reached the semi-finals without dropping a set and has been broken just twice.

On Wednesday, he blitzed French 12th seed Richard Gasquet in just 87 minutes, firing 50 winners, 16 aces and facing just a single break point.

Furthermore, he has a 16-3 record against Wawrinka.

He may have lost their most recent clash in the French Open quarter-finals as Wawrinka swept to the title, but Federer's three defeats have all come on clay.

"I think a lot comes through practice for Stan, because he's worked very hard throughout his career," said Federer in praise of his Davis Cup winning teammate.

"It took him a while to figure out exactly what his possibilities were. I don't think he was a guy who always had enough confidence. I always thought he was a better player than he actually was, but somehow something was holding him back maybe.

"I think only once when he really started to break through and he had some big wins."

Wawrinka believes he is now the equal of Federer, something he did not quite believe before he won his first major at the 2014 Australian Open.

"I think now we are both nervous when we enter the court. Before it was only me. I was nervous because I knew I wasn't at his level," he said. "Now I think we can see that he was also nervous every time we play each other the past few years. That's a big difference."

Wawrinka will be playing in his second semi-final after also making the last four in 2013.

Djokovic takes a 13-0 record over Cilic into his semi-final as he attempts to make the final for the fifth time in six years and sixth in total.

In a rivalry stretching back seven years, the two men have met four times at the Grand Slams but just once at the US Open when Djokovic won in four sets in 2008.

The Serb also swept past the Croatian in straight sets in the Wimbledon quarter-finals this year on his way to a third All England Club title.

Djokovic had cruised through his first three rounds but then dropped a set apiece to Spanish rivals Roberto Bautista Agut and Feliciano Lopez. Victory over serve-and-volleyer Lopez was his 55th match win in New York.

But despite his stranglehold over Cilic, the top seed insists that his opponent, on a 12-match win streak at the tournament, remains the dangerman especially with a serve which has yielded 111 aces.

"That serve gets him out of trouble. I know him very well. I have played with him many, many times. We are great friends. Great guy," said the Serb.

Cilic has endured a rollercoaster ride in his title defense as he looks to become the first back-to-back champion since Federer in 2008.

His five-set wins over Mikhail Kukushkin in the third round and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarter-finals are two of the three longest matches at the tournament this year.

His 4-hour, 11-minute battle with Kukushkin was just seven minutes short of the time it took Kevin Anderson to knock out third seed and 2012 champion Andy Murray in the round of 16.

"I came to the tournament knowing that I can play well here, that I just need few matches to get into the rhythm, and that's what happened," said the ninth seed.

Cilic has won just one title -- in Moscow in October -- since his breakthrough in New York 12 months ago but has yet to add to that in 2015.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Serena overcomes Venus to reach U.S. Open semis

World No. 1 improves to 16-11 against her sister

NEW YORK -- Serena Williams kept her bid for a calendar-year Grand Slam intact by out-slugging older sister Venus, 6-2 1-6 6-3, in a power-packed quarter-final at the U.S. Open on Tuesday.

Serena entered the match with a 15-11 head-to-head advantage over Venus but the high number of losses to her 35-year-old sibling represented the most posted by any opponent against the world No. 1, who knew she was in for a tough fight.

The 33-year-old top seed, winner of 21 grand slam singles titles, took charge of the opening set by securing service breaks in the fifth and seventh games of a match that felt like a heavyweight title bout after a brilliant start by Venus.

However, Venus looked more like the player who has claimed seven grand slam singles titles in the second set, unleashing her power and drawing groundstroke errors from Serena for two service breaks that sent the match to a third set.

Serena seized control early in the decider and rode the momentum to the finish in her quest to join Maureen Connolly (1953), Margaret Court (1970) and Steffi Graf (1988) as the only women to win Wimbledon and the Australian, French and U.S. Opens in the same season.

Great moment

The sisters exchanged a warm hug at the end of the 98-minute battle and Serena was asked about their embrace in the middle of the massive Arthur Ashe Stadium court in an on-court interview.

"It's a really great moment," Serena said. "She's the toughest player I ever played in my life and the best person I know.

"So it's going against your best friend and at the same time going against the greatest competitor for me in women's tennis, so it was really difficult today."

Serena, who belted 12 aces and unleashed 14 winners off her blistering two-handed backhand, said once the match started, she forgot about sibling connections.

"When I'm playing her, I don't think of her as my sister, because she's playing so well, hitting big serves and running a lot of balls down," Serena said.

"When you're in the moment you don't really think about it. We trained all our lives to be on this court..."

Before Serena was able to take control of the opening set, she had to contend with a barrage of huge serves and forehands from her big sister. The three-times defending U.S. Open champion said it needed a mighty effort to hang on for the win.

"Holding serve in the third set was all I could do. She came out hitting so hard, just blasting every shot. I was on defense a lot," she said of her 23rd-ranked sister.

"This is a big moment for both Venus and I," she added. "We both have a chance to be in the semi-finals and it's a grand slam so we both want to do the best that we can."

Next up for Serena will be unseeded Italian Roberta Vinci, who earlier defeated France's Kristina Mladenovic 6-3 5-7 6-4.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Federer cuts down Isner to reach US Open quarters

NEW YORK -- Persistence finally paid off for Kevin Anderson as the towering South African prevailed in a slugfest with Andy Murray to reach the quarter-finals of the U.S. Open on Monday while another tennis giant John Isner was slain by Roger Federer.

Two David v Goliath matchups, however, ended all too predictably as 97th ranked British qualifier Johanna Konta saw her Flushing Meadows joy ride ended 7-5 6-3 by fifth-seeded Czech Petra Kvitova and 68th ranked American Donald Young ran out of comeback magic in a 6-4 1-6 6-3 6-4 loss to fifth-seed Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland.

Tomas Berdych's time in Flushing Meadows also came to an end with the sixth-seeded Czech falling 2-6 6-3 6-4 6-1 to 12th seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet.

Seven times before the 6-foot-8 Anderson had progressed to the fourth round of a grand slam but never beyond until his 7-6(5) 6-3 6-7(2) 7-6(0) victory over third seeded Scot Murray.

Murray had battled his way back from two sets down in the second round against France's Adrian Mannarino, but could not work another miracle against the 14th-ranked, 29-year-old, who swept the final tiebreak 7-0.

"That's obviously something that is disappointing to lose," said Murray after watching his run of reaching 18 consecutive grand slam quarter-finals come to an end. "That's many years' work that's gone into building that sort of consistency.

"Also to lose a match like that, that was over four hours, tough obviously after a couple of tough matches earlier in the tournament, as well. It's a hard one to lose, for sure."

Second-seed Federer also came face-to-face with one of the ATP Tour's biggest hitters and coolly defused 6-foot-10 Isner's booming serve to claim a 7-6(0) 7-6(6) 7-5 victory.

Federer held his own from the service line to thwart Isner, never losing his serve, and used his returning skills to derail a pair of long streaks enjoyed by the American.

The 34-year-old Federer closed out the two hour, 39 minute fourth-round match by breaking Isner's serve, ending the American's string of 108 consecutive service holds at the U.S. Open.

His perfect scoreline in the opening set tiebreak snapped an even longer Isner streak. In 429 tiebreakers played by Isner, he had never dropped one 7-0.

"Seven-love obviously is a pretty good score against John," said Federer.

Second-seed Simona Halep overcame a thigh injury, baking heat and finally big-hitting German Sabine Lisicki to also reach the U.S. Open quarters for the first time.

It was Labor Day in the United States but it was certainly no holiday for Halep who had to work for her spot in the last eight, needing two hours and 38 minutes under a broiling sun to dispatch Lisicki 6-7(6) 7-5 6-2 and reach the U.S. Open quarter-finals for the first time.

Waiting for the Romanian in the last eight is two-time U.S. Open finalist Victoria Azarenka, who advanced with a comfortable 6-3 6-4 win over American Varvara Lepchenko.

After a couple of days of relief, the heat returned to Flushing Meadows turning the fourth round clash between Halep and Lisicki into a test of survival.

After dropping the opening set Halep called out the trainer to have treatment on her left thigh and at the end of the second the players left the court when the heat rule came into effect, but through it all the exhausted Romanian was able to gut out a victory.

Her left leg heavily strapped, a wounded Halep sensed her opportunity when Lisicki began to cramp in the third set and stretch between every point.

Halep, who converted 10 of 11 break chances, claimed the most crucial one to go ahead 4-2 and then held serve to break her 24th seeded opponent again and clinch a spot in the last eight.

Italy's Flavia Pennetta returned to the quarter-finals for the fourth consecutive year easing past 2011 U.S. Open winner Samantha Stosur of Australia 6-4 6-4.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Serena, Venus to meet in US Open quarters

NEW YORK -- Serena and Venus Williams advanced to a dramatic US Open quarter-final showdown with straight-set triumphs Sunday while Canada's Eugenie Bouchard withdrew from her fourth-round match due to a concussion.

World number one Serena Williams served well in moving within three match victories of a rare calendar Grand Slam with a 6-3, 6-3 triumph over US 19th seed Madison Keys.

Serena made only six unforced errors to 19 for Keys and hit 58 percent of her first serves. She took 79 percent of those points and 70 percent on her second serves, nearly twice Keys' second-try effectiveness.

"I'm so proud. I'm so glad it's so much better," Serena said of her serve.

"My only chance was to start out fast. I just stayed in there and was able to relax."

Venus, seeded 23rd, downed 152nd-ranked Estonian teen qualifier Anett Kontaveit 6-2, 6-1 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, matching her deepest Grand Slam run since reaching the 2010 US Open semi-finals.

"We're both prepared," Venus said. "Even though you're playing your sister you have to be prepared and focus. The preparation doesn't change."

Serena, who holds all four major tennis titles, is trying to complete the first calendar Grand Slam since Steffi Graf in 1988 and match Graf's Open Era record of 22 career Slam singles titles by capturing her Open Era record seventh US Open crown.

 But Venus, two years older than Serena at 35, could play the spoiler as she tries to add to a trophy collection that includes the 2000 and 2001 US Opens and five Wimbledon titles, the most recent in 2008.

"I don't think anyone wants to be a spoiler. I think people love to see history being made," Venus said.

"But at the same time, you're focused on winning your match even though the circumstances are really much different than you."

Bouchard, who suffered a head injury after slipping in the locker room late Friday, pulled out of her match against Italy's Roberta Vinci with what US Open tournament director David Brewer said was a concussion.

Bouchard had pulled out of mixed and women's doubles on Saturday.

The 21-year-old from Montreal was a French and Australian Open semi-finalist last year and lost the 2014 Wimbledon final to Petra Kvitova.

Her head injury to a season of setbacks, including first-round French Open and Wimbledon exits and a 12-17 record.

Vinci advanced by walkover to her third US Open quarter-final in four years to match her deepest Grand Slam run.

She next faces the winner of a later match between Russian 13th seed Ekaterina Makarova and France's Kristina Mladenovic.

Serena leads the Williams sibling rivalry 15-11 but they have split four US Open meetings, including the 2001 and 2002 finals.

Serena won their most recent matchup in the fourth round at Wimbledon in July.

"Awesome. It has been awesome," Venus said when asked about her sibling rivalry.

"I'm so proud of Serena and I think she's proud of me. We inspire each other."

Serena won her first set in 27 minutes, Keys handing her the lone break in the sixth game.

Serena hit a backhand winner to break Keys for a 4-3 edge in the second set and broke again on match point when Keys, who also lost to Serena in the Australian Open semi-finals, double faulted to end matters after 68 minutes and ensure an all-Williams showdown.

"She is playing great," Serena said of Venus. "I have to play like I did today or better. But at least one of us, a Williams, will be in the semis, so that's good."

Venus, who lost the 1997 US Open final to Martina Hingis when Kontaveit was 21 months old, broke in the fourth game and and again in the eighth, Kontaveit hitting a forehand long to drop the set after 24 minutes.

Kontaveit, who lost in the first round at the past two Wimbledons in her only prior Grand Slam appearances, swatted a forehand beyond the baseline to give Venus a 2-0 lead in the second set and sent a backhand long to surrender a break for a 4-0 deficit.

Williams held twice more, denying the European's lone break point in the final game to win in 50 minutes.

"Experience helped a lot," Williams said. "I was able to understand what it's like to play in this moment more than she was."

Kontaveit, 19, was thwarted in her bid to match the best US Open qualifier showing, American Barbara Gerken's quarter-final run in 1981.

Even with the loss, Kontaveit will nearly double her career prize money with $213,575 for her US Open run.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

US Open players give Serena's mental game top marks

NEW YORK -- Even with her powerful serve and formidable physical gifts, Serena Williams is getting the most praise from fellow US Open players for her mental toughness and confidence when facing adversity.

World number one Williams is trying to complete the first calendar Grand Slam since Steffi Graf in 1988 by winning the US Open for a 22nd Slam singles crown to match Graf's Open Era record, two shy of Australian Margaret Court's all-time record.

"She's just a beast," said American Donald Young, who won Saturday to reach the fourth round.

"I think she turns it on whenever she wants to. It's tough. It's a lot of pressure. The way she's handling it is like a true champion."

Williams struggled early in her past two matches, even dropping the first set against Bethanie Mattek-Sands before rallying to win the last eight games and advance to Sunday's fourth-round meeting with US 19th seed Madison Keys.

"Serena is inspiration for everyone who is on the tour, for sure. She's kind of big champion," said Czech fifth seed Petra Kvitova.

"We know how big a fighter she is. We need to be fighters in the tennis world as well. People playing her, they really know that if they win a set it's not the end. She always lifts her level higher."

Williams has been pushed to three sets 10 times in 24 Slam matches this year and won them all, eight of them after she dropped the first set.

"I have nothing but admiration for her," Young said. "She's just an awesome player. She can come back. She has done it so many times in her career. She has been there. Once you know what it feels like, you can repeat it."

- No playing down the Slam -

Three-time defending champion Williams, who holds all four major titles, has tried to downplay the calendar Slam and pump up the "Serena Slam" four in a row already done.

But the buzz of fans, sellout crowds for her matches and talk around Arthur Ashe Stadium says more about how the tennis world regards what Williams is on the verge of achieving.

"I guess in her mind she's trying to play it down," said Aussie Samantha Stosur, who beat Williams in the 2011 US Open final -- Serena's most recent loss on the New York hardcourts.

"It's amazing regardless, whether it stays the way it is or whether she gets the calendar Slam and makes it five in a row. Either way, everybody else has got to admire. I mean, if I was in that position, I'd probably try and play it down too and not think of it as such a huge deal and want it playing on my mind all the time."

Self belief and confidence is a major part of Serena's game, said Canada's Eugenie Bouchard.

"She just has that belief. She knows she's so good," Bouchard said.

"She just fights and finds a way. Even the greatest player of all times loses sets or is down in a match. It just shows all of us we have to fight for every point no matter what. Even if you are the greatest of all time, people are not just going to give it to you."

- 'Freaking amazing' Slam -

British qualifier Johanna Konta, a fourth-round surprise packet, would enjoy seeing Williams lift the trophy next weekend to finish the calendar Slam -- and she's a big Graf fan.

"That would be freaking amazing," Konta said. "I admire Steffi Graf because that's who I grew up watching, but I admire Serena Williams, because, I mean, who doesn't admire Serena Williams?

"I'd love for her to achieve that. I don't know really of anyone who wouldn't. It's an incredible achievement and one that I can only kind of watch and admire."

US 13th seed John Isner, into the last 16 with a Saturday win, said Williams has created her own great expectations.

"Most important thing is staying positive out there and just believing. That's what we've seen from Serena," Isner said. "It's pretty incredible. She has done it so much that we've come to expect it. That's what makes her a great champion."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Djokovic and Cilic through to U.S. Open fourth round

NEW YORK - Top seed Novak Djokovic and defending champion Marin Cilic took different routes into the fourth round of the U.S. Open as the upsets and searing heat at Flushing Meadows both eased off on Friday.

After a week of punishing heat that saw a record 13 players retire, cooler temperatures and order returned to the year's final grand slam as world number one Djokovic eased to a third round 6-3 7-5 7-5 victory over Italian Andreas Seppi.

Cilic also kept his title defence on track but not without a scare as the ninth seed needed over four hours to put away Kazakhstan's 56th-ranked Mikhail Kukushkin 6-7(5) 7-6(1) 6-3 6-7(3) 6-1.

The big-hitting Croat stepped onto the Grandstand court having won 16 straight sets at the National Tennis Center but that string quickly came to an end when Kukushkin took the opening set in a tiebreak in what was the start of a long and harrowing afternoon for the defending champion.

"I'm happy with the fighting spirit today, just accepting that I wasn't playing so well," said Cilic. "For sure (being defending champion) always has some weight to it.

"Playing on a big court with a full house, that's going to give you some extra motivation in the situations like today when I was a set and 5-2 down.

"I was in the thought process that I am going to stay on the court as much as necessary."

It had been a trouble-free visit to New York for Djokovic, the lanky Serb not dropping a set while losing just 10 games going into his match against Seppi.

But the 25th-ranked Italian at least made Djokovic work for his spot in the round of 16, the world number one needing a tiring two and a half hours at Arthur Ashe Stadium to secure his victory.

"Just hanging in there, trying to create my own pace and control the rallies," Djokovic said about dealing with the capable and aggressive game of Seppi.

"It was a tough three sets."

Venus Williams, who won the second of her two U.S. Open titles 14 years ago, struck a blow for the older set and stayed on course for a quarter-finals collision with Grand Slam-seeking sister Serena by taming Swiss teen Belinda Bencic 6-3 6-4.

Venus, 35, produced a vintage power-game performance to beat the up-and-coming 18-year-old in a match-up between the oldest and youngest players left in the women's draw.

Williams, who played her first U.S. Open in 1997, the year 12th-seeded Swiss was born, had battled to a pair of three-set wins and spent nearly five hours on court to reach the third round.

However, the American made quick work of Bencic, who beat 2015 Australian, French and Wimbledon champion Serena Williams on her way to winning in Toronto last month.

"I just wanted to stay aggressive and keep my errors down," said Venus, who had also beaten Bencic in straight sets in their three previous encounters.

Joining the seven-times grand slam singles winner in the fourth round was Russian 13th seed Ekaterina Makarova, who advanced with 6-3 7-5 victory over 17th seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine.

(Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Sharapova says Serena rivals must step up efforts

NEW YORK -- Maria Sharapova says the domination of Serena Williams should not diminish the efforts of other women's players, but adds they must step up and answer the challenge.

Sharapova, who has not played since losing to Williams in a Wimbledon semi-final due to a right knee injury, could meet the world number one in the semi-finals of the US Open, which begins on Monday.

Three-time defending champion Williams, who has won the past four Grand Slam titles, is trying to complete the first calendar-year Grand Slam sweep since Steffi Graf in 1988 and capture her 22nd career major singles title, matching Graf's Open Era record.

"She has been playing on an incredible level," Sharapova said Saturday. "That doesn't take anything away from other players. We have to step up, me and other players. We have to perform better."

Sharapova has completed a career Grand Slam of her own and added a second French Open crown last year. This year, she lost to Williams in the Australian Open final but has won titles at Brisbane and Rome.

But in head-to-head matches against Williams, Sharapova is 2-18 with 17 losses in a row since last beating the 33-year-old American in the 2004 WTA Tour Championship final.

"If we didn't feel we could (beat her), I wouldn't personally be able to go on the court and play," Sharapova said. "Everyone takes any match they are facing very seriously in a Grand Slam environment."

Asked if she thought Williams had a good chance at winning the US Open to complete the calendar Slam, Sharapova said, "I think that's safe to say."

"It's just a huge bonus for her to be in this position this way. Being back here where she has made so many great memories will make it a great story."

Romanian second seed Simona Halep also addressed Williams' domination and her own comment that she wanted to see Serena complete the Slam.

"If I'm not in the final, then I want her to win. If I'm in the final with her, then I want to win," Halep said.

"There are two different things. I respect her already for what she has done and what she is doing. But I also have a desire to beat her.

"I believe she has a big chance to do it. I can't say the tournament is Open. I'll say now Serena has the chance."

- Sharapova dims expectations -

Sharapova says she will try to limit her expectations for the Flushing Meadows fortnight given her lack of match toughness.

"You have to be realistic and limit your expectations but it's never quite easy because when you step on the court you want to play your best," she said. "Sometimes it's your competitiveness that helps you adjust and get through."

The 28-year-old Russian beauty is 1-1 against first-round Monday foe Daria Gavrilova, a 37th-ranked compatriot who beat Sharapova in the second round at Miami this year but lost to her in a Rome semi-final rematch.

"She's a great player to face in the first round. Our matches have gone back and forth. It's always tough in a Grand Slam, especially when you haven't been playing for a while. You feel the nerves. I have managed it quite well."

That's in part because she loves the raucous atmosphere New York fans bring to matches.

"I love the energy," she said. "I love how you feel real sports enthusiasts are watching. You feed off their passion. Their energy is priceless."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Body and soul as Sharapova looks to recapture US Open magic

Ten years after becoming world number one for the first time as a bubbly 18-year-old, Maria Sharapova returns to the US Open, eager to recapture the magic of her 2006 title run.

But the world's richest sportswoman has a stack of hurdles to overcome at Flushing Meadows -- physical, emotional and psychological.

At 28, Sharapova is now the third oldest woman in the top 20 and the grind of the tour has returned to bite her at the most inconvenient time.

An upper leg injury has kept her off tour since her Wimbledon semi-final defeat to nemesis Serena Williams.

She will also be playing her first tournament since the break-up of her two-year romance with men's tour star Grigor Dimitrov.

Apart from the daily routine of practice, Sharapova has spent the week building up to the season's final Grand Slam showcasing her business talents.

A Manhattan photoshoot with Nike was followed rapidly by a promotion for her 'Sugarpova' candy brand at the city's iconic Bloomingdale's store.

But once the commercial side is wrapped up, there will be the serious business of rekindling her love affair with the US Open, a relationship desperately in need of counselling.

Since her 2006 title win over Justine Henin in the final, Sharapova has failed to return to the championship match.

There have been three third round losses, two in the last-16 and a semi-final run in 2012. She sat out the 2008 and 2013 events through injury.

"I think I will have to take it a match at a time and obviously can't have too many expectations," said Sharapova after her leg injury forced her out of the Toronto and Cincinnati warm-up tournaments.

"It's not the most ideal situation, but it is what it is for this particular year."

What is also not ideal is seeing long-time rival Serena Williams comfortably bludgeoning her way through the record books.

The American world number one is on the verge of the first calendar Grand Slam since Steffi Graf in 1988.

Victory would also give her a 22nd Grand Slam title.

Sharapova's majors total, however, has firmly stalled at five.

Her 35 career titles -- almost half of which were won in her teens -- are overshadowed by the American's 69.

Williams also even tops the Twitter battle with just over five million followers compared to the Russian's 1.7 million.

The two women have never met at the US Open which is just as well for Sharapova whose record against Williams now stands at 2-18 with both her wins coming back in 2004.

Her most recent defeat, a straight-sets semi-final mauling at Wimbledon, was her 17th in succession at the hands of the world's best player.

"I think when she plays against me, she certainly does take you out of your game," admitted Sharapova.

"That's why she's in the position she's in. I don't think it's a secret. I think she knows against certain players she needs to bring out her best. The way that she plays myself, maybe a few others, she has to bring it on the line.

"We're not able to do that as consistently as she does."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Mickelson prolongs his US Open drought

TACOMA -- Phil Mickelson's US Open winless drought continued at Chambers Bay after his bid for a career Grand Slam skidded to a halt on a murderous row of front nine par-fours on Saturday.

The 45-year-old American had five bogey's on the front nine en route to a seven-over 77 in the third round of the 115th US Open.

"As bad as my score was, I hit a lot of good shots that ended up as bogeys," said Mickelson.

Mickelson has finished second a record six times at the US Open and needed to win in Chambers Bay to become the sixth player in history to complete a career Grand Slam.

The crowd favourite finished his round with nine bogeys, two birdies to go with seven pars.

Mickelson needed a good showing Saturday after shooting a second round four-over 74, but his game started heading south early on in the third round and continued to go downhill.

He started the day at three-over but the first sign of trouble came on the second tee box.

Already reeling from two bogeys on his first three holes, Mickelson headed to one of the toughest four-hole stretches of par fours in the history of the US Open, beginning with the 509-yard No. 4.

By the time he made the turn he was at five-over 35 and his chances of claiming his first US Open title had all but vanished.

Mickelson parred No. 1 but followed with three straight bogeys starting with the par-four 399 yard second hole.

His tee shot on No. 2 found the deep rough on the left side of the fairway. He knocked it out but the ball sailed across the fairway into the thick fescue on the right side, coming to a stop on the side of a slope and giving him an awkward downhill stance for his approach to the green.

Mickelson then hit a fine recovery shot to about 10 feet but ended up two-putting for a bogey.

He teed off on the par-three third but his ball landed on the lip off the green and after a slight hesitation it rolled about 40 feet downhill giving him a long chip to the green. His first putt from 10 feet missed just left and he had to settle for another bogey.

He bogeyed two of the holes and parred the other two through the difficult par-four stretch to get him to four over on the day and seven over for the tournament.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com