Federer beats Anderson to set up Shapovalov clash

Roger Federer gained a measure of revenge against Wimbledon nemesis Kevin Anderson, beating the South African 6-0 6-4 at the Miami Open on Thursday to set up a mouthwatering semi-final against a player barely half his age.

Federer will have little time to rest his 37-year-old legs before his clash against 19-year-old Denis Shapovalov, the highly regarded Canadian talent tipped for future Grand Slam success.

Twentieth seed Shapovalov won his battle of 'Next Gen' hustlers 6-7(5) 6-4 6-2 against American Frances Tiafoe.

Shapovalov is one of two Canadian teenagers in the semis, with 18-year-old Felix Auger-Aliassime to play defending champion John Isner in the daytime, before Federer and Shapovalov face off under lights.

Federer has won 100 career titles, 100 more than Shapovalov, and was looking forward to the pair's first match-up.

"He's one of the big shotmakers in the game. I love his forehand," Federer said.

"It's an exciting draw for John and for myself here, playing these young guys. They are not just young, but they are very good, as well."

The Swiss raced through the first set against Anderson, the man who came from two sets down to beat him in a quarter-final marathon at Wimbledon last year.

Anderson took nine games to get on the board but eventually found his groove and broke back with a series of return winners to level at 3-3 in the second set.

Federer struck the decisive blow at 4-4, however, winning a marathon game of 22 points and clinching the break with a fortuitous backhand return down the line.

"I hit it late and that's why it went short," he said of the shot. "That's not what I wanted to do but maybe what it took. I got a bit lucky there at the end."

CANADIAN TENNIS ON THE RISE

Shapovalov broke Tiafoe four times and could hardly stop smiling at the prospect of playing Federer.

"It's definitely a matchup I have been looking forward to my whole life," he said.

"It's going to be a dream come true to play him in such a big event. The stakes are so high, semi-final of a Masters 1000 against your idol, it's just a dream come true."

Shapovalov also spoke about what appears to be a bright future for Canadian tennis.

He and Auger-Aliassime are in the Miami semis less than two weeks after 18-year-old Bianca Andreescu won the WTA tournament at Indian Wells.

"It's kind of crazy to share this with Felix," Shapovalov said.

"I was just thinking in the locker room how far back we go, from the national groupings when we were eight and nine years old, so it's so crazy to see how far we have come.

"It's really great to see him doing well. Honestly, it's not a shocker for me that he's gone this far, that he's doing so well." (Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by Ian Ransom)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Nadal eyes sweet sixteen against Anderson

NEW YORK -- Rafael Nadal can wrap up a 16th Grand Slam title and third at the US Open on Sunday but has to find a way past the almost unbreakable spirit of South Africa's Kevin Anderson.

The 31-year-old Spaniard, who captured a 10th Roland Garros in June and was runner-up to Roger Federer at the Australian Open in January, is the overwhelming favourite.

He is the world number one playing in his 23rd Slam final and who won his first major as a 19-year-old at the sixth attempt.

Anderson, two weeks older, is playing in his first final at the Slams after a career stretching 32 majors.

Nadal's 73 career titles also dwarf Anderson's modest three.

But the Spaniard is wary of the challenge posed by 6ft 8in (2.02m) Anderson's deadly serve.

At the US Open, the South African has fired 114 aces and has been broken just five times in 108 service games.

He has also unleashed the tournament's third fastest serve of 137 mph (220.4km/h).

"It's a very tough one. He's a huge player with an unbelievable serve and he plays so well on these kinds of surfaces," said Nadal of a player he has known since he was 12 years old.

"I need to be ready for it. It is probably the most important match for me that remains this year, so I am going to try my best to play my best."

Nadal was champion in New York in 2010 and 2013 while finishing runner-up in 2011.

He was expected to have been pushed hard by 2009 champion Juan Martin del Potro, who knocked out Federer in the last eight, when they met in Friday's semi-finals.

But after being out-fought and out-thought in the first set, Nadal switched up his tactics, had the weary Del Potro scrambling around the Arthur Ashe Stadium court and eventually claimed a 15th successive semi-final win at the Slams.

Victory on Sunday would take Nadal to within three majors of Federer's record of 19 and extend the iron grip of Nadal, Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka.

Since Federer won his first Wimbledon in 2003, an incredible 52 of the 57 Slams have been claimed by the five men.

- 'Greatest competitor' -

However, with former winners Djokovic, Murray and 2016 champion Wawrinka all not playing this year, opportunity has knocked for Anderson.

"We are accustomed to the few guys doing well, exceptional consistency. It's tough beating those guys because they have had so much experience at this level," said the world number 32.

"Even with them out, there have still been a lot of challenges I've had to face throughout this week. I have faced some of the best tennis players in the world."

Anderson is 0-4 against Nadal, losing their most recent clash in Barcelona this year as the Spaniard swept regally through the European clay court swing.

In those four meetings, the Johannesburg-born Florida-based Anderson has claimed just one set.

In the pair's only clash at the Slams, Nadal won in straight sets in the Australian Open fourth round in 2015.

"Nadal is one of the greatest competitors in sports, period. He's an amazing fighter," said Anderson, the first South African in the US Open final since Cliff Drysdale in 1965.

Johan Kriek remains the last Slam champion from the country, winning the 1981 Australian Open.

"Nadal really controls the court well," Anderson said. "I really need to be dominant and control proceedings as much as possible, because if you let him do it, it's very difficult."

Sunday will be also an emotional occasion for Nadal's coach since childhood, his uncle Toni, who will retire from life on the road at year's end to devote himself to his nephew's academy in Mallorca.

"He lives 300 meters from my house. I train at the academy. He is my uncle and he will continue to give me advice, but he has the right to do what makes him happy," said Nadal.

source: news.abs-cbn.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

Federer cruises as fellow top seeds struggle

Defending champion Roger Federer cruised into the quarter-finals of the Western & Southern Open with a 6-1 6-1 demolition of South African Kevin Anderson on Thursday on an otherwise tough day for the top seeds that saw Rafa Nadal eliminated.

Swiss second seed Federer needed just 55 minutes to register his easy win but top seed Novak Djokovic, third seed Andy Murray and fifth seed Stan Wawrinka were all taken the distance in their matches at the U.S. Open warm-up event in Cincinnati.

Playing in his first tournament since losing the Wimbledon final to Djokovic last month, Federer looks fresh and rested and advanced to a last eight encounter against Spain's Feliciano Lopez, who upset 2013 Cincinnati champion Nadal 5-7 6-4 7-6(3).

"I think the first break always gives you a bit of a boost and right then I felt conditions weren't that fast and I could probably get some more balls back than maybe a day session," Federer told reporters of his win over the big-serving Anderson.

"Then it was just important to keep it up with my serving. I did that very well tonight, so I am really pleased it was a rock solid performance.

"It's only quarter-finals, I know it's a good result so far and I'm playing great tennis but hopefully I can keep it up tomorrow."

Djokovic looked in danger when he dropped the opening three games of the final set against 13th-seeded Belgian David Goffin, but roared back for a 6-2 2-6 6-3 win to set up a French Open final rematch against Stan Wawrinka.

The Swiss claimed his second grand slam title with a four-set victory over Djokovic in Paris and beat Croatia's Ivo Karlovic 6-7(2) 7-6(5) 7-6(5) to book a showdown against the top seed.

PARIS REMATCH

The Serbian world number one ran into trouble when his 24-year-old opponent broke in the first game of the second set, which resulted in a frustrated Djokovic destroying his racket with three smashes against the hard court.

Goffin went on to win eight of the next 10 games to put himself in position for a massive upset but Djokovic found his groove in time to prevail.

"Credit to him for playing some solid, consistent tennis, always making me play an extra shot," Djokovic said. "Luckily for me, I managed to bounce back, dig myself out of this hole I was in."

Djokovic and Wawrinka will meet for the 22nd time on Friday, but it will be their first clash since the Swiss triumphed at Roland Garros in June.

Wawrinka was also forced to dig deep in his third round clash where big-serving Karlovic fired 35 aces to his opponent's eight, but the Croatian's biggest weapon faltered when he needed it most as he double faulted while serving to save match point.

"It's going to be the first time we've met (since) the French Open final," Djokovic said about his next opponent. "Both of us, we are still not playing our best, but hopefully we can rise to the occasion and have a good match."

Murray, who won the Rogers Cup in Montreal on Sunday, looked a little jaded after a tough two weeks but the Briton somehow recovered to beat Grigor Dimitrov 4-6 7-6(3) 7-5 in a little under three hours after twice looking to be headed for defeat.

Trailing 5-2 in the deciding set after also being 4-1 down in the second, Murray, who rose to number two in the world rankings on Monday, dug deep into his resources to rally for a victory that sets up a quarter-final against Richard Gasquet.

Sixth seed Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic breezed by unseeded Tommy Robredo of Spain 6-0 6-1. He will meet Alexandr Dolgopolov in the quarter-finals after the Ukrainian qualifier dispatched Jerzy Janowicz of Poland 6-3 3-6 6-4.

The U.S. Open starts on Aug. 31. (Writing by Tim Wharnsby and Ben Everill; Editing by John O'Brien)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Djokovic recovers as match suspended, Serena wins

LONDON - After three hours and two minutes of combat, Novak Djokovic and Kevin Anderson were forced off court in the twilight with their last 16 clash tantalizingly poised at two sets all and their Wimbledon audience begging for more.

The match was halted as dusk closed in after world number one and defending champion Djokovic had fought back from two sets down having been thoroughly outplayed by a fired up Anderson before rediscovering his A-game.

It was a remarkable conclusion to a day when a whiff of predictability had permeated the hectic schedule in men's and women's draws.

Serena had earlier ousted big sister Venus in the battle of the Williams siblings, while Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka had claimed comfortable victories.

In fact, the action elsewhere was remarkably tame in comparison to the ebb and flow of the drama on Court One.

Few had predicted Anderson would be able to mix it with Djokovic, except maybe the Serb himself who said the statuesque 2.03 metre South African was in the form of his life heading into the match.

He was not wrong. Within a short time he was two sets down as Anderson served superbly and happily went toe-to-toe with Djokovic from the back of the court, a tactic with which few succeed.

The first two sets ended with Anderson edging nervy tiebreaks, before Djokovic revved into gear storming through the third 6-1 and clinching the fourth 6-4 to leave the match in the balance and the crowd wanting more.

Sadly for them, the officials disagreed and boos rang around the arena as play was suspended until Tuesday.

The closeness of the encounter was in contrast to much of what had gone before.

The clash between the Williams sisters, who have won 10 Wimbledon singles titles, should have been the day's box-office smash, but drama was in short supply and the ending all too predictable.

BEST FRIEND

As has often been the case in the 25 matches between the siblings, the pre-game hype massively outdid the action on court, with Serena rattling through the opening eight points, and maintaining a stranglehold to wrap up the contest in 68 minutes.

She is now unbeaten in grand slams in 25 matches and edging closer to holding all four majors at the same time for the second time in her career -- although given the sensitivity of the occasion, any excitement was kept under wraps.

"It's hard to feel excited about (beating) someone you root for all the time no matter what and you love so much and is your best friend in the world," said Serena, whose next step en route to a 21st grand slam title will be against Victoria Azarenka in the quarter-finals.

Federer was given the swiftest of workouts against 20th-seeded Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut, who became the latest player to exit in double quick time at the hands of the seven-time champion without making an impact on the Swiss's serve.

At one stage it looked like the Spaniard would struggle to finish the match as the trainer was called onto court to tend to an ankle injury, but he battled on in a 6-2 6-2 6-3 defeat.

The result extended a remarkable run of serving by Federer, who has not been broken in eight straight matches and 106 games, and set up a quarter-final with French 12th seed Gilles Simon, who surprised former finalist Tomas Berdych 6-3 6-3 6-2.

Murray's bid for a second Wimbledon title continued largely untroubled, with the third seed emerging unscathed from the crosshairs of Ivo Karlovic.

The giant Croat fired down 29 aces and regularly tipped the speed gun over 130mph but Murray made the most of his chances and, bar a brief wobble when he lost the third set, claimed a comfortable 7-6(7) 6-4 5-7 6-4 victory.

There was no upset in sight as the fourth seeds in the men's and women's draw went through in straight sets as Wawrinka edged Belgium's David Goffin 7-6(3) 7-6(7) 6-4 and Maria Sharapova beat plucky Kazakh Zarina Diyas 6-4 6-4.

The remaining days of the tournament are also likely to be quieter and less controversial after Australian hot-head Nick Kyrgios was beaten in four sets by Richard Gasquet. (Reporting by Toby Davis; Editing by Ken Ferris)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com