Tennis: More Slam glory beckons for ageless Federer

Only Marin Cilic stands between Roger Federer and a 20th Grand Slam title as an injury-ravaged Australian Open staggers to its Sunday final at Melbourne Park.

The 36-year-old Swiss marvel continues to defy the years and attrition rate to reach his 30th Grand Slam decider and a shot at his sixth Australian crown while his long-time rivals have fallen by the wayside.

World No.1 Rafael Nadal, six-time champion Novak Djokovic and former winner Stan Wawrinka succumbed to injuries, while five-time finalist Andy Murray didn't even get to the starting line.

Yet Federer is again still standing.

Cilic overcame him on the way to winning the 2014 US Open final, but it is his only win in nine encounters and the Swiss defending champion has glided to the brink of another title without dropping a set.

Federer is supremely confident he has it all in place to join Djokovic and Australian Roy Emerson with the most Australian titles.

"It's not about having to improve anything in particular," he said ahead of the final.

"I'm pleased that my game has been good from the very beginning of the tournament so far.

"I mean, I've won all my matches without dropping a set. Things must be all right if I haven't dropped a set and in the final."

Federer was waved through to the final with an all-too-brief semi-final that lasted just 62 minutes when South Korean youngster Chung Hyeon retired with severe foot blisters.

Five of Federer's six matches have finished on or under two hours and he has been on court for a total of 10hr 50min, some 6hr 13mins less than Cilic.

"I would have preferred a normal end (to the Chung match), yes. But I must admit, as well, you do take the faster matches whenever you can," said Federer.

"There's enough wear and tear on the body, there's enough tough matches throughout the season that when they happen, you take them."

But he knows he faces a tough seasoned opponent in Cilic to win the big one.

"I definitely think him winning the US Open has given him great belief he can do it. If the big moments come about, that he can attain this level," Federer said.

"I like his attitude. He's very professional. He's always very much the same regardless of whether he wins or loses.

"On the court, he's a winner. He's there to win and not just to be there. I think he strives for more."

- Really excited - 

Win or lose Federer will remain world No.2 behind Nadal while Cilic is ensured of climbing from his current six to a career-high three.

Cilic, 29, has had a trailblazing tournament and is the first Croatian man or woman to appear in a Melbourne final.

His career high point so far has been victory at the 2014 US Open where, as the 14th seed, he swept past Federer in straight sets on the way to beating Kei Nishikori in the final.

But he was in tears when he gamely played on with a nasty blister on his left foot in last year's Wimbledon decider against Federer, describing it as very tough to deal with.

Another opportunity to win a second Grand Slam quickly materialized when he toppled injured Nadal in the quarter-finals and rising British star Kyle Edmund in the semis.

He says he is in a good space with his serve and forehand.

"I'm feeling really good physically, even though I had a few matches that went more than three hours," Cilic said.

"I've played a great tournament so far, I'm playing much more aggressive, hitting most of the shots really good.

"From the return, moving, forehand, backhand, serving, I think everything is in a good, solid spot. Feeling really excited about the final."

But on facing Federer, he added: "When it gets to the semi-finals, finals, he gets better and better and is playing great tennis. So with him it's always a big challenge."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Spieth struggles, Day shines at Australian Open

SYDNEY, Australia -- Jason Day made a spectacular return to the Australian Open on Thursday, finishing the first round just three shots off the lead as the defending champion Jordan Spieth struggled in tricky conditions.

Day, playing his national open for the first time in four years, made the most of his early morning tee time, rolling in eight birdies in perfect sunshine for a superb round of five-under-par 66.

The former world number one finished the opening day tied for third place with Nick Cullen, as Cameron Davis set the pace with a blistering round of 63 to lead by two strokes from Taylor Macdonald at The Australian Golf Club.

Spieth, playing in the afternoon when the wind had picked up, battled his way to an up-and-down round of one-under-par 70 to end the day seven shots off the lead on a heavily congested leaderboard.

Unable to build any momentum after making bogey at his first two holes, the American dropped three more shots but brightened up his card with six birdies, including a 20-foot putt at the final hole that fell into the cup.

Playing the back nine first, Day dropped a shot at the par-three 15th hole, then double bogeyed the eighth hole, his second last, but was otherwise pleased with his as he chases his first Australian Open title in a rare outing in his homeland.

- 'Good start to the week' -

"I made a couple of mistakes out there with some swings, but made, I think, eight birdies, which was nice and finished at five-under, which is a good start to the week," Day said.

"I think it would have been a little bit disappointing if I came out this morning and shot an even-par round. I think it's definitely out there to shoot a deep one.

"That's kind of the thing, you almost need to come out and capitalise when there's no wind, because it's very warm in the morning, the ball's starting to go a lot further in the mornings and there's no wind."

Davis, also playing in the morning, birdied six of his first seven holes before the wind gusts put a halt to his phenomenal start and he eventually signed for a 63, enough to grab a two-stroke lead over Macdonald, ranked 1,809th in the world.

Davis, who turned professional after winning the 2015 Australian Amateur title, and then helping Australia win the Eisenhower Trophy in 2016, could hardly contain his excitement after chipping in for birdie at the seventh to get to six-under.

The 22-year-old made his only bogey of the day at the ninth but regained his composure and played the back nine in three-under to claim the early outright lead.

"To be able to play the back nine without any bogeys, just keep on making a couple of birdies, I felt like that kind of shows that I was able to not get too far ahead of myself, which has definitely happened in the past," he said.

"That's one of the things I feel like is improving for me."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Djokovic fends off Nadal-slayer Verdasco

MELBOURNE - Novak Djokovic may have cursed the draw for throwing up Fernando Verdasco as the first opponent in his Australian Open defense on Tuesday but the tough match-up against the Spanish giant-killer ultimately proved a blessing in disguise.

The Serb launched his bid for a record seventh title at Melbourne Park with an impressive 6-1 7-6(4) 6-2 win over the man who knocked Rafa Nadal out in the first round of last year's tournament.

Djokovic was forced to save five match points to beat Verdasco at the recent Qatar Open and was broken twice during a thrilling second set under the lights of Rod Laver Arena.

But the second seed defended brilliantly to defuse the veteran lefthander's power game and closed out the two-hour 20-minute clash.

   
"I knew that winning the second set would be crucial because I definitely didn't want to give him wings," Djokovic told reporters after setting up a second round clash against Uzbek Denis Istomin.

"I didn't want to have him start swinging at the ball, as he knows.

"I don't know how he felt about the draw. But I personally think that I could have drawn... an easier player. But nothing is easy obviously.

"From one perspective it was good that I got to have the very tough first-round match, because it made me prepare better and kind of approach this match and the tournament with the right intensity right from the blocks, right from the first point."

Djokovic has owned Melbourne Park for almost a decade and his continued reign seemed assured as he roared to a 5-0 lead in the first set.

Verdasco felled Nadal in five sets last year by swinging at every ball and his aggression was rewarded when he broke Djokovic twice early in the second.

But he was furious with himself for letting the chances slip, cursing in Spanish and bouncing his racket off the court in disgust.

He double-faulted at 4-4 to give Djokovic two break points but saved them both before holding serve, leaving the Serb yelling out his own frustrations from his chair at the change of ends.

It took a moment of Verdasco madness to open the door, the Spaniard wafting a sliced backhand well beyond the baseline to concede two set points.

Djokovic wrapped up the tiebreak with a monster serve and sprinted away in the third set.

Beaten emphatically in a string of baseline skirmishes, Verdasco fell behind 4-1 and he threw his racket at his chair.

It felt more like a towel being tossed into a ring as there was no stopping Djokovic in full flight.

"It feels like home," said the Serb on the court where he won his sixth Australian Open title a year ago.

"Already in the last couple of weeks, I was really eager to come back to the court and get into the competitive mode, just be back in the office."

(Reporting by Ian Ransom,; Editing by Pritha Sarkar)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Djokovic masters Murray for 6th Australian title

Djokovic clinches 11th grand slam title

MELBOURNE -- Novak Djokovic crushed Andy Murray 6-1 7-5 7-6(3) on Sunday to match Roy Emerson's record of six Australian Open titles and leave the Briton heartbroken again at Melbourne Park.

The defending champion was at his ruthless best under the lights at Rod Laver Arena, mauling Murray in the baseline duels and closing out the match in two hours and 53 minutes.

Murray succumbed to his fifth loss in five Australian Open finals, and fourth against the Serbian world No. 1, who claimed his 11th grand slam title to draw level with the totals of Australian Rod Laver and Swede Bjorn Borg.

Having fended off Murray in a marathon second set, Djokovic again had to put down some stiff Murray resistance in the third as the Scot refused to go quietly.

But having been dragged into a tiebreak, Djokovic sealed the title on his third match point with a clinical ace down the T.

(READ: Kerber upsets Serena Williams to win Australian title)
http://sports.abs-cbn.com/tennis/news/2016/01/30/kerber-upsets-serena-williams-win-australian-title-8382

For a man who has owned the year's first grand slam for five of the past six years and won his first in 2008, Djokovic's celebrations were subdued and he gave Murray a consoling pat on the chest as they shook hands.

After walking around the court and pumping his fist at clutches of thrilled Serbian fans, Djokovic ripped off his shirt and flung it to a young woman who jumped up and down in delight.

"Andy, you are a great champion, a great person and a great friend and I'm sure you are going to have more opportunities to fight for this trophy," Djokovic said at the trophy presentation.

"It's a great privilege to match the record of one of the greatest players to play the game," he added, referring to Laver who was watching on.

Murray, whose wife Kim is heavily pregnant at home in Britain and was rocked by a medical emergency involving his father-in-law at the tournament, was magnanimous in defeat.

"I feel like I've been here before," Murray said jokingly as he took the microphone. "I'd like to congratulate Novak. Six Australian Opens is an incredible feat. And what he has done in the last year has been incredible consistency."

Started brilliantly

Djokovic started brilliantly in his semi-final win over Roger Federer and launched the same attack om Murray, breaking the Scot twice to roar into a 5-0 lead and winning 22 of the opening 29 points.

Sealing the set with an unreturnable serve, the Serb prised another four break-points in the third game of the second set but Murray dug in to hold with an ace.

Murray began to make inroads in some brutal baseline rallies and the players traded service breaks before Murray seemed set to move 6-5 ahead when he went 40-0 ahead on serve.

Djokovic struck back from nowhere though and whipped a passing shot beyond Murray to raise a break-point after a punishing 36-stroke rally.

Murray clubbed a backhand well past the baseline to concede serve but still had chances when the Serb lost his focus with a pair of double-faults in the next game.

He clattered a backhand into the net and then failed with a forehand though as Djokovic took an 80-minute set to move clear.

Any hope of a comeback seemed remote when Murray fluffed a smash barely halfway up the net in the opening game of the decider to give Djokovic two break points, the second of which Djokovic converted with a sublime backhand pass down the line.

It looked like game over but Murray roused himself to break back at 3-3 and he still had a glimmer of hope when the tiebreak began.

But the wheels fell off for the Scot who slumped to 4-1 with a double-fault and set up five championship points with a wild shot into the tramlines.

Murray saved one match-point with an ace, then a second when Djokovic hit a forehand long but the Serb stiffened his resolve to club the winning ace and extend his reign over Melbourne Park for another year.

Murray becomes only the second man to lose five finals at the same grand slam -- joining former coach Ivan Lendl who lost five at the U.S. Open.

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

TENNIS WRAP: Fit Nadal brings ‘happy feelings’ to Melbourne Park

MELBOURNE - With a heart-breaking injury record at the Australian Open, few would blame Rafa Nadal for a feeling of trepidation every time he enters Melbourne Park but the fit and healthy Spaniard will begin this year's campaign full of "happy feelings".

After winning his sole Australian Open title in 2009, Nadal was forced out of its defence with knee trouble against Andy Murray, knocked out of a semi-final against countryman David Ferrer by a hamstring problem the following year and hobbled by a back injury during his losing final to Stan Wawrinka in 2014.

Nadal was forced to miss 2013 due to a stomach virus and when on the comeback trail from a wrist problem and appendicitis last year, he crashed out of the tournament with a straight sets quarter-final loss to Tomas Berdych, one of his worst grand slam defeats.

Whether battling injury or illness, Nadal has rarely arrived at Melbourne Park without something nagging at his confidence so his early season fitness has come as a breath of fresh air.

"I have had good practices here," he told reporters breezily at Melbourne Park on Saturday.

"Very happy to be here again. Good feelings. Just trying to be ready."

Baby comes first for Australian Open contender Murray

World number two Andy Murray has repeated, emphatically, that he will abandon the pursuit of his first Australian Open title if his wife goes into labour early.

The men's final of the year's opening grand slam is scheduled for Jan. 31 and with his wife Kim expecting their first child in mid-February it should give him time to return home to Britain for the birth.

The Scot, who said late last year that he would abandon the tournament if his wife went into labour during it, was asked on Saturday whether he had changed his mind.

"The same thing would happen," the 28-year-old Briton told reporters. "For me, my child is more important to me, and my wife is more important to me than a tennis match."


Murray insisted he was still focused on achieving one of his primary goals for 2016 and winning his first Melbourne Park title after losing four previous finals, though the impending arrival of his first child was proving a welcome distraction.

"I think most days I think about that. Just now it's a big change coming. It's very, very exciting," he said.

Federer gives Djokovic 'little star' of approval

Novak Djokovic deserves a "little star" next to his name for a spectacular 2015 season that saw him win three grand slams among his 11 titles but the men's game is not simply a matter of the Serb versus the rest, Roger Federer said on Saturday.

The world number one's dominance has seen pundits line up to declare the end of the 'Big Four' -- suggesting Federer, Rafa Nadal and Andy Murray are unable to compete on equal terms at grand slams with Djokovic.

The Serb heads into the Australian Open a raging favourite to capture his sixth title at Melbourne Park but Federer gave short shrift to talk of a Djokovic dictatorship, pointing to Stan Wawrinka's victory over him in the French Open final.

"It completely depends what you're looking at. If you're looking at (Djokovic's) season, he was the most dominant player by far last year," Federer told reporters at Melbourne Park.

"Then if you look at just who won the slams and the Masters 1000s, doesn't hold truth, because Stan won the French.

"Who's had the most success? The top five guys really, with Stan, you know, Murray, myself, Novak and Rafa.

"Now the rankings are back to more normal again after Rafa's worked his way back up.

"Yeah, I still think the same guys are playing very well. But, of course, Novak deserves like a little star next to his name right now because he's been doing extremely well.

"Same for Stan, really."

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

Australian Open: Sharapova digs deep, Federer pushes through

MELBOURNE -- Roger Federer was made to work for his place in the third round of the Australian Open on Wednesday after Maria Sharapova suffered a huge scare against a 150th-ranked qualifier as the heat rose at Melbourne Park.

Rod Laver Arena's center court was ground zero for high drama early in the day, with Russian Sharapova finding herself two service breaks down at 4-1 in the deciding set against compatriot Alexandra Panova.

With the temperature rising above 32 degrees Celsius, Sharapova showed ice in her veins, first clawing back to 5-4 and then clobbering a string of forehand winners to save two match-points in an exhilarating counter-attack.

With that, the belief drained quickly from her plucky 25-year-old opponent and after leveling with another smoking forehand down the line, second-seed Sharapova closed out the match 6-1 4-6 7-5.

"When other things aren't working, maybe the mental side of things will help you out," the five-times grand slam champion told reporters. "Until the very end I still try to dictate, I still try to find my way."

Federer was forced to find his own way through in the third match at Rod Laver Arena after losing the first set to Italian Simone Bolelli.

The Swiss master was troubled by a painful injury to the little finger on his racket hand and growled at a prying television camera when medical staff worried at it before the second set.

He shrugged it off, though, and marched on to a 3-6 6-3 6-2 6-2 over the 48th-ranked Bolelli, sealing the match with a rush to the net that would have pleased coach Stefan Edberg.

"It felt like a bee stung me," the 33-year-old second seed said of his finger problem. "I was like, 'this can't be possible.' I'd never had this pain before... Thankfully it wasn't so bad at the end."

Murray in a hurry

Andy Murray had a far more serene outing on the second show-court at Margaret Court Arena, trouncing Marinko Matosevic 6-1 6-3 6-2 to retreat to the cool of the shade after 102 impressive minutes.

The Scot's win extended his unbeaten record against Australians to 10-0, deflating the crowd's joy slightly after 10 locals had made it past the first round across both the men's and women's draws.

"I think I moved pretty well today. I defended well, you know, which is something -- if you want to win these tournaments, you need to defend well," said Murray, who next faces Portugal's Joao Sousa before a potentially mouth-watering clash against young gun Grigor Dimitrov.

The Bulgarian Dimitrov's heart may have been in his mouth had he watched his girlfriend Sharapova's match and the 10th seed also suffered a wobble in beating unseeded Slovakian Lukas Lacko 6-3 6-7(12) 6-3 6-3.

Seventh-seed Tomas Berdych had no such troubles, roaring forward with a straight sets demolition of Austrian veteran Jurgen Melzer.

The evening session sees third seed Rafa Nadal play American Tim Smyczek on center court for a place in the third round, with Canadian hope Eugenie Bouchard taking on Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Nadal answers doubts, Ivanovic ousted at Australian Open

MELBOURNE - A relieved Rafa Nadal felt the confidence come flooding back in a first-round romp at the Australian Open on Monday after former world number one Ana Ivanovic crashed out on the opening day at Melbourne Park.

Sixth seed Andy Murray enjoyed a solid first win as the leading men marched into the second round, but world number five Ivanovic, upset 1-6 6-3 6-2 by Czech doubles specialist Lucie Hradecka, was one of five women's seeds to fall during a sun-drenched day session.

The upsets came earlier than expected and the intrigue was meant to occur on Rod Laver Arena, where third seed Nadal's comeback from illness and injury was expected to be given a thorough examination by Russian veteran Mikhail Youzhny.

Within a handful of games, however, it was Youzhy plagued with doubts as his pink-clad Spanish opponent wasted little time easing into his grand slam groove before roaring to a 6-3 6-2 6-2 win in less than two hours.

"The second half of last year was tough mentally and physically," Nadal said in a courtside interview. "So it was very emotional to be back on court.

"This first match here was tough mentally for me. I hope this match will give me confidence as I play the next round."

Bidding for a maiden Australian Open title after three trips to the final, Murray's 6-3 6-4 7-6(3) win over Indian qualifier Yuki Bhambri was not without some anxious moments, the Scot jarring his knee early in the second set and falling 4-1 behind in the third.

Murray yelled out "shocking movement!" when he lost his serve before composing himself to break back and seal the match in a one-sided tiebreak.

"The whole match he made it very difficult, he played very aggressively," Murray said of Bhambri, the lowest-ranked player in the draw at 317.

"He's very talented... He shouldn't be ranked 300 in the world."

SCATTERED SEEDS
Romania's Simona Halep, seeded third and fancied to break through for a maiden grand slam title this year, had few worries in a 6-3 6-2 rout of Italian Karin Knapp before a number of her seeded rivals were swept away in the afternoon sun.

Teenage sensation Belinda Bencic was the first to fall, the 32nd-ranked Swiss losing to German world number 73 Julia Goerges 6-2 6-1.

Two-time grand slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, seeded 27th, was also sent packing by Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia and her 23rd seeded Russian compatriot Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova soon followed, going down to Belgium's Yanina Wickmayer.

But Hradecka, who played only three WTA events last year, caused the biggest upset by overhauling former French Open champion Ivanovic and squealed in disbelief after the out-of-sorts Serb bowed out with her 30th unforced error.

"I was so nervous in the beginning and same in the end. My hand was shaky," a beaming Hradecka told the Rod Laver Arena crowd.

Former Wimbledon finalist Sabine Lisicki was another high-profile casualty, the 28th-seeded German upset in three sets by 71st-ranked Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic.

With the men's tournament regarded one of the most open in years, Grigor Dimitrov issued an ominous warning to the tennis establishment with a 6-2 6-3 6-2 rout of dread-locked Jamaican-born German Dustin Brown.

In terms of length, Brown's hair was arguably superior to the 69-minute contest, which was over when his 10th seeded opponent bashed down his 11th ace.

Coached by Australian Roger Rasheed, Dimitrov began his breakout year in 2014 with a quarter-final appearance at Melbourne Park and was keen to garner more crowd support.

"I feel like an adopted Australian sometimes... It's great (the crowd), it really boosts your confidence," the Bulgarian said.

"It's really good to be out here. I like the vibe."

(Additional reporting by Greg Stutchbury; Editing by John O'Brien)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com