2013 Tennis Thread

[Smallville22]

Djokovic and co. no closer to solving Rafa riddle

An unassuming Swede and his hammerhead forehand is starting to gain mythical status at Roland Garros because in nine years Robin Soderling remains the only man to have beaten Rafa Nadal at the French Open.
Over the seasons grand slam champions in the calibre of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Lleyton Hewitt, Juan Martin del Potro and Carlos Moya have all tried - and failed - to conquer the claycourt phenomenon.
Many have scrutinised the Soderling blueprint that first came to light in 2009 and tried to glean clues from it in order to crack the riddle of beating Nadal at the French Open.
If there is a solution lurking somewhere, Nadal has so far managed to keep it well hidden, as he illustrated on Friday when he delivered a soul-destroying five-set, four hour 37-minute, semi-final defeat to Djokovic.
The Serb had so wanted to win the Paris title to complete his collection of grand slam silverware and became only the third player to take at least two sets off the Spaniard in the French capital.
But two sets in a best-of-five match does not win matches.
The Parisian contest had more twists and turns than a Dan Brown thriller - including point penalties, a near tumble over the net, trick-shot mishaps, warnings for time wasting, angry outbursts and a fifth-set comeback from 4-2 down.
It is a match-up that had all the makings of a final but in the end, all an exhausted Djokovic could do was applaud Nadal's gutsy never-say-die attitude.
"It's been an unbelievable match to be part of but all I can feel now is disappointment. That's it," Djokovic, runner-up to the Spaniard 12 months ago, said following the 6-4 3-6 6-1 6-7(3) 9-7 defeat.
"I congratulate my opponent because he showed courage in the right moments and went for his shots. When he was break down in the fifth (set), he made some incredible shots from the baseline.
"That's why he's a champion. That's why he's been ruling Roland Garros for many years."
Nadal's fellow Spaniard David Ferrer is the only man left this year still with a chance of overthrowing the claycourt king.
ENJOY SUFFERING
But as the fourth seed has come off second best in their last 16 matches on red dirt, even Ferrer's nearest and dearest are unlikely bet against a man whose Roland Garros record now stands at 58-1, with a 7-0 record in the finals.
If there was anyone who could have stalled Nadal's relentless pursuit of capturing a record eighth Musketeers' Cup, it was Djokovic.
He is the only man to have won at least three grand slam matches against Nadal and he also knew how to beat the Spaniard in five sets having won an epic five-hour 53 minute battle in last year's Australian Open final.
But when it comes to sliding around for hour after hour on red clay, Nadal is an indefatigable *****.
"I learned during all my career to enjoy suffering and these kind of matches are very special. You don't have the chance to play these kind of matches every day," said Nadal, who incredibly only came back to the tour in February after seven months out with a dodgy knee.
"So when these kind of matches happen, you suffer, but I really enjoy these moments, no? I really enjoy suffering."
Unfortunately for Djokovic, Nadal also thrived on making his opponents suffer.
Djokovic tried to rattle Nadal with forehand winners, the Spaniard held firm.
Djokovic tried to throw Nadal off balance by throwing in some dropshots, the Spaniard chased them down.
Djokovic tried to engage Nadal at the net, the Spaniard hit back acute angled volleys.
"I lost the match after five hours. I wanted this title so much, so I am disappointed. That's it," said the 26-year-old Djokovic, who ultimately paid the price for producing 75 unforced errors.
"Nothing comes easy to you, you've got to earn it.
"I will come back to Paris, to this grand slam, and I will keep on trying to win it."
But with Nadal having celebrated his 27th birthday earlier this week, Djokovic could be in for a very long wait.

 

[Smallville22]

Ferrer crushes Tsonga to reach maiden Grand Slam final

There was a sense of anti-climax as David Ferrer brushed aside local favourite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-1 7-6(3) 6-2 to reach his first Grand Slam final and set up an all-Spanish French Open final with seven-times champion Rafa Nadal.
The big match of the day for the partisan Roland Garros crowd turned into a non-event for Tsonga who never got into the contest after the fans had been treated to an epic five-set clash between Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
When sixth seed Tsonga stepped on to Court Philippe Chatrier looking to become the first Frenchman to reach the French Open final since Henri Leconte in 1988, the stands were not full.
"It was strange because the stands were not completely filled. It was weird," Tsonga said.
"I thought they would support him even more," said Ferrer.
Some spectators had left, others had gone for refreshments after witnessing a great episode of the Rafa v Djoko rivalry.
It certainly worked in Ferrer's favour as he never experienced the pressure of having a 15,000-seater stadium against him.
Fourth seed Ferrer, yet to drop a set at Roland Garros this year, was barely challenged by sixth seed Tsonga who had crushed 17-times Grand Slam champion Roger Federer with an inspired performance in the quarter-finals.
"When I got back to the locker room, I wanted to break everything, I wanted to hurt myself," Tsonga said after a woeful performance in which even his massive first serve failed to derail the 31-year-old Ferrer.
"My return is very good and I knew that for that match I needed to return very well," the Spaniard added.
"Today he clearly was better than me, there is not much to be said about it," Tsonga said.
"He was even faster than I had imagined."
Tsonga, the last Frenchman to play in a Grand Slam final at the 2008 Australian Open, failed to match Ferrer's pace and capitulated after just over two hours.
Ferrer, apparently oblivious to his surroundings, raced to a 5-0 lead in the opening set with some clever angled shots.
"Tsonga!, Tsonga!," the crowd roared, although the noise level never matched that of the previous match.
Tsonga was on the ropes but he still opened a 3-0 lead in the second set after playing beautifully through the second game, breaking to love with a perfectly-drilled forehand winner.
A forehand long, however, allowed Ferrer to break back and in the blink of an eye, the Spaniard was 4-3 up after Tsonga had double-faulted on break point.
The Frenchman fought to break back and ***** a tiebreak, which Ferrer easily won after Tsonga's ugly errors had put him 4-0 ahead.
The Spaniard cantered through the third set with a sense of urgency, wrapping it up on his opponent's serve when Tsonga hit another forehand long.
Ferrer fell on his back on to the red clay after setting up the first all-Spanish final at Roland Garros since Alberto Costa beat Juan Carlos Ferrero in 2002.
Ferrer has a 4-19 record against Nadal and has lost their last 16 meetings on clay.
"I can't relax really because there is still the final that I need to play," he said.
"It's a very important match and I want to do well. I want to play a great match that meets the standards of a Grand Slam final.
"So I don't want to celebrate right now saying, Okay, I made it to the final."

 

[Smallville22]

Nadal outlasts Djokovic in epic to reach final

Rafa Nadal displayed the athleticism and self-belief that earned him seven French Open titles to tame Novak Djokovic 6-4 3-6 6-1 6-7(3) 9-7 in a pulsating 4-1/2 hour Roland Garros semi-final on Friday.
In a match of high drama featuring a point penalty, a near tumble over the net, trick-shot mishaps, warnings for time wasting and angry outbursts, it was the sinew-stretching rallies that made the difference.
Nadal withstood world number one Djokovic's tendon-twisting baseline onslaught to extend his run at the claycourt major to a jaw-dropping 58-1 and reached an unprecedented eighth Paris final against fellow Spaniard David Ferrer.
"This is very special for me," a hugely relieved Nadal said in French in a courtside interview as sweat dripped off his face.
"Novak is a fighter... and he will win here one day. But I was ready for the fight."
A down and out Djokovic was left utterly dejected.
"I lost the match after five hours. I wanted this title so much... it's been an unbelievable match to be part of, but all I can feel now is disappointment," said the top seed, who needs the Musketeers' Cup to complete his Grand Slam silverware.
In the 35th meeting between the players, Djokovic had threatened to give Nadal a rough ride as he won four games on the trot to take the second set but the Serb was quickly given a reality check when he claimed only 12 points in a hopelessly one-sided third set.
Nadal then stood two points from the final in the fourth set when he inexplicably let Djokovic off the hook by dropping serve at 6-5 up, the Serb hitting an audacious forehand winner to break before saluting his camp with a raised fist.
The Spaniard's winners suddenly dried up and his shoulders started sagging as Djokovic blew a hole through his master game-plan by blitzing through the fourth set tiebreak 7-3.
Djokovic thumped his chest with a clenched fist and then threatened to thump Nadal in the fifth as he streaked into a 4-2 lead.
But Roland Garros is Nadal's domain and over the years Grand Slam champions in the calibre of Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Lleyton Hewitt, Juan Martin del Potro and Carlos Moya have all tried - and failed - to conquer the claycourt supremo.
Djokovic, six times a major winner, turned out to be no different.
Serving at 4-3 up and 40-40, Djokovic was first left fuming when he was warned by umpire Pascal Maria for time wasting.
He reacted by launching into his serve and rushed in to emphatically smash the ball away for a point that should have moved him to advantage.
But he bizarrely tumbled into, and almost over, the net and the umpire awarded the point to Nadal, leaving Djokovic to gesticulate wildly and argue loudly.
An opponent hot and bothered is exactly what Nadal wanted and he needed no second invitation to pounce and break.
If that was bad for Djokovic, two games later Nadal illustrated the different mindset of the players when he hit a between-the-leg trick shot while running towards the baseline and the Serbian promptly smashed the ball into the net.
The crowd howled, Nadal grinned sheepishly and Djokovic threw daggers.
"You are not even looking at the court," Djokovic raged at the umpire during the changeover. "You are not taking any decisions."
Ten minutes later, Nadal took the decision out of everyone's hands when the top seed hit a forehand long on match point, leaving the Spaniard to leap into the air in celebration.
"I really fought a lot," the Spaniard, who did not let a point penalty in the third set throw him off course, said after carving out a 20th win over his rival.
"In 2012 in Australia, it was a similar match but Novak won. Today it was me. That's what makes the sport very big."

 

[Smallville22]

Court watering row overshadows Nadal-Djokovic epic

With his hopes of a French Open final fading, Novak Djokovic even requested to have the Chatrier Court surfaced hosed down as he withered in the face of a Rafa Nadal firestorm on Friday.
Djokovic complained he was struggling to stand up as Nadal roared back from a fifth-set deficit to win 6-4 3-6 6-1 6-7(3) 9-7 on a sun-baked centre court but it had nothing to do with the energy-sapping rallies that stretched the elastic-limbed Serb to the limit.
"I was not asking to water the court because I want to make my opponent trip or do something like that," Djokovic, whose request was declined by tournament referee Stefan Fransson, told reporters. "I was doing it for myself, because I felt that it got very dry and it was very slippery.
"There was also a lot of wind throughout the whole match, so the wind was taking out the clay from the court. I thought I made a right argument at the time.
"If I'm asking them to water the court, it would take another 30 seconds or one minute on the changeover, and I believe it would change a lot.
"It was difficult to change direction. I just don't understand. I think that it's wrong what they did."
Nadal was asked whether he wanted the dusty court surface sprinkled but said no.
Both players must agree before the surface is watered.
"I don't feel it was slippery," Nadal said. "But everybody is free to ask the things. It is completely right that Novak asked for that. I didn't want water on court."
Djokovic and Nadal were both warned for slow play during the epic, with Nadal also being docked a point.
The Serb also had a lively discussion with the umpire when he was ruled to have collided with the net while putting away a smash at 4-3 in the fifth set.
Instead of having a game point for a 5-3 lead Djokovic was pegged back to 4-4 as Nadal took advantage of his let-off.
"My argument was that the ball was already outside of the court," Djokovic said. "I know the rule is if you touch the net before the second bounce then you're losing the point.
"I don't know if it's taken into consideration if the ball is already out of dimension of the court.
"Who knows, which direction that would go if I won that point. I should have won that point 99.9 percent of times."

 

[Smallville22]

Ferrer ends final wait at 42nd tilt

'If at first you don't succeed try, try, try again' could be David Ferrer's personal motto after the Spaniard reached his maiden Grand Slam final on Friday at his 42nd tilt at a major.
ince tennis turned professional in 1968, the previous longest wait for a player who eventually reached a grand slam final was Kim Warwick's 32 majors after he fought his way into the Australian Open title match in 1980.
In addition, fourth seed Ferrer, who beat France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-1 7-6(3) 6-2 on Court Philippe Chatrier to set up a meeting with Rafael Nadal, avoided emulating Briton Tim Henman's six grand slam semis without making the final.
"It's a ***** for me to be in a grand slam final, and Roland Garros is more important for me," Ferrer told a news conference.
Having stalled five times at the penultimate hurdle, Ferrer managed to stay composed despite having to wait until the end of Nadal's match against Novak Djokovic, which lasted four hours 37 minutes.
"I thought that maybe we would not be able to finish the match," Ferrer said.
"But I was quite calm, very focused on my match. I knew that it was a very important match for me, and it didn't matter if we could not finish it tonight. I was just focused on my match."
Ferrer will find it hard, though, to go a step further, as he has lost his last 16 meetings on clay against Nadal.
"Defeating Rafa is very difficult on any surface - it's even worse on clay," he said.
"But once again, I'm going to try to play a beautiful match. I don't want to think of whether it's the occasion, the opportunity of my life, if it's a *****.
"If you start thinking like that, it's not very positive."

 

[Smallville22]

Serena favourite to beat defending champion Sharapova in final

Serena Williams gives pet names to her various character traits whereas Maria Sharapova, who will try to prevent the American claiming a 16th Grand Slam title in Saturday's French Open final, usually sticks rigidly to the ice maiden routine.
Defending champion Sharapova has been more beauty or ***** in the last couple of rounds, however, mixing brilliance with woeful interludes, with aces and winners often being matched by doubles faults and wild errors.
The "good" Maria, the one that served 12 aces against Victoria Azarenka in Thursday' semi-finals, will have to show up against Williams if she is to stand any chance of preventing the world number one lifting the Suzanne Lenglen Cup 11 years after her first triumph.
Second seed Sharapova needs to produce an almost flawless display if she is to become the first woman to retain her Paris title since Justine Henin in 2007.
While American Serena dropped only a set en route to the final and annihilated Saran Errani 6-0 6-1 in the semi-final, four-times Grand Slam winner Sharapova survived a 6-0 drubbing in the first set of her quarter-final with Jelena Jankovic and then needed more than two hours to go through the semis, grinding past Azarenka in an error-strewn clash.
"If Sharapova serves well, there will be a contest," Patrick Mouratoglou, Serena's coach, said.
"Sharapova moves better (on clay) but not well enough yet."
Mouratoglou believes Williams, who is on a 30-match winning streak, has her fate firmly in her own hands after prevailing in all 12 of their matches since the 2004 Tour finals.
"Serena will start with a psychological advantage, for sure. The result will not depend on Sharapova but on Serena," he added.
Sharapova, however, clings to the notion that the final will start at 0-0.
"I'd be lying if (that record) doesn't bother me, obviously," the Russian said. "Whatever I did in the past hasn't worked, so I'll have to try to do something different.
"Going into a French Open final, that (record) doesn't matter. It all starts from zero."
Serena agreed, saying: "It's a different time, a different era, just a different match. It's a brand new match."
Sharapova refutes the idea that her baseline-bashing profile is one-dimensional, saying she did not get to her second final by chance.
"No matter how good she's playing, you also have to give yourself a bit of credit for getting to that point and doing a few things right to be at that stage and giving yourself an opportunity," said Sharapova.
"Whether you take it, that's another story."
It will also be a matter of consistency for Sharapova, who has yet to find the perfect balance on the Paris clay this year.
She has been experiencing a fair few wobbles in her run to the final, making 185 unforced errors in her six matches while Serena made 100.
Friday's semi-final encapsulated Sharapova's problems as she served 12 aces but also 11 double faults, spraying the court with unforced errors and winners with equal measure.
Serena in contrast fired 40 winners and allowed Italian fifth seed Errani - last year's finalist - only 16 points, making herself the hot favourite to succeed on Saturday.
It is quite a change from 2002 when she beat ****** Venus in the final.
"I was really surprised, for sure. I didn't go into that match expecting to win," Serena said.
"I just thought, 'Hey, I'm in the final and let's see what happens'."
It is a motto Sharapova could do worse than heed.

 

[Smallville22]

Murray: Missing Paris could be a blessing

World number two Andy Murray is hoping his Wimbledon title chances will benefit from his enforced absence from the French Open in Paris.
The Briton ended a sequence of three successive Grand Slam final appearances when he pulled out of the claycourt event at Roland Garros because of a back injury.
Asked if missing the French Open would improve his hopes at the Queen's Club tournament in London next week and at Wimbledon later this month, Murray replied: "I hope so - that's the sort of attitude you need to take.
"After the French Open last year I took five or six days off and when I started practising again I felt really comfortable on the grass straight away and that isn't normally the case.
"Grass takes time to get used to. I've been on it for 10 days or so now and that's probably a week longer than I would have had if I'd been at the French," the U.S. Open champion told British newspapers on Saturday.
"It's more than I've had the past few years and I've been playing better and better each day in practice so hopefully it turns out to be a blessing."
Last year Murray became the first British male in 74 years to reach the Wimbledon grasscourt final where he was beaten by Roger Federer.
Roland Garros was the first Grand Slam Murray had missed since Wimbledon in 2007 when he had a wrist injury.
Rafa Nadal will meet fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in the French Open final on Sunday.

 

[Smallville22]

Nadal pulls out of German tournament

French Open finalist Rafael Nadal has pulled out of next week's Wimbledon warm-up event at Halle in Germany, citing fatigue after a busy few weeks of tennis.
The Spaniard will try to win his eighth crown on the Roland Garros clay courts in Paris on Sunday against compatriot David Ferrer.
"It is a pity and unfortunate Rafael cannot come," said Halle tournament director Ralf Weber in a statement. "But I understand his decision...his health is the top priority."
World number four Nadal has recently won titles in Barcelona, Madrid and Rome, hitting top form on his favourite clay ahead of the French Open after coming back in February from a lengthy injury absence.

 

[Smallville22]

Serena Williams wins 16th Grand Slam title at Roland Garros

World number one Serena Williams won just her second French Open title when she overpowered defending champion Maria Sharapova 6-4 6-4.
The American, who won her first title at Roland Garros in 2002 against ****** Venus Williams, out-hit Sharapova, who was looking to become the first woman since Justine Henin in 2004 to successfully defend her title in Paris.
The defeat also means Sharapova will lose her world number two ranking to Victoria Azarenka when the new rankings are released on Monday.
But the day belonged to Williams.
"It was very difficult," she said. "After 11 years it's incredible. Thank you to the crowd. I want to come back here and win again. I think I'm Parisienne."
Sharapova said: "She's been playing so well throughout the year and throughout the tournament. Congratulations to her. This court has brought me so many nice memories - last year was so special. I'll be back next year to try to win again."
Sharapova had received a battering at the hands of Williams in the Madrid final just a few weeks ago and it looked as though the Roland Garros final could follow suit when the Russian quickly found herself three break points down in the opening game.
Sharapova battled back with some quality serving to hold from 0-40 down before breaking the Williams serve in the second game to get off to a lightning quick start.
For all the talk of Williams being the overwhelming favourite heading into the match, Sharapova clearly had a specific game plan and was determined to do anything she could to change a run of 12 straight losses to the American before this final.
But it was a slow start from Williams and once she hit her stride in the third game, it took most of Sharapova's energy just to stick with the American.
Williams broke back immediately in the third game, with a smash winner, before sneaking ahead with a second break in the fifth game when a ****** forehand return of serve ****** a forehand error from the Russian.
Sharapova did get the break back in the eighth game, pushing Serena wide on four consecutive points and drawing the error from the American's forehand on all four of them.
But once again Williams broke again in the very next game, an angled forehand winner across court doing the damage this time, before serving out the set at the second time of asking when Sharapova went wide with a backhand.
The second set was slightly more straightforward, Williams breaking early - again in the third game - and the American's relentless pressure eventually proved too much for Sharapova as she sent a forehand long down the line.
And this time that one break proved enough. Although Williams threatened to break again in the ninth game, Sharapova held firm to deuce to ***** the American to serve it out.
Credit should go to Sharapova who produced a lesson of her own in displaying all the best battling tennis and 'never give up' attitude she could muster.
But in the end Williams was simply too strong and sealed victory with her 10th ace after one hour and 46 minutes.

 

[Smallville22]

Martic wins Aegon Trophy, Becker to face Ebden in men’s final

Petra Martic won her first career grass title, the Aegon Trophy, while defending champion Benjamin Becker will face Matthew Ebden in the men’s final in Nottingham.
In a nearly all-British men’s doubles final, the third seed pairing of Jamie Murray (Britain) and John Peers (Australia) overcame brothers Ken and Neil Skupski 6-2 6-7(3) 10-6.
Croatia’s Martic, 22, beat world number 73 Karolina Pliskova 6-3 6-3 in convincing fashion, only facing (and saving) one break point all match, wrapping it up in under an hour.
“I have been feeling good throughout the week and playing really well,” Martic, a former top-50 player whose career has been derailed by injury, said.
“My serve was at an extremely high level and that made a real difference. I didn’t expect that score and it definitely wasn’t an easy match.
“The most important thing I have learned this week is that I can play good on grass, which is something I didn’t believe before.”
In the men’s singles, defending champion Becker stormed into the final in 45 minutes, beating fourth seed Kenny De Schepper 6-2 7-5.
The German takes on Australian Ebden in Sunday’s decider after he breezed past Bobby Reynolds of the USA 6-2 7-5.
“It feels good to win some matches, that is four in a row now and my tennis is getting better with every one of them," world number 97 Becker said.
“I came here looking to defend my title and get some rhythm back, so to get in the final again is great for me after struggling for many months.”

 

[Smallville22]

Mouratoglou: Serena will equal Evert and Navratilova

Serena Williams is already assured a place in tennis history but her coach believes the 16-time Grand Slam champion will soon embroider her status among the greats.
The American, who beat Maria Sharapova to win the French Open on Saturday, is now two grand slam titles shy of Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova's tally of 18, and Patrick Mouratoglou believes Williams has the motivation to equal the mark.
"She needs two more titles and, yes, I think she's going to get them," Frenchman Mouratoglou told reporters after his charge beat Sharapova 6-4 6-4 at Roland Garros.
The all-time record is held by Australian Margaret Court, who won 24 major titles, two more than German Steffi Graf, followed by Americans Helen Wills Moody (19), Evert and Navratilova (18).
"When she is in the right state of mind, she is unbeatable," added Mouratoglou, who celebrated his 43rd birthday on Saturday.
"She is a huge champion, what more can I say?"
The only thing that would prevent 31-year-old Williams from adding to her collection would be retirement.
"It will only happen if her level of motivation goes down, and that is not the case today," Mouratoglou said.
On Saturday, Williams had more than enough motivation, firing three aces in the final game as she ended Sharapova's resilience on Court Philippe Chatrier.
"Serena wanted it at all cost," Mouratoglou said.
"She was the best in the key moments. She found the resources, as she always does when she wants to win."

 

[Smallville22]

Serena not satisfied with Slam number 16

Serena Williams's love affair with winning tennis tournaments, and Paris, began 14 years ago and the American's passion for both remains intense after winning the French Open on Saturday.
The 31-year-old claimed the first of her 52 singles titles in the Paris indoor tournament in 1999 and has since gone on to become one of the greatest players of all time.
Her 6-4 6-4 defeat of Maria Sharapova on Saturday secured a second French Open crown - 11 years after her first - and took her Grand Slam singles tally to 16.
She now stands only two behind the tally of Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, and even the 22 amassed by professional-era leader Steffi Graf does not look beyond her reach.
"I want to go out at my peak. That's my goal. But have I peaked yet?" a smiling Williams, who spoke near-perfect French in her victory speech on court, told reporters.
"I'm just trying to go up and up. Today when I won I was trying to win the French Open; wasn't trying to get to number 16.
"I don't know. I think it was Fabrice Santoro told me that (I had reached 16) and I thought, Wow, I forgot about that. It's really special and I feel like I definitely want to continue my journey.
"If it means I stop at 16 or if it means I have more, I definitely want to continue my journey to get a few more.
"The day I feel I cannot improve will be a big problem for me ... then I'll have to debate whether I should keep playing."
This month's Wimbledon championships, where she is hunting her sixth singles title, offers her the chance to draw level with the 17 of arguably the best male player of all time, Roger Federer.
"That would be awesome," she said. "If I could do it at Wimbledon that would be great but I'll have to get really serious about my game to ever catch Roger Federer."
Despite being the wrong side of 30, the gap between Williams and the chasing pack seems to be widening, and there is no sign of a mellowing of her desire, even if the explosive rants that have landed her in trouble in the past are now rare.
"I still **** losing as much as I love winning," she said.
"If I lose all hell breaks loose. But if I do lose I just go home and practise even harder. I really don't like it."
Even at close moments against Sharapova on Saturday, when the Russian upped the volume and the power, Williams remained cool, calm and collected.
"I was so nervous I could barely say 'c'mon!' today," Williams said. "I've learned to conserve. It's like grunting ... the less I grunt the less tired I get. Sometimes I grunt loud, embarrassingly loud.
"Today I was so amped up and I realised I just needed to stay calm."
Williams has suffered many disappointments in Paris since that win over Amelie Mauresmo lit the blue touchpaper of her career. She has fallen short on occasions when the title seemed up for grabs and last year suffered her only first-round exit in a Grand Slam tournament, losing to Virginie Razzano.
However, those upsets have not diminished her love of Paris, where she owns an apartment and trains at the Mouratoglou Academy.
"I'm the most American person you'll meet and you can spot me a mile away," she said.
"But when I come here and I stay at my place and I'm just living a normal life, I'm training and then I go to *****, so I feel like I have a lot more ties to this city and to this country because of it.
"It's been a great relationship. I have always just loved this city."

 

[Smallville22]

Bryan brothers do double Slam

Bob and Mike Bryan secured their 14th Grand Slam title when beating Michael Llodra and Nicolas Mahut 6-4 4-6 7-6(4) in the final of the mens' doubles at Roland Garros.
The Bryan brothers become the first pair to complete two career Grand Slams after claiming their first French Open title in a decade.
Llodra and Mahut were denied the chance to win in front of their home crowd when being defeated in a tense third-set tie-break.
Llodra was under pressure on his serve from the very first game of the contest at Roland Garros and was broken for 3-2 in the first set, giving the Bryans a lead they would not relinquish.
The French pair took an eventful second set that saw Mahut clatter into a barrier and, after the third set went to a tie-break, appeared to be within touching distance of the victory when going 4-2 up.
But the Bryan brothers drew on their immense experience to claim five points in a row and take the French Open title.
"It's great winning slams with your *******. Just we really wanted to win another French. It's been 10 years. This is the first one we won back in the day and kind of launched our career," said Mike, who is now half way towards completing a calendar Grand Slam.
"This is the toughest slam to win.
"I think 24 Grand Slam finals in 10 years is great. We lost a bunch of them early and we have won a bunch late.
"You never fathom that you're going to hit that many slams and add a gold (from the Olympics) to it. It's just been kind of a fairytale."
Things have certainly changed for the brothers since their last win at Roland Garros.
"I just remember we were ******** on the floor at the Pierre et Vacances. We were trying to save a buck staying at the junior hotel," recalled Bob, whose bank balance now boasts $10 million in prize money alone.
"The lights, I remember you walk down the hall and it's all like motion sensors, so it would be dark and it could be light and then be dark behind you. It was just kind of a creepy roach motel.
"Now we have the suite at the Claridge."

 

[Smallville22]

Baltacha earns Nottingham wild card

Elena Baltacha is one of four British players awarded wild card entry into the main draw of the Aegon Challenge in Nottingham.
The former British No. 1, who won the Aegon Challenge crown in 2011, is joined by Naomi Broady, Samantha Murray and Lisa Whybourn.
Baltacha said the second of the back-to-back events that make up the Nottingham Festival of Tennis - with the Aegon Trophy concluding on Sunday with the mens' singles final - will be another major test as she comes back from ankle surgery.
The Aegon Challenge will be Baltacha’s eighth event since returning to action and second on grass, having gone out in the first round of the Aegon Trophy.
“I enjoy it here in Nottingham and how the grass plays - I think it plays similar to Eastbourne and from there Wimbledon plays similar again, so I find the transition easier this way,” Baltacha said.
“I was disappointed to go out in the first round of the Aegon Trophy but in the next few weeks I can get better on grass, so hopefully by the time I get to Eastbourne and Wimbledon I’ll be flying.”
Local interest in the main draw of the Aegon Challenge will be high, with the British quartet of Josh Milton, David Rice, Dan Smethurst and Richard Gabb all given wild cards into the mens' singles.
Gabb was awarded a wild card by the LTA’s Head of Men’s Tennis, Leon Smith, after winning the Aegon British Tour final at the Nottingham Tennis Centre on Friday.
“To get a tournament win is always good and this is my first British Tour victory, so that is even better,” Gabb said.
“It was a great surprise when Leon told me about the wild card after the win - I’m grateful and can’t wait to test myself against some of those higher ranked players.”
Five Britons, Daniel Cox, Joshua Ward-Hibbert, Brydan Klein, George Coupland and Neil Pauffley have advanced to the final round of qualifying for at the Nottingham Tennis Centre on Sunday.

 

[Smallville22]

Nadal wary of facing 'big, big trouble' against Ferrer in final

Rafael Nadal believes fellow Spaniard David Ferrer could cause him "big, big trouble" in the French Open final on Sunday.
Ferrer is used to wearing the "best of the rest" label when it comes to Spanish claycourters, but against Nadal the 31-year-old has the chance to add his name to the pantheon of greats.
The Valencia-based player has reached the French Open final without dropping a set, and on Friday produced a ruthless display of power and accuracy to ******* French hope Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
It was a magnificent performance to end a sequence of five defeats in his five previous Grand Slam semi-finals, yet once again Ferrer was left in the shade by Nadal's extraordinary five-set semi-final thriller over Novak Djokovic.
For many that match was "le final" in all but name, but Nadal has too much respect for Ferrer - a player who shares his work ethic - to relax as he aims to become the first man to win the same grand slam tournament eight times.
"He didn't lose a set during the whole tournament, so he's a player that brings you to the limit," 11-times Major winner Nadal - who was an unknown 15-year-old when Ferrer began his professional career in 2000 - told reporters on Saturday.
"He's a player that if you are not playing perfect, you will be in big, big trouble."
The statistics do not look good for Ferrer, although he will take some heart from the fact that the last time two Spaniards met in the French Open final, in 2002, Albert Costa was the underdog but defeated Carlos Moya in four sets.
Ferrer won his first claycourt clash with Nadal in 2004. Since then he has lost 16 in a row on the surface.
Add the facts that Nadal has suffered one defeat in 59 matches at Roland Garros, has never lost any of his 13 finals against Spaniards, and is just five behind Argentine Guillermo Vilas's record of 46 career claycourt titles, and the odds are stacked against fourth-seed Ferrer.
Ferrer has arguably been unlucky in that his career has spanned an era containing some of the greatest players in the sport's history. More often than not in recent years the only players he loses to at Grand Slams are the top four of Djokovic, Nadal, Andy Murray and Roger Federer.
He is not one to complain, though.
Instead he rolls up his sleeves and gets down to the business of winning tennis matches with the minimum of fuss, hustling and bustling behind the baseline and grinding most foes into **********.
Ferrer is one of the quickest players on the tour but he has other weapons, too.
He is accurate from the baseline with his economical groundstrokes off both flanks and can surprise opponents with well-disguised drop shots and an effective net game.
Ferrer's serve does not have the beef to win many cheap points, though his variety of placement allows him to set up points and dominate from the middle of the court with angled forehand and backhands.
"Any person who doesn't respect David as one of the greatest players of the world - and not for one year, for a long time - is a person that doesn't know anything about tennis," Nadal said when asked if Ferrer gets the respect he is due.
"When I read a few things about the semi-finals, Tsonga against David, people were saying was a good semi-final for Tsonga. I never felt that way. You play best of five on clay against David, it's very, very tough."
Ferrer, the third-oldest debut grand slam finalist, often talks reverentially about Nadal, and is happy to be mentioned in the same conversation.
Camaraderie will be interrupted on Sunday, though, as Ferrer attempts to capitalise on what might be his one and only chance of joining the grand slam winners' club.
"It's the opportunity of my life to be in the final," Ferrer, who has managed it in his 42nd Grand Slam tournament, said.
"Defeating Rafa is very difficult on any surface; it's even worse on clay. But once again, I'm going to try to play a beautiful match."

 

[Smallville22]

Makarova and Vesnina win women's doubles

Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina claimed their maiden Grand Slam title together by beating Italian top seeds Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci 7-5 6-2 in the French Open women's doubles final.
The fourth-seed Russian pair, beaten by Errani and Vinci in the Australian Open semi-finals this year, clinched four games in succession in the second set, wrapping it up with a Vesnina overhead.
"Honestly, for us it's a surprise that we didn't drop a set for the whole tournament, because it was a really difficult tournament," Vesnina told a news conference.
The result marked the Russian pair's first victory against Vinci and Errani in five meetings.
"We really wanted to beat them finally, because it's really difficult to play against the same team and losing all the time," said Vesnina.
"For us it was a turning point this time. We were not thinking it was a final or a grand slam, we were just thinking that we have to beat them and we have to keep playing our game, not changing anything and believing in ourself."

 

[Smallville22]

Ebden wins maiden Challenger title in Nottingham

Australia's Matthew Ebden beat defending champion Benjamin Becker to win his maiden ATP Challenger title, the Aegon Trophy.
Ebden, 25, won 7-5 4-6 7-5 in just over two hours to take the German world number 97’s Nottingham title.
Ebden saved seven break points at 3-3 in the opening stanze, before going on to break serve to seal the set.
The Australian was broken early in the second, while neither player wavered for much of the third.
But in a repeat of the first set, Ebden piled the pressure on the German and broke his serve to seal the title.
“No one was going to give anything away out there,” Ebden said.
“In the big points during the match you had to be the one attacking, because being on the front foot was the only way to win it.”
Former world number 61 Ebden has slipped to 122 since his peak in October 2012.
But months of extra training have finally paid off after three quarter-final appearances in a row on the Challenger Tour.
“Towards the end of last year I looked at what held me back when peaking at 60, and I’ve dropped back a little since then,” Ebden added.
“Sometimes you have to take one step back to take two steps forward.
“I’ve started working with a new coach Peter McNamara and we have put things in place.
“We both knew it would take time to make some changes - there were a few things that were uncomfortable at the start, but I just had to work through them because the end result would be better.”

 

[Smallville22]

Nadal wins record eighth title at Roland Garros

Rafael Nadal survived a court invader and a short rain delay to win a record eighth French Open title with a 6-3 6-2 6-3 win over compatriot David Ferrer.
With the victory Nadal became the first man in history to win any of the Slams eight times and also became the most successful player ever at the French Open, with 59 victories and just one loss to his name in nine years.
Nadal, who had beaten Ferrer in 16 consecutive clay court clashes coming into the match, made a unsurprisingly confident start, breaking his opponent’s serve in just the third game.
But Ferrer, playing in his first Grand Slam final in 42 attempts, surprised many by breaking straight back, ******* Nadal deep behind the baseline and drawing a backhand into the net to get things back on level terms.
Nadal re-established the break lead in the seventh game before going on to seal the opening set two games later when Ferrer threw in a double fault and a backhand into the net.
The third and second sets were unfortunately notable as much for their off-court drama as much as the on-court action.
Nadal secured an early break in the second game of the second set, before the rain which had begun to fall late in the first set got heavier and began to cause a few problems for the two players, although there was no delay until early in the third set.
Ferrer enjoyed break back points in the fourth game but could not take advantage of them and the second set looked over when Nadal broke for a second time to leave himself serving for the set at 5-1 up.
But with two protesters having already been removed from the back of the stands, there was another delay to proceedings when a spectator got on to court with a flare and headed for where Nadal was preparing to serve.
Security quickly neutralised the threat, hustling the man off court while racing across to the players in case any further trouble began.
Ferrer seemed less rattled by the incident that Nadal, immediately breaking back with a trip into the net and a backhand stop volley winner.
But he could not prolong the set any longer as Nadal broke to seal the two-set lead in the very next game.
The early stages of the third set were all about Nadal as he again broke early on, a smash winner and a lunging forehand volley winner doing the damage for the younger Spaniard.
But once again Ferrer broke back immediately, leaping all over the serve of Nadal and applying enough pressure that the younger Spaniard slapped down a double fault to concede.
A short rain delay followed although the players did not leave the court with the rain quickly receding back to drizzle that allowed play to continue.
Ferrer stuck with Nadal longer in the third set than he had managed for in each of the other two, but Nadal could sense the finish line and broke in the eighth game, at the second time of asking, when Ferrer slapped down his fifth double fault of the afternoon.
The defending champion then serve out the match to love, a ferocious inside-out forehand winner across court a fitting way for Nadal to seal the match and make history in Paris.

 

[Smallville22]

Strange day in the office leaves Ferrer chuckling

A Roland Garros final against Rafa Nadal should have been the highlight of Spanish warrior David Ferrer's career.
Instead what he got was a "strange" match featuring driving rain, invaded by "strange" people "without clothes on" and he will now "strangely" be ranked above Nadal despite finishing second best.
At least it wasn't a dull day in the office for a man who was contesting his first Grand Slam showpiece at the ripe old age of 31.
Very few people had given Ferrer a chance of overturning a 16-match losing streak on red dirt against the greatest ever clay-courter but if the fans who had turned up at Philippe Chatrier Court expected a ****** slaughter, the Spaniard showed them his worth.
In an astonishing fifth game of the second set, which lasted 10 minutes and featured four deuces, four break points and an incredible 29-shot lung-busting rally, Ferrer went toe-to-toe with Nadal.
For all of Ferrer's effort, he could not stop Nadal moving 4-1 ahead and he then became a bystander when a flare-wielding, bare-chested protester ambushed the final by jumping on to court.
As the man charged towards the seven-times champion with a red flare that left a streak of billowing smoke trailing on court, a startled and shocked Nadal darted for cover while his friend struggled to hold back the chuckles.
"Today was strange, no?," Ferrer said about the final that was interrupted a couple of times by a number of protesters.
"The people (protesters) chanting, one person without clothes on in the court, with one bengalas (flare).
"It's funny. It's good for everybody. Rafael, he was scared a little bit," he added breaking into laughter.
On court, though, it was no laughing matter for Ferrer who never looked like upsetting the rampaging Nadal and denying him a record eighth French Open trophy.
Despite his 6-3 6-2 6-3 defeat, Ferrer was at pains to point out that the match was not as one-sided as the scoreline suggested and things might have been different if the elements had not conspired against him.
"This match was closer than you might think if you only look at the score. It's always difficult to have a winning shot with the conditions that were so heavy," said fourth seed Ferrer, who had reached the final without dropping a set.
"To beat Rafael on clay, I need to find anti-Rafa Nadal tactics. I need to play more aggressive. I need to finish the points at the net and to play my best tennis to beat him.
"But when the court is slower, it's very difficult."
What was even more difficult for the fans to understand, however, was that Ferrer would leapfrog Nadal in the new rankings despite claiming only two ***** titles this year compared to his rival's haul.
That was of little consolation to Ferrer.
"It's strange, no? I lost the final against Rafael but tomorrow I am going to be No.4 and him No. 5," he shrugged.
"If I would have preferred to win here and to stay No. 5."

 

[Smallville22]

Nadal just wants to be left alone

Having achieved the glittering distinction of becoming the only man to win eight singles titles at the same Grand sSlam tournament, French Open champion Rafael Nadal was soon dreaming of another priceless thing on Sunday - to be left alone.
A 6-3 6-2 6-3 victory over fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in the final extended his record at Roland Garros but the softly-spoken Nadal was hoping to avoid any fuss on his return to his homeland.
"The best present they give me is to leave me alone, to give me peace, to let me get back to my real, normal life," he told a news conference.
"Because when you leave a big event like this one, a big tournament like this one, you have no real life, like all players. I can't be a guy of my age. So being left alone, this is priceless."
Sitting on his chair as he watched Ferrer collect the runner-up's silver platter, Nadal looked like an emperor but he is not expecting too much of a fanfare when he lands at the airport in Mallorca, where he lives.
"No, honestly, I don't think so. Maybe some of my friends, some of your friends from the press, but people down there are not doing that. I mean, they wouldn't meet me at the airport," the 27-year-old said.
"It's true I like feeling that people love me. It's a very special feeling. But I don't need them to come to the airport to know that they like me.
"I am fortunate. Many people demonstrate their friendship to me each day, and this is the most important."
His wish to avoid the limelight is unlikely to be heard after he took another step towards greatness in an authoritative performance against fourth seed Ferrer that showed that behind the unassuming personality lies a fierce competitor.
"I love the game. I love the sport. I understand the sport only one way. The sport without a goal is stupid," he said with a smile.
"That's my feeling. If I go and play in any sport and I don't try my best, I don't like to do it. Better I do another thing.
"The only way to understand the sport for me is try to do as good as possible, try to improve in every moment, play with the full passion that you have."
Nadal now heads to Wimbledon, where he will be going for a third title after triumphs in 2008 and 2010.
The Spaniard, who has won 12 Grand Slam titles, could also hope to chase the world number one spot by the end of the year although he said it was too soon to be aiming for Roger Federer's record of 17 Majors.
"Winning 17 Grand Slam titles, that's miles away from me. I'm not even thinking about it," the world number four said.
"Of course everyone prefers to be number one than three or four. But in the morning I didn't get up any happier when I was number one than when I was number two."