2013 Tennis Thread

[Smallville22]

Croatia sweep junior singles titles at US Open

Croatia made a clean sweep of the junior singles titles at the US Open on Sunday when Borna Coric and Ana Konjuh posted victories at Flushing Meadows.
The fourth-seeded Coric defeated Australia's Thanasi Kokkinakis 3-6 6-3 6-1 in the final of the boy's singles before the second-seeded Konjuh beat American wildcard Tornado Black 3-6 6-4 7-6(6).
Coric, 16, said the U.S. Open would be his last junior tournament.
"I've won the slam. That was goal at the beginning of the year, so it's an amazing feeling," he said.
Coric has been named to Croatia's Davis Cup team for the tie next week against Britain at Umag.
He admitted his rise to national duty had taken him by surprise.
"It's really unbelievable, I didn't expect it," he said. "Four months ago, if someone told me, I would say no chance.
"But I was working really hard. So I think I deserve it. Whatever the captain says, I'm going to do it. If he says you play, I will play. If he says just bring the water on the court, I will just bring the water on the court."
Konjuh, 15, scored the narrowest of victories after a 75-minute third set. She trailed 3-5 in the deciding tiebreaker.
"I just managed to do it," Konjuh said. "I just want to keep practicing even more to be even better.
"I didn't know until after I finished that Borna also won. We are really good friends. It's not every day that two Croatians win grand slam titles."

 

[Smallville22]

Williams outlasts Azarenka to retain title in New York

Serena Williams survived a spirited fightback from Victoria Azarenka to retain the US Open title with a 7-5 6-7(6) 6-1 victory in New York.
Williams twice served for the title in the second set as Azarenka battled back from a 4-1 deficit.
But the Belarusian had nothing left in the third set and the world number one wrapped up the title at the third time of asking when a backhand return drifted long from Azarenka.
Williams bounded in a series of jumping jack leaps after securing the win on the second match point of the thrilling, two-hour and 45-minute final.
In winning the title rematch against second-seeded Azarenka, world number one Williams claimed her fifth US Open crown and 17th career grand slam singles title.
The big-hitting American, who turns 32 later this month, became the oldest US Open women's winner since tennis turned professional 45 years ago, eclipsing Australian Margaret Court, who was 31 years and 55 days when she won the title in 1973.
It had looked like it was going to be plain sailing for Williams after she won the first set, boosted by a late break in the 11th game for a 6-5 lead and then served out a love game.
Williams, who earlier looked confounded by the gusty wind that affected service tosses and the direction of bounces off groundstrokes, finally settled into a rhythm and surged to a 4-1 lead in the second set after Azarenka double-faulted three times in the fifth game.
But the Belarusian broke right back for 4-2 and rode that momentum.
Twice Williams served for the match, at 5-4 and again at 6-5, but Azarenka rose up to break the American's serve and ***** a tiebreaker.
Williams raced to a 3-1 lead in the breaker, but Azarenka won five of the next six points to seize a 6-4 lead and send the championship match to a third set when Williams belted a backhand long to lose it 8-6.
The third set stayed on serve until the fourth game when another double fault, her seventh of the match, sank Azarenka and handed Williams a 3-1 lead.
Williams broke Azarenka two game later for good measure to make it 5-1 and then claimed victory when the Belarusian sent a backhand long on the second match point.
"Victoria, you played unbelievable," said Williams at the trophy ceremony.
"What a great match and what a great person. Vika is such a great opponent, she's such a great fighter. It was never over until match point," added Williams, who collected the $2.6 million (£1.6m) top prize and pocketed an addition $1 million (£639,549) bonus for having won the US Open run-up series of tournaments.
Azarenka said she had been beaten by the better player.
"It is a tough loss. But the best player deserves the win today. I gave it all again this year," said Azarenka, who lost 7-5 in the third set to Williams in last year's final. "We gave it everything we got."

 

[Smallville22]

Gallant Azarenka feels pain of defeat once more

Victoria Azarenka walked off court with her head held high after a gallant loss to Serena Williams in the US Open final on Sunday, and while satisfied she had given her all there was no doubt the defeat stung.
"I'm not going to lie. It hurts bad," she conceded after a 7-5 6-7(6) 6-1 at Flushing Meadows. "It's okay. I did everything I could. I gave my heart. I fought as hard as I could.
"I lost to a great champion and I'm still going to have my head up."
After losing the first set, Azarenka produced a phenomenal second where she fought back from 1-4 and 3-5 down to ***** a decider at an electrified Arthur Ashe Stadium as Williams twice blew chances to earn a straight-sets victory.
But the 24-year-old Azarenka was unable to carry momentum into the deciding set as Williams, who had thrown her racquet into her chair at the changeover, took care of the third set to complete victory in two hours and 45 minutes.
"She really made it happen," Azarenka said.
"There was no letdown. It was a moment in the third set that the momentum changed a little bit, and I kind of felt like I lost that momentum. In that particular moment she was tougher today. She was more consistent and deserved to win."
The ball-striking was superb from the top two players in the world. Azarenka showed enormous determination to recover from two breaks down in the second set, but her fightback took its toll.
Come the third set, she was running on empty.
"It was raising from the first point, the tension, the battle, the determination," Azarenka said. "It felt from every point, it was rising, the level."
Azarenka paid tribute to Williams after the American won the 17th Major singles title of her career.
"Well, there's one word," Azarenka said of Williams.
"She's a champion, and she knows how to repeat that. She knows what it takes to get there. I know that feeling, too. And when two people meet who want that feeling so bad, it's a clash. That's what happens out there with those battles.
"And in the important moments, it is who is more brave. Who is more consistent. Who takes more risk. You can never play safe."
Williams was reaching the pinnacle of her career, said Azarenka.
"She's playing definitely her best tennis right now. It really shows how focused and how composed and how much she can raise the level," she added.
"That's just exciting for me, to be able to compete against that type of player who can be the greatest of all time. I'm playing against that person in the finals of Grand Slams."
The 24-year-old said she was determined to view her US Open as a positive when she visited her ****** in Belarus this week.
"You cannot sit and say, 'Oh my god, this is the worst thing that could have happened to me.' Because it's not. I just want to take the positive and see the light at the end of the tunnel."

 

[Smallville22]

Williams shows no signs of fading, matches Federer

It has been 14 years since Serena Williams won her first US Open but there was no hint of decline as the 31-year-old American outlasted Victoria Azarenka to claim her fifth U.S. Open singles title on Sunday.
Initially frustrated by a swirling wind at Arthur Ashe Stadium and shaken by Azarenka's second set comeback from 4-1 down, Williams regained the momentum in the third set with her power and range of strokes propelling her to a 17th Grand Slam title.
Williams will be 32 later this month but she seems far from even contemplating life after tennis.
"I feel great. I have never felt better. I feel really fit," she said. "I can play a tournament like this, singles, doubles, with tough, tough schedules. For the most part, I felt really good.
"I haven't felt like this in a number of years. I'm excited about the possibilities. I don't know what can happen. I just keep playing and do the best that I can."
Certainly Azarenka, who put up a brave fight throughout and looks easily the most likely to take over Williams' mantle whenever she does retire, had no doubts about the qualities of her opponent.
"She's a champion, and she knows how to repeat that. She knows what it takes to get there," said the Belarusian.
"I think it's incredible what she's achieving. She's playing definitely her best tennis right now. It is just really exciting for me to be able to compete against that type of player who can be the greatest of all time."
The 17th Slam victory puts Williams on a par with Roger Federer among contemporary players of both genders and brings her within one title of Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert, the fourth most successful women of all-time.
"It's an honour to be even with Roger," said Williams, "He's been such a great champion throughout the years, and he's just an unbelievable competitor and he's still playing, and he can probably still win more. ...
"He's just been so incredibly consistent, so we have had really different careers," Williams said.
"Then to be compared with Chrissy and Martina - not yet, because I'm still not quite there yet. I can't necessarily compare myself to them, because, you know, numbers-wise they're still greater."
But while she is willing to contemplate history, she is less fond of thinking about what all her success has brought her.
Williams picked up $3.6 million in prize money for her win combined with her bonus from securing the U.S. Open Series of events, which took her past the $50 million mark in career prize money.
"I don't play tennis for the money. I honestly love to play. I love Grand Slams," she said. "When I grew up playing tennis in Compton, I just never thought about any of this. I didn't even know all this came with everything.
"I think my *** got me into tennis because of the money, but me being naive and silly, I never thought about it."
Winning was always the aim, she said.
"I wanted to do what (******) Venus does. I want to win and I want to do more and I want to do more," Williams said.
"To this day I have never ever picked up a check in my life. I remember back in the day before wiring they used to mail it because I just would forget it.
"Someone told me today I ****** 50 (million), but half of that goes to my Uncle Sam. I love him. I'm always giving him half my money," she said with a smile.
What Williams does appreciate though is her ability to have been a winner at Arthur Ashe Stadium from the age of 17 to 31.
"I have won this tournament over three decades, '90s, the 2000s, and this one. You can only do that when you're younger and older, so I'm happy that I have had this opportunity."

 

[Smallville22]

World awaits next instalment in Djokovic-Nadal rivalry

Move over John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl, the new greatest rivalry in tennis will be on display at Arthur Ashe Stadium when world number one Novak Djokovic meets number two Rafa Nadal for the US Open title on Monday.
Djokovic and Nadal, who have been dominant over the last 15 slams, will be meeting for the 37th time in the championship showdown, surpassing McEnroe and Lendl for the most clashes since tennis turned professional 45 years ago.
A high intensity, high energy, ball-slugging battle should be in the offing between the Spaniard and the Serb, who have staged thrilling five-setters this year in the French Open semi-finals and last year for the Australian Open title.
Asked if he enjoyed playing against Djokovic, Nadal answered with refreshing honesty.
"I prefer to play against another one," he said with a smile. "But is what it is.
"Talking about a final, I want to play against a player that I have more chances to win. But I played against him a lot of times. Always we played very exciting matches."
Nadal beat Djokovic 9-7 in the fifth set of their semi-final on his way to winning his eighth French Open and 12th career grand slam title.
Djokovic won their six-hour war in the 2012 Australian Open final and has since added a third Australian title in a row to take his grand slam haul to six.
The rivalry between Roger Federer and Nadal had been the foremost grudge game in the sport in recent years, but with the Swiss grand slam king fading from dominance, Djokovic-Nadal has risen to hottest in tennis.
Nadal leads the series 21-15 and has won five of the last six, but his overall edge was largely built in the first half of the rivalry when he won 14 of their first 18 matches.
The Spaniard, who missed the U.S. Open last year after being sidelined for seven months by a knee injury, has come back with a brilliant 2013 campaign.
After skipping the season's first slam, the Australian Open won by Djokovic, Nadal has registered nine tournament victories and been perfect this season on hard courts, posting a 21-0 mark on the surface within a tour-best match record of 59-3.
"It's always the biggest challenge that you can have in our sport now," Djokovic said about facing Nadal. "He's the ultimate competitor out there. He fights for every ball and he's playing probably the best tennis that he ever played on hard courts.
"He hasn't lost a match on hard court this year and we all knew that over the course of last six, seven, eight years, hard court hasn't been his favorite surface.
"He lost three matches this year. With no doubt, he's the best player in the moment this year, no question about it."
Their Flushing Meadows finals clash will be a rubber match of sorts for Djokovic and Nadal.
The second-seeded Nadal won his only U.S. Open in 2010 against Djokovic. The top-seeded Serb won his only U.S. title the next year against the Spaniard. Monday's winner will be the year's only two-time slam champion of 2013.
The showdown will mark the 12th time in the past 15 grand slams dating back to the 2010 French Open that either Djokovic or Nadal will claim the slam title, with Nadal having won six and Djokovic five during the stretch.
The marquee match-up features players with 18 grand slam titles between them, the most in a U.S. Open final since Pete Sampras (13) beat Andre Agassi (7) for the 2002 crown.
Nadal, 27, expects a big battle.
"If both of us are playing at very good level, the match becomes great because we play long rallies, we bring our game to the limit, and becomes a very difficult match for both of us."
"When you are involved in these kind of matches, you feel special," the Spaniard said. "Is true we already play a lot of important matches for our career, so that makes that confrontation special."
The 26-year-old Djokovic, competing in his third major final of the season and fourth successive U.S. Open final, was not cowed by Nadal's recent run of success.
"He's very confident, but you know, I know how to play him. Hard court is my most successful surface. I have played him already here twice in the finals. I know what I need to do."

 

[Smallville22]

Nadal is used to playing through pain, uncle says

Rafael Nadal has got used to playing through the pain caused by his troublesome knee, his uncle and coach Toni said as the world number two prepares to face number one Novak Djokovic in the US Open final later on Monday.
Spaniard Nadal has been on a spectacular run since returning to competitive action at Vina del Mar in February after a frustrating seven months on the sidelines due to a recurring knee problem.
The 27-year-old has claimed nine singles titles, including a record eighth French Open crown and five Masters events. He is bidding for his second U.S. Open triumph after beating Djokovic in the 2010 final.
"The knee is what it is and I think Rafa has grown used to playing in pain," Toni Nadal told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser on Monday.
"I think he deserves all that he has for what it costs him to achieve what he has achieved," he added.
"We couldn't have imagined six months ago when we started again ... that we would be where we are now today.
"Things have gone much better than expected and all we can do is be happy and thank God or ****** Nature or whoever for all that has happened."
Nadal and Djokovic are set to play each other for a 37th time on Monday, a record for the Open Era.
Nadal has a 21-15 winning record against the Serb and has won seven of their 10 meetings at grand slams, although Djokovic, who beat Nadal in the 2011 U.S. Open final, leads 11-6 on hard courts and 3-2 in slam finals.
"I think it's going to be a tough match and I hope that is the case for both players," Toni Nadal said.
"He is the opponent you least want to play, the world number one, and he is playing on a surface that theoretically is more favourable to him."
After the final, Nadal will fly to Madrid to represent Spain on his favoured clay in this weekend's Davis Cup World Cup playoff tie against Ukraine.

 

[Smallville22]

Serena lucky in love on the tennis court

Serena Williams admits that having love in her life has been a key to her rousing success over an exhilarating 13 months in which she has won Olympic gold, two US Open titles and a French Open.
Following a fitful night's ***** after winning her fifth US Open crown on Sunday in a three-set thriller over world number two Victoria Azarenka, Williams surprised a small group of reporters when asked about the power of love.
"Love? I think it's important to have it in your life, I guess. I'm not an expert on that subject," said Williams, whose stellar run coincides with her partnership with French coach Patrick Mouratoglou, who has also been linked romantically with the American world number one.
"Everyone says you get one. Some people say you get two. I'm definitely in love with tennis right now," Williams, a towering figure in crystal spike heels adorned in gold rhinestones and wearing a black blazer over a mini-dress, added coyly with a smile.
Williams, who will turn 32 later this month, became the oldest women's winner of the US. Open since tennis turned professional in 1968 when she claimed her fifth US Open title.
The American world number one said she was having too much fun and success to contemplate leaving the tennis stage.
"I haven't thought of a number or age when I'm going to stop. I can tell you this: I don't see myself retiring any time soon and obviously there's some goals that I want to reach and things that I want to do."
Her latest US Open triumph increased Williams' haul of Grand Slam singles trophies to 17, one behind Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, and five behind Steffi Graf. Australian Margaret Court rules the record books with 24.
As she moves up the all-time list, Williams has become aware of how she compares with the greatest players ever.
"I definitely want to continue to focus on Grand Slams and put the work into doing that," said Williams, who said she increased her tournament-load this past year, winning nine titles, in order to reclaim the world's top ranking.
"I just really am enjoying myself," she said. "This year I've played a lot more. I'm happy about that too, but I'm having a lot of fun."
Williams, who also played doubles with her older ****** Venus at Flushing Meadows, may have shown her age in how she approached her celebration of the latest Grand Slam triumph.
"I had a little room service and I went to *****. I was really tired," said Williams after just three hours of *****.
"I had a long two weeks, with the doubles and the terrible scheduling at times. It wasn't very easy, so I was happy it was all over."
Williams looked full of life on the court in her two-week US Open run, overwhelming opponents on her way to the final.
She looked poised to make Azarenka her seventh successive straight-sets victim when she was serving for the match twice in the second set, before she admittedly "tightened up" and was ****** to a tiebreaker won by the battling Belarussian.
Williams said that despite all her success, she has a tendency to get more nervous now than earlier in her triumphant grand slam career, which was launched with a victory at age 17 at the 1999 US Open.
"When you're playing for something different you start to think about it too much," Williams said, hinting at the history she is chasing with each additional Grand Slam win.
"That's what happened to me a little bit in the second set. I started to think way too much. But in the third, I just didn't care.
"I was just like 'this is what's going to happen, this is what I'm going to do and this is going to be the result,'" added Williams, who closed out the third set 6-1.
Williams said experience has taught her the importance of balancing two opposing elements required for her on-court success.
She said being "fierce" on the court was critical, but just as important was tempering that fiery emotion with composure.
"I'm better at being calm, more relaxed," said Williams, who still wears emotion on her sleeve in the glare of big matches, screaming at herself, gesturing and muttering in an interior dialogue to find the right mix of calm and fire.
Fitness at the relatively advanced age of nearly 32 is not an issue.
"I feel like jumping down and doing one-armed push-ups right now," the muscular Williams said, drawing laughs from the reporters. "But I can't, by the way."

 

[Smallville22]

Djokovic fears losing top ranking to 'incredible' Nadal

Novak Djokovic believes Rafa Nadal may soon displace him as world number one and has plenty of time to break Roger Federer's benchmark 17 Major titles after the Spaniard roared to the US Open title at Flushing Meadows.
Djokovic was beaten 6-2 3-6 6-4 6-1 by Nadal, who claimed the 13th singles Slam of his career to move ahead of Australia's Roy Emerson (12) on the all-time list.
Only Pete Sampras (14) and Roger Federer (17) are above the 27-year-old Nadal on the pecking order of major champions.
"Thirteen Grand Slams for a guy who is 27-years-old is incredible," Djokovic said. "I mean, whatever he has achieved so far in his career is something that everybody should respect. No question about it.
"I was saying before, he's definitely one of the best tennis players ever to play the game. Looking at his achievements and his age, at this moment - he still has a lot of years to play. That's all I can say."
Nadal seems certain to overtake Djokovic as world number one by the end of the year.
He missed the last half of 2012, and the 2013 Australian Open, because of a knee injury, which means he has no rankings points to defend.
Following his second major triumph this year, adding the New York crown to the French Open, only another injury or inconceivable loss of form will keep him at number two.
"What can I say?" Djokovic said. "He won so much this year. I'm still number one of the world in the rankings. But year to year he's far, far ahead. He has much more chances to end up as number one.
"Look, there is still tournaments to go. So we'll see."
Nadal's triumph gave him a 22-15 winning record against Djokovic and it was his sixth victory in their last seven meetings. The Serb conceded he had to find the key to reversing the trend in arguably the biggest rivalry in the men's game.
"I have to," Djokovic said. "It's part of my life. Many times you fall as an athlete. You have to learn the lesson and keep on going, keep on fighting, keep on improving.
"That's what we are here for. I'm still 26, and I believe the best time for my career is about to come. As long as I believe it, the fire and the love towards the game is inside of me, as long as that's present ... I'm going to play this sport with all my heart as I did in the last 10 years."
The Nadal-Djokovic rivalry is typified by marathon rallies that stretch both players to their physical limits.
They conjured a 54-stroke rally in the second set that left a capacity crowd inside Arthur Ashe Stadium screaming for more.
Djokovic raised his arms at having succeeded in the mini-battle, but Nadal won the war.
"I have played against Rafa, on different surfaces and different occasions, points like this where you just feel that there is the last drop of energy that you need to use in order to win the point," Djokovic said.
"Sometimes I was winning those points, sometimes him.
"It's what we do when we play against each other, always pushing each other to the limit. That's the beauty of our matches and our rivalry, in the end."
For the second straight year, Djokovic started the season by winning the Australian Open before falling short at the other three Majors.
He lost a five-set heartbreaker to Nadal in the semi-finals of the French Open and was beaten by Britain's Andy Murray in the championship match at Wimbledon.
"I wish I won at least one title more, considering the fact I played two finals," he said. "All the matches I lost, even the French Open, I had that match. I lost it again in the semis.
"Overall, it was again a very successful Grand Slam year for me. That's where I want to play my best in. As I said, I wish there was another title, but it is what it is.
"It was obvious that in the important moments Rafa played better tennis, and that's why he deserved to win. I congratulate him, and I move on. I didn't deserve to win in the end."

 

[Smallville22]

Nadal crowns his 'most emotional season' ever

Engulfed in a mixture of relief and utter joy, Rafael Nadal fell on his back and covered his face with his hands after beating Novak Djokovic in four sets to win the US Open, the 13th Grand Slam title of his career.
A year ago, Nadal was sat at home watching on television as Andy Murray defeated Djokovic, dealing with the knee injuries which had raised questions over his longevity in the sport.
But after returning to the game from a seven-month absence, Nadal's remarkable year has included two Grand Slam wins as he marches his way towards the number one ranking again.
"For a few things this season is probably the most emotional one in my career," Nadal said after his 6-2 3-6 6-4 6-1 victory. "I felt that I did everything right to have my chance here.
"You play a match against one of the best players of the history like this, Novak, number one in the world, probably on his favourite surface, as I said the other day, I would have to be almost perfect to win.
"It means a lot for me have this trophy. It is just amazing," he said.
Nadal gives no quarter on the court and he is similar when asked to talk about his fears, avoiding the temptation to tell the easy storylines.
Did he fear he might never play again?
"I am a positive guy, so I never thought about that," he replied with his disarming smile.
But he acknowledged that the emotions he showed on court did indeed relate back to his injuries and to the difficult days in the gym, when he had to endure the daily grind of rehab work, sometimes with no signs of immediate progress.
So when he thanked his staff and those close to him, it was not the usual courtesy but an acknowledgement that the painful road back would have been much tougher without the support of his team and ******.
"What really produced for me these emotional moments was working hard in tough moments, trying to be positive," he added.
"A lot of people were with me during this period of time and they were not easy moments. A lot of days I was able to keep working because of them.
"When you go to the gym every day and you don't see a positive result, then you lose a little bit your energy. Having those people around me during this period of time was decisive.
"They kept me working hard, they give me that positive energy. Without them it would be impossible for me to have the chance to be here today."
Once he got back on court in February, Nadal says his doubts and fears eased.
"When I came back to Chile for the first tournament I said, 'well, the most important thing is to be healthy.' I am sure that I will not forget how to play tennis in seven months," Nadal said.
"The most important thing and the most difficult thing is to be healthy. If you are healthy, if you have been in the top positions for nine years already or eight years and you stop for seven months, why will you not have the chance to be back there?"
But coming back and being competitive is one thing - winning Masters Series events at Indian Wells, Madrid, Rome, Montreal and Cincinnati and those triumphs at Roland Garros and Flushing Meadows, going 60-3 in the year so far - is another thing all together.
"I felt confident that if I am healthy I will keep having chances to compete for the tournaments. But winning two Grand Slams in the year is something that I never thought.
"Did I think if I am healthy would I compete well again? Yes. But not as early as I did. I never thought to have that.
"But after three or four, five months of competition, I felt confident that I will have the chance to be back playing at the good level," he said.
Nadal is now just four short of Roger Federer's 17 Slam titles and while his old rival is looking a fading ***** at the moment, Monday's triumph suggested the Spaniard, if the knees play their part, can go on to become the most successful of all.
The 27-year-old not only looks hungry and motivated but, as he acknowledged, has added an extra edge of aggression to an already combative game.
"It is true that I am playing a little bit more aggressive than before, more inside the court, closer to the baseline, going more for the points.
"But for the rest, everything is as usual."

 

[Smallville22]

Murray seals Tour finals spot, Federer struggling

Britain's Andy Murray joined world number one Novak Djokovic and newly-crowned US Open champion Rafa Nadal as definite qualifiers for the ATP World Tour finals on Tuesday but Roger Federer faces a battle to make the eight-man field.
Despite falling at the quarter-final stage in his defence of the US Open last week, Murray is third in the race to London and guaranteed a spot at the season-ending tournament.
Murray has flourished on home soil this year, becoming the first British male since Fred Perry in 1936 to win Wimbledon and he is now setting his sights on completing a memorable year alongside the River Thames.
"It will be great to compete in London again for the first time since winning Wimbledon," the world number three told the ATP's website.
"It's a key focus for me for the rest of the season and I'll do everything I can to give myself the best chances of winning it.
"The atmosphere there is always special - to win it would be the perfect way to finish the season."
Federer has been an ever-present at the Tour finals since 2002, winning the event six times, but the 17-times Grand Slam champion is at risk of missing out this time.
The Swiss is seventh on the Race to London rankings, just 130 points ahead of compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka and Frenchman Richard Gasquet also closing in.
Wawrinka has the chance to move above Federer when he competes at the Malaysian Open this month while Gasquet is in action at the Thailand Open where he is defending champion. Federer is not scheduled to play again until the Shanghai Masters in early October.

 

[Smallville22]

Spain wait on Nadal ahead of Davis Cup playoff

Spain captain Alex Corretja will wait until Rafael Nadal arrives in Madrid before deciding whether the US Open champion should play in Friday's singles in the Davis Cup World Group playoff at home to Ukraine.
World number two Nadal won his second Flushing Meadows crown on Monday when he beat top-ranked Novak Djokovic in the final and after a day's rest in New York will arrive in the Spanish capital on Wednesday.
The 27-year-old is back in the Davis Cup for the first time since helping his country defeat Argentina in the 2011 final in Seville.
Spain, champions three times in the last five years, need to beat Ukraine to protect their elite World Group status after losing in Canada in the first round in February.
"The important thing is Rafa will be here tomorrow," Corretja told a news conference on Tuesday at Madrid's Magic Box arena where the tie is being played on Nadal's favoured red clay and where he won the Masters event in May.
"We will evaluate his condition and decide what is best for the team. The key thing is he feels as comfortable as possible when he gets here."
With a fully-fit Nadal back, Spain will be overwhelming favourites in the three-day tie which features two singles matches on Friday, Saturday's doubles and the reverse singles on Sunday.
Corretja has also selected Tommy Robredo, who reached the last eight at the U.S. Open before falling to Nadal, Fernando Verdasco and doubles specialist Marc Lopez.
Lopez said it would be "special" if he could partner Nadal in the doubles.
"But the important thing is not that, but to play and win the point and that is what we are training for," he added.
Ukraine's top-ranked player is number 40 Alexandr Dolgopolov and he will need to be at his very best if his team are to have a chance of an upset in the first meeting in the competition of the two nations.
"It's better for us that Rafa won in New York," Dolgopolov joked. "But Rafa has shown he can adapt quickly, even if he arrives on Friday.
"To beat Rafa you can't make a single mistake and you have to hit the corners of the court. You have to play your best tennis and be at the top of your game to even attempt it."
Nadal has won 20 of his 21 Davis Cup singles, including 16 of 16 on clay, his sole reverse coming on indoor carpet against Czech Jiri Novak in his first appearance in February 2004.

 

[Smallville22]

Beaten Djokovic given chance of quick fix

Novak Djokovic has a chance to recover from his US Open blues as Serbia face Canada in the Davis Cup.
The world No.1 saw his hopes of a second title at Flushing Meadows crushed by a rampant Rafael Nadal on Monday and looked crestfallen as he slumped in his chair following the defeat.
However, national pride will be at stake on Friday when Serbia take on the Canadians in the same Belgrade arena in which Serbia won the title in 2010 against France - a victory that inspired Djokovic towards world domination in 2011.
Fiercely proud of his country, Djokovic points that Davis Cup final as a turning point in his career and with another final at stake if they beat Canada, it is highly unlikely he would let aching limbs or a tired mind keep him off court.
"Djokovic's always made it clear that he is honoured to play for Serbia," team captain Bogdan Obradovic said this week.
"We will see how he feels when he gets here from the United States. He chose to play for Serbia and knows what the requirements are but nonetheless he will get well-deserved time off to recuperate."
Obradovic will do all in his power to get Djokovic out on court for Friday's opening singles against Canada who, with big-server world No.11 Milos Raonic in their ranks, will be confident of reaching the final for the first time.
Waiting for the winners will be either last year's champions the Czech Republic or Argentina, who will be underdogs in Prague without the powerful presence of Juan Martin del Potro.
With the United States men suffering a worrying decline, Canada have emerged as the unlikely flagbearers for north America since defeating a below-strength Spain in round one.
Raonic, who was born in Montenegro, has won all four of his singles rubbers during Canada's run to the semis and he is not the only member of Canada's team with Balkan roots.
Frank Dancevic's ****** was born in Serbia and Dancevic's wife Nikolina Bojic is a former Miss Serbia.
He said he was relishing the partisan atmosphere that will be cooked up in the 18,000-seat arena.
"We've been in the World Group a few times in the past but this is a special occasion just being here in the semi-finals," he said on the Davis Cup website.
"A lot of our guys history goes back to Serbian roots. It's really fun to be there playing against a great team in Belgrade and I'm looking forward to a lot of intense fans from Serbia."
The atmosphere in Prague will be no less electric where the Czechs will be banking on world No.5 Tomas Berdych and the mercurial Radek Stepanek to see off Argentina.
"It means a lot," said Berdych of the chance to play in front of home fans again. "This year we've played in Switzerland, then Kazakhstan, and we were very close to playing the semi-final in France if they had won.
"The fans made the atmosphere really incredible for last year's final. They were like a fifth member of our team."
Argentina will be hoping for better fortune than last year when they lost to the Czechs in the semi-final.
Like Djokovic, Nadal is expected to delay resting his weary legs back in Mallorca by trying to guarantee Spain's place amongst the elite with a home playoff against Ukraine in Madrid.
Nadal has not played Davis Cup since the 2011 final but is expected to play some part, although with Tommy Robredo and Fernando Verdasco also in the team captain Alex Corretja has plenty of options available.
Switzerland will not be able to call on Roger Federer although Stanislas Wawrinka, fresh from reaching the U.S. Open semi-finals, will lead them against Ecuador in one of the other seven playoff ties which will decide next year's World Group.
World No.3 Andy Murray, who Wawrinka beat in the quarter-finals in New York, is in action for Britain in Croatia, hoping to steer them back among the elite for the first time in five years.
Poland are hoping big-serving Jerzy Janowicz will have recovered from a back injury as they take on Australia in Warsaw looking to reach the World Group for the first time.

 

[Smallville22]

Nadal: Davis Cup not ideal preparation

Playing the Davis Cup on clay in Madrid this week is not ideal preparation for the hard-court swing in Asia and an assault on the number one ranking, according to Rafael Nadal.
Spaniard Nadal, currently number two behind Novak Djokovic, is poised to replace the Serb as the world's top-ranked player after he beat him in Monday's final at Flushing Meadows.
Before he travels to Asia, Nadal will return to Davis Cup action for the first time since 2011 to help Spain in their World Group playoff at home to Ukraine starting on Friday.
"Given the fatigue I am feeling, what I would like to do is rest and recuperate well physically and mentally for the Asian tour," Nadal said.
"It's the final sprint of the year and I am fighting for something as special as finishing as number one," added the 27-year-old, who last held the top ranking in June 2011 and slipped to five before his return from injury in February.
"The Davis Cup won't help me in that goal because to be prepared for what I have left it's not good to change surfaces.
"But I said I would go already a few months ago, I committed myself and I will be in Madrid.
"I feel duty bound to go to Madrid and I feel duty bound to help the team so we stay in the World Group.
"I believe Spain deserves to be among best for what it represents and has represented in the world of tennis for so many years."
Spain's Davis Cup captain Alex Corretja said he would wait and see what state Nadal was in when he arrived in the capital on Wednesday before deciding whether he should feature in Friday's opening singles.
He may opt to rest him and play in-form Tommy Robredo and Fernando Verdasco, keeping his best player in reserve for Saturday's doubles or Sunday's reverse singles in case the unfancied Ukrainians spring a surprise.
"More than swamped, right now I feel empty, a little tired of everything," Nadal told Marca.
"In emotional terms, when you have been playing for a month and winning all your matches and then you put the cherry on the cake here you have a slump and that's logical.
"It's nothing strange and I hope to be fine in a few days."
Spain are in the Davis Cup playoffs after losing away to Milos Raonic's Canada in the first round in February.

 

[Smallville22]

Rafa was a ball-player before he could walk, says granny

Rafa Nadal was a natural ball-player before he could walk , his grandmother Isabel Homar has said.
Speaking to Cadena Ser from the island of Mallorca where Nadal is from, Homar said the world number two, who beat top-ranked Novak Djokovic to win his second U.S. Open title on Monday, "always liked anything that was round".
"He started playing with balls in the hallway of his home before he learned to walk," Homar said, adding things often got broken by accident.
"He loved playing football and he was always excited when Saturday came around," added the 82-year-old. "He liked football just as much as tennis."
Homar remembered how her *** Toni, who has coached his nephew to 13 grand slam titles, rang her one day and told her to come and watch her grandson.
"I remember one day Toni called me and said 'you have to come and see him'," she said after watching Nadal's victory at Flushing Meadows on television with members of her ******.
"I can't remember how old he was, maybe six. He was already holding the racket very well and when he hit the ball he hit it well."
Homar said she had suffered in the second set of Monday's final, which Nadal lost to Serb Djokovic before completing a 6-2 3-6 6-4 6-1 triumph.
Her musician husband had preferred not to watch the match due to nerves, she added.
"I liked the first set a lot but the second not so much because when I see that he is losing, I don't like it.
"I was really suffering and a lot of the time when that happens I have to turn it off.
"You get really nervous and then it is really difficult to get to *****."
Nadal is next in action in Spain's Davis Cup World Group playoff tie at home to Ukraine starting on Friday.

 

[Smallville22]

Nadal ready to empty tank to help Spain stay in top tier

A tired Rafael Nadal is ready to give his all for Spain in this weekend's Davis Cup playoff against Ukraine after a draining US Open brought him his 13th grand slam title.
With his country's elite World Group status in the balance, Nadal is ready to put his aching limbs on the line just days after beating world number one Novak Djokovic at Flushing Meadows to win his second major of the year.
"We change the surface in a short time and I have just made a big effort but I'm going to do whatever I can to help the team," Nadal told reporters on Wednesday ahead of the tie in Madrid.
"If it is on Friday it would be on Friday, if it is on Saturday, on Saturday, if it is on Sunday, on Sunday. I'm going to try to help with everything within my capabilities."
The Mallorcan's victory in New York capped a stunning year in which he returned from a seven-month injury absence to re-assert himself as a dominant ***** in the game.
Since re-emerging at a low-key claycourt tournament in Chile in February, the Spaniard has been virtually unstoppable.
Having won the French Open for a record eighth time, Nadal put a disappointing Wimbledon behind him to dominate on the hard courts and move to within four majors of Roger Federer's record haul of 17.
Any thoughts of a relaxing break have had to be put on the backburner, however, as duty calls him back to court to help keep his country in tennis's top tier.
After an under-strength Spain lost to Canada in the Davis Cup first round, they find themselves in unfamiliar territory having only competed in four playoffs in the last 17 years.
Nadal reacted tetchily to suggestions that he could be below par after his recent exertions.
"I've just said it. (I feel) well," he added. "I've got good feelings. What do you want me to say after having winning three tournaments in a row, my feelings couldn't be better."
With home advantage and Nadal's favourite red clay under foot, Spain, whose lineup also includes Tommy Robredo and Fernando Verdasco, should have the edge over a Ukraine team with only one player, Alexandr Dolgopolov, in the world's top 50.

 

[Smallville22]

Murray opens against 16-year-old, to play doubles

Andy Murray will open Great Britain’s Davis Cup play-off with Croatia against 16-year-old Borna Coric, and will also play in the doubles.
Wimbledon champion Murray, who reached the quarter-finals before seeing his US Open defence ended this month, will set the ball rolling at 10am UK time on Friday as Britain seek to win promotion to the Davis Cup World Group, the premier level of team tennis, for the first time since 2008.
British number two Daniel Evans, who reached a career high ranking of 149 after winning two matches at the US Open, will play world number 35 Ivan Dodig in the second rubber on Friday.
Coric, who is only ranked 13th in Croatia, was called into the squad after winning the US Open Boys title, with two of the Balkan nation’s top players – world no. 24 Marin Cilic and no.73 Ivo Karlovic – unavailable for the crucial clash.
Murray said: “I haven’t seen Coric play before but plenty of our guys have. He’s very young and is very inexperienced at this level but I’ll be ready for him. I’m looking forward to getting out on the court.”
Coric – who trains in London – said he did not expect to win “unless Murray injures himself”, calling his inclusion “unbelievable”.
World number three Murray had been expected to play two singles rubbers but was not previously confirmed in the doubles, where he – and not doubles specialist Johnny Marray – will partner Colin Fleming. Murray does not usually play doubles but won Olympic silver with Laura Robson last year.
That match will take place on Saturday afternoon, with the reverse singles rubbers on Sunday.
GB captain Leon Smith said he may still bring Marray into the doubles pairing, adding that James Ward – the British number three – was carrying a wrist injury.
Substitutions can be made up to an hour before each rubber.

 

[Smallville22]

Djokovic fired up to recapture Davis Cup glory

Winning the 2010 Davis Cup for Serbia proved the launch pad for Novak Djokovic to reach the top of the men's game and the 26-year-old hopes another epic run will have a similar effect.
Looking upbeat and raring to go just a few days after a crushing US Open defeat by Rafael Nadal, Djokovic was named to play singles on the opening day of the semi-final against Canada in the cavernous Belgrade Arena.
Any fatigue from his New York battles and the long-haul flight home will be soothed by the prospect of playing in front of the partisan home crowd, the world number one said.
"I am tired and jet-lagged but also as inspired and motivated as ever to play for my country," Djokovic said after Thursday's draw which pitted him against Vasek Pospisil in Friday's opening singles rubber.
"It's not the first time I've had only two days to recuperate for a Davis Cup tie after the US Open and the fact that we will be playing at home for the first time in two years will galvanise us to perform.
"The 2010 triumph was a stepping stone for all of us in terms of our individual careers and that's why we are really looking forward to it."
Following their epic 3-2 win over France in the 2010 final, which produced a football-like atmosphere in a jam-packed arena, Serbia suffered their first loss at the venue in the 2011 semis.
An ailing Djokovic, who was nursing a ribcage injury, retired against Juan Martin del Potro in the reverse singles, handing Argentina an unassailable 3-1 lead as he collapsed to the ground in anguish.
It was an anti-climax to his memorable US Open final win against Nadal that season, the most successful in the Serb's career as he also claimed the Australian Open and Wimbledon to go with a myriad of Masters Series titles.
"I am fit this time and I don't think adapting to red clay will be a problem because I've done it before," he said of the specially-prepared clay surface.
"Canada are a very strong team but our home fans can help us prevail in what promises to be a delicately balanced tie."
Janko Tipsarevic has returned to the Serbian squad after a 16-month absence and faces big-serving Milos Raonic in Friday's second singles rubber.
Nenad Zimonjic and Ilija Bozoljac play Belgrade-born Daniel Nestor and Vasek Pospisil in Saturday's doubles, while Djokovic locks horns with world No. 11 Raonic and Tipsarevic clashes with Pospisil in Sunday's reverse singles.
Nestor, Zimonjic's former doubles partner on the ATP Tour, said he expected no empathy from a raucous Belgrade crowd although he called his birthplace "a home away from home."
"Will they take it easy on me? Maybe they will early on but if Serbia find themselves on the receiving end they will do what they have to in order to help the home team win," he said.
Frank Dancevic, the other player in Canada's squad, also has Serbian roots and added: "I always felt very welcome here and it's great knowing the city and where to go to have a Serbian burger."
The winners of the tie will face either holders the Czech Republic or Argentina in the final.

 

[Smallville22]

Nadal selected for Spain's singles

Rafael Nadal will play Sergiy Stakhovsky in a Davis Cup singles rubber after Spain announced their line-up for the World Group playoff at home to Ukraine.

There had been doubt over world number two Nadal's participation in the three-day tie in Madrid after his recent exertions in New York where he beat top-ranked Novak Djokovic in Monday's US Open final.
Nadal arrived in the Spanish capital early on Wednesday and after training at the "Magic Box" venue the 27-year-old was named in the team for Thursday's draw by captain Alex Corretja.
"When I have been asked and have been free of injury I have always turned out to try to help the team win points and secure victories," Nadal told a news conference.
"I have been playing at the maximum intensity for practically a whole month and obviously that has a draining effect," he added.
"But I am ready for tomorrow and it's just going to require another little bit of effort. I hope to be competitive even though I have spent very few hours on the court."
Stakhovsky caused a huge upset at Wimbledon this year when he defeated seven-times champion Roger Federer in the second round but Nadal should have little trouble against the world number 92, especially as the tie is on his favoured clay.
Nadal has won 20 of his 21 Davis Cup singles matches, including a perfect 16 out of 16 on clay.
Spain number two Fernando Verdasco will play Ukraine number one Alexandr Dolgopolov in the opening singles, with the doubles to come on Saturday and the reverse singles on Sunday in the first meeting between the two nations.
Spain are in the playoffs after losing away to Milos Raonic's Canada in the first round in February when Nadal, who had just returned from a seven-month injury layoff, did not feature. They had last fallen in the first round in 2006 when a team also missing Nadal was beaten 4-1 by Belarus on indoor carpet in Minsk.
In other World Group playoff ties Poland's hopes of joining the elite for the first time have been dealt a huge blow after Wimbledon semi-finalist Jerzy Janowicz was ruled out with a back injury for the home tie against Australia in Warsaw.
Andy Murray will lead Britain's attempt to return to the World Group and will face 16-year-old Croatian Borna Coric in the opening singles rubber in Umag.

 

[Smallville22]

Czech Stepanek faces Argentine Monaco in Davis Cup opener

U.S. Open doubles champion Radek Stepanek faces Argentina's Juan Monaco in the opening singles of the Czech Republic's Davis Cup semi-final on Friday as the defending champions bid to reach a third final in five years.
World number five Tomas Berdych will then take on Argentine Leonardo Mayer in the second of the opening day's matches in Prague as the Czechs play in front of a home crowd for the first time this season.
Czech talisman Stepanek won the decisive match of the 2012 final against Spain to earn his country the Cup for the first time as an independent nation in Prague last November.
The 34-year-old, who had neck surgery in January, comes into the competition off the back of winning the men's doubles title with Leander Paes at Flushing Meadows last weekend.
"Physically, I have no problem," news website idnes.cz quoted Stepanek as saying. "Three days (of matches) have never been a problem. It won't be a problem now."
Argentina, runners-up to Spain in 2011, were beaten by the Czechs in Buenos Aires at the same stage last year and head into the semis without world number seven Juan Martin Del Potro.
For the second singles rubber, Argentine captain Martin Jaite has surprisingly turned to the lowest ranked player on the team, world number 93 Mayer.
"I had four good players and I believe that Leo will play great," Jaite was reported as saying by news agency CTK.
For Saturday's doubles match, Czechs Lukas Rosol and Jiri Vesely are pencilled in to face Carlos Berlocq and Horacio Zeballos.
However, the Czechs are likely to turn instead to Stepanek and Berdych, who played all key matches in last year's title run.
"We are ready to play the role of favourites but nothing easy is expected," Czech captain Jaroslav Navratil said.
The winners of the Prague tie will face either Canada or Serbia in the Nov. 15-17 final.
The Czechs lifted the Cup last year for the first time since Czechoslovakia won in 1980.
Argentina have yet to win the Davis Cup despite four appearances in the final.

 

[Smallville22]

Stepanek puts Czechs ahead in semi with Argentina

Radek Stepanek put the defending champions Czech Republic 1-0 up in their Davis Cup semi-final with Argentina in Prague on Friday, cruising to a 7-6(3) 6-3 6-2 win over Juan Monaco.
The Czechs are aiming for their third final in five years and Stepanek, fresh from winning the U.S. Open men's doubles title, got them off to a strong start.
After trading games in the first set, the Czech veteran won the tiebreak and took that momentum into the next two sets to roll over Monaco, who is Argentina's top player in the absence of world number seven Juan Martin Del Potro.
"Every point is important," Stepanek said of the fast start. "For us, the most important is three (points)."
World number five Tomas Berdych takes on Argentine Leonardo Mayer in the second of the opening day's matches.
The Czechs lifted the Cup in 2012 for the first time since Czechoslovakia won in 1980. Argentina, who lost to the Czechs at home in the semi-finals last year, have yet to win the Davis Cup despite four final appearances.