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Nadal reached top ten through in Barcelona

World number one and top ranked Rafael Nadal beaten Portugal’s Federico Gil to lead the top seeds into the Barcelona Open third round on Wednesday. Nadal positioned the great winning instance with his 6-2, 6-2 opening triumph over Gil, and the number 75 whom he hit last month in Miami.

In spite of now possessing a 22-1 record at his “home” event, the phenomenon from across the water in Mallorca said it was not as simple as it expected.

Nadal said, “Winning has not become usual for me. Tennis is also a game of losses; somebody gains every week but not always the same player. Just like in Miami against him, even though I achieved easily I never actually felt entirely relaxed until the ending.”

Nadal now stands 30-3 on the season as he intentions for a fifth Barcelona title in a row to copy his feat last week in Monte Carlo. The Spaniard spanned the first round alongside Gil and played his way out of risk early in the second as he preserved three break points in the second game to make it 2-0 with an inside out forehand winner.

Once the 22 year old settled in, he relieved towards the third round after 89 minutes on court. Nadal stands 139-4 on clay since 2005 and 23-1 in clay court finals. His only failure here came in the 2003 second round to compatriot Alex Corretja. Participating in the day’s triumph progress was Nadal’s second seeded compatriot Fernando Verdasco, with the Australian Open semi finalist taking out Nicolas Lapentti 7-5, 6-3.

World number three Nikolay Davydenko complied suit, dispatching French veteran Arnaud Clement 7-6 (7/2), 6-2. Gaudio, now the world 966, was the 2002 Barcelona champion back in his heyday, exciting the initial of eight career titles starting at the Real club.

Robredo said, “I wished to win poorly in front of the Spanish fans. Gaston was producing all of the faults. He indicated what a grand player he was by playing me hard in the initial set, it was not easy for me to close it out. But after that I comfortable and wind up the match much easier.”

Number 14 Swede Robin Soderling took a failure and loss as he went out to Italy’s Potito Starace 7-6 (7/5), 2-6, 6-2.

Pat Rafter may be future Davis Cup head

Pat Rafter never achieved a Davis Cup as a player but he now might land one as captain after creating a fortunate and successful first appearance in charge of Australia’s junior team.

Rafter hasn’t dominated out following in the well-known footsteps of Harry Hopman, Neale Fraser and John Newcombe after leading the national under 16 boys’ team to the world finals of the Junior Davis Cup.

Rafter told AAP, “Six days of that, mate three matches each day for six days. It was intense and pretty exhausting by the end, that’s for confident. I have never made this before so it was an excellent learning experience for me knowing what I should express and what I shouldn’t say and when I should keep calm and when I should some kind of acquire a bit stroppy with them.”

It is asked that if he was eager to one day captain the senior Davis Cup team, one of the most prominent positions in Australian sport, Rafter said “never say never, mate”.

He said, “This was in fact my initial jump into anything like this. I will return and see if positive and certain chances present themselves and see if Tennis Australia wants me. And if I have gained the true time to do those things then, yeah, I might attempt and do something like that again as well.”

The reality is, the perfectly credentialed Rafter is obviously being groomed by TA as probable Cup captain of the future perhaps even as successor to the long serving Fitzgerald. Leading and captaining the Davis Cup team would give the former Australian of the Year the opportunity to fulfill his splendid CV after he was harshly deprived of having his name etched onto the most coveted trophy in teams’ tennis.

Boasting a desirable 21-11 Cup record, Rafter was wounded and injured when Australia won the 1999 final against France and then he misplaced finals against Spain and France the following two years. Sorrowfully, Rafter’s recent professional match was his critical doubles defeat partnering Hewitt against Fabrice Santoro and Cedric Pioline in the Melbourne Park final loss in 2001.

With the bind then protected at two rubbers apiece, Rafter was not able to play the deciding singles match because of an arm injury that eventually broken his career.

Alicia Molik too prepared a victorious opening to the captaincy ranks at Mildura, serving the Australian Junior Fed Cup team of Viktorija Rajicic, Molly Polak and Alexandra Nancarrow to the world finals.

Molik said, “It was my opportunity and I think Pat’s chance to return back a little bit”. We have been lucky to have had big careers so it’s enormous that we can still be part of it.”

Nadal won the Monte Carlo Master Title

Rafael Nadal finished up a fifth successive Monte Carlo Masters title and is overcoming preferred to create it five in a row at the French Open, but his uncle and coach Toni is still not pleased.

World No.1 Nadal played a 6-3 2-6 6-1 triumph over Novak Djokovic in the final on Sunday to equal the five titles achieved by New Zealander Anthony Wilding a century before.

He is now 23-1 in clay court finals, with his only defeat coming at Hamburg in May 2007 to Roger Federer and has attracted level with the Swiss with 14 Masters Crowns.

Nadal said, “He performed a good third set, but it’s understandable he must play superior to this week”. He was losing a little confidence in his game and you could see that his serve was amazingly weak. But it’s the first tournament on clay this season for him and I hope that with some more matches, it’ll get better. We award that there’s a lot of work to do before Roland Garros. But he still achieved. It’s a very imperative tournament for us and to win for a fifth time is incredible.”

Nadal, who has now a 139-4 winning record on clay since 2005, insists that thoughts of a fifth French Open victory are at the back of his mind with the Barcelona and Rome Masters to come in between a return to Paris.

Nadal further said after gathering his third title this season following the Australian Open and Indian Wells Masters, “I am not thinking about Roland Garros so far, I’m paying attention on Barcelona and Rome, there are more significant tournaments before Paris”.

“It’s amazing to win and achieve five titles in Monte Carlo. If I had to choose one Masters Series to win before the season it would be here. I found myself very well physically and mentally on the court.”

Djokovic, the world number three, valued Nadal’s claycourt power.

“You just have to pay attention on every single point because you have a player on the other side of the net that doesn’t actually give you any points,” said the Serbian. You could see him at 5-1 in the third set; he played like its 5-all. He really doesn’t worry about the consequence. He just wishes to provide his best every solitary point. Therefore he’s very exclusive and unique and that’s why he’s the most excellent now.”

Sania’s fight with Venus in Charleston

India’s top tennis star Sania Mirza booked a second round fight with second seeded Venus Williams on Tuesday with the straight sets conquest at WTA occasion in Charleston at South Carolina.

Sania Mirza defeat Sesil Karatantcheva of Kazakhstan 6-4 6-4 to line up the marquee meeting with Williams, who will be beginning her movement on Wednesday afternoon after enjoying a first round bye.

The top ranked Russian Elena Dementieva, who rose to a career high ranking of number three in the world last week, reached in the third round with a overriding 6-0 6-2 triumph over American Julie Ditty.

Dementieva said, “I don’t feel any kind of pressure being the number one seed here”. Tonight’s start was excellent to the tournament for me. I had never played Julie before so I in fact didn’t want her to find into the match. It’s simple to misplace your attention. I really remained focused tonight.”

Third seeded Vera Zvonareva and number four Nadia Petrova, both of Russia, also qualified for the third round, as did sixth seeded Marion Bartoli of France and seventh seeded Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova.

Zvonareva cruised past Paraguay’s Rossana de los Rios 6-3 6-2.

Said Zvonareva “I felt very good for my first match of the year on clay, a finalist here last year. I didn’t wait for myself to play my best, and it was a bit of a struggle at times because of the wind, but it was pretty good.”

Fourth seeded Petrova punch Austrian Patricia Mayr 6-1 2-6 6-2, Bartoli beaten Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia 6-1 6-3 and Cibulkova crushed Austrian Tamira Paszek 6-4 6-0.

Competitors yet afraid of Federer

Roger Federer can have misplaced his position at the top of the rankings but he stays a tremendously formidable adversary, his rivals said.

The Swiss star has not succeeded to win a tournament in this year and smashed a racquet in an out of character outburst in Miami.

The world number one Rafeal Nadal said, “He’s completed a Grand Slam final and two Master Series semis.”

And on the other hand world number two Djokovic said, “He gained it all for four years and now he loses and misses a few he’s not in crisis”.

I did detect it strange that he cracked his racquet at Miami, he who always keeps peaceful. But these things occur when you are disturbed on the court,” added the Serbian.

Federer, 27, has won 13 Grand Slam occasions but only one, last year’s US Open, out of the last six. Nadal exchanged Federer at the top of the rankings last August, and the Swiss player has never defeated him at a Grand Slam event outside of SW19.

The usually reserved Federer burst into tears after losing to Nadal in the Australian Open final in February, giving the critics with advance ammunition that the Swiss player’s game was in refuse. France’s Gilles Simon has crushed Federer on each of the two events they have met, but the Frenchman was similarly admiring as Nadal and Djokovic. “For me, on a good day, he still is the excellent player in the world,” he said.

Breaking ranks, Fernando Verdasco of Spain proposed Federer was struggling psychologically with having to accept he was no more as prevalent as he had once been.

Two years before he was winning and gaining everything. Now, since the start of the year, he has been crushed by Nadal, Djokovic and Andy Murray. Psychologically it is not easy to manage. Federer is due to start his clay court season in Monte Carlo against Italian Andreas Seppi on Wednesday.

Federer will now in Monte Carlo

The World top ranked Roger Roger Federer has received and accepted a wildcard to play in upcoming week’s Monte Carlo Masters.

The 27 year old, Federer a three time finalist, initially selected to skip the event for scheduling reasons but has had a alteration of heart as he attempts to discover some form.

Federer has not succeeded to win a tournament since October and played badly in his most recent defeat to Novak Djokovic in Miami. The Swiss has ended runner up three times in Monte Carlo, missing 7-5 7-5 to Rafael Nadal in last year’s final.

The tournaments director Zeljko Franulovic said, “A few months before I declared that Roger had not intended to participate as he had customized his clay court training. But, recognizing his connectivity to the tournament, we never misplaced hope that he would nevertheless be there this year; we have been confirmed true and are very proud.”

On the other hand World’s number one Nadal will be going for a record fifth straight title this year. American Andy Roddick will be the only member of the world’s top 10 losing at the clay-court tournament, which starts next week.

Safina disappointed to prove the tennis significance

Russia’s tennis star Dinara Safina, who will put back Serena Williams as world top ranked later this month in spite of never having won a Grand Slam title, insists she will provide evidence she belongs on top of the rankings.

Dinara Safina, whose brother Marat was the men’s tennis top player in the world in 2000, will substitute Williams, who has been on top for 11 successive weeks, and 72 in all, on April 20.

Safina, who is the runner up to the American at the Australian Open year, said, “There’s no question that while I am very proud of my consequences over the past year, I would have wished to arrive at this achievement in an unusual way. I expect to demonstrate to everyone over the coming months that I deserve the honor of being world number one.

She further said by expressing her feelings, “It’s a big honor to get the top ranking and it is a dream that each girl who has ever wanted to play professional tennis shares. It is yet extra ordinary for me since my brother Marat was capable to obtain the number one ranking and I am excited and happy to share this triumph with him.”

Safina is the only second Russian woman, along with Maria Sharapova, to hold the top spot. Her elevation was declared just after Williams endured a shock 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 first round conquer against world number 95 Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic in Marbella.

Safina has gained four WTA Tour singles titles over the past year. Montreal, Los Angeles, Berlin and Tokyo and was runner-up five times, including the Australian Open and Roland Garros. She was also a silver medalist at the Beijing Olympics. Her constantly move up the rankings will symbolize the first time a brother and sister have been number one in the world.

In the Meanwhile, Williams fell off to beat in Marbella in her initial clay court outing of the season handing her Czech rival a first win over a top 10 player since 2003. Williams had been downed in the final of the Miami hard-court occasion on Sunday when her performance in opposition to Victoria Azarenka was harshly handicapped by a thigh injury which required serious strapping.

Williams who once more was wearing a bandage on her left leg said, “I am very disappointed about my defeat. She further said, “In face I wanted to play my excellent tennis and best performance but because of my injury I couldn’t perform well.”

Andy Murray qualified for Miami final

Top brilliant Murray made a stunning show as he hit Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro to qualify in the final of the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami. The Briton sealed an excellent 6-1 5-7 6-2 triumph and now in Sunday final he will fight against Novak Djokovic, after the Serb earlier beat Roger Federer 3-6 6-2 6-3.

An annoyed Federer shattered his racquet as the match went by. Djokovic’s triumph seems that Murray cannot pass him as the world number three in next week’s rankings.

But the Scot will get huge assurance from one more well presentation as he saw off Del Potro in front of a partisan throng in Friday’s evening session. The Scot, 21, had won both his previous matches against Del Potro and started magnificently, while his opponent appeared to be suffering from a draining semi-final win over top seed Rafael Nadal.

Murray had prepared speedy progress into the last four and looked sharp-edged, breaking two times as he raced into a 5-0 lead and quickly took the set. It was as a lot a lack of attention from Murray as anything Del Potro did that saw the Briton drop serve early in the second; having led 40-0, but Murray got the break back straight away and looked on course for the win.

But the longer Del Potro, 20, stayed on serve the more his confidence grew, and he levelled the match with a superb game at 6-5 to send the crowd wild. The impetus looked to be with the seventh seed going into the decider as he saved an early break point but Murray left remarkably paying attention and got the break in game five.

Through another smash point waiting at 4-2, Murray had to stay while Del Potro went to his chair for treatment to his leg, but the British number one transformed his second chance of the game and served out the match comfortably.

Murray said afterwards, “There were many highs in the game. I think I only played one or two bad games”. The first set was great. I can only hope in the future I can play close to that level. In the first set I mixed it up a bit and kept him moving around. I knew he would be tired after the Nadal game so that’s what I tried to do.”

Second seed Federer was annoying to achieve his first title at the elite Masters 1000 level since Cincinnati in August, 2007, and the Swiss started Friday’s first semi-final well in blustery conditions.

Murray and Federer succeeding at Miami quarter-finals

Federer and Murray will be the participants of ATP quarter finals. British fourth seed Andy Murray and second seed Federer moved into the quarter finals of the ATP and WTA hard-court tournament with directly set triumphs.

Federer turned American qualifier Taylor Dent 6-3, 6-2 while Murray running scared Serbian Viktor Troicki 6-1, 6-0. Serbian third seed Novak Djokovic as well got a 6-3, 6-2 conquest over Czech Tomas Berdych. Federer required just 85 minutes making a set up in the final eight by ousting 27 year old Dent who wasted eight break-point chances.

Federer said, “I had to arise with some superior transitory shots to be able to create dissimilarity, He might have got a little bit weary towards the end.”

Murray now will have to face eighth-seeded Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, who crushed Czech 18th seed Radek Stepanek 6-2, 6-2.

On the other hand Murray said, “I didn’t build much faults and mistakes, high proportion of first serves used my slice very well just reserved judgment and thinking all the way during the match. From the beginning to obtain a smash untimely, set the tone for the rest of the match. He didn’t really get well from that.”

Federer moved to the next round where he will countenance fifth seeded American Andy Roddick who superior with a 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 win over France’s Gael Monfils.

Federer said of Roddick, “We’ve had several large matches over the years; I played and performed him at the Australian Open and done fine against him. He appears like he distorted a couple of things in his game so it should be a good match”.

The eighth seed Russian Svetlana Kuzentsova became the first semi-finalist in the women’s draw by thrashing Danish 13th seed Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-1. Ahead for Kuznetsova will be also Russian 11th seed Victoria Azarenka or Australian Samantha Stosur, who previously ousted second ranked position Russian Dinara Safina.

Djokovic, who achieved and won the Miami cap in 2007, swooped Berdych’s every error to advance.

Djokovic said, “I was annoying to attach with him all the time, because I knew he’s very violent and aggressive, but not actually reliable from the baseline. He makes a lot of natural faults, particularly from the forehand side, so I distorted the pace and I played a well tennis.”

Djokovic will now be in the front of French 10th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who carried off seventh-seeded countryman Gilles Simon 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-2 in another fourth-round match.

Tsonga, who seemed a little bit ill before the match, is the first Frenchman in a decade to arrive at the quarter-finals at Miami. And Djokovic knows he is in for a fight.

Beachley stimulates Samantha Stosur at Miami

Australian tennis player ace Samantha Stosur compensated praise to seven-times world surfing champion Layne Beachley after sweeping to the major win of her career in Miami on Monday. To reach the fourth round of the Sony Ericsson Open, Stosur squeezed world No.2 Dinara Safina 6-1 6-4, a $A6.5 million event regarded as the sport’s “fifth slam”.

The landmark conquest carried out aching near-misses this time of year against world No.1 Serena Williams when the Queenslander wasted four match points in Sydney and fellow top tenners Elena Dementieva and Agnieszka Radwanska. That thin overcomes and several sage advices from Beachley have fuelled Stosur’s trust that she may hit the world’s top.

Stosur prescribed to AAP from Miami, “Last month Layne came with me to Dubai and she helped me out a lot that week and our links are still continue now”. She acquired in my head tiny and we talked about many things. Apparently she’s been through masses in her career and knows very well that how to manage pressure. Consequently we hung up much there and had a nice time and I learned and discovered a lot and I’m still annoying to continue that instructions of what she was capable to provide me there with each match going ahead.”

Beachley trained and taught Stosur to “live in the moment” sooner than obtain forward of herself in matches.

Stosur further said “Its nice simple when you find yourself anxious and confuse or get tight to start hastening and before you know it, you don’t yet know what you’re thinking or expecting”. So it is much about just living calm and making a point you’re breathing and sticking to what you do best.”

Stosur has long endangered to maintain major singles scalp when a three time grand slam doubles champion. “It was good to lastly acquire it under my strap, that’s for sure,” she said after maintain a showdown with former world No.1 Amelie Mauresmo for a quarter-finals berth.

“It’s just been the advancement of all things that have been happening by me for the last year and now it’s coming jointly.

A go over victory would push Stosur to the cusp of the world’s top 30 and within just outstanding distance of her career high No.27 ranking of two years ago before she was canceled with a career stalling viral illness.

Stosur said by describing her feelings, “Wins like today are going to get me there, but it’s not enough and sufficient now. I’ve to come back tomorrow and try to back it up.

Kim Clijsters once again in professional tennis

On the Thursday former tennis player of Belgium Kim Clijsters declared her return into the professional and competitive tennis approximately two years after retiring from the sport at just 23 years old.

Kim said in a press conference at her hometown “I intend to play in the US Open and about surely in the tournaments at Cincinnati early August, my first official tournament back and Tornoto”. She further said “I have been involved in practicing on a usual and regular basis with my training partner Wim Fissette and by physical coach Sam Verslegers, frequently as much as six hours in a day.

Kim who is the right hander, has a wonderful and marvelous tennis background included rewards and many achievements during his stay in tennis. Famous for her trademark splits suspicious play, she won 34 WTA tournaments and 11 doubles’ crowns including the 2005 US Open title when she beaten the French player Mary Pierce 6-3, 6-1 at Flushing Meadows. She also won the women’s season ending tour championship title conducted in 2002 and 2003.

Kim misplaced four Grand Slam finals particularly the 2003 French Open and US Open championship matches, as well as the 2004 Australian Open to compatriot and rival Justine Henin, who has also since retired. In August 2003 she got the top world rankings with a record of 427 wins against 104 defeats as well as having the extraordinary difference of holding the number one spot in both singles and doubles in 2003.

But handicapped by a series of injuries and keen to begin a family with new husband Brian Lynch, an American basketball player, she unexpectedly declared her retirement in May 2007 at just 23 years old.

At now 25, Clijsters is approximately two years younger than Williams and has time on her side in maybe retrieving the world No.1 ranked and including to her Grand Slam accumulation. What it occurs after blushing Meadows in beginning September, However, depends on more than a few factors, she insisted.

She said “I will have to get stock of how I supervise to unite my family condition with life on the circuit, I am a mother and a wife after all, and also we will have to see how I come out of it all physically.”

Clijsters will not be one of those players who need time to off separately to have a baby and then effort a return back to the route. A very close friend of Clijsters Lindsay Davenport former World No. 1 did similarly in 2007 even though she never officially and formally declared she was retiring. Last year the American prepared a dramatic return to the WTA Tour circuit winning four tournaments before moving to the sidelines again in January after announcing that she was pregnant once again.

By crushing Murray, Rafael Nadal achieved Indian Wells ATP title

To win the Indian wells ATP Master Title the world honored and one of the most poplar tennis player Rafael Nadal beaten the Andy Murray of Scotland by 6-1, 6-2 and won the Master series title of Indian Wells.

As in the final of women that predated it, the men’s championship match was arranged and played in whirling winds that had both players scrambling.

Nadal, the dominating Australian Open champion defied hard, impractical circumstances and situations to imprison the crown in the California desert for the second time after triumphing here in 2007. But Nadal, who began the tournament as the highest seed for the initial time after Roger Federer came and joined in as the number one the past five years restrained his total attention and focus to achieve the good job accomplished in one hour and 20 minutes.

Nadal prescribed “In fact I played a really good match with those conditions and situations”. “Andy could not play his best likely because of the situation, conditions and circumstances but I feel that I done my best to achieve the goal and played a really good performances in the whole match, moving very well. He further said that, I never made my legs stop during the whole match and I think that was the key of my success today.

In the meanwhile Murray seemed incapable to achieve to grips with the state of affairs. Murray agreed with Nadal while Nadal saying “I imagine I accepted a little bit improved and superior than him the conditions today.

Murray said by expressing his opinion after finishing the match “Rafa treated with it very well and better”. He strokes the ball clearly and appeared to obtain himself in better and exact positions than I did.

“You don’t unavoidably want to be doing a whole lot of opposing and running,” Murray added. “You want to be in the best position possible to hit each ball, and I wasn’t.” in spite of the conquer, world number four Murray leaves California closing in on world number three Novak Djokovic, whose title defence here ended with a quarter-final loss to American Andy Roddick.

Murray defeated Federer to make his place in the semis championship giving himself a shot at a third title of 2009 to go with those he won in Doha and Rotterdam. Murray’s performance made slow due to the illness since those successes, withdrawing from the quarter-finals in Dubai and skipping Davis Cup.

Under the conditions, he expressed, reaching in the final was a very good achievement.

“I don’t feel that I m frustrated just now with how the week went, because I wasn’t waiting and expecting to do that well,” he said. “Today was not my best day, but I’ll definitely get over it. I’m guessing I’m not going to play in those conditions each week.”

Nadal was playing in his third final in four starts this season, including his five-set Aussie Open triumph over Federer and a loss to Murray in Rotterdam. Nadal also lost to Murray in the semi-finals of the US Open last September, but the Spaniard said against the Briton that he wasn’t out for revenge.

“Andy was the only big top player I didn’t win against this year, so it’s an important win for me. But the most important thing for me is to win the title, not the opponent.”

Andy Murray qualified for Semis at Indian Wells

At Indian Wells Andy Murray reached the last four with an excellent brilliant battling 7-5 7-6 (8-6) wining over Croatia’s Ivan Ljubicic. In the match neither player detected their beat, though the Briton started fine when he terminated in the beginning game.

Ivan Ljubicic broke back in the sixth but Miss a step and fall on his serve in the eleventh with Murray going on to obtain the set. Both players showed marvelous performance and made each other’s service broke in the second set of games. But at the time when it came to the tie-break, both players have to face a tough challenge; Andy Murray determined and contained his nerve to seal a tough win.

Now Murray will face also Roger Federer or Fernando Verdasco in the last four at Indian Wells.

In a shortly speech the 21 years old Murray prescribed “I thought I did well, at the end of each set I began to make further returns. I did very well in the tie-break at the end. He further said “I didn’t serve big the entire time but on the second serve didn’t offer any opportunities away; I bounced back fine and well each time I got broken, so I was happy with that.”

It appeared that Murray who just played fifty minutes in the last round before his opponent Tommy Robredo retired injured, would walk the match against Ljubicic, who had taken part in a three-hour marathon against Igor Andreev the previous day.

In both players’ performances the wind played a big role and the crowds at Indian Wells were not treated to a hard-court classic partly as a consequence of the situation. For the British number one the things began good, who went 2-0 up after having broken the Croat in the first game.

When Murray played a lot of badly judged drop shots into the net Ljubicic broke back in the sixth. But Murray again beat the 30 year old in the 11th and held serve to take the first set 7-5. It was all mundane stuff in the second set until the ninth game when at deuce; Murray challenged the umpire who had called the shot out and called a shot in. The Hawk-Eye repeat backed Murray to the anger of Ljubicic. The Croat went on misplace his service game.

Murray said “The reason I challenged was because he appeared like he was going to hit it; then the call came, and he still hit the ball over,”. I thought maybe he thought it was going out. But I couldn’t see, because of the ATP sign at the side of the court.

Though, the Croat established himself and broke Murray’s serve in the next. But in the tie-break, the Scot came out on top with a Ljubicic unforced error from the baseline giving him the conquest.

Federer Murray advances in Indian Wells

Roger Federer made his brilliant and excellent record against Fernando Gonzalez to 12-1 with a three-set conquest Wednesday and qualified for the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open.

Federer’ play spotty but excellent and sufficient enough to keep carry on his domination of his frequent opponent, ousted Gonzalez 6-3, 5-7, and 6-2. On the other hand Andy Roddick, who is the only American remaining in the singles draw, get back strongly in the third set to beat David Ferrer 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-3. Roddick accomplished with 10 aces against his Spanish opponent in the contest played between them, who served eight of his own.

Roddick, had difficulty keeping his shots on the court in the second round when ranked No. 7 and then he obtained the limit once again in the third to pull out the match. He did with 38 unforced errors, five more than Ferrer.

Defending champion and No. 3 Novak Djokovic outlasted Stanislas Wawrinka 7-6 (7), 7-6 (6). Juan Martin Del Potro defeated John Isner 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3), and Ivan Ljubicic downed Igor Andreev 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4). Andy Murray too superior, stretching his well 2009 start to 18-1 when Tommy Robredo retired in the second set of their match due to the wrist injury. Murray got victory in the first set 6-2 and was up 3-0 in the second.

After losing his four-year hold on the top spot to Rafael Nadal last year Federer, ranked No. 2, was conflicting against No. 17 Gonzalez. The Chilean fought and struggled his way back into the match in the second set, overcoming initial disappointment he had vented by slamming a racket onto the court three times and shattering it. Federer, the tournament champion three successive years beginning in 2004, said he felt that he finally was able to set up some rhythm in his game after playing frequently serve and return against his first two opponents.

Federer said, “Today was a bit more baselines, even though I couldn’t discover his (Gonzalez’s) backhand”. “If you don’t find his backhand, the point is over hurriedly. He has such a massive forehand. “I’m looking ahead to playing against (Fernando) Verdasco. It’s a good thing that I’m still in the tournament and going well along with facing an opponent who actually is going to extend the rallies a little bit.”

Verdasco overcome Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 to get the quarterfinal chance against Federer. Murray, ranked No. 4, said he anticipated a hard test heading into his match against Robredo. The 21years old Scot said “I was expecting a hard and tough match. I had misplaced to Tommy two prior times I played him”. “I knew I had to be on my game.”

Murray said, he was well conscious that Robredo had a problem with his wrist, though he still seemed to be hitting the ball very well. “But spiritually and mentally, a wrist problem can be harsh and also can make ones tough during match,” Murray further said. “I know because I’ve been through it. It’s just the pain that’s there and feeling like something might happen.”

And on the women’s side, No. 6 Vera Zvonareva defeated No. 13 Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-2.

Mildura host Aussie Fed Cup tie against Swiss

Australia and Switzerland are participants and will play the next month’s Fed Cup tie against each other on grass in Mildura.

The chief events manager of Tennis Australia Steve Ayles said “The Victorian Murray River town’s world-class courts and scenic location had set it in front of more than a few other bidders for the women’s teams’ tennis occasion on April 25 and 26”.

Winning the tie would qualify Australia for the World Group II next year and remain them in the running to enter the top group in 2011, while a loss would send them back to the Asia/Oceania group next year.

Australia boasts a 3-1 head-to-head record alongside Switzerland, including a 5-0 clean sweep when they last met in 2006. They will be imaginary to make on that record, with the likes of Samantha Stosur, Jelena Dokic and Casey Dellacqua to call on against a Swiss team expected to be headed by Patty Schnyder.

The tie will double as a fundraiser to help rebuild tennis facilities affected by the recent Victorian bushfires.

Mildura has not hosted a Fed Cup tie before, but was the site of Australia’s notorious Davis Cup loss to Zimbabwe in 1998, in which Mark Philippoussis refused to play, but came out to watch.

Battle for the 2009 Davis Cup title

The beginning round of the 2009 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas produced its customary combine of shock consequences, predictable results and marvelous performances over the weekend. In the quarterfinals of July, supremacy champion Spain will host Germany, last year’s runner-up Argentina will tour to Czech Republic, the United States will tour Croatia, and Israel will host of Russia.

France was one of two seeded nations to be distress over the weekend. In Ostrava, experience triumphed over youth as Czech Republic handed the nine-time champion its first beginning round beating in the contest for nine years. Radek Stepanek dominated world No. 8 Gilles Simon 76, 63, and 76 in the fourth rubber, after teaming with Tomas Berdych to conquest in the doubles. It was a disappointing Davis Cup first appearance for Simon, who also misplaced his opening singles match to Berdych on Friday.

Spain toured into the last eight in spite of having to play three matches on Saturday, after high winds left the Benidorm stands insecure on Friday. Unfazed by the delay, the hosts crushed Serbia 4-1, world No. 1 Rafael Nadal defeating world No. 3 Novak Djokovic 64 64 61 in the first reverse singles on Sunday to seal the victory. Having swept past Janko Tipsarevic in straight sets on Saturday, Nadal extended his winning streak in Davis Cup to 12 matches. Spain’s other winning point was provided by David Ferrer, who beat a below-par Djokovic in straight sets on the first day.

The additional seeded nation to descend was seven-time champion Sweden. Its tie with Israel, being played behind closed doors in Malmo with just a handful of audience to witness the drama, was the only one to go to a critical fifth rubber. Thirty-year-old Harel Levy, ranked No. 241 in the world, defeated Andreas Vinciguerra 64 46 64 36 86 in just over three and a half hours to put Israel in the Davis Cup quarterfinals for just the second time. The outcome marked the first time in Sweden’s 84-year Davis Cup history that the nation had lost a tie from 2-1 up, and avenged Israel’s defeat to Sweden in last year’s first round. All four of the singles matches went to five sets, and Dudi Sela was concerned in two of them, most fatefully defeating Thomas Johansson on Sunday to pave the way for Levy’s heroics.

In Alabama, the United States got full benefit of the absence of world No. 2 Roger Federer to beat Switzerland 4-1. Andy Roddick won a significant Davis Cup rubber for the 11th time, defeating Stanislas Wawrinka in straight sets in the first reverse singles. In Garmisch-Partenkirchen, hosts Germany put the loss of the opening match behind them to record a 3-2 victory over Austria, Nicolas Kiefer striking the winning blow against Jurgen Melzer in the fourth rubber, having also won the doubles with Philipp Kohlschreiber. The Germans’ upcoming meeting with Spain is a repeat of last year’s quarterfinal.

Another outstanding performance was showed by Dmitry Tursunov in Romania, the Russian coming back from two-sets-to-love down in the fourth rubber to defeat Victor Hanescu 46 57 63 64 62 and hand Russia a Davis Cup quarterfinal berth for the fifth consecutive year. This came after Tursunov and Marat Safin’s shock five-set defeat to Marius Copil and Horia Tecau in the doubles.

There were two whitewash victories. Argentina, with a different style and having a new look team headed by Juan Ignacio Chela and Juan Monaco in the nonattendance of David Nalbandian, had no difficulty casting aside Netherlands 5-0 in Buenos Aires. Croatia was the 5-0 victor in Porec over a Chilean team playing without the injured Fernando Gonzalez.

The 2009 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas quarterfinals will occur 10-12 July with suggested venues from the host nations owing on 23 March. Austria, Chile, France, Netherlands, Romania, Serbia, Sweden and Switzerland will offer to keep their World Group places for 2010 when they participate in the Play-offs on 18-20 September, dealing with eight nations promoted from Europe/Africa Group I, Asia/Oceania Group I and Americas Group I.

This weekend the ITF welcomed Telefonica as the authorized Telecommunications Sponsor of Davis Cup by BNP Paribas and the ITF. In adding to on-court banners, Telefonica will supply telecommunications proficiency at Davis Cup ties around the world and advice the ITF and its member nations on new ways to expand and develop their internet properties.

Twenty six Davis Cup by BNP Paribas zonal connects also took place over the weekend.