Roddick No Riddle for Federer in Canada Final

Posted on August 2, 2004

World No. 1 Roger Federer, who said he was "exhausted" after his Saturday semifinal win, showed that even a tired Swiss is enough to handle No. 2 Andy Roddick, beating the American 7-5, 6-3 Sunday to extend their anemic rivalry to seven wins in eight meetings for Federer.

It was the eighth title of the year for Federer, his third Masters Series title of 2004, extending his win-loss streak to 23 matches in a row.

"Andy, I'm sorry you didn't win another final," said Federer in his acceptance speech. "But in the future I'm sure we'll play many, many more great matches and you'll get your fair share of them."

If Sunday's match was any indication, don't count on it.

Federer went into the final already spent, with title runs in his last three events at Halle, Wimbledon, and Gstaad. Thursday he won two matches in one day due to rain, then Saturday played a long three-set semifinal against the human backboard Thomas Johansson. In the end it was Roddick looking a bit spent during the final after long service games due to the outstanding Federer return, and some long points on the slow hardcourts.

The MS-Canada makes for an amazing four titles on three different surfaces in Federer's last four events, and, barring any year-ending injury, an insurmountable lead at No. 1 on the ATP Rankings for 2004.

"I'd like to congratulate Roger," Roddick said in his runner-up speech. "You're certainly becoming very annoying...I thought I played the big points pretty well. He just made great shots...He just came up with the goods, he's just so confident right now."

In the doubles final, the legendary Indian duo of Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes, the oft-arguing pair who have briefly reunited to practice to represent India at the upcoming Athens Olympics, dismissed Jonas Bjorkman and Max "The Beast" Mirnyi 6-4, 6-2.

It was the first time the Indian duo had played a non-Davis Cup event together since 2002. In 1999, Bhupathi and Paes became the only team in the Open Era to reach all four slam finals in the same year.

WTA REVIEW/PREVIEWS
In the absence of the Belgians and the injured Williams sisters, Lindsay Davenport is cleaning up on the WTA Tour.

The former No. 1 will move up to a projected No. 2 in the rankings after winning her third title in three weeks Sunday at San Diego, pasting Russian Anastasia Myskina 6-1, 6-1.

Davenport mopped the hardcourt with the Russian, who appeared fatigued after winning a long three-setter the previous night in her semifinal against countrywoman Vera "Warren" Zvonareva.

"It has just been a phenomenal summer so far," said Davenport after collecting her fifth title on the year. "I'm just so grateful I've been able to play and stay healthy. I've just really enjoyed it and hope I can keep it going for another few weeks through the US Open."

It was the second time in her career that Davenport has won the Cali triple of Stanford, LA, and San Diego after first sweeping the California threesome in 1998.

In the doubles final, the duo of Cara Black-Renee Stubbs won their fourth title of the year with a 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 win over four-time 2004 title winners Virginia Ruano Pascual-Paola Suarez.

Tennis-X Preview: ATP Masters Series-Cincinnati

The top players on the ATP gather this week at the Masters Series-Cincinnati in an attempt to stop a reoccurrence of the "Roger & Andy Show," with world No. 1 Roger Federer and No. 2 Andy Roddick dominating the headlines after appearing in the last two major-event finals at Wimbledon and the Masters Series-Canada.

Last Sunday Federer made it seven wins in eight meetings against Roddick at Toronto, but another meeting this week in Cincinnati is unlikely due to fatigue on the part of both players, and tough openers with Federer facing Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty, and Roddick against Max "The Beast" Mirnyi.

Tired though he may be, and with a tweaked back last week in Toronto, Roddick will feel under pressure rankings-wise to match his incredible 27-1 run from 2003 during the U.S. hardcourt stretch.

Here is a look at the breakdown of the four quarters in the 64-man draw in Cincy:

Top Quarter
Seeds: (1)Roger "Club Fed" Federer, (7)Juan Carlos "The Mosquito" Ferrero, (9)Gaston Gaudio, (13)Nicolas Massu
Floaters: Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty, Irakli "Freak Show" Labadze, Mikhail Youzhny, Thomas Enqvist, Taylor Dent, Arnaud Clement, (Q)Greg Rusedski

Besides a tough opener again three-time 2004 winner The Dominator (the Slovak won their only career meeting back in 2000), a real nice quarter for Federer with dirtballers (9)Gaudio and (13)Massu who aren't scaring anyone on hardcourt, and (7)The Mosquito who may be forced to pull out with injury as he did at the MS-Canada last week. Other tough openers are (13)Massu vs. Youzhny, (9)Gaudio vs. (WC)Jan-Mike Gambill (would be a big win for the confidence-less American), and (7)The Mosquito vs. Clement. If Federer gets through his opener he will face the winner of Robby Ginepri-Fabrice "The Wizard" Santoro.

Second Quarter
Seeds: (3)Guillermo "El Fragile" Coria, (5)Tim Henman, (10)Lleyton Hewitt, (14)Marat Safin
Floaters: Feliciano "F-Lo" Lopez, Jurgen "Tuna" Melzer, Gustavo "Guga" Kuerten, Vincenzo "Rollin' in the Benzo" Spadea

The toughest quarter of the draw (but not by far, wait until you get a look at the solid third quarter) contains three former No. 1s, two of which are former US Open winners. Throw in Henman and a couple of dangerous floaters, and emerging out of this section into the semis will be brutal. First-rounders to take note of are (3)El Fragile vs. F-Lo (Coria hampered by a shoulder injury), (14)Safin vs. Novak (Novak can't hit out of a paper bag as of late, but the career head-to-head is tied 1-1), a potential (10)Hewitt vs. Guga second round, and (5)Henman vs. the back-from-injury Younes El Aynaoui. This section is set up for (14)Safin, who could face a juicy QF against either (5)Henman or (10)Hewitt, who would face-off in the third round.

Third Quarter
Seeds: (4)Carlos "The Gun Show" Moya, (17)Juan Ignacio Chela, (11)Andre Agassi, (16)Andre Pavel
Floaters: Rafael "The Prodigy" Nadal, Fernando "Gonzo" Gonzalez, Thomas Johansson, Mardy Fish

Another section players didn't want to find themselves in, with two former No. 1s (Agassi, Moya), last year's US Open semifinalist who was up 2-0 sets up on the winner (Nalbandian), a former Masters Series hardcourt winner (Pavel), and some nasty floaters (Prodigy, Tommy the J., Fish). That is, until Nalbandian pulled with injury Sunday, replaced by (17)Chela. The show-stopper in the first round is (11)Agassi vs. Fish (The Fish won their only previous meeting earlier this year at San Jose), with Agassi upset last week by Jurgen "Tuna" Melzer. The 2002 champ Moya, who has been en fuego this year and looks injury-free, faces a qualifier in his opener and has a nice road to the quarters. Moya was upset last week at the MS-Canada by Nicolas Kiefer.

Bottom Quarter
Seeds: (2)Andy Roddick, (8)Rainer "Shine" Schuettler, (12)Sebastien "The Skateboard Kid" Grosjean, (15)Paradorn "The Thai Fighter" Srichaphan
Floaters: Tommy Haas, Robin Soderling, Joachim "The Jackhammer" Johansson, Nicolas Kiefer, Max "The Beast" Mirnyi

Not an overall brutal quarter, but a very difficult road for the No. 2-seeded Roddick, already coming off the mental, if not physical exertion of a title at Indy and a loss to Federer in the MS-Canada final. A-Rod opens against The Beast, who he beat twice in 2003, both on hardcourt and both tight affairs. The match will be a preview of the upcoming U.S. vs. Belarus Davis Cup semis, which will also be played on hardcourts. From there the No. 2 seed's draw doesn't get any easier, facing the winner of Kiefer-The Jackhammer, then a likely third round match-up with either (15)The Thai Fighter or Sjeng Schalken. Other tough openers in the bottom quarter are (8)Schuettler vs. (WC)Haas in an all-German (Schuettler has won all four meetings, two in three sets), and (15)Grosjean against the Swedish comer Soderling in a first-time meeting.

Returning champs in this year's MS-Cincinnati field are Roddick (2003), Moya (2002), Kuerten (2001), Enqvist (2000), and the two-time champ Agassi (1996-95).

On court Monday in Cincy are (9)Gaudio vs. (WC)Gambill, (8)Schuettler vs. (WC)Haas, Fish vs. (11)Agassi, (10)Hewitt vs. (WC)Bogomolov Jr., (Q)Lu vs. Kuerten, Chela vs. Nadal, (Q)Parmar vs. (4)Moya, Enqvist vs. (Q)Rusedski, Novak vs. (14)Safin, Gonzalez vs. (Q)Tursunov, (15)Srichaphan vs. Ferrer, (Q)D.Norman vs. Schalken, (Q)Moodie vs. (Q)Karlovic, Malisse vs. Ljubicic, (16)Pavel vs. (LL)Arthurs, and Sargsian vs. (Q)Kratochvil.

Players Miss the Boat at WTA Tier I Montreal Event
Lots of problems at the WTA Tier I event in Montreal this week: No Belgians (both injured), Serena pulls Sunday with injury, Top 10-ers Lindsay Davenport, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Venus Williams take a pass, and Maria Sharapova is begged by the WTA to take a wildcard at the last moment. This is the WTA's top level event?

The Coupe Rogers (that's tough when no one knows what your tournament sponsor title means) in Montreal is not looking all that elite. Perhaps the WTA will be dishing out some heavy fines for Top 10 players skipping their top tier of events? Perhaps not. On the WTA Tour these days, all you need to do is mutter the magic words "rest and recovery" and you're golden for skipping any event you want. Not the exact recipe for serving us a tasty non-slam dish and setting up your events as ones that really count in the eyes of the tennis public.

Serena lashed out in the media on Friday when it looked like the WTA would try to force her to play Montreal.

"I think the WTA would hate if I answered honestly," Serena said, alluding to being fined by the WTA. "It's hard because you got these things going on and if you don't play, then things can happen. It's almost as if people don't care that you're really hurt or not. Everything is about making the dollar. I'm trying to make a dollar. That's what it's all about these days."

On Sunday Serena showed the doctor's note to WTA officials.

"Following my MRI on Saturday in LA and on the advice of my doctors and physical therapists, I have made the difficult decision to give my knee more time to fully recover," Serena said in a statement released by the WTA. "I don't want to risk further aggravating this injury so I am going to rest my knee and undergo standard therapy for it this week in the hopes that I will be ready for the rest of my scheduled play including the Olympics and the US
Open."

Of the Top 16 seeds in Montreal, the Top 8 are Serena Williams (to be replaced by a lucky loser), Amelie Mauresmo, Anastasia Myskina, Elena Dementieva, Jennifer Capriati, Maria Sharapova, Ai Sugiyama, and Nadia Petrova. The Top 8 seeds receive opening-round byes in poor WTA fashion, leaving only a couple opening-round matches of interest in (9)Paola Suarez vs. last year's runner-up Lina Krasnoroutskaya of Russian, and a possible second-rounder in (6)Sharapova vs. Mary Pierce.

Look for potential quarterfinal match-ups of NOT SERENA vs. (5)Capriati, (3)Myskina vs. (8)Petrova, (4)Dementieva vs. (6)Sharapova, and (2)Mauresmo vs. (7)Sugiyama/(12)Karolina "The Spreminator" Sprem.

Mauresmo (2002) is the lone former champ in the draw. In last year's final the No. 2-seeded Justine Henin-Hardenne blistered unseeded Russian Lina Krasnoroutskaya 6-1, 6-0.

Preview: WTA Stockholm
Why is the WTA running little crap events during the same week as their top Tier I series? Apparently the WTA doesn't realize you don't run crap events to take the spotlight off your top events in the same week? Need to take a tip from the ATP Masters Series events -- you don't see an Umag or a Nottingham during the week of an MS event. Nonetheless, in addition to Montreal, the WTA rolls out the Tier IV Stockholm event this week, the Nordea Nordic Light Open. There you go, we even threw the sponsor some free pub. The most-unimpressive seeded line-up consists of Anna Smashnova Pistolesi, Silvia Farina Elia, Alicia Molik, Iveta Benesova, Klara "Kouky" Koukalova, Denisa "Hanging" Chladkova, Flavia "Of the Day" Pennetta, and Katarina Srebotnik. In last year's final the No. 2-seeded Smashnova-Pistolesi beat Croatia's Jelena Kostanic 6-0 in the third set.

On court Monday in Stockholm are Koukalova vs. Beltrame, Nagyova vs. Pennetta, Svensson vs. Santangelo, and Vakulenko vs. Srebotnik.

NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
Roger Federer is the first player since Bjorn Borg in 1979 to win consecutive titles on three different surfaces...Federer has also won 23 straight matches and 31 of of his last 32 (only losing to Kuerten at the French). Plus he's won 10 straight tour finals...You could see the reason ESPN couldn't show the Masters Series-Canada live when you looked at the ESPN programming guide and saw the need to broadcast the tape of the 2003 World's Strongest Man Competition from Lukasa, Zambia in that 2 p.m. (EST) time slot. Then three hours later they put on the tape of the MS-Canada final, the fan "dream final" between world No. 1 Roger Federer and No. 2 Andy Roddick. Looking good ESPN, looking real good...Actually, ESPN may have been hard-pressed to show the match live at 2pm on ESPN2 when the main network was obligated to show the San Diego final live at 3pm. That could have resulted in two live matches at the same time which gets a bit dicey. Ideally, the San Diego final should have been scheduled for 5pm (2pm locally on the West Coast) instead of 3pm. This way, ESPN2 could have come on live with Federer-Roddick at 2pm, then at 5pm ESPN shows the San Diego final. But that's the breaks...Top finishers in the "What should former No. 1 Marcelo Rios do now that he's retired?" poll were: Who cares? (28%), Open a hair salon (15%), and play doubles with Martina Navratilova (13%)...The Florida Sun-Sentinel's Charlie "Brick" Bricker interviewing and writing on ATP CEO Mark Miles, who has his contract up in 2005: "'My intention is to decide at the end of this year whether I want to extend that contract, and I'm thinking about that now,' Miles said. 'My inclination is that 15 years is enough. Fifteen years is a long time, and a new perspective is probably healthy.' Let there be no mistaking what's on his mind: retirement from the men's tour, which he has guided, often brilliantly but sometimes haltingly, the past 15 years. I would be astonished if Miles' successor is American. If it is a European, there's a good chance the international headquarters of the ATP Tour will move from Ponte Vedra to Monte Carlo. 'Time will tell,' said Miles as we discussed uprooting the Florida home of the tour. 'Part of the discussions I'll have with the board will be about issues like that and what our goals are and how we should achieve them.'"...When Venus Williams retired in her semifinal a week ago in Los Angeles against Lindsay Davenport, it was the fifth time since 2002 that she has quit a match or given a walkover (thanks Brick)...Also attributed to, as Pat Mac would awkwardly shout out, "The Bricker!": "Evidence of the how badly the women's tour has been hurt by injury and illness this year: Only two of the Top 10 women have played as many as 20 tournaments in the past 52 weeks (No. 6 Elena Dementieva and No. 9 Svetlana Kuznetsova). Most women play 22 to 24 weeks in any given 52-week period...Today is like props-to-Charlie Bricker day, the man is PRODUCING, give it up...Luke Jensen says he and brother Murphy are considering a doubles comeback next year if both are healthy: "Murphy and I have always wanted to play for 52 straight weeks to see what it's like," the 38-year-old Luke told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "But to play doubles only, you have to be highly ranked or it's tough to break through or make a comeback. We're going to think about it this fall. I'm always saying to Murphy, 'How are we going to pay the bills?'"...Did Roger Federer dye his hair black?...Was that an "F-Bomb" Andy Roddick muttered to Roger Federer during the hand shake at the net after the match?...ESPN commentator and U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe during the pre-match chatter on ESPN's broadcast of the MS-Canada final: "I think Andy Roddick wins this match because he wants it more..." That prediction was a fitting encapsulation of an entire week of Andy-jacking by P-Mac. A fine announcer, but perhaps ESPN should initiate a rule about not letting Davis Cup captains commentate of matches involving their players? Did they have to keep a towel under P-Mac's mike to catch the salivation all week?...David Nalbandian pulled from the MS-Cincinnati late Sunday with injury.