Federer Unstoppable with Doha Title; Henin-Hardenne Out with Knee Injury

"My serve wasn't helping me at all today and then it's really tough," Ljubicic said. "He is a tricky player, obviously he is the best in the world. He knows how to deal with the different situations on court."

In the doubles final unseeded Spaniards Al Costa and Rafael "The Prodigy" Nadal outlasted fellow un-seeds Andrei Pavel and Mikhail Youzhny 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

Dent, Johansson Through to ATP Adelaide Final

American serve-and-volleyer Taylor Dent rolled into the final at the ATP stop in Adelaide, capitalizing on his earlier defeat of top-seeded Lleyton Hewitt with a 6-1, 6-1 dissection of No. 4 seed Juan Ignacio Chela in under 50 minutes.

"I came out smoking hot and got 5-love from the get-go and I was telling myself don't get ahead of yourself
because there is still a long way to go," Dent said. "I was happy that it went my way but I wasn't expecting the same thing in the second set. A one-and-one win is a huge confidence booster...It's great to come down here and play well in Australia because it has been one of my childhood dreams after all the stories my dad (former player Phil Dent) has told me."

In the final Dent will face another of the biggest serves (and forehands) on tour in Joachim "The Jackhammer" Johansson, who threw down 16 aces in downing pesky baseliner Olivier "The Roach" Rochus 6-1, 7-6(5).

"I've never played him before although we have practiced a fair bit," said Johansson of Dent. "I know he has a huge serve and he is playing so well and he doesn't play like a lot of the other guys so hopefully I can figure out something.?

Johansson is competing in only his second final after winning Memphis in 2004. Dent is seeking his fifth career title. The final will be the first meeting between Dent and The Jackhammer.

The doubles final will be No. 3-seeded Belgian waffles Xavier "X-Man" Malisse and The Roach vs. Simon Aspelin/Todd Perry.

Moya, Srichaphan in Repeat of 2004 ATP Chennai Final

Top-seeded Carlos Moya barely edged Spanish countryman Guillermo "G-Lo" Garcia-Lopez 6-4 2-6 7-6(2), and Paradorn "The Thai Fighter" Srichaphan defeated Tomas Zib 7-6(5), 6-3 to set up a repeat of last year's final at the Chennai Open.

G-Lo, a practice partner for Moya, unleashed a giant forehand on the former No. 1 who struggled to find his form.

"He plays very well, hits the ball really hard," Moya said. "I was able to give out the best in the most important moments, especially in the tiebreak and which is what made me win, I think."

It is the fourth consecutive final for Srichaphan in Chennai. The last players to reach a final four times in a row were Andy Roddick on clay in Houston (2001-2004) and Yevgeny Kafelnikov in Moscow (1997-2001).

"I was really happy to make it in the first set," Srichaphan said. "He was returning just so well. His backhand down the line was really killing."

Moya leads Srichaphan 2-0 in their career meetings, last year edging the Thai 7-6 in the third in the final.

The doubles final will be top-seeded Mahesh Bhupathi-Jonas Bjorkman vs. unseeded Yen-Hsun Lu/Rainer "Shine" Schuettler.

Srebotnik Beats Two Opponents and Injury for WTA Auckland Title

Unseeded Katarina "Robotnik" Srebotnik of Slovenia overcame two opponents in a day and a thigh injury Saturday at the WTA stop in Auckand, defeating Marion Bartoli in a three-set semifinal, and coming from a set down to edge Shinobu Asagoe in the 5-7, 7-5, 6-4 final.

In the final Srebotnik trailed 5-7, 0-4 before receiving a medical time-out for treatment for the thigh, playing through the pain to storm back for the win.

"Miracles happen, right?" Srebotnik said. "That's why I want to thank the WTA trainers. I think they've done a miracle right here."

Asagoe beat top-seeded American Amy "Down Goes" Frazier in straight sets in her semifinal earlier in the day.

It was Srebotnik's first title since 2002 Acapulco, and the third of her career.

In the doubles final the top-seeded Asagoe and Srebotnik teamed to subdue the wildcard team of Baker/Lubiani 6-3, 6-3.

Stosur Runs Out of Gas Against Schnyder in WTA Gold Coast Final

Unseeded Aussie Sam Stosur came within two points of her first title Saturday at the WTA stop in Gold Coast, but was edged by No. 2 seed Patty "Handshake" Schnyder who in the end used her stylish baseline arsenal to thwart the homecountry favorite 1-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Stosur's effective all-court game caught the Swiss off guard in the opening set, but took its toll as the Aussie admitted she was spent by the third set. The final was Stosur's third consecutive three-set match.

"My legs ran out -- I felt as if I was going to collapse," Stosur said. "It was the worst time possible for me to lose a service game from 40-0, like I did at 5-all (third set)."

It was the second Gold Coast title for Schnyder after 1999, and her first title since 2002.

"She's a real great player," Schnyder said. "She doesn't play this way in the U.S. or Europe yet, but she has a lot of power and she can be around (a ranking of) 30 for sure, or even higher if she can maintain her level."

In the doubles final the No. 2-seeded Russian/Bulgarian tandem of Likhovtseva/Maleeva outlasted Italians Camerin/Farina Elia 6-3, 5-7, 6-1.

X-NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
Exo round-up: Perennial slam runner-up Elena Dementieva spanked Venus Williams in the final of the Hong Kong exhibition, while Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty and Daniela Hantuchova won the Hopman Cup for the Slovak Republic over Argentina...More from Justine Henin-Hardenne on the knee injury forcing her out of Sydney and the Aussie Open: "I can't remember how it happened but I was just running. I went for an MRI scan straight away and it confirmed the problem. I sort of went for a return and just felt the pain. I won't be going to Melbourne Park because I don't want to play the Australian Open to defend my title at only 50 percent. I started practicing in Florida in November and two weeks ago I felt a problem with my right knee. I didn't think it was serious and thought it was normal after not playing for two months. But I still felt confident I could play in Australia. I know the injury would get more serious and be worse if I play and I don't want to be out for the next six months. I have to be careful right now but there is no surgery for me. I was just so happy to be back on the court after such a difficult last year. I was working so hard and it was just bad luck. Something like this can happen to anyone."...31-year-old Aussie Nicole Pratt told the Herald Sun she will try and play through her injury this week at Canberra and compete at the Aussie Open: "There is still a bit of pain there, but it is very manageable. It is important to play as many matches as possible before the Australian Open. There was a bit of fluid and some swelling in the knee, but it's better after a few days."...Hopman Cup director Paul McNamee wants Swiss champs Roger Federer and Martina Hingis in next year's event: "Obviously Roger is the No.1 player in the world and he won his first tournament here, so he's got fond memories of Hopman," McNamee said. "I think the other curve ball is Martina Hingis is back playing a tournament soon. Wouldn't it be amazing if she does come back into the competitive side of the sport? We can put a watch on that." Club Fed and Hingis won the exhibition in 2001...From the Sydney Morning Herald on Lleyton Hewitt having a reputation as such a dick: "Staff on the WTA Tour, who got used to Hewitt travelling on the women's circuit to watch his then-fiancee Kim Clijsters, describe him as far more polite and unassuming than many less-famous hangers-on. In the days when they were still an item he could frequently be seen waiting dutifully for Clijsters, arranging transport or chatting to female players and coaches and doing his best to quietly blend in. Hewitt's colleagues in the men's locker room don't just respect his talent and tenacity, they actually rather like him. Foreign journalists lucky enough to snatch five minutes in a rare one-on-one interview report that he is eloquent and knowledgeable about the game he loves and respectful to fellow sportsmen and their achievements. "I've listened to him in interviews and I think he speaks very, very well," says Tim Henman, one of Hewitt's many mates on the tour..."A lot of players ask why he's got such a bad image and a bad rapport with the media. It's unfortunate because he really isn't a bad guy. I'm sure he's partially to blame but I just wonder whether he's had bad advice or what, because I just don't think that's necessarily him. I've got nothing but good things to say about him.""...Has Ashley "Anna 2.0" Harkleroad retired after getting married to Alex Bogomolov, Jr.? Inquiring minds want to know...Lleyton Hewitt says that coach Roger Rasheed is not the former-player wash-out stand-in that people say he is: "It was obviously tough at the start when people wanted to hop on and stick a few knives into his back and it's been fantastic to see us bounce back well over the last year and a half and just keep the knockers down for a while. I've really enjoyed every minute I've spent with Roger. I love his company. He's a great guy, a great guy to have around and he's really been a pleasure to work with. He's worked harder than any other coach that I've ever trained with and I can just see it in his eyes -- every time I go out there to play how much he wants me to do well out there and just succeed. I think quite often we both have the same ideas going through our minds when we're out there. You don't have to talk about. When it comes to shot selection that we've spoken about off the court so many times, he knows what I'm thinking quite often when I'm out there on the court. We have a great relationship. We speak a lot off the court about what I'm feeling on the court and it's really paid off well." Sounds like true love.