Venus Joins Serena, Lindsay on Sidelines; Bryans Win, Rip ATP
Posted on August 8, 2005
Roddick Rolls Blake for 4th 2005 Title at ATP WashingtonAndy Roddick continued his power serving exhibition Sunday in the final at the ATP stop in Washington, throwing 18 aces past fellow American James Blake in a 7-5, 6-3 win for his fourth tournament title on the year.
The win signaled a much-needed resurgence for American tennis, with Roddick winning the third title for an American for the third consecutive week after Robby Ginepri's win in Indianapolis and Andre Agassi's victory in Los Angeles. It was the first time since 1998 that three different Americans have won consecutive ATP titles.
"James was patient today. He usually tries to fire instead of using his speed," Roddick said. "Today he made me earn my points. We both know that once you get between the lines you have to put your friendship on the backburner."
Roddick improved his career mark against Blake to 6-0, displaying a confident swagger throughout the match, and frequently yelling at himself to maintain his focus.
"Andy plays at a different level than the other guys I played this week but I know it's not impossible to beat him," Blake said. "I was going for too much (on my serve) because I didn't want him to get my second serves and sometimes that backfires."
Roddick tossed in an amazing 78 percent of his first serves in the second set, where he knocked out eight aces and fought off a break point in the final game.
For Blake it was his first final in approximately two years, returning to form after, in the last 17 months, suffering a neck injury after sliding head-first into a net post, contracting an illness that left part of his face paralyzed and blurred his vision, and pulling a groin muscle, among other injuries.
"I needed to show everyone else that I'm confident and show everyone what I'm made of," Blake said. "I feel like I've been back in the game for a while."
In the doubles final, top seeds Bob and Mike Bryan won their third title of the year, defeating No. 2 seeds Wayne Black and Kevin Ullyett of Zimbabwe 6-4, 6-2.
Monfils Claims Virgin Title at ATP Sopot
In the all-unseeded Sunday final at the ATP claycourt stop in Sopot, French teen Gael Monfils won his first career title with a grinding 7-6(6), 4-6, 7-5 victory over German Florian Mayer.
"I have to stay down to earth, keep working and practicing hard, in order to get ready for the US Open," said Monfils, eyeing the slam where last year he competed as a junior. "I want to win many more titles. Life continues, and I still have to improve a lot of things."
Mayer double-faulted on set point at 6-5 in the opening-set tiebreak, with both players feeling each other's games out early and taking in the atmosphere in their first career finals.
"It's a pity that I made a double fault on the most important point of the match," Mayer said of his first-set choke. "I really played great after Monfils was leading 5-2, and it's disappointing that this double fault happened."
The 18-year-old Monfils is the third teenager to win a title in 2005 after Rafael Nadal and Richard Gasquet. Monfils is also the sixth player to win his first career title in 2005 after Xavier Malisse (Delray Beach), Wayne Arthurs (Scottsdale), Igor Andreev (Valencia), Gasquet (Nottingham) and Mario Ancic (s'Hertogenbosch).
In the doubles final, the No. 4-seeded Polish tandem of Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski defeated the No. 3-seeded Argentine pair of Lucas Arnold and Sebastian Prieto 7-6(7), 6-4 for their first title of the year.
Pierce Pounds Sugiyama for 1st 2005 Title at WTA San Diego
Mary Pierce closed on regaining her Top 10 status Sunday at the WTA sop in San Diego, pounding unseeded Ai Sugiyama of Japan 6-0, 6-3 for her first title of the year.
WTA officials say the Frenchwoman will rise to No. 11 Monday on the WTA Rankings, her highest ranking since April 2001.
"It's been over a year since I won a tournament," Pierce said. "I still had a lot of good tennis left in me and that's what keeps me motivated. It puts the word out that I've won a hardcourt title here in the U.S. Hopefully, I can keep it going."
Sugiyama lost the battle of 30-year-olds decisively, watching a seemingly-endless spray of winners from this year's French Open runner-up.
"She just played so great, so aggressively every point and it was tough because she was all over every ball," Sugiyama said.
In the doubles final, No. 3-seeded Spaniards Conchita Martinez and Virginia Ruano Pascual came back from a set down to defeat No. 5 seeds Daniela Hantuchova and Sugiyama 6-7(7), 6-1, 7-5 for their second title of the year.
Nadal, Hewitt, Roddick Head ATP Masters Series-Canada Field
With Roger Federer in the final phase of resting an injured foot, Marat Safin recovering from knee surgery and Argentine Guillermo Canas sitting out while the ATP investigates him for doping, the Roger Cup in Montreal, otherwise known as the Masters Series-Canada, kicks off Monday with seven of the Top 10 players in the world, including last year's runner-up Andy Roddick.
In last year's final Federer capped a four-straight tournament win streak, beating Roddick 7-5, 6-3 to follow up consecutive wins at Halle, Wimbledon, and Gstaad. The Swiss became the first player since Bjorn Borg in 1979 to win three consecutive titles on three different surfaces.
Federer's absence gives Roddick, who won the Washington title last week, another chance to collect some pre-US Open mojo before the Swiss returns to the ATP tour next week at the Masters Series-Cincinnati.
Roddick is the No. 3 seed in Montreal behind French Open champ Rafael Nadal and former No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, joined among the Top 8 seeds by L.A. champ Andre Agassi, Russian Nikolay Davydenko, and Argentines Gaston Gaudio, Guillermo Coria and Mariano Puerta.
For Nadal, Montreal is an opportunity to gain valuable points to contend with Federer for the year-end No. 1 ranking.
Stand-outs among the bottom eight seeds are struggling Brit Tim Henman and French wunderkind Richard Gasquet.
The top quarter of the draw is dirt-like with (1) Nadal vs. countryman and former No. 1 Carlos Moya in his opener, and (15) Gasquet potentially waiting in the third round. The Argentine (8) Puerta is the next-highest seed behind Nadal.
Other openers of interest in the top quarter are Paradorn Srichaphan vs. Sebastien Grosjean in a meeting of former tour forces, (15) Gasquet vs. Mikhail Youzhny, (12) Thomas Johansson vs. "Dr." Ivo Karlovic, and Belgian Xavier "X-Man" Malisse vs. Canadian wildcard Frank "You Can" Dancevic.
Roddick and Davydenko head the second quarter, with the American opening against the last man to gain direct entry into the main draw, French choker extraordinaire Paul-Henri Mathieu. Roddick has been granted the easiest road to the semifinals, and will be smashing Babolats if he is not alive on Friday.
Agassi and Gaudio head the third quarter, with Agassi taking on Spaniard Al Martin and Gaudio opening against a qualifier. Moroccan Younes El Aynaoui attempts another comeback from his chronic foot injury, facing Spain's Feliciano "F-Lo" Lopez. Other openers of note are (13) Ivan Ljubicic vs. Taylor Dent, and Vince Spadea facing a qualifier to possibly match-up against Agassi in the second round.
Lleyton Hewitt and Guillermo Coria head the bottom quarter, with Hewitt opening against a qualifier, and Coria in his opener in what would otherwise be a claycourt final elsewhere on tour against former No. 1 and Roland Garros champ Juan Carlos Ferrero. Brit (10) Tim Henman will have a tester right off the bat against Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty in his opener, with (16) Fernando "Gonzo" Gonzalez in a slugfest with Max "The Beast" Mirnyi. Hewitt will also have to navigate a difficult draw, with potentials Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic in the second round, then (16) Gonzo, The Beast, or "Grinning" Greg Rusedski in the third round.
Potential quarterfinal match-ups include (1) Nadal vs. (8) Puerta in a French Open rematch, (3) Roddick vs. (9) Nalbandian, (4) Agassi vs. (6) Gaudio, and (2) Hewitt vs. (7) Coria, Ferrero, (10) Henman or Hrbaty.
Returning champions in the field are Roddick (2003), Andrei Pavel (2001), Thomas Johansson (1999), and the three-time champ Agassi (1995-94,'92).
On court Monday in Montreal are Youzhny vs. (15) Gasquet, The Dominator vs. (10) Henman, (9) Nalbandian vs. Chela in an all-Argentine, A.Martin vs. (4) Agassi, (WC) Niemeyer vs. (5) Davydenko, Ricardo Mello "Yello" vs. (WC) Bester, (Q) K.Kim vs. (11) Robredo, (16) Gonzo vs. The Beast, (Q) Wawrinka vs. Rusedski, Luis "Me So" Horna vs. (8) Puerta, Saulnier vs. Baby Goran, (Q) Okun vs. Beck, Christophe "The Roach" Rochus vs. Pavel, Olivier "The Roach Too" Rochus vs. (Q) Mahut, (Q) Bjorkman vs. Spadea, and (6) Gaudio vs. (Q) Sanguinetti.
Russians Dominate Seedings at WTA Carson/L.A.
With world No. 1 Lindsay Davenport (back) and Serena Williams (ankle) pulling out for the second consecutive week of play on the WTA Tour, the JPMorgan Chase Open in Carson/L.A. this week resembles another Moscow Open, with Russians filling six of the Top 8 seeded spots, and eight of the total 16.
Maria Sharapova heads the field, with the former Wimbledon winner just a projected two or three (why can't the WTA figure out their own rankings?) wins away for eclipsing Davenport as the No. 1 player in the world for the first time.
Other seeds among the elite eight are Svetlana Kuznetsova, Elena Dementieva, Nadia Petrova, Kim Clijsters, Mary Pierce, Elena Likhovtseva and Marion Bartoli.
Vera Zvonareva, Chanda Rubin and Akiko Morigami withdrew Sunday with injuries.
The Top 8 seeds receive opening-round byes, but a few early-round meetings of interest await in (1) Sharapova vs. countrywoman Maria Kirilenko in the second round, India's darling Sania Mirza vs. Czech Iveta Benesova (winner to face (16) Anna Chakvetadze), Japan's (11) Shinobu Asagoe vs. China's Jie Zheng, (5) Clijsters vs. Karolina "The Spreminator" Sprem in the second round, and (9) Daniela Hantuchova vs. San Diego semifinalist Shuai Peng second round.
Pierce has an easy road to the quarterfinals where she would potentially face Dementieva, with other QF match-ups including Sharapova vs. Hantuchova, Clijsters vs. Petrova, and Kuznetsova vs. Likhovtseva or Peng.
In last year's final, the No. 3-seeded Davenport ousted the top-seeded Serena 6-1, 6-3.
Scheduled for play on Monday are Brandi vs. Safina, Osterloh vs. Raymond, Randriantefy vs. Schiavone, Koukalova vs. Matevzic, Dulko vs. Zuluaga, Fujiwara vs. An.Serra Zanetti, Voskoboeva vs. Lepchenko, Jidkova vs. Stosur, Frazier vs. Spears, Kirilenko vs. Irvin, Haynes vs. Domachowska, Asagoe vs. Zheng, Li vs. Chakvetadze, Camerin vs. Bartoli, and Pennetta vs. Nakamura.
Venus Withdrawal Leaves Myskina in Charge at WTA Stockholm
Venus Williams' withdrawal from Stockholm with the flu over the weekend leaves Russian Anastasia Myskina lording over the sketchy field this week at the Nordea Nordic Light Open, the WTA event in Stockholm.
Joining Myskina among the seeds is the motley crew of fellow Russian Vera Douchevina, Spaniard Anabel "Funky Cold" Medina Garrigues, Slovenia's Katerina Srebotnik, Slovak Martina "Nurse, I Need a" Sucha, Colombia's Catalina Castano, Spanish comer Laura Pous Tio, and the Ukraine's Alyona Bondarenko.
Wildcards for the event went to Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki, and Sweden's Sofia Arvidsson.
In last year's final the No. 3-seeded Alicia Molik, currently sitting out while recovering from an inner-ear infection, stomped unseeded Ukrainian Tatiana Perebiynis 6-1, 6-1.
On tap for Monday in Stockholm are Srebotnik vs. Chladkova, Pous Tio vs. Loit, Pastikova vs. Medina Garrigues, Cervanova vs. Bychkova, Cohen-Aloro vs. Pin, and Santangelo vs. Kleinova.
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TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
How about ESPN actually confronting some topical news during their U.S. broadcast of the ATP Washington final on Sunday, getting sideline skulker Brad "Can I Borrow Someone's Blazer?" Gilbert to interview the title-winning Bryan brothers on the doubles scoring controversy, with the twins proceeding to rip the ATP for their planned change to the doubles scoring after the US Open. "Yeah, they're (ATP) trying to eliminate the doubles players," said the brothers of the ATP's plans for the scoring changes, and an eventual change to the rankings a couple years down the road which will eliminate all but the top-level of doubles specialists from entering tournaments. Since ATP CEO Mark Miles stepped down and Etienne de Villiers was named the new ATP Chairman in search of a new CEO, the ATP, which is normally lightning-fast about going into spin mode to put out public relation fires, have been oddly silent while the Bryan brothers and the media rip the scoring decision debacle on a weekly basis. Not a good look when you've got one of the high-profile advocates of tennis, the Bryan brothers, holding weekly press junkets to say the guys running the governing body of the sport don't know what they're doing. With the Bryans and some of the other well-known doubles specialists (oxymoron?) running wild in the media, perhaps time for the ATP to cut the headless-chicken routine -- time for someone in Ponte Vedra to reach down in their pants, collect the boys, and initiate some damage control...Pancho Segura likes what he sees in Sania Mirza: "She has a natural way of hitting the ball and she hits it hard. She reminds me of Ilie Nastase. I have never seen so many girls with such good groundstrokes, deep and consistent. My prediction is we're going to have a different crop of players coming on. There once was a gap between the Williams sisters and the others, but now that gap isn't there."...Israel's Dudi "Where's My Car?" Sela has won back-to-back challenger titles...Former player Eyal Ran has been named Israeli Davis Cup captain...Lleyton Hewitt's wedding cost $250,000, according to the Australian press, and the couple made $500,000 for selling the exclusive photography rights for the event...Serena Williams is working on a perfume and cosmetics deal with the Estee Lauder company.