Roddick Could Miss Masters Cup with Injury

Posted on November 6, 2005

Ljubicic, Berdych in Masters Series-Paris Final

Croat Ivan Ljubicic capped his Masters Cup qualification week Saturday at the Masters Series-Paris, taking out an injured Andy Roddick 6-3, 7-5 to advance to the final.

It is Ljubicic's second consecutive Masters Series final appearance after losing to Rafael Nadal in Madrid after leading two sets to none. It is the eighth final of the year for the Croat, who has won two titles.

"I am tired, I am very tired," Ljubicic said after defeating Roddick. "But the motivation is too big to stop now. There are a lot of nice experiences waiting for me, the Masters Cup and the Davis Cup final. This is what we are practicing for, this is what we are doing all our lives to get to this point to play Masters Cup and Davis Cup. So I cannot complain that I am tired."

In the final Ljubicic will face unseeded Tomas Berdych, who denied No. 8 seed Radek Stepanek a shot at his first title 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.

"The feeling is great," Berdych said. "One of the best feelings I ever had in the tennis because I'm first time in the final of really, really big tournament. So I'm very happy to be here in the final. It was very tough to play with Radek because I know him well. We practice quite a lot."

Ljubicic has beaten Berdych in both of their career meetings without dropping a set.

The doubles final will be a blockbuster meeting of former year-end No. 1s in (2) Bryan/Bryan (d. (3) Black/Ullyett in the semifinal) versus (4) Knowles/Nestor (d. Hrbaty/Johansson in three).

The Bryans will attempt to win five titles in a season for the fourth consecutive year.

Mauresmo, Dementieva in WTA Philadelphia Final

No. 3 Amelie Mauresmo stopped the 18-match winning streak of No. 7 seed Nicole Vaidisova Saturday in the semifinals at the WTA stop in Philadelphia, defeating the gangly Czech 7-5, 7-5 to advance into the final.

In the championship match Mauresmo will face No. 4 seed Elena Dementieva, who received a walkover against No. 6 seed Nadia Petrova who suffered from a heel bruise.

"I am very disappointed I can't play," Petrova said. "I was looking forward to my semifinal match."

Mauresmo has won six of her 10 career meetings with Dementieva.

Frazier, First-Timer Arvidsson in WTA Quebec City Final

No. 6-seeded American Amy Frazier toppled top seed Nathalie Dechy 6-4, 7-5 Saturday at the WTA stop in Quebeck City, advancing to the final against No. 8-seeded Swede Sofia Arvidsson.

"Nathalie did not play near her best," Frazier said.

Arvidsson ousted No. 3 seed Marion Bartoli who retired in the second set with dizziness.

Bartoli dropped to 0-6 in career semifinals. It is the first career final for Arvidsson.

It will be the first career meeting between Frazier and Arvidsson.

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TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
Andy Roddick on the back injury he sustained in Paris possibly keeping him out of the Masters Cup: "I don't know. I hope not but, obviously, I'm not as optimistic as I was two days ago. I'll go back, we'll treat it and if I feel like I can go, I'll go. If not, then I won't. It felt okay walking around earlier in the day but as soon as I started moving, it just really stiffened up and made it tough to move and hit my shots. It's low back, it's just tight. The doctor used a bunch of medical terms I'm not intelligent enough to understand. We're going to evaluate it again here and when I get home."...Ivan Ljubicic on facing Tomas Berdych, who he is 2-0 against, in the MS-Paris final: "I always won pretty comfortably. But he's a dangerous player, there's no question."...Mark Philippoussis will appear on Fuel TV in the for-charity "Boost Mobile Pro of Surf" celebrity championships on Monday at 10:30 p.m.