Maria Sharapova and Svletlana Kuznetsova eased to wins to give Russia a 2-0 lead. After a singles loss by Nadia Petrova, Kuznetsova clinched the tie with a three-set win over Spain’s unheralded Silvia Soler-Espinosa.

Caroline Wozniacki finishes the year No. 1, Elena Dementieva drops the retirement bomb, and the WTA Tour puts another injury-riddled, star-lacking season to rest. Here’s hoping for the return of Justine Henin and Serena and Venus Williams in 2011 — and while we’re at it, the attempted comebacks of Martina Hingis and Ana Kournikova. If you thought it wasn’t bad, consider that Vera “The Crying Game” Zvonareva had a chance to finish the year No. 1 during the year-end championships…

US Open champion Rafael Nadal gets shocked in Bangkok.

Rafael Nadal won his ninth straight match on hardcourts.

Nadal is trying to complete a career Grand Slam at age 24. The other Saturday semifinal will feature Federer against Novak Djokovic. Nadal has won his last 19 Grand Slam matches, and in Youzhny faces an opponent who beat him in the 2006 US Open quarterfinals, before he gets a shot at his Swiss nemesis.

In the semifinals the elder Williams sister will face No. 2 seed and defending champion Kim Clijsters, who outlasted Aussie Sam Stosur in three sets in the final women’s night match.

“It would feel better if I didn’t have to beat my buddy out there and it was someone else,” Querrey said of his Davis Cup partner. “But it’s still exciting. He’s got the biggest serve in the game so it can be frustrating at times. But you just have to not let it bother you when you get aced and just walk to the other side to be ready for the next point. It’s a game of inches, as they say, and on match point he missed that forehand by a couple of inches.”

Albert Montanes stunned World No. 1 Roger Federer 6-2, 7-6(5) this afternoon at a rainy Estoril Open.

Rain has halted the Dubai final and the Delray semifinal.

Andy Murray is under fire for his words and performance in Dubai.