Canada in Davis Cup Semis; Serena Wins; Previews
DAVIS CUP QUARTERFINAL RESULTS
Serbia d. U.S. 3-1
It looked good for the home U.S. squad after a 1-1 tie on Day 1, but the Bryan brothers dropped the doubles 15-13 in the fifth on Saturday, and Sam Querrey lost in four sets Sunday to an injured (twisted ankle) Novak Djokovic. In opening play Friday, Querrey defeated Viktor Troicki while John Isner lost to Djokovic.
ADHEREL
Argentina d. France 3-2
Argentine career Challenger-level player Carlos Berlocq won the fifth and deciding singles over Frenchman Gilles Simon in four sets to clinch the tie, setting up a semifinal at the Czech Republic. Earlier Jo-Wilfried Tsonga had kept France in the tie, forcing the deciding match by easily defeating Juan Monaco.
Czech Republic d. Kazakhstan 3-1
Czech Lukas Rosol won the decisive point with a 7-6(5), 6-7(2), 7-6(5), 6-2 victory over Evgeny Korolev to put the Czech Republic into the Davis Cup World Group semifinals, where they will host Argentina. Rosol and Jan Hajek put the Czechs up 2-0 on Day 1, while Kazakstan won the Saturday doubles.
Canada d. Italy 3-1
Canada gained a first-ever spot in the Davis Cup semifinals when Milos “The Missile” Raonic defeated Andreas Seppi 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 in the first match on Sunday. “It’s a fun experience these Davis Cup weeks,” Raonic said. “Not just the weekends, but the preparation week is a lot of fun and I think that’s why we’re doing a lot better as well.” The Canadians will next travel to Serbia for the semifinals.
Serena Williams Wins 2nd Straight Family Cup
World No. 1 Serena Williams won her second straight Family Circle Cup on Sunday, coming from a set down to defeat former No. 1 Jelena Jankovic 3-6, 6-0, 6-2.
“She was playing really, really well, but it was just a shot here, a shot there, and she played really well in the big points,” Williams said of the first set. “And I had so many opportunities that I missed. She took advantage of all of that, and she went on to glory in that first set. After that I just got really relaxed and was like, ‘Serena, you have to chill out and not get crazy and if you win, great. If not, you’re trying.’ She’s playing really well. Just try and do the best you can.”
Williams has now won 71 of 75 matches since the start of last year’s claycourt season, and 49 career titles.
Pavlyuchenkova Wins 3rd Monterrey Mexico Title
Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova defeated German Angelique Kerber 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 on Sunday to capture the title at the Monterrey Open in Mexico.
She is now 15-0 at the event, winning the tournament all three years she has participated — 2010, 2011 and 2013.
“I was a little bit negative in the first set, because I was missing a lot, and you can’t beat a player like her if you’re playing like that,” Pavlyuchenkova said. “I was getting upset and angry with myself, and she’s so good, she was there every point. I knew I had to change things so I just fought hard and managed to stay calm and find my good game in the second set.”
PREVIEWS
US Men’s Clay Court Championship
Houston, Texas, U.S.A.; Surface: clay
Seeds: Nicolas Almagro, Tommy Haas, Juan Monaco, Sam Querrey, John Isner, Fernando Verdasco, Paolo Lorenzi, Michael Russell
Floaters: Gael Monfils, James Blake, Lleyton Hewitt
Notes: (1) Almagro after a bye will open against Monfils or Blake; (5) Isner has an all-American start, against Ryan Harrison then possibly (WC) Jack Sock…Spaniards (1) Almagro and (6) Verdasco make their debuts at the event…(2) Haas lost in the qualifying at Houston last year, what a 12-month resurgence…(5) Isner has never won a claycourt title, losing in the final last year to (3) Monaco…Returning former champs in the field are Monaco (2012), Hewitt (2009), and Haas (2004).
Grand Prix Hassan II
Casablanca, Morocco; Surface: clay
Seeds: Stanislas Wawrinka, Kevin Anderson, Martin Klizan, Benoit Paire, Jurgen Melzer, Daniel Gimeno-Traver, Robin Haase, Grega Zemlja
Floaters: Guillermo “G-Lo” Garcia-Lopez, Al Montanes, Tommy Robredo, Paul-Henri Mathieu
Notes: Opening meetings of interest are (6) Gimeno-Traver vs. G-Lo, winner to likely face Montanes; and (3) Klizan likely starting against Mathieu…(2) Anderson and (8) Zemlja make their debuts at the event…Of the seeds only (1) Wawrinka and (4) Paire have winning records at the event…Wawrinka won the title in his only Casablanca title in 2010…(2) Anderson likely to face two-time defending champ and unseeded player Pablo Andujar in the second round…Returning champions in the field are Andujar (2012-11), Wawrinka (2010), and Mathieu (2007).
BNP Paribas Katowice Open
Katowice, Poland; Surface: indoor clay
Seeds: Petra Kvitova, Roberta Vinci, Klara Zakopalova, Julia Goerges, Alize Cornet, Kaia Kanepi, Sabine Lisicki, Laura Robson
Floaters: none
Notes: None. Good luck finding this on TV. Tickets are reasonable.
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