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West Windsor-Plainsboro South boys’ tennis players up to the ‘challenge’
Apr 1st
Mike Dill/For The TimesMichael Song, Daniel Vaysburd, Captain Abhinay Tumati & Coach Jim Giovacchini. Coach Giovacchini instructing on a proper racket grip.
The high school tennis season is just beginning, but the most stressful part of the season is over. Challenge matches often create anxiety for coaches and players.
Players may have an idea where they expect to fit in on the team, but they still must win the appropriate matches to get there. One bad day, and you could be further down in the lineup than you wanted, or pushed out of a starting position altogether. This applies even more so to the stronger teams.
According to West Windsor-Plainsboro South coach Jim Giovacchini, that’s also the time when a coach can see how a player deals with pressure, one of the most important considerations in tennis. “There’s a ton of stress,” he says about challenge matches.
WW-P South has completed its challenge system and Giovacchini is the first to admit that not everyone is happy. But positions have been determined, and the team is ready to compete. As the premier high school team in the area, it is interesting to see how this year would pan out after losing players to graduation in two singles spots.
Not to worry. A freshman talent, Michael Song, is playing first singles. However, not everything is set in stone. Daniel Ng, last year’s third singles star who mostly played second singles because of team injuries, was unable to play his final challenge match this past week because of a foot injury. This might set him back just a few days until he’s ready to challenge for the top spot, so adjustments had to be made until his return. And with three strong teams starting off the South schedule (Hightstown, Robbinsville, and WW-P North), an upset is possible.
Daniel Vaysburd, who played doubles last year, will play third singles. Doubles teams are Abhinay Tumati and Thomas Weng at first, and Peter Ku and freshman Nick Chen at second. Again, things can change. Other strong players are waiting in the wings.
“Most of the kids play year-round,” Giovacchini said. “Some take a group lesson once a week.” For many teams, this would be great, but on this state title contender, it may not be enough.
South won the Mercer County Tournament six of the last seven years and is a strong front-runner to repeat at the April 25 tournament.
What they really would like is a state title. Last year, the Pirates suffered some late-season injury setbacks and were eliminated, 3-2, by Montgomery in the sectional final.
“We have more depth than last year,” Giovacchini said. “And this will be the youngest team I’ve ever put out there. Three of the top eight are freshmen.”
• Other Colonial Valley Conference teams looking strong are West Windsor-Plainsboro North, Hopewell Valley, Hightstown, and Princeton. Peddie and Lawrenceville will lead the way among prep teams.
• The leading players county-wide look to be Chris Seitz, Hun; Vinit Palayekar, Hightstown; Tim Rosensteel, Peddie; Kenny Zheng, Hopewell; Ramy Bekhiet, Robbinsville; and Michael Song, WW-P South.
Coaching notes:
• Jason Dratman, the director of tennis at Hopewell Valley Golf Club, takes the reins at Pennington School, replacing Dave Honhart.
• Will Ashe, last year’s assistant coach at Princeton Day School, moves into the head coaching position and replaces Rome Campbell.
• Chris Chirico replaces Guy Dippolito at Robbinsville. Chirico has played nationally and internationally, was ranked No. 1 nationally in the juniors, played for Texas A&M, and played Junior Davis Cup.
• John Arnold is in his 33rd and final year of coaching at Montgomery. He has an impressive 504-191-1 record.
Follow the Times of Trenton on Twitter.
From www.nj.com
Federer and Nadal to meet in Miami
Apr 1st
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer will do battle on an American court for the first time in six years tomorrow after the great rivals set up a semi-final showdown at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami.
Federer’s quarter-final opponent Gilles Simon retired from their match due to a neck injury, when the Frenchman trailed 3-0 in the first set, allowing the world number three to conserve his energy.
In contrast, world number one Nadal had to use every ounce of his energy to seal a place in the last four, beating Tomas Berdych 6-2 3-6 6-3.
Swiss Federer and Spaniard Nadal have played each other 22 times, with Nadal winning 14 times, and their first two matches both came in Miami, in 2004 and 2005. A teenage Nadal won the first, causing a sensation, and Federer took his revenge in the following year’s final.
But since then their matches have surprisingly all been played outside the United States, meaning there is obvious anticipation for their semi-final.
Although Novak Djokovic has managed to come between them this season, rising to number two in the rankings, Federer admitted: ‘My number one rival to me it seems is Rafa.
‘It doesn’t matter how many more times I’m going to be playing all the other guys.
‘At the moment, we have that history and nobody can take it away from us.
‘That’s why the only thing really missing from us is a US Open match, I guess, and maybe a few other tournaments.’
Federer explained why the emergence of Nadal, who at the age of 24 is five years his junior, has been so positive for men’s tennis, even if he did not immediately welcome the competition.
‘I think in the beginning, early on in my career when I became the world number one, I didn’t really have that rival, and I was very happy about it,’ Federer said.
‘I was just able to win, win, win, and dominate and go on and lose 10 matches in two years, that kind of thing. That was quite incredible.
‘So in the beginning I guess I struggled to embrace the rivalry I had with Rafa.
‘Only later on I was able to say this is actually quite cool.
‘Sleeveless, pirate pants, you name it, long hair, lefty, spins, more with the flat shots and so forth and double-handed against one-handed, lefty against righty.
‘I think it all kind of made sense, and I was able to embrace it then.
‘I think we had some good times in the past, and they have changed into what it is today. Really respectful and helping each other for good causes, foundation matches, you name it, for tsunamis. We’ve done so many things together. It’s been a lot of fun.’
Federer added: ‘What we know is that it moves very quickly in terms of how the press reacts to results and losses and wins and so forth, ranking swaps. So that’s just part of the game. But I think the players look more in the long term. You can’t be too rattled about quick news.
‘I think the press knows that as well. At the same time, we have to come up with a story at the very moment. That’s completely understandable. It’s fine. I also like good headlines for tennis. I don’t want them to be boring and always the same.’
From www.rte.ie
Nadal sets up Federer semi showdown
Apr 1st
(CNN) — World No. 1 Rafael Nadal is looking forward to renewing his “special” tennis rivalry with Roger Federer in the semifinals of the Masters Series event in Miami on Friday.
The duo, who have won 110 ATP Tour titles between them, will meet on U.S. soil for the first time since 2005 — which was also the last year they clashed at the last-four stage of a tournament, the French Open.
Nadal battled past Czech seventh seed Tomas Berdych in Thursday’s second quarterfinal after No. 3 Federer received easy passage when Frenchman Gilles Simon retired with a neck injury while 3-0 down in the opening set.
Nadal was beaten by Federer in five sets in the 2005 Miami final, having stunned the Swiss as a 17-year-old in the third round of the same event the previous year.
Since then Nadal has won 13 of their 20 clashes — 12 of them in finals.
“Very few times we’ve played in the semifinals of a tournament. The rest of the matches are finals and important for big titles,” the Spaniard told the ATP website.
Boxer Haye tips Murray to fight back
“It’s always special to play against him and have these matches, very important matches for both of our careers: finals of Roland Garros, finals of Wimbledon, of Australian Open, a lot of finals in Masters 1000s.
“That makes the rivalry very, very special. I don’t know if rivals in the rest of the history of tennis played as many matches as we’ve played.”
Nadal will go into the showdown troubled by a worrying problem in his right arm, which affected his movement in the 6-2 3-6 6-3 win over last year’s runner-up Berdych — who he also beat in the 2010 Wimbledon final.
“First time in my life I felt something like this, it’s really strange. Especially since the left arm I could do aggressive movements, but the right was really strange. Seriously, I couldn’t understand during the match what happened,” the two-time Miami runner-up said.
Federer, also the 2006 champion at Crandon Park, has a 5-2 advantage over Nadal in hard-court events.
“I think in the beginning, early on in my career when I became the world No. 1, I didn’t really have that rival, and I was very happy about it,” the 16-time grand slam champion said.
Tired Clijsters crashes out in Miami
“I was just able to win, win, win, and dominate and go on and lose, you know, 10 matches in two years kind of thing. That was quite incredible. So in the beginning I guess I struggled to embrace the rivalry I had with Rafa.
“Only later on I was able to say, ‘This is actually quite cool.’ Sleeveless, pirate pants, you name it — long hair, lefty, spins, more with the flat shots and so forth, and double-handed against one-handed, lefty against righty. I think it all kind of made sense, and I was able to embrace it then.
“I think we had some good times in the past, and they have changed into what it is today. Really respectful and helping each other for good causes, foundation matches, you name it, for tsunamis. We’ve done so many things together. It’s been a lot of fun.”
The winner of the Nadal-Federer tie is likely to face a player who is threatening to end their dominance of the men’s game, Novak Djokovic.
The Serbian is unbeaten in 22 matches this year, and defeated both icons on his way to victory at Indian Wells last time out.
His semifinal win over Federer in the California desert lifted him to second in the rankings, and he will be seeking his second Miami title if he can beat new American No. 1 Mardy Fish for the sixth successive time in Friday’s opening semifinal.
In the women’s event, two-time runner-up Maria Sharapova will play 2009 champion Victoria Azarenka in Saturday’s final.
Sharapova, who will return to the top-10 for the first time since 2009 following her recent run of good results, avenged her Australian Open defeat by Germany’s Andrea Petkovic.
The Russian triumphed 3-6 6-0 6-2, winning 11 games in a row after losing the first set.
“I’m really happy I’m back in the finals here,” the 2005 and 2006 losing finalist said of her first Miami outing in four years.
“I’m almost lucky to be here. I had a tough one the other night and another three-setter today. Andrea has been playing the best tennis of her career and beat some good players here, so I was really happy I was able to change things around after losing the first set.”
Eighth seed Azarenka of Belarus followed up her win over defending champion Kim Clijsters with a 6-3 6-3 win over Vera Zvonareva that ended the Russian’s hopes of reclaiming the No. 2 ranking from the Belgian this weekend.
Azarenka reached her 12th career WTA final, and will be seeking her sixth title.
From edition.cnn.com
Milos & Marino Effect?
Apr 1st
Milos & Marino Effect? 
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Tennis Canada and the Canadian Tennis Industry Association (CTIA) announced Wednesday that results from a 2010 research study and industry sales reports indicate that tennis is experiencing significant growth across the country with a six percent increase in participation and substantial gains in some equipment sales.
“We are thrilled to report that for the third straight year, the results of this study have come back showing increased participation and tremendous interest in tennis across the country,” said Michael S. Downey, president and chief executive officer, Tennis Canada. “We firmly believe that success breeds success, and with the recent impact Canadian tennis players like Milos Raonic and Rebecca Marino have made on the international stage, we can only assume that these numbers are just the tip of the iceberg. As Canadian athletes make the headlines and more pro tennis is available on the airwaves, the interest and excitement surrounding tennis in Canada will reach new heights, leading more people to hit the courts.”
The total number of Canadians who played tennis last year was 4.8 million, up from 4.5 million in 2009. Of these participants, nearly one million identified themselves as frequent players. This makes tennis the fourth-highest ranked traditional participation sport in the country with 14 percent of Canadians aged 12 and up claiming to play frequently or occasionally. Tennis ranks sixth as a traditional sport for fan interest with 25 percent of the population claiming to be very or somewhat interested in tennis in Canada. Leading the country was Metro Vancouver, where tennis is the second most popular fan-based sport behind hockey.
The CTIA also released its annual industry report which shows that wholesale racquet sales increased by eight percent from 2009 while, after consecutive years of growth, wholesale ball sales declined five percent. However, the sales of progressive tennis balls for children aged 10 and under climbed nearly 50 percent. The spike in equipment sales illustrates an obvious correlation with the rise in participation and general interest for the sport of tennis across the country, particularly among youth.
“What is most impressive is that these results truly exemplify how tennis is a sport for life,” said Hatem McDadi, vice-president, tennis development, Tennis Canada. “We have a remarkably balanced sport with participation well-represented across both genders and all age groups. This sets the stage for further growth especially when coupled with success on the pro circuit internationally.”
The study also reflects the growing diversity of the Canadian population with 38 percent of players coming from various ethnic backgrounds, most notably citizens of Eastern European and Asian descent. This overdevelopment lends itself well to further participation growth consistent with long range population trends.
Identified as the number one barrier to increased participation, the lack of access to indoor tennis facilities prevents participants from being able to play the game year-round. According to the survey, 29 percent of players would play more often if more facilities were available. Currently, Canada has only 120 indoor facilities. This supports Tennis Canada’s mandate to increase the number of indoor facilities by assisting in the planning and funding of such projects. Tennis Canada will provide seed money and limited capital investment to new indoor facilities that are publicly owned. Tennis Canada is currently consulting on 15 projects across the country.
This study will continue to be conducted annually to assess tennis participation and fan interest in Canada.
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From www.10sballs.com
Ray McNulty: Mardy Fish — America’s best tennis player
Apr 1st
VERO BEACH — Class act that he is, Mardy Fish wouldn’t dare say it, especially when the comparison involves a longtime friend.
So I’ll say it for him.
Fish, who grew up on the sun-splashed courts of this picturesque, seaside town, is America’s best tennis player.
Yes, he’s better than Andy Roddick, who won the 2003 U.S. Open and proudly carried the flag for U.S. men’s tennis after Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi put away their rackets.
Fish hasn’t had a better career. He hasn’t won any Grand Slam titles. He hasn’t played in nearly as many marquee matches.
But right now?
This past year?
Based on performance?
Fish, now the highest-ranked American on the ATP Tour, is playing better tennis — so good, in fact, that he has more than a puncher’s chance to take out No. 2-seeded, unbeaten-this-year Novak Djokovic in Friday’s Sony Ericsson Open semifinal in Miami.
“When you watch him play, it’s really not surprising that he hasn’t lost yet, because he’s playing so well,” Fish said of Djokovic, who won the Australian Open in January, the Dubai Championships in February and the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., earlier this month.
“He has zero weaknesses right now. Obviously, confidence is a huge part of our sport, and he’s got all of it. The guy moves as good or better than anyone on a hard-court surface. He’s hitting his forehand as well as anyone in the world. His two-handed backhand is the best two-hander in the world, in my opinion. And he’s serving well again.
“But he’s not going to win every single match this year,” he added. “Whether it’s this week or in July, he’s not going to win every one. It’s just not possible. So, hopefully, it can be me.”
Maybe it can.
Fish, at age 29, is enjoying a second act of a career that, until last year, was marked by inconsistency and injury. After undergoing knee surgery in the fall of 2009, he drastically changed his diet, shed 30 pounds and made a serious commitment to fitness.
His quickness improved.
So did his stamina.
And his game.
The result? Fish’s 2010 season was the best in 11 years on the Tour.
He won three titles and a career-high 40 matches, was the runner-up at the Queens Club tournament and at the Masters Series event in Cincinnati, and almost single-handedly led the U.S. to a face-saving victory in a Davis Cup relegation tie in Colombia, where he won two five-set singles matches and teamed with John Isner to win the doubles.
Ranked a career-best 16th to end the year, Fish, as you’d expect, was eager to build on his 2010 success by taking aim at the top 10 in 2011.
“That’s a huge goal, definitely, just to get there once in my career,” Fish said. “I’d love to get there and stay there, obviously, but I’ve got to get there first.”
However, Fish went to Australia weakened by a potentially dangerous, virus-related thyroid problem and, after winning a five-set opener, lost in the second round.
His illness finally diagnosed, Fish returned to the U.S. and reached the semifinals in Memphis and Delray Beach before losing to budding Canadian star Milos Raonic at Indian Wells — the first time in 13 months that he had lost back-to-back matches.
It has been in Miami, though, that he has played his best tennis this year.
Seeded 14th, Fish has reached the semis without dropping a set, knocking off Julien Benneteau, Richard Gasquet, Juan Martin del Potro and David Ferrer along the way.
His 7-5, 6-2 victory over Ferrer in Wednesday’s quarterfinals guaranteed that he’ll rise to at least No. 11 in next week’s world rankings, where he’ll move past Roddick.
“Very humbling,” Fish called it, adding, “This is a pretty big country, a lot of people playing tennis. So I’ll try to put it into perspective. … But a career-high No. 11 sounds really good, too.”
A spot in the top 10 would sound better — but he needs to get past Djokovic to get there next week. And that’ll take something special.
Maybe a home-crowd advantage?
Fish expects to have a sizable group of supporters from Vero Beach and Boca Raton, where he went to high school and lived with Roddick’s family, at the match.
That group will include his father, Tom, the tennis director at Windsor, the beachside community just north of Vero Beach.
“He’s very active in my career,” Fish said. “Coaching-wise, he’s taken a back seat, but he’s very helpful and been a huge part of my success. He’s extremely supportive, extremely positive.
“He’s had sort of a learn-on-your-own approach: ‘I’ll help you in any way I can, but if you’re going to make mistakes, you make them and figure it out on your own.’ “
Fish seems to have figured things out.
He’s excited about the opportunity to put his game up against the hottest player on the planet. And if he serves well — if the weather is hot and humid, which would make the court play faster — he knows he’s got enough other weapons to make things interesting.
“I love playing in the heat,” Fish said. “I can’t speak for him.”
I can speak for Fish, at least when it comes to being America’s best men’s tennis player. But I don’t need to.
The rankings say it all.
And right now, based on his performance the past year, they say Fish is the best we’ve got.
ray.mcnulty@scripps.com
From www.tcpalm.com
Men’s Tennis Back on Track, Tops Middle Tennessee State
Apr 1st
March 31, 2011
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Rain forced the No. 66 DePaul men’s tennis team’s match with Middle Tennessee State inside, but that did not slow down the Blue Demons who swept the Blue Raiders 7-0 on Thursday at Nashboro Village. The win snapped DePaul’s four-match skid and the Blue Demons improve to 12-7. Middle Tennessee State falls to 7-9.
DePaul won the doubles point behind strong performances in the first and third positions. Ben Hartman and Filip Dzanko took an 8-3 win from Matthew Langley and Dimitri Pippos. The win, was pair’s tenth of the season and the duo has won its last two matches.
Sven Kasper and Bartosz Jozwiak won their 20th match of the year with an 8-4 victory over Ben Davis and Shaun Waters. The Blue Demon duo improves to 9-7 in the top spot.
With a 1-0 advantage, DePaul sustained its momentum into singles action. Hartman, George Chanturia, Jozwiak and Dzanko all won their respective singles matches in two sets, while Sven Kasper and Matija Palinic needed three sets to complete the Blue Demon sweep.
Hartman was the first off the court in the sixth position with a dominating 6-4, 6-2 win on the fourth court. The senior has won his last three matches and improves to a team-best 18-10 on the year.
Chanturia was the next to complete his match and took a 7-6 (3), 6-4 win from Ben Davis in the second position.
Kasper clinched DePaul’s victory with his 16th singles win of the season. The sophomore improved to 11-8 in the top spot with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 triumph over Shaun Waters.
With the match in hand, Jozwiak won his 75th career singles match with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Pippos in the fifth position. The senior improves to 18-11 on the season and is 11-6 in duals.
The Blue Demons take Friday off before beginning the Sun Belt Shootout on Saturday. DePaul is the top seeded team in the tournament and squares off with eighth seeded Troy at 9 a.m.
No. 66 DePaul 7, Middle Tennessee 0
Doubles
1. Seven Kasper/Bartosz Jozwiak (DPU) def. Ben Davis/Shaun Waters (MT) 8-4
2. Kyle Wishing/Elliot Barnwell (MT) def. George Chanturia/Matija Palinic (DPU) 8-3
3. Ben Hartman/Filip Dzanko (DPU) def. Matthew Langley/Dimitri Pippos (MT) 8-3
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1
Singles
1. Seven Kasper (DPU) def. Shaun Waters (MT) 6-3, 4-6, 6-1
2. George Chanturia (DPU) def. Ben Davis (MT) 7-6 (3), 6-4
3. Matija Palinic (DPU) def. Matthew Langley (MT) 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4
4. Ben Hartman (DPU) def. Elliot Barnwell (MT) 6-4, 6-2
5. Bartosz Jozwiak (DPU) def. Dimitri Pippos (MT) 6-4, 6-3
6. Filip Dzanko (DPU) def. Kyle Wishing (MT) 6-4, 6-3
Order of Finish: 4, 2, 1, 3, 5, 6
From www.depaulbluedemons.com
Women’s Tennis Welcomes Gators, Gamecocks
Apr 1st
March 31, 2011
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky women’s tennis team, fresh off a 6-1 home victory over Auburn, will host the No. 2 Florida Gators on Friday and No. 38 South Carolina Gamecocks on Sunday at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex.
Senior Megan Broderick and sophomore Jessica Stiles each won their co-team leading eighth victories in singles play against Auburn on Sunday. Freshman Khristina Blajkevitch leads Kentucky with a 4-2 record in Southeastern Conference play and leads all UK rookies with seven singles victories. The duo of Blajkevitch and Broderick is the Cats’ top doubles tandem with four victories this season. The Wildcats (4-14, 2-4 SEC) are 4-3 at home this season and have won each of their past two SEC matches at the Boone Tennis Complex by 6-1 counts.
Florida (17-1, 6-0 SEC) has won 20 consecutive regular-season SEC matches entering this week. The Gators, 2010 SEC champions, have five players ranked inside the top 100 of the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association singles rankings. Led by sophomore Allie Will, the No. 6 ranked player in the country, the Gators also feature sophomore Lauren Embree, the No. 33 ranked player in singles, and freshmen Olivia Janowicz, Alex Cercone and Sofie Oyen, the No. 41, No. 47, No. 93 ranked players in the country, respectively.
The 38th-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks (11-5, 3-3 SEC) split their SEC matches last weekend, beating Mississippi State 7-0 in Starkville, Miss., while losing at home to No. 29 Ole Miss by a 4-1 score. Junior Anya Morgina extended her winning streak to six matches at No. 1 singles with a straight-set win over No. 27 Kristi Boxx of Ole Miss. Morgina, who is currently ranked No. 39, has beaten three players ranked among the top 30 during the month of March and is the first Gamecock to reach the 20-win plateau in singles this season.
Friday’s match against the Gators will be the Wildcats’ Blue and White game as well as UK Student Day where they a student will have an opportunity to win a free tennis lesson from UK tennis coaches. The first 50 fans at Saturday’s game will receive a free pink tennis shirt.
For live updates of the Wildcats’ matches against Florida and South Carolina this weekend, as well as season-long news on the women’s tennis team, visit UKathletics.com.
From www.ukathletics.com
Changing room chat: Andy Murray’s glove affair with boxing
Mar 31st
HE’S been described as a tennis counter-puncher and he’s known to be a big boxing fan but the admiration between Andy Murray and WBA heavyweight champ David Haye is mutual, it seems.
And, finding himself with plenty of time on his hands after his first-round exit from the Miami Masters, the world’s No 5 tennis player took up an invite from the fighter to visit the legendary 5th Street Gym in the south Florida city.
Haye, who has set up camp in Miami ahead of his summer unification fight with Wladimir Klitschko, showed Murray around the famed facility. “It’s amazing,” a wide-eyed Murray said. “The thing I love about it, it’s such humble surroundings. It’s not like the facility is unbelievable, they’ve got exactly what they need and everyone in here is working hard, knuckling down.”
Murray watched a sparring session between George Groves, the Commonwealth super-middleweight champion, and Andre Dirrell, former world super-middleweight super-six contender.
“They’re some of the best athletes in the world. It’s incredibly intense,” said Murray.
From sport.scotsman.com
Federer into Miami tennis semis, Sharapova in final
Mar 31st
MIAMI (AFP) – Maria Sharapova rallied to reach the women’s final of the WTA and ATP Masters hardcourt tournament here Thursday, while Roger Federer barely worked at all to reach the men’s semi-finals.
Sharapova, seeded 16th, overcame her slow start by winning 11 straight games en route to a 3-6, 6-0, 6-2 semi-final victory over Germany’s Andrea Petkovic.
In Saturday’s final, Sharapova will be seeking her first title since May 2010, and her first in Miami.
She’ll play the winner of Thursday night’s semi-final between third-seeded Russian Vera Zvonareva and 2009 Miami champion Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.
Federer spent just 10 minutes on court, winning three games before opponent Gilles Simon retired with a stiff neck.
Federer, seeded third, won 12 of the 15 points against France’s Simon, who talked with a trainer during a changeover before conceding the match and shaking hands with Federer.
Disappointed fans booed as Simon departed the court.
“He told me he woke up this morning with a stiff neck and couldn’t move,” Federer said. “It’s obviously disappointing when it happens in front of an audience. You get booed off the court — that’s rough. It’s not the way you want to move on, but look, I’ll take those because they happen quite rarely.”
Federer next faces either top-seeded Spaniard Rafael Nadal or seventh-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych.
Federer beat Nadal for the title here in 2005, the last time they played each other in the United States.
Sharapova, who finished runner-up here in 2005 and 2006, missed the tournament from 2008-2010 because of injuries.
She got off to a shaky start as she double-faulted three times in dropping her first service game.
But as the match wore on, Sharapova trimmed back her errors and returned Petrovic’s serve aggressively.
Petkovic had 11 game points in the second set but couldn’t convert any of them.
From au.news.yahoo.com
Vero Beach native Mardy Fish becomes top-ranked US tennis player | Photo Gallery
Mar 31st
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KEY BISCAYNE — Mardy Fish officially became the top-ranked American tennis player for the first time in his career when he crushed an error-prone David Ferrer 7-5, 6-2 in a quarterfinal match at the Sony Ericsson Open Wednesday afternoon.
Fish will be ranked a career-best No. 11 for reaching the semis and could crack the Top 10 by making his fourth Masters 1,000 final.
“That’s the goal I’m going for the most,’’ Fish said during a post-match interview with ESPN analyst Brad Gilbert. “I don’t think I would ever feel I’m No. 1. Andy’s had a pretty good career and will always be the top dog of my generation.”
Fish, 29, hasn’t dropped a set in his four matches.
On serve until 5-6 of the first set, Fish was gifted the the critical break of serve when the sixth-ranked Spaniard double-faulted twice in a row.
Fish is 4-3 against Ferrer, 29, but hadn’t played him since 2007.
Fish will play second-seeded Novak Djokovic — who beat South African Kevin Anderson in Wednesday’s night match — in the semifinals on Friday.
At 5-foot-9, Ferrer is considered the best little man in the game, but after the first set he seemed in a rush to get to the clay-court season as he went down meekly.
Match point came when Ferrer had an open court to hit into but sailed his two-handed backhand long.
Fish said he will have to be at his best to get past Djokovic.
“(Djokovic) is playing so well. He has zero weaknesses right now,” Fish said. “Obviously confidence is a huge part of our sport, and he’s got all of it right now. The guy moves as good or better than anyone on a hardcourt surface. If you get really, really picky, his forehand isn’t as strong as his backhand.
“His backhand, two-handed backhand, is the best two-handed backhand, in my opinion, in the world. And he’s serving well again.”
From www.tcpalm.com
