Showing posts with label Andy Roddick. Show all posts

Showing posts with label Andy Roddick. Show all posts

Wimbledon 2010 Champions: Day 1 Round Up(Mens)

"NEVER BACK DOWN" this was the sentence which was going on Roger Federer(2) mind. Never expected Roger had to struggle so much in the first round, he was almost in losing to Alejandro Falla(65). Later in the final set he showed what six-time Wimbledon champion is made of. I thought this would be the biggest top seed upset but the way he pulled out the thing was just awesome by 5-7, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (1), 6-0.

Federer was 199-28 with a record 16 titles in Grand Slam action and reached the final at 18 of the past 20 major tournaments, after win against Falla it made 200 win in Grandslam Federer will remember his entire life about this victory. Falla mentioned "Well I was thinking that i have a big opportunity to beat Federer here. Was a big chance. And I just doubted a little bit in that moment, in the first two points. And then he played good points."

Other match which was stressed out at the center court was match between Novak Djokovic(3) v Christophe Rochus(66), eventually he won 4-6, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, because he is a person with lots of ambition with almost 3hrs 51 mins. If the round 1 competition is more interesting, just imagine coming matches think it will keep you on the edge of your seat.


Last year finalist Andy Roddick(5) didn't had any problem winning over Rajeev Ram 6-3 6-2 6-2. Court 1 also witnessed another good match against Kevin Anderson(94) v Nikolay Davydenko(7) which was also a 5 set where in Nikolay had to battle to pass over Anderson 3-6, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (3), 7-5, 9-7.


After losing the first set Hewitt came back strong showed some confidence of defeating Federer in Halle. Maximo Gonzalez(188) lost to Lleyton Hewitt(26) score was 5-7 6-0 6-2 6-2. Gael Monfils(20) beat Leonardo Mayer(52) 6-1 7-6(9) 6-2.

Biggest upset was on court 12 and 8. Marin Cilic(12) was brought down by Florian Mayer(59) in straight set 6-2 6-4 7-6(1). Ivan Ljubicic(15) became the second big causality at Wimbledon Championship, was defeated by Michal Przysiezny(93) 7-5 7-6(5) 6-3.

Wimbledon 2009: Roger Federer – What Legends Say?

Roger Federer won his 15th grand slam by defeating Andy Roddick in the Men's Singles final at Wimbledon, reaction from the sporting world of Legends.


Rod Laver: "Roger's got too many shots, too much talent in one body. It's hardly fair that one person can do all this - his backhands, his forehands, volleys, serving, his court position... the way he moves around the court, you feel like he's barely touching the ground, and that's the sign of a great champion."

Pete Sampras: "I'm a fan of how he plays, what he's about... he's a class guy on and off the court. He's fun to watch. Just his athletic ability, what he's able to do on the run. I think he can and will break every tennis record out there."

Bjorn Borg: "He simply does not have any more weaknesses left in him. It is such a pleasure to see him play. To me, Roger Federer is the right model for anyone aspiring to be a tennis player. It is such a pleasure to just watch him play. His shot-making has got better and I doubt there is any shot he cannot make in any part of the court."

Jimmy Connors: "In the modern game, you're a clay-court specialist, a grass-court specialist or a hard-court specialist... or you're Roger Federer."

John McEnroe: "He's the most gifted player that I've ever seen in my life. I've seen a lot of people play. I've seen the Rod Lavers, I played against some of the great players - the Sampras, Becker, Connors, Borg, you name it. This guy could be the greatest of all time. That, to me, says it all."

Mats Wilander: "I'd like to be in his shoes for one day to know what it feels like to play that way."

Tim Henman: "I don't think there's anyone that hits the ball like that. Sure, if you take Roddick's serve and Andre Agassi's returns and my volleys and Lleyton Hewitt's speed and tenacity, then you've probably got a good chance against Federer."

Tiger Woods: "What he's done in tennis, I think, is far greater than what I've done in golf."

Tracy Austin: "I've never enjoyed watching someone playing tennis as much as Federer. I'm just in awesome. Pete Sampras was wonderful but he relied so much on his serve, whereas Roger has it all, he's just so graceful, elegant and fluid - a symphony in tennis whites. Roger can produce tennis shots that should be declared illegal."

Serena Williams: "Roger is obviously a pinnacle athlete across all sports and he just does a great job. He's so graceful out there. I love watching him play. I learn so much from him."

Andy Roddick: "It's almost impossible. That's one of the most impressive stats that we'll see in tennis." (Federer's 21 consecutive grand slam semi-finals).

Wimbledon 2009:Finals(Men's)


Roger Federer has been crowned Wimbledon champion for the sixth time after an epic victory over Andy Roddick on Sunday. The day when Andy Roddick’s serve was broken just the once, in the 77th game of a 77-game Wimbledon men’s final. That one break of Roddick’s was all that Roger Federer needed to take the fifth set 16-14, to become the first man to win 15 grand slams, and to regain the world No 1 ranking.


Federer’s 5-7, 7-6, 7-6, 3-6, 16-14 victory meant that, the greatest number of games ever played in a men's final. After his victory in a five-set battle that lasted four hours and 16 minutes, the debate was reignited over whether the 27-year old is now beyond doubt the best tennis player of all time.

The All England Club will lament having witnessed a men's singles final so commendable that the fans wound up chanting the name of the man who did not win: "Roddick! Roddick! Roddick!" they roared.


When Roddick came out to serve at 14-15, it was the 11th time that he had got up off his chair to serve to stay in the match. Roddick had won his previous 37 service games. A forehand error from Roddick’s racket brought up match point for Federer. Another forehand mistake from Roddick, and the match was over.


Federer’s reaction to victory was to leap into the air. Roddick’s reaction, after an embrace with Federer at the net, was to fling his racket on to the grass, and to then sit down on his changeover chair, and to put his head in his hands as he waited for the prize-giving ceremony.


"Roddick, I think, is going to be so difficult to beat again," Federer said, proving he's outrageously talented and occasionally prescient.

"Sorry, Pete," Roddick would say moments later toward Pete Sampras in the front row of the Royal Box. "I tried to hold him off.". "I lost," Roddick summarized inaccurately.The first question to a brooding Roddick went: "Did you just lose to the world's greatest tennis player ever?" Roddick, in a word: "Yes."


"You know, he was having trouble picking up my serve today for the first time ever," Roddick said. "He just stayed the course. You know, you didn't even get a sense that he was even really frustrated by it.


Longest game

Set

14-16 Roger Federer v Andy Roddick, 2009
13-11 Jaroslav Drobny v Ken Rosewall, 1954; Ashley Cooper v Neale Fraser, 1958

Most games

77 Roger Federer v Andy Roddick, 2009
62 Rafael Nadal v Roger Federer, 2008

Time

4hrs 48mins Roger Federer v Rafael Nadal 2008
4hrs 16mins Roger Federer v Andy Roddick, 2009; Jimmy Connors v John McEnroe 1982

The longest ever Wimbledon match...

Pancho Gonzales’s first-round encounter with Charlie Pasarell in 1969 was so long it prompted the introduction of the tie-break. After 5hrs 12mins and 112 games, Gonzales won 22-24, 1-6, 16-14, 6-3, 11-9.

Wimbledon 2009: Daily preview (Day 9) Men’s


Last year Roddick suffered his earliest exit at Wimbledon when he was beaten in the second round by Janko Tipsarevic. This year he will play British favorite Andy Murray for a place in the final. The sixth seed booked his fifth Wimbledon semi-final with a 6-3, 6-7 (12-10), 7-6 (7-1), 4-6, 6-4 victory over Hewitt that took two hours and 55 minutes.


Roddick served 43 aces in the match, with a top speed of 140mph. Not only did he serve aces, he served them when they mattered. It had been an ominous start from the American who won his first service game to love, including a 139mph ace, then promptly broke Hewitt’s serve.

Tommy Haas, the oldest man in the draw, brushed aside Novak Djokovic, the No.4 seed and the youngest man left in the tournament 7-5, 7-6 (8-6), 4-6, 6-3 in the quarter finals. He is 31 and has learned the value of fitness, training and preparation.


The German took a distinctly old-fashioned approach to playing on grass – he kept attacking the net. That was when he was not staying back and using his stunning backhand to unpick the Serb’s defenses. Djokovic was playing in the modern way – thumping ground strokes and explosive power.

Roger Federer is in such confident form at the 2009 Championships that even gun does not faze him. Wimbledon's five-time champion cruised into the semi-finals with a 6-3, 7-5, 7-6 (7-3) victory in an hour and 43 minutes. It was Federer who proved supreme when it came to serving. Never faced a break point and was only once threatened by having his delivery taken to deuce.


Karlovic, came into this quarter-final contest having served 137 aces in his first four matches. He had also won all of his 79 service games and faced only four break points. These statistics in only the fourth game of the opening set, breaking the unbreakable serve by tackling the Karlovic power head on.

Andy Murray as the number three seed beat Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-5, 6-3, 6-2 on Centre Court. The authoritative victory over the former world number one puts Murray through to his first Wimbledon semi-final. Murray was winning his serve with ease, and Ferrero had to work much harder to hold on to his serve.


Last month at Queen’s where Murray wrapped up a simple straight sets victory. True, the Spaniard had a couple of jitters at the outset, and he pushed a half-volley long to give Murray an early chance to break. But nonetheless the Spaniard was playing a canny game.

Wimbledon 2009: Daily preview (Day 7) Men’s

The first match to be played in its entirely under a closed roof at Wimbledon turned out to be a classic as well as a marathon as Andy Murray staged a dramatic recovery to defeat Stanislas Wawrinka in five sets, 2-6 6-3 6-3 5-7 6-3, and gain a place in the quarter-finals for the second successive year.


The 3rd seed, under relentless pressure to become the first British player to win the Wimbledon men's crown for 73 years, had been in serious trouble early on against Wawrinka. These two men are good friends and regular practice partners, but there was nothing friendly about the fashion in which Wawrinka went after Murray in that opening set, serving brilliantly and hammering ground strokes which reduced Murray to frustration.

Roger Federer trod a 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-5) reassuringly familiar pathway (rematch of this month’s French Open final) into the quarter-finals when he defeated Sweden's Robin Soderling in their Centre Court. It was Roger’s 11th successive victory over Soderling.

Even though the result was never really in doubt, it always felt like a close match, with Soderling riding high on a potent serve, which was broken only once. Unfortunately, he never captured the Federer delivery.

Lleyton Hewitt, the 2002 Wimbledon champion, struggled through the first two sets against Radek Stepanek, he came back reinvigorated after a medical timeout, and even a break for rain could not stop him. Hewitt emerged victorious 4-6, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 after two hours 54 minutes and his first Grand Slam quarter-final in three years.


Stepanek had injury problems of his own, had endured two draining five-setters in his second and third round matches. Yet it was Stepanek who started the match full of energy. Hewitt showed typical spirit in saving four set points but a fifth proved too much.

Roddick won 7-6 (7-4), 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and 48 minutes and is now one victory short of his third Wimbledon semi-final. Roddick turned Berdych’s form upside down in his win. Roddick blew all that away with a strong and accurate hitting performance that justifies his optimism before Wimbledon started.


Berdych had come into the last 16 without dropping a set, something he had not achieved in a Grand Slam since 2007. This showed that he was finding his feet again on grass and he might even have fancied his chances of making the quarter-finals.

Fourth seed Novak Djokovic moved comfortably into the quarter-finals with a 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 win over unseeded Israeli Dudi Sela. He is creeping through the draw without fanfare, produced a solid display, firing off 11 aces and 30 winners.


Sela was clearly enjoying the moment in what has been the best year of his career. He also reached the third round, as a qualifier, at this year’s Australian Open.

It was the giant Croatian Ivo Karlovic, pattern of aces(he served up 35 aces today) and very few rallies - in which the tiebreaks became all-important and he prevailed 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (4-6), 6-4, 7-6 (11-9) in three hours and one minute against crowd darling Fernando Verdasco. This tie was also destined to be a close-fought battle of very few chances.


The crowd simply rejoiced when either player grabbed a return point, to break up the love service games that were becoming so common. Both players then had opportunities to win the tiebreak.

Juan Carlos Ferrero became the first wild card since Goran Ivanisevic in 2001 to make the quarter-finals at Wimbledon after clinically dispatching eighth seed Gilles Simon 7-6 (7-4), 6-3, 6-2. The Spaniard played solid tennis throughout the contest and stood firm.


Simon, meanwhile, had been on a terrible run coming into the tournament, barely able to string two wins together over the past few months, but he put this behind him to make a run to the fourth round here, dropping only one set on the way.

Tommy Haas needed just three sets to get past Igor Andreev 7-6 (10-8), 6-4, 6-4 and into the quarter-finals. It had started off as a tense, tightly fought match. But using his greater experience, Haas managed to break away by taking the critical points in this their first meeting on grass.


This was a match of big-hitters, with both players regularly sending down serves in excess of 120mph. Both had survived five-setters in previous rounds but any chance of that happening disappeared as Haas grew in confidence and Andreev faded as the match went on.

Wimbledon 2009: Daily preview (Day 6) Men’s


Andy Murray's gathered massive momentum as he cruised into the last 16 by crushing Serbia's Viktor Troicki 6-2 6-3 6-4 in 96 minutes. Troicki, who had suffered two embarrassing defeats previously at the hands of Murray, made his Centre Court debut clearly with the intention of blasting the Scot off the court where he has so far been so comfortable.


The number six seed Andy Roddick securing his place in Monday’s last 16 with a 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-2), 4-6, 6-3 win over the Austrian Jurgen Melzer. Eight times before today they have met, and eight times the American has triumphed. American is second only to Federer with the most grasscourt wins among current players.


Hewitt, the world No. 56, is a former Wimbledon and US Open Champion who came into this match with a career Grand Slam record of 122-40. Petzschner, the world No.55, has won just the single title and before this match his Grand Slam record was 5-4, and that was all the difference. Only one place in the world rankings separates Lleyton Hewitt and Philipp Petzschner, and little separated the players for much of their third round match, which Hewitt won 7-5, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3.


Juan Carlos Ferrero, the former world number one, came through an extraordinary match to beat the number 10 seed Fernando Gonzalez on No.1 Court. Ferrero, playing as a wild card because his ranking was not high enough to justify automatic entry into the draw, emerged victorious from a see-saw encounter 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. It was a bolt from the blue, and Ferrero greeted it with a Nadal-like cry of: “Vamos!”


Simon beat Hanescu 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 in one hour and 27 minutes to reach the fourth round for the first time. The French challenge in the men’s singles now rests exclusively with 24-year-old Gilles Simon who is their lone survivor after his straight sets win over Victor Hanescu of Romania.


Czech Tomas Berdych finally broke his hoodoo against Nikolay Davydenko, taking just 107 minutes to crush the Russian No.12 seed for the first time in nine meetings. Berdych, the 20th seed, looked impressive from the outset and secured 6-2, 6-3, 6-2. Berdych added: “I can’t wait till next week. This was by my best match and performance this year. I played very well and believe I’m getting better and better with each match.”


Stanislas Wawrinka played low-risk tennis and outlasted Jesse Levine 5-7, 7-5, 6-3, 6-3 to move into the fourth round. Wawrinka played the ball at a comfortable height onto the American’s forehand and then watched as it was fired back past him. Levine can take heart from his five-match winning run and then here in the main draw.

Wimbledon 2009: Daily preview (Day 4) Men’s

Andy Murray accelerated into the third round with a 6-2, 7-5, 6-3 win over talented Latvian Ernests Gulbis in 88 minutes, with plenty of indicators that he could rev up British hopes right until Wimbledon's main contenders reach the end of the road a week on Sunday.


There was one brief glimmer of hope for 20-year-old Gulbis, right at the start when Murray somehow contrived to let slip his only two break points of the entire match. Murray, 22, was having a fine time of it, clearly able to read much of Gulbis’s play and out-thinking him. Gulbis seemed thoroughly thrown off balance.

Lleyton Hewitt, moving and roaring as if the last seven years had never happened, scored perhaps his finest win at The Championships since becoming the champion in 2002 as he crushed Argentina's Juan Martin Del Potro 6-3 7-5 7-5 in two hours 32 minutes .


The 20-year-old Del Potro, seeded fifth which meant he was theoretically lined up for a semi-final spot following Rafael Nadal’s withdrawal, never looked like subduing the Australian attack dog - the only male representative from his country at a tournament once dominated by great players from Down Under.

Andy Roddick has stated his intent at The Championships with a 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 win over Igor Kunitsyn to reach the third round.Sure enough, Roddick seemed to be his usual powerful self. The serve was working well as he thumped down 18 aces and 39 unreturnable serves and kept his serving statistics at a healthy 71% accuracy. Kunitsyn was trying his best to compete. He, too, has a vicious serve on him and, for the first few games, was keeping pace on the thunderbolt tally with his opponent.


After the match, Roddick was not concerned about being broken in the third set. "A win is a win. The set I got broken, I had numerous break chances and [he] got the one that [he] had.
Tenth seed Gonzalez has never got beyond the quarter-finals and has struggled on grass throughout his career. He started slowly against Mayer but came back from a set down to beat the Argentine in a match of few service breaks.


Gonzalez was never at his best but took his chances on the important points, winning three out of four break points to claim a solitary break in each set. He eventually triumphed 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, taking the match with a backhand volley.

American qualifier Jesse Levine awaits in the third round. Levine has enjoyed a fine Wimbledon, knocking out Marat Safin in the first round, and he beat Pablo Cuevas 6-2, 6-1, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3 to further enhance his reputation.

Radek Stepanek is no stranger to long matches at Wimbledon and he featured in his sixth five-set match in the space of three years at the All England Club. The No.23 seed came through 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 against Potito Starace.

Juan Carlos Ferrero had a similar afternoon to Gonzalez. He, too, was beaten in the first set, by Fabrice Santoro in a tiebreak. But the 2003 French Open winner’s experience made the difference in the end and he won 6-7 (1-7), 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.

There were no such worries for seeds Nikolay Davydenko, Victor Hanescu, Stanislas Wawrinka, David Ferrer and Tomas Berdych who all steamrolled their opponents in straight sets on a day of few upsets.

Wimbledon 2009: Daily Preview (Day 2) Men’s


The first hurdle has been cleared and Andy Murray is through to the second round of The Championships. Murray won 7-5, 6-7 (3-7), 6-3, 6-4 and his 2009 campaign was under way.


It was a tough match for me," said a relieved Murray afterwards. "He was a difficult opponent who made it hard for me. He played very aggressive but it was a good test for me at this stage." “I’ve played him a few times so I knew what to expect,” said the number three seed of the American. “I was disappointed to lose the second set because I had a couple of chances and didn’t take them.

Andy Roddick’s reputation as one of the strongest and fastest servers in the game was underlined yet again as he powered down 21 aces during a 6-3, 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 6-3 win over France’s Jeremy Chardy.


Roddick’s mission this year is to re-establish himself a little nearer the top of the game while he has the chance. He has a new coach, Larry Stefanki, who has targeted Wimbledon as the most obvious target for Roddick’s abilities. After all, Roddick has twice been a finalist so it may just need a fraction extra all round to make the essential difference.

The biggest upset in this round is undoubtedly the shocking defeat of Russian, Marat Safin. His hopes of emulating the semi-final success he achieved at The Championships last year were dashed as he signed off from his final Wimbledon with a first-round defeat by American qualifier Jesse Levine 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4. the Russian No.14 seed looked distinctively out of sorts and wild ground strokes were in abundance. At 4-1 down in the opening set he was handed a code violation for racket abuse.


After the match Safin said: "Thanks for the guy who made the call. I want to say hello to him. Too bad that he was a little bit too blind today. But anyway, that's tennis. That's tiebreak."

However, he confessed that he was 'relieved' that this was the end of his Wimbledon road. "It was not really my day. Not the perfect thing. Not the way to finish Wimbledon story. But anyway, it's okay. That's life. There is plenty of years coming towards me, so..."

In the same section of the draw Frenchman, Gilles Simon easily defeated American, Bobby Reynolds 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. Juan Martin Del Potro destroyed Frenchmen, Arnaud Clement 6-3, 6-1, 6-2 while Australian, Lleyton Hewitt’s defeat of American, Robby Ginepri 6-4, 6-1, 6-1.

French Open: Day 2 update


The sun sets over the Suzanne Lenglen court at the French Open on May 25, 2009 in Paris, France. Safina, Venus Williams, Nadal, Federer and Sharapova all went through.

Dinara Safina, 2008 runner-up who is bidding to win her maiden Grand Slam title, will now face fellow-Russiant Vitalia Diatchenko for a place in the last 32 after her 6-0 6-0 whitewash.World number 48 Keothavong became the first British woman in 26 years to reach the semifinals of a WTA clay-court event in Warsaw last week.


Third seed Venus Williams, who has never won in Paris, is also through to the second round, but the Wimbledon champion looked far from impressive in desposing of fellow-American Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-1 4-6 6-2.


Meanwhile, Maria Sharapova made a winning return to Grand Slam tennis when she came from behind to beat Belarus' Anastasiya Yakimova 3-6 6-1 6-2.


Defending champion Rafael Nadal saw off a spirited challenge from Brazil's Marcos Daniel to reach round two of the French Open with a 7-5 6-4 6-3 win.

Daniel matched Nadal stride for stride before the world number one broke at 5-5 and served out the first set. “I wasn't at my best level but it's been like that for the last four years (in the first round) and I've won in three sets, so that's a positive” Rafael said.


Nadal found it difficult to shake off his 97th-ranked opponent but edged the second set and eased through the third. Nadal, wearing a bright pink shirt, had been on the back foot for much of the first half of the match but at last he took the initiative and Daniel could not deal with the precision of the Spaniard's forehand.

Roger Federer was next on Court Philippe Chatrier and he eased past Spain's Albert Martin 6-4 6-3 6-2. "I didn't have much trouble on my service games," said the Swiss. "I mixed up my shots well to finish it off." Federer said.


Roger Federer feels he could beat reigning champion Rafael Nadal at this year's French Open in Paris, because despite winning the last four tournaments the Spaniard is "Nadal is only human."

The world number two is hoping this year will prove to be a turning point after suffering three consecutive final defeats to Nadal at Roland Garros.

"He's won four straight times here in Paris which shows how tough he is, but if you play him the right way there will be chances, he is only human and we wait for that moment when he is not at his best; hopefully that will be this year," the Swiss said.

Federer's win is another positive result to add to the good form that saw him complete his first victory over Nadal in almost two years when taking the Madrid Open title.

"I feel good, that's most important, I'm confident and feel like I can beat the best and win again.


Sixth seed Andy Roddick won a match at the French Open for the first time since 2005, serving impressively as he swept past France's Romain Jouan 6-2 6-4 6-2.

Madrid Open: Federer and Djokovic reaches semifinal

Roger Federer dominance over Andy Roddick continued at Madrid Open 7-5, 6-7(5/7), 6-1. It was their first meeting on clay. Roger improved his record to 18-2 against sixth-ranked Roddick. Roddick saved three match points before sending return long on a Federer second serve to hand victory to Swiss star. Roger will face either Andy Murry or Juan Martin Del Porto in semi-finals.

Federer mixed up his game very beautifully in the first set before leading 1-0 with a drop shot. Roddick broke in the second game with 2-0 before Roger broke back and held for 2-2. ‘I thought it was a good match’, said Federer.

Ljubicic was unable to continue that form today though as he clumped to a 6-4, 6-4 defeat against third seed Djokovic.