Wimbledon 2010 Champions: Day 2 Round Up(Mens)

There was no drama for Rafael Nadal(1) against Kei Nishikori(204) at the centre court on tuesday blissfull first round 6-2, 6-4, 6-4.

Rafael Nadal mentioned “It was a very special moment coming back to the nicest centre court in the world and it was lovely being back in my favourite tournament,” said a delighted Nadal afterwards.

Robin Soderling(6) didnt had any problem defeating Robby Ginepri(69), showed his confidence of defeating both Federer and Nadal at French Open. Final score was 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 in the name of Soderling.

Court 1 witness, British No.1 Andy Murray(4) v Jan Hajek(80), of which Murray won comfortably with score of 7-5, 6-1, 6-2. Murray said "It obviously helps coming here. It's a great place to play and I've had good results here the last few years,". Another match was Robert Kendrick(162) v Jo-Wilfried Tsonga(10) of which Tsonga had to struggle abit with 7-6(2), 7-6(6), 3-6, 6-4, first 2 set was won on tie-break and losing the next set and only 1 break in the final set. Tsonga was doubtful for Wimbledon 2010 because of the hip injury while in the fourth-round match at the French Open.

Court 2 match Nicolas Kiefer(184) v David Ferrer(9), Ferrer won in a straight set 6-4, 6-2, 6-3, an easy victory. The major upset in the court 2 was match Juan Carlos Ferrero(14) v Xavier Malisse(75), Ferrero broke in the opening game surrendered the last five games 6-2, 6-7 (6), 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-1. This is the first time Ferrero have lost his first match at All England Club.

Court 5, saw a upset of Robin Haase(151) v James Blake(110), After losing in first round Blake mentioned that his plagued by tendinitis in his right knee and he might even reassess his tennis career after the U.S. Open. Marcos Baghdatis(24) v Lukas Lacko(73), was upset of the top seed Baghdatis crumbles against Lacko gave up in four set 6-3, 2-6, 6-3, 6-1.

Court 8, Mikhail Youzhny(13) v Dudi Sela(60) of which Dudi made him run for his money, but later Youzhny won in four sets, 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6.

Court 12, Fabio Fognini(83) sends Fernando Verdasco(8) home with a 7-6(9), 6-2, 6-7(6), 6-4 victory. "I broke my big toenail and it did hurt like hell, I was almost crying," said Verdasco.

Nicolas Almagro(19) v Andreas Seppi(68) match on court 19 also witnessed a very good match between them of which Seppi won 7-6(4), 7-6(7), 6-2.

Wimbledon 2010 Championship: Day 2 Schedule

After a dramatic win of 2 top seeded player Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic at the centre court. Today you can witness World No.1 Rafael Nadal(1) v Kei Nishikori(204) in action, the winner in 2008 Wimbledon and due to knee injury was unable to defend his title in year 2009. Before Nadal takes on centre stage Women's champion Serena Williams(1) v Michelle Larcher De Brito(148). Other Centre court match will be between Robin Soderling(6) v Robby Ginepri(69). Soderling upsetted Rafael Nadal in 2009 French Open and later this year troubled Roger Federer to defend his title at the French Open.

Court 1: Robert Kendrick(162) v Jo-Wilfried Tsonga(10) and later British No.1 Andy Murray(4) taking on Jan Hajek(80).

Court 2: Some very interesting match have been scheduled here. Ladies 1st round Akgul Amanmuradova(93) v Svetlana Kuznetsova(19), Anastasia Pivovarova(127) v Maria Sharapova (16). Mens 1st round match Nicolas Kiefer(184) v David Ferrer (9), Juan Carlos Ferrero(14) v Xavier Malisse(75).

Court 5: Robin Haase(151) v James Blake(110), Marcos Baghdatis(24) v Lukas Lacko(73).

Court 6: Gilles Simon(26) v Guillermo Alcaide(235).

Court 8: Mikhail Youzhny(13) v Dudi Sela(60).

Court 19: Nicolas Almagro(19) v Andreas Seppi(68).

Above mentioned are some of the big matches to watch out for today

ATP Tour Finals 2009: Day 4 Report

Robin Solderling proved himself that his win was not just by luck, by defeating Novak Djokovic in his second match here in ATP Tour Finals at London. He hasn’t lost single set and tops the chart in group B.


Swede prevailed 7-6(7-5), 6-1 victory against a near-exhausted Novak Djokovic, the world No3. There is no question Soderling has a big game, his wide, sweeping forehands are awesome blows and he hits the ball as hard as anyone.

"I won two matches in straight sets against the world number two and three. I couldn't have asked for anything more," said Soderling.


Djokovic came into the tournament as the favorite to win the tournament and in-form player after a run of 17 wins in 18 matches, but after edging out Nikolay Davydenko in his opening Group B match, the Serb complained of tiredness - and he looked sluggish throughout against Soderling.

Nadal’s season ends in losing to Davydenko, and knocked out of the ATP Tour Finals tournament. Having lost his opening match against Sweden's Robin Soderling in straight sets, he was beaten again last night, 6-1, 7-6 by the Russian Nikolay Davydenko. It is a far cry from the start of the year, which he entered as world No1.


"I didn't arrive to this tournament with the full confidence that you need to win these matches. And in the moments that I had to play well, I didn't play well. I made mistakes.

Davydenko, however, will seek to emulate last year's performance in reaching the final, where he lost to Djokovic when the tournament was held in Shanghai.


"It was an important tie-break," Davydenko said. "Tie-break for me, it's really important. I concentrated 100 percent. I tried to win. Almost every tie-break in last few months I have won. Again, I realize my tie-break today and I won."

ATP Tour Finals 2009: Day 2 Report

World No.9 Robin Solderling Stuns World No.2 Rafael Nadal ‘YET AGAIN’ 6-4,6-4 in his debut at ATP Tour Finals on Monday. This is second win in a row against Spaniard after five month victory at the French Open.

But it is unbelievable, when Rafa took over World No.1 rank from Roger last year, and made Roger cry in Australian Open for his sixth grand slam, it seemed like a man who will changed the pinnacle of men’s tennis.


"It's always fun to play against a good player. I always enjoy playing against the top guys. Nadal is for sure one of them," the Swede told reporters.

"I don't believe in revenge," said 23-year-old Nadal, who has not won a title since May. "I went on court, tried my best. I didn't think for one second about the Roland Garros match.


"It's completely different conditions and the moment is completely different, too. So it didn't affect anything. But I am working really hard to come back at my best level. I think I'm not far away from my best level."

Defending champion Novak Djokovic overcame Nikolay Davydenko and registered 11 matches triumph in a row including back-to-back titles. Novak came through 3-6, 6-4,7-5 in Monday's evening session as the two remaining players began their campaigns in the ATP Tour finals tournament.


"I haven't felt great on the court today - I'm definitely not the fittest guy on the tour right now," Djokovic said. "He was the better player in the first two sets. I was lucky to get through and win this. I was fighting for every service game and in the end I'm happy with the performance."


Davydenko is not easily quelled, though it takes an enormous amount of self-confidence and no small degree of striking the lines by his opponent when the situation demands it.


Novak Djokovic of Serbia and Nikolay Davydenko of Russia take off their shirts after the men's singles first round match and exchanged.

Wimbledon 2009: Daily preview (Day 5) Men’s

The golden rules of sport kept Roger Federer on Centre Court for rather longer than he would have liked today. The Swiss slipped into experimental mood rather than applying the killer touch and paid for it when he dropped his first set of the tournament before bouncing back to win 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 6-1.


For 28th seed Philipp Kohlschreiber, that fateful day came in the third round here at Wimbledon. “When the draw came it I thought it was probably the worst one I could have got,” he said with a philosophical shrug after his 6-3, 6-2, 6-7, 6-1 defeat to the de facto top seed in the absence of Rafael Nadal. “You look to see when you’ve got Federer and then think ‘well that’s the end of the line’.”

A four-hour marathon on No.1 Court was suspended in the gathering darkness at 9.33pm with Marin Cilic and Tommy Haas standing level at 5-7, 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (7-3) and the final set on a knife-edge at 6-6. By the time they were forced to give in to the failing light.


Novak Djokovic, the fourth seed and probably the greatest threat to Roger Federer's peace of mind in the lower half of the men's singles draw, marched into the last 16 with a solid and competent 6-4 6-4 6-4 victory in one hour 58 minutes over Mardy Fish of the US.


Ivo Karlovic served his way to victory with a 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 7-6 (7-5) win over the eighth seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France on No.1 Court. It was a fine win for the 22nd seed at the age of 30 because he had been beaten in the first round for each of the past four years here and despite having a game suited for grass.

Facing such a big server, Tsonga knew what was coming even though he had not played Karlovic previously. But the Frenchman is no slouch himself when it comes to serve and volley, which is why he was able to sustain his challenge for so long.


Fernando Verdasco came from a set behind to dispose of Albert Montanes 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) victory played in glorious conditions on No.2 Court this afternoon . Verdasco wasn’t playing badly in the first set but that Montanes simply slapped the life out of the ball and hit the lines with incredible accuracy, giving the illusion that his top 10 opponent was a tad slow around the court.


Soderling beat Nicolas Almagro 7-6 (9-7), 6-4, 6-4 in just under two hours on Court 3 to set-up a replay of the French Open final against Roger Federer in the fourth round. Soderling was so consistent on his serve that Almagro did not get a break point opportunity all match. Yet it was hard work for him to manufacture break points of his own.

Wimbledon 2009: Daily preview (Day 3) Men’s

Roger Federer's Wimbledon stroll continues. Having conceded a mere seven games in the first round, the second seed and five-time champion permitted Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain just eight games as he forced his way into the last 32 of the men's singles.

His display in a 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 win in the Centre Court sunshine was another master class of tennis. It is already becoming very clear that the Swiss will take some stopping at the 2009 Championships.

Federer was impregnable on serve, dropping just five points in a 27-minute first set - one of which was that eye-opening rarity, a double fault from the Swiss - and he faced only two break points in the entire match.

There cannot have been many observers on No.1 Court expecting much of Simon Greul in his second-round match against fourth seed Novak Djokovic, entertaining attacking play, before Djokovic emerged the 7-5, 6-1, 6-4 winner.

Loose shots from Djokovic, along with a double fault, handed a break to the German in the first game. Greul was developing a taste for grasscourt play, fooling his opponent with an approach to the net and a great dropshot on the half-volley. But when he tried another dropshot from the baseline, it tipped back on the wrong side of the net to give Djokovic break point.


The battle of the big hitters between California and Croatia went the way of Europe in the late evening on Centre Court when Marin Cilic outlasted Sam Querrey in a five-set marathon 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4 in three hours 24 minutes.


For much of this gripping encounter, it was Querrey's ability to produce an ace - he hit 24 of them. The 11th-seeded Cilic needed a touch of good fortune, and found it when he broke the Querrey serve with an outrageously lucky net cord that fell dead into the American's side of the court.

There was more good news for Croatia as the 6ft 10in Ivo Karlovic defeated Belgium's Steve Darcis 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 to join Cilic in the third round.

Fernando Verdasco of Spain was forced to fight for nearly three hours before overcoming Kristof Vliegen of Belgium in a battle of the big servers on Court 3. Verdasco, the seventh seed, eventually won 7-6 (7-3), 6-7 (7-3), 7-6 (7-4), 6-4, the score reflecting the dominance of both players’ serving on a warm day when the conditions complimented power play.


Both players maintained the intensity of their serving through to the fourth set when Vliegen was the victim of the only service break. With Verdasco ahead 5-4, and on the match point, the Belgian gifted him the match with a forehand error off the service return.


Surprise French Open runner-up Robin Soderling was pushed all the way in his 4-6, 7-6 (9-7), 6-4, 7-5 victory over Marcel Granollers. Throughout the two hour 46 minute contest.Granollers had begun the season by reaching the semi-finals at Chennai and peaking at No.44 in the world but was then unable to string together two wins in a row. Soderling was on a similar run, even dropping down to the Challenger circuit when he lost in the first round at Indian Wells.

Wimbledon 2009 – Daily Preview (Day 1) Men’s

Federer's warm welcome to officially open the 2009 Championships was probably a mixture of affection for the five-time champion and approval for his eye-catching and stylish apparel - long trousers, jacket with the collar turned up and, underneath that, a fitted waistcoat, all in white and all discarded prior to the Swiss marching out to hold his first two service games to love.

Roger Federer justified his role as favourite to win the 2009 men's title by swatting aside the challenge of Yen-Hsun Lu from Taipei 7-5, 6-3, 6-2 on a Centre Court where, despite overcast conditions, the new roof remained open throughout.

Blake was not so lucky against Andreas Seppi. Seppi is the chap who once confessed self-depreciatingly to booking his flight home before even taking to the court against Nadal. But the Italian can bash a ball, as Blake discovered, and his 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 victory was relatively straightforward, leaving Blake to consider how his excellent run at Queen's led to this.

Verdasco, an Australian Open semi-finalist this year, spelled out the pattern of the match in the opening game, where his swashbuckling strokeplay plundered an immediate break. That was the case today when the number seven seed Fernando Verdasco saw off James Ward 6-1, 6-3, 6-4.

Fourth seed Novak Djokovic survived an endurance test against Frenchman Julien Benetteau to win through to the second round but he needed three hours and 28 minutes of concerted effort to complete the job.

Benettau, in his sixth Wimbledon, shocked Djokovic by winning a 61-minute first set but was hit by falls in the third game of the third set and the last game of the match, which did not help his cause and it allowed Djokovic to clinch victory 6-7 (10-8), 7-6 (7-5), 6-2, 6-4 on his third match point.

The new No. 2 Court witnessed a thriller as ninth seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga battled through his first round match against Kazakhstan’s Andrey Golubev, a man ranked 62 places below him, in four sets, 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5).



Robin Soderling was a star. The Swede was the first man to beat Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros and, from that fourth-round victory, he went all the way to the final. And then he lost. Now he has another shot at the fame game in SW19 after beating Gilles Muller in the first round 6-7 (7-4), 7-5, 6-1, 6-2. The 13th seed almost missed his chance, mind you, dropping the first set, but after he got his nose in front in the second, it was plain sailing.

Now he has another shot at the fame game in SW19 after beating Gilles Muller in the first round 6-7 (7-4), 7-5, 6-1, 6-2. The 13th seed almost missed his chance, mind you, dropping the first set, but after he got his nose in front in the second, it was plain sailing.

An even longer match occurred on court 18 as Feliciano Lopez became the second seed to go out of the men’s tournament, following James Blake’s earlier exit to Andreas Seppi. The Spanish No.21 seed was beaten in a marathon five- setter 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, 4-6, 10-8 by Karol Beck of Slovakia in three hours, 45 minutes.


Spectators on Court 12, meanwhile, were treated to a very un-Wimbledon-like experience: the sight of a chair umpire doubling up as a bouncer when hostilities broke out between Juan Monaco and Nicholas Almagro in their epic match which ended 6-7, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4, 8-6 in the latter's favour.

Wimbledon 2009: Andy Murray and Roger Federer will be hard to beat this year at Wimbledon according to Bjorn Borg

The Spanish world number one suffered a shock fourth-round defeat to Robin Soderling at the French Open as he missed the chance for a fifth consecutive triumph on the clay of Roland Garros, and has since been troubled by knee problems.

Nevertheless, Borg - the last man before Nadal to win both the French Open and Wimbledon in the same season - feels the Spaniard will be a spent force at SW19. "Nadal is always a dangerous player because he is the best in the world - but what happened in Paris and then the injury, I am picking Murray or Federer,"

"I am sure he was very, very disappointed when he went home after Paris. That defeat took him many, many days to get over.

"Nadal is saying he has got an injury, but he has to be fit at Wimbledon if he wants to go all the way, and I do not think he will go all the way this year."
"I do not think he was ready to win Wimbledon last year, but it is a different story now. He is ready to win it this year.

"He has no weaknesses, he can play on all kinds of surfaces and I was very impressed what he did on the clay court surface. He was hitting the ball extremely well.

"Andy Murray seems to find himself on the court and knows how to behave, focus and play his game.

"He has matured a lot as a person over the last year and as a tennis player. "If you compare him now to a few years ago he is a completely different player on the court. "He is ready to win a Grand Slam tournament and is one of my favourites to win Wimbledon."Andy is physically and mentally strong, but there is going to be huge pressure - however, he can handle it if he focuses on the things he can do."

Borg added: "If not Wimbledon, he can win the US Open, but if he does not win Wimbledon this year, then he has a good chance in the years to come.

"One day, eventually, Andy Murray will win Wimbledon."

French Open : Finals

Roger Federer became only the sixth man to achieve the career Grand Slam. Federer joins Fred Perry, Don Budge, Roy Emerson, Rod Laver and Andre Agassi as the only men to have won all four Grand Slam titles and equalled Pete Sampras’ record of 14 majors by defeating Robin Soderling in straight sets in Sunday’s men’s final. Relive every game of this historic match right here.

Roger Federer became only the sixth man to achieve the career Grand Slam and equalled Pete Sampras’ record of 14 majors by defeating Robin Soderling in straight sets in Sunday’s men’s final. Relive every game of this historic match right here. He wrapped up a 6-1 7-6 (7-1) 6-4 victory in one hour and 55 minutes.

He looked a picture of calm from the moment he set foot on Court Phillipe Chatrier and, cheered on by large sections of the crowd, made a blistering start.

An understandably nervous-looking Soderling, contesting his first Grand Slam final, went wide once and long twice before double-faulting to give his opponent an effortless break of serve in game one.

Federer backed that up with a majestic service game, which he held to love with one booming ace and the most delightful sliced backhand which died as soon as it touched the red dirt.

"It might be the greatest victory of my career," said the 27-year-old.

"It takes away so much pressure. Now, I can play in peace for the rest of my career.

"Nobody will never tell me again that I have not won Roland Garros. It's nice to be up here on the podium as a winner this time.

"I would like to congratulate you Robin on an incredible tournament, you beat so many wonderful players on the way.

"It's always hard to lose in the final but it's an incredible surprise.

"I hope you can keep it up for many years to come. All the best and congratulations."

Federer joins the elite group of Fred Perry, Don Budge, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson and Andre Agassi as the only men to clinch all four major titles.

A tearful Federer was touched by the presence of Agassi.

"Of course I'd like to thank Andre for being here. It means the world to me.

"We've had some great matches over the years. For you to be here, the last man to win all four grand slams... now I know what it really feels like.

"You're a hell of a guy and I wish you all the best for your private life. It's a pity you're not playing any more but I don't miss you."

Soderling was thrilled just to have reached the final and found time to issue a light-hearted warning to his rival after his defeat.

He said: "You know you beat me nine times in a row before this match, we were joking nobody can beat me 10 times in a row. We were wrong. But next time we play... nobody can beat me 11 times in a row, I promise you!"

Svetlana Kuznetsova’s five-year wait for a second Grand Slam title is over. The Russian won the 2009 French Open title, emerging victorious 6-4 6-2 after her opponent – No1 seed Dinara Safina – was paralysed with nerves throughout the 75-minute contest.

The match that pitted the best two clay-courters from 2009 deserved to be a closely fought affair. Kuznetsova had won 15 of her 17 matches on red brick this season, while Safina’s record was even more impressive: 20 victories and only one defeat. That loss came in the final in Stuttgart against none other than Kuznetsova, but the world No1 took only six days to get her revenge, defeating her friend from St Petersburg in straight sets in the final of the more prestigious Rome tournament. The two had previously lost in the final here (Kuznetsova to Justine Henin in her 2006 pomp, Safina to Ivanovic last year) and were eager to go one better.

French Open: Day 13 Update

Surprising Swede Robin Soderling holds off Fernando Gonzalez to reach French Open finals, in a five-set thriller. The 12th seed looked favourite to win at 4-1 up in the final set, but Soderling regained his composure to reel off five games in a row. The Swede, seeded 23, began well and comfortably took the first two sets, but the Chilean edged a thrilling third and battled back to steal the fourth.
"It's unbelievable," said Soderling. "I played well in the first two sets. Then he started to play incredibly well.

"I was down a break in the final set but I said to myself that I have nothing to lose. I started to return great and everything changed.

"I still have far to go with the most difficult match, maybe against Federer, to come on Sunday."

Gonzalez, in only his second Grand Slam semi-final, seemed to lose his cool in the fifth game with an increasing number of errors, but he hung in there with the second set progressing with serve.

I never felt comfortable," said Gonzalez. "I couldn't hit clearly and it was tough.

"I served at 4-3 in the final set and I knew I had the match in my hands. I wanted to win it on my first serves, not second, but he made some great returns.

"If he keeps serving at over 200kph and finding the lines, it'll be tough for whoever he faces in the final."

French Open: Day 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10 Update

Day:6 Venus Williams is out, convincingly beaten in straight sets by Agnes Szavay, while Nadal, Murray and Sharapova are all through to the fourth round.

Day:7 Novak Djokovic and Elena Dementieva were sent crashing out of the tournament, each in three sets, while Federer, Roddick, Serena and Jankovic all went through.

Day:8 Reigning champions Rafael Nadal and Ana Ivanovic have both been defeated on a historic day at Roland Garros.

Day:9 Williams, Kuznetsova, Del Potro, Stosur and Robredo are through, Roger Federer came back from two down to best Tommy Haas in a five-set thriller, Romanian teenager Sorana Cirstea ousted No5 seed Jelena Jankovic and local hero Gael Monfils defeated Andy Roddick in straight sets.

Day:10 The first day of the quarter-finals saw victories in straight sets for Cibulkova and Soderling, while Gonzalez and Safina were made to work harder for their semi-final berth.