Daily Sports News

Sixth seed Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro wins his first Grand Slam Title. Argentinean 20 year old defeated Roger Federer, winning include two tiebreakers 3-6 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-2. Del Potro other than Rafael Nadal is the first man to beat Federer in final.

Swiss Federer was looking forward to break a record of Bill Tilden in 1920-25 to win the American championship straight six times at Flushing Meadows. Del Potro stunning performance defeated Federer, which took four hours and six minutes to hold sway at US Open. He became the second Argentina to win the US title after Guillermo Vilas who was  also a witness of fellow citizen victory in Arthur Ashes Stadium. Del Potro stated he had two dreams this week one to win the US Open and the second dream to be like Roger. Glancing at the five time titleholder he uttered First dream is succeed and for the second he need to improve a lot be like Roger. Federer had already won this year French Open and Wimbledon title and runner up of Australian Open. Federer stated he would like to congratulate Juan Martin for an unbelievable tournament. He added saying this year had been outstanding being in all major finals and winning two of those.

Spaniard Rafael Nadal defeat France’s Gael Monfils and get into quarter-finals of US Open. Nadal displayed great strength 6-7 (3-7) 6-3 6-1 6-3 to win set-up with Fernando Gonzalez. Rafael world number three player is back after a serious knee injury and abdominal problem but he did not portray any sign at the time of match.

Juan Martin Del Potro and Marin Cilic also triumph set up quarterfinal tie. During the final match held at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Monfils verge a high quality first set in tiebreak after failing to serve out a 5-3 with his huge serving and heavy forehand taking him through. However, after some enthusiastic celebration Nadal maintained an unbelievable stamina. After the pair exchanged break midway through the second set, Nadal broke again out of breath while eighth game of exhausting rallies that left his competitor tired.

Nadal expressed his knees condition very good and added saying he is very happy after playing the last two matches. He said it is third time in his career-entering quarterfinal. Gonzalez seeded 11th beat seventh seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 3-6 6-3 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 in a lively match on Louis Armstrong Stadium. Gonzalez controlled his temper and took back in third set tiebreak. Trailing 5-4 in the fourth set, the pressure became too much for Tsonga as he double faulted twice and handed over the game and match. Sixth seed Del Potro proved too strong for Juan Carlos Ferrero as he moved into the last eight with 6-3 6-3 6-3 win. Del Potro lost to Murray in quarterfinal last year but has risen to sixth ranking and barely lost to Federer in five set in French Open semi- final.

Pete Sampras was a part of the audience that watched the Magician Federer create history by winning the men’s title at Wimbledon and also beating Pete’s record of 14 men’s grand slam titles. Now Federer has 15 titles and has there is no doubt left on who is the greatest player in men’s tennis history. In a post match interview Pete complimented Federer saying he was the greatest tennis player of all times and he has surpassed me and he is still playing, so will win more titles.

Some of the greatest legends of the game watched Federer when he created this amazing record including Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg and Pete Sampras. It was not an easy ride though as Federer had fight a five set epic against Andy Roddick. The match was a grueling marathon as both battled in the deciding fifth set which in the end was won by Federer 16-14. It took Federer 4 hr, 16 min to reach the milestone. Federer had to hit the highest number of aces in any match in his career -50 to win the epic battle, just one short of the Croatian Ivo Karlovic record of 51.

Even though Federer won the title but there were also praises for Andy Roddick as he also gave an excellent fight. Federer is now placed third with six Wimbledon men’s singles titles just behind Sampras and William Renshaw who have won seven each.

With this win Federer also climbed back to the No.1 spot on the ATP Ranking, he had lost the spot to Rafael Nadal last august. Nadal missed the tournament due to a knee injury. After last year loss to Nadal in the Wimbledon and also this year loss at Australian open, people doubted if Federer could take back the No.1 spot, but a win in the French Open and the All England victory certainly makes his look much stronger then ever.

Roddick in a post match interview praised Federer of being a true champion and also felt sorry for Sampras as he could not stop Federer from beating his record.

What I can just say is – The Magician has now engraved his name in the Tennis Hall of Fame list and would be a role model for generation’s tennis players to follow. One can debate who is the greatest in the game, but he has capture more hearts then any others in the past.

On a day kissed by rain, Federer accomplished the unthinkable, he won the FRENCH OPEN. The mixed tears of joy and relief ran down Federer’s face as he won the coveted French open title, the only trophy missing in his gallery of impressive titles. The Swiss beat Soderling ,7-6 and 6-4 in less than two hours, on a day which could have been spoiled by rain. But all the elements were in Federer’s favor as Soderling hit the net on reply to Federer’s serve.

The match will be a true spectacle to many a Federer fan as he displayed his once exquisite form, hitting aces, dropshots, etc to thrash Soderling. The first set was won easily by Federer in less than 25 minutes as he took four break points and won the set 6-1. The only moment during the match when Fedex was unnerved was during the second set when a spectator ran onto the court with a Barcelona flag and tried to place a hat on Federer’s head. Truely a huge disappointment to the French authorities.

Federer lost three points in a row after this incident as Soderling leveled it 2-2. But Federer quickly recovered his composure to take the set 7-6 in the tie breaker by 6-1. This set lasted for 49 minutes as Federer produced four aces by service. In the third set, Federer won the break in the first game of the set, leading 1-0, then after that each player won their respective service games, and on the score of 5-4, Federer served for the match and won the third set and the match.

By winning the French open, Federer became only the sixth man in tennis history to win all the four slam titles, with Andre Agassi being the last man to do it in 1999, presenting him with the trophy. What an irony it was, to watch Agassi present Federer the trophy, to equal Agassi rival, Pete Sampras’s record of 14 grand slam titles.

“This was my greatest victory” said Federer although it was Soderling’s win over Nadal, the four time French Open champion, who was attempting to become the first man to win five in succession. Soderling, playing his first grand slam final, and watched by fellow Swede Bjorn Borg who has won this title six times said “You gave me a lesson how to play” and later said “To me you are the greatest player in history”.

Federer has finally achieved the French Open title can now and go on with the rest of his career without worrying about never winning the French Open……

Roger Federer defeated the 11th-seeded Gael Monfils of France 7-6 (6), 6-2, 6-4 in the quarter finals of the French Open. With the win he advanced to the semifinals and making it his 20th consecutive Grand slam semifinal appearance. Federer in a post match interview said that he felt the pressure before the match and was very nervous as he expected a tough and difficult match.

Federer faced some resistance from the Frenchman I the opening game and then in the tie-break of the first set. Federer has in his career won 13 grand slam titles and the only title evading him till now is the French Open and now after Nadal’s exit he looks to be the most favorite contender.

Not an ideal start what the reigning champion Rafael Nadal had expected on his fifth consecutive French Open title.World number one Rafael Nadal hobbled to second round with a victory over Brazilian Marcos Daniel in straight sets 7-5, 6-4, 6-3. It took Rafael Nadal two hours and twenty three minutes to beat the Brazilian. Rafael Nadal has a clean record at Roland Garros and has never lost a match since his debut in 2005. Wit the win Rafael Nadal also improved his record 29-0 at Roland Garros and equaled Christ Evert’s all-time record of consecutive match wins at the French Open. But Rafael Nadal showed that he is still human when we was down in the second set 1-3 but smartly managed to win the set 6-4.

During the course of the match Rafael Nadal broke Daniels serve seven times and hit 36 winners. Rafael Nadal had 32 unforced errors during the match.

In a post match interview Rafael Nadal said

“The first match is always difficult. I was a little nervous because this tournament is very special to me, but I feel good.”

On being asked about this choice of bright clothing, Rafael Nadal said “It’s the same reason why I wore white and yellow two weeks ago – because its better then dressing the same color every week.”

Rafael Nadal will now face either Teimuraz Gabashvili or Igor Kunitsyn of Russia in the second round of French Open.

Some other results for the day were:
Andy Roddick beat French wildcard Romain Jouan 6-2, 6-4, 6-2.
Dinara Safina demolished Britain’s Anne Keothavong  6-0, 6-0.
Russian Maria Sharapova beat Anastasiya Yakimova of Belarus 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.
Venus Williams beats fellow American Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-1, 4-6, 6-2

Roger Federer advanced to round two of the French Open by defeating Alberto Martin of Spain in straight sets 6-4, 6-3, 6-2. The last time Federer had played at the Roland Garros was in the 2008 finals where he was beaten by Rafael Nadal.

In a post match interview Federer said “I didn’t even think about last year’s match on the same court because I was so much concentrated, I wanted to do my best. I didn’t want to lose my first match.”

Federer is looking forward to win the French Open and complete his collection with all the four grand slam titles. Federer said that his current clay court form has given him a belief that he can win the elusive grand slam this year. He has already beaten Nadal once in Madrid where he won his first title of the year.

Federer also said that “The (2008) final was very difficult. It was the very last match. But what counts is how you played after in Madrid, Monte Carlo and Rome and on clay surfaces, and what you look at is the matches you’ve won, If you’ve lost, okay, no problem, because between then and now, you have played something like 60 matches, so that was okay today for me. ”

If Federer wins the French Open then he will equal Pete Sampra’s record of 14 grand slams. He had never been a advocate of the drop shot but on Monday there was a difference in his game and the same was acknowledged by him in a post match comment saying:

“I’m happy I got to learn how to use the drop shot over the years, I used to not be a fan of the drop shot at all. I always thought it was a shot you only hit when you’re panicking from the baseline, when you’re scared maybe to take on the fight. Today I realized that actually you can use it to your advantage against like players like Martin. It just makes it a little bit more easy. I’m happy to be through without a fright.”

Roger Federer will now face Jose Acasuso of Argentina in the new round.

Title holder Ana Ivanovic had a hard game to begin her journey in Roland Garros with a 7-6, 6-3 victory over Italian Sara Errani to reach the second round. Ana Ivanovic had to fight a long battle lasting two hours and two minutes to conquer the world no. 44. Even though Ivanovic won the match bust she showed signs of the recent knee injury which kept her out of the Madrid Open. She played the match with her right knee taped. In the second round she will meet either Camille Pin or Tamarine Tamasugarn.

Ivanovic has not won many matches on the clay court in the current year with just two wins before the start of the French Open. One could easily make out her lack of clay court exposure in the current year when she gave away ten break point in the first set and it got stretched into a tiebreaker. She eventfully won the exhausting set after 72 minutes.

In the second set Ivanovic avoided four break points in the first service game and later consolidated her position by leading the set at 5-1. Errani faough back hard and to her service game and broke Ivanovic’s service game to but the Surb finally won the match taking the set 6-3.

Post the match a tired Ana Ivanovic told the reporters

“I expected a tough match. I knew I would have to work hard for my points today, and I’m very happy I did that, I kept my composure even when I was making a few mistakes.”

“I think last year’s US Open was a great experience for me, I played when I wasn’t fit enough to play and I kept thinking about my injury through the matches,”.

“It was not going well. Before my matches, before I stepped on court, I was thinking, am I fit enough to play? And I felt fit enough, so I just put it out of my mind, and I don’t want to think about it.”

“This morning when I was warming up they were playing highlights on the big screen. It’s always good to see, and you always get a little bit excited watching that,” she said.

She also added that playing on the clay court reminded her of the last year when she had an excellent French Open.