Tennis Season 2011 : Masters Cup

[Marshall]

Radwanska - Petkovic 7:5 0:6 6:4

THAT WAS INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Formusic]

http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/tennis/news? ... n_20111009




Berdych, Radwanska win in China Open tennis

Czech Tomas Berdych fought back from a set down to overcome Croatia's Marin Cilic 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, in the final of the China Open on Sunday, winning his first title in more than two years.

In the women's final, Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska won a titanic battle with Germany's Andrea Petkovic 7-5, 0-6, 6-4, taking two hours and 32 minutes.

Berdych's victory lifts him above Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to number seven in the world rankings, and gives the Czech valuable points towards one of the eight berths in the season-ending World Tour Finals in London.

Berdych, seeded third, was playing in his first final of the season after losing in six semis. The win gave the player, who lost in the 2010 Wimbledon final to Rafael Nadal, his first ATP title since Munich in 2009.

"To bring this title really means a lot to me," he said.

"After 29 months, it's been quite a long time, so I'm happy that I could break this up."

Cilic served out the first set emphatically with an ace. But after a close second set, which Berdych won with a break of serve at 5-4, the Czech ran away with the third.

Unseeded Cilic was disappointed to have missed a crucial chance to break Berdych at the end of the second set.

"I didn't give up. A few points decided the second set… then the third set went the way it did," he said.

Radwanska, who also won a week ago in Tokyo, takes over provisional eighth place for the WTA season-ending event later in the month in Istanbul. Petkovic stands in ninth, just outside contention.

Radwanska, seeded 11th, and Petkovic, seeded ninth, fought a lengthy battle, with the Pole taking the first set—which included seven breaks of serve—after just under 90 minutes.

At one point Petkovic crumpled up in pain from her right knee. But she took an injury timeout, got taped up and went right back into it.

In contrast to the first set, it took just 24 minutes for the German to take the second to love.

But in the third set she was broken in the ninth game to go 4-5 down before Radwanska served out for the match.

It was Radwanska's 45th win this season and third 2011 title

[stevyy]

ooooh shute. andrea.. i hope she can continue the season with her knee.

i'm really happy for Murray! well done.

[oasisbobo]

Very very well done Murray could 2012 be his year...

[Formusic]

Atp rankings

1 Djokovic, Novak (SRB) 14,220 0 19
2 Nadal, Rafael (ESP) 10,375 0 20
3 Federer, Roger (SUI) 8,380 0 20
4 Murray, Andy (GBR) 7,825 0 20
5 Ferrer, David (ESP) 4,200 0 23
6 Soderling, Robin (SWE) 3,680 0 24
7 Berdych, Tomas (CZE) 3,230 3 25
8 Tsonga, Jo-Wilfried (FRA) 3,050 -1 24
9 Fish, Mardy (USA) 2,955 -1 22
10 Monfils, Gael (FRA) 2,570 -1 23

Wta rankings

1 1 Wozniacki, Caroline 11/07/90 DEN 8005 22
2 2 Sharapova, Maria 19/04/87 RUS 6370 15
3 4 Azarenka, Victoria 31/07/89 BLR 6190 21
4 5 Kvitova, Petra 08/03/90 CZE 5760 20
5 3 Zvonareva, Vera 07/09/84 RUS 5755 21
6 7 Stosur, Samantha 30/03/84 AUS 5455 21
7 6 Li, Na 26/02/82 CHN 5425 19
8 12 Radwanska, Agnieszka 06/03/89 POL 4940 18
9 11 Petkovic, Andrea 09/09/87 GER 4640 20
10 8 Clijsters, Kim 08/06/83 BEL 4501 15

[oasisbobo]

Hopefully Murray can overtake Federer soon

[Formusic]

Hopefully Murray can overtake Federer soon

Well Federer is on the decline, i wouldn t be surprised if Murray tops him before the end of the year even if i really respect this guy.

[oasisbobo]

Hopefully Murray can overtake Federer soon

Well Federer is on the decline, i wouldn t be surprised if Murray tops him before the end of the year even if i really respect this guy.

Yeah I agree with you

[Marshall]

Hopefully Murray can overtake Federer soon

Well Federer is on the decline, i wouldn t be surprised if Murray tops him before the end of the year even if i really respect this guy.

Yeah I agree with you

[oasisbobo]

Well done again Murray The title is surely his?

[Formusic]

http://au.sports.yahoo.com/tennis/news/ ... i-masters/




Andy Murray sealed his third straight title and guaranteed that for the first time he will leapfrog Roger Federer to No.3 in the rankings after beating David Ferrer to claim the Shanghai Masters crown on Sunday.

Defending champion Murray, 24, was tested by the Spaniard but ultimately had too much for the world No.5, wrapping up his eighth Masters title a 7-5 6-4 in one hour and 45 minutes.

The first game of the match at the Qi Zhong stadium lasted nearly 10 minutes with a succession of lengthy baseline rallies before Murray broke to seize an early advantage - only for Ferrer to break back in the second game to level the scores.

The rest of the first set went with serve until the Spaniard double-faulted in the 11th game to give second seed Murray another break and a 6-5 lead. Murray went on to seal the set with an ace.

The second set followed the same pattern at the start, with Murray grabbing the early break only for Ferrer to pull level at 1-1 as the Scot smashed a ball into the ground in frustration.

But a horrendous missed overhead from third seed Ferrer handed the British player two break points in the following game and he made no mistake, hoisting a lob from behind the baseline to win the game before going on to seal the match.

"It's been one of the best runs of my life. I've played very, very well the last few weeks and I was very nervous today because I wanted to try and win here and defend my title. I'm very happy I managed to come through," said Murray.

Ferrer said: "Today it was impossible to beat Andy."

"Here in Shanghai I've had the best moments of my career. I reached the final in 2007 (Masters Cup) and again this year. I hope to win it next year. I know it will be difficult but Shanghai is my second home," he added.

Ferrer, 29, could not repeat the heroics of the previous three rounds, in which he had come back from a set down to win each time.

It is the third ATP tour title in as many weeks for Murray, who was victorious at the Thailand Open and Japan Open during his 15-match winning streak.

He has won 25 of 26 matches since mid-August, his only defeat coming in the US Open semi-finals to Rafael Nadal, whom he beat in the Japan Open final.

Coming into the match, the Scot had won all four of his meetings with Ferrer on hard courts, including the semi-finals in Tokyo last week.

When the new rankings are issued on Monday, Murray will have just Novak Djokovic and Nadal ahead of him as he targets finishing the year as the No.3 player in the world, something he has never achieved before.

Murray has been ranked as high as No.2 in the world but his highest year-end finish is No.4. He has never been ranked higher than Federer.

Murray's successful defence of his Shanghai Masters crown means that Federer, absent from Shanghai, will slip to No.4 - his lowest ranking in more than eight years.

The last time the Swiss great was ranked lower than number three was way back in June 2003, the month before he won his first Grand Slam at Wimbledon.

Novak Djokovic is guaranteed to end 2011 as the world No. 1 after Rafael Nadal lost to Florian Mayer in the third round of the Shanghai Masters on Thursday.

Edit : Wimbledon champion Kvitova wins Linz Open

http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/sport/1047 ... linz-open/

Oct 16 (Reuters) - Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova won her fifth WTA title of the year on Sunday when she brushed aside Dominika Cibulkova to take the Linz Open.

The 21-year-old Czech won 6-4 6-1 to notch up her fourth win in as many meetings with Cibulkova and dash her Slovakian opponent's hopes of winning a first WTA title.

"It wasn't as clear as the result suggests," said Kvitova after adding to her titles at Wimbledon, Brisbane, Madrid and indoors at Paris. "It was only easy for me towards the end."

Kvitova broke in the first game but Cibulkova hit back to level at 4-4 before Kvitova broke again to take the set. The pair swapped service breaks at the start of the second set before Kvitova took control, winning five games in a row to wrap up the match.

"In the first set, I thought that maybe I could do it, but in the end I was on the defensive too often and she deserved the win," said Cibulkova.

(Writing by Brian Homewood in Berne; Editing by Clare Fallon)

[oasisbobo]

Well done Murray

[Formusic]

ATP Rankings

1 Djokovic, Novak (SRB) 13,860 0 19
2 Nadal, Rafael (ESP) 10,375 0 20
3 Murray, Andy (GBR) 7,825 1 20
4 Federer, Roger (SUI) 7,780 -1 20
5 Ferrer, David (ESP) 4,710 0 23
6 Soderling, Robin (SWE) 3,500 0 24
7 Berdych, Tomas (CZE) 3,230 0 25
8 Fish, Mardy (USA) 2,965 1 22
9 Tsonga, Jo-Wilfried (FRA) 2,880 -1 24
10 Monfils, Gael (FRA) 2,525 0 23

WTA Rankings

1 1 Wozniacki, Caroline 11/07/90 DEN 8005 22
2 2 Sharapova, Maria 19/04/87 RUS 6370 15
3 3 Azarenka, Victoria 31/07/89 BLR 6190 21
4 4 Kvitova, Petra 08/03/90 CZE 5970 20
5 5 Zvonareva, Vera 07/09/84 RUS 5755 21
6 6 Stosur, Samantha 30/03/84 AUS 5585 21
7 7 Li, Na 26/02/82 CHN 5425 19
8 8 Radwanska, Agnieszka 06/03/89 POL 4940 18
9 11 Bartoli, Marion 02/10/84 FRA 4610 26
10 9 Petkovic, Andrea 09/09/87 GER 4580 19

[Marshall]

3 Murray, Andy (GBR) 7,825 1 20
4 Federer, Roger (SUI) 7,780 -1 20

great job, Andy

[oasisbobo]

Great win for Murray today 6-2 6-4 over Jeremy Chardy

[oasisbobo]

Another great win for Murray today 6-2 6-2 win over Andy Roddick

[Formusic]

Kvitova beats Azarenka in WTA Championships final
By CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA, Associated Press
Oct 30, 3:57 pm EDT


ISTANBUL (AP)—Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova won her first WTA Championships title on Sunday, beating Victoria Azarenka 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 for a victory that will also put her at No. 2 in the world rankings.

Kvitova raced to a 5-0 lead in the first set, but Azarenka rallied to level it at 5-5. The Czech player finally converted her fifth set point when Azarenka’s forehand sailed out.

Azarenka settled into a consistent baseline game in the second set and clinched it with a forehand winner on the line. Kvitova saved three break points in the first game of the final set and then broke to take the early lead.

Kvitova started the year outside the top 30 and was playing in the season-ending tournament for the first time.

“It’s unbelievable to play here,” said Kvitova, who beat Azarenka in the Wimbledon semifinals on her way to winning her first Grand Slam title this year.

Kvitova has won six titles this year, the same number as No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki and twice as many as Azarenka.

“I didn’t expect that I would be sitting here as a champion. It’s really a big step for me,” Kvitova said.

She attributed her achievements this year to improvements not only in her game, but also in fitness and mental strength. Staying healthy was key, along with the support of coach David Kotyza and the rest of her team.

“It’s hard to lose but I’m glad I lost to such a champion,” Azarenka said during the awards ceremony. “I gave it all today.”

Azarenka said Kvitova started well, catching her “off guard.”

“She has a really big serve,” the Belarusian said. “In the important moments, it’s really saving her … I could break her more often.”

The Czech holds a 4-2 head-to-head record over Azarenka, who was playing in the championships for the third time and will return to a career-high No. 3 in the new rankings by reaching the final. It was the first time she advanced beyond the round-robin stage.

Both players will overtake Maria Sharapova, who had a chance to surpass Wozniacki as No. 1 going into the tournament, but withdrew with an ankle injury after losing her first two group-stage matches.

Kvitova took home $1.75 million and Azarenka collected $775,000.

About 13,700 spectators watched the final, continuing a high attendance level for the weeklong tournament for the top eight players in the world. Turkey does not have a strong tennis tradition, but low ticket prices and heavy government support boosted the event, which was held in Istanbul for the first time.

WTA chief executive Stacey Allaster said the high turnout invited comparisons to the “glory days” of the event, when it was held at Madison Square Garden in New York City decades ago.

Istanbul’s ability to host the tournament was seen as integral to the national campaign to host the 2020 Olympics. The sprawling city of more than 13 million has built or renovated major stadiums, and officials seek to alleviate the city’s heavy traffic congestion.

“The best way to go to the Olympics or to bid (for the) Olympics is to show that you are good in organizing great events,” said Francesco Ricci Bitti, president of the International Tennis Federation and a member of the International Olympic Committee.

Before the final, an announcer asked the crowd not to smoke, a request that would not be necessary at more established tennis venues around the world. The fans, though, displayed an affinity for the game, applauding at key moments or when a momentum shift was imminent.

“Azarenka, We love your scream,” read a poster held up by one fan. Azarenka exhales loudly when she hits the ball.

Greek chair umpire Eva Asderaki announced the score in Turkish and then English.

Last month, Serena Williams was cited for a code violation and fined $2,000 for verbally abusing Asderaki during her loss to Samantha Stosur in the U.S. Open final.

Azarenka said she will fly to Belarus on Monday for three weeks of vacation, and she also plans to attend a Rihanna concert in Switzerland. Kvitova has more work ahead, leading the Czech Republic in its first Fed Cup final in more than 20 years, playing Russia in Moscow.


WTA Rankings (2011)

1 1 Wozniacki, Caroline 11/07/90 DEN 7485 22
2 2 Kvitova, Petra 08/03/90 CZE 7370 19
3 3 Azarenka, Victoria 31/07/89 BLR 6520 21
4 4 Sharapova, Maria 19/04/87 RUS 6510 15
5 5 Li, Na 26/02/82 CHN 5720 18
6 6 Stosur, Samantha 30/03/84 AUS 5585 21
7 7 Zvonareva, Vera 07/09/84 RUS 5435 22
8 8 Radwanska, Agnieszka 06/03/89 POL 5250 20
9 9 Bartoli, Marion 02/10/84 FRA 4710 29
10 10 Petkovic, Andrea 09/09/87 GER 4580 18
11 11 Schiavone, Francesca 23/06/80 ITA 3900 22
12 12 Williams, Serena 26/09/81 USA 3180 13
13 13 Clijsters, Kim 08/06/83 BEL 3161 14
14 14 Jankovic, Jelena 28/02/85 SRB 3115 22
15 18 Lisicki, Sabine 22/09/89 GER 2879 21
16 15 Pavlyuchenkova, Anastasia 03/07/91 RUS 2865 22
17 16 Peng, Shuai 08/01/86 CHN 2800 23
18 17 Cibulkova, Dominika 06/05/89 SVK 2755 22
19 19 Kuznetsova, Svetlana 27/06/85 RUS 2606 19
20 20 Pennetta, Flavia 25/02/82 ITA 2490 22


Well done Wozniacki

[Formusic]

http://www.usta.com/federer_beats_tsong ... als_title/

LONDON (AP) -- Roger Federer held off a resilient Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Sunday for his record sixth ATP World Tour Finals title, winning 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 at the season-ending tournament.

Federer failed to serve out the match at 5-4 in the second set, then wasted a match point in the tiebreaker as Tsonga threatened to stage another improbable comeback against the former No. 1.

Tsonga became the first player to rally from a two-set deficit to beat Federer in a Grand Slam tournament in this year's Wimbledon quarterfinals, but the hard-serving Frenchman couldn't pull off another surprise this time.

Playing in his 100th career final, Federer broke for a 5-3 lead in the decider and served out the match at love, sealing his 70th career title with an easy volley.

With the victory, Federer moved past Ivan Lendl and Pete Sampras, who both won five titles at the season-ending event for the world's top eight players, previously known as the Masters Cup.

The Swiss star has not lost a match since the U.S. Open semifinals. He finished the year with a 17-match winning streak following titles in Basel and Paris before coming to London.

``I couldn't be more happy. I couldn't be more exhausted,'' Federer told the crowd at the O2 Arena after being presented with the trophy for the second year in a row. ``Jo sucked every last bit of energy out of me today.''

The capacity crowd included Pippa Middleton, Cristiano Ronaldo and London Mayor Boris Johnson - who was initially cheered when showed on the big screen but received boos when he and his party were late to return to their seats after a changeover, holding up play as Tsonga was about to serve at 2-1 in the third set.

It was the third Sunday in a row that featured a meeting between these two players; Federer beat Tsonga in the Paris final two weeks ago and again in their first round-robin match in London last weekend.

The third win proved the hardest for Federer.

He appeared to be headed to a fairly routine victory after breaking for a 3-2 lead in the second set, hitting a forehand return winner on the line. But he faltered when serving at 5-4, going down 0-40. Tsonga eventually earned the break with a volley winner.

In the tiebreaker, Federer led 5-2 and held a match point at 6-5, but Tsonga saved it with a forehand winner before ripping a scorching forehand return on his first set point to level the match.

But Federer wasn't about to allow another comeback, and he picked up a break in the eighth game of the decider when Tsonga sent a running forehand wide, before easily clinching the victory.

____________


Cograts Federer, you re trully the best

____________


ATP Rankings


1 Djokovic, Novak (SRB) 13,675 0 19
2 Nadal, Rafael (ESP) 9,575 0 20
3 Federer, Roger (SUI) 8,170 1 19
4 Murray, Andy (GBR) 7,380 -1 19
5 Ferrer, David (ESP) 4,880 0 23
6 Tsonga, Jo-Wilfried (FRA) 4,335 0 25
7 Berdych, Tomas (CZE) 3,700 0 24
8 Fish, Mardy (USA) 2,965 0 24
9 Tipsarevic, Janko (SRB) 2,595 0 28

[oasisbobo]

Well done Federer

[Marshall]

Great job, Roger!!!! You deserved to win!!!!!