₦airaland Forum

At last! It's a set apiece!

Roger Federer is on the verge of losing! Moya is a set up (6-4).

I can't believe Federer just couldn't close out this second set. He actually gave up a 40-love lead on serve in the ninth game.

What a bad start! Roger loses the first game on serve.

David, I'm having a feeling Doyin might end his hunger strike soon.

The match between Roger Federer and former French Open champion Carlos Moya, for a place in the Hamburg Masters final, starts in a couple of minutes.

Former world number one Serena Williams slid out of the Italian Open following a 6-3 2-6 7-6 defeat by Patty Schnyder in the quarter-finals.

Playing her first tournament since a groin strain forced her to pull out of the Family Circle Cup in Charleston last month, Williams struggled to find her rhythm against the 14th seed and paid the price for an error-strewn performance.

Schnyder's reward will be a semi-final against third seed Jelena Jankovic, who produced an impressive display of baseline hitting to sweep past Elena Dementieva 6-2 6-1.

In the other QF matches, Hantuchova beat Medina Garrigues   7-6, 7-5. The victory means Hantuchova will play former US Open champ, Kuznetsova who eased past Safina  6-1, 6-3.

Yea, a SF match between struggling Federer and the rising star, Djokovic would be a mouthwatering one. I just hope Djokovic keeps his mouth shut before the match and let his racquet do the talking (that's if both of them win their QF matches anyways).

I would also love to see a Nadal-Hewitt clash. I hope they don't disappoint, Hewitt particularly.

Are we going to have a David-Doyin clash in the final again? Who's the likely spoiler?

3rd Round Results:

Schnyder - Stosur 6-4, 6-4
Williams - Peer 6-3, 6-3
Jankovic - Bondarenko 6-4, 7-5
Dementieva - Petrova 4-3 (Retired with a back problem)
Hantuchova - Chakvetadze 6-2, 6-3
Medina Garrigues - Vierin 6-1, 6-1
Safina - Bondarenko 6-2, 6-3
Kuznetsova - Fedak 7-6, 6-1

Quarter Final Fixtures:

Patty Schnyder (SUI) vs. Serena Williams (USA)
Jelena Jankovic (SRB) vs. Elena Dementieva (RUS)
Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) vs. Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP)
Dinara Safina (RUS) vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)

Ol'boy, u be Julius Agu's brother?

As for the CL Final, I tip Milan to take the title.

3rd Round Results:

Federer - Ferrero   6-2, 6-3
Ferrer  - Ljubicic   6-3, 6-2
Djokovic - Nieminen   7-5, 4-6, 6-4
Hewitt - Davydenko   6-4, 2-6, 6-4
Moyà - Blake   1-6, 6-3, 6-3
Almagro - Acasuso   6-2, 6-3
Gonzalez - Mathieu   7-5, 6-4
Nadal - Andreev   6-4, 6-1

Quarter Final Fixtures:

Roger Federer (SUI)  vs.  David Ferrer (ESP)
Novak Djokovic (SRB)  vs.  Carlos Moya (ESP)
Nicolas Almagro (ESP)  vs.  Lleyton Hewitt (AUS)
Fernando Gonzalez (CHL)  vs.  Rafael Nadal (ESP)

Can you predict the semi-final fixtures?

Doyin, who else do you tip now that Davydenko is out?

Second Round Results:

Federer - Monaco 6-3, 2-6, 6-4
Ferrero - Safin 6-3, 7-6
Ferrer - Soderling 1-6, 6-3, 6-2
Ljubicic - Serra 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
Djokovic - Benneteau 7-6, 6-3
Nieminen - Mayer 6-2, 6-4
Moyà - Berdych 3-6, 7-5, 7-6
Blake - Clément 6-2, 6-3
Almagro - Robredo 6-7, 6-2, 6-4
Acasuso - Volandri 3-6, 7-6, 6-3
Hewitt - Chela 6-2, 7-6
Davydenko - Simon 6-7, 6-4, 7-5
Melzer - Gasquet 6-3, 6-4
Andreev - Kohlschreiber 6-7, 6-1, 6-4
Nadal - Hernandez 7-5, 6-1

3rd Round Fixtures:

Roger Federer (SUI) vs. Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP)
David Ferrer (ESP) vs. Ivan Ljubicic (CRO)
Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. Jarkko Nieminen (FIN)
Carlos Moya (ESP) vs. James Blake (USA)
Nicolas Almagro (ESP) vs. Jose Acasuso (ARG)
Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) vs. Nikolay Davydenko (RUS)
Fernando Gonzalez (CHL) vs. Jurgen Melzer (AUT)
Igor Andreev (RUS) vs. Rafael Nadal (ESP)

Mauresmo falls early again.

Second Round Results:

Stosur - Mauresmo 7-5, 6-7, 7-6
Schnyder - Tu 6-4, 6-0
Peer - Sugiyama 6-0, 6-2
Williams - Krajicek 6-4, 6-1
Jankovic - Paszek 6-3, 6-4
Bondarenko - Garbin 6-4, 6-2
Dementieva - Castano 6-4, 6-3
Petrova - Shaughnessy 7-6, 6-1
Chakvetadze - Zi 6-1, 6-3
Hantuchova - Bammer 6-1, 6-2
Medina Garrigues - Srebotnik 6-3, 6-2
Vierin - Voskoboeva 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
Safina - Kanepi 7-6, 6-2
Bondarenko - Sprem 6-3, 6-4
Fedak - Dechy 1-6, 6-2, 6-2
Kuznetsova - Santangelo 6-3, 6-3

3rd Round Fixtures:

Samantha Stosur (AUS) vs. Patty Schnyder (SUI)
Shahar Peer (ISR) vs. Serena Williams (USA)
Jelena Jankovic (SRB) vs. Alyona Bondarenko (UKR)
Elena Dementieva (RUS) vs. Nadia Petrova (RUS)
Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) vs. Daniela Hantuchova (SVK)
Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) vs. Nathalie Vierin (ITA)
Dinara Safina (RUS) vs. Katerina Bondarenko (UKR)
Yuliana Fedak (UKR) vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)

Na wa for this tiebreaker between Safin and Ferrero! (17-15).

Ferrero plays Federer in the third round, after the world no. 1 managed to scrape past Monaco.

Nadal, Hewitt, Blake, Davydenko are all through the next round.

I'm with you on that, my brother. David seems to be the only one enjoying Nadal's run.

First Round Results:

Stosur - Schiavone   6-3, 6-4
Tu - Vinci   2-6, 6-2, 6-4
Schnyder - Bardina   6-1, 6-2
Peer - Radwanska   6-0, 2-0  Retired
Sugiyama - Kirilenko   6-4, 5-7, 7-5
Krajicek - Poutchkova   6-1, 6-2
Paszek - Pratt   6-7, 6-0, 6-2
Bondarenko - Sun   6-7, 7-5, 6-2
Garbin - Pennetta   6-3, 7-6
Dementieva - Camerin   6-1, 6-2
Castano - Knapp   6-1, 7-5
Shaughnessy - Loit   6-3, 6-2
Zi - Brémond   2-6, 6-0, 6-3
Bammer - Dulko   7-5, 7-5
Hantuchova - Rezaï   4-6, 6-1, 6-2
Srebotnik - Muller   6-4, 6-2
Medina Garrigues - Zheng   6-2, 6-2
Voskoboeva - Brianti   6-2, 6-3
Kanepi - Dominguez Lino   6-3, 6-3
Sprem - Daniilidou   3-6, 6-4, 6-3
Bondarenko - Errani   4-6, 6-3, 6-4
Fedak - Oprandi   6-3, 3-6, 6-3
Santangelo - Morigami   6-2, 6-0
Dechy - Groenefeld   6-0, 6-4

Second Round Fixtures:

Amelie Mauresmo (FRA)  vs.  Samantha Stosur (AUS)
Meilen Tu (USA)  vs.  Patty Schnyder (SUI)
Shahar Peer (ISR)  vs.  Ai Sugiyama (JPN)
Michaella Krajicek (NLD)  vs.  Serena Williams (USA)
Jelena Jankovic (SRB)  vs.  Tamira Paszek (AUT)
Alyona Bondarenko (UKR)  vs.  Tathiana Garbin (ITA)
Elena Dementieva (RUS)  vs.  Catalina Castano (COL)
Meghann Shaughnessy (USA)  vs.  Nadia Petrova (RUS)
Anna Chakvetadze (RUS)  vs.  Yan Zi (CHN)
Sybille Bammer (AUT)  vs.  Daniela Hantuchova (SVK)
Katarina Srebotnik (SVN)  vs.  Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP)
Galina Voskoboeva (RUS)  vs.  Nicole Vaidisova (CZE)
Dinara Safina (RUS)  vs.  Kaia Kanepi (EST)
Karolina Sprem (CRO)  vs.  Katerina Bondarenko (UKR)
Yuliana Fedak (UKR)  vs.  Nathalie Dechy (FRA)
Mara Santangelo (ITA)  vs.  Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)

Fourth seed Nicole Vaidisova and 12th seed Ana Ivanovic became the latest top players to pull out of the Italian Open in Rome after succumbing to injuries, tournament organisers said.

Czech Vaidisova withdrew with a recurrence of the tendonitis that kept her out of last week's German Open in Berlin.

Serb Ivanovic, who moved up to eighth in the world rankings -- her first time in the top 10 -- after beating world number three Svetlana Kuznetsova in the final in Berlin, pulled out with an ankle injury.

Another leading player, 13th seed Li Na of China, also dropped out with a stomach upset.

First Round Results:

Monaco - Hrbaty 6-2, 6-2
Safin - Massu 7-6, 6-4
Ferrero - Wawrinka 6-1, 7-6
Ferrer - Bjorkman 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
Soderling - Ginepri 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
Serra - Bolelli 6-7, 6-2, 6-2
Benneteau - Schuettler 7-6, 6-2
Nieminen - Summerer 6-1, 7-6
Mayer - Youzhny 6-4, 2-6, 7-6
Berdych - Verdasco 7-6, 6-4
Moyà - Fish 6-0, 6-3
Clément - Stepanek 6-3, 6-7, 6-3
Almagro - Verkerk 6-1, 6-3
Acasuso - Garcia-Lopez 6-3, 6-4
Volandri - Murray 1-5 Retired
Hewitt - Calleri 6-3, 6-4
Chela - Canas 6-1, 4-6, 6-1
Simon - Gicquel 6-1, 6-0
Mathieu - Rochus 6-1, 7-6
Melzer - Waske 6-3, 6-4
Gasquet - Gaudio 6-1, 6-4
Kohlschreiber - Baghdatis 7-5, 6-3
Andreev - Tursunov 6-2, 1-0 Retired
Hernandez - Becker 6-3, 6-7, 6-3

Second Round Fixtures:

Roger Federer (SUI) vs. Juan Monaco (ARG)
Marat Safin (RUS) vs. Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP)
David Ferrer (ESP) vs. Robin Soderling (SWE)
Florent Serra (FRA) vs. Ivan Ljubicic (CRO)
Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. Julien Benneteau (FRA)
Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) vs. Florian Mayer (GER)
Tomas Berdych (CZE) vs. Carlos Moya (ESP)
Arnaud Clement (FRA) vs. James Blake (USA)
Tommy Robredo (ESP) vs. Nicolas Almagro (ESP)
Jose Acasuso (ARG) vs. Filippo Volandri (ITA)
Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) vs. Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG)
Gilles Simon (FRA) vs. Nikolay Davydenko (RUS)
Fernando Gonzalez (CHL) vs. Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA)
Jurgen Melzer (AUT) vs. Richard Gasquet (FRA)
Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) vs. Igor Andreev (RUS)
Oscar Hernandez (ESP) vs. Rafael Nadal (ESP)

. . . more like anybody but Nadal.

Canas has been ousted by Chela.  Stepanek, Baghdatis have also fallen in the first round.

Ferrero, Gasquet have progressed to the second round.

Volandri, the last man to beat Federer plays Murray tomorrow. 

We may also have a Safin - Federer clash in the third round, if they both win their respective second round matches.

First Round Fixtures:

Amelie Mauresmo (FRA) - bye bye
Francesca Schiavone (ITA) vs. Samantha Stosur (AUS)
Meilen Tu (USA) vs. Roberta Vinci (ITA)
Vasilisa Bardina (RUS) vs. Patty Schnyder (SUI)
Shahar Peer (ISR) vs. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL)
Ai Sugiyama (JPN) vs. Maria Kirilenko (RUS)
Michaella Krajicek (NLD) vs. Olga Poutchkova (RUS)
Serena Williams (USA) vs. bye bye
Jelena Jankovic (SRB) vs. bye bye
Tamira Paszek (AUT) vs. Nicole Pratt (AUS)
Tian Tian Sun (CHN) vs. Alyona Bondarenko (UKR)
Flavia Pennetta (ITA) vs. Tathiana Garbin (ITA)
Elena Dementieva (RUS) vs. Maria Elena Camerin (ITA)
Catalina Castano (COL) vs. Karin Knapp (ITA)
Meghann Shaughnessy (USA) vs. Emilie Loit (FRA)
Nadia Petrova (RUS) - bye bye
Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) - bye bye
Yan Zi (CHN) vs. Séverine Brémond (FRA)
Sybille Bammer (AUT) vs. Gisella Dulko (ARG)
Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) vs. Aravane Rezaï (FRA)
Katarina Srebotnik (SVN) vs. Martina Muller (GER)
Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) vs. Jie Zheng (CHN)
Galina Voskoboeva (RUS) vs. Alberta Brianti (ITA)
Nicole Vaidisova (CZE) - bye bye
Dinara Safina (RUS) vs. bye bye
Marion Bartoli (FRA) vs. Kaia Kanepi (EST)
Karolina Sprem (CRO) vs. Eleni Daniilidou (GRC)
Katerina Bondarenko (UKR) vs. Ana Ivanovic (SRB)
Na Li (CHN) vs. Romina Oprandi (ITA)
Anna Lena Groenefeld (GER) vs. Nathalie Dechy (FRA)
Akiko Morigami (JPN) vs. Mara Santangelo (ITA)
Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) - bye bye

WTA Rome
Rome, Italy
May 14-20, 2007
Tier I
Prize Money: $1,340,000
Draw: 56M/32Q/28D
Surface: Red Clay/Outdoors
Tournament Director: Sergio Palmieri

Defending Champ:  Martina Hingis (SUI)

Seeds:  ¹Amelie Mauresmo (FRA), ²Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS), ³Jelena Jankovic (SRB), ⁴Nicole Vaidisova (CZE), ⁵Nadia Petrova (RUS), ⁶Dinara Safina (RUS), ⁷Anna Chakvetadze (RUS), ⁸Serena Williams (USA), ⁹Daniela Hantuchova (SVK), ¹⁰Elena Dementieva (RUS), ¹¹Ana Ivanovic (SRB), ¹²Shahar Peer, ¹³Na Li (CHN), ¹⁴Patty Schnyder (SUI). ¹⁵Katarina Srebotnik (SVN), ¹⁶Tathiana Garbin (ITA)



According to the tournament organisers, defending champion Martina Hingis pulled out the Italian Open in Rome with a back injury. 

World number one Justine Henin is absent after deciding to rest in preparation for the French Open, which starts on May 27.

World number two Maria Sharapova pulled out with a shoulder injury.

First Round Fixtures:

Roger Federer (SUI) - Bye 01
Juan Monaco (ARG)  vs.  Dominik Hrbaty (SVK)
Marat Safin (RUS)  vs.  Nicolas Massu (CHL)
Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP)  vs.  Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI)
David Ferrer (ESP)  vs.  Jonas Bjorkman (SWE)
Robin Soderling (SWE)  vs.  Robby Ginepri (USA)
Florent Serra (FRA)  vs.  Simone Bolelli (ITA)
Ivan Ljubicic (CRO)  - Bye 02 
Novak Djokovic (SRB)  - Bye 03 
Julien Benneteau (FRA)  vs.  Rainer Schuettler (GER)
Tobias Summerer (GER)  vs.  Jarkko Nieminen (FIN)
Florian Mayer (GER)  vs.  Mikhail Youzhny (RUS)
Tomas Berdych (CZE)  vs.  Fernando Verdasco (ESP)
Carlos Moya (ESP)  vs.  Mardy Fish (USA)
Arnaud Clement (FRA)  vs.  Radek Stepanek (CZE)
James Blake (USA) - Bye 04
Tommy Robredo (ESP) - Bye 05
Nicolas Almagro (ESP)  vs.  Martin Verkerk (NLD)
Jose Acasuso (ARG)  vs.  Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP)
Filippo Volandri (ITA)  vs.  Andrew Murray (GBR)
Lleyton Hewitt (AUS)  vs.  Agustin Calleri (ARG)
Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG)  vs.  Guillermo Canas (ARG)
Gilles Simon (FRA)  vs.  Marc Gicquel (FRA)
Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) - Bye 06
Fernando Gonzalez (CHL) - Bye 07
Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA)  vs.  Olivier Rochus (BEL)
Alexander Waske (GER)  vs.  Jurgen Melzer (AUT)
Richard Gasquet (FRA)  vs.  Gaston Gaudio (ARG)
Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER)  vs.  Marcos Baghdatis (CYP)
Igor Andreev (RUS)  vs.  Dimitry Tursunov (RUS)
Benjamin Becker (GER)  vs.  Oscar Hernandez (ESP)
Rafael Nadal (ESP) - Bye 08

Hamburg Masters
Hamburg, Germany
May 14-20, 2007
€2,082,500 / 64 Draw
Clay

Defending Champ: Tommy Robredo

Seeds:  ¹Roger Federer (SUI), ²Rafael Nadal (ESP), ³Nikolay Davydenko (RUS), ⁴Novak Djokovic (SRB), ⁵Fernando Gonzalez (CHL), ⁶Tommy Robredo (ESP), ⁷Ivan Ljubicic (CRO), ⁸James Blake (USA), ⁹Andrew Murray (GBR), ¹⁰Tomas Berdych (CZE), ¹¹Richard Gasquet (FRA), ¹²David Ferrer (ESP), ¹³Mikhail Youzhny (RUS), ¹⁴Marcos Baghdatis (CYP), ¹⁵Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP), ¹⁶Lleyton Hewitt (AUS)

WTA Prague Open
Prague, Czech Republic
May 7-13, 2007
Tier IV
Prize Money: $145,000
Draw: 32M/32Q/16D
Surface: Red Clay/Outdoors
Tournament Director: Vladislav Savrda

                                    https://img177.imageshack.us/img177/8476/b3eda842f55e4e5c8362274aj1.jpg

Akiko Morigami of Japan won her first WTA title Sunday, defeating an ailing Marion Bartoli of France 6-1, 6-3 in the Prague Open final.

Bartoli, seeded first, was playing with an injured hip.

"It happened this morning during a practice," said Bartoli, who retired from the quarterfinals of the Estoril Open in Portugal last week because of an abdominal injury.

The sixth-seeded Morigami was playing in the second WTA final of her career.

"I know that Marion is injured ,  but still I'm happy I won," Morigami said.

77 and still counting . . .

https://img127.imageshack.us/img127/5526/gonzonadalja9.jpg https://img102.imageshack.us/img102/7436/nadalbitesslj5.jpg

https://img108.imageshack.us/img108/8996/nadalds7.jpg https://img444.imageshack.us/img444/2087/nadalnicolaju4.jpg

https://img477.imageshack.us/img477/5645/ivanovicdp5.jpg

Serbian teenager Ana Ivanovic, hobbling on a taped right foot, won the German Open on Sunday by beating third-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4).

The 19-year-old Ivanovic won her third career title, defeating a top-10 player for the eighth time. She will reach the top 10 in the new rankings Monday.

As predicted, Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova edged out world number one Justin Henin 6-4 5-7 6-4 in their delayed German Open semi-final, setting up a showdown against Serb 12th seed Ana Ivanovic.

Ivanovic, 19, reached her first final on clay on Saturday when unseeded Ukrainian Julia Vakulenko withdrew from their semi-final because of a hand injury with the Serb leading 4-3.

Premiership Stats 06/07:

Champions League:  Man Utd, Chelsea

Champions League qualifying: Liverpool, Arsenal

UEFA Cup: Tottenham, Everton, Bolton

Relegation: Sheff Utd, Charlton, Watford


On behalf of the reporting crew (9ja4eva et al), I say thanks for being with us all season. It's our hope that next season, the wasteful gooners would have found their scoring boots.

See y'all next season  

Blackburn  3 - 3  Reading (Ewood Park)
21' B McCarthy
                   36' S Ki-Hyeon
56' D Bentley
                   58' K Doyle
67' M Derbyshire
                   77' B Gunnarsson


Bolton  2 - 2  Aston Villa (Reebok Stadium)
32' G Speed
                   37' C Gardner
58' K Davies
                   81' L Moore

Chelsea  1 - 1  Everton (Stamford Bridge)
                   50' J Vaughan
57' D Drogba

Liverpool  2 - 2  Charlton (Anfield)
                   2'  M Holland
62' X Alonso
                   72' D Bent
90' H Kewell (pen)

Man Utd  0 - 1  West Ham (Old Trafford)
                   45' C Tevez

Middlesbrough  3 - 1  Fulham (The Riverside Stadium)
34' M Viduka
                   42' S Davies
45' D Wheater
47' M Viduka  

Portsmouth  0 - 0  Arsenal (Fratton Park)
                   40' J Baptista (pen miss)

Sheff Utd  1 - 2  Wigan (Bramall Lane)
                   14' P Scharner
38' J Stead
                   45' D Unsworth (pen)
                   74' L McCulloch (red card)
Sheff Utd are relegated    

Tottenham  2 - 1  Man City (White Hart Lane)
10' R Keane
32' D Berbatov
                   40' E Mpenza
86' J Defoe (pen miss)      

Watford  1 - 1  Newcastle (Vicarage Road Stadium)
                   29' K Dyer
52' M King (pen)

Haha! . . . the guy isn't losing this year sef. Nadal goes 3-0 second set.

The match between Nadal and Gonzalez is underway. 

Doyin, Gonzo isn't helping ur condition at the moment, Nadal has taken the first set 6-2.

ROGER AND TONY ROCHE END COACHING RELATIONSHIP

Roger and Tony Roche have mutually decided to end their 2 1/2 year long part time coaching arrangement. "I thank Tony very much for his efforts over these last years, during which I appreciated the 12-15 weeks per season we would work together. I am also grateful for the sacrifice he made, traveling so far from his home in Australia and leaving his family."

http://www.rogerfederer.com/en/rogers/news/newsdetail.cfm?uNewsID=550

The move leaves Federer without a coach two weeks before the May 27 start of the French Open, the only Grand Slam tournament he hasn't won.

Has Roger taken the right step?