₦airaland Forum

doyin13:
my food has lost its taste

lol. . . pass it to your dog.

The win is Nadal's 76th win on clay, breaking John McEnroe's record for most victories on one surface.

https://img440.imageshack.us/img440/4026/nadalscreamslp6.jpg  https://img503.imageshack.us/img503/1316/davyox6.jpg

Game over.  Nadal is really an animal.

Rafa is really in for it this time.  He looks like he's going to lose this match.

Whoever scales through, anyway,  faces in-form Gonzo (who beat Volandri 6-1, 6-2) in the finals.

Finally, Davy takes the second set after blowing away five set points!!!!

Can u believe they've spent close to 3hrs already on court?

He should have taken the first set when he had the chance. He only raises his game when he's broken and relaxes later.

Last Premiership Fixtures: (May 13)

Blackburn   v    Reading (Ewood Park)

Middlesbrough   v    Fulham (The Riverside Stadium)

Bolton   v    Aston Villa (Reebok Stadium)

Chelsea   v    Everton (Stamford Bridge)

Portsmouth   v    Arsenal (Fratton Park)

Liverpool   v    Charlton (Anfield)

Tottenham   v    Man City (White Hart Lane)

Man Utd   v    West Ham (Vicarage Road Stadium)

Sheff Utd   v    Wigan (Bramall Lane)

Watford   v    Newcastle (Vicarage Road Stadium)

What a comeback by Henin, the undisputed female king of clay.  Came back from four games down in the third set and took six games in a row to book a place in the semi-finals. She beat Jankovic 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

I doubt she'll make it past this round though, since she's been on court longer than her opponent, no thanks to the rain.  She faces Kuznetsova (a player she's beaten fourteen times in their fifteen previous meetings) in the semis. I hope she goes through anyways.

Defending champion Nadia Petrova was beaten 7-6 6-4 by fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, seeded third, while in another quarter-final 12th-seeded Serbian teenager Ana Ivanovic battled to a 7-5 3-6 6-4 victory over 15th seed Patty Schnyder of Switzerland.

Unseeded Julia Vakulenko, who like Henin had an exhausting day having to play twice because of the backlog caused by rain, continued her dream run through the draw adding the scalp of Dinara Safina to that of Amelie Mauresmo who she beat earlier in the day.

Vakulenko beat Safina 6-3 5-7 6-3 in a gruelling match that lasted two hours 23 minutes and will play Ivanovic in the semi finals.

World number one Justine Henin was in danger of crashing out of the Berlin Open after losing the first set of her quarter final against Jelena Jankovic.

Jankovic, who lost to the Belgian in the semi finals of Warsaw last week, took the rain delayed first set 6-3 but Henin was hanging on in the second set at 4-4 when lack of light stopped play on the Steffi Graf Stadium. The match continues tomorrow.

Rafael Nadal swept towards a third consecutive Rome Masters title, beating fifth seed Novak Djokovic 6-2 6-3 in the quarter-finals.

The world number two, whose victory took his winning streak on clay to 75 matches, set up a semi-final against fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko and insisted he was expecting a touch match against the Russian.

"He's playing very good tennis, hitting hard on both sides. He can beat me," he said.

Nikolay Davydenko fought back from a horror opening set to claim a hard-fought 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Spain's Tommy Robredo to book his place in the quarter finals of the Rome Masters.

"He's like Robredo, only a lefty and more physical," Davydenko said of the prospect of facing Nadal in the next round.

"It's pretty tough to beat him because the court is not so fast. He is also faster than Robredo.

"I saw Robredo was tired in the second set. He's wasn't running so quick. But Nadal runs in the first set, the second set, third set, every set the same."

"Nadal, I don't know, maybe he is an animal, like he never tires," the Russian joked. "We'll see."

Wild card Filippo Volandri became the first Italian player to reach the semi-finals of the Rome Masters in 29 years when he swept past 12th seed Tomas Berdych 6-2 6-3.

Volandri will next face sixth seed Fernando Gonzalez, who beat Juan Ignacio Chela 6-3 6-4.

davidylan:
What's up with Marat Safin?

From the article below,  I think the problem with Safin is that he's losing his focus or maybe he's just not feeling tennis anymore.

His compatriot, Mikhail Youzhny, summed up Safin when he talked to Tennis Magazine in 2004. "If I did like [Safin] does -- his nightclubs, his smoking -- I'd never make the Top 100," Youzhny said. "He is very happy now, he gets whatever he wants, so if he doesn't want to practice, he doesn't practice."

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=2864928&name=tennis

Wow! another straight-set victory for Nadal. Who will stop him? Gonzo? or maybe Volandri

3rd Round Results:

Henin - Camerin 6-1, 6-3
Jankovic - Peng 6-1, 6-7, 2-3 Retired
Kuznetsova - Muller 6-3, 6-2
Petrova - Dementieva 6-3, 6-3
Ivanovic - Bondarenko 6-3, 5-0 Retired (sprained her ankle)
Schnyder - Hingis 6-4, 6-0
Safina - Safarova 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
Vakulenko - Mauresmo 2-6, 6-1, 6-2

Quarter final Fixtures:

Justine Henin (BEL) vs. Jelena Jankovic (SRB)
Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) vs. Nadia Petrova (RUS)
Ana Ivanovic (SRB) vs. Patty Schnyder (SUI)
Dinara Safina (RUS) vs. Julia Vakulenko (UKR)

I can't view the site either. It gives me this message:

Kaspersky Internet Security 6.0 Beta

The requested URL http://www.nonsodiobi.com/ is infected with Virus.VBS.Redlof.n virus

@ all, r sure your systems aint infected already?

Tottenham 1 - 1 Blackburn (White Hart Lane)
                     32' B McCarthy
67' J Defoe
                     90' J Roberts (red card)

Wednesday's Result:

Chelsea 0 - 0 Man Utd (Stamford Bridge)

Second Round Results:

Henin - Malek 6-1, 6-1
Camerin - Li 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
Peng - Ondraskova 7-5, 6-1
Jankovic - Medina Garrigues 6-3, 2-6, 7-5
Kuznetsova - Bammer 6-1, 7-5
Muller - Peer 6-2, 7-6
Dementieva - Shaughnessy 5-7, 6-3, 6-1
Petrova - Brémond 6-4, 6-2
Bondarenko - Garbin 6-4, 6-3
Ivanovic - Likhovtseva 6-3, 6-2
Schnyder - Ruano Pascual 6-0, 6-1
Hingis - Bondarenko 7-5, 7-6
Safarova - Chakvetadze 6-4, 6-4
Safina - Dominguez Lino 6-4, 6-3
Vakulenko - Tu 6-1, 7-6
Mauresmo - Yan 6-3, 6-3

3rd Round Fixtures:

Justine Henin (BEL) vs. Maria Elena Camerin (ITA)
Shuai Peng (CHN) vs. Jelena Jankovic (SRB)
Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) vs. Martina Muller (GER)
Elena Dementieva (RUS) vs. Nadia Petrova (RUS)
Alyona Bondarenko (UKR) vs. Ana Ivanovic (SRB)
Patty Schnyder (SUI) vs. Martina Hingis (SUI)
Dinara Safina (RUS) vs. Lucie Safarova (CZE)
Julia Vakulenko (UKR) vs. Amelie Mauresmo (FRA)

First Round Results:

Malek - Bardina   6-1, 6-3
Camerin - Zheng   3-6, 6-3, 6-3
Li - Kirilenko   6-1, 3-6, 6-1
Ondraskova - Hantuchova    6-1, 6-3
Peng - Petkovic   6-3, 7-5
Medina Garrigues - Rezaï   7-6, 4-6, 6-0
Bammer - Roesch   7-5, 6-1
Muller - Daniilidou   6-0, 6-2
Peer - Gronefeld   6-1, 6-2
Dementieva - Santangelo   4-6, 6-1, 6-4
Shaughnessy - Paszek   7-6, 6-2
Brémond - Lisicki   6-2, 6-1
Bondarenko - Schiavone   5-7, 6-2, 7-5
Likhovtseva - Loit   7-5, 3-6, 6-1
Ivanovic - Granville   6-2, 6-1
Schnyder - Vinci   6-0, 7-5
Ruano Pascual - Voskoboeva   6-4, 6-3
Bondarenko - Kanepi   5-7, 7-6, 6-2
Dominguez Lino - Vesnina   6-2, 6-1
Safarova - Savchuk   6-3, 6-7
Chakvetadze - Stosur   3-6, 7-6, 7-6
Tu - Srebotnik    6-3, 4-6, 6-3
Vakulenko - Pennetta   6-3, 6-2
Yan - Barrois   4-6, 6-3, 6-2

Second Round Fixtures:

Justine Henin (BEL)  vs.  Tatjana Malek (GER)
Maria Elena Camerin (ITA)  vs.  Na Li (CHN)
Zuzana Ondraskova (CZE)  vs.  Shuai Peng (CHN)
Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP)  vs.  Jelena Jankovic (SRB)
Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)  vs.  Sybille Bammer (AUT)
Martina Muller (GER)  vs.  Shahar Peer (ISR)
Elena Dementieva (RUS)  vs.  Meghann Shaughnessy (USA)
Séverine Brémond (FRA)  vs.  Nadia Petrova (RUS)
Tathiana Garbin (ITA)  vs.  Alyona Bondarenko (UKR)
Elena Likhovtseva (RUS)  vs.  Ana Ivanovic (SRB)
Patty Schnyder (SUI)  vs.  Virginia Ruano Pascual (ESP)
Katerina Bondarenko (UKR)  vs.  Martina Hingis (SUI)
Dinara Safina (RUS)  vs.  Lourdes Dominguez Lino (ESP)
Lucie Safarova (CZE)  vs.  Anna Chakvetadze (RUS)
Meilen Tu (USA)  vs.  Julia Vakulenko (UKR)
Zi Yan (CHN)  vs.  Amelie Mauresmo (FRA)

Haha! I can't bet on that one. Well, except if he feels "dizzy" again. The chap is yet to lose a set this season, on clay.

Quarter final Fixtures:

Filippo Volandri (ITA) vs. Tomas Berdych (CZE)
Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG) vs. Fernando Gonzalez (CHL)
Tommy Robredo (ESP) vs. Nikolay Davydenko (RUS)
Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. Rafael Nadal (ESP)

Djokovic/Nadal is definitely the match of this round. Remember, Djokovic is the last man to beat Nadal, though not on clay.

abi now?

3rd Round Results:

Volandri - Federer 6-2, 6-4
Berdych - Acasuso 6-1, 6-2
Chela - Roddick 6-0, 6-4
Gonzalez - Massu 6-7, 6-3, 6-4
Robredo - Simon 6-2, 6-2
Davydenko - Starace 4-6, 6-2, 7-5
Djokovic - Baghdatis 6-2, 7-5
Nadal - Youzhny 6-2, 6-2

Barca fans! You have more to worry about this season.

Who would have imagined that a 5-2 first leg advantage could be overturned by Getafe?

What went wrong? Missing players? The substitutions?

I just love him for his sportsmanship; he hardly gives excuses. Here is what he said after his defeat:

It's disappointing, but there's nothing you can do about it. That's knock-out tennis," said a downcast Federer, denying he was ill or injured and dismissing the heat on Rome's centre court as a contributing factor to his defeat.

"I played good in my first match (to beat Nicolas Almagro), and usually after the first game I play better and better, but today was the opposite.

"On clay you need to be solid, and I wasn't. I don't know if you can say I was playing shockingly, but I was making a lot of mistakes, serving badly -- giving him second serves all the time.

"It sometimes happens, but usually I get through. And Volandri played well. Everyone is talking about how I played, but he already played well against (13th seed Richard) Gasquet (in the previous round).

"I know his game. I played a tough match against him here a few years ago, I played him in the juniors, so I know how tough he can be," added the Swiss.

Federer suffers his fourth loss of the season!!!!!!!!

Roddick is also out!

3rd Round Fixtures:

Roger Federer (SUI) vs. Filippo Volandri (ITA)
Tomas Berdych (CZE) vs. Jose Acasuso (ARG)
Andy Roddick (USA) vs. Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG)
Nicolas Massu (CHL) vs. Fernando Gonzalez (CHL)
Tommy Robredo (ESP) vs. Gilles Simon (FRA)
Potito Starace (ITA) vs. Nikolay Davydenko (RUS)
Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. Marcos Baghdatis (CYP)
Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) vs. Rafael Nadal (ESP)

Second Round Results:

Federer - Almagro   6-3, 6-4
Volandri - Gasquet    6-4, 6-7, 6-4
Berdych - Montanés   7-6, 6-3
Acasuso - Ljubicic    6-4, 6-3
Roddick - Gaudio   6-1, 7-6
Chela - Andreev   7-5, 7-5
Massu - Blake    7-6, 7-5
Gonzalez - Tursunov   6-2, 6-1
Robredo - Hernandez   7-5, 4-6, 6-1
Simon - Canas   7-6, 6-4
Starace - Ferrero    6-2, 3-6, 6-2
Davydenko - Safin   7-6, 7-5
Djokovic - Soderling   3-6, 6-4, 6-3
Baghdatis - Stepanek   3-6, 7-6, 6-2
Youzhny - Rochus   7-6, 6-3
Nadal - Bracciali   6-4, 6-2

Simon Gilles continues his giant-crushing quest. He beat Canas in the second round. Ljubicic, Gasquet, Safin, Soderling have also been dumped out.

David, what's wrong with Blake?

Second Round Fixtures:

Roger Federer (SUI) vs. Nicolas Almagro (ESP)
Filippo Volandri (ITA) vs. Richard Gasquet (FRA)
Tomas Berdych (CZE) vs. Albert Montanes (ESP)
Jose Acasuso (ARG) vs. Ivan Ljubicic (CRO)
Andy Roddick (USA) vs. Gaston Gaudio (ARG)
Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG) vs. Igor Andreev (RUS)
James Blake (USA) vs. Nicolas Massu (CHL)
Dimitry Tursunov (RUS) vs. Fernando Gonzalez (CHL)
Tommy Robredo (ESP) vs. Oscar Hernandez (ESP)
Guillermo Canas (ARG) vs. Gilles Simon (FRA)
Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) vs. Potito Starace (ITA)
Marat Safin (RUS) vs. Nikolay Davydenko (RUS)
Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. Robin Soderling (SWE)
Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) vs. Radek Stepanek (CZE)
Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) vs. Olivier Rochus (BEL)
Daniele Bracciali (ITA) vs. Rafael Nadal (ESP)

First Round Results:

Almagro - Henman 7-5, 6-1
Volandri - Gabashvili 6-0, 6-3
Gasquet - Verdasco 6-1, 7-5
Berdych - Nieminen 6-4, 7-5
Montanés - Wawrinka 3-6, 6-1, 7-6
Acasuso - Verkerk 6-3, 7-5
Gaudio - Fish 6-4, 6-4
Chela - Gicquel 2-6, 6-4, 6-1
Andreev - Ferrer 6-4, 6-1
Blake - Monfils 7-6, 6-3
Massu - Bolelli 6-3, 7-6
Tursunov - Bjorkman 7-6, 3-6, 6-1
Hernandez - Hewitt 3-6, 7-6, 6-1
Canas - Melzer 7-5, 6-2
Simon - Murray 6-1, 1-6, 6-3
Ferrero - Hrbaty 3-6, 6-1, 6-4
Starace - Calleri 6-3, 6-1
Safin - Delic 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
Soderling - Becker 6-3, 6-3
Baghdatis - Moyà 6-2, 6-3
Stepanek - Haas 6-3, 3-2 Retired
Youzhny - Benneteau 6-1, 3-6, 6-2
Rochus - Llodra 5-7, 6-3, 6-3
Ginepri - Bracciali 7-5, 7-6

Charlton  0 - 2  Tottenham (The Valley)
7' D Berbatov
90' J Defoe

Charlton Athletic are relegated

you're welcome, c-kid

Andy Murray, Hewitt have also been dumped out in the first round.

First Round Fixtures:

Roger Federer (SUI)  vs.  - Bye 01
Nicolas Almagro (ESP)  vs.  Tim Henman (GBR)
Filippo Volandri (ITA)  vs.  Teimuraz Gabashvili (RUS)
Fernando Verdasco (ESP)  vs.  Richard Gasquet (FRA)
Tomas Berdych (CZE)  vs.  Jarkko Nieminen (FIN)
Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI)  vs.  Albert Montanes (ESP)
Jose Acasuso (ARG)  vs.  Martin Verkerk (NLD)
Ivan Ljubicic (CRO) - Bye 02 
Andy Roddick (USA) - Bye 03
Gaston Gaudio (ARG)  vs.  Mardy Fish (USA)
Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG)  vs.  Marc Gicquel (FRA)
Igor Andreev (RUS)  vs.  David Ferrer (ESP)
James Blake (USA)  vs.  Gaël Monfils (FRA)
Nicolas Massu (CHL)  vs.  Simone Bolelli (ITA)
Dimitry Tursunov (RUS)  vs.  Jonas Bjorkman (SWE)
Fernando Gonzalez (CHL) - Bye 04
Tommy Robredo (ESP) - Bye 05
Oscar Hernandez (ESP)  vs.  Lleyton Hewitt (AUS)
Jurgen Melzer (AUT)  vs.  Guillermo Canas (ARG)
Andrew Murray (GBR)  vs.  Gilles Simon (FRA)
Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP)  vs.  Dominik Hrbaty (SVK)
Potito Starace (ITA)  vs.  Agustin Calleri (ARG)
Amer Delic (USA)  vs.  Marat Safin (RUS)
Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) - Bye 06
Novak Djokovic (SRB) - Bye 07
Benjamin Becker (GER)  vs.  Robin Soderling (SWE)
Marcos Baghdatis (CYP)  vs.  Carlos Moya (ESP)
Radek Stepanek (CZE)  vs.  Tommy Haas (GER)
Mikhail Youzhny (RUS)  vs.  Julien Benneteau (FRA)
Olivier Rochus (BEL)  vs.  Michaël Llodra (FRA)
Robby Ginepri (USA)  vs.  Daniele Bracciali (ITA)
Rafael Nadal (ESP) - Bye 08

Rome Masters
Rome, Italy
May 7-13, 2007
€2,082,500 / 64 Draw
Clay

Defending Champion: Rafael Nadal

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