₦airaland Forum

Fill us in on the progress of your favourite female tennis player(s).

News, fixtures/results on each WTA tournment and other discussions should go here.

So guys, what's new?

Guess what? Venus Williams is back!   

Tournaments:
[b]WTA Dubai  (UAE)
WTA Bogota  (COL)
WTA Memphis  (USA)
WTA Acapulco  (MEX)
WTA Doha  (QAT)
WTA Indian Wells (USA)
WTA Miami (USA)
WTA Amelia Island  (USA)
WTA Charleston  (USA)
WTA Warsaw (POL)
WTA Estoril (POR)
WTA Berlin (GER)
WTA Prague Open (CZE)
WTA Rome (ITA)
WTA Birmingham (GBR)

Currently On:
International Women's Open
[/b]

Roger Federer equalled Jimmy Connors' 30-year-old record of 160 consecutive weeks as world number one when the new rankings were released on Monday.

The Swiss, whose streak began on February 2nd 2004, drew level with American Connors who enjoyed his run at the top of the standings between 1974 and 1977.

Federer is guaranteed to break the mark next week even though he has not played a tournament since last month's Australian Open, where he became the first man in 27 years to win a grand slam title without dropping a set.

Such is his dominance in the sport, 25-year-old Federer made sure he would set a new benchmark after he won the season-ending Masters Cup last November.

"I think that is definitely one of the big records I've broken, maybe the biggest so far in my career," Federer said in Shanghai in 2006.

"I'm waiting for that date to come along and then I'll celebrate it."

Federer's triumph at Melbourne Park gave him a tenth grand slam title in just three-and-a-half years. He will return to action in Dubai next week.

Source

ATP San Jose Update:

Scottish teenager Andy Murray battled back to beat unseeded Ivo Karlovic 6-7 6-4 7-6 to win the San Jose Open title for the second successive year.

Karlovic hit 26 aces to take his tally for the week to 113 and looked set for victory when he led by a set and a break but third seed Murray fought back superbly to win his second career title.

"I'd like to thank [my coach] Brad [Gilbert] and Mark Grabow, my fitness trainer," the 19-year-old player said.

All news, fixtures/results, discussions on the men's tour should be done in this thread so as to lessen the load on the tennis lovers' thread.

So guys, let's get started.

Tournaments:
[b]ATP Rotterdam
ATP Memphis
ATP Buenos Aires
ATP Acapulco
ATP Dubai
ATP Las Vegas
ATP Valencia
ATP Houston
ATP Barcelona
ATP Casablanca

Currently On:
ATP Estoril
ATP Munich
[/b]

WTA Antwerp Update:

Mauresmo beat Clijsters again on home soil to clinch the Antwerp title!!! She won 6-4, 7-6

By that victory over the home fav, she has earned herself a diamond studded racket worth 1 million euros ($1.31 million).

      

ATP San Jose Update:

Defending champion Andy Murray beat top seed Andy Roddick 7-6 6-4 on Saturday to reach the final of the San Jose Open.

In a repeat of last year's semi-final, third seed Murray served 14 aces on the way to victory and now plays Ivo Karlovic in the final after the big-serving Croat beat German Benjamin Becker 7-6 7-5.

WTA Antwerp Update:

Second seed Kim Clijsters overcame Tatiana Golovin of France 6-4 6-3 to reach the final of the Diamond Games, where she will face top seed Amelie Mauresmo.

World number three Mauresmo, who beat Russian Anna Chakvetadze 6-3 3-6 6-2 in her semi-final, will earn a diamond studded racket worth 1 million euros ($1.31 million) if she beats the Belgian in Sunday's final.

The racket is awarded for three title wins in five years and Frenchwoman Mauresmo enjoyed back-to-back victories in Antwerp in 2005 and 2006. No player has won the unique trophy.

The final, a rematch of the 2006 title decider, will also be Clijsters' last appearance on home soil following her decision to retire at the end of the season.

ATP San Jose Update:

Quarter-Final Results:
Andy Roddick (USA) bt Vincent Spadea (USA) 6/3 6/7 6/1
Andrew Murray (GBR) bt Hyung-taik Lee (KOR) 4/6 6/3 7/6
Benjamin Becker (GER) vs. Marat Safin (RUS) 6/4 6/3
Ivo Karlovic (CRO) bt Mardy Fish (USA) 7/6 6/4

Semi-Final Fixtures:
Becker vs. Karlovic - match in progress
Roddick vs. Murray

WTA Bangalore Update:

Mara Santangelo (ITA) meets Yaroslava Shvedova (RUS) in the final at the Bangalore Open.

Santangelo crushed Olga Savchuk (UKR) 6/1  6/0 in the semi-final while Shvedova did enough to go past Tzipora Obziler (ISR) 7/5  6/2.



Update: Russian Yaroslava Shvedova won her first WTA tour title, defeating Mara Santangelo 6-4 6-4 in the final.

@ Seun, I'll create the threads later.

ATP Marseille Update:

Soderling beat home fav Gasquet 6/1  7/6  to progress to the semi-finals. Soderling's hopes of reaching the final was dashed by unseeded Simon who beat him 6/7  2/6.

Baghdatis, who beat Youzhny 2/6  7/6  7/5 to reach the semis, brushed aside Nieminen 3/6  6/3  6/2 to set up a final tie with Simon.

The final takes place on Sunday.



Update: Unseeded Gilles Simon of France claimed his first ATP title by beating Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis 6-4 7-6 in the Marseille Open final.

Aight Seun,

Let me suggest these topics:

1. ATP Tournaments
2. WTA Tournaments
3. Davis Cup
4. Fed Cup
5. Gram Slams (Oz open, French Open, Wimbledon, US Open)
6. Masters Cup/Masters Series

Any other suggestion(s) from anyone?

WTA Bangalore Update:

Unseeded Russian Yaroslava Shvedova beat second seeded Indian Sania Mirza 6-7 6-4 6-4 to reach her first tour semi finals at the Bangalore Open.

The 19-year-old recovered from 2-0 down in the decider against the world number 49 after they won a set each.

Top seed and defending champion Mara Santangelo of Italy eased past Japan's Yurika Sema 6-1 6-4 in the quarter-finals.

In the semi-finals on Saturday Santangelo will meet Olga Savchuk of Ukraine, who beat fourth seed and last year's finalist Jelena Kostanic of Croatia 6-3 6-4.

Shvedova will meet Israel's Tzipora Obziler, who beat Hungarian Melinda Czink 6-4 7-6 in the quarter-finals.

ATP San Jose Update:

Quarter Final Fixtures:
Andy Roddick (USA) vs. Vincent Spadea (USA)

Andrew Murray (GBR) vs. Hyung-taik Lee (KOR)

Benjamin Becker (GER) vs. Marat Safin (RUS)

Mardy Fish (USA) vs. Ivo Karlovic (CRO)

James Blake (USA) is the only seeded player who failed to reach the quarter final. He was upset by Ivo Karlovic (CRO) 7/6  6/7  4/6.

Will we have another Roddick/Murray match? . . . let's watch and see.

ATP Marseille Update:

Quarter Final Results:
Robin Soderling (SWE) vs. Richard Gasquet (FRA)

Jonas Bjorkman (SWE) vs Gilles Simon (FRA)

Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) vs. Mikhail Youzhny (RUS)

Julien Benneteau (FRA) vs. Jarkko Nieminen (FIN)

Nikolay Davydenko (RUS), Mario Ancic (CRO), Novak Djokovic (SRB), Ivan Ljubicic (CRO) and Gaël Monfils (FRA) were all dumped out in the first round.

Lleyton Hewitt (AUS), David Ferrer (ESP) also failed to go beyond the second round.

Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) and Gilles Simon (FRA) are both through the semi-finals.

WTA Antwerp Update:

Quarter Final Fixtures:
Amelie Mauresmo (FRA) vs Dinara Safina (RUS)

Nadia Petrova (RUS) vs. Anna Chakvetadze (RUS)

Tatiana Golovin (FRA) vs. Elena Likhovtseva (RUS)

Ana Ivanovic (SRB) vs Kim Clijsters (BEL)

Patty Schnyder and Sybille Bammer (winner of the last Pattaya Open) both fell in the second round. Schnyder was beaten 7/6  6/7  2/6  by Golovin while Bammer lost to Chakvetadze 6/4  6/7  2/6.

Chakvetadze, who beat Petrova 6/3  6/4 few minutes ago, is through to the semi-finals where she faces the winner between Mauresmo and Safina.

This week's tournaments are:

Feb. 12 - 18
ATP Tour Open 13 Marseille, France which features players like Nikolay Davydenko (RUS), Novak Djokovic (SRB), Mario Ancic (CRO), Richard Gasquet (FRA), David Ferrer (ESP), Ivan Ljubicic (CRO), Lleyton Hewitt (AUS), Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) as seeds. Other players are Mikhail Youzhny (Rus), Jonas Bjorkman (Swe), Gael Monfils (Fra), Fabrice Santoro (FRA), Fernando Verdasco (ESP) among others.


ATP SAP Open San Jose, California, United States which features players like Andy Roddick (USA), Vincent Spadea (USA), Feliciano Lopez (ESP), Andrew Murray (GBR), Hyung-taik Lee (KOR), Benjamin Becker (GER), Marat Safin (RUS), Mardy Fish (USA), Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP), James Blake (USA)


ATP Brasil Open Costa do Sauipe, Brazil which features Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP), Gaston Gaudio (ARG), Nicolas Almagro (ESP), Filippo Volandri (ITA), Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG), Carlos Moya (ESP), Luis Horna (PER), Agustin Calleri (ARG) as seeds.


Feb. 12 - 19
WTA Tour Proximus Diamond Games Antwerp, Belgium which features players like Amelie Mauresmo (FRA), Dinara Safina (RUS), Nadia Petrova (RUS), Anna Chakvetadze (RUS), Patty Schnyder (SUI), Elena Dementieva (RUS), Ana Ivanovic (SRB) and homegirl Kim Clijsters.


WTA Bangalore Open Bangalore, India which features Mara Santangelo (ITA), Yuliana Fedak (UKR), Jelena Kostanic Tosic (CRO), Alberta Brianti (ITA), Yung-Jan Chan (TPE), Vasilisa Bardina (RUS), Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA), and home star Sania Mirza as seeds.

Chris, what's happening in the La Liga? Keep the thread alive. 

Weekend Results:

Real Sociedad 1 - 2 Real Madrid (Estadio Anoeta)
8' M Aranburu
37' D Beckham
48' R van Nistelrooy

Real Betis 0 - 0 FC Sevilla (Estadio Manuel Ruiz de Lopera)
12' D Robert (pen miss)

Celta Vigo  0 - 2  Espanyol (Estadio Balaídos)
                       23' F Luis Garcia
                       57' W Pandiani
71' G Tamas(red card) 

Mallorca  2 - 1  Real Zaragoza (Estadio Son Moix)
                       55' A Diego Milito
57' J Nunes
83' B Jankovic

Getafe  3 - 0  Valencia (Coliseum Alfonso Perez)
46' G Mario Cotelo
58' D Guiza
79' P Nacho

Villarreal  0 - 2  Deportivo La Coruña (Estadio El Madrigal)
                       20' M Senna (og)
                       79' J Verdu

Gimnastic de Tarragona  2 - 3  Osasuna (Nou Estadi)
                                  13' C Cuellar
34' J Portillo
59' G Cesar Navas
                                  71' R Soldado
                                  75' R Soldado

Barcelona  2 - 0  Racing Santander (Estadio Camp Nou)
                       26' E Garay (pen miss)
51' Ronaldinho
67' Ronaldinho

Levante  2 - 1  Recreativo Huelva (Ciudad de Valencia)
17' S Ballesta Vialcho
42' S Ballesta Vialcho
51' F Dehu (red card)
                       55' F Sinama-Pongolle (pen)

Atlético Madrid  1 - 0  Athletic Bilbao (Vicente Calderon)
64' S Aguero

dblock, Akolawole, thanks.

@Akolawole. . . which thread are u talking about?

Bolton  2 - 1  Fulham (Reebok Stadium)
23' G Speed (pen)
51' K Nolan
                      66' Z Knight

Arsenal  2 - 1  Wigan (Emirates Stadium )
                      35' D Landzaat
81' F Hall (og)
85' T Rosicky

@ dblock. . . Which of the "shes"?

WTA Paris:
Petrova finally ended Safarova's impressive run by beating her 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 to clinch the Paris title.

   https://img158.imageshack.us/img158/6982/petrovfy9.jpg     https://img502.imageshack.us/img502/2981/petrovasafarovavc9.jpg


WTA Pattaya Open:
Austrian Sybille Bammer launched a stunning late fightback to win her first tour title with a 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 victory over Gisela Dulko at the Pattaya Open.

India star, Sania Mirza was beaten 4-6, 5-7 in the semi-final by Dulko.

Portsmouth  2 - 1  Man City (Fratton Park )
5' M Pedro Mendes
                             62' B Corradi
81' N Kanu

How long did it take him to find his scoring boots?

WTA Paris:

Safarova continues her superb run to beat top-seed Henin in straight sets (7-6, 6-4).

Petrova also ended Mauresmo's hope of defending her title by beating her 5-7, 6-4. 7-6.

Safarova faces Petrova in the final of the tournament.

Czech Lucie Safarova stunned world number five Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia 6-3 6-4 to set up a semi-final clash with Belgium's Justine Henin at the Paris Open on Friday.

Saturday's other semi-final will feature holder Amelie Mauresmo of France, (who fought to a 7-6 7-5 victory over eighth seed Anna Chakvetadze) against Russian fourth seed Nadia Petrova, who booked her place in the last four with a clinical 6-3 6-2 victory over Dinara Safina in an all-Russian clash.

Former world number one Henin, returning to competitive tennis after a three-month break for personal reasons, outlasted Frenchwoman Tatiana Golovin 6-2 3-6 6-3.

WTA Paris - Quarter-Final Fixtures

Justine Henin (BEL) vs. Tatiana Golovin (FRA)
3/6  6/2  6/2              6/4  6/4

Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) vs. Lucie Safarova (CZE)
6/7  6/4  7/6                          6/4  6/2

Dinara Safina (RUS) vs. Nadia Petrova (RUS)
2/6  6/2  7/6             6/1  6/2

Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) vs. Amelie Mauresmo (FRA)
4/6  6/4  6/4                       6/3  6/2

Update on WTA Paris:

Justine Henin and Kuznetsova both lost their first sets but eventually won their matches to quailify for the quarter finals.  Justine, who beat Loit 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, will meet Bychkova (RUS) or Golovin (FRA) while Kuznetsova, who beat Srebotnik (SLO) 6-7, 6-4, 7-6 will face Safarova (CZE) or Vaidisova (CZE) in the next round.

Also through to the quarter final is Dinara Safina who beat frenchwoman Camille Pin 2-6, 6-2, 7-6. She faces Muller (GER) or Petrova (RUS) in the next round. 

Amelie Mauresmo faces Dechy (FRA) later today.

The defenders should bury their heads in shame. Abeg what happened to Enyeama after the third goal? Was he threatening to leave the pitch?

What a splendid display!

Man of the Match: Abbey George.  I think Man U should sign him.

This week's tournaments are:

WTA Pattaya Open
Pattaya City, Thailand
Feb. 5 - 11
which features Marion Bartoli (FRA), Maria Kirilenko (RUS), Maria Santangelo (ITA), Shuai Peng (CHN), Sania Mirza (IND), Gisela Dulko (ARG), Vasilisa Bardina (RUS), Aiko Nakamura (JPN) as seeds.

WTA Tour Open Gaz de France
Paris, France
Feb. 5 - 11
which features the big guns  - Justine Henin Hardenne (BEL), Amelie Mauresmo (FRA), Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS), Nadia Petrova (RUS), Nicole Vaidisova (CZE), Patty Schnyder (SUI), Dinara Safina (RUS), Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) as seeds.

Good to see JHH back on court, tennis court I mean.

Update on ATP Movistar Open:

Peru's Luis Horna won the MoviStar Open on Sunday for his second ATP Tour title, beating hometown favorite Nicolas Massu 7-5, 6-3.

Update on ATP Delray Beach:

Xavier Malisse of Belgium rallied past top-seeded James Blake 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 Monday, completing the rain-delayed final in the wind for his second Delray Beach International title.

https://img267.imageshack.us/img267/1158/malissevc9.jpg

The tournaments that started just after the Aussie Open are:

WTA Tokyo which the Swiss Miss won 6-4, 6-2, a record fifth Pan Pacific Open title in the early hours of today. Sharapova retired in the semi-final against Ivanonic due to a hamstring injury. The other seeds that participated are Dementieva, Jankovic, Li, Peer, Hantuchova. Hingis earned $182,000 for her victory.

https://img401.imageshack.us/img401/9105/martinadx1.jpg              https://img363.imageshack.us/img363/1113/martina2cr6.jpg

ATP Zagreb Open, Croatia (Indoor Carpet) which featured Ljubicic, Baghdatis, Soderling, Youzhny, Benneteau, Verdasco, Vliegen, Clement as seeds. Baghdatis beat defending champion Ljubicic 7-6, 4-6, 6-4 in the final.

https://img164.imageshack.us/img164/846/baghdatisqf0.jpg        https://img408.imageshack.us/img408/6118/baghljubicicvs9.jpg

ATP Movistar Open Vina del Mar, Chile (Clay) which features Gonzalez, Montanes, Massu, Roitman, Arguello, Horna amongst others. Gonzalez was beaten by Montanes in the quarter final. Massu meets Horna in the final.

ATP Delray Beach, FL, USA (Hard), where the round robin format was used, features Blake, Mayer, Becker, Malisse, Garcia-Lopez, Spadea, Haas amongst others. Blake and Malisse will meet in the final.

How come no one's interested in the "small" (as referred to by Davydenko) tournaments currently going on?

Can someone also tell me how the round robin format works?