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Black and Ullyett Survive Thriller

Wednesday, June 29, 2005

When four of the best Doubles players in the world are let loose on a tennis court, nobody is safe, not even if you are in the stands. Zimbabweans Wayne Black and Kevin Ullyett had a thrilling battle against India's Leander Paes and Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia and Montenegro in the men's doubles quarter-finals, winning 7-5, 7-6 (10-, 7-6 (10-.

There was something for everyone, in a match that was finally decided by just three breaks of serve. The crowd was treated to a doubles spectacle, featuring a full range of techniques and shots, with a nail-biting finale that could have easily gone either way.

Throughout the match, Zimonjic entertained the crowd by repeatedly smashing returns into the ground so that they bounced into the stands or nearby courts. But this show of bravado was not enough to keep him and Paes in the match.

Black and Ullyett and Paes and Zimonjic are seeded fourth and fifth respectively. However, the Black and Ullyett partnership can boast of being in the Top 10 of the ATP Doubles Race for a fifth consecutive year, having won numerous titles together - including the 2005 Australian Open. In contrast, Paes and Zimonjic have only recently joined forces.

It was probably this difference that separated the two pairs on the day. Black and Ullyett seemed to know exactly what the other was going to do at any given time and this teamwork proved decisive.

Written by Luis López

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Tracy and Jana On Form Again

Wednesday, 29 June, 2005

An entertaining mix of rousing rallies and hi-jinx was on show in the Ladies' 35 and Over Doubles today. The women may be here to have fun - but don't for a second think they aren't out to win at the same time.

Tracy Austin and Jana Novotna made light work of Carling Bassett-Seguso and Mima Jausovec, 6-0, 6-1. The winning pair, who also conceded just one game in their first match yesterday, is shaping up as the team to beat in the round robin event.

Novotna's weight of shot again played a huge role in their success, but Austin's gritty play - she refused to be intimidated at the net - was crucial too.

Katrina Adams and Rosalyn Nideffer beat Gretchen Magers and Hana Mandlikova, 6-2, 7-5. Mandlikova, twice a finalist in the Ladies' Singles at Wimbledon, is remembered as one of the most graceful players ever to lift a racket. Today, however, she was too frequently overpowered and outmanoeuvred by her opponents.

Magers offered sterner resistance to the Adams-Nideffer attack but could not compensate for her partner's errors.

Lori McNeil and Liz Smylie, who were regular partners on the main Tour, had too much all-court guile for Nicole Arendt and Wendy Turnbull. They took the match in straightforward fashion, 6-2, 6-3.

Local favourite Jo Durie and former Singles' runner-up Nathalie Tauziat found little to worry them from South Africa's Ilana Kloss and Katerina Maleeva of Bulgaria, winning 6-3, 6-1.

Written by Adam Lincoln

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Roddick Determined to Reach Final

Wednesday, 29 June, 2005

Despite reaching his third consecutive semi-final in three years, Andy Roddick is hungry for greater success at Wimbledon. Although Thomas Johansson awaits in the semis, it is the figure of defending champion Roger Federer - due to play the 2002 champion Lleyton Hewitt in the other semi-final - that looms large for the second-seeded American.

"It's a weird dynamic for guys like Lleyton and myself because we're pretty much expected to beat everybody else except for him," he said. "The biggest thing is just knowing that you're going to have to play one hell of a match if you want to win. He's probably the most talented person to ever carry a racquet.

"There have been a lot of good champions, but he's just classy," Roddick added, giving a behind-the-scenes insight into how Federer is seen by his fellow professionals. "He is never high and mighty in the locker room or anything like that. He treats people with respect, even if it's the locker room attendants or the people serving food or anything. He's 'please' and 'thank you'.

"I think that's why he's so well-respected and so well-liked on tour. There's not a whole lot of animosity towards him, even though he has been that successful."

Roddick had to face his practice partner Sebastien Grosjean in today's quarter-final and had to cast aside all thoughts of friendship during the match.

"When you go onto the court there are no friends inside the lines," the American said after coming through a difficult five-set match with the Frenchman. "Afterwards you can hang out and be friendly, do all that stuff, but you're trying to beat each other's brains in when you're out there."

Before Roddick can play in his second successive Wimbledon final, he will have to face Sweden's Johansson. The American is adamant he will be taking nothing granted in Friday's semi-final.

"I'm very concerned about my next opponent right now," he said. "You don't get to the last four of Wimbledon and then start overlooking people or thinking you're already there. Johansson's a very tough player. He serves well. He returns well. He's a very complete player. He doesn't have any glaring weaknesses. He's the type of guy when he starts playing well, he plays really well."

Although Roddick is not taking anything for granted, he is determined to progress through to the final. "I feel good about the way I'm playing right now," he said. "I'd love to take this further. I'm not satisfied yet."

Written by David Bates

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Ура!!!!!!!!!!!! 100я страница :jump::jump::jump::jump::jump::jump::jump:

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Bjorkman/Raymond Waste No Time

Wednesday, June 29, 2005

Jonas Bjorkman and Lisa Raymond defeated Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Julian Knowle 6-2, 6-3 after only 54 minutes of play on No. 2 Court to clinch a place in the mixed doubles quarter-finals.

Groenefeld, who had reached the ladies' doubles semi-finals with Martina Navratilova earlier in the day, appeared tired, especially in the first set. Her serve was broken twice in the set. Knowle, Groenefeld's experienced partner, on the other hand served his first game to love and hit some return winners to Bjorkman's serve.

Bjorkman and Raymond held their serves comfortably in a first set that offered few rallies for the spectators to enjoy. The second set started more brightly as both Knowle and Groenefeld held their serve and had break points against the Swedish-American pair, at 1-1 and at 2-2. But the pair survived, despite some much improved play by Groenefeld, who, at 20, was more than 10 years younger than any other player on the court.

However, despite serving an ace, Groenefeld's serve was broken at 3-4 down by Raymond. The next game was a formality for Bjorkman and Raymond, the third seeds. Bjorkman capped his service game with an ace to win the match.

Bjorkman will face his former doubles partner Todd Woodbridge in the quarter-finals. The Australian, who announced his retirement from tennis today, is partnering Samantha Stosur. Bjorkman is also in contention for a fourth straight Gentlemen's Doubles title. He is the No.1 seed, playing with his hard-serving partner Max Mirnyi.

Written by Jukka Viskari

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Navratilova/Bryan Battle Through

Wednesday, June 29, 2005

Fifth seeds Martina Navratilova and Mike Bryan came out late on to No. 1 Court to meet the unseeded pairing of Travis Parrott and Amy Frazier in an all-American third round of the mixed doubles, eventually winning 7-5, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, in just under two hours.

Mike Bryan, 27, arrived at Wimbledon fresh from his successful defence of his men's doubles championship at Queen's Club, with his twin brother Bob. Earlier in the day Navratilova had reached the ladies' doubles semi-final with Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany.

As the 2003 mixed doubles champion with India's Leander Paes, Navratilova is hoping to avenge their third round defeat last year by eventual champions, Wayne and Cara Black.

Bryan, her new partner at Wimbledon this year, opened the match and within 12 minutes their opponents were 3-2 up with a break of serve. Bryan was soon serving at 3-5 down to stay in a first set in which both he and Navratilova failed to shine. An unorthodox yet inspired crouching overhead forehand at the net gave 24-year-old Parrott advantage point but the pair failed to capitalise, and Bryan finished the game with a decisive ace. A double fault by Parrott enabled the fifth seeds to draw level. Two games later, they had somewhat fortunately won the first set.

In the shadows of the early evening, the second set was a more closely fought affair. Bryan found his form in the tramlines and 32-year-old Frazier gifted them a game with a double fault, enabling the fifth seeds to draw level at 2-2. This seemed to be a turning point. Bryan looked like he had mined a new source of energy and soon he and Navratilova were all but jogging back to their seats at the change of ends.

There was still room for a joke. Bryan, just two feet from the net, had the easiest of pushes over the net to win a point but he fluffed it into the net. At the groans from the crowd, he looked up and around, shrugged his shoulders, before pretending to hit himself on the head. It did not deter Navratilova from winning her service game, but not the tie-break for the second set, which Parrott and Frazier wrapped up with some ease.

The final set was much more business-like, but no less keenly battled. An early break by the favourites was carried through and Bryan served to seal their place in the quarter-finals, where they will meet fourth seeds Kevin Ullyett of Zimbabwe and Liezel Huber of South Africa.

Written by Sally Easton

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Black and White Win for Cara

Wednesday, June 29, 2005

No. 2 seeds Cara Black of Zimbabwe and South African Liezel Huber demonstrated their mastery of doubles by beating No.7 seeds Ai Sugiyama and Daniela Huntuchova, 6-3, 6-2.

The Huber serve was too strong for the seventh seeds to break, especially with the quick feet of Black ever ready at the net to put away any high balls. And when Black stepped up to serve she was protected by the giant South African helping out at the net.

The first set was played with both Hantuchova and Sugiyama continually under pressure, defending the quick instinctive volleys of the defending champion Black, and former finalist Huber. Although they were fought as hard as they could, Sugiyama and Hantuchova struggled to put any real pressure on the second seeds' service games, and were bombarded with intelligent returning on their own serves.

In the second set, Black and Huber continued to dominate as they devoured the medium paced game of their opponents. It was down to Huber to serve out the match, which she eventually did on her fourth match point.

Written by Michael Burke-Velji

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Venus Blasts Past Maria

Thursday, June 30, 2005

The good times came thundering back for Venus Williams on the Centre Court at Wimbledon this evening as she defeated the 18-year-old defending champion Maria Sharapova 7-6 (7-2), 6-1 to reach the final for a fifth time.

Williams was not even in the top 10 in the world when Wimbledon began and there was a belief in some areas of the game that she would not regain the form that made her such a great champion in 2000 and 2001.

But the belief was well wide of the mark. Williams was in outstanding form, taking the challenge to Sharapova and putting the pressure on the defending champion with relentless ferocity.

Sharapova never forgot the drive that made her champion a year ago from the position of 13th seed but Williams offered her little chance of staying on course for a repeat. The second set where Sharapova dropped serve three times said it all.

In the final game, as an indication of her declining situation, Sharapova double faulted twice, having done so only six other times in The Championships. She went match point down to a forehand winner down the line but Williams, with an open court, hit over the baseline.

Sharapova then held two game points before Williams moved on to a second match point when the defending champion missed a forehand. Williams then claimed her place in the final when Sharapova missed a crosscourt backhand.

Williams celebrated in style and said as she came off court: "I love this tournament, this is the surface for me."

A frustrating day waiting for the weather to clear meant that Sharapova and Williams started on the Centre Court more than three hours late. The crowd also began a slow handclap before the players finally emerged for their first match at Grand Slam level - and only their third ever meeting.

Williams won the opening game on serve, saving two break points, but the second game opened on a controversial note with the umpire over-ruling an out call on a deep backhand by Williams. That gave Williams an important start and she took the next two points as well. Sharapova retrieved the situation well to hold serve.

The first break of serve favoured Williams as she took a 4-2 lead with some well earned points on the backhand. She was also helped when Sharapova, from the middle of the baseline, found the net with a backhand.

At 5-3, Williams served for a first set lead but, having gained two set points with a backhand winner to the unguarded forehand wing, she found Sharapova's counter-attack too strong and the Russian won four points in a row to break back.

Williams went into the tie break with a distinct advantage in terms of clear winners and immediately she was helped by Sharapova missing her first two serves. Williams kept building her attack. With her high pressure game paying dividends, she gained four set points and won on the next rally when Sharapova hit long.

Williams remained in command with a break of serve to love in the opening game of the second set with Sharapova failing to win a point

Sharapova's task looked increasingly difficult. The pressure of defending the title made little difference to her attitude but as the points mounted up for Williams there was no question that Sharapova was clinging on to all that she could - and it was still not enough.

Venus Williams had lost her last two Wimbledon finals to her sister Serena, who was beaten at the end of the first week in a similar late night encounter. This evening Venus Williams ensured that the family reputation at Wimbledon is safe.

Written by Barry Newcombe

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The Re-birth of Venus

Thursday, 30 June, 2005

You knew there was going to be trouble when the crowd turned up with ear plugs. The semi-final collision of Venus Williams, champion of 2000 and 2001 and grunter par excellence; and Maria Sharapova, the champion of 2004 and a shrieker, groaner and screamer of the first rank, was always going to be a noisy affair.

It had been a difficult day all round. The rain moved in overnight, refused to go away and only let up for a couple of hours towards later afternoon. As everyone kicked their heels in the damp, the heavens finally relented around teatime allowing the clash to begin. Not that the clouds went away. They lurked ominously above, demanding that whatever the champions, past and present, did, they did quickly.

But celebrity cannot be hurried. As the natives became increasingly restless, the protagonists stayed firmly in the locker room. The crowd clapped, they whistled until finally, at 5.29pm, a heavily swathed Sharapova strode on to Centre Court. Wearing sweat pants or, rather fashionably flared garments to cover the lower limbs (the much photographed Miss S would never wear anything as common as sweat pants), and a long sleeved top, she slowly unpeeled to wolf whistles and cheers. "Marry me Maria!" came a cry from an overexcited voice in the stands. Well, boys will be boys.

At 5.31pm the first ball was struck in the warm-up and Sharapova was still secure in her position as Wimbledon champion. But it was not to last. She may have placed her chair to sit facing the Royal Box (the queen of Wimbledon would do, wouldn't she) but she came second in the warm-up and no better in the match.

Williams, adopting her suburban housewife look with a huge sun visor (she, apparently, had not been reading the weather updates), windcheater and ponytail, meant business. For all that she faced two break points in the opening game, she was still pushing Sharapova around, sending her scampering from corner to corner and after just two minutes of this effort, the Sharapova shriek made its first appearance.

It was met by the Williams grunt, a throaty roar of aggression that can terrify the best. But not Sharapova. Nothing frightens Maria. She may be beaten but she will concede defeat. Williams was bigger (by one inch), older (by seven years) and stronger (by 30lbs of muscle) but Sharapova would not lie down. Playing some shots left-handed in a desperate attempt to get a racquet string on another Williams thunderbolt, she tried everything in her power to keep her hands on the trophy.

For the last four years Williams has been upstaged first by her sister and then by a host of younger women who have mopped up the titles that matter. She has not won a Grand Slam title since the US Open in 2001.

She got to plenty of finals, mind you, but every time she got there, she was walloped by her kid sister. Five times it happened. But now Serena is gone and for Venus it means that the title is there for the taking.

She has worked long and hard in the gym and on the practice courts - she might want to have a word with Serena about the benefits of hard graft - and slowly but surely this year, she has begun to look like the champion of old.

This is where it all started for Williams and this is the place she loves the best. The grass, for all the criticisms that it is slower than in days of yore, still adds sting and pep to her already ferocious shots. And with the wingspan of a small jetliner, she is impossible to pass at the net.

She has her sights set on the title and whoever her opponent is on Saturday, they have been marked down for no more than a supporting role. And at least it will be a good deal quieter than today.

Written by Alix Ramsay

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Davenport in Driver's Seat

Thursday, June 30, 2005

Lindsay Davenport and Amelie Mauresmo saw their titanic semi-final, with its two tie-breaks and much high drama, halted by rain late in the third set as the Frenchwoman served to stay in the match at 3-5.

By then, late in the evening, the light was so poor that resumption was impossible. So the question of who meets Venus Williams in Saturday's final will not be decided until tomorrow.

The 29-year-old Davenport's relief at gaining an overnight breather with the match virtually in her grasp was palpable. She had packed her bag and was off court while Mauresmo was still stowing away her rackets, and probably lamenting her ill-fortune, having led by a set and 3-1. To this point she had dominated a sluggish Davenport, who was slow to assemble her best game after a 4 hour 20 minute wait in the locker room for the match to start.

Davenport, whose right thigh was heavily bandaged against a long-term hamstring problem, permitted Mauresmo to enjoy the first break of serve by double-faulting twice in the sixth game and following that with a backhand error. But the Frenchwoman, who has never won a Grand Slam title, has a notoriously brittle temperament and it seemed she had let her advantage slip when she served for the set at 5-3, only to be broken.

Mauresmo had a set point in that ninth game, but threw it away with a double-fault. Davenport duly pounced, capitalising on a pair of Mauresmo errors to break serve, then hold serve to draw level at 5-5. She immediately broke again as Amelie double-faulted again and sprayed two backhands out of court.

Serving for the set, it was the world No.1's turn to slip up, dropping her serve to love to send the set into a tie-break. In this see-saw affair, Davenport trailed by four points to one, pulled level at 5-5 but netted a forehand when Mauresmo conjured her second set point 20 minutes after the first one.

Davenport, the Wimbledon champion six years ago, suffered another scare by being broken in the opening game of the second set on another pair of double-faults, slumping in disbelief at her wretched form and once dropping her racket and covering her eyes in embarrassment. At this stage of the match, French flags were prominent on Court One and perhaps they acted as an incentive to the American. She levelled the set at 3-3 with a break of serve gained with a comprehensive smash - only to be broken to love at once. But she then captured Mauresmo's serve yet again as the Frenchwoman's errors started to outnumber her winners.

With no more scares or breaks, the set moved into a tie-break and this time it was Davenport who seized the initiative and kept it, finding herself with three set points at 6-3. One chance was missed when Davenport lobbed long, but then a forehand service return clipped the baseline and the match was level after 1 hour 38 minutes.

As both women tired, Davenport struggled to hold serve in the sixth game of the final set, fighting off two break points with great forehands. Clearly disappointed by failing to break, Mauresmo promptly dropped her own serve, though Davenport needed four break points to move ahead 4-3. She had increased this lead to 5-3 when play was halted, and then called off until Friday morning.

Written by Ronald Atkin