The Redeem Dream

Brilliant Federer Close to Salvaging Season after Jolting Djokovic

Anne-Marie Stark

Serena to Meet Jankovic in Final

Williams Bests Safina; JJ Takes Out Dementieva

Clash of Titans

Federer v. Djokovic, Nadal v. Murray

A Traumatic Ten

Venus Can’t Convert 10 Sets Points in Dramatic Loss to Serena
It had never happened to seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams before and will likely never happen again. In the worst closing performance of her career and in a completely gutsy show by her younger sister, Serena, Venus failed to convert two sets points in the first set and then eight in the second set and confusingly fell 7-6 (6), 7-6 (8) in the quarterfinals of the US Open late on Wednesday night. MORE

THE TR NEWSLETTER: Team Man Federer Enjoys Phelps Relay Moment MORE
Gonzo’s Olympic Ethics Under Spotlight After Blake Implodes MORE
Thunderous Thursday Wreaks Havoc MORE
Olympic Fields Firming Up MORE
THE TR NEWSLETTER: Del Potro Takes Third Straight ATP Title MORE

Murray Madness Continues
As He Knocks Off Nadal

The cagey, bicep-flexing Andy Murray did what no one else could do during the summer season's premier events, upsetting No. 1 Rafael Nadal 6-2, 7-6, 4-6, 6-4 in the U.S. Open semis, and earning himself a marquee match up against four-time champion Roger Federer.

Murray put on an outstanding display in the three hour and 30 minute match, which spanned two days due to Tropical Storm Hanna, hammering Nadal with leaping groundstrokes, being a much more sure-handed player at the net and engaging in some extremely impressive defensive points against the fleet Spaniard. Nadal attempted to exhaust Murray is long baseline rallies, but Murray was able to hit through the Spaniard when he caught short balls, and his two handed backhand stood up tall against Nadal's lefty forehand. Perhaps most importantly, he knocked his returns deep enough so that the Spaniard was unable to force the action early in points. MORE

US OPEN WOMENS FINAL PICK

Djokovic Tackles Fans, Roddick

FROM THE US OPEN, SEPT. 4- Novak Djokovic was the briefly the toast of New York last years with his hilarious impersonations of other players including Maria Sharapova, but his life came full circle after his 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5) victory over top American Andy Roddick on Thursday night. MORE

MURRAY REACHES SEMIS
FROM THE US OPEN, SEPT. 3 - Andy Murray has come for the title and now he looks like a serious contender. The Scot outlasted Argentine teenager Juan Martin Del Potro 7-6 (2), 7-6 (1), 4-6, 7-5 in an up and down contest that contrasted Murray’s guile against Del Potro’s power.
The 21-year-old Murray was by no means perfect in the match, but looked far more experienced and finally exhausted the big and promising teen. "I'm very relieved," Murray said. "I had my chances in the third set and let it slip a little bit. He had been on such a great run this summer. He fought so hard, and it was a great atmosphere in the end." Murray will face the winner of the match between top seed Rafael Nadal and Mardy Fish, which started just before midnight.

RODDICK LOOKS TO JOLT DJOKOVIC
No. 1 Rafael Nadal, No. 2 Roger Federer and No. 3 Novak Djokovic, the 2007 US Open finalist who Andy Roddick will face in the quarterfinals on Thursday night, all had huge struggles in their fourth round matches.
But not Roddick, who blew out Fernando Gonzalez in straight sets and now appears to have rediscovered the form that led him to the title in Dubai in March, where he knocked out Nadal and Djokovic, and earned him his first win over Federer in nearly five years in Miami. MORE


Sisterly Parity
FROM THE US OPEN, SEPT. 1 - Forget for a moment Venus and Serena Williams' undying sisterly love. Focus instead on their rivalry, which has become intense. “Classic" and "unique” is how Serena describes it. MORE

Nadal Looks to Hook Fish
FROM THE US OPEN, SEPT. 1 - It became quite clear after his scratchy and sweaty 6-2, 5-7, 7-6(2), 6-3 fourth-round win over the pumped-up young American Sam Querrey that Rafael Nadal knows that he's in a heck of a fight to win his first US Open title. MORE

Safina Survives, Blake Shocked by Fish
FROM THE US OPEN, AUG. 30 - In was the worst set and three quarters she has played this summer, but somehow, with a large dose of deep-throated Cmon’s!, a devastating backhand and improved serve, Dinara Safina survived Swiss teenager Timea Bacsinszky 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 in the third round. MORE

Ashley Harkleroad Pregnant FRIDAY, AUG 29. - American player and playmate Ashley Harkleroad didn’t pull out of the US Open with a back injury, but because she is pregnant, the Fed Cup heroine confirmed. MORE

Serbia Sweats With Ivanovic Loss
By Matthew Cronin, TR
FROM THE US OPEN - The Serbian fairytale has now been all but concluded, with all the talk about hitting thousands of balls in a dried-up swimming pool, or practicing while bombing raids were about to begin now washed away in the brutal week-to-week grind of the tennis tours.
On Thursday at the US Open, the sweetest Serbian, top-ranked Ana Ivanovic was sent reeling out of the tournament in the second round 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 by an obscure Frenchwoman, Julie Coin, ranked No. 188 and never looked the part of the queen of her sport.
Ivanovic gained No. 1 ranking almost by default, when Justine Henin retired last May and then she won a short race to the top spot by winning her first Grand Slam at the French Open. Then she looked oh- so-grand, oh-so-powerful, oh-so-ready at the age of 21 to take over the tour.
But Ivanovic's balloon has been popped in a very big way. MORE