Photos by Mal Taam/MALTphoto
Photos from Stanford Bank of the West
August 9, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Australian Open picks for Saturday, January 24
January 23, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Rod Laver Arena / Day
Aga will have to battle on center stage.
Photo: Mal Taam/MALTphoto
6- Agnieszka Radwanska v 30-Varvara Lepchenko
This going to be a long three sets. Both can run forever and both can be very patient. Yes they can both find the lines. But, if the Pole can spin the balls around her and confuse her, Radwanska will win. If the lefty Lepchenko can bang her forehand, she can pull off the upset. Varvara will be very close, but Radwanska will throw in some beautiful drops and win 7-6 in the third.
1-Serena Williams v 26-Elena Svitolina
The Ukrainian Svitolina has not only grown stronger and faster but she is more composed now. But while she thinks she is ready to shock the world, Williams already looks very good and ready to rumble. Svitolina might bew improvving, but she will only able to win seven games or so.
Stan Wawrinka v Jarrko Nieminen
This could be a lot of fun amongst these two, as the Swiss can hit his one-handed backhand with a yo-yo while the Finn can twist his left-handed on the lines. The veteran can trouble Wawrinka, but Stan truly believes that he can go back to back at the Australia and against Jarrko he will win in four sets.
Rod Laver Arena / Night
1-Novak Djokovic v 31-Fernando Verdasco
Remember when Verdasco made it into the semis and nearly stunned Rafa Nadal but then he fell short in more than four hours? Verdasco can bang his forehand, but his backhand us so-so and he isn’t ultra fast. Fernando will have a ton of fun for about an hour and a half, but Djokovic will out nerve him and win in four sets.
4-Petra Kvitova v Madison Keys
The tall and super strong Czech thinks she can win the tournament and she knows it. She whips her first serve, her left hand is dangerous and her volleys are more effective. But the 19-year-old Keys is coming hard, too. She can blast her first serve at 120 MPH, she can gun off her forehand and backhand and she is put away balls at the net. But Keys is still a little young, while Kvitova is more mature now. She will win in two straights sets.
Margaret Court Arena
18-Venus Williams is steadier than Carmila Giorgi.
Jerzy Janowicz will upset Feliciano in five sets – again.
Victoria Azarenka is ready to go deep and will thrash over Barbara Strycova.
David Ferrer will last forever to best Gilles Simon.
Hisense Arena
Garbine Muguruza is coming hard and will easily beat Timea Bacsinszky
Milos Raonic has to work harder to get to Rod Laver and will do so to blast Benjamin Becker.
CoCo Vandeweghe has a huge serve and will take down Madison Brengle in three sets, but it will be super close.
Kei Nishikori wants to be on Laver, but Hisense is packing in tons of Japanese fans this week. Steve Johnson is getting and better and will bring it to five sets, but Nishikori will triumph.
Time to get it back and fast for Raonic
January 10, 2015 by Leave a Comment
BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL – Milos Raonic has been oh-so-close to winning a major. He is very tall, can knock off his massive first serves with aces and nail gigantic forehands for winners. He is “only” 24 years old, so he is still relatively young, but it is time now, and he played the right way to upset Kei Nishikori 6-7(4) 7-6(4) 7-6(4) in the semis.
Raonic was very happy that he reached the final and guess who would meet there? The 17 Grand Slam champion, Roger Federer, who blew out Grigor Dimitrov 6-2 6-2.
The world No 5 Nishikori was slightly better than the No. 8 Raonic last year. The Japanese was a bit more consistent, and went a little better deep into the big tournaments. Nishikori was faster, smarter and more confident, which is why, for example, that he overcame Raonic in five sets in the fourth round at the US Open. Nishikori kept on battling, eventually reaching the final where he went down to Marin Cilic. Nishikori then played Raonic in a couple more weeks, besting the Canadian, 6-4 in the final. Raonic was very close, but when he came into the crunch time, Nishikori ran around and went side to side, knowing that he could eventually out thought him.
But on Saturday in Brisbane, Raonic didn’t back off. Yes, he knows that Nishikori is substantially faster and has a more powerful backhand, but he served up huge and didn’t’ allow Nishikori to break him.
He lost the first set in a tiebreak, won the second set in a tiebreak and then went into the third. We all knew they were going to the tiebreak again. There was not other way.
Raonic could push the balls around and hope, but he didn’t. This time, he went for the balls early and often. He leapt as hard as he could with his forehands, winning with the contest when he crushed it into the corner 6-7(4) 7-6(4) 7-6(4).
“I felt like we both played really well,” Milos said. “The level of tennis was very high, especially the beginning. I felt I served really well. That’s held me around, especially in the beginning, because I felt he was getting more and more on top of me at the beginning from the baseline. That sort of kept me in it and sort of gave me a chance, and then I was able to create some opportunities in the beginning of the second. After that, it was pretty much straightforward holding from both of us. I felt like with my serve I put a lot of pressure on opponents in tiebreaks, and I was able to use that.”
Now Raonic has to go up against Federer, who he has beaten him only one time, in Paris last year. Federer has a 7-1 head to head, four ATP World Tours and two Grand Slams, in 2013 Australian Open in the fourth round in straight sets, and in 2014 Wimbledon in the semis, when Federer won 6-4 6-4 6-4. He absolutely has to find out away he can get some solid returns. Plus, he has nail one after another.
“I got to serve well,” Raonic said. “That’s always been a key. Last few matches I started poorly. I would get broken right in my first service game, which is not the way to really go about things, especially against a top player and especially against Roger. So I got to keep that pressure on him and then sort of step up when I can create my opportunities. I think that’s a good.”
Raonic didn’t spend much of the off-season, or much of a vacation either. He did go for six days on a beach vacation but after four or five days he was ready to go back.
“I wanted to get back into things,” he said. “I had a lot of things that I wanted to do more than I did in 2014, so I wanted to get back in the swing of
Who’s hot! Sharapova, Nadal voted sexiest again
January 6, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Thanks to our very loyal and active readers and for the thousands of votes we received. We love the responses.
Maria Sharapova is on a roll, winning now for the third straight year. However, boyfriend Grigor Dimtrov, who was voted sexiest last year, came in second. He lost out to three-time winner Rafa Nadal, who also was the hottest in 2011 & 2012.
Tennis’ hottest couple, Maria Sharapova and Grigor Dimtrov, won it in 2014.
The awards were named for Ivanovic and Safin whose notable sexiness helped them capture the awards for the first five years of the poll, 2005-2009. They were declared ineligible after the awards were named for them.
Results of all seven 2014 TennisReporters.net awards are listed below:
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Federer unable to play ATP Final due to bad back
November 16, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Federer looks beyond London to Davis Cup final.
LONDON – Roger Federer pulled through an historic event when he fought off fourth matches and overcame his friend, Stan Wawrinka, 4‑6, 7‑5, 7‑6 in the semis on ATP World Tour Finals Saturday. But by the time he woke up, he was way too sore and, although he tried, he couldn’t loosen it up and give it a go. The Swiss couldn’t walk on the court against Novak Djokovic in the final on Sunday and compete. The world No. 1 Djokovic walks away with another title. Once again, he advances himself as a legend of the fall season.
Federer did not want to risk it because next week the Swiss will face France away in the Davis Cup final. Perhaps he would have played in London on Sunday. But given that Djokovic had played excellent this week, he would have had at least being able to compete say at 80 percent. Against the Serbian who was ready to rumble, he didn’t have much of a chance.
But No. 2 Federer wanted a real chance, as the 33-year-old does is still aiming to reach No. 1 someday for the last time. But, today, he decided not risk it.
“I am sorry to announce that I cannot play the finals tonight vs. Novak,” Federer said on his Facebook page. “I hurt my back late in the match yesterday against Stan.”
He later said, “I try all year to be ready for the ATP World Tour Finals, and I didn’t want it to end this way. But I tried everything I could last night, also today, painkillers, treatment, rest and so forth, warm-up till the very end. But just I can’t compete at this level with Novak. It would be too risky at my age to do this right now and I hope you understand.”
Federer may not say it, but the Davis Cup final in gigantic for him. The Swiss have never won the Davis Cup, and given knowing exactly what will occur during the entire season, that is very difficult to predicut who is healthy and who is hurt. If you are healthy and decided all year long to make Davis Cup a priority, then reaching the final is an important goal. This time around, the Swiss finally did.
However, no one really knows whether Federer will be able to play at all. But what we do know is that he will try to get healthy by Friday in Lille and hope that he can stand up, run around and out-think the assumed foe of Gael Monfils on clay.
France’s Monfils runs like the wind, but he is 2-8 against Federer and the Swiss has taken him down three times at Roland Garros. While Monfils pushed Federer to a fifth set in the US Open quarters – which the Swiss won – with Federer physically hurt, you may has well throw out the window.
Federer might be able to play for three hours and win, but he it is highly unlikely to play in Saturday for doubles. Perhaps he will be OK with a day’s rest and compete on Sunday, assuming that he or Wawrinka (who will face Jo Tsonga on Friday) or Swiss to have won at least a tie going into the final. Who knows, Federer could win two matches in Lille and celebrate one of the last pieces to his incredible resume. Or hurt his back hurt again and pulled out. If Federer can’t play next weekend, you may as well give the trophy to France.
Cronin’s surgery successful! Tweets that he’s OK
March 5, 2014 by Leave a Comment
UPDATE, TUESDAY, MARCH 25
Matt Cronin, TennisReporters.net’s main writer and a leading tennis journalist, continues to recover from brain surgery.
Cronin is recuperating at a Bay Area hospital after surgery on March 4. Despite his speedy recovery and fantastic progress, doctors have encouraged (read: ordered) him to refrain from writing and tweeting. Family members are with him 24 hours a day and report that Matt is improving but that the process is slow.
Cronin tweeted the day of his surgery, leading many of his thousands of followers to expect a constant stream of tennis news and personal updates. It’s hard to believe but the incredibly prolific Matt is refraining from writing, even 140 characters at a time.
Matt thanks the tennis community for the large and endearing outpouring of well wishes, especially from fellow tennis journalists who have worked many days and long nights with him.
Get well, Matt!
They say you can’t keep a good man down. Today, Matt Cronin proved you can’t keep a good writer quiet.
Shortly before 7:30 p.m. Pacific time, one of the most prolific and best known sports tweeter wrote:
Out of surgery talking up storm, docs did great. Thinking clearly. Hope every future day as successful as today. Support wise u all r best!
Cronin underwent brain surgery early on the morning of March 4 in San Francisco. The doctor, noted neurosurgeon Mitchel Berger of UCSF, operated on a brain tumor near the part of Cronin’s brain which controls speech. Matt knew speaking clearly after the operation would be an issue.
For more information on Cronin’s illness, please read his story here.
This story will be updated with more news on TennisReporters.net’s lead writer in the next few days.
So glad to hear you’re on the road to a full recovery!
Vote for the 2013 Sexiest Female Player
December 25, 2013 by Leave a Comment
 Victoria Azarenka
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Click here for the gallery and to vote on our 11 candidates for 2013 “Ana Ivanovic” Sexiest Female Player.
The award is named for Ana Ivanovic, who won the award for the first five years of the poll, 2005-2009. Past winners include Maria Sharapova (2012), Caroline Wozniacki (2011) and Maria Kirilenko (2010).
Vickery, Johnson surprise with Aussie Open Playoff wins
December 23, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Sachia Vickery went from maybe to the USTA Australian Open Wild Card Playoff women’s champion, taking out fourth-seed Victoria Duval in two easy sets.
In a little over an hour, the decade-long rivalry that started when they first played at age 7 had a new chapter as Vickery breezed through the favored Duval 6-2, 6-3. Vickery gained entry into the tournament when Melanie Oudin pulled out with rhabdomyolysis.
Former two-time NCAA champion Steve Johnson also won a free pass into the Australian Open main draw by defeating Tennys Sandgren in five sets. Both Johnson and Vickery won three matches against other up-and-coming American players and collected the wild card. The USTA has a reciprocal agreement with Tennis Australia.
Even Duval’s history at Life Time Athletic at Peachtree Corners (she trained here for a few years), could not help her raise her game on an indoor hard court on a rain-soaked day in Georgia. Her long forehand stroke and accurate placements couldn’t help her overcome Vickery’s tenacious power.
Vickery delivered repeated body blows, determined to keep Duval off balance and unready for her next groundstrokes. She was consistently coming up with one more shot and relying on her power off both wings.
At 2-5 in the first set Duval double faulted to set up a set point. Then, Vickery shows rare variety and delivers a drop shot Duval can’t handle. First set: Vickery.
Throughout the second set, Vickery kept up the attack while Duval showed a lack of intensity. Even though Vickery’s second serve was very attackable, Duval didn’t put up much resistance.
Vickery and Duval who made a big splash in last year’s US Open, moved to 2-2 in the third set but then Duval lost her way. Vickery slammed an ace up the T and followed up with a nice drop shot. Later in the set Duval was unhappy with first serve let call and lost the point. Then, Vickery sailed a super defensive lob up near the lights that dropped right smack on the baseline. With that break, Vickery moved on to put away the match.
In a post-match press conference, Vickery said, “I was getting ready to go to Auckland, and my coach was like, ‘Well you might get in.’ She called both her mother, Paula Liverpool, and her coach, USTA National Coach Kathy Rinaldi, after the match. “So, I was like, ‘Yeah, we’ll see what happens. If it happens, great. If not, I have qualies.’ … I’m very religious, and my mom always says God puts things in situations for a reason.”
Sandgren Lets One Slip Away
One match point. One shot at an entry into the Australian Open main draw. One double fault.
Steve Johnson takes down Tennys Sandgren in five. Ron Cioffi/TR.net
That was the disappointing story for Sandgren. He had Johnson in his sight, after winning the first set and then crushing him with a bagel in the third.The final count was 4-6, 6-3, 0-6, 7-6(5), 6-1 with the former University of Tennessee star Sandgren watching a match he could have won come up in the loss column.
In the fourth set’s twelfth game, Sandgren had his sole match point. But, Johnson pounded another ace.
The momentum went back to the Tennessean in the tiebreak, as Sandgren had two-point leads as late as 5-3. But, Johnson proved a quick-handed return of serve can be a heart-breaker. He took the last four points and escaped.
“I just kind of ran the best play I could. Luckily, it worked, and here we are,” Johnson said. “That’s just tennis. He’s one point away from winning, and 20 minutes later I’m up a break and trying to squeeze him for another one. … I’m excited to finally win a five-set match,” he said. “I’m 0-for-4 in life, 0-for-3 this year, so I’m glad to get one.”
Johnson was contemplating withdrawing from the tournament because of a leg injury.
The fifth set was all Johnson. Even though he experienced some leg problems earlier in the match, he pickup up steam while Sandgren continually bent his legs and seemed to be stretched beyond his endurance. Johnson found new confidence at the net, angling off winners and using his overhead effectively.
Federer falls again, giving Robredo first win in 11 matches
September 3, 2013 by Leave a Comment
If the state of Roger Federer’s deteriorating game is based on his age, why was he defeated by a player he has never lost to who is only five months younger than him?
In straight sets.
At the US Open.
With one match away from facing nemesis Rafa Nadal in the US Open quarterfinals (and for the first time ever in Flushing Meadows), the 32-year-old Federer fell to Tommy Robredo 7-6(3), 6-3, 6-4.
The Swiss legend was stymied by one of his weaknesses – converting break points – and it really bit him badly. He only converted two of 16 opportunities. True, Robredo stepped up with a wad of passing shots and aces when he needed them. But, the key was Federer often tried to blast a forehand winner on the first shot he had. And, the fearsome forehand that sent Grand Slam pretenders out of contention for year upon year, was neither accurate nor dependable.
“I struggled throughout, which was not very satisfying, to be honest,” Federer said. “I mean, Tommy did a good job to keep the ball in play and make it difficult for me today. I missed so many opportunities. Rhythm was off.”
Throughout the post-match press conference, the string of negative comments came from the player who has gone for invincible to vulnerable.
“It was up to me to make a difference and I couldn’t.”
“I just couldn’t do it. It was frustrating performance today.”
“It just ended up being a bad combination of many things.”
Federer talked about going back to work and training harder in hopes he can continue to improve on the success he’s had in the last month. But, he will finish this year without making a major final, the first time since 2002.
But, slump or not, Robredo still found great pleasure in knocking off the player who had a 10-0 record over him.
“Well, it’s amazing. For me, Roger, for the moment, is the best player of all times. And, to beat him in a huge stadium like the US Open and in a Grand Slam, a match of five sets, it’s a dream, no?”
Still, Robredo mentioned the cinch in the armor, the failure for Federer to convert break points. “But, I think the difference today was the break points conversion,” Robredo said.
For the first time in 12 attempts, Robredo’s will play in the US Open round of 16.
Asked why older players are making a great impact on tour today, Robredo said, “I think right now all the players take a lot more care of our body. We have physios; we have trainers. In our team, we are a lot of professionals.”
Next up for Robredo is countryman Rafa Nadal. Nadal dropped the first set to Philipp Kohlschreiber, but quickly recovered to post a 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-3, 6-1 win.