Beijing Olympic Games

Updated: 2008-06-16 From: Xinhuanet

BERLIN, June 15 (Xinhua) — World number one Roger Federer emerged as the winner for the fifth time at the Halle ATP tournament on Sunday.

The 26-year-old Swiss star defeated Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 6-4 to notch his 59th consecutive win on grass.

Federer, who takes the Halle event as a grass-court warm-up for Wimbledon Open later this month, where he will seek to win a sixth consecutive title, has won here every year since 2003, except last year when he did not compete.

Updated: 2008-06-16

(BEIJING, June 16) — “I have played some fantastic tennis this week,” said Roger Federer. Yes, he did. On June 15, he beat Philipp Kohlschreiber from Germany to win the men’s singles final at the Halle Open. The victory extends his winning streak on grass to 59 matches before the Wimbledon Championships this year, which start on June 23.

This was the fifth time the grasscourt king has won the Halle Open in Germany. The victory also marked his second title this season and the 55th title in his tennis career.

In just one hour and thirteen minutes, Federer took the two sets easily 6-3, 6-4, without dropping even a single service game. “This is the first for me,” he said.

It only took a week for Federer to get over from his crushing defeat at the 2008 French Open. This time Federer once again proved his dominance on grass and showed he is ready for next week’s Wimbledon, the third grand slam tournament of the year, where he will be defending his title. “I have thought about [the streak ending] but it is not on my mind when I have break points against me. I want to continue the streak and hope it goes on,” Federer said.

Updated: 2008-06-16 From: Xinhuanet

WELLINGTON, June 16 (Xinhua) — New Zealand tennis number one Marina Erakovic played her way into the Olympic team for Beijing, the New Zealand Olympic Committee announced on Monday.

New Zealand will send its youngest-ever Top 100 tennis player to Beijing 2008 after Olympic selectors named her to the Olympic team on Monday.

Erakovic, 20, is a rising star on the international tennis circuit and has moved from a world ranking of 160 to 64 in just months.

New Zealand top 16 selection criteria is tough and while Erakovic has not yet met this standard, Olympic selectors believedher rapid improvements will continue and a favorable draw at Beijing could see her finish within the top 16.

As Erakovic has rocketed up the rankings, she’s recorded some significant wins, including beating world number 13, Vera Zvonareva, in January 2008. With Wimbledon this week, her place inthe ranking could rise.

The selectors made a recommendation to the New Zealand Olympic Committee board that the selection be considered favorably. The board decision to select Erakovic was unanimous.

Only four other tennis players have competed for New Zealand at Olympic level, including Anthony Wilding who won bronze at Stockholm in 1912.

Final selections to the New Zealand Olympic Team will be made in the next three weeks with nominations expected for rowing, cycling, shooting and equestrian.

Beach Volleyball continue to seek IF qualification and Men’s basketball will have their final qualification event on July 20. Squads for Men’s and Women’s Hockey, Football and Women’s Basketball will be named by June 30.

Updated: 2008-06-16 From: Xinhuanet

Spanish Rafael Nadal bites the trophy after winning the final of the Artois Championship tennis tournament against Serbian Novak Djokovic at Queen’s Club in west London on June 15, 2008. Nadal won 7-6(6), 7-5. (Xinhua photo)

LONDON, June 15 (Xinhua) — Spain’s Rafael Nadal defeated Novak Djokovic of Serbia in straight sets at the final of the Artois Championships to claim his first career grass title.

The king of clay showed that he has the talent to win on the lawns as well when he took two hours and 15 minutes to beat Djokovic 7-6 (6), 7-5.

The Spaniard was playing Djokovic for the third straight event and fourth time this season, improving his record in the series to 9-3.

Spanish Rafael Nadal celebrates after winning the final of the Artois Championship tennis tournament against Serbian Novak Djokovic at Queen’s Club in west London on June 15, 2008. Nadal won 7-6(6), 7-5. (Xinhua photo)

Updated: 2008-06-15 From: Xinhuanet

LONDON, June 14 (Xinhua) — Novak Djokovic of Serbia will take on Rafael Nadal of Spain in the final of the Queen’s Club tennis tournament, hoping for revenge on Sunday.

Djokovic hobbled off court, suffering from a blister on his toe in their only previous meeting on grass, 11 months ago in the Wimbledon semi-finals.

“I look forward to it. Last year at Wimbledon I was unfortunate to finish that way due to injury. But this time I feel much more comfortable on this surface, more experienced,” said the Serbian after his 6-1, 6-0 over David Nalbandian.

“I’ve gained a lot of confidence, matured. Physically, I’m much better. So it can be a very interesting match.”

However, Nadal, runner-up to Roger Federer at the All England Club for the past two years, is on a 16-match winning streak, including his fourth successive French Open crown last Sunday.

Nadal did not drop a set in seven matches in Paris and Djokovic was among his victims.

Hoping to become the first Spaniard to win a title on grass since Andres Gimeno in 1972, Nadal is unlikely to let down his guard on Sunday.

“This week is amazing for me. I am just very happy how I’m playing on grass,” said Nadal, who beat Andy Roddick 7-5, 6-4.

“I’m surprised how well I have adapted to the surface this week. I’ve only lost the serve once during the tournament and I’m gonna try my best to win tomorrow.”

Updated: 2008-06-13

(BEIJING, June 13) — Roger Federer, the world’s No 1 player, defeated Czech veteran Jan Vacek 7-5, 6-3 in the second round of the Gerry Weber Open at Halle in Germany on Thursday. This marked the Swiss master’s 56th consecutive victory on grass and a place in the men’s last eight.

Federer, 26, and the 2007 Wimbledon champion, has recovered from the defeat by Rafael Nadal at the French Open last week. In the first set, Federer broke his opponent’s service 12 times and reached 81 percent in the first serve points average with a 7-5 win. He maintained his sharpness in the second set and easily swept away the Czech 6-3. He did not give Vacek the opportunity to hold on to a single break point. Six aces showed Federer’s perfect condition.

“Jan played very cleverly,” said Federer of Vacek. “I did not find my rhythm for quite a long time. But I kept my composure, stayed calm and waited for my chances. When they came, I made the most of it.”

Halle is an ideal place for Federer to recover from his disappointment at Roland Garros. “On Sunday night, I was frustrated and I wanted to leave Paris as quickly as possible and I wanted time to think things over before coming here [to Germany],” Federer told a British newspaper sportswriter before he left for Halle last week.

This tournament is a useful warm-up for the Swiss ace in preparation for Wimbledon, which begins on June 32. In the meantime, he is expected to continue showing his incomparable talent on grass in the next few matches.

Updated: 2008-06-13

(BEIJING, June 13)– Spain’s Rafael Nadal, the No 1 seed, has made a successful switch to playing on grass as part of his preparation for the Wimbledon tournament later this month. He beat Japanese player Kei Nishikori 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in the men’s singles third round of the Artois Championships at Queen’s Club in London. This victory puts him in the quarterfinals.

It is acknowledged that grass is not Nadal’s favorite playing surface. “When you are playing, you are having memories of how you have to play on the surface from past years,” said Nada. “But the feelings are strange. It is completely different and it is important to have a lot of time on the court.”

Nadal has enjoyed good form so far this year. He has won the Hamburg Masters’ Cup in Germany and, more recently, the French Open at Roland Garros. Although never at his best on grass, he is expected to improve by the time Wimbledon commences. “I am very happy to be here for the third time,” Nadal said before the game. “I’m here to try my best. Right now, I’m playing well, but it’s very difficult to adapt from clay to grass.”

The baby-faced Kishikori performed well against the strong-serving Nadal, winning the second set 6-3. The 18-year-old player is making impressive progress after winning the ATP title in Delray Beach, Florida, USA, in February.

“He is very, very good,” said Nadal of Kishikori. “He is going to be in the top 10, for sure. He plays very easily. He is a very talented player. When he has a little more time with the forehand, he kills you every time.”

According to the technical statistics, Nadal’s first and second service point averages are 74 percent and 55 percent respectively. Kishikori’s averages were pretty similar: 75 percent and 48 percent respectively.

Nadal’s next opponent is Ivo Karlovic, who was the runner-up in this tournament in 2005. The 208 cm (6 ft 10 in) tall Croatian, aged 29– he is the tallest top-ranking tennis player in the world — is known to have a good volleying service.