Beijing Olympic Games

Updated: 2007-11-18 From: Xinhuanet

Roger Federer will play against David Ferrer in the final of the Masters Cup in Shanghai. (Xinhua Photo)

SHANGHAI, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) — History repeated itself as world number one and defending champion Roger Federer blitzed nemesis Rafael Nadal in straight sets after just 58 minutes in the semifinals of the Masters Cup here on Saturday.

His reward will be a Sunday final against another Spaniard David Ferrer, who powered past an out-of-sorts American Andy Roddick 6-1,6-3 in an earlier semifinal in 62 minutes.

Federer, who revived his best form after a hiccup round robin stage, beat the Spaniard 6-4, 6-1 in a rematch of their duel in last year’s Tennis Masters Cup semifinals and will be searching for his fourth title at the finale.

“It was one of those nights when I played really well and felt good. I expected it was going to be a different match, but I was really pleased with my performance for the last one and a half sets,” the 26-year-old Federer said of the semifinal, which was just the fourth time in 14 clashes they has played before the final.

“I don’t think one match proves the whole thing, but it’s definitely to some degree important for me to always beat the second best player in the world. We’ve been up there for so long and our rivalry has really grown.”

By thrashing the longtime rival, the Swiss superhuman improved his lifetime record against the Spaniard, arguably the most celebrated of all active rivalries, to 8-6.

It has been an exceptional week for the in-form Ferrer, who is now into his first final at his first career Tennis Masters Cup and swept to a 3-0 round-robin record to finish top of the Gold Group before overcoming Roddick in the semifinals.

“Maybe the key is to return the ball well all through the match and playing with confidence,” said Ferrer, who improved his record against Roddick to 3-2 lifetime.

“But as for me, Nadal and Federer are the hot favorites for the title. They are the best in the past three years.”

“To me it is my first final in Shanghai and I’m very happy for that. Now I want to enjoy this moment.”

The Spanish number two has had a very solid last-quarter of the season with his first- ever Grand Slam semi-finals at Flushing Meadows, a title in Tokyo, and a quarter-finals showing in Paris.

To a noisy trumpet-blowing Spanish crowd, Ferrer was already leading 3-1 when Roddick appeared to wound his back while stretching to hit a volley.

The fifth ranked American called for a timeout but a rubdown made no difference as Ferrer needed only 28 minutes to close out the first set 6-1 and continued to pile on the agony for Roddick in the second.

Ferrer, the only man still unbeaten in Shanghai, was showing no mercy, producing unbelievable baseline shots to wear out Roddick and even making him chase drop shots before the 6-1, 6-3 breezing win.

“I played a bad first set. The second set I thought I actually hit the ball pretty well. There are some positives, not having played one match since the U.S. Open to get to the semifinals and to get four matches under my belt before our Davis Cup final was needed,” said Roddick, who will be playing for the United Statesin next month’s Davis Cup final against Russia.

“I kind of have to try to move on because this isn’t the end of my year. We have a couple matches in 12 days or so. So that’s where my focus goes now.”

In doubles’ part, top seeds Mark Knowles from Bahamas and Canadian Daniel Nestor advanced to the final for the consecutive year as they beat second seeds Paul Hanley from Australia and Kevin Ullyett of Zimbabwe in the semifinals.

After squandering three match points in the second-set tie-break, Knowles/Nestor took charge early in the match tie-break to win at 6-4, 6-7(8), 10-5.

In the final they will play U.S. Open champions Simon Aspelin of Sweden and Austrian Julian Knowle, who advanced to their first final since Flushing Meadows with a 6-4, 6-4 win over veteran duo Czech Martin Damm and Indian Leander Paes.

Updated: 2007-11-17 From: China Daily

SHANGHAI– Line umpires are supposed to focus on where tennis balls drop - inside or outside the line. It sounds like a simple job, but all that assumed simplicity evaporates as soon as a player gets riled up over a questionable call.

But the arrival of Hawk-Eye into tennis has made life a little easier for umpires and players alike. Here at the Masters Cup in Shanghai, players routinely use the ball-tracking technology when they think an umpire has misjudged. When a player challenges (players are allowed two challenges per set, plus one in a tiebreak), within a few seconds a jumbo-sized computer screen in the stadium displays where the ball actually dropped.

In Shanghai so far, most players have taken advantage of the challenge system. Among line umpires, Hawk-Eye is a subject of debate, though they generally believe it’s good for the game.

Yang Yong, 34, a Shanghai resident who is a line umpire here and previously served at both the Australian Open and at Wimbledon, said the new technology puts some umpires a little on edge.

“It really puts a lot of pressure on us, but on the other hand, I think Hawk-Eye is good,” Yong said yesterday. “We are human beings, we will make mistakes and the Hawk-Eye can back us up, we will feel pressure but it makes us work harder.”

Yang also feels that one of the good qualities of Hawk-Eye is that it’s entertaining for tennis fans because it allows them to feel more involved in the game and bring a more “interactive feeling” to the sport.

He admitted, however, that when the computer shows the umpire made a mistake, it’s not a pleasant feeling.

“It’s very tough. It means it shows a difference, it means you made a mistake,” he said. “Some calls are very, very close. The human eye can’t see it, so we call what we see.”

One of his colleagues, Matthias Giese, 37, of Germany, who has also served as an umpire at major tournaments around the world, said after years of umpiring, he’s learned to deal with the pressure on the court and to focus on the game. As for Hawk-Eye, he said it’s good for the game and makes his job easier to some degree.

“It’s better now with Hawk-Eye. I think it’s good for officiating and it’s an aid for us. It’s not putting us under pressure,” Giese said.

Both umpires said Hawk-Eye could lead to trouble with players - or at least bring a little embarrassment - if the computer puts the ball several centimeters away from the line, as opposed to just one.

“If it’s a millimeter or something, they don’t get angry. But if you miss by 20 centimeters, they would be angry,” he said. Most of the time, Giese said, umpires get it right.

“It’s entertaining for the spectators and the players see we’re not so bad,” he said, adding that before Hawk-Eye’s introduction, players were “more angry, yelling and stuff like that”.

Updated: 2007-11-17 From: Xinhuanet

SHANGHAI, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) — History repeated itself as world number one and defending champion Roger Federer made short work of nemesis Rafael Nadal in straight sets after just 58 minutes in the semifinals of the Masters Cup here on Saturday.

Federer, who revived his best form after a hiccup round robin stage, beat the Spaniard 6-4, 6-1 in a rematch of their duel in last year’s Tennis Masters Cup semifinals.

His reward will be a Sunday final against another Spaniard David Ferrer, who blitzed an out-of-sorts American Andy Roddick 6-1, 6-3 in an earlier semifinal in just 62 minutes.

After starting this year’s Masters Cup with a shock loss to Chilean Fernando Gonzalez, Federer collected two victories over Nikolay Davydenko and Andy Roddick to finish at the top of the RedGroup.

By thrashing the three-times Roland Garros winner Nadal, the Swiss superhuman also improved his lifetime record against the Spaniard, arguably the most celebrated of all active rivalries, to8-6.

Updated: 2007-11-17 From: Xinhuanet

SHANGHAI, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) — In-form David Ferrer continued his stunning dark horse trip at the year-ending Masters Cup, beating American Andy Roddick 6-1, 6-3 in the semifinals here on Saturday.

Roddick, who just suffered a disappointing straight sets loss to Roger Federer in the last round-robin match the previous evening, lost to Ferrer in just 62 minutes.

Sixth seeded Ferrer will next meet either Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal in Sunday’s final of the eight-man elite tournament in Shanghai. The world’s top two will be playing in Saturday’s later semi-final.

It has been an exceptional week for the Spaniard, who is now into his first final at his first career Tennis Masters Cup and swept to a 3-0 round-robin record to finish top of the Gold Group.

To a noisy trumpet-blowing Spanish crowd, Ferrer was already leading 3-1 when Roddick appeared to wound his back while stretching to hit a volley.

The fifth ranked American called for a timeout but a rubdown made no difference as Ferrer needed only 28 minutes to close out the first set 6-1 and continued to pile on the agony for Roddick in the second.

Ferrer, the only man still unbeaten in Shanghai, was showing nomercy, producing unbelievable baseline shots to wear out Roddick and even making him chase drop shots before the 6-1, 6-3 breezing win.

The Spanish number two has had a very solid last-quarter of the season with his first- ever Grand Slam semi-finals at Flushing Meadows, a title in Tokyo, and a quarter-finals showing in Paris.

Updated: 2007-11-16 From: Xinhuanet

SHANGHAI, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) — Three-time French Open winner Rafael Nadal has booked the semifinals ticket at the Masters Cup after his Spanish fellowman David Ferrer overcame Frenchman Richard Gasquet in straight sets in the last round robin match here on Thursday.

The 21-year-old Spaniard, in seek for his first ever title at the year-ending classic, was not hardly tested by a horribly out-of-form Novak Djokovic before taking a convincing 6-4, 6-4 win for a 2-1 group record.

Ferrer, four years Nadal’s senior and a close friend of the world number two, then came onto the court to blitz past eighth-seeded Gasquet 6-1, 6-1 in only one hour, snapping the Frenchman’s last hope of advancing.

His win guaranteed Nadal to join him in the knockout stages from the Gold Group.

American Andy Roddick had become the first man to reach the semifinals the previous evening, while world number one Roger Federer is hot favorite to claim the final spot in Friday’s Red Group action.

Fernando Gonzalez is also capable of advancing from the group if he beats Nikolay Davydenko and if Roddick eliminates Federer by beating the three-time champion.

Sixth-seeded Ferrer seemed to be in supreme shape as he improved his Shanghai record to 3-0 in his debut, including upsetting world number three Djokovic in the opening match and number two Nadal in the second match.

“I didn’t expect to reach the semifinals but I’m playing with a lot of confidence and I’m improving every match,” Ferrer said.

“To win the Masters is a dream. I’m just thinking about the next match. Getting to the semifinals is already a big achievement.”

Ferrer, the revelation of the tournament, was broken in the opening game but was otherwise flawless in the first set, netting 12 winners against Gasquet as he broke three times before serving out.

Gasquet, wilting in the face of Ferrer’s near-perfect tennis, held serve only once in the match as the Spaniard repeatedly pounded the lines, converting his first match point in just 59 minutes.

Djokovic, the popular Serbian who had early been eliminated from the semifinals after losing his first two matches in straight sets, meant to fight for his pride in his final match but still played below his best and went home from his first appearance at the year-end tournament without even winning a set.

“It wasn’t my week, unfortunately I have to finish with the three losses, which is a bit disappointing,” said Djokovic. “But of course, I don’t want to think negatively. It’s been an amazing year.”

“I opened a new page. I try to think about something else right now. I need to get some good rest and then have soon the preparation for the next season.

“I’m going to go somewhere far, far away from everybody,” added Djokovic, who won five titles and reached the U.S. Open final in 2007.

“I’m still just 20 years old and I’m number three in the world but I still need a little something more.”

It was a better performance from Nadal, who won his opener against Gasquet but then suffered a shock defeat against Ferrer, one of a series of upsets in the 4.45 million U.S. dollars tournament featuring the world’s top eight players.

“The important thing is win, so better if I win straight sets than three because my chance is a little bit more to go to the semifinals,” said Nadal at the press conference.

“I am happy with my game today. I play very, very good match, the best match here and one of the best matches of the indoor season.”

Top-ranked Federer lost his first round-robin match in six visits to the season finale and Djokovic and Davydenko, the world number three and four, have also been beaten by lower -ranked opposition.

In doubles’ part, Paul Hanley of Australia/Kevin Ullyett of Zimbabwe and Martin Damm from Czech Republic/Leander Paes of India reached the knockout round from the doubles’ Gold Group.

Updated: 2007-11-15 From: Xinhuanet

HARARE, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) — Zimbabwe’s Kevin Ullyett and his Australian partner Paul Hanley hauled themselves back in contention for the Tennis Masters Cup doubles title after winning their second Gold Group match in Shanghai, China, on Tuesday, The Herald reported.

Second seeds Ullyett and Hanley bounced back from their disappointing upset 7-6 (1), 3-6, 14-12 defeat, by the eighth-seeded Israeli pair of Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram, to defeat defending champions Swede Jonas Bjorkman and Max Mirnyi of Belarus on Tuesday.

According to reports from Shanghai, Ullyett and Hanley beat thedefending champions, who are seeded sixth, in straight sets 7-6 (3), 6-4.

Tuesay’s defeat was Bjorkman and Mirnyi’s second straight loss in Shanghai.

The duo also fell in straight sets 6-4, 6-1 to number four seeds Martin Damm of the Czech Republic and India’s Leander Paes in their opening group match on Sunday.

Ullyett and Hanley now need to win their last group match against Damm and Paes tomorrow to book their place in the semifinals.

Updated: 2007-11-15 From: Xinhuanet

Roger Federer of Switzerland hits a return to Nikolay Davydenko of Russia at the Masters Cup tennis tournament in Shanghai Nov. 14, 2007. (Xinhua Photo)

SHANGHAI, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) — World number one Roger Federer pulled him back onto the defending road at the year-ending Masters Cup as the Swiss superhuman beat fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko here on Wednesday.

The Swiss, in a highly unusual predicament after losing to Fernando Gonzalez in the opener of the Red Group round-robin competitions, needed only one hour and 28 minutes to beat Davydenko in his second outing 6-4, 6-3, leaving the Russian with a desperate 11-0 lifetime record, including three defeats in 2007.

After consecutive losses to Andy Roddick and Federer, Davydenko’s aspirations of landing semifinals were almost ended, while Federer will automatically go through to the semi-finals with a victory in Friday’s final round robin match against American number one Roddick.

“It is not like impossible to beat Federer, but you have to be mentally and physically tough,” said a laughing Davydenko at the press conference. “I am happy to be on the tour, you know, I don’t want to die now after losing to Federer (for the 11th time).”

Federer, the defending champion, and a three-time overall Masters Cup champion, was not in his best form against Davydenko, but did just enough to capitalize on the world number four’s numerous mistakes.

The match was surprisingly tight at the outset as the opening set seemed on course for a tie-break with both players holding serve through the first seven games without any break points being played.

The 26-year-old 12-times Grand Slam champion ultimately showed some of his finest in the eighth, booking a double break point after a series of ferocious backhands set up an easy volley winner and converting the opening break of the match by drilling another beautiful defensive backhand.

Leading 5-3 and serving for the opener, however, the slew of errors that seemed to plague Federer and he gifted an immediate break back to the Russian number one.

But Davydenko demonstrated that he was more prone to bigger mistakes than Federer, dropping the first set at 6-4.

Federer then looked in total command in the second set, breaking twice, one more than Davydenko, to take the set and the match at 6-3.

Federer hit an uncharacteristic 39 unforced errors against just 26 from Davydenko, but pushed the Russian into 20 forced errors. The Swiss only had seven.

Besides, Federer drilled 23 winners in the match, Davydenko with 11.

“I thought I missed a few too many backhands maybe at the beginning, but then started to slice nicely and sometimes take achance also to let him make some mistakes. That was the right play today,” said Federer.

Roger Federer of Switzerland greets audiences at the Masters Cup tennis tournament in Shanghai Nov. 14, 2007. (Xinhua Photo)
Roger Federer of Switzerland hits a return to Nikolay Davydenko of Russia at the Masters Cup tennis tournament in Shanghai Nov. 14, 2007. (Xinhua Photo)