The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Djokovic, Serena make quarters at US Open
- Tsonga edges Fish in 5 sets to reach US Open QF
- Webb Simpson rallies to win Deutsche Bank
| Djokovic, Serena make quarters at US Open Posted: 05 Sep 2011 04:50 PM PDT NEW YORK (AP): Novak Djokovic opened his fourth-round match with a thrilling 16-14 first-set tiebreaker over No. 22 Alexandr Dolgopolov and things got easier from there in a 7-6 (14), 6-4, 6-2 victory at the U.S. Open on Monday. Djokovic, who racked up his 61st win in 63 matches this year, will face fellow Serb Janko Tipsarevic in the quarterfinals as he seeks his first title at Flushing Meadows. "This is one of the longest tiebreaks I ever played," Djokovic said. "It was certainly exciting to be part of it. But, you know, I knew that I needed to win that set." Djokovic saved four set points and finally closed out the set on his sixth chance. When Dolgopolov missed a forehand to give Djokovic the set, Djokovic pumped his fist and put his hands to his ears to take in the applause from the fans at Louis Armstrong Stadium, which sees fewer and fewer headliners as the tournament progresses and the big matches move into Ashe. "It was a packed stadium. It was a different experience because I haven't played on that court for a while," Djokovic said. In the women's tournament, Serena Williams fought off the wind, along with brief flurries of effectiveness from her opponent, to advance to the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Ana Ivanovic. Williams closed out the match with four straight serves that Ivanovic couldn't get back - clocked at between 99 and 111 mph in a blustery Arthur Ashe Stadium that had both players fighting with their tosses and topspin all day. "I didn't even go for winners at any point," said Williams, who hit only 16. "I just tried to get it over because it was so windy. It was definitely tough." Seeded only 28th after missing big chunks of the last two years with injuries to her foot, Williams nonetheless improved to 16-0 this year on hardcourt. She has yet to drop a set at the U.S. Open and now finds herself in her first Grand Slam quarterfinal since last year at Wimbledon, when she won her 13th major title. With each win at Flushing Meadows, she makes a stronger case that the "28" before her name at this tournament is only a number. When healthy, she might be the best in the world. "I don't know if I'm the best or not," she said. "I believe I am and I think a lot of other girls, women in the locker room, believe they are, too, as they should. I don't think anyone should go out and say that they're not." The 16th-seeded Ivanovic, the 2008 French Open champion and a one-time world No. 1, came in on a rebound after a slide down the rankings into the 60s. At times against Williams, flashes of the old Ivanovic showed, especially when she drew back to 3-3 in the first set after dropping the first three games in eight minutes. Taking the ball early, unafraid to step inside the baseline to return Williams' second serves, Ivanovic was the aggressor during that portion and in parts of the second set when she tried, unsuccessfully, to make up the break she lost in the first game. But she couldn't overcome eight double faults, including three while serving at 3-4 in the first set, and didn't have an answer for Williams who was less aggressive (16 winners to 20 for Ivanovic), but more consistent (14 unforced errors to 29) and also had more bite on her serve (nine aces). "My serve broke down a little more than hers," Ivanovic said. "I still created lots of opportunities and I felt I was stepping up a lot and I just felt that was the biggest difference today." Next up for Williams is No. 17 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who made it to her second Grand Slam quarterfinal with a 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 win over former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone. The three-set match included 16 service breaks over 31 games and, appropriately enough, ended when Pavlyuchenkova hit a forehand winner on match point to break Schiavone's serve for the ninth time. The players combined for 21 double-faults. "I'm going to say that I don't want to go out there and enjoy just being on center court playing against Serena," Pavlyuchenkova said. "I would like to do well, try to fight, and with my effort, I'll try to beat her." In other early play, 20th-seeded Tipsarevic outlasted 2003 French champion Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-5, 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 in a match that took 3 hours, 43 minutes. Tipsarevic will play Djokovic in an all-Serb quarterfinal. Others playing later Monday were No. 8 Mardy Fish, No. 3 Roger Federer and top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki. |
| Tsonga edges Fish in 5 sets to reach US Open QF Posted: 05 Sep 2011 04:48 PM PDT NEW YORK (AP): France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga came back to eliminate Mardy Fish, the highest-seeded American, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 Monday to reach the U.S. Open quarterfinals for the first time. No. 8 Fish was trying to make it past the fourth round at Flushing Meadows for the second time. But his play dipped in the fourth set, and he was treated by a trainer for a right leg problem before the fifth. The 11th-seeded Tsonga's best Grand Slam showing was reaching the final of the 2008 Australian Open. He also made it to the Wimbledon semifinals this year by rallying to beat Roger Federer after dropping the first two sets. Tsonga could face Federer again in the quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows. |
| Webb Simpson rallies to win Deutsche Bank Posted: 05 Sep 2011 04:44 PM PDT NORTON, Massachusetts (AP): Webb Simpson finished off an amazing comeback with three birdies, the final one on the second extra playoff hole, to win the Deutsche Bank Championship on Monday for his second title in three weeks. On a day filled with big crowds and big moments appropriate to the FedEx Cup playoffs, Simpson delivered a stunning conclusion on the TPC Boston. He looked as if he would be the runner-up until knocking in a 30-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th hole for a 6-under 65. That put him into a playoff when Chez Reavie, who had birdied the toughest holes on the back nine, made bogey on the easiest hole on the course at No. 18 for a 66. The finished regulation at 15-under 269. On the 18th hole in the playoff, Simpson again looked to be out of luck when Reavie chipped to tap-in range for birdie. But Simpson rolled in a 15-foot putt to keep the playoff going, and then won with an 8-foot putt on the 17th hole. Simpson won his first PGA Tour title three weeks ago at the Wyndham Championship, putting him in good shape for the FedEx Cup playoffs and the chase for a $10 million prize. Now, he goes to No. 1 in the standings and is assured of being among the top five when the FedEx Cup concludes at the Tour Championship at the end of the month. "I thought winning the second time would be easier," Simpson said. That was never the case on a breezy Labor Day south of Boston, a final round so scrambled that seven players - including world No. 1 Luke Donald - had a share of the lead at some point. Simpson one-putted seven of his last eight greens, mostly for par on the back nine in regulation to stay in the hunt, then received just enough help from Reavie. The win was filled with perks, beyond his ranking in the FedEx Cup race. Simpson locked up a spot on the Presidents Cup team in Australia, and moves to No. 14 in the world. Reavie, who started the season on a medical exemption from knee surgery last year and won't get his full PGA Tour status back until January, came roaring up the leaderboard on the back nine. He made four birdies in a six-hole stretch - including on the toughest par 3 at No. 11 and the toughest hole at No. 14 - and was poised to capture his second PGA Tour title until one wedge cost him. He laid up on the 18th with a one-shot lead and Simpson already finished, but his wedge sailed over the green, and his 10-foot par putt for the win grazed the side of the cup. The runner-up finish still moves Reavie to No. 9 in the FedEx Cup, assuring him a spot in the Tour Championship - and in three majors next year, including the Masters. Brandt Snedeker, who closed with a 61 last week to tie for third, went out in 30 to take the lead until getting wild off the teed on the back nine. He had to settle for a 66 and another tie for third. Donald, who matched birdies and eagles with Simpson in regulation, fell apart with a double bogey on No. 12 and a tee shot over the 16th green that led to bogey. He closed with a 67 and tied for third, along with Jason Day, who had a 68. Bubba Watson, who had a one-shot lead going into the wild final day, chipped in for eagle on the final hole to salvage a 74 that put him in a tie for 16th, seven shots behind. The drama wasn't limited to the final holes. The top 70 in the FedEx Cup advance to the third playoff event in two weeks outside Chicago, and some big names were on the cusp of missing out. Ernie Els, who barely qualified for the playoffs and then narrowly made it to the second stage in Boston, made two key par putts and finished with a 5-foot birdie over his last four holes to move up to No. 68 and advance. Geoff Ogilvy, trying to keep alive his hopes of making the Presidents Cup in his native Australia, thought he was finished when he made two late bogeys and then hit into native grass behind the rock and took a penalty shot. But he holed a 20-foot par putt on the 17th, then a 6-foot birdie on the 18th hole to move up to No. 69. Chris Stroud produced a shot even more memorable. Needing nothing less than eagle on the final hole, he hit 3-iron just onto the green, and it caught the ridge and settled 3 feet away for eagle that atoned for a messy day and put him at No. 70. The PGA Tour now takes a week off before resuming these playoffs at the BMW Championship. |
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