The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Serbia, USA knotted at 1-1 after Davis Cup openers
- Williams sisters book semi-final showdown
- Golf: Horschel leads, McIlroy lurks at Texas Open
| Serbia, USA knotted at 1-1 after Davis Cup openers Posted: 05 Apr 2013 07:43 PM PDT BOISE, Idaho: Novak Djokovic got Serbia off to a hot start, but American Sam Querrey's gritty victory over Viktor Troicki saw the United States pull level on the opening day of their Davis Cup World Group quarter-final tie. World No. 1 Djokovic beat big-serving John Isner in straight sets in the first singles match, recovering from an early break in the first set en route to a 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, 7-5 triumph. The Serbian player saved the only break point he faced in the third set - in the second game - and broke Isner at love for a 6-5 advantage. He served out the match with a love game, wrapping it up in two hours with a backhand winner that sent him dancing over to celebrate with his teammates. Isner had made a quick start, breaking Djokovic for a 2-1 lead in the first set and holding for 3-1. But Djokovic found his rhythm on the indoor hard court in the Taco Bell Arena in Boise, which sits at an altitude of about 800 meters (2,600 feet), and broke back to level the set at 3-3. Djokovic delivered a second-serve ace to take a 4-1 lead in the tiebreaker and claimed the first set on his third set point when Isner knocked a backhand long. The Serbian applied the pressure early in the second set, breaking Isner in the third game and widening the gap with another break in the seventh. Tasked with getting the best-of-five tie back on terms, Querrey started strong, winning the first set and going up an early break in the second. But he let that advantage slip away and after dropping the second and third sets had to dig deep for a 7-6 (7/1), 3-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory. It was just the second five-set match victory of Querrey's career, and he finished it in style, breaking for a 5-4 lead in the fifth set and serving it out with a love game. Serbian captain Bogdan Obradovic had called on Troicki for singles duty after world No. 10 Janko Tipsarevic opted out of the tie. The winner will take on the victor of the quarter-final tie between Canada and Italy in Vancouver. Serbia's run to the 2010 Davis Cup title included a victory in their only other meeting with the United States, who have lifted the trophy 32 times. US captain Jim Courier has a formidable weapon at his disposal for Saturday's doubles, when he'll send Bob and Mike Bryan against Nenad Zimonjic and Ilija Bozoljac. - AFP |
| Williams sisters book semi-final showdown Posted: 05 Apr 2013 07:35 PM PDT CHARLESTON, South Carolina: Serena and Venus Williams pulled double-duty on Friday, winning two matches apiece at the rain-disrupted WTA claycourt event in Charleston to book a semi-final showdown. The Williams sisters will face each other across the net for the first time since 2009. Both played twice on Friday, after a lengthy rain delay on Thursday saw four third-round matches postponed. Top seed and defending champion Serena defeated American Mallory Burdette 6-4, 6-2 in the third round, then returned to beat sixth-seeded Czech Lucie Safarova 6-4, 6-1 in a rematch of last year's final here. Williams rallied from a 2-4 deficit in the opening set, winning the last four games to finish off the frame and giving Safarova little opportunity in the second. Venus Williams, seeded fifth, beat American Varvara Lepchenko 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 to reach the quarter-finals, and followed up with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Madison Keys. Although the scoreline against Keys looked more routine, Williams had to rally from an early break down in each set. Serena Williams said she was motivated by seeing her older sister come through both of her matches. "I figured if she can win two matches, I have no excuse not to win my two matches," Serena said. "It's actually not that bad to play two matches in one day - it's not ideal, but I play doubles all the time, and so I looked at it like, 'OK, I play singles and I play with Venus in doubles the same day.' So really that's how I looked at it." The Williams sisters haven't played each other since Serena triumphed over Venus in the final of the WTA Tour Championships at Doha in 2009. Serena beat her older sister in the Wimbledon final earlier that year. They last met on clay in the 2002 French Open final won by Serena, who leads their career head-to-head 13-10. "It definitely feels like a long time ago," Serena said. "But Venus is the toughest opponent I've ever played. "I think she's beaten me the most out of any player. I know her game and she knows my game. I think it'll be a great match tomorrow." Ninth-seeded Serbian Jelena Jankovic also secured a semi-final berth, with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Canadian Eugenie Bouchard. Jankovic's victory was her 500th career match win, a statistic she wasn't aware of until after the contest. "I had no idea how many wins I had," she said. "But it's pretty nice. It's a great achievement to get my 500th win, and hopefully I can have many more." Jankovic next faces Switzerland's Stefanie Voegele, who beat second-seeded Dane Caroline Wozniacki 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. Wozniacki was up a break at 3-2 in the third set but lost the last four games. - AFP |
| Golf: Horschel leads, McIlroy lurks at Texas Open Posted: 05 Apr 2013 07:32 PM PDT SAN ANTONIO, Texas: Billy Horschel had six birdies in a four-under par 68 on Friday to seize a two-stroke halfway lead in the US PGA Tour's $6.2 million Texas Open. Horschel's eight-under par total of 136 gave him a two-shot lead over Daniel Summerhays, Charley Hoffman and Australia's Steven Bowditch. It was a further stroke back to a group of seven players sharing fifth place on 139, which included Northern Irish star Rory McIlroy. McIlroy, toppled from the world No. 1 spot by Tiger Woods in March, added the Texas Open to his schedule to give himself more rounds before next week's Masters, the first men's major of the year. He was feeling good about that move on Friday, after a five-under par 67 that included seven birdies and two bogeys. "I definitely feel like I made the right decision to come here, and even if I hadn't been in this position and have been a few shots back I'd still feel the same way," McIlroy said. "I haven't really been in contention this year. So it will be nice to get into the mix." McIlroy birdied his last three holes, draining a 26-foot putt at the 16th and a 12-footer at 17. He reached the green of the TPC San Antonio's par-five 18th in two and just missed a 25-foot eagle attempt. Two-time major champion McIlroy is among the few golfers to reach 18 in two this week, and he was also on the green in two at the 592-yard, par-five eighth - but missed his 12-foot eagle attempt. "I think that shows where my game is," McIlroy said. "Those two par fives are probably the toughest to hit in two with how small the greens are. It shows that my ball-striking is there." Horschel birdied his last two holes for his second straight 68, dropping birdie putts of more than 10 feet at both the 17th and 18th. In search of a first PGA Tour victory, he's hoping to keep building on the momentum of a runner-up finish in Houston last Sunday. Hoffman climbed up the leaderboard with a 67 that included six birdies and a bogey. Bowditch carded a 69 as did Summerhays to share second on 138. Among the players joining McIlroy on 139 were South Korean K.J. Choi, South African Retief Goosen and Zimbabwe's Brendon de Jonge. - AFP |
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