Sunday, October 12, 2008

Tennis Video: Vienna 2008 - Sunday Highlights

Tennis Video: Vienna 2008 - Sunday Highlights

Qualifier Philipp Petzschner seals maiden crown in Vienna.

Advanta WTT Smash Hits Photos

Advanta WTT Smash Hits Photos

This weekend Sir Elton John along with Billie Jean King, Anna Kournikova, Andy Roddick, Martina Navratilova and other tennis players were part of the Advanta WTT Smash Hits event and here we have some pictures for you...

Advanta WTT Smash Hits Advanta WTT Smash Hits
Continue reading for more photos....

Advanta WTT Smash Hits
Advanta WTT Smash Hits
Advanta WTT Smash Hits
Advanta WTT Smash Hits
Advanta WTT Smash Hits
Advanta WTT Smash Hits
Advanta WTT Smash Hits


Photos from getty images - jamd


Team Elton John wins Advanta WTT Smash Hits

Billie Jean King, Recording Artist Sir Elton John and Former Tennis Professional Anna Kournikova attend the Advanta WTT Smash Hits
Team Elton John wins Advanta WTT Smash Hits

Sir Elton John knows how to get Andy Roddick fired up on the tennis court. Before Sunday's Advanta WTT Smash Hits event co- host Elton John joked that Andy Roddick hasn't been on a winning Smash Hits team in years. Roddick responded to the challenge from his team coach, winning three sets to lead Team Elton John to a 23-16 victory over Team Billie Jean at the 16th annual Advanta WTT Smash Hits at Kennesaw State University. With the win, Elton John evened the series with Billie Jean King at eight wins apiece.

The annual charity event raised more than $400,000 for the Elton John AIDS Foundation and Atlanta AIDS Partnership Fund. John kicked off the tennis action teaming with Roddick to win a battle of the sexes match against Anna Kournikova and Martina Navratilova.

Team Elton got off to an early lead in the first set of mixed doubles as Kournikova and Roddick edged Navratilova and Jesse Levine in a tight match 5-4 (3). Roddick outgunned Levine in two sets of men's singles 5-2, 5-1. Team Billie Jean rallied in the second set of mixed doubles when Navratilova and Levine outlasted Roddick and top American junior Melanie Oudin, 5-3.

Oudin shook off the nerves and was impressive in singles. Navratilova hit several drop shot winners which prompted Oudin to laugh and yell across the net "haven't got one yet have I?" On the next point, Oudin hit a drop shot out of Martina's reach to the delight of her hometown crowd. She closed out the game with an ace to take a 4-2 lead. Navratilova put on a shot-making clinic in the next two games to take the final set to a nine-point tiebreaker before Oudin closed out the set 5-4 to grab the match victory for Team Elton with a forehand winner.

For Oudin the afternoon was memorable experience, playing a legend in front of family and friends. "It was a great experience getting to play her, win or lose" said Oudin.

At a pre-match reception, more than $171,000 of the event's total was raised as King, John and the players participated in a live auction. The top auction items were two Wimbledon packages with Billie Jean King's personal Center Court seats which sold for $21,000 each. Other top draws were John's autographed piano bench and a Super Bowl package. Roddick wrapped up the auction with a winning $17,000 bid for artwork created by Martina Navratilova.

Advanta WTT Smash Hits has raised close to $9 million since 1993. For more information, visit www.ejaf.org or www.WTT.com.

FINAL RESULTS - 2008 Advanta WTT Smash Hits - Kennesaw, Ga.

Celebrity Battle of the Sexes: Elton John/Andy Roddick def. Anna Kournikova/Martina Navratilova 3-1

(Celebrity match does not count towards overall score)

FINAL SCORE: Team Elton John def. Team Billie Jean 23-16

MIXED DOUBLES: Anna Kournikova/Andy Roddick (Team Elton) def. Martina Navratilova/Jesse Levine 5-4 (3)

MEN'S SINGLES (2 sets):Andy Roddick def. Jesse Levine 5-2, 5-1

MIXED DOUBLES: Martina Navratilova/Jesse Levine def. Melanie Oudin/Andy Roddick 5-3

WOMEN'S SINGLES: Melanie Oudin (Team Elton) def. Martina Navratilova (Team Billie Jean) 5-4 (1)


Information from oursportscentral

Madrid Master Series Monday Order of Play

Madrid Master Series
Madrid Master Series Monday Order of Play

Court Central 11am Start
Steve Darcis(BEL) vs. Mardy Fish(USA)
Simone Bolelli(ITA) vs. Nicolas Almagro(ESP)
Gilles Simon(FRA) vs. Igor Andreev(RUS)
Not Before 4pm
Carlos Moya/Rafael Nadal(ESP/ESP) vs. James Blake/Mardy Fish(USA)
8pm Start
Andreas Seppi(ITA) vs. Tommy Robredo(ESP)
Rainer Schuttler(GER) vs. Tomas Berdych(CZR)

Court Alcala 1pm Start
Arnaud Clement/Michael Llodra(FRA/FRA) vs. Andy Murray/Jamie Murray(GBR/GBR)
Feliciano Lopez/Fernando Verdasco(ESP/ESP) vs. Fernando Gonzalez/Chistopher Kas
Not Before 5pm
Olivier Rochus(BEL) vs. Marin Cilic(CRO)

Madrid Master Series Qualy Results 10/12

Madrid Master Series
Madrid Master Series Qualy Results 10/12

Main Draw Singles - First Round
Ernest Gulbis (Let) def Nicolas Kiefer (Ale) 5-7, 6-4 7-5
Radek Stepanek (Rch) def Juan Monaco (Arg) 6-1 6-1

Qualy Last Round
Olivier Rochus (Bel) def Guillermo Cañas (Arg) 7-5 6-3
Victor Hanescu (Rum) def Julien Benneteau (Fra) 6-4 6-3
Florent Serra (Fra) def José Acasuso (Arg) 6-4 6-4
Marcel Granollers (Esp) def Ivan Ljubicic (Cro) 7-5 7-5
Roby Ginepri (USA) def Eduardo Schwank (Arg) 7-6 6-4
Steve Darcis (Bel) def Simone Bolelli (Ita) 7-6 7-6

Igor Kunitsyn wins all-Russian Kremlin Cup

Igor Kunitsyn wins Kremlin Cup title
Igor Kunitsyn wins all-Russian Kremlin Cup

Igor Kunitsyn claimed the 2008 Moscow Cup title after defeating Marat Safin 7-6 (8-6), 6-7 (4-7), 6-3.

This was Kunitsyn’s first career title and he claimed $171,000 in prize money.

Kunitsyn, ranked 71st in the world, twice was a semifinalist earlier this year and previously reached the semis of this event in 2005 and 2006.

Safin had been 3-0 lifetime against Kunitsyn, but was not able to extend that lead.

After taking a one-set lead, Kunitsyn looked poised to clinch the match in the second only for Safin to reel off five consecutive points in the tie-breaker to level the contest.

But the 27-year-old held his nerve to claim the decider with a solitary break in the sixth game.

Afterwards, Kunitsyn admitted: "I don't know how I was able to outplay Marat, but I guess it happens. I still don't understand how I won."

Information from RTE - AFP PHOTO / YURI KADOBNOV

Nalbandian beats Soderling to win in Stockholm

Nalbandian beats Soderling to win in Stockholm
Nalbandian beats Soderling to win in Stockholm

David Nalbandian, top seed, defeated Robin Soderling 6-2 5-7 6-3 to win the Stockholm Open in his first appearance at the tournament.

"It was a great final, we both played a good match," Nalbandian told.
"I played great all week, almost perfect every match here. I lost a set today but that's part of the game."

With his fine all-court game, the world number seven outclassed the home hope in the first set. He broke Soderling in the opening game on a questionable call by the umpire and then took advantage of his opponent's ensuing irritation, breaking him for a 3-0 lead.

After holding serve to grab the first set 6-2, Nalbandian broke the Swede again in the second for a 3-1 lead, only to see parts of his game crumble.

Leading 4-2, Nalbandian allowed Soderling back into the match as the Swede raised his game, breaking back and grabbing three consecutive games to 5-4.

Down 6-5, Nalbandian produced a backhand mistake to allow the Swede to break him again for the set.

Nalbandian broke for a 4-3 lead in the third set and outplayed Soderling from the baseline for the rest of the match.

"It was tough. I had a chance to finish it off in the second set but I couldn't make it. In the third it was tight for both of us," added the Argentine, whose only previous title of the year came on home ground in Buenos Aires in February. "(But) when I got the break, everything worked perfect for me."

Article from Reuters
Photo credit should read OLIVIER MORIN/AFP/Getty Images

Rafael Nadal receives World Number 1 Trophy

Rafael Nadal receives World Number 1 Trophy
Rafael Nadal receives World Number 1 Trophy

Rafael Nadal has received the trophy for being the number of the world during the first day of Mutua Madrileña Masters Series Madrid.
Manolo Santana, director of the tournament was the one who handed over the prize to the Spaniard.

Some 8,000 supporters rallied Sunday in the enclosure to applaud his idol.

Etienne de Villiers, president of the ATP, missed the appointment, so that Santana was in charge of handing the trophy to the Spanish player.

During the ceremony they showed a review in pictures of the best moments of Rafael Nadal during the 2008 season. Moments like the finals in Barcelona, Rome, Hamburg, Roland Garros, Queens's, Wimbledon and the Olympic Games Beijing where highlighted.

Nadal, who also won this year the Premio Principe de Asturias 2008, stressed the importance of receiving this trophy "to my audience and at a court where I have one of the best memories of my career."

Also, Nadal thanked the award to his entire family, the public and the entire team. The Spanish player starts Monday in the tournament by playing doubles with Carlos Moya, but will debut in singles on Tuesday, at 20.00 against the winner of the encounter between German Nicolas Kiefer and Latvian Ernest Gulbis


Information from Tele5 translated by ATP Mens Tennis
AFP PHOTO/Pedro ARMESTRE

Rafael Nadal Photos: World Number 1 Trophy Ceremony

Rafael Nadal Photos: World Number 1 Trophy Ceremony


Today at the Madrid Master Series Rafael Nadal was awarded with the world number 1 Trophy.... check out his pictures...

Rafael Nadal World Number 1 Trophy CeremonyRafael Nadal World Number 1 Trophy Ceremony
Continue reading for more pictures...

Rafael Nadal World Number 1 Trophy Ceremony
Rafael Nadal World Number 1 Trophy Ceremony
Rafael Nadal World Number 1 Trophy Ceremony
Rafael Nadal World Number 1 Trophy Ceremony
Rafael Nadal World Number 1 Trophy Ceremony
Rafael Nadal World Number 1 Trophy Ceremony
Rafael Nadal World Number 1 Trophy Ceremony
Rafael Nadal World Number 1 Trophy Ceremony
Rafael Nadal World Number 1 Trophy Ceremony


Photos from getty images - jamd



Petzschner wins in Austria for first title

Phillip Petzschner wins in Austria for first title
Petzschner wins in Austria for first title

Phillip Petzschner became the third qualifier to win an event this season after defeating Gael Monfils, 8th seed, 6-4 6-4 to claim the Bank Austria-Tennis Trophy title.

Petzschner, who claimed just over $187,000, joins Kei Nishikori at Delray Beach and Gilles Simon in Casablanca as the only qualifiers to win a tournament in 2008.

Petzschner entered this event with just four victories on the ATP Tour this year, but off to a good start by upsetting Stanislas Wawrinka, top seed, in the first round.

Monfils, a semifinalist this season at Roland Garros, Nottingham and Bangkok, was playing in the sixth final of his career and was seeking a second title after winning at Sopot in 1995.

Article from Yahoo Sports - AFP PHOTO/Samuel Kubani

Tennis Results: Stockholm Open Final

Stockholm Open
Tennis Results: Stockholm Open Final

David Nalbandia took the title in Stockholm after beating Robin Soderlin...

Singles - Final
[1] D Nalbandian (ARG) d [4] R Soderling (SWE) 62 57 63

Doubles - Final
[1] J Bjorkman (SWE) / K Ullyett (ZIM) d [WC] J Brunstrom (SWE) / M Ryderstedt (SWE) 61 63

Tennis Results: Moscow Kremlin Cup - FINAL

Moscow Kremlin Cup
Tennis Results: Moscow Kremlin Cup - FINAL

Singles - Final
I Kunitsyn (RUS) d [7] M Safin (RUS) 76(6) 67(4) 63

Doubles - Final
S Stakhovsky (UKR) / P Starace (ITA) d S Huss (AUS) / R Hutchins (GBR) 76(4) 26 10-6

Madrid Master Series Qualy Results

Madrid Master Series
Madrid Master Series Qualy Results

Saturday October 11th

Víctor Hanescu (Rom) d Guillermo García López (Spa) 6-1 7-6.
José Acasuso (Arg) d Pablo Andujar (Spa) 6-3, 3-6, 2-0 ret.
Marcel Granollers (Spa) d Carlos Gómez (Spa) 6-0 6-2.
Julien Benneteau (Fra) d Ivan Navarro (Spa) 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4) 6-3.
Ivan Ljubicic (Cro) d Chris Guccione (Aus) 6-3 7-5.
Florent Serra (Fra) d Grigor Dimitrov (Bul) 6-3 6-3.
Guillermo Cañas (Arg) d Gilles Muller (Lux) 6-4, 2-6 6-4.
Olivier Rochus (Bel) d Agustín Calleri (Arg) 6-3 y 6-1.
Roby Ginepri (USA) d Janko Tipasrevic (SRB) 6-3, 3-6 6-2.
Simone Bolelli (Ita) d Nicolás Lapentti (Ecu) 6-4 6-3.
Steve Darcis (Bel) a Nicolás Darcis (Bel) 6-4 7-6 (1).
Eduardo Schwank (Arg) d Oscar Burrieza (Spa) 7-6 (5) 6-4.