Djokovic out to rock Federer from the off

Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic is seeking a fast start when he takes on defending champion Roger Federer on Thursday with a place in the Australian Open final at stake.

The 23-year-old Serb beat the Swiss at the corresponding stage at Melbourne Park on his way to winning his only grand slam title in 2008 and believes he is playing well enough to give himself a chance of another upset.

"Definitely you have to start well," Djokovic said after destroying Thomas Berdych in the quarter-finals. "You have to try to get him on the run as much as you can and try to let him know you're there to win.

"I felt like I'm starting to play my best tennis in the last five, six months," he added. "I have more experience on the court. Physically I'm fit. I'm hitting the ball better and I have more variety in the game.

"Serve has been much better, which is very encouraging fact because it's been an issue for me in the last 12 months."

Though nowhere near the intensity of the Federer-Nadal duel that has defined men's tennis for the last seven years or so, Djokovic has developed something of a rivalry with the 16-times grand slam champion.

Djokovic came out on top at their last grand slam meeting in the semi-finals of last year's US Open, clawing his way back from two match points down to beat the Swiss in five sets.

Federer got a measure of revenge in their last meeting, however, when he crushed Djokovic 6-1 6-4 in the last four of the ATP Tour finals in London last November.

Victory for Federer, who holds a 13-6 advantage in their head-to-head, would mean a sixth Australian Open final for the second seed, who agreed with Djokovic that the match was likely to be decided by just one or two key points.

"The U.S. Open was a close match," recalled Federer. "I think I had two match points ... I guess I should have won really. I mean, I was playing good enough to win.

"But I was a bit confused mentally maybe... maybe I just felt like I have to get out of this match as quick as I could to save energy to play Rafa the next day.

"In the end, it was a shot here and there. He whacked those forehands in the corners the way he had to turn the match.

"He's a quality player who plays really offensive, he takes it to the opponent. I enjoy playing against him because of the shot-making we are able to create really."

Injured world number one's Rafa Nadal shock exit from the tournament on Wednesday means in-form British fifth seed Andy Murray or Spaniard David Ferrer will await the winner in Sunday's final.

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Federer, China’s Li through to Melbourne semifinals

Roger Federer of Switzerland plays a shot during his men's quarterfinal match against compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 25, 2011

Photo: Reuters

Roger Federer flattened his close buddy Stanislas Wawrinka 6-1 6-3 6-3 while in the women’s division, Li Na of China also advanced to the Australian Open semifinal on Tuesday.

Defending champion Federer, the Melbourne second seed, overpowered Wawrinka in an hour and 47 minutes in the first grand slam quarter-final contested by two Swiss men.

Ripping winners from all angles, Federer tore through the first set in just 29 minutes before seizing complete control by adding the second with a looping backhand.

Master broke apprentice again at the start of the third before sealing victory with another vicious backhand, which was too hot for his dazed opponent to handle.

Federer, bidding to extend his record haul of grand slam titles to 17, faces either third seed Novak Djokovic or number six Tomas Berdych in the last four.

Li Na recovered from early stumbles in both sets before blowing away German Andrea Petkovic 6-2 6-4 with a ruthless barrage of clean hitting to storm into her second successive Australian Open semifinal.

 

Li Na of China celebrates during her match against Andrea Petkovic of Germany at the women's quarterfinal match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 25, 2011

Li, her country's first top-10 player, was broken in the first game of each set but attacked the German's serve furiously to close out the match in 80 minutes at Rod Laver Arena.

Petkovic appeared nervous on her grand slam quarterfinal debut and sprayed two forehands to concede the first set.

Serving to stay in the match in the second, Petkovic slapped a forehand long to hand her Chinese opponent victory, Li celebrating the win by yelping "Yeah!" and grinning at her husband and coach Jiang Shan in the stands.

Li will play either top seed Caroline Wozniacki or Francesca Schiavone for a place in the final.

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Federer fireworks warm up Melbourne Park

Roger Federer of Switzerland hits a return to Lukas Lacko of Slovakia during their match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 17, 2011

Photo: Reuters

Roger Federer fired up the Australian Open with a blistering start to his title defense on Monday, bringing some welcome warmth to an unseasonably cool Melbourne Park on opening day.

The first grand slam tournament of the year is famous for its searing heat but a blustery day with the occasional shower had the sweatshirt replacing the T-shirt as the garment of choice among much of the 15,000 crowd on the Rod Laver Arena.

Federer retained his trademark bandana even though the ease of his 6-1 6-1 6-3 victory over Slovakian Lukas Lacko and the cool afternoon air made the threat of sweat interfering with his vision slight.

"I thought I played great," the four-times Australian Open champion and second seed told reporters. "Tried to play offensive from the start and see where it takes me. It didn't work. I got back and played a bit more risky and so forth.

"I thought it was a good match. I don't think he played too bad himself. I saw some talent in him too and that's why I think I was really happy I chose that tactics early on to pressure him."

Federer taking risks meant a treat for the crowd, who witnessed some brilliant shot-making from the 16-times grand slam champion.

It was hard to believe that the Swiss maestro's backhand was once considered a weakness in his game as he stroked impossible looking winners off it from the back of the court to set up a second round meeting with Frenchman Gilles Simon.

Rafa Nadal's quest to become the first man since 1969 to hold all four grand slam titles simultaneously starts on Tuesday but this was an emphatic reminder that to do it, the Spaniard is likely to have to beat Federer at the top of his game.

Novak Djokovic is one of the few men to have broken the Federer-Nadal grand slam duopoly in the last few years and he gave notice that he considers himself a contender with a dominant 6-1 6-3 6-1 thrashing of Spain's Marcel Granollers.

"Of course, all the credit to Rafa and Roger. They are deservedly the two biggest favorites to win this tournament. They're the two best players in the world," said the third seed, who won his only grand slam title here in 2008.

"Definitely this performance gives me more confidence and gives me enough reason to think that I can beat anyone."

Venus Williams, the women's fourth seed, was equally dominant as she made a winning return after four months out injured with a 6-3 6-2 win over Sara Errani of Italy.

"It's been so long," said the 30-year-old, who is hoping to add a first Australian Open crown to her seven grand slam titles.

"It definitely felt good today to go out there and play pretty clean tennis."

Flying solo

Venus is flying the family flag solo this year with her sister Serena, the 2010 champion, still unable to play after stepping on glass in a Munich restaurant last year.

Justine Henin, the losing finalist when Serena claimed her fifth title here last year, survived a tricky opening encounter against big-hitting Indian Sania Mirza to go through 5-7 6-3 6-1 despite 33 unforced errors.

Two other women hoping to contend, top seed Caroline Wozniacki and former champion Maria Sharapova, won the first two matches on centre court.

 

Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark returns a shot against Gisela Dulko of Argentina during their match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 17, 2011

Dane Wozniacki claimed a hard-fought 6-3 6-4 win over Argentine Gisela Dulko, while Sharapova overcame a nervy start to beat Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-1 6-3 for her first Australian Open victory since she won her last major title here in 2008.

"Last year I played first match on centre (court) and, I lost. So I was kind of like, I don't want this to happen again this year," said Sharapova, who lost to fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko in the first round last year.

American 18th seed Sam Querrey was the first seeded player to fall and he took his time doing it, losing 5-7 6-2 3-6 6-1 8-6 to Pole Lukasz Kubot over three hours and 20 minutes.

Russian 23rd seed Nikolay Davydenko, three-times a quarter-finalist here, also made an early departure with a 6-3 4-6 7-6 6-4 defeat at the hands of German Florian Mayer.

Andy Roddick gave a forceful reminder that he once won a grand slam -- albeit at the US Open in 2003 -- with a 6-1 6-2 6-2 rout of Czech Jan Hajek, firing down 18 aces but bemoaning the conditions.

"It was playing slow, so you had to kind of adjust," said the American eighth seed. "It wasn't hitting and jumping like it normally would here, and I think that's probably just the colder conditions."

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Swiss Cup defeat puts Federer withdrawal in the spotlight

Roger Federer of Switzerland wipes his forehead during his match against Novak Djokovic of Serbia during the US Open tennis tournament in New York, September 11, 2010

Photo: Reuters

Roger Federer's Davis Cup future was again the subject of debate following Switzerland's 5-0 defeat by Kazakhstan and relegation to next year's Europe/African group.

The defeat drew attention to Federer's last-minute decision to pull out of the team, announced on Wednesday only 48 hours before the start of the tie in Astana, because he said he was tired after the US Open.

"The door is still open for Federer but the team will not be unconditionally directed around him," Erik Keller, chairman of Swiss Tennis's Davis Cup committee, told Swiss media in Astana.

"We will not allow professional organization to be shaken."

World number three Federer has played 37 Davis Cup rubbers and led Switzerland to the semifinals in 2003.

From 2005 until last year, he has only represented his country in the playoff round which decides whether they stay in the World Group for the following season or are relegated.

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Clijsters wins again as Federer's run ends

Kim Clijsters of Belgium poses with the trophy after winning her women's finals match against Vera Zvonareva of Russia during the US Open tennis tournament in New York, September 11, 2010

Photo: Reuters

It was all too easy for Kim Clijsters at the US Open on Saturday. And all too hard for Roger Federer.

Clijsters won her third women's singles title with ridiculous speed, thrashing her nervous Russian opponent Vera Zvonareva 6-2 6-1 in less than an hour.

For the second year in a row, Clijsters celebrated her victory by fooling around with her infant daughter on the center court. The photographers lined up to start snapping away

but Jada protested. "No photos, no photos," she told them.

Clijsters giggled and the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium lapped it up.

"I'm very excited that I was able to defend my title," Clijster said. "It's always an honor to go back to a place, especially a Grand Slam, where you've done well and you've

won."

Zvonareva was reduced to tears, hiding her head under her towel as she sobbed. The seventh-seed had played some brilliant tennis to get to the final but these were not her finest 59 minutes.

It was not Federer's greatest day at Flushing Meadows either. For the first time since 2003, the Swiss master will not be appearing in the men's singles final after his loss in the semifinals to Serbia's Novak Djokovic.

"I'm not as disappointed as I would have been in the final,’ he said. “That's the only positive news to enjoy anything out of it.”

Federer had two match points in the final set, which lasted longer than the entire women's final, but missed his chances and Djokovic went on to win 5-7 6-1 5-7 6-2 7-5.

"It's one of those matches that you will remember for the rest of your life," said Djokovic. "I am very proud of myself."

His reward was a place in Sunday's final against the world number one Rafa Nadal, who sailed through with a 6-2 6-3 6-4 victory over Russia's Mikhail Youzhny.

Nadal has never won the US Open but it will take an extraordinary performance from Djokovic to deny him this time.

"I have tried my best for a lot of years," Nadal, who has not dropped a single set in the tournament, said. "So now after a lot of work I am here and I'm happy for that."

Nadal is now tantalizingly close to completing a career grand slam. Only six men, including Federer, have achieved the feat and Nadal only needs the US Open to become the seventh.

If he does it on Sunday, the 24-year-old will be second youngest.

"I feel great," Nadal said. "It's not a dream, because a dream is to win the tournament."

Nadal's only moments of concern against Youzhny were late in the match when he dropped serve for just the second time in the tournament and had his left foot re-taped and bandaged because of a blister.

Labeled quitter

Djokovic's victory put the Serbian into his third grand slam final. The world number three made the US Open final in 2007, losing to Federer, but won the Australian Open the following season. At 23, he has time on his side and the game to match.

The biggest questions about him have revolved around temperament. He has been labeled a quitter whenever he has failed to finish a match.

In the third set against Federer, he repeatedly smashed himself in the head with his racket in an attempt to motivate himself. It worked and by the end, he was on his knees planting a sloppy kiss on the court.

"(I have) many, many more years to come. I look forward to it," he said. "I'm working hard on my game.”

“I'm getting some things together and hopefully on the court it's gonna pay off."

His victory robbed the tennis world of what might have been the ultimate grand slam final. Federer and Nadal have played each other in the Wimbledon, French Open and Australian Open finals, but no two men have ever met in the finals of all four majors.

"I would have loved to play against him here," Federer said. "I won't watch but I hope he wins."

Clijsters won her first US Open title in 2005 but was unable to defend her crown because of an injury. She missed the next two years after taking time off to start a family.

She won it again last year in her comeback to grand slam tennis and Saturday's win saw her become the first woman to successfully defend her the crown since Venus Williams in 2001.

"When I started my US summer, the US Open was my main goal," Clijsters said. "It was a new situation for me as well, going back to the Grand Slam where I was actually defending my title for the first time.”

“Not having been able to do that in 2006 was frustrating at the time."

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Djokovic stuns Federer, has Nadal in US Open final

Rafael Nadal from Spain celebrates after his win against Mikhail Youzhny from Russia during the men's singles semi-finals of the US Open 2010 match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York

Photo: AFP

NEW YORK – Novak Djokovic tore up the script at the US Open on Sunday defeating Roger Federer in a pulsating semi-final to torpedo hopes for a dream final between the Swiss star and Rafael Nadal.

The Serb third seed saved two fifth-set match points before producing a final flourish to hand a crushing defeat to five-time former winner Federer 5-7, 6-1, 5-7, 6-2, 7-5.

Top seed Nadal had earlier won through to his first US Open final in starkly contrasting style, coasting past Russian 12th seed Mikhail Youzhny 6-2, 6-3, 6-4.

The Federer-Djokovic match was the best yet in the tournament, swinging one way and then the other twice before it came down to who could find another gear at the culmination of the fifth set.

Federer had reached the last six finals at Flushing Meadows, winning five of them until he lost to Juan Martin del Potro last year. He had two match points on the Djokovic serve at 5-4 but could not take them.

Djokovic then broke Federer in the next game and he held his nerve to serve out for his first win over the 16-time Grand Slam winner at the US Open, having lost to him in the 2007 final and the semi-finals in 2008 and 2009.

Federer, who won the Australian Open this year, but went out in the quarter-finals at the French Open and at Wimbledon, said that it had been a tough loss.

"Can't turn back time, but obviously he had to come up with a couple of good shots on match point, so I don't feel I have that many regrets in that regard," he said.

"Obviously you feel like you left something out there if you lose the match having had match point.

"But it wasn't the final, so I'm not as disappointed it would have been the final. That's the only positive news to enjoy anything out of it."

Djokovic, whose single Grand Slam title to date came at the 2008 Australian Open, when he also beat Federer in the semi-finals, said that it had been a match he would remember for the rest of his life.

"Not just because I won against one of the best players that ever played this game at that occasion, but as well coming back from match points down and under the circumstances playing good tennis and winning in the end, the thriller, you know.

"I am very proud of myself. There are a lot of emotions involved. Of course I was too exhausted to show them in the end. But it has been a fantastic semi-final."

Nadal's win over Youzhny was a one-sided affair, with the Spaniard too powerful and confident against an opponent who had needed to battle through a long five-setter just to reach the last four.

The French Open and Wimbledon champion powered into the final without losing a set and he has dropped his serve only twice in six games.

"It's another step I think in my career, so for sure is a very important victory for me," Nadal said.

"To be in the final of the last Grand Slam of the year is something new, because I always arrived here with problems."

Speaking before the second semi-final had started, Nadal said that Djokovic would be a tough opponent in the final.

"He's a very difficult opponent for me, especially I had a lot of loses against him in this kind of surface," he said.

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Federer not planning to watch Open final

Number two seed Roger Federer of Switzerland returns a backhand to Andreas Beck of Germany during their US Open match in New York. Federer won 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.

NEW YORK - Roger Federer will not be competing in the US Open men's final for the first time in seven years and he will not be watching it either

"I won't watch," Federer told reporters after his 5-7 6-1 5-7 6-2 7-5 semi-finals loss on Saturday to third-seeded Novak Djokovic of Serbia, who will meet world number one Rafa Nadal of Spain for the championship.

"Look, I've been around tennis for weeks and weeks and weeks right now. Last thing I want to do is watch another tennis match where I'm not a part of," said Federer. "I will spend some time with my kids and take it easy, maybe go shopping."

Signs had pointed to a Federer-Nadal showdown in the U.S. Open final, with both players cruising through the draw.

The prospect was cause for excitement with Nadal aiming to complete a career grand slam and the Swiss master eager for a sixth U.S. crown after having his string of five straight snapped in last year's final.

Had Federer advanced, it would have been the first time two men's players would have faced each other in the finals of all four grand slam events.

Federer said he had not thought about facing Nadal at Flushing Meadows.

"I don't read too much press once the tournament starts," he said. "I can only try to imagine the excitement around the two of us maybe playing.

"I would have loved to play against him here. I mean, I did my hard yards the last six years making it to the finals, and he was unfortunately never there."

The 29-year-old Federer, winner of a record 16 grand slam titles who completed his own career grand slam last year when he won the French Open, said it hurt to lose the match to Djokovic, which he described as "electric" at the end.

"That's obviously disappointing," said the Swiss, who held two match points against the man he had eliminated at the last three U.S. Opens.

Missing out a chance at Nadal in the final was also letdown.

"Now one point away from this happening, obviously it's a bit of disappointment. But just being there and losing, that wouldn't have been nice either.

"Now we'll never know how it would have gone."

Second-seeded Federer said the 24-year-old Nadal having a chance to round out his grand slam resume of five French Opens, two Wimbledons and an Australian Open was "fantastic."

"It's great for tennis, and it's great for him at the young age he is to have that opportunity already. It's exciting for tennis that we're doing something very special in tennis at the same time."

Federer said he hoped to bounce back from his near-miss.

"It's a tough loss for me, but it's only going to fuel me with more motivation to practice hard and get back to grand slam finals," said Federer, who won this year's Australian Open but lost in the quarter-finals of the French and Wimbledon.

 

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Federer blows hot at windy US Open

Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates defeating Robin Soderling of Sweden during the US Open tennis tournament in New York September 8, 2010

Photo: Reuters

Roger Federer mastered the wild weather and his opponent to storm into the US Open semifinals on Wednesday and remain on course for another showdown with his great rival Rafa Nadal.

Federer was at his brilliant best as he outclassed Sweden's dual French Open finalist Robin Soderling 6-4 6-4 7-5 to reach the last four at Flushing Meadows for the seventh year in a row in conditions better suited for flying a kite than tennis.

"It's not easy, you know, it's cold, everywhere it's blowing,” Federer told reporters. “You feel like it's blowing through your ears and into your eyes.”

"I used to dislike it so much (but) I'm on the other side now.

“I was able to turn it around and kind of take enjoyment out of playing in the wind."

Yet to drop a set in the tournament, Federer next plays Serbia's Novak Djokovic in Saturday's men's semifinals with a final against Spain's Nadal looming large. The US Open is the only grand slam where the pair have not met in the final.

Djokovic also advanced in straight sets, beating Frenchman Gael Monfils 7-6 6-1 6-2, but was unable to produce his best after gale force winds turned the last slam of the season into a lottery.

"These are the worst conditions at this tournament," Djokovic grumbled. "I don't think the crowd enjoyed the tennis too much."

Caroline Wozniacki and Vera Zvonarea steamed into women's semifinals but were more relieved than excited after being tormented by the elements as much as their rivals.

"This felt like playing in a hurricane," Wozniacki said after beating unseeded Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova 6-2 7-5. "It was just about surviving."

Zvonareva was almost apologetic after her 6-3 7-5 win over Estonia's Kaia Kanepi that was littered with 11 service breaks and 88 unforced errors.

"We both were trying our best out there," the Russian seventh seed protested.

Comical moments

The wind inside Arthur Ashe Stadium was blowing so hard that hitting winners almost became a secondary consideration.

Players were repeatedly having to re-toss after gusts blew the ball out of their reach when they were about to serve. Just landing the ball on the court became an achievement.

It lent itself to some comical moments but for tennis purists, it was a day to forget. The only consolation was that Mother Nature did not claim any victims and the four favorites all won easily.

Federer alone seemed unaffected by the conditions, thumping 18 aces past a bewildered Soderling. The fifth seed ended a run of 12 straight losses to Federer when he beat him at Roland Garros in June but normal service resumed on the hard courts of New York.

"I've played in such strong winds,” Federer said. “I've practiced in such hot conditions.

“Whatever you throw at me, I can do it.”

The acrobatic Monfils provided Djokovic with some worrying moments when he grabbed an early service break but the world number three was able to break back and win the first set tiebreaker before running away with the match.

After a slow start to the tournament, Djokovic is starting to show signs that he is getting back to the form that saw him reach the US Open final in 2007, but has to face Federer next.

The Swiss beat him in the 2007 final and the semifinals each of the past two years and will be an overwhelming favorite to win again.

"I like playing under the radar sometimes," Djokovic said. "It releases the pressure on myself."

After reaching the final 12 months ago and starting this year's championship as the top seed, Wozniacki automatically forfeited any hope she had of quietly sneaking through.

The Dane, who has not dropped a set in the tournament and remains on course to pocket a US$1 million bonus if she wins the title, briefly lost her cool during an argument with the chair umpire in her latest match.

"I'm really competitive," she said. "I really don't like losing."

Wozniacki's opponent in Friday's women's semifinals is Zvonareva. The winner will play either the defending champion Kim Clijsters or Venus Williams in Saturday's final.

Zvonareva has been one of the most improved players on the women's tour this year and is Russia's highest-ranked player.

She made her first grand slam final at Wimbledon in July and is through to her first semifinal at Flushing Meadows.

"I guess I'm improving," she said. "I've been playing for a while, but I'm still out there and still working hard."

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US tennis Open showdown nears for Federer, Soderling

Robin Soderling of Sweden returns the ball to Thiemo de Bakker of the Netherlands at the US Open 2010 tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City

Photo: AFP

NEW YORK – Roger Federer and Robin Soderling moved closer to a US Open quarter-final showdown with straight-set triumphs on a blustery Saturday that also saw Novak Djokovic reach the fourth round.

French Open runner-up Soderling broke 16-time Grand Slam champion Federer's streak of 23 Grand Slam semi-finals in a row with a quarter-final triumph on the Paris red clay over the Swiss superstar who had won their 12 prior matches.

Swedish fifth seed Soderling, who lost the Roland Garros final to top-ranked Rafael Nadal, and world number two Federer each need one more victory to book a rematch on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts after third-round triumphs.

"Everybody has been telling me since the draw came out I'm playing Roger in the quarters. It's still far ahead," Soderling said.

"It's always difficult to play against Roger and I have played him a lot of times. In any tournament they play, Roger and Rafa will be the favorites, but there are a lot of players who can beat them."

Five-time US Open winner Federer hit 13 aces and 31 winners in brisk winds that tested even his formidable skill to down 109th-ranked Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-4, 6-3, 6-3, and reach the last 16.

"The wind was very strong. Tough conditions to play in, especially if you're down in the score," Federer said. "You could tell Mathieu was really struggling after being down. His serve, his returns, everything kind of falls into pieces.

"It's really hard to stay positive when you're down and the wind is the way it is. You have to be careful, maybe not aim at the lines as much. After four games or so, I knew what I could do and what I couldn't."

Soderling beat 48th-ranked Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 in gusty conditions that were remnants from Hurricane Earl's nearby brush a day earlier.

"It was very tough. I was fighting the wind the whole time. During these conditions I played a pretty good match," Soderling said. "It's great to make it to the second week at the US Open. It will be very big next week."

Also advancing to the fourth round was Serbian third seed Djokovic, who eliminated US wildcard James Blake 6-1, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 to book a date with US 19th seed Mardy Fish.

"It felt like Hurricane Earl came to the center court. It was incredible," Djokovic said. "It was a big mental struggle just to stay on the court and stay focused. If James had won the second set it could have been a different match."

Federer, trying for his seventh US Open final in a row, next faces Austrian 13th seed Jurgen Melzer, whom Federer ousted in this year's fourth round at Wimbledon in their only prior meeting.

Soderling will meet Spanish 21st seed Albert Montanes, who led 6-2, 2-1 when 147th-ranked Japanese qualifier Kei Nishikori retired after only 38 minutes with a groin injury.

"He was not well physically so that was lucky for me," Montanes said. "I realized he was very flat. He was not moving. I tried not to think of that but he was moving quite slowly."

Federer, seeking his 64th career title, had won 40 US Open matches in a row before losing last year's final to now-injured Juan Martin Del Potro.

Federer saved a break point on a service winner in the eighth game and broke on an errant Mathieu backhand in the ninth to win the first set and took the second when Mathieu double faulted away breaks in the third and last games.

"The first set was key," Federer said. "After that I was able to break it back and break his will a little bit."

Federer broke Mathieu in the sixth game of the last set, then saved three breaks points in the final game and held to win in 99 minutes.

Melzer beat Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-5, 6-3, 6-1 to book a date with Federer.

"I really enjoyed the way I played," Melzer said. "I was really on top of him and really had the momentum going."

Montanes claimed his first spot in the fourth round in 36 Grand Slam trips. He was among nine Spaniards in the third round, the most at any Open-era Slam.

French 17th seed Gael Monfils fired 17 aces and 56 winners to beat Serbia's 44th-ranked Janko Tipsarevic 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, 6-4.

Monfils booked a fourth-round match with countryman Richard Gasquet, who ousted South African Kevin Anderson 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 7-5. Monfils and Gasquet each matched their best US Open result by reaching the fourth round.

Cap: Robin Soderling of Sweden returns the ball to Thiemo de Bakker of the Netherlands at the US Open 2010 tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City

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Federer, Wozniacki lead US Open stars into third round

Number two seed Roger Federer of Switzerland returns a backhand to Andreas Beck of Germany during their US Open match in New York. Federer won 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.

Roger Federer and Caroline Wozniacki cruised into the third round of the US Open while Maria Sharapova, Novak Djokovic and Robin Soderling showed why they are title contenders as well.

Swiss second seed Federer, seeking his 17th Grand Slam crown and a seventh consecutive trip to the US Open final, beat Germany's 104th-ranked Andreas Beck 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and 41 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Thursday.

Five-time US Open champion Federer will face 109th-ranked Paul-Henri Mathieu to decide a fourth-round berth on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts.

"It's the perfect start," Federer said.

"Body is well. Mentally obviously I'm fresh, too. I haven't played too much, so I'm really eager. I'm ready for tough matches coming around. It's good I'm saving myself, really, and my game is fine."

Danish women's top seed Wozniacki blanked Taiwan's Chang Kai-Chen 6-0, 6-0 in 47 minutes, her 11th match victory in a row after titles at Montreal and New Haven leading into the Open. She has dropped only two games in two matches.

"I go out there and I don't give up. I don't give any free points away and that is one of my strong points," Wozniacki said. "I am feeling fresh, all recovered from everything. I am happy to be playing injury-free. It's perfect."

Russian ace Sharapova routed Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic 6-1, 6-2, moving closer to a fourth-round showdown with Wozniacki. The 2006 US Open winner struggled with injuries last year but is back on form now.

"Last year here, the position I was in, I was trying to see where my game was, so it's nice to be back on the court and not having to worry about anything other than trying to win," Sharapova said.

Serbian third seed Djokovic advanced 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) over German Philipp Petzschner, saying, "I was shakey the whole match but I was able to hold on."

Djokovic reached the 2007 US Open final and the Flushing Meadows semi-finals the past two years, each time losing to Federer, whom he could again face in the semi-finals.

"It's important to save energy in the opening rounds," Djokovic said. "Overall I can be satisfied with how I played. I played well when I needed to and was a little bit lucky."

Swedish fifth seed Soderling downed American Taylor Dent 6-2, 6-2, 6-4. The French Open runner-up meets Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker next.

"I'm pretty confident. I know I can do well when I play well," Soderling said. "But you need to play well. No one can play well every match. So anything can happen. I can lose first round. I can go on really deep as well."

Russian sixth seed Nikolay Davydenko, a 2006 and 2007 US Open semi-final loser to Federer, was ousted 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 by 38th-ranked Richard Gasquet in the biggest upset of the day.

Gasquet, among a record 12 Frenchmen to reach the second round, lost only seven of 52 points on his first serve as Davydenko made his quickest US Open exit since 2005.

Davydenko joined a US Open seeded scrap heap that includes No. 7 Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic, US ninth seed Andy Roddick and Croatian 11th seed Marin Cilic, who lost to Japanese qualifier Kei Nishikori 5-7, 7-6 (8/6), 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 in an exhausting five-hour duel.

"I was cramping from the second set but I kept fighting and fighting and got the fourth set tie-breaker. That was key for me," Nishikori said.

"It was hot but I feel good now."

China's Peng Shaui, ranked 61st, shocked Polish ninth seed Agnieszka Radwanska 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the biggest upset on the women's side.

Taiwan's Chan Yung-Jan made her deepest Grand Slam run after 17 tries by beating Austria's Tamira Paszek 6-3, 6-3.

"I was not 100 percent in my first match and was missing the easy ball, but that was better today and I'm looking to play even better from now on," Chan said.

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Federer and Clijsters to lead parade of champions

Roger Federer of Switzerland speaks during a media conference at the US Open tennis tournament August 28, 2010

Photo: Reuters

Switzerland's Roger Federer and Belgian Kim Clijsters are among five former champions in action on a busy opening day at the US Open Monday.

The pair will be joined by Americans Venus Williams and Andy Roddick in playing their opening matches on the Arthur Ashe center court while another former champion, Australian Lleyton Hewitt, begins his campaign on the Louis Armstrong stadium.

Federer won the men's championship five times on the trot from 2004 to 2008 but will not start the event as the defending champion after his loss to Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro in last year's final.

Del Potro is absent this year because of injury but another Argentine, Brian Dabul, will be in the spotlight when he faces Federer in the first round.

“Maybe there is an extra incentive for me to try to win it again after being two points away last year,” Federer told reporters. "It was a disappointing loss for me, I felt like that was one of the finals I should never have lost.”

"At the end Del Potro played great and deserved the victory, it was a tough one to swallow."

With Del Potro away, Clijsters is the lone defending champion. She plays Hungarian Greta Arn first up.

Clijsters won in 2005 but did not get the chance to defend her title in 2006 because of injury. She missed the event in 2007 and 2008 after taking time out to start a family before a fairytale return last year.

"I'm so excited to be back to defend my title,” she said. “This is a first for me."

Roddick, who won his only grand slam title at New York in 2003, has been plagued by illness in recent months but the prospect of returning to the center court has given him a boost.

He plays Frenchman Stephane Robert in his first match which coincides with his 28th birthday.

"Birthday or no birthday, you come in to try to win one," he said.

"I don't think too much about age, numbers, whatever. I'll play till I can, until I feel like I shouldn't anymore."

Williams, who will fly the family flag after her sister Serena withdrew because of a foot injury, won the US Open in 2000 and 2001 and was runner-up in 1997 and 2002, has also been troubled by injuries but said she was fit and raring to go in her first match against Italian Roberta Vinci.

"Theoretically I've had more rest than everyone, I should be fresh," Williams said.

Hewitt, who won here in 2001, is one of two Australians in action at Louis Armstrong Stadium. He plays Paul-Henri Mathieu of France after Samantha Stosur, this year's runner-up at the French Open, faces Elena Vesnina.

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Federer shows he is the man to beat again at US Open

Roger Federer of Switzerland holds up the championship trophy after defeating Mardy Fish of the US in their championship match at the Cincinnati Masters tennis tournament in Cincinnati, Ohio, August 22, 2010

Photo: Reuters

Roger Federer returned to winning ways on Sunday by claiming the Cincinnati Masters and announced himself once again as the man to beat at the US Open.

There had been talk of Federer being in decline after he went out at the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, part of a near seven-month streak where he has failed to win a tournament.

But the manner of his victory over American Mardy Fish in Ohio showed his opponent -- and plenty of other observers -- that the Swiss is the leading player in the best form heading into the Open.

The Swiss has an astonishing record at Flushing Meadows, having reached the last six finals and winning all but last year's loss to Juan Martin del Potro, and Fish believes Federer is a different beast when he turns up at the grand slams.

"He's just been there so many times,” Fish said. “Clearly he loves the US Open and his record is incredible in grand slams.”

“I feel like he's a different player even in grand slams as opposed to even Masters 1,000 tournaments," he added. "I think he realizes the importance -- when you speak about the best players ever, you speak about how many grand slams they've won.”

“I know that Mats Wilander won seven grand slams but I have no idea how many Masters series he won.”

Federer said the biggest obstacles he is likely to face in pursuit of a 17th major crown will come from familiar quarters -- Briton Andy Murray beat him in the Toronto final last week and Rafael Nadal is desperate to complete a career grand slam by hoisting the elusive US Open trophy.

"I guess the top four have the best shot again,” said Federer. “We can all play really well on the hard courts.”

“Murray has proven himself, so has (Novak) Djokovic on the hard courts and so has Rafa. He's won the Australian Open.”

"So I think it's gonna be an interesting US Open, many guys are playing well again,” he added. “Murray didn't win a tournament for a long time, and he's been able to win Toronto again.”

But there is no doubt who the 29-year-old Federer believes has the biggest chance of all -- himself -- and he is far from fazed by the rivals he faces.

"I'll always have new challenges coming up, I used to play against Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, and Carlos Moya, and Todd Martin and all those guys," he said. "Always been different challenges and rivals, that's not going to change.”

“I think every five years you'll have someone new, I think the next generation is probably already sort of knocking on the door."

 

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Fish to play Federer in Cincinnati Masters final

Roger Federer of Switzerland is pictured after defeating Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus during the semifinals on Day 6 of the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Mardy Fish reached the championship of the Cincinnati Masters event by rallying to beat American compatriot Andy Roddick 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-1.

The unseeded Fish was able to regroup during a third rain delay and upset the former world number one in the semi-final match.

Roddick led 5-2 in the second set when the players briefly went to the locker room. Fish was in top form when they returned.

"I was just lucky to get out of it," Fish said.

In Sunday's final, Fish will play Swiss superstar Roger Federer who easily beat unseeded Marcos Baghdatis 6-4, 6-3.

"It wasn't long at all," Fish said of the break. "It was only a couple minutes that we were back there, so I just changed (clothes). It was only a couple of minutes."

The beginning of the match was delayed 50 minutes by heavy rain. Another cloudburst during the first set resulted in a one-hour delay. Roddick was up 5-4 coming out of the delay. Fish dumped three forehands into the net while Roddick captured the set.

Roddick built a 5-2 lead in the second set when another shower forced a brief break.

"The first one really helped, the second one obviously didn't," Roddick said. "That's the thing with rain delays. The momentum can shift really fast."

Fish knew he was in deep trouble when he came back on the court.

"You don't want to be in that spot at all," Fish said.

This time, Fish was better when they returned to the hardcourt stadium. He broke Roddick's serve for the first time in the match to keep it going, then won the tiebreaker when Roddick began missing easy shots.

Roddick fell behind 3-0 in the third set, becoming so upset that he took extra swings at balls between points and slammed his racket into the ground.

Roddick downplayed his on court antics in the US Open tune-up event.

"I feel OK," Roddick said. "You know, to be honest, I came here and I had no expectations. For me to get in five really tough matches is more than I could've asked for going into the Open. Honestly, when I came here I was thinking maybe two matches and we'll see. I hadn't really put too much time in."

Federer broke Baghdatis to close out the first set and never faced a break point.

Federer, who is seeking his fourth Cincinnati title, also broke Baghdatis to take a 5-3 lead in the second set.

"I got kind of lucky in this tournament," Federer said. "I hardly had to play the first two matches. Things are working out for me here."

And it just keeps getting better because now Federer goes against unseeded Fish who Federer has a commanding 5-1 career record against.

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