Nadal, Vonn win Laureus sports awards

Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts during his quarterfinal match against compatriot David Ferrer at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 26, 2011

Photo: Reuters

Spain enjoyed a double celebration on Monday when tennis champion Rafael Nadal and their World Cup winning soccer team walked away with the top prizes at the Laureus Sports Awards.

Nadal was named Sportsman of the Year after a remarkable season in which he won the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open trophies while Spain's World Cup side were named Team of the Year at a glittering ceremony attended by celebrities and sporting greats.

"It's an honor, in my name, that of my colleagues and the Spanish soccer federation, to receive this award from the world of sport," Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said in a live feed to the awards ceremony from the team's training base outside Madrid.

American Alpine skier Lindsay Vonn, who won the Olympic downhill gold at the Vancouver Games last February just days after suffering a shin injury, was voted Sportswoman of the Year.

Spain, the United States and Germany were the big winners with each country bagging two awards.

There was a rapturous welcome for French soccer great Zinedine Zidane, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his remarkable career.

The Spirit of Sport Award was presented to the European Ryder Cup Team to mark their emotional win over the United States in a match "which demonstrated great sportsmanship, golf played at the highest level and enormous and passionate galleries," a statement from the organizers said.

The Laureus World Sports Awards, which recognize sporting achievement, are the premier honors on the international sporting calendar.

Double Oscar winner Kevin Spacey hosted the event attended by celebrities from the world of sports and entertainment.

The Awards were announced in seven categories. The winners were:

Laureus World Sportsman of the Year: Rafael Nadal (Spain)

Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year: Lindsey Vonn (US)

Laureus World Team of the Year: Spain World Cup Team

Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year: Martin Kaymer (Germany)

Laureus World Comeback of the Year: Valentino Rossi (Italy)

Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability: Verena Bentele (Germany)

Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year: Kelly Slater (US)

The Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award: Zinedine Zidane (France)

Laureus Spirit of Sport Award: European Ryder Cup Team

Laureus Sport for Good Award: May El-Khalil, founder of the Beirut Marathon

 

The Spanish team lift the coveted World Cup trophy in 2010

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Players keep the faith despite Roger-Rafa dominance

Roger Federer, who has won 16 Grand Slams over the past year, as he and Rafael Nadal dominate men's tennis

Photo: AFP

The Nadal-Federer era has seen slim pickings for the rest of men's tennis when it comes to Grand Slams but the chasing pack say the margins remain small as they battle to break the duopoly.

In an unprecedented streak, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have won 25 of the past 30 majors -- setting a blistering pace that the rest of men's tennis has failed to match.

The Swiss maestro has won 16 Grand Slams, a record for the men's game, with Spain's world number one Nadal now on nine majors after a stellar year in which he won the French Open for the fifth time, plus Wimbledon and the US Open.

But as the season enters its final stretch with the race to qualify for the ATP World Tour Finals in London hotting up, the top men are trying to figure out ways to break the dominance.

"Everybody's trying to chase them as close as possible as we can," said world number seven Tomas Berdych, who shocked the tennis world when he dethroned six-time Wimbledon champion Federer in this year's quarter-finals.

The Czech player, who lost to Nadal in the final, insisted: "I think the gap is really small."

Berdych, speaking in Macau ahead of an exhibition tournament at the weekend, said despite the limited opportunities, he was grateful to be playing the game at the same time as two all-time greats.

"For me, it's a good time to be in this era that you can be competing against these two great players.

"Of course, you can see it from the other point of view that maybe if these two guys wouldn't be in the draw, in the tournament, then maybe it could be a bigger chance to win a Grand Slam."

Soderling, appearing alongside Berdych, Nikolay Davydenko and David Ferrer in Macau, has cause to rue the Rafa-Roger dominance, having been beaten in consecutive years by each player in the final of the French Open.

But the Swede, with a miserable 13-1 losing record against Federer, says men's tennis has strength in depth.

"In any tournament when Roger and Rafa are playing they will be the favourites but there's a lot of guys who can actually do well and compete and have a chance to win the bigger tournaments," he said.

"Maybe there's 10 or even 15 guys. The top is really, really tough. Anyone on a good day can beat anyone," added the world number five.

"You need to be ready for the first round. It's not easy but I wish it was a lot easier."

World number six Davydenko, who has a rare 5-4 winning record against Nadal, said men's tennis boasted great strength in depth, joking about his record against the Spaniard.

Spain's 11th-ranked Ferrer said: "I think now it's very difficult to win Grand Slams but I think it's a good time," also highlighting the threat posed by world number two Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray, ranked four.

Nadal, headlining this week's Thailand Open, became only the seventh man in history to achieve a career Grand Slam when he earned his first US Open title with victory over Djokovic in this month's final at Flushing Meadows.

But despite his phenomenal year, Soderling, top seed at this week's Malaysian Open, where his other three competitors in Macau are also playing, believes third-ranked Federer remains the yardstick.

"He's (Nadal) won so many Grand Slams already, so many titles but to me, Roger is still the best.

"But Rafa is still very young so if he's going to be healthy, he has a lot more years to play and he could definitely give it a shot.

"He has the chance to be known as the world's best player ever," added Soderling.

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Nadal, Clijsters move on at US Open

Top seed Rafael Nadal of Spain returns a shot to Gilles Simon of France during the US Open in New York

Photo: AFP

Andy Murray was a major casualty at the US Open on Sunday but Rafael Nadal stormed through as did Kim Clijsters and Venus Williams in the women's tournament.

The 23-year-old Scot was out of sorts against Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka and his challenge to Nadal and Roger Federer ended in a crushing 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-3 loss.

"He played better than me. There's not a whole lot more to it," the defeated fourth seed said.

"He had a chance to win the first set; didn't take it. I had a chance to win the second set; didn't take it. I just struggled from then on."

Nadal led a Spanish charge with five of their number making it through to the eight fourth-round slots available in the top half of the draw.

The others were eighth seed Fernando Verdasco, 10th seed David Ferrer, 23rd seed Feliciano Lopez and the unseeded Tommy Robredo.

Nadal takes on Lopez and Verdasco goes up against Ferrer in the first quarter, making it certain there will be at least one Spaniard in the semi-finals.

The top seed was never troubled against France's Gilles Simon, winning 6-4, 6-4, 6-2, and he has yet to drop a set in three matches.

"I am in fourth round. That's good news for me - without losing a set - but there remains a lot to do. I am happy where I am, but is only fourth round," Nadal said.

Others through to the last 16 in the top half were US hope Sam Querrey, who defeated Nicolas Almagro of Spain 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, and Russia's Mikhail Youzhny who edged American John Isner 6-4, 6-7 (7/9), 7-6 (7/5), 6-4.

Wawrinka next plays Querrey and Youzhny takes on Robredo.

In the women's tournament, defending champion Kim Clisters won the billed match of the day, trouncing former world number one Ana Ivanovic 6-2, 6-1, a victory that was her 18th in a row at Flushing Meadows.

Clijsters was the first player through to the quarter-finals and there she will face Australian fifth seed Samantha Stosur, who ousted Russian 12th seed Elena Dementieva 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7/2).

The Belgian second seed said she quickly adapting to the breezy morning conditions on the Arthur Ashe Centre Court.

"With the wind you have to adjust," she said. "I started moving forward, dictating the points better. I was playing good defense as well."

The other quarter-final in the bottom half of the draw sees French Open champion Francesca Schiavone go up against third seed and former champion Venus Williams.

Williams, the last woman to win back-to-back titles here in 2001, saw off a strong early challenge from Israeli 16th seed Shahar Peer before winning 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.

Schiavone topped Russian 2Oth seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-3, 6-0 with her finest display of tennis since winning her maiden Grand Slam title in Paris in June.

Playing against Venus Williams will be a much different prospect for the Italian, however, as she has lost all seven matches they have played to date.

The American, though, said she would not be over-confident.

"We've had some tough matches. She's definietly had some chances to win against me," Williams said. "Obviously her game is better than ever now."

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Nadal installed as top seed for US Open

Spain's Rafael Nadal trains ahead of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris in this May 21, 2010 file photo

Photo: Reuters

World number one Rafael Nadal was installed as the top men's seed for the US Open on Monday as the Spaniard bids to complete a career grand slam.

While Nadal chases his first US Open crown, Swiss Roger Federer, a finalist at Flushing Meadows the last six years lifting the title five times, is seeded second.

Serb Novak Djokovic is seeded third and Briton Andy Murray, the 2008 US Open runner-up, fourth.

Title holder Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina pulled out of the tournament. He is still recovering from surgery on a right wrist injury that has put him out for almost the whole season.

Andy Roddick is the top American, the 2003 US Open winner seeded ninth.

The USTA will announce the women's seeds on Tuesday due to the Monday finish of the rain-delayed Montreal Cup won by world number two Caroline Wozniacki.

The Dane is expected to be the top women's seed after American world number one Serena Williams was ruled out with an injury.

The US Open starts on August 30.

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