Nadal achieves 200th clay court victory on Day 9 in Paris

Four-time former champion Rafael Nadal has reached the Roland Garros quarter-finals without dropping a set after he recorded his 200th clay-court match win on Monday.

The second-seeded Spaniard hit 27 winners and committed just as many unforced errors to overcome No. 24 seed Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 in two hours and 35 minutes.

Nadal has now reached the last eight for the 14th time in his past 16 Grand Slam championships. He is bidding to become just the second man in history to win five or more Roland Garros titles, after Swede Bjorn Borg (1974-75, 1978-81).

He will next meet his Spanish compatriot and No. 19 seed Nicolas Almagro. The pair met in the 2008 Roland Garros quarter-finals and also in the recent Mutua Madrileña Madrid Open semi-finals. Nadal leads 6-0 overall in their career series.

"It's going to be very difficult because the way he plays is really excellent," Nadal said. "He's managed to maintain the same level here in the tournament. It's going to be complicated; he's going to be very aggressive. It's normal. He knows how to do this. And as far as I'm concerned, I'll try and play my way and do my best. I'll do my best so that he feels a bit uncomfortable."

In an all-left-hander encounter, Nadal immediately stamped his authority on the pair's first meeting for two years by breaking Bellucci’s serve in the opening game. The Sao Paulo resident broke back in the fourth game, when he rushed Nadal into a backhand error off a forehand approach. Bellucci won seven straight points to 40/0 at 2-2, before Nadal sprang into action by winning four straight games to clinch the first set in 39 minutes.

Nadal threatened to run away with the second set, but Bellucci highlighted his potential as a genuine heir to three-time former Roland Garros champion and World No. 1 Gustavo Kuerten.

On two occasions the pair exchanged service breaks – in the second and third games, then again in the ninth and 10th games – but at 5-5, Nadal produced an outstanding backhand crosscourt pass off a powerful forehand approach by Bellucci to gain a crucial break. Nadal closed out the 61-minute second set to 30, when Bellucci hit a backhand into the net.

"I succeeded well because I managed to play even better," said Nadal. "I could shoot into the balls the way I wanted to, mainly the backhand shots, but also my forehand... I think I served better today than any other day, and I'm very satisfied because I think I've improved. I've not yet dropped a set."

Novak Djokovic maintained his record of never losing to an American on clay courts, when he beat Georgia resident Robby Ginepri on Monday for a place in the Roland Garros quarter-finals.

The third-seeded Serbian improved to 5-0 lifetime against Ginepri with a 6-4, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 win in overcast conditions on Philippe Chatrier court. Djokovic, who hit two aces and 36 winners, now has a 20-5 record at Roland Garros where he reached the 2007 and 2008 semi-finals.

He will next meet Jurgen Melzer, the No. 22 seed from Deutsch-Wagram, who has become the first Austrian to reach the Roland Garros quarter-finals since Thomas Muster in 1998.

"I'm really not a morning person, so it took a lot of time for me to get into the rhythm and warm up basically for the match," said Djokovic of his slow start. "He was very aggressive from the start. I was lucky to pull out that first set in my favour. [In the second set] unfortunately I lost focus.

"But I overcame it [and the] third and fourth [sets] were really, really good. I was aggressive, I was serving well, and playing from all over the court. With that kind of game I performed in the third and fourth set, I think I have a good chance against anybody on the court now."


Monday, 31 May 2010

Singles - Fourth Round
[2] R Nadal (ESP) d [24] T Bellucci (BRA) 62 75 64
[3] N Djokovic (SRB) d R Ginepri (USA) 64 26 61 62
[19] Nicolas Almagro (ESP) d [7] F Verdasco (ESP) 61 46 61 64
[22] Jurgen Melzer (AUT) d T Gabashvili (RUS) 76(6) 46 61 64

Federer beats countryman to set up clash with Soderling, again; French hopes dashed after Tsonga retires against Youzhny on Day 8 in Paris

Defending champion Roger Federer continued his near flawless run at Roland Garros as he defeated Stanislas Wawrinka 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-2 in an all-Swiss fourth-round clash Sunday in Paris.

In a repeat of the 2009 final, Federer will face fifth seed Robin Soderling in the quarter-finals. Federer takes a perfect 12-0 record into the clash with Soderling, having since defeated the right-hander in the fourth round at Wimbledon and the US Open quarter-finals. Should the 28-year-old Federer once again get the better of his Swedish opponent, he will extend his own record of consecutive Grand Slam semi-final appearances by reaching his 24th.

"Obviously I think he's taken advantage of the better ranking he's had since the last year here," said Federer, looking ahead to the clash. "We have experience playing against each other. I've never lost against him, so obviously that's a good record to have. But because of the improvements he's made, he's an opponent not to underestimate. Obviously he beat incredible players on the way to make the finals here last year, so clay seems to also become really his surface of preference, as well."

Soderling said: "It's a quarter-final of a Grand Slam, and I have to play either one of the top four guys. Of course it's tough to play against Roger, but they are all tough matches. I hope for a good match. It's always fun to play against him.

"I remember a few times I played against him when I came pretty close, especially one in Halle a couple years ago when I served and returned really well. I think that's what you have to do against him, because of course he's the best player in the world. But even against him you will always get a few chances. Then you have to take them, because he won't give you any second opportunities. You really have to play well in the important points, which he does so well, and that's why he's so good."

Soderling jumped for joy and punched the air in celebration after completing a comprehensive 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 victory over No. 10 seed Marin Cilic of Croatia in just one hour and 41 minutes.

The 25-year-old Soderling dropped serve in the third game of the first set, before winning four straight games for a 5-2 lead. Cilic, at 4-5, dropped his serve to 15 to gift Soderling the 30-minute opener.

Czech Tomas Berdych, the No. 15 seed, knocked out fourth seed Andy Murray of Scotland 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 in their rain-interrupted clash at Roland Garros on Sunday, which finished in fading light at 9:34 p.m. local time. Berdych will next meet No. 11 seed Mikhail Youzhny of Russia in the quarter-finals.

Murray saved six break points, before Berdych finally broke serve in the seventh game when Murray hit a backhand into the net. He went on to clinch the 31-minute opener with a drop shot winner.

The 24-year-old Berdych took a 2-0 lead in the second set, before Murray responded by winning three straight games. Light rain began to fall in the seventh game, which Murray won with a forehand winner and two aces for a 4-3 lead before conditions became unplayable at 8:03 p.m. local time.

Just as the tarpaulin covers settled on Court Suzanne Lenglen, the rain shower stopped and the duo was able to begin play 36 minutes later. At 5-5, Murray fell to 15/40 and Berdych hit a backhand crosscourt winner off a second serve to clinch the break. Berdych took a two-sets-to-love lead with a service hold to 15.

With the light fading, Murray dropped to 30/40 at 3-3 with his third double fault of the match. The Scot miss-timed a forehand and Berdych won the next two games for victory in two hours and 16 minutes.

Berdych, who is yet to lose a set in the French capital this year, is riding a seven-match winning streak. A runner-up to Andy Roddick at the Sony Ericsson Open, an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament in Miami, the Czech improved to a 29-10 match record on the season.

French male hopes came to an end on Sunday at Roland Garros as No. 8 seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was forced to retire with a back injury after losing the first set 6-2 to Youzhny.

The 27-year-old Youzhny is through to the Roland Garros quarter-finals for the first time and will contest his first Grand Slam quarter-final since reaching the last eight at the 2008 Australian Open (l. to Tsonga).


Sunday, 30 May 2010

Singles - Fourth Round
[1] R Federer (SUI) d [20] S Wawrinka (SUI) 63 76(5) 62
[15] T Berdych (CZE) d [4] A Murray (GBR) 64 75 63
[5] R Soderling (SWE) d [10] M Cilic (CRO) 64 64 62
[11] M Youzhny (RUS) d [8] J Tsonga (FRA) 62 ret. (back)

Djokovic continues to fourth round on Day 7 in Paris

Third seed Novak Djokovic survived a second-set lapse before coming back to beat No. 31 seed Victor Hanescu of Romania 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 on Saturday for a place in the Roland Garros fourth round.

Djokovic, who hit eight double faults and committed 25 unforced errors in a seesaw performance, came back from a break down in the fourth set to win six games in a row for victory in two hours and 38 minutes.

"Lately I do have periods when I struggle to find rhythm on my serve," said Djokovic. "I think it's more mental. The positive thing about this match is that I overcame a difficult second set and was able to play great tennis in the last two sets."

Djokovic, one of six former Grand Slam champions at this year's championship, hit 44 winners and converted 16 of 28 break point opportunities to record his 24th win of the season (24-7 overall). Hanescu dropped to 4-24 lifetime against Top 10 opponents.

The 23-year-old Serbian will next meet Robby Ginepri, who arrived in Paris 12 days ago expecting to qualify, only to learn that he had gained a direct entry into the main draw and then travelled to Dusseldorf for the ARAG ATP World Team Championships.

He remains the last American standing after reaching the fourth round for the second time in three years after he defeated Spanish No. 16 seed and 2003 titlist Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-5, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-4 in three hours and 16 minutes.

The 27-year-old Georgian improved to 6-7 lifetime in five-set matches after hitting 43 winners for his fourth victory of the year. The World No. 98 is the first American to beat a Spaniard in five sets at Roland Garros since Pete Sampras defeated Sergi Bruguera in the 1996 second round.

Seventh-seeded Spaniard Fernando Verdasco battled a blister on his racquet hand for a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-7(1), 6-4 victory over No. 30 seed Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany in four hours and two minutes on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

Verdasco, an ATP World Tour titlist at the SAP Open in San Jose (d. Roddick) and runner-up at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters (l. to Nadal) and the Open de Nice Cote d’Azur (l. to Gasquet) this year, hit 15 unforced errors and committed 61 unforced errors but did enough to reach the Roland Garros last 16 for the fourth consecutive year. He improved to a 33-9 season record.

He goes onto meet Spain's Nicolas Almagro, the No. 19 seed and 2008 quarter-finalist (l. to Nadal), committed just 16 unforced errors in a 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 win over Alexandr Dolgopolov of the Ukraine in one hour and 51 minutes. Almagro's best result this year came at the Mutua Madrilena Madrid Open, when he reached the semi-finals losing to his compatriot Rafael Nadal.


Saturday, 29 May 2010

Singles - Third Round
[2] R Nadal (ESP) d [28] L Hewitt (AUS) 63 64 63
[3] N Djokovic (SRB) d [31] V Hanescu (ROU) 63 36 63 62
T Gabashvili (RUS) d [6] A Roddick (USA) 64 64 62
[7] F Verdasco (ESP) d [30] P Kohlschreiber (GER) 26 63 63 67(1) 64
[22] J Melzer (AUT) d [9] D Ferrer (ESP) 64 60 76(1)
[11] M Youzhny (RUS) d V Troicki (SRB) 26 76(4) 62 63
[24] T Bellucci (BRA) d [14] I Ljubicic (CRO) 76(4) 62 64
R Ginepri (USA) d [16] J Ferrero (ESP) 75 63 36 26 64
[19] N Almagro (ESP) d O Dolgopolov Jr (UKR) 63 63 64

Federer to face Wawrinka after straights sets win; Nadal advances too on Day 6 in Paris

World No. 1 Roger Federer became the 10th player in the Open Era to record at least 700 tour-level match wins when he advanced to the Roland Garros fourth round with a 6-4, 6-0, 6-4 win over German qualifier Julian Reister Friday in Paris.

The Swiss, who has won 62 tour-level titles – including a record 16 Grand Slam championships - trails Boris Becker, in ninth position, by just 13 more wins. American Jimmy Connors holds the Open Era record with 1242 victories, taking in eight major titles.

The defending Roland Garros champion was tested for the first eight games against the No. 165-ranked Reister, before breaking through with two straight games to take the first set. From there, Reister was able to offer little resistance, only winning a further four games as Federer raced to victory in 93 minutes. Federer struck 34 winners, compared to just 10 from Reister, and did not face a break point.

Victory marked Federer’s 150th clay-court victory, a tally that has seen him win nine clay-court titles, including completing the career Grand Slam by lifting the trophy at Roland Garros for the first time last year (d. Soderling).

"From a ranking standpoint, I haven't played top guys yet,” said Federer, assessing his form. “But [I've played] dangerous players, who are skillful on this surface and a guy who just won five matches here in Paris, so you can never underestimate those kind of players. With my own form I'm very happy. I'm ready to mix up my game playing aggressively. I'm being broken very few times and that's obviously always a good thing looking ahead."

Federer next will face Stanislas Wawrinka, with whom he won an Olympic gold medal in doubles two years ago. The No. 20-seeded Wawrinka broke serve six times and hit 44 winners as he defeated Italian Fabio Fognini 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 in one hour and 52 minutes. Federer takes a 4-1 lead into the clash, although Wawrinka’s lone victory did come on clay last year in Monte-Carlo.

"I've never played against him during a Grand Slam, so that's a bit of a difference,” said Federer. “He's really fit, and we have the same physical trainer. We know what we do. We've practised quite often together. We know it's going to be a tough match, so I'm very happy about this challenge, because he's a great player. I'll have to play great tennis, also."

In remaining second-round action, seventh seed Fernando Verdasco overcame a third set blip to defeat Frenchman Florent Serra 6-2, 6-2, 0-6, 6-4. In a match featuring 12 service breaks, Verdasco capitalised on seven of 18 opportunities and struck nearly three times as many winners as he did unforced errors (36-13) to wrap up victory in two hours and 15 minutes.

The 26-year-old Verdasco came into Roland Garros playing arguably the best tennis of his life and is looking to advance past the fourth round in Paris for the first time. The Spaniard reached his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final in Monte-Carlo (l. to Nadal), captured his fifth ATP World Tour title in Barcelona (d. Soderling) and last week finished runner-up to Richard Gasquet in his 13th ATP World Tour final in Nice.

The left-hander next will face German No. 30 seed Philipp Kohlschreiber, who accounted for Italian Andreas Seppi 7-6(5), 6-3, 7-5 to reach the third round for the second year in a row. Last year at that stage he stunned Novak Djokovic, before losing out to Tommy Robredo.

Former champion Juan Carlos Ferrero came through a testing all-Spanish encounter with Pere Riba to prevail 7-6(5), 6-7(13), 6-2, 6-2. The No. 16 seed, who lifted the Roland Garros trophy in 2003, next will face American Robby Ginepri, who also dropped one set in advancing past Italy’s Potito Starace 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.

Four-time former Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal cruised into the third round Friday with a 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Argentine Horacio Zeballos. The match is one of 14 second-round matches to be carried over from Thursday, when rain severely delayed play.

In much sunnier conditions Friday on Court Philippe Chatrier, Nadal needed just one hour and 45 minutes to dispatch the No. 44-ranked Zeballos, who was voted ATP Newcomer of the Year in 2009. The Spaniard hit 23 winners to just 12 unforced errors and capitalised on six of 10 break point chances, while only losing serve once in a late comeback attempt by Zeballos.

"[Today] was a little bit of improvement," said Nadal. "That's always important to play a little bit better every day. Today I'm happy for the victory. Never easy. He's a good player. He's a young player and he's coming well. So it's a good win for me, and I'm happy for that. But I hope to keep improving."


Friday, 28 May 2010

Singles - Third Round
[1] R Federer (SUI) d J Reister (GER) 64 60 64
[4] A Murray (GBR) d [25] M Baghdatis (CYP) 62 63 06 62
[5] R Soderling (SWE) d [29] A Montanes (ESP) 64 75 26 63
[8] J Tsonga (FRA) d T De Bakker (NED) 67(6) 76(4) 63 64
[10] M Cilic (CRO) d L Mayer (ARG) 64 36 75 67(5) 64
[11] M Youzhny (RUS) vs V Troicki (SRB)
[15] T Berdych (CZE) d [17] J Isner (USA) 62 62 61
[20] S Wawrinka (SUI) d F Fognini (ITA) 63 64 61

Singles - Second Round
[2] R Nadal (ESP) d H Zeballos (ARG) 62 62 63
[3] N Djokovic (SRB) d K Nishikori (JPN) 61 64 64
[7] F Verdasco (ESP) d F Serra (FRA) 62 62 06 64
[9] D Ferrer (ESP) d X Malisse (BEL) 62 62 20 ret. (left hamstring)
O Dolgopolov Jr (UKR) d [12] F Gonzalez (CHI) 63 64 63
[14] I Ljubicic (CRO) d M Fish (USA) 62 67(8) 46 62 10-8
[16] JC Ferrero (ESP) d P Riba (ESP) 76(5) 67(13) 62 62
[19] N Almagro (ESP) d S Darcis (BEL) 63 60 75
[22] J Melzer (AUT) d N Mahut (FRA) 61 36 76(7) 64
[24] T Bellucci (BRA) d P Andujar (ESP) 16 63 26 64 62
[28] L Hewitt (AUS) d D Istomin (UZB) 16 63 64 26 62
[30] P Kohlschreiber (GER) d A Seppi (ITA) 76(5) 63 75
[31] V Hanescu (ROU) d Y Schukin (KAZ) 63 64 62
R Ginepri (USA) d P Starace (ITA) 36 64 63 63

Roddick wins in four sets, Murray through in four too on Day 5 in Paris

In fading light at Roland Garros, on a rain-soaked Thursday, fourth seed American Andy Roddick reached the third round for the third time in nine appearances.

The sixth seed hit 13 aces and 67 winners to battle past Blaz Kavcic, a Slovenian qualifier, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 in just under three hours. Kavcic became the first Slovenian male to break into the Top 100 of the South African Airways 2010 ATP Rankings in March this year.

Moments before Roddick’s win, World No. 92 Fabio Fognini completed a remarkable 2-6, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, 9-7 comeback victory over French No. 13 seed Gael Monfils.

Resuming play at 5-5 in the deciding set, after Monfils had saved three match points at 4-5 in fading light on Wednesday night, Fognini wrapped up the 86-minute fifth set.

Another winner from a match carried over from Wednesday night was fourth seed Andy Murray, who overcame 30-year-old Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-2 in three hours and 30 minutes. The match resumed play at 3-3 in the second set this afternoon. Murray hit 75 winners overall, converting seven of 16 break point opportunities.

John Isner joined Roddick in the third round for the first time, after the American No. 17 seed hit 38 aces and 83 winners past Marco Chiudinelli of Switzerland in a 6-7(3), 7-6(3), 7-6(7), 6-4 victory over three hours and 11 minutes.

Isner, the RICOH ATP MatchFacts ace leader this year, has now hit 30 or more aces on nine occasions in his career. The most he hit was 39 aces when he lost to Slovakian Dominik Hrbaty at the 2009 Australian Open.

Cypriot No. 25 seed Marcos Baghdatis and Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili also beat the rain showers.


Thursday, 27 May 2010

Play eventually got underway at 3:30 p.m. local time Thursday and matches were suspended on three occasions. Many matches have been rescheduled on Friday.

Singles - Second Round
[4] A Murray (GBR) d J Chela (ARG) 62 67(5) 63 62
[6] A Roddick (USA) d B Kavcic (SLO) 63 57 64 62
F Fognini (ITA) d [13] G Monfils (FRA) 26 46 75 64 97
[14] I Ljubicic (CRO) level with M Fish (USA) 62 67(8) - bad light suspends play
[17] J Isner (USA) d M Chuidinelli (SUI) 67(3) 76(3) 76(7) 64
P Andujar (ESP) level with [24] T Bellucci (BRA) 61 36 - bad light suspends play
[25] M Baghdatis (CYP) d M Granollers (ESP) 46 61 75 62
T Gabashvili (RUS) d G Zemlja (SLO) 63 61 61