Few thrills as Williams sisters thrive

(WIMBLEDON, CENTER, COURT, WOMEN, VENUS, WOULD)

By Martyn Herman
LONDON (Reuters) - Sobriety returned to Wimbledon on Tuesday after the heady brew of the night before with Center Court open to the sunny skies and the insatiable Williams sisters blasting through to the semi-finals.
British hope Andy Murray`s intoxicating five-set defeat of Switzerland`s Stanislas Wawrinka on Monday, a thrilling match which ended way after sunset under Center Court`s gleaming roof and blazing lights, raised excitement levels far beyond the reach of women`s quarter-final day.
Murray`s four-hour epic was played out in an adrenaline-fueled Davis Cup style atmosphere but polite applause was the order of the day as first champion Venus Williams, 29, romped to a 6-1 6-2 defeat of Pole Agnieszka Radwanska and then Serena powered past Victoria Azarenka of Belarus 6-2 6-3.
Neither have dropped a set in the tournament so far -- they even won a women`s doubles 6-0 6-0 on Monday -- as they career headlong toward a seemingly inevitable fourth meeting in a Wimbledon final on Saturday.
"That first set for me was really almost perfect," Venus, who is chasing a hat-trick of singles title here and her sixth overall, told reporters of her match against former Wimbledon junior champion Radwanska on Court One.
"Do I feel invincible? I`d like to say yes, but I really do work at it."
Asked if she and Serena were now head and shoulders above the rest, Venus did not exactly dismiss the suggestion.
"I think we are definitely the frontrunners in tennis as far as being some of the best players out there," she said. "But if there were just two players, it would just be a final. There`s got to be 128. So that`s the way it`s got to be."
At least Elena Dementieva, the graceful Russian fourth seed, is doing her best to keep up with the Americans.
The 27-year-old performed a Williams-type demolition job on diminutive Italian Francesca Schiavone, winning 6-2 6-2 on Court One where fans who forked out for expensive tickets received just two hours and 14 minutes of singles action.
With Serena needing little more than an hour to polish off Azarenka it meant Murray and Wawrinka`s fourth-round duel lasted longer than three of the women`s quarter-finals put together.
She refuted a suggestion that fans were being short-changed by one-sided women`s matches but said maybe they should play best of five sets -- a scenario that would strike fear into most who face them across the net.
"Yeah, I`m ready for five-set matches. On grass it would be fine. I can definitely play five sets," she said.
World number one Dinara Safina and unseeded German Sabine Lisicki did provide a contest worthy of the name with the Muscovite wearing down her opponent 6-7 6-4 6-1 on Center Court.
Safina now stands between Venus and an eighth Wimbledon singles final when they meet for the first time on a grasscourt in the last four.  Continued...
Original article

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Jankovic melts, Murray blasts through
Williams sisters still a tough act to beat

Venus restores order after Murray epic

(WIMBLEDON, NIGHT, CENTER, COURT, WOMEN, VENUS)

By Martyn Herman
LONDON (Reuters) - Sobriety returned to Wimbledon Tuesday after the heady brew of the night before with Center Court open to the sunny skies and women`s champion Venus Williams blasting through to the semi-finals.
The 29-year-old American romped to a 5-0 lead against Poland`s Agnieszka Radwanska and completed a 6-1 6-2 victory on auto-pilot as slumbering Court One fans applauded politely in temperatures soaring into the 30s Celsius again.
Fourth-seeded Russian Elena Dementieva then crushed Italy`s Francesca Schiavone 6-2 6-2 in quick time meaning that holders of costly Court One tickets were treated to a mere two hours 14 minutes of singles play.
Venus will face world number one Dinara Safina for a place in her eighth Wimbledon singles final after the Muscovite wore down unseeded German Sabine Lisicki 6-7 6-4 6-1 on Center Court in a match that at least resembled a proper contest.
Second seed Serena plays Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in the day`s last quarter-final with a sense of predictability sweeping women`s tennis. Most pundits have already pencilled in a fourth Wimbledon final between the insatiable sisters Saturday.
"That first set for me was really almost perfect," Venus told reporters. "Do I feel invincible? I`d like to say yes, but I really do work at it."
Having won 33 consecutive sets at Wimbledon it seems only Serena is capable of stopping her. Asked what it must be like to have to play herself, Venus said: "I have no idea. I guess the same way I feel when I have to face Serena Williams."
The drowsy nature of what should be one of the biggest days in the women`s draw was all a stark contrast to Monday`s late-night blockbuster in which Andy Murray fought tooth and nail for nearly four hours to beat Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka under Center Court`s illuminated canopy.
That electrifying five-set contest will go down in Wimbledon folklore as the day the tournament changed forever and it was pretty much all anybody was talking about as the fans poured through the gates on another sweltering day.
Murray`s victory -- played out in front of 15,000 fans on Center Court, thousands more crammed together in the dark on Henman Hill and a British television audience of 12.6 million -- has set a high standard that sadly the women could not match.
"The only danger to the roof was that it could have been blown off by the crowds," Wimbledon spokesman Johnny Perkins said of the events of the previous night.
Murray, who had a day off to recover before his last eight assignment against Juan Carlos Ferrero, said it was the noisiest crowd he had ever played in front of -- which for somebody with experience of U.S. Open night sessions was quite a statement.
(Editing by Miles Evans)
Original article

Slam stays open-air despite Murray`s roof epic

(WIMBLEDON, NIGHT, MURRAY, AUSTRALIAN, PERKINS, REGULAR)

By Paul Majendie
LONDON (Reuters) - "Andymonium" reigned supreme at Wimbledon as fans of newly crowned "King of The Night" Andy Murray threatened to blow the new roof off Center Court.
But Wimbledon officials were quick on Tuesday to stress after Murray`s epic night marathon that the world`s most famous tennis tournament would always be a daytime, open-air event.
Players at Wimbledon will not be following the U.S. and Australian Opens with matches played deep into the night.
Anyone who watched the first late night match in the cathedral of tennis will never forget the deafening roar on Monday evening.
The British third seed got a standing ovation from 15,000 screaming fans who leapt to their feet whenever he struck a winner in his titanic five-set victory over Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka.
Forget the British stiff upper lip. Reserve was abandoned. Fans punched the air, cheering till they were hoarse. Union Jack flags were frenetically waved.
"At the end, that was probably the noisiest crowd I played in front of," Murray said.
But he was not complaining. "Support is great. If it`s loud, then it`s better."
Wimbledon spokesman Johnny Perkins, reflecting on Murray`s gladiatorial fourth-round battle with Wawrinka, said: "The only danger to the roof was that it could have been blown off by the crowds."
London`s transport system was suddenly confronted late at night with thousands of spectators pouring onto the streets in search of a bus or a train.
"A lot of people descended on the system when not expected. This will not be a regular experience," Perkins told Reuters.
"This is not the start of regular night shifts. This is not the U.S. or the Australian Open. We are conscious we are in a residential area. We need to think of our neighbors," he said.
Murray thought Wimbledon should stay a daytime tournament and not adopt regular night-time sessions.
"You can`t really do it. I don`t think for the outside courts and stuff. They can`t play because of the dew and they don`t have floodlights. I like it being a day event."
Once the euphoria of novelty had died down, Wimbledon spokesman Perkins agreed: "It was an historic occasion but as with all historic occasions, it is best if they don`t happen too often."
(Editing by Miles Evans)
Original article

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Slam stays open-air despite Murray`s roof epic
Slam stays open-air despite Murray`s roof epic

Slam stays open-air despite Murray`s roof epic

(WIMBLEDON, NIGHT, MURRAY, AUSTRALIAN, PERKINS, REGULAR)

By Paul Majendie
LONDON (Reuters) - "Andymonium" reigned supreme at Wimbledon as fans of newly crowned "King of The Night" Andy Murray threatened to blow the new roof off Center Court.
But Wimbledon officials were quick on Tuesday to stress after Murray`s epic night marathon that the world`s most famous tennis tournament would always be a daytime, open-air event.
Players at Wimbledon will not be following the U.S. and Australian Opens with matches played deep into the night.
Anyone who watched the first late night match in the cathedral of tennis will never forget the deafening roar on Monday evening.
The British third seed got a standing ovation from 15,000 screaming fans who leapt to their feet whenever he struck a winner in his titanic five-set victory over Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka.
Forget the British stiff upper lip. Reserve was abandoned. Fans punched the air, cheering till they were hoarse. Union Jack flags were frenetically waved.
"At the end, that was probably the noisiest crowd I played in front of," Murray said.
But he was not complaining. "Support is great. If it`s loud, then it`s better."
Wimbledon spokesman Johnny Perkins, reflecting on Murray`s gladiatorial fourth-round battle with Wawrinka, said: "The only danger to the roof was that it could have been blown off by the crowds."
London`s transport system was suddenly confronted late at night with thousands of spectators pouring onto the streets in search of a bus or a train.
"A lot of people descended on the system when not expected. This will not be a regular experience," Perkins told Reuters.
"This is not the start of regular night shifts. This is not the U.S. or the Australian Open. We are conscious we are in a residential area. We need to think of our neighbors," he said.
Murray thought Wimbledon should stay a daytime tournament and not adopt regular night-time sessions.
"You can`t really do it. I don`t think for the outside courts and stuff. They can`t play because of the dew and they don`t have floodlights. I like it being a day event."
Once the euphoria of novelty had died down, Wimbledon spokesman Perkins agreed: "It was an historic occasion but as with all historic occasions, it is best if they don`t happen too often."
(Editing by Miles Evans)
Original article

Related articles:
Slam stays open-air despite Murray`s roof epic

Slam stays open-air despite Murray`s roof epic

(WIMBLEDON, NIGHT, MURRAY, AUSTRALIAN, PERKINS, REGULAR)

By Paul Majendie
LONDON (Reuters) - "Andymonium" reigned supreme at Wimbledon as fans of newly crowned "King of The Night" Andy Murray threatened to blow the new roof off Center Court.
But Wimbledon officials were quick on Tuesday to stress after Murray`s epic night marathon that the world`s most famous tennis tournament would always be a daytime, open-air event.
Players at Wimbledon will not be following the U.S. and Australian Opens with matches played deep into the night.
Anyone who watched the first late night match in the cathedral of tennis will never forget the deafening roar on Monday evening.
The British third seed got a standing ovation from 15,000 screaming fans who leapt to their feet whenever he struck a winner in his titanic five-set victory over Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka.
Forget the British stiff upper lip. Reserve was abandoned. Fans punched the air, cheering till they were hoarse. Union Jack flags were frenetically waved.
"At the end, that was probably the noisiest crowd I played in front of," Murray said.
But he was not complaining. "Support is great. If it`s loud, then it`s better."
Wimbledon spokesman Johnny Perkins, reflecting on Murray`s gladiatorial fourth-round battle with Wawrinka, said: "The only danger to the roof was that it could have been blown off by the crowds."
London`s transport system was suddenly confronted late at night with thousands of spectators pouring onto the streets in search of a bus or a train.
"A lot of people descended on the system when not expected. This will not be a regular experience," Perkins told Reuters.
"This is not the start of regular night shifts. This is not the U.S. or the Australian Open. We are conscious we are in a residential area. We need to think of our neighbors," he said.
Murray thought Wimbledon should stay a daytime tournament and not adopt regular night-time sessions.
"You can`t really do it. I don`t think for the outside courts and stuff. They can`t play because of the dew and they don`t have floodlights. I like it being a day event."
Once the euphoria of novelty had died down, Wimbledon spokesman Perkins agreed: "It was an historic occasion but as with all historic occasions, it is best if they don`t happen too often."
(Editing by Miles Evans)
Original article

Murray wins thriller under new roof

(SECOND, MONDAY, FIRST, CHAMPION, THIRD, TITLE)

By Martyn Herman
LONDON (Reuters) - Heatwave conditions heralded the start of Wimbledon`s second week on Monday as the surviving 32 men and women in the singles draws chased quarter-finals slots.
With the mercury shooting past 30 degrees as Elena Dementieva polished off fellow Russian Elena Vesnina to become the first player into the last eight, fans grabbing spots near Henman Hill`s huge video screen in advance of the Andy Murray show later sizzled in the sunshine.
Defending women`s champion Venus Williams, looking for a third consecutive title here, was able to conserve vital energy, the American third seed strolling through to the quarters when tearful Serbian opponent Ana Ivanovic retired after losing the first set 6-1.
Like the third round of a golf major, nicknamed moving day, when the top players begin to rise up the leaderboard, Wimbledon`s second Monday is traditionally the moment when the main title contenders turn it up a notch.
Men`s favorite Roger Federer, seeking to reclaim the title he has won five times, has not been absent from the second week of Wimbledon since 2002, the year before his domination of the grasscourt slam began.
Federer, on course for a record 15th grand slam title, was scheduled first on Center Court for his fourth-round match against Robin Soderling, the Swede he beat in the French Open final earlier this month.
At times during the first week Federer appeared to be playing exhibition tennis, so untroubled was his progress, Soderling`s grass scorching serve and the baking temperatures should make the cool-as-a-cucumber Swiss break sweat.
SOARING TEMPERATURES
With older sister Venus already safely through, twice champion Serena Williams was also expected to make short work of unseeded Slovak Daniela Hantuchova in the furnace-like bowl of Court Two.
Murray, the 22-year-old Scot tipped as Federer`s most likely opponent in the men`s singles final on Sunday, has become a tea-time fixture at this year`s championships.
The world number three was again scheduled third on Center Court to play the second best tennis player in Switzerland, Stanislas Wawrinka, when temperatures should have dipped to more comfortable levels.
Support for Murray has grown steadily since the start of the tournament and expectation levels, like the temperatures, are soaring with acres of newsprint mapping out the Scot`s likely route to greatness.
"The biggest question mark this week is whether Murray can maintain his poise," former men`s champion Boris Becker, now a BBC pundit, said on Monday. "If he can, then he is going all the way to the final."
Lleyton Hewitt`s vocal fan club, the Fanatics, will be back on Court Two to watch the 2002 champion take on Radek Stepanek having serenaded the Australian battler into the last 16 for a sixth consecutive year on Saturday.
After a first week of record-breaking crowds, up almost 10 percent on last year, large queues of hot and bothered fans snaked toward the All England Club again on Monday with another busy day expected for the club`s first-aiders.  Continued...
Original article

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Jankovic wilts as fans wait for Murray

By Pritha Sarkar
LONDON (Reuters) - Jelena Jankovic`s challenge melted away in soaring temperatures at Wimbledon Saturday while Andy Murray fans tried to stay cool as they waited for their hero`s prime time appearance on Center Court.
Before attention turned to Murray`s bid to become Britain`s first men`s singles champion in 73 years, spectators flocking into the grounds saw Serbia`s sixth seed looking dazed and confused as she needed medical attention for heat exhaustion.
It was all too much for ex-world number one Jankovic who was stifled 6-7 7-5 6-2 in the third round by 124th-ranked teenage American qualifier Melanie Oudin on a roasting Court Three.
Jankovic`s compatriot Ana Ivanovic and five-times champion Venus Williams faced no such problems.
However, Ivanovic wisely opted not to spend too much time topping up her tan on Court Two as she hurried past Australian Samantha Stosur 7-5 6-2 in just 70 minutes to reach the last 16.
Next up for the 13th seed is world number three Williams.
"It`s going to be a huge challenge. I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to play her because in my first match I was half gone," Ivanovic, cheered on by Australian golfer Adam Scott, said referring to her opening win from match points down.
FLORIDA HEAT
She cannot afford any lapses Monday as American Williams chalked up her 17th successive win at the grasscourt major with a 6-0 6-4 walloping of Carla Suarez Navarro and then declared the weather was not hot enough for "a Florida girl."
"You don`t understand the heat in Florida. I needed a sweater out there," grinned the third seed.
Men`s 12th seed Nikolay Davydenko joined Jankovic at the exit door after being outclassed 6-2 6-3 6-2 by Czech Tomas Berdych.
Germany`s Tommy Haas, stranded at 6-6 in the fifth set overnight, needed to toil in the sun for another six games on Saturday before completing a 7-5 7-5 1-6 6-7 10-8 win over Croatian 11th seed Marin Cilic.
"It has never happened to me that we stopped playing at six-all in the fifth," said Haas, whose match was suspended in near-darkness at 0933 local time (0833 GMT) Friday.
"We should have a tiebreak at six-all like in the U.S. Open. When you`ve played so much tennis... it`s really draining."
As the temperature edged above 28 degrees Celsius many people struggled to cope with the stifling heat.  Continued...
Original article

China`s Olympians win Laureus team award

By Nick Mulvenney
BEIJING (Reuters) - China`s remarkable achievement in topping the medals table at last year`s Beijing Olympics was recognized on Friday when they scooped the team title at the 2009 Laureus Sports Awards.
The Chinese Olympic team got the nod from the 46 sporting greats who make up the Laureus academy ahead of soccer teams Manchester United and Spain, the British Olympic cycling team, the Jamaican Olympic sprint team and the NBA`s Boston Celtics.
China won 51 golds, 21 silver and 28 bronze medals in Beijing to top the medals table for the first time since the country returned to the Summer Games in 1984.
"Beijing was one of the great Olympic Games," academy chairman Ed Moses told a ceremony in the Chinese capital.
"To me one of the most amazing thing was the passion and determination of the Chinese athletes who produced so many epic performances, not just in the sports in which we knew they were good, but in others where China was not expected to do so well."
Deng Yaping, an academy member and part of the organizing committee for the Beijing Games, said the award was a tribute to the huge success of China`s first Olympics.
"This is international recognition of a great achievement," the three-times Olympic table tennis champion told Reuters.
"It is not only an honor for the athletes, team officials and coaches but for the whole nation."
The other awards handed out so far this year have also been dominated by the stars of the Beijing Games with sprinter Usain Bolt winning best sportsman, pole-vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva best sportswoman and swimmer Rebecca Adington best newcomer.
Six gold medalists were at the ceremony to represent the 639 athletes in the Chinese team.
"The other teams were excellent, they did a fantastic job last year but last year was the Olympic year in China, so last year was our year," said Zou Kai, who won three gold medals in gymnastics.
"I feel excited to beat Manchester United (because) I`m a Liverpool fan."
"SMALLER SPORTS"
Past winners of the award have included Manchester United, the Brazil, France, Greece and Italy national soccer teams, the Australia cricket team as well as the England and South African rugby teams.
"This will really encourage athletes from small nations and smaller sports that they can be Laureus award winners," said Deng, who admitted being surprised.  Continued...
Original article

Animated Woods relishes Federer's French Open breakthrough

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tiger Woods enjoyed watching good friend Roger Federer finally win his first French Open tennis title.
A few hours before Woods was scheduled to tee off in Sunday's fourth round of the Memorial tournament in Dublin, Ohio, he made time to view television coverage of Federer's emotional breakthrough in Paris.
"I was pulling for him," American world number one Woods told reporters after clinching his 67th PGA Tour title with a one-shot victory at the Memorial tournament.
"You know, it's fun to watch your friends go out there and play and compete. I get just as nervous doing that because they're my friends."
Federer, who had lost the previous three French Open finals to Spaniard Rafael Nadal, crushed Swede Robin Soderling 6-1 7-6 6-4 in Paris to complete the full set of grand slam crowns.
The Swiss equaled Pete Sampras's record of 14 grand slams, becoming only the sixth man to win all four major tournaments.
"I was as nervous as can be for him," said Woods, who has piled up 14 major titles in golf to trail only Jack Nicklaus (18) in the all-time listings.
"A couple of times there, Soderling had break point in the third set. Roger is off a break, and I'm like: 'Don't lose this break!' I was yelling at the TV, the whole deal."
Woods, who played 18 holes with his swing coach Hank Haney at Bethpage's Black Course in New York on Monday in preparation for next week's U.S. Open, has always enjoyed watching Federer.
"It's just truly remarkable when he gets it going," Woods said. "He hits shots that nobody else can hit. It's fun to watch."
The pair have been close friends since Woods watched the Swiss win the 2006 U.S. Open.
(Writing by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Clare Fallon)

Source: Reuters

Federer reigns in Paris -- at long last

By Pritha Sarkar
PARIS (Reuters) - As Roger Federer watched the yellow ball spin into the other side of the net, he sank to his knees, covered his face and knew that the French Open trophy was his at last.
It was meant to be Federer's day and not even a court intruder, gusting winds or rain showers could stop the Swiss from sweeping past Sweden's Robin Soderling 6-1 7-6 6-4 to achieve sporting greatness.
After burying the 23rd seed in one hour 55 minutes, Federer held his arms aloft and looked up to the sky as he became only the sixth man to complete a career grand slam. The triumph also gave him a record-equaling 14th major crown.
With so much at stake, it was little wonder that Federer started weeping the moment Soderling paddled that final forehand into the net, ending one of the most nerve-jangling weeks in the 27-year-old's career.
The contest was not a classic but the tension was still palpable as 15,000 soggy fans cheered Federer's winners, groaned at his mistakes and applauded his spectacular shots. When it was finally all over, they exploded into a roar of deafening cheers to salute their new claycourt king.
Fittingly, Andre Agassi, the last man to achieve the career grand slam, was on hand to welcome the newest member of the select club and gave Federer a hug before handing over the trophy.
"It is a magical moment," a drenched Federer told the crowd after holding up the Musketeers' Cup high above his head before planting a kiss on to its gleaming surface.
"It might be the greatest victory of my career. It takes away so much pressure. Now, I can play in peace for the rest of my career. Nobody will never tell me again that I have not won Roland Garros," added Federer, who won the title at his 11th attempt.
DARK CLOUD
Never have truer words been spoken as not winning the claycourt major had been a dark cloud on Federer's otherwise impeccable horizon.
While the oodles of talent that runs through Federer's veins helped him to capture 13 grand slam titles at Wimbledon, Flushing Meadows and Melbourne Park, it was never enough in the heartland of claycourt tennis.
If there was ever a place he needed divine intervention, it was in Paris and Soderling turned out to be the Swiss's lucky charm when he got rid of Federer's tormentor, four-times champion Rafael Nadal, in the fourth round.
The Swede, who lists Gladiator as his favorite film, had slayed four seeds to reach his first grand slam final but he stuck to the script and played only a bit part, allowing Federer to seal his standing as the greatest racket-swinger of all time.
All the ifs and buts that had hung over his career through three final losses to Nadal at Roland Garros disappeared like puffs of baseline dust.
In fact the major drama provided on Sunday was by an interloper who jumped on to the court from the stands as Soderling was serving at 2-1 down in the second set. Continued...
Source: Reuters