Forza Francesca!

As the Italian anthem rang out at Roland Garros, the proud Francesca Schiavone realised what she had achieved.

The 29-year-old had not just won her first Grand Slam title but also became the first Italian woman to win a Slam after a 6-4, 7-6 victory over Sam Stosur.

In fact, Italy had not had a Grand Slam winner since Adriano Panatta won the French Open 34 years ago.

This pressure of a desperate nation did not hinder but instead inspired Schiavoni who produced tennis of the highest quality.

She came in as the underdog but she showed that she deserved to become a Grand Slam holder.

Her grace, style and attacking play was worthy of any champion, producing a magnificent display against the Australian.

The seventeenth seed use of the court was a demonstration of how to play on a clay court as she tore through her opponent with an abundance of angled shots to open up the court.

Volleying was also an aspect of her game, which surprisingly was used to much affect on the clay and showed signs that she could also be a threat on the grass.

Despite winning in Barcelona, the Italian was not expected to get anyway near the final due to her inconsistent Grand Slam record.

Even coming into the final, following victories over Elena Dementieva and Caroline Wozniaki, Stosur considered as the clear favourite.

But what Schiavoni showed during this championship was, as printed on her teams shirts, that ‘nothing is impossible’.

Her age, her ranking, her previous record had no bearing on the Italian who demonstrated tremendous fight to capture her first Slam and become the second oldest first time winner since Britain’s Ann Jones in 1969.

She said it was a ‘dream’ but now with a ranking inside the top ten and with a Grand Slam to her name, the Italian must now face the reality of a now expecting nation.

Darkness falls on the French Open

The uncertainties surrounding the second Grand Slam of the calendar year has taken a further hit by the failures of the tournaments organisers over the past week.

The unfortunate weather has not just opened Roland Garros to questions over its future but it has also not been helped by the Championships decision makers.

Despite its long history and prestige within tennis, it is clear that the Slam is lagging behind its three contemporaries.

Its limitations over expanding, has meant the venue of Roland Garros, with the famous red courts of Philippe Chatrier and Suzanne Lenglen, may come to a sad end.

The structure of both are said to not be strong enough to take the weight of a retractable roof which both the Australian Open and Wimbledon have added and there are now plans to have one placed on the Arthur Ashe stadium so the US Open can join the list.

Another problem for Roland Garros is the lack of land available as they are currently 10 aches short of Wimbledon’s 18. The inability to expand and enhance the experience for the public is why they are now seriously considering locating to other places within the capital, with Disneyland being named as a potential site.

Black out

The Championships cause has not been helped by the peculiar decisions made by the referee this year, which has caused much bemusement with the players.

The most significant incident, which highlighted this, was Wednesday’s match between French favourite Gael Monfils and Italian Fabio Fognini (pictured).

At 9.40pm with the match tied at 4-4 in the deciding set and with darkness closing in the tie looked to be ending for the night.

However with the crowd roaring on for their hero to continue and finish off the second round encounter the organisers, who looked to call it a day, were swayed and pretty much forced them to continue.

Although pleasing for the fans, the players were left to battle it out in the darkness, as they traded many uncomfortable rallies with only the only the stadium television screens as the source of light.

With an extra two games completed they finally walked off at 10:00pm, with the match level at 5-5.

This type of treatment was a disgrace and it was not the only big mistake as on many occasions players were out playing in heavy rain when they should have pulled off. The clay is known for withstanding rain but this year the organisers took this to new levels.

With all this going against the French Open, this year more than ever has demonstrated that the Parisians need to sharpen up or else they will fall even further behind.

Time to prove

Now Andy Murray has taken temporary leave from Davis Cup action it now gives the rest of Britain the opportunity to prove themselves.

The LTA announced the side that will take on Lithuania in the Europe/Africa zone group 2 on March 5-7. The squad includes Dan Evans, Jamie Baker, James Ward and the doubles pairing of Ken Skupski and Colin Fleming, with Ross Hutchins as back up.

Although the team has yet to be finalised it is likely that Ward and the young Evans will be given the chance to shine. They are both holding the British no.3 and 4 singles rankings respectively and both competed in the qualifying draw for the Australian Open last month. Baker however has had experience of winning a rubber against Agustin Calleri in 2008 but his form is not at the level it once was.

In the doubles Skupski and Fleming have developed a superb partnership in the past year and will be our biggest chance in securing a win. They have been in great form since the turn of the decade, reaching the semi-final of the Aircel Chennai Open in India before claiming their first main draw victory at a Grand Slam after defeating Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE) and Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) 6-4, 7-5 in the first round of the Australian Open.

John Lloyd AEGON GB Davis Cup Team Captain, said of the selection: “This is a real opportunity for some of our younger players to gain valuable Davis Cup experience. I’m confident that they all have the ability to perform at this level, and a passion to represent their country.”

Bottle

The question though remains is whether they have the bottle?

The fact it is not being played on home soil will actually help their cause especially being away from the media spotlight. Instead the tie will be played on the clay of Vilnius at the Vitas Gerulaitis Memorial Tennis Centre. This is a surface Ward and Evans have succeeded on in the past, most notably Ward, who last year became the first man since Tim Henman to win an ATP Challenger Tour event on the red brick.

Meanwhile, the threat of Lithuania or should I say lack of it, show little signs of causing many problems with only Ricardas Berankis, who is ranked just three places below Ward in the rankings, being the only man to strike any type of concerns.

Other than that it is the perfect opportunity for the British lads to get a positive result and banish the shadow of Murray for the meantime anyway.

SAFINISHED

As Marat Safin waved his final goodbye’s to the tennis world it left us with the conundrum of whether he could have achieved more.

The Russia no doubt had the ability to produce exceptional performances seeing him to two grand slams titles and hold the number one spot in the world in 2000. However he had more low points on the court and always seemed to be having more of battle with himself in matches as he struggled with his temperament, as was one who blew hot and cold.

In some ways though, his unpredictability has added to his character on the tour, as he was often considered as the dangerous floater many draws. But it still leaves us wondering that if he had be more focus and channelled his fieriness in a positive way then the former no.1 may well have made more of an imprint on the game.

‘Supernova’

September 11th may be a date lived long in the world history for the wrong reasons but this was also the date a year earlier when a 20 year old Safin shook the world when he clained the US Open title by defeating the legendry Pete Sampras in the three dominating sets. The 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 victory sent the message to the tennis world that a new star had arrived as he went to the top of the word rankings shortly after.

However the star was to become more of a supernova as he briefly outshines the rest of the field before imploding. This experience was what ultimately will be labelled to the temperamental Russian due to his hot and cold attitude on court that saw him produce many disappointing performances. Also injuries played a part as he struggle to stay in consistent shape over the gruelling calendar.

It was not until 2005 that the star reappeared demonstrating his precocious talents once again. Under the guidance of his new coach Peter Lundgren saw a more focussed Safin determined to capture the Australian Open title. During the tournament he demonstrated his ability to tear apart the field with his ferocious ground strokes going on to defeat Lleyton Hewitt in the final. However his best performance came in the semi final against Roger Federer defeating him in a trilling five set 5-7, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (8-6), 9-7 in which saw him save a match point in the fourth.

‘Rock and Roller’

Inconsistency then crept back into his game plus being hampered by continual injuries. The rock and roll life style also didn’t help his game as he enjoyed the high life; having parties, spending money and going out with many glamorous women.

Speaking in 2007 he said: "But I have no family with me, I have no girlfriends, I have no boyfriends and I have no kids so I never have dinner at home. I'm always eating with my friends at a restaurant, so it's a special life and I'm enjoying it." Thus demonstrating a man that lived life to the full, celebrating every day as comes. However if this had been generated more towards his tennis he could have had more to be celebrate.

By Geoff Berkeley

Pic by Burntfilm

AEGON Championship Preview

A fresh new look and a Britain as top seed, what a year for the LTA as the newly branded Queens club looks in top shape for a stunning week of pre Wimbledon tennis.


The absence of last year’s finalists Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic has now opened the draw up for the new top seed Andy Murray who looks to make an impact on the English lawns this summer.

Britain’s number one has made huge strides on the clay and he will now want to move that form forward on to the freshly cut grass of Queens.

As number one seed there will be plenty of expectations and pressures on the Scot and faces a tricky first match against either Andreas Seppi or Robby Ginepri, who both have many years experience in the championship.

However the only real threat to a first title on the grass will be three time winner Andy Roddick who is in great form at the moment and may draw him in the final, while a possible semi final against the charismatic Frenchman Gael Monfils may also create difficulties.

The world number three will not be the only Brit in the draw as both Josh Goodall and James Ward have been handed wildcards due their prospering world rankings and recent performances. Although both facing extremely tough encounters with Josh Goodall up against US Open quarter finalist Gilles Muller while James Ward will go toe to toe with former Australian Open finalist and Wimbledon quarter finalist Marcos Bagdatis.

Without wildcards there failed to see any other Brits come through and qualify as the likes of Chris Eaton, Dan Evans and Alex Bogdanovic will now all be hoping for good performances in the qualifiers at Roehampton to have any chance of gaining a place at Wimbledon.

The lack of British contingence is bound to be a worry for the LTA which has failed to see an improvement in the men’s game since last year. The policy of not handing out wildcards to Brits bellow the world’s top 250 has been a positive move although it may take another year before we see the likes of James Ward and Dan Evans coming through and making the grade.

New Look

Commercially though the LTA have been making significant steps to acquire more money towards British tennis. The deal struck with Scottish financial service company AEGON as new umbrella sponsor is exactly what the LTA were looking for to help rebrand the pre Wimbledon tournaments while also investing £25 million into the British game.

The striking blue of the Queen’s club which had long been coated in red will take a bit of getting used to. However this is obviously a new era for the LTA and with Murray rapidly moving up the world game, a win for the Scot would truly send a message out to the British people that tennis is on the up.

By Geoff Berkeley
Pic: http://www.lta.org.uk

Rafa’s failure is to Roger’s fortune

The script is already being processed and it is now up to Roger Federer to make the final amendments.

After Rafael Nadal’s shock exit the Swiss now recognizes that this is his chance to immortalise himself within the tennis hall of fame as the all time great.

Sunday’s ‘earthquake’ has not just opened up the draw but signalled to Federer that this might well be the best and possibly only opportunity to complete an historic Grand Slam while also equalling Sampras’s 14.

Since 2005 Roger has failed to come to terms with the mesmeric Spaniard on the Parisian clay. From their first meeting onwards Nadal has been the thorn in Federer’s successful career and it is likely that without this pain Roger would have collected many French Open titles without a problem having lost the last three successive finals to him.

In many ways Soderling’s unforgettable victory makes the challenge a lot easier for Federer however the way he has being playing so far has been nothing but convincing. His performances in the earlier rounds have seen him struggle to find form it has been just pure champions grit which has pulled him through.

Nerve could also play a key factor in the former world number one converting this golden opportunity. His match against Haas demonstrated that when under pressure his forehand can seriously tighten up, as he continually made unforced errors on that wing. However it proved that when the back was against the wall at 7-6, 7-5 4-3 with a break he can still produced a high risk shot to turn the match in his favour.

Challengers

The opponents left in the quarter finals may also feel they have a great opportunity to collect a first grand slam. In fact anyone left in has a great chance, even Soderling who currently is in the form of his life and could yet spring even more surprises.

Federer still has tough opposition in his half of the draw with both Gail Monfils and Juan Martin Del Potro in fine form. However with the experience of 13 grand slam titles behind him this will for sure pay dividends when the tournament nears its end.

By Geoff Berkeley
Pic: vickihuang2001

Can Anyone Ruffle Rafa in Paris?

As the French Open looms so does the presence of Rafael Nadal as he searches out his fifth successive title in Paris.

Nadal’s relationship with Roland Garros has failed to break down as the Spaniard goes in unbeaten on the French dirt. But the question remains is there anyone who can stop the world number one from adding to his tally?

The simple answer to this is no. Who could possibly get past a player who is at the top of his game as he continually tares up the rest of the field with his ferocious shot making.

On clay Nadal is dominant and it is hard to see anyone from stopping him especially in five sets. He looked simply unbeatable in last year’s campaign making easy work of the world’s best, including a straight sets demolition of Roger Federer in the final.

In fact the only person who can stop him is himself. At the moment he is working his body to the ground and as demonstrated in his loss to Federer in Madrid last Sunday cracks are beginning to appear.

Madrid was a bitter pill for Rafa in front of a partisan crowd however it was Djokovic not Federer that took the wind out of Nadal’s sails. His near four hour clash with the world number four exhausted the Spaniard and it was pure grit in the end that pulled him through.

Djokovic is in great form at the moment and is possibly the only potential threat to Rafa’s crown and if the draw goes to plan they could meet each other in the final.

However there is no doubt that Rafael Nadal work tirelessly to regain the title once more moving him one step closer to Bjorn Borg’s record of six straight.

The king of clay begins his march against world number 96 Marcos Daniel on Monday.

By Geoff Berkeley

Pic by aldinegirl12

A Suar-ez born

Carla Suarez Navarro, is a name to be noted. The shot making ability of Justine Henin and the charisma and look of Sanchez Vicario of old, no wonder the Spanish Tennis Federation are excited by this prospect.

The 20 year old Spaniard caused the greatest upset of the tournament so far after defeating favourite Venus Williams in three thrilling sets 2-6, 6-3, 7-5.

It first looked to be a routine victory for the American who took the first set in no time. However it was the second set where Suarez Navarro began finding her range in the match and soon became the aggressor forcing Venus into many unforced areas.

The Aussie crowd were simply in ore of her repertoire of shots, especially her singlehanded backhand which caused Venus many problems culminating in her losing the second set. Then in the decider Williams looked to have rapped up the tie after breaking early on. However Suarez Navarro never gave in, pulling her way back from a 5-2 deficit to take the match 7-5.

This was a remarkable performance by the world number 46, who has already had success in grand slams after unexpectedly reaching the quarter finals of Roland Garros in her first appearance. This landmark win over Venus could now give her the confidence to fulfil her potential and begin to make an impression on the world’s top 20.

'great hope'

Having watched her progress in Roland Garros last year I was in instantly impressed by her skill around the court and huge range of shots. Especially having witnessed the greatest singlehanded backhand in the women’s game leave when Justine Henin retired last March I was immediately struck by the young Spaniard, whom before the French Open I was completely unaware of.

Born in Gran Canaria, Spain in 1988 she developed her game on the small island before she was snapped up by Barcelona Tennis Academy when she was in her late teens. Since moving to the Spanish city she has received top class coaching and is now beginning to fulfil her promise shown when turning pro in 2003.

Her biggest frailty though is her serve; standing at only 5’ 4’’ she is unable to generate much pace however as Henin demonstrated in her career that height is irrelevant. Also like her fellow compatriot Rafael Nadal her game is best suited to the red clay however as demonstrated by her performance today she has the talent like Rafa to develop into an all court player, such is the high level of her ground strokes.

In my mind Suarez Navarro is exactly what the women’s game needs after the shock retirement of Henin. The women’s game has undoubtedly dropped in standard since the little Belgian left the game as they have been unable to find a dominant number one. Let’s just hope this Spanish rising star can carry on her form and perhaps make it to the heights that her talent deserves.

Suarez Navarro now takes on fellow compatriot Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez on Saturday.

Carla Suarez Navarro image by azzurri_nr1

By Geoff Berkeley

Murray under the microscope in Melbourne

Andy Murray kicks off against the wily Andrei Pavel tomorrow in what could be a marvellous next couple of weeks for the Scot.

After an impressive start of the season, with wins in Abu Dhabi and Doha many have been speculating that this is Murray’s year and this is his Slam to lose, with some British bookies tipping him as favourite. Even the Australian media have jumped on the band wagon with lots of media coverage of the 21 year old Scot, demonstrating their belief that he could be the man to win in Melbourne.

With all this expectation going into the Aussie Open, Murray begins his long trail against a less dangerous opponent than what Tsonga turned out to be last year, facing 34 year old Andrei Pavel. A few years ago this match up could have been considered as a tricky tie, as he was once ranked as high as 13th in 2004. Although after an injury prone 2008 have seen the Romanian plummet down the rankings to 1141. The pair last met in 2005 at the US Open first round where a lot younger and not as well conditioned Murray defeated him in five battling sets, which even saw Britain number one physically sick from exhaustion. However this time round it should be more of a breeze for the now world number four, who’s off season training has given him the muscle and the stamina to add to his ability, giving him an excellent chance in collecting one of Tennis’s top prizes.

WATCH LIVE
Murray v Pavel tonight BBC 2 at 11.50pm GMT

‘British Women fall’

From four to one, today was not the greatest day for the British women contingence. The fact four British girls managed to qualify for a slam is quite remarkable considering recent history. However qualifying for a slam is one thing winning in a slam is another. British No.1 Anne Keothavong faced the toughest of the draws against world number 18 Anna Chakvetadze. Anne did fancy her chances going in to the match after good early season form lifting her to a career high 53 in the world. This good form though only appeared in spells, especially in the second set where she competed well to win 7-4 in the tie break. However two poor sets in the first and last saw her crash out losing both of them 6-1. This British disappointment was also compounded by loses of the other Brits in today’s draw. Katie O’Brian, who did very well to qualify, lost against Romanian Monica Niculescu 6-4, 6-4. While the other automatic qualifier Melanie South was displaced in straight sets 6-2, 6-4 by the former Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli.

The last Brit left in the draw is Elena Baltacha, who has had previous success in this tournament after reaching the third round back in 2006, plays Anna-Lena Groenefeld tomorrow.

Today's Men's Results (Click Here)
Today's Women's Results (Click Here)

Andy Murray image by saturnshire

By Geoff Berkeley

Meet 'Team Askew'

Within tennis we have become accustomed to the sporting siblings, the William sisters, the Bryan brothers and the Murray brothers, and there now could be another edition. However there are three of them; Emily, Amy and Beth help make up ‘team Askew’ and more importantly they are young British and extremely talented.

It is not sure that they will all make it in the senior game at this stage however they are making an impression on the county scene already, helping the Lancashire Ladies Team secure the Winter County Cup for only the second time in their history. That side was nicknamed ‘Team Askew’, as they tore apart the rest of the competition last weekend, with the help of the three sisters.

The team of sisters look destined to power on through the amateur game and into professional tennis. At the ages of 16, 15 and 13 and having already made appearances for their County and even Great Britain, it promises great things.

The girls were made in Liverpool but their tennis trade was bred in Lancashire at the highly regarded South Ribble Tennis and Fitness Centre in Preston (Click for Map). They have played at many clubs across the North West but this seems to be establishing itself as their home. Head Coach at the club Brendan McGuire believes they are at the right club, saying: “it is one of the best tennis clubs in the country. It’s been consistent in its performance. Top coaches, good friendly environment, so as far as centre’s go I would put it up there with the best.”

Support has come from the LTA to fund their programs. Demonstrating the LTA’s confidence and belief in the three girls, who are coached by different coaches within the club. Emily Askew is coached by Jane O’Donoghue, who featured at Wimbledon as a player, while Amy is coached by Danielle Hock, who is an experienced member of Lancashire Ladies team. The only player directly coached by head coach Brendan McGuire is the youngest Beth Askew, and is possibly the likeliest out of the three to make a big impression within the game.

However without tremendous support from their loving parent they may not even have a future within the game. It takes thousands of pounds to develop a winning player from age 5 to age 18 and a majority of the cash comes out of the parents pockets. But both Joanne and Cliff Askew have work tirelessly to get them were they are now and don’t look to be holding back. Coach Brendan McGuire said that especially the father, Cliff, has had the magic formula from the word go, as he takes a lot of time out to help find out what is best for his girls to be the best they can be.

I spoke to Brendan McGuire to find out what his view is on each of the girls.



Through this interview it has become clear that Beth Askew looks to on her way to the very top, perhaps following the footsteps of fellow Brit Laura Robson, who has made rapid rise in the professional game. Beth is ahead of her years, “exceptional for her age. I haven’t met a 13 year old talent who can hit a ball like Beth. She reads the game particularly well, she’s a special talent”: said the proud Coach.

Even though Beth has been singled out as the great hope of Lancashire and British Tennis, it is still possible to have all three together at the top. Emily like Brendan said needs to compete more and gain confidence from winning, as she no doubt has the ability. While Amy has already had success with the Great British Junior Fed Cup team and individually, winning National Championships, so if she can stay away from the injuries that are hindering her at the moment, then it is possible that the Tennis world will be hearing a lot more about ‘team Askew’.

By Geoff Berkeley

Askew sisters inspire Lancashire Ladies to victory

Lancashire Ladies County Tennis side captured their first Winter County Cup in over 15 years.

Nicknamed ‘Team Askew’ due to the inclusion of the three Askew sisters; Emily, Amy and Beth, all helped contribute to what was a phenomenal performance by the North West County.

The Winter County Cup is widely regarded within the amateur county game as the pinnacle. However the Lancashire Ladies swept aside all competition in the Group 1 Premier Division including Buckinghamshire, Nottinghamshire and their fiercest rivals Warwickshire, to lift their second major trophy in the last two years. This victory followed up their Summer County Cup win last year, which was their first ever summer event win in their 112 year history.

Captain Rachael Hyland was delighted with the sides display, she said: “I am ecstatic about the win. Considering until the end of 2006 we had only won one major event in 100 years, so in two years we have trebled our trophy cabinet. It’s fantastic”.

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The indoor courts of The University of Bath Tennis Club took stage to what was a tremendous competition set over last weekend. The first match began with a titanic battle between Lancashire and Warwickshire, who were considered the team to beat in this group, having previous won the last two Winter County Cup’s. However Lancashire stepped up to the challenge with vaguer and destroyed them. Beth Askew and Anjoli Fraser kicked off the tournament with a tight match. Beth began nervously in her first appearance, losing the first set 6-0, which is then where an experienced word of confidence from the captain helped lift her performance. Beth eventually rolled over her opponent in three sets, 0-6, 6-0, 6-4. From that moment on Lancashire took apart what was a strong side, winning all three doubles to secure a 7-2 victory. Rachael Hyland exclaimed: “This was an outstanding result against what are a tough side, especially in the doubles.”

Lancashire Ladies then turned on the style in their next match crushing their weakest competition Nottingham 9-0. Then on the final day they secured the title with a 7-2 triumph over Buckinghamshire to cap off a brilliant weekend.

Lancashire Ladies Results
Beat Warwickshire 7-2
Beat Nottinghamshire 9-0
Beat Buckinghamshire 7-2

Final Table
Group 1 - BATH
1.Lancashire 21pts
2.Warwickshire 15pts
3.Buckinghamshire 11pts
4.Nottinghamshire 3pts

The team has caused great hope within the Lancashire Tennis, especially due to the inclusion of three exciting young sisters. The Askew sisters are made up of Emily the eldest at 16, Amy at 14 and the youngest Beth at 13. And it was Beth that in some ways was a surprised selection considering her lower rating. However the Captain dismissed that the inclusion of Beth was down to sentimental reasons, saying: “As a captain I have to look at who is potentially the better player regardless of the ratings. I didn’t pick her for sentimental reasons because she is young and a prospect. I picked her because I want to win, and she did win.”

Skipper Rachael Hyland, aged 32 of Abbley Bridge, Lancashire has been a key part of the team’s success since taking over the captaincy post at the beginning of 2007. She has brought success to a county, who had previously been known for their near misses. While she has been part of those teams, during her 20 years with the county, she has also been part of a successful one. As she happened to be part of the Lancashire County side that last won the Winter County Cup in 1992, in what was her first appearance. This experience seemed to help inspire the side to a masterful display.

The victory in this weekend’s Winter County Cup in the style and manner they did it in (only losing just four rubbers) demonstrated the fact that Lancashire are the top side in the country. “We do not have as good a record as say a Surrey or a Warwickshire, who have won these events plenty of times. But after winning the way we did, I would say we are definitely in the top three, maybe even No.1”: beckoned a very proud captain.

By Geoff Berkeley

South Ribble tennis and fitness centre

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This club is well regarded within Lancashire.

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Is Andy Murray a good role model for children to aspire to?

In Andy Murray's Autobiography 'Hitting Back', Murray states of his disappointment in the British game and the mentality of the British players.

"There is something wrong with the mentality and work ethic of most of the British players," Murray writes. "There doesn’t seem to be anyone who's brutally honest about it either. I think the best way is to confront it, especially when it has been so bad for so long. Someone in authority at British tennis should come out and say: 'Look we're doing really badly. We're not good enough. We must make some changes'."

However could it be Murray that is not representing himself as a good enough role model for young tennis players to aspire to.

I spoke to players young and old at a local Tennis club in Preston to find out what they thought of Murray.

Nalbandian defeats Murray in Paris

Andy Murray’s 14 match winning streak came to an end by defending champion David Nalbandian.

The Argentine played some sublime Tennis to knock out the world no.4 in straight sets 7-6, 6-3.

Murray went into the match in incredible form and was arguably the most feared man on the circuit winning Cincinnati, Madrid and St Petersburg in succession.

This match though demonstrated that perhaps the amount of Tennis and travelling he has had to endure was all getting a bit too much for the Scot, who looked jaded at times. His first serve let him down throughout and he struggled to dominate at the back against a man who he had not played since losing to him at Wimbledon in 2005.

The rejuvenated Nalbandian always plays his best on the indoor courts and he defiantly was the aggressor in this quarter final dual. The first set was tightly contested with both players breaking serve, but the World No.11 battled through in the tie break taking it 7-3. After losing the first set Murray could not keep his game together as he became increasingly frustrated. Nalbandian then broke early in the second set as he began to play some exquisite Tennis, the type of Tennis that saw him reach world No.3 in 2006. Murray also showed glimpses of the player that won the previous two master series title, with an incredible sliced forehand cross court shot to break back immediately at 2-2. However Murray could not maintain his A game for long periods and the Argentine exploited this going on to win the match 6-3 in the second set.

Pulled Out

David Nalbandian will now take on Russian Nikolay Davydenko after he knocked out Rafael Nadal who retired hurt. The world No.1 received extensive treatment on court with a knee injury and after battling through the first set losing 6-1, he felt it best to retire and rest for the upcoming Masters Cup in a fortnight.

Another surprise came in the other half of the draw as Roger Federer pulled out of his match against James Blake, with a back injury. This will please the American who is a step closer to clinch a place in Shanghai. James Blake will play Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, knowing that a win will secure him a place in the Masters Cup. Tsonga also has the chance of qualify after defeating Andy Roddick from a set down in an enthralling match, winning 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5)'

Quarter Final Results:

[6] N Davydenko (RUS) d [1] R Nadal (ESP) 6-1 ret. (knee)[11] J Blake (USA) d [2] R Federer (SUI) W/O (back)[8] D Nalbandian (ARG) d [4] A Murray (GBR) 7-6(3), 6-3[13] J Tsonga (FRA) d [7] A Roddick (USA) 5-7, 6-4, 7-6(5)

Semi Final Draw

(6) Nikolay Davydenko v (8) David Nalbandian
(13) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga v (11) James Blake

THE RACE FOR SHANGHAI
1. *Nadal (1335pts)
2. *Federer (1041pts)
3. *Djokovic (929pts)
4. *Murray (684pts)
5. *Daveydenko (463pts)
6. *Roddick (394pts)
7. Del Potro (369pts) – Will qualify if Davedenko or Nalbandian becomes champion.
8. Simon (356pts) – Cannot qualify as either Blake or Tsonga will reach the final.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. Blake (355pts) – Will qualify if he defeats Tsonga
10. Ferrer (339pts) – Cannot Qualify
11. Tsonga (335pts) – Will qualify if he defeats Blake
12. Nalbandian (320pts) – Will only qualify if he becomes champion

*= Qualified for Shanghai
Bold = Still competing in the Paris Masters Series event.

Murray’s streak keeps on rolling in Paris

The seemingly unstoppable Scot secured a place in the quarter finals of the Paris Masters today after a straight sets victory over Spaniard Fernando Vedasco. The Britain’s streak has now increased to 14 wins after championing in Madrid and last week in St Petersburg.

The world No.4 will now face a difficult test tomorrow against defending champion David Nalbandain. The Argentine is desperate to make up one of the now two remaining places for the year ending Masters Cup. His victory over current world No.7 Juan Del Potro, will now put Nalbandian in a good position to sneak into the top eight, as his fellow countryman's place looks increasingly vulnerable.

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Andy Roddick defeated Giles Simon 6-3, 7-5 to become the sixth player to guarantee a place in Shanghai. The Frenchman could not maintain his good form which took him to the final of Madrid and will now has to rely on results going his way to be able to still book a trip to China, as he currently lies in an uncomfortable eighth in the 2008 ATP Race for Shanghai. With Simon falling, it has left an opportunity for world No.10 James Blake to capture one of the two remaining positions. The American’s victory over Phillip Kohlshreiber has though set up a tricky tie against Roger Federer.

The shock of the day came when Jo Wilfred Tsonga defeated the world No.3 Novak Djokovic in a thrilling three set match, winning 6-4, 1-6, 6-3. Tsonga demonstrated the type of aggressive Tennis which saw him reach the Australian Open final. The other top seeds though came through unscaved, including Davydenko who crushed Berdych 6-1,6-1, also Federer dispatched the young and upcoming Croat Marian Cilic 6-3, 6-4, while the world No.1 Rafael Nadal booked his place in the last eight with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Gail Monfils.

THIRD ROUND RESULTS

[1] R Nadal (ESP) d [16] G Monfils (FRA) 6-3, 6-2; [2] R Federer (SUI) d M Cilic (CRO) 6-3, 6-4; [13] J Tsonga (FRA) d [3] N Djokovic (SRB) 6-4, 1-6, 6-3; [4] A Murray (GBR) d [15] F Verdasco (ESP) 6-3, 7-6(6); [6] N Davydenko (RUS) d T Berdych (CZE) 6-1, 6-1; [7] A Roddick (USA) d [10] G Simon (FRA) 6-3, 7-5; [8] D Nalbandian (ARG) d [9] J del Potro (ARG) 6-4, 6-0;[11] J Blake (USA) d P Kohlschreiber (GER) 6-4, 6-4

TOMORROWS QUARTER FINAL DRAW

(4)Andy Murray vs. (8) David Nalbandian

(1)Rafeal Nadal vs. (6)Nikolay Davydenko

(11)James Blake vs. (2) Roger Federer

(7)Andy Roddick vs. (13)Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

Murray is a potential World No.1 after Madrid Master's Series Win

I agree with Harry Cicma’s comment on his blog Tennis Talk about Murray becoming a potential world number One. This statement comes after Murray managed to follow up his win in Cincinnati with another Master's Series in Madrid this week, demonstrating his ability to remain consistent at the top of his game.

image by tallgareth

Madrid Master Series Result

Final: Andy Murray defeating Gilles Simon 6-4 7-6(8-6) Watch Final Highlights

Murray’s route to the final

Semi Final: bt Roger Federer 3-6, 6-3, 7-5

Quarter Final: bt Gael Monfils 6-2, 6-2

3rd Round: bt Marin Cilic 7-5, 7-6 (7-2)

2nd Round: bt Simone Bolelli 6-0, 2-1 retired

1st Round: Bye

View Completed Draw

After watching Andy Murray’s brilliant performances in recent week’s I have also been considering the possibility of Murray being a future world No.1. He undoubtedly has the talent to be at the top whilst having the versatility to play on all surfaces.

At the moment I would rank Murray as the top hard court player in the world, considering his performances in Cincinnati, the US Open and now in Madrid. While Andy Murray’s grass court game is getting better year by year, as his serve is becoming an ever increasing weapon. Clay though has been the Brit’s weaker surface. However a straight sets victory over clay court specialist Jose Acasuso in this year’s Roland Garros, demonstrated that he has the game to challenge for titles on clay. Murray has also now brought in coach Alex Corretja into his ever expanding team. Corretja was once a French Open finalists and is a very experienced clay court player, so with his help we should start seeing an upward curve in Andy’s performances on the red clay.

To be one number one though you have to be winning slam titles and I am sure sooner rather than later Murray will claim he first slam. That slam may even come as soon as next year’s Australian Open in January if he carries on his good form.

‘Musical Chairs’

Harry Cicma also stated that he believed in the next few years we will see ‘musical chairs’ with Federer, Murray, Nadal and Djokovic, trading the No.1 spot. The musical chair effect he suggests is particularly plausible taking into account the year we’ve had: Beginning with the Austrialian Open, which saw the emergence of Novak Djokovic to the elite, as he claimed his first slam title. Then Rafael Nadal dominated by winning the French open title once again and then Wimbledon, defeating Roger Federer in what was arguably the greatest match of all time. Nadal then went on to replace Roger as world number one. However after losing the No.1 spot Roger Federer bounced back, defying all who doubted the great man by winning his fifth US Open title and 13th slam. While in recent months we have seen Andy Murray come of age and become the most feared man on the ATP tour at the moment. This accolade comes after winning back to back ATP Master’s series events and also reaching his first slam final in this year’s US Open.

In conclusion, this year has demonstrated the closeness of these top four players and I am pretty certain there will be a few chopping and changing in 2009. It is going to be an exciting few years ahead for men’s tennis that’s for sure.

By Geoff Berkeley

Preview to the Madrid ATP Masters Series

View The Madrid ATP Master Series Draw

The season is fast approaching its end and there are plenty of positions still to be decided.

The Mutua Madrilena Madrid Masters is the penultimate ATP Masters series event with Paris following later this month. All these events are leading up to who will be participating in the final tournament in China with only the world’s top eight eligible to play.

STANDINGS FROM THE WEEK COMMENCING 13/10/08:

1.Rafael Nadal (1265pts)
2.Roger Federer (921pts)
3.Novak Djokavic (899pts)
4.Andy Murray (520pts)
5.Nikolay Davydenko (417pts)
6.Andy Roddick (354pts)
7.David Ferrer (337pts)
8.Juan Martin Del Potro (312pts)

THE RACING PACK:

9. James Blake (309pts)
10.Stanislas Wawrinka (286pts)
11.Fernando Gonzalez (283pts
12.Gilles Simon (261pts)

View Full ATP Ranking List

Rafael Nadal goes into his first ATP Masters Series as world number one in his homeland, however it is still undecided whether he will finish the year at the top with Federer chasing him down, desperate to retain the crown once again. However while Roger is still tussling with Rafa, Novak Djokovic is only just behind in third and if results go Novak's way he could then claim a career high second place when overtaking Federer. While the Cincinnati Masters winner Andy Murray is in good form and another win here would put pressure on the Serb, who he is looking to catch.

The draw is unkind for Rafa who has talented Latvian Ernest Gulbis and Stan Wawrinka who is very much in the race for a top eight place and also he could meet rival Djokovic in the semi finals, which has always been a difficult match for him. While Roger seems to have the easier draw with only defending champion Nalbandian or in form Del Potro as potential quarter final opponents. Andy Murray has probably the best path to the semi finals out of the top four seeds, as the Briton will be hoping for back to back series win.

The racing pack will be hoping for good performances this week, such as Gonzalez, who possibly faces a difficult test again world number six Andy Roddick in the second round. While James Blake and Gilles Simon will be likely opponents in the second round, which will be an interesting match-up, with both players desperate to gain those vital points to play in the desirable Shanghai Masters Cup event in November.

By Geoff Berkeley

Will Jankovic now make the No.1 spot her own?

With Jelena’s win in Stuttgart backing up her win in China a week earlier, she will now take on the role as women’s world number one. This form has now begged the question: Is Jankovic the long term answer as the No.1 women’s player?

The women’s game is in desperate disorder at the moment in its search for a figure head, after Justine Henin's shock departure from the game last May. Many players have touched the summit, including; Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic and recently Serena Williams, however none have been able to grasp it. Jelena Jankovic will now regain the responsibility of the women’s game once again after a brief spell at the top before the US Open.

There have been many twists in this year’s race for No.1 after Justine Henin’s dominance came to an abrupt end as she retired with immediate effect in the spring, much to the shock of the sporting world. Then suddenly the limelight was on Maria Sharapova who stepped into the role. At the beginning of the year she looked to be back to her sublime best winning in the Melbourne sunshine to claim her third slam of her career. However a niggling shoulder injury hindered her game for the rest of the season and now lies sixth in the race. Next it was Ana Ivanovic’s turn to capture the world and not just in a tennis sense. She has the looks, the personality, the game and the winning mentality to become the WTA’s saviour. And after winning the French in style all was looking rosy for the Serb as number one, although perhaps the pressure and the attention began getting to Ana, as she suddenly started hitting bad form, being dumped out of the early stages of both Wimbledon and the US Open. The next half of the year saw the resurgent’s of the Williams sisters who got back to their powerful best, sweeping aside any challengers at Wimbledon to face each other in the final. But even though Venus got on top that time it was Serena who began to look as if she could begin dominating again winning the US Open and looking in good shape. However in the midst of all this chopping and changing, it may be the consistent Jelena Jankovic who will finish top of the class at the end of 2008. She has somewhat been the dark horse in this race, as she has quietly gone about her business, with solid performances in all the slams, whilst picking up many tour titles along the way, demonstrating that she is very much a strong contender for No.1.

Jankovic has undoubtedly got the ability to hold the top spot; the problem is that unlike Maria, Ana and Serena she has not yet got her name on a slam title. This has been her downfall in her young career, but having reached the semi finals in three out of the fours slams and recently got to her first final in this year’s US Open, the Serbian nation and the tennis world are sure that it will not be long until she captures that allusive slam.

Her performances in recent weeks have not just given her a flash red Porsche after winning the Stuttgart Porsche Grand Prix but also given her an edge in the WTA rankings with over a 600 points advantage over nearest rival Serena Williams. And now with Serena pulling out of next week’s Kremlin Cup in Moscow with an ankle injury there is a serious opportunity for Jelena to drive on even further and make the number one spot her own.

By Geoff Berkeley

Sedgley Tigers RUFC v Coventry RUFC

A late Tom Slater try saved the blue and white’s blushes with a 30-27 win over Sedgley Tigers on Saturday.

This win will give the team a vital boost going into a tough few weeks ahead, playing three of the top sides in the division in succession.

"It was a win gained in very dramatic style and it builds confidence which we have to take forward to the next game," said Head Coach Phil Maynard speaking to the Coventry Telegraph.

Coventry had to fight back after Sedgley Park took the initiative in the first half leading 14-9 at the break. A Tigers try was the difference in an even first 40 minutes, coming from a well worked move that was finished off by scrum half Chris Leck. Coventry’s Ronnie McLean kept them in the match with his boot however hitting the upright with an attempt that would have narrowed the deficit.

The north Manchester side then increased their lead to an eight point gap with a penalty by Matt Riley soon after the break. Coventry then began forcing the issue with ball in hand and they were rewarded a try after good work by McLean offloading to George Dixon who bustled his way to the line, McLean converting.

Sam Herrington then drove himself over to get his maiden try in a blue and white strip. The converted try put Coventry ahead 23-20, cancelling out the Tigers earlier penalty.

Then in the last ten minutes Sedgley looked to have taken the match with a converted try, as Pete Swatkins dived over in the corner.

However the Blue and White’s never gave in all game, and in overtime No. 8 Laurie McGlone burst through to set up Slater who sprinted under the post to snatch a vital win, much to the joy of the travelling supporters.

Maynard added: "It was poor, but you can only be as good as you're allowed to play and to be fair, Park stood up to be counted.

"At the end of the day, just to win here has to be a positive. We scrapped to the last play, and when you have got irrepressible players like young Tom and people like Laurie who will play to the end, you have always got a chance.”

Sedgley Park: tries Leck (26), Swatkins (71); conversion Riley (71); penalties Riley 5 (4, 13, 33, 42, 62).

Coventry: tries Dixon (49), Herrington (66), Slater (80); conversions McLean 3; penalties McLean 3 (12, 16, 19).

Sedgley Park: Riley; Swatkins, Hall, Tafa, Wilcock; Wilkinson, Leck; Gazzola (Evans 76), Roddam (Roberts 21), Du Plessis (Livesey 76), Fourie (Woods 64), Townson, Jones (Largan 80), Newton (Crous 59), Cook.

Coventry: Russell; McLean, Dixon, Winter (Montague 43), Parry; Dorrian, Slater; Whitehall, Whitehead (Pearl 51), Dugard, Herrington, Burgess, Venter, Clayton (Thomas 73), McGlone.

Referee: G Garner (RFU).

By Geoff Berkeley