2007 Tennis Season

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Roger Federer has been named Laureus World Sportsman of the Year for a third year in a row.

The 25-year-old Swiss became the first sportsman to receive the award on three occasions since it was begun in 2000.

He continued his domination of men's tennis in 2006 by winning three more grand slam titles with his victories at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open.

Federer, who has finished as world number one in each of the three years he has won the Laureus award, also claimed victories in four ATP Masters Series events for the second successive season.

Federer, whose victory in the 2007 Australian Open took his grand slam tally to 10, was also the first player since the Open era began in 1968 to win at least 10 titles in three consecutive years.

The Swiss player's 41-match winning streak going back to August 2006 was ended by Guillermo Canas at Indian Wells last month and the Argentine inflicted another defeat on the world number one in Miami last week.

American Serena Williams took the comeback of the year award, with the breakthrough award going to Amelie Mauresmo after the Frenchwoman won her first two grand slam titles at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

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Bryan twins put U.S. into Davis Cup semifinals


Andy Roddick invited the fans to party with him, James Blake sounded confident and Bob Bryan went as far as to predict a title.

A decisive win over Spain in front of a partisan crowd left the Americans confident they'll end their 12-year Davis Cup drought.

The United States secured a spot in the semifinals on Saturday when the top-ranked doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan beat Spain's Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco 7-5, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5).

Coupled with Friday's singles wins by Roddick and Blake, it gave the United States an insurmountable 3-0 lead in the best-of-five event, putting the Americans a step closer to their first Davis Cup title since 1995.

"Yes, this is our year," Bob Bryan said, drawing a roar from the sellout crowd of more than 14,000.

After dropping the third set on the fast, indoor hard court, the Bryans survived two break points at 4-4 in the fourth set before closing it out in the tiebreaker.

"I was so nervous there," Roddick said to the fans. "But we're all going out tonight so come along and join us. What do you think?"

The United States eliminated a Spanish squad weakened by the absence of Rafael Nadal and will next play at Sweden on Sept. 21-23. Sweden downed Argentina 3-0 on Saturday. In other quarterfinals, Germany ousted Belgium 3-0, and Russia won its doubles match to lead France 2-1.

The Bryans improved to 11-1 in the Davis Cup with a harder-than-expected match against an inexperienced team. They sealed the match on Bob Bryan's volley at the net, two points after Mike Bryan's net cord on Lopez's serve gave the United States a 6-4 lead.

"They've been our rock every time out. Every time I've been on the team, they've given us a win," Blake said. "It's a lock, and it feels so good to have that."

The brothers immediately embraced after the winning point, setting off a flag-waving celebration. The outcome provided a bit of revenge for the United States -- Spain beat the Americans in the 2004 final on clay.

With Nadal home resting a sore foot, the United States took a 2-0 lead on Friday when Roddick beat Verdasco and Blake beat Tommy Robredo. Roddick and Blake watched the doubles match from the team area, and both took turns taking laps with the American flag.

"We feel good. Going to Sweden is a tough match, but they have tough decisions to make about what surface to play us on," U.S. captain Patrick McEnroe said. "We've got a great chance. ... hopefully that match to win and one more."

Sunday's reverse singles matches against Spain were rendered meaningless and will likely be reduced to best-of-three sets. McEnroe said Roddick, recovering from a strained left hamstring, would not play. Blake will be joined by one of the Bryan brothers.

The Bryans have won 36 doubles titles and five Grand Slams, including this year's Australian Open. Lopez and Verdasco are not in their league, but the Spaniards tested them on this day.

"We were more solid in our returns and at the end we were playing so much better than the beginning of the match," Verdasco said. "We are very happy that we are improving and hopefully we'll become a good team in Davis Cup."

Coming in 1-1 playing together in the Davis Cup, Lopez and Verdasco struggled early on the quick surface, but loosened up after dropping the first two sets. They broke Bob Bryan to take a 4-2 lead, and Lopez later served out the set with an ace, the first set taken by Spain in the competition.

"It was a scary match. They were playing with no pressure when we went up 2-0," Mike Bryan said. "They were serving huge. We couldn't read their serves. So, it felt so good to finish off that last tiebreaker."

Verdasco and Lopez, both left-handers, broke the Bryans in the first set. But serving at 5-6, Mike Bryan sent a shot into Lopez's body on break point. The Americans broke Spain again on Lopez's serve to go up 4-2 in the second set, and the United States served out the set on Bob Bryan's ace.

"It was a tough team to play and we were trying to do our best," Verdasco said. "When you are playing good players it's difficult to win in their house."

In other Davis Cup doubles matches:

At Goteborg, Sweden, Jonas Bjorkman and Thomas Johansson rallied to beat Guillermo Canas and David Nalbandian 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-3 on fast indoor carpet. Sweden is captained by Mats Wilander, a seven-time Grand Slam champion. Argentina was a finalist last year.

At Ostend, Belgium, Alexander Waske and Michael Kohlmann beat Belgians Olivier and Christophe Rochus 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-1, to lead Germany to its first Davis Cup semifinal since 1995. Germany will play Russia or France in the semifinals.

At Moscow, Nikolay Davydenko and Igor Andreev gave Russia a 2-1 lead over France by beating Sebastien Grosjean and Michael Llodra 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. The series will be decided Sunday when Davydenko faces Richard Gasquet and Mikhail Youzhny takes on Paul-Henri Mathieu. The Russians haven't lost to France since 1983, and beat them in the 2002 final for their first Davis Cup title.

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Golovin easily defeats Petrova at Amelia Island

Tatiana Golovin beat Nadia Petrova 6-2, 6-1 Sunday for her first WTA Tour singles title at the Bausch & Lomb Championships at the Amelia Island Plantation.

Golovin was appearing in her fourth championship but had been runner-up in each of the three previous finals. This time, there was no denying the French teenager.

Golovin answered nearly all of the top-seeded Petrova's booming but erratic serves and most of her blistering groundstrokes. But her best tactic was to wait until the defending champion made one of her 27 unforced errors.

"I forced my self to be aggressive and stay aggressive and use my forehand," Golovin said. "That kind of put pressure on her. She probably felt she needed to go for the big shots and that's where her mistakes came from."

Petrova was seeking her first successful title defense. She rolled through her first four matches in the tournament without losing a set and declared the green clay at Amelia Island among her favorite surfaces to play on.

But she was broken in her first two serves and again in her fourth serve. All four points she lost in the latter break came on unforced errors, which she agreed was uncharacteristic of her game.

"What I can say is that it is just a lack of concentration. In some situations I was going for too much in trying to finish it off," Petrova said. "I didn't have enough energy really to stick in the balls today. I didn't have quite the desire either, especially after I lost the fist set."

The second set wasn't any better for the defending champion. She lost her serve three times. She saved triple match point with a backhanded winner, but when her forehand was ruled out down the sideline, Golovin threw up her hands in celebration, ready to accept her trophy and first-place check of $95,500.

"The experience of beating Venus (Williams) and Ana (Ivanovic) this week, especially Ivanovic since I had never beaten her in the past, it gives you confidence," Golovin said. "Today I knew that I could beat Petrova. I knew I had the weapons to do so."

Petrova wasn't slated to play next week at the Family Circle Cup in Charleston, S.C.. She said it could be time to for her take a rest.

"I was a bit surprised that I was tired," Petrova said. "I felt good in the warmup but then on the court I felt the fatigue starting to kick in. Maybe it's not only the physical tiredness, I feel mentally tired too. It might be time to take a break and take a couple days off."

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Russia beats France 3-2 to reach Davis Cup semis


Marat Safin beat Paul-Henri Mathieu 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-2 in the decisive singles match Sunday to send defending champion Russia past France 3-2 for a spot in the Davis Cup semifinals.

Russia will play Germany in the next round in September. Russia won its second title last year against Argentina. France hasn't beaten Russia since 1983.

Russia entered play Sunday ahead 2-1 in the best-of-five quarterfinal. Sebastien Grosjean tied it for France by beating Igor Andreev 7-5, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 on clay. That set the stage for Safin, a two-time Grand Slam champion who helped Russia extend its unbeaten streak at home to 13.

"Marat is always perfect in the Davis Cup," France captain Guy Forget said. "He won the first set and went on even better in the entire match."

Safin broke Mathieu in the second game of the second set and twice in the third set. Safin, who didn't play for the first two days, substituted for Mikhail Youzhny. Mathieu beat Nikolay Davydenko in Friday's singles.

"It was a pure accident," said Safin, who is 29-18 in the Davis Cup. "I have not been playing for a long time and won quite unexpectedly."

Mathieu lost in the decisive reverse singles match against Russia for the third straight time. In 2002, Youzhny rallied from two sets down to secure Russia's first Davis Cup title. Andreev beat Mathieu in straight sets in the quarterfinals in 2005.

The last time the Russians lost at home was in the 1995 final, when the United States won its record 31st title.

Grosjean, the team's most experienced player, played instead of Richard Gasquet, while Andreev substituted for Davydenko. Andreev, ranked 235th, beat Australian Open finalist Fernando Gonzalez and Nicolas Massu to save Russia from an early exit in the first round against Chile.

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Federer wins 500th match, Nadal extends clay streak to 65


Roger Federer won his 500th career match Friday in the quarterfinals of the Monte Carlo Masters, and Rafael Nadal extended his clay-court winning streak to 65.

Nadal, who beat Federer in the Monte Carlo final last year, beat Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-2, 6-3. Federer defeated David Ferrer 6-4, 6-0.

"I am very happy to have done it here," Federer said. "That is a lot of games. I'm glad they are victories."

The 10-time Grand Slam champion has never lost a set to Ferrer in six matches.

"I am a bit surprised, because he is a very good player," Federer said. "To beat him 6-4, 6-0 is really phenomenal."

In Saturday's semifinals, the top-ranked Federer will play two-time champion Juan Carlos Ferrero, who beat Richard Gasquet of France 5-7, 7-5, 6-2. The second-seeded Nadal will play Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic in the semifinals.

Federer's first career win came against Guillaume Roux of France in September 1998 at an indoor tournament in Toulouse, France.

"I remember he was coming back from a Davis Cup tie in Israel and was tired," Federer said. "I took him down. The first few questions came right away. 'What are you going to do with your first prize money?' Put it in the Swiss bank, that was my answer."

With the win, Federer's earnings are more than $30 million.

"Two incredible numbers," Federer said. "I've come a long way."

Nadal needed five match points to defeat Kohlschreiber. The German qualifier took a set off Nadal in the second round of the Australian Open.

Berdych won 12 straight games after trailing 3-0 in the second set to beat Robin Soderling of Sweden 5-7, 6-3, 6-0.

"The start wasn't so good today, but then things changed," the 10th-seeded Czech said. "I'm really happy that I can sit here and try to prepare for tomorrow's semifinals."

Berdych attacked Soderling's serve and outmaneuvered his taller opponent with accurate ground strokes.

Ferrero was in trouble while trailing 4-2 in the second set, but he was able to overturn the deficit.

"I didn't manage to hammer the nail home at 4-2," Gasquet said. "That's the only thing I can reproach myself. I was not far away from the semifinals. It's still a good tournament."

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Nadal beats Federer to win third straight Monte Carlo Masters title

Roger Federer seems no closer to figuring out how to beat Rafael Nadal on clay.

The top-ranked Swiss star lost his fifth straight match to Nadal on clay Sunday at the Monte Carlo Masters, 6-4, 6-4, and the second-ranked Spaniard extended his winning streak on the surface to 67 matches.

"I lost four times against Rafa," Federer said. "I'd rather have that than lose against four different guys."

Nadal won the title at Monte Carlo for the third straight year. The two-time defending French Open champion is 14-0 in clay-court finals, and 4-0 against Federer.

But despite his latest setback, the 10-time Grand Slam champion believes he's still on the right track to win the only major that eludes him.

Federer has four Wimbledon titles, and three at both the U.S. and Australian opens, but still needs the French Open to complete the sweep.

"I feel this match gave me some information," Federer said. "I'm absolutely in the mix with him on clay. I feel like I'm in good shape for the rest of clay-court season, and it's going to come down to the French Open to see who wins."

Nadal beat Federer on clay last year in the finals of the Monte Carlo Masters, the Rome Masters and the French Open. He also beat Federer in the 2005 Monte Carlo semifinals.

Only at the Rome Masters did Nadal have to save a match point against Federer on clay.

"Today's match was very close. For sure, it's a surprise to win in two sets against the No. 1," Nadal said. "I was confident because I was playing my best tennis this week."

Nadal is the first player to win three straight Monte Carlo titles since Ilie Nastase (1971-73), and only the fourth in the Open era to have won it three times. Bjorn Borg and Thomas Muster also did so were three-time winners.

Federer, who won his previous two meetings with Nadal on other surfaces, missed two chances to break Nadal in the eighth game of the first set. Nadal saved the first with a strong serve, and the second when Federer's forehand went wide.

"I should have used my chances when I had them early on," Federer said. "Unfortunately, it turned around with a few mistakes."

It was Federer's third loss of the season -- with the other two coming against Guillermo Canas last month at Indian Wells and Key Biscayne.

Federer made 38 unforced errors -- half on his forehand -- and Nadal won on his second match point when Federer sent a backhand long.

"I will try again to beat him in Rome, Hamburg and here in Monte Carlo next year," Federer said.

Federer could not explain why his forehand -- normally his most potent weapon -- was well below its usual standard.

"It rarely happens to me," Federer said. "It's the best shot of my game."

After failing to convert those two early break points against Nadal, Federer trailed 40-0 in the ninth game. He saved one break point, but then a long forehand gave Nadal a 5-4 lead, and he served out the set.

Nadal broke Federer again in the third game of the second set, when Federer's defensive volley was too short and the Spaniard sprinted forward to pass him down the line.

"Let's not forget he's an excellent player on clay," Federer said. "He's born on this surface. It's his No. 1 surface, and still I come so close ... four finals in a row on clay. I feel like I'm in good shape."

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Nadal wins Barcelona title for 72nd straight win on clay

Rafael Nadal won his third straight Open Seat Godo championship Sunday, defeating Guillermo Canas of Argentina 6-3, 6-4 for his 72nd consecutive victory on clay.

Nadal hasn't dropped a set on clay since top-ranked Roger Federer won the first set of their French Open final last year. He credited a more aggressive style for his recent success.

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The King of Clay ruled in this oddest of matches between the two best players in tennis.

Rafael Nadal beat Roger Federer 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (10) in an exhibition Wednesday on a half-grass, half-clay court when the top-ranked Swiss failed to reach a forehand that took a funny bounce across the green side.

"We're used to playing long, hard games with a lot of tension involved," Federer said. "So it's fun to play on this half-grass, half-clay surface."

Nadal came into the match with a record 72 straight wins on clay. Federer hasn't lost on grass in four years -- a 48-match run that includes four straight Wimbledon titles.

"It was a long match, with many changes of pace and with little time to adapt," Nadal said. "My feet are suffering as a price of having to adapt to the grass."

Federer was leading 4-1 in the tiebreaker before Nadal rallied. After the Spaniard double-faulted while ahead 6-5, the players traded match points. Nadal then hit three of the final four winners from the clay side before a sellout crowd of about 7,000.

The grounds crew on Wednesday morning had to rip up and relay the grass court, which cost $1.63 million and had taken 19 days to prepare.

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Clijsters is done with tennis


Her muscles aching when she gets out bed, Kim Clijsters is done with tennis at 23.

The former U.S. Open champion, once ranked No. 1, initially planned to quit after the season. Now, with injuries having exacted too much and her thoughts turning to family and a "new life," her retirement is immediate.

"Health and private happiness are so much more important," she said on her Web site Sunday.

Still ranked No. 4, Clijsters said she was wary of the injuries that have led to fatigue, lack of motivation and a decline in play.

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Nadal adds another record to streak

2 years ago, the Spaniard beat Guillermo Coria to win the Rome Masters in 5 hours, 14 minutes -- the longest final in the open era.
Last year, Nadal edged Roger Federer in a fifth-set tiebreaker for the championship and tied Guillermo Vilas' record 53-match winning streak on clay.

Nadal's streak is still going and it reached 75 Friday with a 6-2, 6-3 quarterfinal win over Novak Djokovic. That matched John McEnroe for the longest winning streak on one surface.

McEnroe, who watched Friday's match from a courtside seat, had a 75-match winning streak on indoor-carpet between September 1983 and April 1985.

Nadal had a chance to break McEnroe's record in Saturday's semifinals against fourth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko, who rallied to beat Tommy Robredo 1-6, 6-3, 6-3.