Rome: Czech Tomas Berdych snapped a run of 11 consecutive defeats by world number one Novak Djokovic to reach the semi-finals of the Rome Masters before Rafa Nadal was stretched to the limit against David Ferrer on Friday.
Berdych clawed his way back from a 6-2 5-2 deficit to stun the Serbian top seed 2-6 7-5 6-4 and set up a semi-final meeting with Nadal, who for the second week running outlasted compatriot Ferrer in a fierce claycourt scrap.
Nadal won 6-4 4-6 6-2 for his ninth consecutive victory over Ferrer who hit the Mallorcan with every weapon in his locker but still came up short as he did in Madrid last week.
"It was an extremely tough match, David always takes you to the limit," Nadal, looking for his sixth title in eight tournaments since returning from injury, told reporters....
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07:52 AM, May 18, 2013
Bangalore: Former World No. 1 Boris Becker on Friday said Rafael Nadal has good chances of winning the French Open this year but added the Spaniard will face competition from Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer. "Rafa's chances are looking good. But then you have others like Djocovic, who is world No. 1. You also have Federer, who is still very good. There is question mark about Andy Murrey though, who...
11:43 PM, May 17, 2013
Rome: Top-ranked Novak Djokovic wasted a chance to serve out the match and was beaten 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 by sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych in the Italian Open quarterfinals on Friday. It's the second consecutive week that Djokovic has struggled, having also lost to Grigor Dimitrov in the second round of the Madrid Open, where he was bothered by a right ankle injury. Djokovic said he had been playing pain free this...
08:17 PM, May 17, 2013
Rome: Top-ranked Novak Djokovic improved his clay-court record this season to 8-1 and reached the Italian Open quarter-finals by beating Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-1, 6-4 Thursday. The only danger Djokovic faced came while serving at 3-2 in the second set. He saved two break points - one with a big serve down the middle and the other with some crisp shot-making that forced Dolgopolov to net a backhand. The start of...
06:10 PM, May 16, 2013
Rome: Novak Djokovic reached the third round of the Italian Open, beating Spanish qualifier Albert Montanes 6-2, 6-3 Tuesday and appearing to have no problems with his injured ankle. Djokovic has reached the final in four of the five past years at the Foro Italico, winning the title in 2008 and 2011. He dropped serve to trail 2-1 in the opening set but broke back immediately and took control from...
10:57 PM, May 14, 2013
Barcelona: Having seen his eight-year winning streak in Monte Carlo ended by Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal is quickly refocusing on winning an eighth title at the Barcelona Open. Going into another clay-court tournament that Nadal has dominated, the Spaniard said he still needs to improve following a lengthy injury layoff before he's able to beat the likes of Djokovic in a final. Speaking in Barcelona on Monday, Nadal said he...
08:39 PM, Apr 22, 2013
Monte Carlo:For the first time in nine years, the Monte Carlo Masters trophy belongs to someone other than Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard's record reign at the clay-court tournament finally ended Sunday as he lost 6-2, 7-6 (1) to top-ranked Novak Djokovic in the final. Nadal won his 46 previous matches and the last eight titles at Monte Carlo - beating Djokovic in last year's final - and his last defeat...
08:33 PM, Apr 21, 2013
Monaco: Eight-time defending champion Rafael Nadal recorded his 46th consecutive win at the Monte Carlo Masters by beating Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 7-6 (3) Saturday to set up a repeat of last year's final against top-ranked Novak Djokovic. The Spaniard has reached five straight finals since returning from a seven-month layoff following a left knee injury. He will go for his fourth title of the season against Djokovic, who cruised...
08:49 PM, Apr 20, 2013
Monaco: Eight-time champion Rafael Nadal extended his Monte Carlo Masters winning streak to 43 matches, and top-ranked Novak Djokovic was relieved his right ankle held firm despite hurting it again as both reached the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters on Wednesday. Nadal beat Marinko Matosevic 6-1, 6-2, but Djokovic spent twice as long on court against Mikhail Youzhny before beating the Russian 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 in 2 hours,...
10:18 PM, Apr 17, 2013
Monaco: Top-ranked Novak Djokovic says he is not sure whether he will play at the Monte Carlo Masters this week, even though his right ankle injury is healing fast. The Serb twisted his ankle last Sunday on Davis Cup quarterfinal duty against the United States. Tests showed that the damage is not as serious as he feared and he has been training with his coach for the past three days...
11:03 PM, Apr 14, 2013
Paris: World number one Novak Djokovic will make a late decision on his participation in the next week's Monte Carlos Masters because of an ankle problem. "The world's top player has undergone an MRI examination this morning which revealed no structural damage to the joint capsule and ligaments," a statement on Djokovic's website (www.novakdjokovic.com) read on Tuesday. "A joint structures strain requires therapy and strict rest in the following days....
09:58 PM, Apr 09, 2013
Boise, Idaho: Even an ankle injury couldn't stop world No. 1 Novak Djokovic from dominating Sam Querrey 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-1, 6-0 to give Serbia an insurmountable 3-1 lead in this Davis Cup quarterfinal at the Taco Bell Arena on Sunday. At 1-1, 30-40 and a second breakpoint opportunity on Querrey's serve, the world No. 1 twisted his right ankle off a forehand and fell to the ground. Wincing in...
08:21 AM, Apr 08, 2013
Miami: Veteran Tommy Haas backed up his upset of world number one Novak Djokovic with a quarter-final victory over Gilles Simon on Wednesday to advance to a semi-final against David Ferrer at the Sony Open in Miami. The 34-year-old Haas, who beat Djokovic on Tuesday, produced a strong encore performance in his 6-3 6-1 victory, when he produced an outstanding return game, breaking Simon once in the first set and...
02:38 PM, Mar 28, 2013
Just shy of his 35th birthday with a battle-scarred body after numerous career-saving surgeries, Tommy Haas produced the shock of the year so far by outclassing world number one Novak Djokovic in Miami on Tuesday. The German's 6-2 6-4 victory at the Sony Open proved again the widely held belief that but for chronic injury problems and bad luck, grand slam titles would surely have come his way. Haas's classical,...
10:59 PM, Mar 27, 2013
Key Biscayne: For the final few games, the fellow frustrating Novak Djokovic from across the net wore a lavender shirt, a red sweatband, black shoes with lime trim and a blue cap. Tommy Haas won ugly, becoming the oldest man to beat a No. 1-ranked player in 30 years. Eight days shy of his 35th birthday, tour veteran Haas defeated three-time champion Novak Djokovic in the fourth round of the...
09:34 AM, Mar 27, 2013
Miami: It was a day to forget for Indian tennis as Somdev Devvarman, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi were all knocked out of the ATP Miami Masters here, losing their respective singles and doubles matches. Somdev went down 6-2, 6-4 to two-time defending champion and World No.1 Novak Djokovic in just 68 minutes in their third-round clash Sunday night. Paes and his French partner Michael Llodra were ousted by Grigor...
02:22 PM, Mar 25, 2013
Miami: World number one Novak Djokovic and Russian Maria Sharapova shook off windy conditions to move into the fourth round of the Sony Open at Miami on Sunday. Serb Djokovic posted a 6-2, 6-4 victory over India's Somdev Devvarman and Sharapova turned back fellow Russian Elena Vesnina 6-4, 6-2. Djokovic's win set up a clash with German Tommy Haas, who beat Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-3 6-2. "It was very difficult...
09:04 AM, Mar 25, 2013
Somdev fought back with relentless tennis to win 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 in two hours 20 minutes against Roger-Vasselin. ...
01:10 PM, Mar 23, 2013
Novak Djokovic cruised to a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Lukas Rosol. ...
12:47 PM, Mar 23, 2013
