Mauresmo crashes out of China tennis open
Former world number one Amelie Mauresmo was on Monday dumped out of the China Open, where the battle will continue for the top ranking in the women's game.
Two-time Tennis Grand Slam winner Mauresmo, who has plummeted to 25 in the world after an injury-ravaged 2007, took the first set against Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova but crashed to a 6-3, 4-6, 3-6 defeat.
"It's definitely disappointing, especially since I thought I was playing some pretty good tennis out there tonight," said Mauresmo, 29. "I will have to digest this one and make sure I go back on the right track for the next few tournaments."
The former Wimbledon and Australian Open champion, who hit 13 double faults, said continuing injury problems had limited her practice time this year, although she said she had been injury-free for the past two months. Cibulkova, ranked five places above the French player, wrapped up victory in two hours 30 minutes in blustery conditions in front of a sparse crowd. The 19-year-old raised her game in a second set in which both players had trouble holding serve, winning the final three games from 4-3 down to level the match.
In the decider, an increasingly nervy Mauresmo, whose performance was littered with errors, broke in the first game but then lost her serve to love as Cibulkova levelled the scores at 3-3. The Slovakian, sensing her chance, broke Mauresmo again to lead 5-3 before serving out for the set. Earlier, Daniela Hantuchova, the seventh seed here, beat Argentina's Gisela Dulko 6-3, 6-1.
The win for the Slovakian, now ranked 13 in the world, followed victory for Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues over Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, also in straight sets. Hantuchova was pleased with her performance, saying: "I think I did the right thing. I got a lot of break points."
Serbians Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic are seeded one and two at the 600,000-dollar China Open. New world number three Dinara Safina, who captured the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Sunday, withdrew due to injury. The women's top ranking has been in flux since Justine Henin's surprise retirement in May, passing between Maria Sharapova, Ivanovic, Jankovic and current number one Serena Williams. Meanwhile, on the men's side of the draw in Beijing, defending champion and Olympic silver medallist Fernando Gonzalez faces a tough battle to retain his title, with top seed David Ferrer and former world number one Andy Roddick in the hunt.
Copyright 2008 AFP.
Cole Haan to Launch New Sporting Collection With Maria Sharapova in Unprecedented Collaboration
Cole Haan, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NIKE, Inc., today announced Maria Sharapova as a lead collaborator and the face of Cole Haan Sporting, a new collection for Spring 2009, rooted in sport and remixed with fashion.
Cole Haan Sporting stakes out fresh territory with a new, dynamic pairing of Cole Haan's authentic craftsmanship and Nike's sports innovation. The collection introduces new technologies like Flywire which build on the
successful Nike Air franchise by recasting them into fashion-forward designs. The Spring 2009 global launch of Cole Haan Sporting includes men's and women's footwear and accessories, and features international tennis champion Maria Sharapova. This lifestyle fashion collection will encompass day to evening silhouettes in both the footwear and accessorie categories.
"Maria Sharapova embodies the blend of fashion and sport that makes Cole Haan Sporting unique," said Cole Haan Chief Executive Officer James Seuss. "We created this collection as the foundation to dynamic lifestyle, weaving Cole Haan's history of craftsmanship with Nike's tradition of high-performance innovation."
Maria Sharapova, 21, is a triple Tennis Grand Slam winner who has a longstanding passion for style. She will step into the role of collaborator for the Fall 2009 season.
"Cole Haan Sporting proves that fashion and technology can work together to change the way women think about and wear sport-inspired product," said Sharapova. "I look forward to working with Cole Haan to bring new innovations to this leading fashion brand with such a rich history."
For Spring 2009, Cole Haan Sporting will embody sport style with a collection inspired by nautical, court, track, and golf. The women's footwear collection include elevated wedges, chic flats and sleek sandals. Signature men's styles include the brand's iconic boat shoe and edgy lace-ups in bold color palettes paired with classic neutrals. This new collection will continue to showcase Nike Air, an innovation that
has enabled Cole Haan to redefine luxurious style and comfort. Outside, the styles are pure Cole Haan, luxurious and fashion forward; inside, they share Nike's innovative technology that debuted in Beijing.
The accessory collection encompasses a range of silhouettes from a tennis racquet bag to a versatile duffle. Continuing to weave style with innovation, the accessories will be created from recycled plastic bottles and will be trimmed in vegetable chrome-free leather. Cole Haan Sporting will be sold at Cole Haan boutiques worldwide, luxury department stores and on colehaan.com.
Price points range from USD 115 to USD 200 (footwear) and USD 225 to USD 550
(accessories).
Copyright 2008 PR Newswire. All rights reserved.
Nadal on top of the world
Federer, 27, relinquishes his hold on the top spot after 237 weeks.
The Swiss player has struggled all season, while Nadal, 22, has played some of the best tennis of his career, winning eight titles including Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the Olympic gold.
Asked about his feelings on becoming number one, the Mallorcan left-hander, said: "I'm very happy to be number one. But the feeling doesn't change too much because the last years I did very well, too.
"I was very happy being the number two. So finally I'm number one. For sure there's satisfaction, but at the same time ... I don't know. I don't have time to celebrate. I play New York in one week."
He is seeking his third Grand Slam in a row after beating Federer in the finals in Paris and Wimbledon.
Olympic finalist Fernando Gonzalez of Chile moves up four places to 11th, while Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro, winner of his fourth consecutive title in Washington Sunday after Kitzbuhel, Stuttgart and Los Angeles, moves to 17th.
Copyright 2008 Yahoo! and Eurosport. All rights reserved.
Pin cruises past Makarova in first-round upset
MASON, Ohio -- Camille Pin upset seventh-seeded Ekaterina Makarova 6-2, 6-0 in the first round of the Cincinnati Open on Monday.
"I knew she was a tough player," Pin said. "When I watched her play, I knew there were certain ways she liked to play, and I tried not going to where she liked."
Slovenia's Katarina Srebotnik became the first seeded player to advance in the Western and Southern Financial Group Women's Open. The fourth-seeded Srebotnik beat American Amanda Fink 6-3, 6-3.
No. 3 seed Maria Kirilenko of Russia, the highest seed to play on the first day, held off Su-Wei Hsieh of Taiwan 6-2, 7-5.
"The first day is always difficult," said Kirilenko, who lost as an unseeded player to fourth-seeded Marion Bartoli in 2004, her only other appearance in the tournament. "I knew (Hsieh) from juniors, so I knew she'd be difficult, and I was having trouble with the tension on my strings. They were too loose."
Tamira Paszek became the second seeded player to be eliminated when she was forced out by illness in the third set of her match against Petra Cetkovska, who was leading 4-6, 6-3, 4-1.
Wild card Lilia Osterloh beat Anne Keothavong 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-4 in a match that last more than 2½ hours.
In other first-round matches, Nathalie Dechy beat Olivia Sanchez 6-2, 6-2, and Julie Ditty beat Yuan Meng of China 2-6, 6-1, 6-4, Stephanie DuBois knocked off Evgeniya Rodina 6-2, 7-6 (3), and Sabine Lisicki needed three sets to beat Anna Tatishvili 5-7, 7-5, 6-0.
The 26-year-old Pin lost to seventh-seeded Akiko Morigami in the first round of last year's Cincinnati tournament in a three-set match that went to tiebreakers in the last two sets.
"I knew I could win here," she said. "Last year, I got to match point, and Morigami went to the finals."
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
McEnroe says Sampras breathing easier as Federer s
LOS ANGELES (AFP) - John McEnroe says Pete Sampras is surely breathing a sigh of relief with Roger Federer's impending drop from the world number one spot after four and a half years of domination.
"I'm sure Pete is sleeping a bit better than he was nine months ago," the American tennis icon said during a senior tour stop at Los Angeles.
"It was looking for a while that Federer would blow through the (all-time) record of 14 (Grand Slam titles when the Swiss hit his 12th last year at the US Open)."
McEnroe added that his one-time rival Sampras would have good chances had he been able to play either Federer or Wimbledon and French Open champion Rafael Nadal at his prime.
Federer, trying to revitalise his season at the Beijing Olympics from this weekend, will lose his ranking to a week from Monday, dropping to second behind Nadal.
The Swiss, who turned 27 on Friday on the same day he carried the flag for his nation in the Olympic opening ceremony, will be trying to come good in Beijing and the US Open afer failing to win a major in nearly a year.
"It doesn't get any easier," said 49-year-old McEnroe, playing this week at the seniors in LA with others including Jim Courier. "I think Pete won the majority of his Slams at age 27 or below."
McEnroe said he fully believes that Nadal has earned his impending number 1 status.
"You think it will never change for Roger, but the law of averages catches up. Nadal has improved, his ranking is well-earned. He did something (French and Wimbledon titles in the same season) that had not been done since 1980 (Bjorn Borg)."
But McEnroe warned that Federer will be fighting to return to superiority.
"He has too much pride to to otherwise. he had four of the greatest years we've ever seen. That Wimbledon final was the greatest one ever seen in our sport," McEnroe added.
Copyright 2008 Yahoo! and Eurosport. All rights reserved.
Roger Federer pressured in 3-set win over Robby Ginepri at Cincinnati Masters
MASON, Ohio (AP) -Roger Federer was relieved to shake off last week's early round loss in Toronto and beat Robby Ginepri 6-7 (2), 7-6 (5), 6-0 Tuesday in his first match at the Cincinnati Masters.
"I'm happy I'm back with a one-match winning streak," he joked. "I'm happy I could turn it around today."
Ginepri was winless in fourth matches against the top-ranked Swiss going into the match, but pressured him through two sets until Federer wore him down and Ginepri began missing with his first serve. The American said he had trouble breathing and had a stomachache - which he chalked up to anxiety that worsened as the match progressed.
"I feel 100 percent better than I did on the court," he said after lying down for 10 minutes after the match.
The $2.6 million (?1.66 million) ATP Western & Southern Financial Group Masters is Federer's second tournament since having his Wimbledon title streak broken by second-ranked Rafael Nadal. A week ago, Federer was ousted from the Toronto Masters in the second round, and his No. 1 ranking would have been in danger if that had happened again this week.
Nadal could still overtake Federer if the Spaniard wins the Cincinnati title and the Swiss loses before the semifinals.
On center court just before the Federer match, Carlos Moya of Spain beat Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia 7-6 (5), 7-5.
In other matches, Florent Serra of France rallied to beat Benjamin Becker of Germany 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4; Arnaud Clement of France beat Thomas Johansson of Sweden 7-6 (4), 6-7 (5), 6-3; John Isner beat Andrea Stoppini of Italy 7-6 (2), 6-3; and 11th-seeded Richard Gasquet of France beat countryman Michael Llodra, who retired in the third set with an injury to his left arm.
Tenth-seeded Fernando Verdasco of Spain beat Victor Estrella, the first player from the Dominican Republic to play in an ATP tournament, 6-3, 7-5.
Robin Soderling of Sweden eliminated 12th-seeded Tommy Robredo of Spain 7-6 (6), 6-3.
The top-seeded American in the tournament, sixth-seeded Andy Roddick, had a late match with Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany.
Copyright 2007-2008, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved
Nadal-Federer III draws lower rating
NEW YORK (AP) -Rafael Nadal's rout of Roger Federer in the French Open final drew the lowest TV rating of the duo's three consecutive title matches in Paris.
NBC's telecast of Nadal's 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 victory Sunday drew an overnight rating of 1.8, the network said Monday.
It was the most lopsided Grand Slam men's final in 24 years and lasted less than two hours.
That rating is down from the 2.2 rating in 2007, and the 2.1 in 2006. Each of those years, Nadal beat Federer in four sets.
This year's rating is the lowest for the French Open men's final since the 2003 championship also drew a 1.8 overnight.
NBC got a 1.8 rating for the women's final Saturday, when Ana Ivanovic won her first Grand Slam title by beating Dinara Safina in straight sets. The rating was the same in 2007, when Ivanovic lost to Justine Henin.
Copyright 2007-2008, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved
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