Tennis
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Nadal, Djokovic on SF collision course
Defending French Open champion Rafael Nadal was drawn in the same half as world number one Novak Djokovic yesterday as the Spanish claycourt machine chases a record eighth title at Roland Garros. Third seed Nadal, who beat Djokovic in last year’s...
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Injury bad timing for Murray says Federer
Roger Federer believes the timing rather than the nature of the injury that has prompted Andy Murray’s withdrawal from the French Open will be of greatest concern to the world number two. Earlier this week, Murray announced he would not compete in...
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Nadal and Williams win easily in Rome
Rafa Nadal made short work of his great rival Roger Federer to win the Italian Open, his sixth trophy of the year, 6-1 6-3 yesterday. The crowd sitting in the sunshine at Rome’s Foro Italico watched Nadal race to victory in 69 minutes on the red...
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Nadal reaches final
Rafa Nadal beat Czech sixth seed Tomas Berdych 6-2 6-4 to reach the Italian Open final yesterday with a dominant performance that he described as emotional after his long injury absence. Nadal, who returned to action in February after seven months...
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Belli leads team to victory at VLTC
This year’s team tournament at VLTC, which started in mid-January, came to an end recently. The tournament, sponsored by San Michel table water, was played on a round-robin format with the participation of 120 players made up of 78 men and 42 women.
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Djokovic crumbles to defeat against Berdych
Czech Tomas Berdych tasted only his second victory in 15 clashes with Novak Djokovic to reach the semi-finals of the Rome Masters yesterday, coming from nowhere to stun the world number one 2-6 7-5 6-4 at the Foro Italico. Djokovic looked poised for...
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Resilient Nadal battles back to see off Gulbis
Rafael Nadal recovered from a nightmare first set to dispatch Latvian qualifier Ernests Gulbis and book his place in the quarter-finals of the Rome Masters yesterday. Nadal narrowly avoided losing the first set to love against the world number 46,...
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Murray doubtful for Paris
Andy Murray is a doubt for the French Open after suffering a lower back problem that forced the world number two to retire from the Italian Open on his 26th birthday yesterday. Murray retired from the contest against Spain’s Marcel Granollers...
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Djokovic eases through
World number one Novak Djokovic moved smoothly into the third round of the Rome Masters with a 6-2 6-3 victory over Spain’s Albert Montanes yesterday. It was just what the Serbian needed after his early exit in Madrid last week and, although...
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Cassar Torreggiani makes inroads at UK tournament
The Aegon British Tour provides a circuit of tournaments in the UK designed to complement the international calendar and give upcoming players an ideal opportunity to gain experience in their quest to become professional players. Bernard Cassar...
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Nadal wins to lay down French Open marker
Clay king Rafa Nadal sent another reminder he is not about to surrender his Roland Garros crown without a fight when he crushed Swiss 15th seed Stanislas Wawrinka 6-2 6-4 to win the Madrid Open yesterday. It was the Spanish world number five’s fifth...
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Maltese tennis team at Chisinau Fed Cup matches
The Maltese Federation Cup team at the Euro/African zone Group Three completed their Pool A commitments in Chisinau, Moldova, with a 2-1 win over bottom-placed Armenia and a 0-3 loss to top seeds Egypt. The joint effort of Helen Asciak’s girls –...
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‘Boring’ Serena to face Sharapova in Madrid final
Serena Williams’s tactic of staying in her hotel room and being “boring” appears to be paying off after the world no.1 swept past Sara Errani yesterday to set up a Madrid Open final against rival Maria Sharapova. Chasing a 50th career title at the...
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Nadal fights past Ferrer to reach Madrid Open semis
Rafa Nadal recovered from accidentally striking himself in the face with his racket to see off Spanish compatriot David Ferrer 4-6 7-6 6-0 in the Madrid Open quarter-finals yesterday. World number four Ferrer, ranked one place above Nadal following...
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Nishikori upsets Federer
Defending champion Roger Federer was stunned by Japan’s Kei Nishikori in the last 16 of the Mutua Madrid Open yesterday. Despite a second-set fightback, the second seed Swiss was too often below his best form and succumbed in an hour and 35 minutes...
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Cassar helps Dutch team to fourth straight win
Maltese player Kim Cassar has guided Thor de Bataaf to a fourth successive win in the Dutch First Division league. Cassar, the no.1 player in the team who has yet to drop a set in the singles, has recorded wins over H.M. Wolde (Bemmel) 6-4 6-3, M.D.
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Djokovic win could be the start for Dimitrov
Grigor Dimitrov has long been touted as the next Roger Federer but it may be the Bulgarian’s 7-6 6-7 6-3 win against world no.1 Novak Djokovic at the Madrid Open late Tuesday that finally catapults him into the big time. An inspired Dimitrov battled...
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Mint-green Federer looking sharp on competitive return
Roger Federer looked as sharp as ever in his first match following a two-month lay-off as he beat Czech Radek Stepanek 6-3 6-3 at the Madrid Open yesterday. The Swiss chose an eye-catching mint-green shirt for his first match since losing to Rafa...
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Madrid banishes the blue clay blues
The Madrid Open appears to have put last year’s controversy over the blue clay courts firmly behind it with some of the world’s top-ranked men including fierce critic Rafa Nadal all praising the newly-built red dust replacements yesterday. Nadal,...
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Nadal will not get higher seeding
Rafael Nadal will not be protected with a higher seeding at the French Open, tournament director Gilbert Ysern said yesterday. Roland Garros committee member Guy Forget suggested last month that the Spaniard, who has slipped to fifth in the world...
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