USO: Roger Federer Second Round Press Conference

Q. Can you talk about the conditions out there today? Specifically, the heat early on and then the wind later in the match.

ROGER FEDERER: Um, yeah, I mean, it was a little bit warmer at the beginning and at the end of the match, but I thought the wind gave it a bit of a cooling factor today.I don’t know if it was hotter yesterday or today. I really don’t know, but for me it wasn’t a problem, anyway.

Q. In this extreme heat, have you lost any weight? I know some commentators mentioned you’ve been looking a little skinny.

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I don’t know. The match wasn’t that long, and I played like an hour the last two days. So I don’t think there’s much I was eating more than I was practicing, so… No, I mean, I thought it was warm, but I don’t think it was brutal, you know. Sure, out on the court it always gets warmer than elsewhere because of, you know, the concrete and all that stuff that reflects back from the court, as well. Obviously if you have tough rallies it’s tough anywhere but especially if it’s humid and hot, sure, you feel it. But I don’t know. We practice hard to be fit for those conditions, as well.

Q. You mentioned that you had muscle pain in Toronto; earlier this week you were talking about it. How are you feeling now?

ROGER FEDERER: No problem. The body has gotten used to playing matches and serving one after another, returning one after another, for three, four hours in a row. So I have no muscle pain anymore, and it’s about just, you know, saving your energy for the really big match coming up, maybe the next one. Who knows?

Q. At this point in your career, is it any more important for you to make sure you get off court as soon and quickly as possible?

ROGER FEDERER: No, not really. I feel it’s the same. I guess now it’s almost easier to handle tougher matches, really, just because you know what your body can take. You know what’s just muscle pain, you know what’s more injuries, you know what’s tiredness; whereas when you’re younger that kind of hits you like a truck, and all of a sudden you realize you have no more energy and mentally it’s a big push when you’re young.You know, and I had it twice at the French against Corretja. I think both times I kind of got into it. Once I got into the third or fourth round of the Major I was just so tired from playing. I think today it’s much easier to cope with that.

Q. After last night’s match, Andy Roddick’s opponent said he didn’t think Roddick was as aggressive as he should be in that match, and it’s pretty well known he should be more aggressive. What’s your opinion of Roddick’s degree of aggressiveness and his approach in the court?

ROGER FEDERER: I mean, he played well in Indian Wells and Miami. You figure he knows what he’s doing. If he keeps that up, he’s gonna have a shot at a title here. Obviously it’s a big surprise for me to see him go out, even though Tipsarevic is a good player. I beat him at the Australian once 9-7 in the fifth. That was a phase I had mono, and so it’s kind of somewhat of a similar situation, I guess. Andy had signs of it now, as well. Look, him and his coach need to know what’s best for him. The guy played well yesterday. It was a tough match for Andy, and I feel bad for him.

Q. You alluded earlier to the short durations of your first two matches, two straight set win. Is this sort of the perfect way, in terms of looking at the way you’re launching this particular campaign? Do you feel like you’re you’ve gotten off to a more or less good start?

ROGER FEDERER: No, it’s the perfect start, sure. I played Monday, had two days off. I had another easy one physically today, and here I am in the third round feeling like I’m completely in the tournament. I got a sense for how the court speed is again. I got the sense of, you know, the crowd and the wind now as well. I played one night, one day. I have all the answers after two matches. Obviously they weren’t the most difficult matches, you know. I didn’t have to save multiple breakpoints or whatever. Even though I got broken today, I feel really good. Tougher matches will only be coming up now, I guess. I underestimate nobody. But today was already, you know, a little bit dangerous of an opponent. He hits hard, flat, and through the wind it’s not so easy to all of a sudden try to brush up the ball because you shank a lot so you start playing more careful. It’s gonna be interesting to see how the Saturday conditions are going to be with the hurricane sort of moving in. We’ll see how that goes.

Q. The women’s top seed is Wozniacki, also one of the youngest players. What do you make of her success?

ROGER FEDERER: I obviously haven’t seen her play so much. Definitely not as young as when Martina and Capriati and Serena all came up. They were all 15, 16, and you knew they were going to be future No. 1s in the world and win Grand Slams. That doesn’t happen so much in the women’s game, and actually in the men’s game you don’t have any teenagers in the top 100, which I think is a bit unfortunate. But games are getting more physical and more tough now. It’s just hard to kind of breakthrough sometimes, I guess. But seems like she’s doing great. She’s No. 1 seed obviously because Serena is not here, but she’s doing great in all other events, playing a full schedule. I’m sure that’s one of the reasons she’s ranked up high.

Q. Have you seen any huge improvements in your style lately with Paul on your team now?

ROGER FEDERER: No. I mean, when I’m playing great, regardless of who’s in my player box, I can beat anybody, you know. It’s about being consistent and being confident in the way I play. I’m not all of a sudden going to play a two handed backhand or serve and volley on my second serve nonstop. It’s just not gonna happen. It’s in the details, and it’s very important to me what Paul tells me and what Severin also tells me, who I’ve been with for three years now. It’s an interesting, you know, time right now, because I went through times where I thought every time was interesting for me, because I went through times where I didn’t have a coach, I had times where I had two coaches, as well, one coach. Here we are at the stage again where there’s someone new to the team, and I kind of like those times, yeah.

Q. You’re the only past champion left in the men’s tournament. How much of an advantage is that, or a help is that, knowing you’ve done it in the past versus other players who are trying to but don’t know that they can, because they haven’t?

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, it’s definitely an advantage, I would think, yeah, because weathering the conditions here in New York. A lot of players can really do well here in New York because it’s a fair kind of a court. It’s a quick court, so if you’re not feeling well, it can all of a sudden slip away from you. So it’s a dangerous court to play on, and everybody has the last slam left to prove. I think that’s why it makes it really hard to win. You could be unlucky and get hit with a really hot day or a very windy day, and not even in your control sometimes you lose a match here. That’s where it’s important like today to get through easily instead of maybe going five hour match, you know, and losing the tournament because of a match like this, you know. Yeah, I mean, I would consider it as an advantage. But again, I’m not at match point serving for it, so still a lot of hard work to do.

Q. In the last couple of days, several people have spoken about the shot you made the other day through your legs.

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah.

Q. But Novak Djokovic said he didn’t need to see that one. The one he saw last year…

ROGER FEDERER: Was enough for him? Okay.

Q. How do you look back at the shot you made against him last year, and what made it special for you?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, being all of a sudden center court always helps because you get every angle of the shot. That just helps the spectators, the media, for me as well, for the players. I mean, you can see it so many different ways, which is fantastic; whereas this year I think I hit it from the other side of the court, so I’m not sure we have as many camera angles like last year. But it was just a moment, semifinals on center court against Novak, Love 30 and going — getting match point, and after that playing on a high end, ripping another forehand winner on the second serve of Novak to clinch the match. Everything was just like boom, over, with fireworks, you know. I think that’s what was so special about last year, I thought.

Q. What goes through your mind when you see replays of that point?

ROGER FEDERER: I like it and I smile, of course, like everybody would.

Q. In the spring and in Paris there was a lot of talk about new string.

ROGER FEDERER: About?

Q. Advances in a new string from Babolat. Are you an equipment guy in that when you hear about new equipment or strings or racquets, you test things, or are you very conservative when you have your equipment and you stick with it? Pete always…

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I remember Pete wasn’t very flexible when it came to all that stuff. I think it’s hard, because if we had a five months offseason, we could just go out and just test anything. You know, like work on your game and completely come out five months later and you’re like, you know, This guy’s playing different than he was five months ago. We don’t have that, so you have a tendency to be very cautious about how much testing you go through, because you don’t want to waste days and stuff on testing and all that stuff. Honestly I’m always very open, and I talk to Wilson very openly about, Is there another racquet you guys think I should be testing? I’ve tried out some other things again, you know, the other year. And with strings the same thing, even though I’ve been playing with the same string now for eight years. It’s what many guys do, is like the half gut, half synthetic, Luxilon. So that’s been working well for me. The others talk about something else. Obviously if some of the top guys use it, it becomes bigger news than if No. 75 in the world uses it. But I think it’s important to stay open for changes and just not get stuck in a bubble and think what I got is perfect. Who knows, maybe there’s something very good as well out there that you haven’t seen yet.

Q. What do you think about Russian tennis? Maybe have some Russian friends on tour?

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, Russia’s always been very strong, especially on the women’s side lately. Obviously when I came up, Yevgeny was there, Marat. I came with Marat through the juniors, and then once they kind of went away we have had Davydenko at the top for five years now. I don’t think if he would have been injured so much, always at crucial times, he could have been even maybe top 3 in the world, top 2 in the world, if things would have gone really well for him. They’re all very good, all very talented. I’m sure there is no change in the future. They will always be very strong, have very strong will.

Q. I just wanted to ask you about a habit of yours, kind of helping the ball boys out during matches, and do you do it sort of out of a sense of politeness or playfulness, or does it help your game? Help in the match? Comment on that.

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, I don’t know. Depends how the points are being played. If balls end up on my side of the court, then I like to get the ball from them and get it on the other side real quick, you know. These guys catch the ball really well here at the US Open, all those ball boys. You know, they’re not 10 years old, so they know — they’re really, really good, and that’s why you can play around with it a little bit. I don’t know if they enjoy it. I like it. They’re always ready to catch it, anyway. Seems like they’re just waiting for it. I don’t know. I like to have a good flow of the match so spectators don’t have to wait so much, and also my opponent. I just kind of think it’s a nice thing.

Q. Two matches in, do you feel like your game and your body are exactly where you want them to be?

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, body is well. Mentally obviously I’m fresh, too. I haven’t played much, so I’m really eager to, you know — looking forward to — I’m ready, anyway, for tough matches coming around. It’s good I’m saving myself, really, and my game is fine. You know, today it’s tough to judge, because it was quite windy at the end. It’s just a matter of getting through those kind of matches, really.

USO: Day 4 Results: Federer, Soderling, and Fish Reach Round Three; Davydenko and Cilic Ousted

US Open—New York

Third-Round Results:

No. 2 seed Rorger Federer d. Andreas Beck 6-3, 6-4, 6-3; No. 5 seed Robin Soderling d. Taylor Dent 6-2, 6-2, 6-4; Richard Gasquet d. No 6 seed Nikolay Davydenko 6-3, 6-4, 6-2; Kei Nishikori d. No. 11 seed Marin Cilic 5-7, 7-6(6), 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-1; No. 13 seed Jurgen Melzer d. Ricardas Berankis 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-3, 1-6, 7-5; No. 19 seed Mardy Fish d. Pablo Cuevas 7-5, 6-0, 6-2; No. 21 seed Albert Montanes d. Carsten Ball 6-4, 6-3, 6-1; No. 22 seed Juan Carlos Ferrero d. Ricardo Mello 6-1, 6-4, 6-4; James Blake d. Peter Polansky 6-7(1), 6-3, 6-2, 6-4; Paul-Henri Mathieu d. Guillermo Rufin 7-6(3), 6-4, 6-3; Themio de Bakker d. Ivan Dodig 6-7(4) 6-2 6-3 3-2 ret. (cramp); Arnaud Clement (FRA) d. Eduardo Schwank 6-3, 5-5 ret. (left ankle).

US Open 2010 Day 4 Preview: 2 September

by: Tom Cochrane

After a fresh air swing when serving and an on-court collapse shortly thereafter, tournament organisers and tennis fans held grave concerns for Victoria Azarenka. Thankfully, the tenth seed is on her way to recovery, with reports suggesting a concussion at training earlier in the day was to blame for her collapse.

Day 3 Recap

While Azarenka’s collapse and consequent defeat to Gisela Dulko was all the talk on another warm day at Flushing Meadows, she was not the only seed to fall on Day 3. Also exiting the year’s final major was Jie Zheng, who was thrashed by a rejuvenated Ana Ivanovic, Tsvetana Pironkova, who missed the chance for another clash against Venus Williams, and Marion Bartoli, who lost out to fellow Frenchwoman Virginie Razzano.

Aussie teenager Sally Peers met her match against defending champion Kim Clijsters, and Melanie Oudin was unable to recapture her form from last year’s US Open, going down to Alona Bondarenko in a sloppy match. There were wins for seeds Schiavone, Hantuchova, Stosur and Peer, but Alisa Kleybanova was not so lucky, defeated by Italy’s Sara Errani.

The biggest casualty on Day 3 in the men’s tournament was Andy Roddick, who succumbed to the dangerous Janko Tipsarevic in 4 sets. There was better news for the host nation in other matches, with Sam Querrey and John Isner progressing. Another high-profile casualty was Wimbledon finalist Tomas Berdych, who was unable to combat Michael Llodra’s energetic serve and volley game. Fifteenth seed Ivan Ljubicic was comprehensively beaten by young American Ryan Harrison, but among the seeds successful on Day 3 were Monfils, Wawrinka, Kohlschreiber and Youzhny.

Andy Murray has enjoyed plenty of support from punters and is one of the title favourites. The Scot did his chances no harm with an emphatic straight sets win over Lukas Lacko. Also impressive in recording a straight sets win was Gael Monfils, who disposed of the talented Russian Igor Andreev.

Matches of the Day – Day 4

1. Philipp Petzschner vs. Novak Djokovic

Once the dust has settled on a tournament, it’s easy to focus on the winner and to forget the struggles that the winner had to endure en route to the title. Many forget that Philipp Petzschner not only extended Rafael Nadal to 5 sets at Wimbledon, he also held the ascendancy for much of the match, taking a 2 sets to 1 lead before Nadal squeezed out a victory. Although he lost the match, Petzschner will take a lot of confidence from his performance at the All England Club and will sense an opportunity here against Djokovic.

Djokovic was extremely lucky to survive an energy-sapping 5 setter against Troicki and it was clear that the match took a lot out of the third seed. Djokovic will be hell-bent on making this a quick match, in order to restore his energy levels for later in the tournament. If Petzschner can get on top early, Djokovic may struggle to go the distance, but I suspect the Serb will be more focused than he was against his countryman Troicki. Djokovic in 4.

2. Jelena Jankovic vs. Mirjana Lucic

Jelena Jankovic is a former US Open finalist who probably plays her best tennis on hard courts. She’s come to close to claiming a Grand Slam on a number of occasions, without truly getting within touching distance of a major trophy. To my mind, that’s due to some mental frailties, but we are too early in the tournament for those to come into operation.

It’s been a strange life for Mirjana Lucic. After bursting onto the tennis scene as a teenager and claiming her first tournament win as a professional at just 15, Lucic had to suffer injuries and, according to certain reports, an abusive father. After falling down the ranks, Lucic was forced to play second-tier tournaments for many years. But Lucic had a good win over Alicia Molik in the first round and has nothing to lose in this encounter. I think Jankovic will be the steadier player in this clash, but it would be great to see Lucic progress further in the tournament. Jankovic in 2.

3. Nikolay Davydenko vs. Richard Gasquet

I expected Nikolay Davydenko to struggle in his opening round match at Flushing Meadows, as a result of some patchy form following a long injury lay-off. The Russian proved me wrong, dispatching journeyman Michael Russell in straight sets. That was a good performance, but I sense Davydenko’s luck could run out against Richard Gasquet.

Gasquet may be best-known in the United States for his positive drug test for cocaine, which was recorded in Miami and was allegedly the result of a kiss. But Gasquet, whose suspension due to the drug test was later dismissed, is a seriously talented individual who has been inside the world’s top 10. It’s taken Gasquet a while to find his feet again after the cocaine episode, but I reckon Davydenko is ripe for the picking and Gasquet is exactly the sort of player who can seize such an opportunity. Look for Gasquet to get well inside the court and dictate play with his stunning one-handed backhand. Gasquet in 5.

4. Robin Soderling vs. Taylor Dent

American journeyman Taylor Dent always seems to come up against good players early on in Grand Slams. First it was Robin Soderling in Paris, then Rafael Nadal in London. While Soderling thrashed Dent in the French Open, Dent performed better against Nadal at Wimbledon.

Soderling had a scare in the first round of this tournament, forced to go to 5 sets against a qualifier. He’ll be hoping for less court time in this encounter, but I expect Dent to give Soderling more of a challenge than he did in Paris. Dent’s poor court movement was exposed on the clay, but the fast hard courts of Flushing Meadows and a home crowd will make life more difficult for Soderling. Still, it’s generally taken a lot to beat the big Swede in a Grand Slam in the last couple of years, so I’ll back Soderling to advance. Soderling in 4.

5. Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez vs. Patty Schnyder

It’s been a good year on the WTA Tour for twenty-second seed Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez. The Spaniard teamed with Tommy Robredo to win the Hopman Cup in January, then pulled off the biggest win of her career by winning the Italian Open in May. Martinez Sanchez’s game is quite different to the majority of those employed on the WTA Tour, full of chips, touch shots, and slices, with some serving and volleying thrown in for good measure.

Such a touch game is hard to execute when one is nervous or low on confidence, but Martinez Sanchez appears to have faith in her game plan and her results are a testament to that game plan. Schnyder is a WTA Tour veteran who was once ranked inside the world’s top 10. At her best, she would pose a big threat to Martinez Sanchez, but I think the Swiss player’s best days are now behind her. Martinez Sanchez in 3.

That’s it for today. Enjoy the tennis and I’ll be back with another serve tomorrow.

Video: Federer’s Latest Tweener

Not waiting until the final weekend to pull off the shot of the event this time around, No. 2 seed Roger Federer ignited Monday’s night session with his latest tweener shot.

Some have argued that Federer’s tweener against Novak Djokovic during last year’s semifinals was better, but there’s no doubting that his latest trick shot was one of the all time greats.

US Open 2010 Day 3 Preview: 1 September

by: Tom Cochrane

It’s been a truly eye-opening start to this year’s US Open. First, Roger Federer pulls off this. Then Novak Djokovic says this. I can’t wait to see what Day 3 holds in store for tennis fans.

Day 2 Recap

World number one Rafael Nadal kicked off his campaign for a maiden US Open title with a win on Day 2, claiming a pair of tiebreakers on his way to a straight sets win over Teymuraz Gabashvili. Forced to work far harder to secure a second round berth was Nadal’s compatriot Fernando Verdasco, a 5 set winner over the pesky Fabio Fognini, and third seed Novak Djokovic, who rallied from a precarious position to defeat fellow Serb Viktor Troicki in 5 sets.

Marcos Baghdatis was the highest profile casualty in the men’s tournament on Day 2, succumbing to the guile of French veteran Arnaud Clement in another 5 setter. Five set matches once again seemed to be the flavour of the day, with David Nalbandian and Mardy Fish also going the distance. Tenth seed David Ferrer had a comfortable straight sets win, while Radek Stepanek, on the comeback trail from injury, went down to Frenchman Julien Benneteau.

If Caroline Wozniacki is feeling the weight of expectation after entering the women’s tournament as the top seed, she sure isn’t showing it yet. The elegant Dane dropped just 2 games in thrashing America’s Chelsey Gullickson. Wimbledon finalist Vera Zvonareva and Belgium’s Yanina Wickmayer also recorded easy wins, while Svetlana Kuznetsova and Jelena Jankovic were extended to 3 sets.

Among the seeds, the news was less pleasing for Na Li, Nadia Petrova and Lucie Safarova, each of whom was bundled out on Day 2. Maria Sharapova looked like she might join them after she lost the first set to Australian Jarmila Groth. But Groth, who was hitting as hard and flat a ball as anyone I’ve seen on the WTA Tour, eventually started misfiring, and Sharapova’s experience led her to a 3 set victory.

Matches of the Day – Day 3

1. Ana Ivanovic vs. Jie Zheng

It was great to see Ana Ivanovic record a win on Day 1, all the more so because the win came against the dangerous Ekaterina Makarova. But there’s another tough foe waiting for the former world number one and French Open champion in the round of 64. Twenty-first seed and Australian Open semi-finalist Jie Zheng is a consistent and competitive player, and she is exactly the sort of opponent that will exploit any weakness or inconsistency in the Ivanovic game. There’s no doubt that Ivanovic possesses greater firepower and also more on-court creativity, but the Serb has become a more defensive and less attacking player in recent times.

In my opinion, Ivanovic needs to come out of her shell and rediscover the attacking game that made her one of the best in the sport. If she can maintain good court position and look to dictate the play, I think the odds are stacked in her favour. But if she retreats far beyond the baseline and engages in long rallies, I think Zheng will have the edge. This one is close to a coin-toss, but I’ll take Ivanovic in 3.

2. Sally Peers vs. Kim Clijsters

It’s the sort of story that sports journalists love: an unheralded Australian qualifier makes the main draw and, in doing so, makes Australian tennis history by emulating the feats of her mother, who played at the US Open several decades ago. Then the qualifier thrashes a solid WTA Tour player in round 1 and is to face off against her childhood idol and the defending champion in round 2.

Yes, it’s been quite the fairytale for Sally Peers. But, while the young Aussie’s main draw debut was nothing short of spectacular, I can’t help but feel that the whirlwind nature of the last few days will take its toll on her performance in this clash. Clijsters is not only a veteran of the WTA Tour, she is also the consummate professional and will be highly focused on honing in on Peers’ weaknesses and advancing to the third round as quickly as possible. Peers has got nothing to lose, but Clijsters will advance with ease. Clijsters in 2.

3. Janko Tipsarevic vs. Andy Roddick

The other day I wrote that Paul-Henri Mathieu was a player who performed much better against high-quality opponents than low-quality opponents. I think that statement also applies to Janko Tipsarevic. The flashy but erratic Tipsarevic came within a whisker of knocking Roger Federer out of the Australian Open a few years back and relishes playing on the big stage.

Tipsarevic won’t be intimidated playing against Roddick in New York – in fact, I think the Serb will thrive on the raucous atmosphere that is likely to be created under lights on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Roddick, who is still recovering from a recent illness, will be aware of the threat Tipsarevic poses and will be intent on producing a high-quality serving display in order to limit the Serb’s chances to break serve. I was impressed by Roddick’s performance in round 1 and, while Tipsarevic will probably get streaky at times during this match, I think Roddick’s serve will eventually help him claim victory. Roddick in 5.

4. Melanie Oudin vs. Alona Bondarenko

It was always going to be hard for young Melanie Oudin to return to Flushing Meadows this year, the scene of her amazing run to the US Open quarter-finals last year. Expectations were high for Oudin’s continued development this year and, although she hasn’t had an incredible year, it’s been a steady season for the American and I sense that she will eventually make it into the world’s top 20 and perhaps the top 10.

But Oudin faces a seasoned campaigner in the second round in the form of Alona Bondarenko. The Ukrainian will no doubt be buoyed by the efforts of her sister Kateryna, who upset eighth seed Na Li on Day 2. As she showed last year, Oudin doesn’t take a back step against anyone, but I think Bondarenko will look to serve up plenty of variety to Oudin, who would probably prefer an all-out slugfest. Bondarenko in 3.

5. Gael Monfils vs. Igor Andreev

Add Igor Andreev to my list of players who rise to the occasion in big matches. I consider Andreev to have one of the best forehands on the ATP Tour and he has shown glimpses of his immense talent at various stages in his career. But it’s been a disappointing year for Andreev who, after pushing Federer in the opening round at Melbourne Park, has slipped to 102 in the world rankings.

After capturing 3 junior Grand Slams in one season, many tennis pundits expected that Gael Monfils would have established himself inside the world’s top 5 by this stage of his career. While the seventeenth seed has yet to do that, he is definitely becoming a more consistent and seasoned professional with each season he spends on the ATP Tour. And the fact that Monfils sits at number 19 in the world is more a testament to the strength of the men’s game rather than a reflection of any deficiencies on the part of the athletic Frenchman.

I’d normally expect Andreev to have a strong chance in a match like this, but at this point in time, Monfils is feeling far better about his tennis than Andreev is about his. Andreev has risen to the occasion in previous high-profile matches, but I can’t see it happening this time. Monfils in 4.

That’s it for today. Enjoy the tennis and I’ll be back with another serve tomorrow.

US Open 2010 Issue 2: 31 August

by: Tom Cochrane

Play is underway in the 2010 US Open and, while the majority of the women’s seeds in action on Day 1 progressed comfortably to the second round, it was a different story for several of the men’s seeds who were forced to go the distance.

Day 1 Recap

Roger Federer’s campaign for a sixth US Open crown got off to a smooth start on Day 1, the Swiss maestro producing a straight sets win over Argentina’s Brian Dabul. Andy Roddick enjoyed his birthday at Flushing Meadows, also advancing in straight sets, but former champion Lleyton Hewitt ended a scratchy North American summer in dismal fashion, going down in 5 sets to the dangerous Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu. Seeds Soderling, Melzer, Monfils and Montanes were also forced to deciding fifth sets, but each managed to eke out a victory.

Rising star Marin Cilic demonstrated his undoubted class with a near-flawless display on Day 1, while Nikolay Davydenko had an easier than expected match against local hope Michael Russell, dispatching the American in straight sets. Taylor Dent restored some American pride by defeating Alejandro Falla, while Janko Tipsarevic saw off the talented Olivier Rochus in a torrid 4 set tussle.

In the women’s tournament, Kim Clijsters started her title defence in positive fashion with a comfortable win over Greta Arn. Melanie Oudin, last year’s US Open golden girl, joined Clijsters in the round of 64 with a 6-3 6-0 victory over Olga Savchuk. Other winners on Day 1 were French Open champion Francesca Schiavone, sixteenth seed Shahar Peer, Daniela Hantuchova, who overcame former world number one Dinara Safina, and Sam Stosur, who came from behind to defeat Elena Vesnina in 3 sets. There was better news for another former world number one in Anna Ivanovic, who saw off Ekaterina Makarova.

Third seed Venus Williams was rarely troubled in her opening match and is on course for a third round rematch against her apparent nemesis, Tsvetana Pironkova. Pironkova, who defeated Williams in this year’s Wimbledon championships and also at the Australian Open a few years back, had a 6-3 6-4 win over Renata Voracova. And finally, a salute to Sally Peers, an Aussie qualifier who made her Grand Slam main draw debut at Flushing Meadows on Day 1. Peers made the most of her first match on tennis’ biggest stage, annihilating Canada’s Aleksandra Wozniak, 6-0 6-1. Now that’s what I call a debut.

Matches of the Day – Day 2

1. Viktor Troicki vs. Novak Djokovic

After beating Roger Federer en route to capturing his one and only Grand Slam title at Melbourne Park in 2008, it’s fair to say that Novak Djokovic’s career has stalled somewhat, although the Serb is a remarkably consistent performer on the ATP Tour who is always near the mark at Grand Slams.

While Djokovic no doubt harbours great ambitions of adding more Grand Slams to his Australian Open triumph, more often than not he has found it hard to match Federer and Nadal at the pointy ends of the Grand Slams. Additionally, rising stars such as Murray, Soderling, Cilic and Berdych have stepped up in recent majors, thus lengthening the list of true Grand Slam contenders.

In this year’s US Open Djokovic has been placed in a tough quarter of the draw, and the tough matches begin with this opener against his compatriot Troicki. Troicki is a good all-court player who has steadily improved over the past few years. Early on in his career I think Troicki would have been overawed playing against his high-profile countryman, but I think Troicki is now a more mature and experienced professional. Look for Djokovic to attempt to gain the ascendancy early; the third seed doesn’t want a gruelling encounter in his first round match. I don’t think it will be as easy a match as Djokovic would like, but I think his class will eventually enable him to prevail. Djokovic in 4.

2. Jarmila Groth vs. Maria Sharapova

There are very few players on the WTA Tour who can claim that they have made the round of 16 at both the French Open and Wimbledon this year, but Jarmila Groth is one of them. The naturalised Aussie has improved her game enormously in the last 12 months and has a sufficiently powerful serve and groundstrokes to trouble the best of them in the women’s game. But for some nerves and some poor decision-making under pressure, Groth could have beaten Venus Williams in their clash at Wimbledon.

Judging by Sharapova’s comments going into this encounter, the Russian is fully aware of Groth’s development and accordingly is wary of the threat she poses. I expect Groth to come out swinging and take the match right up to Sharapova, but I think Sharapova’s greater experience and good recent form will see her prevail. Sharapova in 2.

3. Marcos Baghdatis vs. Arnaud Clement

After a couple of years in the tennis wilderness battling fitness, form and confidence, the super-popular Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis has been enjoying a resurgence in his tennis career this year, having compiled a very healthy 35-20 win-loss record for the year to date and returning to the world’s top 20. Baghdatis is very much a confidence player, but when fit and full of confidence he is one of the purest ball-strikers in the men’s game. The sixteenth seed likes playing on the US hard courts, which are high-bouncing and fast-paced, and I consider him to be very capable of making deep run at this tournament.

French veteran Arnaud Clement is a former Australian Open finalist and top 10 player who, despite being past his best, can still pose plenty of problems for the world’s best due to his immense talent, his quick pace around the court and his strong competitive nature. Baghdatis will need to be switched on mentally for this one, and not let his concentration lapse – something he has been guilty of doing in the past. But if Baghdatis can focus and play his natural game, I expect him to come out on top. Baghdatis in 4.

4. Kristof Vliegen vs. James Blake

Make no mistake, the world of professional tennis is an utterly ruthless one; it’s a sport enjoyed by millions of people who hail from just about every nation on the planet. Everyone wants to make the big time, to enjoy the spoils of fame and fortune that accompany success on the big stage. Unfortunately, there are only so many players who are able to make it to the top, and even then it’s a mighty hard task to stay there.

In different ways, the stories of Vliegen and Blake illustrate this cold hard reality. Vliegen reached a high of 30 in the world rankings in October 2006, with the future seeming to look bright for the young Belgian. Alas, he now languishes at number 321 in the world rankings and sports an abysmal 1-8 win-loss record for the year to date. Blake, a former world number 4 in the twilight of his career, has also plummeted in the world rankings. The American is now ranked 111 in the world, his decline exacerbated by a combination of injuries and inconsistent form.

It’s tough to predict the winner of this encounter, with neither player exactly high on confidence, but this could well be Blake’s last US Open and no doubt the crowd is eager to witness one last stand from the popular American. Blake in 4.

5. Svetlana Kuznetsova vs. Kimiko Date Krumm

After a poor start to the season, former French Open and US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova has worked hard to turn around her form. Flushing Meadows holds fond memories for the eleventh seed and, with Justine Henin and Serena Williams out of the tournament due to injury, Kuznetsova will consider herself to be a legitimate contender for this year’s title.

But in order to make a run at this year’s US Open, Kuznetsova first has to overcome a tricky first round opponent in Kimiko Date Krumm. Soon to turn 40, Date Krumm appears to be enjoying her tennis after rejoining the WTA Tour following her initial “retirement” and, as she demonstrated in her French Open win over Dinara Safina, the wily veteran is capable of causing an upset. The bookmakers have Date Krumm as a rank outsider at around $12, but I sense the match will be closer than they predict. Kuznetsova in 3.

That’s it for today. Enjoy the tennis and I’ll be back with another serve tomorrow.

USO: Roger Federer First Round Press Conference

Q. Is this year’s shot better than last year’s between-the-legs one?

ROGER FEDERER: What do you think?

Q. This one.

ROGER FEDERER: You think this one was better? I don’t know. I would have to compare. Obviously the importance of last year’s was probably a little bit more important just because I think it was Love-30 to go Love-40, two points away from the match, and it was a semifinal. So obviously that has a little bit of an impact, too.

But maybe in terms of difficulty maybe this one was harder, because I had the feeling I had to run a longer distance and I was further back somehow, I felt. I had to really give the last big push at the end. I didn’t have time to set it up. So I felt like this one was incredible again. I turned around and couldn’t believe the shot landed in the corner.

So ovation was fantastic. Crowds went wild. Yeah, you could see on my reaction I couldn’t believe it.

Q. You practice that?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, I don’t know if you can call it practice. I don’t go like, Feed me a few of those. It just happens or not, and you try to do — you probably hit one max at practice. So rarely.

Q. You’re undefeated at night matches here. I think this is 16-0. What is it about playing under the lights at the Open?

ROGER FEDERER: I guess I got off to a good start. I think the lights are really good. There are some stadiums around the world where the lights are not the same, but here it feels great. Obviously I have the experience to play under pressure and with so many people, high expectations, so I guess I can use that to my advantage.

Then court speed, surroundings, the event and everything helps my cause to really do well and play well here. I always loved coming here. Never had a bad US Open. Never had a first-round upset somehow. Just shows again, you know, I was playing well tonight. I’m happy I got to play a night session again.

Q. When you pull off a shot like that, how much does that reflect the confidence you’re feeling in your game at the time?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, has not that much to do with it, you know. But I guess what you can read out of it is you have to be at the net to have to hit a shot like that first. So it means I’m playing offensive, which is a good thing.

If you really want to break it down to like the last detail (smiling). My approach was somewhat awkward already to start with, so I don’t know what I was thinking. I tried to fake him out and it didn’t quite work, but I still got kind of the reply I wanted to.

But he hit a good hustle ball, which was not an easy shot for him to hit – the overhead – running in.

Look, there’s not that much you can read into confidence when you hit a shot like that.

Q. When you hit it, did you know it was good?

ROGER FEDERER: I mean, I knew I hit it — I had good contact, perfect speed and hit and everything. I kind of like it when the ball like gets away from me a little bit, so I hit it with it’s lower, because then I can generate more pace off it.

The thing is, by the time I turn around it’s already in the corner of the court on the other side, so I’m almost looking for the ball first up. And then I just — I’m not even sure if I saw the bounce or not, and then obviously the crowd gave me the answer, which was kind of good.

Q. You make a ranking in your career of all your best shots?

ROGER FEDERER: Best shots? No. I know on YouTube there are guys that are putting together best shots of me. I guess you can do that after a 10-year career. I’ve gone there myself to see them, you know, because some of them have been forgotten, you know, because it was a second round, I don’t know, 3-All or 40-Love point in an ATP event somewhere.

Then those guys on the net, they find that stuff. That’s fantastic that they put it all together. I’ve pulled up some incredible shots throughout my career obviously in terms of length, just sheer talent or sheer importance of the moment because it all kind of comes together.

Today was just great shot-making.

Q. Can you talk about marriage. Used to be marriage was considered bad. Borg and McEnroe got married and quickly dropped from being No. 1.

ROGER FEDERER: That’s why I waited 10 years (smiling).

Q. Is there a feeling among male tennis players that marriage might distract you from your competitiveness?

ROGER FEDERER: No, not really. I guess in soccer guys marry and have kids much faster than in tennis. In tennis I guess very often financially you’re never quite safe, because for a long time at least, you know, because injury can hit at any time. You don’t have a five-year contract. Who is going to take care of you and stuff?

So it’s very much living day by day. You’re young, you know. 25, either you’re working or you’re going to school, and we’re not in one place like one place like maybe soccer players are. You have a tendency to marry later, and later also in your career you start to maybe not play as well.

I don’t believe in all those statistics, you know, because, uhm, that’s just the way our life is. We cannot get married that early. And if we do, you’re not going to see the other person maybe for over 50% of the year. It’s hard to keep up a good relationship, I find.

I was lucky enough that the last seven or eight years, I’ve been every day together basically with Mirka, and that has definitely helped me, you know, to be good.

I feel married since a long time, not just since last year. That’s for sure.

Q. But do you feel like your competitive spirit might wane a little bit with marriage and kids now?

ROGER FEDERER: No. I have the same fire, the same drive. I thought it might have a little impact on my schedule, it might play less, have an impact on how I practiced, maybe early mornings so I could get back and stuff because I have to wake up early.

It’s so well set up. Mirka takes such great care. I’m there anyway most all the time as well that I can place my practice whenever I want. I still have enough time with them.

Honestly, the transition was very smooth. I’m very happy about it, of course.

Q. In terms of trick shots, there’s been a lot of skepticism about the YouTube video.

ROGER FEDERER: Criticism?

Q. Skepticism.

ROGER FEDERER: There’s a difference.

Q. Some doubt that it’s real.

ROGER FEDERER: They’re not sure, those guys? They don’t dare to try it (smiling).

One thing I tell you, that the shots on center court in front of 22,000 people is a bit more difficult than what I did at the Gillette commercial. That was just having a bit more fun.

No, I can’t tell you if it’s real or not. That’s up for debate. Still up to debate, you know. I’m not going to answer that question.

Q. Could you hit one between your legs and knock the can off someone’s head?

ROGER FEDERER: That’s kind of tough, the trajectory going up. You can feel like the nose and everything being hit first. No, I wouldn’t be able to do that.

Federer-Nadal Will Head ATP Player Council

The top two players in the world will once again head the ATP World Tour player council for the following year. Roger Federer was re-elected as the President, while Rafael Nadal will serve as the Vice President. Other players on the council will include Fernando Gonzalez, Sam Querrey, and Jarrko Nieminen.

Official Nike Photo Gallery and Kit Availability for Nadal and Federer’s US Open Apparel and Shoes

With the US Open starting on Monday, Nike Sports has released high resolution pictures of both Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer’s day and night session kits  on their Facebook page.

All of the below apparel and footwear can be purchased through our sponsor TennisWarehouse.com, by clicking the link at the right side of the page.

Enjoy.

Nadal and Federer’s US Open apparel and shoes.

US Open 2010 Issue 1: 30 August

by: Tom Cochrane

Greetings and welcome to Day 1 of the 2010 US Open Championships and the beginning of 2 weeks of coverage of the year’s final Grand Slam, courtesy of The Satellite Serve.

Coming to you daily during this year’s tournament, The Satellite Serve is back with predictions, opinions and analysis in relation to all the action from Flushing Meadows. As usual, the Day 1 column showcases my overall tournament predictions as well as taking a look at the day’s feature matches.

*Tournament predictions – Men’s Singles*

With Juan Martin Del Potro unable to defend the US Open title that he won in such spectacular fashion last year, the majority of bookmakers have installed Roger Federer as the favorite to win this year’s tournament. Given Federer’s form at Flushing Meadows, it’s easy to see why. The Swiss star claimed 5 consecutive US Open crowns from 2004 to 2008, before coming up short against Del Potro in last year’s epic 5 setter.

While I predict that Federer will claim a sixth US Open title this year, it’s far from a certainty. His quarter-final defeats in Paris and London, coupled with Rafael Nadal’s European Grand Slam double and subsequent return to the world number one ranking, prompted many a critic to declare that Federer’s era of dominance was officially over.

To my mind, that’s not quite right. Back troubles plagued Federer in London, troubles which seem to have subsided during the North American hard court circuit. And Soderling and Berdych, his respective conquerors at the French Open and Wimbledon, had to play exemplary tennis in order to beat him. But at the same time, it’s probably fair to say that the chasing pack has gained significant ground on Federer, meaning that future Grand Slams will be hard-earned.

New York has never been a particularly happy hunting ground for Rafael Nadal, whose form on the hard courts in recent weeks has been solid but not spectacular. While some pundits attribute Nadal’s relatively poor performances at the US Open (the Spaniard has won each of the other 3 Grand Slams but has yet to progress past the semi-finals in New York) to the speed of court, I think that argument falls down on the basis of Nadal’s status as a dual Wimbledon champion, given that grass is the quickest of all surfaces. I think Nadal’s New York “failures” (if one can use such a term), are explained by the Spaniard generally being exhausted by this stage of the season.

This year, Nadal has some tricky players lurking in his quarter of the draw, including Verdasco and Nalbandian, but I think he will make the semi-finals. Andy Murray is right at home on the North American hard courts and I expect him to avenge his Wimbledon loss to Nadal by beating the world number one to make the final. Unfortunately for Murray, I think the capturing of his maiden Grand Slam will again be delayed due to the big match tennis of Roger Federer.

As far as outside bets go, I think Djokovic’s quarter is packed with talent and, with the Serb in erratic form of late, a semi-final run could come from Mardy Fish or Marcos Baghdatis, each of whom has been in good recent form. Big-serving American Sam Querrey could also cause some trouble, as could Robin Soderling and Tomas Berdych.

*Winner:* Roger Federer

*Finalist: *Andy Murray

*Other Major Contenders:* Nadal, Djokovic, Soderling

*Outside Chance:* Fish, Nalbandian, Querrey

*Tournament predictions – Women’s Singles*

With Serena Williams and Justine Henin out of the tournament due to injury, I consider that there are only 3 legitimate contenders for the women’s title in New York. After last year’s Flushing Meadows fairytale, defending champion Kim Clijsters will again be a major threat, while multiple Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova has the talent, the desire and the steely resolve to go all the way. And, of course, Venus Williams will be eager to make up for Serena’s absence and has the experience and the firepower to claim another US Open crown.

While Caroline Wozniacki is seeded number one in Serena Williams’ absence, I doubt that the Dane will make a serious impact on this year’s tournament. It’s true that she played extremely good tennis to make the final last year, but I sense that the added media attention and weight of expectation that comes with being top seed at a Grand Slam will be a burden on Wozniacki’s shoulders. Another problem is the fact that she is drawn in the same quarter as Maria Sharapova.

After some lengthy periods out of the game with injury issues, it’s taken a while for Sharapova to get back to the level of tennis that she is capable of producing. But creditable performances in Paris (where she lost to Henin in 3 sets) and London (where she went down to Serena in a tight match) have laid the foundation for Sharapova to make a push back into the top echelon of women’s tennis. The Russian loves playing in New York, has won the tournament before and is back in good form. Clijsters also loves playing in New York and should overcome Venus Williams to make the final, but this year I sense it will be a Russian fairytale that is played out on the courts of Flushing Meadows.

My dark horses for the women’s tournament are the ever-consistent Russians, Elena Dementieva and Nadia Petrova, who can match it with the best of them on the WTA Tour, Yanina Wickmayer, who seems ready to emerge from the shadows of compatriots Clijsters and Henin, and the volatile but powerful Victoria Azarenka.

*Winner:* Maria Sharapova

*Finalist:* Kim Clijsters

*Other Major Contenders:* Wozniacki, Venus Williams, Dementieva

*Outside Chance:* Wickmayer, Azarenka, Petrova

*Matches of the Day – Day 1*

*1. Daniela Hantuchova vs. Dinara Safina*

Although it’s been a thoroughly disappointing season for Dinara Safina, whose injury and form woes have conspired to see her drop out of the list of seeds for this year’s US Open, the Russian should draw some inspiration from her first round opponent’s efforts over the years. Hantuchova rocketed into the world’s top 10 before a lack of consistency saw her tumble down the rankings. She’s now a fitter and a more consistent player and is seeded in this year’s tournament as a result.

At her best, I’d say that Safina would have too much firepower for Hantuchova, but tennis is very much a mental sport, and Safina is very much a confidence player. I don’t think Safina is high on confidence at present, and I expect Hantuchova to take full advantage. Hantuchova in 3.

*2. Lleyton Hewitt vs. Paul-Henri Mathieu*

After beating Federer for the title in Halle prior to Wimbledon, Lleyton Hewitt went to the All England Club with high hopes but, after easily accounting for Gael Monfils, the Aussie suffered a frustrating loss at the hands of Novak Djokovic. Hewitt’s form has been patchy since then, with injury problems and the departure of his coach for personal reasons combining to give him a decidedly unsettled preparation for this year’s US Open.

Mathieu was a super-talented junior who has never quite made it at open level, although the Frenchman is a very solid ATP Tour player. Mathieu often plays his best tennis against the best players; his biggest difficulty revolves around efficiently dispatching players who have significantly less talent than he does. Consequently, I expect Mathieu to play at a high level in this clash and push Hewitt all the way. I think the plucky Aussie will eventually prevail, but it won’t be easy. Hewitt in 4.

*3. Samantha Stosur vs. Elena Vesnina*

After the bittersweet experience of reaching the French Open final and losing to Francesca Schiavone, Sam Stosur came back to earth with a thud in London, getting bundled out in the opening round (although it must be said that her opponent, Kaia Kanepi, did go on to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals).

Despite some recent problems with her arm, Stosur insists she is fit and ready to make a deep run in the year’s final Grand Slam. Vesnina is one of the myriad of Russians inhabiting the top 100 in the women’s world rankings and will be no pushover for Stosur. But if Stosur can get her big serve and her powerful forehand working, she should be too classy for Vesnina. Stosur in 2.

*4. Janko Tipsarevic vs. Olivier Rochus*

Although it could be argued that Janko Tipsarevic possesses just as much talent as his compatriot Novak Djokovic, it’s clear from his record over the past few years that he has nowhere near the same level of consistency. Even within matches, Tipsarevic has a habit of alternating between hot and cold.

Olivier Rochus, on the other hand, is a crafty little player who has managed to eke out a decent career despite being shorter and less powerful than the majority of players on the ATP Tour. There’s no doubt in my mind that this match will feature plenty of ebbs and flows, but I figure Rochus will be the more consistent and steady player, attributes which are important down the home straight. Rochus in 5.

*5. Nikolay Davydenko vs. Michael Russell*

Davydenko has been back on the ATP Tour for several months now, after a prolonged layoff due to injury, but I’m yet to be convinced that the sixth seed is back anywhere near his best form, which yields the sort of tennis that saw him beat Roger Federer late last year.

Russell is the quintessential tennis journeyman, having been on the ATP Tour since 1998 but having had limited success during that time. Aside from a surprise fourth round appearance at the French Open in 2001, he has yet to progress past the second round of a Grand Slam. Nonetheless, Russell is a valiant competitor and no doubt he senses that Davydenko is much more vulnerable than usual. With the crowd sure to provide the local player with a massive boost, I think Russell has a decent shot of winning this. Davydenko’s talents should get him through, but stranger things have happened. Davydenko in 5.

That’s it for today. Enjoy the tennis and I’ll be back with another serve tomorrow.

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