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[kban1]

Nadal cannot digest loss to Soderling

THE TIMES, LONDON & AGENCIES

Paris: If Rafael Nadal had known his reign as the King of Roland Garros was to be brought to an end this year then it is a reasonable bet Swede Robin Soderling would have been very low down on his wishlist of conquerors.

Defeat to Roger Federer in the final would have undoubtedly been accepted with customary humility by the Mallorcan, but the fact it was Soderling who brought down the curtain on Nadal’s winning run made Sunday’s four-set defeat all the more galling.

There has been bad blood between the duo ever since they faced each other across the net in a tetchy third-round encounter at Wimbledon two years ago.

On that occasion, Soderling did not beat the Spaniard but got right under his skin.

He mimicked Nadal by yanking at the seat of his pants, failed to apologise after benefiting from a netcord, and further riled the Spaniard by not shaking his hand properly after losing the match.

“He’s very strange. I say hello to him seven times to his face, he never answers. He hits a lucky shot, he does not wave (to apologise),” Nadal said at the time.

“I thought it was me, but I asked around the locker room and almost nobody has anything nice to say about him.

“If I fall down, he says nothing. He grabs his pants, makes fun of me, (he’s) very unprofessional.”

Nadal has often been accused of pushing the law which allows players 20 seconds between points at Slams to its very limit and took exception when Soderling went back to the chair for a new racket as the Spaniard was winding up to serve.

An unrepentant Soderling fired back later that year.

“I had to wait for him more than 200 times,” he said. “Every point I had to wait for him. He had to wait for me one time. He’s starting already shaking his head.”

But if Nadal was rattled then it was as nothing compared to the heartache on Sunday when his nemesis Soderling ended his run of 31 consecutive wins at Roland Garros.

“Well, what we say in the locker room stays there, and we said nothing,” Nadal said diplomatically on Sunday.

“I mean, you walk in there, you sit on your bench, and you’ve lost and that’s it.”

When his comments were relayed to Soderling, the Swede said: “I would never say that about anyone on the press conference. I mean, I could say the same.”

Soderling added that Nadal “must have been in his complaining mood. If my opponent doesn’t say I’m sorry, I don’t care. For me it’s .K. Why should I say I’m sorry when I’m in the moment of my life?”

But Nadal is looking to put this disappointment behind him and focus on the next big project — Wimbledon.

“Defeats never make you grow, but you also realise how difficult what I achieved up until today was, and this is something you need sometimes. You need a defeat to give the value to your victories.

“I need to face the fact I didn’t play well this week. I have to accept my defeat as I accepted my victories — with calm. No one remembers defeats in the long run. People remember victories. I have little time left to prepare for Wimbledon, but I have to move forward and try and prepare the best I can.”

 http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090602/jsp/sports/story_11049924.jsp

[WicketView]

Nadal cannot digest loss to Soderling

THE TIMES, LONDON & AGENCIES

Paris: If Rafael Nadal had known his reign as the King of Roland Garros was to be brought to an end this year then it is a reasonable bet Swede Robin Soderling would have been very low down on his wishlist of conquerors.

Defeat to Roger Federer in the final would have undoubtedly been accepted with customary humility by the Mallorcan, but the fact it was Soderling who brought down the curtain on Nadal’s winning run made Sunday’s four-set defeat all the more galling.

There has been bad blood between the duo ever since they faced each other across the net in a tetchy third-round encounter at Wimbledon two years ago.

On that occasion, Soderling did not beat the Spaniard but got right under his skin.

He mimicked Nadal by yanking at the seat of his pants, failed to apologise after benefiting from a netcord, and further riled the Spaniard by not shaking his hand properly after losing the match.

“He’s very strange. I say hello to him seven times to his face, he never answers. He hits a lucky shot, he does not wave (to apologise),” Nadal said at the time.

“I thought it was me, but I asked around the locker room and almost nobody has anything nice to say about him.

“If I fall down, he says nothing. He grabs his pants, makes fun of me, (he’s) very unprofessional.”

Nadal has often been accused of pushing the law which allows players 20 seconds between points at Slams to its very limit and took exception when Soderling went back to the chair for a new racket as the Spaniard was winding up to serve.

An unrepentant Soderling fired back later that year.

“I had to wait for him more than 200 times,” he said. “Every point I had to wait for him. He had to wait for me one time. He’s starting already shaking his head.”

But if Nadal was rattled then it was as nothing compared to the heartache on Sunday when his nemesis Soderling ended his run of 31 consecutive wins at Roland Garros.

“Well, what we say in the locker room stays there, and we said nothing,” Nadal said diplomatically on Sunday.

“I mean, you walk in there, you sit on your bench, and you’ve lost and that’s it.”

When his comments were relayed to Soderling, the Swede said: “I would never say that about anyone on the press conference. I mean, I could say the same.”

Soderling added that Nadal “must have been in his complaining mood. If my opponent doesn’t say I’m sorry, I don’t care. For me it’s .K. Why should I say I’m sorry when I’m in the moment of my life?”

But Nadal is looking to put this disappointment behind him and focus on the next big project — Wimbledon.

“Defeats never make you grow, but you also realise how difficult what I achieved up until today was, and this is something you need sometimes. You need a defeat to give the value to your victories.

“I need to face the fact I didn’t play well this week. I have to accept my defeat as I accepted my victories — with calm. No one remembers defeats in the long run. People remember victories. I have little time left to prepare for Wimbledon, but I have to move forward and try and prepare the best I can.”

 http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090602/jsp/sports/story_11049924.jsp

How does the title of the article make sense?

[justforkix]

u forget that the article is from Times

[gouravk]

no surprise in murray being beaten by gonzales .. i think nadals defeat is going to lead to many new things in the tennis world - most important being how he reacts to this kind of defeat ... is this just an aberration ... or is his invincibility clearly coming to an end ?

[poondu]

Fed - Del Potro SF it is..

[justforkix]

Del Potro is hot. Fedex will struggle to beat him. Should be a cracker of a match.

[poondu]

This is the 20th consecutive Grand Slam semi-final for Fed.  He is a freak..

[justforkix]

that is some consistency !!! reaching last 4 of every grand slam for nearly 5 years in a row !!!!

[keep-it-cool]

I agree. Del Porto is not going to be an easy nut to crack.

[gouravk]

he is improving but i think fedex will handle him. last time he played fedex he was totally clueless. fedex won that one 63 60 60.

[gouravk]

on a tangential note ... all of the remaining matches (mens and womens) are blah .. except for those that are going to involve federer. 

[justforkix]

he is improving but i think fedex will handle him. last time he played fedex he was totally clueless. fedex won that one 63 60 60.

on clay ?

[gouravk]

nope. aussie open. i expect this game to be much tougher. but i think fedex will pull through.

[chris jones]

Fedex has very good chance to win this title and also wimbledon championship.I hope he wins both the titles.

[CLR James]

Fedex has very good chance to win this title and also wimbledon championship.I hope he wins both the titles.

Amen to that!

[gouravk]

sure. i think if he wins this ... it will give him a tremendous boost ... and he might go on another famous winning streak again ... and i would dearly love him to win both this and wimbledon.

wouldnt it be ironic tho if fedex wins this and nadal wins wimbledon ?

[keep-it-cool]

Porto leading 4-2 in the first set and 30-0 on Fed's serve. Looks like we have a match on our hands.

[keep-it-cool]

Does well to hold after being 0-40 down.

[keep-it-cool]

Porto takes the first set 6-3. Looking very good here - can he maintain the intensity for the duration of the match?

[justforkix]

we have a match in our hands if Fedrer manages to come back

Del Potro is hot !!!

[dhruvdeepak]

delpotro 2 points away from taking a 2 set lead.

[justforkix]

scrape through 2nd set for Fedex, but down a break in the 3rd !!!

[justforkix]

Fedrer needs to now play out of his skins to win the next 2 sets and pull this off !!! Potro is just too hot to handle !!

[dhruvdeepak]

great game so far!! potty takes the lead

[justforkix]

Fed takes the 4th 6-1 !!!

Now, Potro breaks back in 5th !! and it is 3 all - what a match so far, probably the bets of this year's French !!

[justforkix]

woohoo : 5-3 up in final set 

[justforkix]

Match Point !!! 

[poondu]

fed serving for the match..

[poondu]

fed wins..

[keep-it-cool]

What a match!!!

Actually both semis were good.

[dhruvdeepak]

i hate federer!!!!!!

[ramshorns]

i hate federer!!!!!!

Hahaha.

I am no big fan of him either.   He has this phoney nature to him and that artificial smile which turns me off completely.

He is also the personal puppet of Nadal and anytime Nadal chooses he has Federer dancing to his tunes.  5-2 grand slam record against him proves that.

But let me say this too.  One has to give the man the credit where it is due.  He is a freak in nature on the Tennis court and in Grand Slams.   5 straight wins both at Wimbledon and U.S open is just out of this world and takes a special doing.  On Sunday if he Wins the French in an era of clay court specialists to me he will be the undisputed No.1 of the last 30 or so years over the likes of Borg, Lendl and Sampras though Pete was too pedestrian at the French open for my tastes.

Roger Federer is on a mission on Sunday.  He will be vying for Ramshorns undisputed No.1 Tennis player of the last 30 or so years since I heard of a man called Borg my first introduction to Tennis as a 8 year old.   I am sure that will make Federer a little overawed.

[gouravk]

hmm .. i wonder how it must feel to stand on the doorstep of immortality ...

[ganavk]

i hate federer!!!!!!

Hahaha.

I am no big fan of him either.   He has this phoney nature to him and that artificial smile which turns me off completely.

Code: [Select]

He is also the personal puppet of Nadal and anytime Nadal chooses he has Federer dancing to his tunes.  5-2 grand slam record against him proves that.
But let me say this too.  One has to give the man the credit where it is due.  He is a freak in nature on the Tennis court and in Grand Slams.   5 straight wins both at Wimbledon and U.S open is just out of this world and takes a special doing.  On Sunday if he Wins the French in an era of clay court specialists to me he will be the undisputed No.1 of the last 30 or so years over the likes of Borg, Lendl and Sampras though Pete was too pedestrian at the French open for my tastes.

Roger Federer is on a mission on Sunday.  He will be vying for Ramshorns undisputed No.1 Tennis player of the last 30 or so years since I heard of a man called Borg my first introduction to Tennis as a 8 year old.   I am sure that will make Federer a little overawed.

too strong and not true at all.  four of Nadal's 5-2 have come in French open and you still say he is Nadal's puppet. we can say this once Nadal start winning the grandslams as consistently as Federer. 

[keep-it-cool]

Safina breaks to start on a strong note.

[ramshorns]

i hate federer!!!!!!

Hahaha.

I am no big fan of him either.   He has this phoney nature to him and that artificial smile which turns me off completely.

Code: [Select]

He is also the personal puppet of Nadal and anytime Nadal chooses he has Federer dancing to his tunes.  5-2 grand slam record against him proves that.
But let me say this too.  One has to give the man the credit where it is due.  He is a freak in nature on the Tennis court and in Grand Slams.   5 straight wins both at Wimbledon and U.S open is just out of this world and takes a special doing.  On Sunday if he Wins the French in an era of clay court specialists to me he will be the undisputed No.1 of the last 30 or so years over the likes of Borg, Lendl and Sampras though Pete was too pedestrian at the French open for my tastes.

Roger Federer is on a mission on Sunday.  He will be vying for Ramshorns undisputed No.1 Tennis player of the last 30 or so years since I heard of a man called Borg my first introduction to Tennis as a 8 year old.   I am sure that will make Federer a little overawed.

too strong and not true at all. four of Nadal's 5-2 have come in French open and you still say he is Nadal's puppet. we can say this once Nadal start winning the grandslams as consistently as Federer.

Not really.  You need to pay more attention to details and facts.

3 French open Final Wins over Federer
1 Wimbeldon Final Win over Federer
1 Aussie Final Win over Federer

And head to head Nadal leads 13-7 a 65% success rate over the No.1 ranked player of this decade .  So to me Nadal in a way owns Federer and in my little world of name calling I say Federer is a personal puppet of Nadal despite all the accolades and accomplishments of Roger.

[Blwe_torch]

Kuznetsova stuns Safina to win French Open title
6 Jun 2009, 2001 hrs IST, AFP   
 
PARIS: Svetlana Kuznetsova defeated Dinara Safina 6-4, 6-2 in an all-Russian final of the French Open on Saturday to take away her second Grand Slam title. .

Steffi Graf presents the winners trophy to Svetlana Kuznetsova following play against Dinara Safina in the French Open final on June 6, 2009 at Roland Garros stadium. (AFP Photo)


It was a comprehensive win for the 23-year-old seventh seed who lost in the final here in 2006 to Justine Henin two years after she stunned the world of tennis by winning the US Open as a 19-year-old.

For Safina it was a crushing way to end a two-week-long campaign geared at securing a first Grand Slam title and proving that she is a worthy of the world number one spot.

It was the second straight year she has lost in the final here going down in straight sets to Ana Ivanovic of Serbia last year and her second successive Grand Slam final defeat having lost to Serena Williams in Melbourne this year.

"It was so many years since I won a Grand Slam and I thought it would never happen again," Kuznetsova said.

"Today when I was coming onto the court I knew everything was going to be fine. It was the same as before when I won the US Open."

It was the 14th time the two had met as professionals, Safina leading 8-5, but they go further back than that having been rivals in Russia in girls' tournaments as they were growing up.

With conditions cold, damp and overcast and the Court Philippe Chatrier three-quarters full, Safina was quickest out of the blocks breaking Kuznetsova to 15.

But the younger of the two 23-year-olds surrendered that advantage immediately with a nervy service game that included a double fault and two unforced errors.

Safina was in trouble on serve again at 2-3 down when a double fault and a deft Kuznetsova drop shot left her at 0-30, but she came out on top of a marathon rally and then took the next three points to level the score.

Two games later though and on the back of another double fault, the Muscovite went 0-40 down. She saved the first two of those breakpoints but was left flat-footed by a raking Kuznetsova backhand drive on the third.

The St Petersburg-born player, however, failed to cash in, dropping her serve for the second time in the next game.

That mattered little though as she struck again in the following game, staggering Safina by running round her backhand to hit an outright winner and then forcing the world No.1 into slapping a forehand into the net.

Kuznetsova held serve to open the second set and Safina was beginning to berate herself for allowing her smaller and less powerful rival for the crown to dominate most of their rallies.

Games went with serve until the sixth game when a sixth double fault gave Kuznetsova the edge and she broke for the fourth time in the match shortly after when Safina blasted a forehand wide and long.

Kuznetsova held serve to make it 5-2 and then her pressure on the Safina serve paid dividends again with a seventh double fault on match point.

It was all over in 74 minutes and was the eighth consecutive straight sets women's final at Roland Garros.
http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4625410.cms

[ganavk]

i hate federer!!!!!!

Hahaha.

I am no big fan of him either.   He has this phoney nature to him and that artificial smile which turns me off completely.

Code: [Select]

He is also the personal puppet of Nadal and anytime Nadal chooses he has Federer dancing to his tunes.  5-2 grand slam record against him proves that.
But let me say this too.  One has to give the man the credit where it is due.  He is a freak in nature on the Tennis court and in Grand Slams.   5 straight wins both at Wimbledon and U.S open is just out of this world and takes a special doing.  On Sunday if he Wins the French in an era of clay court specialists to me he will be the undisputed No.1 of the last 30 or so years over the likes of Borg, Lendl and Sampras though Pete was too pedestrian at the French open for my tastes.

Roger Federer is on a mission on Sunday.  He will be vying for Ramshorns undisputed No.1 Tennis player of the last 30 or so years since I heard of a man called Borg my first introduction to Tennis as a 8 year old.   I am sure that will make Federer a little overawed.

too strong and not true at all. four of Nadal's 5-2 have come in French open and you still say he is Nadal's puppet. we can say this once Nadal start winning the grandslams as consistently as Federer.

Not really.  You need to pay more attention to details and facts.

3 French open Final Wins over Federer
1 Wimbeldon Final Win over Federer
1 Aussie Final Win over Federer

And head to head Nadal leads 13-7 a 65% success rate over the No.1 ranked player of this decade .  So to me Nadal in a way owns Federer and in my little world of name calling I say Federer is a personal puppet of Nadal despite all the accolades and accomplishments of Roger.

how is 13-7 translates into personal puppet ? If that's the case Nadal is the one trick pony of this decade. He could not even go past across 4th round in this edition where as Federer continues to excel on all surfaces and on all format. Anyway...unless Nadal wins multiple grandslams on multiple surfaces and maintain he will not be considered as good as Federer, Sampras, Lendl, Lever or Agassi for that matter.

[ramshorns]

i hate federer!!!!!!

Hahaha.

I am no big fan of him either.   He has this phoney nature to him and that artificial smile which turns me off completely.

Code: [Select]

He is also the personal puppet of Nadal and anytime Nadal chooses he has Federer dancing to his tunes.  5-2 grand slam record against him proves that.
But let me say this too.  One has to give the man the credit where it is due.  He is a freak in nature on the Tennis court and in Grand Slams.   5 straight wins both at Wimbledon and U.S open is just out of this world and takes a special doing.  On Sunday if he Wins the French in an era of clay court specialists to me he will be the undisputed No.1 of the last 30 or so years over the likes of Borg, Lendl and Sampras though Pete was too pedestrian at the French open for my tastes.

Roger Federer is on a mission on Sunday.  He will be vying for Ramshorns undisputed No.1 Tennis player of the last 30 or so years since I heard of a man called Borg my first introduction to Tennis as a 8 year old.   I am sure that will make Federer a little overawed.

too strong and not true at all. four of Nadal's 5-2 have come in French open and you still say he is Nadal's puppet. we can say this once Nadal start winning the grandslams as consistently as Federer.

Not really.  You need to pay more attention to details and facts.

3 French open Final Wins over Federer
1 Wimbeldon Final Win over Federer
1 Aussie Final Win over Federer

And head to head Nadal leads 13-7 a 65% success rate over the No.1 ranked player of this decade .  So to me Nadal in a way owns Federer and in my little world of name calling I say Federer is a personal puppet of Nadal despite all the accolades and accomplishments of Roger.

how is 13-7 translates into personal puppet ? If that's the case Nadal is the one trick pony of this decade. He could not even go past across 4th round in this edition where as Federer continues to excel on all surfaces and on all format. Anyway...unless Nadal wins multiple grandslams on multiple surfaces and maintain he will not be considered as good as Federer, Sampras, Lendl, Lever or Agassi for that matter.

I am not sure if you read  all my posts above.  I did not ever say anything about Nadal's overall tennis accomplishments though I will say he is more than a one trick pony having beaten Federer in a Wimbeldon final.  That will be an all new debate in itself.

And yes I do not like Federer that much and Nadal's 65% success rate over a No.1 player makes me call that - a personal puppet of Nadal despite being the No.1 player.  Let me do that.

[dextrous]

Paes wins the doubles meanwhile at 36!!