US Open Day 13 Wrap-up: Gonzalez eats bagel, Clijsters wins but Serena steals the show, Wozniacki stays in the shadow

Rafael Nadal beat Fernando Gonzalez pretty quickly to win 7-6, 7-6, 6-0 in a match that began Thursday evening.

Gonzalez who seemed not getting enough warm-up kept looking at the sky and scoreboard, perhaps was looking for a sign of rain.

It started to drizzle a bit and Gonzalez sought treatment from a trainer for his feet but that didn't help to delay his lost to Nadal for another day.

Light shower continued through the evening but I was glad that both women's singles semifinals finally took off.

Kim Clijsters reached the final by beating Serena Williams 6-4, 7-5.

Kimmie, I'm sorry I stole the limelight from you tonight.

However the match was marred by controversy after Serena was docked a point for yelling at an official who called a foot fault.

I may look very calm on the outside but guess what, I'm shit scared of Serena inside.

The line judge reported it to the chair umpire which led to the chair umpire awarding a point to Clijsters, ending the match.

Serena already had been given a code violation warning when she broke her racket after losing the first set.

At the press conference, Serena denied she threatened to 'kill the line judge' and it was unnecessary to apologize to the lady. You can read the full transcript here.

In another women's semifinal that took place at the same time, Caroline Wozniacki's victory was overshadowed by the controversy.

Wozniacki will play in her first Grand Slam final after defeated Yanina Wickmayer 6-3, 6-3.

Here's Sunday's order of play on day 14 at the U.S. Open (prefix denotes seeding):

(Starts at 12:00 PM)
1-Roger Federer (Switzerland) v 4-Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
3-Rafael Nadal (Spain) v 6-Juan Martin del Potro (Argentina)
9-Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) v Kim Clijsters (Belgium)

(Images via Yahoo! Sports)

US Open Day 9 Wrap-up: Nadal gets the kiss, Murray gets the kick

More bizarre incident happened on Day 9.

Just when Rafael Nadal finished the match against Gael Monfils, a fan ran out of nowhere, approached the Spanish player and gave him a kiss before a woman security guard intervened.

Here's the video taken from Gototennisblog.

When asked about the incident, Nadal said, "For me, it wasn’t a problem. The guy was really nice. He said, ‘I love you,’ and he kissed me.” :D

By defeating Monfils 6-7, 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 to move on to the quarterfinals, Nadal will regain his no. 2 ranking from Andy Murray who was upset by Marin Cilic earlier.

Back to Nadal, he'll try to complete a career Grand Slam by winning the US Open.

He'll meet Fernando Gonzalez in the quarterfinal after the Chilean eliminated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3), 6-4.

In another men's singles match, Juan Martin del Potro defeated Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.

In the women's singles, Kim Clijsters dispatched Li Na in straight sets with a 6-2, 6-4 victory.

The opponent waiting for her next in the semifinals is none other than Serena Williams who sent off Flavia Pennetta 6-4 6-3.

Here's Wednesday’s order of play on day 10 at the U.S. Open (prefix denotes seeding):

(Not before 1630GMT)
Yanina Wickmayer (Belgium) v Kateryna Bondarenko (Ukraine)
4-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) v 10-Fernando Verdasco (Spain)

(Not before 2300GMT)
Melanie Oudin (U.S.) v 9-Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark)
1-Roger Federer (Switzerland) 12-Robin Soderling (Sweden)

(Via AP, US Open website)

US Open Day 7 Wrap-up: Lack of star power, Clijster, Pennetta steal the show

I remember very well that in the last couple of years, there were quite a number of celebrities who added glitter to the US Open every single day.

So what happen this year?

Besides Alec Baldwin, Will Ferrell, Kim Cattrall, Patrick Stewart, Jason Bateman and Jennifer Love Hewitt, I haven't really seen any hotter stars than those I just mentioned.

Celebrities aside, I think the player of the day is Kim Clijsters.

Clijsters marked her dazzling return to the grand slam by ousting Venus Williams with a wild yet weird 6-0, 0-6, 6-4 victory!

The Belgian mum will face Li Na next after the Chinese beat Francesca Schiavone 6-2, 6-3.

In another exciting match, Flavia Pennetta saved six match points to advance to the quarterfinal with a 3-6, 7-6, 6-0 victory over Vera Zvonareva.

Pennetta will face Serena Williams next!

In the men's singles, Andy Murray joined Juan Martin del Potro, Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Rafael Nadal and Fernando Gonzalez to the next round.

Earlier of the day, Nadal knocked off compatriot Nicolas Almagro 7-5, 6-4, 6-4.

During the match, Nadal was treated for a stomach muscle problem while Almagro also received a treatment for back problem.

Nadal's next opponent is Gael Monfils who advanced when Jose Acasuso quit because of left knee pain while trailing 6-3, 6-4, 1-0.

In the last match of the day, Murray, needed only 90 minutes to sent off Taylor Dent 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 and set up a fourth-round encounter with Marin Cilic.

US Open men's singles third round results from New York on Monday (prefix denotes seeding)

2-Andy Murray (Britain) beat Taylor Dent (US) 6-3 6-2 6-2
6-Juan Martin Del Potro (Argentina) beat Daniel Koellerer (Austria) 6-1 3-6 6-3 6-3
7-Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (France) beat Julien Benneteau (France) 7-6(4) 6-2 6-4
11-Fernando Gonzalez (Chile) beat 17-Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) 7-5 6-4 6-4
3-Rafael Nadal (Spain) beat 32-Nicolas Almagro (Spain) 7-5 6-4 6-4
24-Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spain) beat 9-Gilles Simon (France) 1-6 6-4 7-6(5) 1-0 (Simon retired)

US Open women's singles fourth round results from New York on Monday (prefix denotes seeding)

10-Flavia Pennetta (Italy) beat 7-Vera Zvonareva (Russia) 3-6, 7-6, 6-0
Kim Clijsters (Belgium) beat 3-Venus Williams (US) 6-0 0-6 6-4
18-Li Na (China) beat 26-Francesca Schiavone (Italy) 6-2 6-3
2-Serena Williams (US) beat 22-Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) 6-2 6-0

(Via AP, Reuters, TVNZ, US Open website)

US Open Day 3 Wrap-up: Rafael Nadal sails through without knee problem, bye-bye Safin, Santoro

Those who are curious about Rafael Nadal's knee probably have the answer now.

He's indeed okay and he can play well too!

Kicking off his US Open campaign, Nadal encountered no apparent trouble in winning the first round 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 over Richard Gasquet.

Maybe you might say Gasquest wasn't a fit opponent...

It's probably too early to predict Nadal's road to final but one thing for sure, Nadal said he has never felt so fresh.

Nadal's rival, Roger Federer, who is bidding for a 6th consecutive US Open championship—and 3rd Grand Slam title in a row this year— has no problem in overcoming Simon Greul with a 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 victory.

Waiting for Federer next is two-time Grand Slam winner Lleyton Hewitt, who defeated Juan Ignacio Chela 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.

Venus Williams may have a wide patches of white tape on her left knee but still, she can easily overcome Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-4, 6-2.

Kim Clijsters continues to play by knocking off no. 14-seeded Marion Bartoli 5-7, 6-1, 6-2.

With over a billion Indians following her every move on the tour, Sania Mirza displayed horrible tennis after being bageled twice by Flavia Pennetta.

Other seeded women sent home included Samantha Stosur, in a shocking defeat to Vania King, who won 7-5, 6-4; former world no.1 Amelie Mauresmo, who lost to Aleksandra Wozniak; Agnieszka Radwanska, who was defeated by Maria Kirilenko; and Anabel Medina Garrigues.

There were no men's seeded losers today.

Marat Safin and Fabrice Santoro said goodbye to Grand Slam tennis with first round exits.

Both of them are retiring at the end of the season.

Safin, the 2000 US Open champion, lost to Jurgen Melzer 1-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 while Santoro, appearing in his record 69th major tournament, was beaten by Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.

US Open men's singles results from New York on Thursday (prefix denotes seeding)

1-Roger Federer (Switzerland) beat Simon Greul (Germany) 6-3 7-5 7-5
9-Gilles Simon (France) beat Daniel Gimeno (Spain) 6-4 7-6(3) 6-3
18-David Ferrer (Spain) beat Alberto Martin (Spain) 7-5 5-7 6-3 6-3
Philipp Petzschner (Germany) beat Sergiy Stakhovsky (Ukraine) 7-6(3) 6-7(6) 6-4 4-6 6-3
6-Juan Martin Del Potro (Argentina) beat Juan Monaco (Argentina) 6-3 6-3 6-1
Robby Ginepri (US) beat Andrei Pavel (Romania) 5-7 6-2 6-4 6-0
Daniel Koellerer (Austria) beat Rui Machado (Portugal) 6-2 6-4 2-6 6-2
32-Nicolas Almagro (Spain) beat Steve Darcis (Belgium) 6-2 6-4 2-6 7-6(8)
Jose Acasuso (Argentina) beat Marcos Daniel (Brazil) 6-2 6-4 6-3
3-Rafael Nadal (Spain) beat Richard Gasquet (France) 6-2 6-2 6-3
Thomaz Bellucci (Brazil) beat Lu Yen-Hsun (Taiwan) 6-4 6-2 6-3
Pablo Cuevas (Uruguay) beat Chris Guccione (Australia) 6-4 7-6(4) 6-0
24-Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spain) beat Fabrice Santoro (France) 6-4 6-3 6-3
Nicolas Kiefer (Germany) beat Michael Llodra (France) 6-3 6-4 6-4
Juergen Melzer (Austria) beat Marat Safin (Russia) 1-6 6-4 6-3 6-4
Andreas Beck (Germany) beat Evgeny Korolev (Russia) 6-3 6-4 2-6 2-6 6-4
13-Gael Monfils (France) beat Jeremy Chardy (France) 6-1 6-4 6-3

US Open women's singles second round results from New York on Thursday (prefix denotes seeding)

2-Serena Williams (USA) beat Melinda Czink (Hungary) 6-1 6-1
Vania King (US) beat 15-Samantha Stosur (Australia) 7-5 6-4
Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (Spain) beat Angelique Kerber (Germany)
Kim Clijsters (Belgium) beat 14-Marion Bartoli (France) 5-7 6-1 6-2
26-Francesca Schiavone (Italy) beat Stefanie Voegele (Switzerland) 6-4 6-4
8-Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) beat Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (Czech Republic) 6-2 6-1
Maria Kirilenko (Russia) beat 12-Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) 6-4 2-6 6-4
3-Venus Williams (US) beat Bethanie Mattek-Sands (US) 6-4 6-2
Kirsten Flipkens (Belgium) beat 20-Anabel Medina Garrigues (Spain) 6-1 6-3
7-Vera Zvonareva (Russia) beat Anna Chakvetadze (Russia) 3-6 6-1 6-1
Magdalena Rybarikova (Slovakia) beat Chang Kai-Chen (Taiwan) 4-6 6-2 6-2
31-Elena Vesnina (Russia) beat Jill Craybas (US) 7-6(6) 6-1
18-Li Na (China) beat Michelle Larcher de Brito (Portugal) 6-1 6-3
Aleksandra Wozniak (Canada) beat 17-Amelie Mauresmo (France) 6-4 6-0
10-Flavia Pennetta (Italy) beat Sania Mirza (India) 6-0 6-0

(Via AP, TVNZ, US Open website)

US Open Day 1 Wrap-up: Roger Federer, Kim Clijsters give young players tennis lesson

Kim Clijsters returned to Arthur Ashe stadium at the US Open on Monday after two-year absence from tennis.

Although she said she was a 'little more nervous than usual' she was still able to thrash Viktoriya Kutuzova 6-1, 6-1 for a first-round victory.

Roger Federer, chasing a 6th straight US Open title and 16th Grand Slam, overwhelmed American wild card Devin Britton, 6-1, 6-3, 7-5, in just 88 minutes.

Following Federer and Clijsters on the centre court was Serena Williams, who walloped fellow American Alexa Glatch 6-4 6-1.

Her sister Venus was far from impressive and barely survived the match with Vera Dushevina. Venus won 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 6-3.

Andy Roddick closed Monday’s opening night with a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 demolition of Bjorn Phau.

Before the Americans took their places under the spotlight, I need to specifically mention the double victories of Somdev Devvarman and Sania Mirza who posted first-round victories on opening day of the U.S. Open to become the first man and woman from India to reach the second round of the same grand slam event.

Mirza defeated Olga Govortsova 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, and qualifier Devvarman beat Frederico Gil 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.

Here's the complete results for Day 1:

US Open men's singles first round results from New York on Tuesday (Prefix denotes seeding)

5-Andy Roddick (US) beat Bjorn Phau (Germany) 6-1 6-4 6-2
15-Radek Stepanek (Czech Republic) beat Simone Bolelli (Italy) 6-4 6-4 6-4
Leonardo Mayer (Argentina) beat Andrey Golubev (Kazakhstan) 6-4 4-6 7-5 6-3
Marc Gicquel (France) beat Dmitry Tursunov (Russia) 6-2 5-7 6-3 6-3
Juan Ignacio Chela (Argentina) beat Oscar Hernandez (Spain) 6-4 6-4 6-2
23-Philipp Kohlschreiber (Germany) beat Andreas Seppi (Italy) 6-0 6-4 6-4
21-James Blake (US) beat Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo (Spain) 6-1 6-4 7-5
31-Lleyton Hewitt (Australia) beat Thiago Alves (Brazil) 6-0 6-3 6-4
20-Tommy Haas (Germany) beat Alejandro Falla (Colombia) 7-5 4-6 7-6(7) 6-2
Olivier Rochus (Belgium) beat Igor Kunitsyn (Russia) 6-3 6-0 6-2
Robert Kendrick (US) beat Martin Vassallo Arguello (Argentina) 6-3 6-2 6-2
Marsel Ilhan (Turkey) beat Christophe Rochus (Belgium) 3-6 6-3 3-6 7-5 7-5
Somdev Devvarman (India) beat Frederico Gil (Portugal) 6-3 6-4 6-3
14-Tommy Robredo (Spain) beat Donald Young (US) 6-4 3-6 6-2 6-3
John Isner (US) beat 28-Victor Hanescu (Romania) 6-1 7-6(14) 7-6(5)
Simon Greul (Germany) beat Giovanni Lapentti (Ecuador) 6-3 4-6 3-6 6-0 7-6(9)
1-Roger Federer (Switzerland) beat Devin Britton (US) 6-1 6-3 7-5
Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (Spain) beat Peter Polansky (Canada) 6-4 6-4 5-7 3-6 6-1
Jan Hernych (Czech Republic) beat Rainer Schuettler (Germany) 1-6 7-6(5) 6-4 2-6 6-3
8-Nikolay Davydenko (Russia) beat Dieter Kindlmann (Germany) 6-3 6-4 7-5
12-Robin Soderling (Sweden) beat Albert Montanes (Spain) 6-1 3-6 6-1 6-4
Marcel Granollers (Spain) beat Mischa Zverev (Germany) 2-6 7-5 3-6 6-4 6-0
Mikhail Youzhny (Russia) beat 26-Paul-Henri Mathieu (France) 2-6 7-5 6-0 6-2
Marco Chiudinelli (Switzerland) beat Potito Starace (Italy) 7-6(3) 7-6(2) 6-0

US Open women's singles first round results from New York on Tuesday (prefix denotes seeding)

3-Venus Williams (US) beat Vera Dushevina (Russia) 6-7(5) 7-5 6-3
18-Li Na (China) beat Raluca Olaru (Romania) 7-6(4) 6-3
Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (Spain) beat 28-Sybille Bammer (Austria) 6-4 1-6 7-6(5)
22-Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) beat Meghann Shaughnessy (U.S.) 6-2 4-6 6-1
31-Elena Vesnina (Russia) beat Lucie Hradecka (Czech Republic) 6-4 7-6(5)
Kirsten Flipkens (Belgium) beat Jelena Dokic (Australia) 6-3 6-4
Michelle Larcher de Brito (Portugal) beat Mathilde Johansson (France) 1-6 7-5 6-1
Angelique Kerber (Germany) beat Andrea Petkovic (Germany) 6-4 5-7 6-3
Timea Bacsinszky (Switzerland) beat Vesna Manasieva (Russia) 6-3 6-4
Anna Chakvetadze (Russia) beat Yurika Sema (Japan) 4-6 6-1 6-2
Bethanie Mattek-Sands (US) beat Iveta Benesova (Czech Republic) 6-3 6-4
20-Anabel Medina Garrigues (Spain) beat Gail Brodsky (US) 6-4 6-4
Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (Czech Republic) beat Marta Domachowska (Poland) 2-6 6-2 6-3
Jill Craybas (US) beat Carly Gullickson (US) 6-3 7-6(5)
Sania Mirza (India) beat Olga Govortsova (Belarus) 6-2 3-6 6-3
7-Vera Zvonareva (Russia) beat Nuria Llagostera Vives (Spain) 6-0 6-4
Melinda Czink (Hungary) beat Maria Elena Camerin (Italy) 6-3 6-4
17-Amelie Mauresmo (France) beat Tatjana Malek (Germany) 6-3 6-4
Magdalena Rybarikova (Slovakia) beat Valerie Tetreault (Canada) 6-3 4-6 6-1
26-Francesca Schiavone (Italy) beat Yvonne Meusburger (Austria) 6-1 6-2
Maria Kirilenko (Russia) beat Mariya Koryttseva (Ukraine) 6-2 6-1
Kim Clijsters (Belgium) beat Viktoriya Kutuzova (Ukraine) 6-1 6-1
8-Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) beat Alexandra Dulgheru (Romania) 6-1 6-1
12-Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) beat Patricia Mayr (Austria) 6-1 6-2
Vania King (US) beat Anastasiya Yakimova (Belarus) 2-1 (Yakimova retired)
Kai-Chen Chang (Taiwan) beat 25-Kaia Kanepi (Estonia) 6-0 2-6 6-2

(Via AP, Reuters, TVNZ, US Open website)

TENNIS WATCH: The Bryan Brothers Band, Djokovic's new coach, Davis Cup, top 8 in Montreal, Clijsters' in Williams' out

From chest bumping to music recording, Bob and Mike Bryan are set to take the music world by storm with the release of their debut album "Let It Rip", with close friend and accomplished singer/songwriter David Baron on September 1, 2009.

The album will contain 5 songs that feature Bob playing the bass and keyboards, Mike on the drums, and Baron as the lead vocalist also playing piano and guitar.

More information on The Bryan Brothers Band Featuring David Baron can be found on www.bryanbrosband.com, which will be made live before their debut at Arthur Ashe Kids Day.

*******

Novak Djokovic will be training under Todd Martin after Cincinnati. Martin is the new addition to Djokovic's team, which will continue to engage with full-time coach Marian Vajda.

*******

World Group Davis Cup dates for next year are out:

World Group First round (5-7 March)
World Group Quarterfinals (9-11 July)
World Group Semifinals and World Group Play-offs (17-19 September)
World Group Final (3-5 December)

*******

For the first time, all top eight-ranked players in the world have reached the quarterfinals in Montreal.

Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Andy Roddick, Juan Martin del Potro, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Nikolay Davydenko have all made their way to the final eight at the Masters event.

*******

Kim Clijsters continues her winning comeback, defeating 2009 French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 to reach the Cincinnati quarterfinals.

*******

Serena Williams is ousted 7-5, 6-4 by Sybille Bammer in Cincinnati.

With Venus' loss to Flavia Pennetta earlier, both Williams sisters are out of the tournament.

TENNIS WATCH: The Hewitts, ATP & WTA's marriage in Cincinnati, Ivanovic's cutting cost, Safina's coconut, comeback Kim wins again

Australian weekly magazine New Idea has apologised to Lleyton Hewitt's wife Bec for labelling her brother Shaun Cartwright as her 'new lover' in an April news story.

The magazine surely have no idea that the Hewitts are still very much in love.

*******

The ATP and WTA events in Cincinnati will become a combined tournament in 2011 and will be held two weeks before the U.S. Open.

The current WTA and ATP events in Toronto and Montreal will remain in separate cities, but will occur during the same week, three weeks before the U.S. Open.

*******

Is Ana Ivanovic cutting cost due to her recent slump?

Speaking about her shrinking entourage, Ivanovic said, "Now I'm actually traveling with my mom mostly, and before I used to have four or five people. So I'm like, Where has everyone gone?"

"No, I feel really good, because also made me realise more thing on my own, what I'm doing and what helps me to play good, these kind of things, rather than relying on people telling me certain things."

*******

Recently Dinara Safina hurt her left hand while trying to open a coconut.

Safina said, "In Los Angeles, I would say I lost a bet with a coconut. I was trying to open a coconut, and actually didn't open very good because the knife slipped and it went straight into my hand.

Safina shoud ask Zeljko Krajan to do it instead.

*******

Kim Clijsters continues her successful comeback win by defeating Patty Schnyder 6-2, 7-5 in Cincinnati.

Clijsters who retired in May 2007 and gave birth to a daughter in February 2008, knocked out 12th-seeded Marion Bartoli in straight sets on Monday.

She is scheduled to meet 6th-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova in the next round. Clijsters has won six of her seven matches against Kuznetsova.

If everything goes well, she will probably meet top-seeded Dinara Safina in the quarterfinal match.

TENNIS WATCH: Kei Nishikori, Rogers Cup, Kim Clijsters

Kei Nishikori withdrew from the US Open.

According to IMG, Nishikori underwent a small microscopic surgery to remove a minor bone spur last week under the care of. Dr. Saito in Tokyo.

Kei is expected to be back on the court and start practice in about 4-6 weeks.

IMG is currently finalizing Nishikori’s protected ranking with the ATP, which will enable him to participate in most of the big tournaments in the first half of 2010.

*******

Back to Montreal, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic all won their opening matches at the Rogers Cup.

Federer defeated Canadian Frederic Niemeyer 7-6(3), 6-4.

Djokovic overcame another home favourite, Peter Polansky, 6-4, 7-6(6).

Murray had an easy won against Jeremy Chardy 6-4, 6-2.

In the doubles event, Rafael Nadal and Francisco Roig was defeated by doubles specialist Max Mirnyi and Andy Ram in a super tiebreak round 2 match with the results 6-4, 3-6, 8-10.

*******

Congrats to comeback queen Kim Clijsters for winning her first WTA match in straight sets, defeating world no.13 Marion Bartoli 6-4, 6-3.

It'll be interesting to see her dominate women's tennis again.