US Open Day 4 Wrap-up: Elena Dementieva blows $1mil bonus, another smooth day for men's seeded players

It was another disastrous day at the US Open where several women's seeded players were knocked out from the season ending Grand Slam — no. 4 Elena Dementieva, no. 5 Jelena Jankovic, no. 19 Patty Schnyder, no. 23 Sabine Lisicki and no. 30 Alona Bondarenko.

Elena Dementieva blew her $1 million bonus after being stunned by American teenager Melanie Oudin 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

The 17-year-old Oudin will set up a third-round match against Maria Sharapova who eliminated another 17-year-old American, Christina McHale 6-2, 6-1.

Dinara Safina was lucky to stay in the tournament, overcoming her second poor performance of the week before defeating Kristina Barrois 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-3.

It was whole different scenario with the guys as no seeded men lost on Day 4 at the US Open.

Surprisingly, the Americans did pretty well as they sailed through to the next round — Andy Roddick, James Blake, Sam Querrey, John Isner and the unknown Jesse Witten.

Swiss Marco Chiudinelli currently ranked 161 in the world, surprised many after defeating Mikhail Youzhny 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4, 6-3.

Somdev Devvarman managed to bageled Philipp Kohlschreiber in the third set before he was shown the exit door by the German who won 6-3, 6-4, 0-6, 6-2.

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

5-Andy Roddick (US) beat Marc Gicquel (France) 6-1 6-4 6-4
23-Philipp Kohlschreiber (Germany) beat Somdev Devvarman (India) 6-3 6-4 0-6 6-2
John Isner (US) beat Marsel Ilhan (Turkey) 6-3 6-4 7-6(1)
21-James Blake (US) beat Olivier Rochus (Belgium) 6-4 3-6 7-6(6) 6-3
4-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) beat Carsten Ball (Australia) 6-3 6-4 6-4
15-Radek Stepanek (Czech Republic) beat Leonardo Mayer (Argentina) 7-6(5) 6-3 6-4
Marco Chiudinelli (Switzerland) beat Mikhail Youzhny (Russia) 2-6 7-6(4) 6-4 6-3
14-Tommy Robredo (Spain) beat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (Spain) 6-2 4-6 6-2 6-4
12-Robin Soederling (Sweden) beat Marcel Granollers (Spain) 2-0 (Granollers retired)
8-Nikolay Davydenko (Russia) beat Jan Hernych (Czech Republic) 6-4 6-1 6-2
22-Sam Querrey (US) beat Kevin Kim (U.S.) 7-5 6-7(6) 6-4 6-4
10-Fernando Verdasco (Spain) beat Florent Serra (France) 6-3 6-0 6-3
Jesse Witten (US) beat Maximo Gonzalez (Argentina) 6-7(3) 6-4 7-5 6-2
20-Tommy Haas (Germany) beat Robert Kendrick (US) 6-4 6-4 7-6(3)

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

29-Maria Sharapova (Russia) beat Christina McHale (US) 6-2 6-1
Shahar Peer (Israel) beat Carla Suarez Navarro (Spain) 6-2 6-0
6-Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) beat Anastasija Sevastova (Latvia) 6-4 6-2
Anastasia Rodionova (Russia) beat 23-Sabine Lisicki (Germany) 6-3 3-6 7-5
Yaroslava Shvedova (Kazakhstan) beat 5-Jelena Jankovic (Serbia) 6-3 6-7(4) 7-6(6)
Sara Errani (Italy) beat 19-Patty Schnyder (Switzerland) 7-5 6-2
Yanina Wickmayer (Belgium) beat Peng Shuai (China) 2-6 6-1 6-4
Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) beat Tathiana Garbin (Italy) 6-1 6-3
21-Zheng Jie (China) beat Alize Cornet (France) 1-6 6-3 6-3
9-Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) beat Petra Martic (Croatia) 6-1 6-0
Kateryna Bondarenko (Ukraine) beat Shenay Perry (US) 6-1 6-1
Melanie Oudin (US) beat 4-Elena Dementieva (Russia) 5-7 6-4 6-3
24-Sorana Cirstea (Romania) beat Stephanie Dubois (Canada) 6-4 5-7 6-4
1-Dinara Safina (Russia) beat Kristina Barrois (Germany) 6-7(5) 6-2 6-3
13-Nadia Petrova (Russia) beat Julie Coin (France) 6-4 7-6(3)
Gisela Dulko (Argentina) beat 30-Alona Bondarenko (Ukraine) 6-4 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)

Somdev Devvarman in French Open qualifying finals

Somdev Devvarman survived another three-setter to move into the final round of the French Open qualifiers after defeating Alex Bogdanovic 6-2, 6-7(3), 6-4.

The world no. 138 is just one match away from making it to the main draw of the clay court Slam.

Standing in his way now is third seed Marcos Daniel, who beat Ivan Dodig on 7-5 6-4.

“I played well in patches, but hopefully I can raise my level of play in tomorrow’s match."

"Today I stayed tough right through and that’s what helped me,” Devvarman said.

Updates: Somdev couldn't materialise his dream of playing in the main draw of the French Open after suffering a straight sets defeat at the hands of Brazilian Marcos Daniel in the final round of qualifiers today.

Somdev lost 0-6, 1-6 in the one-sided affair that lasted just 58 minutes.

(Image via French Open official website)

India could be the best in Asia

I'm still saddened by Rendy Lu's lost to Somdev Devvarman in the fourth rubber in last weekend's Davis Cup tie between Taiwan and India.

His fluctuating performance is probably one of the reasons why I don't blog for days.

But to be fair to Rendy, India already knew from the start that they had the extra edge over Taiwan.

With Grand Slam doubles specialists like Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi, and upcoming tennis star like Somdev Devvarman, they look like a tough team to beat.

Kudos to the Indian Davis Cup team for making it to the third round where they will be meeting Australia who narrowly beat Thailand.

However congrats to Thai no. 1 Danai Udomchoke for his perfect performance in the second and fourth rubbers which saw him beating Australian teenage player Brydan Klein and former world no. 1 Lleyton Hewitt.

The other two countries who made it to the third round tie of the Asia/Oceania Zone Group 1 are Japan and Uzbekistan lead by Kei Nishikori and Denis Istomin respectively.

For complete results, click here.

(Images via udn.com, hindu.com, zimbio.com)

India, Taiwan to face off in Davis Cup tie

The Indian Davis Cup team believe they have the extra edge against Taiwan in the second round tie of the Asia/Oceania Zone Group I, starting tomorrow.

Based on ranking, new poster boy Somdev Devvarman who will take on Chen Ti in the opening singles rubber could win the first point for India.

Taiwan will heavily rely on Asia's no. 1 Rendy Lu Yen-Hsun. He missed Taiwan's first round tie against Kazakhstan, so his return has made the Taiwan team more confident.

But let us not forget that Rohan Bopanna is 2-1 in head-to-head against Lu over the last two years. Bopanna could steal a point in this second singles rubber if Rendy is to continue with his fluctuating game.

World's top doubles players Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi is expected to have little problem in dealing with Yang Tsung-Hua and Yi Chu-Huan.

The fourth and fifth rubbers are going to be tough and unpredictable. I do believe that Rendy will at least win a point from the two matches he's playing.

To watch the Davis Cup tie live streaming online, click here.

(Images posted by Elvis via menstennisforums.com)

The rest of the winners which I've missed last weekend

In Doha, Andy Murray defeated the other Andy, Mr. Roddick 6-4, 6-2 to win his first ATP title of the year, and ninth overall.

Fernando Verdasco failed to stop Radek Stepanek a.k.a. the Worm in Brisbane which resulted him to lost 6-3, 3-6, 4-6.

Verdasco also failed to win in the men's doubles final match. Marc Gicquel and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Verdasco and Mischa Zverev in straight sets 6-4, 6-3.

In the women's doubles Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Vania King won 3-6, 7-5, 10-5 over Poland pair Klaudia Jans and Alicja Rosollska.

Somdev Devvarman who had beaten Carlos Moya and Ivo Karlovic earlier at the Chennai Open tournament, failed to convert the final match against Marin Cilic into a win. Cilic recorded a 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) victory in two hours.

Somdev's achievement last week helped him to climb from 202 to a 154 in the ATP rankings. Way to go for this young man from India!

In the men's doubles, Eric Butorac and Rajeev Ram defeated Jean-Claude Scherrer and Stanislas Wawrinka 6-3, 6-4 to take the Chennai Open title.

ATP aside, in the ITF's China F1 Futures event, world's top-ranked junior Yang Tsung-hua who has just turned pro won both men's singles and doubles titles.

Yang who partnered with Lee Hsin-han thrashed Li Zhe and Wang Yu Jr. 6-0, 6-3. Then he defeated Zeng Shao-xuan6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in the men's final.

(Images via Yahoo! Sport, sports-1apple.com.tw)

Somdev Devvarman to meet Marin Cilic in Chennai Open final

Somdev Devvarman got a walkover into the final of the Chennai Open after his semi-final opponent Rainer Schuettler withdrew from the tournament due to a wrist injury.

Somdev will face Marin Cilic who has beaten Marcel Granollers in another semifinal match 6-4, 6-3.

After withdrawing from the tournament, a dejected Rainer Schuettler said, "During yesterday's doubles match I started feeling pain in my left wrist. As I warmed up for the semifinal I wasn't able to hit a double handed backhanded, I felt a strong pain. I would only be able to slice and I'm also afraid that the injury would get worse. I had the same a few years ago but it wasn't as bad as now."

"I also have to pull out of Sydney. I will now fly to Melbourne and see if I can be ready in time for the Australian Open."

"I feel sorry for the crowd and the tournament. It is a very disappointing moment for me", added Schuettler.

Somdev now becomes the first Indian to make it to the Chennai Open final and also the second Indian after Leander Paes to reach the semifinals of the 14-year old prestigious event.

He had a great run in front of his home crowd after beating former world no.1 and two-time champion Carlos Moya on Thursday and continued his giant killing act and upped his game by several notches to beat fourth seeded Ivo Karlovic of Croatia 7-6(4), 6-4 and storm into the semifinals.

I'm crossing my fingers and hope Somdev will get his first ATP title here tomorrow.

(Via NDTV.com)

India's rising star Somdev Devvarman stunned Carlos Moya at Chennai Open

Indian wildcard Somdev Devvarman stunned two-time former champion Carlos Moya 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 in the second round of the Chennai Open today.

The 23-year-old Devvarman, who is based in the U.S., produced an inspired display to triumph in 2 hours and 14 minutes in hot conditions in the southern Indian city to move into his second ATP tour quarterfinals.

Sixth seed Moya won the first set comfortably but Devvarman, who spent his formative years in Chennai, delighted the home crowd when he grabbed the second set.

The highest-ranked Indian at 202, Devvarman broke the Spaniard in the third game of the final set as he wore down the former world no. 1 for the biggest victory of his career.

Moya said he was at a disadvantage with organizers scheduling matches in the heat of the Chennai afternoon to make up for matches that had been delayed by rain.

"The heat affected me more than it bothered him,'' Moya said.

"(Devvarman) plays much better than his rankings reflect,'' Moya added.

"I was not surprised, because I saw him play two days ago and knew he was very fast and was solid from the back of court.''

Devvarman became the first Indian player to reach the quarterfinals in Chennai since Leander Paes reached the semifinals in 1998

"I sent a message to him that I just wasn't going to go away," said Devvarman.

"When you see a player on the other side trying to do too much, you know he's under pressure."

"Hopefully, I'm not just quarters. I'm not one of those guys who gets content easily,'' he added.

(Via supersport.co.za, sportsillustrated.cnn.com)