Ai Sugiyama announces retirement

Japanese tennis player Ai Sugiyama announced her her retirement after this season during a press conference in Narita, Tokyo yesterday.

The former world no.8 singles and no.1 doubles player played her last US Open recently, in which she lost in straight sets to Samantha Stosur.

(Image by Toru Yamanaka/AFP/Getty Images)

US Open Day 11 Wrap-up: Juan Martin del Potro cruises into the semifinals

I always believe in Juan Martin del Potro's consistency even though Marin Cilic took the first set in their quarterfinal match last night.

By the time del Potro levelled at 3-3 in the second set, I went to bed because I'm pretty confident about his chance to the semifinal.

As expected, Del Potro sealed it with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 victory.

The second quarterfinal match between Rafael Nadal and Fernando Gonzalez was suspended due to rain.

Here's Friday's order of play on day 12 at the U.S. Open (prefix denotes seeding):

(Starts at 12:30 PM)
Kim Clijsters (Belgium) v 2-Serena Williams (USA)

(Not before 2:00 PM; match may be moved to Armstrong)
11-Fernando Gonzalez (Chile) v 3-Rafael Nadal (Spain)

(Match may be moved to Armstrong)
Yanina Wickmayer (Belgium) v 9-Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark)

(Images via Yahoo! Sports)

Nadal, Gonzalez match postponed as rain halts US Open

Juan Martin del Potro has to wait for another day to know who he's going to play in the semifinals.

This is because the quarterfinal match between Rafael Nadal and Fernando Gonzalez was postponed after a series of interruptions due to showers during the second set.

Nadal is currently leading 7-6, 6-6 and 3-2 in the tiebreak.

This break might be helpful to Nadal, who called for a trainer in earlier set due to stomach muscle problem that bothered him since earlier of the tournament.

Their match was scheduled to resume tomorrow (not before 2PM) — following the first women’s semifinal, between Serena Williams and Kim Clijsters, which was to begin at 12:30PM.

(Via AP, Image via Yahoo! Sports)

US Open Day 10 Wrap-up: Oudin runs out of magic, Federer reaches 22nd Grand Slam semis

It's curtain call for Melanie Oudin at the US Open but as she stepped out of the Arthur Ashe stadium last night, her life will change forever - as the media said, she'll step into "a world of jostling paparazzi, autograph signing and an endorsement-filled future".

Caroline Wozniacki who ended Oudin's dream run with a 6-2, 6-2 victory, will go into her first Grand Slam semifinals for the first time.

In an earlier quarterfinal match, Belgian Yanina Wickmayer, who never before past a Grand Slam second round, beat Ukraine's Kateryna Bondarenko 7-5, 6-4.

Both Wozniacki and Wickmayer will meet in a Friday semifinal to determine the winner to play for a US Open title on Saturday against either Serena Williams or Kim Clijsters.

In the men's singles, Roger Federer defeated Robin Soderling 6-0, 6-3, 6-7, 7-6 to extend his winning streak to 39 at the US Open.

Federer will play Novak Djokovic in the semifinals, after the Serbian pulled off a 7-6, 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 win over the unfit Fernando Verdasco.

Here's Thursday’s order of play on day 11 at the U.S. Open (prefix denotes seeding):

(Not before 1100EDT)
6-Juan Martin del Potro (Argentina) v 16-Marin Cilic (Croatia)

(Not before 1900EDT)
11-Fernando Gonzalez (Chile) v 3-Rafael Nadal (Spain)

(Via AP; Images via Yahoo! Sports)