Roger Federer in Sony Ericsson Open

He is mortal, after all. The question is, is the greatest player to ever hold a racket more mortal than ever? For the second week in a row, top seed Roger Federer took an unexpected tumble on Tuesday in Miami. Czech Tomas Berdych took a measure of revenge against the Swiss star with a 6-4, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (6) 2 hour 51 minute marathon win. A record 12,804 Sony Ericsson fans filled the night stadium to watch a spellbinding, tense war of emotional twists and turns.

With Federer serving for the match at 6-5 in the final tiebreaker, Berdych unleashed two big forehands that Federer could not handle. Berdych then received the benefit of Federer’s 61st unforced error and sealed the match to a stunned number of “Roger” supporters.

The match had a similar feel to the top player’s recent loss to Marcos Baghdatis at Indian Wells. The game’s greatest closer could not seal the deal when the match was on the line. For Berdych, he gains a measure of revenge when he let a two set lead against the Swiss evaporate in the fourth round of the Australian Open in 2009. It was Berdych’s 2nd win in ten matches against the world’s best.

Combined with the ten seed Fernando Verdasco’s surprising ouster of 7 seed and hot playing Marin Cilic, the top of the draw now looks more like an NCAA Basketball Bracket Buster than a seeded tennis draw. Verdasco found his big serve and crisp forehand on Tuesday and put everything to work to stop Cilic 6-4, 7-6 (3) in straight sets. Verdasco and Berdych will meet in the quarters in a repeat of last week’s match, won decisively by the Czech.

Mikkhail Youzhny broke American Mardy Fish’s serve and then his spirit as the American took a painful fall and was forced to retire, trailing 6-1, 1-0. Youzhny will next face the top bracket’s top seed, 5th seeded Robin Soderling. Soderling was his consistent, determined self in downing Chilean Fernando Gonzalez 6-0, 6-7 (3), 6-2. Soderling fired 15 aces and did not endure a break point.

Fourth-seeded Rafael Nadal raised his record to 15-3 for 2010 and looks primed to advance after a grueling match against friend and countryman, David Ferrer 7-6 (5), 6-4. Nadal will next face Frenchman Jo Wilfried Tsonga, who disposed of another Spaniard, Carlos Ferrero 6-2, 6-2. This is Tsonga’s second quarterfinal appearance in the past two years.

The Nadal-Tsonga winner will meet the winner of a match between American Andy Roddick (7) and Spain’s Nicolas Almagro. Roddick found himself trailing German Benjamin Becker 1-4, 0/40 before the light broke through. After somehow pulling out the critical game, Roddick forced the set to tiebreaker. Roddick started the second set just as effectively, jumping out to a 3-0 lead that was all he needed.

Almagro used all his guile to edge Brazilian Tomaz Bellucci 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (5). On the brink of defeat, Bellucci prolonged the match by saving six second se match points.

Whatever happens at this year’s Sony Ericsson Miami Open, the results will be a surprise with the top, second and third seeds long gone from contention. Perhaps those rankings need a practical revision.

Roger Federer in Sony Ericsson Open

Roger Federer ran into some unexpected resistance at the hands of Frenchman Florent Serra but the top seed managed to hold on for a 7-6 (2), 7-6 (3) third round victory at the Sony Ericsson Miami Open on Monday. After trimming Serra in the first set tiebreaker, Federer came out forcefully in the second set. At 4-1, 30/love, it looked as if the Swiss would complete another early round demolition job.

But, the Frenchman rallied, breaking back to 2-4 and then forcing the set to another tiebreaker. Serra capitalized on Federer’s rare inability to land first serves (just 59%) and his inordinate number of unforced errors (29). Roger Federer will meet Czech Tomas Berdych in the fourth round. Berdych finished off Argentine Horacio Zaballos 6-4, 7-5 in impressive style.

In what was expected to be a battle to the wire, seventh seed Marin Cilic stopped hot Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis 6-3, 6-4 to record his 20th win of the new year. Remarkably, each player only lost four pints on serve, but Cilic offered Baghdatis no break opportunities. The Croatian converted both of Marcos’s break opportunities.

American surprise, Mardy Fish, continued to ride his hot serve in overpowering Spaniard Feliciano Lopez 7-5, 6-3. Fish faced just two break points and has lost serve just twice in three matches. Fish, conqueror of Andy Murray, will next meet Mikkhail Youhzny, who faced a challenge from Swiss star Stanislaus Wawrinka 1-6, 7-6 (5) 7-5. The Youhzny-Fish match shapes up to be between two players very much on their games.

Cilic wins the right to face Fernando Verdasco, the tenth seed. Verdasco struggled against Austrian Jurgen Melzer, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-1. The Spaniard does not seem to have his timing down and was more inconsistent than usual with his necessary serve.

Also moving into the fourth round is Robin Soderling, who met little resistance from German Phillipp Petzschner 6-1, 6-2. Soderling will meet Fernando Gonzalez in the next round. Gonzalez ended Juan Monaco’s run in a tense 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-2 match.

Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia

It is safe, even easy, to say that Svetlana Kuznetsova is not a good frontrunner. She is not one of those athletes that relishes in carrying the number one bulls eye seed through an event. Svetlana is comfortable a bit down in the draw, say spots 6 – 10 and picking off higher seeds as they falter, just as unlikely candidates are now doing to her.

Svetlana’s reign as top seed has failed again and Marion Bartoli of France took full advantage of a tentative “playing not to lose” Kuznetsova in the fourth round of the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami on Monday. And, the way she did it was as surprising as the outcome. Frankly, Bartoli’s win 1-6, 6-3, 6-0 can only be characterized as the consummate turnaround. Trailing 2-3 in the second set, Bartoli launched as assault for which Svetlana had no answers today. The Frenchwoman ran off the next ten games and left the center court stunned and the top seed gasping for air.

The win moves Marion into her second quarterfinals here and first since 2003. The mission ahead will not get any easier for the 13th seed, who will next face one of three remaining hungry Belgians, 12th seed Yanina Wickmayer.

The 20-year old outhit upstart Timea Bacsnscky of Switzerland. Wickmayer was in command throughout the one-hour 6-1, 6-0 match and the tall Belgian looks fit for a good run at Bartoli.

Fourth seeded defending champion Victoria Azarenka put together one of her disappearing acts and fell sharply to Belgian Kim Clijsters. After a competitive first set, Azarenka lost focus or drive and came up short in the 6-4, 6-0 ousting. Clijsters has yet to lose a set in Miami and appears more game than last week at Indian Wells.

Clijsters will move on to face hard-serving Samantha Stosur, of Australia, who took measure of Jalena Jankovic this time around. Last week Jankovic ended Stosur’s run in California, but perhaps Samantha is a Miami girl. The 6-1, 7-6 (9) win ended Jankovic’s nice nine-match win streak. Samantha will need her jumping serve to hold off the powerful Clijsters.

Also reaching the quarters is the second seed, Caroline Wozniacki, who put together her best effort yet in subduing Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2, 6-2. Wozniacki has been challenged on two occasions in Miami but has risen to the top as she did last week, gaining the finals in California.

However, this time her quarterfinal opponent will be the third Belgian troubleshooter, unseeded Justine Henin, who just keeps overcoming foes. With 5th seed Elena Dementieva already on her win list for the week, Henin added hot playing Russian power player Vera Zvonareva on Monday. The 6-1, 6-4 win was convincing and Wozniacki will be forced to get out of the blocks fast against the Henin momentum.

Rounding out the quarters will be the graceful 3 seed and three-time champion here, Venus Williams. The elegant one recorded her 13th straight tour win with a gutsy 1-6, 7-5, 6-4 three setter. Occasionally, Williams starts slowly and the remainder of the field will not surrender those early leads.

The three seed will meet the feisty six seed, Agnieska Radwanska of Poland. The Pole had a relatively easy time with Yaroslava Shvedova recording a solid 6-1, 6-4 triumph. Radwanska has been tough of late and her persistence could give Venus a bit of a run.

Rafa Nadal

Rehabilitated David Nalbandian has always been tough on Rafa Nadal, and the one-time world number three showed why on Sunday. After capturing a tense first set, Nadal was forced to save five of six break points to withstand Nalbandian’s 6-7 (8), 6-2, 6-2 three set challenge. The 2 hour 25 minute battle featured long baseline rallies.

Nadal showed no signs of the troubled knee injuries that have plagued him over the past 11-month winless streak. Nadal holds 15 ATP titles and at aged 23 is seeing his first championship in Miami following two final round appearances. Rafael Nadal will next face countryman, David Ferrer, who ousted Russian serving machine Ivo Karlovic, 7-6 (5), 6-3.

Meanwhile, American Andy Roddick kept the home fans happy with a decisive 6-2, 6-1 win over Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky. Roddick has faced just four break points thus far in Miami. If Nadal and Roddick can win through, they will meet in the semifinals, a much-awaited match.

Roddick will next face hard playing and upset minded German Benjamin Becker, who subdued number 18 seed Tommy Robredo, 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4). Becker continues to challenge all comers and his third set performance against the experienced Robredo adds clout to his expanded resume. Roddick has never lost to Becker. The American has reached the quarters six of ten time she has played at Miami.

Number 33 seed Nicolas Almagro and 27 seed Thomaz Belluccio will face off for the right to meet the Becker-Roddick winner. Bellucio ousted Djokovic conqueror Oliver Rochus who could not find the consistency he showed against Djokovic. Almagro, filling in for injured Gael Monfils, put aside France’s Jeremy Chardy who ousted American Sam Querrey.

In a mild upset, 12th seed Jose Ferrer put down popular 6’9” John Isner. Isner had rallied against Michael Russell to gain the round but could not suppress Ferrer in the 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 battle. Isner will need to develop a better all-court strategy before he can make long runs through heavy competition.

Frenchman Jo Wilfried Tsonga continued his hot serving, dismantling Philip Kohlschreiber 6-2, 7-5. Tsonga has tightened up his game a bit and looks read to move ahead.

Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark

The cream is rising to the top at the Sony Ericsson Miami Open. Second seed Princess Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark withstood an early match challenge from Russian glamour girl Maria kirilenko, the 32 seed, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4 to lead a bevy of highly seeded players into the round of 16. At the outset Kirilenko, breezed with such ease that it appeared the Dane was outclassed.

As she has done of late, Caroline found a way back to form after the first set and relying on her sound ground game and improved serve, overtook the fleet Russian.

When Victoria Azarenka, the defending champion, put aside capable Czech combatant Lucie Safarova, 6-4, 6-2, all four top seeds made the round of 16, a far cry from last week’s debacle at Indian Wells. Things will get even more interesting from here on ouit. Joining the top four seeds are three impressive Belgians, Kim Clijsters, Justine Henin and Yanina Wickmayer, all in different brackets.

Throw in hot playing Jalena Jankovic, hard serving Samantha Stosur, dominating Russian Vera Zvonareva and Agnes Radwanska and this event has a final sixteen loaded with talent.

In strong form, Vera Zvonareva crushed Italian slammer Sara Errani 6-2, 6-3 in what was expected to be a challenging match. When Vera is on her game, she is a match for anyone. The great Belgian star, Justine Henin, earned a match against Zvonareva with a solid 6-4, 6-4 win over 26 seed retriever Dominika Cibulkva.

Henin suffered a break at 5-3 in the second set but stormed back at love to end the match. The key to the Zvonareva-Henin match will be the serve. The two tested players can both become tentative in clutch service games.

With Clijsters’ efficient 6-0, 6-1 fifty minute dismissal of veteran Shahar Peer, Kim looks read for perhaps the most fierce match of the tournament. The defending champion, Azarenka, is waiting in the wings for the 2009 U.S. Open champ.

Stosur and Jankovic will be facing each other for the second time in two weeks. Jankovic walked through Stosur last week on the way to her Indian Wells Championship. Stosur put down France’s Virgine Razzano in her second straight three set match 4-6, 7-5, 6-1.

Wozniacki will feel a lot more pressure in her next contest against fast improving Russian Anastasia Paylyuchenkova who upset 16 seed Francesca Schiavone.

The 20-year old Wickmayer looks well positioned to advance against Na Li, upset winner Times Bacsinszky. Wickmayer is playing with all her force thus far this week and could well emerge from the top bracket.

Andy Roddick of America

A remarkable day of men’s tennis was capped late Friday night when American Andy Roddick steadied the ship in time to oust Russian Igor Andreev 6-4, 6-4. The 27-year old American only faced one break point and fired 12 aces to hold serve throughout the match. Roddick felt the Miami humidity was slowing the ball and adjustments were needed after the relatively fast conditions at Indian Wells.

The day was loaded with unexpected and tense matches, the most stunning of which was the ouster of number two seed Novak Djokovic’s at the hands of Belgian perennial pest Adam Rochus. The Belgian almost closed that match in straight sets just two points from victory, but Djokovic rallied to hold the second set tiebreaker.

In the final set players held serve until the pivotal 10th game when Rochus fired two shattering winners to finally subdue the world number two. After conquering at Dubai, Djokovic has not had a successful run in the U.S.

Americans James Blake and Same Querrey won their fist sets but that was it as two of America’s top players bit the dust. The match of the day involved tow other Americans, resurgent Michael Russell and young John Isner who battled tooth and nail for more than 2 hours 30 minutes.

Isner eeked out a grueling, nerve-wracking 7-6(5), 2-6, 7-6 (5). Isner had 27 aces compared to just two by Russell but Russell won 83 percent of his first serves and seemed in control, threatening Isner at every service game. Russell won 22 more pints in the match than did the victor.

In the third set tiebreaker, Isner threw in three of his aces to keep the pressure on Russell. It was an impressive win against a savvy player and may be just the spark Isner needs to prepare for a possible showdown with last week’s three set conqueror Rafa Nadal.

The fourth seeded Nadal knocked off American Taylor Dent 6-4, 6-3 as 11 seed Jo Wilfried Tsonga knocked out Spaniard Garcia-Lopez 6-4, 6-3. Last week’s impressive winner at Indian Wells, Ivan Ljubicic, the eleven seed, was forced to retire against Benjamin Becker. Ljubicic was leading the German 6-4, 1-0 when a back injury sidelined the hot player.

Nadal will next face hard playing David Nalbandian, who has shown no signs of last season’s hip surgery. Nalbandian was the first player to ever defeat Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer in the same tournament. The former number three will not be an easy out. Nalbandian put away Serb Viktor Troicki in three sets, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.

Mardy Fish of America

The defending champion and number three seed, Andy Murray, was rudely ousted by American Mardy Fish on Saturday. Murray now joins number two seed, Novak Djokovic on the sidelines at the prestigious Sony Ericsson Miami Open.

Fish came out firing and never let up against the defenseless Murray. Fish fired ten aces and was successful in winning 82 percent of his first serves. Lofty numbers, indeed, and too much for Murray who suffered his first first-round knockout in 11 months. Murray, who jumped out to a 3-1, 40/love first set lead, was broken as Fish rallied to win 5 of the last 6 games.

Andy Murray was not able to return serve with his usual proficiency. Fish made a living off Murray’s half court, short returns. Every time Murray mounted a rally, Fish answered with his best serves. For the three seed, it is just another surprising loss after his final appearance in Melbourne.

Top seed Roger Federer made fast work of Nicolas Lapenti, 6-3, 6-3. Federer lost only four points on his first serve and looked sharp after his upset loss at Indian Wells. 14,403 fans watched the Center Court evening match. On his march to a third Miami title, Federer will next play Frenchman Florenta Serra. Federer, who holds sixteen Grand Slam title, is seeking his 17th ATP World Tour Masters 10000 title.

Hot playing Swede and fifth seeded Robin Soderling hung tough in the first set and then overpowered Aussie Peter Luczak 7-6(2), 6-0 in 80 minutes. Soderling fired six aces and won 67 percent of his serves. The Swede was a first round knockout last year.

In one of his strongest performances of the year, 10th seed Fernando Verdasco made short work (60 minutes) of Israel’s Dudi Sela 6-1, 6-2. The feisty Verdasco won 24 of 26 first serves. The popular Spaniard will next face Austrian Jurgen Melzer.

Russia’s Mikkhail Youzhny polished off Colombian qualifier Santiago Giraldo 6-0, 6-1. The 13 seed will next play 19th seed Stanislaus Wawrinka. Meanwhile the ever-dangerous Cypriot and Federer conqueror last week, Marcos Baghdatis put aside Argentine Ignacia Chela 6-2, 6-4. Baghdatis can never be counted out.

Venus Willams in Sony Ericsson Open

Number one seed, Svetlana Kuznetsova, was up to the best Hungarian Agnes Szavay could play on Saturday and the top seed proved she was up to the task. The impressive 6-2, 6-3 win lifted Kuznetsova to the final 16 in the Sony Ericsson Miami Open. This is a solid win for the Russian, trying to find her successful form of last year. Kuznetsova has suffered some early outs from her lofty seeds and she needs a strong showing here in Miami to sustain her credibility.

One player, who always oompetes well, is ageless Venus Williams. The three seed cruised through Italian challenger Roberta Vinci, 6-1, 6-4. The win is Williams’ 12th in a row and sets the bar for the women’s tour in 2010. A three time winner in Miami, another win here will be her third title in the last three outings following championships at Dubai and Acalpulco. She has also posted a 6-0 doubles record this season.

Sixth seed and hot playing Agnieszka Radwanska withstood improved play and a determined challenge from Serbia’s 25th seed Ana Ivanovic. In the end, it was Ivanovic’s inability to convert break points that led to the defeat. The match was the former number one’s best effort of the year but Radawanska was consistent when needed and out-baselined the Serb.

The day’s upset was Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova’s surprising handling of 16 seed Nadia Petrova 6-2, 6-4. It seems Petrova is starting to loose her early season focus that led to such impressive performances at Melbourne. For Hantuchova, who has been on her game of late, it was a good win against a higher ranked player.

The group of Belgians advances as 12th seed Yanina Wickmayer easily disposed of Croatian Petra Mardic 6-3, 6-3 to reach another round of 16 for the 20-year old. Women’s action picks up a more aggressive schedule on Sunday.

Whatever Jalena Jankovic is eating, the former number one Serb should stick with the diet. There’s a little more bounce in her game and oodles of confidence to go along with her resurgent play. The 2010 Indian Wells Champion has brought her new attitude to Miami and the 7 seed is moving smoothly through the field.

After a sound thrashing of Ukrainian Mariya Korettsyva 6-,4, 6-0 in impressive fashion, Jankovic continues to play with uncharacteristic focus.

But, looming out there in ever-ever land is unseeded Justine Henin who dominated 5th seed Elena Dementieva for the second time this season. Her Miami and Melbourne second round defeats leave Elena pretty certain that this holder of seven Grand Slams should be ranked higher than 35th, and the sooner the better.

The irrepressible Henin had better control of her first serve and moved up to take Dementieva’s serve on the rise and she controlled throughout in the 6-3, 6-2 triumph. Henin said she had worked hard since her early ouster at Indian Wells and was diversifying her game, including implementing aggressive net surges to overcome top ten players.

Another Belgian joined Henin and Wickmayer in the third round and that is strong bookie favorite, Kim Clijsters, who has had two shabby outings of late. Not so on Friday as the poised former number one barely gave Russian Petra Kvitova time to catch her breath before a 6-1, 6-1 return to the locker room.

Clijsters last won the tourney in 2005 and in one of just four previous winners still alive. The inconsistent play that typified her Indian Wells return was absent today and the 14th seed looks comfortable to advance deep in the draw.

Number two seed Caroline Wozniacki overcame deficits, weak serving and unfocused play in coming back against upset minded Bulgarian qualifier Tsvetana Pironkova in her tense 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win. Princess Caroline found herself down an early break in the third but managed to step up her ground game in the nick of time.

Ninth seeded Samantha Stosur had her capable hands full also. Carla Suarez Navarro had Stosur on the ropes at 5-3 in the second set but lost four straight games allowing Samantha to surge to a 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 win.

Eleven seed Vera Zvonareva demolished American favorite Melanie Oudin, who struggles to find a winning serve. Defending champion Victoria Azarenka looked impressive against Romanian Alexandra Doplgheru 6-3, 6-2.

Impressive Italian youngster Sara Errani, who gave Jankovic her sternest test at Indian Wells, looked very impressive inn ousting 24th seed Alisa Kleybanova 6-4, 7-5. Errani is a striking athlete and has unusual power. She will be hard to take out.

Venus Williams in Sony Ericsson Open

Quietly and serenely Venus Williams is cruising through 2010. She continued her 11-match win streak Thursday in the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami rolling smoothly through game Romanian Sorana Cirstea 6-4, 6-3 in an efficient 78 minutes.

Surprisingly the Romanian was up a break in each set before the 29-year old American mounted closeout surges. The 6’1” stylish number three seed pitched six aces in the match. Although seeded third, Venus is the people’s choice here in Miami as a three-time winner and playing with more consistency than any other tour player.

Venus is flourishing in the absence of her injured and younger sister, Serena, and in the wake of her recent win at Dubai now boasts a 15-1 singles and 6-0 doubles record this year. Venus Williams knows how to play on the biggest stages and although is sometimes slow to get out of the blocks, she can rely on the game’s most trustworthy serve when under pressure. Venus is also pacing herself like the veteran winner she is. She did not play at Indian Wells to focus on this Florida $3.45 million event.

Venus doesn’t want it all. She’s had that. She just wants her fair share and with more then $750 k in the bank so far in 2010, she appears on line to accomplish her goal.

Top seed Svetlana Kuznetsova struggled early again, but managed to outlast China’s pesky Peng Shuai 6-2, 3-6, 6-4. In the third set, at 4-4, 0-30 Kuznetsova finally played with some power and consistency to manage a hold and an easy break. It seems Kuznetsova’s play is too one-dimensional and that she is playing not to lose rather than to win.

Her path to the semis may have eased a bit as 8th seed Na Li suffered a surprising second round loss to Timea Bacsinszky, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (3). Li handed Venus her only loss of the year in the quarters at Melbourne but has struggled the past two weeks.

Number ten seed Italian Flavia Pennetta fell to Russian Andrea Petkovic 6-3, 3-6, 6-0. Pennetta appeared to hit the wall in the 23 minute third set. Pennetta’s string of surprising losses began with her loss to Agnes Szavay at Paris. The impressive Szavay bullied her way past Aussie Alicia Molik 6-0, 6-0 and will next face the top seed. If Svetlana does not raise her game, the Hungarian beauty will be ready to strike.

As expected, 6th seeded Agnieska Radwanaska, 12 seed Yanina Wickmayer, 13 seed Marion Bartoli, 16 seed Nadia Petrova and 19 seed Daniela Hantuchova all moved on. Ana Ivanovic ended a four-match losing streak with a nice win over play-in Pauline Parmetier 6-4, 6-3. Nothing is coming easily for Ana these days.

In today’s big matches, the top two Belgians Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin will both be featured on the center court while American Melanie Oudin will challenge Russian hotshot Vera Zvonareva.