Countdown To F1 2011: Teams And Drivers

Many will agree that 2010 was a fantastic year for motor sport in general, and brilliant for Formula 1 in particular. You can relive the 2010 season in our huge four part review, but it must now be time also to look ahead to what 2011 offers.

Pre-season testing begins in less than a month – Tuesday 1^st February, at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit, Valencia – and the driver line-up is almost complete. There are a few pieces of the jigsaw to fall into place but, as we recover from our New Year celebrations, now seems like as good a time as any to assess which teams have chosen wisely and where there is potential for fireworks.

Zvonareva, Radwanska enter Tokyo final

World No.4, Vera Zvonareva has crushed out 5^th seeded, Petra Kvitova in the semi final of the Toray Pan pacific Open 2011.The Russian fourth seeded, Vera Zvonareva just took one hour and thirty minutes to conquer 2011 Wimbledon Champion, Petra Kvitova  in straight sets with a score line of 7-6(2), 6-0 to enter into the finals of the 2011 Toray Pan pacific Open.

Both the players have started off the match with a good note and took the first set to a tie break. However, Kvitova served for the tiebreaker, Zvonareva broke her and by holding her own took a lead of 2-0. The players then matched a blow for a blow with a series of breaks and holds. By benefiting from four breaks points Zvonareva was able to take the lead and rushed past the Czech clinching 7-2 in the tiebreaker.

Federation Cup

Salgaocar defeated East Bengal 3-1 in the final of the 33rd Federation Cup at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Thursday, to become the first non-Kolkata club to win the premier domestic cup competition in Indian football since Mahindra United in 2005.

Early goals from Edeh Chidi and Francis Fernandes gave Salgaocar a 2-0 lead but Alan Gow pulled one back for the Kolkata giants after converting a penalty, which was awarded controversially. East Bengal tried to come back in the second half but Ryuji Sueoka netted the third to ensure Salgaocar's fourth Fed Cup title. 

Cricket Champions League T20

A timely cameo by all-rounder Dwanye Bravo powered the Chennai Super Kings to a four-wicket win here on Wednesday, their first in the Champions League T20 as Jean-Paul Duminy’s spell of four for 20 went waste for the Cape Cobras.In a thrilling finish, Bravo’s 26-ball 45 took the Super Kings past the target of 145 with just two balls to spare. Batting first, the Cobras were restricted to 145 for seven with Bravo, Doug Bollinger and Albie Morkel claiming two wickets apiece.

Thereafter, the Super Kings, losing wickets at regular intervals, were placed in a precarious situation before Bravo delivered the winning blows as the hosts reached 146 for seven in the final over.The Super Kings, with this win, have two points, the same as the Cobras and New South Wales while Mumbai Indians head the table with four points from two victories.

Sachin Tendulkar moves into his 'dream home'

Mumbai: Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar today shifted into his dream home at Perry Cross Road in suburban Bandra, saying it was an emotional moment for him.The house, which looks like a palace, is a renovated pre-independence Parsi villa, which he had bought in 2007 for a whopping Rs 39 crore.


The villa has a spacious parking lot in the basement and the first floor will have two large guest rooms and sitting area, while the master bedroom and children’s rooms will be on the second and third floors respectively with a swimming pool on the top floor.

Man United draw Basel 3-3 in Champions League

United Kingdom (AFP) - Sir Alex Ferguson hinted that he may need to rein in Manchester United's rampaging attacking play after watching his side scramble a 3-3 draw with FC Basel at Old Trafford.United have produced some scintillating football in the Premier League this season, plundering a whopping 22 goals in only six matches, an average of more than three goals a game. And after 17 minutes of Tuesday's Group C encounter it looked as if United were set to lay on another goal-feast, with Danny Welbeck helping himself to a well-taken brace to put United 2-0 ahead.

Benfica dominated the game, and had several chances earlier in the first half. Axel Witsel and Cesar missed chances, while Grahovac saved from Javier Saviola in the 39th.Otelul Galati's best chance came in the last minute when Sorin Frunza's shot was punched away by goalkeeper Artur Moraes and Milan Perendija just missed scoring on the rebound. 

  

Real Madrid ease past Ajax 3-0 to top CL group

 

Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka led Real Madrid to a 3-0 win over Ajax in the Champions League on Tuesday as the Spanish team stayed top of Group D with its second straight victory. Ajax carried the initiative until Cristiano Ronaldo swung the game in Madrid's favor with his 25th-minute opener at Santiago Bernabeu stadium.Kaka - making a rare start - doubled Madrid's lead before half-time and set up Karim Benzema to decide the game early in the second half.

Sania may undergo surgery on injured knee

Indian tennis star Sania Mirza will undergo surgery on her injured knee if her current treatment does not respond well, her father said here on Monday.Sania's father Imran Mirza told reporters here that she was presently undergoing a course of injections with the hope that she responds to the treatment and does not need a surgery.

"We will know in a week's time whether the injections treatment has worked if they don't work than Sania has to have another surgery and we will fly back to India for that," Imran said.Sania and her family are presently in the city on a private visit as her husband Shoaib Malik is playing in the National T20 Championship at the National Stadium.

Deepika kumari misses gold by whisker

It was heartbreak for India's Deepika Kumari as she missed out on a gold medal in a shoot-off at the World Cup Final in Istanbul on Sunday.The Jharkhand teenager needed a perfect 10 to seal victory in the individual recurve section final, but managed only an eight as China's Cheng Ming took home the honours.

Deepika was the only Indian in the two-day elite event for which only the top seven in each category qualified and were joined by a wild card.The final got off to a rousing start with both archers registering two perfect 10s each on their first two attempts. Cheng then made a nine with Deepika replying with an eight. As a result, the opening set went to the Chinese.

Cheng also seemed in charge of the second set when she started with a 10 and a nine, and Deepika managing only two eights.However, the Chinese girl faltered and shot a mere six. The Indian capitalised on the opportunity and hit a perfect 10 to take the set 26- 25 and square the final.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/deepika-kumari-misses-gold-by-whisker/1/152705.html

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/deepika-kumari-misses-gold-by-whisker/1/152705.html

Vettel wins Singapore GP

Sebastian Vettel won the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday but the Red Bull driver will have to wait a little longer to clinch his second Formula One world championship.The German led throughout from pole position to finish 1.7 seconds ahead of fast-finishing McLaren driver Jenson Button, with Red Bull's Mark Webber third.

Vettel leads the drivers' championship by 124 points with five races left and is virtually certain to take back-to-back titles. To prevent that happening, second-placed Button would need to win every race while Vettel fails to gain any points. Vettel has 309 points with Button on 185. The 24-year-old German led from pole to flag and despite a spirited challenge over the final five laps from Button in his McLaren, held on to move 124 points clear of the Briton with just 125 available from the five races remaining.

Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi donated eye before death

 

 Former Indian cricket captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, who died of a lung ailment in Delhi on Thursday, was laid to rest at his ancestral palace on Friday with thousands thronging the burial site to pay their last respects leading to chaotic scenes. Pataudi, who was 70 when he breathed his last at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi, was buried next to the grave of his father, Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi -- the last ruling Nawab of Bhopal.
 
As distraught family members, bid final goodbye to the man who was fondly called 'Tiger', there was chaos at the Pataudi Palace's sprawling campus with close to 15,000 people converging at the burial site to catch a glimpse of the proceedings. 

 Maradona loses cool and kicks out at fan in Dubai

 A video posted on YouTube showed Argentina’s 1986 World Cup winning captain attempting to pose for a pre-match photo-shoot in front of a banner hanging on the wire mesh separating fans from the pitch.After shooing away some over-enthusiastic supporters who tried to approach him, Maradona appeared to grow annoyed at a fan who persistently lifted the banner from behind.

Eventually he kicked the fan’s hand away with a touch that was light but, in an Arab culture that holds feet to be dirty, could have caused offence.Maradona apologised to the fan according to local media. Al- Wasl went on to win the game against promoted Emirates 3-0 in the second round of the Etisalat Cup.

 Tennis: Tired Federer to skip Shanghai Masters

  World number three Roger Federer has pulled out of next month's Shanghai Masters to rest and recover after a grueling summer, the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) said on Friday. "After consultation with my team, I've unfortunately decided to pull out of the Shanghai Masters in order to take some necessary time to rest and recuperate after a long summer," the Swiss maestro was quoted as saying on the ATP website (www.atpworldtour.com).

"I have some nagging injuries that I need to address and I look forward to returning to the ATP World Tour as soon as possible."The 16-times grand slam champion suffered a five-set loss to U.S. Open champion Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows before arriving in Australia to aid Switzerland's return to the Davis Cup World Group.

Indian shuttlers disappoint at Japan Open

 Indian shuttlers had a disappointing day at the Japan Open with all four qualifiers failing to make it to the main draw of the Super Series event on Tuesday. Four Indians -- RMV Gurusaidutt, Anand pawar, Arundhati Pantawane and PC Thulasi -- suffered defeats at the qualifying stage at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium to crash out of the tournament.

Gurusaidutt became a first round casualty, losing 21-15, 14-21, 16-21 to Keigo Sonoda in the men`s singles competition. In contrast, Pawar notched up a 21-16 21-17 victory over Kento Momota of Japan in the first round but failed to get past Tien Chen Chow of Chinese Teipei in the next round. He lost 18-21, 21-19, 21-23 to the Chinese Taipei shuttler in an hour and six-minute.

  

Carling Cup: Man Utd, Arsenal win, Tottenham exit

Arsenal avoided a humiliating League Cup third round exit against Shrewsbury as the troubled Gunners came from behind to win 3-1, while Manchester United cruised to a 3-0 victory over old rivals Leeds on Tuesday.After Saturday's 4-3 defeat at Blackburn condemned Arsenal to their worst start to a season for 58 years, chief executive Ivan Gazidis chose to publicly express the club's support for boss Arsene Wenger.

But even Arsenal's loyal board may have started to doubt Wenger when League Two Shrewsbury took a shock lead through James Collins at the Emirates Stadium.Wenger has never hidden his distaste for the League Cup, yet he could hardly afford such a shocking defeat so soon after that incredible 8-2 loss at Manchester United.

Mayweather's win over Ortiz is right on the money

Floyd Mayweather Jr. won the fight with a questionable -- if legal -- pair of punches that Victor Ortiz never saw coming. He followed it by berating an 80-year-old announcer in the ring and demanding he be fired.Later on he would insinuate that the only way Manny Pacquiao keeps winning is that he's juiced.

All in a night's work for boxing's bad boy, and a profitable one at that. Probably not as profitable as Mayweather claims, but a huge payday without doubt.He sells because people buy pay-per-views to either cheer him on or yell at the big screen in hopes he will lose. On Saturday night he won for the 42nd straight time, and he wasn't about to offer up apologies for how it was done.

Aditya Patel grabs race victory in VW Scirocco R Cup

Aditya Patel had to wait quite a bit for his first win of the season at the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup. But the win on Sunday, under wet and testing conditions at Oschesleben in Germany in the penultimate round of the championship, may prove to be timely as now the Chennai lad is within striking distance of a top-three finish in the championship with a race remaining in the season. 

Aditya took full advantage of his pole position start on Sunday to win in the second race of the seventh round, beating German Mortiz Oestreich and Mateusz Lisowski of Poland to the chequered flag. Lisowski, with his third place, sealed the title, the Pole having scored an unassailable 388 points. But Aditya's win has thrown the door open for a four-way battle for the second and third place in the championship. 

Deepchand, Kiran win Vasai-Virar Mayor Marathon

The race that was flagged off from the Viva College in Virar and wound through the routes of Virar, Nallasopara and Vasai, attracted a galaxy of celebrities including former India hockey skipper Dhanraj Pillay and current sensation Yuvraj Valmiki. Bollywood actress Mahima Chaudhary and Marathi actresses, Sukanya Kulkarni, Kranti Redkar, Deepali Sayyad and Smita Tambe. The Vasai-Virar Mahanagar Pallika, which organised the event, was represented by Mayor Rajiv Patil, besides other members. Results: Men (Open) (42 k.m.):


Deepchand Saharan Mohansingh (Pune) 2.28.03; Bhaskar Madhukar Kamble (Vashim) 2.37.26; Nilesh Waman Bodhe (Chandrapur) 2.39.16; Bhima Sawlaram Shinde (Nashik Police) 2.40.50; Kalidas Dahikale (Pune) 2.41.10. Women (21k.m.): Kiran Prayag Tiwari (Western Railway) 1.18.21; Lalita Babar 1.19.23; Priya Prakash Thoke (Mumbai) 1.20.25; Sangeeta Yadav (Mumbai) 1.22.53; Reshma Chandrakant Dalvi (Pune); Swati Deviprasad Sarode (Amravati) 1.25.49. Men (Vasai Taluka): Don Disilva (Vasai) 2.56.10; Sandeep Pandirkar (Virar) 3.20.06; Sandip Tulaskar (Vasai) 3.34.00. Women (Vasai Taluka): Darshana Sitaram Khandekar (Virar) 1.37.05; Sangeeta B Mohankar (Chandip) 1.50.07;


Priya Pradip Surve (Nalasopara) 2.17.15. Boys U-20 (11 k.m.): Bharat Krishna Gharat (Vasai) 40.01.08; Shubham Sudhakar Taral (Virar) 40.10.03; Hitesh J Patel (Virar) 40.10.09. Boys U-17 (5 k.m.): Salim Salman Khan 25.17.08; Gurunath Dinesh Mhatre 27.10.08; Virendra Yadav 27.47.07. Boys U-14 (3 k.m.): Shohaib Mustakh Mansuri 11.08.01; Shubham Rakesh Yadav 12.08.00; ; Radhe Sagar Gupta 13.20.00. Girls U-17 (5 k.m.): Divya Suresh Padvi 20.05.06; Kavita Ankush Khandekar 27.23.09; Megha Prabhakar Patil 28.10.01. Girls U-14: (3 k.m.): Itkar Chaya Shridhar 13.10.08; Gaikar Shilpa Jagdish 13.19.01; Amisha V. Jadhav 13.23.04. PTI VKV

Pospisil leads Canada into elite World Group

RAMAT HASHARON, Israel - Vasek Pospisil has carried Canada's Davis Cup team into the elite World Group.Vancouver's Pospisil finished the weekend undefeated after a 6-2, 7-6 (3), 6-4 victory over Israel's Amir Weintraub in the deciding match Sunday of the World Group playoff tie.When Israel's Dudi Sela defeated Peter Polansky 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 earlier in the day to tie the series 2-2, Canada's re-entry into the 16-country elite tier rested on the the 21-year-old Pospisil's shoulders.

Saina survives scare, takes on top seed in quarters

After a below par performance at the World Championships, where she faltered against a Chinese player in the quarterfinals, world number 5 Saina Nehwal has an opportunity to redeem herself in the backyard of those dominating shuttlers.

The ongoing China Masters will see five Chinese shuttlers in the quarterfinals and Saina will face her first test against the World number 1-Yihan Wang-on Friday. According to Madhumita Bisht, the coach accompanying the team, the stage will be the best place to prove she possesses the mettle to beat the Chinese in her quest for Olympic success. “The top four in the world are in the quarterfinals. If Saina can go on to at least reach the finals, she will gain the confidence she needs for her preparation for the Olympics,” said Bisht.

Sports ministry announces cash reward of 1.5 lakh each to hockey players

Hours after Indian players rejected Hockey India's paltry monetary offer, cash rewards trickled in for them on Wednesday with the sports ministry announcing Rs 1.5 lakh each and Punjab government pitching in with Rs 25 lakh to the team for winning the Asian Champions Trophy.

The hockey team, which won the Asian Champions Trophy in China after beating arch-rivals Pakistan in the final on Sunday, rejected HI's Rs 25,000 cash reward to each player, saying the paltry amount was not proper recognition of their achievement. 

  

AC Milan snatch draw with Barcelona in Champions League

Serie A champions AC Milan shocked Champions League holders Barcelona by taking a point home from Camp Nou on Tuesday night after securing a surprise 2-2 draw in the sides' opening game in Group H.

Pedro and David Villa were the host's heroes as they netted a goal either side of the half-time break to cancel out Alexandre Pato's instantaneous opener.But, in the third minute of stoppage time, Thiago Silva popped up inside the box to meet Clarence Seedorf's corner with a powerful header which flew into the net to snatch a late point.

Novak Djokovic's U.S. Open title is epic in scale

  Novak Djokovic shrugged off a back scare to defeat defending champion Rafael Nadal 6-4, 6-2, 6-7(3), 6-1 to clinch the US Open on Monday, his third Grand Slam title of the year in an epic, brutal final.The World No.1 Serb, who had already won the Australian Open before defeating Nadal at Wimbledon, racked up his 64th win against just two losses all year.But having been just two points from the title in the 12th game of the third set, his dreams were almost shattered when he dropped the set on a tiebreaker and needed a medical time-out on a strained back muscle.Victory represented the top-seeded, 24-year-old's fourth Grand Slam trophy after making his breakthrough at the 2008 Australian Open.

 

Stosur wins US Open tennis final

Samantha Stosur has become Australia's first female grand slam singles champion in 31 years after pulling off a stunning upset over American Serena Williams at this year's US Open final.

Stosur produced the match of her life against a nervous Williams to win 6-2 6-3 in one hour and 13 minutes in front of 23,000 people on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The result made her Australia's first grand slam champion since Evonne Goolagong Cawley secured her second Wimbledon title in 1980.It was the first time the nation had claimed the women's singles crown at the tournament since Margaret Court Smith in 1973.

Vettel closes in on second title with tearful win

It was his rivals who should have been crying after the Italian Grand Prix, but on the podium the emotion of the moment got to Sebastian Vettel as he moved ever closer to a second consecutive world championship just three years after he had stood there savouring his first victory here.

The success brought Vettel's points advantage to 112, meaning that a podium finish in Singapore in two weeks' time will cement his title. But as somebody pointed out after a routine win, it might make the competition better if he were to take a holiday until Abu Dhabi, whereupon he could resume racing and still win the crown.

Neither Andy Roddick nor John Isner could slay a giant Friday at the U.S. Open .Thus, today’s semifinals feature the undisputed four giants of the men’s game:This year’s French Open winner Rafael Nadal (who dismantled a hobbled Roddick in straight sets Friday) vs. three-time Slam finalist Andy Murray (who took out Isner in four) — No. 2 in the world vs. No. 4.Plus, five-time champion Roger Federer vs. reigning Australian Open and Wimbledon winner Novak Djokovic (No. 3 vs. No. 1) — a rivalry simmering since the French Open, when Federer snapped Djokovic’s 43-match winning streak.

Bopanna-Qureshi enter US Open semifinals

The fifth seeded Indo-Pak pair of Rohan Bopanna and Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi entered the semifinals of the men's doubles event of the US Open defeating the British pair of Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins in a gruelling three-setter. At the end of 135-minute battle, the Indo-Pak Express prevailed with scoreline reading 7-5, 2-6, 7-5 in their favour. The duo will now take on Polish pair of Marcin Matkowski and Maruisz Fyrstenberg who defeated Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi on Thursday. It has been second year in a running the Bopanna-Qureshi had done well at Flushing Meadows having reached the final in the last time eventually losing to Bryan brothers.

Russian hockey team in jet crash; 43 dead

A private jet carrying a Russian professional hockey team to its first game of the season crashed shortly after takeoff Wednesday, killing 43 people – including European and former National Hockey League (NHL) players – in one of the worst aviation disasters in sports history. Two people survived the accident.The crash also was the latest tragedy to befall the sport of hockey – following the sudden, off-season deaths of three of the NHL’s toughguy enforcers that shocked fans.The chartered Yak-42 jet was carrying the team – Lokomotiv Yaroslavl – to Minsk, the capital of Belarus, where it was to play Thursday in its opening game of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) season. Of the 45 people on board, 36 were players, coaches, and team officials; eight were crew.

Federer demolishes Tsonga to reach US Open semifinals

        Five-time champion Roger Federer demolished Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 on Thursday to reach the US Open semifinals and gain revenge for his landmark Wimbledon loss to the Frenchman. Third seed Federer will tackle top seed and world number one Novak Djokovic for a place in the final after overcoming a 90-minute rain interruption and curtailing the powerful but wayward shot-making of Tsonga. It will be the fourth successive US Open semifinal meeting between Federer and Djokovic and first since the Swiss ended the Serb's 43-match winning run at the French Open in June.

European Championships

        Italy left it late to see off Slovenia 1-0, second-half substitute Giampaolo Pazzini scoring five minutes from time to hand the Azzurri all three points in Florence.Italy and Spain secured their qualification for next summer's European Championships with victories on Tuesday night.The victory leaves Italy unbeaten in Group C and eight points clear of nearest rivals Serbia, who beat the Faroe Islands 3-1.Spain eased to a 6-0 win over Liechtenstein to seal top spot in Group I, moving eight points clear of the Czech Republic with just two games remaining.Milan Jovanovic and Zoran Tosic put Serbia two up and, though the Faroes stunned their more illustrious hosts with a Frodi Benjaminsen strike eight minutes before the break, Zdravko Kuzmanovic wrapped up the victory.

Fighting India draw against Malaysia in Asian CT

         The Indian hockey team continued its unbeaten run by fighting back from a goal down to hold Malaysia 2-2 on Wednesday but is still not assured of a place in the final of the Asian Champions Trophy here.The scorers for India were Ravi Pal Singh (9th) and Danish Mujtaba (52nd). For Malaysia, Tajuddin Jalil (24th) and Muhammad Amin Rahim (32nd) scored. India can afford a draw provided Malaysia beats Japan. India could then sneak into the final on better goal average, that too if Korea beats China, the lowest-ranked team in the tournament. 

Men's US Open matches postponed due to rain

  

        The men's matches at the US Open have been postponed because of rain.Tournament officials were still hoping to get in four women's quarterfinals on Wednesday.After all matches were postponed on Tuesday, the year's final Grand Slam got in just 15 minutes of tennis on Wednesday before wet weather hit again. Three men's fourth-round matches originally scheduled for Tuesday started Wednesday afternoon following a 90-minute rain delay, but play was suspended after 15 minutes.

Wozniacki, Williams and Djokovic Reach Quarters

Tennis:-

• Wozniacki, seeking her first Grand Slam title, trailed by a set and 4-1 in the second before coming back to beat the 2004 U.S.Open chamion.
• Serena Williams of the USA earns a spot in the quarterfinals with a 6-3,  6-4 victory Monday against Ana Ivanovic of Serbia.
• Novak Djokovic is also edging toward the Men's championship. The Serbian has been almost invincible this year and is through to the quarters without dropping a set, although he had to survive an epic tiebreakeer to maintain the record. 
• Caroline Wozniacki sorry for Rafael Nadal impersonation

---

Nadal beats pal Nalbandian to make US Open last 16

          Rafael Nadal was back on his feet after a scary moment during his news conference about two hours after his third-round victory at the U.S. Open on Sunday, when he was overcome by pain from cramping in his right hamstring and thigh.Reporters were cleared out of the interview room while the defending champion was given bags of ice to put on his leg and water to drink. Earlier, Nadal overcame a blister on his right foot and two tight sets to beat 2002 Wimbledon runner-up David Nalbandian 7-6 (5), 6-1, 7-5 and reach the fourth round on a muggy afternoon with temperatures in the 80s.

Usain Bolt lights up worlds as Kenya make 1500m history

            Sprint superstar Usain Bolt brought the World athletics championships to a thrilling climax on Sunday as his Jamaican team smashed the 4x100m relay World record on the last night of action in Daegu.It was Bolt's second gold of the World championships after winning the 200m crown and marked a fairytale ending for the sprinter, who on only the second day of the meet saw his 100m dream shattered following a false-start.Jamaica's team of Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, Yohan Blake and Bolt got off to a flyer and never looked like being caught, Bolt stretching every sinew to cross the line in 37.04 with France taking silver and St. Kitts and Nevis.

Pennetta sends Sharapova crashing out of US Open, Andy Murray,Rafael Nadal, reaches third round at U.S. Open

Tennis:-

          Maria Sharapova is out of the U.S. Open, upset in the third round by Flavia Pennetta.The 2006 champion lost 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 to the 26{+t}{+h}-seeded Italian on Friday. Sharapova had been 12-0 in three-set matches this year, including her first-round win.Sharapova made 12 double-faults, including two in the last game. She did not look sharp over a 2 hour, 29-minute match that featured plenty of nervous tennis. Sharapova made 60 unforced errors.  

• Pennetta sends Sharapova crashing out of US Open 
• Andy Murray lives dangerously for US Open

TENNIS

          Roger Federer provided a tennis clinic both during and after his win over Dudi Sela at the U.S. Open on Thursday. Prompted in the on-court interview after his 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 victory over the Israeli to give all the tennis players in the stands a few quick pointers about how to dial in their serve, Federer offered this advice. Five-time champion Federer won 52 of 60 points on his serve and didn’t face a break point while beating 93rd-ranked Sela of Israel in the second round at Flushing Meadows. It was Federer’s 225th career victory in a Grand Slam match, giving him sole possession of second place on the Open era list behind Jimmy Connors’ 233.

---

GRAND SLAM TENNIS MATCH

        The U.S. Open lost yet another top women's player on Wednesday when two-time champion Venus Williams withdrew because of illness.Williams was supposed to play 22nd-seeded Sabine Lisicki in the second round. One American teen pulled a big upset on the women's side, while another couldn't hold onto a lead. Serena, a 13-time Grand Slam champion, completed a 6-0, 6-1 romp over Dutch qualifier Michaella Krajicek in just 77 minutes and said concern for her sister hadn't hindered her preparations.

---