Roddick off to a winning start in Shanghai

SHANGHAI -- Andy Roddick rallied to beat Lu Yen-Hsun of Taiwan 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 Monday in the first round of the Shanghai Masters.The 10th-seeded Roddick won the first set easily, but Lu picked up his game in the second, rushing the net repeatedly and hitting 15 winners to eight for the American.

The former U.S. Open champion then broke Lu twice in the third set to close out the match Roddick was beaten by Lu in five sets in the fourth round of Wimbledon last year, the last time the two players met. But the Taiwanese player made too many mistakes Monday, committing 50 unforced errors, including seven double-faults."He plays so high risk," Roddick said. "Overall, I thought it was pretty good, save four games."

The 29-year-old Roddick has struggled to regain his form this season, losing in the third round at Wimbledon and pulling out of the French Open because of injury. His ranking has slipped to No. 15. 

Somdev loses in first round of Shanghai Masters

Somdev Devvarman's lean patch continued as he made another first round exit from the ATP Shanghai Masters after losing in straight sets to Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, in Shanghai today. The 84th ranked Indian lost 4-6 3-6 in an hour and 27 minutes in his opening match of the USD 3,240,00 hard court tournament. 

Now the head-to-head record of the two players stand 2-2 in four meetings this season. Since Atlanta event in July, Somdev has competed in seven tournaments, including Davis Cup tie against Japan, and has won only two matches.In the doubles event, Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes are seeded fourth and have got a first round bye. Rohan Bopanna and his Pakistani partner Aisam-ul-haq Quershi are seeded seventh and they also have got a first round bye.

.

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.

 

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.

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.

Wimbledon champion Kvitova exits US Open

 

             Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova was upset by Alexandra Dulgheru in the first round of the U.S. Open on Monday.The 48th-ranked Romanian won 7-6 (3), 6-3. The fifth-seeded Kvitova committed 52 unforced errors. Dulgheru improved to 3-9 against top-10 opponents, with her first victory on a surface other than clay. She had played only one singles match since Wimbledon because of injuries to both knees. 

***********************************************************************************************