Asif lauds career ‘rebirth’

Disgraced Pakistan paceman Mohammad Asif lauded his "rebirth" Thursday, determined to put his derailed career back on track after learning his lesson from brushes with drugs.
The 26-year-old paceman, embroiled in failed dope tests and a detention case, spoke a day after he was included in the preliminary 30-man Pakistan squad for the Champions Trophy in South Africa in two months' time.
The paceman's fast-track career derailed last year after he failed a dope test in the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), resulting in a one-year ban from all cricket.
The ban expires on September 22, the day when the biennial Champions Trophy starts in South Africa. Pakistan face the West Indies in their first match on September 23 in the event which ends on October 5.
"You can say that it's a sort of rebirth for me," Asif told AFP. "I was performing well but then suddenly my career derailed and it was tough to get over those difficult days."
Asif also faced the ignominy of being detained at Dubai airport for 19 days, found in possession of opium while returning from playing in the IPL last year.
Dubai police later deported him after investigators found the quantity of drug "insufficient" to make a case.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) fined Asif one million rupees (12,500 dollars) over the detention case.
Asif and fellow paceman Shoaib Akhtar also failed dope tests conducted by the PCB in 2006. Akhtar was banned for two years and Asif for a year, but the bans were overturned on appeal.
Asif said he was determined to put the past behind him.
"Maybe these events happened so that I could learn my lesson," said Asif, who has taken 51 wickets in 11 Tests. His tally of wickets in 31 one-day internationals stands at 36.
"I would like to forget what happened to me over the last two years. I have learnt my lessons and will definitely do my best to avoid anything like this in the future.
"(The incidents) may have happened to teach me a lesson or to give me a chance to fully recover from an elbow injury which was hampering in bowling."
Asif said he was fully fit and raring up for the Champions Trophy.
"I am fit and have been bowling in the best of rhythms. South Africa is my favourite place and I did well when we went there to play a Test series in 2007, so this time around, again I want to help my team win the Trophy."
Asif also denied reports of marriage to popular Pakistani television host and film star Veena Malik.
"There are no truth in that news," said Asif. "I will marry only when I achieve more in cricket and only on the advice of my parents."

Flintoff determined to play through pain barrier

Andrew Flintoff insists only a "very, very serious" injury would stop him firing England's bid to regain the Ashes from Australia.
Flintoff was named man of the match after a second-innings five-wicket haul in England's dramatic second Test victory over Australia at Lord's.
The 31-year-old's performance came despite the pain of a persistent knee problem, which has put his fitness for the third Test at Edgbaston in doubt.
But Flintoff, who last week announced his retirement from Test cricket at the end of the series, is determined to go flat out for the remaining three Tests. Flintoff told BBC Radio Five Live: "The good thing was I bowled a lot of overs and kept my pace up.
"I'd be lying if I said I'm not a little bit sore but I was confident when making the announcement that I was retiring from Test cricket that I had four to go, and now it's three. "It'd have to be something very, very serious not to play in the next three Test matches."
Although his Lord's performance showcased Flintoff's ability, he added that he would not be tempted to go back on his retirement decision.
"There are no thoughts of changing my mind," he said. "The things I am going through to get on the cricket field I can do short term but I won't be able to do it much longer."
Flintoff, speaking at the launch of his own charity, the AF Foundation, which seeks to raise money for children's rehabilitation and physiotherapy units, added: "It was a team effort. It was nice to get the plaudits on the final day and get a few wickets but I think everyone at some point contributed."
With three Tests to go and only a 1-0 lead, he also warned England not to rest on their laurels.

(WICB) suspends 'retainer' payments.

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has maintained its tough stance against striking players, warning them on Tuesday they had breached their agreements while moving to suspend payment to those on retainer contracts.
In a media release, the WICB said it had written individual letters to all the players involved in the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) strike action informing them of the various breaches and requesting they respond within 10 days.

In addition, the board indicated that because the contracts had been violated, retainer contract payments had been "suspended immediately ... until such time as you indicate in writing to the WICB your resumption of obligations under the contract".

The board's move is the latest development in the impasse which started last week in the build-up to the first Test against Bangladesh and which resulted in a makeshift side being selected for the match in St Vincent.

contract breach

In the letter, the WICB informed players they had breached their contract by failing to attend the official cricket launch of the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 Champion-ship in St Lucia, refusing to travel to St Vincent for the first Test and then refusing to make themselves available for selection.

According to the board, each player had been informed he had breached rule 6 of the WICB Code of Conduct which stated that "players and team officials must not at any time engage in behaviour unbecoming that could bring the game of cricket into disrepute or be harmful to the interests of cricket".

The WICB said it had also written to WIPA indicating that the strike had also breached the Memorandum of Understanding and the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the two parties.

The board also revealed it had requested that the dispute be referred to mediation.

On Wednesday, WIPA announced it had asked for CARICOM's help in brokering a solution to the impasse.

Alguersuari given F1 chance!!

Toro Rosso have confirmed Jaime Alguersuari will drive for the team for the remainder of the 2009 Formula One season.

Alguersuari will become the youngest driver to contest a grand prix in the 59-year history of the sport when he lines up on the grid at next weekend's race in Hungary.

At 19 years and 126 days, Alguersuari will beat the previous record held by Mike Thackwell since 1980 by 57 days.

Alguersuari is a product of the Red Bull Junior Programme and replaces Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais, who was dropped by Toro Rosso after the last round in Germany.

"I would like to thank Red Bull for giving me this great opportunity to race in Formula One," said Alguersuari, who will be team-mate to Swiss youngster Sebastien Buemi.

"Ever since I started racing this has been my dream and thanks to the Red Bull Junior Programme I will now realise my ambition of lining up on a grand prix grid.

"I am aware that I'm facing a very tough challenge, because coming into Formula One is never easy, coming into Formula One in the middle of a season is even harder and doing so without any testing is really difficult.

"But already I feel that I am getting great support from the team."

Alguersuari is the reigning British Formula Three champion and was competing in the World Series by Renault before making the step-up into F1, but team principal Franz Tost admits his new charge will need time to adapt to life at the highest level.

"Red Bull's stated aim for Scuderia Toro Rosso is that, when possible, it should be used to provide a seat for products of its Young Driver Programme," said Tost.

"We therefore chose Alguersuari as the most mature driver currently in the programme. I am well aware that over the next few months the team and Jaime will face a major challenge, especially because of the testing ban.

"But Red Bull is always ready for a new challenge. I do not expect anything from him for at least his first three races, during which he has to get used to the car, the team and to the Formula One environment."

Beckham confronts fan, gets booed in 1st home game.

Boos rained down and fans sent negative messages with their homemade signs. Things sure got ugly when David Beckham came back to town.

Beckham downplayed the rough reception in his first home game with the Los Angeles Galaxy, a 2-2 tie with AC Milan in which his corner kick set up his team’s second goal, although his halftime confrontation with a fan indicated otherwise Sunday night.

“I’m not disappointed. It doesn’t affect me,” he said. “You can’t be liked by everyone.”

Anti-Beckham sentiment ran high as the English star returned after missing half of the Major League Soccer season while on a five-month loan to the Italian club. He was the target of frequent booing and derisive banners held up in a corner of the stadium, where one of the team’s fan groups sits.

The signs all had messages directed at Beckham. “Go home fraud” read one, with a red slash through his No. 23 jersey number. Another said, “23: Repent,” while another read, “Hey Becks, Here Before You, Here After You, Here Despite You.” Another read, “Is evil something u are…or something u do.”

At halftime, Beckham walked toward the L.A. Riot Squad section and motioned to a fan to come closer. A man jumped down from the seats and was subdued by security before being taken away.

“One of the guys was saying things that wasn’t very nice. It was stepping over the line,” Beckham said. “I said, `You need to calm down and come shake my hand,’ and he jumped over.”

The man was arrested by Cal State Dominguez Hills police for trespassing because he left the seating area, a Home Depot Center spokeswoman said.

“I know there was some turmoil in the corner but I didn’t see it so I can’t comment,” Galaxy manager Bruce Arena said. “Obviously, there were some dissenters in the early going but I think he won over a lot of people by the end.”

Beckham was the last player to take the field after halftime. He hugged several of his former AC Milan teammates and then turned toward the rowdy fan section and clapped his hands before making a gesture.

The banners weren’t displayed as often in the second half, when a line of yellow-jacketed security personnel stood below the fans.

“A lot of people predicted this kind of reaction,” Beckham said.

In the 65th minute, Beckham walked toward the fan section to take a corner kick. He sent a bending kick at Bryan Jordan, who headed the ball in from 7 feet to tie the game 2-2.

Beckham didn’t join in the play. Instead, he turned and faced the fans who had been riding him all game and spread both arms wide as if to say, “What do you want?” He then gestured before walking away.

“Sometimes the supporters don’t understand the situation,” AC Milan coach Leonardo said.

Beckham left the game in the 75th minute and clapped his hands as he walked off to a mix of boos and cheers. He waved to fans offering a smattering of cheers in an opposite corner before sitting on the bench.

“The cheers in the end drowned out the boos, which was nice,” he said.

It marked the end of a rough week for Beckham that began with him and team captain Landon Donovan accusing each other of being unprofessional. Donovan sparked the dispute with comments he made in a new book “The Beckham Experiment.”

Arena mediated the clash during a sit down with both players, who later said they had patched things up.

“That’s beyond my control,” Donovan said when asked about the crowd’s reaction to Beckham.

AC Milan dressed a half-strength lineup as it began a four-game preseason tour of the U.S. The seven-time European champions visited the Galaxy as part of the deal that allowed Beckham to remain on loan with Milan through the end of the Serie A season on May 31.

“You don’t want to look silly and we definitely didn’t look silly,” he said about the Galaxy’s play.

Beckham has said he again wants to return to Milan after the MLS season.

“We would be happy if he came back because he did really well. He’s incredible,” Leonardo said. “The precision he has is something very, very special. He never missed the ball. He controlled the ball. The way the Galaxy plays is very, very important. They see that every ball begins with him.”

Thiago Silva put AC Milan ahead 1-0 in the 16th minute. The Galaxy tied the game in the 30th minute on a goal by Alan Gordon, assisted by Donovan and Beckham.

The Rossoneri took a 2-1 lead in the 61st minute when Filippo Inzaghi scored against Galaxy backup goalie Josh Saunders off assists by Mathieu Flamini and Ronaldinho.

“He was integral in both goals,” Donovan said about Beckham. “There’s not another player on a team in this league that can make those plays. It was an exciting game.”

Beckham will play six more regular-season home games.

Earlier this year, Beckham said he wanted to remain with the Italian club rather than return to the Galaxy because he believed the level of play was much better in Europe and would help him achieve his goal of playing for England in the 2010 World Cup.

“If it’s possible, I think it could be a very good thing for us,” Leonardo said about getting Beckham back. “He knows everyone. Everyone loves him in our club.”

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Valentino Rossi on pole.

Valentino Rossi blitzed the opposition with a last-gasp effort to claim pole position for tomorrow's German Grand Prix.

The FIM MotoGP World Championship leader mastered the tricky wet conditions at the German circuit at the Sachsenring to take top spot by over six-tenths of a second from Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo.

Spaniard Lorenzo looked set to claim pole as he led the way as the 60-minute session expired but Rossi delivered in spectacular style on his final lap, posting a time of one minute 32.520 seconds to outpace third-placed man Casey Stoner by 1.2secs.

Stoner, who this week had the mystery illness which has plagued him at recent races diagnosed as anaemia and gastritis, qualified just ahead of Ducati team-mate Nicky Hayden but revealed he was never in with a chance of keeping on the pace of the imperious Yamahas.

"I'm pretty happy to be upright to be honest," the Australian told the BBC.

"These guys (Rossi and Lorenzo) seem to be on rails, there were no mistakes for them but my bike was all over the shop.

"I said 'I want all my limbs intact' - front row is plenty for us, but these two guys' bikes don't seem to be moving an inch."

Alex de Angelis and LCR Honda's Randy de Puniet completed the second row alongside Hayden, who suffered a nasty highside in the dying minutes of the session which saw him collide with Pramac Ducati's Niccolo Canepa.

Canepa required a stretcher to be taken away from the gravel trap on the outside of Turn Seven following the incident.

De Puniet, Marco Melandri (Hayate Kawasaki), Loris Capirossi (Suzuki), and Gresini Honda team-mates Toni Elias and De Angelis also suffered crashes as the riders struggled in the slippery conditions.

Colin Edwards tip-toed through the carnage to claim seventh for Tech 3 Yamaha while Dani Pedrosa, the winner in the United States last time out, could manage only eighth, ahead of Capirossi.

Mika Kallio (Pramac Ducati) rounded out the top 10 while Britain's James Toseland will start 14th on the second Tech 3 Yamaha.

Germany and Argentina post wins.

Germany beat China 3-2 while Argentina defeated England 3-1 at the women's field hockey Champions Trophy on Wednesday.

The Chinese scored first, with Fu Baorong collecting a pass across goal from the right to net from two metres out near the left post.

Janine Beermann equalised for Germany. Ma Yibo converted China's second penalty corner. Germany's late goals came from Julia Muller.

Meanwhile, England scored early against Argentina. Rebecca Herbert deflected in a pass from Chloe Rogers from the right under Argentina goalkeeper Maria Succi.

Sole Garcia converted Argentina's first penalty corner. World-player-of-the year Luciana Aymar laid off a pass in the circle to Carla Rebecchi who drove into goal.

Noel Barrionuevo converted Argentina's second penalty corner.

The split round ends on Thursday when all teams have played four matches: Netherlands meet Argentina and England play Australia.

Tevez says: Ferguson never contacted me!!

Carlos Tevez has claimed that Sir Alex Ferguson did not communicate with him
during his time at Manchester United.

The Argentina striker spent two years on loan at Old Trafford before deciding to make the short move to Eastlands after months of uncertainty about his position in the Red Devils pecking order.

Speaking through an interpreter, Tevez said: "I was there for two years and Sir Alex never called or sent any text messages in that time.

"The only time he talked to me was after a match against Roma to discuss a situation about going to play for Argentina.

"It doesn't seem that this is the way to treat a player in two years at the club. it doesn't seem there is a line of communication."

The 25-year-old did go on to thank United, adding: "David Gill (United chief executive), Alex Ferguson and the club's fan base I thank you for the time I spent there, but this is a new life for me and I am happy to be at Manchester City."


Tevez also denied that he had spoken to City's representatives about a transfer in January.

He said: "It is United people talking about signing a contract (in January) but it is not true that it was decided then."

Ferguson: best of luck for Ronaldo!

Sir Alex Ferguson holds no grudges against Cristiano Ronaldo for quitting Manchester United for Real Madrid.

After spending all last season insisting he would not let Ronaldo leave for the Bernabeu, Ferguson eventually bowed to the inevitable when Real agreed to cough up a world record £80million transfer fee for the 24-year-old.

It ended a six-year association with the Old Trafford outfit, during which time Ronaldo has been transformed from a raw teenager with too many flicks to become the best player in the world.

While Ferguson is understandably disappointed to lose a player of such talent, Ronaldo heads to Spain with his best wishes.

"I had a good relationship with the boy but I never, ever thought we were going to keep him for a long time," said Ferguson.

"We are proud and pleased to have him for six years.

"He has had this opportunity to take another challenge and I respect him for that.

"He was a fantastic player for us, a good lad and gave us no problems. We wish him well."

Given the sum United received in return it is little wonder Ferguson feels so content about the situation.

However, having the cash and spending it have proved to be too different things.

Ferguson was keen to lure Karim Benzema to Old Trafford, only to find Real Madrid's cheque-book open again to snare the Lyon star, which led United instead to make their shock move for Michael Owen.

And, with the additional arrivals of Antonio Valencia from Wigan and Gabriel Obertan from Bordeaux, Ferguson claims his dealings for the summer are done.

"That is the end of our business," he said.

Such a statement is unlikely to go down well on the Stretford End, although he quickly made it clear the decision not to spend further is his alone.

"I can only placate the fans this way and say I am not going to be stupid," he said.

"We have got that wonderful sum of money from Real Madrid but there was no way we were going to throw it away and put an extra nought on the end of the transfer which I didn't think was value.

"Some of the numbers being tossed about are sky-high, not just in England but across Europe.

"For some reason it seems to have caught fire this summer and it has been very difficult to get value."

However, anyone believing United will not be competitive should beware.

In making his bold statement about no more signings, Ferguson has assessed the players at his disposal and decided the likes of Danny Welbeck and Federico Macheda have the ability to make an impact at the highest level.

"There is no need for any knee-jerk reactions.

"We have a good squad and we are still going to be very strong next year."

Sri Lanka victory agenst Pakistan in there 2nd test.

Pakistan 2nd Innings - 320 all out, Fawad Alam - 168, Younus Khan - 82, Herath took 5 wickets and Kulasekara took 4 wickets.
Sri Lanka 2nd Innings - 171/3

Sri Lanka won there 2nd test by 7 wickets.

Man of the match:Fawad Alam & Kulasekara.

Bangladesh win historic away Test

Bangladesh sealed a first-ever Test victory on foreign soil after defeating West Indies by 95 runs at St Vincent on Monday.


The shortcomings of West Indies' second-string line-up were harshly exposed on a historic fifth and final day at the Arnos Vale Ground in Kingstown as they tried to chase the target of 277, but managed only 181 all out in 70.1 overs.

Fittingly, acting skipper Shakib Al Hasan delivered the final nail in the coffin when he trapped Tino Best leg before for nine with a full toss and thus end any hopes of the hosts, missing all their regular starters due to a contract dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board, salvaging the game.

David Bernard (52 not out) was the only batsman to provide any resistance.

Shakib, deputising for the injured Bangladesh captain and pace spearhead Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, weighed in with three for 39.

As soon as the final wicket fell all the Bangladesh players moved into a huddle of joy including a limping Mashrafe who hobbled to the middle to join in the celebrations.

The destroyer-in-chief was Mahmudullah Riyad. The debutant off-spinner bagged 5-51 and a match-haul of eight wickets, however, Tamim Iqbal was named the man-of-the-match after scoring an impressive 128 in the Tigers' second innings total of 345.

The only disappointing aspect of a thrilling Test was Mashrafe not being able to bowl due to a knee injury suffered on the third day and is doubtful for the second Test starting in St George's, Grenada on July 17.It was the Tigers' maiden victory on foreign soil and their first success in the five-day game since beating Zimbabwe by 226 runs at the MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong on January 10, 2005.

Century-maker Tamim puts Tigers in control

In a rare exhibition of batting excellence, Bangladesh set themselves up nicely to at least draw, if not, win the first Test against West Indies after completely outplaying the home side on the fourth day at Kingstown, St Vincent on Sunday.

The architect behind the tourists manoeuvring the total – 321-5 at stumps, which gave the Tigers a lead of 252, was opener Tamim Iqbal who scored a maiden Test century.

Captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza will be hoping to extend the lead beyond 300 when Mushfiqur Rahim (28) and vice-captain Shakib Al Hasan (26) resume the battle on Monday.

The pair has already added 54 runs for the sixth wicket to frustrate a second-string West Indian outfit that is missing most of their first choice players due to a contractual dispute with the WICB.

Playing in his 11th Test match, the 20-year-old left-hander made 128 to easily surpass his previous best of 84 on debut against New Zealand in Dunedin in 2008.

He became only the fourth Bangladeshi batsman to score a century on Caribbean soil after Habibul Bashar, Mohammad Rafique and Khaled Mashud during the drawn first Test back in 2004.

Tamim, who comes from a cricketing family, followed in the footsteps of his older brother Nafees Iqbal, who hit a century against Zimbabwe in 2005.

He was involved in a second wicket stand of 146 with Junaed Siddique who made a career-best 78. They pushed the score from 82 for one when fellow opener Imrul Kayes fell before lunch for 26.

Tamim reached the landmark after being dropped twice either side of lunch pushing the ball between point and cover off Ryan Austin with the score on 176-1.

His marathon knock eventually ended as he tried to smash David Bernard for consecutive fours but holed out to Travis Dowlin. Bangladesh were 228-1 at that stage.

The 243-ball stay at the crease was studded with 17 fours.

His dismissal slowed Bangladesh's momentum as they lost some quick wickets, but the damage had been done at the Arnos Vale Ground.

Bangladesh scored 238 all out in their first innings and then dismissed the hosts for 307.

No Man Utd bid for Aguero, claims Atletico chief

Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has denied reports that Manchester United have made a player plus cash deal for highly-rated striker Sergio Aguero.

The 21-year-old Argentina international, who is under contract with Atletico until June 2012 and has a £47m buy-out clause, has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford as United looking to replenish thier attack after losing Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez.

Reports had claimed that the Premier League champions had offered £30m plus Portuguese winger Nani to tempt the Spanish Primera Division club to part with their prized asset but Cerezo inists no offer has been received.

"Manchester United has not made any offers for 'Kun' [Aguero] - and we will not sell any player," Cerezo told Marca.

The Atletico chief also outlined his determination to keep hold of Barcelona target Diego Forlan and Portugal winger Simao.

"We will not sell Aguero, Forlan, Simao - because we don't want to sell any of our players. We will keep all of our players because we are very good as we are and we have a great team."

Yuvraj jumps to No.2 after WI series.

It was an Indian one-two in the ICC ODI Rankings as dashing left-hander Yuvraj Singh zoomed to a career best second place, in the table topped by his captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Despite winning the four-match series against the West Indies, there was, however, no such good news for India as Dhoni's men missed a chance to reclaim the second spot in the ICC ODI Championship and remained third.

India needed to win all their matches against the West Indies but they went down in the second tie at Sabina Park even though it could not deny them a 2-1 series win in the Caribbeans.

Yuvraj made scores of 131, 35 and 2 in the three matches against the West Indies while the fourth ODI in St Lucia was washed out yesterday. His series contribution helped him jump two places and he now sits behind Dhoni who has consolidated his number one position.

Dhoni, whose place was under threat from Chris Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Yuvraj, produced a consistent performance to strengthen his position at the top.

The wicketkeeper-batsman made scores of 41, 95 and 46 not out to walk away with the player of the series award.

Dhoni now leads Yuvraj by a comfortable 44-point margin.

The team-mates are likely to resume their battle for the top spot in September when India plays Sri Lanka and New Zealand in a proposed tri-series in Sri Lanka.

Yuvraj's leap by two places means Chanderpaul and Gayle have dropped one place each to the third and fourth places respectively.

There was bad news for India opener Gautam Gambhir, who has slipped four places to share 20th spot with New Zealands Ross Taylor. Gambhir scored 57 runs in the series with his highest score being 44 in the third ODI at St Lucia.

Yuvraj, meanwhile, has fallen out of the top five of the ICC Player Rankings for all-rounders.

The left-arm spinner remained wicketless while conceding 53 runs off six overs in the series and his failure to pick up a few wickets means he has slipped five places to eighth position.

Yuvraj's fall has benefitted the Pakistan duo of Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi, who have risen to joint-third spot, and the fifth placed Jacob Oram.

In the bowlers' charts, Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh lost three places to 26th while Praveen Kumar dropped six places to 33rd.

Ishant Sharma, however, managed to move up two rungs to 39th.

Andy Roddick comes in from cold to reach Wimbledon final

The Austin, Texas, airport and Centre Court at the All England Club seldom turn up in the same sentence or even paragraph, but the heady recent plight of Andy Roddick has melded them as evocative benchmarks.

Suddenly, it has grown relevant that as eyeballs all over the planet went rapt last July 6 over a Wimbledon men's singles final for which even "mesmerizing" might not suffice, nobody gave a hoot about the tennis afterthought hanging around that airport some 4,915 miles west.
" Roddick said Friday on one of the better days of his 26-year existence. "You know, I didn't want to watch, 'cause it's tough watching, 'cause you wish you were there. Especially the kind of mental state I was in at that point, it hurt to watch. And then, you know, I landed and it was the match that it was. You know, there was no chance of me getting out of that airport before it was finished."
There he stood Friday on Centre Court holding his hand over his baseball cap in incomprehension of what he'd done, still ranked No. 6 -- and everyone cared.

With his gripping mastery of No. 3 Murray and all the attending British din by 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (5) in a semifinal, following on his five-set wriggle through Lleyton Hewitt in a quarterfinal, Roddick had gone all the way from the Austin airport on one Wimbledon final Sunday to striding out to Centre Court with Federer on the next, even if proving that to get from Austin to Wimbledon, you do have to change planes.
He had gone from wondering earnestly whether the 2006 U.S. Open might have been his last Grand Slam final to tacking on a third Wimbledon final against Federer, the elegant giant who somehow has graced 16 of the last 17 major finals -- the latest by dint of his 7-6 (3), 7-5, 6-3 passage through Tommy Haas earlier Friday that secured his seventh consecutive Wimbledon final and 20th appearance in a Slam final, both records.
By Friday in the English sun, Roddick moved around the court liquidly. Through four taut sets against a surging 22-year-old craftsman who had beaten Roddick three straight times and dismantled him in the third round of the 2006 Wimbledon, Roddick calmly repelled umpteen prospective visits from negativity, his former sidekick.

He served like Andy Roddick, doled out demanding approach shots and won 48 of a whopping 75 net approaches. He forgot mishaps. He appeared the more vibrant player as he drove Murray off the court to serial inconvenience.
Roddick said of Stefanki, "He's certainly, you know, well-studied. Kind of picks the right times to discuss stuff. You know, it's not always the same, it doesn't feel monotonous. Not always the same time that he picks and chooses to talk about an upcoming match. You know, I certainly got the sense that he believed that we could get back to this point. You know, that was large."

Much as McEnroe found a reborn surge with Stefanki in a later career phase in 1992, Roddick has gone to the Australian Open semifinals, his first French Open fourth round, and to the curtain call on semifinal Friday before an admiring audience he applauded for its passion, wherever directed.

From there, he all but skipped out, ambled up the steps toward the locker room and suddenly halted. He bent over briefly and tried to "make myself maybe believe" what had just happened, and he did so right there in the staircase and really quite far from the Austin airport.

Serena tops Venus in straight-sets final

WIMBLEDON, England -- Serena Williams fell to her knees on the grass, eyes closed, arms raised, and threw back her head.

After six years, it was her turn to hold up the Venus Rosewater Dish again.

In the fourth all-Williams final at Wimbledon, Serena beat her sister Venus 7-6 (3), 6-2 on Saturday for her third title and 11th Grand Slam championship.

"It feels so amazing," Serena said. "I'm so blessed. I feel like I shouldn't be holding the trophy. I can't believe I'm holding it. It's named for Venus and she always wins."

Serena came out on top by out-serving her big sister, lifting her game in the tiebreaker and dictating play throughout the second set, finally winning when five-time champion Venus slapped a backhand into the net on the fourth match point.

Serena beat Venus in the 2002 and '03 finals, before Venus prevailed in last year's championship match. Venus was trying to become the first woman since Steffi Graf in 1991-93 to win Wimbledon three years in a row.

Still, the Williams sisters proved their dominance at the All England Club once more, winning their eighth singles title this decade. As always with Williams vs. Williams matches, the celebrations were relatively muted. The sisters embraced at the net, with the 29-year-old Venus patting 27-year-old Serena on the back.

"I didn't think about Venus at all today," Serena said. "I just saw her as an opponent. At one point, after the first set, I looked on the side of the court at the stats, and it was like 'Williams, Williams.' I couldn't figure out which was which."
With the 7-6 (3), 6-2 triumph, Serena Williams took an 11-10 edge overall and 6-2 mark in Grand Slam finals against her sister Venus.
The sisters were due back on Centre Court later for the women's doubles final, where they will face Samantha Stosur and Rennae Stubbs of Australia. They're seeking their fourth Wimbledon doubles title and 10th Grand Slam crown.

Venus had come into the final as the favorite after playing some of the best grass-court tennis of her career. She hadn't dropped a set in 17 straight matches at Wimbledon, but couldn't cope on this day with the fierce competitive drive and relentless power game of her sister.

"This is one of the few times I didn't expect to come out with the win today," Serena said. "When I won that first set, I was like, 'Wow, this is great. No matter what, I'm a set away.' So I was just trying to relax."

The statistics summed up Serena's superiority: She had 12 aces, 25 winners and 12 unforced errors, compared to two aces, 14 winners and 18 unforced mistakes for Venus.

"She played great, especially in the tiebreak," Venus said. "I would just play a good shot and she'd just hit a winner off of it or put me in a position where she could hit another winner. I played a good tiebreak, but she played a great one."

Serena now has an 11-10 edge overall and is 6-2 in Grand Slam finals against her sister. She currently holds three of the major titles -- the U.S. Open, Australian Open and Wimbledon -- and is one Slam win away from tying Billie Jean King at sixth all-time.

"It's unbelievable," Serena said. "I feel like now I'm just not even in a competition of how many I can win. It's just now I'm looking at the next goal of someone like Billie Jean King, who is completely my idol. To get to her level and have 12 would be even better."

Serena said she found no particular significance in stopping her sister from taking a third straight Wimbledon crown.

"She's won seven Grand Slams on her own, five being Wimbledon," Serena said. "You can't compare that, because she's a living legend right now."

Despite her dominance on the big stages, Serena will stay at No. 2 in the world rankings behind Dinara Safina. The Russian reached the top spot this year even though she has never won a Grand Slam title. She was routed 6-1, 6-0 by Venus in the Wimbledon semifinals.

"I think if you hold three Grand Slam titles maybe you should be No. 1, but not on the WTA Tour obviously," Serena said.

"My motivation is maybe just to win another Grand Slam and stay No. 2, I guess," she added with a laugh. "I'd rather definitely be No. 2 and hold three Grand Slams in the past year than be No. 1 and not have any."

Serena became the second player in the Open era to win the Wimbledon women's title after overcoming a match point, having done so in the semifinals against Elena Dementieva. The only other player to do it was Venus, who saved one in the 2005 final against Lindsay Davenport.

On a sunny, breezy day, there was little to separate the sisters for most of the first set, though Venus failed to convert her chances to break in the eighth game. Serving at 15-40, Serena saved the first break point with a second serve into the body that forced a backhand error from Venus. On the second, Venus went for a forehand passing shot that landed just wide of the line. Serena then hit back-to-back aces to take the game.

Serena dominated the tiebreaker, increasing her intensity and grunting volume and pushing Venus around the court. Serena closed it out in style, flicking a picture-perfect topspin lob that floated over Venus and into the back of the court for a winner.

Venus looked flat and demoralized in the second set and, from 2-2, Serena ran off the last four games. The match was essentially over when Venus double-faulted on break point in the sixth game to hand her sister a 4-2 lead. Two games later, Serena failed to convert on three match points before Venus ended the contest with a final backhand error.

"Serena and I, we both expect from ourselves great results," Venus said, refusing to reflect on what the siblings have accomplished. "At the moment, we're just pushing for everything that we can. And maybe when all these moments are over, then we can look back and kind of be amazed."

The men's final is Sunday, with Roger Federer seeking his record 15th Grand Slam title in a matchup with two-time runner-up Andy Roddick. Federer, a five-time Wimbledon champion, has a 18-2 record against the American. It's the seventh straight Wimbledon final and 20th major championship match overall for Federer.

Andy Murray's Wimbledon dream crushed by Roddick

Andy Murray's dream of reaching the Wimbledon final was crushed by Andy Roddick in a dramatic semi-final.


The British number one went into the match as a hot favourite to beat the sixth seed, who he had defeated in six of their eight previous meetings, but Roddick produced a brilliant performance to triumph 6-4 4-6 7-6 (9/7) 7-6 (7/5).

Murray was punished for being too passive in the opening set and, although he bounced back in the second, Roddick's bullet serving and consistent all-round game earned him a third Wimbledon final appearance against Roger Federer.

Murray said: "You always expect your opponents to play well at this stage of the tournament.

"I had a few chances in the first tie-break and chances early in the third set and I didn't take them.

"I thought I played well.

"He served really, really well.

"Hitting at that pace at such a high percentage, sometimes there's not a whole lot you can do."

Roddick, 26, said: "I had to play my best tennis to win today. Not many people were giving me much of a chance.

"Throughout my career I've had a lot of shortcomings but trying hard isn't one of them. He had all the pressure on him. It's just a dream."

Roddick began in typical fashion with two aces in the opening game. And the American immediately took Murray, who was bidding to become the first British male singles finalist since Bunny Austin in 1938, to deuce - only to see two aces flying past him.

The Scot unsurprisingly looked a little nervous, and Roddick showed his phenomenal serve was working well by sending down the fastest delivery of the tournament at 143mph.

Murray was struggling to find his first serve rhythm but his prowess off the ground kept him out of trouble as he made it 3-3 with a classy volley.

The 22-year-old was making more errors than usual, perhaps feeling the occasion, and he found himself set point down serving at 5-4 behind thanks to a lovely Roddick drop shot.

And the sixth seed took advantage of his first chance with a cross-court forehand that forced Murray to net.

The British number one took a comfort break and came back with a newly-aggressive attitude, two forehand passes and a winner down the line giving him three break points, and he took the first one when Roddick netted a forehand.

The crowd were suddenly engaged and three consecutive aces helped Murray to consolidate the break.


The third seed's first-serve percentage in the opening set was less than 50% but suddenly the aces were flying off his racquet as he easily kept his opponent at bay.

A nervy service game at 4-3, in which the Scot was taken to deuce, hinted at a chance for Roddick but Murray held firm.

And serving for the set he was rock solid, although the first serve again let him down, as he levelled the match.

The third set began in identical fashion to the second as Murray, with the help of a lucky net cord, moved to 0-40 on the Roddick serve.

But this time the American came up with the goods, a superb lunging volley at 30-40 denying his opponent a second break of serve.

Murray's first-serve percentage had again dropped below 50% and he paid the price in a dramatic fourth game. He saved three break points but a fourth proved too much and Roddick seized the advantage.

The Scot was clearly frustrated and he was warned for an audible obscenity, something he disputed strongly with the umpire.

Murray was not finished though, and when Roddick served for the set at 5-3 he pounced, winning the first three points and then taking his second break point.

An ace saw Murray level at 5-5 and two games later came the first tie-break.

The pair traded mini-breaks early on but two aces from the third seed took him to set point.

Roddick saved that one, as did Murray on his own serve, but a wayward forehand gave the American a chance on his serve and he took an epic set 9-7 when the Scot netted.

Murray did not let the disappointment affect him at the start of the fourth set and he created a break point in the eighth game when Roddick volleyed long, but the American saved it in immaculate fashion.

The sixth seed was still serving at 75% of first serves in and he held firm to set up a second tie-break.

There were signs of fatigue in the Murray game, and a weak forehand gave Roddick the first mini-break.

The British number one hung in there with a backhand pass onto the side-line but a backhand that missed by a fraction set up a first match point for Roddick on his serve.

Murray spectacularly saved that with another backhand pass but he could not save a second on his own serve and a backhand into the net left Roddick celebrating a hugely impressive victory.

The American said of his opponent: "He's been a much better player than I have over the last year but I was a little bit better today."

Michael Owen on verge of shock move to Manchester United

• 29-year-old could have medical today
• United hope striker can rebuild career with champions
Michael Owen has not scored since January but his free-agent status would make a move to Manchester United straightforward. Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Michael Owen is on the verge of an astonishing move to Manchester United to supply some of the goals that have been lost in the wake of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez leaving Old Trafford. Owen, recently linked with Stoke City and Hull City and written off in many quarters as a has-been, was holding talks with the Premier League champions and will complete one of the most unexpected transfers of the summer if he passes a stringent medical examination.

That is expected to take place today when, if everything goes according to plan, United hope to announce they are willing to take on a striker whose career had seemed to be in an irreversible tailspin. Owen is a free agent after coming to the end of his contract at Newcastle United and his stock has fallen so much over a dismal season that, until now, he has been linked only with clubs in the lower half of the Premier League table.

Owen even faced the ignominy this week of the Blackburn Rovers manager, Sam Allardyce, saying he would not try to sign him because the former Liverpool and Real Madrid player could not be guaranteed to play 30 games a season. Sir Alex Ferguson, however, appears to be untroubled by the forward's various injury problems and is keen to reunite him with Wayne Rooney, his former strike partner for the England national team until Fabio Capello decided that Owen was no longer worthy of a place in the squad. Everton have been monitoring Owen's potential availability but were informed that they had effectively been gazumped.

The transfer is likely to prompt a mixed reaction among United supporters given Owen's past with Liverpool and, more pertinently, the fact that he has become recognised as a player on the wane.

Owen scored 30 times in 65 starts for Newcastle, but he cost them £41m in total when putting together his wages and his transfer fee, and was dropped by the club's interim manager, Alan Shearer, during the run-in to their relegation. He has not scored since January and, as his reputation has plummeted, his representatives appeared to have had so little confidence in finding a major club that would be willing to sign him they produced a 32-page brochure to persuade prospective buyers that he was worth a punt.

Ferguson is unlikely to have needed a glossy supplement, however, to know all about Owen's ability, having closely followed his career since the player was at school. Liverpool got in ahead of United after Ferguson could not arrange a deal with the player's father, Terry, and sources close to the Old Trafford manager have indicated that he has always regarded Owen as one that got away.

Even so, it represents a significant gamble on the part of Ferguson given the way Owen, at 29, has become more synonymous with injuries and high wages than the goals that once made him one of the more feared strikers in European football. There have also been misgivings about Owen's commitment to his professional life, with the Wigan chairman, Dave Whelan, recently questioning whether the player was spending too much time indulging his love of horse racing.

None of these concerns appears to have registered with Ferguson, though, as he contemplates rebuilding his frontline in the aftermath of Ronaldo's £80m transfer to Real Madrid and the Manchester City-bound Tevez severing his ties with Old Trafford. Karim Benzema, the France international striker, has moved to Real Madrid and United have ruled out other attackers such as Samuel Eto'o and Franck Ribéry because of a long-term decision not to sign players aged 26 or older for large fees because of the way their potential sell-on transfer values would then drop.

United are so determined to keep to this rule that Dimitar Berbatov, who was 27 when he signed from Tottenham for £30m last September, has been described as the "last of his kind", but Owen's situation, as a free agent, means these restrictions do not apply. He is clearly intent on showing that he can still play at the highest level judging by his comments last week. "I've got skin thicker than 99.9% of the population and I have got used to it," he said. "I'll come back. I'll play well and score goals once more." Few could have imagined him doing so in a Manchester United shirt.

Venus Leaves No Doubt

03 Jul 2009 by Hiland in Wimbledon 2009


What Dinara Safina must know, is that she is not the number one tennis player in the world. It is time the tournament organizers got the message. On Thursday, Dinara Safina entered Centre Court alongside the third or fourth best female tennis player on the planet.

If there was ever any doubt about the true rankings, the rankings the tour players keep in the purses, Wimbledon fans heard it loud and clear. Actually, they must have known what would happen. In a rare occurrence, less than half the seats surrounding Centre Court were occupied for the 6-1, 6-0, fifty-one minute drubbing.

Give the Brits credit. They know a mismatch when they do not see one. In this economy, why bother? To the telly!

The finals will now be just as the bookmakers suggested, a family affair. It will be difficult to pick a favorite. Let’s just say, Serena thinks she should have won last year, and she has been carrying it around ever since.

For this most disappointing semifinal, Dinara was never there, never in the match. She was resigned to disappointment. In big matches, it seems her plight.


At 23, she is young. She cannot be blamed for the seeding. Dinara’s day will come. Not right away. Not until she develops a second serve that exceeds 75 mph, not until her foot speed gets her across the court with more ease and not until she spends some time with a sports psychologist, but those things will happen. Dinara’s day will come. Right now, she is like a long-legged colt, really.

Venus is like a thorobred. She adds to the Wimbledon mystique. She is beautiful, soft spoken and gracious. In every interview, she takes her time, thinks through her answers and elevates the stature of the tournament and women’s tennis. She has won me over. I hope Dinara was rightfully impressed, because one day will be her day. But, not today. Congratulations to Venus Williams for a job well done.

Roddick – Hewitt – Oh my!

02 Jul 2009 by Hiland in Wimbledon 2009


The best match of the Gentlemen’s quarterfinal was not between the two best players in the draw. The best match of the day was between a 26 year old American and a 28-year-old Australian. The best quarterfinal match of the day was between two accomplished players considered past prime and written off more than once over their outstanding careers.

The best match of the day was between two seasoned, grizzled and married tour veterans who share 957 career victories. The best quarterfinal match was between two guys that decided after 2008 to rededicate themselves, to log countless miles, lift an infinite number of pounds and hit zillions of tennis balls to reach the next level. Andy Roddick prevailed over Lleyton Hewitt who fought nobly and, like Roddick, deserved to win. This was a match where both players deserved to win, where you could not be disappointed by the outcome. It was that good, that suspenseful, that filled with high drama and stellar play.

It could have been the finals. It was that good. Most likely, it will surpass the finals and the semifinals for drama and heroics.

Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt did what they do best. They played a professional tennis match. They played to win. They played as if they had been there before. They left nothing on the court. They played like two players who have played before and who have built respect for each other’s games.

What drama! The Aussie Crazies were out in force. Those yellow and green shirts jumping up and down, loudly proclaiming their loyalty and defending Australia’s honor as Hewitt has been doing all by himself for some time now.

The American crazies were there too, cheering, interrupting passionate in their exuberance. Like Hewitt, Roddick has been carrying his flag for a long time as well. Like Hewitt, it means something to Andy. It is the way he learned to play, the old way. The way that makes the Brits crazy that they have not had a winner in 73 years.

As expected, Andy Murray moved on Wednesday, blowing out Spain’s play-in Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-5, 6-3, 6-2. On this day, Andy Murray did what he had to do. He appeased the gallery, gave the media something nice to write about and can now rest with his lovely lady waiting for the older, out-manned Roddick to come out with his 140 mph serve and smack hard shot after hard shot at him. On paper, Andy has reached the finals. But then again, that is why they lace up the sneakers and trot on out there. Another reason is because you might not be exactly sure which Andy Murray will show up for the semis.

What we do know is which Tommy Haas, which Andy Roddick and which Roger Federer will show up. As much as the Brits may not want to admit it, there will be three tennis professionals and a young Scotsman in the semis. After that, we shall see.

On this day, in this match, Lleyton Hewitt and Andy Roddick went toe-to-toe. Roddick won the first set 6-3, and the third set 7-6 (1), while Hewitt prevailed at 7-6 (10), 6-4. Andy Roddick only has a 10-12 won lost record in five set matches. The players have gone at it 12 times. They now stand at 6-6.

So, you knew the fifth set belonged to either player. These two fellows are in terrific shape. It was hot, humid and long. The match fell just shy of four hours court time. At 4-4 in the fifth with Lleyton serving, Roddick fought off 3 game points before finally grabbing an ad. Hewitt served him to submission.

But, the American answered back and got it back to game point. This time, he converted his 4th of 12 break points. He then did what he does best and served out the match, recording his personal best 43rd ace along the way.

The day is over. Tomorrow, the ladies will go at it in the semis. But on this day, the best match of the day featured Lleyton Hewitt and Andy Murray and the Brits who stuck around on Henman’s Hill got their money’s worth. What a match!

Williams sisters, Safina, Dementieva win

WIMBLEDON, England -- Venus and Serena Williams are one round away from meeting in another Wimbledon final.

Five-time champion Venus overpowered Agnieszka Radwanska 6-1, 6-2 on Tuesday, and two-time winner Serena followed her into the semifinals with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Victoria Azarenka.

No. 3-seeded Venus will next face top-ranked Dinara Safina, who overcame 15 double-faults and beat German teen Sabine Lisicki 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-1 to reach the Wimbledon semis for the first time.

In the bottom half of the draw, No. 4 Elena Dementieva defeated Italy's Francesca Schiavone 6-2, 6-2 to set up a semifinal encounter with No. 2 Serena.

It's the first time since 2006 that all four top-seeded women reached the semifinals at a Grand Slam tournament.



Complete results
Need the scores from any match played at Wimbledon today? Results

The Williams sisters overwhelmed their opponents Tuesday with breathtaking displays of power tennis, showing why they have dominated on the grass of the All England Club for most of the past decade.

"We definitely upped our levels of game today," Serena said.

Venus, seeking her third straight Wimbledon title, outhit the 14th-ranked Pole from all parts of the court and proved again that she is the dominant female player on grass.

"Do I feel invincible?" Venus said. "I'd like to say yes, but I really do work at it."

Venus had her left leg taped up again but showed no weakness at all as she ripped 29 winners -- compared to six for Radwanska -- in a match that lasted just 68 minutes on a sunbaked Court 1.

"I can't complain," Venus said. "I'm in the semifinals of Wimbledon, right where I want to be. I just need to take another step forward."

With Venus looking on from the guest box, Serena swept through the first set against the eighth-ranked Azarenka in 26 minutes. After being broken to go down 3-2 in the second, she won four straight games and held serve at love to finish the match in commanding fashion. Serena had nine aces and 26 winners, with only seven unforced errors.

Azarenka had beaten Serena in straight sets in their last match in the final at Key Biscayne, Fla., in April.

"I really wanted to do well today," Serena said. "I didn't do well the last time we played. I was not feeling great. I felt like I really wanted to show up today."

Asked whether she also felt unbeatable at Wimbledon, Serena said: "I don't feel invincible, but I definitely should have the same attitude. I'm going to try to feel that way, too."

Only once in the last nine years has there been a Wimbledon women's final that didn't feature at least one of the Williams sisters. The sisters were the only two Grand Slam winners in the women's quarterfinals -- Serena has 10 major titles and Venus seven.

The sisters have met in three Wimbledon finals, including last year. Serena has won two of the three, in 2002 and '03. They are 10-10 in career meetings.

"I would love it to be a Williams final, and so would she," Venus said. "That would be great."

The sisters' father, Richard Williams, said he is certain his daughters will be in the final again.

"I think they are both playing super well," he said. "They're playing the Williams way. And when you're playing the Williams way, it's very difficult for anyone to touch you."

Venus is trying to become the first woman since Steffi Graf in 1991-93 to win three Wimbledon titles in a row.

Venus raced to a 5-0 lead against Radwanska and finished off the first set with back-to-back aces. She dropped only two of 18 points on serve in the set.

"That first set for me was almost perfect," Venus said.

Safina, who has risen to No. 1 in the world despite never having won a Grand Slam title, struggled against the 19-year-old Lisicki. The Russian had to come from behind after double-faulting to lose the first-set tiebreak, smashing her racket to the turf and drawing a warning from the chair umpire.

"I was Santa Claus on the court, serving so many double-faults," Safina said.

Safina was down 3-2 on serve in the second set but got the one break in the seventh game to force a third set. The 41st-ranked Lisicki received treatment on her right calf after going down 4-1 in the third. In the next game, Safina was up 40-0 before serving three straight double-faults. She still managed to hold and then broke for the match.

"I was tough mentally, that was the key today," Safina said.

Dementieva, meanwhile, grabbed a 5-0 lead in the first set against the 43rd-ranked Schiavone and converted both of her break points in the second to seal the win in 66 minutes.

Dementieva also reached the Wimbledon semifinals last year. She is still looking for her first major title after being runner-up at both the French Open and U.S. Open in 2004.

Temperatures topped 90 degrees on Tuesday, with no need to close the roof on Centre Court.

Medical officials on site said they treated more than 130 people, mostly for heat-related problems. One person was taken to a hospital.

Ivanovic to rest for at least one week

Reuters

LONDON -- Former French Open champion Ana Ivanovic has been told to rest for at least a week after sustaining a slight tear in her left thigh during her fourth-round match at Wimbledon on Monday.

The 13th-seeded Serb left the court in tears following one game in the second set after dropping the first set 6-1 to defending champion Venus Williams.

"The 21-year-old has a micro-tear in her left thigh muscle and must rest for the next one to two weeks," a statement on her Web site said.

"Although highly painful, the injury is not serious and, considering that her next planned tournament is not until 3 August, it is not expected to affect her playing schedule," the statement said.

Federer Just Too Good!

01 Jul 2009 by Hiland in Wimbledon 2009


The mystery man of Wimbledon, Ivo Karlovic, certainly showed the All England Club that he deserved their special invitation to participate at this year’s Wimbledon. Entering his quarterfinal match with the greatest tennis player to ever lift a racket, Ivo had not lost his serve. In fact, his 138 mph serve had rarely been challenged.

The statistics tell the tale and show how the tour’s tallest player at 6 foot 10 inches has been able to reach the quarterfinals. Against Jo-Willy Tsonga, Karlovic registered an astounding 46 aces. Against another highly regarded talent, Fernando Verdasco, the 7 seed, Ivo made 127 serves. The dynamic Spaniard was only able to get 27 of those serves in play. Astounding!

Entering the match with Roger Federer, Karlovic had held serve 129 consecutive times. Amazing! Against Federer, he blistered his serve, dominating the first game at love. After Roger held again, Karlovic fired a 138 fastball down the line. Federer put a short stroke on the ball and Ivo stood flat-footed in disbelief as the ball skipped past him. Uh Oh! Match over!

Roger broke serve easily to take a 3-1 lead and then held for 4-1. The set ended at 6-3 and the match was virtually over. The rest was a mere formality. Ivo Karlovic does not have the racket skills, foot speed or game to stay with Roger Federer and he knows it.

The real question is why is Federer able to figure it out when no other tour player has been so inclined. Roger made it clear to Ivo that the big Croatian would have to play tennis to get to the semis.

While Tsonga complained that it was not real tennis, the Frenchman got it wrong. It was the Frenchman’s inability to make Ivo play tennis that cost him the match. The same can be said for Verdasco.

That is what makes Wimbledon the greatest tournament on the greatest surface. To champion Wimbledon, you need to have all the shots, beat all different styles of play and have the experience and strategy to counter the opposition.

Roger Federer exposed Ivo Karlovic for what he is; the game’s most revered serving specialist. It works for Karlovic and he is not about to change his game so if players expect to beat him, they need to force him into points. As Federer demonstrated in his 6-3, 7-5, 7-6 (7) quarter victory, it helps to make Ivo move. Even the game’s best serve cannot overcome a lack of foot speed and questionable groundstroke technique.

This is why Roger Federer will be playing in his 21st consecutive Grand Slam semifinal round. This is just one more testimony to the man’s genius. Hail to the king! Roger moves on.