Sportmaster International

Paris - Roger Federer beat Ivo Karlovic for the second time in four days to reach the third round of the Paris Masters 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 on Wednesday after last playing the indoor event in 2003.

The Swiss player improved his record against the biggest server in the game to 5-0, but lost his serve for the first-time ever to the 2.08-metre Croatian in the final game of the second set. It was the first time in 67 service games in that series that Federer had failed to hold. But with the sets level at one apiece, the top seed broke
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Murray is a big fan of Santoro’s style of play Murray must beat the 34-year-old if he is to have a chance of qualifying for the Masters Cup in Shanghai.”He’s my favourite player to watch,” said Murray, who will meet Santoro some time after 1130 GMT on Thursday.”He plays some unbelievable shots. But if I play like I have the last week, I feel I’ve got a good chance.”Santoro, when told of Murray’s praise, jokingly responded that the world number 12 should “watch me and let me
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Federer struggles with Karlovic again By Patrick Vignal
Former Australian Captain November 01, 2007

ROGER Federer struggled to tame Croat Ivo Karlovic for the second time in five days when he beat him 6-3 4-6 6-3 in the Paris Masters second round.

The world No.1, who had already been made to work by the 208cm tall Karlovic for a 7-6 7-6 semi-final win in Basel on Saturday, had further problems against an opponent with an awkward style and a formidable serve.

The
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With the modern tennis focus on power and the physique of Nadal in particular, players are hitting the gym in the quest to become stronger and hopefully more powerful on court. Increasing strength can improve the intensities at which players can perform (as well as reducing the potential for injury), but can you be too strong?

In the past there have been many players who were acknowledged as being very fit but I think you would agree not looking like Nadal. But would they have been more “talented” if they would have been stronger? Would they have been that much better if they had been training today?

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Nowadays, it is fairly easy to get and find resources to help improve your tennis games. This resources, besides hiring a instructor come in the form of books, dvd’s and even videos. Just type “tennis lessons” on Google or Amazon and you will find large selection of these items. This article will outline some of the more popular resources available today.

The books, dvd’s and videos presented are designed for and will benefit both beginners and advanced tennis players alike. One might call it a collection of resources to help enhance the level/s
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Nadal was rarely at his best but still eased past Volandri The pair swapped breaks early on, but Nadal dominated after that with Volandri determined to take the Spaniard on from the back of the court.Nadal, in the opposite half of the draw from Britain’s Andy Murray, broke five times in sealing a 6-3 6-1 victory.Elsewhere, reigning champion Nikolay Davydenko beat Juan del Potro 7-6 6-1. The Russian number four seed recovered from a slow start to put Argentine Del Potro under
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Santoro takes advantage of Djokovic
Former Australian Captain November 01, 2007

NOVAK Djokovic blamed a painful recovery from recent oral surgery for his 6-3, 6-2 crash-landing against Fabrice Santoro in the second round at the Paris Indoor Masters.

The Serb, who had surgery to remove two wisdom teeth little more than a week ago in Madrid, is pointing his season on performing well at the season-wrapup Masters Cup starting November 11 in Shanghai.

“This
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Murray in the hunt for Shanghai
Former Australian Captain November 01, 2007

ANDY Murray turned around a tiebreak to keep his dream of the Masters Cup alive with a 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 victory over Jarkko Nieminen to reach the third round of the Paris Indoor Masters.

The British No.1 kept pace with his rivals for the year-end championship, which begins in Shanghai on November 11, as he recovered from 3-5 down in a first-set decider.

Murray, who edged up a spot to
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Scud nails down ranking By Leo Schlink
Former Australian Captain November 01, 2007

MARK Philippoussis has secured a protected ranking, fanning hopes of a career-defining revival.

Ranked 1109th in the world, the dual grand slam finalist has successfully applied for a protected ranking of 112th in the world.

Protected rankings are available to players who have been sidelined for long periods, providing them with the chance to re-establish their careers.

The
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Gambling watchdog for Open By Margie McDonald
Former Australian Captain November 01, 2007

TENNIS’s governing body in Australia has hired a corporate security company headed by a former Victoria policeman in the fight to ensure January’s Australian Open is free of any illegal betting or match fixing.

The furore about players being approached to throw matches has prompted Tennis Australia chairman Steve Wood to act. Last week, TA announced any players, coaches or
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Sharapova, Venus headline Hong Kong
Former Australian Captain October 31, 2007

MARIA Sharapova and Venus Williams are among four top-10 ranked women who will play the Hong Kong Invitational in the lead up to the Australian Open, organisers said today. Former US Open champion Sharapova, ranked No.5, and current Wimbledon champion Williams (No.8) will star at the event between January 2-5 along with No.4 Ana Ivanovic and No.7 Anna Chakvetadze.

”We
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Davenport cruises in Quebec From correspondents in Quebec City, Canada
Former Australian Captain October 31, 2007

AMERICAN Lindsay Davenport made the most of her wild card invitation with a 6-3 6-3 victory over No.7 seed Angelique Kerber in the WTA Bell Challenge on Wednesday (EDT).

Davenport, a three-time grand slam champion, is playing in her third tournament of the year after taking nearly a year off for the birth of her son, Jagger, in June.

Motherhood seems
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Karlovic to face Federer From correspondents in Paris
Former Australian Captain October 31, 2007

ROGER Federer will face Croatian Ivo Karlovic for the second time in five days when he enters the Paris Masters Series tournament tomorrow. Karlovic fired 14 aces to beat Spain’s Fernando Verdasco 4-6 6-3 6-4 in a first-round match today and now stands in the way of the Swiss, who had a first-round bye.

Other winners today included fifth seed David Ferrer,
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In tennis there are many strokes that can be greatly improved by only a few simple tips. The serve is often the most technically difficult stroke. Luckily, I have five simple tips that can help you improve your serve.

1. Relax your arm and wrist. The wrist provides 10-20% of the power in a serve. The motion that provides this power is called wrist pronation. What this basically means is that the wrist snaps downward when it contacts the ball. Pronation will occur naturally if your arm and wrist are very relaxed. Snapping the wrist not only
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Clement and Llodra celebrate at Wimbledon Arnaud Clement, Llodra’s partner at Wimbledon, said on Monday he had been approached, while Andy Murray has said “everyone knows” match-fixing goes on.”I was in my hotel room and somebody called to ask me not to try too hard the next day,” Llodra said.”That was four years ago. I said ‘no’ and hung up.”Llodra added that he may have been “one of the first players to have been approached”, but with these stories only coming to light now
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Haas is hoping to qualify for the Masters Cup The 29-year-old beat Serbia’s Janko Tipsarevic 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 6-3.Haas currently holds the eighth and last qualifying position in the race for the Masters Cup and added 15 more points to his tally with Tuesday’s win.In the third round he faces Fernando Gonzalez or Mikhail Youzhny, both also hoping to qualify for Shanghai.Haas’s win means anyone hoping to overtake him in the race, including Britain’s Andy Murray, must reach at least
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When one refers to “tennis shoes,” it typically means an athletic shoe of any kind. However, this does not mean that all athletic shoes are suitable for the game of tennis. When playing tennis, you should be sure to wear shoes designed specifically for the sport, and not walking shoes, running shoes, or generic sports sneakers. These kinds of shoes provide improper support for tennis, and could cause ankle or foot injuries if worn during play. Not only that, such shoes have the potential for damaging the surface of a tennis court.

Many factors
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Wimbledon champs … Clement (l), Llodra have spoken of apporaches. Pic: AFP ‘Brave’ punters dish tennis By Josh Massoud
Former Australian Captain October 31, 2007

STEVE Fletcher and Sean Bartholomew are two of Australia’s boldest punters, barely raising a nervous sweat while staking ordinary lifetime wages on the bounce of the ball every year.

Yet for Fletcher and Bartholomew, tennis has become too hot to handle as the stench of match-fixing continues to cloud the sport’s once-noble shine.

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Wimbledon champion fuels debate From correspondents in Paris
Former Australian Captain October 31, 2007

WIMBLEDON doubles champion Michael Llodra has added fuel to the debate about match-fixing in tennis by saying he was asked to throw a match four years ago.

“I was in my hotel room and somebody called to ask me not to try too hard the next day,” Llodra said on French radio.

“That was four years ago.

“I said ‘no’ and hung up.

Now, with what has happened since, I think maybe be I was one of the first players to have been approached.”

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Rafter serves it up to Tennis Australia By Paul Malone
Former Australian Captain October 31, 2007

FORMER world No.1 Pat Rafter says Tennis Australia puts too much money into helping Australian teens excel at junior level, and it should provide more access to main tour events.

Tennis Australia has taken encouragement by wins by three Australian teams in ITF junior events, the Australian Open juniors win by Perth 17-year-old Brydan Klein, and the French juniors runner-up finish by Sydney 17-year-old Greg Jones.

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Williams claimed a Hopman Cup and Australian Open double in 2003 She will team up with Mardy Fish to lead the US challenge at the mixed teams event, starting 29 November.The 26-year-old appeared once before in the tournament, steering the USA to victory in 2003 with James Blake. Williams, who will play in the WTA Championships in Madrid from 6-11 November, also captured the Australian Open title in that year.The eight-time Grand Slam champion won this year’s crown when she
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Serena at Hopman
Former Australian Captain October 30, 2007

CURRENT Australian Open Champion Serena Williams will play at this year’s Hopman Cup, the 20th year of the tournament. In a boost for the tournament, Williams will partner Mardy Fish for the USA team.

“The presence of Serena is a huge fillip to an already strong line up” said Tournament Director Paul McNamee “We really wanted the 20th year to be something special for all our loyal supporters”.
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Gasquet joins Memorial drive
Former Australian Captain October 30, 2007

RICHARD Gasquet has confirmed he will start the 2008 tennis season alongside Lleyton Hewitt at the Adelaide International tournament at Memorial Drive, commencing on December 31.

The world No.13, from France, is coming off a solid 2007, having won the ATP Tour Mumbai International last month and reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals, at which stage he lost to eventual champion Roger Federer.

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Youzhny retains Masters Cup hope From correspondents in Paris
Former Australian Captain October 30, 2007

MIKHAIL Youzhny kept alive his slim hopes of qualifying for the Tennis Masters Cup by defeating Frenchman Arnaud Clement 6-4 6-3 in the opening round of the BNP Paribas Masters Paris.

Youzhny, ranked No.17 in the ATP Race, is one of several players fighting for the two remaining spots at the season finale in Shanghai, which features the top eight players of the calendar year.

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Clement was not prepared to reveal details of the offer “It happened to me but I will not tell you where or how,” he said after his first-round defeat to Mikhail Youzhny at the Paris Masters on Monday.”I didn’t hesitate for a second, I said no,” added the 29-year-old, now ranked 53rd in the world.”It may be different for a guy who’s not that high up in the rankings and who has financial problems.” (more…)

Clement ‘asked to throw a match’ From Patrick Vignal in Paris
Former Australian Captain October 30, 2007

FORMER top 10 tennis player Arnaud Clement said today that he had been offered money to throw a match.

“It happened to me but I will not tell you where or how,” Clement, the 2001 Australian Open runner up, said after his first-round defeat by Mikhail Youzhny at the BNP Paribas Masters Paris.

“I didn’t hesitate for a second, I said no.

“It may be different
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Youzhny will face Chilean Fernando Gonzalez in the next round The world number 18 is among 18 players battling for the remaining two places at the eight-man event in Shanghai.Most of the other hopefuls, including Britain’s Andy Murray, received first-round byes.Youzhny will face Fernando Gonzalez, who currently holds one of the two qualifying places, in the second round. 606: DEBATE Who will make the
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Dmitry Tursunov … no answers at the Paris Masters. Pic: Getty Images Bribes probe widens By Leo Schlink
Former Australian Captain October 30, 2007

THE tennis anti-corruption investigation flared on multiple fronts yesterday as officials launched an inquiry into another suspect match.

The probe into Russian Dmitry Tursunov’s victory over Serb Boris Pashanski came as two South American players revealed they had been offered bribes to lose matches.

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Henman’s last competitive outing was in the Davis Cup “During my last few years on the tennis circuit, there were not many chances to play against serve-and-volley specialists,” said Henman.”Stefan is one of the best of those - I am looking forward to it.”The match will take place on 4 December as part of the BlackRock Masters event which features a 12-man field.Henman, who retired from professional tennis last month, is playing to raise money for his Kids at Heart Charity.

Murray is poised to make the prestigious season finale in China The Scot’s third ATP career title win in St Petersburg left him just three points off the final qualifying spot.But he says he has little to lose after a three-month wrist injury lay-off.”Of all the guys, I have the least pressure of making it into Shanghai because I wasn’t expecting to have a chance of qualifying,” Murray said.The 20-year-old, who saw off Fernando Verdasco in straight sets in Russia, is currently
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Basle, Switzerland - Roger Federer heads to his first appearance in four years at the Paris Masters basking in the glow of his home crowd after winning a second straight Swiss Indoors on Sunday.

The 12-time Grand Slam winner became the fifth man in history to clinch a fourth career year-end world number one honour after Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl and Pete Sampras. Federer took his four all in a row, capping his latest with a 6-3, 6-4 win over longtime friend Jarkko Nieminen in the Basel final. ‘I’ll be going to
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Spotlight … Federer ‘not worried about any fitness or fatigue’. Pic: AFP Federer fixed on Paris From Scott Williams in Basel, Switzerland
Former Australian Captain October 29, 2007

ROGER Federer vowed “no turning back” as he returns to the Paris Masters for the first time in four years after earning the ATP end-of-season No.1 ranking for the fourth year in a row.

“I’m not worried about
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Hantuchova heads to Madrid From Barry Wood in Linz, Austria
Former Australian Captain October 29, 2007

DANIELA Hantuchova earned a spot in the WTA Tour season-ending Sont Ericsson Championships in Madrid by defeating Patty Schnyder 6-4 6-2 in the Generali Ladies Linz final.

Hantuchova ended the WTA championship race with the same number of points as Russian Maria Sharapova, who also qualified when Venus Williams withdrew after suffering dizziness at the US Open. The American is still undergoing tests to determine the cause.

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Nalbandian makes winning start From Patrick Vignal in Paris
Former Australian Captain October 29, 2007

DAVID Nalbandian made a winning start to the BNP Paribas Masters Paris, defeating Nicolas Almagro 6-4 6-4.

Nalbandian continued the form with which he claimed his first Masters title with a shock win over world No.1 Roger Federer in Madrid last week, showing more composure when it mattered to brush aside Almagro.

The world No.18, from Argentina, broke his Spanish
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Murray wins away from San Jose From staff reporters
Former Australian Captain October 29, 2007

ANDY Murray won the third ATP Tour title of his career, and the first outside San Jose, by defeating Fernando Verdasco 6-2 6-3 in the St Petersburg Open final.

Murray, the No.2 seed from Britain, broke Verdasco twice in each set to claim his second title of the season, having successfully defended the SAP Open title in San Jose in February, in 78 minutes.

Verdasco,
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Federer produced his normal consistently strong game The Swiss maestro beat unseeded Finn Jarkko Nieminen 6-3 6-4 to successfully defend his hometown title in Basle.Federer, who has now won seven titles this season, had not dropped a single set in any of his previous seven meetings with the world number 29.A single break of the Finn’s serve in each set was enough for a clinical win.Federer’s victory was his 52nd career title and he joins Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe and Pete
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Grosjean back on the winners list From correspondents in Lyon, France
Former Australian Captain October 29, 2007

SEBASTIEN Grosjean clinched his first title in five years when he defeated fellow Frenchman Marc Gicquel 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 in the ATP Grand Prix de Tennis de Lyon final.

Grosjean, who last previously won a title in St Petersburg in 2002, played solid tennis throughout to wrap up victory in one hour and 36 minutes.

Gicquel was beaten by compatriot Richard Gasquet in last year’s Lyon final.

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Sharapova reprieved by Venus From correspondents in Paris
Former Australian Captain October 29, 2007

MARIA Sharapova, ousted from the season-ending WTA Tour Sony Ericsson Championships in Madrid next month by Linz title winner Daniela Hantuchova, has been reprieved by the defection of Venus Williams.

Williams pulled out of the tournament for the top-eight rated players, citing fatigue, so Sharapova inherited the eighth and final berth.

The Russian, who has not
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Murray was rarely troubled by his woefully erratic opponent The 20-year-old Scot never allowed his Spanish opponent to settle, breaking in games three and seven as he took the opening set without breaking sweat.And although Murray produced only rare flashes of brilliance, he managed to break twice more to clinch victory.It lifted him to 11th in the ATP Race and boosted his chances of making the end-of-season Masters Cup in Shanghai.He is now just three points behind Tommy
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Daniela Hantuchova was warned for slow play in the second set The Slovak, seeded second, beat Swiss opponent Patty Schnyder 6-4 6-2 to claim her second WTA Tour title of the season and third in her career.Hantuchova was 4-2 down in the first set before winning five games to take control of the match in Austria.Hantuchova got a warning for slow play in the second set before finishing off the match on her second match point.The WTA Championships, for the top eight players in
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