In case you’d ever wonder what it’s like to be a dog.

Chasecam: Tennis Balls In The Pool [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Newsflash: Do not ask Serena Williams about the “Crip Walk.” During an interview before the start of the US Open tennis tournament, someone thought it would be a good idea to ask Serena about her infamous Olympic dance. Of course, Williams is a little tired of discussing such matters at this point, and wasn’t afraid to let her irritation show when she addressed the inquiry. According to Yard Barker, things quickly got awkward.

“First of all, it was just a dance,” she explained. “I didn’t know that’s what it was called. Second, why are you asking me that? Like that’s so … I mean, if anything you should be trying to ask me questions to lift me up, not bring up such things. I’m done with that question.”

Regarding the controversy which instantly took shape following her celebratory routine, Serena seems to be oblivious to what people think.

“I read zero press,” Williams said. “That has been my policy since I was 17. I don’t know what was made too much of or whether it was too little. I think winning the Olympics was awesome for me and for the USA.”

WTHITV 10 reports that, when asked if she would dance at the US Open, Serena seemed to relax a bit. “I have to win seven matches, so we’ll see.”

If you didn’t follow any media coverage of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, then you probably missed Serena Williams’ now-infamous “Crip Walk” dance. After beating Maria Sharapova, the tennis star decided to celebrate with a quick impromptu dance, one that was reportedly made famous by the Crips during the 70s. Some people had a problem with the display, and, before long, the controversy seemed to overshadow her Olympic victory.

Not surprisingly, Serena Williams isn’t interested in discussing the “Crip Walk” dance anymore. The interview has been embedded below.

Do you think that Serena’s dance was blown out of proportion?

Serena Williams Irritated By ‘Crip Walk’ Question is a post from: The Inquisitr

Federer, who won his seventh Wimbledon championship back in July, was on the brink of a shock defeat on Centre Court after dropping the first set, but battled back and eventually subdued del Potro in the longest three-set men’s singles match in the Open Era.

“It was very emotional for both us and a big match obviously, it was so close and tough for him to lose,” Federer said after the match, which lasted a record four hours and 26 minutes. “Emotionally I’m extremely drained. I guess I’ll feel it tomorrow … I was very, very touched at the end.”

With the comeback win, four-time Olympian and current top ranked tennis player in the world Federer is assured of at least a silver.

On Sunday in the final he’ll face the winner of Friday’s semifinal between Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic. Del Potro will play the loser of Murray-Djokovic matchup for the bronze.

“I couldn’t be happier, it’s a big moment in my life and a big moment for Switzerland,” Federer, who celebrates his 31st birthday in just five days (Aug. 8), said. “I was aware it’s the first medal for Switzerland and [it was] a big thing that carried me throughout.”

On the women’s side first-time Olympian Maria Sharapova topped Russian teammate Maria Kirilenko 6-2, 6-3 to advance to the gold medal match. Sharapova’s opponent Saturday will be Serena Williams or No. 1-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.

via ABC

Roger Federer Defeats Juan Del Potro, Battles For Olympic Gold Medal On Sunday is a post from: The Inquisitr

The United States has the chance to earn the first Olympic team gold medal in men’s swimming since 1984 today. American swimmer Danell Lyva is leading the men’s swim team against the reigning champion, China. Lyva was a bronze medalist in 2008, according to Fox News. Japan and Great Britain swimmers will also prove to be formidable opponents in the London 2012 Olympic games today.

July 30 Olympics Schedule

9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Michael Phelps will compete in the 200-meter butterfly semifinal heats today. Phelps won the gold medal in the same events in the past two Olympic games. United States Olympic men’s swim team member Matthew Grevers will compete in the 100-meter backstroke final.

Missy Franklin, 17, will go for the gold in the women’s 100-meter backstroke during the events at the North Greenwich Arena in London today. Breeja Larson and Rebecca Soni are reportedly in position to garner a gold metal in the women’s 100-meter breaststroke during the London Olympic swim meets today, according to Fox News.

Olympic tennis matches will resume today after an inclement weather delay yesterday. The first round of tennis matches will include performances by Venus Williams and Andy Roddick. Belarus top ranked tennis star Victoria Azarenka will also be competing this morning. Serena Williams will meet Poland’s Urszula Radwanska for a second-round match as well. The Williams sisters will also appear in their first-round doubles match.

10:30 a.m. Men’s and women’s  rowing teams compete in the double sculls qualifying heats.

11:30 a.m. Team USA women’s volleyball takes the court against Team Brazil.

12:35 p.m. The men’s single canoe and single kayak races as well as both the men’s and women’s double canoe and kayak races take place today. The women’s artistic gymnastic qualification is replayed on NBC.

12:45 p.m. Men’s and women’s Olympic archery team eliminations.

1:30 p.m. Team USA men’s and women’s singles table tennis competitions.

1:35 p.m. The women’s Olympic synchronized diving final replay is broadcast on NBC.

 2:30 p.m. The United States women’s water polo team takes on Hungary.

3:45 p.m. Both the men’s and women’s USA badminton teams compete today.

4:00 p.m. Team USA men’s beach volleyball featuring Sean Rosenthal and Jacob Gibb will play Team Poland’s Gzegorz Fijalek and Mariusz Prudel.

5:15  p.m. In the second game of the preliminary round the United States women’s Olympics  basketball team competes against the team from Angola. The United States women’s basketball team is lead by top scorer, Angel McCoughtry.

8 p.m. The U.S. Men’s artistic gymnastics team is lead by Jonathon Horton who won a silver medal in 2008. The team has not won a gold medal since 1984. The men’s 200-meter freestyle begins at 8 p.m. – all times listed are Eastern Daylight Time. The 2012 London Olympics men’s synchronized diving also begins at 8 p.m.

Olympics Guide Monday, July 30 – The Men’s Dive Team Goes For The Gold Today is a post from: The Inquisitr

Venus Williams has won five Wimbledon championships over her impressive and often dominate career but you wouldn’t know it on Monday after she fell to Elena Vesnina in straight sets.

The Russian took down Williams 6-1, 6-3, handing Williams a first round elimination for the first time since 1997.

Williams has not played well in Grand Slam tournaments in 2012, she also competed in this years French Open and lost in the second round. The French Open was Williams’ first Grand Slam tournament since Aug. 29, 2011 when she pulled out of the U.S. Open in the second round and announced that she had been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease.

Venus entered Wimbledon unseeded and lost her first five games on Monday morning. In the second set she began to put up a fight but missed a forehand in the sixth as Vesnina clinched the match on a service.

Williams has appeared in the Wimbledon tournament for the last 16 years in a row and hasn’t lost in the first round since her first Wimbledon appearance.

Also advancing on the day was third-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska and Grand Slam champions Sam Stosur and Li Na.

Radwanska defeated Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia 6-3, 6-3 while Stosur defeated Carla Suarez-Navarro of Spain 6-1, 6-3 and Li Na swept Ksenia Pervak of Russia with a final score of 6-3, 6-1.

The first seeded player to be ousted was No. 16 Flavia Pennetta who fell to Camila Giorgi of Italia with a final score of 6-4, 6-3.

Britain has been hit with lots of rain over the last several weeks but play on Monday morning was met with a nice 72 degrees and cloudy skies.

Are you surprised by Venus Williams‘ early exit from Wimbledon?

Venus Williams Loses In Wimbledon First Round is a post from: The Inquisitr

David Nalbandian, the Argentinian tennis star and former world number 3, was disqualified from the final of the Aegon Championships on Sunday after a violent tantrum that left a tennis official injured.

The annual Aegon tournament, traditionally the warm-up event for Wimbledon, came to a controversial end after Nalbandian angrily kicked an advertising hoarding, which in turn collapsed and cut the leg of linesman Andrew McDougall. McDougall was left with a nasty gash as he hobbled off court for medical treatment, and Nalbandian was immediately defaulted, handing the title to Marin Cilic of Croatia.

Though he’d won the first set, Nalbandian was having a poor second, having just dropped serve to trail 4-3. After another of his returns went long, the red mist descended and the Argentinian booted a plywood hoarding, accidentally following through to connect with the linesman. As the video below shows, Nalbandian seems to realise his mistake instantly, and tries to comfort the injured official.

While some in the crowd jeered the decision to disqualify Nalbandian and end the final early, tournament supervisor Tom Barnes explained that the linesman’s injury meant there could be no other outcome:

“Once I saw the injury, it was not a judgment call. I didn’t have any other option.”

The incident has cost Nalbandian his runner-up prize money of £36,144 ($57,000), as well as his 150 ranking points. He could face a further fine from tennis governing body, the ATP, though he will be free to play at Wimbledon, which starts next Monday.

The show wasn’t quite over yet, however. Nalbandian began his post-match interview humbly enough, though even this took a ludicrous change of direction when the player tried to blame the incident on the ATP, who he said made players play too many games:

“When I hit the fence, I didn’t want to do it as bad as it was. But that’s the way it is. Sometimes you cannot control that few seconds and I made a mistake. Sometimes the ATP puts a lot of pressure on the players and sometimes you get injured because you play on a dangerous surface. Nothing happens, no one pays for that.”

As for poor linesman McDougall, he was attended to by a St John Ambulance team and a doctor who had been in the crowd. No further treatment was required, according to tournament officials.

Here’s Nalbandian’s outburst in full:

David Nalbandian Injures Tennis Official In Violent Outburst [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Rafael Nadal has defeated Novak Djokovic to claim his record-setting 7th Grand Slam win at Roland Garros. Nadal claimed the French Open championship on Monday after the two men were forced to call it a day on Sunday when rain led to a crumbling clay court.

Nadal ended the tournament in four sets with a final score of  6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5.

Monday’s continuation of play was met by a brief rain delay in the fourth set and the match ended on a double-fault by Djokovic.

By winning at Roland Garros Rafael Nadal has beaten Bjorn Borg’s record for French Open wins while racking up an astonishing 52-1 record. The win also breaks Novak’s three straight Grand Slam wins against Nadal.

Speaking after the match Rafael told reporters:

”This tournament is, for me, the most special tournament of the world.”

While adding:

”It was a very difficult match against the best player in the world. I lost three Grand Slam finals – Wimbledon, the U.S. Open last year, and the Australian Open this year. I’m very happy, very emotional.”

Djokovic definitely was not at the top of his game, serving four double-faults throughout the match.

The win also gave Nadal his 11th overall Grand Slam title, tying Borg and Rod Laver on the all-time list.

After the match Djokovic added:

”I’m not going back, saying it’s your fault and your fault because I lost. It’s unfortunate because I was playing better, feeling better on the court in the third set yesterday. Today, he started strong. I started slower. I was a little bit unfortunate in that first game and things turned around.”

Rafael Nadal Wins Record 7th French Open is a post from: The Inquisitr

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic will have to wait until Monday to see who will claim the 2012 French Open title at Roland Garros after a rain delay left Nadal in the lead with a current score of 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 1-2.

Nadal’s win would give him a record seventh French Open title, while Djokovic could become the first man in 43 years to win four straight grand slam titles.

The French Open final was met with a 34-minute interruption in the second set as the men played under a light drizzle for most of their match.

The match was delayed after both men were forced to beat the waterlogged clay out of their shoes after almost every single point.

It was Nadal tossing a soaked ball to the chair umpire that ultimately led to the rain delay decision.

6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 1-2 The delay will mark the first time since 1973 that the match won’t end on a Tuesday. That match ended on a Tuesday when Ilie Nastase defeated Nikki Pilic.

The Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic match could head into a Tuesday playoff should intermittent rain on Monday turn to more severe weather.

In the meantime Sunday’s rain appeared to shift the momentum away from Nadal who is considered a master of clay courts. Djokovic was down two sets and 2-0 in the third but eventually turned things around as rain continued to fall.

Game play will resume on Monday morning if weather permits.

Do you think Nadal will pull off the record-setting win or will Djokovic finally end his clay court reign.
 

2012 French Open Rain Delay: Men’s Final To Resume On Monday is a post from: The Inquisitr

Maria Sharapova reclaimed the No. 1 tennis ranking on Thursday after defeating fourth-seeded Petra Kvitova 6-3, 6-3, allowing her to advance into the French Open finals. Should Sharapova win her next match she will claim her first personal Grand Slam title.

Sharapova has previously won at Wimbledon in 2004, the U.S. Open in 2006 and the Australian Open in 2008.

Last year during the Australian Open final Maria Sharapova lost to Victoria Azarenka, a victory that gave Azarenka the No. 1 ranking.

Sharapova will take on Sara Errani in the finals. Errani upset Samantha Stosur in a match that ended with a final score of 7-5, 1-6, 6-3. During that match Stosur committed 48 unforced errors, 27 more than her competitor. The win was the first for Sara Errani in six matches against Stosur.

Interesting fact; Errani is the first woman to reach both the single and doubles French Open finals since Kim Clijsters in 2003. If Errani can win single and doubles titles she’ll be the first woman to do so since Mary Pierce in 2000.

What might be most impressive was the poise Errani showed during her game, her serves often fell below 80 mph and she completed no aces during the match compared to 11 for Stosur. Tennis critics have said time and time again that power players win Grand Slam tournaments, a fact Errani now has the chance to disprove.

During the 2012 French Open Errani has defeated several popular players including No. 10 ranked Angelique Kerber and No. 6 ranked Stosur, she also defeated past French open champions Ana Ivanovic and Svetlana Kuznetsova. When the new top 10 rankings are announced Sara Errani will be included in that list.

Maria Sharapova, Sara Errani To Face Off In French Open Final is a post from: The Inquisitr

Rafael Nadal is no stranger to French Open victories, the star tennis ace has won the tournament six times and on Wednesday he edged ever closer to a seventh victory. Nadal faced off against 12th-seeded Nicolas Almagro in the grand slam tournaments quarterfinals where he pulled out a victory in straight sets.

Nadal who has won all 15 sets he has played at Roland Garros this year defeated the 12th-seeded Almagro with a final score of 7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-3.

The only tennis player to ever win the French Open championships six times is Bjorn Borg and with a victory at Roland Garros he will claim his 11th Grand Slam trophy which would also tie Borg and Rod Laver for the fourth-most Grand Slam win.

Since taking on the French Open for his very first time the star tennis player has only lost once, that loss came in the fourth round of the 2009 tournament while playing against Robin Soderling.

To advanced to the French Open finals Rafael Nadal will now need to defeat either No. 4 Andy Murray or No. 6 David Ferrer, both of whom are still playing out their quarterfinal match.

The No. 2 seeded Rafael Nadal will turn to the clay court on Friday when Semifinal play begins.

With a 50-1 victory at the French Open it is hard to bet against Nadal on a clay court where he is most comfortable. Will you be cheering for Nadal as he rounds the finishing stretch for what would be a historical run at the French Open Grand Slam?

Rafael Nadal Wins Quarterfinal Match, Heads Closer To Seventh French Open Title is a post from: The Inquisitr

It wasn’t pretty but Maria Sharapova has managed to claim another victory at the French Open after defeating 44th-ranked Klara Zakopalova in a three set match that took 3 hours and 11 minutes to complete.

When all was said and done Sharapova walked away with a  6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-2 victory to advance her to the quarter final round.

The match was so long that it ran 16 minutes longer than her first three contests combined and the 13 games she lost were eight more than the losses from her first three combined opponents.

Speaking after the match Sharapova said of her time on the court:

“It was a good test for me. I had chances to finish in two sets and didn’t but I came out strong in the third set. I guess that’s really what matters and it’s nice to be in the quarters again.”

The match could have ended sooner but Maria failed to serve out the match on three separate chances, at one point double-faulting which led to annoyed whistles from the crowd.

During the match Maria Sharapova committed 53 unforced errors and stopped play several times to argue with the chair umpire.

Sharapova will now either play either No. 23 Kaia Kanepi vs. 88th-ranked Arantxa Rus.

In another match No. 7 seed and defending French Open champion Li Na fell in a 3 set match to qualifier Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan. With that loss the French Open will now be guaranteed to crown a “first-time” champion.

After the upset Shvedova admitted that her championship caliber opponent was not playing at her best:

“I felt she was nervous a little bit. She didn’t play maybe like she was playing last year. She was doing some mistakes.”

Maria Sharapova Wins In 3, Advances To Quarter Finals is a post from: The Inquisitr

There has been one certainty in women’s tennis for the last decade, when Serena Williams is playing in a Grand Slam tournament she will make it to the second round. That certainty however is no longer the case after the tennis star lost a stunner on Tuesday to 111th-ranked Virginie Razzano of France.

The final game of the first round French Open match was filled with 30 points that included high-pressure shots, protests from the crowd and the chair umpire docking Razzano a point.  Williams ultimately wasted five break points while saving seven match points before Razzano converted on the eighth attempt during a match that lasted 3 hours and 3 minutes.

Williams now holds a 46-for-46 record in opening rounds at tennis’ top tournaments while winning 13 championships over the span of her career.

Following her first round French Open lost Williams is now 46-1 in first round appearances at Grand Slam tournaments. The match ended with a final score of 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3.

While the fifth-seeded Serena William managed to take a 5-1 lead in the second-set tiebreaker she dropped the next 13 points in a row.

After the match Williams teared up as she told reporters:

“I’ve been through so much in my life, and … I’m not happy, by no means. I just always think things can be worse.”

Williams was returning to competitive tennis after a 10 months hiatus following a series of health problems that included two foot operations and blood clots.

The victory for Virginie Razzano was especially heart-felt because she was sporting a black ribbon pinned to her shirt in remembrance of her fiancé and coach Stephane Vidal who died of a brain tumor in May 2011 at the age of 32. It was Vidal who encouraged Virginie to enter the tournament.

Serena Williams Upset In First Round Of 2012 French Open is a post from: The Inquisitr

Federer who holds 16 major championships is now 233-35 in tennis’ four major tournaments for a .869 winning percentage, a record he pulled off after going  6-2, 7-5, 6-3.

Federer who turned 30 last August has went without a major title in the last two years and he is attempting to become the oldest tennis player to win a grand slam since Andre Agassi claimed the Australian Open in 2003 at 32-years-old.

Last year Federer made it to the French Open final at Roland Garros but ultimately fell to Rafael Nadal.

Earlier in the day Spaniard Feliciano Lopez exited his match with a side muscle injury, Lopez had lost five straight games to Florent Serra of France during the first-round match. According to Lopez he pulled the muscle while practicing on Thursday at Roland Garros.

After suffering his injury Lopez told reporters:

“In the beginning, I felt it was nothing really serious, but (the) day after, I couldn’t play almost. I tried to rest during the weekend just to try to play today, but it was impossible.”

Lopez homes to return in time for Wimbledon which starts on June 25.

Roger Federer Edges Tobias Kamke, Ties Jimmy Connors’ Open Era Wins Record is a post from: The Inquisitr

Mahut ousted the 26th-seeded Roddick with 13 aces to Roddick’s 8 while breaking the American tennis star seven times, including in the last game of the match.

Roddick has not had much luck at Roland Garros where he has lost in the first round during half of 10 trips to the tournament.

Mahut has lost in the first round in Paris during his last nine appearances. Nicolas’ claim to fame was losing the longest tennis match in history to John Isner, a fifth set 70-68 finish at Wimbledon.

In the meantime the tournament started out slow with top-ranked Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal set to begin play on Monday and Tuesday.

Also suiting up on Sunday was Juan Martin del Potro who beat Albert Montanes 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-1 despite suffering from an injured left knee. The 2009 U.S. Open champion used tape around his knee early in the match to avoid a forfeit. In 2009 Del Potro reached the semifinals at Roland Garros but lost to Roger Federer in five sets, five months later he took down Federer in the U.S. Open Final.

If you’re confused by the French Open starting time it is the only Grand Slam event to start on a Sunday, while the other three events start on Mondays.

Are you surprised by Any Roddick’s first round loss or did it appear par for the course based on his French Open record?

Andy Roddick Falls To Nicolas Mahut During French Open’s First Round is a post from: The Inquisitr

Nikolay Davydenko has beaten top-seeded John Isner on Thursday, and will now compete in the semi-finals of the Open de Nice tournament.

Isner (6-4, 7-6 (4)) finished the match with 13 aces, however Davydenko saved three break points, and broke his opponent once in the first set, according to The Washington Post.

Davydenko will join second-seeded Gilles Simon and No. 3 ranked Nicolas Almagro, who also won their matches on Thursday.

The Russian, Davydenko, was once ranked No. 3, according to Yahoo News. He will play the winner of the match between American Brian Baker and Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan.

Gilles Simon, who grew up in Nice, did not face any break points in a 7-5, 6-0 victory against Brazil’s Thomaz Bellucci on thursday. He and Nicolas Almagro will play against each other for a spot in Saturday’s final.

Bellucci beat Belgium’s Steve Darcias 6-4, 6-4 to reach the semifinals, reports Yahoo News.

Brian Baker is a 27-year-old semi-retired player, who is currently coaching at an american university, according to Nine MSN. He last won in 2005 on the AP Tour, before the tournament started, stunning the world No. 13 Gael Monfils in the last round of the tournament.

Nikolay Davydenko also performed well in the Mutua Madrid Open earlier this month, where he defeated Croatian opponent, Ivo Karlovic, in straight sets 7-6(4), 6-3 in the opening match, according to Talys Darren at Bettor.com. Davydenko stated of his match against Spanish Rafael Nadal that:

“He has less confidence against me on hard court; I have beaten him more times there. On the clay I have never beaten him. He is the best player on clay for sure.”

Nikolay Davydenko will play again on Friday and Saturday, provided he wins the semifinals match.

Nikolay Davydenko Beats John Isner, Will Play In Semis is a post from: The Inquisitr

In yet another impressive performance Serena Williams overthrew Victoria Azarenka 6-1, 6-3 on Sunday to win the Madrid Open in a fit of strength that left her top-ranked opponent smashing her racket to the ground in frustration.

The women played out their short lived match on a brand new blue clay court that featured big service and fierce returns.

Serena started out the match with four straight games and then witnessed very little battle from Azarenka throughout the rest of the match.

Williams is confident that her play will only get better after returning from a yearlong illness.

“I can still do better,” said Williams. “This is really good. I have been working hard. I had some tough battles and really unfortunate circumstances so I really love this.”

In dominating her match Serena Williams served 14 aces to claim her 41st title and the second of this season.

Williams is now unbeaten during her last 13 matches on clay.

Hitting into double-faults, missing opportunities and otherwise refusing to play like a player who has won their last four tournaments Victoria was simply no match for a well rested and focused Serena Williams.

When all was said and done the match lasted just 64 minutes and ended when Serena Williams scored her final ace.

After the match and her humiliating loss Azarenka said of her opponents win:

“I want to congratulate Serena for a great week. She did a great job.

Are you surprised by the lopsided victory Serena Williams managed to capture during the Madrid Open?

Serena Williams Wins At Madrid Open is a post from: The Inquisitr

In her first Fed Cup appearance on foreign soil in over a decade, Serena Williams defeated Lesia Tsurenko 6-3, 6-2 on Sunday, catapulting the U.S. back into the Fed Cup World Group with Williams’ series victory over Ukraine.

Later in Fed Cup in Kharkiv, Ukraine, American Christina McHale won 7-5, 6-3 against seventeen-year-old Elina Svitolina.

In doubles, Americans Sloane Stephens and Liezel Huber finished a 5-0 rout with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Ukrainian twins Nadiya and Lyudmyla Kichenok.

After hitting two consecutive aces, preventing a break in the 6th game, Williams roared at herself, “What’s your problem?” after becoming frustrated with Tsurenko’s accuracy early on.  As the match progressed, Williams became significantly more relaxed as she broke twice in the beginning of the second set.  In response to her performance, she was quoted by the Washington Post having said:

“I had a little bit of a slow start, but I just knew that I could keep fighting. I just want to go out there and be super relaxed. I play better when I’m relaxed.”

Williams’ appearance comes as the 13-time Grand Slam champion intends on becoming eligible for the U.S. team at the London Olympics.  After her game, Serena was quoted having said:

“We’re back in the World Group where we want to be and it feels really good to get two points.”

McHale’s match up against Ukrainian Svitolina in what was a tighter game than that of Williams and Tsurenko.  The nineteen-year-old American broke once in order to walk away with a close first set, however, she blew right through the second with what appeared to be little trouble.

What do you think of Lesia’s loss to Serena Williams?

Serena Williams Defeats Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko, Leads US To Victory is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Serb star rolled over Scot Andy Murray in successive sets to clinch his third Sony Ericsson Open title Sunday. He held every service game as he coasted to a 6-1, 7-6 victory.

The result took Djokovic to 20-2 this year, and 90-8 since the start of 2011. In six rounds of matches at Key Biscayne, he hasn’t dropped a single set. Speaking to reporters after the final, the world number one suggested things weren’t about to get much easier for the rest of men’s tennis:

“I’m playing at the peak of my form, the best tennis that I have played. I have to use that as much as I can.”

After winning this tournament in 2007 and 2011 (only Andre Agassi, with six titles, has won it more), Djokovic hinted he may have to cheat on his gluten-free diet:

“I cannot guarantee anything. I think I deserve a fresh bagel.”

Djokovic currently holds three of tennis’s four major slams. After winning the US Open and Wimbledon last year, he won a remarkable Australian Open final against Rafael Nadal, triumphing after almost six hours of brutal, world class tennis.

Now that the clay season is beginning, Djokovic has his eye on the one major to evade him: the French Open. He said:

“This is very encouraging for me prior to the clay-court season. I’m going to have more confidence.”

If he does triumph in Paris, Djokovic will become the first man to win a non-calendar year grand slam – the winning of all four slams in two calendar years. Rod Laver was the last player to achieve a grand slam (the winning of all slams in a single calendar year), and that was in 1969.

Do you think the amazing Serb can win the French and make history?

Novak Djokovic Clinches Sony Ericsson Open Title is a post from: The Inquisitr

Tennis star Novak Djokovic has revealed the primary motivation for his formidable success in recent years: war.

Whereas many top tennis pros may have a history of pushy parents and cushy coaching facilities, the Serbian world number one says the bombing of Belgrade in 1999 helped develop his tennis. The Djokovic family took shelter in the city in 1999, as the conflict spread to the province of Kosovo, and the U.S. and other NATO countries rained bombs on Serbia for 78 days and nights.

Speaking to 60 Minutes correspondent Bob Simon in an interview that aired Sunday night, Djokovic talked about how the conflict shaped him as a player:

“The best thing about [the bombing], you know, I always try to remember those days in, in a positive, in a very bright way. Let’s say I, we didn’t need to go to school [chuckles] and we played more tennis. So, for us, that was/something that we remembered the most.”

Simon then asked if the war had helped make the Serb the champion he is now:

“Yea, it made us tougher. It made us more hungry. More hungry for success.”

Not that Djokovic doesn’t have horrific memories of the conflict he grew up in. The star also confesses:

“We were very scared. Everybody was very, very afraid because, you know, the whole city was under attack.”

Despite the fact the Djokovic family spent the first fortnight of the bombing in a disused basement, the young Novak still found time to play tennis every day, in defiance of the NATO bombs.

[Via CBS News]

Novak Djokovic: War Made Me ‘More Hungry For Success’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

Novak Djokovic may have won the Australian Open this week but his match against Rafael Nadal might be remembers for a different reason, it was the longest Grand Slam single final in the history of professional tennis.

When all was said and done Djokovic toppled Nadal with a final score of 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5, good enough for the tennis star to grab his third Australian Open title.

The two men battled well into the night with the final shot being delivered at 1:37am local time. The win also put Djokovic in a special class as he became just the fifth men’s tennis player since 1968 to win three straight Grand Slam final

In celebration of his victory Djokovic tore off his shirt and ran around in celebration of his dramatic victory before heading to the side of the arena to celebrate with his fans.

The victory was likely hard on Nadal who has now lost seven straight finals to Djokovic extending back to March of last year. Nadal nearly managed to pull off the victory, having come from 5-3 down he won the fourth-set tiebreaker and was up 4-2 in the fifth set against a tiring Djokovic.

Novak would eventually respond in kind and break for a 6-5 lead and saved a break point before claiming the championship.

Before these two men met the longest major singles final was between Mats Wilanders and Ivan Lendl during the 1988 US Open, that match was four hours, 54 minutes.

Did you catch the Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal grand slam final round? Let us know what you thought.

Novak Djokovic Edges Out Rafael Nadal For Australian Open Victory is a post from: The Inquisitr

Thursday’s Australian Open match between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal was exciting to watch but what might have been more exciting was something that happened after a particular single point.

The ballboy to the left of the screen is hit a fast ball and his fast hands manage to pluck it out of the air extremely quickly.

The coolest part? The ballboy was back on the line just as fast as he had made the play.

Here’s the video so you can judge the ballboys skills for yourself:

Notice how the young kid didn’t even pivot off his left foot to ensure he could stay on his mark and allow play to resume just as fast as it had ended.

Ballboy Makes Amazing Catch During Federer-Nadal Match is a post from: The Inquisitr

Marcos Baghdatis had a smashing time at the Australian Open on Wednesday night. The Cypriot player pulverised four of his rackets in quick succession after going down by two sets to Swiss journeyman Stanislas Warinka in his second round match.

While sitting in his chair during a changeover, Baghdatis was suddenly overcome with rage. From nowhere, he promptly demolished the racket he had been using, smashing it into the court seven times and handing the shattered remains to a ball boy. He then reached into his bag, produced a second racket, and broke that in a couple of swings.

A third and fourth racket quickly followed, and weren’t even removed from their plastic wrapping. As each racket hit the ground, the crowd cheered rowdily. Four rackets had met their end in under sixty seconds.

Nevertheless, it seemed to cheer Baghdatis up. He smiled as the umpire gave him a warning for racket abuse, and then won the next set. Alas, it wasn’t to last – Wawrinka cruised through the fourth set to win 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 5-7 6-1.

The next morning, Baghdatis was fined $800 for his eruption – not bad value for a highly entertaining tantrum. Bravo, Marcos.

He also attracted the attention of Aussie Open women’s champion Serena Williams, who later told press, “I’ve never done that. That’s impressive, wow.” Here’s Baghdatis in all his racket-destroying glory:

Marcos Baghdatis Smashes Four Tennis Rackets in a Row [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Rafael Nadal cruised into the third round of the Australian Open after a routine win over veteran Tommy Haas.

The 25-year-old Spaniard, a champion here in 2009, came into the Haas match with speculation over his fitness ringing in his ears. However, a 6-4 6-3 6-4 victory over an outgunned Haas suggested Nadal’s right knee, which he injured before the tournament, isn’t holding him back. After the match, Nadal told reporters:

“I’m very happy about how it improves, I’m able to play without a problem.”

In the women’s tournament, defending champ Kim Clijsters made easy work of her second round match against Stephanie Foretz Gacon of France. Clijsters dismantled her opponent 6-0 6-1 in a 47-minute display of poise and power, then rounded the day off by getnig the Rod Laver Arena crowd to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to her younger sister.

Like Nadal, Clijsters arrived in Melbourne beset by rumors that she lacked full fitness – in her case, she retired with a hip problem at a warm-up tournament two weeks ago. However, she also showed no signs of strain.

Elsewhere in the Aussie Open, Roger Federer advanced with a walkover after his opponent Andreas Beck withdrew through injury, women’s top seed Caroline Wozniacki notched a 6-1 7-6 win over Anna Tatishvili of Georgia, and 11th seed Juan Martin del Potro looked comfortable while beating Blaz Kavcic 6-4 7-5 6-3.

We’ve also had our first bona fide upset of the event, with eighth seed and American number one Mardy Fish getting beat in straight sets by the unseeded Alejandro Falla. Falla won a tough match 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 7-6 (8-6).

Rafael Nadal, Kim Clijsters Through to Australian Open Third Round is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Rafael Nadal-Roger Federer rivalry is far from nasty – indeed, the two are never less than utterly respectful to one another. However, a small rift has appeared between the pair on the eve of the 2012 Australian Open.

The subject that divided them is not a new topic: the demands placed on players by tennis and its governing bodies. For some time now, top players such as Nadal, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic have openly argued that the ATP calendar is overcrowded. This, they claim, increases injuries and exhaustion, potentially damaging players’ health in the long-term.

Yet if Federer feels the same way, we’ll never know. At the weekend, the Swiss said he dislikes players airing complaints publicly, as he feels it tarnishes tennis’ image.

This in turn brought a backlash from Nadal, who on Sunday said Federer was adopting his silent position to reinforce his image as a tennis gent. In comments translated from Spanish, the world number two said:

“I totally disagree. [For Roger] it’s good to say nothing. Everything positive. ‘It’s all well and good for me, I look like a gentleman,’ and the rest can burn themselves. Everyone is entitled to have their own opinions.”

The way Nadal sees it, only small changes need to be made to tennis to make things safer and more manageable. He also suggested that the unpopularity of Federer’s view may be telling:

“The vast majority of players have this same opinion. [Roger has] a different opinion. If the vast majority have one opinion, and a small minority think differently, maybe it’s them who are wrong.”

Does he have a point, readers? Are tennis players worked too hard? And does the amount of money they earn mean they lose the right to complain?

Rift Between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer as Aussie Open Begins is a post from: The Inquisitr

Serena Williams is too busy not enjoying tennis and baring her backside in commercials to have a boyfriend.

Speaking to reporters in Australia ahead of her first game in the 2012 Aussie Open, Williams admitted she was too picky over partners, and that she hadn’t had a date “in forever.”

Joking that she would be lowering her standards in future to include suitors “anywhere between 18 and 80, blond, purple or green,” the 30-year-old said:

“I can be super picky, never satisfied. It’s a little crazy right now because there’s so much going on that when I’m not playing tennis I don’t sleep because I’m always doing something.”

Williams dated film director Brett Ratner back in 2005, and has previously been linked to rappers Common and Drake by the rumor mill, but her schedule has continuously gotten in the way. “I haven’t been on a date in forever,” she told reporters last Thursday.

The star begins her mission for a sixth Australian Open on Tuesday, facing world number 45 Tamira Paszek in the opening round. She’ll also be partnering Andy Roddick in mixed doubles.

Williams, the 12th seed, has come into this tournament with a sprained left ankle that reportedly needs constant treatment, so a Paszek shock victory may not be completely off the cards. And if that happens, Serena may just have time to change her singleton status.

Serena Williams Too Busy for a Boyfriend is a post from: The Inquisitr

Here’s a counterpoint to use against all the people who say you have to live and breathe a sport, career or other pursuit in order to master it.

Tennis great Serena Williams- who has been dominating in the field for many years- actually doesn’t adore tennis. I mean, she seems to like it, but she doesn’t really love it love it. Williams, along with sister Venus, has been on top in tennis since the mid-90s, but the star is kind of meh on tennis as a whole.

Actually, her insouciance and seeming incredulity about her own continuing success in the sport is kind of cool- she recently beat Chanelle Scheepers at the Brisbane international in two rounds, and mused:

“I don’t love tennis today but I’m here. I can’t live without it- there’s a difference between not loving something and not being able to live without it. I have never liked sports and could never understand how I became an athlete.”

Williams was also quoted as saying:

“It’s not that I’ve fallen out of love- I’ve never really liked sports… I don’t want anything that has to do with working physically… If it involves sitting down or shopping I am excellent at that.”

The tennis star did confirm, however, that she has no hope to exit the sport any time soon- she adds:

“I think for me it’s all about motivation as opposed to my skill or anything else. As long as the motivation’s there it’s definitely going to be cool… I’m not playing a full schedule this year. I just want to be able to do other things that I’m doing and I think that will help keep my motivation up.

“I’m always preparing myself for life after tennis (but)… I don’t want to go anywhere anytime soon.”

Are you impressed by Serena Williams’ indifference to tennis as a whole?

Serena Williams Doesn’t Actually Like Tennis All That Much, She Says is a post from: The Inquisitr

Rafael Nadal is keeping his cool under pressure from an Argentina team that he and his fellow players from Spain will play during the Davis Cup final this weekend.

Speaking to The Herald Sun Nadal revealed:

“We’re under the same pressure as they are, we have to win the Davis Cup.”

Nadal has a good chance of bringing home a victory to Spain, he has lost just one singles rubber in the Davis Cup since he made his debut in 2004.

In the meantime Spain has experience on their side, having won four of the last 10 Davis Cup championships while Argentina over the same 10 year time span has finished in the runner-up position three times, never once winning the top prize.

Among his fellow teammates are 24th-ranked Fernando Verdasco, 20th-ranked Feliciano Lopez and number 5 ranked David Ferrer. If that lineup seems familiar it’s the same team that brought home int e2009 Davis Cup against the Czech Republic.

Also sounding cool and collected was Spain captain Alberta Costa who said:

“The Cup stays here” and “It’s hard to say who has the greater percentage chance of winning between the teams. I don’t like giving figures. If we do things well than we’ll have a chance.”

“One thing that’s sure is that all the matches will be long and tough.”

In the meantime Argentina captain Tito Vazquez says of his teams chances:

“They are favourites with (Rafael) Nadal and (David) Ferrer, but anything can happen, we could lose 1-4 or win 4-1.”

Who do you think will win the 2011 Davis Cup?

[Image via Neale Cousland / Shutterstock.com]

Rafael Nadal Keeps His Cool Under Pressure From Argentina Team is a post from: The Inquisitr

If he continues on his current pace, Federer, at 30 the oldest competitor in the eight-man field, could become the first player to win six ATP World Tour Finals titles.

“It’s an amazing career I’ve had,” Federer told reporters in a courtside interview, after the crowd cheered to acknowledge his making his 100th final. “I don’t know how I do it, 100 finals and I am still walking normally.”

Watch Roger Federer’s post-win interview at the 2011 ATP World Tour Finals:

Roger, who is currently on a 16-match winning streak is all set to face the winner of the second semifinal between Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Tomas Berdych – which is being played now -  in Sunday’s final.

In addition to ATP World title No.6, a victory on Sunday would would give Federer his 39th in the Tour Finals, tying him with Ivan Lendl for most all-time.

A win in Tomorrow’s final would also push Roger, who will now finish 2011 ranked in the top 3, a feat he has accomplished for 9 straight seasons, past Lendl and Pete Sampras for the most titles in the season-ending event.

via Fox Sports

Roger Federer Reaches 100th Career Final, Eyes Sixth ATP World Title is a post from: The Inquisitr

Dinara Safina is retiring from professional tennis. The 25-year-old former No. 1 has been suffering chronic back problems and has decided to call it quits.

Her brother, Marat Safin, said:

“Dinara has decided to end her career… She has taken the decision relatively well. She considers it just to be the end of a period in her life.”

The BBC reports that Safina was ranked No. 1 in the world back in April of 2009. Since then her career has been plagued by chronic problems. Safina played her last match last April in Madrid.

In August, Safina said that she wouldn’t play for the rest of the year because of her back. But it looks like the temporary hiatus has been extended indefinitely.

Safina said in August:

 ”I’m sorry to report that my back is still acting up. I will not be able to play until at least the end of the year. I don’t know how long my time out is going to last. I don’t want to torture myself and my body anymore. I’m just tired of fighting with myself. At the moment I can’t do anything tennis-wise. When I can do certain moves without feeling lots of pain, then I would consider resuming my training.”

Safina won a silver medal for Russia at the Beijing Olympics and has made three Grand Slam singles finals. She won 12 singles and nine doubles WTA titles in her career, but was never crowned a Grand Slam champion.

Her brother added:

“Everything is all right with her health. She feels good in everyday life, but she simply can’t play tennis professionally any more.”

Marat said that Safina would make an official announcement soon.

According to the BBC, Marat and Dinara are the only brother-sister combination to both reach the No.1 spot.

Will Dinara Safina be missed from the world of tennis?

Dinara Safina Retires From Tennis is a post from: The Inquisitr

Novak Djokovic was nearly flawless on Monday night as he toppled Rafael Nadal in four sets  6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-1.

Following a nearly perfect season the No. 1-ranked Djokovic improved his season to 64-2 with 10 titles after brilliantly hitting the ball from all angles, dominating his opponent at every turn during the 2011 U.S. Open.

The win gives Djokovic his third Grand Slam trophy of 2011.

Speaking after the match Novak told the press:

“In big matches, the winner is decided by small margins, a couple points,” while adding, “I guess the winner is the one who believes in victory more. I’ve had an amazing year, and it keeps going.”

The win also gives Djokovic a 6-0 record against No. 2 Nadal, all wins coming in finals. Among his wins against Nadal were three hard court victories, two clay wins and one grass victory at Wimbledon. Unlike his win at Wimbledon Novak didn’t celebrate this victory by eating part of the court as he did Wimbledon’s famous grass.

Taking a moment to reflect on his loss Nadal said of Djokovic:

“I’m disappointed, but you know what—this guy is doing is unbelievable.”

Can anyone stop Djokovic and his dominating play? What do you think about Novak Djokovic’s unbelievable record on the season?

Novak Djokovic Topples Rafael Nadal To Win First U.S. Open Title is a post from: The Inquisitr

Serena Williams Outburst At U.S. Open To Cost Her $2,000 [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Serena Williams lost her cool for the second time in three years at the U.S. Open after umpire Eva Asderaki ruled that the tennis players loud “come on!,” was screamed before she had actually won the point, interrupting opponent Sam Stosur’s attempt at a return.

Upon review of the shouting Asderaki properly awarded Stosur the point because of the “hindrance rule” which forbades verbally interrupting another players attempt at a return.

Serena became fed up after Asderaki awarded an undeserved point to Stosur when Serena was serving at 30-40 in the pairings first game to which Serena accused the umpire of being the same judge she blew up at in 2009, even though it was not Asderaki who caused that tantrum.

Serena said to Asderaki:

“Aren’t you the one who screwed me over last time here?” adding, “Yeah, you are.”

It was an odd remark considering Asderaki and Louise Engzell don’t look alike in the least (they both do have high ponytails however), perhaps Serena couldn’t be bothered remember any of the “little people.”

Over the next two changeovers Serena Williams continued to attack the judge, stating:

“A code violation because I expressed who I am? We’re in America last I checked. Am I gonna get violated for a water? Really, don’t even look at me. I promise you, don’t look at me because I am not the one. Don’t look my way.” [...]

“If you ever see me walking down the hall, walk the other way. Because you’re out of control. Totally out of control. You’re a hater, you’re unattractive inside. Who would do such a thing? And I never complain. Wow.”

After losing in a stunning upset to Stosur in straight sets (6-2, 6-3) Williams was gracious at the net and she didn’t harp on the incident during post-match interviews.

It amuses me that tennis stars such as Serena (actually just specifically Serena) throw fits when a break doesn’t go their way, I’m sure over the entire period of her career a few non-points were awarded in her favor by an umpire.

Does Serena Williams‘ recent outbreaks seem like she feels “entitled” to you? I say out with the old, in with the new.

Serena Williams Loses All Poise Again, Goes Off On Umpire At U.S. Open is a post from: The Inquisitr

Venus Williams abruptly withdrew from the US Open on Wednesday citing Sjogren’s syndrome as the cause of her withdrawal.

Sjogren’s syndrome is an autoimmune disease that causes fatigue and joint pain, while long-term problems can also arise from the disease.

According to USA Today the star tennis player had been suffering from an “energy-sucking” illness for years, however it wasn’t until recently that she had a name for her illness.

Regardless of the disease and the toll it was taking on her body, Williams reported to the court on Monday and managed to pull off a victory, while talking in an upbeat manner about her health during her withdrawal from the tourney, telling reporters:

 ”I enjoyed playing my first match here and wish I could continue but right now I am unable to,” while she added, “I am thankful I finally have a diagnosis and am now focused on getting better and returning to the court soon.”

Venus Williams announced her disease in a simple statement that read:

“’I have been recently diagnosed with Sjogren’s Syndrome, an autoimmune disease which is an ongoing medical condition that affects my energy level and causes fatigue and joint pain.”

Fans of the star tennis player believe she’ll be back on the court as soon as possible and given her fighting nature on the courts I have to agree with those supporters.

Do you believe Venus Williams can once again dominate on the courts with an energy deficiency disease.

Sjogren’s disease affects more than four million people in the United States.

Venus Williams Sidelined By Auto-Immune Deficiency is a post from: The Inquisitr

Mardy Fish is America’s top seeded player in the 2011 U.S. Open and he showed today that he was deserving of such an honor. Fish easily advanced through the first round with a dominating performance over Germany’s Tobias Kamke 6-2, 6-2, 6-1.

Andy Roddick has been the number one U.S. player for years, but he handed that title to Fish at the start of the U.S. open.

Fish said:

“Andy’s been the No. 1 player in our generation for years. This is extremely different for me, this feeling coming out here and trying to show everything you can, to show you’re the No. 1 guy, at least for this tournament. It’s been a lot of fun.”

But as the top seed, there is a lot of pressure on the 29-year-old from Los Angeles. It’s been 8 years since an American won a Major (Roddick won in New York in 2003) and Fish has an uphill battle against the likes of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal. Fish did beat Nadal at the Western & Southern Open 10 days ago, but it would be quite an upset if he did the same this weekend.

Fish, who is ranked 8th overall, is one of 14 American’s competing at the U.S. Open this year. But the American’s have one less player now as 19-year-old American Ryan Harrison lost today to 27th-seeded Marin Cilic.

On the women’s side, Petra Kvitova was the first major name to fall. Kvitova won the Wimbledon championship this year, but couldn’t make it out of round one at the U.S. Open. Kvitova lost to Romanian Alexandra Dulgheru 7-6 (7-3), 6-3.

Mardy Fish will now go up against Malek Jaziri.

Mardy Fish Starts U.S. Open With a Dominating Victory is a post from: The Inquisitr

When Andre Agassi wasn’t throwing fits on and off the court he was capable of playing some of the most energetic, exciting, fun tennis we have ever witnessed and it’s for that reason Agassi was inducted this weekend into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I.

During his career Agassi racked up 60 titles with an 870-274 win/loss record. Agassi’s records included eight Grand Slams, the No. 1 ranking for 101 weeks and the fourth highest winnings of all-time at $30 million.

Speaking to the crowd Agassi said:

“I’m thrilled and humbled and quite terrified, to be honest, to stand in front of you,” while adding, ”I’ve grown up in front of you. You’ve seen my ups and downs. You’ve given me compassion, understanding and love, more than I expected — and many times more than I deserved.”

Congratulations to my favorite tennis player, watching him on the court was like watching lightning bottled only to be released on anyone in the vicinity of her verbal and physical assaults. Agassi wasn’t also pleasant to watch in a refined sport like tennis, but he made it all seem like so much fun thanks to his never ending passion for winning and the sport.

Agassi was accepted into the hall of fame in the “Recent Player” category, while Kellmeyer was inducted in the “Contributor” category.

Andre Agassi Inducted Into Hall Of Fame is a post from: The Inquisitr

Actually real. Um?

Appropriate! In a We Dare sort of way, that is. Apparently publisher 2K Sports is going around getting these videos pulled, so you may have to do a little YouTube browsing for this very questionable ad for Top Spin 4.

[Via YouTube]

[VIDEO] Serena Williams’ ass used to sell tennis game (NSFW) is a post from: The Inquisitr

Tennis is hardly known for its brawls, and rightly so. But that doesn’t mean the crowd can’t make up for the players on center court.

At the US Open September 2 during the Djokovic vs. Petzschner game, a couple of tennis fans did exactly that. We’re not sure what was being said or what the issue was, but sit through it until about half way in, when the old guy on the right decides to take it further.

In case you were interested in the on court result, Djokovic won 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (8/6).

A Fight At The US Open Tennis: More Common Than You Think is a post from: The Inquisitr

Is there a sport as god-awfully boring as tennis in existence?

Okay, perhaps golf. I don’t know many people would have even noticed that the US Open is apparently currently happening in New York, but some jackasses in the stands were beating on each other and that shit made YouTube. Luckily, the clip doesn’t involve any actual watching of tennis. In the footage, a woman gets all up in a guy’s face because he, like most of New York at any given time, is loudly dropping “f-bombs” all over the place. Hey, homeboy had money on the match.

Then the guy and the woman bitch at each other some more. Then some old dude that’s apparently the lady’s dad hops in, making that old man gesture for “I want to strangle you, theatrically.” This lasts for about 3 seconds until Cranky Old Man falls over a few rows of seats in his asphyxiation attempt. You can watch the whole saga, which by the way occurred during a match between Novak Djokovic of Serbia and Philipp Petzschner of Germany, below.

[Video] Fight breaks out at US Open, tennis finally gets interesting is a post from: The Inquisitr

Don’t ever accuse me of not bringing you the hardest-hitting gaming news out there, reader.

According to the Daily Telegraph, slightly whingey, snaggle-toothed Scottish tennis star Andy Murray has been given the boot by girlfriend Kim Sears over the amount of time he spends on his PlayStation 3 each day. *Sniff* I’m so proud of you, Andy.

The culprit game? Well, it’s Modern Warfare 2, isn’t it. Surprised you need to ask really. Does anybody out there play anything else nowadays? Anyway, here’s what a “source” told the paper:

“One of the causes was the world number four’s long hours playing video tennis and PlayStation 3 games such as the best selling Call of Duty sequel.”

According to former coach Brad Gilbert, Murray regularly plays games for seven hours a day. Apparently, that’s not “normal.” Pffft.

[Daily Telegraph, via CVG]

Tennis star Andy Murray dumped over PlayStation 3 addiction is a post from: The Inquisitr

Serena’s outburst cost her a point and the win against Kim Clijsters.

Video: Serena Williams’ “foot fault” at the US Open is a post from: The Inquisitr

After passing Pete Sampras’ record by winning his 15th grand slam tennis title, the question is being asked about whether Roger Federer can now be considered the greatest tennis player of all time.

There are two serious contenders for this title – not considering the likes of John McEnroe or Bjorn Borg, who were not as consistent over as long a period. Sampras and Rod Laver are the others who can be placed alongside Federer in this conversation. Federer now has 15 grand slams among 60 career titles in ATP tour events, compared to Sampras with 14 slams and 64 titles and Laver with 11 slams and 27 ATP titles.

The complication with going on pure statistics is that Laver spent much of the glory years of his career outside the ATP tour, as his run coincided with the advent of the open era. He played as an amateur until 1962, winning six of his slams including a Grand Slam in the calendar year of 1962 before turning professional, which disqualified him from the still-amateur ATP tour. It was not until 1968 that the open era began and he was allowed to return to the ATP tour, after which he completed a second calendar year Grand Slam in 1969 as a professional at the age of 31.

There are arguments either way. Three of the four slam tournaments that Laver played in were on grass, whereas Sampras and Federer have had to win on synthetic surfaces as well. On the other hand, Laver is the only one of the three to have won more than one French Open. You could argue that Sampras may have had the greatest array of opponents facing him, with the likes of Ivan Lendl and Andre Agassi where Laver’s main rival was Ken Rosewall and Federer has struggled mightily with his nemesis in Rafael Nadal.

In fact, it is Nadal who stands in the way of Federer’s claims. Federer did not have to play the Spaniard in either of the last two Slams and it was Nadal who had beaten him in the final of three of the previous four slam tournaments. Federer’s 7-13 record against Nadal, including 2-6 in slams, is the greatest flaw in his record.

Personally, being an Aussie, I realise I am biased in thinking Laver would have the wood over the American and the Swiss champions. However, the six-year hole in his ATP record is only a potential for slam tournaments so we will never know if he could have reached 20 or more. Federer could still get somewhere near there… but only if Nadal stays injured.

Is Roger Federer the greatest tennis player ever? is a post from: The Inquisitr

Experience has generally triumphed over youth in the 2009 Wimbledon quarter finals, with Tommy Haas the oldest of a wrinkly four semi finalists.Tommy Haas was the oldest of those to survive the quarter finals, defeating Serbian Novak Djokovic 7-5 7-6(6) 4-6 6-3. Djokovic, the youngest of the eight players contesting the quarter finals at 22, has not kicked on in his tennis career after winning the Australian Open at the start of 2008. The German Haas has never progressed past a grand slam semi final, reaching that stage three times in Australia, and at the ripe old age of 31 years and three months he might not have expected to ever reach one again. Haas will face Roger Federer in one semi final, who had less trouble disposing of Croatian Ivo Karlovic 6-3 7-5 7-6(3).

In the other semi final, the home town favourite will most definitely be Andy Murray, after the Scotsman bucked the ageist trend by beating Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero to the tune of 7-5 6-3 6-2. Ferrero is in his last year on the regular tour before retirement at the tennis wall of 30 years of age, while Murray goes on to meet Andy Roddick who outlasted Lleyton Hewitt 6-3 6-7(10) 7-6(1) 4-6 6-4. It was Hewitt’s second five-setter in a row, and the best match of the tournament so far with Roddick’s backhand winners being a highlight.

Old men dominate Wimbledon semi finals lineup is a post from: The Inquisitr

Defending champion Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from Wimbledon after failing to recover from injury.

Nadal has been suffering from chronic tendinitis, a condition that gives him aching knees and forced him out of the Queen’s Club tournament leading up to Wimbledon. The injury is also believed to have played a role in his shock fourth round loss to Robin Soderling at the French Open.

Nadal’s withdrawal makes the top seeds for the event Roger Federer and Englishman Andy Murray.

Rafael Nadal withdraws from Wimbledon due to Injury is a post from: The Inquisitr

A man dressed in a Barcelona soccer shirt attacked Roger Federer at the French Open final Sunday.

The invader ran onto center court at Roland Garos waving a Barcelona flag, then attempted to place a hat on Federer.

Federer pushed the man away, and then security intervened, chasing the man across the court until eventually capturing him. The bigger question for the French Open organizers is how the man got to within reach of Federer to begin with; the “Roger Federer Attacked” video below shows the intruder on center court for some time before security steps in.

The bizarre attack didn’t interrupt Federer’s game though, with the Swiss tennis great beating tournament sensation Robin Soderling 6-1 7-6 (7-1) 6-4.

Here’s the Roger Federer attacked video:

Roger Federer attacked at the French Open Final (video) is a post from: The Inquisitr

In one of the biggest upsets in Tennis of recent years, world number one Rafael Nadal lost to Robin Soderling at the French Open on Sunday.

Clay court specialist Nadal went into the match with a record unequaled in modern tennis: he hadn’t lost a match at Roland Garos since debuting there in 2005, an unbeaten run of 31 straight matches, and four consecutive titles.

24 year old Swede Robin Soderling, currently ranked 25th in the world had other ideas. Over 3 1/2 hours, Soderling broke Nadal, winning the match 6-2, 6-7 (2), 6-4, 7-6 (2) through a range of strong forehands and some amazing serving.

Nadal was philosophical about the result, saying that “Well, that’s the end of the road, and I have to accept it. I have to accept my defeat as I accepted my victories: with calm.” Soderling, who has never won a third round match in a major before beating Nadal, faces 10th seed Nikolay Davydenko in the next round.

Tennis gets interesting again: Soderling beats Nadal is a post from: The Inquisitr