US Open 2013: Day 10 - Flavia breaks new ground

A delighted Pennetta reaches a first major semi-final with victory over Vinci

US Open 2013: Day 10 - Flavia breaks new ground

Former World No.10 Flavia Pennetta reached the first Grand Slam singles semi-final of her career with a 6-4 6-1 defeat of 10th seeded compatriot Roberta Vinci.

The 31 year-old was sidelined by wrist surgery late last year and has not had an easy path back.  But ranked 83 in New York she has swept past 4th seed Sara Errani, 2004 Champ Svetlana Kuznetsova and in-form Simona Halep to reach a third quarter final in five years in the big apple.

Facing her higher ranked Fed Cup teammate Vinci Pennetta proved to be the stronger Italian on the Arthur Ashe stadium.  Perhaps the pressure of knowing a win would see her crack the top 10 was too much for Vinci or perhaps it was just Flavia's time.

US Open 2013: Day 9 - Wawrinka overcomes Berdych



Wawrinka celebrates his four set victory over Berdych

US Open 2013: Day 9 - Wawrinka overcomes Berdych

When Stanislas Wawrinka played one of the greatest tennis matches you would ever wish to see against Novak Djokovic at this year's Australian Open the Swiss No.2 was truly playing top 5 tennis.  It took an incredible effort from the World No.1 to edge out Wawrinka in that magical Melbourne epic.

Thankfully Wawrinka has used that last 16 clash in Australia to launch what is probably now the best season of his career. 

He has reached a second Masters 1000 final, reached a first Roland Garros quarter final, regained his place in the top 10 and now has reached two major quarter finals in a season for the first time with his defeat of World No.5 Tomas Berdych in New York.

US Open 2013: Day 8 - Robredo stuns Federer

Federer waves goodbye to the 2013 US Open

US Open 2013: Day 8 - Robredo stuns Federer

With no disrespect to Tommy Robredo I should have titled this post Federer stuns Federer.  For as well as the Spaniard played to beat Federer 7-6(7-3) 6-3 6-4 in the fourth round in New York the deciding factor was certainly the anxious and indecisive play from the five-time champion who looked a shadow of the great player he is.

Federer held 16 break points and converted only 2 and they came when he was trailing by a break in set one.  The majority of the break chances disappeared in some terrible errors - largely unforced - or in some cases he got in a strong position only to hit straight back to the Robredo forehand and get passed.

US Open 2013: Day 7 - Serena gets Sloane revenge

Determined Williams got revenge on Sloane Stephens in New York

US Open 2013: Day 7 - Serena gets Sloane revenge

Since the draw came out the Australian Open rematch of Serena Williams and Sloane Stephens in the fourth round has been in everyone's radar as one of the decisive matches in the women's draw.

On Day 8 it came to pass and for a set it was a thriller before Williams claimed the spoils 6-4 6-1. This was no changing of the guard; this was a reminder that Serena Williams wants to remain top dog in American women's tennis for a while longer and is not going to give up her US Open title without one hell of a fight. 

US Open 2013: Day 6 - Hantuchova completes stunning comeback

Hantuchova was delighted with her stunning victory

US Open 2013: Day 6 - Hantuchova completes stunning comeback

Daniela Hantuchova reached her lone US Open quarter final 11 years ago but on Day 6 she moved one step away from equalling that performance with an amazing comeback defeat of Israeli qualifier Julia Glushko.

Out on Court 11 Glushko built a 6-3 5-2 lead and had former World No.5 Hantuchova serving at love-30 in that eighth game. 

Under pressure the 30 year-old Slovak was rock solid and held. It proved to be the first in a series of 8 consecutive games as she first broke the Israeli serving for the match and then went onto level and build a 3-0 double break lead in the decider.

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US Open 2013: Day 5 - Hewitt upsets Del Potro in thriller



Hewitt fought past fellow former Champ Del Potro in five

US Open 2013: Day 5 - Hewitt upsets Del Potro in thriller

So many times over the past 2 or 3 years I have expected Lleyton Hewitt to announce his retirement, and certainly many would have done if facing the injuries, surgeries and setbacks that the Australian has, but every time back he comes with a big win and reminder of his amazing battling qualities.

He could not have displayed his trademark hustle, tenacity and determination more in his stirring 6-4 5-7 3-6 7-6(2) 6-1 defeat of 6th seed and fellow former champion Juan Martin Del Potro.  The Veteran Australian now leads 3-2 their head to head series.

US Open 2013: Day 4 - Evans battles past Tomic



Evans recovered superbly from a slow start to see off Tomic

US Open 2013: Day 4 - Evans battles past Tomic

It may not have warranted a news story on the US Open app but for me the unquestionable highlight of Day 4 at the 2013 US Open was a tremendous 1-6 6-3 7-6(7-4) 6-3 victory for British No.3 Dan Evans over Australia's Bernard Tomic.

Many players have struggled to back up the biggest win of their career, especially at the majors, and the Briton certainly had a slow start as Tomic broke twice to race through the opener and then broke to lead 2-1 in the second.  Evans, however, was not about to fade out of this year's Open.

US Open 2013: Day 3 - Blake bids final farewell

James Blake in the spotlight for one final time

US Open 2013: Day 3 - Blake bids final farewell

On a rain interrupted third day of the 2013 US Open Championships play was severely disrupted but there were still some terrific contests all around the grounds.  Being a disjointed day I did not see any full matches but saw some large chunks of several different matches.  Thankfully I did see a lot of James Blake's final singles match.

The former World No.4 fittingly played one final thriller under the Flushing Meadows lights and fittingly played one last fifth set breaker but came up on the wrong side of a 6-7(2-7) 3-6 6-4 7-6(7-2) 7-6(7-2) defeat against fellow veteran Ivo Karlovic.

US Open 2013: Day 2 - Battling Watson falls to Halep



Watson played some wonderful tennis but fell to Halep



US Open 2013: Day 2 - Battling Watson falls to Halep

After wins for Dan Evans and Laura Robson on day 1 it was the turn of British No.2 Heather Watson to take to the New York stage. 

While Watson's draw was not as bad as her first round opponents in the last two years - Maria Sharapova and Li Na - it was still unkind as in the white hot Simona Halep she faced a player sky high on confidence having won four titles in the summer including victory in New Haven over Wozniacki and Kvitova just before the Open.

But against the form book it was Watson who came out the stronger and broke the World No.19 for an initial 2-0 lead with some aggressive hitting.  Although Heather was broken in the third game she broke again to lead 5-3 and, after failing to serve it out, she broke in the tenth game to lead against the 21st seeded Romanian.

US Open 2013: Day 1 - Fantastic Evans stuns Nishikori



Evans slicing his trademark backhand to Nishikori

US Open 2013: Day 2 - Fantastic Evans stuns Nishikori

From a British perspective the highlight of the opening day at the 2013 US Open Championships came very early on as qualifier Dan Evans produced the best result of his career in sweeping past 11th seed Kei Nishikori 6-4 6-4 6-2 on Court 13.

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US Open 2013: Contenders and Predictions

US Open 2013: Contenders and Predictions

The year’s final Grand Slam has come round very quickly!

Before play gets going at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center I take a look over the runners and riders and look over what I think is going to go down in the Big Apple over the next two weeks.

Women’s singles contenders

Serena Williams

The four-time champion has again been the dominant force on the WTA this year but has fallen earlier than expected at two of the three majors this year.  She will be keen to right that wrong as she looks for a fifth US Open crown fourteen years after defeating Martina Hingis as a 17 year-old. 

She will be motivated for revenge against Sloane Stephens if they clash in the fourth round and if she faces Azarenka for the second year in a row in the final she will be out to avenge the recent loss to the Belarusian in Cincinnati.

Victoria Azarenka

The World No.2 has two hard court final victories over principal rival Williams in 2013 and led 5-3 in the third when they met in the final twelve months ago. 

The two-time Australian Open Champion has had a truncated season but has still achieved enough to be a real threat to Williams.

Agnieszka Radwanska

The Polish World No.4 pushed Williams hard in the semi-finals of Toronto after narrowly failing to take the title in Stanford.  Radwanska is the only player to have reached the last eight at each of this year’s majors and the third seed will be motivated to reach a first US Open quarter final and get over the pain of her agonising semi-final loss at The All England Club.

Simona Halep

The young Romanian has been one of the hottest players on tour over the past few months winning her first four WTA singles titles on three different surfaces and claiming some major scalps.  Comprehensive victories over Caroline Wozniacki and Petra Kvitova to win New Haven mean she enters the Open in great form and high in confidence.

Jelena Jankovic

Former World No.1 Jankovic has been resurgent in 2013 and is currently ranked 9^th in the race to Istanbul.  The 28 year-old was a finalist at Flushing Meadows five years ago – her only major singles final to date – and looked impressive in Cincinnati where she pushed Azarenka hard in the last four.

Men’s singles contenders

Novak Djokovic

The Serb has not had the success he may have expected on the summer hard courts but with four US Open finals and two semi-finals the 2011 champion knows how to win matches in New York.

With Nadal threatening strongly to take his top ranking Djokovic will be determined to lift a seventh Grand Slam title and prove his recent losses to the Spaniard and John Isner were just minor blips.

Rafael Nadal

The Spaniard enters the US Open unbeaten on hard courts in 2013 and in superb form.  ATP Masters 1000 crowns in Indian Wells, Montreal and Cincinnati have seen the 27 year-old play some of his best tennis and his epic semi-final victory over Djokovic could be particularly important.  The 2010 Champion will be hard to stop.

Andy Murray

The British No.1 will be defending a major title for the first time after his electrifying five set dethroning of Djokovic twelve months ago.  Murray arrives after fulfilling his dream of becoming Wimbledon champion and has the reached the final of his last four majors.  The Olympic Champion could become the first man since Federer in 2008 to defend the US Open crown.

Roger Federer

Seeded seventh Federer does not enter this year’s Open sky high on confidence but with five titles at Flushing Meadows he will always be a factor and will be determined to prove that he is still a force to be reckoned with.  A quarter final against great rival Nadal is a tough prospect but he was close to beating the Spaniard in Cincinnati where he played some of his best tennis of 2013.

Juan Martin Del Potro

The Giant Argentinean lifted the title four years ago and at Wimbledon displayed the same form in pushing Djokovic to the edge in a thrilling five set semi-final.  Del Potro plays some of is best tennis on US hard courts as displayed this year with victories over Murray and Djokovic in Indian Wells and a title in Washington this summer.  He chocked against Isner in Cincinnati but on top form will be a major threat for a second US Open crown.

Women’s singles predictions

Quarter finals:

S.Williams (1) bt K.Kanepi (25)

J.Jankovic (9) bt A.Radwanska (3)

S.Halep (21) bt C.Wozniacki (6)

V.Azarenka (2) bt P.Kvitova (2)

Semi-finals:

S.Williams (1) bt J.Jankovic (9)

V.Azarenka (2) bt S.Halep (21)

Final:

S.Williams (1) bt V.Azarenka (2)

Men’s singles predictions

Quarter finals:

J.M.Del Potro (6) bt N.Djokovic (1)

A.Murray (3) bt T.Berdych (5)

J.Janowicz (14) bt M.Raonic (10)

R.Nadal (2) bt R.Federer (7)

Semi-finals:

A.Murray (3) bt J.M.Del Potro (6)

R.Nadal (2) bt J.Janowicz (14)

Final:

A.Murray (3) bt R.Nadal (2)

Follow all my US Open thoughts on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TennisCJD

Wimbledon 2013: Andy Murray Wimbledon Champion

Wimbledon Champion 2013: Andy Murray

Wimbledon 2013: Andy Murray Wimbledon Champion

Fred Perry may have been watching down over SW19 on Sunday 7th July as British No.1 Andy Murray won his first Wimbledon title in magnificent style with a 6-4 7-5 6-4 defeat of World No.1 Novak Djokovic.

The 77 year wait for a British Wimbledon Men's singles champion was finally over and Murray could not have been more impressive.

The experience of tasting defeat in the final twelve months earlier and subsequently winning the Olympics and US Open meant this was a different Murray and on a roasting hot day he always held the edge.

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Wimbledon 2013: Bartoli in dreamland

Wimbledon Champion 2013: Marion Bartoli

Wimbledon 2013: Bartoli in dreamland

It has taken me a long time to get my thoughts down about the 2013 Wimbledon Ladies Singles Final.  I think it is because I am still in a bit of shock.

Marion Bartoli is a Grand Slam champion and in the end a deserved one as the French No.1 played an excellent final.  She did not drop a set during any of her seven matches, something seven-time champion Steffi Graf never achieved but it is fair to say that the legendary German always faced bigger challenges than Bartoli did this year.

But it is not Bartoli's fault that the draw opened up nicely for her and she certainly, and impressively, took full advantage.

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Wimbledon 2013: Day 9, 10, 11 Catch-up!

A Warm embrace between competitors at the end of a tremendous semi-final

Wimbledon 2013: Day 9, 10, 11 Catch-up!

Sadly my second week of Wimbledon has been blighted by ill health and blogging has been a victim of this.  Thankfully i'm just about getting back to full health for Finals weekend; so here is a VERY quick race through the 3 days I missed.

Day 9 - Men's quarter finals

Typically Berdych could not maintain a hot second set patch against Djokovic and let slip a 3-0 double break lead in the second set and the top seeded 2011 champion came through in straight sets.

It looked like the Serb would face David Ferrer in his first semi-final when the Spaniard's opponent Juan Martin Del Potro took a spectacular fall on his injured knee in the first game.  However somehow the giant Argentine made a stunning recovery and played lights out - including two final sensational forehands on the final two points - to see off the fourth seed 6-2 6-4 7-6(7-5).

MORE AFTER THE JUMP:

Wimbledon 2013 Day 8: Radwanska battles past Li

2012 Finalist Agnieszka Radwanska fought her way past Li Na in a thrilling quarter final

Wimbledon 2013 Day 8: Radwanska battles past Li

And so it came down to eight women on the second Tuesday at the 2013 Championships and so in this most craziest of Wimbledon's I should not be surprised that we have a most unexpected semi-final line-up.

The lone top four seed remaining edged through to her allotted place in the semi-finals as Agnieszka Radwanska got past Li Na 7-6(7-5) 4-6 6-2 in possibly the match of the women's tournament so far.

It swung one way and then the other as Radwanska's court craft matched up against the bigger game of the Chinese No.1.

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Wimbledon 2013 Day 7: Lisicki stuns Williams

At her favourite tournament an emotional Lisicki shocked Williams

Wimbledon 2013 Day 7: Lisicki stuns Williams

Women's singles 

We probably should not have expected anything else. In this most unusual of Wimbledon's that has already seen upset after upset maybe a massive shock to start week two should have expected. 

However the three set defeat of red-hot favourite Serena Williams by 23rd seed Sabine Lisicki sent shock waves around SW19.

The American was on a career best 34 match winning streak, had won her last five tournaments and three of the last four Grand Slam titles - plus the Olympics - and had looked imperious, untouchable throughout week one.  She was the most certain Champion in years and suddenly she was out.

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Wimbledon 2013 Day 6: Novak and Serena race through

2011 Champion Djokovic destroyed Chardy

Wimbledon 2013 Day 6: Novak and Serena race through

It was an action packed day six at a sun bathed All England Club with great action happening everywhere you could look round the grounds.

Djokovic was at his dominant best against Chardy

Men's singles

Top seed Novak Djokovic laid down a marker for the rest of the Men's draw with a dominant 86 minute win over 28th seeded Jeremy Chardy.

The 2011 Champion hammered 38 winners past the Australian Open quarter finalist while striking 3 unforced errors.  The rest of the Men's draw should take note.

The World No.1 next faces 13th seed Tommy Haas as the veteran German came through an entertaining four set encounter with Eastbourne champion Feliciano Lopez.

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Wimbledon 2013 Day 5: Kanepi slays Kerber

I watched a superb Kanepi comeback on Court 2

Wimbledon 2013 Day 5: Kanepi slays Kerber

I spent a rain interrupted of fifth day with my wonderful Aunt on Court 2 so I'm going to lead with the terrific match we saw between 2012 semi-finalist Angelique Kerber and 2010 quarter finalist Kaia Kanepi.

The statuesque Estonian - who has certainly lost weight since the unflattering picture they showed on the scoreboard - began wonderfully by racing into an initial 3-0 lead and had chances to go further ahead. 

That was when No.7 seed Kerber displayed her customary defensive skills and the German counter-puncher reeled off six straight games to take the opener and then had two chances for 4-2 in the second.

More after the jump..

Wimbledon 2013 Day 4: Date-Krumm makes history

Joy for Kimiko as she reaches the third round for the first time since 1996

Wimbledon 2013 Day 4: Date-Krumm makes history

After Weird Wednesday a more recognisable sense of order returned to SW19 on a rain effected Day 4 with all the key protagonists from the top halves progressing to round 3.

There was a wonderful story, however, on Court 12 as Kimiko Date-Krumm became the oldest woman in the Open Era to reach the last 32 at Wimbledon.  The unseeded Japanese, who turns 43 in September, saw off Alexandra's Cadantu 6-4, 7-5.

Date-Krumm was a quarter finalist eighteen years ago in 1995 (losing to Jana Navotna) and a semi-finalist seventeen years ago (losing a three set two day encounter with Steffi Graf) and yet this represented her second Grand Slam third round appearance of 2013, having also got this far in Melbourne.

More after the jump -

Wimbledon 2013 Day 3: Federer stunned by Stakhovsky

The dream of an 8th crown in 2013 is over for Federer

Wimbledon 2013 Day 3: Federer stunned by Stakhovsky

It is hard to remember a Wimbledon day quite like Wednesday 26th June 2013.  In the space of a few hours the tournament had lost Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Marin Cilic, Caroline Wozniacki, Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic. 

It was scarecely believable; carnage in the second round and any players left standing will count themselves lucky.

The biggest shock was the four-set defeat of Federer by Ukranian world No.116 (former no.31) Sergiy Stakhovsky which ended the 31 year-old's title defence and his 9 year and 36 Grand Slam streak of consecutive quarter finals.

It was a historic moment and I was fortunate enought to watch every point of it on Centre Court.