Different Strokes

Breaking and creating records have always been a part of Roger Federer’s career but Sunday evening was special in its own ways when he created a record of winning Indian Wells ATP Tournament, for the fourth time. Roger put it across the surprise finalist John Isner 7-6, 6-3 in a match which lasted one hour and twenty one minutes. The Swiss, world no.3 clinched the title when the 6’9” American, who upset world number one Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals and will rise to a career-high 10th in the rankings on Monday, dumped a forehand into the net.

"This tournament victory couldn't come at a better time in my career," Federer, who has triumphed six times in his last eight ATP World Tour events, told reporters while sitting beside the glittering crystal trophy. "It's a big tournament, the first Masters 1000 of the season. It's been a long time since I have been this successful here, even though I have had some really good matches here in the past." Federer exclaimed in his own ways.

Since his semi-final loss to Djokovic at last year's U.S. Open, the 16-times grand slam champion has been arguably the hottest player on the men's circuit, winning 39 of his 41 matches.

He took a sweet revenge of his Davis Cup loss, played last month, to the towering American.

Isner was all praise for his opponent saying, “If I have any shot to beat him, I'm gonna have to play my best and that wasn't the case today," Isner said after competing in his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final. "He was too strong."I was taking care of my serve, for the most part, up until the end. I don't think I lost the match because I didn't serve as well. He was on top of me, and his forehand was way too good today.”

Victoria Azarenka continued her undefeated run to lift Indian Wells ATP tournament, defeating Maria Sharapova 6-2, 6-3. Azarenka stretched her winning streak to 23 matches in 2012. Only Martina Hingis has a better record for most number of consecutive wins at 37 matches in 1997.

When USD 1 million was at stake, it needed something special from the 22 year old Belarusian to defeat the ex World No.1. The match lasted 86 minutes. The difference was in the first serve percentages and unforced errors. It was 71% to 46% in favour of the World No.1. “I never dreamed about that. It is amazing.” she said after the match. 

Meanwhile Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond of the US defeated Sania Mirza and Elena Vesnina(Russia) 6-2, 6-3 to win the Women’s doubles title at Indian Wells. This was their second straight loss to the American pair after last month’s Dubai Open. The Indo-Russian pair’s service was broken three times during the match.

Swiss Open Badminton Championships

Saina stuns Wang to retain Swiss Open.

When the whole nation was glued to the TV watching India-Pakistan cricket match, someone was fighting out tooth and nail to beat a higher ranked Chinese opponent, in something they are best at. Saina Nehwal stunned World No.2 Wang Shixian of China in straight sets 21-19, 21-16. The game was not as easy as it looks on paper. In the first game Saina took an early lead at 10-2 and when everyone thought it would be an easy outing for the Indian, Wang came back strongly to level the game at 17 all before Saina took the game 21-19. In the second game, Wang took a lead at 11-7 during interval, but Saina fought it out with strong defence and very good net points to level at 15 all before taking the game at 21-16. With this win, Saina is likely to get back her No.4 spot from All England Champion, Li Xuerui. Saina turned 22 yesterday.

It was an all Chinese affair in the Women’s doubles with Huan Xia and Tang Jinhua defeating Bao Yixin and Zhong Qianxin 21-17, 21-10. It looked like an one sided affair with the former taking leads in both the sets.

Hyun Il Lee’s fine run came to an end when he was defeated by World No.5, Chen Jin of China in a keen contest. The match was decided in three sets. Lee took the first set at 21-14 and Jin came back strongly to take the second set at 21-9. Jin took 9 straight points with his strong smashes and accurate drops. The third set saw the battle going till the end and saw the higher ranked Chinese seal the set and match at 21-17. Chen Jin had earlier defeated Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia in the semi final to take a sweet revenge for his last week loss at All England. Today’s match lasted 67 minutes.

After crowning the much coveted All England Open last week, Indonesian pair of Tantowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir are on a roll. They proved too strong for Thailand’s Sudket Prapakamol-Saralee Thoungthongkam, winning 21-16, 21-14 in the last match of the day. The winners would be moving to the third spot when the rankings get declared later this month.

Japan’s Naoki Kawamae-Shoji Sato had it easy over Taipei’s Fang Chieh Min-Lee Sheng Mu 21-13, 21-14 in a rather easy match. The match lasted only 33 minutes

Yonex All England Badminton Championships

What would you call an event which features 6 Chinese out of 10 finalists? Yonex All England Open Badminton Championships, I guess. Well, this has been the story of World Badminton for the past 1 decade or so. One wonders if the Chinese manufacturing factory would ever run out of steam. In the final round to be played tomorrow, World No. 1 in Women’s singles, Wang Yihan plays fellow Chinese Li Xuerui. In the semifinals played today, Yihan defeated World No.3, Chinese Yang Shixian 20-22, 21-18, 21-18, while Xuerui had the better of Chinese Taipei’s Tzu Ying Tai 19-21, 21-16, 21-10.

In the first match of the day, in the Mixed Doubles category, Danish pair Thomas Laybourn and Kamilla Rytter Juhl defeated World No. 2, Chinese pair, Xu Chen and Ma Jin 21-16, 21-18 in a match which lasted 44 minutes. Juhl was at her best in her flick serves and those deft touches playing in front of the court. In the second mixed doubles match, Indonesian pair of Ahmad Tantowi and Natsir Liliyana defeated Chan Peng Soon and Goh Liu Ying in a tight two setter 27-25, 21-16.

Korea’s Hyun Il Lee tried his best to level with Malaysia’s World No.1, Lee Chong Wei in the Men’s singles category, but Lee was equal to the task and took the first game at 21-19. In the second game, Lee took a lead of 18-9 and everyone thought he had the game easily, but Hyun came back strongly to only two points deficit at 17-19, before Lee sealed the game and match at 21-18.

In the first semi final of Men’s doubles match, Korea’s Jae Sung Jung and Yong Dae Lee defeated Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen of Denmark in an easy outing. The match lasted only 37 minutes and the final score line was 21-14, 21-13 in favour of the Koreans. In the second semi final, World No.1 pair, Chinese Yun Cai and Haifeng Fu had a straight set win over Japanese pair Hirokatsu Hashimoto and Nariyasu Hirata 21-10, 21-15. The Japanese had absolutely no answer to the tactical and powerful game of the Chinese.

It was an all Chinese affair in the second semi final of Women’s doubles with World No.1 pair Xiaoli Wang and Yang Yu defeating Huan Xia and Tang Jinhua in straight sets 21-13, 21-18.

In the last match of the day, Lin Dan of China expectedly prevailed over Japanese, Kenichi Tago defeating him in two sets 21-18, 21-17. Lin Dan will meet Lee Chong Wei of China in yet another Super Series Final.

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Yonex German Open Day-3

Quite a few upsets featured on the third day of the Yonex German Open 2012. In Men’s singles category, World No. 3, Jin Chen losing out to Wing Ki Wong of Hong Kong in straight sets which experts thought would be an easy outing for Chen. Tommy Sugiarto of Indonesia had the better of World No. 7, Korea’s Lee Hyun Il 18-21, 21-14, 21-15, while Wan Ho Shon of Korea defeated World No. 6, Sho Sasaki of Japan in straight sets 21-15, 21-18. In the doubles section, Chinese pair of Wei Hong and Ye Shen defeated World No. 7 of Indonesia, Mohammad Ahsan and Bona Septano 21-12, 21-13. Korea’s Ki Jung Kim and Sa Rang Kim beat World no. 10 of Indonesia, Alvent Yulianto Chandra and Hendra Aprida Gunawan 21-13, 21-10

In other important matches, Lin Dan tamed Pable Abian of Spain 21-15, 21-13. In Women’s singles, Xin Wang of China won against Li Michelle of Canada in straight sets 21-11, 21-6 and her team mate, Xuerui Li moved into the next round defeating Salakjit Ponsana of Thailand 21-11, 21-10.

India’s only hope of a podium finish was dashed when the Women’s doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponappa were beaten by a much higher rated Chinese Taipei’s pair of Wen Hsing Cheng and Yu Chin Chien in a tight three setter 14-21, 21-17, 12-21 

32^nd National Team Championship

In the FOMENTO’S National Team Championship, being played in Kerala, PSPB (Petroleum Sports Promotion Board) is leading the table after 4 rounds with Tamil Nadu State Chess Association B in the second position, Bloom Chess Academy in third, RSPB(Railway Sports Promotion Board) A and B at the fourth and fifth position respectively. It was a fine play in the top board, with GM Sasikiran defeating Air India’s GM Tejas Bakre and GM Deep Sengupta handing over a defeat to IM Rahul Shetty in the fourth board. IM K Priyadarshan was able to pull one up garnering one point over GM B Adhiban and IM Swayangsu Satyapragyan drawing against GM Abhijit Kunte 

Yonex German Open - Day 2

The day started on a bad note for India with Jwala Gutta and V Diju losing out to lower rated Hong Kong’s Wai Hong Wong and Hoi Wah Chau in a thriller 21-18, 9-21, 19-21. P V Sindhu lost her match against Juan Gu of Singapore 14-21, 15-21. Arvind Bhat put up a brave effort before losing out to World No. 7 Lee Hyun Il of Korea in a three setter 19-21, 21-19, 15-21. Anand Pawar made sure that his opponent, World No. 11, Simon Santoso of Indonesia produce the best him in tight contest before losing out in 12-21, 21-15, 19-21. Doubles team of Rupesh Kumar and Sanave Thomas could not get the much required points for Olympic qualification when they lost to World No. 8 Hirokatsu Hashimoto and Noriyasu Hirata of Japan 21-17, 13-21, 23-25. There was some respite towards the end as Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponappa defeated Nicole Greather and Charmaine Reid of Canada in easy straight sets 21-14, 21-16

Top Seed Lin Dan had an easy outing against England’s Carl Baxter defeating him in straight sets 21-14, 21-9. World No. 3 Jin Chen tamed French player 21-13, 21-19 in straight sets. In Women’s Singles, top seed, Xin Wang of China beat Chinese Taipei’s Hsiao Ma Pai 22-20, 21-15 while second seed Xuerui Li of China took just 27 minutes to defeat Adrianti Firdasari of Indonesia 21-15, 21-7. In Men’s doubles Korean Top seed pair of Jae Sung Jung and Yong Dai Lee defeated Indonesia’s pair of Bodin Issara and Maneepong jangjit 21-19, 21-12. In mixed doubles, top seed Chinese Taipei’s Hung Ling Chen and Wen Tsing Cheng had to overcome stiff challenge from Malaysian pair of 23-25, 21-19, 21-11 to win in three sets.

At the Dubai Duty Free ATP Championships, in the second round today, World No. 1, Novak Djokovic defeated S Stakhovsky of Ukraine 7-6 (5), 6-3. Among the top seeds, Roger Federed had it easy against Spain’s D F Lopez 7-5, 6-3; Andy Murray flew past M Chiudinelli of Switzerland 6-3, 6-4; Tomas Berdych had an easy outing with L Lacko of Slovakia 6-1, 6-2. Michael Youzhny of Russia upset the 6^th seed Mardy Fish of USA in straight sets 6-2, 7-6. The tall Argentine, Del Potro defeated A Golubev of Kazakhstan 6-4, 6-2.

In the Doubles section, Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna defeated L Dlouhy (CZE) / A Dolgopolov (UKR) 6-4, 7-5. The top seed M Llodra of France and N Zimonovic of Serbia defeated M Ilhan of Turkey and M Jaziri of Tunisia in straight sets 6-1, 6-3, while the second seed R Lindstedt of Sweden and H Tecau of Romania defeated India’s Leander Paes and J Tipsarevic of Serbia in straight sets 6-4, 7-5