sseemiller
Rookie
Here's the Dubai report. I wish Nadal had won, but I'm pleased he and Tommy are in the doubles semis. I don't give them much of a chance against Bjorkman and Paes, though. I think Spain has found their new Davis Cup doubles team, though.
RESULTS - FRIDAY, MARCH 5, 2004
Singles – Quarterfinals
M Youzhny (RUS) d R Nadal (ESP) 62 16 61
F Lopez (ESP) d I Ljubicic (CRO) 64 76(4)
(1)R Federer (SUI) d A Pavel (ROM) 63 63
J Nieminen (FIN) d (8)S Schalken (NED) 63 63
Doubles – Quarterfinals
Pala/Vizner d Cibulec/Friedl 64 75
Nadal/Robredo d Kohlmann/Schuettler 76(5) 75
DRAWS
For the Dubai singles draw, go to: http://www.atptennis.com/posting/2004/495/MDS.pdf
For the Dubai doubles draw, go to: http://www.atptennis.com/posting/2004/495/MDD.pdf
ORDER OF PLAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2004
Centre Court – 2:00 PM
F Lopez (ESP) vs M Youzhny (RUS)
(1)Bhupathi/Santoro vs Pala/Vizner
Starting at 7:00 PM
(1)R Federer (SUI) vs J Nieminen (FIN)
Nadal/Robredo vs (2)Bjorkman/Paes
ATP MEDIA NOTES - FRIDAY, MARCH 5, 2004
FEDERER IS ONLY SEEDED PLAYER IN THE SEMIFINALS
Top seed and INDESIT ATP 2004 Race leader Roger Federer defeated Romanian Andrei Pavel Friday at the Dubai Tennis Championships. He is the only seeded player to reach the semifinals and now moves to 9-1 in his career in Dubai.
The only other seeded player in the quarterfinals, No. 8 Sjeng Schalken, was dispatched in straight sets by Finland's Jarkko Nieminen. Nieminen is now a solid 11-6 on the year with two semifinals showings on outdoor hard courts in Adelaide and now Dubai.
In a match-up of big servers, Feliciano Lopez held off Ivan Ljubicic in a second set tiebreak to reach his first ATP semifinal of 2004. Lopez was just 1-3 coming in on the year before his three wins this week in Dubai.
Lopez next plays Russian Mikhail Youzhny who dropped the second set to young Spaniard Rafael Nadal before winning 6-1 in third. A Russian has never won this event although Marat Safin did reach the final in 2000.
WHAT THE PLAYERS SAID
Lopez: "I was playing good and it was easy at the beginning until 4-3 in the second set, then it was a very difficult match at the end."
"Youzhny is not seeded but he is in the semi-finals which means he is playing good and he beat Nadal today who is also playing good, so it's going to be a tough match."
"I feel very happy that I am one of the good players from Spain. We always have good players and players who are always in the top 100. Every year, we have new players so it is good for us and Spanish tennis."
Federer: "I'm very happy that I won. I played well from the baseline but I need to play more agressive, that's my game. In the early rounds I tend to play more passive because I don't want to chase the lines too much and now (in the semis) I feel I can and I feel now my level of game has picked up."
"My opponents are now attacking me more than they normally would because they know if they don't attack then I will attack them, so I feel they come in (to the net) on balls which are not great and I have the chance to pass them."
"I'm going into the next match as the definite favourite and I'm looking forward to it. They're both nice guys, I get on well with them off the court, it's going to be a good match."
Youzhny: "The first set was very good for me but the second set I lost my first service game and it was very hot, that's why I lost it 1-6. But in the third set it was different and it worked out good for me."
About first semi-final this year
"It's important but tomorrow it will be a very tough match because Ljubicic and Lopez play very good and conditions here are very tough. Of course it's a good result, but when you are in the semis you always want more."
about drop in the rankings
“Last year I had a few problems with some injuries and some mental stuff, but towards the end of 2003 I started to play better."
SEMIFINAL PREVIEW
Roger Federer takes on Finland's Jarkko Nieminen, as the leader in the INDESIT ATP 2004 Race looks to become the first back-to-back winner of this prestigious event in the Middle East. Goran Ivanisevic reached consecutive finals in 1996 and 1997, as did Nicolas Kiefer in 1999 and 2000, but no one has won this event twice. Nieminen is looking for his first appearance in an ATP final since the BMW Open in Munich last year, when he lost to Federer in straight sets. Nieminen is 0-4 lifetime against Federer and has never won a set from the Swiss star.
Feliciano Lopez and Mikhail Youzhny played twice last year with Lopez winning on both occasions, but the last time they played outdoors on hard court Youzhny was victorious back in 2002 at the President's Cup in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Youzhny is trying to reach his first ATP final since St. Petersburg, Russia, in October 2002; Feliciano Lopez has never played in an ATP final in his young career.
SEMIFINAL HEAD-TO-HEADS
Feliciano Lopez (ESP) vs Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) Lopez Leads 2-1
02 Tashkent (Uzbekistan) Hard R32 Mikhail Youzhny 7-6(5) 6-4
03 Wimbledon (England) Grass R64 Feliciano Lopez 7-6(5) 6-3 6-2
03 Paris TMS (France) Carpet R64 Feliciano Lopez 7-6(4) 6-3
Lopez FastFacts:
2004 Highlights:
YTD W-L: 4-3
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 0
Date of Birth: September 20, 1981
INDESIT ATP 2004 Race: 138T
INDESIT ATP Entry Ranking: 32
Youzhny FastFacts:
2004 Highlights:
QF: Milan (l Dupuis);
YTD W-L: 6-6
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 1
Date of Birth: June 25, 1982
INDESIT ATP 2004 Race: 72T
INDESIT ATP Entry Ranking: 57
Roger Federer (SUI) vs Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) Federer Leads 4-0
02 Moscow (Russia) Carpet R16 Roger Federer 6-1 6-4
03 Marseille (France) Hard R16 Roger Federer 6-3 6-3
03 Munich (Germany) Clay F Roger Federer 6-1 6-4
03 Vienna (Austria) Hard QF Roger Federer 6-3 6-3
Federer FastFacts:
2004 Highlights:
W: Australian Open (d Safin); QF: Rotterdam (l Henman);
YTD W-L: 14-1
YTD Titles: 1
Career Titles: 12
Date of Birth: August 8, 1981
INDESIT ATP 2004 Race: 1
INDESIT ATP Entry Ranking: 1
Nieminen FastFacts:
2004 Highlights:
SF: Adelaide (l Hrbaty); QF: Rotterdam (l Mirnyi);
YTD W-L: 11-6
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 0
Date of Birth: July 23, 1981
INDESIT ATP 2004 Race: 31
INDESIT ATP Entry Ranking: 34
RESULTS - FRIDAY, MARCH 5, 2004
Singles – Quarterfinals
M Youzhny (RUS) d R Nadal (ESP) 62 16 61
F Lopez (ESP) d I Ljubicic (CRO) 64 76(4)
(1)R Federer (SUI) d A Pavel (ROM) 63 63
J Nieminen (FIN) d (8)S Schalken (NED) 63 63
Doubles – Quarterfinals
Pala/Vizner d Cibulec/Friedl 64 75
Nadal/Robredo d Kohlmann/Schuettler 76(5) 75
DRAWS
For the Dubai singles draw, go to: http://www.atptennis.com/posting/2004/495/MDS.pdf
For the Dubai doubles draw, go to: http://www.atptennis.com/posting/2004/495/MDD.pdf
ORDER OF PLAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2004
Centre Court – 2:00 PM
F Lopez (ESP) vs M Youzhny (RUS)
(1)Bhupathi/Santoro vs Pala/Vizner
Starting at 7:00 PM
(1)R Federer (SUI) vs J Nieminen (FIN)
Nadal/Robredo vs (2)Bjorkman/Paes
ATP MEDIA NOTES - FRIDAY, MARCH 5, 2004
FEDERER IS ONLY SEEDED PLAYER IN THE SEMIFINALS
Top seed and INDESIT ATP 2004 Race leader Roger Federer defeated Romanian Andrei Pavel Friday at the Dubai Tennis Championships. He is the only seeded player to reach the semifinals and now moves to 9-1 in his career in Dubai.
The only other seeded player in the quarterfinals, No. 8 Sjeng Schalken, was dispatched in straight sets by Finland's Jarkko Nieminen. Nieminen is now a solid 11-6 on the year with two semifinals showings on outdoor hard courts in Adelaide and now Dubai.
In a match-up of big servers, Feliciano Lopez held off Ivan Ljubicic in a second set tiebreak to reach his first ATP semifinal of 2004. Lopez was just 1-3 coming in on the year before his three wins this week in Dubai.
Lopez next plays Russian Mikhail Youzhny who dropped the second set to young Spaniard Rafael Nadal before winning 6-1 in third. A Russian has never won this event although Marat Safin did reach the final in 2000.
WHAT THE PLAYERS SAID
Lopez: "I was playing good and it was easy at the beginning until 4-3 in the second set, then it was a very difficult match at the end."
"Youzhny is not seeded but he is in the semi-finals which means he is playing good and he beat Nadal today who is also playing good, so it's going to be a tough match."
"I feel very happy that I am one of the good players from Spain. We always have good players and players who are always in the top 100. Every year, we have new players so it is good for us and Spanish tennis."
Federer: "I'm very happy that I won. I played well from the baseline but I need to play more agressive, that's my game. In the early rounds I tend to play more passive because I don't want to chase the lines too much and now (in the semis) I feel I can and I feel now my level of game has picked up."
"My opponents are now attacking me more than they normally would because they know if they don't attack then I will attack them, so I feel they come in (to the net) on balls which are not great and I have the chance to pass them."
"I'm going into the next match as the definite favourite and I'm looking forward to it. They're both nice guys, I get on well with them off the court, it's going to be a good match."
Youzhny: "The first set was very good for me but the second set I lost my first service game and it was very hot, that's why I lost it 1-6. But in the third set it was different and it worked out good for me."
About first semi-final this year
"It's important but tomorrow it will be a very tough match because Ljubicic and Lopez play very good and conditions here are very tough. Of course it's a good result, but when you are in the semis you always want more."
about drop in the rankings
“Last year I had a few problems with some injuries and some mental stuff, but towards the end of 2003 I started to play better."
SEMIFINAL PREVIEW
Roger Federer takes on Finland's Jarkko Nieminen, as the leader in the INDESIT ATP 2004 Race looks to become the first back-to-back winner of this prestigious event in the Middle East. Goran Ivanisevic reached consecutive finals in 1996 and 1997, as did Nicolas Kiefer in 1999 and 2000, but no one has won this event twice. Nieminen is looking for his first appearance in an ATP final since the BMW Open in Munich last year, when he lost to Federer in straight sets. Nieminen is 0-4 lifetime against Federer and has never won a set from the Swiss star.
Feliciano Lopez and Mikhail Youzhny played twice last year with Lopez winning on both occasions, but the last time they played outdoors on hard court Youzhny was victorious back in 2002 at the President's Cup in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Youzhny is trying to reach his first ATP final since St. Petersburg, Russia, in October 2002; Feliciano Lopez has never played in an ATP final in his young career.
SEMIFINAL HEAD-TO-HEADS
Feliciano Lopez (ESP) vs Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) Lopez Leads 2-1
02 Tashkent (Uzbekistan) Hard R32 Mikhail Youzhny 7-6(5) 6-4
03 Wimbledon (England) Grass R64 Feliciano Lopez 7-6(5) 6-3 6-2
03 Paris TMS (France) Carpet R64 Feliciano Lopez 7-6(4) 6-3
Lopez FastFacts:
2004 Highlights:
YTD W-L: 4-3
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 0
Date of Birth: September 20, 1981
INDESIT ATP 2004 Race: 138T
INDESIT ATP Entry Ranking: 32
Youzhny FastFacts:
2004 Highlights:
QF: Milan (l Dupuis);
YTD W-L: 6-6
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 1
Date of Birth: June 25, 1982
INDESIT ATP 2004 Race: 72T
INDESIT ATP Entry Ranking: 57
Roger Federer (SUI) vs Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) Federer Leads 4-0
02 Moscow (Russia) Carpet R16 Roger Federer 6-1 6-4
03 Marseille (France) Hard R16 Roger Federer 6-3 6-3
03 Munich (Germany) Clay F Roger Federer 6-1 6-4
03 Vienna (Austria) Hard QF Roger Federer 6-3 6-3
Federer FastFacts:
2004 Highlights:
W: Australian Open (d Safin); QF: Rotterdam (l Henman);
YTD W-L: 14-1
YTD Titles: 1
Career Titles: 12
Date of Birth: August 8, 1981
INDESIT ATP 2004 Race: 1
INDESIT ATP Entry Ranking: 1
Nieminen FastFacts:
2004 Highlights:
SF: Adelaide (l Hrbaty); QF: Rotterdam (l Mirnyi);
YTD W-L: 11-6
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 0
Date of Birth: July 23, 1981
INDESIT ATP 2004 Race: 31
INDESIT ATP Entry Ranking: 34