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
Here are the Scottsdale and Acapulco results and info. I was watching Moya's scores on-line; he was lucky to win that. RESULTS - MARCH 5, 2004 Singles - Quarterfinals (1) A Roddick (USA) d J-M Gambill (USA) 67(4) 64 63 V Hanescu (ROM) d (2) M Verkerk (NED) 75 64 (4) V Spadea (USA) d (6) J Blake 64 26 75 (7) N Kiefer (GER) d (3) R Ginepri (USA) 63 76(6) Singles - Second Round (1) A Roddick (USA) d A Bogomolov Jr. (USA) 64 63 (2) M Verkerk (NED) d (Q) C Mamiit (USA) 62 46 63 J-M Gambill (USA) d L Burgsmuller (GER) 75 75 V Hanescu (ROM) d R Soderling (SWE) 63 67(5) 63 Doubles - Quarterfinals (1)Allegro/Koenig d Burgsmuller/Karlovic 76(6) 64 (4)Leach/MacPhie d (WC)Tursunov/Vahaly 76(5) 63 Kiefer/Moodie d Bowen/Fisher 57 63 76(7) - Saved 1 MP ORDER OF PLAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2004 Stadium Court - Noon (7)N Kiefer (GER) vs V Hanescu (ROM) Kiefer/Moodie vs Coetzee/Haggard Starting at 6:00 PM (1)A Roddick (USA) vs (4) V Spadea (USA) (1) Allegro/Koenig vs (4) Leach-MacPhie ATP MEDIA NOTES – FRIDAY, MARCH 5, 2004 RODDICK, SPADEA WIN IN THREE SETS; KIEFER, HANESCU ADVANCE IN STRAIGHT SETS After rain suspended play on Thursday, four of the quarterfinalists had to play twice on Friday, including top seed Andy Roddick and No. 2 Martin Verkerk. Roddick survived both matches, defeating countrymen Alex Bogomolov Jr. 6-4, 6-3 in the afternoon and Jan-Michael Gambill 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-3, in the evening. Roddick defeated Gambill, who fired 21 aces, for the first time in three career meetings. Roddick was never broken in the one hour and 49 minute match. Verkerk won his rain-suspended second round match over qualifier Cecil Mamiit in three sets but then fell 7-5, 7-5, to Victor Hanescu in the quarterfinals. Earlier in the day, Hanescu defeated Swede Robin Soderling in three sets. In other quarterfinal action, No. 4 seed Vincent Spadea beat countryman James Blake, the No. 6 seed, 6-4, 2-6, 7-5, while No. 7 Nicolas Kiefer of Germany saved two second set points en route to his 6-3, 7-6(6) win over No. 3 Robby Ginepri. Kiefer has won seven of his last eight matches since beginning the season with an 0-4 record. WHAT THE PLAYERS SAID: Roddick: "Jan-Michael was serving really, really well through the first two sets. I felt when I got into the points I was handling them OK. I played a little bit of a sloppy breaker. I was pretty fortunate to get that break early in the second set. In the third set I don't think he served as well and I stepped up and started hitting the ball better. (on the week so far) "The semis is a solid result, especially there was a lot of uncertainty coming in here for me and I was nursing a little bit of a back injury. So I didn't know what to expect coming out here. To be honest, I started hitting the ball really well in the second and third set. I feel like I've improved with each match but I still have room for improvement." (on playing twice Friday) "It wasn't a short day but I don't waste a lot of mental energy before matches. I just step up to the plate and get going. I was prepared for two matches and I knew what I was in for at the start of the day. I believe I can win out there." (on playing Spadea) "Vince makes you work for it every time out there. He's a grinder and he returns really well. I have to hit a lot of first serves in or else he's going to make my life difficult on my service game. He's a grinder but he has more fire power and he returns well and that separates him from a lot other players. I played him once in Burbank (in 2000) and once in Hawaii in 2001. He's a different player and I think his confidence was really low then and he was going for more, missing a lot and getting discouraged. It's definitely not going to be that type of match now." Spadea: "It was a little bit of an up-and-down match. He returns real well and he's a difficult guy for me to hold my serve, I have to really focus. I lost my serve a couple of times throughout the match, probably about once a set. As long as I was holding serve I felt like I could break him but it was just a matter of holding serve as much as possible and stay out there and grinding. It was just a matter of trying to get the edge and get the win and I was able to do it today. (on playing Roddick) "I haven't played Andy in an ATP level tournament. I played him in a couple of Challengers a few years back and I've practiced with him. I know his game fairly well and he knows mine. He's been playing at a high level the past few years and I come in as an underdog and it's less pressure on me in a ways. I look forward to the challenge." (on his game improving) "I've been working hard on different dimensions of my game. My volley is improving, my net play, and I think I'm a better defensive player than in the past. I hang in there and run some balls down and a couple of extra balls means a lot. I'm working on my forehand and serve." "I think the sky is the limit at this point. I feel physically I could improve and I could get fitter. A person my age is probably at their best health in their life span. You could argue the same thing from an athletic point of view. So I think I could be getting better and emotionally I'm using the experience to my advantage and I think that's an asset. Kiefer: "I didn't play my best tennis today but I was fighting which is the most important thing. Everybody can play good and win, that is nothing special but I didn't play my best and I just tried to keep my head up and keep fighting. I'm just happy that I won." (on reaching the final in Memphis) "I focused on my game and I started serving better and better and I picked up my game round by round. I was a little unlucky in the final but I was happy with the week." (on his play this week) "My first round here was so, so, it was OK, but I think my best match was the second round. I don't want to say I'm on a roll but I'm winning by fighting. This is the biggest challenge for me, winning by fighting. A couple of months back it didn't work out so good and I tried to fight every time and I didn't know how to continue. Now I win by fighting and my shots are getting better and better, and my confidence is coming and I'm happy it's now with with these upcoming big tournaments." (on his win over Ginepri) "I had so many chances. I was down in the first set two-love, then I came back and won 6-3. Then I was up a break 2-1 in the second set. Then up a break 3-2 and lost my serve. I didn't pay attention until I was down two set points in the tie-break and I came back to win." Hanescu: "In the morning I had a very difficult match against Soderling, a young player who reached the final in Marseille last week. I finally won in three sets. I played my best tennis against Verkerk. I served very well and I was very focused in the match. I played a lot of big matches and I played Davis Cup a few weeks ago against Federer in Romania and I also played Roddick in Paris indoor (last year), so I'm used to playing big matches. I think it's the beginning of my career and it's a great feeling to be in an ATP semifinal. It's my dream to win a tournament, maybe a Grand Slam. I think this is the beginning of my career." (on the Scottsdale conditions) "I like the courts, the surface and the balls are good. I was working very hard before I came here. I was practicing in Bucharest everyday with my coach and now I'm prepared to play matches. My favorite surface is red clay because I'm used to playing on it in Europe. The surface here is similar to clay because it's slow and that's maybe why I'm playing good." SEMIFINALS PREVIEW In the opening match of the day, No. 7 seed Nicolas Kiefer plays first-time ATP semifinalist Victor Hanescu of Romania. This is the first meeting between the two. After a short rest, Kiefer will take to the court for his doubles semifinal with South African Wesley Moodie. He is trying to become the first double winner in the tournament's history. Kiefer, who is coming off his first career ATP final in the U.S. in Memphis two weeks ago (l. to J. Johansson), is the only player yet to drop a set this week. The 26-year-old German has won seven of his last eight matches after an 0-4 start. Hanescu, who has held serve 31 of 33 games this week, came into Scottsdale with a 1-3 match record on the season before winning three straight matches. In the evening match, the 21-year-old Roddick, who is No. 3 in the INDESIT ATP Entry Rankings, takes on countryman and fellow Boca Raton, Fla. resident Vincent Spadea, the No. 4 seed. Roddick won both previous meetings in Challenger play in 2000-2001. Roddick claimed his 12th career title in San Jose (d. Fish) on Feb. 15 and he reached the quarterfinals at the Australian Open (l. to Safin) and Memphis (l. to Enqvist). Roddick has held serve 34 of 36 games and he is second this week in aces (34) behind Gambill's 43. Spadea is playing in his first ATP semifinal of the season and the 13th of his career. Spadea is trying to reach his third career ATP final, the first since Aug. 22, 1999 when he lost to Nicolas Lapentti in Indianapolis. RESULTS - FRIDAY, MARCH 5, 2004 Singles – Quarter finals F Verdasco (ESP) d (2) N Massu (CHI) (WC) G Canas (ARG) d R Ramirez-Hidalgo (ESP) 62 60 (7)J Chela (ARG) d O Hernandez (ESP) 36 60 62 (1) C Moya (ESP) d (8)F Volandri (ITA) 46 75 62 Doubles – Quarterfinal JI Chela (ARG) / N Massu (CHI) d A Lopez Moron / A Portas (ESP) 75 75 ORDER OF PLAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2004 Centre Court – 2:00 PM (WC) G Canas (ARG) vs F Verdasco (ESP) Not before 3:00 PM M Marrero (ESP) v I Benesova (CZE) Not before 4:30 PM (8) F Volandri (ITA) or (1) C Moya (ESP) vs (7) J I Chela (ARG) Not before 8:00 PM M Sanchez-Lorenzo (ESP) vs F Penetta (ITA) Court 2 – 2:00 PM B & M Bryan (USA) vs M Fyrstenberg/M Matkowski (POL) Not before 3:00 PM O Blahotova/G Navratilova (CZE) vs L Mcshea (AUS) / M Sequera (VEN) Not before 6:00 Pm JI Chela (ARG) / N Massu (CHI) vs L Arnold / A Calleri (ARG) ATP MEDIA NOTES - FRIDAY, MARCH 5, 2004 MOYA , CHELA ADVANCE TO SEMI-FINALS. · Top seed Carlos Moya moved through to the semi-finals of the Abierto Mexicano de Tenis Telefonica MoviStar in Acapulco after defeating young Italian Filippo Volandri in 3 sets. Moya, the 2002 Acapulco champion who is looking to reach his fourth final in just five tournaments this year, extended his 2004 record to 16-3 with loss only in Sydney (l t Hewitt retiring in the final), Coria in Buenos Aires final and last week against Behrend in the first round of the Brasil Open. Moya, who also reached the quarterfinals in Acapulco in 2003 (l. to Mantilla) and the semi-finals in 2001 (l. to Blanco), now has a 13-2 record in the tournament. This is Moya's second semi-final in the Latin American Swing (did not play Viña del Mar). · Young talented Spaniard Fernando Verdasco is playing his first career ATP semi-final. The young player from Madrid is dreaming on a final against Carlos Moya. Verdasco defeated Chilean star Nicolas Massu in straight sets recovering from a very tough lost 3 weeks ago in Viña del mar, Chile against Massu. · In the second semi-final, the Spaniard will now meet Argentinean Juan Ignacio Chela. Moya has won their previous match - at Roland Garros in 2003. No. 7 seed Juan Ignacio Chela advanced to the semi-final with a victory over Spaniard Oscar Hernandez in another 3 set match. Chela, won the title when it was last played in Mexico City in 2000 and reached the semi-finals in 2002 (l. to Meligeni). · You can say that Argentinean Guillermo Canas is back again. After a very tough first round match were he saved 2 match points against Spaniard Marc Lopez is now looking very fit and gaining confidence everyday. Canas conceded 2 games only to Ruben Ramirez-Hidalgo and won 10 consecutive games after being 2-2 in the first set. Canas suffered a wrist operation a year and a half ago and never really made it back till this year. He had a very long and intensive pre-season in Buenos Aires and the work is now paying of well. WHAT THE PLAYER'S SAID Chela: "It was a tough match I started with out much concentration and he took advantage since he broke me twice. Then a the beginning of the second set I felt I had to do something fast and managed to break him and win the set 60. I think he got a bit tired in the third and that's how I managed to win." "Tomorrow it will be very tough. I would prefer Volandri but Moya could be the one. He is very dangerous since he has great shots and I am going to have to serve very well." Canas: "The match started very close up until 2 all. When I got more feeling of the court I started to play very well and he played a bit on his limit. I think I played very well, one of my best tennis, and I don't think he had his day. I already played well against Gaudio and each day I feel I play better and better." "I know Verdasco is a good player with a great serve and tomorrow the court conditions might benefit him since it is early during the day and it will be a fast court on clay. I played last week against him and had to retire and it is good to have the revenge only a week after" Verdasco: "The match here and the one I played in Chile was completely different. There he took an advantage early, he was playing at home and he was able to beat me easy. Today it has been a different story and I have been able to play much better tennis than 3 weeks ago in Viña." "My forehand has worked very well and I think this has been the key of the match." "The crowd here is great. I had some supporters here and I am happy to play here." Moya: "I am happy the way the match went since at the beginning he took advantage but I managed to stay in the match and win it. It took me a bit to get the rhythm and the opponents sees it. The good thing is that I managed to come back and win the match." 'I feel good physically and I think I am fresh for the semis. In any case you always find extra strengths once in a semis" "It is going to be difficult and I know him well. I played against him in Roland Garros and defeated him in 5 sets so I do expect a very difficult match SATURDAY PREVIEW · Semi-final day at the Abierto Mexicano de Tenis Telefonica MoviStar in Acapulco with two Spaniards and two South Americans looking for a spot in the final on Sunday. · It is an all Spain vs Argentina, Argentina vs Spain semi-final. The Mexican Press talked all the time about it since Monday and it looks like they were right. Moya and Verdasco are the Europeans in Latin American soil trying to get the trophy back to Spain. It will be a very motivated Canas who is coming back and an always dangerous player in Mexico Chela the ones trying to bring the trophy to Argentina. · Both Chela and Moya do know what it takes to win a tournament in Mexico. The South American won it back in 2000 in Mexico City and the Spaniard won the title in Acapulco in 2002.
