Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal into final of ATP finals

LONDON (AP)—Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray relentlessly ran each other all over the court for more than three hours in a match that flip-flopped throughout.

Nadal finally got the breaks he needed Saturday to win 7-6 (5), 3-6, 7-6 (6). The top-ranked Spaniard had to overcome a mid-match slump to reach his first final at the ATP World Tour Finals, where he will face 16-time major champion Roger Federer.

“(It) was (an) incredible tennis match,” said Nadal, who won this year’s U.S. Open to complete a career Grand Slam. “(This) was a really difficult match against one of the best players of the world.”The reigning French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion has never before played in the final of the season-ending event for the top eight players. And to win his first title, he’ll have to play four-time champion Federer Sunday at the O2 Arena.

Federer beat Novak Djokovic 6-1, 6-4 in the other semifinal.

“Obviously I’m really looking forward to playing against Rafa tomorrow,” Federer said. “Who wouldn’t?”

In the early match, both Nadal and Murray looked strong throughout the first set, which the Spaniard won in a tiebreaker despite a late surge from Murray. But Nadal started to falter after holding serve to lead 3-2 in the second. Murray won 17 of the next 23 points—and four straight games—to take the set and even the score.

“I was a little bit tired in the second,” Nadal said. “And when he break me, I said, ‘Well, going to be very difficult to come back to this set.”’

Nadal never fully regained his form after the mid-match slump, but he was able to break Murray to take a 2-1 lead in the third set. The Spaniard then had his first match point on Murray’s serve while leading 5-3, but the fifth-ranked Briton managed to hold the game, break back to 5-5 and force the final tiebreaker.

“I probably played one bad game the whole match, or maybe just a couple of bad points,” Murray said. “But, yeah, it was great tennis. I think both of us played well pretty much from the beginning of the match.”

In the tiebreaker, Murray won the first three points—two of them on Nadal’s serve—and looked as though he was going to roll to victory. But Nadal clawed back to 4-4 before getting another match point at 6-5.

“Even when I was losing 4-1, 3-0 in the final tiebreak, I was happy,” Nadal said. “I was saying, ‘Just try to be there,’ because always (there is) still a chance for me.”

Murray again saved that one, but he couldn’t do anything about the final match point, which Nadal won with an inside-out forehand.

Federer looked as dominating as ever against Djokovic, stretching his career record against the Serb to 13-6.

The second-ranked Swiss jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first set, then broke Djokovic again to make it 5-1. But Djokovic responded early in the second set, breaking Federer to give himself a 3-0 lead.

That didn’t last long, however, as Federer held serve, broke back and then held again to 3-3.

Federer’s run lasted another three points, but he wasted all three break points in the seventh game, allowing Djokovic to take a 4-3 lead on serve.

After holding, Federer broke again and then served out the match.

“He was on top of his game,” said Djokovic, who beat Federer in the U.S. Open semifinals. “He was playing unbelievable from the first moment. He deserved to win.”

Murray finished his match with 22 aces, but he also had 47 unforced errors to go along with his 53 winners. Overall, the Briton won 114 points in the match, five more than Nadal.

“It was one of those matches where you kind of knew—so many long rallies, so many good points—I kind of knew when I was out there that it was a great match,” Murray said. “It’s nice in some ways to be involved in matches like that. But it’s not nice losing them

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Pacquiao suitors plead for his next fight

LAS VEGAS – Less than an hour after Juan Manuel Marquez had stopped Michael Katsidis with an electrifying ninth-round technical knockout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday in a bout destined to become the 2010 Fight of the Year, Marquez was deluged with questions at the post-fight news conference …

About Manny Pacquiao.

And about 20 minutes before Marquez arrived, World Boxing Council welterweight champion Andre Berto met the media. He scored a devastating first-round stoppage of Freddy Hernandez to win his 27th fight without a loss.He walked up to the podium and called out Pacquiao.

Robert Guerrero, the mandatory next challenger for one of Marquez’s lightweight title belts, listened to both Marquez and Berto. Afterward, he felt compelled to discuss his future as well.

You guessed it. He wants to take on Pacquiao.

Of course, the fight that nearly everyone in the industry wants to see – Pacquiao against unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr. – appears to be the one that is most unlikely to happen, given Mayweather’s tenuous legal situation, the bitter feelings between Mayweather and Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum and various other issues.

“As a sport, we have to give the fight fans the fight they want to see, and the fight they want is Mayweather against Pacquiao,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, following the news conference. “We have to do everything in our power to put that fight together. But if, for whatever reason, that fight cannot happen, then you have to move on. When you do move on, that’s where this press conference comes in.”

“You have to make a case, a strong case, for Juan Manuel Marquez to fight Manny Pacquiao. If you put up polls and there is a public outcry that everyone wants to see Pacquiao and [Shane] Mosley, OK, go and make that fight. But if they say they want Pacquiao against I don’t know who, OK, then go do that one. The fact is, though, everyone wants Pacquiao-Mayweather. And if that doesn’t happen, the fight people want is Pacquiao-Marquez. I’ve seen polls, I’ve read blogs, I’ve talked to media, I’ve talked to fans and I’ve done my research and the people want to see Manny Pacquiao against Juan Manuel Marquez.”

Marquez was typically brilliant Saturday despite being decked in the third by a huge counter left hook from Katsidis. The Australian star is one of the sport’s most entertaining fighters, but he lacks a quality defense and against an accurate puncher like Marquez, that’s a death wish. He was picked apart round after round by Marquez, and it was like a mercy killing when referee Kenny Bayless finally stopped it.

Marquez tattooed Katsidis with hooks, uppercuts, jabs, head shots, body shots and just about every other kind of legal blow in yet another vintage performance. It wasn’t two minutes after Bayless halted it at 2:14 in the ninth round that the drumbeat began for a third Pacquiao-Marquez fight.

Marquez attended the post-fight news conference wearing a T-shirt that said on the front, “Juan Manuel Marquez beat Pacquiao twice.” On the back, the shirt read, “Pacquiao, your next.”

Alright, he’s not a great grammarian, but he’s one hell of a fighter.

“Juan Manuel Marquez is one of the great fighters who ever lived,” Berto promoter Lou DiBella said in tribute.

The question is whether Marquez deserves the shot ahead of the numerous other contenders who are jockeying for the lucrative spot against the Filipino congressman.

Berto is managed by the powerful Al Haymon, which doesn’t hurt his chances, and he’s an unbeaten champion with the speed to at least cause Pacquiao problems. He’s raised the ire of media and boxing fans for facing a largely creampuff slate of opponents, but he has the physical skills to make an entertaining fight with Pacquiao.

Juan Manuel Marquez said he wanted another fight vs. Manny Pacquiao after his win Saturday.
(Isaac Brekken/AP)

“Manny Pacquiao, his advantage in general is that he has a lot of speed and he has great legs,” Berto said. “I think within these last few fights, he’s fought a lot of guys who stood right in front of him, really flat-footed, really slow and he just takes advantage of that. I think there are a just a handful of guys who can keep up with him, guys like myself, Floyd Mayweather, maybe Shane Mosley. We’re guys who can keep up with his speed and keep up with the footwork.

“I bring youth to the table. I’m young, I’m vibrant, I’m strong, I’m fast. It would set for an exciting fight.”

DiBella couldn’t say enough good things about Marquez, but he noted that the size difference between Marquez and Pacquiao is significant now. Marquez and Pacquiao drew at featherweight in one of 2004’s best fights, then Pacquiao won a split decision in an outstanding super featherweight fight in 2008.

Pacquiao has managed to move up to welterweight successfully, but Marquez hasn’t been able to do so. When he fought Mayweather in 2009, his attempt to put on weight failed miserably and he laid an egg, barely winning a second of the fight.

“I think Marquez is one of the great fighters who’s ever lived, but at 135 pounds,” DiBella said. “You can’t argue the guy deserves an opportunity, but at 147, it’s not a fair fight. If [Pacquiao] moves down to 140 pounds, no one is going to complain if he fights Marquez. Marquez is a great fighter.

“But if Manny is a welterweight, then fight a welterweight. And my guy showed you, he’s a welterweight.”

Berto has to be in the picture, and DiBella said he plans to speak with Arum and Top Rank president Todd DuBoef on Monday about a Pacquiao-Berto fight.

But beating Freddy Hernandez – who was about an 11-1 underdog – shouldn’t qualify a fighter to take on the best in the world. Berto has far too many Hernandez-type opponents on his résumé to get the Pacquiao fight, given how many legitimate contenders are out there.

And with all due respect to Mosley, one of his generation’s best but now a very-faded, nearly 40-year-old fighter, the man for the job is Marquez.

“Take a look at the résumés,” HBO boxing analyst Larry Merchant said, endorsing Marquez’s candidacy. “Marquez is the only guy, since the first [Erik] Morales fight, to give Pacquiao problems. He actually gave him two great fights. He’s earned it. He’s not a welterweight, but he’s still earned it, and maybe the fight’s at 140, or 141 or 142, something like that. There’s no question he’s earned it.”

“There’s no question that Berto has a very thin résumé, for all the promise he has. I think you solve the whole thing by having Marquez fight Pacquiao and having Berto fight Mosley, who he was willing to fight earlier this year. Then have the winners fight and you settle it in the ring.”

As usual in boxing, though, there may be courtrooms involved. Mosley is part-owner of Golden Boy and has been promoted by the company for the last six years. In the last few months, Mosley announced he’s no longer promoted by the Oscar De La Hoya-owned company and is promoting himself.

He still contends he owns a piece of the company, but Schaefer intimated something may develop to change that.

“That’s going to be something that will become clear in a short while what’s going to happen there,” Schaefer said when asked if Mosley still owned part of Golden Boy.

So there are going to be fights everywhere, inside and outside the ring.

But for the next big one in the ring, if it’s not Floyd Mayweather Jr. standing across from Manny Pacquiao on the first Saturday in May, it had better be Juan Manuel Marquez.

With Mayweather out of the picture, it’s the fight that makes the most sense.

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Americans avoid disaster, must regroup

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. – Smiles all around, cheering fans, a place in next summer’s Women’s World Cup secured – for a few brief moments, all seemed well with the U.S. women’s national team. Until coach Pia Sundhage spoke.

“That was crap,” she said.

Sundhage’s frank and blunt assessment was in reference to the first 20 minutes of an unconvincing 1-0 victory over Italy at Toyota Park, in what was the second and final leg of a World Cup play-in series. It was an identical scoreline to the one in Italy a week earlier. The Americans, ranked No. 1 in the world, clinched their spot in the tournament, but they raised plenty of questions along the way.After a fraught month that saw the U.S. side upset by Mexico in CONCACAF regional qualifying, thrusting them into this do-or-die encounter with the Italians, what the U.S. team needs more than anything right now is time to regroup.

Fortunately it will get some, with the domestic WPS league having entered its offseason and the World Cup in Germany still seven months away. Even so, it appears likely that the team, which has won two World Cups and the last two Olympic gold medals, will approach the event with an aura of dominance that is greatly reduced.

Amy Rodriguez’s first-half goal was the difference on Saturday, but a mixed performance was far from being enough to convince the skeptics that all is well in Sundhage’s camp.

“When you have a highly ranked team that gets beaten like we did against Mexico, then it gives other teams confidence,” striker Abby Wambach said. “But you can’t stay undefeated forever, that never happens in sports. The pressure of maintaining that can be difficult. You don’t want to be going into a tournament scared and worried about the outcome.”

Both teams missed a series of scoring opportunities in frosty conditions, with the Italians spurning some glorious early chances that could have piled on even more pressure, and the Americans returning the favor in the second half.

What most concerned Sundhage was a number of uncharacteristic, basic errors that prevented the U.S. from taking a stranglehold on the game.

“This team can win the World Cup,” Sundhage said. “But I hope they know they will have to play a lot better to do it. If they don’t know it, I will tell them, because it was not good.”

The USA has a proud tradition in the women’s game, dating back to stars such as Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain and the heroes of the victorious 1999 team that won the World Cup on home soil.

Recent times have seen a drastic improvement in the depth of their opposition, though, with a cluster of European, African and South American sides making great strides – so much so that Germany and Brazil will go into next summer as favorites, with the Americans just behind.

A routine waltz into the later rounds is no longer guaranteed, as highlighted by the recent loss to No. 22 Mexico, which only a few years ago was considered a pushover.

“This will be the most competitive World Cup ever,” said Sundhage. “Six or seven teams can win it. That is unique.”

With every passing game, it is increasingly clear that the USA can no longer rely on its athletic ability and indomitable will to win. Sundhage believes an increase in “sophistication” is a vital next step.

Wambach still feels that the tried and trusted methods will be good enough in Germany, once the squad has had the chance to iron the aches and pains of a long season out of their joints.

“We can improve in a lot of different areas,” Wambach said. “But more than anything, this team is just super fatigued right now. We have been going for 11 straight months and it is not easy.

“When we get a bit of rest we can come back to the drawing board

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Pak-SA Test series ends 0-0

25th Nov, 2010 11:44:51 AM

Top Stories Strauss & co all ready for Ashes opener Sangakkara boosts SL with unbeaten 135 Pakistan earn ICC ranking points Misbah helps Pakistan draw Proteas series Pak-SA Test series ends 0-0 Afghanistan gear up for international stadium Kamran shines with 268 India demolish NZ to clinch series Presidents announces cash prizes for women team Miandad urges foreign teams to tour Pakistan KARACHI: Division-I leaders WAPDA pulled off their fourth win of the season when they demolished defending champions Karachi Blues by an innings and 82 runs on the third day of their Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match here at the National Stadium on Wednesday. After having faced a first innings deficit of 271, Karachi Blues started their second innings on an overnight score of 19-1 and perished for just 189. Ramiz Raja top-scored with 58. Skipper Rana Naved-ul-Hasan played a key role in his WAPDA’s victory as he picked up four wickets to end with eight wickets in the match. WAPDA toppled Habib Bank from top spot and took their points tally to 39 from five games. Meanwhile, fast bowler Sohail Khan ended with 11 wickets to enable Karachi Whites produced their second win when they routed Hyderabad by 241 runs in their Division-II tie here at the UBL Ground. Chasing 443 to win, Hyderabad were all out for 201 in their second innings. Atif Maqbool claimed five scalps while Sohail took four wickets, following his seven wickets in the first innings. Islamabad recorded their first win when they upset SNGPL by 73 runs at the Diamond Club Ground in the federal capital. Left-arm pacer Nasrullah Khan bowled a devastating spell as he picked up seven wickets to dismiss SNGPL for 57 while chasing 131. Islamabad, however, took just six points they had earlier conceded a first innings. Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) pulled off their third win when they defeated Multan by nine wickets at the Multan Stadium. ZTBL achieved the 37-run victory target after losing just one wicket. Earlier, after being forced to follow-on, Multan started the day at 149-7 and were all out for 227. Rao Iftikhar claimed four wickets. Asif Hussain struck a defiant ton to lead Faisalabad’s fight-back when they closed the day at 432-5 in their first innings in reply to National Bank’s 467-9 declared at the Sports Stadium in Sargodha. Asif smashed 19 fours in his 149. Shahid Siddique scored 97. At the Pindi Stadium, the last year’s runners-up HBL were on the verge of a defeat against Rawalpindi as after being forced to follow-on they were 265-8 at close; having a lead of just 39 runs. Aftab Khan struck 66 while Khaqan Arsal made 62. Lahore Shalimar notched their third win after ousting Lahore Ravi by seven wickets at the LCCA Ground in Lahore. Lahore Shalimar raced to the 156-run victory target after losing just three batsmen. Irfan Zaman scored 73 with eight boundaries. KRL thrashed Abbottabad by an innings and 86 runs at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium. After having faced a 244-run deficit, Abbottabad were all out for 158 in their second innings. Rahat Ali took five wickets. Division-II leaders State Bank earned their fourth victory when they overwhelmed Quetta by ten wickets when they raced to the four-run victory target without loss. Earlier, after having conceded a 109-run lead, Quetta started the day at 83-6 and were all out for 112 in their second innings. Mohammad Naved clinched four wickets, ending with nine in the match. After gaining a 51-run lead, PTV were 159-1 in their second innings against Peshawar at the National Cricket Ground in Islamabad.

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Pakistan wins hockey gold at Asian Games

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• GUANGZHOU: Pakistan bagged its third gold medal of the 2010 Asian Games when it defeated Malaysia 2-0 in the final in Guangzhou, China on Thursday.
• Fired-up Pakistan annexed the Asian Games men’s hockey gold medal after 20 years with the final win.
• Specialist drag-flicker Sohail Abbas gave Pakistan the lead in the 28th minute when he converted from a penalty corner. Abbas slammed home the ball in the top right corner in Pakistan’s second attack of the first half.
• Striker Rehan Butt then consolidated the lead three minutes into the second half when he hit a close-range goal from open play (in the 38th minute).
• It was Pakistan’s eighth Asiad hockey gold, ending a drought that stretched back to Beijing in 1990, and handed them their first major title since winning the World Cup in Sydney in 1994.
• Pakistan ended the year on a high after a disappointing eight-month period in which they finished a humiliating 12th out of 12 at the World Cup in March and took sixth place at the Commonwealth Games in October.
• The Pakistanis kneeled in prayer after the final whistle, before lifting their Dutch coach Michel van den Heuvel over their shoulders to loud applause from the stands.
• Malaysia, often dubbed the sport’s perennial under-achievers, had to settle for silver in their maiden appearance in the title clash after winning the bronze medal six times.
• The entire Malaysian team, barring Sikh player Baljit Singh, shaved their heads in a practice called ‘nazar’ to ward off evil spirits in the final, but failed to produce the spark that won them the semi-final against India.
• Amin Rahim, whose two late goals sank India, faltered in all three penalty corners his team earned in the second half.

Malaysia had gone into the final as the only unbeaten team in the competition with four wins and a draw.

By winning the final, Pakistan has also confirmed it’s berth at the 2012 London Olympics.

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