Tennis

[abadani69]

Rafael Nadal is getting closer.

A year after losing the Wimbledon final to Roger Federer in four sets, the second-seeded Spaniard pushed Federer to the full five Sunday before falling 7-6 (7), 4-6, 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-2.

"He's playing phenomenal tennis," Federer said. "He's definitely improved yet again.

"I think last year he came out, nothing to lose, kind of hit hard but didn't know why. This year around, he's changed his game a little bit. Plays maybe a bit more aggressive, knows the game of grass much better."

Nadal had his chances this time at the All England Club, but he still couldn't stop Federer from matching Bjorn Borg's five straight Wimbledon titles.

"Playing against one of the best in history on this surface, having two chances for a win, I'm playing at a similar level," Nadal said. "I can say nothing bad about my tournament.

"Today was a little bit disappointing because I had good chances. Tomorrow, I will be happy about my tournament and about my game."

Nadal, who won the clay-court French Open three times, then held break points at 1-1 and 2-2 in the final set. Federer saved two in each game, then broke Nadal with a forehand winner to go ahead 4-2.

"I didn't feel I played worse than him from the baseline," Nadal said. "Maybe if we have to find any difference, maybe the difference is the serve.

"He served better than me and that's important on every surface, but on this surface more."

But Nadal's performance at Wimbledon showed he is getting better on grass -- a remarkable achievement considering he's played so little on Federer's favorite surface.

Even after a grueling schedule that forced him to play on each of the last seven days because of rain, Nadal attacked Federer throughout. He stood near or even inside the baseline to receive serves, and his coach said little separated the two.

"A little bit of luck," said Toni Nadal, who is also Rafael's uncle. "Rafael had two 15-40s and I think if Rafael had won one of these, maybe now Rafael would be the champion."

Unlike most players, the 21-year-old Nadal knows what it is like to beat Federer regularly. Nadal leads Federer 8-5 overall and beat the top-ranked Swiss player in the final at Roland Garros the past two years.

"I win my share. He wins his," Federer said. "We've been at the top for over 100 weeks together. It is building up to one of maybe the great rivalries."

Toni Nadal thinks there is still more to come from his nephew, and Nadal is concentrating on proving him right.

"A comparison with Roger right now is not possible yet because he has 11 Grand Slams, me three," Nadal said. "But, well, I am young. I am improving every season and try to continue improving every day."

The champion agreed.

"He deserves a title here," Federer said.

[abadani69]

Locked in the toughest test of his Wimbledon reign, against his only real rival in today's game, Roger Federer summoned the strokes and resolve that allow him to chase records set by the greats of yesteryear.

And after Federer finally overcame Rafael Nadal in a five-set epic Sunday to win his fifth consecutive championship at the All England Club and 11th Grand Slam title overall, tying Bjorn Borg on both counts, guess who was waiting to greet him in a hallway off Centre Court?

Borg himself. They smiled and embraced, then chatted briefly, a tete-a-tete between the only two men in the past century to win Wimbledon five years in a row.

"To see him after the match -- it was very fitting in my point of view," Federer said. "It made me a bit more proud of myself."

He could swell his chest all he wanted, given everything he's accomplished, not to mention the way he beat three-time French Open champion Nadal 7-6 (7), 4-6, 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-2 for his 54th straight victory on grass in a taut match filled with momentum swings and marvelous shotmaking.

Federer is No. 1, Nadal is No. 2, and they have met in four of the past six major finals. Federer won both at the All England Club. Nadal won both at Roland Garros. This was, by far, the best of the bunch.

"I win my share. He wins his. We've been at the top for over 100 weeks together. It is like building up to one of maybe the great rivalries," Federer said. "We sometimes haven't lived up to the expectations in the past ... but you can't always play five-set thrillers, you know. I'm happy it happened today. I left as the winner. Perfect."

He's taken 11 of the past 17 Grand Slam titles, including three apiece at the Australian Open and U.S. Open. Now Federer's total trails only Roy Emerson's 12 and Pete Sampras' 14 on the list of career Grand Slam titles.

"I don't know how much longer I can keep it up," the 25-year-old Federer said, "but I definitely feel like I'm mentally and physically still fit to go on for many more years."

As close as the 21-year-old Nadal is to a barrier -- the Spaniard does lead their career series 8-5, after all -- Federer's main challenge for some time has come from trying to live up to standards set in the past.

Even if Federer doesn't necessarily look at it that way.

"He has so much passion for the game," said his mother, Lynette. "He's not playing for the record books. He's playing for the game."

On Sunday, on his game's grandest stage, Federer finished with a 24-1 edge in aces and a 65-50 edge in winners. Numbers hardly do justice to his excellence or elegance with a racket in hand, however.

"He's an artist on this surface. He can stay back. He can come in. No weaknesses," said Borg, whose Wimbledon run was from 1976-80. "I believe if he continues the way he's doing and stays away from injuries and has the motivation, he'll be the greatest player ever to play the game."

And those words were spoken before Borg watched Federer's latest virtuoso performance from the front row in the Royal Box in jacket and tie.

Federer also dressed formally for the occasion, sporting his tailor-made, five-piece Gatsby getup, from the white dinner jacket with the gold "RF" on the left breast pocket to the white slacks replete with belt loops. Even his shoes were special, with four tiny red circles patterned after the Swiss flag, each marking a year he won a Wimbledon title. A fifth circle needs to be added now.

Still, just when it looked as if Federer might turn the sunny afternoon into a coronation by taking a 3-0 lead, Nadal won the next three games. Just when it looked as if Nadal might be in charge, breezing through the fourth set, Federer broke twice in a row to end the match.

Each did what he does best -- and managed to show a flair for his foe's fortes.

Nadal is terrific at the baseline, forcing opponents to hit great groundstroke after great groundstroke just to win a single point. Yet there was Federer, hanging in there on the longest of rallies; he won half the points that lasted at least 10 strokes. Federer believes he's the best server around, yet it was Nadal who kept producing easy hold after easy hold.

"I tried to play as aggressive as possible," Nadal said.

In the first set, he played serve-and-volley on one point, as if to say, "See, I can do that, too." And Federer conjured up a cross-court forehand passing shot on the run, as if to reply, "Yeah, well, I can do THAT, too."

Because of all the rain that jumbled the schedule and sapped some of the tournament's energy, Nadal was playing on a seventh consecutive day. His right knee was treated during the fourth set, but he said that wasn't a factor.

"Tired? No, no. Not tired," said Nadal's uncle and coach, Toni. "He played the first four sets completely even. Even."

Federer has won 34 matches in a row at Wimbledon, and this was the first to go five sets. He's played in 13 Grand Slam finals, and this was the first to go five sets.

And he was growing frustrated, both by Nadal's relentless play and by what appeared, to Federer, to be questionable rulings by the instant replay system making its Wimbledon debut. After one call in Nadal's favor, Federer cursed in disbelief.

"It's killing me today," Federer told the chair umpire.

Nadal had his chances in the final set. At 1-1, 15-40, he held two break points, but pushed a return long, then missed a forehand wide. At 2-2, 15-40, Nadal sent a return long, then Federer produced a 127 mph service winner.

"It was a tough moment to be in," Federer said. "I was nervous."

Those dangers averted, ahead 3-2 in the fifth, Federer grabbed hold of the match, getting to love-40 on Nadal's serve. Finally, more than three full sets after the last time he had broken, Federer came through, ending a 14-stroke exchange with a forehand winner that kicked up a cloud of chalk.

Federer hit three aces in the next game to hold, then broke Nadal again. When he converted his second match point with an overhead winner, Federer dropped to his knees -- the way Borg used to celebrate.

Waiting for the trophy ceremony, Nadal slumped forward in his chair, hanging his head.

"Losing in the fifth set," Nadal said later. "It's not easy, no?"

[abadani69]

"رژه فدرر" تنيس باز شماره يك جهان از سوييس يكشنبه شب با پيروزي بر رافائل نادال اسپانيايي براي پنجمين سال پياپي قهرمان رقابتهاي بين*المللي تنيس آزاد ويمبلدون انگليس شد.

به گزارش خبرگزاريها، فدرر در ديدار پاياني اين مسابقات،بانتايج ۷بر۶ ، ۲بر ۷، ۶بر ۲، ۶بر ۶و ۶بر ۲به پيروزي برسد.

نادال كه عنوان تنيس باز شماره دو جهان را در اختيار دارد در ست پنجم اين مسابقه به دليل احساس درد در مچ پا براي دقايقي مسابقه را متوقف كرد.

اين دو پارسال نيز در فينال اين رقابتها به مصاف هم رفته بودند كه در ان سال نيز نادال مغلوب فدرر شده بود.

نادال با قبول اين شكست بار ديگر از دستيابي به گراند اسلمي غير از مسابقات آزاد فرانسه باز ماند.

اسامي نفرات نخست پيكارهاي تنيس آزاد ويمبلدون در طول ۱۰سال گذشته به شرح زيرا ست :
۲۰۰۶ميلادي : روژه فدرر از سوييس
۲۰۰۵ميلادي : روژه فدرر از سوييس
۲۰۰۴ميلادي : روژه فدرر از سوييس
۲۰۰۳ميلادي : روژه فدرر از سوييس
۲۰۰۲ميلادي : ليتون هيوويت از استراليا
۲۰۰۱ميلادي : گوران ايوانيسه*ويچ از كروواسي
۲۰۰۰ميلادي : پيت سمپراس از آمريكا
۱۹۹۹ميلادي : پيت سمپراس از آمريكا
۱۹۹۸ميلادي : پيت سمپراس از آمريكا
۱۹۹۷ميلادي : پيت سمپراس از آمريكا
۱۹۹۶ميلادي : ريچارد كراسيك از هلند
در دو نفره مردان اين مسابقات نيز آرناد كلمنت و ميشائل ليوردا از فرانسه با پيروزي بر باب بريان و مايك برايان از آمريكا به عنوان قهرماني دست يافتند.

در دو نفره زنان كارا بلاك و ليزا هوبر از زيمبابوه و افريقاي جنوبي بر كاترينا سربوتنيك واي يوگوياما از اسلووني و ژاپن غلبه كردند و صدرنشين شدند.

[abadani69]

اتحاديه تنيس بازان حرفه*اي جهان عصر دوشنبه اسامي برترين*هاي اين رشته در بخش مردان را اعلام كرد كه "روژه فدرر" سوييسي باز هم با اقتدار درصدر ايستاد.

به گزارش خبرگزاري فرانسه، فدرر كه يكشنبه*شب با برتري مقابل "رافائل نادال" اسپانيايي به پنجمين عنوان قهرماني خود در رقابت*هاي تنيس آزاد ويمبلدون انگليس دست يافت بار ديگر فاصله امتيازات خود را با ساير رقبا افزايش داد.

دراين رده*بندي، "ريچارد گاسكوئت" از فرانسه و "نواك دكوويچ" صربستاني به ترتيب با ۷و ۲پله صعود بيشترين رشد را درميان ۱۰تنيس باز برتر جهان داشتند.

اسامي ۱۰تنيس باز برتر جهان از ابتداي سالجاري ميلادي به شرح زير است:
- ۱روژه فدرر از سوييس با ۷۲۹۰امتياز
- ۲رافائل نادال از اسپانيا با ۵۲۲۵امتياز
- ۳نواك دكوويچ از صربستان با ۳۳۱۰امتياز
- ۴اندي روديك از آمريكا با ۳۲۳۰امتياز
- ۵نيكولاي داويدنكو از روسيه با ۳۱۸۵امتياز
- ۶فرناندو گونزالز از شيلي با ۲۷۸۰امتياز
- ۷ريچارد گاسكوئت از فرانسه با ۲۲۲۰امتياز
- ۸تامي روبردو از اسپانيا با ۲۲۰۰امتياز
- ۹جيمز بلاك از آمريكا با ۲۰۷۵امتياز
- ۱۰تامي برداريچ از جمهوري چك با ۲۰۴۵امتياز
فدراسيون بين*المللي تنيس همچنين اسامي برترين*هاي اين رشته در بخش زنان را اعلام كرد كه "ونوس ويليامز" آمريكايي با ۱۴پله صعود در مكان هفدهم قرار گرفت.

ويليامز شنبه*شب گذشته با غلبه بر "ماريون بارتولي" فرانسوي به مقام قهرماني رقابت*هاي تنيس زنان ويمبلدون رسيد.

اسامي ۱۰تنيس باز برتر زن جهان به شرح زير است :
- ۱ژوستين هنين از بلژيك با ۴۴۵۷امتياز
- ۲ماريا شاراپووا از روسيه با ۳۶۷۸امتياز
- ۳يلنا يانكوويچ از صربستان با ۳۲۴۱امتياز
- ۴استلانا كوزنتسوا از روسيه با ۲۹۷۸امتياز
- ۵آنا ايوانوويچ از صربستان با ۲۸۹۸امتياز
- ۶اميلي مورسمو از فرانسه با ۲۴۲۴امتياز
- ۷سره*نا ويليامز از آمريكا با ۲۳۸۰امتياز
- ۸آنا چاكوتازده از روسيه با ۲۲۲۱امتياز
- ۹ناديا پتروا از روسيه با ۲۰۰۲امتياز
- ۱۰نيكول وايدسوا از جمهوري چك با ۱۹۷۳امتياز

[abadani69]

سه تنيس باز ايراني باپيروزي برابر حريفان خود به مرحله دوم پيكارهاي بين*المللي فيوچرز تهران صعود كردند.

دراين دوره از مسابقه*ها كه در مجموعه ورزشي انقلاب تهران برگزار مي*شود، "روزبه كامران" تنيس*باز جوان كشورمان با نتيجه ۲بر صفر " احمد الربيع" نفر دوم عضو تيم ملي جام ديويس كويت را شكست داد و "فرزاد حيدري" با همين نتيجه "ژومبس" فرانسوي را پشت سر گذاشت.

"اشكان شكوفي" ديگر تنيس باز كشورمان نيز با همين نتيجه بر "نويد يوهانيگمن" تنيس باز ايراني الاصل مقيم آلمان غلبه كرد.

در ديگر ديدارها، اميد سوري با نتيجه ۲بر صفر مقابل "آدام وجملكا" از جمهوري چك تن به شكست داد، "شهاب حسني" با همين نتيجه مغلوب "روهان گاجيار" هندي شد و "محسن حسين زاده" در دو ست پياپي نتيجه را به "مرتاز ابوالخير" از مصر واگذار كرد.

"فرشاد تلاور" با نتيجه ۲بر صفر "عبدالل مقدس" از كويت شكست خورد و "بيتايو" از بلاروس با همين نتيجه مقابل رضا كوهستاني تنيس باز جوان كشورمان به پيروزي رسيد.

در مهم*ترين ديدارهاي روز چهارشنبه، "روزبه كامران" در ديداري دشوار برابر "جان استانچيك" بخت شماره دو كسب عنوان قهرماني از اسلواكي قرار مي گيرد، فرزاد حيدري به مصاف "مادكه كار" از هند مي*رود و شكوفي برابر "ايلهان" از تركيه قرار خواهد گرفت.

در اين دوره از مسابقه*ها كه در دو هفته مجزا برگزار خواهد شد، تنيس*بازان ۱۵كشور حضور دارند.

جايزه هر هفته اين پيكارها ۱۵هزار دلار است كه در پايان هر هفته به نفرات برتر اهدا خواهد شد.

"هاني الخفيف" مصري سر داوري اين دوره از مسابقه*ها را برعهده دارد.

[abadani69]

در راند اول هفته دوم رقابت*هاي بين*المللي تنيس فيوچرز تهران و بنابر قرعه اشكان شكوفي و اونوشا شاهقلي به راند دوم صعود كردند.

نتايج ديدارهاي تنيسورهاي ايراني در رقابت*هاي امروز به شرح زير است :
امير مهذب نيا ۱بيئائو ازبلاروس ۲
حميدرضاآل ياسين صفر بليك ازانگلستان ۲
فرهاد صانع صفر ابوالخير ازمصر ۲
فرشاد تلاور صفر كلمنتس مورل ازفرانسه ۲
روزبه كامران ۱سايي ازاندونزي ۲
سهيل محسني صفر كاتياروف از بلاروس ۲
اميدسوري ۱روشه ازفرانسه ۲
اشكان شكوفي ۲شاهين خالدان ۱
سعيد احمد وند صفر مادككار ازهند ۲
انوشا شاهقلي ۲مهدي احتمايي ۱
راند دوم پيكارهاي فوق امروز برگزار مي*شود و درحساسترين بازي انوشا شاهقلي به مصاف قهرمان هفته اول جان استانچيك از بلاروس مي*رود و شكوفي با عبدوالخليلكوف ازقزاقستان ديدار مي*كند.

مسابقات بين*المللي تنيس فيوچرز تهران به مدت دو هفته به ميزباني فدراسيون تنيس ايران در مجموعه ورزشي انقلاب تهران با جايزه ۳۰هزار دلار درحال برگزاري است و روزهاي پاياني خود را سپري مي*كند.

[abadani69]

"هاني الخفيف " فرستاده فدراسيون بين*المللي تنيس به تهران به عنوان ناظر و سرداور رقابت*هاي بين*المللي تنيس فيوچرز، ميزباني و سطح برگزاري اين مسابقات در تهران را مطلوب و مثبت اعلام كرد.

وي درگزارشي به فدراسيون بين*المللي تنيس باابراز رضايت ازتمامي عوامل اجرايي و برگزاري رقابتها، بهترين نمره گزارش خود را به ميزباني و سطح كمي و كيفي مسابقات فيوچرز تهران در دو هفته گذشته داد.

الخفيف پيش از ترك تهران در گفت وگو با روابط عمومي فدراسيون تنيس در خصوص سطح برگزاري مسابقات گفت: من براي چندمين بار است كه به ايران مي*آيم و از اين بابت خوشحال هستم.

وي افزود:ايران يكي ازبهترين مجموعه*هاي تنيس را دراختيارداردو مديريت و مهمان نوازي خوب ايراني*ها باعث شده كه تاكنون چندين دوره مسابقات فيوچرز قابل قبول در تهران برگزار شود.

اين سرداور مصري درخصوص تنيسورهاي ايراني گفت: مشكل شما نداشتن تجربه است و سطح تنيس ايراني*ها در صورتي به حد قابل قبول مي*رسد كه هركدام از بازيكنان آن در طول سال در مسابقات متعدد شركت كنند تا بتوانند به اوج آمادگي برسند.

دراين دوره از مسابقه*ها كه به مدت ۱۴روز درمجموعه ورزشي انقلاب تهران برگزار شد، تنيس بازاني از ايران، فرانسه، بلاروس، ازبكستان، ايتاليا، استراليا، انگليس، هندوستان، مصر، روسيه، جمهوري چك و جزاير سليمان شركت داشتند.

"هاني الخفيف" مصري سرداوري اين دوره از مسابقه*ها را برعهده داشت.

[abadani69]

The Monte Carlo clay-court tennis tournament dropped its federal suit against the ATP Tour and agreed to forgo the mandatory player commitments other top-tier events require.

The change takes effect in 2009, when the ATP unveils a new calendar. As part of a settlement announced Tuesday, Monte Carlo will keep its current mid-April spot on the calendar, and will have the same rankings points and prize money as eight other top-tier tournaments.

"This allows us to continue with development of the 2009 calendar, and the changes that we believe are necessary," ATP spokesman Kris Dent said. "It's a good outcome in that it preserves and respects Monte Carlo."

A lack of mandatory player commitments likely means a weaker field for Monte Carlo, but tournament director Zeljko Franulovic said he was satisfied with the settlement.

"In 2009, Monte Carlo will retain its top-tier status among ATP tournaments," Franulovic said in an e-mail. "We believe that this settlement will preserve and build upon Monte Carlo's cherished over-100-year tradition."

The ATP had sought to downgrade the Monte Carlo tournament, first held in 1897. It has been a part of the ATP's Masters Series since that level began in 2000.

The Masters Series, which will be dropped under the new calendar, consists of events one level below the Grand Slam tournaments.

The German Tennis Federation, seeking to block the ATP from downgrading the Hamburg Masters tournament, also filed suit in Delaware -- the ATP's corporate home. That suit remains pending.

Monte Carlo and Hamburg are part of the European clay-court season leading up to the French Open.

[abadani69]

Lilia Osterloh rebounded from a tough first set to beat second-seeded Marion Bartoli 5-7,6-4, 6-3 on Wednesday night to advance to the quarterfinals of the Bank of the West Classic.

In her fifth appearance at the event, Osterloh reached the quarters for the second time and the first in six years by beating the Wimbledon finalist.

"It's a really great feeling knowing she beat the world's No. 1 and No. 3 players," Osterloh said. "It helps my confidence a lot."

Third-seeded Daniela Hantuchova, seventh-seeded Katarina Srebotnik, and eighth-seeded Sybille Bammer also reached the quarterfinals.

Bartoli, who injured her right leg at the French Open, took a medical timeout for a right quad strain during the first set and was never able to move as well again.

"My body was just not ready to play," said Bartoli, who reached her career best ranking after her run at Wimbledon. "I'm showing signs of (exhaustion) and it will take some time to recover. She played a good match and she was just too good at the end."

Osterloh, currently ranked 106th, received a wild card to this event. She lives in San Francisco and attended Stanford, where she won the NCAA singles title in 1997. Her career best ranking is 41 and even at age 29 she feels she can improve.

"I'm shooting for top 30," she said. "I'm feeling good and I'll have my chances."

The 12th-ranked Hantuchova beat Shuai Peng, 6-4, 6-2; Srebotnik downed Maria ***ilenko 6-0, 7-6 (5); and Bammer, who will play Osterloh, topped Meilen Tu, 6-4, 6-2.

Srebotnik trailed 6-5 in the second set after a series of challenges. ***ilenko hit a backhand lob to win the game but Srebotnik rallied to the tiebreaker.

"I felt I had to lift my game down 6-5 in the second set," Srebotnik said. "Then I was strong early in the tiebreaker. She started to serve very well and made it tough for me on returns. I played well in the first set and did not make many mistakes. In the second set, she adjusted and it was a tough set."

Bammer improved her serve in the second set to eliminate Tu.

"This was a very tough match for me. I have lost to her before in Wimbledon and also in practice sessions," Bammer said. "She was playing very aggressive and I thought she took some risks at times. I have been trying to improve my fitness and play better mentally."

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Sergio Roitman upset fourth-seeded Juan Ignacio Chela 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 Thursday in the third round of the Austrian Open.

Top-seeded Tommy Robredo and defending champion Agustin Calleri advanced to the quarterfinals -- Robredo beat Igor Andreev 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (5), while Calleri defeated Diego Hartfield 7-5, 6-2.

Chela, last year's runner-up, took a 5-0 lead in the first set but then lost control of the set to let Roitman pull even at 5-5. Chela still managed to win the set, but Roitman hit 28 baseline winners to take set two and three.

"I was mentally strong. I still believed in winning after getting 5-0 behind," Roitman said.

After losing the opening set, Robredo had to rally to beat Andreev. The 14th-seeded Russian led 5-3 in the tiebreaker, but Robredo won the next four points.

Hartfield broke sixth-seeded Calleri early in the match, but Calleri did not drop his serve afterward.

Calleri will play 15th-seeded Nicolas Lapentti, who reached his eighth career quarterfinal in Kitzbuehel by downing Alexander Peya 6-4, 6-4.

Lapentti, who won the tournament in 2001, clinched victory on his fourth match point.

Also through is Ferdinand Verdasco of Spain, who beat his compatriot Nicolas Almagro 6-2, 7-6 (6).

The 11th-seeded Verdasco, a 2005 finalist in Kitzbuehel, held off two set points in the tiebreaker before clinching the match on his first match point.

Fifth-seeded Juan Monaco defeated ninth-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 6-3, holding serve throughout and controlling the match from the baseline.

Andreas Seppi defeated Fabio Fognini 7-6 (3), 7-5.

Seppi will play 10th-seeded Potito Starace, who beat Florian Mayer 4-6, 7-6 (0), 6-2.

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Top-seeded Francesca Schiavone beat Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals of the Gastein Ladies.

Schiavone, who broke serve four times in the first set, will play sixth-seeded Agnes Szavay, who beat Dominika Cibulkova 7-5, 6-0.

Szavay, who won in Palermo last week, won eight straight games after losing serving ahead 5-4 in the first set.

Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez of Spain saved three match points before beating Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (6).

Groenefeld served for the match at 5-4 in the third set and led 6-3 in the tiebreaker before Martinez Sanchez won five straight points.

Martinez Sanchez will play seventh-seeded Karin Knapp, who defeated Laura Pous Tio 7-6 (4), 6-1.

Eighth-seeded Lourdes Dominguez Lino defeated Maria Emilia Salerni 0-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3. She'll face Yvonne Meusburger, who beat Eva Birnerova 6-4, 6-1.

Also, Kaia Kanepi of Estonia beat Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-4. She now plays the 134th-ranked Renata Voracova of the Czech Republic, who beat Edina Gallovits of Romania 6-2, 6-4.

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David Ferrer of Spain reached the quarterfinals by ousting Jose Acasuso of Argentina 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2 at the Croatia Open on Thursday.

In the quarterfinals, he will face countryman and four-time Umag champion Carlos Moya -- who beat Ferrer in the final in 2002. Moya defeated qualifier Pere Riba 6-0, 6-3 in 50 minutes.

Moya, seeded sixth, won Umag in 1996, 2001, 2002 and 2003.

Moya has won all three of the matchups against Ferrer at this event.

Moya is 40-8 at this event. This is his 13th appearance here, and 11th quarterfinals appearance.

Ferrer, the highest remaining seed at No. 4, was losing 6-2, 2-0 when he smashed his racket in anger. He acknowledged later "it seemed the match was slipping out of my hands."

He calmed down, though, and saved break points at 4-4 and 5-5 in the second set before taking control from the tiebreaker.

Seventh-seeded Italian Filippo Volandri continued his excellent streak at this event -- where he has never lost before the semifinals -- by reaching the quarterfinals with a 7-6 (2), 7-5 win over Mischa Zverev of Germany.

Volandri said that with the top three seeded players out, "I see it as a great chance for another final."

He played the finals in 2003 and 2004.

He will next meet Romania's Andrei Pavel, who defeated Robin Haase of the Netherlands, 7-5, 6-4. Pavel -- at 33, the oldest player here -- ousted third-seeded Croat Ivan Ljubicic in the first round.

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Nations can field six players in women's tennis at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, an increase of two from the 2004 Games.

The International Tennis Federation and the WTA Tour announced the change Thursday after completing negotiations to again award ranking points for the competition.

The WTA rankings will be used to determine the top 56 entries in the 64-player singles draw for women. Nations can be eligible for up to four entries in singles.

WTA Tour chief executive officer Larry Scott said the agreement ensures players are "selected based on merit, which is a principle of the utmost importance and one that is consistent with the spirit of the Olympic Games."

The WTA first awarded ranking points for the Olympic tennis event in 2004. Teams can nominate a separate doubles team if one of the pair is ranked in the top 10 in doubles.

"More of the top women players will be eligible to compete in Beijing and that is good news for everyone," ITF president Francesco Ricci Bitti said.

Six of the remaining eight singles places will be selected by the ITF's Olympic Committee, taking into consideration a player's singles computer ranking and a geographic distribution of nations entered.

The remaining two places will be chosen by a committee featuring representatives from the International Olympic Committee and the ITF.

The ITF was still in negotiation with the men's tour. The ATP awarded ranking points for the 2000 and 2004 Olympic events.

Tennis will be played Aug. 10-17 in Beijing.

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Sam Querrey saved two match points before rallying for a 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (6) victory over fifth-seeded Ivo Karlovic in the Indianapolis Tennis Championships on Thursday.

The 19-year-old Querrey advanced to the quarterfinals for the third time this season. He won the final three points of the match.

"It feels good. I'm starting to get on a roll," said Querrey, who had lost six straight matches in previous tournaments before winning his first-round match on Monday.

Third-ranked Dmitry Tursunov beat fellow Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili 6-3, 0-6, 6-2 and will play Kei Nishikori of Japan in the quarters.

Nishikori, a 17-year-old amateur qualifier playing in just his second ATP tournament, defeated Michael Berrer of Germany 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.

"Unbelievable," Nishikori said. "Did I expect to reach the quarterfinals? No. My serve is getting better. Everything is good."

Querrey finished with 14 aces.

"Any time you win a big match, it builds your confidence," he said. "Hopefully, in the next round, I'll play even better."

Querrey is scheduled to play the winner of Thursday night's match between defending champion James Blake and qualifier Ricardo Mello of Brazil.

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Dmitry Tursunov felt validated following his 6-4, 7-5 victory over Frank Dancevic in the final of the Indianapolis Tennis Championships on Sunday.

Tursunov, ranked 27th in the world and seeded third, said his second career ATP title proves his first at Mumbai in 2006 was legitimate.

"It just kind of showed that it's not a fluke," said the 24-year-old Russian, who was competing in his first ATP final of the year.

Tursunov reminded himself not to overlook the unseeded Dancevic, who had never reached the quarterfinals on the ATP circuit before the Indianapolis Tennis Championships.

"I thought to myself, 'Well, he is an underdog, but there must be a reason why I'm ranked 27th,"' Tursunov said. "I know I'm a good player and I know I can win those matches."

Dancevic was looking to pull off his second major upset in as many days. At Saturday's semifinals, the Canadian beat world No. 5 and top-seed Andy Roddick 6-4, 7-6 (1).

But Dancevic, ranked 109th in the world, said his inexperience playing deep into tournaments may have played a factor in Sunday's loss.

"I felt a little bit of nerves going out," he said. "There's always a start -- a first time in the finals. Hopefully, there will be many more to come in the future."

Despite losing, the 22-year-old is likely to enter the Top 100 in the rankings. He became the first Canadian to play an ATP final since Greg Rusedski at Seoul, South Korea, in 1995.

"I gained a lot of confidence believing I can play with these guys," Dancevic said.

Tursunov, who beat American Sam Querrey in the semifinals, didn't face a seeded player on his way to the championship. He received the first-place prize of $73,000, while Dancevic was awarded $42,800.

"I was pleased I got the job done," Tursunov said. "A few years ago, I probably would have been losing my composure out there. Today, it was a completely different story."

In Sunday's doubles final, Juan Martin del Potro and Travis Parrott beat Teimuraz Gabashvili and Ivo Karlovic 3-6, 6-2, 10-6.