Face Of The Day

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Dinara Safina of Russia celebrates a point against Samantha Stosur of Australia during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 14, 2011 in Indian Wells, California.

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Men's Singles - Third Round

[1] R Nadal (ESP) d [Q] R Sweeting (USA) 63 61
[32] P Kohlschreiber (GER) d [4] R Soderling (SWE) 76(8) 64
[21] S Querrey (USA) d [9] F Verdasco (ESP) 75 64
[23] A Montanes (ESP) d [11] N Almagro (ESP) 46 62 64
J Del Potro (ARG) d [20] A Dolgopolov (UKR) 76(3) 63
[25] T Robredo (ESP) d [Q] D Young (USA) 60 64
I Karlovic (CRO) d [28] G Simon (FRA) 63 63
[Q] S Devvarman (IND) d X Malisse (BEL) 61 36 76(5)

Men's Doubles - Second Round
L Dlouhy (CZE) / P Hanley (AUS) d [5] J Melzer (AUT) / P Petzschner (GER) 67(1) 76(6) 12-10
N Djokovic (SRB) / V Troicki (SRB) d [7] L Kubot (POL) / O Marach (AUT) 62 46 10-7
R Federer (SUI) / S Wawrinka (SUI) d J Benneteau (FRA) / R Gasquet (FRA) 63 46 12-10

Women's Singles - Third Round
(1) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) d. (28) María José Martínez Sánchez (ESP) 61 63
Dinara Safina (RUS) d. (4) Samantha Stosur (AUS) 76(2) 64
(8) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) d. Urszula Radwanska (POL) 76(3) 63
(9) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) d. (24) Maria Kirilenko (RUS) 60 26 75
(22) Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) d. (13) Flavia Pennetta (ITA) 63 64
(16) Maria Sharapova (RUS) d. (20) Aravane Rezai (FRA) 62 62
(18) Nadia Petrova (RUS) d. (WC) Christina McHale (USA) 36 64 62
Peng Shuai (CHN) d. (Q) Lucie Hradecka (CZE) 63 46 75

Women's Doubles - Second Round
Mirza/Vesnina (IND/RUS) d. (7) Benesova/Zahlavova Strycova (CZE/CZE) 62 63
Jans/Rosolska (POL/POL) d. Chuang/Dulgheru (TPE/ROU) 61 46 10-5

Djokovic Dominates Murray To Win Australian Open

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More exhibition than Grand Slam final. Andy Murray competed for about half of the first set, but once Novak Djokovic took it on a break of serve, the match was all but over. Even with a minor lapse in the second set when Djokovic slapped a forehand long on a set point to deliver a bagel followed by a loose game to drop serve, he was never in any trouble. 6-4, 6-2, 6-3.

It's been a long time since a women's final eclipsed a men's final for overall quality, drama, and competitiveness, but here we are. Both finals featured the same number of games, but Li Na, despite losing her focus, still played with some passion and fight.

Murray, on the other hand, becomes the first player in the Open Era to lose nine consecutive sets in Slam finals. I'm not going to say it again, but you can no longer consider me a fool for believing it. (For the record, Dinara Safina has also contested three Slam finals without winning a set...) Some of the pundits are now beginning to wonder if we should be talking about the Big Three instead of the Big Four.

Humph.

Djokovic has taken his game to a new level. Focused, precise, efficient. And what incredible defense to offense. There were a few points where I felt like I was watching Serena Williams in full flight. He admitted that winning Davis Cup was a strong wind in his back, and he delivered in spades.

Am I becoming a fan? Maybe. Maybe not. Not sure I can get over a lot of his history, but what I do admire is that he didn't let the premature expectations of being the "Future of Tennis" derail him. (He also proved me wrong. He stopped tanking and talking shit, showing far more respect for the sport.) He slumped. He recovered. He regrouped. He improved. That takes an inner toughness not always seen in the upper echelons of tennis.

And he can play on clay. While no one touts him as the next man capable of winning four Slams in a row, not yet anyhow, wouldn't it be interesting if he found a way to win Roland Garros this spring?


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WIMBLEDON 2010: Women's Semifinals Preview

BY Mad Professah

Here are my predictions for the women's semifinals at the Wimbledon Championships for 2010. This Wimbledon is very special for me, because it will be one where I will finally visit the All-England Tennis Club for the first time.

I previously predicted the women's quarterfinals and was right in 2 of 4 matches.

Serena Williams USA (1) vs Petra Kvitova CZE. This match could be trickier than it looks on paper. Although I predicted this match up, not playing her best tennis and experiencing movement difficulties. The two have played once before, in the second round of this year's Australian Open, with Serena winning a straight sets match which was closer than the 6-1 6-2 scoreline. Kvitova is a lefty, and has a good serve and powerful groundstrokes. She's also a good mover. But with Serena serving up an average of a dozen aces per match, she is practically unbeatable. This match will be closer, but the end result will be the same, with Serena Williams the overwhelming favorite to reach her third consecutive Wimbledon Ladies' final and win her fourth Wimbledon singles title.
PREDICTION: Serena in 2 sets.

Venus Williams USA (2) Tsvetana Pironkova BUL vs. Vera Zvonareva RUS (21).One of the most stunning upsets in Wimbledon history occurred earlier this week when 5-time Wimbledon champion lost in straight sets to the unheralded Bulgarian. Pironkova is dangerous, with tricky spin and deceptive power, but clearly she can be overpowered. Venus hit 29 unforced errors in 17 games of tennis (but she also hit 22 winners). The problem was with her feet, which got her to balls late (or early) causing her to hit them feet out of the court. Zvonareva has long been one of my favorites (so is Kuznetsova) but there's no question that she's a headcase. Getting through a 3-set slugfest with Kim Clijsters was an excellent result for the Russian. It's possible that Venus' loss today and Clijsters' win yesterday were the bigger factors in the Belgian's defeat in the quarterfinal. The two have played once before, last year on hard courts in Moscow after Zvonareva had been out for months with a tn ankle injury and Pironkova won easily in straight sets. That will not be the case this time. Zvonareva deserves to win this match and I believe she will. PREDICTION: Zvonareva in 3 sets.

Day 3: Moving

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I feel for Dinara Safina. I know. I know. I'm not a fan and some have suggested I've said insensitive things about her. I disagree with the latter, but it's not nice to watch a player struggle as she has struggled in recent months. She's been haunted by a back injury and mental frailty. She can't serve. She's in the running for the most undeserved No. 1 player in the world in the Open Era and she knows it.

Today she fought like she always fights, but she couldn't hold on. Spirit willing. Flesh weak.

She collapsed.

The two-time defending runner-up was ousted in the first round. Her ranking will drop like an anchor. It was tough to watch.

Juxtaposed to the Russian tragedy, a Japanese veteran added another historical chapter to a remarkable story. Kimiko Date Krumm, 39-years-old and nursing a leg injury, hung around until Safina broke down and then fought her own way to victory.

The second oldest player to ever win a match at Roland Garros.

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The pure joy she, her husband, and her supporters displayed after the war made it appear as though she'd just won the whole Slam.

It was as moving as Safina's unraveling, just in a different direction.

This is tennis.

KarenFed brings us some highlights for the day.

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How can you tell when a major is rounding into form? Most fans start missing their alarm clocks and start pulling the covers a little tighter. It is only day 3 but already my internal body clock is telling me when to get up and when not to. However, I did get up and this is what I caught today:

First match up on Centre Court was 4-time Roland Garros champion Justine Henin going up against Tsvetana Pironkova. I caught this match in the second set. Justine won in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3 but I got the feeling that against a stronger opponent who was more forceful off the ground and who was able to hold serve and break serve, the outcome perhaps would still be the same or we would have had a 3 set match. As it was, Pironkova played well and has nothing to be ashamed of in my view.

Nicolas Mahut vs. Mischa Zverev - I have seen many discussions on message boards that talk up Mischa Zverev. I have to say that I have been quite disappointed about his performances each time that I have seen him play. Mahut, who is not known for his clay court prowess, but rather for his formidable grass court skills, served and volleyed his way to a straight set 6-1, 6-2 and 6-4 victory over Zverev.

Vania King v. Bethanie Mattek-Sands. Mattek-Sands can play on clay and Vania King was tired. Mattek-Sands won in straight sets 6-2. 6-2. Vania King is coming off a brutal clay court season which saw her reaching the semifinals in singles at Strasbourg and the finals in doubles at the same event. She has played a lot of tennis this clay court season. Mattek-Sands came into the main draw as a lucky loser. She is nursing a sore ankle but is still in the doubles.

Sam Querrey v. Robbi Ginepri. I read a recent interview by John Isner where he said that he and Sam Querrey had been talking to their fellow US colleagues about the USA’s performance during the clay court season. He said that they should really change the perception that Americans cannot play on clay. It was against this background that I was quite disappointed at Querrey’s performance during this match and even moreso by his comments afterwards. To pull out of doubles at a Grand Slam and leave your partner high and dry just because you are not feeling it is a disservice to your sport as well as to your colleagues. Querrey has been acting up lately. He has posted some really unfortunate comments on Twitter and his press conferences and on-court demeanor leaves a lot to be desired. I wish he would make up his mind whether he wants to play tennis or not. Robbi had a well earned victory in 4 sets. The final score line was 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-3, 6-2.

Yanina Wickmayer vs. Sandra Zahlovova. The thing that struck me about this match. The noise. Awful, ear splitting shrieking disgusting noise from both women as they not only attempted to hit the fuzz off the ball but also attempted to deafen the spectators both at home and on the grounds with the ear splitting grunts and groans. It was awful. Wickmayer won in straight sets, 1 and 1.

Juan Carlos Ferrero vs. Pablo Cuevas. I admit that I expected more from this match than I got. I have never seen Cuevas play and thought he would give Ferrero a nice run. No such luck. Ferrero advanced in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3 and 6-1.

Rafael Nadal v. Gianna Mina. Nadal opened his account at Roland Garros by playing his first match on Suzanne Lenglen court. As usual he played to a packed house. Before I describe the match, Nadal’s team will have to let him know that for some reason he has a love/hate relationship going with the crowds in Paris. Today, as he is wont to do, he kept the umpire and his opponent waiting while he went through his pre-match rituals. The crowd did not like it and they made him aware of it. Judging by his reaction, I think Nadal was as surprised as I was by this. On to the match. There is really nothing left to say about Nadal on a clay court. He did not play well. He had a feisty opponent and a crowd that was 100% behind him. He had his chances on 9 occasions on Nadal’s serve but could not capitalize. Nadal was dropping his forehand short and he made quite a few unforced errors. I expect as the tournament progresses and barring any unforeseen circumstances, Nadal will get better. The final score line of 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 speaks to exactly what happened.

Match of the day

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Andy Roddick did the impossible. He came back from 2 sets to 1 down against Jarrko Niemenen on Centre Court. The only thing is this Centre Court was not Wimbledon or the US Open or any other surface on which one would expect Roddick to do well. He came back from 2 sets to 1 down on Court Philippe Chartier. The final score of 6-2, 4-6, 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-3 speaks clearly to how the match went. There were ebbs and flows. There were moments of excellent play and moments when both men despaired because their ground strokes abandoned them. It was a wonderful match to watch and I really enjoyed it.

Doubles

Mlle Williams and Mlle Williams opened their account in doubles today against Tamarine Tanasugarn and Kirsten Flipkens. Their opponents won 1 game. It was brutal. Venus is playing very well. The crowd was 6 deep for this doubles match and was the only doubles match on a show court.

Face Of The Day

AP

Dinara Safina of Russia reacts as she leaves the court after being beaten by Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic 7-6, 7-6 at the Madrid Open Tennis Tournament in Madrid, Monday May 10, 2010.

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Women's Singles - Second Round
(1) Serena Williams (USA) d. Vera Dushevina (RUS) 67(2) 76(5) 76(5)
(4) Venus Williams (USA) d. Vera Zvonareva (RUS) 75 63
(15) Francesca Schiavone (ITA) d. (WC) Sybille Bammer (AUT) 62 61

Women's Singles - First Round
(2) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) d. (Q) Petra Kvitova (CZE) 64 62
(Q) Klara Zakopalova (CZE) d. (3) Dinara Safina (RUS) 76(1) 76(3)
(8) Samantha Stosur (AUS) d. Gisela Dulko (ARG) 76(3) 75
(WC) Peng Shuai (CHN) d. (10) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 30 ret. (right thigh strain)
(13) Li Na (CHN) d. (Q) Beatriz García Vidagany (ESP) 60 62
(14) Flavia Pennetta (ITA) d. Sorana Cirstea (ROU) 61 16 61
(16) Nadia Petrova (RUS) d. Elena Vesnina (RUS) 46 62 63
Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) d. (Q) Akgul Amanmuradova (UZB) 63 62
Patty Schnyder (SUI) d. Agnes Szavay (HUN) 52 ret. (right thigh injury)
Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) d. Zheng Jie (CHN) 36 63 62
(WC) Arantxa Parra Santonja (ESP) d. (WC) Virginia Ruano Pascual (ESP) 63 62

Women's Doubles - First Round
(7) Mattek-Sands/Yan (USA/CHN) d. Benesova/Zahlavova Strycova (CZE/CZE) 67(6) 62 10-1
Kirilenko/Radwanska (RUS/POL) d. Dushevina/Makarova (RUS/RUS) 63 62
Peer/Schiavone (ISR/ITA) d. Garbin/Kops-Jones (ITA/USA) 61 62
Rosolska/Shvedova (POL/KAZ) d. Cirstea/Peng (ROU/CHN) 60 63

Men's Singles - First Round
[12] G Monfils (FRA) d S Robert (FRA) 62 75
B Becker (GER) d [WC] C Moya (ESP) 60 62
L Mayer (ARG) d J Benneteau (FRA) 67(9) 75 64
F Lopez (ESP) d L Kubot (POL) 63 63
J Melzer (AUT) d [Q] K Anderson (RSA) 62 26 64
N Almagro (ESP) d V Troicki (SRB) 61 76(3)
[Q] S Giraldo (COL) d P Kohlschreiber (GER) 16 62 63
[Q] O Dolgopolov Jr. (UKR) d A Seppi (ITA) 63 64

Men's Doubles - First Round
M Fish (USA) / M Knowles (BAH) d [WC] D Gimeno-Traver (ESP) / I Navarro (ESP) 63 61

Australian Open 2010 Day 7 Open Thread

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Week two begins. For my money, the Round of 16 at a Slam is the toughest match to win if you haven't been this way before. For the eventual champion, it's the middle match. You win, you become one of the Final Eight and will always be referred to as a Grand Slam quarterfinalist. If you don't, you have to "settle" for the honorable distinction of making the second week of a Slam.

Interestingly, in the bottom half of both draws only one player, Alona Bondarenko, makes her debut in week two and only two players, John Isner and Maria Kirilenko, have never been past the last 16. Both are making their second appearance in this round. Isner made his first appearance at last year's US Open with his upset of a broken-spirited Andy Roddick in a third-set breaker. Kirilenko made her major debut in week two right here two years ago, upsetting then-ranked Top 10-er Anna Chakvetadze in three. Do they have another upset in them? Can Bondarenko continue her fine form and win her first fourth round match on her first try against the gritty Chinese player?

For me, the most intriguing matches of the day are the battle of the Belgians, the battle of the Larry Stefanki charges, and the battle of the Giants.

I get a sense that Yanina Wickmayer doesn't particularly care for Justine Henin and has the hard flat shots that can keep Henin pinned behind the baseline looping slices into the short court. Both are exhausted, so the one who wants it the most will outlast the other. That would be Henin. Two tight sets. Then again, Wickmayer relishes Kim Clijsters and doesn't particularly care for Henin, so....

This is the first encounter between Roddick and Fernando González since the American stole the Chilean's coach. Roddick leads their head-to-head 8-3, but the Chilean fans in Melbourne are an excited bunch and lifted González over the finish line in his third-round war. We saw how tentatively Roddick played against an opponent he owned in his last match, so I expect much of the same. If Gonzo isn't missing, it's going to be a rough night for Koala Andy. Then again, no one thrives more in the night-match atmosphere than the sailor-mouthed American. It could be a straight-set beatdown, or a five-set epic. I ain't calling it.

The Giant Croat and the Giant Argentinean have only played twice, both times in Slams, including a meeting in the same round here last year and in the quarterfinals of the US Open last year. Both times, Juan Martín del Potro beat Marin Cilic in four sets. I think the Tower of Tandil will make it 3-for-3, tennis elbow notwithstanding.

For the rest, I'm going with Andy Murray in four, Rafael Nadal in four, Zheng in straights or Bondarenko in three (wimpy, I know), Nadia Petrova in two or Svetlana Kuznetsova in three (and again - but we're talking Russian headcases here!), and Dinara Safina in a rout.

Who you got?

Order Of Play For Sunday, 24 January 2010

Rod Laver Arena 11:00 Start Time

1. Men's Singles - 4th Round
Andy Murray (GBR)[5] v. John Isner (USA)[33]
2. Men's Singles - 4th Round
Ivo Karlovic (CRO) v. Rafael Nadal (ESP)[2]

Rod Laver Arena 19:00 Start Time

1. Women's Singles - 4th Round
Justine Henin (BEL) v. Yanina Wickmayer (BEL)
2. Men's Singles - 4th Round
Andy Roddick (USA)[7] v. Fernando Gonzalez (CHI)[11]

Hisense Arena 11:00 Start Time

1. Women's Singles - 4th Round
Alona Bondarenko (UKR)[31] v. Jie Zheng (CHN)
Not Before:12:30
2. Women's Singles - 4th Round
Nadia Petrova (RUS)[19] v. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)[3]
3. Men's Singles - 4th Round
Marin Cilic (CRO)[14] v. Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG)[4]
Not Before:15:00
4. Women's Singles - 4th Round
Maria Kirilenko (RUS) v. Dinara Safina (RUS)[2]
This match may be moved to Rod Laver Arena.

Best (Women's) Matches of 2009

After a year's hiatus in 2008, MadProfessah's list of the Best Tennis Matches of the Year has returned, this time, twice as long! You can still see that inaugural post, the Best Women's Matches of 2007.

Here are the most memorable tennis matches by women in 2009:

1. S. Williams USA d. E. Dementieva RUS, 6-7(4) 7-5 8-6,Wimbledon Championships semifinal, London.

Unanimously recognized as the best match of 2009 by competitors, fans and commentators, the semifinal showdown between Elena Dementieva and Serena Williams was the pivotal moment in the most important tournament of the year. The Russian was popularly regarded as having the most powerful ground strokes of any player on tour but also one of the weakest serves. Serena, of course, is well-known for having the best serve of any player on the WTA Tour and is also very powerful on both wings. Even so, few expected the battle royale which resulted with Dementieva holding a match point at 7-6(4), 5-4 which Serena saved after an extended rally ending with an error by the Russian. Despite the disappointment of not winning the match in the second set, Dementieva was able to exhibit incredible mental fortitude by extending the match to a record 2 hours and 49 minutes, the longest women's semifinal in Open tennis history. But Serena was able to prevail and it was this match which demonstrated that no one was going to be able to stop her from winning her 3rd career Wimbledon title, not even her sister, the best grass court player of her generation.

2. S. Williams USA d. D. Safina RUS, 6-0 6-3, Australian Open final, Melbourne.

None of the 2009 Grand Slam finals were stellar matches, but Serena Williams' dismantling of the World #1 player in the final of the Australian Open was still noteworthy. Although not as devastating as the incredible beatdown of Maria Sharapova Serena displayed in the 2007 final (in that match Sharapova was not playing badly but there's absolutely no one who could have beaten Serena the way she was playing that day), the 2009 final still ended up with a similar result: the humiliating defeat of the Russian player in the final of the Australian Open. It was Serena's 10th major title and her second consecutive Grand Slam title in a row.

3. S. Kuznetsova RUS d. S. Williams USA, 7-6(3) 5-7 7-5, Roland Garros quarterfinal, Paris.

It was clear at the outset that the person who won this match would go on to win the French Open title. The surprising aspect of this match was that the person who exhibited the superior mental toughness was Svetlana Kuznetsova, not 10-time major champion Serena Williams. Kuznetsova faced a set point in the first set but won that point and ended up winning the first set in a tiebreak. In the second set Kuznetsova held a significant lead at 5-3 and was 3 points from victory but ended up losing 4 consecutive games to lose the second set. Serena was up a break and had a lead of 3-1 in the decisive set when things fell apart and she never held a lead again. As Serena said, "It was like, 'Here, do you want to go to the semis? Because I don't.' She was like, 'OK.'" The win was a huge boost for the Russian, who Serena had beaten to win the first major of the year, and Kuznetsova went on to win the second major of the year and her second career major title.

4. C. Wozniacki DEN d. S. Kuznetsova RUS, 2-6 7-6(5) 7-6(3), U.S. Open 4th Round, New York City.

The teenaged sensation had made a name for herself on the tour all year long but it was only at the final major of the year that the Danish player made her major breakthrough to defeat 2-time major champion Svetlana Kuznetsova. The Russian was dominating in the first set, firing on all cylinders and simply overwhelming the youngster with her forehand and backhand. However, in the second set Kuznetsova started to make more errors and Wozniacki improved her retrieving abilities, often making the Russian hit two or three attempted winners to try to win the point, eventually leading to an overhit error. Eventually the second set was won by Wozniacki due to at most two points that could have gone either way. In the third set both players held and consolidated breaks of service but, surprisingly, it was the more inexperienced player who ended the match the victor. Wozniacki would go on to reach her first career Grand Slam final and end the year ensconced in the Top 5.

5. V. Williams USA d. D. Safina RUS, 6-1 6-0, Wimbledon semifinal, London.

Venus Williams humiliated the world #1 by delivering the worst thrashing in a Grand Slam to a top-seeded player ever and one of the most lopsided scores in a grand slam semifinal in the Open era. For the third time in the third major of the year, Safina's mental infirmities overwhelmed her not insubstantial strengths as a player but this time the meltdown occurred in a semifinal and not a final. Strangely, none of the supreme confidence and expert shotmaking Venus displayed in this match were apparent in the final against her sister the next day. Then again, it's easier to look good when your opponent is busy trying to look so awful.

6. M. Oudin USA d. M. Sharapova RUS, 1-6 7-6(3) 6-3, U.S. Open 3rd Round, New York.

Melanie Oudin is the third highest-ranked American player after the Williams sister who made a name for herself by dismissing former World #1 Jelena Jankovic in the fourth round of Wimbledon. She is nearly a full foot shorter than the statuesque 3-time major champion Maria Sharapova. However, despite losing the first set easily, Oudin never seemed to panic or feel that she was unable to win the match despite the stark difference not only between the two player's heights but the difference in their levels of success on the WTA tour. Oudin was aided by Sharapova's wobbly serve--the Russian former #1 double-faulted 21 times, the most of any player in a WTA tour match all year. The American also had a very partisan and rowdy New York City crowd behind her who never gave up on the diminutive American despite Sharapova's service-break lead in the final set. The 17-year-old became the youngest American semifinalist at the U.S. Open since Serena Williams nearly 10 years before on her way to winning the first of her 11 major titles.

7. S. Williams USA d. V. Williams USA, 7-6(2) 6-2, Wimbledon Championships final, London.

It's not often the Wimbledon final doesn't make into the Top 5 Best Matches of the Year but 2009 was that kind of year (on the Women's side). For the fifth time of the decade (and second consecutive year) the Williams sisters would face each other in the Wimbledon final. At the time, Venus was widely regarded as the finest grass court player of her generation with 5 titles and Serena was the current defending champion of two of the four majors and is clearly the best player of the decade. Unfortunately (as usual) the showdown did not live up to its potential. Venus demolished her semifinal opponent without breaking a sweat the round before and was never seriously challenged in London until the final. Serena got through the match of the year by defeating Elena Dementieva in an incredible match that lasted nearly 3 hours. However, in the final it was Venus who seemed the less physically present, and Serena was definitely the more mentally focused, thus leading to the relatively lopsided score after the relatively close first set, which was filled with deep powerful hitting and incredible ball retrieval by both players.

8. C. Wozniacki DEN d. V. Azarenka BLR, 1-6 6-4 7-5, Sony Ericsson Championships round-robin, Doha.

In the last tournament of the year, the young Caroline Wozniacki met the young Victoria Azarenka for the third time in 2009, having lost both matches played against the feisty Belorussian . After losing the first game of the match, Azarenka won 6 games in a row to take the first set. The second set featured an amazing 14-deuce fifth game and lasted almost 80 minutes, nearly half the duration of the entire match. Despite losing the second set, Azarenka served for the match at 5-3 in the deciding set but only had a match point on Wozniacki's serve at 4-5 but made an error to even the match at 5-all in the third. Eventually Wozniacki broke to go up 6-5 and won the match on a service winner. Azarenka and Wozniacki will most likely be rivals for many major titles well into the future.

9. K. Clijsters BEL d.V. Williams USA, 6-0 0-6 6-4, U.S Open 4th Round, New York City.

The first two sets of this highly anticipated match-up between the beloved mother of Jada and the 7-time Grand Slam champion were the two most lopsided sets of tennis of the year, with Clijsters starting off hot and Venus Williams committing error after error followed by a set where Williams settled down and started painting the lines with successive winners despite the Belgian's legendary flexibility. This match was a canonical example of "Big Babe Tennis" with both players banging away from the baseline, impressing the audience with huge serves, blistering groundstrokes and powerful athleticism. In the end, Clijsters' superior control was the edge that gave her the victory.

10. F. Pennetta ITA d. V. Zvonareva RUS, 3-6 7-6(8) 6-0, U.S. Open 4th Round, New York City.

Flavia Pennetta became the first Italian women to reach the Top 10 in August 2009 a few weeks before this classic showdown with the always combustible Russian Vera Zvonareva in the 4th Round of the U.S. Open. In the second set, Pennetta saved no less than SIX match points, several with winners on her racquet and ended up winning the middle set. Zvonareva was so mentally frazzled by this result that she failed to win a single game and lost the deciding set 6-0. An incredibly memorable result for the popular Italian.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Here are some honorable mentions for memorable matches of the year by women

D. Safina RUS d. A. Mauresmo, 4-6 6-3 6-4, Wimbledon 3rd Round.
S. Williams USA d. S. Kuznetsova RUS, 5-7 7-5 6-1, Australian Open quarterfinal.
J. Dokic AUS d. A. Kleybanova USA, 7-5 5-7 8-6, Australian Open 4th Round.
M. Oudin USA d. J. Jankovic SRB, 6-7(8) 7-5 6-2, Wimbledon 3rd Round.
C. Suarez Navarro ESP d. V. Williams USA, 2-6 6-3 7-5, Australian Open 2nd Round
K. Clijsters BEL d. S. Williams USA, 6-4 7-5, U.S. Open semifinal.
K. Clijsters BEL d. C. Wozniacki DEN, 7-5 6-3, U.S. Open final.
M. Oudin USA d. N. Petrova RUS, 1-6 7-6(2) 6-3, U.S. Open 4th Round.
V. Williams USA d. S. Williams USA, 6-1 2-6 7-6(3), Dubai Championships semifinal.
V. Azarena BLR d. S. Williams USA, 6-3 6-1, Sony Ericsson Open final.
S. Williams USA d. V. Williams USA, 6-2 7-6(4), Sony Ericsson Championship semifinal.

Doha Open Thread

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Singles - Final
(2) Serena Williams (USA) d. (7) Venus Williams (USA) 62 76(4)

Doubles - Final
(4) Llagostera Vives/Martínez Sánchez (ESP/ESP) d. (1) Black/Huber (ZIM/USA) 63 46 10-7

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Singles - Semifinals
(2) Serena Williams (USA) d. (4) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 64 01 ret. (left abdominal strain)
(7) Venus Williams (USA) d. (8) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) 57 63 64

Doubles - Semifinals
(1) Black/Huber (ZIM/USA) d. (3) Stosur/Stubbs (AUS/AUS) 36 76(3) 10-8
(4) Llagostera Vives/Martínez Sánchez (ESP/ESP) d. (2) Williams/Williams(USA/USA) 26 64 10-8

Friday, October 30, 2009

White Group
(8) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) d. (4) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 62 62
(10) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) d. (6) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 46 75 41 ret. (cramping)

Maroon Group
(3) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) d. (5) Elena Dementieva (RUS) 63 62


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Sony Ericsson WTA CEO Stacey Allaster and Elena Dementieva of Russia pose for photographers after Dementieva was presented the ACES award during the Sony Ericsson WTA Championships at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex on October 29, 2009 in Doha, Qatar.


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Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark cries with the pain from cramp in her leg as she celebrates match point against Vera Zvonareva of Russia in their round robin match during the Sony Ericsson Championships at the Khalifa Tennis and Squash Complex on October 29, 2009 in Doha, Qatar.


Reuters

Venus Williams of the U.S hits a return to Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia during their WTA Tour Championships tennis match in Doha October 29, 2009.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

White Group
(4) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) d. (9) Vera Zvonareva (RUS) 60 67(3) 64

Maroon Grouup
(2) Serena Williams (USA) d. (5) Elena Dementieva (RUS) 62 64
(7) Venus Williams (USA) d. (3) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 62 67(3) 64

::


AP

Serena Williams of the United States reacts during her singles match against sister Venus Williams of the United States at the WTA Tennis Championships, in Doha, Qatar Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009.

AP

A cat runs across the court during the match between Venus and Serena Williams of the United States at the WTA Tennis Championships, in Doha, Qatar Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009.

Getty

Dinara Safina of Russia fields questions from the media after retiring from her match against Jelena Jankovic of Serbia, and the tournament, due to injury in her first match in round robin play during the Sony Ericsson WTA Championships at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex on October 28, 2009 in Doha, Qatar.


Getty

Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark is congratulated by her father Piotr Wozniacki after match point against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in their round robin match during the Sony Ericsson Championships at the Khalifa Tennis and Squash Complex on October 28, 2009 in Doha, Qatar.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

White Group
(8) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) d. (1) Dinara Safina (RUS) 11 ret. (low back injury)
(4) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) d. (6) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 16 64 75

Maroon Group
(2) Serena Williams (USA) d. (7) Venus Williams (USA) 57 64 76(4) (saved 1 M.P.)

::

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

White Group
(6) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) d. (8) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) 62 63

Maroon Group
(2) Serena Williams (USA) d. (3) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 76(6) 75
(5) Elena Dementieva (RUS) d. (7) Venus Williams (USA) 36 76(6) 62

::



Reuters

Jelena Jankovic of Serbia, Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, Serena Williams of the U.S. , Dinara Safina of Russia, Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia, Elena Dementieva of Russia and Venus Williams of the U.S. (L-R) pose for a picture during the draw for the WTA Tour Championships at the Museum of Islamic Art conference centre in Doha October 25, 2009. The tournament will take place in Doha from October 26 to November 1.

::

White Group
Dinara Safina
Caroline Wozniacki
Victoria Azarenka
Jelena Jankovic

Maroon Group
Serena Williams
Svetlana Kuznetsova
Elena Dementieva
Venus Williams

I suppose it's merely coincidence that the white group includes two of the propagandists' darlings and a No. 1 seed given an advantage, yet again, by an establishment uninterested in credibility, while the maroon group features the veterans and the women of color. And, of course, the players with championship resumes.

Are people still going to drive by and insist that these draws are purely random just because they're performed in public?

I suppose I'll cover the event here. But I'm not making any promises. When the establishment of the sport I loves stares me in the face and calls me stupid, I tend to become preoccupied with other things.

Maybe one of our front-page contributors will do the honors (hint, hint), and take our readers through all the action in Doha.

Or, how about a regular commenter? Send an email to craighickmanontennis at gmail dot com if you're interested.

I've got to get back out into the field. Way-too-early frost, family visits, more B&B guests and catering gigs than I ever have this time of the year has thrown me for so many loops, I'm all discombobulated of late. The ground is already beginning to freeze, and I haven't even started planting bulbs for next spring.

Serena Clinches No. 1

DOHA, Oct 28 (Reuters) - American Serena Williams will end the year as world number one for the first time since 2002 after Dinara Safina withdrew from the WTA Championships with a back injury on Wednesday.

Williams, who began the elite year-ending tournament 155 points behind the Russian in the rankings, won her opening match on Tuesday against Svetlana Kuznetsova, guaranteeing enough ranking points to overtake Safina even if she lost her remaining contests here.

With each victory in the round-robin phase at the $4.5 million tournament earning 230 points, Safina began her first group match against Jelena Jankovic 75 points adrift.

She earned 70 points just for taking to the court against Jankovic but was forced to retire after just two games clutching her lower back before announcing in a news conference that she would take no further part in the tournament.

Like Autumn Leaves...

... the top seeds fall in Tokyo. The world No. 1 Dinara Safina is out. The No. 2 seed Venus Williams, out. The No. 5 seed and Roland Garros champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, out. All of them to qualifiers.

Who will take advantage of such bare, bare branches?

::


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Chang Kai-chen of Taiwan reacts with joy just after defeating world number one player Dinara Safina of Russia during their second round match at the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo on September 28, 2009. Chang defeated Safina 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 7-5.

::

TORAY PAN PACIFIC OPEN

Singles - Second Round
(Q) Chang Kai-Chen (TPE) d. (1/WC) Dinara Safina (RUS) 76(5) 46 75
(Q) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) d. (2) Venus Williams (USA) 76(6) 75
(Q) Andrea Petkovic (GER) d. (5) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 75 46 63

Singles - First Round
(11) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) d. Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) 75 63
(12) Samantha Stosur (AUS) d. (Q) Alexa Glatch (USA) 75 60
(13) Nadia Petrova (RUS) d. (WC) Ai Sugiyama (JPN) 60 21 ret. (GI illness)
(14) Marion Bartoli (FRA) d. Sorana Cirstea (ROU) 63 60
Iveta Benesova (CZE) d. (16) Virginie Razzano (FRA) 36 76(5) 60
Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) d. (Q) Jill Craybas (USA) 63 63
Maria Sharapova (RUS) d. Francesca Schiavone (ITA) 46 75 61
Zheng Jie (CHN) d. (Q) Sania Mirza (IND) 57 62 63
Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN) d. (WC) Kimiko Date Krumm (JPN) 57 76(2) 64
Vera Dushevina (RUS) d. Alona Bondarenko (UKR) 16 75 61
Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) d. (Q) Urszula Radwanska (POL) 64 64
Peng Shuai (CHN) d. Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) 63 63
(Q) Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR) d. Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER) 63 61

::

PTT Thailand Open

Singles - First Round
[8] J Isner (USA) d [WC] K Wachiramanowong (THA) 63 36 76(5)
T Bellucci (BRA) d G Garcia-Lopez (ESP) 64 76(7)

Doubles - First Round
M Safin (RUS) / G Simon (FRA) d [4] J Coetzee (RSA) / R de Voest (RSA) 64 67(3) 10-4
B Becker (GER) / L Mayer (ARG) d [WC] S Ratiwatana (THA) / S Ratiwatana (THA) 63 26 10-3

::
Proton Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur 2009

Singles - First Round
[Q] B Evans (USA) d [Q] M Yani (USA) 63 64
[WC] T Dent (USA) d A Golubev (KAZ) 46 63 76(4)
[WC] M Baghdatis (CYP) d Y Lu (TPE) 46 63 76(5)

Doubles - First Round
[WC] R Bopanna (IND) / A Qureshi (PAK) d [4] S Aspelin (SWE) / P Hanley (AUS) 63 64
S Huss (AUS) / S Lipsky (USA) d C Rochus (BEL) / M Vassallo Arguello (ARG) 64 63

Tokyo Talent

Getty

Dinara Safina of Russia, Ai Sugiyama of Japan, Ayumi Morita of Japan and Venus Williams of the USA pose during a press conference for the Toray Pan Pacific Open Tennis 2009 at Hotel Grand Pacific Le Daiba on September 25, 2009 in Tokyo, Japan. The main draw of the tournament is to be held at Ariake Colosseum from September 27 to October 3.

::

The draw is bottom heavy once again. Why on earth is Dinara Safina being protected with cotton candy draws she can barely even get through? Or maybe, just maybe, I'm focused on the wrong player in the world No. 1. After all, it was Caroline Wozniacki who got through the Tier III top half of the draw at the US Open. And there she is again at a WTA premiere event in the Tier III top half of the draw.

::

Singles - First Round
Roberta Vinci (ITA) d. (9) Flavia Pennetta (ITA) 61 62
Lucie Safarova (CZE) d. (10) Ana Ivanovic (SRB) 64 76(1)
(15) Li Na (CHN) d. Alizé Cornet (FRA) 64 60
Elena Vesnina (RUS) d. María José Martínez Sánchez (ESP) 63 62
Sabine Lisicki (GER) d. Patty Schnyder (SUI) 64 60
Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) d. (WC) Ayumi Morita (JPN) 61 64
Gisela Dulko (ARG) d. Agnes Szavay (HUN) 63 60
Aravane Rezai (FRA) d. Sara Errani (ITA) 62 62
(Q) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) d. Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP)
61 76(3)
(Q) Andrea Petkovic (GER) d. Sybille Bammer (AUT) 75 64
(Q) Chang Kai-Chen (TPE) d. Kaia Kanepi (EST) 63 63

Blame It On Steffi

by MMT

There’s been a great deal of discussion at this year's US Open about the problems that top WTA players have serving today. Almost as curious is the paucity of good analysis as to source of their problems. If all of a sudden women on tour are having problems properly serving, and all at once, it makes sense to compare the serves of women say 20 years ago, to modern players and analyze the difference.

I am a firm believer in the philosophy that all problems in tennis are essentially technical – even the ones that appear to be mental, and nothing has made that more apparent to me than the serving issue. In the past, weilding unforgiving 85 square inch 15 ounce wood racquets, a player couldn't get away with bad technique on the serve - today they have oversized composites to help them hide the fact that their technique is sorely lacking.

More...

Taylor Dent's Back...

AP

Has been the source of all sorts of woe and anguish for the veteran American who delights fans with his old school serve-and-volley game. But surgeries and metal plates and long recoveries never extinguished his desire to make another run of it. When he defeated Feliciano Lopez in four sets, Dent howled as though expelling all his disappointment in one sound. It's been four years since he one a main draw match at the US Open.

Welcome back.

::

Speaking of woe and anguish, Dinara Safina is full of it. If not for the inexperience of her teenage opponent, this world No. 1 would be out of the tournament.

The fans were squarely behind Olivia Rogowska to put the world No. 1 (and themselves) out of her misery.

What I want to know is why ESPN showed so much of such a disgusting match. It was surely not the kind of performance that would attract any new fans to the sport.

::

Indian history. From rabbit...

Also, Somdev Devvarman and Sania Mirza winning their opening matches marks the first time in history there's an Indian player in both the men's and women's sides in the second round of a slam.

Bravo. It's these far-off-the-radar factoids that impress me more often that the narratives the commentators spin. If not for our readership....

::

Reuters

Ana Ivanovic of Serbia reacts during her loss to Kateryna Bondarenko of the Ukraine during their match at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, September 1, 2009.

Somebody stick a fork in Ana Ivanovic. Last year she fell in the second round after surviving in the first, this year, she wasn't so lucky.

Time for her to grow up.

::

Americans did well with some unexpected victories from Shenay Perry (remember her?) and Jesse Witten, who upset No. 29 seed Igor Andreev in straight sets to the loss of six games with a middle-set bagel. The Russian isn't exactly a slouch. I wish I could have seen that one.

Getty

There are 8 American women into the second round, most of whom I've never even heard of before. Impressive.

::

Prime time action was blah. I didn't expect any upsets, but the Pit Bull had no bite and the Latvian confirmed his status as a waste of space. Miss 100% and the Scot did only what they needed to do, which wasn't much at all.

::

At the end of WTA first-round action, my pretty youngster is still alive....

Whatever

That's how I'm feeling right about now.

After a rough few days on the farm, I can't be upset with Serena Williams phoning in a loss to Sybille Bammer yesterday in Cincy; excited about Andy Roddick defeating Novak Djokovic in straights to advance to yet another semifinal this year; moved by Kim Clijsters' comeback or loss to the world No. 1 today; exhilarated that Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Roger Federer after being down 1-5 in the final set and failing to convert a string of match points in the routine part of the set.

It's simply all background music.

Right now, Juan Martín del Potro is playing Rafael Nadal in the final quarterfinal in Montreal and I really can't bring myself to pay much attention to it.

What on earth is happening to me?

I adore this sport, yet I don't feel compelled to watch much of its action of late.

Farm (and all the beauty and heartbreak it attends) or no farm, this year's tennis season feels abnormally long and the US Open isn't even upon us.

What's a tennis fanatic to do?

Winner's Circle

AP

I tried to watch the final. Really, I did. But Sam Querrey's hang-dog attitude turned me right off, so the action on ESPN was background noise rather than focus.

I used to like Robby Ginepri. Really, I did. But he often exhibits no fight and can evaporate in a match quicker than gasoline. A win is a win. It's been a long time between drinks.

Reuters

I'm not in love with Nikolay Davydenko as a few of our readers are, but it's nice to see him win another title. Too bad he did it in an event I disregarded.

AP

So as not to get into any more trouble, the less said about the world No. 1 the better.


Getty

Germany's Andrea Petkovic celebrates with the trophy after defeating Romanian Ioana Raluca Olaru in the final of the WTA Tennis Tournament in Bad Gastein on July 26, 2009. Petkovic claimed her first WTA title here with a convincing straight sets win over Olaru. The 21-year-old, ranked 98th and playing in her first WTA final, came through 6-2, 6-3 winner against her 66th-ranked opponent in the clay court tournament in 1hr 29 minutes.

Wimbledon 2009: Women's Final Prediction

Venus Williams USA (3) v. Serena Williams USA (2).

BY MAD PROFESSAH

The 2009 Wimbledon Women's Final is set, and for the fourth time this decade, it will feature Venus and Serena Williams playing each other. Venus will be appearing in the final for the eighth time, having won 5-times (losing twice to Serena in 2002 and 2003) including the last two years in 2007 and 2008.

So far I have correctly predicted the last 6 matches of the Women's draw with only the final remaining. In my bracket selection at the beginning of the tournament I picked Serena to defeat Venus, primarily because the younger sister is currently the defending champion at two of the four majors and has 10 majors overall to Venus' 7 major titles.

However, after seeing each of their matches, including Serena's instant classic semifinal 6-7(4) 7-5 8-6 win against Elena Dementieva on Thursday, I now think that Venus will be able to win her 6th Wimbledon title by defeating her sister for the second consecutive year. Although it is hard to compare how well they played in their respective semifinals since Venus' opponent Dinara Safina didn't give her an opportunity to show how well the 5-time champion's game shines on grass in her 6-1 6-0 demolition of the World No.1.

MadProfessah's pick: Venus Williams in 3 sets.

Quotes For The Day

Q. This isn't your fault obviously because you played really well, but it's embarrassing for women's tennis to see the No. 1 destroyed in that way, isn't it?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Why do you put it like that?

Q. You played very well.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Are you trying to be down on women's tennis?

Q. I'm trying to be down on the way that Safina is the world No. 1 representing women's tennis.

VENUS WILLIAMS: So you're trying to be down basically.

Q. Not on women's tennis, no.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Okay, because I don't deal with down at all.

Q. It's not down.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm just making sure you're not trying to be down, because I respect Dinara Safina immensely, and I think you should, too.

Q. I do.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Thanks.

Day 10: Outrageous

Reuters

If it wasn't for technology, Serena Williams might be out of the tournament. In what Savannah tweeted the Hawk Eye Set, Serena used the replay system to challenge a let cord winner Elena Dementieva struck on a break point to potentially hold serve. But her shot landed millimeters outside the sideline and Serena served for, and closed out, the second set, after fending off two break points at 15-40 and another two at ad. Serena struck an ace out wide to save the third, but Elena challenged unsuccessfully. At deuce, Serena served an ace up the T that landed smack on the line. Another Elena challenge showed us so, and now the Russian was out of challenges. Another ace and the dramatic second act was finally over.

Earlier, at 3-4 in the set, down a break point on her own serve thanks to a double fault, Serena struck a forehand on the run down the line that looked out to the naked eye. Elena, who would be serving for the match, challenged the call, but technology showed a millimeter of the ball was touching the outside corner of the sideline while landing squarely on the baseline.

Getty

Pinpoint accuracy.

Serena fought off another break point with another clutch forehand winner, this one cross court. When she finally held after a backhand volley winner and a body serve Elena couldn't fight off, I exhaled, my heart still racing. I remained glued to my couch, laptop on lap, without even getting up to make a cup of coffee. Good thing. I never needed to relieve my bladder, and if I did, something tells me I still wouldn't have budged.


Getty

It was the most gripping drama I've seen on a tennis court since last year's men's final. This War of Nerves, as someone else called it, needed an intermission between the second and third acts. Well. I needed on anyway. Even though I couldn't fathom Serena losing, I had no idea who would prevail 50 minutes into the final set, which is about how long it took for Venus Williams to embarrass Dinara Safina to the loss of a single game in the other semifinal. That thing was over before most of the fans had time to get back to their seats after hanging from their edges for nearly three hours.

Getty

Pathetic.

To quote our own pompelmo, "A grissino and a bagel. Bon apetite Dinara."

My admiration for the other Russian just rose by several rungs. I've always liked that she's not intimidated by anybody on the court, and certainly not by Serena. I knew she would mount a challenge and would have the best chance for the upset. But I had no idea she would execute a champion's game for that long. She's gotten the best of Serena in three-setters before because Serena runs out of gas against her. But today, Serena made Elena have to earn the final set and she almost did, but Serena saved a match point at the net, which was stupendous because she played like an amateur in the forecourt for most of the match. Still, Elena kept coming and never backed away. Using it to fight back from 0-40 at 3-4 in the opening set, her serve was a revelation. Serena couldn't handle it. And yet Elena read Serena's serve like a large-print manuscript, those 20 aces notwithstanding. Her Olympic Gold makes her a champion and she showed it today. She left it all on the lawns.


Reuters

Getty

At 2 hours and 49 minutes, the longest women’s semifinal in the Open Era at Wimbledon, the match was much closer than the 6-7(4), 7-5, 8-6 scoreline suggests.

It was outrageous.

Getty

Wimbledon 2009 Day 10 Open Thread

Russia v. Williams


Reuters

Who you got?

Thursday Order Of Play

CENTRE - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START

1. Elena Dementieva (RUS) [4] vs Serena Williams (USA) [2]
2. Dinara Safina (RUS) [1] vs Venus Williams (USA) [3]

3. James Blake (USA) and Mardy Fish (USA) vs Daniel Nestor (CAN) and Nenad Zimonjic (SRB) [2]

COURT 1 - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START

1. Bob Bryan (USA) and Mike Bryan (USA) [1] vs Wesley Moodie (RSA) and Dick Norman (BEL) [9]

2. Leander Paes (IND) and Cara Black (ZIM) [1] 1 vs Andre Sa (BRA) and Ai Sugiyama (JPN) [11]

3. Mark Knowles (BAH) and Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER) [9] vs Bob Bryan (USA) and Samantha Stosur (AUS) [2]

COURT 2 - SHOW COURT

2. Kevin Ullyett (ZIM) and Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE) [4] vs Stephen Huss (AUS) and Virginia Ruano Pascual (ESP) [12]