Upsets continue: Kuznetsova falls in N.Y.

RelatedU.S. Open scores:Women's drawMen's draw THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK -- Roger Federer flicked a final winner, trotted to the net and started to shake hands. Then, there was one last challenge.

Playfully, Thiago Alves called for a replay review.

So the man trying for his fifth straight U.S. Open title and an overmatched qualifier shared a laugh, watching together as the giant scoreboards above Arthur Ashe Stadium confirmed the call: The ball landed squarely on the line, Federer had won 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 Friday.

Federer swept a guy ranked 137th, someone who spent this year in the minors and was playing his first tour-level event of the season. Still, it was hardly a breeze.

"The depth in men's tennis is immense," Federer said.

On the women's side, it's shaping up as even more of a scramble.

A day after No. 1 Ana Ivanovic lost to 188th-ranked Julie Coin, third-seeded Svetlana Kutznetsova became the latest upset victim when Katarina Srebotnik beat her 6-3, 6-7 (1), 6-3.

"It can happen with everyone," said Olympic champion Elena Dementieva, who moved into the fourth round.

Novak Djokovic, Jelena Jankovic and Nikolay Davydenko also won during the day.

In night matches delayed more than an hour by rain, No. 12 Marion Bartoli defeated No. 23 Lindsay Davenport 6-1, 7-6 (3), and No. 15 Patty Schnyder beat Magdalena Rybarikova 7-6 (4), 6-4. Also, former Open champion Marat Safin lost to No. 15 Tommy Robredo, 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4, 6-0.

Eighth-seeded Andy Roddick, who won the 2003 Open, overcame a big early deficit to beat Ernests Gulbis 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 7-5 in a match that ended after 1:30 a.m. Saturday. Roddick was down a set and trailed 5-3 in the second when he reeled off seven consecutive games to take control against his unseeded opponent.

In men's doubles action, the top-ranked duo of Toronto's Daniel Nestor and Serbia's Nenad Zimonjic won their second round match against Britain's Andy Murray and Ross Hutchins 7-5, 3-6, 7-6.

Federer is down to his last chance to win a Grand Slam this year, part of a tough season that saw him lose his No. 1 ranking to Rafael Nadal.

Though they well could meet in this final, Federer has not tracked his nemesis through the tournament and didn't watch Nadal wrap up his match Thursday night in straight sets.

"I schedule my life around my life, not his," Federer said, smiling. "I was expecting five sets. I was there for four and five, but he wasn't there anymore."

To Alves, Federer remains on top.

"He is the biggest player for sure. Nadal is playing good tennis this year, but for me Federer is the best one," he said.

And did Federer seem vulnerable?

"No. I didn't feel that," Alves said.

Never a huge fan of replay, Federer hardly minded when Alves made that last challenge.

"I don't think it's affected a whole lot of matches. I don't know how many times it's saved a match, because that's what it's there for really. But at the big tournaments at the big courts, usually you have the best linespeople as well," Federer said.

"The worst linespeople are usually on the outside courts where you need it more. That's the problem with the system," he said.

Kuznetsova, who won the Open in 2004 and finished second last year, had trouble fending off Srebotnik's frequent charges to the net.

Srebotnik fell to her knees a split-second before Kuznetsova's last shot sailed over the baseline. After beating Serena Williams in the French Open this year, the 28th-ranked Slovenian had another reason to celebrate, having gone farther than ever before at Flushing Meadows.

Second-seeded Jankovic won another sneaker squeaker, playing 28 points in the last game to finish off Zheng Jie 7-5, 7-5.

Jankovic came out full of energy, showing no ill effects of a bad left leg that cramped after she played Wednesday. She bounded back and forth and, in her trademark style, often came to screeching stops while doing the splits to reach shots.

"As long as I'm doing the splits, that means I'm healthy," she said. "When I'm not doing the splits, you know there's something wrong."

"I'm not too sure about my body if I go into a split, who knows if I'll come back up?" she said.

.Still waiting for that elusive big win, Jankovic is trying to reach her first Grand Slam final. She needs three more wins-- with Justine Henin retired, Maria Sharapova hurt, Ivanovic out and the Williams sisters in the opposite bracket, this figures to be her best chance.

Jankovic needed more than two hours to beat the 37th-ranked Zheng after playing for nearly three hours in the second round.

"I wish I didn't have any drama in my matches. I wish I would win nice and in a simple way," she said. "Who likes drama? Do you know anybody that likes to get involved into tight matches?"

Jankovic is one of six women who still have a chance to be ranked No. 1 after the Open, with Ivanovic among them despite her loss.

Third-seeded Djokovic beat Robert Kendrick 7-6 (8), 6-4, 6-4 and fifth-seeded Davydenko beat Agustin Calleri 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (2). Fifth-seeded Dementieva beat Anne Keothavong 6-3, 6-4.

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THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK -- Sam Querrey is so young that there isn't a trace of irony when he mentions growing up rooting for Andy Roddick and James Blake, two guys still very much on tour and still in their 20s.

Querrey is so new to this whole professional tennis gig that there is nothing but earnestness in his voice when he admits he's excited his matches are on TV.

And Querrey is so young, so new and so eager that he clearly means it when he plainly explains he's "looking forward" to facing No. 1 Rafael Nadal at the U.S. Open, a matchup the 20-year-old Californian set up Saturday by knocking off a seeded player for the second time in the tournament.

It's Querrey's first berth in the fourth round of a major championship.

"And, you know, it's great that it's the U.S. Open," Querrey said, words tumbling forth through a wide grin. "It's the one that, you know, if I had to pick one to win, it would be this one."

Heady talk for a kid who is ranked 55th, owns one career title and has lost more matches than he's won on tour -- even after upsetting No. 14 Ivo Karlovic 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5), 6-2 in the third round Saturday.

Querrey added that to his victory over No. 22 Tomas Berdych in the first round. A far tougher test follows, of course: Wimbledon, French Open and Olympic champion Nadal, who won for the 41st time in his last 42 matches by brushing aside Viktor Troicki 6-4, 6-3, 6-0.

Querrey was hardly the only man to author a surprise Saturday, capped by Mardy Fish's 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (4) victory over No. 9 Blake in an all-American match at night. Fish took the last five points to earn his first berth in the fourth round at the U.S. Open. Fish now meets French Open semifinalist Gael Monfils, who beat No. 7 David Nalbandian in straight sets, then showed off some club-worthy dance moves to mark a victory he called "gorgeous."

No. 6 Andy Murray of Britain came all the way back from a two-set deficit to defeat a fading Jurgen Melzer of Austria 6-7 (5), 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-1, 6-4. Murray celebrated by pushing up his grey T-shirt's right sleeve and flexing his biceps -- a signal to his fitness trainer and support team.

"When you're training and wondering why you do all the work and feeling sorry for yourself and what have you -- you kind of push through and keep working," Murray said. "Then when you have moments like that on the court, you know, you feel like it's all worth it."

His next opponent is No. 10 Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland, who also dropped the first two sets before winning in five against Flavio Cipolla of Italy.

Cipolla refused to shake hands afterward, angry that Wawrinka questioned whether the Italian really was dealing with leg cramps during the match and that Wawrinka let out a yell of "Come on!" after one of Cipolla's nine double-faults.

On a day filled with five-setters, No. 17 Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina outlasted No. 16 Gilles Simon of France 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 to extend his winning streak to 22 matches. The 19-year-old Del Potro moved on to face 18-year-old Kei Nishikori, who upset No. 4 David Ferrer 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 7-5 to become the first Japanese man to reach the U.S. Open's fourth round in the 40-year Open era.

Nishikori broke Ferrer in the final game, converting his third match point with a forehand winner down the line, then dropped his racket and flopped on his back.

"I still can't believe it. I was playing great and he was playing great, too," Nishikori said during an on-court TV interview. "Biggest win for me."

There were no such theatrics in women's play. Both Williams sisters -- the only two past champions left in the field -- won 6-2, 6-1 against seeded foes who, in theory at least, should have provided something more of a challenge.

No. 7 Venus Williams compiled a remarkable 32-4 edge in winners against No. 27 Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine. No. 4 Serena Williams -- one of five women with a shot at moving up to No. 1 by tournament's end -- was never troubled by No. 30 Ai Sugiyama of Japan.

With the retirements of Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters, a shoulder injury sidelining Maria Sharapova, and early losses by Lindsay Davenport and Svetlana Kuznetsova, the sisters are the only past U.S. Open women's champions left.

One Williams or the other won the tournament every year from 1999 to 2002, but neither has made the final since. Less than two months after playing in the Wimbledon final, won by Venus, they could square off in the quarter-finals here.

"I've had over a week to think about it," Serena said. "So right now, I'm just hoping to win my next match."

They're also the only two American women left. Among the men, Querrey and Fish are still in it, while 2003 U.S. Open champion Roddick plays his third-round match Sunday against No. 31 Andreas Seppi of Italy.

That major title for Roddick, whose second-round comeback victory over Ernests Gulbis of Latvia ended after 1:30 a.m. Saturday, was the most recent by a U.S. man, a drought of 19 Grand Slam tournaments that's the longest gap for the country in the 40-year Open era.

Guys like Querrey would wake up on weekend mornings and watch Pete Sampras or Andre Agassi play in big matches at Wimbledon or the U.S. Open with regularity. That doesn't happen any more. Querrey, though, is among the latest in a long line of players expected to bring back the good times.

"He's paid his dues. I think he's really ready to move forward," Venus Williams said. "He has the experience and he's had the opportunity to play matches against all kinds of players, so I think it's now his chance to do it."

What already has been a breakthrough tournament for Querrey would really become significant with another win. He's already faced Nadal once, losing in three sets on a hard court in August 2006.

"Won the first set, I remember, so that was cool," Querrey said. "Like, the main thing from that match I remember -- I was playing at 2 (p.m.), and I knew ESPN went on the air at 3. I wanted to make it to 3 to get some ESPN time, which I did. ... Hopefully I've gotten a lot better since then. He has, too."

Nadal's assessment was similar.

"I managed to catch a bit of his match," Nadal said. "He has improved a lot, and he has that powerful serve."

At six-foot-six, Querrey is one of the few men who comes close to seeing eye-to-eye with the 6-10 Karlovic. That height and accompanying wingspan allow Querrey both to generate torque on his serves -- he hit 20 aces, only four fewer than his opponent -- and to handle Karlovic's own high-bouncing offerings effectively.

Karlovic's serve is "up near my shoulders," Querrey said, "where (for) other guys, it's toward their head."

Asked what about Querrey's serve is tricky, Karlovic shrugged and replied, "His height."

But there's so much more to Querrey, of course.

He has touch, as he showed by flicking a defensive lob over the tallest player in ATP history to go ahead 5-3 in the opening tiebreaker.

He has nerve, as he showed by producing 45 winners and only 13 unforced errors, and by hanging tougher than Karlovic in key moments. It was Querrey who saved break points at 4-all and 5-all in the second set. It was Karlovic who double-faulted to fall behind 6-4 in the second tiebreaker, which Querrey ended with a 204 km/h ace that caught a corner.

Could Querrey beat Nadal?

"If he's going to serve like today," Karlovic said, "yeah, of course. Why not?"

Querrey couldn't have said it better himself.

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NEW YORK -- Olympic champions Rafael Nadal and Elena Dementieva showed their mettle at the U.S. Open, overcoming early challenges to win Monday in the start of what's expected to be a wide-open tournament.

Former champs Lindsay Davenport and Svetlana Kuznetsova also opened with straight-sets victories. Many of the stars like to hurry through the first round -- it takes seven wins for the title, and any rest is welcome.

Playing for the first time as the world No. 1, Nadal swatted his very first shot wide against No. 136 Bjorn Phau. The Wimbledon and French Open champ was two points from dropping the first set when he surged and, despite needing to bandage a nasty blister, won 7-6 (4), 6-3, 7-6 (4).

"I didn't play with normal intensity," Nadal said. "Probably I'm a little bit tired."

Asked whether he was more worn down mentally, physically or emotionally from Beijing, he said: "I think it is a little bit of everything."

Nadal got a stiffer test from the German qualifier than many anticipated, and shook his head near the end of a match that lasted nearly three hours.

No. 9 seed James Blake had to play past midnight to survive a five-set match against 19-year-old fellow American Donald Young. With the help of two key calls overturned on challenges in the last two games, Blake won 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4.

Dementieva looked like gold while taking the final four games to defeat Akgul Amanmuradova 6-4, 7-5. The fifth-seeded Russian was glad to win quickly and give her mind and body a break.

"It's very hard not to think about the Olympic Games," Dementieva said. "Very difficult to refocus. I mean, all my thinking is there in Beijing."

Tenth-seeded Anna Chakvetadze was the top player to lose, beaten by Ekateria Makarova 1-6, 6-2, 6-3 in a matchup of Russians.

Roger Federer, bidding for his fifth straight U.S. Open title, was scheduled to begin Tuesday, as were No. 1 Ana Ivanovic and the Williams sisters.

The final Grand Slam event of the season figured to be a scramble on both sides.

Nadal seems like the natural favourite, yet has never gone beyond the quarter-finals in five previous tries at Flushing Meadows. The 22-year-old Spanish dynamo took a while to find his rhythm against Phau, whose spirited play made him a crowd favourite.

Fans at Arthur Ashe Stadium, often quiet during early daytime sessions, cheered when Phau dived for a shot, rolled over on his back and chased a return.

In the night's last match, they got behind Young, the former No. 1 junior player in the world. Young came back from down a break to win the fourth set. Serving with the final set tied 4-4, he seemed to have the momentum.

But Blake took control after he successfully challenged to take a point away from Young at the start of the game. Blake went on to break Young to go up 5-4, then served out the match. He successfully challenged again in the last game to reach triple match point.

"Maybe a little experience came through for me at four-all in the last set," Blake said.

The women's draw is even more tricky, now that 2007 champion Justine Henin has retired and Maria Sharapova is out with an injured shoulder.

Six different women have won the U.S. Open in the last seven years, and Dementieva is seeking her first major championship. To her, the Olympic singles title counts.

"The biggest goal for the year was Beijing," she said. "In Russia, if you stop anyone in the street and ask what is a Grand Slam, I don't think many people can tell you. But everyone knows the Olympic Games. There is nothing bigger."

During a quick stopover in Moscow to see her mom and drop off her gold medal, she found out how much the win meant.

"People just come to me and say, 'Oh, I'm happy for you. You're always losing in the final. It's so great that you finally win something big,"' she said.

Dementieva put together a workmanlike win over Amanmuradova. Her opponent from Uzbekistan served for the second set ahead 5-3, but Dementieva still had enough energy.

"I don't know what is best, to be a little bit tired but very comfortable and very positive, or to be fresh and not play in the Olympic Games," she said.

No. 2 seed Jelena Jankovic advanced with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over American CoCo Vandeweghe.

Li Na, who beat Venus Williams in Beijing, beat No. 24 Shahar Peer of Israel 2-6, 6-0, 6-1. The No. 23-seeded Davenport defeated Aleksandra Wozniak of Blainville, Que., 6-4, 6-2 and No. 3 Kuznetsova beat Zhang Shuai of China 6-4, 6-2.

No. 8 Vera Zvonareva of Russia, No. 12 Marion Bartoli of France, No. 14 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus and No. 15 Patty Schnyer of Switzerland also won.

No. 22 Maria Kirilenko of Russia lost to Tamira Paszek of Austria 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.

On the men's side, fourth-seeded David Ferrer of Spain beat Martin Vassallo Arguello of Argentina 7-6 (1), 6-2, 6-2 and No. 6 Andy Murray of Britain beat Sergio Roitman of Argentina, 6-3, 6-4, 6-0.

Also winning were No. 7 David Nalbandian of Argentina, No. 10 Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland, No. 16 Gilles Simon of France and No. 17 Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina.

No. 27 Feliciano Lopez of Spain lost to Jurgen Melzer of Austria 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2, 2-6, 6-4. The No. 29-seeded Juan Monaco of Argentina lost to Kei Nishikori of Japan 6-2, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2.

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NEW YORK -- Jelena Jankovic's leg cramped so badly, she couldn't take another step.

Luckily for the No. 2 seed in the U.S. Open, the agony occurred during her post-match run on the treadmill. Anyone who watched could clearly see she left about everything she had out on the court.

Jankovic outlasted Sweden's Sofia Arvidsson 6-3, 6-7 (5), 7-5 Wednesday on yet another uncharacteristically mild August day in Flushing Meadows. She planned to take a 10-minute run on the treadmill but lasted only three when pain flared in the area of a knee injury sustained at Wimbledon.

"I couldn't go anymore," Jankovic said. "My leg was straight and I couldn't bend it. The muscle was in spasm and I had a lot of pain."

Treatment with ice and stretching and massaging loosened her leg enough for her to go back to the locker-room to take a shower before she spoke to reporters in a much more comfortable setting.

Until then, it was Arvidsson who made her life difficult for the better part of three hours.

Jankovic bent over her racket, leaned against a back wall with a towel pressed to her face, and sprawled on her stomach in the middle of centre court. Then she gutted her way into the third round.

The combination of not being in match condition following the injury and an array of hard forehands and well-placed drop shots by Arvidsson left Jankovic fighting to get her wind during the two-hour 44-minute match at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"That was a really tough one," said Jankovic, who has reached the fourth round in the first three Grand Slam events this year. "As you can see, I am completely out of breath. She really pushed me to the limit."

Canadian Frank Dancevic wasn't so fortunate. The 23-year-old from Niagara Falls, Ont., dropped a 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 decision to 18th-seeded Spaniard Nicolas Almagro in the first-round match for both players.

Eighth-seeded Andy Roddick, who has battled a shoulder injury this summer that led him to skip the Beijing Olympics, won his first match in straight sets. He beat Fabrice Santoro -- the oldest man in the draw at 35 -- 6-2, 6-2, 6-2.

The match ended with Santoro thinking Roddick had tried to hit him with the ball. Roddick said that wasn't the case and he would try to seek out Santoro to clear the air.

The third night traditionally showcases the first men's match of the second round, but this year that was saved until Thursday. All women's matches Wednesday were second-round pairings.

Jankovic twice served for the win in the middle set against Arvidsson, yet couldn't put her away -- even with a match point in reach. Jankovic held off Arvidsson in a back-and-forth third set when both had trouble holding serve.

When Arvidsson fired long on the final point, Jankovic had her third service break of the third set and eighth overall. There was suddenly a spring in her step as she waved and blew kisses to the crowd.

Even with the squandered chances, Jankovic still had an opportunity to advance without going the distance. She jumped to a 3-0 lead in the second set tiebreak before losing six straight points. Jankovic extended the set by winning two points on her serve, but fired wide as she approached the net -- drawing an exuberant "Yeah" from Arvidsson.

Several times, Jankovic hunched over and leaned on her racket but didn't appear to be in distress. The Serb, ranked No. 1 earlier this year, lost in the fourth round at Wimbledon after injuring a knee in the previous match.

If anything ailed her other than fatigue Wednesday, it wasn't evident in the decisive third set when she raced to a 3-0 edge. Jankovic doubled over again when a fortuitous shot by Arvidsson crept over the net after it smacked the cord in the fourth game, but that appeared more out of exasperation than discomfort.

After a drop shot eluded her dive, Jankovic dropped to the court face down and stayed there for several moments. If anything, it gave her a brief rest.

"I was just tired and I couldn't get up," Jankovic said. "I was just trying to come back to normal position where I could just stand up and regroup again and play the next point."

The only worry she had at that point had to do with her bright yellow outfit that matched nicely with the deep blue court.

"I thought I was going to get my dress really dirty. That was my biggest concern," she said. "I would have loved to take a nap on the court because I was really exhausted. But you know, the rules are the rules. I had to keep going."

While Jankovic escaped an early exit, No. 8 seed Vera Zvonareva couldn't. Zvonareva was upended by Tatiana Perebiynis 6-3, 6-3 in the tournament's biggest upset yet. Svetlana Kuznetsova shook off an early break and rallied to a 7-6 (3), 6-1 victory over Sorana Cirstea.

No. 3 Svetlana Kuznetsova shook off an early break and rallied to a 7-6 (3), 6-1 victory over Sorana Cirstea. Fifth-seeded Elena Dementieva advanced over Pauline Parmentier 6-2, 6-1. No. 12 Marion Bartoli of France, No. 14 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus and No. 15 Patty Schnyder of Switzerland also won.

Former champ Lindsay Davenport, the No. 23 seed, beat Alisa Kleybanova 7-5, 6-3.

No. 25 Francesca Schiavone was knocked out by Anne Keothavong 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, and Zheng Jie of China eliminated No. 26 Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-1, 6-4.

In men's first-round play, No. 3 seed Novak Djokovic shook off an injury to his left ankle in the third set and beat Arnaud Clement 6-3, 6-3, 6-4. Djokovic rolled the ankle while going for a shot on the right sideline in the fourth game. After receiving on-court treatment, he wrapped the match with a break of Clement's serve.

Fifth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko beat Dudi Sela 6-3, 6-3, 6-3; Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the No. 19 seed, moved on with a 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 win over Santiago Ventura; and Dmitry Tursunov, the 26th seed, upended Eduardo Schwank 7-5, 4-6, 7-5 7-6 (5).

Kuznetsova, the 2004 champion and No. 3 seed this year, trailed 4-2 in the opening set before getting back on serve and eventually forcing a tiebreak that she dominated against her inexperienced opponent. She cruised to a 5-0 lead in the second and closed out the match in one hour 13 minutes.

"Here you feel special, like I've made it here," Kuznetsova said. "It's an amazing feeling. ... I just play much more confident."

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NEW YORK -- Even for the mathematics major from Clemson, it just didn't add up: How could someone who recently struggled so badly she wanted to quit tennis stay on the court with the No. 1 player in the world?

Ana Ivanovic probably wondered the same thing.

In one of the biggest upsets in the sport's history, the top-seeded Ivanovic was ousted from the U.S. Open, stunned by 188th-ranked Julie Coin 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in the second round Thursday.

"Obviously, if you would ask me at the moment if I'm playing like a No. 1, probably not," Ivanovic said. "It's very frustrating because I know I can play so much better."

Never before in the Open era that began in 1968 had the No. 1 woman lost this early in the tournament. Plus, all the favourites had been breezing at Flushing Meadows.

The French Open champion seemed to be rallying in the third set when Coin suddenly recovered to win 10 straight points. The 25-year-old French math whiz screamed when Ivanovic's last shot sailed out, then hopped for joy and hit an extra ball high into the stands.

"I don't know how I'm going to sleep tonight," Coin said. "I don't know when I will realize everything."

Even after Ivanovic struggled in the first round with an injured right thumb that limited her practice time, there was no way to see this coming.

Coin spent much of the year playing in minor league events and nearly got knocked out of the qualifying event to merely make it into the Open. She recently played so poorly she thought about giving up the sport and relying on her degree.

"I was thinking, 'Am I really made to play tennis?"' she said.

Ivanovic quickly gathered her gear and left the court, her hopes of another Grand Slam championship dashed. She smiled after the match, simply happy to be pain-free, and did not appear upset by the upset.

"I think what I experienced so far is girls, when they play against higher-ranked players, they have nothing to lose, so they go for their shots," she said. "Many times they play matches of their life. Not only in women's tennis, also in men's."

Still, Coin couldn't have figured on it. Asked whether she'd thought such a win was possible, she gave a direct, honest answer.

"No," she said.

And when did she believe it might happen?

"I guess when it was over," she told the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium, drawing a huge ovation.

If there was any suspicion that Coin was wavering, she steadied herself by rallying in the third set. It was Ivanovic who looked jittery, hitting shots directly into the net or way out.

In Canadian results, Daniel Nestor of Toronto and partner Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia won their first-round men's doubles match against Yen-hsun Lu of Taiwan and Jim Thomas of the U.S., 6-2, 7-6 (4).

In women's doubles, Alisa Kleybanova and Ekaterina Makarova of Russia defeated Aleksandra Wozniak of Blainville, Que., and Natalie Grandin of South Africa 6-1, 6-2.

Venus Williams and sister Serena won earlier in the day. James Blake, David Ferrer, Andy Murray and Dinara Safina joined them in moving into the third round.

The Ivanovic-Coin match was originally scheduled for the smaller Louis Armstrong Stadium, but was moved to the main Ashe stage to give the crowd a treat. The fans hardly knew what really was in store.

Tentative at times, Ivanovic seemed to regain her edge midway through third set. She led 40-0 in the fifth game and was about to break Coin's serve when suddenly the momentum shifted.

Coin came back to hold, starting her decisive streak.

Ivanovic tried to stave off Coin in the final game, but it was too late for the 20-year-old Serbian star. Coin won on her third match point -- quite a result for someone playing in her first tour-level event.

Coin had tried to qualify for the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon and never made any of them. And she certainly wasn't anything bankable going into this match -- she'd earned less than $100,000 lifetime as a pro, and was facing someone who'd won nearly $6 million.

Next up for Coin in the third round is No. 32 Amelie Mauresmo, who beat Kaia Kanepi 2-6, 6-4, 6-0. Coin and Mauresmo once played at the same club near Paris and shared the same coach, yet though don't know each other well.

"I know she was No. 1," Coin said.

Going into this Open, Ivanovic had played only two matches since Wimbledon while her thumb healed. The injury forced her to withdraw from the Olympics before they began, limited her practice time and sent her from Beijing to Australia for treatment.

Top-seeded Rafael Nadal avoided a similar fate on the men's side, beating Ryler De Heart 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.

.Fourth-seeded Serena Williams routed Elena Vesnina 6-1, 6-1 and seventh-seeded Venus Williams overwhelmed Rossana de Los Rios 6-0, 6-3 in only 59 minutes.

"I'm very satisfied so far, the way it's gone," Williams said.

Venus Williams breezed past an opponent ranked 117th. After teaming with her sister to win Olympic gold in doubles, she stayed on course to play Serena in the quarter-finals here.

"Whichever way the draw goes, whichever way the matches go, as long as hopefully it's a win for me, I'm pretty happy about it," she said.

Williams is the last woman to win consecutive championships at the U.S. Open, but hasn't taken the title since 2001.

"Oh yes, I remember. I won't forget, but I'd like to have a more recent memory as of, like, '08," she said. "Kind of overdue."

Blake advanced when Steve Darcis pulled out because of a bad lower back. Seeded ninth and coming off a tough, five-set match in the first round, Blake lost the first set 4-6, then won 6-3 and was ahead 1-0 when Darcis retired.

Ivanovic to take over No. 1 ranking

Nadal, Ivanovic top US Open seeds

Sharapova to play in Rogers Cup

Williams test ’shark-fin’ engine cover

Conference Championship Matchups

Dancevic loses opener in Flushing

THE CANADIAN PRESS

NEW YORK -- Canadian Frank Dancevic was at a loss to explain his opening-round exit from the U.S. Open on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old from Niagara Falls, Ont., dropped a 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 decision to 18th-seeded Spaniard Nicolas Almagro.

"I played terrible today, there are no excuses," said Dancevic, who is ranked 146th in the world. "There are no words to describe how badly I played."

Dancevic's defeat means there are no Canadians left in singles at the final Grand Slam event of the year.

Aleksandra Wozniak of Blainville, Que., lost her opening-round match in straight sets Monday to 23rd-seeded American Lindsay Davenport. Wozniak will play her first women's doubles match Thursday with partner Natalie Grandin of South Africa.

In men's doubles, Toronto's Daniel Nestor will take to the court Thursday with Serbian partner Nenad Zimonjic. Nestor will also take part in mixed doubles with Taiwan's Chia-Jung Chuang.

Dancevic has struggled since reaching the semifinals of the Newport, R.I., International Series in July. He has lost four of his five matches since then, having been dispatched in the first round of a tournament in Indianapolis as well as the recent Beijing Olympics while exiting in the second round of the Rogers Cup in Toronto last month.

Dancevic beat Croatian Mario Ancic, then ranked No. 24 in the world, in a first-round match in Toronto and played very well in a 6-4, 6-4 loss to No. 3 Novak Djokovic.

Dancevic is unsure how to plan a fall schedule to earn the roughly 150 ATP ranking points he needs reach the top 100. Dancevic came into the U.S. Open ranked 101st in the 2008 ATP race.

"I can't get into ATP events, so I may have to just play Challengers," he said. "I have to try and get my game together but I don't know if it's me, the coaching or what.

"This match looked like I was crushed but it wasn't quite like that. I'm struggling and I don't know how to get out of it right now."

Race for All-Star coach down to wire

Nestor to defend French doubles title

Olympics jet lag plagues U.S. Open

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK -- The rings of the Olympics are not the only ones in common for Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and the Williams sisters. Chances are those tennis champions also share dark circles under their eyes, courtesy of the just completed Beijing Games and cross-continent flying. Fresh off a gold medal in men's singles at the Olympics -- jet lag notwithstanding -- Nadal began his quest for his first U.S. Open title on Monday as the newly minted No. 1 player in the world. "It was tough, because two weeks ago I went from Cincinnati to Beijing, 12 hours, and went 12 more hours (to New York)," this year's French Open and Wimbledon champion said before facing Bjorn Phau in the first round. "It's tough, but I don't want to think about that." No, he has more important issues to worry about, such as solving Federer on a hardcourt as he finally figured out his rival on Wimbledon grass last month. Nadal is seeking his third straight Grand Slam title, though he's never gotten past the U.S. Open quarter-finals. Federer flamed out in singles in Beijing, but captured gold for Switzerland in doubles before heading to New York to try to defend his U.S. Open title for a fourth straight year. There is no time to sleep at all, let alone on the hot Nadal, who just ended Federer's reign as the world's top player after an incredible 237 weeks. The extensive travel and time zone jumping has been tough, but Federer has been gearing up for it. The Olympic tournament ended last Sunday, giving even the finallists a week to get to New York and become acclimated with Eastern Daylight Time. Of the 64 men who played singles in Beijing, 51 are also in the U.S. Open field. Likewise, 55 women are doing the double that comes along every four years. "I'm just going to try to recover from a whole lot of travelling we've had," said Federer, a 12-time Grand Slam champion. "You do a lot of prevention, you know, stretching, massage and a lot of sleep, eat healthy kind of thing." While Nadal had his first match Monday afternoon, Federer and Olympic women's doubles champions Venus and Serena Williams weren't scheduled to begin their U.S. Open singles play until Tuesday. Federer and Venus are the headliners under the lights Tuesday night, but Serena is slated for the afternoon session. "Well, I'm still trying to get over the jet lag," Serena said. "Venus seems like she isn't having a problem, but I don't handle jet lag as well as she does. Hopefully it won't be an issue." Venus did, however, lose track of the days as she prepared to shoot for her third U.S. Open title. "We got here Thursday. I really don't know what day it is anymore," she said Saturday. "I thought today was Friday, but I'm here at the right time." Elena Dementieva, the Open's No. 5 seed and the gold medal winner in women's singles in Beijing, was first on Arthur Ashe Stadium court just after 11 a.m. Monday and eliminated Akgul Amanmuradova 6-4, 7-5 in about 90 minutes. Dementieva stopped home in Moscow following her Olympic win over countrywoman Dinara Safina on Sunday. After showing off her medal and celebrating with her family for one day -- including a visit to her tennis club -- Dementieva was back on the move. She arrived in New York on Wednesday. "Yesterday, I was trying to go to sleep, but I mean I couldn't because I was watching the closing ceremony," Dementieva said Monday. "You know, my mind is still there. I was trying to stay focused as possible as I could, and the court was not easy. I think the first round is never easy." Andy Roddick is feeling better after dealing with an injury to his right shoulder that has limited him since his loss to Janko Tipsarevic in the second round at Wimbledon on June 26. Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion, sat out the French Open because of the injury and decided to bypass Beijing to work on his hardcourt game and avoid any problems the travel could present. Whether he gained an advantage by playing in North America remains to be seen. "I don't know. There's a week in between," he said. "For my sake, being able to get two tournaments, getting matches in, and at least playing my way into shape a little bit after the injuries, was probably a good move as far as my tennis goes." Dementieva also wasn't sure if the added matches would be a plus or minus heading into the year's final Grand Slam tournament. It didn't matter, anyway. Winning Olympic gold was her biggest goal. "I don't know what is the best, to be a little tired but very comfortable and very positive or just to be fresh and not to play in the Olympic Games," the 26-year-old Russian said. "It's just another challenge, and we'll see if I can handle it."

Dementieva opens Open with win

Nowak trying to shape Olympic roster

Go for the Goal(d) with the Admirals

Sundin denies Canucks rumour, says he’s still undecided about future

Federer holding onto Open advantage

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK -- His Wimbledon reign and No. 1 ranking surrendered, Roger Federer has one trump card left in his competition with Rafael Nadal: four straight U.S. Open titles.

He figures that counts for something heading into the start Monday of the year's final Grand Slam.

"I still believe it's an advantage if you know how to win a U.S. Open," said Federer, shut out so far this year on the game's biggest stages. "It's a tough tournament to win."

There were questions during media day Saturday about a "different" Federer and whether Nadal was a clear favourite even though the Spaniard has never been past the quarter-finals here.

That's what happens when you've beaten your rival in two Grand Slam finals this year and won an Olympic gold medal that both players flew halfway around the world to pursue just two weeks before the Open.

American James Blake squashed Federer's Olympic hopes in the quarter-finals in Beijing, beating the Swiss star for the first time after winning just one set in eight previous matches.

"Well, I hope it wasn't too different," Blake said when asked which Federer he beat. "I think he definitely didn't have his best day against me, but playing him nine times -- I guess he's bound to have one off day out of all of them, because there are times when I felt like there was nothing I could do."

Nadal dismissed talk of a changing landscape and more pressure accompanying his rise to the top spot.

"The goal is still the same and the pressure is still the same," said Nadal, who opens Monday against qualifier Bjorn Phau of Germany in Arthur Ashe Stadium. "The goal is to continue to improve my tennis and to continue playing a very good tournament."

Federer didn't seem too disappointed to hand the No. 1 mantle to Nadal, at least for now. Federer spent 237 weeks at No. 1 -- basically 4 1/2 years -- before Nadal replaced him last week.

"Rafa will now feel what I had to feel for a very long time," Federer said. "So it will be interesting to see how he handles it, but so far he's been great and he's played so well on all surfaces now. Maybe it's nice to go into a Grand Slam for a change not having No. 1 next to me, and it should be interesting."

.Andy Roddick, among the players to hand Federer one of his 12 losses this year, thinks Nadal deserves to be called the clear favourite at the U.S. Open simply because he's "playing the best tennis."

But he's not ready to give up on Federer, who is dangerously close to ending a five-year run with at least one Grand Slam singles title.

"I think it's tough to play perfect for five years in a row," Roddick said. "I think one big result and it's turned around for him. I know pretty much every player except for one that would take his bad year. So I think you have to use a little bit of perspective. He's created a monster for himself."

Venus and Serena Williams sidestepped questions about a disappointing draw that would have them meeting in the quarter-finals after they played the final at Wimbledon. That's what happens with random seedings like fourth (Serena) and seventh (Venus).

The sisters said they aren't anywhere near being finished with tennis and want to make the question of the draw moot by rising to the top two spots in the rankings.

"That's the plan, but I don't think either one of us is aiming for two," Venus Williams said.

Wolves Weekly Notes

Nadal, Ivanovic top US Open seeds

Destroyers’ comeback falls short

Hogs Are Winless In Rosemont No More

Nadal looks to end U.S. Open slump

By Ben Walker THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK -- Rafael Nadal is faulty at Flushing Meadows, Roger Federer is suddenly shaky. Justine Henin is gone, Maria Sharapova is injured. Might as well make this the U.S. Wide Open. The final Grand Slam of the year starts Monday, and this one includes more than its share of wild cards. "The good thing about tennis this year is that you have many players who are winning some major events," said No. 3 men's seed Novak Djokovic. "It's a bigger competition. It's more attractive for the fans." The first unknown: How will travel trauma affect the stars coming back from Beijing? Throw in a bad draw for the Williams sisters, a surprising medals sweep by the Russian women at the Olympics, the breakthrough by Ana Ivanovic and a big streak by Juan Martin del Potro, plus James Blake and his rowdy rooters in the J-Block. Should be plenty to watch over the next two weeks, as matches stretch from before noon to after midnight. "I know there are some hungry guys ... desperate to make some type of mark," four-time U.S. Open champion John McEnroe said. "I'd say it's pretty unpredictable on the women's side." The women's draw is especially tricky to pick since Henin retired several months after winning her second U.S. Open last year and Sharapova injured her right shoulder. Sharapova doesn't plan to attend any tennis events, but will be in town for fashion week -- maybe that's where she can bring back her shiny red dress with the 600 crystals. So start this U.S. Open with Nadal and Federer. Federer has owned Arthur Ashe Stadium in recent years, winning the last four championships. He often treats the New York crowd to something special, be it a sharp black outfit or a behind-the-back, through-the-legs volley. But his run toward Pete Sampras' record of 14 major titles has stalled this season -- he's been shut out, leaving him with 12. Instead, he lost a thrilling, five-set match to Nadal at Wimbledon and fell to his rival at the French Open. At 27, Federer is no longer unbeatable. "You don't ever know when you're going to see the beginning of the end," McEnroe said. "When you lose a little bit of that swagger, guys in any sport pick up on that," he said. "You work for years to built that invincibility knowing that at some point it's going to break, the mirror is going to break." Fluent in several languages, Federer understands what others are now saying about him. "I've enjoyed it, talking about it, being compared to the greatest," he said. "It's a nice challenge ... beating the next generation, trying to play for a long time, trying to stay healthy, trying to beat records." "It's always been difficult to beat all these guys. It's just not so easy to keep it up all the time. Eventually, sometimes they get you," he said. This year, more and more have done it -- Andy Roddick, Andy Murray, Djokovic and Blake are among them. "I think that's maybe what I feel most this year. You know, just losing too many matches," Federer said. "I look forward to the U.S. Open. I still have really this and then the Masters Cup in Shanghai to really do well now. Try to save my season." While Federer won Olympic gold in doubles, Nadal returns from Beijing with the prize his rival really wanted: the singles titles. Ready, Rafa? Nadal enters the Open at No. 1, having taken over the spot Federer occupied for more than four years. Nadal also is the first top-seeded player at a Grand Slam event other than Federer since January 2004, when Roddick earned that slot at the Australian Open. Plus, Nadal is 12-6 lifetime against Federer, including victories in all four meetings this season. "The last years I did very well, too. I was very happy being the No. 2. So finally I'm No. 1," Nadal said. "I don't have time to celebrate. So probably after New York, after Davis Cup, I'm going to have a good time." That said, the 22-year-old Spaniard has not done well at the U.S. Open. He's never advanced past the quarter-finals and lost in the fourth round last year. Ivanovic certainly has stepped up her game, beating Dinara Safina in the French Open for her first major championship. But the 21-year-old Serb pulled out of the Olympics before they started because of inflammation in her right hand, a problem that left her unable to practice last month. Ivanovic is seeded No. 1, with the expressive Jelena Jankovic at No. 2, former U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova at No. 3 and Olympic champion Elena Dementieva at No. 5. Looming, as always, are the Williams sisters. Two-time U.S. Open champion Serena Williams is the oddsmakers' choice to win. No prediction yet on what she'll wear -- last year, it was a babydoll dress for the opening round. At 28, Venus Williams is two years older than Serena and beat her in the Wimbledon final. They won't play in this final because they would meet in the quarter-finals if they make it that far. "I'm really excited for the Open," Serena said. "I feel like I'm playing really solid and much better than I have been all year, to be honest. I really look forward to it." So does Djokovic, who became a favourite at Flushing Meadows last year with his spirited play and spot-on imitations of Nadal and Sharapova. He reached the final, then lost seven set points and fell to Federer. This time, Djokovic and others see the tournament as open season. "It's very unpredictable. Tennis is like that," the Serbian star said. "You know, it can turn around in a split of a second."

Nadal, Ivanovic top US Open seeds

Toseland determined to end slump

Dementieva opens Open with win

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK -- Olympic champion Elena Dementieva showed her mettle at the U.S. Open, rallying in the second set Monday to beat Akgul Amanmuradova 6-4, 7-5 to start what's expected to be a wide-open tournament.

Back from Beijing with her gold, Dementieva won the final four games. The fifth-seeded Russian was glad to win quickly and give her mind and body a break.

"It's very hard not to think about the Olympic Games," Dementieva said. "Very difficult to refocus. I mean, all my thinking is there in Beijing."

Former champions Lindsay Davenport and Svetlana Kuznetsova and fourth-seeded David Ferrer also opened with straight-sets victories. Many of the stars were in a hurry -- they wanted to beat the rain in the forecast.

Top-seeded Rafael Nadal, James Blake and Jelena Jankovic were set to play later Monday.

Roger Federer, bidding for his fifth straight U.S. Open title, was scheduled to begin Tuesday, as were No. 1 Ana Ivanovic and the Williams sisters.

The final Grand Slam event of the season figured to be a scramble, especially on the women's side. Justine Henin retired and is not back to defend her title and Maria Sharapova is out with an injured shoulder.

Six different women have won the U.S. Open in the last seven years, and Dementieva is seeking her first major championship. But to her, the Olympic singles title counts.

"The biggest goal for the year was Beijing," she said. "In Russia, if you stop anyone in the street and ask what is a Grand Slam, I don't think many people can tell you. But everyone knows the Olympic Games. There is nothing bigger."

During a quick stopover in Moscow to see her mom, she found out how much the gold meant.

"People just come to me and say, 'Oh, I'm happy for you. You're always losing in the final. It's so great that you finally win something big,"' she said.

Dementieva put together a workmanlike win over Amanmuradova. Her opponent from Uzbekistan served for the second ahead 5-3, but Dementieva still had enough energy.

"I don't know what is best, to be a little bit tired but very comfortable and very positive, or to be fresh and not play in the Olympic Games."

Li Na, who beat Venus Williams in Beijing, beat Shahar Peer of Israel 2-6, 6-0, 6-1. The No. 23-seeded Davenport defeated Aleksandra Wozniak of Blainville, Que., 6-4, 6-2 and No. 3 Kuznetsova beat Zhang Shuai of China 6-4, 6-2.

On the men's side, the fourth-seeded Ferrer beat Martin Vassallo Arguello of Argentina 7-6 (1), 6-2, 6-2 and No. 32 Gael Monfils downed Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay 6-4, 6-4, 6-1. The No. 29-seeded Juan Monaco of Argentina lost to Kei Nishikori of Japan 6-2, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2.

Nadal looks to end U.S. Open slump

Radwanska wins the Istanbul Cup

Nadal, Ivanovic top US Open seeds

Rosberg aiming to beat BMW in Monaco

ATP president de Villiers resigning

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS LONDON -- Etienne de Villiers is set to step down as executive chairman and president of the ATP when his contract expires in December. De Villiers will leave the post after instigating a series of changes since taking over the men's tennis tour in June 2005, including the introduction of the Hawkeye system of judging line calls, a reshuffle of the tour calendar and increased prize money. The ATP said Thursday that the changes had been the most extensive in its 18-year history. "I believe we have delivered the biggest modernization of the ATP Tour since its inception, have attracted unprecedented levels of investment into men's tennis and have begun to feed the growing appetite for men's tennis globally, both in established and emerging markets," De Villiers said. "I am honoured to have played a part in taking our great sport to the next level. "Now that this much needed change has been realized I believe this is the right time for someone new to build on this strong platform." The ATP said De Villiers will help in the search for his successor. De Villiers, a former president of Walt Disney Television International, joined the ATP as chairman and became executive chairman and president five months later. He helped secure US$1 billion of new investment into the ATP Tour. Much was spent overhauling the tour's image to make it more fan friendly. He also introduced byes for seeded players at Masters tournaments. That led to more appearances by the top players and the first increases in prize money for more than five years.

Jury upholds new ATP Tour structure

Edberg returns to play on seniors tour

Sharapova, WTA reach a compromise

Aeros name Courtney Eidman Vice President

Wozniacki, Cilic win Pilot Pen titles

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Marin Cilic of Croatia won his first ATP Tour event Saturday, beating American Mardy Fish 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 at the Pilot Pen, a U.S. Open tuneup.

Unseeded Caroline Wozniacki won the women's title, her second tournament victory this month, beating top-seeded Anna Chakvetadze 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.

Despite having the crowd against him, the 19-year-old Cilic broke the hard-serving Fish five times, three times in the final set, to secure the win in his first finals appearance.

After hitting a 123 m.p.h. ace for match point, he threw his hands in the air, then paused, unsure of what to do next. Eventually, he dropped to his knees.

"My mind was rolling so much," he said. "But it's fine. Probably I'll get to know next time how to celebrate."

His best decision of the night may have come at the coin toss, when the six-foot-six Cilic elected to receive. He broke Fish in the first game and made that hold up in the first set.

"I was feeling that it's better that I get one game before I start to serve to get a little bit in the match, to hit few balls, just to feel how I'm gonna do in the first game, not to be too nervous," he said.

After dropping the second set, he broke Fish again to open the third, pumping his fist in the air. Fish came back with a break of his own, but Cilic responded in the very next game and broke Fish again in the sixth game.

With the crowd using its favourite cheer, "Anybody got an ace? Go Fish!," the 26-year-old American was consistently hitting first serves at between 125 and 130 m.p.h.

But Cilic's serve was in the same neighbourhood. He continued to return well, holding Fish to just five aces, while getting 11 of his own.

"When I lost my serve, I just lost the advantage," he said. "But I stayed calm and I knew that I'm gonna eventually get another chance."

Fish, who lost to James Blake in the men's final a year ago, was trying for his third career win, and first since 2006.

"I would have liked to have played better," Fish said. "This is my 11th final and I've only won twice. It's starting to really sting, you know, nine times losing. I've got a lot of runner-up trophies in my office in my house."

In the women's draw, Wozniacki earned her second career victory. The 18-year-old Dane hadn't even been in a WTA final before August. She won her first WTA Tour win in Stockholm, then reached the third round at the Olympics, where she lost to eventual gold-medallist Elena Dementieva.

"Stockholm was in Scandinavia, it was my first tournament and it was smaller than this," she said. "Here, it's the tournament before the U.S. Open, and it's a really big tournament. You know, I have beaten some really great players on my way to win this tournament."

Her run included wins over eighth-seeded Dominika Cibulkova, third-seeded Marion Bartoli, and seventh-seeded Alize Cornet.

It didn't look good for Wozniacki early in the final. She was broken three times in the first set, and was in trouble in the second after Chakvetadze broke her again in the first game. But Wozniacki broke back and won the set when Chakvetadze double-faulted on the final point.

Wozniacki dominated the third set, breaking Chakvetadze in the fourth and sixth games before serving out the match.

."I just didn't have power, especially in the third set," Chakvetadze said. "If you are not able to run and fight on the court, then you're going to lose the match."

The loss was the 21-year-old Russian's first in a WTA final. She had been 7-0 during her short career, including a win earlier this season indoors at Paris. Despite her loss, Chakvetadze expected to move up in the rankings, to No. 9 from No. 11 next week.

"I'm actually pleased with my game," she said. "Not today. But if I compare it to one month ago, it's much better. So I look forward to play the U.S. Open, the most important tournament obviously is coming in two days. I hope I will stay fresh for each match."

Wozniacki has moved up from No. 64 in January to No. 22, and is expected to break into the top 20 for the first time.

The teenager still has a year of high school left, and said until recently, she considered her biggest tennis achievement beating her older brother.

"I am having fun," Wozniacki said. "I enjoy playing. I enjoy playing for a big crowd. You know, when you're in the finals, you don't have anything to lose. You can just win."

Wozniak loses 2nd match at Wimbledon

Marlies to Play Pre-Season Games in St. John’s, Newfoundland

Hantuchova reaches Pilot Pen quarters

Wozniacki, Fish move into Pilot Pen finals

Wozniacki, Fish move into Pilot Pen finals

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Caroline Wozniacki kept up the best month of her career, moving into the finals of the Pilot Pen on Friday with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over seventh-seeded Alize Cornet.

The 18-year-old Dane began August by getting her first WTA Tour win in Stockholm, then reached the third round at the Olympics, where she lost to eventual gold medallist Elena Dementieva.

"It was just an amazing experience that you just don't get every day," she said. "Now I'm in the finals again. It's been a good month for me."

She will face the tournament's top seed, Anna Chakvetadze. The 21-year-old Russian needed three sets to beat Amelie Mauresmo, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.

In the men's draw, American Mardy Fish upset top-seeded Fernando Verdasco of Spain 6-0, 1-6, 6-3 to advance to his second straight Pilot Pen final.

Wozniacki broke Cornet in the 12th game to take the first set, but dropped the first three games of the second set before rallying. She broke Cornet at love in the final game.

Cornet, who also made it to the third round in Beijing, said she wore down midway through her second set with Wozniacki.

"She was just ready to fight on every point, and I started to feel a little bit tired," Cornet said. "After, it was worse and worse and finally at the end of the match, the two last games, I was out of the match."

Cornet had her left thigh wrapped after injuring her quadriceps in the quarter-finals, but said the injury is not serious and should not affect her chances next week in the U.S. Open.

Wozniacki, who beat third-seeded Marion Bartoli 6-4, 6-0 in the quarter-finals, has moved up from No. 64 in the world in January to No. 22 and expects to continue her climb.

"I would love to become No. 1 in the world and win Grand Slams," Wozniacki said. "I think everyone practising this hard, you know, putting such an effort in it wants to become No. 1 in the world. But there's only one No. 1. So, you know, you need to put some hard work in it You know, I still have 21 spots to go. And hopefully after this tournament I have a little bit less."

Chakvetadze, ranked No. 8 in the world, hasn't lost in seven previous tournament finals in her career. She last won indoors at Paris in February.

She overcame nine double-faults and some shaky play Friday, including an embarrassing whiff on an easy overhand during the sixth game of the third set. After the ball bounced, she hit a backhand into the net.

"I just lost the ball in the sky. I don't know how it happened," she said.

She recovered to break Mauresmo during that game and served out the set.

"I should serve better tomorrow definitely because I think Wozniacki plays more aggressive than Amelie does," she said. "I need to put more first serves in."

Mauresmo, unseeded and ranked No. 33 in the world, was playing in just her second tournament since Wimbledon after being hampered by injuries.

The former world No. 1 said her run in New Haven has done as much for her mentally as physically going into the U.S. Open.

"I wanted to find this adrenaline, these emotions again," she said. "That's also what I was missing. I was not able to find these for the last month or so. And it was pretty frustrating also to be on the court and a little bit like not really finding joy and happiness and motivation."

In the first men's semifinal, Fish dominated the first set and Verdasco did the same in the second. In the final set, Fish got the winning point on Verdasco's ninth double fault of the match.

"I feel like with my serve and my serve game, if I can get two breaks in a set, I'll feel pretty comfortable," Fish said.

Fish, who lost to his good friend James Blake a year ago, is looking for his third singles title, and first since 2006.

He will face the winner of Friday's late semifinal between Slovenian Luka Gregorc and Croatian Marin Cilic, a 19-year-old ranked 31st in the world.

Griffins Grad Gorovikov Gets Gold

Jankovic wins second Italian Open

Hantuchova reaches Pilot Pen quarters

Hantuchova reaches Pilot Pen quarters

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Second-seeded Daniela Hantuchova survived three match points in a 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (4) victory over Olga Govortsova of Belarus in a second round match Wednesday night at the Pilot Pen.

"It was very close and I still can't believe I won it," said Hantuchova, who is ranked No. 12 in the world. "The crowd helped me very much and I am very excited to be in the quarter-finals."

It is the fourth time Hantuchova has reached the quarter-finals at the Pilot Pen, a tune up to next week's U.S. Open.

Hantuchova struggled with her serve in the first set. She had to save five break points to win the fifth game, but then failed to hold serve the rest of the set. She challenged the final point of the set, but the replay showed her shot was correctly called out wide right.

Hantuchova regained her rhythm in the second set easily winning 6-2, but again had trouble serving in the third. She saved three match points on her serve in the 12th game to force the tiebreaker.

In another second round match, seventh seeded Alize Cornet of France advanced after defeating Katarina Srebotnik of Slovakia, 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-2.

Earlier Wednesday, Amelie Mauresmo showed no signs of the nagging injuries that sidelined her for several weeks, defeating fifth-seeded Patty Schnyder in a third-set tiebreaker 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (6) in the second round.

Mauresmo won the match with a deep forehand that Schnyder couldn't handle and raised her arms in triumph.

The former No. 1 player in the world is trying to round into form before the U.S. Open after battling rib and muscle injuries that sidelined her for several weeks after losing to Serena Williams in the third round at Wimbledon.

Mauresmo, from France, also played a tough three-set match Tuesday in the first round against Kaia Kanepi.

"These kinds of matches for the last year or so I was losing them," said Mauresmo, a two-time Grand Slam singles champion. "At some point it makes a difference, because you have confidence from these kind of matches and you build up from there."

Mauresmo is now ranked No. 33 in the world. The 29-year-old will face fourth-seeded Agnes Szavay of Hungry in the women's quarter-finals. The two have never played each other.

Top-seeded Anna Chakvetadze also moved into the quarter-finals, rolling past Casey Dellacqua of Australia 6-4, 6-4 despite 11 double faults in her second round match.

"I lost my rhythm a little bit on my serve because of the wind in the first set," Chakvetadze said. "I couldn't find it in the second, as well. But still, I was fighting to the end and I'm pleased with this win."

Chakvetadze, ranked No. 8 in the world, is looking for her second WTA Tour title this year. She won the Paris indoor title earlier this year and advanced to her fourth quarter-final this season.

The men's top seed, Fernando Verdasco of Spain, had little trouble with Ivo Minar of the Czech Republic, winning his third-round match 6-3, 6-1.

Verdasco is making his fourth appearance at the Pilot Pen. He reached the quarter-finals in 2005 and 2007.

"I am so happy with my level of play today," Verdasco said. "I always play well here in New Haven and I am hoping to play my best."

Luka Gregorc of Slovaki upset the men's No. 2 seed, Ivo Karlovic, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-2 in their third-round match.

American Robby Ginepri's run at the Pilot Pen also ended. Mischa Zverev of Germany defeated Ginepri 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 in their third round match.

"I changed my game (after the first set)," Zverev said. "I was serving and volleying and then I tried to stay back and wear him down. It worked."

Ginepri said he let the match get away from him.

"I was hitting everything for a winner and everything was going 100 per cent my way," Ginepri said. "When the match kind of got tight in a couple of points, I started to panic maybe a little bit."

Zverev will face Verdasco in the quarter-finals.

In other men's action, seventh-seeded Andreas Seppi defeated fellow Italian Fabio Fognini 6-4, 6-2 in a third-round match and fourth-seeded Russian Igor Andreev beat 16th-seeded Victor Hanescu of Romania, 6-4, 7-5; and eighth-seeded American Mardy Fish defeated France's Marc Gicquel 6-4, 6-3 in a third-round match. Fish was the Pilot Pen runner-up last year.

"He is a tough opponent, but I played a pretty clean match for me," Fish said. "I served really well. I took my opportunities when I had them."

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THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Amelie Mauresmo dominated at times and struggled at others Tuesday in a 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-2 victory over Kaia Kanepi of Estonia in the first round of the Pilot Pen Tennis Tournament.

The former No. 1 player in the world is trying to round into form before next week's U.S. Open after battling rib and muscle injuries that sidelined her for several weeks after losing to Serena Williams in the third round at Wimbledon.

Mauresmo, a two-time Grand Slam singles champion from France, rolled through the first set but had trouble with her serve in dropping the second. She took control again in the deciding set, though she finished with 12 double faults after recording six in the second set.

"Overall it was a good fight," said Mauresmo, the 2006 Wimbledon winner. "It is always good to go out of these kinds of matches with a win. I am happy physically because I am fine coming out of this match."

The 29-year-old Mauresmo returned last week at Mason, Ohio, where she reached the semifinals. She said regaining rhythm and confidence is never easy after a long layoff, especially at her age.

"I am definitely thinking the body is not holding as well as it used to," said Mauresmo, who has dropped to No. 33 in the world rankings after finishing last year at 17. "That's a fact and it is pretty frustrating, but that is the way it is."

Third-seeded Marion Bartoli of France avoided an upset by rallying to beat Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 in the second round.

Coming back from a strained abdominal muscle, Bartoli wasn't sure she would play the Pilot Pen before getting medical clearance. She figured the court was the place to get ready for the U.S. Open.

"I practiced here first and felt I could play," said Bartoli, ranked No. 13 in the world. "It is good to have matches before a Grand Slam."

In the men's draw, American Robby Ginepri looked strong again in defeating 12th-seeded Augustin Calleri 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 in the second round. The victory snapped a five-match losing streak against Argentine opponents and improved his North American hardcourt record to 4-3.

The 25-year-old Ginepri is a former top 20 player ranked No. 62 in the world. He is making his second appearance at the Pilot Pen. Last year, he lost to Calleri in the second round but now leads him 3-1 head-to-head.

Second-seeded Ivo Karlovic defeated American John Isner 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-4 in another second-round match. It was the first meeting between two of the tallest players on the ATP Tour. The six-foot-10 Karlovic is ranked a career-best 14th in the world, while the six-nine Isner is at No. 124 after turning pro last year.

"I had never faced a serve like that before," Isner said. "I needed to return better, and I didn't. I didn't make enough serves when I needed."

In other second-round men's matches, Germany's Mischa Zverev upset fifth-seeded Juan Monaco of Argentina 6-3, 6-3, and eighth-seeded Mardy Fish held off fellow American Wayne Odesnik 6-1, 4-6, 6-1.

After losing in the first round in doubles last year, Lindsay Davenport rolled into the second round with Daniela Hantuchova on Tuesday, beating Jill Craybas and Olga Govortsova 6-3, 6-4.

."We both felt we could've done a couple of things better," said Davenport, who played with Lisa Raymond last year. "We tried to enjoy it and not take things seriously."

Davenport and Hantuchova, who plan to play together at the U.S. Open, took command in the seventh game of the final set. Davenport broke Craybas and Govortsova with a quick volley winner at the net.

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India's Mirza pulls out of U.S. Open

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW DELHI -- Sania Mirza has pulled out of the U.S. Open due to an ongoing wrist injury that flared at the Olympic Games.

The Indian 21-year-old said Thursday that she would be unable to take part in the final grand-slam event of the year, beginning Monday.

Mirza, who underwent surgery on her right wrist in April, was forced to retire from her first-round singles match in Beijing and had been advised to rest for three weeks. A statement released Thursday said she had undergone "intensive tests" before being advised to rest.

"It's very disappointing for me to miss the U.S. Open, I've always done well in this tournament," Mirza said.

Mirza reached the fourth round of the U.S. Open in 2005 as an 18-year-old.

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Hewitt pulls out of Open, hip surgery

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SYDNEY, Australia -- Lleyton Hewitt withdrew from next week's U.S. Open after undergoing hip surgery.

Hewitt, the 2001 U.S. Open champion, said in a statement published on his website Wednesday he is frustrated at not being able to play but had exhausted every possibility besides surgery

"Surgery was always the last resort, but unfortunately that's what it came down to," the former world No. 1 said. "I am also shattered that I can't lead the Australian Davis Cup team in Chile in our bid to rejoin the world group, and hope that the boys can still come through with a great win."

Australia's world group playoff against Chile is scheduled to be played at Santiago in September.

Hewitt, also a U.S. Open finalist in 2004, was knocked out of the Olympic tennis tournament in the second round last week in Beijing by top-ranked Rafael Nadal.

Hewitt said he will now focus on his rehabilitation for the Australian season.

"I am looking forward to playing again in January in my home country and using that as a springboard to compete at my best again on the world stage for at least a couple of more years," he said.

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NEW YORK -- Rafael Nadal's summer keeps getting better.

A day after winning an Olympic gold medal in Beijing, Nadal officially unseated Roger Federer to become the world's No. 1 tennis player when the ATP rankings came out Monday.

Federer had been atop the rankings for 235 weeks, but Nadal has won six tournaments this year and heads into next week's U.S. Open as the favorite to win his third straight Grand Slam.

He has won 38 of 39 matches on tour and beat Federer in the finals of the French Open and Wimbledon this summer.

Nadal beat Fernando Gonzalez of Chile in straight sets Sunday to win a gold medal for Spain in men's singles.

Federer continued his yearlong slump when he lost in the quarter-finals to James Blake, though he did take a gold medal for Switzerland in doubles with partner Stanislas Wawrinka.

Ana Ivanovic is back on top in the women's rankings. The 20-year old Serb, who held the No. 1 WTA ranking for nine weeks from June 9-Aug. 11, moved past compatriot Jelena Jankovic.

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Dechy upset Mauresmo in Cincinnati

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

MASON, Ohio -- Nathalie Dechy reached her first final in four years with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 upset of fifth-seeded Amelie Mauresmo in a semifinal of the Western and Southern Financial Group Women's Open on Saturday.

Dechy, who won the last two U.S. Open womens' doubles titles, will play in a final Sunday for the first time since losing the championship match at the 2004 New Haven tournament.

"It's exciting," said Dechy, who estimated that she's played Mauresmo 50 times since the two Frenchwomen met 20 years ago. "It's always tough when you beat a good friend, but I haven't felt this way in singles since 2004."

Dechy went to the net 34 times, converting 25 into points.

"She took every opportunity she had to come in and make me play one more shot or one more passing shot," said Mauresmo, who was playing her first tournament since Wimbledon while coming back from a thigh injury.

After Dechy won the first set, the two players held serve until Mauresmo came up with a backhand passing shot and Dechy sailed a forehand long to give Mauresmo a break in the eighth game, allowing her to serve it out and force the third set.

Dechy rode an early break to a 4-1 lead in the third set, clinching the fifth game with an ace that Mauresmo disputed, one of three calls she questioned during the set. Mauresmo held on with her own break, but Dechy came back with another break, clinching the win when Mauresmo sent a backhand into the net.

"I got a little bit upset," said Mauresmo, who was ranked No. 1 on the WTA Tour in 2004 and 2006. "That's the way it is. I got four matches in this week, which is what I was looking for. It would have been great to play five, but I'll go to New Haven hoping to find a little more rhythm and build up to the Open."

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THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK -- Rafael Nadal was seeded No. 1 for the U.S. Open on Tuesday, making it the first time since January 2004 that a man other than Switzerland's Roger Federer held that top spot at a Grand Slam tournament. Ana Ivanovic is the No. 1 seed on the women's side. The tournament begins Monday. The draw will be announced Thursday. The U.S. Open followed Monday's rankings for its seedings, and Nadal replaced Federer at No. 1 for the first time this week. The Olympic, French Open and Wimbledon champion will try for his first U.S. Open title -- he's never been beyond the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows and lost in the fourth round last year. Federer, meanwhile, has won the last four U.S. Open championships. He had been seeded No. 1 at every major event since American Andy Roddick at the 2004 Australian Open. Novak Djokovic of Serbia was seeded third, followed by David Ferrer of Spain and Nikolay Davydenko of Russia. Roddick was seeded eighth and American James Blake, who beat Federer at Beijing, was ninth. Ivanovic won her first Grand Slam title this year at the French Open. Fellow Serbian star Jelena Jankovic is seeded second, followed by Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia, Serena Williams and Olympic champion Elena Dementieva of Russia. American Venus Williams is seventh and compatriot Lindsay Davenport is 23rd. The last two U.S. Open women's champions are out of the upcoming tournament -- Belgian Justine Henin retired and Russian Maria Sharapova is injured.

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THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK -- Croatia's Mario Ancic withdrew from the U.S. Open on Tuesday with a recurrence of mononucleosis, the second straight year the 25th-ranked player was forced to miss the tournament.

Ancic, a former Wimbledon semifinalist, was slowed throughout the 2007 season because of mononucleosis. He pulled out of the Open last August because of an injured right shoulder.

Ancic beat Roger Federer in the first round at Wimbledon in 2002. That had been Federer's most recent loss there until Rafael Nadal beat him in the final this year.

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Petrova cruises to title in Ohio

ASSOCIATED PRESS

MASON, Ohio -- Second-seeded Nadia Petrova dominated unseeded Nathalie Dechy, 6-2, 6-1, to win the Western and Southern Financial Groups Women's Open on Sunday.

Petrova, who reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon this year, clinched the win with a forehand return on her second match point to earn her first championship since the 2007 Tier II Paris indoor tournament. It was her first outdoor title since the Tier I Berlin Open on clay in 2006.

"It's been awhile," said the 26-year-old Petrova. "I've been in some finals, but it felt really good to win my eighth title. Things seem to be going in the right direction."

Petrova, the third consecutive Russian to win the Tier III tournament, earned US$28,000. France's Dechy, making her first finals appearance since the 2004 New Haven event, earned $15,000.

"It wasn't my best match of the week, but you have to give credit to Nadia," said the 29-year-old Dechy, who was ranked 92nd on the WTA Tour going into the tournament. "She served really well. She kept it deep, and I was always under pressure. My serve wasn't that good, and she has one of the best on the tour, so there was a huge gap."

The players traded service breaks through the first three games before the 21st-ranked Petrova held for 3-1 lead. Playing more aggressively, the Russian had 17 winners to Dechy's four while committing nine unforced errors to five for Dechy in the first set. Petrova finished with 28 winners to Dechy's five.

"She was very aggressive," Dechy said. "I knew I had to do something. I just couldn't."

The second set was tied 1-1 when Dechy double-faulted on game point, and Petrova went on to win the last five games of the match.

"To be honest, I expected a much more difficult match," said Petrova, who has beaten Dechy three consecutive times and improved to 6-2 in the series. "I felt like I was so well-prepared, and I was ready to stay on the court for a long time."

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