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Hammers join the rat race for Diouf

Published 23:00 21/01/11 By Alan Nixon

Struggling West Ham are ready to move for Blackburn bad boy El Hadji Diouf.
The Senegal forward would be a controversial signing at Upton Park after being accused of spitting at West Ham fans while playing for Liverpool in November 2002.
Police investigated the incident, but took no action.
And earlier this month he was branded lower than a sewer rat by QPR manager Neil Warnock after allegedly hurling insults at Rangers star Jamie Mackie while the player lay injured with what turned out to be a double leg break.

Now new Rovers manager Steve Kean will let him go, if the deal is right.
Diouf has 18 months left on his deal but the Hammers are interested as long as the package of fee and wages is within their budget.
Kean admitted: "There is interest in Diouf. Maybe someone sees him giving their side a spark. If we get a bid we will discuss it with him. We've had inquiries from Premier League clubs and from abroad. He is aware of that and we will see how far that goes."
Diouf's career in England has been punctuated by several *controversial incidents. In 2002 he was accused of spitting at visiting West Ham fans at Anfield as he warmed up as a Liverpool *substitute. The next year he was found guilty of spitting at Celtic supporters. And earlier this month Diouf was caught in another storm with his reaction towards stricken QPR star Mackie in an FA Cup tie.
Rangers boss Warnock said: "For many years I think he's been the ‘gutter' type of boy. I was going to call him a sewer rat, but that might insult the sewer rats. I think he's the lowest of the low.
"I can't see him being at Blackburn much longer because I can't see Steve Kean putting up with someone like that.''

Hammers join the rat race for Diouf

Published 23:00 21/01/11 By Alan Nixon

Struggling West Ham are ready to move for Blackburn bad boy El Hadji Diouf.
The Senegal forward would be a controversial signing at Upton Park after being accused of spitting at West Ham fans while playing for Liverpool in November 2002.
Police investigated the incident, but took no action.
And earlier this month he was branded lower than a sewer rat by QPR manager Neil Warnock after allegedly hurling insults at Rangers star Jamie Mackie while the player lay injured with what turned out to be a double leg break.

Now new Rovers manager Steve Kean will let him go, if the deal is right.
Diouf has 18 months left on his deal but the Hammers are interested as long as the package of fee and wages is within their budget.
Kean admitted: “There is interest in Diouf. Maybe someone sees him giving their side a spark. If we get a bid we will discuss it with him. We’ve had inquiries from Premier League clubs and from abroad. He is aware of that and we will see how far that goes.”
Diouf’s career in England has been punctuated by several *controversial incidents. In 2002 he was accused of spitting at visiting West Ham fans at Anfield as he warmed up as a Liverpool *substitute. The next year he was found guilty of spitting at Celtic supporters. And earlier this month Diouf was caught in another storm with his reaction towards stricken QPR star Mackie in an FA Cup tie.
Rangers boss Warnock said: “For many years I think he’s been the ‘gutter’ type of boy. I was going to call him a sewer rat, but that might insult the sewer rats. I think he’s the lowest of the low.
“I can’t see him being at Blackburn much longer because I can’t see Steve Kean putting up with someone like that.’’

Kaka acknowledges poor form

Updated Jan 21, 2011 4:29 PM ET
MADRID (AP)

Kaka admitted Friday he is struggling to find his form since recovering from injury and returning to a Real Madrid side under growing pressure to win silverware.
The Brazil playmaker has failed to make an impact since returning earlier this month from a layoff that started after the World Cup when he underwent knee surgery and rehabilitated a nagging groin problem. Kaka, who has scored once, has mostly been used as a substitute, only starting Sunday's 1-1 draw against Almeria though he was replaced early in the second half.

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''I'm very self-critical and I know I'm not at my best but I'm working toward getting into better shape,'' Kaka said from a sponsor event Friday. ''I hope to be better as soon as possible - I'm just missing some added confidence on the field.''
Madrid trails Barcelona by four points in the league and is conscious of the possibility of meeting its biggest rival in the Copa del Rey final. Madrid plays Sevilla in the domestic cup semifinals, while Barcelona plays Almeria.
Madrid hasn't won any silverware in more than two seasons.
''This is the year when we cannot not triumph - we have to win something,'' the 28-year-old midfielder said.
Madrid coach Jose Mourinho pledged to see out the season with the Spanish league club Thursday but remained vague over his future. Kaka added further intrigue to the possibility the Portuguese coach could exit at the end of the season.
''Mou has been very clear with us - he told us: 'Today I'm your coach and we're going to fight for victory and at the end of the season we'll see what happens,''' Kaka said.
While Kaka said he expected more from himself, he also expected the same from Karim Benzema. The France striker has failed to impress since his arrival alongside Kaka in the summer of 2009 and his lack of form has kept him from seizing a starting spot while Gonzalo Higuain is missing to injury.
''I'd say that he could do a little bit more and that's what is expected, but he's a great player. You see his quality during training. He could be an important player for this club but that'll depend on himself,'' Kaka said.

Mourinho offers no assurances






Updated Jan 21, 2011 4:30 PM ET
Jose Mourinho won't commit his future to Real Madrid beyond the end of this season amid widespread reports of a rift with Jorge Valdano.
It has been claimed in recent days that Mourinho will cut short his stay at the Bernabeu in the summer and, although he insists he has made no decision on his future, the Portuguese coach has refused to commit his long-term future to the club.

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"The world is full of rumours, but they're not all true," he said after Real Madrid's 1-0 Copa del Rey win over Atletico Madrid on Thursday night.
"Regarding my future, we'll see what happens at the end of the season. Contracts aren't the most important thing in football. If all the parties are happy at the end of a campaign, they remain together. If they aren't, they don't."
Before the match at the Bernabeu, Valdano had again moved to end reports of a disagreement, something Mourinho would not do.
"There are no problems between Mourinho and I," Valdano said.
"He is our coach, the man who must lead us to triumph, and the team is proving to be very competitive under him. It's all about being better each season and we are better now than we were in the previous campaign. We expect to keep this up."
Mourinho has been keen to bring in an extra striker as cover for the injured Gonzalo Higuain, but so far the club hierarchy have resisted entering the January transfer market.
One set of fans who would seem to be happy to see Mourinho go are the Atletico fans, who barracked the Portuguese coach throughout Thursday night's games with chants that included "Mourinho die".
But the coach insisted this did not bother him.
"I have no problems with the crowd's chants against me," he said. "Atletico have a great fan base. They packed the stadium despite the 3-1 score of the first leg and the cold weather.
"They hoped to see an intense match and they nevertheless stayed until the end after (Cristiano) Ronaldo's goal. They are a fantastic crowd that deserves all my respect."

Ferguson rules out any January signings for United

Published 12:52 22/01/11 By MirrorFootball

Sir Alex Ferguson has ruled out any prospect of adding to his squad during this month's transfer window.
The Manchester United boss had been considering his options, knowing his side have moved top of the Premier League despite rarely hitting top form.
United do have two matches in hand on nearest rivals Manchester City, the first of which will be played at Blackpool on Tuesday.
But with City hitting a rich vein of form, Arsenal looking less vulnerable that before and Chelsea starting to put a sequence of wins together, Ferguson understandably checked the strength of the players at his disposal.

However, Ferguson, who has repeatedly stated there is "no value" in the market, has opted not to make a move, in the knowledge long-term injury victim Antonio Valencia will return from an ankle injury at the end of next month.
"I won't be going into the transfer market during the present mid-winter window," Ferguson told United Review.
"I thought at one time that I would like to bring in just one player, but that has not worked out.
"I don't feel that it is necessary to buy just for the sake of it because, as I say, I am more than happy with my squad."

Mourinho offers no assurances




45 comments »

Updated Jan 21, 2011 4:30 PM ET
Jose Mourinho won't commit his future to Real Madrid beyond the end of this season amid widespread reports of a rift with Jorge Valdano.
It has been claimed in recent days that Mourinho will cut short his stay at the Bernabeu in the summer and, although he insists he has made no decision on his future, the Portuguese coach has refused to commit his long-term future to the club.

TRANSFER SPECIAL

Keep up with all the biggest moves around the globe with our 2011 January transfer gallery.

"The world is full of rumours, but they're not all true," he said after Real Madrid's 1-0 Copa del Rey win over Atletico Madrid on Thursday night.
"Regarding my future, we'll see what happens at the end of the season. Contracts aren't the most important thing in football. If all the parties are happy at the end of a campaign, they remain together. If they aren't, they don't."
Before the match at the Bernabeu, Valdano had again moved to end reports of a disagreement, something Mourinho would not do.
"There are no problems between Mourinho and I," Valdano said.
"He is our coach, the man who must lead us to triumph, and the team is proving to be very competitive under him. It's all about being better each season and we are better now than we were in the previous campaign. We expect to keep this up."
Mourinho has been keen to bring in an extra striker as cover for the injured Gonzalo Higuain, but so far the club hierarchy have resisted entering the January transfer market.
One set of fans who would seem to be happy to see Mourinho go are the Atletico fans, who barracked the Portuguese coach throughout Thursday night's games with chants that included "Mourinho die".
But the coach insisted this did not bother him.
"I have no problems with the crowd's chants against me," he said. "Atletico have a great fan base. They packed the stadium despite the 3-1 score of the first leg and the cold weather.
"They hoped to see an intense match and they nevertheless stayed until the end after (Cristiano) Ronaldo's goal. They are a fantastic crowd that deserves all my respect."

Reyes ruled out two weeks






Updated Jan 21, 2011 5:07 PM ET
Atletico Madrid forward Jose Antonio Reyes has been ruled out for two weeks with a left ankle sprain suffered in the Copa del Rey defeat to city rivals Real.
Reyes hurt his left ankle in the closing stages of the 1-0 setback, and has been diagnosed with a grade two sprain.
However, there was better news for striker Diego Costa, who was given the all clear after tests on a knock he took to his left side.

Rooney: Barca setting the standard




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Updated Jan 20, 2011 4:52 PM ET
Wayne Rooney has claimed the current Barcelona side will go down as one of the greatest teams of all time.
Manchester United have had two epic duels with the Catalans, emerging triumphant in the 2008 Champions League semi-final when Paul Scholes scored the only goal over two legs, but suffering heartache in Rome a year later when they were totally outclassed by Lionel Messi and company.

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And, as thoughts begin to turn towards the resumption of this season's competition, Rooney has already identified Barcelona as the team to beat if United are to be crowned European champions for a fourth time.
"They are the team to beat," Rooney told the official Champions League magazine.
"They are a fantastic team and people will remember what this Barcelona side have done for a long time to come, like the great Real Madrid and Manchester United teams.
"Their football is brilliant to watch and they win games playing that way, which is the main thing.
"Barcelona stand out for me. You can safely say if you beat Barcelona you have a good chance of winning the competition."
Rooney was part of the United side that followed up that Barcelona victory by overcoming Chelsea in an all-Premier League final in Moscow.
He is itching to experience the same emotions this season, not least because the final will be played at Wembley, a ground he knows so well.
It would also be a fitting way to end a turbulent season that has included a well-publicised contract wrangle, which may not have done his image much good, but Rooney insists turned out well in the end.
"It is a relief to have the contract situation sorted and feel settled," he said.

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"I know I made the right decision to stay. It has been a tough time but I am looking forward to helping the team win trophies."
United tackle French giants Marseille in the first knock-out round and travel to the Stade Velodrome for the first leg on February 23.
It is a contest the Red Devils will relish, not least because the emergence of new inspirational figures has given United the freshness which has carried them to the top of the Premier League.
"Rafael has done really well this season and played a lot of games," said Rooney.
"Nani is a match winner. We always knew he had the ability but he is doing it more consistently this year.
"Anderson had a bad injury but has done really well and is playing some great football since coming back.
"If those three can keep progressing as they are then they are going to be big players for us and an important part of the team in future.
"That's the thing about Manchester United. Great players are always coming in."

Houllier: Bruce and Ollie pick on me because I'm foreign!

Published 23:00 21/01/11 By James Nursey

Gerard Houllier has accused rival bosses of ganging up on him - because he is foreign.
Steve Bruce and Ian Holloway both lashed out at the Frenchman after Aston Villa launched raids on their squads.
Sunderland boss Bruce claimed Villa tapped up Darren Bent before buying him for £18m, while Holloway says the club’s bid for Charlie Adam was “insulting”.
But last night Houllier hit back saying: “I’m a foreign manager - I’m an easy target.

“When I heard it first of all, I thought it was not gracious and our club has been more gracious in previous situations.
“I thought: ‘hang on a second, why is he having a go at me?’
“If I want to buy your house and you don’t want to sell, you just say no, whatever the price.
“If you don’t say no and accept the bid, what can you do? What has Gerard Houllier got to do with that?
“But by the way, I don’t care.”
Bent was unveiled as a Villa player on Tuesday just 48 hours after Sunderland received a bid, rising to £24m, which prompted Bent’s transfer request.
Bruce has since moaned Houllier did not even have the professional courtesy to phone him about the transfer.
But Houllier is adamant Villa were ethical - insisting their owner and chief executive liaised direct with their Sunderland counterparts.
And he accused Bruce of not being kept in the loop fully at his own club.
Houllier added: “I was kept informed, I assume he was kept informed. Things have changed now.
“I know there used to be a time when a manager would call another manager and say: ‘I will buy your player for so much money’.
“Now you are not the owner any more, the club is a different entity.
“We did the right thing - the same with Ian Holloway - we went to the club, we didn’t go to the player.
“I’m not culpable in any way. If he feels that, well, I feel sorry for that.”

Friedel declared bankrupt in England

11 comments »

Updated Jan 21, 2011 7:48 PM ET
LONDON (AP)

American goalkeeper Brad Friedel has reportedly been declared bankrupt in England over debts relating to a football academy back home.
The Daily Mirror says the ruling against the Aston Villa 'keeper was made in a Macclesfield county court on Thursday.
Friedel reportedly owes the backers of the Premier Soccer Academies in Lorain, Ohio, about five million pounds ($8 million).
U.S. media reported in July 2009 that Premier Soccer Academies was being sued in the Lorain County Common Pleas Court over unpaid loans of $7.6 million.
The Daily Mirror says repossession proceedings began last month on a house in Ohio belonging to Friedel.

City defence "disappointing" trophy hunting Mancini

Published 23:00 21/01/11 By David McDonnell

Roberto Mancini may have made a striker his big winter signing, but it is his defence that is giving him nightmares.
As a stereotypical Italian coach, who prides himself on defending, Mancini was appalled at seeing City concede five goals in their last two games at home to Wolves and Leicester and is demanding a rapid improvement at Villa Park.
Mancini hopes to end City's 35 year wait for a trophy but he said: "Things are going well, but I'm disappointed - very disappointed - with the goals we conceded in the last game," he said.
"I'm very disappointed with all the players who were marking at corners and set-pieces.

"I think we must do everything to try to win a trophy. We think that it's possible. But we know that we have another four months and in that four months we must work very hard.
"We want to stay at the top for as long as possible. But every game for us, for Manchester United and for Arsenal will be very difficult I think.
"I also think that Chelsea will come back again and the problem with Chelsea is that they have had a lot of injuries. We have to be 100 per cent in every game."

Bigmouth Balotelli is wrong... Rooney is better than him in every department

By David McDonnell
Published 11:00 22/01/11

Follow David McDonnell on Twitter

For a player who has spent more time on the treatment table than the pitch since joining Manchester City, Mario Balotelli has got a lot of front.
From claiming Lionel Messi should not have won the FIFA Ballon d'Or to hailing himself and City team-mates Carlos Tevez and Edin Dzeko as the best strikeforce in Europe, Balotelli is not shy in coming forward.
When he beat Jack Wilshere to win Italian newspaper Tuttosport's Golden Boy award, given to the most outstanding player in Europe under the age of 21, Balotelli claimed never to have heard of the Arsenal and England midfielder.
Balotelli went a step further, hailing himself superior to past winners of the award. Just for the record, those past winners include Cesc Fabregas, Rafael van der Vaart and Wayne Rooney, which brings us neatly on to the City striker's latest bout of self-opinionated nonsense.

This week, Balotelli surpassed himself by claiming Rooney, universally acclaimed as one of the best players on the planet, despite his blip this season, is not even the best striker in Manchester, let alone the world.
Balotelli has spouted some rubbish in his brief but controversial career, but his jibe at Rooney was his best yet.
For while Rooney, with just three goals this term, has endured his worst campaign since turning professional, off-field issues and injuries combining with patchy form to make it a wretched season for the England striker, he is a superior player to Balotelli in every department.
Any club, manager, player or fan - despite the tribal loyalties of football - would want Rooney ahead of Balotelli, because he brings so much more to the table.
Never was that better illustrated than at Tottenham last Sunday.
There is no way Roberto Mancini would have got out of Balotelli the same selfless display Rooney put in for Sir Alex Ferguson and United at White Hart Lane.
Although Rooney prefers to play through the middle and is at his best when deployed there, with 34 goals last season testimony to his success in that role, Fergie played him out on the right flank against Spurs, sacrificing his star man's potency in front of goal for the good of the team.
And when Rafael Da Silva was sent off with 20 minutes to go, Rooney dropped deeper to help his side secure a point that could ultimately mean the difference between winning and losing the title come May.
Having watched Balotelli idle his way through games this season, showing occasional flashes of brilliance, it is difficult to see him performing with such selflessness.
That is why Rooney is 10 times the player Balotelli is and will ever be, and why the Italian should think in future before he opens his mouth.
Rooney, of course, is not without faults. His conduct off the pitch is questionable and on it he sometimes oversteps the mark, as he did when calling ref Mike Dean a "f****** w*****" to his face after he sent off Rafael.
But no player epitomises team spirit more than Rooney does - his remorseless work-rate, unstinting commitment and willingness to play anywhere and perform any role rubbing off on those players around him, in much the same way Roy Keane hauled team-mates up to his exacting level of performance during his time at United.
Cristiano Ronaldo, whom Balotelli would no doubt class as not even the best player in Madrid, let alone the world, despite an astonishing record of 65 goals in 65 games for Real, put the biggest mouth in football in his place this week when he was asked about the City striker's latest remarks.
"Balotelli is a good player but he has to speak less and play more," said Ronaldo. "If he knows how to listen and wants to learn, he could become a great player. I hope he achieves that. But he puts many other things ahead of his career and this is not good."
Ronaldo himself is not immune to charges of arrogance and vanity. But Ronaldo's achievements and continued superlative form entitle him to strut like a peacock and speak his mind if he so wishes.
Balotelli's doesn't.
Time to stop talking and start playing, Mario.
The right to brag must be earned

Agent: Cats favorites for Sulley




Updated Jan 22, 2011 8:04 AM ET
Sunderland are leading West Ham in the race to sign want-away Inter Milan star Sulley Muntari, the Ghanaian midfielder's agent has revealed.
The Black Cats are looking to bolster their midfield and striking options, and have bids in for a number of players.

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They have made a loan bid for Muntari, who submitted a transfer request at Inter Milan earlier this month.
The former Portsmouth man was quoted earlier this month suggesting he would prefer a move to London.
However, his agent Fabien Piveteau has told Sky Sports that Sunderland are very much in pole position to sign the Ghana international.
Reports in Italy have claimed that Tottenham, Everton and Liverpool had all lodged offers for Muntari - but Piveteau says it is not true.
"There is just Sunderland and West Ham, nobody else is in for him," he said.
He also rubbished claims that Muntari preferred a move to the capital, adding: "That is not true, indeed if everything is sorted out with Sunderland he will be going there.
"We hope to have everything sorted shortly, maybe by Tuesday.
"He knows Sunderland is a good club, possibly not the biggest but he wants to be playing football.
"The other Ghana players at Sunderland have told him about the club which has obviously played a part."
Whilst Inter Milan want to sell Muntari, it is believed he will move on an initial loan with a view to a permanent deal.
As well as Muntari, Sunderland have also been trying to land Paris Saint-Germain's want-away ace Stephane Sessegnon.
However, a deal for the Benin star is still not yet completed and they could turn their attentions elsewhere as German sources claim Sunderland are ready to move for Borussia Monchengladbach's USA star Michael Bradley.

Why Mancini should be praised for City's dull to watch but extremely effective Emirates tactics

By David McDonnell
Published 12:00 06/01/11

Follow David McDonnell on Twitter

Forgive me for not joining the clamour to denounce Roberto Mancini and Manchester City after their stalemate at Arsenal.
In fact, I wish I'd had the courage of my convictions - like Mancini in his approach - by putting a tenner at odds of 12-1 on a goalless draw against Arsene Wenger's side.
Because, with David Silva and Maro Balotelli both out, the former their chief creative force and the latter already proving to be a prolific goalscorerin England, City were always going to play for a draw.
And why not? Those criticinsg City for metaphorically parking the bus at the Emirates are missing the point about how much the club has changed under Mancini in the year since he replaced Mark Hughes.

City away from home under Mancini are branded as negative and uninspiring, frustrating opponents by smothering games and ensuring they achieve their forst objective of not losing, rather than going out to win.
But such a notion is misguided. City have won 4-1 at Fulham and 3-1 at West Ham and Newcastle. They boast the best away record in the Premier League - in terms of points gained - having won six, drawn three and lost two.
In contrast, Premier League leaders Manchester United have won two games on the road this season and drawn seven, albeit having played two fewer than local rivals City.
But in this, the most competitive Premier League campaign for years, teams have to find a way to win the title, qualify for Europe or survive, whatever their remit is. And, in Mancini, City would appear to have found a boss who understands that.
Under Hughes, City would not have had the discipline, organisation or resilience to hold United, Arsenal and Spurs this season, three vital points which could ultimately mean the difference between winning and losing the title, or claiming a Champions League spot.
They would more than likely have lost in a high-scoring game with their cavalier style, thrilling to watch but ultimately yielding nothing. Mancini said as much with his succinct analysis after Arsenal's fans booed him and his players following the 0-0 draw.
"I prefer boos at the end and to go home with one point than with three goals in our net," said Mancini, whose side consolidated second spot ahead of Arsenal with the hard-earned point gained in north London.
City's game-plan was to defend deep and hope to catch Arsenal on the break, something Wenger acknowledged, admitting his side were culpable themselves in not finding a way past Mancini's men.
"We have to respect that [City's approach] and sort out the problems we face," said Wenger. "Even if a team defends deep we have to find a way to score."
Like a golfer who knows when to attack the flag and when to play percentages and go for the middle of the green, Mancini knows the games in which City can throw of the shackles and attack, and when they must defend in order to come away with something.
Dull? Yes. Effective? Absolutely. As any manager will tell you, defence is the foundation of any successful side and City, who have conceded just 16 goals in the Premier League this term, currently boast the best in the top-flight.
When Jose Mourinho took Inter Milan to Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals last season and nullified the the threat of Lionel Messi and co, earning a 0-0 draw en route to winning the trophy, it was hailed as a tactical masterstroke.
And when Sir Alex Ferguson also eked out a goalless draw at the Nou Camp at the same stage in 2008, United eventually going on to win the competition, he was praised for suppressing Barca and obtaining such a crucial result.
So why the derision towards Mancini and City? Jealosuy. City have spent £350million on players since becoming the world's richest club and, as such, envious opponents and their fans expect more from a team with such formidable spending power.
But will Mancini care? Of course not. The Italian has a proven track record, having won three Serie A titles with Inter Milan, and has the tools, not to mention the financial power, to repeat that success at City.
And if it takes a few negative, stupefying performances along the way to achieve that success, yielding a trophy, then the ends, quite rightly, justify the means for Mancini.

Murray, Nadal into fourth round


Robin Soderling looks unstoppable through the third round.

Updated Jan 22, 2011 8:17 AM ET
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP)

It was the first game of Andy Murray's match Friday against Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, and the 2010 finalist was doing his best to get into the feel of the Australian Open third-round match.
Hitting a high lob to the back of the court, he watched as Garcia-Lopez ran it down and, facing the back of the court, hit a between-the-legs shot that passed Murray for a winner.
''It was the first time someone passed me on a through-the-legs shot on the tour,'' Murray said. ''It was a very close one on the line.''

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Instead of marveling too long at one of the more unusual shots in tennis -- like Roger Federer's similar crosscourt winner against Novak Djokovic at the 2009 U.S. Open -- Murray broke the Spanish player's serve and went on to beat Garcia-Lopez 6-1, 6-1, 6-2.
Garcia-Lopez might have had the most flamboyant shot of the match, but Murray had more of the most effective ones, putting him closer to his second straight Australian Open final.
''The first game doesn't always dictate the way the match is going to go, but it definitely helped today,'' said Murray, who lost the 2010 final to Federer. He's only dropped 17 games through three rounds.
In other men's results, Rafael Nadal didn't let the much-hyped potential future star of Australian tennis stop him in his quest for a fourth consecutive major title.
Overcoming a mostly parochial crowd of 15,000 at Rod Laver Arena, the top-ranked Nadal posted a 6-2, 7-5, 6-3 victory over 18-year-old wild card Bernard Tomic and advanced to a fourth-round match against Marin Cilic.
"I think I started playing well, but he's the kind of player who can make you play bad," Nadal said of Tomic. "I have to play a bit better if I want to get to the quarterfinals."
It wasn't always easy. Nadal trailed 4-0 in the second set before giving Tomic a clinic in comeback tennis. At 5-5, he broke Tomic's service, then held in the next game to clinch the set.
Tomic, who upset Fernando Lopez in the second round and is being touted as a replacement for Lleyton Hewitt in the lean tennis fortunes Down Under, tried his best but ultimately was no match for the polished and experienced Nadal.
No. 4 Robin Soderling advanced, as did fifth-seeded Andy Murray and Marin Cilic, who beat American John Isner in five sets.
Soderling, who beat Jan Hernych 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 and next plays Dolgopolov, hasn't dropped a set and is on an eight-match winning streak with his three at Melbourne Park after winning the tuneup tournament at Brisbane.
Soderling's match was delayed for about 10 minutes in the third set when a bubble seemed to appear on the court surface at Hisense Arena. A similar bubble delayed the start of a match on the same court the previous night.
Tournament organizers said moisture from recent rains had gathered under the court's Plexicushion layer in the unseasonably cool conditions and evaporated as temperatures rose, causing a pocket of vapor that lifted part of the surface. Stadium staff repaired the problem quickly both times.
U.S. Open champion Kim Clijsters, meanwhile, beat Alize Cornet 7-6 (3), 6-3 of France, getting closer to win her second Grand Slam in a row.
Cornet, trying to celebrate her 21st birthday, provided a tougher challenge for Clijsters, who had only conceded four games in her first two rounds. The French player was presented with a birthday bouquet of flowers after the match, a small consolation for losing to one of the tournament favorites.
''It was tough. She's a tricky player,'' Clijsters said. ''During the match I felt like I was playing two different persons. I had to constantly move my feet, and work harder.''
Cornet had trouble enough playing one.
''She plays great ... she's always fighting from the first point till the end, and she's very consistent, very powerful,'' Cornet said. ''For me, she's just the favorite of the tournament.
Second-seeded Vera Zvonareva kept alive her bid for a third consecutive Grand Slam final with a 6-3, 7-6 (9) win over Lucie Safarova.
Zvonareva, who lost the U.S. Open final to Clijsters, served for the match twice against Safarova but was extended to the tiebreaker. Safarova led 4-2 and 5-3 in the tiebreaker before Zvonareva finally sealed it on her fourth match point.

RIGHT AT HOME

With a raucous crowd behind him, Murray has a clear path to semis. Matt Cronin



Zvonareva has a chance to move into the No. 1 ranking her by winning the title. Her priority now is getting past a fourth-round match against Iveta Benesova, who beat No. 16 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-3, 1-6, 7-5.
French Open finalist Sam Stosur lost 7-6 (5), 6-3 to No. 25 Petra Kvitova, ending Australia's hopes in the women's draw.
No. 12 Agnieszka Radwanska beat Simona Halep 6-1, 6-2 and will next play China's Peng Shuai, who had a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 win over Japan's Ayumi Morita. Peng, who saved seven break points in the seventh game of the deciding set, will make her first appearance in the fourth round of a Grand Slam.
No. 10 Shahar Peer was ousted, losing 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 to No. 22 Flavia Pennetta.
Cilic had a 4-6, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (2), 9-7 win over No. 20 Isner in 4 hours, 33 minutes. It was the first five-set match Isner had played since his epic encounter against Nicolas Mahut at Wimbledon last year which finished 70-68 in the fifth and was the longest tennis match in history measured by games and elapsed time.
Isner's departure left Andy Roddick as the only American in the men's or women's draws.
Cilic will next play the winner of Saturday's night match between top-ranked Rafael Nadal and 18-year-old Australian wildcard Bernard Tomic.
In other men's play, 2008 runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France lost 3-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 to Alexandr Dolgopolov.
Raonic, a 20-year-old Canadian qualifier with the fastest serve in the first two rounds of the tournament at 143 mph, fired 32 aces while pushing aside No. 10 Mikhail Youzhny with a 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 win.
''I didn't really count myself out. I knew the chances were in his favor, but I knew I was prepared to fight for every point, however long it took,'' said Raonic, who was born in Montenegro and moved to Canada in 1994. ''I can't say I would be shocked if I wasn't here. But I'm not really shocked I am here.''
He'll play No. 7 David Ferrer, a 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 winner over Richard Berankis, in the next round.
Former finalist Marcos Baghdatis retired from his third-round match because of a groin injury.
Baghdatis was trailing 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-1, 4-3 when he went to the net and shook hands with No. 11 seed Jurgen Melzer of Austria. The 21st-seeded Cypriot player pulled out of the Sydney International last week with the same injury.

Could Liverpool land Mourinho? And what happens to Kenny if they do?

By Brian Reade
Published 22:58 21/01/11

Noises are coming out of Anfield that Kenny Dalglish is a favourite for the long-term manager's job.
Which is not only fair and right, but re-assuring, at a club which craves stability. If Dalglish were to lead Liverpool to a top six finish he would be virtually impossible to dislodge.
I say virtually as there is still one man who would challenge Dalglish, because of what his talents and profile would bring to the club. Jose Mourinho.
Rumours in Madrid suggest he'll be off this summer. Rumours in Liverpool suggest that John Henry is talking to big cheeses at top European clubs about his vacant chief executive job, in order to attract the best talent in the world.

Without Champions League football, Manchester United's revenue, Arsenal's set-up or Sheikh Mansour's billions, Liverpool's owners know they have to think big if they are to challenge for the Premier League any time soon.
Thinking doesn't come much bigger than luring Mourinho and backing him with enough cash to win the title. Alongside Steve Clarke, his old right-hand man, who is already in place.
Jose is far from universally loved at Anfield and right now most Kopites would take Dalglish without hesitation.
But come the summer there may just be an intriguing battle for hearts and minds between The King and The Special One.
**
There can be few football fans with decent hearts who don't believe Leeds United deserve to be back in the top flight.
Anyone watching the Arsenal FA Cup tie must surely conclude that a club of its history and size has been away too long.
Proof of that comes with listening to the fans.
I'm not talking about the noise they unleashed throughout the game, but the quality of it.
"1-0 and you still can't sing" they chanted at Arsenal fans who'd admirably filled the away end, followed by "your support is ******* ****" and the constant "you're s*** aaaaaaaaagh" when the Arsenal keeper took goal-kicks.
Evidence that Leeds have been out of the big time so long their fans have caught Lower League-itis - the debilitating condition that cripples the imagination and leaves fans singing the kind of banal dirges belted out by a mini-bus full of Carlisle fans en route to Bristol.
Hurry back soon Leeds, before it gets so tragic you're heard chanting: "I'm Leeds until I die, I'm Leeds until I die, I know I am, I'm sure I am, I'm Leeds until I die."
At which point you'd be better off dead.

The end is a little closer for Venus


Venus Williams retired from a Grand Slam event for the first time in her career.

Matt Cronin is a senior editor at Inside Tennis magazine and the co-owner of the award-winning TennisReporters.net.

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Updated Jan 21, 2011 1:43 PM ET
MELBOURNE

Venus Williams' mother, Oracene, said it best to her daughter after she retired just one game into her third-round match against Andrea Petkovic at the Australian Open on Friday: "I don't think you should have come here in the first place."

More from Down Under

Stay on top of all the news and commentary from Melbourne during the Australian Open. Keep tabs on who's playing by following the Men's singles draw and Women's singles draw.

See the best pictures from Melbourne with the daily photo gallery and check out what the on-court styles with the Australian Open fashion gallery.

Get the latest courtside chatter from our friends at FOX Sports Australia with a daily interactive blog.


In this case, mother knows best. Even though Williams has been a true warrior at the Grand Slams over the past 14 years, she had not spent enough time rehabbing from her knee injury last fall to give herself any chance of a legitimate run at the Aussie Open. Plus she came into the tournament out of shape and consequently strained or tore a muscle near her groin in her second-round win over Sandra Zahlavova.
On Friday night, she limped down the hallway into Rod Laver Arena with a heavily strapped right thigh, and it was clear during the warmups that she could barely move. She opened the match with a weak first serve that Petkovic powered crosscourt, and one of the fleetest women in tennis history didn't even move to her right to retrieve a fairly standard ball. A handful of points later, with Petkovic serving, Williams bent over in pain, walked over to her chair, called a medical timeout and the WTA trainer told her that there was nothing she could do to ease her pain.
Williams then retired from a Grand Slam singles contest for the first time in 251 matches.
"My parents and coaches probably didn't think I should play," she later said, and then asked Oracene, "What do you think, Mom?"
Oracene shook her head and delivered a hard, but necessary reply. Venus then was asked whether she should have come to Melbourne at all - and while she can be incredibly stubborn, she slightly reconsidered:
"When I think of myself and my career, I don't make any excuses ever to myself or anyone," she said. "For me, it was just important to give 100 percent. I think I learn from experiences like this. If I'm not ready to play or if I'm still hurting, maybe it's better to stop. That's just learning from life. I've learned now more or less what my limits are. Just learn from that the next time."

GAME, SET, MATCH

From Anna to Maria, these ladies of tennis are hot on and off the court.

• Aussie Open babes
• Maxim girls of Wimbledon
• Smashing pros of the U.S. Open

She didn't cry. But she was downtrodden. Part of the crowd inappropriately booed her when she walked off court, but it was a Friday night party crowd, many of whom had no idea that she has been injured in her prior matches. They were possibly just upset that they witnessed Gael Monfils all but give up against Stan Wawrinka in the first match of the night and that they couldn't see what promised to be a high-level women's match and were sent packing into the night.
Venus never should have walked on court on Friday night. More important, she never should have come to Australia in such poor condition; it was clear by looking at her usually lean and super-toned legs that she has put on a few extra pounds because she had spent much of the fall on crutches.
At the age of 30 and after 13 hardcore years on tour (and another stressful three part-time years), there is no point in her taking big risks with her chronically injured body. She hasn't won a major in nearly three years, and her chances of winning another one off of a grass court are slim, so what she should be doing is making sure she's 100 percent healthy before she walks on court, especially when before coming to Australia she had missed five of the past six months and only played the U.S. Open in between Wimbledon and the Aussie Open.
She admitted later that she realized that even if by some minor miracle the adrenaline kicked in and she had been able to best Petkovic, she didn't have another four matches left in her body. And if the seven-time Grand Slam champion cannot hope to compete for major titles, then what exactly is she out there for?
"Of course that's in the back of my mind," she said. "It's tough to come into a match not knowing what level you can give. Normally you go into a match and you're already focused anyway, and it's hard to focus on so many other things outside of just the game. So that was hard. Then to think about if I could last five more matches like that and what the future was.
"So it was really just one match at a time. Hey, can I make it one more match? Obviously I just couldn't."

FOX SPORTS POLL

• Will Venus Williams ever win another Grand Slam?
  
  • Yes
  • No

Venus always has been the more stoic one of her family. Her sister Serena will yell and cry in public, while in the 17 years Venus has been on tour, it's hard to recall even one moment when she shed a tear outside of the locker room. In fact, a tour official who knows her well never has seen her cry inside the locker room.
It could not have felt good going on court and knowing that she had no chance to win, or walking off the court to a ridiculous round of boozy boos. But she said she wasn't gutted, even though perhaps her final chance to win her first Aussie Open is over.
"I think it hurts more when you lose and it's your fault, like you made bad decisions and didn't get the ball in play. This time, I feel like I tried really hard to be in this tournament. At this point I have peace of mind that I gave everything I had at all points. So more than anything, I can't be disappointed in that aspect."
Venus remains optimistic about her future, recalling her great days rather than her underwhelming ones. She recalled her strong run to the 2010 U.S. Open semis when she gave eventual champion Kim Clijsters all she could handle in a three-set loss, even though she came into the tournament with little preparation and on a bum knee.
"Well, I'm still pretty good, even when I'm injured," she said. "I mean, at the Open I came pretty close to winning that tournament just on a hope and a prayer and little-to-no preparation. Here, you know I was grinding. So I'm just going to focus obviously on getting healthy and coming back. Because I love tennis and I've got a lot of great tennis in me. I love my job, so no end in sight."

RIGHT AT HOME

With a raucous crowd behind him, Murray has a clear path to semis. Matt Cronin



There is an end for every player, and maybe Venus just can't envision where her pro tennis road stops. But from the looks of it on a Friday night in Melbourne, she's hit a major roadblock, and her engine is very close to shutting down permanently.
Petkovic to face Sharapova

Sadly, the world won't get to see a healthy Venus face a revved-up Maria Sharapova, who overcame a spirited effort from another talented German, Julia Goerges, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. Former No. 1 Sharapova and Venus have played only six times, with their head-to-head locked at 3-3, and it's conceivable they may never face each other again.
Sharapova was heartened by how she fought against Georges, how she managed to hold serve in her last two service games after letting go of a 4-0 lead in the final set. But she's still a little all over the place off the ground, and she's going to have to improve a good deal to beat the hard-hitting Petkovic in the fourth round, then possibly a super-determined Victoria Azarenka (who says she's much more at ease at the slams now) or red-hot Li Na in the quarters.
Sharapova is in Melbourne with a new coach, Thomas Hogstedt, and it seems at times that she's stuck in between game plans. They had better come to an agreement fast on what she should be doing, because she's in the money end of the tournament now and there's no time for hesitation, great fight or no fight at all.

The end is a little closer for Venus


Venus Williams retired from a Grand Slam event for the first time in her career.

Matt Cronin is a senior editor at Inside Tennis magazine and the co-owner of the award-winning TennisReporters.net.

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37 comments »

Updated Jan 21, 2011 1:43 PM ET
MELBOURNE

Venus Williams' mother, Oracene, said it best to her daughter after she retired just one game into her third-round match against Andrea Petkovic at the Australian Open on Friday: “I don't think you should have come here in the first place.”

More from Down Under

Stay on top of all the news and commentary from Melbourne during the Australian Open. Keep tabs on who's playing by following the Men's singles draw and Women's singles draw.

See the best pictures from Melbourne with the daily photo gallery and check out what the on-court styles with the Australian Open fashion gallery.

Get the latest courtside chatter from our friends at FOX Sports Australia with a daily interactive blog.


In this case, mother knows best. Even though Williams has been a true warrior at the Grand Slams over the past 14 years, she had not spent enough time rehabbing from her knee injury last fall to give herself any chance of a legitimate run at the Aussie Open. Plus she came into the tournament out of shape and consequently strained or tore a muscle near her groin in her second-round win over Sandra Zahlavova.
On Friday night, she limped down the hallway into Rod Laver Arena with a heavily strapped right thigh, and it was clear during the warmups that she could barely move. She opened the match with a weak first serve that Petkovic powered crosscourt, and one of the fleetest women in tennis history didn't even move to her right to retrieve a fairly standard ball. A handful of points later, with Petkovic serving, Williams bent over in pain, walked over to her chair, called a medical timeout and the WTA trainer told her that there was nothing she could do to ease her pain.
Williams then retired from a Grand Slam singles contest for the first time in 251 matches.
“My parents and coaches probably didn't think I should play,” she later said, and then asked Oracene, “What do you think, Mom?”
Oracene shook her head and delivered a hard, but necessary reply. Venus then was asked whether she should have come to Melbourne at all — and while she can be incredibly stubborn, she slightly reconsidered:
“When I think of myself and my career, I don't make any excuses ever to myself or anyone,” she said. “For me, it was just important to give 100 percent. I think I learn from experiences like this. If I'm not ready to play or if I'm still hurting, maybe it's better to stop. That's just learning from life. I've learned now more or less what my limits are. Just learn from that the next time.”

GAME, SET, MATCH

From Anna to Maria, these ladies of tennis are hot on and off the court.

• Aussie Open babes
• Maxim girls of Wimbledon
• Smashing pros of the U.S. Open

She didn't cry. But she was downtrodden. Part of the crowd inappropriately booed her when she walked off court, but it was a Friday night party crowd, many of whom had no idea that she has been injured in her prior matches. They were possibly just upset that they witnessed Gael Monfils all but give up against Stan Wawrinka in the first match of the night and that they couldn't see what promised to be a high-level women's match and were sent packing into the night.
Venus never should have walked on court on Friday night. More important, she never should have come to Australia in such poor condition; it was clear by looking at her usually lean and super-toned legs that she has put on a few extra pounds because she had spent much of the fall on crutches.
At the age of 30 and after 13 hardcore years on tour (and another stressful three part-time years), there is no point in her taking big risks with her chronically injured body. She hasn't won a major in nearly three years, and her chances of winning another one off of a grass court are slim, so what she should be doing is making sure she's 100 percent healthy before she walks on court, especially when before coming to Australia she had missed five of the past six months and only played the U.S. Open in between Wimbledon and the Aussie Open.
She admitted later that she realized that even if by some minor miracle the adrenaline kicked in and she had been able to best Petkovic, she didn't have another four matches left in her body. And if the seven-time Grand Slam champion cannot hope to compete for major titles, then what exactly is she out there for?
“Of course that's in the back of my mind,” she said. “It's tough to come into a match not knowing what level you can give. Normally you go into a match and you're already focused anyway, and it's hard to focus on so many other things outside of just the game. So that was hard. Then to think about if I could last five more matches like that and what the future was.
"So it was really just one match at a time. Hey, can I make it one more match? Obviously I just couldn't.”

FOX SPORTS POLL

• Will Venus Williams ever win another Grand Slam?
  • Yes
  • No

Venus always has been the more stoic one of her family. Her sister Serena will yell and cry in public, while in the 17 years Venus has been on tour, it's hard to recall even one moment when she shed a tear outside of the locker room. In fact, a tour official who knows her well never has seen her cry inside the locker room.
It could not have felt good going on court and knowing that she had no chance to win, or walking off the court to a ridiculous round of boozy boos. But she said she wasn't gutted, even though perhaps her final chance to win her first Aussie Open is over.
“I think it hurts more when you lose and it's your fault, like you made bad decisions and didn't get the ball in play. This time, I feel like I tried really hard to be in this tournament. At this point I have peace of mind that I gave everything I had at all points. So more than anything, I can't be disappointed in that aspect.”
Venus remains optimistic about her future, recalling her great days rather than her underwhelming ones. She recalled her strong run to the 2010 U.S. Open semis when she gave eventual champion Kim Clijsters all she could handle in a three-set loss, even though she came into the tournament with little preparation and on a bum knee.
“Well, I'm still pretty good, even when I'm injured,” she said. “I mean, at the Open I came pretty close to winning that tournament just on a hope and a prayer and little-to-no preparation. Here, you know I was grinding. So I'm just going to focus obviously on getting healthy and coming back. Because I love tennis and I've got a lot of great tennis in me. I love my job, so no end in sight.”

RIGHT AT HOME

With a raucous crowd behind him, Murray has a clear path to semis. Matt Cronin



There is an end for every player, and maybe Venus just can't envision where her pro tennis road stops. But from the looks of it on a Friday night in Melbourne, she's hit a major roadblock, and her engine is very close to shutting down permanently.
Petkovic to face Sharapova

Sadly, the world won't get to see a healthy Venus face a revved-up Maria Sharapova, who overcame a spirited effort from another talented German, Julia Goerges, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. Former No. 1 Sharapova and Venus have played only six times, with their head-to-head locked at 3-3, and it's conceivable they may never face each other again.
Sharapova was heartened by how she fought against Georges, how she managed to hold serve in her last two service games after letting go of a 4-0 lead in the final set. But she's still a little all over the place off the ground, and she's going to have to improve a good deal to beat the hard-hitting Petkovic in the fourth round, then possibly a super-determined Victoria Azarenka (who says she's much more at ease at the slams now) or red-hot Li Na in the quarters.
Sharapova is in Melbourne with a new coach, Thomas Hogstedt, and it seems at times that she's stuck in between game plans. They had better come to an agreement fast on what she should be doing, because she's in the money end of the tournament now and there's no time for hesitation, great fight or no fight at all.

Roddick finds way to win despite early setback

Richard Evans has been covering tennis since the 1960s and has reported on more than 150 Grand Slams. He is the author of 15 books, including the official history of the Davis Cup and the unofficial history of the modern game in "Open Tennis." He lives in Florida.

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Updated Jan 21, 2011 3:28 AM ET
Something popped in Robin Haase's ankle and eventually something similar happened to his brain. The result was a victory for Andy Roddick in the third round of the Australian Open - one of those matches a top player likes to get through and put behind him.
Haase, a 23-year-old Dutchman who is considered one of the most talented of the younger generation, played a superb first set, a very poor second-set tiebreak and then could do nothing to prevent Roddick winning 2-6, 7-6, 6-2, 6-2.

More from Down Under

Stay on top of all the news and commentary from Melbourne during the Australian Open. Keep tabs on who's playing by following the Men's singles draw and Women's singles draw.

See the best pictures from Melbourne with the daily photo gallery and check out what the on-court styles with the Australian Open fashion gallery.

Get the latest courtside chatter from our friends at FOX Sports Australia with a daily interactive blog.


"I twisted my ankle quite early, I heard something pop," said Haase afterwards. "It was a pity because I played an amazing first set. But then I lost concentration in the tie break. I was already thinking, if I win this set, how can I win another one because the ankle was, well, not exactly painful, but throbbing. Maybe I should have walked off but it was a big arena and I was playing Roddick in a Grand Slam - you don't want to do that."
Roddick felt he played well enough after one poor service game early on. "He played a great first two sets. Once I was able to get some momentum on my side, I felt he was thinking about each shot a little bit more instead of free-wheeling."
Roddick was his usual sardonic self when asked if he thought Haase was going to come down to earth after his great start. "You hope. I mean, listen, I think more often than not, if a guy is ranked 65 in the world and is coming out of his shoes, you're trying to figure out during the match why he's 65 in the world."
Haase's mental breakdown in the tie break provided the answer and Roddick was able to hammer down enough first serves to dominate the rest of the match.

RIGHT AT HOME

With a raucous crowd behind him, Murray has a clear path to semis. Matt Cronin



Roddick was also asked for his reaction to the announcement that Andre Agassi has been voted into the International Hall of Fame. "It's about as surprising as the sun coming up in the morning," Roddick replied with a smile. "He's definitely one of the biggest cross over stars we've had in this game. He was probably the most relateable superstar we've had because of his pitfalls and then successes. But overall I think it was a success story."
In November they were team matches, celebrating one of the great sporting moments in their country's history on the Serbian Davis Cup team. But, here at Melbourne Park it was a very different story as Novak Djokovic faced Victor Troicki. Unhappily, it did not end up as much of a success story for either man because Djokovic advanced on a default after winning the first set 6-2.
"I heard he had some struggles with his stomach muscle before the match," Djokovic. "Afterwards he told me he could not make a full movement on the serve. I could see that because he usually serves well over 200 kph on the first serve and he couldn't do that today. You know, it's sad for him. But I have to move on."

Roddick finds way to win despite early setback

Richard Evans has been covering tennis since the 1960s and has reported on more than 150 Grand Slams. He is the author of 15 books, including the official history of the Davis Cup and the unofficial history of the modern game in "Open Tennis." He lives in Florida.

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0 comments »

Updated Jan 21, 2011 3:28 AM ET
Something popped in Robin Haase's ankle and eventually something similar happened to his brain. The result was a victory for Andy Roddick in the third round of the Australian Open — one of those matches a top player likes to get through and put behind him.
Haase, a 23-year-old Dutchman who is considered one of the most talented of the younger generation, played a superb first set, a very poor second-set tiebreak and then could do nothing to prevent Roddick winning 2-6, 7-6, 6-2, 6-2.

More from Down Under

Stay on top of all the news and commentary from Melbourne during the Australian Open. Keep tabs on who's playing by following the Men's singles draw and Women's singles draw.

See the best pictures from Melbourne with the daily photo gallery and check out what the on-court styles with the Australian Open fashion gallery.

Get the latest courtside chatter from our friends at FOX Sports Australia with a daily interactive blog.


"I twisted my ankle quite early, I heard something pop," said Haase afterwards. "It was a pity because I played an amazing first set. But then I lost concentration in the tie break. I was already thinking, if I win this set, how can I win another one because the ankle was, well, not exactly painful, but throbbing. Maybe I should have walked off but it was a big arena and I was playing Roddick in a Grand Slam — you don't want to do that."
Roddick felt he played well enough after one poor service game early on. "He played a great first two sets. Once I was able to get some momentum on my side, I felt he was thinking about each shot a little bit more instead of free-wheeling."
Roddick was his usual sardonic self when asked if he thought Haase was going to come down to earth after his great start. "You hope. I mean, listen, I think more often than not, if a guy is ranked 65 in the world and is coming out of his shoes, you're trying to figure out during the match why he's 65 in the world."
Haase's mental breakdown in the tie break provided the answer and Roddick was able to hammer down enough first serves to dominate the rest of the match.

RIGHT AT HOME

With a raucous crowd behind him, Murray has a clear path to semis. Matt Cronin



Roddick was also asked for his reaction to the announcement that Andre Agassi has been voted into the International Hall of Fame. "It's about as surprising as the sun coming up in the morning," Roddick replied with a smile. "He's definitely one of the biggest cross over stars we've had in this game. He was probably the most relateable superstar we've had because of his pitfalls and then successes. But overall I think it was a success story."
In November they were team matches, celebrating one of the great sporting moments in their country's history on the Serbian Davis Cup team. But, here at Melbourne Park it was a very different story as Novak Djokovic faced Victor Troicki. Unhappily, it did not end up as much of a success story for either man because Djokovic advanced on a default after winning the first set 6-2.
"I heard he had some struggles with his stomach muscle before the match," Djokovic. "Afterwards he told me he could not make a full movement on the serve. I could see that because he usually serves well over 200 kph on the first serve and he couldn't do that today. You know, it's sad for him. But I have to move on."