Philippine Cuppers Takes the Doubles Match Trims Japanese lead 1-2

Davis Cup Tie Result Between Japan versus the Philippines

Japan lead series 2-1

The Philippines bounced back to contention on their Davis Cup tie against the fancied Japanese team as the tandem of Cecil Mamiit and Treat Huey breezed past the duo of Yuichi Sugita and Takao Suzuki 6-1, 7-6 and 6-2 in the Plantation Bay Resort & Spa, Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines.

The win of the Filipinos on the second day trimmed the lead of the visiting Japanese team 1-2 heading to the crucial third day of action.

The Filipinos must sweep their remaining two matches against the Japanese. The Japanese on the other hand will win the tie if it at least takes one of the two remaining games. The winner of the tie will meet the Uzbekistan which already wrapped up their series with the New Zealand by triumphing on the doubles match to take an unassailable lead 3-0, and makes the remaining two singles matches non-bearing.

Japan Sweeps Reverse Singles Over the Philippines Leads 2-0

(Davis Cup Results between Japan and the Philippines)

LAPU LAPU CITY, Philippines  – Fil-Ams Cecil Mamiit and Treat Huey started their quest in the Davis Cup in the wrong note as they both succumbed to their higher ranked opponents which is Japan to trail 0-2 on their Asia-Oceania Davis Cup Group I tie at the Plantation Bay Resorts and Spa here.

Mamiit dropped  his match against Japanese number 2 player Tatsuma Ito while his compatriot Johnny Arcilla yielded to Japanese number 1 Go Soeda in the other reverse singles match.

With the twin loss the 35^th ranked Filipinos faces a tough task of sweeping the doubles match on the second day and the singles events on the third day to earn a chance to meet the winner of Uzebekistan versus New Zealand for a slot in the World Group.

The Philippines also trailed 0-2 on their tie with the South Korea but with sheer guts and determination the Filipino tennis players still managed to bounced back and sweep the remaining matches to earn the ticket to face the fancied 28th-seeded Japanese players.

In 1991, Phl national tennis team  was led by Felix Barrientos and Roland So was just one victory away from barging into the World Group but they were waylaid by Sweden 0-5.

Federer in Australian Open Finals vs Andy Murray of Britain

Roger  Federer cruises to his 22nd Grand Slam final after defeating Jowilfried Tsonga 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 at the Australian Open. Federer which run on course for his fourth Australian title, is pinning his hope this year after Rafael Nadal eluded him last year. Federer’s final opponent will be Andy Murray which is hard-pressed and egged on by his compatriot back home in Britain to eventually end the 74-year drought for a British man in Grand Slamsingles. Murray nipped Marin Cilic in the semi-finals after posting an upset win over Nadal in the quarterfinals. Federer cracked a joke, “I know he’d like to win the first for Britain tennis since what is it, 150,000 years?” and added in front of delightful fans, “I know he’d like to win first for British tennis, “The poor guy who has to go through those moment over and over again…”

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Rafael Nadal Subdued Roger Federer to Bag the Madrid Open Crown

The last Spanish pride standing in the Madrid Open leaned on his mastery of the clay court to repulsed defending champion and world number 1 Roger Federer of Switzerland in the finals.

A losing finalist the last time around, Nadal finally wins his second title in the tournament, and now ahead of the legendary Andre Agassi of the United States of America in terms of numbers of Masters triumphs.

Nadal thus solidified his stronghold of the World Number 2 position in the ATP rankings and aching to overtake Federer.

Nadal’s fiery form on clay is apparent as he already posted a clean 15-0, win loss slate on the surface this year including his win over Federer.

Nadal triumphed in Monte Carlo and Rome, and just surrendered two sets at that stretch.

In the women’s singles  side, Unseeded Aravane Rezai of France spring a surprise in the tournament as she wielded the upset axe on tournament’s favorite Venus Williams, 6-2, 7-5.

Rezai displayed a real heart of champion as mounted a courageous rally from two breaks down in the second set to clinch her third career title.

Serena Williams Named WTA Player of the Year

One half or the much vaunted Williams Sisters,  Serena Williams, was named the 2009 WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) Player of the Year and even make it a double celebration of sorts because she shared the Doubles Team of the Year with the other half of the Williams Sisters, that is, her older sister, Venus Williams.

Serena Williams capped her 2009 campaign by winning two Grand Slam events – the Australian Open and Wimbledon singles title. Serena  also a semi-finalist in the US Open and made it through the quarterfinals of the French Open.

Serena’s achievement in the women’s professional tour is indeed astonishing and continues to grow even further. Her partnership with Venus succeeded in cornering the doubles title in the US Open, Australian Open and the Wimbledon in 2009 .

Belgian Kim Clijsters netted the Comeback Player of the Year plum after clinching the 2009 US Open title and also bagged her seventh Sportsmanship award given by the WTA.

Teenager Melanie Oudin of the United States, made her presence felt as she captured the Newcomer of the Year honors. Oudin made an awesome and surprising performance in last year’s US Open as she made it to the quarterfinal round of the 2009 US Open.

Rounding out the remaining awardees are Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium who bagged the Most Improved Player honors and Liezel Huber of the United States who brought home her fourth Player Service Award.

Ana Ivanovic of Serbia the New Toast in Women’s Professional Tennis Circuit

What does Argentines Monica Seles and Gabriela Sabatini, Anna Kournikova of Russia, Martina Hingis of Switzerland and Ana Ivanovic of Serbia in common? Hehehe, aside from they are prodigious tennis players they are also A world-class tennis players and truly beauteous athletes. Yes, indeed these amazing tennis players are also glamour girl in the women’s professional tennis circuit. There sensuous attire coupled with their stunning looks and truly tempting vital statistics, these female tennis athletes are indeed the toast of the women’s tennis during the active days of their careers.

The woman in the image shown is no other than Serbian tennis sensation, Ana Ivanovic, the French Open champion at the tender age of 19 years old. Ivanovic was one of the four athletes that will grace the very popular Sports Illustrated magazine’s very delicate yet very intimate swimsuit edition. This stunning Serbian who took up tennis after seeing Monica Seles on television winning, was a national sensation back home, as she was featured on a Serbian postage stamp in 2008 and was the also the Sony Ericsson WTA Award recipient in 2009. this marks the very first time that Ivanovic is gracing the magazine’s much-sought after swimsuit edition. See Ana Ivanovic pictures or images by clicking more below…

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Roger Federer Shows Fiery Form at the Start of Australian Open

The Australian Open is finally on full swing as favorites advance to the next round with mixed results. Swiss number one Roger Federer stave off a sluggish start but regain its fine form on time to show the door to Russian Igor Andreev 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-2) in his opening match at the Australian Open.

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Spain trips Great Britain Cops Hopman Cup

Spain clinched its third ever Hopman Cup at the expense of Great Britain. The feisty and fiery tandem of  Tommy Robredo and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez turned back the duo of Andy Murray and Laura Robson 7-5 (6), 7-5 in the deciding set in mixed doubles to wrap up the the championship trophy and bragging rights of having the best man-woman team in the world. Robson provided Britain an early lead by taking the women’s single with a victory over Martinez Sanchez 6-1, 7-6. Robredo tied the score 1-1 by claiming his fourth straight singles match of the event by subduing Murray, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the men’s singles, to force a mixed doubles rubber-match. The game Spanish tandem, combined to rip through Robson’s serve in the first game. Spain was up a break in the first set two times, but the gritty Britain side fought back twice in the next games. This is evident when Martinez Sanchez was serving for the set at 6-5, but Britain was determined to climb back as they neutralize the Spaniards to tie the game at 6-all. The triumphant Spanish team saved three set points and collected five points in a row overall to annex the hardly fought first set.