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Roger Federer shakes hands with John F. Barrett, Western & Southern CEO, after his win Sunday against Novak Djokovic in the men’s singles final of the Western & Southern Open in Mason.

Here’s a look back at the highlights of the Western & Southern Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason.

Highlights

• Federer defeats Djokovic for W&S Open title
• Doc: Djokovic lacked motivation
• Li Na defeats Kerber for first W&S Open title
• Schedules/Results
• Serve the Word blog updates

Photo Galleries

• Li Na defeats Kerber
• Federer wins in Mason
• Kerber defeats Kvitova
• Li Na defeats Venus Williams
• Federer defeats Wawrinka
• Kerber defeats Serena Williams
• Venus Williams defeats Stosur
• Del Potro defeats Chardy
• Venus Williams vs. Sara Errani
• Chardy defeats Roddick
• Fish defeats Lopez
• Autograph-seekers at the W&S Open
• The hats at the W&S Open
• Tennis tournament volunteers

Posted in: Sports, W&S Open |

Tags: Tags: champions, chardy, del potro sara errani, fish, kerber, li na, lindner family tennis center, mason, open, roddick, roger federer, serena williams, serve the word, sports, tennis, venus williams, w&s open, wawrinka, western & southern open

Roger Federer is the same age as Pete Sampras was, when Sampras decided to ditch the intercontinental drift. Federer shows no signs of tiring of room service and Grand Slam titles. / The Enquirer/Joseph Fuqua II

Paul Daugherty reports:

In the middle of a hot Thursday afternoon, in a half-full tennis stadium across the interstate from an amusement park in Mason, Serena Williams allowed herself a moment of exhaustion.

She was 45 minutes into a 70-minute match with a Polish player named Urszula Radwanska. Radwanska might have been just the 46th-ranked woman in the world, but she had the advantage of being 21 years old. Williams will be 31 next month. Did she remember what it was like, to be 21 and playing tennis for money?

Was it better, or at least easier?

We might forget what it’s like to be a professional tennis player. If we even thought about it, we might run the other way. Serena Williams played her first pro match at the age of 13. That means she has been training, playing, continent-hopping and paparazzi-coping for well more than half her life.

If this is Friday, it must be Zurich. Unless it’s Copenhagen or Cincinnati.

When the Reds talk about a “grueling’’ trip to the West Coast, they should check with a tennis pro first.

Now, Williams is here – this is Cincinnati, right? I remember the Eiffel Tower – being run all over the court by a 21-year-old. Down two breaks in the second set, Williams stood on the baseline and let her tongue droop. It hung over her lower lip like a wet dishrag across a kitchen faucet.

“I was happy to get through that match,’’ she said later. “I was a little tired.’’

A little tired? Williams’ body language said, “I could sleep like Rip Van Winkle.’’ She wore one of those thousand-yard, anywhere-but-here stares. The scoreboard said she won in straight sets. Her body said she’d survived one more little war.

(more…)

Posted in: Sports, W&S Open |

Tags: Tags: age, lindner family tennis center, mardy fish, mason, older, paul daugherty, pete sampras, roger federer, serena williams, tennis, urszula radwanska, w&s open, western & southern open, wimbledon

Jeremy Chardy – The Enquirer/Cara Owsley

Alex Blumer reports:

The biggest upset of the tournament thus far just took place on Grandstand Court, as No. 3 seed Andy Murray went down 6-4, 6-4 to 38th-ranked Frenchman Jeremy Chardy.

It was Chardy’s first career win in 5 tries against Murray, the defending Western & Southern champ.

“I didn’t serve particularly well,” said Murray, who’s heading to New York to prepare for the U.S. Open. “When I went behind, he started serving better and going for this shots.

“I was a little bit uncomfortable out there.”

It’s been quite a run for the Frenchman here in Mason. He lost his second qualifying match but because he was the highest ranked player who lost in the second round of qualifying, he advanced to the main draw after John Isner withdrew on Saturday.

In the main draw, Chardy dispatched Andy Roddick, Denis Istomin and, today, Murray. Chardy advances to the quarterfinals, where he plays sixth-seeded Juan Martin del Potr.

Posted in: Sports, W&S Open |

Tags: Tags: andy murray, andy roddick, denis istomin, jeremy chardy, juan martin del potr, lindner family tennis center, loses, mason, w&s open, western & southern open

Roger Federer serves the ball against Alex Bogomolov Jr. during their match at the Western & Southern Open on Wednesday. ‘I’m very happy,’ he said after his 6-3, 6-2 win. / The Enquirer/Joseph Fuqua II

Shannon Russell reports:

Roger Federer eased into the Western & Southern Open with his most dominant completed opening match in 12 tournament appearances.

The top-ranked Swiss player trounced Alex Bogomolov Jr. 6-3, 6-2 Wednesday night at the Lindner Family Tennis Center, eclipsing his previous best opener here – a 6-3, 6-3 defeat of Julien Benneteau in 2007.

Federer dispatched Bogomolov in one hour exactly. He delivered 12 aces and 29 winners in his first ATP World Tour hard court match since March.

“I’m very happy. Yeah, I mean, it was a quick match, a good one for me. I served well,” Federer said. “I was able to play some good points on the offensive, and overall I’m very pleased because I don’t know Bogomolov that well. I’ve only played him once, and that was so long time ago I hardly remember.”

The year was 2004. The place, the Australian Open. Federer, then 23, beat the Russian 6-3, 6-4, 6-0.

Bogomolov assured the players’ second career meeting by ousting Jarkko Nieminen in straight sets to advance to the Round of 32. But Federer gave the No. 62 player little breathing room, breaking him with an ace in the third game to set the tone for the win.

After three straight tournaments on grass – the Olympics, Wimbledon and Halle – Federer wasn’t sure what to expect in his return to hard courts.

“Obviously the turnaround from grass to hard court might not be an easy one this year. The ball definitely bounces so much higher here and plays much faster than Wimbledon, so it just takes some getting used to,” Federer said. “I’m happy I was able to find a way.”

Now a teenager awaits.

Federer faces Australian Bernard Tomic, 19, at 2:30 p.m. today on Center Court with a quarterfinal bid on the line. Federer has defeated Tomic twice since 2011, including a three-setter at the 2012 Australian Open.

Tomic downed Americans Ryan Harrison and Brian Baker to meet Federer. Although he has battled inconsistency of late – losing six of his previous seven completed matches entering the W&S – the 49th-ranked player has been pleased with his progress.

“I’ve been playing good the last fortnight,” Tomic said after the Harrison win. “I’m happy the way I’m playing here today. Last week as well was good for me to win my first round after a good six, seven weeks. I think I played good against Novak (Djokovic) as well, picked up good confidence.”

(more…)

Posted in: Sports, W&S Open |

Tags: Tags: alex bogomolov, australian open, bernard tomic, brian baker, jarkko nieminen, julien benneteau, lindner family tennis center, mason, roger federer, ryan harrison, w&s open, western & southern open, wimbledon

Serena Williams returns a shot during her match Tuesday night against qualifier Eleni Daniilidou. Williams won 6-3, 6-4.

Shannon Russell reports:

Serena Williams’ biggest obstacle Tuesday night was herself.

The American had more unforced errors (44) than winners (32) in a 6-3, 6-4 victory over qualifier Eleni Daniilidou at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason.

The Western & Southern Open’s second-seeded player squandered 10 break point conversions and expressed audible frustration before polishing off the win in 92 minutes.

“I had 44 unforced errors. That’s shocking. It’s unprofessional,” Williams said afterward. “Hopefully I can clean up my act for my next match.”

She has a day to regroup. The WTA’s fourth-ranked player faces one of two qualifiers – Yaroslava Shvedova or Urszula Radwanska – when she plays again Thursday.

Williams said she was glad to get the match under her belt in her transition back to hard courts. She has spent a good deal of time lately competing at the All England Club, from her Wimbledon title to her Olympic singles and doubles gold-medal ascents.

Daniilidou’s last four tournaments have been on hard courts. The Greek player’s quickness in Tuesday’s match bothered Williams as much as the surface.

Nothing seemed to feel right for Williams throughout. Not her long ponytail, which she fashioned into a bun during a break in the action. Not even her racquet strings.

“My racquets were just so not right today. I couldn’t hit my shots the way I wanted to because they kept flying,” Williams said. “I ended up playing longer rallies, which is fine, but I have to have my strings strung right. It just was not strung right.”

No. 121 Daniilidou double faulted nine times and won only 10 of her 29 second serve points. But she didn’t go quietly, holding serve after Williams jumped ahead 5-3 in the second set.

Williams did the same to ensure the win.

Posted in: Sports, W&S Open |

Tags: Tags: eleni daniilidou, lindner family tennis center, mason, serena williams, tennis, urzcula radwanska, w&s open, western & southern open, wta, yaroslava shvedova

A dejected Andy Roddick looks skyward during his loss Tuesday to Jeremy Chardy at the Western and Southern Open.

Shannon Russell reports:

Two-time champion Andy Roddick couldn’t overcome a back ailment or lucky loser Jeremy Chardy in a first-round Western & Southern upset at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason.

World No. 38 Chardy bounced No. 21 Roddick 7-6 (4), 6-3 two days after Roddick had “a little bit of a back issue” at practice. It bothered him again Tuesday on Center Court.

“I felt fine early on and then I had one lunge forehand and, you know, we have all had it, you know, back kind of goes out or spasms a little bit,” Roddick said. “It got progressively worse.”

Jeremy Chardy pumps his fist after winning a point against Andy Roddick in the Western & Southern Open on Aug. 14, 2012.

Chardy noticed. The Frenchman, who lost to Roddick at Eastbourne in June, felt the momentum shift midway through the second set.

“I think that in the first set he was playing good. It was a tough match and we were serving very well together,” Chardy said. “In the second set, I don’t know what was happening for him. He started to serve it a bit slower and then I didn’t feel him very focused on the game.”

Chardy broke Roddick for the 4-3 lead. It was a death knell for the patriotic-shoe-wearing, 16th-seeded American, who was dispatched quickly thereafter.

Although Chardy struggled at times to handle Roddick’s 135 mile per hour serves, the Frenchman benefited from Roddick’s 25 unforced errors in a match that took 92 minutes to complete.

So now Chardy, who lost to Fabio Fognini in the second round of qualifying Sunday, moves on to play Denis Istomin in a second-round main draw match.

Chardy started the weekend as the No. 1 seed in the qualifying draw. Since he was the highest-ranked loser in the second round of qualifying, John Isner’s Saturday withdrawal created an opportunity for him as a lucky loser.

Chardy said he knew ninth-seeded Isner might pull out before the announcement was made and prepared accordingly.

“I knew the first match was very important for me because I was seeded No. 1. I knew if I won my first match against (Robby) Ginepri, I have a chance to be in the main draw,” Chardy said.

Chardy defeated Roddick for the first time in four meetings before a pro-Roddick crowd. Fans yelled Roddick’s name and tried to inspire him when a series of unforced errors paved the way for Chardy’s go-ahead game.

Even Reds pitcher Homer Bailey was in the stands to support Roddick.

“Homer is an Austin guy. I have been out to watch him pitch a couple times the last couple years and he hadn’t been to a match. He picked a good one to come to,” Roddick joked.

Roddick’s back problems leave lingering questions about his health heading into the U.S. Open. The 29-year-old won the Atlanta Open in July despite a sore right shoulder and conceded that injuries have frustrated him this year.

“The last thing I like doing is being out there today knowing I’m compromised. I feel like that’s been a lot of my matches this year. Certainly not fun, but I didn’t complain too much about the 10 years I had of clean health,” Roddick said.

“You know, I’ve got to try to keep it in a little bit of perspective, which is hard in the moment. Over the long haul of a career, my body has been pretty good to me.”

Posted in: Sports, W&S Open |

Tags: Tags: andy roddick, denis istomin, eastbourne, fabio fognini, homer bailey, jeremy chardy, john isner, lindner family tennis center, loss, mason, sports, tennis, w&s open, western & southern open

Shannon Russell reports:

Posted in: Sports, W&S Open |

Tags: Tags: lindner family tennis center, mason, serena williams, tennis, venus williams, video, w&s open, western & southern open

James Blake eyes a backhand during a first round match against Kevin Anderson at the Western & Southern Open on Sunday. / AP Photo/Al Behrman

Shannon Russell reports:

James Blake has a lot of fond memories of Mason.

It was the first place he ever ate at a Waffle House. It was where he won his first tournament, a Western & Southern Open doubles title in 2002 with Todd Martin. And it’s where he finished as a finalist to Roger Federer in the 2007 singles championship.

Sunday, he added another mark to the list: A 7-5, 6-4 Center Court upset of World No. 32 Kevin Anderson in a W&S Open first-round match.

• Photos: 5 men to watch | 5 women to watch
• More photos: Draw Party | Sunday at W&S Open

Blake, a wild card, dispatched the South African in 85 minutes in the first night match of the main draw.

“I think anytime you break Kevin Anderson – what did I break him, four times? Five times? – you’re doing something right on the return. That’s what I’ve been focusing on a little bit,” said Blake, ranked 106th on the ATP World Tour. “That’s what I generally did well when I was playing my best. I was attacking guys’ serves, especially their second serves, and getting a lot of breaks.”

After receiving a warm reception from the crowd, Blake fell behind by two games. Fans shouted “Blake!” and clapped as he appeared peeved by his play.
“I had a couple bad starts lately and I felt like I didn’t used to do that,” Blake said. “I always thought I was a pretty good starter.”

He responded by breaking Anderson and holding serve to knot the score at two. Anderson pulled ahead 5-4 following two more ties, but Blake broke him at love and punctuated the first-set win with one of his eight aces.

Then it was Anderson who felt frustration.

“It was tough. James played a couple games where I missed a few first serves (and) he really made me pay for it. Two or three return winners,” Anderson said. “Just needed to serve a little bit better. Not that I was serving poorly – just not making enough first serves. I think he made it pretty tough for me.”

Anderson converted 62 percent of his first serves. The former Illinois standout couldn’t find his stride in the match, a trait that has been all too familiar lately.
Anderson arrived in Mason by way of Toronto, where he lost his first Rogers Cup match to Mikhail Youzhny. Before that he lost to Sam Querrey in a Citi Open quarterfinal in Washington, D.C.

The 26-year-old called a tennis career “a pretty long journey” and said he would regroup for the next tournament.

“I just have to try to move on, use the following days just to try to keep getting better, maybe try to find a little bit more rhythm, and hopefully have a good Winton Salem leading up to the (U.S.) Open,” Anderson said.

As for Blake: He’ll face Kei Nishikori or Marcel Granollers in the next round.  In the meantime he has his hands full with tennis preparations and a robust personal life that includes fiancee Emily Snider and their 2-month-old daughter, Riley. Blake said he and Emily will marry in November.

Blake, 32, is eager to continue his tournament climb at a place that he considers special, before fans that treat him well.

“I feel great when I go out there and hear the reception when I win a match, and to know that they’re happy that I’m back here in Cincinnati and playing well again,” Blake said.

Posted in: Sports, W&S Open |

Tags: Tags: blake, cito open, doubles, emily snider, illinois, james blake, kevin anderson, marriage, mason, rogers cup, south africa, tennis, w&s open, western & southern open