Sunday, May 31, 2015

Roger Federer 4th round suspended due to darkness will continue tomorrow at one set apiece

Sunday play at Roland Garros has been suspended due to darkness with the Round of 16 clash between Roger Federer and Gael Monfils knotted at a set apiece. They will resume on Court Philippe Chatrier on Monday, not before 12:30pm local time.

Federer secured a break of serve in the second game and raced to a 3-0 lead before claiming the opening set 6-3 in 30 minutes. Looking to improve to 9-4 in his FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry with Monfils, the Swiss was bidding to reach the quarter-finals in Paris for the 10th time in 11 years. But the Frenchman had other plans, claiming a 3-0 lead of his own in the second set. He would be broken serving for the set at 5-3, but rebounded to secure the decisive break back a game later to draw level 6-4.

Monfils is eyeing a fifth quarter-final berth at his home Grand Slam (also 2008, '09, '11 & '14). With countryman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga advancing earlier on Sunday, a Monfils victory would give the French contingent two home hopes in the quarters for just the third time in the Open Era. Most recently,Thierry Champion and Henri Leconte reached the last eight in 1990.

atpworldtour.com

One thing is certain Roger needs to win this in 4. Allez Federer!.

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Martina Hingis & partner Leander Paes advance to 2nd round at French Open mixed doubles

Indian tennis player Leander Paes, partnering Swiss Martina Hingis, entered the second round, while his compatriot Rohan Bopanna, with Kazakh partner Yaroslava Shvedova, crashed out from the first round of mixed doubles at the French Open.

The eighth seeded Paes-Hingis pair totally outclassed Russian Alla Kudryavtseva and her Colombian partner Juan Sebastian Cabal 6-2, 6-3 to enter the second round of the clay court Major on Thursday. The Indo-Swiss pair next face the Slovenian-Romanian pair of Katarina Srebotnik and Horia Tecau at Stade Roland Garros.

It was an easy win for Paes and Hingis as they had full control of the match right from the start, winning 88 percent of first serve points and 62 percent of second serve points. They broke their opponents thrice out of seven opportunities and won 53 of the 89 points played.

Earlier, the Bopanna-Shvedova pair fought hard but their efforts went in vain as they were beaten 6-7(5), 6-0, 3-10 by the Czech-Polish combine of Lucie Hradecka and Marcin Matkowski.

The first set was a tight contest that had to be settled by a tie-breaker, which went in favour of Hradecka and Matkowski. However, the Indo-Kazakh pair came back strongly to win all six games of the second set and push the match in to the decider. But they failed to make an impact in the super tie-break, losing easily by a score of 3-10.

hindustantimes.com

Martina Hingis & Sania Mirza through to round 3 of French Open doubles

The 10th seeded Indo-Canadian pair made short work of Begemann-Knowle winning in straight sets 7-6 (7-3) 6-2.

Top seeds Sania and her Swiss partner Martina Hingis defeated local pair of Stepahnie Foretz and Amandine Hesse 6-3 6-4 in only 65 minutes.

In the match featuring Paes, the first set saw both pairs trade a break each, it went to the tie-breaker where the fancied pair of Paes-Nestor brought on all their experience into play winning it at 3.

The second set was a virtual cakewalk as the winners got a double break straightaway in the second and fourth games to lead 4-0 as the German-Austrian pair couldn't comeback despite winning a couple of service. The highlight of Paes-Nestor pair's performance was the successsful conversion of 82 percent of their first serve.

They finally won the match on the eighth game to progress to the next round along with Bryan brothers.

For Sania and Hingis, it wasn't a tough battle as they broke the French pair in the eighth game and followed it up by holding their serve to take the first set 6-3.

The Indo-Swiss pair started the second set well as they took a 1-0 lead breaking the opposition serve. However Foretz-Hesse duo broke even to make it 3-3.

But the decisive break happened in the ninth game which they won and served for the match without much difficulty.

Friday, May 29, 2015

Roger Federer through into the 4th round at Roland Garros









Roger Federer advanced to the Roland Garros fourth round on Friday as he defeated Damir Dzumhur 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 on Court Philippe Chatrier.

The Swiss was tested at times by the 23-year-old Dzumhur, but came through unscathed to set a clash with either Gael Monfils or Pablo Cuevas.

Federer hit 38 winners to 22 unforced errors and lost serve just once, when serving for the second set at 5-2. He quickly regained the advantage with another break in the ninth game before racing through the third set to seal victory in 88 minutes.

The 33-year-old Federer is through to the fourth round at Roland Garros for the 11th straight year. He completed the career Grand Slam when he lifted the trophy in 2009, beating Robin Soderling in the final.

Federer came into Roland Garros after mixed success during the European clay-court swing, tempering victory in Istanbul and a runner-up showing in Rome with early exits in Monte-Carlo and Madrid. The Basel native has a 27-5 record on the season.

World No. 88 Dzumhur was contesting the third round of a Grand Slam for the second time, having also reached the last 32 at the 2014 Australian Open as a qualifier. He is the only man from Bosnia/Herzegovina ever to play at a Grand Slam championship.

"I guess it was entertaining," said Dzumhur. "I really was excited before the match. I didn't feel that much pressure like I felt with Berdych last year, or with Ferrer. So I came a bit more relaxed on the court and started good. That was okay. So I feel that everything was okay. My game was good. I just can say that Roger played really too good today. He was playing so aggressive with all kind of shots. Big congratulations to him. Of course I was always saying that he's the best tennis player for me, and today he show why.

atpworldtour.com

It's gonna be another battle between Federer & the Frenchman Monfils in the 4th round.  

Damn, I was so hoping Cuevas would get rid of that little complication and make things a little easier for Rog so that he could save his energy for the last 3 matches *sigh*.  

But alas sometimes tennis gods just don't listen.

Hopefully Federer can revenge his loss to Gael at Monte Carlo earlier this month.  Allez Roger!.

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Martina Hingis wins French Open doubles match after 15 year absence

PARIS -- After a 15-year absence, Martina Hingis once again played -- and won -- a women's doubles match at the French Open.

Hingis and Sania Mirza, the first woman from India to rank No. 1 in singles or doubles, are the top-seeded pairing at Roland Garros and made a successful Grand Slam debut as a partnership, beating Julia Goerges and Barbora Krejcikova 6-3, 6-0 on Wednesday.

"I had enough of a break, so I'm fresh again," said Hingis, who is 34 and in the midst of a third career on tour after two stints in temporary retirement.

"It feels like, not that I'm 25 again, but it's a new comeback," Hingis said. "I'm definitely mentally refreshed and this is where you have to be when you do sports or play tennis. I'm hungry and I'm fresh and I feel like I still have (game), and that's why I tried to come back. And now, with Sania, it's clicked."

Hingis last entered the doubles in Paris in 2000, when she and Mary Pierce won the title. Pierce and most of the women they beat that year are long gone from the game, including players such as Jennifer Capriati and Conchita Martinez.

Hingis also won the French Open doubles trophy two years earlier, when she won all four major titles, teaming with Mirjana Lucic-Baroni at the Australian Open and Jana Novotna at the others.

Lucic-Baroni, who's now 33, knocked off 2014 runner-up Simona Halep in singles Wednesday.

"Yeah," she said, "we have been out there for quite some time."

All the way back at the 1997 Australian Open, when she was 16 and nicknamed "Swiss Miss," Hingis became the youngest major champion of the 20th century, collecting the first of her five career Grand Slam singles titles. She also won Wimbledon and the U.S. Open that year, coming within a loss in the French Open final of claiming a calendar-year Grand Slam, and was the youngest woman to reach No. 1 in the WTA rankings.

She quit tennis in 2002 because of foot and leg injuries, then rejoined the circuit full-time in 2006, reaching two major singles quarterfinals and returning to the top 10.

Hingis announced her retirement again in 2007, when she was given a two-year suspension for testing positive for cocaine at Wimbledon. At the time, she denied taking the drug but did not appeal the ruling.

She worked in recent years as a coach.

"It's not a secret that Martina is supposed to be one of the smartest players ever that we've had," the 28-year-old Mirza said, drawing chuckles from Hingis. "For me, it's an honor to play with her. ... I mean, really, she's been a great player in the past, of course, but she's back to being very good again."

Their first tournament together was at Indian Wells, California, in March. They won the title there and at their next two appearances.

"I don't mean to make her sound old," Mirza said, eliciting peals of laughter from both women, "because she's only a few years older than me, but I did watch her as a kid. But she was also a kid when she was winning."

espn.go.com

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Roger Federer fights back to reach Roland Garros 3rd round





Roger Federer did not have everything all his own way Wednesday when he advanced to the Roland Garros third round.

The second seed and 2009 champion battled back from 2-4 and 0-2 deficits in the second and third sets of a 6-2, 7-6(1), 6-3 victory over Marcel Granollers.

"I think I was actually playing very well," said Federer. "I wasn't nervous really. I think things went well for me for the first couple of sets. I think I was in control. Even though I was down a break in the second set, I still felt the match was in my racquet. And when you feel that way, obviously you're always going to feel more confident, more comfortable, not nervous.

"But the thing you don't want to do is you want to start off badly sets, and that's what happened in the beginning of the third. I played a horrible game. It was just very disappointing and frustrating. But after that, I must say, it was probably my best spell of the match right after that... I was offensive. I was successful at net. So overall, I was very, very pleased."

Federer will next face Damir Dzumhur as he continues his quest for an 18th Grand Slam championship. A three-time ATP World Tour titlist in 2015, the Swiss has a 27-5 match record.

Federer broke Granollers twice in the opener of their fourth meeting, but came close to falling 2-5 down in the second set. He regrouped and went on to lose just two more of his service points in the 50-minute set.

Granollers jumped out to a 2-0 start in the third set, but Federer fought back, clinching his third break point opportunity in a 12-point seventh game. Overall, Federer hit 38 winners, including three aces.

Granollers, who won just 17 of 77 points on return of serve, has a 1-12 record against opponents in the Top 10 of the Emirates ATP Rankings.

Dzumhur knocked out Marcos Baghdatis 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 mid-afternoon.

"I don't know him very well," said Federer. "I might even go so far to say I have actually almost never seen him play maybe before. [It will be an] interesting match-up clearly, and [a] different approach to the match I played today."

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Roger Federer not happy with French Open security after fan rushes court for selfie

Roger Federer raised a racket on Sunday, slamming French Open security after a fan stormed the court seeking a selfie with the Swiss tennis great.

Federer had just won a routine first-round match when the teen took to Court Philippe Chatrier at Roland Garros and wanted to snap a picture of himself with the 17-time Grand Slam champion.

The tennis superstar appeared startled at first and was about to comply with the photo request when security finally came on the scene and hauled the offender away.

“I’m not happy about it. Obviously not one second I’m happy about it. It happened yesterday in the practice, too,” Federer said.

“It’s just a kid, but then three more kids came. And today on center court where you would think this is a place where nobody can come on, he just wanders on and nothing happens.”

It was an eerie repetition of the 2009 final when another fan lept from the stands on the same court to plant a hat on the head of the Swiss star.​ ​Four years later, the men’s final between another of the sport’s A-listers, Rafael Nadal, the nine-time champion, and David Ferrer was suspended​ ​as flare-carrying protestors were chased away.​

And the huge security lapse comes two decades after the on-court stabbing of ​tennis star ​Monica Seles in Hamburg by a deranged fan.

​”He (Federer) was pissed off with what happened,” admitted tournament director Gilbert Ysern.

“To some extent it’s not the end of the world, but it’s embarrassing, of course, for Roland Garros.

“It shows that we collectively as an organization made a mistake and we will have to correct that and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Federer referenced his 2009 encounter with a fan during the French Open final.

“It happened during the finals in ’09 as well for me. So I definitely think this is something that something needs to happen quickly. Basically yesterday already,” he said.

“Normally I only speak on behalf of myself, but in this situation I think I can speak on behalf of all the players, that that’s where you do your job, that’s where you want to feel safe. And so clearly I’m not happy about it.”

He added: “But nothing happened, so I’m relieved. But clearly it wasn’t a nice situation to be in.”

nypost.com

Only in France *shakes head*.

Monday, May 25, 2015

Roger Federer's top 5 matches at Roland Garros



#2 The way he drops to the ground after finally winning this one still brings tears to my eyes.

#1 Who could forget the finger wag as he broke Djokovic's 40+ winning streak.  Perfection.

Here's to some great moments this year :).

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Roger Federer into 2nd round with straight sets win at Roland Garros





Do not like the colour of the pants.  Just no.  Should have matched the headband.


tumblr Federer tag


Roger Federer got his quest underway Sunday for a second Roland Garros title and 18th Grand Slam crown.

Second seed Federer improved to 8-0 lifetime against lucky loser Alejandro Falla with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 at the start of his 62nd straight Grand Slam championship.

Federer hit 42 winners, including eight aces, converting three of his 15 break point opportunities for victory in one hour and 49 minutes. He is now 62-15 at the clay-court major in Paris, where he lifted the trophy in 2009 (d. Soderling), and he will next challenge Marcel Granollers in the second round.

Granollers, a 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(7) winner over qualifier Matthias Bachinger, equaled his best result at the tournament last year in reaching the Round of 16 (l. to Raonic). Federer leads the FedEx ATP Head2Head series 3-0.

"I'm not sure that the first round is any different," Federer said. "I think that as we go through the tournament, then we probably feel that we are more and more satisfied. But the first round is a bit like I want to win the first round, to be in the tournament and not to go back home immediately, to be one of the first ten players to go back home. So that's the whole idea about it. That is, you want to play a good match and then focus on the future. That's when I will start enjoying this moment."

Federer has a 26-5 match record on the season, which includes three titles at the Brisbane International presented by Suncorp (d. Raonic), the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships (d. Djokovic) and the TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Open (d. Cuevas).

Elsewhere, Roberto Bautista Agut, the No. 19 seed, hit 35 winners in a 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 victory over Florian Mayer and is now one victory away from equalling his best performance. Last year, he lost in the third round to Tomas Berdych. The Spaniard goes on to face Lukas Rosol, who was a 6-2, 7-6(7), 6-3 winner over Elias Ymer.

Friday, May 22, 2015

Roger Federer receives a favorable draw at French Open

Nine-time champion Rafael Nadal and World No. 1 Novak Djokovic were drawn in the same quarter of the Roland Garros draw on Friday.

Nadal, who is 66-1 at the clay-court major championship, could potentially meet Djokovic in a blockbuster quarter-final. It is a result of Nadal dropping to No. 7 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. Djokovic is bidding to capture his first Roland Garros trophy that would complete a career Grand Slam.

Sixth seed Nadal will start his quest for a 15th major title against Quentin Halys and could meet No. 10 seed Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth round, while Djokovic will face Jarkko Nieminen.

View: Singles Draw | Tournament Profile

Nadal has a 23-20 FedEx ATP Head2Head lead against Djokovic, with victories over the Serbian in the 2012 final, 2013 semi-finals and 2014 final. Djokovic, a winner of eight Grand Slam crowns, won their most recent meeting in the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters semi-finals and is riding a 22-match winning streak.

Third seed Andy Murray, who is in the same half of the draw as Djokovic and Nadal, plays a qualifier in the first round. The 2011 and 2014 semi-finalist has a 10-0 record on clay courts this year, including two ATP World Tour titles. He is in the same quarter of the draw as seventh seed and 2013 runner-up David Ferrer, who challenges Lukas Lacko, and ninth seed Marin Cilic.

Second seed Roger Federer, the 2009 champion (d. Soderling) who will be making his 62nd Grand Slam championship appearance, will play a qualifier in the first round. He could potentially meet Gael Monfils, the No. 13 seed, in the fourth round. The pair has met three times at Roland Garros (2008-09, '11), but Monfils has won their past two clashes. Eighth seed Stan Wawrinka, who takes on Marsel Ilhan, could be a quarter-final opponent.

Fourth seed Tomas Berdych, who has reached the quarter-finals or better at every tournament he has contested in 2015, may need to beat No. 28 seed Fabio Fognini and No. 14 seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga prior to a quarter-final against fifth seed Kei Nishikori. Berdych faces a qualifier in his first match, while Nishikori will meet Paul-Henri-Mathieu. Feliciano Lopez, the No. 11 seed, may be a fourth round opponent for Nishikori.

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Roger Federer Grand Slam stats

When 2015 Roland Garros begins on 24 May, World No. 2 Roger Federer will look to add another Coupe des Mousquetaires to his lone trophy from Paris. The 33-year-old Swiss' one title win at the Grand Slam on clay was in 2009, when he beat Rafael Nadal's conqueror,Robin Soderling, 6-1, 7-6(1), 6-4.


• FEDERER GRAND SLAM STREAK - This will be Federer’s record 62nd consecutive Grand Slam tournament played. Federer’s streak began at the 2000 Australian Open and he is the only player to compete in every Grand Slam singles draw in this century. There are six other players in the Top 10 longest consecutive Grand Slam tournaments played, including Feliciano Lopez (53) and David Ferrer (50). Here is a look at the Top 10 longest streaks in the Open Era and players competing at Roland Garros in bold:


Rank
Player
Consecutive Grand Slams Played


1 Roger Federer
62+ ('00 US Open-'15 Roland Garros)

2 Wayne Ferreira
56 ('91 Australian Open-'04 US Open)

3 Stefan Edberg
54 ('83 Wimbledon-'96 US Open)

4 Feliciano Lopez
53+ ('02 Roland Garros-'15 Roland Garros)

5 David Ferrer
50+ ('03 Australian Open-'15 Roland Garros)

6 Fernando Verdasco
48+ ('03 Wimbledon-'15 Roland Garros)

7 Tomas Berdych
47+ ('03 US Open-'15 Roland Garros)

8 Fabrice Santoro
46 ('98 US Open-'10 Australian Open)

9 Dominik Hrbaty
44 ('97 Australian Open-'07 US Open)

10 Novak Djokovic
42+ ('05 US Open-'15 Roland Garros)

Guillermo Garcia-Lopez
42+ ('05 US Open-'15 Roland Garros)


+ denotes active streak including Roland Garros


• ALL-TIME GRAND SLAM CHAMPIONS - Federer leads the way with the most Grand Slam championships won. Here is a look at the all-time Grand Slam titles leader:

Player
W-L

Roger Federer
17-8

Pete Sampras
14-4

Rafael Nadal
14-6

Roy Emerson
12-3

Bjorn Borg
11-5

Rod Laver
11-6

• FEDERER IN FINE FORM - Federer is making his 17th straight appearance at Roland Garros (61-15), and he completed a career Grand Slam in 2009 (d. Soderling) after three straight runner-up showings from 2006-08. He enters with a 25-5 match record on the season (9-3 on clay). He is 3-2 in finals this year and he’s coming off a runner-up finish at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 in Rome (l. to Djokovic). He won his 85th career title in Istanbul (d. Cuevas) earlier this month. He also won titles in Brisbane (d. Raonic) and Dubai (d. Djokovic). The last 33-year-old seeded No. 2 at Roland Garros was Andre Agassi in 2003.

• GRAND SLAM MATCH WINS LEADERS - Federer is the all-time match wins leader (281) in Grand Slam history, while Nadal is No. 7 with 191 wins and Djokovic is No. 8 with 187 wins. Here are the Top 10 Grand Slam match wins leaders (active players in bold).


Player
W-L
Titles

Roger Federer
281-46
17

Jimmy Connors
233-49
8

Andre Agassi
224-53
8

Ivan Lendl
222-49
8

Roy Emerson
209-48
12

Pete Sampras
203-38
14

Rafael Nadal
191-26
14

Novak Djokovic
187-33
8

Stefan Edberg
178-47
6

Ken Rosewall
171-34
8

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Roger Federer says Nadal remains French Open favourite, but hopes he'll be in the mix too

With victory over Roger Federer in Sunday's Internazionali BNL d'Italia final, Novak Djokovic extended his run of dominance at the most prestigious tournaments on the ATP World Tour.

The Serb is a perfect 37-0 in Grand Slams, ATP World Tour Masters 1000s and the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals since last November, but if you ask Federer, nine-time champion Rafael Nadal is still the favourite to hoist the Roland Garros trophy once again. Speaking to press following a 6-4, 6-3 defeat to the World No. 1, the Swiss admitted that while Djokovic is playing the best tennis of his career, there is no counting out the King of Clay in his home away from home.

"You cannot take away the past 10 years," said Federer. "It’s going to be best-of-five sets. We know how tough Rafa is physically and mentally. He is the favourite still to me. Novak at this point probably has to win, with the results he's shown this year. It feels similar to 2011 when he didn't lose the whole year.

"Maybe Rafa isn’t having the same success as before but nevertheless that remains the situation for me. But it's all talk because in the end his racquet's going to do the talking."

Despite falling to his rival, Federer, who was contesting his 129th tour-level final and 41st at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 level, also believes there is another player who should be regarded as a legitimate title contender: himself.

"I don’t want to get myself too down because it was a good tournament for me...I really hope it's not just the two of them," the 2009 champion added, referring to Djokovic and Nadal. "I hope there's going to be some other guys who will be a part of that group and I hope in particular myself."

The second Grand Slam of the year commences next Sunday at Roland Garros

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Roger Federer wants another Roland Garros win more then ever

Roger Federer already has what Novak Djokovic desires: a French Open title. However, among his 17 Grand Slam titles, Federer has won only one at Roland Garros.

Nearing the end of his career, Federer may be more desperate for a win at Roland Garros than Djokovic.

Federer takes on Djokovic in the final of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia on Sunday. Despite a No. 2 ranking and "all-time great" status, Federer has less of a chance of winning the French Open than No. 6, Kei Nishikori, according to Odds Shark.

All the pre-tournament buzz centers around Djokovic's quest for a first title and Rafael Nadal's pursuit of a 10th.

According to Federer, Djokovic's win over Nadal at Monte Carlo and Andy Murray's victory over the Spaniard in Rome change little when it comes to the real favorite at Roland Garros. Federer told theIndependent that Nadal is still the man to beat.

"Regardless of what anyone says to me he’s the favorite...The guy’s only lost [at Roland Garros] once in 10 years. No way past that guy being the absolute favorite for that tournament.”

Federer's lone win at Roland Garros came in 2009, when he defeated Robin Soderling, who had knocked Nadal out in the fourth round.

At the time, a relieved and exuberant Federer believed he had finally quieted the critics. In an interview with the New York Times, Federer declared, "This could be my biggest victory, the one that takes off the most pressure...Now for the rest of my career, I can play relaxed and never hear again that I never won the French Open."

The pressure subsided. But it's still there. Instead of, "Will he ever?" it's now, "Can he ever, again?"

It's not that Federer has played poorly at Roland Garros. He's reached the finals at the French Open the same number of times as he has at the Australian Open.

However, Federer is 1-4 in French Open finals and 4-1 in championship matches at the Australian Open. He is 7-2 in Wimbledon finals and 5-1 at the U.S. Open.

With Nadal, the major roadblock to winning the title, diminished, Federer must feel a sense of urgency. It's now, or maybe never again.

The year before Federer won his first French Open, Nadal embarrassed him. In one of the most lopsided French Open finals, Nadal beat Federer 6-1, 6-3, 6-0. It marked the first time Federer had been bageled in a set at a Grand Slam since Pat Rafter beat him in the 1999 French Open. Federer was only 17 at the time. It was also his first time playing in the main draw of the French Open.


Federer remembers that match fondly. Last year, when asked about it, Federer told reporters he was just happy to have a wild card. "I mean, I knew I wouldn't end up winning the match. But it's like a carrot you give to a donkey, you know, but it was great."

When Federer started racking up Slams, it seemed a few French Open titles were inevitable. But along came Rafa. Federer has yet to conquer Nadal and Roland Garros at the same time.


With a record 17 Slams, Federer's status among the greats is secure. However, the lone French Open, as well as his one-sided record against Nadal, is the thinnest part of Federer's portfolio.

Given his three-year Grand Slam title drought, Federer would be ecstatic about winning any Slam. However, another French Open title would be doubly sweet.

Though the future is uncertain, this year is shaping up to be perhaps Federer's last decent chance to pull it off. Nadal looks as vulnerable as ever. Neither Djokovic nor Murray have ever won. Federer at least has that edge.

He seems to have found a balance between rest (skipping Miami) and clay-court prep (adding Istanbul) leading up to the French Open.

Reaching the final in Rome suggests Federer may be peaking at just the right time.

With the clock ticking on his career, Federer has less time to worry about rivalries. He's focusing his energy on legacy. A victory over Nadal, however sweet, means little if it comes outside of the final. Another French Open title, even if it's over a qualifier, goes into the record books. It solidifies Federer's standing as the greatest of all time.


Another French Open title: Federer no longer needs it. But he wants it, desperately.

Monday, May 18, 2015

Roger Federer fails to capture 1st Rome Masters title

Novak Djokovic continued his rich vein of form Sunday when he lifted the Internazionali BNL d'Italia trophy for a fourth time.

The World No. 1 clinched his fifth title of the season with victory over No. 2-ranked Roger Federer 6-4, 6-3 in the Rome final. Djokovic is now 19-20 lifetime in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series.

Read: How The Final Was Won | Novak vs. Roger: The Rivalry

Djokovic moved clear of Federer with his 24th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown, just three shy of all-time titles leader Rafael Nadal on 27.

He has won four of the five ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments in 2015 and is riding a 22-match winning streak, with his last loss coming to Federer on 28 February in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships final. This year, the Serbian is also 14-1 against Top 10 opponents in the Emirates ATP Rankings.

BIG SEVEN TITLE FEAT? Djokovic is on a 37-match winning streak at the highest-level tournaments: Grand Slams, ATP Masters 1000s and Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. The run dates back to his title in Paris-Bercy last November:

Tournament
Final Opponent
Win-Loss Record

2015 ATP Masters 1000 Rome
Roger Federer
37-0

2015 ATP Masters 1000 Monte-Carlo
Tomas Berdych
32-0

2015 ATP Masters 1000 Miami
Andy Murray
27-0

2015 ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells
Roger Federer
21-0

2015 Australian Open
Andy Murray
16-0

2014 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals
Roger Federer
9-0

2014 ATP Masters 1000 Paris
Milos Raonic
5-0


Djokovic, who will celebrate his 28th birthday on 22 May, earned $628,100 in prize money and 1000 Emirates ATP Rankings points. He is now 35-2 on the season, which includes titles at the Australian Open (d. Murray), the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells (d. Federer), the Miami Open presented by Itaui n Miami (d. Murray) and the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters (d. Berdych).

Federer, who was competing in Rome for the 15th time, also finished runner-up in 2003 (l. to Felix Mantilla), 2006 and 2013 (l. to Nadal both times).

The Swiss walks away with $308,000 and 600 Emirates ATP Rankings points. He is now 85-44 in tour-level finals, including 23-18 in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title matches.


atpworldtour.com

This was a very disappointing match excitement wise, I thought Federer would at least be able to take things to third set. 

Djokovic didn't even play that outstanding to give Roger trouble, and Federer did have break point chances. 

I would say both played mediocre in this final.  Roland Garros next, I must say I'll be happy with whoever wins that one as long as it's not Rafael Nadal again. 

It was a good run for Roger nonetheless. Hopefully his performance in the French will be even better (hey I can dream).

Martina Hingis & Sania Mirza fall short of winning Rome Masters title

Rome: Indo-Swiss tennis combine of Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis did not live up to expectations as the top seeds were upset by Hungarian-French pair of Timea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic in straight sets in the women's doubles final of the $2,428,490 Rome Masters here on Sunday.

The third seeds took just an hour and 13 minutes to come out on top with a 6-4, 6-3 win on the outdoor clay courts of Foro Italico in the first ever match between the two pairs. This was Sania and Martina's, ranked World No.1 and 2 respectively, fourth final together, having won at Indian Wells, Miami and Charleston earlier in the year.

The match did not go in favour of the top seeds right from the start as Sania and Martina were shocked in the fifth game of the first set when Timea and Kristina broke them and held serve to extend the lead to 4-2.

Sania and Martina finally earned two breakpoints for the first time in the match when the the third seeds were looking to close the set on their service game at 5-4. However, both opportunities were wasted as Timea and Kristina won the set to take the lead in the match in only 38 minutes.

The third seeds took the momentum into the second set as they immediately broke their opponents. But Sania and Martina reverted by breaking back and levelling the set at 1-1.

The next four service games were held by both teams but the third seeds once again stunned the Indo-Swiss combo by breaking them in the seventh game of the set. They held serve to extend the lead to 5-3.

Within no time, Timea and Kritina had two matchpoints. The first was saved by the top seeds but the Hungarian-French pair converted the second to earn the vital crown.


Too bad, it was a nice preparation for the French Open though.  Good luck at Roland Garros ladies!.

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Roger Federer wins battle of the Swiss to reach Rome Masters Final




Roger Federer foiled an early advantage by countryman Stan Wawrinka to book a spot in the Rome title match with a 6-4, 6-2 victory in the Internazionali BNL d'Italia semi-finals.

Rome is one of just two ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles missing from Federer’s collection (Monte-Carlo). The Swiss is making his 15th appearance in the Italian capital and has reached the final here for a fourth time, having also advanced to the title match in 2003 (l. to Mantilla), 2006 (l. to Nadal) and 2013 (l. to Nadal).

"Stan played well in the first set," said Federer. "In the second set he had a sort of breakdown. He wasn’t serving his best. I was definitely able to take advantage of it. He’s got a good opportunity next week (in Geneva). He’s in the right direction and obviously the win against Rafa was massive for him and his confidence. His game is there. I was very happy how I played. I was able to impose my game. I had a sort of breakdown too but I’ll try not to let it happen tomorrow."

A rematch of their epic round-robin encounter at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals last year, Federer extended his FedEx ATP Head2Head lead to 16-2.

Looking to replicate his dominant performance from a quarter-final upset of Rafael Nadal, Wawrinka sprinted to an early 3-0 lead on Sunday at the Foro Italico. The 30 year old dropped a mere four points in breaking his friend and rival in the second game and consolidating.

As was the key to success against Nadal, Wawrinka stepped into his shots from the baseline, taking his backhand early and not allowing Federer to find a rhythm off the ground. But the World No. 2 would have an immediate authoritative response, breaking back to 15 and pulling level at 3-all.

Federer maintained a swift response to Wawrinka's initial run, reeling off six of seven games to snatch the opening set. He would secure a second break for 5-4 behind a stunning backhand winner that clipped the far edge of the tramline.

With Wawrinka's quick start far in the rear-view mirror, Federer relinquished just six points in grabbing a 5-1 lead in the second set and the three-time finalist would claim victory in 55 minutes. The second seed reached his 41st ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final and 129th overall, where he will face top seed Novak Djokovic.

"I feel like I have a chance to play well for sure," added Federer. "Novak is not Rafa on clay, so it’s a different situation. I’ve done fairly well in the past against him. We played here twice before and I lost both times so it's up to me to put in a good performance."

It will be the 39th meeting between the two rivals. Only Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have battled more in the Open Era.

Most Meetings In Open Era

Rivalry
Encounters

Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal
43

Novak Djokovic vs. Roger Federer
38

Ivan Lendl vs. John McEnroe
36

Ivan Lendl vs. Jimmy Connors 35

Boris Becker vs. Stefan Edberg 35

Martina Hingis & Sania Mirza enter Rome Masters final!

ROME, Italy - Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza secured a return to No.1 on the Road To Singapore doubles leaderboard on Saturday with an impressive win in the Internazionali BNL d'Italia semis.

After winning their first three tournaments together at Indian Wells, Miami and Charleston, Hingis and Mirza stormed to No.1 on the Road To Singapore doubles leaderboard, but a few mis-steps in the first few clay court tournaments they played - losing early in Stuttgart and Madrid - saw them surrender that top spot to the other breakthrough doubles team of 2015, Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova.

But if they reached the final in Rome they would secure a return to that top spot, and that's exactly what they did on Saturday - the No.1-seeded Hingis and Mirza held off a late surge from No.4 seeds Caroline Garcia and Katarina Srebotnik, saving set point in the tie-break to close it out, 6-2, 7-6(5).

Hingis and Mirza are now 18-2 together since joining forces in March, a 90% winning percentage.

Awaiting them in the final will be No.3 seeds Timea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic, who beat No.8 seeds Alla Kudryavtseva and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the first semifinal of the day, 6-2, 6-4.

"At this stage of such a big tournament, everybody's playing really well," Mladenovic said. "We faced Alla and Anastasia already in Miami, and they're a tough team, so we definitely had a game plan."

The all-WTA Rising Star pair of Babos and Mladenovic will be going for their third WTA doubles title together, having won Dubai and Marrakech this year. They also made the Wimbledon final last year.

"We have big goals, and hopefully we can make them," Babos said. "What's important and what makes us a good team is we have fun. We help each other all the time. Hopefully we can keep going."

"Timea's my best friend and we just click on the court, so it's just working!" Mladenovic added.

Hingis and Mirza beat Babos and Mladenovic in their only previous meeting in Miami, 6-2, 6-4.

Mirza, Babos and Mladenovic are all looking to win the Internazionali BNL d'Italia for the first time, but Hingis won the doubles title in the Italian capital all the way back in 1999 with Anna Kournikova.

The Swiss WTA legend also captured the singles title twice, first in 1998 and again in 2006.

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Roger Federer interview post quarterfinal win in Rome

Roger Federer storms into Rome semis, Nadal or Wawrinka next

Roger Federer advanced to the semi-finals of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia on Friday in Rome with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Tomas Berdych.

Federer will play either Rafael Nadal or Stan Wawrinka in a blockbuster semi-final on Saturday at the Foro Italico.

The Swiss trailed by an early break in the first set, but reeled off four straight games from 2-3 down to seal the opener. Federer then broke through decisively in the seventh game of the second set and captured the final two games for victory in 67 minutes, hitting 15 winners to 11 unforced errors.

Watch Federer Hot Shot

"From the baseline I was playing very well," said Federer. "My serve was not quite there in the beginning. I had to go through too many second serves and he was able to take advantage of that and break early. For me, it was important to pick it up on the serve, which is maybe the easiest thing to do.

"I felt good again on the return, moving well. As it went on, I think I got into the match better and better. The wind picked up in the second set. That's why I think Tomas didn't play so well anymore and I was able to get the job done. So I'm very pleased how the match went."

It was Federer’s 14th win in 20 meetings with Berdych and his second victory over the Czech this season, having also prevailed when they met in the Indian Wells quarter-finals in March.

The 33-year-old Federer is looking to win this ATP World Tour Masters 1000 clay-court title for the first time in 15 appearances. He was runner-up in 2003 (l. to Felix Mantilla), 2006 (l. to Nadal) and 2013 (l. to Nadal).

The Basel native is a winner of 23 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crowns, with his last triumph coming in Shanghai (d. Simon) in October 2014. He was runner-up at the BNP Paribas Open (l. to Djokovic) in Indian Wells in March.

Friday, May 15, 2015

Martina Hingis & Sania Mirza move into the semi finals in Rome




Rome:
Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza did well to enter the women's doubles semi-finals but her compatriots Leander Paes and Rohan Bopanna had to bite the dust as both lost their respective men's doubles second round matches at the Rome Masters here on Thursday.

World No.1 Sania reached the last four partnering Swiss ace Martina Hingis, with a straight sets win in the quarterfinal on the outdoor clay courts of Foro Italico. (Sore Elbow Forces Serena Williams Out of Italian Open)

The top-two ranked players in the world accounted for the German-Spanish combine of Julia Goerges and Silvia Soler-Espinosa in an hour and 12 minutes, with Sania and Martina winning 6-4, 6-3.

It was the same story in both the sets as Julia and Silvia broke their top-seeded opponents once in each set. Sania and Martina reverted by breaking their opponents twice in both the sets.

The Indian-Swiss pair, who won at Indian Wells and Miami earlier this year, was easily more dominant, winning more points on their and their opponent's serve.

In total, they won 62 of the 107 points played in the match and needed just one matchpoint to enter the last four of another tournament.

Roger Federer moves into the quarters in Rome

Second seed Roger Federer stayed on course in his bid to lift the Internazionali BNL d’Italia trophy for the first time, defeating Kevin Anderson 6-3, 7-5 on Thursday to reach the quarter-finals in Rome.

Federer stumbled towards the finish line, but recovered his poise in time to close out victory in 76 minutes. The Swiss squandered a 5-2 double-break lead in the second set as Anderson staged a fightback, but Federer broke again in the 12th game before serving out at the third time of asking.

"I had to adjust and react differently in today's match than yesterday's match," said Federer. "It was so different, because it's Kevin and his amazing serve. There's only so much you can do on the return games. The first thing was not to get frustrated, because I was not seeing where he was serving.

"But thankfully, I got off to a really good start in both sets. From then on, I could relax almost. I was able to break him four times, which was a really good effort in the quick conditions here in Rome."

The Swiss is making his 15th appearance at the Foro Italico and has reached the final three times, finishing runner-up in 2003 (l. to Mantilla), 2006 (l. to Nadal) and 2013 (l. to Nadal).

For a place in the semi-finals, Federer will face Tomas Berdych, who defied a raucous atmosphere on Pietrangeli to edge home hope Fabio Fognini 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(2) in two hours and 35 minutes.

The sixth seed saved eight of the 10 break points he faced to claim his 32nd win of the season, highlighted by runner-up showings in Monte-Carlo (l. to Djokovic), Rotterdam (l. to Wawrinka) and Doha (l. to Ferrer).

Federer takes a 13-6 FedEx ATP Head2Head advantage over Berdych into the pair’s 20th meeting, but they have split their past four contests, all on hard court. The 29-year-old Berdych will contest his ninth straight quarter-final in nine events in 2015 and is looking to reach the semi-finals in Rome for the second time (l. to Nadal 2013).

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Roger Federer starts off Rome campaign with a win

Roger Federer avoided déjà vu of his opening result in Rome last year (l. to Chardy) by defeating Pablo Cuevas 7-6(3), 6-4 in the second round of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia on Wednesday.

The second seed began his bid for a first title in Rome by firing eight aces and facing no break points to defeat the World No. 24 in a rematch of their Istanbul final. Federer will face No. 15 seed Kevin Anderson in the third round.

Since beating the Uruguayan to hoist the trophy at the inaugural ATP World Tour 250-level event in the Turkish city, Federer suffered an early exit in Madrid, losing in the second round to Nick Kyrgios.

Rome is one of the two ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles still missing from Federer’s extensive collection (also Monte-Carlo). The Swiss has reached the final here three times, 2003 (l.to Mantilla), 2006 (l. to Nadal) and 2013 (l. to Nadal).

Viktor Troicki needed two hours and 14 minutes to knock out No. 11 seed Feliciano Lopez 6-7(2), 6-4, 6-3. The Serb fired 16 aces and saved six of seven break points faced to advance to the third round, where he will face fifth seed Kei Nishikori.

David Goffin prevailed over No. 13 seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, saving three match points to win 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 in two hours and 31 minutes. The Belgian will next face Andy Murray in the third round.


atpworldtour.com

Martina Hingis & Sania Mirza into the doubles quaterfinals in Rome


ROME: Indo-Swiss tennis combine of Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis notched a straight sets win over the Romanian pair of Irina-Camelia Begu and Monica Niculescu to enter the Rome Masters women's doubles quarterfinals.

The top seeds took just one hour and three minutes to win the second round match 6-4, 6-1 on the clay courts of Foro Italico late on Tuesday.

World No.1 Sania and Martina were broken four times in the match but won seven break points to their advantage. They totally dominated their Romanian opponents by winning 58 of the 94 points played.


thetimesofindia.com

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Roger Federer will try to win the Italian Open with his 15th attempt

Roger Federer has won a record 17 Grand Slam singles titles and 85 titles overall. He has won events in 19 different countries. When in Rome, though, Federer always ends up losing.

Of all the tournaments he has entered three or more times, Federer has failed to win just three, according to tennis-data website Tennis Abstract: Rome, Monte Carlo, and the Olympic Games. On Wednesday in Rome, Federer will begin a 15th campaign for his first Italian Open title.

It’s the most he has played anywhere without winning. Federer has reached three Rome finals and lost them all, two of them to Rafael Nadal. The other final came in 2003, when Federer lost to Felix Mantilla. That was before he had won his first major title, at Wimbledon later that same year.

Federer has lost to Novak Djokovic twice in Rome, both times in the semifinals. There have been disheartening defeats in earlier rounds too, like last year’s loss to Jeremy Chardy (in Federer’s first match after receiving a bye), Ernests Gulbis (2010), Radek Stepanek (2008) and Filippo Volandri (2007).

Federer’s chief rivals, Djokovic and Nadal, also have tournaments that they’ve struggled at: Nadal has failed to win six tournaments that he has entered three or more times (for Djokovic, it’s seven). 

At the French Open this year, Djokovic will aim for his first title at Roland Garros in his 11th visit. (He’ll attempt the same in Cincinnati this summer.) Nadal’s longest losing streak is in Miami, where he has played 11 times without winning the title.

For Federer, never winning Rome won’t hurt his legacy and probably won’t cost him any sleep. These days he’s most interested in winning an 18th major title and playing in countries where he has never played before, like Turkey. Federer recently returned from his first, and probably last, tournament there. He won the title.

thewallstreetjournal.com

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Roger Federer hologram to be featured in renovated International Tennis Hall of Fame Museum

After three years of planning and a $3 million renovation, the Museum at the International Tennis Hall of Fame is set to re-open to the public on May 20, with a ribbon cutting at 11:30 a.m.

The Roger Federer Experience

A highlight of the new museum will be a holographic theatre in which visitors feel as though they are in the room with Roger Federer, one of the sport's all-time greatest champions. When visitors walk into the theatre, the hologram of Federer welcomes visitors and begins a dynamic monologue about a topic that museum visitors and Federer have in common - a love of tennis. Federer then takes the visitor through his top-10 list of the reasons why he loves the sport, ranging from the athletic beauty of tennis to the challenge of it being an individual sport, all while showcasing a few of his signature shots.



"It was an honor to be asked to be the hologram at the International Tennis Hall of Fame and I was quite happy to take on the project," commented Federer. "I've always had an interest in the history of our sport and I believe we've been fortunate to be able to learn from and build on that history. The Hall of Fame does a tremendous job of preserving our sport's history and celebrating it with the world. I'm glad to be able to support those efforts by helping to create a fun experience in their museum."

New-Look Hall Of Fame 

The museum collection has been completely reinterpreted and the galleries have been redesigned to deliver an entirely new, engaging visitor experience. The intent of the new museum is to draw visitors into the content through interactive exhibits and a cohesive narrative of tennis history as told through the lives and careers of the 243 Hall of Famers who built the sport. More than 1,900 artifacts of tennis history are displayed throughout the exhibit galleries, ranging from Rod Laver's first Wimbledon trophy to the golden shoes that Serena Williams wore in her first French Open victory.

Multimedia technology is integral to the new museum experience, with a highlight being a hologram of Roger Federer talking about why he loves tennis. It is the first use of holographic technology in a sports museum in the United States.

"Tennis history dates back to the 12th century and it evolves with tournaments around the world weekly. There have been extraordinary people and moments throughout the sport's history - Arthur Ashe's 1968 US Open victory, Billie Jean King's Battle of the Sexes triumph, Martina and Chrissie's rivalry and friendship, the unstoppable Australian Davis Cup teams, and so much more. This new museum at the International Tennis Hall of Fame will share the stories of the sport's legends with the world in a really exciting way, and it will hopefully serve as an inspiration for the next generation of tennis greats and fans," said Todd Martin, CEO of the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

In creating the new museum, the Hall of Fame's collection of more than 25,000 artifacts, and hundreds of thousands of images, videos, and publications was completely reinterpreted. The museum is designed to appeal to dedicated tennis fans and casual visitors alike, which is achieved through engaging storytelling in the museum narrative and the use of an array of objects including art, fashion, and items of historical relevance beyond the tennis courts.

"Our goal is for visitors to leave the museum feeling educated about and inspired by the rich history of tennis," said Douglas Stark, museum director. "We designed the exhibits in a way that people could participate in the learning process together - a touch table in which you can 'serve' tennis history questions back and forth, video walls in which you can select match highlights and watch together, artifacts from 60 years ago and artifacts from last season so as to appeal to a span of generations, among other aspects. The new museum will provide visitors with a memorable experience in which they will learn about the history of tennis, and its impact on and off the courts."

The new museum was funded through the Match Point Capital Campaign, which was co-chaired by Edgar Woolard and Christopher Clouser, chairman of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The campaign, which was the Hall of Fame's first in 14 years, has raised $14.8 million of the $15 million goal. The museum project is a highlight of the campaign, which will also result in a new indoor tennis facility, new office and retail space, new grandstands in Bill Talbert Center Court, and other improvements to the Hall of Fame property, all of which are slated to open in 2015-2016.

"The International Tennis Hall of Fame is committed to serving the sport of tennis by preserving and promoting its great history, and the new museum is an extraordinary representation of this," commented Clouser. "We are grateful to the donors who share in our passion for tennis and supported the capital campaign to make this world-class museum a reality. It would not have been possible without the support of so many who have helped us build the museum content - Roger Federer's time on the hologram, Hall of Famers who donated artifacts, the ATP, WTA, ITF, the Grand Slams, and our incredibly hard-working staff and the talented museum development vendors. We are set to deliver a tremendous museum experience and we are appreciative to all who have made this happen."

Rolex, a long time supporter of the International Tennis Hall of Fame and a highly engaged sponsor in tennis worldwide, has committed to a new, multi-year partnership with the museum.

Opening the Doors!

The museum will officially re-open on Wednesday, May 20 with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 11:30 a.m.

Beginning May 21, the Hall of Fame will return to its normal hours, open daily, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. The museum will stay open until 6 p.m. in July and August.

As part of the Hall of Fame's commitment to inspiring and engaging children with tennis, admission to visit the museum is free of charge for children ages 16 & Under. Admission is $15 for adults, $12 for students, senior, and military.

The museum experience is self-guided, or visitors may opt to purchase an audio tour for $3. The audio tour is available in multiple languages, and is narrated by Hall of Famers, adding a fun twist to the visitor experience. In June, July, and August, guided tours will be offered daily at 11 am and 2 pm.

For additional information, visit www.tennisfame.com or call 401-849-3990. The Hall of Fame will be launching a new website later this month to coincide with the museum's grand re-opening.

Monday, May 11, 2015

Roger Federer thinks despite his loss, Kyrgios needs more time to get better

Roger Federer got knocked out of the Mutua Madrid Open in the second round by Nick Kyrgios who then later went on to be eliminated by the American, John Isner in three sets. However, after the loss, the Swiss Maestro has praised the young Australian and believes that Kyrgios will get better with time.


He's got a wonderful serve, good potential, so I hope he keeps working hard and that he can compete for the best spots in tennis," Federer said. "He likes the big stage. He's got nothing to lose, no fear, and he's got a great game. He can rely on his serve so much. It keeps him in the match regardless of he how he plays from the baseline. All he needs to do is string a few good shots, a few good points together when it really matters."

The 17 time Grand Slam winner contemplated further more that there are players who have a lot of potential and it is only a matter of time and experience which is holding them back. Federer believes that potential is eminent in Kyrgios but a lot of hard work and patience will be required by the Australian to dominate the game like he has over the years.


Federer also compared the rise of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray and revealed that how these three have progressed has been a tremendous development. But only with time – they all needed time to figure out their games and how to hit efficient shots and much like them, Kyrgios will have to do the same.


"I think both of us probably also needed some time when we were younger to figure out our games," Federer said. "We have a lot of possibilities in terms of shot selection. To hit the right shot at the right time is something that for us comes a bit more difficult than a steady baseliner who is just happy to rally. We prefer to do other things out there. That's why [Kyrgios] might take a few more years to really crack the code."

tennisworldusa.org

Saturday, May 09, 2015

Maura Tierney on cheating, hardest role, and fave leading man

Prolific television, film and stage actress Maura Tierney, 50, was born and raised in Boston and studied acting at New York University. First known for her work on the sitcom NewsRadio, she starred on ER for eight seasons and had roles on The Good Wife and Rescue Me before her current turn as cheated-on wife Helen Solloway in the Showtime drama The Affair. On the big screen, she has appeared in Primary Colors, Nature Calls, Baby Mamaand Liar, Liar, while her extensive stage work includes her 2013 Broadway debut opposite Tom Hanks in Nora Ephron’s Lucky Guy. She divides her time between Los Angeles and New York.


Maura Tierney: The first thing that comes to mind is Rescue Me, because I really, really liked the character that I played on that show. It was after doing ER for so long, and it was really nice that somebody cast me as a completely different character than the one I’d played for eight seasons. She was snarky and irreverent and funny, and I wore awesome clothes. I guess I judge the shows I like by how much I like my wardrobe.

ROLE YOU DIDN’T GET BUT WISH YOU HAD? 

You kinda can’t think like that, because you have to move forward. But early in my career, I really wanted to be in Say Anything. I read for that movie, I’m not shitting you, four or five times. I desperately wanted to be in it. I also read for Jerry Maguire and got really far down the line with that. I read with Tom Cruise. But Cameron Crowe just won’t put me in a movie.

HARDEST ROLE YOU EVER PLAYED? 

Hmmm. Lucky Guy, the play I did with Tom Hanks, wasn’t quite finished before Nora Ephron died. It was a struggle every night to see if I would land it. It wasn’t entirely there, so I had to sweat it, because it was important that it be good.

BROADWAY AND TOM HANKS. ISN’T THAT JUST BEING GREEDY? 

Listen, I throw deep, as Tom Hanks says. I know. Can you imagine? No, you can’t imagine. Our audiences were so dying to see the show. We were sold out every night. The play was wonderful. Every night the audience would leap to their feet the moment it was over. It was something I’ll never experience again.

DID BEING TREATED FOR CANCER AFFECT THE WAY YOU APPROACH ACTING? 

Well, I don’t know. I guess it affected everything, so if you look at it that way, yes. But not really. An interesting thing, though, is that as soon as I finished treatment, the first job I got was with the Wooster Group, which is this very avant-garde theater company in New York, and that experience changed my whole approach to acting.

WITH ALL THOSE SEASONS ON ER, DID YOU LEARN ANY REAL MEDICINE? 

Absolutely not. I don’t even know how to take someone’s pulse. Although I know all the lingo, so I could talk to a doctor about a procedure. But I couldn’t actually do anything. The most might be stitching someone up and leaving them with a really bad Frankensteiny scar.

WOULD YOU EVER HAVE AN AFFAIR? 

Yes. I don’t mean to say that eagerly. But life is really complicated. I was married for 15 years and never did, but I could never say never. I don’t know. That’s why I like the show. It asks a lot of questions.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU FOUND OUT YOUR HUSBAND WAS CHEATING? 

I did find it out with a boyfriend, not my ex-husband, and it was hard. But I remember talking to my mother like 15 years ago. There was someone we knew who had an affair, and the wife took him back. I remember saying, “I would never, ever do that.” And my mother paused, then said, “You know, when you get older, you’d be surprised by the shit you can put up with.” And she’s right. Everybody’s human.

YOU’VE HAD SUCH A RUN OF GREAT LUCK WITH HIT SHOWS. TO WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THAT? 

Hard work. And talent. [Laughs] Seriously, there were times when I really didn’t work for, like, two years. But I did get lucky, and I think that a good part of that was that I happened to work with really good show-runners. The beginning of my career, I worked with Norman Lear. NewsRadio was created by Paul Simms, a really unique voice and a very strong show-runner. John Wells and then David Zabel on ER. I’ve been very fortunate to work with super smart and talented show-runners, as well as great writers.

WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A SCRIPT? 

If it’s unique. If it’s a perspective I haven’t seen before. If the female character is not two-dimensional. And I really do think it’s important that there’s humor. Nothing works without some humor.

COMEDY OR DRAMA? 

I’ve been doing drama for so long now, I would love to do another half-hour comedy. I’d love to do a multi-cam half-hour, which is something that’s disappearing.

ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ERASE FROM YOUR RESUME? 

Dead Women in Lingerie. [Laughs]

WHAT WAS THE MOVIE YOU DID WITH O.J. SIMPSON? 

That was my first job. Student Exchange. It had O.J. Simpson, Lindsay Wagner, the Bionic Woman, Captain Stubing from The Love Boat, Gavin MacLeod, Heather Graham, Moon Unit Zappa…

WAS THAT MOVIE UNFAIRLY OVERLOOKED BY THE ACADEMY? 

Ahh, no. O.J.’s work might have been. You know what Jim Carrey said to me? We were making Liar, Liar right around the time of the trial, and I told Jim Carrey, “Y’know, I worked with O.J. Simpson.” He said, “Oh, really? Did he try to cut your head off?” [Laughs]

YOU’VE WORKED WITH HIM, JOHN TRAVOLTA, RICHARD GERE. WHO WAS YOUR FAVORITE LEADING MAN?

Hmm…I’m going to go with Richard Gere, because that was sort of the first big movie I got. I remember walking onto set at Paramount with him, thinking, “I’m walking onto a movie set with Richard Gere!” He was such a movie star. A lovely, charming man and super foxy.

ANYONE YOU WOULD NEVER WANT TO WORK WITH AGAIN? 

Al Pacino, because he just didn’t like me. [Laughs]

WEIRDEST THING YOU EVER READ ABOUT YOURSELF? 

Probably from my time on ER, stuff about fighting on the set that just never happened. But I escape the tabloids for the most part.

WEIRDEST FAN ENCOUNTER? 

Well, there was one guy who used to send me so many letters. They were very nice, but really hundreds of them. Anyway, he suffered from severe agoraphobia, and he was convinced that if I would just meet him somewhere, he would finally leave his house. He also wrote a script for me. It was actually pretty funny.

RED CARPET AWKWARDNESS? 

Well, it’s always funny when people won’t let you go because they can’t figure out who you are. And it becomes an interrogation. It’s kind of amazing when people start getting annoyed at me because they can’t remember who I am. I’m like, “Just IMDB me. I have to go.”

RED CARPET SECRET? 

I should take a class. I feel dorky. I remember going to the Golden Globes and being voted one of the 10 worst dressed, which made me sad, because I liked my dress. But there is nothing natural about that whole experience. It’s so awkward to stand there and hold your body in a way that’s completely unnatural, but that’s what you have to do to look good. It feels really phony and self-conscious.

THING YOU MISS MOST ABOUT BOSTON? 

Oddly, my grandmother’s apartment in the projects. She lived there for 55 years, in Southie, and I went there my whole life. It was just so full of life and stuff from childhood, and I can never ever go back there. The other places I miss I can still go back to.

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