HE SAID/HE SAID: US Open Day Thirteen

Q. As somebody who's made plenty of history yourself, what are your thoughts on the opportunity that Rafa has to make history with a few straight slams and creating the career Slam?

ROGER FEDERER: Fantastic. It's great for tennis, and it's great for him at the young age, you know, he is to have that opportunity already.

I don't know when I had my first opportunity in Paris, how old I was, but my guess would be that he's younger, you know. It doesn't really matter if he's younger or not. It's a matter of can he make it, and chances are good now, especially that Novak is so tired and Rafa has been playing so well.

But it's exciting for tennis that we're doing something very special in tennis at the same time. Yeah, I won't watch, but I hope he wins. (Laughter.)

Q. […] on Novak, you've handled him well here before. Was he a different player in some ways today? Everybody in the crowd wanted him to go down because of the prospect of you and Rafa, and yet he held up under great pressure.

ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, I was the favorite, so there was not that much pressure on him. But he played well under the circumstances, playing the semifinals of a slam.

Honestly, I think he played already well against me the last three times we played here in New York. So it was not like the guy can't play under pressure. He's proven his point, and time and time again. I knew he was gonna be a really tough opponent. The guys who overlooked him don't know anything about tennis, unfortunately.

Look, he played a good match. I kind of felt like the racquet was in my control, and I just let those couple of sets slip away too quickly instead of maybe making him work extra hard.
But, again, I did have match point, and I was, you know, a couple of points away, like I was a couple of points away from victory last year at the Open. So it's two tough losses in two years.
But anyhow, I feel like I played good tennis. That's positive, at least.

Q. How much of a shot do you think he has given...

ROGER FEDERER: I'm sorry? I didn't hear.

Q. You said Novak had a shot tomorrow. How much of a shot do you think he has given the Super Saturday, since you've been through this a lot, and the fatigue factor?

ROGER FEDERER: Ask him how he feels. Yeah, I mean, it's tough. We played second, so that's not an advantage.

I'm not gonna start saying bad things, but it's a tough setup, Saturday and Sunday finals, you know.
Yeah, we will see how he feels coming out tomorrow. It's a big question mark.

Q. Can you just walk us through what you think you'll do for the next few hours? I mean, do you have massage, ice bath, food?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No. Popcorn, watching TV, relaxing. (Laughter.)

Yeah, I will do anything that comes up to your mind legally recovery wise. (Laughter.) I will do it. You know, I cannot go to the details too much.

Emotional recovery with my girlfriend, and a couple of things that I cannot talk about. (Laughter.)

It's not what you think. I know what you're thinking.

Q. When you were asked earlier about Rafa possibly becoming the greatest ever, and spoke quite reverently about his accomplishments and so forth. It's occurring to me that at 23 years of age, you yourself are somebody that there's a lot of great championships to be played. With a victory tomorrow, your name belongs in there, you know, in this conversation about Roger and Rafa. Roger himself said in the press conference that people that overlook you just don't know that much about tennis. Your thoughts on sort of all these questions.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, well, it's normal. There are two best players in the world at this moment. They are the two most dominant players in last five, six years, so it's logical that people talk about them mostly and they want to see them playing in the finals and everybody talks about their rivalry, their, you know, matchups, the greatness of each player.

It's normal. For me, I don't think I've done bad last three or four years. I don't think I've done bad with my achievements. But I am not, you know, kind of disappointed that people are not talking about me more. It's just waiting for my moment to come.

You know, I mean, I'm competing in an era of two, you know, great greats, two players winning most of the majors. It's not easy, if you know what I mean.

Q. It's true. But you're not 28, 29, you know, in the twilight of your career. You're 23. There's still so much tennis to be played.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Definitely, yeah, many, many more years to come. I look forward to it. I'm working hard on my game. I'm getting some things together, and hopefully on the court it's gonna pay off.

Q. When athletes win consistently and they reach the level you have, No. 1, they're very stubborn. They don't want to change anything. Why are you able to adapt and change things in your game even at the level you've reached?

RAFAEL NADAL: I think I changed the strings in the end of the season. So, yeah, you are in the top, but the things works very well, but can works better always and worse. But always you have a risk, and you have to -- I don't know. In English is not -- I am not inspired today. Only inspiration was on court. (Laughter.) Forget. (Laughter.)

Q. You've always been extremely hungry. You could have been the king of clay only, and you worked and worked to win Wimbledon. You could have done just that, and you worked and worked to do what you're doing on hard court. Does that hunger come from, I want to win everywhere, or is it just, I want to be the best I can be? Why is it you're always not satisfied?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, because I always thought I always can keep improving. That's why I am playing, to keep improving and to feel myself better player than before. I go to practice every day not to practice; I go to practice every day to try to learn something and to keep improving my level. I already won on hard, so that's not nothing new for me to win on this surface. But the conditions in every tournament are different, and I need to have more options to do to try to win against difficult players like today.

Like in the past, I had a lot of problems against Youzhny in the past, because I was playing before two meters behind the baseline or three meters behind the baseline, all the balls higher with topspin, and he had always the chance to come inside. Now I can change the rhythm. I can play a slice backhand. I can serve, win a little bit more free points with the serve, and I can play more close to the baseline.
So the position on court improved, the slice backhand improved, and it was important shot for me to stop the rhythm of that player. For sure the forehand always was good. The true, I think I am more close to the baseline now.

Q. Overall were you pretty happy with the last couple of weeks?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Yeah, but right now, you lose the match you cannot be really happy. But actually it was good tournament for me.

Q. First of all, if you can elaborate on that a bit. I mean, you know, I guess it takes a little time to look back and reflect and say, Hey, I got to the semifinals of a Grand Slam. But is it almost that much more difficult? Because you were playing such good tennis coming in, and, you know, you start to think about maybe I can be a finalist here? Or can you look back and say, This was a great two weeks for me; I've played some great tennis?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: No, have to be realistic. Okay, how Rafa play today I don't have lot of chances to beat him, actually. So that's why if thinking like this one, I can start to think about, Oh, I can win Australia; but I pull out third round; I can win Wimbledon, but I lost second round. So anyway I try to be optimistic, and anyway it was a good two weeks for me.

Q. Do you feel in a way today you might have beaten yourself as opposed to Rafa beating you? Is there a bit of that?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: I feel I play really good one game at 4 3, first set, like was lot of emotions. But if I can play like this on every game against Rafa, maybe it's not for sure maybe I can get chance to win. But I don't have so much emotion like I have this game, so I can like sometimes wake up for some points or some games, but I cannot be consistent for all match.

Q. I think you said in your last press conference that you're hoping to be the bad guy.

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: What?

Q. You were hoping to be the bad guy or the bad person. That didn't happen.

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Anyway you have to be nice.

[Photo(s): Getty Images]

Nadal and Djokovic to face off in the US Open men's final

He finally did it. On a picturesque day at Flushing Meadows, Rafael Nadal reached his first EVAH US Open final defeating Mikhail Youzhny 6-2, 6-3, 6-4. The top seed has been in devastating form the entire tourney not dropping a set to reach the final Sunday and today was no exception. He cracked 23 winners against 19 errors, had a 65% on first serves including 3 aces and made 15 of 23 net approaches.

Misha was comprehensively outplayed the entire match and seemed to be feeling the effects of his 5-set battle with Stanislas Wawrinka in the quarterfinals. The Russians energy couldn't match the moment or his opponent's (but really, who can match Rafa point to point?) His only chance, which he took, came in the third set with the Matador leading with a break and serving at 4-3. He grabbed the break only to give it right back allowing Rafa to close out the match.

After his victory leap and post-match celebration he thanked the crowd for their support and gave a mention to the 9-year anniversary of 9/11. A touch of grace by the 8-time Grand Slammer.

In a match for the ages Novak Djokovic saved two match points to overcome Roger Federer 5-7, 6-1, 5-7, 6-2, 7-5 and reach his second US Open final. The Serb had lost to the 5-time champ in the 2007 final and at this same stage the past two years so he carried an orangutan on his back as he walked onto Arthur Ashe Stadium for this battle.

But he came ready to break that streak digging deeper than he ever has, striking back when behind and keeping an aggressive stance in the key moments - the biggest one being, of course, the final set. And what an epic final set it was. The pair showcased awesome offense mixed with spectacular defense and brave forays into the net. It was a shot maker's wet dream.

Speaking of shot making, Nole faced those MP's serving down 4-5 with class including a swinging FH volley winner and a FH winner down the line to get back to even in the game. He earned the only break of the set at 5-all and sealed the win when the second seed's BH went wide. Even the Serb seemed shocked by the upset staring in disbelief at his box for what seemed like an eternity then dropping to his knees to kiss the court.

Fed was undone by UEs (66 in total compared to 38 for Nole) particularly on his fave FH side in crucial moments and none bigger than in the 10th game of the final set when two errors on that side gave the Serb the break. He lives and dies by that stroke and today, as it's been in many of his recent losses, it failed to come through when it mattered.

So, anyone else's mouth watering for Rafole? Mine might be.

[Photo(s): Getty Images]

HE SAID/HE SAID: US Open Day Eleven

Q. I have noticed that you always leave every part of the center court with the right foot first. Why do you do that?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, that's not true. You write that? You heard that?

Q. Every part of the court you put your right foot first.

RAFAEL NADAL: I didn't know that before. (Laughter.)

Q. You do it all the time?

RAFAEL NADAL: Oh, yeah? You know better than myself. (Smiling.)

Q. Can you just speak about your memories of 2006 against Youzhny and then just talk about the match coming up.

RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, I remember it was a painful match for me, 2006, because I think I arrived at the US Open playing better than before, because I had a not easy summer losing, I think, in round of 16 in Toronto, and quarterfinals in Cincinnati maybe. 

So I arrived playing so so, but during the tournament I was playing better and better. I think I lost that match because I was too yeah, I was too anxious for a moments. Remain a little bit of calm, because the match started bad, one set for him. 

But after that I won the second, and I had a set point I think in the third with easy, easy ball, no? So, yeah, was very difficult match. He's a great player, very aggressive, very flat shots. This court I think adapts very well to his game, so he's playing very good tennis. Gonna be very difficult to beat him. That's what I can say. And I have to play aggressive, because if I am losing court against him, gonna be impossible to come back. 

I have to play aggressive, serve well, and try to put him away of his right position with my forehand.

Q. With Rafa playing so well here at the US Open, how does somebody beat him?

FERNANDO VERDASCO: Well, I don't know. Everybody have better days than on others. He's playing good, but I think that he will have a tough if I am not wrong, I think that he will play the final against Roger. It's gonna be a tough match, because I think Roger play really good in these conditions. He gonna be a very tough final for Rafa if he plays against Roger in the final.

Q. So you think Roger's about the only one who has the game to beat Rafa right now?

FERNANDO VERDASCO: Well, Novak is a player that also on fast surface like this one, he already beat Rafa many times, and he have also the game to beat Rafa. But, I don't know. I think if I need to bet here, I will bet for Roger. I think that he won five times here and he like these conditions.

Q. You know that most people, most tennis fans, will want to see Federer and Nadal in the final. Are you going to be a bad person and try and ruin that?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Yeah, I'm ready to be bad person. I love to be bad person in this case. (Laughter.)

Q. You can possibly face Nadal. What do you expect of this matchup?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: First of all, for me, it's not so really well if I talk to play now against Nadal and he lost today and I will play against Verdasco.

Q. Let's imagine.

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: He's No. 1; he won two Grand Slams; he play really, really well; it will be very tough for me.

Q. Is it better for you to play him here on a fast surface?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Of course it's better to play here or on clay. (Laughter.)

[Photo(s): Getty Images]

HE SAID/SHE SAID: US Open Day Nine

Q. I couldn't hear what you said on court about your victory salute. Do you give it a name? What is it?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: What kind of name you are waiting? (Smiling.) Just salute for thanks for crowd, you know. Everybody a lot of guys are kiss their hands and say thanks, put racquet up and say thanks. I do like this one.

Q. Do you practice it?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: After I winning matches.

Q. You haven't beat her in seven meetings. Coming into this match and considering how well you were playing in the tournament, can you talk about your expectations in terms of facing Venus, and is it that much more disappointing to lose this one?

FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Yeah. Is a lot of disappointed, because I have the chance and the quality real to beat her because she doesn't like to play with me. I play different ball; I push her in defense; I don't give her the chance to play how she want, so every time I think we have a big fight. I don't know what she thinks, but I can say the true, and that often is the difference between me and other players. I can tell you the true. If I am injured, I tell you I am injured. If I am good, I say I am good and she play better. So this time is for her, but I will find the way to beat her. Yeah, yeah.

Q. Is that the case then tonight, that she was just better? Is that what you're saying?

FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Si. I think I lost a little bit more this match than she won. But in the same times, I can say that she serve so good. Is big arm is big part of tennis. And with wind, she has a little bit more chance than me. But for sure she play good in the most important moments. She serve when she had the possibility. She serve an ace. So we are two great athletes. One has to win; one has to lose.

Q. What's the scariest thing about Verdasco to you?

RAFAEL NADAL: Everything. He's a very complete player. He has all the shots and he's playing very well, no? Much better than he did last months, so gonna be very difficult match. I saw him play today, and I saw him play against Nalbandian the other day. He's playing very good tennis, so gonna be a very interesting match. I have to play aggressive, to play well. It not gonna be impossible, I think.

Q. Do you think you've got any edge just because of how long he spent on the court today?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I don't know. We don't know yet, no? We will see in one day and a half. I think we are fit enough to resist that. It was four hours?

Q. Four and a half.

RAFAEL NADAL: What? Four hours 23, so, yeah, was long, but I played in Australia five hours 15 minutes in semifinals, and I had to play the final one day later. So I was very tired, but I was ready. I think for sure he gonna be ready.

Q. [Schiavone] said in her press conference that you don't like playing her. I don't know how she garners that, but that's what she said.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah.

Q. She said the reason was she pushes you to the wall; she shows you a lot of things that other girls don't; is that true? Do you not like playing her? Does she present certain challenges to you that, you know, that stand out?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I like seeing my name next to her name. I'm good with that.

Q. You're 7-0 against her.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah. (Laughing.)

Q. I pointed that out, too. You come in, you're 7-0 against her over the years. You come into the match, and she was playing very strong tennis in this tournament and obviously earlier in the summer.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah.

Q. What were your thoughts coming into the match facing her?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I mean, I've played her for so many years. There have been times when she's had me down, but fortunately I was able to come back. I think, you know, when your record against a player isn't that great you have to keep positive, and, you know, do whatever it takes to get out there and play a good match.

She does that every time. I know when I play her I'm gonna have to play good tennis. I really do enjoy our matchups, obviously, because I usually come out on top. But I enjoy it.

Q. Could you kind of describe match point? That's a shot that is going to go down for a long time.

FERNANDO VERDASCO: Is tough to explain. You are just you are with your sixth sense in the ball, in the point, knowing how important is, and, you know, just trying to run, fight, all the balls. So when I did the backhand along the line passing shot, you know, I was like even surprised that he took the volley. Of course, my reaction was just keeping the point and start running forward. Because normally with these volleys it's a dropshot, no, you gonna make another long volley. So I start running, and I just saw that space. (Smiling.) You know, is tough. Is tough to explain, because is like really short period of time and you are just running and trying to get the ball. When you see there a little bit of space, you just try to put the ball in. It was like unbelievable.

Q. But was the space you were looking at actually between the net and the chair?

FERNANDO VERDASCO: I was just first trying to get the ball; after that, yeah, it was only space. He was in the middle of the court, so I didn't see a space to play crosscourt. I saw a little bit of space just on the top of the net, just in between, like you said, the chair and the net, and I just tried to put the ball inside, inside out no, outside in, and it's good. (Laughing.) So happy when I saw that the ball was going in.


[Photo(s): Getty Images]

PHOTO OP: Don't try this at home kids

"Momma."

Mikhail Youzhny almost sold the family jewels during his 7-5, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 win over Tommy Robredo in the US Open fourth round. The Russian equaled his best Grand Slam result this year after also making the same round at Roland Garros, losing to Tomas Berdych in straight sets. He'll face either Sam Querrey or Stanislas Wawrinka, who is leading the American 2 sets to 1, for a spot in the final four.

Gotta love the athleticism of the boys on tour. Just be careful, though. Those jewels don't come with a spare. But come to think of it, how much more awesome would life be with a spare? *dirty thoughts*

[Photo(s): Don Emmert/AFP/Getty Images]

Misha vs. NaturAna: A salute can say so much

Did you know you can tell the state of a baller's game just by the kind of salute they offer the fans? Let me explain.

First up: Mikhail Youzhny. He escaped an epic 5-set battle in the Aussie Open first round against Richard Gasquet after having match points against him then walloped Jan Hajek in three swift sets. But I wouldn't need to know all that stuff. Why? I could just examine his salute! Take a look at his photo above:

A) Tennis racquet - His racquet is resting nicely on his noggin in a straight line. This signals someone who's feeling balanced and steady with his energy flowing nicely.

B) Hands - One of Misha's hands is holding the racquet firmly while the other hand is performing a strong salute. These actions speak to a solid work ethic and deep discipline. Good job.

C) Face - The Russian eyes are intense and focused and he's smiling because he knows all that hard work and sacrifice is paying off at a major. Booyah!


Now, let's take a look at Ana Ivanovic shall we?

As we all know poor NaturAna was upset (and I use that term VERY loosely here) at the Aussie Open yesterday by Gisela Dulko and hasn't made it past the fourth round at a major in her last six tries. Boo. But even if I didn't know all that info, I could just look at her salute to know how her game was going:

A) Tennis racquet - MESS. Yonex is completely slipping off her head. In fact, I don't think it's even touching that raven hair. Now this is a classic sign of imbalance with a little impatience thrown in for good measure. Is she even trying???

B) Hands - I mean, REALLY. The hands aren't even being allowed to do their job because righty needs to catch the falling racquet while lefty is keeping her head from exploding. Geez.

C) Face - It seems her eyes are stunned while her mouth is probably saying something I shouldn't repeat here (in Serbian no doubt.) A girl's gotta have her secrets I suppose, though we're not fooled. It's time to take baby to therapy.

So next time you miss a match, just take a peek at the pix. They really ARE worth a thousand words. Or something like that.

[Photo(s): Getty]

MEDIA MASHUP: "My angel is the centerfold..."

"Give us 'sexy'. We need more 'sexy' for this shot."

Richard Gasquet struck a most provocative pose while choking on a 2 set-to-1 lead and two match points, falling 6-7(9) 4-6 7-6(2) 7-6(4) 6-4 in an epic 4 hour 53 minute opening round match against a cramping Mikhail Youzhny. OUCH, that's gotta hurt and I'm not talking about his modeling moment.


Hey fangirls: Reeshard needs your help lifting his spirits after this most disappointing loss. So make him feel good, k?

Here we go. One...two...three...hit it!



[Photo(s): PAUL CROCK/AFP/Getty Images]

PUT A CAP ON IT: Misha meets up with Fed

Mikhail Youzhny seems to be exchanging some pleasantries (or not) with Roger Federer on the Monte Carlo practice courts today.

What did they say to each other?

DO TELL!

(image via getty)

Youzhny entertains Miami crowd with racquet self-abuse, and he even draws blood!

Thanks to DtL! reader Erin for alerting me to this video that ran on CNN's Morning Express featuring Mikhail Youzhny, who's known for some bizarre behavior on-court, including his post-match salute to the crowd while wearing his racquet on his head.

Well, the quirky Russian found another use for his equipment yesterday. During his match 7-6 (4), 3-6, 7-6 (6) win over Spaniard Nicolas Almagro yesterday the Russian smacked his head with his racquet three times after dropping his serve in the third set, drawing blood which ran down his face! The trainer had to be called courtside to mend the cuts.

Shouldn't there be a new code violation for racquet self-abuse? But, I guess if a baller wants to beat themselves silly with their equipment in front of thousands of people, we shouldn't get in the way. That's entertainment!

Here's the video:

PHOTO OP: US wins record 32nd Davis Cup championship

Congratulations to the US Davis Cup team for their determined three-and-out performance this weekend and a record 32nd Davis Cup title. Andy Roddick bullied Dmitry Tursunov 6-4, 6-4, 6-2, James Blake battled for a 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (7-3) defeat of Mikhail Youznhy, and Bob and Mike Bryan clinched the championship defeating Nikolay Davydenko and Igor Andreev 7-6 (7-4), 6-4, 6-2.

We'd also like to give huge kudos to USA Today and Douglas Robson for having the guts to keep consistent coverage of the Davis Cup in the national spotlight.

(images via Getty)

UPDATE: Tommy Haas discusses poisoning allegations, "I have never felt so miserable in my whole life..." says Tommy

Update: Here's more of what Tommy Haas had to say following allegations he may have been poisoned right before his Davis Cup match against Mikhail Youzhny:

"I have never felt so miserable in my whole life as I did on the Saturday and Sunday nights in Moscow," [...] Of the eight hours I should have been sleeping, I spent six of them on the toilet. [...] My stomach is still doing some strange things. [...] I tried everything from swallowing tablets to syringes, nothing worked, [...] It just made me feel worse, I really thought I would end up in hospital.''

Tommy was asked if the symptoms could have been caused by nerves from the big occasion:

"Of course, every sportsman suffers from nerves, but I have dreamed my whole life of playing in a Davis Cup semi-final and I wouldn't have been nervous for such a game. [...] I gave everything I had in order to win there. If I could have done anything else, I would have done. [...] But I couldn't help the team from my seat on the toilet.''

The German tennis star will fly to New York on Friday to undergo blood and hair tests to determine what may have been used to poison him.

(image via AP Photo)

BREAKING: Was Tommy Haas poisoned out of his Davis Cup match against Mikhail Youzhny?

Developing: The tennis world is in true turmoil these days - match-fixing, doping - and today is no exception. MSNBC.com is reporting that Tommy Haas may have been poisoned before Germany's Davis Cup match against Russia. Tommy had to default his match against Mikhail Youzny with a suspected stomach virus. German teammate Alexander Waske said he was told by a Russian who manages numerous athletes that it was poisoning, not a virus.

Here's some of what Tommy had to say about the allegations:

“I’m shocked that something like that appears possible, [...] When I think of how bad I felt, I can imagine it. I’ve been feeling weak for weeks.”

(image via AP Photo)