Rome Open
羅馬大師賽

---

Place: Rome, Italy
Date: May 7-13, 2007
Draw Size: 56
Surface: Clay
Prize Money: ?2,082,500
Tournament Director: Sergio Palmieri
Ticket Hotline:
+39 06 3283 7240
Website: www.internazionaliditalia.it

Defending Champion looking for a hattrick : Rafael Nadal in singles and Knowles/Nestor in doubles
_________
2RD: Marat lost to Davydenko

Nikolay Davydenko	7	7	6
Marat Safin	6	5	4

1RD : Marat bt A. Delic

Marat Safin	2	6	6
Amer Delic	6	3	4

MAIN DRAW

Roger Federer vs BYE
Nicolas Almagro vs Tim Henman
Filippo Volandri vs Q
Fernando Verdasco vs Richard Gasquet

Tomas Berdych vs Jarkko Nieminen
Stanislav Wawrinka vs Q
Jose Acasuso vs Martin Verkerk
Ivan Ljubicic vs BYE

Andy Roddick vs BYE
Gaston Gaudio vs Mardy Fish
Juan Ignacio Chela vs Marc Gicquel
Igor Andreev vs David Ferrer

James Blake vs Gael Monfils
Simone Bolelli vs Q
Jonas Bjorkman vs Dmitry Tursunov
Fernando Gonzales vs BYE

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tommy Robredo vs BYE
Lleyton Hewitt vs Q
Jurgen Meltzer vs Q
Gilles Simon vs Andy Murray

Juan Carlos Ferrero vs Dominik Hrbaty
Potito Starace vs Augustin Calleri
Marat Safin vs Amer Delic
Nikolay Davydenko vs BYE

Novak Djokovic vs BYE
Benjamin Becker vs Robin Soderling
Marcos Baghdatis vs Carlos Moya
Radek Stepanek vs Tommy Haas

Mikhail Youzhny vs Julien Benneteau
Olivier Rochus vs Q
Robby Ginepri vs Daniele Bracciali
Rafael Nadal vs BYE

Kim Calls It A Career
克萊絲特宣告退休
http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/1/newsroom/stories/?ContentID=1316

ST. PETERSBURG, FL, USA – One of the most popular players to have ever graced the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, Kim Clijsters, announced her retirement on Sunday, May 6, effective immediately. Clijsters' last match was a 76(3) 63 loss to the Ukraine's Julia Vakulenko in the opening round of the J&S Cup in Warsaw, Poland on May 3, 2007.

WTA 女網最受觀迎球員的 CLIJSTERS 於五月6日宣布正式退休。CLIJSTERS 最後一次現身球場乃於波蘭華沙 五月3日 J&S 杯第一輪﹐輸給烏克蘭的 VAKULENKO。

"I'm extremely proud of what I've achieved in my career," Clijsters said in a message to her fans. "If someone told me nine years ago I would have accomplished all that I did, I would have said you were joking. Tennis has been an amazing journey for me all over the world and I'm very happy to have met the people I did. That's always been the most important to me; forget the trophies and material things, friends are truly the most important. I couldn't have done all I did without the support of my family and coaches who worked with me, and to them I'm truly grateful. I am also thankful to all the encouragement from the fans over the years and the media's support in following my career.

CLIJSTERS 對球迷表示 "對於自己在網壇的成就感到驕傲。如果九年前有人跟我說我將會如此大放異彩﹐我肯定會回說他根本在開玩笑。在世界巡迴比賽對我而言是奇妙的人生歷程﹐也很高興認識很多人。這是最重要的﹔撒開獎杯或獎金等東西﹐朋友是最珍貴的。假若沒有家人﹑教練的支持﹐我不肯能有任何作為﹐因此我十分感激。另外﹐對於世界各地的球迷及媒體朋友的關心﹐我也非常感謝。

"I couldn't have asked for a better farewell than I got in Antwerp; trying to play after that was proving more difficult. With injuries that wouldn't go away and life after tennis drawing nearer, it became harder to push myself to compete.

在ANTWERP﹐我得到此生難求的歡送﹔在那役之後﹐要繼續打好似乎更顯困難。揮之不去的傷病及網球生涯接近尾聲﹐我發現越來越難敦促自己去競爭。

"Tennis-wise, winning the US Open and season-ending Championships twice were obvious high points. The matches that I'll never forget were the 1999 US Open match with Serena, when I was 5-3 up in the third. I had such goose bumps it was incredible. I remember playing Amélie in Filderstadt one year, coming from match point down to win, but the tennis we both played that day was amazing.

就網球本身來說﹐拿到美網冠軍及兩度年終冠軍確實是職業生涯的高峰。最難忘的一場比賽是1999年美網對陣小威﹐第三盤當我以5-3領先之時。我全身起疙瘩非常緊張﹐那真的太不可思議了。另外﹐記得有一年於FILDERSTADT 跟MOMO比賽﹐從救了賽末點到反敗為勝﹐那天我們兩的表現都太棒了。

"I hope people won't be too sad now that I've decided to stop playing tennis. A new chapter in my life is about to begin and I hope I'll see everyone somewhere down the line. Remember, whatever you do, do it with a smile on your face."

希望大家不要因為我的退役而難過。我將開啟另一段人生﹐也祈盼有天能再跟大家重遇。請記得﹐不管做什麼﹐都要帶著微笑。

-----

"Kim Clijsters will be remembered as one of the most accomplished and loved players in the history of women's professional tennis," said Sony Ericsson WTA Tour CEO Larry Scott. "No player has been so unanimously popular with fans and fellow players alike. She has been a once-in-a-generation champion. Kim's contribution to popularizing the sport in her native Belgium, as well as globally, is well-known. Athletic and determined on court, Kim has also been a wonderful ambassador for the sport off it and she will be much missed by her legions of fans, fellow players and everyone connected with the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour."

WTA 主席表示 "CLIJSTERS 在女網史上將會是最有成就且最令人喜愛的一位﹐沒有人像她一樣廣受球迷及同儕歡迎。她是一代霸主﹐對於網球在比利時及全球的發展的貢獻有目共睹。在場上總是充滿運動風範及求勝的意志﹐KIM 一直是女網最佳的推廣大使﹐而球迷跟其他球員勢將會非常想念她的。

Long-time compatriot and rival, world No.1 Justine Henin said, "I have a lot of respect for what she did in her career, as a player and as a person. We've almost grown up together and I think we've helped each other to reach another level because we always pushed each other to play better. I think it's been a good concurrence for us. She's been a great player and it's time for her now to turn the page and do something else in her life and everyone has to respect that. She did a lot for the game, for Belgian tennis for sure, and I think I will have great memories of her that I will keep. It's pretty emotional because we spent a lot of time together when we were younger and we grew up together on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. It's a very special day today."

長年的同胞及競爭對手﹐世界第一的 HENIN 表示"我對 她在職業裡的成就由衷敬佩﹐不管在場上或場下。我們是一起長大的﹐因為我們互相幫助﹐互相激勵﹐以將自己的球技提昇到另外一個層次﹐我認為那一直是良性的互助。她是位偉大的球員﹐而現在也是她開啟人生另一頁﹐做她想做的事﹐大家應該尊重她的決定。對於網球﹐她的貢獻無庸置疑﹐在比利時也是如此﹐而她的一切將會是我心中美好的回憶。這是令人激動的一刻﹐因為我們在年輕時常常一起切磋﹐在WTA 巡迴賽中一起成長。今天是個很特別的日子。

Close friend Amélie Mauresmo said, "I think she had been thinking about retiring for a while so I'm sure she is really convinced that it's the right decision for her. The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour and all the players are going to miss her a lot, not only because of the player she was, but the joy she brought everywhere. I wish her the very best in her new life. Personally I always enjoyed our rivalry because it brought the best out in both of us."

好友 MOMO 說"她考慮退役已經有好長一段時間了﹐所以我相信她覺得時間已到﹐作出最好的決定。WTA 所有的球員都會很想念她的﹐不只因為她的球員身份﹐還有她帶給大家的歡樂。我對於她的新生活給予最大的祝福。就個人而言﹐我一直很享受兩人的競爭﹐因為總是把兩人的潛力挖掘出來。

Serena Williams reflected, "I wish Kim the best in her life after tennis. She was a great player, a great competitor and an even better person. We had some great matches but I'll miss her more in the locker room than anything else."

小威則表示 "我祝她退役後幸福快樂。她是個很棒的球員﹐好的競爭對象﹐更是個善良可愛的人。我們曾有許多精彩的比賽﹐不過我會更想念私底下在更衣室裡的她"

Open Seat Open

Place: Barcelona, Spain
Date: April 23-29, 2007
Draw Size: 56
Surface: Clay
Prize Money: €850,000
Tournament Director: Sixte Cambra
Ticket Hotline:
+34 902 33 22 11
Website: www.openseatbarcelona.com

_________
Press conference
賽後記者會

Defiant Safin not worried about form after Barcelona exit
自恃甚高的薩芬不擔心巴賽隆那意外失利
Simon Cambers
BARCELONA, April 24 (Reuters) - Marat Safin said he was not overly concerned about his recent poor run of form after he made another early exit on Tuesday, this time in the first round of the Barcelona Open.
薩芬表示在星期二於巴賽隆那第一輪早早出局及最近不理想的表現並不太在意 。

The Russian former world number one was beaten 6-4 7-6 by Italian Simone Bolelli, the world number 103.
That followed his second-round defeat by Belgian Kristof Vliegen in Monte Carlo last week, when he squandered four match points, having won the first set 6-0.
俄羅斯籍前世界第一薩芬剛被世界排名103的義大利人SIMONE BOLELLI 以4-6﹐6-7擊敗。前不久﹐他在蒙特卡羅大師賽第二輪時在第一盤 6-0 占有絕對優勢情況下最後負於比利時選手 KRISTOF VLIEGEN。

Safin's win-loss record this year is now 10-8 but the former U.S. Open and Australian Open champion said he was not bothered by his apparent loss of form.
"I don't care," he said. "I am playing well, I am still 26 in the rankings.
"With one good result I will be top 20, but I don't really care about the rankings any more. I just need to stay
focused on my tennis."
薩芬今年的戰續為10勝8負﹐不過這位前世界第一﹐兩次大滿貫-美網及澳網得主表示他並不為糟糕的狀態而困擾。
"我不在乎﹐我打得很好﹐世界排名還是維持在26。如果成績能好些﹐我就會擠進前20了﹐但排名對我而言也不再那麼重要。我只想好好打網球"

Safin's best performance of the year came in the Davis Cup earlier this month when he won the deciding rubber against Paul-Henri Mathieu to give Russia a quarter-final victory over France on indoor clay in Moscow.
On that occasion, Safin barely missed a ball, the kind of form that took him to the top of the rankings and his two grand slam titles.
今年薩芬最好的表現在上個月DAVIS CUP八強俄國在主場紅土對陣法國第五場決定性比賽中﹐順利擊敗法國的P H MATHIEU。那場比賽﹐他幾乎沒有失誤﹐狀態之好跟他的巔峰時期及兩奪滿貫可以對得上。

The Russian's early exits from Monte Carlo and Barcelona cost him the chance to climb the rankings, but Safin said his confidence was unaffected.
"With all of your losses, you try to put them behind you," he said. "There is always next week and it's difficult to play well all the time.
"I couldn't find my game today on the court. It was pretty slippery, and I didn't play my best tennis so that's why. I barely had a chance.
"He was solid, he had nothing to lose. He went for his shots, he was serving well in the tiebreak, he just did his job and he had no pressure at all."
蒙特卡羅及巴賽隆那的失利導致薩芬無法在排名上突破﹐然而薩芬仍堅持他的信心並沒有因此受到影響。
"你要試著將失敗拋諸腦後﹐應該展望明天﹐而且本來你就不可能隨時都打得很好。今天我就是找不到節奏﹐場地很滑﹐我發揮不出來所以就輸了﹐根本就找不到機會。"
"他表現很穩﹐而且沒有什麼好怕的﹐因此大膽進攻﹐搶七時發球也非常好﹐他把自己發揮出來﹐毫無壓力"

Safin's next tournament will be the Masters Series event in Rome, beginning a week on Monday.
"I will just take it easy and practise and do my job," he said
薩芬下一場比賽是羅馬大師杯﹐一個禮拜後的星期一開始。
"我會輕鬆面對﹐好好練習然後去比賽"
_________
1 RD:Marat lost to Simone Bolelli

Marat Safin	4	6
Simone Bolelli	6	7

___________

Marat flew in Saturday from Moscow and is there with his friend Danny Gomez and Miguel Maseo his fitness trainer.
星期六 MARAT 跟朋友DANNY GOMEZ 及 體能訓練師 MASEO 從莫斯科飛抵 BARCELONA。

The draw is out.
Marat is seeded No. 11.
Singles 1st Rd : Marat will play Simon Bolelli (ITA).
They have never played against each other before.

簽表如上﹐MARAT 為 11 種子
第一輪將對陣 SIMON BOLELLI﹐兩人為首次交手。

For some interesting stats for each player for the year to date click here
Doubles 1st Rd: Marat/Dmitry Tursunov(RUS) v R.Lindstedt(SWE)/J.Nieminen(FIN)

Monte Carlo Open
蒙特卡羅大師賽

MASTERS SERIES MONTE-CARLO presented by ROLEX
SATURDAY APRIL 14 – SUNDAY 22 APRIL 2007
Prize Money: €2,082,500
56 DRAW

WEB SITE: http://montecarlo.masters-series.com/en/home/

In line with the new ATP initiative to allow certain tournaments to begin on Sunday, the Masters Series Monte-Carlo presented by Rolex will utilize a Sunday start program in 2007 featuring the main draw singles and doubles matches as well as the final round of qualifying.
Tickets prices for Sunday, April 15th will remain unchanged. For example, €15 general admission and €10 group rate.
As in the past the first round of qualifying will begin on Saturday (April 14, 2007).

Qualifying draw: Friday, April 13, 2007, 9:00 p.m.
Main draw: Saturday, April 14, Noon
Doubles draw: Saturday, April 13, 6:00 p.m.

ATP Ranking Points/ATP Race Points
W: 500/100
F: 350/70
SF: 225/45
QF: 125/25
R16: 75/15
R32: 35/7 (Seeds 1-8: 5/1)
R64: 5/1 (WC: 0/0)
Q: +15/+3
Q2: 8/0
Q1: 0/0

Entry deadline: March 5, 2007
Seeding: April 9, 2007

(ATP Ranking as of 03/06/2007)
_____________
Results: Stopped at 2nd RD !

2nd RD :Marat lost to K. Vliegen

Marat Safin	6	6	4
Kristof Vliegen	0	7	6

1st RD: Marat bt Y. Nieminen

Jarkko Nieminen	7	3	2
Marat Safin	5	6	6

______________
Main Draw
簽表 --第一輪 Niemenen﹐第二輪 Mathieu﹐第三輪 NADAL﹐OMG!!!!!

[1] FEDERER, Roger SUI vs BYE
QUALIFIER vs QUALIFIER
LEE, Hyung-Taik KOR vs BJORKMAN, Jonas SWE
MOYA, Carlos ESP vs [13] YOUZHNY, Mikhail RUS

[12] FERRER, David ESP vs SIMON, Gilles FRA
[WC] BALLERET, Benjamin MON vs BENNETEAU, Julien FRA
TURSUNOV, Dmitry RUS vs GAUDIO, Gaston ARG
BYE vs [6] DJOKOVIC, Novak SRB

[4] GONZALEZ, Fernando CHI vs BYE
ANDREEV, Igor RUS vs ACASUSO, Jose ARG
MASSU, Nicolas CHI vs VOLANDRI, Filippo ITA
HENMAN, Tim GBR vs [16]FERRERO, Juan Carlos ESP

[11] GASQUET, Richard FRA vs VERDASCO, Fernando ESP
QUALIFIER vs HRBATY, Dominik SVK
MONFILS, Gael FRA vs STEPANEK, Radek CZE
BYE vs [7] LJUBICIC, Ivan CRO

[5] ROBREDO, Tommy ESP vs BYE
CLEMENT, Arnaud FRA vs [WC] SERRA, Florent FRA
BECKER, Benjamin GER vs [WC] JOHANSSON, Thomas SWE
ALMAGRO, Nicolas ESP vs [10] BERDYCH, Tomas CZE

[14] BAGHDATIS, Marcos CYP vs MIRNYI, Max BLR
QUALIFIER vs MELZER, Jurgen AUT
ROCHUS, Olivier BEL vs SODERLING, Robin SWE
BYE vs [3] DAVYDENKO, Nikolay RUS

[8] MURRAY, Andy GBR vs BYE
GICQUEL, Marc FRA vs MAYER, Florian GER
QUALIFIER vs QUALIFIER
QUALIFIER vs [9] NALBANDIAN, David ARG

[15] NIEMINEN, Jarkko FIN vs SAFIN, Marat RUS
VLIEGEN, Kristof BEL vs [WC] MATHIEU, Paul-Henri FRA
CHELA, Juan Ignacio ARG vs VERKERK, Martin NED
BYE vs [2] NADAL, Rafael ESP

2007 Davis Cup Quater-Final--Russia bt France 3:2

Decisive Rubber R5 (Well done, Marat !! Hooray!!!!!!)
"I didn't expect our skipper would put me on court this weekend and of course I never expected it would be so easy as I could not find my form in two recent months," said Safin.

"I had no doubts that I would win, and confidence is everything in tennis."

賽後薩芬表示"我沒想到隊長周末會派我上場﹐當然﹐我更沒料到會贏得這麼輕鬆﹐因為最近兩個月我始終找不到狀態"

"我對於贏球並無懷疑﹐本來網球輸贏的關鍵就在於自信 "

Marat Safin	7	6	6
P.-H. Mathieu	6	3	2

Mayor of Moscow !!!

R4

S. Grosjean	7	4	2	6	6
I. Andreev	5	6	6	3	4

Davis Cup certainly brings the best out in Mikhail Youzhny, and today was no exception. In a titanic battle, the Russia overcame French No. 1 Richard Gasquet 62 63 67(8) 57 86 in four hours and 48 minutes to draw Russia level at the end of the opening day of this Quarterfinal tie.
Earlier Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) surprised Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) 26 62 61 75.
戴維斯杯充份讓 YOUZHNY 發揮了潛能極致﹐今天也不例外。在一場激烈的硬仗後﹐俄羅斯人歷經四小時48分鐘的搏鬥擊敗GASQUET﹐把八強賽第一日俄羅斯的比分拉致平分。在之前第一點比賽﹐MATHIEU 跌破眼鏡贏了 DAVYDENKO。

R1

Nikolay Davydenko	6	2	1	5
Paul-Henri Mathieu	2	6	6	7

R2

Mikhail Youzhny	6	6	6	5	8
Richard Gasquet	2	3	7	7	6

R3 I Andreev/N Davydenko 3 7 6 3 6 S. Grosjean/M. Llodra 6 5 3 6 3

========================
Marat in Moscow !!!!!!

Marat and dad !!!!!