RAFAEL Nadal last night ensured a superstar showdown against Roger Federer for this year's Australian Open after defeating compatriot Fernando Verdasco 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 7-6 (7-2) 6-7 (1-7) 6-4 in the longest match ever played at Melbourne Park.
Both players slumped to the ground, one in elation and the other in despair when Verdasco's brave bid ended with a double fault after five hours and 14 minutes.
"Right now I feel very happy more than tired," Nadal said.
"It was amazing for me. It was one of my best matches in my career.
"Fernando is playing unbelievable. His serve was amazing. It is his best tournament of his career but today, he deserved this win too, so I want to congratulate him too."
So now to Federer. While the decorated pair have shared centre court on the final Sunday of the past three Wimbledon and French Open championships, their first meeting in Melbourne tomorrow night will be a history making occasion.
Federer, who was denied by Nadal in both Paris and London last year, will join Pete Sampras as the joint-holder of the record of Grand Slam titles with 14 if successful in claiming his fourth Australian championship.
A victory by Nadal would see him become the first Spaniard to win the Australian Open.
While Federer has enjoyed an extra night's rest and played at the rarest of levels in his two most recent wins over Juan Martin Del Potro and Andy Roddick, he will be mindful of Nadal's penchant for denying him on the most important of occasions.
Bar for the 22-year-old, it is almost certain Federer would already have reeled in Sampras. More importantly, without Nadal as a rival, Federer could have two Grand Slam's to his name, with his losses in the 2007 and 2008 French Open finals ruining otherwise perfect years.
Regardless, this is the final all in Australia have waited for.
"In my opinion he is the best in history, to be like Pete Sampras, so it is an important match for him, but it is important for me to," Nadal said.
"I am going to play one of the best matches of my career."
But the dream meeting did not come without serious scares for both champions.
Federer's came against Tomas Berdych in the fourth round when he was forced to overcome a two-set deficit.
The test of Nadal's credentials came last night and it was as difficult as they come. Entering the semi-final, Nadal had lost just one set to his older countryman in seven outings.
Their most recent encounter at Grand Slam level was an embarrassment for the 25-year-old Spaniard, with Nadal allowing him just three games in the fourth round at Roland Garros last year. Yet this year's version of Verdasco resembles that player only in name and appearance.
Long nights on the nightclub floors have been replaced by torturous sprints up Magic Mountain in Las Vegas, the strip that honed Andre Agassi's legs of steel.
A concentration span that lasted only as long as the next pretty girl to wander by is now fixed firmly on success at the highest level and Verdasco, the hero of Spain's Davis Cup triumph last night, came closer than many thought possible before last night's clash.
In an enthralling match, it was Verdasco that stole to an early lead through an aggressive gam-plan that garnered the first set.
A night earlier Andy Roddick had played a fine match against Federer, but critics complained he did not take the risks needed to give himself a chance.
That can not be applied to Verdasco, who thumped 93 winners against his freakish rival yet still lost.
"That is too many," Nadal said.
While both served incredibly well in the first set - they averaged above 70 per cent of first deliveries - Verdasco was more willing to take risks from the baseline.
He may have made 20 unforced errors for the set to Nadal's five, but more than compensated in thumping 25 winners to his rival's eight. It was a clear sign he was taking it up to the world's top-ranked player.
The second set proved just as tight, with Verdasco holding his nerve and serve in seeing off several break point opportunities until the final game of the set.
After conceding a 40-15 lead with two uncharacteristically lazy shots, Verdasco watched in dismay as Nadal curled a forehand winner whilst well out of court to bring up set point.
An overhit forehand in the next exchange saw the ledger squared.
The mental toughness on serve continued to evade Verdasco early in the third, with the world No. 15 faltering twice.
Normally, this would be enough for Nadal to bolt away with the match, but Verdasco refused to concede to push the set to a tiebreaker.
Here, though, Nadal proved superior, watching as his older opponent made several mistakes from the ground to throw away the decider.
The fourth set was a classic, neither player ceding an inch. While Verdasco was forced to call for the trainer twice early in the set as his legs fatigued, he continued to push himself from one side to the other against a baseliner as formidible as any in the history of tennis.
Where Verdasco's effort in the third-set tiebreaker was errant, the fourth was spectacular as the Spaniard reeled off six successive points at a standard he could never have dreamed of before closing it out 7-1 with another huge serve as the match passed four hours and twenty minutes.
No quarter was given in the final set with the players stretching each other short and long, side to side, until Verdasco's serve stalled at 5-4.
After slumping to 0-40, he saved two match points with huge serves and blistering volleys, only to throw it away with a double-fault.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Kelly Clarkson Breaks Britney Spears's Record
Life certainly doesn't suck for Kelly Clarkson. Her new single, "My Life Would Suck Without You," will break records on Thursday when it makes the largest leap to No. 1 in the Billboard chart's 50-year history. The song moves to No. 1 from No. 97 on the Hot 100 chart after selling 280,000 digital downloads in its first week out, according to Billboard.com.Clarkson, 26, has set the record once before: Her 2002 single "A Moment Like This" – the American Idol Season 1 victory track – jumped from No. 52 to No. 1 in a single week. Since then, the largest-leap record has been broken five times, most recently by Britney Spears's "Womanizer," which jumped from No. 96 to No. 1 last year. Fans got a sneak peek at Clarkson's new video during last night's Idol episode. It can be viewed in full at att.net. The song is off Clarkson's album All I Ever Wanted, due in stores March 17.
Lawyer: Vick could go to halfway house 'any day'
NEWPORT NEWS, Virignia (AP) -- A lawyer for Michael Vick told a federal bankruptcy judge on Friday that the imprisoned NFL star could be transferred to a halfway house in Virginia any day.
Judge Frank Santoro, presiding over Vick's Chapter 11 bankruptcy case, asked about the transfer during a hearing at which he also approved procedures to sell some of the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback's property.
But the U.S. Bureau of Prisons has not given Vick's attorneys a specific date for the move, which attorney Paul Campsen said could occur with only "a day or so" notice.
Vick is serving a 23-month sentence at a federal penitentiary for his role in a dogfighting conspiracy. He is scheduled for release on July 20 but could serve the last few months of his term at a halfway house in Newport News, his hometown.
"We believe he is ultimately going to be reinstated by the NFL," said another Vick bankruptcy attorney, Michael Blumenthal.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has not said whether he will lift Vick's suspension after his release. Vick once was the league's highest-paid player before his indictment and guilty plea left both his finances and his reputation in tatters. He filed for bankruptcy protection in July, claiming assets of $16 million and liabilities of $20.4 million.
Papers filed in his bankruptcy case show exceptionally poor management of Vick's fortune, including lavish and often unexplained spending and an array of questionable investments. The case has been complicated by poor record keeping and Vick's sketchy knowledge of where his money was going.
Santoro said Vick's finances could be "charitably described as in freefall" when he filed his bankruptcy petition.
The judge said he found no fault with Vick's lawyers' efforts to sort out a complex mess but still found the financial disclosure statement difficult to comprehend. He gave the lawyers until Feb. 11 to draft a simplified version, including a chart to help creditors understand how Vick's assets will be handled, and set another hearing for Feb. 27.
Santoro approved the hiring of brokers to sell five boats and four cars owned by Vick.
The judge also approved Vick's plan to sell his suburban Atlanta home at auction. Blumenthal said the eight-bedroom home in a gated lake community has been shown to about 30 potential buyers, and a deal to sell the home for $3.15 million fell through at the last minute.
Now the plan is to start the bidding at $3.2 million. No date has been set for the auction.
Judge Frank Santoro, presiding over Vick's Chapter 11 bankruptcy case, asked about the transfer during a hearing at which he also approved procedures to sell some of the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback's property.
But the U.S. Bureau of Prisons has not given Vick's attorneys a specific date for the move, which attorney Paul Campsen said could occur with only "a day or so" notice.
Vick is serving a 23-month sentence at a federal penitentiary for his role in a dogfighting conspiracy. He is scheduled for release on July 20 but could serve the last few months of his term at a halfway house in Newport News, his hometown.
"We believe he is ultimately going to be reinstated by the NFL," said another Vick bankruptcy attorney, Michael Blumenthal.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has not said whether he will lift Vick's suspension after his release. Vick once was the league's highest-paid player before his indictment and guilty plea left both his finances and his reputation in tatters. He filed for bankruptcy protection in July, claiming assets of $16 million and liabilities of $20.4 million.
Papers filed in his bankruptcy case show exceptionally poor management of Vick's fortune, including lavish and often unexplained spending and an array of questionable investments. The case has been complicated by poor record keeping and Vick's sketchy knowledge of where his money was going.
Santoro said Vick's finances could be "charitably described as in freefall" when he filed his bankruptcy petition.
The judge said he found no fault with Vick's lawyers' efforts to sort out a complex mess but still found the financial disclosure statement difficult to comprehend. He gave the lawyers until Feb. 11 to draft a simplified version, including a chart to help creditors understand how Vick's assets will be handled, and set another hearing for Feb. 27.
Santoro approved the hiring of brokers to sell five boats and four cars owned by Vick.
The judge also approved Vick's plan to sell his suburban Atlanta home at auction. Blumenthal said the eight-bedroom home in a gated lake community has been shown to about 30 potential buyers, and a deal to sell the home for $3.15 million fell through at the last minute.
Now the plan is to start the bidding at $3.2 million. No date has been set for the auction.
Madonna Resuming Sticky & Sweet Tour This Summer
Madonna will crank up her Sticky & Sweet tour again this summer with about 25 more shows in the U.K. and Europe, which will add to the total of what's already the top-grossing tour ever by a female or solo artist.The final leg of the tour will start in London at the O2 Arena on July 4. Madonna will also play the Manchester (U.K.) Evening News Arena, with the rest of the dates on the tour being stadiums in European markets she has either never played or hasn't played in several years, according to tour producer Arthur Fogel, chairman of global music for Live Nation.Adding another leg to a tour is a highly unusual move for Madonna. "It absolutely has not happened in the four tours I've been involved with," Fogel tells Billboard.com. "There has been talk [of extending] during each one, but it has never come to be. But with this one, she loves the show, she's had a great time and she's excited about playing new markets."Fogel says the demand is clearly present in these fresh Madonna markets; London is the only repeat market from the 2008 leg. "It's amazing when you look at the number of markets that she's never played, including this last run in 2008," he says. "We went to quite a few markets she has never played or hasn't been to in 15-plus years. This [extension] is really a continuation of that in the sense of playing new and different markets."Madonna has enjoyed remarkable box office growth over her past four tours, raking in $75 million in 2001, $125 million in 2004, $194 million in 2006 and $280 million last year, according to Billboard Boxscore. All of these tours were produced by Fogel and his team, and all included roughly the same number of dates (55-60 shows). Attendance has also remained steady, and ticket prices were the same on the past two tours, Fogel says.
U2, Kid Rock, Plant/Krauss Added To Grammys
U2, Kid Rock, Rihanna and Robert Plant and Alison Krauss have joined the performance lineup for the 51st Grammy Awards, to be held Feb. 8 at Los Angeles' Staples Center and broadcast live on CBS.They join previously announced performers Kenny Chesney, Coldplay, Jennifer Hudson, Jonas Brothers, Lil Wayne, Paul McCartney (with Dave Grohl on drums), Katy Perry, Radiohead, T.I. and Justin Timberlake, Carrie Underwood, and Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, T.I. and Kanye West.The first batch of award presenters include Jack Black, Duffy, Josh Groban and Charlie Haden, along with actors Simon Baker, Samuel L. Jackson and Gwyneth Paltrow.
Taylor Swift Plots First Headlining Tour
As expected, Taylor Swift will embark on her first headlining tour this spring, beginning April 23 in Evansville, Ind. The 52-city trek will feature "multiple costume changes" and a stage with a "fairy-tale castle," according to Swift's publicist.Swift is touring in support of her sophomore album, "Fearless," which is so far the top seller of 2009 with 287,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It has spent eight straight weeks at No. 1 on The Billboard 200, and since its release last November, it has shifted 2.4 million.Before the tour, Swift will play three one-offs, including a March 20 show before 71,00 fans at Houston's Livestock Show and Rodeo. Kellie Pickler and new act Gloriana will open all dates. For the full tour itinerary, visit TaylorSwift.com.After the North American run, the plan is for Swift to play fall dates in the United Kingdom, and somewhere along the way Japan will be part of the picture."It will be super thrilling for her fans in the States to see photos of her in front of Buckingham Palace, downtown Tokyo and then the next time she's in Cedar Rapids [Iowa] she'll be that much a bigger star, but still Taylor -- approachable," Scott Borchetta, the president of
McCartney, Killers, Cure Anchor Coachella Lineup
Paul McCartney, the Killers and the Cure lead the bill for the tenth Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, to be held April 17-19 at Empire Polo Field in Indio, Calif. Also confirmed are My Bloody Valentine, Amy Winehouse, Morrissey, Leonard Cohen and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.McCartney will be making his maiden American festival appearance at the event. "I have heard that Coachella is one of the greatest festivals in the world," he said in a statement. "I'm really excited to get out there and rock!"Coachella has been after My Bloody Valentine for years, and nearly had the band booked for its 2008 festival. But frontman Kevin Shields ultimately decided the freshly reunited MBV would not have been ready to perform by last year's show date and instead waited until the fall before playing North American shows.As for Winehouse, this will be her first major American appearance since performing at the 2008 Grammy Awards. The U.K. artist's 2007 Coachella set came at a time when she was breaking through in the States with her single "Rehab" and album "Back to Black," but in the past 18 months she's been beset with drug problems and erratic behavior.Meanwhile, Cohen's Coachella appearance will be part of his first North American tour in 15 years, which begins Feb. 19 in New York.
Other highlights of the festival lineup include Fleet Foxes, Conor Oberst, the Black Keys, the Hold Steady, Superchunk, Dr. Dog, TV On The Radio, Okkervil River and Band Of Horses from the world of indie rock; and MSTRKRFT, Girl Talk, Thievery Corporation, the Crystal Method, Throbbing Gristle, Groove Armada and Roni Size from the dance and electronic community.The Drive-By Truckers will perform their own set on April 18 as well as back soul legend Booker T & the MGs, while rock veterans such as X, Paul Weller, Henry Rollins and Bob Mould add a dose of experience to the lineup.Among the buzz bands and notable newcomers playing this year are White Lies, who currently have the No. 1 album in the United Kingdom, N.A.S.A., the Airborne Toxic Event, Cage the Elephant, Gang Gang Dance, Hercules and Love Affair, Vivian Girls, Lykke Li, Late Of The Pier, the Knux and the Gaslight Anthem.Coachella tickets go on sale this morning via Ticketmaster. For the first time, festival promoter Goldenvoice is offering a layaway plan for three-day passes, which is available only online and through Feb. 28. Here is the lineup for the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival: FRIDAY APRIL 17: Paul McCartney, Morrissey, Franz Ferdinand, Leonard Cohen, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, Beirut, The Black Keys, Girl Talk, Silversun Pickups, The Ting Tings, The Crystal Method, Ghostland Observatory, Crystal Castles, The Airborne Toxic Event, We Are Scientists, N.A.S.A., Patton & Rahzel, M. Ward, The Presets, The Hold Steady, A Place to Bury Strangers, Felix da Housecat, Buraka Som Sistema, Ryan Bingham, Bajofondo, Peanut Butter Wolf, Noah & the Whale, White Lies, The Bug, Alberta Cross, Los Campesinos!, Craze & Klever, Molotov, Switch, Gui Boratto, Steve Aoki, The Aggrolites, People Under the Stairs, The Courteeners, Cage the Elephant, Dear and the Headlights. SATURDAY, APRIL 18: The Killers, Amy Winehouse, Thievery Corporation, TV on the Radio, Band of Horses, Fleet Foxes, MSTRKRFT, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Atmosphere, Mastodon, TRAV$DJ-AM, Henry Rollins, Crookers, Turbonegro, Hercules and Love Affair, Superchunk, Glasvegas, Dr. Dog, Drive-By Truckers, Booker T & the DBT's, Amanda Palmer, The Bloody Beetroots, Surkin, Para One (Live), Calexico, Liars, Bob Mould Band, Zane Lowe, Electric Touch, Blitzen Trapper, James Morrison, Drop the Lime, Glass Candy, Thenewno2, Gang Gang Dance, Billy Talent, Ida Maria, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, Zizek, Cloud Cult, Tinariwen.SUNDAY, APRIL 19: The Cure, My Bloody Valentine, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Throbbing Gristle, Lupe Fiasco, Paul Weller, Peter Bjorn and John, X, Antony & the Johnsons, Roni Size, Public Enemy, Jenny Lewis, Groove Armada, Paolo Nutini, Christopher Lawrence, Lykke Li, The Kills, Okkervil River, M.A.N.D.Y., Clipse, Sebastien Tellier, Fucked Up, Perry Farrell, The Horrors, Late of the Pier, K'naan, Junior Boys, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Supermayer, No Age, Vivian Girls, Shepard Fairey, Themselves, Gaslight Anthem, The Knux, Mexican Institute of Sound, The Night Marchers, Marshall Barnes.
Other highlights of the festival lineup include Fleet Foxes, Conor Oberst, the Black Keys, the Hold Steady, Superchunk, Dr. Dog, TV On The Radio, Okkervil River and Band Of Horses from the world of indie rock; and MSTRKRFT, Girl Talk, Thievery Corporation, the Crystal Method, Throbbing Gristle, Groove Armada and Roni Size from the dance and electronic community.The Drive-By Truckers will perform their own set on April 18 as well as back soul legend Booker T & the MGs, while rock veterans such as X, Paul Weller, Henry Rollins and Bob Mould add a dose of experience to the lineup.Among the buzz bands and notable newcomers playing this year are White Lies, who currently have the No. 1 album in the United Kingdom, N.A.S.A., the Airborne Toxic Event, Cage the Elephant, Gang Gang Dance, Hercules and Love Affair, Vivian Girls, Lykke Li, Late Of The Pier, the Knux and the Gaslight Anthem.Coachella tickets go on sale this morning via Ticketmaster. For the first time, festival promoter Goldenvoice is offering a layaway plan for three-day passes, which is available only online and through Feb. 28. Here is the lineup for the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival: FRIDAY APRIL 17: Paul McCartney, Morrissey, Franz Ferdinand, Leonard Cohen, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, Beirut, The Black Keys, Girl Talk, Silversun Pickups, The Ting Tings, The Crystal Method, Ghostland Observatory, Crystal Castles, The Airborne Toxic Event, We Are Scientists, N.A.S.A., Patton & Rahzel, M. Ward, The Presets, The Hold Steady, A Place to Bury Strangers, Felix da Housecat, Buraka Som Sistema, Ryan Bingham, Bajofondo, Peanut Butter Wolf, Noah & the Whale, White Lies, The Bug, Alberta Cross, Los Campesinos!, Craze & Klever, Molotov, Switch, Gui Boratto, Steve Aoki, The Aggrolites, People Under the Stairs, The Courteeners, Cage the Elephant, Dear and the Headlights. SATURDAY, APRIL 18: The Killers, Amy Winehouse, Thievery Corporation, TV on the Radio, Band of Horses, Fleet Foxes, MSTRKRFT, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Atmosphere, Mastodon, TRAV$DJ-AM, Henry Rollins, Crookers, Turbonegro, Hercules and Love Affair, Superchunk, Glasvegas, Dr. Dog, Drive-By Truckers, Booker T & the DBT's, Amanda Palmer, The Bloody Beetroots, Surkin, Para One (Live), Calexico, Liars, Bob Mould Band, Zane Lowe, Electric Touch, Blitzen Trapper, James Morrison, Drop the Lime, Glass Candy, Thenewno2, Gang Gang Dance, Billy Talent, Ida Maria, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, Zizek, Cloud Cult, Tinariwen.SUNDAY, APRIL 19: The Cure, My Bloody Valentine, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Throbbing Gristle, Lupe Fiasco, Paul Weller, Peter Bjorn and John, X, Antony & the Johnsons, Roni Size, Public Enemy, Jenny Lewis, Groove Armada, Paolo Nutini, Christopher Lawrence, Lykke Li, The Kills, Okkervil River, M.A.N.D.Y., Clipse, Sebastien Tellier, Fucked Up, Perry Farrell, The Horrors, Late of the Pier, K'naan, Junior Boys, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Supermayer, No Age, Vivian Girls, Shepard Fairey, Themselves, Gaslight Anthem, The Knux, Mexican Institute of Sound, The Night Marchers, Marshall Barnes.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Ivanovic falls at Aussie Open
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Ana Ivanovic's hopes of a return trip to the Australian Open final fell apart in a barrage of mistakes Friday as Russia's Alisa Kleybanova ousted the 2008 runner-up with a 7-5, 6-7 (5), 6-2 victory in the third round.
With the 19-year-old Kleybanova constantly aggressive, fifth-ranked Ivanovic lost her serve nine times and finished with 50 unforced errors to just 23 winners.
When it was over, Kleybanova dropped to the ground on both knees, pumped her fists she walked off court, throwing a towel to someone in the crowd.
The Serb's loss came on a day that the late match between second-ranked Roger Federer and former No. 1 Marat Safin -- which the Swiss star won in three sets -- was supposed to produce the biggest news.
Instead, ethnic violence erupted between nationalist fans after Serbia's Novak Djokovic, the defending men's champion, beat Bosnian-born American Amer Delic.
One of several thrown chairs hit a woman and left her briefly unconscious. Insults and water bottles filled the air. Arrests were made, with dozens of people ejected from Melbourne Park.
This was what organizers had feared when they announced before the tournament that they were instituting a no-tolerance policy for disruptions.
They wanted the focus to remain on tennis -- such as Kleybanova's upset victory, Andy Roddick's 22 aces while winning in straight sets or top-ranked Jelena Jankovic and No. 3 Dinara Safina advancing.
Instead of talking about how defending champion Djokovic reached the third round with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4) victory packed with drama and good sportsmanship, the 21-year-old Serb and Delic were mostly quizzed about the chaotic scene that followed -- when their supporters clashed outside near a big-screen TV showing the match.
Police said about 30 Bosnian and Serbian youths were ejected from Melbourne Park. Two men were charged with riotous behavior and a third was fined on the spot. The woman who was knocked out was not seriously injured.
"There's absolutely no place for that here. This is a tennis match," said Delic, who attended the University of Illinois and lives in Jacksonville, Florida. "As I'm sure you all saw at the end, Novak and I are friends. We're both competitors. In the end it was a fair match, and there was no reason for such things."
Before finally asking reporters to change the subject, Djokovic lamented that players can't control their fans. Delic had earlier used his Web site to ask his backers, who were boisterous to the point of disruption in the qualifier's first two matches, to tone it down.
And that wasn't even all of the day's drama -- a man was arrested after dancing across a court, naked from the waist down, as Serena and Venus Williams won a second-round doubles match.
In a rematch of the 2005 men's semifinal, won by Safin en route to the championship, was dominated by Federer, who again looked sharp in his pursuit of a 14th Grand Slam title that would tie Pete Sampras' record, winning 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (5).
Federer never faced a breakpoint, and the mercurial Safin's growing frustration nearly boiled over when he was called for a foot-fault on his second serve. That gave him a double-fault and Federer a 4-1 lead in the third-set tiebreaker. Safin rallied to lead 5-4 before Federer ran off the last three points, the last on a backhand winner down the line.
"He gave me quite a few free points in the first two sets, but after that he got tougher," Federer said. "I'm pretty lucky I got through in three."
Safin has said he is unlikely to continue playing after this year. Federer clearly would miss him.
"I always like to play Marat," Federer said. "We go back, we like playing each other. It doesn't matter who wins."
After dropping the first set, the 21-year-old Ivanovic lost her first two service games in the second, falling behind 0-3. She rallied to force a tiebreaker, where both women were pumping their fists after every point they won. Ivanovic did a three-punch combination after whacking an overhead winner on set point.
The jubilation was short-lived: Ivanovic found herself again down 0-3 in the deciding set and never caught up. Serving at 2-5, she fell behind 0-40. She saved one match point with a high, lunging volley winner before Kleybanova hit a forehand crosscourt that went untouched to end the match in 2 hours and 43 minutes.
Kleybanova, who reached the fourth round at Wimbledon last year in her third Grand Slam, dropped to her knees in relief and disbelief.
Unlike their fans, there was no animosity on court between Djokovic and Delic.
"Of course, I have a big respect for Amer," Djokovic said, to loud cheers from the crowd. "He absolutely deserves your applause and even more. He has one of the biggest serves on tour. It was very difficult for me to read."
Djokovic next plays the winner of a late match between American Mardy Fish and 2006 runner-up Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus.
Roddick had a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win over Fabrice Santoro and next plays No. 21 Tommy Robredo of Spain, who beat Taiwanese player Yen-hsun Lu.
"It was one of the most exciting matches of my life," Kleybanova said. "I will never forget this night."
No. 8 Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina, who won a warmup tournament in New Zealand, extended his winning streak to seven matches. No. 19 Marin Cilic of Croatia ousted No. 11 David Ferrer of Spain.
On the women's side, Olympic silver medalist Safina beat No. 25 Kaia Kanepi of Estonia. Fellow Russians Vera Zvonareva, seeded seventh, and No. 10 Nadia Petrova also advanced to the fourth round.
Unseeded Jelena Dokic, a former Wimbledon semifinalist making her first appearance in the main draw of a Grand Slam after a three-year absence to deal with personal problems, knocked off a seeded player for the second straight round, rallying from a set down to beat No. 11 Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark.
With the 19-year-old Kleybanova constantly aggressive, fifth-ranked Ivanovic lost her serve nine times and finished with 50 unforced errors to just 23 winners.
When it was over, Kleybanova dropped to the ground on both knees, pumped her fists she walked off court, throwing a towel to someone in the crowd.
The Serb's loss came on a day that the late match between second-ranked Roger Federer and former No. 1 Marat Safin -- which the Swiss star won in three sets -- was supposed to produce the biggest news.
Instead, ethnic violence erupted between nationalist fans after Serbia's Novak Djokovic, the defending men's champion, beat Bosnian-born American Amer Delic.
One of several thrown chairs hit a woman and left her briefly unconscious. Insults and water bottles filled the air. Arrests were made, with dozens of people ejected from Melbourne Park.
This was what organizers had feared when they announced before the tournament that they were instituting a no-tolerance policy for disruptions.
They wanted the focus to remain on tennis -- such as Kleybanova's upset victory, Andy Roddick's 22 aces while winning in straight sets or top-ranked Jelena Jankovic and No. 3 Dinara Safina advancing.
Instead of talking about how defending champion Djokovic reached the third round with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4) victory packed with drama and good sportsmanship, the 21-year-old Serb and Delic were mostly quizzed about the chaotic scene that followed -- when their supporters clashed outside near a big-screen TV showing the match.
Police said about 30 Bosnian and Serbian youths were ejected from Melbourne Park. Two men were charged with riotous behavior and a third was fined on the spot. The woman who was knocked out was not seriously injured.
"There's absolutely no place for that here. This is a tennis match," said Delic, who attended the University of Illinois and lives in Jacksonville, Florida. "As I'm sure you all saw at the end, Novak and I are friends. We're both competitors. In the end it was a fair match, and there was no reason for such things."
Before finally asking reporters to change the subject, Djokovic lamented that players can't control their fans. Delic had earlier used his Web site to ask his backers, who were boisterous to the point of disruption in the qualifier's first two matches, to tone it down.
And that wasn't even all of the day's drama -- a man was arrested after dancing across a court, naked from the waist down, as Serena and Venus Williams won a second-round doubles match.
In a rematch of the 2005 men's semifinal, won by Safin en route to the championship, was dominated by Federer, who again looked sharp in his pursuit of a 14th Grand Slam title that would tie Pete Sampras' record, winning 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (5).
Federer never faced a breakpoint, and the mercurial Safin's growing frustration nearly boiled over when he was called for a foot-fault on his second serve. That gave him a double-fault and Federer a 4-1 lead in the third-set tiebreaker. Safin rallied to lead 5-4 before Federer ran off the last three points, the last on a backhand winner down the line.
"He gave me quite a few free points in the first two sets, but after that he got tougher," Federer said. "I'm pretty lucky I got through in three."
Safin has said he is unlikely to continue playing after this year. Federer clearly would miss him.
"I always like to play Marat," Federer said. "We go back, we like playing each other. It doesn't matter who wins."
After dropping the first set, the 21-year-old Ivanovic lost her first two service games in the second, falling behind 0-3. She rallied to force a tiebreaker, where both women were pumping their fists after every point they won. Ivanovic did a three-punch combination after whacking an overhead winner on set point.
The jubilation was short-lived: Ivanovic found herself again down 0-3 in the deciding set and never caught up. Serving at 2-5, she fell behind 0-40. She saved one match point with a high, lunging volley winner before Kleybanova hit a forehand crosscourt that went untouched to end the match in 2 hours and 43 minutes.
Kleybanova, who reached the fourth round at Wimbledon last year in her third Grand Slam, dropped to her knees in relief and disbelief.
Unlike their fans, there was no animosity on court between Djokovic and Delic.
"Of course, I have a big respect for Amer," Djokovic said, to loud cheers from the crowd. "He absolutely deserves your applause and even more. He has one of the biggest serves on tour. It was very difficult for me to read."
Djokovic next plays the winner of a late match between American Mardy Fish and 2006 runner-up Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus.
Roddick had a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win over Fabrice Santoro and next plays No. 21 Tommy Robredo of Spain, who beat Taiwanese player Yen-hsun Lu.
"It was one of the most exciting matches of my life," Kleybanova said. "I will never forget this night."
No. 8 Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina, who won a warmup tournament in New Zealand, extended his winning streak to seven matches. No. 19 Marin Cilic of Croatia ousted No. 11 David Ferrer of Spain.
On the women's side, Olympic silver medalist Safina beat No. 25 Kaia Kanepi of Estonia. Fellow Russians Vera Zvonareva, seeded seventh, and No. 10 Nadia Petrova also advanced to the fourth round.
Unseeded Jelena Dokic, a former Wimbledon semifinalist making her first appearance in the main draw of a Grand Slam after a three-year absence to deal with personal problems, knocked off a seeded player for the second straight round, rallying from a set down to beat No. 11 Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark.
Milan coach wants Beckham to stay
MILAN, Italy (AP) -- AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti hopes David Beckham can stay at the Serie A club beyond his short-term contract, which expires in March.
The England midfielder scored his first goal for AC Milan on Sunday in the team's 4-1 victory over Bologna.
"In football anything's possible," Ancelotti said Monday, speaking on a radio show. "Beckham knows what our wish is. We all hope that he can stay with us."
Ancelotti, however, stressed that the choice rests with Beckham and that Milan would exert no pressure.
Beckham, who is on a three-month loan from the Los Angeles Galaxy, is due to return to Major League Soccer on March 9.
"Once Beckham goes back to America on March 9, we'd certainly be saddened," Ancelotti said. But "there will be no kind of pressure from the club. The choice is only and exclusively his."
Beckham has started all three of Milan's matches since he arrived, and Ancelotti gave him credit for jelling with the team. He credited Beckham's "desire to play again in an important league, his intelligence and seriousness."
Beckham said after the game Sunday that he is having a "great time" in Milan.
Speaking about his future, he said: "We'll have to see."
AC Milan is third in the Serie A, behind Inter Milan and Juventus.
The England midfielder scored his first goal for AC Milan on Sunday in the team's 4-1 victory over Bologna.
"In football anything's possible," Ancelotti said Monday, speaking on a radio show. "Beckham knows what our wish is. We all hope that he can stay with us."
Ancelotti, however, stressed that the choice rests with Beckham and that Milan would exert no pressure.
Beckham, who is on a three-month loan from the Los Angeles Galaxy, is due to return to Major League Soccer on March 9.
"Once Beckham goes back to America on March 9, we'd certainly be saddened," Ancelotti said. But "there will be no kind of pressure from the club. The choice is only and exclusively his."
Beckham has started all three of Milan's matches since he arrived, and Ancelotti gave him credit for jelling with the team. He credited Beckham's "desire to play again in an important league, his intelligence and seriousness."
Beckham said after the game Sunday that he is having a "great time" in Milan.
Speaking about his future, he said: "We'll have to see."
AC Milan is third in the Serie A, behind Inter Milan and Juventus.
Friday, January 23, 2009
No Doubt Drafts Paramore For Summer Tour
No Doubt has enlisted Paramore as the opening act on its first tour in five years, which will begin in May. The Sounds, Janelle Monae and Bedouin Soundclash will rotate as the third band on the bill.Dates have yet to be announced for the Live Nation-promoted tour, which will play outdoor amphitheatres and arenas in North America. The only confirmed show so far is May 3 at New Jersey's Bamboozle Festival."The whole reason for going on this tour was to have fun, try on all our favorite songs again and to get inspired to make new music," No Doubt's Gwen Stefani says. "It feels good to be all together again."In the midst of tour prep, No Doubt has been working on and off on a new studio album, a release date for which has not been announced.Paramore will be making a final push behind its breakthrough 2007 Fueled by Ramen/Atlantic album, "Riot!," which has sold 1.13 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
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