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Cilic defeats Nishikori for US Open title
New York: After the frustration and the waiting; after the nerves and last year's bitterness, it suddenly looked easy for Marin Cilic.
He has never had a bigger one on a tennis court, and the 6-foot-6 Cilic truly did not flinch: walking tall into Arthur Ashe Stadium and playing taller as he swept to the U.S. Open title with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 rout of Kei Nishikori.
"Everything I was working for and dreaming came today," said Cilic, a 25-year-old Croatian. "And I feel for all those other players who are working hard, this is a big sign and big hope that if you are working hard things are going to pay off."
A year ago, Cilic missed the U.S. Open because he was serving a suspension after testing positive for a banned stimulant. Though he faced a two-year ban, he appealed, arguing that he had unintentionally ingested the substance in a glucose tablet, and succeeded in having the suspension lifted after four months.
"It angered me how all the process went, because it was not fair to me," Cilic said last week. "It wouldn't be fair to any tennis player. So that was just very bad memories. But, you know, when you're against big organizations you are small hand. You can't do much. So I just accepted it. When I came back to tennis court I erased it from my memory. I just used the positive parts, which, you know, made me tougher."
He returned to the tour in October and rose in the rankings. He arrived in New York seeded 14th and with two titles already to his credit in 2014. But it would have taken quite a soothsayer to predict that from that platform, he would claim the Open trophy in a men's tennis era when outsiders have so rarely managed to reach the finish line at major tournaments.
"I think the stars crossed," Cilic said in a postmatch interview on CBS, mixing the metaphor but still making an essential point, because a star has certainly made a big difference for Cilic.
Goran Ivanisevic, the big-serving and charismatic Croatian, became Cilic's coach late last year and has clearly brought both expertise and positive energy to his countryman.
"We are working really hard, but the most important thing he brought to me was joy in tennis and always having fun," Cilic said.
Now, both the coach and the pupil have one Grand Slam singles title apiece. Ivanisevic won his in strange-but-true fashion, too, winning Wimbledon in 2001 as a wild card in a final pushed to Monday because of rain.
"I guess Mondays are special for Croatians," Cilic said.
This was likely the last Monday final in history at the U.S. Open. The men's final is scheduled to move back to its traditional Sunday slot next year. In 2016, if construction proceeds on schedule, Ashe Stadium will finally be equipped with a retractable roof.
source: http://sports.ndtv.com/tennis/news/229539-cilic-defeats-nishikori-at-u-s-open-for-his-first-grand-slam-titleFederer, Djokovic suffer Shock Losses at US Open semis
Federer stunned by Cilic after Djokovic suffers shock loss against Nishikori
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| Marin Cilic (R) acknowledges Roger Federer after winning his semifinal match. |
Earlier 10th seed Kei Nishikori stunned top seed Novak Djokovic in the first semi-final winning the contest 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3. He thus became the first Asian man ever to reach a Grand Slam singles final & the first Japanese to reach the semi-finals of the US Open since 1918. The 24-year-old's earlier best effort was reaching the quarter-finals of Australian Open 2012.
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| Japan's Kei Nishikori reacts after beating Novak Djokovic in the US Open semifinal |
Sharapova crashes out of US Open
Wozniacki beats Sharapova to enter Quarter-Finals
This means that only 2 of the top-8 seeded women are now left in the competition. The weather was so punishing that the players had to be given heat break before the third set.
Sharpova was undone by 43 unforced errors & 8 double faults.
Meanwhile Swiss sensation Roger Federer, bidding to become the oldest Grand Slam champion in more than 40 years, grasped his 70th win at the tournament thanks to 57 winners & 13 aces.
Related:
Rafael Nadal pulls out of US Open
Rafael Nadal pulls out of US Open
Unable to recover from Wrist injury, defending Champion withdraws
Nadal also said he expected to be able to return for the US Open itself. But on Monday, he issued a statement on his Facebook page, saying he is "very sorry to announce" he would not play in New York.
"I am sure you understand that it is a very tough moment for me since it is a tournament I love and where I have great memories from fans, the night matches, so many things," Nadal's posting read. "Not much more I can do right now, other than accept the situation and, as always in my case, work hard in order to be able to compete at the highest level once I am back."
The second-ranked Nadal plays left-handed, but he uses a two-handed backhand.
The other US Open men's singles champions who did not return to the field the following year were Ken Rosewall in 1971, Pete Sampras in 2003 and Juan Martin del Potro in 2010.
Nadal won his second championship at Flushing Meadows in 2013, part of a run of reaching the final in each of his last three appearances in the US Open. He beat Novak Djokovic to win the titles in 2010 and last year and lost to Djokovic in 2011.
But Nadal will be skipping the tournament for the second time in three years. He did not enter the US Open in 2012, part of an extended absence because of a problem with his left knee.
This will be the second time Nadal failed to try to defend a Grand Slam title. A year after winning Wimbledon in 2008, he chose to not enter that tournament, citing knee tendinitis.
Nadal is 44-8 with four titles in 2014, including his record ninth French Open trophy.
He hasn't competed since losing in the fourth round of Wimbledon to 19-year-old Nick Kyrgios in four sets on July 1.
Nadal's 14 major titles are tied with Sampras for the second most in the history of men's tennis, trailing only Roger Federer's record of 17.
With Nadal out, five-time US Open champion Federer -- now 33 but coming off a runner-up finish at Wimbledon last month and a hard-court title in Cincinnati on Sunday -- will join the No. 1-ranked Djokovic as a favorite in Flushing Meadows.
source: http://espn.go.com/tennis/story/_/id/11369850/rafael-nadal-withdraws-us-open-right-wrist-injury
Nadal to take final call by Saturday
Rafael Nadal to decide for US Open
Majorca: Defending ChampionRafael Nadal says he will decide by 16th August whether he will be able to participate in the US Open 2014.
"My dream is being there and I will work for it," said Nadal, who is going to consult his doctors in Barcelona on Tuesday, which will determine if the slight fracture in his right wrist has healed.
"If it has healed I'll have to try and see how I feel when I train and Friday or at latest Saturday a decision will be made", he said.
However, "time is short and we'll have to wait and see if it is enough or not", the record-breaking 9-time French Open winner & World No.2 said prior to the beginning of the US Open August 25.
The Spaniard hurt his wrist while training & missed the masters 1000 tournament in Toronto which ended this weekend and the Western and Southern Open which is currently taking place in Cincinnati in the US.
Related:
Rafael Nadal recovering fast from Wrist Injury
Wrist Injury Recovering says Test Reports
Rafael Nadal had to withdraw from the two warm-up tournaments before the US Open 2014, Rogers Cup & the Cincinnati Open, due to a right wrist injury.
The good news came in on Tuesday for the Spaniard's fans, the Spanish tennis federation (RFET) said that Rafa's recovery is right on track after he underwent some tests.
The 28-year-old world number 2, sustained a right wrist injury last month but the left-hander has been practicing with a cast on his right wrist.
"Following a scan and clinical evaluation, his progress is on track, although he will still have tests from time to time," the RFET stated on their website.
"Making the most of these days to continue training, always with desire and optimism," Nadal wrote with a picture that he posted on Monday, working on court with his uncle-and-coach Toni in which the black wrist support was clearly visible.
Rafael Nadal's US Open title defense in Jeopardy
Nadal pulls out of Rogers Cup |
| Nadal after Winning US Open 2013 |
Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from Rogers Cup due to a wrist injury.
“I’m extremely disappointed that I am unable to defend my Rogers Cup title this year,” said Nadal, who beat Canada’s Milos Raonic in last year’s final in Montreal.
“Unfortunately I injured myself yesterday during practice and after checking with my doctors I will have to stay out of competition for at least two to three weeks. I am sorry to the tournament and to all of the fans.”
Tennis fans in Canada will not be able to witness the Spanish 28-year-old champion defend his title in Toronto.
Nadal is also expected to miss the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, the other big summer hard-court Masters tournament, after the Rogers Cup. It opens up speculation about whether the 14-time Grand Slam champion will be fit enough to defend his U.S. Open title when that event kicks off on August 25. The New York Times reports that Nadal’s wrist will be casted for 2-3 weeks.
“We know Rafa is a fan favourite and our fans will be upset by his absence” “But we also know that if Rafa could play he would as he has a great respect for our event and his Canadian fans.” said Karl Hale, Rogers Cup tournament director.
