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text-decoration:none; } img {border:none;} The Sport Review: “Federer
wins Basel title back from rival Djokovic” plus 3 more- Federer wins Basel title back from rival Djokovic - Brazilian Grand Prix: Red Bull seal constructors’ world title - Celtic put nine past Aberdeen in record-breaking display - Ferrer and Federer raise the roof in Valencia and Basel Federer wins Basel title back from rival Djokovic Posted: 07 Nov 2010 02:16 PM PST The first weekend in November had two of the media's favourite tennis names to play with. Ana Ivanonic had just won the WTA's Tournament of Champions in Bali and would return to the top 20 for the first time in over a year. Across the world in San Diego, the renaissance of tennis in Italy continued with the magnificent Francesca Schiavone and Flavia Pennetta proving that good things can come to talented women even as they approach the unspoken territory of their 30s. The two, for a second time, were spearheading their country's Fed Cup campaign over the USA. Meanwhile, in the chillier climes of Paris, Rafael Nadal had announced—just minutes ahead of the draw—that he was withdrawing from the final Masters of the year due to shoulder tendinitis. News of another injury problem for the world No1 would normally be enough to sideline any on-court action, but not this week. Yet all these stories had to take a back-row seat to two ATP 500 events unfolding at opposite ends of Europe. In Valencia, David Ferrer was aiming to win the tournament that he part-owns in front of an adoring home crowd. He was also aiming to confirm his place at the World Tour Finals for only the second time in his long and consistent career. The popular and hard-working Spaniard's first WTF was in Shanghai in 2007, and he won every match except the final against Roger Federer. That turned out to be his only indoor final—until this week. Now 28, Ferrer has enjoyed a resurgent season. He finds himself in his fifth ATP final of the year and back in the top 10 for the first time in two years. More importantly for his WTF campaign, he has recently produced some of his best ever hard court tennis with a semi-final finish in Kuala Lumpur and a final place in Beijing, both in the last month. There was an added bonus in Valencia: it was hosting the fifth all-Spanish final of the year, and the fourth in which Ferrer was involved. His opponent, Marcel Granollers, was appearing in only the second final of his career, though that was far from obvious in the quality of tennis he brought to his defeat of Gilles Simon in the semis. But such was the impetus that Ferrer carried into this final that Granollers could do no more than accept his straight sets defeat and revel in the 20-plus places he will climb in the rankings. Ferrer was rewarded with a rise to seventh place in the ATP race for London and the kind of reception that Federer, playing in Basel, was hoping to emulate. The Swiss Open final was, if possible, even more full of significance for two finalists who had already guaranteed their London places months ago. It brought together Federer and Novak Djokovic in what has become one of the most discussed rivalries at the top of the men's game. Little wonder, since this would be their 18th meeting, their fourth in three months and a repeat of the final in Basel exactly a year ago. So closely interlinked has their tennis been in the latter half of 2010 that they have swapped the No2 and No3 ranking four times. Basel-born Federer had won his home tournament three times in a row until Djokovic beat him in the 2009 final. The Serb also came into this year's final in some of his best form since that victory. It has been a long time coming. Djokovic, endowed with so much talent and so many options on his racket, showed a new maturity and concentration in dominating his bête noir, Federer, in the US Open semi-finals. And that same consistency, underpinned by clean and accomplished hitting, has marked his tennis throughout the second half of the season. As their head-to-head suggested, this final between the two men turned out to be a tight affair, both showing by turns attack and defence, confidence and nervousness. They know each other's games—both strengths and weaknesses—so well that tension finds its way into the proceedings at the most unexpected moments. It happened in New York, with Federer winning match points in the final set only to concede to a rampant Djokovic. It happened in Basel, too. The first three games all went to deuce, two of them offering up break points. Federer made the breakthrough first to go 4-2 up, but they continued to resist each other with early ball-striking and line-clipping shots. Both have quick feet, flexible defence and imaginative attack, and they kept one another moving around the full extent of the court in a chess-match of tactics. Even serving for the first set, Federer found himself a break point down, but held to take it 6-4. The stats told the story: 38 points to Federer and 34 to Djokovic. It was close. In the second set, Federer failed to keep his foot down and, in the blink of an eye, Djokovic broke through to take a 3-0 lead. With the Federer serve barely clearing 50 per cent, he found himself on the defence and making unforced errors against a confident and fluid Djokovic. The Serb served out the set, calmly nullifying a break point in the process, 6-3. For the ninth time, they would have to go the distance. Federer had an early chance to break his opponent, but two wild volleys gave a 30-15 advantage to Djokovic rather than a 0-40 deficit. It was an edgy moment that suggested a wavering in the Federer confidence. It turned out, instead, to be a turning point. Where Federer had struggled to find his first serve, his stats for the set surged to 71 per cent. Where his forehand had missed the lines, he began to find length and penetration. This was no more evident than in the fourth game when two forehand winners brought up a break point and a pressured Djokovic conceded with a double fault. That was all Federer needed. The concentration locked in, his serve found the lines, the passing shots forced errors from the Serb, and soon Federer was serving at 5-1. With new balls, he delivered one of his best games. Match point, won with a searing volley, brought a fist pump more reminiscent of Nadal than Federer, and a bullet of a backhand pass secured the win. Basel is his 65th title, taking Federer ahead of Pete Sampras into fourth place on the all-time leader-board. It is Federer's second title from three finals in fewer than four weeks. It is the ninth tournament that he has won at least four times, and his home crowd could not have been more proud. Despite all that, there is another big prize up for grabs next week at the final Masters of the year in Paris. Federer has already equalled Andre Agassi's tally of 17 Masters titles and needs one more to equal Nadal's record 18. Paris would be the ideal place to do it, especially as it is the only Masters on the tour where Federer has yet to reach a final. And, just to add an additional frisson to the proceedings, Djokovic is the title-holder there, too. Encounter No19 could be just around the corner. Brazilian Grand Prix: Red Bull seal constructors’ world title Posted: 07 Nov 2010 11:50 AM PST Red Bull Racing stormed to their maiden constructors' championship as Sebastian Vettel led team-mate Mark Webber to another one-two finish at Interlagos. Vettel took the lead from Nico Hülkenberg at the first corner and cruised to victory to ensure the drivers' championship goes down to the wire in Abu Dhabi next weekend. Webber came home second despite an engine scare, as championship leader cruised around the Sao Paulo circuit in third, only looking to threaten the Australian towards the end of the race, the Spaniard content to collect 10 points rather than go all out for the title with one race to go. McLaren's Lewis Hamilton started and finished the race in fourth, losing a place to Alonso on the opening lap after running wide at turn one, while reigning world champion Jenson Button had a brilliant afternoon to finish fifth behind his team-mate, despite qualifying 11th. Alonso still leads the drivers' championship with an eight-point lead over Webber, 15-points ahead of Vettel, while Hamilton needs a miracle to pick up his second title as he is now 24 points behind. Speaking after the race, Vettel said: "An incredible day and I am feeling very proud now for the team. "It was not easy, but once I took the lead I could control the race and look after my tyres for those final laps after the Safety Car. "It is fantastic to get a one-two and now I have to shake off these other guys in the other championship." Webber's commitment to the team cause seemed to come and go over the weekend, and the 33-year-old opted not to pull over towards his team after taking the flag, with broadcasters again talking up Webber's unhappiness at a perceived team bias towards Vettel. Speaking after the race, Webber said: "Most of these races are decided on Saturday or on the opening lap and that’s the way it is. "Seb drove a good race and won it and fair play to him. But I am really stoked for the guys back in Milton Keynes." Alonso was happy with his seventh podium finish in eight races, despite not winning the title in Brazil. "I lost my chance to challenge these guys at the start when it took me some time to catch them and I lost 12 seconds,” he said. "But overall we did what we wanted to do and now we go to Abu Dhabi and see who wins the title. Congratulations, of course, to Red Bull." Nico Rosberg finished sixth for Mercedes ahead of his team-mate and four-time Interlagos winner Michael Schumacher, while pole-sitter and fellow German Nico Hülkenberg was eighth. Robert Kubica was ninth for Renault after a disappointing end to what started out as a promising weekend for the French team, while Kamui Kobayashi rounded out the top 10 for Sauber to secure his eighth points finish in his first full season in Formula 1. Celtic put nine past Aberdeen in record-breaking display Posted: 07 Nov 2010 03:22 AM PST Celtic's strikers were in imperious form to destroy Aberdeen with a record-breaking display on a dramatic afternoon at Celtic Park. Celtic started well but despite their early chances the home side failed to break the deadlock. Former Arsenal striker Anthony Stokes was the first to have an effort at goal, collecting a pass from strike partner Gary Hooper, but his shot flew over the bar. Aberdeen's Chris Maguire found himself through on goal, after Darren Mackie won the ball in midfield, but the young Scottish striker waited too long to get his shot away allowing Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Foster to close the angle, and make a good save. The game opened up with both sides pushing forward, but things took a turn for the worse when a Ki Sung-Yeung shot from inside the box was blocked by the arm of Dons captain Paul Hartley, referee Alan Muir showed no hesitation to award a penalty, and Hartley departed. Stokes sent Jamie Langfield the wrong way with his spot-kick to open the scoring with his sixth goal of the season. Aberdeen's afternoon quickly got worse as almost straight from the kick-off Celtic doubled their lead. Hooper outmuscled Zander Diamond before smashing a shot past Langfield from close range. Any hopes that the visitors could force a comeback were quickly ended as Diamond could only deflect a Niall McGinn cross into the path of Hooper who fired home to make it 3-0 just after the half hour mark. Aberdeen's chance of a reprieve came when Celtic defender Thomas Rogne brought down Maguire on the edge of the box, forcing Muir to brandish his red card again for preventing a clear goalscoring opportunity, but the free-kick was wasted, and Celtic capitalised. In a week when Scottish referees and penalty decisions were one of the more pertinent talking points, Muir awarded a second penalty for Celtic after Langfield brought down Shaun Maloney inside the six-yard box. Stokes again converted the penalty to grab his second, and Celtic's fourth. The afternoon belonged to Stokes and Hooper and with Aberdeen having already accepted defeat Hooper flashed a volley just wide from a cut-back from right-back Cha Du Ri. Josh Magennis then stretched to head a cross clear, but only succeed in diverting the ball past Langfield and into the net to give Celtic a 5-0 lead. Celtic weren't finished there, and the circus performance from Aberdeen bordered on farcical as Hooper peeled off Diamond and flashed a back-post header past Langfield to secure his first hat-trick for the club, before Joe Ledley got in on the action, deceiving Langfield with a low, driven shot which surely capped one of the worst performances in SPL history. If Mark McGhee wasn't already praying for the dugout to open up and swallow him, he was just a minute later as Stokes also grabbed a hat-trick, robbing Maguire of the ball before calmly slotting the ball past Langfield to send Celtic in to the record books. Incredibly, 8-0 wasn't enough for a rampant Celtic, as they toyed with their wounded pray, and when Maloney was brought down in the box for a second time Muir pointed to the spot again for Celtic's third penalty of the game. This time hat-trick hero Stokes stepped aside to allow substitute Paddy McCourt to complete the nine-goal rout. Celtic's comprehensive demolition of Aberdeen sees Neil Lennon's side return to the top of the SPL, with Rangers not playing until Sunday. The club enter the record books again with the biggest home win, and most goals scored by a single side in a game since the SPL was founded in 1998. For McGhee and his players, it will be a long journey home to prepare for significant game against Inverness Caley Thistle on Tuesday. Ferrer and Federer raise the roof in Valencia and Basel Posted: 07 Nov 2010 02:52 AM PST The venues could not be more different, nor could home-grown favourites who have been setting their fans alight there. But both David Ferrer and Roger Federer raised the roof at their respective tennis arenas when they took centre stage in Valencia and Basel. Their names have become almost synonymous with these November events. Spanish Ferrer is not only one of his country's most respected and liked players, he is joint-owner of the Valencia tournament which was inaugurated last year amidst the spectacular modern architecture of the Valencia City of Arts and Science. Basel-born Federer learned his tennis down the road from the St Jakobshalle tennis centre, was once a ball-boy there, and has won the event three times. The venue is soon to be renamed after Basel's most famous son. So it could not have been a better semi-final line-up for a pair of ATP 500s that, coming at the tired end of the season, usually draw only the most committed fans and media. Both events have also played to perfection their roles in the build-up to the World Tour Finals, with super Saturday destined to reshuffle the pieces on the leader board. Ferrer kept the Spanish cauldron burning nicely from his position at eighth in the race to London: He needed to reach the final to gain valuable extra points for his cause. Meanwhile, Andy Roddick, playing his semi against Federer, sat one place higher than Ferrer at seven, so he too was bidding to hold off the challenges of the other three men in contention for London. However, both men faced a mammoth task: Ferrer against the formidable second seed, Robin Soderling, and Roddick against the man who had beaten him 19 times in their 21 meetings. Indeed the Federer-Roddick back-story could fill the pages of the weightiest of tomes. Their very first meeting in 2001 was in Basel, and they met there again in 2002. This, their third Basel encounter, would mark the 10th consecutive year in which they have met on the ATP circuit, and be their first match since the momentous 2009 Wimbledon final. Despite their long history, both have maintained a consistently high standard. Federer has 64 titles, more than any other active player. He has reached semi-finals or better 11 times this year, has played in seven finals, and won three titles. He had not so much as faced a break point prior to the Basel semi. Roddick, for his part, has 29 titles, third amongst active players. He has made seven semis or better this season, reached four finals and won two titles. He reached the Basel semi without losing a set and led the tournament with 37 aces. But as has so often been the case, the Roddick serve proved to be less of a weapon against Federer than against almost any other player. He managed not one in the first set and only four during the match, while Federer—with less pace but pin-point placement—scored 13. The ease with which Federer seemed to read the Roddick serve forced the American's first serve percentage down to just 55 in the first set and, as if that was not problem enough, the Swiss played almost fault-free tennis. He ran to an early lead of 3-0, and when faced with his first break point of the tournament, he attacked the net to hold. He went on to break the hapless Roddick a second time with a piercing cross-court pass and took the first set 6-2. It was then Federer's turn to lose his opening service game with a couple of wayward forehands. But just as Roddick seemed to find some more solid tennis, Federer broke back to level at 3-3. As if to rub salt into the wound, he served a love game to lead 5-4 and, after just over an hour, broke Roddick again with a whipped forehand pass to take the match 6-4. Federer thus became only the sixth player in the last 30 years to score 20 wins over a single rival: hardly a record Roddick will want to remember. Federer now heads into a highly-anticipated final against a much newer rival, Novak Djokovic, who recovered from three set points down against fellow Serb Viktor Troicki to win a match of flamboyant tennis, 7-6, 6-4. Djokovic and Federer have met 17 times and this will be their fourth match of the year. The previous three have been high-quality, nip-and-tuck affairs, and this promises to be the same. Federer will be out to regain 'his' title, having lost to Djokovic in Basel in last year's final. However, the Serb is looking every inch the defending champion, and he appears to be enjoying his tennis more with every passing week. He will not give up Basel easily. Meanwhile, back in Spain, Ferrer was playing blood-and-guts tennis—the only sort he knows—to overcome a 3-8 head-to-head deficit against the big Swede who beat him only last month in Shanghai. At a set apiece, and a break apiece in the third, Ferrer drew renewed intensity of purpose from the cheering crowd to break again for a 4-2 lead, and continued to attack relentlessly to serve out the match 6-3. His reward, if he goes on to win the title, would be to leapfrog Roddick in the race to London. However, the Valencia crowd still had more fervour to expend and the second semi-final filled their cup to overflowing. For playing the unseeded Frenchman, Gilles Simon, was the unexpected lucky loser, Marcel Granollers, who happens to be Spain's 11th ranked player. Ranked at only 67 in the world, Granollers has just one title to his name, and Valencia was just his second semi-final of the season. But the Spaniard's tennis was worthy of a top-10 player, and his all-court shot-making, tactical brilliance and resourceful defence put even the defender par excellence Simon in the shade. Granollers will be the underdog against Ferrer in Valencia's final, but both men seem capable of giving blood, sweat and tears to their home fans. They might even produce a tennis match to rival the one between the world numbers two and three in Basel. What is certain is that the people of Valencia and Basel will each be in fine voice for their home heroes. You are subscribed to email updates from The Sport Review To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. 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