U.S. Open 2011: Novak Djokovic Defeats Rafa Nadal in U.S. Open Final, Caps Remarkable Season

Novak Djokovic capped off one of the best single seasons in men’s tennis history on Monday night, capturing his third Grand Slam title of the year by beating Rafa Nadal in four sets.

Djokovic took a commanding two sets to none lead by winning on scores of 6-2 and 6-4 to open the contest. The third set was an epic one, with Nadal breaking Djokovic who was serving for the championship at 6-5. But Nadal forced and eventually won a tiebreaker, bringing the crowd to its feel and putting pressure on the Serbian to wrap things up.

And although heading into the fourth set it appeared that Nadal had all the momentum, the marathon third set proved to take a ton out of Nadal. Djokovic regrouped (utilizing two medical timeouts during the match), and won the final set 6-1. Djokovic improved his 2011 record to 64-2, including six wins over Nadal; he also defeated the Spaniard in the Wimbledon final in July.

The victory was Djokovic’s fourth overall Grand Slam title. He also won the 2008 French Open to go along with this year’s French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open titles. He became just the sixth player in the Open era to win three Grand Slam events in the same year.

U.S. Open 2011: Serena Williams Fined $2,000 But Will Not Be Not Banned

Serena Williams was upset on Sunday at the 2011 U.S. Open. Adding insult to injury, the United States Tennis Association has issued a $2,000 fine for Williams' comments to the umpire during her loss to Samantha Stosur.

Williams could have potentially been banned considering she was still on probation stemming from a similar incident in 2009 during a match with Kim Clijsters, but it was apparently decided this didn't violate her probation and instead got by with a seemingly very small simple slap on the wrist.

"This fine is consistent with similar offenses at Grand Slam events," the U.S. Tennis Association said in a statement, according to Bloomberg News. "After independently reviewing the incident which served as the basis for the code violation, and taking into account the level of fine imposed by the U.S. Open referee, the Grand Slam Committee director has determined that Ms. Williams's conduct, while verbally abusive, does not rise to the level of a major offense under the Grand Slam Code of Conduct."

The comments Williams made were picked up by the television broadcast, magnifying the incident, but it's likely she probably would have been fined regardless for the following comments to the umpire:

• "Aren't you the one who screwed me over last time here? I promise you, that's not cool. That's totally not cool."
• "If you ever see me walking down the hall, look the other way, because you're totally out of control. You're a hater and unattractive inside."

Williams could still face more fines. Considering it was determined she didn't violate her probation, however, she'll probably be fine with that.

U.S. Open Tennis 2011 Men's Final: Novak Djokovic Looks For Fifth Straight Victory Over Rafael Nadal

Who is the best men’s tennis player in the world right now? That matter might well be settled this afternoon in Arthur Ashe Stadium when the No. 1 player in the world, Novak Djokovic, meets the No. 2 player in the world, Rafael Nadal, for the men’s singles title in the finals of the 2011 U.S. Open Tennis Championships.

The match is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. ET. Television coverage will be provided by CBS.

Djokovic has titles in two of this year’s three Grand Slam events, winning the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles. The third Grand Slam, the French Open, was won by Nadal.

Djokovic has won all five times the two have played against each other in 2011, including the finals at Wimbledon. Douglas Perry of The Oregonian went so far as to say Nadal has become Djokovic’s “lapdog” this season.

— See SB Nation’s Tennis Hub for more coverage of the U.S. Open

U.S. Open Tennis 2011 Women's Final: Samantha Stosur Shocks Serena Williams In Straight Sets

Ninth-seeded Samantha Stosur beat a frustrated, emtional Serena Williams in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3, Sunday to win the 2011 U.S. Open Tennis Championships women’s title. This was Stosur’s first Grand Slam title.

After losing the first set, Williams drew a penalty from chair umpire Eva Asderaki, who ruled that Williams yelling “come on” as Stosur reached for a shot interfered with Stosur’s ability to play the ball. The penalty gacve Stosur the game, and Williams launched into what will certainly be a memorable tirade, including these memorable lines:

“You’re a hater, and you’re just unattractive inside. Who would do such a thing? And I NEVER complain.”
-
“If you’re ever walking down the hallway with me, you better walk the other way.”
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“I get a code violation for this? I express who I am. We’re in AMERICA, last I checked.”

The men’s final will be held Monday at 4 p.m. ET. Top-seeded Novak Djokovic will face second-seeded Rafael Nadal.

U.S. Open Tennis 2011: Williams Vs. Stosur In Women's Final

The highly-anticipated women’s semifinal match between current world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki and former No. 1 Serena Williams in the semifinals of the 2011 U.S. Open Tennis Championships turned out not be much of a match at all.

Williams dominated Wozniacki from the outset, winning 6-2, 6-4. Williams will face Samantha Stosur in today’s women’s final (4 p.m. ET, CBS). Stosur defeated Angelique Kerber, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2.

In men’s action Saturday, top-seeded Novak Djokovic lost the first two sets before rallying to defeat third-seeded Roger Federer in a classic five-set match, 6-7, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5. The ever-changing emotions of the New York crowd at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing added to the match. In the other men’s semifinal, second-seeded Rafael Nadal routed fourth-seeded Andy Murray, 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2.

The men’s final will be held on Monday at 4 p.m.

— Visit SB Nation’s Tennis Hub for much more coverage of the U.S. Open.

U.S. Open 2011 Semis: Novak Djokovic Defeats Roger Federer In Five-Set Epic

Novak Djokovic will face the winner of the Andy Murray-Rafael Nadal match in the 2011 U.S. Open Men's Final on Monday after defeating Roger Federer in a five-set classic. The five-time tournament champion, Federer, won the first two sets and appeared to be on his way to another final. However, Djokovic won the following two sets and came from a break down to win the final set 7-5, eventually winning the match 6-7, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5.

http://www.sbnation.com/tennis/2011/9/10/2416505/u-s-open-2011-semis-schedule-novak-djokovic-and-roger-federer-start

U.S. Open Tennis 2011: Dream Matches Set For Saturday

The 2011 U.S. Open Tennis Championships have reached the semifinals, and dream matchups abound today at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing. For a tournament that lost two days mid-week to heavy rain the final weekend really could not set up any better.

On the men’s side the top four seeds have all reached the semifinals. Top-seeded Novak Djokovic will take on third-seeded Roger Federer, while fourth-seeded Andy Murray tries to knock off No. 2 Rafael Nadal. The winners are scheduled to meet on Monday at 4 p.m. in the men’s final.

On the women’s side, Caroline Wozniacki, seeded first and ranked No. 1 in the world, meets 28th-seeded Serena Williams, still regarded as the world’s best player, in a highly-anticipated prime time match Saturday night. In the other women’s semifinal ninth-seeded Samantha Stosur faces Angelique Kerber. The women’s final is set for Sunday at 4 p.m.

Live television coverage on CBS begins at noon.

Men’s Semifinals

Novak Djokovic (SRB, 1) vs. Roger Federer (SUI 3), Noon ET
Andy Murray (GBR, 4) vs. Rafael Nadal (ESP, 2), 2:45 p.m.

Women’s Semifinals

Angelique Kerber (GER) vs. Samantha Stosur (AUS, 9), 6 p.m.
Caroline Wozniacki (DEN, 1) vs. Serena Williams (USA, 28), 7 p.m.

U.S. Open Tennis 2011: Rafa Nadal and Andy Murray Advance, Setting up Top-Four Semifinal Showdown

The Final Four at the 2011 U.S. Open is the Top Four. The Men’s quarterfinals wrapped up Friday with No. 2 seeded Rafa Nadal and No. 4 Andy Murray both advanced, securing places in the semifinals that will take place on Saturday.

Unfortunately for American tennis fans, both Nadal and Murray dispatched of the final remaining American-born players in the men’s draw. Nadal defeated No. 21 Andy Roddick in straight sets on scores of 6-2, 6-2, 6-3. Nadal dominated the show, breaking Roddick’s serve an impressive six times, not an easy feat given Roddick’s dynamic serve. Nadal also enjoyed a 22-0 edge in forehand winners.

Murray defeated John Isner on scores of 7-5, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6, to reach his fourth Grand Slam semifinal of the year. Murray withstood serves from Isner that topped 140 miles per hour, breaking the tall American twice.

The semifinals are set, with two intriguing matchups. Top seeded Novak Djokovic will take on Federer, while Murray tries to knock off Nadal and reach his fourth Grand Slam final. The winners are scheduled to meet on Monday in what, either way, will be an excellent Men’s final.

On the Women’s side, the semifinals are also set. All eyes will be on top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki, who will try to stop the surging 28th-seeded Serena Williams. The winner of the match will take on the winner of the other semifinal match between unseeded Angelique Kerber and No. 9 Samantha Stosur.

U.S. Open Tennis 2011: Friday's Matches, TV Schedule

Inclement weather that forced postponement of U.S. Open Tennis Championships matches on Tuesday and Wednesday means the final rounds of the tournament will finish later than originally scheduled.

The women’s semifinals were originally scheduled to be played on Friday, but have been moved to Saturday night. The final will now be played at 4 p.m. Sunday.

The men’s semifinals are still set for Saturday, but the final has been moved to Monday at 4 p.m.

Americans Andy Roddick and John Isner will be in action today in the men’s singles quarterfinals. Roddick, seeded 21st, takes on second-seeded Rafael Nadal. Isner (28) takes on fourth-seeded Andy Murray. Matches at the Bill Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing are set to begin at noon.

— See Thursday’s results

Men’s Singles – Quarterfinals

John Isner (USA, 28) vs. Andy Murray (GBR, 4), Noon
Andy Roddick (USA, 21) vs. Rafael Nadal (ESP, 2), Noon

Friday TV Coverage
12:30-6 p.m., Men’s Quarterfinals, CBS

You can find the complete schedule of play on the tournament’s official website.

— See SB Nation’s Tennis Hub for complete U.S. Open coverage

U.S. Open Tennis 2011: Thursday's Matches, TV Schedule

After rain postponed action in the U.S. Open Tennis Championships the past two days, play is scheduled to resume Thursday morning at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing. Weather-permitting, of course.

A star-studded field of players are scheduled to compete on Thursday.

On the men’s side, top seeds Novak Djokovic (1), Rafael Nadal (2), Roger Federer (3) and Andy Murray (4) are all in action. Americans Andy Roddick (21) and John Isner (28) are also scheduled to play.

On the women’s side, No. 1 Carolina Wozniacki, No. 28 Serena Williams and No. 2 Vera Zvonerava all have matches scheduled.

The match and TV schedule for the day are below. All times are Eastern.

Men’s Matches

Gilles Muller (LUX) vs Rafael Nadal (ESP, 2), 11 a.m.
Novak Djokovic (SRB, 1) vs. Janko Tipsarevic (SRB, 20), 11 a.m.
Andy Roddick (USA, 21) vs David Ferrer (ESP, 5), 11 a.m.
Donald Young (USA) vs Andy Murray (GBR, 4), 11 a.m.
Roger Federer (SUI, 3) vs. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA, 11) 7 p.m.

Women’s Matches

Serena Williams (USA, 28) vs. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS, 17), 11 a.m.
Caroline Wozniacki (DEN, 1) vs. Andrea Petkovic (GER, 10) 1 p.m.
Samantha Stosur (AUS, 9) vs. Vera Zvonareva (RUS, 2), 1 p.m.
Angelique Kerber (GER) vs. Flavia Pennetta (ITA, 26), 1 p.m.

Thursday TV Schedule
11a.m.-7 p.m. Tennis Channel
11 a.m.-7 p.m. Men’s Quarterfinals ESPN2
7-11 p.m. Men’s Quarterfinals, ESPN2

You can find the complete schedule of play on the tournament’s official website.

— Follow SB Nation’s StoryStream for the 2011 U.S. Open for continuing coverage of the year’s final Grand Slam.

U.S. Open Tennis 2011: Rain Cancels Wednesday's Action

This is starting to sound like a broken record.

Wednesday’s action at the 2011 U.S. Open was postponed to due weather, just as all of the previous days matches were. Rafa Nadal, Andy Roddick, Andy Murray all started their fourth-round matches, but were only out on the courts for about 15 minutes before play was halted.

The players were then outspoken against the USTA, who urged the matches to start in rain. Nadal said the players did not feel “protected”, while Roddick wondered if the tennis officials were looking at the same weather as him when they ordered the matches to start.

The night session was canceled as well, just as Serena Williams and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova had finished their warm ups. Their quarterfinals match never got underway.

The tournament is scheduled to continue Thursday, but with the current forecast, there are those two daunting words again: weather permitting.

U.S. Open Tennis 2011: Wednesday's Matches, TV Schedule

[Note by Ed Valentine, 09/07/11 6:10 PM EDT: Rain has forced cancellation of the day session Wednesday at the US Open Tennis Championships. The night session is still on, weather permitting, of course. ]

Following Tuesday’s washout, action will resume Wednesday in the U.S. Open Tennis Championships — weather permitting. Today’s forecast in the New York area calls for intermittent showers throughout the day.

Here are Wednesday’s best scheduled matches and the television coverage from the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

Men’s Singles — Fourth Round and Quarterfinals

Gilles Muller (LUX) vs. Rafael Nadal (ESP, 2), 11 a.m.
Novak Djokovic (SRB, 1) vs. Janko Tipsarevic (SRB, 20), 11 a.m.
David Ferrer (ESP, 5) vs. Andy Roddick (USA, 21), 11 a.m.
Donald Young (USA) vs. Andy Murray (GBR, 4), 11 a.m.
John Isner (USA, 28) vs. Gilles Simon (FRA, 12), 11 a.m.
Roger Federer (SUI, 3) vs. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA, 11), 7 p.m.

Women’s Singles — Quarterfinals

Samantha Stosur (AUS, 9) vs. Vera Zvonareva (RUS, 2), 11 a.m.
Angelique Kerber (GER) vs. Flavia Pennetta (ITA, 26), 11 a.m.
Caroline Wozniacki (DEN, 1) vs. Andrea Petkovic (GER, 10), 3 p.m.
Serena Williams (USA, 28) vs. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS, 17), 7 p.m.

Wednesday’s TV Schedule
11a.m.-7 p.m. Tennis Channel
11 a.m.-7 p.m. ESPN2
7-11 p.m. ESPN2

U.S. Open Tennis 2011: Tuesday's Matches Cancelled Due to Weather

All of Tuesday’s matches at the 2011 U.S. Open have been canceled due to rain, the U.S. Tennis Association announced earlier this afternoon. Fourth round matches that were scheduled to be played on the Men’s side were American Donald Young against No. 4 Andy Murray, No. 21 Andy Roddick against No. 5 David Ferrer, and No. 28 John Isner against No. 12 Gilles Simon. Second seed on the Men’s side Rafa Nadal was scheduled to be in action as well.

On the Women’s side, No. 2 Vera Zvonareva was scheduled to kick off the quarterfinals against No. 9 Samantha Stosur.

U.S. Open Tennis 2011: Tuesday's Matches, TV Schedule

American men take center stage today in the 2011 U.S. Open Tennis Championships begins at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing. Andy Roddick (No. 21) and John Isner (No. 28) are both in action. Unseeded Donald Young faces fourth-seeded Andy Murray of Great Britain. Roddick faces fifth-seeded David Ferrer and Isner faces 12th-seeded Gilles Simon.

The schedule of today’s men’s and women’s singles matches, and the television coverage, are below. All times are Eastern unless otherwise noted.

Men’s Fourth Round

Donald Young (USA) vs. Andy Murray (GBR, 4), 11 a.m.
Gilles Muller (LUX) vs. Rafael Nadal (ESP, 2), 11 a.m.
John Isner (USA, 28) vs. Gilles Simon (FRA, 12), 11 a.m.
David Ferrer (ESP, 5) vs. Andy Roddick (USA, 21), 7 p.m.

Women’s Quarterfinals

Angelique Kerber (GER) vs. Flavia Pennetta (ITA, 26), 11 a.m.
Samantha Stosur (AUS, 9) vs. Vera Zvonareva (RUS, 2), 11 a.m.

Tuesday TV Schedule
11a.m.-7 p.m. Tennis Channel
11 a.m.-7 p.m. Men’s Round of 16, Women’s Quarterfinals ESPN2
7-11 p.m. Primetime Men’s Round of 16, Women’s Quarterfinals ESPN2

You can find the complete schedule of play on the tournament’s official website.

— Follow SB Nation’s StoryStream for the 2011 U.S. Open for continuing coverage of the year’s final Grand Slam.

U.S. Open Tennis 2011: Caroline Wozniacki, Roger Federer Advance

Roger Federer and Caroline Wozniacki advanced in late-night matches Monday during play in the U.S. Open Tennis Championships at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing.

Federer had to wait until nearly midnight to begin play. When he did, though, he made quick work of uan Monaco of Argentina 6-1, 6-2, 6-0. The match began at 11:50 p.m. ET, and Federer finished it at 1:15 a.m. Federer, seeded third, will meet Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarterfinals. Tsonga defeated Federer at Wimbledon.

On the women’s side, the top-seeded Wozniacki lost the first set to No. 15 Svetlana Kuznetsova and trailed 4-1 in the second set before rallying. She ended up with a hard-fought 6-7 (6-8), 7-5, 6-1 victory in a match that took 3 hours, 2 minutes to complete.

You can find the complete schedule of play on the tournament’s official website.

— Follow SB Nation’s StoryStream for the 2011 U.S. Open for continuing coverage of the year’s final Grand Slam.

U.S. Open Tennis: Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams Advance, Mardy Fish Eliminated

Men’s top seed Novak Djokovic advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2011 U.S. Open with a straight sets victory over Alexandr Dolgopolov, but it wasn’t as easy as the 7-6, 6-4, 6-2 scoreline reads. The first set tiebreak took 30 points as Djokovic won 16-14 to take the opening set. It was the first real scare for the Serbian so far in Flushing. Djokovic will take on fellow Serb Janko Tipsarevic, who took out Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero on scores of 7-5, 6-7, 7-5, 6-2, in the quarterfinals.

Serena Williams continued her winning ways by knocking off 16th seeded Ana Ivanovic. Williams won on scores of 6-3, 6-4, and will next take on Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, the 17th seed who knocked off No. 7 seed Francesca Schiavone on Sunday.

There are now three American men left in the tournament, as Mardy Fish lost his fourth round match on Sunday to Jo-Wilfred Tsonga. Fish had a two sets to one lead before dropping the final two frames. On Monday, the remaining three American men are all in action in fourth round matches. Donald Young takes on 4th-seeded Englishman Andy Murray, John Isner faces GIlles Simon and Andy Roddck has a tall order ahead of him when he faces the No. 5 seed, David Ferrer.

U.S. Open Tennis 2011: Monday's Best Matches, TV Schedule

Here are some of the best matches and the television schedule for Monday as Week of the 2011 U.S. Open Tennis Championships begins at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing. All times are Eastern. Television coverage is live unless otherwise noted.

Men’s Draw

Novak Djokovic (1) vs. Alexandr Dolgopolov (22), 11 a.m.]
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (11) vs. Mardy Fish (8), 2:30 p.m.
Roger Federer (3) vs. Juan Monaco, 7 p.m.

Women’s Draw

Serena Williams (28) vs. Ana Ivanovic (16), 1 p.m.
Caroline Wozniacki (1) vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova (15), 7 p.m.

Sunday’s Results

On the men’s side Sunday, Rafael Nadal (2), Andy Roddick (21), Andy Murray (4) an John Isner (28) were among the players to advance.

On the women’s side, Vera Zvonerava (2) and Flavia Pannetta (26) advanced.

Monday, September 5
11a.m.-6 p.m. Round of 16 Round CBS
7-11 p.m. Primetime Round of 16 ESPN2

You can find the complete schedule of play on the tournament’s official website.

— Follow SB Nation’s StoryStream for the 2011 U.S. Open for continuing coverage of the year’s final Grand Slam.

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If you are a fan of the U.S. Open Tennis Championships, you know getting tickets to the Event at the National Tennis Center in Flushing isn't cheap. SB Nation has partnered with ticket aggregator TiqIQ to offer you some of the best ticket deals you can find anywhere.

Still looking for something to do on Sunday night? There are still good deals on seats to this evening's matches. And, of course, there are plenty of opportunities to get tickets to matches throughout the week

U.S. Open Tennis 2011: Day 7 Best Matches, TV Schedule

Here are some of the best matches and the television schedule for Sunday’s Day 7 of the 2011 U.S. Open Tennis Championships at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing. All times are Eastern. Television coverage is live unless otherwise noted.

Men’s Draw

David Nalbandian vs. Rafael Nadal (2), 11 a.m.
Alex Bogomolov Jr. vs. John Isner (28), 11 a.m.
Feliciano Lopez (25) vs. Andy Murray (4), 7 p.m.

Women’s Draw

Maria Kirilenko (25) vs. Samantha Stosur (9),11 a.m.
Sabine Lisicki (22) vs. Vera Zvonareva (2), 7 p.m.

Sunday TV Schedule
11 a.m.-6 p.m. Third Round/Round of 16 CBS
7-11 p.m. Third Round/Round of 16 Tennis Channel

Saturday’s action

On the men’s side Saturday, top-seeded Novak Djokovic, third-seeded Roger Federer and eight-seeded Mardy Fish advanced.

On the women’s side, top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki advanced, as did 28th-seeded Serena Williams and 16th -seeded Ana Ivanovic, who defeated American Sloane Stephens.

You can find the complete schedule of play on the tournament’s official website.

— Follow SB Nation’s StoryStream for the 2011 U.S. Open for continuing coverage of the year’s final Grand Slam.

U.S. Open Tennis 2011: Day 6 Best Matches, TV Schedule

Here are some of the best matches and the television schedule for Saturday’s Day 6 of the 2011 U.S. Open Tennis Championships at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing. All times are Eastern. Television coverage is live unless otherwise noted.

On the men’s side top seed Novak Djokovic and third-seeded Roger Federer are in action today. Top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki and Serena Williams (28th) are the headliners in today’s women’s draw.

Men’s Draw

Kevin Anderson vs. Mardy Fish (8), 11 a.m.
Roger Federer (3) vs. Marin Cilic (27), 1 p.m.
Novak Djokovic (1) vs. Nikolay Davydenko, 7 p.m.

Women’s Draw

Caroline Wozniacki (1) vs. Vania King, 11 a.m.
Victoria Azarenka (4) vs. Serena Williams (28), 3 p.m.

Saturday TV Schedule
11a.m.-6 p.m. Third Round CBS
7-11 p.m. Third Round Tennis Channel

You can find the complete schedule of play on the tournament’s official website.

— Follow SB Nation’s StoryStream for the 2011 U.S. Open for continuing coverage of the year’s final Grand Slam.

U.S. Open Tennis: Maria Sharapova Upset By Flavia Pannetta

Maria Sharapova was one of the more recognizable names at the 2011 U.S. Open, entering the tournament as the No. 3 ranked player and a favorite to make it to the later rounds. Unfortunately for the Russian, however, 26-seeded Flavia Pannetta upset her in Friday’s third round of action.

Pennetta won the first set 6-3, dropped the second set 3-6 and then rallied with a 6-4 victory to decide the match. It was the first time this year that Sharapova failed to win a match that went the distance.

.“I think she played really smart. That’s her game, and she makes you hit a lot of balls,” Sharapova said in her post-match press conference. “Even when I had balls in the middle of the court, I just didn’t do much with them. I thought I could have done a lot more. When you’re down 1-4 and you get yourself back in a position where can you win again and start making errors, it’s just too inconsistent to win the match against her.”

Pennetta, an Italian, is now 2-2 all-time against Sharapova.

“The tennis was amazing. We fought a lot,” Pennetta said in an on-court interview. “I want to thank the crowd for supporting me. This is one of the best victories of my career. I hope to get through in the next round.”

Sharapova was considered the favorite behind only Serena Williams to win the entire tournament.

U.S. Open Tennis: Day 5: Best Matches, TV Schedule

Here are some of the best matches and the television schedule for Friday’s Day 5 of the 2011 U.S. Open Tennis Championships at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing. All times are Eastern. Television coverage is live unless otherwise noted.

Third-round play has begun on the women’s side, and now you will begin to see seeded players going up against one another.

Men’s Draw

Robin Haase vs. Andy Murray (4), 11 a.m.
Nicolas Mahut vs. Rafael Nadal (2), 1 p.m.
David Ferrer (5) vs. James Blake, 5 p.m.
Andy Roddick (21) vs. Jack Sock, 7 p.m.

Women’s Draw

Anabel Medina Garrigues (30) vs. Vera Zvonareva (2), 11 a.m.
Irina Falconi vs. Sabine Lisicki (22), 11 a.m.
Flavia Pennetta (26) vs. Maria Sharapova (3), 1 p.m.

You can find the complete schedule of play on the tournament’s official website.

— Follow SB Nation’s StoryStream for the 2011 U.S. Open for continuing coverage of the year’s final Grand Slam.

U.S. Open Results: Day Four Marked By Dominating Performances By Favorites

Day 4 at the U.S. Open wasn't totally devoid of intrigue, but outside of a handful of tightly-contested matchups, many of the day's contests were lopsided affairs. Of the 16 women's matches played, only three went three sets; on the men's side, 12 of the 16 men's matches were decided in three sets, two were decided in four sets, and only two went five sets.

Novak Djokovic, the reigning champion and world No. 1, nearly pulled off a rare feat on Thursday night when he came within a few games of skunking his opponent Carlos Berlocq, 6-0, 6-0, 6-2. After winning the opening set in a mere 20 minutes, Djokovic took all of 29 minutes to win the next six games. Finally in the third frame, Berlocq, who was making his first appearance in the second round of the U.S. Open, put up a bit of a fight. But not before losing the first four games.

Here's about all you need to know about the dominating win:

Djokovic hit 31 winners to 15 unforced errors;  Berlocq hit 11 winners to 26 unforced errors; Berlocq did not hold his serve once in the match.

Had the Serbian pulled off the feat, it would have marked only the second time in U.S. Open history that a player won a best-of-five set match without dropping a single game (Ivan Lendl did so over Barry Moir in 1987). Djokovic moves on to the third round where he'll next face Nikolay Davydenko of Russia.

Earlier in the evening, the No. 1 seed on the women's side Caroline Wozniacki also made quick work of her opponent. The 21-year old Dane, playing in her fourth U.S. Open, trounced Aranxta Rus 6-2, 6-0 in just over one hour. Wozniacki only hit eight winners on the match, but there were few opportunities for her to do much more as a result of the ghastly 32 unforced errors committed by Rus. The 2009 runner up will play 22-year old American Vania King in the round of 32.

Speaking of King, the California native advanced on to Round 3 for the second time in six U.S. Opens by defeating Jarmila Gajdosova, 6-2, 6-0. King, the reigning U.S. Open doubles champion will have her hands full against Wozniacki, but she's certainly playing some of the best tennis of her career right now.

Only one American man was in action on Thursday, No. 8 seed Mardy Fish. Having a great year, Fish kept the momentum going with an easy straight sets win over Malek Jaziri of Tunisia. Fish, who won 46 percent of his return points on Thursday, will need to be equally solid against the serve against his next opponent, Kevin Anderson, a 6'8" South Afircan with a booming serve. New York will certainly be out in full force for Fish's matches, as he appears, along with Andy Roddick, to be one of just two Americans with any sort of real shot at winning our national championship.

In addition to Serena Williams' easy win we wrote about Thursday night, and King's second round triumph, the only other American woman in action was 18 year old Sloane Stephens. Making her first singles appearance at Flushing Meadows, Stephens upended No. 23 seeded Shahar Peer, 6-1, 7-6 (7-4). She'll next face Ana Ivanovic, the No. 16 seed in Round 3.

All in all it was again a good day for the Americans. For fans looking for intensely competitive matches however, Thursday was a tad underwhelming save Juan Carlos Ferrero's five-set marathon win over No. 7 seed Gael Monfils.

For even more U.S. Open updates and commentary, head on over to SB Nation's tennis hub throughout the weekend and into Week 2 of the fourth and final major of the year.

2011 U.S. Open Results: Serena Remains Red Hot, Smokes Michaella Krajicek in 49 Minutes

If you tune in late to watch Serena Williams play at this year’s U.S. Open, you might miss out on the opportunity to see her much. Through two rounds, Serena has played a grand total of 105 minutes of tennis. In Round 1, she dispatched Bojana Jovanovski 6-1, 6-1 in 56 minutes. On Thursday, Williams was even better, dusting off Michaella Krajicek 6-0, 6-1 in 49 minutes thanks to 25 winners to just 10 unfroced errors, a first serve percentage of 61, and an 83 percent conversion rate on her break point chances (5-of-6).

Serena said she wanted to use her sister Venus’ sickness and withdrawal on Wednesday as motivation to do her very best:

“She wants me to do the best. She wouldn’t want me to suffer,” 13-time grand slam winner Serena said.

“So now, if anything, it should motivate me more.”

Williams mentioned that both she and Venus were relieved to know what was finally bothering Venus for some time now, Sjogren’s Syndrome, a chronic disease involving white blood cells and organ and system function. Scary stuff.

“I know she’s a fighter and she’s really strong. She’s great. I think she’s really happy now that she knows what it is after all this time.”

Serena now awaits the winner of Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, the No. 4 seed in this year’s draw, and and Gisela Dulko of Argentina. Assuming the highly ranked Azarenka wins, Serena will get her first major test of the tournament. So far, so good though for the three-time U.S. Open champ.

Be sure to check out SB Nation’s tennis hub throughout the U.S. Open fortnight for updates and results as they become available. We’ll continue to do the same here at SB Nation New York.

2011 U.S. Open Tennis Results: Federer Cruises Easily In Second Round, Ferrero Wins Second Consecutive Five-Set Marathon

The Thursday night session at the 2011 U.S. Open is just underway, but before turning our attention to the second round action from the Arthur Ashe National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadowns, New York, let's take a quick look at what unfolded earlier in the day.

On the men's side, four-time U.S. Open winner Roger Federer looked outstanding, easily dismissing Israeli Dudi Sela 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. Federer actually had a fairly high number of unforced errors (26), but he neutralized that with 31 winners. Most importantly though for Federer, his first serve percentage was 71 percent. Hard to beat Federer when he's serving like that. Federer won 88 percent of the points that he connected on his first serve. The third-seeded advances to round three where he'll face the No. 27 seed, Marin Cilic, a 6'6" inch Croatian that will have to serve well himself if he has much hope of knocking off Federer.

The most exciting match of the day was unquestionably the five-set affair between 31-year old Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain and No. 7 seed Gael Monfils of France. Fresh off a five set win in the first round, Ferrero successfully went the distance again, winning 7-6 (7-5), 5-7, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-4. Ferrero was aggressive when he had to be, but he largely let Monfils beat himself with unforced errors. Monfils had 81 winners, but 81 unforced errors. After nearly five hours of play, the '03 Finalist emerged victorious for the second time this week after trailing two sets to one. He'll next face fellow Spaniard Marcel Granollers.

Is it just me, or has Tommy Haas been around forever. Fine, the German is only 33, but 2011 marks his 13th Open. He's not ready to go home just yet. Haas advanced to the third round with a straight set win over Alejandro Falla. He'll face Argentinian Juan Monaco in the third round.

For more tennis coverage, be sure to frequent <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/tennis" target="new">SB Nation's tennis hub</a>.

U.S. Open Tennis 2011: Day 4 Best Matches, TV Schedule

Here are some of the best second-round matches and the television schedule for today’s Day 4 of the 2011 U.S. Open Tennis Championships at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing. All times are Eastern. Television coverage is live unless otherwise noted.

Men’s Draw

Roger Federer (3) vs. Dudi Sela, 11 a.m.
Malek Jaziri vs. Mardy Fish (8), 5 p.m.
Novak Djokovic (1) vs. Carlos Berlocq, 7 p.m.

Women’s Draw

Michaella Krajicek vs. Serena Williams (28), 11 a.m.
Victoria Azarenka (4) vs. Gisela Dulko, 5 p.m.
Caroline Wozniacki (1) vs. Arantxa Rus, 7 p.m.

SB Nation New York also has a wrap-up of an eventful Day 3 that saw Americans Andy Roddick and Irena Falconi advance to the third round.

You can find the complete schedule of play on the tournament’s official website.

— Follow SB Nation’s StoryStream for the 2011 U.S. Open for continuing coverage of the year’s final Grand Slam.

U.S. Open Tennis Results: Americans Shine On Day 3

If you’re even just a casual tennis fan, you surely are aware about the declining stature of Americans in the world of professional tennis. The decline has been more pronounced on the men’s side, but outside of Venus and Serena Williams, American women have also, by and large, failed to keep pace with the rest of the world.

On Wednesday, Americans in both the men’s and women’s draw gave fans in attendance at the 2011 U.S. Open reason to believe that perhaps the future isn’t so bleak after all.

The most notable American to win Wednesday was No. 21 seed Andy Roddick, who blasted his way to a four-set win over fellow American Michael Russell, who at 34 years of age is the oldest American man currently on tour. Roddick will meet Jack Sock in the second round. Sock, an 18-year old American making his second U.S. Open appearance, won fairly easily in four sets over Marc Gicquel. Given a wild card for the second consecutive year, Sock will square off against one of his idols, Roddick, in Round 2.

Robby Ginepri, who made a surprise run to the semifinals as an unseeded player back in 2005, advanced to the second round with a four-set win over Joao Souza. Ginepri hasn’t played much at all since a biking accident last fall that left him with a severely injured arm. He made his 2011 debut in July, and Wednesday’s first round match was just his second ATP appearance on the year. Because of how infrequently he’s played in 2011, Ginepri required a wild card just to play in this year’s Open.

Fellow Yankee, Steve Johnson, fought valiantly in his U.S. Open debut, but the 21-year old wild card ultimately fell in five sets to Alex Bogomolov Jr., a Moscow native currently residing in the States.

On the women’s side, Irina Falconi, who moved to New York as a young girl, defeated No. 15 seeded Dominika Cibulkova 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 in front of a partisan hometown crowd.  Down 0-3 and 1-4 in the third and final set,the 21-year old Falconi hung tough and eventually managed to outlast the 14th ranked player in the world for her second consecutive upset win.

"That’s the one thing I just focused on, is to never give up until the last point," Falconi said by phone as she left the USTA National Tennis Center Wednesday evening. "I just had to believe the entire time I wasn’t going to give up."

In her first round win on Monday, Falconi also battled back from an opening set loss to win over Klara Zakopalova. Playing in her second U.S. Open, Falconi advances on the Round 3 where she’ll take on 22nd seeded Sabine Lisicki who advanced when Venus Williams retired due to sickness.

Not all was cheery for the Americans on Wednesday. Venus Williams withdrew from her second round match against Sabine Lisicki citing an illness.

For a complete look at Wednesday’s results, visit the U.S. Open Tournament website. Also be sure to check out SB Nation’s tennis hub for frequent updates, commentary and analysis throughout the two-week major championship.

U.S. Open Tennis 2011: Day 3 Best Matches, TV Schedule

Here are some of the best second-round matches and the television schedule for today’s Day 3 of the 2011 U.S. Open Tennis Championships at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing. All times are Eastern. Television coverage is live unless otherwise noted.

Men’s Draw

Somdev Devvarman vs. Andy Murray (4), 1 p.m.
Andy Roddick (21) vs. Michael Russell, 7 p.m.

Women’s Draw

Kateryna Bondarenko vs. Vera Zvonareva (2), 11 a.m.
Venus Williams Sabine Lisicki (22), 1 p.m.
Anastasiya Yakimova vs. Maria Sharapova (3), 7 p.m.

Wednesday TV Coverage
11a.m.-7 p.m. Early Round Action Tennis Channel
1-7 p.m. Early Round Action ESPN2
7-11 p.m. Primetime Early Round Action ESPN2

You can find the complete schedule of play on the tournament’s official website.

In Tuesday’s action, top seeds Caroline Wozniacki and Novak Djokovic advanced to the second round.

— Follow SB Nation’s StoryStream for the 2011 U.S. Open for continuing coverage of the year’s final Grand Slam.

U.S. Open Day Two Results: Top Seeds Advance Easily, Novak Djokovic, Caroline Wozniacki,

Day 2 of the 2011 U.S. Open is in the books, and similar to what unfolded during Monday’s action, Tuesday saw the top-seeded men and women advance fairly easily. Before he could work up much of a swet, No. 1-seeded Novak Djokovic was on to Round 2 after Conor Niland retired due to an illness down 0-6, 1-5 after 44 minutes. The drubbing Niland was taking from Djokovic couldn’t have made him feel any better.

Rafael Nadal had a tougher time in his opening-round match but ultimately won in straight sets 6-3, 7-6 (7-1), 7-5 over Andrey Golubev.

American James Blake advanced Tuesday as well with a four-set win over Jesse Huta Galung. The journeymen fan-favorite will face the No. 5 seed David Ferrer in Round 2.

On the women’s side, No. 1 seeded Caroline Wozniacki breezed by 31-year old Nuria Llagostera, 6-3, 6-1. The 2009 runner-up will play Arantxa Rus in the second round, a tall, 20-year old from the Netherlands making her first U.S. Open appearance.

The No. 6 seed on the women’s side, Li Na of China, was the highest seeded player to fall on Tuesday. The 2011 French Open champ was ousted by 19-year Simona Halep. The rapidly-rising Romanian got off to a quick start against the veteran Li, winning the first set easily, 6-2. Li made her work harder for the second set, but Halep finished her off 7-5 to advance to the second round.

For complete 2011 U.S. Open coverage, visit SB Nation’s tennis hub for complete tournament coverage.

U.S. Open Tennis Results: Serena Needs Less Than An Hour In Round 1 Victory

Fans hoping to see either Serena Williams make another deep run at the U.S. Open should be pleased by her opening round performance Tuesday night. Those interested in seeing Serena stumble are left little choice but to wish she had decided to stay away from the game.

Williams’ dominating return to the Tour this year continued Tuesday night during her first round match at the 2011 U.S. Open. Seeded No. 28, Serena needed just 56 minutes to thrash Bojana Jovanovski of Serbia 6-1, 6-1. Williams had 22 winners, not a surprise, and only 10 unforced errors, a low total for her even when she was playing competitively on a more regular basis.

Two years removed since her infamous tirade at outburst at lineswoman Shino Tsurubuchi, who called a questionable foot fault in Williams’ semifinal loss to Kim Clijsters, Williams must be on her best behavior in order to continue avoiding suspension. So far, so good, though I imagine keeping her emotions in check was not too difficult in her first-round cakewalk.

View the Tournament Website for complete Tuesday results at the 2011 U.S. Open, as well as updated brackets and Wednesday’s schedule.

Also check out SB Nation’s tennis coverage throughout the fourth and final major of the year.

U.S. Open Tennis 2011: Day 2 Best Matches, TV Schedule

Here is a look at some of the best matches and the television schedule for Tuesday, Day 2 of the US Open Tennis Championships at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing. All times are Eastern.

Wimbledon champ Petra Kvitova, the fifth seed in the women’s draw, has already been bounced out of the tournament. What will happen today? We will find out.

Men’s Draw

Novak Djokovic (No. 1) vs. Conor Niland, 11 a.m.
David Ferrer (5) vs. Igor Andreev, 11 a.m.
Rafael Nadal (2) vs. Andrey Golubev, 7 p.m.

Women’s Draw

Caroline Wozniacki (No. 1) vs. Nuria Llagostera Vives, 11 a.m.
Na Li (6) vs. Simona Halep, 11 a.m.
Serena Williams (28) vs. Bojana Jovanovski, 7 p.m.

Tuesday TV Coverage
11a.m.-7 p.m. Early Round Action Tennis Channel
1-7 p.m. Early Round Action ESPN2
7-11 p.m. Primetime Early Round Action ESPN2

— Follow SB Nation’s StoryStream for the 2011 U.S. Open for continuing coverage of the year’s final Grand Slam.

U.S. Open Monday Results: Day 1 Not Entirely Devoid Of Surprise, Intrigue

Day 1 of the 2011 US Open is in the books from Flushing Meadows, New York. Hurricane Irene passed through the area in time for the start of the tournament, and because the hurricane spared the National Tennis Center just outside of the city, play began as scheduled on Monday.

The first day of Grand Slam action usually goes as scripted, and Monday at the 2011 US Open was no different. But the lone shocker of the day was just that — a shocker in every sense of the word. The 2011 Wimbledon Champion, No. 5 seeded Petra Kvitova, was bounced by Alexandra Dulgeru in straight sets, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3. Sounds like the 21-year old felt a little out of her element as a Grand Slam champion with a bulls eye on her back:

“This is something new for me,” Kvitova said about her new status as Grand Slam champion. “I’ve felt a little pressure.”

Kvitova was the only seeded woman to lose on Monday. On the men’s side, No. 15 seed Viktor Troicki lost to Alejandro Falla, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5.

The evening session featured big name stars, a veteran American icon, and an entertaining and tightly-contested five-setter. Venus Williams played in front of the first night crowd of the fortnight against the 91st ranked Vesna Dolonts. The two-time US Open champ and 12-time major winner won 6-4, 6-3. Unsurprisingly, Venus looked a bit rusty and inconsistent despite the easy win.She has, after all, not played since losing in the fourth round at Wimbledon.

“I didn’t really know what to expect,” Williams said, adding, “I just tried to rely on experience and, I don’t know, just tried to get after it.”

Another legendary champion, Roger Federer, finished the day’s action with a straight set victory over Santiago Giraldo. I imagine most still in attendance at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center ventured over to the five-set battle going on between Juan Carlos Ferrero, the 2003 runner up, and 45th ranked Pablo Andujar. Ferrero looked awful in the first set, losing 6-1, but bounced back to win the second set 7-5. Andujar then took the third set, 7-5, before Ferrero easily leveled the match at two sets a piece with a 6-1 win in the fourth. In the fifth and the final set, things were all square at three games before Ferrero pulled away and won the final three games to advance on to the second round. He’ll face No. 7 seed Gael Monfils on Wednesday.

For more opening day coverage from the 2011 US Open, be sure to check out SB Nation’s tennis hub.

U.S. Open 2011 Results: Mardy Fish, Maria Sharapova Win; Wimbledon Champ Petra Kvitova Upset

The 2011 U.S. Open began on Monday in Flushing, N.Y., without much exciting expected to happen. Halfway through the first day, however, Maria Sharapova and Mardy Fish have already picked up victories and Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova was upset.

Fish, the top American competing at America’s Open, defeated Germany’s Tobias Kamke in straight sets with set scores of 6-2, 6-2 and 6-1. Fish made short work of his opponent, but was able to include a between-the-legs shot for those putting together highlight packages.

Sharapova, heading into the tournament ranked third, won her first round match-up as well. The 24-year-old Russian defeated England’s Heather Watson 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 in a match that looked like it might be the second straight opening-round upset in the women’s bracket.

The first upset came when Wimbledon winner Kvitova lost in straight sets to Alexandra Dulgheru of Romania. Kvitova was ranked fifth heading into the Open.

Stay tuned to this StoryStream for the remainder of the evening as there should be an update regarding the later match-ups which include both Roger Federer and Serena Williams.

Arthur Ashe Stadium Suffers 'Minimal' Damage In Hurricane Irene, 2011 U.S. Open Underway

There was a great deal of concern about what Hurricane Irene would do to the East Coast over the weekend, and that included the facilities that will hold the 2011 U.S. Open. But it’s impact was vastly overrated, and the U.S. Open should be able to start on Monday, as planned, without very much deviation from the original plan. According to CBS New York, Arthur Ashe only sustained minimal damage and should be able to host the matches it is scheduled for on Monday without restriction.

The tournament began on Monday with tweaks to the day’s original schedule, including a two-hour delay for the start of play at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The U.S. Tennis Association said Sunday that the site of the year’s last Grand Slam tournament had “minimal damage” from Tropical Storm Irene.

Transportation is also expected to be back up and running for the tournament, so anybody who needs to make their way out to Flushing should have the ability to do so. Matches are scheduled to start at 11 am on Monday, with the opening match in the center court at Arthur Ashe Stadium set to begin at 1 pm.

Tropical Storm Irene, which has apparently lost its status as a Hurricane, did not do as much damage as expected to the facility and any damage it did cause is not believed to have anything to do with the conditions of the actual playing surfaces. The seats in the stands may need to dry out a little bit, but in terms of any damage that would cause delays in the tournament, that doesn’t seem to be the case for the most part.

U.S. Open Tennis 2011, Day 1: Maria Sharapova, Venus Williams, Roger Federer In Action

Here are some of the big-name players who will be in action today during the first day of play in the 2011 U.S. Open Tennis Championships at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing. All times are Eastern.

Men’s Draw

Tomas Berdych (No. 9) vs. Romain Jouan, Noon
Mardy Fish (No. 8) vs. Tobias Kamke, 1 p.m.
Gael Monfils (No. 7) vs. Grigor Dimitrov, 5 p.m.
Roger Federer (No. 3) vs. Santiago Giraldo, 7 p.m.

Women’s Draw

Petra Kvitova (No. 5) vs. Alexandra Dulgheru, 11 a.m.
Vera Zvonareva (No. 2) vs. Stephanie Foretz Gacon, 11 a.m.
Marion Bartoli (No. 8) vs. Alexandra Panova, 11 a.m.
Maria Sharapova (No. 3) vs. Heather Watson, 1 p.m.
Venus Williams vs. Vesna Dolonts, 7 p.m.

Monday’s TV Coverage

11a.m.-7 p.m. Early Round Action Tennis Channel
1-7 p.m. Early Round Action ESPN2
7-11 p.m. Primetime Early Round Action ESPN2

— Follow SB Nation’s StoryStream for the 2011 U.S. Open for continuing coverage of the year’s final Grand Slam.

U.S. Open 2011: Tournament Draw, TV Schedule