TENNIS in DEPTH.

Mardy Fish ended the hopes of top seed Andy Roddick to reach the final of the Atlanta Tennis Championships.

The all-American encounter appeared to be a foregone conclusion with Roddick riding on the back of a nine-match winning streak against Fish, but the sixth seed had other ideas as he posted a convincing 7-6 (7/5) 6-3 triumph.

Second seed John Isner awaits Fish in the final after the giant American saw off the challenge of plucky South African Kevin Anderson.

In a match played in punishing heat – on-court temperatures reached 140 degrees Fahrenheit – it was Isner who prevailed in the gruelling clash, 6-3 6-7 (7/9) 6-3.

Bookmark It

Tournament director Bob Kramer said Friday that Djokovic, the world’s second-ranked player, withdrew from the Farmers Classic because of undisclosed personal reasons. Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic, the 2007 winner, withdrew because of a knee injury.

Joining the field is fourth-ranked Andy Murray, who received a wild card and will be seeded No. 1 when play begins Monday at the Los Angeles Tennis Center on the UCLA campus.

Juan Martin del Potro has clarified that he has not yet begun hitting on court after wrist surgery in May but did not give a timeline on his return.

“I haven’t picked up a racquet yet so I can’t tell an exact date,” del Potro wrote on his Twitter account. “When I know I’ll tell you the news here. I’m improving, that’s a good thing.” 

Earlier in the day, del Potro’s physiotherapist told Argentine media that his player would only return at the ATP tour event in Bangkok, which takes place after the U.S. Open. On Thursday, the USTA said it had been told del Potro was recovering faster than anticipated and was expected to play the U.S. Open.

Two-time French Open runner-up Robin Soderling has pulled out of next month’s Legg Mason Tennis Classic for personal reasons.

Tournament organizers announced his withdrawal Friday night. The hard-court tournament featuring Andy Roddick and Wimbledon finalist Tomas Berdych begins Aug. 1.

Bookmark It

Johanna Larsson continued her superb recent form by reaching her first tour semi-final at the Banka Koper Slovenia Open in Portoroz at the expense of third seed Anastasia Pavyluchenkova.

Larsson, the world number 84, who reached her first career quarter-final at the ECM Prague Open last week, went one better with a one-sided 6-3 6-2 win in just 73 minutes

Improving Anna Chakvetadze saved two match points on her way to defeating fellow Russian and sixth seed Vera Dushevina 2-6 6-3 7-5. Dushevina blew a 5-3 final set lead including match points at 5-4.

Seventh seed Polona Hercog delighted her home fans in the late action with a 7-5 7-5 win over Stefanie Voegele of Switzerland, while Russian Ksenia Pervak completes the last four after beating qualifier Anastasiya Yakimova 6-2 2-6 6-1.

Bookmark It

Andy Roddick had to dig deep in a tough encounter with Rajeev Ram before booking his place in the quarter-finals of the Atlanta Tennis Championships.

The world number nine, back in action for the first time since Wimbledon, became the fifth American to reach the last eight of the hardcourt tournament by posting 6-1 6-7 (1/7) 6-3 triumph.

Roddick joins John Isner, Mardy Fish, Taylor Dent and Michael Russell as the US contingent in the next round.

Next up for the 2003 US Open champion is a meeting with seventh seed Xavier Malisse, who advanced with a 6-3 6-3 win over Ukraine’s Illya Marchenko.

Roddick defeated Malisse in the Atlanta final in 2001, the last time the ATP Tour visited the city prior to this year, and enjoys an 8-0 career record against the Belgian.

Donald Young failed to make it six Americans in the last eight as he went down to a 7-5 6-3 defeat at the hands of South African Kevin Anderson, while third seed Lleyton Hewitt was a surprise casualty as he lost 6-4 6-2 to Slovakia’s Lukas Lacko.

Bookmark It

Top seed Jelena Jankovic was forced to pull out midway through her second-round match in the Banka Koper Slovenia Open in Portoroz due to an ankle injury.

Jankovic was trailing 1-6 6-3 1-0 to qualifier Anastasiya Yakimova of Belarus when she was forced to withdraw, sending Yakimova through to the quarter-finals.

“Rolled my ankle a little,” Serb Jankovic said on her Twitter page. Will be OK, just a little disappointing. I’ll rehab and get ready for San Diego.

Third seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova suffered no such problems as she swept aside Paraguay’s Rossana De Los Rios 6-3 6-0 in just 67 minutes to book her own last-eight place.

In the day’s two other games, Sweden’s Johanna Larsson continued her fine recent form with a 7-5 6-1 win over Maria Elena Camerin of Italy, and Alexandra Panova beat fellow Russian Ksenia Pervak 6-2 7-5.

French 20-year-old Alize Cornet swept aside top seed and defending champion Andrea Petkovic to move into the quarter-finals of the Nurnberger Gasteinladies in Bad Gastein.

Cornet took one hour and 42 minutes to dispose of Germany’s Petkovic with a 6-2 7-5 win and move into the last eight where she will next face local wild-card Patricia Mayr.

Mayr pulled off the second shock of the day with a 6-3 6-4 win over seventh seed Tathiana Garbin. Another Austrian, Yvonne Meusburger, beat Czech Lucie Hradecka 7-5 7-5, while Germany’s Julia Goerges beat Mariya Korytteva of Ukraine 6-2 7-5.

Bookmark It

Defending champion Juan Martin del Potro is “expected” to return from injury at the US Open, says the United States Tennis Association (USTA).

The Argentine, 21, has not played since the Australian Open in January after suffering a wrist injury.

Del Potro said after undergoing surgery in May that he would miss the US Open as he did not want “to rush things”.

But a USTA statement on Thursday said Del Potro “is expected to return to Grand Slam competition” in New York.

And the player’s agent, Ugo Colombini, told The Associated Press: “Del Potro is working and hopefully he will be back soon.”

The US Open gets under way at Flushing Meadows on 30 August and Del Potro has already confirmed that he will play at the Thailand Open, which begins on 27 September.

“I am looking forward to playing the PTT Thailand Open on my return from injury,” said Del Potro.

“I really enjoyed myself on my last visit to Bangkok and hope for good results at this year’s tournament.”

Del Potro became the first man other than Rafael Nadal to beat Roger Federer in the final of a Grand Slam tournament at the US Open last September, but began struggling with tendinitis in his right wrist the following month.

He then suffered a recurrence of the injury in the new year and continued to struggle with the problem at the Australian Open, losing in the fourth round to Marin Cilic.

Bookmark It

Just when most of Spain is getting ready for some holidays, Rafa and ‘Team Nadal’ just finished theirs. After two weeks of rest they are back to work to prepare the most difficult part of the season yet.

Rafa’s run during the American hard-court season has always been the most challenging for him, but this year (compared to previous years), Rafa has been very careful planning his schedule to avoid injuries and exhaustion. He is coming back full of energy ready to fight for the only Grand Slam trophy he’s missing, as well as compete at the highest level in the remaining 4 Masters Series 1000 events and ATP World Tour Finals.

But what exactly has Rafa done during his time off you may be wondering? He spent time at the beach and fishing with family and friends. As most people already saw on TV, he was in South Africa supporting Spain for the World Cup final and some of you may have seen him going to Vitoria, the place where he usually goes to recover his knees.

We hope this break gave Rafa all that he needed to face the upcoming tournaments in Canada, Cincinnati and New York (US Open).

Bookmark It

Sam Stosur will headline the Bank of the West Classic (26 July–1August) at Stanford University.

Stosur, who hasn’t played since Wimbledon, will begin her US preparations at the event, which has been running for 40 years.

The current world No.5 will be joined by 2008 Olympic gold medalist Elena Dementieva, 2010 Wimbledon finalist Vera Zvonareva, current World No. 11 Agnieszka Radwanska, defending Bank of the West Classic champion Marion Bartoli, three-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova, Israeli star Shahar Peer, and 2009 US Open semifinalist Yanina Wickmayer.

Other players who will feature in the 30-woman draw include: 2008 French Open champion Ana Ivanovic, former World No. 1 Dinara Safina, current World No. 18 Victoria Azarenka, 2010 Australian Open semifinalist Zheng Jie, Slovakian star Daniela Hantuchova and rising American star Melanie Oudin.

Stosur will be looking to use this event as a springboard to a successful hardcourt season. The Queenslander, who is currently in Sydney, said that she’s hoping to achieve a career-best result at the US Open which begins on 30 August.

Bookmark It