TENNIS in DEPTH.

Hantuchova stormed through the opening set against Croatia’s Ajla Tomljanovic without dropping a game, only to suffer a major lapse in concentration and lose the second 6-2. However, the Slovakian recovered her composure to win the decider and seal a 6-0 2-6 6-4 victory. Third seed Tamira Paszek went through a very similar experience in beating American qualifier Ashley Weinhold 6-0 4-6 6-2, but second seed Lucie Safarova enjoyed a much easier victory, beating American Jill Craybas 6-2 6-1. Eighth seed Anna Tatishvili was the biggest casualty, winning the first set 7-5 but losing the next two 6-4 to bow out at the hands of French qualifier Julie Coin.

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Nole’s impressive year continued on Monday when he added a third Grand Slam title to his remarkable 2011 season. The 24-year-old Serb clinched a stunning victory over defending champion Rafael Nadal in one of the greatest duels in the history of tennis and proved beyond doubt that he is the world no.1 by a distance. After winning the US Open in brilliant fashion , the most dominant player in the world strengthened his place atop men’s tennis increasing his lead in the latest ATP Ranking list.

Novak has 14,720 points, 4,100 more than second-ranked Nadal and 6,340 more than Federer in third position.

ATP top 10:

1. Novak Djokovic (Serbia) 14.720

2. Rafael Nadal (Spain) 10,620

3. Roger Federer (Switzerland) 8,380

4. Andy Murray (Great Britain) 7,165

5. David Ferrer (Spain) 4,200

6. Robin Soderling (Sweden) 3,785

7. Gael Monfils (France) 2,850

8. Mardy Fish (USA) 2,820

9. Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) 2,770

10. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (France) 2,710

Novak will be heading to Belgrade to join his teammates for next weekend’s Davis Cup World Group semi-final tie against Argentina which will be held from September 16-18 in Belgrade Arena. Serbia is the defending champion.

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The top seed from Serbia gave a display of breathtaking quality to triumph 6-2 6-4 6-7 (3-7) 6-1 in four hours and 10 minutes on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Nadal, who was bidding to win his 11th Grand Slam title, has now lost all six of his meetings with Djokovic in 2011. Djokovic now holds the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open trophies. He becomes only the sixth man in the Open Era to win three majors in the same year.

“It’s an incredible feeling,” said the 24-year-old, whose has lost only two of his 66 matches this season. “I’ve had an had amazing year and it keeps going. ”Every time I play Rafa it’s a big challenge. He’s had a great tournament and I wish we have many more tough matches in the coming years. ”I couldn’t have done any of it without my team, I love you all so much.” Djokovic was beaten by Nadal at the same stage 12 months ago, but he turned the tables on the Spaniard this time round – and how.

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Brave Australian Samantha Stosur rekindled the finest traditions of her country’s tennis to win the US Open as Serena Williams again disgraced herself at Flushing Meadows. The 27 year-old Queenslander ignored the distraction of another shocking tirade at officialdom from Williams to score an upset 6-2, 6-3 victory and secure her first Grand Slam title. Two years on from her notorious threat to kill a lineswoman in the same Arthur Ashe Stadium, the American lost her self-control at the start of the second set and harangued Greek umpire Eva Asderaki for making a perfectly correct call. The trouble started when Williams hit a forehand drive and, before Stosur had made a vain lunge to get a racket frame on the ball, she shouted ‘Come on!’.

Asderaki rightly gave the point to Stosur under the ‘hindrance’ rule, sparking a tide of abuse from the strong favourite that earned an official warning and went on during two further changeovers.

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The ninth seed gave a hugely impressive performance to beat the three-time champion 6-2 6-3 in one hour and 13 minutes at Flushing Meadows. An outburst from Williams that brought the American a code violation had threatened to overshadow the final. But a nerveless Stosur continued to dominate and ran out a deserved winner. ”I had one of my best days and I’m very fortunate that I had it on this stage in New York,” said Stosur. Continue reading the main story Six months ago in the hospital I couldn’t even stand up, but thanks to my parents and sisters and everyone else I’m here. Ever since I started playing it was a dream of mine to be here one day. I don’t really know what to say. Serena, you are a fantastic player, great champion and have done wonders for our sport.” The 27-year-old from Queensland becomes the first Australian woman to win the US Open since Margaret Court in 1973. She went into the final as a considerable underdog, having played in just one Grand Slam final compared to the 13-time major winner Williams, who had not dropped a set in the tournament. Stosur was clearly not concerned by any of that as she used her strengths, a heavy kick serve and powerful forehand, to take control against a misfiring Williams. The American has the best serve in the game but making just 35% of first serves in the opening set allowed Stosur to attack the returns and break twice as she took it in 31 minutes. A frustrated Williams threw her racquet to the ground as the set slipped away, but that was nothing compared to the anger she displayed early in the second.

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Rafael Nadal says he will try to replicate his performance against Novak Djokovic in the U.S. Open final last year rather than making any significant changes in strategy after losing five finals to the Serb this year. ”I think I gonna do serve and volley,” Nadal joked. “You know, I have my game, and I beat him in the past playing my game. The thing is play my game very well and be enough strong mentally all the time, fight every ball, believe in the victory in every moment. That’s something that for moments this year I didn’t. But just play aggressive, try to play a similar match than last year here. I saw that match a lot of times and I know what I have to do, but I don’t know if I gonna be able to do it.

A victory over Nadal in the title match at Flushing Meadows on Monday would make Djokovic 64-2 in 2011 with 10 titles, including three at majors. It also would make Djokovic 6-0 against Nadal this season.

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Serena Williams ended the US Open hopes of world number one Caroline Wozniacki with a commanding display in their semi-final. The 29-year-old American belied her seeding of 28 as she powered through 6-2 6-4 on the Arthur Ashe Stadium. Williams has yet to drop a set at Flushing Meadows as she closes in the 14th Grand Slam title of her career. She will play ninth seed Sam Stosur in the final after the Australian beat Germany’s Angelique Kerber 6-3 2-6 6-2. The women’s final will take place at 2130 BST on Sunday after bad weather earlier in the week caused the schedule to be reorganised. ”I really feel like I don’t have anything to lose,” Williams said after her win. “I have beaten all the odds. ”Six months ago I was in the hospital and now I’m in the final. So I feel like, regardless of the result, I have been a champion for everyone out there who is fighting against all odds and staying positive.” Williams has been a strong favourite for the title throughout the tournament, despite a world ranking of 27th as she makes her way back after a serious foot injury last year.

Wozniacki remains dogged by questions about her lack of a Grand Slam title and the 21-year-old Dane never looked like getting past Williams. An early break point was not converted and after Williams broke serve in a lengthy fourth game, only a medical time-out for attention to her heavily strapped foot really threatened her. Wozniacki got one break back in game seven but Williams immediately hit back to wrap up the set after 46 minutes, making 15 winners to none from the Dane. The American’s 24th winner of the night was a beautiful forehand that set up three more break points at 2-1 in the second set, and Wozniacki cracked with a double-fault. Williams betrayed some nerves with a loose game when serving for the match, double-faulting on break point, but she broke straight back to reach her first Grand Slam final since winning Wimbledon last year. Wozniacki was upbeat despite the defeat, and inevitably was asked about being top of the world rankings having not won a Grand Slam. ”I’m still number one in the ranking. No-one can take that away from me for now. It’s definitely been a successful year for me. ”I cannot complain. I won six titles. I have made two semi-finals of Grand Slams.” The first women’s semi-final had been controversially moved to the Grandstand court with the men’s semi-finals rescheduled for Ashe.

Stosur had indicated her unhappiness at playing a Grand Slam semi-final on effectively the third show court but she survived a late fightback to see off the unseeded Kerber. ”It’s a dream come true,” said the 27-year-old, who regained her composure after failing to serve out the match at her first attempt. “This is something I’ve wanted to do since I first started playing tennis. ”I have been playing for nearly 20 years now, so it’s been a long run to try and get to this point.”

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Novak Djokovic saved two match points to beat Roger Federer in the semi-finals of the US Open for the second year in a row in another astonishing match at Flushing Meadows. This time the world number one fought back from two sets down but still looked doomed to defeat when Federer broke in the deciding set and served for victory. However, a stunning forehand return on the third seed’s first match point turned the tide and Djokovic reeled off four games in a row to triumph 6-7 (7/9) 4-6 6-3 6-2 7-5 in three hours and 51 minutes. The Serb is now one win away from a third grand slam title of the year while Federer’s loss means he will finish a season without one for the first time since 2002.

The 24-year-old led the crowd in a mass dance after hailing the victory the best of his stellar year and one of the best of his career.

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