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text-decoration:none; } img {border:none;} The Sport Review: “Barcelona
Open: Rafael Nadal sets up Gaël Monfils clash” plus 2 more- Barcelona Open: Rafael Nadal sets up Gaël Monfils clash - Aquilani could still have a Liverpool future, says Dalglish - Elena Baltacha: I was close to quitting before my turnaround Barcelona Open: Rafael Nadal sets up Gaël Monfils clash Posted: 21 Apr 2011 03:42 PM PDT Rafael Nadal remained on course for his sixth Barcelona Open title with a brutal 6-3 6-1 victory over Colombia’s Santiago Giraldo. The world No1 had encountered some resistance early on as his unpredictable opponent made several impressive winners before Nadal squandered an early break to level scores at 3-3. However, the Spaniard was always too strong for the world No54 and raised his game to win nine of the next 10 games to book his place in the quarter-finals. Awaiting Nadal is the dangerous Frenchman Gaël Monfils who, in only his second tournament back from a wrist injury, beat compatriot and world No17 Richard Gasquet 6-4 7-6. Elsewhere, Nicolas Almagro reached a milestone at his home club in Barcelona. The 25-year-old will break into the top 10 for the first time when rankings are renewed on Monday following his 7-6 6-3 victory over Nikolay Davydenko. Next up for the Spaniard is Juan Carlos Ferrero, who struggled past Simone Vagnozzi 7-6 4-6 6-4. Almagro will be the 17th Spaniard in the Open era to reach the top 10 and will become the third in tennis’s elite, alongside Nadal and Ferrer. Ferrer himself progressed into the quarter-finals with a comfortable 6-3 6-2 win over Romanian Victor Hanescu. His victory sets up a repeat of last week's Monte Carlo Masters semi-final against Jurgen Melzer. The in form Austrian was forced to play his best tennis in a difficult 6-7 6-3 6-2 win over Alberto Montanes. And Feliciano López was the fourth Spaniard to reach the quarters after he defeated Japan's Ken Nishikori 6-4 7-6 to set up a clash against surprise winner Ivan Dodig, who outlasted the up-and-coming Milos Raonic 7-6 4-6 6-3. Aquilani could still have a Liverpool future, says Dalglish Posted: 21 Apr 2011 03:11 PM PDT Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has hinted that Alberto Aquilani could still have a future at Anfield. Aqulani, 26, is coming to the end of his season-long loan spell at Juventus after former Reds boss Roy Hodgson allowed the Italian to return to Serie A to regain full fitness and secure regular first-team football. The former AS Roma star was signed for £17m by Rafael Benítez in July 2009 and at the time was seen as a direct replacement for the Real Madrid-bound Xabi Alonso. But Aqulani’s delayed return from injury meant the midfielder did not make his Liverpool debut until November 2009, a substitute appearance during the Reds’ 2-1 defeat by Arsenal in the Carling Cup third round. “When people talk about next season, I’m surprised they don’t give Alberto a mention,” Dalglish told Liverpool’s website. “Everyone seems to have forgotten about him.” Juventus are keen to acquire the services of the Italy international on a permanent basis but the Turin club are not believed to be willing to meet Liverpool's reported valuation of £14m. “I know he has done really well at Juventus this season,” continued Dalglish. “When the loan finishes at the end of the season, he reverts back to being a Liverpool player. “Nothing is cast in stone and he could be coming back to play for Liverpool. He could be a valuable asset here next season. He’s still our player.” The Liverpool manager added: “He certainly didn’t have the best of luck last season. At times he did really well and at other times he didn’t do quite so well but you can say that about most players. What I do know is that he’s had a fantastic season at Juventus.” Elena Baltacha: I was close to quitting before my turnaround Posted: 21 Apr 2011 11:46 AM PDT Flushing Meadows, the home of the US Open in New York, has played host to the best and worst of British No1 Elena Baltacha’s career. In the weeks leading up to 2008's final Grand Slam she was on the verge of hanging up her racquet for good after finding herself questioning her future in the game. But it was in the same city just 24 months later that she surpassed all of her expectations and broke into the top 50 for the first time in her career. “It's really strange that it all happened at the US Open,” she says. “In 2008 I got to a point where I couldn't afford for my coach to be travelling with me. My ranking was not going in the right direction and I felt I had hit my head on a brick wall – I didn't really know what direction I was going in. “I was having all sorts of dramas in the tournaments leading up to the US Open and I wasn't playing well. I was all over the shop mentally.” Alan Jones, Elena’s coach at the time, flew out to New York as she prepared to try and find her feet in the qualifying rounds of what she had vowed would be her last tournament. “He came out for that week and said: ‘Whatever happens, just try your hardest, and then if you want to stop that's fine. When we go back after this week we can get you a coaching job.' And I said: 'OK, after this week, I want to retire’.” That week, Elena put her struggles behind her and powered through to the final round of qualifying where she was defeated in three sets by France’s Julie Coin, who went on to reach the third round in New York, beating former world No1 Ana Ivanovic along the way. “I remember getting home after that and Alan said: 'You were nearly there, you nearly had it'. And I realised he was right. We stuck it out for the next couple of months and then that was it – it all just changed around for me.” What followed was some turnaround. Despite ending 2008 ranked No136, she began a meteoric rise up the WTA ladder and reached the top 100 for the first time in her career the following season. Then, after reaching the third round of the 2010 Australian Open and recording victories over Francesca Schiavone and Li Na—both then ranked in the top 10—later that year, she capped a remarkable season by achieving a career-high ranking of No49 on her return to New York. “It’s so strange to think that that's where I nearly quit, and two years later, that's when I got into the top 50. “If someone at that time in 2008 said to me: 'Don't worry, you're going to be fine. Keep believing and you'll get into the top 50', I would never have believed them. Never.” “…If you don't make it to the second week of Wimbledon everyone thinks you're a failure, and it has been difficult to deal with. I don't pick up a paper for the two weeks…” Elena, who was born in the Ukraine and whose father, Sergei, is a former footballer who played for Ipswich Town amongst others, is now focused on building on last year’s achievements. “My game has shaped up so much better because of my experiences from last year,” she continues. “Now I feel more confident, I feel like more of a complete player. “Getting the wins against top 10 players was incredible. Not a lot of players can say that they've done that.” Elena is yet to win a singles title on clay, and she openly admits it is her least favourite surface as she gears up for the Barcelona Ladies Open in Spain next week. “Every year I say how much I hate the clay and how I just cannot wait to get off it,” she says. “But this year I'm more relaxed about it. “I've accepted that clay isn't my best surface and I'm not expecting myself to do anything huge, but why not give it a go and see what I can do? For once, I'm actually really looking forward to it.” Like any Brit on the tour, Elena dreams of success at Wimbledon—where she has never been past the third round—but she admits the burden that comes with stepping out onto court at SW19 has affected her in the past. “Of course you do have that pressure,” she says. “I don't pick up a paper for the two weeks. If you don't make it to the second week everyone thinks you're a failure and it has been difficult to deal with. “But this year is going to be my 10th Wimbledon and you get used to all that – I don't take it personally at all now. “Anyway, it's not just all about Wimbledon. That’s just one tournament in a long season. Of course it's always nice to do well there and I'd love to be in the second week, but if it's not meant to be, it's not meant to be.” Currently ranked No87, what are her goals for the rest of the year? “I want to get myself back into the top 50 – I really believe I can do that. And I would love to make the second week of a Grand Slam. That would be something really special.” You are subscribed to email updates from The Sport Review To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. Email delivery powered by Google Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 -- Posted By Mas Item Arekjowo to The Sport Review at 4/22/2011 12:07:00 AM -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Gugukluhayat" group. To post to this group, send email to gugukluhayat@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to gugukluhayat+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/gugukluhayat?hl=en.
