SB Nation Boston - U.S. Open 2011: Venus Williams Withdraws From Tournament Due To Illnesshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48863/boston-fave.png2011-08-31T16:27:37-04:00http://boston.sbnation.com/rss/stream/21572812011-08-31T16:27:37-04:002011-08-31T16:27:37-04:00US Open 2011: Venus Williams Withdraws From Tournament
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<p>According to the <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/usopen/statuses/108991234516860928" target="new">US Open Twitter feed</a>, Venus Williams has withdrawn from the US Open. She cited a “unspecified illness” when pulling from the Grand Slam tournament mere minutes before she was to play her second round match against German Sabine Lisicki Wednesday afternoon.</p>
<p>According to <em><a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/tennis/blog/busted_racquet/post/Venus-Williams-pulls-out-of-U-S-Open?urn=ten-wp2840" target="new">Yahoo! Sports</a></em>, Williams has only played in four tournaments in 2011. She suffered from illness and an abdominal injury this year. Withdrawing from the US Open now drops the eldest of the two tennis playing Williams sisters out of the top 100 world tennis rankings.</p>
<p><em>For more U.S. Open coverage, head over to <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/tennis" target="new">SB Nation Tennis</a> and <a href="http://thedailyforehand.com/" target="new">The Daily Forehand</a>.</em></p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2011/8/31/2396512/us-open-2011-venus-williams-withdraws-illnesssportsgirlkat2011-08-31T16:19:27-04:002011-08-31T16:19:27-04:00US Open 2011: Wednesday's Schedule Features Sharapova's Second Round, Murray and Roddick
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<p>Wednesday’s action at the US Open includes a mix of both first round and second round play.</p>
<p>Number four ranked Andy Murray of Great Britain begins his quest in the Open Wednesday afternoon, against India’s Somdev Devvarman. Veteran Andy Roddick, ranked 21st here, will face fellow American Michael Russell in the night session. American John Isner, ranked 28th, will play Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus.</p>
<p>Maria Sharapova will play her second round match against Anastasiya Yakimova in the 7pm evening session.</p>
<p>The full listing of matches of note, courtsey of <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/tennis" target="new"><em>SBNation Tennis</em></a>:</p>
<p>Men’s matches:</p>
<p>Somdev Devvarman vs. No. 4 Andy Murray – not before 2 p.m ET., Arthur Ashe Stadium</p>
<p>No. 6 Robin Soderling vs. Louk Sorensen – 11 a.m. ET,</p>
<p>No. 21 Andy Roddick vs. Michael Russell – 7 p.m. ET,</p>
<p>Marcos Baghdatis vs. No. 28 John Isner – not before 5 p.m. ET</p>
<p>Women’s matches:</p>
<p>Kateryna Bondarenko vs. No. 2 Vera Zvonareva – 11 a.m ET.</p>
<p>Angelique Kerber vs. No. 12 Agnieszka Radwanska – 11 a.m. ET</p>
<p>No. 14 Dominika Cibulkova vs. Irina Falconi – 11 a.m., ET</p>
<p>Anastasiya Yakimova vs. No. 3 Maria Sharapova – 7 p.m.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2011/8/31/2396487/us-open-2011-wednesdays-schedule-maria-sharapova-second-roundsportsgirlkat2011-08-31T16:09:56-04:002011-08-31T16:09:56-04:00US Open 2011: Nadal, Williams, Wozniacki and Djokovic All Advance on Tuesday
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<p>Rafal Nadal, Serena Williams, Caroline Wozniacki and Novak Djokovic all advanced Tuesday in first round play in the US Open.</p>
<p>Wozniacki defeated Nuria Llagostera Vives in two sets, 6-3, 6-1. Djokovic faced a food poisoning stricken Conor Niland, who valiantly tried to play, but had to retire during the match.</p>
<p>Nadal had a bit of a difficult time with Andrey Golubev, going three hours against the underdog from Kazakhstan, but was able to get through the match 6-3, 7-6 (1), and 7-5. Williams cruised to a win over Bojana Jovanovski in two sets 6-1, 6-1.</p>
<p><em>For more U.S. Open coverage, head over to <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/tennis/" target="new">SB Nation Tennis</a> and <a href="http://thedailyforehand.com/" target="new">The Daily Forehand.</a></em></p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2011/8/31/2396464/us-open-2011-nadal-williams-wozniacki-and-djokovic-advance-first-roundsportsgirlkat2011-08-30T11:32:48-04:002011-08-30T11:32:48-04:00US Open 2011: Number 1 Seeds Take The Court In Tuesday's First Round Play
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<p>Both first overall seeds – Caroline Wozniacki and Novak Djokovic – start match play at the US Open on Tuesday. Serena Williams and Rafal Nadal also begin their Flushing Meadows quests today.</p>
<p>Denmark’s Wozniacki is the first player to be seeded number 1 at the start of the US Open for two consecutive years in a decade. She will take on Spain’s Nuria Llagostera Vives at 11 a.m. Serbia’s Djokovic will face Ireland’s Conor Niland, also at 11 a.m.</p>
<p>Williams, who is only ranked 28th in the world currently because of the serious blood clot and other injuries which have limited her play over the past year, will take on Bojana Jovanovski in the 7 p.m session. Nadal will take on Andrey Golubev in the same session.</p>
<p>Other matches of note include number 4 seed No. 4 Victoria Azarenka versus Johanna Larsson at 11 a.m., sixth ranked David Ferrer versus Igor Andreev at the same time, and American James Blake facing off against Jesse Huta Galung in the afternoon.</p>
<p><em>For more U.S. Open coverage, head over to <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/tennis/2011/8/tennis" target="new">SB Nation Tennis</a> and <a href="http://thedailyforehand.com/" target="new">The Daily Forehand.</a></em></p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2011/8/30/2393466/us-open-2011-tuesday-first-round-serena-williams-rafal-nadal-caroline-wozniacki-novak-djokovicsportsgirlkat2011-08-30T09:47:28-04:002011-08-30T09:47:28-04:00US Open 2011: Federer, Fish, Williams and Sharapova Advance On Day 1
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<p>The favorites advanced in Monday's first round of play at the US Open, but not without some struggles on the part of Maria Sharapova and Roger Federer.</p> <p>Roger Federer was surprised a bit by his unranked opponent on Monday night, but prevailed and joined some other big names in winning their first round US Open matches. Federer defeated Santiago Giraldo 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 on Monday evening. He struggled a bit in his first two sets, but took the third without much trouble. It was Federer's 224th career Grand Slam victory.</p>
<p>Maria Sharapova also was a bit shaky in her first round match against Heather Watson of Great Britian. Watson won the first set 6-3, but Sharapova rebounded and took the next two 7-5, 6-3 for the win.</p>
<p>In comparison, Venus Williams won her opening round match handily, defeating Vesna Dolonts in just two sets, 6-4, 6-3. American Mardy Fish, who tennis insiders believe is in for a breakout performance at the US Open, also won easily, defeating Tobias Kamke 6-2, 6-2, 6-1.</p>
<p><i>For all more U.S. Open coverage, head over to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/tennis/2011/8/tennis">SB Nation Tennis</a> and <a target="_blank" href="http://thedailyforehand.com/">The Daily Forehand</a>. </i></p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2011/8/30/2393244/us-open-tennis-2011-roger-federer-venus-williams-mardy-fish-maria-sharapova-first-roundsportsgirlkat2011-08-29T12:01:45-04:002011-08-29T12:01:45-04:00U.S. Open 2011: Federer, Williams, Sharapova Headline First Day of Play
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<p>If it's almost Labor Day, it must be time for the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows, NY. Some of the sport's biggest names headline the first day of play, including Roger Federer, Venus Williams, and Maria Sharapova. </p> <p>Despite the lingering affects of Hurricane Irene, the U.S. Open tennis tournament begins in Flushing Meadows, NY on Monday. Play begins on both the men's and women's side at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City. Day one features some of the sports biggest names - and one or two that may become big names by the end of the tournament.</p>
<p>On the women's side, Russia's Maria Sharapova and the United State's Venus Williams are the two most recognizable names playing their first round matches today. Sharapova takes on Great Britian's Heather Watson at 1 p.m., while Williams takes on Russia's No. 91 seed Vesna Dolonts at 7 p.m.</p>
<p>Williams lost in the semi-finals of last year's U.S. Open to eventual champion Kim Clijsters and will be seeking her first singles title at Flushing Meadows since 2001. Several other U.S. women play Monday, including a match pitting Americans Jill Craybas and Madison Keys at noon. This July's Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic will begin her US Open with a match against Alexandra Dulgheru of Romania.</p>
<p>On the men's side, the very popular Roger Federer of Switzerland will play unseeded Colombian Santiago Giraldo in the first round in prime time Monday night. Federer starts his quest Monday for a sixth U.S. Open title, and by all accounts, should have an easy time with Giraldo.</p>
<p>American Mardy Fish, who is quietly climbing the tennis rankings (he currently sits at #8 in the world) will face Germany's Tobian Kamke at 1 p.m.. Fish will be looking to make noise at the Open and gain more widespread recognition from casual tennis fans. Croatia's Ivo Karlovic takes on Fernando Gonzales of Chile at 11 a.m., in what <a target="_blank" href="http://www.thesportscampus.com/2011082915802/grand-slams/federer-sharapova-and-venus-eyeing-victory-on-day-1-of-the-us-open%20"><i>The Sports Campus</i></a> proclaims as the match of the day.</p>
<p>Opening Rounds and recaps will be <a target="_blank" href="http://www.usopen.org/en_US/about/tv_us.html?promo=TVScheduleRightRailPromo">broadcast throughout the day Monday on ESPN2 and the Tennis Channel</a>, as well as on <a target="_blank" href="http://www.usopen.org/en_US/interactive/radio/radio.html?ts=1314632248793&db=false&ref=www.usopen.org/en_US/about/tv_us.html&lang=en_US&stream=undefined&syn=%20">USOpen.org Radio</a>.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2011/8/29/2391129/us-open-2011-schedule-roger-federer-venus-williams-maria-sharapova-mardy-fishsportsgirlkat