Home>News Center>Sports
             
     

    Safin ends Federer's 26-game win streak
    By John Pye (Agencies)
    Updated: 2005-01-28 08:27

    Roger Federer was on his hands and knees, his racket gone after he tumbled chasing a shot. All he could do was watch as Marat Safin tapped a gentle forehand into an open court to cap a thrilling 4 1/2-hour Australian Open semifinal and end the top-ranked Federer's 26-match winning streak.


    Marat Safin of Russia, fourth seed, left, and Roger Federer of Switzerland, top seed, exchange words, after their mens singles semifinal match, at the Australian Open on Rod Laver Arena at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2005. Safin won in five sets, 5-7, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6, 9-7. [AP]

    Safin fended off a match point in the fourth set, then needed seven match points of his own before pulling off a 5-7, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (6), 9-7 upset of defending champion Federer and advancing to his third Australian Open final in four years.

    "It's always going to hurt, no matter how great the match was," Federer said. "But at least you can leave the place feeling good about yourself, because I gave it all I had."

    The fourth-seeded Safin next meets No. 2 Andy Roddick or No. 3 Lleyton Hewitt, whose semifinal is Friday.

    The women's final is set, featuring past champions Serena Williams and Lindsay Davenport. Williams' 2-6, 7-5, 8-6 victory over Maria Sharapova in a rematch of last year's Wimbledon final produced about as much drama as Federer-Safin.

    Williams saved three match points, then leaped three times after ending it with a winner.

    The top-ranked Davenport, who contemplated retiring in 2004, came back to beat No. 19 Nathalie Dechy of France 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4. Davenport also reached the doubles final, pairing with Corina Morariu to face Svetlana Kuznetsova and Alicia Molik for that title.

    With Federer trailing 8-7 in the fifth set and serving on match point, he lunged to retrieve a deep shot wide to his forehand side. He swatted back a desperation shot, but slipped and dropped his racket. Safin converted the putaway.

    "It's like a brain fight. ... It's more mental than physical against Roger," said Safin, who smashed his racket to the court two points before he lost the third set and later belted a ball into the stands.

    The mercurial Russian, whose lone major title came at the 2000 U.S. Open, showed that it is possible to frustrate Federer. The Swiss star won four of the previous six Slams, including three in 2004 — the first man since Mats Wilander in 1988 to win a trio in a single season.

    While Safin kept his temper in check just enough, Federer had some rare moments of anger, yelling at himself, screaming after a missing an attempted shot between legs on his only match point and later spiking his racket.

    Federer needed treatment on his shoulder and elbow at the end of the fourth set and during the fifth. He said he had a tender nerve running down his arm to his fingers, but it was more a nuisance than a problem.

    "It's really unfortunate. I thought I played really well under the circumstances. A point here and there changed the match," he said. "It's a pity. At least I gave it a fight."

    The 15,222 fans at Rod Laver Arena raised their arms as if saluting an emperor when Federer walked off the court with one arm aloft for a final wave. The semifinal started on Thursday — it was Safin's 25th birthday, and the crowd serenaded him — and ended at 12:25 a.m. Friday local time.

    Peter Lundgren, who was Federer's coach until late 2003 and linked up with Safin last season, wiped away tears after the match. He'd helped bring down Federer, who looked close to invincible when he breezed past four-time Australian Open winner Andre Agassi in the quarterfinals.

    Federer didn't drop a set in five previous matches and had only served six double-faults. He'd reached that number of double-faults by the third set against Safin and finished with eight.

    Federer last lost in August at the Olympics. This defeat also ended streaks of 24 straight wins against top 10 opponents and 19 in a row at majors.

    "I'm not playing against just a simple player. He's No. 1 in the world," said Safin, who lost Australian Open finals to Thomas Johansson in 2002 and to Federer last year.

    "It was one of the toughest matches of my life. I need time to recover," he added. "Five sets is a kind of lottery. Anything can happen."

    That was the case with Sharapova-Williams, too.

    "It definitely lived up to expectations," said Williams, who won her 13th straight match at Melbourne Park.

    She took the title in 2003, overcoming match points against Kim Clijsters in the semifinals, then wasn't able to defend it last year because of a slow recovery from left knee surgery.

    Earlier in this tournament, Williams bristled when asked whether her skills and those of older sister Venus are in decline. After all, last season was the first since 1998 that neither won a major.

    Serena Williams lost to Sharapova in a lopsided final at the All England Club in July, then again in the final at the season-ending tour championships.

    And down a set — and later, down match points — in the Australian Open semifinals Thursday, Williams might have questioned herself. Instead, she came all the way back, even though Sharapova served for the match at 5-4 in each of the last two sets.

    "I was battling Maria and myself," Williams said, noting her 53 unforced errors.

    The intensity of Sharapova's shrieks and Williams' grunts increased with nearly every point down the stretch. Both players showed jitters at times, and both also hit some great shots under pressure.

    "I played from my heart. I didn't take my chances," Sharapova said, adding: "There's nothing negative: I'm 17 years old and I've made it to the semifinals. I'm sad; it's a tough one to lose. But I've got a long way ahead of me."




    Safin beats Federer at Australian Open
    Tennis star: Serena Williams
    Sharapova beats Kuznetsova
     
      Today's Top News     Top Sports News
     

    World leaders mark Auschwitz liberation

     

       
     

    Lenovo: IMB deal on despite challenges

     

       
     

    Blood bank for pandas on the way

     

       
     

    List of bribers helps corruption battle

     

       
     

    "Shocking" number of student TB positive

     

       
     

    Financial woes greet released hostages

     

       
      Safin ends Federer's 26-game win streak
       
      Martins earns Inter 1-0 Cup win over Atalanta
       
      Rockets rally past Hornets 82-77
       
      Serena advances to Australian Open final
       
      Chelsea edge out Man Utd
       
      Shaq's 33 points lead Heat over Raptors
       
     
      Go to Another Section  
     
     
      Story Tools  
       
    Advertisement
             
    熟妇人妻中文字幕无码老熟妇| 亚洲免费日韩无码系列 | 久久伊人中文无码| 精品无码国产自产拍在线观看蜜 | 久草中文在线观看| 西西4444www大胆无码| 亚洲av无码不卡| 亚洲看片无码在线视频| 精品久久久久久中文字幕 | 亚洲一区二区中文| 中文无码喷潮在线播放| 91久久九九无码成人网站| 亚洲AV无码不卡无码| 国产激情无码一区二区三区 | 久久久久av无码免费网| 最好看最新的中文字幕免费| 亚洲一区二区三区无码中文字幕| 日韩A无码AV一区二区三区| 国产精品无码无卡在线播放| 亚洲AV无码专区国产乱码电影| 蜜桃无码一区二区三区| 中文字幕精品无码久久久久久3D日动漫| 最近中文字幕在线中文高清版| 亚洲AV无码一区二区三区国产| 69天堂人成无码麻豆免费视频| 蜜桃成人无码区免费视频网站| 亚洲AV无码精品色午夜果冻不卡| 亚洲av无码国产精品色午夜字幕 | h无码动漫在线观看| 国产精品无码午夜福利| av无码播放一级毛片免费野外| 国产精品无码DVD在线观看| www无码乱伦| 天天看高清无码一区二区三区| 无码日韩人妻AV一区二区三区| 亚洲AV永久无码精品一区二区| 在线看福利中文影院| 爆操夜夜操天天操中文| 婷婷五月六月激情综合色中文字幕| 一区二区三区在线观看中文字幕| av无码人妻一区二区三区牛牛|