image: TSN

The American team were playing without star, Andy Roddick, who suffered a hip-injury during his battle against Roger Federer in the Wimbledon final.  Roddick withdrew from the Davis Cup soon after.

Of the loss, Blake said: “It shows how important Andy is for the team.  Being on the No. 2 spot is less pressure than playing on the No. 1 spot.”

While I understand what he’s saying (and admire that he’s giving Roddick some much-deserved respect), I also think that Blake should have gone into the tournament with the attitude that he would have to rise to the occasion and perform well for his country under pressure.  There’s nothing that can be done about it now but, hopefully, this will be a learning lesson for Blake.

Croatia will face the Czech Republic in the semifinals.

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USA Eliminated From Davis Cup

image: Zuma Press

Blake’s semifinal match came to an abrupt end when, with the score tied at 4-4, four-time Queen’s Club champion Andy Roddick withdrew from the match after suffering an ankle injury.

Murray is ranked third in the world with just Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer ahead of him.  I’m sure he would love to win the event since, after advances to the finals, he will be playing his first title match in his native Great Britain and could become the first Brit to take the title in 71 years (the last local to win was Bunny Austin way back in 1938).

Blake, on the other hand, has never won a title on a non-hard court but, if history is any indicator, he could upset the higher seeded, Murray – they’ve battled just once before and Blake emerged victorious at the 2006 ATP Masters Series.

This year’s 2009 Aegon champion will take home $117,000.

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2009 Queen’s Club Finals Set

The Olympic tennis events concluded on Sunday. Sisters Venus and Serena Williams of the United States defeated Spain’s Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual for the Gold Medal in the women’s doubles competition.

Yan Zi and Zheng Jie of China defeated Alona and Kateryna Bondarenko of Russia to earn the Bronze Medal.

Venus and Serena Williams won the Gold Medal in the women’s doubles tennis competition at the Sydney Games in 2000.

Spain’s Rafael Nadal continued his winning ways for the men’s singles Olympic Gold Medal, defeating Chile’s Fernando Gonzalez in three sets: 6-3, 7-6(2), 6-3. Nadal gives Spain its first ever Gold Medal in tennis and secures his new #1 spot in the world tennis rankings, ousting Roger Federer from the place he’s held for more than four years. Nadal has won 38 of his last 39 matches.

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic topped American James Blake for the Bronze Medal.

Russia swept the medals in the women’s singles competition, with Elena Dementieva defeating her countryman Dinara Safina in three sets: 3-6, 7-5, 6-3. Vera Zvonareva defeated China’s Li Na for the Bronze Medal.

This is the first time since 1908 that one country has swept an Olympic tennis event.

Americans Venus and Serena Williams were eliminated from the tournament earlier in the week.

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Olympic Tennis Final Results

Just a day after he defeated the #1 seed in the Olympic men’s singles competition, James Blake was himself defeated by Chile’s Fernando Gonzalez in three sets. One could argue that Blake defeated himself, failing to convert three match points and missing an easy forehand shot, any of which would have given him a place in the tournament final. Instead he’ll be playing for the Bronze Medal tomorrow. Blake is the last American still in the mens and womens singles tournament.

Gonzalez will meet, to few people’s surprise, Spain’s Rafael Nadal, who is having the best year of his career. Nadal, the tournament’s #2 seed, beat #3-ranked Novak Djokovic of Serbia today in three sets, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4.

The men’s singles final will take place on Sunday. Fernandez is seeded #12 in the competition.

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It’s Nadal and Gonzalez in the Men’s Singles Tennis Finals

In a match delayed by rain, James Blake of the United States eliminated the top seed in the men’s singles tennis competition, Roger Federer of Switzerland in straight sets. The win was surprising since Blake has only beat Federer once in their last eight matches.

Federer is having an off year. He lost to Spain’s Rafael Nadal in the French Open and at Wimbledon. Nadal won his Olympic match today, defeating Austria’s Jurgen Melzer.

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Blake Defeats Federer in Tennis Upset

Despite the rain delays on Sunday, the top seeds in the mens and womens Olympic tennis competition managed to get their matches in and advance to the next round on Monday.

Top-seeded mens player, Roger Federer of Switzerland defeated Russia\’s Dmitry Tursunov easily 6-4, 6-2. Number two seed, Spain\’s Rafael Nadal, who defeated Federer at Wimbledon and the French Open this year, had a more difficult time. He prevailed, however, over Italy\’s Potito Starace in three sets: 6-2, 3-6, 6-2.

In the women\’s competition, the Williams sisters of the United States both defeated their opponents. Venus, seeded #7, beat Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland 6-3, 6-2. Her sister Serena, who is seeded #4, defeated Olga Govortsova of Belraus 6-3, 6-1. The Williams sisters won Gold in Athens playing together in the womens double competition.

Two American men, Robby Ginepri and Sam Querrey, were eliminated, leaving just James Blake to play for the United States in the mens competition.

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Day Three Olympic Tennis Results

Heavy rain in Beijing has delayed several of the outdoor events for Sunday, including the tennis matches and archery competition.

Before the tennis matches were suspended, James Blake of the United States defeated Australian Chris Guccione 6-3, 7-6 (3) for the first tennis win of the Beijing Games.

Roger Federer and Serena Williams are among those scheduled to play on Sunday if/when play resumes.

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Rain Delays Sunday Events