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/ 19 September 2008
Early honours went to Europe on the opening day of the Ryder Cup on Friday, taking a quick lead in two out of the four opening foursomes.
Rewired Greg Norman emerged from a day of high winds and high drama at Royal Birkdale on Saturday to lead the Open Championship after three rounds.
Roger Federer is counting on the green, green grass of Wimbledon to help him bury the memory of the worst defeat of his career and a miserable first half of the year.
Top seed Roger Federer powered into the French Open semifinals on Thursday, but he was given a scare early on by Chile’s Fernando Gonzalez.
It’s Serb against Serb in the women’s semifinals at the French Open on Thursday, the first time that has happened, for either of the sexes, in Grand Slam history.
Gael Monfils has found himself with the hopes of a nation on his shoulders after he blasted his way into the quarterfinals of the French Open on Monday with a four-set win over Ivan Ljubicic. No Frenchman has won at Roland Garros since Yannick Noah’s emotional triumph in 1983.
Top seed Roger Federer set up a French Open quarterfinal against old rival Fernando Gonzalez on Monday but he was below par in a 6-4, 7-5, 7-5 win over Frenchman Julien Benneteau in a rain-hit tie. Gonzalez had looked impressive earlier in the day when he swept past the final American, Robby Ginepri, in straight sets 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-1.
Top seeds Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova both moved smoothly into the last 16 at the French Open on Saturday. Federer outplayed close friend Mario Ancic of Croatia, winning 6-3, 6-4 6-2 in cool, rainy, evening conditions on the Philippe Chatrier Centre Court. Earlier in the day, Sharapova defeated Italy’s Karin Knapp 7-6 (7/4), 6-0.
Triple champion Rafael Nadal and the man whose ambitions he has thwarted each time in winning those titles, Roger Federer, both made smooth progress into the third round at the French Open on Thursday. Second seed Nadal brushed aside French qualifier Nicolas Devilder 6-4, 6-0, 6-1 to take his Roland Garros record to 23 wins in 23 matches.
Sporting heroes inspire others to become sporting heroes, as new Masters champion Trevor Immelman testified following his two-stroke win over Tiger Woods on Sunday. It was a minor miracle that he was even playing in the Masters, having undergone a major operation just 15 weeks ago.