Kimi Raikkonen is pinning his hopes of launching a belated assault on this year’s drivers’ world championship on securing a second emotional triumph on the world’s most-famous street circuit in Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix. The 26-year-old Finn has endured a near-disastrous start to the 2006 season.
Rafael Nadal forced Roger Federer out of his comfort zone to defeat the Swiss for the fourth time in five meetings with a 6-2, 6-7 (2/7), 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) victory on Sunday to win the Monte Carlo Masters. Success in three hours and 49 minutes marked Federer’s second defeat this season — both at the hands of Nadal.
Top-ranked Roger Federer of Switzerland and defending champion Rafael Nadal of Spain will meet in the Monte Carlo Masters final after winning their semifinals on Saturday. Federer beat 12th-seeded Fernando Gonzalez of Chile 6-2, 6-4, and second-ranked Nadal downed Gaston Gaudio of Argentina 5-7, 6-1, 6-1.
Top-ranked Roger Federer and defending champion Rafael Nadal won quarterfinal matches in straight sets at the Monte Carlo Masters on Friday. Federer defeated eighth-seeded David Ferrer of Spain 6-1, 6-3, and Nadal beat number six Guillermo Coria of Argentina 6-2, 6-1.
Roger Federer has relied on his serve to remain unbeaten in ATP Masters events for more than a year. Guillermo Coria has had to overcome his serve just to get to the quarterfinals of the Monte Carlo Masters. Federer won 87% of the points on his first serve as he defeated third-round opponent Benjamin Balleret of Monaco on Thursday.
Rafael Nadal won’t give up his Monte Carlo Masters title without a fight. The 19-year-old Spaniard beat Arnaud Clement of France 6-4, 6-4 in the first round on Tuesday and said he wasn’t aggressive enough. ”The worst thing is to play too defensively,” Nadal said. ”I need to play with more intensity and be aggressive.”
Roger Federer admits he would have preferred a more low-key way to start his clay court season, but remains content to take his chances as top seed at the high-profile Monte Carlo Masters Series tournament starting on Monday. ”Here I’m a favourite, but the draws are tough and you have to back it up every other day, ” said the seven-time Grand Slam winner.
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/ 16 November 2005
Prince Albert II is to be formally invested as ruler of Monaco this week in a series of ceremonies taking place in the Mediterranean microstate synonymous with high living, gambling and jet-set glamour. The high point of the ceremonies, which coincide with Monaco’s national holiday, will take place on Thursday in the royal palace, when Albert is to take a solemn vow before representatives of the state.
Djibril Cisse came off the subs bench to lead Liverpool to a 3-1 Super Cup win over CSKA Moscow in Monaco on Friday. The France international, who has been upset by speculation that he might be shipped out of Anfield to make way for the possible return of Real Madrid’s Michael Owen, could not have made a more eloquent or timely argument in favour of keeping him at Merseyside.
Prince Albert II on Tuesday formally assumed the throne of Monaco, the Mediterranean statelet that has become indelibly linked with Hollywood glamour and jet-set wealth. The ceremony came less than a week after Albert confirmed that he had fathered the child of a French-Togolese former air hostess.
World champions Ferrari claim a potentially strong performance in the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday was limited by problems with overtaking on the twisty harbour circuit and a poor qualifying run. Michael Schumacher believes he showed enough pace in the race to secure a better finish than seventh on any other circuit.
Kimi Raikkonen won the Monaco Grand Prix to secure his second consecutive victory for McLaren with a controlled performance as rivals Renault struggled in the sunny principality on Sunday. Raikkonen, who started from his third consecutive pole position, proved he is now the man in form as McLaren executed aperfect one-stop strategy.
A change to formula one’s qualifying system will be put to a vote this week, International Automobile Federation (FIA) spokesperson Richard Woods said on Friday. Woods, the FIA’s director of communications, said the teams unanimously agreed to change the current set-up.
The star-studded Monaco paddock will be home to Darth Vader and the Star Wars cast for this weekend’s grand prix, but with the field wide open, there is no need for gimmicks to guarantee excitement in the sport’s flagship race. There are plenty of contenders for one of the biggest prizes of the season.
Spain’s Rafael Nadal became the second-youngest winner to date of a Masters Series tournament when he beat defending champion Guillermo Coria of Argentina 6-3, 6-1, 0-6, 7-5 in a thrilling Monte Carlo title showdown in Monaco on Sunday.
The 18-year-old left-hander, seeded 11th, also collected his third title of the year.
The husband of Princess Caroline of Monaco, Prince Ernst August, was in intensive care in a Monaco hospital on Friday suffering from an inflamed pancreas, palace insiders said, as the statelet prepared to bury Caroline’s father Prince Rainier. The German prince, who is 51, has been in the Princess Grace hospital since Monday, two days before Rainier died at the age of 81.
Monaco was in mourning on Thursday ahead of a funeral on April 15 for Prince Rainier, the monarch who modernised the tiny Mediterranean microstate and touched the world with his fairy-tale marriage to Grace Kelly. Rainier died on Wednesday at the age of 81 after a month in hospital battling heart, lung and kidney problems.
Prince Rainier of Monaco has died at age 81 after spending several weeks in hospital, officials said on Wednesday. The prince was in intensive care suffering from severe heart, lung and kidney problems. He had ruled Monaco since 1949 and was the world’s second longest-reigning monarch.
Oil companies can wrest the initiative from the green lobby by making the clean fuels of the future from their own refineries.