Fed ‘hungry’ for major as U.S. Open starts

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Fed ‘hungry’ for major as U.S. Open starts

NEW YORK - First came the end of Roger Federer’s remarkable run of reaching a record 10 consecutive Grand Slam finals, then he failed to make it to a major semifinal after a record 23 in a row.

The U.S. Open, which was scheduled to start yesterday, marks Federer’s last chance to prevent the close of another streak: in each season from 2003 to 2010, he won at least one Grand Slam title and sometimes as many as three. But he has nothing this year heading into the year’s last major tournament at Flushing Meadows in New York.

This U.S. Open is also Federer’s first major tournament since he turned 30 on Aug. 8. It is an age that tends to represent a barrier to success in tennis: of the past 100 Grand Slam titles, only five were won by a man past his 30th birthday. The last to do so was Andre Agassi at the 2003 Australian Open.

Federer, though, said that his age hasn’t affected his expectations. “Hasn’t changed anything. I’m still as professional. I’m still as hungry. Everything’s still completely normal,” he explained.

“It’s just a number that’s changed. I’m ready to go.”

His resume is filled with some rather impressive numbers, including a total of 16 Grand Slam titles and five consecutive U.S. Open championships from 2004-8, before his 40-match winning streak at Flushing Meadows ended in the 2009 final against Juan Martin del Potro.

Last year, Federer lost in the semifinals to Novak Djokovic and it is the Serb who looks to be the player to beat this time too.

For the first time since the 2004 Australian Open, neither Federer nor Rafael Nadal is seeded No. 1 at a Grand Slam, that honor falls to Djokovic, who is producing one of the greatest seasons in tennis history. Federer is No. 3.


AP

한글 관련 기사 [연합뉴스]

[US오픈테니스] '윔블던우승' 크비토바 1회전 탈락


지난 7월 열린 윔블던 테니스대회 여자단식에서 우승했던 페트라 크비토바(6위·체코)가 시즌 마지막 메이저대회인 US오픈 1회전에서 탈락했다.

크비토바는 29일(현지시간) 미국 뉴욕 플러싱 메도의 빌리진 킹 내셔널 테니스 센터에서 열린 대회 첫날 여자단식 1회전에서 알렉산드라 둘게루(49위·루마니아)에게 0-2(6<3>-7 3-6)로 졌다.

윔블던 단식 챔피언이 바로 다음 메이저대회인 US오픈에서 첫 판에 나가떨어진 것은 크비토바가 처음이다.

실책 52개를 쏟아낸 크비토바는 윔블던이 끝난 뒤 두 차례 투어 대회에 나왔지만 모두 16강에서 탈락했다.

크비토바는 "메이저 대회 우승은 나에게 새로운 경험이었다"며 부담감이 컸다고 털어놨다.

윔블던 결승에서 크비토바에게 졌던 마리아 샤라포바(4위·러시아)는 헤더 왓슨(104위·영국)을 상대로 2시간34분간의 접전 끝에 2-1(3-6 7-5 6-3) 역전승을 거뒀다.

샤라포바 역시 더블폴트를 8개나 범하는 등 실책 58개를 저질렀으나 게임스코어 1-4까지 뒤졌던 2쿼터를 듀스 끝에 따내면서 페이스를 되찾았다.

마리아 키릴렌코(26위·러시아)도 에카테리나 마카로바(42위·러시아)를 2-1(4-6 6-1 7-6<3>)로 물리쳐 2회전에 올랐다.

샤라포바는 아나스타샤 야키모바(84위·벨라루스)와 2회전에서 맞붙고, 키릴렌코는 베라 두셰비나(72위·러시아)를 상대한다.

남자단식에서는 아시아 선수 가운데 세계 랭킹이 가장 높은 니시코리 게이(46위·일본)가 플라비오 치폴라(108위·이탈리아)와의 1회전 세트 스코어 0-2로 뒤진 상황에서 기권해 탈락했다.
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