Tennis Shorts Blake’s hopes boosted by Nadal exit

SYDNEY – James Blake strengthened his title claims with an opening victory amid the demise of top seed Rafael Nadal on a day of withdrawals at the Sydney International here yesterday.

American third seed Blake accounted for compatriot Kevin Kim, 6-3, 6-4 in the opening match on centre court. Defending champion Blake, who beat Russians Davydenko and Igor Andreev on the way to winning here last year, said he was looking for back-to-back Sydney wins to carry into next week’s Australian Open.Kuznetsova and Petrova withdraw SYDNEY – Top-ranked Russians Svetlana Kuznetsova and Nadia Petrova pulled out of the Sydney International yesterday with illness and injury just days before the Australian Open in Melbourne.Kuznetsova, the second seed and number-four-ranked player in the world, retired after losing the opening set 6-2 to Slovenia’s Katarina Srebotnik.The former US Open champion said she had been suffering from an upper respiratory tract infection and withdrew to give herself a chance of playing in Melbourne next week.Petrova, the fourth seed, withdrew shortly afterwards complaining of an abdominal strain, while trailing 6-4, 4-2 against Serbia’s Ana Ivanovic.Mauresmo battles into quarters SYDNEY – World number three Amelie Mauresmo battled through an all-French dogfight with Tatiana Golovin to reach the Sydney International quarter-finals yesterday.The top seed was under pressure deep in the second set before pulling away to win 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 6-1 in the second round match.It was a good two-and-a-half-hour hit-out for Mauresmo before she opens the defence of her Australian Open title in Melbourne next week.Serena through to Hobart quarters HOBART – Serena Williams chided her sister Venus over some misleading information before scraping into the quarter-finals of the Hobart International yesterday.Williams had never played Czech Lucie Safarova before so she called on Venus’ experience with the athletic left-hander.Williams won in a third-set tiebreaker, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), but she quipped it was no thanks to her elder sister.”I spoke to Venus before the match, she’s played her before and she said that she was a tough opponent,” Williams said.The seven-times Grand Slam winner’s comeback from knee and ankle problems is gathering momentum.Nampa-ReutersDefending champion Blake, who beat Russians Davydenko and Igor Andreev on the way to winning here last year, said he was looking for back-to-back Sydney wins to carry into next week’s Australian Open.Kuznetsova and Petrova withdraw SYDNEY – Top-ranked Russians Svetlana Kuznetsova and Nadia Petrova pulled out of the Sydney International yesterday with illness and injury just days before the Australian Open in Melbourne.Kuznetsova, the second seed and number-four-ranked player in the world, retired after losing the opening set 6-2 to Slovenia’s Katarina Srebotnik.The former US Open champion said she had been suffering from an upper respiratory tract infection and withdrew to give herself a chance of playing in Melbourne next week.Petrova, the fourth seed, withdrew shortly afterwards complaining of an abdominal strain, while trailing 6-4, 4-2 against Serbia’s Ana Ivanovic.Mauresmo battles into quarters SYDNEY – World number three Amelie Mauresmo battled through an all-French dogfight with Tatiana Golovin to reach the Sydney International quarter-finals yesterday.The top seed was under pressure deep in the second set before pulling away to win 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 6-1 in the second round match.It was a good two-and-a-half-hour hit-out for Mauresmo before she opens the defence of her Australian Open title in Melbourne next week. Serena through to Hobart quarters HOBART – Serena Williams chided her sister Venus over some misleading information before scraping into the quarter-finals of the Hobart International yesterday.Williams had never played Czech Lucie Safarova before so she called on Venus’ experience with the athletic left-hander.Williams won in a third-set tiebreaker, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), but she quipped it was no thanks to her elder sister.”I spoke to Venus before the match, she’s played her before and she said that she was a tough opponent,” Williams said.The seven-times Grand Slam winner’s comeback from knee and ankle problems is gathering momentum.Nampa-Reuters