Birthday Boy Roddick Served Victory Gift

German wraps up 5-set thriller with 113mph ace

(NEWSER) - After squandering three match points, James Blake fell to Tommy Haas 4-6, 6-4, 3-6, 6-0, 7-6 in a fourth-round US Open marathon today at Flushing Meadows. Blake, the sixth seed, ran his record in five-set matches to 1-10 as the 10th-seeded Haas survived a challenge on the final serve of the match. More»

A smash in red and crystal, the Russian defeats Italy's Roberta Vinci

(NEWSER) - Maria Sharapova dazzled in her US Open performance last night. The 2006 champion, bedecked in a crystal-studded red dress, downed Italy's Roberta Vinci 6-0, 6-1 in only 50 minutes. The tennis ace, who has struggled with a shoulder injury this year, was all confidence in her custom-made togs, smashing 30 winners to Vinci's 3 and advancing easily to the Open's second round. More»

Women's bracket is top-heavy, critics charge

(NEWSER) - The US Open is sparking controversy even before it begins because of complaints that the women's tournament structure is conspicuously lopsided with all the best players in the top bracket. "We got all the heavy hitters up top," said analyst Mary Jo Fernandez. Fans argue that the finalist from that top half will be unfairly exhausted from her stiff competition. More»

(AP) - She sat there in shock. Then, the tears started falling. Believe it or not, 17-year-old Melanie Oudin is the toast of the town at the US Open. Gritting her way through a shaky third set, the 70th-ranked player from Marietta, Ga., pulled off her second upset of the Open today, defeating a more-seasoned, more-famous, more-moneyed opponent—29th-seeded Maria Sharapova, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5. More»

Federer wins in three sets, cruises to semis in Flushing Meadows

(NEWSER) - Despite what Andy Roddick called a mistake-free game, he succumbed for the tenth consecutive time to a characteristically peerless Roger Federer, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-4), 6-2. Roddick ripped 14 aces, made just 29 unforced errors, and held serve throughout the first two sets. But it's Federer who will face Nikolay Davydenko in the semifinals of the US Open. More»