Indian Wells 2010: Ivan Ljubicic outlasts Andy Roddick to win title

Former top-ranked player Jelena Jankovic is back in good form as evidenced by her title win in Indian Wells on Sunday. The Serb defeated Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki in straight sets 6-2, 6-4 to earn her 12th career title.

“It’s been a great two weeks for me, really amazing. I’m so happy and so thrilled that I was able to win this title,” Jankovic said.

“I went out there knowing my game plan. I wanted to be really aggressive, but at the same time patient and not really go for too much or go over the limit with some balls,” she added.

Wozniacki said that she had too many errors during important points that led to her defeat.

“I couldn’t really get to play the game that I wanted to play. I wanted to get her moving a little bit more. I wanted to stay on the baseline a little bit more,” she said.

Despite the loss, Wozniacki will rise in the women’s rankings on Monday, taking over the number two spot held by Dinara Safina.

The biggest ATP and WTA stars will gather in Key Biscayne, Florida for another high caliber tennis event this month – the Sony Ericsson Open. This takes place a week after the Indian Wells tournament and will run from March 23 to April 4, 2010. The tournament has a combined $9 million total cash prize money.

Here are the top eight seedings for the men’s event: [1] Roger Federer (SUI), [2] Novak Djokovic (SRB), [3] Andy Murray (GBR), [4] Rafael nadal (ESP), [5] Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) – withdrawn, [6] Andy Roddick (USA), [7] Robin Soderling (SWE) and [8] Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA).

Here are the top eight seedings for the women’s event: [1] Serena Williams (USA) – withdrawn, [2] Caroline Wozniacki (DEN), [3] Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS), [4] Venus Williams (USA), [5] Victoria Azarenka (BLR), [6] Elena Dementieva (RUS), [7] Jelena Jankovic (SRB) and [8] Agnieszka Radwanska (POL).

Watch Sony Ericcson Open 2010 Live Online Free Live Online Video Stream HERE

Sixth seed Jelena Jankovic had little difficulty in defeating Australia’s Samantha Stosur in the semifinals of the BNP Paribas – Indian Wells 2010 tournament. Up next for the former world number one is Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki who beat good friend Agnieszka Radwanska in the other semifinal.

The blockbuster final between these two ladies will take place on Sunday. Wozniacki has not yet beaten Jankovic in their three previous meetings and is now raring to reverse the trend. The Danish player is assured of the world number two ranking next week regardless of her result in the final.

Watch the Indian Wells 2010 final match between Jelena Jankovic and Caroline Wozniacki live online free video stream HERE.

On paper, it seems like Andy Roddick has the bigger chance of winning the BNP Paribas Open – Indian Wells 2010 title. He currently leads the head-to-head series against opponent Ivan Ljubicic 7-3.

The last time these two ATP stars played was at the same venue in 2007 where the American prevailed in the quarterfinals. However, Ljubicic is not to be taken easily. The former world number three Croat defeated 2008 champion Novak Djokovic in the fourth round and defending champion Rafael Nadal in the semifinals.

Who will win the $605,500 cash prize?

Watch the Indian Wells 2010 final match between Andy Roddick and Ivan Ljubicic live online free video stream HERE.

World number three Rafael Nadal will attempt this year to regain the Queen’s Club title he won in 2008. He was unable to defend this grasscourt tourney last year due to knee injury.

Nadal made history in 2008 when he won the French Open, Queen’s Club tournament and Wimbledon on the same year. However, he was unable to defend both the grasscourt tournaments last year and he lost in the fourth round of the French Open as well.

“I always look forward to coming to England to play at The Queen’s Club and Wimbledon but this year there is even more motivation because I could not defend my titles last year,” Nadal was quoted as saying.
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US Open 2009 Champion Kim Clijsters has confirmed that she will be taking part at the Eastbourne grasscourt tournament later this year. This event takes place prior to the grasscourt Slam of the year – Wimbledon.

Also confirming her participation is defending Caroline Wozniacki who won her first career grasscourt tournament last year.

Last year, these two players have contested the US Open title with Clijsters prevailing. The win was an impressive one for the 26-year old Belgian who just played her third tournament since her comeback late last year.

On Wednesday, Clijsters picked up the Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award after her stunning run to the US Open win in 2009.

“I’m really excited about playing at Eastbourne, it’s one of my favorite events,” Clijsters said on Thursday.
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The BNP Paribas Open takes place this week at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden with the world’s best men’s and women’s players flocking in California to battle for glory and get the biggest share of the combined $9 million prize money.

Here are the top eight seedings for the men’s event: [1] Roger Federer (SUI), [2] Novak Djokovic (SRB), [3] Rafael Nadal (ESP), [4] Andy Murray (GBR), [5] Nikolay Davydenko (RUS), [6] Robin Soderling (SWE), [7] Andy Roddick (USA) and [8] Marin Cilic (CRO).

Here are the top eight seedings for the women’s event: [1] Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS), [2] Caroline Wozniacki (DEN), [3] Elena Dementieva (RUS), [4] Victoria Azarenka (BLR), [5] Jelena Jankovic (SRB), [6] Vera Zvonareva (RUS), [7] Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) and [8] Marion Bartoli (FRA).

Watch the BNP Paribas Open Indian Wells 2010 Online Free Live Video Stream HERE.

Andy Murray upset a few people in Dubai last week as he confirmed that his season was solely based on big performances in the Grand Slams when admitting that he was only using the Dubai Open as a training exercise.

Murray, runner-up in the Australian Open to Roger Federer, fell in the second round of the Doha event to Janko Tipsarevic to leave sponsors, who had also parted with a decent appearance fee to the Scot, open mouthed.

Murray claimed that his performance levels against the tricky Serbian player, who beat him 7-6 4-6 6-4, would have been different had it been a major tournament, bringing into question what can be expected from him in the run-up to the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open later in the summer.
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World number five Venus Williams continued her hot streak, this time at the Madison Square Garden, when she won the Billie Jean Cup in the BNP Paribas Showdown by beating US open 2009 champion Kim Clijsters 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 in the final.

Williams was fresh from defending two titles in Dubai and Mexico prior to her appearance in New York. It can be remembered that she lost the final at the Madison Square Garden a year ago to her younger sister Serena Williams. However, the world number one has pulled out of the competition due to leg injury.

“On the way here, I kept thinking, “I’m going to see Serena in New York,” the champion said.
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Tournament winners (February 21 – 28, 2010)

Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships (Dubai, UAE)

Singles: Novak Djokovic (SRB)
Doubles: Paul Hanley / Simon Aspelin

Abierto Mexicano Telcel (Acapulco, Mexico)

Singles: David Ferrer
Doubles: Oliver Marach / Lukasz Kubot

Delray Beach Int’l Tennis C’Ships (Delray Beach, USA)

Singles: Ernests Gulbis
Doubles: Mike Bryan / Bob Bryan

Abierto Mexicano Telcel (Acapulco, Mexico)

Singles: Venus Williams
Doubles: Polona Hercog / Barbora Strycova Zahlavova

Malaysia Open (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

Singles: Alisa Kleybanova
Doubles: Jie Zheng / Yung-Jan Chan

The $1 million Abierto Mexicano Telcel, one of the elite 11 ATP 500 tournaments this season, takes place this week at the Fairmont Acapulco Princess in Mexico.

Spaniard Nicolas Almagro is a two-time defending champion of the tournament and will aim for a record-setting hat-trick but will have to face tough competition from higher seeded players. Five players from Spain are in the top eight seedings:

Here are the top eight seeded players: [1] Fernando Verdasco (ESP), [2] Fernando Gonzalez (CHI), [3] David Ferrer (ESP), [4] Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP), [5] John Isner (USA), [6] Nicolas Almagro (ESP), [7] Juan Monaco (ARG) and [8] Albert Montanes (ESP).

Watch the Abierto Mexicano Telcel tournament live video stream online HERE.