Nadal downs Dologopolov to reach QFs

It’s hard to keep your eyes off Alexandr Dolgopolov. Even when he’s being beaten comprehensively, you’re waiting with bated breath to see what piece of demented brilliance or wild error he’s going to come up with next. Sadly for the Ukrainian, there was more of the latter than the former on display in a 6-3, 6-2 defeat to Rafael Nadal today in the fourth round of Indian Wells.

It should be noted that even when Dolgopolov hit the closest thing to a purple patch during today’s match, Nadal never looked like losing. In scoring his 34th win at Indian Wells, he played a well-nigh impeccable match, serving at 65 percent and winning 82 percent of points behind his first serve, hitting 12 winners and only seven unforced errors. He also left the distinct impression that he would have done more had he been pushed more, adding to the ominous sense that he has more than enough left in the tank as he enters the quarterfinals to face one-time bête noire David Nalbandian. At this rate, it will be more than surprising if he does not make the final.

For point-to-point, must-watch tennis TV, however, it’s hard not to like Dolgopolov. All talent and hands, he set out his stall early when he leaned back and redirected Nadal’s serve at 30-15 in the first game of the match for a clean and wholly unexpected backhand winner. Down 15-40 on his serve in the next game, he saved a break point with a skating, skittering run into the net for a high backhand volley, only to duplicate the play and completely mess it up on the next point. A certain mercurial quality is inherent in the kind of thrilling creative tennis that Dolgopolov plays, but today there was far too much of the bad, only occasionally shot through with the good. The closest he came to making an impact was with Nadal serving for the first set at 5-3, when he strung together three bizarre and brilliant points to earn three break points. But was unable to capitalize on his best chanceâ€"a soft second serveâ€"when he put the return somewhere the camera couldn’t locate.

The pattern would repeat in the second set at 0-1, 30-30 on Nadal’s serve, and again as the Spaniard was serving for the match. Dolgopolov was simply hamstrung by his inability to convert on any of the five break points he earned, and was unable to hold his own serve when his forehand often couldn’t find the court. It wasn’t so much that slow and steady won the race, more that Dolgopolov never truly got out of the blocks.

So Nadal passes another test in Indian Wells with a minimum of drama and only a modicum of energy expended. As he progresses in the tournament, he may not be able to count on his opponent hitting 33 unforced errors, but he will be able to rely on having reserves of energy to spare.

â€"Hannah Wilks

BTCC: 2012 season Preview Part 1

The 2012 Motorsport calendar is getting into its stride now as the different series across all forms of motor racing start hitting the track in anger and here at Formula1blog.com we are ever expanding to bring you as many series as possible to discuss and share. New for 2012, Andy Aka. Frantic, will be covering

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Argentina says: ‘reaching agreement’ on a Grand Prix

The fabulous Reuters has reported that Argentina is close to securing the rights for a Formula One grand prix in the city of Mar del Plata. Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner told La Nacion: “I was brought the proposal to stage Formula One in Argentina and we’re reaching agreement,” Fernandez said. “God willing, we’ll have Formula One

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Bellucci takes set vs. Federer, loses match

It's getting to the point where, if you're one of the ATP's Big Four and find yourself down a set to Thomaz Bellucci, you can be forgiven for thinking, "Okay, I've got him right where I want him."
 
Last year, you may remember, Bellucci had a fair shot at being the man who shot Liberty Valence when he led Novak Djokovic by a set and a break in the semifinals of the Madrid Masters. Tonight he took a set off Roger Federer, the man who actually did shoot Liberty Valence in the 2011 French Open semis, but once again Bellucci demonstrated why he's fast becoming the ATP's top candidate for year-end recognition as The Guy Least Likely to Hold a Lead. Federer calmly took control and won it, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
 
It's a pity that Belucci, from Brazil and ranked No. 50, loses the plot so easily, because he has loads of talent. He's not only left-handed, but sort of an old-school southpaw in the way he plays, using that big slice serve in the ad-court, and that infuriating kicker to the forehand on the deuce side. His serving proficiency paid off handsomely in the first set, his best in terms of service percentage (62 percent, but only 52 percent for the match), and Federer helped Bellucci's cause by giving up a break in just the third game. By then, the No. 3 seed had made an alarmingâ€"for himâ€"five unforced forehand errors, including the one that gave Bellucci a break point that he then converted when Federer made a backhand error.
 
Given the way Bellucci was serving and whacking that topspin forehand and solid two-fisted backhand, it looked as if Federer was in deep trouble, and perhaps unnerved by a player with whom he had no prior record. But Bellucci is one of those self-sabotaging types who doesn't seem capable of handling prosperity. It was evident when he gave up a break in the very first game of the next set. Sure, a player is apt to have a letdown after winning a set off someone as highly decorated as Federer. But at 24, and with a fair number of big matches under his belt, Bellucci must know he can't get away with that kind of absent-mindednessâ€"not against Federer.
 
From that point on, the match was entertaining but, well, downright uneventful. The games literally flew by (the entire three-setter took less than an hour and 45 minutes), but I'm not complaining. The rallies were brief and at times savage. After that first break, neither man would see a break point until Bellucci artfully swept aside three of them to hold in the seventh game to stay within striking distance at 3-4. But Federer held at love in the next game and broke Bellucci for the second time to win the set.
 
Those breaks early in a set are buzzkills, and thankfully we didn't witness one in the third set. Bellucci's game held up well, considering that he'd let Federer back into the match and the Swiss champ was getting stronger and stronger (Bellucci had just three break points in the match, all of them in the first set). The Brazilian had an excellent chance, though, with Federer serving at 4-all in the third.
 
A pair of sloppy backhand errorsâ€"the kind for which a Djokovic or Nadal will surely make Federer pay a higher priceâ€"gave Bellucci a 30-0 lead. But Federer pulled four marvelous serves out of his sleeve (an ace and three service winners) to put the kibosh on the insurrection. Just like that, Bellucci was serving to stay in it, at 4-5â€"a daunting position for a player of his psychic profile.
 
Federer botched a backhand volley on the first point of that game, but three consecutive errors by Bellucci brought Federer to triple match point. Bellucci's next serve was an excellent one to Federer's body; the returner had to step out of his own way to return it. Bellucci fielded the return and went to the Federer backhand. The favorite tried to step around it to hit a forehand, but got in his own way and made a clumsy error.
 
I took great pains to describe this point because you probably won't see Federer doing anything like that until he's battling Nadal on some senior circuit, circa 2025.
 
Federer still had another match point, and he looked more like himself this time. He chopped a firm backhand return and Bellucci went for too much with his forehand to produce the match-ending error.
 
â€"Pete Bodo

VIDEO: Marussia unleash a Monster website

Marussia has teamed with Monster.com (job board) to find the next employees for the team. Finding a job in Formula One is no easy task and I’m always excited to chat with a few folks who do get the chance. Marussia have worked with Monster to develop this advertisement with Timo Glock:   If you’ve

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Djokovic, Federer through in three; Vika now 21-0

INDIAN WELLS, California (AP)â€"Top-ranked Novak Djokovic and No. 3 Roger Federer each needed three sets to reach the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open on Wednesday, while No. 1 Victoria Azarenka improved to 21-0 on the season with a straight-set win on the women’s side.
 
Second-ranked Rafael Nadal beat 21st-seeded Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-3, 6-2 to set up a quarterfinal against David Nalbandian, who upset sixth-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.
 
Djokovic, the two-time defending champion, beat Pablo Andujar 6-0, 6-7 (5), 6-2, racing through the first set in 27 minutes before Andujar picked up his game. The Spaniard, who had lost his previous meeting against Djokovic in straight sets, held at love to even the second set 1-1, drawing encouraging cheers from the crowd at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

Federer got by Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a fourth-round match that finished under the lights and completed a parade of the world’s highest-ranked players. It was Federer’s 12th straight win, making him 19-2 on the year.
 
“I struggled early on making the transition from day to night,” said Federer, a three-time champion here.
 
Federer used a big serve to go up 5-4 in the third set then won on his second match point when Bellucci committed his second straight forehand error.
 
Azarenka routed fifth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska 6-0, 6-2 in just over an hour to tie Serena Williams’ 2003 record of 21-0 to start a season. The Belarusian has already won three titles this year, and now has her sights on Martina Hingis’ record 37-0 start to the 1997 season.
 
“I was executing my shots brilliantly,” Azarenka said.
 
Against Djokovic, Andujar held at 6-all to force a tiebreaker, which he won 7-5 as the Serb committed a slew of errors. Djokovic broke to open the third, then again to lead 5-2. He served out the match at 40-love, winning when Andujar’s forehand service return sailed wide.
 
“He surprised me with his aggressive approach. He was taking the ball early and was playing well,” Djokovic said. “Second set, I start playing a little bit more defensive, and that allowed him to come back to the match. All the credit for him to play the way he played. The second set I could have won, but I managed to stay calm mentally and just find my rhythm again.”
 
Andujar fell to 1-8 against top-10 players, although he hung in for a stretch against Djokovic, keeping him on the run at the baseline with deep shots. The friendship between Djokovic and the 26-year-old Spaniard dates to when they played each other in an under-16 match in Belgium.
 
“I had six match points, and I lost that match 7-6 in the third set,” Djokovic said. “We joke around a bit at the times when we were growing up.”
 
Radwanska won two of the final three games in the quarterfinal match to avoid a shutout in falling to 1-5 in her career against a No. 1-ranked player.
 
“I was (ticked), yeah, in the first set especially losing 6-love is not fun,” she said. “Especially when you expect that you’re at this kind of level that you can beat anyone. But then I was seeing that she was playing just too good.”
 
All four of Radwanska’s losses this year have been to Azarenka, including a straight-set defeat last month in Doha when Azarenka injured her ankle.
 
She kept playing, but appeared to be in pain and was visibly distraught. Radwanska later said she “lost a lot of respect” for Azarenka because her behavior wasn’t a good image for women’s tennis.
 
“I hope I was a good example of women’s tennis,” Azarenka said Wednesday.
 
She had said earlier that she never had a problem with Radwanska, and the two women briefly clasped hands at the end of their latest match before walking away.
 
“It was the past, and now is a new tournament, new match,” Radwanska said. “You know, everything from the beginning.”
 
Azarenka also insisted there was no carryover from the situation in Doha.
 
“I have to play a very good match and show excellent tennis to beat her, so that’s what I was mainly focused on,” she said.
 
“She’s the same person, same great player as she was before, and I have tons of respect to her game.”
 
Other winners were: No. 11 seed John Isner, who defeated Australia’s Matthew Ebden 6-4, 7-5; and No. 12 Nicolas Almagro, who defeated No. 7 Tomas Berdych 6-4, 6-0.

The 2012 Constructor’s Championship prediction

Constructors Championship 1.Mclaren I think McLaren are really going to hit the ground rolling unlike the past few years which is crucial to their campaign. Overall the RB7 will still be the fastest car but if McLaren’s first half of last season had been like the last half, the constructor’s title would have been a

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Djokovic through in three; Azarenka now 21-0

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP)â€"Top-ranked Novak Djokovic rallied to beat Pablo Andujar 6-0, 6-7 (5), 6-2 on Wednesday and reach the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open, while No. 1 Victoria Azarenka improved to 21-0 on the season with a straight-set win on the women’s side.

Djokovic, the two-time defending champion, raced through the first set in 27 minutes before Andujar picked up his game. The Spaniard, who had lost his previous meeting against Djokovic in straight sets, held at love to even the second set 1-1, drawing encouraging cheers from the crowd at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

Second-ranked Rafael Nadal defeated 21st-seeded Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-3, 6-2 to set up a quarterfinal against David Nalbandian, who upset sixth-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.

No. 3 Roger Federer was to play a fourth-round match later, completing a parade of the world’s highest-ranked players on a sunny, 80-degree day in the Southern California desert.

Azarenka routed fifth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska 6-0, 6-2 in just over an hour to tie Serena Williams’ 2003 record of 21-0 to start a season. The Belarusian has already won three titles this year, and now has her sights on Martina Hingis’ record 37-0 start to the 1997 season.

“I was executing my shots brilliantly,” Azarenka said.

Against Djokovic, Andujar held at 6-all to force a tiebreaker, which he won 7-5 as the Serb committed a slew of errors. Djokovic broke to open the third, then again to lead 5-2. He served out the match at 40-love, winning when Andujar’s forehand service return sailed wide.

“He surprised me with his aggressive approach. He was taking the ball early and was playing well,” Djokovic said. “Second set, I start playing a little bit more defensive, and that allowed him to come back to the match. All the credit for him to play the way he played. The second set I could have won, but I managed to stay calm mentally and just find my rhythm again.”

Andujar fell to 1-8 against top-10 players, although he hung in for a stretch against Djokovic, keeping him on the run at the baseline with deep shots. The friendship between Djokovic and the 26-year-old Spaniard dates to when they played each other in an under-16 match in Belgium.

“I had six match points, and I lost that match 7-6 in the third set,” Djokovic said. “We joke around a bit at the times when we were growing up.”

Radwanska won two of the final three games in the quarterfinal match to avoid a shutout in falling to 1-5 in her career against a No. 1-ranked player.

“I was (ticked), yeah, in the first set especially losing 6-love is not fun,” she said. “Especially when you expect that you’re at this kind of level that you can beat anyone. But then I was seeing that she was playing just too good.”

All four of Radwanska’s losses this year have been to Azaranka, including a straight-set defeat last month in Doha when Azarenka injured her ankle.

She kept playing, but appeared to be in pain and was visibly distraught. Radwanska later said she “lost a lot of respect” for Azarenka because her behavior wasn’t a good image for women’s tennis.

“I hope I was a good example of women’s tennis,” Azarenka said Wednesday.

She had said earlier that she never had a problem with Radwanska, and the two women briefly clasped hands at the end of their latest match before walking away.

“It was the past, and now is a new tournament, new match,” Radwanska said. “You know, everything from the beginning.”

Azarenka also insisted there was no carryover from the situation in Doha.

“I have to play a very good match and show excellent tennis to beat her, so that’s what I was mainly focused on,” she said.

“She’s the same person, same great player as she was before, and I have tons of respect to her game.”

Other winners were: No. 11 seed John Isner, who defeated Aussie Matthew Ebden 6-4, 7-5; and No. 12 Nicolas Almagro, who defeated No. 7 Tomas Berdych 6-4, 6-0.

The top-ranked American doubles duo of twins Bob and Mike Bryan withdrew from their quarterfinal match when Mike fell ill, although tournament officials didn’t immediately say whether he has the same viral illness that has forced at least eight players out of the two-week tournament.

Ballardini 15th sacked boss in Serie A

Cagliari's Davide Ballardini became the 15th coach to relinquish his position at the helm, following his side's 6-3 defeat to Napoli on Friday, the third boss to receive his marching orders for the club this season.

Gerrard discusses derby, FA Cup hopes

Steven Gerrard has urged Liverpool to forget their League Cup triumph and return to Premier League form by beating arch-rivals Everton, and weighed in on their FA Cup quarter-final against Stoke City and desire to lift the trophy.

Djokovic through in three; Nadal, Azarenka roll

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP)â€"Top-ranked Novak Djokovic rallied to beat Pablo Andujar 6-0, 6-7 (5), 6-2 on Wednesday and reach the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open, while No. 1 Victoria Azarenka improved to 21-0 on the season with a straight-set win on the women’s side.

Djokovic, the two-time defending champion, raced through the first set in 27 minutes before Andujar picked up his game. The Spaniard, who had lost his previous meeting against Djokovic in straight sets, held at love to even the second set 1-1, drawing encouraging cheers from the crowd at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

Second-ranked Rafael Nadal defeated 21st-seeded Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-3, 6-2 to set up a quarterfinal against David Nalbandian, who upset sixth-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.

No. 3 Roger Federer was to play a fourth-round match later, completing a parade of the world’s highest-ranked players on a sunny, 80-degree day in the Southern California desert.

Azarenka routed fifth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska 6-0, 6-2 in just over an hour to tie Serena Williams’ 2003 record of 21-0 to start a season. The Belarusian has already won three titles this year, and now has her sights on Martina Hingis’ record 37-0 start to the 1997 season.

“I was executing my shots brilliantly,” Azarenka said.

Against Djokovic, Andujar held at 6-all to force a tiebreaker, which he won 7-5 as the Serb committed a slew of errors. Djokovic broke to open the third, then again to lead 5-2. He served out the match at 40-love, winning when Andujar’s forehand service return sailed wide.

“He surprised me with his aggressive approach. He was taking the ball early and was playing well,” Djokovic said. “Second set, I start playing a little bit more defensive, and that allowed him to come back to the match. All the credit for him to play the way he played. The second set I could have won, but I managed to stay calm mentally and just find my rhythm again.”

Andujar fell to 1-8 against top-10 players, although he hung in for a stretch against Djokovic, keeping him on the run at the baseline with deep shots. The friendship between Djokovic and the 26-year-old Spaniard dates to when they played each other in an under-16 match in Belgium.

“I had six match points, and I lost that match 7-6 in the third set,” Djokovic said. “We joke around a bit at the times when we were growing up.”

Radwanska won two of the final three games in the quarterfinal match to avoid a shutout in falling to 1-5 in her career against a No. 1-ranked player.

“I was (ticked), yeah, in the first set especially losing 6-love is not fun,” she said. “Especially when you expect that you’re at this kind of level that you can beat anyone. But then I was seeing that she was playing just too good.”

All four of Radwanska’s losses this year have been to Azaranka, including a straight-set defeat last month in Doha when Azarenka injured her ankle.

She kept playing, but appeared to be in pain and was visibly distraught. Radwanska later said she “lost a lot of respect” for Azarenka because her behavior wasn’t a good image for women’s tennis.

“I hope I was a good example of women’s tennis,” Azarenka said Wednesday.

She had said earlier that she never had a problem with Radwanska, and the two women briefly clasped hands at the end of their latest match before walking away.

“It was the past, and now is a new tournament, new match,” Radwanska said. “You know, everything from the beginning.”

Azarenka also insisted there was no carryover from the situation in Doha.

“I have to play a very good match and show excellent tennis to beat her, so that’s what I was mainly focused on,” she said.

“She’s the same person, same great player as she was before, and I have tons of respect to her game.”

Other winners were: No. 11 seed John Isner, who defeated Aussie Matthew Ebden 6-4, 7-5; and No. 12 Nicolas Almagro, who defeated No. 7 Tomas Berdych 6-4, 6-0.

The top-ranked American doubles duo of twins Bob and Mike Bryan withdrew from their quarterfinal match when Mike fell ill, although tournament officials didn’t immediately say whether he has the same viral illness that has forced at least eight players out of the two-week tournament.

Azarenka routs Radwanska; Djokovic wins in three

INDIAN WELLS, California (AP)â€"Top-ranked Novak Djokovic rallied to beat Pablo Andujar 6-0, 6-7 (5), 6-2 on Wednesday and reach the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open, while No. 1 Victoria Azarenka improved to 21-0 in the season with a straight-set win on the women’s side.
 
Djokovic, the two-time defending champion, raced through the first set in 27 minutes before Andujar picked up his game. The Spaniard, who had lost his previous meeting against Djokovic in straight sets, held at love to even the second set 1-1, drawing encouraging cheers from the crowd at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
 
Second-ranked Rafael Nadal and No. 3 Roger Federer were to play fourth-round matches later, completing a parade of the world’s top players on a sunny day in the Southern California desert.

Azarenka routed fifth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska 6-0, 6-2 in just over an hour to tie Serena Williams’ 2003 record of 21-0 to start a season. The Belarusian has already won three titles this year, and now has her sights on Martina Hingis’ record 37-0 start to the 1997 season.
 
Against Djokovic, Andujar held at 6-all to force a tiebreaker, which he won 7-5 as the Serb committed a slew of errors. Djokovic broke to open the third, then again to lead 5-2. He served out the match at 40-love, winning when Andujar’s forehand service return sailed wide.
 
“He surprised me with his aggressive approach. He was taking the ball early and was playing well,” Djokovic said. “Second set, I start playing a little bit more defensive, and that allowed him to come back to the match. All the credit for him to play the way he played. The second set I could have won, but I managed to stay calm mentally and just find my rhythm again.”
 
Andujar fell to 1-8 against top-10 players, although he hung in for a stretch against Djokovic, keeping the Serb on the run at the baseline with deep shots. The friendship between Djokovic and the 26-year-old Spaniard dates back to when they played each other in an under-16 match in Belgium.
 
“I had six match points, and I lost that match 7-6 in the third set,” Djokovic said. “We joke around a bit at the times when we were growing up.”
 
Radwanska won two of the final three games in the quarterfinal match to avoid a shutout in falling to 1-5 in her career against a No. 1-ranked player. It was her fourth loss to Azaranka this year, including a straight-set defeat last month in Doha when Azarenka injured her ankle.
 
She kept playing, but appeared to be in pain and was visibly distraught. Radwanska later said she “lost a lot of respect” for Azarenka because her behavior wasn’t a good image for women’s tennis. Azarenka said Tuesday that she never had a problem with Radwanska, and the two women briefly clasped hands at the end of Wednesday’s match before walking away.
 
The top-ranked American doubles duo of twins Bob and Mike Bryan withdrew from their quarterfinal match when Mike fell ill, although tournament officials didn’t immediately say whether he has the same viral illness that has forced at least eight players out of the two-week tournament.

Messi: Guardiola is more important than me

Lionel Messi has insisted that Pep Guardiola is more crucial to Barcelona than he is, attributed the individual plaudits he receives to playing alongside Xavi and Co, and discussed the quest to catch La Liga leaders Real Madrid.

Djokovic holds off Andujar in surprising three-setter

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP)â€"Top-ranked Novak Djokovic rallied to beat Pablo Andujar 6-0, 6-7 (5), 6-2 on Wednesday and reach the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open.

The two-time defending champion raced through the first set in 27 minutes before Andujar picked up his game. The Spaniard, who had lost his previous meeting against Djokovic in straight sets, held at love to even the second set 1-1, drawing encouraging cheers from the crowd at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

Andujar held at 6-all to force a tiebreaker, which he won 7-5 as the Serb committed a slew of errors. Djokovic broke to open the third, then again to lead 5-2. He served out the match at 40-love, winning when Andujar's forehand service return sailed wide.

Victoria Azarenka, the No. 1 woman in the world, was to play her quarterfinal later, and No. 2 Rafael Nadal and No. 3 Roger Federer were to play fourth-round matches to complete a parade of the world's top players.

Djokovic Tested By Spaniard; Isner Into QFs

What began as a cakewalk for Novak Djokovic turned into a challenge, with the World No. 1 required to work hard for a 6-0, 6-7(5), 6-2 win over unseeded Spaniard Pablo Andujar in fourth-round action Wednesday afternoon at the BNP Paribas Open.

[[More Tennis News on ATPWorldTour.com]]

Ivanovic: Win over Wozniacki 'could be huge'

Ana Ivanovic scores only her second win over a Top 5 player since she won the 2008 French Open when she defeats No. 4 Caroline Wozniacki, 6-3, 6-2 at the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. The former No. 1 Ivanovic upended No. 3 Vera Zvonareva last year in Beijing, but felt the victory over Wozniacki was bigger.

"I think win against Vera in Beijing was kind of big, but I think not as big because I think this is a bigger event," said Ivanovic, who will face Marion Bartoli in the quarters. "Maybe more important for me, and I'm very, very pleased that I put it together… I think it could be huge because of the confidence. I really feel I'm gaining lot of confidence. This is exactly something that I tried to work on, sort of backing myself up after big and tough matches really [she had beaten Ksenia Pervak in a long three-setter in the prior round]. I think next match is gonna be very, very important for me to try to keep that level. So it's definitely a big week."

Teary-eyed Wozniacki will fall to at least No. 6

Former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki nearly breaks down in tears twice in her post-match press conference following her 6-3, 6-2 loss to Ana Ivanovic at the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. With the defeat, Wozniacki will fall to at least No. 6 in the rankings and could fall as far as No. 7. It’s the 21-year-old 'slowest ranking since October of 2009.

"When you don't feel like you're playing in the top of your game, you know, you still try," she said. "You push yourself, but it's just not going the way you want to. Sometimes that can be a little bit disappointing. But, that's sports. It's always going up and down, and it's always been like that. It's not gonna change. It's just to practice, keep working, and, I mean, it will get better all the time."

The Dane has now not won a WTA Premier Mandatory tournament in the last year. She said that her father and coach Piotr was not hard on her after the quick defeat.

"I think I always am more disappointed in myself than he is when I lose," she said. "He's always more happy for me than I am when I win. Sometimes you take it for granted when you're winning. Like you do really well in a long period of time, and you actually realize it when you lose a few matches. You're like, 'Ah, actually felt pretty good.' But it's not like it's a disaster. I've been playing pretty consistently and just want to take the next step. But my time will definitely come again."

Djokovic Tested By Spaniard

Experience won over youth on Tuesday night in Indian Wells, with 30-year-old Roger Federer coming back to defeat 21-year-old Milos Raonic 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-4 for a place in the BNP Paribas Open fourth round.

[[More Tennis News on ATPWorldTour.com]]

India claw back with wickets

Mahela Jayawardene's visually pleasing half-century gave Sri Lanka the platform to beat their previous highest successful chase against India, but his departure and that of Dinesh Chandimal in quick succession threw the game wide open at the halfway stage

Asian hopefuls eye Olympic debut

Asian qualifying for London 2012 reaches its climax this week with Uzbekistan and United Arab Emirates both within touching distance of an historic feat, while Japan are in the box seat to claim the continent’s other available berth.

Leaders look over their shoulders

Enyimba made up points on the leaders in Nigeria with their first away win of the season, while Esperance continue their hard push up the table in Tunisia. FIFA.com reviews the weekend's domestic action in Africa.

Familiar faces and legends under threat

The challenging of goalscoring greats such as Ruud van Nistelrooy and Gerd Muller by Messrs Huntelaar, Van Persie and Messi provides the focus for FIFA.com's latest stats review, which also features Boca Juniors and Juventus. 

La U, a history of Peruvian firsts

Club Universitario de Deportes have a long history as one of Peru's most successful and cherished sides. FIFA.com takes a closer look at the origins of La U and the club's numerous achievements since 1924.

United, City on the brink in Europa League

The two Manchester clubs face a significant challenge if they are to remain alive in the UEFA Europa League with their Iberian opposition holding all the aces heading into the return legs of their respective last 16 ties.

Enzo Ferrari’s boyhood home becomes a museum (oh, and stuff from Oz)

This Saturday, the boyhood home of Enzo Ferrari will open as a museum dedicated to his life — probably including those cars he famously manufactured. Here’s a description of it from a New York Times piece: The Enzo Ferrari Birthplace Museum, in this city of 175,000 between Milan and Bologna, includes the house where Ferrari

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More Australian GP preview quotes: Marussia

Call this one a “get it on the record” post. A few more preview quotes are coming out of Australia… but both are Marussia. So… yeah, whatever. Timo Glock, Marussia 2011 Qualifying – 21st, 2011 Race – NC “I couldn’t wait to try the MR01 for the first time last Monday. Even though it wasn’t

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Title races hotting up

There were no signs of weakness from the top three teams in either Germany or Italy, while Barcelona continued to set the pace in Spain. FIFA.com brings you the latest from the world of women's club football.

Kahn: Neuer can characterise an era

FIFA.com hears from goalkeeping legend Oliver Kahn on his plans for the future as well as this year's UEFA European Championship and his opinion on Germany and his successor with club and country. 

Arteta: I can’t wait to visit Everton

Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta has expressed his love for Everton and why he feels he deserves a good reception upon his return to Goodison, while Gunners chairman Peter Hill-Wood has spoken of Robin van Persie’s happiness at the club.

Austin Grand Prix? Yeah, there’s an app for that

In an interesting and somewhat unprecedented manner, the Circuit of the Americas has teamed with Phunware to create a fan experience application for mobile users. The intent is to increase the fan experience and provide an interesting app just as Phunware does for NASCAR. The NASCAR app is free for Sprint mobile user and includes

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Azarenka now 20-0; Istomin tops Ferrer

INDIAN WELLS, California (AP)â€"Rafael Nadal has moved into the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open with a 6-1, 6-4 win over fellow Spaniard Marcel Granollers.

It was similarly easy on the women’s side for top-ranked Victoria Azarenka and No. 2 seed Maria Sharapova, who won their matches on Tuesday in about an hour.

No. 2-ranked Nadal has won his last 10 matches against Spaniards, and 22 of his last 23 sets against them. Granollers, who has risen from 50th to 26th in the rankings over the past year, couldn’t cover Nadal’s speed and touch.

Azarenka had a 6-3, 6-1 win over Julia Goerges and will next meet fifth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska, who advanced when American wild card Jamie Hampton retired with cramping in the third set while trailing 3-6, 6-4, 3-0. Azarenka (20-0) and Radwanska (20-3) have the most match wins this year on the WTA Tour.

Sharapova, who lost to Azarenka in a lopsided Australian Open final, beat Roberta Vinci 6-2, 6-1, and next plays either 20th-seeded Maria Kirilenko or No. 30 Nadia Petrova.

“I was pretty solid and I think my pace didn’t allow her to come forward as much as she would have liked,” Sharapova said about Vinci.

Fourth-seeded Caroline Wozniacki was to play a night match at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

On the men’s side, fifth-seeded David Ferrer lost for just the second time this year, 6-4, 6-3 to Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan. Ferrer had already won three titles this season, and was seeking his 20th match win.

Istomin set himself up for a fourth-round match against No. 9 Juan Martin del Potro, who defeated Fernando Verdasco 6-2, 7-6 (6). Verdasco failed to convert on six break points in the match.

“Verdasco is a really difficult opponent, especially in the beginning of the big tournaments,” Del Potro said. “He’s very, very tough, very dangerous, and I think I made a good match. I got lucky in the second set when I save five set points, and then in the tiebreak he made the double fault to give me the first match point.”

No. 6 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga advanced and Thomaz Bellucci progressed when veteran Russian Nikolay Davydenko withdrew because of illness. There was no immediate confirmation whether Davydenko was suffering from the same viral illness that has knocked eight players out of the two-week tournament.

Azarenka next will try to equal Serena Williams’ consecutive victories streak of 21-0 to begin 2003.

She has won all three meetings against Radwanska this year, with two of their matches going to three sets.

“She’s someone who always comes up with something different,” Azarenka said. “She’s a little magician, if you can call it that.”

Other winners included No. 8 Li Na and 18th-seeded Angelique Kerber, who beat American Christina McHale in a third-set tiebreaker.

Statement following recent CAS decisions in cases of Adamu, Diakite and Fusimalohi vs. FIFA

FIFA has taken note and is satisfied by the decisions rendered by CAS in the cases of Amadou Diakite vs. FIFA and Ahongalu Fusimalohi vs. FIFA, by means of which the appeals of both Diakite and Fusimalohi have been rejected.

Kohli and Gambhir power India to 304

One was recently made the vice-captain, the other had the vice-captaincy taken away from him. Any simmering tension, fictional or not, was barely evident as the pair of Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir scored centuries and compiled a partnership of 205

Hat-trick hero Gerrard calls for sprint finish

Liverpool's Steven Gerrard urged his side to build some momentum after the midfielder hit an impressive treble against Everton, becoming the first Reds player to achieve the feat in a derby for nearly three decades.

Milan pull away atop Serie A

A 2-0 win over Lecce, where AC Milan probably should have won by more, has seen i Rossoneri go four points clear at the top of Serie, with Antonio Nocerino and Zlatan Ibrahimovic providing the fire power.

Giants held amid tight margins

FIFA.com’s review of club action in Asia and Oceania this week highlights the new campaigns starting in the east, notably in Japan and China PR, where the opening round was marked by shocks for the pre-season favourites.

Ronaldo welcomes new LOC chairman

The Seleção legend and current member of the Management Board of the 2014 LOC is predicting a smooth transition for the new LOC chairman, while highlighting the need to focus on the work needed to make Brazil 2014 a success.

Philander prepares for tougher examination

Philander is in the fledgling stages of a career that looks set to take off with all the glory of an eagle in full flight and he cannot be expected to take a five-for every time he walks on to a cricket field

Mancini: Title race will go to wire

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini says the Premier League title race will not be decided until the last week or two of the season after his side surrendered top spot to city rivals United with a surprise 1-0 defeat at Swansea.

Redknapp unsure over England role

It is no secret that Harry Redknapp is the current favourite to be asked by the FA for the vacant England job, but the much-admired Tottenham Hotspur manager has said he is "not sure" whether he would leave his post for it.

'Shouldn't have played the shot I played' - Jayawardene

Mahela Jayawardene doesn't think a lack of training sessions in Mirpur or a chance to assess the conditions earlier than the day of the game affected his team; they were in control but gave the match away because of a few critical mistakes, he says

FIA press conference schedule - Australia

Local heroes Mark Webber and Daniel Ricciardo will be among six drivers facing the media on Thursday, whilst Pirelli's Paul Hembery joins team bosses from Lotus, Mercedes, Williams and HRT to answer questions on Friday. The line-up in fullÂ… Thursday, March 15, 1500 hours local time (0400 GMT) Jenson Button (McLaren), Charles Pic (Marussia), Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus F1 Team), Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso), Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) and Mark Webber (Red Bull).

Mirnyi/Nestor, Paes/Stepanek Reach QFs

Second seeds Max Mirnyi and Daniel Nestor battled past Andy Murray and Jamie Murray 6-7(5), 7-6(5), 10-5 to reach the BNP Paribas Open quarter-finals Tuesday in Indian Wells.

[[More Tennis News on ATPWorldTour.com]]

Strong Start Enough For Nadal

World No. 2 Rafael Nadal won eight of the opening games to defeat Marcel Granollers 6-1, 6-4 on Tuesday afternoon in Indian Well, moving through to the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open for a seventh straight year.

[[More Tennis News on ATPWorldTour.com]]

Wednesday Preview - Sixteen Players Do Battle For Quarter-finals

Media notes for the BNP Paribas Open, an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event.

[[More Tennis News on ATPWorldTour.com]]

Experience Leads Federer Past Raonic

Experience won over youth on Tuesday night in Indian Wells, with 30-year-old Roger Federer coming back to defeat 21-year-old Milos Raonic 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-4 for a place in the BNP Paribas Open fourth round.

[[More Tennis News on ATPWorldTour.com]]

Ivanovic beats No. 4 Wozniacki in straights

Once a Slam winner, always a Slam winnerâ€"maybe that's why we're always wondering when Juan Martin del Potro will "return to form," or why we always called a well-past-his-prime and unseeded Marat Safin "dangerous," or why we insist on reminding that Ana Ivanovic a "former French Open champion," even though almost any serious tennis fan would know that.

We do this because, at one point in time, we saw that particular players' game as superior to everyone else's. It was good, and we want to see that again. Those who watched Ivanovic dismantle Caroline Wozniacki on Tuesday night, 6-3, 6-2, may have seen the closest the Serb has come to resembling the player who won Roland Garros in 2008.

Ivanovic's elastic forehand was a devastating shot against the Dane, and Yonex would be wise to acquire the video from this match for its promotional efforts. Here's the thing: We knew Ivanovic would get chances to take cuts against Wozniacki, who simply doesn't force her opponents off their best shots. But in addition to making Wozniacki pay for such a strategy, Ivanovic did damage even in less-than-optimal positions. Her forehand had range, was accurate, and always seemed to challenge Wozniacki. Of all the shots I've watched thus far at Indian Wells, Ivanovic's forehand, on this night, was the most impressive.

The barrage made Woznaicki, defensive-minded to begin with, look even more feeble. She defeated Ivanovic recently in Dubai, but a few points into the second set, you could tell that that result was getting reversed. So could Ivanovic, who celebrated most points by looking towards her box, pointing and reassuring them.

She peaked when returning serve up 4-2 in the second set, striking two clean return winners up the line, with Wozniacki barely able to react. On break point, an entertaining rally demanded that someone end it with a winner. Ivanovic obliged, not with her forehand, but with a sharply-angled drop volley. Ivanovic reacted with utter joy, then served out the match at love. It was that kind of night for the Serb with an often sketchy serve.

What Ivanovic fans must hope for is that more efforts like this one will come. All things considered, Ivanovic has had a nice year so far, reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open and losing to mostly high-quality opponents. She'll face another one them in the quarterfinals, Marion Bartoli. The former Wimbledon finalist, Marion Bartoli, that is.

â€"Ed McGrogan

Andujar Embraces Djokovic Match-Up

Pablo Andujar is relishing the opportunity to play defending champion Novak Djokovic for a place in the BNP Paribas Open quarter-finals.

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