What was once almost unthinkable in tennis now happens more and more often: Roger Federer loses. The latest defeat came Friday, a 7-6 (4), 7-6 (7) decision to 27th-ranked Radek Stepanek in the Rome Masters quarterfinals. This was Federer's sixth loss of the year. The top-ranked Swiss lost only nine matches in all of 2007. Serena's win streak ends at 17 matches (AP)
Serena Williams 17-match winning streak ended Friday with a 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (5) loss to Dinara Safina in the German Open quarterfinals. The 17th-ranked Russian pressured Williams' backhand, the same tactic that worked a day earlier in an upset of top-ranked Justine Henin. "It's not like I played my best and lost, it could be worse," Williams said. US-Spain Davis Cup semi to be in Madrid (AP) Rejecting pleas from its players and coach, the Spanish tennis federation chose Madrid's bullring Friday as the venue for the Davis Cup semifinal series against the United States. The Spanish players had preferred one of the three other candidates -- Benidorm, Tenerife and Gijon -- for the Sept. 19-21 matchup against the defending champion American...... Brengle, Odesnik earn French Open berths (AP) Madison Brengle and Wayne Odesnik earned wild-card berths for the French Open by winning U.S. Tennis Association mini-tournaments. The 18-year-old Brengle, a recent Fed Cup team selection, defeated Ahsha Rolle to emerge from an eight-woman field for a USTA wild card into the clay-court Grand Slam tournament, which begins May 25. Zvonareva beats Azarenka in Prague final (AP) Top-seeded Vera Zvonareva won her sixth career WTA title Sunday by beating third-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus 7-6 (2), 6-2 in the Prague Open final. The 13th-ranked Russian didn't drop a set in Prague in winning for the first time in two years. It was her fourth final of the year. "It was really difficult," Zvonareva said. John McEnroe wins Champions Series title (AP) John McEnroe won his first Outback Champions Series title Sunday, beating Aaron Krickstein 5-7, 6-3, 10-5 (Champions tiebreak). The 49-year-old McEnroe, playing in his 13th career event on the 30-and-over tour, earned $54,000 with the victory over the 40-year-old Krickstein. "For my favorite fan base -- 75-year-old women -- this proves to you that ...... All News Lines - Local and World Wide, Updated Hourly
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