UFC 138 tickets for Mark Munoz v Chris Leben on sale, sell-out expected in Birmingham

The UFC announced yesterday that tickets for the Saturday, November 5 event at the LG Arena, Birmingham, are on sale. It is expected to be a sell-out, with the mixed martial arts fighting organisation returning to British shores for the first time in a year.

CHRIS ‘THE CRIPPLER’ LEBEN AND MARK ‘THE FILIPINO WRECKING MACHINE’ MUNOZ SET FOR FIREWORKS ON BONFIRE NIGHT, WHILE BRIT HOPES BRAD PICKETT, JOHN HATHAWAY AND PAUL TAYLOR ALSO MAKE MAIN CARD APPEARANCES.

The main event is a fascinating middleweight (13stone 3lbs) showdown between Chris ‘The Crippler’ Leben and Mark ‘The Filipino Wrecking Machine’ Munoz, over 5 rounds, as well as a bantamweight (9st 9lbs) battle between Brad ‘One Punch’ Pickett and Renan Barao. UFC 138 marks the UFC’s first and only appearance on British soil this calendar year.

The UFC 138 main event between Leben and Munoz carries significance for a number of reasons. As well as having major implications on the future of the middleweight division, Leben’s brawl with Munoz also represents the first time a UFC non-title fight has ever been scheduled over five rounds.

The 31-year-old Leben, 22-7 in his career, remains one of the most colourful and beloved characters in the sport of mixed martial arts, having first risen to prominence as a cast member on season one of The Ultimate Fighter. He has since carved a niche for himself as a dangerous and durable middleweight contender and has scored stunning victories over the likes of Wanderlei Silva, Yoshihiro Akiyama and Aaron Simpson. He was last seen on British shores in October 2010, the night he last travelled to Birmingham and pushed British hero Michael ‘The Count’ Bisping all the way.

Rejuvenated by recent results, however, Portland-born Leben looks to move one step closer to a shock stab at the UFC middleweight championship with an emphatic victory over Munoz.

The 33-year-old Munoz, 11-2 in MMA, meanwhile, is another fighter who is at the peak of his powers. The former light-heavyweight contender is now settled and thriving at the peak of the UFC’s middleweight division and has dazzled in wins over Demian Maia, C.B. Dollaway and Aaron Simpson. A world-class wrestler with one-punch knockout power, Californian Munoz guarantees excitement each and every time he steps inside the Octagon.

British fight fans have waited with baited breath for the arrival of Brad ‘One Punch’ Pickett, 21-4, a high-octane bantamweight who previously compete with distinction in the WEC® organisation. The talented Londoner scored Stateside wins over currently No1 contender Demetrious ‘Mighty Mouse’ Johnson and Ivan Menjivar and now attempts to bring the same level of success into the UFC’s famed Octagon.

Pickett’s first UFC opponent will be Renan Barao, 26-1 1NC, a skilful 24-year-old from Rio De Janeiro of whom great things are expected. Having spent the first five years of his career competing in his native Brazil, Barao has achieved his last three victories in America has the longest unbeaten record in all of MMA. His recent performances have announced his arrival as a major player in the 9stone 9lbs division and this battle with Pickett has significant implications for the bantamweight class.

Another British star looking to steal the show at UFC 138 is John ‘Hitman’ Hathaway, 15-1, a welterweight contender from Brighton with the world at his feet. Still just 24 years of age, Hathaway has already defeated the likes of Diego Sanchez, Rick Story and Paul Taylor in his brief UFC tenure and many consider the long-limbed fighter one of the best prospects in mixed martial arts right now.

Hathaway’s foe on November 5 will be American Matt ‘The Immortal’ Brown, 12-10, no stranger to the British Isles himself. The 32-year-old Brown shattered the dreams of Englishman James Wilks in Manchester in November 2009 and carries a reputation for dogged determination and a never-say-die spirit. Brown most recently defeated the dangerous John Howard over three rounds and seeks to continue this good form on a return trip to Britain in November.

The UFC 138 main card is rounded off by an intriguing match between former UFC welterweight title challenger Thiago ‘Pitbull’ Alves and Sweden’s undefeated Papy Abedi, as well as a lightweight slugfest between Walsall favourite Paul Taylor and fast-rising Nigerian Anthony Njokuani.

Tickets for UFC 138 are priced at £50, £75, £100, £150 and £225 and go on sale to UFC Fight Club members on Wednesday, September 7 at 9am and to UFC Newsletter subscribers on Thursday, September 8 at 9am.

Tickets will then go on general public release on Friday, September 9 at 9am and will be available to buy via theticketfactory.com and the LG Arena box office.

India Dressing Room: Rain Delay Fly-On-The-Wall

India's latest call-up warms up for action at the Rose Bowl

Behind-the-scenes in the Indian rooms at a rainy Rosebowl…

“Right then you guys,” said Duncan Fletcher. “How about we use this rain delay for a bit of work in the gym?”

He bounced a rugby ball eagerly on the floor and mimed some forward presses.

“That is a most splendid idea, Mr Duncan,” said MS Dhoni. “And thank you so much for bringing it to our attention. Very much the sort of radical ‘out of your box’ thinking that we are keen to hear from you.”

Fletcher looked pleased. “I thought we could start with a really good run around and then I could whack some balls about for everyone to chase and –”

MS held up his hand, smiling benevolently.

“As I say, Mr Duncan, a wonderful suggestion but I think it would be best if we all had a bit of discussion and got back to you with our findings.”

Politely but meaningfully, MS nodded towards the dressing room door. Fletcher trudged out sadly. He took a picture of Ashley Giles and Geraint Jones fooling around with the slip cradle out of his pocket and sighed. Fletcher shut the door behind him.

Parthiv Patel woke up with a start.

“Is that the pizza man? You better not have had my pizzas, you greedy sods. I’ve had nothing since lunch,” said Parthiv.

“It’s okay man, relax,” said Suresh Raina. “It’s just that old guy who tells the scary stories about packs of fast bowlers. He’s harmless enough.”

“Oh thank goodness,” said Parthiv. “I thought I’d missed my pizza.” He went back to sleep on top of a pile of bandages.

“Well then boys,” said MS. “Shall we give this ‘gymnasium’ business a go, then? Rahul swears by it, apparently.”

Praveen Kumar stood up. He picked up a niggle.

“On second thoughts,” said Dhoni. “I don’t think we can afford any more injuries. I’ll tell Fletcher he’ll have to come up with something else.”

US Open Diary 2011: Roger Federer walks on water

Roger Federer didn't hang around to make it a record late-night finish

Monday in New York

Two more marathon matches as the wet weather threatened to appear…

Playing in the rain

At roughly 10 to midnight, Roger Federer began his fourth round match against Juan Monaco. As one tweeter so aptly alluded, Roger is probably used to waiting around for the women in his life, there being three of them. But not at such a late hour.

Thankfully for the world’s media, and the capacity crowd, Federer wasn’t in the mood to have the US Open’s latest-ever finish. Taking six minutes to win the first three games, 12 minutes to win the first five, and 19 to win the first set, Federer even produced what is known on the tour as a ‘poker’ – four aces in a row.

Handing Monaco (who has to win best hair of the tournament) an opening breadstick, then a brioche (desperate failure to find something that could possibly look like a 2 and starts with ‘b’), Federer was 3-0 up when the rain began to fall.

Before the umpire could even move to examine the droplets on his trousers, Federer had produced a third set bagel, finishing off Pico in an hour and 22 minutes at just after 1am.

Pity the poor press corps though, who were huddled under a tree at 2am waiting for the bus home.

The ladies continue to enthrall

This tournament has not lacked for drama, but it’s largely been thanks to the ladies. Caroline Wozniacki and Svetlana Kuznetsova continued the ‘oh my wow’ trend, contesting an epic over three hours and two minutes.

If ever there was a match to make Wozniacki, it was this one.

“She was a wall and to break a wall you cannot hit hard you have to mix it up…I just couldnt close it,” said a desperate Kuznetsova, who, leading by a set and 4-1, showed at once why she is both enormously talented and enormously frustrating at the same time. You can hit the most beautiful forehand from nowhere off the back of your heels, but 78 unforced errors do not a match win.

With dear Rors tweeting “COME ON!!!!!!” from his Swiss hotel (imagine what time it was), Caro came through 6-7, 7-5, 6-1 to reach the quarter-finals. Another step towards justification.

Tsonga reels in Fish

The Murraycoaster against Robin Haase aside, the men have been waiting for an edge of the seat five-setter that shows off concrete tennis at its best. Enter Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Mardy Fish, who did a superb job of winding each other up the wrong way. Some players play well angry, some don’t. Mardy definitely doesn’t, and seemed to have eaten some firecrackers for lunch, complaining about the umpire, and basically losing his way.

It’s a shame, because Fish has been the man of the moment, but credit to Tsonga, who certainly hung tough, even sinking his teeth into a tennis ball. One way to manage anger, I guess. His reward is another meeting with Federer. He’s won the last two…

Romper suits

Surprise, surprise, Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic still haven’t dropped a set. Let’s talk about Nole first. As expected, Dolgolpolov gave him a lot to think about in their opening set, whipping that bizarre service motion so quickly, and cutting such a slice that a slightly sleepy-looking Djokovic did a little head-scratching as he went a break down.

But, then he remembered that he’s invincible. Saving umpteen set points to win an edgy first-set tie-break 16-14, the next two sets were routine with a capital R. 61 wins now for Djokovic. That’s as many as he managed in the entire 2010 season.

Janko Tipsarevic is up next, playing in his first Grand Slam quarter-final after defeating J.C. Ferrero. Odds of him causing an upset? Unlikely.

Serena meanwhile, was not the Serena who destroyed Victoria Azarenka. But sadly, even so, there was nothing Ana Ivanovic could do, even if she did hit more forehand winners than Ms Williams. It was Serena’s serve, one of the best shots in women’s tennis, that sent her through to the quarter-finals.

Ciao…

Another day, and some more farewells. Francesca Schiavone, surely the most joyful player to lace up her tennis shoes, bowed out at the hands of Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, avenging her loss to the Italian at the 2010 French Open. Pavs hits a heavy ball. But will she get stage fright against Serena? Probably.

Let’s dance

Andrea Petkovic became the only woman on tour to reach three Grand Slam quarter-finals this year, brushing aside Carla Suarez Navarro in straight sets before performing her latest jig. And with a torn meniscus too. Respect.

Healthy coffers

There’s no danger of this year’s US Open not making a profit. The weekend smashed the all-time record for people through the gates on Labor Day weekend.

Soundbite

“I don’t know if I’m the best or not. I believe I am and I think a lot of other girls believe they are, too, as they should. I don’t think anyone should go out and say that they’re not.”

Saying it like it is, Serena.

Young Brits

Don’t get too excited, but four out of four British boys made it through their first-round matches at the US Open juniors. Oliver Golding, George Morgan and Liam Broady all joined Kyle Edmund in round two. Woop.

Coming up this evening…

Andy Murray v Donald Young

Given the dark clouds currently hovering over New York City, word on the street is that this is unlikely to start on time. But when it does, expect it to be a) very loud, and b) hopefully nothing like their previous and only meeting in Indian Wells. Muzza is well aware of what makes D-Young tick now, and bar the partisan crowd messing with Murray’s concentration, it should not be too much of a bother.

John Isner v Gilles Simon

Little and large? Power v poise? Something like that. How well Simon can get under Isner’s skin and force the errors will be vital. But big John has been playing verrry well of late, so it is a big ask.

Andy Roddick v David Ferrer

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Daveeed is absolutely the last player you want to play if you’re not feeling physically tip top. It’s exhausting just thinking about it. So Roddick needs to be very much on strike if he is going to compete from the baseline.

Sam Stosur v Vera Zvonareva

Just how in the zone is Vera? She took care of Sabine Lisicki in an awesome display, but are the marbles upstairs sufficiently aligned to withstand Stosur’s variety, and, crucially, confidence?

Also in action

Rafael Nadal v Gilles Muller, Flavia Pennetta v Angelique Kerber.

The daily click

Judy Murray’s blogs. The best guide to cakes and cocktails in New York. And some tennis too.

Get your umbrellas out

It’s raining in New York. Bring on the heaters, squeegee mops and towels.

Andy Carroll needs to take Capello warning seriously or he will fail at Liverpool

If Andy Carroll isn’t careful he will have achieved the seemingly impossible on Tyneside – made Mike Ashley look good and the decision to sell him to Liverpool for £35m a masterstroke.

There were those who, even if Carroll went on to play 100 games for England and led the Liverpool line with distinction for the best part of a decade, would have argued the money was too good to turn down.

At least they would if Newcastle had actually spent any of it on incoming transfers this summer rather than grabbed it to balance the books.

Others, the more romantic souls, who were thrilled to see a Geordie in the club’s iconic number nine shirt again, will never accept it. Well they might, if as is rumoured, Newcastle have a buy back option should Liverpool decide to part with him and Carroll returns to St James’ Park for less than they sold him for, but I’m getting off track here.

At the moment, even though Newcastle have ridiculously failed to sign a replacement for Carroll this summer despite sitting on a great big wad of cash, it is the selling club who have come off best in the deal.

The stark, brutal stats of his time at Liverpool, are this. Carroll has played 13 games for Liverpool and scored just three goals, one of which came against Exeter City in the Carling Cup. The other two in a solitary game against Manchester City.

To put the Carroll transfer into some sort of context he is the most expensive British footballer and joint 13th in the all-time world list.

Yet, this is a player who moved to Anfield after just six successful months in the Premier League. A year earlier, the young striker had not even been guaranteed a start in Newcastle’s Championship-winning promotion side.

Liverpool paid a huge price for potential, but potential isn’t always realised, particularly if the person in possession doesn’t fully appreciate what needs to be done to unlock it.

Early days of course. Carroll hasn’t even been at Anfield a year and has spent a lot of that time recovering from a niggling knee injury.

There is still plenty of time for the 22-year-old to come good and rediscover the rampaging, uncontainable old fashioned centre-forward quality he appeared to have in black and white stripes. But, for the first time in his young career, Carroll is under pressure and we don’t know if he can cope.

He is being questioned and criticised, something he never had to contend with on Tyneside. For £35m, Liverpool don’t want potential, they want performances and goals, or at least a suggestion they are on the horizon.

As a local lad, fresh faced out of the Academy, Carroll’s failings were ignored at Newcastle, his bad behaviour forgiven and his liking for a night out just part of his charm in a city where everyone, young and old, enjoys doing the same.

At Newcastle, Carroll could do no wrong. He was encouraged and supported, even when he first broke into the first team and was so raw he looked blue.

Carroll thrived in that environment as an unknown quantity and was more accustomed to having smoke blown where the sun doesn’t shine rather than kicked around the same area.

The move to Liverpool looked a good one. He would learn from an old master like Kenny Dalglish and would develop at a club which could curb his wild streak and turn him into a finely-tuned athlete.

It has not quite worked out that way. Carroll regularly returns to Newcastle to enjoy his home town and he does not appear to have curbed anything.

Dalglish is sensibly trying to protect his player and has never criticised Carroll in public, but England manager Fabio Capello will be gone in a year’s time and has no interest in the long game or the hope Carroll matures with age.

He wants performances from Carroll now and he isn’t delivering them, hence his presence in the stands, not the squad, when England beat Bulgaria last week. Carroll has looked heavy and slow so far this season and there are suggestions he has put on weight since he left Newcastle.

No wonder Capello is worried about his lifestyle. The English drinking culture is alien to the Italian, but he has a valid point where Carroll is concerned.

There was another player like Carroll who once took the Premier League by storm. He was unplayable on his day, a devastating target man defenders were terrified of. His name was Duncan Ferguson.

Ferguson was a nearly player, someone who had 10 excellent games a season when he was fully fit and firing. As he got older and his lifestyle caught up with him, his body began to protest and he spent most of his time at Everton and Newcastle injured or recovering from them.

He was a brilliant player, but he never did it enough to be considered a great. Carroll could find he is following in his footsteps.

Does anyone remember Michael Ricketts? He scored 24 goals for Bolton Wanderers as they won promotion to the Premier League and had scored another 15 by February in his first season in the top flight.

It was form that rightly earned him an England cap against Holland in 2001. His career has been in free fall ever since, taking in the delights of Middlesbrough, Leeds United, Stoke, Cardiff, Burnley, Southend, Preston, Oldham, Walsall and finally Tranmere, who released him at the end of last season.

Carroll is a far better prospect than Ricketts, but his rapid decline is a timely reminder of what can happen to one season wonders in the Premier League.

Carroll could be a magnificent centre-forward for club and country. He could be the player Newcastle supporters always dreamed he would be for them, but at the moment he is danger of becoming the most expensive transfer flop of all time. Capello’s warning must not be ignored.

US Open 2011 Diary – Novak Djokovic having fun in the bagel shop

Even Novak Djokovic had to laugh at his own brilliance

Thursday in New York

Terrifying form

When a tennis player is in one of those ‘I can do no wrong moods’, it’s hard to see how they can lose a point, let alone a game or a match. Which is the situation that Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic find themselves in at the moment. Both S and Nole have been all too happy to visit the Flushing Meadows bagel shop, dropping just three games on their way to the third round – Serena two in her opener, one in her second, Novak one in his opener (admittedly helped along by Conor Niland’s stomach troubles), and two in his second.

Djokovic’s dominance over Carlos Berlocq was so ridonkadonk that he hit a  hotdog to set up match point. This does not happen in the real world.

It can’t last of course. Or can it? Either way, woe betide those poor souls who come next.

Passing through

Also cruising along were Roger Federer in 77 minutes, Caroline Wozniacki in 63 minutes (Arantxa Rus, you let me down), and Francesca Schiavone in 53 minutes. Restoring order with every game or set that they don’t drop. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Marin Cilic, Jelena Jankovic and Tomas Berdych also advanced.

Stars and stripes

Yesterday marked the passage of five American women through to the third round at Flushing Meadows, the most since 2004 (when eight made it through). And, much more tellingly, three of the five are below the age of 21. Introducing Serena’s successors…Christina McHale, Irina Falconi, and now, 18 year-old Sloane Stephens. The punchy teenager didn’t even stop to muse on the fact that Shahar Peer might be too much for her, and will instead meet Ana Ivanovic in the third round.

The ones that don’t make sense

Gael Monfils lost to juan Carlos Ferrero in five very strange sets.

La Monf is a particularly curious case. Yes, JC Ferrero (not related to the chocolates, as someone did in fact ask), can defy his age to produce some vintage mosquito play, but still. These are matches that Monfils, who has talent screaming from his afro, should be winning. Except he doesn’t. Head-banger.

Richard Gasquet also went out to Ivo Karlovic in four.

And then there was one

Five players in the first round was pretty great, considering that it’s not Wimbledon. Three in the second round was greater. But now, as per usual, there’s just one. Not for want of trying on the part of Elena Baltacha, I’ll quickly add. She lead Svetlana Kuznetsova by a break at the start of their second-rounder, before the mercurial Russian got it together, and was ultimately that bit more consistent.Food for thought for Bally, who has had her best year in the Slams, all second rounds, at the grand old age of 28.

“Matches against world-class players like her teach you a lot about your game and where you need to improve,” Baltacha wrote in her BBC column. “My US Open might be over but I’m determined to finish the year strongly to give myself the right platform for 2012.”

But it does mean that Andy Murray is Britain’s last remaining player in the singles competition. Praise Peter for the doubles… Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins, and Jonny Marray and Jamie Delgado are all in second round action today.

More on Venus

Venus Williams has been talking a bit more about being diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome.

“I’ve been told it’s going to take three to six months for all the medication to sink in,” Williams told the New York Times, adding that she received a diagnosis last month. “Looking back, it’s affected my career in a huge way… A lot of times I’ve had to pretend I felt good when I felt terrible.”

The tennis world is behind her.

Have a read of some more thoughts on the US Open sick bay syndrome.

Soundbite

“Not much trouble on serve/baseline when it’s like that obviously tough 4 opponent. I just think I was superior today”

Vintage Roger Federer

What’s coming up this evening

Andy Murray v Robin Haase (approx 8.45pm UK time)

Robin Haase is a very sweet-natured Dutchman with a lovely smile. But let that not delude you that he can be swimming shark, his huge serve and groundstrokes meaning that Murray can’t afford to stand at the back of the court and swat.Will be a good test of where Murray’s return game is at.

Maria Sharapova v Flavia Pennetta

Inconsistent in her first round, dominant in her second – what will the third round bring from MaSha? Pennetta is one of the most naturally-gifted athletes on the WTA, so it won’t be easy. But when Maria gets the banshee wail going…

Rafael Nadal v Nicolas Mahut

Can the marathon man do anything to upset Rafa? Or will this be a chance for the defending champ to ease his way back into form.

Irina Falconi v Sabine Lisicki

Why? Because Falconi has a great name and Lisicki is one of the hardest hitters out there. Should be interesting.

Andy Roddick v Jack Sock

Old takes on new in this all-American duel. Roddick needs to stamp on Sock from the beginning. But can he?

Also in action

Juan Martin Del Potro (v Diego Junqueira), David Ferrer v James Blake, David Nalbandian v Ivan Ljubicic, John Isner (v Robby Ginepri), Sam Stosur v Nadia Petrova, Vera Zvonareva (v Annabel Medina Garrigues), Julia Goerges v Peng Shuai.

The daily click

Djokovic on song. In case you missed it.

US Open 2011 Diary: Freaky Friday for Andy Murray in New York

Andy Murray after turning things around against Robin Haase

Friday in New York

It was exhausting…

Agony and ecstasy

It doesn’t get any easier for Andy Murray fans. He’s either sublimely good, or sometimes, sublimely bad, mainly because he’s beating himself up rather than his opponent. Cue a lot of hair-tugging, swiping and swatting, and then, suddenly, big come on’s, fist pumps, even a leap or two in the air.

Which is exactly what happened last night against the curly top Robin Haase. The Dutchman did exactly what we thought he would do – served big and hit bigger from the back of the court. And Murray did, just nothing. Couldn’t get a ball in the court for two sets.

The world No 4 was left staring at the fact that he would have to come back from a two-set deficit for the sixth time in his career, or else head for JFK. And so, he did. Found some energy from I don’t know where, and basically fought himself silly to win 13 games on the trot, survive a Haase fightback, miss two match points (prompting one Italian journalist to yell ‘Ah, idiota!’) and finally come through by the car crash scoreline of 6-7 (5), 2-6, 6-2, 6-0, 6-4.

His reaction at the end – grinning and almost giggling as he pogo-sticked around the court, said it all. Might this just be the making of Andy Murray’s US Open? We shall see. Deliciano Lopez is up next.



If the Brits have it bad…

Try being an Australian. Sam Stosur, she of immense talent, potential and one of the nicest accents around, won the longest US Open women’s match of the Open era as she battled and tussled her way past a bicep-bragging Nadia Petrova, 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (5-7), 7-5 in three hours and 16 minutes. Imagine the ice bath after that.

Amongst all the kerfuffle

Four other British players made it into the third round, albeit of the men’s doubles…Jonnny Marray and Jamie Delgado survived a three-set thriller, and Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins knocked out the No 2 seeds. Fab.

Over and out

Maria Sharapova. Flavia Pennetta played the match of her life to oust the former champion in three sets. Admittedly, Sharapova made it easier for her, producing a staggering 60 unforced errors, but Pennetta still needed to Hold Her Nerve, as we like to say.

“One of best wins of my career,” Pennetta said. “We fight lot, play really good. At 4-1 up started to shake a little. Just tried to focus.”

So what next for Masha? Losing the Wimbledon final, and now this? Thomas had better start practising his pep talks.

Bizarrely, depending on how everyone else does, Sharapova could still end the tournament as the world No 2. Make of that what you will.

Where did that come from?

Donald Young, the jaunty-angled cap-wearing American, with a fondness for a bit of bling,  dumped out the 14th seed, Stanislas Wawrinka, 7-6 (7), 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (1) victory in 4 hours, 20 minutes on the new court 17. Like, wow.

Young, a former junior No 1, has been one of these perennial ‘is he ever going to make it?’ sort of players, who, ever since beating Andy Murray mid-slump at Indian Wells, has started to do just that.

His celebrations alone showed just how much it meant to him. And to others as well…

@sloanetweets: “Donald Young did that!!! I’m VERY proud ”

Keep an eye on

Sabine Lisicki. ‘Boom Boom’, as she is becoming known, bagel-sticked Irina Falconi to reach her first ever US Open fourth round. Anticipation is building for a collision with Serena. Which of course means it might not happen. But keep an eye just the same.

More on the sick bed

Nicolas Mahut became the latest player to head to the Billie Jean King infirmary, retiring against Rafael Nadal. One half of a doubles team retired yesterday as well.

Still alive

Andy Roddick, Sam Stosur, Vera Zvonareva, David Ferrer, Juan Martin Del Potro, Rafael Nadal, John Isner.

Tweet of the day

“Bloody nora… @judmoo your lad mad us all a bit twitchy there. Well done @andy_murray amazing match.”

@gaby_logan on being an Andy-fan

Coming up this evening…

Novak Djokovic v Nikolay Davydenko

ND v ND. Present v past. And realistically, it’s only going to end one way.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga v Fernando Verdasco

Hold onto your power tools. This is going to be a big-hitting fest, one which the Frenchman should sneak.

Victoria Azarenka v Serena Williams

It seems very strange to think that it was a full three years ago that Azarenka had the running of Serena in their Australian Open meeting before having to retire. Not a lot has changed – Serena is still the favourite. But this should be her first big test.

Sloane Stephens v Ana Ivanovic

An audience with American for the young Stephens, who will show us if Ana really has the goods to make it back up to the top. Watch out for her serve.

Also in action

Roger Federer v Marin Cilic, Mardy Fish v Kevin Anderson, Tomas Berdych v Janko Tipsarevic, Jelena Jankovic v Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

The daily click

The Federer twins. Too cute.

US Open 2011 Diary: Is Serena Williams back to her best?

Serena Williams was at her best level for quite some time

Saturday in New York

Order is restored, but more players withdraw…

Float like a butterfly…

There was a moment yesterday when Serena Williams looked like she was on the ropes. Breathing heavily, walking slowly, she had just seen four match points come and go against Victoria Azarenka, and then surrendered her serve for the first time all tournament.

But Serena, who one tennis pundit remarked as back to being just as quick around the court as she was in her Serena Slam pomp 11 years ago, merely soaked it all up. Absorbing Azarenka’s aggression like a sponge, she sent it straight back during an extraordinary knife-edge tie-break.

It wasn’t just that she was hitting it gob-smackingly hard. She was hitting it so deep, and with such angles. And all the while sprinting to the net too. She even did the splits.

There is one word for Serena so far – awesome. Huge credit to Vika too. She tried.

Serena plays Ana Ivanovic next in the fourth round, who clutched her way to a straight-sets win over Sloane Stephens.

Unsung hero

Louise Engzell. The umpire over-ruled a call on one of Serena’s three match points, when the security guards had already begun to make their way onto the court. Keen eyes.

Props also to Jack Sock and Melanie Oudin, who knocked out top seeds Bob Bryan and Liezel Huber.

Cruising

Roger Federer may have dropped a set against Marin Cilic, but it didn’t seem to bother him unduly. The mighty Swiss moved within one win of extending his record streak of Grand Slam quarter-finals to 29, and also, on 226, an inch closer to Jimmy Connors’ record of 233 Grand Slam match wins.

Novak Djokovic had not the merest whiff of trouble against Nikolay Davydenko, romping his way to a 60th win this year. Just two losses, remember.

Mardy Fish also made it through very easily, as did Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Francesca Schiavone (albeit not so easily, but in true Fran style). It’s hotting up.

More wounded

The retired/withdrawn list rose again yesterday, prompting some reaction from the players…

@andy_murray is the 18th pull out in the us open telling the tennis authorities anything?? No?? Thought not….

Of course, pundits were quick to say that players shouldn’t overload their schedules so much. Let the blame-game begin.

New knowledge

John McEnroe provided yesterday’s ‘learn something new every day’ – apparently the nets at the US Open are tighter than they are at Wimbledon. Hence, more net cords?

Chest-bump of the day

Team Auf Geht’s - Andrea Petkovic and Julia Goerges. It’s a miracle they were still standing, they laughed so much.

Hitting partners

While Peter Fleming was spotted on the practice courts yesterday, unorthodox forehand and all, British youngster Liam Broady had the chance to have a hit with Andy Murray. Nadal at Wimbledon, Murray in New York. Not at all bad…

Coming up tonight…

Andy Murray v Feliciano Lopez

A re-match of their Wimbledon quarter-final, and one hopefully free of silly jokes about Judy, Murray should relish the prospect to face his good friend in his first night match of the tournament.

Lopez had no answer to Murray’s versatility and power at Wimbledon. But that will be different on hard courts. As ever though, Murray will need to execute well from the start, and not take himself on as well as the Spaniard.

Sabine Lisicki v Vera Zvonareva

Aside from Serena, Miss Lisicki is probably one of the most eagerly anticipated prospects  in the women’s game, so people will be expecting her to cause serious problems for Zvonareva, who withdrew from the doubles yesterday.

That said, the Russian and her phenomenal defence have a 3-0 record over Lisicki, so the German will need to make sure she is not missing.

Juan Martin Del Potro v Gilles Simon

The first big test for DelPo? The BFG hasn’t played on these courts since winning the title here two years ago, remember, and has so far been a rather silent mover through the draw. But Gilou, who takes an Andy Murray approach to hard court tennis, is not a straightforward customer. Del Potro’s power should be too much though.

Rafael Nadal v David Nalbandian

The fifth career meeting between these two, Rafa has two, Nalby has two. Nalbandian’s power will always present problems for Nadal, especially if he hits it flat to Nadal’s toes, but the question remains over whether he is physically fit enough to keep up with Nadal over five sets.

Nalbandian showed glimpses of his old form against Andy Murray in Cincinnati, but in reality, could only sustain it for a set.

The daily click

Jon Wertheim’s mid-term grades. Who’s ranked where so far in New York?

Keep an eye on

The weather. Rain is on the way. The doom-mongering has begun.