Every morning during the U.S. Open, Richard Pagliaro will take a look back at a significant match that took place on that calendar day. September 6, 1991: Monica Seles d. Jennifer Capriati, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (3) (Semifinals)

Every morning during the U.S. Open, Richard Pagliaro will take a look back at a significant match that took place on that calendar day. September 7, 2005: Andre Agassi d. James Blake, 3-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (6) (Quarterfinals)

MONACO (AP)—Eight-time champion Rafael Nadal extended his Monte Carlo Masters winning streak to 43 matches and top-ranked Novak Djokovic won despite a balky ankle on Wednesday at the Monte Carlo Masters. Nadal cruised past Marinko Matosevic 6-1, 6-2. Djokovic spent twice as long on court, defeating Mikhail Youzhny 4-6, 6-1,

NEW YORK—“I’m trying my nuts off, man. I just feel awful.” So said Andy Murray to a disappointed fan during the changeover after the first game of the third set of his second-rounder with Robin Haase. At the time, it was it was difficult to tell whether Murray was indeed

NEW YORK—Andy Murray had Rafael Nadal right where he wanted him—well off the court and lunging for the ball, like a harried commuter trying to leap onto the 7 train before the subway doors slammed shut. Stabbing a one-handed stretch backhand from outside the doubles alley, Nadal spun, sprinted to

NEW YORK—At times tonight watching Novak Djokovic, I pictured Roger Federer during his peak years. At a certain point, after he’d won a few majors, that instinctive shot-maker decided that being flashy was too much work over the course of seven matches and two weeks. He dialed back accordingly after

Today, Michael Llodra lifted an exquisite half-volley with the care of a man spooning an egg over the net without cracking its shell. Against almost any other player on the planet, the shot was a sure winner. Against Rafael Nadal, it was merely a set up for an eye-popping response.

Thirty-seven consecutive wins on clay for Rafael Nadal, but his streak has come to an end. Not with a bang, but with a smattering of grudging applause from the Madrid crowd seemingly in shock that their man was comprehensively beaten by Novak Djokovic, 7-5, 6-4. The silence that punctuated the

This one really had to hurt for Roger Federer. His 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 loss to Novak Djokovic in the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday showcased more than one way that the Serb can beat him. The first set was a continuation of Djokovic’s two previous straight-set victories

INDIAN WELLS, Calif.—Life as a professional tennis player: Sometimes you claw your way back into a match you seemed destined to lose and sneak out a win. Andy Roddick had that experience on Saturday in his win over Lukasz Kubot. But sometimes you claw your way back into a match

Afternoon, everyone. I imagine all of you are still recovering from the compelling U.S. Open final we saw last night. Speaking personally, I haven't seen many four-set Grand Slam matches that were as riveting as that clash. I found it almost impossible to watch, and when I didn't find myself

I find this bit of control freakery coming out of the IOC (and, apparently, the ATP and WTA are going along, bleating every step of the way!) simply astounding. Adidas has worked long and hard to make the three-stripe logo a kind of transcendent symbol of athletic performance. They've done

*102377396 by Pete Bodo A few weeks ago, I was down at the Saddlebrook resort near Tampa, visiting with John Isner. I watched him practice one afternoon with another promising American tower-of-power, 18-year old Alex Domijan. At 6-9, Isner is just two inches taller than Domijan, so I was glad

If Petra Kvitova’s design, in coming from the Olympics and playing Montreal, Cincinnati, and New Haven back-to-back-to-back, was to ensure that she didn’t repeat last year’s embarrassing first-round exit from the U.S. Open, then she can count that as a mission accomplished. The world No. 5 is now in the

LAS VEGAS, NV - Andre Agassi won his second straight PowerShares Series event and thrilled his hometown fans with an 8-3 triumph over Jim Courier in the championship match of the Cancer Treatment Centers of America Championships, Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas, NV. The victory

The odds will surely be shortening on Tomas Berdych making a deep run at Roland Garros, but nobody in their right mind would bet against Rafael Nadal there, or today in Rome, after a sublime 6-4, 7-5 victory over the Czech in which Rafa struck 34 winners for just 10

The nickname "DELPO" was printed in block letters on the back of Juan Martin del Potro's white Nike shoes, and it didn't take long for him to brand command on the match today. Navigating some slippery footing, del Potro rarely made a mis-step in stomping Marin Cilic, 6-2, 6-4, to

Seven matches for a seventh French Open title: It's the kind of numerical symmetry Rafael Nadal, with his penchant for order, can surely appreciate. He can tick the first one off his list after an almost casual victory over Simone Bolelli, 6-2, 6-2, 6-1. "He's not a great tennis player,

MELBOURNE—If you’re looking for a stat to sum up Petra Kvitova’s 6-2, 7-6 (2), fourth-round win over Ana Ivanovic here today, I’d consider beginning with this one: Kvitova’s average ground stroke was hit 15 kilometers per hour faster than Ivanovic’s. Whatever Ivanovic did, whether her ball toss was perfect or

NEW YORK—The hoodie and headphones Victoria Azarenka wears to warm up for matches make her look like a college kid bopping across campus. Bouncing around the blue court tonight, Azarenka plugged in the power and muted Daniela Hantuchova, 6-2, 6-3, to high-step her way into the U.S. Open final four.